Familyisms

Since my last post, alot has happened. But since I only have a few readers, I know you all know the big ticket items like pregnancy, family visits, and such. :-) Just a cute little update for journaling purposes...

Mattism

Last night, I desperately needed to pop my back after sitting for too long at small group. My back hasn't really cooperated with me lately when I need to pop it, so I wasn't expecting anything great. I twisted to my right, and CRAAAAAAACK! All the way from top to bottom! Boy, did it feel wonderful! Unfortunately, it was also loud. A few who heard it gasped in shock and/or disgust. Well, anyone who is a back popper knows you can't do one side and not the other. So I twisted to my left to quickly finish, not really expecting much again. CRAAAAAACK! Wow. Ok! More gasps. Then Matt turns around and says to Robin and Emilee, "Would someone go find the king's horses and the king's men to put my wife back together again?" I'm still giggling over that. Must have just hit me right. He's got some quick wit, that man!

Dawnism

This morning, Matt and I got to have breakfast/news together before the boys woke up due to a late night last night. Matt poured himself some cereal and walked to the fridge for the milk. I got a mug down to pour myself a cup of coffee. As Matt was saying maybe he wouldn't have cereal because we are low on milk, I proceeded to pour coffee over his cereal rather than in my mug. I helped him decide not to have cereal and have yogurt instead. Wow. Gotta love those completely brainless moments!

Judahisms

"breh-bres" - still can't say breakfast :-)
"rabee-lolee" - ravioli (too bad he doesn't like it)
-The other day, I laid my head in his lap and said "Can I snuggle in your lap and take a nap?" He looked down with an astute stare and frankly said, "This is not a pillow." ::shock:: Ok then.
-When I lay him down for his nap, give him a kiss, and say "I love you," he likes to say "See you in the mean train." Ok. Whatever, silly boy. :-)
-I now understand how irritating it must have been for my mom when I wanted to watch shows or movies over and over and over and over and over. Fireman Sam, if I have to watch you save the day one more time.......
-Judah's favorite color is red. Make no mistake.

Elijahisms

-"sumping wong" - something is wrong (said in the most precious high pitched voice)
-"I do it" - no translation needed
-"no yike it" - I don't like it.
-This kid is really starting to talk. I "read" a colors book with him the other day that has all sorts of picutres in it. He can pretty much repeat whatever you ask him to! I had no idea he could say so many words. "Avacado" is pretty cute to hear. It's still different for us to watch his speech develop because he is much different than Judah who talked early and very clearly. But it's very cute and endearing at the same time. It's getting to the point where occasionally I find that I don't need to translate for someone else. That kinda pulls at the heart strings -- it means he's growing up.
-Elijah is showing signs of organization and cleanliness. He will take his shoes and socks off, shove his socks into his shoes, and then put them on the shoeshelf -- all without being asked. He lines up cars in a perfect row. He places stickers one directly on top of the other (Judah lines them up in a row). Puzzles have to be complete. He separates cars from trains and places them in their proper boxes. Just fascinating. We're still working on mealtime cleanliness and skill, but he is really growing by leaps and bounds in that area compared to where he used to be. Praise the Lord! :-P
-He is our little engineer. He shoves things in places they don't belong to see what happens (great). He takes things apart, looks them over, and puts them back together. He builds really great towers with his legos...and will sit there for a long time quietly working on it without getting frustrated (unlike Judah).
-Elijah sometimes likes me to rock and sing to him at night. If I just rock him without singing, he leans back, points to my lips, and quietly says "Seen" (sing).
-He is very good at bringing Judah down when they wrestle. Beef vs. String Bean. Judah's gonna have to rely on agility, I'm pretty sure. 'Lij? He'll just sit on you. And yet he still weighs a couple pounds less than Judah. It's ALL in how you carry your weight!!

Baby E3isms

-While talking today with my little sis about what animal we'll choose if E3 is a boy, I realized something very cool. While the boys were still in my womb, we picked out what animal we wanted them each to grow up with. We chose a lion for Judah...and his personality is social, hot tempered, and in charge. We chose a monkey for Elijah...and his personality is playful, mischievious, and adorable. Odd how that worked out perfectly. Makes me nervous to pick one for the third boy (if it's a boy!) If it's a girl, butterfly hands down. Purple with probably green and either white or brown accents. I don't mind pink, but don't drown us with it please! We're way too used to boy stuff around here!

