What's best (He knows)

Two out of the four days of this week so far I have been home with all three kiddos because my oldest has been sick.

Weston was also sick back in September and was home two days.

I learned something those two days and this week when he came down with something it was a sweet reminder of what God can do when we are interrupted.

life just comes so fast now and I hate that.

but to be honest when someone in the family gets sick sometimes my first thought is " I don't have time for someone to get sick"

which is really kind of ridiculous the more I think about it. What don't I have time for? Staying home and reading books? Staying home and tending to their needs? That is absolutely what I should have time for.

Anyway, the last time he was sick by the second day he had some homework we had to go over in the afternoon. As we were going over it I was helping him with some math and taught him a few tricks that used to help me. I could see a little light in his eyes brighten as he was figuring out what they had been learning. we caught up on his AR reading and by the end of the day my boy was confident and excited about going back to school.

I realized at that point that he needed to be home with me for more reasons than the flu.

So this time when he had to be home I was completely ok with it, actually I was excited about it, because you just never know what God might have in store when we allow our schedules to be interrupted. For me, that is when the best moments happen. The moments when I am reminded of why I am where I am in the first place.

Rest

like every mom right now life is crazy busy.

Once school starts things get so busy and I was doing a pretty good job balancing things until this week.

I fell asleep reading to my youngest this morning and woke up a few seconds later to his sister coloring all over him with a green marker.

I realized that the best thing I could do for my family and myself is rest for a few days.

I usually don't think this way, I am a doer and I love to get things done.

but three kids later I started realizing last year that it didn't matter if the laundry was all caught up and we had amazing dinners if I was worn out and biting everyone's heads off every time they made a small noise.

Last satruday I went through our entire house and perged. it felt amazing. the kids and I went through books, toys, papers you name it. I assigned each of them a hamper to put their dirty clothes in and we organized toys and established new systems for all of the things I trip over one hundred times a day.

to me that is a successful day, one where I really feel like I accomplished something.

but here is the thing, I got to thinking about Christmas this morning. The holidays are right around the corner and I think all of us, myself included want to hit the gas peddle and get to the "next thing"

but if we were all honest there are many holidays that we don't enjoy because we were distracted or tired or ready for the "next thing"

I just started being aware a year or so ago at how exhausting it is to live this way.

I never savored anything because I was constantly feeling like I needed to prepared for the next thing.

That isn't my true heart. that isn't truly the person I want to be. I want to savor moments both little and big. I want to be present in my children's lives and the people around me.

and right now I am so tired I cant even stay awake to read to my kids and I feel like I am fighting off a cold. there are so many great things coming up for our family and I am so excited for them, but for now I know the best thing I can do is rest. not get my house perfect or jump to the next thing.

just rest.

its a beautiful day outside I think I will take a walk, sip some coffee and read (and probably fall asleep) ;)

Back to school Blues...

Well, we have officially been back to school for a little over a month and things are going fairly smooth.

Last year about this time I was really struggling with Weston being in school fulltime. It was hard on this momma's heart. Especially when they come home and they are different, sad, mad and you don't know why  because you weren't with them all day.

One of the biggest lessons I learned last year was to cling to my faith. Even when things are hard and there are problems with teachers, friends, etc.

I often forget that these children aren't mine they are the Lords.

As much as I want to keep them close and protect them from every little thing we all know in the long run I would be holding them back from HIS plans for them.

I say this in full faith because I learned it the hard way last year. By the end of the school year I could see various ways God used our boy, or our family throughout the school year.

It wasn't always a walk in the park. And to be honest the first few weeks I cried a lot in my car after dropping him off and he didn't want to go and I was wondering if I was doing the right thing.

I remember a specific afternoon when I was waiting in the car line to pick him up. I was barely hanging by a thread and I looked around and noticed that everyone else seemed to have this whole school thing under control and her I was completely a wreck trying to navigate through.

As the school year went on I would run into other moms in Wal-mart or wherever and we would visit and I started realizing that every family faces struggles at school at one time or another.

And wouldn't you know the Lord is teaching us again this school year. The adjustment has been much easier because now we know the school better and how everything works and well we are all just a little bit stronger.

But one morning a few weeks into school little Wes didn't want to go. It was the day after a dentist appointment where we had found out he was going to have a tooth pulled.

