Raven Run pics

We were collecting leaves for a school leaf project.  It was Elijah's homework.  I love this pic of him.  Totally spontaneous.

Isaiah took this picture and I didn't crop it at all.  He's quite the photographer.

Climbing the falls.  Miraculously, no one got wet, and I didn't have to go chasing after Micah's shoe down the stream either.

FROM A STUDENT

Grading memoirs today and ran across this 14 year old girl's piece.  Here is part of it:

We had listened to them fighting.  I was in my room, hiding, scared.  My brother came and got me.  We ran into his bed room, and closed the door noiselessly.  We turned on his TV with the volume up loud, but that only muffled the sound of our parents fighting.  I sat down on the wooden ladder, staring at the door knob, waiting for something to happen that would make this all disappear.  The noise finally stopped, the door knob turned.  I ran to my dad and hugged him.  He said we needed to talk.  We took a ride in his truck with its blackish purplish color that I so much adored. 

The divorce all happened at once.  The word we didn't understand had the power to tare a family apart.  The tears ran down my face like rain.  This memory haunts me.  It is truly the one thing I can remember from my childhood.

A reminder to me today.  This is part of my calling- to do whatever I can to bring the healing power of Jesus to hurting marriages.

ANOTHER ONE-  She writes:

...This went on and finally my dad told me about my mom cheating on him.  She did it when I wasn't around for her to look after.  I knew that if I didn't leave the house, she would have to stop so that's what I did.  My dad had told me that he was going to leave if she didn't stop.  I made this my new goal, not to let him leave again.  To do this I first had to stop her from going out which meant I couldn't go out and that's exactly what I did for five years.  I stayed inside every single day and night so she had no chance of leaving.  It worked.  She didn't leave the house.  Instead my mom decided she was leaving this time and she was taking me with her.  This made me sadder than ever.  I had to leave my house and all of my friends and go somewhere I hated.  All for some stupid reason. 

Today, I am with my mom still unfortunately.  I hardly ever see my dad anymore, but that's okay because I would rather have nothing to do with either of them than something to do with both of them.

IMG00030.jpg

Lunch on the trail. Hiking Saturday. Elijah is off chasing dragons with a stick.


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Micah story

Micah: My armpit is really itchy. (scratching this morning)
Me: Let me see. You have a dry patch of skin in your armpit.
Micah: Oh. Do I need lotion or Gatorade?
Me: lotion. Gatorade is for a dry throat, not dry skin.
Micah: No, not Gatorade. What's that stuff you and Daddy rub on your armpits?
Me: Deodorant?
Micah: Yeah, (walking off to himself) deodorant... that's a hard word to remember.

Table Versus Clock

(My poor attempts at poetry, part 13 -not an exact count- done as an assignment with my students this week) The assignment- "Write about something that matters to you right now."
----------------------------------------------------

Solid and rectangular
We gather around you.
The melodic clatter of forks, plates and glasses
is punctuated by fits of laughter-
symphonic resonance.
Tears soak into napkins, discarded
on your surface.

You support the weight of empty
plates, full hearts, sadness and joy.
You are the foundation
of elbows that support fists on temples
of heads that contain minds
that give voice to words
that change the world
of the women who gather around you.

A clock on the wall bears silent
forboding witness to the beauty,
genius and fortitude that you
are privvy to on this night.

Rank and file hands march steadily onward
mocking this masterpiece.
There is nowhere to run from your force.

Table versus Clock: the two are at war.
But memory of beauty triumphs over
time.
To you, o clock, I say- "Do your worst!"
Our memories are keen
And the table will see us again.

Zay turns 5

How can you say "no" to that face..., and yet we do- on a regular basis.

I can hardly believe that our baby is 5 years old. Isaiah, at five years old... if I had to describe you in a word it would be 'charmer'. Some distinctions about your blossoming personality right now include your precision in speaking. You speak with careful enunciation of every syllable which often makes your speech slow and deliberate but easily understood. Adults find you charming because you know how to make conversation, and any stranger can understand you well.

You can be strong-willed at times, and you are VERY independent. Often, we'll notice that you're not with the crowd and when we go looking for you, we can usually find you building in the LEGO box or squishing sand between your toes in the sandbox. You have no fear of being alone for long periods of time- which makes you GREAT at playing hide and seek.

