Still here.

Yes. We are still here. I can't believe how terrible I have been at this blogging thing. I guess 7 months away from blogging isn't so bad, right? Okay, so maybe thats just terrible, but I promise to do better  you're lucky I can write today. ha!

As I sit here typing, I am thinking about all of the things I SHOULD be doing. Ugh.

However, we have had several milestones occur and I thought I would update. Steve and I had an anniversary on April 8th. We have had a wonderful 7 years together. Then, Laura Beth turned 5 and yesterday learned to tie her shoes all by herself. She is VERY proud of herself. Every time I turn around she is on the floor, untying and retying. It's pretty cute. Then, Julie Ann is HUGE. She is 3 feet tall at just one week shy of 2 years. I'm a little sad, because I predicted she could wear 2T clothes this summer, but many of them are too small already :(  $$.

This weekend we are going to have a huge Crawfish boil for My dad's side of the family (a reunion of sorts) combined with Julie Ann's birthday party (a shabby chic tea party). I can't wait! However, Julie Ann must get well before that happens. She had croup last night. She seems fine in the day, but that crazy hoarse voice and bark cough at night is super scary. Doctor has her fully medicated and she should be back to normal in no time.

I guess I have been estranged from the blog because I am FILLED UP with the Lord. May sound crazy to some, but to me this is a good thing. We have been seeing some wonderful things happening for the Lord. Sadly though, we have also seen how sin has ravished lives/creation as well. Thank God for His perfect plan and His love and grace for His people. Another reason I haven't been blogging is because I have been posting on instagram and facebook. I don't feel the need to repost pictures here on the blog after that. I think most of my "followers" can see our family pics/adventures through those other social networks pretty well.

Something that I think I could share at this point would be how my child committed her first crime in life. Yes, if taken to the extreme, she broke an earthly law. More importantly she broke a biblical commandment.

 "Thou shalt not steal" is a commandment that Laura Beth hasn't intentionally done in her life, until this week. She tried to steal a toy from the church Sunday morning. I explained that stealing was wrong. I further explained that lying to mommy by saying that she was "given" the toy was wrong. She put it back and we were done with that... Or so I thought. However, Laura Beth had more deception in her heart than I realized at her old age of five years. :( Later that same night, after Sunday night church, I picked up Laura Beth from class. She was oddly grabbing herself (you know the "I have got to go to the bathroom" kind of thing). I asked her to stop and go to the bathroom. She did. Then, she comes out of the bathroom continuing to do the "motion" of needing to go to the bathroom. I inquisitively go to check what is wrong. This is how it went:

Me, "Laura Beth, are your pants too big?"
Laura Beth states, "No."
Me, "Then why are you holding your pants like that? Here let me see."
I reach for the skirt waist band.
Laure Beth shouts loudly, "Don't look in there!"
I laughed out loud and ask, "why not?."
Laura Beth states, "There is something in there."

Suddenly, I realized. She had been trying to keep a toy from falling out of  the bottom of her cart wheel shorts. Laughter turns to crushing disappointment. She stole the toy from the church and knowingly rebelled against me (her earthly authority) by trying to hide her sin.

Do my words sound harsh?

"She's just 5 years old" some would say.

"It's not that big of a deal" others might add.

 However, to me it was another realization that her heart is of the same origin that mine is/was at birth. She was born into sin. This was her first time to steal. I hope it will be her last. (It probably will be the last time given; the shame she bore when confessing her sin to God, then to her children's minister, and stating that stealing is something she doesn't want to do again. Now, before you judge my punishment, understand that this is God's example of repentance). God has given me the responsibility through the Holy Spirit's guidance to help shape my children's hearts in order for them to know the maker of the universe, the ultimate authority and judge. What a task! I am burdened to prepare my own thoughts and actions to model what I am teaching her. God help me to be the person (mother, wife, teacher, friend, daughter, sister, etc) that brings you glory in all the circumstances you put me in.

No pictures to post, as noted previously...social network has overtaken my incentive to post pictures here. Maybe I will save a few pictures this summer for the blog. I'll make it happen I'll try to make that happen.