April 2, 2008
Please Pray for Tricia!
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If any of you have been following the blog by CFhusband, here is an updated prayer request. http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/ Tricia is on her way into surgery for her double-lung transplant. Please, please pray that she will be able to enjoy a beautiful life with her husband, Nate, and their newborn, Gwyneth, who is still in NICU. Blessings to all, Karla |
March 24, 2008
The Lord is Risen!
I hope everyone had a very lovely Easter Sunday yesterday. I woke up early, with a heart full of gladness! After my first cup of coffee I was even more glad!  After church we came home and took some family photos and some of the kids.  I love this one with the kids sitting in their birth order like stair steps. Aren't they cute?  I had a song in my head that I kept singing over and over. I finally typed in a search for it, and I found it on YouTube. The first time I heard this song was when I was living in California in 1986. Just thinking about Jesus being resurrected and walking on this Earth again was amazing enough. But to hear Sandi Patty sing this song "Was It A Morning Like This" touched a spot in my heart that blesses me each time I listen to it. < |
March 22, 2008
Happy 1st Birthday, Ian!
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My baby boy turned ONE year old on March 20th. Happy Birthday, Ian! We celebrated his birthday today. We kept the party small, since he's small. It was Ian (of course), me, Thomas, Lauren, Matthew, and Michael. Also attending were his godparents, Rick & Yoli. My mom and sister, Kelly, surprised us with their presence. I didn't think I was going to see them until next week, so I was so elated when they knocked on the front door! They also brought along a very special guest, my nephew Jonah! I'll never forget the day Ian was born! I always wanted a Spring baby. During the seven long years of infertility I would ache each Spring when the birds were chirping, the flowers were blooming, and the fresh green smell was wafting through my doors and windows. Yet, I always carried this hope inside of me. When my other kiddos were born (Lauren in August, Matthew in June, and Michael in October) I was so happy that I didn't consider whether it was early Spring or not. When I found out I was going to have another baby shortly after turning 40, and that I was due in March, my heart SANG! How gracious of God to create new life for this OLD mama. :0) Ian's name is Scottish for "God is gracious." We didn't know if he was a boy or girl before his birth, so we chose either Ian or Charis (Greek for grace.) I'll always cherish this moment, the moment of his birth and the first time I held him.  Here's my tiny guy right after he was cleaned up.  This is our very first family photo with all 6 of us in it.  Here are some photos from this past year in review... Ian with Thomas' mom, Jan. Ian and Grandma Jan share the same birthdate!  Ian and his Daddy  Ian with his Godparents Rick & Yoli at his baptism dinner. Rick is also a priest, so he baptized Ian. It was a lovely day!  Ian visiting the farm at Thanksgiving, showing Grandaddy Frank his new teeth.  Ian's first snow!  Ian's birthday cake  Ian & Mommy as we got ready to sing the Happy Birthday song.  YES!!! Cake!!!  Ian with his Godparents  Ian with big sister, Lauren & Aunt Kelly and cousin Jonah  Ian with big brother Matthew  Ian with Daddy and big brother Michael  Ian and Daddy  Ian taking a break from eating cake to love on Grandma Fannie  Ian and Grandma. When she squeezes his cheeks like this his face reminds me of one of my baby pictures!  I love this picture! His cap was so cute. It read, "Fun to be One."  Ian tasting his new book. "Hey, this doesn't taste like cake!"  On a final note, tomorrow is Easter Sunday. May you be blessed by the goodness of God. I'm constantly amazed at the utmost gracious sacrifice Jesus made for us. |
March 11, 2008
Weddings & Field Trips and FUN, Oh My!
