It's Friday Friends!

Can't believe my crazy week of being ALONE with the kids went by so fast, and so without a hitch! Before my husband left bright and early last Saturday morning I had been struggling in my inner woman with my kids..... letting their frustrations frustrate me. Not good for a week alone with the kids, and one in which they'd be joining me at the office more often than not. So I knew I had to repent of my selfish attitude and change my perspective fast! Thankfully, the Lord changed my heart, and the kids and I had a great week while the hubs was in Alabama for the NANC/ACBC Conference!

And it's once again time for my High Five for Friday post, linking up with The Lauren Elizabeth!

1. I've had a heart for Biblical Counseling since my senior year of college. God opened my eyes to the sufficiency of His Word through an Apologetics course with Dr. Christopher (info for the BBC alum who are readers), and the counseling and theology courses I took over the next few years with Dr. Kevin Carson and Dr. Wayne Slusser, and others as I completed my Master's Degree in Biblical Counseling dramatically changed my life and perspective. The Holy Spirit made something click in my brain that never had before. The Gospel literally changes everything, starting with my heart, and He instilled in me a passion for women and girls to know God's Word and to let it change them that has yet to quiet down. Chris has a similar passion (although not aimed at girls in particular as mine is;) and I was excited when he was given the opportunity to go to this year's NANC (National Association of Nouthetic Counseling) Conference. It was somewhat of a historic event as they changed the name of NANC To ACBC (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors), and he was honored to be there for the decision. We have plans to work on our certification over the next year. We both have all the training completed, and just need to test and be observed. I've been counseling girls and women in our church's Biblical Counseling Ministry for the last 6 years, so it will be nice to have that certification completed! I love that he was able to go and be inspired and have fellowship with one of our pastors the head of our counseling ministry!

2.  You already know all about the little lady's 3rd Birthday Bash, but did you know my little man helped make the cup cakes? Can I just squeeze him? He asked if he could help. He loves his little sis so much!

3.  This isn't the greatest pic, but post party I turned her big '3' made out of Instagram pics into a heart for her room. I love having some new pics up in her room for her to enjoy!

4. While the hubs was gone I tried to get the kids out and enjoy the incredible weather we've had over the last week.... it's finally starting to feel a bit like fall! I caught this pretty pic along a local river and it had an almost magical feel to it. They both are growing so fast and they love taking bike rides. I'm gonna need to get my own soon to keep up with them!

They got to come with me a few times to work with this week and I made sure to get them out to the park for a mid day lunch break. This little lady loves to swing! 

She also enjoys a good ride through the car wash. (That makes my week sound fascinating huh :) 

5. And then there was this..... how on earth could I make them stay in their own bed when daddy was gone. It was a camp out with mommy this week! 

All in all I hada  great time this week hanging with the kids and snagging some extra time with them. Thank you Lord for changing my perspective and allowing me to enjoy this beautiful season of life! 

The Little Lady's 3rd Birthday

Call us weird but we probably won't throw huge birthday parties for our kids every year. So far we've done parties on their 1st and 3rd Birthdays, but just a simple family gathering for their 2nd and 4th.

Families have different traditions and I for one love birthdays. It's a day to celebrate the entrance into this world of the ones I love. And my children are some of my favorite people to celebrate. So their birthdays are a big deal. But I also know the depths of depravity in my heart and my own desire for others to celebrate ME.... and I want my children to be loved and celebrated.... but not expect it as my own heart can sometimes do.

How on earth do you find that balance in teaching your kids?!

We're working through that. But not having HUGE parties every year is one way we're trying to flesh that out.

This year though was the 3rd Birthday for our little lady and we wanted to throw her a little shebang. She has literally been talking about her party since at least March (when her big brother had his last Birthday) and she had pretty high hopes for a 3 year old. We tried to make it a fun time for her and even got to spread out the celebration over two days since her actual birthday was on Friday and her party was on Saturday.

So I left work a little early and we did some running around. She wore her new tutu from Grandma Perry and I'm pretty sure she felt very dressed up. Look at that grin!

Daddy treated her to her first rose and a little balloon. That was the icing on her cake. Pretty special stuff.

Then we spent the evening at Aunt Brittany and Uncle Matt's house to eat a pizza dinner, sing her Happy Birthday (she sang along!), open 1 present (a special outfit for her party from Aunt Britt) and watch the much anticipated Jake the Pirate MOVIE that Brittany DVR'd for the kids.

Obviously they were entranced. And I think it was a good day for her.

However Saturday was her PaRtY! (And let's face it.... that's what she's been waiting for all these months).

Chris had to leave to go out of town on Saturday morning for the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors Conference in Alabama and the decision to go was a bit last minute, so I was left to party prep by myself. Thank you Connor for coming over and helping out. I never would have gotten it all done without you! As I was going through my phone I found this lovely little creation that the Birthday Girl made! Ha! Love it! 

My sister found some pretty Martha Stewart party decorations on a recent trip to the JC Penny Home store. I had no idea they carried that line and their sale prices weren't bad. The Birthday Girl requested Strawberry Cupcakes for her party so I made the same recipe I used for her 1st Birthday party from Sprinkles Cupcakes. They always turn out so good! 

