What A Week!!!

The title of this post should probably be what a month instead of what a week!  July has been an incredible month for us.  God has really showered us with blessings...blessings that I am so undeserving of, but yet so grateful for.

The month started off with our sweet Jack asking Jesus to come into his heart.  Then we went on our annual beach trip with my in laws.  We had a great time.  So relaxing!  While on vacation, J was offered (and he accepted) a job.  August will mark one year that J has been looking for a job.  I know most of you reading this had no idea we were going through that.  It has not been something we shared publically.  I do have a post I want to share about that whole situation, but just have not had time to write it yet.  We are extremely thankful for this new job.

Also this month is band camp at the local high school where I am the dance line sponsor.  My days (and afternoons and evenings) are spent at the school teaching dance routines and drill formations on the field.  It is 8am-8pm this whole week, so I do not have much time for anything else (plus I am too tired, lol) 


My birthday was yesterday so it landed right in the middle of band camp.  Everyone was so precious to me the whole day.  At one point when we were on the football field learning formations, the entire band sang Happy Birthday to me.  It was awesome!

My dance line girls also got me a cake and ice cream at dinner at which time everyone sang again.  So precious!  J and the kids brought me dinner to band camp so they got to meet some of the great band members (and listen to all their silliness)

Picture of two of my sweet girls and the yummy cake:

J and the kids got me some great birthday gifts.  A bakers rack for my patio and a giant letter C for the front door.  I can not wait to use them both!  yay!!!

 

 

 

And as if this month has not been exciting enough.....God has given us another blessing....

We are having....

Guess it is time to rethink the name of this blog since we will no longer be, Just 4 Crows

Tears of Joy

You see the young man in this picture:

I have some awesome news that I want to share about him.

This week Jack and Madeline have been attending VBS.  They always love this time of the year and I am always impressed with all the things that they learn.  Each night when they come home, they are so excited to tell me all about what they have been learning (this week it has been about Moses....nothing sweeter than listening to my babies share bible stories).  Last night when the kids came in with daddy, Jack and J had the biggest grins on their faces.  I could not wait to find out what it was about...I just had a feeling it was something great...and boy was I right.  It was the BEST news I have ever heard!  Our Jack prayed the prayer of salvation and asked Jesus to come and live in his heart forever!  When Jack told me, immediately I began to cry tears of joy!  What a blessing!  What a gift! 

I could not wait to share this exciting news with our friends and family!  After we talked with him a while and offered prayers of thanksgiving for this huge blessing, we called and texted our friends and family to share this with all of them.  Everyone is so happy for Jack and proud of his decision.  We are too! 

Since the day that both of my children were born, I have prayed over them and that they would come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  We have always kept the line of communication open with our children.  We talk to them often about salvation and encourage them to ask us questions.  My intention has never been to manipulate or push them into a decision.  The kids have always asked questions, but even when Jack would ask spiritual questions, I did not want to pressure him to pray about being saved.  I wanted him to think.  I wanted him to talk with someone else who could be freely and fully objective to his understanding and his comprehension. I wanted him to talk with someone else so they could discern if there was a real concern, a real conviction, a real desire in seeking God. 

We have really been talking about it in depth for over a year now.  Each time his questions became more and his understanding seemed to increase as well.  Each time, I would encourage him to talk with someone at church and also to pray about it.  I never wanted him to feel any pressure.  I wanted him to come to this freely and because he felt conviction...not because it is the right thing to do or to make mommy happy.  I can not even begin to describe the joy and elation I felt last night when he shared with me the decision that he made.  It was absolutely precious.  To hear him tell me that "mommy, I am a child of God and one day I will live with Him in heaven"  Praise the Lord!  Yes, my son, you will!!! 

Now, I know some people who see this may think to themselves, can a child who is only 8 years old really get it?  Can they really be saved?  My answer is YES!  They absolutely can...they can the same way, with the same basis, and with the same gospel message ANYONE of any age can be saved.  I hear questions like, does he really know?  Does he get it?  My response is, do any of us really know all the answers?  Not even close and I would not dare pretend too.  Here is what I know:  we have a relationship with Christ because He first loved us therefore we can love Him.  We have a relationship with Christ because we do not want to live without Him not because we know all the answers.  We will not know all the answers here on earth BUT that does not mean we should ever stop searching for Him and knowing Him. 

As parents it is up to us to introduce to our children about Christ's love for them.  God will make Himself known to them- His word tells us that.  He will love them and He will convict them drawing them unto Himself.  In that time, they will call out to Him.  He will see and know their heart.  He will know their intent.  As parents we can not see those things the way He can.  But, as parents, we are to encourage the growth of the relationship, not rush it....just encourage it. 

I am beyond happy and proud of my sons decision.  But the work does not stop here.  I don't stop sharing with him what I know about Christ.  This is our chance to grow together in our walk.  To learn from each other and to encourage each other.  I can honestly say that "I have no greater than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth" 3 John 1:4 

Summer Fun

This summer is moving way too fast for me....Seems like we just got out of school and before to long we will be going back.  We have been trying to make the most of our summer since Daddy is home.  I have really had to get creative with cheap and free things to do around the house to keep the kids entertained so that I do not hear the dreaded "I'm bored" ha! 

Here is a sneak peek in pictures of a few of things we have been up to this summer:


I started off with a dance camp for my danceline girls.  It was a fun, but intense week.  They learned a lot and improved a ton on their technique.  Even though we worked hard, we shared a few laughs too.

After dance camp finished up, my in laws gave us their old pool, yay!  So J set it up in our backyard.  We have been able to use it some, but with all the rain in our area there has not been much time for swimming.

Here is a picture of the kids getting in the pool before it was full....they just could not wait!

We also had some very sweet friends give us each a ticket to Six Flags along with a parking pass and voucher for food.  We are so thankful for their generosity!  We did not tell the kids we were going, instead we woke them up early one morning to surprise them with the trip.  They were so excited and had a BLAST!

Here are a few pictures from Six Flags:

 

 

And of course we have done some fun things around the house:

fun things like dress up daddy:

have buddies over to spend the night:

Go on a hike to the waterfall:

build a fort in the basement:

and play restaurant with daddy:

It may not seem like much, but we are having fun and making memories...and, well, that is really all that matters.

What sort of fun stuff do you do in the summer to keep your children entertained?

Our 4th

We had a really good 4th of July, even if it was a very rainy day.  We had hoped to do some of the typical outdoor summer stuff, like swimming, but that did not work out thanks to all the rain we have been and are getting around here.  We did manage to lay around and watch some movies though, which is just as fun :)  We also were able to grill some yummy burgers and hot dogs,  eat some homemade ice cream, and finish the day off with our own little fireworks show (courtesy of J and his brother).  All in all it was a fun day and we did not let the rain damper it. 

Below are a few pictures I snapped with my camera phone:
This is a flower bed in front of our house.  I always line it with flags

Here are the kiddos posing with the fireworks:

And here is the kiddos and me:

Hope everyone had a safe and fun 4th of July!

4th of July

The 4th of July is a time for cookouts, parades, and fireworks.  BUT it is also a time to stop and reflect on this wonderful country of ours.  It is a time to remember the foundation and principles that our country was built on.  And above all, it is a time to remember the courage of the brave men and women of the armed forces.  Take time today to appreciate these sacrifices so that we many enjoy and celebrate freedom on a daily basis.