Christmas Game

While Archer was at Grandma Sue's for a sleepover Shelly and I played a game that she called the Christmas Game. I guess she called it this because its around Christmas time? It started out as tag. That girl can RUN! And when racing around the kitchen/dining room/living room there's no way I can catch her. We took turns being "it" and when that got old I flopped down on the floor and we played rocket launch. Which evolved into rocket repair, robots repairing rockets and robots capturing each other. The running and laughing and generally being silly together compares to nothing. No vacation, no movie or other entertainment, nothing compares to the fun of being silly with a three year old. Or any age kid. I don't even have to be the creative one if I'm just willing to go along with whatever they make up. Nothing compares to spending pure undistracted time with my kids, my family.

Christmas Road Trip - Part 2

The next morning we traveled the rest of the way to see Great-Grandma & Great-Grandpa Gruenberg and again had a fantastic afternoon. And again the kids only lasted so long before they had to go outside to explore the snowy landscape. And of course they came in wet, they hadn't even worn their boots this time so Archer went for the rest of the day with no socks. That'll teach him to walk in the snow without boots on... or not, I'm sure he won't remember next time ;-)


After great stories, great food and a little bit of playtime it was time to make the long drive home. Five hours later we made it. To Mom and Dad's. We had to make a pit stop there and ended up staying for two and a half hours! Shelly was SO wound up and Archer was SO tired and little Eli was SO sick of riding in the car and it was SO LATE at night... Finally we left, minus one kid (she decided she just couldn't go any further in the car so we left her behind) and encountered a deer in Mom and Dad's driveway (the adventures never end!). A four hour drive took us about eight with the stops along the way and when we were finally home last night it seemed as if we'd been gone for a week.

I'm again amazed at the blessings we have in our lives, the people who are part of our family and the joy in sharing our lives with them. And I'm again reminded that we have to slow down to see the gifts that God has given us, take the time to share stories and laughter and memories.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
~Matthew 6:21

Christmas Road Trip - Part 1

After Christmas Day with David's family and the next day with my family we were just getting started. It feels like we crammed two months worth of fun into five days and it was AWESOME!

Our road trip to Argyle began on Monday morning - we tried to get out the door by 8 but actually pulled out of the driveway 40 minutes after that, not too bad! We arrived at Great-Grandpa Holmes' house at 12:15, only FIFTEEN MINUTES behind schedule! Wow! Of course the kids went straight to the basket of toys to play. We had a wonderful afternoon with Grandpa and everyone else that showed up to visit. How kind of our family to make the effort to come over when we were visiting on a work day when they had so many other things to do. It was great, so much laughing and story sharing and catching up. Eventually Archer and Shelly had to go outside to the swings which presented a bit of a problem. Did we bring snow pants? Nope. Did I notice the huge hole in Archer's jeans before we left the house? Nope. At least we had boots with us... They ventured out, Archer with a scarf tied around his knee to cover the hole in his jeans, and lasted longer than I expected. Aunt Patti follwed them out for pictures but David took pics from the window, we didn't feel like braving the snow.

We left Grandpa's house around 7:00 with the intention of going to Prairie du Chien but only made it as far as Platteville, it had been a long day and we checked into a hotel and got to sleep as quick as we could.

Self-Family-Portrait

Today we enjoyed a low-key Christmas Eve, went to church and came home all dressed up so naturally... we needed a family portrait. Break out the tripod, command everybody to smile and you get... not such great pics. Elijah was crying. Shelly wouldn't stand in her spot without hanging onto her brother (who kept pulling his arm away from her). And Archer took off running immediately following the picture. Or sometimes during the picture. Let's not exclude Mom and Dad from the problems - I don't know WHAT that look is on my face. And David's head was cut off. So, here they are, enjoy, laugh at us (we did!). And when you're ready for more bad family portraits, check out Awkward Family Photos.

Miracles

I watched a video of a newborn that had been placed on her mother's chest just moments after she was born. This baby then proceeded to move all by herself across her mother's chest and find food and begin eating. It took awhile. It was a slow process but with small pushes with her legs and arms she moved. She turned her head back and forth, pushed her way around and found her way to food. All without any adult putting her mouth directly in the spot it needed to go. It was amazing. Most babies could do this if given the chance. We assume they're completely helpless.

When I saw the video I was so awed by what God has done. Look what we miss just because we're in such a hurry to move things along on our schedule. What if we slowed down enough to learn what God has provided for us? What if we took the time to actually see the miracles all around us, every single day? What awesome things would we see? Would we be speechless, or too busy rushing on to the next thing to even notice?

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
~Psalm 19:1

Court

Shelly and Archer had a conflict that involved accusations and a ruined... "something." Of course the argument eventually devolved into "yes you DID!" and "no I DIDN'T!" So I convened court in the kitchen, commanded the kids to get chairs and took my place as the judge. I then instructed Shelly to tell me the story of what happened.

"Once upon a time, there was a little girl." Trying not to laugh, I told her she needs to tell me what happened to her thing that Archer ruined. "He RUINED it!" Well, what did he do to ruin it? Tear it? Cut it up? Set it on fire? She looked at me in bewilderment and said, "Why would he set it on fire?" Ugh. Let's try this again.

