My Hero

Today I was pulling out of the parking lot of a Mommy/Me store- basically a boutique that specializes in breast feeding pumps/equipment and natural baby products; and I saw a car pull up. The license plate was a veterans plate and I watched a grandfather step out of the car and into the Mommy boutique. I'm pretty sure he was there to visit the lovely grandmother that serviced me from behind the cash register. It was pretty stinking cute to see grandpa walk into the Mommy boutique store. But in that moment, my own father flashed into my turtle brain. You see, my father is a Vietnam Veteran and I can totally see him going inside this store to visit my mom or pick up any gadget that I might send him to retrieve.

I realized how incredibly fortunate I was to call John Koprowski my father. Let me tell you a little bit about him and what makes him an almost extinct sort of gentelman in this culture. First of all, he served in Vietnam and still today, serves with the VVA convention. He fights for the rights of soldiers and their families. I respect any man that puts his life to the side to protect our country. Secondly, he serves my mom. Even though he is 75 years old and comes from a pretty old-fashioned and traditional upbringing- he doesn't follow suit to the old school rules. You know, the men who 'don't do dishes, don't do diapers, and don't do tampon runs to the store.' Nope, that's not John. He washes dishes, he changes diapers, and he'd gladly go purchase whatever I asked him to buy at the store. Even today, he serves mom and travels with her, as she chases her dreams with sewing and arts/crafts. He even learned to sew after they married so that he could assist her in  her private business. This is a hard core Marine -Master Sergent- that we are talking about people! And yet he's one  of the most gentle persons I've encountered in life. Thirdly, he is not my biological father. The man had a choice! He met my mom when I was a bratty 5th grader with huge attitude. I had no room for 'another father' and yet he stole my heart. Many mornings before high school, he'd sneak up to me, hand me a 20$ bill and say "don't tell mom- use this for some fun food at lunch". Fourthly, he is a man that will unashamedly cry. Seeing a man of this stature cry will bring any hard nosed toughy pants to their knees. He's got a sensitive center and will weep when necessary. Last characteristic that separates him from most men in this culture- he loves his family more than himself. Most men will say that they love their family more than their own self but where do they spend their time and money? My father spends him time with mom and money on his family.

I've met alot of great fathers out there. But I'm usually put off by their limitations that they put on their family. They're awful busy with their own hobbies and treat their wives like crap! Sorry, but the sign of a true gentleman is watching how he treats his bride. Does he speak with gentleness to her? Does he travel to places she wants to visit? Does he celebrate her often without it having to be her bday or some special occasion? Does he allow her to share her opinion without demoralizing her? Does he put her feelings first? Is he truly her best friend? My parents are the best of friends. They are not perfect people and haven't always gotten the whole 'parenting' thing down well but I will always admire their relationship with one another. I'm blessed cause I married a man that has a heart like my dad. He serves me too! I love my dad and my husband. I hope our sons inherit this great Koprowski/Alexander  heritage!

Active Can Be Good!

It's official, school has begun and 3 Alexanders are out there in the world blazing their own trails and I'm at home preparing the 4th little one to blaze his own trail one day.  Instead of beginning Kindergarten, our little 5 year old soul of highspeed energy is completing 1 more year of quasi play/learn mode. Next year it get's serious! Watching Lincoln stand in line yesterday as I waited anxiously to sign him out and head home, I was reminded how definitely special and energetic our 3rd child is. He was just born that way- I swear to it! There he stood, or wiggled, with his navy blue leisure suit blazer, Cars Movie back pack and crazy long, messy hair. He kept turning around and tickling the boy behind  him. The preschool assistant, standing at the top of the line with hand on hip, eyebrows raised, and foot tapping.

