A New Week!

Should have shared last week, we sent Bella to get her eyes trimmed so the could see us.   They sent her home with a bow!  The girls LOVED it.  

Sunday provided some naps and roasting marshmallows!   What a perfect day.  We soaked in every minute of nice weather and being outside as we knew it was about to turn cold! 

Sunday Pic

Maggie was not not into pictures!  I had to capture this face! 

So with Bella I finally got a smile. 

We had such a good family night by the fire. 

I just stay watching these two thankful they are mine!  What a big and awesome responsibility.  

Not sure what this face was about but it was so cute! 

Daddy Daughter! 

After the girls went to bed we enjoyed a few quiet moments outside by the fire.  (no make up ha)

Sleepy girls! 

Sleepy G

While Monday’s are hard just getting back into routine after having a few days home relaxing and playing hard as a family they are necessary!  This week our Monday was an extra day off from work and school.  What a blessing.  The girls enjoyed some extra hours of sleep and a lower key morning, we made yummy oatmeal chocolate chip muffins (at Gracie’s request who wants to be in the kitchen all the time), and then managed to get a few other things done including shopping for the week’s theme days at school and massages for both Jimmy and I.   It was perfect!   

The girls enjoyed the week’s themes (Basketball Spirit Week) including beach day, holiday theme (Maggie had Presidents Day and Gracie had St. Patricks Day), Fan day, and White Out day!   It was a fun week for them.   

St. Patrick's Day! She had matching green pants on too.

Thank goodness for Daddy!  He got really creative for President's Day!  See the dollar bill pinned on Maggie with the picture a president?   

After a busy, hard, and good week I enjoyed a Friday lunch date with the girls at school.  I always feel so blessed that I can sneak away and that they are so close!  

We have started to meet up with the May’s on a Wednesday night for dinner at Chick Fil A.  Its perfect as we get a quick meal, we as parents get time to visit and share life and the kids get to play with no clean up after!  Maggie had worn her ND shirt for fan day at school and Gannon walked in with a ND jersey!  They were too sweet.  They all love playing together.   So glad they enjoy each other’s company as much as their parents do!   While the kids were all playing another family came in to play.  The grandmother came out and specifically asked if we had the oldest sister.  We said we did and she proceeded to share what a sweet heart she has.   Gracie was helping their granddaughter who was timid about going up to play and as soon as Gracie started helping the little girl was enjoying playing.   As we told Gracie at bedtime how proud we were of her and what the grandmother had said she beamed!   I love telling my girls how others observe their interactions and heart too!  

This week Gracie one night came home without her glasses.  We spent hours looking at the house as she was certain they were not at school.    I as not a happy Mommy and had to try really hard to keep my frustration and irritation in check (so for that that know me well I did not hide it well).   She needed them replaced right away, they were expensive, budget is tight with the new year (okay, my version of tight as we made it that way so that “every dollar has a name” as Dave Ramsey would say), and this was not in my plan.   With all the wisdom my husband has, Jimmy sent me to gymnastics with Maggie so that he could help Gracie.   When I got home still not glasses but Jimmy’s comment as I went to tuck her in resinated with me and I think always will.  Yes, she is like me.  Yes the same could and can be said about me and I wish it did not.  He said “Don’t beat her up over this.  She is harder on herself than you ever could be”.    Gracie, we are praying that as you grow in all areas you will learn to give yourself grace.   Yourself permission to not be perfect.   The okay to not meet everyone’s expectations.  The ability to know that you are created in God’s image and he has big plans for you, shortcomings and all He will use for His glory!  The rest of the story:    the next morning we checked her desk...there the missing glasses were!   We laughed and I had to recall one time I lost something to share with her (which honestly was really hard as I don’t loose much...... but by God’s design it came quickly).   I was about 8 and shopping after Christmas or my Birthday with my parents.  I had my new purse with cash in it.  After we left the stores and got home it was GONE!  We never found it.    I was glad that I could share this with Gracie as she had a big smile on her face of understanding and reassurance that it was ok!  We love you G! 

We celebrated not having weekend plans!     While we did do some things it was great to just rest and play.   The weather is getting cooler again (it is January so I guess 60 degrees even in Tennessee is not normal) so we were inside more.   Jimmy planned a guys dinner and movie night and the girls and I planned a Mommy Daughter snuggle night!  

While each of our daughters have had their own struggles and at different times required more firm discipline and consequences to behavior right now Maggie is at the top!   Boy she can wear you down!   She is extra whinny and lacks obedience.    We are being consistent in our approach but I told Jimmy as were both were getting frustrated along with consistent discipline we need to be focused on lavishing love.  Extra love.  The love that is hard when she has tested every part of your being.  The love that won’t let her wiggle way until her honey pot is filled back up.  The kind of love that can only begin to grasp how much her heavenly father loves her!   That is big love!    The love that says its not about what you do but who you are!  That is hard love some days but worthy love and the best love! 

Maggie, you bring us to your knees in prayer daily as we seek patience and the extra ounce of love to give you you.  We adore you and are blessed by you.  I know your persistence and ability to not waiver will be one of your greatest character qualities.  I am eager to see how you will use it to further the Kingdom for God!  We love you beyond measure Maggie Doo!