As I was pulling away he yelled mommy and started to cry so I pulled in and parked. He came running to me that he forgot his lunch box and I told him to calm down and we would check and sure enough it was there. I looked him and in the eye and told him that I knew it was hard, but he had to be brave and do it. He turned around and walked in the school.

What he didn't know is that I followed a few steps behind him into the school and went into the office and talked with the school secretary about how he had a bad tooth and could I send the nurse a note incase it gave him trouble. I explained to the nurse what was going on and to please call if he continued to feel bad.

She ended up calling by nine and said that he had come to her office and she took his temperature and he was ok. She told me she would check him again in the middle of the day and let me know if anything changed.

He ended up having a great day.

After I wrote his note in the office that morning I was walking back to my car and I had one of those moments where my chest hurt and was tight and I had a lump in my throat and the Lord spoke to my heart. 

Just like how I went quietly in the shadows for my son to protect and care for him the Lord does for me, my children, my husband ... all of the people I love.

Out of the same reason I did it for my boy, LOVE.

He is always working around us whether I know it or see it...He is there and that brings me so much encouragement as I send each child out into the world a little bit at a time.

The Barn Sale

Forgive me while I play catch up.

It seemed like everything hit the same week and now we are in full swing of getting ready to go back to school. I have so much I want to document but I cant move forward without going back first.

The week leading up to our first barn sale I had the flu, probably the worst I have had it in a long time. On top of that my older two had their final week of swimming lessons and throw in life in general it was a busy week to say the least.

I know if you follow the Three Oaks Facebook page you have seen these pictures, but my mom and dad do not have Facebook and have never seen them so just scroll along for their sake ;)

The dream for having a barn sale has been planted in my heart for as long as I can remember...not all of the details were there but the heart behind what I want it to be has been there forever and I believe with all of my heart it is part of God's purpose for my life. I don't know how long or what the long term outlook looks like, but I know without a doubt it is where he wants me right now.

I love the idea of having a sale each season because my babies are still young and need so much of me, but with anything I still had to learn to balance everything and there were times I was overwhelmed. Actually if I didn't know so strongly in my heart this was something God wanted me to do I would have let it go. but I pressed on on the hard days because HE told me to.

I can remember one day in particular the kids and I were on our way to the store and I was completely overwhelmed so I pulled into the field where the barn is, left the kids in the car (in the air-conditioning) and told them not to move. I walked into the barn and started crying. It didn't last long because the Lord spoke to me and told me to keep trusting Him. to keep taking simple steps and he would provide. So that is what I did. Each day was committed to my family first and each day little pockets of time surfaced where I was able to accomplish things.

People would ask me about my plan... if it was to rain, if no one was to come, etc. and deep down in my heart I would hear the Lord say not to worry so I didn't.

I had complete peace for the first time and even when I was so sick I knew this was something he wanted me to do.

And the day of the sale we had perfect weather.

And we were amazed at the amount of people that came. And people didn't just come, they were so sweet. so supportive and encouraging of my little dream.

And in my heart I knew it was all because of the Lord.

And now that school is getting ready to start and the next sale is just a few months away I feel like I need to hurry and catch up, but I just couldn't do that without first going back and giving thanks.

the week before the sale one of my children was heavy hearted about an issue with school starting. so we committed to praying about it every night and I encouraged them to have faith. we since then have had many talks about being patient, having faith and trusting God's plan. I shared with them how I was trusting God with the barn sale and following his lead. How I was having faith.

Last night as I was tucking them in they said " Mommy, you had faith and trusted God with your barn sale and it turned out so good "

It was so encouraging to me. To realize that they saw me live out my faith.

I share all of this because maybe you can relate? Maybe you have a dream deeply rooted that you are just waiting for God to bring to the surface? Maybe you are in a place in your life where you are just doing good to get through the day and all of this seems nice but unreachable.

Please know I have been there. I was there exactly a year ago. I was sending my oldest off to kindergarten and approaching a due date where there would be no baby. I was broken and hurting in the deepest of places. I was in no place to chase any dreams and I did good just to get through each day. To say it was a hard time in my life would be an understatement. It was the worst time of my life.

But I decided to fight through and trust God even though I was unsure. And I can tell you He has been so faithful at restoring my heart and pursuing me. So wherever you are I encourage you to trust Him. He has a plan for you wherever you are.

Thank you for reading here. Thank you to everyone who came to the sale and has loved and encouraged me.

You may remember a post back in the spring where I walked after a bad hail storm.

