...75 and Sunny...

Road Trip, Part 4

2012-01-07T21:49:00.000-08:00

So, I promised my most wonderful friend, Heather, that I would blog today in an effort to actually finish the road trip entries sometime before our next road trip. Thanks for the little push, my friend :-)

My last entry had us landing in Pigeon Forge, TN after 2200 miles logged in the minivan, which is about 33 hours for those who like the stats. The kids were really exceptional in the car and I think I speak for all of us when I say the time together was a blessing. Once we arrived in Pigeon Forge we checked into our lodge which was perched precariously on a mountainside. The views of the lush Tennessee forests were breathtaking and the sound of the cicadas in the trees magical. The home itself was a little more run down than I would have liked, but the views and the arrival of family made up for it. Soon there were eighteen of us sharing the 8-bedroom home. Cousins quickly ran off to quiet corners to giggle and share highlights of the last year, while the adults breathed a contented sigh that vacation had come.

One of our first endeavors was to head over to MagiQuest to have a little fun and, boy, did we! What a fun and enjoyable time. Gustav and the older kids ran off to fight dragons, puzzle out riddles, and cast magic spells. Kurt and I acted as a team and had a blast. After the quests were completed we spent some time in the hall of mirrors getting ridiculously lost and loving it.

We finished the day off with some local TN BBQ and some more catching up with family. Happy tummies and happy hearts.

The following days brought plenty of adventure. We spent a day in the Smoky Mountain National Park. What a beautiful, lush place. The greenery, rivers, rolling fields, and old churches and homes were just beautiful. A wonderful time to appreciate the handiwork of God!

Seeing as it was my 30-something-i-eth birthday, we stopped by a little riverside picnic area and enjoyed some sandwiches and cake (that was smuggled in by lots of adorable little girls!) I loved the way the bright sunshine streamed through the thick leafy canopy. It was breathtaking.

After filling our tummies (again) we continued on through the park and found a delicious little swimming hole tucked into the forest. What a time watching all of the children swim with abandon, jump off rocks, and just be kids. Like the good old days. Gabriel's expression here says it all:

The water was chilly, but no one seemed to care. Kurt had a blast crawling from rock to rock.

And Gretchen learned to walk on water.

It was really one of the most delightful days I can remember having as a family. Relaxing times in the beauty of God's lovely creation. So thankful.

Later in the week we experienced what was probably the highlight of the family reunion for many: a zipline course through the breathtaking Tennessee forest. Most of the cousins (all except Kurt, who, sadly, was too young) suited up and set off on a 2-hour zipline tour at Foxfire Mountain. Kids and grown-ups alike had a fantastic time riding the different lines through the course, including a 1500-foot zipline!

One of our final adventures that week was to hit the "upside-down house," a.k.a. Wonder Works. This was a brain-frying experience for those over 21. The lights, the sounds, the sheer number of people squealing, running, and crying. But, the kids, again, had a great time. Rock-climbing, hurricane chambers, puzzles, roller-coaster simulators, laser-tag, games, and a real, live bed of nails to lay down on. What's not to love?

We finished our week-long family reunion and sadly said goodbye to those we love. But the Hoyers were very excited to head down to Birmingham, AL to see their most wonderful friends, the Henriques Family!! And I'll tell you all about that, and our trip back to Cali next time :-)

Road Trip - Part 3

2011-10-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

After a fast but enjoyable evening in Memphis, TN we jumped back on the I-40 east and came to Nashville where Gustav had a business lunch at The Hard Rock Cafe. The gracious man he was meeting didn't mind having the family tag along, so we all tucked into a cozy table for 8. Kurt loved the touch screen piano (below) and the rest of the kids enjoyed hearing about the people whose clothes, pictures, and instruments littered the walls...such greats as Johnny Cash, Elvis, and the Judds.

After our lunch and a quick glimpse of the city of Nashville we headed to visit our dear, dear friends, the Runkles. To say that Gustav and I were excited was an understatement as we had not seen them in a long time. We had trouble believing that Gabriel didn't remember them (which is understandable, since he was only 2 when we all lived in CT together!) Tom was Gustav's roomate through most of his time at the University of Hartford. They have known each other longer than I have known Gustav! We had a blast with them in Chattanooga.

We did some swimming...

...ate some ice cream (you're welcome, Casie)...

...we went on a lovely river walk in downtown Chattanooga. We really loved this great city...

...we took some pictures...

...carried some adorable little people...

...and had Five Guys for the first time after church (which was super-yummy!)

We were sad to say goodbye to the Runkles, but we were hopeful that we would see them again on this trip. Our next stop was Pigeon Forge, TN where we would spend the next week with the Hoyer family for our annual family reunion. Some of us were so tuckered out when we got there that beds were optional.

And others of us were so tired that we momentarily lost our minds.

More to come...

Road Trip - Part 2

2011-10-11T20:51:00.000-07:00

At the rate I am documenting our 3-week summer road trip, I should have us back home in sunny L.A. just about the time we leave for summer vacation 2012! Slow and steady, right? Anyway, I want to send a big shout out to my Mom and Dad who can now read this on their new iPad! Welcome to the 21st century, dear parents! I hope you enjoy all the pictures of your grandchildren!

After we left the Grand Canyon we traveled down to Flagstaff, AZ to spend the night. Don't ask Gustav how the hotel was. He will break into hives and start uttering under his breath about excessive points and lackluster facilities. He is right. It was a dud.

However, after we cleaned out the dud hotel at free-breakfast-time (seven people can do that pretty easily) we were off on another fantastic adventure. We hopped back on I-40 heading east and exited onto Route 66 in Holbrook, AZ to head toward the Petrified Forest National Park. Along the main street we passed this gem...The Wigwam Hotel. Can you say 'inspiration for Cars??' We HAD to stop and takes some pics. It was so super-cool!

No, I haven't slept in a wigwam lately...or ever, for that matter. I highly doubt they sleep seven without the cozy factor becoming unbearable. The period cars were neat-o, though.

Ever Mater was there!!

After our little unplanned detour (one of the things we so love about road trips) we headed to Petrified Forest National Park which is located within the beautiful Painted Desert of Northern Arizona. This place was amazing - maybe because I had no expectations at all...but I REALLY loved it. Of course, there is no actual forest, as it is located in the middle of the desert (actually it is categorized as grassland, but it seemed super desert-y to me). But there are many, many trees and partial trunks that have, over time, become rock. Some of the colors are simply beautiful. Here is my budding geologist, Lillian, enjoying the sights:

The day was perfect with a deep blue sky and beautiful puffy clouds. Just gorgeous.

The Painted Desert is simply breathtaking to drive through. Pictures do not do it justice.

After a bit more driving on scenic roads such as this one we made it to Albuquerque, NM. This time our hotel room was grand... a lovely little garden suite with a short walk to the pool and hot tub. The boys had endless fun with the luggage carts. I'm not sure which of my four boys enjoyed it most :-)

After much swimming, eating, and watching "hotel TV" (aka cable) we headed out the next morning for our longest driving day of the eastward trip - approximately 550 miles. As we sailed through the Texas panhandle we encountered some weather. The clouds were scary, but thankfully, they never started spinning around.

We spent a peaceful night in Oklahoma City and then moved on to Memphis the following day. Here's the gang getting ready to fill their faces with good 'ol Memphis BBQ at Marlowes Ribs & BBQ on Elvis Presley Blvd. Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives came through with that recommendation. The food was amazing!

Fat and Happy, Baby. Fat and Happy.

Road Trip!

2011-09-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

Most people break out in hives at the very thought of being trapped in the car with their spouse and five children for a 6,000 mile, three week road trip. I, nut that I am, adore such circumstances. What a blessing and privilege it was to spend such a wonderful time with my dear ones, to see so much of this country and partake of the interesting cultures, and to glory in the Creator as we marveled at His beautiful creation.

To begin the story properly, I must begin with the farewell of Bessie, our trusty 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan. She was a great car, we had virtually no issues with her, but with 115,000 miles we decided a new van would give us a greater sense of security on our long trip. Enter Carmen, our 2011 Kia Sedona. How fun to start off on such a long journey in a brand new car. Definitely a blessing!

We started off on Sunday, July 31st, after collecting Nicholas from a 3-day stay at Camp Pendleton with the Young Marines. Heading east, we picked up the 40 (that's I-40 for you non-Californians!) in Barstow, CA and stayed on it until central TN! Crazy!

One of the things that quickly caught my attention as we drove into open country was the beautiful clouds. You kind of forget what clouds look like in SoCal. I had forgotten how much I missed beautiful cloud formations in the sky.

We stayed in Kingston, AZ on our first night. I should say that we stayed in Marriott hotels all along the way, and because of Gustav's ridiculous number of points, all of our stays were free. YeeHaw! That means free lodging AND free breakfasts for seven. Jackpot, baby.

We were all very anxious to see the Grand Canyon the next morning. The kids and I had never been there. I have wanted to see it since we moved out here to Cali, but alas, had not been able to make it. So I was psyched to go. Here is the gang walking the path to the rim. Gustav had been telling the children endlessly that the Grand Canyon was "just a big hole in the ground" for months prior to our visit. It had become a bit of a joke, really. I must have heard that statement twenty times as we approached the rim.

We chatted and giggled and skipped our way up the winding path. Then everyone fell silent. I had heard people telling stories of how quiet it is at the Grand Canyon. Everyone - young, old, foreign and domestic - stands in rapt awe as they come around the corner and see it for the first time. It is truly one of the most magnificent natural phenomena I have ever seen. Ever. Pictures cannot possibly do it justice.

