Thanksgiving- second destination

We arrived at EJ's grandma's house with just a little time to spare before the big meal :) I feel guilty each year that we are not a part of the preparations, but thankfully EJ's dad is Nan's right hand man. Once again, they made a delicious traditional dinner. 

Ryan especially enjoyed the cranberry sauce

 the twice baked potatoes are my favorite

 Ryan served as the entertainment

 On Friday, we enjoyed the beginning of Christmas with special free festivities

including ice skating which I didn't get a picture of

 the boys and PopPop played mini golf

it was free and very crowded and no scores kept, but they didn't seem to mind

The great weather really played a part in making our trip so great. 

With 3 boys SO it's helpful to be outside. 

We were outside as much as possible. Including a trip to the beach. 

Yes, thank you! I was bound and determined to hang out on the beach.

However, I did not take my shoes and socks off like Mason ;)

More time outside at the playground

 Owen conquered the monkey bars.

Our trip home wasn't too bad and we had all of Sunday to settle back home.

Thanksgiving- first destination

So much for which to be thankful.

We had such a great thanksgiving. 

Traveling and being away from home is hard with young children, but this year was really great!

We spent 2 days with EJ's mom.

 There is always so much to do and so little time.

 We learned how to make beaded bracelets and necklaces.

Mim generously shared her supply and patiently instructed us.

I walked away with 3 new necklaces!!!

Mim and I stayed up until midnight chatting and crafting :)

We each noted we were so thankful that we share a love for crafts.

 

The beloved (by my hubby) turkey bowl!

EJ is wearing the blue shorts and high white socks.

like fathers like sons

We had the privilege of hanging out with some friends during our visit. Even though the boys only see each other 1 time a year they still have a blast together. Their father played in the turkey bowl with EJ.

Our Workforce

There will be no shortage of yard crew in this household ;)

Ironically he is wearing the exact same shirt as Owen in my 2008 post. 

Have I really been blogging for 3 years? Crazy!

Mason was hard core. Owen was the same way when he was 4.

He helped...

 

but fiddled with his music A LOT.

 

Not much help, yet!

but so cute :)

Thanksgiving Feast

The whole preschool sharing a song and verse with the parents.

(Mason is in the bottom left)

 Isn't the artwork precious? The room was so festive!

A friend watched Ryan for me so I could enjoy time with just Mason.

I am so thankful that Mason loves his school, teachers, and classmates.

Love him

Apparently Owen and his classmates were told to come up with names for themselves for the Thanksgiving Feast. Native American Indian names. I suppose this could be considered offensive, but his is highly appropriate and perfect in every way. He couldn't understand why EJ and I laughed. He thought there was something wrong with it. He needed a very and a common noun. So of course he thought of...

"Throwing Eagle"

19 ish months

This is not the first time. Thankfully he can't open the door by himself.

He has a SMALL number of words. Random words. He has recently started calling Owen, "O" and he doesn't stop until Owen turns around and acknowledges his follower. Today, when I took this picture, he said "cheese" and posed. I couldn't believe it. I think he can say more than we realize. It's just too noisy around here ;)

He continues to keep us on our toes. It's hard to see in this picture, but he has a nice scratch under his eye. I caught him upside down, about to tumble down the brick steps out front. His main activities for the day include climbing, kicking, throwing and taking things apart. (I am a little nervous about having a Christmas tree)

I wish I could capture on camera, what a ham he is. He will do anything for a laugh. He has some very interesting dance moves that he only pulls out when ALL eyes are on him.

He does NOT like it when his brothers and daddy leave the house without him! If the basement door is opened at any point during the day, he runs to it saying "dad, dad. dad." He LOVES his daddy.

He is still a terrible eater. Although, I think he will do great at parties. He loves to graze and eat while walking around.

