Crafty EK

One thing that makes Ek really fun to have around is she is always doing crafts. When home, once a day, and usually only once a day, she has an idea in her mind that just has to come to fruition. Today it was a snowman. She marched into the kitchen, got her cups to trace, her paper, tape, scissors and orange crayon and stayed busy until it was done. I did not prompt her or make a suggestion of what to do, she just wanted to. You would think with the gusto that she approaches her projects that she would make thing after thing, but nope, just one a day. She's a hoot and so fun to have around.

Sacrifice

Today is the 30th day of my Daniel fast. I have just eaten fruits, vegetables and whole grains for a month. It was Ben's idea to fast and pray, especially for mom and dad for breakthroughs. It has been a powerful time that has yielded some big fruit in my life, pun totally intended. My latest revelation came this week. I was reading to the kids the story of Abraham offering Issac as a sacrifice. I was so struck that this fast has been about sacrifice. Taking what we value and telling God to have it, that we value Him more. Its not that we didn't want to eat meat or sugar or dairy, but that we wanted to know God and His will for our lives more. I guess I just didn't have too much of a personal testimony of sacrifice, which is crazy, I have given up lots of things for God, yet this time, it is so different. I am not anxious to go back to eating the way I was because I am not anxious to stop telling God how valuable he is. I asked J to take this picture of me this morning because I felt this was the picture in my head of what this fast has meant to me. Holding up high an offering to God and telling him, here is my gift to you. J and I were talking, while eating our vegetable soup for lunch, about the sacrifice God made in sending Jesus to die. Jesus's sacrifice was amazing to leave Heaven and the tangible presence of God to put on human form and live without sin to die for our sins. That is beyond amazing and we will spend eternity telling him how amazing that is. And yet God too, gave up having his Son in Heaven, whom he had shared Heaven with from eternity past. And then when Jesus was on the cross, He had to turn away while Jesus took our punishment. Abraham shows us that picture of laying down your son. Oh I am just so struck by the God the Father's love for us. I was listening to a song this morning that says is simply, "He loves us, Oh, how he loves us." It is so striking and so humbling. So I continue to hold high everything and tell God, yes.

Together is better

I am grateful today most of all that I could be with my kids and they could be together. There are some circumstances in people's lives very close to me that have reminded me that all else will fade away, only love will remain. I am so grateful to get to spend the day today with people that I love. my kids, my husband, my family through the phone, my friends, my God. The trials of today are quite challenging, but facing them with the people I love makes them a whole lot better. And the hope that one day all the trials will be gone forever, we will all stand healed and whole together makes it a whole whole lot better.
H said it well on the way home. "mommy, L is my favorite." me, "oh me too H, and you and Ek and Daddy and ..." h, "me, too, mommy, I love all our family." God has blessed us tremedously with awesome people to walk this earth with.

Sharing everything

Last night we had our first small group from church to our home. It went really well and I was so pleased at how "real" everyone was. I think it is going to be great. The highlight for me though was the kids. We had a sitter come to our house so the kids could play upstairs while we were downstairs, they had a ball! Ek and H hauled toys up to their rooms so their friends would have their best toys to play with. I told them they could put anything too special away if they wanted, but they didn't! They were so excited to share everything they had. ahhhh, that was so nice. Ek gets in the car most everyday after school asking who we are going to play with, most days I am fumbling to find a better option of what we were doing; last night was great because they really looked forward to it, after Moe's of course, and just had a great time. Makes me look forward to next Wednesday.

For the record

For the record, I would like to post that L's hair is really growing!!

Remember how much she had?

Now look, she can hold a bow! Not that she likes to or will, but she can!

How does this happen?

From her first mommy-and-me dance class 4 years ago to being in the Nutcracker one month ago seems like such a blur. She is growing into such a wonderful young girl, smart, funny, talented, kind and beautiful. What in the world will 4 more years bring?

