| Mylifelinks. |
|---|
| God's Word as it applies to our lives:
www.desiringgod.org
www.spiritofelijah.com
www.adisciplesnotebook.com
HannahKate Childrens' Clothing:
www.hannahkatespecialcollection.com
My business:
kiddosphotos.xanga.com |
|
SubscriptionsSites I Read
|
|
|
|
| 
So I asked my husband which sunflare picture he liked best and this one was it. He said he loves the expression on Baby's face. And well, so do I - she likes to open her mouth wide whenever anyone else does, and she seems to know when she is just about to be kissed.
I love this shot because of how the sun comes right through the opening and then blows out like a little sunstars sprinkling all over. I like this shot because I love how much Robert enjoys his little girls. I love this shot because I like sunflare, any kind of sunflare. I like the warmth, I like the country as the sun is setting. I like this moment and I am glad I have this picture so I won't forget it.
She'll only be this little once - next week she'll be all grown up. Or so it will seem.
Click over to I faces for some more sunflare~
a. ann | | |
| 
It's been awhile. I find myself here again after a few long weeks. I write in my journal even when I don't write here. So little really ever gets posted.
If I could sum up the last few weeks it would be the same as I've always written:
What grounds me is God's sovereignty. Through sickness, pain, sorrow, rejection, slander and gossip. And through joy and love and kindness, and His merciful continual gifts to me through my husband and children and my family and friends. He is my Rock.
I have something I painted on a piece of paper a few weeks ago and it says, "Stay Calm, Carry On."
I didn't originate it. I just copied it and it sits here in my office. But it preaches at me every day. In a very good way it preaches.
In simplicity it reminds me of two things: God is not dead, in fact He is ruling and reigning. And so with that calming news, push on ahead, with a peaceful heart and quiet spirit. (I don't refer to quiet spirit as a quiet personality but a heart that is at rest, trusting her Maker.)
OH! WHAT WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL NEWS THIS IS. What GREAT motivation to keep keeping on amidst whatever comes my way.
Yep, here I go again, talking about how God knows what is best. That out of His great love for me He has orchestrated the very things into my life to draw me closer to Himself and to make me more like Him, and ultimately to bring glory to His name.
To dare to say that the 'bad' things that come my way are actually just instruments in the hand of God... because in my life it's really just between God and me - Him and I - He wants a relationship beyond the surface, beyond the outward performance. He's talkin' 'bout my heart.
I might be a broken record for the rest of my life. I might just write and rewrite this same thing every single week of this 'lifetime' blog. If I die and it's the last thing I write, then well it is.
Now, just to live it. Yeah, that's what I want. That's why I keep writing: to me.
Whether it's working outside the home and wishing you didn't have to, or wishing you could work outside the home. Whether it's your husband doesn't talk enough, or maybe controls, or talks far too much. Whether it's in-laws who never call and seem like they don't care, or in-laws who drive you crazy through the in-your-face effect. Whether it's can't keep the weight off, or can't keep it on. Or can't have children, or get pregnant when you don't want to. Whether it's every one is talking about you, or no one is or seems to care.
Whatever it is, if I'm not grounded in my belief in who God is then BOOM, I don't stay calm, I don't carry on.
Or maybe I carry on with a chaotic heart.
Which is sin.
Praise God the good news is that God Himself has provided a remedy for sin. "He made Him (Jesus Christ) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become righteousness of God in Him..."
When we are grounded in God's Word, Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are no longer a slave to sin. But alive in Jesus Christ! He calms the chaotic heart. He gives the strength to carry on, in trust and in rest. Life is too tough for me to handle. But, God has made a way.
Can I get excited and scream about now?! It's really pretty loud in my house right now and I think I would just blend in with the craziness!
Hold on. Hold fast. Stay Calm and Carry on. Faith - faith in Jesus Christ.
"...Faith came singing into my room, and other guests took flight. Sped out into the night. I wondered that such peace could be! But Faith said gently, "Don't you see, that they can never live with me?" -E. Cheney
"I, even I (the Lord) am He that comforteth you..." Is. 51:12
~
At Ifaces this week the photo challenge is sunflare. If you're not sure what this is, be ready to see a lot of it this post because I realized on the Ifaces blog that this challenge was coming up a few weeks ago... and I just love FLARE!
