What we can learn from a spider

Please note: this post does discuss spiders. However, don’t just grimace and turn away – I promise this won’t scare you (and there are no pictures).

 

As most of you know, Aleynah is a bug collector. To be more specific: Mom is the bug catcher, killer, and poster, and Aleynah proudly shows “her” collection. However, I am ok with this as it helps me to learn about the creepy crawlies and reminds me there are some creatures we don’t need to be THAT afraid of. I recently found another (and yes, I say ANOTHER) giant wolf spider for Aleynah’s collection. This time however, this eight-legged arachnid was a mommy. She had hundreds of little spiderlings on her back. As I was observing her in the large clear plastic container at my work station, I began to be more curious about this mommy and her babies. As I gathered information, some of which I knew and some that was new, a few things really stuck out to me as a mother and provider for my family.
 
First, wolf spiders are very protective of their egg sacks. Most will carry their sacks with them in order to keep it protected. If mom does leave the sack, it is not for a long time and she returns to it quickly and is fierce to defend it. When the spiderlings hatch, they climb onto mommy’s back and stay there for several weeks. They feed off the eggs and yolk of their eggs for those few weeks. They go everywhere mommy goes. One of the coolest things is that if one of those little ones fall off, she will stop and wait until it gets back on before she continues her travels. What a great mom! Wouldn’t it be awesome if all moms were that way? Whenever our child falls, we are there to pick them up. We don’t just say “get up”, but we stop what we are doing to wait and make sure they are safe before we continue on. I think this is what God does for us. We fall sometimes, sometimes really hard. He doesn’t just say “get up and catch up”, but he stops and waits patiently for us to get back on top. He loves and cares for us individually. If one falls, he will patiently wait for our return.
 
Some other things I found interesting about the spider is that they have large obvious eyes (8 in fact) that help them to see. However, the eyes do not move about like ours do. If they want to see things in different directions, they move their body so they can see better. Wow! These spiders are ever watchful. They take action to see what is around them. They have eyes everywhere, but they need to move to use them properly. Isn’t this how we should be? We need to use our eyes to be ever watchful and to see what is around ourselve and our families. We also need to move. We cannot have blinders on or think that we or our family is protected from the world just because we are there. We need to move around and use our eyes to see what is surrounding us if we want to keep our family safe.

Wolf spiders bite only out of defense; if provoked and prodded. We should be as careful. We need to be slow to be offended and be careful not to offend. There are times in our lives where we need to bite, but only if absolutely necessary. We need to make sure that our family is our focus and if we do so, we have lessened our desire to be so quick to bite.

Camouflage is how a wolf spider protects itself against their enemies. Oh what we could learn from a spider. If we are modest in our clothing, honest in our dealings, and have integrity our camouflage will help protect us from the evils that lurk in the world. I am not saying this is a sure thing, because as we know, spiders can be caught. However, if we are using our camouflage in the best way we can, this will help up live a happier life.    

I love that wolf spiders spend the most part of their lives engaged in hunting and working tenaciously at being parents. They spend most of their life providing for their family and caring for them with all of their might. As parents we have a responsibility to care for our families. We are to provide for them financially, mentally, spiritually, physically, and in all ways to help them to learn and grow and be law abiding citizens. We should wear out our lives making sure they are loved and cared for in a way no other can do.

Finally, wolf spiders are territorial, they do not spin webs, and they are one of the fasted runners among spiders (up to 2 feet per second). They are watchful and protective of their family and home, they do not let things hold them back, and they are active and do not wait for someone to come to them. They seek out what they need. What application this has to our lives! We should ever be watchful of our family and home. We are the leaders in our homes and we need to watch to make sure it has all the protection we can provide for it, for our families sake. We need not build webs, or things that will hold us back. We are in charge of our life and our choices. We need to make the kind of choices for ourselves and our families that will not have consequences to follow us and keep holding us back. We need to be actively searching the good. Actively seeking the best things will bring us happiness and joy, not only to ourselves, but to our families as well.

 

 

Many Changes

We have come through many changes recently. We have moved into a new townhouse, we have seen Kendrah graduate and register for college, have watched mommy become a student again, and have been grateful for the many blessings the Lord sees fit to bestow upon us. We may not have all the things we want, but we are blessed with all the things we need. The tender mercies of God are special to behold!

I don't know who actually readys our posts....I guess it doesn't matter. I look back on them with memories of things that have happened and am grateful we have somewhere that I have put things down. I am not a great journal writer and so this sort of serves as that for me.

It is now November, just before Thanksgiving, and there are many things on my mind. A few things are 'poor me' kind of things, most are not. In a lot of ways I wish my life were different, but I am so thankful that I have one (a life) and that I have three beautiful daughters to share it with. I wouldn't trade that for the world!

