The Girl

Anna Kate is trying to stop napping but I am consistently putting her in the bed everyday at nap time. Some days she naps and some days she lays in her bed and sings. However, she isn't your typical whiny irritable 2 year old when she doesn't have a nap. She acts goofy! She makes us laugh so much during the evenings when she hasn't had a nap.

Here are a few pictures from one night recently when she didn't nap. The pictures were taken one night after dinner. She asked to be excused and went to crawl in Jim's lap. As soon as she sat down this is what she did:

Here are a few more that I took after breakfast one morning. I was not happy that she decided to take her yogurt and put it all over her face, legs and placemat. However, I knew that I needed to take a picture to remember this moment and she was more than willing to smile for the camera.

Snakes Alive!

Tonight after dinner we found a snake in the pool. Actually, it looked more like a really long worm but it was a snake nonetheless. We don't do snakes in the Perdue home. "The only good snake is a dead snake" is our motto.

I find humor in this stream of pictures. This is just a small glimpse into my sweet husband's life. He can not do ANYTHING when he is at home, without at least one little person following and trying to help him. This evening all three fell in quickly behind to help daddy kill the snake. I just love my family!

Mission accomplished!

Y.E.S

For the past weeks we have been teaching the kids Galatians 2:20 during family worship. It has been a fun time learning through song. I can hear all three of them saying it periodically throughout the day.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

My question is one of application. What is one area that I know I could sacrifice and put my selfish desires aside? It would be to say YES! To tell my kids yes when they ask to do something that will inconvenience me at the moment. To tell them yes, even though i KNOW they are going to make a BIG mess and I will be the one cleaning it up later.

Many times, for me at least, saying YES is a big lesson in dying to self. Putting aside my own plans for the moment, morning or afternoon and getting up to answer with a YES. That dying to self doesn't come easily or naturally for me. I am trying to be more intentional about saying YES to the simple joys of life. I know that this intentionality will bring me many opportunities to die to self, my hope is that the kids and I will experience much joy through using the word YES more often.

Take time this week to say YES! Share in the comments some of the ways you said YES!

It is the First Day of "Home"school!

Today is the first day of school in the Perdue home. We officially have a kindergartener living in our home. He is a great, eager and excited learner.

This has been a decision that has taken MANY years to decide and we just make a firm decision three weeks ago. He was registered to go to "school" until two days ago. We are not sure what the future holds as far as life long homeschooling in out family but we do know that God has lead us to homeschool Jake this year.

These are the words of a new homeschooling mom. Her words are all the emotions that I have been going though the past few weeks. I honestly could have written every single word of this, but not nearly are well. So, these are my homeschool thoughts written by another mother: "Homeschooling may not work for our family the way we think it will. In that case, we may choose to stick with it, to decide to make it work because we believe in it. Of course, we may also decide to abandon ship. Maybe as our other children grow to be school age, we’ll give them each the schooling scenario that fits their own needs. We have no idea. I mean, seriously, no idea at all. We certainly don’t believe that homeschooling is the only way. But it sure is the way that seems right to us. Right now.

Am I scared? Yes! Do I feel equipped? No way. Am I 100% certain that this is right? Nope. Do I have moments of selfishness where I’d just like to send the kids to school during the day so I could have some me time? Sure! But then I remember what my real purpose in life is. The following quote by Priscilla Shirer, from her book Discerning the Voice of God, "Life isn’t about what I’m going to do, but it is instead about what God wants to accomplish in me."

Priscilla says, “When you face two options and each seems to please God, consider the one that displays God’s glory, power and strength. This makes room for God to reveal Himself to you and show Himself through you. God wants us to see the wondrous things He will accomplish in us. Don’t be fearful about the hard road He may ask you to take. Be encouraged and excited about seeing His divine, supernatural activity in and through you. God’s voice commands the option that will display His power. He desires to show Himself strong in you and will encourage you to do things that require trust and faith.”

So, maybe I lied. Perhaps our decision to homeschool really is about our belief in God. Yeah, it’s pretty hard to remove Him from any equation, I guess. Wish us “luck,” because away we go!!

ilovemypastor

Many times I have shouted from the roof tops how much I love Jim Perdue. I have described my admiration for him as a husband, father, and leader. There are many things that I am thankful for when I start thinking about this wonderful man that God has so richly blessed me with to call my husband. However, this post is about how much I love him as a Pastor, my Pastor. This is one that I am not sure I have ever really put into words. Honestly, I think I take it for granted. Just so you know, I love my husband because he really is a great pastor!

Since the tender young age of 17, he felt the calling of God upon his life to be a pastor, the "Shepherd of the Flock." I knew that when I met and married him. Although, I met, fell in love with and married the man God made to complete me, I also married my future pastor.

