Trick-or-treating....

Fall is filled with so many fun things to do! Tonight we let the kids dress up and go trick-or-treating on our street. It was fun to have the kids get all dressed up and it was incredibly obvious that sugar has a huge affect on our kids! They were nuts after about the 20th piece of candy!! Oh-well- it's only one day, right? Here are some pictures to capture the moments...

Fun Times...

This week we got to spend some time with one of my sweet friends Kelly and her two daughters Carly and Abby. We hung out at the mall and let the kids burn off lots of energy while us moms talked. It was  so nice to catch up and let the kids get to play. I was able to take a few pics of the kids while they snacked. We love getting to have playdates!!

Carly and Zoee snacking...

Silly girls...

Asher giving Carly some hugs...

Sweet kids!

more hugs...

trying to get one good picture of the 3 playing kids (Abby is only a few months old so we didn't try to add her to the mix of these 3 crazy kids =) )

Marriage Ministry...

Being married is an incredible gift. It is also a ministry. A husband is called to lay down his life to love his wife the way Christ loved the church and gave His life for her. A wife is called to respect and submit to her husband as he is the head of the family as Christ is the head of the church. When a couple does this through the power of the Spirit, it is simply beautiful and refreshing. As a wife, I feel it is my calling to be my husbands biggest fan. I want him to know that I think he is wonderful- not just when others are around, but all the time. I love trying to make his day special and having the kids join me in showering him with love as much as we can. Every day is a gift and we try very hard not to take it for granted.

With all of that said, I definitely have days where I fail miserably to be the joyful and encouraging wife that I so desire to be. Today was one of those days. The kids woke up very early and I had not slept well because Sonny was out of town visiting his dad. We also had my parents dogs at our house for a day which just adds a few more things to care for. Sonny called me this morning to let me know that he was on his way home from his dad's in Wharton and asked if I needed anything. I told him that we were almost out of dog food for the puppies and that I was out of my health drink (kombucha). I said that the only thing we really needed was the dog food and I could get my drinks later. He showed up about an hour later and walked in to a very frustrated wife. I had been making pumpkin muffins and ended up stepping in something warm and mushy. I knew right away that Little Bit (my parents little puppy) had pooped... and I stepped in it. It had been a long morning. We hugged and then he told me he forgot to get me all the things I mentioned to him. I sighed... and pouted a little... "ok... I'll go later." I continued cleaning the kitchen floor as he greeted the kids. When I was turned around, he went back out to his car and came in with a few grocery bags (with dog food and kombucha) and a bouquet of beautiful fall flowers! I love flowers... and fall colored ones- LOVELY!! He had a huge smile on his face and said, "or maybe I didn't forget... I know you love fall flowers. I love you." I think I cried a little. He is the biggest encouragement to me. He knew I was having a tough day and went out of his way to make me feel so incredibly loved and cherished. The verse that came to my mind right when I saw the flowers was...

"and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds..." ~Hebrews 10:24

I felt so encouraged and loved. While marriage can have it's tough seasons, if we can each try to "outdo" the other in love, it is the most incredible blessing. When one is weak, the other can strengthen and encourage! What an incredible blessing the gift of marriage is.

Random September/October...

Fall is finally here and we are loving it... loving the cooler weather, loving anything pumpkin (especially pumpkin spice lattes =) ), loving family time... it's just a great season!! Here are a few pictures to capture these fun times with the kiddos...

Our neighbors have a cat that likes to come over and play with the kids. For a while we just called her "Kitty" but found out the other day that her name is Leah. She is the best "pet"- all we do is smother her with love! The best pets are your neighbors! =)

Zoee making her silly face...

Our little man... he is so incredibly thoughtful and perceptive!

Daddy carving pumpkins...

Trying to get ONE picture of both kids smiling by their "A" and "Z" pumpkins... not a chance!

kisses for the pumpkins!

Sweet Zo next to my flowers that Daddy bought me. She loves to kiss and hug everyone and everything... flowers, random Target employees and fellow YMCA playmates, cell phones- she is quite affectionate when she wants to be!! 

Psalm 107: Thankfulness

Thankfulness. This attitude is sometimes hard to come by these days. Our culture is so easily suckered into the mindset that contentment awaits us when we acquire the "next" thing. For so many years, I believed the lie that I would be fully satisfied when I got ____. When Sonny and I were dating, I would think "If only we can get engaged, I will be content and satisfied in the Lord." When we got engaged, I thought, "If only we can get married, I will be content and satisfied in the Lord." Then we got married and I heard the same lie coming into my head regarding children, "If only I can have children, then I will be content and satisfied in the Lord." Right then, I felt the Lord speak to me. Be content now. I don't remember sensing that the Lord was angry at all with me, just that He wanted me to realize that He had so much more for me. Going through all of our miscarriages also redefined contentment for me. The Lord graciously showed me that He wanted me to be fully satisfied and thankful just to be His bride and He did not want me to love anyone or anything else the way that I loved Him. It was such a difficult season (as I have often said before) but it was so great for my intimacy with Christ. I remember finally getting to the place in the summer of 2008 where it all "clicked." The Lord wants each of us to be content right now, in the season that we are currently in. He wants us to seek Him and be fully satisfied in Him now, not on the condition that tomorrow we will be in a new season. 1 Timothy 6:6 says that "godliness with contentment is great gain." How true! To seek Him without strings attached is so freeing. Though I have still struggled with this from time to time, it is now easier for me to realize when I am falling into that trap and I ask the Lord to help me overcome that struggle. Whatever season we are in now is one that the Lord wants to use to grow and strengthen us in Him. Let us not rush ahead to the next season and miss some great experiences that He wants to take us through. With that said... let us be thankful for our current season and have open hearts to the wisdom He is trying to give us now... my prayer for us today is...

"Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men."

Psalm 107: 8, 15, 21, 31

Today, I am thankful for my sweet little family. I know that I do not deserve them. How incredibly kind is the Lord?