Picture Perfect

My sister took some new pictures of us per my request the other day.  I have been wanting to get this perfect baseball picture taken all summer, but finding the time was almost impossible.  So...I decided that we'd pin down a day and then we'd go ahead and do family pics as well.  The boys always looks so cute with their super tan skin and freckles.  So I insisted that we take pictures...yes...AGAIN.  The boys were thrilled.  We told Big, Middle and Coach to "deal with it" and told Little that he could take pictures swinging his bat if he would smile nice for the family ones.  My sister is our photographer.  She just recently realized that she could do this as more than a hobby and I for one am super glad.  She has always had a knack for taking great pictures.  If you put our pictures of the same thing side by side...you'd know which one was mine immediately.  Usually lots of blurry red eyed monsters come out of my fabulous photography.  Hers...not so much.

I wanted to share with you a few of the not so perfect pictures though.  The ones that won't make the "cut" as far as the living room wall or Christmas cards are concerned.  I saw this on someone else's blog one time and laughed so hard.  To see others being less than perfect...just something about it makes your life seem more normal.  So...here you go.  No editing...just "Us".

 I like to think of this one as us running away...even though I think we are supposed to be looking adoringly at our precious children.

 Little doing whatever Little feels like while the rest of us are sweating.

 Big mad at Momma.  That my friends is the new attitude we've been talking about.  He cracks easily though.

 Big taking it too far with Coach.

  Middle mad at Momma.  He does not crack so easily.  Ugh.

 I wanted one of me and the boys.  Good job Big and Middle as Little crashed down on my lap unsuspectingly.

This is Little trying to choke me.  I really like this one.  Ugh.

As you can see here, Middle wasn't quite over being mad at Momma.

Big taking it too far with Momma.

  Oh the joys of picture taking.  I love my family.  I love taking pictures.  I just don't love taking pictures with my family.  Is that bad?  No...surely not.  I guess I need to work on the attitude that God has with us.  He loves us anyway.  Good, Bad, unwilling to take good pictures for their Momma.  I do love them.  Thank you Sister for taking our pictures and for capturing these moments that we could not live without. 

Have a blessed weekend!

Referee of 3

Retreat....I repeat...RETREAT

This week's devotions have been full of helpful information.  The one I read this morning was so timing appropriate.  It was about how couples have to strip down...not in a take off your clothes sense, but in a strip your life of all the distractions sense...every once in awhile.  The importance of finding your "Us". 

http://www.incourage.me/2011/07/a-stripped-down-version.html

Coach and I are getting ready to embark on our own finding "Us" expedition.  Every word of the above devotion is true about our lives.  There are moments when we are so busy packing bat bags and running every which way, that we hardly speak.  We pass in the hallway on our way out...and we text to communicate with one another about our plans for the day...night...week...etc.  So finding "Us" is quite important from time to time.  I can always tell when we have had too much time away from the two of us.  We begin to argue...and snap at one another.  Mainly because one of us is upset and offended by something the other one has done...but we don't have time to share with each other what the real problem is. 

The part in the devotion about being able to book two flights...pay for two meals...and not having to cut up someone's food.  (That is like a double bonus right there.)  So true.  It is the little things that we do for our kids that pile up and start to weigh us down.  Not that I would ever give them up...EVER.  But it is okay to break away every once in awhile to get to the things that get constantly sidelined by taking care of our boys. 

We took some new family pictures the other night (and that is a story for a whole different blog).  I know, I know...we just took some in the fall.  I have heard this from three boys and an a husband all week.  But we are all tan from being out in the sun all summer and I love summer pictures.  Plus, my favorite photographer of all time happens to be my sister...so it is a bonus.  Anyway...we took family pics.  We took some of the 5 of us.  Some of me and the boys.  Some of Coach and the boys.  Some of just the boys.  And then we took some of just Coach and I.  The pictures of just the two of us felt so bare.  Just us.  It has been so long since I have focused on just us...how we look...how we've changed...and how much we've grown.  We are so different than we were when we got married almost 13 years ago.  We've changed as people.  We've experienced great joy and heartache.  We've been blessed beyond measure.  We've had some really good fights...and some really dumb ones.  We've learned when to give in...and when to stand up to each other.  It is amazing when you strip down your relationship...and see just how far you've come. 

