Becca and the boys

The way it's been

2012-02-13T21:16:00.003-06:00

I am so far behind in recording our major life events that I'm going to have to update you in a series of posts.

I'll start off with saying that the last nine months were some of the most physically challenging I can remember. I was sicker with this last baby than all the others. More extreme morning sickness --the scented trash bags made me want to throw up. Mike making coffee did make me throw up. On the good days I would roll out of bed, walk to the kitchen, lie over on the counter resting my head in my hands and rest for a few seconds before summoning the strength to do what I had to in that room.

Amazingly enough my boys all made it through. The next couple months were good. And God provided (as He always does) with my sister, Chrissy, moving in with Mike and I. She attended college in Abilene while living with us. We had told her for years she was always welcome to come live with us where ever we were and do college in that town. She came and was a huge help to me and Mike. We thoroughly enjoyed her presence and involvement in our little family.

December arrived too quickly for me. I spent as much time as I could afford being with the women who had walked with my through the last four years --four years that I wouldn't trade for the moon. Those years were filled with adjusting to military life, deployments, TDYs, having children (plural), surviving a two-year-old. I learned so much about how to be a wife, a mother, a daughter to our Heavenly Father, a teacher. I learned how to make friends, how to make coffee, how to be not so obnoxious. I spent countless hours with a cup of coffee in front of me either receiving council or discussing with my peers different ways to reach a child's rebellious heart. I would listen to women build up their husbands and would learn how to be a submissive wife with words of praise on her tongue instead of a judgemental untrusting woman.

I wouldn't trade these four hard years. I definitely feel that God took us to Abilene for me to learn. --I think I've said that on here before... sorry....

So December we left Abilene.

For the last two months the boys and I have been living in Greenville with my gracious hospitable parents and two youngest sisters. I can't believe they haven't asked us to move --or moved out themselves. I had hoped that we would be able to be a blessing to them by having dinner on the stove and the house clean when they got home from work each day. It hasn't exactly worked out that way. The house has never been clean for them. Dinner on the stove... maybe once or twice a week. I just haven't felt very good physically since I've been here. The last month and a half of the pregnancy were hard. Today, a week and a day since baby #4 was born, I'm beginning to feel strength return. However, most all of that is spent trying to take care of four small people. It seems with each new child I have to re-learn how to do life. How many does it take till you get it down and daily life becomes a perfected form of art? 19? If so, I doubt we'll ever get there ;-)

Tonight, after sending the wild boys to bed, I asked if the grown-ups at home would watch the baby while I escaped. They were more than willing, as always.

But now, Starbucks is closing on me. I promise the next post will provide more humor and less information. For records sake I needed to recap the last months. Stay tuned, maybe this blog will get funny again. I think it will.

Family Christmas Picture

2011-12-13T08:22:00.003-06:00

Merry Christmas to you!

Due to several mediocre reasons, you will not be getting a Christmas card from me. Well, 20 of you will. I didn't really like the options for backgrounds at one photo card website and that happened to be the place I had some credit for free prints. So I ordered 20 and planned to go to another site to get more. I never did.

The new plan is to send you a family picture with a baby announcement included.

So merry Christmas and I look forward to hearing from you even though I can't return the favor for a few more months. We will be receiving mail at my parents address for the next few months. Let me know if you want the address :-)

It's time.

2011-12-12T07:01:00.007-06:00

Four and a half years in Abilene. It's over now. At the drop party during Mike's training in San Antonio it was revealed what airframe Mike would be working on and at which base he would start out.

I can remember it clear as day: "C-130's to Dyess!" That was the announcement.

My heart sank at exactly the same moment my jaw dropped. Seriously? C-130s? A plane we were avoiding because of the strenuous deployment cycles. Abilene? What do you even do at that place besides watch the tumbleweeds roll and watch your step for rattlesnake?

We had a tiny bit of faith that God was in this decision and our fate did not depend on some commander who was giving Mike less than he deserved.

We went.

It was either that or get court marshaled.

Now we have been here four and a half years and it is time to PCS.

PCS --Permanent Change of Station.

I hate that word permanent.

At least I hate it now that my heart belongs and loves this dusty hot town.

For the last few months I have known it was coming, but I refuse to live in the future. I knew we were leaving, but I didn't embrace it in my mind. Today however, I must. I must put all my attention and energy toward leaving.

Yesterday at church the boys had to say goodbye to Ashten. ...wow. Typing that made my eyesight blurry. Ashten has been their second mom. Now I can't see at all. Great. Where do we keep the tissue? Ashten (I don't think she even knows this) is listed as the emergency contact at all kinds of places in case there is an emergency and they can't get ahold of me. Probably you should inform your emergency contact that they are the emergency contact, that way they will be ready to step in if you need them. There is really no point in telling Ashten. I know she would (because she has) drop everything to help me out. She took the day off of work when I went into labor. I called her and my mother at 6:00 to tell them we were at the hospital. She and her husband have spent holidays with my extended family.

Every military wife needs someone who can and will drop everything when you need her. What will I do in Arkansas without her?

And it's not just her.

I've got about...5 REALLY GOOD friends. Then about another hundred good friends. These people have taken care of my family, prayed over me, encouraged me, fed me, fed my messy children, mowed my yard, drank coffee with me, shoveled my entire huge driveway when it came a blizzard and many other things.

I've got an arsenal full of older women who have taught me and counseled me.

Now I will be far away from them.

It's hard to think about this. It's overwhelming to think what I'll do on my own. I rely on these people!

It's been hard to breath. I thought it was because I was anxious and not trusting God. Then I was reading last night on my pregnancy app on my phone it said: "...your growing uterus has compressed your lungs, limiting their ability to fully expand when you take a breath and causing you to feel like you've just run a marathon when you've only climbed a flight of stairs."

I think maybe it's both.

The thought of bouncing around for the next few months, Mike being away from us, a baby being born, a house being built and the overseeing mama having about 30% of the energy I normally have... it makes breathing hard.

I can't do this. I can do a lot of stuff. I'm a military wife. We are amazing ;-)
But... this is too much.

Last night I read to the boys a chapter of the book we are going through: "Behold the Lamb of God." I will wait till another post to tell you how awesome I think this book is. If you are familiar with the Jesus storybook Bible, this is a bigger kid/adult version of that book. Yes, I am reading it to my 3 and 5 year-olds. It is a bit of a struggle for them to understand, but things they are gleaning are worth it.

So I am reading this chapter. It is about when the Israelites were about to enter the promised land. Spies were sent in to check out the place. They came back and reported of it's bounty and it's HUGE strong people living in the land. The odds were against them being able to conquer the land. It was impossible. They couldn't do it.

The people responded to this report by being afraid and whining "We should have just stayed in Egypt to die." They did not want to enter. They didn't believe that God would fight for them. So... He didn't.

Despite the miracles of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the miraculous provision of manna and water, the visual reminder of a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire... these people didn't believe that God could be trusted to prepare the way.

So he didn't.

He turned them around and had them wander in the desert for the next 40 years where every one of the "faithless generation" died.

I paused my reading in mid paragraph.

This is me. Or at least it could be. Things are heading that way.

I stand on the edge of the promised land (or... maybe just Arkansas) and I freeze up, struggle to breathe.

God who has taken a place like Abilene and taught me, provided for me, matured me, loved me, listened to me, helped me... and I think this God won't take care of the difficulties of this move.

I'm so dumb.

He's so faithful.

I'm so glad.

Bottoms: Why do we have 'em? Really?

2011-11-27T21:22:00.002-06:00

Ty has a bad habit going. It's arguing. He argues about whether or not he is arguing. It's bad. We are trying to figure out different ways to help him have victory over this sin. Today however, the result of arguing was a couple swats on his hind quarters.

I tell him: "Turn around Ty, so I can spank your bottom. That's where you get a spanking. Bottoms are for spanking."

Ty: "No Mom..."

(See, I told you he had a problem.)

"...bottoms are not for spanking. Bottoms are for poo-pooing."

Tape

2011-11-27T21:15:00.003-06:00

Dear Mom,

I can't wait till the boys get that roll of scotch tape in their stocking from you. I'm interested to see what other creative uses they can find for a role of tape.

-Becca

Things I never thought I'd hear myself say

2011-11-14T15:55:00.002-06:00

"No Ty! Jack does not want to see your poo-poo."

That was Mike responding to the question:

"Jaaaaaccckkkk! Do you want to come see my poooooo- pooooooo!"

Which was yelled while sitting on the toilet.

Little boys

2011-11-10T12:45:00.004-06:00

I couldn't trade 'em. They are sweet, rough, gross and adorable.

Ty:

Our little exterminator. He is always calling out in alarm when he sees an insect in the house. He's not scared, mind you, he just wants me to know there is an emergency situation and he's going to take care of it. Here he is bringing me a spider he killed. He told me one of it's legs came off. And he brought it for proof. The dried blood in his nose is not from the insect battle. Just further proof that this child is rough and tumble.

Austin:

AKA: the wicked witch of the west. Dorthy's been here, the red shoes are missing. We all know I would NEVER let my child out of the house in sock feet. Some of you may be asking why was I getting out my camera when the child has been run over by a car??? You don't know me well then do you? Now calm down, he was fine. I'm not sure how he got himself into this predicament. This isn't even our house, it's the neighbors flowerbed.

See. He was fine. I'll even say he enjoyed it. Sorry about your plants Julie!

Jack:

Jack and Ty are both pictured sitting in the chairs, but I'm giving credit to Jack for the idea. I had informed him that we were having guests over in about an hour. He was ready and waiting (and comfortable) to greet them.

This is when I went out and told them there had been a change in plans and the friends weren't coming over.

"Not cool Mom, not cool."

I is smart.

2011-11-07T20:48:00.002-06:00

Awesome. Just awesome.

No wonder no one else would let you interview them for the story.

Most moms have more since then me. "Oh, ok, sure. I'll do it."

Little did I know "We will edit this" meant: "We'll shorten the clip, but make sure we leave in anything you might say that makes you sound like an idiot."

http://weareaustin.com/search-fulltext?nxd_id=191667

Thanks. Thanks for that.

After getting in the car to leave, I tell Mike: "I think I made up a word during my interview. Surely they'll take it out."

Never assume... never assume.

How did he do it?

2011-10-24T06:41:00.002-05:00

Twenty-four.

Twenty-four grandchildren.

Every one of them present at your funeral, minus two. One overseas serving as a missionary, the other hundreds of miles away serving in the navy. Both expressing how badly they wanted to be home --for you.

We came from miles around, took off work, drove through the night, bought expensive tickets, even flew in our families, made impossible things happen so we could be there.

It looked like a small army, the family section at the funeral. Most had their children beside them. And what a crowd was there! I thought the receiving line would never end. I've never seen such a turnout for a 90-year-old's funeral. It shows you didn't stop making sure people felt loved, even in your last years.

So many people. So many coming up and telling us how special you were. I heard things like: "He was such a gentleman." "He will be missed." He was so gentle and kind." "He was the same man wherever he went." I'd choke back the tears and try to leave the conversation before I needed a professional cosmetologist to get the mascara stains off of my face.

But... there a lots of gentle, kind, loving people who die every day who evoke this response out of people.

I really can't get over the fact that every grandchild possible --and their spouses were present. Is this normal? And it's not like we just felt like we needed to be there for our mothers. We could not miss it.

We couldn't.

And for the last little while I've been trying to figure out why.

Was it that we always felt so special around him?
Was it his dignity we admired?
Was it how he loved his family?
Was it how he served his church?
How he never complained --and yet, in his last few years, tried to be honest when we asked him how he was feeling?
Was it his wise counsel?

I want to know.

I want to know so that I can direct my boys in his steps.

This wasn't just a "sweet grandpa."

This was a man that was described by someone who had known him for years as:

"Nobody's perfect right? ["Right."] "But Weldon, he was perfect. Not a flaw. Not a flaw."

Austin's first words

2011-09-27T08:04:00.003-05:00

Austie has been talking quite a bit lately, he's no "Ty," but he's doing well. You can tell he is interested in being able to tell us what he wants.

His first word was: "more!" and he used it often, when eating, when drinking, when not eating or drinking. Sometimes he would go to the fridge and point to it and say, "More!" I figured out what he wanted.

Since then he has added:

Mama
Ty
Baby
out (outside)
Bye
Hi
Kiki (Aunt Chrissy)
Gigi
Ball
Dada
Dack (Jack)
Peese (please)

A couple days ago, Austin said his first sentence!

He was out near the end of the driveway, looking longingly at the forbidden road. I walked toward him giving him a look of warning, a "Don't you even think about going into the street" look. That is one of the biggest offenses at our house, because I want the boys to be able to be trusted in the front yard. So we really harp on street safety.

Austin looks up at me, points behind him to the street and says: "No road."

Good job Austin! He gets it. He knows he'll "get it", if he does go into the road.

...apparently being consistent works.

oh, right, I forgot.

2011-09-23T06:43:00.003-05:00

It was hard to get up this morning

again.

Twenty-one days to a habit? Maybe, but not when spiritual warfare is involved.

Back in the saddle for four weeks after three months of being too sick and tired to attempt an early rise.

It's still hard.

Day after day of getting up, making coffee and attempting to meet with the Father.

I sit there. In the dark. Alone. Ready to commune. Wanting to feel, to worship, to be spoken to

but.

It's just another quiet night.

I decide to speak, thanking him for his blessings, asking for help, telling him what my friends need from Him.

My thoughts are quickly interrupted by, well, anything...

everything.

Embarrassed I try to return my focus to worshiping my Lord.

I try.

All is quiet.

I get the feeling that I'm not in the throne room. I feel I'm still outside the door, standing there, hands in my pockets, hoping He comes out and scoops me up. But not feeling worthy to knock.

I mean, I know I'm not worthy. There's no debate there. I'm the one who stepped out, over three months ago I told him. "I'm pregnant now, see ya in three months God."

The sickness is over. I'm back.

But my mind can't get over the fact that I stepped out.

What right do I have to go back and say, "I've decided I'm ready to go back to being more than friends." Like the God of the universe is a dog I've kept pinned up all day and now I'm coming back to tell him "Come on boy, I need some affection from you now. Come show me that 'love you forever' kind of love. It's convenient for ME now."

You don't do that! What nerve of me to treat God like a loyal animal.

So I've been sitting here, for four weeks, reading his Word, doing my Bible study, praying, loitering...

outside His door.

Recently I've realized what my deal is. Why I can't just open the door and walk in. Who says I have to knock anyway?

Grace --God's unconditional love and favor toward us

I've forgotten about it.

How could I forget? (I'll blame it on the pregnancy brain.)

It's foundational to what I believe about God:

God is perfect. I am far far from it.
He knows it. He loves me anyway.

My disobedience has made it impossible for me to be near Him.
He knows it. He loves me anyway.

He made a way. His son took my problems, my issues, my selfishness and paid the penalty for it. Because of my acceptance of this gift and my pledge to follow Him, I'm now clean. I'm now perfect in the sight of God.

That's what Grace is.

God knowing how self-centered and ugly my heart is, and He loves me anyway.

I think it's my problem to fix. It's not. Cause I can't fix it.

Holy Trinity, continue to teach me that Christ's righteousness
satisfies justice and evidences thy love; help me to make use of it by faith as
the ground of my peace and of thy favour and acceptance, so that I may live
always near the cross. --M. Vincent

Now if I can just get that through my thick head.

Who wouldn't want this?

2011-08-08T19:59:00.003-05:00

If Mike ever lets me raise chickens and they somehow survive to adulthood, then I'd like one of these with which to gather my eggs.

Seems like a fit since we are moving to Arkansas....

Chapter 6

2011-08-04T20:09:00.005-05:00

We are in the middle of our third adventure together. Overall it has gone quite well. Ty wasn't ready to read The House at Pooh Corner but we stuck it out. Every time we would read he'd remind me that he "don't like this book." I'd tell him to pick out a shorter book from his book shelf and I'd read it to him after we were done with Pooh.

Tonight's reading of Charlotte's Web was pretty typical. Here is a sample of how things went:

Chapter VI

"Ty, you cannot lay on me. It's too hot. Move over and lay next to me and don't wiggle." (blue font is me)

"The early summer days on a farm are the happiest and fairest days of the year. Lilacs bloom and make the air sweet, and then fade. Apple blossoms come with the lilacs, and the bees visit around among the apple trees."

"Mom, I thought you were going to read about Wilber." (Red font is Jack)
"I am Jack, just keep listening."

... The days grow warm and soft. School ends, and

"Ty, get off me."

...children have time to play and to fish for trouts in the brook. Avery often brought a trout home ...

"Who's Avery?" (Green font is Ty)
"Avery is the brother."

...in his pocket, warm and stiff and ready to be fried for supper.
Now that school was over, Fern visited the barn almost every day, to sit quietly on her stool. The animals treated her as an equal.

"What's an equal mean?"
"An equal is someone who is the same as you. Like me and you, we are not equals because I am your athority. You and Ty and Wyatt are equals because ya'll are all friends and no one is in charge of the other ones...".

... The sheep lay calmly at her feet.

