Happy Birthday Caleb

I know every parent says it but I am just going to join the club:  "Where does the time go?!?! How is my oldest already 10?!?!"
Seriously, I can't even wrap my mind around the fact that we have been raisin' these beautiful babies for a decade now!  Crazy!
Today is Caleb's birthday and I think he had a good day celebrating.  He went to VBS this morning at the church we go to AWANA at, then came home to tortilla pizzas for lunch per request, dinner was chinese chicken fingers followed by Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies for dessert...quite sweet and rich but yumm-o!  Then of course, gift time!  Dave and I gave Caleb a watch for his birthday (which he was super excited about!) and we gave him...

...indoor skydiving!  A few months back, he had mentioned he would like to try it so tonight we surprised him with this gift after dinner.  We took him blindfolded and everything!  (No, he didn't skydive blindfold...that's just mean!) He said it was really fun!  If you look on the screen behind him, the instructor had the message "Happy Birthday" put on there for him. He had a really good time and a fun birthday.  Sunday he will celebrate with a few friends and then we do the family celebrations when we head to Cape Cod next weekend...party month! 

 Mama and her 10 year old adventurer!

Karate Kid move...?

 If you are wondering why he has his hands under his face like an angelic pose, it's because he was having trouble breathing normal with all the wind so they told him that help...it did.

 He really liked it!

Over the last week or so, I have been doing a character study of Caleb in the Bible. November of 2013, God had instructed me to do a character study on each of the people my children are named after in the Bible (Jonas is a form of Jonah in case anyone is wondering where Jonas is in the Bible!).  I have already studied Jonah and am now studying Caleb. It has been quite eye-opening and I am glad the Lord led me here.

Anyway, in my study a few things struck me.  Three times in Joshua, Caleb is said to have followed the Lord wholeheartedly.

Joshua 14:8-9 
"...I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.  So on that day Moses swore to me, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.' "
Joshua 14:14
"So Hebron belonged to Caleb...because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly."

Numbers 14:24 says this as well:
"But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it."

This is my prayer for my son.  That he will follow the Lord wholeheartedly all the days of his life.  That he will see the inheritance that His God has for Him in eternity just like Caleb kept his eye on the inheritance the Lord promised him and his descendants.
You know, 12 spies went to explore the land to see if it was safe to overtake and only 2 came back and gave the go ahead to move forward.  One of them being Caleb.  Can you imagine what that was like to go against the grain like that?  For Caleb to stand up for his convictions and faith in the Lord being their strength.  Caleb and Joshua were walking by faith while the 10 others were walking by sight and out of fear.  

I want my son to stand strong.  I want him to fully rely on his faith in Jesus Christ when challenges lay before him.  That is my prayer for you my son.  

Happy Birthday Caleb!  We are so blessed to have the privilege of getting to be 

your mom and dad.

May our children never waver from his promises and their faith in Him~

"Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do 

what he had promised." 

Romans 4:20-21

Recently I read a quote that said, "Make and effort, not an excuse."  
I could make a million excuses why I haven't posted in 2 months but I will not.  I will just catch up.  I will just write.  I will just "make an effort".  

Dave and I celebrated our 15th anniversary in March and we went into Boston for a night. We went to the museum (and got to see what we wanted to see without the kiddos pulling this way and that!), then we went to dinner and had a wonderful relaxing time together. Whenever Dave and I catch a date or have an opportunity to get away for the night, people always ask what we did.  I mean of course since we were alone, we must of taken part in this great and exciting adventure, right? Unfortunately, that's not always the case. NEWSFLASH!  We are boring.  Yes, we go to dinner and a movie.  Yes, we usually hit a walmart or target somewhere along the way on our date.  Yes, it might be spending a gift card at Barnes and Noble.  And truth be told, when we don't have a baby-sitter, it's a date on the couch with a movie and popcorn.  But honestly, we are okay with that.  For us, just being able to get out together for even just a couple hours is worth it.  Being able to have a meal and an uninterrupted conversation is worth it.  We realize we are in a season.  A crazy, busy season but a season nonetheless. A season where "the days are long but the years fly by" but we are okay with that.  
What's the point of these "grab 'em when you can" kind of dates?  Because later when the kids aren't little anymore and we will have the time to linger a little longer at the restaurant, to go to the late night movie because we don't need to get up at the crack of dawn to take care of these little people, to go away for more than just a night or maybe even try something crazy like sky diving (just kidding...now I am just getting carried away!).  
But for now...we will enjoy each other's company no matter what package it may come in.

