I had a couple of posts in mind for today. One about work. One about marriage. Waking up with a little precious three year old in my arms gave me plenty of material. But then I felt God telling me to write about my sweet friend.
This amazing woman became a friend of mine in 2004 when we shared a Pilates trainer. She had this radical transformation in her faith and went from being a casual work out buddy to a strong sister in the faith and accountability partner. She prayed a prayer of commitment over me and my marriage just moments before I walked down the aisle. She prayed with me during the infertility years. And then during the NICU time. I have prayed with her as she reconnected to her faith and saw the obstacles she would face in that return. She had the wind knocked out of her a couple of years ago when her youngest daughter, then 4, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. We prayed over and over again, and still do, for that sweet one who has now been in remission since last fall. She is also an aspiring writer, well she's an actual published writer, and we had the great joy of attending a conference together this summer as God revealed just one more page of what we should write.
I know that many of you who read this little blog pray. I have been somewhat of a slacker connecting with her this past month as she enters an exciting but unnerving new season. She is pregnant. And due in March. Her husband just moved overseas as his job relocated him for some amount of time (likely one to two years). She has gone through this before, a few years ago, but never pregnant and with a child that regularly gets cancer check-ups. She is still stateside until their family visas come through. When she moves, likely sometime before year end, she will be overseas, using a new medical system, having a new baby, away from family and friends, oh and she will have to home school her two school-aged daughters as she bounces back from having a baby since there is no international school available to them.
Did your jaw just drop open? Well mine did. Then I dropped to my knees. She is one of the most gifted, uplifting, truth-speaking, funniest, coolest girls in town. I am going to miss her like nobody's business. But I know God is doing this huge amazing work in her life, and I would never stand in the way of that.
So would you pray for her today? Would you pray specifically that their paperwork would finish quickly so their family could be reunited, and that God would work in this crazy miraculous way to orchestrate it all so the results would even be a testament to the people at the company working on it? Would you pray for an overwhelming sense of love and protection and peace and assurance over her and her two girls as they are without a husband and daddy right now? And would you pray for her husband, that he would do this rock star job and be such an acknowledged leader and talent at his company, and that he would feel secure and strong until he has his family back under one roof?
I think it is crazy cool for the church community to be able to band together to lift up one of its own and see the unfathomable results that follow. I thought you might join me for this miracle ride. Here is what I am praying over her today:
Col. 1 - We always thank God,
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have
heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love
you have for all God’s people...For
this reason, since the day we heard about you,
we have not stopped praying for you.
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will
through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that
you may live a life worthy
of the Lord and please him
in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of
God,
being
strengthened with all power
according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and
patience, and
giving joyful thanks to the Father,
who has qualified you to share in the inheritance
of his holy people in the kingdom of light.
Deut. 1 - The Lord our God
said to us at
Horeb,
“You have stayed long enough at
this mountain....See, I
have given you this land.
Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore
he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their
descendants after them.”
Eph. 3 - For this reason I kneel
before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his
glorious riches
he may strengthen you with power
through his Spirit in your inner being, so that
Christ may dwell in your hearts
through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted
and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy
people,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep
is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that
you may be filled
to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now
to him who is able
to do immeasurably more than all we ask
or imagine, according to his power
that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
How High Can You Jump?
Who doesn't love a massive bouncy house?
Let me tell you, our family (maybe sans Bray) loves us some giant inflatables.
Exhibit A:
Yes that is me and little bit. I'm not ashamed to admit I executed that move with all of the kids on multiple occasions.
Our three year old triplet birthday party on Saturday at the bounce house place was a success. We had 21 kids, most of them about three years old, plus their parents. Luckily, this location had at least 8 different large bouncy houses in a private room so it accommodated the frenzied energy well. There was jumping of every size and shape you can imagine and some of the adults joined right in with their kiddos like I did. I actually had fun at the party, though the weeks leading up to the party presented some serious snafus.
Here's the thing, I am a planner. I would be a professional planner if it paid enough. I would really love to be professional party planner and make over guru if I had all the money in the world. Oh, and a speechwriter. Oh, and publish a book. Oh, and start a nonprofit. But I digress.
