July Calendar Coloring Sheet

http://familycrafts.about.com/library/spdays/caljul12pd.pdf

http://www.coloring-page.net/pages/fireworks-coloring-page.html

Sweet And Salty Ice Cream Brownies

Looking for a yummy cold dessert during these hot days of summer?


Head over to the Nurture blog and check out this recipe!


So good!!

Family-Friendly Fun - Freedom Fest 2012

Are you looking for some family-friendly fun this weekend?

New Life Assembly of God church in Janesville (2416 N Wright Rd) 

is hosting Freedom Fest this Saturday, June 30. 

The gates open at 11:00 am. 

 Everything is FREE except for food and souvenirs. You can also bring in your own food, if you'd like.

I checked out their website (http://freedomfestnewlife.com/) for more information:

"We are excited for our eleventh year of Freedom Fest at New Life Assembly of God. As always, Freedom Fest exists as a Christ-centered, family-friendly, alcohol-free, community event that is meant to bring glory to God and give honor to our country and those who serve and have served it.

RIDES

Each year, we continue to offer a number of rides available to children of all ages. Our mechanical rides may be reserved for the older children, but we offer a number of inflatable rides for the younger ones, too!

There’s no waiting in lines to buy tickets for more rides; we skip that part and just say, “Get on and have fun… for free.” Particularly, we are excited about having bigger and better mechanical rides than we have ever had before. This year, we will have a bigger Ferris Wheel, Ali Baba, Tilt-A-Whirl, Cliff Hanger, Orient Express, and the Sizzler.

FOOD VENDORS

We have several local food vendors that will be on the grounds during Freedom Fest. You should be able to find anything you want from burgers and hot dogs, pizza and wings, to ice cream and cream puffs.

We are looking forward to our food vendors this year: Famous Dave’s, Rollin’ Pin, Sonrise Cafe, Pizza Hut, UBake, Culver’s, and more!

FREE HEALTH CLINIC

We are pleased that Mercy Health Systems will be helping to sponsor this event once again. If you are in need of a dental check up or medical screening, visit the free health clinic at Freedom Fest from 11:00AM to 3:00PM.

STAGE ENTERTAINMENT

We are excited to announce that nationally-known recording artist Aaron Shust will be headlining this year’s Freedom Fest. In 2007, Aaron Shust won the GMA Dove Award for songwriter of the year and his song “My Savior My God” won song of the year. Currently, his song “My Hope Is In You” has been on the Billboard charts for the past 36 weeks, peaking at the number one position.

We are also excited for Mark Alan, out of Minneapolis, MN, as an opening act. In 2003, Mark Alan won the United Kingdom’s international songwriting competition for best gospel song. He is also the worship leader at Emmanuel Christian Center.

Be sure to make your way over to our main stage at some point to enjoy the great entertainment:
5:00pm – In This Room
6:30pm – Mark Alan
8:00pm – Aaron Shust
9:15pm – Pastor’s Address

FIREWORKS

At the end of the night, we have a wonderful fireworks display. After our last stage event, which will be about 9:30PM, the sky will light up on the north side of Highway 14 directly across from our property. So after you watch the stage acts, you can just stay put and be amazed! As we do each year, we strive to have bigger and better fireworks. Whether you have seen our fireworks before or this will be your first time, you are certainly in for a treat."

For more information and photos, check out http://freedomfestnewlife.com/

Looks like a fun time!

Swimming Playdate

On Friday, July 13 we will be having our swimming playdate party at my parents' house at 11:00 am.


The pool is above ground and has a slight dip in the center. They have a few life jackets but please feel free to bring your own if you have them.  We will also be setting up a small wading pool for the little ones who would be more comfortable in less water.




Bring a lunch along and we can picnic in the backyard!




Please let me know if you are coming or if you have any questions by leaving a comment to this post or emailing me. I will email my parents' address and directions to their house when I find out who is all coming. 


This should be a lot of fun as long as the weather cooperates!!


Hope you can come!

Nurture Giveaway!

Last year in my Bible study group we read the book "Captivating" by John & Stasi Eldredge.  This book played a big part in my healing process last year and helped me to see how valuable I am in the eyes of God.

"Every woman in her heart of hearts longs to be romanced, to play an

 irreplaceable role in a greatadventure, and to unveil beauty.  And yet, women consistently exchange those dreams for a life filled with nothing more than duty and demands.  But Jesus Christ did not move heaven
and earth to make you tired.  He came to restore your heart as a woman, and to set you free through His love.

