Zoo and Cousins!

This week my cousin Kate and her sweet girls Gwen, Alice, and Tabitha are here for a visit from Killeen. We have had a great time watching the kids play together and get to know each other better. I am kinda surprised we haven't broken something tripping over all the toys scattered around the house though. Those kids sure know how to make a mess! Its fun being able to spend time with family because more and more I am realizing the value of having those connections. We take family and friends for granted too often and I believe we should try to be close with those that we can.

One of the fun (and sometimes stressful) things about the girls playing together, is getting to watch them learn to play with another little person. Its hard when they don't have kids their age around often (Kate and I are both stay at home mommies) and so its been a learning process for them having another kid around to share toys and space with. Listening in on their arguments is fun because it shows just how intelligent they already are and how their tiny little brains are already processing so many things. As I was listening (and video taping..lol) one of their funny arguments, I thought to myself, 'I wonder if us adults sound this silly when we get into arguments with each other?' I wouldn't doubt it! Makes me think about how often we get onto our little ones for things and yet continue to display the same attitudes in our own relationships. Definitely something to think about.

So today we got the kids ready fairly early and packed them all in the truck to head to the Dallas Zoo. Laila has been a couple times but Gwen had never been before today so we thought it would be fun for her especially. As soon as we got there the kids were so excited to see the animals and it was hard to keep their little hands in mine! The first exhibit they saw (and the favorite) was the penguins. They were so fascinated by the penguins swimming around under the water and they had fun pressing their noses against the glass to watch. We then walked through the large animal exhibits and saw the Elephants, Giraffes (my favorite), Cheetahs, and Lions. The girls were amazed to see such large animals so close. Both Gwen and Laila told us that they were planning on riding one of the elephants. I love how their little minds work! They make me laugh. We tried to see the gorillas but because of the heat they were all hiding under an observation building so we couldn't see them. By about two hours in the girls were exhausted and hungry so we decided to pack up and head back home. Of course, the girls had to stop at the penguins again! It didn't hurt that their were also misters by the penguins so it was nice and cool :) Overall it was a fabulous time and the girls had fun. We will definitely have to make more trips to the zoo in the future!

Hope everyone is finding fun activities to do despite the heat!

Stay Joyful,

~Sarah~

Loving HIM: His Mercies Never Fail

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations3:22-23)

This passage came to my mind this morning as I was cleaning and organizing the new house. I was sitting in the 'baby' room putting the crib together and thinking about how things were supposed to be before everything happened with Levi. Its so easy to get lost in those daydreams and let the sadness and sometimes anger consume my day. How could all of your hopes and dreams be gone in one moment, especially when you had no say in it? Its something I truly cannot comprehend and sometimes it doesn't feel real. Its easy to be angry at the creator for changing things when everything seemed to be going so good. "I had so many plans God, why did you have to go and ruin them? I was doing fine before you stepped in and took it all away." I often feel these thoughts and feelings rising within me throughout the day and its hard to push past them. I came across a scripture this past week in Ecclesiastes that really convicted me and I have tried to reflect on this as much as possible.

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions." (Ecclesiastes 7:8-10)

This morning as I sat looking out the window while putting the crib together, its like it totally dawned on me that every day is new. I know that seems silly but it really hit me...why spend time reflecting and worrying about what has been and what could have been? That mindset is not going to move us forward or help us accomplish what we have prepared for us TODAY. Every day we have a mission from the creator. He is trying to accomplish something and if we will only listen to what his plans are for the moment, He might just choose us to accomplish these things. The knowledge of this gives me hope. Whether I can understand it or not, the creator of the universe is making things happen and if I will only reside in Him and find joy in what he has to say today, He might actually choose me to accomplish His will.

This truth is hard to accomplish many days. I'm often angry or sad and I wonder how I will even be able to get through the day much less accomplish anything for someone else. But today the Lord reminded me that His mercies are new every morning. Every day He WILL give us the strength to move forward and accomplish great things. He will always be faithful to us if we are faithful to Him. He allows all things for a reason and if we spend time being sad about His decisions, how can we let Him accomplish what He planned in the first place? I am an imperfect human being and I will struggle with this for the rest of my life but I know that even though I may feel drained and exhausted when I fall asleep in the evening, His mercies are new every morning. I know when I wake up He will once again take my hand and let me walk in His grace. Even a moment in His presence is worth every struggle left to overcome.

Backyard Fun!

This past Thursday my beautiful Aunt Jenny and my cousins Faith and Stephen came over to play and have dinner. Jenny made us an awesome comfort food meal of homemade mac and cheese and the kids had a blast playing! Of course, they couldn't stay out of the water and ended up having a water fight with the hose. I'm so loving having a backyard so we can do things like this! Here are a few pics I managed to get:

Sorry for the blurriness! I was taking these on my phone and through a window. I wasn't risking going outside and getting soaked :p As you can see, Stephen managed to get the most hose time and those girls were soaked!

How are you enjoying your backyard this summer?

Stay Joyful,

~Sarah~

Silly Day

Today Laila told me that it's a silly day and she is going to be silly. She definitely followed through on that one! Love her <3

Hope your day is a little silly too!

Stay Joyful,

~Sarah~

My Prayer

So much has changed in the last two and a half weeks..not just physical things either. My entire view on life has changed as well as my hopes and my desires. I've learned to fear God in a way that I never truly understood before. He is the giver of life and the ruler of death, who are we compared to HIM? This life is but a glimpse of eternity and although we may feel in control, we truly are in control of nothing. He holds our lives in His hands, so shall we not praise Him with every breath we have? When you come to this realization, serving Him in all things becomes the only option left.

Although a new fear of my father has been instilled in me, I have also learned what real love is and how to never take the small joys in life for granted. I often found myself complaining over small things and stressing over the daily things in life. But now when I look back, those were joys that I didn't recognize in the moment. I used to feel like things and people would always be around and that my family was truly mine but what I've come to realize is that nothing is truly ours. Everything is a gift from above and if we view it as that then maybe we wont take so many things for granted.

I used to wake up in the morning and talk to my father in heaven and most of the time I would ask for silly things that I wanted or felt I needed. But now thanks to my precious Levi Andrew, the view from the eyes of my heart has been altered and the true desires of my heart have changed. My prayer now every morning is this...

Abba..Thank you so much for another day of life and of love. Thank you for letting me watch over your precious angels for one more day. Thank you for letting me count tiny fingers and tiny toes one more day. Thank you for letting me kiss angel cheeks for they truly do heal my soul. Let me be a light in their life and a picture of the joy and the hope that you alone have given us. Let me take the time to look into their eyes and learn the lessons you have brought them here to teach me today as well. Let me not overlook the small joys in life in pursuit of something I perceive to be great because this life is so short compared to the glory still to come. Let me be a wife that honors my husband just as your people were called to honor you. Let my heart beat in tune with yours as I go about my day and let me take the time to stop and listen when you whisper your secrets in my ear. Most of all, let everything I do point towards you and let YOUR will be done.