Archer, what's your defense to her accusations? "What's accusations?" Obviously our time in court didn't resolve the issue. But it did distract them from fighting with each other. And we even had a vocabulary lesson slipped in there without anyone noticing. So I'd say it was a success!

Court was followed by a story telling period where Archer told us about a little girl who somehow ended up in Antarctica with penguins, polar bears and snakes. You'll be relieved to know that the little girl did eventually make it home safely after a scary journey down a snow tunnel and a chase by the mamma polar bear.

Shelly: Mom can I help you? I'll do the taste test, ok?

How Are You Doing?

This is the question that everyone asks us, how are we adjusting to the new baby in the family? How are we doing? How are the kids? And the canned, standard answer is "oh, everything's great!" Its not, really, but we'll eventually figure it out. Right? It feels like a new baby in the house is a chance for me to start all over... start all over with the list of things I'm not doing "right" and the list of ways that I can screw up my baby's life. By giving him a pacifier or not, by letting him cry a little or rushing straight to him whenever he makes a peep, by... well, we all know the list. And the Mom Guilt that comes with the job. A guilt we feel just because we'll never be able to live up to some "standard" that's out there.

Add to that the dynamic of a household with other children who have their own feelings about the new baby. When someone asks Shelly what she thinks about her new brother and she says "he cries a lot" they laugh like its a cute little remark from a cute little girl. But underneath that, maybe what Shelly means is, "he cries a lot and then Mom holds him and she doesn't pick me up when I cry." And when we tell Archer that he's a good big brother but then when I leave the room he's taking out his frustrations on his sister by pushing or hitting her, what is he thinking and not saying? What kind of pressure are we putting on him to "perform" in his role and where is that leaving him? Things that in the past have been minor scuffles that they resolve themselves are now huge battles with screaming and physical retaliation. I'm making our house sound like a war zone and its not. We are doing "fine" but its a "fine" with new frustrations and we're working really hard to figure it out. And not screw up our kids permanently in the process.

Denise was encouraging me today and something she said was, it seems like a lot to adjust to but one day you'll wake up and realize that you've got it figured out, you've adjusted and things are going smoothly. And she's right, I think. One day we'll be able to get to the bus stop on time without it seeming like a miracle that we even got out of the house. One day it will take us less than forty minutes to get our coats on, get in the car and leave for church. But today, its a struggle. We're working on it. Trying to adjust. I just wish the adjusting part could be over soon, and we could have it figured out.

He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority."
~Acts 1:7

And so we wait on His timing.

Tutu and Hot Pink Pants

Today Shelly is wearing a pastel pink ballerina tutu and hot pink corduroy pants. Its what she picked, we're not going anywhere, why fight it? I heard a big sigh from the kitchen and looked over to see her sitting at the table with her head in her hands. "What's wrong?" I asked her. Spread out on the table were papers, stickers, markers, scissors. "I just can't do all this work!" she said. She sounded exhausted from all her work. She decided to come over and sit next to me and take a rest. At 9:30.
She seems to be going through a period of extra clumsiness, or more likely needing extra attention. I hear "OWIE" about twenty times a day and then I'm expected to fuss over whatever body part has been "injured." I suspect these minor injuries would normally go completely unnoticed but right now she feels that she needs some extra loving. So I'm trying to give her more attention. But today I also tried to bribe her. "Shelly, if you go for the rest of the day without any more owies, then you can have a piece of candy." We'll see if that works. (Does that fall into the "creative parenting" category? Or is it "questionable parenting"?) In the mean time, I have to go play a game...

I've Told You a Thousand Times

For the past couple of weeks I've been yelling at Archer constantly. Everything is a yell. Because the kid has gone deaf and hears nothing I say. "What?" he says a hundred times a day. "PUT YOUR SHOES ON! WHERE'S YOUR HAT!! GO FIND YOUR BACKPACK!!!" He had a bad cold, still has it kind of. Because he doesn't blow his nose he's still stuffed up and his ears no longer work. When I get frustrated with him he says, "What? I have a bad ear!" That excuse will only last so long, and we're nearing the end of it.

Today when he got home from school I had forgotten to unlock the front door for him and as I ran to open it up he stood there pounding on the door and crying. When I opened it he fell inside crying, "My ears are so cold!" He forgot his hat at school and had to walk from the bus stop in 20 degree icy cold air. They were bright red. So now I'm wondering, will this cause him to remember his hat tomorrow, or do I let it happen again? Or do I now have to meet him at the bus stop every day with the car, so he doesn't have to walk home without a hat? I'd like to think he'll remember next time. But he's only six. Ugh, what's a mother to do?

Elijah: 1 Month

Yesterday Elijah turned one month. In his first month, our son has turned our household upside down and so much more. He's started grabbing onto things, he sometimes stays awake for a little while and he's definitely able to recognize people he knows. Happy one month birthday baby!

I Wish

Today Shelly let me hold her and dance in the kitchen. Usually she doesn't let me carry her around for long before she gets antsy and squirms out of my arms and then runs away. She's too busy to let Mom slow her down for long. She has to keep up with her brother. Today I held her and swayed slowly and rested my cheek on her cheek for two whole songs. We sang a little but mostly we were quiet. She just let me hold her.

