A Sweet Season

We are in a really sweet season of brotherly love right now with the boys.  They really enjoy playing together and they are always looking out for one another.  I think it is really cute that Caleb can understand Seth better than anyone else.  Even me, at times.  If we can't decipher a word that Seth is trying to communicate, Caleb always knows what Seth is trying to tell us. This especially comes in handy for grandparents and caretakers who may need a Seth interpreter when Eric and I are not present. 

They still have their fights and they can push each other's buttons like no one else. They are brothers, after all. But we are really enjoying watching their comradery and love for one another grow.  

Here are a few instances that have warmed the hearts of a couple of parents who prayed for sibling closeness from the time we found out we were pregnant with Sethie:

One day last week while Caleb was in preschool, Seth and I were out running errands.  Seth sweetly called from the backseat, "Momma, Biz is my best friend forever."

Anytime Seth gets a treat, he wants to make sure there is one for big brother, too.  Especially when we go to the "Sucker Bank" when Caleb is in school.  "Momma, get one for my brudder, too."

On Wednesday morning, we found Caleb sleeping snuggly alongside his brother in Seth's bottom bunk.  I asked Caleb why he gotten into bed with Seth and he simply said, "He asked me to." 

Last weekend we stayed at Granny's house and prior to bedtime, Caleb had to make sure that he and Seth would still get to sleep in the same room at Granny's house "like at home."

We were at a play date and Seth was struggling to put on some superhero gear and I asked if I could be of assistance.  He thought for a minute and then said, "No, my brudder will help me do it."  And then he ran off to find his buddy.

We were getting ready to leave the house on Tuesday and I was searching the house for Seth's shoes.  I stopped short in the living room, when I found Caleb sitting in the floor with his little brother patiently showing him how to put on his shoes. 

Oh, what a blessing it is to have a sibling and a lifelong buddy!! 

I know how blessed Eric and I have been by ours!

Pancake Art

Caleb got a little promotion on Monday night, when for the first time, he actually got to scoop the batter and pour it onto the griddle for our yummy pancake night.  It is quite a leap in responsibility, since he usually handles the pancakes at the fully cooked stage, when they are less tricky.  Caleb is the helper who usually places the pancakes onto the plate with his handy dandy spatula after they are good and ready.  It is a very important job, but since he had perfected that skill, he was ready to move on to a more challenging aspect of the pancake making process.

But who knew he would be so crafty? Or have such a serious face while doing it. 

On his second or third try, we noticed that his little batter globs were forming into some interesting pancakes. 

This was our favorite, Mr. Snail Pancake.  Pretty creative.  And a little sad to eat him.

Not too shabby for a first time scooper.

Caleb is still anxiously anticipating the day that he gets to be the flip-flopper--the all important job, currently held by Mommy. 

With his surprisingly adept skill in the pancake arts, I don't think it will be too long of a wait.

Needy

I met Heather when I was serving on a chiropractic Clinic Abroad mission trip to Cochabamba, Bolivia in 2004.  She served as a field doctor, chiropractic mentor and interpreter to our group, especially those of us who occupied the Estrogen Room.  It was affectionately named that since two of us who were working in that adjusting area were pregnant at the time.  I remember battling morning sickness between adjusting the Bolivian natives.  That definitely made the experience a bit more interesting.

Heather had attended the same Chiropractic college as I did and after taking her first trip to the country, she fell in love with the people of Bolivia and was called to bring both chiropractic and Jesus to them.  She mainly serves in orphanages and boys' and girls' home in Santa Cruz, Bolivia and she has such a heart for them and for the Lord she serves.  She has been serving in that country for 7 or 8 years now and I have been so blessed to remain in contact with her.  What I remember most about Heather during that trip, aside from her navigating me through the market place and us getting pummeled by water balloons while walking through a crazy street festival, was her sweet spirit and abundant energy.  I immediatly noticed the love she had for the Lord that radiated in her smile.  She took me and a few other students with her to a Bolivian Christian worship service and it was one of my favorite experiences from the trip.

I so enjoy receiving regular email updates from her and about how God is growing her through her service to Him and the people of Bolivia.  The glory is Gods and Heather gives it to him.  She is wonderful woman!

