Another reason. . .

Here is another reason why I like summer soooo much, and dislike winter with an even greater fervency.  

 

And there are so many more.  That's just the white load.  hmph.

Grandparents... and the village.

 

Grandparents.  We have some really good ones.  I know, I'm a little bit biased, but really.  We have some really good ones.  About a year after the oldest little chief was born I had the opportunity to spend a week working in inner-city Memphis.  I left my oldest (and only at the time) with his grandparents.  I spent the whole week moaning and groaning to anyone who would listen- about how much I missed him.  And, make no mistake.  I did miss him.  However, during that week, the Lord spoke to me so clearly about a number of things.  Things I would not have heard had I been in my daily life, functioning the same as always.  One of those things came through a mother who lived in inner-city Memphis.  We were talking about mothering, schools, and children, life, and the Lord.  I had told her about my child, staying away for a week, getting spoiled by his grandparents.  She then told me something I will never forget.  "Grandparents are supposed to be spoiling the grandchildren.  It is NOT your job or mine to spoil our children, but it is the job of the grand.  They can build your child's self-esteem while you remember to put him in his place.  Both are very necessary."  I thought on it a while.  As a new mom, I hadn't had the chance to decide how I felt about the role of other people in our little family life.  Since then, I have looked back and realized what she said was profound in two ways.

First, it is not my job to spoil my child.  It is my job to love him unconditionally, to care for him, to consider his heart, train him up in the Word of God, live before him with a servant's heart, and obey the Savior as an example of life.  It is my job to correct him, to teach him what voices to listen to, and to remind him that He is also saved from death.  Being a parent is an incredible thing.  I love it and I take it very seriously.

However, it also planted something else in my heart that has become very central to my life.  I am not the only one meeting the needs of my children.  I have said for years (in jest) that it takes a village to raise a child and yet, I find myself suddenly aware of my own shortcomings.  I am fallen.  I am selfish.  I am tired.  I am only me.  So, at the end of the day, I am thrilled that when I fall short our grandparents will speak life over my children.  They will pray over them, they will love them, they will play with them.  And it is in those moments, when I can stop and hear the Lord, that He renews my heart.  He reminds me that I am their mother, that He can be strong in my weakness, and more than ever, He loves them more that I do.  And that's all that matters.

SO, for all of you who have been asking, I love our new blog title.  I love the fact that we desire real relationships with people, in real community.  Where we can support one another, love one another, and spur one another on towards the Lord.  My community is sometimes in my home, sometimes in Arkansas, and sometimes over skype (Go Egypt peeps) and facebook (shout out to my Seminary peeps!).  Whatever it looks like, I strive to live life with people who are longing for the same thing.  Wherever the village may take us and whatever it may look like.  Let's do it together instead of alone.  For we are all waiting for the same Savior to return, putting our hope that He will make all things right, and that He will judge and restore the earth.

"And so will it be with the resurrection of the dead.  The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;
it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power." 

1 Corinthians 15:42-43

"All the believers were together and had everything in common.  Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. . . . They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.  And the Lord added to their number daily 

those who were being saved."  

Acts 2:44-47

Quote of the Day . . . .

SO, me and the oldest little chief were sitting at the bar doing homework.  I looked out the front window and the beautiful leaves were falling from the trees.  It was really amazing.  I told Benjamin, and he looked out the window, thinking for a moment.  He looked at me and said,

"It's pretty. (pause)   I looks like the leaves are having a war with the grass!!!"

Really, I am a woman living in a house full of men/boys. 

Things I saw today. . .

I am working hard some days to remember what the Lord sees.  I am convinced that sometimes we get completely bogged down in what we see, which is sometimes miserable and without hope.  SO, today, I thought about the Lord's eyes more and this is what I found.  (also maybe just some regular old funny-ness as well!)

A sweet sleeping baby. . .

A beautiful morning out my front window.  See, the sun
shining on the yellow trees in the background?  Amazing. . .

Homework:  NUMBER 26. itch (no matter what that looks like) 

Fall is all around.  Life is slowing down, but not going away forever. 
In their last days before winter, the trees are beautiful.

A week with the only great, great . . . an overview in pictures.

 

Well, we have had a fantastic week.  My grandmother's twin sister, my great aunt, and my kids only great-great remaining, came up for a visit and we have had much fun!  As you can tell, Bethany is getting so much bigger and she loves for her brothers to hold her. 

