A morning in the life of us

I do have deeper thoughts friends, than just the reality before me. And I often think of writing them down, but mostly don't have the time. I've been reading a great book my friend Lisa gave me called, "Comforts from the Cross". Just a month worth of devotion pointing to the cross and what joy there is to be free from sin for salvation, but also for living this life. I'm so aware lately of my failure, whether in my impatience and anger with the kids, and it seems like I'll never change. I can get stuck there though feeling bad about myself, or I can go to Jesus and repent and see His perfect life lived for me, and death for my sin, and forgiveness and instead of a self-improvement feeling that I can be better, I can find hope that He is better. I don't ever have to be perfect, and looking to anything but Him will keep me here in this same battle anyway. So, in my weakness, I find joy that I may fail, but He will never, I may be weak, but He is strong.

And onto reality. Today, I took the littles to the park while the bigs were at school. I was holding Judson at one point and Emma was in the stroller when about 30 people surrounded me in a circle. One little lady started peeling grapes and stuffing them in Juds mouth while all the rest were touching his golden hair and pointing at Emma. I get many questions regarding Emma. Today I got a bit frustrated, so pray for me to respond with grace. Everywhere I go I hear people say "4?" "4 kids?" We are like a walking circus. We respond by saying that we love kids, and that we believe they are a gift. I must admit though, that when I'm struggling to take care of them all, I can easily think or say, "I'm so busy, I'm so tired". Pray that I will be a witness of God's love for us and for children as I show patience and respond carefully with my words. This article that many friends shared with me is of great encouragement to me in thinking rightly about my 4 littles,
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-a-calling-and-where-your-children-rank

Its 8am and we're out in front of our apt complex to take the walk to school.

sights on the walk. ..





Notice there are no sidewalks. Its basically a construction zone as they are tearing down old houses and putting up skyrises. Lawrence on the way home yesterday said, " the sidewalks in Louisville Ky are much better than here. You can walk on them" :)




There is a playground with swings at the building complex where the kids go to school.
The new stroller!!

View from our 4th story apt. This is in the middle of our gated apt complex.

They turn this fountain on at 5pm along with music for people returning from work. Its too bad you can't see the mosquitos that eat us alive everytime we go down:)

Can you see that fence up above the playground? Its actually tennis courts, but without the nets, so the kids like to go up there and run around. I'm grateful for the space.