February 8, 2010
Since September we have made huevos rancheros on Sunday afternoons… for all of you gringos huevos rancheros are a much loved New Mexican breakfast … I love having a tradition, although I think we have to keep it up for a solid year before we reach actual tradition status. Last year we went to some friend’s house for their “Sunday Lunch” and it was fantastic… large table, tons of food, and great conversation. It seemed like a Thanksgiving feast in the springtime but they said they do the same meal every Sunday and have for 20 years! It got me thinking that we need to incorporate some more traditions into our family. My kids could argue cold cereal for breakfast or frozen-pizzas-when-Jay-is-out-of-town is a family tradition but I think traditions should be more intentional. They are not traditions because they are the easiest thing or the fastest thing, but they are traditions because the family decides it is important and makes it a priority. It is funny how much having one meal a week planned brings a sense of stability and togetherness. My kids love it and look forward to it and that keeps me committed to making it even on days when I would rather pull out some leftovers or pb&js. We often invite other people to join us- it is a great way to open your home after church because the meal is already planned… now if we could just figure out how to fix the “tornado look” of our home when we leave for church we’d be set…
Heuvos Rancheros:
stack eggs…
on top of potatoes or hash browns…
on top of beans (black beans or pinto beans) …
on top of cheese melted onto a tortilla….
top with red or green chile…
… and it looks like this
and tastes like this…
we did an assembly line last night for the Super Bowl…
great friends, good food, and football… whats not to love.
February 6, 2010
So two days a week I get to teach Gracyn at home. I love our school and the extra insight I get into what she is learning- especially on days like today.
Gracyn: Mo-om I can’t think of any more sentences using my spelling words.
Me: Well, what words do you have left? How about fudge, can you think of a sentence using “fudge”?
long pause…
Gracyn: Oh! I got one: “Oh fudge, I forgot to check the mail.”
…. nice
February 4, 2010
This time last year Gracyn came running into my bathroom, while I was getting ready, to escape the ruckus that was just behind the door “Mom, I can’t wait to have a sister…”
January 30, 2010
As a parent you always wonder how much of what you try and teach your kids is actually sinking in. I was reassured through a recent conversation in the car.
Noah: Mom, try to guess what I’m thinking of. (this is his new favorite game to play)
Me: Uh, I don’t know, bud. Volcanoes? (this is not my favorite game to play)
Noah: No, but don’t give up, Mom. (he is always very encouraging)
Me: Give me a hint- is it in a movie?
Noah: No, its a person…. a superhero.
Me: Oh- is it a good guy or a bad guy? (trying to narrow down my options)
Noah: Mo-om, (a little annoyed here at my insufficient questioning strategy) we are all bad guys until Jesus saves us…
Ahhh, from the mouths of babes…. how clearly and simply the gospel was preached in my car in that second. We cannot separate the world into “good guys” and “bad guys”. If those were the categories we’d all be on the wrong side. The only hope for all of us is the cross, and it is available to all of those who realize they are bad guys and give up trying to convince God otherwise….
1And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4But God, being because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ……8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Eph 2:1-8
Me: Silence….
Noah: Mom…. keep guessing….
January 26, 2010
Photos that didn’t make the 4 month post-placement report….
(… we did have enough decent pictures to keep cps at bay for another couple months.)
January 23, 2010
I have struggled with patience since I’ve had kids. Funny thing, because I was always such a patient person before … must be something in the epidural they gave me… It is my most visible sin and something I know I am not capable of changing in myself. It creeps up when I least expect it, in situations throughout the day and I don’t have time to prepare myself. I am disgusted by it- even in the moment and I have been pleading with God for years to change my selfish heart. It has been one of my most desperate prayer requests and I have honestly been impatient with God in how long it is taking- maybe if I wasn’t adding kids every 2 years I would see some improvement in my coping abilities, but my mom had four kids and she was/is the most patient person I know. How long, Lord, will you leave me like this? Why can’t you create in me a right spirit…. right now? I was oddly blessed with a incident yesterday-
noah: mom, this is very serious (he says this quite often and it is rarely serious)
me: what is?
noah: something fell off the dresser and exploded in our room …
This is what I found.
Here begins the miracle… I calmly looked at disaster, then went downstairs to get the carpet cleaner and some gloves- all the while thanking God that Havi was already down for a nap. I told the boys to play downstairs and I got to work. It was then I evaluated my response- I reacted with patience, real patience realizing God had different plans for me today. I reacted in love towards the boys recognizing an accident and giving calm instruction with out even clenching my teeth! Sanctification is a slow often painful process, but God is not finished with me. Though my flesh will battle my spirit until heaven, he is perfect in my weaknesses…. I know this is not the end of my battle to be a patient person but it was a small victory God allowed me to see. Somewhere around mid morning the paint build-up broke the pipe under the bathroom sink and I spent quite a bit of time cleaning “blue” off the floor and then a couple hours later I spilled a gallon of blue water in the hallway- I was hoping He was done for the day showing the extent of His work in me.
after 5 hours of cleaning : )
I was planning on touching up with that paint...
