My boy...
My boys...
That smile...
Those toesies...
BIG HUGE determination, compacted into a tiny little body.
Watching my children play...
.... things that melt my heart.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Good things come to those who wait...
There once was a little boy. He was 3 years old. He loved Cars. And not just any old car.
Only, as he would say, "Cars with eyes."
But his mommy knew that "Cars with eyes meant" only Disney Pixar Cars.
He collected cars for birthdays.
He collected cars for Christmas.
He collected cars when he saved up his money.
His Mommy would be too embarrassed to tell you the number of cars this little boy collected.
Then, one day when this boy was 4, his big brother (who also liked Cars, to collect but not to play with) came home with a supersized Combine "Car." Which really isn't a car, but I digress.
His name is Frank.
He looks mean, but apparantely he's pretty cool and pretty in demand. Unfortunately for the little boy, his older brother and Daddy happened to come across Frank during a Target run in which little boy was left at home. At Target, the Daddy saw only 2 Franks in the whole store, but passed on buying one for little brother because he thought he might already have it.
So one Frank came home with big brother.
One stayed on the shelf at Target.
Little brother was heartbroken. He wanted big, cool, mean looking Frank.
14 months went by.
Yes, I said months. Not days, not weeks... months.
For 14 months we scoured Targets here- Targets there- Targets everywhere.
No Frank.
We stopped at Targets along a 3500 mile round trip drive. TWO YEARS IN A ROW.
No Frank.
Every single time Mommy went to her Target 4 blocks from our house, she responded with the same answer ("Sure, but we've gotta look quickly!") to the same question, ("Mommy, can we go look for Frank?"). And when I say EVERY time, as God is my witness, I mean every- single- time. We never went to Target without looking for Frank. The Mom eventually told her son that though they would continue to look, she was afraid they did not make Frank the Combine anymore.
By now the little boy was 5 years old. Not just 5, but 5 "and a half."
One day his Mommy had to run to Target and asked her little man to come with her. He said no. "No," until his older sister said, "Oooo- then I wanna go!" - in which he jumped up and had a miraculous and speedy change of heart.
Off they went to Target. Different day, different trip, same question. "Mommy, can we go look for Frank?"
For a moment, the Mommy thought she was seeing things. She'd looked in the exact same aisle, in the exact same spot, for over a year to no avail. But there he was...
Frank!!
The little boy skipped all the way to the cash register.
Little boy asked to be photographed with his prized possession.
He showed his Daddy (who sighed a deep sigh of relief after regretting leaving "14 months ago Frank" on the shelf... 14 months ago)
The whole family was reminded that "good things come to those who wait."
And little boy played happily ever after.
The end.
Only, as he would say, "Cars with eyes."
But his mommy knew that "Cars with eyes meant" only Disney Pixar Cars.
He collected cars for birthdays.
He collected cars for Christmas.
He collected cars when he saved up his money.
His Mommy would be too embarrassed to tell you the number of cars this little boy collected.
Then, one day when this boy was 4, his big brother (who also liked Cars, to collect but not to play with) came home with a supersized Combine "Car." Which really isn't a car, but I digress.
His name is Frank.
He looks mean, but apparantely he's pretty cool and pretty in demand. Unfortunately for the little boy, his older brother and Daddy happened to come across Frank during a Target run in which little boy was left at home. At Target, the Daddy saw only 2 Franks in the whole store, but passed on buying one for little brother because he thought he might already have it.
So one Frank came home with big brother.
One stayed on the shelf at Target.
Little brother was heartbroken. He wanted big, cool, mean looking Frank.
14 months went by.
Yes, I said months. Not days, not weeks... months.
For 14 months we scoured Targets here- Targets there- Targets everywhere.
No Frank.
We stopped at Targets along a 3500 mile round trip drive. TWO YEARS IN A ROW.
No Frank.
Every single time Mommy went to her Target 4 blocks from our house, she responded with the same answer ("Sure, but we've gotta look quickly!") to the same question, ("Mommy, can we go look for Frank?"). And when I say EVERY time, as God is my witness, I mean every- single- time. We never went to Target without looking for Frank. The Mom eventually told her son that though they would continue to look, she was afraid they did not make Frank the Combine anymore.
By now the little boy was 5 years old. Not just 5, but 5 "and a half."
One day his Mommy had to run to Target and asked her little man to come with her. He said no. "No," until his older sister said, "Oooo- then I wanna go!" - in which he jumped up and had a miraculous and speedy change of heart.
Off they went to Target. Different day, different trip, same question. "Mommy, can we go look for Frank?"
For a moment, the Mommy thought she was seeing things. She'd looked in the exact same aisle, in the exact same spot, for over a year to no avail. But there he was...
Frank!!
In all his big, mean, cool splendor and glory.
