God sings to us.......

Little miss smiley pants :)

Justice Brielle Gifford 

7 weeks old

Bright eyes

I love my daddy!!

So here I am.....almost 2am!! Shouldn't I be sleeping while my sweet little one is sleeping?? Probably so.  Let's not mention the obvious fact that I am terribly behind on updating my blog!! Hopefully my little Facebook vacation will help me be more faithful in journaling more. Facebook is a REALLY good way to cheat and a good way to be lazy when you don't necessarily want to write a lengthy post!!     But enough about my lazy ways, let's get to the good stuff.  Justice Brielle is now almost 2 months old!! How the time is FLYING!! The more children we have, the faster the hours turn to days, days to weeks, weeks to months, and before you know it years are just zooming by!! Needless to say, Justice has completely stolen our hearts(as her predecessors have before her). She's been smiling more and more over the last week and she's even giving us little squeals and giggles. It's truly amazing and incredibly sweet. She's learning how to express herself and it's precious. Tonight I held her, rocked her to sleep, and sang to her. Well, I was singing to her until I got caught up in worship and then the Father began to sing over us. It was a beautiful time. There is something about being a parent that gives you a tiny glimpse into the Father heart of God and the incredible love that he has for His children.  The love I feel for my children is sometimes overwhelming. I would do anything for any one of them. How much more would the Father pursue us to the ends of the earth?? His love is a FORCE......He is after us. He loves us so much...  


Zephaniah¹⁷ The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.

The Kids

Wanted to type an update on the kids!! They are growing and changing so FAST!! Hard to believe that in a couple of weeks they will be joined by another little blessing from God!! We are so incredibly blessed!! Everyday the kids are learning something new and teaching me something new as well. Life is always an adventure with them.  Lately the challenge has been keeping them quiet while daddy is sleeping. James is now working overnights so we try to not be too wild in the house while he's snoozing!! That can be quite a challenge with a busy five-year-old and three-year-old. So thankful for the warm weather and the big back yard though. That makes it so much easier!! We will have to get creative during the coming winter months!! Enjoying the weather and the ability to be outdoors as much as we can!!

Zechariah update: Zechariah is and always has been our ball of energy. He's never lacking in it!! He's always excited about life and whatever we're doing.  He's probably one of the most curious and inquisitive people that I've ever been around.  He's ALWAYS asking questions.  Since he could talk he's been asking questions. When he was little it was "WHY?" about EVERYTHING.  Now, he has me convinced that he's going to work for the CIA one day!! For example, a couple of months back we were visiting PriceCutter. While shopping, I became fatigued and nauseated(thank you pregnancy).  I had to stop and sit and really needed to get something in my tummy.  The kids were starving so I went ahead and got the kids and I something to munch on and went and sat down in the deli area.  Right away Zech noticed the only other person in the deli area, a man eating by himself. Zech took the liberty to walk over to the table where the man was seated and proceeded to sit across from him uninvited. "Hey, what's your name?" The man told Zech his name(I can't remember). "That's a good name. How old are you?" The man told Zech his age. "My dad is 30. He's bigger and stronger than you." Ouch. The man was very amused by Zech who continued to sit and ask detailed questions about his life, where he worked, what he did, what he was eating, and if he had kids.  This is pretty much what happens EVERYWHERE we go. Zech makes friends everywhere. He talks to EVERYONE who will answer him. If I stop long enough in an aisle when we are out and somebody walks by it's a guaranteed conversation.  He's always always been this way. There is not a cashier that checks our groceries out that doesn't become engaged in conversation.  He's a natural people person and he genuinely cares about the people around him.  We were in Walmart a few weeks ago when he saw a woman in one of the electric scooter carts. We pulled up next to her to grab some chicken and of course, Zech took the opportunity to talk to her.  Nothing gets by Zech, he notices everything and he noticed a brace on the woman's wrist. "What is that?" he asked her.  She told him of how she had very bad arthritis and how it had crippled her wrist.  "Take it off" he told her.  She explained to him that she couldn't take it off because of the pain that was in her wrist.  Zechariah was not satisfied with that. "TAKE IT OFF" he told her again.  "It's going to be better. Jesus is going to heal it." The woman finally took the brace off and Zech was finally satisfied when he prayed for the woman's wrist. He just could not be satisfied with that woman hurting or something being wrong with her.  Zechariah is VERY perceptive and has a pretty keen spiritual awareness for a little guy. We are always learning from him.  We were driving home from the store several days back when we saw an ambulance. Zech:  "A firetruck mommy!!"
Me: "No baby, that's an ambulance" Zech: "What's an ambulance?" Me: "An ambulance takes people who are hurt or sick to the hospital." Zech: "Why do they take them to the hospital and not to the church. If they are sick God can heal them. They shouldn't take them to the hospital." Me: speechless!!

