Parent Teacher Conferences

Yesterday was a day filled with parent teacher conferences and flu shots. I kept thinking last night that there were probably people out there that actually dreaded the conferences more than the flu shots, but thankful that wasn't me!

Aric's conference was sweet and to the point and all about preschool boys, boys that need to be reminded to sit still with their hands in their lap and to use their listening ears! Initially, the teacher came at me with all of the things that Aric was not doing, the not listening the first time or sitting still etc. and then with a calmness I said "What can we do to help with this?" She looked up and said "Ohhhh, this is no different from any other preschool little boy!" A relief came over me! Then last night I realized how sweet it was to have things pointed out to work on, things we need to do differently and things we need to keep up on! What a sweet gift of direction!

Abbi's conference was self-directed, this meaning that she had written out all of the things that she feels she is doing well in a class and then the things she needs to work on! She lead the entire conference and her teacher sat and observed. It was an interesting twist, but so cool to see that Abbi had to look in and see for herself the things that she needs to work on AND the things that she is doing well! How fun for her to see for herself, to not have someone lay it all out for her, but to have to be quiet, look in and think for a minute! I kept thinking that this would be a good exercise for me to do, to make a list of all my "classes" and see what I feel I'm doing well and the things I need to work on! I can tell you that my list would have been completely flipped from Abbi's!! She is such a light, such a bright young lady, with humility beyond what we could dream of for our 12 year old! She even wrote down in one of the classes that she needed to work on keeping her mouth shut! I'm sure that that was a gift from God to me, to say even Abbi needs to keep her mouth shut sometimes! Her teacher came right in with "Abbi doesn't require the 7 seconds it takes most people to process the answer before they say it, so she usually knows it right away!" I'm so proud! I know that God has given her gifts beyond what I will ever understand and I'm honored to get to be her Mom!

Alex's conference was the basic go sit down and the teacher saying "How do you think the year is going? And is there any concerns?" Alex had gone into the conference with me. I said "We are loving this year and she seems to be having a great 3rd grade experience!" The teacher looked at Alex and said "How do you think the year is going?" Alex said with the sweetest little smile "WONDERFUL!" The teacher went on to praise Alex for her sweet heart, and how she is so helpful with the other kids and very patient and how she is so bright! I don't know if Mrs. T was referring to "bright" as intelligent, but my heart kept thinking "bright" as in a light for our sweet God! So after 15 minutes of looking at papers and scores on tests and things, we got up from the table and were walking out the door and her teacher stopped me to say "I could only dream of having a whole classroom full of kids like Alex, she makes my day!" I almost cried, but then I hugged Alex and said "She makes my day too!"

Thank you God for these beautiful kids, for their shining bright lights and for their helpful hearts! I am brought to tears that God has entrusted me and Otie to raise these beautiful children and pray that we are constantly pointing them to God in all areas!

After rereading this post, I know that it screams "I'm the proudest mom in the world!" But seriously, I only shared all of this to say, this is all way beyond what Otie and I could have accomplished and we know that this is all a praise to God. That He has created little boys that wiggle a little more than little girls, 12 year olds that have brains that think quick and answers readily available, and 9 year old girls that are helpful and joyful and bright! I am so thankful and filled with joy beyond words!

Winter!

So, the past 2 days have proven to be quick reminders of winter on the way! You forget about the hats and gloves and mittens and coats and loosening the seatbelts in the carseats to fit a 2 year old with a down jacket!! I forget how much longer the process is each morning to put on "real" shoes and not flip-flops, to find all the gear needed to keep these sweet kiddos of mine warm and comfy! I know that this is just God showing me to be ready in all situations, that 37 degrees is cold, but not near as cold as -37 degrees and 3 feet of snow on the ground. I need to have all the kids try on the snow boots and make sure the snow pants fit and check to be sure everyone is prepared! Such a beautiful picture of how we should be preparing our hearts everyday for what is ahead and having our battle plan ready to go!
This is the first fall and beginning of winter that I actually seem to be looking forward to it. The leaves have been amazing and now that they have fallen the view out our windows to the river is completely breathtaking. If it remained summer, I wouldn't have different views out my window, I wouldn't see all the beautiful things that God has created for us to see daily. Our very own art gallery! Truly Amazing!!
Off to have Aric see how the hand-me-down boots will fit or is this the age I broke down and let Alex get pink ones? I always tried to steer the girls toward navy or black so that we could use them for the little guys, but there was a year in a moment of weakness that I said "Sure Alex, they are perfect, they do match your coat amazingly!", so the price we pay for choices and girls and boys. Such a beautiful blessing that comes with each new winter and each new child! I wouldn't trade these little boys for the world, or my pretty in pink little lady either (of course Abbi would have died before she wore pink - orange is the only color that really ever made it into her wardrobe!)

