Thank you L

L is always very concerned about others' pain. If anyone is around, she usually looks at a bystander and asks, 'wha wong?' and she will continue to ask until she understands the situation. Today I went to get her out of bed, it was a rare day that she woke up before I got to her and she was singing in bed. She broke into a grin when she saw me, let her ba fall and dropped her baby for me to get her. I scooped her up and gave her a big hug. The first things she said to me mid- hug was "Mommy, wha wong?" I had a tiny bandaid on my pinky finger that I put on while she was napping. "Mommy has a boo-boo" her, "Wha wong?" me, "Mommy has a boo-boo." her, "Wha wong mommy? Mommy ha bee-bee?" me, "Yes, mommy has a boo-boo." It really does make it feel better when you know someone cares.

afternoon firsts

We had 2 firsts during our afternoon playtime today. #1 H kept up with Ek during our bike ride! Very exciting to me because this means I got to ride with both of them at the same time, not going from one to the other. Now Ek did not actually let H get ahead of her, when he would get close, he would say, 'hey Ek' and she would peddle that little bit harder to stay about 2 feet ahead. She's a hoot. #2 Ek assigned L to be the mother in their imaginative play, she and H were the brother and sister. Then they went off to school (in Ek's room) and left L at home (in her room)... hey wait a minute, was that kind after all? not too sure. It was more fun when they were grocery shopping in the hallway. They keep me entertained!

Power for the simple

According to Titus 2, its pretty simple,
Love John,
Love my kids,
Be self-controlled,
Be pure,
Work in the home,
Be kind,
Be submissive to John.

Boy some days it seems hard! I'm so glad to hear from Kay Arthur today that grace is our power! We do not deserve the love God gives. But when we focus on the cross and what Christ has done in the resurrection, we change from just good people who are striving to do better to changed people who have the power to glorify God with our lives. Help me Lord!

worth it

Today I went on a field trip with Ek to Macon to the Museum for the planetarium and a live animal show. This included a bus ride and a picnic lunch. I don't know why field trips are exhausting, but they are, even Ek fell asleep on my shoulder on the way home. But tonight when I got home from Bible study, she came and gave me a big hug and said, I got to be with you all day today. Oh yeah!, I thought, that's why its all worth it. Did I mention we got behind a hog truck in the school bus with the windows down? Yeah, still all worth it to be with my Ek all day.

Bike racing

We had an awesome weekend. We went to Athens to spend time with mom and dad and let the kids race their bikes in the Athens Criterium kids races. We had been talking to Ek about it for months and she was quite excited, H was a last minute add on. Because of their personalities they approached the race quite differently. The course started down hill, turn around and finish up hill. H took off, pedaled as fast as he could and did great, he finished 2nd and was just so strong. Ek was her wonderful cautious self, stopped peddling half way down the hill in preparation for the turn but passed many girls going up hill, she was so strong as well. The race was quite short and I was looking forward to the evening parade. Parade, not so much- all out race without prizes more like. In front of 1000s of people, on a downtown street course that they had never seen, the kids took off full force down the hill. J ran along with them, I took pictures. J said H was about 40 yards ahead of Ek, it was a down hill start, but at the bottom of the hill, H's chain popped off his bike. Ek kept on in her consistent steady way and made it all the way around with not problem. I was at the half way point in front of the podium and the announcer, I screamed her name as loud as I could 3 times before she saw me and when she did she smiled. The lady beside me asked if I promised her a cake, 'her name is emma kate,' i said. After J and H passed by I took off back to the finish line to meet them. I told Ek and H the next night that I hoped they knew that there were people in their lives cheering for them like that all the time. I hope that J and I, and all the people who love them, can give them great courage to follow unknown paths that God has set, help them along when their chains pop off, and give them great hugs and smiles along the way. Ek said today that after she saw me, she just kept smiling. It was awesome. We hung around for the women's race and a bit of the men's, it was amazing to see how fast they ride!

Good pickins

We took a fieldtrip today with about 7 friends from Bible study and their kids. What fun! H was an excellent strawberry picker, I think he really enjoyed it. L only picked for herself. We also watched some goats being fed by other children and milked by other children including Ben. They both had a great time climbing on tractors, pictures to follow soon. And now, we have the joy of eating strawberries all weekend!

Early, but ready

It may not be summer or June, school may still be in, but we tried to welcome summer to our home today. After eating ice cream cones and planting flowers, the kids got drenched in the water hose while "watering the flowers," so I hooked up the sprinkler and let them go. They had a ball, fully clothes and dripping wet. Then Blake wanted to put a bucket of ice on the trampoline and jump. So fun! It cooled the trampoline off and added entertainment. It was 85 degrees and sunny, so we say, "Welcome summer!" Ek kept saying, "This is a blast!" Yeah!

Making lemonade from lemons

Recently I wrote about embracing seasons that God brings to our lives. He reminded me of that today. H had a bad day yesterday. It was capped off by throwing a full shovel of dirt on Ben P. at FUMC on the playground. It doesn't sound that bad if you didn't see Ben, he was covered in dirt it was all over his face and his clothes, oh and screaming. I was pretty upset with H. I marched him straight to the car and gave him a spanking. I tried to talk with him all the way home about what a bad choice that was. Finally when he wasn't crying I asked him why he did it. "Because we didn't want him to play with us." Oh H. That was even worse than the offense! J remembered, when I told him what H had said, that that is what H has heard a lot of this year on the playground. So enter new season, now H is bigger than someone. How will he handle this? How will he respond? So a new training season began yesterday. Well not really new, just new emphasis on old lessons. I encouraged him to find Ben on the playground today and play with him, but they don't play at the same time. From H and my dialog today, I think he may have learned a thing or two from his bad choice. I know I'm not done, I envision this lesson to be a theme for a long time, but a good one. Love everyone. Be kind to everyone. Go out of your way to be kind to those who nobody else will be kind too. I told H today that if just our family was kind to all kinds of people that the world would be a better place. hopefully.


