I picked Jessa up from school today to take her out for lunch in honor of her eleventh birthday tomorrow. We had a nice chat over crepes at "Cream and Crepe"--a local cafe'. As I kissed her good-bye in the office and walked back out to my car, I was overcome with the feeling I was walking in a dream.
The last time I remember that feeling is on my wedding day, when it just seemed surreal I was getting married to such a wonderful man. Today it just seemed utterly impossible I was mom to an eleven year old! How did that happen? How did she get so big and how have I managed to not break her in eleven whole years?!
It is a surreal feeling to realize I am living the life I always dreamed of because it always seemed to be in the future and now it is my present--in both senses of the word.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Little Boys Part II
Ben is six and just completed kindergarten. Yesterday, while at work with me, he wrote and illustrated a book. It was simple yet amazing, and a testament to Ben's ability to express his emotions--a very important trait for my little men:).
Love Wins
by Ben
Everyone likes hearts.
No one likes crumpled hearts.
Everyone likes stars.
No one likes crumpled stars.
Everyone likes flowers...
...and we love eachother.
Love Wins
by Ben
Everyone likes hearts.
No one likes crumpled hearts.
Everyone likes stars.
No one likes crumpled stars.
Everyone likes flowers...
...and we love eachother.
Little Boys Part I
My friend Monica is hosting a blog fair about raising boys. Since I have two, I thought I'd get a head start on my entries.
Josh is my fourth child, second son, and most likely the last baby I will have. I wanted to treasure every minute of his baby days. Each milestone was bittersweet because it was my "last first"--the last first smile, the last first sleeping through the night, the last first tooth--etc. I took a picture of his little sweet baby feet and titled it "Sweet Feet." Three years later I took a follow up picture after an afternoon of play. Of all the toys we own, Josh's favorite play thing, hands down, is the pile of dirt left from the previous owners' landscaping projects.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Tagged! The Book List
My SIL tagged my to post my current reading list. Here goes...
The boys and I are reading Magic Tree House books and a variety of other fiction and non-fiction books as read-alouds. Tonight my kindergartener read me an Arthur book:).
I have a hard time putting a good novel down once I've started it, so I only start one if I have a large block of reading time coming up. That hasn't happened lately--not since I was sick last fall. My current non-fiction list includes:
Naturally Supernatural
Siblings Without Rivalry
Raising Cain: Saving the Emotional Lives of our Boys
Teaching Children Authentic Worship
Beth Moore's study on the ministry of Paul
Becoming a Love and Logic Parent
I also read a lot of short stories in search of good material for our children's church curriculum and read a variety of other curriculum resources.
The boys and I are reading Magic Tree House books and a variety of other fiction and non-fiction books as read-alouds. Tonight my kindergartener read me an Arthur book:).
I have a hard time putting a good novel down once I've started it, so I only start one if I have a large block of reading time coming up. That hasn't happened lately--not since I was sick last fall. My current non-fiction list includes:
Naturally Supernatural
Siblings Without Rivalry
Raising Cain: Saving the Emotional Lives of our Boys
Teaching Children Authentic Worship
Beth Moore's study on the ministry of Paul
Becoming a Love and Logic Parent
I also read a lot of short stories in search of good material for our children's church curriculum and read a variety of other curriculum resources.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Yet another reason to like spring :)
Spring has finally sprung in our corner of the world. We have been busy with yard work, trying to get our gardens and bushes ready for a new season of growing. I have discovered I am decidedly UNgifted in the area of pruning bushes. They all look as if they have bad haircuts! I am thankful they will be covered with new green leaves in the next few weeks. Spring will cover up all my errors!
Josh was helping me today, hauling dirt from the back garden up to put along the foundation in the front yard. We have a dry basement and want it to stay that way, so we are trying to maintain that grade! Anyway, Josh was supremely disappointed I wouldn't let him keep one of our lovely worms as a pet. Poor little guy just wanted a worm of his very own. I was reminded of a little baby garden snake my brother loved to death at about Josh's age as I told Josh really the worms were to look at but not to hold and have as pets.
