The Sweetest Gift

Last week while I was at Elizabeth's she took some pics for me with the grandkids for Mother's Day.    It was the sweetest gift. 

It was also an adventure with four kids. More specifically, it was an adventure with Nate Dog.

I don't think there were any "perfect" pictures taken at all.   Someone was always not looking.

But like I've told my girls for years..

Perfect is overrated anyways.

cuff by my girl Becky farmgirlpaints

(her shop re-opens Friday!)

My sweet first born Rosalyn.

The one who made me a Honey.

Our deep thinker, quick witted, best dance moves, sometimes bossy, always sweet, doesn't forget a thing, soon to be first grader.

My precious Julia Rose.

The one who recalls every detail of her dreams and has the best morning conversations in the world.

She's our dreamer, peacemaker, left handed artist, deeply sensitive, romantic, funny,  almost kindergartner.

My Little Man Nate

The first grandson

He's our wild child, hilarious, full of energy, hard headed, keeps us humble, loves to lead, all boy,  soon to be fully potty trained (we hope)

My Darling little Hazel Jane

The baby and caboose of this crazy love train

Our little drooler, momma lover, chubby legged, loves to nurse, wiggle worm!

Can't wait to watch your little personality continue to emerge.

Paw Paw

The love of my life and my lover.

He's our wise rock, our problem solver, nurse of the family, the one with all the answers, the one who sees the very best in everyone. Especially me.

And My Dearest Elizabeth

The one who has had to put up with a momma basically growing up with her.

She's a giver,  people lover,  best listener,  deep feeler, patient momma and great friend

Thanks sweet love for always showing your momma grace.

And thank you for taking these pictures for me.

You are so incredibly talented.  I love you.

( For Elizabeth's sake please know that none of these pics are edited.  They are straight out the camera.  Momma was hasty. ;) )

And thank you for those of you who still actually come hang out with me here.

Seriously.  Y'all are the best.

It's good to remember

Please tell me y'all have the app called Time Hop.  It is by far my favorite.  It "goes back in time" and shows you anything you posted on social media in the past seven years on that exact day.  There is seldom a day that goes by where me or one of my girls does not group text each other a link or pic from our Time Hop.  It is so fun and such a great reminder of God's faithfulness.  I even find myself checking it to help me remember stuff. (Like birthdays!) And did I mention it's free?...you just can't go wrong.

Anyways, when today's Time Hop goodness popped up it put a really big smile on my face.  It showed a link to a blog post that I had posted three years ago today.

The post was prompted by a text that was sent to me on that exact day one year earlier. (Four years ago today)

Ha!  This is how we found out about our little Nate Dog. In a text. lol.  Excuse the poor grammar in my response back to her.  I was kinda in shock....in a-oh my gosh-I'm so excited- this can't be real kind of way.  At the time she sent that text, Rosalyn was 2 yrs old and Julia Rose was 6 months old.

Here is the link to that post.  You really MUST read it in order for the rest of what I'm about to say to make sense.  It's short and sweet...I  promise.  But for those who won't go click over, here's an excerpt from the post...

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.2 Corinthians 9:8

 First off, God is able. Stop right there. That truth alone is enough. period.But there's more!  God's grace IS sufficient for ALL things....The big stuff of life, the little everyday things of life and everything in-between.And it's not only sufficient.. It's abundantly sufficient! His grace at work in our lives produces an abundance of whatever is needed for the task at hand. 

Elizabeth needed patience. She needed to be able to trust what God was doing with her family.She needed to let go of control and let God have control.
And He has done that in and through her.Sure, she still has moments of being worn out physically and emotionally.

But, I witnessed the Lord graciously equip her with what she needs for this season of her life."

Wow.  So much has happened since I wrote those words.  Chris resigned as a youth pastor to enroll full time in seminary.  They moved 10 hours away from all their family.   Chris's laundry business has also expanded which keeps him super busy.  Rosalyn has started Kindergarten.  Julia Rose has broken her leg and arm three times. Elizabeth has turned her love for essential oils into her own home business and Chris went on staff as an intern at their church while he still takes seminary classes online. And they've moved two more times in the midst of all of this.

