My week

On Monday Dean had a runny nose.  Uh oh...what is this going to be?

Tuesday it was a full blown out cold.  Poor guy. Then my mind thinks back to all the kisses we all (all 4 of us) shared.  The snacks we traded, the cups and sippy cups that got passed along.

Uh oh,..what is this week going to look like?!

I sit here typing this and both my ears are still slightly clogged...from who knows what.  A sinus cold I suppose.  And I finally, very happily, wave adios to a very quick streak of a cold that ran through me.

And if I think back to this week, I immediately see flashes of two sick kids clutching their lovies (blankies, pacey, monkey etc..) pleading me to hold them while I myself want to be held...but then I also see God's mighty dose of Grace he gave me as well.  It was not the most glamorous week.  

But it was a week where God supplied perfect grace for me, in a perfect portion for me, for each specific day that passed.  And I am a happy and contented woman because of it!

All these pictures are from three weeks ago.  When everyone was well.  I hardly took pictures this week.  And I am not sure if I would wanted to have documented it all anyways...




But see Ella Reese?  How pretty and content she looks. So clean, well groomed, so happy. Well this week she was wiped out by her cold, and a bad cough.  No energy at all.  She even put herself to bed for a nap on her own two times this week at noon.  I gave her a cookie one day after lunch to try to cheer her up a tad, and I look over and she is eating it lying on the floor of the kitchen.  After 3 bites, she tells me she is done and wants to go to bed.  While she was feeling the effects of her cold, Dean was just getting over his.  Wednesday Dean was literally running back and forth the house doing a Brave Heart-like roar, and ER asks him "Dean, please settle down".  It was hilarious.

Wed is also the day my cold hit.  Hard.  My throat hurt so bad I thought I had strep.  And also my ears clogged up.  Weird, I know.  They still are a bit.  And yesterday and today I had zero energy.  Zip.  Today I literally had to TELL me feet, "okay,  one foot in front of the other...yes, yes,..that is it. Now the other.  Your childrens' well being depends on you moving your body".  And miraculously after I woke from a nap today, I felt 60% better.  Amazing! 

 I have been reading Spurgeon's Morning and Evening devotion.  And this particular meditation caught my attention this week.  It has been a great encouragement to me as I faced each day unknown of ...well what was in store for me.  But reading this only gave me pause to thank God for his very kindness to me each day.

"And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life."  2 Kings 25:30

Jehoiachin was not sent away from the kings palace with a store to last him for months, but his provision was given him a daily pension.  Herein he will picture the happy position of all of God's people.  A daily portion is all that a man really wants.  We do not need tomorrow's supplies: that day has not yet dawned, and its wants are as yet unborn.  The thirst that which we may suffer in the month of June does not need to be quenched in February, for we do not feel it yet, if we have enough for each day as the days arrive we shall never know want. Sufficient for the day is all that we can enjoy.

We cannot eat or drink or wear more than the days supply of food and raiment; the surplus gives us the care of storing it, and the anxiety of watching against a thief.

One staff aids a traveler, but a bundle of staves  is a heavy burden.  Enough is not only as good as a feast, but is all that the greatest glutton can truly enjoy.

This is all that we should expect; a craving for more than this is ungrateful.  When our father does not give us more, we should be content with his daily allowance.

Jehoiachin's case is ours, we have a sure portion, and a perpetual portion.

Here is surely ground for thankfulness!

Beloved Christian, in matters of grace you need a daily supply.  You have no store of strength.  day by day you must seek help from above. It is a very sweet assurance that a daily portion is provided for you.  In the word, through the ministry, by meditation, in prayer, and waiting upon God, you shall receive renewed strength!   In Jesus all needful things are laid up for you.  Then enjoy your continual allowance.

Never go hungry while the daily bread of grace is on the table of mercy. "

- Spurgeons Morning and Evening / February 14 morning reading

Is that not so very encouraging to your soul!!?
God is so kind to provide salvation and a new heart!  Then after that he continues to give us grace after grace.  

On another note:
This Friday evening we had such a great time as a family.  I have been cooking all new recipes the past two weeks ( Thanks to my All Recipes App on my phone! The bomb! I love it! ) and did a Shrimp and Linguine dish.  Thumbs up!  Even the kiddos loved it! We had an early dinner, got into our swimsuits and got into the hot tub. (Someone gave it to us, come and take a dip anytime!).  Kiddies got a bath and then we went to Ella's room, and Ryan came in and turned off the lights and told the kids we would do shadow puppets.  So fun! We all snuggled and read books then did our nightly Bible reading.  It was such a fun memory.  Then Ryan rented us a movie from Redbox and we snuggled on the couch.

Last night we did a Pajama Party.  Ella came to me one day last weekend and told me she wanted us to do a pajama party.
"Oh, what is that and what do you do?", I asked.
"Well, the girls put on pajamas, and we put on makeup, eat snacks and play dress up...and the boys do LOUD stuff like kick balls and play superheros."
So each night we could not do it b/c of whatever reason, so we did it last night.
And that is exactly what we did.  Ella Reese and I went to her room and we dressed up, she put bows and jewelry on  me.  We played tea party, made beaded jewelry, played princesses, had snacks...it was really actually very fun!
She was so sweet and adorable.  She called me "Queen Mama" and she was my "daughter princess".  She spoke so kindly and sweet to me.  We even had conversations.  She asked me how my day was and what did I do today.  I sat in utter amazement. Is this really my child? The one that is almost always doing acrobats in my house, and every other breath is a request for some kind of a treat?
In the other room Ryan and Dean did "boy stuff".  At one point they were playing soccar and I said to Ella, "wow, they are loud.".
To which she replied matter of factly, "I told you."
It was super fun and Ella Reese was so sad when we had to end it.  She told me, "mom, can we do this again next summer?".
Which I laughed b/c everything FUN we have done this summer, I have told her that we will do it again next summer.  Cousin Camp, pool/water days, splash pad, free movies at the theatre etc...

Intermission for some Dean cuteness...
He was reading one morning and I suppose could not figure out how to take his pj pants all the way off.  So he left it.

 His, why are you taking a picture of me.  I am going to make a mean face at you now...

Just kidding! I will be super cute instead!

Ella Reese trying to remedy Dean's PJ problem. 

So I sign out tonight very aware of God's love and kindness to me.
And I am actually very thankful for that cold that swept through our home.  It weakened me indeed.  Mentally, physically.
But it is almost always those times of weakness that the Lord does mighty things in my soul.  Moves my heart.  And there is no other way that this stubborn, proud and self- righteous girl would see that otherwise!

Happy Labor Day Weekend !