Precious, precious friends

I really think that I have some of the greatest friends in the world. I mean it. I don't even think that's an exaggeration. My friends have really been loving, helpful and a shining example to me over the last month.

When I picked up Brad's mom from the airport on June 10 (which was NOT something I had planned on doing), I decided (at the last minute) to go down to the Cities the night before and see some friends. Brad was gone anyways, and I really wasn't too excited about driving to the airport and back again (about 7 hours total) with two small children.


So Dacia let me crash at her house, and I got some much needed girl time while our kids played wonderfully together.


Dacia decided that we needed a picture of the two of us and not just cute pictures of our girls...since HOW many pictures do we have of US in our scrapbooks!


I was able to visit ReNae and Gianna (and little Dane) as well. It was very crazy and very fast, but those precious few minutes with friends were refreshing to my soul.


Then, about 2 1/2 weeks later, Brad and I (again, very last minute) drove down to go mini-van shopping. We asked Dacia if we could stay there, but that Olson hotel was already full, so Megan and Nic let us stay with them. And what a blessing!!! It was 4th Friday so I got to scrapbook with the girls while the boys put the kids to bed and played games at Nic's house. We had our own room, and the kids had their own space to sleep as well! But my friends' kindness didn't stop there! The next morning, Nic and Megan offered to watch our kids and take them to Lydia's birthday party so we could test drive vans.


We NEVER expected that, but what a blessing! It still took us almost 5 hours to drive all over the Cities and test drive vans, but our kids had a FANTASTIC time, and we drove back with a new mini-van...well new to us that is.


And Sammy STILL talks about Lydia's birthday party and swimming in the pool with Abbie and Mr. Andy holding her when she was cold. And even though I was sick shortly thereafter...as well as Brad, Lydia, and Lydia's grandma Irene, it was a wonderful weekend.

Sometimes I have felt disconnected and out of the loop because we live up here, and most of my college friends are down there, but I believe that no matter where any of us live or move to, God has made us friends and these friendships will not be easily broken.

They're all grown up!

This past season of graduation open houses was far harder than most years. Six beautiful girls, whom I have known and loved these past four years, left high school behind. These girls have eaten cookie dough at my house until the wee hours of the morning, played with Sammy while I've nursed or changed Caleb for the 100th time, shared their triumphs and struggles with me, met for countless dates at Coco Moon and Perkins, and have left a lasting impact on my life.


I don't know who has changed more, me or them. I have seen some of them bloom into amazing women after God's own heart. One has overcome some deep fears and allowed God to use her to speak to hundreds of students. One found her place in another youth group, yet my home has always been a place for her to chat and get a free meal. Another struggled all year to find herself...and while she's made progress, I know she's still trying to understand who God is calling her to be...not what she thinks others want her to be.


One is learning that her place isn't to pursue guys, and even though it is so hard for her, she's learning to trust God with her heart. Another has been in turmoil all year with her family, and I'm afraid she will take a lot of baggage and unreasolved issues with her to college. And the last one is incredibly smart, but I wonder how she will do without the comforts of home.


I am eternally grateful to God for each of them. And I'm thankful that they have each allowed me to walk alongside them during these last four years. And I'm grateful for what each of them has taught me about being in God's word DAILY and following Him wholeheartedly.


I know that God has some amazing things ahead for these ladies, and I can't wait to see how God uses them for His glory!

A Long Visit

Last month, Brad's mom came to visit for about 2 1/2 weeks. And while that seems like a REALLY long time (especially since Betty is my mother-in-law), it was such a blessing! I'll admit that I wasn't quite sure how the visit was going to go because I had rough start. I had to load up the kids (in our tiny Civic), pack a bag, spend the night in the Cities, pick her up at the airport, and drive back...all within 24 hours. But the visit couldn't have gone better. Betty was here at the perfect time. The first three days she was here, Brad was at senior high camp. And the last 3 days, Brad was at Missions Brainerd, and it was so nice having an extra person around.

In the middle of her visit, Brad's older brother and his family were here as well for a cousin's wedding. Sammy had such a great time playing with her younger cousin Lauren. And Lauren LOVED Sammy's slide!

We also got together with several Aust relatives from Minneapolis, Texas, and California. It was such a treat to see everyone.

Even though Brad had to work during the day, we managed to go play for awhile at Whipple Beach and enjoy some great Rafferty's pizza that night.

Sammy had such a great time with Grandma! Here they are having a picnic in her room. We LOVE you Grandma Aust!

Sunday School Scavenger Hunt

Brad and I LOVE our Sunday School class. We aren't able to attend many classes because of other obligations on Sunday mornings, but our leadership has done a great job at providing ways for us to connect and love one another between Sundays. (Did I mention the 2 weeks of meals I had after Sammy and Caleb's birth provided by this group!) We also do a bunch of fun activities outside of Sunday morning so we can hang out as a group. We've done a Valentine's Day dinner, movie nights, game nights, pray and play nights, and also...our personal favorite...digital camera scavenger hunt!

Notice my husband...


Eating on the run...


Brad climbed a fence to get this picture of our group...


I've really been blessed by our Lakewood friends. Two very special couples...our gaming friends Jonathan & Paula and Kelly & Shelby who watched Sammy when I was in labor with Caleb...moved in May, and I miss them all dearly. Even though NOBODY will take the place of my college friends (LOVE YOU Gianna, Dacia, Megan, ReNae...) God has truly blessed us with some dear friends here in Brainerd.

Soul searching

I realized today during my "Sabbath Rest" time, that even though I feel so incredibly blessed to have a wonderful husband, healthy kids, a great church family and great friends, a large part of me has been slowly dying this last year or so. I have been moving at such a fast pace, that who I am at my core feels like it's been crushed by my schedule and by the weight of unrealistic expectations (created by me, of course) of who I should be as a mom, a wife, a small group leader, a LSM coach, a teacher, a grad student, etc. And all the things I enjoy and get refueled by, I've pushed to the back burner. Aside from scrapbooking albums for my senior girls or for my mothers, I haven't done one page of scrapbooking for me. And my blog, well, I don't even think anyone even checks it anymore. And when was the last time I read a book that wasn't the Bible or wasn't required reading for school? Yes, no wonder I feel so tired and so overwhelmed!

So today, during my "Sabbath Rest", I put down my Bible and picked up a book from my MOPS group called The Mommy Diaries. I felt very guilty closing my Bible (and that guilt was NOT of the Holy Spirit but was self-inflicted), but I just needed some comfort from women who had lived in my shoes. And after 20 minutes of quiet reading, I was refreshed. I realized that I am the only one who can really guard ME from the world. It's not my friends' or my husband's job to make sure I get up in the morning to have quiet time with my Lord. It's not my family's or my kid's job to remind me to not overcommit. I must guard time each morning for my soul. I must protect who I am and the unique identity God has given me. I know that God has the power and strength to do this in my life, but I need to stop blaming everyone else for the mess that I'm in.

So, I'm going to stop being supermom and superwife and do the things I NEED to (like grad school for next weekend and clean the shower because it is FILTHY and blow bubbles with my kids), but all the extra stuff (like organizing the toys or spending 30 minutes or longer on Facebook or dusting my house as if the Queen of England is coming) is going to stop controlling my life.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."