Another Trip

Me and my family are taking another trip to North Carolina my Dad will be speaking at Bro. Rick Finly and my family will be singing there. It looks like it will be another long trip. ,Briley Reagan.

Our Texas Trip.

Me and my family just got back from a wonderful trip to Texas,We were special singers the kids and I got free camp we had a great time. if you would like to learn more about this camp go to Facebook and it is Lake Texoma camp and confrence center.it was a long drive down there 14 hours. man I am glad that drive is over. on our way back we stoped at the St.Louis arch and we went under ground were there was a historical things to look at it was neat. we left Texas on Friday and did not get back till 1:00 am Sunday morning we where all tired.

Summer....

YEAH!! It is here! School is done for the year and summer is upon us. We have already had a busy time here at the church with our yearly ladies banquet, Friend Day with Janie and Jeanene and their families and we just finished revival this week. We have a wedding tomorrow and one next Saturday and then I think - just maybe - the church calendar has a break.

I am looking forward to spending a week with my family in July. I think Jimmy and the kids are going to go camping - not sure if I am game to that or not! We have a trip to Coney Island planned because the kids love the theme park. I would love to get away with my hubby for a day somewhere and just say hi!:)

The house project is coming along and there is more we need to do. Also, we have promised the kids a new swing set this year. There's look like a rust bucket and has more broken pieces then working ones now so we better invest in a new one before the hospital gets all of our money in Tetnus shots!

It is birthday time again and Macey has already turned 2. Caleb is next and then Elisha for the month of July so there will be more pictures with all of that!

Briley is on her way home as I type from her first time at camp. She has had the time of her life and I am sure she will talk non-stop for a week about it all. I hope so! I can't wait to see her.

This is all I will write for now. I just hadn't posted in awhile so I thought I better catch up!:)

Sweet Rest....

We just got back from our spring trip to Tennessee that we love to take every year. Maybe it's coming out of winter and looking forward to spring that makes us get so excited to go. Maybe it's looking forward to seeing friends and family that we miss. Maybe it's just an emotional break from the ministry for a week. I don't know, but what I do know, is that we always look forward to it so much and can't wait to leave. I can hardly sleep the night before we leave and get as giddy as a little girl.

This year, my parents were moving so we went in a half week earlier to help them move. That was a fun time to spend with them and feeling like we could help them in some way. Then, we went to church with Jimmy's parents on Sunday morning and me and the children were asked to sing. We sang 3 songs and the kids did so great! I was a very proud momma and that is a sin.

On Sunday afternoon we drove on to Knoxville for the Independent Baptist Friends International meeting at Temple Baptist Church in Powell. Wow. What a meeting. It was so good to see many old friends and make new ones. We stayed with the Fowler's from Sunday - Wednesday and as tradition has it, talked way too late each night!! What sweet fellowship we share with them. Friendship is indeed a blessing.

On Wednesday, Jimmy and all of the children except Elisha, met his parents, sister and niece in the Smokies for a day of hiking. Since I am not in my best hiking form anymore, I stayed in Knoxville with Stephanie. We met some friends at a park and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Jimmy and his family enjoyed themselves too and soaked in the beauty of God's creation.

Jimmy came back and picked me up that afternoon and we headed to his parents farm. This is where the real relaxation kicks in. I cannot tell you how much we enjoy "zoning out" at the farm. I keep asking them to come to Adams County and buy a farm but it is purely selfishness. I want a place here that we can escape to and zone out with family! There is a lot of front porch sittin', popsicle lickin', cricket chirpin' and tea sippin'! That was pretty good wasn't it?:)

Jimmy and his dad always get up real early and go to the front porch. I always sleep in later and wake to the sounds of my children giggling as the play with Papaw. Mamaw always gets their breakfast and after they eat breakfast, that is when Papaw encourages them to now eat a popsicle! The kids think they are in Heaven because there are very few food rules at the farm!

It was so fun to get to ride the lawn mower and cut the grass. That is something I haven't got to do in a long time and I have missed it. I know it's crazy but I have always loved to cut grass. I don't know if there is a sweeter smell to me than freshly mowed grass.

