One Year Ago

How is it even possible that one year ago today, my town {and the entire state of Alabama really} experienced devastation and destruction like we had never seen?  I still remember nearly every detail of that fateful day.  I'm not sure I'll ever forget it or the chaotic days that followed.

You can go back and read most of my posts following the tornado HERE

The events of April 27, 2011 are definitely ones for the history books.  Tuscaloosa was one of many cities in Alabama hit that day.  The monster tornado that tore through our town was an EF-4 and destroyed everything in it's path.   One year later, we have made some progress but there definitely remains a lot to rebuild.  It will be a long long time before things are even halfway back to normal along the path of the tornado.   Hobby Lobby did reopen in February down the road a bit into a new location.  YAY!  That was a fun day for me.  I spent about an hour just walking through the store soaking it in:).  Most of our friends who lost their homes/apartments have relocated and are doing great.  My friend Camilla and her son Richard moved into their Habitat house in December.  God has done some amazing things for sure through the tornado.  Churches in town have really come together as well as the community in reaching out to those who lost it all.

As I drove around town the other day, I snapped a few pic from the car on my phone...

Nothing has been done to this CVS that used to stand at the corner of McFarland and 15th [the main drag through T-town that was in the direct path of the storm}.  I'm not sure what the hold up is on tearing it down and rebuilding.  It's still so sad to see.  I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing what's left from the storm's fury. 

 This is where Hobby Lobby used to be along with Big Lots, Planet Fitness, and Chuck E Cheese. 

This is an area called Holt.  It was hit very hard and there is still so much in this area that looks the same as it did right after the tornado hit.  I'm not sure Holt will ever be the same again.  

A lot of the homes have been torn down and what was once a neighborhood now looks like this...

252 peoples lives were taken by the nasty tornado outbreak in Alabama that day.  There were 50 of them whose home was in Tuscaloosa.   I'm still so proud to call this city home.  I'm still so sad of all the work that remains and that parts of this town might never look the same again.  I'm still so thankful for all that the Lord has done and is doing through the tornado.  I've met some truly wonderful people through all the events after the storm.  Please continue to pray for our community as we look forward and continue to rebuild.

3 Month Comparison

Everyone is always asking who Anna Mitchell looks like. Most people have said me and/or Abigail. I think I might agree:) You can let me know what you think...

Here are all my girls at or around 3 months. So fun to see the similarities and differences!  So fun to also see that my cameras got much better with each child.  Isn't Ellie Kate's hair hilarious??  That girl had some crazy hair! Actually Abigail's was a little crazy too.  Anna Mitchell definitely has the least amount of hair of all my girls.

I was showing the girls these pics and Ellie Kate asked where is Samuel's?  She's such an observant girl and it made me so sad to have to tell her that we don't have any of Samuel when he was a baby.   She was very concerned about this so we discussed his adoption and all the details.  She moved on pretty quickly, but situations like that always make me so sad that we did miss Samuel's first 3 years of life.  I would do ANYTHING to have pictures of him as a baby and more importantly to have KNOWN him as a baby.   

So we don't end on that sad note, I'll record here that my baby girl has started rolling over!  It's so funny because she sort of shocks herself each time.  So far it has only been tummy to back but she is oh so close to also doing it from back to tummy.  She's growing way too fast!

Favorite Things Party

This past weekend my Titus 2 {discipleship group} from church had a Favorite Things Party!  It was super fun.  I saw the idea on Pinterest of course, and we thought it would be the perfect type party for us to do as we wrap up the year (we meet through the summer but it gets sort of sporadic then).  Anna did a fabulous job hosting it at her beautiful house.  

Basically what we did was bring 7 of something that is a favorite of ours (under $10).  We did 7 because that is how many people are in our group.  We also each brought either our favorite appetizer or favorite dessert.  I saw the recipe for southwestern egg rolls with avocado ranch dressing from Chili's on Pinterest and decided to make those.  It's one of my favorite things to order from Chili's and they actually weren't too hard to make! 

