lots

There is A LOT going on. And I mean that in the it is worth annoying the english teacher in all of you to say "a lot" kind of way! I wish I could say that I've been burried in the Word, being a super awesome mom, cooking healthy food and keeping a super clean home... but no. There has been a ton of too much of this and even more not enough of that. I had started running about a month ago, and while mentaly I'm running marathons and am super eager to get out there and just  do  it, my I've had three babies and eaten too many tamales body is not so keen on the experiment. I'm trying. I even bought you cant buy these at walmart shoes. BUT this week I've been forced to lay off a little. I may or may not have turned to the nutella jar to comfort my hips... and my shins.... and my back.... and my feet. I've also started a major sewing project. A project I am so in love with and am so excited about that I have allowed my house to turn into fabric scrap heaven. Calling all mice. Nest material aplenty.  On top of that I picked back up an older, just as major project. That one is a hand stitched quilt. I love it, but it agravates my wrists so I have to limit my handwork on it to a few days a week. This getting old business stinks. The fact the my children are getting older doesnt help either. Silas suddenly wants conversations, not just snuggles. He speaks sentences. That we actually understand. Balin is learning letters and numbers and that color is made by reflections of light. He loves his new buddy Jace and tells me every day what the kids at school who eat cafeteria lunch have on their trays and yet he is Happy with what I've packed in his lunch bag. My oldest made a solar powered car and refuses to read until I catch him up at 10 pm just wanting to get to that next chapter. His teacher tells me he is an incredible young man and I tell her to hush it he's only a little boy   thank you. I miss my friends but am excited about my new ones.  I have made it to season five of Bones. My garage is clean. My freezer empty. My husband could use a second wife to iron his clothes because my iron is too busy working on my project. This is my life right now, an ugly beautiful mess. A friend wrote a beautiful post today about her missionary life. Amongst pictures of her lived in, used well kitchen she wrote "I chose this. I want this. How quickly I forget." How true. I chose this. When I prayed for snuggly babies I was also praying for whining toddlers. When I prayed to be a stay at home mom I was also asking for what can feel like social isolation so I would available for them. When I prayed that my children would be brave and intellegent I also prayed for them to use those gifts on me, their safest sounding board for rebellion and what happens when I... When I prayed for a home I prayed for the chores that remind me it is mine to care for. I am learning that life is more about the mess than the money shot for the magazine. The blocks on the floor  tell a greater story about what God is doing here than the shots I put on instagram. Achy hips are part of the game. Proof that something happened. What aches in  you tonight? What chore is left undone? What leggo will you step on? Will you let it remind you of the promise? The promise where he tells us we are never alone? That this is all for his Glory.