And then...to do the same thing with your relationship with God.  Such good food for thought.  There are days when I can't put my phone down.  Checking emails...checking facebook...checking texts.  I noticed the other day that the more I checked facebook, the more upset I became about something and the less I was reflecting Christ in my actions.  The more upset I got, the more frustrated and short tempered I became...and the uglier I was to the people around me.

Stripping down to find God.  Technology has given us information at our fingertips faster than we can process it.  Sometimes it is just better to let go of all that information and Let God...

Let Him take over your emotions.
Let Him give you peace and understanding.
Let Him be in control of every situation.
Let Him be the one you go to.
Let Him be the light in which you follow.

Have a blessed day all!
Referee of 3

SO Random

My afternoons have been spent mostly at the pool with my kids.  Followed by some much needed cooling off time in the living room listening to shows on Disney and Nick Jr.  There is a comedy, variety type show called So Random that all three of my boys seem to love.  It is obnoxious...totally.  But their laughter while watching it makes me laugh and smile inside.  And on days when it makes me want to scream, I put in my ipod and then can smile watching them laugh without having to hear all the craziness of the show.

I came across this devotion this morning in my inbox that was simply that...random.  About randomness.  And intentional acts. 

Things happen in our lives that are unexplainable.  Ranging anywhere from hearing from a long, lost friend to losing a loved one.  Unexpected moments when we aren't sure where they came from or how exactly to deal with them.  In bad situations, we tend to dwell on the "whys" and the "hows" that can almost never be explained...rationally.

The explanation comes from having faith and knowing that you know that you know...that it is all part of His plan.  My favorite verse in the bible tells us that He has a plan for our lives.  A very detailed...very intricate...very purposeful plan for every second of our lives.  (Jeremiah 29:11)

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Nothing...is random in God's eyes.  He knows.  And the comfort that is found in knowing that it is all part of a plan that we had nothing to do with, is unexplainable. 

Dad‘s death was never random to God. He saw the day Dad was born and the day he would die. And the same is true for you and me. What we have in between is the opportunity to fulfill the wants of God as He lays out opportunities in front of us.
Opportunities that require intention. (Intention, Gitz)

How true is that?  From the moment when we are born, to the moment we pass on...God knows the plan.  What we do in between is how we can live intentionally for Him. We have that choice.  To live for God...or to live wondering where the randomness came from.

Take the time to read this devotion today and think about what this means for your life.  http://www.incourage.me/2011/07/intention.html

Also, Melissa updated her blog and told the short version of how she and Mercy finally made it home.  You can read it  here.  Melissa...we are so blessed by your experiences and so inspired by your story.  Thank you for being you. 

Have a blessed day!
Referee of 3

Hear Ye Hear Ye

(To the tune of All The Single Ladies)

All the fluffy ladies...

All the fluffy ladies...

All the fluffy ladies...

All the fluffy ladies...

It has been brought to my attention by the adorable penguins from the movie Happy Feet Two

That they are bringing fluffy back.

Three adorable little penguins were singing all about it in the movie trailer tonight and I have to say that I for one...am excited.

They're bringin' fluffy back...(to the tune of I'm bringin' sexy back)
Get your fluffy on
Get your fluffy on
Get your fluffy on

And I must say that this trend comes just in time for my fall wardrobe of Mulvane Football Sweatshirts and jeans. (I hate jeans)

This is super great news ya'll.  No doubt.

In all seriousness...I was reading the latest edition of Glamour magazine and studying up on the newest trends.  It seems that Glamour and the adorable penguins have their lines crossed.  The penguins say that fluffy is all the rage and Glamour packed their latest edition full of denim.  Oh goody.  Jeans.  Now how on earth can one bring fluffy back and pack it all into the trendy denim Glamour is speaking of?

I don't know.  What I do know is that I am tired of summer.  I am tired of trying to stay slim for our summer wardrobe...and for our upcoming vacation.  I will be glad to fold up my tank tops...to trade in my flip flops...and to throw away the calorie counter.

It is my hope that the penguins are correct.  Because I would like to bring fluffy back.  And Glamour has got to be kidding me with some of the denim ensembles that they had put together.  I mean really?  Denim shirts with denim jeans?  I guess they did bring back the romper though...stranger things, eh?

Had a fabulous date night with three of my favorite men.  We watched Cars 2 which is a really good movie!  And to boot...the fabulous Melissa and Mercy combo have made it safely back to the United States and were reunited with family and friends at 5pm this evening.  The news that they were back into town made me cry all over myself and reminded me that...God is good.  He is so so so so so Good.  To read Melissa's latest post, click here.