So I spent some serious time and effort planning this Pooh and friends party. The kids love Pooh and his buddies. They have for years and were even Pooh, Tigger, and Piglet for Halloween when they were one. I had custom invites done and coordinating juice box labels and cupcake picks. I had special ordered plates to go with balloons to go with table covers to go with napkins to go with souvenir take home Pooh cups that were stuffed with custom Pooh chocolate number 3 "lollipops" and Pooh stamps.
The kids had custom birthday shirts that had a big 3 with Pooh for the baby, Piglet for the little lady, and Tigger for the eldest and everything on and around their birthday matched the custom character for each child. I even had the lady who customized all the farm birthday stuff from last year fail to come through on all my orders with her (and never reimburse me the significant money I spent with her so I am working on recovering that now through the Florida court system) so I had to find a back up team.
I did it all because I love to plan parties and I wanted everything to be so perfect for the kids. I don't get to be with them during the day every day so these special events I try to make extra special.
But here's the thing: they are three. This is not their Sweet Sixteen. I had both my mother and Bray tell me, after recognizing how beautiful the party was and how adorable everything looked, that maybe I go overboard. Maybe, just maybe, I could scale back.
I wonder if we working mommas sometimes end up in our own toxic bouncy house? We become embroiled in a competition, with ourselves or even with other families, of how high can we jump? If we can work so hard at work, then we can work hard at having the perfect party - our children deserve at least that, right? If I did personalized cupcake picks and napkins last year, surely I could add the juice boxes this year? Maybe I should add just one more item for the take home gift because I want everyone to remember the fun times? If I had a large scale poster illustrating how they grew over the year last year, then don't I need it to be bigger this year so we can capture the moment?
The juice boxes were tossed in 15 minutes. The cupcake picks 5 minutes later. The poster went in the attic next to the previous two. I am learning, as I devour Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, that the moments richest with blessings are not purchased. The moments that you jot down in your blessings journal are most frequently free. Nighttime prayers with folded hands. Rolling over onto your husband's chest in the morning. The sun setting behind the slotted clouds letting the filtered light create a masterpiece painting. Hiding in a fort with your kids. Smelling the rain and watching a storm roll in.
The party was great. I am glad we had one. I loved seeing friends and their children. But if each year has to be bigger and better than last year, at some point I won't be able to afford to keep up. Or it will come at the detriment of something else. I just came off this 39 Things challenge, so I am actually ashamed of myself for "jumping" right back into the madness as if those three weeks had no affect on my behaviour.
Years from now the baby box full of mementos from these parties won't be important to the children. They will want the stories. Some photographs. That NICU bracelet that shows how far we have come. No one is going to frame a juice box and a cupcake pick. And it's time that us working moms battling guilt stop trying to buy our way out of that dark box. We work. That is what it is. The most precious gift we can give them away from the office is ourselves.
Let me tell you, our family (maybe sans Bray) loves us some giant inflatables.
Yes that is me and little bit. I'm not ashamed to admit I executed that move with all of the kids on multiple occasions.
Our three year old triplet birthday party on Saturday at the bounce house place was a success. We had 21 kids, most of them about three years old, plus their parents. Luckily, this location had at least 8 different large bouncy houses in a private room so it accommodated the frenzied energy well. There was jumping of every size and shape you can imagine and some of the adults joined right in with their kiddos like I did. I actually had fun at the party, though the weeks leading up to the party presented some serious snafus.
Here's the thing, I am a planner. I would be a professional planner if it paid enough. I would really love to be professional party planner and make over guru if I had all the money in the world. Oh, and a speechwriter. Oh, and publish a book. Oh, and start a nonprofit. But I digress.
So I spent some serious time and effort planning this Pooh and friends party. The kids love Pooh and his buddies. They have for years and were even Pooh, Tigger, and Piglet for Halloween when they were one. I had custom invites done and coordinating juice box labels and cupcake picks. I had special ordered plates to go with balloons to go with table covers to go with napkins to go with souvenir take home Pooh cups that were stuffed with custom Pooh chocolate number 3 "lollipops" and Pooh stamps.
The kids had custom birthday shirts that had a big 3 with Pooh for the baby, Piglet for the little lady, and Tigger for the eldest and everything on and around their birthday matched the custom character for each child. I even had the lady who customized all the farm birthday stuff from last year fail to come through on all my orders with her (and never reimburse me the significant money I spent with her so I am working on recovering that now through the Florida court system) so I had to find a back up team.
