Take care...let them hear my words!

I just remembered that I started posting this about one month ago and never quite finished....so, here it goes!

Ethan's first camping trip with Dad for 3 days!

This is how Sam and I enjoyed our time back home! He's my snuggler!

The boys flexing their muscles!

Sweet smiles! Muscles aren't everything!

Almost one here!

Silly girl!

On an exploring walk collecting things!

Family fishing trip day to a local pond!

Grace and I hanging back!

A fish!!!

I woke up from resting one afternoon and Ethan had fallen asleep like this in our sunroom! He's in his "hunting gear"

Oh we love the park!

Such a great big brother Ethan is!

Kiss face!

So precious to me!

Like I said, he's an amazing big brother with great love for his siblings!

Morning silly faces on moms bed!

Helping with dishes!

Exploring!

Grace loves to keep up with the boys!

But not up there...

First time standing up!

She loves the attention she gets when she stands!

Oops!

There she does it again !

A sweet weekend trip with some close friends to their grandparents' acreage!

The boys can apparently climb cupboards to get their own cereal in the morning!!! This was a surprise to me but they were so proud! Very helpful actually!

More exploring!

Lol

I just love these kiddos!

Thank you God for them!

I'm doing a two year bible reading plan and was encouraged by this today; so many wholesome things to ponder!

"Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children... the LORD said to me, 'Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.' "

Deuteronomy 4:9-10

Oh that we as parents would daily position ourselves to hear the words of God, that we would learn the fear of the LORD and teach our children this also!

Take care, and keep your soul diligently!

Oh what fun!

I'm so thankful for my phone and the ability to take pictures on it. And I'm so thankful for a blog to be able to keep pictures of my sweet kiddos organized and up to date. Pictures are so precious to be able to look back upon.

Here are my sweet little people this past month!!!

Grace is growing so much and her personality is really starting to shine!

She is so sweet and funny!

We signed Ethan up for little league tee ball this year. The season starts April 11th, so we are getting ready!

Ethan is getting very excited!!!

Here is Sam at the St Patrick's day parade in Des Moines. It was fun, and chilly!

Cookies! Thank you Grandma Lorna for the cookie press!

Look who is standing!!

Grace having fun at my mom and dad's house!

Then she almost fell asleep!

First bath with all 3!!

By the time we were done, it was as though I was in there with them! And that mostly because of Ms Gracie! Lol

Oh my funny boys! They are so sweet and seem to get more silly all the time!

Sam and his goofy poses!!!

You make me smile little one!

                            
      oh Ethan! Funny little man! I love your            smile!!! They just thought this was                                         hilarious!

My sweet cutie pie!

New headband!

I'm having fun having a daughter! It's really sweet!

Sam and another ham pose!

Love love!

Her eyes I just adore!

I just wanna kiss her and snuggle her up!

Attempt to get everyone in, sorry Sam!

Love these faces!

Being goofy with Grace!

Oh Sam! Sooo funny! He loves the guitar, and apparently Mr potato head's glasses!  Sooo funny little man!

I do indeed love being a Mother and am so thankful for my children, but even now, 5 years in, there is nothing that has tested and refined me more...and this undoubtedly will continue. The Bible says, "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another," proverbs 27:17. This is mainly speaking about friendships, but God is sure using my little ones to sharpen me...to make me a vessel of noble use and a sweet instrument in His hands;

Which is what I desire.

In mothering this far, I feel like I've come to the end of myself-over and over and over, where I then begin to see and know and experience Jesus in deeper ways as I seek him through the end of myself.

My death and Jesus becoming greater in me is, in the moments hard, but, so precious.

I feel all too familiar with repentance and the need for such humility before the LORD, and my children and husband. 

But how sweet that the Lord gives grace to the humble, and won't reject a contrite heart.

So, I seek to guard my heart in all things, and keep a quiet heart in all things, trusting God and letting my spirit be gentle and quiet before Him.

"...in your hearts honor Christ the LORD as holy..." 1 Peter 3:15