Allison Norman

I hope when they look back on their childhood they smile. From dino wresting to summer fun these are the good ol’ days! We’re also officially at 235 hours outside this year out of 1,000 hours outside! ☀️

Jesus really showed us what it meant to break generational cycles, and do better. Jesus was born from real humans with real generations that had real pasts. His family tree was dysfunctional at best. David is in Jesus’s family tree, and he had some struggles for sure. David committed adultery, and then he got his mistress’s husband killed when he found out his mistress was pregnant. Like what. And that’s just one story. There are so many stories like that in Jesus’s family history. Clearly David made some poor choices. Yet Jesus still came from his family line. That just goes to show that it doesn’t matter where you come from or what your past is. God can and will still use you for good. Your life and your story are not over just because you made some poor choices. The gospel isn’t just for the rich, well behaved, loyal, or pure people. The gospel is quite literally for everyone. The gospel is for the dishonest, the misfits, the cheaters, the addicted, and the impure. Nobody is too far gone or too bad for the love and mercy of Jesus. There is room at the table with Jesus for everyone. He welcomes you to come despite your past or family history.

We went strawberry picking this morning! Love being able to make memories with my sweet kiddos ♥️

I just finished watching The Secrets of Hillsong on Hulu, and it was fascinating. I also watched the Duggar documentary (can you tell I’m kidless for a few days? 😅) recently. Between both of those documentaries it’s a no wonder some people don’t want anything to do with church/Christianity. It makes me sad that people have experienced that kind of stuff wrapped up in the name of Christianity. It also makes me sad that some people choose to stay in these environments that are so unhealthy. Obviously we are only seeing what the docs show, and not a true real peek into these churches/organizations. If you’ve watched either of these documentaries I would love to hear your thoughts! If you’ve ever went to a church and had a horrible experience I am sorry. Church can be messy because it’s full of humans who make mistakes, but it should never be a place of fear, shame, lies, abuse…etc. Wherever you are on your journey in life I hope you know that you are loved without a doubt by a God who created you so wonderfully.

Today is offically her last day! She has grown so much, and I’m so happy to have had a front seat to all the growth! ♥️ It’s crazy to look at the first day photos and last day photos, and physically see the growth!

We are on our last week of school! It’s letter Z week so we celebrated the last week with a zoo trip, and a fun train ride! Neither kids have ever been on any sort of train so they were both nervous at first and reached for each other’s hand ♥️ These moments and memories are what brings me so much joy! Thankful to be able to experience so much with them both! 🦓

Happy Memorial Day! Thankful for the brave men and women who serve our country, and especially thinking of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Thinking of their families and friends today as well. Always remember freedom is never free 🇺🇸

The very best day celebrating Memorial Day and the Indy 500! We are so thankful for friends and family, and good weather! ♥️☀️🏁

The magic of childhood. Today was full of little moments that really felt magical. So simple, yet so connected. We spent the day baking muffins and brownies together, and the kids made trains out of blocks. They played with their “trains” for over an hour together. We ate lunch and dinner outside, and then the kids played a game of dino chase. There was nothing extraordinary about today, yet it felt like one of our best days. Thankful for this day that felt like everything I’ve hoped for ♥️

Our peonies have started blooming! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ These flowers always amaze me. They’re so beautiful, delicate, and dramatic. They take awhile to bloom, and then they’re breathtaking! If only they lasted for so much longer 💕

We spent day the day at IMS for the Indy 500 qualifying races! It was the perfect weather, and the kiddos had a blast! So thankful for spontaneous days like today ♥️

Please send me all your tips/suggestions…etc. My fam and I are literally getting some sort of sickness every 3-4 weeks. It’s exhausting and defeating. We all had RSV 6 weeks ago, then kids got a minor cold 3 weeks ago, and today I tested positive for strep throat. Thankfully no one else in my fam has signs of strep, but it’s been miserable. On the bright side I am super thankful for all the rest I’ve been able to get today!

This season of motherhood is definitely one of the hardest, but that doesn’t take away how much I love them. I didn’t grow up dreaming of being a mom like many. For the longest time I didn’t even want to be a mom let alone a stay-at-home mom. Motherhood has so many hills. So much climbing, hard work, and endurance needed, and yet so many moments that are like rolling down a hill-easy breezy that just feel like fun. I know there will be lots of posts today about how amazing motherhood is and how it’s everything they dreamed of, and that’s great! But it’s also okay if you don’t love every single moment of motherhood. It can be hard to love every minute when your coworker is screaming at you everyday 😅 I’m grateful the Lord chose me to be their mama. I’m grateful He chose to change my mind about kids and motherhood. Even in the thick of it I can choose gratitude. Through the tantrums and screaming my weakness as a mother and human can be an opportunity to look to Jesus for strength. His power and strength can be seen through my weaknesses, and I hope my kiddos get to see that. They say motherhood can change you, and I truly believe that. Motherhood has had a way of pushing me to prayer faster than anything else. Motherhood has changed me and I’m grateful for it. Thankful for these little humans that call me mama ♥️

After 2 weeks off from school we are back at it! We only have 4 more weeks left of our first year of preschool!

We got home super late last night. Kids didn’t go to bed until 11pm, and thankfully slept in until 8:30. Our schedules are so wonky now, but I’m thankful to be home. Home is my haven. I’ve got endless laundry, endless coffee, and endless cleaning today. Even when I’m really tired and just want to sit and do nothing I’m reminded why I work so hard. Breaks and rest are absolutely necessary, and I’ll preach on taking mental health days and rest all day. However I also believe in working hard as if you’re working for the Lord. Even the smallest things that seem so mundane can be a way of serving your family and God. Wiping the table, folding laundry, vacuuming floors…etc. Work hard at it all as if you are working for the Lord. Do it well, and not halfway.