Jemima's child dedication

 A most special morning...

Funny Fellows

Just a few things that are cracking me up and/or melting my heart these days...

 

Calvin: For my next three birthdays I’d like a house, an excavator, and a front loader

Josiah, after his first Covid test: That wasn’t bad. they cleared out one of the boogers that was clogging my nose.

Reading a book with me, observing a picture of a bear riding an escalator,
Calvin: I’m very scared of bears.
Me: For good reason, they are very big and powerful.
Calvin: Yeah, they might even push people down!

Josiah: The Bible is pretty cool. It’s taking a lot of my attention these nights.
*love*

Driving up to church, Calvin, with enthusiasm: Hey! John the Baptist Church!

In church, I gave Calvin a piece of bubble gum to chew, reminding him to spit it out when he finished.
Calvin: I can’t spit because my teeth can’t spit very well (having swallowed gum).

Overheard in the kitchen:
Calvin, emphatically: Jesus isn’t a cat.
Elliot: No, I said cheetahs are cats.

Victor: Josiah and I are going to read a verse from the Bible every day and talk about it.
*love*

Calvin: Mom?
Me: Yeah?
Calvin, with mild disdain: I was just talking to myself.

Hearing a raucous duet of tambourine and drums in the background,
Victor to me: The boys are crazy. I’m not. I come from your side of the family

Me: What are you feeling now?
Calvin: Angriness

Calvin: I think there’s more Christmas lights over on this side of the world (Eden Prairie)

Calvin: Mom?
Me: Yeah?
Calvin: What did you say one time?

Calvin: Mom, this is wet water.

Listening to a CD of Slugs & Bugs in the car, Calvin: Can you turn that off please? Because I’m already asleep, Mom.

On a little one-on-one outing, I was driving with Calvin, rather lost in my own thoughts for several minutes.
Breaking into the silence,
Calvin: Mom, let's talk about our favorite colors.

 Josiah (about once per day): Jemima is the cutest baby in the WORLD!

8 months old!

8 months old!

 

7 months old

 

6 months old

 

5 months old

 

4 months old

 

3 months old

 

2 months old

 

1 month old

 

2 weeks old

Dear Jemima,

Happy new year, and happy 2/3 of a year old to you!

We had a lovely month ...

- You had a joyful first Christmas! It was very special to see your wonder at twinkling lights, your enthusiasm for tissue paper, your enjoyment of new toys. (Elliot, noticing that you haven't had much to play with around home, asked very sweetly, "Mom, do you think we could get Jemima some toys?" Happily, you have an ample supply of entertaining toys now, little 5th-born!)

- You take real delight in spying yourself and me in the mirror across the room and sharing a great big smile with that cute little baby and momma-reflection!

- No more do you like the Bumbo. Once you have had a taste of standing, sitting in the constraining grip of a plastic seat is not the thing.

- You love to jump, jump, jump on my lap. Those kicking feet and happy chubby legs are the best.

- You haven't exactly taken off on your cereal, but you have enjoyed larger quantities of smushed peas on the special occasions that I remember to get them ready for you. You will get to eat real food someday, I promise.

- You are definitely in 9 month clothes, and I should probably find the 12 month bag...

- Your brothers love you, entertain you, and watch over you. Victor is big enough now to pick you up, carry you, and hold you on his own. This is excellent, a first in my life as a mother.

- We still get up generally once a night. With the colder nights, I now "double-bag" you in two zip-up sleep sacks. Lately you've been eating around 3:15am, and that gets you through until the morning. One more month, little lady, until you should be making solid progress toward sleeping through the night without meals. Home stretch.

- You like to move around and explore via rolling. But I find that I don't stick you on the floor as much as I did with your brothers (too many running/falling/stomping feet around!).

- Even in the cold, you like to be outside. Before the snow came, we got some nice walks with you in the Ergo. However, the contortions required for me to pull the hat up from covering your eyes while carrying you on my back were, no doubt, highly entertaining for the people we passed...

Things have been busy lately ... big meals, big plans, big gatherings, basically life on a large scale. And twice in the past few days I have found my emotional richter scale rising toward "Panic Mode." Kind of like a pipe under pressure, the building stress has found weak points to fizz off in alternate directions, which doubtless provides the recipient an unpleasant surprise like being sprayed in the face with cold water. 

What is going on there? I think the story of Peter walking on the water toward Jesus bears some similarity. In the midst of the storm, when invited by Jesus, Peter could pace on the waves without trouble. His eyes were on Jesus, his actions were obedient trust, and his feet didn't falter. But shift the focus just a few inches to the right or left--let the tempest steal the attention--and he was pulled into the froth and foam of the storm. 

We are often in situations beyond our capacity or control. Life as humans is not about stuffing everything into a safe little stress-free satchel of cares. Rather, we take the big, awkward, overwhelming load of life that God has apportioned to us and roll it onto the shoulders of the One whose strength never fails and whose help is ever-ready. And then fix our gaze on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Let our path be set by His compass and the unexpected demands and complications be met with His gracious provision, and we will not fall.

In Daddy's middle school Sunday school class yesterday, we looked at Matthew 11:28-30:

Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

The yoke that Jesus offers isn't just moderate; it's a yoke carried by stronger Shoulders than our own. The burden of the believer is a burden meant to be rolled to the One who cares ("Cast your burden on the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved," Psalm 55:22; also 1 Peter 5:7). It's not easy because it's so small, it's easy because it's borne by the Everlasting Arms.