J spoke yesterday with a dear friend from Texas who knew the baby Ek and loved her so well. Now L is that size! I think so often about what Ek was doing when she was L's age, I just can't help it. Where were we living? What was she into? I love to remember, so I guess that's why I keep doing this blog, maybe one day I'll be able to look back to the exact day and read a story... that will be fun! And I really want to see God's work in our lives as well. That will be great. So, I keep writing, and thinking about these fun pictures. I wonder if my second tiny little ballerina will still be dancing in 4 years...

J's day "off"

John had the day off work today. I love his days off! Especially when he spends them as he did today, just an ordinary day with us. So today we... took 2 kids to school, went to the grocery store, put groceries away at home, skipped Monday yoga, played around the house with L, then J went to have lunch with Ek while I fed L and picked H up from school, got both kids down for naps, whew!, took a shower, spent some time doing Bible study, kids woke up, picked Ek up from school, ran a few errands, went home and changed Ek for dance, picked up a friend from gymnastics, took her to her daddy, took Ek to dance, ran home to start supper, ran back to pick up Ek, deep breath and it was 6:30, the time J sometimes gets home and I thought, boy a lot of days he misses so much of our day. I am so thankful for when he is with us through it all, when he gets to say to Ek, "how was spanish class?" in the car after school and not have to wait until dinner time. :) Then we ate dinner, pj's, brush teeth, pray, tuck in and bless, clean up the kitchen (ok that's him, not me), blog (ok that's me, not him) and fall into which ever is closer- bed or couch. Busy, tiring, great day.

Just for a laugh

I am not quite sure why this picture keeps making me laugh... but it does. Friday the kids got toys with their rare treat of a kids meal of cheeseburgers and apples from Burger King. I let them play with their new toys on the way home. The girls got dolls and after 10 minutes of playing this is what they looked like.I guess it makes me laugh because it describes my girls a bit, Ek is calm and neat and composed, L is a bit of a live wire, loud and very busy. LOL! I love them both and think I appreciate their differences so much because I have both of them. Ek just stroked her hair and looked her over so closely and we talked about how much Ek likes skirts just like her doll's. L, humm, I'm not sure what L did to hers.

H on the other hand got a monster truck. Well that's a no brainer winner, right? No way they could mess that one up right? I mean dolls for the girls and trucks, no monster trucks for the boys! Wa-Hoo!... wrong. H's was PINK! He was so disappointed. He kept saying, but mommy, its pink, my monster truck is pink, pink isn't my favorite color." What could I do?

Yep that's right, get the paints out. And after it dried red, we painted it blue, just to be sure.

Interesting

It is interesting to me that L calls H, "Hen" and Ek, "Kate." You'd think she would stick with the same syllable if she was going to shorten it. Do you think she knows H called Ek "Kate" or is it just that much easier to say than "Emma." Anyway you say it, I'm so glad she does. Two times you can count on hearing it, in the morning, "Hi Kate, Hi Kate" until she acknowledges her and on H's bed after climbing on she says, "Here Hen" over and over while throwing him his things. What a great little sister.

Octapus Envy

Earlier today I was sitting on the floor of the playroom while Ek was playing beauty parlor with high heals on fixing my hair and carrying on conversation about her and my little girl, H and I were playing ball, and L was sitting in my lap looking at a book. All at the same time. I thought of my friend Kelly who said, "if God could give octopuses 8 arms, couldn't He give mom's just one more?" If I had one more arm I could have taken a picture of the moment! It was very fun.

Unsupervised H... at school

Yesterday H got in the car without a treat. On Thursday if they have had good behavior all week, they get a treat. His teacher reported that Tuesday while they had a substitute, she found H under the table eating m&m's that he had gotten from the treat bin. sigh. Not surprised a bit. Disappointed, not surprised. H's response, "Maybe next time I will get a treat if I don't get one ahead of time." Yes H, that's right.

