It just may be the cutest thing I've ever seen. . .

or maybe this is. . .

Nana and Joshua

Nana is my mom, and we spent the weekend with she and my dad (Poppy) recently. While we were visiting, Erik and I attended a Parenting Conference at my parent's church. So, the boys got to spend lots of one on one time with Nana and Poppy. During their time together my mom had a sweet encounter with my oldest. She and Joshua were sitting on the couch together. She said that he kept kissing her and telling her he loved her. So, she looked him in the eyes and asked. . .



"Joshua will you still love me when you are big like your Daddy?"



And, Joshua answered. . .



"Nana, I will love you when I am 5, and when I am 6 I will love you, and even when I am 7 I will love you! And, yes, Nana, even when I am as big as Daddy, I will still love you! I will always love you, Nana."

Boys to Men

My mom sent me this quote, and I thought it was cute enough to keep record of here on the good old blog!

A mother with all sons

will be surrounded

by handsome men

the rest of her life.

Why is it that we little-boy mama's dream of the day that we will sit on the pew of our church with suited, handsome young men on each side of us? Or, sometimes I dream of the day that I will be cooking dinner in the kitchen and one of my sons will walk up to me and put his big strong arms around me and envelope me somewhat like my arms now envelope him. One day I will be the frail, weak one, and they will be the strong, protective ones. Funny to think about. . .

Protection. I remember that word coming to mind a lot as I held JCT when he was an infant. There is one particular picture of the two of us that when I put it in his baby scrapbook, I put the word "protect" in sticker letters down the side of the picture. I remember thinking at the time that I was protecting him like all good mama bears do, but that one day he would be protecting me.

From the moment I become aware that there is a baby growing inside my womb, I am ready to protect it. If a ball is coming right at me, rather than put my hands over my head like I would have before pregnancy, now my arms go straight to my belly to protect a life that is more precious to me than my own. Protect. It is what we as mama's want to do. It simply comes natural. But, something shifts over time. And, slowly we have to let go. We have to let them fall a bit. We have to sit back and let them fight their own battles. Then, one day the tide will shift completely to the place where they will be the strong and capable ones protecting us, taking care of us. Recently, I have seen this firsthand as I have watched my Daddy oversee the care of his mother who is mentally and physically unable to care for herself.

I love the thought that these little boys of mine will one day be grown men. It gives me chills. I'll blink and they will have acne, squeaky voices, and stubble on their chins. Then, I'll blink again and they will be husbands and fathers, full of wisdom and strength, courage and dignity. (That is what I pray for anyway!)

I think that is why I love the line from the "I love you up to the moon" song that says, "One day when you are older and taller than me, I'll say I watched you grow like a beautiful tree." Kim Hill wrote this song for her sons, and I had the privilege of hearing her sing it in concert months before I got pregnant with my oldest son. I wanted so badly to be pregnant at the time, and I vowed that if God gave me a son I would sing that song to him. So, when Joshua was a baby, I memorized it, and I have sung it to all three of my little men over and over. And, it doesn't matter how many millions of times that I sing that song, I still get choked up every other time or so.

At lunch today, JCT turned his chocolate milk cup over, and I thought it to be an accident. Because, seriously, why on earth would anyone do that on purpose. But, a few minutes later I walked across the room and watched as he reached for his brother's chocolate milk cup and turned it over, as well.

Why?

Why do little boys do the things they do? I will never understand them, but thank God, I love them! Little boys are an interesting breed, but they really are quite irreplaceably wonderful. So, for now I will protect my baby boys, laugh at my little boys, and, hopefully, one day sit back and admire my big boys!

Missin' you

Last Tuesday, Joshua came home from school and drew this picture. When he finished he walked over to me and handed it to me saying. . .



"Mommy, this is a picture of me at school missin' you. If you look close, you can see the tears in my eyes."

And, as I looked at the sweet blue lines in his eyes, my heart melted. But, thankfully, at least, he is smiling. . .

I love my sweet little Joshua man.

Your comments, a few reflections, and my new theme song

It is a cold rainy day outside, but inside my home is filled with sunshine and laughter - at the moment, anyway. All is well and I have a cup of hot coffee sitting beside me beckoning me to stop mid-sentence and sip of it's rich flavor! (Coffee tastes good to me today. Go figure?) One big hot gulp later, I am smiling here as I listen to Fernando Ortega sing soft, soothing songs to me.

I was just sitting back reflecting on all the sweet and encouraging comments that you all left on my blog yesterday. I appreciate every single one of them. Especially the ones coming from mothers of 4 or more children close together. And, I received a sweet comment from ck that said basically (my paraphrase), "I was one of 4 children all close together in age. I don't know how it was for my mom, but we, kids, had a great time growing up together." I LOVE to hear that! It makes my heart sing!



This morning Joshua left early for school. (Erik takes him.) JCT and I were enjoying a quiet morning together while Elijah slept in. I actually found myself thinking, "Wow, this is so nice and quiet, just me and JCT." But, it wasn't long before I heard some sweet baby chatter on the monitor, and I sighed a, it was nice while it lasted, kind of sigh. Upon entering the room, Elijah's eyes met mine and his face was aglow with a radiant happiness. The kind of happiness that is contagious to all who witness it, and I was instantly ashamed of my previous thoughts. I picked him up, and he nearly jumped out of my arms in excitement. He could hear his big brother playing in the next room, and he simply longed with all that was in him to see his big brother. He pulled outward until I turned him around so he could face out. Then, with his head and the kicking of his legs, he led me to the family room where JCT was making all sorts of loud dinosaur noises. And, when Elijah's eyes finally found JCT, he kicked and squealed and went crazy with excitement. I attempted to nurse Elijah, but between JCT grabbing his head and singing "Jesus luvs Elijah, this I know fo da Bible tells me so. . ." and Elijah's lack of interest in eating, I gave up and put them together in the superyard on the family room floor - where they laughed and played together for quite some time. It it times like these when ck's comment comes back to me, "I don't know how it was for my mom. But, we, kids, had a great time growing up together." I pray that their growing up years will be filled with laughter, fun, and wonderful memories. Memories of 2 on 2 basketball games in the driveway, football games in the front yard, volleyball games in the pool, kickball, make-believe track races, sleeping in tents in the backyard with Daddy (notice I opted out on that one), movie nights for the whole family, cook-outs, and cookie baking with Mama. And, if that is the case, if they do have a memory full of richness and love, then, it will be worth any stress or strain that 4 children 5 and under will be on me. I'm embracing it!