I've been far to busy this past few weeks having to work outside my home, or rather, inside my home working on portraits that were done outside my home. It's called a home business, and it can just about kill me at certain times of the year. Tis the season right now.
Contrary to popular belief, I don't carry around my camera that much when with the family. I carry it around enough when I am not with them, shooting around 100,000 images in the last few months, not of my family. So needless to say, when with them, the camera - during this season especially - is not something I like bringing along.
A few times this past month I brought it. Sunflare on my mind, tucked in the back of my head. I couldn't ask for better and more willing subjects that love to run and play and make faces that I couldnt' ask for them to make if I wanted them to. They seriously are my most enjoyable subjects ever and the easiest in the world to take pictures of.
If I have time before tomorrow evening, I hope to post one for the challenge, but I am having a hard time deciding. If you have a favorite, leave it in a comment. Others' opinions on what they think looks awesome, is always helpful for me.
Oh, and if you have a sunflare shot, go post it on their site and your link -- it's a great way of motivation to learn new things about photography and get ideas as well - anyone can join the fun.
So here is my sunFLARE:
(I'm not sure what this is about! You would have thought a grizzly bear was taking his picture or something!)
(when shooting into the sun, just shifting a little can change the entire lighting of an image and hit your lens in so many creative prisms.)
(I'm in love with this image, even though her face is not shown.)
(catching sunlight on her tongue?)
Falling down into the grass~
The sun goes down...
~
We have one way of seeing fall colors right now, and it's in the form of orange butterflies heading south to Mexico. The children love to catch them and then release them into the car as we drive around doing our errands. Shelton even brought along some flowers for them to enjoy...
I can't help but smile when I am driving because there are butterflies all flapping around me, children yelling and carrying on, babies making baby noises, the music blaring from the radio... yes, true wonderment. It feels, um, well I'm not sure -- but if you have ever driven around town with butterflies flapping around you as you drive you know what I am talking about.
~
Since football season has ended for the boys, I've needed another way to make them good and tired so they will sleep nicely through the night and go to bed earlier than 10pm.
I decided instead of exercising at night, I'd join them and start running with them in the afternoons. The weather has been wonderful for this and let me introduce you to my personal trainers:
These kiddos do a great job of keeping me feeling healthy and in shape. I assign each of them a certain number of laps to run, sit-ups, push-ups and then we do stretches together and a few races. It takes all of 45 minutes in my day and accomplishes several things at once.
(No matter how much I remind Bubbie he doesn't have to keep up with his older brothers, it's useless - I think he will spend the rest of his life doing just that!)
When I take my turn to run, Scott holds down the fort and gets his Literature and Reading in while hanging out with the little girls.
On this particular exercise afternoon that I managed to take my camera, we came home and set out the blanket and had snack time... here they all look like they are day time star gazing?
My little P.E. class takin' it easy~
~
I have some very extroverted boys. They love to be around people -- and since having nine in the family here at home doesn't seem to supply all their need for this, haha, I have been praying how I can provide more social times for them outside the home, in a great environment.
This past week I felt the Lord give me an idea -- found a few email addresses of some of the boys they played football with this past season and organized a little touch football game for them this past Saturday. They were SO excited. I told the parents they were welcome to come along or just drop their boys off and Robert would supervise the game playing and I would provide food and drinks.
(Here are some of the guys)
It was a big hit all around  and I hope to continue doing these little touch football get togethers after the holidays maybe once a month. It's great being able to get to know the boys better that the boys have been playing with and being able to provide a fun and safe environment for them all to get together and enjoy socializing.
(Itty was suppose to be handing out treats afterwards, but somehow ended up with two herself!)
(Baby loves sitting outdoors and listening to all the noise!)
~
Probably the highlight of the last few weeks though, for the boys, was going hunting. Five am, up in a blind, huddled down, TRYING to be quiet, waiting for the kill.
Talk about EXCITEMENT! Well, at least they think so. And honestly, so do I. Deer cooks wonderful in pasta dishes and in chili. I'll pass on Shelton's mud duck though.
