Photo Journal

Mother's Day morning. I got hugs, breakfast in bed and a homemade card with an "Off Duty" badge to wear for the day. Matt answered all questions, cared for the boy's needs, and did Daddy/Mommy duty in general all day. It was WONDERFUL!
We found 2 box turtles this week. Josiah named his Rex and Micah named his Pregnant. I'm thinking he doesn't understand that pregnant is a state of being, not a name.

A couple of weeks ago Josiah had his last group recital. His wonderful teacher is semi-retiring(she is holding the retirement gift Joisah made her in this picture. She will still give private lessons, but will no longer give group lessons or recitals. It was a wonderful concert, I'll have to post a few video clips later.
Some of the kiddos from our church who take lessons from Dr. and Mrs. Mellado.

Our parenting class this month was held at Bryan and Shelli's and we brought our kiddos along. Our class represents 12 children, only 3 of those are girls. :) Here are some shots of the boys wrestling with Mr. Robb.



I had to share this with my girlfriends. I was invited to an Uppercase Living party. It's a new line of wall rub-ons(for lack of a better term). I got this small verse to see how I would like the effect on my wall. I love it, and plan to incorporate more verses throughout our home. They have plenty of great pre-made verses and images to choose from, but you can also customize your own. Such a neat way to add a personal touch to your home.

We've been studying the Romans the last couple of weeks. These are some Mosaics the boys made. Josiah's is of an Aqueduct and Micah's is of a checkerboard. The other day the boys piled chairs, blankets and such in a corner and I heard, "Micah we are two Romans and we are fighting one Carthaginian(I'm assuming that was me). Then Josiah runs to his room and comes out with his pool noodle and says, "And here is an Aquadot!" TOO FUNNY!

Hope you enjoyed this little Photo Journal of the last few weeks. Hope you have a blessed day.

Whew, what a week!

It's been one of those Mommy weeks. You know the kind that totally exhausts you and you haven't even done a lot of physical labor. It's my poor little brain that is so tired, well my brain and my heart. Not in a bad way, just in a very "worked out" sort of way. Am I making any sense? If not, just blame it on my "exercised" brain. We've had tons of rain and so the boys have been inside. It seems that once Spring comes and they are released from the confines of the house, if it rains and they are confined again they are like caged animals. Lord help the Zoo Keeper!

The very nature of how Matt and I parent lends itself to mental exhaustion. We understand that the first several years of a child's life they cannot really understand themselves and so we attempt to explain their hearts to them. This means we have to be very attentive to their motives etc.. so that we can "read" them properly. Lot's of issues are self-evident, but the energy of explaining it all is tiring. For example, if the boys are fighting over toys they know they are "breaking a house rule" but what they don't understand is that their hearts are acting out of greed and selfishness(greed on the part of the one taking the toy, selfishness on the part of the one insisting on keeping the toy). Sometimes I think, "Wouldn't it be easier to just tell them no, swat their tooshies and be done with it?" And yes it would, but I'm looking to get their hearts not just their actions. And so this has been a week of lots of training and explaining. It also has my mind thinking on what it is God, my heavenly father, wants from us.

On Monday we went to town, we got home right at nap time. I gave the boys instructions. I specifically told Josiah, "I need you to pick up the toys in the yard and then go in the house, because it's nap time." Several minutes later I was still outside and Josiah was nowhere to be found. I looked up at the house and he was sitting in the living room looking out the window. He had followed the letter of my law. I only specifically asked him to pick up the toys,and he had obeyed. I was not at all pleased with his legalistic approach to obedience. But I wasn't sure if he really had understood my intent so I asked him. "Josiah, what do you think Mommy wanted you to do after you picked up the toys?" He responded, "you probably wanted me to go potty and then go to bed." I affirmed this as true and explained that what will help me to really trust him and will in turn give him more freedom is if he will think about what Mommy would want him to do and then do it. Because there is no way I could ever give him enough instruction to cover every little detail in life and so I want him to learn to use his brain to do what he knows would be right.
That little scenario reminded me again of what I believe God wants from me. I'm not one bit interested in a relationship with my children that consists of them figuring out how much they have to do or how much they can get away with and still be following all my rules. I want their hearts. I don't think God is interested either in a relationship with his children that consists of us following the letter of the law and not reading his intent and thinking through what would be pleasing to him. He wants our hearts. If I am truly trusting him for my very salvation at the end of this life, if I am truly loving him with all my heart, mind, and soul it seems ridiculous to look at life through a lens which says, "Now what do I have to do or how much can I get away with?" It's as crazy as saying to my husband, "Now I know I can't commit adultery, but you never said anything about flirting."

So as you can see my brain has had it's work out this week. I'm looking forward to Friday night. Becca, Lora, and I are going to the Friday Night Crop at the local Scrapbooking store. It will be nice to have a few hours to relax and laugh with my girlfriends. My brain could use the break. :)

Mother's Day "Hints"

I had to laugh today. Let me share a couple conversations with you.

Josiah: Mommy, I can't tell you what we are making you for Mother's Day, cause it's a secret.

Me: OK, don't tell me Bub.

Josiah: I will give you a hint, but not a really good one cause you might be smart like Miss Jo and be able to figure out my hint.

Me: Maybe you shouldn't give me a hint.

Josiah: I won't give you a good hint. Ok, the Ferguson's used to have one and you put it in a tree.


Later today at supper the topic came up again.

Josiah: We can't tell you what we are making you for Mother's Day.

Me: Bub, your hint was pretty good earlier, you probably shouldn't say any more.

Micah: I can tell you after Mother's Day

Josiah: You won't need to tell her, we can show her.

Micah(in a whisper to me): Yes, I won't tell you that we are getting you a fern and making you a hammock.

Me: That's good not to tell me Micah.

I quickly exited the room to laugh.

So guess what I'll be getting for Mother's Day?