By revealing the core desires every woman shares, women are invited
to recover their feminine hearts, created in the image of an intimate and passionate God.  God placed these desires in women's hearts to help them discover who they are meant to be and the role that is theirs to play, and to draw them more deeply into His heart."

I have a copy of "Captivating" and the study guide that goes with it that we are giving away to one blessed woman on Monday, July 2!!

Your name will be included in the drawing for each of the following:

*sign up to be a follower of the Nurture blog on the left sidebar

http://nurtureatwfa.blogspot.com/

*follow the Nurture blog by email by submitting your email address on the left

*follow @NurtureAtWFA on twitter 

Your name will be put in for each of the above requirements you fulfill with a total of 3 chances to win!  If you are already a follower, your name will automatically be put in the drawing.

The drawing will take place on Monday, July 2!  I'm so excited to see who wins this amazing book!

Invite your friends, neighbors, and relatives to be part of the fun and get in on this neat giveaway, too!

MY Life As a Mom Story

Hop on over to the Nurture blog to read my own My Life As a Mom story!

We are going to start posting My Life As a Mom stories twice a month over there as well and I am kicking it off with my own story first.

Let me know if you'd like to write one! :)

Have a wonderful day!

It's A Miracle!

I just have to share this.  This blog has been my chance to share my life and "journey" over the past year.  God has been doing some amazing things and I want to put it all down so 1) I don't forget and 2) I can share it all with you.

I am currently in my 5th pregnancy (if you didn't know).  The previous 3 pregnancies all ended up with the diagnosis of gestational diabetes (GD).

The first was pretty mild.  I was able to control it with my diet alone but I still had to poke my fingers and go to extra appointments.

The second time I had it was a little bit worse but I was able to take an "experimental" medication and control it with that along with my diet.  Adding the medication also added twice weekly non-stress tests on top of poking my poor little fingers.

The third time I had it was by far the worst.  I had to give myself insulin injections in my stomach twice a day along with poking my fingers and visiting the hospital so often I should have had my own parking spot.  It was the most miserable experience of my life.  I had to poke my fingers often all day long.  The injections went against everything inside of me each time I had to give myself one.  Sometimes, I wouldn't feel them; other times they stung like mad.  My dose had to constantly be adjusted (and upped).  My hormones and emotions were out of control.  What was even worse was that after my son was born, it took a very long time to go back to "normal" and wean off of the insulin.  Instead of being all better as soon as the baby was born, I was still dealing with the insanity for weeks after the birth.  It was horrible.

Naturally, when I became pregnant this time I was worried about going through all of that again ... or worse.  When I failed my first 1 hour glucose test at 8 weeks pregnant, I panicked.  I couldn't imagine starting that whole madness so soon.

Thankfully, God is good and I passed the 3 hour test.  I knew I still had one more test to go though. It was always at the back of my mind and worried me more than it should have.

At 24 weeks, I once again took the 1 hour test (I can't even tell you how many gallons of that orange "yuck" I've had to ingest in my life) and failed.  At that point, the nurse said I could just declare myself with GD since I've been down this road before.  I, however, told her I'd rather take the 3 hour test because I wasn't ready to give up the fight.

And fight I did.

I was in such a spiritual battle over this - for weeks, maybe months.  I knew that God is our healer.  I knew that He loves me and wants the best for me.  I knew that GD was nothing He couldn't overcome.  I was trying SO hard to hold on to that.  Then I would hear the annoying whispers and taunts from the enemy telling me I was already defeated and didn't have a chance.

I also struggled with asking God for too much.  I am the type of person that will only ask for the bare minimum of anyone.  I'll decide what I can put up with and then just ask for that.  I rarely go all out and ask for what would make me happiest.  I found myself doing that this time, too.  I would say "Ok, God, I can deal with GD but please don't make me have to go on insulin."  I was totally selling God short and willing to accept second best.  God doesn't want us to have second best, He wants THE BEST for us.

So I asked God for complete healing.  I went all out.

Before the second 1 hour test, I was fairly confident in God's healing power and plan for my life.  After failing that test, I started to let myself give up and give in.  I was experiencing a lot of the classic symptoms I had experienced in the past - mood swings, tiredness, I just felt plain awful.  I pretty much was convinced that I had GD again.  I was giving up, giving in, not trusting that God knew what was going on and had it covered.

This past Sunday, at the end of my rope, I finally gave it ALL over to God.  I told Him that I knew He could heal me and that even if He didn't, it was because He had other plans.  I was really moved during worship and knew no matter what, that I was in God's hands and He knew what was best for me.  I asked God for a miracle and then believed I would see one.  I guess I didn't know exactly what that miracle was going to be but I trusted that it was just what I needed.

