SuperHero Fever

Last night, we sat down with the kids and watched SuperHero videos on YouTube. It was their first exposure to the classic Superman, Batman, Robin, and the defense of good on behalf of the universe. As I greeted Jacob this morning, I couldn't help but notice his outfit of solid blue T-shirt, blue pajama pants, and blue socks with a hole in one of them. His first words to me were, "I'm Superman today and tomorrow I'm going to be Batman!" Clearly, "superhero fever" has overtaken our house. This was evidenced in the parade of Superheroes down the hallway as I called my children for breakfast. First, Jake the Superman, came flying down the hall. Next came Savannah the BatGirl prancing along on tippytoes as only a BatGirl can. Last, but definitely not the least, marched Elijah with a stuffed animal stuck under his red pajama shirt. In his deepest superhero voice, he was bellowing, "Ho,ho ho, Mewwy Cwistmas!"

Mini Rescue Hero

Just in case you happen to be under a pile of falling sticks and you were wondering who would save you, Elijah has declared that "I am a wittle reckue hewo, and I will save da beple that have sticks falling on dem". But be forewarned that he might also poke you with a very sharp toothpick. Like he said, "I am a reckue hewo, and I will boke you with my sword."

Christmas at the Parsonage

Last night we hosted a huge Christmas party for our church family here at our home. Jacob, Savannah, and Eli helped us clean the house on Saturday in preparation. Savannah was so excited about the party; we realized we had neglected to tell the kids that they were going to be at church for AWANA during the party time. But I hastened to assure them (especially Savannah) that there would still be a little party left when they got home. Sure enough, the party was a blow-out success. Everybody brought tons of food, and we had a great time of fellowshipping, eating, singing, and remembering the Reason for the season. Chris brought the kids back home after AWANA. The party was still going strong. As soon as Elijah walked through the door, he saw all these people all over his house. Quickly assessing the situation, he walked straight up to a lady holding a plate of food in her hands and demanded, "Why are ya'll eating our food?!"
Ha, ha, ha! Everybody got a good laugh out of that one, and Savannah and Jacob ate M&M's and cookies to their hearts' content. Elijah and Seth pigged out on apple slices and snowflake crackers. And there are plenty of leftovers to go around!

Baking Delight

Since I was so graciously asked to share cookie recipes, I'll give you the one for Peppermint Cookies. I cut this recipe out of a magazine - and boy, is it good!

Peppermint Cookies
2/3 c. shortening
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. crushed peppermint candy
In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars; beat in egg. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in the candy. Drop by teaspoonsful onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 10-12 min. or until cookie edges just begin to brown. Yields 3 1/2 dozen.

To make these cookies Elijah-proof (egg-free), just substitute the egg with 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 1/2 Tbsp. oil, and 1 1/2 Tbsp. water. Mix these together in a little bowl and then use in place of the egg.

My family loves these cookies! And they're not even mad that I had to use every one of the real candy canes hanging on the Christmas tree to make them...

Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays

I just poured fruit punch down my ear. I was trying to get the very last sip out of the travel coffee mug (filled with fruit punch, not coffee), and I poured it down my ear. It does take a lot of talent to pull that off; and you know, I am talented that way! Now I need to wash my hair while I re-evaluate my next speech to the kids when they spill their cups...
I'm sure ya'll have heard about the controversy of whether or not we as Christians should patronize places of business that refuse to say, "Merry Christmas", choosing instead to use the ubiquitous saying, "Happy Holidays" so they won't offend the minority of their customers. It doesn't bother me a whole lot if a store says one thing or another; don't get mad yet, let me explain. When I meet someone who doesn't know Jesus, I understand that he will act in a manner that reflects his lack of relationship with Jesus. I know that he needs a heart change before his lifestyle will be genuinely changed. The same with the world...I expect the world to act like the world. I am supposed to be the light, not the retail store. I am supposed to be spreading the good news of Jesus' birth, not the grocery store. I am supposed to understand the reason for the season; I don't expect the industries to understand. If I want to impact my culture, it starts with me. And you. And my church. And your church. It starts with the body of Christ - not demanding stores to say, "Merry Christmas", but with us saying, "Merry Christmas - hey, do you know why we celebrate Christmas? I'd love to invite you to our church's cantata! In your personal opinion, what do you understand it takes for a person to go to heaven?" If we say that to our neighbors, friends, co-workers, employees, I bet that would make a bigger impact than if the K-Mart checkout girl mumbled, "Thanks for shopping, have a nice day, merry christmas..."
p.s. Here's a cute video along this subject...

Elf Dance

My kids have been practicing on a holiday dance that they would like to share with you. Just click the link and you will be able to see them in all their glory!
My Children's Elf Dance

Christmas Cookies

The Christmas baking starts today. Ever since I was a little girl, making cookies has been an integral part of celebrating Christmas. And let me tell you, we don't make just 2 or 3 kinds of cookies. Oh, no. At the least, we make 10-12 different kinds of cookies. At the least! Half the fun of baking the cookies is going through the stack of recipe cards beforehand trying to figure out which ones we are going to make. There's the sentimental cookies, "Grandma cookies" (pizzelles); the decadent cookies, Hello Dolly bars (which as a kid I could never understand why my mom cut them into such little pieces - give me a big piece of pure sugar!); the classic cookies, molasses double deckers; the cookies the children make, thumbprint cookies and cookie cutter cookies; the favorite cookies, oatmeal raisin; the coconut cookies, Santa's beards; the allergy-free cookies, date pinwheels; the new kinds to try, peppermint cookies and eggnog logs; the cookie press Holly Wreaths; and I didn't even mention the cherry mocha balls, lemon snowflakes, and the apple leather yet!
Today was the peppermint cookie day. It was so much fun to turn on some Christmas music and start mixing up the batter. Little Eli wandered into the kitchen and kept me company by telling me how much he loves cookies and by licking the beater "helping". By the end of the cookie making, all of the kids had found their way to the kitchen and were rubbing their fingers on the counter looking for any dropped sugar or crushed candy cane powder!
Traditions are so important to celebrating the holidays. It doesn't matter if it's a big tradition (like making all these so many cookies), or a little tradition (like drinking hot chocolate on Christmas eve). Every little bit has a part in making this the most exciting part of the year for the children, heck, even for me! It's the traditions that I remember when I think back to my childhood, and it's what I want my children to remember when they are all grown up.

Brain Splat

I've been cooking a mess of greens, so the house stinks. But the greens taste good, and there's aplenty to freeze for later... Our calendar for December is top-heavy. It seems like everybody wants to get their event over with/out of the way in the beginning of December so that our schedules won't be too busy the closer it gets to Christmas. So that means that we're running around trying to make it to every event by the skin of our teeth up through the 16th. But after that, it's just white snow on the calendar... anybody wanna do something then?! I've gotten so busy, that I can't think straight - so I've taken to making a list of the things I need to do that are out of my normal routine (I mean, really, it's hard to ignore the floor to ceiling laundry pile, but I just might forget to sew the new patches on the AWANA vests). Me, the unorganized and anti-list girl, has a notebook with a half a dozen very important lists going on in it. I remind myself of my Grandpa who used to carry a little notebook in his shirt pocket; he called it his "brains". Yep, I feel like my notebook is where my brains have gone splat.
I miss blogging on here more frequently. I will try to post more often. What with surfing for freebies and soy milk coupons, and trying to get the best fantasy football players in order, and making my picks for the Yahoo! Pro Football Pick 'em (which by the way, until last week, I was ranked #9 in my state, and #22 in the Fans of Dallas - but now I'm trying to get back up there because I made bad picks last week), it's been hard to find a spare moment to blog. But now that the greens are all cooked and I've established that there are no soy milk coupons currently available online, my blog is beckoning me to come and splat a few braincells on it...
(By the way, I have been keeping up with reading ya'll's blogs, and DE Reviews is hosting a giveaway this week that I really hope to win. So ya'll don't go signing up for it now, b/c that prize has my name all over it! Just kidding...you really should check it out!)

Party Hardy

Whew! We just completed a whirlwind weekend which included 5 separate parties. We partied at a birthday party, Chuck E. Cheese party, Christmas party, surprise 40th birthday party, and a church fellowship after the Hanging of the Greens service. Needless to say, we got the kids tucked in bed tonight as fast as we could, and now we are collapsed on the couch catching our breath and planning to zone out for a few hours while we watch some mind-numbing football (ha ha)! This was the first time our kids have been to Chuck E. Cheese, and let me tell you, there were stars in their eyes as we walked into the place. We were there for four hours! Even Seth loved riding on the carousel and the Bob the Builder tractor ride. Elijah was so excited to be drinking Coke - I usually don't let him drink caffeine, but hey, it was a PARTY, and he couldn't eat the pizza! There is one of those booths at Chuck E. Cheese that you can try to cram as many people in as possible and then the booth draws a picture of everyone, so I thought it would be neat to get one of all the kids. The bench to sit on in the booth is too low for little kids, so we told them to sit on their knees. Eli decided to stand, and then he started leaning, and leaning, and leaning, and he leaned Savannah almost out of the picture!

Time for a Wardrobe Update

I am wearing a blue sweater today. As I am cutting Jacob's toenails, he is staring at my sweater. Finally, he says, "Did that sweater used to be Grandma-Great's?" "Uh, no,... why do you ask? Does she have one that looks like this?" (It's been a year since he's seen Grandma-Great, how could he remember what her sweaters look like?) Jake replies, "I don't think she does, but I'm just imagining that it would look really nice on her. It looks like a sweater that Grandma-Great would wear." Hmmm. I love Grandma-Great, and I think she dresses nicely, but I'm not so sure that I want to look like her at this particular stage in my life. "Jacob, does that mean that you like my sweater, or don't like my sweater?" "Oh, I like it." Yeah, see if I ever wear it again!