We love your easy laugh and smile, and you show a special affinity for music and dancing. In church, most Sundays you'll sing along with the worship music, even when your brothers and the other kids are drawing or whispering to each other. You are a special young man, we love you tons and can't wait to see who you become as a 5 year old this year.

Officially official (its been a while... sorry)

This will be the two younger boys' room in the parsonage.
This is the living room; I'm thinking about keeping the tables and chairs. :)

-----------------------------
We will have a new home. Relief. Excitement. Anxiety. Nervousness. Adventure. All of it, all wrapped up together. Mostly it just feels really good to have direction- to know where the boys will go to elementary school in the fall, to know where we'll live, and just to know.

Now comes the hard part, preparing to leave. I love my people here, and I love knowing where to get a free muffin with coffee before 8am, how to get fresh vegetables all summer long, where the discount bread store is and who to call if I need... anything.

Keymar, Maryland. That's where we're headed and we're excited.
But that's all I can write because there's a lump in my throat for all we'll leave behind.

Easter Suits

The boys have never had suits before. We have them this year for Uncle Garth and Aunt Jodie's wedding in June. For the most part, no one complained too much about getting dressed up this morning- that is after I convinced Elijah that he was dressing up as James Bond.

Spring in Jersey

A few days in Jersey with our cousins and Uncle Josh and Aunt Jess, and we're back home again now. We had a terrific time together as always and can't wait to do it again. I didn't ever get a good picture of Garrett or Nora so you'll have to see them on the steps in the picture of all of the kids. We love you guys! Happy Easter!

On Teaching

Love this whole article from Rob Bell, but especially this part. From my experience teaching, I can definitely say AMEN to this.

Things Taste Better When They've Been Marinated

I work on teachings for as long as four to six months, a year. You'd think I was obnoxious because if we go out to lunch I'll be diagramming on a napkin.

If you're married and I said, "Tell me about your wedding day," you could tell it to me. You wouldn't say, "I forgot my notes." No, you just tell me.

Those of you who have kids, if I asked, "How old are your kids, and what are their names?" You won't say, "I have my notes some place. I don't have my PowerPoint with me." No. Boom, boom, boom, these are the ages. Why? Because it's a part of you.

What if your teaching was such a part of you it was like telling about your wedding day or like telling about your first job? What would it be like if you could tell it like it was a story you told 200 times?

That's my passion. I have found the harder I work and the farther out I've been working on it, the more freedom I have.

The people who are listening to you, they know when it's become a part of you. They can feel when the speaker is just giving some information and observation, and they know when it is coming right through your soul.

We don't need people who sing the notes off a chart. We need soul singers. We need prophets. We need poets. Our generation needs people who have had an experience. They've got their hair set on fire. They're wild-eyed, and they can't wait. I got to say this, or I'm going to explode.

You can read the whole article here:

Creativity Abounds

I was at the sink. The boys were at the table doing homework. Isaiah whispered to Elijah.
I told them to stop talking to Elijah so he could finish.
Isaiah said, "Mommy, how did you hear that. I was so quiet."
Me: "I have super sonic Mommy ears. Its my super power."
Isaiah: Mommy could hear an ant screaming for help.
Then he imitates an ant screaming, opening his mouth wide, teeny high pitch sound coming out just barely, then giggles contagiously.
Elijah chimes in: Mommy could hear the trees blowing in Africa.
Isaiah giggles some more.
What about Micah? Between his sore throat (he was home from school that day) and his usual focused, stoic attitude toward homework, he merely frowned at his brothers in protest of their frivolity. :) I love these boys.
My heart is full!

Peace for a New Day

Falling asleep with
Shalom whispered past my lips
Brings new life at dawn.

Control: Dr. Suess Style (in honor of his birth week)

merimnaō- thought, WORRY:
1) to be anxious, to be troubled with cares
2) to care for, look out for a thing, to seek to promote one's interests,
--------------------------------------------
Do not worry about your life (Matt. 6:25)
Do not worry about your wife (1 Cr. 7:33)
Do not worry about food or water (Matt 6:25)
And do not worry about sons or daughters (1 Cr. 7:34)

But shouldn't I, like Martha, work hard every day? (Luke 10:41)

No. Sit with Me.
I take troubles away.

No worry for life? No worry for water? No worry for food or sons or daughters?
What about clothing- a stylish outfit from Macy's
Surely I shouldn't be stuck in the 80's.

