152 Insights to my Soul

Shaun Groves is coming to Murray

2012-01-30T13:19:00.005-06:00

MURRAY, Ky. – Little people can do big things.

Just ask Shaun Groves. The singer/songwriter’s life was changed after visiting the girl in El Salvador whom his family sponsored through Compassion International. Seeing life in El Salvador prompted Groves to realize he was made for more than entertaining audiences with his songs. Groves and his family began to live more simply so they could help others simply live, according to his biography.

Groves, 38, continues to play music for audiences – but only if he can do so on behalf of Compassion International. He’ll bring stories and songs to Murray on Sunday, Feb. 12 at Christian Community Church. This service will take the place of the church’s usual Sunday service. It begins at 10:30 a.m. and anyone is welcome to attend.

More than 8,000 children in 26 countries have been sponsored through Compassion International through Groves’ shows. He also leads bloggers on trips through these developing countries to raise awareness of children in poverty and how Compassion addresses their physical and spiritual needs.

Recently, Groves and his wife have added an adoptive son to their family that includes three biological children.

“Traveling with Compassion International over the years has simply made me aware of the orphan crisis,” Groves said. “And it put a face on the statistics. More than 44 million orphans in India, 15 million in Ethiopia. Those were just numbers before I went to the orphanages on my travels, but now they're real. And that compelled us to do what we could as a family to serve them.”

Groves hopes his message to congregations will bridge the gap between America’s abundance and the children living in poverty in other countries.

“They're loved by God. No less and no more than our own children,” he said. “And if God is in us, living through us, we too will love them like our own.”

“Invitation to Eavesdrop” was Groves’ debut album in 2001. “Twilight” and “White Flag” followed, before Groves’ life-changing trip to El Salvador. Last year, Groves released “Third World Symphony,” a 10-song product of his many trips to countries where Compassion International works.

“For the most part, the music has been listened to by people who already care a great deal about serving those in need around the world. It's been encouraging to those people,” Groves said. “One man wrote to tell me the music makes him feel less alone in his passion for serving the poor. The songs remind him why his work matters and that he's not the only one who believes what he does about God's concern for the poor.”

Groves said even children here can make a difference in the lives of children there.
“I would tell them about my own kids and how each of them sponsors a child,” Groves said of encouraging young ones to serve. “They write letters to the children they sponsor. They pray for those kids. They give their own money so that their sponsored children can have food, education, medicine and hear about Jesus. Little people can do big things.”

This Groves knows, thanks to a girl named Yanci in El Salvador.
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I've become a fan of Shaun Groves' music and his blog. His words -- both written and sung -- encourage me and make me think. He also tells stories that make me laugh.
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Wholly Yours

2012-01-29T15:19:00.002-06:00

This song was just what I needed at church this morning.

I am full of earth
You are heaven's worth
I am stained with dirt, prone to depravity
You are everything that is bright and clean
The antonym of me
You are divinity
But a certain sign of grace is this
From the broken earth flowers come up
Pushing through the dirt

You are holy, holy, holy
All heaven cries "Holy, holy God"
You are holy, holy, holy
I want to be holy like You are

You are everything that is bright and clean
And You're covering me with Your majesty
And the truest sign of grace was this
From wounded hands redemption fell down
Liberating man
But the harder I try the more clearly can I feel
The depth of our fall and the weight of it all
And so this might could be the most impossible thing
Your grandness in me making me clean

Glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
So here I am, all of me
Finally everything
Wholly, wholly, wholly
I am wholly, wholly
I am wholly, wholly, wholly
Yours

I am full of earth and dirt and You
________
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rainy day

2012-01-26T14:12:00.003-06:00

May your rainy days be filled with sweet smiles,
pretty umbrellas, sparkly shoes, and small favors.

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For the love of the game

2012-01-26T13:38:00.004-06:00

My two favorite college basketball teams are having tremendous seasons. Murray State is setting all kinds of win streaks, attracting national publicity, and selling out the arena more than once. That happens when your team is 20-0. Meanwhile, Kentucky returned to the top of the polls this week. The Wildcats have lost only once, for anyone keeping track. Thanks, Indiana, really.

So despite the excitement that has been college basketball season at our house, Greg and I cheated on basketball with a baseball movie last night.

St. Louis Cardinal catchers and pitchers do report in 23 days. But back the movie ...

"Moneyball" starts at the end of 2001 season when the A's lose to the Yankees in the playoffs, which leads them to the World Series. The Yankees go on to lose to the Diamondbacks. And that's when I really became a baseball fan.

I started paying attention in 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were hitting lots of homeruns. Greg, a long-time St. Louis Cardinals fan, had been working on me to become a Redbirds fan anyway.

But it was the 2001 World Series that really did it for me. Small market team beats the Yankees. It's a story worth holding on to.I knew I was hooked when I realized I'd watched a seven-game World Series that involved no team I had any previous rooting interest invested.

And then "Moneyball" {that's what I set out to talk about} continues to the 2002 season. Rebuilding. Cleaning house. Finger-pointing. And then The Streak.

During the real-life streak, Greg and I watched an A's game live. We were on out honeymoon, partially in San Francisco. We couldn't get tickets to see the Giants; I think they were out of town while we were in town. So we went across the bay to a football stadium where the A's also play. It was August, and the streak was just beginning.

I don't think Brad Pitt was there, though.

"Moneyball" was good. It was a slow-paced movie, but that's appropriate. It's a baseball movie, folks. Part of the beauty of baseball is the steadiness with which the story unfolds. Much can happen in 162 games. Just ask the World Series St. Louis Cardinals. The movie is a behind-the-scenes look into the business of baseball.

And it's worth two hours away from college basketball.

Billy Beane: It's hard not to be romantic about baseball. This kind of thing, it's fun for the fans. It sells tickets and hot dogs. Doesn't mean anything.
Peter Brand: Billy, we just won twenty games in a row.
Billy: And what's the point?
Peter: We just got the record.
Billy: Man, I've been doing this for ... listen, man. I've been in this game a long time. I'm not in it for a record, I'll tell you that. I'm not in it for a ring. That's when people get hurt. If we don't win the last game of the Series, they'll dismiss us.
Peter: Billy...
Billy: I know these guys. I know the way they think, and they will erase us. And everything we've done here, none of it'll matter. Any other team wins the World Series, good for them. They're drinking champagne, they get a ring. But if we win, on our budget, with this team ... we'll have changed the game. And that's what I want. I want it to mean something.

Baseball season is something special, even though the real Billy Beane is still waiting for a ring. I'd be OK with him getting it one day.

But, first, back to college basketball. Our Racers will try to make it 21-0 in front of a sold-out hometown crowd Saturday against Eastern Illinois. Tip off is at 7 p.m. central for anyone who can watch on ESPN3. Kentucky plays at LSU earlier in the afternoon.
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{Approved for You} Marble Brownies

2012-01-25T08:02:00.001-06:00

My sister taught me about a simple, delicious brownie recipe when we were together at Christmas. It's so simple and delicious that it's worth sharing with the world.

MARBLE BROWNIES
Makes 32 servings

1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare brownie batter as directed on package; spread into greased 13x9-inch pan.
Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, egg and vanilla; mix well. Drop by tablespoonfuls over brownie batter; swirl with knife.
Bake 35 to 40 min. or until cream cheese mixture is lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting to serve. Keep refrigerated.

Nutritional Information: 32 servings. Each serving has 106 calories; 15.8 g. carbs; 1.3 g. protein.

I made these last weekend using Ghiradelli's Triple Chocolate brownie mix. {Seriously - it's delicious, and I don't usually say that about other brands of brownies.} I did use Philadelphia cream cheese, but only because the generic brand didn't come in low-fat. So, yes, I used the low-fat cream cheese. {Gotta save where you can, right?} I took them to a potluck, so they even look pretty enough to share. Although, admittedly, we were happy to have some leftovers.
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Ballerina Cate

2012-01-24T13:44:00.005-06:00

Almost a year ago, Cate went to ballet class with her cousin Ethne on bring-a-friend day. It was a class for 4 and 5 year olds, so I had an out for a couple of months when Cate kept asking when she could go to ballet.

Then she turned 4 three months later.

And we bought ourselves a little more time with a household rule of waiting til you're closer to 5 to sign up for any extracurricular activity.

In the mean time, Cate watched countless episodes of "Angelina Ballerina" and performed many shows for us in our living room. She'd occasionally ask about going to ballet class, but she mostly understood she had to wait until she was closer to 5.

Last week I decided to investigate the details of the ballet class. I'd heard good things about it -- the philosophy, the cost, the time. But, you know, I needed to find out for myself. And, you know, turns out my friends were right. It's affordable, offered at a time that doesn't over-commit our family and focuses only on ballet.

I told Cate last Monday afternoon that she could start the class in a week. She's a smart girl, but time is a hard concept to grasp. We counted down the days, and she was so excited to put on those leotard, tights and slippers. She was all smiles and jabber in the hours leading up to her first ballet class yesterday.

She was ready.

And she just danced her way right into a class. Because, you know, she's a ballerina.
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{Approved for You} Clearly Fresh Bags

2012-01-23T08:14:00.001-06:00

Before 2008, I didn't like to cook. I never knew what to cook, much less how to actually cook it. And string together multiple recipes to make a meal? Well ... that was quite a challenge.

But things have changed since then. In May of 2008, I started a recipe binder. Now, it's nearly full of recipes I choose to make. Again and again. My husband even has favorites. And I no longer dread meal planning or even the actual cooking/preparing.

In addition to cooking, I like to grocery shop too. I don't even mind taking my kids. Crazy, I know. And while I'm sharing my household nerdiness, I'll just go ahead and confess I really like the produce section at Kroger. There are so many colors and textures. And it makes me feel good when I know I'm going to chop up celery for soup and carrots for my daughter's lunch. I love apples or strawberries in salads. And I like to mix iceberg lettuce with other kinds.

But sometimes fruits and vegetables can go bad before we use them. I try to buy what need for a week, but sometimes it doesn't work out just so precisely. So when a representative from Clearly Fresh Bags asked if I wanted to try that product in exchange for a review, I knew developing an opinion about something related to food was a good fit for me.

The bags look like Zip-locs but they include a breathable membrane that keeps fruits and veggies fresh for up to 50 percent longer than traditional storage methods, according to the product description.

Honestly, I haven't recorded information to verify or dispute this 50 percent longer claim. But I will tell you, my lettuce stayed fresher longer and the celery I bought last week for some vegetable beef soup I postponed making is still ready to use. I've used the bags for Honeycrisp apples too, but they don't stay too long around here, so it probably would have kept them fresher longer had I kept the apples themselves longer.

Would I use the bags again? Yes. In fact, I still have some. I will especially use them for lettuce, broccoli and celery -- items that seem to go bad before I am finished with them. I probably will save them for those foods and not waste a bag for apples and clementines that are eaten faster around here.

I did wonder about reusing the bags. I was sent a package of 10 bags, which retail for $3.99 at Clearly Fresh Bags' website. Anne, my contact with the company, said they could be reused with discretion as to how often and for what items. Apparently the BreatheWay technology can not be submerged in water or washed without lessening its effectiveness. Because they can't be washed, she said some Clearly Fresh Bags staff members will reuse bags with whole fruits but only once with messier foods like broccoli and lettuce.

Bottom line: Spending $3.99 to make lettuce and nine other fruits or vegetables last longer seems like a good deal to me.

Now it's your turn. Do you have any tips for keeping produce longer? Or what about meal planning and preparation? Any tips to share? {You never know when joining in the conversation could have its advantages. Hint.}
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In community

2012-01-22T15:15:00.003-06:00

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. --Acts 2:42-47

The thing about community is you can witness God making things happen.

Adoption and orphan awareness are important to our church congregation. Our friend Nathan had the idea to have a rice-and-beans fund-raising lunch to help a ministry our church supports in Liberia feed more orphans.

So three of us women prepared various kinds of rice and beans to share with anyone who wanted to stay after church for this simple lunch. Many of us often eat out after church, so this was a way to give the money we'd usually spend at Culver's or Cracker Barrel to a population that can make a difference with those dollars. Basically, Nathan realized the money the average American family spent on a meal after church would feed two Liberian children for a month.

It's in community these things are discovered and addressed. And it's in community God moves and makes a difference. Apparently even our crock pots of different shapes, sizes and colors like living in community.
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We're doing it. Together.

2012-01-22T08:54:00.000-06:00

I adore this picture and, more importantly, these people.

Katie and I have been friends for more than 21 years. One of the greatest blessing has been to be moms together {even though we live four hours apart} and watch our kids befriend each other. Cate is 16 months older than Charley, who is 14 months older than Ben, who is 9 months older than Simon.

Hanging out with Katie now is certainly different than when I was 14 and she was 13, but I wouldn't trade the chaos and noise for anything. We used to sit on her front porch and wonder when we'd be old enough to drive and do something with our lives outside Mockingbird Valley subdivision in quiet Buckner, Ky.

Well, friend, we're doing it. It's hard sometimes. But it's often funny and usually sweet.

Yes, this is slightly awkward, but they sure are sweet together.

A little quiet time. With Diego.

The conversation went like this:
Charley: "Cake!"
Ben: "Cake!"
Charley: "Strawberries!"

I'm blessed to have had most of two days this past week to hole up with Katie in a bubble we made for ourselves, soaking in new memories to add to our collection and watching our kids be kids. Together.
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{Undefeated} On the road

2012-01-21T14:21:00.005-06:00

Greg planned some business in the Lexington area this week, coinciding with Murray State playing at Morehead. Lexington is much closer to Morehead than Murray, for anyone keeping track. So we all went. Cousins Zak and Alysha are in graduate school at UK, so we brought them with us.

As you can see, it was a fun time.

Ben sure looks hot and tired. Because he was. We all were hot, in fact. Johnson Arena on Morehead State's campus was hot, loud and intense -- components of a great basketball rivalry. Admittedly, I was a little worried when the Racers were down 15-4 with 12ish minutes to go in the first half.

The Racers managed to recover. And they maintained a {very} slight lead down the stretch.

And, ultimately, Murray State won, making it 19-0! Whew. Way to fight it out, come together, and win, Racers!

There's been lots of talk about the Racers {one of two undefeated teams in the nation along with Syracure} among national sports reporters. Yes, we're reading and watching it all, and loving every minute and every word of it.

Here are some of my favorites from publications this week:

Who are these guys? -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Ready for anything -- Murray Ledger & Times
Low-key Prohm perfect for Murray State -- By a long-time favorite of mine, Pat Forde, who writes for Yahoo!
Murray State coach ... enjoys undefeated ride -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Coach's Corner -- ESPN

Want to join in on the hype? We welcome you on the Racer bandwagon. Murray State plays at a sold-out SIU-Edwardsville tonight at 8 central time. It's on ESPNU. We decided one road trip in a week was enough, so we'll be watching from our couch. But we'll be cheering loudly.
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January is at it again

2012-01-20T15:05:00.005-06:00

January has a history of changing my life. I blogged about it last year. And I'm being reminded of it this year.

Jan. 18, 2007 - Met Cate's birth mom.

Jan. 20, 1996 - Decided to follow God.

Jan. 23, 2002 - Greg proposed.

Jan. 27, 2010 - Ben's adoption was finalized.

Jan. 28, 2004 - Diagnosed with diabetes.

So far this year ...

We've been on three road trips. Louisville. Highland, IL. Lexington/Morehead.

We've put the word out we're ready to adopt again.

We're in the process of buying a lake house, which we hope to start renting this summer. Kentucky Lake vacation, anyone?

Greg filed to run for a second term on Murray City Council even though he's just finished his first year of his first two-year term.

I signed Cate up for ballet. This is our family's first commitment to an extracurricular activity. We had a wait-til-you're-5 rule that we're bending by 3 1/2 months.

We started going to a new small group at our church.