After that, I was filled with such peace - a peace that truly passed understanding.  Considering my nature and how uptight I had been about this situation for over 20 weeks, it really was unbelievable that I felt such peace at this time.  I refused to think negatively at all.  I was standing on the promise that God was with me and that He wanted great things for me.  I wanted to be so bold as to say that I knew I was going to be just fine but knew that sometimes that is not what is really best.

I WAS confident in the fact that I KNEW I was in God's hands no matter what happened.

On Wednesday, I went in for my 3 hour test.  I felt such peace - except while drinking the orange "yuck," then I felt nauseous. :)  The 3 hours went fairly quickly.  I worked on my James Bible study workbook and it was probably the best thing to do during that time.  It was all about "considering it joy to go through trials" and "asking God and then not doubting it."  I still did not know what the outcome was going to be but I did know I was going to be ok.

At the end of the 3 hours, I felt amazingly great.  Typically at this point, I am shaking and starving with a headache.  This time I felt like I could take on the world.  I had no symptoms and felt super.  I went for an early birthday lunch with my mom afterward and gulped down my burger like a woman who hadn't eaten for nearly 20 hours but still felt great.  In fact, I felt uncharacteristically great for the rest of the day.  I had been battling daily headaches for weeks and still haven't had one even today.

I missed the nurse's call with the results and had to wait until this morning to hear them.  I still wasn't anxious.  Normally that would have driven me nuts.  I called back this morning and, of course, got her voice mail first. She called back soon after and told me my results.

I DO NOT HAVE GESTATIONAL DIABETES.

My one hour level was slightly elevated but all 3 other levels were normal which means I am just fine.  I told the nurse that it was a miracle but I don't think she really understood where I was coming from and kind of laughed it off.  But it's true.  I really believe I experienced a miracle.

It was so overwhelming to me that I just burst into tears after I hung up the phone, humbled and grateful.  My husband was home and came into the room to find out what was going on.  I told him and he said "you're happy, right?  You aren't upset that you don't have it, are you?"  Oh, if only men could truly understand us women ...

I am happy.  I am overjoyed.  I am humbled.  I am in awe of God's goodness.  I feel free.

I really believe I was healed from GD.  Like I said, I had been experiencing symptoms for close to a month and yesterday I felt amazing.  Not one single symptom.  I just felt different.  Maybe I never had it and the symptoms I felt were just attacks from the enemy to make me doubt.  I don't know.

But I do know that I don't have GD and after having it 3 times before, it is miraculous.  Each pregnancy your chances increase and it typically gets worse each time as well.

I have experienced a miracle - and growth.

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.         James 1:2-8

June Calendar Coloring Sheet

http://familycrafts.about.com/od/calendars/ig/June-2012-Calendar-Pages/June-2012-Print-and-Color-Dad-.htm 

My Life As a Mom of a Miracle

Today I am so excited to introduce you to Sara and her amazing mom story.  Sara is a mom to 4 adorable kids.  She is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet and has a beautiful heart for prayer ministry.

*********************************************

I know we’ve all had them. That life-altering event that changes you so much that you can’t remember the person you were before it happened. For me, that event was the birth of my second son, Graham.

It was about 5 years ago now, but the memories are still vivid. I remember being in the OB/GYN's office and having my second ultrasound done at 10 weeks to check for a heartbeat. Extra cautions were being taken because I had just had a miscarriage the month before. I could see immediately that something was not right. My doctor tried to put on a calm face, but she sent me to see a specialist immediately. I can remember going home after that appointment and looking up the different possibilities on the internet (never a good idea by the way!). All of the information I could find looked very grim. Over our many months of weekly ultrasounds we were told so many scarey things - that he might have Down syndrome, that he might have another chromosomal abnormality that was incompatible with life, that he would have kidney failure, be on dialysis, need a kidney transplant or may not live long enough to receive one.

Thankfully we found out through a biopsy of the placenta a few weeks later that he had no chromosomal abnormalities and that we would be having a baby boy. It was a relief, but it was still hard to have the normal excitement you get when having a baby. We were sent to see all the different specialists before he was born so that we could be prepared for what may happen after his birth. They told us about what happens in the NICU and how things proceed when the baby doesn't survive. The nephrologist told us about how it would be when he was on dialysis and how big he would have to be to receive a transplant. Lastly, we saw our urologist, whom we have grown to love over the past 5 years. I sat there 20 weeks pregnant while he looked at our ultrasound pictures. We were on information overload after the previous 2 consults. He just looked at us and basically said that everything would be okay, and he thought we were going to have a great kid. He was a gift from God. We needed that encouraging word, and it gave us hope.

