Look who's 1!!!

Alright...so this is a little late...but ya know, maybe I am in denial about the whole thing. Anyhow, my youngest, Lucy, turned one year old in August. She has just grown so quickly before my eyes. I cannot wrap my head around the fact that she isn't just 3 months old anymore. She is walking everywhere, getting into everything, babbling so much, and so happy! I am so in love with this little person!

Lucy Joyce Hines

The infamous mohawk

Pulling herself up!

Cheesy girl

Easter 2012

 

Happy Birthday with Daddy

Yummy Cake

Loved her grocery cart and baby

My sweet girl is 1 year old



Showers of Blessings

PRAISE GOD! Eric got a job!!!!! He started his new job on Monday and is very excited. We got the call on Friday and didn't know what to do with ourselves. What a BLESSING I had a hard time getting excited until he started, I think I was just worried and scared to get my hopes up. But he got it! He is really employed! After a very long 5 months, we are just so blessed.

So, because he got this job, we are able to look for a place of our own again, which is great, but a little stressful as well. We have been so incredibly BLESSED to have family open up their home to us. All 5 of us, for so long. I am positive it has been difficult sharing their space, but we could not have made it if it weren't for Mike and Michelle. But being a homemaker, I am so excited to finally have a home to make again.

Leah is doing so well in school. She is going to be joining a guided reading group early with 3 other students! She just accomplished tying her shoes all by herself. And she is going to be helping lead a song at church soon! She is a huge BLESSING to us.

I cannot understand the way the God provides for us. Everyday it's something new. And because He continues to provide without fail, you'd think we would just be in constant trust and faith with Him. Why is that not the case? Because it is our human nature to rely on ourselves and believe that we have everything under control, when clearly, that is not the case. Praise God for His faithfulness, His provisions, and His grace.

1 Timothy 6:17
"Charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be haughty, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy;"

So grateful for a God that knows my needs and circumstances and will always provide my needs.

Who Loves Vacations?

This girl does!

This summer, like every summer, we took our family vacation. And when I say family vacation, I mean FAMILY. Every year we go to Gull Lake Family Camp, it is THE best place to vacation! My husbands family have been going on vacation there for over 40 years! So, when we go each summer, it's Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins...our whole family. IT IS SO MUCH FUN!!!! Not only do we get to see and spend time with everyone, we get to hear an awesome speaker. This year the speaker was incredible, Lloyd Shadrack, I recommend finding him online and listening to some of his sermons. Challenging.

So, we get to play at the beach, go on paddle boats, play on the docks and look for sea shells, splash and run at the splash pad, go to the playgrounds, do the climbing walls, zip lines and play pickle ball. This place is fantastic!

But the absolute best part is watching the counselors show Jesus to our kids. They pour so much of themselves into the children, it's amazing! I am so thankful for such a fun yet tranquil place to go each year. What a blast and a blessing!!! I wish we could stay longer than a week! We love Gull Lake!!!!!

I have the Kindergarten blues

Tomorrow at 8:00 I am walking my baby girl to her bus stop. Her very first bus stop. For her very first day of real school...Kindergarten. I cannot understand how we are already here. Didn't we just bring her home from the hospital? Weren't we just terrified because we had this newborn at home and didn't have a clue what we were doing? And then all of a sudden I wake up and she is 5 years old and heading to her bus stop....no problem mom...right? No. Very wrong.



We took Leah to her meet and greet at the school last week. She was thrilled! I really like her teacher, which helped to ease the anxiety a little. That was until I received her bus route card in the mail. I immediately called the transportation office. This is my first time...I obviously have questions. OK. Concerns. Alright, I am terrified!!!! The kind woman on the phone told me all about their procedures for different "what if" scenarios. Thank the Lord they have procedures in place. But even though she tried to put my mind at ease, I know Leah. I know her better than she knows herself. I know that sometimes she is flighty. I know that she can get wrapped up in playing or talking and completely lose focus and stop paying attention. I know that she is my kid. So, like any rational mother, I had nightmares. That's right, full scale, freaking out, waking up a sweaty mess, nightmares.

It went like this. Leah made it to school fine on the bus, had a great day. Then when I went to her bus stop to walk her home, she didn't show up. So, I did what the kind transportation lady told me to. I called them and the school. They ordered all buses back to the school. And I went there to get her. The only problem was, that her bus never showed. Imagine my thoughts waking up after that!!!!!!!!! Seriously. And now I have to walk her to her bus tomorrow...I am just not sure I can handle this.

So, the moral of the post is, PRAY FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I may lose my mind all day. I am sad, scared, very sad, jealous of the teacher's time with her, sad some more, and anxious. Did I mention sad? She is a good kid with a good heart and a good head on her shoulders. She is going to be fine. Mom, however, will struggle through the day. Cannot believe my baby is so grown up already!

Sweet Leah, I love you so much! You are such a blessing and so many of the reasons I smile!