Just Tell Me What to Do

I want answers and I want them now. So much of my life seems like a daily mystery, especially when it comes to parenting and business. It feels like as I get older and take on more responsibility that every step I take is out on faith...and I'm not so great, YET, at taking steps without seeing the path in front of me. I want the easy, clear path, even if I have to carve it out myself. That's not always the best route, however. I just recently read Proverbs 2:3-8:

"Cry out for insight and understanding. Search for them as you would for lost money or hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk in integrity. He guards the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to him."

A1, if I want answers, and the right ones, I have to boldly ask ("cry out.") Next, I need a LOT more patience then I am currently using to get answers...I need to search...like, actually spend time looking. (How many days do I go without seeking wisdom in the Scripture? Yikes.) Finally, I need to desperately search, as I would "for lost money." How hard would I be overturning my house if I had lost a twenty dollar bill? My parenting and business skills are way more important and urgent...why don't I overturn God's Word as I would for something of lesser value? The benefits of these habits are endless...Proverbs 2:9-11 go on to say,

"Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will know how to find the right course of action every time. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise planning will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe."

An answer on how to find answers...

Morning Playtime

This is one of my favorite pictures of the year...my kids are into so many different things. They are learning and growing and exploring and mega, mega active. It's a challenge and puzzling and wonderful all at once.

First Day of School

I imagined the morning of the first day of school going a little differently, especially because I had seen pictures of my friends' kids standing on their front porches or in front of their school, smiling with their cute new outfits and backpacks.


I was a little nervous dropping my kiddos off in their classrooms because they've never "done school" before. There were so many people at the classroom door that John Palmer literally got sucked in and I didn't see his eyes look back at me before I had to leave and drop Ellie off. Ellie immediately connected with a sand table her teacher showed her. She started searching for sea shells. That made me feel a bit better.

When I picked the kids up three hours later, they didn't want to leave and they were chattering all about what had happened. Even though the pictures didn't turn out quite as well as I wanted them too, I am so excited that my children have the opportunity to go to preschool and know they're having a great time!

David and Goliath Part 2

David and Goliath as told by Ellie Hall @ 3 years of age:

David and Goliath

Ellie loves the story of David and Goliath. I do too, especially because it's all about having faith that God does what He promises and helps us overcome enormous obstacles.

Today at church, Mrs. Jenn told them this story and helped them to retell it using stick puppets. We did the same thing at bed time tonight. I LOVE their versions! Just had to share the cuteness and brilliance of my kids.

John Palmer's Version:

( I love how Ellie pipes in to help with the dialog!)

Figuring it Out

This video is SO Abbie right now...discovering everything, making it work for her. (This zebra has been passed down from John Palmer to Ellie to Abbie.) I love how her little baby feet barely touch the ground as she rides.

Party in the USA

We had some major celebrating to do over the weekend of the 4th. On the Hall and Hensley sides of the family, there are several summer birthdays and this was the perfect opportunity to visit and party. Friday night was one of the most beautiful since the the spring (in the 70's with very low humidity) and we were actually wearing jeans. John Hall, Aron's dad, set up a Crawdad's party to celebrate his, Aron's, and Abbie's birthdays. We ate at the cafe, had birthday cake, and watched the Crawdads win followed by some pretty cool fireworks. Abbie had a blast and it was great to have a mini family reunion with the Parker crew and Aunt Becky.



On Saturday afternoon, we had another time of food, family and fun when Glenda Foster, Aron's mom, hosted a birthday party for Abbie, Aron, Grandpa Glen, and Uncle Donald (all have birthdays with in six days of each other. Don and Abbie share the same birthday on the 6th.) It was a Summer Sunshine celebration for sure and it was great to see everyone.

Abbie Turns One

 

Abigail Rose was born a year ago on July 6, 2009. We are so blessed to have her in our family. She truly lives up to the meaning of her name, "Joy of the Father." She brings us so much joy. We adore our Summer Sunshine girl.

Caterpillars and Butterflies

Durning the first week of July, we took a look at caterpillars and butterflies through some great books and crafts thanks again to the Mailbox's Day by Day Preschool Plan book.

Our Own Toy Story

Since we watched Toy Story 3 in June, John Palmer has been pretending all kinds of things with our toys. We don't have actual Toy Story brand toys, but we do have Little People...LOTs of Little People. With John Palmer's imagination, there is no limit to who or what they can be and do. (Kind of reminds me of Andy from the movies.)