Friday evening, I went on over to my Granny's house and she had made fried apple pies. When I got there, she wanted me to take her to a Consignment store. She saw a suit that she wanted to buy me for my birthday. It was so sweet of her and the suit was so pretty! I was very happy that we went to the Consignment store together!:)The fried pies were the perfect ending to the visit at Granny's. Dad and Mom drove over and we all visited together. It was a fun evening.

Saturday, we started heading back to Ohio. Although physically tired from a long drive, we came home refreshed and ready to hit some stuff around here!

Sweet friends. Sweet family. Sweet trip. Sweet rest.

For you Mamaw....

Alright dear mother-in-law, I will try to improve in blogging more often. If nothing else, I ought to use this space to write down all the crazy things my kids say!!

Today:
"Mommy, if I was given the choice of 2 Wii's or you, I would choose you. Even if you cost $1000 I would still choose you - if I had that much money! If I did not have that much money, because I don't, then I would just steal you." ~Isaiah Tate, 6 years old.

We are heading to TN tomorrow for a much needed vacation. We look forward to this trip in the spring every year. We get time with dear friends and family and always come home very refreshed emotionally.

Spring is all around us and my tulip are blooming. Last week, we had a big kite and pizza party with all the library homeschool moms. Most of us have several children each so all together there were 53 of us! We had such a great day.

Easter Sunday was also beautiful. We had a wonderful day at church, lots of visitors and the weather was perfect. We took pictures after the evening service in front of the church. It is quite a sight for our little town because the road is just about 20 feet from the front of the church. Everyone kept slowing down and waving as we were trying to get pictures. I love small town America. Nothing more entertaining then sitting on our porch swing and watching the cars go by. If you get real bored, you can wave too!:)

Happy spring!!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Once again, I have let time fly and have not posted on here like I should. One of New Year's resolutions is to write on here faithfully again. Hopefully, this is one part of life that can go back to normal after the new year!
I have been "re-inspired" to keep up with my blogs now that there is a way to get them printed. I am doing this for my mom for Christmas (she already knows because I had to ask her to hurry and do her Christmas post) so I am not worried if she reads this. But this year, I want to get mine printed off too for memories that we can pull off our bookshelf and read.
Christmas time is always such a wonderful time for memories and traditions to be made. Having a child in your home sure does add a special "spice" to the celebration of Jesus. Having 6 children in your home really makes it great!
Last year, I felt so bad that I hardly even remember the holiday's - let alone felt like doing much. I know that we didn't even decorate outside last year! This year, however, is a different story! I have been so excited about it all. We have decorated and cooked and crafted and all kinds of stuff. I have felt like Jimmy Stewart in "It's A Wonderful Life" saying "I want to live again....I want to live again..." I have felt that this Christmas, I am living again and enjoying every day!!
The kids and Jimmy did most of the decorating this year as I am "vertically challenged" and cannot reach anything! They did a great job. Jimmy and I decorated outside and called the kids up as a surprise when we were finished. We had sent them downstairs to watch "Frosty". It was so fun to watch their eyes sparkle the reflection of the lights and see their faces light up. They were standing outside in the cold in their jammies and bare feet shivering half to death and still did not want to go in. We had to make them so they wouldn't get sick. Now it is a race to see who gets to plug the lights in once it starts getting dark.
We have painted ornaments, made homemade sugar cookies, looked at lights around the neighborhoods, listened to Pandora Christmas music almost non-stop, and this week we are making homemade candy for our neighbors. I think I have talked the kids into singing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" as they deliver the candy. The pocket calendar has been out all month and every morning the kids run to see what goodie the pocket holds in store for them that day. Their daddy has taken this as his personal project and has already gotten up a couple of times in the middle of the night because he forgot to fill the pockets before he went to bed!
We have already had our church dinner, our ladies ornament exchange, Christmas caroled, and this Saturday is the kids Christmas party and dress rehearsal, and then Sunday night is the Church Christmas program. Then, the week of Christmas will be open for family fun, hot chocolate and Christmas cartoons and movies.
This year, I am starting a new tradition with my kids that mom always did with us. I am going to buy Tang and heat it up and serve it to the kids on Christmas Eve as we read the Christmas story by the lights of the Christmas tree. I have such vivid memories of this sweet time with baby Jesus as a child and want to recreate those memories with my kids. Actually, most of the traditions that we have with the kids, are from my own memories as a kid.
I read my mom's blog the other day and called her. I said "Okay, I am ready to pack up and come home right this second!!" I think it made her day, but it did bring back such a flood of wonderful memories that I wanted to go back home and live it all over again. The wonderful thing about having kids is that I get to live them all over - just this time I am the mom!!
The children are so excited. This seems like the first year that each of them want something very specific. I guess because they are getting older. Of course, the little ones want every thing they see so we just pick what we want! We have already wrapped some presents and they are under the tree so I hope little hands leave them there!
So, yes, it looks like Christmas, feels like Christmas, smells like Christmas, and sounds like Christmas while we are enjoying waiting on the "day" of Christmas.