Yesterday, as I drove home from Super-Wal-mart, all three children snug in their carseats. Well, to be honest one was screaming, and my nerves were shot. It was a wild trip to the place my non-cursing, godly, deacon of a husband, refers to as "hell." And, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't think about that several times as I made my way around that over-crowded, unfriendly customer-filled, germ-ridden place. If you are ever feeling like you have it all together and you are a wonderful mom, take your kids to Wal-Mart in the middle of the afternoon. It is sure to humble you. . . quickly.

I digress. . . As I drove home, the boys asked to watch the new Veggie tales - Pirates Who Don't Do Anything Sing-a-long DVD. And, midway through the DVD I heard a song that really appealed to me where I am right now. It is by Mandisa, and it is called, "I can do the right thing." The reason it appeals to me is because I really struggle with believing that I can do it. "It" being - me truly being the mother God called me to be. Somedays it just seems like too much. When my nerves are shot by 10:00 a.m., I know the day is going to be long, and I simply cannot do it on my own strength. So, often I hear these words in my head, "I can't do this. I just cannot do this." I want to be someone my boys look up to, but somedays it is really easy to get frustrated and lose my temper. One day I will write a post about how much my boys have changed me. I am truly a different person because of the refining God has done on my soul through these precious little fellows. Just one more reason for me to love them to pieces! Back to the song by Mandisa, I am going to post the words because they really spoke to me. Not that I see myself as a hero, but that is what the pirate movie is about - stepping up and being the hero God called you to be.

"I can do the right thing"

I've got all my excuses.

I've got my list of fears.

I've counted all the reasons why You called the wrong hero to be here.

Doing the right thing is just too hard.

But, I've believed those lies for long enough.

I'm not going to listen anymore because I remember You said

when all hope is gone, help will come. . .

And, give me strength to go farther, to climb higher,

courage that burns inside like a fire.

No turning back, this is the day I do the right thing.

I will do what I need to and when I need You

I know Your love will come to the rescue.

I can do the right thing.

So what if I'm not the strongest.

A little weaker than I'd like to be.

Well, even I can do what's right because I know

the King is calling me to live a life worth looking up to.

Holding on to what matters most.

Nobody said it was going to be easy.

But, I know I'll never be alone,

Cause when all hope is gone help will come, come from above. . .

And, give me the strength to go farther, to climb higher,

courage that burns inside like a fire.

No turning back, this is the day.

I will do what I need to and when I need You

I know Your love will come to the rescue.

Love that! And, I am claiming this as my current theme song because we all need theme songs every now and then. So, whatever you are facing, may God give you the courage and the strength you need to be the "hero" in the story that is your life.

Oh, and one last note, this is for "manda." I tried to connect with you after I read your comment, but blogger would not let me access your profile. Your comment really touched me, and I wanted to be able to touch base with you. If you ever come back to my site, let me know how I can connect with you. Know that I have been praying for you. I have such a heart for new moms and such a love for all things pregnancy related!! You are truly in for a treat, sweet girl, a big wonderful blessing of a treat straight from the hands of a loving God.

The Giver of All Good Surprises

Last week God gave Erik and I a little surprise. It was on a stick, a little purple and white stick, the kind with two windows. Do you know where I am going with this? The kind of stick where one line means negative and two lines means your life is about to change forever, never to be the same again, ever, never, ever again.


But, that is a good thing. It is always a good thing if you ask me. And, we are rejoicing over this little one - this little tiny 5 mm long one.


But, whoever said that breastfeeding is good birth control really didn't know what he was talking about - I am going to assume it was a he that said that, anyway. Elijah is still not taking solids, and I am feeding him like a newborn. It just doesn't make sense that I could get pregnant- except that this was absolutely, undoubtedly God's will for our family.


I had a funny suspicion starting about a week before I took the test that I might be pregnant, but I was in denial. I kept telling myself that there was NO WAY I could be pregnant!!! After all...


#1 I am breastfeeding Elijah ALL THE TIME. He still isn't doing well with solids, so I am having to nurse him every 2-3 hours all day long and two times at night.


#2 Erik and I have always TRIED to get pregnant. And, sometimes that trying has taken many months.


But, I was feeling a little queasy, and I felt a bit of round ligament pain upon standing up the other day, and coffee just wasn't tasting good to me! I tryed to ignore these symptoms, but they just weren't going away! This all began on Monday. By Thursday I was nearly convinced that I was pregnant, and I had a HARD day with the boys. And, I almost started crying because I just had a feeling another one was coming, and how would I manage when I'm not even doing well with 3 children? Add a baby, and I just might feel the need to run away from home!


And, if you are wondering why I didn't just run out and take a test in the middle of the week, just think about it. Imagine with me if you will. . .


