Confessions from a Toddler Mom:

Ultimate Lego Birthday Party

2012-02-25T20:02:00.007-07:00

I used ideas for Jonathan's Lego birthday party off the internet, and it was a smashing success! Thought I'd share with you guys!

The invitations are made of postcard-sized card stock. Fold them in half. Cut 2-1.5" circles. Attach with foam adhesive pads. Gift bags are green bags from craft store with circles like invitations.

The table runner is spray-painted bubble wrap. The red plates hold a yellow napkin with Lego man faces and a card stock square at top. I bought the Lego cups at a party supply store ($1.25 ea.).

For an activity, we used a large cashe of Legos, and I bought a $5 flat sheet from Walmart. We used some masking tape to turn the sheet into a blueprint for a city. The boys spent an hour trying to build a building to join the self-created Lego city.

For the cake, I suggest using marshmallows for the block knobs or using a light colored cake for less crumb reveal. (For the record, the yellow cupcakes are gluten-free)

Here is a dip I called "Lego Mortar." For the recipe, follow the link to monster cookie dip

All led to one happy birthday boy! So blessed by the 7 years we've had Jonathan. Love him!

Family Pics 2011

2011-11-03T17:07:00.004-06:00

A HUGE thanks to my sister, Megan Brothers, for these new family pics. They turned out great!!!!!

Getting Ready for Easter

2011-04-23T21:24:00.000-06:00

Her daddy's in trouble!!!!!

Showers of Blessing

2011-01-11T21:31:00.001-07:00

I made this cake this week for a baby shower. Chocolate brown and pink cakes are so cute! Wishing McKenna and her momma a healthy delivery. Come play with us soon!

Light in the Darkness

2010-12-18T15:31:00.002-07:00

We had our tires slashed this week. This event intended for evil was a great challenge to our week. It forced me to rearrange my schedule Tuesday morning so Nathan could make the school run. I lost Tuesday afternoon when Nathan found out that it was actually two tires flat instead of one. I added more hours to my day on Wednesday when I had to deliver two tires to be fixed at the shop, and my husband and I had the afternoon ruined when we found out that they were flat due to vandalism. Thursday then got blown up when we had to spend half of it going in to get the tires they ordered for replacement and pay $400 for them (Merry Christmas, Discount Tire).

In the midst of it, though, didn't come the anger I anticipated. I was mildly frustrated that my schedule kept changing, but the thing that overwhelmingly stuck out this week was peace. Peace in the midst of violence, in the midst of chaos...peace in the storm.

I realized that this was a great opportunity to watch God's hand at work. So, I sat back and watched. I watched as the right people crossed the right path to open up opportunity to report it to the police (for it wasn't as "isolated" an incident as they let on earlier in the week). Then, out of nowhere, came provision. A neighbor, whom I had never met before, came out to talk to Nathan while he cleaned out cars this morning. She had heard of our plight and was so angered that she chose to spread light into the darkness. She wrote my husband, a perfect stranger of a neighbor, a check for $100 to aid in the replacement cost. When Nathan insisted that she need not, she told him that someone at Christmas time and children should not have to suffer at the hands of vandals.

It reminded me of two things. First, we NEVER know where God's blessings will come from next. Even when we think we have God figured out, we are reminded never to count Him out...never take our eyes off the sky waiting for Him to move in our situation or in our lives. Second, we NEVER know how much God can use us in a situation to shower blessing into someone else's dark circumstance.

Thank you to our neighbor, to this stranger who blessed us so. Thanks be to our Heavenly Father, who supplies for our every need in His perfect timing and brings light to the dark world we live in.

All in the Family

2010-10-23T16:15:00.005-06:00

Here are the best of the best. We had such a great shoot that it was hard to pare it down. Thanks to Jessica and Lil' Bits Photography out of Parker, CO for such amazing pictures! We did it all at once- Elliot's 6 months, Naomi's 4 yr, and an updated family picture. Enjoy them and a glimpse of a beautiful Colorado fall!

Naomi's Barnyard Birthday Cake

2010-10-22T12:48:00.002-06:00

I'd like to send a special thank you shout out to Betty Crocker for this great recipe. You can check it out on this website: Barn Cake with Cupcakes.

My Unexpected Blessing

2010-09-24T16:27:00.003-06:00

We had day one of our garage sale today. The kids love garage sale day. They set up a stand with donuts, water bottles, and lemonade for 50 cents. Jonathan is learning how to give correct change, and the big kids have to work together to pour out the lemonade. It is a fun way to earn a little extra money.

Well, after the day got on, Nathan had to leave me to tend to the garage sale and three kids on my own. The best way to cope was putting them all down to naptime. I was surviving the last thirty minutes of the sale, when this beautiful Hispanic woman and her three kids piled out of their minivan.

She was very pregnant and looking very tired. As we visited, she told me that she is seven months along and uncomfortable. The kids mingled through the "treasures" while we continued our conversation over the clothing piles. She told me that she has c-sections, so she has to stay in her maturnity clothes a long time. Being a mom of three kids, my heart just melted and went out to this sweet woman and the struggle ahead for her in bringing this fourth child into the world. Years of long days showed in the wrinkles of her face. I could tell even a few minutes of quiet over the clutter of my house gave her a little relief.

She was especially interested in the maternity clothes. After several minutes of visiting, mom-to-mom, she sheepishly asked me how much I was asking for the clothes. I told her to take every one she could find in her size...free of charge. I just could not bring myself to take any money and just hoped that they would give her a few extra miles and bring unexpected options for the long months ahead. I knew this had to be the first thing she had done all day for herself, and I was so blessed to play even a small part in it.

As she loaded her kids and drove away, tears welled in my eyes. I realized that, in the process of trying to be a small blessing to someone else, the real blessing of the day was in MY heart rather than hers. I tearfully tried to pull my sobbing self together, being "strong" for the other strangers driving by the dwindling minutes of my garage sale. The more I tried to pull it together, the more I felt like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally, over-emotional at the drop of a tissue. I am so grateful to pass along an unexpected blessing and was surprised to receive a huge unexpected blessing to my heart.

Praying a special blessing to the stranger who needed a little and gave a lot!

I Live For...Little Moments...Like That

2010-09-16T10:12:00.002-06:00

There are really too many little moments in life that I wish I could frame. I wish that I could take a snapshot and quilt them all together. Then I could relay the stories to friends, or I could snuggle up under the memories on the dark and cloudy days of a cold tomorrow. They are so fleeting, too quick to catch on camera. I fear that the picture would miss the essence that makes them so beloved. Instead, I will write them to share with you all. Sit down with a warm cup and enjoy!

Naomi this week has really taken to sharing the world around her with Elliot. As Jonathan goes to school, she relishes the time she does not have to share toys...and her little brother. Earlier this week, she was telling Elliot some of the things we do with our hands. She ended the time saying, "And, you take your hands like this (lifting his hands over his head), and this is how we praise the Lord, this is how we praise the Lord!" In sing-song fashion, she wrote a song on the spot, like we've done a hundred times before, all to teach Elliot how something simple like raising our hands glorifies God. *precious*

A few months ago, Nathan and I ran across some Bibles on sale at a store closing. We held onto them for a "special" occasion. Last night, our children's AWANA program started at church for the year. We sat down as a family after school and relayed stories of our day. I told the kids that we had to get ready for AWANA, and I had a surprise to mark the special occasion. I presented them with their Bibles, especially proud to give them their first edition of the actual Bible (not just the Bible story books they had until now). Jonathan reacted, saying, "OH MOM!!! It's so great! I just can't believe it! I love it so much! *pause* Thank you so much!" You would have thought it was treasured gold, food for the hungry, or water for a thirsty soul. The thing is this: the Scripture says it is all three. Nathan's highlight for the evening was driving the kids home after AWANA and listening to Jonathan learn how to read out loud by reading John 3:16. *precious*

You just cannot snap a picture of these precious moments. But, we write them on our hearts. We share them as our heritage and pass them along through the years. I live for little moments like that!

"My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word." Psalms 119:28 NIV

Every Journey Begins With a Single Step

2010-08-23T10:52:00.002-06:00

Jonathan's first day of school. :)

Pride In My Ride

2010-07-10T19:22:00.001-06:00

This one goes out to all my peeps who have pride in their ride! Probably my favorite viral video ever! Enjoy!

Building Blocks of Marriage

2010-07-08T22:24:00.001-06:00

Andrew Peterson's "Dancing in the Mine Fields"

I am loving this video that was released from one of my old favorite artists ahead of the release of his new album. I think it is all too unfortunate that, while we are surrounded by so much that seeks to destroy marriage in our society, there is such a lack of glimmers of material to build up and celebrate the success of the most rewarding job one takes on in life. So, I am celebrating an oasis amongst the desert. I hope that this brings hope and a little water to quench your thirst in a dry and weary land. I could not be more grateful for my best friend for life. I love you!

The Great Toy Takeover

2010-07-01T10:26:00.002-06:00

What are some of your favorite tips for finding the balance between having enough toys to play with and escaping the hoarding monster or the bedroom toy takeover?

Your $'s at Work....or Mom and Dad's

2010-06-07T14:23:00.006-06:00

Thought that I would post a picture here of my marketing degree at work (Mom, I didn't want you thinking that my college education was going to waste). Elliot's announcements, after much effort and learning of a new program, are finally finished. I am working on getting them printed and sent out this week. The design and pictures are both done by yours truly. Enjoy!

A Little Catch Up

2010-05-14T21:19:00.003-06:00

Here are a few pics of the new baby. Hope you enjoy. Sorry that it's taken so long, but, as the pictures suggest, we've been a little busy. :)

Cat's Out of the Bag

2010-05-14T20:57:00.003-06:00

Here is proof of my secret undercover year-long project. Enjoy.

Fun Alternatives

2010-01-26T09:53:00.003-07:00

There is a great website that is a great alternative to some of the kids games websites and has some shows on it that are great quality shows that teach science concepts, Bible stories, verses, and books, and sports tips, etc. in very Biblical ways. It is by the creators of Veggie Tales. Part of the website is free, and the rest is $4.99/mo. for the subscription. Try it out! (Thanks for the tip, Amanda!)

www.jellytelly.com

Free Days in Denver

2010-01-20T19:56:00.001-07:00

For all of you who are looking for a great deal, here is an entire list of the free days in Denver for the museums, botanic gardens, and the zoo in Denver. Enjoy!