 

There was reading every night.  Both reading by the great-great and reading by the big boy!

  

There was a trip to the zoo, but sadly the camera battery was dead, so there are no pics of that fabulous event.  However, we spent the next day at a huge botanical gardens, Powell Gardens, where we saw all kinds of plants.  In this pic we were at the top of a silo, looking down on the vegetable gardens planted in the shape of a quilt pattern.  Two things this amazing woman knows a lot about- vegetable gardens and quilts.  :)

 

Samuel just being cute with his daddy.

 

And running through fountains.  What could be more fun?

All this to say, I have many thoughts about the times with my great aunt.  She is a precious one from the Lord, and we both have times of sadness as the memories of Gigi are so close.  I haven't the time tonight to process it all through, but I will say this much.  I am incredibly grateful to the Lord for placing ones in my life who are testimonies of His love and this woman is no different.  She has lived many years, and some of the most recent have been hard.  And yet, she is content in her spirit, patient in her heart, and kindness wells up from within.  I am blessed getting to know her better and look forward to every moment the future may hold. 

the Second Born has a lot to say today. . . .

Quote #1:

When talking about the fact that he couldn't have a large frozen strawberry because he couldn't bite it, he said, "I bet God could bite it. And Moses too. I bet Moses could bite it." 

Qoute #2:

When talking about how he wanted to go back to the pyramids, he first said he wanted to take Baby Chief, NaeNae, Papa, and Erin.  When he remembered that they had all already been (except his baby sister of course), "We need to take Gigi when she comes back.  I think she would like them."

And it's only 10:15 in the morning.  How I love my mornings with my sweet Second in Command.

 

Shreveport Shout Out!

 

So this is just a really cute baby, but when we went outside for the garage sale this past Friday morning it was in the 50's.  Beautiful, but created a need for some fall fashions.  As I looked at my sweet one I realized that we were all kinds of grateful to our friends down south.  The yellow night gown was worn by one Anna Grace, the hat came from her AMAZING Mama, Candace, and the really warm and soft blanket came from our dear friend,  Mama Barbara Chaney!  How we love all of the Chaney/Dent clan in LA!  Love you guys--

Another Moment for Gigi. . . . and NaeNae too.

So, last time we went to AR my mom and I went to the basement of her house and she pulled out this fantastic box.  It had baby clothes in it that belonged to her and my brother, sister, and I.  It was amazing!  SO, since she has been harrassing me (in a positive way) for updated pics of Baby Chief, I thought we would have a photo shoot today in a shirt that once belonged to her NaeNae.  And let me tell you something people, this little shirt had to be ironed!  That's a committment from me . . . but the baby Chief was as cute today as her Grandmother was those years ago.  And I was just as proud of my baby as her mother had been of her.

 

Here's another, just for fun.

For those of you who understand. . . .

I got the new insurance cards today!!!!  For those of you who rememeber, we had a couple months there where the cards for baby chief said "Baby Girl R."  It made my heart sad to see them every time.  We went to court, still don't have the right birth certificate, but faxed the court documents to the right people and they came in the mail!  I would put a picture up if it didn't have all that private info on it, but just use your imaginations. . . .

cards just for Baby Chief.  With her REAL name on it.  Amen and amen.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 

Psalm 139: 13-16
For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother's womb.  
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Gigi and the things she loved. . .

Well, today I had one of those moments. You know, when you are going along, everything is fine, and all of the sudden you see something and the memories are so full, and life is so dear that tears begin to fall. Today, we saw a butterfly on the front window. Benjamin thought it would be a great idea to get the magnifying glass that came from Gigi's house. (He has been wanting one for some time, so when I was going through the garage sale stuff and found one, I gave it to him.) They both (the butterfly and Benjamin) sat there for probably 5 minutes looking at each other.

I was reminded of my Gigi. She LOVED to look at all the things outside our home, from the flowers to the deer to the birds to the bugs. She would notice things outside and point them out to the boys. They would walk around outside together and notice things in nature and she would tell them about it. She would tell them about what kind of tree it was, and what kind of bugs there were. It was precious to me and to them. She would have loved watching Benjamin explore using something that came from her. Know she had played a role in the growth of his mind and heart. I learned many things from my grandmother, but today I am remembering her love for nature and her love for her Savior that shone forth when she loved my children. Thank you Jesus for such time with such a woman. Hope you guys are having a blast!