Merry Christmas!

I won't be blogging this week because I'm having too much fun with my family! Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Company Girl Coffee...Savor the Smile

Good morning girls! I was going to post something clever this morning but after reading Rachel Anne's post, I thought I'd just have you scroll down so I could pass on a smile during this busy season! Blessings to everyone who reads this...may you find a little something to enjoy, appreciate, and savor today! :)

Enjoy your weekend!

~Melissa

The Blessing of a Smile

This morning when I woke up and came out into the living room, I was greeted with this beautiful smile!All she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth...

In every smile there is a blessing. I am incredibly blessed.

Why not pass on the blessing of a smile to someone you meet today?

~Melissa

Company Girl Coffee...A Christmas Service to Remember

Welcome girls! I'm so glad it's Friday. I've been looking forward to today for a while now. You see, my Brother in Law and his girlfriend are in town on leave from Afghanistan and today is girls' day! My Mother in Law is coming into town, and the two of us are going on a surprise trip with Kari. It's her Christmas present to us. The men are going to stay home with CD and pick up the kids from school. Then later this evening we'll join the men for dinner. It should be a great day!

So I'm short on time this morning, but I wanted to quickly share a post from last Christmas. You see, my husband is more than a Worship Pastor. He also programs our services and helps to plan sermon series, special services, videos, songs, etc... He is so good at what he does and I think he is one of the best "story tellers" ever! Last year's Christmas series was amazing. If you're interested, read about it here.

Thanks for stopping in today and I look forward to reading some of your stories this weekend. For now, I'm off to get ready for my "mystery girls' day!"

Blessings to all!
~Melissa

The Light of Life

This morning when I was taking the kids to school the song "Forever Reign" came on the radio. I cranked up the volume and the kids and I sang all the way to school. The song speaks so many great truths about God. If you've never heard it, I'd recommend sticking around for five minutes or so and listening to it.

Later in the day, as I was lighting my candles for today's Small Thing, I couldn't help but think of Jesus.


He is the creator of light (Gen. 1:3).
His Word is light (Psalm 119:105).
He brought me out of the darkness and into the light. (Ephesians 5:8-9)


He IS light.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
-John 8:12

Light of the world...forever reign!

The Little Bitty Small Thing

I've been a follower of the blog Home Sanctuary for a while now. It's a very helpful blog where the author, Rachel Anne, posts what we Company Girls like to call the Small Thing of the day. It involves completing a task that applies to one or more areas of bringing Peace, Order, or Beauty to your home. All three of those areas then work together to create "Sanctuary" in your home.

The fun thing about it is that there are points and prizes involved! :) Since it's a new month, I thought I'd just take a minute and talk about today's Small Thing.

Straighten your kitchen chairs or bar stools. That's it. 10 points a pop! Doesn't get any easier than that. I collected 90 points today in about 2 minutes.

So, if you're interested in maintaining Peace, Order, and Beauty in your home during what can be an otherwise chaotic season, stop in and visit Home Sanctuary and join the fun. You'll be glad you did!

~Melissa

10 Things Tuesday

Hey everyone! It's cold out there, but that's not going to stop me from being thankful! It's the end of another month. Only one more to go in 2010! Where does the time go? Let's see...

In January I was thankful that God knows the big picture, even when we think a few pieces of the puzzle might be missing. You can read about it here.

In February I was thankful that God's Word is so encouraging and I have the freedom to pick it up and read it anytime I want. You can read that post here.

In March I was thankful that I can trust God no matter what my circumstances. Even when a beloved family member is ill. Read about that trust here.

In April I didn't blog much, but I did discuss how thankful I am that life is made up of both mountains and valleys. You can read about it in this post.

In May (and always) I was so thankful that I am a happy mother of five beautiful children. Take a look for yourself here.

In June I was thankful to meet with God in a sweet time of worshipping Him. Not only that, but to realize that He can be found in the ordinary moments of my day. You can read about that experience here.

In July I was incredibly thankful and blessed to be spending time with the kiddos at their Grandma's house. See photos here.