As Promised, With a Bonus

2009-12-12T21:32:00.005-07:00

I made it just in time to count as today. The tree is up (with help from the kids), the shopping is almost done (with kids in tow), and the presents are wrapped (with help from the kids). I apologize that my computer is freaking out and not turning some of the pictures. Hope to fix it as soon as possible. Enjoy a little Christmas from mine to yours. The Bonus are a few pics of the kids in their program. Naomi is a sheep, and Jonathan is a camel-riding wise man. Merry Christmas!

Building Anticipation

2009-12-11T22:07:00.002-07:00

After a productive day of shopping, baking, wrapping, decorating, and movie-watching, I am lacking a little motivation. The kids did a great job wrapping our goodies and decorating the Christmas tree this year. Nathan says it looks like a department store tree (amazing for two toddlers). Check in tomorrow for pictures.

Deal of the Day

2009-12-08T21:52:00.005-07:00

Okay, so I found this online and can't help but pass it along. These nursing covers are incredible, but they can be costly. So, I found a code that really works to get a cover for free if you pay for the shipping ($8.95). You can't buy the material for that and make it yourself. If you can't use it for yourself, these make great gifts. The website is uddercovers.com (don't blame/ask me...it wasn't my idea for a brand name). At checkout, type in the code "christmas" and it will give you the discount. They are BBB accredited, so it is a legitimate business. If you get one, let me know which pattern you choose or is your favorite.

I love finding deals and love passing them on. Enjoy!

Happiness Is....

2009-11-17T07:18:00.003-07:00

A new pair of glasses and the first break my contacts get for three years...yeah! (Pictures to follow soon!)

"Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!" 1 Samuel 12:16

Naomi's 3rd Birthday Butterfly

2009-10-20T17:45:00.002-06:00

Fall Colors

2009-10-07T21:50:00.004-06:00

I know that some of these are a little blurry, but this is what the first of fall looked like for us! (Thanks to Nathan's phone for standing in until we got a real camera replacement) The pictures of Nathan and I with the kids are taken at the rock my grandparents took us to when we were little. They are all taken in Rocky Mountain National Park on our vacation. So fun to watch your kids visit the places of your youth.

Back to Life, Back to Reality

2009-09-26T15:51:00.005-06:00

As promised, I am making a comeback. Thanks to a HUGE blessing, we are back in the photography world (when my children are grown, they will be so happy). Here's a taste of what's to come...

My Poor, Neglected Blog

2009-08-22T17:02:00.001-06:00

I appologize for not blogging regularly. There are more updates soon to come. Our camera is still broken, so I've had to wait to get Nathan's computer fixed before we could download the pictures off of his cell phone to post. Coming soon...

Curtain Project #2 Finally Complete

2009-04-15T21:13:00.003-06:00

A Little Change

2009-04-12T20:46:00.011-06:00

I know I'm so far behind, but I'll start with the new paint colors in the house.

The new kitchen in green.

The dining room.

The living room with the new entertainment center BEFORE the new colors.

The after shot.

The dining room wall.

The brown replaced the red in the living room and entryway.

Showers of Blessing: Part 2

2008-12-27T18:02:00.006-07:00

We were so inspired by Jonathan's room that we had to do Naomi's, too! Here are a few of the updates.

Showers of Blessing....

2008-12-26T16:10:00.006-07:00

Just a few of the blessings we've picked up along the way this year. Thank you if you had a hand in them! Jonathan is elated!

All in the Family

2008-11-30T16:37:00.006-07:00

The Great Purge

2008-10-07T14:08:00.002-06:00

I am enjoying the feeling of utter exaustion from last week only because of the great accomplishment. We finally purged the house.

We have had a month of busyness with painting the house, selling the truck, wrecking the car, buying the Envoy, and the normal demands of life. However, it was finally time to use my new-found clarity and sanity reclaimation for the betterment of my home.

We purged the house of all the trash, all the unnecessary things in storage, and ALL of the things I had collected to "borrow" from friends and family. The result? After three-and-a-half years of living in my beautiful home, it looks decluttered and organized (DISCLAIMER: I didn't claim that the laundry was done or that I have found the secret in a bottle to an immaculate house with two toddlers...I just said organized).

With several days until trash day, we have to become creative with the trash of days to come. I have purged so much trash!!! But, it feels like a great weight was lifted just in time for company to arrive. It was well worth the five nights of late nights and week of long days to accomplish the seemingly out of reach goal of taking the house back from the mes

The Randomness Using the Space in My Head...

2008-09-18T10:35:00.002-06:00

1. Is it really true that Oregon removed solitare from all government computers because it was taking away too much time from the workday? Because I could totally believe it! That game, in any form, is addicting.

2. What did Billy Joel really refer to as the "New York State of Mind" (Jen...maybe you could help me out on this one)? Maybe this song speaks to my feeling out of rhythm lately.

3. Does it bother anyone else that nursery rhymes are REALLY dimmented. I mean, come on, jumping over open flames, massive head injuries for doing what was probably an everyday chore, being baked into pastries alive...need I go on? I am not about to go into finding politicallly correct nursery rhymes or anything like that. I just don't get it.

4. The whole connundrum of Dave Matthew's singing the song about wasting time. One, I don't know that he has much time to waste. Two, he is about the only person who has enough money to waste time doing nothing for the fun. Can you really have fun wasting something? (My children would say yes after the duct tape episode of the morning) It seems like the guilt of wasting something would negate any pleasure I consumed from it. And, is Dave Matthew's really doing nothing, or is he really taking notes and writing a new song. I imagine it is kind of like a stand-up comedian or a preacher...everything is an illustration.

Jonathan and Naomi's Song

2008-08-19T10:05:00.004-06:00

(as sung at the piano, Naomi playing the music as Jonathan writes out the song)

"The Lord has done great things for us,
We are filled to the top with JOY!!
We are so thankful.
This is my song, this is my song, this is my song.
I sing and jump, AMEN!"

Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound

2008-07-28T17:04:00.007-06:00

My children astound me! A few weeks ago, my kids went through a big music phase. They really enjoy music, but they were especially enamoured with it. My son, Jonathan, begged for days to make instruments.

Giving kids noisemakers is a tricky decision. It usually means they are shortly occupied, but it adds in that much more noise into an already loud existance. So, in the end, I have to say that Jonathan's persistance won out. And the gamble to give into the desires of a three year old paid off.

I finally got the opportunity to make instruments at my parents' house. Instead of the typical drums, he had his heart set on a guitar. Here is where the snowball started. My brain starts thinking, "How can I achieve this goal quickly." So, I started bringing boxes and rubber bands together. My mother chimed in, "I could just buy him a guitar (which, I thought to myself, would be the EASIEST solution)." I reminded her that she, too, would have made one if I begged and pleaded at three to have a guitar.

My father, being of a kindred spirit with MacGuiver, could not help but get the gears in his brain turning on the sturdiest version of a guitar. He quickly added in his ideas of how to construct a homemade guitar (which definately included an industrial-grade staple gun). So, as he went to working his magic, my beloved husband HAD to add a few suggestions of his own on how to bridge my ideas with my father's (you know, translating "wifespeak" into "manspeak").

In the end, all the ideas wielded a fabulous guitar (thanks to my mother's discarded boxes, saved rubber bands, Mary Kay shipping ties, and some good old fashioned duct tape). Jonathan played with his new guitar for hours. He slept with it. He woke up with it and snuggled it until it was time for church. Jonathan insisted that he wear his cowboy boots and hat (which we had to dig up) and take his guitar to church.

This brought the "dressing ourselves at three" argueement to new heights. I finally conceeded some ground and let him have his way. What came next was the entertaining part of the story.

Jonathan always loves singing in church. But an instrument, now that was really worshiping in style! He sang and strummed at the top of his little lungs for the whole service. By the end, the associate pastor was rolling on the ground watching Jonathan perform for his audience of one and enjoying singing to the Lord.

It made such an impact that Jonathan the worship band invited Jonathan to play in their gig that evening for the service in the park. He would not sleep or be deterred...he was playing with the band asap. Instead of spending his evening with his friends playing on the train slide, Jonathan hung out with the band doing sound check, eating with them, and playing all ten songs in their set. For 45 minutes, my son who has a five minute attention span sang into the mic set up for him and strummed along to every note, glorifying God.

"Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day." I Chronicles 16:9,23

Surviving a World Bigger Than Myself

2008-07-21T14:31:00.003-06:00

So, I realize that a month without a new post makes us all feel out of touch. I actually checked my blog on Saturday and thought, "Wow! NY pictures are my last post?" It seems like I've lived a lifetime since that visit.

It seems that I've gotten busy going about keeping up with others in my life. My husband's schedule would put some celebrities to shame. My kids are very busy. I'm by nature a very busy person. But, as many around me remind me regularly, I've gotten a little bad about taking time for myself.

That led me to two very distinct realizations:
1. They are right. I need to take a little more time for myself.
2. There really is a short period of time we have on this earth. I would rather be a bit fatigued for thirty years and felt like my time here was spent glorifying God at every turn and investing in other people who will leave a legacy far more reaching than my own, than to look back on life and realize that I did nothing that was meaningful or that will last for eternity.

So, all that being said, I think that I will go take a nap and leave the housework for another time (I can't tell if this is more to satisfy more me time or to feed my need for procrastination. Take a minute to talk amongst yourselves! :))

Only the Beginning, but Just as I Promised

2008-06-17T22:17:00.005-06:00

Listening For Crickets in the City

2008-06-01T21:01:00.004-06:00

So, after a few days in the Big Apple, I have so many grand stories of subway escapades and near misses of losing my son in New York standing next to my husband. Two toddlers from Middle America meeting the big city is a little exercise in letting go. We have so many fun adventures every day that it is almost impossible to overcome anticipation to reach sleep. I'll start with my favorite moment so far.

You see, I almost missed it. It was so easy to pass right by that moment without a moments notice. The passing cars and taxi cabs roared, horns beeping, ambient people chatter added to the noise. I was lost in conversation with a long displaced sister. However, the sweet voice momentarily peaked at just the right time, and I listened to a few minutes that brought a fresh country breeze to my spirit overridden with city air. I heard Jonathan singing.

