Almost

My baby's first birthday is almost here. It was a day that we had looked forward to as a family for months. We had prayed for a healthy baby boy. We readied the room, we packed the bag, and then we waited for the day to come.

We waited in faith, knowing that whatevered happened it was in God's hands. But it was a wrestling match of the wills to say the least. One will that clung to the promises and faithfulness of my Savior and one that wanted to cast doubt and play the "what-if" game. And as the day got closer the battle became more intense. I longed to hold my baby, but the fear of the unkown took my breath away.

I wanted to trust my Savior, He had never let me down. We had walked that road of a sick baby once, surely no one would be called to walk it again. Right? But there was no garuntee, except that God had a plan and His will was perfect and that is what I wanted. So, I waited......

Do you struggle with waiting? Do you have to fight the whispers of Satan to doubt God's faithfulness and love for your life? Man, it is a daily struggle for me. And with the "anniversary" of a hard sesaon it seems to bring lots of emotions back to the surface doesn't it? This week I am wrestling again with accepting God's plan and truly KNOWING that His will is perfect no matter what it looks like here on Earth.

Stay tuned this week for lots of photo session previews and birthday fun as it is Jeremiah's first birthday this week!!!

Oh Oh!!!

Look at the little boy sitting on the floor,

What oh what has he found behind the door!

He wants to taste just a little more!

Now Mommy has an extra chore!!

A Date

A last minute "adjustment" from her big sister.

Samantha had been saving her money for a "date" with Daddy. She was taking him out for his birthday.

We curled, and dressed, and primped for this special occasion.

She was so excited!

And while I helped my little girl get ready for her big day I could help but think about all the time when my sisters and I helped each other get ready for other "big" days. And in just about a week now I will help my youngest sister get ready for her "big day".

Oh my I just might cry!!! Time goes by so fast!! And before I know it it won't be Daddy!!

Engamnent Photo Session

I had the pleasure of photographing my sister and her "soon-to-be" husband. We had a lot of laughs during the shoot and I couldn't be happier for them. When they are together you can see the bond that they share already.

Though I haven't spent a great deal of time with Brian in person I have already come to love him.

And even though "he" is taking my sister 7 hours away again,

I really do like the guy!

He is an amazing Godly man that serves the Lord with his entire being.

He desires to be used of God and to lead His family in ministry to Christ.

Both of them have an amazing amount of passion for family, friends and ministry.

And I can't wait to see the things that these two will accomplish for Christ and His kingdom.

I couldn't be a pouder "big" sister!!

A little glimpse....

There is a lot going on around my household right now. We are living life, ministering to others, and growing in the Lord.

We are also.....

• preparing for a wedding in less than two weeks
• planning a wedding reception the week after that (that involves feeding about 120 people)
• looking forward to my first neice/nephew being born in May
• gearing up for Daddy to be on vacation three different weeks between now and the new year
• welcoming a new baby at church
• practicing for our church Christmas play
• studying the thirteen colonies right now which will lead into our Thanksgiving unit
• reading through Exodus in family worship
• working on Christmas orders for hats and scarves
• getting in some end of summer park days and outside play
• hosting a bar-b-que

As you can see, life is full and I am loving it!!! Here are some pictures of our "fall" activities...

We took a walk and then made posters out of the things that the children collected.

Everyone worked hard and created some awesome "masterpieces"!!

Jeremiah has become a HUGE Daddy's boy and even some mornings will cry when Daddy leaves for work. And while I am so glad that he loves his daddy, it still makes me a little sad. :)

Photo Sessions - Newborn shoots

I am begining to pursue my photography passion a little more so I thought I would share some of my work with you all this week. So, today it is some of the snuggly newborns I've had the pleasure of photographing this summer.

I am currently booking sessions

for all ages,



individuals,

families,

or even a group.

Please email me at asikesfamily@gmail.com for pricing and availability.

Juggling

Can you juggle? Not many people can with balls, but every momma I know is an expert juggler. She tends to children, while washing the clothes, while dinner is cooking, and the dishes are being ashed. She keeps all the tasks "spinning" at the same time and seldom does anything "come crashing down". Join me today at Happily Domestic for more of my thoughts on juggling.

A big time!

There's been a lot of growing and changing around here.

A new deck and a baby boy that is learning more everyday!

New foods and self feeding! Doesn't every baby need a "spaghetti picture"?

And becoming a pro at drinking from a cup.

With the coming of a new season comes many changes around here. School is in full swing. The garden is almost done for the year. And we are gearing up for some fall fun. This is my favorite season and I can't wait to share some of our "fall" happenings with you!

Have a great day!

Added to the Kitchen

Check out all the recipes that I now have linked on my "From the Kitchen" page. All of the recipes are tried and true family favorites. Leave me a comment if there is something you would like a recipe for or if you try one let me know what your family thought!! Thank you for your patience as I add to and grow "Our Heart and Home"

Do You?

I am struggling right now? I love homeschooling, and I love being home with my children. And I love living my life with my children in tow. But I am struggling right now. How do you balance homeschooling with life. I want school to be a part of our life and not a master over it. I don't want to live around school but rather school around life. But where is that balance?

Singing our Bible verse song - It is a favorite this year!!

How do I know if my children are on target in things such as spelling and writing? How many problems do I make my fourth grader do when there are 15 addition problems in ONE section of her math lesson? How many hours does it take others to school?

Reading class on the couch - It's one of the perks of homeschooling

Just a season of doubt, I guess.

But, how do you put those to rest? Will I ever be confident that I am doing this well? Will we ever have a routine that we can stick to for more than two weeks? What about grocery shopping? and ministry? and play dates? and field trips? How do you stay on routine when you leave the house even once a week?

Anyway, if you have any ideas, places that I can find "benchmarks" for grade levels, a post about what your homeschool looks like, etc I would love to see them. I will try to read them. But along with this season of doubt comes a season of drowning. School is taking FOREVER right now and thus "backing up" my other momma duties like cooking, laundry, etc. And I still have a baby that nurses every 4 hours. So, to say I am busy is an understatement. But I am choosing to love life and embrace where God has planted me. So, tonight I will rest in His peace and wake tomorrow with a deep breath and a peace that only God can give and I will try to focus on one thing at a time. And allow God to put my doubt to rest in His time and His way.

Are you doubting an area in your life right now? I would love to pray for you. Leave me a comment and I will pray for your peace whenever I am overcome with doubt in this season and I am praying for myself. It's what sisters do!!

Fall

The temperature is dropping and the leaves are falling. The season of Fall is upon us. I love this season and it truly is my favorite. I love so many things about it. But this year every time I read the word or talk about fall my mind turns to another meaning of "fall". My heart is focused on "fall"ing. Falling deeper in love with Christ. Learning to "fall" into His will in complete surrender. His will might not look like what I thought it would. It might be full of pain, sorrow, loss, or rejection. But I want to "fall" into it knowing that His will is

PERFECT.

If I fall in love with Christ, and fall completely into His will, I will find peace and joy. The world will not understand it. I might not even understand it. But there will be a peace that passes all understading in even the hardest of situations. So, I am focused on

FALLING.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I have been through hard times as I watch both of my boys struggle for life. I have cried as I have watched friends walk a hard road. I have grieved at the bedside of family and friends. But this I have found true......... In His will, there is peace.

Will you "fall" into His love and perfect will for your life today?

(If you have any questions about this or other things you read on my blog, please ask. I would love to share more with you.)