We had weekly ultrasounds, but basically, to the surprise of many doctors, we made it though the pregnancy uneventfully. At 35 weeks, the real adventure began. We went to the specialist for our routine appointment. I could tell the doctor was watching the blood flow in the placenta for way too long. He didn't think the placenta was functioning well anymore, and told us to go straight to the hospital to deliver. We came to find out later that as many as 80% of babies with Graham’s condition are stillborn.

At the hospital I was induced, and Graham made his appearance in the morning. It was a beautiful delivery, didn't even have to push once. It was all such a blur after that. The extent of his problems was far beyond what we had seen on the ultrasound. After holding him for just a few minutes, he was immediately transferred to Children’s Hospital for the first of many extensive surgeries.

Needless to say, we survived that surgery and many others after it. Graham is truly one of kind. God has surpassed every expectation we could have had for him. It hasn't been easy at all, but every experience has been a blessing. We have learned more about ourselves and our God than we could have ever imaged. When something like this happens in your life, you can't deny the hand of God moving over and over again. More than anything, it has taught me that in my life I cannot trust my own limited understanding. I need to cast my cares on my Savior, acknowledging that his understanding is far greater than mine. When I am able to do that, I am blessed beyond what I could have imaged.

Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

********************************************************

Thanks, Sara!  You have such a special little boy.  God is so good and I can't wait to see what He has in store for your family.

June Playdates

Our first June playdate will be on Monday, June 4 at 10:00 am.   We will be meeting at Imagination Station park in Oconomowoc. Imagination Station is a universally accessible playground.  



   " ... a universally accessible playground means that children of all abilities can play at their appropriate developmental level.  It is a playground where every child is challenged.  Therefore, it is not a playground only for children in wheelchairs, where ramps rule the playground, it is a playground where children with autism have opportunities for sensory experiences, typically developing children can use their imagination to create play scenarios, and where children with developmental delays can learn in incremental steps how to climb. 

Imagination Station does this: 

*There are double wide ramps that lead you up to the very top of the playground.  There are activities to do along the way so it isn’t a “ramp to no where”. 
*The surfacing is pour-in-place rubber surfacing that makes it easier  for a wheelchair to move around on, but also provides safety for children who are not steady on their feet. 
*There is a fence around the playground with only one entrance/exit, so that “runners” cannot get past mom. 



*There is band shell reminiscent of the band shell in town, where children can create play or sing a song.  There are percussion instruments to accompany the players. 
*There are adapted swings, typical swings and toddler swings. 
*The monkey bar area has multiple height bars as well as a variety of challenges.  A child in a wheelchair can lift up their arms and pull themselves across, while other children are doing flips on the bars. 
*In addition to the swings, there are plenty of other areas for children to experience vestibular motion (e.g. going around in circles, going up and down, or going back & forth.) 



*In addition the monkey bars there are plenty of opportunities for children to use their proprioceptive sensory system.  There is a huge rope climber that is fun for the little ones as well as for teenagers.  There is also a small climbing wall. 
*There are two different types of slides. 



*many areas for imaginary play with trains, boats, the clock tower, and beautiful streetcapes. 




*There are places to climb underneath the playground for children who need a little time to themselves 

You can find Imagination Station in Roosevelt Park,101 E. Forest Street, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin 53066.  Roosevelt Park is located along the Lake Country Bike Trail. 
(http://www.accessibleplayground.net/) 

Please let me know if you are planning on coming so I can look for you!

Our other playdate will be the Nurture playdate on Friday, June 22 at 10:00 am.  

We will be meeting at Fox River Parkway North playground  (1500 Fox River Parkway in Waukesha)  

Snacks will be provided.  

Invite your friends, relatives, and neighbors to both playdates!  It's always a FUN time!

Did You Know?

Did you know that Women's Ministries at WFA also has a brand new blog?

Check it out at http://womenofwfa.blogspot.com/  

Sign up to be a follower and subscribe to receive all new posts via email so you can stay connected with the women of WFA.

Our next event is coming up soon!  It looks like it is going to be an awesome night.  

You don't want to miss it!

Being a Mom Is ...

Being a Mom is ...

- eating a half-eaten, slobbered on animal cracker while out and about because there is no garbage can in sight.

- wearing spit-up as an accessory without blinking an eye.

- removing a spider crawling on your child with your bare hands while suffering from arachnophobia.

- enduring snot-nosed kisses that really leave a mark.

- being pooped on more times than you can count.

- finding one of your arms has super human strength from lugging your toddler all over.

- learning to clean up vomit without vomiting yourself.

- dealing calmly with an hysterical child who is bleeding profusely while wanting to be hysterical yourself.

