odds and ends

Within the last two days, Evan has said "Mu" for "more", and "ba" when picking up and playing with a ball. Also, he started handing me things, and responding to questions with a sort of understanding, yet questioning tone (like he's asking a question back). It's kind of funny. Last night, we were at a restaurant and Joel stands up and announces, "I like lemonade...what's that?" (pointing to my lemonade). I just laughed and laughed. An interesting Joel sort of way to ask for a drink. Joel has just started telling us quite imaginative stories. On our way home the other night, he told me about how he went grocery shopping with Evan (when he was a man), and bought him sweet potatoes and carrots, and applesauce (with the green lid, because the blue one has sugar), and how Evan didn't cry in the store (that would be nice:)...then he would start a new story...he always changes the names of places in his stories so that they're more interesting. So, our house was a different house with a red garage door (????) and I wish I could remember more, because I was thoroughly entertained.

I just finished setting up an area for Joel to do his writing practice and drawing and other "school". I've been wanting to get him a little table and chair for a while now, so I'm glad it finally worked out. I'm quite happy with the whole set up actually. Let the learning...continue:)

just life...

well I haven't written for a few weeks. I just haven't felt like it I guess, but we are all doing well, and have been pretty busy (in a good way:) Last week I spent a lot of time decorating and straightening up the house. That was fun and felt really good. As it is the beginning of he month, I am just now trying to think of what projects I want to try to do this month. It helps me not to feel too overwhelmed when I have a plan. I've been thinking about how I want to be more disciplined and keep a stricter schedule (mostly with how I start the day, but also just with making sure I'm taking some time for everything I want to do, and not leaving things out).

We finally got Evan a real crib and put it up in Joel's room, but so far he hasn't wanted to sleep up there. I even put dark curtains up, so it would be nice and dark in there, but I think he just doesn't like the idea of sleeping in a different place yet. His birthday is coming up on the 18th, and soon I will have a big 1 yr. old boy. He is changing to fast, it's hard to keep up. It's way too easy to just assume that they will stay the same for a while, and before I know it, I'm trying to figure out why he doesn't like something that he always liked before, when it's just that he's getting older, and wants new challenges. I don't think I've ever written on here about Evan's strange fascination with shoes. it started as soon as he was able to move around, and he's still will go straight for any shoe in the room. He's starting to better about not EATING the shoes, but I just don't get it. Why shoes, Evan?

Well, Joel fell and cut his chin the other night, and had to get stitches...again. He's only 3, and so far has been to the ER a total of 5 times (most of them for midnight croup attacks). I know this is nothing compared to what many children (and parents) go through, so I am thankful that he has always gotten the care he needs, and been just fine again. We are truly blessed.

it was a Happy Birthday:)

Yesterday was my 23rd birthday, and I wanted to write about it because I had such a nice day (because of my sweet husband, and others.) I woke up to Av playing "Happy Birthday" on my viola, which hasn't been played in about 6 years (because the bow broke and I never got it replaced). So I thought that was a pretty cool way of giving it to me (not sure how you would wrap it:) Then Av and Joel came in with breakfast in bed and more presents. Then we just hung out (and I attempted to play my viola, but let's just say, it's been a while....(that's ok, I like a challenge). Then Mom and Dad came to watch the boys, and Av and I went out and played mini-golf, and air hockey....fun, fun:) Then we met a bunch of friends for supper, and had such a great time. I don't think i could have planned a better birthday. I was afraid that it would be hard for me to get back to everything today, but it's been really good. Joel and Evan have both been pleasant, and the chores have gone pretty well so far...but I better get back to them...

Growing in Grace

It's been a good week so far. I've been trying to get into the habit of stopping before my attitude gets bad and asking for grace. It may sound simple, but God really does give grace to the humble, and I've found that when I recognize my complete dependence on his grace to get through the day (without sinning miserably:(, and stop (multiple times) and ask (sometimes it's more like pleading) for grace...He actually gives it to me, and i'm able to do what I know I wouldn't have been able to do otherwise (because I've tried!)

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." (2 Cor. 9:8)

I am so very thankful for this verse.

Last evening we went on a walk, and someone was shooting of fireworks. Joel was quite enthralled, so we let him sit on the driveway and watch. Evan was not enjoying them at all, so we finally went inside to watch from the rec room. Joel said "are those fire tractors?" 'It's fire crackers Joel" ah....

Last week I had a really difficult time with the boys in the parking lot of Wal-Mart, so last night I decided to go grocery shopping after the boys were in bed. Av had some work to do anyway, and I'm usually looking for something to do during that time. It went well, except that i was sooo tired. I didn't get home until 10:35, but overall, I think it was better. I might be trying that again next time (only hopefully a little earlier).