"Ty come lie down beside me and get out from between my legs. Don't push on my (oumph!!) stomach."
"I need a drink."
"You can go get one, but I'm going to keep reading and you'll miss part of the story."
"Wait for me to get back 'till you read."
"I'm going to keep reading."

... Around the first of July, the work horses were hitched to the moving machine, and Mr. Zuckerman climbed into the seat and drove into the field.

"When are we going to hear Wilber's name?"
"Soon, just let me get though this part."

... All morning you could hear the rattle of the machine as it went round and round, while tall grass fell down behind the cutter bar in long green swathes. Next day, if there was no thunder shower all hands would help rake and pitch and load, and the hay would be hauled to the barn in the...

"Mom, mom? Mom could you quit talking because I need to make a phone call."
"Sure Ty, go ahead."
Ty lowers his voice and speaks quietly into his phone. "Hello? Yes, ok. Yes. Alright Goodbye." Ty puts down his toy phone and I continue reading.

...high hay wagon, with Fern and Avery

"Who's Fern?"
"She's the girl. (I turn to the cover and show Ty the picture of Fern.)

... riding on the top of the load. Then the hay would be hoisted, sweet and warm, into the big loft until the whole barn seemed to smell like a wonderful bed of timothy and clover.

"What's clover?"
"Timothy and clover are types of grass."

... It was fine to jump in and perfect to hide in. And sometimes Avery would find a little grass snake in the hay, and would add it to the other things in his pocket.

"Who's Avery?"

You know you're lazy:

2011-08-02T15:52:00.002-05:00

...when wake up time went from your alarm going off at 5:30 AM to "Oh please let the kids sleep till 8:30!"

...when going to the pool seems like too much work.

...when you pick out food for the family based on how much clean-up the meal will require.

...when you help your big kids play their favorite game at Chuck E. Cheese and then they wander off while there is still 30% life left, so you continue to play for them.

...when you put another token in and continue the game.

...when your one-year-old falls out of his stroller because you are playing the game and not watching him.

...when nap time finally comes and the baby (of course) wakes up just as you drift off. Instead of getting up you nudge the five-year-old and say, "You wanna get up and play with him?"

...when you then say, "Check his diaper will ya? ...Oh, and he hasn't had lunch yet. Get out a box of cereal."

...when you are on the computer, your baby walks by and you get a whiff of his diaper.... and you just keep on typing.

...when you finally do stop typing and then look at the clock to see when Dad will be home to see if maybe the kid can ride it out till then. (I put ointment on the rash, he should be fine!)

Definition of evening #2

2011-07-15T21:36:00.003-05:00

eve-ning (Noun)

1. When the sun is orange in the water

2. The edge of the day

by Jack

Honey For a Child's Heart

2011-07-11T15:47:00.008-05:00

My mom came to visit me a couple weeks ago. After she had hugged us all she went back out to the car and returned with an armload of books. Some she had just purchased on the way out to our house when stopping to stretch her legs, and one she brought from home. She handed it to me and said, "This is a book I really enjoyed when I had little children."

What did she hand me? Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt

I took it and studied the front cover. Pictures from the early 90s confirmed her date was correct. A description on the cover read: "The Imaginative Use of Books in Family Life." (the photo is from a newer edition)

Did mom bring me this book after I'd expressed an interest in reading aloud more to my children or did this book peek my interest in the activity. I can't remember (I know, it was just two weeks ago.)

But now I'm super excited about reading aloud with my boys. The book discussed all kinds of benefits to reading together as a family. More than you'd think. Gladys Hunt shares experiences from her childhood, traditions her parents started when she was young that have continued for three generations so far. Tested by time? I'd say so. She tells of road trips that always involved books, inside jokes possible through experiences they had shared by going on journeys together in books. I love that she focuses on God's Word as the ultimate reading material and shares of some of her family's traditions:

When our son Mark was four years old, we began to read aloud from the Gospel
of Mark. We chose this Gospel because of its name and because of its short
narrative passages. Father had a plan. Everyone at the table (and
this included our numerous guests) had to ask a question and answer one.
He made a game of it. Sometimes the question was directed to the person on
our left, other times to the person on our right. We'd have to listen
carefully, and sometimes the question we had thought to ask was usurped by
someone whose turn came first, and we would have to think of another.

At first our questions were simple. Where did Jesus go? What did
Jesus do? Who went with Jesus? Mark picked up the idea rapidly. Then we
began to interject another kind of question. Why did Jesus say that?
What does He mean? And then later, What can we learn from Jesus about the
way we ought to act?

In these questions are the three elements which open any text: Fact -what
does it say? Interpretation--what does it mean? Application --what does it
mean to me?

For a while Mark's questions centered on facts, but before long he began
asking deeply penetrating ones. If Jesus could raise Lazarus from the
dead, why did He let his dear friend John the Baptist stay dead? Why did
the Jews say Jesus had an evil spirit? Increasingly we delved into the
meat of what the text was saying. p.98

What a cool idea that I hope we will apply to our daily routine. Teaching little bitty children the basics to studying the Bible --I love it.

Hunt also reveals how useful books can be as teachers. I am an over-explainer by nature and am always watching for ways I can train myself not to be a broken record and still teach my boys as many of the 70 trillion things they need to know before they are 18.

The best teaching we have done in our family has been through reading the Bible
and good books aloud together. It is really not such a profound
concept. How would you best be enlightened to some truth --by being told
that it was wrong to be nasty and thoughtless to others or to meet and come to
love some character in a story and then feel her hurts when someone is unkind
and says cruel things?

After a successful appeal by Mrs. Hunt, I am happy to announce that we have finished our first chapter book. We read Stuart Little, the story of a mouse and his adventures. I had hoped that this book would stir curiosity within Jack and Ty's little minds, that they would use what they'd learned from the book, vocabulary, ideas, or lessons and apply some of it to their lives.

Well, the other day, Ty was lying on the floor with his head in my lap. I traced his forehead and nose with my fingers than began asking him questions: "What's that?" I'd ask. "My nose." He'd reply. "What's that?" "My eye." "What's that?" I ask, pointing at his eyebrow. "That's, that's, that's mouse hairs." He grinned up at me.

Well, ...that's a start.

I'm looking forward to many more fun times as we learn and explore together through books.

Underlying all of this discussion is my thesis that parents who read widely
together with their children are going to be those who most influence
their children, who have the largest world view, who have an uncommon delight in what is good and true and beautiful --and an uncommon commitment to it. Sharing and feeling and talking together will come naturally. Books shared with each other provide that kind of climate.

Who says we don't have any rules around here?

2011-07-10T18:33:00.001-05:00

"Jack, don't hit him in the head while he's chewing."

See. We have rules.

Definition of evening

2011-07-06T21:50:00.001-05:00

eve-ning:

Noun: When the sun is orange on the water

-By Jack

Maybe next time

2011-07-05T20:02:00.003-05:00

It was Sonic burger night.

Caroline's suggestion hit the mark so Mike stopped at the Commissary on the way home and bought tator tots.

I put the frozen potatoes in the oven and we loaded in to the van. (Yes, It takes all five of us to pick up burgers.)

Ty had mentioned twice before we left that he didn't like burgers and, as he does, assumed we would throw out all our plans and start over with a plan he approved of.

I briefed Mike on the imminent conflict. We discussed it and decided tonight would not be the night that we started special ordering food for our picky children. Ty was getting a burger.

In the drive-through line Ty overheard us order burgers and told his dad that he did not like burgers. Mike pretended to hear him wrong, "Oh you like burgers?" "No. I DON'T like burgers." "You like burgers?" "No..." After a minute Ty was laughing and seemed ok with the idea of ketchup and cheese on his.

Nice. Mike played him like a fiddle. Good job Captain.

We get home with our five burgers and five people. Tator tots were slightly overdone --but at least they weren't mealy.

We spread the table. I placed Ty's burger in front of him. He looks down and says: "Mom! They put meat on mine!"

Aww man... I thought we'd solved this problem. I begin a little speech about how we needed to eat what was served us and the starving children and all that.

Then I open my bag, pull out the "All the way with mayo," and exclaim to Mike: "Mine doesn't have any meat!"

"What?!" Mike asks.

Jack's head whips around in shock,

Austin's eyes get really big,

and Ty yells in relief, "YOU CAN HAVE MINE!!!"

So much for the life lesson Ty was going to be taught... I needed protein.

Cards

2011-06-17T07:18:00.002-05:00

"Mike, how about you addressing this card to your father, instead of me. It might be special to him to see it addressed in your handwriting."

Mike, slightly distracted by some air force work, answers: "sure."

I hang out in the kitchen with him, we'd just gotten the kids down and it was the beginning of a short amount of grown-up time. I'm messing around with something, not paying attention to Mike's progress on the card.

After 2 or 3 minutes he looks up, proud as can be, and says: "Check this out!"

I told him it was nice but I wasn't sure how I was going to MAIL it.

He got a little embarrassed...

We'll see what the post office does with it....

Jack's 5th Birthday Party

2011-06-16T20:56:00.018-05:00

Happy Birthday Jack!

This year, because your parents are getting old, we decided to not throw a big party at the house. We talked to you about other options. You suggested we: go to Chuck E. Cheese, the mall playground, and (not or) ride go karts at Primetime. We also decided we'd fore go cake and instead have snow cones for dessert.

So we did.

Well, minus the mall playground, because you big guys aren't actually supposed to be there. (stinks to grow up sometimes)

We brought your 3 best friends: Ty, Wyatt and Britton

I can't believe ya'll actually smiled for this picture. And don't worry about the car seats and boosters. Y'all totally rocked 'em.

See what I mean?

So you may be a big "five", but you were still in a parking lot, and let's be honest Jack, you boys don't have a lot of sense. Like Mom always said: "One boy has a whole brain and two boys have half a brain." Wonder what four boys have? A quarter?

Who knows, but they did have lots of tokens. We may have sprung for Chuck E. Cheese, but we aren't made of money. Your dad and I pre-ate so we'd only have to pay for one sub-par pizza.

And... I brought in juice boxes. Is that illegal? I don't know, but I wasn't going to have four little boys hopped up on soda.

These are some fuzzy pictures... maybe Dad will buy me a new camera. (hint hint).

All of the boys wanted to play the pirate game SOOOOOOOOoooooooo bad. It was one of those games where you (and a partner) shoot all the critters/half-dead that come at you, as soon as your life runs out, you insert a token and play for another 4 minutes. So in theory, if you're there with a birthday party (or have rich parents) you could sit on that machine for hours. And... two little boys from the other party did so.

Jack and Wyatt were more patient than the other two. They waited at least 20 minutes before giving up.

While Jack and Wyatt were waiting, Ty was busy throwing tokens around like the prodigal son. Amazing how quick it flowed. He even had one of those "fair weather friends" another little boy started following him around because Ty'd throw a bone his way every now and then.

Off to the races! We'd assumed there would be four go karts. There weren't. There was only two. And only one of them worked. We were a little disappointed, but it turns out NONE of those kids should have been on the road with anyone else. Wyatt was moving a little slow, Ty couldn't reach the pedals very well, Jack flew by like a maniac and Britton wasn't real great at steering.

Wyatt's picture got deleted. Don't get me started on how much I hate blogger.

We got some cute pictures of your friends, Jack. I'm glad. You love these guys. Britton will be moving soon, you're going to miss him. I'm going to miss him too. But, it's the air force. We'll probably run into him again. Let's not get too down.

After go karts we opened presents... in the van. Like we were homeless. But hey, aren't you glad I drive a minivan? Plenty of room.

Transformers and hot wheels. That was the name of the game. You also asked for and received the veggie tales pirate ship that you'd been drooling over for a couple months.

Then, what we'd all been waiting for:

Snow Cones!!!!

Y'all are so cute.

I think you enjoyed yourself.

Your dad did too. Here he is getting up to order his second snow cone. As soon as it was made public that he would be getting seconds, orders started flying and every one of you kids tried to talk him into getting you another.

For the record, I was on your side. He's the one that told you "No." ;-)

Ty and Ashten

2011-05-25T10:13:00.001-05:00

Isn't this great?

2011-05-19T22:36:00.001-05:00

Things I never thought I'd hear myself say

2011-05-14T12:30:00.003-05:00

"Boys! Motorcycles do not drive on kitchen counters."

75 seconds later:

"Ty why are you standing on the counter? Get down."

10 seconds later:

"Jack if you sit on the toy motorcycle you may break it."

45 seconds later:

"Noooo!! Austin, do not eat the spare key! That's probably what happened to the last one..."

20 seconds later:

"Austin, put the key down."

3 seconds later:

"Ty get off the counter."

Austin just hit toppled over and is crying. This post has to end.

Can you take care of that for me? Thanks.

2011-05-13T23:27:00.004-05:00

I'm in the kitchen preparing supper.

"Hey Mom," Jack calls me as he walks from the playroom and headed to the bathroom, "Can you watch Austie and get any chokers out of his mouth if he tries to eat pieces from the castle set?"

"Uhh, sure. Are you going to the bathroom?" I ask? [I'm honored that he trusts me with this responsibility.]

"Yep, I'll be right back, don't let him choke."

uhh... that was odd. For some reason I feel like the child here...

And when he finished his business, Jack ran right up to Austie, squeezed his cheeks and checked inside.

Really? You don't trust me? I'm his mom for pete's sake. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Jack does 90% of the prying Austin's mouth open and removing canon balls.

maybe.

What can you say?

2011-05-08T16:01:00.006-05:00

For the past week I've been thinking a lot about Mother's day.

It has come to mind when I'm standing over the kitchen sink, pulling clothes out of the washer and changing diapers. What do I do for mother's day? What do you say to the woman who spent years of her life serving your physical needs?

What do you say?

I dig chokers out of the baby's mouth, put a band aid on a scraped knee, kiss a hurt forehead and think "How many times did she tend to our scrapes and bruises?" I read books; books about cowboys, about dinosaurs, about the earth. I read to them about their creator, their savior, their only hope -- just like I was read to.

Arguments are settled, correction is given, discipline carried out, tears, hugs and lots of Kleenex. I am reminded of my stubborn heart and the many spankings I required. It would have been much easier to ignore the need. Look away, pretend you didn't hear the hurtful words coming from an ugly heart.

Trips to the park, a visit to the zoo, race tracks outlined by chalk on the driveway, sunscreen application, extra laundry, wet footprints on the would be clean floor

...remind me of...

Flying kites, trips to the farm, picnics, the fort, beach towel hideouts, water parks, vacations, ice skating, homemade bread and butter. I never considered the behind the scene work that went into each special thing we did --until now. She had to consider the babies nap schedule, the three-year-olds access to a potty, stroller accessibly, she had to remember diapers, EpiPens, hand wipes, sunscreen, paper plates, shoes (because we sure didn't) hair clips, first aid gear, seat belts, snacks and sippie cups. -and that was just for a trip around the block.

At night my tired legs remind me of a woman who had two loads of laundry washed and oatmeal on the table before I woke up. Clothes on the floor after bath time makes me think of the many times I heard, "Go get your clothes out of the bathroom." and "Hang up your towel." and "Wipe up the water that spilled outside the tub."

Many many reminders. Much much training.

Such love.

And.

I have no words for her. No words can repay her.

And yet we have this day.

This day where we are supposed to sign our name to a canned message, lick a stamp and now we're all even.

A thank you can't do it. Yet often it sits there as our compensation to a woman who gave her sweat, sleep, tears, love and the last four bites of her dinner to us. Labor was the easy part.

So how do I repay her?

If she devoted her life to loving, playing, enjoying and leading her children to Jesus, what better (and none harder) gift to give her, then for me to do the same with mine.

Reputations

2011-05-05T23:24:00.002-05:00

We have a reputation around our neighborhood.

Everyone has one right? Yours doesn't have to be bad, it could be good, but it's definitely something. People have an opinion of their neighbors. For example we have the quiet neighbors, the reclusive neighbors, the fun neighbors, the loud neighbors and the neighbors whose kids never wear pants.

I'm not sure but if I were to have to guess what our reputation is, I'd guess: the junky neighbors, or the psycho-gardening neighbors, or the inattentive parent neighbors, or the garage door's open all night again neighbors

Any of those would be accurate.

Apparently Ty has a reputation of his very own.

Today I was informed by a neighbor (who will remain nameless) that her husband (John) looked down at his dirty-faced daughter and said: "Hey Ty."

Big news

2011-05-05T23:18:00.002-05:00

I'm typing this on...

my new computer!!!!

Yahoo!!!!

[If there wasn't a burn ban I would upload a picture of fireworks right here.]

I loved my old one, it just got sick and Mike and I didn't have the medical degrees to make it well. Poor thing.

But now... now! Now I can blog without the thing crashing on me! So stay tuned. I finished my laundry today and put a fresh roll of tissue in the back bathroom. Looks like smooth sailing for me for the next few days!

I'm back

2011-05-03T22:05:00.005-05:00

This is going to be a disappointment. Prepare yourself.

