New Passion

I have received so much encouragement from everyone since starting this blog this past January. With nothing but God, this little blog of mine has started to grow. What started out as a online journal of my life  has now turned into a God given vision to encourage wives and mommas.

 I want to thank you all for your support and I would love for you to join me at my new blog sweetcountryroots.com. This new blog is a place where I want to further share the things God has put on my heart. I want to encourage, inspire, and bring laughter. I want to share my victories, failures, and convictions; as well as hear all about yours. I am so excited about where God is taking me and my hope is that you will come along.

Love, Brittany

Sweet Emma!

Tonight we had my sweet little sister Emma's 13th birthday party. The kids had fun running all through the backyard, eating pizza, and devouring their cake. They were most excited about the fact of it being aunt Emma's birthday. They look up to her so much. Even Ty puts his arms up to be held by her. 

This girl is a free spirit who loves like no other. She is ALWAYS  so much fun to be around because she can create fun and excitement out of just about any circumstance. She is a true people pleaser, not for selfish reasons, but only to put smiles on other people's faces. She is a lover of organization, new ideas, and her family. 

Emma, I know your sweetness and passions will carry you far. Keep being different because I LOVE that about YOU! Thanks for being somebody so great for my kids to look up to. God is going to use you in amazing ways, and I cant wait to watch it all unfold!

P.S. Thanks for the quilt;)

Healthy habits or going through the motions

As I sit on the couch this morning, coffee in hand, Bible on my lap, my mind wanders. I'm thinking of the needs for the day. My mind quickly shifts as to what to feed the kids for breakfast once I hear the pitter pat of their feet upstairs. I immediately feel aggravated and think to myself that this time alone with God is pointless because my heart isn't there. I read the same stuff every morning... God doesn't ONLY speak in Proverbs:) I have been doing this wonderful habit of reading my Bible every morning for many months now. My fire has slowly grown dim. My healthy habit has turned into just that.. A HABIT. I feel like I don't really choose at that time, I'm running on autopilot. I read, pray, then start the day as if I hadn't read anything. What has God been trying to tell me? How long has He been whispering all the wisdoms in my ear of a fulfilling, joyful life?

I do Bible time with the kids, read stories, color pictures, and play outside. This all sounds like great mom stuff but if I'm absent in heart and mind am I really there? I can tell ya now, they aren't getting my best. I have had many times where I'm staring off in space and they are asking me the same questions over and over again till I snap out of my trance. I wonder how many opportunities I have missed to share with them the beauty outside our windows simply because I never looked out? When have I lost teachable moments because I was following  MY routine instead of God's lead?

The cooking and cleaning can also be effected by so called healthy habits. Yeah, I do most of the, "Good momma stuff." I try to cook meals from scratch to keep us away from the doctor. I keep the house looking decent with toys picked up off the floor. When was the last time I've tried a new recipe to really WOW my family? When have I pulled up my sleeves and deep cleaned in the back of a closet to further organize our home life?

I want to live this life not merely going through the motions anymore. God calls us out of comfort zones, to shake things up a bit and see what all He has to offer.

I pray Lord to keep my heart and eyes open to your world. To see your opportunities to advance your WORD and wonder. I thank you for my wake up call this morning and for speaking even when I'm not listening for you. Let me minister to my family and those around me and give you all I've got.

Linking up to: Happy and Blessed Home Womanhood with purpose

Bowling

We had an awesome day of Tim being on vacation. I was able to go for a run by myself this morning. It felt amazing when I started. Once I finished I was leaning over the counter top out of breath, in pain, and wondering why in the world I thought that would be refreshing!

Once my heart rate settled down we went to the front yard to try to teach willow how to ride her bike without training wheels. She did pretty good and looked adorable with the oversized helmet on her head. Towards the end she was getting a bit aggregated, but was quickly forgotten when I came out with popsicles.

I came inside and started making lunch and some healthy snacks for the week while they all played in the baby pool on the deck. Poor Ty ended up swimming in his pajamas. Didn't bother him at all.

That wore them all out pretty quickly. We finished up lunch then got everyone down for naps. Tim and I headed for the basement to start painting the girls bunk bed set for the big move to the country house. Zoe has been asking me everyday, "Momma how many minutes till we get to the country house?" I told her it takes A LOT of minutes to make a month:) definitely warms my heart to know she is excited.

