First day jitters

So today, August 6, 2012, was the first day of school! Look at this picture...can you tell who's NOT excited about going to school.

So for Ellie it was the first day of sixth grade and she moved to the middle school this year.  No more little kid stuff we are a preteen now.  We straightened her hair, picked out a cute outfit and wore jewelry today.  She was very excited about all the new things to come.  She hopped out of the car and went in the school all by herself.  She had to get her schedule and find out her homeroom class with no help from mom.  She did want me to come with her and although I would have gone I felt that it was best for her to learn how to do these things on her own. It's hard for mom's to let go but sometimes we have to loosen our grip. Of course, everything turned out just fine.  She liked her teachers and was happy with her schedule.  She was mostly excited that she gets a locker this year and she wants to decorate the inside. Oh, what a care free life!  Tomorrow she starts band, she says she wants to play percussion but I'm not sure her family genes will provide her with enough coordination for that job.  We will continue to update you on future sixth grade adventures.

Ethan began second grade this year.  His teacher's name is Mrs. Page.  Ethan was not excited about anything to do with school this morning.  As a matter of fact he complained with a stomach ache and asked to stay home. After we dropped Ellie off we moved on to the Elementary school to take the boys.  Dad and I walked Ethan to his class first. He was very hesitant as he walked in but I knew he would be fine so we continued on to the kindergarten hallway.  Of course, I find out later that things weren't all that great once I left.  He said he missed me a little and I think he got just a little upset.  Ethan is 7 and I am learning that this must be the transition age from being a baby boy to being a big boy.  There are still some tears shed and sometimes a cuddle from mom is needed but he fights the tears AND the cuddles from mom for the most part. Raising a young man is hard.  By the end of the day he accepted that another year of school is inevitable so he's content.  He did find out that he was accepted into spotlight which is an honors program and he was really pumped about that. Mom and Dad are pretty proud of that accomplishment also!

Eli has a big year ahead of him! He began kindergarten this year.  Yes, he's my baby.  There are no more kiddos at home with mom... sniff, sniff.  Eli was PUMPED about kindergarten.  He was up at 4:30 A.M. but I made him go back to bed.  Finally, a couple of hours later it was time to get up and get ready.  Eli was ready to go. He had his camo backpack and Batman lunchbox and he was ready.  After dropping Ethan off we headed to the red kindergarten hallway to go to Mrs. Davenport's room.  He marched in and found his cubby.  He proudly put away his things and said where do I sit?  After taking a couple of pics with his teacher he plopped down in a seat and was ready to conquer the world of kindergarten. No tears or sad goodbyes.  He just simply said "Bye, Mom" and I left fighting back the tears. 

After that 3 o' clock couldn't get here fast enough.  I wanted to hear about the first day and all that happened.  I got good reports from everyone and there was no major homework today. I'm so excited to see how the school year unfolds.  I pray for happy, healthy kids and soooo thankful that my God's name is Immanuel, "God with us" so that I know that when I can't be with my children He will always be by their side.  What a comfort that is to me! I love you, Ellie, Ethan and Eli and I am sooo proud of all of you!



Catching up...

Destin, FL July 2012 

Okay, I know it's been a whole year since I have written something on this blog.  My friend, Amanda, is super blogger and she documents her family's adventures everyday and often includes my family in her blogs.  She so kindly reminded me that I had a blog of my own and implied that I should start writing something on it.  Incidently, she is the one that snapped the lovely photo above. So I will briefly catch you up on the Potts' family and what has happened over the past year. 

Ellie and Ethan completed another school year successfully both making straight A's all year.  Way to go kiddos! Mom and Dad are so very proud of your hard work at school. Ellie is now moving up to the middle school and going into the 6th grade, Ethan will be starting 2nd grade AND Eli will be starting kindergarten, sniff sniff.  Monday, August 6, 2012 will be the day that all 3 of my children will be starting school.  I wouldn't trade the past 4 years that I was able to spend as a stay at home mom.  So, you ask...what are you going to do now, Mary Beth?  Well, I'm going to continue to stay at home.  Brandon is blessed to have a job he loves, but he travels a lot so it works sooo much better if I stay at home so I can hold down the fort.  Besides my hubby said he likes having me at home and didn't really want me to get a job right now.  I will gladly oblige:)  I'm already making a list of projects in my mind and maybe I will add blogging to that list seeing that I will be alone in the day time. 

