Home Makeover- this weekend

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:35:05 -0700

We had a delay because of all the storms and storm warnings. Here is the latest- it happened on Saturday

Gabbi’s 2nd Birthday

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:46:47 -0700

Gabrielle turned 2 on August 19th. No burned pizza for Gabbs- we carried out LIttle Caesar’s :) After dinner we enjoyed a super yummy strawberry cake (pink) and strawberry frosting dyed purple. It looked like it was straight out of My Little Ponies. I loved it!
While she opened gifts she liked to drop the tissue paper from the couch and then, “Oooooh!” over the way it floated down. It tried the boys’ patience but I thought it was so fun to watch her take her time. Some of the presents she got were a set of Melissa and Doug fairy dolls with an oven and fridge for them, and new tube of farm animals. Nana and Papa sent her some really fun things and (surprisingly or not so surprisingly, I’m not sure which) one of her absolute favorites was the new socks.
Precious girl! Here are some things she’s doing/saying these days:

Words and Phrases:
Nuggle!- (Snuggle)
Clip-clop shoes (high heels)
Headband (Band-aid)
Anakin/Chewbacca/Star Wars
“Mama, sing Up The Steps” (Yankee Doodle... Keep it up...Mind the music and the steps)
People Cape (Purple Cape)
WooWoo Tuck (fire truck)
Bow Bow (Hair bow)
Barkey (Sparkley)
Has started saying the boys’ full names, instead of Seeah and NayNay.

And...
I not Yike it
NaNa NaNa Boo Boo

About Gabrielle these days:
She’s a Dairy product fanatic and loves her milk in particular.
She loves the book Goodnight Moon
Still takes a Binkie for naps and nighttime, as well as for a playtime in her bed.
Enjoys taking her baby dolls ‘shopping’ in their shopping cart, and plays kitchen set a lot.
She really wants to learn to float on her back while swimming (airplane), just like big brothers. I’m HOPING that this might mean she’ll pass level one kind of fast when she starts swim lessons this fall.

Love your energy and spunk, sweetie girl! Love your caring heart, and I’m so glad God gave you to this family. He gives very good gifts! Happy Birthday Gabber Girl!

upside down kingdom

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:52:02 -0700

“Irony and disproportion are all God’s way. He keeps us off balance with his unpredictable connections. We think we know how to do something big, and God makes it small. We think that all we have is weak and small, and God makes it big. Barren Sarah gives birth to the child of promise. Gideon’s 300 men defeat 100,000 Midianites. A slingshot in the hand of a shepherd boy brings the giant down. A virgin bears the Son of God. A boy’s five loaves feed thousands. A breach of justice, groveling political expediency, and criminal torture on a gruesome cross become the foundation of the salvation of the world.
This is God’s way- to take all boasting off of man and put it on God. “Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise... (1 Corinthians 1:26)”

From John Piper’s “The Hidden Smile of God” page 19

Extreme Home Makeover, Day 2

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:21:46 -0700

Today they put up some insulating foam and the lathe (chicken wire). The stucco will be applied next week!

Extreme Home Makeover, Day 1

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:09:12 -0700

We move a little more slowly without Ty Pennington. Here is day one!

The Ballisters (?) on the house have been removed. This makes a lovely pinstripe effect now, but will give a more current look when the painting is finished.

Extreme Makeover, Martin Home Edition

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:00:41 -0700

We are getting our house stuccoed! I AM SOOOO EXCITED.
I’m going to do my best to photograph and post the step by step process. Here is the house, in all its glory! This picture does not give the full effect- Really there are TWO shades of pure white. Sweet.

Visit from Nana and Papa

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:18:42 -0700

Eric’s parents came into town for a few days and we had a nice visit- full of assembling (bookshelves and a kitchen set), swimming, eating, playing (marbles, army men, and blocks- all together- were a favorite), reading, resting, errand running, and movie watching.