Do not worry about stylish clothes
Not hats, pants, boots or ribbons and bows.
Look at my flowers with their delicate beauty
And tell me if Macy's can live up to them, truly.

But how do I know what will happen tomorrow?
We might be in a bind, and then have to borrow
From friends or family or a perfect stranger,
What then? What then? We could be in danger?

Worry not about what will happen tomorrow, (Matt 6:34)
Worry not about having to beg, steal or borrow.

For after all these things the world does seek
your Father knows you have need of these things. (Matt. 6:32)

Worry not for my house,
not for a career.
Not for my kids, pizza, job or root beer.
I think I might like this trusting in You,
I think I might like it
I do. I do.
And....
I think I have learned my eventual goal
That faith in You
means releasing control.

Book Orders

It is a battle I've chosen to fight, but one that I know he just can not understand right now. The Book Order.
You know those paper fliers we brought home from school every month. I LOVED them when I was in elementary school. I eagerly read book descriptions searching for that one perfect choice.
I feel like things have changed since 1986. Elijah's book order is FULL of media driven junk. Here was our conversation today:

Elijah: Can I get something from the book order.
Me: Probably. Why don't you circle the things you think you will want.

Later he brings me the paper and we sit down together to go through it. His choices include a mini-scooter with accompanying pamphlet, a Transformers book, a spy video camera with some kind of booklet, a door alarm with booklet and a SpongeBob book. We talked about his choices one at a time. I asked why he wanted it and why he thought it would be a good book.
Elijah: Its a scooter
Me: Its a toy scooter. It is tiny, and it isn't a book. We're choosing a book.
Elijah: Look at the spy camera one.
Me: Its not a real camera. Its just a box with a lens. It doesn't really do anything.
Elijah: Oh.
Me: Why did you pick Transformers and Spongebob?
Elijah: I love them.
Me: Really? Because you haven't seen either one on TV in probably a year. Are the stories really that interesting?
Elijah: I don't know.

So I made some suggestions... other boys themed books about adventures, magic, science, there were plenty of other good choices.
But alas, he was blinded by the fancy, media driven items. Oh how I wish they would just disappear. Every scrap of it muddies the waters of so many other more edifying, wholesome, high-quality items that kids would LOVE if they weren't so bombarded by mindless characters and endless trinkets.
Revolt!
Anyway, we bought some books that I think he'll love if he'll give them a chance. And I'll sleep well tonight.

Birthday Boys

Another year flies by and our two oldest boys are a year older. Elijah turned 8 last week and Micah turned 6 two weeks ago. I can hardly believe it. We love them both so much! We had a shared party with a few friends. Mommy made a guitar cake, gifts were opened, games were played and I think they felt celebrated.

Elijah loves learning all about new places and people. Micah loves sharpening his math and reading skills. Elijah loves to run and jump and play and create. Micah loves to compete and spend time with friends and play video games and carefully observe. Both boys surprise us every day with the new things they're learning and doing. We love watching America's Funniest Home Videos before bedtime some nights, and both boys can be found curled up with a book or comic book at any given moment.

We love you so much boys! Happy Birthdays!

Lent and Maple Syrup

"Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing. And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water." Numbers 31:22-23

One of the first signs of spring in my hometown corner of the world was a trip to my grandfather's sugar shack, usually with my cousins. It was a crude little dirt-floored structure nestled at the edge of a stand of sugar maples. At one end of the shack, a huge metal vat the size of a bathtub filled half of the shack. Underneath the vat, and of a similar size, was a wood burning stove with a curvy little stovepipe that rose from behind the vat and escaped through a hole in the slanted aluminum roof. Bright winter sunlight broke through a thousand tiny cracks in the walls, and on every available stud inside, nails held ladles, spoons, nets and filters. Two folding chairs and a small homemade table were the only other furnishings. It wasn't especially colorful or comfortable inside the shack, but I remember it with a smile. Maybe it was the smell. For 2-3 weeks every spring, a sweet, woodsy aroma of smoke, syrup, moisture and the earthy outdoors combined with the barn-like smell of my grandfather's coveralls. I can almost taste the hope of spring as I type.

The syrup making ritual involved checking sap buckets daily, collecting it in 50 gallon size containers that would then be dumped into the vat in the sugar shack- 43 gallons of sap yields just 1 gallon of sticky, sweet syrup, so this was truly a labor of love. Mixing, testing, stirring, feeding the fire that raged below the vat, skimming the syrup with a net to remove impurities that were distilled to the surface, day and night, batch after batch, waiting for the exact moment of perfection- too long and it would burn, too short and the flavor was weak.