Now, you must realize this is nothing new. My children live a musical-style life that randomly breaks into song just as the plot turns. My sister added that all transitions in the life of small children must be accompanied by a ritualized song to ease the tension. However, Jonathan started into a short verse of Jesus Loves Me, followed shortly by the chorus of I've Got the Joy...Down in My Heart. I heard the small voice of my son praising Jesus in the midst of the relative chaos around him.

It was such a precious thing to hear him call out to God when he truly believed that no one was listening. It was like a private conversation with a close friend just to check in and say, "I love you...and I'm missing you. Just thought you should know. I'll check in and catch up later." I wonder what that would look like in text messaging if Jonathan could send his shout-out that way.

It reminded me of a sermon illustration I heard recently (I wish I knew the source, so if you do know forward it along so I can give credit where credit's due). A Native American visited a friend in New York. As he walked the streets, he was surprised to find a familiar sound that seemed out of place. The Native American's friend hurriedly tried to follow his friend for blocks hunting the noise. Finally, he reached down to move a plant covering a cricket. "How did you find the cricket over all of this noise?" the friend asked. "Easy. It all depends on what you are listening for." To prove his point, the Native American reached in his pocket for a few small coins and released them from his hand. When they hit the pavement, everyone walking on the block stopped and turned to see where the money fell to the ground.

It reminded me that I should handle with care what I am listening for. If I am not careful, I may miss the sounds of my children's childhood that is really important.

"The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." John 10:2-5

What a Mighty God We Serve....the rest of the story

2008-04-05T11:59:00.003-06:00

In one of my gleanings last year, I blogged about the wonderful things God was doing in our lives as we sought His will for our financial situation. I wanted to follow-up with that and say that God did it again. We are officially debt-free outside of our house payment. And not only are we debt-free, but also God did it in 14 months (four months earlier than we projected). April 4 was our independence day. Yahoo!

"The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none." Deuteronomy 28:12

Technology at its Finest

2008-04-03T16:29:00.004-06:00

The real meaning of my blog is to prove that if I can mother two toddlers, anyone can. Here is a case in point:

Yesterday was a very unusually slow day. We had nothing planned, nowhere to go, and the kids were their usual selves. However, it was unusually quiet...you know, fewer phone calls than normal, very quiet with visitors, etc. I somehow missed Nathan's call that he was coming home for lunch...again, that was unusual, too. But, it was almost 5 p.m. before I realized the source of the strangeness.

You see, my parents blessed us with a wonderful gift at Christmastime of a new phone. We were in DESPERATE need of one (ours had this aweful buzz on it constantly). In fact, it was over and above what we needed to meet every need we had...built-in answering machine, four handsets (one for every level of the house AND the garage), great caller-id...I mean, the works.

So, after missing a call that should have forwarded from my cell phone to the house, my concern grew. I glanced at the handset on the charger in the kitchen looking for answers, only to find that one of the handsets was "in use." My thoughts went, "Hmm...that's funny, being as that I am on my cell phone. I wonder which one it is?!?" I quickly ended my conversation to start the great hunt. I found three of the four handsets with the sinking realization that one of my blessed children had turned on handset #2 (yes, they are numbered) and hid it somewhere in the house.

I remembered something about Naomi playing with one in the basement, you know, the office (the one that is REALLY not clean). I started the hunt there to no avail. For two hours, I searched high and low, refrigerator and freezer, only to come up empty-handed. As bedtime fast approached, I feared the worst. Just when I gave up all hope, Jonathan tried jumping off the furniture right into my tirade of punishment, when, to our surprise, the jump loosed the functioning handset and brought it out of hiding.

Needless to say, Jonathan received no punishment, the phone was on for 8 hours 50 minutes and 5 seconds, and turning it off revealed a still-full battery. Praise God for serendipitous moments that only He can arrange, the sense of humor to laugh it off, and a cell phone to check messages in the meantime!!!

A Day in the Life.....

2008-03-26T14:48:00.003-06:00

The Little Bit...and Then Some

2008-03-19T13:48:00.002-06:00

So, like any mother of two toddlers, I feel completely overwhelmed and frazzled most days. I struggle to keep up with daily chores. I agonize over getting organized. The list is long and distinguished. Some days, it feels so consuming that it takes a small pep talk to get going in the morning.

That is....that is how life was last week. And as many weeks as I can remember before that. I finally broke the cycle and am proud to say the grass IS greener on the other side.

Some may ask, "So what made the change? What caused such a big difference?" My answer is the little bit and then some philosophy. I'm sure that I've heard this principle before, but I finally got it last week. You see, I got tired of wallowing in the things that weren't getting done, so I did what I could to change it. Instead of getting frustrated that the dishes weren't getting done without a dishwasher and the house hadn't been cleaned in two weeks, I asked for a little help and paid someone to come watch the kids.

A paradigm shift occurred by putting a little skin in the game, and it felt GREAT. But then, I was awake that night worried about the mere days it might take to have it all crumble again. My paradigm philosophy answered back to my fear by quickly interjecting that it simply didn't have to continue that way. All I had to do was focus my worry time and a few minutes a day (the here and there moments that present themselves when the dishwasher delivery man is twenty minutes late, when the kids sleep an extra 15 minutes, when I can raise myself out of bed thirty minutes early and avoid the pity party, etc.) and apply it to MAINTAINING a small sense of order on the important things.

It was a miracle in the making. My house is clean one week later. The kids are happy. My husband is happy (he finds me glad he's home, not happy that it is HIS turn with the kids). So, I now find myself with a little more time that is not dedicated to reinventing the wheel design for my life. Instead, I choose to dedicate the extra time saved to doing the "and then some" of life. You know, picking one drawer a day to reorganize or one drawer of clothes to reclaim in the kids' rooms. I've given myself permission to not declare victory over the house in a day, but I've committed to not losing the ground I win.

I'll keep you posted!

"With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith." 2 Thessalonians 1:11

I thought I raised them better....

2008-03-04T11:48:00.003-07:00

I believe that Wal-Mart is a necessary evil to a fallen world. In fact, the word loathe only begins to describe the anamocity I feel toward the retailer who does today what they try to do everyday ("...take over the world!" for those of you deprived of an Animaniacs education). So, I had to muster up all the strength I had within me to try to take on the void of Wal-Mart with TWO toddlers in tow and NO reinforcements, only to discover what I always discover....they don't have what I came to buy. In fact, the conversation went just like this:

Me: (dragging my toddlers with hands touching EVERYTHING in sight) Please stay clear of the two stockers in the aisle, guys. There isn't much room for us to squeeze by.
Stocker: (oblivious to the world around her, not only doesn't move, but also refuses to make eye contact in the event I actually have a question)
Me: Excuse me, but I can't seem to find what I came here to buy. I am looking for some toilet targets to help with my potty-training toddler. Where could I find them?
Stocker: (obviously does not have kids, because there was no angst, remorse, or pity in her eyes that I am AGAIN trying to potty train my son. eyes roll across her face to take her attention off of her ever important work) We do not carry those. (quickly, she turns back to the pressing work in front of her of stacking the 100th package of diapers into the rack)
Me: Okay, guys. They don't have the only thing that we drove thirty minutes to buy. Maybe we can find some stickers to bribe you with. Follow me, please. (using every form of personal restraint I have not to go off on this emotionally-void woman. it really wasn't her fault that the largest retailer in the WORLD NEVER carries what I need!!!!!!)
Checker: (as we walk up to the register with severely over-price stickers) Did you find everything you were looking for?
Me: (trying unsuccessfully to keep all octopus limbs in the cart) No, actually I didn't.
Checker: (shocked by an actual answer)Oh...well...um...your total will be $8.15.
Me: For stickers?
Checker: Yes, ma'am. (hoping that I would just pay and leave already) Thank you and have a great day.
Me: Thanks, but it would be a better day if I had toilet targets. (muttering under my breath as I hearded my two toddlers toward the parking lot)

So, imagine my disdane when my son (bless his little heart) states on the way out, "Mommy...that's Waw-Mart. I wuv Waw-Mart, Mommy. I just wuv it." There was no time to waste in informing him of the blood-sucking nature of Wal-Mart. There was no reasoning to him that Wal-Mart might actually look similar to hell...long aisles of crap that you don't need at prices that are slightly cut to make them look like a deal, but is still $8.15 that would make more money at 12% interest in an IRA. He simply has bought into the incredible marketing scheme of falling prices and coming out most times with the next toy that will bring his life meaning and happiness. I really thought that I raised my children better. I suppose there is still time.

"The thief has come to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come to give them life..." John 10:10

Next Up....Turning Three!

2008-03-03T13:44:00.006-07:00

This is the cake I made for Jonathan's birthday. The directions said 2 hours to decorate, but it was definately three for me. I got the idea off of a fun website (I'll have to find it and post it later). Jonathan got to have three of his friends over, and then one of Naomi's best friends came over with her brother. We had train cake and plates, train whistles, conductor hats, and kalidescopes. A little organized chaos, but Jonathan still talks about it. Later that day, he got to help me frost his cupcakes to take to Bible study for the kids at group. I'm very glad birthdays only come once a year and that the kids spread their's out well.

What my life looks like...

2008-02-13T10:35:00.006-07:00

you should zoom in on this and see how much fun they had in the mud

The kids in their matching Puggles shirts (after Sun night church)

The kids Christmas present after Nathan and I put it together.

Jonathan and his friend Tanner at their first movie "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything"

Meme

2008-02-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

So, I got tagged with this so long ago, but I am only now getting around to posting six quirky things about me. One of the most notable reasons for the delay is that...well...there are so many strange nuances to me that it is nearly impossible to limit them. Here is my feeble attempt.
1. I am HORRIBLE about getting pictures of my kids developed. I have several on my camera currently that I continually lack time to download to the computer. So, I am that terrible mother who has no pictures of her children hanging in the house.
2. I like to read books as quickly as possible. I think that books view this as a survival mechanism in their existence in our house. I just completed an adult book (you know the kind with 300 pages) in two days, because I knew I'd never get the chance again. If it takes longer than a week, I might as well not bother.
3. I hate Valentine's Day. I really do not observe it as a national holiday. I think that it is ridiculous to force the people in our lives to pretend like they like us any more than usual for twenty-four hours. Come on....you could buy someone roses every month for a year for what they price-gouge you for in the store on February 14th. My husband needs no reminder from Congress that he loves me and he should remind me of that as often as possible. That is some fabulous marketing. The list of unreal holidays is long and distinguished.
4. I am fascinated by people. Probably to a fault. If I had my chance, I would shrink myself and crawl around in people's brains to figure out how they work and what makes them tick. This leads to my insatiable desire to understand why people are the way they are. It is also probably why I have a new best friend every 23 days.
5. I think that I am way too busy to ever accomplish the things in life that I think would be truly fun. I would love to learn how to play the violin. I would love to learn how to really play the guitar rather than fiddle with one. I think it would be neat to own a flower shop. I would like to be able to decorate really elaborate cakes. I want to converse comfortably in another language. And, I want to travel all around the world...on a regular basis. If only there were time for all that and more!
6. I don't like candy. Don't get me wrong, I believe that dessert and sugar are a very important part of my diet, but I don't like hard candy. This includes, but is not limited to, skittles, hard candy, suckers, pixie sticks, jolly ranchers, jaw breakers, those horrific disk things, candy hearts (with exception to the sweet tart ones), and pretty much anything else lacking in caramel or chocolate. This may seem like a double standard, but why waste the time on candy when you have cake, ice cream, cookies, pastries, and many other tasty desserts that are much more worthy of the calorie intake.