I had all these dreams swirling around in my heart and the Lord put this verse on my heart and it has been what I stand on when I feel small.

"Now to HIM who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

Ephesians 3:20

River Night

I look back through pictures on my phone and it wasn't all that long ago that I posted about our new place and the barn sale and now here we are and it is the week of the sale.

Life just happens so fast doesn't it.

A few weeks ago we all loaded up right in the middle of the week and took our dinner to the river

It was just one of those moments ya know...where you feel it in your heart.

Do you ever secretly wonder if you are living best days of your life?

I know that probably isn't true, but our kiddos are just at some of the sweetest ages and when I look back and see Ally holding her baby the whole way to the river or watch McCoy mimic everything Weston does in admiration I wonder if these sweet days that are passing too fast are my best.

One of the kids lined all of our shoes up  and I thought it was so sweet.

One of my favorite things about going to our little spot on the river is it is so low maintenance. We don't pack a lot and the kids find all sorts of rocks and shells and make games out of just whatever their imagination brings about. Dinner was simple and we just enjoyed being together and enjoying the beauty of God's creation around us and I am pretty sure that is how He intended it to be.

I think sometimes we make too much of things and I am thankful for how my kids always remind me that life really isn't all that complicated when we slow down and don't fear and have faith and just be.

I have learned you take as many snacks for the ride home as you do for while you are there. The kids munched on apples and we drove home recharged and ready for another day.

I pray all who read here have a way to reset when things get busy and our minds get blurry.

I hope everyone has a great week. I have more to share so hopefully I will be back soon!

Gasconade County Fair

When I was a little girl I was in 4-H. My brother Blake and I showed dairy cows every summer at local fairs and our favorite was always the Owensville Fair.

Fast forward to life now and his daughter is in 4-H and we always enjoy loading up the last week in July and going to watch her at the fair.

This year my mom took off work so the kids and I picked her up on our way.

I found a few pictures from last year and had to include them. It amazes me how much the kids change from year to year.

The rest of the pictures are from this year.

After we watched Halle show we had a picnic lunch and then waited in the barn until the parade started. Cameron headed down once he got off work and arrived to the fair just as everything was wrapping up at the parade. A huge storm blew in and my mom and I got stuck buying supper up at the cook shacks. We waited it out and once it was over we gobbled down dinner and headed to ride rides. My kids are finally at an age where skipping over riding rides is not an option ;)

It was another great year at the fair. I am so thankful my kids are growing up so close the their cousins.

Simple Summertime

Hello and happy Wednesday.

Summer is just slipping on by isn't it. I am trying so hard to savor each minute with my kiddos because I know all to soon school will be back in session and it will be go go go.

but they are starting to get a little bored.

I am always trying to come up with fun little inexpensive things for them to do to help keep them busy.

last week we had been cooped up much too long for the day and I was trying to start dinner, finish folding laundry and tidy up before Cam got home.

I had an idea to keep them busy and it ended up being the perfect way to end a summer day.

I picked each one of them some books to read, grabbed their journals, a quilt for each and some snacks and placed them each at separate areas in our yard.

I told them they had to read, write something in their journals and lay on their quilt and just think.

don't let the pictures fool you...they did plenty of running back and forth to each others blankets, but they loved their little quiet time and they looked so sweet I snapped some pictures of them.

it wasn't long and Cam came down the driveway and we were able to switch gears for the day. We are all always ready to see daddy. Things just seem right in the world when we are all five home together.

This past weekend we had a dinner at the new place to thank all of our family and friends that have helped make everything possible.

As we were preparing to get the house ready to rent everyone came alongside us in so many ways and helped and encouraged us.

We are so thankful how they all pitched in whether it was cleaning, or working on the house or helping us watch the kiddos and we wanted them to know just how grateful we are that God placed them in our lives and that they are so open to helping and encouraging us chase our dreams.

The menu was grilled steak, the Pioneer Woman's twice baked potatoes, salad with homemade ranch, rolls and for dessert I made the Pioneer Woman's chocolate sheet cake.

Everything was a big hit and Cam and I worked all day Saturday getting everything ready. I made the sides and desserts and he took care of the steaks.

I picked flowers out of our yard and bought two bundles of sunflowers to mix in.

Weston and Ally were super eager to help and I tried to find as many jobs as possible that they could do to help.

