Making Every Day Special

Every thing we do, every day...I want to make special for my family. As Mr. M and I celebrated our anniversary, I wanted it to be really special. When we celebrated Tink's birthday, I made sure that Mr. M was a part of it and tried to make the best memories. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, I want us to just have super quality time...as a family. When he is home on the weekends, I try to make every thing we do really special. I'm sure most families do these things, but this year, I have a purpose. Next year, Mr. M won't be here for these things. He will be deploying.

So I want to make memories for my kids...and for their Dad, so that when they are missing each other...they can remember all the awesome things they did. Is it going to make them any less sad when Daddy isn't here for their birthday, probably not, but I still want them to have those amazing memories to hold on to.

A couple of weeks ago, I was singing in church during praise and worship and God spoke to me. He showed me that He wants OUR time together to be special. He wants me to make everything count! He doesn't just want my best on Sunday mornings, he wants every moment of every day to be special for Him and I. Hubby and I love our children and love to spend time with them, God loves us even more and wants to spend time with us.

We don't have to be on our knees in prayer every moment of the day...but we are supposed to pray without ceasing! God wants to be at the for front of our minds at all times. He wants us to share things with Him that make us happy or sad. He wants us to turn to Him in everything and include Him in everything.

Imagine if you will, standing in a group of people and being totally ignored. Sitting down at a table with your family, and not one person talks to you. Holding someones hand while they are going through a trial, and they let go to turn to someone else. Giving someone the best gift they have ever gotten and they act like they got it for themselves. Is this how we treat God? He is right there beside us, yet we do not acknowledge Him.

I pray, Lord, that as I go throughout each day, that I make it a special day that I spend with you...every day. Amen.

Seasons in Him

On the way to church yesterday morning, there was a frost on the ground and the leaves are changing beautifully this time of year. Mr. M said his favorite part of fall is watching the leaves fall and being someplace quiet where you can actually hear the leaves hitting the ground.

That is the one thing we both miss about our house in NJ, it was surrounded by nature! Tons of trees and a lot of animals. Mr. M used to step outside with his morning coffee and listen to the leaves hitting the ground while watching the deer roam through our yard and the park across the street. It was so beautiful and peaceful.

So back to our drive to church. I told him that when I think of the leaves falling from the trees, it makes me think of how God strips away our sins and imperfections. When we allow God to do this, it can really be a beautiful thing.

Then when all of our sins have been washed away, we feel bare and naked.

But then God covers us with his mercy and grace! He washes us white as snow!

And then after God covers you with his mercy and grace...he covers you with his beauty, splendor, and love. He gives us new growth in Him, we are born again!

I pray that God will strip away my sins and imperfections, cover me with his mercy and grace, wash me white as snow, and give me new growth in him!! I pray the same for you today.

Orthodontists and Dentists

So this week I took Princess to the orthodontist. I had taken her 1.5 years ago in WI and they told me she would definitely need ortho care and that it would be extensive. We weren't in NJ long enough so as soon as we got here to WA, I knew I needed to get on the ball. So I found an orthodontist through a friend and set up an appointment. They said Princess had 4 different problems they would have to address. Some of her molars were stuck due to overcrowding so they needed to straighten the top teeth to help those come down, then they would put in a guard to help her stop sucking her thumb, then she has a cross bite, and finally, her lower jaw is very prominent so they want to try and bring her upper jaw forward. So we made an appointment for the very next day and they put on her upper braces. Everything happened SO fast! She looks really cute with them on! This has made brushing in our house quite the event. It's really hard to keep braces clean, but thankfully, Princess is very diligent!

After she got her braces on, that same afternoon, all 4 kids had the dentist. This is our new dentist, and while I really like him and the office, perhaps it was a bit much for one week. I got the big lecture on helping the kids brush their teeth. The girls were fine, but the boys really still need help...like I didn't know that. They are 5 and 2. No more grazing all day long on food...ummm, we have 3 meals and 2 set snack times...and we eat healthy snacks for the most part. And I have to ask...how many people have 2 year olds that cooperate with teeth brushing time? We started as soon as he had a tooth, yet now that he's 2...he doesn't want help! Yes, I know I still NEED to do it...but it's certainly not fun!

So I wonder then about all those people I know who give their kids soda, fruit snacks, sugar cereals, gum, etc...what does their dentist have to say to them?! Because I don't give my kids any of that stuff and I get quite the lecture at the dentist. I left there feeling like a pretty bad Mom. So now teeth brushing time has become quite the event at our house for everyone...not just Princess! I have to stand over Tink to make sure she isn't rushing and that she is getting along her gum line, I have to help Princess because of her new braces (3-4x a day!), I have to help Little Man cause he's only 5 but at least he cooperates, and I have to help Scooter cause he's only 2 and he's very stubborn. We spend most of the time with him biting on the toothbrush and I can't get it out of his mouth!!

And ALL of this is SO fun for someone who has anxiety about dentists...that would be me!