I've gotten a little prodding the last few days to hop back on the horse. The more I think about what I'm going to write, I find myself getting nervous. "It's gotta be good," I'll think. "The people want funny, you gotta give 'em funny." I'm imagining some of the hype that surrounded the "This Is It" tour Michael Jackson had planned for last year. "Michael Jackson, like you've never seen him before." That's what they said... ...hoping things don't turn out for me as they did for him. Probably won't though, I don't have the PR guys that he had.

any who.

Where have I been? Well, let's see... I went on a vacation to a tropical island with Mike (who was down on business). Then I came home. Then Mike came home. Then Mike went back to work, and that was when life began again.

Life.

What does it look like these days? It looks like not blogging for one thing. I thought about writing down every single thing that went on during a day, for an entire day. Problem was, I couldn't find time or a pen with which to write it all down. (Someone buy me a decent pen for my birthday.)

Here are some thing that happen often at my house that might keep me from blogging:

I change the toilet paper roll. This doesn't take much time to do once, but when you do it 4 times a week, it becomes noteworthy. I'm glad that my big boys are old enough to handle their toilet business, but the TP required for the task is ridiculous. I'd talk to them about it, but I feel it might backfire. There was a time when they'd wipe but leave the toilet paper on the roll, --Green Peace may salute their conservation efforts, but their mother did not. Then sometimes the white rug in front of the toilet is used in place of paper.

Boys: Use the toilet paper. I'll change the roll.

Sitting down, I've decided is the wrong posture for blogging.

For one thing, the $4 garage sale chair* that sits in front of our computer threw a shoe and was out of commission until the leg and caster were repaired. For a few days I knelt in front of the desktop before deciding I didn't have the knees for it anymore. Another problem with sitting is that any time I sit down a homing signal goes out and the boys immediately end up on my lap, sprawled across my shoulders or draped over my back. Not kidding. It happens. All three of them.

Meal prep has increased lately. Mike's mom got Austin hooked on solid food. I had delayed that as long as possible. I felt it was the healthiest option for him. I can remember several times with the other boys, after they were newly weaned, that I just forgot to feed them. After much whining and crying I'd stop and think, "Now what can be the matter with you... Oh! You haven't eaten today!" (I'd been used to an uncomfortable reminder that it'd been a while since the child had last eaten.) So now Austin's on baby/finger food. Ty's eating more. Jack's doing good as always and Mike's around to be fed as well. It's like a 40% increase on what I was doing during the deployment. And I'm having to be a bit creative to come up with meals that we can all eat. A couple times I've looked down at our food and told Austin, "Sorry Dude, looks like Cheerios's for you tonight."

Laundry. Why bring this up? Isn't this a constant need? Well, yes, except that we've done away with pull-ups for bedtime --the sheets get washed twice a week. And that's only because twice a week is my limit. If the bed gets wet more than that, sorry you're sleeping on 'em. Also Mike's home and bigger people means bigger clothes thus... more loads of laundry. Oh, and our dryer is broken... again. The playroom looks like I took an armload of laundry and just threw it up in the air, clothes are draped over the rocker, the play fence, the train table, the basketball goal...** anywhere that will help it dry.

Seriously, I will have a clothes line at my next house.

Write it down.

The last reason I'm going to give you for not being able to blog:

My studly husband. I'd just rather hang out with him at night then get on the computer. Sorry. But it's true. We've enjoyed sitting on the porch, watching a little TV, playing softball together and so on. It's been great having him back. In fact, the reason I'm writing on here tonight is because he went to bed at 8:00. Poor guy isn't feeling great.

So there you have it. A disappointing post, but the ice is broken, we can continue on with our relationship.

I'll be seeing you again soon.

*I talked the guy down. He wanted $5.

**Yes, we have a basketball goal installed on our wall

...or maybe to smell with.

2011-04-12T14:19:00.007-05:00

Do you know why God gave us noses?"

Jack asks his grandma.

“No, why?” She answers.

“So we can talk funny like this.

[plugs his nose and hums]

...and so we can pick our noses!"

I love trash

2011-04-06T15:35:00.006-05:00

Dear Austin,

Congrats. Eight years of marriage, nine moves, two dogs, two big brothers and Aunt Hannah couldn't do what you did --force us to buy a heavy duty trash can.

We've made do with the sturdy Rubbermaid just fine until you came along. Daddy returned from deployment, observed your behavior for a few days and declared: We need to get another trash can, a heavy one, with a lid.

End of story... at least for the Rubbermaid.

Guess Dad didn't like the idea of you pushing it around the room like a shopping cart, or maybe he didn't like you digging around in there for a snack. Could have been the knocking it over, but I'm pretty sure he'd had enough when he saw you eating the trash bag.

I know, you miss the old one. But we wouldn't have bought this one if it hadn't been necessary for your health. By the way, you owe us $68. I'll put it on your tab.

Return date: April 1

2011-04-06T13:25:00.002-05:00

Tell me, what could have been more perfect than this? Mike arriving home on April fools day which happens to be my second favorite holiday. I just couldn't let this opportunity pass by:

Can you tell what his reaction to the news was?

Ten year old girls

2011-04-05T21:06:00.006-05:00

have it right.

Boys are gross.

Gross.

Nasty.

Eww.

Don't believe it?

Then you've never sat down on the toilet in YOUR bathroom and realized the seat is wet.

You've never (while on the same toilet) looked over at your toilet paper roll and observed that it had been not-so-carefully rerolled and when you start pulling some off notice that it has already been used.

Finding TP with poop on it ... in your bathroom ...on your toilet paper roll = GROSS

Boys are born with the need to do gross things.

Even as newborns baby boys try to pee on you as soon as their diaper comes off.

Today my baby boy waited till dinner was ready and on the table before he made it known that he had dirty pants. So I change him, and eat a cold chicken fried steak.

Today I had to tell my second born to get a fork out of his nose.

The response I got after telling one of them to stop picking his nose: "But I love eating my boogers they taste yummy!"

Today I about hit the fan.

I pulled out the grocery bag (my cheap trash can liner) to find it dripping liquid back into the bottom. I look down and observe a couple ounces of "liquid."

Oh. My. Word.

Is that pee?

"Boys! Did someone pee in the trash can?"

"I did it!" was the enthusiastic response I received.

Really? Is there no shame?

No fear?

No "Oh crud, I'm in trouble..." ?

No denying it?

No painful silence?

No waiting to see if I can get away with it?

No....

Just a little boy beaming with pride. His hand up in the air waving, "Me! I did it! Please acknowledge me! All you other dudes check me out! I'm the guy that peed in the trash can! Oh yeah!"

They are so... gross.

Things I never thought I'd hear myself say

2011-04-04T18:52:00.016-05:00

"OK.... Now where is Jesus' thumb?"

[silence while they search around on the ground]

"It's here..."

[bends down to pick it up]

"...and here."

[bends down to pick up the rest of it.]

I attempt to reattach the extremities. So much for "Not one of his bones will be broken." If the super glue doesn't work our Easter scene will be Biblically inaccurate. The finger gets set and I yell out my second improbable phrase:

"NO ONE HOLD JESUS' HAND UNTIL IT'S DRY!"

Next day:

I hear a crash.

"What fell?" I yell from the other room.

"Ty broke something." Jack answers.

"I broke the head."

"Whose head?"

"The guy who breaks heads."

Must have been the Roman soldier.

State park hike

2011-03-30T08:44:00.005-05:00

My aunt and uncle went out last weekend to a state park in Texas. They invited me, Huey, Duey and Louie out to their campsite for the day on Friday. We took a slightly treacherous trail and Uncle David, being characteristically ingenuitive, had a rope for the boys to grab onto if they tripped and started sliding down the hill.

Our arrival destination was this cool area with big flat rocks sticking up out of the ground. Not another area like it around, the perfect place for repelling or rock climbing.

Jack and I worked on his rock climbing skills. He wasn't too confident and didn't make it any higher than where he is in the following picture. It didn't help that he's wearing the upcoming summer's crocs. They were a little loose still. Not good for traction.

Uncle David anchored the rope and taught the boys how to climb up the rock on their feet. I enjoyed watching them practice this new skill.

Ty, seeing Jack's shoes off, took off a perfectly good pair of cross-trainers so he could do it like his brother.

We decided not to rock climb (I mean hike) the 7 miles (I mean 1) back, instead had Uncle David walk down the road to the spot we parked our car. We hung out at a picnic table and checked out where we'd been on the map.

It was amazing how filthy the kids were when we got back to the campsite. I hosed them off --not kidding, before we let them in the travel trailer for lunch.

I miss you most when...

2011-03-26T22:41:00.003-05:00

I'd like a nap instead of drive the long trip home.
I sleep diagonally across the bed.
the boys need to be wrestled.
chick flicks are on TV.
I see a child getting a ride on their daddy's shoulders.
the kids are asleep and the house is quiet.

friends invite us over for dinner.

I'm sitting in the sanctuary at church.
I need a jar opened.
Austin's eyes (identical to yours) smile up at me.
the boys want to play baseball.
Alaska Gold Rush is on.
the neighbors come over to lock up the house for the night.
my back hurts.
Jack counts down the days till you get home.
I see pictures of the beach.
I see our dirty garage.
we eat spaghetti.
I'm tired of disciplining.
when the moon is out
...or the sun is shining.

Nice to see you too.

2011-03-24T15:11:00.002-05:00

"Mom! It is not good to see you.

Mom. It's not good to see you.

Mom, it's not good to see you, it's nice to see you."

-Ty

Jeremiah 17:9

2011-03-23T21:21:00.004-05:00

"Stupid underwear" is the boys favorite thing to say.

And.

They aren't allowed to.

It's tough being a kid when moms pick out perfectly acceptable words and make it into a criminal offense to utter them.

Yeah, life's rough.

But like I tell Jack, "One day you'll be the boss and you can make the rules." For now, stupid underwear will get your mouth washed out or your TV privileges taken away.

So "Stupid Underwear," where did it come from? Mema figured it out while she was here watching the boys (during my va-ca). It came from Polar Express. The bratty kid says something about how he didn't want to get any stupid underwear for Christmas.

Ahhh! I had no idea where he came up with the combination. Now I get it.

Jack tries all kinds of ways to slip the words into a conversation. But every now and then it slips out on its own --on accident. Tonight was not one of those times.

I'm putting Austin to bed. The big boys are getting their PJs on. I hear Jack tell Ty:

"God made everything. He made the trees and the bed and the moon...." He goes on for a little while and ends with:

"...He even made the underwear."

I'm pretty sure his entire bedtime devotional was delivered just so he could get one more "underwear" in before bed.

You've been here how long?!?!?

2011-03-23T21:14:00.004-05:00

I love AWANA.

Tonight we met with our kids at church. We played a fun game that included random trivia questions. One question was asked,

"How long has Mrs. Kinney been working in AWANA?"

Mrs. Kinney has served God by loving and teaching the AWANA children for seventeen years. Wow. As I've told her before, "She's my hero." The students were split up into teams and asked to go to a certain leader and give her their best guess. The first team to correctly answer was the winner.

We got guesses like: 16, 19, 7, 5...

But my favorite?

"52"

Innocent? or rude?

It came from a third grade boy so I'm going with innocent.

29? No, actually...

2011-03-23T20:59:00.005-05:00

At the Ellis house we are forever talking about growing up. I hear the phrase "When I'm a man" about as often as I hear, "When are we going to eat?" Ty thinks he will be a man when he turns ten. I tell him he won't be a man until he's over 20 AND no longer living at home.

Today Jack and Ty were talking about their next birthdays and Jack flippantly said that his birthday would be June _. I told him, "Hey that's my birthday!" "That's your birthday?" He replied. "Yes!" I exclaim.

Jack says, "Wow, then you will be...."

"...a man!" Ty finished for him.

hmm... slightly insulting (as always.)

Jack, knowing that was incorrect, kept thinking and finishes his sentence with, "... a really BIG lady."

I've got a lot to look forward to this year, the prediction is I'll either turn into a man or a really big lady.

Those who don't know

2011-03-19T08:23:00.003-05:00

Jack: "Let's call Austin, 'Ace.' That's what people who don't know his name call him."

Me: "Like who?"

Ty: "Uncle Stan!"

Jack: "Like Gigi and Pop, and their children."

The island

2011-03-13T08:48:00.007-05:00

Deployment?

2011-03-13T08:22:00.003-05:00

I am on a deployment.

I couldn't take it any longer.

I missed my man.

So I bought a plane ticket and arrived at an "undisclosed location" where I was greeted at the airport by a long-haired, tan, muscley man.

Or, Mike, as I generally refer to him.

So here we are, together, alone (except for our new friend who is pictured below), on an island.

How often does this happen?

Rarely. Don't get jealous.

But we are very grateful for the opportunity to spend some time together. This is such a rare treat. Regardless of where we are, home or on a beach, quality time with one another is so hard to make happen. This time makes me remember the days before the air force and makes me look forward with excited anticipation for the days when we will once again be able to live life at the same pace, have inside jokes, enjoy the same activities and do nothing together.

One day that will come. But for now (a few short days), on these beaches, we're going to live

--together!!

goodbye little friend!

Give me all of you

2011-02-28T08:09:00.000-06:00

"Give me all of you!!! I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!! ALL OF YOU!! I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT! No half measures will do. I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there; rather I want the whole tree out! Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a new self---in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. My will, shall become your will. My heart, shall become your heart."

— C.S. Lewis

Yeah, but...

2011-02-27T13:31:00.004-06:00

As I put everything on the table for lunch today, Jack was jabbering away. Saying made-up silly words. Not a problem till a word we don't allow came out of his mouth. He said the word, "Stupid."

This was not the first time it came out. I had reminded him a couple times already that I didn't want him to use that word. So... I pulled a Jay Boshart and told him to go to the bathroom for a mouth washout.

Yuck. I remember those. Dad always went to the sink with the worst tasting soap. (Can I get an amen Boshart kids?)

Me, I'm lazy, I went to the closest sink.

We walk into the bathroom and Jack looks up at me with an expression I would describe as "cautious and thoughtful."

"Mom," he says.

"Yes Jack," I answer.

"Was saying 'stupid' a sin?"

"It was a sin because I told you not to say it and you disobeyed me. Disobeying your parents is a sin."

He looked up at me, possibly thinking he had found a loophole, or maybe just trying to understand sin better. His reply:

"Well, Then Jesus already paid for it."

Nice try Jack.

What I like about You

2011-02-22T15:38:00.007-06:00

To my knowledge, Sharon Galyon has never planted a petunia.

She's planted lots of other thing though. I know because I walk past them every day. Most all of you know that two months ago we moved down the street to a new house. It had an extra bedroom and we just felt like God was giving us the go-ahead on moving. So we moved into the four bedroom house with tons of flowerbeds. It is the house the Galyon family had recently vacated. When Sharon lived here she was always working in the flower bed --pulling weeds, planting shrubs, watering. One fall she tossed a package of wildflower seeds into the bed that ran across the front of the house. The next spring she had the most beautiful display of wildflowers that I had ever seen.

Yesterday I was in the front flowerbed (I too, love to garden). I was pulling up all the dead foliage, cleaning out the beds, getting ready for spring. I looked down at one particular plant and thought, "Am I going to kill this one by pulling out the dead stuff?"

I didn't know which plant I had, but I did know who had been working that bed.

Sharon had.

And Sharon doesn't plant things that aren't going to continue blooming year after year.

Sharon didn't plant annuals in her garden and she didn't plant them anywhere on the street.

Her time on Montana St. was spent planting seeds that will bloom for years and years, possibly even generations and generations.

She met her neighbors.

She walked her dog.

What does walking a dog have to do with doing things that last? Well, when Sharon walked her dog she walked by every house on the street. When someone was outside she:

Stopped.

She talked with us. She encouraged. She asked what was going on in our life. She asked when my husband would be back home. She asked if we needed anything. She gave me advice on plants, on children, on marriage. She humbly told me what God had taken her through. She told me what things were hard and how she wasn't sure if she'd make it through. Then she'd laugh and offer hope.

Planting seeds that will last.

Why? I mean, good for you Sharon, but why does it matter?

Because, contentment will only come from doing lasting (or eternal things).

And what's going to last?

The only thing worth pursuing is Jesus.

Read this:

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. -1 John 2:15

Did you skip over it?

Go back.

Everything I say on here is rubbish compared to the powerful, TRUE, Word of God.

Since I just plucked that verse out of an incredible passage in 1 John, I want to add that you can only please God if you have been saved from your sin through the only acceptable payment: Jesus.

Please, please go back and read the entire chapter of 1 John 2. It is so cool. If you don't have a Bible, google it.

For those of you who are followers of Jesus, I encourage you to look around and think. How can I sow seeds that will last.

Follow Sharon's example, don't look at your yard [neighborhood, workplace, home] and think:

-We're military.
-We won't live here long.
-I won't ever see this as a beautiful mature garden.

Instead ask:
-What can I do to make this beautiful?

Then do it.

We've gotta do better than this.... we've only got one chance.

Do better.

2011-02-20T22:00:00.000-06:00

We gotta do better than this cuz we only got
One chance to make a difference
We gotta do better than this cuz we only got
One life that we've been given

-Natalie Grant "Human"

There are no ordinary people

2011-02-13T08:49:00.007-06:00

"There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously - no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption."