Giving Thanks

I am so thankful for all the blessings God has given me this year - and I don't even deserve them: a loving husband, sweet children, nice house, pretty clothes, yummy food, good friends, praying church, a vehicle the whole family fits in, and all the extra perks that make life easier and more enjoyable. God is good - all the time. "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (2 Thessalonians 5:18)."

GO COWBOYS!!

Smarty Pants

We were driving home late one evening. At the red light, we pulled up next to a K-9 unit sheriff patrol car. Chris and I thought it would be educational to point this out to Jacob. Chris said, "Hey, Jacob, I think there's a police dog in that car. What do you think his name is?" (The dog's name was written on the passenger window.) "How do you know there's a dog in there?", Jacob asked. "Because the car has 'K-9' written on it. This dog's name is Alan. How do you think police dogs help police men?" "Umm, the police dogs can go in small places where the policemen can't reach?" I replied, "Yes, that's right. Policemen use their dogs to help smell for drugs, and to help catch the bad guys when they run too fast for the police, and when the police don't know where they are hiding." Jacob, very matter-of-factly, said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, everybody knows that. Police dogs' noses are highly sensitive instruments. That is one of their tools they use to help capture criminals. " After my eyes rolled around in my head about 5 times, Chris and I looked at each other. "Whose kid is this?!?"

*We found out that Jacob acquired his vast knowledge of police dogs from his Rescue Heroes movie. Thus proving that watching movies is an educational experience. Ha, ha!

Shake It Up!

Have a free Arby's milkshake! My favorite Arby's flavor is Jamocha, but you can get what you like...

Convention Paradise

Thank you to all who left a kind thought. We are doing much better. I still get tired easily, but hey, what's new about that?!

We just got back from our state denominational convention. We took all 4 kids with us... go ahead and call us crazy! We stayed on the 17th floor in the hotel; our room had a floor to ceiling, wall to wall window. Elijah woke up early both mornings just to stand at the window and watch all the tiny cars down below. Jacob, Savannah, and Eli all had backpacks filled with coloring books, crayons, toys, and snacks to help keep them quiet during the convention meetings. (There was no childcare provided - ugh!) All 4 of the kids were very well behaved. At the convention, there is a place called "paradise" (exhibit hall) for children. All manner of candy, stickers, lint brushes, jar lid openers, apples, water bottles, t-shirts, pens, pencils, post-it notes, key chains, flashlights, Hawaiian orchids, tote bags, bookmarks, and anything else a child could need or want were in full abundance just waiting to be given to us by smiling vendors. The exhibit hall was hands down the favorite place for Jacob, Savannah, Eli, Seth, and me! Of course, the actual convention was very interesting. Some important issues were discussed and voted on. My husband is even quoted in the Biblical Recorder! In my opinion, it is an honor and a big responsibility to be involved and knowledgable in my denomination. That way I can't complain if the denomination goes in a direction I don't like. I will know that I have done my best before God to remain Biblical in all things. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15)."

Little Star

Here is a copy of the e-mail my husband sent out this afternoon:

Hello friends,
As many of you know by now, we had some sad news in our home this week. Elisabeth and I were anticipating announcing in a few weeks that God had blessed us with another little one on the way. Elisabeth was nine weeks along in her pregnancy. But this past Tuesday night she unfortunately had a miscarriage. The baby's due date would have been June 10 (our anniversary).
Though we are quite saddened by our loss, we rejoice in the sovereignty and grace of our God and King. We understand that we may have more questions than answers at this time. But we are able to rest in His will and to even rejoice that He will use this trial to strengthen us and use us for His glory.
Many have asked me how Elisabeth is doing. She is doing very well. She still has some physical pain (it takes the body a few days to complete the process) but is emotionally and mentally strong in Christ. We thank all of you for your prayers and support.
In closing, I'll just share some personal words I penned as I thought about this little one who was with us for a very short time:

Little Star
TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR
Like a spark. Like a flash. You were here and then you were gone. A brief moment in time, only nine weeks long.
HOW I WONDER WHAT YOU ARE
Who were you? Who were you to be? A boy? A girl? A missionary personality? What was your strengths, weaknesses, and habits? Did you like dogs, cats or little bunny rabbits?
UP ABOVE THE WORLD SO HIGH, LIKE A DIAMOND IN THE SKY
You were here and we were waiting. Now you're up there anticipating. In the presence of a Mighty King. With your eternal family you now sing.
TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR
You forever shine bright, reflecting the Son. You are safe in the arms of the Sovereign One.
HOW I WONDER WHAT YOU ARE
I'll not forget and pondering won't cease. I'll walk by faith until the day we meet. The brief joy that we had cannot be replaced. Except by the moment we meet face to face.
Daddy and Mommy

Please Adjust Your TV Sets

After Jacob came back from his Upward basketball tryout this evening, he asked me, "Mommy, what channel will my basketball games be on for everyone to watch?"

*DE Reviews is giving away a Mommy Living the Dream T-shirt that I really hope I win!!

God Knows

We went out this afternoon to get our free tacos and go to Lifeway Store. Chris ran into Lifeway while the rest of us stayed in the van. While we were sitting there, Elijah noticed a man getting into the car parked next to us. "What is dat man's name?" "I don't know, Eli. Don't stare at him," I replied. Jacob piped up from the back seat, "God knows his name; why don't you ask Him?" Elijah takes a deep breath, "Dod?" Silence. Then Eli says, "Make Dod say 'What'!" I jump in - "Eli, we don't play God." More silence; Elijah is thinking. "Will Dod say 'What' in my head?" "Ummm...maybe, Eli." So - do you hear God when He speaks to you? Are you even listening for His voice? It may not be an audible voice, but a silent nudge in your spirit or conscience. Make sure you listen for Him, because He does and will speak to you. "At that moment, the Lord passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a Voice, a soft whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12)."

Angels

This morning, the children were asked in Sunday School to draw a picture of what they think an angel looks like. I was so impressed by what they drew that I had to show off their artwork.

By Elijah (age 2 1/2) Please note that the two orange things that look like ears are actually wings.

This one is by Savannah (age 4 1/2).

This is not one of the Flintstones. This is a sweet angel. The green cap is a halo.

By Jacob (age 6 1/2). Although he looks like a disciple, he is definitely an angel.


It is very interesting to read in the Bible about what angels look like. The majority of them in Scripture actually appear as men. There are no descriptions of angels as cherub babies flying around unclothed and playing harps. The word "angel" actually means "messenger". The angels in the Bible were messengers from God to people. One of my favorite stories about angels is in the Christmas story, where there were some shepherds minding their own business, watching over their sheep one night. "Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Don't be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.' (Luke 2:9-11)" I wish I could have been one of those shepherds...

Free Candy

I love to find a good bargain. I love to shop. And that means when I find a good bargain while I'm shopping, I'm one happy girl. Chris used to not really understand how fun it is for me to shop and find a good deal. So I explained to him, "You know the feeling you have when your favorite sports team blows out the other team? That's the kind of feeling I have when I find a really good deal. Like I made a touchdown!" So whenever he tells me lots of sports stats, I get to tell him lots of shopping stats. Like...how much money I saved him on certain purchases, how much certain food items are at various grocery stores, and how much total "value" I got for a small amount of money. The best deal I've gotten in a long time I got today. And, boy, was it fun! Here is a coupon so you can make a shopping touchdown, too! It's a coupon for K-Mart, for a free bag of candy - the good kind, like Reeses, Hershey's, KitKat, M&M's, and more. I know it works because I did it today. The expiration date is October 31st. Let me know what kind of candy you get, so I can help celebrate your great deal!

Don't Feed the Fish

We had company over for dinner last night. It was a couple that we recently found out lived in the same city as us - and we were so excited to get to visit with them! The lady had been in the youth group where Chris was youth pastor when we first were married. And we got the pleasure to meet her excellent choice of a husband! Of course, before the honored guests arrived, I went through the list of good behavior and manners with Jacob, Savannah, and Elijah. Apparently, I will have to add another rule to the list. We were sitting down at the table eating plates of spaghetti. Chris asked them how they met. Her husband got very smiley and began sharing the precious details of their first moments. Suddenly, the lady started to giggle and point behind my shoulder. I turned around to see, at the "kids" table, Savannah standing on the bench throwing bits of bread to the Elijah "fish" flopping on the floor. He was gobbling the bread along with bits of fuzz from the carpet with just his mouth! I've always said that I was going to make a list of things that I never thought I would have to tell my children, and I think I will start today... No feeding the fish!
"Let brotherly love continue. Don't neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it (Hebrews 13:1-2)."

Drowning Of Thirst

Somehow, in this drought-parched yard, our rose bush bloomed. Chris took Savannah outside this afternoon and picked the rose for her. She was thrilled, and we ceremoniously put it in a vase on the dining room table. About 30 minutes later, as I was cooking supper, I looked over to see her taking the rose out of the vase. She turned the rose upside down and started to cram it back into the vase. "Savannah, what are you doing?" I screeched. "My flower wants a drink," she calmly explained. "Savannah, roses and flowers drink from their stems." A brief pause. "Oh," she smiled sheepishly, and turned the rose right side up. Do you ever feel like that rose? Like you're thirsty for life-giving water, but you're not turned the right way to drink? Jesus says that if you drink from the water that He gives you, you will never get thirsty again. "In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life (John 4:7-15)." So turn to Jesus; He can change the drought in your heart into a well of life-giving water.