My cousin, Jennifer, was married on March 1, 2008. Lauren was a candlelighter in the wedding. The kids had lots of fun, especially on the dance floor. I was able to catch one quick shot of Lauren dancing with Matthew and Michael.  Seeing as how 2 year old Michael had missed him afternoon nap, and spent the majority of the wedding crawling under the pews, going from my lap to Daddy's to Grandaddy's to Grandmummer's, he was pretty exhausted at the end of the evening. He almost looks like he had too much fruit punch to drink. LOL The other thing that wore him out was going from table to table, finding any mini bottle of bubbles that were left and pouring them on the floor. He managed to leave a good-sized puddle right next to the cake table. Good thing I caught it when I did. Can you just picture what a mess it would have been if someone had slid right into the cake?  Yeah, Jen, you're welcome!  Our homeschool group went on a fun field trip yesterday. We attended Kids, Kows and More. It was sponsored by Southwest Dairy Farmers, and was really geared towards all ages. There were several activities for the kids to participate in, and it was nice for wiggle-worms because they could walk around after each presentation and stretch their legs. The first exhibit had a two-row John Deere cotton picker set up to look like it was actually in a field. Some 4-H and FFA kids must have had fun "planting" the cotton stalks in the rows. It looked great!  Here's a picture of Matthew standing by the exhibit.  During the presentation, two volunteers were asked to help with a demonstration. There was a mini cotton gin that the presenter used to show how the cotton seeds and fibers were separated. She wanted to show how cotton was previously processed before Eli Whitney came up with his brilliant cotton gin invention. So Lauren and a boy were chosen to help out. They had to see how fast they could remove the seeds, and if they could be more efficient than the gin. It was fun to watch, and the gin obviously separated more seeds faster than the kids were able to do by hand.  This wasn't the best picture, but you get the idea.The next time we go on a field trip, or anywhere else for that matter, I'm going to bring fresh batteries for my camera. I was so disappointed that I missed a lot of good photo ops! Maybe next time. |
March 8, 2008
Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant
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"Well done, good and faithful servant." Those are the words I long to hear from God when I'm received into His arms someday. I attended a Titus Women's Group last night, sponsored by our church. The topic was on loss, and there were three precious ladies who talked about losing a loved one. As I drove home afterward, I was thinking about the lives of those who had died. The memories that were shared of them reflected lives lived for God's glory, merciful deeds done on behalf of their families and community, and hearts that desired to see their families serve our Lord. I was reminded of a song I really love to sing along with, and I'm just hoping that my "joyful noise" doesn't make God cringe and shudder when I'm off-key.  The song is "Legacy" by Nichole Nordeman. When I leave this planet someday, and find myself face-to-face with Jesus, I want those who know me to rejoice! I want them to smile knowing I'm worshipping in the presence of God like I've always dreamed of doing. I especially want my kids to carry on the faith. In the midst of their sadness, I want peace and joy to invade the hurt and bring them fond memories of times we've shared. I don't want one minute of my life to be wasted on petty things. I want to live a life for God. I want to train up my children in the way they should go. I want to be a blessing to those whom God divinely places in my path. I don't want a huge obituary recalling every volunteer position I've held, or of which organizations I've held membership in. Rather, I'd like to be remembered for simply loving God with my whole heart, and being true to His Word and not letting false doctrines or things that could tickle my ears deceive me. I want to be remembered for loving my kids and husband, and praying for them and future generations to come. I want to be known for having fun and allowing myself to roll on the floor giggling with my kiddos. I want it to be said of me that I stood up for Jesus, and was a faithful witness to the goodness and miracles He's performed in my life. And speaking of life, I want to remain unashamedly pro-life, knowing that God alone is the creator and giver of life. I want to leave a God-honoring legacy, and each word in this song is very true to how my heart feels. I would love to have this song played at my funeral ~ someday. Lyrics are added below this video~enjoy.Legacy I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights I want to leave a legacy I don't have to look too far or too long awhile Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred |
March 6, 2008
I Will Worship in the Waiting