Life is more than we can manage, my dear daughter. There are enemies far stronger than we are, desires bigger than we can satisfy, weights too heavy for us. But draw close to the One who bore all our griefs and carried our sorrows, and you will find He is a perfectly safe refuge (Psalm 2:12b).

I love you, my dear,

Momma

10 Years Old!

10 years old!

 9 years old

8 years old

 7 years old

 6 years old

5 years old

4 years old

3 years old

2 years old

18 months

One year old

11 months

10 months

9 months

 
8 months

7 months

6 months

5 months old

4 months old

3 months old

2 months old

1 month old

2 weeks old

Dear Victor,

Ten years is quite a milestone ... you have reached a decade of life! I have reached a decade of motherhood! I am so thankful and grateful for the young man you are. Certainly you are moving from the age of thoughtless childhood into a considerate, reasonable, thoughtful fellow. 

You have your own room now, and that bit of space and independence seems very fitting. You like retreating to your room at night (often to work ahead on your math homework for the next day!). Sometimes you stay up reading; sometimes you like to go right to sleep. In the afternoons, you'll often be in your room listening to an audiobook. 

You have persisted in reading through the Bible on your own initiative, and now you're in the middle of Daniel. I love that you are taking up a pattern of daily time in the Word. There is no better way to start the day (and I often think that I am not fit to be around people until my mind and heart have been renewed by some time with God first!). I pray He continues to give you a hunger for hearing from Him in His own precious Book.

You have an inquisitive mind, and you love to examine things, study atlases, read encyclopedias, and learn. You are a very good student, self-motivated and faithful to complete your assignments. Sometimes you get working a little too fast in math, and then you have to re-work it in larger handwriting on another piece of paper. But there are good lessons in that as well. I'm thankful for how God is enabling you to grow in understanding, knowledge, and skill.

You are a people-person, not unlike Dad! You really love getting together with friends, whether it be homeschool co-op, small group, family gatherings, or church events. I'm thankful for the good friendships God has given you, and I pray that your siblings and friends will be like iron sharpening iron with you, as you seek after Him together.

You are quite a jokester and teaser. Sometimes we have to work on finding the right time for jokes, but you have a good sense of humor and don't mind laughing along even if the joke is on you.

You have a little sister now, and you are a very gentle, strong, and careful brother. You are able to pick her up and hold her by yourself, and you are very attentive that she doesn't get something too small that she could choke on or fall into other hazards. I love to see you practice giving gentle care to someone who is small and fragile. Strength is often demonstrated by power under careful control.

You enjoy so many games, puzzles, and books. We've recently added Life, Clue, Ticket to Ride, and Pling Pong to our repertoire. It's fun to take up more complex thinking games with you. But I still think it's my favorite to just squeeze in a quick round of Rack-o when the two of us have a spare minute. Dad's been reading the Green Ember series with you boys (after finishing the Wilderking trilogy). You also love listening to Adventures in Odyssey and Jonathan Park.

You are a huge help around the house, keeping up with your regular chores (daily bathroom cleanings, emptying the dishwasher, and keeping your room tidy) and helping out with extras frequently when I need a hand.

I love that you are growing more thoughtful. We often have interesting conversations about things you observe or wonder about. It is so cool to see your wisdom growing and to be able to bring God's word to bear in so many different aspects of life.

This season has been jam-packed. To be more precise, life is jam-packed (I don't think that's probably going to change super soon!). As we started this new year, I was feeling so much in need of God's help. Not just help to accomplish what is on my to do list but to do the right things. Not just to complete necessary tasks but to be fruitful in the most important ways.

These are the verses that came to me in a very sweet and powerful way. I'm seeking to memorize them, to pray throughout these days:

So teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on Your servants.
Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
Let Your work be shown to Your servants
and Your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the LORD our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us.
Yes, establish the work of our hands.
(Psalm 90:12-17)

I pray that the LORD will give you a heart of wisdom as you walk with Jesus day by day. I pray that you will love the things God loves and hate the things that God hates. And I pray that day by day you will be satisfied with the steadfast love of the LORD, since that is a joy that will never fade away.

I love you so much, Victor!

Momma

Victor (1.7.22) 10 years old

 

1.       What is your favorite color? Blue

2.       What is your favorite fruit? mangoes and pears

3.       What is your favorite video to watch? Wild Kratts

4.       What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Macaroni and cheese

5.       What is your favorite thing to wear? new clothes

6.       What is your favorite game? Ticket to Ride

7.       What is your favorite snack? Dad’s snacks

8.       What is your favorite animal? hummingbirds

9.       What is your favorite song? Angels We Have Heard on High

10.   What is your favorite verse? Psalm 23:1

11.   What is your favorite book? The Green Ember

12.   Who is your best friend? Malakai and Ezekiel

13.   What is your favorite thing to do outside? Playing tag

14.   What is your favorite drink? Root beer

15.   What do you like to sleep with at night? Ducky

16.   What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cinnamon rolls

17.   What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Chicken tikka masala and tacos

18.   What do you want to be when you grow up? Everything

19.   What was one of your favorite things that you did this year? Celebrating Christmas in Iowa

20.   What is your favorite place to go? Grammy and Grandad’s house

21.   Do you have a goal or something you’d like to work on this year? I kinda want to finish at least the Old Testament in my Bible reading

22.   Is there anything you hope will happen this year? That I won’t throw up when we go camping and that there isn’t anything like Covid this year