April Adventures

This evening was the last post placement visit with our social worker.  I can't believe that we are so close to our finalization.  Our Miss Myla will be officially ours on May 8th.  

Do a little dance with me friends.  What we know in our hearts will be proven on paper in just  14 days...she is ours-forever and ever.

 

A couple of weeks ago the sun burst through the horrible clouds that have hovered over our heads this long winter.  Bryan and I decided we would adventure out and take the kiddos  to the zoo. 

 It was a special day.  Myla wasn't certain about her surrounding so she looked to me as she often does when she needs reassurance.

After she received the security she needed from Momma, she was all smiles.  Fun stuff. 

 I think the carousal ride was a hit.  What do you think?

I love my dudes.   

 Oh, my sweet girls I loved my day with you.

 What a day to remember. 

My Sweet Liberty Joy

My Dearest Libby,

I can’t believe that you are another year older.  It has been my joy to watch you grow into the beauty that you are. 

  You amaze me by your loving spirit.  Not everyone has the ability to make others feel loved the way that you do.  You warm my heart every time I witness you running to love and hug on people…adults at church.  I know they look forward to their “Libby hugs”.  Don’t ever lose your gift of hugging. 

 

Mommy appreciates how much you help me with Myla.  I know she loves her play time with you as well.  One day you will be as good of a Momma as you are a big sis.  Don’t ever stop loving on the babes in your life.

Above all else, strive daily to love the Lord.  He will guide you through life as you grow into the Lady he has created you to be.

 

Fight hard for truth for it is getter harder to find these days.  Be the strong girl that I see living out each day.  The lord will use it.

  Momma loves you more that life!  Without you, I wouldn’t be complete.

LOVING YOU,

Momma

OURS

Our little Myla isn't so little any more. 

Myla just up from a nap.  Not in a smiling mood just yet.

She got two teeth last week.  Can she really be this big? 

Aunt Shelley holding Myla

 

She is almost sitting up on her own. 

She is almost "officially" ours.  In May, we should have our day in court.  I can tell you this. 

Myla looking at the camera like it is weird.  She will only smile for pictures when someone is behind me.  She doesn't want to smile at a big, black box.

She is ours through and through.  We don't need paper work or the court to make it official.  She has been officially ours before she even took her first breath. 

 She is our joy.  She is our love.  She is our beauty.  It is a hourly event to hear proclaimed, "You are so pretty."  by someone in the house.   

Our Easter Blessings

Does it ever seem wrong to you that we get to be the ones to receive blessings on days that should be a time to worship, adore, and thank our Savior, Jesus Christ?  Today was a special day for us just the same. 

 

It was a time of complete peace as we worshiped together with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.  We were reminded today that the Savior is still waiting to once again drink of the cup.  He is waiting so that he can partake of it with you and me for eternity. 

 

  Praise Him.  Praise Him.  Praise Him.

 

I went a little picture happy today.  It was difficult to weed through so many pics of my beauties so I grabbed some of my favs to share:



The girls wanted to have curls for the Lord's day:) 

Myla is at that "eat mama's face" stage.  Love it. 

Isn't purple her color?

Drew's first egg of the season.  He was a little backward at first.

Libby loves holidays.

Grace with her cousin

What a team.

While the kids were hunting for eggs, Myla was entertaining Daddy with her bubble act.

I think she likes Easter too.

Zeke being a dork.  Grandma made the older kids hunt for just one egg with their name on it.  If they found it, they received a cash gift.  Funny Stuff.

They searched

 high and low.

Grace even stopped long enough to pose for a pic while searching in a tree.

Our beauty-Hosanna
 

Myla wasn't sure about the wrapping on her basket. 

She took her time to discover this new material. 

How cute is she.

She even posed with her new headband. 

 

I just had to end our picture time with my dorky

but lovable guy.

 

Happy Easter

What a beautiful day it was today.  Our little Myla was able to see the great outdoors two days in a row.  She was so excited...she squealed with joy.  Fun stuff. 

 

 I love to take walks with my children.  One of our favorite things to do is walk to the bridge close by and throw rocks into the creek. I strapped Myla into her snuggly and off we went.

 

Today, when the little ones colored eggs, I didn't help.  I just let them have at it while I sat back and watched.  I usually hover over them and miss out on the joy of witnessing their creativity.  I didn't care if they spilled anything.  I didn't care if they cracked every egg.  I just wanted to have fun-and fun we had. 

 

March Memories

I have to admit that this month has been a blur-a complete and utter blur.  I struggled to feel well.  I can honestly say that the last two days are the first two days that I felt like myself in over three weeks. 

 

I didn't take as many pictures of my family due to the illness, but I do have memories that I long to remember.  I decided I would just put them on one post. 

 

I love it when I can kill two birds with one stone so to make things even easier, I decided I would just catch up on my digital scrapbook collages and present them to you all on my blog.  

 

 Here are my March Memories: 

 

We started off the month by playing in the snow much like we finished it. 

 

I love these pictures of Bryan and  two of my sweeties!!

 

 

Drew didn't care that it was cold.  He just wanted to ride his new bike somewhere else.  He was sick of the basement. Aren't we all ready for SPRING?

 What Mother wouldn't view moments like these as a true gift...blessing?  Oh, my heart. 

 

 Hosanna longs to be an athlete like her older siblings.  I can see the desire to play sports growing in her heart. 

 

Chore Time

In order to have our family life run smoothly, Bryan and I have assigned daily chores or tasks for each of our children to accomplish. 

The Elliott children who help run the ship by carry out their jobs

It is funny how during the chore times the children will often become distracted.  It could be the desire to go potty, the need to instruct someone younger, or selfish hearts who argue over who gets the sweeper first.  Regardless of the cause, the distraction prolongs the assignment and creates interruption in the vision we desire for our family to have. 

Isn’t it the same with the work the Lord has for us?

I am a child of the King!  He has given me a calling…chores…assignments for me to live out for I am a member of HIS family.

I am called to be a minister’s wife. 

The man I walk  through ministry with

I am called to be a mother of seven children.

I am called to homeschool the arrows he has placed in our quiver. 

It has become very apparent to me that I also get distracted in my “chore time”.  I allow Satan to grab my attention and persuade me to focus on things with little to no importance.

 Don’t get me wrong.  The items, events, and issues that rob me of accomplishing my assignments are real.  Some are even painful…aching the core of my heart, but they are not the works of the Lord so they shouldn’t have a hold on my life, heart, and mind. 

Why does Satan and his army work to distract?

Simple…we are powerful members in the army of Christ, but we are only powerful and affective when we are fueled by his word and ways...not Satan's!  If he can distract us, less will be done for the KINGDOM.  Less will come to know the saving power of grace given by the Savior, less will have a spiritually mature mother to guide them through life, and less will build up the body of Christ.

I am learning that I need to pray for the Spirit to help me ward off the attacks of distractions.  I need to be on my knees more as I live out my callings. 

Will you join me in prayer as you fight to live out yours?