~
The little girls hang out in a whole different way than the big boys. I like both. Here are the little girls, sucking their fingers. One prefers the thumb, the other two middle fingers. Up until these last two little girls, I've never had babies that sucked their fingers!~
I could just eat this baby up! She is so fun and so kissable. We are loving every single minute. She got pretty sick week before last - but made it through (It was an awful flu, she kept very little down for four days!) We did are part, and prayed too and the Lord has healed her and she is strong and healthy again~
Here is what she was watching: sunset football.
~
Thanksgiving Week is here. I have so much to be thankful for. Here is the main thing:
~
and lastly, I like how our trampoline has become apart of it's surroundings. Never did like how those things looked. But I like how this one looks...
"When mother love is of the quality God intended it to be, it could well be the closet to the love of God of all the kinds of human love that exists. But, it is a little considered fact that simply in the process of becoming a mother, one does not automatically become a saint..." E. Price
"One cannot love God, except at the cost of oneself." Mother Teresa
That right there is the key to being a good mom.
a. ann~ | | |
| "Mom, Christian is trying to leave and cleave from the dishes and we're not done yet..." Shelton said.
Ha, that was an interesting way to put it.
In the past 48 hours the boys have broken 5 glasses. That is why plastic cups were invented, right? I refuse to give up on the boys doing the dishes with me though, even if they break them all.
I got back from work two nights ago - comin' in after a photo shoot - and I saw smoke coming from the back yard.
The boys were outback cooking wild game meat over an open fire. Our monster picnic table was decorated with cedar branches (sneeze.) and candles and place mats I'd made when I was pregnant with Shelton. It's been about that long since I've used them too.
 
(I can't claim the photography in this post. Thanks to the fam, who shot these Awesome COOL shots.)
There was tea in a pitcher, a pitcher that was a wedding gift to us. It's still pretty, though chipped in one spot. Shelton had made french fries out of potatoes. He was very protective over his fries - making sure we all got EVEN portions and Christian didn't get more than the rest of us.
But Christian did, and this made Shelton emotional. The boys don't fight much, but if they do, it's usually over food. Food brings out emotions I didn't know are there. I can't imagine fighting over food. Is it a boy thing?
It was so cool to come home and see all of the children and Robert putting together this meal for me. Morgan had put flowers in a vase and written me a love note. The note said, "I LOVE" on the front and on the inside, "I LOVE MOM."
Everyone was so excited.
I was exhausted, putting on the most excited face I could because I was excited, just exhausted too. I sat down at the picnic table in the dark, the candles flickering light just enough to see the childrens' faces at dinner. I felt very loved and appreciated.
sidenote:
(I don't always feel loved and appreciated. Life isn't like that, ya know, cause then it would be perfect, and it's not. Heaven is reserved for that perfection. I am not attempting to give any impression that this is what I come home to every evening I must work away from home. This is just what happened this week and I want to remember it.~)
I couldn't help but smile just seeing how thrilled they were to do all this themselves and surprise me.
Another sidenote:
(I am very grateful for the dirt-strained, hard workin' husband that spurred the children on with the loving outdoor dinner after his long day of work. WHOOT!)
After Robert and the boys cooked meat over the fire and brought it to the table it was still good and red in the middle, and Scott, like me, prefers his meat cooked through a bit more. "Dad," he said, "This meat looks like it could walk off this table and I like to know mine is a little more dead than that."
The weather today is heavenly. I've been out in it all day thus far. The children are presently trying to lasso Clover the "ram-sheep." All four boys have lassos and are all going at once. Morgan every now and again gets on Clover's back and rides him like a bull.
Could never guess we live in rodeo land, eh?
We were at a rodeo last weekend. The bull riding is amazing. I've not wanted a few of my children to see too much of that because they might want to do it. I see myself as a very un-controlling mother, except at this one point: bull riding. Once you see ten guys limp, get carried off, or taken off in ambulances... it makes tackle football look like ballet.
Well, needless to say, a certain boy of mine was awe-struck all night at the rodeo during the bull riding. He didn't hide it as he sat there his eyes huge and his jaw dropped wide open.
