Our Esther

It's that time of year ..... the season when we wake every morning, look at the calendar and pray for the grace to get through.  That probably sounds overly-dramatic, but seriously, MAY threatens to whip our tails every year.

Olivia is SO over school ... the homework, the sitting still in class, all of it.  She can't think of one single thing she's going to miss this summer.

Emma, on the other hand, does NOT want fifth grade to end.  She doesn't want to leave her friends and she doesn't want to leave her teacher, Mrs. Smith.

She has had the best year.

Saturday, we finally got to see the Esther play, Malice in the Palace.

I just can't say enough good about the play.  It was hilarious and all of the kids (seriously, they are all SO talented) did a fantastic job.

I could have watched it ten more times.

I'm kind of partial to Esther though ....

I'm so proud of my sweet Emma! What a treat for all of us to see her play this part from our very favorite book in the Bible.

Not something we'll ever forget.

What we've been up to .....

1.  I'm not sure what's come over me, but I have hit a running groove.  As in, I am back at it, but maybe stronger than I ever have been.  {I really hope I don't type that and then not be ABLE to run for some fluke of a reason}.  Anyway, I became really discouraged when my brother {aka:  running partner} left for the Navy.  I never let a week go by without running, but I was just doing enough to say I did it {read:  run a sloppy mile and hop back in the car}.  I also LOVE to run outside but I've had this perfectly rational fear that I may end up in someone's basement.  BUT, I'm pushing through my fears.  The warmER weather has a lot to do with my new determination {well, that and the fact I spent the winter eating 452 candy bars}.  I am pushing myself like never before and setting goals I never thought I would.  I'm certainly no marathon runner, but since I've been in a rut the past year, just the consistency is an encouragement to me.  I NEED to run for my sanity.  I'm serious. 

2.  I got my hair cut OFF yesterday.  Two things I should never do:  1) go to the grocery store hungry and 2) go to the salon when I'm emotional.  I say things like "I'm so sick of my longer hair" and "Do whatever you want to" and that always ends with it shorter than I wanted.  The second day after a cut like that is always known as 'the day I started growing my hair out'.

3.  Olivia has an admirer.  It makes sense, really, because Olivia rocks! but her admirer is a boy in her class that brought her some pencils wrapped in cellophane and a pretty bow.  He brought them to her track meet and presented them to her like they were flowers.  When I asked her about it, she said "Yeah, I said I wanted a new pencil".  And, just like that, she had some.  So funny.

4.  Speaking of pencils, Olivia witnessed a girl in her class being mean to another boy.  He wanted to borrow the girl's eraser and pencil and the girl was ugly to him.  The whole thing upset Olivia SO BADLY.  So, what did she ask me to do? We stopped at Walmart last night to buy the boy some pencils and a big, new eraser.  She was SO excited to take them to him this morning.

5.  Pencils are the new flowers. 

6.  Speaking of kind gestures {we were, weren't we?}, Emma came home from school yesterday BEGGING me to please make chocolate chip pancakes for her teacher this morning.  I'm not sure where all that came from other than she mentioned to her teacher I had made them for breakfast yesterday and her teacher said that was nice.  Emma would NOT be deterred, so I'm laughing this morning as I'm packing her teacher a bag with homemade pancakes and a cup of syrup.  I'm so curious as to whether she really ate them.

7.  Emma's Esther play is this Saturday.  Her class performed it yesterday for just the students (yes, I'm bitter) but we finally get to see it this weekend.  I can't wait.

8.  Eric is on his way home from another business trip.  When I look at the rest of this month's calendar, I don't see any trips scheduled.  {I'm choosing not to look at next month.}  I hope this isn't an oversight, Eric!

That's it ... that's all we've been doing.  Just trying to get through these last few weeks of school and enjoy them. I keep saying "You'll never be in fifth and second grade again! ENJOY it!"  For the record, Olivia is totally fine with saying goodbye to second grade, while Emma is genuinely sad to leave her teachers and friends.

9.  One last thing .... this song by Amy Grant just released Tuesday and makes me cry.  It's describes EXACTLY where I am right now.  Maybe you are too ...

Our Weekend OUTSIDE

Something very odd has happened to me over the past six days.  I'm contributing it all to being really sick with the plague for two weeks and days upon days of rain.  The only thing I had been able to do was lie around, blow my nose and keep my umbrella close by.  I was low.

But, just as I was started to feel better, the sun came out and I just wanted to be OUTSIDE! It's been so nice to get off the sofa and enjoy some sunshine!

After a month off, I was able to run three mornings in a row last week ... and even further than I normally do.  Praise the Lord! I was SO thankful I was able to do that!

I met some friends for lunch on Friday ... again, eating OUTSIDE, which was perfect. 

