Grandpa Jack's 93rd birthday!

 We all descended on Grandpa's house for a 93rd birthday celebration!

Back Row: Auntie Annette, Nicholas, Mom, Dad, Auntie Joanie, Uncle Mike, Jacob, Uncle Michael, Claire, Hannah, Emmy, James, Justin Kristin
Front(ish) Row: Ali, Juj, Grandpa, Caroline, Kris

Grandpa sure does love hanging with Nick and JP!

It's not a family gathering without a show!

39th Birthday & TWIN REVEAL!

 A friend of mine on the Prayer Team, who is also a twin mom, asked if Kris and I are identical or fraternal twins.  I gave her my spiel about how we didn't know for sure, but assumed that we are fraternal because we look different and also because mom believed Grandpa Odell, the pathologist at the hospital, had told her as much after we were born.  My friend encouraged us to be tested because "DNA can express differently."  That was all I needed to hear before I bought us a DNA test.  We decided the most fun way to learn the results would be a good ole cake reveal at our birthday party.  I took the liberty to decide that the frosting on the inside our our birthday cake would be yellow if we were identical (primary color/monozygotic twins) or purple if we were fraternal (secondary color/dizygotic twins).  After a delicious Mexican dinner at our favorite El Nido, we went back to the Sackies for the cake cutting.  We polled everyone's guesses and then there was cheering and chanting as we cut the cake to reveal...YELLOW! There was a collective shock in the room...most especially from Mom! It's even more evident to me now how creative God is, that despite our DNA being the same, we are each so uniquely made.  God is GOOD! 

Collecting our sample!

Last Day of School!

 Oh my goodness was the last day of school fun! It also happened to be our 39th birthday!  It was party after party after party all day!

Caroline Sacksteder, Kindergarten graduate!

2nd grade girls' party at Teenie's house!

Discipleship

Through the Parents in Prayer team at school, I met a mama named Gretchen.  I learned so much about prayer sitting alongside her in our meetings.  One day, I asked her how she grew in her faith and she told me about a Discipleship class that she did through her church, The Rock, and recommended that I look into it.  I signed up for the next session, not really knowing what it was all about.  After the first class, I realized that it was going to be quite a commitment, though I was determined to follow through.  It turned into such a beautiful experience. that eventually led to three different levels over the span of a year.  I learned about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.  I learned about prayer and different ways to encounter God.  Prayer, reading the Word, journaling, worship, serving and time spent outside in Creation were some of the ways.  I had exercises to complete each day and among them was observing nature.  At this time, a mama deer and her baby fawn made regular visits outside my window.  I loved watching them in the early hours of the morning while my family slept. After some time, the mama deer became injured with, what appeared to be a broken leg, and while my heart ached for her,  I was inspired by her determination to keep up with her baby.  Despite her brokenness, she pressed on.

 

Being Social

Juj and Harper make cookies!

James harvests his garden!

Emmy says goodbye to the Papa twins before they moved to Texas.

James at a birthday party!

We love our cousins!

 

Mother's Day Weekend 2021

I love spending time with my kiddos, so for Mother's Day I was determined to have a date with each of them...

Sloats with James to pick out plants for his garden!

Farmer's Market at the City Center with Juj so she could pick out some flowers to arrange.

Church with Mimi!

Happy coincidence! Juj and I ran into the Sacky women!

The kiddos passing out flowers to mamas at church!

Em and I hit up a garden with Bubble Tea!

Taco Bell with James!

Morning walk with Sis!

Love them so much!

 

Precepts Sharing

I’ve been convicted by Proverbs 20:7 that teaches us: The righteous woman who walks in integrity and lives life in accord with her godly beliefs-How blessed, happy and spiritually secure are her children after her who have her example to follow.

After committing my heart to Jesus, I understand that I am now called to go make disciples by sharing the Good News through God’s unconditional Love with others.  It all sounds wonderful, but I struggle mightily with the part about loving people who, I believe, are being unlovely.  However, when I have the presence of mind to bring my conflicted spirit to God, He usually has a beautiful way of righting my heart:

Last year, a new family moved in next door to us.  They quickly displayed political signs that don’t align with our values.  The husband salvages old cars for a living and what didn’t fit in their driveway spilled into our shared cul-de-sac. They also had a cat that voiced his disdain for his new outside living arrangement for extended periods of time in the pre-dawn hours.  I found this to be utterly unlovely. My heart became bitter towards their family and I struggled feeling like a walking contradiction.  Teaching my children about Jesus’ unconditional love while thinking less of and avoiding our new neighbors.  I prayed one night for God to turn my heart and show me how He would have me love this family.  

At sunrise the following morning, I stepped out for a run and saw a firetruck and ambulance parked in front of their house.  Shortly after, the wife came outside, shaken, and told me that their troubled roommate’s body had succumbed after a three-day alcohol binge. When I asked how I could help and she asked me to please just pray, and I did. Their friend sadly passed away that day, and our family was able to come alongside and love them in their grief, from a unique place of understanding.  Despite our differences, a relationship has developed, meaningful conversations have been had, and our children have forged sweet friendships.  They've even told their new friends about Jesus.

Through studying the Bible’s Precepts and seeking the Holy Spirit to kindly guide my next steps, I am learning how to be an example my children can follow.