Multitude Monday #1547 - #1575...

"It is good to praise the LORD
and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night..."
Psalm 92:1-2

my endless list of thanks continues...
1547...rest
1548...an afternoon walk with a friend
1549...Eli giving me "princess kisses" before bed
1550...watching him build and build and build with Legos
1551...warm tea
1552...driving through a canopy of yellow trees
1553...the beautiful solitary red maple standing out at the pond
1554...an answered prayer
1555...the way he runs to me when I pick him up from preschool
1556...a reminder to go to Him
1557...sweet playtime at the library with Will
1558...the first CD of James ...He is sovereign, oh so sovereign.
1559...sunshine shining bright
1560...watching him learn to use a fork
1561...waking to breakfast, balloons and cake to begin my birthday celebration
1562...this message from them
1563...prayer covering
1564...lunch with my sweet husband...that took the day off and planned special things along the way
1565...a new camera and his encouraging words that wrap it
1566...Excedrin for a migraine
1567...a night out with Wes



1568...a wonderful surprise dinner with my husband and some very special friends
1569...words that speak life
1570...for my mom and Erin that took care of our boys for a night so we could enjoy a night out...Thank You!
1571...soccer

1572...a crazy opportunity
1573...a hike and dinner with close friends



1574...pyramids





1575...boys falling into bed exhausted after a long, fun-filled day

Happy Birthday Mommy!

This is Wes. I'm hijacking Jenna's blog today for a special birthday post. When someone in our family has a birthday we typically tell them why we love them, and today is no exception. So without further ado, here are the reasons we love Mommy (in no particular order)!

Eli: She says I'm the best helper and the sweetest boy.

Micaiah: She takes us to school and fixes our food.

Will: She still lets me have a bottle.

Joshua: She's cute and she's cuddly.

Wes: We were absolutely made for each other. The longer that we are married, the more I respect you, admire you and desire to be by your side. Although we live in a beautiful whirlwind 364 1/2 days out of the year, I can't imagine it any other way. Happy birthday today. I hope you enjoy your "day off".

6people12times...October...

My brother in law took this photo after our annual Halloween Parade...the bulge in my left cheek is Snickers with almonds (mmm...so, so good).

If you would like to see pictures from the previous months...please visit the following link...6people12times

Multitude Monday #1515 - #1546 ...

Giving Thanks for His everyday gifts...

1515...time to clean
1516...laughing with friends about things from long ago
1517...that the Lord protected Wes from the nasty water meter hole
1518...belly laughing with the boys as Wes sings his newly written hit song "I Need You Housechurch" (all about falling in the water meter hole)
1519...a run with both boys...wow, a workout!
1520...the smell of a clean room
1521...time to sit and journal
1522...a day without an outburst from him
1523...his attitude with tutoring and therapy
1524..an enjoyable dinner out together as a family
1525...everyone ready for school before 8:15
1526...a rainy day that slows
1527...encouragement from moms who have been here
1528...the gift of "time"
1529...a leaf walk with Will
1530...pressing into the Lord after loosing my temper...He forgives and reminds me there is a better way
1531...going through Josh's baby book with him during a rough afternoon
1532...The David Crowder Band live
1533...snuggling with Micaiah as we listen
1534...hearing them sing "No One Like You"...seeing his eyes light up and remembering this video
1535...hearing Micaiah sing "Oh Praise Him" with everyone at 11:30 at night and praying that this moment stays ingrained in his heart for years to come
1536...waking up to large snowflakes falling from the sky
1537...the need for nebulizers slowly decreasing
1538...an afternoon movie with the cousins
1539...photo strips of piles of kids
1540...laughing so hard I was crying with my cousin, husband, and brother and sister in law over old letters from my Dad
1541...listening to her voice during worship
1542...friends gathering
1543...watching cousins walk hand in hand
1544...cousins gathering for our neighborhood Halloween Parade









1545...kids all around the table (13 in fact)
1546...my loving husband...beautiful inside and out

Today...

"Uh Oh!"

Another thing of note today...

