Two weeks ago tomorrow Matt and I joined our lives and our children’s lives in the presence of God, our friends and family we took our vows and entered the covenant to love and cherish each other forever. We began this chapter of our lives with our eyes wide open, we are fully aware that with combining our 5 kids into one family under one roof there will be challenging days and many trials we must face. We know that this will not be easy but we are not looking for easy. God brought Matt and I together for a reason and we have the assurance of God’s love and promises. We will do our best to keep God in the center of our love, the center of our family and home, He will lead us and guide us, God is going to equip us and prepare us to handle and survive and rejoice all of life’s trials and blessings. God is bigger than any problem we will ever have.

Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

Psalm 16:8
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

The last two weeks has been wonderful and exciting and so busy as we have all moved under one roof. The kids are settling in and adjusting well but it has not been without chaos. Overall everything has going quite smoothly no major conflicts or drama, kids have really adjusted well so far, not one child has been complaining about having to make any changes. I am very proud of each and everyone of our children and how well they have been doing.

All is well as we have settled into our little summer routine, Matt and I go off to work everyday and the kids stay at home with their Uncle Raymond. Noah is off to summer school during the day. I am already looking forward to our family dinnertime conversation each day. The other night at dinner we went around the table giving the kids turns to name the 10 commandments in order and then we discussed each commandment and what it meant to follow it. What a great reminder this meal time talk was for all of us.

This step of our journey finds us focusing on the 10 commandments and laying a solid foundation in all of their little hearts. Reflecting on these I see how I have really been neglecting this with our children. It is our responsibility and duty as parents to teach them the commandments and show them how to follow the commandments everyday.

Deuteronomy 11:18-21
“Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

If we as parents can successfully teach the commandments to our children, place them in their minds and hearts, then as they grow and walk farther and farther from our home they will have them in their heart, we lay the foundation and plant the seeds and pray to God that the Holy Spirit guides them and grows them into faithful followers of Christ.

“Heavenly Father,

Thank you so much for joining our families to unite as one with You in the center leading and guiding us. You are so great and mighty. Thank You for Your love and grace in our lives. Please give Matt and I strength, wisdom and courage to be the parents You made us to be. We are not here at this point in our lives by accident or chance, this is Your will and You have a purpose and plan for us.

Please give Matt and I the words, knowledge and patience we need to continue to lay the foundation of Your commandments in the hearts of our children. I pray Your protection over all of them, over Joshua, Tyler, Emily, Noah and Richard, protect their bodies, minds, souls and hearts. I pray for their salvation that they keep You in their heart and grow to be godly people and those around them can see the light of Your love through them.

In Jesus name I pray ~ Amen”