I wonder if her willingness to stay close to me was related to her comment this morning: "Mom, I wish I was a baby. Like Eli." Probably. She sees me holding him constantly and maybe when I picked her up it was exactly what she needed at that moment. It was exactly what I needed, remembering when she was little like Eli and remembering that they grow away so fast. They get taller and suddenly I can't pick them up and they run off playing games or run up to me demanding that I chase after. But we don't get to cuddle much anymore.

Last night I went into Archer's room to give him a kiss after he'd fallen asleep and I kissed his head and then stood up and was startled to see the boy in the bed, arms and legs so long, face looking so much older. He's only six. But I still remember that little toddler face.

This One Time

This one time we were visiting Laurie and Dave, Shelly was little, only about two months old. How can a little person cause such a big mess? Every mom has at least one of these stories, a catastrophe at the time it happens but lots of laughs in the years to come. Shelly made a HUGE mess in her diaper, a mess that wasn't contained by the diaper but covered her entire back all the way up to her neck. My precious little girl, covered in... Well, what made the whole thing worse was that Laurie and Dave's water heater had just gone out. And maybe I had run out of wipes or something, because my memory of that atomic mess was Mom helping me try to clean up Shelly with cold water and paper towels. And I just kept saying to Mom, "Just cut the shirt off of her. Just get a pair of scissors and we'll cut it off so we don't have to pull it over her head."

Today Elijah had his first one of those, a mess that covered his leg all the way to his toes. Thankfully we were at home. I made a mental note to get extra clothes in the diaper bag. Because walking around without an extra outfit is just asking for trouble...

Thank You For...

Thanks to the Lord for unexpected gifts, blessings unasked for, things we didn't know we needed but couldn't live without. At this time last year we had no idea what was in store for us, and today I wonder what's in store in the days to come. As Archer and Shelly bring home projects from school and church that list the things they're thankful for I'm proud that they list each other, "I'm thankful for my brother/sister." Today was a rough day, I think both kids got hurt at least five times as a direct result of rowdy play. But I'm thankful that none of their injuries were major. And that they love playing together. And that they're healthy enough to be running around. And that I get to be part of it too. And that I didn't cause many of the rough-housing injuries... only one, I think.

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
~ Acts 17:25

David said to me that he thought Shelly needs to have her eyes checked. She had just walked into something or tripped over something... Shelly was on the other side of the room and to check her eyes he held up three fingers and called out to her, "How many fingers?" "Three!" she shouted. He gave her the thumbs up an she shouted, "One!"

As I type this she's singing a little made-up song. She never stops talking, singing, whispering... Except of course in crowds, then she completely clams up. But the girl always has something to say!

Friends and Treasures

Archer grumbled, "I have no friends."
Shelly said, "I'm your friend!"
"No you're not, you're my SISTER."
"Sisters can be friends."
Oh how true, Shelly!

David pulled the coffee maker out of the closet and removed the following items from the carafe: grocery receipt, two erasers, a binder clip, strange orange spiky toy (made to resemble a ladybug? or elephant?), magnifying glass and pink wooden bead. "That's where I keep my treasures" Archer told me once. Where will he keep his treasures now that we're making coffee?

The Sweetest Sound...

is hearing my children laughing together.

And hearing them sing to their baby brother when he starts to cry.
Hearing one of them say to the other "are you ok?" after they've played too rough and someone's gotten hurt.
Hearing "you're the best mom EVER!"
Hearing them screaming "Daddy!" when he walks through the door in the evening.
Hearing Shelly say "aww you're a cutie pie" to her younger brother.
Hearing Archer patiently explain the rules to a game for the 20th time even though I'm pretty sure Shelly will NEVER understand what he's talking about.

Hearing Elijah's first cry. And Shelly's and Archer's. Hearing my children breathing peacefully as they sleep next to me in my bed. Why aren't they in their own beds???

Archer and Shelly were running around screaming and laughing tonight and I thought, "that's the sweetest sound I've ever heard." Then I thought of all the other sweet sounds and couldn't decide which was really the best. I guess I don't have to have a best. They're all so wonderful to hear.

Happy Birthday Elijah Graham!

The waiting is over. Our precious wonderful amazing little miracle was born on Friday morning. Elijah Graham came into the world at 7:42 weighing 10 lbs, 8 ounces and he was 22 & 3/4" long. Hello beautiful! Although we had a couple of small issues, he's now doing well and he's perfectly healthy and we're all perfectly happy to have the youngest member of our family home with us. Now that I've seen him on the outside of me, I can't believe he was ever INSIDE of me, how could he have been crunched up so tight to actually fit in there? And how could he MOVE? It must have been awfully cozy for him!

We stayed in the hospital for three nights after he was born and each night my heart grew more uneasy at being away from Shelly and Archer. Tonight we're all together again and it seems that all is right in the world. Or at least in our family.

Thanks are in order...

Thank you Mom and Dad for taking Archer and Shelly, for driving back and forth to get Archer to and from school and the kids to and from the hospital for visits. Thanks for letting them move in with you and interrupt your lives for a few days, hopefully they haven't worn out their welcome TOO much! They loved being with you and cherish every moment of games and story time and fun that they have with you.

Thank you Denise for joining us at the hospital and being such wonderful support to David and I throughout the entire experience. You were such a stable presence, constantly encouraging and helping and you are an amazing blessing in our lives. God has truly blessed me with you as my sister and friend.