This evening we decided to go an adventure and take them bowling for the first time. They were so stinking cute in their little bowling shoes.(of course that was there favorite part) After every turn  they would shrill and jump up and down. Ty loved the spot on the back of the machine where the bowling balls came up, it blew out air and he kept putting his face in it. That kept him pretty content. Just as I thought, the girls wanted to take the shoes with them. Thankfully there were no meltdowns when we gave them back.

We went to dinner at one of Tim's favorites, Texas Roadhouse. Although we look like a circus act in there, the food was great as usual. I became very thankful for my run this morning as I was eating my second hot buttered roll.

We made some great memories today...

Childhood possibilities

A child's possible solutions to find fun are endless. They can take nothing and turn it into an adventure within seconds. With overfilled imaginations and popsicle grins it would do us all some good to visit their world every now and then. 

To experience the thrill of staying up past bedtime, or to fight with every ounce you have to keep that soft whisper when you have beat the sun up in the early morning. THIS is where I want to be. Caught in the right here, right now moments. 

I want to love with everything I've got. To hold on tighter and longer...like they do.

To have no concept of time or space and let them play outside at 7am and have lunch at 10am.

I want to throw my head back when I laugh and let the tears go ahead and fall when things aren't right.

These precious children are my sweet reminders of LIFE and how to do it right.

Linked up at: A wise Woman Builds Her Home, Deep Roots at Home, Our Simple Farm, raising Homemaker, walking redeemed,  
Jills Home remedies, Graced Simplicity, Raising Mighty Arrows.

Awesome 4th

So I will admit that I was not really looking all that forward to all of the Independence Day festivities today. I knew Tim would be at the fire station and I was predicting a long day of running around trying to make it from one family celebration to another. I completely understand that none of this is even close to the reason why we celebrate 4th of July, but when your a momma of three little ones it is your reality:)

The day took me by surprise. I took the kids along with my sister Emma to watch the parade in downtown Waxhaw with the grandparents. God worked things out perfectly. I was able to get there just in time to get a great parking spot. My mother n law just happened to be close to help me get all the kiddos across the street. They all had a blast. I was very thankful that I didn't go with that part of my brain telling me to stay home.

This afternoon we went to Granny and Pop's for a good old fashioned cookout. Ty managed to find his way to the mud puddle and loved every minute. The girls ran around playing hide and go seek, and riding little scooters around the backyard. I would have missed these sweet moments if I would have thought too much about the effort it took to get everyone out the door. I've learned today that sometimes you just have to do it and make some memories. Life is too short!

Questioning myself

I find myself these days questioning my attitude of MODESTY. Even saying that word makes me feel like an old fashioned frump, but nonetheless my views on the entire issue are slowly starting to shift. I think the definition of modesty for most people is very different. I'm trying to only focus on my convictions and not put those on other people.

However, my mind has been opened a little further since I now have a son. I am seeing more and more everyday how impossible it is to shield his eyes from all of the images that are thrown in his face on a daily basis. My daughters are also going to constantly see images and feel as though they never measure up.  Don't even get me started on what my husband sees, the mama bear comes out! I have a lot of eyes to protect, including my own.

As I type out this post I realize how deep this issue really is.When did things change? When did we start accepting half dressed women on advertisements at the mall where I take my children? I need to do some praying on the right standards to set for myself and my girls. It all starts with me and my attitude. I can't let them see me cast judgment, yet I have to exemplify a true woman's beauty.

I'm thinking this is going to be tough. I am up for the challenge. I want to show my family what beautiful really is.
Beauty is respectable to my husband and those around me.
Beauty is a smile that lights up a room with a contagious laugh.
Beauty is accepting others as they are, yet staying true to your convictions.
Beauty is the stretched skin where a baby used to be.
Beauty is the farmer's tan from swinging your kids on the swing set.
Beauty is confidence to know who you are in Christ.

Here is an awesome, thought provoking speech on the evolution of the bikini. It only takes one person for you to say hmm.. I think she's on to something!

I am linking up with A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Deep Roots at Home, and Raising Homemakers.  
 Happy and Blessed home, 
and My Joy Filled Life
A Mamas Story , The Better Mom, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine
Growing Home 
Heavenly Homemakers, Mamal Diane, Time Warp Wife