Evan has finally cut through his top teeth well, at least one for sure). This has been really hard for him, so I'm hoping he'll cheer up a little now. He's been eating finger food (like puffed rice and cheerios) lately. It's so cute to watch him pick it up and eat it. He's not too thrilled with his baby food anymore though. I'm trying to tell him that it's o.k. to like BOTH.

Today has been good. Evan was basically crawling today, so that makes me happy (except that he wasn't enjoying it very much). Oh yeah, I failed to mention that I gave Evan his first little hair cut the other day. Just around the ears, and one side is shorter than the other, but he was looking pretty goofy with his 2 long hairs (ok maybe 3 or 4). I weighed him today, and he's a little over 20 lbs. That's what I thought,, but it still seems so big. Where did my baby go?

Fun school times

well, it's been a while since I've written (again). I just haven't felt very inspired lately. Probably the same reason I've been having trouble getting up in the morning and getting much done. Today was better though. I've been working on lesson plans for Joel for school, and we're making good progress. Today he learned several of the basic music symbols (treble clef, bass clef, rest, p (quiet), f, (loud) etc.). He even caught on to playing whole notes and half notes and counting (not on any particular key). He really enjoys taking turns being the teacher, so I let him show me the cards sometimes, and I play them too. He likes the Bob books so much that he wanted me to draw "Mat" and "Sam", and then he wanted me to draw one of the books (he loves drawing), then he drew Mat, and a sun from one of the pictures, but he kept saying it was broken because part of it was cut off in the picture. Then he drew jellyfish, and showed me how to draw them. Did I mention we had fun today:) Oh, and we took turns jumping on the trampoline and showing each other what to do. I thought that it would be a fun game until I realized that he had a bit more energy than I did, and when it was his turn to lead Mommy got tired out (I had already done my turn). Evan is now picking up little things to eat from his tray. I usually give him puffed rice, but he loves cheerios and bread. It's fun watching him try to grab them.

I'm glad today has been fun...I needed it after yesterday (grocery shopping with the boys, major fit in the parking lot, and I got too hot in the garden). I guess if every day were "good", I might get proud of my parenting and house running, so I need a "bad" one every now and then to show me how much grace I really need.

4 years and counting:)

Well, we've had a good week. Thursday we celebrated our 4th anniversary. We dropped the boys off at Mom and Dad's in the morning and had a nice day just the two of us. We went by the church where we got married to walk around and reminisce. Then we went and walked around at Cheekwood, which was nice (although very hot). I got some inspiration for some of my gardens and enjoyed the art exhibits. I just have to say that i love my husband so much, and see more and more things to appreciate about him. He is truly an amazing friend and leader. I am so thankful and blessed. It just doesn't get any better in this life I don't think:)

Friday we had a little gathering at our house and my Aunt Nancy and her family came (to visit us and to see little Eden, since they can't travel with her yet). And Grandpa discovered Evan's first tooth! Finally...I had stopped checking because he's been teething for so long and there's never any evidence.

We went to AL to a family reunion (on my Dad's side) on Saturday, and that was a nice break. Joel has a hard time warming up to new people (actually that's probable an understatement, seeing as he will not even look at someone he does not know), but hopefully this will pass. The time in the car went well for the most part, and the boys were not too much of a handful. I missed going to church Sunday, and am hoping this week goes fast, so we can worship with God's people again soon.

I was not really looking forward to today, because I felt like I would be behind on things after being out Thursday and the weekend, but it has been really good. Joel slept in, so I was able to get some extra sleep as well (which I dare say I needed after not sleeping well for almost a week straight.) After Joel got up this morning, he went potty and asked for a treat. I said "After breakfast, because if you eat your skittle now it might make you feel sick. Let's wait until you have some food in your stomach." So he thought about it, and said "But the 'skillet' will touch my food." I was pretty confused, but then i figured out that he was trying to say that the "skittle" would touch the food in his stomach, so i told him that it would be okay. Anyway, I thought it was rather funny.

Eden is here:)

Well, my mind is very much on babies this week as my niece Eden was born on Sunday. So exciting ! They got to take her home today (Alyssa's birthday!) and on their way home they stopped off here so Joel could see her. That was special. We were there yesterday as well, and I'm just so very happy for them:) What special blessings babies are!

I've been so sleepy all day, but Joel's been really sweet and understanding. He was up early this morning and let me get some more rest (Evan's been waking up at night again). Then, around 7:30, Joel decided it was time for me to get up (which is reasonable, seeing as he was up at 6:15), but I was pretty out of it (maybe still am?). Joel was talking to Evan this morning and said "When he grows up, I'm going to teach him to be a godly man"...this just melted me...I wanted to shout "Yes!...please do!" What are big brothers for, right? At lunch, I was apologizing to Joel for having a bad attitude, and he said "Can we pray, just for your attitude, and then for the food?"...so he did..."God, I pray for Mommy's attitude, in Jesus' name, amen" There's not much better for an attitude than that! He's just what I need so much of the time. I'm so thankful I have him:) Let's see...I'm convinced that Evan said "Good" the other night after I told him that I'd gotten all of his bubbles out. It was just one of those weird, yet cool things.

