When the Kanga Posse goes "Hmmmm?"

Neural Malfunction (Moms e-mail: June)

2007-07-10T14:23:00.000-05:00

Hello moms!

I hope you all are keeping cool on this hot day. Wow! Can you believe it is so much the opposite in Winter?!?!?!? I think the heat has caused a neural malfunction resulting in a loss of inspiration today. Or, maybe I just need a nap. At any rate, I hope you are feeling more inspired. Feel free to share with the rest of us. :)

Keep the prayers coming!

In His Grace,
KP

Will you go? (Moms e-mail: June)

2007-07-10T14:20:00.000-05:00

Hello moms!

How does this Tuesday find you? (or Wednesday if you've already checked your e-mail for the day) Overall, I'd have to say our Tuesday's been pretty good. Exhausting, but good.

Last night, I was reading the story of how Abraham sends his servant to find Isaac a wife. It's found in Geneses 24. The servant sort of makes a deal with God--if a woman offers to give me a drink and my camels too, then she's the one. And, Ka-Powie! Before he is even finished, Rebekah appears and does just that! And, it just so happens that Rebekah is one of Isaac's "people" (one of Abe's requests from vs. 4). After the servant takes a moment to do some serious worshiping of God, he goes to Rebekah's house and explains the whole deal to her family, and they say--No kidding! That's a God thing! Sure, go ahead and take her. BUT, the next morning, for whatever reason, they are inclined to delay the whole process. The servant is persistent, and the family suggests the consult Rebekah. And, here is my FAVORITE line:

"*I will go*," she said. (vs. 58)

Incredible!!! The whole story is just RICH with history and meaning; God acting on behalf of His people. But, to me, this one line speaks volumes. It speaks to me because Rebekah is a woman--someone I can relate to. (I love Bible stories about women.) It speaks to me because Rebekah demonstrates the kind of faith I want to have. She's never met this servant dude before. She's never met Abraham or Isaac. She's never lived in the place where Abraham and Isaac live. She is referred to as a "girl" in the NIV. All those things would make most women terrified! Let alone a girl! But, I just imagine her taking it all in and believing by faith in what the servant has told her--mainly about his prayer and how God answered it. And, when her family, the people who have raised her and cared for her hesitate the next morning, she has the faith, courage, presence and state of mind to say, "I will go." And then she goes! To a place foreign to her, to marry a man she knows almost nothing about!

Wow! I pray the God would give me that kind of faith. Faith to hear God's call to me and respond: "Yes. I will go," or "Yes. I will do it". Faith to act. I urge you to let Rebekah's story challenge and encourage you.

In His Grace,
KP

OOPS! (Moms e-mail: June)

2007-07-10T14:18:00.000-05:00

Hello moms!

Can you say--DISCOMBOBULATED? I'm just now putting it together: it's Tuesday, the day I send an e-mail to the moms. J's preschool is done for the year and maybe that is the cue that I have relied upon all this time. Now, Tuesday is just like any other day. I'm going to have to tie a string around my finger. :)

Anyhow, although my e-mail was temporarily forgotten, rest assured that you were not. I think of you moms often and try to picture you at your daily activities and wonder what you're up to pray as I feel compelled. You guys are all really swell. :) I'd love to write more, but since sleep loss is one reason for my forgetfulness, I'll beg your forgiveness and put myself to bed without further ado! Keep on praying!

Luv,
KP

Hope for the Weary (Moms e-mail: May)

2007-07-10T14:13:00.000-05:00

Hello Moms!

How was your Memorial Day weekend? Ours was productive and we had a little fun too! Today, I'm feeling exhausted. As I was thinking of what to write, this passage came to mind:

Isaiah 40: 28-31 28
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

I think it speaks more toward emotional and spiritual weariness, but I doubt that you can separate those out from the physical--they're a package deal. Anyway, I find great hope and encouragement from this passage. I just skimmed the whole of Isaiah 40, and it speaks of God's power and encourages the reader to put their hope in Him--not to be discouraged by this "world" or to misplace hope in other sources (ie. idols). I don't know exactly what point in time it was written in Israel's history, but I imagine it was a time of oppression and suffering as a nation. I imagine they were discouraged...wondering when the promises of God would be fulfilled...wondering when they would be free.

