December

I overheard Lawrence this am saying, "yeah, its a tree, but there are no candy canes, and its fake". :) Thats been my attitude lately too. "Yeah, its ok, but its not like life back in America, especially during the holidays" I'm needing to up the fight to be content where God has me, and to not dwell in my self-pity of missing friends and family. Real missing, but don't want to miss trusting that God has me here now all according to His perfect plan. Quick thoughts from a busy girl!!

It finally got cold yesterday! I'll take not breaking out the winter coats until December 1!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Here are photos from our recent photo shoot with a local friend. He basically brought his studio to our home and set up! No captions necessary, just enjoy:) And be excited when you get this in your mailbox this Christmas:)

Swinging

Kids on wheels

Law's haircut

Grandma Rene has been cutting the kids hair from birth(well, you know what I mean). We would just wait until she was in town to get the hair cuts. SOOO, as the boys hair has grown I've been dreading what I was going to do. You know, the sentimentality of it and the fact that my boys are. . . well. . . boys, not happy to sit and have anyone come near their hair.

So on Saturday we walked to the nearest hair cut place and did it! Mission accomplished. Of course, in Lawrence style, he was not sure of the hair wash or cut, but he did make it through with only a few mean faces(see below).

Hmm, I might like this. . .


Umm, maybe not. . .
Holding on for dear life. . .


Lets be done with this!!!


Oh, a red cape. . . kinda cool.



Tired of this. (but doesn't he kind of look like Justin Beiber?)

Final product. Phew.

Sponges

I used to think I was a calm nice person. Then I got married. Then I had kids. Then I read a great book(I'm sure I've written about this before), in which the author told me that the anger I was experiencing was not actually because of my spouse or children. He said that the anger I am feeling has always been in my heart, but that my spouse and children(insert any circumstance that challenges me) were just the things squeezing the anger out of me, like water in a sponge. Already there, but when squeezed, flowing out abundantly.

This has been so helpful to me. Instead of blaming my circumstances, I need to own my own sinfulnes. Not to have low self esteem, but to point me to the Savior that I so desperately need. Such freedom lies for me when I can but bow my knee, acknowledge that yelling at the top of my lungs for my children to be quiet, ordering them around like cattle, and being short with them is not ok. And to look to my perfect Savior Jesus, who died for these very sins 2,000 years ago. I find forgiveness there, I find freedom, I find joy in Him, not in how good I am.

This is good news as I consider the first few hours of my morning. Getting 4 kids ready to go out in the rain to walk to school. One child who is whining and taking off his coat every time I put it on him. Two children who will not listen to me when I talk. 1 umbrella when I need 2. It was enough squeezing for me to lash out in anger. Of course I feel bad about my self. but, I am thankful that I have freedom to ask my children to forgive me and even greater to ask my God to forgive me.


Home after a successful rainy walk to school, even with some 50cents worth of broccoli!