-Speaking of doing butterflies if E3 is a girl, I found the PERFECT quote that will go in "her" room. "If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies" (author unknown). How awesome is that?? If we have a girl, everything will change around here. And if we don't have a girl, I don't get to have a butterfly baby. Change = butterfly baby! :-D That makes my heart happy.

-I'm waiting to feel E3 any day now. I felt Judah at 17 weeks, and Elijah was at 14. So we'll see!

Uncanny

I was reading John 11 this afternoon during the boys' naptime. That's the chapter that tells about when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. I was just about to get to the part where Martha explains to Jesus that Lazarus would stink because he'd been dead for several days. All of the sudden, breaking the afternoon quiet, Judah yelled out from his room, "PEEE-YEEEEW!" And then silence.

The boy said that in his sleep.

Question: What are the odds he would yell that particular expression out -- in his sleep -- as I was just about to read about a stinking dead body???

Morning Funnies

Last night, I went to pick up a youth from her work. Judah was already in bed but heard me leaving. He called out to ask where I was going. I told him I was going to pick up CC but would be back soon. Then I heard, "Get soft tacos!"

As Judah lay in bed with me while I tried to shake the groggies away, I asked him if he remembered his verse from Sunday school. We then started talking about who Jesus' Father is and that His mother was a lady named Mary. I have no idea why, but he started asking if Mary danced. I said I didn't know. Then Judah said, "Jaclyn danced at her wedder [wedding]." Yes, yes she did. :-)

As I was washing my face, Judah was "cooking" me some breakfast in their play kitchen. After bringing me a hamburger with a side of cracker, he said he would get me a treat. Ice cream...he specified it would be in a "pinecone." Hmm.

Elijah says:

Momess: Thomas
Mope: closest I can get to typing out how he says "milk"
Joos: juice
Hope: help
Behbess: Breakfast (also refers to all other meals)
Nack: snack
Rah: rock

And I think he said his first official complete sentence last night. Unfortunately, it was "Don't pray, Daddy." :-P He wanted to pray first!

All Prettified

So, in looking at a friend's beautiful looking blog, I found The Cutest Blog on the Block. Too cool! Yeah for a prettified blog! Check it out for yourself!

Sugary Cereal or Peaches?

Throughout each passing day, I find myself thinking of more and more analogies for the spiritual life. Today's was brought on by having Cinnamon Streusal Mini-Wheats and a peach for breakfast. The cereal was quite tasty and sweet, as was the peach. No one would argue which is better for your body -- the peach, of course. Natural vitamins, sugars, and fiber as opposed to the sugar-infused, added-vitamins fiber cereal. I ate the cereal first and then began chomping on the peach. To my surprise, the first bite of peach was QUITE bitter. The second a little less bitter, the third even less bitter, and so on. After several bites, the peach was what I considered juicy, succulent, and perfectly peachy-sweet. A drastic change from that first post-cereal bite of peach.

And then the analogy came.

We so often gorge ourselves on the things this world has to offer -- TV, video games, books, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, etc. But how often do we reach for God's Word or spend time with Him in prayer? It's so easy to get out of practice with the latter and so easy to fall into hours of practice with the former. And what always happens when we've immersed ourselves in worldy things and recognize we need to shape up and start spending our time where it is most needed? It doesn't taste good! Our selfish flesh fights against focusing on what is right. We experience the bitterness of conviction and failure. The taste is bitter, but the nutrients are still good for us. After a while, if we are disciplined and persevere, our spirit starts winning over our flesh and time with God and His Word is sweet and desirable.

If only we'd eat the Peach first, then we'd enjoy EVERY nutritious bite...and perhaps not be so thrilled with the sugary cereal of the world.

Recent Cuteness

Judah ran up to me yesterday afternoon and hugged my leg while saying, "I'm so glad I have a Mom and Dad." ::warm fuzzies::

Judah looked at Norah during breakfast this morning and said, "Her cheeks are getting bigger!"

Elijah says...

