Losing JOY....

So, this is really just a way for me to get my thoughts together. The last week has been one of great difficulty, and it seem that it is easier for me to BLOG or facebook so that I don't actually have to engage people. Normally I run to people, but this week I have wanted nothing to do with people. I have experienced a miscarriage this last week and my heart seems to be broken. I feel as if I have lost JOY, empty and sad. I know that these things happen everyday and yet it still sucks. I had a bladder/kidney infection along with the miscarriage so it was really the perfect storm, a little bit of everything. Today is the first day that physically I feel well enough to get out of bed, but I don't really want to get out of bed, but I do anyway. Today is also the first day that my head feels clear enough to deal with my real feelings-whatever they are. Have I really lost my JOY- no because I can look outside this moment and see all that I have to be thankful for...that is the ironic thing about grief that if we are grieving it has nothing to do with the "blessings." Grief and pain are OK and often necessary in healing. For the few weeks that I was pregnant with my third child, I was so full of JOY and excitement, it seemed as if it was the perfect time for our family. The Girls had been praying for a new baby and the Lord was faithful to answer their prayers, I think back now and it seemed to perfect. When Leroy told them what had happened, he reminded them that the Lord had answered their prayers and that this was just not the right time but they still could have faith for the things unseen. The girls have been so amazing and tender with me, grace has been the only thing that covered the really sad moments for me, Elisha has such great faith, it really cuts to the heart, she see and understands things of the Lord that I will never. Johanna has said lots of random "Mom- I just love yous" and talks so confidently of the future. So again I am at a place when I can reject the JOY OF THE LORD, or I can refocus. I am not really sure what this looks like, or how I will mend, but what I am choosing to do today is reclaim JOY, and Let the Lord heal my heart and rest in his grace, cry and grieve....

Summer Time

OK, summer has gone by way to fast!!!! We have had lots of fun, we spent a week in Canada with our cousins. We stayed on Hornby island and enjoyed being in the water during the heat wave a few weeks ago. We spend some time with my friend April and her boyfriend at the Summit lake house, where we discovered that Elisha has a very adventurous side, she was in the water the whole time swimming, jumping off the dock, sliding down the trampoline slide into the water and going on the seadoo when ever she could. I will post some pictures soon of all those events. Elisha had her first sleepover at our house with her friend Rachel, they had a blast and where actually asleep by 9:30-WOW. We are so blessed to have some neat friends so close by. Another fun thing that the girls have done this summer was camping/hiking with Leroy. Yes, my wonderfully brave husband went on a camping trip just him and the girls. They went to Mr. Rainer and had a blast, I was so sad that I missed out- I had to work:( So, enjoy the pictures of their camping trip.

On a side note, I have opened my own business, check out my web-site www.my-tfa-inhome.com/JulieK Book a party in the Month of August and receive a free purse or wallet!!!
This has been a great adventure for me and I am loving it....

Summer Time

So, summer is offically here!!! This is our first full week of No School and having Elisha home and we are LOVING it! Today the girl and I walked 3 miles. Elisha rode her Bike and I pushed Johanna on her trike- it has a neat handle bar for the parents. Elisha did awesome and if I can figure out how to upload pictures from my cell phone, I have a cute one of the 2 of them. Then after a relaxing afternoon we had a fashion show in the front yard. So enjoy the fashion show.

Our Yard and Garden!!!!

Wow, I am so excited to watch our yard bloom this year, we have been in our house for 4 years, and everything we have planted is in full bloom. We have had so much fun, designing our yard (we have had lots of help). Our garden is another great addition to our yard. This year the girls have been a real help with getting things ready and planted. In our garden we have- Stawberries, blueberries, raspberries, carrots, lettuce, broccoli, squash, cucumbers, sweet peas, string beans, sunflowers, calliflower, potatoes, rubarb, tomatoes, green peppers and cabbage- we also have a pumpkin patch. Enjoy the pictures!!!!

For Mother's Day we went to the FC Sounders game!!! Here are some pictures.
Mothers Day 2009, might have been my best yet. We-all the adults in the family went to a Sounders Soccer Game, and had so much fun. Then we went and had drinks and appitizers at Cutters. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family, whom I enjoy to spend time with. I am also blessed to have such a wonderful mother in law who watched the Kids- all 3 (Elisha, Johanna and Ryan) and I know that they also had a great time. With all that fun, one would think that this was the highlight of my day, however after coming home- snuggling with my girls was the best part of my day, we all climbed into my bed and talked about our days and nearly fell asleep together. Thank you Lord for special MOM moments, teach me to enjoy my kids everyday....

Fun in the sun

Where does the time go....

Well, the last few weeks have been crazy and full of lots of fun things. After sharing at tea and testimony at my MOPS group, I have had such wonderful conversations with people about the Lord, my faith is truely being put in action, and I have been so blessed. We have had some fun times with the girls, we had a "movies, munchies and manicure night" at your house hence the fun picture of all 8girls-yes we had 8 girls. We had so much fun, Leroy was amazing and I am so blessed to have him as my husband, he just went with the flow of the evening, played with the girls, helped paint nails, cleaned up, and I know that he had just as much fun as all the girls did:). Leroy also celebrated his 33rd Birthday, we made him dinner and then he saw a movie with a friend, KUDOS to him for doing somthing for himself on his birthday. We have been getting ready for another great gardening season with our seeds starters in the window. I am so ready for spring and excited to see all that the Lord has planned in this next season. We are so blessed to have a church and a wonderful group of people to share life with, GOD IS SO GOOD! We have enjoyed spending time with our church family. And as this week ends WE will be celabrating Ryan's first birthday. I can hardly believe that He is 1, he is such a sweet boy, and such a wonderful blessing to all of us, I think that my favorite thing about Ryan is his determination, and his excitement and love for people, I trust that God is going to do great things with these qualities. Then 2 weeks later Johanna turns 3, lots of fun stuff....