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I am sitting here feeling so blessed! I just heard a song by FFH called "Worship in the Waiting." It touched my heart so much. As I listened to the lyrics, several things came to mind. I recalled the anguish my husband and I felt as we realized month after month, for seven years, that parenthood was going to allude us for what seemed like an eternity. I remembered the roller coaster ride our family survived when our son, Matthew, was born prematurely and was fighting for each breath in NICU. My heart ached as I thought about the day I learned my mother did indeed have breast cancer. I had tears streaming down my cheeks as I reflected upon the just-recent and joyful adoption of my nephew, Jonah. My sister and her husband went through so much before he blessed their home with his life. I was thinking about how I can choose to worship God each day, even through the bad times, because He sees right past today and all the way to eternity. He knows what's best, and He always works on His time. I think that's one of the most important lessons I've learned so far. That knowledge makes me feel secure, knowing that He's got every situation under control. And that each one of us is so special to HIm, that He takes the time to work out the little details in our life ~ on His time ~ for His glory ~ and to bless us. He truly is an amazing God. I'm dedicating this blog post especially to my brother-in-law, Tim and his sweet wife, Christine. God sees you, He knows your ache, and I can promise you that He'll work all things out for you. |
March 5, 2008
It Pays to do a Breast Self-Exam
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My friend, Kelsey, aka HolyMama sends reminders on the 17th of each month to do a BSE (breast self-exam.) She had a frightening experience, while breastfeeding, and has made it a priority to keep other women from finding out too late that they may have breast cancer. My mom, who is a breast cancer survivor, has told others that by not taking matters into your own hands (pun intended) you can procrastinate yourself into an early grave. Kelsey sends these reminders via her blog http://www.holymama.org and runs a contest along with it. Each time you complete your BSE and post a comment saying such, she enters you into a drawing for something really cool. Even though I'm breastfeeding, I still do my BSE. So this month, after posting my comment, I found out that I was randomly selected as the winner! One of the prizes was homemade chocolate truffles, made by Kelsey herself. These are extra special to me because 1. Kelsey does not like to cook and 2. Kelsey made them! Along with the grand prize package was a cool lip gloss ring that looks like the perfect accessory to wear to a cocktail party. I was really excited! Not that this busy mommy of four attends such grown-up functions. I'm not sure I could get out of the house in a little black dress without spit-up on it! Well the excitement just got better! When I opened my mailbox this afternoon, there was a huge package stuffed inside (thanks Mr. Mailman for your careful handling!!!) from Kelsey. I opened it up and here's what I found:  Isn't the floral pop-up card beautiful? Ah, a bouquet that will not wilt. The box was full of chocolate truffles. I didn't bother to count how many were in there, because I didn't want Thomas to ask why he was only privileged to eat one, rather than 5 or more. The box of M&M's were a variety of light pink and fuchia, and were personalized with "Kelsey Kilgore" and "Holy Mama." The top of the ring opens on a hinge and has light pink sparkly lip gloss inside. Pretty, huh? Well I have no idea where it is, because my 9 year old dd, Lauren, took immediate possession of it as soon as I took this picture! Since I never attend cocktail parties, I was looking forward to flashing this at the McDonald's employee who takes my next order for Happy Meals. I was even planning on practicing a few graceful swiping motions of my debit card before the next playgroup.  This was the ONE chocolate truffle I saved for Thomas. It was a BIG box, by the way. LOL Oh and I'm not sure the M&M's lasted more than 2 minutes after Lauren and 5 year old Matthew got their hands on the tin! But I saved the card ~ it's mine ~ and the blooms will last forever, which is more than I can say for the other plants in my house. So thanks Kelsey for the lovely package, and for reminding all of us ladies how important it is to take care of our bodies. And please check out her blog and remember to do your BSE each month! |
March 5, 2008
My Kids and Lisa Loeb
Here's a cute picture of my kids with pop star Lisa Loeb. They've been watching her kid videos on Noggin for a couple of years, and finally got to meet her. She's very sweet! It's neat how they met. Lisa's brother lives across the street from us, and she was there to celebrate her niece's 2nd birthday. At the birthday party, the kids had their faces painted by a lady who did an incredible job. She even highlighted their hair! Lauren and Matthew love to run around the house singing this song by Lisa, too. Trust me, if they could play all day they would! |
February 27, 2008
Pink Puppies!
