Christmas 2008

It took me until the next year to post last year's Christmas pictures! We had a wild night here with steak and a movie--ha! They were good steaks and "Catch and Release" was good too--good storyline, kept me interested. We had a wonderful Christmas and had so much fun watching the kids enjoy all the family events we had. I particularly love all the pictures showing Makenna in ready-to-sleep mode: thumb in mouth, hand in hair. They are at every gift-opening session! We were in awe on Christmas morning when Kyle and Makenna each were playing with their 'unwrapped' Santa gift, quietly enjoying their new toys--it was the quietest the house has ever been with both of them awake. It was really sweet. No wrapping paper flying over here, just two happy kids playing. As Kyle draws near to age 4 and Makenna is now 18 months old, they really enjoy playing together and seem to be finding their 'mojo' as playmates. Notice also the kids enjoyed the tupperware at Nana's as much as their new toys. Kyle and Makenna looked cute too in Granddaddy's new wheel barrow. I think the last picture of Makenna says what we all felt after all the events--and all the eating!

Feeding French Fries to the Reindeer

Well, I forgot to ask Granddaddy to bring me chicken feed today, so we had food for Santa's reindeer. While at McDonald's after church, Mima had a BRILLIANT idea to feed the reindeer french fries! So that's just what we did! Kyle was insistent that we leave teddy grahams for Santa too, alone with our homemade cookies, and three candy canes. He was headed to the pantry for more food when I explained that Santa eats all night long and this was enough. So he said, 'yeah, I think this is enough.'

Twinkies?

How to clone a Twinkie - with Todd Wilbur @ Yahoo! Video

Okay, so this is kinda random--this is so interesting though! Haven't you always wondered what a twinkie is made of??? Watch this guy!

Making Christmas Cookies

I'm no Paula Deen, but I am trying to teach Kyle the basics of baking and cooking. He loves making cookies, so we had quite the day yesterday. I enjoy making my own icing too. Last year, I used ziplock bags and created my own pastry bags--not ideal. I also used regular food coloring--not ideal either. This year, I stood in the baking aisle at Michael's and spent some time studying. I used pastry bags this year and gizmos I had never heard of like couplers and coupler rings! And I used food coloring glaze which doesn't thin the icing. It's way cool! I felt so professional! Ha! One thing I picked up from my Mom is doing a few things from scratch like your own pie crusts and your own icing. So that's what I do too. This is no bragging-session, but more a display of my crazy perfectionism (ask me about the mistake I made TWICE with the icing) What's tubed icing? Well, David likes the stuff in the tub, so yeah, it has its purpose--or when you're short on time, but there's something satisfying about making your own icing. Kyle LOVES that process and enjoys mixing the colors and creating new colors. For that reason alone, I'll continue to make my own Christmas cookie icing. But after hours in the kitchen, I'm glad we're done! Now all we have left to do is eat them! Not a problem here with four cookie monsters.

Makenna enjoyed helping me with laundry and ate the raw cookie dough--she wasn't so interested in rolling it out on her own--way better to just eat the stuff. I'll get some pictures of the finished cookies up later.

Kyle's First Children's Christmas Program

Kyle was part of the flock at church on Sunday for our Christmas program. I was thrilled he stood with the group! He appears not too sure of the whole thing while on stage! While he loves to sing and be silly, that stage must've caused him to go into a deep contemplative state. We'll just assume he was in deep meditation about Jesus. Perhaps he was. The first set without the ears is from practice on Saturday night. The sheep ear pictures are from the actual program. I love how the one little gal is lying down--they were kinda all over the place, just like sheep--how fitting since we are just like these sheep and how blessed we are to have a Shepherd.

Kyle's Versions of the Nativity

Kyle has enjoyed rearranging the small ceramic nativity set on my credenza table by the front door. Of course I let him play with a breakable nativity! I don't want to make it hands-off, especially when I see his version of things. The first time he rearranged it, I didn't witness him in action. I just happened upon it. He had moved all the figures in a circle surrounding Jesus, even with their backs to 'us.' When I asked him about it, he told me, "They all have to come in because they want to see baby Jesus." It didn't make sense to him for them to be spread out, not really looking closely at him. The Holy Spirit again has given me a message through Kyle. Jesus wants us looking closely at him, drawing in to him, not at a distance where we can't see him. And he is wanting us close to him so he can really see us, see our heart. My sister has a sign from Canton that is a 'play' on the song "Jesus loves me, this I know." Her sign instead says, "Jesus knows me, this I love." He wants us as close as possible, taking all his wonder and majesty in. Kyle told me that Jesus is a king. I love that.