I did it all because I love to plan parties and I wanted everything to be so perfect for the kids. I don't get to be with them during the day every day so these special events I try to make extra special.
But here's the thing: they are three. This is not their Sweet Sixteen. I had both my mother and Bray tell me, after recognizing how beautiful the party was and how adorable everything looked, that maybe I go overboard. Maybe, just maybe, I could scale back.
I wonder if we working mommas sometimes end up in our own toxic bouncy house? We become embroiled in a competition, with ourselves or even with other families, of how high can we jump? If we can work so hard at work, then we can work hard at having the perfect party - our children deserve at least that, right? If I did personalized cupcake picks and napkins last year, surely I could add the juice boxes this year? Maybe I should add just one more item for the take home gift because I want everyone to remember the fun times? If I had a large scale poster illustrating how they grew over the year last year, then don't I need it to be bigger this year so we can capture the moment?
The juice boxes were tossed in 15 minutes. The cupcake picks 5 minutes later. The poster went in the attic next to the previous two. I am learning, as I devour Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, that the moments richest with blessings are not purchased. The moments that you jot down in your blessings journal are most frequently free. Nighttime prayers with folded hands. Rolling over onto your husband's chest in the morning. The sun setting behind the slotted clouds letting the filtered light create a masterpiece painting. Hiding in a fort with your kids. Smelling the rain and watching a storm roll in.
The party was great. I am glad we had one. I loved seeing friends and their children. But if each year has to be bigger and better than last year, at some point I won't be able to afford to keep up. Or it will come at the detriment of something else. I just came off this 39 Things challenge, so I am actually ashamed of myself for "jumping" right back into the madness as if those three weeks had no affect on my behaviour.
Years from now the baby box full of mementos from these parties won't be important to the children. They will want the stories. Some photographs. That NICU bracelet that shows how far we have come. No one is going to frame a juice box and a cupcake pick. And it's time that us working moms battling guilt stop trying to buy our way out of that dark box. We work. That is what it is. The most precious gift we can give them away from the office is ourselves.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Fall Back Into Faith Fridays - Part 4 Family
Welcome back! I hope you're enjoying our Friday study Fall Back Into Faith. We worked through three weeks of looking at our faith, and I could spend thirty more, but we still have to tackle family, fortune, and fun. If faith is our foundation, then family is our cornerstone.
Today is family. My family has been lots of shapes and sizes over the years. I was an only child for four years. At 12, my immediate family went from a family of four to a family of three. I was fortunate to have all four of my remarkable grandparents until my late 20s. I have aunts and uncles and cousins. I have friends and their moms that feel like my own sisters and mothers. Then I married into a huge family over six years ago and a small family gathering with the Vincents is always over 20 people eating around tables and couches.
Your family may just be one or two people. It may be 50 people. You may feel that your family is extended or small. Your family may have words like step or half in it like mine does. Whatever your family looks like, God loves your family.
Our scripture today comes from II Samuel. I love this passage:
"The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever…Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever." Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.
Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign LORD, is for a mere human! How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. …And now, LORD God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever."
Do you ever feel like that? I do. Sometimes I look at the amazing blessing of my family and I say to God - WHO AM I? What is my family? That you would be so gracious to us, so mindful of us, so faithful to us. You have brought us so far.
There was a song decades ago that came out by a Christian band called Truth. I remember singing it in high school, but it resonates even more today:
Don't you know that is what King David was singing to the Lord in II Samuel. Can't you hear him marveling at the generosity of the God he served? Not only have You brought us this far, but You speak of a future for us. You speak a promise over our family for years to come.
I don't know what your family looks like.
I don't know what struggles your family faces this year.
I don't know what rich blessings the Lord has poured out in your life.
I do know that families can be complicated and hard at times. And I know families can be chaotic and frustrating. But families are also His precious miraculous gift to us. Families are the cornerstone for our lives when all else unravels.
Trust Him with your family today. In whatever space you are in, good or bad, TRUST HIM WITH YOUR FAMILY. Trust Him that He will establish a house for you. God will use your family to establish His kingdom if you allow Him.