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My precious 2 year old Michael has been running a fever the past 3 days. It's hit as high as 105.7! My dh took him to the pediatric urgent care last night because we were getting very concerned about Michael. We were able to get his fever down, but it's gone up, has fallen again, and gone back up. At last check, he was clammy and cool. I'm hoping he's over this now. Earlier today he was shaking uncontrollably from chills as his fever escalated. We have a recliner in the boys' room, which comes in handy when the baby needs breastfed or a feverish toddler needs mommy to hold him. So I was holding a shaking Michael in my lap in our "relaxing chair" and he starts pointing toward his wall. He was saying, "See pink puppies? So cuuuute." I said, "I don't see any pink puppies. Where are they." "Right there. Pink puppies." He was still pointing toward his wall. I quickly took his temperature again and it was again over 105. My dh and I were quick to put our hallucinating two-year old in a lukewarm tub, which he DID NOT LIKE! So far the rest of the kids are still healthy, and I'm praying they stay that way. However, now my eyes are feeling hot when I close them and I'm starting to feel a little achy. I hope I can ward this off. Hey! Did you just see that? It was the cutest pink puppy!!! I think I'd better take some Tylenol. |
February 26, 2008
Confessions of a CF Husband
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If any of you out there haven't yet heard of Nate, his wife Tricia, and their newborn preemie Gwyneth please check out their blog at http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/ Tricia has cystic fibrosis and is currently awaiting a lung transplant. Their "surprise" baby Gwyneth was born very early and is blessing everyone in the NICU. This family is near and dear to my heart, even though I don't know them personally. Our son, Matthew, was a preemie so we share a common bond due to NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.) Please check out their blog, pray for them, and prepare yourself to be amazed at how God is using their family for His glory! Their faith gives me hope when I'm having a tough day. Blessings to all of you! |
February 24, 2008
Small Wonders
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A few months ago my kids and I watched "Meet the Robinsons." It was so cute! I know it was just an animated movie, but the part at the end where the little kid gets adopted made me cry. My sister and brother-in-law adopted a baby boy in November. They were able to witness his birth and bring him home right from the hospital. They have an upcoming court date to finalize Jonah's adoption, and this song from the movie just seems appropriate. I love my little nephew so very much, and I hope that all of his days are filled with love, precious memories and lots of wonders to behold. |
February 23, 2008
A Funny Email
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My dear mother-in-law and I were talking last night. She reminded me about this email I had sent to her and my mom last year. If any of you have had days like this then here, have some wine! Hi there. Well I just had to email you both to let you know about my day. Kudos to you both for raising Thomas and me to adulthood. If I can get my kids to adulthood after today, I'll be a grateful woman. What a day! You're probably going to laugh so hard you'll start crying, so grab a Kleenex. I'm finally able to laugh about it myself, but it took all day long and a glass of wine before I could do so. :0) And keep in mind as you read this that I'm only 3 weeks postpartum, so keeping my cool as much as I did today is a miracle!!! Michael (then 18 months) woke up this morning without an appetite, and a yucky diaper. I figured maybe he was getting a cold again like Matthew (then 4 1/2 years old) had earlier in the week. By lunch time he was fussy, crying, only wanted to be held, and was running a fever. I tried to put him down for a nap when I myself was about to drop from exhaustion. He only wanted to be held, but would change positions every so often as I held him in the recliner. I finally found myself dozing in the recliner with him in my arms. At least I got about 30 minutes of sleep. About 4:30pm I noticed he was tugging at his ear and screaming when he'd touch it. I called the pediatrician to see if they could squeeze him in before closing to check his ears. Of course not. I ended up taking all four kids to the Urgent Care Clinic for kids at 6pm when they opened. Good thing I got there first. By the time we left, the waiting room was packed! Sure enough, he had an ear infection and sore throat. The doc prescribed antibiotics and ear drops. He's now resting peacefully...finally...precious little guy. So to make the day even more fun...now's the time to grab your Kleenex, and maybe a glass of wine... Lauren (then 8 years old) was smarting her mouth off on the way home from picking up Matthew. I actually had to pull off the road, park, and make my way to the back of the van to get her attention. After her screaming fit, the boys were all crying and screaming, too. Matthew was just trying to be good (for a