I Met My Goals!

On my last post with my 3 main goals for today,

I've met all of them!

1) Do 3 loads of laundry (I did 4!)

2) Take my kids to the playground

3) Have a family movie night (I chose Land Before Time on Netflix 'play instantly' feature)

In between these 3 main goals, we:

ate breakfast,

had our family devotion afterwards,

prayed for our designated people on Monday,

cleaned up the kitchen,

talked to my mom

fed Lalla

fed the dog,

cleaned the playroom

put Lalla to bed

laundry

made the boys' beds (requires my management)

got the boys' dressed (requires my management)

brushed teeth (requires my management)

fed Lalla

helped a neighbor who was moving (very little)

playground

ate lunch

laundry

put Lalla to bed

put Walker to bed

read my bible

bible time with Wyatt

learning time with Wyatt

checked my email

made this blog post

laundry

gave the boys a bath

fed Lalla

ate dinner

put Lalla down

family movie night

put the boys to bed

After I put my boys to bed, I watched a movie for myself. It's an old favorite -

It's called "Only You".

Wes will return tomorrow afternoon.

Both boys will have preschool in the a.m.

So I've made some goals for myself during their preschool time:

1) get my boys to preschool, fed, accompanied with some sort of lunch

2) Target to purchase my 3 things

3) spend time reading my bible

Again, realistic.

I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow.

New Look!

Welcome to our new design!

It's not as colorful as I would prefer - but its simple and legible.

Wes is away again at a staff retreat with our church.

Again, we are going to take it easy.

But I do have 3 main goals for tomorrow:

1) Do 3 loads of laundry

2) Take my kids to the playground

3) Have a family movie night with my kids

They are doable.

They are realistic.

They are fun (minus the laundry one).

"Don't promise more than you can deliver.

Instead deliver more than you promise."

"Your Word is a Lamp for my Feet...

...and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105

For a long time, I have loved the Word of God.

Even before my heart belonged to Jesus, I was intrigued by His Word.

It drew me in.

"How sweet are Your words to my taste. Sweeter than honey to my mouth." Psalm 119:103

I loved hearing His Word.

I heard it quoted many times from my father.

He would speak the perfect words in very appropriate situations -

perfect words being from the bible.

And I just. loved. that.

Perfect words.

They often times left me speechless.

"I have more insight than all my teachers. For I meditate on Your statutes." Psalm 119:99

I would see my dad rise early in the morning to read God's word.

Every. single. morning.

That daily discipline for nearly 30 years has produced a man who has read the bible 20+ times.

Cover to cover.

I've asked my dad what is the single most important thing

he's gathered from reading the Word of God so many times and his reply:

"that I long to know more about the Lord."

"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law." Psalm 119:18

God's Word keeps me longing for more.

The more I memorize in my heart.

The more I long to know.

"How I long for your precepts! In Your righteousness preserve my life." Psalm 119:40

When my circumstances are hectic.

(which they are)

God's Word is my foundation.

When my faith is shaky

(which it is)

God's Word is my cornerstone.

When my heart leads me astray.

(which it does)

God's Word guides me.

"I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You." Psalm 119:11

Since Lalla was born my life has felt out of control in many ways.

A child always needing me.

Not having enough hands to meet the needs of my young children.

Not having enough time in the day to manage my household the way that it needs.

Not having enough love on my own to give my children.

"For I delight in Your commands because I love them." Psalm 119:47

I will always fall short of the perfect wife and the perfect mom.

Which drives me to God's Word.

Where I find hope.

Where I find answers.

Where I find insight.

Where I find truth.

Where I find Jesus.

"I remember Lord your ancient law and I find comfort in them." Psalm 119:52

God's Word points me to Jesus.

My Savior.

My substitute.

My sin-bearer

My Forgiver

My Lord.

My King.

My Righteousness.

"My comfort in my suffering is this. Your promise preserves my life." Psalm 119:50

A friend approached me a few months ago about memorizing some scripture together.

I had memorized a verse here or there in order to have on hand.

But I had never taken on what she was proposing.

To memorize chapters!

"My soul faints with longing for your salvation,

but I have put my hope in Your word." Psalm 119:81

We began with Ephesians 4.

We started out gentle - memorizing a few each week.

The task was bigger than she or I could achieve.

But we aspired to do it.