Mommy said, "It's Frank! It's Frank!" - Little boys mouth made the shape of a perfect O and he started jumping up and down. His Mommy handed him the Combine and the little boy began to exclaim, "PRAISE THE LORD!! PRAISE THE LORD!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!" As if that were not odd enough to the unsuspecting shoppers in the same aisle (who were unaware of the 14 month nation wide scavenger hunt for Frank), his Mommy also became giddy with excitement and jubilation. The two of them hugged over and over again marveling at their long lost treasure.
The little boy skipped all the way to the cash register.
Grinning from ear to ear.
Still chuckling to himself (a little quieter now), "Oh! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!"
Little boy asked to be photographed with his prized possession.
He showed his Daddy (who sighed a deep sigh of relief after regretting leaving "14 months ago Frank" on the shelf... 14 months ago)
The whole family was reminded that "good things come to those who wait."
And little boy played happily ever after.
The end.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
There's a whole lot of love going on here, folks. Sheer elation - truly. I mean, take a look at that face! It's these in these very moments that I'm so thankful to have a camera - and to have that camera handy!
Here Grace is hugging the living daylights out of her sister.
Why the jubilation?
Because little sister kicked her in the mouth about 4 minutes before I snapped this picture.
Which lead to big sister losing her 1st FRONT tooth.
Big sister.
Little sister.
Big sister seeming even "bigger" to her Mommy now that she's lost her baby front tooth.
One more event to file away in my "Happy/Sad Folder" that I keep safely tucked in my memory.
But when I look at this picture of my two girls... absolutely as thrilled as can be, I can't help but to smile.
Here Grace is hugging the living daylights out of her sister.
Why the jubilation?
Because little sister kicked her in the mouth about 4 minutes before I snapped this picture.
Which lead to big sister losing her 1st FRONT tooth.
Big sister.
Little sister.
Big sister seeming even "bigger" to her Mommy now that she's lost her baby front tooth.
One more event to file away in my "Happy/Sad Folder" that I keep safely tucked in my memory.
But when I look at this picture of my two girls... absolutely as thrilled as can be, I can't help but to smile.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Love
It don't have a job
Don't pay your bills
Won't buy you a house
in Beverly Hills
Won't fix your life
in five easy steps
Ain't the law of the land
or the government
But it's all you need...
Love, will, hold us together
Make us a shelter
to weather the storm
and I'll be my brothers keeper
so the whole world will know we're not alone.
It's waitin' for you
Knockin' at your door
That moment of truth when your heart hits the floor
And you're on your knees
Love will hold us together
Make us a shelter to weather the storm
And I'll, be, my brothers keeper
so the whole world will know we're not alone
This is the first, day, of the rest of your life
This is the first, day, of the rest of your life
'Cause even in the dark you can still see the light
It's gonna be all right
It's gonna be all right
Cause love, will, hold us together
Make us a shelter to weather the storm
And I'll be my brother's keeper
So the whole world will know that we're not alone.
-Lyrics "Hold Us Together" by Matt Maher
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Gift
Because Easter has everything to do with the death, resurrection and Ascension of Christ, we do everything we can in our home to try to teach our children about the gift... the incredible, amazing, priceless gift of salvation.
Though we don't "do" the Easter bunny, we still make time to make the day meaningful and fun.I do give my kids some candy and we do participate in hunting for eggs and a basket. Our eggs are a little bit different. We open them and find representations of the meaning of the holiday. We've found it to be a fun- yet very meaningful way- to read about, talk about and reflect upon the gift.
Because though we are wholly unworthy, we've been given a gift that is utterly priceless.
While I sat in church on Easter Sunday, I was so overwhelmed with gratitude. To consider all the HE has done for us. To realize that though the wages of sin is death, we are redeemed and free because of the price He paid by laying down His life for us... for me... for you!
Those are not just words- they are not just scripture verses that should be taken for granted, rote pieces of rhetoric we recite on Sundays and holidays.
No one on earth disputes that the life of Jesus is true, but many question the "story" of Christs death, resurrection and Ascension. If you have any doubt, please read this.
It's all about choice. Your choice. My choice.
If it's not true, and yet I still believe in Jesus death and resurrection- at the end of my life, what will I have lost? I will have gained a fuller, richer life- a life lived with purpose and hope. Even if - at the end of it all- I've lived my life believing in the hope of Christ and eternal life and it turns out to be the biggest hoax and conspiracy ever conceived... I've still lost nothing.
But if I choose to live my life in disbelief, or (even worse) believing but choosing to live my live without him Him at the absolute center of my life - I will gained nothing and lost
everything.
I know that he lived. I know that he died. And I know, with every ounce of my being that miraculously, he rose from the grave, the tomb is empty...
HE IS ALIVE!
He made the biggest sacrifice. Because he chose me (and you, and you and EVERYONE) to give the priceless gift of salvation and eternal life, my greatest challenge is that each morning I will choose him.