Erin running into Wal-Mart, make-up worn off, baggy, tired eyes, and two very excited little ones running along side me, and a baby on my hip. Then, we would have to make our way to the aisle. Elijah would be fussing in the front of the buggy, JCT doing cartwheels in the back of the buggy and Joshua skipping alongside the buggy. I would then have to grab the test while women all around me whispered and stared. "Does she not know what causes that?" And, then I would have to brave the check-out line. The cashier would undoubtedly try to figure out how old Elijah was, obviously not old enough to walk, etc. And, as she handed me my receipt and my item-in-bag, she would look on me with great pity.



No, ma'am, not going to do it. I decided to wait until Erik got off work on Friday, and then I ran off by myself and bought the test. And, by this time, I wanted it to be positive.

I really wanted it to be positive.

Isn't that just like a woman?


So, I ran in my little small town Wal-Mart hoping that no one I knew would see me, bought the test, and drove home.


I opted for the long way home, the long way through town. And, as I drove toward the house, I drove into the most amazing sunset. The sky was all shades of red and orange, and I was overwhelmed. Playing on my CD player was a song that I have come to love so much - "What can I do?" by Paul Baloche. I turned up the volume and sang my heart out to the Lord. I told Him that positive or negative I was so incredibly blessed by Him, and I thanked Him. It was one of those times with the Lord that is so intimate that it is hard to come back to reality. It was hard to get out of the van and walk into my home. I felt so distant, so out of this world. But, with three wild and crazy boys and Elijah, too, it didn't take me long to get my feet planted firmly back on the sod of earth.


As Erik bathed the boys, I went downstairs to our bathroom to take the test, and of course, it was instantly positive!! I praised and thanked God for this little surprise. Trying to hide my silly little grin, I stuck that cute little stick in my purse and headed upstairs to help Erik. We had a babysitter coming in a few minutes, and then he and I were off to meet his brother and Jen in a town about an hour and a half away. We had so much time to talk on the way!!



I waited until we were on the road for a little bit to tell him. There were butterflies in my tummy. I didn't know if he would be excited or overwhelmed or what. So, I told him that I had something to say that would make for some interesting conversation on our drive. With his elbow resting on the door of the car and his hand propping up his head, he asked, "What is it?"

I said, "Well, I think we are going to have another baby."

He was stunned.

Completely. Wholeheartedly. Stunned.

Thankfully, he smiled, and said, "What did you just say?" I caught him completely, 100% off guard. He never dreamed this was coming. In fact, he said that in the last week he had told at least 6 people that we were going to wait at 2 years and then, maybe, we would have a fourth child - because that was our plan.

But, God had a different one.

And, that is what we talked about the whole drive there and the whole drive back. God chose to give us a child when we least expected it, and that is fun and exciting and special and neat! And, I feel certain that He will give us everything that we need to take care of 4 children - 5 years old and under!!!

And, so here are the details. The sweet little one is due August 28th. Elijah and the new little babe will be 16 months apart! And, I am 8 weeks pregnant right now.

So, there you have it - our little gift from the Giver of all good gifts and of all good surprises!

A Moment

I've been complaining a lot lately. Because life with 3 little ones can be quite difficult at times. In fact, I have been overwhelmed with life in general. I completely forgot about the boys' haircuts this morning. So, not only do I feel awful for wasting an hour of my hairdresser's time (I dropped by and payed her to relieve my guilty conscience), but also my boys now have to wear shaggy hair for the next 2 weeks until she can work them into her schedule. Ugghh. It would be fine if this was an isolated event, but I have felt quite often lately that my life is running away from me, leaving me confused and scratching my head somewhere in the distance.

Then, today I had one of those moments. You know, one of those moments that makes it all worth it. Amidst the frustration of missing the hair appt., the busyness of getting lunches made, eaten, and dishes cleaned, 4 loads of laundry cleaned, dried and folded, several imminent phone calls made, sticky situations discussed, errands run, a dog taken out twice to do "his job," a book or two read, an email or two responded to, a baby nursed twice, solid foods attempted twice, discipline handed out - along with love, and two boys prepped for naps, amidst the blur that is my life at this particular stage, I had a moment. I was holding JCT, singing, rocking, and getting him ready to lay down for his nap when it hit me.

I like to think of the whole rocking thing as a subtle form of hypnosis. There is a certain way to hold him and sing to him. And, if you do it just right, he will slowly begin to blink his eyes, long sleepy blinks. Then, sweetly, softly, he will drift away to sleepyland in my arms. And, I will begin to lower him down to his trundle bed on the floor, but just before I put him down, he will open his eyes, look up at me, and say in a quiet sleepy voice, "Sing me one more song, Mommy, one more song, please. Love you up to the moon song." And, I always oblige him this simple request because I love him, and I love the "love you up the moon" song. As soon as I begin singing, his eyes will once again close - this time not to be opened again until he has had an hour or two of rest filled sleep. It is a process that we do twice daily, once before nap and once before bedtime. It is a precious process and one that I take for granted far too often. But, today I didn't. Today I had a moment.

It was as I was singing to him that the thought occurred to me. I looked down at his pillow, with his silky placed just so over his pillowcase - just the way I always do it. And, the sweetness of these days hit me smack in the face.

And, I wondered, one day will I be willing to give almost anything to go back and live one day of my life right now again? To be young and healthy, to have the great privilege of holding a little hand as I cross a parking lot, to feed tiny pieces of bread to a growing baby, to kiss a boo boo, or to rock a little boy to sleep in my arms. To be completely, wholeheartedly irreplaceable to three little boys who call me mom. Three little boys who love me, trust me, and miss me when we are apart. These are the things that define this stage of my life, simple, wonderful things. They are the little everyday things that I take for granted so often.

These are long days. I spend a lot of time watching the clock, counting down until the reinforcements come in to take over, or Erik gets home, anyway. But, these are also very sweet days. I just need to remember that. . .