Josh was helping me today, hauling dirt from the back garden up to put along the foundation in the front yard. We have a dry basement and want it to stay that way, so we are trying to maintain that grade! Anyway, Josh was supremely disappointed I wouldn't let him keep one of our lovely worms as a pet. Poor little guy just wanted a worm of his very own. I was reminded of a little baby garden snake my brother loved to death at about Josh's age as I told Josh really the worms were to look at but not to hold and have as pets.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Sometimes the Pieces Slide Into Place...
Have you ever had one of those inner nudgings you were pretty sure was God, so you kind of tucked it away in your heart and then one day it all took shape? Well, that has just happened to me.
Several months ago I really had the strong sense God was going to use our church to reach children with special health care needs and their families. I tucked it away in my heart. We did have kids with various health and medical issues--two with fairly serious ones--but it seemed like it was something bigger than that.
About six weeks ago a family with a little girl with some serious needs visited our church and then attended a two-day workshop we hosted. The parents' relief at relizing their daughter would be accepted and well cared for in our children's ministry was palatable. The mom had hardly been to church in the two years since their daughter's diagnosis, and the workshop they attended was their first adult outting in almost the same time. As I prayed about how we would keep their daughter safe in our children's ministry, I saw the faces of three of our very compassionate and responsible youth. They agreed to be trained to be her buddies, and one of them is with our little lady whenever she is in children's church.
Today another family visited, also with a child with some serious needs and delays. They tentatively brought their daughter back to the chidren's wing thinking probably the safest place for her was the nursery but a bit cautious about the whole scene. I suggested they also consider the primary class (3-6yos), but assured them they were welcome to do whatever was most comfortable for them. One of the moms who often volunteers as an assistant agreed to be an extra assistant in the class, which helped set the parents' mind at ease. They thanked me profoundly and went out for the adult teaching. After church we visited more about their daughter's and family's needs and how we could best meet them. They seemed surprised, grateful, and relieved at how well it went and also commented on how hard it was for them to go to church.
When God promises to work all things together for good, this is one of those situations He was talking about. If our dear Abby had not had the problems she had/has, I would not have joined an internet community for parents of kids with neurological problems and would have been much less well prepared for all this. We also wouldn't have met Anne, our wonderful Hippotherapy Physical Therapist who is now working with a family from our church to run a non-profit organization which provides hippotherapy and therepeutic riding to area youngsters. And when the first child with serious special needs began attending our church several years ago, I wouldn't have known to connect her with Anne. He is now walking with the aide of ski poles and has paved the way for our future generations of kids with special needs!
Wow. This was a long one. God just really confirmed this was Him today.
Several months ago I really had the strong sense God was going to use our church to reach children with special health care needs and their families. I tucked it away in my heart. We did have kids with various health and medical issues--two with fairly serious ones--but it seemed like it was something bigger than that.
About six weeks ago a family with a little girl with some serious needs visited our church and then attended a two-day workshop we hosted. The parents' relief at relizing their daughter would be accepted and well cared for in our children's ministry was palatable. The mom had hardly been to church in the two years since their daughter's diagnosis, and the workshop they attended was their first adult outting in almost the same time. As I prayed about how we would keep their daughter safe in our children's ministry, I saw the faces of three of our very compassionate and responsible youth. They agreed to be trained to be her buddies, and one of them is with our little lady whenever she is in children's church.
Today another family visited, also with a child with some serious needs and delays. They tentatively brought their daughter back to the chidren's wing thinking probably the safest place for her was the nursery but a bit cautious about the whole scene. I suggested they also consider the primary class (3-6yos), but assured them they were welcome to do whatever was most comfortable for them. One of the moms who often volunteers as an assistant agreed to be an extra assistant in the class, which helped set the parents' mind at ease. They thanked me profoundly and went out for the adult teaching. After church we visited more about their daughter's and family's needs and how we could best meet them. They seemed surprised, grateful, and relieved at how well it went and also commented on how hard it was for them to go to church.
When God promises to work all things together for good, this is one of those situations He was talking about. If our dear Abby had not had the problems she had/has, I would not have joined an internet community for parents of kids with neurological problems and would have been much less well prepared for all this. We also wouldn't have met Anne, our wonderful Hippotherapy Physical Therapist who is now working with a family from our church to run a non-profit organization which provides hippotherapy and therepeutic riding to area youngsters. And when the first child with serious special needs began attending our church several years ago, I wouldn't have known to connect her with Anne. He is now walking with the aide of ski poles and has paved the way for our future generations of kids with special needs!