After school Friday, the girls were wanting to go to the park.  Eric was expected home from a trip, so as soon as he pulled in the driveway, we all headed to the park to play soccer and football.  We stayed until dark and had so much fun. 

We have promised the girls new bikes at the end of the school year for doing their best and having a great year, so we went straight to Ac*demy to pick those out.

Decisions, decisions.  Both girls finally settled on new cruisers and were riding them in our cul-de-sac at 10pm Friday night :)

(One of my Mother's Day presents was a basket for my bike.  I LOVE it, though yes, now I do officially look like the wicked witch on Wizard of Oz :)  Also, Emma may have basket-envy, I'm not sure.)

Saturday morning, Olivia participated in track day for a few area schools in our conference.  Eric and I ran the concession stand while our girls hung out with friends.  It was actually suppose to rain Saturday, but it turned out to be a beautiful day!

My Mom came over Saturday night so Eric and I could have a date.  We went to see The Great Gatsby.  I read the book last Sunday (Yes, in one day.  It's a short book, though in high school I must have thought it was torture to have to read it.  I couldn't recall a word of it :)  Anyway, though I hated how sad it was, I still liked the book and HAD to see the movie after reading it. 

Sunday morning, my girls gave me more Mother's Day gifts (I really was spoiled this year).  I cooked dinner for my Mom and Eric's Mom.  Again, it was so pretty outside, so I played soccer in the backyard with my girls and nieces.   After all the family left, I think everyone wanted to take a nap, but HELLO, IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE!, so I convinced my crew to go back to the park. 

I think I wore everybody out, but I am amazed at how much better I can handle anxiety, etc. if I can just get outside, RUN and soak up some sun!!

I enjoyed every minute of the weekend! Sun, please stay awhile!

Running Outside

I can't tell you how very happy I was to be able to run OUTSIDE today!!

I'm trying to get back to running {consistently} this week.  I just need to be able to breathe to do it :) Though I had to run inside yesterday, I was so thankful to be outside this morning.

When I have to run inside, I always go to the indoor track at our local Y.  I just can't run on a treadmill.  It's too hard on my knees.

Maybe if I was this guy, I wouldn't have a problem with it ...


Pretty cool, huh? .... and the guy in the purple shirt is so boring, right?

If I tried to do that, I would end up like this ...


Ahhhhh, I love that video :)

Gotta go .... it SUNNY outside!!!

Sunshine on a Rainy Day

This is happening again ....

I don't even know what to say.  What in the world?

I know we're not suppose to complain about the weather.  I get it.  God gives us what we need, when we need it {I keep repeating that to my kids}, though I will say, deep down, I'm getting a little bummed with all the rain.  Yes, just a tad bummed.

I went to bed very anxious Monday night.  With all this breathing/allergy/sinus junk hanging on, I wasn't sure I would be able to sleep in my bed since Sunday night's scare.  I asked some people to pray and as I was climbing into bed, I heard God say, "You've asked them to pray, so why won't you believe I'll do it?"

That thought fell fresh on me and I suddenly had complete peace.  I slept like a baby .... and woke feeling a lot better than I have in a week.  

I'm getting there.

I managed to get some things done yesterday and then slipped into Olivia's classroom for the last 45 minutes.  They were having 'Bible' and I got to sit and listen to them read scripture and then discuss what they were reading.  I'm not sure there's anything sweeter than listening to second graders expound on God's Word with one another.  Precious!

My favorite part was hearing them read Romans 8:31 "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

That will put sunshine in any rainy day!

We came home and did the usual ... homework, dinner, baths, etc. and then I heard the sweetest music echoing through the house.

I followed the sound and found my sweet Emma playing the piano and singing Oh, How I Love Jesus.

She sings all.the.time and I love hearing anything she chooses {it could be anything from T*ylor Swift to practicing for her upcoming Esther play} ....

... but her choice this time was especially B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.

The words were just what I needed to hear at that very moment and were such a gift coming from my sweet girl.

There is a name I love to hear, 

I love to sing its worth;

It sounds like music in my ear,

the sweetest name on earth.

 

It tells me of a Savior's love,

who died to set me free;

it tells me of his precious blood,

the sinner's perfect plea.

 

It tells of one whose loving heart

can feel my deepest woe;

who in each sorrow bears a part

that none can bear below.

 

O, how I love Jesus,

O, how I love Jesus,

O, how I love Jesus,

because He first loved me.

I'm thankful for the spots of sunshine he gave us on a rainy, cloudy day!

Sunshine, Flowers and Chocolate

Wanna hear something funny? My phone will randomly send text messages to the wrong person. 

