Encouraged, and Passing it on!

What a WONDERFUL day. I just enjoyed one of my favorite days in this short life. God is so kind! I love my sweet friends here in Hickory! There are so many wonderful girls that I love to be with. Ironically, after a sweet day like today having had a great time with some of them, I am brought back to the simple and sweet reality of my life.
I am a mother. I am a wife. My identity in Christ and my desire to live for Him brings me to the simple and sweet reality that this is who I am. A wife to Kurt, and a mother to my six sweet little blessings. My identity as a volleyball player is gone. My identity as a pre-school teacher is gone. My identity as a Little Caesar's pizza employee is gone. (this one wasn't so hard to let go of) My identity as a crafty creative woman is generally now confined to use as it relates to small children. Some of these "identities" were difficult to give up because of my pride. I still find myself clinging to them at times. But there is no greater joy than to pursue God's design for me, and to pursue it with eagerness and trust! He has proven Himself faithful to me as I have "given up" little parts of my life in pursuit of fulfilling His desire for me. I couldn't be more joyful and thankful for how He has worked in me, despite my multiplied failures. I love my life, because God has been at work.
This afternoon, I came home to six little chatty people and a somewhat spent husband. He had patiently dealt with the kids all morning and it was time for us to do a little "tag-team". After homework and chores, we finally took out all of the cereal boxes (and other boxes) I had been saving (our recycling pick-up doesn't take cardboard!!??)- it was time to do something with them. I started building with them and using duct tape for mortar. Soon I had six little bodies all wanting to participate and all contributing their creative ideas. We had SO MUCH FUN! We built a drive-thru restaurant with multiple windows. It's now on my kitchen floor. What a blast.
Kurt then took the oldest three to a concert at the church while I was going to settle the littles down for bed. I was tired. However, they were more tired and resorted to crying and whining as the older three left. Thus began the scolding. "No more crying. Life isn't always fair. If you don't stop crying...." Blah blah blah. AGH!! I had to stop myself once again. This is an ungodly and totally ineffective way to change the tone and bring a sweet aroma of Christ into the home. "Okay girls. I know it's stinky to not get to go with the big kids." (crying persisted) "We are going to have fun." (still crying) "Okay, let's face it. It's not fun to be left behind. It kinda feels like this." I started the whole stick your tongue out of your mouth, puff the cheeks, spit/raspberry noise, complete with crossing of the eyes. I did it as long and loud as I could. And you know what? Both of the girls were laughing hysterically by the end of it, and then joined me for several minutes while we challenged each other to the loudest raspberry noise, then the softest. We had a blast. I sent them up to get their P.J.'s on with the promise of something REALLY fun when they came back down. With all of the energy I could muster, I presented the most fun thing of all time. "A dance party ON the dining room table!!!!!" They could hardly believe their ears. They quickly climbed up on the table as I turned on the music in the kitchen. We rocked out to three songs together (no, I didn't dance on the table this time). They were again laughing hysterically and super giddy. To finish up our most fun night, we did a drive-thru Starbucks. They put on their aprons and chef hats and proudly prepared coffee and hot cocoa for me and presented them through the recycled box "window". Macy even prepared an extra hot cocoa. "Mommy, here you go. This one's for your honey." Wow, where does she come up with this stuff?
Anyway, I am still tired, but so thankful for the encouragement that I received today, and am resolved again to do what God has called me to-wife and mother (yes, I'm using those as verbs!)- with excellence. He has abundantly blessed, and I want to gladly lay my life down to serve Him by serving my family! There is no greater joy!
I know the world clamors loudly in our ears, calling us to not "lose our identity". But in Christ, our identity is found in serving and following Him. And in following Him, He calls us to serve in our homes- to support and respect our husbands, and to love and raise up our children with selflessness and joy. This is who we are. This is who I am. I am a wife. I am a mother. I desperately want to have no regrets in these identities.

More California Pictures

Disney adventures with the cousins and grandparents. 3-d shows offer the best photo opps for kids! Love this!

My dad with the baby. Dax was a champ for the entirety of the long vacation. After day three of Disney, I video-taped him as we were leaving after three days of virtually no naps.........cackling non-stop. What a sweet baby!

My brother heading up the crew at the "L" at the entrance to California Adventure. That's his daughter and son on either side of him.

Dax LOVED Westin! He was trying to eat him all evening. Poor Westin! He took it well. :)

I got to spend some good time with Wendy, my volleyball team-mate from college. We go way back, and usually when we get together we act like we did way back then. I love it. It's so fun to see her with her kids and I miss her!

I've fallen so far behind with the blog! I've got all kinds of excuses, but we'll just say that I really want to keep updating regularly so I can keep the journal of our family current and complete! Anyway more to come.

Family Vacation & the Boys

Okay, so I've posted lots of pictures of the girls (well three of them) and feel like I'm a little imbalanced...the others just not as easy to take pictures of. Cam's glasses (reflection) and fake smile (pained, more like it) make it difficult to capture good ones. Dax is a wiggle worm, and Reilly HATES the camera. Well I guess he likes it, but only when he can be a complete goof ball. So here are a few more from our trip.

Beach Fun

These sweet girls played so well together for three straight days at the beach. It was such a blast!

Photo Fun

I took a few other pictures of the girlies and played around with Picasa 3- a FREE photo dealie (I know that's not a word). Anyway I had lots of fun playing with color and other alterations or whatever you call them. These are of Kinley and Shea.

Macy Boo

We were sitting at the dinner table tonight when I noticed the lighting outside at the unoccupied (and recently marked down!) house across the street from ours, then noticed that Macy's eyes about perfectly matched her new little Wal-Mart $5 dress that she got today. I swept her up before the sun went down completely and took some fun shots! She's a pretty good little poser too, I might add.

Sweet Girls

I love these girls! They sure know how to fight, but I'm so thankful that they know how to make up. They are so tender hearted toward one another! They sent these notes through the mailbox out in the front yard after their "blow-up" this morning. Pretty cute.