Why you start without me?

Isaac: What does this sign say?
Me: It says "Happy 8 Years."
Isaac: Why?
Me: Because daddy and I started our family 8 years ago.
Isaac: Me too?
Me: No, you were born 3 years ago.
Isaac: Why I not 8 years ago? Why you start without me?

the bronze year

To the man who I wake up to every morning.
Who would have thought that 8 years would feel this good?
Happy Anniversary Christopher!

Deliver Us!

Tonight we had a girls night... my mom, both of my sisters and me! We went to see Ballet Magnificat... something we used to do all the time when we were younger. It was such a fun night... and such great company!
Thank you dad for watching my busy children!

sit over there, mom

Tonight Isaac and I picked up a bunch of our youth and headed over to the Parkway Homecoming Game to cheer on some of our students. My mom took Zoey, so I was so excited to have time with my little man, eat some nachos and watch football! Once we got there he wanted NOTHING to do with me! He wanted to hang out with "Wyan" and "Wachel" the whole night! When they bought some orange Gatorade, he needed money for orange Gatorade. When they put their feet up on the bleachers, he had to put his feet up on the bleachers. When they wanted to go hang out with their friends, he didn't understand why I wouldn't let him go with them. "Don't you want to hang out with mama, buddy?" "No... you sit over there, mom." Finally I forced him to come over to me to at least get some pictures. Was this supposed to happen this young???

TGIF

THE MORNING IN SCRIPTURES....

I was up from midnight until 5am with my daughter.
Isaiah 41:20 I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

My daughter spilled my coffee all over the front of me as soon as we stepped out of the car at the church.
Proverbs 19:11 A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

I now have no coffee to drink.
Psalm 119:107 I have suffered much; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.

My husband is having a guys weekend.
Psalm 17:9 He who covers and forgives another's wrong seeks love, but he who harps on a matter separates close friends.

Ice Cream Social

Thank you Make-A-Wish!
Thank you Aunt Kyle!
Thank you Jack!

Seruwanga, Kakumba, and Lugalama

WARNING: GRAPHIC POST OF MARTYRS AHEAD

While I was in Uganda, we visited the tomb of 3 young Christian boys who were martyred for Christ. As our guide was telling us the story, I remember not being able to hold back the tears. I was the exact age of the oldest boy that had given his life. Even after all these years, I never forgot their story...

In the morning Mackay heard that three of the boys who had been captured on the previous day were not only bound as prisoners, but that Mujasi was threatening to burn them to death. The boys were named Seruwanga, Kakumba, and Lugalama. The eldest was fifteen, the youngest twelve.

The boys were led out with a mob of howling men and boys around them. Mujasi shouted to them: "Oh, you know Isa Masiya (Jesus Christ). You believe you will rise from the dead. I shall burn you, and you will see if this is so." A hideous roar of laughter rose from the mob. The boys were led down the hill towards the edge of a marsh. Behind them was a plantation of banana trees. Some men who had carried bundles of firewood on their heads threw the wood into a heap; others laid hold of each of the boys and cut off their arms with hideous curved knives so that they should not struggle in the fire.

Seruwanga, the bravest, refused to utter a cry as he was cut to pieces, but Kakumba shouted to Mujasi, who was a Mohammedan, "You believe in Allah the Merciful. Be merciful!" But Mujasi had no mercy.

We are told that the men who were watching held their breath with awed amazement as they heard a boy's voice out of the flame and smoke singing,

"Daily, daily sing to Jesus,
Sing, my soul, His praises due."

As the executioners came towards the youngest and feeblest, Lugalama, he cried, "Oh, do not cut off my arms. I will not struggle, I will not fight--only throw me into the fire."

But they did their ghastly work, and threw the mutilated boy on a wooden framework above the slow fire where his cries went up, till at last there was silence. One other Christian stood by named Musali. Mujasi, with eyes bloodshot and inflamed with cruelty, came towards him and cried:

"Ah, you are here. I will burn you too and your household. You are a follower of Isa (Jesus)."

"Yes, I am," replied Musali, "and I am not ashamed of it."

Sore Loser

I did the unthinkable.
I think I may have broke the mommy code.
I beat my son in Candyland.
... and he is NOT very happy about it.Isaac- "Why did you do that, mama?"
Me- "What? Win? You better get used to that, buddy, mama wins a lot."
(my competitive nature got the best of me, I forgot for a second that he was only 3)
Isaac- "You're not allowed to do that, mom, it's my game!"
Me- "Isaac, when you lose you need to be happy for the person who wins."
(did I just say that?)
"Now, tell mama she did a good job."
Isaac- "But you didn't do a good job, you made me lose!"

and in all things... session 5

Things I am thankful for on September 23, 2009...

1. 1 Samuel 2:2
2. Easy to clean hard wood floors
3. My son's love for puzzles
4. That my husband loves coffee as much as me
5. Dryer sheets
6. My parent's priceless advice
   
7. God's ability to speak over screaming children
   
8. My Legacy Hoodie
   
9. My daughter's dimples
10. The opportunities God gives me each day to minister
    

too cute for words!!!