While that list is not nearly exhaustive, it is a start. I will remind Matthew that he is behind the times on his tag. I will let you all know that Nathan really won't get a blog anytime soon. If any of you wishes to comment and add to the list, by all means you are entitled.

Finding My Pretend Voice

2008-01-22T11:14:00.001-07:00

So, I just want to apologize for the length of time it took me to feel at peace writing again. I think there were a few things mulling over in my head that got in the way. I even signed on a few times, but I lacked the words to write.

Over the past several weeks, I have been greatly changed by my children. I feel like I've grown up a little as they raise me. They continually teach me the trite lessons of what growing up looks like, what is really important, and how precious life really is.

It was over a month ago now that a puzzling situation came upon me. The first time it happened was in the car, and I didn't realize the weight of the situation at the time. But then, a day or two later, Jonathan was playing by himself during a quiet few minutes of his sister's nap, and it happened again. As I was hurriedly trying to complete A task for the day, I faintly heard Jonathan use a pretend voice. He has been venturing on strolls through make-believe, but this was a huge milestone of finding a creating a place known only to him; creating an environment of safety and adventure.

As a parent, I didn't know what to do. I was paralyzed to even mention that I heard a different sound from his mouth. I didn't want to take this treasure from his hands. And, at that moment, I remembered in my own life how important it is to blaze new trails in search of adventure and mystery. I remembered how I longed to create my own voice in a world of noise and confusion. I believe that it is that longing to create an intimate place shared only with the beloved friends we treasure in our hearts that births the desire to really have our hearts be known by the Creator and those around us as we grow older.

I have really admired my children over the past few months for all of the discovery and all the ways God continues to use them even now (I hope to share some of those precious memories soon). My heart is so pleased that they try to create their own world and break out to experience the adventure ahead.

My beloved spoke, and said to me:

“ Rise up, my love, my fair one,
And come away.
For lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of singing has come,
And the voice of the turtledove
Is heard in our land." Song of Solomon 2:10-12

Of course, the stove breaks....

2007-12-14T10:10:00.000-07:00

when you need to have three dozen cookies by Saturday afternoon and you find out about it at 9:50 p.m. I can't tell what is funnier: trying to fix the oven by directions over the phone or attempting to cook biscuits at 450 degrees in a toaster oven (I'll say it kind of works, but not very successfully and I wouldn't do it on a regular basis....we'll put it in the same boat at a blow-torch broiler). Who knew that you could have an electric gas stove (no, I'm not pulling one on you or being a girl that doesn't know what she's talking about). Evidently, we have no regular pilot light. We have a pilot light that comes from an electrical charge. Yeah, I don't really understand why, either. All I have to say is that I've always hated that stupid oven. Oh well, God's blessing seems to come even at times that surprise us. Someone out here in po-dunk nowhereville actually has the part and will tell Nathan how to fix it himself to save money. How gracious God is to us (even when we complain about the things He blesses). It is almost enough to make me want to like that stupid oven.

Please, Please Pray

2007-12-07T13:51:00.001-07:00

Please pray for my friend who just had her baby. He does have spina bifida. There are a huge number of blessings and a lot of challanges ahead. Baby Titus was almost 8 lbs. and over 19" long. His back was completely closed (which is a miracle, being as the doctors said as late as last week that it wasn't). He goes in for surgery today. They have had many up and down updates. Please pray for all involved and that God will be glorified by the progress that is made.

Know-It-All Children

2007-12-03T13:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Mom,

I am dreadfully sorry for all of the times that I insisted that my knowledge surpassed that of your aged wisdom. I realize now how young and stupid I really was. I think that I always expected this day to arrive, however I hoped to make it at least to my son's third birthday before reaching the monumental cairn of life called "Mom is now stupid and knows how to do nothing in this world."

Today, my beautiful son realized that, at the ripe age of three, he KNEW how to get something open that my frail, female, 26 year old brain just would not be able to figure out. It is beyond the streets of shivelry, past the point of politeness, and reached a turn down the overlook to outrageous and demeaning. For goodness sake, I am the one who is still trying to convince his little brain that pottying in the pot is a good idea, and now HE is telling ME how the world works. It just is not reasonable.

However, in the haze of the madness of the situation, it occured to me that it was not that long ago that I recall pulling the same prank on you. How often the pain and frustration of life might have passed me by had I only listened and heeded your advice....especially on the mundane, "Don't touch that; it's hot" warning. If only I really heard the urgency of your heed to stop what I was doing BEFORE someone poked an eye out. Had I only translated that tone in your voice properly before exiting the house after the exasperated, "Are you really wearing THAT outfit tonight?" Oh, the wisdom you gave and I left it on the doorstep like yesterday's newspaper.

So, I truly am sorry for not listening to your advice. I realize that you really DID know what you were talking about, that your years of learning the hard way gave you some really great tips, and I did store them away in the back of my mind. I plan to spend some good time unpacking those boxes and organizing them into useful ways to practice what you preached.

With Love,
Your Favorite Daughter

Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 12:28

Of Mice and Men

2007-12-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update. It has been over two weeks now since the last trailings of a mouse in my house. I believe that is what they mean by "winning the war on terror." (okay...probably not the original intent of the phrase, but believe me, it has never felt more true!) Included on this post is a link for all of my friends who wish to never suffer again at the expense of unwelcome rodents. We may never know what the mystery animal in my house was, but ding, dong the rodent's dead! (or, at least, not taking up residence in our house)

The Last Rodent Repeller You'll Ever Need!

The Cake Project

2007-11-16T13:19:00.001-07:00

This is the cake I made for Meg's wedding shower. It was a fun first cake decorating project. I hope it tastes yummy!

A Small Victory

2007-11-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

A quick update on the mousecapades. Plug in happened Monday mid-day in the house for the miracle machine to fend off the evil mice in my house. Tuesday morning we woke up to evidence that a mouse feasted off of our dirty dishes during the night (which my husband graciously cleaned up before the kids or I knew the difference). And today....today came the winds of sweet victory. One of the longer mice that I've ever seen met his end last night at the suspected point-of-entry to the basement. We now know that they have been coming in from the garage. I hope they smell doom in the air and rest tonight knowing that it very well could be their last. One by one, we are going after them like a hawk circling a field! Victory will be ours!

The War Begins

2007-11-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let you all know that the machine to rid my house of rodents arrived in the mail this weekend. The war officially begins today. Nathan and I will spend some time over the next few days deep cleaning the basement and plugging the noise-maker (only to rodents, of course) in order to drive out the pests in my basement (I can say that now because Meg moved out this weekend, and she was no pest). I will keep you updated on our progress, but just rest assured tonight that we are taking the upper hand! We will be victorious!

A Few New Pics

2007-11-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

Another Prayer Request

2007-11-06T22:09:00.000-07:00

I have another friend (very close to the aforementioned girl of my last prayer request) who was having complications with her pregnancy (breach and trying to have a VBAC). She just went in and found out that her baby boy has spina bifida. They are running several tests this week to see how severe the genetic makeup of her son is, but they have told her that the BEST case scenario is that he will never walk or have much control of function in his lower extremities. Please add her and her family to your prayer list.

What Lies Beneath........Worse than Forcasted

2007-11-06T11:27:00.001-07:00

So, I have received a few concerned comments about the previously mentioned rodent problem. I am now here to set your mind at ease and assure you that it truly is worse than we first thought. Let me explain....

You see, I mentioned before that this is not a new problem in our house. We have expelled enough mice in the last four months or so that I simply lost count of the unwelcome invaders. I am determined that this is far beyond living near an empty field. This is far beyond a small nuisance that requires a walk to the hardware store two blocks from home to invest five dollars in some traps. This is war!

Thursday afternoon was my breaking point. I resolved to cleanse my living room area of all evidence of the mice. Nathan helped me remove all furniture from the living room and witnessed the fact that the mice crossed the wrong girl this time. There were droppings all over the carpet underneath our furniture. I can't tell you how many toys I threw away or cleaned due to the mass contamination. It was, in essence, worse than we thought.

As if that were not enough, while we were away for the weekend, Megan was forced out of the house after coming home to two dead mice in traps downstairs and being greeted by a third trying to take in the movie she was watching upstairs (I would have reached my limit, too, and slept somewhere else). Needless to say, Megan and her fiancee removed five dead mice from the traps this weekend.

The glimmer of hope comes from this: we have not found any more mice this week and, after careful and detailed exploration of the basement, we have not found any nests. But, in fair carnal truth, war is war and the damage has already been done. I've invested $70 in field artillery. The frequency pest controller is in the mail. My girlfriend (who once had a serious mouse problem herself in the neighborhood) swears by this machine for ridding your house of peace burglers and keeping out any unwanted future house guests. I am taking back the night and taking back the control and security in my life! I don't need a cat to come make my house worse. I need technology! (Okay, so I know it's getting a little deep now, and I apologize Mom for giving you hard times about mice growing up, but this is serious stuff).

I'll keep you posted on the results.

"'I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild beasts so that they may live in the desert and sleep in the forests in safety.'" Ezekiel 34:25

A Prayer Request

2007-10-26T22:34:00.000-06:00

Please pray for some dear friends of ours. A couple we know moved away recently to travel with the husband's job. She lost her baby last week (I think she was around 28ish weeks along) due to some severe complications with pre-eclampsia. We almost lost our friend, as well, and her health is still a major concern. We attended the funeral today for their beloved baby. Please pray for them as they go back to a lifestyle very far from home, friends, support, and from parenthood.

