Category: the Oldest

A Day Away

We took the privileged opportunity to President’s Day to go to a dear friend, Kassie and Jacob’s house and bombard their clan. Kassie, a fellow “youth pastor’s wife” enjoys her three wonderful kids age 4 down to 11months. Jeffrey is 4, Josie is 2 and Josiah is 11 months. So with those three little ones, we highly enjoy group play and discovery. And I’m tell you right now, these are some of the best behaved kids I know – comfortable in love and boundaries. So I love the opportunities, though sometimes far between, that we get to spend time with them. Many times we get the opportunity to enjoy play together amidst a joint-church youth function.

Monday, on the other hand, we joined in their normal schedule, joining them for a pizza lunch (yum), naps and some fun indoor and outdoor play before returning home to our Daddy. While the kids all napped, Kassie and I enjoyed some Mom-time chatting about homeschooling, kids, and life.

It was a wonderfully refreshing time for all to play and enjoy eachothers’ company.

I look forward to further hangouts.

Here’s a few pictures I took during outside play:

 Rachael enjoying the car.
Abi after she “patiently” awaited her turn.
She means business, don’t even think about asking for your turn. 
 
 Abi traded her four pink wheels for Jacob’s two wheels.
(Jacob had just returned home from a weekend youth function when we were leaving.)

All the kids minus Josiah, who was in the house due to the weather and only being in a onesie (he wasn’t feeling so well, poor guy).
Wonderful day had by all. Thanks again, for the invite and the joy, Kassie.
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Because We Could

Beautiful weather lately has brought us outdoors before the “second” snow fell (a dusting). So don’t mind me as I soak in these pictures of outdoor life lately while I check the weather channel for future cold and snow news.

 Taking our babies for a walk.
This leader had no problem running the pack 
– I had to ask her to stop a few times to keep up with her.
 She may think she’s huge, but she is still our little one. 
 And this one? Well let’s put it this way… 
we did some waiting. Little legs can only go so fast.
 Then came shoeless in the sandbox!
 No ‘eww, dirt’s here.
 Dump and fill, dump and fill.

 So delightful to experience it all together.

That’s all I caught in pictures from our few days outside. I try to participate more than document because the participation will leave the lasting memories for these two small ones. But I did get a moment to snap a few pictures. Other days we “rode bikes” in the driveway, went on nature walks, did some sidewalk chalk, and then kicked a big ball in the yard.

(sigh) Alright.. on to dust the snow off the bikes and return them to the playhouse that I’m using as a small shed for the winter.

Enjoy the cool weather, everyone. Stay warm!

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A Morning to Remember

Today was a wonderful morning filled with slow children’s museum moments – really it is possible. Not those moments of stress, wondering how long before your toddler loses it. But one of those mornings of taking things at a preschool pace, stopping and smelling all the flowers along the way. Don’t you love those kind of mornings? No agenda or schedule pressings. Just life. One. Step. At. A. Time.

Due to going to the Children’s Museum with Ellen and “the cousins”, Rachael had a play group, Abi had someone to carefully study, and I had a reliable source of eyes to leave Rachael with when 19 months was done waiting.

This is the only picture I captured while the crew 
(5 total, age 4yr down to 19months – Abi’s the youngest) 
checked out some meerkats in the animal exhibit.

Abi was in such a sweet mood this morning. Her mellow little nature of exploring and satisfaction with taking things slow were so sweet to watch. She was a little shy in some moments, finding reassurance in Mommy’s leg-holding. But that little one listened so well today and was so easy going. Such a breath of fresh air was she.

Rachael was her normal curious self, finding delight in trying to figure out how things worked and what happened if you tried this… or that. And Ms. Social Butterfly spent a good portion of the morning repeating others’ phrases. I think Bekah (Ellen’s oldest) enjoys having her own echo sometimes. =) And Rachael seemed to enjoy being the echo as well. It reminded me of how we must first learn to follow before we learn how to lead. And some good, clean preschool copy-cat is always amusing to watch. When Rachael is on her own her imagination has taken flight involving story lines in her play. Oh what a wonderful age of enjoyment of stories, characters, and role playing. On the way to the museum Rachael “found” a baby chick and carefully cared for her baby chick, whom she cupped and sheltered in her hands, while in the car. She was sure to reassure the “scared thing” and nurture that little imaginary friend.