I was torn inside. He was gently reminded by his teacher to stand in line, like everyone else. To be quiet, like everyone else. To hold a bubble in his mouth, like everyone else. To be like everyone else.....to conform. Yes, there is a part of every mom that wants her child to be 'good'........ like everyone else and obey the rules. But, then there is me......totally rogue! I say, be yourself, a little different.......and yet still respect your authority. But seriously, who wants to put an imaginary bubble in one's mouth?! I don't. I want to blow bubbles that pop and land everywhere. I want to shout at the top of my lungs......."Let's Play!" Being quiet, being boring, being in line, being present and not seen...........ehhhh!

It really made me think. I wasn't focused necessarily on Lincoln wiggling in line but about his future ahead of him......his huge personality.......the boy that God is going to grow into a man one day. What do I want from him? I want him to be Lincoln- the boisterous, joyful, courageous, and creative kid that hugs everyone before he leaves school, kisses his teacher's hands and repeats the silly parts of whatever story he heard that day.........Like "miss me, miss me, now you gotta kiss me". He chanted this outloud as we left preschool. I chanted with him......why not!?

I used to teach and loved having all the super 'active' boys in my class. Then I gave birth to one......and I wasn't so sure how I felt about 'active' boys. Other parents would come up to me when he was  a toddler and say things like "wow, he sure is a busy boy! You poor thing!" They had the tone of dread and the expression of  "so glad he's yours and not mine". I finally stopped being embarrassed and I stopped trying to stifle his beautiful personality. He wasn't yelling at me in public or demanding  his way. He was yelling with excitement over the amazing dessert he had for lunch or demanding that we play hide and seek one more time so he could find me. I can handle these things.

If you have a super 'active' child......try and embrace the joy that bubbles below and above the surface. When they are asleep, go in and stare at their beautiful faces........while you can. Linc is too busy during the daytime for me to do this. Look around their room and see the star wars guys they left standing in battle with Iron Man and Buzz Lightyear. Look at the pile of stuffed animals that surround your little man or woman. I am constantly reminded of how much I love being a mom and how much I love my busy kids. Linc keeps me on my toes and brings pure delight to my old soul. I love him.

Celebrate

 Birthdays are sorta a 'big deal' in our home! You see, we have 4 kids and they are always competing and nudging for individual attention. We do our best to give each child some unique and special one/on/one time but it can be challenging. So, we really hoop and hollar it up on their birthday. I was stricken to write this post cause my 9 year old daughter said something to me today that really yanked at my heart. She was upset while her sister played attentively with a friend who over to play. I pulled her aside to chat and with tears running hot down her cheek, she said "Mom, I just feel like I don't exist, like I"m not even here." I thought I might break down into tears too! Nothing wrong had been done but that was exactly how she felt as her sister doted over someone other than her. I was able to convince here that watching  a movie in the loft and eating chips was just as fun.

But she coined a phrase that I think rings through many hearts, especially the hearts of women. She said "I feel like I don't exist". Celebrating my kids' birthdays this year also reminded me of all the lonely people out there that are waiting to be celebrated too. Look around as you grocery shop, sit by the public pool, take an exercise class, and yes, while sitting in church. Look for those people who feel completely ignored at the moment and feel  invisible. Often when I pray for God to show me these people, He always sends them my way. But you have to be willing to stop for a moment and talk to a stranger or an aquaintance that you have overlooked for years.

I hope that as I celebrate my kids' bdays each year, I also model to them the opportunity to celebrate other people in the world. I love my kids and I love people. I only have this compassion for people because God put it in my heart. I hope my children inherit this compassion to celebrate others too.

Baby Wyatt Grant Alexander Is Here!

Number 4 has arrived! There really aren't words enough to express the joy of birth. Birth really is a mystery and miracle all wrapped up in one sweet package. This time was different. This time we had 3 kids waiting to meet baby Wyatt. In the past, the kids have been too young to really captivate the full excitement of welcoming a new baby into the home. Paul brought the crew up as soon as he could to meet baby Wyatt. I really think they would have stayed all night, if possible. They just kept passing him back and forth and fighting over who could hold him next. Mia looked over and asked if she could stay with us that night. I think the kids missed us and were also thrilled about their new baby brother. It's amazing how gigantic our kids seemed sitting next to such a miniature bundle. What a serene moment. I had no idea how much our older kids would bond and connect right away with baby Wyatt. On our second night back, Wyatt and I hung out in the bunk bed swith the girls at bedtime. Kennedy looked over at me with a worried expression and said she hoped nothing ever happened to baby Wyatt. She was already practicing being a mom.......she was worrying about how she would protect the new life in our home. She has already adopted him as her own.

