Ocean Journey

A couple of weekends ago our family and mom and dad went to Ocean Journey. We had a blast - as most of you know we are a "fish" family so this was right up our alley. Dave even enjoyed it even though he couldn't catch them. We did get to feed the sting rays. Just thought I would share some of the pictures of our fun day.

Great Song!

No, explanation needed - the song says it ALL!!

"Mommy he didn't make my ear better!"

Shane has been sick for about a week now. It started with the croup last Friday night and he hasn't been feeling that great since. He woke up about 4:30am this morning, with an earache. Normally I would not rush off to the Dr. after one night of an earache but we are about to switch insurance policies and I wanted to get him in to the Dr. before that happened. So I called to get him in for an appointment and told Shane that we were going to the Dr. and that the Dr. would make his ear feel better. So the Dr. looked in Shane's ear and immediately said that Shane had a bad ear infection. The Dr. let me look in Shane's ear - OUCH - it was so red it looked like it was bleeding. Poor little guy. The Dr. gave me a prescription and sent us on our way. I was putting on Shane's jacket and we started walking out, Shane stopped, looked up at me and said, "Mommy, the Dr. didn't make my ear feel better." I laughed and told him that the Dr. was giving us some medicine to make his ear feel better and that we needed to go get the medicine at the store. He looked at me confused and irritated that he had to wait for his ear to feel better.
As I was thinking about what Shane said and how he felt. I was thinking about how that is exactly how I am with God sometimes. When I pray for something or about something, when I'm done and a day has gone by (or sometimes even just an hour) I think, hey, my "problem" isn't fixed or I prayed about that and nothing changed - what happened? I don't say it out loud but in my heart that is sometimes how I feel. What a wrong way to think, that God should just automatically "fix" it or "fix" me. Because that is what a lot of my prayers are about, "Lord, help me be more patient with the kids, help me be less selfish etc.." Then a half hour after I pray the kids are fighting and I'm yelling - NOT BEING PATIENT. And I think, hey, I prayed about that a half hour ago and yet here I am being impatient - what happened God - why didn't You help me be patient. HELLO KENDRA - why do you think the kids are fighting?! Could it be that God is giving me an opportunity to be patient? OOPS, I missed it. Just like Shane went to the Dr and expected to be "fixed" right away without having to take any medicine. I expect to be "fixed" right away without the "medicine" of opportunity to "fix" me. My words of my prayer are, "Lord, make me more patient." But my heart is saying, "Lord, change the kids and my circumstances so that I don't have to be patient." I don't know if that hits anyone else like it hit me today but I hope that I do not quickly forget what God has shown me today! May I look at every thing, whether it's a sick child or family member, a difficult child or circumstance, a bad day etc - may I look at all things as a way for God to refine me giving me the "medicine" I need to make me more like Him - so that ultimately He is GLORIFIED.
"But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
This is a quote from radio program I listen to, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, "What is God’s grace? God’s grace is God’s resources: His strength, His power, His goodness, His light, all that He is. It’s His resources available to us. It's His resources that are sufficient for every problem and every situation that every child of God will ever face. There is never a lack, never a shortage."

Christmas with the Moseley's

I've been wanting to post these pictures forever ago but haven't had a chance until today. Blogging the "thing" I do if I get everything else on my list for the day done - obviously that doesn't happen very often!!
We had a GREAT time at Christmas with the Moseley's. Played cards, domino's, did a fun gift exchange and ate ALOT! It was fun. I'm very blessed to have such an amazing "in-law" family.
Here are the pictures:

Christmas!

Our Christmas celebration started the night before Christmas Eve and we opened our presents from the four of us. We started out by reading the "Christmas story" in Luke and talking about the BEST gift ever given - JESUS! Then we opened our gifts from each other. We did not get very much for the kids this Christmas because at the time I shopped for the kids gifts we weren't sure if Dave would have a job after the end of January. (His company is closing down - side note - he got a job - praise God). I'll have to write about that whole story some time - God worked in an amazing way! Anyway, the kids LOVED their gifts (even though I only spent $15 on each of them), turns out it doesn't matter how much you spend! They also picked out a gift for each other - it was so much fun to see how excited they were to open each others gifts and how thankful they were!




The next day after Dave got off work we headed to Sterling for Christmas Eve. It was small, just my brother and his family, my parents and us! We ate appetizers and visited. It was relaxing and nice - which was good because Christmas day is always CRAZY!
Christmas day at my parents is always full of family and Italian food!! We eat ravioli, prime rib, salad, bread - need I go on. I'm getting full just writing about it. The meal and time with family was wonderful but the best part is that my Grandpa (who is 92) was able to come over for lunch. He has been in the nursing home for quite some time now and his health isn't the best but he made it. I do not have a Christmas memory that doesn't include my Bun (Italian for Grandpa). Two of my grandpas loves in life are good food and family - turns out Christmas includes both! I was so happy he was able to come over and am so thankful for the time I get to spend with him. He is one of the most amazing men I have ever known. He's is a nursing home, can't see well, can't hear well, his body aches - but I'm not sure I have ever heard him complain. He has the most positive attitude I have EVER seen. I know from all the years I've known him that he has always been like that but I'm also sure he was like that before I came along because I see the same characteristics in my mom. After lunch and clean up the kids opened presents and the only word to describe it is - CRAZY!!!!! We have about 25 people (including kids) all opening presents at the same time - paper flying, kids wanting things opened, you hear things like: "thank you", "this is just what I wanted", "no Shane don't open that, it's not for you", "Dave take some pictures", "no you can't open that quite yet Julia ..." Then it's over and everyone is tired and full! It's crazy but a lot of fun! Poor Dave wasn't feeling well so he "half" joined the fun. He's feeling much better now.





