i would make a great ostrich...

habits that get broken can be some of the hardest to start again no matter how much we might want to.

example- i have continued to workout 4 times a week for the last 7 months but about a month and a half ago i began running on my off days. i suffered severe shin splints but pushed right on through. about 3 weeks ago i finally got a new pair of running shoes and my shins are significantly better now but i did take a break from running on off days for the last 2 weeks. today i need to run and yet i just don't want to. for no other reason than....i don't even know...broken habit.

blogging would be another one of those things that i have gotten out of the habit of doing. i miss it! i enjoy writing down some of the adventures we face or just some of the mundane details of life not so much for any person but really for me. it's like verbal scrapbooking.

here's the thing i would love to avoid facing many issues in life...for many reasons. i know struggle is exhausting mentally and emotionally and to be real honest i am mentally exhausted by just doing the laundry for six people. i also would love to live in fantasy land where everything goes smoothly and easily. (are you catching on to why i title this blog "i would make a great ostrich"?) i am out of the habit of weighing in at aquatica and being accountable to someone regarding my progress. if i don't know what the scale says then there is no measure of my failure. all of this to say that there are some areas in my heart and life that God is dealing with me. some areas that He is refining and some areas He is pruning.

as of late i have taken on a role within a group that i am involved that requires me to deal with people who have their own ideas and plans...i am a mom to four little people who still let me tell them what to do and how to do it. i have gotten out of the habit of interacting with people who don't see things eye to eye with me. this causes me stress. if you know me then you know that i tend to face conflict head on but something has happened over the last few years...i struggle with conflict. (fyi- my husband my find that as a surprise.) i don't want to cause problems. i am having to really take time to practice listening. yes- i do believe that may be the key to avoiding conflict...listening to the other person. i'll let you know how that goes.

we also are facing another adventure... we rent our home from a rental agency here and we have just learned that the homeowner has not been able to pay their mortgage. what this means is that the bank is foreclosing on this house. in about 6 weeks this house is scheduled for auction. this is such a bummer. we really love our house and feel as though it is the size we need for our family. in the very near future we will be moving most likely unless God blesses us with a miracle. pray for us to trust His sovereignty in all the details of this adventure.

in other news... daphne knocked out her other front tooth. yep that's right...she has successfully knocked out both her front teeth in 3 years. good thing she is so stinkin cute!! she doesn't need those front teeth....at least not yet. daph has her kindergarten screening set for tomorrow and she has now decided that after swim team season this summer she would like to take a break from dance and give soccer a try. i am excited that she wants to try something new and totally different but a little sad that our time with dance may be coming to a close. time and experience will tell.

ramey finally hit 20lbs! this is exciting for us all. she is really growing up into quite a newman kiddo. cute & spicy at the same time!! she adores her big sister anna. pretty much the first things she says in the mornings when i get her out of bed are "eat" and "heado anna". her language development is exploding!! i love to hear her talk. she is a whisperer meaning that when she talks she usually whispers whatever she is trying to say. it is precious! some of her other favorite words/phrases are "night night evbody", "bruder henry", "mo bible" and "hi otis".

anna continues to humble me. i do struggle with this little one and yet find deep joy in her as well. she is passionate in all things. when she laughs she means it. when she loves on you it is with all of her heart. when she feels injustice she holds nothing back. she is also a watcher of people. she will engage others once she feels comfortable but prefers to watch the action. at home...not so much- but that does stand true when we are out and about. she still loves being outside running, playing, riding bikes. i wish we had a place for a garden because i am almost positive she (and all the kids) would love to build, plant and cultivate something.

henry is growing into a fine young man. he is really fun to be around these days. i truly enjoy my time with him. he makes me laugh! he's signed up for another season of baseball and swim team is just around the corner. i continue to pray that he will become a servant leader in all that he is involved in. a couple of weeks ago his class preformed a mini play about the life of martin luther king jr. henry played the part of martin as a boy. at one point in the play martin is broken hearted because his playmates(some white boys) would no longer play with him because they were told not to by their parents. when henry was reciting his lines he was very emotional at this point and i found myself so very thankful for the heart God has given him. henry loves people. he sees them just as we all ought to...made in the image of our Creator.

i will work on getting some pictures uploaded from my camera because i know that is what you all would prefer to see instead of read my ramblings but for know this is the update from our little corner of the planet.