For my part, I was involved as a tourist, but for my grandfather and uncles, it was laborious. The end product? Clear glass quart jars of syrupy, caramel-colored goodness would file into my grandmother's mudroom weeks later.

Today, during this same season of the year, I am involved in an entirely different ritual of purification.

With my prayer, "Cleanse my heart Lord. Purify me from impurities."
I imagine, "Turn up the heat in the old wood stove. Load on the firewood Lord."

With the common practice of giving up something for Lent,
I imagine the excesses of my life being distilled at a rumbling boil, escaping through the curvy stovepipe of my spirit into the vastness above.

With the difficult work of self-reflection and prayer,
I imagine the physical labor of my family members, toting heavy buckets of sap, standing or sitting around a steaming vat day and night, chopping and feeding logs to a ferocious fire for days on end.

And the end result of both processes? A beautiful sweetness that can only be produced through a process- a process of bringing what I have to the sugar shack, stoking the fires of reflection hot, releasing that which is impure (allowing another to skim off the really nasty stuff), and looking forward to the hope of a sweeter, closer relationship with my Maker.

As I allow Him, God is happy to illuminate the clouds of my watery self being released toward Him. He accepts it, releases me from the burden of carrying it, and I anticipate the closeness of knowing Him in all of His flavorful goodness as the days of Lent progress.

God Moment with Isaiah

After lunch today, I was still eating, the older two were gone from the table and Isaiah was playing with the LEGO pieces he "borrowed" from seminary childcare this morning. Here is our conversation:
Zay: Mommy, I took this LEGO from childcare.
Me: I know. You're borrowing it though right? We'll take it back next time we go because if we don't that would be stealing.
Zay: No. I'm steeeeeealing it. (mischievous smile)
Me: Really? Do you think that's OK?
Zay: ....(playing).... God sees everything doesn't he.
Me: Yes he does. I think God is disappointed when we do things we know are wrong.
Zay: .... (playing)... Mommy, I think I have a little greed in my heart.
Me: I think we all probably have a little greed in our hearts. What can we do?
Zay: ... (looks at me, looks back at toy)...
Me: We can pray and ask God to replace our greed with contentment. We can say we're sorry for stealing and he'll forgive us. Have you prayed about the little greed in your heart?
Zay: No.
Me: Would you like to pray now?
Zay: (immediately- like 'I thought you'd never ask) Yeah!
Me: Do you want to pray or do you want Mommy to pray?
Zay: You.
Me: (he grabs my hand) Dear God, we know we have greed in our hearts sometimes. Its hard to be content with what we have. Would you help us and replace our greed with contentment? Forgive Isaiah for stealing. He is sorry. Help him to know he's forgiven. Amen.
Zay: (smiling) Mommy, I think my little greed is gone. Just like that (snaps his fingers) God can just take it right away.
Me: So are we borrowing the toy?
Zay: YES. (He hops off happily playing)

Best Medicine

"Researchers estimate that laughing 100 times is equal to 10 minutes on the rowing machine or 15 minutes on an exercise bike."
"The psychological benefits of humor are quite amazing, according to doctors and nurses who are members of the American Association for Therapeutic Humor. People often store negative emotions, such as anger, sadness and fear, rather than expressing them. Laughter provides a way for these emotions to be harmlessly released."
And it just feels good to laugh. Oh women of Wilmore, my friends, what can I say? I love laughing with you. Thank you for your freedom, your honesty and your openness.

Weather Woes

I don't know the science of it, but I do know that at a certain temperature, the snow makes a squeaky, crunchy sort of sound when you tromp through it. Each step sounds like wet skin on an inflatable pool chair. Nostril hairs freeze into tiny icicles, and even short periods of time outside color exposed patches skin bright pink. With bright sun shining, the sky is a primitive, clear blue, and the snow reflects a brighter white than can be recreated under any other circumstance. This is the winter I knew for 18 years of my life.

While the southern half of North America has other redeeming qualities, winter here is NOT one of them. Where oh where has the sunshine gone and when will she return?

