Lordy, Lordy, My Big Brother's 40!

Andy and I just got back from a quick 24 hour whirlwind trip to Ocala.  We headed there to celebrate my brother Eddie's 40th birthday.  We had a wonderful time!  Andy's parents "happily" agreed to keep the kids so they were "happily" left in Tallahassee for some fun Gigi and Papa time. :)

 

Eddie and his wife Kate invited family and friends to come and celebrate with them at a local restaurant.  There was laughing and crying, and fun catching up with old friends!  It was a great night! 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the highlights of the night for me was getting to catch up with one of my favorite people Amy.  We live several hours apart, so we don't get to see one another as often as we would like, but any time I get with her is a true blessing.  I always leave feeling encouraged, inspired, and truly connected.  It's such a joy to have friendships that no matter the time apart or distance you just pick up right where you left off.  Just a cool side note, she and my brother have known each other since they were born.  There was a picture of the two of them together as babies.  So amazing to have lifelong friendships! (sorry I didn't do a better job with getting a picture of that) :)

 

 

Before dinner, my mom, dad, and I said a few words.  I shared a funny story from our childhood that has been brought up multiple times through the years, and NOT by me! :)  When we were young, we were working in the yard as a family raking leaves.  I thought it would be funny to hide Eddie's football in a pile of leaves.  Looking back, I'm not sure why I thought that would be funny, since Eddie wouldn't have been looking for it any time soon.  Anyway, later that day, having completely forgotten about the football we all hear a LOUD POP!  It took me a few minutes, and then it registered.  Let me back up for a minute.  Not only were we raking leaves, but apparently, unbeknownst to me, we were burning leaves.  Oops!!!  That loud pop was Eddie's poor football exploding in the fire.  I ran to my room and flung myself on the bed crying because I was so upset over what I have done.  Meantime, Eddie is telling my dad, "she better pay for that."  Through the years all I heard was how that was the best football he ever had.  So, 30 years later I decided that it would be a perfect time to get him a new football. :)  Let's just hope it's as good as the one I ruined. 

 

 

What my parents shared was so heartfelt and special I asked them for a copy of what they said so that I could re-read their comments again.  I asked them for permission to share a part of it here. 

One thing my mom said that really touched me is "You are a man that I am proud to say is my very own son - a man I would be honored to call "friend" even if you were not my own flesh and blood."  And it's so true.  I always describe my brother as being such a nice guy, and he's not just a nice adult, he was always nice, even when we were younger.  My mom went on the say... "although you have always amazed me with your determination and perseverance, I have also learned to respect your gentleness and humility."  That really does describe Eddie perfectly.  As long as I can remember he was passionate about building and creating, and he poured himself into this passion, working hard, learning, researching, and today is an extremely talented architect as a result.  But, the other side of Eddie is the gentleness and humility that is a part of his character.  He really does "love others" well, and as I've witnessed time and time again, put others first.   

 

Part of what my dad shared is such a strong testimony of God's mighty work that I wanted to share that as well.  Here's part of what he said.

 

"40 is a significant as well as large number, and I want to remind you of a couple of other 40s.  40 years ago your mother was in labor 40 hours before your birth, 40 minutes after we heard your first cry, the doctor took me aside and told me there was a problem.  You were born two months premature, and you had a condition known as Hylen-membrane disease.  You could not take in oxygen.  40 hours after your birth, you were taken to the adult intensive care unit and placed on 100% pure oxygen.  I was there with your Uncle Mark when your heart stopped beating, the monitor going flat.  A nurse came in and flicked your heel and your heart started again.  Your mother and I prayed night and day for you, I fasted for 3 days begging God to give you life.  We finally both prayed separately giving you to the Lord, promising that we would continue to serve Him if you were taken from us.  A week after your birth, we were called to the hospital because the doctors knew that it was just a matter of minutes before you would be gone.  We had the assurance in our hearts that God had other plans.  By the end of that long night the nurses came and told us that you were completely off the ventilator and breathing on your own.  People can explain this away as a medical anomaly, an unexplained phenomenon, your mother and I know that the Lord healed you.  Son, I want you to know that you were healed and given to us for 40 years not because we are good, or people of great faith, but because He is merciful and has a plan for your life."