Roh: roll
Wee-bit: ribbit
Za date: the gate
Ope: help
Doo-joo: Judah
Hoo-oo: the name for his blue monkey

Elijah really likes pushing Norah in the stroller. He pushes while I guided. Made me think of a great analogy! It is our responsibility to keep pushing forward in our Faith, and it is God's responsibility to guide us if we are His. When we try to steer away from where God is guiding, we get stuck and risk hurting ourselves and others!

While playing in the GORGEOUS low humidity this morning, I saw several cicada exoskeltons, so I took the opportunity to teach the boys a little. I explained that there is a bug that comes out of his shell, and that the shell was empty but looked like the bug. Judah mentioned he saw a green bug "over dere" and took me to it. Sure enough -- it was a cicada that had JUST molted! His wings were still crumpled up, so there was no fear of him flying at us or away. We watched him every so often and helped him get on the grass rather than the sidewalk. I kept explaining that his wings needed to dry and uncurl. The last time we checked on him, Judah was able to see big wings! He got to see the change. A good science lesson for today! :-)

Memory & Fear

Yesterday, I was sitting with the boys eating lunch at the dining room table as usual. It became overcast and the wind picked up to a gentle breeze. Nothing more. And yet, as I dined, I kept feeling strange things well up inside me. After a while I realized they were memories. Quite vivid memories of last fall...when the tree fell against our house. I tried to push each memory aside and calm the trace amount of physical feelings of fear that the memories were causing. I reminded myself that my mom told me it will take years to not be quite so antsy about trees falling (she speaks from personal experience). It was an odd sensation, to be sure. It's been almost a year. Everything is fine. It was a tropical storm, not just a gentle breeze, that took the tree down. But, oh the power of human memory!

God is good to give us memory -- we would be useless without it. Memory ranges from faulty to so perfect you can live through the past as if it were happening again...all in your mind. It can be used for us to help us succeed in academics, relationships, life in general, and especially in our spiritual walk. But, if allowed to fall into the wrong hands (aka Satan), it can easily be used against us. In my case, I'm learning that memory of certain situations can lead to present fear. It took me a couple months (or more) to not be affected by trees blowing in the wind. Once I didn't feel the fear anymore, I thought I was over that life hurdle. Apparently not. Because it is still in my memory which will be with me for life. It can therefore be used against me to tempt me into sins of not trusting God's sovereign control, His goodness, His protection, His will. After all, isn't this mistrust of God just a different label for "fear"? A better label, in fact?

So even though I remember details like...

• Who was sitting where in the dining room
• The timing of Matt's exit from the kitchen
• Being so paralized by shock and fear that I just stood there rather than grab a son and run for the other end of the house
• The bite of ravioli and marinara that I held in my mouth for about 2 minutes without realizing it because my fear was so great
• The gasps for air in an attempt to fill extremely frightened lungs
• Our family falling to the floor in a heap by the front door with two screaming, crying boys and two shaking, crying parents
• Being able to say nothing but "Thank You, Lord" over and over and over
• Justin coming over to help Matt cut the limbs off the house, sweep up the enormous amount of glass, and board up the window
• Making pbj sandwiches in the living room with shaking hands since we couldn't finish our glass-sharded ravioli
• Feeling faint in heart at laying my youngest son down for a nap upstairs while it was still storming -- what if the tree falling wasn't over?
• Taking my still-scared oldest son to the grocery store to get him (and me) out of the house

...and I must stop there. Even though I remember it so vividly, I must always force my will and emotions to remember God had a purpose in it all, He can be trusted fully, and He is good. There is no fear in the Light. Only in Darkness. And since I am in the Light, I need not fear anything.

Perhaps bad memories are good afterall. If we are open to God's leading, we learn good lessons when bad situations happen. And each time our memory replays that event, we are reminded of the best lessons learned -- the ones that taught us more about how fragile we are and how awesome God is.

Halfway through Safely Home

I had to quit reading today because I was so overcome with desire to see Jesus, to hug him and feel his warm embrace. I'd say that is the DEEPEST spiritual desire of mine. Sure, I want to follow Christ, be like Him, be a good servant...but I really just want to finally BE with Him. Yes, rid of sin. But more, resting with HIM. Not just in Him like I do here. But WITH Him. Mmmm.