I then discovered it rearranged with Mary's back facing the entire group. I questioned this and explained that this is Jesus' mommy and she should be looking at her baby. He argued and told me she was looking at pictures of him and Makenna and Mommy and Daddy. There are pictures of us on that wall and even next to the nativity, so I suppose that is what he saw Mary doing at that point. I then asked him why the big wiseman wasn't with the group. He told me he's a bad man. I explained that he was a king too and was bringing Jesus a gift, but he's picking up on something in the facial features of the wiseman that he doesn't like. He's wide and mysterious and I suppose Kyle is skeptical of that. He also had it arranged where Joseph and Jesus were off to the side alone. Was that his understanding of a father's unique love for a child, as it should be, focused love from a father?

I stayed out of the way and let Kyle interpret the nativity on his own. He is fascinated by all nativities. I realized that no other event in our culture has Jesus as such a focus. Even with all the commercialism of Christmas, God works through that because you can't find one store that doesn't have a nativity for sale and it's amazing to be in just about any store and hear a Jesus-centered Christmas song at some point. You can't say the same for Easter. I see more eggs and bunnies at Easter than risen Saviors and empty tomb scenes. But at Christmas, the nativity is everywhere, in yards across our nation, on tables and lit-up fences, and in our hearts. And so our children get the message of the manger everywhere they go. How wonderful that we live in a country where we are free to worship our Maker.

In the midst of much controversy about our nation's leaders, let us all remember that we have the freedom to worship Jesus, the freedom to proclaim our faith. I realize that we are persecuted even here in the U.S., but let's get serious--there are Christians killed every day for their faith and Christians worshipping in hiding today and every day of the year. I think we should all be thankful that we are where we are and with optimism, should embrace our country and not live in fear, but live in joy, knowing God is still sovereign and still trustworthy.

As Promised

As 'promised,' I was going to get more pictures out--so here they come! These are pictures of the kids decorating and having fun digging through the ornaments and yes, I was letting them handle the breakables! I think it has kept Makenna from messing with the tree since she's already 'played' with them and inspected them! Some pictures are from Chuy's for my birthday (I can't believe I'm 33--EEK!) and some are on my actual birthday when Kyle and Makenna sang to me. Kyle was adamanet that we sing "God's Blessings to You" also--I love his heart for Jesus.

I Now Totally Get That Phrase

**I'm WAY behind in blogging and have written about six blogs in my head over the last month, so hopefully I can start posting them now and get them out of my head!

As the saying goes, 'it's the thought that counts.' We all use that as an after-thought statement, either to excuse ourselves when we don't follow through on something or when something doesn't go exactly right. Yesterday, Kyle showed me the true joy behind that phrase.

We prepped Kyle for days about seeing Santa so he would hopefully not fear him this year. He wasn't keen on sitting on his knee (who can blame him?), so I said he could stand next to him. He was excited about that and I realized how backwards it is if parents force their child to sit on ANYone's lap, especially a stranger. He was excited and knew he was going to ask for "20 Passengers" a.k.a. 'anything train.' Mima and Santa have a direct line so he's getting Thomas and his coaches, Annie & Clarabel, which will probably mystify his belief in Santa for a good number of years--to be young and sweet and excited about the mystery of Santa coming to your house on a sleigh.

Kyle's first trip to Santa was at 9 months and he was unphased. The next year he was terrified (of the Easter bunny too, and now Chuck E. Cheese), so when we took his picture, he sat on Santa's chair alone with his Cheerios and when the photographer took the photo, Santa popped up behind Kyle, who never knew he was even there! Last year, we didn't even bother and it was just Makenna and Santa. But this year, our little guy was a big boy and ready to go.

We took some pictures at home first for our Christmas card and Kyle wanted to use candy canes in the picture. He then said, 'let's take the candy canes to Santa. I want to give them to him. Is that a good idea?' I was thrilled and he just tugged at my heartstrings and when he saw what a great idea it was, he was thrilled with himself. It was too cute to see how proud he was of his idea! We thought it was precious and such a sweet display of generosity. So we praied him up and down the sleigh, er, wall.