And January still has 11 days left ...

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{Undefeated} We are Racers.

2012-01-15T21:13:00.004-06:00

It was a white-out at the CFSB Center last for the Murray State game against Tennessee Tech. And, boy, was there much white in that arena. So much white that it was the largest crowd ever. 8,691. A sell-out crowd, in fact.

Sports history in the making here in Murray, Ky.

You've probably heard. The Racers are undefeated. One of three such teams in the nation. Ranked 15th in the AP poll and 14th in the ESPN poll, the Racers are getting national attention that's fun for us fans.

See, don't those fans look like they're having fun. Even Ernest was there. Random, indeed.

Last night's 82-74 win over Tennessee Tech made it 18-0. And it was a big win in the mid-major Ohio Valley Conference. Toward the beginning of the game, my 4-year-old girl declared Donte Poole her favorite player. He had quite a game: 28 points and 8 rebounds. Good choice, Cate!

Keep it up, boys, we're loving this history in the making. We are Racers.
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{Adoption} Peace of God

2012-01-13T15:09:00.003-06:00

This was my Facebook status earlier this week: I've never doubted we were blessed by our first two adoption processes. But as I'm researching and thinking and praying about how we'll pursue a third adoption, I'm reminded again how God blessed us with Cate and Ben's birthmoms. Peace comes knowing God was in those details and He's in the ones I don't know about now.

Peace is such a funny thing for a first-born perfectionist who likes to plan and organize. Adopting both our kids certainly was a faith journey for me, and my personality. I'm better for going through those processes. And now just because I get to be a momma to two kids who encourage me, challenge me, entertain me, and learn from me.

During Cate's adoption process I grasped hold of Philippians 4:6-7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Peace of God.

It's not even peace I can conjure up myself. It's His peace in my life.

And I've known it before, and I'm feeling it right now.

We've recently begun a third adoption process. And by "begun," I mean we are truly at the beginning. We met with an adoption attorney who quickly demonstrated why he's involved in such a relational legal work. My first impression: He knows God is in control, wants to help birthmoms who are searching for any kind of hope, and believes in family.

I'm ordering our profile books for potential birthmoms who wander in our attorney's office. This Snapfish book is 26 pages that summarizes our family. Who we are. What we do. What we like. And why we'd welcome a baby into our family. It could be a stressful process, thinking about what this picture and that picture say about us.

But God put this on my heart: I'm never going to be in the mind of a pregnant woman who, for whatever reason, wants a family to raise and love the baby she's growing and loving. Yes, loving. If she's choosing life for this baby she doesn't believe she should/could raise, then she's loving it. Wasting time over-analyzing which picture of my 4-year-old daughter and I smiling together is best is ... well, a waste of time. Trust me, people, this peaceful approach to something that could be life-changing is big for me.

I was just sitting at the computer, feeling good about finishing the book. While the book was saving, I clicked over to Facebook to read my News Feed, killing a few minutes, when I see a Snapfish coupon for buy 1 photo book, get 2 free. Seriously. It's the EXACT deal I hoped was out there when I started the book a couple nights ago. It wasn't out there then. But then it was. Just as I was saving my finished product. I had planned to order three copies anyway.

I'm telling you, God is in the details. He's in the obvious ones, and he's in the minor ones that are part of the bigger journey. He cares for us and knows the desires of our heart. Sometimes that's expressed in Snapfish coupons. And one day, I believe, it will be expressed in the birthmom of our third child.
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{Worth Repeating Wednesday} Nevertheless ...

2012-01-11T08:10:00.001-06:00

We all need a nevertheless. And God has plenty to go around. Strongholds means nothing to him. ... You and I fight with toothpicks. God comes with battering rams and cannons. What he did for David, he can do for us. The question is, will we do what David did? ...

Peter stuck his foot in his mouth. Joseph was imprisoned in Egypt. The Samaritan woman had been married five times. Jesus was dead in the grave ... Nevertheless, Peter preached, Joseph ruled, the women shared, Jesus rose -- and you? You fill in the blank. Your nevertheless awaits you.

--Max Lucado in "Facing Your Giants"
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{in}spired

2012-01-09T14:04:00.005-06:00

So speak encouraging words to one another.
Build up hope so you'll all be together in this,
no one left out, no one left behind.
I know you're already doing this;
just keep on doing it.

--1 Thessalonians 5:11 {The Message}

I live in a small town. It's the 22nd most populated town in Kentucky, which is known for its horse farms and cornfields than urban areas. My town is less than 10 square miles and has almost 18,000 residents, although it's surrounded my neighborhoods, industries and farms just outside the city limits. And there's a university that inflates the population eight months of the year.

It's easy to drive from one place to another, but sometimes I still mail my friends across town cards. Who doesn't like to get mail that doesn't require money or any future comment? I've had various pen-pal friends throughout my life and finding their letters and cards in my mailbox always gave me a chance to stop thinking about whatever was going on and focus on someone I care about.

So sometimes I mail cards to my friends across my small town.

DaySpring's January {in}spired deal encourages women to continue encouraging each other. It makes a difference in people's day, and even their lives. I have a whole set of cards written by Holley Gerth to encourage, thanks to DaySpring. The cards are pretty and the words are even sweeter. Nuggets of truth are sprinkled throughout. I'm looking forward to sharing with my friends -- in this small town and other places farther from my everyday life.

First up is a friend who lives 3.4 miles away. We became friends not long after I quit my job as a newspaper reporter to become a full-time mom. I knew I didn't want to be in this season alone, so I sought out a mom's group. She and I clicked, and we've been friends ever since, even though the group has since dissolved. Our kids have since become friends and our husbands even work together now. God has blessed my family with her family and reminded me that he's always working in the details.

We've shared countless lunches at the park, our houses and restaurants; she's become a college basketball enthusiast after we invited her just a few Murray State games; we've been swimming and to movies and kids' birthday parties. We share life.

And I want her to know I'm grateful. Seasons with kids are always changing. There's naptimes and bedtimes and school schedules. But not everything has to change, and I want her to know I'm holding on to my friendship with her.

{DaySpring graciously gave me Holley Gerth's cards to review. These were in there too. All the opinions here are mine.}
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{Adoption} Wonderfully Made

2012-01-06T13:12:00.007-06:00

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. --Psalm 139:14

It's a new year. Starting new has been on my mind. I've been thinking and praying about how to better give and better love and how to be a better me. Those are all generalities, I know.

But something has been brewing in my heart. I shouldn't be surprised, January has always been life-changing for me.

And God tied it all together for me while driving from Murray to Leitchfield earlier this week. He took away fear and hesitations. He gave me perspective. He opened my heart.

With that, Greg and I are going to begin a third adoption process. Begin is the key word. Any adoption is a journey. We've been blessed with quick, easy adoptions with Cate in 2007 and Ben in 2009. We know God has another story to tell. Perhaps it will mirror theirs. Perhaps it won't be anything like it. Either way, we're trusting God, who has proven over and over again he's faithfully in the details, as we live this story.

We aren't sure who, when, or how. But God knows how he'll grow our family. Prayers for our future birthmom and baby are appreciated. And, of course, if you hear of a pregnancy situation that becomes an adoption case, we'd love for you to consider us if you know of a baby who needs a home.

We believe this story will be continued ...
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48 hours

2012-01-05T15:06:00.010-06:00

Here's a glimpse into my Tuesday and Wednesday this week. It was a fun "adventure," as 4-year-old Cate described it. But it's no wonder my mind seems to keep thinking it's Monday ...

8:15 am - Got blood drawn at Murray-Calloway County Hospital.

9:08 am - Dropped Cate off at school and then ran errands.

10:30 am - Finished packing, picked up around the house, ate lunch.

12:39 pm - Picked Cate up at school.

12:53 pm - Left Murray. Ben fell asleep shortly after.

{Murray to Leitchfield is 154 miles.}

3:05 pm - Stopped for snacks {and Ben woke up ...} and killed some time before picking up Greg at the Grayson Co. Courthouse, where he was working, and continuing to Louisville.

{Leitchfield to Louisville is 71 miles.}

6:05 pm Eastern - Exited I-65 for Freedom Hall and sat in traffic. Made it in, found my sister with our tickets, found our seats and got food before starting lineups were introduced. We watched a somewhat ugly game, but a win is a win and the Wildcats beat Arkansas-Little Rock 73-51.

9:20 pm - Headed to Mom's house where we were "sleeping just one night," according to my daughter who wanted more.

1:05 am - Wondered why I wasn't asleep but had been laying in bed for more than an hour.

6:09 am - Cate woke us up a little before our 6:30 alarm. We all got up and ready for the day. {Eastern time is earlier than our hometown central time ... so it was an early day, folks!}

7:19 am - Said goodbyes to Cassie & Zac and headed to Shepherdsville, where Greg was going to start his work day.

{Louisville to Shepherdsville is 18.3 miles. The kids napped, briefly.}

8:05 am - Kids and I shopped at Target.

9:40 am - Arrived at Build-A-Bear and waited until it opened at 10 am, at which time the kids start building Max and Emily.

{Shepherdsville to the east end of Louisville is 29.6 miles.}

10:40 am - Shopped at Costco, thanks to a Christmas gift card.

{From there to lunch was 11.3 miles.}

11:35 am - Arrived 10 minutes early at W.W. Cousins for lunch with a friend I don't see often enough.

{Just 9 miles from there to the mall.}

12:40 pm - Headed toward Oxmoor, where I spent another Christmas present -- an Archiver's gift card.

1:15 pm - Spent $2.25 in quarters on small kids rides in mall. Then kids played more when the rides weren't moving.

{Back across part of Louisville for 10.4 miles, and the kids napped again.}

2:10 pm - Left to meet Mom at Chick-fil-A, where the kids played more before we got in the van for a long time.

{The 25.5-mile drive from mom's neck of the woods to Bardstown straight down U.S. 150 E/U.S. 31E was a beautiful stretch I'd never seen before.}

4:10 pm - Picked Greg up at Bardstown, where he ended his work day. Headed to Murray.

{Bardstown to Murray is 207 miles, and Ben slept almost the entire trip.}

6:20 pm - Arrived at CFSB Center, got some concession stand dinner and settled in to watch our Racers become 15-0 with a 76-67 win over EKU.

9:10 pm - Drove the 1.5 miles home and everybody got ready for bed.
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From one year to the next

2012-01-01T20:44:00.003-06:00

We bid farewell to 2012 ...

... snuggling before the UK-UofL game.

In case you haven't heard, the Wildcats survived. We love our Racers, but we have a history with the Wildcats too. Thankfully, both teams keep us entertained and like to win.

... in Wildcate blue.

It looks like Ben is really watching the game. That's not true. He actually was scrambling to get away from snuggling with Daddy when he saw I had the camera out. That's my boy -- eager to be on the move. But he looks cute in his Big Blue jersey.

... wrestling, of course.

That's 5-year-old Luke and my 2-year-old Ben wrestling. And laughing. They certainly enjoyed themselves. And 16-month-old Caroline was contemplating getting in on the action.

... with friends.

Cate and Norah settled in on the couch to watch a movie. They're all smiles here, and really were most of the evening. Us adults were having a Settlers of Catan marathon.

We took our break from our traditional bigger, louder NYE Game Night, but it was a good night.
We played four games while the seven kids{ages 5 ain our three families played and then slept in various beds throughout the house. We lasted until 11:15 p.m., when we recognized that it was the new year in my native Eastern time zone.

Welcome, 2012!
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Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T07:45:00.000-06:00

May your 2012
be full of
laughter and adventure.

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'He will quiet you with his love'

2011-12-31T07:19:00.002-06:00

{On the way from Queenstown to Milford Sound in New Zealand in 2009.}

The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.
--Zephaniah 3:17

The year has flown by. It's been good. And it's been a journey. We've been on all kinds of road trips, established priorities for our family, and grown closer to friends. We're not the same. We're changed and challenged and encouraged and blessed and motivated by what's happened in our ordinary, everyday lives this year.

The year 2011 ends today, but this journey doesn't end here. It continues. We still have kids to raise, family and friends to love, meals to share, places to go, things to learn, games to play, and stories to create.

Knowing that, I wanted to pick a promise to hold onto. Because some days are hard. Being a mom requires energy and patience that I don't always have. But I want to have it. And I know if I trust God and cling to his truths, I can come out better than I went in.

And that's my hope. I hope my stubborn, controlling tendencies are quieted with God's faithfulness. I hope my opinions and reactions are quieted with God's truth. I hope my impatient, hurried ways are quieted with God's everlasting love. I hope my plans are quieted with God's promises to continue his work in me.

Because God is with me.

He is mighty to save. Over and over again.

He delights in me. And my husband. And my kids. And you.

He will quiet me with his love.

And he will rejoice over me with singing.

Inspired by Ali Edwards and a Compassion International blogging prompt, I want to choose a word for 2012: QUIET. Don't misunderstand me. I'm not going to sit down and let the year pass me by. But I do want my words and actions to speak clearly and not be cluttered by unnecessary jumbled distractions. My hope is I will know when I need to speak up, when I need to shut my mouth, and when I need to listen and learn. For all of that to happen, God has to quiet some of me and make himself known in my life.

With that, may 2012 begin ...
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I'm not good with resolutions, but new years are good times to start fresh. You can look back on what was on my mind to start 2011 and 2010. Want more? Subscribe to get "Insights" in your inbox. Or follow me on Twitter.

Undefeated Racers

2011-12-30T08:25:00.000-06:00

You've probably heard: Our Murray State Racers are undefeated at 13-0. The best part is how fun this team is to watch. First-year head coach Steve Prohm has so much energy and confidence. And it seems to flow over on down the bench and onto the court.

The Racers play at Eastern Illinois tonight at 7 central time. It's on ESPN3, if you have access to that.

We're loving all the attention that comes with being ranked {#20 in the AP poll and #21 in the ESPN poll this week} and undefeated. And we even made it on SportsCenter last week after the Racers opened Ohio Valley Conference play with a win over UT-Martin. And, no, I'm not wearing a Kentucky shirt. It's a Murray State shirt with an old-school look. Promise.

{Although, admittedly, I do love the Wildcats too. But that's another story for another time.}
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Party of nine ...

2011-12-29T10:56:00.004-06:00

That's us with some of our dearest, closest friends. And together we had five kids in five years. They've known each other all their little lives, which means their interactions are sometimes more like siblings than friends. They love and pester and hug and nag each other.

We cherish this family.

I'm blessed in my friendship with Jaclyn. And have been since we met in 1998. We've been through many seasons of life in those 13 years. We've fallen in love with our spouses, stood up at each other's weddings, started careers, struggled to have babies, quit jobs, become mothers, and now we're raising kids.

That's alone is worth a meal at Outback. With the 40-minute wait. With the kids. Because life wouldn't be the same with out her and her family. And this is Christmas.
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Catching up with Christmas

2011-12-28T09:06:00.010-06:00

I'm back. And I'm in my pajamas still this morning. None of our usual morning commitments {exercise class and Cate's preschool} are happening this week, so I get to snuggle with my kids and stay in my pajamas longer than usual. It's wonderful.

And so was our Christmas.

I love how Christmas covers the calendar in December, but there's still something special about the days leading up to the actual day. We spent a few days in Louisville, where we had our annual get-together with a couple of my high school friends, Bekah and Shelley, and their families.

We started the tradition in 2007, when our girls were little, and have done it every year but one since. Last year's post captures some of the history, in pictures, of course! It's become one of my favorite Christmas traditions. We share a delicious breakfast and then the kids have a book exchange.

Rhett and Ben are only two months apart, so it was fun to watch them together. The similarities are certainly there.

You'd think as the kids get older it would be easier to get a picture. Yeah, well, that didn't seem to be the case. But we tried anyway ...