Rachael and her “chick”.

Daddy had a meeting with Grandpa today at the house from 11a-1p. Since I was not sure of whether they would eat lunch at our house or not and if the distraction would be welcome, I thought it a great day to have a special lunch date with the girls.

I’m not one to promote the Golden Arches restaurant. But there are occasions in which we choose to partake in the grease. When you don’t eat out too frequently it surely is a joyful event in the life of little kids. We had such fellowship and joy over chicken nuggets, french fries, apple slices and chocolate milk. Oh and then sharing an ice cream brought such over-the-top dancing joys.

It was one of those “mark that down” pleasant mornings with no hiccups. I love those “every day” memories that turn into such great joys in the world of three years and nineteen months. We can be a busy crew indeed, but the overwhelming excitements of “typical” things and discoveries, even if I can’t catch them on film because we’re still very Mommy-dependent, sure leave pictures upon pictures that I hope I never forget.

– so thankful.

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Goodmorning World

I woke up early this morning and thought how I should use my time productively. Don’t you like how quiet it is in the world before the day really begins? Maybe only you morning people know what I’m talking about. You sleep-in people are just laughing. 😉

I could feel the crisp air outside, unseasonably warm, yet still cool. I didn’t even have to be out there thanks to large sliding glass doors. A train or two announcing their presence in the distance. Yes, the sweet sounds of morning.

The agenda today is one of delighting in fellowship. I look forward to spending some time with “the cousins” at a local children’s museum. We usually have homeschooling today, but thus is the joy of homeschooling that we bumped it to yesterday to accommodate a little over-due visiting.

As a gracious part of Matt’s parent’s Christmas gift to our family, they gave us season passes to a local children’s museum and then expanded the pass to include a whole host of nearby museums and attractions (like zoos) around the United States. Such a thoughtful and blessing-filled bunch they are, those Grandparents. “The Cousins” have a similar pass and thus play dates in the quiet mid-morning hours of the weekdays have spurred and continue to spur from such delights.

Last night I wasted a few hours on the couch beside Mr. Right, soaking in American Idol (really the auditions are the best part of that show) and “The Finder”. It’s not something I pride myself on doing, sitting and watching TV for two hours, but sometimes the cleaning and homeschooling prep is done and it’s nice to do something together. Hopefully we’ll get back to our Lego video games soon. =) It’s fun to whack someone to pieces (literally) in laughing play. I love how we can be “kids” together.

Read some encouraging reports on an old friend’s adoption blog. Ironically enough, I watched her children when they were younger than mine are currently. That’s one crazy thought that ages me. I’m excited to track their unification story as they bring home their newest family members from Haiti – a sibling group of three, adding to their bio three. Such a wonderful time of celebration and love.

Got report that my dear friend, Theresa, has malaria. Thank the Good Lord for medicine that makes Malaria common-cold oriented to dear African missionaries. God is such a good God to give those willing to serve “the least of these” a safety net too. Praying rest and healing over Theresa.

This weekend holds another Upward basketball game – this time scrimmaging my Matt. Hehehe. Let the competition begin. Kidding – that’s nothing like Upward. But we can sure pass silly glances back and forth during the game of “you’re going down.” My sweet little team is so pumped up to hear their names called and enjoy their moments of glory. Hoping my girls will be cooperative and kind to Mama amid their involuntary personal cheer leading recruitment. They’ve done decently at cracker and coloring book distractions amid my “coaching techniques”. (“Get on out there and play kids…. good luck, have fun!”)  I’m proud of my “try to sit still” toddler and “I just want to be a part of it all” preschooler. They have had many examples of patience and grace from the “player’s bench.”