I'd say we have our work cut out for us ;)

Thy mercy, the theme of my week

I spent the beginning of the week extra burdened for the orphan, the middle of the week condemning myself for how I was too preoccupied to care for my own boys, the end of the week feeling sorry for myself (I think I am fighting the boys' colds).
And all the while God was revealing to me more pieces to the puzzle of HIS MERCY. How after 14 years can feel as though I am just scratching the surface? Oh right, it's God I am talking about.
I hope to share more of the mercy I've seen, but I am not quite ready to put it into words. It's going to take more processing. And this was not a week for much processing.

Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song

1. Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song,
The joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue;
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affections and bound my soul fast.

2. Without thy sweet mercy I could not live here,
Sin soon would reduce me to utter despair;
But, through thy free goodness, my spirits revive,
And he that first made me still keeps me alive.

3. Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart;
Dissolv'd by thy goodness I fall to the ground,
And weep to the praise of the mercy I found.

4. The door of thy mercy stands open all day,
To the poor and the needy who knock by the way;
No sinner shall ever be empty sent back,
Who comes seeking mercy for Jesus's sake.

5. Thy mercy in Jesus exempts me from hell;
Its glories I'll sing, and its wonders I'll tell;
'Twas Jesus, my friend, when he hung on the tree,
Who open'd the channel of mercy to me.

6. Great Father of mercies, thy goodness I own,
And the covenant love of thy crucified Son;
All praise to the Spirit, whose whisper divine,
Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine.

Drop-kick

Ryan trips over his on feet at least a dozen times a day. 

He propels his little body ahead of himself and his short legs just can't keep up.

It rarely bothers him. He just hops back up.

Well, for a very clumsy kid he is super coordinated.

His most recent trick is a drop-kick.

He does this whenever he gets a ball into his hands.
Which is almost none stop.

I give thanks for my littlest, multiple times a day...

even when he dumps out several hundred foam leaf stickers

and continually stands in chairs!!!

Orphan Sunday

 

I can't explain it, but I know some will understand. 

I am not even sure when it happened.
It's exciting and scary all at the same time.
I see differently.
I hear differently.
I think differently.
I feel more.
I respond to His word differently.
Sermons, lessons, scripture, prayers and life lessons - I see another angle - I am constantly relating everything to orphan care.
It's there when I kiss my boys good night.
When I hold their hands.
When I wipe their noses or help with their shoes and coats.
I just can't help it.
I might be driving my husband a little crazy.
I think he thinks I am a little crazy.
But I am so thankful to feel so much.
I am thankful for my Missional Community Group because they are the some who understand.

It was a JOY to serve with them this morning.

It was a labor of love, but so worth it.

We had a great turnout for our "orphans table and panel discussion." 

7 panelists shared 8 ways to serve the orphan/child in waiting

would you consider?

Visit

Protect

 Mobilze the church

Speak Up for them

Provide

Adopt

Give

Pray

 Psalm 146:9 says, “The Lord protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow…”

Psalm 68: 5 – 6,  “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.  

God sets the lonely in families.”

Matthew 7:7-8… "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Isaiah 1:17: learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause

John 14:15- 18 it says, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Owen

He seems fine. By that I mean, he has continued to pick on his brothers the same way he always does. The Dr. just gave me some over the counter meds to try. He is super congested (the dry kind). His cough sounds horrible to me, but she was not concerned. He will go to school tomorrow :)
No napping. No fever. And I have put him to work doing some organizing for me. He is good at that. Hmm. wonder where he gets that from?

Where Are You?

"Where are You?" Genesis 3:9
God's words to Adam and Eve in the garden right after this...

"she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.  Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths." Genesis 3:6-7

They were hiding b/c they were naked.
I always assumed they were hiding b/c they were afraid of their punishment which God had said would be death. Genesis 2:17
I assumed that their awareness of their nakedness was a consequence of the shame they felt from having sinned against God.

But now I am not so sure. Could they have really been that preoccupied about their appearance, about themselves?
The first thing they realize is they are naked.
The first thing they do is make clothing.
The first answer to God, "... I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself." 3:10

Adam and Eve were so quickly changed by the eating of the fruit. Their eyes no longer saw God, but only themselves.