Spectacular.

We walked the rim for a while, taking pictures, watching the squirrels and birds, and periodically standing, mouth agape, at the wonder of it all. As much as I loved the sights, I did feel a particular anxiousness as my family moved in and out near the edge. It is, after all, a "big hole in the ground" and I had periodic irrational fears of offspring plunging to their untimely ends. Case in point:

The happy ending of that part of the story is that nobody went over the edge. Whew!

As we approached one of the on-site museums we could hear some ominous, not-so-far-off thunder, and realized that the sky was getting rather dark. We, along with what seemed like hundreds of others, took refuge in said museum while the skies opened up. The sudden and violent storm was just another awesome event for us. Remember, it never rains in California. (Well, ALMOST never.) The lightening was amazing, and the deluge was captivating for all.

We walked more of the rim after the storm passed over, enjoying the fresh, cool, post-storm air. We hopped a bus for the trip back to the car. The bus driver was rude and brusque and not particularly helpful. I was aghast at the way he was treating the foreigners who clearly could not understand him. Then he gave himself away by saying, "Main pah-king lot next stop." Ah, he was from Massachusetts. My people. I should have recognized the charm :-)

After some more beautiful driving along the rim and into more canyons we made it to Flagstaff, checked into our hotel and had dinner. In the very wee hours of the morning Kurt began talking very loudly in his sleep. Both Gustav and I giggled in the dark as he shouted out, "it's a big hole in the ground!"

The Greatest Place on Earth (a.k.a. How To Usher Seven People Through Disneyland Without Losing Your Marbles)

2011-01-28T16:22:00.000-08:00

On Monday we visited "The Greatest Place on Earth" to celebrate the birthday of our ~~king~~ youngest. As we were tramping countless miles through masses of humanity, overpriced culinary temptations, and more flashing lights than a normal human being can possibly handle without seizing I though, "This would make an amusing blog post." And here it is:

Tip #1: Plan Your Visit for the Most Random Weekday Possible

We have learned from experience that one has to be an insane psychopath to visit Disneyland in the summer or, heaven-forbid, at Christmastime. During that week between Christmas and New Years they will have somewhere in the vicinity of 70,000 people in the park per day. Yes, you read that correctly. Don't do it. Consider yourself warned. January 24th was a perfect day as all the kids (college included) were back in classes. Yay for homeschooling!

Tip #2: Never Pass Up an Opportunity to Have All of the Children Contained in an Enclosed Environment

Call it a photo op. Call it a chance to pretend you're in a movie. Call it whatever you want. But revel in the few moments of having them in an inescapable position.

Tip #3: Let One Person Dictate What Happens Next

Seven people = seven completely different opinions. You will be quickly driven to insanity if you allow everyone to share their opinion about what to do next. "Pirates! Snow White! Haunted Mansion! Splash Mountain!" Since we usually are celebrating a birthday when we are at Disney, the birthday boy/girl chooses the itinerary. Even if they're 4 and don't know the difference between the Matterhorn and Space Mountain. I am happy to call the Matterhorn Space Mountain, if necessary.

Tip #4: Definitely Get the Birthday Button

Because when you are the youngest of five you need all the help you can get in the attention department!

Not that your inflated ego needs too much help.

Tip #5: Do Not, Under Any Circumstances, Pass Up an Opportunity to Have Everyone Use the Bathroom

Seriously, my kids think that I have a problem, but if we pass a public restroom we use it...no matter what. Don't tell me you don't need to go, it will fall on deaf ears. Because Mommy will respond in a less-than-gracious way if you spring on her that you have to go potty when we are 3 people away from getting on the Dumbo ride. Trust me, it is NOT pretty!

Tip #6: Bring Advil

Because you WILL need it and you WILL NOT want to walk all the way over to Magoo's Tattoo to buy 2 pills for $1.57. Trust me.

Tip #7: Pack Seven Water Bottles, the Camera, Sunscreen, Snacks, Ponchos, Sweatshirts, and Sunglasses into One Gigantic Backpack and Give it Your Teenage Male Offspring to Carry

It levels the playing field a bit and slows him down enough that you can keep up. Plus, you don't have to buy seven water bottles at $3 a piece.

Tip #8: Definitely See The "World of Color" Show at California Adventure

Despite the cost of getting "reserved viewing" status, waiting for one hour while sitting on the cold concrete, trying to come up with games to keep the slightly-less-than-enthused under 14 crowd occupied during said waiting period, answering all the questions of the "chatty Cathy" sitting next to you, it was well worth it. Ah-May-Zing!!!!

Tip #9: Let Your Strong, Manly Husband Carry the Conked-Out Birthday Boy the 247 Miles Back to the Car

I offered to empty the stroller so that we could push him back and Gustav said, "No Way. I want to carry him." Yep. That's my man.

Tip #10: Be Thankful That the Lord Has Blessed You So Very Richly.

Because He most definitely has. And I most definitely do.

Get Real

2011-01-19T22:56:00.000-08:00

Not too long ago I had the opportunity to gather with eight women from our home Bible study. We were gathering on a Saturday evening to spend some time in the Word, to encourage one another, and to discuss how God uses trials in our lives to draw us to Himself, to refine us, and to make us more Christ-like. We all arrived together, shared some delicious dinner, oooh’d and aaah’d over the little babies who were present with us, and then sat down to have some informal conversation.

What happened next was fascinating. I shared with the ladies the trial that anemia has been in my life for the past eighteen months. I shared my propensity to become down (I even used the other ‘D’ word – depressed – as despised as any four-letter word in the church) because of my constant lack of energy, my weight gain, and my sadness at having little joy in the beautiful, blessed life God has given me. It was the first time I had shared this trial with these women – my sisters in Christ. I cried. I actually wept at one point and was unable to continue talking.

As we moved around the circle of women, the ladies shared the trials and difficulties they were experiencing at the time. One woman lamented her teenage son’s disobedience and turning from the faith of his parents. One woman shared her recent struggle with painful physical maladies which led to her being short-tempered with her husband and children. One longing to hold a baby and unable to conceive. One struggling with returning to work after the birth of her firstborn. One watching a strong, godly father slip into the darkness of Alzheimer's. All felt the painful sting of sin in their lives. All desired lives marked by obedience and contentment. All longed for a closer walk with their Savior. With our Savior.

I had no idea that these women were suffering, just as they were in the dark about my suffering. A new member of our group – new not only to the group, but also to our marvelous faith – spoke with me afterwards. She wanted me to know that she was so encouraged by our honest sharing, because she felt as though she was the only one struggling with sin in her life. We all looked like we had it “all together,” she said, and she was starting to wonder what was wrong with her.

Shame on us.

Shame on us, broken sinners saved by glorious grace, dead souls resuscitated by the life-giving blood of Christ, for having the audacity to act like we’ve got it all under control. How dare we put on airs among our brothers and sisters? Those who share the same Father? The same inheritance? The same miraculous rebirth from the ashes?

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20

Sisters, let us not discourage those around us by putting on a holy show. Let us not demean the miraculous work Christ has done in us by refusing to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit is STILL at work in us, purifying us and making us more and more like Christ, with each trial, each stumble, and each tear. It is the filthy sin of pride waging war within us that drives us to act as though we are above struggling, above difficulties.

Above sin.

Let us love one another by being honest. Weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. And, dear sisters, allow others to weep with YOU and rejoice with YOU. It makes our walk along this sanctification path all the more rich, when we allow others to stroll with us occasionally.

Be honest.

Be humble.

Be real.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-10T17:05:00.000-08:00

Stay the Course and Live Your Dream

2010-10-28T22:38:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, this past year has been a difficult one for me. That's fantastic, really, because those of us who know Christ as Lord and Savior know that it's the valleys that create the Christ-likeness in us. We are all too quick to pat ourselves on the back when things are hunky-dory, when we are looking out on life from the mountain top; to congratulate ourselves on a job well done. When, in reality, it is the sustaining grace of the God of the Universe which has kept the road smooth and easy.

One of my many faults is that when things get tough for me, I tend to think too much. I try to intellectualize myself out of my trial. If only I think hard enough I might find the loophole, you know. During my recent trial I became disillusioned with my job of wife and mother. I was tired, drained, and down. I felt unproductive and unloved. I saw other women "doing it all": skinny homeschooling fashionistas with brilliant kids and three jobs on the side with husbands who adore the ground they walk on and who use only organic produce while baking their own bread from scratch. You know the ones. I began to think, "What can I add to my life so that I, too, can be like them?"

Oh, Sisters, nothing.

I have wanted to be many things over the course of my life. Everything from an aeronautical engineer to a teacher to a professional quilter. But do you know what? One thing that I have ALWAYS wanted to be, regardless of what else I thought I could be on top of everything, was a wife and mother. I have always dreamed of being a loving wife and mother. And, here is the best part, it is enough. It IS my dream. I do not need to seek fulfillment outside of this. It is challenging. It is rewarding. It is difficult, fun, joyful, mentally and physically demanding, gratifying, productive, worthwhile, and satisfying. And, ultimately, it's effects are longer-lasting and more beneficial to society than any other role I could possibly undertake.

So here is my encouragement to all of you out there: Live your dream.

Don't let anyone tell you that you have to seek fulfillment outside of this role. The job of wife and mother, if well done, will be a lasting crown through this life and into eternity. And as you trek the path of your life through mountain-tops and valleys alike, you will closer resemble you Savior.