My Little 5 Year Old Man

My baby is no longer a baby. He's my Little Man! He just knows how to win my heart too. Just when I'm about to scold him for getting up out of bed for the 10th time he looks up at me and says "I need my nose kisses, mom." Now, how do you get upset about that. When we came back from the hospital with our 4th bundle, I made sure to snuggle my Lincoln that night before bed. He grabbed me and wrapped both arms around my neck and told me how he missed me and that he loved me. I love this cutie pie! He keeps our house rolling with laughter and noise. It's uncommon to walk into a 'quiet' Alexander home and quite frankly, I like that! The noises that come out of Lincoln's room are always the best though. Iron Man is crashing into Hulk and Linc is imitating their voices with the low and high tones. The car noises and the crashes against the wall remind me that he's still young and hasn't turned into a teenager yet! Thank God! So thankful that I have girls and boys in my home! Right before he was born a shower was thrown for me, in his honor, and guests wrote advice on cards for me. I was inexperienced boys and this was my favorite advice...."Boys seem to naturally love bombing and blowing up things. My best advice is to just pray a lot!" and.....the they were right!!!

Nine Already!

Kennedy's 9th birthday was a stark reality.......she's GROWING UP!

Just looking at this picture causes me to gasp and sit stuck in a moment of time. Where did 9 years of her life go? If I'm being completely honest it makes me want to scream at 'time' and bribe it to stop immediately and wait on me. Of course, I'd never be ready for time to move forward. Right now she is perfect! She is under my roof, safe, not driving, not dating, not heart broken, and just young and innocent. Remember when you were 9? I do! I used to climb my favorite tree with my walk-man (if you don't know what that is.....you're still young and innocent too!) and I'd sit up at the top listening to my Wham - Michale George tape cassette over and over. I loved Garfield, rainbows, barbies, and Punky Brewster. Life was good! As you can see, she likes Harry Potter. She received an ishuffle for her music and doll house furniture.

I love her independent and confident spirit. She really takes life by the horns and sometimes tries to take her parents by the horns! She will mostly likely do great things with her strong and gifted spirit. We pray continuously for our daughter, who's name means Chief Helmet! I know she will lead people to great things one day...maybe she will lead a movement!

Those Who Have Crossed Over........40

When I was in my 20’s I started longing  to be in my 40s? It wasn’t that I didn't  have any fun. I was having the time of my life: married, no kids, double income, busy in ministry, traveling the world to help other people. I loved my life. But something seemed to be missing as I soaked up the words of my 40 year old friends. First of all, the fact that a 40 year old (mature) woman would spend more than 5 minutes in conversation with me…..is  total miracle! Why? because as a 20 something year old, I was a “know it all” who viewed life thru the eyes of today with no care for the future. Voting was optional, kids were definite and I was gonna be a definite good mom. I was always right, you were wrong.

As you well know, not every 40 year old woman embodies these traits below. Goodness, I know women in their 60s that still don't have their heads on right. Then again, I've met women in their 20s and 30s who peeked early in life.....boo on them! :) These are merely my young observations...not facts! So what was it that I saw in those 40 year old women that caused me to temporarily wish away my 20s? I noticed a few things about them.

           

1. They don’t care what others think. It isn’t that they are unmindful

of othes' opinions; they are just not allowing those opinions to clout or leverage their fashion, values, or physical shape! They are untainted by the insignificant values that pour out of culture of today.

            2. They are resolute moms with a passionate purpose in life. They don’t seem

            to be mindlessly wandering through the forest of morals/values. Their minds are made up on what

            is best for their kids.

