Road Trip Perspective

This week the girls and I went on a road trip. (Opps, still adjusting- the kids and I...) I love a great road trip. There is just something about packing up and going somewhere that gets me excited. When I think about the idea of a "road trip" I think about my college days. Jumping in the car, headed to a new place with my friends. Often these trips were spontaneous. And if they were planned the most I had to worry about was what outfits I wanted to pack so I'd look cute in all the photos we were sure to snap along the way. I have some great memories of past trips.

These days my life is a little less spontaneous. Okay, maybe a lot less spontaneous. Getting ready for a trip these days looks more like this:

Doing Laundry. Or This:

Packing lunches for Jeremy while I will be gone.

As for those cute outfits, I pack three sets of them for my kiddos and hope I remember to pack clothes for me too. Going on a road trip is simply put, a whole lot of work. But, I still love a great road trip. So, I do laundry, pack suitcases, make lists, pack lunches, and hit the road in my minivan. And I am so glad I did it was a blast!! (More on that later)

This week I finally sat down and cracked open my Bible study book & journal. The last date I had written in it? January 22nd. The Friday before Titus was born. Time to get back into the holy habit of quiet time with the Lord. So, what in the world does this have to do with my road trip?

Before kids I could spend time with the Lord whenever I wanted to. There were no little people to interrupt. No necessary sleep deprivation to distract me. (Notice I said necessary, there was definitely sleep deprivation in college but it was chosen.) Now finding quite time to read my Bible is kind of like a road trip, work. I am a wife, I am a mom to three small children, I am not getting quality sleep... Does that mean I should cut myself some slack? Maybe.

Yes, I do have a new baby. And some might say this warrants my lack of quiet time. But, I have found time to watch TV, I have found the energy to plan for a road trip. So, I'm working at reestablishing my quiet time. Not because God won't cut me some slack. But, because I am a wife & mom of 3 small children who isn't getting quality sleep. And I NEED the perspective God's word brings to my life. How else can I be patient, kind, & equipped to be the wife and mother God desires?

Ultimately daily quiet time with the Lord is just like a road trip a whole lot of work but totally worth the investment.

Growing So Fast!

One of the great things about having a newborn is that they are constantly changing, reminding you how far behind you are on updating your blog. My mom took these photos when Titus was 5 1/2 weeks old. And his look has already changed! But the photos were too cute not to share. It was a typical photo session full of bribing, begging, and my kids basically not cooperating. My favorite quote from this photo session was from my sister. It went like this:

Jenn: Can you imagine what its like trying to take a family picture of the Duggars?

Josie: I bet its easy their kids are so well behaved..... I mean uh, not that your kids aren't well behaved.

My kids not well behaved? Clearly, Josie lived with us and knows my kids! Lets just say my kids remind me DAILY how important my job of molding & shaping them into the people God desires them to be is! (and I'm guessing maybe yours do too.... at least I hope so)

And for the record, I only use the popular bribing and begging parenting technique when their Gramy is trying to take pictures, I wouldn't recommend it for general daily use.

Play Date

Kristina & her kids came to visit her parents so we went up to have a play date. It was fun having all the kids together. We visited/refereed while the kids played. I feel so blessed that God gave me a lifetime friend in Kristina. We played together when we were our kids' age because our moms were friends. We were baptized on the same day. We were college roommates. And now we are having fun sharing the craziness of being moms to 3 small kids. God is good!