Do you ever feel discouraged? Weary? Weary of struggling with sin? Weary from the relentless demands of your children, your job, household responsibilities, etc...? Are you tempted to look for encouragement from sources other than God? Business, TV, money or other material possessions, personal achievement, etc...? I would have to answer "Yes" and "Yes". How about you? The good news is that there IS hope, there IS encouragement for us! For you! For me! Let's put our hope in the Lord and let us be strengthened--soaring like eagles! Keep on prayin'!

In His Grace,
KP

Thankful? (Moms' e-mail: May)

2007-07-10T14:09:00.000-05:00

Hello mommies!

I hope you are having a good week filled with spiritual blessings in Christ!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Eph. 1:3) "

Oh dear...I had a brilliant moment of inspiration just a bit ago, but when Josiah called to me, /desperately/ needing my attention for /no/ particular reason as he shuffled out of the bathroom, through the hallway and into the dining room with his underwear and shorts crumpled at his ankles, the inspiration left me. Sigh...story of my life. I'm guessing you can relate or could at some time. Maybe the interruption was divine intervention and my inspiration wasn't what we all needed today.

But, hey, here is a practical thought. How about we think of at least three things that we are thankful for in our husbands and children or whatever or whomever else in your life you want to share thankfulness for. "...in everything give thanks..." (part of I Thess. 5:18) Feel free to share your list with all of us to help inspire and encourage us all. :)

Here goes...God, I thank you for:
*my husband's patience with me when I'm being a less than exemplary mom/wife (especially during "that time" of the month)
*my husband's dedication to the Lord, our family, and his job
*the unique personalities that You gave to each of my two children
*chocolate chip cookies

Well, my eldest is waiting for some computer time, so I'll wrap this up... I'm truly thankful for all you mommies, and I'm so proud of how you all are loving one another. Let's keep it up! And as always, pass on your prayer requests and praises so we can uphold each other in prayer this week!

In His Grace,
KP

Trust (Moms' e-mail: May)

2007-07-10T14:03:00.000-05:00

Hello moms, How are you all doing?

I myself am enjoying God's great out doors. :) Remember to send out your praises and prayer requests so we can join together in prayer. :) Our next in-person prayer is next Tuesday evening (the 15th), 7:30pm at church.

My thought for you all for the day has to do with trust--trusting the Lord. You may be familiar with this passage:
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Trusting God with my WHOLE being, no matter what; seeking Him in ALL areas of my life. For me, it's something I constantly wrestle with--sometimes feeling beat, and sometimes experiencing victory. But, the encouragement is--God IS God. He knows ALL things, including what's best for you. He is also in control of all things. And, most important, He loves you More than you could ever ask or imagine. So, He is trust-worthy. In this passage there is also a promise: "He will make your paths straight." Another version (HCSB) puts it this way: 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 6 think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

Be challenged, and be encouraged! In His Grace,
KP

Inheritance (Moms e-mail: April)

2007-04-12T15:00:00.000-05:00

Hello mom people!
How does this Tuesday find you? Well, I hope. I'm not too excited about the snow flakes I see daring to appear in this second week of April! I laughed as I did it, but I'll admit to having asked God if He would /please/ make it be warmer than the weather people were predicting. I'm sure He laughed too!