And then there is this... a text I got earlier this year from Elizabeth when she and I were planning a surprise birthday party for my mom, Lydia and Julia Rose who are all the middle children.  "Middles"

Yes, I found out about two of my grandchildren through a text message.  lol.  I love it. Of course this was followed by a loud squeal from me, then me telling her daddy, then him praising Jesus, and then a phone call to hear her voice.  And then lots of excited giggling from me and lots of weary sighs from Elizabeth.

You see, among lots of other surprises that has taken place in the last three years, Nate didn't turn out as "laid back" as we thought he was.  lol.  He is a hand full at times. And loves to "test the boundaries" his parents have established for him.  To say he keeps them busy is an understatement.

As I write this, Elizabeth is nearing the end of her pregnancy.  She only has about 4 more weeks, give or take and she is feeling it.  She stays tired but oh my goodness, she is beautiful.

These kids are so pumped up to meet their little sister.  I can't wait to watch them take on this new adventure as the new family dynamics change upon her arrival.  (Getting Rosalyn to school across town on time with a new baby is gonna be fun for sure. Especially when that first born likes to be ON TIME no matter what.)

Yep there has been a lot of things that have changed since I wrote that first blog post.  Lots of unexpected challenges for sure.

But this Truth remains.  It never changes.

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:8

It was true then and it is true now. 

I know Chris and Elizabeth have lots of things they will face that will seem impossible as they enter into being a family of six.  I know they at times have questioned what God is up to with entrusting them with four children to raise and nurture.  I know at times they are scared to death they are just messing them up.... I know this because it's the same fears that every parent has had at one time or another. 

But what I also know, and God has proven to me in my own life, and I've watched Him prove it to Chris and Elizabeth in theirs,  is that God is able.  And His grace is sufficient.

I'm praying these two walk and live in this promise in the days and months and years ahead...

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:8

I absolutely cannot wait to meet the next little human that these two have made together.

God is so great! 

Coming Full Circle….and a few things I learned along the way

I can't believe that I am even typing these words, but my oldest grand daughter started kindergarten this year.  Life has truly come full circle as we celebrated this milestone in her life.

I mean it was just yesterday that it was her mom who was posing for pictures of her first day of school.

There has been quite a few milestones since this picture of Elizabeth.

When she lost her first tooth…her first sleepover…her first trip to the mall with a friend without me…getting her drivers license… her first date….her first dance….graduation….when she got married….when she became a momma.

And over time I've learned a few things since that first time of letting my child go.

Letting her be away from my constant care and influence and be surrounded by other people whom I didn't know. And a new authority figure who would do things differently than me.  Who would be the one who would praise her hard work.  And console her when she fell down…

I remember that feeling of unknown all too well.

I haven't figured it all out since that season in my life but here are a few things I did discover along the way.

• There will be teachers you love and teachers you don't.  God will use them all. 
• The world will not come to an end if you don't send homemade treats to the class party.
• It's ok to sleep in every now and then and be late.
• That pair of hideous shoes she is insisting to wear with her outfit ain't a hill worth dying on. (think second grade Elizabeth and those knee high tube socks, long shorts and big t-shirts)
• You are not a bad mom if you let your kids eat lunch in the cafeteria or ride the school bus. (although, a word of caution…after round three of the dreaded lice we quit the bus after we discovered they sat three to a seat and tried on each others hair accessories on the way to school. After we nixed the bus, we never had a bug problem again. We all survived and none of my girls died from embarrassment. Three rounds of lice is no joke.)
• If you forget to send in money (or are flat broke) for that school tshirt, book fair, ________, …..your child will not die from being the "only kid in class who didn't have one" syndrome.  This is a hard one but I promise they do survive.
• And apparently if you send your kids in wrinkly clothes that need to be ironed and their friends tease them about it all the time, they will survive that too.  (some things you don't find out about until your kids are grown and they tell you and then briefly you are mortified and then you both laugh til you cry so it all works out in the end)

I also learned how to trust God in ways I've never known.

I learned that praying over a matter is far more productive than complaining about it.

That the greatest thing we could ever do for our children while they are in school is storm the gates of heaven in prayer on their behalf.