In August we took another trip where I was thankful to see extended family on the Oregon Coast. That post is located here.

In September my dad passed away. Even though I was sad to say goodbye, I was thankful that I got to spend the last week of his life with him. And I'm thankful I will see him in heaven again one day. You can see a photo of my dad with me and LR when she was a baby here.

In October I brought back 10 Things Tuesday. I felt a longing inside of me to express my thankfulness for all the blessings God has given me in this life. My first new list was created with my youngest son, and you can read it here.

I know that technically, I'm done with my list for this week. But since this is the end of November, I'm going to add a little bonus for this week.

I am thankful for the blessing of family and friends. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving here at home with snow all weekend long. (Lots of it!) Looking back, I am thankful that God was watching over me and my family through the ups and downs of this month. Feel free to read more about what I was thankful for in November here, here, and here.

Have a great upcoming month everyone! And don't forget to be thankful in all things!

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." -1 Thessalonians 5:18

~Melissa

10 Things Tuesday - Relationship Addition

We're approaching Thanksgiving and I am excited to host it here at my house this year. It looks like we're just having two extras - my sister in-law and her husband, but we've left an open invitation for friends in case they can't leave town due to bad weather.

Yes, we have snow! Lots of it. In fact, over the past 24 hours we've been on blizzard warning. High winds plus lots of snow = very poor visibility. My back porch (which is covered) was covered in snow this morning. Crazy. The school district did not declare a snow day, so I just declared one on my own. I am not going to risk driving in those conditions!

Well, now that I've given the weather report, lets get on with the thanks-giving! This is my special tribute to all the people in my life that I am thankful for.

1. My husband - He is my best friend, an incredible dad, a comedian, a Pastor, a gifted musician, and more! I love him so much and if you want to read more about why, just go to this post.
2. Anyone who knows me knows I just adore each of my children! They all have such unique personalities. I am so blessed to be the mother of five wonderful children who make me laugh, challenge me to be a better mom, and keep me on my toes (and my knees) all the time! Just because today is his 4th birthday, I'd like to give special thanks for my youngest, CD. He's so fun and I'm glad I have this year and next with him still at home. :)
   
3. My mom - She is always there for me, even when things aren't going the best for her. She's such a good listener and I still go to her when I need sound advice. The older I get, the deeper our friendship grows. I appreciate all that she sacrificed for me growing up even in the most difficult of times.
4. I couldn't imagine not mentioning my dad, even though he passed away this last September. I have so many great memories with him growing up, and into my adult years. I spent the last week of his life with him and it was some of the sweetest time ever. He will be greatly missed this Thanksgiving.
5. My sister - Even though we are 3 years apart, we are the best of friends. I know I can always count on her through thick and thin. We are mountains apart now, but there is nothing we wouldn't do for each other. I love you sis!
   
6. My in-laws - I could not have been blessed with better in-laws. My Mother-in-law is the reason I wanted to have a big family. The first time I saw all of the siblings interacting I knew I wanted lots of kids. Everyone accepted me as one of the family right off the bat. Family get-togethers are always an adventure!
7. My friends the Phifers - They are such a big part of our lives. I am so blessed to have such committed friends. They were there for us when 4 out of 5 of our children were born. I love their two children and couldn't imagine life without them around! My friend Andrea is the first person I call if ever I need, oh, anything! She is so faithful to me and I love her dearly.
   
8. My friend Michelle - She is so loving and generous. Very sensitive to the needs of those around her. When I have need for prayer, I know she's going to answer the call. I love her family too. Every time I hang out with them I laugh. They are such fun people!
9. The teachers that my children have had since they reached school age - We have been so blessed with good teachers! I love how they have partnered with us to make sure our children get the education that they deserve.
   
10. Our church family - I am so thankful that we are in a church of people who genuinely care about us. The staff is wonderful and my husband really loves working there. The friendliness that I feel every time I walk through the doors on Sunday carries through the week. I know that if ever we have a need, our church family would step up to meet it.
    