Where Does Time Go?

Wow!! I have not updated this blog in way too long!! Seems like when I get on here to post, I get interrupted by the "little people" and then I think I will catch it up later.
Right now, our home is readjusting to many things. The nanny that I had, did a wonderful job and we know the Lord brought her to us for a season as there were many doctor appointments and I was still learning so many things that I have had to learn to do a new way. We felt that the time of our needing her was to be over once the new baby came and so she is now back with her family.
The children are very excited about the thought and challenge of helping mommy and daddy run this home. There is no doubt that they will be doing more around here than most children their ages, but they are excited about and so far have not complained. We feel very blessed for their sweet spirits.
As I am still recovering from a C-section and I am only able to be up about 20 minutes at a time, I am very limited in what I can do so Jimmy and the kids are carrying the full load right now.
Briley helps hold the baby while Jimmy takes care of my personal needs, she helps with the cooking (or should I say her daddy helps her - she is quite efficient in the kitchen). Also, she helps her daddy with the laundry and knows how to sort it, start the washer and dryer, and fold the clothes. The children put their own clothes away in the drawers. On top of this, she keeps her own room clean and helps dress her two sisters. She also loves to wash and change Elisha and pick out his outfit for the day.
Caleb is the dining room man! He sets the table, puts food and cups where they belong, sweeps the dining room floor and washes the table and benches. He helps with many odd choirs throughout the day from bringing me a diaper to swinging Macey on the porch swing.
Isaiah is my sweeper boy. He can vacuum like an adult. He is very detailed and always wants to vacuum the furniture while he is at it. He loves to bring me a cup of ice and rub my back. He and Caleb both keep the trash gathered up and take it out. They also keep their room cleaned up every day.
Audrey just likes to hover and whenever we ask for a volunteer for something like "Who would like to bring mommy a blanket?", she is always eager to do it. She loves to play with my hair and have many talks about little things. She is good company when you are laying in a bed all day. I am never lonely with Audrey around.
Macey is adjusting and actually has not felt well. So, she has been her Daddy's little buddy. She has been sleeping with him every night and sits on his lap quite often. It is hard for me to hold her and the baby and keep them off of my stomach so I have been trying to let Briley hold Elisha and give Macey the snuggle time that she needs. She has been a happy little thing and is in love with her "Lil' Lisha" as she calls him.
When I was in the hospital, I had never been away from the kids that long. We were missing them and they were missing us! It was a fun reunion for our family and although things have been a little stressful at times around here, we are glad to be together and enjoying our home.
We know that the future can at times seem a little overwhelming for all of us. The kids with so many "new" things happening in our home. Their momma suddenly in a wheelchair, a new nanny and someone living with us for awhile and having to be left with her a lot while we had so many dr's appointments, a new baby, complications for their momma and being away from me for the longest they have ever had to do that, the nanny being gone and not living with us anymore, momma coming home and being in a bed for some time, and Jimmy and I wondering if and when life will get back to normalcy! However, with all of that, we love each other all the more and have drawn much closer as a family. Jimmy and I have never loved each other more and the children seem so drawn to us and desire our fellowship as well as us craving for time with them.
The Lord has proven over and over that His eyes are upon us and He is taking care of us. We are not in despair and know that our future is bright because the Lord is using all of this to work in our lives to draw us closer to Him.
Here are some picture of our family and our newest little blessing - Elisha Maclaren Reagan (who by the way is a perfect baby!).