The schedule is back...

September was nuts. In a good, get-back-into-a-schedule-kind-of-way, but nuts just the same. I just realized that I only blogged three times this month. Many exciting things happening, but for the same reason we don't videotape our kids as often as we should, instead of documenting, we are simply engaging ourselves in the moments. Both engaging and documenting are good at different times, I suppose. Anyway, seems the two year old currently would rather I engage myself fully in her, instead of documenting her. Fair enough. :)

Jack and Trey have started school off on a very successful note. I'm driving Chase to preschool four mornings a week: a big schedule commitment, but one that brings him a lot of joy. Tess is now going up and down the stairs with no gate. I'll miss that 12-year-old bright teal barrier handed down from a friend... what will we do now that we don't have to hike our leg over that ugly thing a million times a day?!

AWANA Kids Club has officially started up at church on Wednesday nights, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the boys' enthusiasm to memorize God's Word. What an amazing program. Who knew that learning scripture could make a kid so sweaty? :) While my TNT, Sparks, Cubbies, and Puggles club members are having the time of their lives, I'm upstairs in a ladies' bible study for the next eight weeks. My turn to teach was last night. While I stress ahead of time with the pressure that comes with presenting the Word, I'm beyond blessed every time I have the opportunity.

Tyler has picked up his golf game again, and golfed with our neighbor and seven other retired guys today. You have to tag along with the men who have no jobs when you have a weird schedule like Tyler's. I'm glad he's getting in some much-deserved hobby time after all of these stay-at-home infant years.

New this Fall... we'll be hosting a small group bible study in our home beginning next Monday night. After training last year in our church's Marriage Mentoring curriculum, we are excited to lead a group of premarital / newly married couples. We have led other groups in the past, but this population is a new one for us. We are passionate about marriage and can't wait to discuss practical marriage topics based on the wisdom from God's Word.

Trey is in his last three weeks of Fall baseball. I am enjoying watching this kid - now one of the older ones on his team - get into the game on a whole new level. He's been playing the infield consistently now: catching a lot, and has taken his turn on first and third base. Now if he would adhere to the "There's no crying in baseball" rule, we'd all feel like we're getting somewhere. There is not one activity that Trey doesn't jump in full force, emotions and all.

Why do I all of a sudden feel like I'm writing our annual Christmas letter? Just an early Fall update, y'all. Act surprised when you get the letter. Deal?

Life is busy, even when we feel like we've said no to lots of activities for the sake of our sanity. Four kids are busy. Good luck catching us after 4pm in the midst of homework, post-nap fussy toddlers, supper prep and six people all talking at once. Tyler and I laughed tonight about the time we clock each day just helping children in the potty. Some days I swear it feels like I live in the bathroom. It's a glamorous life I lead. :)

But there's joy in the moment. Joy in knowing that in everything we do, whether it's being involved in an organized ministry, or the daily, not-so-glamorous task of wiping bottoms, it's all for the glory of God.

Yep, I'm pretty sure God sees it all...

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Cor. 10:31

Getting in our 20 minutes a day...

It's official, we're foodies...

foodie or foody (ˈfuːdɪ)
— n , pl -ies
	a person having an enthusiastic interest in the preparation and consumption of good food This definition cracks me up. It is so us. Especially the enthusiastic part. When Tyler and I retire, right after we catch up on years of lost sleep, we're watching countless hours of Food Network together (and we won't fall asleep doing it). We'll make notes and plans to replicate fabulous dishes. Then we'll grocery shop together (any time we want, instead of during the most ridiculous sleeping hours), leisurely browsing in aisles that have many breakable containers. We'll buy lots of strange ingredients that kids don't like. Then we'll come home, put on some romantic music (or Michael Jackson's Greatest Hits... either way), light some candles, and cook (together and uninterrupted) until our hearts are content. We'll consume everything before it gets cold (enthusiastically, mind you), and we'll only have to cut up our own food. And we might even stay at the table afterwards, you know, for a palate-cleansing dessert and a cup of coffee/tea over some stimulating adult conversation. We might even know a thing or two about politics by then. Sounds dreamy, doesn't it? Exactly. Until then, we're tiding ourselves over with some simple, but flavor-filled dishes, that even our kids will eat. Here's my latest favorite Fall chicken recipe. I'll title it Foil-wrapped Rosemary Chicken (catchy, huh? I just made that up right now...). It's quick, easy, and pretty much impossible to screw up. Just how I like it. Check this out: First, you must find a really cute preschool helper. The one that never wears a shirt is a keeper. Get him to wash the sand out of his fingernails, and get started.