 

 

 

As I listened to my dad share and learn some new details about my brother's miraculous beginning, I first gave thanks for the privilege I've had to know Eddie and have him in my life and to not only be his sister but his friend.  I was also overwhelmed by this amazing testimony of God's grace and love and healing power.  There truly is no hopelessness with the Lord.  With Him all things are possible.  Just look at my brother.  He's perfectly healthy and has a beautiful wife and adorable son, and is a walking miracle. 

 

It's easy for me to look at what I'm going through and not bring it before God because I just really don't expect that anything will change.  Not because of my lack of belief, but more a lack of dependence on Him.  I have tried to be self dependent so often, that I forget that the Lord is right here whenever I need to turn to Him and I can place my burdens at His feet.  When I was younger there was a song we sang that goes,

 

"I cast all my cares upon you,

I lay all of my burdens down at your feet,

and anytime I don't know what to do,

I will cast all my cares upon you."

 

It's amazing to me that my parents realized that at such a young age as they gave their newborn son's life to the Lord.  Eddie's life and death were out of their hands and they realized he was being cradled by our Mighty God.

 

I hope that I will remember this on a daily basis.  As I'm overwhelmed with cares and burdens and concerns, I want to lay them down at the feet of the One who knows what to do.

 

Fabulous Friday!

I almost can't believe it, but we broke ground on our future home today! 

Andy and I have always loved looking at property and houses and dreaming about where we might want to live.  Our current home has been wonderful and we certainly couldn't beat the location being right downtown.  It is literally a 2 minute drive to Andy's office.  But, as our family has grown so has our desire to have more room both inside and out. 

Several years ago we drove through a neighborhood that had beautiful surroundings, but was pretty far from downtown.  I remember Andy and I talking about how we didn't think we would ever want to live that far, especially on the days when he has to work late.  But....that was before we had kids.  Now the thought of space to be outside, a neighborhood to ride bikes in, other friends to play with, and a little lake to fish on sounds perfect. :)  So the drive may be a little farther, but we decided that it will be worth it.

I was towards the end of my pregnancy with Ellis when we began looking at lots.  I remember this because I was so big I couldn't bend over to put my own tennis shoes on to walk the lots. :)  Shortly after she was born, we closed on our lot.

Ellis turned two in June, so the past 2 years we have spent working on a plan with our builder and driving out to our lot countless times to look and dream about the future. 

It's hard to believe it's finally here!  I can't wait to walk around our neighborhood with these kiddos. :) 

 

Being Intentional and getting real

In my last entry I mentioned that the Lord was working on opening my eyes to some distractions that have made me "less present" with my kids.  With that said, I want to share specifically some of the ways I am making some changes this year so that I can be intentional about how my days are spent.  My hope is that my honest and real struggles will resonate with others and encourage you that you are not alone. 

So to be real with you, the last several years I felt like my goal was to get to nap time.  That doesn't mean I never had fun with the kids or enjoyed our time together, but when lunch came and went and it was time for the little ones to take naps and the big boys to have quiet time, I felt like I had made it!  When Drew was a baby I used nap time to clean the house or return phone calls, or do things that really needed to get done.  As the years went on it slowly evolved into filling my down time with mindless activity.  I don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying something or giving yourself some time to renew or refresh, but I began to fill my time with things that weren't just fun when I got around to them, but activities that I was thinking about and couldn't wait to enjoy and things that I would get upset about if I had to miss out on them.  One of the biggest desires I craved was to watch one of my shows.  As soon as I was alone I would turn on the TV and watch one of my recordings.  Lately I've been thinking more and more about what I am filling my mind with.  I keep hearing tidbits, as I listen to sermons by one of my favorite pastors Jon Courson (http://www.joncourson.com), about not being deceived.  He's said the things of the world can and will influence you.  Then today I was working on a bible study and read James 1:21 "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."  Man, that really struck me hard.  I know right now the Lord is pruning particular areas of my life, so as I read that scripture it convicted me.  I don't want to be legalistic about what's okay and what's not okay, but it does make me think, am I filling myself with God's Word more than I am filling myself with my "shows"?  Am I allowing the things I watch and entertain myself with to fill a void that only God can fill?  Is that part of why I feel I'm on empty some days and lacking the joy I want to fill me up?  The things of the world are fleeting, but God and His word are eternal and life giving.

