SNOW!

The predictions were right.  Snow came to Georgia.  I'd put an exclamation, but it is the middle of  February and for a Southern girl, snow in February can be a bit hard to get completely excited about.  UNLESS, that is, you are 11 and under:).  Yes, my girls were thrilled that the it snowed and snowed significantly.  They loved the anticipation, the bustling around at Publix while everyone stocked up for the day or two of hunkering down that was to follow ... for the stack of movies Daddy picked up and the curling up by the fire all together with blankets and each other to watch the movies ... and not to mention all of the hot chocolate, cheese biscuits and other wonderful aromas that filled the house while we were all "snowed in."  Okay, I admit, if it is going to snow (and snow in February) this was the way to go.  It was an absolutely perfect situation.  Four day weekend for Daddy, falling snow the first day, and bright sunshine the next to enjoy playing out in the snow.  It was a lot of fun seeing and hearing our neighbors enjoy the snow, too!  And how could you not have that "feel good" feeling when you see the entire street sledding down Sweet Birch Lane on anything from rafts to boogie boards to rubbermaid box tops??!!  Not to mention the countless number of grown men launching snowballs like they were grenades?

It was a perfect 48 hours.  I must say, I'm glad it snowed.  But I'm also glad it's over:).  

it's starting to snow ...

day two ... sun, fun and friends!!

Happy Birthday Big Brother

Today is my brother's birthday.  Happy Birthday Drew!  

You've always been one of the greatest people I'll ever know. 

Richard and the girls and I love you so much!!

I hope you have a great day.

Homemade

We live in a planned community made up of three developers.  Before the construction boom, the area of town where we live was considered "the sticks."  This area was really starting to take off before the boom went bust, so it is new and I believe will be up and coming one day, but for now it is still pretty woodsy and beautiful.  To get to our house, you have to drive way back in the community and up and down some pretty big hills.  Our house is on a hill and while our bedroom is on the main floor, we have a basement down below, so it seems like it is on the second level.  Why does this matter?  Well, it is very windy right now and when it is windy or raining, you notice how high up and how tucked away you are.  Other than the sound of C-130's flying overhead at night, it is the most peaceful sound to hear.  And after a crazy busy day of the girls and I cutting, drawing, copying, gluing, stringing, etc., it is all the more welcome a sound.

 Yes, today we finished up our Valentines ... Boot Camp style.  And as usual, nothing we do is ever simple.  I'm not sure how making Valentines go to be such a production, but it was and I'm glad we are finished!  It is always fun to make little treats for others, but I'll be honest, I couldn't wait to get it done and clean it all up.  And by the end, that box of 20 pre-made cards at CVS seemed like a much better choice than homemade.  Yes, another moment where I am hit head on with the realization that what used to be fun with one or two children, is now a WHOLE lot more work (and a lot more stress) with five.  I'm definitely looking forward to a government issued 800 mg Motrin, a long hot shower and curling up in bed to listen to the wind as I fall asleep.

Richard, I can't wait to see you tomorrow night.

Wish you were here to curl up with me.

I love you!

Some of the Valentines for loved ones by the girls ...

Heart crayons and a Valentine for my sweet nephews.  

I absolutely LOVE this paper!!

Patterson's Valentines for her friends.  So super proud of her hard work at just staying the course and finishing all of them.  Definitely an accomplishment for our little 110 with bees in her britches:).

handmade mini envelopes and necklaces (with scripture references on the back) 

by Hanson Ellis

cards by Kate for her MMO class

Some Days

If I were to say that homeschooling has been a journey for me, I'm sure I would be like the umpteenth person to have made that comment.  And when people ask me "why did you choose to homeschool," I have that same feeling of wordiness as I do when people ask "when did you become a Christian?"  I don't remember the exact date or moment that I chose to follow Christ, and I don't have a straight forward, unchanging answer as to how I begun this journey.  I've had moments where I've doubted a lot about how things are going, and I've had a LOT of moments of near loss of all composure ... and anyone who homeschools mulitple children (especially LITTLE children) has ... even if they won't admit it:).  I believe in homeschooling and love it.  HOWEVER (you knew it was coming, right?!), some days I just feel completely defeated.  Today was one of those days.  It wasn't a bad day.  I decided that this week we would put aside the "normal" day to day and spend time focusing on the areas where each girl is not at full potential (that we can do this is one of the great benefits of homeschooling).  We also spent some time working on Valentine's that need to be put in the mail tomorrow.  We even played outside as a family, too!  Yet today was a day where I really could have used a magic power to revert time back to summer, so the girls could play outside all day in the sprinkler and I could spend the day mulling over curriculum choices and mapping out a detailed plan of attack for each school day.  Today was one of those days where I missed SO much having a plan that worked for everyone and thus TIME to spend with the girls and just not be so busy.  I missed the girls playing with other children today, too.  We've been here a year and it is so lonely. Children in our neighborhood don't get home until after we've come inside and usually don't come out to play until after 6, when we are well into our dinner preparations or are sitting down to eat.  We haven't really found a niche for them either, as far as homeschooling coops/groups.  It's just been one of those years and while I know God is in full control, as a Momma it is hard at the end of the day to know that the day was a day of seed planting, but harvest is still so far away.  Times have changed so much for our family.  We have more that we homeschool and they have different interests and needs than those that came before them.  I want so much to offer each of them their own personal homeschooling space and endless extra curricular activities of their choice, along with tons of friends around every corner ... but that is not possible, nor is it where we are right now.  I need to take my eyes off of my self and put them on God.  I am limited .. in my time, energy, capabilities, wisdom, etc. ... but He is limitless.  So as I look back on my oldest in second grade and compare that to my second born in second grade, my prayer is that I first and foremost trust that God is supplying all of her needs and second that I rejoice in the blessings that I had then and rejoice in the blessings that I will one day look back and see that I have now.  

