Summer Ends

It's hard to believe school starts for our family next week.  I guess I should say it starts for those not in college.  Tana and Alyssa are both at college and getting used to things.  Kalai also started her PSEO classes through a college in the area.  So, DJ and Malia have until next Tuesday.  I'm feeling pretty ready to start doing more structured learning with DJ but I know it'll be a bit of a transition at first.  Lately, it can take me until 10 a.m. just to have eneryone fed, dressed, and kitchen cleaned up.  By then, it's time for morning snack! :)  As much as it goes against my personality, I'm learning to go with the flow and not get as stressed out if plans don't go as planned!  I know I'm really going to have to remember that loving my children and training them in character and Godly ways are the most important things...not necessarily completing every page of assignment, having my house even halfway spotless or doing lots of extra-curricular activities.

Baby Cody is filling out in the cutest places.  His little elbows have dimples and his adorable chin now has been joined by another cute chin!  I feel like we sit on the couch and eat almost constantly, but I'm enjoying him so much!!  The boys are pretty enthralled, too.  Malia likes to hold him so much more than she did the other babies.  Levi asked me again today, "Mommy, why do we have him?"  But I think he likes him because whenever he's awake he wants to hold him...even when Levi's wet and muddy from playing outside.

My mother-in-law was here for two weeks and was a huge help.  She did all my laundry yesterday before leaving today.  I couldn't figure out how I managed to stay out of it completely.  I really had planned on helping her, but it just didn't happen.  We had fun watching the boys out on the slip and slide.   We also played a game with her called Loaded Questions.  We're missing her already, and it was so nice to get to know her  better and sit around visiting in the evenings.  She's certainly one amazing lady.

Our garden is producing!!  We're enjoying delicious tomatoes and cucumbers and some fresh herbs.  Ours is a rather small garden, but it's about right for us.  I'm looking for ways to save/preserve my herbs.

Life is good!  I'm blessed.  Trying to live in the moment and say "yes" more often to my kids even if it means more clean-up, waiting to do the next chore so I can read them a book, giving them a second popsicle, smiling when Kent lets them get wet and very muddy just before dinner (instead of being upset about extra baths), trying to take advantage of our cell phones and call our college daughters more, and read Proverbs each morning.  I think being a parent makes you realize how really unqualified you are to raise children.  I feel so inadequate with all my weaknesses, but I know Christ can make the difference, and I can take small steps towards my big goals.  So this year I will strive to smile at my children more, be slower to anger, be silly more often (not my natural tendency), spend more time in scripture than on the computer, each day make Kent glad he married me, and place the most value on things that are eternal...such as relationships, attitudes, and service.  I can get so discouraged thinking about how I'm not measuring up to what I thought I would/could/should be as a mother and Christian, but I'm learning to trust in Christ's goodness and perfection and His work in my life rather than on my work.