Fun Stuff

So, we're back to morning naps after all. I'm just amazed at how well Evan does when he's tired, but without the morning nap he'd have to go to bed so early that his Daddy would hardly get to see him at all. He just started being interested in trying to walk. He takes big goofy steps (with someone holding his hands, of course) and looks so pleased with himself. His Aunt Allyssa lent him a fun toy he can stand in and play. It's a blessing for me because I'm always looking for somewhere to put him, and he seems to love it. This morning (at 2:45) he was fussing, so I went in to check him and he was Sitting up chewing on his stuffed dog. This is the first time he's ever sat himself up. Weird timing, but cool nonetheless.

Joel's been saying "do you understand what I'm talking about?" lately. It's appropriate, because a lot of times I don't have a clue. He says to Evan "Are you listening, do you hear what I'm saying?", to which i remind him that Evan is still a baby. This morning Joel got up at 6:15, and said "bye" to his daddy, and then when Evan woke up at 7:00, he went in there and played with him and organized the diapers and stacked them neatly under the crib (he's too strange sometimes). Well, cousins are coming today and we're going to have FUN!...better get going:)

Having Fun

Last week Joel wrote T-h-a-n-k y-o-u on a card after I showed him how. He got a little confused between the "h" and the "n", so we practiced those for a few minutes and he caught on pretty well. He seems to really enjoy writing and drawing. (Let's hope he gets his handwriting from the Pinzur side, "cause it took me forever to learn to write legibly.)

Sunday morning Joel got into bed with us and started talking about his "spaguido" bites. I think he's saying it that way to be funny, but you never know with him. We sure had a laugh about that one. Today we played outside on the slip "n" slide that Grandpa (Hine) got for Joel (the reason we were writing a "thank you" note:). It aggravated me while I was setting it up (very hot, hose not cooperating, boys getting impatient), but we had lots of fun with it (yes, I quite enjoyed sliding on my belly despite my pessimism). Evan did't much like the cold water sprinkling on him, but he enjoyed sitting with his feet in it. And he loves feeling the grass.

I'm trying to cut out Evan's morning nap (seems to mess him up), so today he and Joel both went down after lunch (well, Joel and I got in a game of Candyland first) and they slept for about the same amount of time. now I'm waiting to see how Evan will do all night. Hopeful...

reading, writing, and soccer

well, I guess I've been a little lazy with this blogging thing lately. There have been a few things I wanted to write about. First, Joel is reading little Bob books. Very basic 3-letter words, but we are super excited, and the best part is that he is super excited too. He asks me almost every day if we can do "school" (today he said we could play soccer for school) and I am just trying to keep up. Today he wrote a thank you card and wrote the words "Thank you" after I showed him how. He loves writing. Evan turned 9 months on Tuesday, and that night he finally rolled from his back onto his tummy. I think he heard me say that I wished he would do something exciting for his birthday. It was fun. I think he's getting interested in mobility, but not crawling quite yet. The other night, I was changing him, and when he saw me get out his socks, he just straightened out his legs, and held his feet up waiting for me to put them on. I had to laugh. I wish I knew what he was thinking sometimes.

Joel helped me in the garden today. He's always asking for gardening gloves, so he won't get his hands dirty (and I can't find any his size), so I just put his socks on his hands, and he laughed and laughed. But hey, they worked fine.

My brain feels foggy today, so I'm not accomplishing too much (someone has started waking up at 4:30AM), and I'm a little discouraged, because like every plant in my garden has some sort of pest attacking it, but we're making it. God is good. I'm about to make some banana bread (can't wait to smell it baking).

