All My Marbles...

*The photo has nothing to do with this post. I was just going through some pics I have taken in the past and liked the way this one looked. It was taken at Petite Jean State Park in Arkansas*


I haven't posted much lately...I have been busy with the daily business of being a stay-at-home-homeschooling-mom. The daily chores of housekeeping, school, cooking and mothering seem to be taking more time than usual as of late. I have also been using my "spare" time exercising and looking at recipes and reading about clean eating. That has taken up a lot of my time...but I am determined that THIS time I will see it through and get into the physical shape that I have always hoped I could.

The weather has been awesome lately. Right now as I type this, the sun is shining in through the blinds and the outside temp is 52*. It looks like it is going to be a beautiful day ahead.

It is already November! I can't believe how the year has passed. My birthday is just around the corner...43, Wow! When did that happen? How did I suddenly become a woman in her 40's?

I know it didn't happen overnight...But looking back it seems like the years have just slipped away. Then one day I woke up and I was 40...Forty didn't bother me like it does some people, but it was the fact that after 40 comes 41, 42, 43 and so on. Then you wake up and your in your 50's then 60's and well...time just slips right on by...

Which makes me begin to question; how I am spending these days that God has given me? What am I doing with this life I am blessed to have? Am I getting bogged down by the daily drudge of life and allowing the problems and pressures of life to drain me of the strength and energy that I should be using productively? Am I on mission? Or have I gotten off course somewhere and somehow?

Will I look back from some future self and see where I wasted years and have regrets? My greatest fear is to get to the end of life's road and look back with regret for something I didn't do. That I would allow fear to keep me from accomplishing something I wanted to do; something I was put here to do...

I suppose this month, the month of my birth, is one of reflection and contemplation. Reflection on the past and the issues that I bring from it...how it affects who and what I am today. Contemplation of the present and future that is out before me...

Every decision that I am making today will affect my future. Every day is a gift waiting to be unwrapped and enjoyed. So this got me to thinking about a story I once read. I looked it up on the Internet and have added a link to it below for you to read or reread if you have already read it. I think it is a story that we should read often and take to heart.

1000 Marbles

Happy Birthday My Sweet Child

Happy Birthday to my first born daughter! Twenty years ago today I was lying in a hospital bed in Alexandria, Louisiana getting ready to become a mom for the first time. I was so excited, but a little afraid. I didn't know if I would do a good job, or if I would know how to be a mom. But through the years, with the help of God, I managed. There were times when I didn't know if I was making the right parenting decisions, and most of the time I was flying by the seat of my pants, (skirt). But God was always there nudging me along on this journey...

You were my little angel girl, and you helped me through so many things. I can't imagine where I would be today if God hadn't blessed me with you and started me on this journey that I have been on for the last twenty years.

I am so very proud of the young woman that you have become. I know that you will find your way in life and if you continue to put God first, you will find that life you desire...

The last few months have been difficult, having to be so far away from you...but I understand as I understood on the day you were born, that you were a gift from God, loaned to me, for me to care for until you could care for yourself. I only hope that I taught you what you needed to know to be on your own...at least I know that I gave you love. I did the best I could to be a Godly example before you and took you to the house of God so that you could develop your own relationship with Him. In the end, giving you love and raising you in church are the two most important things I could have done for you...

I know I made mistakes, parents always do, but I tried to learn from them and readjust my parenting so that I didn't continue to make those mistakes. I hope that you will forgive my short comings and my ignorance's and remember the good times and all the love that we tried to express to you. I wanted so much more for you than I was able to offer at times, but years from now, it won't be things that we will look back on, but times...times spent together and the feeling of family that we created...

I know that there are things you wish would have been different...I know you wished we could have been stable and lived in one place while you grew up...I am sorry that didn't happen. But we did what we thought was best to provide a better way of life for you, Megan, and Noah...But you have to admit that we had some experiences that those who stayed in one place their whole lives never got to enjoy.

I just wanted you to know how much I love you! How proud I am of you and how much I pray for you. I want nothing but the best for you in your life...I wish I could do more...but sometime, in the long run, you will have gained more from having to be creative than from being handed it all on a silver platter...Although I don't think you have ever done without the necessities.

May you have the blessings of God on your life and put Him first, always! Do what you know is right, and follow your heart...but remember God gave you a good mind, so use it!

Happy Birthday Sweetheart! May God keep you in His hands and bless you always!

Happy Birthday Megan!

Happy Birthday my sweet Megan! I can't believe you are already 14. They years have flown and you have gone from that quiet, shy little girl into a beautiful young lady. I am so very proud of you.

We celebrated on Friday with a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake. Chocolate cake with chocolate chip ice cream! I had a small sliver of it, that is all I would allow myself...

Of course, Little Miss had to open her presents on Friday instead of waiting until Sat. She was especially happy with this one.

Saturday for her actually birthday we went bowling and had a great time.

Noah finally relented and allowed Megan to have a birthday by herself. He had been saying that it was his birthday too. But he finally agreed that it was just Megan's birthday and he would celebrate his birthday in September.

Here is the bowling king himself! He started out just rolling the ball down the lane, but after seeing Andrew bowl, he decided he needed to kick his leg back when he threw the ball...

Here he is hamming it up for the camera while waiting his turn. Wonder where he gets his silliness from????

Surely not from Daddy!

We ended the evening by filling our bellies with seafood! We went to Shucker's Oyster Bar and enjoyed some raw and steamed oysters along with steamed crab, shrimp, clams, potatoes, corn on the cob, and andouille sausage. Megan had the fried catfish and Noah had the usual, chicken tenders and fries. We were extremely full and ready to head home to relax for the rest of the evening...

All in all it was a great birthday for Megan. We just wish Lauren had been here with us to help celebrate. Fortunately she will be here in two weeks...I wrapped the cake good and have it in the freezer, so we can pull it out when she gets here and enjoy it again...I don't know how good it will be by then, but we can try...