            3. They know what they want to be as a grown up! They are actively pursuing

            their dreams, hobbies, and job of choice. It is never too late to start back to

            School or start training for a marathon. Why not?

            4. Dating their hubby is a deep conviction that they wouldn’t sell. Date nights

            are precious, common, and most of all fun. Because they actually live with their man

            and choose not to merely co-exist, they respect their best friend. They choose not to 

            degrade him in public or private. They protect him at all costs and boasts of his strengths.

            5. They are at peace with their feminine shape. They have gracefully accepted the

            battle scars, stretch marks, and any other mommy ‘medals’ that come along with

            age and parenthood. That doesn’t mean they embrace the idea of letting the body die to waste and

            junk food. It just means they don’t fret over the scars, wrinkles, and shapes that

            they cannot control or change. Fix what they can, welcome the rest.

            6. They stop taking theirselves so seriously and instead take life a little more

            seriously. Voting is important, recycling is a good habit, and visiting all

            the food groups, not just the breads and desserts, becomes a healthy life style.

            Diets don’t exist, just healthy eating plans.

            7. The need to be heard and liked by everyone at the party becomes obsolete.

            They are the ones at parties that have conjured up a small group of other

            women and are just enjoying the conversation of a few instead of the eyes of

            many! Listening is more important than speaking.

            8. Topic of conversation seems to be less about decorating, new toys, and

            fashion and more about the future of  family, our country, and compassion

            for other people.

            9. They are open to others' opinions and are not always bent on being right. They are willing to

            hear what others say before expressing theirselves, and at times holding back

            and wisely choosing their words.

10. They see the big picture in life! Life isn’t about her but Him and understanding how He uses her to serve everyone else. Life is bigger than her.  She is only a part of this temporal time on earth. Bottom line- she gives everything over to God. 

Now, I still have 3 more years to go before I cross over and thank goodness! I could barely cross out 2 of those traits listed above. So there is hope; I have 3 more years to grow! But I am enjoying today and looking forward to tomorrow. No looking backwards.........that causes serious tripping and knocking into things like pride, self-pity and other ugly traits. 

I have been graciously blessed by many seasoned women who have entered life ahead of me with elegance, wisdom, and a spirit of humility. They continue to leave deep impressions on my soul with their gentle guiding and leading. Thank you Lori, Janie, Sheryl, Robin, Maryanne, Lisa, Julie, Barbara, Marcia and Amy, Kineka, Helen, and Mom. If their names don't give away their generation, then what does! I love it! I was inspired to write this as my friends Julie and Diana approach a new decade in the next few weeks. They are amazingly beautiful women who have greatly inspired me :)

And yes........that is me when I was in third grade with my BFF. Here I am many decades later with a daughter the same age as I was in that picture. Life really does fly!

Making Money Matter

Christmas is around the corner and lots of talk of gifts, charity, and cookies in our house right now. Every year we always help out another family in need. It's been fun to watch and encourage our girls to buy for someone else during a season in which the focus is on them (kids in general). We have been trying to shift the focus more and more each year. Even though we have always given only 3 gifts under the tree, it still seems to steal away the real reason of the celebration. In our home, we celebrate this time of year due to the birth of Christ. We not only focus on the birth of Christ but how fortunate we are this time of year and how desperate the rest of the world is. Talking about kids in other countries isn't just a one time thing in our home. We are always finding ways to talk about the less fortunate and opportunities to help others in America, Africa, Asia, or anywhere for that matter!

Since we usually do Operation Christmas Child with World Vision, we also received a magazine about different ways to help provide for kids in other countries. This year the magazine made a huge impact with my 2 girls. They stared, flipped, and gasped as they contemplated the possibilities of purchasing cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, and fruit trees for other families. So, we decided to start saving now for next December. The girls decided they wanted to purchase a dairy cow, since it wouldn't be 'killed' and the other animals would be eaten and it made them sad. They are still grasping that concept! LOL... So, they give part of their allowance each week to 'giving' (church) and this year it will go to the 'Cow fund'. I'm excited!