How often do I wish I could for a few moments take my eyes off myself! And now I am beginning to understand. It was an automatic shift that occurred in the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the garden.

The God of the universe, who formed this man and woman, who breathed life into their nostrils, obviously knew what they look like naked. Yet they were still hiding. They were not hiding b/c they were afraid of being punished. It was because they were naked. I don't think they could see beyond themselves.

Often we study the written curses that God places on the serpent, Adam and Eve Genesis 3:14-20. But I am beginning to see a curse I had not noticed before. The inability to take our eyes of our self and our situation. Thereby completely missing what God is doing and has done.

God knew where they were. And yet, He draws them out. God is a pursuer. He does not give up. His death on the cross is the most dramatic example of his pursuit.



God graciously does not leave us in hiding. He calls out to us. "Where are you?" He draws us out. He helps us to confess our sins. Helps us to see He is STILL there. "...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:7-9


It could be a physical place where we are hiding. But I'd like to assume it can mean a spiritual or emotional place as well.

Do I hide from the one who knitted me in my mother's womb? Psalm 139:13

¹O LORD, you have searched me and known me!  

²You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
   you discern my thoughts from afar.
³You search out my path and my lying down
   and are acquainted with all my ways.
⁴Even before a word is on my tongue,
   behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
⁵You hem me in, behind and before,
   and lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
   it is high; I cannot attain it. Psalm 139:1-6

If I don't know where I am. Which is often the case. He promises to know. 
Am I asking Him to join me and draw me out? Or am I continuing to hide?

I am not sure where I am this week. Other than in a very messy house! But I can rest in these truths. He knows exactly where I am. He can get through to me even when I keep hiding behind my calendar, chore list and my family affairs.

The Orphan Sunday to-do list (for me) is done. Now I must pray that God removes the wall folks put up when they hear the word Orphan. And pray that I don't hide behind "duties" and am able to hear him calling out to me too. (9 a.m. fellowship hall, if you are local, don't miss it)

Thursday already?!?!

I have been in denial all week, but because today is already Thursday, it is now evident. The weekly chores (aside from laundry) will not be done. It has been one of those weeks. I just need to accept it and move on.
Owen is home from school. He woke up at 1 a.m. barely able to breath. He and I had a nice pow wow on the front steps in the 40 something degrees. While wrapped in blankets and looking at the gorgeous stars, I assured him that his voice would in fact return and he would be able to breath normally soon. We talked about the test he would miss today and the doctor visit we would be making instead.

We have groceries and a warm house. I am thankful.
The chores will get done someday. And then need to be done all over again.

Orphan Sunday is this weekend. Feels like bigger fish to fry than doing house chores.

Amusing the Neighbors

We pulled into town at 3:30. 

Threw our stuff into hiding and started getting ready for another family affair :)

Mom arrived shortly with decorations and party supplies

Are we a scary bunch or what?

 

The neighbors loved us. 

We are their only trick or treaters.

In fact, one even asked me what kind of candy to buy for them.

the Duke Dog :) this is the couple that made us at least 5 meals when I was on bed rest. 

Ryan didn't waste any time, he popped the first thing he got into his mouth with the wrapper on.

 Yeager looking for treats

 I love this picture. My mummy and ex-tiger

 We have way too much candy!!!!

Traveling Jack-O Lanterns

Our pumpkins traveled with us this weekend. 

Primarily to provide an activity in a home that is not stocked for small children ;)

Also b/c last week was too busy to do the carving.

He was not too sure about the cold guts, but happily worked just like his brothers ;)

 Mason wasn't sure either

This is the first year Owen would even touch them

 

Mason's  pumpkin was suppose to be a skull and cross bones. 

Maybe if you squint your eyes ;)

I love this man!! I could have watched him work all day. 

He never seizes to amaze me with his creativity.

 

Owen carved Ryan's will Ryan napped.

Several gestures of love for his brother happened this weekend. Love that!