I love him because he is authentic, genuine, real; a man of integrity and humility; sincerely compassionate and incredibly generous. Not only that, he is a great pastor. Being a great pastor takes more than just being a nice guy. He is a really are a great preacher, too.

I love him because he loves God so deeply and fully that he has given his entire life to serve Him in full-time ministry. I love him because he loves His people with such passion. I love him because he loves the church so much. I love the fact that I don't inwardly shudder with embarassment when he stands behind the pulpit or stop a thousand yawns every time he preaches a sermon.

I love my husband because he is very good at what he does: As the Senior Pastor (CEO), he is a proficient administrator, very knowledgeable with computers and finances. As the Preacher, he is a God honoring and Holy Spirit filled student and communicator of the WORD of God.

It's a tremendous blessing to be married to a man I can respect and admire, a man who holds the respect of his congregation, his staff, his colleagues, and his family. Lord, help me to show him my love and respect.


Dr. Jim Perdue, I appreciate the way you lead your me, our family and Crosspointe! I LOVE MY PASTOR!

Year 31 Goal Updates

Year 31 Goals

1. Read through the Bible in 2010. I am doing this everyday. I am really enjoying read through the Bible chronologically. It has been really neat and I have learned so much.

2. Memorize 24 verses this year. I have memorized a few but hopefully as we start school, Cubbies and Sparks next week I will memorize quite a few more.

3. Read the following books-I am going to change my book list just a bit.

• Radical
• Helping Children to Understand the Gospel
• Forgotten God
• Family Driven Family
• From Clutter to Clarity: Simplifying Life from the Inside Out
• Devotions for Sacred Parenting

Rope

This week Jake has become obsessed with rope and knots. He is tying everything and everybody in knots. Jim went to the store and bought him some REAL rope instead of the string he was using from his toys.

Jim then taught him how to tie a slip knot. Jake tied slip knots to Anna Kate's play kitchen and all of her doors. However, my favorite was when he tied the oven door to the paper towel holder which is ACROSS the kitchen. Jim wasn't too happy when he couldn't get to the trash can without playing limbo.

This is just one of the many "normal" things that happen in the Perdue home.

I hope to get a picture of something or someone tied up soon.

These are a few of my favorite things....

There are things I like.

And then there are things I love.

I love my seeing my babies smile especially when they are laughing.


I love Anna Kate's crazy nappy hair each morning.

I love to snuggle on the sofa with Judd just after he wakes up from a nap. (He is the only snuggler I have so far.)

I love when the kids run to meet Jim at the end of the drive way each afternoon.

I love long days when we get to stay outside and play as a family each evening.


I love the smell of sweating kids, sunscreen and watermelon mixed together. It reminds me that we are in the middle of summer. The most wonderful time of the year.

I love popsicles with the kids on the front porch at the end of a long nap time.

I love feeling my fourth baby move, flip and kick me ALL the time.

I love to hear my kids pray each night at the end of family worship.

I love putting exhausted kiddos to bed. ;)

I love the quiet time with Jim each night after the kids are in bed.

I love getting up and doing it all over again.

I love being Jake, Judd and Anna Kate's mom.

A Week At The Lake

This summer has been going by so quickly. We have been away from home more than we have been home. However, last week was our last trip away from home.

We celebrated our vacation at Jackson Lake with Jim's family. This is our family vacation each year. This week always provides loads of fun for all of the cousins and some relaxation for the parents.

We arrived on Monday and left early Friday morning. Jim had to get back to perform a wedding ceremony on Friday night. This week provided us with many memories and maybe a new tradition or two.

This year included a new adventure for our boys. Both of them tried skiing. Jake did get up on the skis. I think they did really well for 5 and 3 and only going to the lake once a year. Hopefully, we can progress next year.





This is life at the lake with 10 kiddos.






For the second year in a row, we were able to enjoy a helicopter ride around Lake Jackson.


More random pictures from the week:

Day 4 in Elko

This was our last full day in Elko. At 7:00, my dad came to get the boys for a morning of fishing. They were up and ready to go get some fish. I am glad that they were able to spend some time with him. They even got to have a short visit with Aunt Karen. When Papa Wayne came back he showed all three of them how to clean one of the fish. They were very interested in why he had to cut the fish's head off.







Judd takes time for a quick snuggle with Mema!

As we waited on dinner to be finished, the kiddos got in some last minute time on the slip-n-slide.




We ended the night with a big bubble bath.

Day 3 in Elko

We have been spoiled this week, well maybe I should say I have been so spoiled! This week has been busy seeing family, friends and just having plain ol' fun!
Today we were able to visit with aunts and cousins. We went swimming and enjoyed a lunch of pizza.






Here are some pictures of the boys gathering vegetables out of Papa's garden and picking blackberries. I think Judd ate as many as he picked, but isn't that part of the fun!