The Creature Living in MY House

2007-10-25T12:19:00.000-06:00

There is an unidentified creature taking residence in my home. He does NOT pay rent. He is not welcome. I cannot for sure even tell you what kind of parasitic monster it is (okay...so I know that might not be a word, but this is serious business!!!). I am not the only one to register a Smith-Ness monster sighting (wouldn't that make it Smyth-Ness given the nationality?), so don't even try to tell me that I am making this up! It is real. It is a problem.

It all started a few months ago. We have had a small mouse problem we've been attending to in our basement. Megan knew she'd have a bit cheaper rent, but I know she hasn't enjoyed the roommates down there. Anyhow, a few weeks ago now, Meg's Saturday morning sleep-in session was rudely interrupted by a four-legged creature that had an unfortunate meeting with the mouse trap. After a forty-five (yes, that's 45) minute altercation with the trap, Meg finally gave up on sleep, only to find that the "mouse" and trap both disappeared. Several of us have hunted both since, simply to come up scratching our heads at the fate of both.

Fast forward to last week. Nathan and I quickly tried to prepare the house for Naomi's first birthday party (which ended up really being an entire weekend of Ode to Naomi festivities....pictures to follow soon). In all our efforts, we stumbled upon a neatly crafted mouse nest (I'll spare the details of where...you just don't want to know). That small issue was taken care of.

BUT, THE REAL POINT OF THE STORY happened last night. Nathan and I returned home after a day of Nathan being sick and a late night meeting to a little couch potato action watching unfortunate events culminate into a Rockies loss, only to watch a full our assault on the house. Meg and I watched this CREATURE (definition: smaller than a bread box, bigger than a mouse, similar in size to a chipmunk, brown on top and white on bottom, the rest of the features blurred by its speed) shoot across the room from under the rocking chair to disappear into the toy corner (you know, the one where my two toddler children play with all of their toys, inserting some of them at will into their mouths....yucky eeww!).

Needless to say, I do not believe all of these mishaps to be accidental or unrelated. So, please pray for us that we can catch this sucker that is totally not invited to live here and that we can clean the house before my children contract Ricin (that's right, the incurable disease carried by small animals of the rodent variety). We are in the midst of running "Operation: Small foot" in order to rid our house of all unwanted living organisms (well, and some wanted as Megan chose to start moving out on her own...we love you and realize that it is good for you to get your own place, so you and Dustin have a place in a few weeks. But, we will miss you!). Until then, I will let you in on the details of the extermination.

Matthew 10:28, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

The Dreaded Dr.

2007-10-13T22:28:00.000-06:00

Dear Mom,

I'd like to take a minute to apologize for all of the time and money that was WASTED at the doctor's office. We all know that no one gets in and out quickly of the black hole occupying the doctor's office. And, for some unresearched reason, there are healing properties that children experience by simply walking through the door (someone should investigate that more).

On my last wasted trip, I got the same remark...."You are doing a fine job as a mother, but there is simply nothing trivially wrong with your child" like it was an inconvenience to take my $30 co-pay (and don't even get me started on my health insurance rant....what a racket!). Maybe there should be a place to sight that as a reason of neglect to social services.

So, again, I apologize for all of the times that we cried and whinned that we were truly sick.....and not. I am sorry that you spent years of your life that you can never have back waiting for incompetent nurses and rude doctors to tell you what we should have....that you are a great mother with mildly sick children. I really regret that you wasted all of that money that should have gone into an investment account to make us both weathier. Thank you for carrying good health insurance and getting to the bottom of wierd rashes and mild fevers and wierd phantom stomach pains. You really are a good mom.

With Love,
Your Favorite (and Apologetic) Daughter

It Goes Too Fast!

2007-10-08T12:00:00.000-06:00

I heard the cliche. People always tell me to enjoy things- my life, my kids, etc.- because it all goes too fast. I believed people when they gave me the advice. I even took it to heart and tried to take deep breaths while enjoying the scenery. The tragedy of it all is that, even when you stop to take in the little moments along the way, it still goes way too fast! So then, I am left with the stress that everyone tells you it goes too fast, the responsibility of trying to take in as much as I can, and the defeat that the time I try to preserve will never be enough. That is a lot of weight.

The real truth behind the mayhem is this: I have great kids and I have a great life. Every single day is a joy. And I've come to know that if I spend too much time trying to preserve what already happened I am doomed to miss the wonderment right in front of me. I froze when I heard the lyrics to Kenny Chesney's new song Don't Blink,

"Don't blink
Just like that you're six years old and you're taking naps and you
Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don't blink
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your better half
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you're praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think
So don't blink."

But then, I realized a few things. One, I am blessed to have so many memories and great events to treasure and look back on. By savoring those moments I have warm thoughts to keep on cold days. Two, there are many fun memories to come. By looking forward to them I have reason to get out of bed every morning. And three, I can only hold on to so much. I have an entire eternity of memories to hold on to. Every day will be special in its own way.

So, as I look on to what the rest of this month holds, I realize that my baby is about to have her first birthday. I only hope that the next year is filled for fun moments she wants to hold onto and remember. There is so much ahead for my little ones. I can't wait to hold their hands through it and enjoy the memories with them.

"Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, 'The LORD has done great things for them.'The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." Psalm 126:2,3

You Know You Have Kids When....

2007-09-19T13:08:00.000-06:00

you'd rather eat your lunch cold than to risk the microwave bringing an unfortunately early end to naptime.

Here's to 120some days of madness....

2007-09-07T10:45:00.000-06:00

Hi ho, hi ho...
Some serious planning we go
A picture on my blog I show
of Dustin and Meg
as the date they peg
Hi ho, hi ho, hi ho, hi ho.

Congrats to my sister and brother-in-law-to-be!

(You can see the ring and details at her blog Meg's Blog)

Visions of Sugarplums....

2007-08-27T11:12:00.001-06:00

These are a few of the scenes I see at night in my dreams...

This is one of the houses we built in Juarez over the summer (it's the size of a shed).

Megan with just a few of the kids we got to work with while we were in Juarez

A bunch of our kids in Juarez dedicating the house

Nathan & Naomi at the Cheyenne Mtn. Zoo

Jonathan at the Fair

All of us at the water park

"I hear babies cry..."

2007-08-23T14:17:00.000-06:00

I have to say that I think that the person who wrote What a Wonderful World did NOT have children of their own!!!!

(Note: I am still grateful to listen to crying countless moments of the day and still think that it IS a wonderful world.)

"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—" 1 Corinthians 15:51

You Know You Have Kids When....

2007-08-14T14:24:00.000-06:00

I fully intend on posting some new pics.....just as soon as we fish the cord that connects the camera to the computer out of the dog's old water jug that the kids were playing with. Honestly, I don't know how it got there, but I imagine that it had to do with something after Jonathan was playing lasso the dog with it.

The Meaning of Life

2007-08-08T10:57:00.000-06:00

I feel like there is a void on my blog of what the last several weeks have meant to me. I think that it is kind of like when you go off to college your first year and then come back for the summer. You feel like you have changed so much and others have, too, and it is just so hard to find a jumping off point to explain what is so different.

So, I'll try to be brief AND complete (that might be hard). Nathan and I (and a handful of other adults) took our youth group and young adult group to Juarez, Mexico on a week-long mission trip to build two houses (really glorified shacks that are wired with electricity if the families wish to hook it up) and put on a few Vacation Bible Schools for the local kids. Impoverished does not quite explain the standard of living, especially in the areas outside the city where we worked (we stayed more "in town" in a church). It was such a blessing to touch families and bless them with what to us would be little. The biggest lessons I learned were that God doesn't need a schedule to work, but He uses us when we are prepared and waiting to join Him where He is working and that God's faithfulness really sets His believers apart when they show that to a world that really lacks in integrity and faithfulness.

We turned around from doing that to a week of preparation for our church's VBS. I was put in charge of that this year and helped train some people to continue that work in the future. We had over 100 different kids (many of whom do not regularly attend a "church function") come through our doors over three days. The theme was "Everyday Superhero." Nathan dressed up like a superhero (tights and all) who did not have any super power. The kids all got to learn about the superheros in the Bible, real-life heroes of the faith, and most importantly how they can have a superhero everyday when they ask Jesus into their heart. It was powerful to watch workers come together and plant seed of knowledge into these kids that will impact them for years to come.

Then, God gave us a week of rest. Nathan took a whole week off work, and we vacationed from home. The kids got to go to the zoo, the county fair, Broncos Training Camp, spent a night and Grandma and Papa Rick's house, go to an outdoor pool, and rest in the in-between parts. It was a nice balance of going, doing, being, and resting. God was sure faithful to fill our cups again after we had been obedient to serve Him.

And so now, what have I learned? I spent some time in Ecclesiates this summer and realized how important it is to enjoy the different seasons of life, the little moments along the way, and the memories that fill the walls of my home and the annuls of my heart. There are so many opportunities that pop up, and I've learned to be more spontanious and intentional about listening for opportunities to play and serve. I've learned to be a little more organized and prepared so that I am ready at a moment's notice.

I prepared my fall schedule to be open and flexible by cutting out most of the fluff. So, it shouldn't surprise anyone that God ordained that my time be filled with something else. I will be the JV volleyball coach assisting Matthew at Kiowa this year (barring any other strange political move). Camp started this week, two-a-days start next week. It wasn't quite the new "season" of life I anticipated, but I can't wait to see what God has in store for it!

"...But we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly."
Romans 5:3-6

Happiness Is.....

2007-07-30T14:56:00.000-06:00

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

There are many things to catch up on blogging. But, I thought in the few precious minutes I had, that I would take a moment to reminisce about how you have been on my mind.

Last Friday, Nathan and I went on a lovely stroll at the Limon Municipal Golf Course (or at least that is their claim). I have to say that the weather was nice. I am realizing that I am a terrible golfer, but I do enjoy the time outside. Thank you again for the clubs. I made sure to use every club in the bag. I wish that had helped my game. It is a sad state of affairs when your pitching wedge is your club of choice for the day. :)

Today, we took the kids to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The kids had a ball. They have a small area within the zoo that kids can pet chickens and goats. It reminded me of the pictures we have of us kids at the zoo with you guys. Jonathan's favorite part was the area that they allow people to feed the giraffes. I thought there was no better way to end the day than to stop by Baskin Robbins (after all, what else would Grandma do?). I made sure that the kids knew that this is something that their Great-Grandparents loved to do, too.

