October

This month has been probably the craziest of the year. OK, maybe July was, but I can't remember because July was SO HOT that it literally fried some of my brain cells. We have been bad bloggers over here, but this month it is with good reason. D is working her tail off (seriously, she is workin hard for the money), Chris is working himself into an early grave (75+ hour work weeks temporarily) and I am going to school and keeping the 4 kiddos as much as I can. Plus, did you think the A girls were going to take themselves to see The Band Perry? I have to proactively instill country roots where there are none!

Just for the sake of remembering some snippets about this month, I gotta jot down some of the good and the bad.

- I am so enjoying my time with Koli. With all the bigs in school, he and I get some quality one on one time. I'm not even sure words can explain how much I adore the time with him. He has a hold on my heart. We enjoy playing trains, sharing Diet Dr. Pepper and laughing together. He gave me the name Ree Ree and it makes me smile every. single. time he says it.

- Brody had a great report card and I was told at parent/teacher conferences that they use B as a peer role model. What a difference a year makes. I need to remember that as we face current and future challenges, the Lord is so faithful to grow B and me through the process. Next year we (most likely) will have conquered some of the issues we have today. That builds my faith!

- Alivia is such a sweet example of friendship. I love how she loves to create gifts for others. She is always so excited to see Koleson after a school day. Her giggle makes me smile. I am really proud of her continuing maturity - she is developing fruit of the Spirit right before my eyes. I love that when she sees a friend on the playground through the fence, she runs alongside the fence line until she meets up with them at the gate. It's the cutest!

- Addison is swimming year round and had her first meet this month. She had only swam 25 meter lengths before this meet, and she did a 50 and 100 meter. I love that she just went for it! The results were not what she wanted, but she is up for the challenge to improve and is working hard to do so! Addison is LOVING school and her teacher, and is learning not only academics, but great life skills, too. I am so sad that this is her last year as a single digit.

The biggest thing that I want to take away from October is the provision of my God and the power of prayer. Our family was facing a very unnerving situation, one that would've thrown us for quite a loop - primarily financially, but also a lot of other ways. Through that circumstance, I see the Lord's faithfulness - not because it turned out the way I wanted, but because of the immediate affirmation of my priorities. We are able to walk through any circumstance as long as my faith is intact and our marriage stays together. These are things I know, but I got the opportunity to walk out this month. And I know it's with a purpose. The Lord keeps bringing the poor to mind and is reinventing my thinking about those in need. The conviction is good. Hard to see things you didn't think were a heart issue, but good that I don't have to stay in that mindset.

All in all, as October comes to a close in a couple of days, it's been a month of growth in the desert.