one year ago..God is good

so I see it's been a while since I've written on here. It really went by fast. What a contrast to last year! I'm thinking a lot about it today because it's the anniversary of my first day on bed rest. Part of me just wants to forget all about it, but when I do stop and think about it, I can see God's faithfulness, and it makes me so thankful for His goodness in the midst of difficulty and in giving Evan to us. I Most of that 3 months just runs together in my memory like one long (though not as long as it seemed at the time) dream, but what is still clear in my memory is May 11, 2009. It started out like a usual Monday for me at the time. I had a Dr.'s appt. that day, and Joel and I went to Nashville for that. Av would meet us there and we would go out to lunch afterward. I rather looked forward to it. The appointment went as usual, nothing concerning, but since I mentioned that I'd felt something a little different that week, the Dr. ordered an ultrasound, (which wasn't really a big deal...I think it was like my 10th one so far.) So, we went down there and Av and they got me right in, so Av and Joel just stayed in the waiting room, since it was just going to be real quick. Normally the ultrasound techs don't say much during an ultrasound, but this one was quite talkative. She said "Does your Dr. have you on bed rest?", and I was like "No"...and then she said "oh, well, he will after he sees this, you better go straight back up there." All of a sudden time stood still, and dread and fear just overtook me. I was alone and in shock. We were supposed to be going to lunch and then HOME like every other time, not this. I think I was pretty much as white as a sheet when I came back in the waiting room, and Av could tell that something was wrong. If I remember correctly I could barely even speak. I was only in my 22nd week, and I knew that bed rest now probably meant from now 'till the end. Questions just kept popping up, like "What will happen to Joel of I can't take care of him?", "have they caught it early enough?" Will the baby be ok?" Will I have to stay in the hospital?" "How did this happen?, I thought seeing specialists would make a difference." As I think back on this day, I imagine what Joseph must have been thinking when his brothers sold him as a slave. He must have had question like these. And yet, the same God who was with Joseph, and kept him, and worked out good from so much difficulty, was with me also. And though i don't know exactly what God's purpose was in having me laying in a bed for 3 months, I do know that somehow it was out of love for me and for my good. I really struggled to see the purpose at the time. It seemed like what I wanted was better than this. I wanted to serve my family, and to be a good Mom for Joel, and now I would be unable to do anything, but would have to rely on others to serve me. I wouldn't have chosen that for myself, but God did. I wouldn't have planned it that way, but God is the one whose plans come to pass. I may not know why, but I know Him, and I know that he is good. This passage is coming to mind, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9). I am thankful that although God can do whatever He wills, He has promised to do what is ultimately for the good of his people--even me. As I think back now, i can see how God loved me through that difficult time. He didn't have to provide a helper to watch Joel (not just any helper, but an able and gracious one), but He did. He didn't have to bring people to visit with me and to love me. but He did. No one forced Him to keep that little baby perfectly safe and healthy, but He did that as well. It's as if He were saying:

Fear not, for I have redeemed you.

I have summoned you by name, you are mine.

When you pass through the waters I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be burned,

the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the LORD, your God,

the Holy one of Israel, your Saviour...(Isaiah 43:1-3)

He surely brought us through the fire unburned for his glory. (I couldn't have planned it better myself)

I am overwhelmingly thankful to all those who helped out during that time, and for av, who stepped up and did so much, and for Evan, my sweet, little treasure. You were worth it all!

"...reaching forward..."

It's a good thing when you see more and more of your sin, right? This past week I've felt like Paul when he said "I have the desire to depart and be with Christ-which is far better." Why? Do I want to get away from some circumstances, or trials?...no, however, I do feel a deep longing to get away from myself, or more specifically, from my sin. Have you ever had a day where you thought "Why is it that it seems every moment I am being tempted to sin...is there no rest from it?" or every time you turn around you're having to apologize for a sharp word, or an impatient spirit. Not to mention all of the ungrateful thoughts. I think one of I my most repeated phrases last week was "Please forgive Mommy for talking that way...that doesn't please God, I don't want to be like that." And I really don't. In fact, before I speak, I often think "okay, try not to sound upset"...and then the words come out sounding upset, because well, I am upset. "...For the desire to do what is good is within me, but there is no ability to do it." (Rom.7:18) I am thankful for the quiet moments when I can reflect and repent. I think God allows me to have miserable days like these to show me how desperately dependent I am on his grace and power. So, my verse for this new week: "...But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus." (Phil.3: 13-14)

I was going to write about the boys, but I guess I had to get out what was really on my mind first. I did want to mention that Sunday night Joel had another croup episode (well, actually more than one), and though we tried everything we knew to do, he was still struggling to breathe, so Av took him to the ER. I think this is the third time we've had to take him for that. Anyway, it was a very long night, but he is doing much better. I just wanted to say that i am very thankful for my wonderful husband. Even though, it is so very hard to see your child suffer like that, it was a blessing to see Av's tender compassion and love. (So if you're reading this...Thank you for not complaining about losing sleep, or having to miss half a day of work. Joel is blessed to have you for his Daddy:)

Musings on Multi-tasking

This week is going well so far. I've been working hard and paying close attention to timing my chores. It seems to be helping the stress level and productivity (always a good thing). Basically, though I find it hard to schedule strictly at this point (seems like "life" always happens and throws us off), I have been getting better at predicting patterns, and overlapping things that fit together. It's sort of like a very complicated 3-D puzzle, except that there is no detailed picture to follow, and the pieces are not cut to fit together exactly...you just sort of have to figure out which ones go together the best, and which ones won't fit until others are in place, and...one more thing...the pieces that you haven't placed yet are constantly changing, so if you spend too long on one part of the puzzle, you might miss your chance too complete a different part. (hm...this sounds like a fun arcade game, but when you're life (and your family's) depends on it....stress can result). Anyway, I'm bringing this up because when I first started trying to organize my tasks, I thought that all I would have to do was figure out what needed to be done, and then figure out a way to remind myself to do it. But I left out an important part--the daily, even hourly job of ordering and shifting these tasks based not only importance, but also on practicality. Here's what i mean...let's say my list for the day is (actually it was yesterday's list:):