Lay out large pieces of foil, big enough to wrap and seal in your seasoned chicken breast (Quick tip: we buy all our chicken at Sam's Club - they always beat the best sale price I can get anywhere else, and the breasts are twice the size of other places). Lay trimmed chicken breast on foil, and sprinkle with some olive oil. Season both sides with generous portions of kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, and - our favorite spice of all time - Emeril's Original Essence (you can buy the spice pre-made on grocery store shelves, or check out the link to make it yourself). Top with whole sprigs of Rosemary. And if the foil has Tyler's name on it, add some Chipotle Pepper Flakes. Just how he likes it.

Fold down the foil around the chicken, making sure it is sealed tight (this will pay off when it traps in all of the yummy juices). Place foil-wrapped chicken in a baking dish, and bake at 350 degrees for an hour, or until done. The individual servings allow you to tailor the flavor to the likes of each dinner guest, and the juice that gets trapped in the foil will simply amaze you. So good.

I feel the need to fit in the descriptive word "fantastic" somewhere here, and if I add a YouTube clip of me tasting the finished product (and describing how succulent it tastes while I still have tons of food in my mouth), then - only then - could I be a real Food Network star.

Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure Giada can get away with talking with a mouth full of food way better than I can.

I think I'll keep my day job...

But really, you should try this.

What is your favorite fall recipe?

No more questions...

I was all set to blog about the boys' swimming lessons this summer, but I only have one thing on my heart tonight. A baby boy named Kyle in Cincinnati, who is not doing well after heart surgery this week. I went to high school with his mom. We haven't talked much since graduating (ahem, 18 years ago), but you moms know what I mean when I say that the mom connection is still there. We've messaged a few times over facebook since she shared about his condition, but I've prayed for him many, many more times than that.

Reality checks are a good thing. I have a lot to be thankful for. But emotions can easily get thrown in the mix, and I find myself asking the hard questions. Ones like, "Why him, and not one of my babies?", or "Why does a five month old have to endure so much in his little life already?".

I can't stay there for long, though, because I know that there is so much more going on than I can see. God has his hand in the smallest details of our lives, orchestrating those details in such a way that will bring Him much glory. I won't know all of the answers in this life, but this world is not my home. One day, I'll see Jesus, and everything else will fade away.

Every mom has stressful days. Even stressful years. Sometimes we can just plain lose perspective. But today, I rocked my fussy baby a little longer than normal, and thanked God that He chose me to be her momma, high maintenance and all. I prayed for baby Kyle as I held her tight, and prayed that I'd serve my children more, and complain a little less.

God doesn't give us all the same load, but he calls us to be faithful to the load He's given us.

We've been talking a lot about heaven around this house lately. The boys are trying to wrap their little minds around the thought of it. One morning before school, the discussion came up as we were finishing up breakfast. Jack asked what Jesus will look like. Trey said he wanted to dance with Grandma Great under the big disco ball (oh dear, only Trey...). And Chase wondered what he would do when he saw Jesus. "Mom, I don't think I'll even be able to stand up when I see Him."

I used to long for heaven so I could whip out my list of unanswered questions, in an effort to finally understand what I had trouble making sense of for so long. But I think I had it all wrong. You see, the older I get, I find that I don't need all of the answers. That would make it all about me, now wouldn't it?

I just need to worship.

I hope that when I get to heaven, I'm too busy worshipping to even be thinking about the questions. Because it's all about Him.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in His wonderful face.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

in the light of His glory and grace.

"I think you're right, Chase. I don't think I'll even be able to stand up when I see Him."

God doesn't give us all the same load, but he calls us to be faithful to the load He's given us.

"The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it."

1 Thess. 5:24