We are hoping since Papa has retired these visits will happen more often! I know the kids enjoy being with their grandparents so much and we are SO grateful to have them in town. We all had a really great time, Paul and Nancy! Paul, it’s your deal at golf next, and Nancy you can sit between Eric and I :)

Thanks for braving the heat to be with us! We love you!

Happy Birthday, Little Buddy!

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:27:51 -0700

Nathan turned 4 August third- FOUR! More than my other two kids, his labor and delivery is SO fresh in my mind and seems like it just happened. I can’t believe that four years have flown by since that day, and I can’t believe how big he is getting!

He opened his presents from his ohio grandparents at breakfast, then while Isaiah was at school we made cookies together. We spent the afternoon swimming (I have a feeling I’ll be saying that for all of his birthdays) and burned pizzas, er, grilled pizzas for dinner (sorry buddy!). Dessert was M&M cookies and chocolate ice cream (he gave away his ice cream and ate the M&M’s out of his cookie- not much of a sweet tooth). After that he opened some presents- star wars figurines, army soldiers, magnets. It was a special, enjoyable day.

During dinner we got to share with him what we are thankful to God about for Nathan. A couple of things that we mentioned are that He is quick to consider his siblings as more important than himself and that He cares for Gabbi and teaches her things with patience and gentleness.

Sweet, Sweet boy! We love you Nater!

First Day of School!

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:03:10 -0700

It was a total rush to get out the door this morning- because a little after 8 I got a phone call,
“Is Isaiah going to be attending school today?”
and I replied yes
“Why isn’t he here right now?”
“Because he’s scheduled to attend at 1 this afternoon”
“Oh. Um, alright, I think I may need to transfer you to our enrollment gal...”

:)
So that’s how we found out that Isaiah got switched to the morning schedule.
And let me tell you, besides the 15 seconds I was put on hold wondering if this was all some joke, I was ecstatic to get that phone call!

I was thankful I had less than 3 seconds to pick out his outfit and throw some shoes on his feet, thankful I packed his backpack and snack the night before-(no time to get nervous!)- and we were OUTTA here.

The sweet ‘enrollment gal’ located his class, and the teacher kindly took a moment- with 20 kindergarteners in the july heat and humidity- to meet Eric and I as well as Nathan and Gabbi.

She had Isaiah join the front of the line and he was a beaming line leader.

The day was over halfway done, but we are looking forward to his first full (half) day tomorrow!

Sweet boy- my precious kindergarten guy! Can’t wait to see all the new things you learn and all the growing that God has in store for you this year! Hooray!

Grandma’s: there are more pictures HERE :)

The time is now

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:06:17 -0700

It is here- Kindergarten! Tomorrow is the first day of school. Typically one might “insert frowny face here” but I will not.
Time marches forward in my mommy flesh there have been times where I’ve wanted to speed it up (“When will this baby ever learn to sit up”) and times where I’ve wanted to slow it down (“There’s just too much that needs to get done”). But God has been showing me these last six years that when I instead trust in a good God’s sovereign plan I can rest and trust and even have joy in the midst of change and uncertainty.
There are upcoming things I wonder if this little guy is ready for. There are things that I know he’s ready for. But Thursday will come and he is more ready than I could ever make him, because God has been preparing us for Thursday since before time began.
By God’s grace, I will not go cry into his old baby blankets (although last week I was folding the towel he was wrapped in for his first bath, and had to take a couple of deep breaths). By God’s grace I will not declare him ‘so grown up’- he is still small and there are still more than 12 years until that time comes.
I assume there will be tears. I don’t take big changes easily. I will MISS him! There are many people to influence him besides me now. Every new thing has an adjustment period. I know I will see things in my heart I’ve never known before, and the same goes for Isaiah. What a sweet opportunity to see God’s kindness and provision in ways we’ve never known before.

I pray as this week passes and as the months of kindergarten go on, when I’m tempted to listen to my own anxious thoughts instead of God’s Word, that my heart would remember God’s kind promises for those who belong to Him:  “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27)
and Isaiah 40:11:
He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.