Today is family. My family has been lots of shapes and sizes over the years. I was an only child for four years. At 12, my immediate family went from a family of four to a family of three. I was fortunate to have all four of my remarkable grandparents until my late 20s. I have aunts and uncles and cousins. I have friends and their moms that feel like my own sisters and mothers. Then I married into a huge family over six years ago and a small family gathering with the Vincents is always over 20 people eating around tables and couches.
Your family may just be one or two people. It may be 50 people. You may feel that your family is extended or small. Your family may have words like step or half in it like mine does. Whatever your family looks like, God loves your family.
Our scripture today comes from II Samuel. I love this passage:
"The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever…Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever." Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.
Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign LORD, is for a mere human! How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. …And now, LORD God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever."
Do you ever feel like that? I do. Sometimes I look at the amazing blessing of my family and I say to God - WHO AM I? What is my family? That you would be so gracious to us, so mindful of us, so faithful to us. You have brought us so far.
There was a song decades ago that came out by a Christian band called Truth. I remember singing it in high school, but it resonates even more today:
We have come so far, you have been so good.
When I trace the road that we have
traveled, I've got to tell you Lord.
I look at where we've come, I see where I
could have been,
And I need to say again, you've been so good.
Who would have
guessed that we would come so far.
Don't you know that is what King David was singing to the Lord in II Samuel. Can't you hear him marveling at the generosity of the God he served? Not only have You brought us this far, but You speak of a future for us. You speak a promise over our family for years to come.
I don't know what your family looks like.
I don't know what struggles your family faces this year.
I don't know what rich blessings the Lord has poured out in your life.
I do know that families can be complicated and hard at times. And I know families can be chaotic and frustrating. But families are also His precious miraculous gift to us. Families are the cornerstone for our lives when all else unravels.
Trust Him with your family today. In whatever space you are in, good or bad, TRUST HIM WITH YOUR FAMILY. Trust Him that He will establish a house for you. God will use your family to establish His kingdom if you allow Him.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
What We Fear for our Children
I had a light bulb moment recently.
I read a friend's blog that talked about how she prayed protection for her children and often worried/feared what might happen to them, but she was being driven to change how she prayed for them. She's a mom my age with young children and she wants to keep them safe. I could totally relate.
One of the momma's that commented on her post said that Beth Moore prayed for her daughters that God would protect them from everything but that which brings Him glory.
I loved that. It also really changed how I thought about praying for my children.
We went through a lot to get pregnant. Then I had a really high risk pregnancy - I was older and walking around town with three little bits rather than one little bit. Then we spent a month, longer for little lady, in the NICU. Plus the kids were born during the massive swine flu epidemic, during RSV season, and sweet girl contracted a dangerous infection while in NICU. Then we came home on monitors and had nearly every kind of pediatric specialist that exists on our fast dial list those first six months.
Let me tell you friends, I am already a little predisposed to dancing with fear and protectionism, but even if you were the strongest most fearless mother, that might push you over the edge.
So I know all about praying for them to be healthy and safe. And there is nothing wrong with that prayer. But what if I tweaked it? What if I prayed first for them to have a close relationship with God? What if that sometimes meant they went through hard, scary, dark seasons to learn to rely on Him and keep their faces fixed on His?
Just that thought makes me sad. Not the reliance part, the dark season part. We mothers want our children to be free of pain and suffering. But if they really went through life with absolutely no pain or hardship, who would they be? What would they know about faith? How would they understand the unfathomable love and grace and healing and restoration of their Heavenly Father?
I am still struggling with this concept. I know the Bible says there is no fear in love because perfect love drives out fear. Praying a prayer that is born out of a fearfulness could not be a prayer of love and could not be prayer that the Father would want offered up by or for His children.
So I will continue to pray over them. But I want first to pray for them to know God and to have a deep and abiding faith in the Saviour who will sustain them through the hard times and rejoice with them in the bountiful times.
Colossians 1 - For this
reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you.
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all
the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may
live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in
every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all
power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and
patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to
share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.
