I'm Divin' In

I am losing my will to survive in the blogging world. I simply would rather do other things and have other things to do. I have been spending any spare moment I have trying to organize our upcoming home school year. I enjoy it, but every time I think I have it figured out I don't. Plus we've had dance camp, basketball camp, baseball games and now basketball games. It has been a little hectic since late May, but we are starting to wind down thankfully.

So even though my blogging has seemingly ceased, my blogging moments have not. I should call my blog, " Dads Rock", because every other post is about daddy moments. This afternoon we got home from a birthday party and the kids wanted to swim (even though they had just finished playing on one of those huge blow up water slides at the party). Tommy had shocked our pool today because he obsessively wants it to stay clean and he had found what he thought to be a green ring starting to form at the bottom. Honestly, honey, I couldn't see it, but bless your heart for being an awesome pool guy! They got in the pool and called me over while they were swimming and said that the water smelled strong like bleach. Yes, yes it did! I checked the chlorine level and the water is suppose to turn a yellow color. It turned bright orange. "Everybody out!" I say lest your eyes burn blind and your skin fall off.
Of course the kids still wanted to swim so Tom being the fun dad he is got out the $10 pool that belongs to Trey, filled it up, and played in it with them. Tommy can never just half way play. It is all or nothing with him. When I looked out the window he was in the pool built for 2 small children and eventually had to start a diving contest. This video is footage of that diving contest. Take another look. Tommy won and Maggie lost. C'mon girl. What kind of "dive" was that? Listen closely and you will hear Trey crack up at Tommy.

Branson

Vacations come and go so quickly. I remember 120 days ago starting our vacation countdown with the kids. And here we are 5 days out of it. Branson was our vacation destination and it was well worth the wait. We did a lot, ate a lot, and laughed a lot. One thing I can't say the trip was and that is relaxing. Momma still had to cook some, keep us on schedule, and worry about the details. But my pleasure comes from seeing my family enjoy themselves. Can I get an amen, moms? Enough of my words! Pictures are much more fun.

And we're off....it took 4 hrs to get there and 7 hours to get home. At every stop homeward you would hear me say "that is the last stop" until finally my threats became a big joke.

Trey was no so impressed with the cold water pool.

Grandma and Papa joined us for a few days. Wil and Mags love G & P! Here are Mags and Papa at Branson Landing...great shopping is to be had here.

Maggie got to experience stage performing of course in Branson and quickly decided she was made to perform. She seized the opportunity at Tom's cousin's diner (The Barbara Fairchild diner) and sung so sweetly and little shyly, but she didn't want to let go of that microphone!

Here we are at the Sights and Sounds Theatre. This where we saw Noah the musical. It was wonderful. It was the neatest thing we did for many reasons. The story of Noah and the flood will never be the same for Wil and Mags in a good way.

O.k I'm tired of captioning! Just consider the rest a "caption this"

This is my favorite picture of the trip!! I love it.

Maggie Shocks Us

Maggie Archer is wonderful to us in lots of ways. One thing Mags is NOT is coordinated. So when she requested her training wheels be taken off, we obliged only to let her see the difficulty of riding without training wheels. To our surprise it took her one day to hold her own. Earlier today she even descended a hill and was fine until she wanted to stop. She slammed right into the curb and flipped over. She didn't cry. I guess she thought since I was laughing, she'd laugh along with me. Her and Trey have something in common. They both hit that same curb going 15 MPH. Only Wilson pushed Trey down the hill in his stroller. It was not funny at the time.

I am proud of Maggie. She is 4 years old, but doesn't let that stand in her way . This determination will serve her well in life if used properly.

But if you see lots of bruises on her legs, just know she hasn't completely mastered the breaking part.

Leading Our Children

The school year is drawing to a close for Wil. It has been fun teaching Wil, and seeing him read on his own, letting Maggie join in, and joining the CHE home school group. From my own personal assessment, I would have to say we have have had a successful year. Looking back over this momentous year of Kindergarten 2 things easily stick out in my mind as the definite best moments. They were when both Wil and Maggie on separate occasions expressed a desire to know Jesus as their Savior. It would take way too long to go into detail what happened and what was said. But Momma was praising God at the end of both those days. It happened with Maggie first during our morning devotions at the kitchen table during the second week of school back in Aug 08'. She seemed adamant about it and remains adamant about it. Only time will tell. And then a couple of weeks ago during the same devotion time sitting at the same kitchen table once again, Maggie was asking me questions about Hell and what it is like and who goes there and will the people there see their mommy and daddy, and on and on. Wil was intently listening but as usual had very little to say. Now Mags knows that Wil has not accepted Christ. Not because I say anything. She is just keenly aware of it. So drawing her own conclusion of Wil being hell-bound (i hope that doesn't sound harsh. i intend it not that way of course), she said "Can I ask Jesus into Wil's heart". How precious and wonderful that she wanted to save her big brother. I said (with Wilson right there), "No, Wil has to do that on his own." I never ever want to pressure Wil. He is only 5 in a half. But I looked up and read Wil's lips as he whispered (wanting NOT to draw attention to himself) "Jesus, will you come live in my heart?" I pretended not to notice all the while praying for God to direct Wil's little mind and heart. I did not want him to be confused or to be misconstrued by my words to Maggie. I just went about the devotion. Wil began to ask questions, one after the other until I could not ignore the heart of the matter any longer. I asked if he wanted to pray with me to accept Jesus as His savior. So after asking him some questions, we did. His voice trembled as he spoke. It was bittersweet for me. On one hand he is 5 and Maggie at the time of her acceptance was 3. This is so very young. Tommy and I know they must understand to a degree what they were doing, but we could never discourage there desire lest their hearts began to harden. God has been very confirming over these weeks and months. The truth is because we home school, they hear about Jesus and God all through the day. Our curriculum is Christ centered and his lessons are taught from math to science from a Biblical perspective. I just want their faith to be caught from Tom and me, but independent from ours as they grow! It has got to be their own.