We had all good intentions with the candy canes. Kyle broke several at the house so we decided to hold them for Santa for him, candy canes intact. David slipped them into my purse. When we drove off, I pulled them out, and set them in the bucket on the floorboard where I stash everything from empty soda cans to CDs. I didn't want them breaking in my purse of course! Kyle was excited the whole way to the mall and kept asking where Santa was and was he coming to our house that night. We unloaded and hurried in to get in line and saw that Santa was on a break, but due back any moment. Makenna and I did a return at the Children's Place while the boys waited and when I came back, I realized we had left the candy canes in the car! I wanted to go back, but David said we were nearly up and there was no time! I felt like we were in that scene from A Christmas Story and my poor Ralphie, er, Kyle, was going to be wisked down a chute after seeing Santa. No time for the candy canes!

I lamented our forgetfulness to David and he said that Kyle didn't even remember and had moved on. And I said, I suppose it was the thought that counted. And I understood that phrase for the first time. Kyle's act of kindness and show of Jesus' love in that one idea to give the candy canes to Santa was the best gift I could receive this Christmas. And we should have let Kyle hold the candy canes and let them break. Kyle wouldn't have thought any different and would have been okay with his broken gift. He would have been proud of his broken gift. But the controlling parents here had to keep them intact and as a result, they ended up being left in the car.

There are times when raising children is so hard, so frustrating, and you feel so helpless. And I all I can do is ask Jesus to just grow in Kyle. And then I see it happening and it's just breathtaking. Kyle's broken candy canes, in total humility, would have been a perfect gift for Santa because it was all from his heart. Those wisemen who sought Jesus and offered gifts to the new King came in humility, giving whatever they had. Nobody carried them for them. They brought what they had and for all we know, they were in chipped bottles and dusty bags. I again think of Jesus saying we should come to him like little children, humble, honest, all-heart, no facade of perfection. May Kyle's broken candy canes remind you of the babe in the manger, who wants you, just as you are.

You May Be Right--I May Be Crazy--But I Saved Like 200%!

I decided this year to start my Christmas shopping early...as in middle-of-the-night early, day after Thanksgiving. David thought I was nuts. My Mom thought I was nuts for asking her to go with me (she had Megan as her 'out' since she had Megan-care-duty). Anyone that knew me in my more youthful years would think it was completely crazy that I was out of bed before 9 am. But I've become quite the morning person and actually feel like a zombie when I sleep more than 7 hours. But I digress.

My goals for shopping were a little selfish. I wasn't planning on shopping for anyone else but Makenna and me. I heard two sentences out of David's mouth last Wednesday night which are probably a glitch in the Matrix as I will most certainly never hear them again: "Michelle, Makenna needs clothes. She doesn't have anything that 'goes.'" Oh, alas...sweet bliss every Mommy-of-a-little-girl wants to hear. Um, you're asking me to shop? You want me to get her outfits? By all means, I'm ready to go! Yee haw! (Um, that yee-haw is intended to give you a picture of me on a horse, spurring it as I race down Hwy 79 on the shoulder, because seriously, why fight the traffic when you can ride a horse to the Outlet Mall?"

I was a little dissapointed when I turned onto Hwy 79 in Hutto and saw no other cars on the road. Where is everybody? Don't they know it's Black Friday and Carter's has everything 50% off AND with my coupon and their extra %10, I was going to get 30% off on top of everything???!!! I mean, that's like 80% off everything right? Haha...no calculator needed here! And didn't they know you have to line up at Kohl's to get the best deals and like the sales clerk told me a week ago, I needed to be there early because I'd not be able to get into a dressing room? By the way, I had already decided to pack spandex and change in the aisles if necessary. Seriously, I had my spandex workout shorts in my bag. I was ready. For anything.

So with no cars in sight, I wondered as I drove in if the economy had made everyone sleep in. And then I began approaching Round Rock. I wasn't able to get a clear view of Wal-Mart but I'm sure it was a steady stream of little ants, swarming all over for their Hannah Montana barbie doll or the latest annoying Elmo doll that reminds us all of a possessed Sesame street character (am I the only one who thinks that? maybe it's because Kyle's Elmo's eyes flash--a little too Poltergeistish for me). And then I passed HEB Plus and had to take a doublelook.

It was everything I had heard about and more. I had only heard of such sightings and seen footage on TV. There was a mass of people (I think that's what it was, but they were so packed in, it looked more like a blob of coats). They stretched from one end of HEB Plus to the other, all facing the doors, at attention, waiting for the glass to spread open so they could make a mad-dash for discounted Easy Mac. I immediately thought of what cattle look like, gathered at a gate waiting for it to open. Dumb, submissive to the dollar, witless. It was then that I realized I was one of them now. And I was okay with that because I was getting everything 80% off at Carter's! (Well, not exactly, but "my math" makes the savings sound even better...maybe I should be in sales).

