My baby is 1 today!

I cannot even tell you the joy and fullness having this precious girl has brought to my life.  My Karis.  My sweet, sweet girl.  She is a delight in every sense of the word.  She is funny, curious, sensitive, loving and just the cutest thing I have ever laid eyes on.  I just love her, more than my words could ever express.  And my life just feels so full having my three wonderful kids- I count them all as sweet blessings from the Lord.  I so enjoy them!  So, today, I celebrate the first year of this girl’s life & look expectantly at what God’s going to do in and through her.  She’s going to move mountains.  She’s going to impact lives- she already has!         I love you sweet Karis!!  Happy 1st Birthday, precious one.

1st grade orientation

today, i took my oldest, precious, amazing son to his 1st grade orientation! where are the years going? next year, i’ll be taking him to college. okay, not next year. but it really feels like these years are going at such a fast rate.

power and parenting

thanks to a friend, i have been reading this great book!  and it has truly been amazing for me to read.  just really, really good stuff.  i want to give you some quotes that are really speaking to me!

Love and fear are enemies.  They have completely different sources.  love is from God, and His enemy produces fear.  We need some methods, tools and skills to respond to our child’s sin in such a way that we create love, not fear.  …

copied from SimpleMarriage.net

Are you guilty of these marriage mistakes?

Over 17 years of my life has been spent in marriage.

it’s getting better and better…

Today is our 9th wedding anniversary.  9 years!  And what a 9 years it has been!  There have been really high highs and some really low lows.  But, I think that is what marriage and relationship is all about.  It’s been a great 9 years!

Children Learn What They Live

Children Learn What They Live
By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves. (more..)

living in community

i love the idea of living in community.  not just- hey I ran out of sugar, can i borrow a cup?- type of community.  but the good kind.  the kind where we love each other, encourage each other, help build one another up, love each other’s kids.  but i don’t think it’s always easy to live this way.  it takes a large amount of vulnerability and trust.  and it’s in all areas of life. we don’t get to pick and choose. (…)

quote

Let him sleep, for when he wakes

he will move mountains.

our family easter

my loves

it has been some wonderful weather!  yesterday (and today so far) we have spend a ton of time just playing outside!  the boys are loving taking pictures, so I let them have my camera yesterday.  Here are some of their great shots! (…)