Thursday Morning Visitor

Just as I was walking out my front door this morning, I spied a teeny tiny gray kitten on our next door neighbor's walk way. It is a stray and a baby and very cute. When the kitten saw George for the first time, it freaked and ran up the nearest tree like a squirrel. When Ellie saw it, she immediately exclaimed, "AWWWW! She's so cute!" and named her Baby Sarah after the other cat that roams around our development. Ellie also asked if we could keep the kitten. I definitely said NO. John Palmer had no interest in it whatsoever. I am sure we'll be seeing that kitten around again very soon.




(George is like, "DON'T even think about it!")

Almost One

These are just too cute not to post. This is Abigail Rose at 11 months old. She's scooting all over the place, standing up on her own, and taking little steps. I can't believe it's almost been a year since we welcomed our Summer Sunshine into the family.

 

Summer Magic

 

In my opinion, one of the most wonderful and magical sights ever is watching a child learn how to read. John Palmer has really started to put two and two together this summer and READ WORDS. I could go on and on about it, but it's absolutely amazing the way God created us to learn and discover and I get to watch the process right before my very eyes.

Roly Poly Day

While it was still cool earlier this month, we found the best place around our house to hunt for roly polys. The kids had a great time catching them and making an "aquarium" (as Ellie called it) to watch them. (By the way, roly polys are pretty quick, so we had to stay on your toes to catch one.) Yet another great way to have an inexpensive summer activity!

 

Okay, I think this is the teacher in me, but for any of you who are interested, here are some really cool facts about roly polys:


ROLY POLYs-
*live under rocks and logs and roll into a ball when disturbed.
*go by many names including roly-poly bugs, pillbugs, woodlice, tiggy-hogs, parson-pigs and by their scientific name, Armadillidium vulgare.
*are important for their part in decomposition, but they are not bugs. They are crustaceans. They are in the isopod family (same pod or foot) and have seven pairs of legs that are all similar in size and shape.
*have simple eyes, three body parts, uropods, and a pair of prominent antennae, gills and lung like adaptations.
*need moisture to survive but cannot live submerged in water.

(Read more: Roly-Poly Bug Facts | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6514405_roly_poly-bug.html#ixzz04Jm7HJao)

Stacking Cups

 

I can't go another day without showing off one of John Palmer's favorite activities: stacking cups. He got the idea from the t.v. show A Minute to Win It. Jalm's been putting them up and taking them down on a regular basis since this winter. (FYI: If you're looking for an inexpensive game for your kids...this is it. Just buy a pack of Solo cups and you're set!)

Hurdles Happen

Life can bring with it circumstances, the good, the bad, the ugly. Sometimes it's hard to focus or gain perspective when "hurdles happen".

In the last month, my older kids have hit a stage of getting bored and then getting into the cabinets, cupboards, refrigerator, etc. and dumping stuff onto counters, tables, floors. Just to name a few of the messes:

1. Hershey's Syrup and ketchup on the table
2. a dozen eggs cracked on the table
3. ketchup, spices, flour and sugar across the kitchen counters
(that was all in one morning)
4. eye cream on the sheets
5. flour spilled, again, all over the kitchen counters, cabinets and floors
6. a whole box of fruit snacks opened and eaten which caused...
7. throw up all that afternoon and evening.

When I discover those kinds of messes, my blood pressure rises to dangerous levels...probably because I hate the time and clean up involved, not to mention I know my kids know they're not supposed to make crazy, crazy messes. It's really hard to control my emotions. A lot of times, I regret to say, that I lose my temper and yell at my babies. (I loathe myself when I yell at my children...it does nothing but make the situation worse.) None the less, those messes are an absolute "hurdle"!

I've actually done more kid proofing than ever, not because of my Speedy G crawling, almost walking, 10 month old. Here's a couple of pictures to show you some of the measures we've taken to avoid major messes.

(Speaking of hurdles, I never knew how much I went in and out of the kitchen until I put up that gate...gotta start stretchin' again...geesh!)



I'm kidding myself if I think I can completely avoid all hurdles and maintain complete control. However, I can make sure my kids have more planned, constructive activities. Gaining perspective is hard, especially in the moment, but I can't let these "hurdles" overshadow all the fun, giggle-filled times. In the same days and moments that these hurdles happened, this moment was captured:

Bring on the hurdles and the hard times! Look at those smiles! Those three blue-eyed babies are more than worth it!