Read Bible

Make granola bars (for Av's breakfasts)

work in vegetable garden (plant basil and parsley seeds)

Dust (pretty much whole house)

*play football with Joel

clean car seats

wash sheets (and get them back on the beds by bedtime)

*wash, dry and fold all other laundry (which was about one super full load)

Bathe boys

*finish reading for Titus 2 tea (about a chapter and a half)

clean Joel's humidifier

unload/reload dishwasher

read Bible story to Joel and work on memory verses

(Note: we were planning to have leftovers, so dinner preparation was not on here)

If I plan only based on priority, I may only get half of the list done, because I didn't think through practical timing. If I had tried to do my 3 most important things for the day (marked with a *) first, it would have looked like this...Mommy's trying to read while boys are whining and fussing, Mommy's trying to play football, but not enjoying it, because I'm not sure when I'm going to get to the dishes, and Mommy is trying to do laundry, but Joel keeps running through the piles and saying "Mommy, play light sabers with me". Yes, we have had days like that...

So as I was writing out my list, this time I asked myself several questions:

What can I do while both boys are up?

what can I do while just Joel is up?

What can I do while Evan is up?

What can I do while I'm feeding Evan? (without him crying)?

How can I include Joel in some of these tasks, so he doesn't get bored and clingy (trying to lower the stress, remember)?

What things can I only do if/when both boys are sleeping?

When will the weather be best to do my outside work? (I failed miserably at this one....it was hot! and the sun was shining right where I was working...but sometimes sacrifices must be made:(

Asking these questions really helped me structure my day so that it flowed well. Joel enjoyed helping me dust (actually it was his idea...), and while I cleaned the ever-so-messy kitchen after breakfast, he organized his play dishes and picked up his toys (we were sort of racing), then his reward was playing football with me. While he was napping, I made the granola bars during naps, and was able to finish my reading while feeding Evan. Then, we all went outside for some gardening fun (except that Joel doesn't like to help, since he doesn't like to get dirty). I didn't get the car seats washed (mostly because I forgot to take Evan's out of his room and didn't want to wake him up), but thankfully that puzzle piece fit in just fine today:)

I know this is dreadfully long, but it usually helps me to get some of this stuff out of my head in some kind of coherent way (at least that's the goal). All that to say, I found something out this week...multitasking itself doesn't have to be stressful. You just have to make sure you don't "multi" tasks that don't fit together. A little extra planning (balanced with flexibility) can go a long way in multitasking without multi-stressing.

Happy things

This morning Joel woke up crying, so Evan (who was trying to eat at the moment) and I went up there to see what was going on. Just woke up on the wrong side of bed, so he was soon over that. Then I stood Evan up so Joel could hug him, and Joel started playing a game where he would run full speed down the hallway and then run back right into Evan with a hug (he slowed a bit toward the end). Evan just laughed and laughed every time. It was great. It's so fun to see them playing. Joel still reminds me that he's waiting for Evan to grow up so he can play baseball with him.

Joel's new favorite word is "important". He says "This is just important Mommy, because..." He's getting way to grown up, but I wouldn't change it. We had a piano lesson today, and I am excited about that. He seems to listen to me better, and we had fun with it today:)

We've been spending a lot of time outside lately. The other night, I took Joel and Evan for a walk (except I was the only one walking). Joel rode his tricycle next to us, and I was surprised at how far he rode it, even uphill. It was a nice time.

Stuff

I realize it's been forever since I wrote on here, so I actually put it on my list today. Iv'e been working outside a lot since the weather's been nice, planting stuff, but mostly just digging up all the weeds from last year. I hate those things. I finally started practicing piano again, so that's been fun. I just hope I can stay with it this time. Let's see...Evan finally rolled over this week. I was starting to wonder if he EVER would. It was just from his tummy to his back, but it's a good start. Joel made me smile today. I had asked him to bring his clothes and inhaler upstairs (which he did not want to do), but that's all I said "Just bring them upstairs." Later, when I was putting him down for his nap, I noticed the inhaler placed neatly on the shelf and looked in his drawers to find that he had put his clothes nicely away! How is it that some people are just born neat? He gets that from his father's side for sure. Anyway, just thought I'd share that. I'm going to try to write a little more often, as I can't even seem to remember beyond this past week to think of anything interesting that happened. I think I gave half of my brain to Joel and the other half to Evan. It's a pity there's none left for ME:( oh well.....

