Back To School 2015

 

One of my favorite things to do is back-to-school pictures every August. 

It is so fun to compare the years and see how much God is growing these little people!

I am always in AWE that God has brought us this far. He has kept us all alive.

Here are some blast-from-the-past pictures.

(sorry, I always pull these back up but it blows me away how God has been with me every step of the way since He asked me to teach the children His Word at home.)

 My first "back-to-school" photo: 

 Our old school room is no longer there. Sniff, sniff. (Now it is Rhett's room).

God met us in that room in POWERFUL ways.

 The children just keep growing... and growing...

 And God gave us more and more!

I fought HUGE battles for everyone of these children.

I got very ill after my second son was born and the doctors told me I wouldn't be able to have
any  more children.

"But he lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks."

Ps 107:41

So, today... I REJOICE in God's goodness.

In His victories.

In His equipping.

In His calling.

In His sustaining power.

In His grace.

In answered prayers.

In MOTHERHOOD.

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Back to pictures from TODAY....

I would like you to get to know our baby a little more.

I haven't blogged much about him.

He is our WILD child. I spend hours a day cleaning up his messes.

He is very good at making messes. The kind it takes a long time to clean up. 

He spills huge things of hundreds tic-tacs, or dumps tiny pieces of paper, or explodes a can of Dr. Pepper in the pantry. He is strategic!

God answered my prayer and made my sick baby strong like Samson.

Whenever I want to pull my hair out, I just laugh at the power of God and how He truly does answer prayers. 

I will let you draw your own conclusions about him from these pictures...

In the next ones, you will see him notice Hope's blue head band...

This is him right before he grabbed a chunk of Crew's hair...

 then he cried...

He then decided it would be best to just leave...

I think he gives school picture day a BIG THUMBS DOWN.

He keeps us hopping. I look forward to his naps--- lol.

He is so full of energy and I praise God for it.

We all love him so much and pretend that he isn't totally NUTS.

Because deep down, we all are too.

:)

I love being with these children.

They know that the #1 reason I homeschool them is because God asked me to teach them His Word.

They seem to love it as much as I do.

More than anything, I want them to understand what really matters.

  "I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.  

For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 

May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ —for this will bring much glory and praise to God."

Phil 1:9-11

Summer is over but we had a wonderful one.

Baseball, Birthdays, Friends, NO SCHOOL!, etc...

I love this picture of Reece.

It is HIM. 

Sweet... and with his UT cup.

Braves game!
We stayed downtown on the 57th floor. I was so scared. I would only do this because I love my boys so much. I couldn't get back on the ground fast enough!!! I DO NOT like heights.

 Hope hangs with her brothers.

It's all she knows. 

She does what they do.

She has no idea that most little girls don't do this stuff...

 Val... introduced me to Tim and has been a BFF for almost 15 years.

I tell her my children are really "her fruit".

My precious friend who overflows with mercy and unconditional love.

I love being her friend. 

So does Hope.

 I can still do a back flip and wake board!!!

 I feel 150 years old but I can actually still do a couple things. 

That was really encouraging!

And, lastly, a surprise trip to Disney for four little girls...

 This is my all-time favorite picture of Hope. 

I just wish I knew how to edit the lunch out of her teeth.

Thankful for other women who challenge me in my Christian walk.

My precious grandmother, who I loved dearly, went home to be with the Lord on August 18th.

Even though we don't grieve as those who have no hope, we still grieve and will miss her so much.

Hope especially loved her. 

It was the one year anniversary of her son's death (my dad). My godly grandfather said it was God's way of telling him they were safe and they were together.

Their love story is one of the most beautiful love stories I have ever seen.

We had just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary days before she passed away.

My grandparents lives had a HUGE impact in my life. They are also impacting my children.

As soon as I can, I will share with you a real-life fairytale...

My heart is still in disbelief that my dad and my grandmother are no longer here.

We really only get one shot at this life.

I want to leave a legacy.

I want to serve so hard that good works trail behind me after I die.

 “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; 

for their good deeds follow them!”

Rev 14:13

Mommas, let's be HARD WORKERS.

What we do today could impact future generations.

Be Blessed~

Steph