plodding along!

OK, I've decided that I want to learn to run, so in an effort to build some accountability toward that goal, I'm posting about it. My sweet friend Julie told me (at the beginning of the summer) about the Runners World website, where they have lots of stuff for running folks. She directed me toward the 10 week training plan, and loads of other good resources there. So I started yesterday...since I already work out at the gym, I'm skipping the walking days, but I started slow this week with 1 minute of running, and 4 minutes of walking, repeated 5 times for a total of 30 minutes. I've just got to lose some weight, and the stuff I'm doing at the gym isn't cutting it...I read last week that you have to be willing to sweat in order to drop pounds, so here we go. I'm at least going to give it a try....and if I finish the 10 weeks, I'm going to reward myself with actual good running shoes! I should probably also try to not drink any more fountain cokes, but that's another struggle altogether....

OH, and I almost forgot - it's October, that means in addition to fall, and Halloween, it's breast cancer awareness month, so girls, make sure you're doing all you need to be doing to take care of your ta-tas! Komen has excellent resources in case you need any.

walking in wisdom

That's a picture of MA pretending to be a bull that honey took a few months ago. It's just one of my favorite images of her these days...

2 Sundays ago, our pastors finished up a series titled "Uncommon Sense," where we took a good long hard look at wisdom, and what it means to be wise, biblically speaking. Wonderful messages all, followed by amazing discussion at our CG (small group) about how to apply wisdom in our lives. The entire time, though, a question kept coming to me: "How in the world do we teach our children wisdom, even now, so that they maybe don't have to learn as much stuff as we did 'the hard way'? Is it even possible?"

In an effort to work toward some answers to that question, I think I'm going to start hosting a pot-luck type lunch once every 2 months or so for moms with little ones, where I invite an "experienced" mom with kiddos who are admirable, and pick her brain for help! After all, part of wise living is getting loads of counsel from godly people, right? I'm already regretting that my favorite blogger Heather Jamison is back in Africa, because she'd be my first invite were she still here in the states....however, I do believe she's got some amazing things to say here about protecting our children's innocence, part of the whole wisdom thing, so maybe we can work something out via email. Anyhoo, I need to come up with a list of questions for our experienced mom. I know that I want to ask how practically she's helped her kids learn fear of the Lord, and what fun tips she has for (ahem) keeping her marriage fresh (after all, a HUGE part of raising admirable kids is having an admirable marriage, right?)! So, what questions should I ask our experienced mom, ladies?

our lil' miss k

Has eye surgery tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, bright & early, to correct those ol' crossed eyes she inherited from yours truly. So, if you read this, say a prayer for our sweet baby, that this won't be unduly traumatic, that it will go well, and that she'll get better quickly. Say a prayer for her momma & daddy, too, that we will continue to "be anxious for nothing, but in everything with prayer & supplication, with thanksgiving, let [our] requests be made known to God..."

best goals EVER for pre-k

full moon again...

So that means crazy lunatic girl can't sleep again, so she's been surfing the net, catching up on all her sweet girlfriends' doings! BTW, this is probably the last thing I should be doing right now. I think you're supposed to read books, because the computer gets you all jazzied up even more than you already are....

So Heather is back blogging, so if you haven't checked her out in a while, get to it. She's got some amazing things to say about beauty... I love Lauren's classroom, Lindsey's joke make me laugh, Rach has the most beautiful children ever, and everybody loves pregnant pics!

I've got some thoughts brewing about wisdom, and how in the world do we try to impart it to our kiddos so that they don't have to learn the hard way like we did, but that'll have to wait till later, cause I think that I might be getting tired? Love to all!

school's in!!

This has been a big week for our family! Miss K had her very first ever day of school today! What fun. She's going to preschool 2 days a week, from 9 until 2. We've been gearing up for it, and today the drive to school was very exciting....until we pulled into the parking lot: "Mommy, I'm a little nervous and scared," she said. Inside my head, I was saying, "Me too, pumpkin. I can't believe it's time for you to spend a day away from me!" But my voice was saying, "That's OK, precious. It's OK and normal to be nervous and scared about new things. Let's pray that God would help you with that today!" We bravely approached her classroom, and her first words to Ms. Sheli were, "I'm a little scared right now." To which Ms. Sheli replied, "That's OK, baby! I am, too! The first day of school is always tricky." Indeed!

But a lovely day was had by all. After Miss MA got over the shock of "sissy" being gone, she was content to hang out with me all by her little self, or as Miss K put it, "go to school with mommy." Miss K was very impressed with scissor safety, and playing with boys on the playground (oh, dear?).

So time marches on! My big girl is in school. I actually didn't shed tears, but almost thought about it yesterday when she said, "Mommy, when I am a grown-up lady, will I still live with you?" SIGH. Launching....we approach it so often with these dear little ones entrusted to our care, don't we? Thank you, Father, for the time we've had, and will continue to have, cocooning our precious little ones. Help us to do that well, and when it's time to approach these inevitable launches, help us to also do that well, and rejoice as we watch our children fly.

a princess tea party

K's birthday party was Saturday, and while these pictures don't really capture the cuteness of all our little princesses (I wish you all could have been here!), it's a start!