My Heart Is Full of My Family

I went to a retreat for "new" ministers' wives this weekend. It was a beautiful setting, wonderful weather, and excellent retreat. It was so encouraging to meet others of "me" from my same state that have similar situations and experiences. And the retreat content was very helpful, as well. I made some friendships that hopefully will continue long after this retreat is a distant memory.
Obviously if I was at a retreat, then Chris was home with the kids! When I walked back in the house after being gone for 26 hours, Chris was cramming dishes in the dishwasher at a reckless speed. "You came home too early! I didn't get this finished yet," he greeted me. Ha! "You've had 24 hours to load that dishwasher. Give me a hug!" Seth (age 1) was especially glad to see me. He had been looking for me all over the house the whole time I was gone.
I love my family. Even though it was nice to get away, it was even better to come home. Chris and I are such good friends that if he's not there with me, I really miss him. I mean, who else can I just look at when something funny happens and he will know exactly what I'm thinking? Even if it's not funny, but it strikes me funny, and he knows I think it's funny, even though it's not, he enjoys it with me (or maybe he thinks I'm funny when I think something's funny when it's not funny...). Hmm, I'll have to ask him.
One more story - Savannah's 13 yr. old cousin drew her a picture of a race car with chalk on our driveway. As soon as he finished the car, Savannah (age 4) picked up some chalk and added the window netting to his race car! You know you're a redneck if...your little daughter knows the finer details of a working race car.
"The older women are to ... teach what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and children (Titus 2:3-4)". I DO love my husband and children; and it is refreshing to sit under older ladies' teaching and have their encouragement in this.

Know-It-All

Chris and Jacob were having a discussion about something. Jacob was asking about something and finally Chris said, "Go ask Mommy; she knows everything." Jacob replied, "No, she doesn't know everything. She knows just enough to be a Mommy."
If you ask me, Jake's got a lot to learn!

Laughing Last, Laughing Best

I just have to say "Go Cowboys!!" Even with 5 interceptions and 1 fumble, the Dallas Cowboys still pulled out a win against the Buffalo Bills last night! Our rookie kicker, Nick Folk, (did you hear me say rookie?), kicked a 52 yard field goal with 2 seconds left in the game - and he made it (twice) - and we won!!! This is the first time since 1983 that the Cowboys have started off their season 5-0. It's a great day to be a Cowboy fan! Yeehaw!

Hair Slick

I will probably have to refill the prescription eczema ointment for Elijah this week. It comes in a large tub; this morning, there was still about an inch-worth left in the tub. Now the tub is empty. But, don't worry, if Seth had eczema on his head, it would be well treated.
That's because Elijah (who else) had an eczema ointment spree in his room this afternoon. (If you don't know what eczema ointment is, think medicated vaseline.) When I caught him, Eli had already spread a nice thick layer all over Seth's hair, the big stuffed horse, his bed and several toys. We had to be at church in 15 minutes, so I quickly gave both boys a bath - washing Eli's hair once and Seth's hair 4 times. Then I gave up and went to church. Later on this evening, we had to wash Seth's hair with dishwashing detergent - cuts the grease! It worked. I asked Eli why he put the cream on Seth's hair. Elijah replied, "Beduz I want him wook wike a man." So if you see any men with vaseline coated hair, could you please tell them they are a bad example for my son? "Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head,... (1 Samuel 10:1)"

I Saw A Crime

Within the span of 36 hours, I managed to ride in a car for 12 hours, leave all 4 kids for the first time overnight, participate in a conference, witness a crime in action, make 3 phone calls to 9-1-1, and step on my blueberry bagel with raspberry cream cheese.
Chris invited me to go with him to an evangelism conference; the plan was to drop the kids off at the grandparents' house which was on the way. We were driving late Sunday night (because we had to leave after church and the conference started at lunchtime on Monday). We had maybe half an hour left out of a 4 hour trip; it was around 11:30 pm or so. The kids were asleep in the van, and Chris and I were talking as we traveled down the highway. All of a sudden, we saw by the side of the road and into one lane, a person laying on the ground with a person standing over him. "Did you see that?" Chris quickly pulled over on the shoulder, and we saw a car with the door open. I got the cell phone and called 911. After I report what we saw, Chris saw one person walk across the road and get in the car. As the man drove off, Chris followed and got close enough to get the license plate and description of the car. I called 911 again and gave them the information in case they needed it. On the other side of the highway, 3 police cars flew screaming past. Chris followed the car (since we were heading that direction anyway). But whoever was in the car knew that we were onto him; he started driving erratically. First he sped up to try to lose us, then he slowed waaay down. After a few times of this, I called 911 again to report the erratic driver. We got to our exit, and Chris made sure we weren't being followed. We turned the police scanner on to see what was going on as soon as we got in the house. The dispatcher said that they had to ask the victim about what kind of weapon was used. And she said that the last contact about the suspect was at the exit I made the last phone call. She gave the same license number; then we knew that if we had not been there, the victim could have still been lying on the side of the road. I don't know if they caught the suspect or not; I hope so. This experience has strengthened my faith in God's sovereignty. God knew that we would be driving past that stretch of highway at that exact moment. Maybe the suspect and victim knew each other, maybe it was completely random, but whatever the situation, I hope they both realize God was at that crime scene. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good (Proverbs 15:3)."

Sitting in the Fast Lane

I needed to go to pick up some more laundry detergent at Target so that I could finish the week's laundry, so I volunteered to deposit the paycheck on my way. The credit union that we patronize is a block away from Target, so theoretically the trip should be relatively short. Theoretically. Ha! Our credit union is evidently very busy on Friday afternoons. All three of the drive-thru lanes were open. The lane with the fewest cars was the third one (farthest away from the building). Now, you would think that all the lanes would move along at a similar pace. But, no, it appears that the last drive-thru lane is the one that gets shafted during busy times. At least at this credit union, on this particular afternoon. I wait behind the car in front of me for about 8 minutes. Meanwhile the car who had been behind me when I turned into the credit union, but had chosen a different lane, is getting his receipt and pulling out of the parking lot. Finally, the car in front of me cranks up and leaves. I try to encourage myself by thinking, "Well, he probably took a long time because he was trying to do a difficult transaction that he should have gone inside for." I roll down my window and quickly put the check and deposit slip in the thingy and shoot it off through the tube. A voice crackles, "Hi, how are you?" I try to sound chipper and in a hurry, "I'm fine. How are you?" And then I sit. And change CD's. And surf radio stations. I watch the people taking turns at the ATM. I watch car after car in lanes 1 & 2 complete their business. I lean forward to try to peek through the credit union window to see if anyone is looking back at me. Maybe I could remind them I'm sitting here using all my gas up. I hope the car behind me doesn't think I am trying to do a difficult transaction that I should have gone inside for. I contemplate how much weight the thingy could hold and still whoosh through the tube into the credit union. I check to see if my fingernails are clean. I start feeling irritable and impatient. And then I remember one of the fruits of the Spirit is patience. And I start to calm down. And think about how busy the credit union ladies are. And how they are probably swamped with transactions. And if someone is going to have to be kept waiting, it might as well be someone who has the Spirit working patience in her life. Because then I can pray for the credit union ladies and not make nasty comments and hope that the day slows down for them. And in view of eternity, 10 extra minutes sitting in the credit union drive-thru isn't a whole lot of time.

Book Worms

Something that Chris and I used to do when we were first married was read a book together right before we went to bed. We've read different kinds of books, the last being a book on baby names when we were expecting our first. As babies started coming on the scene, our bedtime ritual was "out the window". Now, we grabbed every spare minute for sleep - and if we even tried to read a page or two, we'd fall asleep before we could finish. So now, 7 years after the last book, we are going to try to revive the book reading before bedtime tradition. (Chris just peaked over my shoulder and said that a couple of years ago we did read a book together; I don't remember.) So the book we are going to start is Captured by Grace by David Jeremiah. I have always enjoyed listening to his radio show, but have never read one of his books until now. If you would also like to read this book, Chris is giving one away on his blog. Just go to A18Mission and sign up. He's doing the drawing the middle of next week. I'd love it if a reader from my blog wins this book!

Sonly Mothering

I have had a cold for about a week now. This afternoon, while I was teaching Jacob math, I muttered, "My nose hurts." That instantly caught Jake's attention. "Does it hurt from picking?" NO, Jacob, I don't pick my nose. "Maybe it's bleeding because you bumped it on the wall." No, I didn't bump it and it's not bleeding. It hurts because I have a cold. "Ohhh, well breathe with your mouth then." Maybe he is listening...