Who am I NOT to be?

I discovered one of my favorite quotes watching Akeelah and the Bee. (If you haven't seen this movie yet, watch it and love it.) Laurence Fishburne plays a coach/mentor for the main character, Akeelah, played by Keke Palmer. Imagine his deep, soothing voice saying,

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” -Marianne Williamson

The biggest part of that whole paragraph that hits me the most is, "Your playing small does not serve the world."

The assumption is that we were made to serve others or something bigger than ourselves. How can I even begin to serve when my insecurities make me focus inwardly instead of outwardly? I am loving the idea that I don't lose if I fail, but that I lose if I don't ever try or take a risk. I don't want to play small and never even know what could have been if I had at least tried to play big.

So, seriously, Who am I NOT to be?

Wild at Heart

I just finished Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. This book was written for men about men by a man. Naturally the question arises...What are you doing reading this book?

I love this book for three reasons:
1. It gave me so much valuable perspective on the men in my life, most importantly, though, on my husband.
2. It really spells out the role of the woman in creating a sense of masculinity for a man. Chapter 10 is entitled "A Beauty to Rescue" and this was absolutely powerful in my life. One quote I'll share, just to give you a taste, is this:

"Just as every little boy is asking one question, every little girl is, as well. But her question isn't so much about her strength. No, the deep cry of a little girl's heart is am I lovely? Every woman needs to know that she is exquisite and exotic and chosen. This is core to her identity, the way she bears the image of God. Will you pursue me? Do you delight in me? Will you fight for me?" (p. 182)

3. From the quote above, you see that this book is powerfully effective in giving a guy some great perspective on the woman in his life.

My upper case "F" Favorite quote of this book is found on page 140...it gives me goose bumps:

"...if we reawaken that fierce quality in a man, hook it up to a higher purpose, release the warrior within, then the boy can grow up and become truly masculine."

I am so glad my husband loves to read, because, let me tell you, Wild at Heart just jumped to the top of his "Books to Read" list. (It just jumped to the top of my "Books to Read Again" list.)

Birthday Week

Katy and I were born a year and four days apart. Her birthday is April 21st and mine is April 25th. I don't know how many times I've said that in my lifetime, but I love that fact. I have many special memories of shared birthday parties. I remember knowing when it was Katy's birthday that I only had four more days until mine. There were those few years when I watched her turn 12 and she got her ears pierced, turn 14 and got to wear make up, turn 16 and got to drive and date, etc. and I had to wait a whole year for my turn...I guess on her end, it wasn't always easy going first. Here's to you, Katy, and to many more Birthday Weeks together.

 

Thankful for 30

(Warning: Extremely LONG post!)





One of the biggest temptations for me as I turn 30 has been to think, "I'm three decades old...what have I really accomplished? I've wasted so much time, I could have done more already, what I wouldn't give to be 25 again and have those five years back, etc." I don't feel old, but I feel a great sense of responsibility, a sense that I am, in fact, a grown-up woman, not a college girl. Taking control of my thoughts has become a battle for me, so I am winning over the negative thoughts by remembering things I am thankful for and proud of:

1. I have amazing parents that led me to the Lord when I was young and brought me up in a safe environment. More than anything, the thing I love best about them is their constant belief that I can do whatever I put my mind to.
2. I am extremely close to my siblings...there are so many things I could say about my memories of them, the things we've shared, how much we talk, how much we love each other. I could go on and on...
3. My spiritual foundation was built in Saline, MI at a small Assemblies of God church/school.
4. I had some of the most amazing winters as a child in Michigan.
5. I learned to dive, tube, and water ski at my Aunt Chrissy's lake house in Oxford, MI. Niece's Weekend always rocked!
6. I have an amazing extended family, mostly in Michigan, that loves getting together at any available opportunity. It doesn't matter how long we've been apart...it's always a good time.
7. I moved to North Carolina twenty one years ago. I will always love my roots, but I think I can claim to be a southerner...
8. I attended both private and public schools. I personally thrived in the smaller schooling atmosphere.
9. In elementary school, I met some of the coolest girls and guys at First Assembly of God in Raleigh, NC. Even though we're a bit spread out-Florida, Texas, Madagascar-we remain friends and stay in touch.
10. I achieved Missionette Honor Star status as a fifth grader.
11. I made it through middle school. ('nuf said.)
12. I made the JV and Varsity cheerleading squads in high school. (Most definitely some of my best memories from FCS and NRCA.)
13. My family was among the founding members of North Raleigh Christian Academy. I love that school and will always feel like I belong there.
14. One of my first jobs was an after-school counselor at Jeffrey's Grove Elementary School where I met Aron.
15. Aron and I started dating Summer 1997, right before my Sr. year.
16. I graduated from NRCA in 1998-it doesn't feel like it's been 12 years...
17. I went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received a degree in Elementary Education and found one of the coolest friends around, Emily Nimmo.
18. Aron and I got married June 16, 2001.
19. I gained four of the most amazing parents-in-law a girl could ask for. They have always been Aron's biggest fans, but I feel like they're cheering me on just the same.
20. I rededicated my life to the Lord in 2002.
21. I taught 2nd grade and 4th grade at North Raleigh Christian Academy. I loved working with the teachers who taught me and getting to know my students and their families. Those kids are turning 16 and 17 this year...CRAZY!
22. I discovered my love of scrapbooking.
23. 2005 was a BIG year-We found out we were pregnant and Aron and I did a lot of growing up-one of the hardest and absolute best years of my life.
24. I became a Mommy: John Palmer Hall was born October 7, 2005.
25. I made a HUGE career move: from teacher to stay-at-home mom.
26. I became Mommy a 2nd time: Elizabeth Leigh Hall was born December 21, 2006.
27. Aron and I felt led to help start True Life Church along side Mark and Darcy Carr. We've helped mainly with Family Ministries. (I can't believe it's been three years.)
28. I attempted to start my own business. Robyn's Nest Scrapboooking no longer exists, but I discovered that I have the "entrepreneurial spirit" and want to be my own boss.
29. In February 2009, Aron and I, with the help of a local business association, started our own Ecommerce business, Hall Team Consulting. Side Benefits: amazing opportunities and friends.
30. I became Mommy a third time: Abigail Rose Hall was born July 6, 2009-three children before I was 30, just like we said.



There are probably many more special people and memories I could include...but I have accomplished a lot. I'm just getting started. So, yes, I am thankful for 30.

Birthday Ring

I just got this ring for my birthday and I absolutely love it! This is kind of different and brave for me because of it's size and shape. I normally stay pretty small and understated, but my personal style is definitely changing. The ring is actually made from recycled metals and finished in white gold. The mother of pearl in the middle helps the piece to go with most any outfit, casual or formal. I can't lose with this one. It's a keeper.

I am by no means a hand model, but check it out:

 

 

April Afternoons

 

The weather has been so beautiful this week. The pollen seems to be under control, it's in the 70's, and sunny. I couldn't have asked for more when I need to get the kids out of the house and burn off all of that three and four-year-old energy. Having the trikes has been invaluable. They're doing more of a "Fred Flintstone" technique then peddling. Either way, it's effective. The time between nap and dinner has been way more productive and the kids have been much more calm as I prepare the food.

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height.
Let's go fly a kite
And send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear.
Oh, let's go
Fly a kite.
(from Mary Poppins)

 

 

One of the most beautiful weekends in a very long time, yes, because of the weather, but mainly because of the quality and quantity of time we spent together. Upper-case "A" Amazing!
(April 3, 2010)

Easter 2010

 

My goal was to get a great group shot with all of them looking at me and smiling. Well, I didn't accomplish the whole "looking at me and smiling" thing. However, I do feel like I did get one great shot. This picture is so representative of these kids right now. Ellie doesn't always do exactly as I ask, but she does hear me and gives me a really creative interpretation of my instructions. John Palmer is usually busy watching over his sisters making sure things are in order and taken care of. Abbie is exploring everything right now-shaking, touching, tasting, chewing, grabbing, standing, scooting.

We had a lovely Easter this year, Abbie's first. The kids looked absolutely adorable in their navy outfits (I love the nautical look for Easter.) The weather was amazing and we spent a great deal of the weekend outdoors.

Thank you Jesus for your Resurrection so that we can know you and experience an amazing life here and now AND look forward to a future with you in Heaven forever!