It also reminded me, once again, how rarely I remember there is spiritual battle waged at every moment all over the globe. That there is so much more than just what my eyes can see. I so often forget. My eyes don't go often enough beyond the physical -- an easy human trap. Everything we do has impact in both the physical and spiritual worlds. If that's not motivation to be more like Christ, I don't know what is.

I also remember how brainwashed we are to be "tolerant" in America. So much that we assume other countries are as tolerant -- well, those of us who haven't traveled outside the US much. ;-) It is so hard to imagine this kind of persecution happening daily to real people who have the Answer.

Beauty and the Beast

There is one movie I will always love no matter how old I get. The boys and I watched most of it this morning (I skip some parts). I thought I'd share a few highlights as it was a fun and special time for us.




-Judah calls it "Pew-tee & da Beasss."

-When Belle walked out of her home at the beginning, Judah said, "She looks like Mommy!"

-I love how my boys love to snuggle. I have two arms and two sides for two little boys to snuggle up close!

-I got an insatiable urge to color while watching. Made me remember my childhood days of coloring pretty dresses and Disney princesses. :-)

-Beauty and the Beast is a great movie to emphasize that "A soft answer turns away wrath." Judah was noticing as the movie went on that "He's [Beast] not angry anymore." I told him that Belle's kindness was helping Beast not be as angry. Her soft voice was calming him down...the same is true in real life when we use kind speech seasoned with grace when talking with Mommy, Daddy, or Elijah. Soft answers help others not be angry.

-Elijah loves for me to hold him and dance cheek to cheek during "Tale as Old as Time." He does it for the entire song and especially loves the twirls.

-At the end, we often have to explain why Beast and Gaston are fighting. When Gaston fell, Judah said he wasn't angry anymore. I told him the reason Gaston fell was because he wouldn't leave Beast alone and was very angry at Beast. Anger leads to ruin and only hurts people. Judah said of Gaston, "He needs Jesus." ::sigh of contentment:: I love little snippets of proof that Matt and I are succeeding in our goal to raise kids who understand and love Christ even if we fail to be perfect parents.

Divin' In

WOAH, you say. Me, too! I finally looked into a spiffy blogger template since I keep seeing some pretty awesome one's out there...and kept wondering how on earth people get them. Duh -- Google search. So, welcome to the new look for my blog! I may keep retitling it until I settle on what strikes my fancy. :-)

Thought for Today

Our pastor is currently doing a series on the Life of Elijah. Sure, Bible stories we've heard since we were kids. But it is so different hearing it as an adult from a preacher rather than a 6 year old from a sweet teacher. The current topic in Elijah's life is that he was a man of pure devotion. Yesterday was all about the story when Elijah went up against 450 prophets of Baal. Looking at each aspect of that contest shows just how powerful and serious it was. One particular focus got Pastor fired up and really shocked me with realization. After the prophets had been carrying on for several hours, Elijah mocked them. He used biting sarcasm as he encouraged them to call out louder to their god -- and attacked Baal directly. What courage it took to do that! He, one man, was mocking 450 hyped up zealots of Baal while an entire nation looked on.

Now, in today's society, we are taught directly and indirectly not to offend others. To be politically correct. Take into account how others might feel if you say or do [whatever]. And never attack someone else for who they are or what they believe. But Elijah did just that -- and it was commended in Scripture, looked well upon by God Almighty. Nothing is recorded against Elijah for what he said to the prophets of Baal. In fact, God instantly answered Elijah's prayer full tilt as soon as the last word left Elijah's lips. He didn't take a minute to tell Elijah he should have been a little easier on the prophets.

Here's the point. We are called to destroy and refute anything raised up against the one true God (II Cor. 10:5). We are called to be courageous, confident, zealous, and boastful in the Lord. If my believing in Jesus Christ steps on someone else's toes, then so be it. He is more important than their feelings. In fact, He is so important that they should be thankful for a stubbed toe, repent, and be saved! Isn't their eternal destiny more important than how they'll feel if I thank Jesus Christ the Son of God when asked to pray publicly?