Saturday!

What an incredible day to continue to look in and make sure that our hearts are truly and fully devoted to God!! It is always so sweet to watch our boys want to be just like their daddy! Today for church we wore cream colored clothes and while Otie was standing reciting the Ten Commandments with the men 20 and older, Aric stood right up and stood right beside Otie and said it right along side. For a moment, I almost told him to sit down that he was not a grown-up and then to see the joy and happiness on Otie's face as Aric stood proud and strong and very honored to be standing and reciting these amazing guidelines that God has set out for us, I just shut my mouth and teared up. I looked over at Abbi and Alex and they had smiles from ear to ear watching the "men" in their life!! Aric and Adam were dressed just like their Daddy, but more than that, they wanted to have hearts just like their daddy! What more could you ask for! Thank you God!

Tonight we went to a party for some doctors that have been on staff at Mayo for 20 years. It was crazy to think that we have lived in Minnesota for over 10 years. I seriously thought that we would live here for 3 years and then be back on our way south somewhere. But, here we are doing exactly what God had called! It is always such a sweet night to hear Otie's colleagues compliment him and say "how do you keep him so "normal" when he is such an amazing doctor?"! All the while, I knew that it was God and the humility that Otie has and the love that he has for God that keeps him "normal"!

I was also blessed with the sweetest text message and phone call from Brooke in TN! We miss her soooo much in Minnesota but are so very excited to get to see her in a few days. I love that God can give you friends from 14 to 90 and if you love God that is all you need to have like hearts and conversation! I love you Brookee and all of the MN saints gathered together tonight! Kisses from the Rickman's!!

Children that love to serve!

I remember when Monday's seemed like the end of the world, when I truly thought there would be no way at all that I could make it through an entire week before the weekend would come around again. It is such peace to be thankful to God for allowing me to have another Monday! Another day to serve Him and to show my sweet kiddos how to serve Him too!

I was talking to my daughters yesterday about serving! Just describing the word and thinking about what they get to do on a daily basis to SERVE those around them. It is always so cool to see what you learn yourself while teaching your children. I was reminded that it is such a joy to love those around you so much that you are looking to help them out, to get them a drink, to help a little brother tie his shoes or whatever. I am so grateful for all of the lessons I have learned through the Remnant Fellowship church, but learning to serve others is such a sweet feeling. Learning to teach my children how to serve is even more amazing!

One of the things that helped us most in training the children is the dvd/cd set called Feeding Children Physically and Spiritually. It is a great reference for how to raise up your children to have a heart for God.

You can get it on the Weigh Down online store, by clicking on the link below - it is on sale this week. It will be the best $30 you have ever spent on your kids!
Feeding Children Physically and Spiritually

WoW! A changed Life!

This is so exciting to be able to share with everyone about all of the things that have changed in my life since finding the Weigh Down Workshop! In 2006, after years of struggling with weight, controlling everything and be angry all the time, I was searching online for a fix to my "fat" problem (that was the only problem I really thought I had:)), and rediscovered www.weighdown.com from a class I had taken in 1999 and 2000. The years in between Weigh Down, I was constantly asking my husband if I could join yet AnOTher weight loss program and he would say it was fine, but why didn't I look into Weigh Down again, it was the only thing that had ever worked for me. So I found the website and was so excited to find out that they had online classes, so I could take a class that would work into my schedule and in my home and it would be so simple! Well, it was simple! All that God had asked me to do was to give over the control of it all to Him and Him alone. To love Him first before anything else. "Have no idols before me!" So the journey began. I have currently lost 84 pounds and am still going. The other things, the things that I didn't think were a problem, have been amazing changes too! I'm a much sweeter, loving wife, a more patient and loving mother and more and more in love with God everyday! I love this life and love that God gave me another opportunity to get it right and to obey Him fully! I truly never thought that I would be the person that could "change", a person who could think about someone else and their needs more than myself! Well, as they say "the proof is in the pudding!"
I will let you know about more of the changes as I have time. I'm super excited to have this chance to share this with the world!