We still aren't done with our Christmas celebrations, we will have "Christmas" with Dave's side of the family this weekend! I'll post pictures from that!

Best Job in the World!

"I love you mama!" Out of the blue numerous times a day my two kids say that to me. I'm not too sure many people get to hear, "I love you," at there jobs and I get to hear it at least a dozen times a day. It's usually when I'm helping Shane get dressed or feeding the kids or doing preschool - really there is no rhyme or reason - that is how I know they mean it. Shane always follows it with a wink! Then without fail every morning before Dave leaves for work and at night before we fall asleep Dave tells me he loves me. We were in the kitchen a couple nights ago, I was cooking dinner, Dave had just gotten home from work and Shane came out of his room from a nap, walked up to me and said, "I love you mama." My heart melted, it does every time Dave, Julia or Shane tell me they love me. Dave asked me if I ever get sick of hearing it - NO WAY!! I could hear it a thousand times a day and would never get sick of it! Yes, I have the best job in the world. I wouldn't trade being home with the kids, hearing I love you, hugging them, teaching them, training them and yes even disciplining them, being frustrated etc... for anything in the world! Since I was young I always wanted to be a mom and stay home with my kids, when I was in college I was laughed at and asked why I was getting a degree to stay home. (I guess I still don't really have a good answer for that.) God truly did give me the desire of my heart and I could not be more thankful!
I don't know if any of you have heard the song, "Captivated" by Shawn McDonald, there is a line in the song that says, "The way that I feel and love in my soul, I thank you my God for letting me know..." Everytime I hear that I think of the gift of love that God has given us. In reality He has given us Himself because He is love and He is the reason we feel love. I was thinking of how amazing God must feel when in the middle of what we are doing (like Julia and Shane do for me) we just stop and say, "I love you Jesus." I know I don't stop and tell Him how much I love Him near enough. But thinking about how hearing those words makes me feel motivates me to tell Him more. What a honor it is to be able to tell the God of the universe, our Creator that we love Him and for Him to feel that love.

Here is that song! It's amazing listen to the words.

Fun Weekend!

We had a great weekend so I thought I'd share it with all of you! Friday night we did a video scavenger hunt with some families from our church - it was a BLAST!! Dave was not too excited about doing it at first but he ended up really enjoying it! The kids loved it too! Shane recently learned how to wink and he winked at everyone that night - they all thought it was pretty cute - so did his mom.

Saturday Julia had a birthday party at a friend's house so Dave and I decided to take Shane to do something special on his own. We took him to a harvest farm, they had painted cars from the movie CARS. Shane LOVED it - that is one of his favorite movies so he was really excited. Then we went out to lunch and headed back. It was really neat just getting to spend some alone time with him, it crazy how much their little personalities truly come out when they are by themselves. Shane is one of the funnest kids EVER, it's definitely a strength of his but he needs to work on when it's okay to be silly and when it's not. Dave and I haven't been the best at helping "train" him in this area because most of the time when he is in trouble we just end up laughing about it. He's so darn funny! Pray for us! ha ha He walks around the house saying things like, "I like to move it, move it, I like to eat it, eat it." or "oh la la" - just to make Julia laugh. He comes up with the funniest things - not sure where he gets it?!?! He can also be the sweetest thing ever, he says, "I love you mommy, up to the stars and the moon" at least 2 or 3 times a day.

On Sunday we went to church, taught children's church (the 3,4 and 5 year olds) boy what a riot! They are so cute. We are learning about the armor of God and almost everyone one of them knows the different pieces of the armor, they also know all of the Old Testament books of the Bible. I love our children's ministry at church, the curriculum is so strong! After church and Sunday School we went to a park to take some family pictures and pictures of the kids. It was the PERFECT day for it and the kids did great. I can't believe how BIG Julia is getting, I can't believe she will be in school next year. She is such a sweet little girl! She has such a good heart. I told Dave the other day that I think God has really big plans for her. I already see him working on her heart in really big ways. She can memorize scripture so fast and really understands what the scriptures mean. She goes around the house reciting scripture and singing songs about God. It's adorable!

FUN WEEKEND!!

Best Buddies!

BIG Girl.


Family Tree - get it!?

So CUTE!



The Truck was HUGE!


Shane and Lighting with whitewall tires.

Shane with Mator!

This is a spider we found in our garage - AHHHHH!

Does anyone know what kinds it is?