Sincerity in religion means nothing unless you are worshiping the one true God -- Creator of the Universe, Yahweh to Israel, and Father of Jesus Christ our Savior.

A Kid's Dream

This morning, Judah came in our room in typical fashion and snuggled in bed with me. After a while, this is what he said...

"There was a log coming down from the sky. It was going to touch the ground. Daddy used my green blanket to hit it, and it went away. ::long pause:: It had two mean eyes."

I asked him if it was a dream, and he said it happened "two months ago." I was more confused. I asked him if it was a tornado or if it was from a movie he has seen, trying to figure out why he would be talking about something like this. He said it was real. And that the log came off of a logging truck, came down from the sky, and was going to touch the ground. "And Daddy used your blanket to hit it away?" "No, he used MY blanket."

Um, ok?

**EDIT**
I THINK I FIGURED IT OUT! The other day, I let Judah watch the last cartoon on Fantasia 2000 which I had up to that point not been letting him watch due to intensity. The last cartoon is about a GREEN woodland fairy that looks sort of like a soft, flowy blanket. She battles a "firebird" that is dark with two mean red eyes and dives at the ground (which could look like a log coming down to the ground). In the end, the green blanket (the fairy) defeats the log with two mean eyes (the firebird). Fascinating. Perhaps we wont' be watching that one again for quite some time...

---------------------

At breakfast, Elijah saw that I had just eaten the last bite of my waffle. He said, "Mee-mee, done!" He still calls me Mee-mee, by the way. I've tried to correct him a few times, but it never takes. And I'm not sure I mind that it doesn't take. I'm growing to find Mee-mee sentimental. <3 I can't believe he'll be two in a few weeks!

---------------------

Poor Judah. All day yesterday, he complained of his legs aching. Last night he started running a low fever. This morning, he still has the same exact temperature, and his legs are VERY tender in the back. You barely push on it and he cries. Strained muscles? Growing pains? :-(

Judah Speak

Breh-bres: breakfast
Pop hoder: pot holder

No matter how many times I correct him, he sings two songs incorrectly.

Bob the Builder: Instead of "working together, they get the job done," he sings "boinging together, they get the job done."

ABC's: "...h, i, k, k, l, m, n, o, p..."

At lunch I was telling him how cool it will be when Jesus comes back to Earth, and we can see Him. Judah responded with, "When Daddy sins, he needs Jesus." :-P So I reminded Judah that when Mommy, Judah, and Elijah sin, we need Jesus, too.

An Elijah Antic

I heard the bathroom door open. I heard the toilet lid open. I heard some water splashing in the toilet bowl. I ran to the bathroom, knowing it had to be Elijah. (Judah doesn't randomly play with the toilet. It's not his style.) There Elijah was, bottle brush from the kitchen in hand, scrubbing the toilet. Monkey see, monkey misinterpret Momma's cleaning tools, then Monkey do.

Into the trash the bottle brush went. The handle was broken anyway. Thanks for the excuse to finally throw it away, Son!

Kiddish

Elijah's couple new words:

ah-ee: airplane
dah-ohm: thank you

---------------------------

Judah's cutenesses:

After Daddy left this morning, Judah said of him, "I LUUUV him...he's my beeest driver." This may have been in reference to the Father's Day card Judah made. He wanted the "Life is a Highway" song on it (I think he likes the Hallmark commercial where the boy gives his dad a card that sings). So on the outside we wrote "Life is a highway..." and the inside said "...and I'm glad you're my driver." Hence the "...he's my beeest driver." :-)

Yesterday at lunch I told Judah I was going to make cookies for Daddy to take to work. He replied with "That's nice of you." Uh, thanks! :-)

A Thought for Today

Been pondering this today for a friend...

Mothering is sacrifice, pure and simple. Laying aside self to make sure that our children grow up with all the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual capacities and abilities that they need to function well in this world. And when you are doing that for more than one child at a time all day every day, that just compounds the sacrifice. Perhaps that is why Christ calls us to lay down our cross DAILY...because it is a daily struggle to live this life by ourselves, much more help several other people live theirs.