Let's talk about school. Zechariah is SMART!! We sometimes have challenges with him listening to directions and focusing but he is super smart. We are slowly working our way through his kindergarden curriculum. So far, it's mostly review of things we already have learned. He can proficiently and pretty neatly write all of his letters, knows all of their sounds, is reading basic words, knows his numbers, basic addition, some clock reading, and all kinds of other things.  The more we work, the more improvement I see and it's really fun watching him learn and discover!!

When it comes to size and growth I think Zech is finally getting a little taller. He still is not, by any means, tall for his age.  He's still small for his age and is so thin!! He's definitely picked up in eating(he eats a ton) but I don't know where he puts any of it!! You can see every one of his ribs!! I was looking at pictures from last year and I am really noticing how much he has changed into a little boy!! He is really losing that baby look :( And he's really becoming quite the big boy. Such a good helper and such a good listener. So thankful for him!!

I'll try to get Eden's update done tomorrow :)

Cool enough for Hot Cocoa :)

After a talking with his friend Moriah for the LONGEST time in his room(sleepover) he had to get up to go potty. He came in to see me in the living room for a minute and fell right to sleep. If this little boy falls asleep like this, you KNOW he's wiped out!!

Eating apples(a favorite snack) and getting ready to play outside.

Harvest party at our friends' church in Carthage. Eden was a butterfly and Zech was a baseball player.

They love their new back yard. Here they are playing on the "tater totter" as Eden calls it!!

Totally cute but fake smiles :)

Now, these are real smiles!! Something about chocolate that can get a real smile out of anyone!!

Is it focused right??

As most of you know I LOVE to take pictures...and as most of you could guess my husband(although he very lovingly supports my passion) isn't as big of a fan of taking pictures or being in them.  He especially isn't fond of using my DSLR digital camera. There's something about the manual focus that always gets the best of him.  It's not that he can't focus it, he just always ends up focusing on the wrong thing. For example, if he's taking a picture of me and the kids, you might get a very crisp image of the trees behind us but me and the kids? Not so much....we're usually blurry and vague.  

Tonight I was thinking about how often we focus all of our energy just like my husband focuses that camera....we focus...but on the wrong thing.  So often we have our eyes fixed on what needs to be fixed, or on what's broken, and suddenly we no longer have a clear image of life.  You see, we are all broken and we all need to be fixed. None of us are perfect.  There are areas in all of our lives that we desperately need God to heal and restore. Everyday I am very clearly aware, as all of us are, of my own shortcomings and character flaws.  We live in a culture of perfection where everything is airbrushed, trimmed down, and painted over. If it doesn't look good you can photoshop it.  If it's not big enough you can enhance it.  We've become so good at covering our flaws that we've lost our ability to be vulnerable. There is no room for imperfection, no room for flaws. Just like Adam and Eve, when we realize something that isn't right in our lives we run for cover and grab the fig leaves.  We become so focused on our wrongs that we run from God.  Most of us experience this in some way every day because we don't really understand the UNCONDITIONAL love of the Father.  We see our sin and where we fall short and we run. But let me tell you something....Jesus is the ONLY WAY you are accepted by the father. You and I will NEVER be perfect enough in our own ability.  John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me. If we focus on ourselves we will always be disappointed. But if we can get our focus on Jesus, on the cross, and realize that it was never about what we could do, we will begin to see a clear image.  Remember if there wasn't darkness, why would we need the light? If there wasn't sickness, why would we need a healer? If we were perfect, why would we need a savior?  It's in our vulnerabilities that God meets us. When we realize that we can't do it without Him, He shows up. 2 Corinthians 12:9  But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your]weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! 

When we begin to focus on God in our lives, hope is birthed. Focusing on where God isn't will always bring depression and deviation. The enemy will ALWAYS try to use our weaknesses, what others have said about us, and our own insecurities against us. But begin to focus on God in your life. Where is he? He's only a whisper away. I always tell my husband "It's so easy" when he uses my camera. "Just turn the little band until the image becomes clear."  That's just what we need to do in life....just turn the focus of our heart until we see a clear image. An image of hope and an image of destiny. You and I were created for great things. God truly does not make mistakes. And I will promise you, he's bigger than any challenge that you might be facing. Bigger than any sickness, bigger than any lack, bigger than any sin. Just when Moses saw Pharoh's army closing in and he wondered how he would ever get across the river, the water parted!!! The darkness might seem to be closing in on you but GOD is right there with you and His word says that He will NEVER leave or forsake you!! And I promise that as you focus on Him, get your eyes off of your own shortcomings, He's going to show up in a big way in your life!!

The Overly Creative Mind

Just a short story to share an experience yesterday. Have you ever met somebody that always has to elaborate on everything?? They always outdo themselves?? My son is one of these people. He has to get it from his dad. Yesterday I asked him to take my cellphone and put it on the table. So he took the phone and I just forgot about it. Later when I went to look for my phone, upon remembering that I'd given it to my son, I went to the table. Alas, there it was. On the table. In a vase of water. But it WAS on the table. He just elaborated a bit. Obviously it would be much safer in a vase of water.

