Happy Day Indeed

Yes, I'm smiling again. A big, fat, happy smile. I'm home with my babies again!
First, I want to say thank you to my friends and family who helped me so much in my transition into the workforce, and then back out again!
Second, I want to say thank you to all of my dear friends who go to work everyday and then come home and do a rock star job of taking care of their little ones. You are great examples of all we can do.
Third, I want to thank my dear, dear hubby for helping me realize my priorities and my needs.
Lessons learned. Hearts revealed. Experience gained. Enough said about that. On to better things!



I am very fortunate to be back at DMACC, doing some part time work. I really love it here. I love what I do! What a great feeling!
The best part... Avery gets to come with me 2 days a week. She gets to go to "school" at the DMACC child development center. She loves it! She is so cute!! She takes a nap on a cot, serves her own food, drinks out of a big girl cup, hangs her own coat up and puts her lovey in her cubby.
She washes her hands, often! I love watching her. They have one-way mirrored observation booths so you can go and watch, unnoticed. It is hilarious what kids do when they don't know they're being watched! Priceless!!


The other new highlight of my day is "homework time". When my girls get home from school they each grab their "homework chair", which is one of the stools at the kitchen island, and we do homework together. It is such a great time for the 3 of us to bond. I love hearing about their day, their friends, lunch and the always exciting bus ride!


Finally, I get to pick up my house every night, then head upstairs to snuggle with my husband and look forward to another day. What a great feeling!


Lessons learned this last year:
Budget shopping
I don't know God's plan
I don't know what's best for me or my family all of the time
I have to walk through the crap to appreciate the beauty
I have to be reminded sometimes of what matters most to me
Life isn't always easy or fair or good, but God is!
Just because things aren't going they way I think they should doesn't me I can't be happy. I can be as happy as I choose to be at any time.


Lessons I hope to learn this year:
How to be an awesome Aunt.... I can't wait!!!
How to slow down and enjoy the moment
How to cook

2 down, 1 to go....

"The bus is here, the bus is here!"

Claire and Ella headed off to school for the 09-10 school year.

I absolutely cannot believe that I have 2 kids in grade school.

And more than that, I can't believe my baby Ella is out on her own, in school, as we speak.

Where does the time go?

Claire was excited to start 2nd grade.

She enjoys school so much and I think she'll have a great year.

She know a lot of kids in her class this year, unlike years past, so that's fun.

Claire has a great teacher, Mrs. Julseth.

I'm excited to watch Claire grow this year!

Ella started Kindergarten this year. She is definitely ready! I was not so ready, but it's not about me! Ella was so excited to go to school she was up and dressed before I even made it to the shower. She couldn't ride the bus with the big kids the first 2 days because Kindergarteners do transition days, but she got to go all day today.

Ella is going to do great! I can't wait to post all the cute things she says and does and all the amazing discoveries she's going to make along the way.

As for Avery, she has a few more years. But in the meantime, she gets to play, tumble, sing, swim and nap. Not a bad gig!

As for mom, I'm just putting one foot in front of the other. I'm excited about the school year starting, fall coming and life continuing to change.

I thank God today for opening my eyes to the things that matter the most to me. I plan to spend this school year watching for and finding all the great things happening around me. I am truly blessed.

I hope you and your kids all have a great year and I promise to get back to posting the ups, downs and all-around fun times happening at the Rouse House!

The exciting days of our lives.....

Wow! So much has happened since I last posted.

Where to begin:

* Janelle has finally adjusted to full-time work. Apologies to all of those who had to work through that with me. It was not the easiest adjustment, but they never are. I'm glad to say I now get up every morning by 6:45 without too much trouble. I am now able to come home every afternoon and not complain the entire evening about having to go back. I have even learned how to run errands and go to kid's activities in the evening and still find time for house chores and hubby time. Who knew there was so much more time in the evening when you don't spend it complaining and wishing for more!

* Ella Grace graduated from Preschool. Yes, my baby #2 is heading off to Kindergarten this fall, just one day after she turns 5!

I have a very hard time believing that my little baby, my red-headed little spitfire, my snuggle bug, the light of my life, is going off to the big K.

Claire completed 1st grade with flying colors. She is such a kind and

caring girl. We are very proud of her. I wish I could have the empathy I see in her.

She is also our most sensitive. Of the three girls, she had the hardest time adjusting to me going back to work. I think that because she has

had me home all her life, and is old enough to know the difference, she

really struggled with me being gone in the morning. I usually get home

soon after her, but it was the mornings that she struggled with the most.

I also had to learn to balance work and volunteering at her school. As

home room mom I had responsibilities, but as Claire's mom I had to

"be there". She wanted to see me in the classroom, laminating and cutting, like I used to. I learned that taking 2 hours out of my day to "volunteer" in her classroom was well worth the cost to make her feel better, and me too!