-C. S. Lewis

Haircuts

2011-02-13T08:49:00.005-06:00

The boys around here were looking more like girls so I felt it was time for a haircut.

I had been holding off on Ty's haircut because we were waiting for them to study the letter "M" at school. Usually they bring something for show and tell that starts with the letter for the week. Ty was going to arrive with a mullet. Unfortunately (or fortunately) we were sick for "M" week.

No more delay, the hair had to go.

Ty was going to get a trim, but couldn't sit still. The haircut I had planned was not going to work. I pulled out the clippers and gave Ty his summer cut three months early. I think the short hair looks cute on Ty so I'm ok with the buzz.

I took him to the bathroom when his hair cut was finished and he took one look at himself and then collapsed to the floor and started wailing.

Cry.
Cry.
Cry!

Finally, when he could talk he told me he did not like his hair he wanted it back on.

He wanted long hair.

I assured him that he was still handsome.

I named off all his male heroes who had short hair: Daddy, Dustin, Jared, Steven, Hunter...

It didn't help.

I got him into the tub, couldn't make the kid happy. The water was too cold, the water was to hot, then it was too cold and too hot.

He calmed down to a pitiful blubber and then told me.

"Mommy, I don't want to be handsome..."

I don't enjoy it when my boys are sad, but I'll be honest. That was really cute. I thought he was done with his statement but then he added:

"...like my Daddy."

How sweet is that? Aww... I was smiling in my heart, praising God that in the midst of all my labor, that often goes unnoticed by my children, I get to witness such preciousness that no one else gets to see.

But then he continued....

"I want to be like you."

Hold on a second, Mister. What's THAT supposed to mean?

Who's makin' sausage?

2011-02-11T19:23:00.005-06:00

The boys have had the flu this week --not a joke.

I've been making a thankful list. That is something my friend Amanda has always encouraged me to do. And she's right. It's helping keep my mind on thankfulness. And that is always best.
Here are a few things that made the list:

a humidifier
a good doctor
nursing pads that don't fall apart in the washing machine
Mike's now scuba certified
friends who brought us lots of yummy looking food
online shopping
a neighbor with tons of movies
coffee
good health coverage

Thanks to the military's amazing health insurance we were able to get Tamiflu for the sick boys (Austin and Ty).

That stuff is amazing. They were practically well for the whole week we were quarantined in the house. Wonderful for Ty and Austin, not that awesome for me. I still had to keep the kids in the house, entertained, and resting while there bodies fought off a sickness it was hardly aware it had.

Cool stuff.

Mom told me she never bought it for us when were little. I was amazed they even made it way, way, way back then. She told me it was too expensive even with insurance. Maybe I believe her, or maybe she just enjoyed the peace and quiet when her eight kids were sick in bed.... hmm... just kidding Mom! I think the real reason you didn't get it for us was because of the gas and diarrhea it brought on.

It was real.

It was intense.

We were out driving around last night, just to get out of the house, and while we were in the car, someone let one loose.

The preceding conversation went as follows:

Me: "Do ya'll smell that?"

Ty: "Yeah."

This sounds like a dumb question, but I haven't taught them a word for that bad smell. I just think it's funny hearing what they say when it happens. So I always ask...

Me: "What do you think that smell is?"

Jack: "Smells like someone's makin' sausage!"

Now that's one way to put it.

Ty: "Yeah! Who's makin' sausage!?!"

That may be what we call it from now on. What do you say Mike?

I mean, if you picture it (but don't)... kinda makes sense.

They always hurt

2011-02-07T14:03:00.002-06:00

Yesterday something unusual happened.

Ty whacked Jack in the head with a toy.

Usually it is the other way around. Jack is my rough and tumble needs-to-be-taught-gentleness kid. Ty is the punching bag.

I am constantly getting on to Jack about the way he man-handles his brothers. I tell him how I will not let him hurt his brothers. It is absolutely not O.K. I am continuously explaining to Jack how we need to take care of the precious gifts God has given him (gifts being the brothers).

Today, however, the guys were playing on the floor when Ty hurled a toy that smacked Jack on the forehead. I was close enough that I could be on the scene immediately. I jumped in, told Ty to "duck and cover" then distracted Jack, before the "THIS IS WAR" look on his face translated into a bloody nose for Ty.

Whew! Just in time.

Internally, I celebrated Jack's small victory in self-control.

I turned my attention toward Ty, leaving Jack to rub his head. Ty received the speech usually reserved for Jack. I told him how hitting someone on the head with a toy hurt. I told him how Jack is important and we need to be careful how we treat each other. I told Ty that Jack was one of God's gifts to him and we need to be thankful and treat the gift with special care.

I went on and on. I wanted Jack to hear me speak of his value. So often it has to be about the other boys.

Jack's heart softened.

Ty's response to all this was, "It was just a joke," -spoken in the cutest little boy voice ever. I don't doubt that it was. There isn't a mean bone in that boys body. A lazy one, yes, but a mean one, no.

I told Ty to kiss Jack on the head and tell him he was so, so sorry. Ty did and play resumed.

They began casually talking and as is typical of firstborns, Jack picked back up where I'd left off and started again explaining to Ty that throwing a toy at his head was a bad idea.

He ended his speech with this:

"Ty, two things always hurt people: hitting with toys, and sin."

Who knew he'd been paying attention all these months?

Maybe that sounded better in your head

2011-02-06T15:22:00.005-06:00

This week two different families on our street invited us over in the evening to dine with them them.

For real.

I consider that one of the acts that will get you mad props with Jesus. Inviting a "single" mom and her three loud, ravenous children into your home puts you on the short list for a seat at Jesus' right hand. It's up there with moving to Tanzania and starting an orphanage, dying for your faith and doing the drama for a retreat.

There are few who attempt it.

That's why it was such a special thing to me for my neighbors to open their homes up to us.

The first dinner went pretty well (I'm talking about behavior).

The second?

Not really.

It was partly my fault. (Who am I kidding. I'm the mom. Everything is my fault.) I had not considered the fact that we had missed naps and had a pretty stimulating day already.

We eat, then the boys head upstairs to play in their friend's room.

I stay down and visit with the grown ups till about 7:15 or 7:30, then decide it's probably time to go home, thinking: "If we leave now, we can avoid meltdowns."

Wrong.

My friend and I head upstairs to have the kids pick up toys.

We arrive in the boys room and it is, as we expected, covered in toys.

"Alright boys, time to clean up."

It appeared no one heard the command.

I bend down to my two and put my hand gently on their backs. "Jack, Ty, I need you two to help clean up the toys."

Ty acted like he might pick up a couple things. He headed under the loft bed, out of sight. I was going to give him the benefit of the doubt and see if he was going to clean up that area.

Jack, without looking up says, "I don't wanna clean up."

hmm... he must have thought I was posing a question. I bend down, put my mouth next to his ear to clear things up a little bit: "You can either clean up toys or you will get a spanking when we get home. You choose now. Clean up or spanking."

I sat back up and began to put the toys in baskets.

Jack sat up a little straighter, paused for thought then turned to look me directly in the eyes.

He then responded with:

"Mom, I want you to choose to quit talking or I'm gunna spank you."

hmm.

Now what would you do here? I had to decide quickly. After all I'd just been given a choice.

Instinctively, I wanted to slap him in his sassy mouth, but that ultimately would not produce the desired result (result being a respectful, Christ-following adult).

So I just looked him back in the eye and said, "Do you think that's a good idea?"

He continues his gaze, shakes his head and answers: "Nope."

"You're right." I reply.

I go about my business cleaning the room. Jack never decides to help. I thought it best not to challenge Ty and run the risk of having another child tell me exactly how he felt.

We fumble out the door after finally getting socks, shoes, and coats on three very tired, fussy children.

We cross the icy road, carefully step over the mounds of slick snow and walk into the house.

I shut the door...

...use your imagination.

Faithful to me.

2011-02-04T22:46:00.006-06:00

Friends.

You are all so sweet.

I want you to know that although our status was accurate, we are doing spectacularly well.

I did not intend for my last post to sound whiny, but humorous.

And everyone who reads this blog knows that disaster = humor.

So please. Don't cry for me.

Sarah, I am not saying that I wouldn't love for you to come sit for me. I am not saying that at all. I wasn't implying it and am in no way refusing your offer.

Not at all.

But seriously, we are so blessed by our loving and generous heavenly Father.

He is meeting all of our needs.
He is sustaining our emotional need (as we miss Mike).
He is meeting our physical needs --through many of you.
He is meeting our spiritual needs.
He is all we need.

And He is faithful.

I'm so grateful for the way I get to see
God's provision in our lives through the way YOU love our family:

Shellye and John having us over for dinner.
Lindsay offering to get groceries for us.
Chris and Sarah checking on us via the phone.
Jack S. shoveling our driveway.
Ashten calling, offering anything weneed.
Grandma calling to make sure we were keeping warm.
People offering lattes :-)
People offering espresso machines!!!!
Belinda praying for us.
Amanda calling me out/encouraging me.
Anissa inviting us in to her home.
Lacey and Matt having us over for dinner.
Bridget and Lacey coming over for tea and a game.
Stan and about 15 other people informing us that our email had been hacked.
Pretty much all my family calling to check on us/visit.
Sweet words from so many of you.
Kerry begging us to not drive on the ice.
Mike on skype --pretty much all the time. (It is easier to get ahold of him now than it was when he was in the country.)

And there is more...

God is so good. I am so thankful.

And just so ya'll know, the pipes have thawed, the laundry is put away and the rash is almost gone!

Murphy's law

2011-02-03T10:07:00.002-06:00

If Murphy had a wife, and if Murphy was a serviceman, then his law would have looked more like this:

"Anything that can go wrong during a deployment, will go wrong."

Ask any wife who has ever gone through a deployment.

ANY military wife.

She'll agree.

As soon as the plane takes off, the ship weighs anchor or the bus rolls away, you turn to get back in your car and it won't start.

Don't be alarmed if this ever happens to you, it's completely natural.

Then you'll arrive home to find you have a busted pipe, your floor is buried under two inches of water and the dog is eating your couch.

So your first phone call will go like this:

"Hi Honey! You made it there safely? Oh good. Well, I'm glad you called! We're all doing fine, but we do have a few household issues. The _____ won't start and the _____ is leaking some weird looking fluid. Oh the check engine light came on in the ____. Then later this morning the ____ went out. Did we buy the warranty for that? I can't remember. By the way, when was the last time you saw our property insurance documents? I need to call the insurance company."

And that's how it goes.

How's the status at our house? Funny you should ask. As of right now:

The kitchen faucet won't work.
Jack's got a weird rash.
The dishwasher won't work.
The boys bathroom tub won't work.
The dryer's broke.
The check engine light is on in the van.
The baby smells nasty despite the fact that he got a bath yesterday.
The roads are frozen over and it would be foolish to leave the house with the children (we're going on day three of house arrest.)

Know what would make this all better?

A latte.

If only

2011-02-01T20:12:00.004-06:00

Do you ever get an idea in your head of something that would make your life, "Oh so much better?"

You know, something that would really change your life if you had it. Let's say you're a single car family. "If we only got a second car... that would make life so much better."

Or maybe you were like my mom and dreamed of a clean garage and a working automatic garage door opener --complete with a remote. "Oh that would make life so much better." (Yes, I am putting the words in her mouth.)

Or maybe, like our family, you are a military family. Maybe you, like us, are constantly being disturbed by the upheaval of the daddy. One deployment after another, months passing, grey hairs and children growing, adjustments, change... "If only there was some stability in our home... that would make life so much better."

Today has been one of many days over the last year where I've had an "If only" day.

It's border line obsessive.

Nothing like parenting alone on a snow day to make these feelings rise, yet again to the surface.

"If only I had an espresso maker... that would make life so much better."

[slowly nodding]

Yes.

I've been obsessed with this idea for over a year now. No kidding, ask Hannah. Last deployment I spent hours looking online, checking craigslist and ebay.

Is it too much to ask for?

A top-of-the-line, fully automatic, "precision of a barista with the touch of a single button" espresso machine? One that in no time at all, grinds the beans, brews one or two cups of espresso to my exact specifications and ejects the used grounds?

It would transform morning coffee into a culinary experience.

I would get up early, make me a latte and then sit down with Jesus. I can't think of a more perfect way to spend the six o'clock hour.

Currently it's just me, Jesus and coffee from a $9.99 Mr. Coffee.

sigh... think of how much better my quiet time would be if I had Jesus AND a latte?

I'd probably start speaking in tongues.

I'll bet all those charismatics drink lattes with Jesus.

That's why they are always so... charismatic.

"If only...."

If only I wasn't a quality snob and would except nothing less than a really nice one.

Earlier today, Jack came in from playing in the snow and asked for some hot chocolate (twice in fact).

"Sure!" was my reply. Then I thought: "If only I had an espresso machine and could use it to steam the milk."

If only....

Again and again I think about how handy it would be. How my life would change.

I'd probably have more friends.

Who wouldn't want to come over to my house, shew the children to the back playroom, plop down on the couch and have a coffee house beverage delivered to them? And I wouldn't even charge them. I'd be busier than Starbucks. I bet I could even trade babysitting for espressos. They'd be breaking down the door.

If only....

Like Father, Like Son

2011-01-29T20:16:00.010-06:00

I love Abilene State Park.

I know, it's no Redwood Forest, but hey, we're in west Texas --we don't complain.

We spent the beautiful warm day at the park. A short drive down to Buffalo Gap and we were there. At the Ranger's Station we received a park map. Jack, being his father's child, immediately asked to see it.

He took it, studied it, asked questions and boldly led us down the Elm Creek Nature Trail in search for a pond where we would feed the ducks stale bread.

And we're off:

Hannah (forgot to tell you.) came down for the weekend to cheer us up after Mike's departure. Sweet isn't she? Here she was teaching Jack some old Indian trick about how to tell which path to take when you get to a fork in the "path."

He loved learning a new skill which would further his knowledge of trail blazing.

Ya know what they say: "All play and no work makes Jack a lost boy."

Or something like that.

"We're getting closer!" -I should have been counting how many times I heard that.

"We are riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight here."

Five steps later: "Now we are here."

Austin was just wanting to keep moving, he didn't really care where we were.

Hannah was with us, come on, like the kids were going to get through the day without a posed shot of them with their walking sticks.

pshhh. No way man.

Creek on the map?

Check.

Double check.

Ponce De Leon got a little tired.

"Keep going straight ahead, Mom."

Jack made it look fun. Ty had to give it a try. Jack begged for the map back.

Arrival at our destination, and... no ducks.

Oh well.

Next we found an old bridge where we stopped and played a riveting game of Pooh sticks.

I lost every single time.

Jack had left the map sitting in the stroller. See it in the picture?

No?

Oh no! Where did it go?

[Gasp!!]

"The map, the map!" -His words, not mine.

"I've got to save the map!" -again, not mine.

Branches nor stickers would deter this young Rand McNally.

He fishes it out. Ty stood by for moral support.

But I'm afraid he was too late.

By shear luck we found our way back.

Deployment #5

2011-01-28T21:56:00.003-06:00

They're gunna miss him.

We love you Daddy!!!

Bunk Beds

2011-01-24T07:29:00.006-06:00

We decided we needed bunk beds.

So we built some.

We wanted them smaller than a twin, but bigger than a toddler bed (the crib mattress is the same dimension the toddler mattress.)

Ikea makes a special mattress size that is 10 inches longer than a crib mattress.

Just what we wanted.

We took some bunk bed plans (thanks Steve) and customized them for this specific, made-only-by-Ikea mattress.

Here's how it turned out!

The process:

Sturdy.

Mike had a safety brief for the boys which included: proper mount and dismount, correct conduct on the bunk bed, an emphasis on anger managment, and a stern warning that the beds would become "un"bunked if they couldn't follow the rules.

Ty's enjoying it so far.

In bed (and calmed down) by 10:45.

Up by 7:30 :-)

Things I never thought I'd hear myself say

2011-01-21T19:43:00.003-06:00

"Jack, look into Ty's eyes and tell him:

'Ty, I'm sorry I drove my train into your face.'"

Laundry today or naked tomorrow

2011-01-20T11:39:00.007-06:00

Laundry.

If you do it regularly, no one will ever know you did it.

Your family will think that after everyone goes to bed at night the shirts head to the closet in search for the perfect hanger, the blue jeans amble over to the drawer, socks mate, and the undergarments cover themselves in the under ware drawer.

No one in my family would believe such a tale.

Yesterday Mike entered the living room holding matching white crew cut socks, one in each hand.

"I was overjoyed when I found these."

He's so sweet not to nag me when I fall behind on little things like making sure the family is clothed.

"Hon, I've been having a hard time finding socks lately."

"It's not just you," I reply, "It's the whole family."

"I'll be speaking on their behalf as well. ...I mean, I appreciate all the sanding you've been doing on the boy's bunk beds, but maybe you could take a break and do some laundry."

Message received.

