"There's no place like home"
Cleopatra
"Paw Patrol, Paw Patrol
whenever you're in trouble
Paw Patrol, Paw Patrol
We'll be there on the double"
Halloween at work
(witches, superheroes, a unicorn,
donuts, a cheerleader and Cat in the Hat)
Gran Mum came to visit for Halloween
Carving pumpkins
Cole and his awesome Sunday School
teacher Hannah!
Faith's class field trip to Warbington Farms
http://www.warbingtonfarms.com
Tractor rides, feeding cows, feeding goats,
corn maze, huge "jumping pillow", slides,
playground...etc...
BIRDS ON A WIRE...SOAR conference
SO GOOD!!
http://birdsonawiremoms.com/
My favorite take home message of the
conference:
Karen told a story of growing up
thinking she wasn't very creative or
good at art. She had been told things
like "art isn't for everyone" when she
would attempt school activities...so, she
always thought in her head she wasn't
good at art her whole life. Then she jumps forward to
being on a mission trip this summer. She
and her husband went with a group of
college kids. They were going to be helping
at a school. She knew that the college kids
would all want to be engaged with the
children in the classrooms...so, in order to
give them that opportunity she volunteered
to do whatever else needed to be done. The
first day they introduced her to "Alfredo"
and artist that would be helping them....
PAINT A MURAL! All of her feelings
of inadequacy rushed in and she tried to
switch to something else....but, Alfredo
insisted she stay and told her to start painting!
When they asked what they were painting
Alfredo pointed to his head and said
"it's up here"....they didn't even know what
they were painting...they were just suppose
to follow his directions on step at a time.
She kept trying to get out of it and switch
to another group...but, Alfredo would find
her and say "we need you!"....He would
give them an area of the wall to paint...it
started off basic with the background...then
got more detailed with each layer...Alfredo
would walk by and say "a little more here,
a little more there" or "back off a little"..
They took frequent snack breaks with the
kids and when they did they would see
Alfredo at the wall fixing spots and filling
in the gaps.
Then they got to really detailed trees and
Karen said "I don't know how to do this!"...
Alfredo would say "go to the left...or got to the
right...or back up"...etc...Then as it was
finishing Alfredo would walk by and say
"Excellent", "Lovely", "Great Job Karen!"
When they finished the mural was beautiful!
On her trip home it hit her...
God hands us our children...like a blank
slate (a blank wall) and we say "what is
going to happen? Is everything going to be
Ok?"... God, (like Alfredo did) sees the
whole picture and knows what we cannot see.
If we stay close to him- he will direct our paths..
a little more here, back off there, go this way....
etc....As moms we all worry that we are going
to miss something or mess something up
with our children. Karen says-- WE WILL!...
we ARE going to miss something...
But God isn't....He is there right behind us
fixing spots, FILLING IN THE GAPS
and making something beautiful.
Cole and Noah at the preschool
Fall Festival
Surprising Cole for "Mystery Reader"
2nd grade School Pic
Kindergarten School Pic
Milla's class
Mom and Cappie visiting Grandma
for her 96th Birthday!!
She's Beautiful!!!
Cole and Brandon
stopping to smell the roses
