For everything, there is a season.

Doesn't it always seem like once you have something figured out, it changes on ya? I've been a full-time stay-at-home-mommy for over six months now. It took some adjusting, ironing, and finagling, but in the last six months things we developed quite a system. Then, something happened...it's called summer, friends. I found out the first week hour of summer vacation that having three (soon four) children at home all day with no structure, no plan, and no clue what I was going to do about it could potentially (and quickly) throw me into a box of Oreos a day. However, I'm keeping faith here, people! A few weeks ago I looked at this as a challenge, but now I see that it's an awesome opportunity!

• It's an opportunity to gain some new skills that I never had time for when I was working - namely hands-on kid projects (and, ahem, tolerating the heat...we're still working on that one).
• It's an opportunity to meet other moms at kids' activities.
• It's an opportunity for my children to meet new friends as we venture out for summer activities.
• It's an opportunity for me to constantly put TRUST in Jesus that I can take three (soon four) children out in public without the help of my hubby and come back home unscathed. 
• It's an opportunity for me to spend more quality time with each one of the kids - enjoying each of their personalities and interests without the interruption of school work and school schedules.
• It gives me more opportunities to teach them about grace each day.
• It's an opportunity for me (and our whole family) to show Christian love to more people - through service and outreach - because we have more opportunities to do so during these months.
• It's an opportunity to play with them without the strict regimen of daily schedules and bedtimes set in stone. 

So, though it's totally different than any life I've had with the kids in the past, different is definitely good. With the addition of a new little one, there are sure to be more changes and challenges still, but sure enough, those opportunities will be revealed as well when we come to them! Thank you, Lord for this work, this lot, and these opportunities to be enjoyed! 

²² So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?