And we often felt encouraged at our progress.

As we'd see direct application in our lives from the words we were planting in our hearts.

We spoke on the phone Thursdays to hear each other recite what we had learned.

After a few weeks, we'd memorized all 32 verses of Ephesians 4.

"Your laws endure to this day for all things serve you." Psalm 119:91

Now we've begun Ephesians 5.

We have memorized the first 10 verses.

And memorizing has become easier.

When I'm trying to go to sleep.

When I awake in the middle of the night.

When I'm in the shower.

When I'm nursing.

When I'm cleaning.

I. think. about. these verses.

"In the night Lord I remember Your name that I may keep your law." Psalm 119:55

When I'm angry.

When I'm being difficult.

When I'm impatient.

I'm reminded. of. these. verses.

"I gain understanding from your precepts. Therefore I hate every wrong path." Psalm 119:104

We have plans for many more chapters.

We'll see where this takes us.

But hopefully, most importantly,

how we glorify the Lord with His Word written in our hearts.

"My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end." Psalm 119:112

Videos

So I've been going through some videos.

In doing so, I've found some really funny and cute ones.

As I watch them, the boys are always very interested.

Well they were watching this one the other day. The video is the first time Walker ever saw a video (or could "comprehend" it).

And every time the little puppet popped up, Walker would reach out for it, like he could grab it.

So Wyatt and Walker watched the above video several times and one of the times I was able to capture their response to it:

REpost

In an earlier post I included a video of Lalla and her saying "da da da da". I mentioned that the day before she was a sweet little baby that sat in the corner and smiled.

I found a video of how she was before she started "talking" -

This is her before:

And this is her after:

Pocket Full of Posies

I have a wonderful friend named Sam. She is truly gifted at hospitality. She has an ability to make you feel like you are the most important person in the world. I've gotten to know her through church, our boys (Walker and Anderson) being the same age and she is in my prayer triad (a group of 3 women that get together regularly to pray).

She, after many of her friends and family have encouraged her for years, has begun a business out of her home called Pocket Full of Posies.

If you have some time, look at this post - this was her son's 2nd birthday party.

It might just be the cutest little boy party I've ever been to.

I love all her little details.

So fun.

Happy Weekend

from our house to yours.

(Wes is away this weekend on a youth winter retreat so it's just me and my 3. This is the first time its just been me alone with all 3 for an entire weekend. We'll take it easy)

Siblings

What a rich and full life our little Lalla has.

Much of which can be attributed to that of her siblings, her 2 big brothers.

For their love for her is friendly...

it is sweet...

it is up close...

it is tender...

it is funny...

it is strong...

and very much a mutual affection...

There is something really special in experiencing Lalla's milestones (first roll over, first thumb sucking, first smile, first laugh, first hiccups) alongside of:

her father

her big brother

and her biggest brother

all equally excited.

praising her.

and so. very. proud of her.

Their responses (which are echoes of my own joy for her) truly fill my heart with such gratitude to the Lord. What a gift the Lord provides in a sibling. As I type this, I am compelled to reflect on my own sister and impact that she has on my life. So much of me is influenced and encouraged and spurred on by her very life.

And my past is filled with her.

There is hardly a memory I have without her.

From the hours we'd spend in our playhouse, to our tree, to our hours of Barbie playing...even to the times when she saved my life (3 to be exact).

She is among the greatest gifts in my life.

And the richness and fullness I have felt in my own life because of her, now my children will experience. They will not know life with out each other. They will grow up with this as their norm. They will experience life with the gift of siblings.

Thanks be to God for the indescribable gift He provides in a sibling.

Lalla

she began saying "da da da da" today.

Which might not sound like a huge deal.

But she literally changed from sweet, quiet, smiling baby in the corner to

this sweet baby...overnight...

Snow

a little late, but worth posting some snow pics...

Walker, Wes and Wyatt before going sledding

in front of our home

Walker

Wyatt

Off on an adventure walk

The things my boys love about the snow:

snow balls

hot chocolate

sledding

snow cream

Things I liked about the snow this year:

time INside with my baby

my sweet and loving hubby who took our boys out every time

Kingdom

Wyatt and Walker have been playing kingdom around our house for the past few days.

They've declared:

themselves as royal guards,

Brighty as the royal dog,

Lalla as the princess,

yours truly as the Queen

and their father as the King.