Hope you’re able to get out and enjoy this unseasonably warm weather we’ve been having. The neighborhood has been thoroughly graced with our “let’s take a walk” presence lately – let alone the park. Though I must say that as she is beginning to come into her own personality, Ms. Rachael, has voiced her “inside over outside” opinions over the past few days. It doesn’t change her UV ray needs, but alas, her bookworm character is almost fully emerged. I can foresee many book picnics in seasons to come for my pasty-white brunette. Oh, but Blondy? She’s too busy exploring all the new things she can do “all by herself” to slow down for any foolish indoor play.

We “rode” our bikes over at the church gym yesterday. My preference was outside. Rachael’s preference was inside watching a movie. So we compromised and we got indoor gym play. The bikes are only as fun as pedaling frustrations. But the bleachers? Oh they are a whole new level of joy. For 20 minutes there was bleacher play: walking the bleachers, crawling through the bleachers, crawling under legs on the bleachers. Repetition, repetition, repetition. And the joy thereof. Activity comes in all forms – I’m just thrilled for activity.

And speaking of activity, I better get my devotion time in because activity will be waking in an hour.

Thanks for sharing in this journey with me.

How have you been journeying lately?

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The Romance of a Place

We loaded up and headed to a small-town church this morning. The Pastor was away for the holiday and asked Matt to fill-in preaching. There were ten people total in the congregation. Matt, I and the girls made up four. Then there was a 7 or 8 year old grandson. So once the children were dismissed and I got settled back down after changing baby’s diaper, there were a whoppin’ five in the service, including me.

The service began at 10:30a. Matt and I got delayed in our commute due to me forgetting my guitar in the shovel out the door, but ended up being the first people there at 10:20a. At 10:27a, a local attendee arrived, followed by the music leader and his grandson at 10:28a, who was able to let us into the building. At 10:32a, there were still us seven. Matt asked if we should start, smiling at the fact that our family outnumbered the attendees. We were informed to wait for more. Two more came in together, one of which was the Sunday School teacher. After introducing my girls to the nursery toy stash (praise the Lord!) the final congregation member arrived.

No one minded the toddler “praise” occurring in our row as the first 6 (seriously, SIX) hymns were sung (at least 3-4 verses a piece). And pacing in the side row with a baby on your hip didn’t even bat an eye. I was still grateful to have remembered to put away the walking toy Abi had found so amusing before the start of church. All we needed to complete the service was a melt-down over who would push the walking toy back to the nursery before the sermon. I’m not even sure if anyone would have noticed a good ole fashioned toddler fall-out tantrum. Graciousness poured from the small bunch.

No one payed any mind to the “Jesus loves me” chorus from the nearby Sunday school room amid Matt’s sermon. Rachael’s voice sailing in competition of the microphone. Giggles and running feet from the other room were merely a part of Matt’s sermon.

We ate at a local diner after church, slightly annoyed by the girls’ sugar high post snack cookies. Rachael explained how she learned about Tangled at Sunday School and that Jesus healed someone at a hospital and “another guy was forgived by Jesus because he was a bad guy”. I still have no idea what the lesson was, but the butter-rolls were a hit. The grilled-cheese sandwich partial-crusts proved their toddler success.

The drive home included one passed-out baby with head tilted toward the ceiling and a toddler zoning through slit-eyes until her body gave in. Matt chuckled as he heard snoring from the backseat. I pondered the romance of the rural country with a background of AM Radio Sunday afternoon football playing and a husband immersed. Rain fell as thoughts of the romance in working the land with your hands, keeping up with the house chores, and raising the kids consumed me. I remembered the short conversation Matt and I had as we waited outside the church, after walking the small block and looking in all the storefront windows with the girls. “What if a small store-front church called you and asked you to be the Pastor and live above the church, what would you say?” “I’d say yes,” he smiled, “As long as the apartment fit our family.” We both smiled, remembering our family motto to serve the Lord wherever He may call.

And I was reminded again that it is not the place, but the enjoyment of the romance of the place that brings such joy. Seeing the joy and delight in the everyday normals. Finding the bliss in the here and nows, even if the here and nows are drastically different from one day to the next. It’s the reminiscing on the present as if it is told in the future to a circle of grandkids. Enjoying life as it is given to you as a gift from our Father in Heaven.

I wonder if God delights in my delights.

And I know He does.

Enjoy your rainy Sunday, friends.

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