These are just some of the current relationships that bless my life. I am so thankful for all my friends and family, near and far. And let's not forget my blogger friends! There are so many moms out there that I don't hesitate to ask for advice when I'm struggling. Thanks for being there when I need you most! :)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

May you find yourselves as blessed as I am by the friends and family in your lives.
~Melissa

Company Girl Coffee 11.19.10

That's my girl! She may be small, but she is determined. She ran cross country this year with kids who are taller and faster than her, but she kept the pace and crossed the finish line, and I was proud of her.

Notice the white arrow on the ground just behind her feet. The district painted lines and arrows to show the students which way to run. It reminded me of how God points out to us the direction in which we should go. We just have to fix our eyes on Jesus, watch for the signs, and He will show us the way.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" Hebrews 12:1-3 (Bold and emphasis mine.)

I don't know about you, but that just makes me want to put on my best running shoes! (Figuratively speaking, of course!)

Have a great weekend all!
~Melissa

10 Things Tuesday

I missed posting last week. Of course, that doesn't mean I didn't have anything to be thankful for! I have tons of things going on in my life that make me thankful.

Like the accident that I was involved in two weeks ago. I feel like I can share a little about it now since the claim is finally closed.

I am so thankful that no one was injured. My youngest son was in the van with me. Both of us were unharmed by the impact. The other party involved was an elderly lady. I was relieved to hear that she too, was ok.

I'm thankful that my husband had just arrived home when I called him and was able to go pick up the kids from school. He also picked us up when the tow truck came to get the van.

I'm thankful that when we got home he immediately sprang into action and called our insurance to take care of the details and all I had to do is answer a few questions about the accident.

I'm thankful that the other party's insurance got us into a rental van the next day and has covered the full cost of the rental.

I'm thankful that even though our van was declared totaled, the other party has great insurance that took good care of us. Everything went as smoothly as I could possibly ask for.

Friday that same week, I was cleaning a knife at the sink and cut my thumb. It was bleeding bad enough that I knew I was going to need stitches. My husband wasn't home, so I grabbed the kids and walked over to my neighbors' house.

I'm so thankful my neighbors were home!

I'm thankful that they were willing to watch my kids while one of them drove me to Urgent Care to get stitches.

I'm thankful that we have health insurance.

I'm thankful that it wasn't worse. I only needed two stitches.

It wasn't the best of weeks for me. However, I am so thankful that God watches over me through the good and the bad. It gave me plenty of opportunities to talk to my kids about God's protection and faithfulness.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." -Psalm 46:1

Company Girl Coffee 11.12.10

I love this guy...
Oh. Sorry about that. Maybe you can see him a little better in this picture...
He's the one surrounded by all those little munchkins that adore him. (Can you count all five in both pictures?) With arms and legs flying everywhere it's hard to get a decent photo of the bunch!

I love him because even when he's had a long day at work and they all charge him when he comes through the door, he gives them his full attention.

I love him because when I cut my thumb and have difficulties washing the dishes, he steps right in to help without even being asked.

I love him because he's there for me whether I need a listening ear or some good sound advice.

I love him because he points out the positive side of my 'tunnel vision' even when I see it as a flaw.

I love him for many other reasons not listed here, but mostly I love him because he loves us with all his heart and takes every opportunity to show it.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." -John 13:34

Happy 6th Birthday LR!

Happy Birthday LR! You sparkle and shine as bright as the candles on your cake! :)

Coffee, Pie, and other Things to Enjoy

Last night I made my first apple pie. I've had my eye on the recipe for a while now. It was simple, with minimal ingredients, and used a ready-made pie crust. The kids gave it two thumbs up! If I can follow the recipe, anyone can do it. I'd offer you a bite with your coffee, but it pretty much got devoured in one sitting after dinner last night.


You can find the recipe and try it for yourself at one of my favorite blogs: Eat at Home. She posts more than desserts. Every week she posts a menu, the recipes, and a grocery list to go with it! It's one of the most useful tools I have ever come across. If you menu plan, or want to start, I would recommend checking it out.