Ally pretty much did all the flowers (once I cut them down) and they helped put the rolls in the pan, season a chalkboard and lots of other fun little jobs.

I was worried about the heat and the fact that it has been raining so much ....and there was thunder off in the distance. I asked God to bless the night and hold off the rain but keep it cool for great grandparents and he sent the perfect evening straight from heaven.

So thankful, my heart is full.

be better...

its late

and I should be in bed

(everyone else is)

but my mind has been churning as I watched one of my favorite shows.

its a show about a family and tonight their love and devotion to one another and the parents to their children has stirred something inside me

it has my head spinning and it makes me want to be a better mom.

a better wife.

a better woman.

I am typically hard on myself and always trying to improve

but this last year I have entered a different season where I am learning that God uses my weaknesses just as much or more as my strengths.

sometimes I laugh out loud at myself at how I was as a mom when I first began this journey.

for some reason tonight the image of all of my babies coordinating stands out in my mind.

I fretted over Easter dresses and outfits that I wanted them to wear.

I loved putting it all together... In a way I think it was a way I showed love.

dressing them sweet and nice and all.

but then all of a sudden we reached a point where I was making them miserable stuffing them in things they didn't really like.

fast forward to now and it is so different and I keep thinking about this picture

Back when summer first started one of Cameron's projects had a ground breaking and the kids and I all went.

they picked out special clothes and as we were walking out the door McCoy had an accident. His pants, his shoes and even his shirt were wet so we were scrambling around trying to find matching shoes and more.

He ended up wearing a pair of Weston's old flip flops and we went flying out the door.

We arrived at the ground breaking three minutes after ten and Cameron sent me a message to not come in because it had started and was very formal.

so we waited (and waited) outside. luckily there was a lot of equipment running outside that they watched and we did pretty good.

but as the morning went on one of them had to potty, one threw rocks at the other one and McCoy's shoes kept flying across the parking lot because they were too big.

there came a point when I wondered why I even tried.

eventually I told Cam it was time for us to go and we loaded up and I felt a little defeated.

About an hour later we got a phone call and it was Cam.

He was just calling to tell me thanks for coming.

He said something along the lines that it meant so much having us there and I remembered why we went in the first place.

For him.

It didn't matter what we wore or did; what mattered to him was that we were there.

sometimes things are worth the effort and I am learning that there isn't as much effort involved if I go with things a bit more.

I have one that wants to wear sports outfits everywhere and another who likes only certain dresses and the same popsicle shirt over and over.

and it's O.K.

it doesn't matter and I am thankful I have learned that.

but I want to be honest and say that sometimes I have to bite my tongue when they put something together that I don't agree with.

but I am a better mom than I was before, not perfect, but better.

I have learned they would rather have my attention than watch me look at new fun clothes for them online.

They would rather me give them a hug and hold their hand on the way into church than be frustrated at the outfit I stuffed them in.

and you know what's funny...

I still buy my boys the same shirts sometimes

if I find a pattern I like I usually get them the same one.

and this past year for both Christmas and Easter they ended up wearing matching shirts and not because I made them.

I had bought Weston different outfits for both but he ended up wearing the same shirt as McCoy anyway...

that's the way it goes.

but I am thankful for what I have learned and pray that I continue to love them in the ways that matter and let go of the things that don't.

Barn Sale

hello again!

As promised I am back to share the next part with you about the new place.

I mentioned before about how we cleaned out the barns and out buildings.

I just have to say, those buildings are my favorite part of the whole place...that and the big old oaks on the property.

I said in my last past that I had dreams of my own and wasn't particularly excited about Cam's idea but felt led by the Lord to trust him.

About a week or so before the auction I was working down in our basement on some furniture I was redoing and had an idea.

while I was working I decided I should open a little shop out of our basement and start selling things that I made or found or didn't have a place for anymore in our home.

if you know me at all, you know one of my favorite things to do is work in our home and I always have a project going.

I was so excited to walk out and tell Cam and he was super supportive except for the part about it being in our basement. which I understood and kinda wondered how that would work myself but I just felt a little spark in my heart and knew something was going to come out of it. He told me to let him think on it for a bit and see what he could come up with.

later that night I was doing dishes and all of a sudden I had figured it out. THE BARN! THE BARN at the new place would be perfect. I ran outside to tell Cam I had thought of the perfect place and when I told him he told me he was just thinking the same thing.

we rode over right away and looked at again and it was perfect. I just loved it and the idea to have a barn sale a few times a year blossomed.

