STARTIN' OFF THE SUMMER!

Summer is here!!!  My big kids finished their school year last Friday and we have officially begun our summer adventures around here.  I created my lists of activities: "Oh the Things We Will Do", "Oh the Things We Will Make", "Oh the Places We Will Go", "Oh the Food We Will Eat", and "Oh the Ways We Will Serve".  We enjoyed our time searching online for activities and places in the Dallas area and together came up with our lists which I printed out for weekly reference.  On Saturday we sat down and each child and I chose something from one of the lists.  Game plan was established and supplies were picked up and yesterday we began...
After completing chores and a VBS meeting in the morning, Andrew and I headed to the public Library to get books and library cards.  (Hannah wouldn't entertain the library because she had too many books on her nightstand to read first)  After a quick trip to the grocery store, Andrew remembered  (on his own) our act of kindness this week (returning shopping carts in the parking lot) and returned one for the lady next to us loading her groceries.  Then we enjoyed a couple of hours of money origami.  Origami is fun!  I love turning a little piece of paper into a really cool 3D object.  But MONEY ORIGAMI is, well, MONEY!  Of course the older kids chose super challenging creations at first and then attacked more reasonable projects.

Caleb came home a little early and he and Andrew enjoyed a bike ride together through McKinney.  We cooked burgers, swam all evening and enjoyed watching The Voice.

 And as I sat outside on that beautiful summer evening admiring the success of the day, I happened upon my calendar app. . . which reminded me of dance recital pictures (individual & GROUP) Eden had at 4:00 that afternoon!  Are you kidding me?  How in the world did I forget that?
Just when you're floating high on the harmonious productivity of the day-- CRASH!  I share this to say I am so very far from Super MOM!  You may see highlights of our summer fun on Facebook or even here on this blog.  And yes, we ARE having summer fun!  But reality is I mess up, I miss appointments, I forget important things, I flat out get it wrong sometimes.  Though those are not the things I want to "highlight" online for the world to see, they are the things that keep me in desperate need of a Savior!
Eden and I had a conversation this morning about humility to which she asks, "What is humility?"  Good question.  I came up with some sort of a 4-yearold friendly version of my definition of humility, all the while thinking, "it's that moment when LIFE IS GOOD, ALL IS WELL, and you think YOU'VE done a great job, then you see your calendar and realize you missed something that had been on there for weeks and no, YOU can't go at this life alone.  YOU don't 'got this'."  That's humility.
I am looking forward to what this summer holds for us.  We have so many fun things planned and so many friends and family to see.  But may I not forget that it is only by the grace of God that today is and that it is only His grace covering me that keeps this family going.  May each of us attack our days ahead with the confidence that God goes before us, He leads us and He covers us.