This is a tough concept to teach in a country that wants for nothing and has more than needed. I speak mostly of our family. We are spoiled beyond measure and blessed. Because there is nothing wrong with blessings and wealth, we have decided to share what God has given to us. It may not seem like much at times but it's what we can do. Will our kids still receive gifts? Of course!! We've just tried to scale down and possibly move past the 'large' gifts and stick to simple needs/wants so that more time/money can be given to others.

Instead of focusing on being thankful in November we are gonna try something new this year. We are gonna use the advent calendar to focus on what we are thankful for in our family each day in December. It is only natural to be focusing on the many Christmas parties, cookies, and gifts for our family and what we want to do and buy this month for us. Being thankful for  the blessings given to us by God and the biggest blessing of all, His birth, can really change our view. It would be so cool to one day prepare enough in advance so that we gave something away each day in December. This year we will give away of our time, words, and Alexander 'treasures'. It's a start. My guess is that our kids will either be amazing givers one day and turn into selfless people or end up in years of counseling cause their parents deprived them of the traditional Christmas Treasures! LOL

Christmas is my favorite time of the year! I bake, decorate, and always, always, always buy a real tree the day after Thanksgiving. So yes, we do participate in the spirit and culture of Christmas in the USA as much as the next person. It's just that we are hoping to keep the focus on Him and not us. :) 

Look for the Real Treasure

Yesterday while at Mia's soccer game, a stranger tapped me on the shoulder and asked "is that your son?" as she pointed to my crazy Linc. I wondered if I should admit to mothering such an energetic ball and then I answered with confidence "yes!". She informed me that he was licking the dirty trash can. Oh, good to know, I thought. His defense was "I didn't lick it mom!I was about to though." I choose not to be embarrassed. Oh well. These moments happen to all of us all of the time! It's just that some of us are confident or stupid enough to admit it. Or how about the time our entire family went to the OB-GYN to hear a heartbeat of baby 4 and my daughter/son went into the restroom and dumped out the fresh urine sample that some poor woman had just squeezed out? She now had to do it again. Most kids ignore the little door in the wall of the restroom but not mine. They are curious and thought the little cup of urine needed to be touched and dumped. ewwww. Or the time my middle daughter pushed out an enormous amount of air from her bottom while in the yogurt  shop and then belted out laughing as other moms stared in amazement at the volume of sound that came out of her little body. Maybe they were just disgusted.........I"m not sure but oh well. Growing up in a lower class neighborhood, I used to hear kids say "hells bells" in place of "oh well". In these moments I feel like yelling out "Hells Bells" to everyone staring at me!

I used to get caught up in these moments but I've learned to focus on the proud moments. For example, when my daughter attends a city-wide Girl Scout function and volunteers, along with her friend, to push a stranger around in a wheel chair (peer) cause no one else wants to be bothered with the inconvenience. My daughter was a hero in my eyes that day. Or the time my daughter told me about how much she loves the little special needs boy that she works with every other week and referred to him as her friend and not a 'special needs child'. I'm the goofball that calls him 'special needs'. She just sees him as a friend. She is my hero. Or the time my son told a friend of mine that her meal was the best meal he had ever eaten! It made her day and he didn't complain about the the things he didn't like but focused on the parts he enjoyed. He was my hero that day.

It's nice that my kids excel in sports and make all As in school but those are not the moments that melt my heart. I"m looking for character traits: compassion, integrity, responsibility, servant hood and so forth. I love to see my kids give away their treasures to other peers when they are visiting our home. I am also reminded daily that it is a miracle when my kids do these things. I can take little to no credit for such wondrous things.I am a parent full of flaws and daily ailments. God is good to come in and shape the hearts of my kids. All I can do is daily seek Him and beg for His Grace as I make many mistakes. I can also listen to Him each day and continue to grow myself as the kids grow along side of me.

Camping With Friends= Fun!