Praying like Daniel

I gave this talk to a women's group at church tonight:

I want to make a plea with you tonight but actually it is more a plea for myself. The Lord laid this topic on my heart several weeks ago and I feel that it is a direct provision of God that Betty Jean asked me to come a speak so that I would spend the time searching the scriptures, my own heart and God's heart over a thought that has been stirring around in my head.
I want to suggest that as Greg has encouraged us to fast like Daniel, that we also pray like Daniel. Daniel was a captive. He was drug away from his home when King Neb captured and overtook Jerusalem. Daniel was chosen because he was from a notable family, handsome and smart. He was taken to Babylon to serve a foreign king. He stood his ground for God. He lived in Babylon without becoming a Babylonian. How did he do that? He was intentional about what he ate, who he worshiped and how he prayed. When King Darius came into power, he really liked Daniel too, because God had so blessed Daniel with favor. Daniel 6 tells us that "the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom." And just to show you the character of this king, when his wise men came to tell the king that he should make it law that the people should only pray to him for 30 days or be thrown into the lions den, he didn't need much persuasion . Now what business does this king have hearing prayers, none! That is pure ego. Daniel's response: he went home, got beside his windows, got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before God. We know He did not hide his prayer life because the wise men came along, saw him and told the king. We also know that his relationship to God was not hidden because the king was told that Daniel had been praying to God and knew the lions were waiting, he knew that Daniel served God and had hope that God could deliver him. And God's response to all this is pretty clear. He shut the mouths of hungry lions. How do we know they were hungry? Because the wise men did not touch the floor before they were torn apart.
Daniel prayed. Three times a day, on our knees. He was very busy, he had a huge job for a pagan king in a pagan land. But he made time. Three times a day. Three times a day? That sounds a big legalistic. That sounds like ritual. That sounds like duty. Which brings me to the paragraph that stirred me up. it is John Piper's:"You can call prayer duty. Its a duty the way its the duty of a scuba diver to put on his air tank before he goes underwater. Its a duty the way pilots listen to air traffic controllers. Its a duty the way soldiers in combat cleans their rifles and load their guns. Its a duty the way hungry people eat food. Its a duty the way thirsty people drink water. Its a duty the way a deaf man puts in his hearing aid. Its duty the way a diabetic takes his insulin. Its a duty the way Pooh Bear looks for honey. Its a duty the way pirates look for gold."
Why do we think of it as duty and not think of getting dressed as duty? Or checking our email? Or the weather? Or the news? Or eating!!? So I suggest to you that prayer is like all of the these things.Daniel prayed 3 times a day. I want to encourage us tonight with 3 thoughts toward those prayer times with things that we seldom overlook in our daily lives and encourage us to do these things spiritually as well. In the morning, on of the first things we do everyday is get dressed. Unless you are having a really bad day or you are sick, you do not forget.
How do we get dressed spiritually in prayer?The first account of getting dressed is in Genesis, right after the fall. After Adam and Eve ate the fruit and realized they were naked, they hid from God. God came to them and after their confrontation, he killed animals to make coverings for them. God made provision for their nakedness and shame in the Garden. He then made provision for our shame through Jesus on the cross. Revelation describes the saints dressing in white linen which is representative of our righteous acts. We have nothing righteous about us, unless we are in Christ and receive his sacrifice on our behalf to stand before God. So in our morning prayer, I recommend we go before God especially thanking him for his Provision. He has granted us forgives our sins and covered our shame. How often does Satan tempt us toward shame? For words we said that from the second they came out, we knew we shouldn't have. For choices we made long ago that still make us shutter. Christ has come to once and for all clothe us in right standing before God. Satan is the accuser of our shame. Jesus is the provision to never return to it. Let's also not forget to put on the full armor of God. Ephesians 5 says "Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand firm. stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness and as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. in all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one and take the helmet of salvation and the sword which is the word of God praying at all times in the spirit, with all prayer and supplication. to that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."So I suggest also as we pray in the morning, and are getting dressed spiritually that we get dressed in kingdom clothes for kingdom work. We wouldn't leave the house without the right outfit for the day. I don't leave for church in the same clothes I do to go for a run. I don't play outside in the clothes I go out to dinner with John in. Some days I feel weak and tired. And here God has told me how to be strong, how to stand. He tells me what I need to wear out for the day. You don't need football pads to tackle the unkind co-worker or friend, you need the breastplate of righteousness to know that before your God, you are whole and no strike down will affect your true identity. You need the shield of faith to extinguish the fiery arrow of Satan. Or maybe you are anxious to see a family member or friend who is sick, we need to put on readiness in the gospel of peace, knowing your hope, your future your identity, brings peace. Jesus has made a way for us to walk in peace. Lets be on our knees in the morning asking God to dress us for the day.I suggest in the midday, not many of us miss lunch.
