Check Out That SMILE!!!!

I finally managed to get some great pictures of Kurt smiling! Can you stand it? That's a cute kid!!

Some funnies...

Well, we have had a good few days here. I have been working very hard to relax. A bit paradoxical, but there it is. It's so much easier to be a hormonal, quick-tempered, under-rested, stressed out Bad Mommy!! As I said, we have had a few great days here...because I have let go of my unrealistic expectations of myself, and just loved my family! And you know what? It worked!

Thursday we had a “Reading Day.” I realized that I hadn't read out loud to my children, something we all love very much, in a long, long time. So, I brewed some tea to soothe my scratchy throat, and I read and read and read. While I read the kids built with Legos, drew, or just lounged on the sofa with pillows and blankets. It was one of the best homeschooling days we've had in a long time! The Hoyers highly recommend it!

In the spirit of enjoying my children, I will share with all of you some of their “funnies”- those hysterical things that kids say:

Here's a great one from this summer:

Gabriel to Nicholas: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Nicholas: “I don't know.”

Gabriel: “Do you want to be me?”

During dress-up time:

Gretchen: “I'm going to be the queen of all cowboys!”

After 2 rounds of Boggle 2 years ago – Lillian (age 4) was on Daddy's “team”:

Lillian: “I see a big problem with this!”

Daddy: “Really? What's that?”

Lillian: “I can't read OR spell!!

Again, this summer in CO:

Nicholas: “I'm never gonna kiss a girl.”

Gretchen: “What about when you're a man? Daddy kisses Mommy.”

Nicholas: “I'm never gonna be a man.”

Gretchen: “What about when you grow up?”

Nicholas: “I'm just gonna be an elderly boy.”

My most recent favorite – a little background: We just recently got cable for the first time in our married lives. The kids watch a show every now and then and have been exposed to commercials for the first time.

Nicholas: (out of the blue, while I was making dinner) “Mom, we need to see if Geico and Progressive are really as good as they say they are.”

Later, Gustav asks him if he even knows what Geico sells. Nicholas replies:

“Sure. They can save us up to 50 percent on car insurance!”

Ahhh, kids are funny. I am thankful that God has given me the opportunity (5 times over) to enjoy it! Stay tuned to the blog... (I know you are all on the edge of your seats!) I will be spotlighting each of my children in the coming week. Don't miss it!!!

Some new pics!

It's Never Too Soon...

Well, we figured 6 weeks was old enough to begin homeschooling. Our first day, we worked on the proper grip of the pencil. Unfortunately, we still have some work to do!!





No babies were injured in the taking of this photo.

Little Feet

For You have delivered my soul from death, Indeed my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God In the light of the living. Psalm 56:13

For You have rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling.

Psalm 116:8

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path,

Proverbs 1:15

How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, {And} says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

Isaiah 52:7

I have not fallen off the face of the earth! I have thought about posting an update here for a long time, but alas, five children require a lot of time and attention! Who knew?

I will be honest, I am feeling very overwhelmed! My daily 'to do' list is never complete, school work and planning are done on the fly, my time with the Lord has been reduced to 3-minute tidbits here and there throughout the day, and a lot of the joy has gone out of those things which used to bring me great joy. I know that "this too shall pass." I have been reminded by a dear sister in Christ (that's you, Laurie!) that the Lord gently leads those with young. I know He does. He has been so good to me! Kurt is a very easy little guy. He has only had one night so far that I would describe as truly "bad." I have had so many family members come through to help out. Our bible study provided 2 straight weeks of meals. I have probably cooked 3 meals since Kurt was born! Few women have such support after the birth of a child!

Please don't see this as a complaint. No one has been more blessed than I. It is much more an acknowledgment of my own weakness. It is a confession of sorts: the strength which I thought I had, which I attributed to my own abilities and intellect, doesn't actually exist. I had deceived myself. How easy it is to pat yourself on the back when things are going well...to convince yourself that you've got it all under control. Isn't that just a positive way of saying, "God is no longer sovereign in my life?!"

So, I praise God for this opportunity to be humbled and corrected. I am weak and broken, and utterly lacking in strength. Without Him, I am lost and self-deceived. I desire that "my dross (He) consume and my gold (He) refine."

I praise Him, that He has "rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My (very little!) feet from stumbling." I praise Him, that He will whittle and mold me, day by day, into a more Christ-like being. I praise Him, that He IS sovereign in ALL things...even the really humbling ones...like receiving a package from the UPS guy at noon in your bathrobe. Like meeting the neighbor for the first time and realizing it's been almost 48 hours since you showered or brushed your hair. Like YELLING at your children to STOP YELLING! Like taking 45 minutes to type up this blog entry, because you are nursing the baby and typing with your left hand at the break-neck speed of about 6 words per minute!

Rejoice with me that God is sovereign, and let's pray we all remember that the next time we're being humbled. Our little feet can never fill God's big shoes.