I don't know what you were doing at 5:30 this morning, but I was up mating socks.

Don't grow

2011-01-19T22:03:00.004-06:00

Mike flew last night.

I put the boys to bed then went to my room and got in my bed. I had been laying there about ten minutes before I hear the door knob rattle and the door open a crack. It was Ty.

"Mommy, I need to go potty."

"Come on in Ty. I'll take you." He goes potty then I swoop him up and plop down in my bed. We hug. He loves to be held. I love to hold. His head on my shoulder, my arms wrapped around this sweet skinny kid.

I whisper in his ear, "Ty don't you grow any tonight. Ya hear? I want you to stay small."

Ty whispers softly back, "I gunna grow Mommy... I gunna be a man."

I squeeze him tighter.

"Don't cry Mommy." --I wasn't crying, I might have sighed a little.

"Do you have to grow up?"

"Yeah. I do."

"Will you still hug me when you grow up."

"Yeah, I will hug you... And we will have free daddies and one mommy and one baby."

I think he assumes he will always live in our home and one day I'll have a house full of "daddies."

One day I'll break it to him --we could never afford to feed that many men.

Amazon.com gift card

2011-01-19T11:17:00.002-06:00

I don't often tell ya'll about deals like this, well only as often as I find REALLY good ones.

You can get an amazon.com gift card worth $20 for only $10 by going to this link:

Amazon.com Gift card

It will send you daily emails to your email account, unless you unsubscribe (which is not difficult). So if you buy things on amazon and you don't mind taking the 30 seconds to unsubscribe later (if you choose) then go buy it.

I bought it twice useing my account and Mike's.

This deal is only good for today and it's possible they will run out.

Incriminating Photos

2011-01-17T06:39:00.003-06:00

Ty borrowed the camera.

He then used to document some of the fun activities he and Jack participated in that afternoon.

Hmm..

By the way, bed jumping is off limits at our house.

We've got a solution though... bunk beds.

Mike and I made some last week, pictures to come.

Austie update

2011-01-11T13:52:00.003-06:00

I feel like, in order to be a "good mom," I need to be giving you updates of Austin's progress.

Like posting pictures, stats from the doctors office, his newest tricks, how many teeth he has...

Since I hardly ever take my kids to the doctor for well checkups --I mean, is it really worth it? Exposing them to the flu, strep, the latest stomach bug, just so the doctor and look at them and say, "Looks like every thing's good, I'll see you in 6 months."

Besides, who can remember to make appointments, and if I did, I'd forget about them till my phone calendar told me I'd just missed it.

So here are some updates on Austin based on what I hear other people say about him:

He smells like hot dogs

Austin and Oscar are easy names to mix up

He has been compared to a piranha

His Christmas vacation was spent growing hair

He's a typical 3rd-born

He's always happy

You can tell he's not autistic

He puts EVERYTHING in his mouth "He tried to eat one of our Christmas cards"

He sure loves avocados

Stats, lets see...

He's got 7 1/2 teeth (the half one I'm not sure if it's broken the skin or not, but you can see it)

Weighs 19 lbs. (If we didn't get anything else out of the ER trip we got a weight measurement)

Size 9 months clothes fit him best.

And... today was his first day of school!

Advent: Please use extreme caution

2011-01-09T13:57:00.006-06:00

For most of the Christian world the word "advent" means: coming, or more specifically, looking forward to the coming of Christ. That's why it's celebrated as a precursor to Christmas.

For our family the word "advent" means something more like "hazard."

I feel like any time the church recommends or endorses something like advent, it should be immediately followed by a handout cautioning parents on the dangers that could be present when participating in such an activity.

Something like:

WARNING: Over zealous candle blowing out could result in wax splattering all over the table, the wreath and the children.

Jack's arm is healing fine.

WARNING: Getting too close to the candle when blowing it out can result in singed Ty-brows and bangs.

Ty's hair has lost that smoky smell and his eyebrows are full as ever.

WARNING: It is not good to keep candles buring all night, especially unsupervised.

Surprisingly we didn't burn up.

Last evening marked, hopefully our last scary situation resulting from the 2010 advent season.

Austin, our advent mishap virgin, was playing on the floor in the big boys room when he just started gagging and threw up half is dinner. After checking him out, we thought maybe he had just shoved a toy too far down his throat and gagged himself.

We begin observation.

A few minutes later he is again chewing on a toy and gags. This time spitting up just a small amount. Over the next two hours, he acts as if he's feeling just fine minus the fact that he wouldn't eat when offered, and is occasionally gagging and getting all red faced for just a short moment. I begin to get suspicious...

Legos.

The boys were playing with Legos in their room earlier.

Although they were at least a yard away from Austin, he's starting to squire a little and could possibly have picked up a stray Lego.

My normally happy boy had a couple fits where nothing seemed to calm him down. --And the fat kid wouldn't eat.

hmm... seems so simple now doesn't it?

I call the doc.

He asks me if I'm already on my way to the ER.

"Uh.. no?" I embarrassingly answer, "His airway isn't obstructed."

I'm told I should probably take him in.

We do.

Turns out the phrase "I think there is a Lego stuck in my child's throat," will get you seen by the ER doc just as soon as you can walk back to the room.

I think from now on I might just tag that on to the list of symptoms we are experiencing any time we show up to the ER. Especially if we are hoping to get an Xray of something.

"Yeah, he fell off the playground and is complaining of a hurt arm. I can't get him to move it or let me touch it, ...and I think there is a Lego stuck in his throat."

Money.

We hang out in the triage room for maybe 10 minutes.

While we were back there He let out one more cough-gag and then, seemed a little bit less uncomfortable. The doc had ordered an Xray and we were waiting for them to come pick him up. Austin was getting pretty hungry by this time and in an effort to express his displeasure threw back his head, mouth open.

That's when we saw it.

It wasn't a Lego at all.

It was this:

Tape.

Packaging tape. He must have found it stuck to the floor. And it was still sticky! Poor baby. I reached right in there and grabbed it. No need for the Xray now.

It was the same tape that we used every evening to attach our crayola drawn symbol on to the Jesse tree. The Jesse Tree was also the name of the book we read to the children during our advent time.

Sigh.

Dangerous I tell you.

Now, I understand that educating our children on the dangers associated with fire, closer supervision, and vacuuming would have taken away much of the risk...

But friends, we still need to be aware that any time we chose to disciple our children, train them in the ways of righteousness and teach them of the incredible love of God... we will find ourselves in opposition to the prince of darkness, the one who came to kill steal and destroy.

So lets arm ourselves DAILY with wisdom, prayer and Truth. Because there is an unseen battle going on all around us, and it's not going to be...

safe.

Best Buds

2011-01-07T20:14:00.000-06:00

Lacey's Response

2011-01-06T16:41:00.002-06:00

If you haven't read the last post I made, STOP! You MUST read it first.

Here's what Lacey had to say:

Oh, Becca... It's time you cross the street and see things as they truly are...!!!

Take that porch furniture for instance... the very same for which I began sanding and refinishing back in August - nearly everyday, for weeks...(still not sure WHAT I was thinking...) still not stained nor finished. And what prompted such an undertaking? A wonderfully artistic 6 year old who painted her name across it with caterpillar guts. (Who knew caterpillar blood was BLACK, and to be feared more than the dreaded Sharpie...)

And while I'll admit that my front yard was indeed tidy last night, you fail mention that it was also lit up like Kmart in leftover blue Christmas light glory.

Oh, and the cops have indeed visited my house... WITH my 4 year old in hand... 'jus sayin.

But the true comedy of it all were your observations of this morning... I nearly peed myself at the irony.

For it was MDO day for us as well, and we too, were running late. Why? Who really knows... could have been Noah's desire to wear his pants backwards today, and the ensuing meltdown justifying pocket accessibility. Or perhaps Zoe's last minute hair washing by means of a handful of baby wipes necessitated by her avant garde stylings a la oatmeal at the breakfast table.

But who am I kidding, I'm perfectly aware that I was the weak link today. For instead of showering and dressing, I chose to lay in bed in my PJs and read until the last minute, allowing myself 8 whole minutes to dress in yesterday's taco sauce stained jeans, throw a hat over yesterday's curls, double up on the deodorant, and rip apart my closet in search of a pair of boots big enough to contain my swollen left foot from last night's curtain hanging snafu.

And if it appeared as though I was smelling roses on the way to my car, you can be assured it just my evaluation of whether I did indeed remember to brush my teeth.

But the real kicker to all this...?

We make it to the MDO church at precisely 9:01, and discover that no one is there. For it's still Christmas Break till Tuesday... awesome.

Things are rarely as they appear, dear neighbor.

But don't think you'll ever see me outdoors without my sunglasses... truly a necessary appendage.

Neighbors...

2011-01-06T09:31:00.004-06:00

Some people are hard to live by.

Take Lacey for example:

Her oh-so-comfortable looking outdoor furniture is always positioned perfectly on her front porch. I call it furniture because, unlike mine, her chairs don't fold up. My chairs are consistently cock eyed. Maybe people think I do it on purpose, ya know, like modern art... I doubt it though. They've seen the rest of my yard.

Last night before coming in to bed I picked up 7 hot wheels car and a monster truck, put the stroller in the garage, kicked a rake into the flower bed --I thought it would be less noticeable, and brought in a water bottle that was sitting on the porch.

Lacey's yard? Yep, it was neat as a pin.

I saw inside her garage one day. It was organized.

I'm pretty sure their stylish SUVs resist dirt.

"Don't feel bad, Becca." You say. "It's probably because Lacey doesn't have kids."

Wrong.

She's got three.

"I'm sure her husband doesn't deploy."

You've got a point there. He's a B-1 guy. Everyone knows those guys don't do anything.

Actually he's deployed once since I've been here. And even during the deployment Lacey seemed all put together, her children's hair was combed, I never saw the cops at her house.

In fact, Lacey's always looking cute. --No, I don't hate her.

This morning for example, It's a MDO morning and as always I'm running late. I'm sitting here trying to think of why we were running late... hmm... I don't think I can blame any of it on the boys. That's unfortunate.

Turns out it was my lack of planning and prep that made us late. I run out the door to start the van. Come back in, remind Ty to put his shoes on. Run a bag of stuff out to the van, come back in, instruct the boys to get their backpacks and load up. Run back out to open the doors for the boys, come back in, take Austin out. Run back in, grab coats and diapers. Hop in the van, realize that I don't have my purse. Back to the house. Grab my purse, look at the apple quarter on the counter and decide I don't want it to go to waste. Head to the door. "Might as well take myself a jacket since I've got a free arm." I decide.

I tear out the door, slamming it behind me, one arm through my jacket, apple sticking out of my mouth, purse swinging wildly while I try to put the other arm in the coat.

Then... I look across the road and see Lacey.

Picture this for me:

Cute shoes, stylish jeans covered by her white woolen pea coat. Her blond (completely natural I'm sure) hair beautifully curled.

And.

She wore cute sunglasses.

Really Lacey? You had time to think about sunglasses?

She carefully stepped out of her house, stopped to smell the roses then walked slowly around to the driver's side of her Sequoia.

I didn't stare.

I just waved hello with the arm that already had a coat on it, it was sticking up in the air anyway.

I wash their faces... really, I do.

2011-01-04T23:27:00.003-06:00

The countdown to Ty's 3rd birthday has begun!

Yesterday I announced that the big day was only 11 days away.

Jack, excited by the news, told Ty:

"Ty! Soon you'll be realllly big! You'll be all the way up to my eye boogers!"

....maybe we should make hygiene more of a priority.

The difference

2011-01-03T14:03:00.002-06:00

Jack, my four-year-old, is in love with baby Austin.

Ty, two weeks from being a three-year-old, doesn't share Jack's excitement.

Jack can't wait to say good morning to Austin when he gets up. He tries to kiss him while I'm nursing --gross. Mike and I have attempted to hammer it into his head that we don't hug him when he's asleep. Sometimes in the car if Jack sees that Austin is about to drift off to sleep, Jack will shriek loudly in order to keep Austin's eyes from closing. Jack's hugs are so full of emotion that he sometimes chokes the poor baby. He swings him in the Johnny-jump-up with the same vigor.

Jack's been known to sneak into Austin's room: "Jack, are you touching Austin?" I yell from the other room. "No, I just kissing him." He will reply.

Love.
Love.
Love.

Yesterday Hannah and Ty and I were out running errands. Ty began naming family members.

"Daddy, Jack, Mommy and Tywer," He lists.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Hannah asks him.

"Daddy, Jack, Mommy and Ty," He again tells her.

"And..." Hannah prompts.

"Kelly!" Ty's response indicated he was pleased to have remembered.

"Noooo.... not Kelly, think again, who's missing."

"hmm... Daddy?"

"And who else?"

"Mommy."

"And?"

"Ty!"

"And?"

"Jack!"

"And who's the last one?"

"hmm... Austie!"

Finally.

It must have been a single guy

2010-12-18T20:08:00.002-06:00

Seriously, who came up with the traditional poses for the members of the nativity scene?

Wasn't a woman I'll tell you that much. At least not a woman who has ever given birth to a child.

If one of us had posed the characters, there is no way Mary would be kneeling like that. She wouldn't have that peaceful relaxed smile on her face. She wouldn't have her arms up in the air as if she'd just been surprised by someone.

No.

She'd be lying on her back, eyes half open, face puffy, mouth hanging open, almost too tired to smile. That's how she'd look.

That's probably how she did look.

Joseph? Kneeling, hand on his chest, looking down admiringly at the baby?

No.

He wouldn't even be there. He'd be out picking up a hamburger for Mary who hadn't eaten all night. And if he happened to make it back in time for the photo shoot, he'd just be sitting there looking really tired and awkward. After a night of helping his wife deliver a baby he'd be worn out. He'd still be a little leery about what to say. --Men never know what to say when the wife's in labor. Besides Mary was probably still upset that he didn't demand they give her a room at the hotel. Joseph was prolly on thin ice.

And ya know what piece everyone leaves out?

The cup of ice chips.

I'm convinced it's impossible to deliver a baby without ice chips.

The stable?

Really?

I'm pretty sure Mary did NOT deliver her first baby in a stable with only three walls. With your first one, privacy and modesty are still very important things. Had this been Mary's second or third kid, I could maybe see it happening, but not with the first.

I think I might design and start producing "The REAL Nativity Set."

Email I'll put you on the waiting list.

Funny Girls

2010-12-18T20:06:00.000-06:00

Mama!"

Allison's eyes widen with her new found discovery. She looks up at her mom and declares:

"Mary had a little lamb and Baby Jesus."

Emily, my sis, was explaining to Ava how she and Claire were going to be in a live nativity.

"...and you girls will get to be angels or shepherds...".

Ava looks up and thoughtfully says, "...and Daddy will be a wise man."

Moving week

2010-12-17T12:37:00.004-06:00

Where to begin...

Well, we moved again.

I don't know what we were thinking. At this point it doesn't make since. It seemed like a good idea a week and a half ago when we were discussing the possibility. When we had our third child it qualified us for a four bedroom house (on the base). But we didn't see the point in moving for what we thought would be 7 months more living in Abilene. Our PCS (moving) date changed when the doc in San Antonio disqualified Mike from pilot training based on his eyesight.

Then we've decided that since we aren't moving in Feb. that we would have my sis come out and live with us while working on her first year of college.

So that's why we decided an extra bedroom would be a really good thing.

Well. There is only one unoccupied four bedroom house (for officers) in the whole base. People PCS (move) over the holidays so we thought we needed to move asap or the house would be gone.

Friday night we started moving. The new house is on our same street, two houses down from our other one.

Mom and dad drove out, brought the crew and worked like dogs for 10-12 hours. We got most of it done.

Most of it. Do you know what most of it means?

It means there is still stuff to be done.

Stuff to be done. PLUS three small completely unuseful children.

= Impossible to do the stuff that needs to be done.

So for the last four days I've been trying to get the rest of the stuff out of the old house, set up camp here at the new house, keep the children in their clothes, food in their bellies and bottoms clean.

AND

clean the old house.

Clean the old house. No big deal right? Not for someone experienced like me, who spends an average of 5 hours a day cleaning.

Nope, wrong. BIG DEAL.

After working for three days we had the inspection this morning.

Keep in mind this is not our first rodeo. This is the fourth time we've cleaned a house on base after living there. Each time passing without much trouble at all.

Today?

No.

I've never seen anyone so anal.

When he walked up he looked at a ping-pong ball size spot of paint on the driveway and told us we needed to power-wash it.

Fail. Right there.

Next to the kitchen where problems were found.

While I was in there listening and watching the three men (one of whom was in training) scrutinize my work, I look back and see the boys drawing with chalk on the driveway.

Where did they find the chalk? Who knows. I thought I'd put it all away when I washed the driveway last night. You can't have chalk on the driveway for the inspection.

I take it away. Go back inside.

They are busy writing away.

I look back out and Ty is walking into the house, a track of muddy footprints behind him.

I shake my head. It feels a little lighter than normal. My brain is foggy from the 4 nights of staying up late cleaning. One night I was working till 3:30.

