Fixing Our Eyes

This picture of my boy...what can I say. Well, it really makes me laugh. Let me set the scene for you. If you live in Texas, then you are familiar with your car being coated in yellow pollen for about a week every year in the spring. And I mean, a thick coat of yellow pollen! This particular Sunday our van was completely coated, although we had just had it washed a few days earlier.  After church we decided to run through the drive through car wash just to rinse it all off. Landon freaked out! This was not his first car wash.  He had been a few times before and never had an issue but, my goodness, he was not happy about this one! He just closed his eyes, covered his ears and cried "no" over and over until the car wash was over. The whole time! Jeff and I were in the front seat trying to get him to open his eyes and look at us. We were trying to tell him it was okay, there was nothing to be scared of, but he wouldn't dare open his eyes! At some point I just turned around and was laughing so hard I was crying! The girls in the back were trying to hold their laughs in as well. I was laughing quietly... but tears just streaming down my face. Jeff was trying to hold back, and he kept giving me the look like "don't let him see you laughing at him".  It was just a completely hysterical moment to me! Great mothering... I know.

Once we pulled out of the car wash, I immediately hopped out and gave my boy a great big hug! Poor little guy was just genuinely scared.

Isn't this how we are though? As we walk through life on the path God has laid for us, we walk along happy as can be.  That is... As long as the path is completely straight with no sharp turns where we can't see around the corner. Then God decides it's time to shake things up a little bit, to put in some sharp unexpected turns. Or He puts  great burden on our heart and pushes us to do something about it.  How do we respond? We sit there like Landon did. Plugging our ears, closing our eyes, saying "nope, not me" over and over again. Scared out of our minds! However, if we would just open our eyes, we would see God right in front of us. If we would stop plugging our ears, we would hear the tender voice of our Father just asking us to trust Him. If we would stop saying "no", and instead start saying "yes", then there is no telling where God could take us and what He could really do through us. He longs for us to take His hand and just trust Him. To be ready and willing to be His hands and feet on this earth of hurting lost people.  Most days, I can hardly see passed the mounds of laundry, the ever growing sink of dirty dishes, the school lessons needing to be completed, the incredible amount of diapers to be changed and meals to be made, to actually see where God could use me and where He wants to use me.  He reminds me oh so very often, in my quiet moments with Him, that I am serving where He wants me... At home with my children, serving and teaching and leading.  However He also reminds me that there is a massive hurting world out there, right under my nose. And if I could say "yes", if my whole family could say "yes", that He would use US. He created me for a MUCH bigger purpose than I could ever see or imagine on my own. God is starting to do a great work in my heart. I have a had a couple of Landon moments, with my eyes squeezed shut, not feeling capable, but in each of those moments He has so gently reminded me of this...

"For I am (we are) God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Ephesians 2:10
And this...
"In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight"
Proverbs 3:6
And this...
"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you."
Deuteronomy 31:6

So in those fearful "Landon" moments I want to remember to look to Him ...trust Him and His word ...bow my knee to His sovereignty. Every day, all day! He uses those who are willing.

Lynlee's 6th Month

Our sweet Lynlee has already reached her 1/2 birthday and she is well on her way to approaching that first birthday. Sniff sniff... She is just as sweet as she possibly could be and I love love having a tiny baby in the house again. I'm not quite sure what I am going to do when this tiny baby grows up. I love her so very much and I'm just hanging on tight and soaking in every moment I have with my little baby.

This month has had a few new firsts. She has started a few more solids and now has had green beans, zuchinni, and carrots all three which she loves. She is still a giggle box and is such a smiley little baby. It doesn't take much to get smiles and giggles from her. She still loves being in her jumperoo and just last week started jumping on her  own so fast. She just cracks up when she starts jumping. It's too cute! She rolls all over the place now, and has almost gotten on her hands and knees in that crawling position. She gets on her knees just fine but so far has only figured out how to get to her elbows, not her hands yet. But I'm sure it won't take much longer till she starts figuring out how to scoot around. She's been a great sleeper this month, sleeping 11-12 hours each night, napping 3 times a day for close to 2 hours each nap. I'm so very thankful for those naps because those are the times I can get school for the big girls squeezed in! A couple of weeks ago our poor girl started this yucky cough and runny nose. Well after a few days of the cough going nowhere and seeming to get worse, I went ahead and took her to the doctor. Crazy thing happened, we discovered she had strep throat! It's still weird to me. She never had a fever, and she was just as content as ever. But she seems a little better now, but that cough seems to be lingering.  She loves to babble and her babbles seemed to get louder this month. She is also happy as can be when any 4 of her siblings come around. She loves watching them and they all can get big smiles from her.

Lynlee Noelle, I love holding you, cuddling with you and getting big smiles from you. There is nothing like those sweet cuddles when you bury your head into my shoulder. I'm so very in love with you and just thankful for every moment with you. I love watching you learn new things! I pray for your daily sweet girl, that God would use me each day to be the mommy you need and to one day lead you to the One who made you. You are a treasure my sweet sweet baby.

 Avery put this bow on Lynlee all by herself and she was very very proud of herself!

Aubrey loves holding her. This day in particular Lynlee was trying to jump as Aubrey was holding her and she was just laughing and laughing. They're cute!

 She loved her first ride in the swing. All 5 have officially swung in this swing now!

 This was as she was taking a break from jumping!

Our cutie on her first Easter!