I will choose each day to live in service to Him. In big ways, in small ways, in any way that I can.
I don't want to waste the gift He gave me on a life lived for myself. I don't want to come to the end of my short life on earth and only wish I could go back and change my path, wish I would have put Him first, wish I would have chosen Him over choosing myself.
More than anything, I want my life to matter.
I want it to count for something at the end of the day.
I want it to count for something at the end of my life.
The Word makes it clear that "Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matt 7:14) yet "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
But "My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
My greatest hope and desire is that my children, my family, my friends and all the people I know and love will receive the gift of eternal life. It is ours to take. He gave it freely.
Receive!
And give back to Him.
Though we don't "do" the Easter bunny, we still make time to make the day meaningful and fun.I do give my kids some candy and we do participate in hunting for eggs and a basket. Our eggs are a little bit different. We open them and find representations of the meaning of the holiday. We've found it to be a fun- yet very meaningful way- to read about, talk about and reflect upon the gift.
While I sat in church on Easter Sunday, I was so overwhelmed with gratitude. To consider all the HE has done for us. To realize that though the wages of sin is death, we are redeemed and free because of the price He paid by laying down His life for us... for me... for you!
Those are not just words- they are not just scripture verses that should be taken for granted, rote pieces of rhetoric we recite on Sundays and holidays.
No one on earth disputes that the life of Jesus is true, but many question the "story" of Christs death, resurrection and Ascension. If you have any doubt, please read this.
It's all about choice. Your choice. My choice.
If it's not true, and yet I still believe in Jesus death and resurrection- at the end of my life, what will I have lost? I will have gained a fuller, richer life- a life lived with purpose and hope. Even if - at the end of it all- I've lived my life believing in the hope of Christ and eternal life and it turns out to be the biggest hoax and conspiracy ever conceived... I've still lost nothing.
But if I choose to live my life in disbelief, or (even worse) believing but choosing to live my live without him Him at the absolute center of my life - I will gained nothing and lost
everything.
I know that he lived. I know that he died. And I know, with every ounce of my being that miraculously, he rose from the grave, the tomb is empty...
HE IS ALIVE!
He made the biggest sacrifice. Because he chose me (and you, and you and EVERYONE) to give the priceless gift of salvation and eternal life, my greatest challenge is that each morning I will choose him.
I will choose each day to live in service to Him. In big ways, in small ways, in any way that I can.
I don't want to waste the gift He gave me on a life lived for myself. I don't want to come to the end of my short life on earth and only wish I could go back and change my path, wish I would have put Him first, wish I would have chosen Him over choosing myself.
More than anything, I want my life to matter.
I want it to count for something at the end of the day.
I want it to count for something at the end of my life.
The Word makes it clear that "Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matt 7:14) yet "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
But "My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
My greatest hope and desire is that my children, my family, my friends and all the people I know and love will receive the gift of eternal life. It is ours to take. He gave it freely.
Receive!
And give back to Him.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Housefull...
I find it amusing when people comment on how overwhelming (i.e. "crazy") it must be for us to have 5 kids. And I tell you the same thing I tell them... in many ways its much easier. The more kids you have, the more entertainment they provide for each other! Now, I'm not sure if Christian will appreciate (or be embarrassed by) the fact that his big sisters just love playing with him... which means- of course- he gets to play with their "girl toys." The way I see it, he doesn't look all that traumatized and seems to, in fact, rather enjoy a good session of playing "Barbie dolls..."
Having a housefull of children definitely provides countless opportunities for entertainment. They entertain each other- and they most certainly enterain Mike and I.... (whether we always would like it, or not!).
Take, for example, our 3 year old future recording artist. She is never without a tune, a ditty or a full blown "performance."
But don't get me wrong. I do get a break everyday in the form of (what has come to be known as "quiet time.") For my own sanity (yes, I wrote SANITY) my kids spend an hour in their bedroom quietly playing or reading books...
It may be busy and it may be loud- and at times a bit "overwhelming" (i.e. crazy!), but I wouldn't trade a single one of these smiling faces in order to shave off a few extra decibles.
Having a housefull of children definitely provides countless opportunities for entertainment. They entertain each other- and they most certainly enterain Mike and I.... (whether we always would like it, or not!).
Take, for example, our 3 year old future recording artist. She is never without a tune, a ditty or a full blown "performance."
But don't get me wrong. I do get a break everyday in the form of (what has come to be known as "quiet time.") For my own sanity (yes, I wrote SANITY) my kids spend an hour in their bedroom quietly playing or reading books...
It may be busy and it may be loud- and at times a bit "overwhelming" (i.e. crazy!), but I wouldn't trade a single one of these smiling faces in order to shave off a few extra decibles.
Life is loud. Life is crazy.
But life is so rich and full of blessings.
Happy Easter!
Angela
But life is so rich and full of blessings.
Happy Easter!
Angela
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