The kids and I have been working hard to get the house all cleaned up. Their cleaning style is like most children's...out of sight and the room is clean. When I go in to inspect their work, it all looks really good, and then I bend down and look under the bed. Yep...Their whole room is somehow crammed under there. It just makes me laugh because I think that is how we adults tend to "clean up"...to make sure we look good on the outside...to hide things down deep...to appear to be alright, when all the while we are hurting. This is true for me a lot of the time. I easliy push my frustrations and disappointments out of the way so that no one can see them. When on the inside I am screaming for help. I isolate myself from those I love because I don't want them to really know who I am and what I struggle with. The truth is that we all know how to play the "everything's fine" game. I usually lose because I can't hide out forever, and I can't keep things pushed down inside of me for too long. Eventually I have to deal with myself and take myself to the God who heals all of my hurts and who takes my disappointments and turns them into new growth. Richard and I have been stretched more lately than we have ever been before. The stretching does hurt, but afterward we seem to know God in a new way and we know each other in a new way too. The end of the clean house story is that we did get it all cleaned up...for now. There will always be things that God needs me to give him so that he can renew me and grow me...I just need to become better at not hiding things underneath my heart. I want to truely let go and allow him to have His way.

We have had a really great week this week. I feel like I have been able to spend so much time with the kids. We have played games, sang to the tops of our lungs, and had lots of laughs. I enjoy every moment that I get to share with them. They are so much fun. I have learned this week that in order to truly forgive someone I have to clear their record. I know it is easy to say we have forgiven, but if we continue to bring up past hurt or talk about the one who hurt us in a negative way, then we have not truely forgiven them. We studied the parable of the ungrateful servant who owed the king millions of dollars and would never to be able to repay him. Of course, we are the servant and Jesus is the king whom we can never repay. Instead of him demanding us to repay him for our debts he cancels them. I love that so much. I spend so much time trying to earn love and acceptance. I just want to be good enough...but I just can't. I am who I am because of who Jesus is and becuase of what he has done. I want to live a life of forgiveness and mercy to others because of Jesus' forgiveness and mercy to me. I love being his child, and I know he loves being my God.

I hosted Mira's baby shower last night. It was so much fun, and everything turned out beautiful! Now all we need is that sweet baby!! We went with the brown and turquoise theme. We had enough food to feed an army!!! And the army came and devoured it!!

I went to the zoo with Ean's 1st grade class on Friday. We had a great time. Ean forgot his sweatshirt in Richard's truck, so I let him wear mine. You'll notice the sleeves hanging down to his knees.

Ean and Matthew under the ape!

Boys will be boys! and yes they were like that the whole time!!!

Amy's bringing the mullet back in!! I was considering going back to blonde. What do ya'll think?

Like mother like daughter.

During celebration practice the kids decided to "dress up" in my and Richard's clothes. Next year I am going to save some money on the Halloween costumes, and let them shop at home.

This was the boys idea of a great costume. I have to hand it to them...it was pretty cool. Haydn is underneath the coat. I wish you could have heard the giggles. They are so much fun, even if they do make huge messes, and totally disrupt singing group practice.

Richard and I went to the lake this weekend for a quick getaway. It's so nice to do that every now and then. Rachael and Scott came and kept the kiddos for us. It was all her idea. What a sweet sis in law!!! I bet they did not have as easy of a time as we did, but our kids loved time with Ra Ra and Scott and of course Cade man. We will hate it when they move back to Denver, but will have lots of great memories from their extended visit.

Davis and Hannah

The Blue Power Ranger, Basketball Princess,
Snowflake Princess, and Red Power Ranger

The Burton's and Johnston's

We had a great Halloween. We took pictures with our neighbors and then headed to trunk or treat. After filling up there, we went to Tootsie and Pop's where we did a little trick or treating with our Little Rock cousins. I know I will end up eating half of their candy. It's just too hard to resist.