Camping is one of our favorite things to do. When we talk about camping we are talking about REAL camping..........no campers, no hotels, no cabins. We are talking tents, people!!! Tents, sleeping bags, coleman stoves, camp fires, and no showers! I know I don't have to explain that to our friends in Ohio but out here, in the wild wild west, lots of people consider campers to be camping! hahahhaah.....that's what we call 'fake camping!" LOL

So we loaded up the min-van and followed our friends up the mountain. Instead of walkie-talkies we kept talking on Hey'Tell, which probably drove the men crazy! But, it was entertaining! Our adventure consisted of fishing, Corn Hole, homemade chili, cutting wood, camp fires, hot cocoa, bug hunts, scavenger hunts, and late night snacks. We found Sammy and Lincoln trying to brush their teeth IN THE TENT! The girls found pet rolly-pollies and caterpillars and named all of them. Fishing was a success and Paul cleaned/cooked the fish. Derek set up a rigorous scavenger hunt involving a compass, walky-talky and prizes! Glad Paul took the kids on that one while Jaime and I sat by the camp fire.

What makes these trips fun? Just being out in the woods with family.......doing nothing, keeping no schedules, no T.V., no phone calls, no distractions. Just friends, food, and fun! It was a much needed trip for our family. Even though we packed up at 8:00pm (a day early) due to a hail storm headed our way.............it was worth it.

Underestimated Encouragement

An unexpected reality came knocking on my door today! Isn't that how it usually goes though? It's not like we plan for bad attitudes, cancellations, or sickness. I always assume the best and live in my happy/positive world. But when my plans don't go as hoped for I turn into a grouchy bear that was awakened much to early. I had plans of Paul dropping girls off at school and me dropping Linc at preschool and then racing to the gym to get my first class in of the Fall semester with no kids! I was then going to hit Starbucks for a healthy refresh hot tea and head home to organize my scrapbook closet and listen to Pandora radio......with no kids in the house. Yes, a much needed reprieve from the busy schedule of life. Obviously, that isn't happening. Linc was in my bed before 7:00 with a headache and tummy ache. Kennedy bounced around the kitchen making her breakfast and notifying me as to why the missing child, Mia,  was still in bed and not going to school.........more sickness. Ugh!!!!!!!No this can't happen.....not today!

I regrouped my thoughts and checked my heart. Seriously, no biggie. My kids are sick. They need me and my "mommy day" can wait. Here's the ironic and very shameful thing...........this is the month that I'm supposed to be working on encouragement with our 7 month stretch of 7 fasts etc...........I thought this would be the easiest and most enjoyable month but it has hit me between the eyes like a migraine! Reality is that I STINK at encouragement and have lots of room to grow. Good to know! Truth is......my kids will only be this age today. They will only be exactly like they are now.....just today. Tomorrow, they will grow, change, and one day leave our nest. Everything changes. Nothing stays the same. Life happens. Sickness approaches. Sin destroys. Little bodies grow up. Hearts are changed. Opinions form. Relationships either grow or die. This month I am being reminded of the unremitting attitude that I must choose to keep as I love my kids. I will continue to accrue these enduring moments and learn from them as I grow and changes as a parent.

Big sigh........something I didn't expect to acquire from this month of encoragement.......God is still moving in my heart and reminding me of His undying love for my broken and bruised soul. Only He is able to make something beautiful out of this messy substance. We are ALL broken...........born into it. Yet, not allowing it to be a crutch and taking this opportunity to seize His hand and allow His love to transcend above my expectations, forming me into something pleasing. I am most encouraged and thankful.

The 7 Month Fast! Yes, We Are Crazy!