Genesis 18 - For I have chosen him, so
that he will direct his children and
his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by
doing what is right and just, so
that the Lord
will bring about...what he has promised him.Genesis 50 - Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The Third Year Love Letter
Last year I began what I hope will be an annual tradition. A love letter to each individual child on the day of their birth. What a gift, and a challenge, this second year has been for us. Each one is so completely different than they were this time last year, and yet their personalities are the same. I look at the sweet faces from last year's love letter and marvel at how far we have come. They knew a handful of words and now they give full speeches. They can put on their shoes, underwear and pants and are working on their shirts. They have definite opinions about what to wear, where to go, and what to eat. They still love so much. They love in this huge profound way that spills out on to everything. They hug and kiss me and Bray and their grandparents and their cousins and everyone else - from fellow students to the lady that cuts their hair to Mickey Mouse. They love to go and try new things. I'm so proud of them for their bravery and sense of independence. Without further ado, here is your third birthday love letter sweet ones.
My completely addictive big S,
I can not get enough of you sweet boy. You snuggle and kiss and love everyone with an abandon unrivaled in my experience. What a gift. You are so focused on each individual thing that we often call your name without any response because you are so enraptured with whatever is before you. You are more of a follower than your siblings, but in the best consensus building way. You will be the peace maker and the people pleaser. It is one of the reasons I identify with you because I was the same way as a child. You have these huge eyes that are so beautiful and they engage anyone who has the fortune to catch your gaze. They brim with tears when you are sad and twinkle with laughter when you are happy. You are also the least strong-willed of the three of you, and so it is a gift that I have less of a war of the wills with you, especially in this second year when you still did your fair share of boundary testing. You love your siblings and your family and those you meet. You are cautious, but wise, and upon doing the necessary due diligence, you will experiment and you can unravel any engineering mystery. Your big heart is a precious present to your family, and I pray every day that you will continue to grow strong and wise and brave and that God will use you in a mighty way.
All my love,
Mommy
Proverbs 3:1-6
My stunning headstrong L,
You are fierce. So independent. So strong willed. So focused. I know that we have had many battles this year, and will have more ahead, but I am so delighted that it is my daughter that has such a bright independent strong mind and direction. You will face battles and challenges in your life my beloved, but you will stare them down and they will shake as you approach. You are so brave and fearless. I love that. The most remarkable thing about your strength is that it carries as its companion empathy and nurturing. Your teachers told me you are so maternal and will take care of the other students. It is such a rare gift that you can be single-minded in your approach to tackling living, and yet walk alongside others to care for them and protect them. Your spirit is as beautiful as your face. Even with your strong will, you love your family with wild abandon. We are met with kisses and hugs and you light up the room. You are a TOTAL girl, and for that I am grateful, with your love of pink and babies and shoes. Your passion for art and music, coupled with your strength, makes you an extraordinary individual. I love to watch you dance completely unconcerned by whether you have an audience (of one or thousands as you proved at Disney). We may collide at times, but I pray that we will be able to teach you respect and obedience without diminishing your strong spirit and zest for life and adventure.
Love to you beautiful girl,
Mommy
Philippians 1:3-11
To my funny loving W,
Oh my brilliant little parrot. You remember EVERYTHING! You can say, for good or bad, word-for-word what daddy or I have said. You make us laugh constantly and even when we probably shouldn't. You are my little Dennis the Menace. You are going to get away with so much more than the average kid because you do it with those twinkling blue eyes and a grin splitting your face open. You are curious about everything. I have never met a child so hungry for knowledge and so quick to pick up on anything you learn. I love that you can tell me which fish is a swordfish and which fish is a lionfish just as quickly as you can spell your name. Your absolute delight in living fills up any space you invade. And there's never any doubt about your love for everything you encounter because you tell us in no uncertain terms what you love - from the tractor to a cupcake (BOY do you have your momma's sweet tooth!) to a good book to Disneyworld. It is a revelation to watch the world through your eyes. You are already becoming a man of honor in your promises to take care of me and to protect your siblings. I pray that your sensitivity will not be dampened as you grow, that your lust for living will always remain as vibrant as it is today, and that we will be able to guide you, when you run, to run after God.
