Memories

Last night I decided to back up our photos and videos to the external hard drive.  3 hours and a box of tissue later, it was finally done.

These kiddos are growing up way too fast!  To see Ty's little 2 year old face while he is shaking it to the music, or Allie's precious gibberish as she's twirling in her new tutu.  And of course, Eli, being too sweet for words... Too cute! (It won't let me upload the videos???)

It made me realize just how fast these years are flying by.  "The days are long, but the years short." Is that how the quote goes?

Looking at those videos made me want to video every moment of the day.  I thought I remembered what it was like to have a 3 year old and 1 year old in the house...  My how I've forgotten so much of the cuteness!

God has blessed me with so much.  My husband and all four of my babies are precious gifts!  Each one of them make me smile, laugh, and cry in the most amazing way.  HE is refining me through them.  Every day, through being a wife and mother, HE teaches me something new.  And hopefully those lessons bring me closer to HIM.

Thank God His mercy is new every morning!  Because heaven knows I fail, so often.  Only through HIS grace and mercy am I able to start fresh each morning. These precious gifts forgive me so easily.  I stumble and fail every hour.  I am impatient, snippy, make snide comments, expect too much and raise my voice too often.  And these sweet gifts, they quickly forgive and forget.  They give me second chances, when I selfishly expect them to do it right the first time.

Photo Credit to Proverbs 31 Ministries

But that's the amazing thing about grace...  HE showers us with it constantly.  HE gives us exactly what we need, when we need it.  All we have to do is accept it, live it. Pretty amazing really.  HIS love is perfect, and we are supposed to imitate that.

And that's what I try to do every single day.  It's not easy.  Reality isn't always that easy.  Maggie's death made me realize that in a very new and fresh way.  I'm reminded every day when I long to kiss her sweet face and snuggle her in my arms.

This isn't our home.  I look forward to seeing that precious little saint!  Oh how I miss her.  But I'm going to do my best to savor each and every moment I have here on earth, glorifying HIS name and doing my best to imitate HIS love.

Photo Credit to LifeWay