Kids and Popsicles.....

It's that time of year already! 

Eating popsicles on the front porch in March.  

It was a good day.

 

Spring And All It Brings....

I know my moments as of lately have been few and far between here on my blog....not intentionally mind you. I have so much to share with all of you, but have been watching the moments literally fly by while I am.....

.....reading to my lovies, laughing, being peacemaker when there are disputes, going for walks, finding missing lego pieces, praying, housekeeping, homeschooling, having quiet time with God, trying to get to bed early, caring for a sick little one, serving my family, loving my husband, getting together with families from church, music lessons, talking long distance with family and friends over the phone an face time on the Ipad, planning a garden, making meals.....you get the picture.

We are celebrating new life here.....enjoying all of the rain and sunshine bringing forth the bright colors popping out of the ground, and soon to be seen buds on trees. Spring is a close second as my favorite season, as Autumn is my first. 

I am starting my Spring cleaning along with reorganization of my time management and am hoping to make blogging more of a priority than it has been as of lately. Many moments upon the horizon to share with all of you. Four Sweet little faces enjoying their childhood, and one mama trying to take it all in and savor these blessings in life, capturing as much as I can through my lens.

Here is a little splash of yellow that can be seen in the front of our home. I thought it would be best to snap a photo now, as I am sure a well meaning child will eagerly pick the flower and quickly bring it inside for mama to put it in a vase.

The Little Boy.....

 I have a little boy who is not a baby anymore.....even though I still call him my baby.

I am amazed at his imagination.....

I smile as I listen to his truck sound effects.....

His chubby little hands are a joy to watch as he maneuvers his machines.....

He is content and happy playing with his new toys.....

It's not often that I would describe a child as truly being content.....but in this moment Luke really was. It made me ask myself...am I content with all that God has blessed me with, or am I always wanting more?

My prayer is that God will work in me, and that I will be content in all things.....being thankful right where God has me. Whether that be at home on a good day with my lovies or up all night with a sick little one. Circumstances shouldn't rule my contentment....the Love of Christ in my heart should. 

It's amazing the thoughts that are provoked simply by watching an 18 month old little boy play with his toys. Yes....my lovies have a way of talking to my heart, even if they don't realize it. 

Love.....

I love fresh starts.

I love Jesus.

I love my husband and my 4 little lovies.

I love being a wife and a mama.

I love my family and the time we were able to visit while back in PA.

I love savoring the small but sweet moments in life.

I love keeping this online journal, helping to preserve many of the precious God-given moments in my life and the life of my family.

I love the fact that some of you like to read about and see photos of our lovies....it helps motivate me to share about our life.

I love looking forward to a new year.....of memories waiting to be made.

The Gospel Pumpkin.....

 After choosing a pumpkin at the farm, our lovies are always eager to carve a silly face on it. And every year their Daddy takes this time to talk about The Gospel with them.  

He starts off by talking about what it means to be a Christian.  And that immediately leads to teaching them about sin....and the sinful nature we are all born with.

When we grasp what sin really is, and the just punishment that we deserve as sinners...it should make us stop in our tracks, and really think about this life now, and what happens when this life is over.

Lots of people don't like, or even want to think about that, it's too deep and makes them feel uncomfortable whether they admit it or not....God has never said in His Word, that being a believer is supposed to be comfortable....in fact, since I have become a believer He is constantly taking me out of my comfort zone to live a life for Him.

I  have seen different responses to sin....here are a few...

Unfortunately, an all to common response....well, I know I'm not perfect, but I'm a good person...and really not coming to terms with the fact that they do indeed sin against a holy God and do need a Savoir, no matter how small they think their sin is, and no matter how hard they try to earn their way to heaven.....you can't earn eternity, it is a gift.

....or some just flat out believe....there is no God and I answer to no one, when your're dead your dead, end of story, and that's just plain scary to me.