Wow. This was a long one. God just really confirmed this was Him today.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
More Snow?!
I like winter, and I like snow. To an extent. Usually I figure a couple good snows before mid-February is nice and then it is time to clear up. We had a couple 12-14 inch snows already this winter, and this week it was warm enough to melt most of the snow. There were just a few random snow piles left when I fell asleep Friday night.
I woke up just after midnight and noticed a strange glow from outside. I assumed we had inadvertantly left the porch light on, so I went to turn it off. It was already off. The glow was the reflection of the moon off 6 inches of new snow! That was a surprise as I wasn't expecting snow until today.
We are supposed to get another 12 inches by tomorrow noon. So much for my early spring!
On a similar topic, it was Groundhog's Day a few weeks ago. The groundhog didn't see his shadow which, according to legend, means we are to have an early spring. The next two weeks were the most brutally cold of the year, with windchills at 20-30 degrees below zero (Farenheit). Ben sounded so betrayed when he would say, "But the groundhog didn't see his shadow. It is supposed to be spring!" Poor guy took the groundhog at his word and couldn't understand why we had more winter!
I woke up just after midnight and noticed a strange glow from outside. I assumed we had inadvertantly left the porch light on, so I went to turn it off. It was already off. The glow was the reflection of the moon off 6 inches of new snow! That was a surprise as I wasn't expecting snow until today.
We are supposed to get another 12 inches by tomorrow noon. So much for my early spring!
On a similar topic, it was Groundhog's Day a few weeks ago. The groundhog didn't see his shadow which, according to legend, means we are to have an early spring. The next two weeks were the most brutally cold of the year, with windchills at 20-30 degrees below zero (Farenheit). Ben sounded so betrayed when he would say, "But the groundhog didn't see his shadow. It is supposed to be spring!" Poor guy took the groundhog at his word and couldn't understand why we had more winter!
Monday, February 12, 2007
That Was Fun!
This morning I got to be on the radio! It was a fun deja vu of my dj days back in Texas. What made it even more fun was it was on a morning show with three dj's, so we just got to yak. They were so laid back and fun it was easy to join right in.
Oh, but I forgot the beginning of the story! A local radio station does "Extreme Makeover Life Edition" every winter. One of the categories this year was "Reclaim Your House." Entrants had to write an essay about why the services offered the winner--in this case a professional organizer, interior decorator, and a maid service--would help them improve their life. I won! Last week we had visits from the maid service to do a walk through, the interior decorator to choose colors and take room and furniture measurements, and from the organizer who spent over 5 hours with me decluttering our downstairs! Today the organizer and I got to report on our progress on the air.
It has been a ton of work, but it is invigorating to finally get this done. Ever since the moves last year we've needed to do it, but I just couldn't seem to take that first step without getting overwhelmed. We spent the weekend putting closet organizers in the bedroom closets so we can get stuff put away and doing more decluttering. Tomorrow a team of maids is coming to do a professional deep clean, next week a painter is coming to paint the living room, and then we're rearranging furniture and putting up new curtains with the assistance of someone with an eye for organization.
I will be on the radio three more times to report our progress, and in the end there is a listener vote to see which contestant worked the hardest and wins the Grand Prize family vacation! Even if we don't win the grand prize, we are excited about what we have won and look forward to living in a more organized house.
Oh, but I forgot the beginning of the story! A local radio station does "Extreme Makeover Life Edition" every winter. One of the categories this year was "Reclaim Your House." Entrants had to write an essay about why the services offered the winner--in this case a professional organizer, interior decorator, and a maid service--would help them improve their life. I won! Last week we had visits from the maid service to do a walk through, the interior decorator to choose colors and take room and furniture measurements, and from the organizer who spent over 5 hours with me decluttering our downstairs! Today the organizer and I got to report on our progress on the air.
