Small project

Even though small and insignificant a project it may be, the growth and confidence that takes place from the process and finished project is what makes it purposeful, useful and good.
This scarf will be wide, long and WARM. Oatmeal colored yarn, large needles, a simple knit and pearl design...
Going to keep pressing on and knitting away until it's done!

Publish Post

This day

This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

" I get dressed, mommy, I get dressed!!"

Only an enthusiastic 2 year old, with a smile like that can get away with wearing a long sleeve shirt as pants. As I am writing this, my fifth blessing is meticulously putting a puzzle together in the living room, Genesis 32 is being read by The Streaming Bible online, I'm sipping an americano that my mama dropped off for me this morning, about to grade this weeks schoolwork before we ALL head over to our friend's house to play and RUN(training for a half... very slowly... but surely), family dinner date at friends' tonight and my oldest daughter is organizing papers in our attic to make $5 for the kid's "dog fund". Good, good day.

Yesterday my husband, 3 oldest daughters and I went skiing/snowboarding.  I have a snowboarder, a skiier and a zipper(my angel never stopped moving up and down the bunny hill. She was so fast off the chair to the hill, you'd miss her if you blinked!) My honey tried out snowboarding. He caught on quick as he usually does with physically challenging sports, but took some nasty spills from going to the top of the mountain(on his first day EVER of snowboarding!) Love him. We had an absolute blast! The sun was shining, the skies as clear as could be, we didn't end the day in the hospital and the snow was just about perfect. Only one downer... I'm as sore as can be!

God is good!

The weekend of drawn out birthday celebration was a success!

My try at free handing/eyeing/designing this cake with my angel lending a hand when needed was I believe a success! 

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to YOU

Happy birthday

my dear one

Happy birthday

to YOU!

(doodly-doo)

Nothing but blue skies

Looking heavenward this year will take a choice. Daily. To believe the promises God has given us.

Live for the promise of heaven with me this year?

We will see Him face to face one day and rejoice with HIM for a life we lived to glorify HIM! Let's live our lives like we really truly believe that.

O, joyful day that will be. (:

Remembering

2o11

Where to begin... when did it END?  Whew, time slips by like a child quietly searching for mischief... well, this picture sums up what can happen when they do slip by:

And no, the tears are not because I scolded her for getting into mommy's eye shadow. This one is smart enough to know she's done something wrong the moment I discover her.

Whew.

My fifth blessing is big part of why 2011 has flown by! Loving on and training this sweet girl seems to be what will be the end of me... but I wouldn't trade a moment of it... now, ask me tomorrow morning when she's screaming up a fit yelling,"I DO IT, I DO IT BENNET! You MEAN", and not sleeping peacefully in her tiny toddler bed, it may be another story...

Totally teasing!

Like a sweet man eased my mind by saying during one of her "I've made up my mind", strong-headed moments where she was loudly(while daddy was trying to do worship and mommy was trying to go over verses with Sparks girls)letting us know she did NOT want to go to her AWANA class(even the promise of treats wouldn't trick talk her into it!)or anywhere anyone else wanted her to go for that matter on this particular night, "She's a natural born leader that one."

"Well", I said," God's got a LOT of work ahead of him on this one then." (wink)

Last year was... draining. physically, mentally, spiritually-God only knows. So thankful He KNOWS:

each tear that fell
every dream left for lost
every blessing
the desires of our hearts
our deepest needs
our struggles
areas in need of cleansing and growth

He knows it all.

He knows I can't handle this brood all on my own.

Yes, yes I know, sweet and cooperative, that's them! Ha, and most of the time really they are... but what about those moments when they become wild, selfish animals who can't possibly be related to me!

Awe, shucks I love them anyway.

My mom, sister and I remain close and busy doing activities like home school field trips, bake days and exercise routines together regularly. Game nights, Monday night football with my Dad, drinks and singing around the fire pit, Christmas up at my grandparents cabin with just enough ice snow to make sledding probable possible, my oldest two getting baptized, trips to New York, Mexico(and very soon TEXAS(!!!!!!)) are definitely some of my favorite memories of this past year. I have too many to name.

God is so good. Smiling because of Him tonight.

2011 was busy for a myriad of reasons, and I am thankful that this new year I will be able to focus more solely on my family, blogging, photography and my walk with the Lord. There's nothing I hold closer to my hear than those.

Looking forward to 2012 and all the memories it's waiting to hold!

By the light of my camera screen...

