A camping we will go...

A few weeks ago, we took the boys on their first camping trip. Thank goodness for mommy's sake, it was "cabin" camping and not the good ole fashioned tent kind. :) The company my dad works for owns a huge tract of land down near Midway so we all packed up (the entire house it seemed) and headed down for one night of fun! First let me show you what this place looks like!

This tree house is like an outdoor living room overlooking the lake

This is the pavilion near the outdoor kitchen

These are the cabins where we all slept

My mom and Dad, our friend Ken and his two daughters, and our friends Russ and Mandy and their two kids joined us for the adventure. When we got there Friday night, it was already dark but mom and dad had gone early and gotten everything setup for us. We grilled out hamburgers and got settled in. We were able to watch a Cars 2 like this...

Is that fun or what?? "Cold as a witches titty in a brass bra"(as my dad says), but really fun! Then we built a bonfire and roasted marshmallows, my favorite!!

Me and my mommy

Please note Davis on top of the table shaking his hiney! Absolutely hilarious!!

Grady was not so crazy about the roasted marshmallows

I sure do love my daddy even if he can be a grumpy old man sometimes :)

We stayed up way too late and got up way to early but it was a lot of fun. Next morning, after we had a little coffee (Mr. Pib for Chris of course) and grub we headed off on 5 four wheelers and one mule. It was absolutely awesome! I could have ridden all day. We ate a delicious country cookin' lunch at Dorchester Hunting Club and then headed back to pack up.  Thank you Daddy for a trip filled with memories to last forever.

Davis eating his "cereeor" and yes that is a garbage bag being used as a bib :)

In ground trampoline...does it get any cooler??

We rode our four wheelers to the bluff and this was the breathtaking view

I look like a complete nut but had to let you see! Somehow dirt still got in my eyes, how I don't know!

The clowns!

Ken's precious girls at lunch

Davis with some of his favorite things; a lovey, his Papa, and a four wheeler

  

Grady bug

Tonight I felt like taking the time to do a special little post for my Grady man. Davis will get one too of course, but I figure oldest comes first so here we go!

Grady Alan Witherington

I cannot believe he will be FIVE in January. Wow, time has flown. He honestly seems like he is about 20 years old most days, so it catches me off guard when he randomly, in such antagonistic lovely ways, reminds me that he really is only four. He loves preschool and seems to be doing great on all his little worksheets he brings home. Now if he could just learn to sit still and not always try to be the star of the show, we will be set. :) God bless him because I think he basically got a double dose of mine and Chris’ perfectionist, driven to succeed personalities, but so far he seems to be dealing with it A okay.  He enjoyed playing soccer this Fall and although he was not very skilled yet, he hustled more than anyone on the team, which makes this mama very proud. His coach actually took the time to point him out to the entire team and say, “Everyone look at Grady. Now that is what hustling looks like.” Grady was really hoping to score a goal and he came real close in one game and proudly yelled to us, “Mom, Dad, I almost scored a goal!” What an awesome moment of innocence.

The "almost" goal

He also has gotten really into art lately which I LOVE because crafty stuff is so fun for me. We have done some paper chains, modeling clay animals and Halloween crafts together in the afternoons while Davis is asleep. Here is our October creation Popeye the Sailor Pumpkin (as Grady named him).

He drew a self-portrait during rest time the other day and I literally thought I was going to fall on the floor when he explained it. Let's just say he got into the anatomy of things and I was trying so hard not to laugh because he was so proud but seriously, these are the moments that make having kids worth every single second. He has learned to start his bike on his own now so he is officially a 2-wheel bike rider. I took him to Lake Mayer about a month ago and ran while he biked. We had a great time except he kept wanting to race and I thought I might pass out. He did 3 miles in 36 minutes. Not bad for a 4 3/4 year old! I drove on his first field trip a few weeks ago. They went to Marshview Nursing Home and sang some precious Halloween songs. It was fun to get to see him interact with his school friends and they were all adorable in their costumes. I am looking forward to many more field trips, art projects, soccer games and whatever else he decides he wants to learn or take interest in. Tonight I am just thankful for him and exactly who he is.

 

Please lift up Dr. Melissa Behm and her family in your prayers today. Her baby Thomas went to be with the Lord tonight and I know God will use every tear and every bit of hurt for His glory, but just remember to cherish the moments we have here together. We all need that reminder every day!

Finding a Balance

   I think everyone of us can relate to this title. It doesn't matter what stage you are in or what job you have or how big or small your family, each of us has to find balance. Now what that balance consists of is as different as each of the individuals that we are. My balance is between God, my husband, my sons, exercise, friends, extended family, my church, BSF and probably a few more that my rattled brain can't even recall at the moment. In Sunday School this morning though, my brain was yet again jolted by a verse from God's word.
   ^"Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Peter 2:11-12) 
   This verse just adds to all my crazy thoughts on balance, because I was reminded that to look at the big, big picture which is finding a balance between God's commands and the desires of this world. In my BSF notes last week it said, "Which is more important to you - concentration on Jesus Christ or the strong appeal of current thought, friends' opinion, and the framing of your image before the world?"If we are honest, every single one of us struggles with this in some way. Yet each day, we must get up and continue to step out and function in this world that is getting more "entitled" with every rotation it makes.
   When Davis' child life specialist came this past week, she reiterated to me, yet again, that in her opinion, most of his behavior issues stem from anxiety. That is a very hard pill to swallow but definitely a blessing that it is something that we can work on. Over the past couple of years, some things that have gone on have left me very anxious and it really does show in my day to day. My sweet mama describes me sometimes as a "cat on a hot tin roof" and apparently it is rubbing off on my little man. So many people belittle stay at home moms and for my performance driven, achievement oriented personality, I find this an extremely difficult thing to deal with. I am left in a state of feeling I have to prove myself rather than reveling in the joy of being able to do the one thing I've always dreamed of doing. Another factor weighing me down is just that, weight! I am one food loving lady and I was never a very thin person until I had children and was finally able to reach a higher level of fitness. I am finding it extremely difficult to maintain this level and again, for my personality, that means FAILURE! There's that dreaded F word again! Also, parenting is quite possibly the most humbling experience on the planet Earth. I sometimes feel so lost on what to do and find myself literally begging God to come down just for a second to tell me how to handle whatever crazy situation I may be refereeing at the moment. I know He is the only one I can turn to but boy do I wish He was here some days. :) I am praying that over the next few months, God will help me to find a better balance; to feel more rested, less stressed, sit still and read His word more and feel no guilt over all the other countless things I could be doing. BSF continues to be one of the most amazing spiritual experiences of my life. Each week a new truth is revealed and I am able to further examine my life according to God's purpose. This week's notes said, "God's intent is for us to rest from anything that distracts us from Christ and His work."
Wow, now that is something to think on this week!!

