A Post-NY Surprise

I suspected all week in NY, but kept talking myself out of it. We've never been surprised before, so I was sure my mind was playing tricks on me. So, the first morning we returned home, a test confirmed my suspicions. Next April, our quiver will be +1 and complete. We're anxious to meet this new little one, known right now only to the Lord.

Children are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is His reward.-Psalm 127

First Day of School-take 2

#1 with 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Nixon


#2 with Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Kinney




Ok, so once again, I'm a bit behind on posting since this happened over 2 weeks ago. #1 started 3rd grade, her second year at Oak Grove, and my #2 started Kindergarten. Neither he nor I cried, which surprised me. I was fully prepared for this to be the case. I had been dreading and looking forward to this day for over a year. The realization of how big this day was didn't really occur to him. He just knew that he was getting "big" and was able to go to school just like his big sister.

Maybe I didn't cry because I realize it's only 2 days a week, and the thought of actually getting some chores done during the week sounds really nice. Nonetheless, it feels like such a monumental step in life to send off yet another child to start at least a 13 year journey towards hopefully more fully grasping Christ-likeness and understanding the world around him.

When I picked him up from school the first day I asked him, "How was your first day of school?" He replied, "It was so hard! We worked all day!"

I know one day I'll blink and they'll be graduating. I'll try not to think about that too much, and I'll just appreciate the fact that they are both just so darn cute in their school uniforms and excited about going to school.

NYC-American Girl Store

When we first told the kids that we were going to New York, they didn't ask if they were going to see the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building. The first thing Caitlyn asked was if we were going to the American Girl Store. So of course, this was a HUGE event and I must admit one of the highlights of the trip for me too.

We started our experience with afternoon tea on the 3rd floor in the American Girl cafe. We had our friends Greta and Christiana with us (who live in NY) and of course Jana and Emilie. This cafe was a sight to behold. The theme was carried out beautifully in black, white and pink. The dolls had a place of honor at the table with their own special highchairs. When we sat down Caitlyn said, "This is the best day of my life!" She was so excited and really "ate it up." The dolls were even given their own tea cups and saucers.

After tea, we spent hours looking through all three floors and myriads of overpriced accessories, outfits and paraphenalia. They even had their own hair salon. Hannah and Julie (our 2 AGs)were in dire need of a trip to the salon and got quite the treatment. I will not confess how much I spent on this, but I will say that Caitlyn spent her own hard earned money for a mini-facial for each of them as well as a very special outfit.

I can imagine that the workers in this store have seen some very spoiled little girls go through there that weren't denied a single pleasure. But for Caitlyn, she knew that if she wanted to purchase anything, it would be out of her own hard earned cash. She would see the price tag on items and be blown away by how expensive it was. As a result, we didn't fight or have pout-y spells, because she knew this going in. It was fun for me to help her make the best possible purchase. She decided on a flower girl outfit (for $30) and a set of earrings (for $7).

I seriously enjoyed myself at the store! Maybe it was because I could imagine myself at 8 years old again and enjoying this as much as Caitlyn did! But even more so, it was the pleasure of providing my daughter this one small desire of her heart. Sadly, one day she'll outgrow Julie and Hannah, but I hope she'll always remember how special this day was and that we got to share it together.

NYC-Day 1

I'm kicking myself right now for not bringing my cable to download my pictures! Ugh!!! Those will have to wait. We've had such a nice, exciting, exhilarating, exhausting day. We got a late start this a.m. mostly because we didn't get into bed until 1am the night before after an exhausting but good day of travel.

There were a few things about our travel yesterday that were noteworthy. Grace did pretty well and only cried inconsolably about 2 or 3 times. But what was really amazing was hearing the conversations our children had with the strangers they were sitting by. Because we were such a large group we had to split up a bit. On the first flight Caitlyn and Emilie sat next to "Joel". He was the nicest guy, and seriously enjoyed talking to the girls. There were TVs in the seats, and he said to them "you can watch TV anytime, let's talk." You just got the feeling he got a kick out of these girls. Then on the second stretch Caitlyn and Jake sat next to a little old Hindu woman. Can you tell where this is going? If you know Caitlyn, you do. Anyway, she just comes right out and asks this lady if she worships Mary. To which the lady replied, "Yes, I worship a lot of people." (Or something to that effect.) Caitlyn asked, "Well, are you a sinner?" And the lady said "No." Then Caitlyn said, "Well, if we aren't all sinners, then Christ didn't have to die." Then, that was it. On to the next subject. I was amazed. I wish I had my daughter's boldness.