There are some people who are convicted by the Holy Spirit and not only recognize their sin, understanding that they were born with a sinful nature, and are sorrowful which leads to  repentence, seeking to turn away from leading a life of rebellion. Understanding that they do not  have the power within themselves to earn their way to heaven, to have eternal life....no matter how hard one could try....and that the only way to be right with God is to confess their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savoir....believing with their whole heart that God indeed sent His only Son into this world to take on the punishment that we so justly deserve.....clinging to the hope that is in Christ, in His life, death and resurrection, and the forgiveness from our sins that we have through Him.

God extends His beautiful hand of Grace to sinners. When you are trying to help an 8, 6, 2, and 1 yr. old, understand sin....using a visual illustration is sometimes helpful.  So as they removed the top of the pumpkin and looked in and saw all of the yucky stuff inside, Jared talked more in detail about the yuckiness that we all have inside of us...and that it is only by God's grace that our hearts are changed, and the yuckiness cleaned out. 

Yes...Christians still sin...every day. Having said that, the difference between the believer and unbeliever is where our hope lies and where we will spend eternity. As believers we have confessed our sins, and know that God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. It is by the work of His Holy Spirit that He continues to conform us to the image of His Son...a process called sanctification. 

As you can see Nate's face when seeing the yuckiness inside the pumpkin....as believers this should be our response....to be repulsed by our sin, and to prayerfully seek God for strength and wisdom to live this life pleasing and honoring to Him....which I will confess is much easier said than done.  

But we must not wallow in our sin....that is where we must cling to Christ.  A heart of humility, understanding that it is God who has done a gracious work in our hearts. 

If you are still reading this post.....I know this is alot to digest....maybe you gave up reading and are just looking at the cute photos of my lovies.

Or maybe you are still reading....and thinking....and maybe you are feeling a bit uncomfortable that I am talking about this on my blog.

Maybe you are a believer and are nodding as you are reading this....praying for those you love  that are not yet saved.

God has entrusted our 4 little lovies into our care. Their lives are an enormous blessing and even greater responsibility to us.  At times our hearts are burdened because we are reflecting on the example that we are setting for them, and we recognize our failure in areas....however, God does a mighty work as we raise our lovies. He is humbling us, leading us to rely on Him. We do hold to the truth that it is God who does the changing, and as parents we must be obedient to the calling that God has given to us to raise our children in a Christian home.

So this is our Gospel Pumpkin with it's silly smile. 

God provides plenty of daily opportunities for Jared and I to teach our lovies about our amazing Lord. We hope that as they grow and have families of their own, that God would bless the upcoming generations with salvation. And that our lovies would think of their Dad and his message about sin and forgiveness each time they carve a pumpkin with their own little lovies. 

God's love is truly amazing....that He would send His only Son to die for sinners.

"...For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,...."

Romans 3 23-24

Us in October....

Have I mentioned how I absolutely love this time of year? Well....now you know. I am one of those odd balls who long for the dog days of summer to end and for the cool crisp beautiful autumn season to begin....it took a lot longer for it to arrive here in Indiana compared to New Hampshire, (I heard they even have snow already!)

Last night we spent time with our church family. It was Battle of the Chilies...an awesome harvest party with a huge bon fire and hayrides....oh and lots of good chili. 

Our lovies had an absolute blast. I took lots of photos, but since we are still getting to know folks, I did limit taking photos of others, I decided to only post photos of my kids on my blog. (I do try to protect other people's privacy) Our new family will soon get used to me carrying my camera around. In the above photo Nate and Lauren are playing "Ring around the Rosies"....their new favorite game to play together...so cute.  

Their little faces had curious and amazed expressions as they lit the bonfire. I love these sweet moments when I get to witness my lovies getting excited over something as ordinary as lighting a fire. Luke stood there trying to blow it our for a while....he makes me laugh.

Noah of course had a great time. He loves getting together with his buddies. I love the way he naturally steps in and cares for his brothers and sister when we're out and about, even without me having to say anything.  If he sees Luke wander from Mama, he guides him back to me.  He is maturing right before my very eyes....I guess that is what is supposed to happen. Sometimes I just stop and look at him, and can't believe that he's eight already....I am cherishing every moment. Some days my hug lingers extra long, he nestles close and I thank God for him.

