Flowers and Prayers

  I have had an odd week this week. One of those that you have so much that you need to do, yet you feel like you just can't get any one done fully or right. I thought I'd share my week in pictures!

3D pic of our precious baby at 30 weeks!

Day 2 of 31 Day  Challenge...needed to be cleaned and organized

Dirty!

Took a bit, but it's sparkling now!

My beautiful Cockscomb is growing!

Our first Sunflower breaking through

Stage 2

Stage 3

Ta Da! A baby Sunflower

More Cockscomb

Cucumbers sprouting

I decided to give "Square Foot" Gardening a whirl.

All the lovely seeds that we planted straight in the ground...hopefully it works!

Katie and her beautiful niece Kaia

Ryan & Leanne with their precious daughter

Such a doll!

  I found that with so much prayer going on in my head over baby Kaia, that the most peaceful place is in our backyard, with my flowers. I head out once the sun is setting behind our house, and spend the warm summer evening in the shade, dead heading the flowers, planting new seeds, and spending time with the Lord. It's refreshing, peaceful, and therapeutic. The kids have even taken to getting in on it! Alexis usually is humming some song, the littlest kids are tending to their "cherry tree" they planted (Gabe finished a cherry and planted its seed in the garden to grow a BIG cherry tree..in his words). And Ty finds something to water with the hose and all of its many nozzle settings. :) It's surprisingly quiet in our yard, even though we are in a subdivision. It truly is a peaceful place...we you get on ground level...with the emerald green grass...smell of fresh flowers...and the sound of your children playing happily by your side.

  Two weeks ago, I gave myself some of my own advice as I was correcting our children over not using the time they had wisely, with the friends they were playing with. They were so focused on getting to swim at their friends house, that when it was time to go after 4hrs, and they hadn't had the opportunity to swim, they cried and said, "We didn't get to swim and we didn't do anything because we were waiting to swim!" So they wasted 4 precious hours not fully enjoying their friends and the time they had with them, all because they were looking forward to something that wasn't ever going to happen. As I was explaining this to the kids, and the words were coming out of my mouth, I realized that this is how we as a family have been living. Always looking to the next thing. We never fully engage or enjoy what stage in life we are at because we are always looking for something different. After we got home from our little vacation back home, I realized that I have to start purposefully living my life. No more wandering, waiting, or being discontent with the things I have or don't have. Why not fully enjoy what it is that is here, in the now? Once we got home, we received the news on Kaia as well. Right there, it makes you realize that we don't have the time to waste just half living. This is a perfect spot to say, "We've got to start making that lemonade out of lemons!" But, the thing is we don't have lemons! We have a bountiful fruit basket waiting to be used to its full potential. So what are we whining about?

  Love God, your family, your friends, and those who are your enemies. Don't waste your time being angry, discontent, resentful, or being just plain stagnant. This is the only life on earth we have...make it count...

  And please, please, pray for sweet Kaia! Things are looking so much worse for this precious one. They think she might only have a week or so to live. Pray God's healing over her, and for Ryan and Leanne...they all need so much strength right now...

Blessings~Heather