And most importantly thank you David for putting up with your frustrated, grumpy wife for the last few months as I complained about having to wait so long, and about all my little irritations and frustrations. Thank you for helping me with the little and big things. Thank you for holding my hand and encouraging me through every minute of labor and every moment before and after. You are such an amazing husband. You're a wonderful dad. God is amazing to have placed us together and I thank Him every day for you in my life.

Children are a heritage from the Lord,

offspring a reward from him.

Like arrows in the hands of the warrior

are children born in one's youth.

Blessed is the man

whose quiver is full of them.

 ~ Psalm 127:3-5

Strike Two

A couple weeks ago I thought I was in labor, called the doctor and told her what was going on and she told me to come into the hospital. We packed up the kids, dropped them off at Mom & Dad's and went in. After many hours of waiting the contractions slowed down and we were sent home. All late at night. Strike one.
Last night our baby boy gave us a liitle scare, I called the doctor and she said to come in right away. So once again we packed up the kids, dropped them off with Mom & Dad and went in. They checked us out and everything was fine. And though I was having regular contractions I still wasn't in labor. Again, all late at night, of course. Strike two.

Its been frustrating and at moments scary and I confess I've let fear take over faith a few times. But God has been faithful to us and He's been keeping our little miracle safe and healthy. Every time we visit the doctor, whether for regular appointments or late-night checkups, the report has always been, "You have a very healthy happy baby. He's doing great." Praise God! And each time that we've woken the kids up, stuck them in the car and dropped them off with Mom and Dad they've taken it in stride and come home the next day as if this is all a normal part of life. Thank God for children's resilliance, for family and friends, for all the little and big blessings in life that are too many to count. And let's hope the next time we have to go in, its a home run instead of another false alarm!

Indoor Baseball

Right now the kids are in the other room screaming at each other. Its escalated to the point that I normally would intervene but I'll try an experiment and just let it work itself out. Oh, they just ran in here tattling on each other. Wait, now they're laughing and running back out...
Yesterday Archer received a plastic baseball and bat from Awana and the kids spent the rest of the evening playing indoor baseball.

Game: Batter sits on the floor with the bat, pitcher sits approximately five feet in front of batter and rolls the ball to the batter. Batter "swings" the bat (sweeps it across the carpet) and hits the ball. Pitcher crawls to retrieve the ball.

Potential Improvements: Batter actually tries to "run" the bases by crawling to predetermined landmarks in the room. (This is just my idea, they don't know enough about baseball and didn't have enough time for this to develop.)

Potential Evolution (when parents leave the room): Batter hits the ball more and more violently until the ball no longer stays on the floor but actually flies through the air. Pitcher no longer rolls the ball but starts throwing it. Crawling is too slow so all players stand up and run to chase the ball. No one sits on the floor anymore, the bat is being swung for real and the ball is being thrown randomly (because a 3 year old pitcher doesn't have good aim yet) at the batter. Someone gets hurt. Or more likely, something gets dented, knocked over, or broken.

I sometimes marvel at the amount of "what will happen next" thinking I've learned to do. "What will happen when..." And after six years of parenting its so automatic. What's more surprising is when I forget to think this way and then I'm shocked by what happens. And then I catch myself thinking, "Why didn't I see that coming?"

Tools & Trucks

Today we entered a new phase, the one where Archer doesn't need me as much as he used to. Ok, I guess that's EVERY day, and that's the point of kids growing up, right?

Archer made an announcement that his truck needed new batteries. I ignored this announcement because that means I don't have to listen to the dump truck noises all evening long. Archer found a screwdriver, removed the door to the battery compartment and replaced the batteries. All on his own (mostly). Now I get to listen to dump truck noises all evening long. Way to go Arch!

Miscellaneous Stuff

We've been having little adventures here and there, doing well at school and church and we've started setting up furniture and organizing clothes for our baby. Its a funny thing that happens when there's a baby on the way... At no other time in a woman's life is it ok for anyone to comment on the size of her tummy. Now its an almost daily occurrance. Family, friends, strangers... I myself comment to David because I just can't believe how big this boy feels. He feels so big. A couple of ladies today asked me when I'm due and were very surprised when I said we have a month to go. "Are you sure its only one?" Someone yesterday told me there's no way he's going to wait a whole month before arriving. Oh well, only God knows and we're waiting on Him to decide when the best time is!

Today Archer and Shelly had flu shots. This was one of the most traumatic days of their lives, I think. It was horrible. My normally friendly and obedient children were hiding behind me howling and bawling. Archer went first so when it was Shelly's turn I actually had to CHASE her down and CATCH her. (Have I mentioned how big my tummy is? This was not a good thing when chasing my three year old terrified little girl.) We all cried. This was followed by a visit to the fire department which I hope made up for the morning's trauma. Yaay! The kids had a great time climbing in and out of all the vehicles and spraying the fire hose.

To anyone who reads this, please do not mention the shots to the kids, we're moving on... And to Archer, someday when you look back and see that we don't have as many pictures of you its because you always ran away when we were taking pictures.

Too Tired

A few days ago Shelly and I were driving home and she was singing and in the middle of her song I heard a HUGE yawn. "Shelly, that was a big yawn, are you tired?" "Nope." No more than thirty seconds later she was asleep.