I'm sitting here watching my youngest son sword fight with his dad using spatulas from the kitchen. It sure is fun having one kid at home still. My husband would argue that he's going to be the most spoiled because he's the youngest. (Of course, that's coming from someone who's the oldest of 5 siblings!) I guess, in a way, he's right. No other kid gets to stay at home with mom alone for two whole years. Or gets to sword fight with dad on his day off. I'd say that the other kids get their share of 'spoiling' around here too though. There's plenty of love to go around. :)

This week I've been thinking a lot about the pace of life. I don't know about you, but it seems like for me, everything is moving too quickly. I zip around my house doing chores, sometimes forgetting to slow down and play with my son. I wait impatiently in the grocery line instead of stopping to say hello to the clerk, or the person behind me that's waiting as well. All for what? A few extra minutes of time in my day? No. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day.

So this girl is going to slow down and enjoy the life that God has given me. Enjoy my husband, my children, and my friends. I'm going to take the time to make that phone-call (instead of an e-mail), and maybe even write a letter, put a stamp on it, and mail it. And yes, I'm going to take time to bake home-made apple pie.

Have a great weekend everyone!

~Melissa

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

10 Things Tuesday

How will I ever pick just 10 things today??? I have so much to be thankful for that my heart is just overflowing this morning! What's the saying? "My cup runneth over!" I guess that's appropriate, since this is the month we celebrate "Thanksgiving" here in the U.S.

1. I had an incredible time at the Beth Moore Conference with my friends over the weekend. The memory passage was Ephesians 4:4-6

   "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

2. My sister in-law had surgery on Friday but is doing fine. She had some ovarian cysts removed. They also found endometriosis all over so they removed her appendix and she will take some medicine to get rid of the rest. Hopefully this will clear up a lot of the health problems she's been experiencing.
3. My brother in-law drove over the mountains to help with the care of my SIL, so I got to spend some time with him. I hadn't seen him since last Christmas.
4. The Fall Carnival at our church on Sunday was a HUGE success! The church was packed with both congregation members and neighborhood families. It was a fun, safe alternative to trick-or-treating.
5. My children used their own money to buy books at the book fair yesterday. Of all the things they could spend their saved money on, they chose books. I'm so thankful that they have a love for reading at such an early age.
   
6. After a couple of rainy days, it is a beautiful Fall morning. Blue skies, and a slight breeze. Perfect. The leaves at my children's school are still hanging on in shades of green, yellow and red and the sun was shining through them this morning to create a gorgeous scene.
7. Speaking of gorgeous scenes, check out the view from my window at the motel we stayed in on Friday night! One of the things Beth Moore commented on about Spokane, is the beautiful Fall colors we have here. :)
8. It's a new month and I am ready to take it on! Yesterday was a very productive day. I want to keep this positive attitude going. I feel a renewed energy and sense of purpose as a wife, mother, and homemaker.
   
9. RH is VIP in her class this week. I am so thankful that she was born over nine years ago. She is such a gem. I love her so much!
10. We have a month full of birthdays ahead of us. First, LH will be turning 6. Then I turn...well...I'm not embarrassed to say I'll be 37! And finally, CD is going to be 4. Plus my Grandma is turning 97, and my Niece will be 12. That's a lot to celebrate!

My cup really does runneth over. I am so blessed.

I know this is getting long, but stick with me just a bit longer to read the words of this incredible poem...

DRINKING FROM MY SAUCER

I've never made a fortune
and it's probably too late now.
But I don't worry about that much,
I'm happy anyhow.

And as I go along life's way,
I'm reaping better than I sowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

I haven't got a lot of riches,
and sometimes the going's tough.
But I've got loved ones around me,
and that makes me rich enough.

I thank God for his blessings,
and the mercies He's bestowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'cause my cup has overflowed.

I remember times when things went wrong,
My faith wore somewhat thin.
But all at once the dark clouds broke,
and the sun peeped through again.

