Testimony Tuesday: Overwhelmed/You lead

Well I have done a fine job with blogging and keeping up with Testimony Tuesday this month, haven't I?  (You should be sensing a strong dose of sarcasm right now.)

To just lay it all out there...that is kind of how everything in my life feels right now.  Behind.  I feel overwhelmed at all of the things going on in my life and underwhelmed by the job I am doing at all of them.  (Don't feel bad for me--I am fine.  I am just sharing my thoughts.) 

The truth is I am just in a funk.  I have been praying for humility and the Lord has generously granted that request.  Maybe a little too generous...like He has just been waiting for me to pray for it.  Ha! 

I know I am not the only one out there that feels like this...so just in case you need to know you aren't alone.  Here are just a few of the things that have me in said "funk."

1.  I can NOT for the life of me keep my laundry or dishes under control, folks! 
2.  Raising a 2 and 3 year old.  Some days I feel like I have no idea what I am doing.  And on the days that I do feel like I know what I am doing--one of them usually does something that humbles me back to reality. 
3.  I am still trying to process being in the hospital with my Uncle the last week of his life and the night that our neighbor's little boy went to be with Jesus. 
4.  I am in that place where we just had a whirlwind month of busyness and stuff going on that I just really don't want to commit to doing anything. 

I know that I haven't been feeling like my normal self lately and I have just been heavy hearted and unbalanced and I have been praying about it and yesterday while I was in my car (alone...I might add :) Jamie Grace's "You Lead" came on and I just felt like the Lord was saying, "Quit trying to figure it all out on your own!!  Stop trying to control it and have it all together and let me lead!!"  Here is the first part of the song lyrics.

"You Lead"

I've got waves that are tossin' me,
Crashin' all over my beliefs,
And in all sincerity, Lord,
I wanna be yours,
So pull me out of this mess I'm in,
Cause I know I'm wanderin'
Lead my soul back home again,
I've always been yours,

And this world may push, may pull,
But your love it never fails,

You lead, I'll follow, Your hands hold my tomorrow,
Your grip, Your grace, You know the way,
You guide me tenderly,
When you lead, I'll follow,
Just light the way and I'll go,
Cause I know what you got for me is more than I can see,
So lead me on, on, on and on,
Just lead me on, on, on and on,

Yessssss.  Exactly Lord!  I found this SO encouraging yesterday and I now that my focus is more on Him than my "problems" I can feel Him leading me out of the "funk."  Here is the whole song if anybody wants to listen.  Thankful for a God that speaks to my heart.

Memorial Day Weekend

Well I could sum up our weekend in 3 words:  swimming, sleeping, and movies.  If I added a fourth it would be lazy.  ( ; 

 We headed to Mike and DeDe's so that we could see family and spend the weekend by the pool. 

 Reid LOVES to jump in the pool.  Jumping off...

 going under for a couple seconds...

 popping up...

 smiling and laughing.  The boy has no fear with the water...which gives his Mommy a little bit of fear with him and the water.  Ha! 

 Lilly jumping in.  We worked on her jumping OUT into the water instead of just stepping off the edge.  She made some good progress! 

 They had tons of fun throwing all of the dive toys in the water.  The only problem is they don't dive to get them.  ( ; 

 Watching the dive toys "sink."

 And there they all are!  I bet we all picked those up about a hundred times. 

 They also loved to slide into the pool.  Lilly would want me to catch her but not Reid.  He wanted to go all the way under the water and pop back up. 

 We had lots of fun swimming.  If we weren't at the pool, we were pretty much sleeping.  I think I took 3 naps on Saturday.  (Of course I should mention that Reid was sick Friday night so I didn't get to sleep until 5.  But raising a two and three year old is exhausting so I may have taken 3 naps either way.) 

 We spotted a lizard! 

 The kids were so excited!!  They even sang the lizard some made-up songs.  I could tell he was thrilled.  ( :  DeDe and I watched What to Expect When You're Expecting while the kids napped on Sunday and it was really funny.  Then Sunday night Matt and I went to see Dark Shadows.  It was terrible.  We thought it was going to be funny but it was just strange.  But a movie date with my hubby is still a pretty good time! 

We had a great long weekend!  Thanks to all who serve and protect our country!!

Mother Son "Date Knight"

On May 10th our local Chick-fil-a hosted a "Mother-Son Date Knight" and I was SO excited about it! 