From left, that's Ila (5), Rhett (23 months), Lizzy (4), Case (3), Cate (4), Ben (2), Nate (6), and Evan (8). Seeing my kids play with my long-time friends' kids is one of my favorite things about motherhood.
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And then was more celebrating with my family. We are so glad Cassie and Zac are back in the United States. After their almost three years in New Zealand, I'm glad my sister has a U.S. cell phone and is living in the same time zone as me.

Mom even gave me a jacket that matches Cassie's. We wore them together on a walk around the neighborhood.

That's the four Hill cousins. They always have a good time together.

Greg was excited about his new game. And then Cassie, Mom and I beat him and Zac. Twice. First game we dominated. Second game we had a masterful come-from-behind victory.
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We came home Christmas Eve so we could be at home Christmas morning for a little celebration with just the four of us. We read the Christmas story, exchanged gifts, and ate cinnamon rolls before going to church.

And then it was next door to Nana and Papaw's house for some time with the Taylor cousins. We ate a good meal, played some games, and exchanged presents. Again, not all the kids were exactly on board for the photo shoot with Nana. But we tried ...

And, admittedly, us adults laughed. Evelyn was mad Elijah pulled off her tiara. Ben didn't want to wear the reindeer antlers or sit. Immediately following the brief photo shoot, he took a nap.

These back scratchers from Uncle David were quite a hit too, as you can see. Funny thing is, earlier in the morning Cate had given me a back scratcher and fly swatter she had picked out from Gran-Gran's bag of random gifts. It was sweet she found me something practical.

There are photos on Facebook, of course, but that's was our Christmas in a nutshell. I hope yours was merry and bright and memorable.
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Meet Jean

2011-12-21T15:23:00.005-06:00

This is Jean Carlos Pacheco Mota. He's 10 and lives in Ecuador. And he's our second Compassion child. This sweet picture of him is hanging on our fridge next to Roselyn.

I was feeling led to sponsor a second child as God constantly reminded me how blessed my family is. Our kids live good lives. And we want to help other kids be blessed.

We picked Jean specifically because he shares a birthdate with Ben. Sponsoring these children through Compassion International changes us here in the rich United States. Roselyn's letters bring joy to my own 4-year-old girl's heart and I love seeming them hang on the fridge in the days after they arrive. I'm hoping to learn more about Jean soon.

Christmastime has reminded me to slow down and soak in the meaning of the season and, really, life. And that has absolutely nothing to do with ourselves but the people around us, even those we haven't met in person who live in countries much different than our own. I'm thankful God has provided {more than} enough for us here so we can help them there.

In the 15 months we've sponsored Roselyn, she's made a difference in my faith. I trust that will continue and I pray we make the kind of difference in the lives of Roselyn and Jean that point their hearts to God. And they can tell others, God did this for me.

Speaking of Roselyn, she started signing her letters to us "Mishell," which is her middle name, so although we're a bit confused about what to call her, we're happy to hear from her. She recently turned 5 and looks so grown up in the this new picture.

Cate -- who is just six months younger than her Guatemalan friend -- loves the pictures Roselyn draws on her letters to us and often answers with pictures of her own. Preschool aged girls definitely have similarities regardless of where they live.

Perhaps I can learn a little something about boys from Jean, whose profile says he likes group games, storytelling and bicycling. In my mind, he's a grown up version of my 2-year-old boy who is always on the move and plotting what to get into next.

May God bless you greatly so you can bless someone else -- this Christmas season and into the new year. Merry Christmas!
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Plenty of children in other countries still need sponsors if you're able and willing to help. Compassion International also has ways to buy gifts to help families help themselves.
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Here in community

2011-12-20T08:08:00.003-06:00

We started attending Christian Community Church in January 2004, about five months after we moved back to Murray. We'd only been going there a few weeks when I was diagnosed with diabetes. The church that barely knew me sent flowers and a couple visitors.

That spoke more than any sermon to me about community.

Like the name says, our congregation values community -- the group of people we choose to surround ourselves with, the place we live, the people we know who live in other towns, the world in general. And we believe that God changes people, including ourselves, through relationships.

That's what I love about our church. There are other things that I like: It's small. It's non-denominational. There are lots of kids my kids' ages. It's connected the campus ministry with which I was involved in college. The foundation of the congregation is small groups {called cell groups} that meet during the week. But all of those things go back to community.

In the spring of 2004, only months after we started going to CCC, a large small group broke into two groups. We initially split based on who could meet in homes because they didn't have pet allergies and who would continue meeting at the church building. Various factors led a couple people to swap places, and the group that became our current small group was formed.

I've shared this before, but it's worth repeating:

When the Scripture talks about church, it means community. The little fellowships of the heart that are outposts of the kingdom. A shared life. They worship together, eat together, pray for one another, go on quests together. They hang out together, in each other's homes. ... I love this description of the early church: "All the believers were on in heart." (Acts. 4:32). There is a camaraderie being expressed there ... . It means they all love the same thing, they all want the same thing, and they are bonded together to find it come hell or high water. And hell and high water will come, friends, and this will be the test of whether or not your band will make it: If you are one in heart. ... Going to church with hundreds of other people to sit and hear a sermon doesn't ask much of you. It certainly will never expose you. That's why most folks prefer it. Because community will. It will reveal where you have yet to become holy. It will bring you close and you will be seen and you will be known and therein lies the power and therein lies the danger. ... Seriously, now, how often have you seen this sort of intimate community work? It is rare. Because it is hard, and it is fiercely opposed. The Enemy hates this sort of thing; he knows how powerful it can be, for God and his kingdom. For our hearts. ... We have settled for safety in numbers -- a comfortable, anonymous distance. An Army that keeps meeting for briefings, but never breaks into platoons and goes to war. Living in community is like camping together. For a month. In the desert. Without tents. All your stuff is scattered out there for everyone to see. C'mon -- anybody can look captured for Christ an hour a week, from a distance, in the Sunday best. But your life is open to those you live in community with. ... A true community is something you will have to fight for. You'll have to fight to get one, and you'll have to fight to keep it afloat. ... Suddenly all those "one another's" in Scripture make sense. Love one another. Bear one another's burdens. Forgive one another. ... But be careful about what you are looking for from community. Community is no substitute for God. ... We first go to God, alone, so that we have something to bring back to the community. ... God is calling together little communities of the heart, to fight for one another and for the hearts of those who have not yet been set free.

--John Eldredge in "Waking the Dead"

More than seven years ago, there were seven adults and one baby, I believe. We grew in numbers because other people joined and then those families multiplied as more babies were born. Families moved away while others joined. And then more babies were born, again. Last spring, when there were as many kids as adults {I believe it peaked at 14 each} our cell group split into two. It was a peaceful situation that was beneficial for everyone.

Recently, I was feeling as if it was time for another change. When I talked to Greg about it, he agreed. After thinking and praying about it, we decided to step back as cell group leaders {which happened sort of by default along the way!} and join a group that isn't full of people our age with small kids.

Don't misunderstand me, a couple of the families in our cell group {pictured above} are some of my dearest friends. They're the people I call {or perhaps text} when I have news of any kind. They're the people we hang out with and eat meals with and schedule playdates with. And I hope to spend time with the other families too. We're all in this parenthood thing together, swapping stories and tips and encouragement. Our kids are in Sunday school classes together. And we sit near each other on Sunday mornings.

They're our community.

And they will be.

But Greg and I believe God has something else to do. With our family. And with these families we love. So we're joining other families from our church in other groups. We're trusting God that he's leading us to where we need to be as our community grows.
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{Giveaway Winners}

2011-12-19T13:50:00.002-06:00

Hooray! Katy and Colleen, you are the winners of the board game giveaway. You both should have an email from me in your inbox with more details. A package from Wayfair will arrive on your doorstep soon!

Thanks, everyone, for entering the giveaway and for reading my blog. Hope you all enjoy this week leading up to Christmas. May your days be merry and bright.
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Christmasy weekend

2011-12-19T08:56:00.004-06:00

The Christmas celebrations continue ...

We spent Saturday morning and afternoon at Greg's mom's house with his brothers and their families. And then we went to the annual Taylor Christmas Party with Greg's grandpa and two great-uncles and all their descendants. I've told you before about the beauty of a large family: My daughter is able to befriend her second cousin once removed. We shared a delicious meal, caught up with each other and listened to kids play together.

That's Cate and Taylor -- second cousins once removed.

Cate and Ethne are first cousins. And, yes, that's Ben crying in the background.

Evelyn is only seven months older than Ben. Yep, cousins who are both 2 is quite an adventure. But I think we wore them out because they both cuddled up with Greg during the basketball game that ended our family day. Oh, have you heard? Our Racers are 12-0 and ranked 24th in The Associated Press poll.

It was a great day of togetherness across the family tree.
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And then Sunday we went a-caroling ...

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There are more pictures of our celebrating this weekend and throughout December here. Want more? Subscribe to get "Insights" in your inbox. Or follow me on Twitter.

Gifts of Compassion

2011-12-15T07:19:00.004-06:00

I learn most things through repetition. Perhaps it's my stubbornness. Or my momma mind that sometimes seems mushy. Whatever the reason, I soak things in when I hear them and do them more than once.

That's my strategy for teaching my kids, well, right now, really my 4-year-old girl, about how to make the Christmas season meaningful. {My 2-year-old boy is learning other things right now, like how to eat yogurt cleanly with a spoon, how to hold my hand when we walk in a parking lot, and how to put words together to make sentences. Deeper things to come.} We don't do lots of gifts under the tree for each other, but oh do I love giving gifts. Of course, I buy for our family and friends. But it doesn't end there.

I tell Cate over and over how blessed we are. And, unfortunately, not every kids lives a life like ours. So God wants us to share our blessings with others. We try to show her ways to do this, not just this time of the year.

At our Jesus birthday party we collected money so we could help people we've never met in far away places. With that money, we bought kids {and their families} building materials ($20), garden seeds ($10), school supplies ($30) and blankets/tarps ($15). These gifts through Compassion International aren't expensive, but they'll make a difference in lives. If you want to do something even more lasting, you can sponsor a child. Your monthly $38 will continually change a child's life as he/she grows up, learns who Jesus is, and gives back to his/her community. And not only does that child's life change, but so does the entire family.

And that difference brings us back to the meaning of Christmas, where joy and compassion and generosity are abundant. All because that baby was born in a manger thousands of years ago. Oh come let us adore him.
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{Worth Repeating Wednesday} Emmanuel

2011-12-14T07:52:00.001-06:00

... An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel" (which means "God with us"). --Matthew 1:20-23

O come, O come, Emmanuel. God with us.

That was brought to life for me this week when I read the following quote in another blog post:

He was baptized (Matt. 3:13) as man, but he destroyed sins (Matt. 9:6) as God; he himself was not in need of purifying rites, but [he was baptized/he came] that he might sanctify the waters.

He was tempted (Matt. 4:1) as man, but he conquered as God; not only this but he even encouraged [us] to be courageous, since he had conquered the world (John 16:33).

He was hungry, but he fed thousands (John 6:10); not only this but he is indeed life-giving and heavenly bread (John 6:51).

He was thirsty (John 4:7; 19:28), but he shouted, "If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink" (John 7:37); not only this but he also promised that those who believe would gush forth [with water] (John 7:38).

He was tired (John 4:6), but for those who are tired and heavy laden he is rest (Matt. 11:28).

He was heavy with sleep (Matt. 8:24), but he is light upon the sea; not only this but he even rebukes winds; not only this but he even makes Peter light when he is sinking (Matt. 14:25, 29; Matt. 8:26).

He pays tax, but [he does so] from a fish (Matt. 17:24-27); not only this but he is even king of those demanding [the tax].

He hears himself called a Samaritan and demon-possessed (John 8:48), but he saves the one who went down from Jerusalem and fell among robbers (Luke 10:30); not only this but he is even recognized by demons (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34) and drives out demons (Matt. 8:16), and he sinks a legion of spirits (Luke 8:33) and sees the ruler of demons falling like lightning (Luke 10:18).

He is stoned, but he is not caught (John 8:59).

He prays (Matt. 14:23; 26:36; Heb. 5:7), but he hears [prayers] (Acts 7:59). He weeps (John 11:35), but he causes tears to cease. He asks where Lazarus [is laid] (John 11:34), for he was man, but he raises Lazarus (John 11:43), for he was God.

He is sold, and very cheaply, for [it was] for thirty silver coins (Matt. 26:15), but he buys back the world, and [it was] for a great price, for [it was] for his own blood (1 Pet 1:18-19).

He was led as a sheep to slaughter (Isa 53:7), but he shepherds Israel, and now, indeed, the whole inhabited world (John 10:11).

[He is] silent like a lamb (Isa 53:7; Matt. 26:63), but he is the Word (John 1:1), being proclaimed by a voice of one shouting in the desert (John 1:23). He has been weakened, wounded, but he heals every disease and every infirmity (Isa. 53:5).

He is lifted up upon the tree (John 12:32), he is fixed [to it] (Acts 2:23), but he restores by the tree of life (John 6:51); not only this but he saves even a robber crucified with [him] (Luke 23:43); not only this but he darkens everything that is seen (Luke 23:44).

He is given cheap wine to drink (Luke 23:36), he is fed bile (Matt. 27:34). Who? The one who changed the water into wine (John 2:1-11), the destroyer of the bitter taste (Heb. 2:9), the [one who is] sweetness and all desire (Song 5:16).

He hands over his life, but he has authority to take it again (John 10:18); not only this but the curtain is torn apart (Matt. 27:51); for the things above are exhibited (Cf. Rev. 11:19; 15:5) not only this but rocks are split; not only this but dead are raised beforehand (Matt. 27:51-52).

He dies, but he makes alive, and by death he destroys death.

He is buried, but he rises. He goes down into Hades (1 Peter 3:18-19), but he brings up souls; not only this but he goes up into heaven; not only this but he will come to judge the living and the dead ...

From "The Mystery of the Incarnation: A Scriptural Tapestry of Jesus as Man and God" by Gregory of Nazianzus, translation by Rodney A. Whitacre
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I want to be a ...

2011-12-13T08:31:00.000-06:00

That's part of the get-to-know-you poster Cate made earlier this school year.

If you ask Cate what she wants to be when she grows up, she'll tell you she wants to be a "flu shot doctor." And that's been her answer for an entire year. That's a long time for a girl who has been 3 and 4 years old.

It started after her flu shot at the local health department last year. Cate {and her 2-year-old brother} got their annual flu shots at the end of November.

While we were sitting in the waiting room for longer than seemed necessary, I started wondering if bringing both kids to get stuck with a needle was a good idea. Even though she decided beforehand to show Ben how it was done, Cate got nervous right as the nurse asked who was going first.

But she went first. And didn't shed a tear. She even told the nurse she wanted to be a "flu shot doctor" when she was bigger. Perhaps we'll talk in the future about expanding that to be a nurse practitioner or pediatrician. But for now I'll embrace a 4-year-old girl's dreams. They're sure to take her somewhere good.

Then Ben's turn came. He was insulted the friendly nurse would stick him like that in his leg, but the tears were short lived. He stopped crying before we left the room, reward stickers in hand.

We walked out holding hands. I was one proud momma. And thankful too. And smiling because my girl still wants to be a "flu shot doctor."

Then 11 days after getting her flu shot, Cate asked, "What's the flu?" while we were eating dinner. It seemed out of the blue. But my guess is she's been thinking about what she wants to be when she grows up.
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Only joy, please ...

2011-12-12T13:47:00.008-06:00

The holidays make me so anxious! How can I stay organized this year?

This question was posed by Blogher's Life Well Lived. And, honestly, for me, it's too late in the Christmas season to implement any new strategies. The fact I start early keeps the anxiety away from this first-born, stereotypical perfectionist.

