Summer is Almost Here

This little guy finished school and the other two will follow at the end of the week! Summer is here! Is it me or did this school year fly by?

Yeah! I am looking forward to a slower pace...also looking forward to:
lemonade
lemonade stands
swimming
days and nights spent at the pool
catching fireflies
roasting marshmallows for smores
vacations
corn on the cob
my summer book list
wearing flip flops
the farmers market
the beach
iced coffee
day trips
bubbles
sprinklers
sunflowers
read alouds
going to the farm to pick our own fruit and vegetables
going to the zoo and other day trips with the kids

Here We Go...I need to mentally prepare myself as summer also brings the adjustment of having everyone home again all day, every day! Yeah and Oh My...all at the same time!

Not looking forward to the grocery store shopping with three kids in tow. AHHH
I am still working on our summer plans trying to schedule a few things and also trying to let things go loose for a few months too.

Anyone else want to share their fun ideas for summer? What are looking forward to? What is a summer must do for you or your family?

Father's Day part 2

So the sale for the Father's Day cards is until tomorrow 5/31. If you want to make a card, go to the Tiny Prints website. Make a Father's Day card. The promo code won't work on other cards. Choose the option where you ship the card to yourself first to get free shipping. You can even add your return address and the recipient's address for free. To sweeten the deal, for the cost of a stamp, Tiny Prints will even add a stamp for you. I can't speak enough about the quality of these cards. I would pay the 3.99 regular price but they are definitely worth the sale price for sure. Where it asks for the promo code, add DOD0526 and it will adjust the price to 99 cents plus tax and the cost of the stamp if you choose. Free Shipping, that's a steal! Did I mention that you can personalize with your own photos??? Go now and check out this deal before it is too late!

In Bloom

Gardening has grown to become a hobby that I really enjoy. I love to sit out on the deck at night and enjoy the view of our yard. Each year I have tried to plant a new perennial and they were all started as tiny little plants. It has taken many years but some of them are really taking off now and I am enjoying their splendor.

We did some work to our deck recently which we hope will enhance our outdoor enjoyment this summer. Ok, I'll rephrase, we added some new furniture to our deck. The work to our deck still needs to be done...hopefully that will happen soon. Splinters are no fun!

Father's Day Cards

I found a great place to make personalized Mother's Day cards this year for $1 each. I loved making them myself and using our own pictures to make them personal. There were a ton of options to choose from and the quality was really good. The website even allows you to address the envelope for free too! I loved that these cards were personalized and that they cost less than the ones at Hallmark!

I just found out that they are having the same promotion for Father's Day this year too. Run on over to Tiny prints and make yours today. Trust me you won't be disappointed!

This is only good through 11 am EST on 5/27 so act quickly.
Updated: EXTENDED TO 5/31

All Father’s Day cards that are normally $3.99 are only $1 with the code DOD0526.

Just go to Tiny Prints, select your card and use the code DOD0526 at check-out. Be sure to have it sent to you at home to get FREE shipping.

The Bbs of May

Bb is for Ballet...
Bb is also for Baseball for two of the special little guys in my life! Ballet has ended but baseball is in full swing. Swim team practice starts next week too!

These are just a few reasons that I am always on the go and worn out. It would also be a major reason why I haven't posted here for some time now!

Like a Lake...

Sara Groves wrote a song called Like a Lake.

This song is really comforting to me right now because it speaks so clearly of the pain that I carry in my heart. Saying farewell to one of my children here on earth is a pain so very deep and consuming. I carry a pain that will never go away. It may soften on some days but it can also grow in size on other days so that it is all I can see. I will never be the same. I will never return to that person that I once was. I am someone forever changed. I am still learning to get acquainted with this new me.

Yet this song also speaks of the hope that I resides within my heart as well. There was a day in June that will forever be etched into my heart. It was the first time that I had held my son in over 70 days and it was also the last day that I would ever hold him in my arms ever again on this side of heaven. It was a day that I will never forget or get over. On that day I held Jeremy until the moment when he let go of my hand and leapt into the arms of Jesus. I refused then and I still refuse now to allow this experience to make me a bitter person. So it is with great sadness in my heart and with such a deep hurt that I fight the ways of this world and rather yield and curl into the arms of my savior to seek comfort in His grace and in His presence. It isn't easy but I choose to stay wide open like a lake for Him to fill me with His presence and with His grace for the moment. I open my heart to His direction and His will for my life. For me, it is the only way to go on without Jeremy here on earth. So I go on one foot in front of the other hoping in my Lord that He will indeed restore my heart and bring glory through this tragedy.

