Moved, Wedding, Birthday and ... Chicken Pox?

Two Monday's ago we got the keys to our new apartment in Little Canada. My mom and two sisters painted the place that day. Tuesday we had some awesome people from church help us move 95% of our belongings in. Wednesday consisted of cleaning the home of the people's house we stayed at while they were out of town, as well as the rehearsal for the wedding and bachelorette party. Thursday was the wedding (which was absolutely beautiful!). Friday was getting clothes into drawers and such so my husband could pack to go on the DGP (Children's) camping trip for the weekend. I have then been spending the past two weeks slowly unpacking and (mostly unsuccessfully) "catching-up" on sleep.

It is the actual birthday of my little girls today. I cannot believe they are 1! I seriously NEVER pictured my kids getting this old! They have excelled in their development SO MUCH in the past 2 weeks! Alecia now says a total of 5 words: "mama" "dada" "Ahavah" "Amen" "hi". Ahavah says: "mama" "dada" "hi" and a whole bunch of jibberish! She is a chatter and she thinks she knows what she is saying too.

Ahavah is walking like a pro. She doesn't crawl anywhere anymore. Alecia was a bit self conscious so Alex and I sat down with her and encouraged her and cheered her on. She has been attempting to walk all the time now, but gets nervous after a few steps and really upset when she fails.

As of yesterday I noticed some red bumps on Ahavah's back and a few on her tummy. Today there are more spots and I noticed one on Alecia. I fear chicken pox! Which is cruddy because we wanted to go to the state fair with them on Saturday and my Uncle Shawn in coming into town Monday (which is also our anniversary)!! :( Besides I don't want to see my girls in tears from itching so bad! I am hoping that they are just mosquito bites from being out and about so much.

My relationship with my husband and the Lord has been so sweet these past few weeks. The girls and I spend our morning meal praying, primarily for missionaries in certain countries as well as our family and our day. We spend our lunch meal in the Word reading about God's character through the Psalms. We spend our evening doing devotions with Daddy :) Ultimately we have been praying a lot more since we moved in here.

The Lord has been showing me how important my job as a mother and wife is and how it is so dependent on if I am going to die to myself and die to myself everyday.

• When the girls wake up at 6:45am: am I going to cheerfully greet them letting them know how happy I am to wake up to their beautiful faces every morning?
• After every messy meal: am I going to cheerfully sing while I clean up every Cherrio and noodle off the floor and high-chair?
• During each temper-tantrum: am I going to patiently discipline my children training them up in the way they should go and exemplifying Christ's love toward them instead of getting frustrated?
• After spending an hour making dinner, and an hour cleaning up after it: am I going to complain to my husband how much I do in the day or am I again going to cheerfully serve my family?
• When I am so exhausted at the end of the day: am I going to prepare breakfast and lunch for my husband before I go to bed? am I going to sit and talk with him and help him sort through the things he wants to get done and see how I can help?
• When I go to bed at 1am and wake up at 6:45am... :)

But why?

Why do all this?

How is it beneficial?

Well, first off:

Proverbs 31

²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied); and her husband boasts of and praises her, [saying],

^29[c]Many daughters have done virtuously, nobly, and well [with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness], but you excel them all.

³⁰Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain [because it is not lasting], but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised!

³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates [of the city]!^(J

On top of that, what wonderful daughters I would be raising if their example of a godly woman was a selfless one that would put aside her own wants and serve her family. Maybe they will be selfless missionaries traveling the globe building churches and orphanages caring more many! Maybe they will be pastor's wives tending to the flock of God teaching them, loving them, encouraging them! Maybe they will be mothers of their own families raising more godly children to raise up and serve our Heavenly Father! My wonderful husband reminds me of stories of Chuck Smith's mom.

I hope this is encouraging to you as it is to me! I hope it stirs you onto righteousness.