My tummy starts to really rumble if I don't get to the kitchen on time. My sugar starts to drop and I feel anxious and nervous for my next meal. But do I get anxious to pray like this? Not anxious from condemnation but anxious to know the heart of the Father toward me and my day. Well I suggest that during our noon time prayer that we think of Jesus. As Jesus was out ministering to the Samaritan woman the disciples returned and were urging him to eat. Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'there are yet four months, then comes the harvest?' Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here this saying holds true, 'one sows and another reaps,' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."Jesus is challenging his disciples here to be about the Fathers work. One of my new years resolutions is to live out what I intend to do. I am also quite dependent on my calendar and my to-do lists. I just do not think well without them. I know I need to stop and seek the Father midday to make sure I am still on his path. To make sure I am laboring for that which he is laboring. And I love that this passage talks about the sower and reaper rejoicing together, God has sown so much into our lives and the lives around us, I just love to rejoice with him over those victories that we experience. So I want to pray to him and ask him, Father am I doing your work? Have I gotten too busy today that I have forgotten you? In John 17 while Jesus is praying for the disciples he also talks about the unity that the Father and Son share and while he prays he says, I speak these things while I am in the world that they may have joy fulfilled in themselves. Is that not what we want full joy? I think full joy comes when like Jesus talked of here when we are standing in unity. So I encourage us in the middle of the day, when our tummies are hungry for food, that we also bow before the Father and tell Him we are hungry for the things that make him hungry as well.
Another big part of our day is checking news. Whether it be national news on TV, local news in the newspaper or family news on the phone. I know I can't make it through much of the day without checking in with my mom. I can stand to miss the national news but days like Tuesday I couldn't turn it off. So I want to make a suggestion for our evening prayer from Daniel.
Daniel found himself in a big conundrum when he served as a wise man and advisor to King Nebuchadnezzar. King Neb had a terrifying dream and couldn't find anyone to interrupt it. He was going to kill every wise man if someone could not tell him what the dream was and interpret it. Yikes, I think he was a bit panicked. When Daniel found out, he gathered his companions 'and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon." So Daniel finds himself in a life and death pickle and he turns to God. He asks God to tell him what is going on. May I suggest that this is like checking the news. Checking out what is going on in the heavens. Daniel is an awesome example here. And what happened. "Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said: Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made know to me what we asked of you, for you have made know to us the king's matter."
During Christmas break, my parents and my brother's family came to visit. Some of you may have seen them here at church with us that weekend. Over the last several years some things have happened in my family that have just been a bit of a mystery. In some areas of our lives we feel like we have been walking in darkness. Seeking God, seeking his will, praying, trying to be obedient, trying to make good choices that seem to align with his will... and yet still there are some mysteries that we just don't get. My brother said to us, "I think we need to do a Daniel fast and pray for 3 weeks." So we began on Jan 1 and 2 for the intention of breakthroughs in some areas of our lives. Yesterday was the last day for my parents and today was the 21st day for John and me. And I am so thankful to say that we, like Daniel, have seen God reveal his wisdom. Its not that all the mysteries are solved, some things are fuzzy. But like Daniel I think we feel that God is working it out. We feel like he has allowed us to be a part of the plan and showed us some solutions that were there all along, but that he revealed through fasting and prayer. God has filled us in on some news in our lives. He is the sovereign God who knows all and I am so grateful to him when he reveals bits of where we should be, lets ask him to.
Please do not mistake that I am not agreeing with 1 Thessalonians 5:17 that says to pray without ceasing, because I do think that prayer needs to be like breath. We need to continually commune with the Father, especially in thanksgiving and praise. And of course, I'm not saying this is all we should pray for. I encourage us to be intentional about praying several times a day when all we do is give God our full attention. So as I opened, I close. Greg has challenged us to fast like Daniel and I encourage us to pray like Daniel. Lets be women who are intentional in our prayer lives. When we know it takes and hour to get ready in the morning, lets make sure we have and hour and 10 minutes allotted so we have 10 minutes on our knees. Daniel is described as greatly loved by God several times in this book. And I know we are all loved by God, so lets spend the time with him to know is will for us, how we are to dress spiritually, how we are to eat spiritually and how we are to check in with God for the news of the day.

