facts of the family

Unprofessional disclaimer (for the benefit of the Wal-Mart photo department, who frequently withholds pictures from me until I can produce the professional photographer's signature.  I'm flattered.  Really, I am.  But I'd like my pictures now, please):  These pics were taken by little old novice me using a tripod for a spur of the moment family shoot in the churchyard in front of our house.  I mean really, do you think we'd actually dress like that for professional pictures?  Okay, so maybe we would.  But  don't my poses give it away?  I literally had ten seconds to sprint from behind the camera, leap over a dog, grab a child, and pretend to not be gasping for  air.  Please put that in your copyright file.  Thank you very much.

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I thought I'd share some little tidbits about our Family.  It's hard sometimes via blogworld to really get a true sense of what someone's family is really like.  So, here are just a few...

F A C T S  . O F . T H E . F A M I L Y

1.  Words that best describe us:  crazy, kinda loud, fun-loving, spontaneous, adventurous, passionate, loving, creative

2.  Favorite thing to do as a family on the weekends:  hiking in the woods, bike riding, roasting marshmallows over a backyard campfire, wrestling with daddy, dancing while he plays the guitar, snuggling on the couch

3.  What we value the most as a family:  Love for God and Love for others.

4.  What we value the most in relationships:  Authenticity, transparency, respect, compassion, forgiveness

5.  Weirdest thing about us:  We collect things...rocks, strange objects, old things, odd things and we're constantly "making" things (and this probably isn't the weirdest thing about us...we're pretty weird)

6.  Favorite family movies:  WALL-E, UP, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Chronicles of Narnia

7.  We like to eat____:  a lot of different foods.  We love Thai.  We heart sushi.  Love seafood but also love comfort food like roast beef and mash potatoes.  We really like broccoli  (well, everyone except for Joel).  Shrimp stew and crawfish bisque are his favorites.

8.  We are for:  World Missions.  Mission of Mercy.  Compassion International.  World Vision. GlobalRoar.  The Mission Haiti. AdoptionNOTAbortion.  Amazima Ministries.  Love146.  and a whole lot more...

9.  Favorite Bible Verse:  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."  Matthew 22: 37

10.  Our most annoying habits:  we're too loud.  and rowdy.  and we play jokes.

11.  Parenting style:  pretty traditional.  supportive.  encouraging.  rules are expected to be followed.  grace is embraced.  I liked to think I was patient, but then I had four kids...

12.  Phrase that is wayyyyy overused right now in our household (and drives me crazy):  "pooh."  (why?  why do little kids love this word??!!)

13.  What we're most likely to be doing if you stopped by:  racing through the house with superhero capes on and having a tea party with fine china.  

14.  Our newest endeavor:  Charts, charts, charts.  Stars for good behavior and completed school work,  nickels for chores.  Anything to try to control this chaos of tiny people with attitudes :)

15.  Our most endearing quality:  cute kids!  very cute kids!

Home Made Lovely House Tour! and my MESSY house photos too

Ooohh, I have some really fun news today! 

My home is being featured in the series Home Made Lovely over at the fabulous Life Made Lovely blog!  So super awesome.  

>>Click HERE to see all the neat and tidy pics of my home tour.<<

And then you can scroll through the rest of this post to see my what my home looked like just minutes after I took the "tidy" pictures.  I'm telling you, this was the very same day!  We really live here, folks.  Honestly, most days I feel like all I do is clean and pick up toys and do damage control.  And I know most of you moms feel the same way sometimes.  It's hard for me to just walk away from the dishes and play picnic with Astair or give my littlest one the attention he craves.  But at the end of the day, all they will remember is whether or not mommy made time for them and let them know they mean more than a clean house.  It's the memories we're making that are the most important, after all.  As hard as these days are while my babies are still babies, I'll never get this time back.  I'm learning that sometimes I have to just embrace this mess:

{little print i made inspired by pinterest}

Just keepin' it real.

thankfulmess

 sometimes I just need to be reminded 

how blessed I am

sometimes I just need to look up

from the mess

and start counting my thankfulness...

it works.

every time.

