Monday, March 14, 2011

Two More Months and Other News

It is hard to believe, but in two more months, I will be done nursing Lucas. He loves to pull on my hair and face while he nurses and since he has gotten more aggressive about it, I've taught him not to do that. Apparently he needs to pull on something while nursing because he now pulls on his own hair! He also continues to kick while nursing. All the movement I felt in the womb was not just my imagination. I'm not sure his legs ever stop moving! It is always a bit sad for me to be done nursing as it is such a unique stage, but I am enjoying watching him grow.

Another fairly new development in our house comes from Evelyn. Quite often when she and Ezra get into a disagreement, Evelyn has started to yell, loudly and quickly, "Do to others as you would do to you!" She can't quite get the proper phrase out in her frustration. It often takes me a moment to quell my laughter before I can go in and help them resolve their issue!

We shared with the boys yesterday afternoon about the robbery. We started by talking through the Bible story of Joseph and how he had bad things happen to him and how he responded. Then we told them that something bad had happened to our family. They were sad, with tears from Josiah. Josiah was especially sad to hear that they had taken his baseball bat and skateboard. Simeon said his tummy felt scared. They were able to give some good reasons why they thought the people might have taken our things and how we might be able to pray for them. They are rooting for the police to catch them! They all thought it was quite funny that the people took the foosball table, but only took two legs for the table. Josiah had many ideas of what we could do out at the acreage to keep things secure. Simeon prayed for the people who have taken our things at bedtime. Ezra has asked quite a few times when the police are going to find our stuff. We ended by giving them each a notebook to write down gifts that God has given us. I want them to be able to focus on how much we do have, not what was taken away. I know that it will continue to be hard when they discover more of their things that were taken and I hope that the notebook will give them a place to process things. I am thankful that there has not been any fear in them and pray that will continue.

Heading to parent teacher conferences this afternoon. It is always fun to hear how Josiah and Simeon are doing and to see their rooms! A week of spring-like weather lies ahead - yay!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Simeon's name

It took both Joel and I awhile to figure out exactly what Evelyn was saying when she said, "Fay-ya." Finally we realized that "Fay-ya" is what Evelyn calls Simeon.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Happy Birthday Josiah

Happy Birthday Josiah!
Vital stats (just because I want to remember): Weight - 67lbs, Height - 4ft 4.5in (both just above 75th percentile)

I told Josiah last night that he might not want to go to sleep because it was his last night as a seven year old. He giggled and said that was probably a good idea! And then it hit me. . .I no longer have a seven year old. He is eight today. Somehow, that sounds so old, and I find myself a bit weepy!

I could not have known eight years ago how much Josiah would change me. He started me on this journey of motherhood and I have learned so much. The poor guy has had to deal with the brunt of my learning curve, and unfortunately that will probably continue. By God's grace, He will use even that to shape both of us.

I am so grateful for who God has given me as my first-born son. He is so unique and I treasure him more and more as he grows and develops. Josiah is changing into a boy and I am enjoying the humor he now partakes in. He likes to joke and giggles while watching the 3 Stooges. He is also becoming very interested in wrestling and participated in his first wrestling meet last weekend. I was very proud of how hard he worked! He continues to love school and his teacher enjoys him too. It is so fun to listen to him read. I appreciate his sensitive heart towards others. He seems to know what might hurt others and takes steps to avoid that. Just this week, he made the brownies for his class treat, with just a little help from me, but wanted to make sure a girl in his class that has some allergies would be able to eat them. He still loves legos. He is planning his garden for out on the acreage. The first thing he wants to plant is sweet corn. . .to sell. And he thinks pumpkins and watermelons would be fun too. He picked Lucky Charms for his birthday cereal and hotdogs for his birthday meal.

Dear Josiah, may God's riches blessings be yours this year and may you continue to strive after your namesake, doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord and not turning aside to the right or to the left. (2Kings 22:2) I love you!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

An Ordinary Nuisance

Today, I am grateful that my God still does miracles. For I am certain that today, He did one for my family.

It started out as a normal morning, except that I was cold. Okay, that's not so abnormal. But, I was really cold. I decided to check the thermostat and found that it hadn't kicked in yet this morning and there was a good reason that I was cold. Josiah got up and promptly wrapped himself in a blanket on the living room floor. I messed with the thermostat, but couldn't get the furnace running. So, of course, I told my husband who graciously went downstairs to check on the furnace. He tinkered with it, changed the filter, and the furnace clicked on. Josiah and Joel went off to school and I noticed that I was still cold. I checked the thermostat again and it was a degree colder than when I had first checked it this morning. Hmmm. . .

Enter the furnace guy. He arrived about 10am this morning and started tinkering with the furnace. After a little while, he came upstairs and asked me, "Have your kids been sick?" Strange question for a furnace guy to ask, I thought, my heart beating a bit harder. "Yes. . .why?" "Let me show you something." So I went downstairs with him and he showed me where the exhaust vent from the furnace had detached from the furnace, successfully blowing carbon monoxide into our house instead of out of it. Perhaps that explains the frequent headaches Simeon has been having and the crazy behavior of my dog. . .

And now, the furnace which wouldn't turn on this morning, has had no problems since, even though the furnace guy didn't fix anything besides the vent. But it did cause someone to come look, notice condensation on a pipe, look further, and save our family from a very scary "who knows what might have happened."

An ordinary nuisance. Today it was a miracle. I am so grateful.