You must be wondering what on earth does that blog title mean? Well, let me explain. My good friend, Aime, bought me a book for my bday called 7! Yep, it's about a family that took seven months and fasted 7 different things during each month. So, we decided to do the same and simplify our lives. We will focus on eachother, other people in less fortunate situations, and dejunk our lives! Month 1 was in June and we didn't necessarily fast anything but we did spend every day soaking in the New Testament. Paul and read the entire New Testament of the Bible in 30 days. We also spent the evenings reading the bible to our kids. Well, we were successful at reading the entire NT but not as successful at sitting down each night with the kids............so we are learning! My big take-aways from June: I realized how much I hunger for the bible! I didn't want to return to my usual skimpy reading. I want to remain in the bible forever. It's encouraging, resourceful and soul building! One can realize to truly appreciate the feast due to the constant famine that has been already present.  And still, I am baffled how one can return to a famine, having feasted on the Bible. Yes, I am pulling through that now. 

Month 2, July, was our fast from T.V. and most other media. I was more than delighted to let go of facebook! It's weird being in August now and I keep forgetting that I do have a fb account to check. I don't really have that strong desire to check it. Having been media free for 30 days, we became experts at Monopoly, sorry for playing Sorry, adamant readers, and spent more time together snuggling. One would think that our 3 kids would throw a fit due to the July standard but I think I might of heard 1 complaint the entire time. Instead Kennedy read the entire Starcatchers Series about how Peter Pan became Peter Pan, about 1,000 pages worth and then read the entire Emily Whipsnap series. Now she's soaking up Harry Potter, book 2. Mia spent time on the piano, and Lincoln terrorized all of us! LOL. It was music to my ears to have the t.v. off and watch my kids participate more in imaginative play, read more, and snuggle! and NO Wii! Not that we have it on much anyhow, but oh how nice to put the kids to bed at night and just talk with Paul. I would challenge every family to try this one. It's worth it! It builds in more play time for the family and more relational time for spouses in the evening :) 

Month 3, August.........um, that would be now. We chose 7 foods to eat this month. Well, the kids decided they wanted to be apart of this too! So they had to choose 10 foods. Veggies counts as one and fruit counts as another. Paul and I did the same. Basically meat, veggies, fruit, oats, eggs, water, black beans, coconut milk and the kids have chips and fruit snacks added to theirs. No desserts, no bread, no beer, no sugar. We are loving it too. I am tempted to get a Starbucks drink or eat a Pirate Booty Chip but I won't! I'll let you know how we survive. So far......so good! Our motto this month is "lean and clean" .We are also using this month to learn about Kenya, India, and S. Africa. We are going to study what they eat, how they live and what their lives are like in those 3rd world countries. Paul and I have visited those countries and they are dearest to our hearts. 

We have some exciting new information to share with you all soon. God is moving and changing our hearts each day. We can't wait to share what has recently been placed in our hearts and in our lives! No, we are not adopting...........I wish! Maybe one day in the future :)

Memories in the Mountains

Ugh! I haven't blogged in awhile cause I'm trying to set up a new blog on Wordpress and I haven't been able to complete it. So for now, I'll keep using this yucky site! Sooooo...........lot's going on. You just read about our 7 months of fasting and we are now in month 3. Last month we fasted most media and it was amazing. Vacation was last month and we hit it just right! We took off to Pinetop in northern Arizona and spent a week in our dear freind's cabin. At the end of the week we were supposed to meet the Greens at a campground and spend 3 days camping. But the weather would not permit such activity and instead of canceling, we decided to all hang out in the cabin! Having a blast, is an understatement. 5 kids, 4 adults, 2 dogs, hiking, campfires, hail storms, no electricity for a few hours, carry-out Red Devil Pizza, homemade peanut butter cookies...........shall I say more?!!! It was almost sereal to be up in the north with cool weather, tons of wildlife, and great company. The kids played in the leftover hail and weren't phased a bit by the coolness of the storm. I on the other hand, was bundled up in sweatshirts and thick socks but still thankful for the cool relief. My favorite part of the trip was beating Paul at corn-hole, eating Wendy's cookies, and watching all our girls play together. I love that we are rooting down here in AZ and building life-long relationships. :)

