Riding Her bike

Finally!!! We got her to ride her bike...well daddy did!! He was a great coach for her.  We put her back on her smaller bike, and voila! She did it!  We are so proud of her.  Now we need to keep practicing!

Circus Field Trip

Last Friday I got to be mom and go with Olivia and her class to the circus.  It was really good and we had lots of fun.  It was good to see the elephants one last time.  If you didn't know the elephants are being retired to an elephant sanctuary in Florida.  After reading Water for Elephants and Leaving Time, I have a different perspective of animals at the circus.  It makes me a little sad and the circus bittersweet.  Overall we had a fun time with her class! Olivia's favorite part was when there were some acrobats that were glow in the dark!

Valentine's Day

The weekend of Valentine's Day kicked off with a party at school for Olivia! She loved getting Valentine's and treats from her friends!

On Saturday we went to see our friends at our annual Valentine Brunch!

The kids are growing up so fast!

On Sunday we went to a Georgia Swarm game for Valentine's Day.  They played the Buffalo Bandits but they lost.  It was a fun game though! Fun to spend time as a family!!

February Pre K

Olivia had a busy month in Pre K during February! They learned about their bodies and the circus!

Learning about exercise and how good it is for your body!

Her teacher even turned the classroom into a mini-circus!

Olivia can swing VERY well!!

I asked for Grace and Patience and all I got was...

At the end of last summer and as a new school year began I asked for some grace and patience from some friends and all I got was...left alone.  I have thought a lot about posting this for awhile.  Maybe it will be just rambling and maybe it will make sense in the end.

Being a full time working mom is hard.  I think it is difficult doing it with one child and I give mad credit to the moms who do it with more than one child- you are a superhero to me.  Being a full time working teacher mom is also very difficult.

The morning starts with a drop off at Olivia's daycare to her morning before Pre-K care.  She isn't the only one there, but I feel the mom guilt every day when I drop her off.  I pass by the same moms and dads every morning who are doing just the same.  I am not sure if they feel as guilty as I do dropping off their child, but I see something in their face, it is a bond we share, like a secret club and a high five, we can do it.  I then zoom to work in 12 minutes or less and pray that I don't get stuck in the traffic of the high school and get to school on time.  Then for 8+ hours, I try to turn off wife and mom, and be teacher and mom to 26 precious second graders.  I literally never get to sit, answer an email in complete coherent sentences, and maybe get a split second to go to the bathroom while zooming to a meeting.  Then it is the same 12 minute drive to pick my sweet girl up and turn back on wife and mom.  I can't get there fast enough some days.  I get 24 minutes, maybe to myself during the day which is driving my car.  I can't text you, or call because there is a quiet moment that I need as I transform myself to the next person.  Once we get home it is dinner, sometime dance or gymnastics which give me some time to grade my papers, and getting to bed.  Finally after 9 pm, when that sweet girl is in bed, I finish my school work, pack lunches, and get ready for the new day.

Since the summer I let the blog slip, and lots of other things too, because of time...I need more of it. So I tried to explain to some friends that I needed some grace- for not being the friend I could and should be and some patience while I tried to figure out 26 hours in 24 hours, but all I got was left alone.  I was being honest from my heart, and all that has happened was that my heart got hurt. Yes we are busy in this season of our life with life in general.  I don't feel guilty about it because I know His grace covers me, that is all I know and need.  I asked for grace and all I got was left alone and a snarky post on Facebook about what grace means...I guess I didn't know the true definition.

Sometimes life is just messy or we are just busy with life, but God meets us in our mess.  Life is messy and it is never perfect.  I like to say I am and my life is imperfectly perfect.  At 36 years old, I am the person that I am because of all the mess that I have created and been through.  But when a mom is waving a white flag and asks for grace, give it, without question, and ask,  "Is there anything I can do?" Throw a life raft and help try to save me just for a bit, don't walk away and leave me alone, that didn't help either and made my heart hurt.

It is 11:07, I took a time out for me to write this.  Now to make my lunch and get ready for tomorrow, and go to bed.  Looking forward to my grace being refilled tomorrow morning.

40 Days of Hope

We went to church a few weeks ago and the message was about casting your net and spreading the good word of the Lord.

I did that.  For 40 days, and every 5th day, I shared my thoughts with over 600+ women about this devotional book, as part of the Start with Hope Leadership Team.

It was amazing to learn that I wasn't alone in this journey of motherhood.  It was amazing to learn from others through their faith and life experiences.  I learned a lot about myself, a lot about grace, and how you can throw another mom a life raft when they need it the most. I admit I miss our little posts and writings daily.  40 days went by too fast. I miss our group.

If you haven't read these books, I suggest you do. 

Daddy Daughter Dates....why they are so important

This past Saturday, Brendon and Olivia had some daddy-daughter adventures and a dinner date.

They started at Home Depot and made a craft.  Olivia is very blessed to have quite a handy dad.  He has taught her some amazing stuff about building already.

Then when they got home they had some quality camo time...

The BB gun...well he learned that she is not strong enough yet for the trigger.  Still makes me nervous though...

Looking for animals...

Then after a rest, I got her ready for their Daddy- Daughter date a Chic-fil-a.  They went last year and went again.  I admit shed a few tears watching them go.  Not out of sadness but because she is growing up.  In a month she is going to be 5! Crazy!!! I know the time will come when she will start doing everything herself and one day go on a real date (don't want to even think of that!!!).  I think it is really important for Olivia to do things with her daddy like this so she learns how a man should treat a lady.  They had such a fun time at dinner and then went to an arcade and played games.  She had so much fun!! The twinkle in her eye was priceless!