I will not deny that this experience of letting go of a child is the most difficult thing that I have ever done in my life. Sometimes I often wonder if I have the strength to go on, yet just when I feel as though I have nothing left, the Lord meets me there. Not a moment too soon. It is there in that moment that I find the grace to go on. There is an amazement that follows each and every time when the Lord makes His presence known to me. It is that intimate time with the Lord that reassures me of His love for me, even in the midst of this pain. His presence in my life fills me with peace like nothing else on earth.

I don't need to understand. I don't need to ask why? I don't need to look any farther than to the cross and give my broken heart to Him to restore in His time and His ways. One day I will see the glory of it all.

My favorite devotional,by Kristin Armstrong, reminded me today that "if given the choice would I take the shortcut if the finest view lies just a few more miles away? When healing is at stake, it is best to take my time through it. Rushing through it will only postpone the real work that must be done. The Lord will teach me how to wait for His best with grace and with hopeful expectancy."

So here I am doing my best today to remain open.

Wait for the Lord; Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14

You can listen to Sara's song here. Don't forget to pause the music at the bottom of the blog screen first.

Like a Lake by Sara Groves

so much hurt and preservation
like a tendril round my soul
so much painful information
no clear way on how to hold it

when everything in me is tightening
curling in around this ache
I will lay my heart wide open
like the surface of a lake
wide open like a lake

standing at this waters edge
looking in at God's own heart
I've no idea where to begin
to swallow up the way things are

everything in me is drawing in
closing in around this pain
I will lay my heart wide open
like the surface of a lake
wide open like a lake

bring the wind and bring the thunder
bring the rain till I am tried
when it's over bring me stillness
let my face reflect the sky
and all the grace and all the wonder
of a peace that I can't fake
wide open like a lake

everything in me is tightening
curling in around this ache
I am fighting to stay open
I am fighting to stay open
open open oh wide open
open like a lake

Stopping to Smell the Roses

It's been another week where if I am not careful I can get very caught up into the fast forward pace of life. I don't like living like this. I feel like every minute is accounted for and there are multiple events falling on the same day causing the Mr. and I to divide and conquer and then reconvene later. Most of you know exactly what I am talking about, after all, it is the month of May. I am doing all I can to keep up and still can't get it together.

I stood still the other day and remembered that most of the stuff that was stressing me out really wasn't important anyway. The boys can wear dirty baseball pants since they are stained up anyway. No one will know that their pants have been worn for two games. It doesn't really matter whether we have a gourmet meal or a bowl of cereal for dinner. It doesn't matter if the laundry gets worn right out of the laundry basket because we haven't had time to put it away. It doesn't really matter if the kids get to bed a few minutes later than usual or if our usual dinner hour is changed on a nightly basis. None of this really matters. I could go on but you get the point.

Life can unexpectedly come to a screeching halt at any given time. When it does all of these things that we think are so very important suddenly just aren't so anymore. We have had that experience in life. When life hands you a life altering experience, you quickly learn what really matters and what is important in life. Somehow, as I remembered that experience the other day, it reminded me that I can and will do all I can to be prepared for the many demands of each day, but in the end, this stressful time will pass. I am not to get my feathers ruffled about this mundane stuff. I just need to do the best I can each day and grace will cover the rest. I was also reminded to try and not let the stress eat up and rob me of the joy to be found in all of the good stuff of each day. For example, I am not willing to give up that snuggle time with my kids. The dishes will wait in the sink. I will take time out to watch the sun set, eat a popsicle on the porch, and to give thanks for all of our blessings.

In the mean time...I am taking a minute out from our crazy schedule to STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES...

I have much to be grateful for in life. Those are the things that matter.

Mother's Day 2011

"Few of us will reach our potential without the nurturing of both the mother who bore us and the mothers who bear with us."

Sheri L. Dew

222

I sit here at the computer still in awe tonight. My heart is filled with such gratitude for all of you and what has been accomplished. Amazing things have happened these last few weeks leading up to today and even more amazing things will happen this weekend.