L's traveling companion

L loves to get into things. Just today she has gone through 2 different drawers and 3 different cabinets in our kitchen. She found the sesame seeds in the spice cabinet and dumped the contents onto the floor. My first clue that she had poured them all out was when she walked into the living room saying "all gone." sigh. She just likes exploring. She has a little companion that she likes to carry around the house with her to aid her in her exploring, a little blue stool. It used to reside in my bathroom so H and Ek could wash hands and brush teeth, but now, it pops up everywhere. One of the best utilizations I have seen is the below picture, she carried it to the chair where Ek was watching a cartoon and climbed up to be with her. I had to get the picture fast, the moment does not last long before she is off again, with stool in tow.

Handsome haircuts

Saturday, J took H to get his first paid for hair cut. I have cut it many times in the driveway but I thought I would see what a professional could do. And she did a very nice job. But his next one will be in the driveway. After the haircut, they played air hockey at the arcade at the mall and got lunch a Brian's. Sounds fun to me!

Sweet as cherries

Even sweeter than the matching outfits was the interaction between my girls today. L would not relent this morning in her "Hi K! Hi K!" until big sister acknowledged her. To watch them play babies this afternoon about made me a puddle, they were both cuddling, kissing, feeding, putting babies to bed and talking so sweet to their babies. L was wide eyed and imitating Ek during our post dinner dance party (to a mix of Otis Redding and Toby Mac, HA). And tonight during Bible story time, L got out of my lap to sit in Ek's, who just gave her a squeeze and a kiss. Thank you Lord, may it always be.

Amazing Grace

Tonight J and I had dinner with several couples from our church. One couple shared the testimony of their relationship. They got pregnant during high school, broke up the week they told their parents and had a completely horrible relationship for about 4 years. During that time they hardly spoke, even to pass off their son for visits. But then-- I just love the but thens-- they were both saved, both taught in the Word and finally God told him to go home and marry his bride. To watch her sit and listen to him tell their story was amazing. She beamed of love for him and I just kept thinking, they couldn't sit in the same room for like a year. They didn't 'just grow up' or decide it was best for their son to be married. The Lord changed them. They are new creations as the Bible teaches. It is truly amazing to see the Lord's reconciliation walking in flesh and blood. They have been married for almost 10 years now and have a second son. It just amazing to hear their testimony and it leads me to pray, may I never mistake God's amazing power in my life. I once was blind, but not I see, I was lost, but now I'm found. I didn't just get older and wiser. I'm new. Oh I am so grateful to the One who saved me.