I take Ty out. Mud still on shoes and floor. I walked back inside. Jaw clenched a little. When will this nightmare end.

The guys are still in the kitchen. Wow. How long is this going to take?

Finally they moved to the dining room. Redo the blinds. "It will be easy. Just wipe them down."

That's a load of crap. I know cause I'd already done it once and it wasn't easy. Nothing is easy with three kids.

They don't have any idea.

He wrote down a page and a half of things we needed to correct. Just wipe up these spots here. With a rag. -I'd already scrubbed those cabinets. The blinds I cleaned? 9 out of 10 of them failed. He told me to go ahead and reclean all of the three bathrooms. When I asked him specifically what his reply was: "The toilet in the master bathroom, you can leave that. But redo everything else." I think they found a little grease on the side of the stove. I looked. Didn't see it. Scuff marks on doors. Light bulbs out. -I'd changed all of them. Reclean all the light fixtures.

You've got to be kidding me.

I lost it. The poor man felt bad, but what could he do? He seemed sorry that I couldn't accomplish the nearly impossible standards they have in place. He was sorry my children were messy and drove me crazy. He was sorry Mike worked lots of hours.

A week of busting my rear, way less sleep than normal, two houses to get in order... the children...

I came home and cried for a hour.

Now I'm going to nap.

Next time I'm going to remember that I can't do all the things I think I can do because I am already maxed out.

And if I forget.... ya'll remind me.

Christmas cards

2010-11-30T12:26:00.002-06:00

I love Christmas cards with pictures in them....

(hint hint)

I do.

If you send me one, and I know you, you will be up on my fridge all year. I will look at your face and smile.

I probably will pray for you at least one more time than I normally would have --that's really the best reason to send me a card.

Be warned, if you sent me one last year and you think you are good, you're not. Last year's photos come down. You're out. Hopefully your knew photo is in.

If you think you can't afford to send me a photo card, think again:

http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/11/seehere-24-photo-cards-for-only-2-49-shipped.html

Go to this site. 24 photo cards for $2.49 --that includes shipping.

Go do it, upload a picture even if it's just an ok one.

Cause I want to see your smiling face.

It reminds me of how good God is to me.

Ages 6 and up

2010-11-20T08:31:00.003-06:00

I never gave much thought to the age requirements that are posted on the side panels of board games.

I saw them as giving me a general idea as to the difficulty of the game.

They did, however, come in very useful when needing a reason why your little siblings couldn't participate in play with all the big kids.

"Sorry Lou.... It says you have to be seven to play. It's your bedtime anyway." Laura would then go off crying. And who would blame her. It's hard being the youngest of eight. We'd consider the problem resolved and continue on happily in our self-serving ways.

I do, I do feel a little bad about it. Lou, Chrissy, Grant... sorry. I was young and foolish.

Last night we had an "Ellis Family Game Night." I offered up the choices for games, trying to pick options I thought Jack and Ty would both be old enough for.

Jack chose, "Sorry!"

Good, that will be fun. We don't have to play something too babyish. I suggested that we play on teams so someone could help Ty count.

Ty and Mike verses Jack and Me.

Except that Jack and My union dissolved before we started.

Excitedly we began.

Ty drew a "1" and I drew a "2" the first round. This means we were out of start and off to the races. Five rounds later Jack still hadn't gotten out of start.

I rigged the cards.

Next turn he drew a "1."

Every time Ty drew a card he'd flip it over and exclaim: "Fourteeeeeennnn!!"

"No, Ty, that is a 5.... No, Ty it's a 7.... Ty, that's a 4."

Finally we told him there were no 14s in the deck. From that point on he'd just pick a number at random and yell it out. I've got to work harder with him on his numbers.

Mike had everyone watch while he counted out the numbers while simultaneously moving his pawn one space at a time. It amazes me what all has to be taught to kids. They aren't born knowing this stuff.

Then...

Jack drew the infamous "Sorry!" card. (Ya know, the one that has you take a pawn from your start and exchange it with another players pawn --which then goes back to start.)

It just so happened that Ty was the only other guy with a piece on the board.

Mike and I quickly decided how we'd spin this one.

We cheered and high fived Ty. "Yay! Way to go! Good job Jack, good job Ty!" Our kids are going to be so confused one day.

We were having a blast. I mean as much fun as you can have playing a game with kids who don't really know how to play.

The game really got out of control when Jack drew the "11" card. Let me remind you of the specific directions written on the "11" card:

Move forward 11
or change places
with an opponent.

We read the card then explained to Jack what his options were. First, he announced that he wanted to change places with Ty, but quickly decided it would be more fun to count to 11. But it was too late; Ty was already up out of his spot and walking around the table to "change places" with Jack.

Jack reminded Ty that he was going with the "move forward 11" option and didn't want to trade spots with him. Ty, who was all geared up for a new seat at the table, looked pretty bummed, so I told him he could play in my spot.

Jack saw how much fun it was to get a new view so he changed his mind (yet again) and went over to Ty's seat to play. Mike, formerly on Ty's team, but now ousted as Ty traded his franchise, decided he'd play with Jack's old pieces...

What started out as: Mike and Ty, red; Jack on blue; and Me, yellow

Had changed to: Mike on blue; Ty and Me, yellow; and Jack, red.

And that's just about where it all ended.

We played a couple more rounds before I announced:

Time for ice cream!

Comfort

2010-11-16T09:42:00.005-06:00

Austin, my happy baby, I love how God uses you to teach me about His character.

He is being merciful to me by giving me a third child who has a very pleasant disposition --You are almost always happy. This week you are getting your 3rd and 4th teeth in. On top of that your nose is stuffy. It's obvious you are not feeling great.

You know how you've responded to me this week? Every time you see me your eyes get real big and you motion with your body that you want to be picked up and held. You want to snuggle close and bury your head into my shoulder. Any time I need to put you down to do something you strongly object!

When you are sick you just want to be held. You want comfort. You know that your momma is going to hug you, rub you, and help you feel better. You want to rest in my arms.

What if big people reacted the same way to our Heavenly Daddy when we are sick --spiritually sick.

When we mess up, what if we looked to our Daddy, held up our arms and said help me. What would the result be if we called to him, tears running down our cheeks, accepting no substitute?

I think I know what it would be.

I think our daddy would reach down with his strong arms, pick us up and cradle us in his chest. I think He would sit down in a rocking chair, kiss our cheek, wipe our tears and tell us that He's got us. It wouldn't matter what we'd done.

Austin, I think about how I react to you when you call me. Often my response is: "I'm sorry sweet boy. I'll come get you in a minute."

God never tells us, "In a minute."

Austin, sometimes I tell you, "I can't hold you right now. I've got to do something else."

God will never refuse you. He's never too busy.

Sometimes I don't know how to help you.

God always knows.

Sometimes I can't help you.

God always can.

Sometimes I'm not with you.

God always is.

Austin I think about how I want to able to meet every need you have, to have every answer, to fix every problem.

But I can't.

And yet you still reach out to me.

What a wonderful thing it is, that I (limited and sometimes powerless to help) am not your only hope. There is someone who loves you infinitely more than I do who is able and who will help you at every turn.

Austin, my prayer is that you will come to know all about the God who created you, that you would become His child and He, your Daddy. As much as you call to me when you need me, you would call to God so much more, He is there, ready and able, to meet all your needs and hold you tightly in His arms.

Praise be to the God of all comfort, He is so good to us.

Charge!!!

2010-11-09T20:07:00.004-06:00

Conversation on the way home from school:

Jack: "Mom, Chloe (name changed to protect the innocent) wasn't at school this morning. She was at the doctor.

Me: "Was she sick?"

Jack: "No, she was getting a shot and the doctor was checking her eyes. She came back while we were on the playground. When she came outside to us, we decided to attack her."

Boys...

Camping --just the five of us

2010-11-07T06:50:00.007-06:00

Camping.

That's where the Ellis family was on Friday night.

We packed [little of] the essential camping gear right before heading to Abilene State Park. On the way out of town stopping to pick up 8 or so small pieces of firewood.

I drug my feet Friday, in no hurry to load the van, not realizing the thirty-four hundred items needed to "rough it" for one night. Even after loading up the van --to the brim, it was amazing the items we needed yet we did not have. We arrived at the camp site about 15 minutes before the darkness. The moon, however, never showed up.

It's actually pretty cool camping during a new moon (moon not visible). The stars are so bright. What is not very cool or very bright is forgetting your flashlights.

All of them.

We are loser parents and decided to sort of intentionally not bring the bag Jack excitedly packed with his toys and magnifying glass and bug home and... his flashlight. In Mike's defense, he asked me if it needed to be packed. I looked over at the loaded up van and said, "Naw. We could leave it here."

That's what I get for being a jerk. Now we can't even confiscate his flashlight.

Let me tell you: lesson learned.

We planned on using the propane powered cook top to reheat chili for supper. We failed to test out the cook top beforehand and couldn't figure out how it worked.

No big deal.

We'll just heat it up on the... hmm... the fire... Time to get on that I suppose.

It was 7:00 and the children were hungry. Ty hadn't gotten his nap. By the time we finally got dinner to the kids Ty was too tired to make sense. He didn't want to eat his supper and he was cold. He just wanted a marshmallow.

We talked him into eating 5 bites of his chili so he could qualify for dessert. We hated for him to miss the s'mores, we were only staying one night so it was now or never.

Another essential I forgot was cooking utensils.

All of them... EXCEPT for 6 flimsy plastic spoons.

I was a little worried by the thought of cooking chili over the open flame and seeing my spoon melt into our dinner. But that didn't happen. The spoons even held up through the bacon frying and egg scrambling of the next morning.

We slept well although I woke up many times during the night, checking on the kids, making sure they were warm enough. They were, at least through the night. By far the worst part of camping is waking up in the cold and having to leave your warm sleeping bag. Mike was a hero and got up early to start the fire.

I dressed the boys, who refused to wear their coats and then started making breakfast.

It was a constant game of "scoot the chair forward, scoot the chair backwards" as we tried to keep Ty's forehead from getting too hot and his rear from getting too cold. Poor kid. He has no fat on him. He loved the hot chocolate I made for him and I think that is what pulled him out of the whines.

We decided not to bring Austin's extrasaucer... so his spot was either in his car seat or lying on a quilt. He was a trooper and didn't seem to mind either.

The eight pieces of firewood didn't last but a couple hours. Mike was constantly hunting for firewood. He had to keep the family warm.

The boys went out with Mike on several quests for firewood. It was really fun for me to see the two little guys running to keep up with their dad, excited about exploring with him.

Austin's first nap of the day was when it was still very cold outside. I wrapped him up in a sleeping bag and it was about 30 seconds before he was out.

Jack and Ty climbed a mountain. It was then that I discovered Jack had worn his Sunday shoes camping. Awesome. Those were supposed to last through three kids at least. Stride Rite came though again for me and as I examined them upon returning home, found not a single scratch on the leather. wow.

Austin hanging with me in the pop up.

Climbing trees. One of my favorite memories of my childhood. Actually, I have TONS of memories of climbing trees, and they are all good.

I think Jack's will be as well.

So did we have fun?

Yes.

Despite all the rough conditions, we did have fun. Besides, if it isn't rough, is it really camping?

Sweet Girls

2010-11-03T12:41:00.002-05:00

My dear daughter-in-laws,

If you are reading this, then I have succeeded in my life's work: taking little babies and shaping them into someone worth marrying. I hope you were picky when choosing a husband. I hope you have spent hours in prayer before agreeing to live the rest of your life with one of my kids.

They aren't perfect, and they weren't raised perfectly.

Not even close.

I'm currently failing in areas like nap time. The boys won't lie down and go to sleep without 30 minutes to an hour and a half of talking and playing. The most peaceful solution is for me to come up to bed with them, sit on the floor and monitor. It feels a little like standardize testing day --every day. And that's where we are now. Ty has disappeared under his navy blue covers. You won't believe the tossing and turning it takes this boy to get comfortable. While I've been typing this he has rolled around so much that he's fallen off the bed --twice. Oh and the beds they are sleeping in? Yes, they wet 'em last night and I haven't changed 'em.

Like I said, I'm not perfect.

Raising kids is hard work.

I'm not going to tell you about hard 4 days I've had.... cause I want grand babies.

You'll see what I mean when the time comes. Right now all you need to know is that God will give you whatever you need to raise your little ones.

And, I want to apologize for what your little ones will put you through. They say "You pay for your raising." Actually... It's you, as the mama, who will pay for your husband's raising. Cause it's you who will be around most all the time. Sorry.

You'll pay the price for things like:

The genetically passed down need to be completely naked when going poop.

Sorry.

It won't be a big deal except for on a few rare occasions. When you are in public and a child needs to poop, inconvenient but manageable. It's a little more of a situation when you are in public and TWO boys need to poop.

That's where we were today.

Thank goodness it was at Chick-fil-a and they have clean bathrooms, in fact, better there than at my house. Jack and Ty head into the stalls. I help Ty cause he's the youngest. I lift him up and set him on the seat.

"Ty, we are not going to take all your clothes off this time."

"I want two shoes off."

"No, we're going to leave them on."

"Noooooo! I want to take them off!"

"Not this time Ty, they need to stay on, we are in public, we don't get naked in public."

"Nooooooooooo!!!! Mommy, I wanna take them offfffff!!!"

"Ty, stop crying. We are going to leave them on.... Ok.... We'll take one off and...."

"Noooooooooooo!!!"

"Ty, you've got to stop crying."

I look over to see Jack's clothes in a pile on the floor. Nice. Why do we even bathe?

"Ty, I'm going to have to spank you if you keep crying."

Ty continues to wail. Someone walks into the restroom, patiently waits as they witnesses the stars alignment: my kids having to poop at exactly the same time. I don't know why things like this surprise me any more.

"Ok Ty, we'll take off your shoes."

As he calms down I head out of one stall, look up and explain to the lady who is about to head in there that the toilet is still occupied. I enter Jack's stall, nearly slip on the liquid on the floor.

"Jack, what's on the floor?"

"Pee-pee"

"Jack, did you pee-pee on the floor?"

"Yes."

"Jack, your underwear and pants are all wet because you peed on them."

He looks up into my eyes as if trying to get a read on my temperature.

I start unrolling the toilet paper and placing it on the tile floor below when Ty calls me:

"Mommy, I done! Mommy! Mommmmmyyyyyyyy!!"

"Ty, I'm right here. Just a second."

Exit stall, enter stall.

I examine the toilet contents. Don't be grossed out, it's just something you do when you're a mom. The condition of your young children's stools is information that you need to know. What's in the toilet? I know, you're curious now. A tiny, itty-bitty little poop --hardly anything.

I wipe his hiney.

I redress the boy: underwear, shirt, blue jeans, shoe #1, shoe #2.

Exit stall, enter stall.

"Jack, are you done?"

"Yes."

I peek in. Much more warranted trip to the potty than Ty's. I wipe, explain to Jack that he must go commando since his undies were all wet. But he still had to wear his pants. I wasn't sure how he'd take the news of having to wear wet pants. Just the day before at MDO he spilled water down his front and began to strip down in the middle of his pre-k class. He had a cow when his teacher told him he needed to keep his pants on. It ended with a trip down to the "principal's" office.

Thank goodness he didn't fight me. He put on his pants. We go out to wash hands. I scrubbed those twenty little fingers till they turned bright red. Then we left.

Sweet girl, I'm sorry...

When you have rough days and need someone to blame, call me.

But remember, like you, I just work here...

Halloween 2010

2010-11-02T21:30:00.007-05:00

It was good to see all the super heros out this year.

With all the ghosts and ninjas that showed up this year, it was nice to see the good guys.

My boys decided to be:

Spider Man

Batman

and... piglet.

Ok, so maybe he didn't have much choice in the matter. But why not? I mean, Piglet is OBVIOUSLY a male character, it's breast cancer awareness month, and I happened to find a great deal on this costume last November at a garage sale. --NEVER BEEN WORN and I got it for $3. Boo-yah!

Batman chillin' with Piglet

Mike decided to go as a superdaddy.
"Just another day in the life of... Superdad!"

"Please kids, just one group shot."

"That one wasn't good enough, nobody smiled --except Ty. We're doing another one."

and me? I obviously went as a princess.

Things I never thought I'd hear myself say

2010-11-02T18:16:00.002-05:00

As I was holding a wet rag on Jack's bleeding lip tonight. He tells me exactly how he got injured.

Me:

"So you're telling me a baby platypus bit you on the lip?"

Jack:

"Yes."

Four Daddy's

2010-11-02T17:50:00.004-05:00

While squatting down on the ground, doing one of many "mommy jobs," I look up at Tyler who is standing right next to me:

Me: "Ty, you are getting so big."

Ty: "Yeahhhh, I is.

Soon I gunna be biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigggggg. And my head will stick up, up there [pointing to the ceiling].

And I will be a daddy.

We will have two daddies."

Me: "Who will be our other daddy?"

Ty: "Michael."

Me: "Who will be the other one?"

Ty: "Jackson. [thinking] ...And we will have FOUR daddies!

