Increase

My husband tells me to increase during this season of drought. Every day a prayer over me to continue and make better... myself, our children, our home... to increase. Never failing completely but encouraging and hope-giving.

"But blessed is the man who trusts me, God,

the woman who sticks with God.

They're like trees replanted in Eden,

putting down roots near the rivers-

never a worry through the hottest of summers,

never dropping a leaf,

serene and calm through droughts

bearing fresh fruit every season."

Jeremiah 17:7-9

Increase

Tea Together

A couple of weeks ago I decided to open the yellowed and torn cardboard box that lay undisturbed in the bottom of my closet. Its contents hold something I have no memories of, but feel connected to.

It is my mothers china she picked when she married in 1975.

I never remember them being used growing up, but when my grandmother gave them to me a few years ago, I instantly loved them. The delicate white with silver linings... all with the most intricate pattern (that my camera doesn't pick up).

I laugh and think it high time to makes some memories... all while covering an ache, knowing this is just a mothers way of trying to slow time.

So, we have tea... on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday afternoons. We drink of raspberries, blueberries, and peppermint. We eat 'tea cakes', usually graham sticks and we discuss what we call topics of general interest... whatever Ali wants to talk about. And I love her while happy aches inside.

For when I'm all yellowed and torn by time's path, I pray there aren't any treasures inside that were never opened, never shared.

Snakes on Saturday

A & B watching a Ball Python & King snake at Circle B Ranch today.

Corn Snake

Ella's first snake experience

Candy, the Corn Snake

Sneaky, the Rat Snake

Me & Ben holding Archie

Do I see it?

For I am about to do something new.

See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?

I will make a pathway through the wilderness.

I will create rivers in the dry wastelands.

Isaiah 43:19

I needed this today and thought maybe you did too.

God IS about to do something new in us... perhaps for us.

We can't lose hope simply because we feel like it.

We mustn't be persuaded by our emotions this easily.

Our firm decision to trust God, much like our firm decision to love each other have to be from our will, not just our feelings.

Be encouraged... I am trying to be today.

Copied from an email to Dan today.

Life So Sweet

May my pride not be tangled up in the tasks of my day to day.

"Relationships grow only in a hot house of humility, selflessness, and open-handedness."

Where do I think I'll really find happiness? I'm thinking of times I've chosen to get that one last load of laundry done, answer an email, or mark some other 'to-do' off my list instead of playing a game of memory, or a puzzle, or saying yes to read another book.

"Investing in relationships requires courage. It mandates daily fortitude and intentionality to make moment by moment decisions to prioritize relationships while balancing vocational demands." -A.V.

I'm thinking of treasure and time. Life is now and I don't want to escape living. Encouraging my daughters and investing in my son(s)...

The 4th of July

I imagined all of our pictures today to be in a beautiful green background of outdoors... but it rained.all. day....
Bartow Church

Bittinger Cousins Ben, Ella, Ali, & Dylan

Tents

I'm not so sure what makes sleep so much more fun in a tent when you are a kid... but I remember that same feeling when I see these little tent makers.

Florida Aquarium

Backyard Adventures