- cruising around town daily while picking up kids all over the city.

- telling your daughter to be nice to her bullies when you'd like to poke the bully in the eye yourself.

- singing the Barney "Clean Up" song while cleaning the house all by yourself.

- eating cold food every meal because you've just spent 20 minutes dishing up and cutting everyone else's food.

- reading bedtime stories in your sleep because you've memorized them word for word.

- is saying "Well, I'm not so-and-so's mom." and "if so-and-so told you to jump off a cliff, would you do it?"

- being so exhausted it should be illegal to drive your car.

- moving with Olympic-style speed and agility to beat the delivery man to the doorbell during naptime.

- eating pureed peas to show your infant how delicious they are.

Being a Mom is ...

- knowing more love than you could ever imagine.

- being smiled at adoringly by your toothless infant at 2 a.m.

- being hugged by your 2 year old so hard around the neck you think your neck will break.

- being called "Mama-sweeta" by your preschooler "because you're sweet."

- receiving homemade presents given with pride from your school age child.

- laughing with your preteen over the day's events.

- PRICELESS

Just think of how brave, strong, patient, loving, selfless, and LOVED you are since becoming a mom!  And we thought our kids were the only ones growing ...

Happy Mother's Day!

May Calendar Coloring Sheet

http://familycrafts.about.com/od/calendars/ig/May-2012-Calendar-Pages/May-2012-Print-and-Color-Mom-C.htm 

My Life As a Homeschooling Mom

Today my friend, Mary, has agreed to share her story with us.  Mary is a busy mom of 2 adorable kids and wife of our youth pastor.  She is a great mom and her love for her kids is so evident.

***********************************

My Life As A Homeschooling Mom


By Mary

Before I had kids, there were a lot of things I never thought I would do as a parent. Things like make my own baby food (which turns out is actually pretty easy, cheap and convenient), give birth naturally (they say you forget what the pain is like... whoever "they" is, well they're wrong because I haven't forgotten) and homeschool my child. Here's a short lesson in "never say never". 

When my oldest, Lucas, was in 3 year old preschool, it all of a sudden dawned on me how close he was to entering kindergarten. As natural as a progression in life going to kindergarten was, it just didn't sit well in my stomach (for many reasons which I would be happy to share but for the length of this blog's sake, I'll omit them). That's when the thought of homeschooling (say what?!) came to my mind. Never had I EVER considered homeschooling my children. In fact, I was excited at the thought of my kids going to kindergarten and participating in all the fun kindergarten holds. All the "firsts" the kids experience in that grade, the friends they make, the art projects they bring home, the field trips they take. I was excited for my kids to have all of that. But as 3 year old preschool came and went and 4 year old preschool came and went, I exhausted myself in finally making the decision to homeschool Lucas for kindergarten. I even had him enrolled in a school in Waukesha up until the week before school started, just in case I changed my mind.

It was not an easy choice. I am not a go against the flow type person, and frankly, homeschooling your child is not quite going with the flow. My own insecurity and concern for what other people thought of me almost kept me from making this all important decision for my Lucas. My husband was of little help (or you could look at it as he was quite helpful) since he let me make the decision basically on my own. "Whatever you want to do, I will support you", he said. That was freeing yet scary all at the same time. I wanted him to have an opinion one way or the other, so I didn't feel like I was making the choice by myself. I wanted to make sure I was doing what he, too, wanted for Lucas. But no. He kept saying the same thing, "Whatever you want to do, I'll support you." And support me, he did, on this crazy adventure I took this past school year. 

September 1st came and I watched on facebook as people posted pictures of their kids' first day of school. The questions flooded my mind as I thought to myself,  "What in the world have I done". Many times I repeated to myself, "Well you can't make Lucas LESS smart", or at least I had hoped that to be true. And truth be told, Lucas went to a GREAT preschool that truly prepared the way for him succeeding so well in his kindergarten year. The kid knew his sounds, shapes and letters like a champ!

The year proved to be incredibly challenging and incredibly rewarding. The hard days consisted of Lucas flat out telling me he didn't want to "do" school anymore. He would sit at the table and pout or get angry with me while I tried to explain how to read "half past the hour" on the paper clock. Or he would purposely try and change the subject while I was explaining that when two vowels go a-walking, the first one does the talking (people come up the catchiest little phrases for these kids, I love it!). He would storm off to his room after throwing his pencil (totally unacceptable) and me hollering after him, "Don't come out until you're ready to be polite and do your best work in school!" Then there were the days when we wouldn't get to any school work. I'd had a rough day with Audrey or the schedule was just crazy busy or I was just plain lazy and didn't feel like it. I'd beat myself up and tell myself that I wasn't cut out for this. I'm not motivated enough. I don't have enough follow through to see this school year out. I'd tell myself I wasn't doing enough "fun" things with Lucas. I felt like all I did was scold him or tell him what he was doing wrong or shouldn't be doing. I'd question as to whether I was harming Lucas socially. Will kids not like him if he's homeschooled? Will he have a hard time making friends. Will he be teased because of a decision I made for him? Will he be unprepared either socially or academically when we do send him to school one day?