change.) Anyway when we got home, Michael was still screaming and feeling bad, Ian (then 3 weeks old) was hungry, Lauren was huffy, and Matthew was just glad to get out of her swinging range. Thomas happened to pull into the garage about the time I got everyone out of the van and into the house. He asked me what was going on, and as I explained the story (practically in tears myself), he gave me that knowing look that said, "Okay, I'll make an appointment with the urologist." He gave Lauren two choices 1. get spanked or 2. get grounded. She opted for the grounding. Not only did he ground her to her room for the entire afternoon, but he told her she had to clean it. That lasted until he left to go run errands for me. She decided to get out of her room, tried to con me into letting her watch tv, then got angry when I told her she had to finish her punishment. Then she got snippy and said it was all my fault that she was grounded..."if you hadn't told Dad!" blah blah blah. When I told her again to go back to her room, she smarted off again and that's when I called Thomas on the phone. She was screaming like an idiot! Her dad was so mad at her!!! Anyway, after the phone call to Daddy she went to her room and I had to nurse Ian. At this time, Michael was crying really hard again and wanted to be held, but I couldn't hold him and Ian at the same time. Matthew was busy watching a movie, or so I thought, so I took Ian into the boys' room to nurse him while I stayed with Michael, too. He looked so pitiful. He couldn't even walk. He just crawled around on the floor to look at toys, and would come over to me and rest his head on my leg. I felt so sorry for the little guy. Anyway, I got Ian taken care of, put him back in his bassinet next to my bed, and was making my way back to Michael, when I noticed Matthew hiding under the dining room table. This gets good...here have a gulp of wine...I asked Matthew what he was doing. He said, "Just hanging out." Yeah right, like I was born yesterday. I noticed a lovely smell, the scent of coconut on a warm sandy beach, coming from under the table. He had taken the bottle of suntan lotion I bought them for the cruise, and had proceeded to rub almost all of it onto the tile and into the grout. The remaining lotion was now smeared all over the top of the dining room table, including his sister's pencil box, and her school worksheets that we were working on today. (Don't ask me how I managed to get any homeschooling done this morning...it was simply an act of God...) Before I could lose my cool and blast out a string of bad words, I counted to ten (by 5's) and asked him what made him want to do that. No reason according to my four year old. So I sent him to his room for a time out to give me a chance to clean up the mess. Meanwhile...better get another gulp, or another glass... As I'm on my hands and knees with Mr. Clean and a rag cleaning up Hawaiian Tropic off my dining room floor, Michael is now really screaming, Ian has joined the chorus, and I'm wondering why Ian is screaming too when I just fed him. Then I hear Matthew screaming. I scooped up Michael to keep him out of the bucket of Mr. Clean and ran into my room. Well Matthew went into MY room instead of his own, and decided to hoist himself into the bassinet. He was now hanging half in, half out, and was being choked by the metal bar that runs along the top of the bassinet. He had one hand pressed into Ian's stomach for leverage as he tried to get himself back out again. By now I'd lost any sense of responsible parenting that was remotely there in the first place, and yelled so loud that the neighbors were probably thinking my house was on fire. I forgot at that point in my day that "Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord." So here's a picture for you... I have Michael on my left hip (still crying), I'm pulling Matthew out of the bassinet with my right arm (who's crying out "My throat hurts where I was choked!"), Lauren is standing in my doorway with eyes the size of biscuits, and now I'm trying to put Matthew down and take care of Ian (who had consequently pooped all over the place, and I mean all over the place, from having his belly and intestines squished!) It was a miracle to me that the bassinet didn't tip over and launch the baby out! Plus I was surprised that Ian didn't have a handprint in his belly. Oh and did I mention that I had to put a screaming, and very un-cooperative Michael down long enough to clean up Ian and his sheets? Okay, so by now I was in the process of trying to remember once again that "Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord," and that having young children was simply a short season in my life, when I had a huge Epiphany. I remembered that I had a bottle of wine chilling in the refrigerator to go with dinner tonight. "Scr*w dinner!" I said to myself (possibly out loud) and headed to the wet bar to find the corkscrew. At least I was responsible enough to place a now fresh Ian back into a clean bassinet, I knew exactly where Matthew was, I had sent Lauren back to her room to carry out her punishment, and I had gotten Michael a cup of juice before breaking open the bottle of Chardonnay! No need to get a nice