This Isn't the Time

So much I'd love to post, but my friends, this is not the time! Of all the priorities in my life as I seek to serve the Lord and my family during this Christmas season, the blog's got to go. Hopefully, I'll be able to follow up on more posts about what the Lord's been teaching me regarding marriage in the new year. Maybe over the next week I'll have a chance to post some updates about the kids...you know-posts that take little time and can just be plopped up here. We'll see!

A couple Tali quotes from today:

To Owen as he stood up on his own: "Oh, duhd, dob, bruh-duh! I'm powd of you!"

To Owen when he got up from his nap: "Oh, hi bruh-duh! Hi, baby bruh-duh! How wuz yuh nap, Owey? It wuz duhd? Whud you do up dare in yuh trib?"

To her baby and blankie, "Oh baby...oh bane-kee...I dust love you sooo muts!"

"Oh Lord...oh Lord...you an-suh my pay-uh!"

And my favorite quote from Owey today. He was signing it and saying it while looking out the window at the beautiful white snow falling down: "N-OH!!!!! N-OH!!!!!" (snow)

I look forward to updating about his chattyness sometime...this boy is following in the footsteps of his sissy and talking up a storm!

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The Privilege of a Wife: Mirroring God's Character

I started reading the book that Jodi had suggested and was immediately challenged by the questions the author posed. Here are just a few:

Why did God give Adam a wife?

If an outsider observed your daily routine, would he say that befriending your husband is important to you? How would he be able to tell?

How does God's covenant with you impact your relationship with your husband?

Maybe these answers come easily to you, but to me that wasn't quite the case. As I read, I realized that my ideas and beliefs about marriage weren't very thought out. I wasn't quite sure how I would answer the questions above. Prior to marriage I had been really excited about the idea of marriage, couldn't wait to get married, and wanted to honor God in marriage. I had been taught well by various books, premarital counseling, messages at our church, meetings at the Pastor's College, etc. about what God teaches regarding marriage. But, in my heart I didn't really buy into the whole purpose of being a wife. I was mostly just excited about being in love with Josh and loving my husband is basically what fueled my behavior towards him-not scripture.

Through the first chapter that I read, entitled, "In His Image," the Lord opened my eyes afresh to the amazing opportunity given to me to mirror His character in my marriage. I hadn't done much thinking about that before. What a beautiful privilege! I can mirror God's character in my marriage. But how do I do that?

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The Privilege of a Wife: Orienting My Life, pt.2

(Since it's 29 degrees here today, I thought a little warm photo might cheer me up!)

It's been a while. But...back in this post, I talked about how the Lord started showing me that I wasn't seeking to be the wife that He's called me to be. I was living for myself and my plans and my agenda. My life was oriented around myself.

As I was thinking about posting more on this, I realized that I was skipping the Gospel. Before talking about ordering priorities to prioritize our husbands, we need to first remember the Gospel. Whether you're married or single, a woman or a man, our lives should be centered on the Gospel. I'm so grateful that our church reiterates this again and again; we never move on from the Gospel. We don't become Christians and then "move on" to other things like prayer, evangelism, bible study, etc. and forget the cross. The cross is the whole point of our lives! Without the cross, we would still be left in our sin! Without the cross, we would have no hope in this life. Without the cross, we would have no power to change. As CJ puts it, we need to "keep the main thing the main thing." Are you keeping the main thing the main thing?

As we start to consider how we, as wives, are called to orient our lives, let's remember that the Gospel always comes first. But, what comes second? For this lady, what came next was none other than...me, myself, and I. :) (Not quite what the Lord had in mind.)

I'm so grateful for the wonderful ladies in my small group who so helpfully shared thoughts with me about growing in loving my husband. One of those ladies, Jodi, pointed me to a book by Elyse Fitzpatrick that she said had really helped her in this area. Jodi is a wife who puts Christ first and then faithfully puts her husband second. She exemplifies in her marriage Philippians 2:3-4: "in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." She has been such a wonderful example to me of a wife who orients her life around her husband and I've seen the beautiful fruit of it in her marriage. I was eager to check out a book that had helped her. Let's just say, I didn't know quite what I was getting myself into...

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Tali's Husband

Well, she may have just turned two but this girl is all ready thinking about matrimony. Tonight on the way home from Grandma's, she was talking, and talking, and talking about her "hubpin."

