My Long Weekend
Author Archives: Jen
My Weekend
My Weekend
Back to School
Every year is difficult for me. Same with birthdays and holidays. These are the days that it slaps me in the face, my babies are growing up. Yes it’s natural, but it hurts. How I long for the days when I wasn’t embarrassing to them, and when hugs and kisses were still cool.
We have a tradition around here. Maybe you have it too. I always take a first day of school picture of them standing in front of our peonies. I love it, they hate it. They complain, they relent. Until this year. Brooke wouldn’t do it.
I may have said something irrational like, “it’s a freaking first day of school tradition!”, but I can’t completely own that right now. What I can do is this. Just two days before, we had gone out to eat with the in laws, and I made the kids pose in front of a giant giraffe. Brooke made me promise that I wouldn’t post the picture on Facebook, and I did promise that.
Now, I knew they had something planned, so I snapped a picture before they realized it. Then I snapped another one. Neither one is going to pass the Brooke test. She is super critical of self portraits…not sure where that comes from. (me) ahem…
Anyway, I didn’t post the picture on Facebook, but I am forced to post it here to document how big she is on or near the first day of school.
Brooke is a sophomore. She’s beautiful, inside and out. I love her!
Zach is in the 7th grade this year. He’s so handsome and funny. I love him!
Matthew is in 2nd grade. He just got these glasses. I think he is so dang cute! I love him!
Every year is difficult. My babies are growing up. I love them so much!
Fireworks
I used to love fireworks.
Somewhere between my 20’s and late 30’s, I’ve discovered that I like them only on my terms.
I’m learning things about myself.
I’m slow in hitting the camera button on my non Iphone…
That’s an inside joke meant for the other members of my family who actually own an Iphone.
Fireworks are still beautiful and fun to watch because my kids get all excited to participate in the festivities, but the mosquitoes are vicious! They totally ran me into the house and ended our night early. Those blood sucking pests. If it weren’t for the kids, I would be happy to sit in my living room and watch the neighbors play with fire. I hope they will remember that when they are pondering the nursing home for me.
Yours Forever
I might have failed to mention that we were literally 3 or 4 people back from the stage. We were so close!!
Hillsong United Rocks!
I had the opportunity to see Hillsong United in concert Monday night with my daughter and a lovely group of women from church. If they are ever near your city, you HAVE to see them. What an awesome worship experience! There were so many songs that I want to share with you, but I am going to start with this one. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Oh, and feel free to stand, and jump up and down while shaking your fist in the air. I know I will. Yours Forever
Summer Vacation is here!!
School is finished and the kids are enjoying their first day of summer vacation! I feel like it’s been a long time coming honestly. With Brooke in high school, Zach in middle school, and Matthew in elementary, I’ve done my fair share of school events and driving. I’m ready for a break.
It was a transitional year for each of my kids, and there were some struggles. Struggles that I hope will resolve before Fall comes around. I’m ready for the laid back days, no 6 am alarm going off, and no morning rush. Days spent at the pool and movies are calling to me. Maybe a trip to the zoo if it cools down a bit, and even the Children’s Museum.
What’s on your agenda for the summer?
Go with the Flow
I have a really bad tendency to try and control things. I want to be in control so that I know things will be done correctly, or at least the way I want them done. In reality, I know I’m not in control of anything. NOTHING. So you can see where this can cause some stress for me.
I’ve been going through Discipleship Training through my church, and my eyes are opening to some of the things I try to control. God is speaking to me about obedience in alot of areas right now, and one of them is my faith. Apparently when I take a situation out of God’s hands and place it in mine, that shows a huge lack of faith on my part. He is in control, and always will be. I could never compare.
Worry comes and goes with me, I never really dwell on it, but I do give in at times. God wants me to just go with the flow and trust Him. If I really trust Him, I don’t need a backup plan. So no need to worry. Even if I don’t have answwers to some tough questions.
There’s a strange peace in that. Trusting Him who made me, and everything else.
This morning was a little stressful for me. My daughter needed to be at school early but she didn’t tell me until the last minute, when she wanted to leave. It required juggling my sons and extra traffic, and tension between us. It could have been eliminated if she had just told me about it last night, and I could have responded differently by not becoming aggravated about the traffic.
Life is going to be stressful, especially if I try to control it. I’m not in control. Truthfully, I don’t want to be in control. I just want the peace that comes from knowing Jesus is in control and trusting in Him daily. Living in faith.
Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were
encouraged about you because of your faith. 1Thes 3:7
Top Ten
Top Ten Reasons I Know I’m Not In The Caribbean Anymore…(in random order)
- 60 Degrees seems really cold.
- 9 loads of laundry.
- I’m no longer rocked to sleep by the ocean waves.
- I have to COOK!
- Instead of amazing blue waters surrounding me, its brown grass and mud puddles.
- I’m sitting at a desk, supposedly working. WORK!
- Manuello isn’t here to clean my room twice a day.
- The alarm clock woke me up, not the sun.
- I have a sweater on over my shirt.
- I don’t have a cute little umbrella in my unsweetened tea.
Oh how I don’t like coming back to reality!! We had an amazing vacation and I’m ready to do it all again, very soon.