34 Excuses

I have a student who begs, BEGS to leave class over and over and over.
He does it in every class, all day long (his other teachers and I have talked). We've tried all strategies. I thought it might be fun to record a list of the ones I can remember from the recent past. Keep in mind that every request is met with begging, arguing and complete disrupting of class until he gets his way or you give him a discipline consequence for being argumentative.
1) I have a nose bleed (holding his hand over his nose, head tipped back. He didn't really have a nose bleed.)
2) I bumped my knee on the desk. I need to go get some ice.
3) I have a splinter in my finger and it really hurts. I need to see the nurse.
4) I really have to pee. Please can I go. (After having just come back from the bathroom 10 minutes earlier.)Please please please please please
5) I have a scrape on my knuckle. I need a Band-Aid. See it?? Right Here... for real Mrs. Crisp. Look. (I look, there is nothing that I can see without a microscope).
6) I need to turn in a form to the guidance office. Me: And where is this form? Oh it's in my locker, but I have to go get it and turn it in right now. It has to be in today. I promise. Its in my locker. Just right outside the door. They said...
7) _______ took my shoes in gym class and I have his on and they're too tight. Can I go find him and trade back with him? If I take these off they're really going to stick cause ___ has smelly feet and they'll be smelling up this whole room.
8) Can I go get a drink of water? I'm so thirsty that I can't even pick up a pencil or listen so I'm not going to do anything anyway until I get a drink.
9) I twisted my ankle in gym and it really hurts. Can I go get some ice?
10) My mom said that I needed to call her at 2:00 to remind her to come and pick me up. I need to go to the office to call home. I'm for real. She'll forget me.
11) I need to go call home to have my dad bring me some Advil. I've got a headache. I'm not going to get anything done until my headache goes away so you might as well let me go.
12) I have the wrong binder. Can I go to my locker to get my LA binder?
13) ______ has my binder and I need to go get it from him. It has my homework in it.
14) I don't have a pencil. Can I go buy one from the machine?
15) I don't have any paper. Can I go buy some from the machine?
16) I can't see from my seat. Can I go get my glasses out of my locker? I didn't wear my contacts today. (Comes back with no glasses) I must have left them at home.
17) _________ took my glasses between classes. Can I go get them back?
18) I need to go to the office to call home. Its an emergency. Its personal.
19) Can I go wash my hands? I've got ink all over them and its going to get all over the desk.
20) Can I go wash my hands? I think ____ has the swine flu and she sneezed on me with her germs. Hand sanitizer just isn't going to cut that crud.
21) Can I go wash my hands? I've got white-out all over them and I can't do my work because my pencil keeps slipping right out of my fingers. (He had painted every finger completely white)
22) My chair keeps tipping. Its broken. I need a new chair. I can't learn like this. Can I go ask Mr. Wayne for a new chair? (custodian)
23) (15 minutes late for class) My locker was stuck. You can call Mr. Wayne. Call him. He'll tell you. It was stuck I swear.
24) Can I go to the bathroom? I have a note now. From my doctor saying I have a medical problem. I need to go when I need to go.
25) Can I go talk to the counselor? I have an issue. Its too personal to talk about here right now.
26-30) Can I go talk to ___(insert and one of his 5 other teachers names here)_____ because she wrote me up. I got called to the office last hour because she wrote me up for no reason. I need to go talk to her.
And on and on and on.....
Oh oh oh, I forgot all of the braces related requests
31) My bracket broke
32) I need a rubber band from my locker
33) There's something stuck in my bracket and it really hurts. (totally in my personal space opening his mouth) SEEE!!
34) I just got my braces tightened and they really hurt. I need some ice.

There are so many more if you can believe it- all from one child, Every. Single. Day. By the time I get home, I don't want to answer a question ever again. Can't something be done, you ask? Where is the justice? Where is the system? Where is the principal? Haven't you told someone, you ask?
My answer: all of the someones have been told and there's nothing left to do but blog about it. :)

open windows & unlocked doors: prophets (luke 10:28)

open windows & unlocked doors: prophets (luke 10:28)
Great poem here today. I loved the last stanza- so beautifully challenging (copied below if you don't want to read the whole poem, but it's worth the 2 minutes).
What do you think?
-------------------
If I were a prophet, I might say to you:

“In this perfectly broken world,
you must
see that which strives to be hidden,
hear those voices others would deny,
taste the bitterness of the forgotten,

and yet love all of it without exception,
as if your life depended upon it –

because it does.”