I stay organized by starting early with a list of what I want to do, for whom I want to buy gifts, where Christmas photos and letters are going, food and gifts needs for various parties, babysitters required for adult-only dinners, and travel plans to visit my out-of-town family. If often also shop throughout the year and store up presents in a closet. And I remind myself of what's most important for our family {celebrating Jesus with people we love and teaching our kids about generosity and the savior of the world}.

I get it all on the calendar and on the grocery list and just dive in. With my camera, of course.

{Read more ideas at Blogher.}

We have something planned every evening from now until Dec. 27. And I'm not stressed. It's taking me awhile to get here. But I'm glad to be here, aiming to soak in everything I love about this season. The songs. The smells. The people. The places. The food. The meaning.

Starting early and making a plan keeps me from letting anxiety steal my joy.

Join in the conversation! How do you keep from getting anxious in December? Have you thought of something you'd like to implement next year?
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Happy birthday, Jesus!

2011-12-12T13:27:00.005-06:00

I don't want the truth of Christmas to get lost in the commercialized holiday. So we've been talking often about Jesus being born as a baby. Then he grew up and taught people about life with him and heaven. But the savior of the world was born in a manger. And that's why we celebrate.

So, yes, we've been proclaiming "Happy birthday, Jesus!" quite frequently around here. There's a great song {Thanks, Slugs & Bugs!} that helps drive home our point. Most recently, we had a birthday party for Jesus with some friends.

The party started with an idea last year. We had a party with two other families. And then we expanded this year. There were 12 families, which meant 21 adults and 24 kids. Celebrating with the families with whom we share our lives is an important part of Christmas for us.

They kids made advent chains that have Bible verses to read each day counting down to Christmas. They colored and played. We collected food for a local food bank and money to help kids through Compassion International. We sang carols and listened to the Christmas story.

And we had birthday cake, of course. Happy birthday, Jesus! We sure had fun celebrating your birth.
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Memories hang here

2011-12-10T08:38:00.002-06:00

A blogging friend inspired me to share about some of the ornaments on our tree. I like looking at other people's trees and figured this would be a good way to document ours. So, come along, on a virtual tour of what's hanging on the branches of our fat, unshaped real tree I love.

I love collecting ornaments while traveling.

My mother-in-law gave us this in 2009 as a memento from our trip to Texas that July.

That's made in New Zealand, where we went in August 2009.

Gran-Gran gave these to the kids in 2010. We had gone to Branson in October and part of our vacation was seeing "Noah" at the Sights and Sounds Theater.

Us adults got this one from the same Branson trip.

I love this ornament from Chicago. We went in September 2010, but it's a new addition to the tree this year because we only put up a small tree last year. I was worried that Ben would try to climb it last year. So far so good this year, although I keep a close eye on him.

Several ornaments came home with us from Maine this fall.

Cate picked out this lobster one and I love it. The store there personalized it for us.

This one is made out of Maine lobster, crab and mussel shells.

And, of course, we brought an ornament home from Boston this fall too.

The handmade ornaments from Cate are among my favorites too. She is 4 years old. And really into crafts. She's brought home four handmade ornaments from school already, and she still has a week and a half left before Christmas Break. And that's not even counting the ones she made last year.

We -- although mostly Cate -- made these last year for relatives.

That's our family, apparently.

And we can't leave out baby Jesus' family.

Ornaments that document moments in our lives are good too. We have one commemorating our first Christmas as a married couple. And then there are these, which I love ...

Peggy {my mother-in-law who is better known as Gran-Gran around here ...} is a great gift-giver. She had these ornaments made for us in 2002 {the only Christmas we lived in Lexington} and 2003 {our first year in our first Murray house}.

No worries, Ben has a couple "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments too. He was born a month before Christmas, so he actually has more baby ornaments than Cate. They were great gifts to get!

Isn't this sweet? {Again, courtesy Gran-Gran!} Cate became a big sister in November 2009.

I like dated picture ornaments too. I'm sure this doesn't surprise any of you. On my to-do list is finding ones for this year.

Our childhood ornaments are fun to have, especially now that Cate likes to hear stories about them.

That's me. And I think this specific ornament was in a box my grandpa gave me after my grandma passed away in 2001.

And, obviously, that's from Greg's first Christmas.

What's your favorite Christmas ornament? Do you have a themed tree or is it a hod-podge of memories like ours?
________
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Never say never ...

2011-12-09T08:04:00.003-06:00

I have a bad habit of making generalizations that end up not being true.

In college, I told Greg {and probably others} that I'd never live in Murray and work at the Murray Ledger & Times. But Greg proposed in 2002, and I accepted, knowing he wanted to practice law in his hometown when he got finished in law school. I started working at the Ledger & Times a month after moving to Murray in September 2002.

I worked there for four years, and I loved the job. It was challenging to work and live in the same small town. And I learned much about myself while doing it. Funny thing is, I had a great plan to be a working mom. That only lasted a short time, though, because I quit my reporting job to be a full-time momma when Cate was 4 months old.

Never say never, I know.

You'd think I would've learned by now.

I told Greg over and over for years that our kids were going to public schools. Hands down. No negotiating. My parents are public school educators. I had a good public school experience. We live in a town with two good public school systems. And on and on ...

Then God got a hold of my heart with this subject. And he used Cate's preschool experience to do it. We've loved Cate's preschool classes at a local church. I started thinking about how the biblical foundation wouldn't be part of her learning to read, writing sentences, working math problems, and discovering how things work as a kindergartner. And I started thinking about how to close this gap.

I feel strongly about going to church, working, and going to school in the community in which you chose to live. I believe that's how community is intended to work. With that said, we live in a small town so our schooling options are limited.

The neighboring town {15 minutes away from my driveway} has a Christian school. In its second year, it's still pretty small. But the philosophy there aligns with what we believe to be true and important. And I could sense God urging me to give up my plan and trust his leading.

So that's what I'm doing. I turned in Cate's kindergarten registration papers Wednesday after we spent an hour in the K-1 classroom. I left the school sensing peace in this decision for our family and being thankful that God doesn't listen to my faulty generalizations.
________
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Gather near

2011-12-08T13:32:00.003-06:00

When Ben isn't throwing or kicking a camel across the floor, this Little People Nativity is a great addition to our house during the Christmas season.

Seriously, listening to my 4-year-old girl talk about Baby Jesus and watching her re-arrange the manger scene is as sweet as it gets. Even if her 2-year-old brother is tempted to throw camels and wise men.

We moved the nativity from the floor, where it was easy to scatter, to a table near the Christmas tree. Not long after doing so yesterday, I noticed the above manger scene. And, truthfully, it made my heart melt. Every person and animal is huddled together facing Jesus.

And that's how it should be.

This story is real. The savior of the world was born in an ordinary barn. His momma was relieved to have him in her arms. Joseph was protecting his new family. And the animals probably wondered what was happening.

And the world was never the same again. The little baby grew up to be a man that people admired and feared and worshiped and crucified. The grave couldn't hold him. And hearts wouldn't be the same. All because that baby was born in a barn. And people gathered to see.

That little blue gift next to baby Jesus is from a train set Ben has. I asked Cate why she wanted the gift in the manger. She stared at me like I was asking a ridiculous question and then said, "It's Christmas. It's Jesus' birthday. People are bringing him presents."

Well, of course.

We're celebrating his birth. Just like all those people who came to see, we're rejoicing because he's here, just like God said he would be. Who wouldn't want to give a present to the savior of the world?

Just come and see. And, turns out, you'll be changed in ways that don't fit in a box tied up with a bow.
________
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{Worth Repeating Wednesday} Unclench ...

2011-12-07T08:10:00.001-06:00

Stop trying to protect, to rescue, to judge, to manage the lives around you ... remember that the lives of others are not your business. They are their business. They are God’s business ... even your own life is not your business. It also is God’s business. Leave it to God. It is an astonishing thought. It can become a life-transforming thought ... unclench the fists of your spirit and take it easy ...

--Frederick Buechner

________
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Small-town America

2011-12-06T08:10:00.004-06:00

I love living in small-town America, where my favorite grocery store is near and parades are plentiful. Isn't having the local football team on the top of a fire truck the epitome of small-town America? Seems like it should be a scene right out "Friday Night Lights."

Of course, some things are definitely unique to Murray, Ky., my small town ...

'Tis the season for holiday greetings anyway they come. Even from a large cow.
________
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{Approved for You} Song of the Stars

2011-12-05T09:52:00.006-06:00

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
-Psalm 150:6

I'm not much of an animal person. But I love "Song of the Stars" by Sally Lloyd-Jones. The book features all kinds of animals and parts of nature celebrating the coming birth of Jesus.

I'm certain my kids and their friends will love it too. We're going to read it at a Jesus birthday party we're having with friends this coming weekend. The illustrations by Alison Jay are beautiful and draw readers into a story that is beautifully told. Jesus' birth changed the entire world, and this is a sweet perspective for little hearts.

The animals stood around his bed.
And the whole earth
and all the stars and sky
held its breath ...

"The One who made us
has come to live with us!"

I like the other ways Jesus is described in Sally Lloyd-Jones' pages: The Might King! The Prince of Peace! The Bright and Morning Star! The Good Shepherd! A Light to light up the whole world! Our Rescuer! God's greatest gift. A tiny little baby. Heaven's son sleeping under the stars that he made.

It's time! It's time! ... Get ready! Get ready! Be glad! Be glad!
________
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Adventure. Here. Now.

2011-12-04T20:07:00.006-06:00

Everything in life is more of an adventure with kids.

After our pre-lit tree failed to light all but one of its strands of lights, I decided it was time to move on. I started thinking about how we had live trees growing up in the Hill household. When I was first out of college, I bought a small artificial tree because it seemed like a good plan while living alone in an apartment. Each year, I just put it up and then upgraded to a larger, pre-lit fake tree. It seemed convenient.

But what's the holiday season without a little adventure?

So Greg and I decided to go cut down our own life tree from his mom's property. Cate called it a "tree hunt" on our way across the Kentucky-Tennessee line Saturday afternoon. We weren't alone in our hunt, either. Uncle Charles and Aunt Angela; cousins Elijah, Ethne and Evelyn; and friends Nathan, Sarah, Davey and Atticus were with us. Gran-Gran and baby cousin Kieran were inside.

"We're going on a {tree} hunt.
We're going to catch a big one.
What a beautiful day!
We're not scared."

Cate approved.

Greg was proud.

The guys loaded both our tree and the Goodriches' tree into Greg's pick-up truck bed. Good to go, back toward Murray. Until we realized we lost our friends' tree somewhere between a curve and a stop sign on State Line Road. So we retraced our tracks ...

And after I took a picture, I helped Greg load the tree back in the truck. He did stop one other time to readjust it and weigh it down. Finally, it was more secure.

Onward ...

Then we saw a deer. Greg slowed down, but he still clipped the deer with the passenger-side front bumper of his truck.

It's only 14.4 miles between our house and my mother-in-law's house. It took longer than usual last night, but we laughed often and talked about how we felt so blessed. It had been a good day; it is a good life.

And for the first time in a decade, I have a live Christmas tree. It's fat and unshaped ... and I love it. And I believe a new tradition is born.
_______
There also was the father-daughter conversation earlier today during the MSU vs. Dayton basketball game that had me laughing ...

While watching Isaiah Canaan drive to the basket surrounded by defenders during a fast break, Greg yelled, "Give it up, son."

Then 4-year-old Cate piped in, "Daddy, who is your son out there?"

"Well, I call anyone who I'm coaching 'son,' even though I'm not really coaching anyone out there." Then Greg turned to me: "She thinks she has a lot of brothers out there."
_______
Ben loves his bath, but tonight he and I both were in for a surprise ...

While playing in the water, 2-year-old Ben started yelling, "Rock! Rock! Rock!"

And then I noticed the brown "rocks" floating around the tub weren't actually rocks ...
________
What stories do you have from your weekend? I hope your days were filled with adventure, surprises and laughter.
________
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{Giveaway} Soaking in the Season

2011-12-02T09:23:00.006-06:00

'Tis the season for twinkling lights, Christmas carols, sweet treats, cold mornings, remembering Jesus' birth, parties with family and friends, wrapping gifts for those we love, finding ways to help people around us, candy canes, and ... busyness.

My calendar is full. Thankfully, it's full of good things. Dinners with friends. Parties with family. Family-friend activities like a live nativity and Christmas parade. Plans to cut down a Christmas tree. A road trip to visit my side of the family. It's full of so many things I love about December.

But I still enjoy the breaks. The days like today when I don't have much planned and I'm still sitting in my pajamas while my kids argue {I mean, play ...} with the Little People nativity and GeoTrax train to the North Pole.

These moments are as sweet as the busy ones. Because, really, time does fly.

I have a 4-year-old girl who soaks in everything around here. And my 2-year-old boy will try to do anything she's doing. They're both independent and determined. But they're both loving and sweet. It seems like just yesterday I was trying to think about how to make these days -- the ones where they're watching and listening and soaking it all in -- special.

I want them to know Jesus is alive and he was born as a baby, just like they were. He slept in a manager those first days, like they slept in their baby cribs. He cried. He needed his momma. His father -- both his earthly one and his heavenly one -- adored him.

Just like them.

That's what this season is about. Jesus knows what it's like to live this life. And he gave up his life so we could have abundant, eternal life. With him. And his father.

It's a merry season indeed. Soak it in.

One of our favorite ways to take a break from the busyness and just enjoy each other is play games. We love that Cate is old enough to play some board games with us. And she loves that we'll sit down and play with her. Sorry and Mancala are popular ones around here these days, regardless of the season.

How do you take a break and enjoy this season? Are you doing anything special this year to help your kids soak in what Christmas means? Tell me in the comments below and you could win one of our favorite board games from Wayfair.com, which was formerly CSN Stores. Thanks to Wayfair.com for making this giveaway possible and letting me choose something to share with you.

Here are the giveaway details:

I will randomly choose two winners on Monday, Dec. 19, so you have until then to enter.
Participants must live in the United States for shipping purposes should you win.
I'll need your email address, so I can contact you if you win.
Extra entries can be earned by following me on Twitter and tweeting about this giveaway {daily, which means you can rack up the entries}. Please leave a comment here should you do any of those things.

Until then, may your days be full of all the joys of the season.
________
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Happy December!

2011-12-01T14:01:00.005-06:00

I saw this wreath on Pinterest the only time I've browsed the site to which many friends are addicted.

And I decided to make it.

That's my finished product.

I actually made a rough draft version with my daughter. She likes that one {which is red, green and silver} so I'll finish it and hang it on her door. But I wanted a blue one, thinking I'd leave it hanging on the front door into the winter once Christmas is over.

So ...

It's easy.

You can do it too.

I took a wire clothing hanger and reshaped it into a circle. I untwisted the hanger partto slide ornaments on the wire.

Then I slid ornaments onto the hanger. Using a variety of sizes seemed to make them bunch together better. I didn't hot-glue the ornaments into the hangers on them, but a few fell off while I was arranging them, so I ended up hot-gluing a few of them back on so they'd hang better. I also found the ornaments from Wal-mart worked better than the ones from Dollar Tree.

To finish, I needed something at the top. So I took wire tinsel and wrapped it around the hanger that was still showing and then tied on some snowflake ornaments {$1 for four snowflakes at Target}. I loved the snowflakes {yes, probably more than I actually love snow ...}, so I hot-glued a few more on the ornaments.

And then I hung it on my front door. Happy December to you!

________
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Month of Thanks

2011-12-01T08:32:00.001-06:00

Each day throughout November, I posted something I'm thankful for on Twitter and Facebook. So in 140 words or less each day, here was my daily thanksgiving ...

I am thankful for my husband who takes care of our family and lives intentionally.

I'm thankful for how God created our family through adoption. His faithfulness was evident in all the details.

I'm thankful for the challenges, encouragement and blessings that come from raising a girl who is a whole lot like me.

I'm thankful for long-time friends who have endured seasons, new friends who are where I am and friends who have been there.