There was enough injuries that night at the rodeo that I am hoping lassoing will feed his appetite enough right now for being a cowboy. Poor Clover just doesn't buck his back legs like they want him to.
I like the barrel racing but I don't know a thing, not a thing about horses, or barrels, unless it's Cracker Barrel or Crate and Barrel. I like Cracker Barrel because they serve breakfast all day and you can get lots of pancakes and the boys eat so quietly they don't fight over food. And you can get grits.
I was raised on the sandy shores of the surf capital of the US. Barrel racing wasn't something you did as a past time. But my parents, being originally from the southern part of the US, they knew how to fix grits. Even cheese grits. Mom made good cheese grits...
Crazy, though, why do I have a certain liking for country music? Maybe it's all the songs about old trucks that I can identify with... or one particular song that says, "...the rear view mirror torn off, I ain't never lookin' back, and that's a fact!"
Yep, I identify with rear view mirrors being torn off. Our's had been re-super glued to the front windshield time and time again, until eventually the whole windshield had to be replaced. Not because of the amount of super-glue, though there was a major heavy amount in a wad, but because the same little guy who used the mirror as a swing, as he got older used the front wind shield as a slide.
Where was I when things like this happened? Do I just let my children slide down car wind shields and swing on rear view mirrors? I am not one of those mothers who has eyes in the back of her head, just in the front, that's why things like this happen.
Morgan said to me, "Mom, don't worry, I'm not going to grow up and marry one of those type of guys that rides those bulls."
I do appreciate her assurance, even if it wasn't asked for.
Baby dear is sick. I have pretty much dropped everything today just to love on her and keep close watch on her. She is sleeping here on my lap.
Well, the lassoing has turned from Clover to each other. The boys are lassoing one another and I have this feeling that's not going to go over too well after awhile. Yep, one has climbed on the roof to avoid being lassoed. A few more titles I will tack onto my many titles as a mom: Cowboy Supervisor, Sheep Saver, Cracker Barrel Promoter... Fetch-Boy-On-Roof-Person. (Sounds better maybe as "Roof Inspector.")
My time is up. Goin' to tie down the cowboys. Big howdy to all you moms of little boys. God bless you.
Yeah for weekends.
a. ann~
| | |
| 
He's EIGHT!
No way. Couldn't be!
just when I think each day lasts forever around here, he goes and turns eight and I know the days are flying way faster than . . . well, then fast flying things.
(Yes, it's probably near midnight and I'm a bit on the tired side.)
Christian said, "Mom, my seventh year went by faster than the year before. Each year seems faster!" I was somewhat surprised to hear him say that considering that he has literally been counting down the days to his birthday since last spring. I would have thought he would say it took forever.
He has studied my calendar. Seriously studied it. I remember when he told me, "Mom, it's now 196 days until I turn eight."
My calendar sits on my desk. He walks in and finds it and flips through it and counts. He would say, "I can't wait until my birthday. It's --- days away." Smile and then walk out.
We take the children out alone on their birthdays. Started that this past year and Robert and I are so glad we did. It's been awesome all the way around - for us, and for them. Christian has been just dying to go out with us. We took him to mini-golf and then to eat. He and Robert played golf and I kept score. Christian made a hole in one about half way through the course.
He hit it out of the course, onto the sidewalk, it bounced back in onto the green and went into the hole. I kid you not. Never seen anything like it in my life of mini-golf. It made his night.
At dinner, over his mac-n-cheese, he told me he either wants to fly planes when he grows up, or be a doctor. He's always told me, since he was a little thing, that he wants to fly... but this doctor thing was a new one. I asked what kind of doctor.
He told me one that doesn't see a lot of blood.
I've seen a lot of spiritual growth in Christian the last three months. Back in the summer time he was not really desiring to pray or spend time reading the Bible. About the first of September I was burdened for his heart. I was reading in my quiet time one morning in Psalm 108 and read:
"...that your beloved ones might be delivered, give salvation by Your right hand and answer me..."
I underlined and it and on the side wrote, "Prayer for Christian 4 deliverance."
And I stepped up my praying for him.