piece of crystal to drink from. I just grabbed another plastic cup, minus the sippy lid. Now it was getting very close to 4:30pm, about the time I knew for sure that Michael had an ear ache. So after all of that, I had to get the kids loaded up and ready to drive to the Urgent Care place. At least I had about an hour before the wine wore off when I got behind the wheel. I did manage to pop a piece of gum in my mouth on my way out the door. Can you imagine me walking into the doctor's office with four kids, smelling like wine, and having that glazed-over look? I'm sure other parents in the waiting room would have smiled politely and thought to themselves, "I can't wait to get home and have a drink too!" ha ha ha Well now we're home. Lauren's room is very clean, she's sound asleep, and looks so cute. Matthew, who still smells like a coconut grove, is tucked in with his stuffed dinosaur. Michael has had a dose of Ampicillian and ear drops, and is peacefully sleeping with his soft blankie. Ian smells of baby powder and baby lotion, is in clean clothes, and is gently nestled in a freshly made bassinet. And I'll be darned if after all the ruckus today held they all look like little angels as they sleep. I can truly say, "Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord" and "Thank you JESUS for turning the water into wine!" I personally think that Jesus turning the water into wine as his FIRST miracle was meant to be a sign to mothers everywhere that it's okay to have a glass every now and then. Notice that His mother, Mary, was the one who suggested it. She may have been in dire need of a refreshing drink herself during the wedding celebration. :0) Besides, He knew before the foundations of the earth that our children would be born to us. And He knew they'd find the following: ~things to smart off about ~bottles of suntan lotion ~baby brothers sleeping in bassinets I think I'll go in and peek at my sleeping babies. At least it's quiet for now, and I can think/breathe/reflect on all the good things about being a mom. :0) Oh yes, and I think there's enough vino in the bottle for a nightcap. Love, Karla So there you have it. My children are very much alive-and-well one year later. Reading this was pretty funny, but living it during the moment it actually happened was bad. Sort of like being in labor bad. And the good thing about bad mommy moments and labor, is that the memory of the horror soon fades. LOL And if you'll check your local Target Superstore, an entire aisle is devoted to a variety of wines! |
February 22, 2008
Slacker
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I just realized what a slacker I've been when it comes to blogging. My last post was in honor of my nephew's birth in NOVEMBER! Ugh. I suppose it's useless to wish you a Merry Christmas or Happy New Year's on Feb. 22nd. It's even ridiculous to send you a virtual hug for Valentine's Day. So perhaps I'll just update you on what's been going on since my November post. My kids are thriving, we actually have a great homeschool schedule figured out, and life is good. My baby will be turning ONE in March, and I'm still wondering where the time went. My 2 year old Michael pulled quite a stunt the other day. My mother-in-law was here visiting and was going to teach him to go potty like she taught my hubby when he was a toddler. The idea is to put very small toilet paper balls into the potty and pretend to shoot the airplanes. Well he thought it was all so much fun that after she went home he thought he'd keep shooting planes. The problem was that there were more planes than pee-pee. An entire Big roll of Charmin worth of airplanes! Now before you start having thoughts like, "Where were you and how did he accomplish such a feat?" just know that I put my sweet 9 year old Lauren (who sometimes gets easily sidetracked) in charge of watching the 2 year old while I breastfed the baby. Enough said. The next thing I know, I'm hearing my potty trainee excitedly yelling, "Shoot planes! Shooooot planes!" From the echo, I quickly realized he was in the bathroom. Not good! So I jumped out of my seat with the baby hanging onto me for dear life and raced down the hall. Standing next to the almost overflowing toilet was my precious 2 year old, who had tried unsuccessfully to flush several times. And the funniest part of all was that he was standing there in his birthday suit, holding the toilet bowl brush like a prince holding a royal scepter. He had been using it to stir the mixture in the potty. Now little bits of soggy toilet paper were stuck into all the stiff bristles of the brush. My easily-distracted dear 9 year old, who decided she had something more important to do than watch her younger brother, was found in her bedroom working on an art project. Too bad she wasn't interested in creating a paper mache project with her younger brother! There were two things I was grateful for during this ordeal. 1. My sweet little 2 year old is showing a sincere interest in learning to use the big kid potty. 2. My dear hubby cleaned out the toilet for me.  In case I don't post anything for a long time then I'm sending out early Easter blessings now! LOL |
November 13, 2007
Welcome Jonah Evan Thompson!
