Almost to the end of the craziness...

well, john got back from n.c. on friday. the kids and i spent thurs. through sunday at the condos with all my family. john joined us on saturday. my brother got hitched. it was a beautiful wedding...WOW! my little bro is married. i was 11 when he was born so i am feeling very old now. i mean i changed quite a few of that boy's diapers. tonight, we host our annual praise and fundraiser event called "provision."

john had a good week up in n.c. probably not the size of crowd that he was anticipating at the provision that he held up there but really for a first time and not living in that area 50 people is a great turn out in my opinion. i was so blessed by those up there in n.c. that worked so hard to make it a success, my mother-in-law and father-in-law especially. God is doing some cool things. stretching our faith in many ways. we just keep trusting Him to show us His plan for us.

so i have made it through most of the crazy schedule...just gotta get through provision to night and then we can all crash tomorrow and I can start backing off the caffiene.

oh...my kids behaved wonderfully through all of the events over the past week. Our friend, the wooden spoon, went every where with us but honestly I don't even remember having to use it. the first couple of days at home using it quite frequently whipped them into shape. Pun intended. :) layton did a great job with her flower girl duties, elijah did a great job letting layton have her special time in the limelight and cheney and nathaniel really enjoyed the nursery during the ceremony. i enjoyed wiping my eyes without having to bounce a baby on my hip. my aunt was baby holder extraordanaire for us during the reception. what a blessing. I will post pictures as soon as i get some off of my mom and sister's cameras. I had too many kids to chase to take pics.

Trying to train the monkeys without losing my mind

Ok, I have to admit that I have been letting the offspring get a little out of control lately. It is time to get back on track. Time to pull in the reigns so I am not yelling at kids and stomping around acting like an ogre when I should just be training my sweet little ones with a kind hearted sweet voice and less stress. With John's travel schedule picking up this is super important and especially this weekend and all the festivities. When it is a 1 to 4 ratio sometimes the lower ranks try to take over and well that is just not acceptable. So the only way I know how to control myself and to actually have the weight that i need to back up the reason for discipline is to use the Word of God. So I found these verses at http://www.doorpost.net/ . We are going back to one direction given, immediate consequence for disobedience, asking for forgiveness from wronged party and prayer for forgivenss. I also am going to commit to using positive feedback when I see good behavior. There is no excuse on my part. Here are the verses I put on the list for me...

• Proverbs 31:25-27 (NIV) "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness."


• So no more excuses...wisdom on my tongue...will be the words of the verses below.


• No more excuses that I am tired...I can't be lazy in discpilining my children even if I am the only one at home doing it...this moment has been given to me by God...it is time for me to train these precious children up in the way that they should go. Somehow..I vow not to worry at night. God is in control even when John is out of town.

Here are the verses I printed out on a sheet of paper to carry around with me and use in correcting my kiddos. I feel like they hit just about every issue we deal with in one way or another. Anyway, It is a list that I can work on right now for the next few days.

· Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
· Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
· Galatians 6:9 "Let us not be weary in well-doing , for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (KJV)
· Psalm 101:3 "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes." (KJV)
· Psalm 90:12 "So teach us to number our days..." (KJV) “ Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”(NLT)
· Psalm 141:3 "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth..." (NKJV)
· Proverbs 31:25-27 "Strength and honor are her clothing..." (KJV)
· Psalm 121:3 "He who watches over you will not slumber." (NIV)
· Ephesians 4:26 "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath." (KJV)
· I Corinthians 14:40 "Let all things be done decently..." (KJV) (NIV)But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
· Psalm 127:4 (NIV) “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth”
· Proverbs 17:1 “A meal of bread and water in contented peace is better than a banquet spiced with quarrels.” (message)
· Luke 6:31 " Do to others as you would have them do to you” (NIV)
· (message) Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back?
· Proverbs 20:3 "Any fool can start a quarrel." (NKJV) (message) “It's a mark of good character to avert quarrels, but fools love to pick fights.”

So you may want to pray for me...I am going to see if I can get this three ring circus going in the right direction :!

Yippee, It is almost here!!!!!

No, this isn't Nathaniel and WOW! I still think it is a cute baby. My hubbie sent this to me today in an email. Tomorrow night we are going on a date in honor of Mother's day. We have been so crazy busy. I am in the middle of umpteen projects in the house trying to figure out how to get 6 people to live in our 3/1.5 and got to swim lessons every morning for these past two weeks. Seems like I just keep rotating stuff around. Had to fit the high chair back into dining room and make room in our bedroom so the pack and play can fit in there during the day. Move the bookshelf out of the boys' room so a baby bed could actually fit in there for Nathaniel. He slept up there nap today.

My hubbie is crazy busy getting ready for our annual ministry anniversary celebration and auction. He is running around town collecting all kinds of items for the auction and logging in all the items. This year, not only are we having one in Central Florida but he is hosting a celebration in North Carolina this year as well.

So here is the craziness for the next week and a half...

Friday- last swim lesson and fold an entire couch full of clean clothes put them away, do dishes, sweep and maybe mop then go on a date. I will feel really good if I just get everyone fed, swam, folded and put away. Oh... I guess I need to go shopping for our Sunday lunch, too.

Saturday - we have to run to Windermere to pick up auction stuff then Layton and I get to go to a Mother Daughter tea at FBC/K with my mom. My mom actually prepares/cooks for the all 200 women that come. She's amazing. Oh...iron John some clothes for his trip...since they have been in a pile on the couch all week long. Prep for lunch on Sunday- I am going to try to have everything ready

Sunday- church with my parents then we will host them at our house afterwards since she will have just cooked for 200. We are going to make our own homemade personal pizzas with all the fixins and then make our own sundae with every topping imaginable. I figured this would be easy prep and a fun memory making experience. Relaxing for me and my mom and fun for all of us.

Monday- John heads to N.C. and Layton and I have a Bridemaids' dinner to attend since Layton is the flower girl in my lil' bro's wedding.

Tuesday - MOPS - try to stay caught up around here with cleaning and stuff.

Wednesday- start packing.

Thursday- head to a condo on Kissimmee to stay with all my family coming in for the wedding. Swim and play.

Friday- Rehearsal dinner

Saturday- Wedding

Sunday- church and nap and get ready for ministry celebration we call it "provision"

Monday- PROVISION...Big night of worship, praising God for how he has provided for John to share God's word with young people over this past year!!!

Tuesday.... CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BUT tomorrow night, Lord willing I am not thinking about any of that. Just going on a date with two of my handsome fellas... the Hubbie and the baby.

IS IT FRIDAY YET??????????