Summer Preview...

We had our first taste of summer this weekend! The kids had off school this past Friday and this Thursday will be the last day of school! Yea!! So on Friday we pulled out the slip-n-slide, the water ballons and put on the bathing suits. It was great fun outside and so nice to not be going anywhere. Just enjoying each other and being home! Then, we had another classic summer activity with some watermelon and a seed spitting contest :)

Saturday rolled around and we repeated many of the same activities with Daddy home and a bit of outdoor clean-up mixed in. We were so excited to be outdoors that we spontaneously decided to go tube the river. We had to gather supplies - tubes, snacks, etc - on the way because we realized we were a bit ill-prepared. But it added to the fun. Benjamin picked this lime green tube and it was so small - but just perfect for him. I wish I had my camera - he was too cute on the river :) It dawned on me that we have entered a new phase of life - no really small children. Which means naps are not always necessary, and we can do things like tubing that even a year a ago were very difficult with Benjamin. I do love babies but it is exciting to be able to enjoy more things with our children - especially since Zach and I love doing outdoor, adventuresome type things. And it's so much easier when I can say, "Okay everybody put your swimsuits on, grab a towel, a drink, and a snack and get in the car" rather than do all that for them.

So then today I was treated to a wonderfully sweet Mother's Day. They woke me up (late) with breakfast and coffee in bed. Benjamin made a vase with a candle in it at MDO for me and has been dying for me to open it since Wednesday. He brought it to my bed and asked if NOW I could open it. It was so sweet to see him so happy to bless his mommy! So we opened gifts that each of the children had made for me, went to church, and then enjoyed a leisurely lunch at the park. I even got to go to the movies with my mom and sister this afternoon. AND to top it all off, my sweet husband went to the store and MADE me chocolate covered strawberries. I feel so very loved and so very grateful for the amazing gift of my family. What a humbling honor and blessing it is to be a mom. To be honest, sometimes I take it for granted and sometimes I get annoyed with my family and wish for more solitude. But when I step back and consider what it means to be a mom, I am awed at the privilege and the joy of this journey. I wouldn't trade it for anything and I am praying that the Lord helps me to cherish each moment and to not get caught up in the busyness and miss the joys that are all around me! Thank you Lord for a blessed weekend!

What out if you see one of these!

The venom of the Coral Snake is neurotoxic, paralyzing the nerves. Often handled with impunity by reckless persons. Usually hangs on while biting, injecting as much venom as possible. There is a high percentage of fatalities from the coral snake bite. Treatment should start as soon as possible.

About three species of coral snakes are found in the United States. All are small, brightly colored snakes. The venom is neurotoxic and attacks the nervous system. Coral snakes have small grooved fangs which are permanently erect. They usually hang on after biting.

Wow - I'm sure glad Zach got him first!!!

Something's Missing!!!

Hopefully you can see that Jadon is missing his first tooth!! He was eating an apple and out it came - it had been dangling for quite awhile... We had plenty of blood and lots of excitement and of course the tooothfairy - he has been waiting for years for his turn while watching his sister rake in the dough :)

So exciting and another reminder of what a big boy he is becoming. Could Kindergarten really be just about over? But what a wonderful year it has been! It's hard to imagine all that Jadon has learned this year and all the ways he has matured and grown.

Guess Who's FOUR?!?

BENJAMIN ELLIOT POTTS!!!

My sweet baby is four...threes are no more . Tonight Ben and I snuggled in bed and looked at his first year baby book. I really can't believe how quickly the time has flown. It just makes me want to cherish each moment because more and more I realize how fast the years go by. Zach always says that time seems to go by faster and faster the older they get - probably because life gets busier. Hmmm...it does make me want to reevaluate and slow down even more, not be rushing so much, just say no to many of the good things available so that we can say yes to the best things.

How thankful I am for this sweet child of mine - he is still my baby even if he is becoming a big boy! Ben's birthday started with us (all of us woke up super early to beat him up) sneaking into my bedroom (he ended up in our bed last night) with a cake lit with four candles and singing him Happy Birthday. I saw this idea on a movie and it has become a tradition on birthdays in our house. He was grinning ear to ear. We then made breakfast, ate cake, and got ready for school. Ben took cupcakes for his class at Mother's Day Out and had a great time celebrating with his friends. He knew that we had a special present for him and could not wait for evening to come so he could recieve it. Ever since we went to Family Camp last Fall and one little boy had a hampster, Benjamin has been asking for one. We have thought that he was too young and that it might not have a long life in our home, but we decided he was now ready. He had quit asking after Christmas, but ever once in a while, he would bring up that little hampster in the ball - you know those plastic balls they can roll around the house in...

So, we had him close his eyes in the living room and out rolled the hampster in the ball. He was so excited to say the least! Of course we may have been equally excited to see his surprise and joy at a gift long awaited! What a special day celebrating Benjamin this has been!