Now that's a dream come true.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-13T10:59:00.001-07:00

Dusting off the Cobwebs

2010-10-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

To say that it has been quiet around here lately is a monumental understatement. As a matter of fact, the dust is an inch thick and I’ve had to shake out the rugs and battle the cobwebs. At least a couple of you have noticed the prolonged silence and emailed with a thoughtful, “What’s up.” I am profoundly grateful for those communications. It prevents me, at times, from slipping too deeply into my own issues and trials. Thanks.

The past year has been tough for me. A diagnosis of anemia, followed by months of declining instead of improving, has taken its toll. I do not care to relive the specifics, but suffice it to say, it has affected me profoundly. A dear friend who has gone through the same struggle recently confessed, “It’s a dark, dark time.” Yep. That about sums it up. Waking up every day for a year feeling exhausted and run down, and yet having a plethora of never-ending responsibilities on the to-do list drains the fun out of things a just a bit. After months of fighting for joy it becomes easier to throw your hands up in defeat and accept a joy-less existence. My faith has been tested and I am ashamed to say, I have failed multiple times.

But I have learned a few things. God is so gracious to meet us in our trials and gently lead us to a greater knowledge of Him. God is so gracious to allow us trials that we might see Him with our own eyes, instead of relying on our perceived super-human selves. I am not a super-human, multitasking, got-it-together girl. Not at all. But thankfully I do serve a super-powerful, omnipresent, loving, universe-creating God who cares about me.

So while I try a new doctor and plan to do something more drastic than change my diet and drink metallic-tasting iron supplements twice a day, I will rest in my loving God. I will rest in the fact that He has ordained all these days for His glory and my good. I will rest in the God “who always leads us in triumph in Christ,” even when the path lies through dark times.

Praise the Lord.

Multitude Monday

2010-04-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

Everything we do should be a result of our gratitude for what God has done for us.

Lauryn Hill

God has done so much for me. I pray that I may DO more out of Gratitude.

(144) New names to add to the address book

(145) Late afternoon sun and children's laughter wafting through open back door

(146) Righty tighty, lefty loosey

(147) Blooms against blue sky

(148) Planning

(149) New school books bringing excited responses

(150) Upside down masks on deceased storm troopers

(151) Thoughtful older siblings

(152) "I love you kisses." (Kurt's new way to describe how much he loves others)

(153) Role-playing

(154) Well-done chores

(155) The clear trumpet rising above a thousand praising voices

(156) Apples on our tree

(157) Notes from little brothers

(158) Big birthdays that end in "teen"

(159) "Our faith - or the lack thereof - should never be the object of our faith. Christ alone should be the object of our faith."

thirteen

2010-04-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

Thirteen years ago today two people were born - a baby and a mother. A young 22 year old mother who did not know what she was doing, but trusted the Lord did. You were a wonderful addition to our family. You were wanted and loved. And you grew into a precocious, humorous, special boy.

We gave you nicknames - Earnest (because you had a serious, earnest face) and Nicholas Pickolas Pumpernicholas (because it was fun). You loved playing outside and maps and memorizing little seemingly useless tidbits of information...just like your daddy. Your ability to know an Ankylosaurus from an Archaeopteryx and a Utahraptor from a Velociraptor at the age of four was stunning. And your ability to draw for hours on end amazed this new, green mama.

Time went by and you were suddenly the oldest of three. And we expected you to do more than you could. We were new at this, and a little overwhelmed, and you were our guinea pig. We've apologized for that before, and probably will again.

But you handled it well, maturing and growing into a strong and helpful boy.

And a funny boy.

A very funny boy.

We hit milestones - diapers came off, teeth fell out, stitches went in. And you took it all in stride. The stalwart first-born. You were a neat freak (still are) and a stickler for being on time (still are) and a sweet, deep-thinking little guy (yep, that too).

We moved often and you were a flexible helper. Really. A big helper in a little body. You loved donuts, peanut butter and jelly and making up stories.

You became good friends with your little sisters and seemed to genuinely enjoy spending time with them, playing in our big back yard. You would work so hard raking the endless, crisp fall leaves into piles so that you could all jump in them.

Now that we have moved far away from your lifelong friends, you keep in touch with letters and phone calls. What a special thing. What a special boy. But you're not really a boy any more. You're a boy-man, on the cusp of something new and different. One foot in the child's life, one looking forward to what the Lord would have for you.

We love you, Nicholas. You have been a light in our lives, shining the love of God on us. Our prayer for you as you enter this pre-man state, is that God would grow you into a Truth-loving, God-exalting, servant-hearted man.

Welcome to thirteen.

Love you most.

Mom

Multitude Monday

2010-04-11T23:07:00.000-07:00

{I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. ~G.K. Chesterton}

Onto the page spills my happiness doubled by wonder...

(126) A bench-full

(127) Luscious scents

(128) A pretty view

(129) Toblerone

(130) The visit of a faraway friend - a glimpse of home

(131) Toddlers in t-shirts and ties (he wore this all afternoon)

(132) Girl time

(133) Nose pressed against window

(134) The chatter of crows

(135) Artichokes in my garden (I have now officially grown lettuce AND artichokes!)

(136) The reward of a job well done. (Gabriel received a Bible with his name on it - just like his sister.)

(137) flower heads dancing in the rain

(138) the smell of frying bacon

(139) Promise

(140) The slanted light of morning

(141) Pizza with neighbors

(142) "Happy-Hap" in my morning coffee. (This is what Kurt calls half and half)

(143) Time with sisters in Christ

Thoughts on the Arm of the Lord

2010-04-04T10:46:00.000-07:00

I am home from church this morning with a toddler with an offensive nose, meditating on Scripture while he watches endless episodes of Blues Clues.

As I have matured in my Christian walk and grown in my faith and knowledge of Christ I have simultaneously been more disgusted by my own sin and more sensitive to its constancy and frequency. Which, in turn, makes Holy Week all the more beautiful to me. I recently read a Scripture reference on High Calling Blogs which has me yet again contemplating the awesomeness of the Lord Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Isaiah 59:1 says,

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear.

What a lovely passage. What a touching insight into the good and loving character of our God. Despite my unwillingness to repent of my sin, my hatred toward God (for all who do not love God with a redeemed love hate Him), my distinct love of my own sin, He, in His infinite power and love gave me a repentant heart, gave me a love for Him, gave me a hatred toward sin in my life. His arm was not too short to save this pregnant-out-of-wedlock-full-of-pride-blasphemer-and-all-around-sinner, and it's not to short to save you.

Praise God.

Multitude Monday

2010-03-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

It has been too long, and this heart has been dry and brittle.

Lord, ignite within my heart
the ability to be awed by Your creation,
to be astonished by Your mercy,
to be dazzled by your patience,
to be enamored with your lovingkindness,
to be overflowing with praise.

(115) a gift from the garden

(116) the psychedelic color of poppies, Gabriel's favorite flower.

(117) hillside covered in color

(118) Corned beef and cabbage

(119) Grumpy, Dorito-dust-covered toddlers looking cute

(120) "A clue! A clue!" (and the ability to see the humor in a crayon clue on my wall)

(121) Industrious hands.

(121) Salad from the garden (I did it!!)

(122) New friends to love and be loved.

(123) Scy-scrapers (this term comes from Gabriel.)

(124) The poetry of John Donne:

"As the first Adam's sweat surrounds my face,
May the last Adam's blood my soul embrace."

(125) A hard working, talented, and passionate husband - doing what he loves.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-03T21:12:00.000-08:00

Multitude Monday

2010-02-15T13:28:00.000-08:00

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

Psalm 139:14-16

A hard week made sweeter by the graces of God...

(97) P B & J's for the masses.

(98) Sticky, post-lollipop fingers.

(99) Sweater that has been worn by all the Hoyers.

(100) Apple blossoms on my tree! Ahhh, the smell! It's sweet summer days from childhood all wrapped up in a smell.

(101) Twelve year old eager for a sleepover with 6 and 3 year old brothers.

(102) New flowers in my garden.

(103) An intensely blue sky.

(104) Lettuce in my garden! (OK, I know this has been on my list before. But I have to add it again because I haven't managed to kill it yet!)

(105) Airplane rides.

(106) The Whirley Pop.

(107) Craft projects that are completely free - used items I already owned. For a tutorial go here. (HT to Daily Portion)

(108) "Look, Mom. My face is happy!"

(109) Lettuce in the shape of a rose.

(110) A large basket of sweetness from a sweet neighbor. (Our 93 year old neighbor, Mary, had her daughter drop this by for the children. She is in hospice dying. And she thought of my kids! What a beautiful woman. Pray that her passing would be comfortable and she would enter heaven. She will be very much missed.)

(111) These lovely words:

Let my days be wholly given
Jesus’ blood to glorify,
Calm to rest beneath his shadow,
At his feet to live and die,
Love the cross, and bear it daily,
(’Tis the cross my Husband bore,)
Gaze with joy upon his Person,
And unceasingly adore.
~Anne Griffiths
(HT: Kim)

(112) John MacArthur back in the pulpit with his powerful preaching.

(113) Marianne's spelt cornbread. Serious goodness.

(114) The amazing sovereignty of God displayed through adoption.

Multitude Monday

2010-02-08T13:12:00.001-08:00

The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!

Henry Ward Beecher

(79) "I need to whisper in your ear, Mama."

(80) New big girl haircuts.

(81) Blooms from my Beloved.

(82) Kraft goodness in the blue box.

(83) A gracious and very kind flight attendant.

(84) Toddlers playing nicely together!

(85) The kindness of the Noble family - dear, dear friends.

(86) The opportunity to worship with old family.