Lord, make me ever mindful of the blessing that is my life today. I spend much too much time thinking about and planning for tomorrow. I spend much too much time worrying about trivial things. Teach me to live in the moment, living each moment to fullest, being all there, all in the moment, not in my thoughts, worries, or plans. I want to parent like You, Father. I love You. Amen

Life is a just a bowl of cherries. . .

or is it a bottle of cherries. . .

Joshua loves Marchino cherries, loves them. He asked me if he could drink the remaining syrup out of the bottle after he had eaten the last of the cherries. I don't like cherries of any variety, so I said yes assuming that he would take one sip and decide it was yucky. Oh, boy, was I wrong.

He loved it! Drank the whole bottle in two sips!!

Home-maker

I'll never forget watching my mom fill out paperwork in a doctor's office when I was young. I watched as she carefully penned each answer. When she came to the question about her occupation, she did not hesitate. In the cursive that I have come to love, she wrote. . .


Homemaker.


And, what an amazing homemaker she was. And, it had nothing to do with how well she kept house. She was a home-maker. To put it simply, she made our home. She was home. The two were so intertwined I couldn't tell you where one ended and the other began. Home was mommy. Mommy was home. And, I loved Mommy, and I loved home. I loved being at home more than I liked being anywhere else. I liked being with Mommy more than I liked being with anyone else. And, I don't just mean when I was 4. I mean when I was 14, 18, and 22!



Mommy was comfort, encouragement, a warm welcome after a long day, a fresh, hot batch of cookies, a warm bath after a long gymnastics practice, bedtime prayers, long talks at night, lots of laughter, cold ice cream for my aching throat, and bright, happy praise music. She was the one that I could call on when I was afraid at night (because I was afraid a lot as a child), and she would come and lay down with me. Always involved in the minute details of our lives, bringing cupcakes to my classes, the faithful chaperone, the volunteer of volunteers, and she was our nurse (our very own personal RN.) She helped with research, with projects, and with papers. If I had something due the next day, and I had procrastinated, I didn't have to stay up alone. She kept the lamp burning and sat beside me, helping me. Is there any question why growing up I considered her my best friend? When I was in high school, my favorite ritual was cheese dip and quesadillas at Chili's with my mom. We would go alone, after shopping for hours, and talk and laugh. My goodness, I love you, Mom.


She didn't think about herself, getting "her time," or if she did, I never knew about it. We were her life. Some would say that was wrong. That she did too much for us. That she should have taken more time away from us, more time for herself. That she needed to be her own person, not just our mother and Daddy's wife. But, I feel certain that she would disagree. I don't think she feels that she gave up anything. She is now in her 60s, and if you asked her, she would tell you that hers has been a blessed life. She literally gave her life for Daddy and us, and we were so much better for it.


Our home, made by mom, was a place we all loved to be. It wasn't immaculate. It wasn't decorated perfectly, but it was cozy. And, it was warm. And, it was inviting. And, I couldn't wait to get there. After a long day at school or after a long semester at college. . . I just couldn't wait to be home. It always felt so good to walk in the door. Home. I want that for my boys. I really want that for my boys.

So, lately I have been thinking. How do I do that? What is the key?

This is what I am thinking. . . .

Simply it is to be like Christ. My mom's goal each day was to be like Christ, to act like Him and walk like Him, and talk like Him.

Jesus loves children. As a child, He loved me through my mom, and He wants to love my boys through me. When they are sick, He wants to use my hands to comfort them. When they are hurting, He wants to use my voice to soothe them. When their hearts are broken, He wants to use me to help mend them. He wants to love them through me. He wants to use me to teach them about Himself, about His faithfulness, His character, and His love.

Home is the place where children should feel Christ's love most purely. The place where they are loved as close to unconditionally as is possible on this side of heaven. A place where they are loved, cared for, treasured, adored, smiled at, encouraged, lifted up, disciplined, and shown grace. In many ways this is very easy for me, but in many ways this can be very hard for me, too.

But, I can honestly say that I love home. I love my husband and children so much. Home is my boys (big and small), and my boys are home. The two are so intertwined that I can't tell where one ends and the other begins. I'd rather be home than anywhere, and I'd rather be with my boys than with anyone. And, that is a start.

Happy Belated 8 Months!

I like to refer to the picture above as "sick eyes." This Christmas was not only your first Christmas holiday but also your first time to be really sick. Bless your sweet heart you felt so bad, and sadly enough, you still do. But, Daddy started you on antibiotics last night, and we are hoping you will feel better soon. But, amidst the illness and your feeling so puny, you have remained such a joy, still smiling your sweet little smile.

You are precious. You always pat my back when I hold you, sweet little love pats. I guess it is because I pat your back to burp you, and you think you should do it to me, too? Boy, do I love those pats! And, you are clapping now, and even waving some. You say "Ma Ma" and "Da Da," and "Ba Ba" (whatever that means??). And, when you get fussy, one of the things that you love for me to do is softly tickle your ears, cheek, and neck. It almost always calms you down.

When we drove to visit family over Christmas, you fell asleep in your car seat with your little red tabogon on, and it fell down over your eyes. You slept for 3+ hours with your tabogon over your eyes. You looked so cute!!!

You still are not taking solids. We keep trying, but you just aren't sure what to do with the food when we put it in your mouth. Usually, you end up spitting it out. I feel certain you will catch on soon! We'll keep trying. . .

What a joy you are, little man. You are unique and precious. And, you have two big brothers who adore you! We are rapidly approaching your first birthday! How exciting, my love! Keep growing, and, as my mama used to whisper over me when I lay in bed sick, Jesus make you well, my baby, Jesus make you well.

I love you!

Rub a dub dub. . .