{instagram plays a huge role}

my thankful list from this weekend...

you. 

 for your one day off since Christmas and our date night.  

how in the world did you manage to work 96 hours last week?  we've missed you.  

you've missed us too.

I love you.

I believe in you.

Thank you for loving me through everything.

you know what I love about us the most?

we're still the same.

we haven't changed.

these boys.

wafflehouse

love this family of mine.

playing the jukebox.

dancing at breakfast.

always an adventure.

exploring the woods.

golden sunlight everywhere.

this little girl.

light-hearted and carefree.

all smiles and sweetness.

pink boots.

finding treasures

in acorns.

homeschool.

our messy nest.

So much to be thankful for.

moms, I think you're just great!

Hey all you mommas out there:

YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!

Forget the dirty look you got when you dared to venture into a crowded store with all of your children (again).

YOU ARE BRAVE!

Forget the rude comments people make about how many kids you have.

YOU ARE BLESSED!

Don't let it get to you when other's criticize your parenting decisions (shots or no shots, public, private, or homeschool, this or that and blah blah blah)

YOU ARE YOUR KID'S MOM AND YOU ARE AMAZING!

You have the hardest job in the world and you are trying the best you can to do it with grace and dignity and love-- endless, selfless, sacrificial love.

So, whaddya say we give moms everywhere a break?  

And, moms, why don't you give yourself a break, too?

You can't compare yourself with anyone else.

No one else on earth can love your kids like you do.

No one else on earth can do what you do.

Motherhood was God's idea.

And His heart is for you, too.

YOU ARE A MOM AND I THINK YOU'RE JUST GREAT!

A Mother's Prayer

Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day, 

With little time to stop and pray,

For Life's been anything but calm, 

Since You called me to be a mom -

Running errands, matching socks, 

Building dreams with matching blocks,

Cooking, cleaning and finding shoes 

And other stuff that children lose,

Fitting lids on bottled bugs, 

Wiping tears and giving hugs,

A stack of last week's mail to read - 

So where's the quiet time I need?

Yet, when I steal a moment, Lord, 

Just at the sink or ironing board,

To ask the blessings of Your grace,

i see then, in my small one's face, 

That You have blessed me all the while-

And I stoop to kiss... That precious smile.

Source Unknown

winner winner

what we've been up to....

a little bit of this...

and a little bit of that...

And a whole lot more in between (lots of blog posts rolling around in my head but mommyhood has kidnapped my brain and when I get it back I'll let you know...it seems to be missing often these days)

But the real reason for this post is to announce the winner of my giveaway!!

->>-->  Paisley Jade!  <--<<-

Hooray for Kristy!!  If you need a smile and some creative inspiration, go check out her blog!  You'll get both in big doses :)  Her family is so much fun and she is super duperty nice.

hey hey it's a giveaway!!

For the littles:

Grace Hill Media sent me Roma Downey's (known best as the pretty redhead from Touched By An Angel) Little Angels dvds to review and give away.  I have to say I was really excited to watch these with my kids!  And they were a big hit.  I'm not a fan of kid's shows these days (I usually end up having to watch the shows with them and provide commentary like "we don't say things like that in this house", "that's rude", "don't try that at home", blah blah blah)  It's gets old, ya know, and now we only watch what I pick out and approve of on netflix.  But even that is limited.  My kids are still so young and impressionable and they're like little sponges.  I want to be careful about what they're soaking up.  

I grew up watching GREAT christian movies like Superbook, The Storykeepers, The Greatest Adventure, and McGee and Me.  My mom sent me some of these on vhs and I've been trying to collect them on dvd format for my kids.  They're awesome tools for making the Bible come alive and teaching it's truths to little hearts.