Since we're on the subject --Sabbath

2010-10-27T07:32:00.010-05:00

This is what I woke up to Monday morning.

And it wasn't just the kitchen. It was all over the house.

Mess.

And the amazing thing about it is that the house was relatively clean on Saturday.

Seems God has gently been bringing up an issue in my heart. That's right, the Sabbath.

I stumble across the article I posted a few days ago about the Sabbath.
I called my sister Friday and she mentioned that she and her husband were "Sabbathing" (apparently it's a verb too).
A sermon on "The seventh day He rested" --I heard two years ago, keeps coming back into my mind. Who remembers sermons from two years ago???

So here we are, I can't get it out of my head. Sabbath means rest. Keeping the Sabbath holy is one of the ten commandments. I am probably the world's most disobediant person on this one.

It's an issue (yes, now it's become an issue) that has been a struggle for me for a long time.

Mostly because I don't know what to do with it. I don't have any clue as to how I can take a Sabbath and people won't die.

Deployments?

More specifically deployments with babies.

How can I:

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." -Ex.20:8-11

I decided that Sunday I would take the day off. I did as little as was possible. Quickly made breakfast for the kids, made coffee, picked out the kids clothes. We ate out for lunch, came home and napped. Woke from our naps, went to night church. Ate out again.

Bed time.

Then Monday morning came. It would be a day of recovering the house and doing laundry.

And it was.

I started the first load of clothes and ran the dishwasher at 0630. I had most of the work done by 1600.

By Monday night, I was beat. Tuesday morning, still beat. Tuesday night: ...beat.

I'm wondering if it is worth it. One day of rest = two exhausting days.

But I think, it doesn't matter if it's worth it. I think I need to do it because God says do it. I need to trust that God will either provide me with more energy or will teach me something through my exhaustion.

Through my own personal experience I know that:

God's laws are good and are for my good. This one should not be an exception.
When I follow God's laws, I receive blessing.
When I disobey, I (or someone around me) experiences pain.

I just don't know how to practically live this one out.

Does this mean I prepare Sunday's meals on Saturday --because we can't keep up this eating out?

Do we need to go to bed with a spotless house on Saturday night?

Should there be special Sunday afternoon activities for the children that will keep the house from getting messy?

I don't know.

Here are some things I've observed about the Sabbath --in case anyone else out there is wondering how they can make it happen.

The Sabbath was observed starting at sun down on one day to sun down the next day. Which means, you can do work the first day (before sundown) and the second day (after sundown). It is a 24 hour period.

I don't think there is any problem with picking any day of the week to Sabbath. "Six days you shall labor and do all your work." Doesn't say which day.

God says the Sabbath is a "sign between me and you...". This makes me think that with our rest, we should spend time thinking about God, worshiping God, remembering God. Putting aside our worldly drive. House cleaning? A worldly drive when my goal is a clean house as opposed to an opportunity to serve God. And honestly, my goal is, almost always: a clean house.

We are to celebrate the Sabbath. I need to look at is as a gift and not as more hassle.

We are to remember, by observing the Sabbath, that God sanctifies us (makes us holy). By

keeping the day holy we are to be reminded that God makes us holy.

And lastly, is not a recommendation God makes. It's not a suggestion on "How to get more out of your week." No, it's a command. In fact, under Old Testament Law (before Jesus was born) people who failed to observe the Sabbath were put to death. -Ex.31:14

Serious.

He must be serious.

This wasn't the priests coming up with legalistic rules for the Israelites to follow. This was straight from the mouth of God.

With Jesus came freedom from the penalty of the law. Jesus came he was often accused of working on the Sabbath. His reply was that He was the Lord of the Sabbath.

The following weeks will be experiments on how I be obedient to this command.

If anyone has any suggestions, let me know!

Fall Food

2010-10-24T21:46:00.002-05:00

Butternut Squash Casserole

So good.

More like dessert.

Try it.

Scarecrow

2010-10-23T21:41:00.008-05:00

I don't know what's gotten in to me.

All of a sudden I'm loving crafts.

What? I don't do crafts with my kids! I send them to MDO just to alleviate the mother guilt for not doing crafts with them. It's not that I don't think crafts are neat, I do. The problem is they just aren't... well, neat. Boys are messy enough, but give a boy a bottle of glue, glitter or paint and it's going to look like Crayola just exploded in your house. All over your table, chair legs, the boys hair, pants and shirts, the hallway leading to the bathroom and the sink faucet. I can see it all so plainly.

It's always the same.

And this is only when it's done correctly.

I do crafts with them occasionally, but only when I'm bored and wish there was some job to supervise and something to clean --that should give you a clue as to how often.

Well, within the last week we've done three.

Count it.

Three.

Crafts.

We made a pumpkin pie, painted trees with fall leaves and built a scarecrow.

And.

It was super fun.

What's gotten in to me?

Since we had the paints out, why not get the gingerbread men painted and done with too?

I forgot what we named this guy.

Oh right! It was "SoonI'mgunna B. Butternutsquashcasserole."

--speaking of which, I've got an unbelievably good recipe for butternut squash. Who knew? Who knew something this good could be made from a gourd? If anyone is interested in the recipe let me know.

Guarding Sabbath for our Children

2010-10-20T13:33:00.006-05:00

Soon after getting married, Mike and I began looking forward to the day when we would strap our lawn chairs to our back, load up juice boxes and orange slices and children in our hybrid SUV and spend our Saturday mornings enjoying the crisp fall air as we relaxed beside the soccer field.

We're still looking forward to that day, but probably I will spend my time keeping little ones from running onto the field, wiping noses brought on by the cool air, keeping sippie cups and cheerios in stock all while bouncing the newest one in my arms. Mike will probably knock people over to get the job as coach so that he will actually be able to watch and enjoy the game.

And we won't be cruising to the game in a hybrid SUV --I'm sure of that.

Besides this out of reach dream of ours, Mike and I have had a few discussions about how involved we want our children to be in extracurricular activities.

As much as we both LOVE sports and even find lasting value in them, we must be able to find a reasonable limit.

My previous life as a high school coach revealed the ridiculous expectations that have been put on our coaches. Win or go. Coaches who enjoy a paycheck must make sure their athletes are in top physical shape. Practice, practice, practice. Remember two-a-days? The week before school starts where football players and volleyball players are up at school twice a day to practice? Now try 2+ weeks of two a days. In some cases coaches hold three-a-days.

It's a bit much.

These days, to be good enough to be considered for a college team, hours and hours and HOURS must be spent preparing --years worth of hours.

Is a free ride to school worth it?

Do we teach our children to work hard and give their all to an activity that holds "some value" When there are many thing the Bible says, "has value for all things." (1 Tim. 4:8)

A friend shared this article on Facebook, I think it will be worth your time to read it.

Guarding Sabbath for our Children

In case the link doesn't work, copy and paste this:

http://jenwilkin.blogspot.com/2010/10/guarding-sabbath-for-our-children.html

Pumpkin Pie

2010-10-19T21:15:00.011-05:00

It was the long anticipated trip to the pumpkin patch. Three years of living in Abilene and knowing Amanda Weems and I had never been. Being the always prepared mom that I am, I didn't have a camera. Jack and Ty's teachers have kindly gotten the pictures to me.

That's Jack, third from the right --not batman.

Austin had a nice time, the sun was just a bit bright. He is growing up so fast. Makes me mad.

A hay ride. Excited children. Not a grown up within arms reach. I was a little nervous.

Ty did great. He was the line leader today and held Ms. Kelly's hand like a champ. He paraded the whole group from the van, down the sidewalk, and into the pumpkin patch.

Best buddies.

Jack has been looking so grown up to me lately. I love my little boy. I want him to stay this age forever. He won't. I'm glad I got to be there with the boys. I'm glad I didn't miss this opportunity. I mostly just visited with grown ups, and let the kids do their thing. They did great. They didn't need me. Sometimes all I want is to not be needed. But I really don't. I like being needed. I like seeing glimpses of my children functioning well without me. Isn't that my goal as a parent? To raise children into responsible, capable adults?

sigh.

I guess so.

But it's kinda hard...

Now these next three shots cracked me up last night as I looked at the attempts to get a good "Becca and the Boys" group shot.

whatever. This is more true to life anyway.

After leaving the pumpkin patch, Austin and I went grocery shopping. I'd been inspired by my morning activities. A story had been read to the group about how a farmer takes a pumpkin from a seed to a jack-o-lantern. I walked by the pumpkin display and saw a 49 cent pie pumpkin. I bought it.

I was about to show the boys how to take a pumpkin and turn it in to dessert. I'd seen my mother-in-law do it once. It looked hard. My motto is: if it's not hard, then it probably won't turn into a disaster and if it doesn't turn into a disaster, then it won't make a good blog post.

After school I asked the boys if they wanted to help me make a pumpkin pie. They did!

I cleared off the train table, instructed the boys to strip, put a huge tarp on the floor and a plastic table clothe on top. I decided to take the cooking off of the high counters and down to their level.

I cut that pumpkin in half and handed each of the boys a spoon and a bowl.

"Get all the seeds out" I instructed.

After a few moments hesitation, they embraced the slimy sticky pumpkin goo and got to work. I had awesome pictures... the disk got messed up before I could get them all off.

After cooking the pumpkin I had the boys puree it. Ty loved the fact that the tool made little noise. He kept mentioning how quiet it was.

Four eggs. No Ty, we've got to crack 'em first.

Almost ready.

And yes, for those who are wondering. We made a homemade crust. Jack got to handle a knife for the first time in his life. I let him cut the extra crust off of the pie. Ty's job was to find a spot to stick it back on.

Jack could hardly wait to eat it!

Extra filling meant that each boy gets to take a small pie to school with him tomorrow in his lunch.

He loved it.

So did he. I think Jack was in shock over the delicious taste.

Rub-a-dub-dub

2010-10-18T19:40:00.005-05:00

I don't even know what to say.

I've been sitting here for 20 minutes trying to decide on captions for the photos below.

It was Austin's first bath with the big guys.

I'm pretty beat after today, these "little angels" (pah-haha) wore me out.

I took the kids to Walmart today and a woman commented their exceptional behavior. I shook my head, "If you only were around them earlier..." I told her. She laughed and encouraged me anyway.

The problem here is that the kids look happy and cute in the photos but it's been a cross your eyes and hold your head kind of a day.

So I guess I'll tell you what I told the lady at Walmart:

"If you were only around them earlier..."

Don't believe them for a second. They are not inocent.

Bear Hug #6

2010-10-18T14:33:00.002-05:00

We love AWANA.

Jack has been enjoying doing the lessons with me during nap time.

Today we were getting ready for Wednesday's lesson. Some questions were listed for us to go over. They seemed a little hard, or at least not easy for the children. Looked like his workers require something out of the kids --which I like!

Questions Jack was supposed to answer:

1What did God make on each day of creation?

Everything.

2What is sin?

Bad

3What is a promise?

Good

4Who were Adam and Eve?

They sinneded

5What was Gabriel's message to Mary?

She's gunna have a baby

6Who was Simeon?

Didn't know, I had to remind him.

7With whom was Jesus talking at the temple?

The leaders of the temple

Pretty good huh? :-)

Ty takes a quiz

2010-10-16T07:11:00.006-05:00

I asked Jack these same questions a little over a year ago. It's interesting to see their different levels of development. Jack was about 4 months older than Ty when he answered the questions. Click HERE to see Jack's answers to these questions.

1. Name something a football player wears under his uniform: Yeah! (happy and excited tone)

2. Name something people hate to find on their windshield: yeah (agreement)

3. Name something a man might buy before a date: yes (confident in his answer)

4. What is something you cook in the microwave: umm... Yes! (considered it carefully then agreed)

5. Name something a dog does that embarrasses its owner: yeah...yes. (figures he's gotten all the others right with a "yes")

6. Name something you use in the bath: It's hard (admission that he really doesn't know what I'm talking about)

Out of the Mouth of Babes

2010-10-15T15:02:00.004-05:00

Apparently I'm cheap.

Not just, "Don't want to be snookered," or even "Likes to get a good deal," no.

I am cha-eep.

I know because my little children say things like:

"Hey Mom, do you have a coupon for this store?" -When buying Jack new shoes

"Is this on sale?" -Buying Austin some onesies

"Mom this penny is Miiiine." -Ty, as he clings to a flat penny. "I have a flat penny and this penny is mine."

"Mommy can I have your coupon?" Me: Ty, this is a credit card. "Can I have your credit card?"

"Mommy did you remember your coupons?" -As we are walking into Walmart

There was yesterday when I went to Starbucks with Austin during MDO, walked to the counter, ordered an Artisan breakfast sandwich, handed them a voucher for the sandwich then ordered a plain coffee. $1.75.

THEN

Sat down at their largest table and clipped coupons from the Sunday paper.

Chhhaaaa-eep.

But the event that inspired this post?

Jack and Ty were playing with a toy bead maze (similar to the one pictured below)
They both were holding little train engines and Jack says, "Mom, we are trying to figure out which track on this ride is on sale."

Kids listen. They repeat what they hear. I just think it's funny that Emily's (my older sister) girls are caught saying things like:

"I think that would be a wise choice." and "Aren't you a cute little boy."

While mine are make-believe sale shopping.

Leading Little Ones to God

2010-10-13T15:44:00.004-05:00

One of my all time favorite books.

I'll probably start giving this as my standard baby shower present. I've been meaning to call Aunt Nancy and have her put it on the list to look for any time she is in Half Priced Books. My parents own this book, and although I don't remember going through it with them, the picture on the cover has stuck in my memory.

Leading Little Ones to God is written as a devotional book with each small chapter conveying to the child a truth about God.

It contains chapters titled:
Our Hearts ask for God
We Cannot see God
We See God's Works
God talked to People Long Ago
God Talks to Us
God Sent His Son

It speaks of God's goodness, it explains how sin entered the world. It tells about God's purpose in giving us His law. Then after it clearly and gently makes known our hopelessness,... Jesus.

It teaches our children about who Jesus is and how we can become children of God.

It's amazing. I mean, it's the Gospel. What else would it be?

I tend to over explain things to Jack, and well, anyone who will listen. This book is perfect for me because in only a page or page and a half, I am able to guide Jack through the story of God.

Yesterday morning, this simple-to-understand children's book spoke to me.

Chapter 24, God's Law is Good

Are you happy when you are naughty?
Oh, no! Being naughty never makes children really happy.
Disobeying God's law never makes grownups happy, either.
To be happy, we must obey God's law. We must love God and know that He loves us.
God made us for Himself, you know. And we cannot be happy unless we make Him happy. We are happy only when we are what He wants us to be.
Are you happy when Mother is cross with you? No! But you are happy when Mother is pleased with you. And so we are happy when God is pleased with us. That is why we should obey His law.

Wow. Have you ever heard that explained more clearly? Ever thought of a better comparison? I hadn't.

We were made by God.

We were made for God.

It makes perfect sense that we will be happy when God is pleased with us.

I always forget this. For some dumb reason I subconsciously think that pleasing myself will make me happy. At least I must. Because that is the thinking I always find myself in.

What pleases me?

A clean house.
Well behaved children.
A husband who lives every day to serve me.
Free time.
Getting my way.

But will this stuff result in happiness? No, it would just result in pride.

On the other hand, if I'm concerned with pleasing God I will do things like:

Work diligently in my home.
Tirelessly (or tired-ly) train my children.
Serve my husband out of my love for God.
Offer Him my every moment to use as He plans.
Seek His will.

Remember that saying, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."?

It's true isn't it? But picture a child's face when he receives praise from a pleased parent.

It's so beautiful.

It's contentment.
It's satisfaction.
It's joy.

"And we cannot be happy unless we make Him happy. We are happy only when we are what He wants us to be."

From now on, I'm going to try to picture Jack's "I made Mom proud" face, when I get pouty about things not going my way.

I'm going to try to remember that I was created for God and will only be truly happy when I am doing what I was created to do.

The dentist (and other stories)

2010-10-13T15:21:00.003-05:00

About a month ago on a Tuesday (MDO day) I got a call from one of the teachers. This is never good, it usually means someone needs new underwear. This time underwear would have been ideal. It was Mrs. Amy telling me that Ty had had an accident (again, not the kind that requires fresh pants). He had fallen off of a short ledge and caught himself by the face. His teeth and gums were bleeding and his chin scraped.

To the dentist we went.

Since it was baby teeth that were damaged there wasn't really anything that had to be done. We did schedule a follow up appointment for today.

Ty was a little nervous.

But after riding on the chair, checking out the new light-up toothbrush, and catching a glimpse of his new race car, he settled right in.

It went so well that we asked if the Doc could check out Jack while we were there. They had time. Here is Jack sitting PERFECTLY still while they took x-rays of his teeth.

And... (drum roll please)

No Cavities!!

Brushing the kids teeth is really a chore for me, but I do it, ya know, cause I love 'em. I feel rewarded for all my hard work. ahh. It's nice that something is paying off!

Those are just cute toes. :-)

Below is Austin's first trip to the Abilene zoo.

He loved it.

Jack is so creative. If I've said it before, I've said it a thousand times, "He's a thinker!"