Anyhow, there is this theme that has popped up repeatedly in my life this past week. It's come to me from a book I'm reading, from the BGC World publication, from a chat I had with a friend, and maybe even other sources. I think God may be trying to get my attention. :) That theme: inheritance. I'm not talking dollars and "stuff". I'm speaking spiritually. As a mother, I'm challenged to think about what I want to pass on to my kids. What are the most important things I can teach them? What do I want to stick with them into adulthood and after I'm gone. What do I want to fill the blanks when my kids say to their friends, "Yeah, my mom always says (or said), '_______________'." It's easy for me as a mom to get absorbed by the daily routines--eating, dressing, sleeping, eating, playing, disciplining, grocery shopping, eating, sleeping... I'm often living in the moment, sometimes just "surviving" moment. But, lately, I've been compelled to consider what I want, or what God wants, my children to inherit from their mom. It's not that I've never thought about it, but I don't know if I've ever nailed down a top five list or created tangible goals. How about you? Have you thought about it? If so, would you be willing to share some of your thoughts? How about we think we think about this inheritance question this week and share some thoughts when we meet in person next Tuesday. Or, if you you're dying to share now, go ahead and post your thoughts. Also, if you know of or find some Bible passages that relate, share those too!

In His Grace,
KP

Blessings in Christ (Moms' E-mail: January)

2007-04-07T19:42:00.000-05:00

Hello moms, grand-moms and moms-to-be!

"Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (Ephesians 1:2-3)

Wow! That IS cool! Christ has blessed us in the heavenly realms with EVERY spiritual blessing in Christ! To find out more about what Paul was speaking of, crack open your Bibles to Ephesians 1. Good stuff! I, myself, have been reminded in tangible ways the last few days of Christ's amazing love for me, and His grace that He joyfully lavishes upon me.

Let's continue to share the love that Christ has overflowed us with and uphold one another in prayer, eh?

In His Grace,
KP

Still Creating? (Moms' E-mail: March)

2007-04-07T19:35:00.000-05:00

Hello moms, grand-moms and moms-to-be!

I'm enjoying the sun and Springy weather today. Thank you God for making the sun!

Genesis 1 1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 *God saw that the light was good*, and He separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. *And God saw that it was good*. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

Sometimes I like to dwell on God as THE Creator. Thinking how I enjoy the sun and its warmth made me think of it today and hence to include these passages from Genesis. I highlighted the "good" parts. Isn't it interesting that those lines are included? He seemed rather pleased with His creation. I like to think that God is still in the business of creating. He did it in a big way with Jesus. There was a darkness from sin over the whole world, and God sent Jesus to be THE [spiritual] Light of the World--and He is goodness personified! In the hearts of us who know Jesus, God is still creating and doing His "good" work. He is looking at the formless, empty, and dark things in us and saying, "Let there be light!" AND, I'll bet He thinks it's pretty cool, or shall I say good. I find that very encouraging. I love picturing God creating as He did in Genesis. That was so HUGE! If He can do that, surely He can create anything He wants to in little old me!

In His Grace,
KP

Miracles? (Moms' E-mail: February)

2007-04-07T19:29:00.000-05:00

Here is my thought for the week: Have you ever thought much about miracles? Sometimes it seems we don't see too many, but sometimes I wonder how many miracles God performs that we are just never aware of. Like, how many times has He prevented a car accident that you didn't know was about to happen? How many unsavory characters has He diverted from your life path (or your children's)? How many illnesses has He kept you (or your loved ones) from catching? I'm starting to see more of these "hidden" miracles as I look back at my life, though I'm sure I have only a small glimpse of what He's been up to.