"Um...I'm not shore. Someday, when I'm a lady, I'll hab a hubpin. I'm not shore I'm a lady yet. Sooo...I'll let chew know. But in a liddle while I'll be a lady. I'll hab a hubpin. Maybe he's on the train. I'm not shore. Maybe he a white hubpin or maybe he a purple hubin. I no know. Sooo...I'll let chew know. Maybe he tould sit by me in da tar an I tould tell him I doe to my damma's house today. I'm not shore. So...I'll let chew know. If I fine a hubin, I'll let chew know."

This facinating monologe continued for quite some time before concluding with a rousing rendition of...you guessed it! "The Itsy Bitsy Spider." Interesting, eh? Whoever he is, white or purple, we're praying for him.

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Little Fighters

Thank you for all of your prayers, comments, emails, and calls. We feel very loved and cared for. The good news is that both kids are doing great and on their way to full recoveries. As you can see here, Tali isn't quite back to her chipper self; her split lip is hurting quite a bit but is getting better. In God's mercy, Owen's couple of bumps never even swelled or turned color (as the doctor had said they would). You probably wouldn't have known he had a head injury yesterday, but after he smacked his head on his crib this evening (in the same spot as his bump from yesterday) it's pretty clear that he's had a rough couple of days.

Praise the Lord for His protection for our babies! I just can't stop picturing the sight of Owen when I found him silent and face down at the foot of the steps yesterday. I don't think it's an image that will ever leave my mind. Josh loudly came down the stairs yesterday evening and just the sound of the thumps made me feel like I was going to throw up, reliving the sound of Owey's fall in my mind. God has been so gracious and kind to us, yet again. He is such an amazing God!

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Firemen Visit the Fenskas

We interrupt this whole "marriage" business talk for an exciting story about our afternoon today.
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Lunch had just ended and we took our usual spots on the bench by the window. Both kids can be entertained for a good 20 minutes simply by looking out this glorious window (anything that entertains children for 20 minutes is glorious in my book!). Tali decided she was ready to get down so she started backing off the bench. Unfortunately, she backed off right onto her head and her face. Blood started pouring from her mouth and she screamed hysterically.

I rushed her into the kitchen to see how badly she was hurt and searched for an ice pack. Just then I heard two loud thumps and a "splat." I ran in with Tali to find Owen face down on the floor at the foot of the steps. He wasn't making a sound. Quickly, I put Tali on the floor to bleed alone and picked Owen up. His eyes were rolling back a bit and he was slowly opening and shutting his eyes. He whimpered a little but that was it. He was sort of rolling his head around. Tali was still screaming hysterically and bleeding all over.

I called Josh and he told me to call 911 while he quickly headed home. I grabbed an ice pack, stuck it on the bump on Owey's head and he started snapping back into alertness. I think the cold sort of brought him back a bit (thank you, Lord!). Tali was hysterical and telling her that an ambulance was coming to visit didn't help calm her down. I prayed with her for Owey. And so...

The firemen came. It took them about 3 minutes to arrive at our house. Tali proceeded to scream hysterically (she was almost losing her breath), Owen still hadn't really made a sound, and I was still a bit shocked.

They checked him out and I was able to take him into our pediatrician's office instead of to the ER. (They gave me the option. Would anyone ever choose to take their child to the emergency room if they could help it?) He is doing fine but we're supposed to wake him up every couple hours or so during the night to make sure that he is rouseable.

We are so grateful for God's protection for our kids. I have no clue how far he fell but I'm guessing it was quite a ways. For a mother who is a little paranoid as is about watching my kids CONSTANTLY and rarely ever leaving them alone, this was another reminder to me that there is no perfect mom. Yet another reminder to me that children are a gift from the Lord and their lives are in His hands. May I never take them for granted for even a minute.

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The Privilege of a Wife: Orienting My Life

A couple months ago I started noticing that my affection for Josh wasn't quite what it used to be. When he came home from work, I wasn't all that excited to see him. When we had the opportunity to go on a date it seemed a bit like a chore rather than a delight. When I talked with friends or had some time to plan, my thoughts and words quickly turned to my kids and housework, rarely to my husband. It's not that I didn't love Josh or wasn't glad to be married, but unlike at the beginning of my marriage, being a wife wasn't really something I thought a ton about. I knew that something wasn't right but wasn't quite sure what.