UPDATE: Today we rode with Susanne and kids to the strawberry farm. Not 5 minutes after we got there, I spotted H coming out of a playhouse holding Ben's hand. whew. He really was kind to him all day. I was trying to encourage him by telling J later in the day and H said, "Yeah, there was no sand there." Oh, H.

Kathie

Tongit we got to go to First Methodist to hear Kathie Bailey's testimony. One thing that she said is really stirring around in my mind, she said Satan tempts us to bring out the worst in us but God tests us to bring out our best. I know that brings her a lot of comfort as she began this journey with a diagnois of stage 4 cancer and 6-12 months to live. Here she stands 16 months later full of strength in the Lord. I am so grateful she speaks highly of the One who gives life and sustains her. She also spoke in tears the words of David in 2 Samuel 7: 18 "Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! 21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22 Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. " It was a great encouragement to see her speak with boldness, joy and strength.

I have never seen...

We had a crazy afternoon. We went over next door to play with our sweet friends for just a little bit. Ek wanted to play in the backyard and Blake was being so kind to put Ella up, well before we knew it, Ella had caused damage. She had scratched Blake's eye! And I mean the cornea! We called John and when she hadn't improved after a few minutes, we ran to the office. She truly did have some scratches and J fixed her up. So we went across the street to get some pizza since it was past supper time. While we were eating we saw a rainbow, we went over to the window and it was a double rainbow, we walked outside and it stretched all the way across in an arch! It was amazing, so bright and so beautiful. It lasted for at least 20 minutes. I just couldn't get over it, I have never seen such a beautiful rainbow. While staring at it, I was reminded of the kids Bible's version of Noah's ark. It said that when God said he wouldn't ever cause a flood to wipe out man again he hung his bow in the sky, pointing up into Heaven knowing that one day Heaven would send down the sacrifice to forgive our sin. Oh I couldn't help but think of that amazing sacrifice and now think that the bow points in glory and honor to the One who came.

My mind's eye

I just can't get over the last few weeks that Ek was this age when I was seven months pregnant with H. Ek seems much bigger in my mind's eye! Of course she was taking dance and attending story time at the library every week, but really she was just the same size as my tiny little L. So I give Ek big kudos for all she has been as big sister of the family, she is a great one. Today J and I took L out to lunch to Brians and it reminded me of taking Ek to "Ye Ole English Deli" in Temple. J and I just grinned at each other to think back of our just Ek days. L will be the baby. I do have a different view of her, can't explain why, maybe its because Ek and H are so much bigger and I just don't have as big expectations for her... take for instance bath time the other day, L picked up all the toys and lined them up neatly on the edge of the tub, of course I ask her to pick up toys at times, but mostly H and Ek do, and here L showed she can too, bummer for her!, now I know she can! Oh my sweet girls, I just love them! and my two boys too.

Ok now brace yourself for pictures of Ek from April 2005:

Hilton Head Last One

Ok, just one more... a few favorite pictures that were not included in the other emails...

It was as good as it looks here to get away to a beach front hammock...

Hey! We finally found a dog H likes! maybe this is the kind we need to get (its a statue).

Oh yes she is

I had a happy, may-it-ever-be-so-prayer moment yesterday in the car. Ek was talking about a friend of H's who she said was not her best friend because one time when they were playing he said 'no girls allowed!' We have on going conversations about being kind to the unkind but before I could get there, H piped up, 'well then he is not my best friend either because Ek is my sister and I told him, yes girls are allowed!' I love my little boy for standing up for his big sister!

I tried!

I know I drive my kids crazy... but if they would give me one perfect picture, maybe I'd let them off for the rest of the trip. sigh. Here are my attempts at a picture of the 3 of them.

H, we're at the beach! Let's see a smile!!

Very nice Ek and H, where is L?

Oh, there she is.
Yoo- Hoo! EK!

Anyone? Anyone?
Aww, sweet and calm. Where is L?

Oh there she is.

Awww, sweet sisters. Where is H?

Oh there he is, waiting for his turn on the court.

Actually, everyone looking, everyone smiling... but not enought of them...
Aww, sweet H... L, over here!
Very good girls, H, really is that the best smile you've got?
Well, you can't say I didn't try. ha ha. Maybe next trip, I'll just try once and they'll not be bored of me calling their names. Or maybe I should just start taking video. I guess it is just my mom's heart to see all happy at the same time, and that happened alot... just not in a picture.

Hilton Head 3

The kids also had a great time playing on the beach. They all love to play in the dirt so a whole beach to play in was awesome. They didn't mind that it was cold and windy and I didn't mind because we didn't really need sunscreen and didn't get hot or sweaty at all. They mostly dug and played in the sand but we also played ball and frisbee.

The last thing we did right after checking out was take a bike ride on the beach. When we were walking down there with our bikes I said to a man waiting on us to pass that I hoped this proved to be a good idea, he said to pay attention to which direction we started in to start into the wind. I am soooo glad he said so, there is a huge difference. I rode with L on my bike with Ek and J rode with H. Ek and I were a bit faster and I let her deceide when to turn around. It was really fun. Just when we were stopping H said, "Mommy this is really hard." Whew! I think we stopped at just the right time.