That's when I'd call my mom. I'd vent to her about my frustrations and she'd tell me how great of a job I was doing. (Thanks, Mom.)  She'd try to comfort me with whatever words she could. And she'd remind me that I'm doing best I can.

And then I would have a good day. And man, were the good days pretty awesome. Like when Lucas finished his Kindergarten Level reading kit (Hooked on Phonics really did work for this kid... he reads like a pro!). He held up his reading poster with all the stickers on it to represent the different stories he'd read and an overwhelming feeling of pride came over me. I helped him do that. Without my assistance, that reading poster would still be empty, not decorated with star stickers. And I remember the day (because it was just the other week) when he finished his math workbook. My kid can count by 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s without any help. He can do addition and subtraction in his head. And he can tell time on an analog clock (with a little assistance... he prefers digital, but who doesn't?). 

And then there was the day I asked Lucas if he liked being homeschooled (as a selfish ploy to boost my confidence, hoping he would say "Of course, Mom! I wouldn't want it any other way!") His answer wasn't quite that, but he did say yes. So I asked him what his favorite thing about being homeschooled was and he said, "Because I have you for my teacher". (pause for dramatic effect) You could've spilled grape juice on my carpet and I wouldn't have cared. I was so elated that he said that. It made it all worth it. I may not have been a perfect teacher. I may or may not have accidentally told Lucas that the pilgrims came over on the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria (my husband quickly corrected my mistake), but I was the perfect teacher for Lucas just because God made me his mommy. 

I had the amazing opportunity this year to see Lucas' knowledge grow.  I first hand witnessed him catch on to math concepts and how to correctly form the number eight and the letter 'g' (those are tough ones). I sat next to him while he drew a picture of his favorite part of our weekend to Florida and watched him attempt to write a sentence explaining what the picture was. I got to go on "field trips" to the zoo and the hardware store with him. And although I wish I would've done more playing, more coloring, more imagining with him, I feel like our year of kindergarten at home was worth all the bad days and certainly worth the good ones. I would do it over again with Lucas in a heartbeat. 

As for my future in homeschooling, well Lucas is going to first grade in an actual school building. I think our year home was just what was needed. He is ready and excited (most of the time) for the next year. I'll have to wait and see what I do with Audrey, but I've got time before I need to make that decision. 

***************************************************

Thank you, Mary, for sharing this part of your life with us!  I love hearing these stories from you moms because it gives me a glimpse into your life and the different things you deal with.

If you would ever like to share your story, let me know.  We would love to hear it!

It's Not Just For Kids

I can't tell you how many times Veggie Tales has spoken truth into my life.  I'm usually not even watching it but can hear it in the background as I'm doing other things and one phrase will hit me like a ton of bricks and remind me of what I need to hear at that moment.

I think most women can relate to this story and I hope it speaks truth to you today.

"Snoodlerella" from Veggie Tales


And if you've never seen this one, it's one of my favorites.  :)

"A Snoodle's Tale" from Veggie Tales


I hope you know just how valuable you are.  God created you as you and He has a purpose for your life that only you can fulfill.  That's awesome news!

May Playdates

Our last playdate was our first unofficial Nurture playdate and it went so well!  There were so many new faces there.  It was a lot of fun.  I can't wait for the ones to come.

Our next playdate is Friday, May 11 at 10:00 am at the zoo.  Let's meet by the penguins.  Let me know if you can join us.

The other playdate is our first official Nurture playdate. :)  It will be on Monday, May 21 at 10:00 am at the playground at Buchner Park.  Invite your friends.

We are going to be providing snacks at these playdates.  If you are able to help out by bringing a snack or package of 4 oz. 100% juice boxes, please let me know.  You can email me at nurturewfa(at)hotmail(dot)com.

Thank you so much in advance for your support!

Do Me a Favor?

I have been busily working on Nurture and so I apologize for my lack of posting.

Next week Sunday is Mother's Day and that is our official launch date of Nurture.  I'm so excited!  We are giving out little Mother's Day gifts to each adult woman with a card that introduces Nurture.  You won't want to miss it!