So God, help me not to gripe about
the tough rows that I've hoed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

If God gives me strength and courage,
when the way grows steep and rough.
I'll not ask for other blessings,
I'm already blessed enough.

And may I never be too busy,
to help others bear their loads.
Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

Author unknown


May you feel your cup overflowing this week!
~Melissa

A Good Working Attitude

If only I could do windows with a smile like that! :)

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men," -Colossians 3:23

10 Things Tuesday

It's Tuesday again! I don't think I've ever really explained why I enjoy 10 Things Tuesday so much. It allows me to pause at the beginning of my week, (after the craziness of Monday) and think of the many blessings in my life.

A book I once read suggested taking time at the end of each day to reflect and make a 'gratitude' list. Just three things that you had to be thankful for that day. I still do that sometimes. But here on my blog, I like to record the things that I'm thankful for because then I can go back on hard days and read through the lists and remember that there is always reason to give thanks.

Here's this week's list:

1. I'm thankful that I have Girls' over-night out to look forward to at the end of this week! It's finally here! We're going to see Beth Moore and stay overnight at a motel downtown. :) So fun!
2. I'm SO thankful for my husband, who is willing to watch the kids overnight so I can go be with the girls and get refreshed.
   
3. I am thankful that I have the right to vote. Though I don't appreciate all the commercials, junk mail, and phone calls, I do appreciate that I have a right to my opinion and have the freedom to express that opinion on my ballot.
4. I'm thankful for Ibuprofen. Even though I woke up with a headache this morning, the pain is now manageable.
5. I'm thankful that I have a vehicle to take my children to school every day and pick them up in the afternoons.
6. I'm thankful that I still have one of my kids at home to keep me company during the day. :)
7. I'm thankful for friends that take time out of their busy schedule to come over and visit.
8. I am thankful that I've got a menu plan this week and I don't have to worry about what's for dinner every night. Did I mention that I LOVE my crock pot? It's doing most of the work for me this week!
9. I'm thankful for all the produce that I got from Bountiful Baskets this week. What a great program!
   
10. I am thankful that the snow has decided to stay in the mountains for the time being...brrrrr!

Have a blessed week everyone!
~Melissa

Psalm 105:1-3

¹ Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.

² Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.

³ Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Safety First!

This week my children learned about fire safety in school. Yesterday one of my sons approached me a little concerned and asked "Mom, does Dad check those white things on the ceiling regularly to make sure they work?" It took me a minute to figure out that he was talking about our fire alarms. I told him yes, but he wasn't satisfied. "But does he check them every week? Because if there's a fire, we want to be safe."

His persistence made me smile. We have talked about exit strategies and where we would meet, and other fire safety rules. Should there ever be a fire in our home, (which I hope and pray never happens) we will be ready for it. I believe it is important to educate my children here at home about safety matters, and I'm glad they teach it in school also.

Apparently, after a week of discussing fire safety, someone thought it would be a good idea to have our own personal fireman watching over us. Let me explain with photos.

Do you see him there, at the top right corner of the fireplace? Here...I'll move in a little closer for you.

When I questioned my son about it this morning he said that the fireman was making sure we are safe. That's my boy! Safety first! :)

Have a great day everyone...and be safe!

10 Things Tuesday

I am so thankful that:

1. The sun is shining through my living room window and though there is a chill in the air outside, I am warm and cozy inside on this beautiful Fall morning.
2. As I sat reading my Bible and devotion this morning, my son sat by my side reading along.
   
3. The kids were all ready to go out the door on time this morning. We even had enough time to go back in the house for a forgotten backpack.
4. Today is a planned "at home" day. No errands to run. Just time at home, straightening, cleaning, and purging.
5. CD, my youngest child, follows me around all day asking what he can do to help!
   
6. The construction on my road is almost complete! Tomorrow they start paving.
7. Yesterday I saved a bundle on groceries using coupons combined with great sales and was able to re-stock my pantry.
8. We have enough room in our budget for unexpected expenses, like new glasses for my husband.
   