 I loaded up this little cutie and we went off on our date. 

 Chick-fil-a went all out.  The workers were all dressed up in medieval-type clothes and were very sweet.

 They covered the walls so it looked like we were inside a castle. 

 We had to make reservations for the date so they had the tables set up and personalized. 

 They also had fun questions but Reid wasn't old enough for them.  I appreciated all of the details they did to make the night extra special! 

 The chick-fil-a cows were there and a photographer (the same photographer that took our wedding pictures--small world!) took a really cute picture of us with them but I will have to work on scanning it into the computer later.  They also had a lady that made balloon swords. 

 Y'all!!!  He was obsessed with the sword!!! 

 I could not even count the number of times I heard, "Yaaaawwww!"  And he "yaaawwwed" anything and everything. 

They also gave him a rose to give to me and he handed it to me and told me, "Happy Mother's Day!"  It was precious!!

The next day he said, "Mommy I had so much fun last night at Chick-fil-a!!"  Me too, son, me too!  I am so thankful to CFA for hosting such a special night for mothers and sons!  PS--LOVE his smile!  And I love making special memories with my sweet boy, too.  ( : 

Dance Recital Weekend

 THIS girl had her first dance recital today...but really it all started yesterday morning.

 She had dress rehearsal yesterday morning.  She was a little stage-stunned during the rehearsal and just stared into the crowd and did the same move over and over.  I was a wee bit nervous she was just going to stand frozen on stage...but I knew she was going to look cute doing it so I was okay with whatever.  I did tell her that if she just watched Miss Miranda and did her dance moves during the recital that she could go to the candy store and pick out whatever she wanted.  I am not above bribery...I think of it as "motivation."  ( ;

 After rehearsal DeDe, Lilly, and I went to go get our nails done to prepare for the big event! 

 Look how excited she is!!  I just LOVE her soooo much!

Our pretty toes!  I let Lilly pick out my polish color and she picked blue.  Thaaaannnks.  Ha!  Actually after they were painted the color has grown on me.

 Lilly picked bright pink for her toes and bright blue for her nails.  Unfortunately a manicure lasts less than 12 hours on her so I repainted her nails hot pink this morning.  Last night we went by the candy store so she could preview all of the goodies. 

 All ready for her recital!! 

 Playing with her hair.  This is her new thing.  It is precious but it makes her seem a little more grown up than I like.  We were all set up at the recital to shoot a great video.  I even remembered to charge the video camera!  Then right before the recital they said not to use any flash photography or video.  Buzz kills.  I very reluctantly followed the rules but the video we are buying better be GOOD!  (: 

 She (and all of her dance class) did SOOO good. 

 Watching Miss Miranda and doing her moves. 

 This is one of my favorite pictures because at dance rehearsal this is the one move she did over and over.  I giggle every time I look at it. 

 Here she starts looking for us in the crowd...

 and she spots us and gives us a BIG smile!  Priceless! 

 Back to dancing.

 At the very end they sat down and blew the crowd a kiss.  The whole thing was just too cute.  We had to wait through several other dances to go see her and I couldn't wait to hug her and tell her how great she did and how proud we are of her!! 

 We brought her flowers and a lollipop that looked just like the one they used in their dance. 

 Of course Bubby got a lollipop, too.  He did a great job sitting and watching the dancers.  When we talked to MoMo tonight on the phone he was telling her he went to the "movies" to watch dances.  I think he was entertained! 

 Can you tell Lilly is getting tired of pictures and is ready to change clothes??

 Too bad sister because we still had family photos!  Ha! 

 Proud Daddy!

Proud DeDe (Mike was there too but somehow he got away without pictures...hmmm.)

 Me and my sweet girl!

 As soon as I went in the room to get her she yelled, "Candy store!!"  So that was our first stop after the recital.  She was literally like a kid in a candy store. 

 Her and Reid both (we celebrate as a family) got one of the little candy boxes and were allowed to fill it up with whatever they wanted. 

 I felt like what ended up being $10 after tax was a pretty cheap reward and they were both PSYCHED to get it.  That was our first trip to the candy store in the mall and I had to explain that we will only go to the candy store on very special days...it will be a rare treat! 

 They were ready to find a bench immediately and start eating. 

We are SO PROUD of our tiny dancer!!  We love you so much Lilly!!!