The Front lines

Parenting is definitely the most difficult job that some of us will endure and I can just say

if parenting were a war, I'm on the Front Lines. When you have little ones the parenting is physically exhausting, yes? Can I get an Amen?! And that is met with it's own challenges but as your sweet darlings get older the exhaustion changes to one of a mental exhaustion. Between, trying to be there for them in the hurts and growing pains of life and then parenting them through the attitudes and body changes that are occurring, it is enough to make us want to give up, cry, scream or send them off to boarding school. Just kidding, kinda:-0

But fear not, my momma didn't raise no quitter!

My children are thrilled!

I've heard lots of quotes on parenting lately. I heard an expert on the Today show talking about how if your teen is giving lots of resistance and strife in EVERY situation, that is their way of pushing away and detaching themselves from you. Some children are more connected to you than others, therefore, they have to push away more often and harder-this kinda made sense for our family and was comforting to me, to some degree.

I also have heard (and use as my mantra), If parenting is easy than you must not be doing it

right! This I do believe is on a case by case, child by child basis. But right now, we are hitting a high score on parenting the teenager of the house;-)

Our church has just kicked off a Devoted Hearts and Homes series and boy, it is exactly what we need here in the Evans family. It is helping us to devote ourselves to becoming intentional about our prayer life and our spiritual life. I totally believe in prayer and the power of it- but it's hard to tell that from my daily life. In examining why my prayer life has taken a turn, God made me aware of distractions- does anyone else have those?

Facebook........TV.......Nate Berkus........E-mail...........Volunteer work..........XMRadio.....Blog Reading(this one just hurts) ..........

If it weren't for these distractions my prayer life would be right on track. So, over the next 12o days we have been challenged to the 7-5-2 method of prayer.

Pray 7 days a week

Pray 5 days with your family

Pray 2 days with your Spouse or some other special person

I recently heard someone say that they are pretty much in constant conversation with God(Tim Tebow) and when I heard that, I remembered a time, not very long ago, that I felt the

same way about my prayer life. I talked to God constantly when I was a new Mom, to

little people who didn't talk to me. I

want that again- and I hope that over the

next few months I will get that back.

If I have ever need prayer it is now, parenting a teenager and covering him in

the protection that only God can give.

Time flies when you're having fun!

While I was not blogging, we celebrated a few milestones in our family!

We had some very "Big" birthdays in 2011.

My sweet Kendra started it off, entering into the double digits, with her 10th Birthday in September. We celebrated it up big time with a trip to The American Girl Store in Dallas, with her BFF who also just turned 10! We had bought an auction item from the school auction that included a shopping spree, the doll Kailani, all of her accessories and an overnight at the Westin Galleria- across from THE store. It was so fun and I have to say, I think I had as much fun as the birthday girls!

Trey then ushered us all into a new phase called, the Teen Years! Lord help me! He turned 13 in October and has been growing, literally, like a weed ever since! He opted out of having a big 13th birthday party and instead we took 7 friends to the Texans Game and had a tailgate. It was a ton of fun! The teen years, not so much, but this too shall pass and until then I just keep my eyes on the main goal!

I finished up the milestones with a big birthday as well. I turned the big 4-0 in November. To celebrate we went to the Wine Country! It was beautiful and such an fun trip. We went with the Komeshaks- they were our unofficial Wine Country guides! It was really nice to have someone that was able to show us the ropes. I learned so much about wine. I also learned that when you go to the wine country you don't drink anything but wine- obvious to most, not to me! I needed my Diet Coke! I truly did not see a Diet Coke or anything other than water or wine that entire trip- except when I went up to a limo driver and offered to buy a Diet Coke from him(yes, I did!) He had one and he didn't make me pay- YEA ME!

This picture was taken at Tamber Bey Estate. I will write an entire post on this trip at a later date- because it was so special.

My Sweet husband also surprised me with a dinner party at our very favorite mexican food restaurant. It was a very fun time with family and friends.

Me and my Mom! I guess I have her to Thank for this Birthday;-)!

This whole turning 40 thing is behind me and now I can focus on what I want to accomplish in this next decade of life. I am working on my 40 for 40 and I will blog about it very soon.

Thanks for letting me play catch-up- Time DOES fly, when you're having fun!