Smile

This morning I was able to walk around Greenlake by myself. Even though it was raining it was still so refreshing and energizing! There was a particular woman that caught my attention as I passed by her twice (I do enjoy people watching). Each time I could see her coming from quite a ways because she had a bandanna around her head. But what caught my attention was her face - it was all lit up with a kind and gentle smile. It was not a goofy smile or a prideful smile, just a peaceful happy looking smile. As I walked around I didn't see many people with smiles on their faces, and most didn't even acknowledge others passing them by. But, each time I passed this woman she was smiling and it made me feel like smiling. It made me even want to smile at others that were passing me by on the path. It made me think about how powerful a smile is....how contagious it is....how it makes your heart happy.....how is makes you feel good about yourself.....how a smile reflects what is going on in your soul...how I need to smile more at my children and my husband or even my neighbors!

Last Day Of School

Today was Asha's last day of Kindergarten! What an amazing year it has been! I have truly seen her grow by leaps and bounds this year! I am very proud of her! I think Kindergarten is such an important time, as they are learning to read and are setting foundations for learning for the future. I am especially proud of Asha because she was the only one in her class to get an award today. Her award was for not missing one single day of school. She was the only one in her entire class to do this. She has shown great faithfulness and devotion to school (with very little complaining, I might add) at a very young age! Way to go Asha! It has been an emotional day for me as I think about my little girl growing up and becoming all that God wants her to be! Tonight we will take her out to ice cream to celebrate!

A New Season At The Park

It's that time of the year where all the kids flock to the parks now that the weather is warming up and school is almost out. Today I took the kids to the park and it totally wore me out! It is a new season for me as well. Not too long ago I used to be able to put Jeffrey in a stroller or backpack and sit on the sidelines with him while the other kids played. Not anymore! Now Jeffrey is climbing, walking and exploring everything. He isn't totally stable yet either and still falls a lot - yet he really tries to keep up with his older siblings thinking he can do whatever they are doing. Keeping track of him would wear me out alone, but then I have to watch Luke because he likes to wonder off. Where is Luke? Oh, he is in the bathroom by himself! Then there is Lana, "Mom, can you push me on the tire swing or the marry go round 500 times?" Plus now I'm on the look out for mean dogs, as Luke recently got bite by a dog on the bottom at a park (it wasn't a playful bite either). What an adventure! I think I need a nap!

Accepting

"To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now." --Mister Rogers.

Mister Rogers had a lot of good things to say! He was a neat man, even though I never really got into his show. I think this quote is especially hard to live out within your own family. I constantly deal with it with my own children. Wishing they would be more like someone else (probably someone who at the time is behaving better), or treating them all the same when actually all four are so different. I so hope that I can grow in allowing my children to be who God has made them to be, and loving them for it!

To A Special Teacher

Today was my last day volunteering in Asha's Kindergarten class (I got to be in her class every Thursday - thanks to my wonderful husband). Her teacher gave me a sweet thank you gift, and then all the kids ran up to me and gave me a big hug. What joy! Though even as I type this now my eyes are full of tears and my heart is very heavy. You see, Asha's teacher, whom I have come to respect and admire, will no longer be teaching at Asha's school because of some district changes. I look back on the year and have realized I have learned so much from Asha's teacher (Mrs. Holmes)! She has truly helped me to become a better mom and person just through watching her life and her interactions with the children. I found this quote by Mister Rogers that totally models Mrs. Holmes. "Learning and loving go hand in hand. My grandfather was one of those people who loved to live and loved to teach.... He'd help me find something wonderful in the smallest of things, and ever so carefully, he helped me understand the enormous worth of every human being." (Mister Rogers). This is what I saw Mrs. Holmes doing everyday... helping the kids to learn and loving them for who they are! A few things that stand out: the Kindergartners would line up everyday outside her door waiting for school to start, and she would open the door and greet each of them with a smile, sometimes a pat on the shoulder, sometimes a hug, or an encouraging word, or ask them a question. She started the day off right with acknowledging each child. She was firm and kept the class in line yet she always had affirming words to say and set a very loving tone. I can guarantee that each child in her class felt loved by her. Even my other children would look forward to seeing her each day when we would drop Asha off at school. She often would take the time to say hi to them and listen to something they might have to say. Luke and Lana would frequently want to pick flowers to bring to Mrs. Holmes. She will be so so missed, and I'm saddened that Asha and my other children may not have her as a teacher again! Thank you Mrs. Holmes for an amazing year! I do pray that she will continue to be used to make a difference in many other's lives!