Jonathan would not take his nap this afternoon, so we will have to make a stop by the county fair tomorrow (the fair and rodeo are actually called "Cowboy Up" if you believe that!). He has been begging to go see the sheep, the pigs, the horses, and the cows. He loves the farm (he must have a little Jones in him yet). Hopefully, we will spend some time there this week while Nathan is taking some vacation time. We love you guys and miss you lots. Until we see you soon, we will have sweet dreams and fun thoughts of you and all the memories we treasure in our hearts of you(I can almost smell the chicken-fried steak, cheese beans and potatoes and see the Happiness Is book if I close my eyes)!

With Love, Your Favorite Granddaughter and her crew

"I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete." 2 John 1:12

The New Clean

2007-07-04T09:37:00.000-06:00

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him." 1 Peter 3:18-22

The Bright Spots

2007-06-19T11:34:00.001-06:00

It seems as though life is like a grain harvest. Now, at the risk of sounding a little Forrest Gump here, I realize that this sounds like a typical parent lecture that drones on and on along a winding path ending abruptly with some important life lesson which probably was better explained in one short sentence, but hang with me here.

I digress....a grain harvest. It takes a lot of work to bring in all of the events, or grain, in ones life. Sometimes it is poor weather, other times you are forced to bring in the hay early due to external conditions. And the grain is not even usable when first cut. You then have to process it, take the useful parts from the trash, and store it for when it is needed. Then, you get to decide if it is more valuable when used for your own purposes or when it is sold to others for a profit.

It seems lately that there has been a great need to glean out the good, toss aside the bad, focus on the bright spots, learn and cherish what I gain the most from, and pass along some of the rest to others around me (oh the joy that it would be to have all the time in the world to write a book that would gain us money and pass along ideas to others....maybe that is a retirement job). I feel like there is a harvesting season in my near future. Those are exciting because of what you glean, it is just hard to look forward to all the work. I keep reminding myself to focus on the bright spots, enjoy the process, and wait for the payoff.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ~Philippians 4:8

I Wish I Was a Little Bit Taller....

2007-06-15T16:02:00.001-06:00

He is so much his father's son. So here is a tribute to Father's Day.

Mom, I'm Sorry for Hiding Things Around the House...

2007-06-14T07:29:00.000-06:00

I now realize how much our little scavenger hunts cost. Between Megan hiding Flinstone vitamins everywhere (and I mean everywhere....I am sure someone now owns a used piece of furniture or two that have molding Freds all stuck in it. Did she ever manage to get one down?) to us making a "secret stash" of Hershey's kisses at Grandma's house and everything in between, I now understand how messy these games tend to be.

Jonathan decided somewhere along the course of the weekend to take up the tradition. I discovered this on a day that I had just enought time to get ready and bake a loaf of banana bread before I added two more kids to my madness for the morning. Jonathan has become facinated with the stove. So, instead of putting one of his picnic-style plastic plates where it actually goes, he opted to stash it away in the oven. How unfortunate it is that I didn't check the oven BEFORE I preheated it for the bread.

It seems that the plates are microwave and dishwasher safe, but not "preheat to 350 degrees" safe. When I opened the oven to put in the loaf of bread (you know, so I could have the rare chance to eat a warm breakfast), there greeted me a puddle of now puke-green plastic decorated with strings of plate remnants dangling from both grill shelves. We immediately turned off the oven, but it was too late. Nathan managed to scrape the plastic from the bottom of the oven and clean a grill off (cutting the cooled plastic was a HUGE job). Needless to say, it took most of the day to recover from the hide-and-go-seek game.

I am so sorry that we hid things everywhere. I have learned my lesson. And, in the future, I promise to always check the oven before I turn it on.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. ~Matthew 7:7-8

Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?

2007-06-07T09:46:00.001-06:00

Has your day ever felt like a rerun episode of Sesame Street? All morning we ran through things like, "Open....close.....open......close." I just heard Grover in the back of my head. "One of these things is not like the other..." I know that you are running all of the songs in the back of your head, too. I had to finally turn on some grown-up music when I pulled out the, "one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten...(in a whisper) eleven, twelve!"

Oh, Mom. I am so sorry that you had to endure countless hours of things like the "Follow that Bird" soundtrack, Sesame Street, the Little Thinker, and books on tape that did that awful xylophone thing to signal a page turn. How did you not pull your hair out?

Yet, in the midst of the mundane, it is so fun watching my two little ones discover their little worlds. Even when that includes Going on a Bear Hunt for the twentieth time and a countless round of "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes!" it is worth it to watch them learn.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. ~I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Hesitation

2007-06-05T13:40:00.000-06:00

I am almost hesitant to put up a post, because I am so pleased that the pictures finally got posted. I don't want them to move down on the page.

Quick Update...Naomi started crawling yesterday. She didn't really realize what she'd done. Then she got frustrated that she couldn't do it again. She then wanted to inch around on her head with her feet flat on the floor. Today, she's wanted to learn how to walk all day. What happened to my peaceful little baby?

The garden is in sad shape. I hope that we can revive some of it. Between the snow, cool weather, and hail-ridden thunderstorms, it has endured a lot.

That's about all the news. I need to shove off and take advantage of nap time.

As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength. Psalm 138:3 NLT

2007-06-01T15:41:00.000-06:00

Honoring Heros & Conquering Fears

2007-06-01T15:15:00.000-06:00

I am about to post some new pictures, but I had a great story to pass along in the meantime....

Nathan and I were sitting with the kids in Burger King earlier this afternoon. It was a pretty regular trip for us into town and the natives were restless for lunch. After an agonizing few minutes of ordering our food from the finest a low unemployment economy has to offer, we finally sat down to our food. Halfway through our meal, a strange occurrence for Parker, CO happened-- two Army soldiers walked into the establishment in desert fatigues.

The man and woman stuck out against the crowd and drew many stares from the patrons. They ended up sitting in the booth right behind me (obviously as frazzled as I was from trying to get our order right with the girl behind the counter). My children seemed unfazed, not knowing the gravity of the lifestyle these two lead. However, there was a couple of families coming out of the play place. A woman held the hand of her two daughters, and one of them slowed her pace as they asked the pair in amazement, "Are you SOLDIERS?" The man politely answered, "Why, yes we are." The girl's eyes filled with awe as a smile crossed her face.

Her mother quickly added a quiet, "thank you" to the soldiers as she hurried her kids off to the car. But the whole scene was so beautiful. It reminded me that my own generation has not forgotten the importance of honoring those who serve their country. I was so humbled at the picture, but I was so filled with pride that these soldiers were honored in such a small and meaningful way.

Jonathan finished with his chicken nuggets and ambled onto the playground. This is always a discouraging time, because the inner workings of the confusing slides always cause great anxiety for him. But today, he decided, was different. For the first time he dared to take a step of faith and battle his fear head-on. He climbed up into the fort and ran his little heart off in delight. He not only tackled a big mountain, but he also remembered to take his time enjoying the reward. I was well-pleased with his small step out into the abyss we call independence.

What a day to celebrate the little things that happen along the way!

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:12-13

I Haven't Left the Planet

2007-05-30T13:58:00.000-06:00

I have avoided my blog lately. I feel like a bad mother because of the lack of pictures I've posted lately. So, I intentionally haven't blogged thinking, "I will get my next post on when I have a picture of Jonathan to put up." Sadly, instead of motivating me, it pushed me into self-wallowing and non communication. So, I'll give you the quick update and add another thing to the list that my children will take with them into counselling as an adult.....

Things here are fine. We've had a LOT of rain, sleet, snow, hail, and all-around cold weather. Yesterday got a little dicey in the afternoon, but the real loser in the weather department is my garden. We lost a cucumber plant in yesterday's storm, and it just hasn't been warm enough for the garden to produce much out of all the moisture. Such is life.

The kids are great. Naomi refuses to actually crawl, but I call what she does teleporting due to the rapid speed that she moves in between the glaces I give her. Jonathan continues to talk and talk and talk. He got a haircut this weekend for Smith Family pictures that makes him look much older. Naomi is pulling up on things now. It won't be long until trouble finds her. Avery the dog is doing quite well. We pull a small poodle in hair off of her twice a week, but she does great with playing with Naomi.

Nathan and I are doing well. I have been put in charge of VBS this year (the theme is "Everyday Superhero"... do you think I have a little boy at home?), and I am dragging many other people with me. We are doing three very simple days. I'll let you know how that works. Between summer league baseball once a week, men's softball, and our coed team, Nathan is staying busy. He is quite involved right now with taking care of details for our youth mission trip to Mexico. Please pray that all of those plans come together and we are able to finish all the fundraising for that.

Alright, I will let you back to your life. Look for pictures soon!

"For the Lord your God is He who goes before you, to fight against your enemies, to save you." Deuteronomy 20:4

Barking Orders

2007-05-19T09:19:00.000-06:00

Apparently, my two year old thinks that he commands the post around here. Yesterday, it took him five minutes to decide what to drink (as if we have more choices than Starbucks....dream on, kiddo!). He had to decide the color of the cup, and the kind of drink (water...no, milk....no, apple juice....no, milk mommy!....water!!!!). I fully expect to hear him spout of some 2% half-caff mochachino mumbo jumbo before long. What can I say, the kid knows what he wants (or explains it out loud until he decides). I suppose that it was my lot in life to parent a strong-willed child.

But, the funniest thing happened last night. We are at the dinner table, and Jonathan is eating his hamburger and applesauce next to me. Meg and Nathan are at the table witnessing the sight for the first time. Jonathan leans over to me and says, "Mommy, give me some..." as he extends his fist for me to pound. I thought Meg was going to swallow her tongue she was laughing so hard. It is really funny to see pop culture infiltrating a two year old.

We won our first softball game last night 18-11. A fun night all around. We bought the plants yesterday to start the garden. That is one of the best things to look forward to in summertime. Especially with the price of produce going up! Hope all is well with you and yours!

Where There's Smoke, There's Fire

2007-05-18T09:05:00.000-06:00

Mom, I am really sorry that you had to put up with us during the days that nothing seemed to go your way. I now understand how many years this took off of your life, and I hope that the laughter and stories you gained from such occasions helped to replenish your lifeline.

