Poor Paigey...again!

Paige is not the most graceful little girl. She has had three spills in the driveway in the last 24 hours!? Yesterday she tripped on the sidewalk and skinned her knee. It was bleeding, but all she wanted was her Dora & blankie! This morning she fell on all fours and re-scraped her knee from yesterday, plus the other one & her hands too! THEN she was running for the garage & fell face first on the cement. I didn't see her do it, but Olivia said "mommy, Paige fell again". I couldn't hear anything, but it's because she had lost her breath she was crying so hard & when I saw her her mouth was all bloody! Kinda scary, but we got her some ice & a wet cloth & within five minutes she was following Woody around again in the yard! I tried to capture her big fat lip in these pictures, but it's kind of hard to tell.
Still smiling thru her tears:) what a trooper! It really hurts, mom!
And she's off running again!
Showing off her owies

Playdate with Taite

All the pretty princesses
Showing their wings Whose silly "princesses" are these?

Doesn't Taite look a little bit like Olivia?

In case you haven't heard...

Please pray for Steven Curtis Chapman and his family. They just lost their 5 year old daughter in a tragic accident. Check out his website for the full story & an adorable family photo... http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/

Happy Birthday to...Olivia?

Yesterday was Woody's birthday, and yet, Olivia got the most presents!?

I met Woody for dinner in Maple Grove last night. We had SO much fun! It was such a beautiful night, so we sat outside and ate! It felt like we were on vacation:) After dinner we went to Barnes and Noble & Woody bought Olivia & Paige the new Horton Hears A Who book and he also bought me a book & a magazine!? Then he bought Olivia a little camping chair (the one with the cup holders on the side). We also brought dessert home (strawberry shortcake) for the girls. They were SO excited about their book & Olivia loved her chair, but they were mostly excited about the dessert! So as they are sitting at the table, Woody says to Olivia "did you like all of your surprises"? She says "yeah, you got anymore"? Seriously, who's birthday is it anyway?

I asked Woody why he didn't get anything for himself, to which he replied, "I was just happy to go out to dinner with you":) What a guy!

Wit's End

I was reading a friends blog this morning and she had posted yesterday about her visit to Wit's End. I did not know that this was a "place" that people knew of, went to & talked about!? I was also there yesterday...my kids did not listen to me once, I was feeling very tired and weary and by the end of the day I felt like "why bother scolding them AGAIN, when they won't listen anyway!?" So I decided to start my day out differently today, I read my Steams in the Desert devotional book! (I know, what a concept! Why don't I remember to do this every day?) I couldn't believe my eyes as I started to read it!!! I began to cry, because once again, God knew EXACTLY what I needed to hear today to stay strong and get through the day! It's kinda long, but I am going to share it with you & hopefully it will encourage you as it did me:)

They were at their wit's end. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. (Psalm 107:27-28)

Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner,"
Christian, with troubled brow?
Are you thinking of what is before you,
And all you are bearing now?
Does all the world seem against you,
And you in the battle alone?
Remember - at "Wit's End Corner"
Is just where God's power is shown.

Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner,"
Blinded with wearying pain?
Feeling you cannot endure it,
You cannot bear the strain,
Bruised through the constant suffering,
Dizzy, and dazed, and numb?
Remember - at "Wit's End Corner"
Is where Jesus loves to come.

Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner"?
Your work before you spread,
All lying begun, unfinished,
And pressing on heart and head,
Longing for strength to do it,
Stretching out trembling hands?
Remember - at "Wit's End Corner"
The Burden-Bearer stands.

Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner"?
Then you're just in the very spot
To learn the wonderous resources
Of Him who fails you not:
No doubt to a brighter pathway
Your footsteps will soon be moved,
But only at "Wit's End Corner"
Is the "God who is able" proved.

(Antionette Wilson)

Do not get discouraged - it may be the last key on the ring that opens the door. Stansifer

Aaahhh...this is the life!

Olivia & I are just sitting on the deck, enjoying this beautiful day. I just painted my toenails & we both have a book & a glass of ice tea and she turns to me and says "aahh, this is nice...there's nothing like a cold glass of tea". I just laughed and said "are you sure you are 4?" and she just giggled and said "uh, yeah mom".

Just what I needed today...

