I read Holy Experience www.aholyexperience.com most days. Today Ann shared about drawing your teens back into Gods presence, almost like wooing them. It touched my heart as I have been dwelling on the changing relationship with my children as they grow. I am expecting our fourth in December and we are all looking forward to the new addition. I am working with my 3yo, trying to teach her to be sweet, despite how she feels. I continue to work with my 9yo, the sweetest and tender hearted boy, on focus and diligence. My 11yo is changing fast. Responsible and independent, yet I recognise we are heading into years he will need us to be more present than ever. Balancing the needs of all four and focusing on my husband lay heavy on me at present. Ann talks about her husband gently saying that teens want to be treated as we want to be treated. Of course! And yet it hit me. I often feel I am just directing the kids all day. Today I vow to come along side them instead. Lead as I would like to be led. I continue to pray that I am the mum they need.

Messes

My boys have been working well during our school time lately. As a committed rebel against routine girl, I change how we do things fairly routinely (ha). At the moment I prepare a school work list that the boys work through. For now it is working beautifully, and has freed me up to spend a little time doing pre-school activities that were common place when the boys were little but have become rare since I changed my focus to survival and attempting to limit mess rather than constantly cleaning up after my mini crowd. So it is time to re-introduce a bit of creative mess into Nyah's experience. I sprayed shaving cream out onto the table in the shape of her name, she asked was it yummy; a girl after my own heart, always ready to try something new. I explained that it was soap, "ah, soap" said with a knowing smile, and we got to playing. You know those boys that I mentioned are working so hard all on their own? Hmm, sudsy fun was calling them, and I am so glad I said yes they could join in. It was a chance to reminisce about them being pre-schoolers and all the fun crafty things I used to do with them. Priscilla Shirer gave a talk at Colour where she mentioned a sweet older ladies comment not to blink or she would miss her children's childhood season. I have had my fair share of "please God, let me blink through this part" moments, but this was not one of them. Yep, she LOVED it.

Mid January, I know, I can't believe it either.

I love this photo. It was taken just before we went on our big adventure theandersonsbigadventure.blogspot.com on E's birthday weekend. It was one of those cruisy memory making weekends that just happen, well with a little planning perhaps created is a better word. My husband and I have just celebrated our 13th anniversary, we need more 'together' photos, so this one is nice to have. I love looking at my parents old photos together, more precious as the years fly by.

I love reading blogs and enjoyed writing and keeping the blog when we spent our year away. It has made me desire to keep a blog, but for what purpose. Well I think it is to create a space for me. My musings, a place to find my voice. Not necessarily for anyone else to read, but just a tiny little space to hear my thoughts. So here we go.