Give Wisely

Just a reminder to think twice about where you give for Haitian relief efforts. Sometimes large organizations have their own political interests in mind over the best interests of individuals and families. Just make informed choices.
Heartline Haiti Ministries and World Wide Village are both small Christian organizations with experienced ministry professionals in Haiti. They are making good choices for kids unlike UNICEF. Read these two stories 1 family's story and Livesay's story for more on UNICEF. I'm only posting this because I had no idea. I like to be informed, and I thought maybe my 4 readers might like to know too. :)

Playing Detective

Pretending this AM. Elijah is a detective; I am the receptionist at his agency and Zay is his cooky assistant.

Elijah: Have you had any calls recently?
Me: Yes actually. A lady just phoned in and said that someone stole her magic tricks.
Elijah: I'm on it. Assistant Cooky, come with me. (that's cooky as in spooky)
(Both run out of the room 5 minutes later they return)
Elijah: Mystery solved.
Me: Great. I'll let the lady know. What happened?
Elijah: The tricks were sucked up by our arch nemesis.
Me: Really. So how did you defeat him?
Elijah: I threw him in jail. His name was Sucky Face. He just sucked them up.
Zay: According to our calculations.
(Runs out of the room again... new adventures await)

College Age Group

For the past 2 weeks, Eric and I have been hosting a group of college aged kids from church. We eat food, play games, talk about our lives and laugh. In the mere 10 years its been since I was in college, I've forgotten how appreciative I was of having a home to join for a few hours a week.

When we first talked about hosting the group I was all for it and knew in my head that it would be great, but somewhere there was the nagging thought, "What if they don't like it? What if they don't come back?" In 10 years, I had forgotten.

They are a great group of students, so polite and appreciative of the smallest gestures we make toward them (trust me, its nothing fancy). I am a little amazed by how little effort it actually takes to be of value to someone, and yet I'm so hesitant to make that little effort sometimes. Why is that? Anyway, all of that to say that its going great. We love having them over, they seem to enjoy coming over, and I'm looking forward to next week. AND I'm AGAIN encouraged to make the little efforts.

Haiti

Friday, an eighth grade girl in my class lost her cool, angry at a fellow classmate and threw a chair. It hit me in the shins as I stepped between the two girls, and all I could think about during the ensuing interview with the safety officer and principal was flying walls and furniture that break legs.

Saturday, I wiped and scrubbed new-flooring-construction dust from every windowsill, picture frame, baseboard and corner in my house, and all I could think about was piles of concrete dust laying caked over bodies and rubble.

Sunday, I sat in my cushy recliner, enjoying my morning coffee, watching rainwater lazily drip from branch after branch of the tree outside my un-shattered window. I closed my eyes, Bible open in my lap, and prayed that like drops of rain, peace and supernatural comfort would seep into dry dusty land, hearts, and broken bodies on a tiny, oft-forgotten island.

Why? Why? Everyone wants to ask why? Children, babies, grandmothers, sons, fathers... why?

John 9
1 As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who had been blind since birth. Jesus' disciples asked, "Teacher, why was this man born blind? Was it because he or his parents sinned?"
"No, it wasn't!" Jesus answered. "But because of his blindness, you will see God work a miracle for him. As long as it is day, we must do what the one who sent me wants me to do. When night comes, no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light for the world."

Oh Lord, let us see you work a MIRACLE for Haiti and her people.

It Begins

Haiti

Troy and Tara (Haiti blog I follow) have lost internet access for a while, so the lack of recent news on their blog isn't necessarily bad news.
Praying for them throughout my day today and this evening, asking God why my children are safe when so many others are not tonight. Thanking him for mercy I don't deserve and praying for God's love and strength to find every suffering Haitian resident tonight. If you're able (and let's face it; in comparison, we're all able), consider giving financially to WorldWideVillage.org or Heartlineministries.org. The money will meet immediate needs for hundreds of people.

Indiana

The second half of our vacation was spent in Indiana. What a fantastic frenzy of family and fun! The kids hadn't seen their cousins in almost a year so it was a joyful reunion and never a dull moment. Games were played, presents were opened, movies were watched and travels were had. Aunt Lynn watched all 10 kids while the moms and dads caught a matinee one day. Nana and Papa shared their home, food and lives with our rowdy crews for a whole week, and we all came out the other end loving each other. Grandma and grandpa Ledbetter hosted gift opening and New Years cabbage and black eyed peas (health and wealth tradition). We welcomed the newest addition- Nora, with her little tuft of dark hair and bright blue eyes; she is our sweetest new niece.