Three sweet boys in a tub!!

Can you imagine the joy that filled my heart when I walked in the bathroom and saw this for the first time?



Usually Erik bathes Elijah first and then the big boys, but a few weeks ago he began putting them all in the tub together!! I can't tell you how it makes me feel to see all three of them splashing and playing together!!

A Piratey Treasure Hunt

I mentioned it the night before, and he didn't seem to pay much attention. I thought it to be a grand plan, but he didn't seem very interested. That is until morning. . . It was the first thing he said to me when our eyes met at 6:30 a.m. this morning. "Mommy, when are you going to draw us a map and send us on a treasure hunt! We're pirates! Arrrrghhhhh!!! I'm the captain, and James Siffer is the 'looker outer'!!!!"

Then JCT repeated happily, "I'm the 'looker outer'!!! Arrrrghhhhh!"

"Yeah! Arrrghhhh!" Joshua said again and putting his left foot up on Elijah's walker and squinting one eye, he asked me in his best big mean pirate voice, "Do I look scary, Mommy?"

"Terrifyingly scary!!!" I assured him.

Daddy went for a jog, and I drew my first map! Then, I hid the treasure chest with a few little fun treasures in it. All the while my little piratey friends waited in the utility room until I told them that they could come out and seek their treasure!!! They followed the map and ultimately, after a bit of help, found the long lost treasure chest. They were satisfied and happy!

But, I, I had just gotten started!! My mind was spinning with possibilities!!! So, I invited them to partake in an outdoor treasure hunt after naptime today!!! They were thrilled! Joshua asked if I could really bury it in the ground and let them dig with real shovels!! Now, I'm into it and all, but not enough to dig a large hole in my backyard! Umm. No. I love you, but no.

So, when JCT arose from naptime I had everything ready! The map was rolled up and tied with twine, and the treasure was securely hidden.

What better way to begin a treasure hunt than with a big burly loud ARRRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!




Next we read the map!! Notice JCT's scary piratey frog boots!!




Now we're ready to go find that treasure!! I can just hear the Backyardigans singing, "Treasure! Treasure! Where's that Treasure???"

Wait! There's the spikey bush, but they don't see the treasure chest!! Look harder little matees!! Your Mama is a clever lady, and she hid the treasure chest under a heap of fallen leaves!!!!




She did this just so that her piratey precious ones could dig with a shovel to uncover buried treasure like they wanted!!!


And, here they are back on the pirate ship sharing the loot!!!

Arrrrgghhhh!! What alot of fun we had!!! And, I do mean we!!!

Christmas 2007 Recap

Unfortunately, we did not make a special trip to the mall to visit Santa this year. But, thanks to Joshua and his creative mind, the boys got to visit Santa in our very own family room!



For the first time ever we spent Christmas at home - just our family of 5!! The big boys came downstairs and crawled into bed with us just a little after seven on Christmas morning!! We had a slow, relaxing, lazy Christmas morning, and then we enjoyed a delicious Christmas dinner at Sean and Deana's. Thanks, Mrs. Diane and Deana B., for a wonderful, wonderful meal!!

I must mention,so I won't forget, that I took the boys shopping at Wal-Mart to pick out whatever they wanted to give Daddy. What did they choose? A kickball and the game Hungry, hungry hippos! Merry Christmas, Baby!

Then, on the 26th we headed to my parent's home. My sister, her husband, and their 8 children met us there! Talk about alot of fun and activity!!!!!

The first thing we did is a family tradition for my brother, sister, and I. My Dad reads the Christmas story and the children act it out. We've come along way since the days when Kristin, Kelly, and I acted out all the parts!

My Daddy reading the Christmas story from the book of Luke.


This is a picture of the angels, and JCT and I are shepherds - sore afraid!


And, now the three kings. . .


A picture of my sweet king and me!


After the Christmas pagent, it was time to open presents!!

Joshua's favorite gift. . . He is still carrying Larry the pirate around! Notice his shirt!


Kase and Joshua seemed to have bonded sweetly over this holiday. . .


My Daddy and a few of the kiddos. . .


A little friendly competition. . .


My sweet, sweet sister. . . She looks so comfortable with a baby in her arms! Wonder why?


Then, my sister's family went home for one of her son's basketball games, and my brother's family came! Whew!

My sister and Cecilia are both past the "baby stage." They are glad about that fact, but they both still love to hold babies. So, I basically hand off Elijah to either Kristin or Cecilia at every family gathering. And, Peyton, oh, sweet Peyton, she loves babies, too. She gave my 'Lijah so much love!!!! I love that girl and her sweet sister, too!!!



And, a holiday with my brother, Kelly, is never boring! If I tried to explain how much fun he is, my words would not do him justice! He is so sweet, so funny, so great!!!!!! I may be 30+, but I still believe that my big brother hung the moon. . . and the stars. . . and anything else that hangs up high!!! And, here he is with Avery and JCT!


This was really a nice Christmas - so much fun! It was a holiday of sipping coffee in pjs with people I love tremendously.

Slighty out of Context

Among the new and amazing toys that Joshua received for Christmas is a truck. And, not just any truck, it is a crane like truck similar to Lofty - for those of you familiar with Bob the Builder. This evening Joshua was playing with it in the mudroom. And, he proceeded to hook the crane to our vented utility room door. He then began reeling the crane in causing one of the wooden pieces of the vented door to bow. Watching him and cringing, I said, "No, sir, Joshua. You could break part of the door. You cannot do that."

To which he answered, "Yes. Yes, I can do it," then he smiled a sly little smile, looked me in the eyes and said with great confidence. . .

"I can do ALL things through Christ Who strengthens me!"

Here's What's New on Our Walls. . .