I got Instagram pictures of the little lady printed up at Walgreens (did you know they print them in 4x4?!) and made this big '3' on the wall. Afterwards I took them down and made a heart on her bedroom wall with them. I love looking back at all the fun photos from her 3 years of life! So many good memories for both her and I. It amazes me what she remembers! 

Next check out these grins. She is so hard to photograph. The girl won't sit still. But she was SO happy! 

And of course present time. Her friends were so kind and each brought a sweet gift for her. Lots of new coloring books and 3 baby dolls! Look at the open mouth. She was pretty excited to have her very own Tangled dress and doll. (it's been a favorite movie for awhile)

Bad picture (girl doesn't stop moving!), but she was pretty pleased. 

All in all I think her party was a success! I did forget to get a group picture. I just realized that. Bummer. Wish I had one of all her friends. 

That evening I took the kids (by myself!) to see the new Monster's University movie at our little discount theater. We barely squeezed in... nabbing two of the last seats in the house. The little lady sat on my lap the whole time (squeezing her Boo doll I might add that she had just opened!) and had such fun. 

They've only been to 2 other movies.... both with their aunt Britt, so it was a fun new experience for me taking them. And my little man said to me on the way out, 'Mom, that was fun!' So it was a good night in my book. 

All in all, we got to celebrate our favorite little girl and the 3 years God has blessed us with allowing her to be a part of our family. It still blows me away sometimes when I consider the privilege it is to be her mom and the grace God shows us in allowing us these relationships. I'm tearing up even now just thinking about it, the light in her eyes, her fierce little spirit, her spunk and song in her step. It all blows me away, that God allows me to be a part of her life and loans her to us with the responsibility of raising her for His glory..... it's big stuff and my heart is so full. 

We love you our Little Lady! 

It's Christmas Time!

Welcome to Christmas at the Perry House. Yes. I mean you.  :)

Christmas is in full swing around here. The tree is up and decorated, complete with presents! My Nutcracker collection is out and hopes to grow this year. (Chris has been giving me one most every year since we got married... SO sweet. I got to play Clara when I was 11 and have loved it ever since!) My small nativity scene is out and Joseph's head got glued back on after it's unfortunate incident last year. Whoops! The mistletoe is hung and has been put to good use (while the kids were turned the other way of course!)! I made my Pinterest project and turned my summer time tomato cage into a lit up Christmas Tree on our front lawn! We have a beautiful doorway surrounded by the garland we got last year on sale 75% off hung around the door! (LOVE those sales! I've been waiting all year to hang it!) Stockings are up! Oh my... we even made Christmas cookies last week and took them to a few places near where I work. So fun. I love this time of year. I love watching my kids eyes as we go out into the living room every morning and they see the tree all lit up. They get excited EVERY morning! I love driving around looking at Christmas lights and drinking hot cocoa. I turn into a little kid again, all giddy and excited about my presents. Yes. I love presents. Presents are a big deal in my family. They are fun. I like giving them more than receiving. But receiving them is fun too.... I won't deny that. I'm really excited for my present this year.... I'll reveal it after Christmas. Let's just say that I have big plans for my living room.



All of these things are so fun. And I don't want them to be a distraction for my own heart or my kids' hearts... I want them to be a street sign, pointing them to the reason for the season. We've been teaching our Little Man about Jesus this year. I meant to do an Advent calendar, but never got around to making one. I'm putting that on my to do list for early January to prep for next year. I'm serious. I want to be preapred! But for this year (my kids are only 1 and 2) I'm settling for just taking about it. Telling the story, over and over again. That the star represents the star that lit up when Jesus was born. Jesus.... our God who became flesh to save us from our sins. It's created some great conversation opportunities with Landon to tell him the gospel.



The other day I was gently reminding Landon to obey. His response: "I don't want to obey!" Oh my.... so I explained to him that his desire to NOT obey was exactly the reason that Jesus came at Christmas. In our hearts we fight against God, so he had to send Jesus to earth to live a perfect life, and become the perfect sacrifice, dying to pay for our sins. I cried. Little Man looked at me gently and started to obey. I think that maybe, just maybe, he's starting to get it. He's only 2, so he has a ways to go. I hope that we can continue having these conversarions.



Last week at church our pastor was teaching through a Christmas series and was focusing on Joseph but he pointed out Matthew 1:21--where the angel was speaking to Joseph. The angel made it clear who Jesus would be. "She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Those words have just been ringing in my mind for the last week and a half. "For he will save his people from their sins". He will save his people form their sins. That was the whole reason Jesus was born as the sweet little baby, to save his people from their sins.



I loved this post I read today on Desiring God by Rachel Jankovic called Of Kids and Christmas. And I so agree with her. ENJOY Christmas and all it's craziness. Stay up late making cookies. Give your kids presents. Decorate. Decorate. Decorate. But let it all point to the reason why we do it all. Let your traditions in your family point your kids to Jesus. He is the one who came to save them from their sins.