After talking with Josh and with the ladies in my small group, it became very clear that I was prioritizing my kids over my husband. More than that, I wasn't seeking to be the kind of wife that God describes in His Word. My life was oriented around growing in honoring the Lord but not in specifically growing in honoring Him in my marriage. My "to-do" list, our kids, and whatever else I wanted to do on a daily basis was what I focused on. These things that I was prioritizing weren't sinful but they weren't what God wanted me to orient my life around. My life was oriented around me.

It's a helpful question to think about. What is your life oriented around?

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Ah, to be like Mary Bailey

So Josh and I have this tradition: every year when the snow covers the ground for the first time, we watch "It's A Wonderful Life." We're not claiming it's very theologically accurate or anything like that, but it sure is a sentimental Christmas favorite!

This time when the movie ended, I turned to Josh and said, "I think the moral of this story is that husbands should make use of the helper that God has given them!" I mean seriously, think of all the trouble that George would have averted had he merely told his wife what was going on and asked for her help and prayers! No contemplating ending his life, no jumping in the cold water after Clarence, no seeing the people he loved not even recognize him, no getting shot at by his friend... Ok, but in all seriousness, it got me thinking...am I like Mary Bailey? Would I go to great links to help my husband? If he was sinning against me, would I retaliate in anger or bitterness or would I do all that I could to help him honor the Lord with his life?

God's been working on my heart these past several months in the area of my role in marriage. My friends, I am no expert here. In fact, I have a million examples that I could share of what NOT to do! But, the Lord's been teaching me things about helping Josh and I'd love to jot some of it down on here. I want to be like Mary Bailey. I'm not like her but I am seeking to grow.

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Another Fever Gone

Thank you for praying. Her fever is gone now. It's so good to have my happy, healthy girl back!

I cannot say enough about how the Lord has blessed us with our pediatrician. I absolutely consider Dr. Schnell a blessing from God. She is wonderful! Yesterday morning she called me (yes, she personally called me, not a nurse!) and talked with me for about 15 minutes about Tali's situation. She said that all test results came back negative but that she took the liberty to walk down to a different office to consult a doctor who specialized in immunology. He shared w/her several potential conditions that Tali could be experiencing with cyclical fevers. Each of those conditions, children generally grow out of but some of them could be treatable.

Anyhow, our pediatrician suggested potentially taking Tali to see this doctor at some point, depending on how December plays out. He told her that he'd be happy to talk with us AND he "just so happens" to be Owen's allergist (who we also really like).

So that's the news as of now. We're praying that this is the last of her fevers, but if they continue, we're glad that we have some potential help available.

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Pray for Our Girl

Hello friends. We'd love to request prayer here for Tali, that her fever would go away. She's been fighting it since Friday (105.9) and after a night and morning without it, it's coming back a bit this afternoon. We'd love prayer for her, that the fever would completely leave and she could get back to feeling healthy. Also, please pray for Caleb, Tali's friend, who is fighting off the same sort of thing.

Thank you!

p.s.-We went to the dr. today and she thinks that Tali might have a sort of cyclical reoccurring fever (not something contagious or some virus or something). Most kids grow out of this by the time they are six or seven. We shall see.

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Savoring Fall

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I just read some of Romans 8 in my quiet time and was reminded of this great truth: Christ has taken all of the condemnation that I deserved upon himself at the cross. There isn't any condemnation left for me! Jesus has all ready been condemned in my place. Even though I deserve the full penalty for my sins (God's justified wrath, condemnation, and eternal punishment), I will never know any of that because Jesus took that all upon himself.

He took my condemnation and now I know peace with God. What a beautiful mystery!

Oh Lord, help this great truth fill my heart with joy today and help me remember it as I'm changing diapers and folding clothes today!

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Papa and the Bear

Tali is totally into stories. When Owen was born, I was desperate for some activities to do with her while I nursed so I started telling her stories. Being the abnormal child that she is, she was an avid listener even at 13 months old, and remembered EVERY story that I told her (thankfully one of us did). Sometimes I make up the stories, sometimes I tell her true ones. Tali especially enjoys the stories that I tell her about "Mommy and her cousin, Meghan" and "When Papa was a little boy...". She recently started coming up with her own stories. This is one that she told my mom and me today during lunch:

"Once sp-on a time dare wuz a yiddle boy name Papa. One day, Papa win into da woods an Papa hear a BID noy-s. It sown yike dis, 'RAHR! RAHR! RAHR!' It wuz a bear. An da bear tittle Papa! An Papa yaffed!"