January 19, 2010
If I could have songs playing on my blog, this would be at the top of my playlist today…..
Lord, dissolve my frozen heart,
By the beams of love divine;
This alone can warmth impart,
To dissolve a heart like mine.
O that love, how vast it is!
Vast it seems, though known in part;
Strange indeed, if love like this,
Should not melt the frozen heart.
The love of Christ passes knowledge.
The love of Christ eases fear.
The love of Christ hits a man’s heart,
It pierces him like a spear.
Savior, let thy love be felt,
Let its power be felt by me,
Then my frozen heart shall melt,
Melt in love, O Lord to thee.
~Red Mountain Church ‘06
January 13, 2010
Is there anything better than a good road trip? Maybe its because I am a little bit scarred of flying or maybe its because some of my dearest childhood memories occurred during these infamous trips, but I love road trips. This was our first as a family of six. I don’t count the 7 or 8 hour trips as real road trips. We live in a big state…. we have to drive 5 hours to get to the next town so in order for it to count as a legitimate adventure it has to take a couple days to get there. When we decided to make an family event of my Grandpa turning 90 I knew we’d have no other choice but to make the drive. I was secretly thrilled knowing Jay would have to face his fears. Unfounded fears I must add. Just because Havi dislikes her car seat after 20 minutes and protests every minute thereafter with a series of shrill screams doesn’t mean ….
So off we headed, leaving our single digit temperatures before dawn heading east…it has to get warmer…. My mom made the trip there with us. It was great to be able ignore the chaos in the back while my mom switched out DVDs, fed bottles, read books, and continued the constant stream of otherwise taboo snack food to the back seat. She had 
already booked a flight home otherwise I am certain she would have traveled the return trip with us after realizing how much fun there was to be had. I think we were in the 7th hour of our 30 hour trip when Noah announced he was “done” and asked us to please turn around and go back home. Good stuff.
We arrived in Cocoa Beach, Florida late the second day unscathed but happy to be out of the car… even Havi enjoyed the trip it seemed.
Grandpa’s party turned into more of a festival of sorts with three nights of celebration. I can’t imagine a better reason to celebrate! Grandpa has lived in the same house since the 40’s. He lives less than a mile from the ocean (though he hasn’t been to the beach in years) so we spent some time near the water and even made a trip to Sea World with the kids but most of the time we spent near Grandpa. He shoots pool several nights a week at Johnathan’s…. Cocoa Beach’s “Cheers”, so we had a party there. Then we had a block party and invited everyone in his neighborhood and church and finally a “small” family party the last night with fresh seafood and poker. I wish all birthdays could be celebrate in this fashion. My favorite people in the world all gathered in the same spot- good memories, definitely worth the trip.
scooters with the cousins- one scooter short...
Aunt Laura found this "scooter" for Ikey- he loved it
I think Havi was a little more at home with weather in Fl... we all were
Sea World
Jay took the two big kids on their first roller coaster- they were terrified
This is the last picture I got without sand in her mouth : )
Noah
party at Johnathan's
my husband is too cute playing pool
shark
my nephew
hanging out in Grandpa's living room
getting ready for the block party
one of the fish we enjoyed
Noah and Grandpa
cousin ashley-
Happy Birthday Grandpa!
We LOVE you!
January 7, 2010
Home from Florida vacation- Happy 90th birthday grandpa. Can’t find my camera…. more to come.
December 18, 2009
I am finding it harder this year than ever to take in the tranquility and reminders of the Christmas season- it has always been my favorite time of year (though I would lobby for a later date, say end of Feb, just so there is not so much winter left with nothing to look forward to). How can I encourage my kids to stop looking under the Christmas tree and thankfully contemplate the gift of God’s son, when I can scarcely take the time to read them the Christmas story? Where does all this busyness come from? How can the season where we are supposed to remember God’s plan of redemption be the very season I can’t find the time to open His word? What do I want Christmas to be about in my home….. we have thoughtful traditions in every corner of the house, we have a “Santa-free” advent calendar counting down to the big day, we have countless candles, cookies, gingerbread houses and nativity scenes- but are these the kind of things that point to the truth of Christmas or have they become more of a distraction?
So, this next week, now that school is out, the tree is trimmed and the Christmas cards are finished I want to get serious about redeeming this time with my family. Maybe less dragging them in and out of stores and more stories with hot 
cocoa, maybe less complaining about the mess that has been made and more time on the floor playing legos, maybe less stepping over them in my hurry to get a meal finished and more inviting them to help me cook, maybe less sending them to their rooms so I can finish blogging…. and more time playing football in the back yard. These are where the baby Jesus conversations happen, these are where the questions of “how many of the angels in the sky were girls and how many were boys?” are answered, and this is were I allow my spirit to be still and ask God this year for a deeper understanding of His sacrifice made that silent night so long ago.
