To Those Not Pictured


The irony in a Mother's Day picture like this one is that the most influential contributors to my motherhood are not even pictured! Those would be God and my husband, as well as my own mom. Years I spent at God's feet, asking for children. Look at how He's answered! These kids are far from what I imagined in terms of personality, and also I had No Idea what I was getting myself into with parenting in general. God knew that. But when I see this photo, I see myriad answered prayers. Thank you, God! God is still giving me grace and strength each day. I pray He will turn my messy efforts into something beautiful one day.

Josh is the one who snapped this photo. And the other 5 before it. Truth be told, he could have kept going! I know we're not the only family who can't get a decent photo the first time. He's also the one who helps keep my sanity when, by 8:30pm, I'm about to lose it. He's an excellent putter-to-bedder, the best jungle gym and airplane ride giver, and a decent squabble-breaker-upper. I'm so thankful for Josh, who helped make me a mother, and who is still beside me, hoisting me up every now and then so I can see hope over the side of the trenches.

My mom gave of herself in so many ways to bring me up in the Lord. I'm so thankful for her, and for her love to me over the years. When I get tired I think of what she must have endured, working a full-time job and then parenting by herself all the time. God was faithful to her, and her example is an encouragement to my weary soul.

And now for some fun facts about the above picture, just to keep it real.
1.  Josh did Eden's hair today. Are you impressed?
2. The hand I have so sweetly placed on Eden's knee is my desperate attempt to keep her dress down! She kept insisting it be hiked up.
3.  This was the only photo in which Seth was not giving bunny ears to someone. Which probably explains his crooked angle. Noah had just pushed his hand down back there.
4.  I have a cold, and didn't want a picture in the first place, but now I'm so glad we did!


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