Focus through the Mess

I have a few serious blogs rolling around in the queue... but I am hesitant to post them.  Perhaps insecurities?  I don't know...

This colder weather has me wanting to snuggle longer in my bed in the morning.  I have absolutely NO desire to get up and work out.  I'd rather sit here and whine whine whine about the cold and dream about my nice toned body.  I do carry an almost 30 pound toddler around a lot.  Can that count as a work out? 

So this weather has me just feeling down and blah as we are all contained in the house.  Thankfully the last two days have been ok outside so we have escaped being contained by these 4 walls.  I miss warm days when I could sit out and crochet without my fingers feeling like they would fall off.  I am concerned I missed our chance to take some decent out door pictures of the kiddos.  I haven't taken new photos in a year and I am still very much swooning over the ones that presently grace our mantle.  So really, I am in no rush... but I would like some updated ones. 

We have had some great homeschooling days.  The kids are just rocking out some amazing work and I am just so thankful that I can be along for the ride!  I experienced such excitement with Hannah as she read her first words.  Watching Isaiah's brain light up in wonder at how 'magical' math is!  And I watched Turner work through so much to be able to sit down and focus and put out some wonderful things.  I watched Nathan sit quietly and dump shells from one bowl to another.  The days are hard, sometimes I just feel down right crazy.  But when I sit down and really look back on all that we have conquered together, those hard days seem to get lost in the cracks of joy and success! 

It's hard.  There is as much growth going on in our hearts as our kiddos.  Sometimes we just need to stop the madness (because my house feels like absolute madness at times, please tell me I am NOT alone!) and sit back and count the blessings.  To keep our focus on Christ and not get lost in the mess that surrounds us.