These days Eli naps about 2-3 times per week. He still has a rest time in his room for at least an hour and a half...where he can play quietly or look at books.
This afternoon, I was called upstairs to the bathroom by Eli and happened upon the following scenario...
Eli standing at the potty waiting to be wiped (or so I thought). I wiped his bottom and told him to get dressed, wash his hands and go back to his room for rest and he stood there stone cold and pointed down to his pants with his little finger.
"Eli, pull up your pants and go back for rest."
He just points to his pants again...
"Eli are your pants wet?"
Again he just points...
At this point, I bend down to try and help him and realize that he has a swim diaper around his ankles and it is filled with pee.
"Eli, where did you get a swim diaper?"
"From the closet."
"And you wanted to see what it was like to pee in a diaper?"
"uh, huh."
"Well, what did you think?"
No answer...
"I think we need to clarify the rules for rest time."

Multitude Monday #1493 - #1514...

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed...
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
2 Corinthians 4: 7-10, 16-18

Recording the things that cause me to press into Him in my list of thanks this week ...because we really do have a choice as to how we view these "light and momentary troubles"...All for His Glory...

...close friends announcing they are moving...
...angry outbursts that are so difficult to understand...
...nebulizers every 4 hours...
...laundry that is piled high...
...dishes left in the sink over night...
...closets bursting with clutter...
...fights over homework...
...brothers fighting...
...him calling out long after bed time because he's having difficulty falling asleep...
...cancelled plans...
...smoke coming from the dishwasher...
...hearing that he still has room to improve...
...therapy and tutoring appointments...
...temper tantrums...
...difficult conversations...
...hearing him process aloud how all of the different people in our family are related...
...hectic schedules...
...attitudes...
...goalie gloves left at home...
...to do lists left undone...
...dust monsters...
...steps piled with stuff...

Weekend Fun...

Eli and his buddy Ian...

Will sporting his beautiful smile (and crusty nose)

Columbus Day Nature Hike...

Here are some pictures from our hike...

Music in Nature...

Multitude Monday #1491 - #1492...

My list of thanks is really quite simple this week...

1491...I finished the half marathon
1492...I remember crossing the finish line

Multitude Monday #1458 - #1490...

It has been one of those loooong weeks for a multitude of reasons...as I sat snuggled with a sick one on the couch watching Charlotte's Web, I was struck by the words to this song (embedded below) and the way God continues to use a multitude of ways to speak to me about His everyday gifts...

Counting His "ordinary miracles"...

1458...hearing his classmates yell his name and cheer when he comes into school late after a doctors appointment
1459...seeing him work with his Daddy





1460...a butterfly landing on my sleeve
1461...Eli's appreciation for it's beauty
1462...a dry, cool day to play outside
1463...basement ready and waiting for carpet (ok, well maybe we need to find a spot for all of the stuff on the floor, but the floor is ready) almost exactly 2 months from this


1464...a nebulizer mask (no more plugging up the tube!)
1465...nebs that help wheezing
1466...prayer with him
1467...how Eli greets me in the morning with his bible in his hand and says "start at the beginning" as he hand me the book
1468...a midday walk
1469...watching Eli play hide and seek with his friend Ian
1470...help from a neighbor
1471...beautiful fall weather
1472...fresh air blowing through the window screens
1473...basement carpet
1474...watching the spider spin circles of his web as we stand on the porch late at night to allow the cold air to relieve his croup
1475...outdoor worship
1476...glow sticks flying through the air
1477...a few minutes to catch up with a mentor
1478...a set of stairs to keep him busy
1479...Topps Attax games between brothers

1480...dinner with friends
1481...watching my husband receive words of praise from multiple people during the evening
1482...how she giggled when I said "He's always that good!" and then her encouraging words that followed
1483...time with my husband after a long week
1484...geese in flight
1485...church bells chiming as I run past (a reminder to me that He is ever present and hears our prayers)
1486...Joshua's small group leader asking where he was today...and then his encouraging words that were timed so perfectly..."He is such a light...he is just so sweet."
1487...pizza at the playground
1488...my husband's diligent work to keep up the house


1489...these feet


1490...a basement that is usable again!

6people12 times...September...

I know, I know it's October...hey, better late than never!
This is another self timer shot that captures every bit of the chaos and varying personalities of our family of 6.

if you would like to see pictures from previous months please visit the following link....6people12times

Multitude Monday #1416 - #1457 ...