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I am so blessed to announce the arrival of my first nephew Jonah Evan Thompson. Jonah was born yesterday and is a much-loved baby. My sister and brother-in-law adopted him and they are now home. After much heartache and many tears endured by Kel & Bruce, Jonah is now home where he belongs, with the mommy and daddy God has chosen for him. It's simply amazing how his adoption came about. I'm still speechless over God's goodness and how His glory was displayed throughout this process. I just heard a song that somehow seems so perfect for Jonah. He's truly a miracle, was known by God while he was being formed in his mother's womb, and has been called by name. The Great I Am has blown me away once again. Enjoy this song "I Am" by Mark Shultze. |
November 11, 2007
"Tunnel" by Third Day
Today while driving down the street, "Tunnel" by Third Day was playing on KLOVE. Did you know it is nearly impossible to drive the speed limit while listening to this? Here's a link to the song. Close your eyes and pretend you're driving.  The thing that really ministers to me about this song is that the lyrics fit almost any situation you may find yourself in. Whether you're missing a loved one, a soldier fighting for our country, an exhausted homeschool mom, a person fighting cancer, a couple despairing from infertility, etc. this song is for you. Time to get my kiddos tucked in bed for the night. Tomorrow is Veteran's Day and we're going to be busy honoring those who have fought for our freedom. We're saying a special prayer for our family who is currently serving right now ~ my brother-in-law Tim, my sister-in-law Susanne, and my brother-in-law Brent who are all in the Air Force. May God bless you all! And if you hear "Tunnel" playing on the radio in your vehicle, do yourself and the police a favor...set your cruise control! |
October 13, 2007
Compassion Rising
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Have you ever had one of those "moments" as a parent, where you fall in love with your child all over again? I cherish pauses in time like these. It's as if time just stops, for only a second or two, and you find yourself captured by the beauty of it all. It happened this afternoon. 9yo Lauren was coughing and feeling achy from a cold she's getting. There was something in her cough that welled-up a spring of compassion in my heart. It took me back in time to when she was a baby with a cold. I wanted so much to jump up, cuddle her in my lap, and comfort her. I would have, too, if I hadn't been breastfeeding Ian at the time. Just about the time his tummy was full, Lauren quietly crept into my room with her blanket. I asked her, "Do you need some Mommy time?" She nodded, with an I'm-not-feeling-very-well look on her face. I turned down the covers on my bed, and she snuggled right up to me. She asked, "Will you sing me some lullabies from when I was a baby?" My heart was so thrilled! I snuggled with her as I sang our old, familiar songs, and gently rubbed her back and smoothed back her hair. Before I knew it, she was sound asleep. I watched her for quite some time, remembering back to when snuggles and lullabies were part of our nightly routine. For a moment in time she was 2 years old, my only child, and oh so precious. Soon after, my reverie was broken by 5yo Matthew, who wanted to play dinosaurs, while 1yo Michael called for me after waking from his nap. At least 6mo Ian was sound asleep. I think the lullabies helped him fall asleep, too. I love when God grants these precious flashbacks to pop into my mind. It makes my heart sing out in praises to Him, and I realize that Motherhood really is a priceless gift. |
October 5, 2007
That Must've Been God!