This summer, the summer of 2012, has been busy with baseball, camp, vbs, cookouts and swimming.  We just returned from a family vacation at the beach which we shared with the Lemonds family.  We had a lot of fun in the sun and sand. All the kids surprised me at how they fearlessly conquered the waves of the ocean (or technically the Gulf of Mexico).  They loved diving into the waves and trying their hands at boogie boarding.  I would post more pics but my internet is very sluggish and it takes FOREVER just to upload one photo. There are more pics on facebook if you are that interested in seeing them. 

Lets see, what else should I share...
Right now I am completely absorbed in the Olympics.  I get sooo caught up in the gymnastics and the swimming.  I am having a hard time concentrating on typing because I am watching the womens all around gymnastics right now cheering for USA to win a gold, thinking that I am old enough to be some of these girls mom. Eeek!  Okay well I will leave you for now.  I will have plenty to share next week when I am on an emotional roller coaster watching my oldest starting middle school and saying good bye to the baby as he starts kindergarten. Box of tissues, please!

I Rejoice in Thy Salvation

On September 13, 2011 around 8:30 p.m. I had the privilege to kneel beside my daughter as she prayed for Jesus Christ to become her Lord and Savior.  She prayed a simple prayer repenting of her sin asking for God to make her white and clean on the inside.  I then prayed and thanked God for her asking that His beauty would be upon her.  I often pray for my children to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and might.  I want them to have a deep understanding of God's word and to understand the kind of relationship that God wants to have with them.  Romans 10:1 says "Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation."  On September 6th I really started to pray that for people including Ellie.  I also began thanking God for saving them because I knew it was His will and I knew that He has already completed His work. 

I close with a verse from Hannah's song of thanksgiving.
"Then Hannah prayed and said, My heart exults in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Thy salvation."  Father, I rejoice in Thy salvation! Rejoice and praise God with Brandon and me for saving our daughter!!

The Kid Wash!!

Okay, I love summers now since I am a stay at home mom because I get to spend time with the kiddos and I don't have a set schedule to keep.  However, my children were born May, June, and July so the summers are full of birthdays for us.  We have tried having separate parties but we wear our friends out coming to parties all summer so I usually try to have one big party in the middle of the summer.  This year I had just decided to have kids over to swim and Eli had requested a visit from the firetruck.  Of course Eli saw Cars 2 last week and decided he wanted a Lightning  Mcqueen party at the last minute.  There ended up being Cars cupcakes, a fire truck, and swimming, UH wait no swimming... yeah the swimming, well, there would have been swimming except our pool turned out looking like a green swamp the day before the party.  So plan B went into effect.  Plan B is always fly by the seat of my pants and see what my brain dreams up at the last minute.  I had been on the internet one day and saw a cute idea of making a sprinkler thing out of PVC pipe and then saw an even better idea of a sprinkler that you could run through like a car wash.  So hence comes the "Kid Wash".  Of course I had showed it to Brandon weeks ago and said isn't this cool and all I got was a uh huh and he kept watching T.V.  but on the morning of the party I showed it to him and he said I could make that in 30 minutes. I said "So why don't ya get started, otherwise the kids are going to be really hot and really bored.  He went to the store got what he needed and in about 30 minutes the "KID WASH" was born.  Yay!! It turned out to be a hit, the kids had fun and they didn't have to swim in the green swamp.  Thanks to all our friends that came out to play and endure the hot day with us.  My kids have the party bug like Brandon and I do.  The Potts all love a good party and we all love to have a house full of guests.  So now the kids are all a year older... Ellie is 10, Ethan is 6 and Eli is 4.  We have enjoyed another summer and school will be starting back in a few weeks.  I'm sooo blessed to have this time with my kiddos because these birthdays keep coming, and mine keep coming too. Mama loves you, Ellie, Ethan and Eli. You will always be my babies!!

