blessed be the Lord who loads us up.

"There is a way to live the big of giving thanks in all things.
It is this:
to give thanks in this one small thing.  The moments will add up"
~Ann Voskamp~

'Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits'
Psalm 68:19

happy thanksgiving, everyone!

phil 4.19

i was asked to speak at MOPS last week

just a little 8ish minute schpeel on how God has provided for our fam

i wasn't even the main speaker so don't be thinking i'm all cool like that

i was just the 'personal testimony' gal at the end

like, we just heard a great talk on finances
and now let's hear
what that looks like in someone's life
for real
{mercy}
well, i said yes right away
cause if there's one message God has given me
it's about how He provides
over and over again
unexpectedly and miraculously and.....
well, how could I say no?!
{except i freak out at the idea
of speaking in front of groups.....}

but God spoke through me

like, i tried to prepare and really couldn't

and my dear, sweet hubby who thrives on public speaking was like....

um, it's our life story.  you know it well.  you'll do great

and I was like 'i need to write it all out'

and he was like 'just go with bullet points and you can fill in the rest'

and i was like....hmmmmm......you may be onto something (cause you've done this before)

so i went with just bullet points

and God filled in all the rest

and honestly, when i was done, i had no idea what i really said

except that i told our story

how God provides

"according to His riches in glory" (philippians 4:19)

time and time again
not in our timing, but in His

God's not finished showing Justin and me how He provides for all our needs
'according to His riches in glory'  i love how He just keeps us in that place of complete dependence on His miraculous provision. 
oh wait, it's all miraculous provision.....but it's so much easier to appreciate when it looks as dramatic as it does for us.  And I suppose (ahem) I wouldn't want it any other way.....

I was super excited to pass on this excitement of taking God at His Word and how the women I was speaking to would perhaps get excited too--grasping the idea that God would provide for THEM--'according to His riches in glory.' 
So when I was shaking in nervousness before my chat my friend leaned over and said,
"you KNOW God provides." 
To which I had to honestly reply, "yeah, I know He provides but I can't seem to trust Him now cause I'm.so.nervous!"  

I'm such a work in progress.........so thankful God uses me anyway.
{And that's really what I want my message to be!}

have an amazing day <3

give me back that filet o fish

having way too much fun
with our family pics

cropping
changing exposure
making black and white
adding a matte
adding color

oh, my
the hours....
(and Justin asking can we please just go to bed?  now?)

but I'll tell you about some time that wasn't wasted
today.
lunchtime.
I was at my sons' school
Jonathan has been asking me to have lunch with him
(a helpful FIL who took care of the 2 youngers)
and there was no WAY I was going to miss this opportunity

how did he get to be in 3rd grade already?!
how much longer is he even going to want to see me around his school?
perhaps my days are more numbered than I realize
Caleb didn't even want me to eat lunch with him
(but certainly didn't mind when I showed up anyway
just for a sec
to hand him a mini snickers bar for dessert
cool.mom.points.
maybe)

anyways
I stopped at mcdonalds and got Jon and myself some golden arches love
filet-o-fish sandwiches
(Jon's without tartar sauce)
2 pumpkin pies for a buck
and a medium order of fries
(that resembled a small by the time I got there....but who's counting)
and chocolate milk
(which was awkward with a fish sandwich
but soda wasn't allowed
I felt like a 3rd grader myself...)

it was fun
it was toats adorbs to watch my son
take good care of me and make sure I was having a good time
it sure seemed like he was....

we hopscotched at recess
and I just wanted to squeeze and hug and kiss him as I left when the bell rang
but I refrained
and got a nice side hug
initiated totally by him

I love him.
I'm in mothering heaven.


have a super weekend.
I mean it.

yo

an organized game closet
means my kiddos can actually find games they want to play
all 4 playing a game together
(or something like that)
is a minor miracle
so don't be getting any false impressions of my fam
by this picture

but I'm incredibly blessed

no doubt last week was a challenging one
as we were all a bunch of cooped up sickies
when Justin asked me if I thought I'd be able to send
the older 2 back to school on monday
my prompt response was

"someone's going to school on monday
them.  or me"
{sanity can be so under-rated.}

but did I mention I'm so incredibly blessed?
thankful for healthy children.
and sanity.
and my sister's homemade brownies I just ate the last of.....

happy tuesday!

cuddles.

carving.

coloring.

costumes.

cuteness.

capturing.


{spending the day praying for a mom
who spent 4 hours in a hospital
waiting for her young son to come out of surgery
to remove a brain tumor}

perspective.
during a trying week of coughs, sleepless nights
and mild fevers.