Recentness

It's been so long.  My kids are getting so huge! So here's some pictures of them and what we've been doing.  I tried to put some new ones that didn't appear in other social media, but those are some of the best ones anyway.  

Kindergarten is in full swing! Savannah had trying first few weeks, but now she loves it.  She starts her day there at 8:25, and gets to come home at 3:20.  They have a little rest time in the afternoon, but she's pretty busy all day.  We are loving how much she is learning.  Today I woke up at 6:25am and heard her practicing letter sounds in her dark room.  She gets to eat school lunch once a week (we let her choose which day from the school menu) and Travis packs her lunch the other days.  He always puts some candy or something in it, so she loves that.  Charlie and I went to eat lunch with her one day.  It was a lot of fun to interact with some of her new girl friends.   They all love Charlie! 

This picture is pretty blurry, but we got a bird!  Her name is Princess Pepperwood - a compromise on the name. You can guess which part Savannah contributed.  We really like having a bird and Savannah is working on learning to feed and water it herself.  Charlie loves watching the bird.  Sometimes I put it on the table so he can "interact" with it.  

Baby boy is getting big!  He'll be 10 months at the end of October, and I'm putting him in 12 months clothes already.  I have no idea how much he weighs now, but it's a lot.  He still isn't sleeping through the night, but we're going to work on that.  He's eating all kinds of things. He prefers food he can put in his mouth himself and the little stinker is already avoiding vegetables!  You wouldn't think by looking at him that he avoids any food.  He's also crawling everywhere.  Wont be too long before he works on walking.  

We keep reminding ourselves, when things get crazy and when both Savannah and Charlie are freaking out.  When we are so so so tired.  And when scheduling naps and play dates is ridiculous - this is a short short phase.   We are in a season.  Our kids are amazing.  We love them and even though it will be nice when they don't take so much out of us - we know we will miss having a baby and a five year old because they are such a joy!

Worry about yourself!

This video is probably cuter if you have little kids and have experienced the "joy" of trying to help them in their stubbornness.
I was recently able to attend a conference in Chicago through the Revive Our Hearts ministry.  I knew it was geared for woman in leadership, but not much else.  The theme of the who deal ended up being based around the idea of helping people see grace during times of trial.  Getting in the mess and really ministering to the most hurting people that need ministered too.  I don't know about you - but that's something I tend to want to run from!  The weekend was good for my soul, and my leadership, in that it helped me to have the confidence I sometimes lack in knowing the truth about what God says about trial.  Hopefully I'll get around to more of that later, but for today I was looking through my notes from the first session and remembered this video.  Here are some of the points that connect with it:

- God is our help.  Johovah Azer.  I AM help.
- Sometimes we would rather live in defeat than cry out to God for His help.  He wants to help us and He will wait for us to cry out.  He will wait for us to try getting help from other gods (people, quick fixes, programs) if that's what it takes.
- God does not help those who help themselves.  He helps those who cry out for help!
- Anything that makes you need God is a blessing.
- He would love for us to recognize - Why do I desperately need God today?  You do need him.

May God never allow me to get to the point where I think I can do what He has called me to do without His help.