I'm thankful I have more good days than bad days as a diabetic.

I'm thankful my kids enjoy playing with my long-time friends' kids who they don't see often enough.

I'm thankful for my {almost} 2-year-old son who keeps me on my toes. He's all-boy -- fearless, messy, loud and sweet.

I'm thankful for the freedom we have to vote and all the families who sacrificed to protect this and other freedoms.

I'm thankful my life is nothing like I planned.

I'm thankful for the Taylor family roots in this community, evident by the crowd at Tommye's 85th birthday lunch.

I'm thankful for ordinary days with my kids.

I'm thankful my kids get to celebrate Ben's {early} birthday with all seven of their first cousins and a few dear friends.

I'm thankful for an impromptu afternoon spent with friends.

I'm thankful for Cate's preschool experience. She has been blessed with teachers who set the bar high for coming years.

I'm thankful for the chance to stay home with my kids. For the record: It's the hardest, most rewarding job I've ever had.

I'm thankful for community and the Thanksgiving dinner I'm going to share with some of my dearest friends tonight.

I'm thankful for a friendship that began in 1998 and has adapted through the seasons to include 5 kids in 5 years between us.

I'm thankful for a working dryer, an afternoon at home, Diet Dr Pepper, crock pots, and a potluck dinner at church.

I'm thankful change can be refreshing.

I'm thankful for my church family.

I'm thankful for modern medicine: my insulin pump, my kids' pediatricians, and heart surgery for a friend's newborn baby.

I'm thankful for my kids' birthmoms.

I'm thankful the birthday boy feels better and doesn't have a fever. Happy 2nd birthday, sweet Ben!

I'm thankful I have no trouble listing people, places and moments for which I'm thankful. Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful for extended family vacations.

I'm thankful for my kids' determination. It even shows through in mini golf.

I'm thankful that my husband is good for me.

I'm thankful for eight hours of sleep in a warm house.

I'm thankful for my husband's law practice and how God has honored his character and hard work through it.

I'm thankful for this season: Jesus' birth, celebrations with family and friends, and making memories with my kids.

I hope November has been a time of thanksgiving for you. Here's to a joyful December!

________
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{Worth Repeating Wednesday} My Side vs. Your Side

2011-11-30T07:52:00.002-06:00

God knows I need repetition to learn anything. And he's working on this lesson right now: I don't understand plenty of things. And it's not always my place to get it.

Whether it's parenting strategies, incorporating God into everyday life, schooling choices, or holiday traditions, there is usually a "my side" and "her side." And usually there is even a third side. Of course, I think my side is the best side, otherwise I'd move to her side.

Conviction and commitment are honorable. But judging and thinking the other person is wrong isn't. And sometimes -- rather, many times -- it doesn't matter whose side is better or right. I'd be better off if I just genuinely loved the people around me.

Yes, that's a hard pill for me to swallow.

So, I've been thinking about that sort of thing. And then I read this.

{Go read it. Really.}

I haven't really been thinking about Calvinism versus Arminianism. In fact, I had to look up "Arminianism." And apparently this debate has been going on for quite some time. OK, so, I don't have a strong opinion about this.

This lack of a strong opinion is probably a surprise to my husband. He says I have opinions about everything. And then that statement is usually followed by a reminder that I don't have to have opinions about everything.

OK, so back to what I do have opinions about. I've been thinking about how just birthing a child doesn't make someone a parent, how parenting is hard and requires quick thinking and long-term vision, how family dynamics are constantly changing when people are added, and how everybody celebrates the same holiday differently.

And sometimes -- OK, too often, really -- I get caught up in the whys and hows. Just today my 4-year-old girl who is thinking when she's not talking and talking when she's not thinking asked a record-setting number of questions. And I found myself getting annoyed.

Yet I'm like that. I question what I'm doing, what she's doing, what he's doing, what they're doing, and what she's doing again. Sometimes I question it aloud and sometimes it's just all spinning around in my head.

"Because what we believe about how we were born must never define us more than our shared belief that Jesus lives." That's from Shaun Groves' blog. Yes, that's the post I linked earlier. Yes, the one I thought you should read.

Truth is, much of what we believe and practice is rooted in what we've always known and what our parents did. We take what we've known and merge it with what our spouse has always know and make our life. It probably changes along the way because we grow as people and we grow up.

I don't care if you're a Calvinist.

And I shouldn't care if you include Santa in your Christmas celebrations.

Or trick-or-treat on Halloween.

Or like the way "Lost" ended.

Or let your baby sleep in your bed.

Or home school or attend public school or go to Christian school.

Or drink Pepsi Max instead of Coke Zero.

Wherever your side is and my side is, I'm hoping the gap becomes narrow and we continue to live our lives together. Because, really, that's what God wants. And if while sharing our lives and genuinely loving each other we want to engage in healthy debate, I'm sure he's OK with that too.
________
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{Branson} Falling into winter

2011-11-29T13:40:00.006-06:00

Well, hello, blog readers. I've missed you.

We're home from Branson, Mo., where we spent four nights, including Thanksgiving. We were there with Greg's mom and his two brothers and their families. That's seven kids 7 {almost 8 ...} and younger. And seven adults.

And would you believe my mother-in-law found us all matching pajamas? All of us, from 5-month-old Kieran to 60-year-old Gran-Gran. Admittedly, I had reservations about dressing up like 13 other people and posing for a picture.

Turns out I loved it.

We did those two group poses and then smaller groups {families and then Gran-Gran with all the grandkids}. Of course, there are plenty of funny ones ...

This was me trying to get the camera set up right. Clearly, the kids were excited.

I hadn't made it back from behind the camera on the tripod before the self-timer started clicking off the four consecutive shots. And look that front row of kids. Those are some serious faces!

Ben apparently thought it was nigh-night time since everyone was in pajamas. {He's not really asleep. Sleep didn't come that easily on vacation.} And his snuggling is distracting his sister, who wasn't going to let her new doll go. Kieran was so done with the photo shoot by this point. Mae is a little unsure of the whole thing and decided to inch closer to Gran-Gran. Ethne seems a little distracted by something. Evelyn and Elijah are ready to go!
_______
We left on Wednesday, which was Ben's 2nd birthday! My boy who is all boy is now officially 2. I brought along some cupcakes to have after dinner that night. He obviously enjoyed that.

... and some lemon.

While in Branson, we ate a delicious Thanksgiving meal from Cracker Barrel, saw "Happy Feet Two," spent a day at Silver Dollar City, played indoor mini golf, and saw "The Miracle of Christmas." It was a fun way to spend the weekend transitioning from fall to winter. I left with a heart full of thanksgiving thinking about Christmas.
_______
This was our third trip to Branson. We first went in September 2008. And again in October 2010. Our family is growing and so are the memories we're making.
________
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Two years of Ben

2011-11-23T08:31:00.003-06:00

{The birthday boy is getting over a cold. Hence
the snot, chapped lips, feverish eyes and
disheveled hair. Hopefully he's on the mend.}

_______
Happy birthday, Ben!

We've had fun celebrating you. And, trust me, buddy, there's no one else like you. Plus, you're always up for a party.

You don't usually want to snuggle, but you nearly always want to be help upside down and tickled. You say "holda" when you want picked up. And you aren't afraid to make this -- or any other wish -- known.

You say hi to nearly everyone we pass in the grocery store, call most every elderly man "Papaw," and often {although unpredictably} growl a bear-meets-Incredible Hulk sound to get someone's attention.

You're all boy. People always told me boys were different than girls. After about two days with you, I believed them. And I haven't doubted it a day since. You like trucks and balls and animals. You drum on anything using any utensil or stick-shaped object. And you are always moving.

You go and go and go. Then you crash for naptime before you go and go and go some more until bedtime. You like to go to bed at 7 and then wake up close to 7 the next morning. Of course, anybody would sleep that well if they were as busy as you.

People told me my second-born child who was a boy wouldn't talk nearly as much as my first-born girl. These people were wrong. You repeat anything, get frustrated when we don't understand you, and add new words to your vocabulary often. Sometimes you even yell just to make sure you're heard. You're starting to put together words to make short sentences. I love hearing all you have to say.

Unsolicited "I love you" is the best phrase. You melt my heart.

And then you make a mess. Lots of messes really. You like to feed yourself with a spoon and fork. And then you often put the utensils in your hair. Bibs returned so we didn't have to throw away any more food-stained shirts. You really love hot dogs, pickles, Cheetoes {which is what you call any chips ...}, yogurt, applesauce, yogurt-covered raisins and fruit snacks {which is what you are requesting with the seemingly general "snack."}

You want to be big. Really you have no idea you're little. You'll climb and jump and run and keep up with whoever is near. Especially Cate. You like her close. You {try to} do what she does. And you let her help you. There's not an ounce of fear in your 27-pound self.

Day 1 as your momma, you've keep me on my toes. You're loud, messy, fearless, sweet, independent and friendly. You've rocked my world of having everything just like I think want it. But I wouldn't have it any other way. You're going to do great things, love people fiercely, and always keep up with your sister. I'm blessed to be along for the ride.

I can't believe you're two, but I'm glad we made it here. And I can't wait to see what's next.

I love you, my boy.
Momma
_______
Looking back on Ben's two years: 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, 7 months, 8 months,9 months, 10 months, 11 months, 1 year, 15 months, 16 1/2 months, 18 months and 23 months.
________
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{Adoption} Children of God

2011-11-19T21:18:00.003-06:00

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will -- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment -- to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. -Ephesians 1:3-10

November is Adoption Awareness Month. And today is National Adoption Day.

But, really, I'm thankful for adoption every day, any month. God created our family through adoption. And through that he not only entrusted me with two children to raise, but he also taught me about our adoption into his kingdom.

I'm grateful two women chose life for Cate and Ben. And I'm grateful God gives me new life. Today. And the day after that. And the days still to come.

So, yes, praise God indeed.

Praise to the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ
Our God and our King, to Him we will sing
In His great mercy, He has given us life
Now we can be called the children of God ...
--From "Children of God" by Third Day
________
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{Worth Repeating Wednesday} Courageous

2011-11-16T08:14:00.000-06:00

Casting Crowns sang this when we saw them in concert last week. I'm thankful for the song, and, more importantly, the message. The movie by the same name is also worth watching. I'm grateful Greg prioritizes his roles as my husband and my kids' dad. I certainly wouldn't want to do life without him, but I do it even better when he's with me.

... Where are you, men of courage?
You were made for so much more
Let the pounding of our hearts cry
We will serve the Lord

We were made to be courageous
And we're taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight

The only way we'll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous

This is our resolution
Our answer to the call
We will love our wives and children
We refuse to let them fall

We will reignite the passion
That we buried deep inside
May the watchers become warriors
Let the men of God arise

We were made to be courageous
And we're taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight

The only way we'll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous

Seek justice
Love mercy
Walk humbly with your God

In the war of the mind
I will make my stand
In the battle of the heart
And the battle of the hand ...

________
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{Boston} Walking Around

2011-11-15T08:02:00.004-06:00

"Don't drive in Boston."

That was the most frequent piece of advice we got before heading to the Northeast. Thing is, we didn't have a vehicle while we there anyway. A family friend who lives in Boston, let us borrow his mini van to drive from Manchester, N.H., where we flew into, to and around Maine. We then drove from Ellsworth, Maine, to Boston, where our friend, affectionately called Uncle Steve, picked up his van. We spent three nights in Boston and didn't need a vehicle until we called a taxi to take us and all our bags to the airport.

We were less than 5 miles from Logan International Airport, but the Charles River was between us. Plus, look at all that luggage we had: two kids, a double stroller, a car seat, four suitcases, four duffel bags, and six carry-on bags.

Google Maps was our friend in Boston. The walking directions we looked up on my iPhone got us everywhere we wanted to go ...

Like to Faneuil Hall & Quincy Marketplace.

{Inside Faneuil Hall}
{Outside Quincy Market}

And by Paul Revere's house.

And, of course, to Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings -- Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack. My kids, only one of whom actually knows Robert McCloskey's "Make Way for Ducklings" -- loved the duck statues.

{Yes, my kids are posing for someone else's camera in that last picture!}

To our starting point for riding the Ducks. Specifically, we rode a magenta duck called Penelope that was drive by Tom Foolery, who really likes Notre Dame football.

And by many buildings, including this one where Denny Crane and his crew pretended to have their law offices on "Boston Legal."

And by these. I love the contrast of the fire station and church -- two distinctly different buildings that both help take care of people.

And by this ugly City Hall.
And by the Massachusetts State House.

And right by a movie being filmed. And, unfortunately, I did not see Ryan Reynolds anywhere.

Boston, you were good to us, and you didn't even feel like that big of a city.
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I've been blogging about our vacation to the Northeast as I have time. You can read about our time in Maine and look at plenty of pictures. There's at least one more post to come, but until then you can read the Boston posts and look at Beantown pictures.
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Celebrating Ben!

2011-11-12T08:21:00.001-06:00

Lots of leaves cover our backyard. And when they're raked into piles, kids can be entertained for quite some time. Cousins Milla and Jax came from Louisville with Grandmom to help celebrate Ben's {early} second birthday with us yesterday. We celebrated early to accommodate Thanksgiving-related travel plans.

'Twas a good day for a party ...

All seven of my kids' first cousins and two dear families we adore came to celebrate my boy, who is all boy. Part of me can't believe he's 2. And the other part is relieved he's 2. He keeps me on my toes and gives me a mental and physical workout most every waking moment.

But life wouldn't be the same without him. And I'm so thankful he's here with us. He fits in our family perfectly. I'm excited to see where we go from here. And, with Ben, we know for certain we're going somewhere in a hurry.

Happy birthday, sweet boy!

He kept saying "eat water" when looking at the waterfall down the side of his Diego cake. {Didn't Courtney do a fabulous job? She always does! Here's his party and cake last year.} So, "eat water" he did ...

Believe it or not, we kept the blue icing out his hair. That's no small feat around here, trust me.

He was amazed at the musical card that sang "Happy Birthday" to him. He kept looking for something {someone?} behind the card.

He opened some presents himself. Of course, he had plenty of help when he needed it ...

After the party, we went to the Murray State football game ...

... where eating Dots {"gummies," according to Ben} is serious business.

Of course there are more pictures. And because we're spreading out the celebrating, I'm sure you'll hear more about my boy turning 2.
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{Boston} Fenway Park

2011-11-11T14:29:00.000-06:00

We like baseball around here. So we had to tour Fenway Park when we were in Boston. We aren't Red Sox fans, but it was so neat to see the oldest, smallest operating ballpark.

Yes, Greg is wearing his Cardinals jacket. I may have suggested he put it on for the picture with Ted Williams.

That's us on The Green Monster, er, rather, Monstah. What a unique feature. I can see why people would want to fork over the extra money in the special lottery for those seats.

And here's a view of The Green Monstah from the other side of the stadium ...

Because we took a tour when it wasn't game day, we were able to see the press box. Obviously, the reporter blood that still runs through me made me excited about that. Does my girl look cute there? And here ...

I love this red seat. It's Section 42, Row 37, Seat 21, and it's where Ted Williams' 502-foot homerun -- the longest ever hit at Fenway -- landed.
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I've been blogging about our vacation to the Northeast as I have time. You can read about our time in Maine and look at plenty of pictures. There's at least one more Boston post to come, but there are pictures to tide you over until then.
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{Boston} Worth the Wait

2011-11-10T14:49:00.005-06:00

After we spent six days in Maine, we drove to Boston. I like to visit big cities. I used to think I wanted to live in one. So whenever I visit one, I am reminded why visiting them and living in small-town American is good for me.

Boston had been on my list of places to visit for awhile now. I still regret not visiting there when Katie lived there. It was a season of transition for Greg and I, having just moved to Murray and started new jobs. Then I was diagnosed with diabetes and later the same year managed to get time off work to go to Greece and Italy with my in-laws.

