Mady's teacher this year is Mrs.J. She loves her class and her new classroom. She loves her school and all her friends. We have been settling into our routine of school, chores and work. Some mornings have been tougher than others for me for me to get going after working but God has given so much grace. Enjoy!
Balboa Park is an old historic park in downtown San Diego. It holds all the great museums, the zoo, and the spreckles organ pavilion( outdoor theather). It's a beautiful place to walk around and take pictures. Yesterday I took the kids down to a puppet show in the morning at the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theather. Afterwards we had a picnic and then walked around and I took pictures of them exploring some of the art and scultptures in the park. What a lovely day to be outside, we also picniced right in a flight pattern for the San Diego Airport. Which was neat for Aslan to see these big airplanes over his head every five minutes or so. Here are some of the photos from yesterday. Anyone who comes to visit I promise to take you here, it's a great time.
After four years of staying home with my kids I am offically going back to work. Just at night, part-time waiting tables. We just needing some extra income to pay off some bills. I didn't mind looking for a job, I thought I could maintain that for awhile... like if God happens to put a job in my lap then I'll know it's from him and I'll take it. But that doesn't happen all the time, rarely infact, you actually have to interview, fax resumes, be an active participant. So the search began, I thought about going back to work full time during the day and could make great money, but for those of you who know me know, I couldn't leave my little ones in day care. So the only other alternative was waiting tables at night, the only thing you can do that makes enough money to be worth working. I already started a job and am working three nights next week. Friday, Saturday and Sunday night...goodbye social life....hello working world. It's been hard to swallow at times, looking in the mirror before work thinking, " SO you are back here again" But God has sustained me in giving grace that is needed to realize that sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do and that those things bring him glory. Trials, struggles, and hardship enable God to be strong and for me to see that it is upon Him that I depend. This past month I have been so down and have been fighting negative thoughts, wanting to escape, longing for heaven, feeling sometimes like what's the point, but this week God again came to my rescue with this verse, "
" Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not percieve it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert" Is 43:18
This is what God is promising me right now, that he is doing a new thing, changing my heart and my mind to be like Christ, and it is a new thing. He will make a way in this wilderness and bring rivers in this desert heart of mine. Oh Lord may I declare praise to you even in my hardest moments. May it be a joy to lay down my life and my wants and preferences for your will. Be merciful Oh God, , my soul rests in you alone.
This week I have to say goodbye to my dear friend Carissa. She is leaving to go out to Virginia and even though it's only for a few months more than likely she will return only to marry and then be moving permanently to Virginia. These past few weeks God has tested me and been so kind as to reveal my heart in her moving away. He has shown me how I cling and hold on to things to tightly that were never "mine" to begin with. Even great realtionships that are full of fruitful fellowship and love are only a gift from him to be cherished and sometimes only given to us for a season. I want so badly for things to remain the same and my world to be comfortable but how kind is He to remind me that this is not my home. I am not meant to be comfortable here on earth and I long for heaven even more knowing that those whom I cannot be with here on earth I will be with forever in heaven. I find myself day dreaming about heaven and imagining what a wondourous place it will be. And this morning I am thanking him for the joy that is to come when I shall see him face to face and my soul shall rest and be satisfied.
So thank you Carissa for your friendship to my sweet little ones. you have been their faithful companion as much as mine. We will miss you greatly! We love you.
The summer is flying by, I can't believe it's mid- July! After our vacation with family in the Outer Banks( which was so great) we came home and started swim lessons for Mady. She went every day for two weeks and at the end was diving off the diving board and doing a spectacular doggie paddle to the side of the pool. Still working on perfecting her strokes but relieved to know if she fell into the pool she could make it to the side. These pictures were taken on the last day. Aslan also had fun making friends in the kiddie pool each day as well. 
This is a must see movie for all who are thinking of having another child! It a documentary about home birth. I liked this documentary partly because it did a great job in telling both sides of the story hospital birth versus home birth. They interview lots of OB/GYN doctors as well as midwives and follow the story of several ladies in their quest to delivery naturally at home. They also do a historical overview of how our country has gotten so far away from home birth since 95% of all births used to be at home. In all the other developed countries except ours this custom is still practiced today and they have much lower infant mortality rates than the United States. Our is the second highest! Yes the statistics will blow away but more importantly I think we as women are missing out on this incredible experience. We are pushed by our culture and our insurance companies to inform us of how we should give birth. I was also deeply moved by the corelation between the oxytocin that is released in the brain( the love chemical) that you experience to it's fullest when you give birth naturally and your baby experiences it too, thus it deepens the bond that you have with your child. I would love to know if any of you out there have see this movie your thoughts and if you haven't seen it I would highly recommend that you do.
Thats right it's gone and it feels sooo good to be short! It may not seem like a big deal but i haven't had my hair short since i was pregnant with Mady five years ago. Now I have to remember to put sunscreen on the back of my neck. It's weird I've gotten sunburn there the last two days.
