Oh, how the years go by...

Twelve years ago today, I said "I do" to my very best friend.  It has been an amazing twelve years in which I have never questioned our life together.  Like any roller coaster, there have been ups and downs, but we've ridden it together and that's what matters.  No gifts or big trips this year, but honestly, the best gift my husband could give me, he already has.  He's still here.  He's still right beside me, faithful and true, and that is all I need for a gift.  

A few years ago, I made a list of all of the positive traits that I could think of that described the man I married.  (At the time, I was mad at him for something, so I needed to get over it and tried a little reverse psychology on myself.)  Here was (and still is) my list...

- wonderful husband

- loving father

- faithful

- thoughtful

- giving

- forgiving

- humorous (always makes me laugh)

- romantic

- considerate of others

- beautiful voice

- great legs

- consistent provider

- understanding

- patient

- fun to be with

- humble

- keeps no records of wrongs

The list could go on . . .

The past twelve years have encompassed two trips to Japan, missions trips to St. Lucia & Canada (as well as many others for Marty), renting our first apartment for $210 a month including utilities, teaching positions in two different counties, ministering in three youth groups, moving six times, welcoming three precious girls into our family, and our adventures continue.  But once again, I will emphasize that there is no one in this world that I would rather travel this amazing journey of marriage with than you, Marty Middleton.  I cannot wait to see what the next twelve years hold for us!  Happy Anniversary!

My precious young lady

It's still hard to believe that it's been eight years since I was so pleasantly surprised to find out (after almost 24 hours of labor) that we had a girl!!  We had decided to wait to find out, but everyone (with the exception of my dad) said that we were most definitely having a boy.  But I wouldn't trade this sweet girl for a boy any day.  She has been all smiles since infancy and truly a joy to be around!  

We tried something different for her birthday party this year and tackled our first sleepover!  Three of her friends came over for pool time, pizza, s'mores, a movie, and a little sleep, of course.  Their favorite part of the sleepover was playing in the mud in our backyard though.  Too funny!

Overall, I think Chloe's eighth birthday was a success.  I am still so amazed that God has blessed me with such a sweet and caring daughter, who is helping me teach her younger sisters to do the same.  Her love of books, history, and animals keeps me busy, but I wouldn't want it any other way.  I know that the next few years are vital in her walk with the Lord, but I pray daily that He will lead us to show her by example and through His Word, that living for Him is the only thing worth living for.

Summer Plans...

With two weeks left of school, ten days to be exact... we are really getting in the summer mood.  It's been a good school year, tough at times, but overall, the girls are educationally where I had hoped they would be and already excited about their new school books for next year.  

For the past two years, we have made a summer list of sorts to help curb off the boredom and make our summers more memorable.  Some blogs call them living intentionally, while others simply check off summer bucket lists.  I love all the ideas out there, but I've been working on this list (for longer than I thought it would take me!), gleaning from other brilliant moms and desiring to make this summer one that they'll always remember.  If we don't get them all done, that's ok.  I want to be home a lot, which is why several of these ideas revolve around the kitchen table and backyard.  

Summer Fun…

     1.  Summer reading program @ library (  )

2. Camping in the back yard (  )

3.  Outdoor movie night (  )

4.  Blueberry picking (  )

5.  $1 movies (  )

6.  Breakfast picnic @ the park (  )

7.  Potty training week for Sophie (  )

8.  Swim lessons (  )

9.  Pool time.. weekly (  )

10.  Farmers Market (  )

11.  Puddle jumping & walks in the rain (  )

12.  Car washing (  )

13.  Visit new parks (  )

14.  Ice cream @ Sunni Skies (  )

15.  Visit Grandparents (  )

16.  Melting crayons craft (  )

17.  Hair cuts for my girls (  )

18.  Make peanut butter bird feeders (  )

19.  Grocery Store scavenger hunt (  )

20.  Tea Party on the back deck or backyard (  )

21.  Family Water Fun Day (  )

22.  Visit museums in Raleigh (  )

23.  Write ABC’s with licorice strings (  )

24.  Go Cloud watching (review names of clouds) (  )

Cloud watching idea

25.  Teach moon-phases with Oreo’s (or Joe Joe’s) (  )

Oreo Cookie Phases of the Moon

26.  Fly Kites (  )

27.  Shoot off rockets with Daddy (  )

28.  Afternoon tea parties (  )

29.  Try geocaching as a family (  )

30.  Mini marshmallow construction (  )

31.  Go Dollar Tree shopping for a friend in need (  )

32.  Go bowling with friends (  )

33.  Day trip to the beach (  )

34.  Pick favorite baked good at Stick Boy (  )

Recap of April & my little Queen of Sheba

April was once again another busy month for our little family.  We experienced the extremes of temperatures  dipping to freezing and then almost to the 90's.  The girls and I drove back to our old stomping grounds to pick strawberries on two different occasions.  We enjoyed strawberry smoothies, strawberry scones, frozen strawberries (for later), and strawberry jam (hopefully tomorrow), not to mention, just plain eating them for their pure deliciousness.