Happy days and Long Nights

We've been playing outside a lot this week, so not much time for blogging. Joel has finally figured out how to ride his tricycle (yay!), so that keeps him pretty occupied while I work in the garden. Yesterday, he wanted to help me dig, but didn't want to get dirty, so he just watched. What a strange boy. Today we went to visit Av at work and eat lunch with him. (3rd week in a row!). We love those visits (even though they're pretty short:(. The boys are both sick this week, so that has made for a few tough nights, but hopefully not for much longer. I have to say though, that Joel went right back to bed when I told him to the other night. He got up twice in the middle of the night thinking it was morning (even though it was dark outside), but I just brought him back up and tucked him in. If only Evan made it that easy;). Speaking of Evan, he's doing these funny sit-ups now. It's really adorable. If you sit him up, he'll fall over, but if you lay him down (not quite flat) and hold his legs, he will sit up and stay that way for a bit. Still waiting for him to decide to roll over though. Oh yeah, and he tries to feed himself now. He grabs the spoon while I'm trying to feed him, and actually gets it in his mouth just fine. He just gets it everywhere else too. We're probably going to stay away from foods that stain for a while:) So, I actually moved the stove and swept under it yesterday. I think that's a sign that things are getting better around here. I don't know why I usually don't think to do things like that, but it's sure nice when I do.

Joel and I have been having a lot of good spiritual conversations this week. It's so encouraging for me when he listens so intently, asks good questions. I hope I'm answering them well. Yesterday I was trying to explain how Jesus takes our sin and gives us his righteousness. He just kept saying "So we're sinners, but we're just not sinners anymore". Hmm.....I'm starting to see another application of always being ready to "give an answer to anyone who asks of you the hope that is in you." It's a little daunting at times, but so exciting:)

Quick Update

well, I've not had much time to update this week. I'm trying to get my priorities in order, and something had to give. Things are going better though, and after much thought, I think I've finally figured out some things which will help me keep up everything. More careful planning, setting timers, focusing on one thing at a time, setting up a card file to remind me when to do things, and using a calendar (brilliant, right) are a few things that have helped. I think it will be a little easier once I can just get into maintenance mode and out of crisis mode. soon I hope. Let's see...Evan's doing great with his solid food, and that's helping him to sleep better at night (yes!). I'll try to write more in a couple of days

Busy Week

Wow...has it really been a week already? Busy-ness sure makes time pass quickly, and we've been so busy! Monday, Evan went for his 6 month checkup. It went really well. He's growing taller, but not gaining a whole lot of weight. He's sure not built like his brother! After the appointment, we went to Brentwood to meet Av for lunch. I'm definitely going to have to do that more often. I love spending time with that man! ;) Tuesday was Mom's birthday, so we went to celebrate a little with her. I'm so thankful for her! She's helped me so much to understand how to be a loving, kind, long-suffering, servant-hearted (etc...) Mom myself. One of the biggest things I hope I've learned from her though, is how to be a friend to my children as they grow up. It's so cool having my mom as my best friend (after my husband of course). So, in case I haven't told you enough, I love you Mom!

let's see....Wednesday I was home, but it was a pretty hard day for me because I was overwhelmed with things to catch up on, and didn't really know where to start. I ended up finishing most of my list, but I saw so many other things that needed to go on the list. Quite discouraging! After talking to Av about it, I've decided to write down everything I can think of that I need to do, so I can look at it when I'm planning what to do each day. I'm still working on it, but I've already come up with A LOT. Basically, I wrote down (with categories and columns), all of the things I can think of that I want to spend any time on in the near future. It actually makes me feel better to have it all down on paper, because I don't have a gnawing feeling that I'm forgetting something important. Now I just need to spend some more time thinking and prioritizing. All I know is, I've got to do something differently. As it is now, I just end up putting off anything that isn't urgent, until it gets to be urgent, so I end up with a day here and there where everything is urgent AT THE SAME TIME. Not fun. If I could break that pattern, I think I might get back on the right track. Anyway, I think today's been a bit better, but I still have lots of progress to make.

Oh yeah, and Evan's eating solid food now! (Maybe he'll start sleeping again!)

Happy half-birthday to Evan Micah!

My baby is 6 months old today! Wow, ready or not, they're growing up. I decided that it was about time for Evan to start trying to sleep in a bed (he's been sleeping in his car seat since he was born, because his reflux bothered him when he was laying down.), so this morning I put him down for a nap in a playpen. Joel went in there with him to "read" to him and talk to him, and the we left and he went to sleep. We'll keep working on that, I think. He's actually got a bit of a cold, so he's been pretty fussy today :(. A couple of days ago, we put him on his tummy and he started digging his toes into the carpet and pushing with his legs. Unfortunately, his arms weren't doing anything, so he was scooting on his face. Well, it's a good try anyway.