(87) God's faithfulness in sustaining, and growing, Grace Church West Hartford. There really are no words to adequately describe our joy to return and celebrate with these amazing people.

(88) New friends.

(89) Fire pit - for big men and little men alike.

(90) Reuniting with old friends.

(91) The refreshing cold of New England (it was 9 degrees when we landed!)

(92) Ginza.

(93) Special times with Nana.

(94) Getting together with great high school friends - and feeling like we were 18 again.

(95) My bed.

(96) Kim's home-made doughnuts.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-27T13:59:00.000-08:00

Multitude Monday

2010-01-25T14:32:00.000-08:00

"O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise, my every step buoyant with delight..."
from The Valley of Vision

I am learning how differently the world looks through eyes of praise. The Father of lights gives such good gifts, O that I would always have the eyes to see...

(66) That first break of light after the rain - dazzling!

(67) a silver wisp of moon

(68) "A rainbow! A rainbow!"

(69) mist in the mountains

(70) little boys and puddles and the necessary convergence of the two

(71) early morning phone calls from friends in different time zones :-)

(72) loving away the tears

(73) snow capped peaks

(74) tender toddler caresses

(75) "derfday" parties

(76) afternoon light through the shades

(77) 13 years of one flesh

(78) the creativity of the Creator

Three

2010-01-24T18:43:00.000-08:00

I distinctly remember the day I found out you were coming, amid packed boxes, closing documents, and moving trucks. The dichotomy of emotions - sorrow to leave, joy that you were coming. That summer was difficult as we traveled across the country, like hermits, and we lived without your daddy for weeks at a time. I was tired and sick and anxious about our future.

When fall came we settled in Los Angeles. I slowly unpacked the boxes and smiled when I came across the things for you: crib bumpers, mobiles, and tiny little onesies. I set them aside lovingly to wait for your arrival.

And then, before we knew it, it was time for you to join us. We arrived at the hospital and nine hours later you were born. You came in screaming.

We took you home and you became the prince-ling of the Hoyer home. Four older sibling to love you, hold you, kiss you, smile at you. Life was good.

Not that you were always happy. Sometimes all that attention was downright annoying.

But for the most part you handled it well.

We learned of your penchant for escaping, and acted accordingly, from purchasing a crib tent to burying you at the beach.

You grew into a boy defined by his curly, surfer-dude hair. I cried the day it was cut. It was just so...you.

So now you are a talking three year old, lover of Thomas the Tank Engine, painting, Play-Doh, lollipops, and sausage. I adore you. I can't imagine life without you. I am so thankful that God knit you together in me. What a blessing, little boy. Happy birthday.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-20T16:48:00.000-08:00

Why Poetry Matters Today

2010-01-19T14:05:00.000-08:00

Glynn over at Faith, Fiction, Friends is sponsoring a wee little contest. As a closet poet, I thought I'd take a crack at giving answer to "Why poetry matters today."

Rooted in our shared human experience

In this created space, articulated into being

By holy Words,

Are the empty arms of childless Mothers,

Falling buildings, rising suns,

Hummingbirds and hammered nails,

Corpses lying under rubble,

Dreams realized

and dashed,

Sunsets and mine fields and eyelashes,

Despair, elation , hope, cowardice.

And when human emotions stretch within these fleshy skins

And surge past the walls that we, in our fragility, cobbled together to enclose them,

The animal which escapes its cage is Poetry.

Multitude Monday

2010-01-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

My list continues...

(55) Little boys tucked in at the piano, without even having to pull out the bench.

(56) The musky smell of the garden rosemary after a rain.

(57) Eleven heads of lettuce in my garden (the dog didn't eat everything!)

(58) Sweet toddler voice singing himself to sleep.

(59) "When I grown up I want to live next to Kurt so I can visit him all the time." Gabriel (6)

(60) "I'm a yittle boy and Gabe's a yittle boy and you're a big boy." Kurt (2) to me

(61) A little mistake in copying that made this Mama smile: "O, give tanks to the Lord, for He is good." Gabriel (6)

(62) Again Gabriel, "My carcass hurts." O, I laughed so hard my sides nearly split. We came to the conclusion that he meant his ribcage.

(63) The Word of God which directs, soothes, and rights the course.

(64) Desperately needed rain.

(65) The sweet, heartfelt prayers of children for those who need them in Haiti.

Man's Hands

2010-01-13T14:46:00.000-08:00

We stand in a circle, a jumble of humans clutching one another. It’s New Year’s Eve and we are ushering in the New Year with a collective prayer – that we would love Him more, grown in faith and obedience, and that all these little ones, fourteen between our two families, would come to know His saving grace.

I stand and hold, perhaps it’s more like catch, the sweaty palm of one overtired two year old in my right hand, and grab, unseen, the outstretched hand to my left. It is wide and strong, and my smaller hand settles into it comfortably. I know this hand – it has been my steady companion all these years. We have grown together, as we settled into family life. It has been found many times in this same place, during joyful times and disappointing times, as means of encouragement and rebuke.

I wish I could say that I have always treated the hand’s owner with tenderness and affection. But I have not. I wish I could say I have prayed for him as much as I should. But I haven not. I wish I could say I have always put his needs above my own. But I have not. Most definitely not.

As I stand, head bowed, in these last few hours of a waning year, I am saturated with thankfulness to the One who knit together this hand and mine, the One who called us both into His family, the One who, in His sovereignty, gave us to one another. He is the Giver of all good gifts, and I am in awe that these hands were made in His perfect image. For, despite my inadequacies, He continues to grow us, nurture us, breathe life and joy and peace into us. He satiates us with His living waters, and we grow to be more like Him.

And as I add my contemplative "amen" to the cacophony, I give that man-hand an extra squeeze, some extra love shared through fingertips. And Nicholas squeezes back. And we smile. My boy.

how to eat a cupcake - a tutorial

2010-01-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

first, see how wide your mouth will open

next, look pensive while you try not to gag

slowly chew while trying very hard not to let crumbs fall out of your mouth

give a pained expression while you swallow that last little bit

ah, success

by kurt hoyer

Wordless Wednesday (for Heather)

2009-12-23T09:28:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, Henriques family!

What Didn't Make the Cut

2009-12-19T13:41:00.000-08:00

Over 100 Christmas cards to over 20 states - here are some of the pictures you won't be getting in the mail :-)

Unfair

2009-12-17T13:38:00.000-08:00

I was always an angel. Always. I never seemed to get an interesting part in the St.-Thomas-a-Becket church pageant. Not that I cared too much. The angels were pretty. I liked pretty.

In my small 8-year-old mind I was always fixated on the part of the pageant story that seemed so unfair to me: “there was no room for them in the inn.” Couldn’t someone have given up their room? I thought. Surely, something could have been done – I mean, Mary was having a baby. She had just traveled many miles on the back of a donkey – nine months pregnant. It was all just so wrong!

I understand now what I didn’t then. That’s not the part that is unfair.

It’s not unfair that they had no room…I mean, they didn’t make a reservation. It’s not unfair that they had to birth a baby in a messy, dirty barn and place him in a feeding trough with the animal smell fresh and pungent. It’s not unfair that He had nothing to wear but some dirty strips of cloth to repel the chill of His first earthly night. It’s not unfair that they had to race off in the opposite direction of home to avoid being killed by Herod’s soldiers, or that it would be years before they saw their home again. It’s not unfair that He was despised and rejected. It’s not unfair that He was willingly nailed to a cross to comply with His Father’s will.

What is truly unfair is that I might benefit from His actions. A wretched, vile, over-eager and proficient sinner like me. I was not searching for salvation. I was not seeking forgiveness of sins. I didn’t even acknowledge that I was a sinner. I longed only for happiness and wordly wealth and fame and glory and…and…and…A very content traveler on that wide, well-populated road to hell.

He did all that – a humble birth, a perfect life, a cruel God-forsaken death – and I gain. Now that is unfair.

And awesome. Truly awesome.

May the Light of Christ and His amazing work fall on you this blessed season. May you be the beneficiary of what is truly unfair.

Merry Christmas.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-04T15:07:00.000-08:00

what we did on vacation

2009-11-03T14:42:00.000-08:00

We got very sandy

and watched some captivating sunsets.

We rode our bikes on beach-side paths

and stopped to enjoy some ice cream.

We got sandier...

and sandier.

We took photos of odd-looking birds

and laughed at 2-year-old's who refuse to follow directions.

We posed for pictures

and went galumphing in the chilly Pacific Ocean.

We were crustacean-eaters

and crustacean-phobics.

We ate at lunch at Ruby's Diner

and had a breakfast of s'mores,

and got very, very tired having so many adventures.

We collected shells

and made sand angels.

Oh, and got very, very sandy.

THE END.

Friday Funnies

2009-10-09T14:38:00.000-07:00

Just a couple 'a funny things to end the week. Cause it's always better to end with the funny stuff. Beats the alternative.
*Kurt has taken to getting his own shoes on. Is it too much to ask for EITHER a pair OR the right feet? I thought so.

*Gretchen asked her Daddy this week, "What was the most difficult thing you did in math as a kid?" My smart-a$$ hubby responds, "Wait for all the other kids to finish." (The funniest thing about that is I'm quite sure it's true.)

*Kurt has gotten really into painting with his sparkly watercolor paints this week. He loves it...can spend up to 30 minutes doing it (which is just short of an eternity for a two year old). The problem? He likes to drink the water when he's finished. I told Gustav not to be alarmed if he spies a sparkly poop. Cause you know, that might be disturbing. (Did I just type 'poop' on my blog?)