And now these wonderful Little Angels dvds have arrived on the scene.  And it's. about. time.  My six year old loved them.  My three year olds loved them.  My one year old loved them.  And I am one very happy mom.  Not only do they teach the ABC's to your preschoolers, but they incorporate biblical truths and life lessons in fun and creative ways.  

---->  Just one side note that may or may not be that big of a deal to you, but I ended up having a conversation with my kids about angels and their roles in our lives now that Jesus sent us his Holy Spirit.  The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit teaches us all things and His Holy Spirit is alive within us who have received him.  Not only does the Holy Spirit guide and instruct us, but the Holy Spirt also empowers us to live lives that please God.  The Bible instructs us not to worship angels, they are God's servants just as we are.  We worship Him alone.  Not that these dvd's teach anything contrary to the Bible at all, I believe they were sound, but I just wanted to make extra, EXTRA sure :) 

 (Okay, thanks class for listening to Mrs. Sunday School.  bye bye now.)

For YOU:

Just to let you know, I WILL be buying this book, Kisses from Katie, for myself as well :)  I've followed Katie's blog and her journey in Uganda for a couple years now and I KNOW that this book will be BRIMMING with the life and love and transforming power of a God who does something miraculous with ordinary hearts willing to attempt extraordinary things.  

It's message will change your life.

To Enter:

1.  Follow me on this here little blog 

(so I can find you if you are the winner)

2.  If you don't have a blog, then please leave me your

e-mail in the comment (you can spell it out to protect it from search engines:  joyefuljourney[at]gmail[dot]com)

----------->  WINNER ANNOUNCED NEXT MONDAY!  <-------------

Happy New Year!

    '^:^:^' Sending lots of prayers your way for a new year full of the love of Jesus! '^:^:^'

This Year I am simplifying.

{So I am sure that applies to resolutions as well, right?}

I want to live life simply in the grace of God.

Not striving to be more, do more, have more, make more,

but just resting in what Jesus has already done for me

on a Cross that marked the end of death and brought

a salvation that can never ever be earned.

Always it is free.

No strings attached.

Nothing at all can be "added" by me.

I want to become LESS so that Jesus can become MORE.

This year I won't expect every day to be sunny,

 I won't expect myself to be perfect

or my kids to be transformed overnight into replicas of Jesus 

 (we are born sinful after all and that is the beauty of God's transforming grace).

I won't expect my home to miraculously clean and organize itself

(or myself to miraculously organize it for that matter).

I won't expect too much from my husband, 

I will give him room to grow just as

I am growing and learning, 

and being forgiven.

I won't expect too much from others.

I have been given much grace so that

I can give it away.

Grace and Forgiveness:

What love looks like

when it's lived out.

I WILL expect myself to be THANKFUL

In ALL circumstances

for this is God's will for me

In Christ Jesus.

Thankful for a year that has been full of God's rich blessings:

God's love filling my heart, every single chamber, when it's been torn 

and bleeding from losing pregnancies and dreams

He's held on to me.

A husband who loves me so much it must be how God loves

Four of the most amazing children, definitely the cutest

that make me pictures and write me letters when I'm sad

My six year old washing the dishes for me "because you just need to rest, Mommy"

Spending every day with him and getting to teach him how to read

My one year old taking his first steps and now he's running and riding a scooter and saying things like "sorry mommy" and "ready, set, go!"

His little body fitting snug in my arms, his face in my neck, his hands holding me.

My little girl telling me I'm beautiful and wrapping her sweet little arms around me.

She is my gentle sunshine.

Boston's big bear hugs and the way he runs (sooo cute)  and the way he loves people--with his whole heart.

Family near and far that are always with me in heart.

A never ending source of encouragement, love, and prayer.

ALL the time.

Friends, beautiful friends that show up at my doorstep.  

That call, or write, or send me a message (or leave a kind comment here).

I have been so very, very blessed this year.

And I am thankful for a new year to count my blessings...

Jesus Prince of Peace

"The people who walk in darkness
      will see a great light.
   For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
      a light will shine...