Making the Most...........a Real Legacy

Some things are just so difficult to write about and yet one must. Having Paul's dad here this weekend and watching him share his experience as a father up on stage was emotional. David is an amazing man. Having known him for 18 years, I've really been able to peel back the many layers and unpack the person that he is. It takes years and years to really know someone and then you might still feel like you don't know him. It's incredible to watch someone grow and strengthen and yet still dip down into the low valley and then come back up a better man. I was 20 years old when Paul and I married! I was 20 years packed full of glee, extrovert ideas, immaturity, spontaneous combusiton, and more immaturity! One of my first experiences with my father-in-law was right after Paul and I met. We went to home to meet them and were taken out to dinner at a Mexican restaruant, my least favorite food. Just for fun, I thought I'd revisit my teenage pranks and told the waiter that it was David's bday and he'd love to be sung to. Of course the waiters and staff all dashed over singing in happy birthday in their spanish accent and plunged a giant sombrero on top of little David's head and took his picture. To say that he was slightly embarrassed and ticked off might be an understatement. At that time he worked for the government in D.C. and was a pretty serious and straight forward man who liked his shirts double starched and tucked in.............not the type to play pranks on. And that's how our beautiful relationship started and has bloomed since!


We actually laugh about that past moment and the picture is framed and in David's home. He has since retired from government work and paints landscape pictures in Abingdon, Virginia, volunteers at the men's prison, teaches Sunday school at church, and helps with a host of other charitable activities. Not to mention, he's the best grandpa in the world. As you can see in the picture above, he wore the goggles that the kids asked him to wear, did cannon balls with them, and gave horsey rides in the pool. I even think he survived a eye poke by one of the girls. He loves my kids and we love him! He's more than a 'father-law-law' to me.........he is my dad too! I'm blessed to have a few dads in my life and he's one of them. Looking forward to many years ahead and many bday pranks too! To this day, he still tries to repay me for that special moment in the Mexican restaurant.

Girls Night Out.......Kennedy

Sometimes I'll say to Paul, "This is a therapy moment", meaning that whatever I"m doing at that moment will cause my kids to go to therapy one day. We laugh about it cause who really knows?!!! You know what I'm talking about; those desperate moments when you're exhausted and worn out from hearing the same question repeated or watching the same action take place and you've asked the kids not to do so. I can remember KK mentioning how thirsty she was and I was so tired of all the requests and demands that day that I stopped, stared at her and said "just drink your spit." Yep, she might be in therapy for that one! ha! So, because we already know that we are gonna make mistakes, we are also trying to create some meaningful  and intentional memories too! We have to balance it out, right?!!

Once a year, I take each girl out for the night. We get a hotel, eat dinner out, and just hang together..........just the two of us. We just started doing so this year. I read a book last summer about rites of passages in our kids lives and it challenged me to be more strategic in our kids lives with special moments and special birthdays. So, it was finally KK's turn to go out. She is so opposite of Mia. Mia was packed 3 days before we left with a suitcase full of stuffed animals, baby clothes, and her personal belongings. KK, on the other hand, barely filled a purse with some toys and  little trinkets. Before we left I asked "do you have your toothbrush? pjs? baithing suit?" All were answered with "oh, yeah!" so funny! So we headed out to lunch at a gluten free cafe called Pomegranite and enjoyed desserts, hummus, and smoothies. We then checked into our hotel room and KK and I played I Spy for about 40 minutes. go figure! Next, we headed to an outdoor mall and browsed around in Charming Charlies for 45 minutes and successfully came out iwth a watch and poodle purse. Next stop was Barnes and Nobles, where we read for over an hour and half. KK read books and I copied down recipes from Bare Contessa cook books; even took a few pictures of some recipes. I thought  I was gonna be escorted out! We then grabbed dinner from the Paradise Bakery and headed to hotel to eat and swim. We ended the night with reading our bibles and snuggling in the queen size bed. The evening was priceless and well worth the time and small amount of money spent!

Bottom line.............be intentional with your time. Plan out your time with your kids. If you don't, everyone else will and your time will be cut short. Yes, I'm sure my girls have many 'therapy' moments due to my shortcomings but I"m hoping they remember the personal and meaningful moments too!