We often ask "why" when we do encounter difficult challenges in our lives. Why did ___ get cancer? Why did God let ____ happen? We've all been there. But, do we thank Him for taking care of all the things we aren't even aware that He is taking care of? Something to think about. I'll give you an example from my life. Just over a week ago, I was toasting some bread in my toaster oven. I was scrambling to feed and clean up both my kids while hoping to get a bite in somewhere myself. You know the drill. Amidst the chaos of the breakfast affair, my ears tuned in to a quiet "click" that signaled the end of the toasting cycle. I just happened to turn around and look up from my multi-tasking fiasco in the dining room toward the kitchen and was surprised to behold a FIRE burning in my toaster! I ran to the kitchen and stood there like an idiot for a few seconds, trying to figure out how to squelch the flames and mentally estimating how much time I had before the wooden cabinet beneath would catch fire and then the kitchen and my house... Suddenly, a made a dash for the fire extinguisher which we had located under the kitchen sink. Dash is stretching it a bit, since I had to maneuver a child lock to access the cabinet and finagle a bit to get the extinguisher out of the never-opened box it came in. I pulled the pin, aimed and the trigger wouldn't depresss! I was beginning to feel a bit anxious--and was it my imagination, or was the fire growing?!? It turns out the mounting bracket was still attached to the extinguisher. Once I removed it, I aimed once again and--Josiah instantly materialized under my left elbow and asked what was going on. I yelled, "Get back!" and then "PSHHHHHHHHT!" The fire was out. Fwew! There was a nice coating of yellow powder covering most of one end of my kitchen. I could have been grumpy about that, or the fact that I now needed a new toaster oven, or that my toast was, well, toast. But, I have no idea what kind of disaster was avoided then. I trust that God was there helping me through the whole situation. My toaster was lost, but my kitchen was spared, my house was spared, and much more importantly my children and myself were completely unhurt! I think this verse applies here and speaks to the tough times we've had as well as those we've avoided. We can trust Him, even when it doesn't make sense, even when it's much worse than a fire in our toaster. That's good news!

Romans 8:28 28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Take a moment to thank God for working for our good in all things--even we are completely unaware.

Have a great week.

In His Grace,
KP

Mom's E-mails

2007-04-07T19:24:00.000-05:00

I've been writing little ditties for the Moms' Prayer Group at my church. Almost every Tuesday, I send one out to encourage, challenge and inspire. On the third Tuesday of the month, we meet in person, share prayer requests, pray for one another, eat and chat. It's great fun. If you are a mom and live near south Minneapolis, MN, you should come! We have a GREAT bunch of mommies!

Anyhow, I thought I'd start posting some of my little messages on my blog in case there were any folks out there who might enjoy them.

God Bless!

What's that?

2007-01-22T14:25:00.000-06:00

Daddy: "So Josiah, what did you do today?"
Josiah: "I went to the preschool yelling!"
Daddy and Mommy to each other: "Huh?"

Over the next couple of days, Josiah continues to talk about the "preschool yelling". I keep scratching my head trying to figure out what he's talking about--where he got the phrase from. And then, one day it dawns on me...

Josiah: "Mommy? I went to the preschool yelling and got this certificate?"
Mommy: "Well, you got that at the preschool screening a couple of days ago."
Josiah: "Ya! That's what I'm talking about! The preschool yelling!"
Mommy: (lightbulb moment: OH! "screening" sounds like "screaming"; yelling is synonomous with screaming but easier for a 3-yr-old to say. OH! I get it!) *Chuckle*

...yawn...

2007-01-15T20:26:00.000-06:00

Yup. I'm tired.

I'm sleep deprived. I took the boys to the zoo today, went grocery shopping, made dinner, and put the kids to bed. Now I'm baking a cake. It's 8:30pm and I've been going non-stop all day.

Yup. I'm tired.

Thank goodness for Preschool tomorrow!

Thankfulness

2006-12-12T23:32:00.000-06:00

Today we had a furnace dude come and inspect our furnace. After a mere 5 minutes in the basement, I heard footsteps ascending the stairway and the back kitchen door creaking open...

"There are some things I need to explain, and I want to show you something. Basically, your furnace is toast."

Ok, not exactly what I was expecting to hear. He pointed out the obviously cracked heat exchanger and explained (in many more words) that it could lead to flames "rolling out". He made me sign something before he left indicating that I would use the furnace at my own risk until it was replaced. Just before stepping out through my front door, he apologized for "ruining" my day.

Ruining my day?!? Hardly!!! Hmmm...having to spend some significant dough to get a new furnace or potentially becoming "toast" myself along with my husband and two children due to flames "rolling out" of my busted furnace. Kind of a no-brainer!

As I recounted the conversation with the furnace dude and related events with my husband on the phone, I broke into tears--humbled, hugely blessed, and feeling very loved by God. He IS watching over us both night and day!

