New parenting resources!!

So in my seminary wives's class, our teacher brought some charts she had used when her kids were little to discipline them. I got really excited about them but then totally forgot until today :). I looked them up and found a parenting set that has a topical bible that you can look up whatever you are dealing with, good memory verses for parents, and 4 charts. My favorite I believe is the If Then Chart. This shows many of the daily sins our kiddos commit each day (disobeying, lying, rebellion, teasing, biting, etc) Each infraction has a verse that goes with it and then mom and dad write in the consequences. This will create consistency in our discipline. We will have the same punishment each time and can bring the kids to "the chart" to look at what that punishment is and have a talk and pray about it. One of the others is a blessing chart which lists rewards for certain behaviors (can't just look at the negative things they do!) Another one is the Go To The Ant chart about working hard. I am so pumped to get these in the mail. They have large charts or smaller 8.5x11 ones that are already colored and laminated. I chose those. I want to hang them on the fridge and be able to take them with us when we travel. Ella has been doing a lot better in her obeying lately but I really want to make sure we address the heart of the matter so when mom and dad aren't around she will still make the right choice. I can't be there with her or Clay all the time and I want God to give them a heart of conviction with a love for others that is greater than themselves. I will update after we have been using them for a bit and let you know how they are working! :)

Wow....It has been a long time!

So, it has been over 10 months since I have written on this blog. I hadn't realized it had been that long. :) Oops. To get you caught up a bit....Mark is about to graduate next month with his Master's degree from MABTS. We are so very excited and I am very proud of the hard work he has put into this degree. Much more than he did for the last one ;) He has really enjoyed MABTS and I know he will be returning for his PhD, just not sure when. He also just accepted a full time position with the Memphis Union Mission out at the Calvary Colony. It really is the perfect job for him. He loves working there already and we are very thrilled that God decided this is where he needs to stay. Having this job over the past year and a half has grown him in ways I never imagined. God is so good.

We have had some rough patches since my last post. I had my first miscarriage back last April at 6 weeks. We then found out we were pregnant again this past summer. We were nervous and worried about the health of this baby due to the previous miscarriage. We had our first ultrasound at 6 weeks that had a slow heart rate. We went back at 8 weeks and the heart rate was right where it needed to be. At 12 weeks they couldn't hear the heart beat with the doppler (not abnormal for me due to having a tilted uterus, happened with Ella and Clay at 12 weeks) but we did another ultrasound at 12 wks 3 days and everything looked perfect. Fast forward 2.5 weeks later and I started to spot and cramp. It was late at night so I went to the Woman's hospital to get checked out. They did an ultrasound and right away I saw there was no heart beat. I still have no idea what happened. Everything had been fine. We were supposed to be past the scary 1st trimester. It was a very dark time for me. I still cry when thinking about it (or typing it). However, it does not change that my God is a good God. He is loving on those babies in heaven and one day I will get to see them and love on them too. We did some extensive genetic testing for Mark and myself. Nothing really came from that except a mutated enzyme that some feel causes miscarriages and some don't. I honestly do not know if that is what happened. I am on a vitamin that is supposed to fix the enzyme and Mark and I would be very happy if God chose to give us another child. All in His time.

Finding out I had this mutation and that I have had it all my life made me really thank God for Ella and Clay. That enzyme could have taken them away from me as well. By God's grace we have Ella and Clay today and I am so thankful for them. We would love to have a full quiver :) but no matter how many arrows God gives us, it is our job to shape them and raise them in a way that honors and glorifies the Lord. I am changing up my blog to be more focused on my children raising them. Everyday they push me and show me so many things. I am so grateful for my role as a wife and a mother and I know I have a terrible memory so this will be a way for me to remember what we go through and hopefully encourage someone along the way.

Please let me know if there is any way I can pray for you. Let's lift up one another so we are full of the Spirit as we shape the arrows God has given us. To God be the glory!