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I get the biggest kick out of my kids. They say the cutest things, most of the time, and are so innocent in their thinking. This morning, while we were working on handwriting, a realtor stopped in front of our house to photograph the house across the street. The kids were asking, "Who is that man? What's he doing in our yard?" He was on the sidewalk, but my kids think it exclusively belongs to us. The next thing I know, 9yo Lauren says, "That stranger walked up by my bedroom window!" Well, he didn't, but she was persistent. So we made our way to her bedroom, peeked between the shutters, and the guy was gone. She asked, "Where did he go? Who was he?" 5yo Matthew chimes in, "That must've been God! We've been talking to Him everyday, and He was probably stopping by to say 'Thanks!'" Well, now that my heart has completely melted, it's time to check on my sleeping babies again. They are so very beautiful when they're peacefully dreaming. If Lauren knew I considered her a "baby" she'd freak out! She'll understand what I mean when she herself becomes a Mom. |
September 21, 2007
Green Coyotes
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In my last post, I said that Matthew 5yo was starting soccer. When the coach handed out their green jerseys, he asked them, "Let's think of things that are green, so we can come up with a great name for our team." Lots of green things that are popular with 5 yo's were being shouted out by the kids, like Shrek, Rollie from Bob the Builder, and pickles. Coach said, "What about a food, like chili peppers?" That went over their heads. It would have been a cool name for them since we're in the Southwest. I guess no one wanted to be known as broccoli or green beans either. LOL Then some kid shouted, "How about coyotes?" The rest of them went wild. "Green Coyotes! Green Coyotes!" So that's the official name of Matthew's AYSO team this year. I didn't want to burst his bubble, so I didn't let him know the only green coyotes I've ever seen were dead, on the side of the road. AACK! He plays his second game tomorrow morning. I'm so excited! He actually made the first goal last week. It was a funny play, too, but the ref counted it as a goal. He was on the sidelines, threw in the ball, and the kid he tossed it to just watched it bounce on the grass and into the net! It was so hilarious. But he made a goal and that's all he talked about on the way home! Guess what else he did this week? He started reading! I am one proud homeschooling Mama. I was teary-eyed as he sat in his dad's lap and read his little reader out loud. I didn't have the camera handy, so I missed getting that moment forever. However, I know I'll cherish it in my heart. I just hope that memory doesn't pop into my head on his wedding day. I'll be one mush of a mom, sitting in the pew, watching my little man become some beautiful woman's husband. boo hoo hoo LOL The other kids did great things this week, too, but I'm out of time. So I'll just have to post again soon to catch you up on the cuteness updates. Blessings to all! |
August 29, 2007
Funny Things Kids Say
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I was just reading another mom's blog about the funny things kids say. It reminded me of my son's comment the other day. 5yo Matthew was on the floor playing with his little brother. He rolled onto his back, grabbed his ribcage and said, "Hey, Mom! I have handles!" I thought it was pretty funny.
Tomorrow is the first day of soccer practice for Matthew. His coach has 2 sons who will be on the same team, so it'll be fun to meet new families with kids the same age as mine. I hope he makes some nice new friends, and kicks a few goals this year. Last year was his first year, and he was only 4. He thought playing soccer meant he was supposed to run up and down the field, chasing the other kids. The ball would be right at his feet and he'd turn to stop and wave at me. It was hilarious. We'd yell, "Matthew, get the ball!" When he actually did kick the ball, he'd yell our way, "Did you see that? I touched the ball!!!" We'd cheer like fanatics from the sidelines, and laugh hysterically with the other parents. This age is so much fun. All the laughter and giggles are good for the soul.
I'm really tired today. I have got to quit staying up so late at night. I also need to quit deleting the reminders from FLYlady telling me it's time to go to bed. I should heed her advice. All of her other advice works so well. I just get addicted to surfing at night. Maybe that's because it's the only time during waking hours that it's quiet enough to get any computer work done~when the kids are in bed!
Enough excuses...good night and God bless you all.
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August 16, 2007
That's Gecko, not GEICO
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Yes, I mean Gecko. As in a slimy, light-colored lizard that my kids found suctioned to the bulb of a recessed light in our family room. I thought it was gross! All you could see was it's back legs and tail dangling down. Whenever it would move, the kids would scream! I didn't know if it was more in delight or fear until my DH came home. I was outside watering the flowers in the courtyard when DH pulled into the driveway. As he was opening the garage door I said, "Your attention is required inside. There's a gecko in the family room." "What?" "A GECKO! It's hanging from the recessed light over the loveseat." "That's so cool!" "No it's not. It's frightening the kids." "I'll take care of it." The next thing I know, the front door opens, and out comes my giggling daughter with a wiggling tail in the palm of her hand! I nearly fainted!!! Then out parades my other 2 boys with the word "fascination" stamped on their foreheads, along with my DH who has the rest of the gecko wiggling in his hand, trying to escape. At least he didn't try to touch me with it! All I can remember from the trauma is two black , shiny eyes glittering at me. It's a good thing I was armed with the gardening hose. I was going to blast a stream of water at anyone who tried to get near me with that creature!Apparently my kids were screaming in delight earlier. Those other screams must have been my own. I was too distraught to know the difference. lol Anyway, Bug Juice, as our pet gecko is now affectionately called, has been released into the bushes outside ~ far, far away from the courtyard entryway. "You kids had better wash your hands!!!" |