*A Christmas Story has been a favorite this week on the extraordinary, life-changing XBox live feed from Netflix. Kurt has been heard to spurt out, "It's a major award!" more than once during his quiet play.

*Our poor Gretchen has been down with some kind of flu for the past 2 weeks. High fevers on and off, aches, cough, sore throat. When I mentioned to my beloved that it sounded like it may be swine flu, Gustav asked if she felt the need to oink. At her negative reply he assured me that it cannot possibly be swine flu. Did I mention he was a smart...

*The dog ate my squash, spinach, and radishes from the garden this week. Apparently, he has become vegan. The kids actually watched me fall apart at the seams and I do think there was a moment or two where they legitimately feared for the dog's life.

*Kurt has fallen in love with "the blue doggy", a.k.a. Blues Clues, this week. He asked for it 742 times per day, give or take. During one of thos times this week I calmly responded, "Mommy said no," to his insistent question. To which he calmly responded, "Kurties says yes." Well, there it is. He got me.

He also stated this week "I don't want to 'cause I don't want to." Toddlers have such a knack for saying what everyone else is thinking, no?

Have a funny-filled weekend, people.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

Multitude Monday

2009-10-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

"If I allow any turning away from God in my private life, everyone around me suffers."
Oswald Chambers

And so I keep my face turned toward my God. And thank Him. Because He alone is worthy to be praised.

::::

(44) Gabriel reached page 200 in Phonics Pathways! Almost done!

(45) Eating doughnuts from a string.

(46) Crisp fall moon rising over the hills.

(47) Three-legged races and smiling girls.

(48) Cool morning breezes through an open window. Curtains billowing

(49) Morning sun on blond curls.

(50) Interesting little critters.

(50) The delightful tinkle of hummingbirds everywhere.

(51) First tournaments (Nicholas is on the left).

(52) From The Valley of Vision:

"Thy grace can melt the worst sinner, and I am as vile as he;
Yet Thou hast made me a monument of mercy, a trophy of redeeming power;
In my distress let me not forget this."

(53) A thoughtful husband eager to be godly.

(54) "I love you, Mama."

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

(Can you hear the Baywatch music?)

eleven

2009-09-11T09:05:00.001-07:00

I love that you were the first girl on both sides of the family, bringing all things pink and ruffly and feminine into our midst.

I love that you cried so much in your first year, because it forced me to trust God for strength and peace.

I love that you are so contemplative, seeking answers about the big questions and the small.

I love that you knocked your teeth out when you were four, creating that adorable toothless smile that graces all your pictures from ages four to seven.

I love that you are a faithful and devoted friend, who is willing to give friendships the time and attention they need.

I love your passion, even when it swells against me. It shows me that the Lord has created you to do big things in your life, hopefully for His glory.

I love your ability and desire to read so much. I am amazed by your ability to block out the din of a house of seven and focus so completely on the words on the page.

I love our conversations as you get older. I love that we can talk like friends.

I love your desire to get married and have a large family when you are grown.

I love that you are mature and innocent at the same time. That is a gift.

I love that you are not lured by the world and its clothes, music, and stuff.

But most of all, I love you and the great God who lent you to me for this short time.

Happy birthday, Little Pearl.
Enjoy eleven.

The View From My Window

2009-08-31T17:05:00.000-07:00

Wednesday afternoon.

Thursday afternoon.

Friday afternoon.

Saturday afternoon.

What We're Up To

2009-08-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

Here's just a little sampling of what we've been up to:

There has been a fair bit of this...

with a small dose of this...

add in some twirling for good measure...

and just a bit of serious business...

then there was a dash of this...

a trace amount of this...

and a whole lot of this...

a little of this...

and a bit of this.

When I climb out from under the new math books, literature lists, writing textbooks, ridiculously complex schedules, and online course instructions, I'll be back.Until then, just know we're enjoying our summer around here.

Multitude Monday

2009-07-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

Gratitude to Ann over at Holy Experience for reminding me to keep my eyes open to His goodness, and to soak myself in thankfulness.

:::::::

(35) Stunning blooms and busy bees.

(36) The promise of banana bread.

(37) A box full of local organic produce. God's provision.

(38) The twitter of my birdie friends at the feeder. I am always startled by how pleasing I find that sound.

(39) Brothers.

(40) Friends + water + really big balls = FUN.

(41) Pretty cupcakes.

(42) Young ladies playing shower games. A Mom catching her breath that one day all too soon this will be real.

(43) My beloved reaching for my hand during Sunday's message.

Funny Things

2009-07-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a little humor to keep a mom on her toes. Here's a sampling from my home this week (and it's only Tuesday!):

*This morning, upon opening the refrigerator door I was greeted by a plastic cup full of what looked like fruit punch. Taped to the front of the cup there was a sign which read: "DON'T DRINK! Red paint and water." Um, thanks for the heads-up. I'm not sure why the shorter Hoyers feel compelled to refrigerate their paint in drinking cups, of all things. Ah, best not to ask.

*My dear friend Karen and I managed to bang out about 67 details via email in a ten minute span of time this morning. Who needs phones? All this while she was preparing for a dinner party for 30 and I was washing sheets, dusting, and answering a scary-long queue of email. And they say multi-tasking is a myth. Ha!

*Again this morning (it's been a funny day, I guess) while I was out talking to the landscapers who are still trying to get the irrigation right in our yard, my darling two-year old comes gallumphing out wearing nothing but Thomas the Tank Engine underwear and orange Crocs. On the wrong feet. Nice.

*Gabriel has been trying to train Oliver (the dog) to follow some basic commands. Sit. Stay. You get the idea. While working so hard on this endeavor I hear Gabriel say, in all sincerity, "Now Oliver, close your eyes..." Apparently, he's trying to help Oliver find his inner puppy.

*Nicholas returns home from Camp Pa today. He will be bringing with him 20 new pairs of socks which Pa bought him. 20! My father-in-law hasn't had kids in a very. long. time. Can you imagine if all seven of us had 20 pairs of new socks? We'd have to add on to the house.

*Oliver lost a tooth this week. We had to put it in a plastic baggie, which has been on my kitchen counter for 48 hours. I like to think of it as a diet aid. I go in the kitchen to get a snack, see the bloody puppy tooth, exit the kitchen with no snack. It's brilliant!

*This past Sunday night I was forced to break out the vacuum to vacuum up copious quantities of skin on my carpet. Why, you ask? Seven people of northern European descent + 7 hours at the beach on the 4th of July = lots of nasty, peeling skin a few days later. My children were obsessed with pulling the peeling skin off of their arms and shoulders and tossing it on the floor. Gross. Ew. Yuck.

Laughingly,

Multitude Monday

2009-07-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

More blessings from His hand...

(26) This challenging thought from our worship leader: "How many perfect days, laced together in this world, would it take to balance out the rest of eternity in hell?" Praise God that I need not know the answer.

(27) Hours of uninterrupted conversation with my beloved. Holding hands. Reconnecting. Falling in love all over again.

(28) Loving family in Christ, gathering in our living room to learn more of Him. Love Him more.

(29) A little rest.

(30) Flowers that take my breath away with their beauty. Glory to God Whose creativity is magnificent!

(31) Another candle.

(32) Phone calls from my boy-man so far away. Unprompted "I love you's" and "I miss you's."

(33) Sibling love. Raw and real.

(34) Funny toddlers doing funny things. Reminders that God's ways are far above our ways (for we were not "planning" to have another.)

There's no place like Home

2009-07-01T16:53:00.000-07:00

Gustav and I recently spent some time back in my wee little hometown of Barre, Massachusetts. As we drove to my parent's home, I marveled, mouth agape, at how GREEN everything was. I mean, it looked like AstroTurf to me. Really.

I guess I have been in the Land of Brown for too long a time now to have forgotten how lush this little pocket of Earth is.

This was the longest I had ever been away from my hometown. Just shy of three years. My parents, being the stalwart and steady New Englanders that they are, still live in the same little house I grew up in. The bedrooms are still known as Beth's room and Mike's room, despite the fact that Beth and Mike haven't lived there in over fifteen years. The basement smells of earth and moisture and my grandmother, dead so long now.

My hometown is small. Full of names and places that have been there, in some cases, for hundreds of years. Drawn to Barre as a young man to work in the wool mill, my father's father planted roots, married, and had two boys. There have been Cranstons living there ever since.

There is a simplicity in small town living that I find charming and that I miss very much. Familiar landmarks. Familiar faces. Last names that you recognize. And, oh, the green. It just rolls and waves and soaks up the sun. Lush fields. Stately forests. Everywhere.

Here are the fields in which more than one inflatable sled met its sad end on Mr. Steven's barbed wire, somehow sparing the rider every time. Where walks through the tall grass revealed the adventurer's course in the trodden path left behind. Fields to cross in order to find the sparkling lake hidden behind the trees, and the playhouse hammered together by someone else's children a generation before. "We promise not to scare the cows," we would tell Mr. Stevens, who always seemed to be smiling. Of course, he told tales that made us fear these slow-moving cud-chewers, so that if one even looked in our direction we high-tailed it out of there, thankful to be alive.

This small town where aged signs warn passers-by of children long since grown with children of their own now. I wonder how long that sign has been propped against that tree? We used to joke that the sign was letting all know just how "slow" we all were.

Fences laced with poison ivy, easily scaled by brown, calloused hands on lazy summer days. The same rails hammered on generations ago, by rougher and more calloused hands that ours. But with the same surname as the farmer who lives there now. This farm, perched so perfectly and serenely on this hilltop since 1774, always in this family. While hands constructed this rugged old house, a defiant Continental Congress was meeting 200 miles away. Such rich history.