On this cold December morning, hours before light seeps into the dark horizon, I had an epiphany as I sorted through smiles of children, happy moments and dear memories. I am positive, no I HOPE it is certain that many others have had this same desire and idea, and I am so glad God whispered it into my heart as well. I share that you too may be inspired to participate!

I am going to start a new blog project where I will begin documenting 1000 gifts via photos I take personally! Awesome, right?

After being loaned the book One Thousand Gifts by a long-time friend and sister in the Lord, I was moved so deeply by Ann's words.  My overall outlook on life so drastically changed, that I decided I MUST begin a list of simple daily gifts I for which I am most thankful.  I walk through my day now, thanking God as I go often but do not always take the time to scribble the memory down, or snap a photo to remember it always by. God has blessed my family richly, but I intend to dig deeper, look closer, open my heart's eyes to new and previously un-noticed gifts and be thankful in every moment of everyday for the small glimpses of God in everything and every situation. Not just the "good" gifts, but every touch, word, moment, manifestation, and situation that our Creator lovingly lets come our way. 

"Eucharisteo – life-filling gratitude – the practice of which is exercised in recording blessings, one by one." 

I am SO thankful and EXCITED! I hope you will follow my blog; the one thousand humble photos of things, people, places and those little moments of life that I am thankful and grateful for. They will fill it's pages over the course of this coming year(and beyond) until I have at least 1000 "gifts" recorded. You can check out my up and coming blog Eu.char.is.te.o and maybe even be inspired to start a list for yourself if you haven't already! Let's all, friends, choose to be thankful. Choose to live a life drenched in life-filling gratitude. Let's all make a choice to live a life of eucharisteo soaked in gratitude,  giving thanks and praise to God in the midst of even grief, loss and uncertainty; for He Is all good, in all and holds all things together.Though darkness spots His rays of beauty, He is light complete. Always light. The kind of light that fills the deepest darkest cranny's of our scorched souls and brings life to our hopeless wastelands.

Blessings to you, and merry CHRISTmas!
Mommy

Farewell Fall-Good morning frost!

Sub-freezing temperatures,

grey snowy mornings and quiet icy streets

glistening in the light of the moon,

can only mean one thing-

The beauty of Winter has arrived

to our little northwestern farm town

with all of it's blustering glory!

Perfect "real life" photo here folks-dust on the mantle,
vacuum cleaner in the background, still dressed in my
bleach and coffee soaked work shirt but deciding,
yes, prioritizing and choosing to spend time with my
little dear blessings nonetheless. A perfectly clean house
completely pales in comparison to sweet moments
like these.

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

Galatians 6:9

"Take heart sweetie, all of your hard work plowing the ground of our kids hearts and minds WILL PAY OFF. The warning from this passage is to not lose heart and become discouraged. For many of us, we lose heart and feel like we can't go on, before we actually can't go on. I will be lifting you up in prayer today...and defending you the best that I can... I love you."  -My Main Man

Blessing

Wednesday's Word

Cleanse me with
hyssop, and I will
be clean; wash me,
and I will be whiter
than snow. Let me
hear joy and
gladness; let the
bones you have
crushed rejoice. Hide
your face from my
sins and blot out
all my iniquity.
Create in me a
pure heart, O God,
and renew a
steadfast spirit
within me. Do not
cast me from your
presence or take
your Holy Spirit
from me. Restore
to me the joy of
your salvation and
grant me a willing
spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach
transgressors your
ways, so that
sinners will turn
back to you. 

Psalm 51:7-13

Life is a beautiful ever changing thing. Some seasons of blooming, growing and joy. Others withering, thirsty and dormant.

Always lovely. Painful. Beautiful.

Life in Jesus always has the good ending.

I am SO thankful to be mom to my busy beautiful five.

Western beauty

Spring, our old reliable friend. You've returned with all of your refreshing rainclouds, warm sunshine, encouraging outdoor play dates and adventurous windy soccer mornings.

We welcome your presence, Spring and the many bird's songs, green shoots and promises of summer that you bring along with you. We've kicked off your coming, sweet Spring with bike rides, yard work and a trip to the park while daddy and our older girls had soccer practice nearby.

Spring you bring on a sense of renewed life and a sense of vigor that has been long shut up indoors.

Spring we embrace you!

("wing, mommy!")

(rolling down across the hill-who knew it was such a hard thing to do!)

(I want down to play, too!)

(rolling down crawling backwards down the hill like her sister and brother)

(this moment exuded pure freedom folks)

(I can do it, too!)

Coach B a.k.a. "the bestest daddy ever!"



Spring, what a wonderful season to spend together as a family!