Summer is finally here!

Well, not officially on the calendar, but it's Texas. It's been summer since April.
Our school co-op is out for the summer, so it's summer for us now. We have been letting the girls swim just about every day for the last month. It's tiring me out, so I told the girls that today is "take a break from swimming day." They barely said a word. That speaks volumes to me.

Resting in the knowledge that the pool will still be there tomorrow, my girls are quick learners.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks

May 10th was a fun day for our girls. We saw our first Rangers game. I'm short on time, but here is a picture with the smiles I love to see.

He's got the whole world in His hands...

My sweet, thought-full Hannah was saying prayers on Saturday night. She ended with "...and thank you for the whole wide world... and all the other stuff, too."

Wondering what could possibly not be included in the "whole wide world," I asked her "What else is all the other stuff that you are thankful for?"

Without missing a beat, she answered, "Well, the consonants and all that."

I don't think I have ever been thankful for consonants. I've learned so much from this sweet girl.

Happy Mother's Day 2006

For all mothers- I hope this makes you smile & enjoy the day that sometimes turns out to be more hectic than relaxing.


If You Give a Mom a Muffin........

She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
The coffee will get spilled by her three year old.
She'll wipe it up.

Wiping the floor,
she will find some dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do some laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over some snow boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan dinner for tonight.

She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She will look for her cookbook (101 Things to Make with a Pound of Hamburger).
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.

The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two year old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two year old.
While she is changing the two year old the phone will ring.
Her four year old will answer it and hang up.

She remembers that she wants to phone a friend to come for coffee on Friday.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
She will pour herself some.

And chances are......
If she has a cup of coffee......
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

**author unknown**

HappyMommyTo2: April Fools!!!

I meant to post this a month ago.

While we were sweating with record heat here in Texas, this is what was happening back home in Montana. What a big world it is that we could have both on the same day.

I just spoke to Kim again and they still are getting a few skiffs of snow in the mornings. Today in Texas, we had mid-90's.

Weeds and Water

**This was from April 24. I found it today in my draft files.**


This past Friday I spent a good amount of time weeding the back yard of our new house. It was obvious that the previous owners cared very little for the yard. Weeds of every size were taking over the yard. At first glance a few weeks ago, the yard looked impossible to clean up. There was a sticker bush that had grown about 3 feet tall, maybe taller. My mother-in-law brought over a wonderful tool that really helped speed up the process of getting rid of the weeds. So, with the help of that tool and a good rain from the night before, I set about my task of getting the weeds up so that Marty could mow over the weekend.


As I began working, I said some prayers of thankfulness for this house & for our family. I remembered a scripture that I had heard earlier that week about grass growing & its flowers withering... it started an hour-long thinking and praying process about how each of us has a yard or garden in our life. In our yard, it seemed that the weeds were neverending. How much can our own lives reflect that kind of neglect & helplessness?

Weeds steal water, light, and nutrients from the soil, nourishing themselves and leaving the grass to die. In the parable of the sower, Jesus uses some strong language to describe the power of weeds. “The thorns grew up and choked it.” (Mark 4:7, 18-19 NRSV) (talking about a seed) If weeds are given freedom to grow, they will likely destroy the good plants and spread more seed.

Even more dangerous than the weeds in the yard are the intruders which we allow, sometimes invite, into our everyday lives and into our world. How often have I felt choked by the things in my life? Have I been teaching my children how to tend a garden? Not lately. I'd better get pulling.

Some weeds are easy to pull. They pop right up when you apply just a little pressure. Some weeds have been taking root for ages & need much more force to get them out. In hard, dry soil, I found the large weeds would break off, leaving some of the root in the soil. The rain on Thursday night provided a boost to get the roots out on Friday. So, I thought about water... the Water of Life. Water carries nutrients to the plants, just as God's Word waters our spiritual garden. Plants need a constant supply and so do we. If we are in constant connection with God through His Word, we are much more likely to recognize and remove weeds when they are small.

Now these were not all new thoughts to me, but they have come together at this point in my life for a reason. I was learning for myself that I need to devote more time to watering my spiritual garden. I have some weeds that are going to need a lot of water before the roots will loosen up. I'd better get reading.


Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour out water on the thirsty land
And streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring
And My blessing on your descendants