On the other side of the aisle, Cole and Emilie sat next to an older gentleman. Out of curiosity he asked them, "Do you know who our President is?" Emilie answered, "Yeah, Obama's our President, but we don't like him."
Cole: "Yeah, we don't like Obama, he's a mean man."
Emilie: "He's not a mean man; we just don't like what he's doing."
Cole: "Well Obama's not a Christian."
Man: "He says he's a Christian."
Cole: "He's not a Christian, he doesn't know the gospel."

Tim and I are hearing bits of this conversation carry over the white noise of the plane and are helpless to do anything about it. Later, we found out from Rob and Jana that this man was probably the only conservative living in NYC and was quite pleased with their answers. Whew...!

TODAY:

The best and most challenging part of the day is having the kids with us. I seriously don't know how the locals do it. I'm so paranoid about losing sight of any of them. (And remember we're traveling with Rob and Jana so there are 5 kids to keep tabs on.) I'm scared to death of getting separated on the subway, or that a crazy cab driver is going to plow us down as we cross a street, or that some crazy person will snatch them away when my back is turned. Not to mention, the challenges of navigating a very un-stroller-friendly subways. Tim and Rob have gotten their workout today carrying that stroller up and down stairs and setting off alarm bells, because we can't get through a turnstile. Come on, NY does no one else have this problem? Ah...life in the big city. I'm conscientious of these safety issues at home, but here, it's cranked up times 100. Ok, that's the challenge, but the joy is getting to see the city through their eyes for the first time.

Today, we visited some new sights. We started down on Wall Street and saw Trinity Church. You know, the one Nicholas Cage digs down below and finds the world's biggest treasure. It was actually quite beautiful. We explored the old graveyard next door seeing headstones dating back to the 1700s. The church was a beautiful gothic building. It's Episcopal, so while it reminds me of some the Catholic cathedrals I've visited, there weren't any crucifixes, or over-the-top Mary-worship. The stained glass behind the altar had Jesus in the center, rightfully sitting on the throne.

Then we went down Wall Street. Very cool! One of the most striking things about it was the security measures they’ve taken. It’s totally closed off to traffic and there are metal barricades in the middle of the street. We also got to see the NYSE. The kids didn’t get it, but I thought it was really cool to see in person what I’ve only seen on TV. Then we say the place George Washington was sworn in as President. That felt like hallowed ground to me. Talk about a piece of real estate that changed the world.

Speaking of changing the world: then we walked over the WTC site. They are building at 100 story building and beautiful memorial gardens there.
After that we headed down to Battery Park. We were amazed and how tired and lifeless the kids were until they saw a playground and ran around for a half hour. Then we walked over to the Staten Island Ferry to go by the Statue of Liberty. The kids leapt with excitement the first time they saw “her”. After that roundtrip, Gracie finally fell asleep in her stroller and we headed up to lunch in SoHo, and then found a little chocolate factory for some sweets.

Then we headed back up to Central Park. Ah…Central Park! I love it every time I’m there. It’s so refreshing to see green and trees after wandering through the concrete jungle of Manhattan. Central Park was teeming with life. People were playing softball, reading, rock-climbing, splashing, making out (seriously), riding bikes and walking. It was like this microcosm of life. The kids loved it and enjoyed climbing the big boulders most of all. Again, where they get their energy is beyond me.

After that instead if hailing a cab (which was my idea), we drug those tired little
monkeys another 10 or so blocks back home. Everyone really did awesome today. It was just exhausting. Tomorrow, we’re going to go to the shore with our local friends. It’s supposed to rain, but it will at least be a nice change to the miles we put on today.

If anyone has read this far, I’m impressed. I’ll try to blog again soon. Signing off.

Mom turns 5

For those who are in Christ, we all can boast of having 2 birthdays, our physical birthday as well as a spiritual one. But my mom is the only one I know who can boast of having 3! Five years ago yesterday, Mom received her long-awaited for, and prayed for bone-marrow. Back then, the doctors told her that they would not consider her "cured" until she had survived 5 years without relapse. While, we praise the Lord for doctors, we never put our faith in them, nor did we believe that their "magic" number 5 was proof of God's healing power. Long before we hit the 5-year mark, we knew that the Lord in his mercy had spared my mom (and us). But, nonetheless, it marks a significant milestone and we continue to praise Him for his faithfulness.

Last night, the whole family surprised her with a celebration of this milestone at El Pinto. M & C and their fam brought balloons, I made a birthday cake, and the kids all contributed their cards. Dad pulled off the surprise, by organizing us and casually suggesting they go out to eat instead of staying in. She couldn't have been more surprised when she walked out on the patio and saw all 11 of us there waiting for her.

Psalm 103:1-5 says it all: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle."

Spring in Review

I just downloaded my camera, sheesh... a lot has happened in the last few months! Here's the lowdown.

May 1st, #1 had her 2nd recital with her piano teacher, Penny Patz. She was so excited and confident and showed very little nerves, she certainly didn't get that from me. It's wonderful to see her enjoying piano and desiring to learn more.