Today we were again driving but before we even got in the car I asked her if she would sleep and she said yes. Sure enough, she slept. What's amazing, though, is that when we got home and I woke her up to go inside she wandered in and then laid down on the floor in the hallway and fell right back to sleep. Usually she's ready to go after a nap in the car. Maybe she's going through a growth spurt? Archer's been sleeping a lot lately too, I've had trouble getting him up for school. Or maybe we're all coming down with colds. We've all been sniffling lots the last few days. Funny we should have colds in the middle of this late September heat wave!

Follow Up on the Baby

Remember when I had a minor meltdown about our baby and "God, why don't you just fix the problem already!!"?? (Lessons in Patience)

Today God answered our prayers, and the problem is GONE. In the five weeks since the last ultrasound, I've prayed and also let go of my worry. I've let go of the problem and I'm trusting the Lord that everything will be fine. Today the doctor told me that the placenta is far enough away that we don't need to be concerned about that anymore. But she wants me to come back in three weeks for another ultrasound because he's big. According to their measurements he currently weighs 7 pounds 6 ounces. But there's a margin of error of 14 ounces, so he could only be 6 and a half pounds. Still, babies gain about a half pound a week and we've got six weeks to go... This boy is going to be big... Well, I guess I could worry about that but once again I'm faced with a choice - hang onto the worry and fear (seriously, I'm afraid of having a big baby, every ounce bigger just means more pain, doesn't it?), or let go. Let God take care of us and trust that everything will be fine. Even if its not "fine" by my definition, it WILL be fine because God will take care of us and bring us through it.

Thank you Lord for answering our prayers and fixing the placenta. Thank you again for a healthy baby. And thank you for whatever size he's going to be, because he's in your hands and we know that you're working it all for the best!

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
~Colossians 4:2

Party Weekend

On Friday we left from work and drove to the farm. I told the kids that we wouldn't be spending much time there and they were pretty disappointed that they wouldn't get to play. They were pretty excited when I was wrong! We had a great evening with Tim & Penny, the kids played with Aunt Penny's toys and the cat and weren't ready for bed at 11:00 but fell asleep quickly anyway. On Saturday morning Farmer Tim asked the kids the big question... "Are you helping me with chores?" Within seconds both kids had their shoes on and stood by the door waiting for him to join them outside. He looked at me and said, "I guess I should have asked you first if that was ok." Oh well, too late now, they're off! Two and a half hours later they were back in the house and we were trying to get out the door, only to be further delayed by Aunt Penny treating the kids to cookies and chocolate.
(Kids are wearing Holmesville Dairy sweatshirts because we had limited clothes with us, since I wasn't expecting them to be doing chores on this trip.)

We finally made it to Bloomington around 1:00 for Grandpa's barbeque and it was fantastic to see our family all gathered together and enjoying each other's company. The best part was seeing how happy Grandpa and Grandma were to be surrounded by family and friends. Archer and Shelly played with Uncle Kim and Aunt Jill quite a bit. And the amount of fun they had showed up on Archer's pants, soaked and muddy up to his knees, its a good thing we had extra pants with us for the trip home!

Singing Praises

Tonight as I was making supper and the kids were playing outside I was singing along to some praise and worship music. I stopped singing to think about what it might be like when we get to heaven, will we even sing with words? Words never seem like enough to come close to expressing who God is and what He does in our lives. I thought maybe we will sing praises with no words, just letting our hearts speak without the constraint of language. This led to wondering what our Father thinks when He hears us now, on this broken planet with our simple means of expression. At first I thought that maybe He sees us and looks down with condescention, like "oh, that's a nice try kids, but I've heard so much better..."

And then I had this flash of my children hugging me and telling me that I'm the best mom ever. Or showing me something that they made just for me. Today Shelly spent a big chunk of time working on cutting little bits of paper and gluing them together into a big glob of sticky scraps. And then she said, "This is for you, Mom." Does it matter what it looks like? To her it does, but not to me. When the kids want to tell me a story that makes no sense at all does it matter that there's no literary revelation at the end of the story? No. It matters that they love me and want to share their creative ideas. They want to share their hearts. And through those moments God has shown me that my singing doesn't matter, my heart does. Singing is my way of reaching up and saying, "See? I love you!" Even if He has heard something a million times prettier than my voice, what He hears from me is my feeble attempt at showing Him my love. In my attempts to get the kids to make "nicer" artwork, they've taught me that the way it turns out really doesn't matter.

Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path.
~ Proverbs 23:19

Another Perfect Day

Over the summer I frequently heard Archer say, "This is the best day EVER!" And recently he's started another phrase, "this is the WORST DAY ever!" David likes to assure Archer that he'll have many days that are much worse than whatever minor thing happened today. Which is true, but also sort of a cryptic promise... Anyway...

I often think back at the end of the day and feel like we had a perfect day. How many perfect days do we get to have in our lives? I'm not sure, but I know if I keep my standards within reason its easy to have lots of them. Today was another perfect day. The only thing that would have made it better was if David had been home enjoying it with us, because he's gone for a few days and I always feel a tug on my heart when we're separate.