I felt led that I was to make it a priority each night to pray privately with him. Since the four boys share a room I wondered how this would work ~ but I found my way in. All the boys love back rubs, but Christian especially so.
I go up and rub the boys' backs before bed. When I would get to Christian I would rub his back and then get down right next to him and I would whisper a prayer in his ear for him, hugging his shoulders. He really seemed to respond to this and I could tell, really began to look forward to our quiet little prayer together.
Since the beginning of September, I have really seen the Lord work in Christian's heart in lots of little ways.
He is a private person, more quiet in a group and praying at the table at meals has always been something he has been shy about. I haven't pushed him about it, because I've known a lot of it is just personality. . .
Not to mention he's got three extroverted brothers who jump in so fast he doesn't have a chance much anyway.
Well, since our nightly whispered prayer together he has been desiring to pray more. The other day when he prayed at lunch time, once again, it just really touched my heart and I thank God for it because I know this is something that God has done new inside of him.
I have also seen God work a new heart of compassion in him. He's a tough guy - he's all boy - and has had his fair share of injuries. In the past when one of the children would fall or get hurt, he'd kind of look their way, shrug, move on... kind of like, "Get over it and get up." I don't know that he meant to be this way, he's just kind of the soldier type.
A few months ago I spoke with him about how loving others is to show compassion - that when someone gets hurt, it is loving, whatever took place, big or small, to check on them, to ask them if they are okay, to help them up or whatever he could do to show love.
I have been so encouraged to see him taking what I said into action. At first it was a new thing for him, hard for him - outside his normality to stop and take time to help someone up. But over the last few months, he has made it a habit - ON HIS OWN - working hard to show compassion and love. And now I am seeing it come from his heart.
When asked what his favorite thing about this past year was he said it was going to the beach as a family. When I asked him what his goals were for this upcoming year of his life, he said, "To catch a monster crab."
(Shelton was the picture taker for us here so we kind of ended up at the bottom of the picture~)
Things I love about this guy:
-He has a wonderful laugh! It is so contagious. 
-He is a deep thinker. And though he doesn't let on, even a deeper feeler.
-He talks quiet, but sings loud.
-He gives hugs that squeeze the life out of me.
-He has dimples.
-He loves babies and animals too.
-He's tough.
-He's the ideal student.
-He reaches out and holds my hand. He is extremely affectionate.
-He tells me he loves me.
-He is a strong leader type.
-He can mimic any voice he hears.
-He is who he is. He likes bag pipes and his favorite music to listen to is a Scottish bag pipes cd. He did not get this from me. He puts it on and it sounds like all of Scotland is going to war in his bedroom. He marches and tackles things. I put up with it at the high volume because as it goes on and on and over and over it just blows my mind that he loves it so much.
-He talks my ear off when no one is around.
-He has eye lashes that are longer than anyone's I know.
-He loves to get dirty. He is 100% boy, plus some.
-He knows how to work a deal. 
-He likes to make faces when I take pictures.
I look forward to seeing what God has in store for Christian. I enjoy each and everyday I have with him. Seems like yesterday I was sitting in IHOP eating pancakes for supper after a long day at the zoo with my two little boys. I went into labor. Robert paid the bill and we rushed out.
An hour and a half later, Christian arrived... had him in our living room at home - we were living in a one room house at the time and the living room was Robert's and my bedroom!
Oh, goodness, what a time! Robert ran our two little boys to my sister's house up the road a ways while I was in very active labor at the house, leaving me there alone as the midwives still hadn't arrived! I can remember thinking I was going to have our third baby all by myself!
Thank God I didn't. What I remember most about Christian when he was born was his beautiful dark skin, his eye brows and eyelashes, his head full of THICK, BLACK hair, and how he hardly ever cried. He was our earliest crawler, walker and swimmer out of the bunch. And up to this point, has had more stitches in his head then nearly the rest of the children put together!
I am so grateful for this son that God has given us... a son to give back to Him. I pray he will be a man hard after God.
Happy Birthday Christian Soldier! I love you so very much.
a. ann
P.S. She found the mascara. She pretty much missed both eyes, and was quite proud about it.
Twenty-three weeks old.
 | | |
|