So going into this year I have decided to make some changes and to be intentional about being present with my kids.  The first decision I made was to get off of facebook.  It was so tempting for me to check in to see what everyone else was up to.  I would feel like I had true interaction with others by posting comments or having others comment on my page.  I decided I did not need that distraction, especially during school days.  I also decided that I wanted to have more personal interaction with others.  I would follow my friends on facebook and feel like I didn't need to check in because I saw what they were up to.  So now I'm trying to be better about checking in more often, even if it's just through texts.  I'm finding it's really nice to hear first hand about what my friends doing. :) 

Another thing I do during school is that (unless I'm expecting an important phone call) I leave my phone downstairs and on silent during school time so that I'm not tempted to be distracted while we are working.  I did this most of last year and it works out really well for me.  I already have enough distractions with Davis and Ellis, so I don't need to add my phone to the mix.  :)

So....with my biggest temptation of watching my shows, I have made the decision not to watch my them during the day.  I still plan to have some down time, but it will look different.  So far most days I have gone to my room and worked on a bible study, blogged : ), researched homeschool ideas, read, etc.  I've reduced the amount of time I have to myself since I created a school schedule that has us resuming work after an afternoon break time.  So far it's going really great!  I did decide that if I want to watch a show, I will save it for Fridays.  I know that I also need to re-examine some of the shows I've come to really enjoy.  I don't even want to type that because it makes me feel more accountable to confront this.  I have been praying that the Lord would open my eyes to things I need to remove from my life and that He would do more than just reveal them to me.  I'm asking Him to take the desire away.  That's what happened with FB.  I had tried to get off in the past and it was SO hard.  This time I just got off and that was that.  I haven't missed it at all.  I know that may seem silly to some people, but to me I knew that the Lord had removed the desire.

One of the biggest changes in all of this is that I feel I am here with my kids.  Yes we are together all day every day, but I was so distracted before I don't think I was really and truly engaged in the way I desired.  Little by little I allowed these distractions I listed (and others) to creep in and steal time with my family.  I was missing out on special moments and interactions with my kids.  Honestly?.... I do not miss the hold that these things had on me.  I don't miss craving built in escapes throughout my day.  I am enjoying being here and present for the good, the bad, and the screaming.  :)  God has blessed me with these wonderfully unique children and I want to know them....really know them....and to be a good steward of these gifts.

First day of school

School is back in session at our house.  I'm not sure how long our summer was, but I always wonder if it's the "104 days of summer vacation" that Phineas and Ferb sing about.  If you don't have young kids, you probably aren't familiar with this cartoon, but feel free to ask Drew and Knox about it anytime.  They can tell you all about it.  :)

 

Ever since getting home from the FPEA Homeschool Convention in May I have been thinking about and planning for our upcoming year.  We have many changes taking place.  One of the biggest changes has to do with Ellis.  Last year Ellis was still taking a morning nap and we were able to get a lot of school done uninterrupted.  Davis was pretty good about entertaining himself, or working on a few preschool activities with us at the table.  This year will be different since Ellis doesn't nap until after lunch.  So while I will primarily be working with Drew and Knox, Ellis and Davis will also be with us.  This means there will be a few more "breaks" scheduled than in the past.  :)