Thank you Lord for creating Benjamin just the way You did in Your image and for Your glory and for giving us the incredible privilege of being his parents.

SICK!

Diagnosed with strep throat today - I have only had this one other time in my life. I forgot how totally miserable it makes me feel - incredibly sore throat, body aches, headaches, burning eyes, sweats, chills...

Makes you all want to come visit, huh?!

I am actually very happy to be alone - I had been saying I needed a day to do absolutely nothing... interesting way for God to answer that request! I have been sleeping, eating soup, watcing a movie, and just feeling sorry for myself :) I am very thankful for the antibiotics I got today and hope they kick in super fast. Allee has her second horse show ever tomorrow and it will be her first time to do jumping classes at a show. I really hope I can make it - but if not - our wonderful trainer (my sis) and my mom are there. We'll see... I'll update more soon.

Exciting News!!!

Go check out my sister's blog!

For those of you who don't know - they have been in process to adopt from Ethiopia for the last year. They got their referral for a precious baby boy on the last day of our trip! He is too cute but we can't post any pictures until he is officially theirs - I think after they go to court. We are all praying for a quick, smooth court date and that they can bring him home as soon as possible (we hope by May).

www.edenhorsefarms.blogspot.com

Home!

We survived the eighteen hours in the car both ways and arrived back home Saturday night very happy but very tired after five straight days of skiing and two on the road! Zach and I had a blast racing each other down slopes, taking on some challenging runs, and enjoying yummy food in the mountain restaurants. We skied with my dad, my brother in law, and even with my sister and mom when they weren't too busy shopping or getting a massage... Sorry guys - I had to say it :) (I actually wished I'd stuck with ya'll when I was totally exhausted with an aching body on the way home!) I do love to ski though - I love the glimpse of the incredible beauty of creation that you can see from the top of a mountain on a blue-sky day, I love the feeling of finally getting into a good rhythm skiing while listening to a great tune on the ipod (usually just before falling), I love racing, I love the cozy mountain restaurants, I love chair lift 10 watching all the experts and those who think they are, I love the quiet peacefulness of the Blue Sky Basin...

The kids did amazingly well. Allee and Jadon picked right up where they left off from last year and progressed to the point that they can now ski just about whatever we ski - just a little slower (that is changing quickly however). Of course, the last day Jadon and I went to very top of the mountain and began our descent. He had to make a bathroom stop at the little place at the very top. By the time we got our gear back on and went outside, a heavy snow cloud/fog had settled over us. We were also, I think, some of the last people left on the mountain as it was getting late. I began to panic for a minute thinking I might lose Jadon in the fog if he got too far away from me since visibility was so bad! I realized too that I had to keep him in front of me because there would be no one coming behind us to help if he fell and lost a ski. So we went on down sticking close together and somehow took a wrong turn in the fog, ending up on a very bumpy black run (the levels go green, blue, black, double black and the bumps made it even more difficult). Not to worry about Jadon though - he just zipped on down handling the moguls (bumps) like a pro! It was me left behind and trying my hardest to stay up with him - my big, long skis just wouldn't turn as fast as his little ones! Jadon was so funny on the mountain - he would fall, roll with skis still on, stand back up covered in snow, and keep skiing - laughing the whole time! Such a trooper!


Allee made the amazing ski school level of "Mountain Five" - this means she was regularly skiing blacks and going all over the mountain with the ski school class. She loves the snow as is of course - "never cold and never tired"! She took on a challenging run at the end of the last day with Zach called The Zot. Jadon then wanted to prove that he could do it too but lifts were closed... I am going to have to take some classes to keep up with these kids next time!!!

Benjamin and Ella (my little niece) absolutely loved the snow and loved skiing at ski school. By the middle of the week they were riding the short chair lift and skiing down the hill. I did try to take Benjamin up by myself one day and it would take too long to describe the craziness of that experience! Apparently the ski instructors know something about teaching little ones to ski that I don't!!! One of Ben's favorite activities was playing 'puppies' with Ella in the loft of our condo - precious memories. I guess he likes that game better that playing Polly Pockets although he did some of that too!

Of course we couldn't get through the trip without just a little bit of this...but he did turn it off and relax most days...

In the evenings we cooked in the room, watched tv all together, took walks in the snow and had snow ball fights - ask Zach about the innocent person walking by who got blasted with a stray snowball intended for Jason - I wish I had a picture of that guy's face as he recovered from the unexpected shock while taking a nice walk with his date :) !!!! We took important visits to the chocolate factory and the candy store. But every night we hit the hay early so we could be on the slopes bright and early the next day...

Jadon and Ben also enjoyed eating lots of snow... seemed kind of yucky but I guess they lived!

We had a wonderful time and are so very thankful for such a great time, but are glad to be back in warm, humid weather - do you have any idea how much better this is for your skin?! I nearly dried out up there! We always appreciate home even more after being gone!