I realize it has been a while since I have written anything, but that should not surprise anyone! We have been busy with finishing up school and taking a family vacation. Kendrah and I spent two weeks in Washington and Meikah and Aleynah will spend a few more so they can go to girls camp with their friends. It was so nice to visit with family and friends! We were fortunate to spend some time with the Parsons family, the Drake family and the Stanger family, as well as visit with many others. We also enjoyed some lazy days (and some not so lazy days) with family. Kendrah was able to visit with her best girl friends, as well as attend a dear friends wedding in Westport. Meikah has been enjoying time with all of her best buds (most of them guys) while she attended the 8th grade promotion party, 8th grade trip to Wild Waves, a pool party, etc. Aleynah hasn't cared what she could do as long as she was with her best friend Hannah.

Washington is a striking difference from Oklahoma. I know that is a no brainer, but for us it is like being in two different countries. There are things to like (or love) about both places and there are things we dislike. There are some things that are better for some in Washington, and some things better in Oklahoma. It feels like we have a home in two places. On Sunday I was telling a friend that I wish I could find a happy medium. A place where the sun shines, the snow comes, the air is fresh, and the activities are abundant. This mom's happy medium would also include independent wealth so I wouldn't have to work and can spend the whole day with my children. Imagine the things we could explore and do if I didn't have to work! Oh well. I will have to find my medium around what the necessities are.

I really miss Meikah and Aleynah! This will be the longest that I will be away from them and it is very hard. Sure, the conviences of texting, phones, and email help bridge the gap, but it just isn't the same as having my fun-loving, giggly girls surrounding me. Kendrah is home with me, and I am relearning how to spend my time with this wonderful (nearly adult) woman who I can watch "big girl" movies with. I love my responsibility as a mom. I would rather be with these three ladies than with anyone else in the world. They are my lifeline to eternity.

I feel blessed to have so many wonderful friends in our lives to help and support us. Although moving would not be my choice of things to regularly do, I think about all of the friends we make as we have done so. I appreciate those who have supported our little family in various ways. Sometimes the simplest smile is a support. It is a curve that reminds you that someone thought of you. I know that might sound strange, but it is hard to smile at someone without thinking of them, and sometimes a thought is all you need.

Meikah and some of the 'guys' at Wild Waves

Hannah and Aleynah

Kendrah on her old school tire swing

Aleynah and Jacob (can you tell they are related :))

The girls and Jacob

Aleynah's snake skin

Aleynah, Oliver 5, and Meikah were going to crash!!

Aleynah getting ready for the outdoor movie

Dallin, Mason, Aleynah, Kendrah, Grandma, and Meikah at the Sweater Park in Redmond

Guess Who!!

I am very grateful for the blessings the Lord has given to me. Family, friends, life, and health are among the greatest. I am blessed to know of the gospel and to be able to have the conviction to live it every day of my life. My commitment to the Lord is more than a Sunday activity. I know He requires much of me, and I also know as I follow Him, I will be blessed. I have trusted in Him and hope he can trust in me also.

Yearbook

I am not a very good blogger. I hear stories of people that blog every day, or even every week. I have trouble doing it every few months! I have a goal to get better at it.....I just have to do it.

The girls are in the process of doing their yearbook for home school. We decided it would be fun to put one together. We have class photos, yearbook staff, school staff, activities, sports, band, and all kinds of other fun things. We are excited about it. At least I am....

I realized that I will have an 8th grader and two high school students next year. Wow-wee! They each have a summer reading assignment and although they are not excited about it, are willing to do it.

We have some new family pets. Aleynah now has a turtle (caught in the wild by her grandma, and ok to keep) who is swimming in the pool in the backyard. She and Meikah also have some baby frogs they caught in Sister C. Wagner's pond. Aleynah is still collecting bugs and is having fun with that. Meikah is still drawing like crazy. She has done some pretty amazing things lately. If you haven't seen them, check out her facebook and they are there. Kendrah is getting excited about looking for a job. After she gets back from Washington she will start looking. She will be babysitting a few days a week for a friend of ours, but she also wants to get a 'regular' job. She is getting very excited about some career opportunities. I am busy with all aspects of life and am looking forward to a little time off to spend with family and friends when we go up to Washington.

Alright, that is all I can do now.....more to come later.....I promise!

Oh, here is a picture of our Relay for Life team! Go team Lifesavors!! (Meikah designed the shirts)

Enjoying the Thunder

It's that time of year again when we have summer weather in spring and we begin the thunder and lightening storms. It is a little surprising when it wakes you up in the middle of the night, but there is something fun about it too.

News from our neck of the woods. Kendrah is graduating early and will begin taking some college classes next spring. Meikah is a drawing maniac and has a special place in her heart for the Once-ler from the Lorax. Aleynah has some new pets which include triops, a pregnant sowbug, a millipede, a fish, and a toad named lumpy! I am greatly enjoying having my grandparents here for a visit and am enjoying all the time I can with them.

More later!!

More Pictures

My zoo animals!!