I love you so much,
Mommy
Colossians 1:9-12
My completely addictive big S,I can not get enough of you sweet boy. You snuggle and kiss and love everyone with an abandon unrivaled in my experience. What a gift. You are so focused on each individual thing that we often call your name without any response because you are so enraptured with whatever is before you. You are more of a follower than your siblings, but in the best consensus building way. You will be the peace maker and the people pleaser. It is one of the reasons I identify with you because I was the same way as a child. You have these huge eyes that are so beautiful and they engage anyone who has the fortune to catch your gaze. They brim with tears when you are sad and twinkle with laughter when you are happy. You are also the least strong-willed of the three of you, and so it is a gift that I have less of a war of the wills with you, especially in this second year when you still did your fair share of boundary testing. You love your siblings and your family and those you meet. You are cautious, but wise, and upon doing the necessary due diligence, you will experiment and you can unravel any engineering mystery. Your big heart is a precious present to your family, and I pray every day that you will continue to grow strong and wise and brave and that God will use you in a mighty way.
All my love,
Mommy
Proverbs 3:1-6
My stunning headstrong L,You are fierce. So independent. So strong willed. So focused. I know that we have had many battles this year, and will have more ahead, but I am so delighted that it is my daughter that has such a bright independent strong mind and direction. You will face battles and challenges in your life my beloved, but you will stare them down and they will shake as you approach. You are so brave and fearless. I love that. The most remarkable thing about your strength is that it carries as its companion empathy and nurturing. Your teachers told me you are so maternal and will take care of the other students. It is such a rare gift that you can be single-minded in your approach to tackling living, and yet walk alongside others to care for them and protect them. Your spirit is as beautiful as your face. Even with your strong will, you love your family with wild abandon. We are met with kisses and hugs and you light up the room. You are a TOTAL girl, and for that I am grateful, with your love of pink and babies and shoes. Your passion for art and music, coupled with your strength, makes you an extraordinary individual. I love to watch you dance completely unconcerned by whether you have an audience (of one or thousands as you proved at Disney). We may collide at times, but I pray that we will be able to teach you respect and obedience without diminishing your strong spirit and zest for life and adventure.
Love to you beautiful girl,
Mommy
Philippians 1:3-11
To my funny loving W,Oh my brilliant little parrot. You remember EVERYTHING! You can say, for good or bad, word-for-word what daddy or I have said. You make us laugh constantly and even when we probably shouldn't. You are my little Dennis the Menace. You are going to get away with so much more than the average kid because you do it with those twinkling blue eyes and a grin splitting your face open. You are curious about everything. I have never met a child so hungry for knowledge and so quick to pick up on anything you learn. I love that you can tell me which fish is a swordfish and which fish is a lionfish just as quickly as you can spell your name. Your absolute delight in living fills up any space you invade. And there's never any doubt about your love for everything you encounter because you tell us in no uncertain terms what you love - from the tractor to a cupcake (BOY do you have your momma's sweet tooth!) to a good book to Disneyworld. It is a revelation to watch the world through your eyes. You are already becoming a man of honor in your promises to take care of me and to protect your siblings. I pray that your sensitivity will not be dampened as you grow, that your lust for living will always remain as vibrant as it is today, and that we will be able to guide you, when you run, to run after God.
I love you so much,
Mommy
Colossians 1:9-12
Monday, October 1, 2012
Wet Weekend
If you were in Houston this weekend, then you likely had your weekend plans rained out. I don't know what it looked like at your house, but at mine it rained most of the time from 5 pm Friday to 5 pm Sunday. If you're a latecomer here, you might not grasp the magnitude of that weather report. If you are an old-timer, then you probably can envision three soon-to-be three year olds (that's right, TOMORROW!) had a serious case of cabin fever.
Nonetheless, we managed. Since Bray was still in Canada, the highlight of the weekend was a house full of women Saturday night - I ordered pizza for dinner and my sister-in-law with her two girls came over as did my mom and my best friend. It's the first time the boys have been outnumbered in a while! Everyone was going a little stir crazy, but hanging out together helped break the monotony.
At some point over the course of the weekend, each child crawled into bed with me to hunker down for the night. At some point in each day, each child smothered me with kisses and hugs. As well as each other. At some point in each day, each child tried to sneak into the garage to get a glimpse of their birthday presents (spoiler alert - they are bicycles with helmets) and/or rip open the wrapped presents on the table. (Aren't I a terrible mom just having them out there like eye candy and not letting them open them until tomorrow - think of it as a patience exercise!??!) At some point in each day, each child fought a brutal battle over going to bed. At some point each day, we played a rousing game of Simon Says and dance exercise - the former you're likely familiar with, the latter is a late-comer to our house but a necessary evil in bad weather; it involves putting on some loud pop music and conducting what is the equivalent of jazzercise for toddlers (fun for all!).