A Lesson from Children

Learning from Children

Laundry is folded, ironing is done, floors are mopped, rugs are vacuumed, homeschooling completed, exercise done, bathroom cleaned, children are bathed and in bed(with their teeth brushed), and the dishes are...well, still in the sink(only tonight's). Whew! All in a days work. And now miraculously, I am updating my blog. If you're a mom and you're reading this; I hope I'm not making you feel like an under-achiever. It's been several months since I've updated my blog(but I promise it hasn't been that long since I cleaned the bathroom:). I will probably even have time to shower tonight. Now that's an accomplishment!!

In the life of a mom everyday is a grand adventure and everyday I am learning. As a new mom, 4 years ago, I had a different idea. When I first looked at the sweet newborn face of my son Zechariah, all of my thoughts evolved around the things I would teach him. This helpless creature in my arms needed to be taught so much. But in the months following I began to understand that this little person would teach me more in a day than I could teach him in a life-time. And the lessons that our little ones teach cannot be taught in a text book. The lessons learned with children are often to unlearn. Confusing, right? Let me explain. Our primary motivation in life, as humans, is my, me, mine,myself. Then here along comes a baby. He interrupts MY sleep, he takes much of MY time, he spits up on ME, I don't spend as much time with MY husband....you get the idea. All of our selfish notions start to be shaken up a bit. We start to understand at a greater level that our lives truly do not belong to us. We have to unlearn our selfishness. We have to learn patience, unconditional love, servanthood and it becomes a life long journey.

I never dreamed at 21 I would be a mommy. No, I had grand plans for myself. First I would finish my undergraduate degree. I would be so successful that I would receive a full scholarship to NYU to do my graduate program. Upon completing my graduate program, I would begin my successful career in Art and live in a loft apartment in NYC. Yes, I had it all mapped out. A life of luxury and success is certainly what I deserved. BUT GOD ran into me...or I ran into Him. Or maybe we were both running and collided?? I'm not sure. But somehow, He took ahold of my heart and showed me HIS plans. And they were so much BIGGER than mine. They were so much more exciting than mine. And you know what?? They didn't revolve around me.

Somehow, as children we are taught that we need to be successful, get married, have two kids, own a nice car, buy a house, put a picket fence around it, get a golden retriever, and retire. Between waitressing, and working several customer service jobs I came to the realization that many of the folks who live in the house with the white picket fence and the golden retriever aren't very happy. No, they don't seem happy at all. As a matter of fact, some of them are downright sour. You see, it's very unfulfilling to live a life for ourself. To spend a month working for a check so that we can have(fill in the blank). Often times our whole lives are lived so that we can acquire stuff. We work so that we can pay a mortgage, buy a car, buy clothes, buy our kids clothes, ect. BUT GOD created us for HIMSELF. He created us to fall in love with Him, to stay in love with Him, and to be so in love with Him that we spread the love to other people...like a disease. A love disease. Of course, there is nothing wrong with owning a home, having a car or clothes(actually please make sure you have some:). But where is our heart? Is it wrapped in our own selfish desires? Or is wrapped in the Love of God?

Everyday, I see a new area of selfishness in my heart. Oftentimes revealed by situations with our children(they really are good at that). So everyday is an opportunity to let go of our own desires and to take ahold of the heart of God. Remember, the adventures He will take us on are so much grander than the plans we make for ourselves. His plans are so much more fulfilling.

BUT GOD....who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.....Ephesians 2:4

A Mommy

Today was a challenging day. If you're a mom you know exactly what I'm talking about. When I was expecting Zechariah(our first), I had such grand expectations of motherhood and NOBODY could tell me any different. I would have the sweetest, most obedient, smartest, most well trained child that ever lived. In fact it would be reading, pooping on the potty, dressing itself, and singing songs from the sound of music by the age of one. My husband was even convinced that our child would be so amazingly amazing that it wouldn't even cry, it would be a child full of peace. Isn't our concept of parenthood so "off" before we actually have a child of our own? It doesn't matter how many children you've been around, until you have one of your own you have NO idea. You have no concept of what an emotionally, mentally, and physically challenging job it is. Take the cue from pregnancy!! Nothing about children is easy and quite personally I think that God set it up that way. Yes, I said, I think that God set it up that way. You see, God wants us to depend on Him but because we are so stubborn and so independent(or self-dependent), for us to take the cue and realize we can't do it on our own He puts us in challenging situations. He stands at the door of every difficult situation and knocks. "My grace is sufficient for you," He says "Come to me and I will give you rest for your weary soul." We get so caught up in being a good mommy or being a good wife but we forget that we can't do it on our own. Our trying to be a good anything is a failure from the get go. to be continued...........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuCWfRoUmMQ&feature=player_embedded