Birthday Fun

This is the year I went over the hill. I remember when I was a student in late middle school, some leaders from my church asked all the students to come to youth group dressed in all black for us to celebrate Jeff Holeman’s 40th birthday. This is maybe when I first became aware of the tradition of “over the hill”, “Lordy Lordy Jeff is 40”, seeing gravestone markers for candles…Then again in my late 20s I remember being invited to a surprise 40th birthday party for my boss…somehow putting into my mind that when one turns 40, that is truly the big one. One for the books!

So here I am, rolling on over the hill during this pandemic. Celebrating 40 years of life, breath in my lungs at home with my 4 beautiful babies. It was fun, sweet, special, relaxed, uneventful…except for the 46th president being inaugurated on the same day.

Steve made every little detail so special. No one dressed in black. No one put a gravestone marker on my cake. Just lots of sweetness. Here’s to 40!

Winshape Family Weekend

A few months ago we had the opportunity to get away for a family weekend sponsored by Winshape Camps. We literally decided a few hours earlier to go, as there was a last minute spot that opened up for us. We drove over to Berry College to the Winshape Retreat Center and experienced a retreat COVID-19 Style…families all masked up, socially distancing, but still able to get away and have a blast together. We got to choose from all types of activities and games as well as attend some worship sessions. This was the first time in almost 9 MONTHS that we got to experience corporate worship and it felt so good…strange, but so good! I’m not the biggest fan of singing with a mask on, but I’ll take it! The overall message from the weekend came from John 10:10.

“A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so they may have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way.” John 10:10 NIrV

In a year of things feeling like they never have before in my lifetime, what a reminder! Jesus came to give us life and He wants us to have it in the fullest possible way! He is our LIFEGIVER. Here are a few pictures of our weekend. Our family’s favorite activity was the late night Amazing Race.

Family Church

Last August, our pastor encouraged us to find new habits for our family in the coming months knowing that our church would not be gathering through the end of the year due to concerns over COVID-19. So, we started what we call “Family Church.” Our kids range in age from 5 to 13 so we set this up as a 10-15 minute time frame on Saturday mornings after breakfast. It hasn’t been perfect by any means but I have to tell you that it has been incredible! We only wish we would have started sooner! We show up in our PJs with Bibles, notebooks or notecards…our 5 year old brings a white board or coloring page, and we end with a challenge to each memorize a scripture verse by the next Saturday. After our kids memorized their first 5 verses we took them on a trip to Five Below…which led to the purchase of a yoga ball by one child…which led to another child bouncing off of it and getting a broken arm! All from starting Family Church! But hey, some things are worth it! One of my favorite things we did was a Christmas study we found on RightNow Media called the Christmas Experience by Kyle Idleman. It was perfect for all of us with visual interest for the kids as well as great insight for me and Steve.

And now here we are second week of January, gearing up for spring sports and lots of other things that will demand our time and attention. My hope is our kids will see that we value time together as a family studying God’s word, putting Him first, and knowing this is our only source of truth and hope!

celebrating together

This month we celebrated one year of Steve being with Delta. “We” meaning all 6 of us as it has been a wonderful year and at times hard…but mostly wonderfully hard. Time goes by so slow and fast all together. The kids had a week off of school so we decided to take a little getaway to celebrate, rest, and remember. We are so thankful. We visited western NC and it couldn’t have been any better! Here are a few pics from our trip. 

An unexpected Summer of recovery

That’s exactly how I would describe our Summer up to this point. Don’t get me wrong…I have loved having all my babies home with me daily and our new little one that we added to the crew (who is now 3 months old as I write this post). The days of summer are so slow and the weeks are so fast. There has been lots of bickering and noise between the siblings. But also lots of smiles in the evening while running around the backyard trying to soak their daddy with the water hose. I love standing at the kitchen window and looking out when they are running with red sweaty faces laughing and squealing. There are also moments at the window when I have to knock on the window and scream, “Don’t do that!”, “No!”, “Stop being mean!” So, you know…that’s how it goes.

