Family Birthday

For her family party she decided she wanted to go to El Porton...so she could wear the hat! 

Precious girl...

Avarie Is 9!

Avarie turned 9 August 20! 

I honestly cannot believe she is 9 years old! 

It has just flown by.  She is becoming such a sweet young lady.  As evidenced by her birthday party. Avarie has such a tender heart and decided she wanted to celebrate her birthday by making cupcakes with her friends.  But Avarie wanted to do something with the cupcakes. So she asked if we could take them to a shelter.  A way to bless others.  I found a place to take them and we prayed that the little gesture would be a sweet encouragement to those that received them.  

Her friends blessed her with some fun gifts. 

All right up her alley! 

 The cupcake chef's

 The Cupcakes...

 Happy birthday sweet girl! 

Sweet Avarie Rae, 

You are such a sweet blessing to our family. You are growing so quickly and becoming such a beautiful girl.  I pray that as the years go on you choose good things, choose sweet friends and I pray you seek the Lord as you move through life.  You are precious to me and I am so so thankful to be your mama.  I love you! 

Your favorites:

Football Team: Saints

Football Player: Drew Brees

(I mention this because you spend much of your time rooting for this team instead of the Seahawks, you love the saints and Drew Brees and one of your goals in life is to meet him and go to a game.)

Color: Pink

Show: 19 Kids and Counting

Book: Anything American Girl

Food: Pizza

Measured by Grace...

Today was hard.

In the midst..it wasn't.

In the darkness my heart hurts.

For those measuring by perfection.

I lie in my bed, listening to the steady drum of raindrops, the rythmic sound soothes my very soul. 

Today I mourned life ending, marriages crumbling, mother's precieved failings and all are screaming, thundering, begging to be seen.  Seen in the standard, the light, the image of perfections.  

The standard.

That no one has set.

But is there.

Always.

Shining light on the imperfect. 

My home, my mothering, my loving, my building, all are nothing.  

All are shadows of what they "should" be.  

I hear the calling, the failing, the longing for more.  

My standard, is faulty. 

My God is not.

You see, in the midst, in the mothering, I will never ever be enough.  

There will be dust on the shelves, laundry in the machine, dishes in the sink and games left unplayed. 

No matter who, no matter the calling, the standard is never met.

My standard is faulty. 

My God.  He is not. 

Through schooling or sending, through working or staying, through grieving or rejoicing, through encouraging or exhorting, through building or repairing....

May we be measured by a standard of grace and not perfection. 

Thank you to Janessa Running for the balm of her sweet words and story of grace and not perfection that has me writing these words and thinking these thoughts.  The Lord has used you mighty in your sharing. 

Face Painting

Lylah went to her friend Ryn's birthday party and her super duper talented mama, Jill, did face painting on all the girls.  

Pippins

Another youth group event with these guys.. 

Siblings...

Seriously too much cute in one picture! 

Blueberry Picking

We went with some friends to pick up some blueberries to freeze, what a fun morning it was and we are so very thankful for the bounty!