So Boston had to wait.

I finally made it.

And it was worth the wait.

If you ask my 4-year-old girl about our vacation, she'll start by telling you we stayed on a houseboat in Boston. And it's worth telling. The three nights we spent there were a fun part of the adventure.

It was a houseboat converted to be more a stand-still accommodation in the Charlestown's Shipyard Quarters Marina. It was a three-bedroom, two-bathroom houseboat that had a living/dining/kitchen space and a balcony with some beautiful views of the Charles River and surrounding Boston.

The kids especially loved their bed nooks ..

Oh, and it was decorated with elephants. This was a favorite decoration ...

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I've been blogging about our vacation to the Northeast as I have time. You can read about our time in Maine and look at plenty of pictures. There are a couple more Boston posts to come, but there are pictures to tide you over until then. ________
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{Approved for You} Glow-in-the-Dark Toys

2011-11-10T08:01:00.001-06:00

We like to go on trips. And we take our kids on our trips.

I've been blogging about most recent trip to the Northeast. Then there was our trip to the other side of the world when Cate was 2 years old. We've been to Hilton Head a couple of times. We drove to Texas. And then there were and will be road trips to Branson.

Of course, there are shorter road trips to Lexington, St. Louis, Nashville and Louisville even more often.

All of that to say, my kids like to travel too. They're just used to it. They have songs they like to hear, books they like to read {well, you know, look at ...}, snacks they like to eat, places they like to go and people they like to see. They'll often fall asleep in the car if it's nighttime or naptime.

But until this weekend I didn't realize how a simple glow-in-the-dark wand would help to entertain them. Especially this time of the year when it gets dark so early {we live in the eastern side of the central time zone}. And, honestly, it wasn't even something I thought of. Nana, the kids' great-grandma, lives next door and gave them these wands and some mini M&Ms as a belated Halloween treat as we were leaving town, literally.

So we brought them along.

And we'll bring them along again. Well, them meaning the wants. We ate the mini M&Ms, you know. Yes, glow-in-the-dark toys. Surely they'll make every kid smile in the dark backseat on an evening road trip.
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Operation Christmas Child

2011-11-10T08:00:00.005-06:00

That's organized chaos.

And organized chaos is our life these days. Especially with kids. And especially with the holidays approaching.

Yes, the holidays are approaching. Take a deep breath. Make a list. And enjoy each moment. One by one. That's how I'm approaching the approaching holidays.

One of my favorite traditions is packing these shoe boxes for children in third-world countries. Operation Christmas Child is part of the Samaritan's Purse ministry. Our small group -- a seemingly formal name for the group of families with whom we share our lives -- has done this project the past several years. We come together with bags full of toiletries, school supplies, toys, socks, and candy. And we pack shoe boxes wrapped in holiday paper as full as possible before sealing them with rubber bands and piling them up on top of one another.

And then we added them to the larger pile created when other groups in our church did the same thing.

We have blessed lives and we want to bless others. And now we have small people who are just learning that to give to others is the meaning of this season and, really, of life in general.

There is still a little time. You can pack a shoe box too. {Here are some details for Operation Christmas Child.} You can make a difference in a child's Christmas. And I bet you find yourself blessed by doing so.
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{Worth Repeating Wednesday} Hope

2011-11-09T08:00:00.002-06:00

Our problem is not so much that God doesn’t give us what we hope for as it is that we don’t know the right thing for which to hope. ...

Hope is not what you expect; it is what you would never dream. It is a wild, improbable tale with a pinch-me-I’m-dreaming ending. It’s Abraham adjusting his bifocals so he can see not his grandson, but his son. It’s Moses standing in the promised land not with Aaron or Miriam at his side, but with Elijah and the transfigured Christ. It’s Zechariah left speechless at the sight of his wife Elizabeth, gray-headed and pregnant. And it is the two Emmaus-bound pilgrims reaching out to take a piece of bread only to see that the hands from which it is offered are pierced.

Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed; no, it is far greater than that. It is a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks and be there in the flesh to see our reaction.

--From "God Came Near" by Max Lucado
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Well, hello, November ...

2011-11-08T02:25:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it's November. Really, I'm having a hard time believing October is over.

So, before we move on, perhaps you'd like to see my kids dressed up for the Fall Festival at Cate's preschool ...

They wanted to hold cousin Kieran, who hadn't put his costume on yet. But it wasn't long after that he had to endure costuming and a brief photo shoot ...

It didn't take Ben long to figure out this trick-or-treating {well, technically trunk-or-treating ...}

Funny thing was he had his eye on this one purple Dum-Dum in his bag and each time he stopped to collect more candy, he wanted to find that one sucker. He got that sucker in his mouth not long after ... and then two minutes later dropped it on the ground.

I was going for one more pictures of my kids dressed up. Together. This is what I got ...

I guess I shouldn't have said, "Hey, Ben, give your sister a kiss." Apparently he was still in dog mode.

So, back to the present. To November ...

Many dates in November are palindromes. Love that. And, yes, I realize how this reveals how nerdy I can be. What do you think about me remembering that I learned about palindromes in 1991 as a sixth-grader in Mrs. Upchurch's math class? Nerd, I know. {And this paragraph is dedicated to Dustin Sapp.}

November means cooler weather (maybe?) and an extended family trip to Branson. We love that place. Obviously.

A perk of November is basketball season begins while football is still happening. Our beloved Racers have an exhibition basketball game tonight and their last home football game on Saturday. Plus there are Thanksgiving and Christmas parties to start planning. And gifts to buy and sort and wrap. And cards to make and letters to write.

It's really a wonderful time of the year, even if November shoved October out of the way.
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Squeeze like you mean it

2011-11-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not a mom who matches her kids' outfits. Coordinating for family pictures has happened before, but that just involves finding things in their closets that go together. And they do both have Frosty T-shirts that they wore on the same day. Once.

But I love their matching shoes. Although, as Cate pointed out, they are slightly different color browns. Slightly.

Still. How cute are they?

My absolute favorite thing about having two kids is watching them together. So when they willing squeeze each other, my heart melts. Every morning, Ben asks, "Cate?" And I have to tell him she's still sleeping. Then when she comes down the stairs, he greets her with an excited "Hi, Cate!" He usually waves too.

Yes, Ben pulls her hair sometimes. And, yes, she gets aggravated when he destroys something she's working on. But sometimes they squeeze each other like they really do mean it.
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A favorite friend

2011-11-04T14:30:00.004-05:00

That's me between of two of my dearest friends -- Holly (right) and Jaclyn (left).

I got to spend time with one of my favorite people this week. Holly lives in Texas now, so even though we email almost daily, spending time around the kitchen table and on the couch is such a treat.

We met in September 2007. I was a new mom with a 4-month-old daughter who had just quit a full-time newspaper reporting job. Holly was a recent college graduate who was hired as my replacement. We spent a work day together, me showing her around and introducing her to some of my sources. Then she emailed me with a question, so we met at Quizno's to talk business.

And we became friends that day.

She's only ever known me as a mom, and she loves my kids. She listens to me talk about motherhood and asks real questions about married life. We both love words and stories, which is probably why email is our primary form communication. She moved from Murray to New Mexico back to Murray and then back to New Mexico before settling recently in Texas. {Right, Holly? I got myself confused thinking through that.} Yet we've gotten closer as time has gone on.

It's not all long-distance emails. Our friendship is more than that. We had text message dates while watching "The Bachelor" a couple season ago. She also was right there with me on my first tubing adventure. We've played Hearts. And we've drank Sonic drinks at Happy Hour together.

Holly's visit this week was good for my soul. And my kids were fond of having her around too ...

Holly inspires and encourages me. She makes me think about things. And she answers my questions about anything. She helps herself to drinks in my fridge and washes her plate and fork when she's done eating, even though nobody asked her to or expects her to. She makes me laugh. And my kids adore her. Trust me, if you knew her, she'd be one of your favorite people too.
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{Maine} Kennebunkport

2011-11-02T14:38:00.006-05:00

While driving from Ellsworth, Maine, to Boston, I wanted to stop at a coastal town. A couple different friends recommended a few different towns. Being the conservatives we are, we chose Kennebunkport.

Good choice, really. And, no, we didn't see George and Barbara Bush. But we did see their house.

Perfect location, if you ask me. And it seems huge. There appears to be a guest house, windmill and tennis court next door. And then on up the driveway toward the street were multiple SUVs and a house that I would bet is for the workers who drive those vehicles.

Plus, if you can afford it, who wouldn't want to look at that shoreline all day? The town itself is quaint and what I pictured a Maine coastal town to be.

Plus sharing the beauty of the beach with my daughter is always a good time.

I'm posting about our vacation as I have time. I'm sure you're not surprised I took a lot of pictures in Maine. You can see them here. And the posted blog installments are here.
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Wild Cards

2011-10-29T08:50:00.005-05:00

It's no secret we like sports around here. We even have a family room dedicated to our favorite teams. Baseball is a favorite, right up there with college basketball.

We're Cardinals fans. From the comforts of our couch, we watched many of the 162 regular-season games that were alright. We even had really good seats for one of those.

In August, the Cardinals were 10 1/2 games back in the Wild Card race. On the last day of the regular season, they managed to clinch a spot -- the last spot -- in the playoffs. Then they went on to beat the Phillies and then the NL Central-winning Brewers. We kept thinking how amazing it was the Cardinals were playing in the World Series. After a mediocre season, the Cardinals were one of the last two teams standing.

I met Kristen while preparing for Marketplace and during the event we realized our husbands play basketball together. And we're all Cardinals fans. In fact, she went to high school with David Freese. Yep, MVP David Freese. We invited them over to watch some of the World Series -- Game 3 {you know, when Albert Pujols hit three homeruns ...} and then Game 7.

The thing about the Cardinals: They kept finding ways to win. Albert Pujols was intentionally walked so many times. But David Freese stepped up. And so did Lance Berkman. And Allen Craig. And Yadier Molina threw people out. And the Cardinals were the team that had heart and character to carry them to the end. All the way to the end.

The Cardinals are World Champions now. After a Game 6 that came down to one strike three times and took our breath many more times, the Cardinals finished business in front of their hometown crowd in Game 7.

Wild Cards, indeed.
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A bear & some pumpkins

2011-10-27T10:41:00.006-05:00

"What are you going to be for Halloween?" somebody asked almost-2-year-old Ben the other day.

"Care Bear." And then he growled.

Truth is, his sister was dressing up as a Care Bear for her party today at school. He apparently overheard the plan. And liked it. This morning when Cate was in her costume, Ben petted her back and said "Care Bear" more than once.
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And then earlier this week there was pumpkin carving. Although Ben would tell you we "cut pun-tins." You get the idea either way.

And while the carving was happening, Ben was drumming ...

Both of the kids are fond of the pumpkin family on our front porch. If you've been to our house this week, I'm sure they've shown you. And, yes, those are battery-powered lights in the pumpkins. Not candles. Of course, these lights are safer with the little boy hands that like go inside the pumpkins. But, also, I didn't have any candles. Turns out, that's probably best now that I think about it.
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Falling for fall

2011-10-27T07:00:00.002-05:00

The weather this fall has been up and down. Within just a few week, we've had temperatures in the 40s during the day and then back up near 80 earlier this week. And today is rainy after a few beautiful days.

Either way, fall is a fun time of the year to jump in and enjoy the people and places around you. So, go ahead, and jump in ... and soak in ... life, especially ...

... fall parties,
... the excitement of football season,
... the smelling-so-good crock pots of soup,
... jackets and layers,
... the way the leaves flutter to the ground, and
... roasting marshmallows.

What do you love about fall?
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{Maine} Lookin' at lighthouses

2011-10-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite vacation activities was a lighthouse tour. We saw lighthouses, of course, but we also saw beautiful homes, plenty of shoreline, and close up of lobster boats, all while enjoying a boat ride.

Yes, I could live there. So, so pretty.

That's a lobster boat and the buoys that mark where the fishermen set their traps.

Another pretty lighthouse. Of course, none of this matters when you wake up at 5:30 nearly every morning of vacation ...

Right, Ben? At least he did nap while we were going about our vacation business.

Have I mentioned how much I loved the rocky shoreline? I couldn't get enough of it. And I'm making sure you feel the same. And, really, I just love being out on the water. Any water.

This is Southwest Harbor. See the house that sits the highest? Well, see the roof of the house that sits the highest? That belongs to Martha Stewart.

"Hey, Cate, let me take your picture ..."

"Take my picture again, Momma. I'll hold my hair."

I hope I taught her a good boat ride is always worth the crazy hair that follows.

I'm posting about our vacation as I have time. I'm sure you're not surprised I took a lot of pictures in Maine. You can see them here. And the posted blog installments are here.
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My boy @ 23 months

2011-10-25T13:51:00.004-05:00

My boy turns 2 in less than a month. Really, it's hard to believe, but I wouldn't trade this oh-so active toddler stage for his high-maintenance newborn stage any day. Of course, he's still high-maintenance. But he's really funny too.

Right now he's into animals and "pun-tins." He talks often and makes friends easily. He moves constantly. He adores his big sister. And he keeps me on my toes. Really, Ben epitomizes the saying "all boy." And although mothering a boy can be hard, I wouldn't have it any other way.

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Slugs & Bugs Under Where?

2011-10-25T07:40:00.002-05:00

I've been craving Mexican food, especially that delicious white cheese dip, more than usual, thanks to Randall Goodgame and Andrew Peterson. Yep, they're musicians who make me crave a particular food. Perhaps I should explain. My 4-year-old daughter asks the same thing nearly every time we get in the mini van these days: "Can we listen to 'Cheese Dip?'"

I usually say yes and proceed to bring up the "Slugs & Bugs Under Where?" playlist on my iPhone.

And, technically, the song isn't called "Cheese Dip." Cate knows it's called "Mexican Rhapsody," but she's just quoting her favorite line in the fun song, which happens to be the fifth track on what's clearly going to be another of my family's favorite albums.

Let me introduce you to Randall Goodgame and Andrew Peterson. They're singers/songerwriters who can make me, my husband and my kids laugh, celebrate who God is and what he's doing in our family, and give us fun jingles to sing as we go about our days -- sometimes all at the same time. We were blessed by meeting Goodgame and his recent Slugs & Bugs Live show and now we have new tunes to bless us.

"Slugs & Bugs Under Where?" is available online at slugsandbugs.com. You can also buy it at Family Christian Stores, starting today. You can learn more about Slugs & Bugs on Facebook, on their blog, and on YouTube. We've been listening to "Slugs & Bugs Under Where?" for a couple weeks now because the pre-release downloads were part of the contribution to Kickstarter, a campaign that allowed fans to help fund the album.

Sure, "Mexican Rhapsody" is catchy and fun. And we really do like cheese dip and bowls that you can eat. But what I personally love on "Slugs & Bugs Under Where?" is "I'm Adopted." It's a song that speaks about being adopted into a family and being adopted into God's kingdom. I became a mom because of adoption. We expanded our family, thanks to adoption a second time. And we're promised eternal life because of an even greater adoption story. I'm grateful that somebody took some of what I believe about adoption and made a song that my family can treasure.

And then there's "God Makes Messy Thing Beautiful." What a testament to our creator, who is even more into the details than I try to be. I hope it's a message my daughter embraces too.

Speaking of my daughter, her other favorites are "Lightning Bug" and "Pajama Drama." She doesn't even know how funny it is that our current president's name rhymes with pajama. We all laugh when we listen to "Under Where?" and it's already created an opportunity for me to teach my girl about homophones, although I didn't describe them with that official term. "Tell it to Jesus" is a simple song about an important concept that I hope never leaves me kids' hearts.