So, I knew I would need to recover from having Jade during the summer. Because of this, we didn’t have anything on our calendars. No trips to Mississippi. No family vacations. Our family time would be enjoyed here this year. And we have truly enjoyed it.

London had to have unexpected surgery to get her tonsils out, and then two weeks later, another unexpected emergency surgery because of complications of her first surgery. Whew! An unexpected afternoon and evening in the emergency room with my four babies. Not really on the summer agenda.

We’ve had a busted out back car windshield. Not really in the summer budget. As well as a dead fridge and freezer. Insert sad face here.

All these things…unexpected.

But in this season, this Summer, we have seen God’s hand of provision, protection, love, and grace like never before. His protection the day we had to go to the ER. His provision the day we lost our fridge. His hand on my sister as she was in a car accident. His love and grace in the moments when we were so overwhelmed with things that we would have drowned if not for GOD. His hope. His plans for us! So, I’ve told the kids…”We have had such an unexpected Summer!” and we have! But it has allowed for God to show up in unexpected ways to remind us He is with us. Nothing escapes his notice.

 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17

And this reminder from my 7 year old…

and a little peek at our newest 3 month old!

Knox Party of 6

Jade Elizabeth made her way into the world on Thursday, April 16 around 2pm. She is a perfect little miracle and we are so in love. I just realized as I was sitting to write this post that we have yet to take a picture of the 6 of us. Will have to do that one day soon! She was 7 pounds, 14 ounces and 20 inches long. She came super fast so labor was short. Steve and I had a quiet stay in the hospital. Exactly how he wanted it to be! She is a survivor for sure and can sleep through Graham’s drums, the girls arguing with each other, and Mom and Dad talking over (yelling!) everyone else to get attention! She gets passed around from kid to kid often as everyone wants their turn to hold her and kiss her and is a great sport about it. We are thankful for God’s perfect gift and know that He has special plans for her life.

Preparing for Jade

My sweet family gathered to celebrate this new life that is getting ready to join us! We had a fun lunch at the Swan Coach House with lots of fun little goodies to welcome Miss Jade Elizabeth. She should be here in just 3 short weeks and we are all excited to meet her and anticipating her arrival.

This Mundane Faithfulness blog

I’ve just been so emotional following this family’s blog and specifically this mom’s story. It’s worth a scroll through if you have time. Wow. We just simply forget that our days are numbered and God gives us our very breath and length of days. What are we doing with our health and days and loved ones? This story makes me feel so thankful and more aware of my time these days with these littles.

http://www.mundanefaithfulness.com

Spring is coming…

After all these snow days and trees and streets full of ice, weather that we’ve been watching from the inside…we had a gorgeous sunny 60 degree day today and it was WONDERFUL! I think the sun and hope of spring are some things that inspire me. This song has been in my head today.

I love not only the hope that the change of season brings, but what it represents in so many ways.

And as we at the Knox house anticipate Spring, we can’t wait to meet Jade Elizabeth! She is scheduled to arrive around April 16.

Word for the year

About this time last year, a friend of mine sent me a note saying that instead of making new year’s resolutions, they were going to pick a word for the year of some trait to work on or a goal to reach toward. Because I didn’t have any specific resolutions, I asked God if He had a word for me for 2014. After praying about it for a few days, it was clear to me. God gave me the word FAITH. I pushed back on that one as it sounded like it would be too hard of a word. I worried what would happen to me that would require that of me, but because it was so clear, I posted it on a board in my kitchen and have had it there all year. I

I have been challenged by this all year long in many ways…from Steve’s job change, to praying about adding another baby to our family, to finding out another baby is happening! Finding water all over our downstairs and ripping our house apart to repair it in the midst of Steve’s interview and training. Driving with the family through Atlanta and our transmission in our car going out. Trusting God with our finances during all of this. Talking to my kids about what it means. But it has been so sweet and I am so thankful that God shows up and that we can trust Him.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3

What about you? Do you think you have a WORD for 2015?