The cost of an hour of sewing

Today I had a bit of a sewing group at Darla's. Cat came and helped me put together 2 A-line jumpers that I cut out way before Christmas. I love to sew and it is amazing to me how difficult it is to find time to get to my sewing room. If I can just get there, I can get so much done, but I can't. So today we tried. It is also so interesting to me how much I spend on the clothes that I make, not much, usually about a quarter of what the outfit would cost is I bought it, but I pay in other ways. Today we had 10 kids between the 4 of us moms, the oldest child being 5. I have never quite seen a toy room so destroyed in all my life. It spread across 3 rooms. And Darla's husband was due home at 3. I saw the disaster at 2:35. Of course I had seen parts of it. I saw part when L was stripped of her clothes, when one hit another on the head with a car, when H was using potty talk but to see the full disaster was overwhelming. So we paid big time for the 2 dresses I finished today, but we got the toys picked up, I had to leave in the middle of the pick up to go get Ek and I haven't heard when Darla's husband got home. But the outfits are really cute and time with 4 of my favorite friends was wonderful. We began planning our next group date- pizza and bowling! I'll add a picture of their new cherry outfits when they are on the girls.

PS While I was writing this J sent Ek and H one at a time to give me hugs and thank me for taking care of them today, what a guy.

Horray for an afternoon at the park

This afternoon I bundled up and took the kids to the park for a good while. I packed jackets, vests, snacks, juices, scooters, helmets, balls and my camera. Whew. It was not a perfect trip, L fell of her scooter and has a bump on her head (and not hair to cover it up!) and Ek didn't want to share her pink soccer ball (I really need to consider losing that one). But the had a ball playing on the slides, swinging, riding their scooters around the nature path and in the pavilion and H can kick a great soccer ball. The most giggles came when H and Ek were both pushing L in the swing, one in front and one in back, they all thought that was great fun. I invited 5 friends to come and none could, but really I was very glad to have an afternoon at the park with just my 3. I love to hear their laughs and see their smiles. Tonight when Ek and I were heading upstairs to tuck her in, she asked me to hold her, so I did, all 40 lbs of her, she gave me a big squeeze around my neck and said, "Mommy, I love you." My first thought was that I sure was glad to get to spend the afternoon playing with my sweet girl that I love so much.

Unsupervised H and his partner in crime

L is going to learn so many wonderful things from her big brother. He is so kind, generous, funny, athletic and smart; I could go on and on. sigh. Unfortunately, this is a sinful world and she will learn some bad things from him as well... This is one of them. Tonight while J was finishing up his supper, it takes time, Ek was in the dining room with us... H and L were not. This is what L was doing...WHAT?!? sigh. It true. She climbed onto the counter by herself. She followed the trail of her big brother. She knew the bag of candy left from the birthday pinata was there and she was determined. I actually caught her when she was on the stool and when I was grabbing my camera she made the final step. "Gum? Gum?" was her request. I need prayer. Do you see the look in her eye? Can you possibly turn down that look?... yes

It wasn't on their Christmas list

I have heard it said "Little people, little problems... Big people, big problems." Well I think the same may be true for entertainment. My kids love scotch tape! Today while I was folding laundry all three of them kept passing a roll of tape around. Ek taped up all her fingers, H liked putting it all over a stool and L just kept getting tangled up in it. I figured the dollar it cost was worth the 20 minutes of entertainment!

God is strong

This month in the nursery at church we are telling the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den. I love the opportunity to hear the story from the perspective a toddler. First to see how seriously Daniel respected God in prayer and the priority it had in his life. And then to see how truly amazing it was to hear that God shut the lion's mouths. Today when I read it to just H, he said, 'mommy I want to see the lion's teeth,' so we had to turn back a page before God shut their mouths. Its just an amazing picture of the strength and sovereignty of God. I am not surprised that I haven't read a children's version yet that talks about what happens when the 'wise men' were thrown in after Daniel was pulled out. At what point in my kids lives will I reveal that detail? I guess I could tell them now... but I haven't.
By the way, the favorite song in the nursery is still the B-i-b-l-e and now even L shouts "Bible!" at the end. Sometimes they shout "Bible!" at the end of every song we sing, ok ok I do too.