Brain Blurbs

My shower time is when I think. Of course, I think other times, as well, but shower time is when my thoughts meander at will. And this morning, my thoughts thought these thinks.
"Yesterday I think I saw a headline somewhere about a political candidate saying that Americans are fatter and dumber than they used to be. Obviously as a nation, we are fatter because of all the obesity studies. (And do we really need these studies to tell us this?) So I wonder if we are dumber... I remember when we could buy used cars, now we buy pre-owned cars. Who are we fooling? And we used to eat at Kentucky Fried Chicken; now we eat at KFC because if we don't say the word 'fried' then it won't have negative health effects. And when I was in grade school, I used to want to be a secretary when I grew up. Now I would have to be an administrative assistant, because somehow the word 'secretary' is degrading and relegated to the female class. Despite the fact that 200 years ago, all secretaries were either men or a piece of furniture. And if I need to hoe the weeds in my garden, supposing I had a garden, I would not be able to call my hoe a hoe. I have to rely on studies that tell me that if I get less than 6 hours of sleep then I am not as productive as I could be, instead of realizing on my own that I am tired and need 8 hours of sleep to be well-rested. I have been brainwashed into thinking that certain brands are better than others, just because of the brand name, not because I have actually tried all the options to see for myself which one is better. We make sure that our math students have calculators because if they didn't have them they would have to actually figure out the math problem in their own brain. And hopefully I have spell check on my computer, or else I would have to learn to look words up in a dictionary (and probably remember how to spell them). At a meeting I recently attended, an overview of different education philosophies was presented. And whatever your thought of the actual philosophy is, one name struck me as funny - "unschooling". Isn't that an oxymoron? Homeschooling by unschooling? In the produce department at the grocery store, vegetables are proud of the fact that they are 100% fat free. And if I drink a Diet Coke, then I've canceled out the calories and fat grams from the Whopper I just ate. We get our daily exercise by spending lots of money on exercise equipment; at least the wallet got thinner. It would be healthier and cheaper to get fresh air by taking a walk. And speaking of 'cheap', it would be nicer to call something 'less expensive' rather than 'cheap' because 'less expensive' somehow gives the impression that quality has not been lost. Personally, I think 'less expensive' means 'it's still expensive, but not compared to that other product'. Thieves sue the stores they robbed because in their escape they were hurt by a security device in the store - and they win their lawsuits. We would rather believe that everything came from nothing rather than from an Intelligent Designer. Are we dumber than we used to be? Just a little..."
The book of Proverbs in the Bible is full of practical knowledge. In fact, it says, "The purpose of these proverbs is to teach people wisdom and discipline, and to help them understand wise sayings...These proverbs will make the simpleminded clever. They will give knowledge and purpose to young people...Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:2-7)." I hope I'm not getting dumber. Instead, I read Proverbs on a regular basis to help me think.
So if you can think of anything else to add to my thoughts, leave a comment...

Jinx

Tonight was the first night of Cub Scouts. Jacob was so excited all day about going tonight! At suppertime, we held hands during family prayer. Jacob's hands were sweaty, he was so excited! As he and Chris were walking out the door on the way to scouts, I had a flashback vision to carrying him in the house as a baby - fresh from the hospital's delivery room. I said to Chris, "It seems like just yesterday we brought him home from the hospital. And now he's going to his first scout meeting. Wow..." Chris replied, "And it won't be long before he is taking his own children to scouts." I start feeling quite sentimental. Jacob sticks his head out from the van, sensing that we're talking about him. He says, "My kids? Oh, yeah, when I have kids, they're going to be rowdy!" What??!! In stereo, Chris and I say, "I hope so!"

Two Tempting

In less than a week, Elijah has immortalized his legacy as a 2 year old. It seems as though his body senses he is quickly approaching 3 year old status (his birthday is in November). He appears to be set on a course that will make the most of every piece of mischief that finds him!
Several days ago, Eli walked into his bedroom clenching a crayon in his fist. I was busy taking care of Seth, so I told Eli, "Go put that crayon back on the table. Crayons have to stay in the dining room." (Not a new rule - they all know that one). As he strutted back down the hallway towards the dining room, I heard a very suspicious sound. As soon as I could, I checked the hallway wall; there are big bright purple scribbles all over the white wall! Kind of reminds me of the children's book, Harold and the Purple Crayon.
Yesterday, the sugar bowl was overlooked when the table was cleared from breakfast. Shortly before lunchtime, Chris and I walk into the dining room. There is Elijah, body stretched across the table, spoon in hand, wet sugar all over his face. His lips look like rock candy. As I carry him off to the sink to wash him off, he protests, "But I wike to eat da yalt (the salt)!"
And then today, (where are my brains? clearly they were lost during childbirth), Jacob and Savannah had some gum after lunch. Elijah asked for some, and since he asked so nicely and has recently learned how to chew it, I gave him a very small piece. About 20 minutes ago, he came to me with gum smeared in his hair. I ask him what happened. He tells me, "I nidn't want chew it anymore yo I pud it in my hair." Uh huh. I rack my brain (which obviously has serious deficiencies) for all the ideas I've ever read in parenting magazines on how to remove gum from hair. I come up with two ideas. The first is to rub peanut butter into the gum. Since Elijah is allergic to peanuts, I choose option 2. Rub a piece of ice on the imbedded gum. This hardens the gum and allows you to pull the hair off. I try this for a while. It appears this would be a good option if it were longer hair and if it were not a 2 year old boy trying to stand still. I give up and cut the gum out. Since his hair is already short, I hope it's not as noticable where I cut.
"It's like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up I put away childish things...All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely just as God knows me now. There are three things that will endure - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:11-13)."

Bushy-Tailed

Okay, what I want to know is this. How in the world can a little child wake up multiple times at night still get enough good sleep to be bright eyed and wide awake at 7 am?? That's one of the many amazing things about kids...and when their little eyes pop open in the morning, they are full of life and energy - ready to bounce out of bed and take on the day! Then there's me. I have gotten up multiple times during the night to give drinks, put kids back in bed (either because they fell out or tried to climb in bed with me), change leaky diapers, rub growing pained legs, and give comfort from the bad dreams. I wake up bleary-eyed at 7:30 am to the sounds of little voices who have already woken each other up and are busy playing with all the very noisy toys. One of them (namely Savannah) creeps into my room and tells me repeatedly and dramatically, "I'm hungry to death". Elijah comes in announcing, "I need a nighpah (diaper) nange (change)." While Seth adds his voice to the chorus by screeching from his crib. I stumble out of bed, slap my contacts in, and take a quick shower, hoping the hot water will wake me up. I emerge from the bedroom, bushy-tailed (not quite bright-eyed), in all my "mom" glory, ready to tackle the day...
P.S. I've never been a "morning" person, although having kids makes me be one. I've been attempting to get up earlier than they do so I can have personal quiet time and devotions before the day starts, but that depends on how many times I had to get up the night before (last night was 5 times - 3 for Seth, 2 for Eli).

Why Eli Has Allergies

I had to go through McDonald's drive-thru to get food for Eli before we met family at the restaurant. If you haven't figured out by now, Elijah has numerous allergies (dairy, egg, peanut, tree nut, cats, dogs, dust mites, mildew, penicillin, etc.). We have to be very diligent to make sure he doesn't get a hold of anything that will make him sick. We carry benadryl and an epi-pin with us in his backpack everywhere he goes. And we try to make sure that he has "yummy" food to eat, too, when he can't have what everyone else is eating. Hence the reason for the happy meal - plain hamburger, apple dippers without the dip, no fries and a Hi-C. And hopefully nothing in the bag has come in contact with any cheese in McD.'s kitchen!
At the "real" restaurant, my brother (who recently found out he's allergic to shellfish) asked, "I can understand why I have my allergy because God told the Israelites not to eat shellfish in the Bible, but why would God make someone allergic to food that He says is good to eat?" An excellent question which I didn't get to answer. So here's what I think... Back at creation, God made Adam and Eve's bodies perfect. No sickness, no bad germs, no defections, no genetic weakness. But when Adam and Eve sinned - evil, corruption, and death entered the world. Life was not perfect anymore. Now people started getting sick. And dying. Different illnesses and diseases started to affect people. This still happens today. (A hundred years ago, AIDS didn't exist.) Our immune systems became weaker. Our immune systems started to attack "good" stuff (like milk and eggs), not recognizing what it is. And people developed allergies. It's a direct cause of "the fall". God is Sovereign. But He has allowed this to happen because humanity has chosen sin. Even the innocent babies are affected...like Elijah when we realized he had food allergies. Even though at that point, he personally had not chosen to sin yet, his genes come from a line of sinners. And he was born with an imperfect body. Just like all of us. And although God has allowed this to happen, I also believe that God has a special plan for Elijah's life - a plan that somehow involves Eli's allergies. I'm not God, I don't know His plan, but I trust God in all. And I know that one day, I will have a perfect body. And if Elijah puts his trust in Jesus, he will have a perfect body, too; and he will be able to eat anything he wants to from the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Happily Ever After

I took Seth and Elijah to a wedding. (What was I thinking - 1 & 2 yr. old boys and weddings do not mix!) On the 3 hour trip to the wedding, I am explaining to Eli where we are going. "Eli, we are going to meet Grandma and your Uncles and Aunt at a restaurant and eat lunch, and then we are going to go to a wedding and watch mommy's friend get married. Do you know what getting married is?" Elijah, with his superior knowledge of weddings and marriage because of his 4 yr. old sister who is forever playing princess and wedding, answers, "Yes. I want to see your friend get married, but I don't want to go to hers castle."

Military Thanks

At a meeting I recently attended, a lady had a stack of "Thank You, U.S. Service Member" postcards. She was urging us to take some and fill them out - I thought this would be a good school project for Jacob. I took 6 postcards for Jake to fill out; that's a lot of writing for a 6 year old boy. This morning, I explained the project to Jacob, and he was very excited about it. He loves anything camoflage and wants to join the military when he grows up. I wrote on the white board so he could copy onto the postcards, and then left him to his task. Halfway into the project, Jacob came running into the kitchen very upset. "But, Mommy, six postcards isn't enough for all the military men to get one!" I calmed him down by explaining, "Lots of people love our military men and want to thank them and tell them how proud we are of them. So lots of people are filling these out and sending them, too. And then there will be enough, hopefully." So...if you want to help there to be enough postcards for all of the military men and women, you can go to OperationThankYou.org and get your own "Thank You, U.S. Service Member" postcards. They also have "Get Well, Service Member" postcards, as well as a "Thank You" DVD that would be great for care packages.