Thank You God!!!!!!! I Love You too!!!!!!!

Fear?

2006-12-11T13:50:00.000-06:00

Last night, around 3am, I slipped out of my warm bed and into the chill night air to take care of business and to get a drink. The house seemed just a bit too quiet and the air had a slightly eerie flavor. I half expected some mysterious dark character to address me, an evil spirit perhaps; the thought of which sent chills up my spine. "Of course", I told myself, "that's not too likely." And then I considered...what if God Himself "showed up" in visible form in my living room in the middle of the night and spoke to me audibly. Well, that thought made me shudder even more. I gulped my water and dashed back to bed (as though it were some sort of "safe" zone).

Anyhow, that got me to thinking. We are supposed to fear God, but I don't think we are supposed to be afraid of him. I know He loves me, but God Himself right in front of me in person would just bowl me over. I mean, He's GOD! But, how does that work with the way it is. God IS here, though not visible. Should I always be bowled over? Hmmm...

Urgent!

2006-11-30T13:50:00.001-06:00

The other night I had an interresting dream. I was college-aged and attending some sort of educational conference being hosted by a cruise liner. In addition to classes (on topics I do not recall), there were social events taking place in the evenings. There were hundreds of people on the ship: cruise ship staff of all levels, professors, and students. There was a mix of acedemics and celebration--perhaps just a bit more heavily weighted on the celebration end of things.
At some point in time, it became apparent that there was some sort of malfunction or damage to the vessel, and that sinking was eminent. This is where it gets disturbing...although it seems that most people knew the ship was headed for an unavoidable demise, they carried on as though NOTHING was amiss! Professers taught classes, students attended. Young women were quite concerned with their dresses, pantyhose, shoes and make-up. I recall standing in the midst of a group of young ladies adorning themselves for a formal dance. In a state of extreme dismay, I confronted them,
"Don't you know that the ship is sinking!?!"
"So?" they shrugged.
"How can you just go on being concerned about looking good for a dance when we may at any moment be under water?!?"
"Oh, just leave us alone!" some responded in annoyance.
"I can't believe this!" I shouted incredulously. My heart beat faster and faster. I ran around the ship frantically trying to get through to some one. Shouldn't we be launching life boats? Who cares about classes and social fluff when we are all going to die if we don't do something now!!! Why doesn't anyone else seem concerned? It didn't matter whom I confronted. Even the ship staff seemed unconcerned.
Just as fortold, the ship began to list, and water began to pour in...

In the morning, I awoke with a strange residue of urgency remaining from the dream. As I pondered it's strangeness, looking for some sort of meaning for the "real world", I realized something. This scenario is not unlike the spiritual state of things in our world. Ponder that for a while, and leave coments if you like.

Sick

2006-11-20T10:56:00.000-06:00

Well, Russ was sick, then me and Josiah, now Gideon. And I thought when I was better that we were home free. Ah well... It's just hard to see the little guy not feeling good.

Where Does a Mom Call In Sick?

2006-11-16T20:41:00.000-06:00

Just what is the most accurate job description for moms who chose that as their sole career?

"Stay-at-home mom"
"Domestic Engineer"
"Household Manager"

No job title is a complete description encompassing all of the tasks a mother performs. No closet is big enough to hold all of the hats a mother wears. We may not make any money as moms in the USA (I hear they do in Canada!), but we ARE important and impossible to replace! Sometimes I see it as job security, but sometimes I see it as "trapped". But, somedays, having your children request you (over dad even) and to see their smiles as they see you enter a room, well, that's priceless!

All that said, what is a mom to do when she's sick?!?!? There are no in-house substitutes. The job can't just be left undone until mom returns. There is no "sick-leave". Some are lucky to have husbands who can take a day off to cover mom's job (thanks Russ for the now and thens), and some are fortunate to have a grandma close by who is retired (thanks mom!). But, in many cases, moms just have to suffer through and work through the pain and misery.