Habakkuk 3:17-19

Psalm 1

My Super Bowl

Okay, so it is Super Bowl Sunday.  As I came downstairs tonight from reading to and praying with and tucking in five sweet girls, I took a deep breath and headed toward what awaited me in the kitchen.  As I unloaded the dishwasher and reloaded it ... swept the floor and cleaned off the counters ... gathered up miscellaneous toys and books and put them in their place, I thought about the game and about my husband.  I'm sure he had a nice evening catching it with a few of the people he's with in FL.  Hmmmm ... my night/his night ... no further comments:).  

My Super Bowl was the BCS National Championship game.  I decided it was an appropriate night to post some of my favorite memories.  

Goodnight and Roll Tide.

I love you Richard and I can't wait to have you home again!

(oh and GO SAINTS!!)

the start of our trip to Pasadena ... 

a very early flight + a lot of anticipation = one tired BAMA man

happy now that we are there and the game is about to begin

victory + a flight home = :)

Downtime

Richard left this morning for Florida.  We didn't go to church this morning because it would have been short of a disaster to try and get all the girls ready and out the door while Daddy packed and prepared to leave.  And then when we loaded up without him there would have been several meltdowns for sure, so we decided to just stay home for the morning.  The sun came out today.  That was helpful!  Everything always seems chipper when the sun is shining.  But still goodbyes are never fun.  

After Richard left I finished up a couple of loads of laundry and just piddled around the house while the girls played.  I'm never very  motivated right away when Richard leaves.  I do have bouts of motivation and find it refreshing to check off a couple of things on my never ending "to do list" at night while he's away, but as for the initial time of separation ... I just seem sort of directionless.  So after lunch I just sat down in the kitchen with Olivia and watched her zoom forward and backward on her little bike.  She is a funny little girl.  I love to see her trying out things and making herself laugh.  It always takes about a year after my children are born for me to really start developing a relationship with them based off of who they are, rather than off of their needs of me as their life support.  It is always fun to see their individual personalities come through and wonder what they'll be ... who'll they'll be ... what interests they'll have ... what strengths ... what dreams they'll have once they are grown.  The past 6 months I've really gotten to "know" Olivia.  She is yet another girl after her own heart, for sure!  She has a very deep voice and a daring character.  It is fun to spend time one on one with her, as well as observe her interacting with her sisters.   A little downtime with her this afternoon was just what I needed to get me through the goodbye.  

Every Moment

Being an Army wife has taught me over the years to look at life a little different.  For one, I have a deeper affection for the American flag than before I married Richard and I never forget to put my hand over my heart when I hear the National Anthem.  I dream of a home that is well lived in and filled with years and years of memories.  Yet I know now that home is not just one place or a perfect place, but a place where you are surrounded by people you treasure most and by values that you share.  Being an Army wife during wartime has also opened my eyes to many things ... one being the blessing of my husband's presence.  Richard has been home now for about 10 weeks.  We are far from "in a routine," but we are starting to take some deeper breaths.  We are through with the "honeymoon" stage and I suppose we are somewhere between the high stress stage that follows that and the anticipation stage of "where will he go next and when will he go."  We dipped our toes in the anticipation stage this week as Richard had his meeting with General Mattis.  Having no idea what to expect, we couldn't help but wonder "is he going to ask Richard to come work for him via a PCS move or just come temporarily?"  In the end it was just an amazing opportunity for Richard to meet with a honorable leader who shares similar ideas with him.  Who knows what the future will hold ... who knows what will come about from this meeting, but for now we had a lesson in not being so anxious about the future and just trusting in God's providence.  

Richard left for his meeting in VA on Wednesday morning and returned late Thursday evening.  Even though he was gone for only about 36 hours, it was good to see him again.   And it amazes me how he always looks different when returning from anything out of town that is work related ... he always looks a little different ... I can't really explain it, but as I stood in the kitchen watching him eat a bowl of cereal and listening to him reflect on his meeting, it was one of those moments where I remembered all the times since I was 19 that he would show up late at night ... from the times that we were engaged and I was in college and still living with my parents and he would have a weekend pass and would drive 10 hours after work to come visit, to the times where he'd come in from a jump or a field exercise or a late night meeting or a deployment ... a lot of years with this man and it has been amazing seeing him grow and develop professionally as well as mature as a Christian. 

Friday morning he didn't go to PT, but sat with me by the fire and read to me some excerpts from a MacArthur speech (romantic, I know, but you just have to understand Richard).  I didn't hear much of what he was reading because I was just thinking about how blessed I was to have him home, by my side.  I'm sure if he were a civilian, or if he just never left town for work, I would probably take that for granted.  But being an Army wife, and being one in wartime gives me the blessing of simply appreciating his presence.  There were many times that I thought about the blessing of his presence today, too.  Just having him around to help with the Walmart trip and go for a run IN THE FREEZING COLD (we have started a habit of running during the younger two's nap-time and have coined the phrase "mini date" ... if you don't have mini dates, you should ... it is amazing what those 45 min can add to your day!) .. what a blessing!  Also to have him help little ones ride their bikes as well as help them understand that gloves that "are dirty" are still better than no gloves at all:), is a gift.  Having him around makes everyone smile a little more and laugh a little louder.  Richard leaves again tomorrow for several days.  It's not a month or a year, but it is time apart.  He'll be missed in more ways than one, but the reunion will once again be sweet.  We will once again be reminded of the blessings that togetherness brings, and we will remember those who are still awaiting the reunion with their loved ones and pray for those who will not see their loved ones again in this life.