I'd imagine Percy had as much fun as Jack with his Ferris wheel-like ride.

The mind of man

2010-10-06T14:02:00.004-05:00

**I started writing this last Saturday morning and was interupted by sweet little people. It is just now finished.**

____________________________________________________

Second cup of coffee.

It's such a beautiful morning.

This is the last day in a week of perfect weather.

It's incredible.

It makes me ask questions like:

"Why didn't God design every day to be the perfect temperature and clear and bright, cool in the morning and warm in the afternoon?" He placed the sun the perfect distance away from the earth, tilts the planet to the perfect angle and makes the seasons change. Why didn't he just make it beautiful all the time?

And another question:

If all creation glorifies God and his qualities have, in fact, "been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made," then WHAT does the changing weather teach us about God?

It seems everything brings up questions in my mind. Hopefully one day I will find answers to some of them.

Another question I've been considering for a couple days now is:

"How does God go about direct our path?"

Mike and I have been blessed to have started off our relationship with an understanding that "God's way is right." And that we would be wise to follow Him instead of go our own way. It goes without saying that we are both sinners and often fumble the easy things, that we battle constantly with our selfish desires verses God's way, so I'm not going to go into all that right now.

But. I do want to say that It's been a blessing to be able to say that Mike and I have, our whole married life, been intentional about seeking God's plan for our lives when having to make decisions regarding our future.

Does that mean we have made the right choice every time a major decision comes our way?

Going to A&M for school?
Joining the air force?
Various career moves?

Who knows.

Here's what I do know. Mike is an excellent planner. He looks up information, he talks to people, he checks out the maps, he finds stats, he is always as informed as he can be before making a decision. I'm thankful for his vigilance as it is important to me also to know what we're getting into :-)

Mike has, by hard (and ethical) work, put himself in positions to do well. He has pursued different avenues in his career, with the driving force being to follow God's lead, provide for his family, and be able to spend more time raising his sons.

The last two years he has applied for pilot training. God has said no.

About 3 months ago he got a phone call from some guy who is in charge of selecting the pilots for RPAs (remotely piloted aircraft). He offered Mike the job.

When you have literally hours to choose between two perfectly good options, which one do you pick?

And does it really matter which one you pick?

If you are seeking God's direction and He hasn't made it evident, is it like He is saying: "Choose whichever, I'm the one who will direct your path."?

I'm wondering all this because, we decided to say "Yes," to that man who offered Mike the RPA job. For the last three months we have been expecting to be moving in February to San Antonio for training and then on to Las Vegas. We planned on leaving our friends and moving out of the Bible belt. We planned on tough training with the hopes that there would be much more time at home for Mike. No more deployments, few TDYs.

Last week Mike had some medical tests done. He has a very slight eye problem, he has a hard time telling differences between similar shades of green. Before last week, we had no idea. It's just bad enough to disqualify him from pilot training.

So just like that, all our plans change.

That was attempt #4 to get out of C-130s.

Every time it looks like Mike has set himself up perfectly for the move. Every time it falls through. I can just picture us as cartoon characters, scratching our heads and saying "What are the odds of that?"

The only explanation is that God wants us here.

I think I am beginning to understand the verse:

"The mind of man plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps." -Prov. 16:9

So what I think I am learning is this:

If we love God,
If we seek God --daily, all the time, with every decision,
If we are willing to follow Him,
--Then it doesn't matter what choice we make when the right way isn't clear.

He will direct our steps.

I think I just don't give God credit enough. I feel like it's all up to me to make this decision correctly.

Should we have more children?
Should we move two houses down so that we can have an additional bedroom?
Where should I go to college?
Should I take this job?

He will direct our steps.

I just need to chill and let Him.

Glamorous?

2010-10-05T06:26:00.005-05:00

No.

Not really.

I have a love/hate relationship with our culture.

I love it because it is what is normal and natural to me.

I hate it because it tells me things like:

"Life is all about you."
"Go do something nice for yourself --you deserve it."
"Women should contribute financially."
"Shower daily."

There's a story behind that last one... for later.

Glamorous. "Pursue a life that is glamorous. One that makes you happy."

Yesterday I sat in a pile of little shirts, shorts, blue jeans and under ware. Little socks, shoes, hats and jackets.

And little people.

It was time to switch out the clothes for the new season. I hate doing this job. I'd rather clean up throw up than deal with the explosion that is "change out clothes day." I hate it so much that I never do it for myself. My closet holds the whole years worth of clothes, it holds the ones that fit me when Mike's deployed and I've dropped 2 sizes. It holds the clothes I wear when I eat regularly. It holds the post-pregnancy, before I get back down to normal clothes. It currently has all my maternity clothes in it. I've considered taking them out. But what if I get pregnant again and have to get them all back out! Oh the agony. I'd rather get pregnant and wear them than deal with taking them out of the closet.

So now that you know where I'm coming from...

Clothes day is not glamorous.

In the middle of dealing with the clothes monster, I had inter relational problems with one child. Discontentment issues with another and regurgitation in the third.

I wore the hats of a judge, security officer, motivational speaker, psychologist, and janitor.

From my children I got the same recognition as the door mat.

Glamorous?

No.

I sent a text to a friend of mine, joking (complaining) about the circumstances.

She encouraged me, "...robes of white, robes of white." She reminded me of the reward that will be mine one day.

I worked till 9:00 last night. It was a 15 hour day. I had to recover the house that had been neglected all day while I did laundry.

Last night I was blessed by more uninterrupted sleep than I had been getting lately. This morning I am up early with my coffee on the front porch. I chose to start out my time with God by listening to worship music. Crowder started singing his song, "Everything Glorious."

"You make everything glorious," the song spoke.

Glamorous?

No, GLORIOUS.

I'd had it wrong all day. Stupid culture.

All day I felt like I was not accomplishing what the world says we should work for.

Instead I was accomplishing what God says I must work for.

You [God] make everything glorious.

You make washing smelly under ware glorious.
You make disciplining children glorious.
You make reorganizing drawers glorious.
You make _________ glorious.

Everything I do should be done for the glory of God.

I need to change my heart to be joyful and excited about every little job I have been given. I need to look at is as an opportunity to bring glory to my God.

My little, unmemorable duties can be made glorious.

Glorious =confering or advancing glory (or renoun)

Psalm 34:3

West Texas State Fair and Rodeo

2010-09-27T06:42:00.014-05:00

I have a good excuse... really.

Our computer monitor has some sort of electrical short (like I really know) and the power button is messed up and won't stay on. Thus rendering that computer useless.

Mike has been gone the last two weeks on TDY (AF business trip). He took the laptop with him. He's taking online college classes and the computer was a must have.

So I've been without computer access for the last two weeks.

That's why I haven't posted.

Ya'll probably thought my children had been running me ragged and I'd had zero time to post. Well, that was true too, but I'm saving that excuse for later.

The last post I put up was about Hannah coming to visit. If you know Hannah, you know that while she was here she blessed us by taking pictures that make us all look better than we actually do.

And you're right. She did. And here they are:

First thing: Find food.

Ashten told me I had to try the corn. She was right. It was good.

The boys were so hungry and very patient as we scoured the fair grounds for a hand dipped corn dog.

"I'm ... just... so... hungry...."

Mike was a hero. He finally found the hand-dipped corn dogs.

All Jack really wanted to do at the fair was to eat ice cream. I always tell him and Ty, "Good things come to boys who obey." I think I stole that line from Emily. Well, on the way to the fair Jack was saying, "Mom, I'm still obeying!" then he'd wait about 30 seconds and say, "Look Mom, I'm still obeying." He repeated it about 10 times before we told him to be quiet. -It worked, he had to obey the "be quiet" command if he was going to continue being good. Don't know why it took us so long to think of that one...

He was good. He got his ice cream.

The boys loved waving at their good friend, Wyatt, who was riding the merry-go-round.

This group shot was actually THE last thing we did before getting ice cream (I know, the pictures are out of order.) But see the smiles? You can bet we were back there saying, "Smile good and we'll go get ice cream!" Bribery is part of our every day routine of parenting.

I saw this next picture and couldn't figure out what we were doing and why Hannah took a picture of it. I thought, "What did those kids get into?"

Turns out we were just dusting off the dinner before a family pic.

I'm not sure why I thought it was a good idea to get a front row seat, about 20 feet over the ground, with only 14 inches of concrete and a metal bar keeping my children from falling on the cowboys below. Wish I had more horse sense. (har har)

And yes, Hannah made it into a picture. The reason I didn't take the camera from her more often was

1) she doesn't want her camera broken and I don't really trust myself.

2) she was using it on a manual setting which I had no idea how to operate.

3) I had my hands pretty full already

Jack watching the bucking bronco. Jack says his favorite part of the rodeo was the skit done by the rodeo clowns.

Welcome Home Hannah!

2010-09-17T12:42:00.002-05:00

Hannah is coming home today. She's been gone four months (reminds me of a deployment). We can't wait to get to visit with her. It's like she's family....

We've decorated the front porch.

Jack's asked about 5 times when Aunt Nanna is coming. I think that was the first thing he asked this morning when he woke up.

Not Ty, when he came down his first words were the same as they are every single morning. "Momma, I hoooonnngery." (short "o" sound not "oo")

This picture of Hannah really accentuates her Adam's apple.

Jack trying to say "I love you" in sign language. NOT "hook'em horns"

He never quite got it...

Oh well, Hannah he loves you so much! Can't wait to see you!

First fall

2010-09-17T07:21:00.002-05:00

Austin fell off my bed yesterday during his nap. :-(

I was sad. He was fine. No more naps in Mom's bed. Mike lowered the mattress in his bed so he couldn't flip over the short sides.

Last night Mike took Austin back to the precipice to find out how exactly the fall happened.

Jack's questions

2010-09-13T06:21:00.007-05:00

Yesterday afternoon.

Jack woke up from his nap about 5 minutes after I got Ty down. For some reason Ty couldn't sleep and Jack woke up due to some congestion in his nose. Poor kid. Poor mama.

Anyways... I invited him downstairs to hangout and play race car. I was about to start cutting and filing coupons (cause I'm cool like that).

A few minutes into our tasks Jack asks me: "Mama, when is God's next birthday?"

I put down my scissors and got ready to teach him another attribute of God. He stopped playing cars as I explained my answer.

"Jack, God has never had a birthday. Do you know why? Because God has always been. A long time before you were born, God was alive. A long time before I was born, God was alive and even before the world was here. God was alive! And Jack, God is never going to die. He is going to live forever. And Jack, God said that people who follow Jesus will get to come live in heaven with Him forever."

I love all the questions that God put on Jack's heart. I know the questions were from God because without Him drawing us to Himself, man wouldn't come to God. Unless God reveals himself to us, it just sounds like foolishness. I can't help but smile as I think of our great God whispering questions into Jack's mind. Or think about the teachers at MDO and our church who assist Mike and I in building a firm foundation of truth on which we pray that God would build. Jack knows a lot about God (for a child) but still so little...

"I'm going to live in heaven!" Jack was quick to reply. "Mama, are you going to live in heaven?

"Yes Jack, I am. I get to live in Heaven because I follow Jesus."

"I follow Jesus too Mommy!"

"Good, but there is more than that. I have sinned and sin keeps me from getting to go to God. Have you ever sinned Jack?"

"Yes." Then his eyes light up, "Jesus died on the cross for my sins!" Something he had been taught but didn't really grasp yet.

I continue, "Jesus paid for my sins. My sins are what keeps me from getting to go to heaven. Because God is holy...."

"What is holy?" Jack asked.

"Holy means 'without sin'. Because God is holy, he can't have any sin around him. My sin keeps me from getting to be with God. That's why Jesus had to die. To get rid of my sin. When we sin there has to be punishment. Jesus died as the punishment. And now when I die I get to go to heaven."

"That's where Jesus is! He's in heaven building a house." Jack's getting excited. "When I gunna go to heaven?

"Well, you will when you die or when Jesus comes back to get us. We don't know when He's coming back. It may be while we are alive and it may be after we die."

"Yeah, cause it's a looooooong house. [Jack stretches his arms out as far as they'll go]

"But Jack, you will only get there if you ask God to forgive your sins and you trust him. Then you have to follow him."

"I will follow Jesus! Where's Jesus going?"

I explained that following Jesus meant that we follow what he teaches us in the Bible. The conversation went on a little longer and he repeated a prayer after me. We asked for understanding and that God would show Jack what it meant to follow Jesus with his whole life.

I'm a little apprehensive about taking him through the "sinner's prayer" right now. I believe that there are lots and lots of people who think they are saved (Christians) but in reality they are not. You can't just pray a prayer and go on with your life. The Bible teaches that salvation is FREE but if you have really given your life to Jesus then there will be proof in the way you live. I, by no means, want my children to have a false assurance of their salvation.

Jesus teaches that on the day of judgment "Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ (Matt. 7:21-23)

He also says: "... small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matt. 7:14)

Mike is out of town for a few more days. I'm hoping he and I can spend some time praying together and visiting about how to direct Jack's heart. I don't want to lead him into something he doesn't fully understand, and I don't want to be a stumbling block if God is calling him to come to Himself right now.

Thank you for praying for Jack's salvation and wisdom for Mike and I as we council him.

God vs. World part 1

2010-09-09T09:33:00.008-05:00

I am going to be posting a short series of lessons that I am teaching in AWANA right now. These are just notes. They are here for me to reference more than anything else. It is possible that I might teach this lesson again one day or that someone might want to take and use something in it. Mostly I just want it documented somewhere and I tend to lose things on my computers...

Watch this video and pray partcular attention to the lyrics.

Pray for You - Jaron and The Long Road to Love from Jaron and The Long Road to Love on Vimeo.

Ok, lets examine this song for a minute. It makes you laugh cause you think this guy is going to forgive and pray for this girl who hurt his heart, but then turns out he’s praying that bad things will happen. It’s meant to be a funny song and its easy to just laugh and move on when you hear it, but lets stop and REALLY think about this song.

What is the message of this song?

Tell me what is wrong or unbiblical about this song.

“He wants her to be hurt”
“He isn’t forgiving”
“He is misusing Biblical principles”
“He is angry”
“He is prideful”

This song is so typical of our sinful hearts.

The heart is:

-deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9)

-every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was evil all the time (Gen
6:5)

-every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood (Gen 8:21)

We must understand that left to ourselves (without Jesus) our hearts are wicked and without hope. From birth it is our nature to rebel against God.

It’s really easy to hear this song and laugh and say, yeah that’s how a lot of people feel. We need to realize that messages like this get fed into our heads every single day.

What is our hearts nature without Christ? (desperately wicked, every inclination of our hearts is evil all the time, evil from childhood)

And so if this is true of every human heart then what do you think the “world” is going to teach you?

(And when I say “world” I am speaking about the concerns of people in the world. Anything that is opposite of God’s way.)

At schools?
On TV?
Our friends?
Magazines?
Commercials?
Music?
Movies?
Other Christians (we all still sin)?

God’s way is so different from man’s way.

The World says: it’s ok to hate those who have done wrong things to you
God says: love your enemies
The World says: get even
God says: forgive
The World says: Do what you need to do to get ahead
God says: give of yourself

The World says: Spend every moment of your life on what makes you happy –worship yourself
God says: give every moment of your life to me as worship

I heard this quote a long time ago and thought it was pretty accurate:

“Whatever the great majority is doing, on any given circumstance,
if you do the opposite, you will probably never make another mistake in your life.”

So we have a decision (and it is not as easy as it sounds):

Do we do what everyone else is doing or do we follow Jesus?

Why do you think so many people chose to do their own thing (not follow Jesus) ?

A: It’s easier. Or they don’t know about God’s laws

I want us to spend the rest of this time focusing on answering this one question. In the following weeks we are going to answer some different ones relating to following God in a sinful world.

“If our hearts are so wicked, how do we make them stop wanting the best for ourselves and start wanting to obey God?”

A: We cannot make our hearts want to follow God:

If fact, the Bible says that the message of the cross is nonsense to those who don’t know him.

1 Cor. 1:18-30 “For the message about the cross is nonsense to those who are being destroyed, but it is God's power to us who are being saved.”

Remember that every inclination of our heart is evil --even from childhood. There is nothing in us that will turn around and want to worship God. We cannot see the truth unless God opens our eyes and reveals himself to us in our heart.

God chooses us.
You did not choose me, but I chose you .... (John 15:16)

This word choose in the Greek means:
1) to pick out, choose, to pick or choose out for one's self
a) choosing one out of many, i.e. Jesus choosing his disciples

Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.”

...God who called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. ” (1 Cor. 1:8)

After he calls you he gives you a gift.

But what does God give to those who He calls?

“I will give them hearts that recognize me as the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.” Jeremiah 24:7

God gives them the ability to recognize that He is God.

Now, even though we know he is God, sometimes that still isn’t enough to make me want to obey God. It is foolishness for me to not want to obey God.

And what is the opposite of foolishness?

A: Wisdom.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:5

God will give us wisdom and with wisdom we will see the value in obedience to God and are more likely to obey him.