This morning Archer and Shelly each graduated to their new classes at Sunday School and all went VERY well. I helped out in Shelly's class and I was AMAZED at the difference in atmosphere from the two year old room to the three year old room. They let the kids have play dough!!! Much less crying when kids were dropped off, less chaos, more attentive listening at story time, all very impressive. I'm excited for Shelly to be moving up and learning more. Archer's teacher gave me a glowing report as well. The kids worked on memorizing a Bible verse and when another kid in his class said, "I can't do it!" Archer chimed in with, "Yes you can, just keep trying!" Wow! I love that he is an encourager with his sister, but to hear it happening with other kids is awesome too.

After church we went to State Fair Park to visit with Aunt Patti and watch the horse show. On our way there I talked to the kids about not running or screaming or yelling no matter HOW excited they were to see our family. I reminded them of all the horse safety rules they learned at family camp and they took me pretty seriously. I was then able to spend the next five hours visiting with Aunt Patti and Mom and Dad without the kids causing any trouble at all! They talked with us, entertained each other, wandered around (but never too far) and watched the horses. I am so proud of them, I only reminded them once of the "no running, no screaming" rule. It was so nice to spend the afternoon with family, catching up and relaxing.

On our way home we stopped at the grocery store and the kids were great. When we got home they got cleaned up and had supper and they were great. We read stories, brushed our teeth and went to bed with no arguing or complaining. There was a moment when I thought it all might fall apart - Archer asked if he could play outside but there was no time for it and I expected a meltdown. Didn't happen. They were such a joy to be around today. So many moments that made me smile that God has blessed me with such a family, too many joys to count. There's no possible way I deserve it and yet He loves us and pours on the blessings.

9/11

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
~ Psalm 147:3
Today I tried to explain to Archer about what happened nine years ago on this day. As I told him in simplified, vague terms about what happened that day I realized that he can't understand and may never fully understand it. I don't think I even fully understand. Can any of us, really? Those who lost friends and family, yes. Me, a thousand miles away and knowing none of those 2,977 victims, no. I don't think so. What grieves me is thinking that to Archer and Shelly this will be a history lesson, a page in a book and that's it. I didn't tell Archer about the planes being hijacked because early tomorrow morning David is leaving on a plane to go to California. I didn't tell him about mothers and fathers being killed and more than 3,000 children being left without a parent. I didn't talk about the children who died. I didn't tell him about going home from work that day and seing the pictures on tv and crying for what had happened to our country.

How do we share our experiences, our history, with our children? How do we show them what a huge effect that one day had on our country's culture, mindset, history? Will they ever be able to understand that horrible day and how it changed us? Will they ever be able to relate to that strange feeling of seeing an airplane flying over our city after passenger planes were allowed to fly again? This is why historians write, why we value photographs and video and try to keep remembering, that our children might remember with us. But ultimately I wonder if anything other than our own experiences truly changes us.



As I watched a documentary with survivors' stories there was more news along the bottom of the screen with the tragedies that have happened around the world today. When, Lord, will you put an end to it? Thank you for your grace and love to our broken world. For loving us despite the things we do.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son...
~ John 3:16

The Little Stuff

I just read something that reminded me that what I'm doing isn't for me, for my daily entertainment or satisfaction but for something much bigger. So often I look for the moments in my days that will say "you're doing the right thing," or "its all worth it." Well, of course those moments are important but so much more of my time is spent doing stuff that feels pretty mundane. And useless. Because no matter how much laundry I fold or dishes I clean or how often I sweep crumbs off the floor I'm going to have to do it all over again tomorrow. Or maybe even five minutes from now. Ugh! I know we ALL do this, its what life is when you're a grown up. And that's fine, we just do it and try not to think on it too much, right? Well, there's a purpose to every moment and God sees it even when we don't. So thanks to the author of this blog who reminded me of that today.

http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/blog/small-things/

Who despises the day of small things?
~Zechariah 4:10

Day Three is Done!

Our first week of school is over and I'm so happy that things are going well. Archer came home in a great mood, singing and dancing around. Shelly spent the day in the kitchen with me making salsa and taking breaks from that to practice using scissors and cutting along a line. She sat at Archer's desk and pretended to be in school. It warmed my heart when she told him what she was doing and he encouraged her and told her "great job!" I love these kids and love when they show each other compassion and encouragement. Isn't the Lord so amazing to have blessed me with these beautiful children and a wonderful husband? I'm not sure I could be any happier and more content in life than I am right now.

For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord;
I sing for joy at the works of your hands.
~ Psalm 92:4

Lunch Money? Gone?

Yesterday I gave Archer $20 for his hot lunch account and told him to give it to his teacher. The envelope was among a big batch of other paperwork and envelopes for various school fees, I figured he would just hand the WHOLE BUNCH over to his teacher and all would be well. I under estimated my son's willingness to decide for himself what to do with the paperwork...
Today the hot lunch person was claiming that they never received the payment. This really bothered me because since last school year I have been contesting what we owe them for Archer's lunches. (They say we owe $4.00. I say we already paid it.)

So tonight, just to double check, I said, "Archer, are you SURE you gave your teacher ALL of the envelopes?" (PTA membership fee, book rental fee, LUNCH MONEY) and he said "Yes... except for the one for lunch money." WHAT? Why didn't you give it to her? Where is it? "In my desk. Cause I brought my lunch box." So I then explained that the breakfast he had at school also costs money and he said "But the envelope says LUNCH!" The boy may be getting too smart for his own good. Or for MY good, since aparently I didn't count on him taking matters into his own hands!