So, imagination has become quite enjoyable for the entire family. In the past their little imaginations have declared us many things including animal parents, pirate parents, Sound of Music parents, big brother and big sister, various super heroes, zoo keepers, pet owners, monsters, bad guys, Narnia characters, biblical characters, police officers, trashmen, school teachers, students, their children, their pets, etc.

But I must say, it is nice to be referred to as the Queen.

And for a few days.

I am not in any way ready to retire this game.

The other day when their father was making pancakes I overheard the 2 year old guard asked the 5 year old guard, "what is our king doing?"

the older guard without looking into the kitchen said, "he's making our royal pancakes"

hmmmmmm.

While I do love to listen in on their imaginary play, and sometimes participate (even if I have said that I can't because I'm cooking dinner and my child says, 'you can just be the dogs' mom who is cooking dinner'), it is fun to be included and witness their minds fabricating made up worlds and made up characters with made up scenarios.

But something really gets me excited about playing kingdom. It is the very fact that I belong to a kingdom. Where my father is the King of all Kings. And where He sits on His throne as ruler and Maker, as the Most High. I am a part of His kingdom because of the payment He made for me with His blood. By which He not only pardoned all of my sin, but also declared me righteous as a child of His. His daughter, a princess.

Walker, in all this kingdom play sometimes comes to me with his sweet voice and says,

"Mommy, you be the princess of the whole world."

While it melts my heart to hear those sweet words come out of his mouth with that sweet face of his and those sweet eyes, it is not true that I am princess of the whole world.

But I surely belong to the King of the whole world.

Who not only rules it. But also made it.

I am His and He is mine.

And I belong to His kingdom.

Before I Came...

The other day Wyatt and I were having lunch. He was looking at the Christmas cards and asked me about a friend's family. He's had the opportunity to meet and play with her kids and really enjoys them. But he was asking specifically about how I know their mom.

"How do you know Mrs. Dorsey?", he asked.

I explained to him that when I went to Clemson, I actually lived there and that she was my roommate. He was amazed. He had no idea about this roommate concept. He then asked about his daddy and when I met him at Clemson followed by his next question...

"Well, how did you and Daddy get to Florence?"

I explained to him that his daddy was working in Florence for a church and after we were married I moved there and we began our life together...

He then thought about when he was born and asked questions.

Wyatt: "When was I born?"

Me: 3 years later.

Wyatt: Well...when exactly was I born? November 20th?

Me: Yes. You were born November 20th.

Wyatt: When did the doctors say I was supposed to be born? November 20th?

Me: They predicted you would be born on November 18th. But God decided you would be born on November 20th.

Wyatt: So the doctors were wrong, weren't they?

Me: They were close, but yes, they did not know when the Lord would bring you into the world.

Wyatt: Doctors don't know all things, do they.

Me: No.

Wyatt: Only God knows all things.

"He is before all things. And in Him all things hold together." Colossians 1:17

Schooling: Public or Home?

Wow.

Just typing the title for this blog entry brings a heaviness with it. I remember when a very good friend was in the exact place I am, praying, talking to her hubby lots, researching and talking to people. Wondering - what is the best option for our child.

So I remember telling her then (when my child was much younger) not to worry about it so much. Even feeling that public school was/is a perfectly wonderful option. The lightness I felt about it then, I crave to have now.

We are in the middle of deciding what we will do next year when Wyatt begins kindergarten. We've toured our public school, a private school and have been looking into homeschooling for quite some time. The private school we looked into is not a financial option for us at this point and so our options are public or homeschooling.

I will keep you posted as we make our decision. I have been 50/50 for a while seeing wonderful things in both and scary things in both. I desire more than anything to glorify the Lord in this. If you think of us, would you pray for us?

"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever."

Romans 11:36

Happy New Year!

my friend Rita caught this sweet conversation between Wyatt and his friend, Abby.

We've just returned from time in Florence and at the beach. We enjoyed celebrating Jesus' birthday with both of our families and then New Years with friends and their precious children.

If you have some time, hop on over to my friend Rita's blog and check out some of her sweet pics of our friends trip to the beach. These are couples from our small group in Florence. Such a sweet group. It is truly a gift and treasure to walk alongside of these people.

Looking forward to posting again...but I need to get unpacked and settled. Laundry is waiting for me as we speak...