Then #1 also turned 8 on Mother's Day. We had a great birthday bash for her this year. Over 40 people showed up at a local park for the party. I think fun was had by all.













To fit our butterfly-themed birthday, we released our own butterflies.





C & C both graduated from their Awanas classes. We can't wait for next year!

We celebrated the end of 2nd grade at Mrs. G's house! What a tremendous blessing she's been to our school and family! We love you Mrs. G!



In a bittersweet finale, the whole school participated in an end-of-the-year performance on the last day of school. It's amazing to see what these children have learned this year. Kinder recited Psalm 53 and sang some songs, 1-2 recited the Table Blessing in Latin and sang their history chronology song. (This was a feat in itself: 32 events from 2200BC to 476 AD, I sometimes wake up to parts of this song running through my head in the middle of the night!) 3rd graders recited Psalm 23 in latin as well. It was so great to see how faithful the Lord's been to us this year at Oak Grove.







And finally, we spent Memorial Day in Pagosa with some of our dearest friends. About 20 of us (half of us being under 10 years old) rented a great house in the Springs. We got a lot of rain, but it was great to let the kids play, grown-ups relax, and enjoy having nothing to do! Can't wait to do it again next year!

Easter Story Cookies

I'm so encouraged by those who visited my blog and actually told me they made the dioramas with their own kids! I'm not used to anyone reading my blog besides my family. So here's another project I do every year to illustrate Christ's amazing sacrifice for us. The kids love this!

This is to be done the night before Easter.

You need:
1 cup pecans or walnuts
1 teaspoon white vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar

Bible
ziploc
wooden spoon
tape

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (*this is important-don't wait til halfway done with the recipe!!)

Place the nuts in a ziploc and let the kids beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3

Let the kids smell the vinegar. Put vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers and the bitterness of our sins. Read Luke 23:27

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.

Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us and died for our sins. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks form. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66

GO TO BED!

Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20-22

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! ON the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9

He is Risen!

Diorama Mania!

Over spring break we started this craft and just got around to finishing it yesterday. It was a several stage project. The idea was to create an Easter scene inside the egg, and use this as another opportunity to teach my kids about the true meaning and significance of Easter.

In case your interested, here's how to make a diorama:

First you do paper mache over a balloon. This was a messy, but really fun step. We cut up a ton of different colored tissue papers and made a mixture of flour and water. Then, you dip the tissue in the mixture and slap it on your balloon. It's important to do several layers to make it more thick and sturdy.

Let the balloon dry overnight. Then cut the balloon at the tie and pull it out through the hole in the top.

Next cut out the opening for your scene.

First we painted wooden crosses to be placed at the back of each scene.

Then, we used Modeling clay and had fun creating different scenes from the Bible out of the clay. Modeling clay is really lightweight and easy to work with. It comes in a ton of different colors too.

Then place your scene inside your hollowed-out balloon. Tie a ribbon on top, and viola your done!

Caitlyn added a figurine of Jesus, a tree with a serpent and an apple hanging from it, and a rainbow and flowers. Cole added a zebra, rainbow, flowers and tree.

It was a great time to talk about the significance of the cross and what Easter really means. It isn't about cute little chicks and candy and new clothes, although those are all a fun part of Easter. It's about the perfect, sinless lamb of God, Jesus, laying down his life for ours. Substituting his perfect spotless righteousness for our sin-stained lives. What a wonderful season this is, and what a wonderful Savior we have!

It's official: "We have a Walker!"

Each child is so unique in their own ways and does things according to their own timetable. Gracie is 14 months and has been "flirting" with walking for weeks now. She'd cruise along the couch, or would feel confident with someone's hand to hold, but doing it by herself was another story. In the last few days, she's taken off! Walking, turning and even going backwards. It's also created a "Miss Independent" attitude. If I pull her in one direction, all of the sudden, the opposite seems quite tempting. Those first steps are so precious. There's something really sacred about watching first steps. It marks the beginning of so many new joys yet undiscovered and challenges and bruises yet to be faced.

Some new pics of my babes

Better late than never-Gracie turns 1!

My blogging skills aren't much to be desired, but here it is almost 2 months later.

Gracie Zane turned 1 on January 7, 2009. It's amazing that a year has come and gone.

Here are some of her milestones at age one...

Says "uh-oh" to perfection!
Crawls
Climbs the stairs
Waves bye-bye
Smiles and lights up our hearts
Says "bah" for please with a little tummy rub
Loves her big bro and sis
She's definitely a carnivore and loves meat
Not a fan of veggies (surprise, surprise)
Is sleeping through the night "Hallelujah!"
Has effortlessly stolen our hearts

Happy 1st Birthday Grace!