Strong!

Dade, Luke and Audrey all started back to gymnastics about a month ago.  Last week, the owner asked Dade if he wanted to move up to the older class {she said he's "very strong."} ... he declined the offer. This week after warming up, the older class coach moved him up without Dade's approval. {Tommy and I had tried to talk him into it so that he would be a little more challenged.} The coach was GREAT with him, taking extra time to help him learn the new equipment and the how-to's for each rotation. HE DID GREAT! Tommy was able to meet us at the gym to see him in action. I only had my phone to take pictures with... here he is on the rings.

books + bed =

a love/hate relationship.

Giving thanks...

That my kids all LOVE books. This is the small library beside Dade's bed.

Soaring high.

Tommy took the boys to buy a new kite. They have already gotten to use it several times!

Kite.

Where, O Where, Did my Little Boy Go?!

Dade is EIGHT!

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!

Where did 2920 days go?!

Here are a few of his favorite things:
1. color - black and red
2. book - Titanic (The Titanic, Lost... and Found by Judy Donnelly)
3. movie - Dolphin Tale
4. outdoor activity - football
5. indoor activity - Legos
6. thing to do with Dad - work
7. place he's visited - Disney World
8. part of the day - afternoon when the sun is out {so he can play football}
9. thing to do in the summer - swim
10. breakfast -- Mommy Special {toast with PB&J}
11. lunch - McAlister's turkey and cheese sandwich with applesauce and a sweet tea
12. dinner - pepperoni pizza
13. dessert - brownies
14. ice cream flavor - cookies and cream
15. subject - math
16. fruit - apples and strawberries
17. board game - Monopoly Jr.
18. thing to do with Mom - putt putt golf
19. prized possession - his Bible
20. thing about himself -- that he is good at climbing

Other info. about Dade at 8:
He is saving his money with his brother to buy a paddle boat.
He would be a Martial Eagle because it has no predators.
His hero is Jesus.
He would like to visit Africa to go on a safari.

Party pictures to come...

Can I join you?!

Found.

On the dock.

Our afternoon outside.

Baa skee ball!

Love and Marriage.

The kids are in the kitchen eating popcorn. I am at the computer. I overhear this conversation: Audrey: "Luke, who are you going to marry? Either Brooke or Brea." Luke: "Maybe Ellie." Audrey: "Maybe Scarlett, but she has a broken leg." I LOVE IT!!!

The sweetest valentine!

Wyatt woke up with fever and feeling puny Wednesday morning. After a quick call to my mom, I threw some medicine and necessities in a bag and dropped him off at her house on our way to ELO {our homeschool co-op}. I would have just kept everyone at home but it was the Valentines exchange day with friends, and I did not want the other three to have to miss out! And, I had to meet up with Tommy at the builders' association that morning to have our picture taken for the Parade of Homes book! Fast forward to eight o'clock at night... Audrey got home from church, came inside, and pulled this out of her backpack. What a sweet girl!

UFC night.

Party!

All THREE boys went to work with Tommy this morning while I took Audrey to a friend's birthday party. The girls made cupcakes and pretzels in the Easy Bake Oven and decorated rings and bangle bracelets. We met up for lunch at a local BBQ restaurant where an older gentlemen asked Tommy if "all those kids" were his and then proceeded to comment that we have "the best lookin' bunch of kids that {he's} seen in a while" and that we "make pretty children." I agree!

TWO!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WYATT! {Official post and pictures coming soon!}

To Grandma's we go!

Boys + Mud

= Good Times!

Icing!

Girls.

Driving together.

Newsboys.

Tommy and I had the privilege of volunteering for Compassion at the Newsboys concert. We had a great time meeting other sponsors, talking about where our children live, meeting Shaun Groves and assisting others in providing HOPE for children all over the world. Oh, and I was able to record God's Not Dead for Luke!

Listen with Your Heart.

My mom gave me the book, "The Mom You're Meant to Be" earlier this week. The chapters are short which is great when I only get a few minutes to sit.


Today, I was reading chapter 10 -- listen with your heart. It opens with a story of a mom bustling in the kitchen, fixing dinner for company. Her little boy was following her around, pulling on her skirt, trying to tell her what had happened that day at school. She heard him talking but was not listening to him. "Are you listening, Mommy?" he asked. "Sure, honey,"  she said as she turned off the mixer and started setting the table. Finally, he stopped her. She stooped down, and they looked at each other eye to eye. He put his little hands on her cheeks and said, "But Mommy, would you listen with your face?" 


Ouch -- I could see myself in that mother.


For about a year now, I have had James 1:19 on my bathroom mirror. The words STILL need to be impressed upon my heart -- 

^19 [a]This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;

Fuller goes on to say, listening, especially with our full attention, isn't what we do best. Sometimes we're too busy to listen or are too distracted or are multi-tasking. 

But before long, we wonder why our kids won't talk to us and wish they would. What we've forgotten is that 80 percent of the communication process is listening. Somebody once said that the fact God gave us two ears and one mouth should give us a clue. But while listening is the most important aspect of communication, it's often the most neglected.

Take a moment to listen today

To what your children are trying to say...

Listen to their problems

Listen for their needs...

Tolerate their chatter

Amplify their laughter

Find out what's the matter

Find out what they're after

But tell them that you love them

Every single night...

Listen today, whatever you do

And they will come back to listen to you. 

-- UNKNOWN

An idea she gives is to pray for your child while she's talking. Ask God to put His thoughts in your mind and show you how to respond. I love that!

There's a side benefit of good communication: it fosters children's learning and achievement. Research shows that students who do well on mental tests and schoolwork tend to come from homes where there is lots of open communication. When children and parents are talking and listening to each other, when kids feel safe to share ideas and feelings, intellectual growth is stimulated, and those children grow to be more curious, motivated, and enthusiastic about learning. 

May we all be encouraged to LISTEN well!

Bible Study.

"Luke 21. Oh, we already read that. Luke 22... if you read your Bible, don't pick your nose." I walked in to hear Audrey reading her little New Testament with the boys and her babies.

Be-YOU-tiful Designs.

This precious shirt arrived in the mail for Audrey yesterday! Visit Erica's blog to read about Brea's entrepreneurial idea and to place your order.

Building

with blocks before bed with Audrey.

Goforth Custom Builder?

Wyatt built this all by himself!