This was also the month that we welcomed home my parents from Okinawa.  We enjoyed their first few days in our home, just playing and catching up on the past nine months.  They arrived just in time for Chloe & Naomi's ballet recital in which both girls did so well without a single sign of nervousness.  We are very blessed to be a part of a wonderful ballet program that keeps God in the center of it.  My sweet niece, Ava, turned two this month and we were so glad to be able to attend her party, jumpy house and all!

Throughout last month, God continued to teach us more and more about Him, especially through our girls.  We are praying especially for our sweet Naomi as she asks more and more questions about Jesus.  May His timing be perfect and let it be sincere.

Strawberry picking in the cold

Sophie making sure they're edible

"I hold it!"

Nana & Papa home, just playing...

Looking for bunnies with Papa

Sophie & Nana at the ballet recital

Chloe, my serious ballerina

Naomi just having fun!

Sophie supporting her sisters

Papa & Nana at the park

Sophie really wanting to touch that caterpillar

Daddy & Sophie swinging

Ava's second birthday!

My cuties in the tub

Sophie tucked in between animals & babies galore

Strawberry picking - round two

My southern belle

Our little garden... we'll see...

Chloe making a paper mache bowl

Here is my little queen of Sheba, or fashion diva, not sure which one to call her.  She is most definitely my busy girl.  This is her attempt to put on mommy's mascara.  This happened in only a few minutes while I dashed to the bathroom and her sisters were supposedly "watching" her.  She cried more over the vaseline I used to wipe it all off.  I thought this would be her only escapade of the day, but no....  Withing minutes of Marty coming home and me telling him of her adventures, I find her in her room (with a sister) looking like Frosty the Snowman.  She loves chapstick, but I really wish she would stop getting it confused with her Desitin cream.  Honestly, darlin'!

Remembering a prayer...

 

Since my little sweet cheeks turned two, we have most definitely entered the phase of the "terrib..", I mean, "terrific" twos.  Her vocabulary is growing at a rapid pace, yet we are not quite grasping the translation of all of these words.  She wants to climb stairs, buckle, sit in a real seat... all by herself.  Needless to say, when mommy doesn't quite understand or feels the need to assist at times, our little sweet cheeks here is not a happy camper!  I have often said in conversations that she has been our most challenging child yet.  

But the other night as I was putting her to bed and singing to her a song that reflects the blessing that she is to us, it helped me remember how much I had longed for this little girl.  The song speaks of Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel and how she longed for a child.  This was my prayer for Sophie.  We waited for over a year, wondering if we would have another child, already so blessed with our first two sweet girls.  God's timing is perfect though as I cannot imagine trying to start homeschooling with a newborn baby and a toddler.  

She is and will probably always be a challenging child.  But I hope to always remember how much she was prayed for and how blessed we are to have her in our little family.  I was reminded in my quiet time this week that "children are a reward from Him." Psalm 127:3  I have done nothing to deserve being a mother to three healthy girls, but I know they are from the Lord, entrusted into my care for as long as He wills.  

I just had to share these pictures!  She was taking care of her baby, sharing her pacifier and then her blankie.    But the temptation got the better of her and she just had have a little taste of it back.  Pray for her in the next couple of weeks as we tell "paci" bye-bye.  

Coming home...

As a child, I had many heroes in my life, but none compared to my parents, Rick & Debbie Miller.  Growing up as a missionary kid in Japan, I never doubted my parents decisions to move when they felt God leading us to move.  It wasn't always easy, but there was still no doubt.  We spent over thirteen years in Japan in which my parents helped to start Japanese churches, taught English & cooking classes, and were even dorm parents for a year at our mission's boarding school.  Now that I am a parent, my respect for them has only grown.  It took tremendous sacrifice for my mother to send me away to boarding school as a six year old only able to see me every three months.  It still amazes me that they traveled home to the States for a break with a six year old, two year old, and newborn baby, not to mention the ten suitcases.  

About a year ago, my parents shared their desire again to return to Japan.  Though the thoughts of missing the best Papa & Nana in the world were often overwhelming, my sisters and our families were in complete agreement that this was God's will for all of us.  Needless to say, the past nine months especially have been difficult at times.  But technology has definitely been a blessing!  

For many different reasons, my parents are returning to us for which we are so thankful and elated!  Here is a portion of my parents last prayer letter...

"We are certain that the Lord brought us to Central Baptist Church for 'such a time as this'. We have witnessed the Lord do some incredible things in the lives of His saints here at Central. By His grace, many lives have been touched and significant strides made in the spiritual growth of His church. The Lord has also used adversity in our lives to prepare us for both current and future ministry. We are so grateful for the things the Lord has taught us this past year, some painful, but all beneficial."

Over the past nine months, they have left a thriving ministry in the US, sold their dream home with all the furnishings, said good-bye to their children and grandchildren, moved around the world to a small apartment that eventually filled with mold covering their ceiling and furniture, endured a difficult surgery, and then all of the challenges that ministry in another country can bring.  Instead of asking "Why?", they asked "How can we learn from this?  How does God want to use us right where we are?"  Through every circumstance, they chose joy!   

Please pray for them as they return tomorrow.  God has already provided a place for them to live and we are still praying for a definite ministry position for them.  God is good, all the time!

A time to celebrate!