222 Mother's Day bags were filled this year!

There are 182 pediatric beds in the Children's Center.

199 bags made their way to the hospital this year.

There are enough bags so that every mom in the Children's Center will get a bag this year. There are a few extra for the staff to dispense at their discretion. Maybe the ER will have a few moms that could use some sunshine. Maybe a mom will be discharged but could use a little love...I am trusting they will get where they need to go.

There are 15 rooms in the respite facility where we stayed a few years ago. These moms will be receiving bags as well. One extra bag was given here for same reasons.

There are 7 apartments housing families here for long term treatment.
These moms will be receiving their bags this weekend as well.

222!

Many prayed.
Many donated time, talents, and treasures for these bags.
Many hands stuffed these bags.
Many hands transported them in various ways to get them into the hands of these Moms.
Many hearts have been profoundly touched already, including mine.
Many hearts have loved these moms who are facing tough times.
Many hearts will hopefully be cheered by the kindness and love of strangers.

Can you just close your eyes and imagine every single mom in the Children's Center holding one of these bags in their hands on Mother's Day? What a beautiful image.
It's an image that causes tears of joy to stream to flow down my cheeks. This image will soften the pain in my heart as I face Mother's Day without one of my precious children here on earth. I pray this image also softens the pain in the hearts of my dear friends and grieving mama's who have walked this journey with me. I pray for others who are also hurting and gave from their hearts to bless others. May God fill those places of hurt and of sadness with His peace.

There have been very touching stories shared and entrusted to me along the way and they have all deeply touched my heart.

Thank you for treasuring the gifts in front of you in your lives. May those be the gifts that fill your hearts with the true spirit of joy and happiness this weekend and always.

Many thanks from my most grateful heart to each and every one of yours that made this experience possible this year.

We love because He first loved us.

1 John 4:19

Dreams

Going to bed.
It's 12:30 a.m.

I will rest well.
Thought you might like to know that together we stuffed 222 bags this year!

...And she slept while dreams of Mother's Day Bags danced in her head.
Visions of each and every mother who will spend Mother's Day at this one hospital with her child receiving a bag is quite a thought. I am filled with such immense gratitude.

You did this. You made this possible. Thanks be to God. Thank you all.

I'll be back tomorrow with pictures.

Mother's Day Bags Update

I went to bed speechless and in awe. A few girlfriends surprised me and came over last night to help me stuff the bags, another friend helped me the night before, and there are a few more helpers scheduled to shop or come over to help stuff today.

To date, 188 bags have been stuffed and there is still more to do. It is looking very likely that we will reach a number of over 200 bags this year. This is amazing! Reaching this goal means that it is very likely that almost every mother of a child in the Children's center will get a Mother's Day bag on Sunday. I have all of you to thank. Thank you for sharing in this project with me, thank you for sharing it with your friends and family, thank you for each and every way that your hands and hearts have helped.

See, now you are speechless too.

Thank you. I am most grateful. As the tears flow, I will close and get on to getting my little ones out the door for school today, all the while giving thanks for their health. I'll be back with more updates soon.

Big Appetites

Ran into our local Walmart after school yesterday. I only needed a few things but as usual, I left with way more than was on my list. The kids were with me and asking every 30 secs. if we could buy this or that. I can't put all the blame on them though since I am notorious for not sticking to the list, and the budget. Ahem.

Budget?

I am having a hard time with this one lately. I think everyone in our house is in the midst of a growth spurt or something. All I know is this box of cereal entered our home around 5 p.m. yesterday.

We did not eat cereal for dinner last night. When cereal was on the menu for breakfast this morning, I placed this same box on the kitchen table. Imagine my surprise when I lifted out the bag to find this...



Some of you may be reading this and laughing because you have been here and done that, some of you are walking that same walk with me now, and others of you just plain and simple are not envying my grocery bill right now, a better her than me kind of laugh.

I think I may need to up my grocery shopping to 2x per week.

Anyone out there in blog land have any advice for me? Any cereal coupons?
All joking aside, I really wish I had the skills of those super coupon shopping moms without the 30-40 hours a week that they claim it takes to be successful at couponing. It isn't just cereal, it is food in general. I know, everyone tells me that it only gets worse as they get older. I guess I better get back to Walmart...