Square Eyes

I have a big headache right now so if I don't sound coherent that's why (no, Reta, it's not named Chris!). But I wanted to share this little story...
Jacob has been paying more attention to the TV. He thinks the Alltel commercial with the gerbil is hilarious! And yesterday he asked me, "Mommy, why do they call the news 'Fox'? Is it because foxes bite people and they put that on the news?" Ummm, go ask Daddy...

Turn Around

Last night, Chris set Seth on the floor in the hallway while he was putting Eli to bed. I was folding laundry in my room. Chris suggested that I call Seth and see if he could figure out where I was. So I started calling, "Seth, hey buddy, Seth, come 'ere, big man, Seth, Seth..." Seth's head perked up - then he started crawling. The more I called, the faster he crawled - in the wrong direction! His little head was bobbing all around looking for me. I kept calling, "Seth, I'm over here, turn around, little guy, Seth..." He made it all the way to the dining room. Funny, it was dark in there. He sat in the doorway looking confused. Where is Mommy? Finally I came out into the hallway where he could see me. I called to him with my arms stretched out wide to him. With a big grin and drool dripping off his chin, he crawled as fast as he could straight into my hug. Isn't that a picture of Jesus - calling for us to come to Him? Some of us hear His voice and go straight to Him; others of us hear His voice and go the opposite direction. He calls every person; I've answered Him. Have you? "We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, 'Be reconciled to God!' (2 Corinthians 5:20)"

Flapping Lips

There are some days when I feel like I can say something over and over - until the cows come home - but the kids ain't hearing a word of it. Like... "chew with your mouth closed Eli" ...or "you're too close to the TV Savannah" ...or "you have to write your 8's the way the math book is showing you - you can't do it your way Jacob" ...or "quit screeching Seth" ...or "i'm on the phone, you can't ask me now, can't you see that i'm on the phone?" It's like they look at me funny 'cause my lips are moving, but nothing's coming out. I think the fancy word for this is Selective Hearing. But let's be honest, as grown-ups, we have selective hearing as well. There have been times when Chris has been telling me some extremely important football statistics and my thoughts were in a whole different dimension. And there are also times when I sit down to have my devotions when my thoughts are busy on what I need to do after devotions are over. That's why God tells me, "Be silent, and know that I am God! (Psalm 46:10)" Be still in the presence of Jesus ... and listen.

A Free Lunch?

If you just want to have some fun on the 'net, you should check out Bid4Prizes. It is a fun reverse auction game where the lowest unique bid wins the prize. And the cool part is that anybody can bid on these items, but no one has to actually pay! Bid4Prizes even pays the shipping/handling if you should be so lucky as to win the auction. There are multiple free gifts, sweepstakes and cash prizes. And even if you don't win with your bid, you get "tokens" for each bid you make that you can use to play in their arcade - where you accrue points that you can save up to "cash in" for other rewards. Their site is very user-friendly and easy to figure out.
The only thing I can't figure is where does all the money for their prizes come from...unless it's from the ads on their site. Standard membership at Bid4Prizes is free, but if you want to play with no ads, then you pay a small monthly fee. Since I tested it out before writing this, I put in a few bids. I'll let you know if I win...

brought to you by your friends at Bid4Prizes

A Blanket Ache

The other morning, I greeted Jacob as he came stumbling out of his room. "Good morning, buddy. Did you sleep good?" In a sleepy voice, he replied, "Yes. Except that one time I woke up in the middle of the night because I had a blanket ache on my legs." A blanket ache? That's a new one for me... He followed that comment up with, "I think it might have been because my legs were growing, but it felt like my blanket was hurting them." Yes, it probably was growing pains; Jake's been waking up with those off and on for years.
Then I started thinking...it wasn't the blanket that was making his legs hurt, but that's what he thought. Have I ever had what I thought was a problem or an issue - and it turns out that it wasn't the real problem or issue at all - it was actually something else? I know I have. There have been times when I've been angry with someone because of something I thought they did or didn't do to me, while in reality, I'm just majorly sensitive because I've got worry, fear, bitterness, etc. inside of me. Chris is good at knowing when something is bothering me - even before I can put my finger on what the issue is. I've learned to take his word for it, ask God to show me what it is that I need to deal with, and then resolve whatever issue I'm facing. "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right (2 Timothy 3:16)."

Tag - You're It!

I got tagged by Drea...

Here are the rules: You have to post these rules before you give the facts. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts.At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

(I'm going to cheat and use my screen name instead of my middle name...)
E - Extra. I almost always need extra sour cream at a Mexican restaurant.
L - Lemon. I like lemon in my sweet tea or iced water.
I - Ice cream! I love ice cream, any flavor... I like to eat it plain, with toppings, and in my mug of hot chocolate or coffee!
S - Summer. My favorite season...with my favorite holiday - 4th of July!
A - Asking questions. I'm not afraid to - that's the only/best way to get answers!
R - Roast beef. That is my favorite lunch meat, but I also like honey ham, too.
O - Olives. Black ones are definitely yummier than green ones.
S - Shopping. It's so much fun to find the best bargains!
E - Easter eggs. The only kind of Easter eggs I like to eat are the candy ones!

And here's the ones of you that I'm tagging:
3 Magic Oranges
Courtney
Laura
Heather
And if you have a blog that I haven't mentioned, please leave a comment...I'd love to visit!

A Rock and a Hard Place

A Jacob Quickie Quote:
Jacob sat down to watch the football game tonight after church. He asked which teams were playing so that he could pick one to root for. I told him the teams were the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles. He must've heard me wrong, because he replied, "The stealers and the evils? Oh, man, they're both bad guys!"

Car Speak

We switched our car insurance company last year to one that could save us lots of money. Well, recently with the addition and deletion of a couple of cars/vans on our policy, their billing system has been very wacky. So Chris told me to shop around again - for an automobile insurance policy that has better billing service and that still has low rates. One of the questions that insurance companies ask is if you've had a ticket or a traffic accident within the last five years. Chris has had a ticket and I have had the traffic accident. So we don't usually get the best rates!
One automobile insurance company that I just heard about is Advantage Auto Quotes. They sell all types of car insurance - including policies for students, bad driving records and good driving records. They might even have better rates than what we've got now... So I'm headed over to their site to get my insurance quote online!!

*brought to you by your friends at www.advantageautoquotes.com.

Work At Home

I recently found out that I can make money by blogging. How cool is that?! All I have to do is apply at Blogsvertise, get accepted, then they will send me a list of products/companies to write a post about. I don't have to endorse the product, just mention it, relate it to life, or even complain about it. Then Blogsvertise pays me the moo-lah! So I am in the application process right now. But don't worry, I will continue my regular posts, since that is the real reason I started this blog in the first place!

Legend of the Deranged Camel

A long time ago, in the country kind of near here but not really, there was a tribe of people who lived in cabins and tents. There were old people, young people, mommies, daddies, babies, boys and girls who lived in this tribe. In one tent, there lived a little boy named Joshua and a little girl named Sarah. Now all the children in this tribe loved animals. Joshua and Sarah had a pet dog and a pet cat and a pet mouse. One day, there was a big thunderstorm. As soon as the thunderstorm passed, a scared man came running down the road, hollering, "AAHH! I saw it! AAHH!" Joshua and Sarah said, "What did you see? Why are you so scared?" The man said, "AAHH! I saw the Deranged Camel. It was big. It was white. It had red eyes. It had drool coming out of its mouth. It only comes out during thunderstorms. And if you get close to it, you will disappear. AAHH!" And the man went running and hollering down the road. That night, Joshua and Sarah put their pet dog, pet cat, and pet mouse to bed. They looked down the road, and thought they saw something big and white. They ran as fast as they could into their tent. In the middle of the night, there was a thunderstorm. The next morning, when they went to their pets, the dog was gone! They spent all day looking for the dog, but it had completely disappeared. That night, Joshua and Sarah put their pet cat and pet mouse to bed. They squinched their eyes as they scurried to their tent so all they could see was a blurry shape with red eyes across the field. And that night there was another thunderstorm. When they got up the next morning, guess what? Their pet cat was gone! Now only the pet mouse was left! Joshua and Sarah spent the whole day searching for their dog and cat, but they had competely disappeared. That night, Joshua and Sarah tucked their pet mouse in bed. They ran as fast as they could into their tent with their eyes squeezed shut. And later that night, there was another thunderstorm. In the morning..., you guessed it..., their pet mouse was gone! Although they spent all that day looking for their dog, and cat, and mouse, they were nowhere to be found. Their pets had completely disappeared. Joshua and Sarah were very scared that night, but there was not a thunderstorm. There was not anymore thunderstorms while they lived in their tent in the country kind of near here but not really. Wait...did I just hear some thunder??

Supper in the Dark

It's been so hot around here - between 95 and 105 for the last several weeks. Well, the other day, one of those big afternoon thunderstorms that come in August blew through right at suppertime. I was cooking "breakfast" for dinner; the grits and fried potatoes were halfway cooked and I was going to make the scrambled eggs as soon as the potatoes were done. Enter the storm and the power is OFF. So I kept the lids on the grits and potatoes so they could finish cooking with whatever heat is left in the burners, and pawed through the refrigerator for something more to accompany the meal (since we couldn't have eggs now). At the same time, the kids are frantically digging through toys to find their flashlights and Chris is getting candles out. We sit down to have a candlelight supper - and tell scary stories... We each take a turn. Chris tells about when he was a boy on a camping trip and saw a hooded figure crossing a bridge at night. Jacob tells about a skeleton wearing a ghost costume (as if a skeleton by itself isn't scary enough!). Savannah elaborates on Jacob's story. Eli tells about a monster biting in the closet. And I tell the legend of the deranged camel that only comes out during thunderstorms, and if it gets close to you, you might disappear! We had a great memory making time! And the power came back on right after supper was done!