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Pumpkin Patch Fun

Fun times at the pumpkin patch!

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Is One Issue That Important?

This is a picture of Tali taken a couple of months before she was born. I shudder to think that in the name of a"woman's right to choose," babies even older than she was in this picture are being aborted.

We watched a bit of the debate last night. Obama's eloquence always captures me for a while...he's just plain fun to listen to; he knows how to get you fired up about change and it's pretty clear that America needs change.

I've heard some people say that they wouldn't "not vote for someone simply based on one issue." If you've wondered, like I have, how to think about that, please read the following from Dr. Albert Mohler's blog:

"Some argue that the sanctity of life issue is simply one among many important issues. Without doubt, we are faced with many urgent and important issues. Nevertheless, every voter must come to terms with what issues matter most in the electoral decision. At some point, every voter is a potential 'single issue' voter. Some issues simply eclipse others.

This is the case with the sanctity of human life. I can understand the fatigue. So little progress seems to have been made. So much ground has been lost. So many unborn babies have been aborted. The culture has turned increasingly hostile to this commitment, especially among the young. There is a sense that many want to get on with other issues."

He goes on to say the following:

"Yet, there is the reality that we face a choice. This is a limited choice. And we cannot evade responsibility for the question of abortion. Our vote will determine whether millions of unborn babies live or die. The Freedom of Choice Act, if passed, would lead directly to a radical increase in the numbers of abortions. The abortion industry has told us that themselves.

The question comes down to this: How many lives are we willing to forfeit -- to write off as expendable -- in order to "move on" to other issues of concern? There is no way to avoid that question and remain morally serious. The voting booth is no place to hide."

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A Reason to Smile

Need a reason to smile right now? One look at this little guy should do the trick! Isn't he just adorable?!

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God's Absolutely Unique Love

After growing discouraged about seeing so many areas in need of growth in my life, Josh kindly helped me see that I've not been viewing my sin in light of the cross.  When I'm looking at myself through the lens of the cross, there is so much hope and joy and peace. When I look at my sin through the lens of the cross, I can rejoice in knowing that Jesus has paid the penalty for my sins and I can have hope that He'll change me.  So, at the suggestion of my husband, I've been trying to immerse myself in cross centered books and started studying Romans.  Stott's commentary of Romans has been particularly helpful for me.  I've been so encouraged by the quote below, that talks about the unique depth of God's love for His children.

"...the degree of love is measured partly by the costliness of the gift to the giver, and partly by the worthiness or unworthiness of the beneficiary.  The more the gift costs the giver, and the less the recipient deserves it, the greater the love is seen to be.  Measured by these standards, God's love in Christ is absolutely unique.  For in sending His Son to die for sinners, He was giving everything, His very self, to those who deserved nothing from Him except judgement."

What amazing love!  What a reason to thank God for the cross!  I deserved judgement and wrath because of my sin, but in His love for me, God poured out that wrath and judgement on Christ instead.  There is much reason to hope in God today!

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Don't Miss This!!

In the midst of grocery shopping, changing diapers, doing laundry, and countless other things, I rarely stop to ask, "What has God really called me to as a woman?" How can I reflect His character in this unique role that He has called me to? These are essential questions that I must think about if I'm going to be intentional about glorifying God and obeying His commands.

Right now, "The True Woman Conference" is about to begin. They will be biblically addressing what it means to beautifully display God's design for us as women. While I won't be there in person, I'm so excited to be able to benefit from their live feed. I need to hear truth from God's Word so that I can grow here. I need to help to be a wife/mom/daughter/friend that displays the glory of the Gospel through biblical femininity. On my own, I just want to selfishly do what I want, the way that I want without giving thought to God's perfect design for me as a woman. Can I encourage you to check out this website and consider listening/watching some of the messages? http://www.truewoman.com

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Tali's New Favorite Drink

Today I decided to give myself the gift of some Starbucks. This is somewhat monumental because I haven't had anything there (aside from tea) since I went on this crazy food restriction diet for Owen. Now that I've added back in soy and dairy, I thought I needed to celebrate. So, Tali and I went to the Starbucks drive-through. Here's what she said on the way there, even before she'd had a taste of my soy hot chocolate (with only one pump of chocolate, mind you):

"Ooh! I lub Sar-bus! Sar-bus id sooo yummy! I yike Sar-bus! Tah-yee say, 'Mommy, tin I hab sum Sar-bus?' Mommy say, 'Sir, Tahwee, dust a widdle bit. Ya mite yike it, Tahwee.' "

Poor girl. I mean, does she really have any chance but to love the place when her father is known there by name?