I wish I wrote down everything funny they said. They are so darn funny right now and I have a terrible memory. But when you're in the midst of it, you usually don't have a pen and paper, or a video camera. I will share that earlier this week the baby told me he wanted me to buy TEN babies. Then he instructed me to tell his father. When I had done as instructed, I came back and informed him that we likely didn't have enough money to buy ten babies. To which he replied, "Go to the bank! And get lollipops too."
The little lady sings all the time. Her repertoire is growing and I love to hear her, she has a beautiful voice. She also came home from school on Friday with a much praised art project from her teacher. She may be an artist like her grandmother.
The eldest is all laughs and cries. It's funny, because I think of the baby as the sensitive one, but the eldest hates reprimands. He wants to be good and hates it if I get mad. But he is SO slow. Methodical is the positive spin, but it translates to slow. He is quick to laugh though and we spent time on my lap having a joke-telling, noise-making, tickle-fest heck of a time. That sweet boy is just addictive.
I did love yesterday morning. The rain was misting down and the breeze blew in with temperatures dropping. Ever since the eldest picked up the habit of drinking coffee with grandfather at the farm, he wants it every weekend. When I asked him what he wanted to do, he told me he wanted to drink coffee outside. The others, in their finest mimic state, heartily concurred. So I made coffee, theirs heavy on the milk and sugar, and we all sat outside together in the mist drinking our coffee. I wish I could capture these moments forever.
I can not believe tomorrow they will be three. Saturday is their Pooh and Friends party and they are counting down the minutes. Time flies friends, time flies.
Nonetheless, we managed. Since Bray was still in Canada, the highlight of the weekend was a house full of women Saturday night - I ordered pizza for dinner and my sister-in-law with her two girls came over as did my mom and my best friend. It's the first time the boys have been outnumbered in a while! Everyone was going a little stir crazy, but hanging out together helped break the monotony.
At some point over the course of the weekend, each child crawled into bed with me to hunker down for the night. At some point in each day, each child smothered me with kisses and hugs. As well as each other. At some point in each day, each child tried to sneak into the garage to get a glimpse of their birthday presents (spoiler alert - they are bicycles with helmets) and/or rip open the wrapped presents on the table. (Aren't I a terrible mom just having them out there like eye candy and not letting them open them until tomorrow - think of it as a patience exercise!??!) At some point in each day, each child fought a brutal battle over going to bed. At some point each day, we played a rousing game of Simon Says and dance exercise - the former you're likely familiar with, the latter is a late-comer to our house but a necessary evil in bad weather; it involves putting on some loud pop music and conducting what is the equivalent of jazzercise for toddlers (fun for all!).
I wish I wrote down everything funny they said. They are so darn funny right now and I have a terrible memory. But when you're in the midst of it, you usually don't have a pen and paper, or a video camera. I will share that earlier this week the baby told me he wanted me to buy TEN babies. Then he instructed me to tell his father. When I had done as instructed, I came back and informed him that we likely didn't have enough money to buy ten babies. To which he replied, "Go to the bank! And get lollipops too."
The little lady sings all the time. Her repertoire is growing and I love to hear her, she has a beautiful voice. She also came home from school on Friday with a much praised art project from her teacher. She may be an artist like her grandmother.
The eldest is all laughs and cries. It's funny, because I think of the baby as the sensitive one, but the eldest hates reprimands. He wants to be good and hates it if I get mad. But he is SO slow. Methodical is the positive spin, but it translates to slow. He is quick to laugh though and we spent time on my lap having a joke-telling, noise-making, tickle-fest heck of a time. That sweet boy is just addictive.
I did love yesterday morning. The rain was misting down and the breeze blew in with temperatures dropping. Ever since the eldest picked up the habit of drinking coffee with grandfather at the farm, he wants it every weekend. When I asked him what he wanted to do, he told me he wanted to drink coffee outside. The others, in their finest mimic state, heartily concurred. So I made coffee, theirs heavy on the milk and sugar, and we all sat outside together in the mist drinking our coffee. I wish I could capture these moments forever.
I can not believe tomorrow they will be three. Saturday is their Pooh and Friends party and they are counting down the minutes. Time flies friends, time flies.
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