As part of this new ministry, we will have a Nurture blog. :)  It will basically be a spot to post information and hopefully create a community.

Here is where my favor comes in ... Would you hop on over to the Nurture blog sometime between now and Mother's Day and sign up to be a follower?  While you're at it, subscribe with your email to receive all of the posts directly to your email account.  I would love for women to see a bunch of sweet, smiling faces already following this brand new ministry when they check it out for the first time.

You can click on the Nurture button on the left or right here  http://nurtureatwfa.blogspot.com/ to get to the blog.

Women's Ministries is also working on creating a blog you'll want to check out, too.

Please keep this ministry in your prayers as we work on getting it up and running.  I look forward to all that God has in store for us moms through Nurture.

Thanks!

I Could Use a Laugh ...

How about you?

Introducing ...

I am thrilled to tell you about a new ministry at Waukesha First Assembly. It is called Nurture and it is for moms like you!

"Nurture seeks to support moms from pregnancy through the elementary years by providing opportunities to create community through fellowship, playdates, chats over coffee, Bible studies, and other activities."

Our desire is to support moms as they navigate the early years of motherhood.

The definition of the word nurture is "to feed and care for during growth." I love that!

Obviously, that is the role of a mother with her children but we would like to take that one step further and "nurture" our moms as well.

Please keep this new ministry in your prayers. Pray for me, as well, because I am heading up this brand new ministry at our church. I am super excited but somewhat overwhelmed at the same time.

As part of Nurture, I will be opening up one of our usual twice a month playdates to include all of the moms of WFA and their friends. The playdate on Friday, April 27 was supposed to be our first Nurture playdate (which is why it is so special :). Due to some timing issues, this may be our un-official first Nurture playdate. :)

We are introducing Nurture at WFA on Mother's Day and so I think Monday, May 21 will be our "official" first one.

Please do me a favor, though, and start inviting moms to the playdate on April 27 - your friends, your kids' friends' moms, moms you see at church. This ministry is based through WFA but it is not exclusive to only moms who attend there. Let's start getting the word out.

We have many other fun things planned but I will wait to fill you all in.

Thank you for your prayers and support! I really hope Nurture is a blessing in your life!!

Tears

When words fail, tears flow.

Tears have a language all their own, a tongue that needs no interpreter. In some mysterious way, our complex inner-communication system knows when to admit its verbal limitations ... and the tears come.

Eyes that flashed and sparkled only moments before are flooded from a secret reservoir. We try in vain to restrain the flow, but even strong men falter.

Tears are not self-conscious. They can spring upon us when we are speaking in public, or standing beside others who look to us for strength. Most often they appear when our soul is overwhelmed with feelings that words cannot describe.

Our tears my flow during the singing of a great, majestic hymn, or when we are alone, lost in some vivid memory or wrestling in prayer.

Did you know that God takes special notice of those tears of yours? Psalm 56:8 tells that He puts them in His bottle and enters them into the record He keeps on our lives.

David said, "The Lord has heard the voice of my weeping."

A teardrop on earth summons the King of Heaven. Rather than being ashamed or disappointed, the Lord takes note of our inner friction when hard times are oiled by tears. He turns those situations into moments of tenderness; He never forgets those crises in our lives where tears were shed.

One of the great drawbacks of our cold, sophisticated society is its reluctance to show tears. For some strange reason, men feel that tears are a sign of weakness ... and many an adult feels to cry is to be immature. How silly! How unfortunate! The consequence is that we place a watchdog named "restraint" before our hearts. This animal is trained to bark, snap, and scare away any unexpected guest who seeks entrance.

The ultimate result is a well-guarded, highly respectable, uninvolved heart surrounded by heavy bars of confinement. Such a structure resembles a prison more than a home where the tender Spirit of Christ resides.

Jeremiah lived in no such dwelling. His transparent tent was so tender and sensitive he could not preach a sermon without the interruption of tears. "The weeping prophet" became his nickname and even though he didn't always have the words to describe his feelings, he was never at a loss to communicate his convictions. You could always count on Jeremiah to bury his head in his hands and sob aloud.

Strange that this man was selected by God to be His personal spokesman at the most critical time in Israel's history. Seems like an unlikely choice - unless you value tears as God does. I wonder how many tear bottles in heaven are marked with his name.

I wonder how many of them bear your initials. You'll never have many until you impound restraint and let a little tenderness run loose. You might lose a little of your polished respectability, but you'll have a lot more freedom. And a lot less pride.

**Deepening Your Roots (You can click on the link below to go right to each Bible reference)

~ Lamentations 1:12-16; Lamentations 3:46-50; Jeremiah 50:4; Luke 7:36-50 ~

{ Branching Out }

When's the last time you cried?