My full grasp of this phenomenon came yesterday. It started the same, if not better, than any other day. Nathan left for work at 8:45 a.m. on the grounds that I would see him at the church just 45 short minutes later to tie up some loose ends before our moms group met. Who knew that in such a small span of time that life could take on such chaos?

Jonathan promptly walked out the unlocked front door. When confronted on why, he simply replied, "I'm going on a walk, Mom." (direct quote) He was unimpressed with my rebuttal that we don't go on walks by ourselves, but was more taken to chase the stray kitten running around our house. When I caught him to take him inside, I was greeted by Avery the dog running out of our house to join in the cat chasing fun (she is a sucker for a good cat chase, we've found). I got both of them wrangled into the house and seriously thought in my head, "That was fun...I guess now we have our fun story for the morning." How silly of me to dream of it being over.

Naomi needed new clothes. I took her upstairs, set her on her changing table, and watched as she kicked EVERYTHING off of it. I tried to keep her on it, pick up the mess, and find her an outfit. We took her downstairs (where I could keep an eye on both kids) and literally wrestled her into her clothes, taking small breaks to clean up the spit-up and referee Jonathan. He got in trouble for playing in the dog food, leading to the next episode.

I took him to the bathroom, where he didn't have to go repeatedly. Then he got a time out in his room. This leads to the token screaming, which gave me a chance to finish changing Naomi. However, the screaming stopped. And we all know, where there is smoke, there is fire (proverbial, of course). I went into his room only to find poop everywhere. Cleaning up the mess, I should have known that it would lead to a day with seven accidents and me quitting potty training. But, I held out hope for the day.

That led to the next mishap. I started smelling something strange. And we all know, where there is smoke, there is fire....literally this time. I found Jonathan's denim hat in a metal mixing bowl on the table that reflected the sunlight at just the right angle to burn a hole in the hat! (not kidding) Who would have thought. So, the morning completed itself by me trying to pop popcorn, only to burn the first bag, make a perfect bag, empty the good bag into a Ziploc bag, and culminating with the fact that hot kernels melt through plastic bag (who would have known?) and chasing the stupid stray cat out of our garage (cat starts with "c" and kitten starts with "k"...talk amongst yourselves).

All that, and I was only ten minutes late to my group. Mom, I understand that there are just days that go this way. Unfortunately, the day continued that way. Thank you for watching the kids through the afternoon so I could finish our errands. Only a mother who had fought through not having that ability could know that was exactly what I needed. I am so glad that you could rest on a Savior whose mercies are new every morning. How great is His faithfulness. Thanks for letting us build your character a bit. I am sure that we gave you more than your share!

With Love,
Your Favorite Daughter, Kendra

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ~Lamentations 3:22-23

Death of a Vision

2007-05-15T15:31:00.000-06:00

I realized something again this week. I love the feeling of realizing something that you've known all along, but it feels like it has new meaning. It is like hearing a joke for the twentieth time, only to realize that it means something different in adulthood than it did as a kid....and it's even funnier now.

I realize now as an adult that our visions of what we want and what we think is best must die. They must come to an end one way or another. These visions that we spend hours daydreaming about or delicately planning must either come to fruition or die. I used to think that when visions for our lives or futures died it was sad or tragic even. I now realize that, in the end, it doesn't matter how the vision ends...it really leads to the same place. For the death of a vision really births a new beginning. It causes you to come to a place where you dare to dream of what is really possible in life. We allow God to place new desires on our hearts and lead us places that we never thought of going.

Sometimes, we look forward to visions dying. My family has gone through a tremendous trial and legal battle that finally turned a closing page. What a blessing and burden to leave behind by saying goodbye to a chapter that none of us asked for. We are so thankful that God answered our prayers and let that chapter die. We can't wait to see the possibilities that unfold from that.

Other visions are sad to let go of. Nathan's baseball team lost in regionals last week. It was a tragic end to a stellar season. And, though it is nice to dream of him being home a little more in the evenings, it is sad to walk away from the season that he loved. I am so proud of the progress that he made with the boys that he worked with and the committment to growing their character that he and the head coach have.

But, when God says in Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart" He means that He will give us our desires, not that He will fulill the desires that we have for ourselves. I can't wait to see what fun things He has ahead for us. His plans are always bigger than I can dream for myself. It reminds me to teach my kids to dream big and have big faith!

Weekend Update

2007-05-07T16:07:00.000-06:00

So, this won't be any award-winning writing noteworthy of Tina Fey, but here are a few of the highlights.

Nathan's team won both games on Saturday. Translation: Kiowa is the district champion, and they play next weekend in the regional tournament. They like their chances of moving on, but the team's focus is the two games on Saturday in Northglenn. We'll see how it goes. It is the first time they've gone this far since Nathan's brother played.

It has come to my attention that I don't have as many pictures posted of Jonathan on the site. Let me assure you that he is doing quite well, I just can't get him to be still enough for a picture. I hope to post another one soon.

As for everything else, unfortunately it is business as usual. The softball season gets underway next week. That is about all the excitement I have time for.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17

Our Deepest Fear

2007-05-02T07:14:00.000-06:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I

to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking

so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest

the glory of God that is within us.

It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,we unconsciously

give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,

our presence automatically liberates others.

~Marianne Williamson
From A Return to Love

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may
see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 NKJV

Psalm 55:16

2007-05-01T14:22:00.000-06:00

"But I call to God, and the LORD saves me."

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

2007-04-26T15:10:00.000-06:00

We dug out most of yesterday. We had a foot of snow here. It was so wet, the snow was bluish and looked like it contained washer fluid. They say that if the temperature had been 5-10 degrees cooler we would have had 40 inches of snow.

The funniest story of the day was that, due to the immediate warm-up, we tried to get out right after the storm. With massive power outages due to downed branches and grid issues, the grocery store had been on power generators for most of Tuesday. Kiowa and the surrounding areas were without power at least most of Tuesday and some into Wednesday. Anyway, we decided to load up the stir-crazy children for a romp in the truck while we went to the church on an excursion to get Nathan's work stuff to work from home. We promptly stuck the truck in a snow drift in the church parking lot.

Now, the words "snow drift" don't really do justice to the massive mountain of snow that the truck high-centered on. Nathan actually kicked at the door to move the snow that blocked him into the truck. The drift, at the point we were stuck at, was over four feet high! It took Nathan and I an hour to dig out the truck until a friend of ours, who works maintaining state roads, came and drug us out with a huge front loader. Jonathan was thrilled to see the "big truck" move us. He was delighted with our little adventure. Needless to say, Nathan and I were quite happy to be home and over our need to brave the elements.

I suppose that we all have storms that catch us off guard in our life. We all get frustrated when the elements change unexpectedly, or we misread the predictions and the storm lingers longer than its welcome. We are forced to dig out and elated when we see a familiar face willing to tow us out of the mess we tried desperately to avoid in the first place. Jesus said in Matthew, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life..But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matt. 6:27,33-34)

I am always awed by how little Jonathan worries. I wish that I could bottle up his trust in us and his Heavenly Father and store it for my days of little faith. Jonathan and I spent some precious time last night on our knees praying for Nathan while he had an important meeting. It reminds me daily to enjoy the adventure and leave the details to God. His plan is always better than mine!

Peace for the Moment

2007-04-23T13:30:00.000-06:00

I am relishing in the glorious moment that both children are asleep (dare I jinx the moment by acknowledging the bliss?), so I will drop a few lines into space....

Nathan's baseball team is now ranked 7th in the state. They are well on their way to taking the district's first seed for the tournament. Everyone from their district will play a bracket tourney a week from Thursday to see who makes it to the regional tourney. The top two from district go on, and then the top two go to state. We had yet another kid accept Christ at youth group. What amazing stuff to see God at work!

Jonathan is talking mostly in sentences now. Although we have suffered massive backsliding in the potty training battle, he is convinced he is a big kid and becomes the ring leader of activity with any age of friends who come around. He has such a pension for fun and laughter and motion. I am really enjoying this age!

Naomi is rolling around and exploring her surroundings. She can sit up for a few minutes at a time. She is still very in love with Jonathan and loves being right at his side. Someone at church accused her of having Sanjiah hair and Meg thinks we should cut it, but I love her curly hair and white girl fro. Is there really a minimum age for hair products? At 19 pounds, she proves to everyone that she doesn't miss many meals.

Speaking of food, it sounds like our little princess has decided it's lunch time. Hope this catches you up on a little of our madness. I will close on a verse from one of our seasoned mothers in the church to all of the new moms:

"We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed." I Corinthians 15:51

Dear Mom,

2007-04-17T16:16:00.000-06:00

I had an amazing experience this week that I wanted to share with you. I like to call it a "glimpse," although others may call it a vision. I saw a scene that broke my heart for so many reasons, but nothing this week brought me more hope.

You see, Mom, I had the opportunity to share with a friend of mine the relationship that Jesus offers to anyone who believes in Him. I bucked the system. I dared to offend someone who had never read a word from a Bible or knew how long it took God to create the universe or even heard that God loved her and created her with a specific purpose in mind.

I really did it for one reason; she deserved to have hope and love in her life. She grew up in a godless world. She lived a dark existence by our standards and has a rough circumstance now. Most would write her off and just expect her to make the most of what she has left. But, it broke my heart to see her pain, to gaze into her hurting heart, and send her on her way because I was afraid that I was going to give her trite answers or that she might turn it down.

So, I did the loving thing. I shared with her that I knew the secret to a healed heart and a hope for tomorrow. I told her that she could change her family tree and roots, giving her kids a chance at something different. I told her not of empty religion and liturgy, but of empty tombs and relationship. And the funniest thing happened....she asked Jesus to come live in her heart.

Thank you. Thank you for sharing Jesus with me, praying for me, loving me, and reminding me that God is always faithful through little times and big times in our life. I am so sorry that I take that for granted too many times. I forget that other people are going to live an eternity without God, an eternity in hell because they don't have families who share that or "evangelism" is unacceptable to share the love of Christ anymore. Thank you for not being afraid to be labeled with words like "proselytize" or "intolerant." Thank you for giving me the gift of eternal life.

Because of that, I realize that the only truth that exists in the world is from God's word. I can always return to that when everything else leaves me empty or unsatisfied. I am glad to say that you can stand before Jesus one day with a heritage of people who will live in eternity with us because you realized that trusting in God is much more simple than some people make it. You were a part of the body of Christ, and you were unselfish with the treasure God entrusted to you.