There is nothing like that warm late-afternoon sun streaming through the lush canopy, casting long shadows which beckon home.

We spent time on the town common, where a farmer's co-op was in full swing; farmers undaunted by the trifling fact that it was too early in the season to have grown anything here in New England. They sat around and chit-chatted about this family and that. Gossip, some might call it. A way to pass the time, others may say.

We parked in the old town library parking lot to steal some WiFi. Because it was not during the 4 hours that the library was open that day, and well, my parents don't own a computer. And with no Starbucks anywhere near, it sufficed.

I didn't realize how much I missed Barre until I was back there, visiting with family and old friends like it was yesterday, when I was a skinny little girl climbing fences and picking wildflowers and riding my "Blue Angel" bike with the banana seat down Steven's hill with no hands. The days of jumping huge rolled hay bales, and fishing derbies, and drinking Shirley Temples, and walks down the old cart path to the cemetery with crooked gravestones and dates in the 1700's. When things moved slowly and life was simple.

You know, there really is no place like home.

Six

2009-06-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

Some fitting sentiments from our dear friend, Mr. Milne:

"When I was One,
I had just begun.

When I was Two,
I was nearly new.

When I was Three,
I was hardly Me.

When I was Four,
I was not much more.

When I was Five,
I was just alive.

But now that I'm Six, I'm as clever as clever.
So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever."

Happy birthday, my little big man.
You bring us joy and smiles every day.
You are our "Sparkles."
Thank God for you.

Love, Mom

Homeschooling - Part 3

2009-06-19T17:07:00.001-07:00

This is a continuation in the series on Why We Homeschool.

Here is my explanation of Hoyer Educational Pillar #2:

(2) As their worldview is shaped by the precepts of Scripture, they will be presented with the history of Man from the Fall as a story of the unfolding majesty of God's plan of Grace.

When my oldest was just four and I began considering homeschooling, I was blessed to read The Well Trained Mind by Jesse Wise and Susan Wise Bauer. It clicked with my mental picture of what a great home education could be, and I devoured the reasoning, recommendations, and techniques found within its pages. One of the things that I loved about the classical approach laid forth in The Well Trained Mind was the emphasis on studying history chronologically. What a concept! Start at the beginning and see how the history of the world unfolds. Brilliant!

I do not want to complain about my education, because it really was pretty decent. But, I feel as though I studied the period of history from the American Revolution to the Civil War several thousand times. Really. I can’t remember studying other periods in history at all. I’m sure I did. But obviously the emphasis was on this period in history.

As a Christian, I believe that our Lord is sovereign. He created the universe and has already dictated who will rise to power, what civilizations will flourish, and the outcome of every war and skirmish. It is very important to me that history not be presented as a series of chance events which have culminated in our present society, but that the history of the world is shown as the unfolding grace of God. I also want there to be no disconnect between the Bible stories we learn in the Scriptures and the “secular” history that everyone believes. I want my kids to know that the lush palace life of the Egyptians was enjoyed by Moses in his youth; when the Northern Kingdom of Israel fell it was to the Assyrians; when Daniel was being divinely protected from the raging lions in the lion’s den, he was in Babylon after the exile of Judah.

So how do you go about teaching history as the unfolding majesty of God’s plan of grace when the world would have you think that some accidental cosmic explosion brought this world into being and that you evolved from animals? Get thee a good study Bible and read the notes and introductions! I LOVE my MacArthur Study Bible for this. When planning to study the Babylonians or the Hittites or the Assyrians, find out what your Bible says about these people. What books of the Bible line up with your current topic? Not only will your children be blessed to see that Bible history and school history are one in the same, but you will be blessed for being in the Word of God and seeing just how magnificently His Word lines up with history. You will see that His Word IS history: factual and truthful.

My favorite pick for elementary history is, without question, The Story of the World 4-year history curriculum written by Susan Wise Bauer (who co-authored the Well Trained Mind.) It is a great narrative of history, written in small, digestible chunks in lovely story form. The accompanying Activity Guide offers coloring pages, maps, recommended reading, and crafts/activities. Bauer is a Christian, although the curriculum is not overtly so, allowing for your own personal Bible study to nicely augment the selections. Having maps and globes displayed about the house and available is also key in understanding history. Show them where, roughly, the Garden of Eden was located. Where is the Red Sea that the Lord parted for the Israelites? As missionaries began carrying the truth to far off places, where exactly did they go with the Good News of Christ?

My oldest boy, a history junkie, currently loves some Teaching Company courses he is taking, called Early Middle Ages and Late Middle Ages. Now, at age 12, his own Bible study and knowledge is brought to bear on what he sees and hears in these video lectures. It is wonderful to discuss these things with him! And it’s wonderful when he pauses the lecture to say, “That doesn’t really line up with the Truth.”

Yes. It is a blessing to see fruits of my labors and God’s abundant mercy in my children. It makes the time and the effort so very, very worth it.

Resolved

2009-06-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

If you're interested in listening to the great preaching taking place this weekend at the Resolved Conference, follow this link for the live feed:

Resolved

John MacArthur, Steve Lawson, C.J. Mahaney, John Piper, Rick Holland. Good stuff. Enjoy!

Our Newest Resident

2009-06-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

Oliver Wendell Hoyer
born February 7, 2009
Black Lab

nine

2009-06-11T10:10:00.000-07:00

Our beautiful Lillian turns nine years old today! We thank the Lord for His gift of this sweet, funny girl in our family. Here are nine special things about my special little girl:

(1) Until she was 5 years old, she called herself Yiwian. Those "L's" were a bit tough.
(2) She has a dry sense of humor that keeps us all laughing.
(3) She is such a wonderful little mother to her two little brothers. She really has a servant heart.
(4) Her need to be different from everyone else in the family. She definitely is an individual!
(5) Her love of my cooking. What can a mama say? All her favorite foods are things that I make. You gotta love that! (So today we are having strawberry bread, warm potato and sausage salad, and mommy pasta :-)
(6) She's a daredevil! When she's tall enough, she'll be my riding partner at Knotts!
(7) She's such a solid friend. She writes letters and saves seats and just really cares about people.
(8) She can, and frequently does, laugh at herself. What a gift.
(9) She is celebrating her last ever single-digit birthday!

I really, really love you Lillian! We all do. You are a gift from our Lord. Here's to many more birthdays and a life that glorifies Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer!

(Oh, and by the way, she and Daddy are out right now picking out a brand new puppy!)

Wordless Wednesday (for my sister)

2009-06-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

Universal Studios

2009-06-07T16:40:00.000-07:00

We recently went to Universal Studios to celebrate Nicholas' 12th birthday. Universal Studios is not our favorite place (Gustav & I), but our children adore it, so off we went. One of our favorite parts of the whole park is the statue as you walk in , seen in the picture here. Looks like a great statue of a filming scene, right? Well, let me tell you, looks can be deceiving. That man on the right there, with his hand in his pocket...see him? He's real. Yup, he stands perfectly still for a few minutes and then just up and walks to the other side of the display, scaring those who've never seen it before and delighting those who knew it was coming. I don't envy his job, standing in the Cali sunshine with who knows what kind of crazy paint/makeup on, but he sure entertains our family!

We had a fun time on the rides. Gabriel could go on the Jurassic Park ride 500 times in a row without getting bored. We only went on it 5 or 6 times on this trip. The bigger kids just love The Simpsons Ride, even though they'd never seen the characters before in their lives. And Gustav just loves the studio tour and the special effects show.

Here's Nicholas participating in the national pastime of twelve year old boys: stuffing his face! I know it gets worse. Everyone with older boys tells me it only gets worse, but I would rather not think about it. My grocery budget is already bursting at the seams. I remember fondly the days when a $20 bill could feed all of us at the drive-thru. No longer. I will choose to live in the blissful ignorance that this is as bad as it will get. Thanks for indulging me.

We took in one of the fun animal shows this time. We cracked up as these amazingly trained animals did all sorts of hysterical things. What a hoot!

Kurt loved his time in the Curious George area, designed for the littles who are too small to go on any of the rides. There are balls, slides, swings, and all sorts of super-fun things to do. And isn't he so stinkin cute? All matchy-matchy with his shirt and shoes. Come on.

Don't get Gustav started about the parking situation at Universal. You can pay $12 for stinky parking or even more for actual close-to-the-park parking. It makes his blood boil every single time we go there! I even prep the kids: "Don't talk to Daddy while he's parking." heh-heh.

All in all, a great day for the Hoyers. Lots of fun time spent together gets an A+ in my book!

Wordless Wednesday (from the archives)

2009-05-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

Homeschooling, Part 2

2009-05-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest aspects of homeschooling for us is that we may “teach (the Words of God) to our sons, talking of them when we sit in our house and when we walk along the road and when we lie down and when we rise up.” If my children are with me for the whole day, I have so very many opportunities to instruct them in the Word of God and to demonstrate what an obedient believer looks like. Now I frequently fail miserably at demonstrating an obedient believer, but that is when God’s grace becomes evident. So here is a little window into how the Hoyer family puts Educational Pillar #1 into practice.

(1) Our mission is to train our children to become skillful handlers of the Truth of God as recorded in the Scriptures in order that they might not only be hearers, but doers of the Word. They must be deeply anchored in understanding and interpreting literature. They will be encouraged to love language, as it was the means by which the Creator of the Universe chose to reveal Himself to us.