This is what I read this morning in my daily devotional...Streams in the Desert...it is SO amazing to me that God knows exactly what I need to hear (or read) each day! It was just what I needed today & I'd like to share some of it with you:

Everything is possible for him who believes (Mark 9:23)

The "everything" mentioned here does not always come simply by asking, because God is always seeking to teach you the way of faith. Your training for a life of faith requires many areas of learning, including the trial of faith, the discipline of faith, the patience of faith, and the courage of faith. Often you will pass through many stages before you finally realize the result of faith - namely, the victory of faith.

When you have made your request to God, and the answer still has not come, what are you to do? Keep on believing His Word! Never be swayed from it by what you may see or feel. Then as you stand firm, your power and experience is being developed, strengthened, and deepened. When you remain unswayed from your stance of faith, even in view of supposed contradictions to God's Word, you grow stronger on every front.

God will purposely delay in giving you His answer, and in fact the delay is just as much an answer to your prayer as is the fulfillment when it comes. He worked this way in the lives of all the great Bible characters. Abraham, Moses, and Elijah were not great in the beginning but made great through the discipline of their faith. Only through that discipline were they then equipped for the work to which God had called them.

Once He has spoken His promise to work, it is truly hard to wait as you see the days go by with no fulfillment. Yet it is this discipline of faith that will bring you into a knowledge of God that would otherwise be impossible.

Vote for Missy

http://www.5minutesformom.com/3364/mothers-day-photo-finalists/

For the handful of people who read my blog, if you haven't already, please vote for Missy (Woody's cousin...Bill, Miss & Brood) for this Mother's day photo contest. Click on the link above & vote! It's easy & she's in 2nd place, but not that far from 1st:)

Thanks!

Our first picnic lunch on the deck:)

We went to the park this morning for a couple of hours with some friends & it was SO nice out when we got home, the girls wanted to eat lunch on the deck! But it was too sunny for them, so they asked for their sunglasses:)

Mary Lou Retton? or just a cute leotard?

Probably the latter, but she loves to wear this. This particular morning, she had this on before 7 AM and wanted to wear it while she ate her breakfast!? She claims she needs to "exercise" when she wears it? Woody thinks she looks like she 7 years old in these pictures! I'm not sure how to switch this picture so it's right side up?! But I thought it was cute:)

Bad hair day...

A couple of days ago, Paige woke up with these lovely, late 80's/early 90's bangs!? She had a bath the night before & must have slept really wild!!

Why God, why??

I have asked this question every morning this week at 5:30, 5:40, 5:50, 5:55 & today at 5:15!!!??? Will I ever get to sleep past 6 AM in my own bed & not have to go on vacation to get a good night sleep? I'm not sure that this will happen for quite some time, so I may as well embrace the early morning! (or just grab my pillow and flop on the couch until 7 or 8 OR whenever the coffee starts to kick in!?)

This morning, for instance, Paige opened her door at 5:17 AM and I caught her as she was opening her sisters door to "check" on her!? I tried to rock her back to sleep, but she just kept popping her head up and saying to me (with her lovely morning breath) "mommy, my tummy hurts...I want some sugar goldfish". Translation: she's hungry and she wants the cheddar goldfish with the powdery stuff on it! I tried to ignore her, but that only lasted until about 6 AM. So I thought I would bring her into our bed, since Woody was getting up anyway, and low-and-behold, there's Olivia!? She had crawled into bed with Woody at 5:50!!?? At this point I just started to cry. I am over-tired, crabby & have PMS to top it off!

The girls didn't want to cuddle, they wanted to read books and play dress-up!!? Well, Paige got mad at Olivia for something and spit at her (she does this at least 10 times a day & gets sent to her room and gets a spanking for it. I know it's a bit harsh, but she was doing it so much, we decided to spank her for it, thinking she'd quit right away...not wanting the spanking!? Not the case!) So at 6:05, Paige gets her first spanking of the day!! It's now 9:05, there haven't been anymore spankings, but Olivia is now on her 5th outfit of the day!? Oye!

I know some of you may be thinking "I don't feel sorry for you, Jen. You just went on vacation and had 4 nights of good sleep & no kids!" I don't want your pity & it doesn't mean that I'm not still tired; I just wanted to vent:) Believe me when I say, I cherish the nights I DO get rest and I also cherish my girls and know that...These two (I mean, This too), shall pass:)