Last night, I was driving home with Joel in the back seat, and talking to Av on the phone. I was talking about some things God's been teaching me through some books I've been reading, and I made a comment that one thing fit right into the message on Sunday about trying to see the log in our own eye before seeing the speck in someone else's eye. I'm talking along when I hear a little voice in the backseat say "Mommy, I heard Pastor Donny say that...in the nursery....I heard him say that, Mommy." I was absolutely blow away. He was listening!...in the nursery, and he remembered! This is just to encourage anyone reading that you never know when your children are listening, or what they might remember; so keep exposing them to good stuff...they just might be listening:)

typical Monday (and I love it!)

Unlike most people, I like Mondays. For some reason, I typically seem to get more done on Mondays (maybe because there's just more to do). I enjoy the beginning of a new week, and a return to the normal routine after the weekend. There were quite a few things to catch up on today, but I'm always happier when there is something to do. I don't like being bored and feeling unproductive (just ask Av...he had to hear about it all the time when I was on bed rest). I'm so thankful today for tasks to accomplish (especially ones that I mostly enjoy). I usually structure my day so that I do the things that I enjoy the least (i.e. dishes, bathrooms, etc.) first, so by the time I'm out of energy, I only have the things I enjoy left (like sitting here at the computer, or reading, or practicing piano). We had company last night, so I spent a little longer on dishes than normal, but Joel was patient, so that made it easier. After that it was a nice(?) game of aggravation. We only played about half of the game (playing it with Joel is aggravating for different reasons). Then we went up to exercise (i jump on the trampoline, and Joel plays duplos, or basketball). While I was doing crunches Joel said "Mommy, are you ready for this? I'm doing push-ups". it was pretty funny to watch. After Joel went down for a nap, I made bread and granola. It was enjoyable in a nice clean kitchen (but then, of course, I had to clean it up all over again.) I guess the title of this post isn't quite accurate, since there was one thing that made today pretty unusual. Av ended up working from home for half the day. He tried to get to work this morning, but because of the icy roads there were too many accidents holding him up, so he finally came back. We sure didn't mind ;). Well, it sounds like Joel is up (and maybe had an accident :( so I'd better get going...

Blessed

so, Evan started saying "Dadada..." on Monday. It's just occurred to me that he's not going to be a little baby for much longer :( , but I'm excited to watch him grow up. Yesterday, I think I decided that Joel is about the sweetest big brother, ever. First, he was sharing his toys with Evan and trying to help him play with them. then, when Evan was in his car seat crying (because he wouldn't sleep because his gums were hurting), Joel went in there and spent about 20 min. with him, just talking to him, and giving him his toys to try to make him happy. I was busy working on taxes, but I could hear them in the bedroom, and it just made me so happy. Later, Joel prayed that Evan wouldn't be sad, and sang him "I'll love you forever" (which is our special song). Pretty frequently I hear Joel say "Evan's growing up so he can play baseball with me." I hope they can be best friends. I am feeling very blessed today (which I should feel every day). I got to spend more time with Joel teaching him writing (we practiced writing letters in salt with a straw), and working on his memory verses. It makes me wish I could spend less time on house-work and more time just enjoying my boys (I'm not very good at multi-tasking). hmmm...I'll have to think more on that one. Speaking of which, I better get off of here...so much to do!

Fun at work

well, we sure had a different sort of weekend, but as I look back on it, I'm glad it worked out the way it did. Friday was starting out to be a normal day. We have to go out on Fridays for a little Montessori class and since we drive right by, I decided we'd start stopping at the nursing home to visit a few people there. I explained this to Joel and he seemed excited, but of course when we got there he was pretty shy. I was glad by the end though, that he warmed up to one lady and even gave her a hug. Yay! The rest of the day went well, until we got home in the late afternoon. Joel was over-tired and wasn't able to figure out that what he needed was a nap, so a battle ensued. Sometimes I feel like I really don't know what to do in a certain situation, and this was one of those times. I knew he was just too tired and needed to go to bed, but because he was so tired, he was fighting me through all the necessary steps to get him there. I don't like spanking him when he's in that state, but I honestly don't know what to do. Of course, after the fact I always think of what I shouldn't have done...very frustrating. Anyway, I had a long talk with God that afternoon, and He really helped me to trust him and to have a good attitude, which as it turned out, I needed to get through the evening. Av ended up having to work really late, so we were on our own all night. Normally I really struggle to stay positive when something like that happens, but I'm so thankful that this time was different. I really can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Joel and I ate leftovers and watched Up. I actually enjoyed spending a little bit of extra time with my buddy (even though I was missing my best buddy). Av also had to go into work on Saturday (this was a unique set of circumstances) and he invited us to come along. First, we went out to breakfast to try to spend a little time together before he had to work. I brought lots of toys for Joel, and we bounced his ball down a hallway, colored, played with silly putty, and he even took a nap under a desk. I don't think I'd want to do it every day, but it definitely made me feel closer to Av, knowing a little more about where he works. It was a long day, but I was glad we could make it a little nicer for him.