We stayed at the Revere Hotel in Boston and I recommend it.  It was beautiful and the staff was very kind.  We were even welcomed with a sparkling cider toast upon arrival.  Fun!

 Seriously, check out the view of the city!  I took one picture when we first got there around 5:00 pm.

...then when we got back from dinner. 

...then the next morning.  Love it!

 

So the waiter took a blurry picture but we had a yummy (and warm!) dinner at Maggiano's.  

Just a fun picture on a fun chair in front of a fun wall!

Here's to the next 15 years together!  

Pick Me! Pick Me!

Nobody liked it, right?  Everybody hated it.  Really, have you ever met anyone who loved the process of picking teams in gym class when you were in elementary school?  Heck, I don't even think the captains always liked it for fear of losing friends in the process of choosing. I can only imagine what Fred Savage would say about it "The Wonder Years". You remember the drill, don't you?  The teacher would give instructions. Everybody line up. Here's Captain 1 and Captain 2. Now pick who you want on your team.  I don't know about you but I was certainly not the first one picked for gym teams.  I was usually towards the end of the line.  I would have much rather been gabbing it up with my friends on the recess playground than play sports so needless to say, I wasn't very good.  How I got the "gym award" in high school is beyond me!  A story for another day...

But remember how you felt if you weren't top pick?   Awful.  Inadequate. Unwanted.

Simply put:  Not. Good. Enough. 

Today is March 10th.  Yes, just an ordinary Tuesday I suppose to most of you.  But to me, it is the anniversary of the day I was picked...FIRST. Sixteen years ago today, my husband proposed to me.  And since we will be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary just next week, you can assume I responded with a resounding "YES!"

Among all the flowers of the garden, he picked me.  He chose to spend the rest of his life with me.  Little 'ole me.  But do you want to know a little secret?  I don't honestly think he completely knew what or who he was picking.  Sure, he proposed and said with that beautiful ring that he wanted nobody other than me and that he wanted to spend the rest of his days with me but didn't he know? Didn't he know I had baggage? Didn't he know there were too many flaws to count?  Didn't he know at times I would be hard to love?  Didn't he realize life with me would not be a bowl full of cherries?!?!  Frankly, my husband doesn't even like cherries!!!  No, he couldn't have known.  When we dated, we were more than honest about who we were and about struggles in our lives but no matter how honest one is with another, you don't fully know one another. I mean really, if you did, how boring would the rest of your days together be because the mystery was gone?!?!

The good, the bad and the ugly don't always show themselves until you are living this crazy journey together under one roof, in one covenant and one life together.

So today, I say to my husband: 

Thank you for picking me.  FIRST.  

Thank you for wanting me on your team.

Thank you for not kicking me off the team.  ...even when I might deserve it.

Thank you for picking me despite my inadequacies and failures.  

Thank you for loving me even when I am not lovable.  

Thank you for loving me even on the days when I am not a team player.

Thank you for not holding my baggage against me but for helping me to carry the baggage I bring into our marriage.
Thank you for choosing to walk through the difficult seasons with me.
Thank you for picking me to listen to...over and over and over again. 

Thank you for picking me even when I display characteristics that I never intended to display or never even knew I had in me.  
In picking me first, you have never made me feel awful, inadequate or unwanted.  You have never made me feel like I was not good enough.  