 For a child is born to us,
      a son is given to us.
   The government will rest on his shoulders.
      And he will be called:
   Wonderful Counselor, 

Mighty God,
      Everlasting Father, 

Prince of Peace."

                           ~Isaiah 9: 2, 6

Dearest Jesus,

You offer me peace.

In the last minute hustle of christmas shopping.  

When clerks are rude and customers are rowdy.  

In the frantic holiday baking and the merry present making.  

When my house is a mess and my sinus is dripping. 

You offer me peace.

In my mad dash of wrapping and secretive stashing.

When my kids eat all the sugar cookies and are driving me batty.

Through stubborn winter colds and piles of dirty clothes.

When the husband works late and the babies stay awake.

You offer me peace.

Hands held out, Your gift to me.

And I receive you with joy.

My Prince.

My Peace.

*written and posted Dec. 2010

just because God loves you

..::: this is a repost from last year, but I needed to remind myself to slow down and really see :::...

Her hair hung down in limp and dirty blonde strands and a little girl Astair's age clung to her leg.

 I noticed but I was distracted.  Astair tugged on my arm and twirled in the fast food line.  She danced in circles around me, darting in between my legs, just escaping my grasp.  It was our mother-daughter date night and we chose Arby's.  But my little pixie just couldn't stand still.  Through the corner of my eye I noticed again the pair in front of us and I couldn't help but make the comparison between this mother and her daughter and me and my own.  It was then my eyes landed on the child's bare feet.  And my heart lurched inside me.  No child should be barefoot even in a mild Louisiana December.  

 Astair skipped out of the line and I went to retrieve her, even while I peered more closely at the girl.  Her blonde  hair was pulled back from her face with an office clip and she stared back at me with eyes that looked much too old for her little face.  Eyes that had seen too much of this world.  I smiled and she frowned, her big blue eyes solemn and distrustful.  The lady with the child stepped to the side and glanced at me for a moment.  She wore a plain white t-shirt with nothing underneath and I knew in that instant what she was.  I knew and it hurt my heart.  Wrenched my soul for her and her little girl.  I wanted to help her.  But I didn't want to offend her.  Or hurt her pride.  What if she rejected my help? My mind scrambled for a loving way to reach out to her.  How much had she paid for her meal?  Five dollars? One combo meal?  And what would the child eat?  

 The cashier was staring at me, waiting for my order and I fumbled through it, still desperate not to let this lady leave.  I ordered an extra sandwich and an extra drink and then I approached the woman and the child.  I smiled at her shyly, trying desperately to cover up my discomfort, hoping she wouldn't read it wrong.  I told her I had ordered more food than we needed and I would be so happy if she would accept some.  Her face looked relieved and her humble nod shamed all my selfish fears.  I wished I had bought more, so much more.  I wished I had noticed her earlier, had forgotten about myself for a moment and not been so concerned about her rejecting me.  

 Our food came and I let Astair give the bag to the little girl.  Astair walked up to her so innocently and sweetly, only too happy to share.  But the little girl frowned deeper and hid scared behind her mother.  If my heart wasn't already broken, that would have crushed it.  I could only imagine what this poor child had lived through.  And I wanted to judge the woman for putting her through it.  But I couldn't.  I couldn't.  Not knowing that Christ died for her, that He loves her, that maybe she's never known it.  I gave her a hug and quietly slipped a card into her hand.   A card that read the words "JUST BECAUSE GOD LOVES YOU".  And I smiled at the little girl in the woman's eyes and I whispered "He does, you know."

.....................................................................................................................................................................

I haven't written this to toot my own horn, or to bring attention to myself, because to be honest, I'm ashamed that I didn't give more.  Ashamed that I didn't notice her sooner, that I hesitated in fear of rejection.  I can only pray God will help me take my eyes off myself and notice the needs around me.  And when I see the needs, to rush to meet them.  Arms wide open, bleeding love as my Savior does. 