We loved on each other and felt loved. Again, we're so blessed by our family. Beautiful days in Hoosier-land. Now home again in Kentucky.

Massachusetts

Our travels! Phew! We had a great time with family and friends, but we're glad to be home and back into our routine too. From December 17th-25th, we were in Massachusetts with Grammie, Uncle Garth and Aunt Jodie. Everyone stayed busy, happy and love was thick in the air- like we all knew that we only had a few days together so we were soaking in it. Grammie and the boys made a gingerbread house, made Christmas cards, went sledding behind the condo, read stories, and watched movies together. The boys made great memories with their Grammie and with Uncle Garth and Aunt Jodie. Skiing was a highlight, especially for Elijah who is still asking when we can go skiing again. We took a short trip to see the lights displays at a park in Springfield and generally just loved our time together. I love my family and miss them, but I am so thankful to have had a few days of uninterrupted vacation with them! Thanks for a great time Garth, Jodie and Mom.

Christmas Encouragement

From "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
O ye beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow;
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.

When you're in school (seminary or middle school) there is a crushing load filled with slow steps leading up to Christmas. So these last two lines, "Oh rest beside the weary road/ And hear the angels sing" are my song of hope today.

WHAT IF # 457

What if I was stuck inside a top forever?

What if I had 8 arms?

Both said by Isaiah tonight.

Milestones

Some people run a marathon.

Others lose 100 pounds.

Children learn to walk or crawl.

I throw away a 7 year old baby monitor.

I woke up this morning to a strange breathing in the room. After determining that it wasn't Eric, I noticed a small lump on the couch and yes, it was the source of the raspy breathing. Isaiah must have gotten up sometime in the night, come into our room, and snuggled onto our couch. He even made himself a pillow out of a blanket and covered up with another one. I had no idea.

It was an obvious sign that he has grown. I'm sure he'll still yell for his mommy another time or two in his life, but basically it occurred to me that he now knows how to get what he needs without much help from me. And when he needs help he'll ask, but for the most part, he's pretty independent. The youngest. The baby.

And the monitor has been struggling for a while now, buzzing, zapping, barely picking up sounds anymore, yet every time I've tried to cease its use, I couldn't sleep well.

But tonight, I believe its gone for good.

Milestone.

Thanksgiving in IN

The boys with their great-grandma! She's such an amazing lady! We love you Grandma!

Christmas in Wilmore

Isaiah preparing to blow out his candle. He held this pose for a good 2 minutes. Eric thought he was having a seizure. :)

We sat in the balcony, AKA kids' area. Pretty sure kids outnumbered adults up there, but everyone was great. Advent service was tonight, and the next pictures are from Saturday night at the annual Christmas event downtown in Wilmore.
Too Many Drummers, our band friends, totally rocked it at Solomon's. Love those guys!
On our way back to the van after a very short visit to Main St. for Old Fashioned Christmas this year. Either we're getting softer, or it was colder than usual.

Halloween Costumes

(I'm catching up since I just now downloaded pictures.) Isaiah can be such an enigma. I'm still not sure about that kid- just who he will be or how to best to handle him. But I know one thing for sure. He LOVES to be in control. I know all toddler/preschoolers like to control whatever aspects of their environment that they can, but Isaiah takes this game to a whole new level. Halloween was a perfect example. He had wanted a wizard costume for weeks. We picked out fabric together, made it together, hot-glued beads on the cape together, and he even wore it around the house all day a few times. Then, the big day comes around and all of a sudden he decides he no longer wants the wizard costume. He has no idea what he wants. It wasn't a battle worth fighting, so I just let it go, let him wear whatever he wanted and painted his face for him at his request. I still have no idea what happened, and no one really asked about his interesting "costume". Oh well.

Coming Home

I love coming home to my family these days. There is a song in my heart the whole way. I love it that Micah helps me cook or set the table. I love it that Isaiah usually has his shirt off- man that kid loves his bare chest. I love it that Elijah is exercising his creativity- literally monkeying around. I just have to stop, take a breath and freeze frames every now and then, and tonight was one of those nights. We played Scene It Disney after dinner, together, all five of us. Everyone's personality contributed uniquely and beautifully. Elijah found that he was especially good at the game and was in heaven. Micah showed more maturity than I've ever seen from him when he didn't win every turn, and Isaiah was happy to be included even though he didn't know the answers to hardly any of the questions. I'd whisper in his ear and he'd happily contribute.