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Life

Recently Josh & I watched the haunting, stunning movie, "Bella." I'm not sure a day has passed since I've viewed it that my mind has not gone back to the movie. My heart continues to be stirred by what I saw and by the reminder that life hangs in the balance for thousands of babies each and every day as their mothers contemplate what "choice" to make. If you've not seen it, it is worth the watch. (And no, it's not for kids.)

Then, today, I hopped over to Carolyn McCulley's blog and watched this excellent testimony. I know that time is short but it's worth the watch. I was especially struck by this, "But I wonder if my own children will one day ask me, 'Daddy, what did you do about abortion when a third of your generation was being slaughtered?'"

I don't know exactly what God will call me to do about this...but today I know that I can pray for Him to intervene and to save lives. Not only can I pray, I must pray. Will you join me?

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My Happy Boy

It's been quite a while since I've given an update on my sweet boy. He will be a whoppin' 10 months old on October 17th. I can't believe it!!! The fact that he is almost one just seems unreal. Where has the time gone?

Owen is such a sweet guy. His smile is so big and so frequent; he's almost always smiling. He really has a very sweet personality; he is farily quiet (hard not to be with Miss Gabberjaws around), loves to be held, thinks his sister is hillarious, and loves to be read to. I just love hanging out with him!

He's weighing in at 18 pounds so he's just barely making it to the 10th percentile for weight. He's healthy though, and that's all that really matters! His reflux is still there and we're very grateful for a home with hardwood floors so that cleaning up the spit-up isn't a big deal. Even though he's still puking a lot, it's not hurting him very much anymore so that's a blessing. Our pediatrician said that once he learns to pull up, his muscles should strengthen and things should get better. We'll see. For now, I'm still not eating anything containing wheat, corn, or tomatoes. I'm taking him to an allergist at the end of the month so maybe I'll have more info after that.

Owey is doing the army-crawl all over the place, especially moving fast towards Tali's toys. He eats lots of fruits and veggies and loves maple teething biscuits. He can go from crawling to sitting, can stand with assistance, and just started to "dance." We've been working on signing; he understands "milk," "eat" and "more." I think he's starting to sign "more" but I'm not positive on that. He does love waving "hi" and "bye" and claps all the time.

We thank God for Owen!

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God Hears Us

Yesterday was the start of another fever/sickness thing with Tali. These things are getting familiar as she's had so many but they are still scary. Anyhow, the dr. wanted me to bring her in to see if it was UTI. Checking for UTI means...you got it-urinalysis. A urinalysis on a baby who is not potty trained means a catheter. A catheter means excruciating pain for your baby and an all-out awful and hard-to-forget experience for the both of you.

So, on the way to the dr's office I asked the Lord to help Tali pee in the little bag that they'll do as a first try thing so that the cath wouldn't be necessary. The whole way to the office I talked w/her about what would happen when we got in there and how once she "went" into the bag we could go home. Guess what? They put on the bag and we waited 10 minutes. Then I said, "Ok girl. You need to go right now into the bag." And my little lady "went"!!!!!!!! It was such an answer to prayer and I'm so grateful that she didn't have to go through the pain of the catheder. And of course, once again, all of it was for nothing because she doesn't have a UTI, she has some sort of puking flu. :)

Anyway, there is no way that she would have gone into that little bag apart from the Lord's doing. She is not potty trained and she has never gone on command. So I just wanted to share that as a reminder that He hears our prayers and He does answer them in very specific ways for His glory. May He be praised for His faithfulness!

Oh, and for those who are wondering-after this trip to see the dr., Tali said, "Duhd dob, Tah-ye! You a bid dull! Yay!!"

We'd love prayers for her quick recovery

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Still Here

Given that my computer isn't hooked up yet at our new house, my blogging has been a bit...non-existent.  Sorry, friends.  Hopefully soon!