All the gifts...

{Anna was the best host and had us each a bag with our initial on it for our things}

Mine are the pink bags wrapped in jute and bakers twine (two of my favorite wrapping tools)

We played a fun game that really helped us get to know each better.  There were categories that we had to fill out anonymously like Favorite Movie, Favorite Book, Favorite Store to Shop, Favorite Candy, etc.  Then we each tried to guess who said what.  Mary Grace won by a hair.  I came pretty close but really botched the favorite candy category:).  As we handed out our gifts, we each shared our favorite Bible Verse. 

Mine was:

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us."  Ephesians 3:20

My loot...

burlap and a basil plant, starbucks gift cards, panera gift card for a frozen caramel coffee, redken hair products, lip gloss, soap, Mrs. Meyers countertop spray (this was what I brought), water bottle, chocolate, earrings, and panties!  LOVE IT ALL!!!

Seriously this is such a fun party!! Just look it up on Pinterest for more great ideas and for what to do if you have a bigger group.  

More than the fun stuff and fun party, I'm really just so thankful for this group of girls and our mentor Perry.  We've been together for awhile now and I feel like the Lord has blessed me so much.  We are  a diverse group of women..some who stay at home and some who work.  We all have a bunch of kids and live crazy lives.  Perry is so patient with us and she is such an encouragement to us all as we navigate this crazy journey walking with the Lord being wives and mothers and friends. 

3 Months Old

Anna Mitchell you are 3 months old today!  

I can't believe how fast it's going.  I just want to bottle your precious babyness up.  You love to be held and are still somewhat of a diva for sure although as the weeks go by, you get better and better about entertaining yourself for longer periods.  You love to be talked to and will coo and smile back at us.  It melts our hearts!!!  

 You pretty much sleep all night now from 7:30 - 7:30 although we slip in a "dream feed" around 10:30 to help you make it.   Your naps are hit or miss but that's mostly because half of them are spent in the car.  Such is life for the 4th child I suppose! 

 

You are wearing size 2 diapers and we are doing cloth diapers a lot too!  I think you are my best nurser by far and I'm hoping we can continue that for awhile.   You mostly wear size 3 month clothing right now. 

You're eyes are blue just like your sissy's!  Most people think you look more like Abigail but I see a little of each sister in you.  We love you so much even when you cry and arch your back like you did at the end of our photo session:).  

Look at how you've grown in such a short time...

Phone Pics {Again}

I take so many pictures on my phone these days that really capture more of our day to day life. I REALLY need to get back to taking pictures with my good camera. The iphone is just so convenient:). So, anyway, here are a LOT of pics from my phone that capture life from the last several weeks. 

1.  Bath time is still a favorite activity for the girls....not so much mine or Jeff's.  It's just so much work!  

2.  AM screaming and my shirt covered in spit up....this was pretty much the norm up until about a month ago.  Now, she is so much better and rarely spits up or screams like that:). YAY.  

1. FLAT STANLEY/SAMUEL!  

This was a fun project for Samuel.  He sent his Stanley to Uncle Ryan who took him on a great trip to Arizona.  Samuel got to report this to his classmates on their Flat Stanley tea day.  It was super cute although I think most his classmates were way more enamored with his baby sister (who I had to bring with me).  

2. Up close of Flat Samuel.  

3.  Samuel and his amazing teacher Mrs. Walker and a classmate who jumped in the picture too:). 

1.  Abigail is learning to write her letters!   This is a big step because she has totally not been interested until now (she is definitely the 3rd child).  

2.  Hunger Games! What can I say?  I read all 3 books and really enjoyed them even though it really is a sort of morbidly weird futuristic series.  Jeff and I also somehow managed to go see the movie which was also really good!  I feel very with the times despite having a newborn and 3 other children:).