Please know that I intend to be faithful with the gift that I have. Know that I pass it on as often as I can. I am forever grateful that I get to invest in other people and give them what I have always known....Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.

With Love, Your Daughter Kendra

"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John 17:3

He Hears

2007-04-12T19:44:00.000-06:00

"Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear." (Isaiah 65:24).

God hears us in all the little (and big) moments in our lives.

Mom, I'm Sorry For...

2007-04-09T13:35:00.000-06:00

This is the part of the show where I openly apologize for all of the pain and suffering I gave my parents while I was growing up and assure them that I am getting paid back in full for every minute of it.

Today's installment is brought to us with special thanks to Jonathan....

Mom, I'm sorry that I took the toilet paper and ran it around the rooms in our house. I realize how much of a tedious pain this is to re-roll and how much of a waste it is.

Please rest assured tonight, knowing that I have learned my lesson, and I promise never to do it again.

Online Loneliness

2007-04-05T09:39:00.000-06:00

I was just commenting to my sister yesterday about how sad it made me that no one posted on the blogs we usually read. I am guilty of this myself, being as that, when I sat down to the two minutes I had to myself, I really had nothing to say. It amazes me that reading people's comments on my blog or reading other blogs gives me some form of adult sentence structure and content. All that being said, I suppose the true void that was there was talking with everyone and connecting on how life is going.

So, I will throw in the quick update. Nathan's baseball team is currently ranked 10th in the state for their classification. That is exciting, but it means that all the other teams view them as the team to beat. No more flying under the radar. Jonathan's potty training continues to go well. We are so close to being there, but nap time and nighttime still challenge us. Naomi decided to roll over on Sunday. Now all of her time is spent on her belly trying to figure out how to keep up with her brother. I am doing pretty well. I think that Nathan and I figured out a way to make a couple of changes to the schedule that might preserve my sanity (the jury's out, but so far so good).

Off to tackle the world for another day. I always enjoy hearing from you all. It lifts my heart and makes my day.

P.S. Who would have thought that blue and green food coloring could look EXACTLY like war paint? Leave it to Jonathan. And by the way, no...Oil-Free Eye Make-up Remover doesn't take food coloring off. It just goes to show that if it is too quiet in the house, something must be up!

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy." Philippians 1:3-4

Establish the Work of Our Hands

2007-04-02T14:27:00.000-06:00

"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us- yes, establish the work of our hands." Psalm 90:14-17

What a Mighty God We Serve

2007-03-27T12:12:00.000-06:00

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."
~Psalm 20:7

When you give God the opportunity to do something big completely for His glory, it is so fun to sit back in anticipation to see His hand at work. What a blessing He has given our family! We are so blessed to be close to our parents and most of our siblings. We are blessed to love and enjoy the work we do. So, asking more than that of God seemed a little tough.

But, boy did God come through. We have been working toward getting out of debt. With a little help from Uncle Sam this year and some extra income from doing a little extra work, we have cut our debt in half in the last two months. What an answer to prayer!

God says that He provides for our needs. He didn't have to give us money. We wanted to get out of debt. But I believe that it is only because we sought His will for the situation and desired to give Him the fame for it that He answered our prayer in such a powerful way. At this rate, we will have everything but the house completely paid off in no more than 18 months (and even less if God so desires). What a mighty God we serve!

Buzzing Around

2007-03-26T15:02:00.000-06:00

Come to Me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

The bee is more honored than other animals,
Not because she labors,
Not because she labors for others.
But because she finds it sweet
To labor in the business
That her Maker has given her.

You can't enjoy the sweet things God
placed in your life
Until you replace busy-ness
with bee-ing with God. ~Debra Burton

I love the bee. Perhaps it is because the bee is so industrious. Or maybe it is because it seems as though the bee has a full grasp on its specific purpose in life. The bee does not make much honey, but she goes about making the little very often to avail much honey. That kind of clarity seems to be lacking in my life. That sense of discipline seems to be waining in my day-to-day schedule. However, I never seem to lack in the busyness that the bee is famous for.

I have had to look at my life and evaluate what is good and what is best. I find that if I toil in what is good, I grow very tired. I revel in the fact that if I truly seek out what is best and only give my time to that, I am energized and at peace at the end of my day. I suppose that is when I press into God for His strength to complete only the tasks that He has prepared for me and use the strength that only comes from Him. I suppose that is when I most want to be a bee. I want to be able to complete what is impossible by worldly standards to achieve and gives God the most glory in my life.

A Few Glimpses into Our Lives...

2007-03-22T10:15:00.000-06:00

Here are a few shots of my cuties! Hope all of you enjoy them.

A Quiet Moment, but That's All I Get.....

2007-03-19T13:02:00.000-06:00

Isaiah 26:2-4
Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

Investments for a Lifetime

2007-03-14T11:52:00.000-06:00

No, no....this is not some outrageous dissertation on the power of an IRA or long-term earnings ratios made simple. I recommend listening to Dave Ramsey for better financial advice. Although, when we talk about investing, it is funny how tied we are to the idea of money.

Nathan has been tirelessly working a couple of jobs that will add some great financial benefit to our family. As with anything, work always comes feast or famine. We decided as a family to make an investment in our future by doing a little more work now, paying off some of our debt now, so that long-term we will have a little more financial benefit and happier family dynamic later down the road. Sound crazy or familiar?

To date, I think that this plan is working for several reasons. First, it is a SHORT-TERM plan. We cannot sustain this pace for more than a couple of months. Second, because we believe that this work came from us seeking God's will and being diligent to take care of what He gives us. We want to be smart with our finances and have begged Him to show us how to multiply our efforts to multiply His money for His service (reference my previous blog on asking God for big things in "Calling Indiana Jones"). And finally, this is working because we are still making some important investments.

Our family time and our couple time is still so important. If we are not investing in each other, we are building our bank somewhere else. Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) I believe that this applies to our time, our loyalties, and our money. Nathan and I determine to be set apart from how the world does marriage or family time, and make an investment in us and in our kids that will pay dividends for years to come. The work you do now with your kids is priceless down the road, and the kids really enjoy their daddy time.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. ~Romans 12:2

Snakes and snails and puppydog tails.....

2007-03-13T12:11:00.000-06:00

We have a small sociology experiment going in our house. Growing up with two sisters, I never experienced what little boys are like. When my son was born, I was awed at how different little boys really are (practically from birth)! My finite mind wondered if it my experience around babies was outdated. Then came our little sugar and spice and everything nice. How fun it is to see that, in fact, our house has a little bit of balance and opposites to enjoy between the two.

I think that it is sad to live in a society that shames us for expecting boys and girls to be different, rather than celebrating the strengths that boys and girls individually have. My husband gently reminds me that I was not born with the "correct" noise chip in my brain to make sounds effects, but I can make reading a book just as captivating in a different way. I am so glad that my son is physically strong and my daughter is sweet-spirited. I long to teach them how to use the way God made them to utilize their strength and let God triumph through their weakness. That seems like it is true liberation.

The Bible says in Romans 8:28, "And we know in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." I am so thankful that God created us so specially, so specifically, and in a way that He can use us for a special plan. It is awe-inspiring how gifted my children already are and how God is working in and around them. What a neat plan God has in using children in our lives! I wonder who learns more.......

Romans 8:28, "And we know in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

A man of many companions may come to ruin.....

2007-03-13T11:32:00.000-06:00

but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. ~Proverbs 18:24

(The girl with her cousin)

The Time Snatchers

2007-03-12T14:19:00.000-06:00

There are thieves lurking in my home! They are constantly on the prowl, scouring my daily life in an illusive search for time. You probably have some in your house. I find even the common variety at times in my car, on phone calls, in common errand facilities, and everywhere in between. They come quietly, stay far too long, and successfully steal my life away.

It seems that they visit more frequently when I am busy, although I enjoy their company more when I have "spare time" on my hands (all of the mommy figures let out a collective laugh at that one!). There was so much that I wanted to do today, yesterday, this year, or sometime that, for well-intentioned reasons, has not or is not happening. I realize more daily that these time snatchers are intentionally stealing away precious moments of my life, and I am here to protest loudly by saying that I WANT THEM BACK!

John 10:10 says, "The thief (referencing Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." I have declared war on the time snatchers in an attempt to enjoy abundant life. That requires a couple of tools.

I am determining to be more intentional. That includes INTENTIONALLY starting my day off with prayer and surrender to God. I am deciding to plan my life better. This step requires writing a plan and sticking to it. I am making my priorities my priorities. I want to make sure my family gets their time and my tasks, in turn, get the attention that they need. Any tips or trials like mine?

"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. " John 10:9

"I stand at the door and knock..."

2007-03-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

A little memory with cousins.....

Calling Indiana Jones:

2007-03-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

The Bible is full of calls to adventure. Many still claim it is boring and outdated, but I see a long invitation. An invitation to adventure more thrilling than base jumping. An invitation to romance more juicy than any trashy romance novel. An invitation to hope that life is more than the enveloping circumstances our lives suffocate by. An invitation to work for something that is eternal, rather than just enjoying the fruits of labor that will shrivel away tomorrow.

The latest quest God laid before me was an invitation to prayer. What, after all, do you believe is possible? God really challenged me on my belief barrier through some trying circumstances this year. I read that, "Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God." (Mrs. Charles Cowman Streams in the Desert) I realized that there was so much I was leaving on the table and walking away from. How much blessing have I missed in my life simply because I was unwilling to seek after it, to pray for it?

So, I have quested to give God the forum to take credit for the amazing mountains He moves in my life. I welcome you to join me. I welcome you to put into words, either here or on your own paper, the incredible things that you ask God for. I urge you to pray, knowing in your heart that God CAN do these big things and expecting His answer for your life. But most of all, I invite you to share the answers God gives, both for what you want and what you do not. I invite you to make God famous for what He does in our live and the wisdom that He holds, both to give us "great gifts" or to bless us in ways that were better for us long term. Let us celebrate with you the work of the Lord. After all, "Faith is not believeing in my own unshakable belief. Faith is believeing an unshakable God when everything in me trembles and quakes."

My first example to share with you is that I begged God for souls. I begged Him to show me how He changes lives. This week I got to pray with someone to put their hope and faith in Jesus Christ and accept His free gift of salvation and eternal life. What better way to see a faithful God than to see Him changing other lives for eternity?