Eli "Firetruck" Potts

Eli is growing up.  He still loves anything with wheels and loves to ride his tractor, as a matter of fact one of his favorite things to do is "cut the grass" on his tractor while following his dad who is on the actual lawn mower.  He gets so nasty and covered with dirt that all you can see is his little eyes shining through the blanket of dust covering him (Mom gets to bathe him).  Being the baby he always seems to fall in line behind Ellie and Ethan and just go along with whatever they are doing but this summer he has gotten to be on his very own t-ball team with no help from big bro or big sis.  He has done better than I thought, at first I didn't think he would participate because I couldn't go out there with him, but he has done it with no problem except for one incident where he wanted a hot dog and refused to take his turn at bat until he got one (I stuck to my guns, he never got the hot dog, of course he never went to bat either).    Here in the past few days he has surprised me by learning to swim.  Last summer I could not get him off the ladder of the pool but this year I put his arm floaties on, put him in the center of the pool, and told him if he wanted me he had to swim to me.  After 15 minutes of screaming he finally did it and then two days later he is jumping off the side of the pool and going under water, go figure!!  A few weeks ago he told me that he has changed his name to "firetruck", I wonder why? His daddy kind of likes those big red trucks with the sirens too.  Oh and his favorite catch phrases these days are "is that cool?" and "how bout that!".  Just wanted to catch ya'll up on the baby, who will be 4 in just a few weeks.  I can't believe how time goes by so fast.

This little light of mine...

When I woke up this morning the song "This Little Light of Mine" was playing through my mind.  This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine...how many times did I sing this as a child?  Well in just a few days I will take my light to India.  I hate to be dramatic and I know that the trip will only be two weeks but I still find myself pondering over my life as I prepare and pack.  This isn't just a trip to me but it's being obedient to God and letting him chip a little bit more of "myself" away. You see I am not the adventurous type and my home is a comfort zone.  I like what I know and I tend to stay away from things that I don't know but that's not the definition of faith is it?  Faith is not knowing, not seeing, not touching, not being cautious but running as fast as you can, jumping without looking and falling into God's arms. 

I ask my family and friends that you will pray for lives to be touched.  Pray this 1Thessalonians 2:13 "that when you received from us the word of God's message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is , the word of God , which also performs its work in you who believe."  My light that is shining is Jesus Christ.

Thankful!!!!

Yeah, I know it's April 3rd and my last blog was on January 1st. I'm on top of things!! Well it hasn't been boring around here at all. Brandon has changed jobs (answered prayer), we are going to INDIA in 20 days (another answered prayer), Ellie and Ethan are about to finish up a school year, Eli claims he is no longer a baby but a big boy:( and so on and so forth. I have entered that phase in my life where I am chaufering kiddos around to their different activities and my calendar is filled with guitar lessons, ball practice, birthday parties, school trips... fun times! I spend my days folding clothes, sweeping, and sneaking some time to dip my paint brush in a little paint (that is only after all children are delivered to the proper places). I can say that I am very content and thank God for this opportunity to be a full time mom. I'm thankful for a husband that bears the full load of providing for our family. The other day tears welled up in my eyes and I was overwhelmed by the fact that I was simply able to take Ethan's lunch box to school because he had left it in the back seat. That might seem silly but there was a day and time when I could not have done that, and I am just so thankful that I don't have to juggle too many hats like a lot of moms do. Can I say the word THANKFUL enough?! You know what else I'm thankful for... a smoke free husband. I have been praying for him to quit for, well, the whole time I have been with him (started dating him in 1996). He hasn't smoked in 2 months now. How did he do it, you ask? Well open your Bibles to James 5:16. All he did was confess his sin to our church small group then he was showered with prayer and scripture, God did the rest. AMAZING! ...His praise will be continually on my lips Ps. 34:1