While my girls were still in public school I was part of a ministry called Moms In Touch. (it's now called Moms In Prayer)  There was just four of us who met faithfully every week for one hour and prayed for our children, the other students, the teachers, the principals, and anything and everything that took place on that campus.  We watched God do the seemingly impossible.  We pleaded with Him for the salvation of teachers and students and watched Him answer our prayers.   We watched Him honor our prayers over school activities that were unwholesome just dissipate due to "lack of student interest".  We witnessed our children have victory in academic struggles and work out "situations" with classmates without ever having to get involved….just four moms bringing our petitions and concerns week after week to the Father's throne and laying them at His feet.  

The teachers knew we were praying for them too.  Each of us would take a different teacher to pray for by name and we would send a card of encouragement to them.  Many would often give us requests to be praying for specifically.

I will forever be thankful for those three other moms who saw the importance of prayer.  Yes, we were all involved in the other aspects of school too….doing our part to volunteer on campus in various ways such as the PTA and stuff like that.  But there was never anything else that I  participated in where I saw such results, nor gained the peace, in the midst of all kinds of situations that involved my girls through their years of school, than I did when I prayed for one hour once a week with three moms who were warriors.

Now please excuse me while I kick into grandma mode for a second and share a few pictures of my little kindergartner.  As of the writing of this post, we have made it through 2 successful weeks of school.  Our after school FaceTime chats hearing her tell me about her day are my fave.

(her amazingly talented mom took these pictures)

Four generations.
Aka:  Rosalyn's personal prayer warriors.

There is a lot that I still don't know about life. I pray I'm a willing learner until the day I die.

But the main thing that I do know now that I didn't know then is Jesus.
Knowing Him is a game changer. 

He makes all the difference in everything.
I can't wait to see what His plans are for this little lady He has given our family on loan to guide and teach and pour truth into her little heart and mind.
I know it's gonna be amazing.

"For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

Gettin fancy

Earlier this month I was blessed to be able to take my mom on a trip to North Carolina to spend time with her great grandchildren. I have lots to share from this trip.  It was chock a block full of goodness.  It was such a blessing because Lydia and Lauren was able to come with us too and we had us a bonafide girls trip!

We had a blast just being together hanging out but we wanted to do at least one"fancy" thing to celebrate four generations of our ladies being together and what could be fancier than attending a tea? 

Downtown Wake Forest has a lovely little tea room called Old English Tea Room.  It was my second time taking the grand girls there but it was a first to go with Loni.   I don't think the tea room was prepared for us.  We tried so hard to look like we belonged there and this was something we did on a regular basis.  But I think between the all giggling and taking pictures of every single little detail they were suspicious. But when Loni dropped the tea thinga-magiggy into her cup and tried to dig it out with her fingers but couldn't quite get it…. I think that sealed the deal. The folks figured out we were pretenders! lol.  But oh how fun it was!

First we had to choose a hat.

Then after finding the perfect ones, the selfie-fest started.

This may be one of my all time favorite pics of me with my girls.

It's so getting framed and hung somewhere in my home.

We finally quit all the picture taking and found our way to our table.

Then we took another picture. 

 The man in the corner was SO glad to have this giggling bunch of picture taking females right next to him.   Bless his heart.

After asking the waitress a ton of questions about the menu (bless her heart),  we finally decided on which flavored tea we all wanted.

….and then we waited.

Their scones were SO good.  Plus we were all starving.

We came in with a high tea appetite but had to settle for the low tea.

Did y'all know that fancy tea rooms are expunsive! lol.

That's it girl…get it all.  

We so planned the fact that Lydia's polish matched her tea cup.

And that my cup matched my shirt.  Excuse me, I meant my blouse.  In fancy tea rooms its always called a blouse.  (even though I can't say the word blouse without of thinking of Nacho Libre)

This is my favorite picture from the tea.

My mothers' hands pouring her great grand daughter tea. 

 And Julia Rose's face of anticipation full of cream all over her face….it makes it all worth it.

We may have tasted each other's tea…because we're fancy like that.

All hail Queen Loni!

What a blessed day it was.

I pinch myself that I'm the grandma.

I'm the one responsible for making those memories these little ladies will cherish.

I hope she always remembers the day she wore a fancy red hat and necklace and sipped raspberry tea from a fancy cup and ate scones with cream and laughed til she cried with all the ladies in her family.

Even though we've had a ton of tea parties in our pajamas at the kitchen table while Paw Paw pours the "tea"…sometimes you just gotta get fancier than your normal fancy.