Bedtime was quick and easy and I'm looking forward to our day tomorrow. These are the kinds of days that I want to slow down and live in for years instead of hours.

Wilmore Old fashioned Christmas, Basketball for Micah and a Too Many Drummers concert tomorrow. Maybe some decorating in there too. Can't wait!

Blurb

We turned our blog from the beginning until July 2009 into a book through www.blurb.com software. It turned out beautifully. If you have a family blog, I highly recommend it. It takes a lot of time to reformat the posts, but the finished product looks great. Ours is a 240 page softcover, full color book and the total cost was about $40. The best scrapbooking I've ever done. :)

Song for Today

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

I was drawn to confess my lack of faith this morning during the worship service. I have not been seeing my world through faith filled eyes. I confessed my faithless worry to my Father and He filled my heart with peace and the comfort that His love is better and more sure than anything I can concoct or scheme. He spoke to me through the image of me falling on my knees before Him in humility and Him bringing me in and up toward Him in love. How could I doubt a God who has always taken care of me so well. Thank you Lord for your presence and message today. On this Thanksgiving weekend, it is You I am most thankful for.

Blogging Break

Eric reminded me tonight that it's been a long time since I've blogged. Well, you know the old, "when you don't have anything good to say..."
Yeah, that's been me lately.
It's not that life isn't great. It really is. We are so blessed. Healthy kids. Amazing kids. Jobs that provide what we need. Loving family and friends. A beautiful thriving marriage and a peaceful home. Meaningful ministry experiences etc. So why the blogging drought?

Usually, when I write, it has to be about what is occupying my head, heart and hands at the core. When I try to write about the periphery of my being, it ends up sounding fake and contrived- write, read, press delete, go to bed.
Such has been the routine for the past month.
So what is at the core these days? Just my own impatience. That's all. Its God working on me during our early morning jogs together. It sounds something like this, plodding along in the chilly, fall darkness.

"Less of me God, more of You. Less of me God, more of You. Teach me to love God, let them see You. Less of me God, more of You." Over and over and over. I've tried other words, and they don't seem right.
The rhythm of my feet, my breath, these thoughts, my heart, the fading stars, the growing dawn, it all seems to fit.

Then throughout my day... when I've tried to give the same set of 5 minute directions to a group of 30, 13 year olds 5 times in a row and they can't seem to close their mouths long enough to listen to one simple set of directions, when the multitude of their voices drowns out any hope of us getting through the carefully planned and prepared lesson, when the 15th person asks me 'what page?' and it's written on the board behind me. "Less of me God, more of You."

When yet another teeny girl looks at me with her naive brown eyes and snaps, "I'm not doin this. Its dumb" and she's the 4th one that day... "Less of me God, more of You."

When a gangsta-wanna-be who had been doing so well suddenly stops coming to school then returns and has as much interest in school work as I have in earthworms and I just want to cry for him... "Less of me God, more of You."

That's it. For a whole month, that's all I've had to say that wouldn't be pride, impatience, whining, groaning, or fake.
Prayers are always appreciated. :)

Adventures of a Stay-at-Home Dad

I wanted to post some pictures I have captured in my time staying at home with the boys the last couple of months. The boys are getting big and do and say SO many funny things. It always keeps life interesting and I can't imagine loving three boys any more than I love my boys!

Here is Isaiah's costume before he insisted on being the "White Shadow." You can't really see the tears beginning to smear his face paint but he is DEFINITELY NOT happy.

If you look carefully you can see that Elijah is laying on the floor with the phone resting on his ear. He must have gotten tired of holding it while he was talking to his Nana. I didn't think this long term talking innovation happened until adolescence. He must be advanced.

But this is where I found him talking on the phone with it resting on his ear. He is laying under Micah's bed.

Would you ever think that THIS homework page would be the incentive? These are the pages we have to save until last for Micah because these are the pages he wants to do. Who is this child!?

This is Micah suffering through the pages he has to color and paste.

The boys spend most of their free time jumping on the trampoline and this time of year the static electricity is hair-raising. We have had a great summer, they are growing up and seeming so old this fall, and the I'm sure the winter has a lot of fun in store!