I love it when they still show they "need" me.....

I have to go to Chicago tonight for one night.  Miche bag is having a convention that my group is going to attend.  Hannah has been pretty anxious for a couple of days now.  "When are you going?"......and, "Is the weather supposed to be ok?"....are just some of her questions.  (She's nervous about weather whenever we won't be around....and even when we are around!).  Hannah has a lot of little fears.  I regularly work at providing comfort to her by sharing truth about how God cares for us and that we have to trust Him for all things.  Sometimes she'll wake in the night with these fears.  It breaks my heart.  But it also gives me tender moments to bond with her in ways that might not otherwise be so readily available.  Laying with her...rubbing her back while I talk to her about God's perspective on life, fears and concerns brings about a closeness between us that might not otherwise be achieved.  It's special for us.  I hope Hannah grows steadily in trusting God for her fears.  He is trustworthy.  In the meantime, I'll continue to rub her back, sing, "As the deer" to her and talk to her about God.  I'm so thankful He provides all we need!  "You alone are my strength my shield:  to You alone may my spirit yield"

Growing up is so painful....especially for the Mama....

Olivia is 14 1/2.  Need I say more?  Don't get me wrong.  She's a beautiful, thoughtful young woman with a compassionate heart.  Her teachers sum it up each year when they usually say almost the exact same thing about her:  "She likes everybody and everybody likes her".  You'll be hard-pressed to find anyone she's ever offended (apart from her younger sisters:)  She loves Jesus, her mom and dad, her sisters and 4-legged creatures of the cat and dog variety....even Llamas!

So why is it so painful for me to watch her grow up?  I know it's God's plan for them to become more and more self-sufficient.  I know that in time she'll need us less so she can learn to take care of herself.  But it hurts.....
Seeing her go off to spend time with her cousins rather than wanting to spend the evening with me.  "What am I...chopped liver?".....ahhhh, such is a teenager's life.....

Where to begin, when the beginning happened long ago....

Well, after seeing a friend's blog, I decided this might be a wonderful place to put a little of my family's history, along with "exciting" everyday events that are on my heart!  The Jones family, established March 2nd, 1991, is ever-busy and always growing and changing in the Lord.  Olivia arrived on July 9th, 1996, after many heart-wrenching pregnancy losses.  She truly was a gift from God!  At 10#-1oz. she was ready to arrive!  "Beautiful" was all we had to say.  Hannah and Madison arrived on Feb. 9th 2000, after we decided to have one more baby.....guess God has a great sense of humor!  They weighed in at 7#-10oz. and 8#-4oz. respectively.  Some said it was a record for Hillsdale Comm. Health Center.  I say it was a "record" for my tummy!  It was an agonizing last couple of weeks, but so worth the effort.  I remember every night saying to Harold, "I don't know if I can take one more day"......and he would lovingly reply, "you're doing a great job.  Keep up the good work".  Our lives....needless to say, have never been the same.  Thank you God!

Motherhood has never been an easy task for me, as my weaknesses seem to crawl to the forefront of my daily life with the kids, but at the end of the day I'm so thankful for this daunting task.  Three busy, beautiful girls ever keep me on my toes.  The questions about our existence on this earth, about Jesus' free gift to us at the cross, and about the rights-and-wrongs of life are never-ending.  I consider it a privilege to try to impart the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour into their lives......

And so the story begins......