House Cleaning

So, for the first time EVER I actually gave up the control that I have over my house and thought I'd start the process of teaching my children how to do some chores. I actually heard the words that came out of my mouth and wondered if the first time my Mom said it to me if she felt what I felt. I said: "A job worth doing is a job worth doing well." You know, as an 8 year old learning the chore, I hated hearing that. And it just came out to my 5 1/2 year old trying to work a vacuum cleaner. I felt shock and the desire to laugh the moment I spoke the familiar quote.

I wanted them so badly to just "get it" the first time so that I could have three built-in maids. But then, I realized that I am instilling in them the ability to take care of home. So, a half hour chunk of one weekend, I realize they are not going to have it all down. I need patience in the process. A process that I am glad that I have finally begun.

Life here has been strange. We head off to a pool first thing each day and come in right around dinner time just tired and physically spent! I say strange because I'm still just filling our days with stuff to minimize the sibling rivalry that is going on within the walls of this house. Of course, leaving means that it really just happens in the car. :(
I still have the BIG anticipation of Young Life Camp Assignment hanging around with everything I do. My life as I know it is about to DRASTICALLY change. I mean, Nick will not be around like he is in the mornings and the evenings. These kiddos will be stuck with ME for 30 days straight. So, we leave on July 10th. A little over a week left of what we're doing then... it's off to camp we go to venture into something totally new to us as Young Lifer's! I'll do my best to keep ya posted on that adventure. For now, we'll be at the pool, cramming in delayed efforts for dinner and attempting to tackle the hard to reach dust bunnies on the shelves!

Sun Kissed

I simply love that my children's faces look so alive when they have spent a day at the pool. Or, in our case every day at a pool for the past week or so. Their little bodies and cheeks are darkening up and when they get out of the bath or shower I just can't help but fall in love with them all over again!

It is with much excitement that I write that FINALLY, just today I now have THREE swimmers. I did the whole swim lessons thing and the many different approaches to help one of mine along with her fear of going under water. Nothing was working and I resolved to let it go. And then it just happened. She sat watching EVERYBODY else do it. Then, a 9 year old patiently worked with her until she got it. I will post a picture later with all three girls with their goggles on under the water playing with each other. It brought me such joy to watch.


This picture is just a teeny tiny glimpse into what it is like when I get together with my siblings. Here are my three girls with Nick and a handful of the cousins! We are out every day enjoying the summer because of the pool!!!!

Ramblings

...I'm just having a hard time feeling like I have anything post-worthy to write about. I mean, I've been bouncing around in my head about how big of a wimp I am because I said all these great things about the stage of life I'm in and then the tantrums hit and my coping skills flee. I immediately go to that place in my head that says, "Survive this." Because I lived in a state of survival for so long, I leap back there when the going gets tough. And the tough is going. With a certain daughter just being plain, flat-out MEAN, I find myself getting MEAN. Here I am trying to teach her not to do the very thing I'm doing.

These summer days are sure different. It's like I need a "thing" to do each day just to keep us sane. I often wonder if we lived in Africa would we feel this same daily need of something? I see how one of my daughters is beginning to notice "America's" beauty and it makes me want to fly to a third world country today.

For now~ we'll keep playing Trouble and Go Taco (a version of Go fish from Taco Cabana!) And hit the pool when I feel up to it!

Being gone for 13 days

Much to post about....
First, I didn't take my camera, but I do have a few photos that I did get from cell phones and web sites of what we did for the remainder of the time at Frontier Ranch (YL camp.)


Here's Dad after rappelling!!!! That's right, my Dad, the one who just had the massive heart attacks! He hiked up and rappelled down and gained some serious confidence in the condition of his heart!















This is what I rappelled down right between both my Mom and Dad! (125 ft) *BIG GRIN*





This post is already long enough with the pictures. I usually try to keep mine short. But, now I've returned home and the piles of life are being tackled. I am evaluating what life will be like this summer. You see, this week-long camp experience was just a sample of what we'll be doing as a family for one whole month. Nick and I got to go without our children to learn about YL camp. Well, being spoiled up there now we know what it will look like. I'm both excited and nervous to do life at camp with the girls. I'm ready for them to be around the ministry of Young Life! We leave in less than a month.
I'm also contemplating changing the "about me" section of my blog to "a mom" instead of "a struggling mom" because I'm so enjoying the stage my children are in. As I sit between the laundry, cleaning, bills and to do's I have content children that are making fun, summer memories. My soul is delighting in this stage today!

Father, I am so grateful for the place in life that you have me. Thank you for allowing my soul to be in such delight today! <><

Frontier Ranch

So, in order for Nick to move on in some of his responsibilities with Young Life, we HAD to come up to a Young Life camp and be what they call, "adult guests." This is simply where we get to stay in some amazing accommodations and watch the behind the scene part of how they put camp on. Not only that, but also watch 400 High School students have the time of their life!

We are on Day 3 of 7 up here and it is an amazing experience. Just last night I ate a HUGE piece of HUMBLE PIE! Here I was, getting all puffed up that I had been up here before and knew X amount of the information being shared and blah, blah blah....I'm sure you can hear how horrible my heart was. The problem was that I didn't know I was in an arrogant place within. God ever so gently showed me and exposed me to myself. He gently leads you out of such a filthy place if you are willing. And, willing, I was. I am nothing and am worth nothing apart from Christ. He alone is good.

We got to go on a wrangler breakfast this morning. We woke up and headed to the stables where our horses awaited us. Riding them down to a fire pit where we ate and heard an interns' testimony. Then headed back up a trail. The weather was perfect! Nick and I brought our mountain bikes up here and plan to hit the Colorado Trail at some point this week!
But, more than all of these events I am seeing the work of Jesus through these Young Life staffers and leaders. It's truly amazing to watch His work fleshed out among His people!

Father, keep my eyes on You and my spirit ever so mindful of the students that are here this week. Many of them are getting glimpses of You for the FIRST time ever. May the seeds that are planted here at this time grow into a saving RELATIONSHIP with You. Thank you for being a God who PURSUES us. Pursue these kids this week and the weeks of summer camp to come! I love you and am so thankful for the blessing of this life experience! Amen <><

Back in Colorado

Well, I'm in Colorado once again! I love it. I miss it. I am thankful for trips like this where I'm able to spend an afternoon mountain biking with my husband!
We had so much fun together yesterday! It's great that when we fell in love, it was while hiking and snowboarding in the mountains and here we are 10 years later biking in the mountains and loving each other even more. I'm usually not all sappy on here. But, today, I have realized I have this amazing gift of a relationship with my best friend to be thankful for! More to come on our trip to Colorado!!!!