9. My wonderful husband cooked dinner last night so I could finish up folding and putting away the laundry.
   
10. After dinner we had family movie night and there was lots of snuggling involved. :)

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." -Psalm 118:24

Rejoice with me friends! What are you thankful for today?

Glad Surrender

"Discipline is the wholehearted yes to the call of God. When I know myself called, summoned, addressed, taken possession of, known, acted upon, I have heard the Master. I put myself gladly, fully, and forever at His disposal, and to whatever He says my answer is yes."

-Elisabeth Elliot, Discipline, the Glad Surrender

I have been thinking a lot about surrender lately. We sing about it when we worship Him. We talk about the surrender of our whole hearts unto Him. However, the Bible does not "directly" address the matter of what it means to surrender totally and completely to Christ. So what does it really mean to "surrender all?"

Mark 8:34-35 says this:

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."

Jesus lists three conditions here for those who wish to come after Him:

1. Deny yourself.

2. Take up your cross.

3. Follow Him.

Total and complete surrender. I abandon my own will for Christ's. Not without sacrifice, but with much reward.

Jesus promises in Mark 10:29-30:

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life."

Eternal life. That is the reward of total surrender.

This morning in church we sang the song "Worshiping You" by Deluge. The words are simple:

Take this offering that I bring
humbly I fall on my knees
to proclaim your everything.
My life's nothing without you
take my hand and lead me through
you are my sustaining love.

I live to worship you (2x)

CHORUS:
Here I am worshiping you, with all I am worshiping you.
Bowing down in spirit and truth with lifted hands worshiping you.

Why do we lift our hands to the Lord when we're worshiping Him? It's an attitude of surrender. For me, it means letting go of whatever He asks. I gladly surrender to Him my life, because my life is nothing without Him.

What does total surrender mean to you?

Ingredient Spotlight: Diced Tomatoes

I'm linking up with Eat at Home for her Ingredient Spotlight this week: Diced Tomatoes. I agree with her that diced tomatoes deserve a special pantry spotlight because they are useful in so many ways! The recipe I'll share today is so easy and only has 6 ingredients, all of which I keep on hand. It was one that a friend brought over to share and soon became a favorite around here. We named it after her, but I'll just call it Black Beans and Rice Casserole here. :)

Ingredients:
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (drained)
1 lb ground beef
1 can black beans (drained)
1 box rice pilaf
1-1 1/2 cups shredded mexican cheddar blend
taco size flour tortillas (can use wheat if you prefer)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare rice as instructed on box. Brown ground beef in large pan on stove. Add tomatoes and beans to pan and simmer until warm through. Place two tortillas at the bottom of a 2 1/2 qt casserole dish. They will overlap some. Spoon rice on top of that. Pour meat mixture on top of rice. Top with cheese. Bake, covered for 25 minutes.

Use extra tortillas to spoon casserole into or just eat plain. (My husband likes it without tortillas but with a little sour cream.)

Enjoy!

Company Girl Coffee 10.8.10

It was a couch night for me last night. No, I'm not talking about the type of couch night where you've had an argument with your spouse and end up sleeping on the couch. We've never actually done that before in our marriage. I call it a couch night, because one of my kiddos was up most of the night feeling sick. When that happens I usually just rest on the couch where I can hear them if they need me.

Luckily, he doesn't have a fever or the flu bug. He was up feeling ill because of an issue we've dealt with since he was born. He just doesn't seem to digest his food very well. We've tried treatment with Miralax and other methods. We've made sure he has plenty of water and fiber. He's had procedures done to make sure that there's not a "break" in his intestines, and we've done tests to make sure it's not Celiac. No matter what we do, we don't seem to find an answer. He just gets backed up (for lack of a better explanation) every once in a while. I feel sorry for the little guy and I wish I could help him more.

What I can do, is stay close to him when he's up and try to make him feel as comfortable as possible. I can pray with him and reassure him of my presence and God's. When I was little and one of us girls was sick, my mom used to break out the sleeping back and camp out right next to us in the bathroom. It always made me feel better to know she was there. Now, we have a much smaller bathroom here so it's not possible for me to camp out by his side, but I want my kid to know that I'm there for him. So once I've prayed with him and gotten him anything he needs, I choose to camp out on the couch because it's within ear's shot.