 Isn't that what Christmas is all about?

He's making something beautiful out of my mess

I found this in my photo archives today and it always makes me smile!  A Christmas card I made of Legend at nine months...tooo cute for words.  It reminds me that it's the little moments that matter the most.  We were hanging out in the back of Joel's little red truck, the one with the Jesus sticker covering the cracked rear window.  The one that ran on prayers for nearly 300,000 miles.  Legend's belly laughs entertained us all, and we entertained each other with the antics we were willing to do just to hear that infectious giggle.

Today was a good day.  We rode the Christmas train and played on the swings in the dark with a million Christmas lights swirling and sparkling in the night.  I sang Christmas carols (all the ones about Jesus) at the top of my lungs because I was that happy and I wanted everyone to know that it's Jesus that brings that kind of happiness.

But the day didn't start out that way.  It began with some failed attempts to run errands and I felt myself desperately hanging onto the sweet moments Jesus held me last night as I cried into my laundry pile.  I literally just climbed on top of the mountain of clothes and cried.  It was late and my little Boston had been throwing up all night the night before and my dear man has been working seven days a week for thirteen hours a day and I've been angry with myself for not being able to "keep it all together" and "just be grateful".  But you know what?  Sometimes it's ok to be weak.  Because when I am weak, God's strength is made perfect in me.  And that's just what happened.  On my laundry pile.  While the prayer room streamed live worship anointed from heaven (I was listening to 2 PM Dec. 15, Thur in archives and 10 PM Dec 15) Jesus met me in my mess.  

Loved me in my mess.

Reminded me that messiness doesn't really bother him like it bothers us.  Like it bothers me.

Reminded me through that phone call from my dad, that amazing phone call where my dad read me scriptures my heart needed to hear.  Read me poems, the stanza of songs.  It is truly beautiful to have a dad that does that.  Truly.  To hear in his voice, that song I always loved by Ann Kiemel Anderson, the one she would sing in airport bathrooms to ladies crying into their purses...

Something beautiful

Something good

All my confusion

He understood

All I had to offer Him

Was brokenness and strife

But He's making something beautiful

Out of my life

Jesus isn't uncomfortable with messy.

He chose to be borne in a dirty, straw laden barn where the stench of animals was pungent and the only bed to lay him in was a manger where the animals had slobbered all over their food.

He chose this.

Humbled himself, so that He could lift us up.  Lived in our messy world (the very messiest parts), to bring us peace with God.  

Making something beautiful out of us all.

make your own nativity sets

DIY Cardboard nativity set on Little Scout

I'm a big fan of nativity sets that my kids can play with.  I want them to play with them, to touch and explore and enact and imagine all the wonder of that miraculous and holy night.  But at the moment, our Joseph is headless, our angel lost its wings, and a poor shepherd boy has gone missing.  We kind of need  a more kid friendly version.  I absolutely love this wooden silhouette nativity from Arks and Animals on etsy.   A nativity the kids can put together and make themselves (with hardly a dent in the pocketbook) is even more appealing, though.   I just love the simplicity of these wooden doll nativity sets.

peg doll nativity by goosegrease

DIY peg doll nativity by Our Life

Just in case my hobby lobby doesn't carry peg dolls, I think toilet paper tubes will work just fine.  There's a fun printable nativity scene that kids can color and create HERE.

And I absolutely L.O.V.E this Gingerbread Nativity idea found on KatherineMaries photography blog (inspired by the one on AOK Corral) ! 

katherinemariesphotography.com

P.S.  Just in case you haven't been redirected to enough sites as it is, I found the Gingerbread Nativity on the happy money saver blog  (which is an awesome blog and totally deserved the shout out).

P.S. #2 My cinnamon apple home scent is making me hungAry!  Thank God I didn't buy the cookie scent--I'd probably gain ten pounds just from the smell of it.

P.S. #3  That was totally random and unrelated.

P.S. #4  Have fun with your nativity set!  Jesus is to be well loved!