The times we get to spend time together as a family mean so much to me.  And we love the fellowship that we are able to have with other believers. People that have embraced our family, truly making us feel so loved and welcome...so hard to believe that we have only been here for less than three months and yet have been blessed with love from so many.

This Daddy loves his "Littles".....and "The Littles" absolutely love their Daddy....especially when he throws them high into the air. Their giggles are the best....just something about a belly laugh from a toddler....sheer joy! 

As it started getting dark, I put my camera away. I am too lazy to spend time using my camera on manual, adjusting the settings so I can do some cool night photography, (I am not a huge fan of flash photography)....so some day I will sit down invest time into learning more, but for right now capturing memories is my goal.

Lots of great memories in the making that I am thanking God for.

An Afternoon with 4 little lovies.....

I was hoping to be posting on my blog more often through the week....but the time is literally whizzing by.  We have just finished our second week of school, and the preparation is very time consuming for me.....but I am hoping to get into a groove in the near future, and I am looking forward to sharing more about our life here in Indiana. 

I realized that I had not even shared photos of our back yard! For those of you who would like to know where our lovies romp around during their days....I included some photos I took this afternoon....hope it gives you an idea.

Luke loves his new surroundings....lots of room for him to explore....and I love the fact that our yard is completely fenced in. The previous owner left their play-gym behind and it was just perfect for our lovies....it gave them something to play on since their play-gym was in pieces on the side of the house begging to be put together.  The plan is to put up our play-gym tomorrow. In the photo below is a part of the deck.

We've decided not to take down the play-gym that was already here. It is much older, but the kids have a blast on it....so we'll leave it as is and let them enjoy!

Here is another angle....that little house looking thing was here as well...not quite sure what it was used for, but the kids sure enjoy playing in it.

And next we have a little nosy curious and very friendly neighbor girl. Lauren is so cute....she is always saying "Hello" to everyone she sees, and has a list of neighbors that she prays for everyday.....and we can't just say "neighbors"...she has to say each of their names!

Luke's new love is "the slide"......and of course he has to climb up it instead of using the ladder....wonder where he gets that from...(cough-Noah-cough)....I am so subtle.

It is so nice that they can run and play and that the fence marks their boundaries, and I don't have to worry about anyone going onto the road or wandering off. It is not the private seclusion that we were used to and loved....however, having a fenced in back yard does have it's perks....that's for sure, especially for where we are in this season of our life.

I know Lauren's  face looks like she is mighty nervous to be on the swing....but I can assure you, there are no ill nerves there.....she keeps saying, "Higher Mama...higher!" And I tell her that I am not ready to push her higher....I have finally recovered from the emotional trauma of her legs being broken! (On a quick side note...Lauren legs are healing and she is walking and running! Her posture and walk are still a bit awkward, but she is continuing to improve. She is seeing the orthopedic specialist on Monday to check on her progress....Thank you Lord for her recovery!)

And the newly turned six-year-old who is in desperate need of a haircut....in his defense Nate really was having a bad hair day today!  He and Noah try to see who can swing the highest....then they jump off....of course. I have just learned to look the other way.....Jared has assured me that they will be fine.....is it a coincidence that I have found a few new gray hairs recently?

And of course the tree climber. Noah climbs, then relaxes for a bit on his favorite limb. I am an avid encourager of exploration, playing in dirt and good ol' fashioned tree climbing. And I am happy to say that Noah is an expert in each one of these activities.

Of course Nate is not too far behind his big brother.

So there you have it....a little bit of our yard and a little bit of our life here in these parts. When we are not in the back yard you will find us taking walks around the neighborhood....actually I push the "Littles" in the stroller and Noah and Nate ride along side on their bikes.

I love being with my kids.....I really truly love the moments I have been blessed to share with each of them.....trying to savor all of the little moments that make up our life together...even just the simple playing in the back yard moments.  Moments that I hope to never take for granted....but hope to cherish in my heart knowing that my lovies are an immeasurable blessing from God.