Beautiful Day For The Beach

Today I took the kids on a picnic at the beach. I still have to pinch myself on days like this that I only live 15 minutes from a beach. Well, it isn't like the Florida beach or even the Oregon coast, but it has unique and amazing beauty of its own. For example, on a clear day you can see the mountains almost everywhere you look, and you can hear and see the fairy as it makes its trips back and forth (my kids love the waves the fairy makes when it goes by in the distance). I'm so glad that each of my kids love going to the beach. Asha enjoys collecting shells. Today she filled her socks full of shells so she could make necklaces out of them (don't tell anyone - I know we aren't suppose to take shells off the beach). Lana loves to play in the water and pick up seaweed and make seaweed soup. Luke loves to jump off the big logs that are washed up on shore, and throw sticks or rocks in the water. Jeffrey loves to just sit in the sand and find little things to play with and sometimes stick in his mouth (I think today he ate a bunch of sand). Of course, I love to just sit on my blanket and stare up at the mountains, and occasionally run after a wondering child. This is just one of the blessings about living in the Great Northwest!

Hands Are Full

You know you have a full house when:

You tell a group of women that you have four children and they all say, "Wow, you have your hands full!" The classic comment.

Your out somewhere and you realize that something is missing, and then you realize wait it is one of your kids.

Your refrigerator constantly seems empty. "You need to go to the grocery store again?" my husband often says.

When you go to do laundry and you have two dark loads, two white loads, and two towel loads. It never seems to end!

When your at the park and someone asks if your running a day care. "Nope, their all mine!" I say with a giggle.

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Of course, there are people out there with more than four children and may not feel the same way. Just heard about a Mom today that has 16 children. She has pretty much been pregnant her whole life! =)

Field Trip

Today Asha got to take her Daddy with her on her school field trip to the beach. What a fun experience for them both. They both came home with big smiles on their faces with lots of stories to tell. Asha's first comment was, "Daddy and I got to sit next to each other on the bus." A Beach Ranger was there to teach them lots of cool things about ocean life. Did you know that Star Fish stomachs come out each time they eat and then goes back in when they are done? I never knew that! What an exciting day! =)

Asha has two weeks left of school and then summer will arrive. I'm looking forward to hanging out with my kids this summer and exploring the Great Northwest together! My favorite summer thing to do is pick blackberries with the kids. They are everywhere! Even in our front yard!

Celebrate!

Here is a quote I found (anonymous author): "Make your commitments in life a celebration not an obligation." This really made me think. How can I help my daughter make her homework a celebration not an obligation? How can I make doing laundry a celebration not an obligation? My marriage? Caring for the endless needs of my children? Making dinner? Going to church? Caring for our world? The list could go on and on. My Mom and my Sister are really good about celebrating life. I have said to them more than once, "You guys are always celebrating something!" Somehow I must have not gotten that gift....though I know there is a lot I could learn from them.

Happy Celebrating!

My Journals

I find great joy in writing in my journals. Yesterday I got to do some shopping for gifts at Barnes and Noble, and I almost always come away from there with a new journal (they have great journals there, by the way)! This time I found one that was on sale and has superheros on the cover. Super Man, Super Woman, Bat Man, and others. I'm not sure why I got this type of journal, except that it was on sale, it was bright and colorful, and seemed just the right size for what I wanted it for. Now I have four active journals that I am using. One journal is where I write things to my children, another journal is to write things I'm learning about from the Bible, another (my new superhero journal) is for writing ideas and random thoughts, and the fourth is my computer blog journal which is a bunch of random things that everyone can read. I love to journal. Now I just need a bit more time to keep up with each journal. =)

Here is a random thought for you: Yesterday morning I woke up at 4 am because my daughter's alarm clock randomly went off. I couldn't go back to sleep and I noticed that the sun was coming up and the birds were beginning to make their morning noises. What was the sun doing up that early? I couldn't believe it!

Crock Pot

Today I was reading in my "Simple Living" book again. I was reading in the kitchen section, and they said over and over again how you've got to get a Crock Pot. They are a key to simple living. Here is why:

Everything's prepared in one pot for minimum cleanup.
All the juices and nutrients are kept in.
Conserving energy to prepare a meal.
You can cook a meal while you're doing something else.

Anybody have any good crock pot recipes?

Jeffrey's newest word: "spider". He loves spiders and gets really loud and excited when he sees one. In the summer we get quite a few in and around our house. Some are more enjoyable than others. Like the one in my shower the other day was not enjoyable!!

A Few Thoughts

Tonight we heard thunder...it brings back fond memories of really good thunder and lightning storms back in Illinois. They would light up the sky and shake the house! I miss those!

I haven't written in my blog for a while as things have been a bit crazy around here. My husband's back went out last week, and so lately I have been taking on the role of mother and father. He is slowly getting back to normal - thankfully! It really has made me appreciate him and all he does for our family! Even last week I mowed (with our old and heavy push mower), and edged the whole yard front and back (he normally does that). I was dying by the end, and I whined and complained the whole time (our yard isn't even that large). It looks much better when he does it too. That is just one of the many things Matt does for there is much much more I could add! He is "THE MAN"!

We got a book at a garage sale this weekend called, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Simple Living". I really like the idea of simplifying our life. How about this for a thought to chew on: By seeking silence and gratitude we can create a more lasting move to simplicity in our life. Hmmmm..... I'm sure there is a lot I could learn!