Contest Entry

I haven't done this before, but Drea is having a contest on her blog, and the winner will win $75 worth of stuff from Playskool. I would personally like to win one of the sippy cups because all our sippy cup lids are all chewed up! So if you'd like to enter her contest as well, follow this link to Fina' Drea.

In Her Steps

As I grow older, I find that I understand a lot more about my mom. Why she did, said, and acted certain ways. And I find myself doing some of the same things. I vividly remember thinking that when I grew up and could be on my own, I would live in a high-rise apartment overlooking a major city, watch TV all day long, and melt and eat caramels to my heart's delight. Now that I am grown up and on my own, I realize that childhood dream was unhealthy, lazy, impractical and impossible! I understand now why she made us eat healthy, learn good manners, do household chores, and be nice to others. And although my methods and lifestyle may be different than my mother's, I am trying to teach my own children the same basic things. One of the things my mom did was homeschool all four of her children. She started when I was in 5th grade and her youngest was 2. Today, he has one more semester left in college. And I find that, due to certain circumstances, I am going to follow in her path and start homeschooling Jacob for 1st grade (my youngest is 11 months). A lot has changed in 20 years - curriculum, education philosophies, schedules, fads & trends, support groups, opportunities - but there remains one constant. We want the best for our children; and will do whatever we need to towards that end.

Instant Cows

Have you ever tried to explain where instant milk comes from? I mean, really, we all know that milk comes from cows in the form of white liquid that we drink. So how does the milk turn into powder? And why would people want it to be powder? I explain that powdered milk is really just milk that's been dried and when I add water to it, it turns back into real milk. And people want it to be powder because it keeps longer that way. Why do we buy milk powder instead of buying "store" milk? Because of the price tag! I can buy a box of powdered milk that makes 20 quarts (5 gallons) for 10 bucks. That's $2 a gallon. I haven't found regular milk for $2/gallon in years. And my big family can go through a lot of milk! Personally, I don't care for the taste of powdered milk, but when I start talking about the savings, it starts to taste a lot better!
P.S. Elijah is the only one who doesn't drink cow milk. He drinks soy milk; don't get me started on the price of that!

Breath of Fresh Air

Elijah is having another "asthma" attack. I put that in quotations because he has not "officially" been diagnosed with asthma since he is only 2 years old, and that is too young to give him the lable of asthmatic, according to his pediatrician. He started yesterday wheezing and coughing - which continued all night - and now into today. He tolerates his nebulizer because of the relief it gives him. We wonder what triggered this attack. Could be the poor air quality in the atmosphere, or the 30 minutes we spent yesterday morning playing outside (the neighbor's cats are constantly in our yard), or there could be mold or mildew somewhere, or maybe there is an unknown allergen causing this. Ugh. I question why does little, funny, happy, mischievous Eli have to have so many health issues. But at the same time I rest in the sovereignty of God. He loves my Eli much more than I do, and whatever His plan is for Elijah's life, I can trust Him. Jesus tells me, "I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid (John 14:27)."

Grocery Store Pit Stops

We took a family shopping trip to Food Lion. They have these really fun carts that the kids can ride in with "cars" in the front of the buggy. Eli and Savannah got to ride up in the "race car" front while Seth sat in the usual seat in the buggy. Jacob is too big to ride, but no problem! Every time we stopped to pick up a grocery item, he would run around the "race car" doing a 4 tire change and fuel. As Chris would start pushing the buggy again, Jacob would pump his fist in the air with the imaginary gas can and yell, "Go, go, go!" On one aisle we happened to pass another family with the "police car" buggy. The little girl riding in the "police car" was rubbing her hand carefully over the sticker "wheels" tricking her ride out with some fancy rims. It's interesting to notice the family influences when I watch children play. I hope that what my children learn from our family's influence is kindness, honesty, patience, integrity, courage, wisdom. "...Encourage the young men to live wisely in all they do. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good deeds of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching (Titus 2:7)."

Kitchen Ants

I realize that I seem like I've been on vacation since I haven't posted in quite awhile. But, believe me, it's been no vacation! We were given a lot of garden vegetables - and I've been busy snapping beans, grating zucchini, slicing tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, and generally canning and freezing anything that looks like it would belong in a salad in the kitchen! I showed Jacob and Savannah how to snap green beans; they thought it was really fun, especially because they were allowed to eat the beans as they snapped them! Jacob says that we have so many pickles now that when we eat them all, we're going to get fat and then have to hibernate for the winter. I don't think you can get fat from pickles...can you? I told Jacob that we were being like the ants in Bug's Life by preparing our food in the summer to be able to eat in the winter. He thought it was really cool that the Bible tells lazy people to watch busy ants. "Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and be wise! Even though they have no prince, governor, or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter (Proverbs 6:6-8)."

Celebrate Good Times - Come On!

My mom recently went to a wedding shower where each guest was invited to give the bride-to-be a piece of advice. Mommy asked what advice to give; I told her to tell the girl to "Have fun being married!" When Chris and I were engaged, most of the advice we got was serious advice about various issues that might come up and try to ruin our marriage - all good advice - but NOTHING was said about consciously having fun being married. I was even told by a well-meaning person, "Marriage is just basic survival!" So I talked to my mom tonight and asked how the shower went. She told me that everyone else's advice was very serious. One lady had even told this bride-to-be that "Marriage is not about happiness, it is about holiness." How dismal to say something like that at a party celebrating the fact that this girl is getting married! Marriage IS about holiness and growing closer to Jesus. But it is ALSO about happiness and joy! The Bible talks about spouses rejoicing in each other and about celebrating marriage numerous times:
* "Rejoice in the wife of your youth" - Proverbs 5:18
* "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure and receives favor from the Lord" - Proverbs 18:22
* This whole book is about a bride and groom reveling in each other - Song of Solomon
* "I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!...I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels" - Isaiah 61:10
* Jesus attends a wedding celebration and even miraculously provides more wine for the party when the supply runs out - John 2
* "They will say it is wrong to be married...Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it. We may receive it gladly, with thankful hearts. For we know it is made holy by the word of God and prayer" - 1 Timothy 4:3-5
* "Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a huge crowd,...: 'Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice and honor him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself...' And the angel said, 'Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.' "-Revelation 19:6-9
* The wedding/celebration of the bride of Christ and the Lord - Revelation 21 & 22
The ladies at this shower love the bride-to-be very much and want the best for her. But I think it is vital to enter a marriage knowing about and being prepared for not only the tough times ahead, but also the joys, fun, laughter and sweet companionship that God intends us to have. Passion and Purity, by Elisabeth Elliot, is full of wisdom and advice about living a holy happy marriage! "Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God (Jim Elliot)." And I would have to agree wholeheartedly!!

Veggie Webs

Last night I finished up some quilting and put away all my quilting tools, but left the sewing machine set up on the sewing cabinet (in the living room) so it would be convenient to sit down later on and sew again. Fast forward to this morning... I am helping Jacob get a few things together for his new memory box, when a giggling Elijah zips past me. Out of instinct, I reach out and snag him - then I see why he's so giddy with happiness. He has pulled the thread from my sewing machine and gone twice around the loop of living room/dining room/kitchen, hooked the thread around the recliner, fireplace, and back to the kitchen to entangle the exersaucer! My 2 year old son has effectively spider-webbed the house in the space of @ 15-20 seconds.

At lunch we had a bowl of raw vegetables. Of course, Eli asks for a tree. Chris hands him one while I gently explain that it's called broccoli. Eli looks right in my eyes and declares, "It IS bwoccwi, but it IS a wee (tree)." He holds his "tree" with both hands and asks, "Wheere is da buhd (bird)?" No birds, Eli. It's broccoli. Eat it. He points to a spot on top of his "tree". "Dere (There) is da baby buhd." Good grief. Next he lines up 5 pieces of cauliflauer (also trees). Now he looks up and says, "Aftah da monkey eats da wees, he will eat a dabbot (carrot). I a monkey. Ooo ooo ahh ahh!"

What's In Your World?

This past Saturday, Chris and Jacob went on a trip to deliver school supplies to Hands of Hope for children. I was excited for Jacob to go - and he was excited, too! He has become increasingly more aware of the world around him. He's noticed that there are some people who are not as well off as he is; and he feels compelled to do something about it. Several months ago he was talking to me about this and decided that he wanted to set up a table in our front yard with a sign attached that said, "Whoever needs money, come over here". He was planning to empty his train bank and give all his coins away. Chris and I commended his attitude, but then told him there were ways to give to make sure he was not exploited in the process. So on his trip, Jacob took some goodie bags that he handed out to the kids he met. He came home exhausted, yet thrilled that he had been able to share his life with the children. He has a broader understanding of the world he lives in than he did before. And a better thought as to where his place in this world is.

M&M Woman!

At lunch, Chris started throwing out some big words at the kids. "You're feminine!" he said to Savannah. She wasn't sure how to take this until I explained to her that meant that she was a girl. "You're masculine!" he told Jacob. Jacob, using his 6 year old reasoning skills, figured that if feminine was for girls, masculine was for boys. Jake then proceeded to tell the table that he was masculim and Mommy and Savannah were meminine. Savannah, all huffy, declared that Jacob, Daddy, Eli, and Seth were all masculo, but she herself was eminem!