Email Us......

I have recently opened a new email account and am going to share it with all of you. If you are uncomfortable leaving comments on my blog, or simply don't have a google account, but want to say Hi....I would be more than happy to hear from you. 

I try to limit my time on the computer, especially during the day while my lovies are awake. I find that in the evening after they have gone to sleep and Jared is settled doing work on his lap top, is a nice time to catch up with others via email.

I have lost touch with some folks during our move and I hope this will be helpful in reconnecting. Phone calls are wonderful, but I know in reality I cannot talk to every person I would like to on a regular basis. I am known to send a piece or two of snail mail....which I would love to do more often (something that has been lost in the world of technology...there's just something wonderful about reading someone's handwriting.....I always appreciate my Grandma for this...she inspires me.)

You all hear what we are up to....but a one sided conversation gets boring after a while....I want to know what you are up to!

4littlelovies@gmail.com

Noah has finally mastered the art of blowing bubbles. It is a wonderful form of entertainment for his three younger siblings.

Life Lately.......

 Although our family has alot on our horizon, we are surprisingly just doing our thing....like we always do. Drawing with chalk on the driveway, riding bikes...and chasing bikes, going for walks, playing on the playgym, digging in the sandbox, laundry, catching snakes, reading books....oh and a little bit of packing in there too.

I am praising God that my nerves are not shot.....not at all. I know that we have a ton of stuff to get done, but Jared and I make a good team, and I hope we can keep one another from feeling overwhelmed as the big move approaches.

We've been sorting and organizing while we pack....which is something we have never done. When we would move in the past, we would throw stuff in boxes and that was it. This time, we wanted to do it right....and that we are. It feels so good to get rid of a bunch of "stuff."

Things seem to be moving along nicely with our home in Indiana. We are waiting on just a few small inspection issues that came up......nothing major thankfully. 

The kids are getting really excited. We watched the video of our house that Jared had taken while out there. It won't be long before we will be there....in person. That moment that we all walk through the front door is going to be really special.

We have about 3 wks. left here in New England....so hard to believe. It really is bittersweet. Remember when I posted that I was having one more girls night out with my friends....well, we had a great time.....but it was really sad .  However, we laughed....alot, as usual. I will be dedicating an entire post to saying goodbye to my sisters in Christ......one of the most difficult posts for me I'm sure. 

Nate is out on the driveway everyday drawing. I love to just sit and watch him.

The mountain and clouds looked especially pretty this day.....I am not going to lie.....I am really going to miss this view.....and all the surrounding beauty in the area. 

Our new home is in a neighborhood. Jared really liked the area, and thought it would be a great place for our family. I know that God is going to have us exactly where we are supposed to be. 

Lauren and Luke love watching Noah and Nate ride their bikes. Lauren is always calling out, "Be careful!"....wonder where she hears that from.....ahem. Oh and yes, she is wearing her jammies. It was getting to be later in the afternoon and I thought she was going to be in for the evening.....I should have known better. 

The energy these kids have is mind boggling.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't laugh at my Noah.....either something he says, or just acting goofy.

And these two little ones....well, they are happy to have one another I can assure you. 

Nate has really been into riding his bike this summer. Noah is such an inspiration to him, because he is out there cruising up and down the lane everyday.

Oh, and I know that this next photo is kind of blurry, but I couldn't resist posting it. These are the times that I call my oldest son, "Father Noah." I always tell him what a great Daddy he is going to be some day.  Lauren and Luke have 2 big brothers who love them so much.

 And here is another view of Luke....and that amazing little face of his.

While we were outside playing, "Daddy" came driving up the lane. Of course all of the kids go crazy and dart for his car.

I have never seen kids this excited to drive up to get the mail....they just love riding in their Daddy's car.

And I think their Daddy likes it when his lovies ride with him.

So this is life lately for us.....if you have been reading my blog for a while you would know that I am not a fan of change....but God is teaching me that sometimes change is good. This journey that God has us on has taught us as a family so much....and I have the feeling that we have only scratched the surface.