Here's the life update:

* We're officially moved in!  Each night as we get ready to go to sleep one of us can be found saying, "Isn't this house just such a blessing?!"  We're so grateful to God!

*  Owen is doing the army-crawl these days.  It's so weird to see a baby sort of crawl the "right" way after Tali and her months of scooting.

*  Tali is funny, as always.  She's been really into pretending as of late.  "I'm Mih-tuh Nat.  You Yay-nuh.  O-wen id Mih-siz Hanna."  Or, "Oh-tay, Mommy!  I'm Drahma.  I'm doe-een to Toe-op to teed da tids.  See ya yay-da!"

* There are tons of boxes to be unpacked but it's so good to finally be in our home!

As Tali would say, "See ya yay-da!"

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Owey in Door County

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Tali at the Bay

I'm behind on posting pictures...so here are some of Tali at the bay in CA. We didn't expect her to be super excited about the water because we thought it would be cold. It was extremely warm and, as you can see, she went straight for it even with a pretty dress on. Lots of fun memories!

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I Love Stuff

Way back before the house actually became ours, something dangerous started happening in me. It was subtle at the time and just seemed like a fun thing to occupy my time with, but now I can see it in all its ugliness. Oh yes, my friends, I have that dreadful disease of the soul called "wanteritis." Maybe you're familiar with this sin-sickness. It creeps in when you're just minding your own business, checking out the latest "Pottery Barn" catalog and then "WHAM" it slaps you upside the head. Suddenly you are overcome with a sense of urgency to purchase/buy/get! You can think of nothing else but the dresser/picture frame/lamps/really-really-cute-purple-and-white-polkadot-curtains-for-your-girl's-room that you want, no wait-need to buy.

This week as we're getting much closer to moving in, my wanteritis has been almost overwhelming (and the new PB for Kids just came today...go figure). And so...off to God's Word and "The Treasure Principle" by Randy Alcorn to help me repent! Here's what has helped me today to reorient my thinking:

The earth is the LORD's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 24:1

"The silver is mine and the gold is mine" declares the LORD Almighty. Haggai 2:8

"If God was the owner, I was the manager. I needed to adopt a steward's mentality toward the assets He had entrusted-not given-to me.

Whenever we think like owners, it's a red flag. We should be thinking like stewards, investment managers, always looking for the best place to invest the Owner's money. At the end of our term of service we'll undergo a job performance evaluation: 'For we will all stand before God's judgment seat...So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God' (Romans 14:10, 12)."

- excerpts from Randy Alcorn, "The Treasure Principle" pg. 25-27

This house is not our house, it is God's house. Everything under heaven is the Lord's, not Katie's. All the silver and the gold is the Lord's, not mine. I want to manage His money with eternity in mind. Lord, help me!

p.s.-You've got to admit that those curtains are cute. :)

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Oops

Oops. The author's name is Ann, not Amy.

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Sacrificing Time

I'm not sure if there's ever been a time that I've read the Holy Experience blog and not started crying at one point or another along a post. And folks, I'm not that big of a crier. Her words just ring so true to my heart again and again.

As a mom who struggles to fight selfishness, especially in regards to what I deem as "my time," Amy's post today was just what I needed to hear. If you're a mom who knows that fight to give of yourself rather than holding back, I encourage you to read it. It's worth the time.

Let's be moms who "pluck" today.

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Some Tali-isms

Ok, friends. So Tali has been absolutely cracking us up lately. I thought you might enjoy hearing some of her humorous comments.

Oh, Mama! I'm all ticky! Dust yike da pid!!!
(And so her love for "If You Give A Pig A Pancake" continues...)
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(Imagine this: it's 9:30pm and Tali is 2 hours past bedtime. She's in a white onesie and her hair looks like she stuck her finger in a light-socket. We arrive at the place we're staying for vacation and I start marvelling at what a blessing the place is. Before I know it, I see Tali running all around touching everything, saying emphatically...)
Oh my dud-ness dway-sus! Whud a bess-een! Whud a bess-een! A towch! Whud a bess-een! A tare! Whud a bess-een!
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Doe-nus. Doe-nus. I NEEEEED it!
(And she doesn't really even like donuts to be honest.)
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I WANT FINCH-FYES! I want finch-fyes! I need finch-fyes!
(Wow, I wonder where she got this phrase?!)
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(We've got a picture album of photos from when Tali was first born and I've talked with her a bit about how excited we were to have her. This is her re-telling of the story. I wish I had been up for a date right after giving birth...)
Tahee yiddle teeny baby in hop-i-tal. Mommy say, "Oh wud a bue-a-ful baby!" Mommy tuts huh. Tahee seep on Mama's test. Daddy say, "Oh wud a bue-a-ful baby!" Papa Red an Drahma tum. Mommy Daddy doe on uh date.
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(And my personal favorite:)
Oh Mommy! Dod mate suts a bue-a-ful day!