Family Devotions
Gustav spends 15-20 minutes every morning following breakfast in the Word with the kids. They have gone through the books of John, Acts, Romans, Joshua, Genesis and Exodus in the past couple of years. I am blessed to have a husband who takes the command to “teach them to his sons” so seriously. His own deep personal study also allows him to answer their sometimes very insightful questions on the fly. This morning’s discussion? If the Lord is immutable, how did he change his mind after Moses’ entreaty in Exodus 32: 11-14? Good stuff.

To finish up our devotion time we frequently sing a hymn together. We have, as a family, memorized many hymns. The teaching in those old, great hymns is just incredible. I believe we do a disservice to our children when we write them off as antiquated. Just recently, we have begun singing hymns in parts. Honestly, it is such an incredible, worshipful time to be able to sing the great truths of Scripture together as a family. Remember, we are commanded in Scripture to sing, but nowhere are we commanded to sing well! He just wants us to lift our voices in praise!

Personal Bible Study
Once our kids can read they are expected to read their Bible every morning. If there is one habit we want to instill in their lives, it would be this. The older children have daily reading plans that they follow and Nicholas and Gretchen both managed to read through the whole Bible in 2008. Our younger kids just spend 10 minutes reading somewhere in their Bible. It’s about forming the habit, not about quantity .

Scripture (and other) Memory
I was so blessed a couple of years ago to find Charlotte Mason’s Scripture Memory System. It has been such a great, systematic way to memorize Scripture together. We purpose to memorize larger portions of Scripture with some shorter ones thrown in. This year we have memorized Genesis 1, Exodus 20:2-17, Isaiah 53, Psalm 8, as well as 10-12 shorter verses. They do this on top of the AWANA verses they memorize each week. I do not mention this to brag, simply to show that with a systematic approach, our kids can hide a lot of God’s Word in their hearts. (And their Mommies, too!)

We also just love The Institute for Excellence in Writing’s Linguistic Development Through Poetry Memorization. It’s a mouth-full, but a fantastic program for memorizing some great poetry. Again, just 10-15 minutes per day yields a brain full of some lovely stuff.

Literature
There is just so much great literature out there, that I sometimes feel there just aren’t enough hours in the day! I love using the 1000 Good Books List and Honey for a Child’s Heart to find great literature selections for my kids at their appropriate reading level. Each year I come up with reading selections that line up with our history studies, as well as the literature I want them to cover that year. Throw in a list for family read-alouds, and we have a great time reading and learning together.

Teachable Moments
Sometimes, it is far more important to let the “schoolwork” go to address a character issue in my kids. This was a hard-learned lesson for me. I like very much crossing things off the daily to-do list. But sometimes it is a better choice to let the work stay unfinished and have that heart-to-heart with the child who is grumbling and complaining, or with the child who is choosing harsh words. Bringing Scripture to bear in these situations promotes opportunities for our children to be “doers of the Word” and not only hearers. Gentle correction and an opportunity to correct the offense and restore the relationship are, in the end, far more important than fractions, vocabulary, or spelling. It is a window into the very character of God. We must be commanded to do these things because they DO NOT come easily to the human race. We would much rather be selfish, prideful complainers, wouldn’t we?

Ultimately, we want to create a home environment where Christ is the head, where opportunities for learning about Him abound, and where His Word is honored.

Up next: Educational Pillar #2 :-)

Potty-Training 101

2009-05-11T15:49:00.000-07:00

A condensed and moderately humorous look at potty-training (from someone who has done this five times.)

(1) Keep the child naked from the waist down. This will facilitate those frantic running-for-the-bathroom-before-he-finishes dashes. Just be sure to pick him up facing AWAY from you. This is very important.

(2) Keep a stack of books in the bathroom to keep him occupied while you "wait." Don't worry, though, he'll pick the same book every time. Danny and the Dinosaur gets really annoying when you've read it six times in two hours.

(3) Have a small container of M&M's on the back of the toilet for rewarding successes. Or for making yourself feel better after no successes at all. A little chocolate never hurt.

(4) Stay positive. Despite what it feels like, he really will get it eventually. Push those nightmarish thoughts of coaxing your 18 year old college freshman to "put his pee-pee's in the potty" right out of your head.

(5) Praise for a job well done, but, for heaven's sake, don't scare him. The first time my current 2 year old pooped in the potty I screamed so loud I made him cry.

(6) Those aren't pee-stains on my carpet, it's where my son marked his territory!

(7) When you pull off the soggy Thomas-the-Tank-Engine underpants make a super-duper sad face and say, "Thomas is SO, SO sad that he's covered in pee. Wow, he reeaalllly didn't want this to happen. He thought for sure you'd put it in the potty." Because if personifying a silk-screened face on the tush of a 2T pair of underpants is going to get the job done, I'm game.

(8) Enjoy the ride, because soon he'll be learning to drive. And then you will long for the easy-peasy days of potty-training.

Homeschooling - Why We Do What We Do

2009-05-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

I have been asked by a number of my friends and recently encouraged by my husband to blog a bit about homeschooling. I have come full circle on homeschooling: from being positive that we wouldn't, to being open to the possibility, to being adamant that we would. God has used this opportunity to grow me in faith and knowledge of Himself, to love my children more, and to be sanctified daily. However, I do not think it is the only way to properly school the children we have been blessed with. It is just the right way for us at the moment.

One thing that was important for me in the beginning, (being the list-maker that I am) was to have a document that stated why we were doing this. Something I could refer to when I needed encouragement and something that would keep me on track as we matured and grew. The reasons we choose to school our children at home will differ from family to family, as they should, for each family is uniquely designed by God. Here, for your reading pleasure, are:

The Hoyer Educational Pillars
written in 2003

(1) Our mission is to train our children to become skillful handlers of the Truth of God as recorded in the Scriptures in order that they might not only be hearers, but doers of the Word. They must be deeply anchored in understanding and interpreting literature. They will be encouraged to love language, as it was the means by which the Creator of the Universe chose to reveal Himself to us.

(2) As their worldview is shaped by the precepts of Scripture, they will be presented with the history of Man from the Fall as a story of the unfolding majesty of God's plan of Grace.

(3) They will be trained to reverence the ordered excellence of Creation as discovered through observation and experimentation so that they might better glorify the Creator in their hearts and minds, and trust in the perfection of His designs.

(4)We desire that they be trained in rigorous logical disciplines that they might be able to reason with God through His Word, and be able to evaluate life through well-trained thinking.

(5) They should have a knowledge of other civilizations that they might have an understanding of their own place of privilege among the race of Adam.

(6) As beings created in the likeness and image of the Creator God, they should be encouraged to cultivate the exercise and appreciation of the creative arts. This will also cultivate a more profound understanding of that which is lovely and excellent, and will draw their hearts toward the Author and Source of beauty.

(7) We desire that they be trained in the proper care and maintenance of their bodies through exercise and self discipline, that they might steward these gifts to the glory of God.

(8) The expression of a heart that is submitted to God will express itself in gracious and well-mannered speech and thoughtful actions which manifest the preference of the other above self. They will be trained in appropriate etiquette and manners.

(9) The life of a believer should be one marked by diligence and hard work. They will be encouraged to cultivate these character qualities, and be warned against the sin of laziness.

I would heartily encourage anyone who is new to homeschooling to begin by deciding why they feel the Lord has called them to this way of life. Study the Scriptures and pray. Then, once you have put down in words the "why's" of your choice, put them where you will be frequently reminded. Re-read them yearly at least, daily if needed.

I desire, years from now, for my children "to arise and call me blessed." (Proverbs 31:28) Not because they became brilliant mathematicians (which they may) or concert violinists (which they could) or Pulitzer Prize winning authors (which would be wonderful), but because they sat under the tutelage of a humble mother who loved the Lord with all her heart, mind, soul, and strength, and shared her faith and awe of the Creator with them. Day in and day out.

And who never forgot for Whom she was doing what she was doing.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-29T16:21:00.000-07:00

Chuckle for the Day

2009-04-23T15:08:00.000-07:00

Gabriel: Can Root Beer make you drunk?

Me: No, honey. Root Beer can't make you drunk.

Gabriel: But regular beer can.

Me: Yes, honey. Regular beer can.

Gabriel: I think because it has no roots in it.

Man, you gotta love him.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

A Little Story

2009-04-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a boy.

A boy who liked donuts.

And, believe it or not, sisters.

He was a handsome boy, full of spunk and laughter.

And his parents marveled that the Lord would entrust him to them.

He was so special that his Grampa always rubbed his head for good luck.

His first dog taught him to love...

...and to grieve.

And that boy, he grew and he grew and he grew.

He still loved donuts. And all his siblings. But now he also loved dinosaurs, World War II, and making movies.
And the Lord. He especially loved the Lord.

And his parents were happy.

Well, that boy, he turned twelve. And his parents still marvel at what a blessing he is. And they love him more than ever.

THE END.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

Why Humor is Crucial for Mothers

2009-03-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

OK, so it's been a time of whirlwind activity around here. Lots of going in and going out, lots of guests, Bible studies, lessons, and such. Today has been a day for sitting back and taking it all in and realizing how important, nay crucial, humor is for a mother. Especially this mother of five.

I have found myself startled by some of the bizarre combinations of words coming out of my mouth recently. You know what I'm talking about...things you never, in a million years, thought you would ever say. Try some of these recent doozies on for size:

"Gretchen, you would be really unhappy too if others at the breakfast table were speaking in a language you didn't understand." (this while Gretchen and Nicholas were tittering away IN LATIN at the breakfast table! Lillian was not only feeling left out, but quite uneasy about what might be so stinkin' funny.)