For those of you out there who can give a mom a break--nieghbor, friend, family, stranger--DO IT!

Thanks for all you who have given me a break, whether for illness or just because! You're awesome!

Unfinished Business

2006-11-12T23:35:00.000-06:00

Ever have insomnia because of unfinished business? All those things left undone--big and small...the phone call I forgot to make, the items I have repeatedly forgotten to return to Target for over a month now, the dishes in the kitchen, overdue children's video's from the library, that quilt I started over three years ago, the picnic table I meant to paint before the weather got cold, those socks I haven't finished knitting, our basement remodel project, ordering prints of our digital photos for the last three years, putting those photos into an album, keeping some sort of records of my children's developmental milestones and special memories because my memory is already fading...The list goes on.

*sigh*

But, then, I guess tonight's sleep is unfinished business. And I can't hope to finish any business tomorrow without it! So, off I go. And as I pile the covers on and suggle up next to my best friend and husband of 7 plus years, I pray that God would give me wisdom to know--when I need to know--which business is worth finishing.

Mathew 6:33-34
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

G'night Minnesota! Kanga-Posse has logged out!

Dedicated to the Lord

2006-11-11T21:40:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is Sunday, November 12, and we are going to publically dedicate Gideon to the Lord at our church (Hiawatha Church).

Gideon Emmanuel Nelson was born on November 2, 2005, right on his due date! Though it was a somewhat tumultuous birth, we had a very real sense that God was with us and that every detail was in His hands. There are no guarentees when it comes to having kids, except that God will walk along side of us giving us what we need to raise them, as we need it.

Gideon is a Hebrew name meaning "warrior", and his Old Testament name sake was a brave man of faith. Because of his faith in God, he defeated the Midianites though his army was extremely outnumbered. We pray that someday Gideon has such faith in the Lord. Emmanuel means "God is with us" and is one of the names used to refer to the Messiah. Our family was blown away by God's grace shown to us through Gideon's difficult birth--God WAS with us! We wanted to memorialize that by making Emmanuel Gideon's middle name. As long as Gideon is alive, and perhaps as he is remembered after he is gone, his middle name--Emmanuel--will be a powerful testimony to a God who is always with us. He is not some impersonal power that merely set creation in motion. No, the God of the entire universe came to earth as a baby, lived among us and sacrificed His life so that we might be free and have an intimate friendship with Him. That's good news!

So, tomorrow, we will simply reiterate that we as parents take responsibility for raising Gideon in a way that Honors God, but that ultimately he belongs to the Lord and is in His hands.

Gideon, we love you very much! You are a sweet treasure and we look forward to seeing the man God intends you to be unfold before us.

Mom & Dad

Wet?

2006-03-23T21:52:00.000-06:00

So, two days ago, my nearly 3-yr-old asked to used his "little potty" which we had put away for a "break". After successfully using it, he expressed his desire to wear underwear! Well, my husband and I hadn't had our official potty-training-planning-meeting, but I wasn't about to let this opportunity pass me by! We're wingin' it. And, you know, I don't really even mind the extra wet laundry. I'm just so thrilled at the notion that my son WANTS to work on this and is enthused about it. I'm not sure what set this all in motion. Maybe it was telling him that he needed to wear underwear in order to go to preschool. Whatever it was, I'm so thankful! He used the potty today 4 times with dry pants! He used it many other times, but only after a bit of an accident--if you know what I mean. The "surprise" gifts are a huge motivator. One obstacle I see is his not wanting to be interrupted to use the potty during certain very desirable play activities. Hmmm...

Still wingin' it! It's an adventure!

On Peeing in the Potty

2006-03-22T23:10:00.000-06:00

Please excuse my loss of blogging momentum. We are in potty-training mode. We hope that soon all the pee is in the potty and not in the pants. Thank goodness for washing machines!

2006-03-19T20:07:00.000-06:00

My Boys: J. & G.

Yee Haw!