1. Oh, this happy baby is pretty adorable.  

2.  She really loves her little activity mat that we borrowed from cousin Davis.  

3.  Yogurt Mountain date with my big boy.  He really loved the extra attention from mama:).

1.  The big kids set up some beach towels and had a snack outside.  We have enjoyed the nice weather and have been outside constantly this spring!  

2.  More happy adorable baby:)  

3.  My grandmother meeting Anna Mitchell for the first time. 

1-4. Just my cute silly girls.  

Notice Ellie Kate has on her cheer uniform, with a fluffy vest, and her pearls of course:). 

A Good Old Fashioned Butt-Kickin

That's what four children, baseball season, a house on the market, homework, and who knows what else has given me.  A good old fashioned butt-kickin!  People ask all the time how it's been adjusting to four kids and it really has not been that bad so I would answer that.  However, lately I have been feeling very frazzled, very overwhelmed, and very much like a failure some days.  I think the craziness of life is finally catching up to me. 

I did not do any sort of great devotionals or easter crafts with my children last week.  I mean, we barely got the 7 eggs I had left in the fridge dyed Saturday:).  I didn't take any pictures at their Easter Egg hunt.   Don't even get me started on how the Good Friday service went for our 3 oldest who could.not.sit.still.and.be.quiet!

Most days, I feel like all I do is feed babies and children, drive them to and from school, do their laundry, and run around picking up after their endless trail of messes in order to keep the house "show" ready.  Meanwhile, I forget to respond to emails and I sure don't answer the phone when someone calls.  I checked Pinterest for the first time today in ages.  I barely read any blogs anymore and I have a hard time keeping up with my own.

I go from one minute feeling like I want to pull my hair out with my four little ones, to another minute treasuring up in my heart their preciousness.  Some moments all I really want is a MUTE button to stop the endless chatter and questions and needs.  And then the next moment, my heart feels like it will burst as I listen to sweet sisters interact or my big boy tell me with such passion about the book he is writing.  And that toothless grin from the youngest will melt away all the frustration of the fussy moments and exhaustion.

I guess this is my new normal.  Four kids is no joke folks and it really is kicking my butt.  But I love them and honestly can't believe that my reality is FOUR Children.  What a miracle! I have realized this week particularly though that one reason it's kicking my butt so bad is that I'm trying to do it on my own.  I'm not walking in the Spirit or trusting in the Lord's goodness and mercy to help me be the wife, mother, friend, and person I desire to be.  Then, when by chance, I do check a blog or look at Pinterest, I feel more pressure because there are so many fun things I want to do and used to do and now I have no energy or motivation to do any of them.  And, really that's OK.  I just am learning to be ok with it.  I am learning to be ok with not being able to do what I used to before 4 kids.  I'm also really hoping and praying that one day I will be able to do them again and not feel so frazzled. 

I'm also going to have to remember that I can't do any of this journey God has me on without Him.  It's so easy to leave Him out of the equation.  I need Jesus more than ever.  I need the truth of His word and the power of the Holy Spirit.  I also need His forgiveness for failing miserably at following Him and being a lukewarm Christian at best. 

Okay, just had to get all that off my chest.  It feels good to confess and be able to process in writing how I'm really doing these days.   I also wanted to share two blog posts I have read recently that were really encouraging to me (and maybe they will be for you too if you are getting your own butt kicked like I am)...

Your Children Want You

Not Sure What I'm Doing Here

 

Resurrection Day {Easter}

A crown of thorns to mock your name

forgiveness fell upon your face

love like this the world had never known

On the altar of your praise let there be no higher name,

 Jesus son of God

You laid down your perfect life you are the sacrifice, 

Jesus son of God

You took our sin, you bore our shame, you rose to life, you defeated the grave...

love like this the world had never known

(Chris Tomlin -  Jesus Son of God)

And the best one was from my phone of course:)...

We enjoyed a low key Easter and had some friend and family over throughout the day.  So thankful for Jesus and the work that was accomplished on the Cross and through the empty tomb.  God wrote such an amazing rescue story and I'm so grateful that he has chosen to rescue me:)!