"Gabriel, get your armpit out of the almond butter." (I hope no one out there in blogdom had food in their mouth when they came across that interesting visual.)

"Kurt, stop licking your bike." (uh, what is there to say about that? The kid keeps us guessing... and perpetually disgusted. We recently went to the zoo where I look up and he's sipping away at a juice box. No problem. 'Cept I didn't bring any juice boxes.)

Just in case you think the humor ends with our verbosity, fear not. It continues...

*The girls are outside trying to catch a bee for a pet. Not sure who thought that was a good idea, but I'm going with the oldest puella, that's Latin for girl :-)

*Lastly, I was just in the kitchen and I see Nicholas' eyes bugging out of his head as he stares out of the window. Then he starts laughing. I mean cracking up. He's frantically trying to tell me what he sees. He's sputtering and spluttering. I look out - half intrigued, half frightened - to see a small pasty white bottom shining in the SoCal sunshine. Apparently, one of my boys (who shall remain nameless) really had to go.
Or, it just seemed like an interesting idea.
Or, he knew his mama needed a good laugh.

Or, he knew that the old man from up the street was puttering by with his walker right at that moment.

Hopefully that nice old man knows how crucial humor is, too.

I am Still Alive

2009-03-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

Never fear.

Just having trouble fitting it all in.

We had a lovely, lovely time with our dear friends from CT who came out for the Shepherd's Conference earlier this month. We were privileged to have Tim, Cynthia, Adele, Marji, Benjamin, and Karsten stay in our home for the whole week. It was really so wonderful to spend time with all of them again. They have been missed so much. Above are Cynthia, Adele, Karsten, and Marji at the L.A. Zoo where we spent an afternoon during their stay. We had a number of logistical mishaps with that number of people, but we had a splendid time nonetheless.
One thing that was interesting to me this year: of all the men who came from our little CT church, the majority of them were not there when we were there. That is not actually the interesting part. The interesting part was how they all felt like old friends anyway. It was so great. The Lord's church is universal and these are our brothers in Christ, co-heirs in Christ's kingdom. Praise God for how He thoughtfully takes care of His people! Above, Frank (a new friend from CT), reads a book to Kurt.
It was so wonderful to see our old CT friends, the Peppers. They are now living out here in our neck of the woods, but we just don't see them nearly enough!
How fun to have the Harasicks here, as well. Our new friends mixing with our old friends...so lovely! God has blessed us to know some of the most amazing, godly people in our lives. You all encourage me so much. Praise God!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-25T13:44:00.000-08:00

Mean

2009-02-20T13:16:00.000-08:00

I thought you all would appreciate this.

Kurt just walked up to me while I was checking my email. He says, matter-of-factly, "mean."

I say, "What did you say, sweetie?"

He says, "Mean."

I say, "Did you say mean?" trying to figure out how he knows that word.

He walks up to me, looks me dead in the eye, and says deliberately, "meeeean."

Then he pinches me. Really hard. All the while looking intently into my eyes.

"Yes, Kurt," I say, "that was mean."

I'm glad that little lesson is over.

Have a great, mean-free weekend.

How we've been spending our time

2009-02-10T14:48:00.000-08:00

OK, so this picture has been a Hoyer favorite for the past couple of weeks. I took it while at the L.A. Zoo and we have cleverly called this gem of a shot: "Hippo Butt" because any phrase which includes the word 'butt' is good for hours of giggling in my home. It also makes me feel a little better to have this shot in mind when I step on the scale. Keeps everything in perspective, you know. Hey, I never promised nothin' high brow or intellectual in this post!

Here we are on Kurt's birthday. We spent the morning endeavoring to use every piece of wooden track we own. Kurt sure had a ball destroying, I mean enjoying, all of our hard work. It was a fun project that everyone got into. Here's my big 2 year old playing engineer:

So last weekend my 2 girls (assisted by Gabriel) set their alarms, got up early, and made the whole family pancakes for breakfast. How sweet is that? When I came out into the hall because I woke to the smell of food...quite a disconcerting smell when I know the only 2 people over the age of 12 are in bed...I was greeted by deputy Gabriel who threw his hands up and said, "No, Mom, you can't come down yet!" So I went back to bed, assured that someone would think to get me if, say, there were flames or something. I am very proud of my 2 servant-hearted girls!

I've included this pic of Gretchen cause I like it. That's all. I am still trying to learn how to use the great new camera Gustav bought me for Christmas. I've decided that I need to just play with it in order to figure things out. Because when you have 5 kids, there just aren't enough hours in the day or firing synapses in the brain to make reading the manual anything but a futile waste of time.

Next up, my big Sparkie, Gabriel, was named Clubber of the Month this month. Here he is getting his pin from Mr. Allen. He was so funny when he was up on the stage...he got all pale and seemed to be staring into space. Gustav and I were joking that he might go over. Apparently, he was a little overwhelmed being in front of everyone!

Look what I did! I taught myself how to knit a couple of months ago and just completed my first baby blanket. I am so proud of myself! I actually tore it out 3 times and started over...but the 4th time was a charm. My biggest problem was getting distracted (hard to believe around here, I know) and forgetting whether I had just knit 3 or purled 3. All in all, though, I am very happy with my first attempt. Lastly, anyone want to send their kids over to play in our squishy back yard? Anyone? After 4 straight days of rain, our still-not-landscaped backyard is a child's dream. Mud, mud, and more mud. This makes Crocs worth their weight in gold to me. Just rinse 'em off and they're all clean and ready to go.
For those of you looking for something thought-provoking on this blog today, my apologies. One of these days I will actually get up at two in the morning and blog. That seems to be the only time of the day that my thoughts are anywhere near deep. God is good that He gives me so much to do, I guess, that I need not waste my time actually thinking :-) Have a great day!

My Beloved

2009-01-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I celebrated 12 years of marriage to my beloved. To say that the Lord has blessed me with my husband would be a colossal understatement. He was instrumental in my salvation, and continues to be a loving shepherd and spiritual leader.

I still miss him terribly when he goes to work every day. My heart still leaps when I hear the doorknob turn, announcing his arrival home. I still like to hold his hand. I love his eagerness to try something new. I love his commitment to things of the Lord. I love his ability, seemingly, to do anything he tries well. I love the way he loves his children. I love the way he loves me.

Happy anniversary, honey. I really do love you most.

TWO!

2009-01-23T16:36:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow our little Kurt turns two. It's shocking, really. I can't believe he is already so big, and yet I can't remember what life was like without him. He is my California baby. He's never even seen New England, what I consider to be home. So many of my most beloved friends have never even met him! In honor of his birthday, here are

Ten Things I Love About Kurt

(1) His hair. I mean, come on. The Beach Boys would be proud.
(2) His utter and complete obsession with trains. He even sleeps with a (clean) pair of underwear in his crib because there is a Thomas on the bum.
(3) The way he rubs and pats my back when I hold him.
(4) His sunshine-y temperament. He frequently hums to himself, and is always there to wave and yell "hew-woh" to the letter carrier.
(5) That smile. The one that gets him out of all the trouble he should be in.
(6) The way he gags every time I make him eat something new. Hey, it's worth a shot.
(7) He loves to dance. Especially to the Kung-Fu Panda soundtrack which we have listened to about 5 million times, give or take.
(8) His uncanny ability to name all of his body parts. Yep. All.
(9) The fact that he just walks into the nursery at church. No separation anxiety for him.
(10) He is a constant reminder that the Lord's ways are above our ways. Gustav and I would never have planned to get pregnant just before selling our home and traveling like gypsies across the country for 3 months before settling in La-La Land. What a blessing that our Lord is sovereign, because I can't imagine being without my little Kurt.

I love you, sweet stuff. Happy birthday.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-01-14T13:32:00.000-08:00

The Fourth's Firsts

2009-01-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

Well, a number of you have mentioned that it has been a while since I've been active here in my little dusty corner of the web. Sorry 'bout that. I find that when I have much to say and lots to share, I get easily overwhelmed and do what any overwhelmed woman would do in such a position...nothing. So, here I am. Recovered from a busy but blessed holiday season and ready to crawl out from the hole I dug for myself.

We had a great December, full of family, fellowship, gifts, love, and at least TWO firsts for the fourth child of mine. I asked Gabriel a few months back if he was ready to have his training wheels taken off his bike. He answered with an enthusiastic "yes!" but got just a little spooked when he tried riding sans support. His bike sat in the garage collecting dust for almost two months when Lillian offered to help him learn. The two of them spent about an hour out in the driveway and whattayaknow? I come out to check on the progress and Gabriel is zooming up and down the driveway. What a blessing big sisters are.

The very same week Gabriel notified Nicholas that his tooth was "soft." Nicholas, my inquisitive firstborn, had to seek further information and it was soon discovered that Gabriel had his first loose tooth! I found it remarkable that he didn't know what was going on. I mean, he has three older siblings who've all done this multiple times. But naivete aside, when he realized that he had a loose tooth he shouted, "Mom, I've been waiting for this moment for almost my whole life!"

{For those of you who may get a touch queasy at the sight of reeaaaallly loose teeth, the following photo may be disturbing}

Later that day it just popped out. No pain. No blood. Nothing. Just fell out into his hand. It was a good first tooth-losing experience.

After the tooth fell out, my little man came to me and said, in his best salesman voice, "So, Mom. I was thinking. Instead of doing the tooth fairy, maybe we could have a party?"

Gotta love him.