Aunt Nina is not very good at holding on to Christmas gifts.
We love that about her.
Zoey is sporting her new hoodie with gloves that double as puppets.
You did it again, Paul Frank!
THANK YOU UNCLE MATT AND AUNT NINA!
(sorry, i couldn't get a good picture of Zo in it because she wouldn't stop playing!)

Get the Mud!!!

Isaac got hurt today and ran into my arms. While I was holding him, he looked at me and with tears streaming down his face, he asked me to get the mud. I wasn't sure what he was talking about, so I prayed for him and held him for a little bit. He started to get a little frustrated with me, asking me numerous times to go and get the mud. When I told him that I didn't know what he was talking about, he explained to me that he wanted me to the get the mud Jesus used to heal the blind man so that his boo-boo would get better. I forgot we had read that story a couple of days ago in our devotions.
This kid doesn't forget anything!!!

loosen up!!!

On any normal day I would hurry and put away the package of toilet paper before the kids got into it.... today I decided to let them have their fun. They both even helped me put it all away afterward. I realized that by being a mom, especially of a wobbler and preschooler, I can't help put loosen up... and let me tell you one thing, it's not as easy for me to do as it is for other moms!

and in all things... session 4

Things I am thankful for on September 19, 2009...

1. Isaiah 26:3
2. Having to close the house windows b/c it's too cold
3. My father/mother-n-law
4. Lunchables
5. Prayer
6. Free videos from the library
7. My easy vac
8. The Holy Spirit
9. Life cereal
10. The ability I have to make Chris laugh no matter how mad he is
    

All About Isaac...

Isaac came home from school today with a book that he made in class. He was so excited to share with me what everything was that I asked him if I could write it down so we can remember it a long time from now. He agreed.

ETSY!!!

I LOVE ETSY!!! It's very easy for me to become engrossed in some of the most incredible homemade and vintage stuff I have ever seen. If you have no idea what ETSY is, then just look at these things I am borderline obsessed with...

1. This Home
   
2. The Annie
   
3. Dictionary
4. Samsonite
5. Hand Stamped
   
6. Pride and Prejudice
   
7. Film Camera
   
8. Coffee
   
9. Brass Forest
   
10. Queen Anne's Lace
11. King-n-Queen
12. Skyline
13. Cross my Heart
14. Mix Tape
15. Shakespeare

So PLEASE share... what are your favorite ETSY finds???

Hundred Acre Woods

When Chris and I went to John King Books this past weekend, I made a lot of incredible purchases as well as kid encyclopedia set free steal! I have to say, however, my favorite purchase of the day was a 1928 edition of "The House At Pooh Corner" by A.A. Milne (There is even an inscription in the front cover that is from 1949... love that!). Isaac was so excited when I pulled it out and informed him that we would be starting this classic during our bedtime reading. He even said he loved the smell of it... my kind-of boy! The very first chapter is titled "In Which Pooh Builds A House For Eeyore." Isaac loved it because he had just watched that very "episode" on the Disney channel earlier this week! Having kids is so much fun... you should try it!

bon appetit!

Tonight was Ratatouille night! We baked, we cooked, we put lots of herbs in our soup... and we ended it with a special viewing of our favorite movie. Isaac loved being tonight's chef and he even made daddy some special homemade croutons for his soup!

T is for Tuesday

our STAY-cation

Chris and I will be celebrating our 8th anniversary at the end of this month, but because our schedules are so jammed packed, this weekend was the only one we could find to spend some quality time together. We decided it would be best if we stayed around town, so we dropped the kids off at my parents (kiss, kiss, hug, hug!) and spent the weekend out on the town. Chris isn't as fond of the camera as I am, so I only got to snap a few pics before he snapped at me. All in all it was an amazing weekend with my favorite person in the world!!! This year has definitely been the best one so far!
Here are some of my favorite pictures of our weekend together...

Chris and books.... I think I'm in love all over again!

Chris taking in Rembrandt Peale's "The Court of Death" (1820) at the DIA.
This is such an incredible piece of art!

This was Chris throughout the whole "contemporary" section.

Chris and I each picked out a piece of art that we would like to have in our house.
Chris chose "New England Landscape" by George Morrison in 1965.

This is the one I chose for Chris...
I think it would look incredible as a chandelier in our room!

This is what I chose for myself... "At the Foot of the Cross" by Robert Scott Duncanson in 1846.
I wasn't planning on choosing one that was so somber, but I couldn't get over it!
Until next year...

"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it." (O'Rourke)

I'm not sure if it's an obsession or a fascination, but as long as I can remember I've LOVED books! I love libraries, I love used bookstores, I love spending the day at Barnes-n-Noble... anything to be able to hold a book in my hand. I would love to travel the world and visit these amazing libraries. Anyone want to come???

Real Gabinete Portugues De Leitura Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Hereford Cathedral Chained Library, Hereford, England
(Rare books were once kept chained to the bookshelf to prevent stealing.)

Handelingenkamer Tweede Kamer Der Staten-Generaal Den Haag, the Hague, Netherlands

St. Florian Monastery-Library, Austria

Poetry Section at Beinecke Library, Yale University

change of plans

We had something fun planned today.
It flopped.
We ended up downtown.

The Perfecting Church Choir giving Jesus praise in the RenCen!!!
Amazing!!!

The Choir from lori bunk on Vimeo.