You've got to agree, this child is a lot of fun.

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Door County Pictures

We are back from Door County and are so grateful to the Lord for the awesome time that we had! It was so wonderful to be there together as a family. Here are a couple of pics from our trip. More to come...

Sitting outside of the "Silly Goose"

Holding hands on a walk with Daddy

Owey and his friend, Bredon

Tali & her friend, Lilie

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Leaving for Door County

Our first trip to Door County: I was pregnant w/Tali

Last summer when we went to Door County: Tali was changing so much and I was pregnant with Owen


Tomorrow when we leave for Door County: I get to spend the week with a husband I love and my two favorite kids in the whole world! What could be better?

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Tali's Version of the Story

One of Tali's favorite books right now is "If You Give a Pig a Pancake." I caught her "reading" the book to herself yesterday. Here's what she said:

"Ta pid a pan-tate. Tee wan tum suh-rup go wit you. Soooo...you pan-tate a you an a tam-era an all tickee! Pah-bee all tickee!"

(The pig a pancake. She wants some syrup go with you. So, you pancake and you and a camera and all sticky! Probably all sticky!)

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Best Friends

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Being a Mom on Sundays: Preparation Tips

I had a coach one time that always shouted to us while we were running laps or doing drills over and over and over, "Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance!!!!!" I don't know that preparing our hearts prior to Sunday prevents all challenges on the Lord's day, but preparing does help.

In this final post about being a mom on Sundays, I thought I'd share some random preparation tips. Pretty much any thoughts I have come from others, so thank you to all you wise friends for helping me!

Preparing for Sundays: Some Tips

• Talk with your husband about the temptations you face on Sundays and ask for his prayers and input on how you can grow in those areas

• Thank God for the input your husband gave and seek to apply it

• Talk with other ladies in your care group about your temptations related to Sunday morning and seek their accountability and prayer

• Pray on Saturday night: ask for the Lord's help to glorify Him on Sunday, ask Him to give you wisdom in caring for your kids during the service, ask Him to use to bless others, ask Him to meet with you

• Lay out your clothes and all of the kids' clothes on Saturday (including things that are hard to find when you need them...like socks, shoes, etc)

• Pack the diaper bag completely on Saturday & then check it over on Sunday morning

• Talk with your kids on Saturday about what is coming in the morning; we like to pump Tali up for church Saturday night by talking about what all we'll do at church

• Try to spend your Saturdays with Sundays in mind; don't stay up super late on Saturday
  

• If you're able, get Sunday lunch ready on Saturday so that you don't feel rushed when the service is over

• Pump some worship music when you get up on Sunday morning (we have a regular song that I play every Sunday for Tali as a special little Sunday tradition)

• Before heading to church (or on the way) pray for the Lord to help you seek to serve others, ask Him to lead you to who He wants you to talk with, encourage, or pray for

• Leave much earlier than you need to (wow, do I need to work on this one!!!); it always takes longer than you think to get out the door

• On the way to church, review your expectations with your kids (for us right now this is basically a reminder about greeting people with "hi" and a reminder about worshiping or at least standing up, not climbing up on chairs!)

• When you get to church, thank God for the opportunity to meet with Him and pray for His blessing on the service

• If your number flashes on the screen, remind yourself, "This is God's appointed call for me right now; I can glorify Him by joyfully helping my child."

• If you aren't able to stay in the service to hear the sermon, download it and listen to it at some point later in the week

Ok, ladies, this is not an exhaustive list. Help me out here! I would love to learn from you (whether you are a mom right now or not). What ideas do you have for preparing for Sundays? Please stick a comment in with some of your thoughts. (Jessy Phelps and Barbie P., I know you ladies have some great ideas so you better share some.)

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