Like their first album, Randall Goodgame and Andrew Peterson {and their musical friends who add so much joy through their instruments} make children's music work. It's fun. It's meaningful. It's not annoying. And all four of us -- from ages 33 to 2 -- in my house agree it's worth listening to, over and over again. And again.
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Sweetness

2011-10-24T13:52:00.004-05:00

Cate likes making things, especially things involving sprinkles. For treats for her Halloween party at preschool later this week, I went with an idea a friend shared the other day when we were talking about the humongous marshmallows she brought to a bonfire. We dipped the marshmallows into melted baker's chocolate and then sprinkled sprinkles ...

It's serious business, you know. And, in case you aren't around 4-year-old girls much, the decision of which sprinkles to use is a big one.

She was proud of her finished products. We then put a toothpick in the bottoms and sat them chocolate side down in cupcake wrappers. Two were put in a sandwich bag for each kid in her class.

And, there, we have a cute, easy treat for friends.
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{Maine} Watchin' for whales

2011-10-21T08:00:00.002-05:00

I had no idea when we quickly posed for this photo that I'd end up liking it so much. We said, "Cate, stick your head through there." And she did. The lady snapped the photo. And we ended up buying it. The bonus was they emailed an electronic version.

We left for the whale watch tour from Bar Harbor, where the sun was shining and the temperature was in the mid-70s ...

I'm not sure who Ben was waving too. Probably an elderly man we'd never met that he called "Papaw" and asked to "holda." The farther out into the Atlantic we got {and we went 20-something miles out}, the colder it was.

Ben also stopped waving to "Papaw" and gave into a nap, representing our home state while he slept. So the rest of us cuddled up ...

And then we eventually saw a whale. Yes, singular. Its name is Canine and it's 7 years old. Yes, it. The whale watch tour guides track them by their markings, but they hadn't identified whether Canine is a girl or a boy. My girl insists Canine is a girl, go figure.

Honestly, I wish we could have seen more whales. But I'm glad we at least saw Canine come up near the boat a few different times. And Cate is still talking about how we saw a humpback whale.

I'm posting about our vacation as I have time. I took a lot of pictures in Maine. You can see them here. The posted blog installments are here.
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{Approved for You} Google Calendar

2011-10-20T13:27:00.005-05:00

This is new, occasional series about things that help me, entertain me and inspire me.

I have a secret to share: Google improved communication between my husband and me. No, we didn't Google "how to better communicate when one person is far more into details than the other."

Truth is, Google Calendar is our friend. Quite some time ago, I created a color-coded calendar. Events are orange if they're for our family, blue for Greg, pink for Cate, purple for me and green for Ben. Then I shared it with Greg, giving him access to edit, add and change calendars. It took him a little while to realize how beneficial this could be. But now he uses it too.

He knows when I have playdate lunch plans or a doctor's appointment. And I know when he has a lunch meeting or an appointment that may keep him a little later at the office. One day he even added "Lunch with wife" to a Tuesday without me realizing. Honestly, we should do that more. Perhaps I'll make some dates with my husband soon; I'll be sure to put them in blue so he knows to show up.

We can access it from our phones or any computer. It's a living document, always being updated and tweaked. Sometimes his additions prompt questions from me. But, hey, that's how communication works. Right, Google?
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{Maine} A view from the top

2011-10-19T16:17:00.008-05:00

The top of Cadillac Mountain, that is. It's the highest point on the North Atlantic coast. We drove up and then walked around once we got up there. We even had a picnic while we were up there.

The view down toward Bar Harbor was beautiful. Something about looking out over the ocean is always magnificent.

And my kids liked climbing on the rocks. Climbing on the rocks became a vacation theme, especially for my boy.

Of course there are more photos from Cadillac Mountain and from other places in Maine. You can see them here. I'm posting about our vacation as I have time. The posted installments are here.
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{Maine} The Coast @ Acadia

2011-10-18T15:30:00.003-05:00

I love the ocean.

Looking out into an ocean always makes me feel small. It gives me perspective. It whittles away what's not important. It washes away fears. And even if I'm sharing the shoreline with strangers, I somehow feel like it's just me and God enjoying his creation.

The southern Atlantic coast and I are friends. And I was so happy to meet its northern counterpart, which was more of the same while being something new. Acadia National Park had a sand beach and beautiful rocky coastlines to explore.

Did I mention the rocky coastlines were beautiful. I watched the ocean waves come out of the calm waters and break against the rocks, creating a powerful splash. The waves are mighty and move. The rocks are still but oh-so mighty. It's a forceful yet beautiful meeting with the waves upon the rocks. I watched it over and over.

And I could have sat there watching it more, but my husband wanted to walk, my 4-year-old girl had questions and my 22-month-old boy was finding another rock to climb or stick to carry.

But that's life.

And I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm thankful my vacation included some time on a beach with people I love. And, really, they're pretty fun to be around ...

After we visited Acadia's Sand Beach, Cate requested a second trip the next morning. I seconded the request and was happy to have another chance to walk barefoot in the sand. My heart also beamed watching my daughter enjoy the beach. That's my girl. And my boy didn't mind. There were rocks to climb and sticks to use to dig.

This is only a sampling of the pictures I took in Acadia National Park and elsewhere in Maine. Want to see more? You can. I can't help but to look at them and think about how majestic and powerful God is and how his personality came through in his creation of this beautiful coastline.

I'm posting about our vacation as I have time. I took a lot of pictures in Maine. You can see them here. The blog installments are here.
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{Maine} Pumping on the Go

2011-10-17T14:43:00.004-05:00

I told the security lady at Nashville's airport that I was wearing an insulin pump before I walked through the screening checkpoint ahead of my two kids who had been freed from the double stroller for security purposes. She nodded and told me to step over to a guy who was going to check my hands.

I still have no idea what he swabbed my hands for, but he said, "So do you have a Medtronic pump?"

"Yes. I've been wearing it less than a week," I volunteered on what was the early part of my fifth full day wearing a device that works as an external, mechanical pancreas.

He surprised me when his response was about how he'd been wearing an insulin pump for seven years. "You'll get so used to it that you won't think about it until you have to enter your carbs. Counting carbs is the most important thing."

I felt at ease as I walked away from him on the first leg of my day-long journey to Maine. I still had no clue why he had wiped my hands. But I felt good about the pump in my jeans pocket.

And, really, other than an exception that involved too much snacking on sweet treats while sitting in the van while going from Ellsworth, Maine, to Boston, I've had blood sugar readings that affirmed insulin pump therapy is welcome in my life. Even when life goes on the road, the pump provides freedom in its convenience. I spent my 10-day vacation on the go. The pump just went along with me and I often didn't think a thing about my new friend Izzy tagging along.

I'm posting about our vacation as I have time. I took a lot of pictures in Maine. You can see them here. The blog installments are here.
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Marketplace 29 A.D.

2011-10-15T13:01:00.001-05:00

God brought many, many volunteers from 17 local churches together to transform a downtown alley into a first-century marketplace. At least three more churches joined the 17 in support of the inaugural Marketplace 29 A.D. by sending kids. Ninety-four kids came. And we hope they experienced Jesus in a way that will stay with them. They learned Hebrew words, songs and dances. They made things that could have been in a marketplace in which Jesus walked.

I've never witnessed such a display of God being glorified through a unified community. After a 10-day vacation, I dove back into Marketplace details while preparing the week before. And then we opened the marketplace for business. And dancing. And teaching. And loving.

And I came home last night after our family night exhausted. But I'd do it all over again. It was such a fulfilling exhaustion. I poured out myself as God poured into me. Over and over again. I was blessed as the kids soaked up the sights, sounds, smells and skits around them. They were happy, even in their first-century costumes.

Take a look ...

That's my sweet daughter, who was one of the youngest participating, but who loved every minute of being in that marketplace. All of the kids, volunteers and even visitors wore costumes.

There was a tax collector who meant business.

The blind beggar touched the kids' hearts as she roamed through the marketplace.

Jesus visited the children, teaching them how to pray and blessing them. He even healed a sick woman early in the week and then on Friday night healed the blind beggar.

This blacksmith talked about the nails he'd made for an upcoming crucifixion and shared powerful words about Jesus. You can hear his words here.

The musicians were awesome. Not only did they add to the sweet spirit of the marketplace, but they also reminded the kids to worship the Lord in everything they do and with everything they have.

The dancing was so joyful and added so much to the marketplace atmosphere. Watch some tribes dance here.

Stories were told. And soaked in. And repeated by little mouths.

That's Jan and her husband Butch. She trusted God when he planted this idea in her heart. She recruited me. And I'm thankful for this new, sweet friendship that has encouraged me so.

The whole experience certainly can't be captured in pictures, but you know I tried. There are many more in my Facebook album, if you'd like to take a look.
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{Maine} The Bar @ Bar Harbor

2011-10-08T21:12:00.008-05:00

Here is a view of the water at Bar Harbor one morning, when the tide is in. But then it goes out in the afternoon ...

And you can literally walk across to that little island. This bar at Bar Harbor is covered in shells and rocks.

See, that's Greg pushing the stroller and Cate walking next to him. And, so, the seashell hunt began ...

Yes, every one of those shells in that cup came home with us. And then the water returned to cover up the rocks and shells that remained. The next afternoon the low tide repeats, allowing more people to hunt for natural treasures on what is sometimes the ocean floor.

There are more photos on Facebook and many, many more to come. I'm posting about our vacation as I have time. The blog installments are here.________
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{Maine} Timber ...

2011-10-07T15:45:00.006-05:00

We spent part of our first day in Maine at a lumberjack show. Appropriate, huh?

The Great Maine Lumberjack Show is in the small town of Trenton, ME, which is between where we were staying in Ellsworth and Bar Harbor, where we went often.

When we got there, Greg and I noticed the news clippings hanging up about Timber Tina, who owns and operates the show. Turns out she was on Survivor: Panama, briefly. She was the first one voted out of the season. I mostly remember her job description as a "lumberjill," which is clearly her occupation.

During the show, Tina and three lumberjacks competed in various sawing and logging activities. The audience was split down the middle and each side cheered for a two-person team. Cate will tell you we cheered for the green team because she, me and the lady next to us were wearing green. Really, it's because we were sitting on the right half of the bleachers. Even so, the competition and banter that accompanied added to the show.

Greg got a try at the two-man saw during the intermission. And then it was back to business for Timber Tina ...

She made that log into a rabbit and then a chair, which she gave to Ben.

He really likes his chair.

And even though we had no idea what to expect going in, we loved the entertaining lumberjack show. It was definitely a fun introduction to Maine.

There are more pictures in my Facebook album. And there are many more Northeast stories and snapshots to come. I'm posting about our vacation as I have time. The already posted blog installments are here.________
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One thing. And then another thing.

2011-10-06T19:12:00.003-05:00

One thing at a time.

God's been speaking that message to my heart. And I've been repeating it to my mind.

One thing now. Another thing later. And another thing after that.

Tuesday morning I woke up and dove back into everyday life after being on vacation for 10 days. I had a wonderful time away. But it's always sweet coming home. And, yes, there are pictures. In fact, there are 523 I am eager to upload from my camera card and share with you. But that's one thing that's being pushed back by these other one things.

I've spent most of the day tending to details related to next week's inaugural Marketplace 29 A.D. It's a Bible school-type activity that gives kids a chance to learn about what a first-century marketplace, where Jesus would have walked, was like. About 20 local churches are involved and 90 kids are registered to participant. I'm grateful for the testimonies of community and God's faithfulness that have been weaved throughout the preparations for what we hope is an annual event.

My notebook has been close as I spent my day thinking about the little things related to the big thing. God whispers, "One thing at a time." And I've tackled some of the things. One by one when there's time between being a momma and spending my once-a-week afternoon tending to the bookkeeping for my husband's law practice and real estate investment companies. It's been a busy, full day. And I'm thankful for the opportunity to be part of something that's so much bigger than me and my list of one things.
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And the winner is ...

2011-10-05T19:24:00.005-05:00

Congratulations, Tabitha! You won a hardback copy of "Bear's Loose Tooth" by Karma Wilson. Be checking your inbox for more details.

Thanks for entering everyone else! Hopefully I'll have another family-friendly giveaway soon.
________
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{Guest Post}Karma Wilson talks about multi-tasking

2011-10-04T07:25:00.005-05:00

Today is the last day to enter for a chance to win "Bear's Loose Tooth" by Karma Wilson. All you have to do is answer the prompt on the giveaway post and you'll be entered to win. And, you know, somebody's gotta win ...

Until then, how about some writing-while-mothering wisdom from Karma herself? The mother of three kids, Karma published her first book -- "Bear Snores On" -- in 2002. Since then, she has published more than 30 children's books. You can read more about her here.

Welcome, Karma. Thanks for sharing some insights to those of us with stories waiting to be told.

Deadline and kids, are the two mutually exclusive? When my children were little, it seemed to me that they weren't. Writing with small children running amok felt impossible, and I missed more than one deadline. However, I managed to get a system down that worked for me. Here are a few tips:

1. Adapt to YOUR environment.

I read a lot of advice telling me to find a secluded, quiet place to write--EVERY day. Usually as I read these helpful tips I had a toddler at my feet demanding food, a baby on my lap demanding boob, and a list of "to-dos" that I should have been reading instead of writing tips. We were poor, so hiring a nanny or building a secluded dream office was out of the question. I just needed to write.

I quickly learned to have food at the desk to hand to children. I also learned how to breast feed and type at the same time and ignore to-do lists during any firestorm of inspiration. And as a survival skill I became adept at tuning out background noise and zeroing in on the manuscript I was working on.

To keep the kids involved I would stop every few minutes and read what I'd written to them to gauge their response. This served the two fold purpose of letting me know if I was writing boring drivel that kids would hate, and showing my children that writing is a process requiring rewriting and hard work to get perfect.

This approach won't work for everybody, but if you are anything like I was you may have no other options. So learn to adapt, because writing, like so many professions, is survival of the fittest.

2. Force yourself to take breaks.

Once you get the first tip down it's very easy to get so engrossed in writing your masterpiece that you FORGET you have children! Then suddenly you hear a blood-curdling scream and realize that you have zoned out while your child climbed on the roof. Not fun or desirable, and certainly a damper on further creativity. This is why it's important to time yourself take some breaks to give the kids undivided attention.

You also need to take breaks for your own creativity to reset, and to keep from getting repetitive stress injury. Writing may seem like mostly mental work, but sitting hunched over a desk all day pecking away at a computer can lead to physical problems like back injuries or repetitive stress syndrome. Back in the day I had to set a timer, but these days there is nifty software made specifically to help you take timed breaks--Skirocco Take a Break is a good, free program that will give popup alerts when it's break time.

3. Beat them out of bed.

Sometimes a little quiet is the ONLY way you will get something accomplished. These are the times you need to try and get to bed early enough that you can beat the rugrats out of bed by a couple of hours.

For me, it was the research and networking more than the writing that required solitude. If I needed to search something up, or take part in an online discussion about getting published, I had a very hard time focusing with Sesame Street music in the background. So I made it habit to get up very early, rev myself up with double strength coffee, and sit in the quiet of the morning to get some critiques done or research the market.

Some people find they would rather stay up after the kids went to bed. That is also an option. Just make sure you get enough sleep to actually keep your brain functional, or writing progress could slow.

4. Write ANYWHERE!

I have written books camping, sitting in restaurants, driving down the road. I have scribbled phrases on ketchup-stained McDonald's napkins and old doctor bills. There is never, EVER a time that writing is off limits. But be sure to keep a tablet and writing utensil on or near you at all times, because sadly I've also written a lot of great books, poems and stories "on the go" and forgotten them because I didn't take the time to write them down. I have a nagging suspicion I forgot a best-selling, timeless classic somewhere along the way, and it's now gone forever, floating in the creative black hole.

Is writing with kids a challenge? Yes. Is it worth it? Also yes. But breastfeeding while typing isn't a skill for the faint of heart.