He seems to be feeling better today but because he didn't get much sleep last night, I kept him home from school. He's sleeping peacefully now, and I hope to fit in a little nap later too. I don't mind feeling a little sleepy in exchange for knowing that he felt loved and cared for last night. Love makes sacrifices, and I know many of you sleep-deprived new mommies out there know what I'm talking about! (Along with all of you seasoned moms, too.)

"Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]." -1 Corinthians 13:7 (Amplified)

Have a great weekend all!

~Melissa

10 Things Tuesday

There was a time when I posted ten things that I'm thankful for every Tuesday. I stopped because the person that was sponsoring "10 Things Tuesday" stopped posting. (If you're reading this friend, then I hope you don't mind my picking up the label again.) Did I stop being thankful? Absolutely not. In fact, I'm going through a season where it is even more necessary for me to remember to give thanks, lest I be consumed by my sorrows.

There's a song that I've been listening to with my 3yr old that reminded me how important thankfulness is. "I'm thankful, thankful, thankful for everything, yes I'm thankful, thankful, 'cause God gives us all good things." Today I'm bringing back "10 Things Tuesday" with a special twist...I'm making the list with my son.

1. We're thankful for silly songs that make us laugh.
2. We're thankful that the sun is out today.
3. We're thankful for banana bread.
4. We're thankful for friends.
5. We're thankful for outings and adventures. (Specifically, going to the grocery store with mommy...and I'm thankful for the shopping buddy!)
   
6. We're thankful that Jesus goes with us everywhere.
   
7. We're thankful for penguins.
8. We're thankful for daddy.
9. We're thankful for toys.
10. We're thankful for coloring.

What a fun list to make with my son! I love his attitude of thankfulness. He hardly ever thinks about the next thing that he wants, but enjoys what he already has. A lesson that I can certainly take away from this activity.

Have a great day everyone! And don't forget to stop and be thankful today. :)

A Good Day

It began with some quiet time in the Word.
Kids were ready to leave for school on time.
Then it was off to Moms Inc. for some much needed fellowship.
Lunch with my boy.
An hour's worth of good hard housework while he napped.
Fun at the park with my youngest two while we waited for the older three to finish X-Country practice.
Snacks.
Homework.
Dinner.
Awesome family time making s'mores for dessert and watching stars in the back yard.Yes, it was a good day. But even on my bad days, I know the Lord is with me.

Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. -Psalm 73:23

In Loving Memory

In loving memory of my dad:
August 18, 1936 - September 9, 2010

No words can describe how much I miss him.
I will carry his love in my heart, always.

Company Girl Coffee 8.6.10

Is it August already? I can't believe what a busy summer it has been. Somehow, every time I thought about sitting down to blog, something else came up and then the inspiration was gone. I have wanted to blog about our trip to the Oregon Coast, adventures at Church Camp, back yard fun and before and after pictures of my storage room and spare bedroom/toy room organizing. There have been birthdays and anniversaries and fun with friends. Yes, summer has been packed full of a bit of everything. I'm looking forward to the next four weeks at home before school starts. We don't have any concrete plans for this month. Maybe just a few days at the park, some lazy days here at home, and a visit from Nana next week.

Hopefully, I'll get back to a regularly scheduled blog time when the kids go back to school this fall. For now, I thought I'd share a few pictures here of our Oregon Coast trip. My brother and his family(and a friend) drove out and met us from Reno, and my sister brought my niece too. It was lots of fun. Wish I could show you all of my pictures, but that would take all day! Since you're here though, I'd love to hear what some of your own favorite summer moments are so far. Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your weekend!

No Time for Words...

Sorry...I haven't really had time to post lately...we've been having too much fun! :)

To the Bestest Dad Ever...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to my dear husband and the father of our five wonderful children who absolutely adore him!

He's only been a dad for almost 9 years, but I've loved him for over 16. (Our 16th anniversary is coming up next month.)

