how old ARE you?!

This is a question I hear quite often, and have for years. In high school, when I'd tell others that I was a freshman, sophomore, etc., I'd hear, "Wow, you look older than that"; when I had Chloe at 21 (too young, by the way, but not a teenager!), I started hearing, "You don't look old enough to have a baby!". Well, in my opinion, I wasn't old enough to have a baby, but I did, and like I said, it's not like I was 15! For years now, I've been hearing strangers tell me that I don't look old enough to have kids, let alone three. I'll be the first to admit that I am way too young to have three kids; I'd like for my kids to be my age now before they have any!

So today I took the kids to Chloe's field day at school, and one of Chloe's friends' aunt's (did ya get that?!) was there; I introduced myself and we talked for a few moments, and then she turns to me, as if it were just killing her inside, and blurts, "Can I ask how old you are?! My sister and I both think you look way too young to have three kids! Or any for that matter!". When I told her that I would soon be 30, her jaw dropped and she said, "Wow, we were thinking you looked to be in your early 20's". HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Wow, I'm sure I should be extremely flattered, and I am flattered, but also am starting to get a bit of a complex here! I don't want others thinking I'm that young!

One day I'll be thankful, I know, I know! I'm just wondering what it is about me that appears so young..... is it the fact that my face is more broken out than a teenager these days??? Is it the new supposed-to-match-my-natural-color hair dye that I had to use to cover up the gray patch in my bangs??? Hmmmmmmmm.... guess I'll never know until the day that I'm trying to RECREATE how I look now when I'm whining that I look too old, HA! Gotta love being a woman!!!!

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! Yesterday was one of those days that make me want to be a better wife and mother!!! The day started w/ breakfast at home from Cracker Barrell! I'd been craving pancakes for some time, and can't make a decent pancake to save my life (I know!), so it was sooooo perfect!

Chloe made a card for me at school that was more book-style, and was entitled "Supermom"; it went like this:

-I love you because.... You are my super mom, you help me and be nice to me and you love me.

-My mom loves me best when.... I smile and love her like she loves me; lets go mom! (not quite sure what all that meant, but you know!)

-My mom looks prettiest when.... My mom looks pretty when she goes to church.

-The funniest thing I remember about Mom is.... She tickles us and makes us laugh every day and I am just like her.

-The most special gift I could give my Mom would be.... Flowers like tulips. Purple tulips like her, I love her so much.

-A Letter to my mom.... Mom, thanks for loving me, you are the best mom that I know. You always play with me and go shopping with me and buy alot of cool clothes and shoes. I love you mom!

Now how sweet is all that?!?! Of course, I changed the spelling of a few words so you could understand it, ha! Then of course my husband, who picks out the best cards, gave me a tear-jerker, and also a version of "A Mother's Legacy", the books in which you write your own life story. I've always loved those, but he always laughs at me when I start telling stories from my childhood, so I never expected him to get one! He did write inside that, "Even though I goof around and tease..... I feel things like that are so important...."; ugh, he's so sweet!

So we went to church of course and then came home and the whole family helped cook spaghetti for lunch... it was just one of those Kodak memories :) Aaaaaaaaaaand, the REAL GIFT... Avary waited until after lunch to take her nap, SO MOMMY GOT A NAP!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, granted, Derrick fell asleep as well, leaving Chloe and Jax awake, and my house was trashed when we woke up, but, I have to pretend that the nap was worth it all, hehe!

It was a great Mother's Day, indeed. You know, I strive each day to be a 'Proverbs 31' woman, and although I know that as humans, we will never quite add up to HER, we can strive and do our best to be that Godly woman for our families. My Grandma Betty was the closest example to a Proverbs 31 woman that many have ever known. A floral arrangement sent for the funeral even had a part of the scripture written on a ribbon wrapped around the arrangement... it was beautiful and so fitting. I can remember that my grandpa kept this on their coffee table for quite some time after her passing. It just spoke exactly who she was and how she lived her life.

Reading the scriptures just encourage me to be a better mother, and a better wife. It's so easy to become discouraged and overwhelmed and even selfishly sad, but God sees our tasks and nothing goes unnoticed w/ our Father!!!! It's so encouraging to know that God does see me folding each piece of laundry and scrubbing every inch of my floor (a thousand times a day due to spills and spit-ups and you-name-it!), and he appreciates that we care enough for our families to do these tasks. When we choose to serve God, there are so many various ways in which to carry out the commitment. It's not only going to church or reading our Bibles, it's in every little thing we do! As mother's we have a critical role in the lives of our children; we shape who they will become! EEEEEEEKS! I know, it sounds scary, but as long as we follow the Word and rely on Christ to guide us, we'll survive!

I'm excited to be a mother, a GODLY mother, and I pray daily that I can live up to God's expectations of the mother that He wants me to be, and raise my children to know and follow God.

Go hug your kids, pat yourself on the back, and then GET BACK TO THAT LAUNDRY!!!! Hehe! Love you all!

Okay....

So I realize this blog has been back and forth and everything in between... sorry! I really felt like I wanted to devote the blog to devotions each day, but then I felt major pressure on days that I couldn't blog or on days that I was feeling 'blank', and it just overwhelmed me emotionally, to the point that I just didn't even want to hear the word 'blog'! So, it's back to the way it started... maybe-not-daily blogs about daily life and my random thoughts and anything else.... there may be a devotional-style blog added in here and there, but maybe not! I feel like the blog is a good place for family and friends to stay in touch w/ our lives, so I do feel that I need to keep it up, but this time, it's w/ no expectations or requirements. Is that okay w/ everyone here? Thought so!