Nap Time? Maybe?

Shelly spent most of this morning talking non-stop to herself, her toys and me. She has a story for everything and is constantly adding new characters, new events, new rules to the games. She suddenly got quiet and I looked over to see her lying on the floor in a pile of blankets and pillows with her toys surrounding her. I was wondering if she's too old for naps or if I can still enjoy a little "Mom time" in the afternoons, this may be my answer. She seems to be putting herself down for a nap. Although, she is still whispering... wait... eyes are closed, she's breathing more deeply... sshhhhh...

First Day of First Grade

Today my boy headed off to First Grade. Last night I cried and told David that Archer's supposed to be home with me, not going off on his own. I was happy to see on Facebook this morning all the accounts of other moms who had similar feelings. Yesterday I asked Archer how he felt about school starting and he said "Happy. Why did you ask me that?" I told him some people feel nervous and that's ok. He said he did feel a little nervous but mostly happy.

This morning it was raining so we drove to the bus stop instead of walking and when it was time for him to get out of the car I asked if he wanted me to come with him. "No. Have a good day, bye!" "Wait!" I called after him, "Give me a kiss!" So he did and I asked him again if he wanted me to go stand at the bus stop with him (in case he had changed his mind in the last 30 seconds) and he said no again and walked off without me. He turned around and waved at us but that was it, he was busy greeting the other kids at the corner and then the bus came and they were all gone.

And just like that, its back to school, Shelly and I are on our own without Arch and Dad and now we get to wait around for our men to come home to us in the evening. I can't wait to hear how it all went!

For a little trip down memory lane, here's my thoughts from Kindergarden and 4K (can you believe he's already in his third year of school?).

Tonight Arch is gone and I told Shelly this may be her last chance to be an only child. So tonight she gets whatever she wants, my spoiled only child.

SV: Almost Over!

The boy will go back to school in six short days. Shelly and I will be on our own again, but only for a short time because, of course, our new boy will arrive and our new adventure will beign. Somehow I can't believe that Summer Vacation is nearly over and in the same moment I'm soooo ready for Archer to be in school again.

Last (school) year I had promised Archer and Shelly that during the summer we would ride our bikes to school and play on the playground. Today I realized we hadn't done it even once and the clock wasn't on our side, we'd better make it happen soon! So I told the kids that if they cleaned their rooms we would go to school. It turns out that this was a big enough motivator for them to clean their rooms, work together without fighting and do an even better job of it than I would have ever expected. This was a huge task, their rooms were disaster zones, places I was afraid to walk for fear of tripping and falling on something. When they said they were done and asked me to come inspect, I was nearly speechless. All I could say was "I can't believe it! Wow! I can't believe it!" They had not fought. They had not given up. They hadn't cut corners. It was amazing! I'm so proud of them and I made sure that I told lots of people and that Archer and Shelly heard me telling everyone how proud I am. Kids, I am SO PROUD OF YOU!

Today's events also prove that they KNOW how to clean their rooms, so the line "I don't know what to do" won't hold up anymore. They just need a motivator. So its up to me to keep them motivated. I can do that...

Lessons in Patience

A theme in my conversations with the kids lately is "practicing patience." When they have to wait for something, or sit quietly, or don't get what they want right away I say to them, "This is a good time for us to practice our patience. Sit quietly. Don't pout, just wait." I think they might grow up hating this phrase, it might be one of those annoying things Mom always used to say. So I say it more to make sure they remember it ;-)

Its funny how I can be so focused on teaching the kids something and then have that same lesson brought right in my face, the Lord saying "Listen, Amy, do what you're telling your kids to do. Practice patience. Just wait." Yesterday I had my third ultrasound. If, at my first ultrasound, everything had been perfect then I would not have needed to go back. But they want to "keep an eye" on how things are going. The placenta is too close to the cervix. The baby is perfectly healthy and normal. They want the placenta to move away, they tell me that in the vast majority of cases it does and everything is fine. But they want to keep an eye on it. So I went back a month later, and it was still too close. And I went back yesterday and it hadn't moved. Our son is growing normally and now weighs over three pounds, I saw his beautiful little face and even the hair that's growing on his perfectly formed head. But there's still the issue of the placenta being in the wrong spot... And though the doctors have assured me that everything will be fine, we just have to keep watching and make our plans accordingly (c-section vs. natural delivery), I was worried. I am worried.

I went out to my car and had a meltdown. I cried out to God and told Him I know that He can fix it, make everything ok and heal it and protect us from harm and make it better. I asked Him to fix it. I cried out for Him to make everything ok so that I didn't have to worry anymore about the stupid placenta being too close to the stupid cervix. And this is where He reminded me of the little words that I keep saying to the kids. "Be patient." And I'm beginning to understand that being patient isn't just about sitting quietly, its about trusting. Trusting that as I sit and wait quietly, He'll take care of us. Trusting Him and having faith that either way - if that placenta moves or not - He'll provide and protect and keep His promises. He tells us not to worry. He tells us that we need to be patient and trust Him. And He's reminding me that each day I can choose to worry about something I can't change, or I can choose to ask Him to provide and then trust that He will. And practice my patience.

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry... He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
~ Psalm 40:1,3

Praise the Lord, for He has given us a precious miracle growing within me at this very moment and that baby boy constantly reminds me that he's there with his kicking and squirming around. I love you Baby, your perfect little face and those strong legs and arms and the fuzzy little hair on your head!