Her most recent update really ministered to me and I asked Heather if I could share it on my blog.  Oh, how I can relate to Juana.  I may not have the same physical needs as this sister, but I am just as needy, and more times than not, just as proud. I am humbled that I serve a God who knows my heart and knows how desperately needy I am, but still holds His arms out to me and says, "Come!" Praise you, Jesus!

From Heather:

I have a friend Juana who needs glasses, she is a 40 year old single mom. I told her about the clinic that would be able to get her glasses for free. She never went to the clinic. I asked why and she said she didn't want to give up a day of work. One day, when they were not full, I managed to get her the last appointment of the day and still she never showed up. She said she didn't know how to get there. I told her exactly how and she still didn't think she could find it. So one more day I got her the last appointment and gave her money for a taxi that would take her from door to door. Still nobody ever showed up at that time. Finally, one day when she told be how she wanted glasses' I told her that I tried and my offer still stood; but she'd have to do her part to get the prescription. Juana proceeded to confess the real reason she never showed up. She'd heard that that was a clinic for the poorest of the poor and she was too embarrassed to confess her need.

I got to thinking about how I treat God like that. His offer to help me always stands, but half the time I'm too proud to let Him know the truth about how needy I am.

Preschooler on the Way!

I was caught off guard by the amount of emotion that overcame me while I was filling out Seth's registration for preschool this morning. I have been so consumed with the fact that my first born will begin kindergarten in a few months and mentally trying to prepare myself for that whole cryfest, that the little issue of my second born hitting an education milestone of his own has taken a back seat.  Those poor second borns!  I would have more mommy guilt about this except for the fact that I am a second born myself and know that we get to play our second born card in other areas, and it all equals out in the end.

I have just recently started talking to Seth about starting school.  It really has snuck up on me.  He was not really game at first, but he has come around, especially since he realizes that the playground that Biz gets to play on at school will soon be his playground at school.  However, he doesn't understand quite yet that he is not going with his brother to kindergarten. While filling out the application, we talked about how much fun he would have in the fall when he gets to go to big boy school.  Seth kept getting more and more excited about going to "kindergarten." My heart kept getting heavier and heavier.  Although I have looked forward to the time when I would consistently have a few hours to myself, I just did not realize it would come so quickly.  I will finally be able to attend field trips and class parties with free hands and eyes on only one child. I will be able to go to the grocery alone, if I choose.  I will actually be able to go to the bathroom alone. I will no longer constantly have a little side kick with me every where I go, as I have for the past five and a half years. 

Yes, a season is coming to an end.  And I am a little sad. 

I am also so happy.  Happy that my children have grown into little boys who are eager to explore their world and make new friends. Happy that they have been blessed with the physical and mental ability to leave our little nest without the constant need for me.  Happy that they have grown to be independent enough to feel secure when they are away from home on a regular basis and really happy that they are excited when we can be back together again as a family.  Happy that over the past five and a half years, I have been learning what it means to truly give my kids to the Lord (I mean, after all, they are His anyway) and know that He is protecting them and watching over them, even when they are not in my ear shot.  God loves my children, even more than Eric and I do, and He has been growing me, just as much as He has them, over the years, so that I can gracefully allow them to go.

I know, I know, they are not leaving home for good.  But they will be leaving home more often and we will be away from each other longer than we have been before.  It will be a change.  And change is hard.


And I am a little sad.  I am going to be beside myself the morning I have to send Caleb off to kindergarten and the morning I walk Seth into preschool for the first day. And walk out without holding a little boy's hand...for the first time. I will cry the whole way home.  But it is only because it will be the end of a season.  A season that I did not choose to enter, but one that has been the greatest blessing in my life. A season that has brought the greatest challenges of my life and the most unbelieveable joy. A season in which I have grown more than I ever dreamed I would.  A season where I have learned to trust my God in Heaven above anything, even above myself. 

Oh, God, you are good.  You are so good! 

This guy is ready for Kindergarten, but hopefully, we can talk him into going to preschool first.

More Snow Day Fun!

Yes, those are my children flying down the stairs in a suitcase!

This gives me an idea of what Guy's night must be like on Sundays and Tuesdays! Can you imagine what it would be like if Eric was the full-time stay-at-home parent??