And Avery, well, Avery is Avery. Sweet, funny as can be, TROUBLE, cuddly, daring, brave, smart, curious, couragous,

tricky, talented, hilarious, vibrant, a blessing from God.

She definitely completes our family... Yes, I am NOT having any more kids!

Avery makes the world a better and place and to be able to be a part of that, to watch that happen as she grows, is truly something this working mom does not deserve!

Blessings to you all.

Love,

j

April Fool's Day

April Fool's

That is what I found, printed in my adorable 7 year old's writing, on a piece of paper in my shower. What I did not find... any of my shampoo, conditioner or soap!

The little stinker played an April Fool's joke on me! How clever is she?!

Claire amazes me. Mostly I'm amazed that God gave her to me. When I was growing up I knew I wanted to be a mom. I desperately wanted that experience of unconditional love. I always knew that I wanted to be a mom, I was just never sure that I would be a good mom.

I have struggled all my "mom life" with fears around parenting. I fear that I'm too harsh, too lenient, too demanding, too strict, not strict enough, I offer too much praise, not enough praise, you know the list. I always doubt my abilities, my "God-given" motherly instincts.

I have always been so scared that my daughter would be hurt. That she would suffer in some way. That friends would be mean to her. Boys would break her heart. Failure would find her in someway.

I thought that if I was a good enough mom, if I planned all the right activities, sent her to the right preschool and camps, joined the right playgroups, attended enough PTO meetings, that I could protect her from harm.

What an exhausting way to parent! I have been praying about this for years. Asking God to help me protect her. To help me parent her in a way that would guide her down the right path. And always, at the end of my prayers, every night, I say, "Please instill in my children the desire to know and do your will".

As you know, I went back to work full-time a little over a month ago. Part of that process has been letting some stuff go. I can't do it all. One thing I've been letting go is my "control" over my kids. What I thought was a sacrafice, is turning out to be a gift.

It turns out that I was asking God to help me with my parenting, but I didn't actually move over to let him in. I was asking him to work through my children, but then I was still trying to carrying the burden myself. He's been trying, I was just too busy controling to notice.

What happens when I let go a little? Claire begins to find her own way!

She is growing in confidence. She is challenging herself in school. She's "bragging" about her accomplishments. She is accepting challenges and rewarding herself.

She is finding God all on her own!

Here is her sweet story: A few nights ago she started reading her My First Study Bible again. She was reading it last night at bedtime and asked for 10 more minutes. I said sure and she asked me to come get her when the time was up. I head downstairs to do my stuff. 1 hour later, my Claire comes downstairs, "Mom! You forgot to come get me! I read the whole Bible mom, the whole Bible. You know, this is a good book!"

How sweet is that!

Happy Half Birthday Avery

Happy Half Birthday my sweet, sweet baby!

I hope you always know how much you are loved!

I hope you never lose that fiesty attitude!!

We love you so very, very much!

and baby makes 3....

So as not to leave Avery out.

Here is her latest escapade!

I'm running around putting laundry away and picking up and I notice Avery is no longer following me around.

While I enjoy the peace for a moment, I wonder what she found that's better than bugging me.

So I call, "Avery?"

"Mama!" I hear. "Mama" again.

I follow that sweet little voice to her sister Claire's room.

Voila! She's climbed up to the top bunk and is enjoying a good book!!!

She smiles at me. Completely unaware of just how lucky she is.

"Hello down there!"

To be so easily entertained!

God bless my crazy, happy Avery!

Why I do it

No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 1 John 4: 12.

Look at these beautiful faces. Everyday I am amazed at their beauty. What gifts!

My children remind me everyday what Love is really all about: Sacrafice, laughter, forgiveness, kindness, crafts and cookies!

My husband reminds me what it feels like to be Loved: Safe, happy, free, warm, trusted, protected, giddy and goofy!

It's so easy for me to forget about Love. I get so wrapped up in the "business of life".

Get up, get showered, get dressed, get breakfast, get going, get in, get updated, get busy, get working, get fed, get out, get home, get dinner, get clean, get jammies, get to bed!

There is so much more to life than just getting it done. I have to stop, I have to feel, I have to laugh, I have to enjoy, I have to relax, I have to love.

God does show his Love through us. Everytime my baby runs to me saying "mamama" burying her head in my legs. Everytime my Ella runs to me, dancing and twirling and laughing. Everytime my big girl turns to me and says, "mama, I love you".

What am doing to show God's love? Am I showing grace when I want to complain? Am I showing faith when I'm in doubt? Am I showing love, to all those I could be? Probably not.

But the best part... there's always tomorrow!