2006-03-17T22:00:00.000-06:00

J. was a little snoozy after his nap and was waking up at a leisurely pace while nestled on my lap in the rocker-recliner. A rare and sweet moment these days. Among other things, I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. After some quiet reflection, he replied simply, "Cowboy." I asked him if I could ride his horse. He nodded.

That's so cute (Not at all biased, am I?). I didn't know he knew what a cowboy was. Maybe he doesn't. Well, I guess it remains to be seen whether or not I get to ride. :)

Come Again?

2006-03-15T19:53:00.000-06:00

This morning, I was sitting at the dining room table with my back to the kitchen. I wasn't feeling too well and was zoning while peeling an orange. My almost 3-yr-old son, J., was hunting for something in the kitchen, and I was hoping not to hear a sudden thump or crash. As he materialized in my left periphery vision while exiting the kitchen, he said knowingly with a measure of excitement in his voice. "I hearing elephants, Mommy!" With great perplexity, I spun around toward him and then burst out laughing. There stood my toddler, holding one large orange up to each each of his ears, repeating his claim matter-of-factly, "I hearing elephants."

Elephants??? I've "heard" the ocean in sea shells. But Elephants in oranges??? Go figure! I can't say that I've ever tried it. That was a J. original. I have NO idea where that came from. When moments like that happen, I am often inclined to wonder what he will be like as a teen-ager. Hmmmm... Life will most certainly not be dull around here!

Wuh? On Toddlers and Magic

2006-03-14T20:06:00.000-06:00

So, not long ago, I was catching up a bit on my e-mail while my infant son was sleeping and my almost 3-yr-old was playing with play-doh at the dining room table behind me. It is one of those sets with all sorts of food-making paraphenilia. I had augmented it with a few cookie cutter shapes and a small wooden rolling pin. I was engrossed in writing a message when some words began to register in the periphery of my concious mind as they drifted from my play-doh chef: "red ball...stick...move, ball, move...magic..." This continued and as I became more aware I heard: "I move the ball with the stick. It's magic!" I finally snapped out of e-mail mode and looked around behind me to behold my son sitting on his knees, turned away from the dining room table, pointing the rolling pin toward a red rubber ball on the floor commanding it to move! He was so focused, I almost believed he meant it! I smiled and even laughed a little and quickly realized where the idea for this had come from. Yes, of course, he'd watched a Clifford DVD--a Christmas gift from Grandma--a number of times and was reinacting one of the scenes. I'm not sure if he really thought it would work or not. But, for me, it was one of those humorous and sweet moments that reminded me that he's growing up and taking in all kinds of stuff from the world around him. It also reminds me to be vigilant about what I let him see!

Of Mice and Mankind

2005-01-13T19:56:00.000-06:00

I find it strange that you can buy rats and mice in a petstore. You can buy the regular old rats and mice, OR, you can buy "Fancy Rats" and "Fancy Mice". Yes, that is what the label on the cage actually says! My in-laws recently bought traps to get rid of the mice that were eating the candy bars stashed in their hall pantry. (They ruled out their oldest son because the wrappers were shredded in tiny little bits.) I wonder...were those the "fancy mice"? I wonder if they were aware that they could have sold them. Hmmmmm...

wOw!

2005-01-09T19:54:00.000-06:00

Yesterday for supper, my H and I along with our 21 mo son (J) went to Big Bowl. J was in an especially jovial and well-behaved mood and had begun to scarf down some of the rice the waiter brought just for him. After receiving my meal--coconut curried chicken--I cut up a small plateful of chicken pieces and placed them before my son. His response, with eyes wide and eyebrows raised: "Wow!" Followed by fapid-fire chicken consumption. I guess you had to be there to truly appreciate it. It was like a clip from some kind of candy or toy commercial. My H and I proudly grinned and chuckled. Yup, that's our little dude!

Here's to being truly blessed by an irrisistibly cute and precious son, and a fabulously loving and devoted husband who takes us all out when mom needs a break.

First Post

2004-12-02T23:10:00.000-06:00