What about you? How do you balance what's important {writing, working, or anything else ...} with what's ultimately important {raising your kids}? Now, back to filling my son's cup and answering my daughter's questions ...
________
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Bear's Loose Tooth {A Giveaway}

2011-09-23T16:25:00.007-05:00

Eating. Seeing. Reading.

Those are pretty much my favorite things about vacation. And I'm going on vacation. Tomorrow. To Maine. Then Boston. I will tell you about what I eat, see and read when I get back, I promise.

But until then, I have something for you. Well, one of you.

"Bear's Loose Tooth" is Karma Wilson's newest installment of the adorable, rhythmic Bear books. My dear friend Sarah introduced me to Bear and his friends. Cate -- my 4-year-old who loves books -- is loving Bear these days.

So you can imagine I was excited when I saw on Facebook that Karma Wilson offered to giveaway "Bear's Loose Tooth" to interested bloggers. She included a signed paperback copy for Cate and a hardback copy for one of you.

My favorite lines I've read in any of Karma's books comes from "Bear Feels Scared" ...

With a flap and a flurry
all the friends gather near.
They give him bear hugs--
and they calm his bear fears.

And then there's these sweet words from "Bear Feels Sick" ...

Mouse squeezes Bear tight.
He whispers in his ear,
"It'll be just fine.
Your friends are all here."

Entering this giveaway is simple. In the comments below, tell me what your favorite book by Karma Wilson is. If you haven't read her stuff, what other children's books and authors do you love? Please include your email address unless you have no doubts it resides in my email contacts.

For additional entries, you can ...

Follow me on Twitter. And tell me in the comments below you did.
Subscribe to this blog. There's an email sign up in the right sidebar. And tell me below you did.
Tweet about this giveaway. You can do so daily. And, yes, post the link to your tweets below.
Blog about this giveaway. And, I know you know, but tell me below with your link.

And then when I get back from vacation, I'll randomly choose a winner. You have until Wednesday, Oct. 5 to enter. Until then, happy reading.
________
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Meet my insulin pump ...

2011-09-21T14:45:00.009-05:00

I started wearing an insulin pump on Monday evening. It's like a mechanical pancreas that is connected to me most all of the time. Yes, having it attached to me constantly was my biggest hesitation, but less than 48 hours in I'm already seeing why people love this way of managing diabetes.

Diagnosed as a Type 1 Diabetic more than seven years ago, I have had far more good days than bad days. But it's a chronic condition with so many variable to attempt to balance. And, honestly, this summer was rough. I had lots of unexplained ups and downs. I adjusted insulin doses {with the help of my doctor} and started trying harder to pinpoint problems.

As I learned more about insulin and my body, I decided Lantus, a long-acting insulin that is suppose to maintain blood sugar levels throughout a 24-hour period, was giving me trouble because I took a dose every night. Some days that dose was the right amount. Other days it was too much. I'd go low in the morning and then have my blood sugar spike up in the afternoon.

My doctor encouraged me to think about changing to pump therapy, which uses just fast-acting insulin, like what I've been taking at meal times. Small doses of Humalog are injected throughout the day. The pump allows for various settings that can be tweaked should I require different amounts of insulin in the mornings and afternoons. Before I could only inject full units at time, but the pump can inject fractions of a unit to be more precise.

The pump remembers my carb-to-insulin ratio so when I enter the number of carbohydrates I'm eating it can calculate how much insulin I need. My glucose monitor communicates my blood sugar readings to the pump, which knows the range I'd like to have my blood sugar. Should I need more insulin to bring a high down or less insulin to keep it from going lower, the pump calculates that along with what I need to cover the carbs I'm eating. It's just math, but it's nice to have the equations figured out and information stored on my mechanical pancreas in my jeans pocket.

It's going to be a good friend, I can tell. Perhaps I should give her a name.

It attaches to my abdomen like this. There are different infusion sets, but I chose the Sure-T set for a couple reasons. Unlike the others that use a plastic cannula to deliver insulin, mine uses a small steel needle. It also that extra loop of tubing that I thought would help if the small hands in my life pulled on the tubing. It tugs on the adhesive that doesn't include the needle {left side in picture} rather than pulling directly on the needle site {right side in picture}. And it doesn't require anything extra to inject it, like the other one I was thinking about. I figured the less I had to haul around, the better for the weight of my purse with diapers, wipes, my wallet, sippy cups, snacks, glucose monitor ... and whatever else makes it in for a trip to the grocery store, a weekend away, or a play date with a friend. I guess the one drawback is because it's a needle, I have to change it ever two days, rather than every three days like the other sets.

I can disconnect from the pump for short periods of time to shower or swim. When I do, this is what is left ...

It's waterproof and I don't really even feel it. When I'm ready to resume, I reattach the pump to the part on the left of the above picture. And go on about my life. Diabetes is always going to be part of my life, but I don't want it to define my moods or steal my joy.

So welcome to my life, Izzy the Insulin Pump. I hope you're everything I want you to be.
________
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{Football. Family. Fall.}

2011-09-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

The above picture captures so many good things.

First, look at all those sweet faces. Seven of them. That's my kids and their five first cousins on the Taylor side. And they're all decked out in blue and gold, which must mean one thing ... Yep, game day. The weather finally cooled down and we were ready for some Murray State football.

And we saw some football Saturday evening, that's for sure. But, first, a couple more pre-game shots of us and our Racer pride ...

And, now, back to the football that was played on a gorgeous night that finally felt like fall. Murray State beat Tennessee State 58-27. Racer quarterback Casey Brockman passed for 600 yards, including seven touchdowns. And then he went on to catch a TD pass on a fabulous trick play.

The stats are impressive, indeed. But my favorite thing was watching the energy on the sideline. Every time a defensive player had a convincing hit or with every first down, the players lining the field erupted with cheers, high fives and dance moves. I saw more than one coach jump into the air more than once because of excitement.

It was a good night to be a Racer fan.

And there were plenty of opportunities -- eight! -- to see Racer One, who really is an old grey mare, circle the field. Murray State has an awesome tradition of having a horse -- you know, a Racer! -- run around the track when a touchdown is scored. Racer One ran 2 miles last night! Hope the horse has trained well because I get the feeling he'll be running quite a bit more this season.
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He reigns

2011-09-18T14:22:00.005-05:00

I was cranky this morning thinking about my week while I was getting ready for church. Mostly, I was thinking about how my husband is going to be gone overnight one night. Really, I don't think I'll ever like going to bed without him home. I'm also going to start using an insulin pump. I'm really excited and I have high hopes that it's going to help my diabetes management. But some nervousness set in because I have a love-hate relationship with change.

And then I said it out loud to my husband: "I am sorry I was cranky because I was anticipating the busyness and you being gone one night. I know I have a bad habit of stressing about things that haven't even happened yet. I'm done doing that for now."

So I gave my week up to Somebody who really knows what he's doing. And not long after I was encouraged with every single song we sang at church. He reminds me time and time again that he's in the details.

It's all God's children singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns ...

He reigns over my days and over my plans and over my emotions. And I know the peace that passes all understanding when I let him be King.

I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender ...
Savior
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save ...

He conquered the grave. And he conquers every insecurity and worry that crosses my mind. He is mighty to save. Yes, he's preparing a place for me in heaven, but he's also saving me over and over again as I live my life here. He saves me from a permanent state of crankiness and disappointment and worry.

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God, Our God ...

He's greater than my concerns that busyness is encroaching our time as a family. He's greater than my to-do list and responsibilities. He's greater than me and all the times I don't handle things as well I wish I did.

Thankfully, my heart and head are full right now of thoughts of how our God is greater and mighty to save. And, yes, he reigns. Even when I feel crankiness coming, he's reigning and waiting for me to give it all to him, again.
________
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I believe in community.

2011-09-16T16:32:00.003-05:00

Sharing our lives is powerful. And I mean really sharing. Like not mopping the kitchen floor before your friends and their kids come over for dinner. Like telling them you really don't feel well when you don't. Like asking for help when you're overwhelmed. Like ignoring to pile of dishes in the sink to sit down talk with someone you love.

Community is about letting people in. It's about knowing you're not alone. But sometimes that's means having hard conversations. Often it means sharing meals, planning playdates and just being near. I think about the meals people brought me after each of our adoptions and the way people cared for us physically and emotionally after my father-in-law died unexpectedly and I know the power of community.

And I believe technology can help foster community.

Having phone conversations when, like me, my closest friends have small children in their homes, and probably at their feet, is hard. Texting and emailing to schedule times together often works because we can go about our lives -- getting preschoolers ready for the day, packing lunches, filling sippy cups, changing diapers, washing clothes, doing dishes, reading books, playing Memory, sweeping up crumbs from breakfast -- and make plans and check on each other while doing so.

Facebook makes the world smaller. And it makes community come together as moms encourage each other, ask for advice and warn of trials that could come. It's a place we can share wisdom we've read and songs we've heard and then plan parties for our families.

But just because we text and email and Facebook doesn't mean we shouldn't hang out. Being intentional about meeting at the park or the restaurant with the ball pit is also important to living in community. While the kids run together, us mommas can talk and bond, even if it's interrupted. And it will be interrupted. But 'tis the season for us to multi-task to take care of everyone near us.

And in community these same people take care of me.
________
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Becoming a momma

2011-09-14T08:12:00.005-05:00

Four years ago was my last day as a news reporter at the Murray Ledger & Times. I had been hesitant to dive into community journalism four years before that when Greg and I moved back to Murray, but it's the only job I could find. Turns out, I loved it. I love small-town journalism. I loved the challenge of working where I planned on living for a long time. And I still believe communicating what's happening in government, at the university, in community organizations and among families who call this town home is important.

But I traded that in to be a full-time momma. And, honestly, this motherhood job is much harder. I was trained to be a journalist; I'm called to a momma, and I'm still figuring it out. Before Cate was born, I assumed I'd keep working, balancing my professional and family lives. I went back to work when she was six weeks old, but I quickly learned this baby girl changed me. And was going to change me. And I didn't want to miss it.

I was nervous about giving up a paycheck when my husband had only been out on his own for a year as an attorney also managing a real investment company. I had to figure out how to get health insurance because there was no way we could pay for insulin and other diabetes supplies without it. And I had to trust my heart in a world that encourages women to work simply because they can.

I gave a month's notice, but Cate was four months and eight days old, I finished my last day as a news reporter in this town I've grown to love. And I haven't regretted it once.

{Here's my farewell column, if you'd like to read it.}

I don't get a paycheck to tell stories anymore, but I still have plenty of stories to tell. And I haven't stopped writing. It's for you guys here. And it's therapeutic for me. Plus it addresses my fear that I won't remember the details of this season of life.

I spend the majority of my time tending to my now 4-year-old Cate and 21-month-old Ben, who rocked my world in ways Cate didn't but fits perfectly in our family. I like to eat dinner at home and spend evenings with my family, but I've gotten a chance to tell some stories for other people along the way. I've helped Ken Winters with his re-election campaign because I believe in what he has to say and how he treats people. And I've written some press releases for the local Republican party.

Then more recently I prayed that God would give me some ways to use my communication and organization skills in ways that help families. And not long after I saw that Randall Goodgame had some open dates for Slugs & Bugs Live. I left a comment on his blog that Murray, Ky., would be a good place to bring the children's concert. He emailed me and one email led to the next and I found myself planning a communitywide concert, sponsored by my church. And an hour after it was over, I realized I want to do it again.

I'm also in the midst of helping with the inaugural Marketplace 29 A.D. -- a Bible school-type activity that is going to be take place during the local schools' Fall Break and give kids a chance to learn about Jewish culture and Jesus' heritage in an alley that is going to look and sound like a first-century marketplace. So far, at least 17 churches are involved. I became involved because the organizer Jan Seargent called and asked if I could help with publicity. In the weeks since, Jan and I have become friends and I've gotten to witness some of the awesome things about community.

Yep, I'm a stay-at-home momma. But I don't just sit at home and change diapers. Yes, I change plenty of diapers and fill countless sippy cups. On the days with the dirty laundry piles are high, dishes are filling the sink, piles of preschool papers clutter the kitchen counter and my all-boy boy is getting into something else, I can get frustrated and lose sight of what's important.

Motherhood is hard. This is harder than any of the 88 city council meetings or two murder trials I covered. This is more challenging than asking U.S. senators and university presidents questions about controversies.

But motherhood is rewarding. It's more thrilling to listen to my son learn to tell stories in broken, incomplete stories than it was to write a breaking news story. It's more precious to hear my daughter talk about Jesus than to hear about our public hospital's budget. And my job here is far from over. My kids are little. They have a lot of growing up to do. And I'll get to have a front row seat that doesn't require any media credential.
________
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All boy, my boy

2011-09-12T13:46:00.003-05:00

Ben has no idea he's small. He has no idea he's not quite 22 months old or that he's not towering off the growth charts. He's fast and loud and stubborn and quick to try anything. He's always moving and discovering and moving some more. And he wants to do what big kids do because he has no fear.

Yep, he's all boy. Even when he colors in a My Little Pony book.

And he likes being a big boy, leaving his momma to wonder what's next.
________
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God made slugs and bugs ... and me!

2011-09-11T16:33:00.009-05:00

God made slugs and bugs and rats and bats
And nasty bees who won't say please,
They sting your elbows and your knees if you chase them. ...

God made me,
Like He made the sea,
And filled it up with green and blue.
He sent His Son,
His only One,
To fill me up and make me new.

God made everything that was or is
Or will be, what a crazy biz!
I can't believe that I am his forever!

Now I listen very carefully,
Because He lives inside of me.
That could be gross, but it's not 'cause
it's Jesus Christ, My Lord and Savior!

-- "God Made Me" from Slugs & Bugs & Lullabies
By Randall Goodgame and Andrew Peterson

"Slugs & Bugs & Lullabies" has been our favorite kids' CD for a couple years now, although Cate called it "Stop" for a long time because that's the first track. Even Ben, at 21 months, is into the songs now, especially "Bears" and "Tractor, Tractor." And Greg walks around the house singing different lyrics from time to time.

I liked the CD so much I bought several copies and we gave them to our friends' kids for their birthdays one year. And I shared an extra copy in a blog giveaway. So when the opportunity to host Slugs & Bugs Live came my way, I was really excited.

And, thankfully, other people showed up for the show yesterday ...

I don't know why I ever doubt God being in the details. I made 99 goody bags {I was going for 100, but I miscounted somewhere along the line ...} to pass out to kids after the concert. Cate, in typical 4-year-old fashion, was eager for her bag after helping me stuff them and seeing them sitting in a box at home for a few days. I told her she couldn't have one until all the other kids got one. And guess what ... she got the very last goody bag yesterday. I had exactly the number of goody bags that I needed.

The entire day was really like that, really.

Randall Goodgame and I talked on the phone and exchanged some emails while planning the concert, but I didn't really know him. Yet he was warm and welcoming {Can you welcome someone else when you're the one visiting?} and he put on a show that my daughter loved. And the other kids seemed to too. Is it crazy I want to do it all again some day?

Just watch this video and you'll sense the joy.

Did you see Cate work to get her friend Achazia's attention? Did you see cute Addie get closer and closer to Randall and then her mom Jenn slip in and encourage her back toward the group? And how cute are all those kids trying to do the motions to the song? I guess you noticed Ben really wanted to be up there with them!

And here's another favorite of ours, even Ben, who is all about making bear {and many other animals} sounds. Grrrr ... "Bears, bears, they got no cares. Bears don't drink from a cup ..."

I left the theater yesterday feeling thankful that I have a community of people around me {and many of them were there yesterday!} who value family and want to teach our kids about Jesus. I'm thankful for our college friend Ryan and his friend Bryce who took care of the audio/video responsibilities. I'm thankful our church elders agreed to do something new by sponsoring the free concert for my family and so many other families in our community. And I'm thankful other people thought Slugs & Bugs Live was a fun time.
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