You may be wondering what does one buy at a barn sale (or sell) and honestly just about anything goes, but this sale is going to be a mix of handmade, antiques and other goods for your home.

Some of the stalls will be rented out and have a similar feel to an antique booth or craft fair booth.

As we prepare and get closer I hope to share some of the items we are going to have for sale as well as some more information about the first sale.

The date is set for the first sale! It is going to be August 6tt!

If it is something you are interested in please follow along here, or the Facebook page

I will be sharing more details about the sale and also share photos about some of the cool things we have found and are going to be selling at the first sale on the Facebook page and here as well.

Once again, thank you for following along and for all of your support and messages of encouragement, they mean more than you could ever possibly know!

our new place...

I have been anticipating sharing this story for so long and now that it is here I am afraid I wont get it out the way it should read as I type, but either way I want to share a bit about our new place with yall.

Some of you probably read on Instagram awhile back that Cameron and I bought a place down the road from us back in the spring.

You may have scratched your head as to why we would buy another little farm, so today I am going to tell you why.

Dreams.

That is the best way to put it.

Cameron dreams of a farm and cows and for the past year we have been looking to by some land so he can have some cows.

a friend of ours put a bug in our ear as they say about the place that we purchased shortly after the owner passed away. a for sale sign never went up for a year and then the last day in march this year one went up.

I remember Cam's text that day and how excited he was but to be honest I wasn't that excited.

We had been saving and budgeting but I still was having a hard time with it. I had dreams of my own...more on that in a minute.

we met with the family that was selling the place the next weekend and they told us it was going to be auctioned.

We rode the property, walked through the house and out buildings after they gave us permission and we really liked it.

we really prayed about it and I felt God urging me to trust Cam in this so I told him I didn't understand it completely but I trusted him and supported him in this.

in april they held an estate auction and I don't recommend ever buying land that way.

at one point I thought Cam was going to have a heart attack.

It was rainy and wet and we had all three babies with us, but I remember taking a walk and praying about the auction and everything the day before and I felt in my heart that God was in this and we had his blessing.

I walked back into our house after praying and my grandma told me that she was going to be selling food at an auction by my house that Saturday. I smiled because I knew in my heart God was orchestrating something beyond me.

He knew what a dream this was for Cam and I and me being the way I am he knew I would want family there...family to share it with and he did just that.

My grandma didn't know anything about us wanting to buy the property until right before it sold but she gladly let the kids sit with her while we bid.

I took this picture after the kids and I got home from the auction and I was getting ready to hose off their boots.

it was such a good day. our hearts were so full and I will never forget how excited we were to call our parents and tell them what God had just allowed us to do.

We closed a few weeks later and they took our picture with the older man's jumble of keys.

Then the work began! HA!

We knew right away the wisest thing for us to do was to rent the house because we were so content with where we were living there was no need for us to move.

we started right away and cleaned out the workshop and the barn as well.

it took three solid days to get the barn and workshop cleaned out and we did it as a family and it was such a blessing to all be together work hard towards a dream.

McCoy passed out on me right before we were about to finish up that first day and I remember how good that felt.

Cam and I were a little worried about how the kids would do but their hard working little spirits shown bright and they found all kinds of ways to help and wanted to take home every little thing we found out of the buildings.

We purchased the property in April, closed in May and have been work work working on it this summer and the house is about finished and we are meeting with our potential renters tonight.

We have shown it several times, but my prayer all along is that it would bless who lives there as much as it blesses us to have them there.

and last week God sent the perfect people.

I am so thankful for ALL of the ways God has blessed this dream of ours so far. there is no way I could blog every single detail and story that has happened but each time something happens I am so thankful for His hand in this.

One of our biggest concerns was our kiddos and how we would balance everything and it has all worked out so well. we have included them as absolute much as possible, but when the days would get long (or weekends) we would ask grandparents to watch them or let them nap at their house while we worked.

what we didn't anticipate was how much they would enjoy being a part of it.

they love "our new place" and have each learned so much right along side their momma and daddy

I don't know all the details of God's plan for this place, but I know He does have one and I am so thankful.

Believe it or not I have more to share but all the kiddos are waking up so it ends here today.

But earlier in my post I mentioned something about dreams of my own and that is what I want to share with yall tomorrow

thank you for reading along!