![\"\"](\"http:\/\/therealhousewife.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/prayer-retreat-002.jpg\" "\\"prayer")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Kelly-skinny.\u00a0 Ashley-pregnant.\u00a0 Mere-pregnant with twins.\u00a0 Andria-skinny.\u00a0 Carrie-pregnant.\u00a0 (Not that you pregnant ladies aren’t skinny, too!) :)<\/p>\n
6:20 am<\/p>\n
That’s what I have set my alarm for the past 4 days.<\/p>\n
6:20 am!<\/p>\n
Why?<\/p>\n
If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that I hate mornings and I am a NIGHT OWL!\u00a0 I love my quiet nights, and usually try to be in bed by 1 am!\u00a0 However, I’ve made a commitment to start acting like the mom…and not the child!<\/p>\n
I want to “Get up while it is still dark” as the Proverbs 31 woman does…<\/p>\n
…so as to not stress my 7-year old son out every morning.<\/p>\n
…to have a cup of coffee and allow it to kick in before I have to speak to anyone.<\/p>\n
…to spend quiet, alone time in prayer…reading God’s word and praying for my babies, my husband, my attitude, and the day!<\/p>\n
The only problem is that for the past 4 mornings I’ve peeled myself out of bed by 6:30 and every single morning I have been the FOURTH person awake!\u00a0 As in Brad, Preston, and Lilly Katherine are already up and going.\u00a0 By 6:30!\u00a0 Sam is also a morning-dog, unfortunately, so I guess that makes me the FIFTH person\/critter awake.\u00a0 AnnaLeigh is the only one in this house that will sleep past 7 (besides me!)…and she was up by 6:45 this morning. :(<\/p>\n
It’s just impossible to get up before my people get up, so that’s no longer my goal.\u00a0 I just can’t get up earlier than they do…and I won’t!\u00a0 (unless I have to)\u00a0 However, I have found that I can go make my coffee and then hide from all of them.\u00a0 It’s been wonderful.\u00a0 I take my coffee and go sit in the floor of my not-so-big closet and read and pray.\u00a0 The only one that seems to have found me so far is SAM!\u00a0 He sits at the door and sniffs and smells because he knows I’m hiding.\u00a0 If I were to try to sit on my bed or in our kitchen, I would be “MOM” and not be able to think, pray, or read.<\/p>\n
SO, where is all of this coming from?\u00a0 Why do I suddenly want to wake up early?<\/p>\n
Priorities!<\/p>\n
I spent Friday night and Saturday morning at a Women’s Prayer Retreat with about 40 other women from our church.\u00a0 It was a wonderful opportunity to get away from the craziness of life and refocus on the things that are important.\u00a0 Most of our weekend was spent outside, surrounded by the beautiful nature that our Lord created.\u00a0 It was nice to relax, hear the sounds, see the beautiful backdrop the Lord painted, like the lake and the trees and the birds…and not worry that someone was about to fall into the lake or needed a sippy cup or needed to go to the bathroom or needed a spankin’!\u00a0 It was nice to be “Kate” and not “mom” for a few hours.\u00a0 However, it was so good to see those little maniacs when I got home!<\/p>\n
At the retreat I had time to think about my life, my priorities, my children, my wonderful husband, how truly blessed I am, and how little love and appreciation I’m showing to the Giver of Life!\u00a0 I had time to think about what needs to change in my life.\u00a0 SO MANY things need to change, but it has to start with something simple.\u00a0 Basic.<\/p>\n
I need to go to bed at night!<\/p>\n
I need to get off the stinkin’ computer and GO TO BED!<\/p>\n
I need to get up in the morning in time to think about my day and my priorities.<\/p>\n
I want to “get up while it is still dark,” despite how that thought nauseates me!\u00a0 However, for my family’s sake, I am going to do it.\u00a0 I have to!<\/p>\n
Why am I blogging about this?\u00a0 Why does this matter to you?<\/p>\n
Well, I may not be posting quite as often as I would like, and I’ve decided that my recipe posts will probably have fewer pics.\u00a0 I am NOT the Pioneer Woman.\u00a0 I don’t know how she does it!\u00a0 I figure you guys know how to mix ingredients at this point, so I will probably only be posting pictures that seem necessary.\u00a0 I love to post pics, and will continue to do so.\u00a0 Just maybe not EVERY SINGLE STEP.<\/p>\n
Which reminds me that I have so many recipes to post and this may make it happen a little quicker.<\/p>\n
.<\/p>\n
I did take a few pics of our prayer retreat.\u00a0 If you have the opportunity to get away from LIFE and spend some quiet time in prayer alone or with a group of people, DO IT!\u00a0 It’s so refreshing and so necessary, and we are called to do so!<\/p>\n
Here are a few pics from the retreat.\u00a0 Thank you to all the women who worked hard to put it together!\u00a0 It was a wonderful weekend.\u00a0 Can we do it again…next weekend?<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Kelly-skinny.\u00a0 Ashley-pregnant.\u00a0 Mere-pregnant with twins.\u00a0 Andria-skinny.\u00a0 Carrie-pregnant.\u00a0 (Not that you pregnant ladies aren’t skinny, too!) :)<\/p>\n