Party! Party!

At this point in Ek's life, birthday parties= Guaranteed Fun. We had two opportunities today for such fun. This morning it was twin boys from school. It was a classic birthday party, in the backyard running and playing, hot dog lunch, cake, pinata, more playing. They were chasing each other, playing football- but not Ek, and playing on the see-saw. Such great fun. So simple, just wonderful. She left saying it was the best party ever. tee-hee. This afternoon we had dear dear Kardyn's first birthday party with friends ever. She turned 5 and she was so excited. It was a dress up party and the girls changed literally countless times. There were 4 college girls there who love Kardyn and for the last probably almost hour of the party Ek and Kardyn had a fashion/gymnastics/cheer leading party for them. Hilarious. I love parties because I not only get to visit but I also get to see my kids smile and laugh for hours straight. It was a great day.

On the way home we listened to Ek's favorite song in the car. The chorus goes "There's a great big party goin' on in Heaven when a soul comes home! All the Angels sing a beautiful song in Heaven when a soul comes home!" Won't it be awesome.

Playmates

I am so thankful that, for the most part, Ek and H really enjoy playing together. Especially in the yard they come up with all sorts of games. If one is jumping, the other jumps; if one is swinging the other swings; if one is riding scooters, the other does too. Ek usually initiates the activities and keeps the rules and H is usually agreeable to follow. Yesterday we had to beg Ek to ride bikes with us, she just didn't want to; but after jumping and a snack of popcorn on the trampoline, she was finally ready. Yesterday they also traced their scooter and helmets on paper and colored then in with markers on the driveway and took little pitchers of water from the fridge to the driveway to make a puddle, they do love a puddle. This morning when I got back from my jog, they met me on the porch dressed to 'rock out.' Now I'm not sure what this entails activity wise, but dress wise that means they wear a hat to the side, oh and something about an air guitar. I'm not sure also how long this will last today... but I hope not too long. Where did they get this? hum, I think it may have begun at school when the music class learned jingle bells 6 different ways including rapping when they wore hats sideways for the recital. And Ek got in the car yesterday saying Sophia was going to dress to 'rock out' today. Oh children, you just never know. Here they are at breakfast with their cinnamon toast with sprinkles that they made themselves all ready to go.

Compassionate Baby Sister

My favorite moment of the day came this morning while Ek was a disaster because as she put it, she didn't get enough sleep.... but that wasn't the fun part, the fun part was L keep coming over to her and saying, "wha wong? wha wong?... hi K, wha wong?" I loved it. And bonus, helped Ek tremendously.

Storytime

I am so absolutely excited about the Bible storybook we are reading through with the kids right now. First of all they love it and that is quite important because if they won't sit and listen it doesn't carry much weight. They are totally intrigued by it. The lanugage is so beautiful and the author explains these big Biblical concepts in the sweetest way. Its awesome. I confess I love reading it for myself too. H asks to read from it everyday at naptime. I ususally limit him to 2 so he will sleep also. I read the story of Jonah to him almost everyday, the picture of Goliath is a bit too much so he doesn't request that one too often. And we read it every night. We started again after our Christmas advent calendar reading the New Testament stories, one a night. It is such a special time and I am so grateful for it. I just pray that the words and pictures will put deep truth and foundation in their little hearts and minds.