A Hot Date

If you read marriage enrichment books or go to marriage/family seminars, one of the things you hear that you have to do if you want your marriage to succeed is to go on dates regularly (suggested once a week). That would be great! But I wonder how many of those authors/teachers are actually on a budget like ours and would have to pay a babysitter to watch 4 kids plus whatever we do on our date. We consider ourselves lucky if we can get a date once a month!! I started thinking, "Man, does that mean that all those marriages 100 years ago were deficient because they (most likely) didn't go on dates once a week?" And that brought me to the conclusion that it's not the date that's so important - it's the quality communication that so many marriages don't have or make time for that is so important. Chris and I purposefully talk about issues, share dreams, and discuss goals. We work together to stay connected mentally, spiritually and emotionally during these busy days of child-rearing. And our relationship has grown deeper and better in spite of our lack of weekly dates. We did get to go on a fancy dinner date this week, and boy, was it fun! But I am so glad that I don't have to wait for these dates to be able to connect. It is a lifelong daily journey of learning, living and loving!

I'm the Aunt of my Nephew...

I was able to keep my 10 month old nephew for the day! As I held him this morning, I gazed into his eyes, and was struck by the thought that I am a part of this little boy's life! He's the only baby of Chris' and my siblings, so he's the very first little baby that I'm related to that I didn't give birth to! Although I saw him once at Christmas, this was the first "long" time I got to spend with him. It was a sweet, special time of bonding. He and Seth are only 3 weeks apart in age, so they will be buddies as they grow up. Seth sucks his thumb and doesn't use a pacifier. Enter the passy-sucking cousin and now it's a whole different story! They spent all morning chasing each other on hands and knees swapping binkies as fast as they could! At lunch, they each thought the other's bottle/sippy cup looked better than their own. This afternoon, as they threw the refrigerator ABC magnets onto the floor, they each wanted the alphabet letter that the other one had. He is such a fun, handsome little boy; I am thrilled that he is my nephew and I am his aunt!

"Picking" a Bear

Savannah was so excited to go to her best friend's birthday party today. The party was at Build-A-Bear; Savannah's never been there before. I explained that she'll watch teddy bears get made - and she'd get to pick one out, too. She was thrilled! On the way into the mall, I started to review "birthday party behavior" with her. "Make sure you tell her 'Happy Birthday', and if you don't know the other girls you can tell them your name and be friends with them, and say 'Thank you for inviting me to the party', and be helpful and sharing,..." Savannah jumped right into the spirit of good manners and birthday parties, "If one of the girls doesn't have any cake I can share my frosting with her, right Mama? And we don't pick our noses at birthdays!" Right, Savannah. I think you've got the idea!

Beware of Sminkers and Drokers

I've spent most of the day at the hospital. My husband, Chris, knew he needed to schedule gallbladder surgery, but just hadn't gotten to it yet. Well, after being up all night with increasing pain, he told me he needed to go to the ER this morning. He's already had a procedure where he had a tube down his throat to clean out his bile ducts, and hopefully tomorrow he can get rid of that pesky gallbladder. The kids spent the day at the church daycare (which I'm so grateful for!). Chris has been on some pretty strong pain medication, bless his heart. This morning the nurse was going through the medical history form, asking all kinds of questions, and Chris was getting a little loopy from the medicine in the IV. She got to the part where she asked Chris if he smokes or drinks. Chris slurred, "No. I'm a pastor. That's why I don't smink or droke." I nearly fell out of my chair, my side was hurting so bad!

The Hour of Truth

What is it between the hour of 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. that turns sweet children into shrieking monkeys and hyenas? At 4:00 I begin to think about fixing supper, getting the living room cleaned up for the night, putting the final touches on any on-going projects. Suddenly I am ambushed by a smelly leaking diaper running down the hall, baby eating crumbs under the table, the 4 & 6 yr. olds playing house hide-and-seek. I manage to get a pot of water on to boil by 4:30. At 4:45, the water is boiling over, the phone ringing, a smelly leaking diaper crawling down the hall, and the 2, 4 & 6 yr. olds are wrestling on the living room floor. At 4:55, noodles are finally in the pot, the baby is howling in the pack-and-play, the 4 & 6 yr. old are throwing all the toys from the living room into a bedroom, and the 2 year old wants to sit on the potty. At 5:05, "Daddy's home!" The wild animals turn back into little children, running and crawling with smiles to meet him at the door. In 5 more minutes I have the noodles on the table and the sauce heated up. The table is set, four precious heads are bowed for the blessing. My eyes meet my husband's. He'll never know how close he came to take-out!

A "Rose" by any other name...

Names are funny things. Even before you meet someone face to face, you get an idea of who they might be because of their name. We think of Jane as plain, Billy Bob as a country bumpkin, and Elvis as the king. Names are very important. They define and shape what we think of ourselves. The first word a baby recognizes is his own name. We spent a lot of time thinking about the names of our children before they were born. We wanted to make sure that there weren't any obvious horrific nicknames associated with the name, that the initials didn't spell anything freaky (like R.A.T. or D.E.D.), and that the meaning behind the name in question was good. I felt that perhaps the "biggest" responsibility I had as a parent came at the beginning of my baby's life in giving him his name. I hoped he would like it. I thought it would grow well from childhood to adulthood. And I knew we had prayed about what name to give him. As I watch my children grow into their names and see their personalities developing, I know that the name choices we made for each of them were guided by God. I can see how the meanings of their names will be a help to them as they discover who they are, the world they live in, their place in this world. So that as they leave their mark on this world, their names will give glory to God. "Choose a good name/reputation over great riches, for being held in high esteem is better than having silver or gold (Proverbs 22:1)."

Like Father, Like Son

Jacob was hovering around the church kitchen as the ladies were preparing supper for VBS. One of the ladies told Jacob that he looked just like his daddy. Jacob responded matter-of-factly, "That's because we use the same shampoo."

Lip Smackers

The sweetest feeling on earth is to receive a kiss from a baby! Seth has just learned how to give kisses, and boy, does he like to give them away! His wide open mouth with drool streaming down his chin heading straight for my mouth; he is not to be deterred. I try to get him to kiss my cheek, but no, he has learned how to kiss, and he is going to do it right! Seth will not stop at one kiss, but keep going until he is either distracted or laughs. After I mop my face off, I give him a big hug and he squeezes right back. Babies and children love to love. They teach me how to love. With abandon, no holds barred, giving all and expecting nothing in return, with complete trust, and utter disregard for what anyone else thinks. As adults, we have figured out that sometimes when we love, others will hurt or mock us. Our love is incomplete. But if we open our hearts to God's love, he will make our love perfect. "We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in Him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect...Such love has no fear because perfect love expels fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that His love has not been perfected in us (1 John 4:16-18)"

Having cake and eating it, too!

Have you ever noticed how you eat? Do you catch a little of everything on your fork and let all the flavors meld together in one bite? Or do you eat a bite of this then a bite of that? I'm one of those wierd people who eats all of one thing and then moves on to the next. And I always save the yummiest pile on my plate for last. My husband eats the best first, but I like to get the "yucky" over with and leave the table with the good taste in my mouth. So if we're having fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, and mac & cheese for supper, I'm going to eat the beans first and finish with the mac & cheese! The only thing that my system doesn't account for is a big family of hungry children! If one of the kids wanders over at a church dinner and asks to sit in my lap and eat off my plate, what's left on my plate is the ambrosia salad and coconut pie! Now I will sacrifice anything for my children - I love them with all my heart - but if I had only foreseen this coming, I could have switched my eating habits and eaten the dessert first!

Hide and Meep

I hung up the phone and went to check on Elijah and Seth in their room. Seth was sitting nicely on the floor chewing away on his board book. Elijah was nowhere in sight. "Eli", I called, "where are you?" "I wight heah", came a muffled voice from under his bed. "Come out, Eli. What are you doing under there?" I said. As he wiggled out from under the bed, I could see that he had taken all his clothes off. "I meeped in mine mants." Ahh. So that would explain why he was in his birthday suit hiding in the best place he could think of! Clearly, we have more work to do in the potty-training area! I can't help but think how human his reaction was...after all, the very first man and woman on earth hid after doing something they knew they shouldn't. Silly, ain't it, to try to hide from God? "Nothing in all creation can hide from Him (God). Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done (Hebrews 4:13)". I'm not perfect - as a human, I have tendencies to try to "hide" when I've sinned by blaming others, pretending it didn't happen, justifying what I've done, or "covering" it up by pouring on the kindness. But I've found that the best reaction when I've done something wrong is to quickly own up to it and ask for forgiveness. And you know what? God always loves and forgives.

Rocket's Red Glare

Jacob was being the big brother, telling Savannah and Eli all about the 4th of July. "...and when it's dark we'll watch fireworks, and eat popcorn and drink drinks because we always eat popcorn when we watch the fireworks..." I had to smile because I hadn't realized that he remembered that part of our 4th of July celebrations. But it's true. That's a tradition from my childhood that I've carried on into our family now. We have to eat popcorn when we watch fireworks, otherwise it's not quite the full 4th of July experience. Family traditions are good. Traditions make the holiday/experience/celebration much more memorable and meaningful. Whatever it is that your family does every July 4th, do it with gusto! "During these festival days each year, you must explain to your children why you are celebrating. Say to them, 'This is a celebration of what the Lord did for us when we left Egypt.'...After all, it was the Lord who rescued you from Egypt with great power (Exodus 13:8-9)."

Mudpie Heaven

I glance up just in time to see Eli smear a big handful of sand all over his chest. He grins and goes back to stomping in the puddle he just made by pouring Savannah's bucket of water out. Savannah runs back to the lake's edge to refill her bucket. Jacob is in the water with Chris, playing shark while his big black inflatable ring helps him feel brave. Seth takes it all in while he downs a bottle of apple juice sitting in the shade of his stroller. The innocence of children discovering the world they live in. The head-to-toe discovery of dirt, water, sand, rocks and all the wonderful ways to play with them. Creative juices are flowing...artwork and architecture are the result. So bring on the dirty clothes (shout it out!) and the grimy hands (lots of wet wipes). This is the life!