It was happening sporadically a few months ago.  Actually, maybe a year ago.  I would text my brother to meet me to run at 8am and instead, my friend who lives across the state would text me back, "No, I have no desire to meet you to run".  haha

But, now it's worse.  My friend, Piper, received every single text message I sent to other people the other day.  Like about 10 texts.  That's crazy stuff right there.

Moral to the story ... be careful what you text.  You just never know ;)

Something else Cah-RAZY happened yesterday ...

Wait for it ...

Wait for it ...

The sun came out!

Even if it was only for a few minutes at the end of the day, it was glorious to see!

I wasn't going to mention the weather ... or the pollen ... or the ever-blowing-of-the-nose-thing going on around here, but it can't be avoided.

Eric and I had to sleep on the sofa Sunday night because I had some weird allergic reaction that made it hard for me to breathe.  I don't know ... am a I allergic to my bedroom? It scared me.  Then, getting up Monday morning to torrential rains and flooding made me want to cry and crawl back in the bed on the sofa.

NC weather has always been crazy, but seriously, I don't even know what to think anymore.  The rain ... oh, the rain!

And, will I ever shake this allergy/sinus/can't breathe mess?

I laughed when Eric came in a few hours later trying to bring some sunshine inside ... 

It helped.  Fresh flowers make me happy :)

Know what else makes me happy? Finding a writing paper in Olivia's folder that confirms we are kindred spirits.

Yes, chocolate is extremely cool.  I think I'll go have some now .... after I blow my nose.

Gifts in Different Packages

I sat in the doctor's office for over two hours Friday .... without an appointment, begging to be seen.  I finally was and, even with meds, I still feel crummy.  The pollen is kicking my tail, along with everyone else in the house.

My dad dropped by to test his new lawnmower.

This is a bigger deal than it sounds because when Eric mowed the first time, he had such an {allergic} reaction, he is still not over it.  Needless to say, we've kept a steady presence at the doctor's office.  My dad shouldn't have mowed it either {notice the mask}, but what are we to do? We're thinking 'astroturf'.

Olivia had a friend over Friday.

Emma and I kept getting tickled at the things they would say to one another.  Seriously, they are the sweetest friends.  As A was leaving, she said "Olivia, why don't you ask God if he'll give you some kids and I'll ask him for the same.  Then, we can have play dates together and we can have family game nights".  How precious is that? Such big plans for a couple of seven year olds.

Choosing friends may not seem like a big deal to some, but for us, it's a huge prayer we bring often before the Lord.  He is providing some sweet girls for my kids and we are so very thankful.

My niece's birthday is today.  I made her favorite {chocolate chip brownie cupcakes}.

We also heard she wanted some gum ....

I tend to go a little overboard :) But, what fun we had putting that together!

May is already giving us a fit with it's busyness and crazy weather {what in the world?}.  We're taking it one day at a time, not wanting to miss the gifts along the way ....

**********************************************

#411  Foot massages

#412  God's provisions

#413  Shopping with my girls and Mom

#414  Scriptures sent by texts

#415  Praying friends

#416  Phone call from my brother

#417  Olivia reading the bible and absorbing the stories

#418  Laughter in our home

#419  Warm blankets on cold rainy days

#420  God's word and the healing it brings

Did You Know I Have the Best One?

When I was a freshman in high school, my brother, Todd, was a senior.  That dynamic proved to work out well for me more than a couple of times.

I was walking through Sherwood Forest {what we called the hub of lockers in the center of our high school} when all of a sudden a guy {purposely} knocked my books out of my hands, scattering them e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e.  Everyone started laughing and I was wishing the floor would open and swallow me up.  Humiliated, I stooped down to pick up my books when suddenly there was someone there beside me, helping me, and the laughing stopped.

That 'someone' was my big brother.

He had to come to my rescue more than once that year {in more serious situations}, and I was often relieved he was there to protect me.

I could never have imagined in the coming years the journey my life would take.  I believe with all my heart, I survived the most difficult trial of my life because of the Lord, of course, but also because of the support and protection of my big brother, Todd.  Without him, I am quite positive I wouldn't have made it.

I know I tease about all the ways Todd picked on me {God knows he did A LOT} and drove me crazy growing up.  It's a right of passage, I guess, with a big brother.  But, what I remember the most is his kindness to me and the times that when I felt knocked down, he was always there to defend me, daring someone to come against me.

That's what big brothers are for, right? And, I have the best one.

So, when I get to spend the day watching him do something he loves, I can think of no other place I'd rather be.

I can think of many reasons to be proud of him.

Yes, he's an incredible golfer.

Yes, he's an excellent preacher.

Yes, he's a loving father and husband.

But, personally, my favorite is that he's my big brother ... again, the best one!

(Yesterday was the Wells Fargo Pro-Am Tournament in Charlotte. 

Todd was blessed to play with Brendon de Jonge.  A good, good day :)