I've had many days where being a mom seems too much for me. And I'm SURE there will be many more. But I have a reminder all of us moms -- it will never be too much because this is what God has called us to. I Corinthians 10:13 promises that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able and that He will always provide us with a means of escape. There are MANY temptations present when mothering, and He knows that. He wants us to be moms. What a thought! And more, God Himself as the Holy Spirit lives inside our hearts every moment of every day. If that's not a way of escape, I don't know what is. When all other escapes fail, He will not. We just have to take His way of escape. And, praise the Lord for husbands who can serve as ways of escape. God bless them for living with their wives in an understanding way!

Life is tough stuff. But it is a glorious adventure overall -- and truly a blessing from the Lord. I remember an old lady from my home church once told my mom that "You can't have a beautiful sunset without some clouds." A quote I will never forget when I go through hard times.

Elijahn

He's hissing less and babbling more -- but now, his babble is actually turning into words! Here are the most common ones that I have memorized. :-)

eh-woh: hello
buh-bye: bye-bye
moh-yee: more
bee: please
bee: bee
uh: up
too-tee: cookie
bope: boat
ray: rain
iz ih myee: is it mine?
iz ih duh: is it done?
boop: book
bah-yee: balloon
bub-ole: bubble

I don't even know how to type out how he says "milk," but he uses the same word that starts with M every time. :-P

He also did something big this past week -- he went pee-pee in the potty while standing up!!! There have been a few times where he's wanted to sit on the potty with no results. This time, he was up and down, up and down, and finally went pee-pee while standing up! Not completely mess-free, but a victory anyway! I think we're still a long way from him being potty trained, but these are good first steps.

Funny Conversations

At breakfast one morning...

Judah, staring intently at a cheerio: Goodbye! ::munch::
Momma: Were you saying goodbye to your cheerio?
Judah: Cheerios are like people.
Momma: No, cheerios aren't like people. We eat cheerios. We can't eat people.
Judah, after deep thought: When we get old like cheerios, we could eat us.
Momma: ::stunned::

-----------------------------------

While looking at a bunny in the backyard...

Daddy: See how big his feet are?
Judah: He needs new socks!

------------------------------------

From Easter '09

Praise the Lord for our sweet, adorable boys!

Watching

Here are three watching moments to share for today...



I stop watching for a moment, and then look back to find Elijah's cup stuffed full of his quesadillas.



You've never had a real Star Trek movie viewing experience until you have had the following all at the same time:

-IMAX theatre (including scenes so loud you have to plug your ears)
-Your glasses so you can catch all the details you missed last time
-Shared popcorn, soda, and butterfinger minis with your best friend (who happens to be your Love) that you know is adding inches to your hips while emptying your wallet at the same time. I mean, seriously, a large popcorn and large soda combo is MORE than your admission to the movie itself??
-A stranger (or just strange?) who is also viewing the movie complete with a bright purple section of hair, knee high white socks, and patent leather pink combat boots.
-Massive amounts of foul body odor wafting from behind you every time those particular viewers moved an inch
-A very mousy young lady in front of you who clapped her finger tips faster than a hummingbird's wings every time there was something exciting happening on screen...so much so that you actually missed a couple of your favorite shots because you were so lost in thought as to how someone can love a movie THAT much...and then her sister joined in a few times
-Good friends who are just as sane as you are but are still fans of the movie :-)


I'm watching my Hubby turn another year older today. I love that man beyond words or actions. He is God's greatest gift to me -- a personalized definition of his name! Thank you, Lord, for the completion of yet another wonderful year of enjoying life with my husband and watching him struggle, grow, and mature to be more like You in all he does!

Happy Birthday, Love!

A couple Judah funnies...

We're tiptoeing into cessation of Judah's thumb sucking. It's tough for both us and him! Today, while snuggling on the couch, I kindly told him that if he didn't work hard at not sucking his thumb, Mommy would have to put something that didn't taste very good on it. He contemplated hard for a few moments, then asked with a cute quizzical look, "Ba-sghetti?" He's not a fan of spaghetti. Can you tell?


When laying down for our afternoon nap, Judah asked, "Are the people going to come back?" (in reference to our out-of-town guests). I said yes, but that they were seeing Washington DC today. He thought for a moment then asked, "Why are they washing the sea?"