If it has been months or years, ask God to bring something your way this week that could be the catalyst to cause tear drops to form and flow from your eyes.

Have you ever cried alongside someone else as he experienced grief or joy? Ask God to make your heart tender enough to hurt with others and free enough to cry with them.

If you find yourself crying this week, don't try to hide the tears from those around you. Tears are beautiful to God! And to God's people.

Happy Easter!

http://www.photosforsouls.com/easter1.jpg (coloring sheet)

April Playdates

I hope you are all enjoying your Easter weekend!

I wanted to fill you in real quick about our April Playdates.

First, on Monday, April 16, we will be meeting at Sara Waltz's house at 9:30 am. I will send out an email with her address and directions. Please let me know if you are planning on coming.

Our second playdate is on Friday, April 27 at 10:00 am at the playground at Frame Park. This is going to be a very SPECIAL playdate that I will share more about next week!

Have a blessed Easter!

My Life As a Working Mom

This month I would like to introduce you to my friend, Jessica, as our guest blogger. Jessica is a busy mom of 3 adorable kids and still finds time to be a caring friend and a beautiful person - inside and out.

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Balance

by Jessica

I have been blessed with a wonderful husband, 3 beautiful kids, a new home, a great job and much more. However, I still find it hard to balance everything I have going on in my life.

My days start at 4AM. I wake up, hurry and take a quick shower and get ready while listening to the baby monitor praying I can just get ready in peace quick before someone gets up.

I then get my 3 year old up, drag him out of bed (literally) and try to get him dressed. This task usually ends in a full blown temper tantrum as he wants to wear his Spiderman shirt that he wore 4 times already this week. I am too tired so I give up and give in. I get him breakfast and occupied while I get the baby up.

When I wake her up, she is all smiles ear to ear and my heart melts all over again. I get her dressed, make her bottle, feed her, pack her diaper bag and get her ready to go in the car seat. She hates the car seat so is now screaming. My son is also screaming at this point as he wants to put his shoes on himself and doesn’t want to wear a jacket - again, another temper tantrum.

While both of them are crying, my husband comes downstairs to take the little ones to daycare. At this point, he has completely no idea how stressed I already am and it's only 6AM.

They leave, and then I get my oldest daughter up. She too doesn’t want to wear a jacket, wants to wear a skirt and sandals and it's still cool out. I again give up and give in.

Time for me to go to work! After a long day of work which often times includes travel, I come home to make dinner, do homework, do laundry, give baths, make lunches for the next day, put kids to bed and fall on the couch dead tired.

All to do it again the next day.

Something I've been working through lately is balance in my life. I feel as though I run at 150 miles per hour throughout my day and at the end of the day, I look back and think wow, I really missed some of those special moments with the kids or my husband because I was too worried about what was going to happen next or folding the laundry or trying to count calories (which is another story in itself).

The point is, I don’t want my life to pass me by. We need to learn to stop during our crazy busy days and just enjoy those special moments that God has placed there. Whether you are trying to balance kids, work, relationships, etc - I've learned that all that "stuff" is always going to be there and it's our reality. I'm working on balancing my work and home life and all the other things that come with it.

And one of the most important things I've learned lately, is that I cannot do it on my own! I often try, but God has really reminded me lately that I don't need to - I can rest in Him! That is so amazing and he wants to take the burdens from us, we just need to let go and let Him!

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Thank you for sharing, Jessica! I think those are important words for every mother. We don't need to go it alone. God wants to walk along beside us as we go.

Thank you to every mom who has shared over the past few months! I have really enjoyed getting to know each of you a little better. :)

As always, if you would like to share your story, let me know!

Resurrection Story Cookies

I posted this recipe 2 years ago and thought I would share it again. :)


Resurrection Story Cookies - A Real Recipe
What a wonderful recipe to share with the children. These cookies are made the evening before celebrating the Resurrection, and are cooked in a warm oven overnight so they will be ready on Easter morning.
You need to preheat the oven to 300 degrees (this is important--don't wait until you are half done with the recipe!)

3 egg whites
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. Vinegar
A pinch salt
1 cup sugar
A zipper baggie
A wooden spoon
tape
Bible

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.

Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.

Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.

Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.

Read Matt. 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Resurrection morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Resurrection, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Read Matt. 28:1-9

**A few tips from Jamie: don't wait until too late at night to start them, look up the scriptures ahead of time (it's not so easy when your hands are sticky :), and don't use an airbake cookie sheet. Our cookies didn't turn out exactly like they should have.