Weekly Wrap-Up

WEEKLY WRAP-UP
09/01-09/07

Weather: Fall is on its way! It was gorgeous out, not too warm at all with bright blue skies.

Sunday sermon: It was the beginning of a new sermon series on politics and how we should use the instructions in the bible to chose our politics. I think this is going to be a very interesting series.

Life lessons: That my daughter is a magnet for disaster and that I just need to give it up to God. He will take care of her and make sure she's safe enough.

Favorite meal(s): Parmesan chicken with alfredo

Treasured moments: The evening I spent with our small group bible study, everyone is so amazing! And the time I spent making sun catchers with my kiddos.

Talked with: My parents, the urgent care doctors & nurses, my good friends in small group

Things I read: Daring Chloe, Breaking Dawn, the bible

Things we watched: Some of the VMA's and a LOT of football

Places we went: Shopping, swimming pool, urgent care, church and small group

Blessings: That my daughter didn't cause any permanent damage to herself

Challenges: Keeping my head when Ani's hand was gushing blood

Family happenings: Aidan's swim lessons, Ani sliced her thumb open & ended up at Urgent Care getting 6 stitches, church & Small group

Book update

In keeping with one of my goals (to read some of the classics I've never bothered with before), I'm currently reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. So far, I'm enjoying it far more than I thought I would (my only knowledge of Frankenstein before now was from Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein). I am only reading a little bit every night as I have to fit it in between the kids books, the bible, my nonfiction book and whatever fiction I'm reading for myself, but I don't think it will take me very long to finish.

Goal #2(reading an actual book you can get your teeth into with my kids) is Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone. They've seen the movies more times than they can count but I'm hoping this gives them a new appreciation for reading. My youngest can't read yet, but I'd love to instill in both of them the absolute love I have of reading.

Goal #3(a nonfiction book to further my mind/spirit) is A Mom After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George. It's filled with good advice on how to bring your children up with a love of God and this is one I'll read over and over again. It's already got little notes all over the place and highlighted sections.

And finally, my fiction book of the moment is Full of Grace by Dorothea Benton Frank. It's a wonderful book as usual. Frank has a way of making you fall in love with the Lowcountry even though you may have never seen it before. I'm close to halfway through and should be able to finish it tonight. It's a great book, if a little predictable and I would read it again.

Oh...and two days ago I finished Daring Chloe by Laura Jensen Walker. It was a very quick read, Christian chick lit but I would definitely read it again. I've never ever dreamed of going to France but the way Walker described it made me fall in love with the city of Paris and now I've added that to my travel wish list.

Good intentions

Have you ever noticed that even when you start out with the best of intentions, you eventually let things slide? It's the typical tale of New Year's Resolutions, or weight loss goals....you set them and within a week or two (or even less for some of us!), they've gone by the wayside, forgotten in the busyness of life. I constantly find myself setting very similiar goals which should be a sign in and of itself right? Maybe it's that I set too many goals at once, or that I shoot for the stars when I should be aiming a little closer to home. Whatever the reasoning, I find myself running in circles way too often and it's disappointing.

The beginning of a school year is always an auspicious time to attempt to set new goals and keep new resolutions. As a working mom of two energetic kids, I sometimes struggle in keeping my goals. Add the full time job outside of the home to the full time job of being a mom and wife, plus the sometimes debilitating effects of having Sjogren's Syndrome and Fibromyalgia, it's no wonder that I lose hope in ever being the person I want to be. But the book of Matthew reminds me that "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). With this in mind, even when I falter and lose sight of goals, I realize that I just have to rely on God and start fresh again.

I'm nearing the end of week one and so far, so good. I've been staying on top of the household chores and laundry, homework has been checked and double checked, I've been making yummy homecooked meals for my husband and his coworkers, I've been spending time in the bible every night, I've been reading a little bit every day in a classic novel plus reading with the kids every night (a fun book plus the bible). Even more amazing, I've been managing to get up early every morning to work out on my Gazelle and make a good, hot breakfast for the kiddos before their day starts. I pray that I can stay committed to these goals that I've set for myself and that I can continue to rely on God to give me the strength to do so.

God bless!

Thursday 13 #3

13 Things I love about the start of a new school year

1. Clothes shopping, especially for Ani (girls are so much more fun to shop for!)
2. School supply shopping
3. Getting the kids back into a routine
4. The start of their extracurricular activities
5. Bible club
6. Full Sunday school starts up again
7. JAM with the Fam starts up again
8. Earlier bedtimes :)
9. High school football games
10. Helping the kids with their homework
11. Halloween is not far away!
12. Hearing about how their days went at school
13. The excitement my kids have over starting school (I'm sure this won't last much longer!)

Word-Filled Wednesday

"Surely God is my salvation;

I will trust and not be afraid.

The Lord, the Lord, is my

strength and my song;

He has become my salvation."

Isaiah 12:2

Another school year begins

My kids were both so excited to start school today. This is Annika's first year going full day so I'm sure it will be a totally new experience for her. I can't believe my little baby is a first grader! It made my heart hurt to see her go off for this first day...they all grow up too quickly. Even harder than that, was to see my little man try so hard to make friends with people. For some reason, most boys Aidan's age just don't like him. Girls do, teachers, older kids, and younger kids, but not boys his age. There is this boy who has been in the same class with him since K who just does not like Aidan at all. :( When he walked up to the bus stop, Aidan tried talking to him and he wouldn't look at him. In fact, he went so far as to turn his back on Aidan and Aidan was just prattling on, like he didn't even notice. It made me want to ask that boy what his problem was but I know it won't do Aidan any good for me to get involved. Aidan tries so hard, he wants to fit in, but he just doesn't. Part of it is that my boy is so sensitive. He cries so easily and for boys going into third grade (and quickly moving to the macho end of the spectrum), that is just not cool. I don't know what to do to help him adjust better, to make friends easier. I have no fears with Annika who is a social butterfly and might give us problems on the other end of the spectrum (I have no problem imagining calls from the teacher complaining that Ani talks too much in class!) but I'm at a loss as to how to handle Aidan's situation.

**sigh**

Weekly Wrap Up

WEEKLY WRAP-UP
08/22-08/28

Weather: It was BEAUTIFUL out! Not a cloud in the sky. It was a little on the hot side yesterday but still beautiful.

Sunday sermon: It finished up the series on Colossians, this one was about how the people we choose as friends show lots of things about us.

Life lessons: That I need to be diligent in my bible time and prayer or else the enemy gets a foothold into my mind and life.

Favorite meal(s): Burgers on the grill

Treasured moments: Watching my kids play on the beach all day on Saturday, seeing Aidan take his first jet ski ride.

Talked with: My parents, Jimmy's coworkers

Things I read: Bitten to Death by Jennifer Rardin, the bible

Things we watched: Just plain ol' tv

Places we went: End of summer party at Jimmy's bosses house on the lake, the pool

Blessings: We had a safe weekend

Challenges: Trusting solely in God

Family happenings: Pig roast at Jimmy's bosses house, a trip to the pool.