The Sunday After...

There was an unexpected side-effect of Family Camp. A sudden change that I hadn't considered and am still getting used to. I should have guessed this would happen but it just didn't cross my mind. We used to be anonymous. Its easy to do in a group of 1,000. We'd go to church on Sundays, smile at the person holding the door, say good morning to the people sitting around us, pick up the kids from their Sunday School classrooms and leave. The end.

Not now! Seven days at Village Creek jump-started our social circle at church and for the last two Sundays we've had actual conversations with people at church, we know them and they know us and we stop to chat. Well, God's got all kinds of blessings for us and silly me for thinking that the blessings of camp would end when camp ended. Thank you Lord for continuing to surprise us with your greatness, your love and care. You're helping us connect with like-minded families even when we don't expect it. Isn't he so AWESOME?

P.S. The other unexpected side-effect was the Camp Cold. Shelly caught it sometime during the week, I'm guessing Thursday. David had it from Sunday till Wednesday or Thursday. It finally caught up with me on the Friday after getting home. Archer's the only one to have avoided the Camp Cold. And I'm realizing through Facebook that MANY of the other campers had it too. I think we had so much fun we just wore ourselves out and there was no resistance for the little bug that spread quickly through the crowd. We were living and eating in such close quarters, getting too little sleep and the next thing you know we're all sick! Since we've been home for over a week now I'm hoping we've seen the last of the Camp Cold.

Family Camp

WOW.

That pretty much sums it up. We're SO GLAD to be home, back to our own beds, showers, bedrooms, bathrooms... But we had an AWESOME week. A week that somehow felt like it passed by in only two days, and yet we crammed in two or three weeks' worth of fun and activities. So glad to be home, so glad we went, what a great adventure!

When we arrived at camp on Sunday afternoon we knew no one. We knew a few names but really didn't know the people and now, after a wonderful week at camp we've had the chance to talk to so many great families and when we left this morning we could name (almost) everyone that waved goodbye.

Now for the highlights...

Archer and Shelly signed up for the Little Dudes program, which meant that every day they got lessons on safety and caring for and how to ride horses. And by Friday they were both riding on their own! They loved every minute of it!

Both kids tried out the bungee trampoline and archery, I think the trampoline was a bigger hit than the archery. They spent lots of time playing in the game room, especially the foosball table. I taught them my method of playing - madly spin the guys and hope they hit the ball when it comes past. This worked out ok except not when you're playing with a ping-pong ball because you can't find the other ball. The lighter ball usually goes flying. (David did not approve of my technique. Sorry honey!)

They loved the beach, craft room and toys in the indoor chapel, all enjoyed with our wonderful family assistant Courtney. This also gave David and I a chance to cool down in the air conditioning while the kids ran off some energy. They finally crashed tonight, with only minor crabbiness to show for the long days and constant activities.

Shelly's hair was almost never dry, it was so hot and her head was continually soaked with sweat. Archer's head was wet too, and usually covered with dirt or sand. And then there was the red lip from the Gatorade, how come that stuff won't wash off no matter what you try?

I wish I could better explain the great time that we had, but maybe its just one of those things that "you had to be there..." The other families that we spent time with were so genuine and friendly that we felt right at home among them and I look forward to seeing them again around church, around town, where ever.

For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.

~ Psalm 92:4

Oh, did we sing at camp! And we're still singing praises, thank you Lord for a wonderful time!

FC: Saturday

We had breakfast, a musical performance by the kids, saw the video of our week and then it was time to pack up and go home. Miss Courtney again stepped in to help us by taking the kids to play while David and I stuffed everything into garbage bags and crammed it into the car. All week long I'd been so impressed with how everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful and this especially showed itself on Saturday. Our neighbors in the lodge helped carry things down to the car which made light work of clearing out our room. "Is there anything else? No? Then let me put away this vacuum for you..." Wow!

I have to admit that before family camp, I pictured going to camp and hanging out with my family, smiling and saying hi to the other families but mostly just doing our own thing. We didn't know any of these people. Sure, they're from our church but we didn't KNOW them, they weren't our friends, we just all happened to be going to the same place for a week. I didn't realize how many opportunities we'd have to really connect with them, make new friends and get to know more about their families. And I didn't expect people to be so genuinely interested in getting to know us and begin new friendships. It was a pleasant surprise. I felt sad to be leaving the great place where we'd met all these people and venture back into the world where, who knows if we'll see them again? It was time to go and I expected the kids to reflect my feelings on leaving but they didn't seem too upset, it was just on to the next adventure for them! We said our goodbyes and drove away, down the gravel road, over the scary bridge in Lansing (EVERYONE thought this bridge was scary, not just me!) and on our way home. Goodbye Village Creek, hope to see you again sometime!

On our way home we met Grandma and Grandpa for lunch and it was so nice to see them. The kids managed to behave themselves in the restaurant long enough for us to visit and an added bonus was eating a meal in a room NOT filled with 200 noisy family campers. Peaceful!

We finally got home around 6:30 p.m. We emptied out the car and pretty much crashed after that. We were dead-tired, so glad to be home, and so thankful that we'd had the chance to go on the amazing trip to Family Camp.