Welcome to "Life with the Maxies"! Kyle likes to think of it as "Maxie Madness". We live in Hattiesburg and are the proud parents of Kolt Allen who is 19 months and Kylee Jo who just recently turned one month old. Kyle is the head baseball coach at PCS and I am a first grade teacher at Earl Travillion Attendance Center. We attend Venture Church and are so happy that God chose to lead us there! We are so thankful for all of the many blessings God has bestowed upon us and pray that He can use us to be His light for others to see Him.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Guilty or Not Guilty? A working mom's guilt

    To all the guilt-ridden mommies out there. I feel you. 110% feel you. As a "teacher-mommy" I've felt the guilt creep back up on me the last two weeks. Even more so tonight when I was unpacking the groceries my husband bought. Why would groceries bring on guilt? Because it was Lunchables, fruit cups, Gogurts, and other lunchbox goodies. My heart hurt at the thought of me packing their lunch boxes for another lunch not at home. 
But you know what? When I was starting to take that guilt trip, God reminded me of a few things. 

1. I'm working to help contribute to being able to provide for my babies. My husband coaches & I teach. Unless he gets a call from the bigs to coach, I'll keep my day job. 
2. God gave me a calling. While I wont be there to give them hugs before their naps and smiles when they wake up, I'm giving hugs and smiles to other kids that need them. Since I was little all I ever wanted to be was a teacher. I love the quote (roughly) "I hope when I stand before God I can say that I used all of the talent He gave me." And I truly hope that. 
3. While that guilt tries to sneak up it is often crushed by the sound of goldfish being poured on the carpet, cups of water being dumped out of the tub, or screams over who's cup is which. (Those were just before lunch..I'll leave the rest for your imagination.) Don't get me wrong, I love being home with my two toddlers but man, the days have been long lately! (I commend you ladies that do it!) I don't think God called me to be a SAHM. At least not during this season of life. 

    As a product of 2 hardworking parents, one a teacher with summers off & one a Fire Marshall that could be called out at any moment, the result is appreciation. I now know the struggle of late nights and early mornings with others depending on you. I'm not scarred from having working parents and don't remember any time of "neglect" due to their commitments.

    So whether you're a teacher with summers off, a hairstylist with a different schedule each week, or a heart surgeon that could be called out at any moment. don't let that guilt sneak up on you. God created us all for a purpose. Some of our purposes are for us to be SAHM while others are split between being a working mommy. Now, go change the world mommies! (Or diapers, whichever happens to come first!) 
"Wash me clean from my GUILT. Wash me from my sins." Psalms 51:2

Monday, July 25, 2016

Life With The Maxies...we're back!

   Well, it has been over a year since my last blog post. I have always had a passion for writing and my blog allowed me to do just that. However, “Life with the Maxies” has definitely been happening over the last year!

Here is a quick summary of all of us:

Kyle: This last school year finished up his fourth year at PCS. His baseball team finished as conference champs! (Go Bobcats!)
He will graduate with his Master’s degree from University of Miami this December. (YAY!)
He is about to head into Junior High football season. (I know, it’s crazy. I just got my husband back and I’m losing him again! “For the love of the game…”)
Kyle has become a Deacon at Venture and serves in the North Venue every Sunday. I love being able to serve beside him!

Julia: As of next Monday I will enter my fourth year (wow!) at Earl Travillion Attendance Center.
Last year I was appointed as our school’s PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention System) chair. I will continue with that this year as well.
This past Sunday I wrapped up leading my Summer Growth Group, which was a great experience. I also serve with Kyle in the North Venue on Sundays.
One BIG thing I started this summer was 3 day a week, 6 a.m. workouts at Versus. I have fallen back in love with working out. I LOVE being able to see results! Hopefully (fingers crossed I can keep it up during the school year—5 a.m. classes…yikes!)

Kolt: Both kids have stayed with me all summer and I have loved having this time with them. Kolt will begin Pre-Kindergarten (3 yr. olds) this August. He will go three times a week half a day. We are so excited for him to enter this exciting chapter of his life. He also wants to play a type of sport this fall. We’re thinking Soccer but not quite sure yet. He continues to have a passion for all things baseball and hunting (I wonder where he gets it from?). Kolt attended his first Bible School “by himself” this summer (really with Mrs. Jill). He learned so much and REALLY enjoyed his time on stage at the end of the week.

Kylee Jo: This summer Kylee Jo (Sissy) turned TWO this summer and has become much more verbal and can definitely stand her own ground (not that she ever has too). She loves to play with her baby dolls and must always have her (pretend) cell phone and sunglasses. Currently, she is in a very independent stage, wanting to do everything all by herself. We can already see that she loves to be a “little mama” and take care of everyone and everything. We love seeing her little personality come to life.

    I really cannot believe the summer is already over. Where did the time go? The kids and I made frequent trips to visit daddy at his baseball field (mainly so we could just get out of the house). Of course we made several weekly trips to Kyle’s grandparents for us to look at the cows, pick berries, play in the kiddie pool, and just run around outside. We made one trip over the Fourth of July to my grandparent’s house in Albertville, AL. So many sweet and fun memories were made as well as a couple of sleepless nights for this mommy! Also during July we loved being able to attend and volunteer during “Summer Experience” (Bible School) at Venture. We have only been able to make it to the library once this summer but plan to go back this Thursday. The kids and I have enjoyed going to get snow cones and slushies to cool off after being out and about in the heat.

    As summer once again comes to a close like it always does, I can only pray. I am trying my best to take my study of “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World” to heart. I’ve already looked at mine and Kyle’s planners for the next few weeks. Crazy doesn’t even begin to describe them. (Especially since I know there will be so many more things added to them with time.) I pray that God helps me take it all in stride. I pray that I will go to Him when I am weary and I will allow Him to give me rest. I pray for my husband as he takes on just as much (okay, really more than I do) as me in the next few weeks. Somehow he never lets the stress get to him or he doesn’t let it show quite like I do. I pray for Kolt as we let him into the world for the first time. I pray for us as parents. That we have prepared him enough. I pray for Kylee Jo as she has less time with her brother during the week and she makes all of her adjustments with ease.

    Even with summer coming to an end I do love the season of fall. Pumpkin patch (my favorite), trick or treating, cooler weather (sometimes), hunting, and I think that’s it. Oh yeah, one more thing. FOOTBALL SEASON! (I already have Alabama’s schedule in my planner. Who can blame me?! ROLL TIDE!) I can’t wait to attend different football games and go tailgating with friends this fall.
“And suddenly you know…it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings.”


“Don’t be afraid for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10