Compromise

Compromise. According to Webster's it is defined as a settlement in which each side makes concessions, or to meet midway

I don't like pets. Well, I do like cats, but I have a terrible allergy to them, so we can't have one. Steve and the kids really wanted a pet...they would love a cat, a dog, or a rabbit. Not me. Animals are messy and they stink (sorry to offend all you animal lovers).

We compromised and bought two hamsters. They stay in a cage and are relatively low maintaince. In addition I was assured I would not be responsible for cleaning the cage. Here is a snapshot of our day.

Katherine loves animals and is especially fond of cats. This is her trying to convince me to take this one home from the pet store. Lydia wanted a pot-bellied pig.

Here are the girls with there new pets. Everyone is so excited... well, almost everyone. I am still adjusting to my wonderful dining room now containing animals.




This is three hours later. Vanilla tried to kill Whitey. It was quite tramatic so we had to put them in separate cages. Joshua, trying to cheer me up, exclaims, "our dining room looks (and smells) like a pet store!"

What a wonderful opportunity to talk with our children about the ability to "meet midway."

Graduation Day

We spent a week under the weather...but finally everyone is better and things are getting back to normal...as normal as life with three little ones!

Tonight Joshua graduated from kindergarten. Sometimes I feel like time is slipping away from me too fast...I want to hold onto every moment...which validated my decision to quit my job-today was my last day!

Anyway, as I was kneeling on my knees donning the monster truck tie on my very wiggly little guy I had a flash forward of one day straightening his tie on his high school graduation. I got a little teary-eyed and was a bit more tolerant of the wiggles than I typically would have been.

Big Brother

We often encourage Joshua in his role as the Big Brother. We talk to him about be a protector of his little sisters, defending his sisters, encouraging them when they are struggling with something, and loving them-even when it is hard. These are not only traits to instill in a big brother but also a little boy who will one day be a husband.

Anyway, back to being 6 years old...he is also a teacher to them which is evident in the conversation I had with Lydia today. First, a little history, Joshua loves animals and reads and studies them all the time.

This morning we were going to Sugar and Spice Doughnut Shop.
Me, "Lydia you are made of sugar and spice and everything nice, does that mean you are made of doughnuts?"
Lydia (with a very serious face) "No, I'm made of ham."
Me "Ham? Why do you say that?"
Lydia, "Cause I'm made of meat."
Me, "Meat?"
Lydia, "Yes, if a meat-eater animal saw me, he would eat me, because I am made of meat, I guess ham."

Thank you God that Lydia has such a wonderful big brother!

You Are Special Today

I did not hit the snooze button yesterday when my alarm abruptly interrupted my sleep at 6:15. I had a lot to do. It was one of those days that I woke up feeling behind. After doing my morning Bible Study and prayer time (which I have to admit, was more rushed than it should have been), I jumped into the shower and began planning every minute of my day which included but was not limited to graduation practice for Joshua, library, bank, 2 loads of laundry, balancing checkbook, sorting the mail/bills and creating treatment plans for tomorrow's work day...all by noon because I had to be at work at 1:00.

Obviously there would be no time to play with the kids today.

I came downstairs trying to figure out what I could prepare for breakfast that would be quick and not create a big mess. I walked into the kitchen and found this on the counter. The note reads "for mom today, Love Joshua."

In our home, it is a true privilege to eat on the You are Special Today plate. Being the mommy and the cook, I have never eaten on it.

It was more than a privilege for me...it was an answer to a prayer I had said that morning. Please Lord, during this crazy day, remind me of what is important to you and help me be a godly wife and mom.

He answered my prayer with a plate, a handwritten note, and a 5 year old boy who thinks I am special.

Party Time!

Yesterday we celebrated Lydia's 4th and Katherine's 2nd birthay with a Pink Pig themed party (yes they make Pink Pig plates, napkins etc). We celebrated with our family and friends-thanks to everyone who came to celebrate this day with us.
Katherine likes to sing Happy Birthday! Notice the pig plates.

Pink Pig plates $3.50, candles $1.00, pizza for all our family and friends $50.00, the look on Lydia's face when she saw this cake...priceless.

Our neighbors bought Lydia a pink pig yard ornament! His name is Oinkey.

Among the many, many gifts received, Lydia got her first bicycle!

Lydia's 4th Birthday!

Lydia's birthday was on Thursday, I can't believe she is four years old. We are having her party along with Katherine's next week, so for today-we just made it all about Lydia. First, she was able to choose what she wanted to wear -her favorite dress. She also had the privilege of choosing what we would eat for all three meals. In our house this is a privilege because typically they eat what I prepare with little input (for those of you who know of the Funnel analogy in parenting-our childen are at the small end of the funnel, we keep their world small). Anyway, for breakfast she chose pop-tarts with red sprinkles (we don't have any pink), for lunch she chose PB&J with blueberries, and for dinner chicken nuggets, mac n cheese, and cauliflower. All of this was served on our special Happy Birthday plate. Oh, she would want me to include her drink for lunch-mommy's Pepsi! The Lord blessed us with a gorgeous day so we played outside, went hiking (yes in the dress), made pink cupcakes, ate snacks all day, and read her favorite books. Actually, she read Pinkalicious to me...and it is a pretty long book. She has it memorized almost word for word. She ended her day with a bath of bubbles! All day she kept asking, "am I 4 years old now?" I would respond "yes". Then she would wrinkle her forehead and say, "hmm". I finally figured out that she was expecting to feel different now that she was four. We talked about how aging is a gradual process. By then I had lost her..she was twirling around the kitchen.

Licking the beaters...the best part!

A hike in the "forest"
Pop-tarts!

I wanted to post my favorite 4 memories of the past year but there are way too many! I decided to post the top 4 things I love (pronouned luuuuuuv by Lydia) about my girl:

1. Here sincere prayers, which can be lengthy at times as she thanks God for every pink thing she can think of.

2. Her motto "I love to smile and be happy" and how she lives this out daily!

3. Her love for pink

4. Her endless energy...if only I had a small portion of it!

Creator God

On Saturday we spent the day at the Science Center. We enjoyed time in the Kidzone playing at the water tables, building skyscrapers, going into space, and even riding a bus driven by a 5 year old! We also saw the Imax movie, Animalopolis. When asked their favorite animal in the movies, Joshua replied the lions, Lydia replied the pink flamingos. There were no pink flamingos in the movie, in fact there were no pink animals. But being the ever optimist, she pretended that there were. The movie was great for kids but gave credit to the fictional "mother nature" for all of the beauties and wonders created by our God. It occured to me how pervasive the godless worldview is in our society, that an elusive mother nature would be more believable (and acceptable) to people than a Creator God who purposefully and deliberately formed each and every creature that takes a breath. It also saddened me that at such young ages our children are being indoctrinated into this meaningless existance. It also reinforced my belief that Steve and I have been granted a tremendous responsiblity to make His Name known to our children.
Thanks Grandma B for the free passes. Here are some photos of our day.