Praise Him for His blessings.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.          Psalm 23:6

Oh my word...I ate too much!!!  Why do I do this to myself every year?  I should have at least remembered to wear my stretchy pants.  We had a great Thanksgiving that we were blessed to share at a friend's house.  I hope you all enjoyed the holiday as much as I did!

Things for which I am thankful for this year (the big and the small):

1. My Savior!!!
2. My husband, children, family, and friends.
3. My husband's job.
4. My house.
5. My church.
6. Owen's first Thanksgiving!
7. Brian is almost done with his first semester of law school...I won't think about how many he has left....
8. Everyone in my house sleeps through the night.  Most of the time.
9. Owen only has to be on formula for 3 more months.
10. 3 of the 4 children can play without constant supervision.
11. I can fit in my clothes again.
12. My brother and his wife are expecting twins!!!
13. My car is still working.
14. Sydney is doing well in school this year, and she has a wonderful teacher.
15. Despite his ability to push the limits at home, Emerson is a stellar student at preschool.
16. My parents are coming for Christmas!
17. My children can still make me laugh, even at the end of a very hard day.
18. I can still make my children laugh, even at the end of a very hard day.
19. After more than 12 years of marriage, my husband is still my best friend.
20. God is good!

Praise Him for a fun visit!

Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.  1 Chronicles 16:27

I got back from my trip Monday night, but it has taken me a while to have a chance to get on here.  I wanted to post some pics from my visit, although I will warn that I forgot my camera (typical of me), so most of them are from my phone therefore, not the best quality.  Some of them were shared from friends' cameras so those will be better.

I got in around 9:00 and waited just a little bit for Lindsay since my arrival coincided with drop-off time for my niece and nephew at school.  After she picked me up, we went to Panera (for my St. Louis friends...Bread Co.) and had breakfast.
 

Lindsay and me at Panera (self portrait)...I'm on the right. :)

Then we went to Concord Mills Mall.  This is the mall I frequented the most when I lived in Charlotte, as it was an enormous indoor outlet mall and only 10 minutes from my house.  It was kind of weird shopping without at least one or two little people in tow.  Whenever I would try anything on, I would think my usual, "Hurry, hurry, hurry," but, then I would remind myself that I didn't need to hurry...no one was fussing at me impatiently or making all too candid comments about my body.  After the mall, we ate at a Mexican restaurant right by the mall, called Charanda's.  Lindsay had actually never been there before, but Brian and I ate there often.  It was YUM!  Then we headed to Lindsay's house where I took a tiny little nap before it was time to go get Caleb and Alyssa from school.  It was so good to see them.  That night we ate a nice dinner together and then after the kids went to bed, Lindsay, Chris, and I watched a movie together.  Then I went to bed and slept REALLY good. I even got to sleep until 8:30 the next morning!

On Saturday morning, Chris made pancakes for breakfast.  Then Lindsay and I went for a 3 mile walk.  The weather was perfect and the company was great.  Of course, we talked the whole time so it only seemed like a half-mile walk.  Then I played Mouse Trap with Alyssa (she won).  Lindsay and I got cleaned up and ready to go to the Southern Christmas Show.  It was so cool that this just happened to be going on while I visited.  I used to go every year when I lived in Charlotte, although I think I did miss it the last year I was there.  We were there from about 1:00 until almost 5:00 and we still didn't see everything.

Lindsay and me at the Christmas show...I'm on the left.

Then we headed to Olive Garden for a Girls' Night.  It was so nice to see everyone and catch up.  We laughed a LOT.

 

 Lindsay, Mandy, and her son, Dylan

 Lindsay, Dylan (what a cheese ball!), Mandy, and Melanie

 Amy, Jennifer, and me

Melanie and me

I can't tell you what we were laughing about.

Lindsay and me...I'm on the right.

Amy and me

Mandy, Dylan, and me

(from the left)  Amy, Jennifer, me, Lindsay, Dylan, Mandy, and Melanie

When Lindsay and I got home, we stayed up too late talking, but it was worth it.

On Sunday we went to church.  It was very surreal being at my old church.  A lot has changed:  our old Sunday School class has dissolved, the pastor is different, the music minister is different....  It was very nice to see lots of old church friends, and in some ways it seemed like I hadn't even been gone, but the changes were there, and I wasn't at church with Brian and the kids.  It was weird being a "visitor" at a church I had attended for over ten years.  After church we ate Zaxby's (YUM!) then talked and took a nap.  Then I went to choir practice with Lindsay.  That proved to be similar to church...eerily the same but different.  That night we stayed up late talking again.
 

 Caleb, Alyssa, and me before bedtime

 

On Monday after we took the kids to school (which was very emotional for me), we went to Starbucks's and met my friend Amy so that she could introduce us to her new adopted baby girl from China, Mia Grace.  It was so nice to see her.  Lindsay hadn't had a chance to meet her yet either as she had been gone all summer for Basic Training.

Lindsay and Mia Grace

 

Mia Grace and me

After that, we mailed a box of Christmas presents to St. Louis since they wouldn't fit in my bag.  Then we ran some other errands.  We ate lunch at Kabuto's which was delicious as always.   All too quickly, it was time for me to be at the airport.  I was proud of Lindsay and myself for holding it together when we said good-bye.

I had an awesome time, but it was also really good for me to see that, as much as I miss my Charlotte life, I don't "belong" there anymore.  I know I will still struggle with "homesickness" from time to time, but now I am even more certain that I am where I am supposed to be.  Now if I can just convince Chris and Lindsay to move here....

Praise Him for His sovereignty.

Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.  2 Samuel 7:29

I can't believe it's finally almost here!  My trip to Charlotte is day after tomorrow!!! I leave very early on Friday morning.  I'll have to be up at 3 am to get ready and drive to the airport in time to park far away (cheaper parking) and then ride the shuttle.  Have you ever been so excited about something that when you thought about it, it made you feel like you could cry?  That's how excited I am.  I haven't been back to Charlotte since we moved here 2 years ago.  It seems weird to think we have lived here for that long since I still sometimes feel like I belong in Charlotte.  Don't get me wrong...I really like it here, and more importantly, I KNOW this is where God wants us to be.

Things I love about St. Louis (Arnold):

• The cold winters/snow.  Those of you that know me well will find this hard to believe, but it really is true!
• The variety of family friendly things to do (ie. great parks, museums, etc.).
• My church!  First Baptist Arnold is probably the most important part of my life here.  I am so grateful for their leadership and mission-mindedness (is that a word?).  I also love being a part of the choir and my Sunday School class.  The children's department is also top-notch, and they offer so much for my kids.
• Everything is so close!  I could literally get to anywhere I need to be in less than 10 minutes (most places less than 5 minutes) except for the mall and my pediatrician's office which is a little bit further, but totally worth the drive.
• The generous, caring, unselfish people that I have met.  I appreciate so much the friendships that I have made here.
• Brian's job.  He is so much happier in his job here and his boss is MUCH better.  We have also gotten to see a lot more of him these last 2 years...of course, that part has changed since he started law school, but we're adjusting!
• My house/neighborhood.

Things I miss about Charlotte:

• My sister and her family...thus the main purpose of my trip to Charlotte!
• My friends.  I did not take for granted the blessing of the beautiful, close-knit relationships that Brian and I shared with our friends in Charlotte, and I don't know if I'll ever get over having to leave that.  These people have been through everything with us...job issues, infertility, the loss of our 3 precious babies that await us in heaven, the joy of welcoming 3 of our 4 children into the world, sick/hospitalized children, my own health problems/surgeries, some memorable vacations, and so much more.
• My church and choir (but as mentioned previously, FBCA has more than made up for this).
• My pediatrician.  I have a really good pediatrician here but no one can compare to our doctor in Charlotte.
• My babysitter.  Megann loved my children like they were her own family...she still does, even Owen, whom she's never actually met!  I wish I were rich so I could fly her here!
• My job at Grace Academy.  This job was absolutely a gift from God.  I was able to teach part-time while my children stayed in the teacher's childcare room for FREE.  It was only 8-12 hours a week (depending on the year).  We were done by noon and did not work on Fridays.  Most of all, I worked with and for Christian people that were more like family to me than co-workers.
• The geography, and I mean this in more ways than one:  I loved being 3 hours or less away from the beach and the mountains.  I also loved being a day's drive from my family in Florida and my husband's in Pennsylvania.  It was still far away from them, but nothing compared to now.

My prediction is that after my trip I will feel two ways:  1. sad that I have to say "good-bye" again, some of the most painful words I know, and 2. happy to be coming home to my family and my new life here in Arnold, Missouri.  I know God has a purpose for me here.  After two years, I'm still not quite sure what that is, but I am grateful for that purpose nonetheless!  I know that He is sovereign, and though His ways are not my own, and sometimes I may not understand them, they are best!

Praise Him for no condemnation.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

I'm praying 1 Corinthians 13 today...the "love is patient, love is kind...." part. Yesterday was a frustrating day. Mainly because I wasn't living out these verses. My children were extra hyped up...don't know why, and by the time we got to the end of the evening, I had reached my limits. Among other things, Emerson bit Owen on the foot while we were waiting in line to pick up Avery. He got a spanking, which he deserved, but still makes me feel awful. Then Avery couldn't find her AWANA bag. Emerson said, "There it is Avery," and picked it up to hand it to her. It was upside down and everything fell out, so Avery had a melt-down right there in the middle of the walkway. By the time we got to the car there was smoke coming out of my ears. Emerson asked me, "Mommy are you mad?" I proceeded to list all of the reasons why I was, indeed, mad. Then we got home and instead of lovingly asking Emerson to stop being a frog and just walk up the stairs so we could get ready for bed, I snapped, "Emerson, stop that and get upstairs NOW." Then I quickly got everyone in bed and went downstairs to wallow.

Before I could do that, I realized my brother had called, and so I called him back. As soon as he asked me how I was, I burst into tears. I told him how I felt like a failure, because I wasn't showing my kids Christ's love. He reminded me that disciplining them is love, and he's right, but I know that I should have been more gentle and "long-suffering" when I dealt with them. I'm grateful for my brother's listening ear and encouragement. After talking to him, God gave me this verse as a reminder. (It's not the first time either, but usually I hear it in my mother's voice.)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

I thought about this. Was God bringing this verse to mind because I was being too hard on myself, or was there more to it? I decided to reread this section of scripture today and I've included it here: (from Romans 8)

¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

⁵ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

WOW...okay, so I could take a lot of things away from this, but mostly I realized that because I KNOW that I am a child of God, lead by the Spirit, then I need to daily (even hourly) release my fleshly thoughts, actions, etc. When I allow the flesh (my human nature) to drive my life, then I am not truly living the life that I now have in Jesus Christ, which basically isn't "living" at all! Next time I feel overwhelmed with anger, irritation, impatience, whatever the case may be, I'm going to cry out to God, "Abba, Father," that he might indwell me with the ability to live "by the Spirit" and not "of the flesh." I will remember that, "the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." I want that, don't you!?