Before I had children of my own, I would visit friends and relatives who made their houses virtual shrines to their children. Pictures of their little ones covered literally every wall in their home. I remember telling Erik early on, that we would never do that! We would have a picture here or there, but not everywhere!

Never say never.

Our walls are covered in pictures of our little men. And, I won't apologize for it. I love to look at pictures of my little ones, and I live here. So, little red-headed boys it is!!! :-)

I recently got these three pictures framed and hanging on the walls. I love this first one, I think mostly because I can feel it deep in my heart. I love my babies, and I always want to remember the moments of holding them close. They don't stay little long enough- I am learning that already!! I am hoping in 30 years when Elijah is a grown man that I will be able to look at this picture and remember what it felt like to hold him close, to feel his head on my shoulder, his body limp completely given out to tiredness, his soft fuzzy head against my cheek, his smooth baby skin, his sweet baby smell. . .

Okay, now this one is my favorite, hands down. It stops me in my tracks daily. I love how close it is! You can see the sugar wetness on his lips and the sparkle in his eyes. Love it! Elijah's wife will want this picture one day, but I'm not sure I'll be able to hand it over before I leave for heaven. I love to look at it!

Now, I love this one because it is the perfect representation of my big boys personalities. The photographer was attempting to get a picture of Erik holding both boys hands, but JCT refused to cooperate. He wouldn't face the right way, he wouldn't hold Daddy's hand, etc. So, Erik laughingly picked him up by his ankles, and the photographer grabbed the shot. The look on Joshua's face is priceless as he watches his unruly brother hang upside down! This picture is so typical of our daily life with these two unique personalities, and that is why I love it so much!

I love pictures because they capture moments. Moments that might otherwise be forgotten. Precious fleeting moments that are made timeless.

A Full Life

My husband loves basketball. It is one of his great passions in life. He played basketball in high school and in college. As long as I have known Erik, he has played pick-up basketball with whoever is willing to play with him. And, through this he has made a great number of friends that he otherwise would never have met. Friends that may or may not go to church, friends of different cultures and ways of life. I have enjoyed meeting and getting to know many of these men.

Radar is one of them. Radar isn't his real name, but that is what they call him. I've always liked Radar. He is aggressive on the basketball court, but gentle and kind off the court. His eyes are bright with life and love. They shine, actually. And, rare is a time that I have seen him without a warm and welcoming smile. You see, Radar understands grace. He received it firsthand. I don't know the details of his conversion, but I know it was an amazing one. He once lived a life of drugs, alcohol, and the like. But, then he met Jesus, and now his blue eyes are as clear as a cloudless sky. He became a preacher, a good old country kind of preacher. His only training in ministry is the training the Holy Spirit gives him as he meets with him daily. He is a good man, and he has a special place in my husband's heart.

Erik called earlier today to tell me that Radar's youngest son (a teenager) was killed in a car accident this morning. (It was a horribly rainy morning here.) Erik said that he called Radar, and Radar answered the phone in tears. Erik was able to talk to him, and at the very least, let him know that we are thinking and praying for him and his family.

A week or so ago Deidre mentioned on her blog that one of the youth from her church was killed in a car accident. I commented on her post mentioning (vaguely from memory) a quote from the Journals of Jim Elliot. After Erik called to tell me about Radar's son, I went quickly to the bookshelf to look up the quote and read it word for word. I skimmed the entire book several times before I found the exact quote I wanted. Jim never intended for others to read these words. And, he had no way of knowing that in a few short years his life would be taken by the Indians with which he was so eager to share the gospel. But, yet he was very much aware of the fact that although his life was short (he was young) it had been very full. And, it is my prayer that these two teenage boys would have been able to say the same thing about the life God gave them. Here is the quote. . .

"Only I know that my own life is full. It is time to die, for I have had all a young man can have -- at least, all this young man can have. If there were no further issue from my training it would be well -- the training has been good and to the glory of God. I am ready to meet Jesus. Failure means nothing now, only that it taught me life. Success is meaningless, only that it gave me further experience for using the great gift of God -- Life. And, Life, I love thee, not because thou art long, or because thou hast done great things for me, but simply because I have thee from God. This writing is part of thee, and I am glad to write, not that there is any purpose in it for others -- it is simply part of Life, and Life I have come to love."

Jesus came to give us not just life, but life abundant. I have been challenged today to examine my own life and the fullness of it. If I died today, could I say that I had lived my life to the fullest? God gave me the gift of this life, let me not waste it, Lord. Let me do with it exactly as You would have me.

Just for the record. . .

The other day as Joshua and JCT were sitting side by side on the bench at our kitchen table eating their lunches JCT leaned over to kiss Joshua on the cheek. Joshua swiftly dodged his kiss and said, "You can't marry me!"

I stepped in, "Just because he wants to give you a kiss doesn't mean he wants to marry you. He is just being sweet and giving you some lovin'!"

Joshua, ignoring my comment said, "You can't marry me, JCT. I am going to marry Afton or Peyton (one of his sweet cousins) or (and this is the best part) whoever Mommy wants me to marry."

That's what I'm talkin' about!!!!!!!!!

Can I have that in writing please?

Just kidding, but I am keeping this in the family records - just in case I need to pull it out one day twenty some odd years from now!!

On a serious note, if Joshua's sweet wife reads this one day, I want her to know that even before Joshua was born, I began praying for her! And, we will love her to pieces - no doubt!

All Christmas - All Cookies - All Day!!!!

Yesterday the boys and I spent the entire day making, baking, and decorating cookies! Looking back I can say that we had a blast, but the day did not go exactly as I had envisioned. . .

Elijah began the day with an explosion of epic proportions (if you know what I mean). The explosion was so large and toxic that between giving him a full body bath, changing sheets, laundering sheets and pjs, cleaning the mattress, etc. I began the day an hour behind schedule.

