So I get to write another birthday blog today. My dear son, Charlie is 6 today. I can’t believe how quickly the years have flown by.
I am thankful today for the gift of my son. I pray that he grows to honor the Lord and serve Him. Charlie is named after a man that is very special to Jason and I. Charles Warren (CW) Smith was truly a man of God. I am thankful that CW got to meet Charlie and that CW was aware of the impact that he made on the lives of others. CW died when Charlie was just 8 months old.
Tomorrow will be Charlie’s last day of kindergarten. Oh, how he has grown in this past year. He is a much kinder, more responsible young man. And he can now color inside the lines. Something even his mother still has trouble doing…and I think he draws better than me.
So today, Charlie, I want you to know that you are loved immensely. You truly are a gift. You have brought so much joy into our lives. I am proud to be your mom. Happy Birthday, Charlie-Bo!!!!!
I have thought of so many things over the past days that I wanted to write about, but of course seemed not to have time to sit and write. Now..a few stolen minutes.
The other day the UPS man came to our house. Jane called him the PBS man. Does anyone wonder what kind of cartoons?
Charlie has really begun to read. It amazes me how the human mind is made. He completely knows all of his sounds and works very hard at sounding out words and then saying it correctly.
Kendra’s vocabulary is growing everyday. I notice more and more how she is putting words together and making more complete sentences.
I have felt and, I suppose, am feeling very overwhelmed these days. As if running a family of five is not enough hard work, I have been working on cleaning out the house and filling out applications for our visas. I have been encouraged by many. Often they don’t even know that they are encouraging me. I am reminded of the blessings that I have been given. As I seek to meditate on the Gospel. I deserve God’s full wrath. Yes, here I am living, breathing, and enjoying His handiwork. With Memorial Day just passing I did reflect on the men and women who have served, who have given of so much including their lives for the freedom of this country. I know many don’t agree with the military or even what the governement is “doing”. My thoughts are this: God is sovereign. He has created all. He has allowed the wars and the deaths. Do we always understand? No, and we are not expected too. We are expected to rest in the mighty work of His Son on the cross and know that the “trials” that are faced on this earth are nothing compared to the wrath and death that we truly deserve from Him. Personally, I am thankful for the blessing of living in a free country. I am thankful for the men and women who have served faithfully over the many years. Their road has never been an easy one.
I am also being taught, once again, that His timing is perfect. There are so many things coming at us, as a family. So many forms to fill out and so many expenses to pay in order to get to Scotland in August. I am my father’s daughter..and so proud of that…but that also means that I have to be taught over and over that He will supply my every need in His (and only His) timing. Pray that I will be faithful to glorify Him through my daily life and through my continual desire to rest in Him for each of my needs.
Today is the birthday of my precious Kendra Cosette. I can’t believe that two years has already passed. I am so thankful for my little angel. She has brought so much joy into our lives. She is truly funny…and most of the time easy going. I’ve added a picture of her as a newborn and then one that I took today. Happy Birthday sweet little girl!!! I love you!!!!!
Charlie has a cut on his ankle. Today at school he banged it and it began to bleed, again. Of course, his sock stuck to the newly formed scab. After his homework I told him to go ahead and get his swimsuit on and get in the pool with the one sock on his foot. He didn’t believe me that in a few minutes the scab would soften and I’d be able to take his sock off without pain. About five minutes later the sock came off, without the pain that Charlie was anticipating. I could tell he thought that was so cool…so I said, “See, your mom is one smart cookie, isn’t she?” His reply? “Yep, the smartest cookie I know!!”
Here are a few photos of the beginning of summer. ENJOY!!!!!!
I’ll start with the weather. It is to hot to early. Seriously, what kind of a crazy place is that is going to hit 100 by the end of the week? So..am I looking forward to moving to St. Andrews? Yes, for the weather, for sure. Rain, glorious, rain….and cold weather. I’m sure my family will look like ghosts by the time we return.
What a busy couple of days. A couple of highlights (or lowlights..is that a word?): Friday night - the fam drove to Santa Clarita for the TMC graduation. The highlight for the night was seeing one of my bestest friends Ruth. I haven’t seen her for two years since she moved to the most beautiful state of Colorado. Then just a couple of hours later…a lowlight. Heading North on the 99 at 10:30 at night..with three sleeping children the right front tire decides to blow. We call our roadside assistance..they send two teenage boys who almost jack up our car…one kid ended up calling his dad (the owner of the company)…finally at 1 in the morning we arrived home.
Saturday we had a great day of outreach in our community. Free autowork (provided by folks from Riverlakes Community Church)..and then a small basketball tournament and grilled hot dogs. The Gospel was shared in a clear and concise way. Pray for the lost souls of Shafter.
Now here we are on Tuesday evening. The kids are finally in bed….and I’ve a few moments to think. Charlie had his first baseball practice this evening. We are all exhausted.
I’ve spent some time this evening reading a bunch of blogs that I enjoy. Some make me think and some are just of old friends and their sweet families. One particular blog brought me to tears. And I can say that I will definitely be reading this every day this week. That blog is GirlTalk. They are doing a series this week on honoring grandmothers. They’ve allowed their readers to write in and a handful of these tributes will be posted.
I was struck by two things in this first post.
1. The simplicity of life. We, as Americans, have to many things and are told that we need so much. This is a battle that I continually fight. Partly because I am my father’s daughter and we don’t like extra stuff, but also because the materialism of this world has really become something heavy on my heart. We are consumers! But are we always consuming what we need? Or are we spending the Lord’s money on the things which do not matter? The grandmother was written about it this first post lived with so little. She was content…she enjoyed her life.
2. The second part feeds from this dear ladies contentment. I am so often discontented with my life. Oh…another battle which wages within. Who put me here and why? The answer is obvious. The Lord and only for His glory. Why is it that I don’t remember this? Sometimes it is so hard to find the ways to glorify Him in dirty diapers, folding laundry, washing floors, making beds, etc. It all seems so mundane. Yes, in our humanness. But when I think of what I truly deserve, death, I am thankful for each breath and the ability to change diapers, fold laundry, make dinner, sweep, iron, and so many other things.
My prayer is that I will remember to glorify Him and to remember that He alone has placed me here. It is all a stewardship for Him.
So even with all of my fears….my little 4 year old daughter performed for the first time in front of hundreds of people. Their dance was the crowd favorite. Here are a few pictures of the precious event.
This evening I took Jane over to Mannel Park here in Shafter. She has been practicing hard for her performance tomorrow at Cinco De Mayo. Today I watched my daughter blossom. Yes, my daughter, who is so much like her mother. The one that is so afraid to try and to let go. She is beautiful beyond comprehension.
The story goes this way: Charlie, Kendra, and I stayed at the park for Jane’s practice. When it came time for her to line up with her ballet class she didn’t want to go. Thankfully, her teacher rescued me and took Jane from me. Then I had this amazing thought…”what if I walk away from where I was..out of the way where she can’t see me, but I can see her?” IT WORKED!!! She was so calm and obedient. She practiced perfectly. And it was such a special treat for me because she would never show me her dance at home. It was always some sort of secret.
I am already seeing at her young age how important it was for Jason and I to put her into something that she would enjoy: ballet. She is being pulled out of her comfort zone..and though she may “hate” us now, she will love us when she is older.
Here is my place. This is something I have attempted in some form before, but never accomplished. Now, here, for the whole world to read I’ll begin a journey of my thoughts.