Fingernail Reflections

I had painted my toenails while I was watching the NASCAR race. (Yeah, I know that sounds redneck...what can I say?) Savannah walked in the room and said, "I can smell that you did paint nail polish." She has a nose like her father - they can sniff out odors that no one else can smell. Savannah asked if I could paint her toes as well. I asked her what color she wanted; she decided to have red, "just like you, Mommy". After her toes looked like little strawberries, she asked if I could put "paint nail polish" on her fingers, too. I explained that if she had polish on her fingernails, she had to leave it on - not pick it off like the last time. She said, "Okay. Can you paint your fingers, too, so we can look the same?" After the fingers matched the toes, she followed me around the house so that we could be doing the same things together. I realized all over again how much she looks up to me, watches everything I do, and learns from how I live. Granted, she will have other influences and will eventually make her own lifestyle choices. But for now, I am the one that is imprinting on her heart how to be a lady, wife, mother. That's scary - how can I make sure I'm teaching her right? I get guidance from the Bible. "...The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)".

Rub-a-dub-dub

Yee-haw! Seth has finally taken a bath where he has not screamed the entire time!! He started out the same - as soon as he hit the water he started howling. But somehow, Chris finally captured his attention on the toys and bubbles. Seth decided he'd like to chew on a toy, splash a little, and suck on the washcloth. He still has yet to crack a smile in the tub, but at least it was a nice quiet bath!

Making A Difference

This week we got a letter from our sponsored child and an updated picture of her, too. It's always fun to get a new picture and see how much she's grown since the last photo was taken. Our little girl, Maria, lives in the Dominican Republic. We started sponsoring her in 2001 when she was just 3 years old. We have traded letters with her, seen her progress in writing, prayed for her during family devotions, and kept her picture on the refrigerator. We haven't had a chance to yet, but every year, we could be a part of a group to go visit Maria and other sponsored children in the DR. Sponsoring Maria has been a good way to start teaching Jacob and Savannah about being world Christians. It only costs us $32 a month to provide Maria with good meals, education, and the opportunity to learn about Jesus. I put a link to Compassion on the side if you want to find out more...

Tea Cup A Joe

Are you a tea drinker or a coffee drinker? I drink both. I love sweet iced tea, hot tea, green tea, white tea, black tea. All the subtle flavors blending in with a little sugar and cream or lemon...aaahh. Or some cold raspberry or peach tea with mint leaves scattered on the top...yummy! I think the best hot tea I ever had was at a tea room - chocolate raspberry mint. I also love coffee - as long as it has been heavily sugared and creamered. Coffee ice cream (Breyer's) is so refreshing! Recently I've been making my own "frappacino" by taking my coffee and putting it in the blender with a bunch of ice cubes! I'll drink decaf or regular, whatever's on hand at the moment. Chris likes his coffee black - he says that's the "man" way to drink it. I know there's some girls who drink their coffee black, too, so maybe that makes them "tomboys". I look forward to my cup of tea/coffee every evening after the kids go to bed. It's relaxing and fun to drink while I "veg" out watching the news, reading a magazine, or doing a puzzle. And I also look forward to my cup of tea/coffee every morning. It helps me wake up and substitutes for breakfast until after the kids are fed and then I can eat. Then there's the afternoon cup for when I'm working on projects... Ya'll know what I'm talking about! Happy drinking, tea/coffee sisters!

Zoo-prise!

We just took a trip to the zoo. We saw gorillas eat salad, elephants mix mud with water then throw it on top of themselves, howler monkeys howl, snakes twisting around each other, toucans fly back and forth, a baby wallaby jump around, penguins eat fish, a turtle try to climb up a fence, a flamingo run into the audience during a demonstration, and a brave squirrel that came up to the stroller to get one of Seth's crackers! It was a busy day for most of the animals - except the hippo, who according to the info card can stay submerged up to 10 minutes, and he did! The kids loved seeing all the different kinds of life; it was a perfect opportunity to teach them of God's creation. "O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures (Psalm 104:24)."

Sweet Dreams

I was reminded of why I love being a mom this evening during bedtime. Eli had already been tucked in bed and I was sitting on the edge of his bed nursing Seth. It's thunderstorming outside and Eli starts talking in a quiet voice. "What dat noise, mommy?" That's thunder, sweetheart. God is watering the grass and trees and flowers so they can grow. "Oh, mommy. And the duht is dwinking too, mommy?" Yes, Eli. "I want doe (go) yee (see) it." You can't, Eli. It's night-night time. "Oh, mommy. I wike da moon. Can me hode (hold) da moon?" No sweetheart, it's too far away. But it's pretty to look at, isn't it? "Yeah, mommy. Is dere doo (two) muh-hers (monsters) in my woom?" No, Eli, there's no monsters in here. There's only Eli, and Seth, and mommy. "Oh, mommy. I want doe (go) weep (sleep) now." Okay, Eli. Night-night. I love you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Hi Everyone! This is Chris, Elisabeth's husband, and I'm sneaking onto her blog to say "Happy Birthday!" Will you join me!? Today is her birthday and she turns (CENSORED) today!:) Here's a song just for her in the video above

Numb Chickens At The Table

Dinner observations:
Elijah drinking his soy milk, listening to himself gulp. He says, "There's a chicken in my cup. I say bok bok."
Jacob eating his plain grits with butter. He says, "Can I have some sugar? My grits are numb." Bland, son, not numb.

What Comes From A Hoot-A-Nanny

Once in a while my day doesn't go in the same direction that I thought it was going to go when I get up that morning. When I woke up today, I expected to have a normal day - cleaning a bathroom, doing dishes, cooking food, and playing with the kids. Now, one boo boo, four stitches, and an ER visit later, a verse comes to mind. "Don't brag about tomorrow, since you don't know what the day will bring (Proverbs 27:1)". That verse always pops out at me whenever something bad happens or I hear news of something horrible that has happened. I can't know the turns and twists that will happen in my life, but God does. He's there ahead of me preparing the way, preparing me so that I can handle what life gives me. Jesus says to me, "Your heavenly Father already knows your needs, and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. So don't worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today (Matthew 6:32-34)." Thankfully, Eli is fine now. All the kids were having a little hoot-a-nanny dancing to some "cowboy" music, when Eli fell and hit his forehead on the fireplace hearth. We have the hearth covered with blankets just in case this should happen - so the damage was minimized. Of course I was scared and worried for my son, but underneath the fear there was the knowledge that God is in control. That 's a comforting thing in the midst of panic!

Mommy-itis

Well, now it's the end of the day; time to write about all the wondrous things I daydreamed of while I folded laundry, cooked stir-fry, baked zucchini bread, and potty-trained a 2 year old. Except now my mind is blank. I can't remember for the life of me what I was going to write about - I had a hard time just a minute ago trying to remember what I cooked for supper! My brain does that sometimes. It's called Mommy-itis, I think. When you find the remote control in the pantry, the coffee in the refrigerator, and the baby wipes on the nightstand. You know you've got it bad when you look for the phone book where it's supposed to be and can't find it, and later on your husband lovingly points it out to you right there on the counter. How'd it do that??? It's good to know that my Heavenly Father never forgets where He's put something or where He's going. He is completely trustworthy. Although I may have misplaced the tea bags, I am always safe with Him. "This I declare of the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I am trusting Him...He will shield you with His wings. He will shelter you with His feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection (Psalm 91:2&4)".

Grass clippings in my food!

So we are sitting down enjoying a peaceful supper of spaghetti...Seth (9 months) is emitting ear-piercing yelps whenever he catches sight of Daddy's hat on Daddy's head who happens to be sitting directly opposite of him...Elijah (2 years) has inhaled his first plateful and is clamoring for more before I've even lifted my fork...Savannah (4 years) is busy twirling the same forkful of noodles over and over and over because they keep sliding off her fork...and then Jacob (6 years) asks the question that brings a complete pause to the scene, "Do you always have to put mulch in?" Uhhh..."mulch?", I say, desperately thinking through the last conversation to see if I can connect some context to the question. "Yeah, mulch. In the spaghetti." He holds up a "twig" of tarragon. OHHH! Now I am enlightened - 6 year old boys would much rather have non-spiced spaghetti sauce!

Pretty as a Princess

What color is your hair? Mine is dark brown. Recently, I've been finding stray white hairs here and there. Once found, those hairs have about 10 seconds before they're yanked out! Did you know that brunettes can use vinegar to enhance the brown luster of their hair? Yeah, and smell like a pickle for the rest of the day! My hair is also naturally wavy (frizzy). I used to wish it was straight - you know, like the expensive shampoo commercials. Then, after the birth of one of my children, my hormones changed and I got straight hair. Funny thing, I wished I had my waves back. Happily, I had another baby, hormones went crazy, and now I have my waves again. And I'm back to using Frizz Control! Why is it that no matter which way God made us we wish He had made us like someone else? And you know what? That someone else wishes the same thing! Instead of looking in the mirror and seeing the creation of God, we see "imperfections", wishing we could change our hair, eyes, nose, lips, height, moles, weight, talents. Grandma Reta just bought my children T-shirts that say "I know I'm special 'cause God don't make no junk!" That is true! The Bible says, "O Lord,...You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous - and how well I know it! (Psalm 139:13-14)" Revel in the particular beauty and uniqueness that God gave to YOU!