But, eventually the big boys and I did begin mixing ingredients together in order to produce some of my great grandmother's sour cream sugar cookies. I turned my back on the boys only momentarily to get some spices out of my spice drawer. When I returned to them I found that someone (I'm not naming names) stuck my recipe in the batter. His brother stood beside him smiling and giggling under his breath. A few minutes later that same sweet someone turned the upright mixer on before I was finished adding ingredients. And, he didn't turn it on the "stir" setting, so as you can imagine, the kitchen looked like a winter wonderland. Thanks for adding to the festiveness of the day, my darling JCT.







Isn't that the way it goes with toddlers? We dream up these beautiful, warm, cozy dreams of doing something memorable with our sweet little ones, and it never quite happens as smoothly or easily in real life. But, it is good - it may not be "easy," but it is good.



I was talking to a friend the other day, and she also has 3 children. She was describing to me her husband's birthday dinner. Their family went out to a restaurant to celebrate. She said with hesitation, "It was. . . umm. . . good. I mean really it was good. It is our family right now." And, I said, "Say no more. I know exactly what you mean." It may not be easy. It may not be relaxed and completely enjoyable. But, it is good. And, neither she nor I would trade our lots for anything. The blessings far outweigh the inconveniences.



So, about yesterday. . .



The boys had a blast. And, watching them have so much fun together made the entire day worth it! I love to watch my children interact and enjoy each other. These are life-long friendships that I am watching develop. Unique, precious friendships.

We also made Reeses PB cup cookies. I asked the boys to "undress" the Reeses cups. I think JCT ate most of the ones that he "undressed!" Here he is realizing that he has been caught after Mama has clearly told him over and over to not eat all the Reeses!

So, after slaving in the kitchen all day, Daddy came home and brought this.

Mrs. Vera, an eighty six year old patient of his, made him this delicious chocolate cake. Let's just say that there is enough sugar in our home to keep my boys hyped up and awake from now until Christmas. As you can see, Erik, JCT, and I opted for the chocolate cake over the cookies. Joshua chose to enjoy several sugar cookies.

And, as I watched him savor the sweet goodness of my great-grandmother's cookie recipe, it reminded me of a strawberry blond, pig-tailed, little girl who loved to eat those cookies twenty some odd years ago. I made Joshua look me in the eyes, and I said, "Do you taste that sweetness? That taste will become something you look forward to every year. We will make these same cookies every Christmas until you are grown. Enjoy them, sweet boy."



Then, after dessert the five of us sat together and watched Rudolf. The boys were glued to the TV throughout the movie, and as they watched I looked around the room. Elijah was playing quietly on the floor, and Erik had JCT snuggled on his lap. Joshua had his head in my lap, and I was scratching his back. These are the times that I hope they will remember.



Now today we are distributing some of that sweetness because I can only handle so much sugar under my roof at one time!

Run, Joshua, Run!

Joshua had a bad day yesterday. When Erik dropped him off at preschool, he said that Joshua looked back at him with big tears in his eyes before he rounded the corner to go into his classroom. It broke Erik's heart. Mondays are always hard, but this one was especially hard for some reason.

Erik came home for lunch yesterday. Erik never comes home for lunch. He has had the same job for 6 and a half years, and I can count on one hand how many times he has come home for lunch. He surprised me, but he didn't come home to see me. He walked in the back door, through the kitchen, and straight to Joshua in the family room. Erik sat on the ottoman, and Joshua stood between his legs. They talked. I'm not sure exactly what Erik said to him, but the moment was sweet - both of them completely focused on the other one.

Later yesterday evening after the boys were in bed, Erik told me that he had spoken with Joshua's teacher that morning. Mrs. Jenny is her name, and she is so sweet to my little man. She told Erik that during "gym" (recess) Joshua just sits beside her. He doesn't play. He just sits beside his teacher. And, the mental image of my sweet little boy sitting quietly beside his teacher instead of playing with the other children made my heart sad, very sad. I thought about it off and on throughout the night and this morning, too.

When I picked Joshua up today, Mrs. Jenny walked him to the car. Our conversation went something like this. . .

Me: Did he have a good day today?

Mrs. Jenny: Yes, he did have a lot better day today!

Me, as I breathe a sigh of relief: Oh, good.

Mrs. Jenny: Yeah, during "gym" my husband brought my little boy to see me. He sat on my lap. Then, my husband came to get him and take him home. And after they left, Joshua (who was, of course, sitting beside her) looked up at me and asked if he could sit on my lap. I said, 'Baby, don't you want to go play?' And, he said, 'No.' So, I said, 'Joshua, I want to see how fast you can run! Will you do me a favor and run as fast as you can across the gym?'"

(Now let me interrupt Mrs. Jenny and say that the Holy Spirit Himself spoke those words through her. Because Mrs. Jenny has no idea how much my Joshua loves to run. He has an imaginary track that goes across our entire front yard and around a big oak tree. He runs it over and over until his face is bright red and beaming! Sometimes he asks me to say "On your mark. Get set. Go." Sometimes he talks JCT into running with him - though JCT never stays at it very long. And, sometimes he runs and sings "Racing day, it's racing day. . . Racing day, it's racing dayyyy!" from the Backyardigans. The child loves to run! Loves. To. Run. In fact, this past Sunday night the entire children's ministry (kids from pre-k to 6th grade) walked laps around the church gym to raise money for Lottie Moon. Joshua is 4, and he came in 3rd place in money raised. His sweet cheeks were beautifully rosy throughout the evening worship service. And, his mama was so proud! Okay. . . back to Mrs. Jenny. . .)

