TGIF!

Well, the girls survived their FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL and they’re still smiling! :) Praise the Lord! They loved it! To top it off, today was Snow Cone Day at school. Oh, what FUN!!
And by the grace of God, I survived one of the busiest weeks of my life! Between school, Back to School Night, doctor’s appointments for Zach, bible study starting (which I was NOT ready for), TKD, sewing, escrow closing TODAY, and oh… PACKING… I feel like I’ve lived enough life for one whole month! It certainly felt like that anyway. Especially since many of those appointments/commitments carried so much emotion for me. Well, maybe not the girls’ sewing lessons but for the most part, this week was the start to a lot of change. It was a great reminder that joy and confidence come, not when I rely on myself but when I abide and trust in God.
It was one of those weeks where I needed to rely on Him, moment by moment. He was always there, waiting and offering me peace. Whether it was through His word, a sweet friend taking time to encourage me, or a much desired but unexpected PRAISE report for Zach (Thank you, LORD!). I could also feel God on my morning runs where I could just breathe and look up, and sense the tiniest glimmer of a season, changing. Yes, He was there.
Next week looks much of the same for me. Except there will be homework and all the final packing will be taking place. Also, I’m sure there will be many visits to the new house (it’s only a mile away), as well as kitchen organizing, picture hanging, and maybe a much needed jump in the pool!
Whatever next week holds, I know God is in the details and He delights when my relationship with Him becomes very intimate. He loves it when He alone, is the Source of my peace, joy, and comfort.
Whatever challenges you’re facing today, tomorrow, or next week, let us remember to confidently go before the Throne and choose joy for the journey, in spite of our trials or circumstances.
He is with us. Hallelujah!

First Day of School!

Our babies are growing up!

 

Standing in line to walk to their classroom.

 

There they go!

 

It’s so nice that their desks are assigned right next to each other at the front of the classroom. On the first day, parents were allowed to spend a few minutes in class before school began.

Well, we made it! We survived the first day of school! The girls were so excited they wanted to leave the house at 7:45. School is only 5 miles away and it starts at 8:30. We all travelled together as a family and I’m happy to say no tears were shed. Not even from me! :)

Instead, the morning was filled with smiles, excitement, and peace. Lots of PEACE. Thank you, Lord! I was probably more anxious than the girls but it’s the best feeling in the world to know that God is with us and even goes before us. 

I was also so touched by all the texts, calls, and emails this morning from sweet friends and family who have been praying for us and supporting us through this transition. Prayers were answered!

The girls had an AMAZING first day. They loved it so much they CAN’T WAIT to go back tomorrow! I so enjoyed hearing all about their day on the ride home and daddy even came home early to get the full scoop.

I usually don’t bake but I wanted to make something special for the girls when they got home so I made their first after school treat. MONSTER COOKIES! You might as well call these things EVERYTHING cookies. Turns out the cookies were simply icing on the cake to an already spectacular day. :)

We’re so proud of your courage and bravery, girls!

Keep shining your light for Jesus!

Happy Labor Day!

We got to try out our new POOL!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing better than family time in the pool!

 

We’re still in the 105-110 range so a dip in the 89 degree pool was divine!

 

Trying out the spa.

 

Look at my baby’s adorable curls!

 

Hooray for the last day of summer!

 

We spent much of our long weekend purging and packing but we also took some time on Labor Day to enjoy our new pool! Having a pool of our very own again was exactly what we thought it would be… W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L!!

We also took some time in the morning to pack the girls’ backpacks with all of their school supplies. I think I heard once or twice, “OK, now I’m excited!” :)

Typically, daddy would take them to school on his way to work and I’d be picking them up but tomorrow, being the first day, we’ll all go as a family. Praying for a good first day and a smooth transition for us all.

We love you and we’re so proud of you, girls!

Here we go!

The Talk

The girls start their new school on Tuesday so we’ve spent a lot of time this week preparing. School uniforms, supplies, meeting their new teacher, buying lunch boxes, grocery shopping, and the list goes on.

One of the ways I wanted to prepare the girls was having “the talk”. You know, the one about the birds and the bees.

Although we’ve talked extensively with them already about purity and God’s design for a man and a woman, it was imperative to me that they know about sex and what God has to say about it. Especially before they started school.

(I didn’t want some misinformed 5th grader giving them the wrong information. You know?)

We knew it was just a matter of time before we had this talk but as a homeschooler, you have the luxury of feeling like you can shelter your kids for just a little while longer, so you do.

It seemed like the perfect time now and they were ready.

I’m so happy to have stumbled across this little study/devotion called, “The Talk: 7 Lessons to Introduce Your Child to Biblical Sexuality” by Luke Gilkerson.  It was very straight forward and all the lessons were anchored in scripture. Each lesson took about 15-20 minutes. We appreciated the simple but detailed diagrams and it led to some GREAT discussions. We covered everything from marriage, adultery, divorce, abortion, and rape. It even brought up discussions about the girls’ birthparents (and Zach’s, too).

The funny thing about the talk is I think most parents think they’ll feel awkward. They’re not sure when their child is ready or how much information to share. Gilkerson says too many parents are silent while the world is screaming. Unfortunately, the fear of “too much too soon” or saying the “wrong thing” is a rare circumstance in today’s world. In fact, our children, not knowing our values as they pertain to sex is far more common and more dangerous.

“When it comes to parents teaching children about God’s purposes for sex, being first is critical. Parents should want to be their child’s first and primary source of information about sex. And in a sexually broken world, filled with ungodly messages, waiting as long as possible to talk about sex is a risk no parent should be willing to take. “

I thought the book was an excellent resource and I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t had “the talk” yet with their children. It’s geared for 6-10 year olds but I think 6 would have been too young for me. Eight would have been fine. You know your child best so you can make that call.

The girls really enjoyed the study and they didn’t feel awkward in the least. In fact, I think it filled in a couple of gaps in their thinking about the topic as a whole.

The bottom line: We, as parents, want to take the lead and be the primary source of truth and information about sex and the beautiful thing God created it to be.