OFF WE GO!

Yep - that's about to be me :) Well maybe not quite but I can dream...

To Colorado we go!


Our bags are packed and we are ready to roll. We are headed off in a few hours for an 18 hour drive into the snow! We are so excited - especially Benjamin who has never really played in the snow before. (He's seen a few snowflakes but not REAL snow you can hold and throw and lay in...) Colorado is having one of the snowiest years in it's history... great conditions for skiing.

Our car is loaded up with snacks and treats, books to read, books/stories on tape to listen to, car games to play, little surprises for boring moments, music, and of course the most important item - the DVD player! Our course then there's pillows, blankets for each child, suitcases close to bursting with heavy ski clothing, an ice chest full of meals we cooked to eat while there, games for the evenings, cameras, the laptop... Gosh what am I forgetting - perhaps I would have been better off making a list of what NOT to take! It's fun though - the preparation is a bit stressful (as everyone would attest to last night :)) but part of the excitement too!

Anyways, look forward to some pictures in the snow when we return!!

Just a note - I know some of you have been wondering when I am going to post an update about Nastya. I will soon - there are reasons why I haven't wanted to post yet about things on here. We do have some positive news and I promise for an update when we get back! Thank you to those of you who keep checking and praying for us in that - don't stop!!

God's Word

Tonight was just one of those nights when Scripture came alive - sometimes I pray and read the Bible and it's just okay or good - I know I am blessed by it but it's not always so apparent to me at the time, other times I neglect reading at all - this always has apparent effects as I always get a wrong perspective, me attitude, worry more, etc.... But then sometimes God just allows a certain passage to speak to my heart - or maybe it just so happens that my heart is softer or more sensitive to His spirit - maybe I am just quieter, or maybe someone has been praying for me.... But whatever the reason, I am thankful for His word.

Tonight we were reading Mark 14 with the kids - Here's what we read

27 And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, because it is written, `I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP SHALL BE SCATTERED.' "But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee." But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away, yet I will not." And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times." But Peter kept saying insistently, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all were saying the same thing also.

They came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here until I have prayed." And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. And He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch." And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. And He was saying, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will." keep watch for one hour? "Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again He went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. And He came the third time, and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. "Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!"

I saw that Jesus knew that his closest friends would deny Him. I know that He knows my failings too. I saw that this hurts him when they are too tired to even pray for him in His greatest hour of need - and this is after He has just humbly washed their feet and has told them that His hour has come. After all Jesus has done for me and the grace and love He continually pours out into my life, I still can be so very selfish and yet He doesn't give up on me. I know that the rest of the story is that He does not treat them with condemnation or disgust at their laziness and lack of serving Him even a little like He serves them. No, Jesus is disappointed and probably hurt but it does not change that He continues to love them and the next day lays down His life for them. And why is He able to do this? Because He is first surrendered to His Father's will -not His own. This is the key to having this spirit of service and grace and love - to be surrendered to the Lord's will not my own will - even when His will is very tough. But I thought of the verse - "For the joy set before Him, despising the shame, Jesus endured the cross..." He focused on the joy that surrendering to the Lord's will would bring. Not right in that moment, but set before Him. I am reminded to keep my eyes of eternity and on glorifying God and not on the fleeting pleasures or discomforts of what I am called to do today. And to keep my focus on Jesus as my example of love and servitude.

I love that when He returns, He does not hold it over them but loves them completely AND puts trust in them to carry out His work on earth. He doesn't give up on us even when we blow it! I know this. But it was good to be reminded of His grace and servant heart.

And to look to Jesus as my model in graciously responding to my children (or my husband, friends, etc) when they fall short - just as my Father in heaven responds to me. And to love not based on the actions of others but on the love with which the Lord loves me. A lofty goal for sure and one that I am certainly not meeting. Okay not just not meeting but completely blowing it quite often! But I see here that God does not give up on me or quit believing in what He can do through me. Thank you Jesus for Your word, for Your grace, for Your love, and for Your example. Thank you that You keep teaching me and loving me. Thank You that You never change! Thank you that You promise that You are faithful when we are faithless.

Yee-Haw

Last night we went to a fundraiser for our childrens' school. Have I mentioned that I love this school? We are truly thankful to be a part of this school and for the friendships we have made! I could go off on all the reasons we are there but if you want to know more - just ask us :)

Anyways, so last night we were at the fundraiser out at Old Texas Town - a lovely area out in the country with pavillions and a big dance hall for events. We had a band, yummy bar-b-q and some silents and live auctions. The kids all played for hours running, chasing, having a hay ride, and DANCING!

The best entertainment of the night (for me at least) ~

And then he finally convinved a girl to dance with him...

Folks, it just doesn't get better than this! I almost laughed until I cried (until of course he broke out of his serious, focused dancing and looked at me - then I told him what a great dancer he was :))...