her imagination.

"Here, mom, let me read that book instead of you... I make it so much better."

-Zoey

 

this wasn't on the list.

We made a list.

A list to put others above ourselves.

To give us a platform to discuss loving... giving... preferring.

Today we did something that wasn't on the list.

We were getting ready to pull out of the parking lot of the grocery store when I heard someone having a hard time starting their car. I looked to my right and saw a elderly man (probably in his 80s) struggling with what to do now that his vehicle wouldn't start up. I debated whether or not to do anything... you kind of have to do that when you have 4 kids. I looked around... no one else noticed... or at least they were good at acting like they didn't. I couldn't shake it. I had to act. We called his son on my cell and no one answered. I convinced him to let me drive him home. Isaac's eyes were wide open when "Al" slowly got in the front seat.

"Isaac, this is Al, we are going to give him a ride home."

Al told us all about his wife who passed away 10 years ago, and how much he loved her. He told us how he built the house he lives in back in the 40s. He told us about his 8 kids and how they are his "inheritance from the Lord." It was one of the most fun car rides I have had in a long time... even with Elijah screaming bloody murder in the backseat. 

"I'm so sorry that my son likes to scream."

"That's ok, kids are meant to be loud."

I'll probably never see Al again, but I'm glad I was able to be his "angel" (that's what he kept calling me... I like it!) I'm even more grateful for the conversation it sparked with my son on the way home about preferring others. Even better was the look on Chris' face when my son announced at dinner that "mom picked up some guy at the grocery store and we went to his house."

tuesday night dip

there are boys everywhere.

Elijah as Bumblebee

memorial day

i'm pretty sure i have a problem.

This isn't all of them (I have at least 5 more tucked away)...plus I probably have at least 8 kid devotionals. I think I need therapy.

9 more days

Isaac proudly announced 2 nights ago that he only had 10 more days of school, to which Chris responded with "that can't be right, Isaac, can it?"

We counted.

He was right.

Chris and I then had a lengthy conversation on how quickly he is growing up.

We aren't handling it very well.

Does anyone handle it well?

We are so proud of our little man... growing... learning... discovering.

Every mom before me said that it goes by quickly.

So what do you do about that? What is the solution?

6 months

• you are walking all over the place in your walker and are taking out everyone's ankles in the process!
• you INHALE your cereal and can't stop jumping while eating. i have to hold you down to get the food in your mouth because you are so excited you can't contain it.
• you love to steal blankets from elijah... but it's only fair, because he is always stealing them from you.
• you smile with your cute dimples anytime anyone looks at you... and if they speak directly to you, then your legs start kicking as well.
• you light up anytime you see a sibling.
• you like to smile and grab mama's face while nursing.
• you haven't quite started crawling yet, but you are taking the superman stance each time you are on the ground.
• you love to gnaw on people's hands.
• elijah can't stand when you are sleeping and missing out on things, so he does everything in his power to make sure you are awake as much as possible.

we found the perfect family vehicle.

his big hand.

One of our kids had a pretty bad nightmare last night and was frightened, but wouldn't wake up. Chris wasn't home from work yet and I couldn't settle them down, so I brought them into bed with me so I could pray. They finally fell asleep and Chris put them back in their bed when he got home. 

This morning I asked them if they remembered last night at all.

"All I remember is daddy putting me back in bed. I knew it was daddy because of the way his big hand felt on my back."

I love that.

I could make a beautiful Father God reference, but I'll just leave it at that.

{phone photo dump}

perfect day for the zoo.

Today was Isaac's field trip to the zoo.

One of the moms from Isaac's class works at the zoo with the giraffes, so we were able to feed them at lunch time. We also got an inside tip on a VIP feeding time for the polar bears. What a fun-filled day!

he is 34 years old... i've been by his side for almost 20 of them

Happy 34th Birthday Christopher!

 34 reasons I adore my husband Chris....

1. He is the hardest working man I know.
2. His generosity is unprecedented. 
3. Everything is a dare. 
4. You can ALWAYS make him laugh. 
5. His hilarious laugh when he is watching animals attack people on TV. 
6. The way his eyes light up when you make his favorite foods.
7. His need to know how everything works. 
8. The way he hogs the bed... and the comforter. 
9. The way he adores his daughter.
10. The pride he has in his sons.
11. He treats me like I am the best thing God ever made. 
12. His sense of adventure. 
13. His love for life... and the way he has passed that on to his children.
14. His faithfulness.... to everything.
15. The way he drops everything to help someone he loves... or just met.
16. His ability to remember random facts about arbitrary things.
17. His love for Biblical history.
18. The way he dramatically gags when he accidentally drinks my coffee with cream in it.
19. That he acts like he hates our goldfish, but is the only one who remembers to feed him. 
20. The way he challenges my Theology degree by making me prove everything I say!
21. His brain is always working overtime to figure things out.
22. That he calls me "Lori Carlson" if I do something he doesn't feel earns me the Bunk name.
23. His love of recliners.
24. The way he never compromises truth... for anyone or anything.
25. His ridiculous collection of pencils.
26. His obsession with tools.
27. That he always wants his kids around... and loves when they are climbing all over him.
28. That he can fall asleep anywhere, and very few things can wake him up.
29. The way he always breaks down my insecurities.
30. His humbleness.
31. His preference to hang out with the kids at a party, and never the adults.
32. His way of always inventing new ways to have fun.
33. The way he is always up for anything.
34. The fact that although he is always growing and bettering himself... he has always been the same incredible guy I married over a decade ago.

i love mother's day

This was the moment it all started.

The day I became a mom.

(I mean it actually started the day I conceived, but you get my point)

I will never forget it.

Now 6 years later I am the incredibly blessed mom of 4 children that God hand picked for me. Kids that make my world go round.... and the best part is I have THE best husband in the world to share it all with. Thank you God for giving me the best seat in the house to watch these kids discover You!

Family Fun Day: Ford Day

I have such an undying love of old buildings!

 

 

 

best friends

No one makes Jacob laugh harder or scream louder.

I guess that's what brothers are for.

much needed encouragement

It's things like this email from one of Isaac's teachers at church that makes what we do SO worth it. My heart is overwhelmed. Let me also add that I am so incredibly blessed by the men and women who volunteer their time each week to pour into my children. It's humbling.

We did worship and prayer together before we started our lesson at church last night. We put on worship music and the kids were walking around praying and worshiping. I happened to look up and I saw Isaac walking around and worshiping God with his whole heart. He was so into it, and not fooling around like some of the other kids,and it made me realize that he is watching what we do as adults and how much I need to have this childlike faith. Lori, he was so into praying and talking to God that it brought tears to my eyes. I was just so overwhelmed that he was into talking to God,and it challenged me to not care about who is watching me and to just put my whole heart into talking and praising God. He listens so well and loves to answer questions when we ask them!

I also wanted to tell you how good of a job you are doing with raising your kids. I can't even imagine how hard it can get be sometimes, but you are doing a great job and I hope that one day when I have kids, that my kids will love Jesus as much as Isaac does. It challenged me more than you know! I love you and your kids. It's hard some days because you never know if they are really getting what you are saying, but Isaac loves to answer questions and is so attentive!

soccer.

smiles or hives?

Does this picture make you smile... or give you hives?

(this was only a few days after I had restocked all the play-dough)

...and to my shocking disbelief, it actually makes me smile!