For all the wrestling, game playing, disciplining, reading, fort building, library going, pancake making, hot dog grilling and other incredible dad things you do...

WE LOVE YOU!

Enjoy your day! (And your new grill!)

Confessions over Company Girl Coffee

Good morning! Come on in and stay for a spell. I have to admit, I've been sleeping in lately. Until 7:30am, that is. You see, I am not a very big morning person. I wish I could wake up with as much energy and enthusiasm as my children, but I tend to drag my feet until I've had my first cup of coffee. Read on, if you dare, for a few more confessions about how I sometimes make it through my mornings :)

Confession #1: I let my kids watch cartoons in the morning. Yes, I admit it. As long as I approve of the show, they are allowed to watch it. I still believe in putting a limit on screen time, but I don't think it hurts any to let them watch their favorites. This morning's choice isn't even a cartoon. It's a show called "Hi Five", with songs and skits and puppets and they LOVE it! :) Truthfully, I love it too. I love the sound of the laughter it produces from my children.

Confession #2: Some mornings I use cheater breakfasts like toaster waffles. I try to pick the ones that have more fiber and less sugar, of coarse. Add some fruit and you have an instant kid pleaser. Once in a while I just have a morning when I need an easy "fix it yourself" breakfast.

Confession #3: I often sneak in a little devotion time while the kids are getting ready for school, or wherever we may be going that day. They are all old enough to get dressed by themselves now, so while I send them off to their rooms to get ready, I take a few quiet moments to myself. Sometimes it might be all I can get until they go to bed...especially during the summer.

Confession #4: When we have plans to go somewhere, I usually don't get ready until AFTER all my kids are ready. I know this is probably backwards, but I like the feeling of knowing everyone is good to go, so I can take whatever time that's left to tend to my own needs. This is especially helpful to me on Sundays so I know that when I'm ready all I have to do is announce that it's time to go out the door and everyone is dressed to shoes with no last minute surprises.

Now that you know a few of my coping methods to make it through my mornings, I'd love to hear some of yours. Do you have a morning routine? Anyone out there get up at the crack of dawn? (Gasp!) How do you start your day successfully?

Have a great weekend all!
~Melissa~

Company Girl Coffee "Summer Time"

Today is the last day of school! Summer break is finally here and I am looking forward to spending time with all my kids at home. We have two scheduled weeks of traveling. One is next week and we are going over the mountains to visit Grandparents. The other is in July, at the Oregon Coast. The last time we went to the Coast my oldest was turning 3. She'll be 9 in July, so you can see why we're a bit excited to spend a week at the ocean! We were blessed at Christmas with season passes to a nearby theme park, so we'll spend some time there together too.

Other than that, we spend our Summers pretty laid back. I am going to have some fun and make a poster with my kids that has suggestions of things to do when you get bored. I got the idea from a friend of mine. "50 Things To Do This Summer." All written out with boxes next to each suggestion so they can check things off as they go. We'll also take pictures as we go so that we can make a scrapbook at the end of summer. (Which will go on our list!)

I made a decision that I'm not going to put off making memories with my kids out of fear that everything won't be perfect. Not too long ago I read Beth Moore's book "So Long Insecurity," and there was a chapter in it that was basically a prayer for healing. One part of the prayer still lingers with me every time I hesitate to do something new that stretches my creativity abilities.

"Forgive me for being such a perfectionist that I resist doing something good out of the fear that it won't be great..."

On that note, I'm off to take my kids to their last day of school. It's only a half day, so maybe if the weather turns nice, I'll prepare a picnic lunch. Otherwise, we just might have a picnic in the middle of our living room. :)

Have a great summer all! I'll be seeing you around.
~Melissa~

The Birthday Boy

Today is my son BC's 7th birthday. We went and got donuts for breakfast, and cupcakes for his class, and pizza for dinner. :)











Then he opened his presents and we played Trouble together. It was a fun day. I can't believe he's already 7. They're growing up so fast.

Happy birthday son. I love you!