I Am Still Here

Geez, this has probably been one of my longer blogging breaks and it was not intentional.  Life has just gotten in the way I guess.  I love this blog.  I usually love posting pics and writing and keeping a diary of our life in this space.  However, it has just not been in the top priority lately.

I have said it before, but life with ministry and life with our 4 children is very full and very busy.  If you want more of a day to day snapshot of what goes on, follow me on instagram! Here are a few bullet points of what's been going on...

• The kids have been sick a lot the past few weeks...fevers and bad colds.  It seems like one of them has been sick every week for the past month to so.  Nothing terrible, but enough to wear us down. 
• Did I ever mention that Annie stopped sleeping through the night before Christmas? Nice.  Basically she had a little stomach bug a few weeks before the holidays and it totally messed with her sleep.  FINALLY, in the last week she has started sleeping through the night again.  Thank you Lord! 
• One reason I haven't blogged is I've been doing lots of painting.  Jeff's grandparents generously gave me a bedroom suite from their house.  Well, I guess they were going to give it to Jeff's mom who then decided we could have it.  So she was generous too:).  It was actually the set she and her sister shared growing up so it has twin beds, a long dresser, a tall chest of drawers, and a nightstand.  I have been busy making them a little makeover...thing is it takes forever when you can only do painting like once a week on the weekends or at night.  I am so close to being done and I will post pics of their room once I'm all finished. 
• I've also gotten into chalk boards and chalk art and have had fun doing some of that. 
• Ellie Kate is doing fabulous in gymnastics and can now do a back walkover all by herself!  She is a very determined little thing and is excited about her birthday coming up in a few short weeks. Abigail also just started gymnastics and is already improving. 
• Samuel is doing great in school and getting awesome grades which we are SO PROUD of.  His behavior and ADHD issues continue to be a struggle and many days we are left feeling hopeless and helpless as to how to help him.  I just bought 3 books at Barnes and Noble on this very issue, so hopefully I can read them all...but that will probably mean not a lot of blogging! Ha! 
• I'm helping plan our church's women's conference in March with one of my best friends.  Another reason for the lack of blogging.  It has been fun, but it will be a slight miracle if it gets pulled off with the two of us running the show (there are 7 children between us who none of them can seem to stay well which means the mama's are a little ragged).  
• I've also started exercising (doing some intense workout videos) and taking on this pregnancy weight once and for all (since I am DONE birthing my babies).  I have already lost several pounds but more importantly several inches.  I am finally back into my pre pregnancy clothes but want to get more toned and back in shape.  I am proud of the progress I've made, but trying to find 45-50 minutes to work out 5 days a week has been a challenge.  Most days, I'm doing it around 9:30pm after the kids are in bed.  I guess this is reason 5,432 that I have neglected this blog:). 
• Through it all, I am learning that most important is that I connect with the Lord.  It's sad really that my time in prayer and time in the word is usually last on the list...when I need it most!  I desperately need God's wisdom and strength to make it through each day as a wife and mom.  I fail so often in parenting these four children I've been entrusted with.  There are days I want to walk out the door...I'm not kidding y'all.  But there are also days (thankfully) that my heart is so full of joy and emotion that it could burst.  The physical, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion has set in with me for sure.  I am slowly learning that I really can't do it all...which is not easy for me.  
• I will be back soon (I hope) with more exciting things than bullet points to post!