 

The reason I am getting school started a little earlier this year is because I have created a schedule for Drew and Knox to follow.  I want to have an opportunity to try it out and make adjustments before our co-op begins next month.  Also, this will allow us to take some days off here and there when needed.  Our co-op plans several fun field trips we can participate it, but I am also learning that there are just times when we need a school holiday. :)

 

I try to make the beginning of school a special event so that the kids look forward to it.  I know many people who do year round school, and that is definitely something I would consider.  For now, I like the traditional schedule of taking the summer off.  But, doing that does create somewhat of a shock when it's time to get back on our school schedule again.

 

One of the things I like to do to add some excitement to our upcoming year is to allow the kids to look through their curriculum before starting school.  Our first official year homeschooling we used a curriculum called Sonlight, which is filled with fun and colorful books.  I remember when it arrived in a big box and the kids loved getting to look through and discover these new books.  So this year I divided up each of their school books and included some fun items I picked up at the convention, Target, and other random places.  Each child had a box filled with their specific school items and we allow time for them to discover what will be a part of their upcoming school year.  They love this and it helps to get them excited for the first day.  They think about which book they want to read, or what new manipulative they may get to use.  Drew and Knox both got new Lego accessories to create gladiators and Lego bible movies created by a homeschool dad and his sons.  Davis got several fun workbooks, stamps, and an Imaginets kit.  Ellis got some lip-gloss (that girl already loves make-up), sticker books, triangle shaped crayons, and a few other treats.

 

Included in our new school schedule is a reading time, so I took a little corner and put a bean bag and some baskets.  One basket is for the big boys, and one is for Davis and Ellis.  I am intending to change out a few books here and there each week to add to the excitement of looking in their baskets.  I bought several books at the homeschool convention so I'm going to try and release them a few at a time.  Also, I thought they could put a few of their library books in there to choose from.

 

 

The night before school we present the kids with a goody bag that is filled with some new school items like notebooks, pencils, scissors, etc.  Several years ago I found these really cute printables on line that we use to mark what year of school the kids are in.  It's what we use for their first day of school picture. :)

 

Here they are exploring their goody bags.

 

 

On the back of their school year sign Andy and I write a personal message to each of them about the upcoming school year.  Andy is usually the one to read it to each of them.  Even though Drew can read it himself, he said he wanted Andy to read it to him, which I thought was sweet. :)

 

Today was our official first day, and as you can see it's not unusual for us to school in our pj's.  ;)  I am trying a new system this year for the little ones where I am giving the older boys a "buddy" for the day.  I thought about making a permanent buddy, but I think it will be good for them to take turns having an opportunity to spend more time with both of the littles.  Today Knox was Ellis's buddy and he helped her do things like get toothpaste on her toothbrush, bring her juice to breakfast, and sharpen pencils (plural).  Today Ellis discovered our electric pencil sharpener.  :)  Drew helped Davis with several things, including a new counting bear activity book, which they worked on so that I could have some time to work one on one with Knox.  Hopefully this will be a way to allow the littles to have more interaction with us during school time, but also a way to allow me to have some teaching time with Drew and Knox.

 

I am so excited about this upcoming school year.  The Lord has been opening my eyes to some areas that I am hoping to work on.  One of them is to be more present with my kids.  In the past I have definitely allowed distractions to keep me from being "all there" with my kids.  I'm the first to admit that school days can be long, especially if you don't leave the house, but I am trying to minimize some of the things that were helping me to "escape" when the day got to be too long.  I've been praying and asking the Lord to reveal to me the things that I need to get rid of and to not just reveal them to me, but to take away the desire to spend my time on certain things.  Maybe I'll blog about that later.  :)  For now, I'm finding that He is answering those prayers and I am excited to see what this year has in store for us.  As I wrote on each of the kids school signs...."I am so happy that I get to be your teacher".  I really mean that.  It's a gift and a blessing that I don't want to take for granted. :)