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever."
1 Chronicles 16:34

My list of His gifts this week...

1416...mud tracked all through the house from an afternoon hike
1417...hosting house church here
1418...hearing him say "I like Jesus, He's my best helper."
1419...his diligence in finishing 38 pages of the "Hidden Pictures" book
1420...cheeks and curls bouncing as he runs

1421...his excitement over the candle flickering
1422...a friends genuine concern
1423...spiderwebs covered with dew
1424...worship on the backroads
1425...vivid green (a blessing in the midst of days and days and days of rain)
1426...looking for them playing as we drive by the school
1427...hearing him singing "I am with you always. Matthew 28:20"
1428...Will screaming "Daddy, daddy" when he walks in the door
1429...listening to the monitor and hearing how much fun he had when Daddy put him to bed
1430...his determination
1431...making up silly songs to help him with his spelling test
1432...coloring contests that motivate busy kids
1433...trains running back and forth across the table
1434...a unique opportunity to care for my husband by putting his socks and shoes on before he left for work (his work in the basement finally got to his low back)
1435...afternoon play dates
1436...laundry baskets overflowing
1437...4 baskets of clean laundry waiting to find their home
1438...catching a glimpse of a baby hand print on the mirror
1439...watching the O's win against the Red Sox in the bottom of the 9th inning and all of us cheering like we were there!
1440...a mid-day run with a friend pushing the boys in the jogging stroller
1441...conversation that digs deep
1442...how he calls it his "lookin book"
1443...the sliver of the moon in the sky at sunset
1444...a cool evening chasing the baby at the soccer field
1445...joining him on his class field trip


1446...their forgiveness when I loose my temper again
1447...an insurance check that covers our expenses and more
1448...watching my husband lead our congregation in worship...
1449...how God continues to use his giftings in such rich and meaningful ways
1450...a long run completed before the sun rose
1451...listening to him tell the doctor about backyard kickball with "Popster Lollipop"
1452...dishes piled high in the sink
1453...watching him have fun on the soccer field

1454...an uninterrupted night of sleep
1455...God's reminder that prayer really does matter (Amos 7:1-9)..."Although God is sovereign and can act independently, He is in relationship with His creation and will respond to prayers of petition and/or repentance." (Genesis 18:20-32, Numbers 14:1-25, Jonah 3:10)
1456...his proud smile after his soccer goal


1457...the Saucony shoe gang

Determination...

I am praying that God continues to ignite the fire of learning in your heart despite how difficult it is sometimes...

Buddy...I know He has big plans for you...you just wait and see!

This is a promise from His word to you...

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
James 1:2-4

Breakfast anyone....

the boys decided to take breakfast into their own hands this morning...

Mulittude Monday #1398 - #1415

"You can’t get to joy by making everything perfect. You can only get there by seeing in every imperfection all that’s joy...
Ann Voskamp

When I read the blog post linked above I couldn't help but think about the years I've spent trying to make things perfect...and how through trials that tested my faith and my inability to "fix" them...God confirmed in my heart what I deep down knew to be true...I CAN'T. He also confirmed another thing...He is Good...and worthy of my trust...even when things don't make sense.

This exercise in seeing God in and giving him thanks for the everyday things has definitely helped in my quest for joy in the midst of chaos/imperfection... so, I continue my endless list of thanks and pray for continued strength to trust Him.


1398...watching him look in the Bible for answers to his homework
1399...dinner and conversation with small group girls
1400...community around God's word
1401...seeing his brother care for him
1402...beautiful sunset
1403...his honesty at the doctor's office
1404...fall colors beginning to appear
1405...good news from the insurance adjustor
1406...his excitement in finding this



1407...wheezing that cleared up within a couple of days
1408...a beautiful rainbow at sunset
1409...opportunities to talk about how God never breaks a promise
1410...boys in puddles
1411...squirt guns shooting dirty, muddy water
1412...baths that cleanse
1413...the crunch of leaves underfoot
1414...an opportunity to discuss the importance of being honest
1415...boys playing 2 x 2

Let's Go O's...

Eli's favorite part of last weeks O's game...