Doing the Next Thing

I don't really love myself in this photo - that shirt is so much cuter in person, and I have strange unflattering shadows across my face. But there are so few pics of all seven of us ... and we worked so hard to get this family shot of our spring break getaway. (You should have seen the camera -- self-timer all set -- propped on a book-on top of a pillow-on top of a barstool. That's a fast 10 seconds, let me tell ya!)

In a little over a month, she'll be a teenager. Every now and then I get a glimpse of that. It happened in a blink!

Celebrated two birthdays this week: C (left) turned 15 and got his learner's permit; and my firstborn, S, (right) turned 17. Hard to believe he'll be voting in the next presidential election!

We traveled up to see my family for the holiday weekend. Though I've made a couple of trips up there with the kids, this was the first time in at least 18 months that all seven of us went as a family. We had a glorious time! When it's just me and a couple kids, and my husband stays here at home, I get homesick for my Georgia nest and love to flutter back to it. This time was different. Maybe because my husband was with me and I wasn't missing him. Maybe because we had the chance to do some classic Franklin/Nashville things. Maybe it was the precious time with family. Maybe it was the unforgettable experience of seeing U2 together. Maybe it was the gorgeous weather, highlighting the beauty of the land around the West Harpeth River. Whatever the cause, we suddenly became a little homesick for Tennessee. As Psalm 16 (my favorite Psalm) says, the lines have fallen in pleasant places for us here in Georgia. We are very attached to the covenant community we've fou...

We had to say good-bye to a friend this week. We adopted Odysseus 3 1/2 years ago and he's been a good kitty. We all miss him very much.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat. We find those instructions on nearly every bottle of shampoo. I don’t know about you, but I rarely follow those instructions. It occurred to me recently, however, that it is a good description of motherhood. No matter how many times a day you nurse the baby, he will still need to be fed tomorrow. There is no such thing as a ‘once for all’ diaper change in which you wipe the bottom, clean up the mess, and poof! You’re done with that one. Check it off the list! As children grow up, it’s more of the same – disciplining for the same offense over and over, washing the same clothes, sweeping the same kitchen floor, teaching the same lessons to child number 4 that you’ve alre ady been through at least three times. And as the number of children increases, the tasks and challenges seem to increase exponentially along with them. Rachel Jankovic, in Loving the Little Years , calls this “Motherhood in the Trenches.” But while we’re in the trenches, let’s b...

Little Miss K just turned 4. Here's a collection of her funny chatter: "Be kind, one and another, peacemakers, and your parents." her answer when I asked her "what does the Bible say about how you should treat your brother?" "When I cry, Jesus cries. And when i don't cry, he doesn't cry, too." "Mommy, if you put my jammies in the washing macleaner, the will get aaaaall clean!" "Mommy! Mommy! My balloon -- it went all the way up to the... sk... sk... sss... the roof!" trying so hard to remember the word "ceiling" in her excitement. Now go visit Not Before 7 for more Tiny Talk Tuesday!

Nothing exciting to blog about today. Hit library storytime and then spent the day running errands with the redheads while the big boys did school work at the office with dad. One of these days I'll write a post about our experience being in Nashville during the historic flooding. But for now, here are some photos that I've taken recently, just playing around and trying to improve my mad photography skillz. ;)

C (13) reading a story to a little cousin

cousins, glowsticks, and a closet *click here to see the culprits

cousins warming up after playing in the snow

adorable grey felt flats my dh got me for Christmas

brothers

I have so much to say. A dozen blog posts roll around in my head: the joy (and difficulty) of my first half marathon; what I learned last year; what I hope to do better this year. Cute things the kids say and I forget before I can type them out. But I'm finding it hard to find time to sit at the computer long enough to get the thoughts out of my head and onto the blog. So I'm borrowing an idea from a blogging friend and posting a picture a day for 30 days that sums up life around here. Enjoy #1 - K (3) rocking out her broom guitar! Happy New Year!

a nd Happy New Year, from our family to yours! S (15), C (13), M (10), A (5), & K (3) Glory to God in the highest!