Tuesday, March 31, 2015

repetition

I hear his footsteps coming down the stairs.  It's too early.  I wanted more quiet time....alone.  He peeks his head around the corner, dressed only in his underwear.  He finds his favorite blanket from Nana where he left it on the floor the night before and runs over to it, scooping it up and wrapping it around his little body.  I set my coffee on the table beside me, close my Bible and move it off my lap, then I reach for him.  He breaks into a smile and lets me pick him up and snuggle him.  "I love you, Micah." I whisper.  "You love me?" he says  back.  "Very much." I say.  "Very much?" he repeats.  He pushes his head into my neck as I lower my head next to his.  My baby.

"Did you make pampakes?" he asks.  "No." I answer.  "Did you make pamcakes yesterday?".  "No."again.  "I want pamcakes." I get up and find 3 in a baggie in the fridge left over from Saturday.  His face lights up.  "How do you always find pamcakes in the frigde?" he giggles.

He is energy.  Abounding energy.  Early in the morning energy.  How??

He wants to fly paper airplanes.  He goes to his stash in the corner cupboard and chooses.....two.  I know that one is for me.  He hands me one and says, "You go first, Mommy!"  I half-heartedly throw the plane towards the doorway.  It hits the wall.  He throws his and it passes mine.  "I won, Mommy!  I creamed you!".  He races to get both planes and hands me mine again.  "Go again!" he is hopping up and down as he tells me.  Another failed attempt to get it through the doorway.  I keep thinking about how quiet it was moments before.  Over and over we throw the planes.  When is he going to get bored?  Over and over.  The excitement just doesn't die down.  He throws a good one this time- it makes it way down the hallway.  "Beat that!"he says with exuberation making his face almost glow.  Something stirs in me.  I get up off the couch and decide it's time.  I'll show him.  I aim and throw and it looks like it might beat his, but then hits the refrigerator.  "Good job!" he encourages, "but I won!".  He skips away to get both planes and comes back to hand me mine.  I pull my arm back to throw but he stops me, "Wait!  That one is mine!  It has a different nose."  How can he tell?  His face shines when he throws a good one and he doesn't get discouraged when he misses.

I think of a quote I read. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.” 
― G.K. Chesterton

Exulting in monotony.  Exult- to show or feel a lively or triumphant joy; rejoice exceedingly; be highly elated or jubilant.  Monotony- wearisome uniformity or lack of variety.

I think that depression often stems from being overwhelmed by the monotony.  Day in and day out.....the same thing.  The same thing? Really?  Doesn't God say He makes all things new?  That His mercies are new every morning?  He is doing a new thing? I think there is "new" every day, but we need to look through the eyes of a child.  We need to see the new and exult in what looks like monotony.  Every flight of those airplanes was a little bit different.  Some flights ended in disaster/failure, others went to places we never expected.  Micah would tell me "find the center of balance and hold it there" or "throw it higher".  Wanting me to not be content with failure.  Find another way!  Try again!  Laugh when it goes under the little pantry instead of through the doorway.  Find the humor in the flight that nosedives into the rug.  Stand up when you can't find success and try harder.  But, for Pete's sake, keep running, keep laughing, and keep trying!

My head aches this morning.  Only Micah has had his breakfast.  I'm behind in my schedule.  But, by God's grace today is a new day.  Everything is new.  I will follow the example of Micah and find the joy and the new in everything that seems monotonous. I just need eyes to see.



Monday, March 23, 2015

scripture memoryverse 4



paper airplanes


What does Micah do all day?  Throw paper airplanes!  Here is a pile on the living room floor that I gathered as we were picking up at the end of the day.  He uses all sorts of paper.  Some airplanes are taped, some stapled, some colored, some all bent...but throwing them is his favorite thing to do!  He can't wait til Matt gets home so they can make new ones and then "race" them.

friendship

I had the joy of visiting my good friend the other day.  We've been friends for about 20 years and I can hardly imagine what my life would be like if she and her family had not been (and still are) such a huge part of it!  Her youngest kids and my oldest kids are great friends (best friends actually!) and our lives are as intertwined as if they were blood relatives.
She has encouraged me and been there for me through good times and bad.  We have so many memories as families that I need to start writing them down!
Her kids are welcome at our home anytime for any amount of time with no advance notice.
I can't begin to list the things she taught me through her experience as a homeschooling mom.  My kids attribute some of their knowledge to her!
I am blessed to have her as a friend.

friends

We have some new friends.  We had them over the other day and they brought 6 of their kids with them.  There were 17 of us here and it was such a fun and refreshing time!  I didn't take pictures while they were here, but here are some after pictures.  The girls ran the dishwasher through after lunch, but it still needed a couple more run-throughs!  

The kids hit it off great and Matt and I were both encouraged by our time with the adults.  






wisdom teeth

Alissa's wisdom teeth were giving her trouble.  She was in pain everyday and her headaches and jaw pain were constant as her wisdom teeth were trying to come up but could not because of the direction they were facing.  Her bottom teeth were shifting.

The oral surgeon's office said they could get her in for a consultation in April.  I called one day asking if there were any cancelations and they got her in that day!  At the end of the consultation they scheduled her for a May 4 surgery.  I called the office one day asking about cancelations and they scheduled her for March 11.  She went in on that day and come home without any wisdom teeth! She was so swollen but hardly complained at all! She still hasn't eaten solid food, but she's getting much better.




happy birthday micah!



Happy fourth birthday to our baby boy!  He loves his bike, paper airplanes, and is fascinated with numbers.  Praying he develops a love for God this year as he discovers that He is the master mind behind wheels, planes, and math!

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

micah

Still falls asleep in his carseat....I'll enjoy every last moment of baby days!


club hope

The highlight of my month- Club Hope.
I love how the body of Christ works together to meet the needs of the little ones!





In demand...



Maddie drives 2 and a half hours every  month to be the first grade helper, bus monitor, and Bible counselor!




This little boy came for the first time- he looks happy! :)








Sick, tired little girl!



God held off the snow until the event was over!


NH- quick trip

We recently made a quick trip to NH to make up for missing our Christmas celebration and to enjoy having all 4 siblings and their families together.

























It's always so nice to reconnect in person.  I hate that we aren't all neighbors.  Callen begged Aunt Shell to move his house next to hers.  I wish we ALL could!  In the meantime, we make the trip as often as we can and ecompetely enjoy each other!

random thoughts

So I've been doing a lot of thinking.  And resting.  And praying.  And reflecting. I can't believe I am a grandmother- with two mo...