A Better Week!

For those of you who see me (Jamie) often, you know that I can definitely get frazzled by my life. And the last two weeks have been hard...I've felt frustrated and exhausted; I just can't seem to get anything right. Violet continually screams at me that she's hungry, or tired, or upset that she can't reach a toy. And the fact that she doesn't speak hardly at all just frustrates the both of us. Isaac is just, well, Isaac. He is always energetic, but with his short temper I feel like I'm in a constant battle to teach him to "calm down" when he throws fits about not being able to get his shoes on quick enough, not finding the right shirt to wear, not walking fast enough or slow enough on the way to school, etc, etc. And Audrey, although she gets a 6 hour break from us while at school, can think of nothing better to do than start an argument with me or Isaac upon waking up or getting out of her classroom. Aaaaarg! This is not to say that I don't love my kids immensely! Nor would I trade being a stay-at-home mom EVER! But some days the smallest problems seem huge. So last Wednesday, as I'm on my way out to the hospital with Isaac and Violet for a lunch potluck with Randy's co-workers (a welcome break in my day), the song "Mountain of God" by Third Day comes on the radio. I turned the volume up so loud that I could no longer hear Isaac's constant chatter to himself in the back seat and just focused on the words...(if you want to listen to the song, click HERE)

Thought that I was all alone
Broken and afraid
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me

And I didn't even know
That I had lost my way
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me

'Til You opened up my eyes
I never knew
That I couldn't ever make it
Without You

Even though the journey's long
And I know the road is hard
Well, the One who's gone before me
He will help me carry on
After all that I've been through
Now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley
To stand upon the mountain of God

As I travel on the road
That You have led me down
You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me
I have need for nothing more
Oh, now that I have found
That You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me

I confess from time to time
I lose my way
But You are always there
To bring me back again

Sometimes I think of where it is I've come from
And the things I've left behind
But of all I've had, what I possessed
Nothing can quite compare
With what's in front of me
With what's in front of me

WOW! What am I complaining about? I know a God that loves me even more than I love my kids, or my husband! And I follow a God that wants to walk with me every day of my life! Why don't I call out to Him sooner? Why do I let myself wallow in my own self pity? All this to say...this has been a much better week. Since last Wednesday I have slowed myself down, played more with the kids, and tried my best to just talk to God throughout my day. Here are some of the pictures from the last week...snapshots of things that have brightened my day!
Violet at the pumpkin patch last Thursday.Isaac falling asleep for a nap on Friday...practically a miracle.Audrey at her first day of soccer practice last Saturday.Isaac kickin' a goal.Violet and I practicing on the sidelines.Violet and Daddy.