We picked out our Christmas tree yesterday, so hopefully we will get it decorated tonight. Can't wait. I absolutely love this time of year, to focus on the gift we have been given freely in Jesus Christ and to Take the tome to show those we love just how special they are to us.

"By an attitude of gratitude, stress is turned to rest."

Thankfulness

  This past Sunday morning in Sunday School, we went around the room and each said what we were thankful for. Now you might think, blah blah blah, people will just spout off the old basics and move on but let me just tell you, that is exactly the opposite of what happened. I am so thankful for my church and for the fellow believers I am able to be around there. The words they speak never cease to amaze me and the love they have for our Heavenly Father is awe-inspiring. I shared that I am thankful for Bible Study Fellowship this year and how it is giving me the accountability I need to get into God's word and actually study so that I can know God in a deeper way. I also shared my thankfulness to my husband for providing for our family above and beyond what I could have ever imagined. Financial stability is a gift which can be fleeting and I do NOT take it for granted.
  This week I have really been thinking a lot about thankfulness. If we let our focus slip from a Heavenly one to an Earthly one, it sure can change our perspective on gratitude. I have really been struggling over the past few months when Davis shows his true colors in public and all the side glances and murmurs and whatnot begin. Or when Grady acts out, which in turn causes Davis to act out, and before you know it, I am the referee for World War 3. I realized that sometimes it is difficult for me to feel thankful for them in those moments and I quickly came to the conclusion that it is because I am worried about #1 what people think of me as a parent and #2 what people think of them as children. I know obviously that as a parent we are hear to teach, guide, and discipline our children to help them become warriors for Christ, but I can't do that if I am worried about the judgment of others rather than focused on the gift/task that God has given me in parenting. This week, I am going to focus on being thankful for the unique gift that they each are and know that God has a special plan and purpose for them.
  I am so grateful for BSF, but this week especially, it was just the slap in the face I needed! The leader said, "What we focus and think on is who/what we will begin to look like." One of the key principles was "Fixing my thoughts on Jesus directs my beliefs and actions. God's rest, the unshakable confidence that Christ's work has been done for each one of us, is the reward," and for that I am thankful!!

Very thankful for rare moments like these that make all the other ones worth it!

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Accomplished Goals

Well, it seems my brain is still functioning on low the past few weeks and I haven't had much extra time to post, but I had to share a little about the Rock N Roll 1/2 Marathon before I forget. My friend Sarah Buck and I ran it together and when I say ran, I mean never walked one step! We did it in 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 51 seconds, which was well below our goal of 2:10 so we were pumped. This was her first half marathon and we trained together for the past 4 months. She did great and it was so fun because each week when we added a mile to our long run, it was the longest distance she had ever run. That being said, we had never gone above 12. So race day comes and we are ready to go! The horn blows and we are off. We wore water belts and zoomed through the water stations without getting trampled by the thousands of other runners vying for a little H2O. There were people shouting encouraging words around each corner it seemed and even once we saw city garbage trucks pulled over and the workers were actually standing there cheering for all of us. It made me so proud to be a Savannian. Now I do want to mention the dreaded mile #12. It wasn't either one of our most shining moments, that is for sure. She started telling me that she couldn't make it one more step and needed to walk. I knew it was mind over matter at that point so I did the only thing I knew to do...YELL! I was literally screaming "throw up if you need to but you are NOT walking...we are almost there" and pulling her arm as we trudged towards the glorious finish line. I warned you it wasn't pretty. Thankfully, she saw her husband and little girl and that gave her just the umph she needed to sprint to the finish. She quickly forgave my butt busting tirade and we enjoyed the feeling of victory. I loved getting to see her accomplish her goal and am so thankful that we could do this together. It is something I will never forget. Now for all of you who don't know her, Sarah is a FABULOUS photographer around here whose business happens to be one of my favs. I have been able to see Sarah Buck Photography grow from day one to what it is today and I couldn't be more proud of her. She will probably kill me for this but I absolutely must share. First the posed and poised after picture:

But this is the awesome picture my hubby took moments before we crossed the finish line!! Have you ever seen joy like this on human beings faces????

It just makes me smile!! Sarah took some pictures of our family this past Sunday and I wanted to share the link. Enjoy her talent!

Sarah Buck Photography Witherington Photos

I hope you all have a great weekend!

It's finally time to Rock N Roll!

Well, tomorrow is the big day! I can't believe it! I am so excited and nervous and relieved all in one. We went and picked up our packets today and we are ready to go.

Should be a morning to remember and then I get to go visit my favorite mouse on earth.
"Hey Mickey you're so fun, you're so fun you blow my mind. Hey Mickey!!"