It has been a ton of work, but it is invigorating to finally get this done. Ever since the moves last year we've needed to do it, but I just couldn't seem to take that first step without getting overwhelmed. We spent the weekend putting closet organizers in the bedroom closets so we can get stuff put away and doing more decluttering. Tomorrow a team of maids is coming to do a professional deep clean, next week a painter is coming to paint the living room, and then we're rearranging furniture and putting up new curtains with the assistance of someone with an eye for organization.
I will be on the radio three more times to report our progress, and in the end there is a listener vote to see which contestant worked the hardest and wins the Grand Prize family vacation! Even if we don't win the grand prize, we are excited about what we have won and look forward to living in a more organized house.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
It's Been a Busy Month
I realize I haven't blogged in a long time. Some times I just don't feel very creative in what I have to say. Life with four children tends to hold a lot of the mundane, and who really wants to read about how many loads of laundry I've washed and folded but not quite managed to get put away, or what we're having for dinner, or how the cat used the bin of train track pieces for a litter box and I discovered it the smelly way?
In the midst of the mundane, there are treasures such as watching Josh drum along to songs on tv, the radio, or sung by himself; or watching Ben "get" reading and start reading and writing everything; or watching Abby practice her "How To" speech and realizing how totally natural she is at it despite severe stage fright just a couple years ago; or making a folder on the computer for all Jessa's stories and realizing she has written over 20 fiction short stories!
There are other not-so-mundane things as well. As of the first of the year my 1/4 time job as Pastor of Children and Family Ministries at our church has become a half time job. That has required some adjustments, but they have been good ones.
We decided to put Josh in daycare two mornings each week so he doesn't have to spend as much time tooling around the church with me. That also gives me more time to get things done the efficient way. It has been good for Josh to rehearse the notion that mommy's job is to come back and his job is to stay and play. He has always been "mommy's boy," even from day one, so giving him a little space to see how trustworthy I am about returning has been a growing experience for him. I thought it would be a total relief for me, but to be honest I spent the whole first day worrying about him and still wonder a lot. This is good preparation for him to start at our favorite preschool in the fall--the Audubon Nature Center preschool on 180 acres of woods along Lake Michigan. Ben attended there a couple years and it is amazing.
The first day I was at work without kids in tow, I learned our spancrete had just been installed on our new church building so the other staff and I got to go out and tour. This building project has been a long haul as bureaucratic delays have abounded, so it was good to see that progress. The children's ministry area in our new building will be almost as large as the entire building we are currently working in. Considering how many kids we have (65+ and 7 babies due between now and August!), the increased space can't come soon enough.
See...there is just a lot of day to day happening these days!
In the midst of the mundane, there are treasures such as watching Josh drum along to songs on tv, the radio, or sung by himself; or watching Ben "get" reading and start reading and writing everything; or watching Abby practice her "How To" speech and realizing how totally natural she is at it despite severe stage fright just a couple years ago; or making a folder on the computer for all Jessa's stories and realizing she has written over 20 fiction short stories!
There are other not-so-mundane things as well. As of the first of the year my 1/4 time job as Pastor of Children and Family Ministries at our church has become a half time job. That has required some adjustments, but they have been good ones.
We decided to put Josh in daycare two mornings each week so he doesn't have to spend as much time tooling around the church with me. That also gives me more time to get things done the efficient way. It has been good for Josh to rehearse the notion that mommy's job is to come back and his job is to stay and play. He has always been "mommy's boy," even from day one, so giving him a little space to see how trustworthy I am about returning has been a growing experience for him. I thought it would be a total relief for me, but to be honest I spent the whole first day worrying about him and still wonder a lot. This is good preparation for him to start at our favorite preschool in the fall--the Audubon Nature Center preschool on 180 acres of woods along Lake Michigan. Ben attended there a couple years and it is amazing.
The first day I was at work without kids in tow, I learned our spancrete had just been installed on our new church building so the other staff and I got to go out and tour. This building project has been a long haul as bureaucratic delays have abounded, so it was good to see that progress. The children's ministry area in our new building will be almost as large as the entire building we are currently working in. Considering how many kids we have (65+ and 7 babies due between now and August!), the increased space can't come soon enough.
See...there is just a lot of day to day happening these days!
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