"So, he ran across the gym like I asked, but then he just kept going. He kept running, and then eventually some of the other kids joined him and started running, too. And, that made it a good day!"

I thanked her profusely, and drove off smiling and singing "God is so good" to myself. And, then my mind turned to thoughts of Eric Liddell of Chariots of Fire. I adore that movie. My favorite part is when his sister gives him a hard time about not serving God in ministry, and he says something like this, "I can't explain it, sis, but I know that running is what God wants me to do. He made me fast." Then, he says my favorite part, "When I run I can feel God's pleasure." Love that. I watched that scene a thousand times over in my mind as I trained for my marathon. Joshua isn't the only one in this family who loves to run!

So, as I drove to Erik's office, I compared my sweet child to Eric Liddell, a fine godly man who could run like the wind. When we got to Erik's office I told Erik the story Mrs. Jenny told me. But, a different runner came to Erik's mind when I told him the story.

He called Joshua the Forest Gump of Pre-K.

Somehow, I liked my thought a little better.

But, either way, I am simply thankful for a good day.

In This Your Strength

I have been struggling as a mom lately. Questioning everything that I do as mom to my three precious little men. If you're a mom, I'm sure you have done the same thing from time to time.

All three of my boys are going through some sort of separation anxiety stage right now. Elijah is going through the normal - I am a nursed baby and there is only one who can fill my needs. Everyone else is a poor substitute. JCT has recently started crying when we drop him off at the church nursery. Why? I have no idea. I didn't see this one coming. He has always been my super independent son, and, also, the one I worry about the least. He usually just handles things, but lately he has been clingy. And, when he cries, it isn't the sweet silent tears of his older brother. No. He is my little fighter. So, you can use your imagination. And, Joshua, well, basically it is the same old same old with him. He doesn't want to go to school, but this past Wednesday evening he didn't want to go to church! What is going on? They are acting like our family has gone through some sort of traumatic event - a death, a move, something. But, nothing has changed. Believe me, I have analyzed it for days. Nothing has changed.

Joshua's separation anxiety bothers me the most. He has been going to preschool for months now, and he still doesn't like it. I felt sure we'd be through this by now. I was pouring my heart out to my mother about all this last night, and I received this email from her today. . . It was so encouraging, and I wanted to keep it for Joshua when he gets older. My mom travels for Kay Arthur's ministry (Precept). She is always challenging and encouraging me - not with her own words, but rather with His words. I am so thankful for her! So, without further ado. . .


"Listening to When I am with You from the Glorious CD.... that is one of my favorite songs on the CD. Listen to it and tell me what you think. When Daddy isn't around I listen to it, with my hands raised and just LOVE how it ministers to me.

Now, about sweet Joshua!!! Been praying. AND you are NOT doing anything wrong. He is a sweet sensitive child and will be an amazing young man... just wait and see. He is just in process. Learning all that God has for him to learn at his pace. Also have been learning in Judges that God left the enemy in the land to test Israel and to teach them war..... And translated to today could be every day is warfare, too... and the best weapon we have is the Sword of the Spirit... the Word of God. sooooo we gotta use it. Some scriptures will appear below... but also I am reminded that with Gideon (who was very fearful due to what was going on with Israel at the time... oh, so for today) yet God called him... Valiant Warrior. or literally, Mighty Man of Valor. And after God moved in his life that is exactly what he was. BUT he wasn't that the first day that God called him.... it took the angel of the Lord making his meal toast.... fleeces.... overhearing the enemy's fear.... and recognizing that God was truly who He said He was AND would win the battle for Israel. And God said... Peace... and don't be afraid... and Gideon made an altar and called it the Lord is Peace... Jehovah Shalom. GLORY!!!!!! In those chapters (6-8) there are several places where it says God is with you... and one place after it says that it says that Gideon is to go "in this your strength".. I love that. Go in the strength that is yours because He is with you.... opps... guess what Immanuel is now not only God with us.... He is God in us.... John 14. Sooooo fear can be turned to faith in us and in Joshua.... He just needs to experience God in that as he grows.... and in us as we minister to him from love and faith not fear. Was that a lot of words that I "vomited" and they didn't make any sense.

Here are some verses that God brought to me... Matt1:23 Immanuel.. God with us! Ps 34... all of it is great... but v. 4 says.. I sought the LORD and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Ps 27:1 The Lord is my Light and my Salvations ... Whom shall I fear... The LORD is the defense of my life... Whom shall I dread...
1 John 4:18... perfect love casts out fear. FEAR is just False Evidence Appearing Real....

outta here.... loving you and praying for you... and recognizing that God is working and will work and will bring you and Joshua and JCT and Erik and Elijah to completion ... He is faithful who promised and He will indeed do it.

NOW I KNOW THAT WAS TOO MANY WORDS!!!! Yikes... will send but you can delete at will.... you are loved... and loved and loved... and prayed for, too.
mommy"


Umm. . . Delete it?

Never.

Thanks Mommy! Love you!

Isn't it so wonderful that God doesn't see us as we are, but instead He sees us as we will be! When the angel of the Lord came to Gideon, he was full of fear and doubt, but God called him a mighty man of valor. Thank you, Jesus!

And, isn't it a great reminder for Joshua as he walks into school each morning that his strength does not come from within himself? His strength does not come from a strong will, a strong body, a strong personality, a strong mind, or a strong following, but rather, his strength comes from the fact that He is not alone. In "this" your strength, our strength has nothing to do with "us" but rather with "Who" lives inside us. I love that!

In this your strength, my Joshua, my little mighty man of Valor, your strength lies in the One Who lives in you. And, there is not a doubt in my mind that He has great plans for you, my little warrior.

And, to my internet friends. . .

Go, in this your strength - that the God of all creation is with you.