Awesome Fort

Fort days with Daddy are a bit more extravagant (and sturdy) than fort days with Mommy.

And just what goes on inside of a cool fort like this?

The perfect Jedi hideout, because there is a lot of Jedi work to do.

Playing Corn Hole in the Living Room with a Blue Haired Man

If you are not from Kentucky, you are probably confused.

If you are from Kentucky, then you totally understand.

I am not good at explaining how you play games, but here goes:

Corn hole is a game that I have only seen in my home state of Kentucky.  Maybe it has filtered into other states, but at this point, I am unaware of such spreading.  Anyway, the object of the game is to toss corn-filled bags into a hole carved into a wooden board.  Hence the name Corn Hole.  See, we keep it simple in the bluegrass state.  I guess it is similar to the game Horse shoes, since being close to the hole counts.  You score one point if your bag lands on the board and you get a whopping two points if your bag actually lands in the hole.  And you can try to knock your opponent's bag off of the plank to add a little vicious strategery to the game.

The boys got a customized UK Corn Hole game for Christmas this year from Memaw and Pepaw. Ooh la la!  This smaller version is easily played in the comforts of our living room.  Which, of course, we do.

It is a fun game and thankfully, those soft little corn bags are forgiving when they accidentally meet up with the television screen, picture frame, or a random lamp that just so happens to be hanging around our living room.  Maybe one day our living room will not double as a play ground.  But for now, it works for us. (and nothing major has gotten broken.)

 

And since these pictures were taken on game day, the blue hair was out in full force!!

We Love You, Memaw!!

And Pepaw, your not too bad, either.

We can't wait to see you in a few hours!!

Feeding the Birds

Caleb made a pretty creative bird feeder at preschool.

He was quick to point out that although Mrs. Amy (his teacher, not me.  I would have never thought of this creative idea.) had baked the biscuit, he had put the hole in it and sprinkled it with bird seed.

He couldn't wait to get home to the hungry birds and share his treat.

I think he may have been a little motivated by the fact that he would get to climb a tree to hang the feeder.

It took a few days for the birds to find his offering, (Believe me, we checked the feeder multiple times per day.  Luckily it hung in a tree that was within direct eye-shot of the boys' bedroom window), but we think they were grateful to Caleb for his generosity and bird feeder making skills.

This is What Happens When You are Snow Bound with Two Energy-Filled Little Boys for Three Days!!

Okay, I guess we weren't technically snow bound.  That may be a little dramatic.  We live on the street next to the post office that was cleared off fairly quickly, so if we had really wanted or needed to get out and about after the snow storm a couple of weeks ago, it would have probably been doable.  Maybe not wise, but doable.  We more or less voluntarily opted stay snowed in for three days and enjoy the seclusion that comes from having nowhere else to be except in your own warm and cozy living room, being entertained by a couple of goofy kids. 

Who looked like ninjas.

And had A LOT of energy.

Fun New Chore

One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was my Swivel Sweeper.  I spend a great amount of my day sweeping.  Yes, sweeping.  No matter how many times my broom scoots across my floor, it always seems there is more sweeping to do.  Of course, since I do have two little boys who seem to get as much lunch on the floor at they do in their mouths, finding a quicker sweeping method was at the top of my list. My dear friend Kristin first introduced me to this little marvel and once I observed how wonderfully that little jewel cleaned up, without the use of a dust pan I might add,  I was in love.  Ahhh...

Okay, so maybe it wasn't the most romantic gift my husband has ever given me, but if you know anything about me you know that 9 times out of 10, practical wins out over romance...in the gift giving department, that is.  Maybe practicality is my romance language.  Either way, I was so very happy to have a Swivel Sweeper of my very own.

And I soon found out that I was not the only person in the house who was excited about our new gadget.  The timing of its introduction could not have been more perfect.  We started a consistent chore list for Caleb at the first of the year and he was more than happy to add sweeping up after meals to his household responsibilities. 

However, the only issue I have found with our new sweeper is having to referee as the boys determine whose turn it is to sweep.  A good problem to have, I would say.

I just hope this chore enthusiam lasts!

The little sweepers in action...

And look, it even bends to get to those hard-to-reach places. 

My affection only grows for you, Swivel Sweeper.