The LORD has set in my heart to step up praying this year from my pastors to my children. And last night I ran across a book on my shelf that I got as a little gift for Christmas. I had not looked at it until last night. It is called Leading Your Kids To Christ (30 devotions to prepare parents). One of the most if not the most important role as Wil, Maggie, and Trey's parents is leading them to Christ. This book is an excellent resource.

The biggest part of my testimony began one night as I rocked Wil to sleep as a baby. I was praying, "LORD let Your Word be real to Him so that You can be real to him". I heard God so clearly and so gently say, "Misty, how can I be real to Him if I'm not real to you." I "loved" the LORD and was walking with him at the time so it really threw, but as I searched my heart, of course, He was right. Isn't He always? From that night I prayed like I never have before and God threw open the flood gates of heaven in answering my prayers. The big idea in today's devotion from this book I'm reading was this: Your child's faith will be a direct reflection of your faith. If you want your child's faith to be strong, your faith should be strong too. I had to Amen that. God spoke that to me 6 years ago and today he confirmed it yet again. Here are some other great insights that I found today in my new book.

"Never underestimate that power that comes when a parent pleads with God on behalf of a child." Max Lucado

If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all Isaiah 7:9

Just as our faith strengthens our prayer life, so do our prayers deepen our faith. Let us pray often, starting today, for a deeper, more powerful faith. Shirley Dobson

Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves the One who is leading. Oswald Chambers (I LOVE THIS ONE)

This book is a God send to me. You know how it goes with this blogging thing.
It can serve as an outlet to your thinking thus was the case on this particular post. May it encourage us to live it (our faith) out before our children inviting them to join us.

Precious Moments

We had one of those moments last night. You parents know the ones. The moments that will bring a tear to a glass eye. Tom and I were getting in bed. He pulled his side of the covers back and there on his pillow was a note from his eldest son, "I love daddy". Evidently during his rest time (rest time not nap time because 5 1/2 yr olds do not take a nap says Wilson) that day, apparently had gotten up and written Tom this note and put it on his daddy's pillow.

Wil and Tommy have always had a very strong bond! I blame it on the fact that Tommy was the one who changed his first poopey (sp?) diaper after his birth. All I know is that Tommy is always on Wil's mind. This is probably because daddy is always willing to play anything with Wilson from basketball to Crazy 8's to monster/dungeon. Thank you Uncle Mike for introducing the dungeon game to our family. I am forever indebted to you-NOT!! This game always ends in broken objects or broken children.

After seeing this note, I got teary. Tommy was pretty touched, but not enough to cry. Here is a Fun Fact: I have never seen Tom cry. There were no tears, but he did go straight to Wil's room where he was sleeping and give him a squeeze and kiss. It was beautiful.

Daddies never ever underestimate your importance. Your role is invaluable.

Backyard Fun

It's been a while my blogging family. Not that you have missed me and my tales of a stay at home mom, but I haven't had many spare moments to sit down at the computer for longer than 5 minutes. Even as we speak, my hubby is patiently waiting on the couch for me to join him in some NBA playoff watching. It's their year no doubt about it!! GO LAKERS!

I had to post this video of daddy once again making life fun with a little water balloon action. Boys are so funny. He was so impressed with himself (obviously) that he got his daddy. Momma never fell prey to their numerous attempts to get me in throwing range. This is definitely a game that will get many request this summer! It was funny to watch Trey play along.
One thing that sold us on this house was the backyard. It is big but up until 2 weeks ago, it was bare. My kids never wanted to play in the back. Wil of course can't go 5 minutes without playing basketball and the goal is in front. Mags just wants to be where Wil is so I fought a losing battle every time trying to get them in the back. We home school so we need to make home fun because, well, that is where we spend 90 percent of our day. So when I found an awesome fort displayed at Sam's I begged Tom to think about getting it for us. I won without nagging thankfully. He bought the thing which came in 4 boxes (about 150-200 lbs a piece)....nothing but cedar wood. I guess that is what you call it. He had to build it completely from the ground up. A friend came by to help some with the foundation (thank you Chris cuz you really did help a lot) but for the most part Tom did the work. The instructions said that it would take 2 skilled workers about 40 hrs to build. Tom finished it easily in 40 hours doing 85% of the work himself. I love that he finishes what he starts. It has been so worth it. The kids love it. I myself am looking forward to some quiet times with the LORD up in the upper room as I like to call it!

He Has Risen

More than any verse in the Bible, I have hope from these three words: He has risen! May I also add these words of His Truth as well,



I Corinthians 15:55-58

"O, DEATH WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.





HAPPY EASTER! FROM THE ARCHER'S