Good stuff

As I was saying goodnight to Avery tonight, she said to me, "Mom, I think God must be the best artist ever." Of course I agreed, but I wanted to know where that was coming from. After I asked, she said, "Because He made us symmetrical." She went on to tell me that they had learned to draw clowns in art class today and talked about how our bodies are symmetrical. Now, were she in a Christian school, I'm sure the teacher would have taken the opportunity to discuss God's great design. However, she is in a public school and I know God wasn't discussed. But that didn't stop my girl! She found her own Biblical Integration (one of those terms from my elementary education days in college when I had to add that element to every lesson plan). She immediately thought of God's amazing artistry in creating us symmetrical.

This is one of those moments in which I'm reminded that God's will always prevails. He is growing and teaching my children even when I'm not present and even when the teacher has no idea she is being used to draw my daughter into a deeper understanding of her Creator. Good stuff :)

Bring on the crazy

All school year I knew this was coming. Spring. I am working every day. Avery is playing soccer on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5, with a game every Saturday. Allie is playing tee ball on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 and there will be games all during the week whenever those start. I teach ladies discipleship on Tuesday nights while my kids go their church activities. Avery will go to piano on Thursdays at 5:30 (Allie has been taking it but will not take it during the spring since it's at the same time as tee ball). All of these practices will depend on me, since Rich doesn't get home until 5:45 usually. He will be able to help with some pick ups, but we haven't really arrived to where we're comfortable just dropping the girls off at their practices. This might be the year, though!

I also have two big events in April - hosting my Bunko group at my house and helping to host a table and my school's annual auction. And I have our church's VBS Bible curriculum to write in time to be published for the summer. Oh, and Rich and I coach a coed church softball team that has games beginning the last week in April and guess what night that's on? Tuesdays - the same night as Allie's practice and our church activities. Are you as tired as I am just writing this down?

Anyone have any advice? One of my biggest questions is dinner. We usually eat around 5:30. How am I going to get everyone fed? It seems that on the later practice days we will have to eat early and on the nights Avery practices at 5, we might all wait until 6:15 to eat. But that's pretty late for us. Plus, eating early on the nights of 5:30 practice means having dinner ready by 4:45, since my kids take forever to eat and I'll need to have everyone in the car with gear on and to practice on time.

So I'm trying not panic. God is huge and certainly big enough to help me handle the life He's called me to. I'm very glad I'm not always this busy. I need to take each day at a time and try to plan carefully. I need to start my day in the Word and stay leaning on Him when I start to panic as I look at my messy kitchen and piles of laundry. I think, also, we will be eating more sandwiches and hot dogs - meals we can eat on the go. And, dare I say, maybe a few drive-thru dinners???