On a completely different note, I discovered a few months ago that if I play Bible songs in the car, it makes a huge difference in Joel's attitude. Instead of complaining, he sings along, and I usually get them stuck in my head, which can be annoying, but they're probably a good thing to have stuck in one's head I think. I was thinking about this because we went grocery shopping today, and I think those songs made it a little better for both of us.

snow, and fun stories

We had a great weekend snowed-in. Fresh cinnamon rolls, games, good music, and Joanna being with us, made it quite bearable. Saturday we took Joel out for his first snow experience. He had a lot of fun, and didn't seem terribly bothered by the cold. The snow was not wet enough to make snow balls, but we built a sort of igloo by breaking it in pieces. I was very thankful for our wonderful warm house after that. Evan has been very sweet the last few days, even though I'm still pretty sure he's teething. I just love that baby! Joel said a couple of pretty funny things (surprise:) that I want to try to write down. It's just not the same without hearing his voice, but here goes:

We were sitting at the table eating and talking as usual. I don't even remember what we were talking about, but I used the phrase "speaking of which...", and before I could finish, Joel jumps in with "speaking of sand-which (he was eating a sandwich)...ha ha ha." Silly I know, but there it is. I think he has his father's sense of humor. The other thing was at bedtime. I said "Okay, time to get ready for bed". Joel picks up my cell phone, pushes the button on the front, and says, "No, it's not time for bed yet, it's only 6:30." Nice try, but it was really 10:00, so to bed he went. I guess he must see me looking at the phone to check the time a lot. That reminded me of when I was on bed rest and my cell phone and I had to take a pill every 6 hours, so I set an alarm on my phone. One day it went off, and I was about to ask someone to hand me my medicine when Joel comes dashing (and I really mean dashing!) into the room, hands me the bottle of pills, and says "you need this mommy." I was pretty much shocked. Not only did he make the connection between the alarm and the pills, but he actually paid attention to where they were (which happened to be in my purse that time). He keeps us quite entertained. I am very blessed indeed.

Wow...

I am amazed....accident free since Wednesday. God is good. I guess Joel just decided he didn't want to be wet. Av thinks the practice runs helped. Tuesday night when he had his last accident, I made him run back and forth to the potty like 5 times and said "next time you feel like that, you're going to stop what you're doing and run." He's even staying dry for naps and at night! Last night he came down and woke me up at 3:30, because he wanted to go potty. He wanted me to read the "happy Lion" book and didn't seem to be in the least bit of a hurry (I must confess I kind of skipped some parts, but I don't do too well reading in the middle of the night). I was thrilled that Joel wanted to stay dry, but until Evan starts sleeping through the night again (he was up at 1:00), I might be pretty out of it. I'm definitely feeling it today. I think Evan is teething (even though I don't see anything in his mouth), because he's sure acting like something hurts. I remember Joel teething a lot off and on for months before he ever cut a tooth. Oh well, at least I can't say "Nobody needs me." I'm in pretty hight demand (quite literally) these days.

His mercies are new every morning!

In order to describe today, I must start with yesterday. Let's see, a few words come to mind, like discouraging...frustrating...well, you get the idea. We started officially potty training Joel on his 3rd birthday (just last week). I guess I had my expectations too high because they soon got knocked way down. We had a couple of decent days at it, and then yesterday...Basically, he held it all day (even though he obviously had to go, and was given ample opportunity), and then out it all came out (finally!)...all over the floor. This happened a few more times, and by the end of the day, I was emotionally exhausted. I had tried everything I could think of to get him to go while he was on the potty. I didn't even want to go to bed for fear that today would be the same. after some encouraging words from my sweet husband, I was ready to try again (with lower expectations). So here I am expecting to just deal with the accidents, and that rascal doesn't have a single one all day! (kids are so weird sometimes). This might be due to the fact that last night I made him take off all of his wet stuff, which he didn't enjoy one little bit. Not only did he keep his underwear dry, but he also initiated the potty times (that would be the first time ever). I'm very proud of him, but I'm still going to try to keep those pesky expectations from creeping up again. As I think on this, I'm thankful that we don't have to worry about expecting too much from God. Even though He doesn't always do exactly what we want, He does always do exactly what He wants, which is far better.

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning..."

Why I started this

So, I was just thinking that I'd like start journaling a little bit, and I prefer typing to writing. There are so many things that have happened that I wish I had written down. God is doing many things in our family that are worth remembering, and Joel keeps things pretty interesting. I am writing this mostly for myself, but if anyone is interested in reading from time to time, we'd love to have you along. This blog will probably mostly be a narrative of what the boys are doing, but I'm likely to write now and then about whatever happens to be on my mind.