Welcome home Melissa and Mercy!  We are so glad you are home! 

Have a good one friends!
Referee of 3

Less than one month

Hi friends.  I just wanted you all to know that I am freaking out.  We have less than one month until school starts.  So...I moved the furniture upstairs. 

It looks nice.  It made me feel better.  It made Coach shake his head in disbelief and it confused the dog.  It seems as if the boys are used to it.  They don't even ask anymore why the couches are in different spots. 

I mailed in the enrollment forms, printed off school supply lists and cut out a coupon for football cleats.

It is coming fast and furious.  And I am freaking out a little.

Thank goodness we have a little vacation planned and we'll be able to "get our chillax on" before I have to start the never ending agenda signing, lunch packing, homework doing life that begins in less than one month.

This summer has been such a blessing.  Ending daycare was one of the hardest things I've done in a long time.  I knew it would be difficult.  I had many people telling me to be prepared for the emotions that would come with it.  No way was I ready.  I am still very emotional about not having my little ones with me every day.  But not having daycare has allowed me to spend some time with my kids that I didn't realize I was missing out on.  I was able to be their taxi...their pool girl...and their personal chef.  (Not a very good one I might add)  I have been able to get a few things organized and have truly enjoyed the lack of hustle and bustle that the upcoming school year will be full of.

God's perfect timing...no doubt.

On the outside, I am calm, cool and collected.  But on the inside...I am a wreck!

School clothes...
School supplies...
New preschool for Little...
New mmmmmm...Middle school for Big (This cannot be happening)
New job
New football season for Coach, Big and Middle
New school year for me

I think I need wheels on my couches.  And wood floors.  That would make things so much easier when I move the furniture on my lunch break this year.

Have a good one and enjoy the weekend and the less than one month before school starts!

Ack!

Referee of 3

Spot On

I was scrolling down through my blog roll just a bit ago and was drawn to the title on Lysa TerKeurst's blog this morning.

A cure for jealousy.

Jealousy is something I struggle with now more than I remember as a child.  I think because our struggles as an adult are exactly that.  Our struggles.  We have to face them...deal with them...and fix them.  Whether they be relationship issues, financial struggles, or how to raise our kids.  They are all ours.  And when we glance at others, we may not see their struggles behind their successes.  The truth of the matter is that everyone struggles.  That is something I fail to remember as I am wishing I had their car...their body...or their income.  The struggle that also comes with the success. 

As I read through Lysa's post this morning, I was reminded of this very thing. 

Whenever I get an overly idyllic view of someone else’s circumstances, I often remind myself out loud, “I am not equipped to handle what they have—both good and bad.”  (Lysa TerKeurst)

God gives us what we are equipped to handle.  No more...no less.  Sometimes as humans, we get confused on what we think we deserve and what He thinks we can handle. 

Please click here to read the rest of Lysa's post for today.  I hope it helps you as much as it helped me today. 

Have a blessed day all!
Referee of 3

Don't burp at the table

Tonight we received some much needed rain.

Isn't funny how we don't realize how much we appreciate something until we don't get it for a long time?

Like a long talk with a good friend.

Like good home cooked meals.

Like good one on one time with your spouse.

Like a good belly laugh with your kids.

Like a long nap.

Like a good cry.

Like a good, long walk with nothing but your thoughts.

Like a giant piece of chocolate cake.

Okay...the cake may be pushing it, but you know what I mean.  We can go so long without certain things and we don't even realize we are missing them.  And then you see little signs.  Dead grass.  Cracked ground.  Brown plants and flowers.  All needing the rain.

Relationships fall apart.  Friendships drift.  We get tired.  We get sick.  We get busy.  (We get hungry for chocolate cake)  We get overwhelmed.  We get so down that we don't even realize what we are missing.  And then all of a sudden...Little burps at the table.  Which is totally rude.  But Big laughs...and Middle laughs...and Coach laughs...and then I laugh.  And we are all just full out belly laughing at this lack of manners.  We laugh until our faces hurt.  There is nothing like the sound of full out belly laughter from your family.  (We'll work on the manners tomorrow)  For tonight...we'll just laugh.

The clouds opened up tonight and the rain fell.  It was beautiful.  The ground needed it.  The plants and flowers needed it.  Our souls needed it. 

Have a good one!
Referee of 3