In my home, I have tried to create an atmosphere that not only welcomes friends and family, but also speaks to my children on a daily basis.  One of my goals as a mother, is to raise children that know they are wanted and that they belong!  I've heard Dr. Phil make a statement that children should feel like they've won the mom and dad lottery, and I like that.  Even further, I'd rather they feel that they've won the family lottery!

There are many ways to show a child that they are wanted.  One option is through the walls of your home, so today I'm giving you a peek into some of the things I've been "telling" my kids.  PLUS, I figured it's about time for another GIVEAWAY, so stay tuned!

YOU BELONG! I took a silly picture of our family, edited it to say "When I count my blessings, I count you twice", framed it and set it in our entryway.  I doubt my kids stop and think about it at this age, but I hope it is sending a message to them for the future - You belong!  You are wanted!
The "Welcome to the zoo!" is one of my favorites and sums up how life at our house feels most days.  It brings a little comic relief when I wade through the backpacks, coats, hats, gloves, bats, footballs, helmets, shoes, boots, bags of garbage that still need to go out, lunchboxes, wet socks and... well, you get the picture!  [Image]

In our dining room, I added a saying I bought through Uppercase Living (by the way, did I mention a GIVEAWAY?).  "Together is a wonderful place to be" is now posted below pictures of our four kids.  I'd like to add a picture of Tim and I yet.  The plate on the table is one that Amy and I enjoy adding messages to with a dry erase pen.  We change it with the different seasons of weather... or life.

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Another way I've been telling my kids they belong is so simple, fun, and rather popular right now.  Each child has their names on their bedroom walls.

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I found the letters at Hobby Lobby and spray painted them.  Tyler's letters are my favorite size, but since I'm a tightwad and the letters cost $9 a piece , I decided to go with his nickname instead.

Amy has her name in her room as well.

GOD LOVES YOU! Above all else, I never want my children to forget that they are special in God's eyes and that He loves them!  I never want them to lose sight of the fact that we are here to bring glory to Him!  
I've talked before about using page protectors to post chore charts, etc around the house for the kids.  I also use the protectors to post verses for the children in different areas of our home (including the shower).  That's how they learned the books of the Bible and continue to learn different memory verses.
I also hung this favorite in our entryway:
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and just recently added this to the mirror in the kids' bathroom:

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It's a little difficult to see.  I wish I would have ordered it in white.  But, I love it!  It says "You are fearfully and wonderfully made" and I bought it through Uppercase Living as well (let's see, have I mentioned a GIVEAWAY?  I thought I did... hmmm..).

As my kids get closer and closer to teen years, I want to reinforce in their brains that they were made in the image of God.  I always want them to believe and know that they are special in God's eyes and no matter what the world tells us about how we should look or what we should be, we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  In God's eyes, we are just right!

Now, if you only glanced at that picture, please go back and gaze at it a little while longer.  I know, I know... now you'll notice the streaks and fuzzies left by the paper towel, but look anyway.  Why?  Because for that little peek into our bathroom, I had to clean the mirror, wipe down the counter, put toothbrushes away, scrape dried toothpaste globs out of the sink, gather the trash, change the light bulb, hunt for another light bulb, steal a light bulb from another lamp, add "light bulbs" to my grocery list, climb on the counter to replace the light bulb, kneel down in the hallway at just the right angle to get just the right picture... and then cropped most of the picture off.

Whew!

So please, give the picture the time and attention it deserves!  :)

LIVE JOYFULLY!
There is enough in life to keep us down, so another message I am trying to send my children is to live life joyfully.  Here are a couple (sometimes humorous) ways I've done that:

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So, what's your message?  How are you telling your family they are wanted and that they belong?  I love hearing from you, and look forward to getting more ideas!

Now, I'd like you to meet Elisha Day.  Elisha sells Uppercase Living products, and is the one who helped me design some of the expressions for my home.  I loved her willingness to help and her ideas.  If you are interested in finding wall expressions for her home, visit her here!  Her online catalog has so many ideas for your home and I can't wait to add more to the walls of our house soon!

Better yet, Elisha has given me not one, but TWO $15 gift certificates to GIVEAWAY here on Walking on Water!  

[Image] So, how about it?
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* The giveaway ends on Monday, October 3rd at 10AM.
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Have a great day!



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Imitation By Design
Rise Above Your Limits 

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