Attitude

Attitude is so interesting. It can make or break a day. It can turn on a dime. It is influenced by so many things-- Faith, Trust, Hope, Worldview, God-view, Sugar Level. We have had several interesting examples today. 1. I pick Ek up from school, as soon as the door closes she realizes she has forgotten her chapstick, i try to distract her by telling her we are going to Kardyn's house to wish her a Happy Birthday, she is so emotional she doesn't even care, so I stop the car, get out, go around to her side and give her a big hug, then of course L wants to get out, but that's another story, Ek's attitude completely changes on the spot, she turns giggly and excited and does not think of the chapstick again. 2. Oh, H. He is so singularly focused it is almost impossible to distract or change his attitude. We usually just have to walk away. Like tonight he did not want to leave his writing practice to go to bed. I could have just finished it but if I wasn't careful I would run my whole day on his schedule and I just can't. That is all about that. And 3. my favorite of the day. We are tucking Ek and H into bed. They are arguing over who get to bless who first. sounds sweet I know but it's bedtime! Ek, pout, pout, 'but I want to bless H first,' pout, pout. Suddenly J notices glitter on Ek's face. "Ek why do you have glitter on your face?" Ek, with silly grin, 'because me and Kardyn had a make up dress up party today for her birthday.' For the rest of the pouty blessings, every time Ek would pout J would call her 'glitter girl' and a grin would erupt.
Now if only I could remember the who I am that makes me grin during my difficult pouty moments...

Unsupervised H and other news

I just walked into the kitchen to see why someone, aka H, was closing cabinets. He was eating an ice cream sandwich. It's 6:30 in the morning! sigh.

In other H news, yesterday on the way to school H says, "mommy, I like little girls." i reply, "me too, H," I was thinking about the ones he was sitting next too and was just about to say "like your sweet sisters" when he said, "yeah, they're really cute." yikes! he's just 3! I guess he missed his little girl friends over the break.

In more righteous news, I will not be spending this Thursday the way I thought I would. Several months ago when H got his first cold of fall, he began breathing treatments and stayed on them for maybe 2 months. We were at the pediatrician's office one day for a sister and H coughed. Our doctor turned his head to H with a concerned look. "It doesn't get any better than that," I told him. He recommended the pulmonologist. sigh. So then back in November mom and dad come to visit and dad just says that we need to pray for H and ask God to heal him. Well after we prayed he didn't improve much, but several weeks later we missed a treatment and then another one a few days later and I realized he was doing ok. Same with his oral medicines. And here we are several weeks without either and H cannot make himself cough and has no runny nose. God has brought healing to my H. I am so grateful. I called yesterday to cancel his appointment which means no chest xray, no upper GI study and no test for Cystic Fibrosis. I think the pulmolologist would just shrug his shoulders at us if we sat in his exam room, H is just a healthy kid. ahhhh. Hallelujah.

This is H singing "Away in a Manger" over the final building of the Nativity scene of this season in our home.

Going to pray

About an hour ago I was struck that I had absolutely nothing to write about tonight, it was just too ordinary of a day. We were all home together playing, doing laundry, just hanging around. Then I was struck that that was wonderful. We lived in great peace without any fear for starvation, safety or abuse. What an amazing blessing. Then I began to think what a call to prayer that is. A quiet day can deceive us to think all is too well. We are at war in so many ways in our lives. And I am sad to think that not enough of my day was spent in prayer, for myself, my husband, my children, my family, my church, my community, my country and the world. So now I stop my writing to go and pray.

Pray

I love a thought from John Piper's most recent sermon. He was encouraging is audience to make a schedule for prayer, just as we routinely do so many other things... "You can call it that. It’s a duty the way it’s the duty of a scuba diver to put on his air tank before he goes underwater. It’s a duty the way pilots listen to air traffic controllers. It’s a duty the way soldiers in combat clean their rifles and load their guns. It’s a duty the way hungry people eat food. It’s a duty the way thirsty people drink water. It’s a duty the way a deaf man puts in his hearing aid. It’s a duty the way a diabetic takes his insulin. It’s a duty the way Pooh Bear looks for honey. It’s a duty the way pirates look for gold. " I love that Daniel prayed with such consistency and predictability, I want to be like that.

New year, same thoughts

As the new year begins and the buzz of resolutions is swirling around, I think my thoughts are just simply to live on purpose. To live out what I intend to in my mind. As we talked over last night at supper with the Polhills that the days are long but the years are short. If my days are long, I want them to be full.