Thank you for picking me...ALL of me...the good, the bad and the ugly.

Happy Anniversary.

Just over this bridge is a bench.  A bench that not only stands near where such a historical event took place but a bench where a life began. A bench where one life picked another. And from that historical moment in our lives to this day, our two lives have been blending together to create a legacy for future generations.  One step at a time... 

Old North Bridge ~ Concord, MA

Dave got down on one knee in front of bench much like this one.  Yes, it was 16 years ago but the memory is still crystal clear in my mind.


What about you?  Is there someone you need to thank for picking you first?  Maybe your spouse?  Maybe a parent?  Someone who made you feel wanted and loved despite your inadequacies?

Let it Snow! ...And snow...and snow...and snow...

Yes, I have much posting to do with homeschooling and Christmas but today I just need to let you know what we have been up to.  Actually what's been up over us!!!  Blizzard 2015   raged all night and all day.  We have about 34 inches outside our windows and doors! Praise the Lord we didn't lose power with all the wind!  It is a doozy!  Snow drifts reaching 6 feet, a travel ban, crazy wind and snow, snow, snow!!! The kids had a blast and loved going outside to build forts and keep track of how high the snow got up on them. Many ask, "Do your kids get a snow day even though you homeschool?"  I will put your minds all at ease...yes, we make room for snow days. They each had 2 things to complete this morning (people I have to keep them on track or we will be schooling in July!) but the rest of the day was filled with snow play, sweet treats, movie watching, and PLAYTIME!!!   Really, I will just give it all to you in pictures.  Enjoy and for those of you on the east coast with us, I hope you are digging out well and keeping warm!  For the rest of you...enjoy the weather you are given!

This is what we opened our door to today!

 The swingset was buried but Hannah was determined to at least try and swing!

 Caleb was so happy to help daddy make paths today so we could get around.  He is becoming such a little man!  

 Josiah's favorite was digging forts all over the yard.  

 This little guy only made it outside once today.  As soon as he face planted because he couldn't even walk in it, he was DONE.  

 He kept saying, "It's too much snow.  It's too much snow for me."

 Digging another fort...

 ...and another fort.

 There is a patio set somewhere on this deck.

 ...and I do recall having a minivan.

 The boys were digging forts in the side yard and they disappeared when they bent down!

 Front door view.

 Hannah was following daddy shoveling after the snowblower went through.

 This is what Dave was most thankful for during this storm.  We don't own a snowblower but he borrowed it from work.  Made his day SOOO much easier.  

 I have no idea how the mailman is going to get to our mailbox!

 Josiah and Hannah watching daddy snowblowing.  They loved when the snow blew over them.

Love this.  All the boots drying by the fire at the end of the day...a sign of a good day!

The Other Side

I discovered this picture on Pinterest and I just love it.  When I taught Kindergarten, I enjoyed "reading" books to my students that only had pictures.  I liked hearing their ideas of what was actually happening in the story.  Their imaginations could really take them places in a book.  This picture reminds me a lot of that.  What is going on the other side of that fence?!?!  Superbowl maybe?

It also gave me an image of where I am at right now as we begin a new year.  For me, being able to gear up for a new year with goals and resolutions during the month of December is an impossibility.  So I take the month of January to ponder, plan, set goals and really think about what I want out of the new year.  More importantly, what does God want from me during the new year of 2015?  

This brings me to the other side.  The other side being January 1, 2016.  Where do I want to be?  Who do I want to be?  Where is our family headed in our growth together and as individuals?  What are our homeschooling goals?  Relationship goals?  How will we spend our time?  How will we not spend our time?  So much to think about.  We need to weed out what doesn't need to be a part of our year and strive forward in the steps we should be taking.  

What about you?  What do you see on the other side for yourself?  For your family?  For the Lord?  Take some time to ponder that as you look ahead to this new upcoming season.

Happy New Year!