Mish Mash on a Sunday

Stella got sick on Friday night - I was NOT going to go into details, but . . . Stella has a habit of crawling in bed with Abi & GiGi. So I woke up to Stella crying, and the first thing I heard when I walked into the room was Abi. 'Stella puked on me a few times.' she said so calmly I almost didn't believe her. Well . . . to cut out a few chunky details, Abi had to change pj's, and I had to wash part of her hair & face. GROSS. I have never seen someone with such a good attitude after being puked on - truly amazing. I hope she got that from her mother. Stella spent the WHOLE day Saturday sleeping & woke up this morning slightly subdued, but definitely back to Stella. Yeah, we 'missed' you girl!

All that lovely info to say that I did not go to church, & stayed home with the younger 3. Now everyone is playing & am sneaking a few moments to post something. I took a fun video of Papi yesterday & when I uploaded it, I found some other fun pics on the camera. So I'll include it all today.

Chloe & Claire are teetering dangerously on the brink of giving up their daytime nap. I am VERY sad about this. Whether they sleep or not, they stay in their room for some . . . quiet time. Though I can hear them giggling, yelling, jumping, and rocking their cribs. Almost every day I go in & this is what I see - pillows, blankets, pacifiers & sometimes clothing on the floor. Lovely. I am thankful you girls have NOT taken off your pampers, and I have to admit that at times hearing you both in there together makes me smile (the smile does fade in the evening when you both are complete cranks though).

These next set of pics will be Jillian's. Jillian, you LOVE to take pics & I always enjoy seeing what has 'caught your eye'. I usually delete most - for various reasons. This day though, you decided to capture your doll house - I thought you'd enjoy these pictures later in life. I have, though, deleted the thousands of pics of people's butts that you think are SO funny. Mommy, especially does not desire this part of her to be . . . documented.

Papi was playing with you girls for a while, and then you went outside to play. He decided to 'watch' you from the floor. I know you may be shocked to hear this, but he fell asleep. Abi, being the caring child she is decided to make Papi as comfy as she could. I think she did a GREAT job. Sweet thing.

Over Christmas, Tia Sarah brought Gingerbread houses for you guys to make. You had a LOT of fun, and ate enough icing to turn your mouths toxic colors - cool!

Abi's friend Haruka came over, and her mom - Kazumi- brought some fun origami for us to make. A Santa & reindeer, and we made a few other fun random things. Alexa was here to help as well. (We'll be writing a post about Alexa soon!)

I received a GREAT devotional for Christmas called, My Utmost For His Highest Journal. It is taken from the bigger devotional of the same name by Oswald Chambers, and basically gives you the Scripture, a 3 sentence summary, and some space to journal. I have enjoyed this time. The other day said this.

'We look for visions from heaven and for earthshaking events to see God's power. Even the fact that we are dejected is proof that we do this. Yet we never realize that all the time God is at work in our everyday events and in the people around us. If we only obey and do the task that He has placed closest to us, we will see Him. One of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that. It is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ.' (italics mine)

Girls as I post these pictures & write about life with you girls & Papi, I do realize I see Jesus in the mundane - the glorious mundane. You see girls, Papi and I KNOW that God has guided our family here - to Dublin - for a specific purpose & we are excited to see what God has in store. We have made an active decision - almost daily - to trust God for and with our lives. As we live out that trust we see God very clearly taking care of us - loving us - providing for us - changing us - using us - molding us - guiding us - God is amazing. I am amazed at how God uses the everyday to bless me. I admit that I don't always see it, appreciate it, acknowledge it - but that doesn't negate that He is there blessing me - us. We serve an awesome God, and He will reveal Himself to us - if we let Him.