When I arrived at the outlet mall, I saw a sea of cars and thought, this is it, brace yourself, stand at the glass and wait. Oh, but no waiting. They opened at midnight! So I prepared for takeoff. I had my Southern Living At HOME bag alone since I was running a Black Friday sale and it had started at 4 AM and it was now 4:30 AM. I lugged around ten pounds of catalogs thinking people would see my bag and ask for a catalog. But I wasn't having an 80% off sale so why choose me over Adidas or that little kiosk dude with the smoked sausage and cheese?

I was a happy lark at the Children's Place and Carter's. I blazed a trail. And there were so few people! I couldn't believe it! The girl at Carter's, who I was Chatty-Cathy with, told me that it was a zoo from 12-3 AM and then everyone heads to Kohl's to stand like cattle in front of the glass, waiting for it to seperate...well, she didn't exactly say that, but you get the idea. So I came at just the right time! Things got even better at Adidas and by the time I found myself at Starbuck's for my caffeine jolt and massive 'reduced-fat blueberry coffee cake' (who are we kidding???), I felt like I was on an ever-increasing euphoria. Nobody could stop me now. I mean, with 80% off at Carter's and 20% off here and there, I was getting everything for like 200% off! The stores were literally lining up to pay ME to come in. The Carter's girl was amazed as I wisked out my calculator and called me a 'serious shopper.' Uh, of course I'm serious! I crawled out of bed and rode my horse from Hutto at 3:45 AM--of course I'm a serious shopper. The not-so-serious shoppers didn't even get to IHOP until 10 and THEN thought they'd hit the sales after they were bloated with the rooty-tooty-fresh-and-fruity. I shopped on a near-empty stomach, stopping only for quick slurps from my camel-pack filled with pure caffeine. I thougth of really making it a party and filling it with mimosas, but then I'd not be as accurate on my calculator and we all know serious shoppers only hit the hard liquor AFTER they've reviewed their receipts hours later.

Once I had my Starbuck's and headed for Kohl's, I was prepared for anything. I had heard rumors of long lines for the dressing room. But I was prepared to change into my spandex shorts and try clothes on in the middle of the aisles if I had to. I can easily hide behind a clothes rack and what man-fool is wandering through the Misses anyway? None--they're all at IHOP getting their rooty-tooty and reading the sports page. Depending upon what side they're on, they're weeping into their pancakes.

But there were no lines at Kohl's! Woohoo! The first wave of shoppers must've already gone to IHOP to join their weeping counterparts! My euphoria really went through the roof. You might say I reached zen..."Everything Zen" by Bush races through my mind. I might really be teetering on the edge of being politically incorrect, but this apex of zen is what some religions strive to reach through false gods...they need to quit trying and just hit a Black Friday sale! Hopefully I don't offend you, just some of my not-to-be-taken-so-seriously humor.

I galloped out of Kohl's on my horse at 9:15 to meet my parents and niece at IHOP. The pancake gobblers had already left to hit the Academy sales (or go back to bed), and I was ready for my stack of pancakes. I went back to Kohl's at 10:30 with my Mom, only to leave rejoicing that I had shopped at 7 AM, leaving the 10:30 AM, 30-deep lines behind. All I could think was "Shop at 10:30 AM? That's for amateurs!"

And so I am already preparing for Black Friday 2009, shopping earlier in the morning next year so I can see the mad-rush that I 'missed' somehow. And shopping alone, in the dark, no one else around...it was just relaxing. Maybe there should be a Black Friday every few months for Moms like me that just want some time alone, other than in a locked bathroom.

p.s. for those of you worried about my math skills, I'm uh, kidding

So Glad It's Getting Cooler!

I love fall and winter--I am one of those people that loves overcast days, rain, winds...maybe it's my nostalgia about living in Lubbock, the bundling up, going into my dorm room to get cozy while Di and I watched Sixteen Candles over and over. You have to love the smell of those older-than-an-oak-tree (just made that up, by the way) heaters that smell like something's burning (probably the cinder block walls it's pushed up against). I loved snow days in Lubbock too--I remember my first snow in the panhandle was in October 1994 and Di and I drove to Dumas, Texas for a wedding and we awakened to snow and drove back to Lubbock with snow flurries. I also remember the March of 1996 when the Panhandle was hit with a major early-spring blizzard on our way back to Georgetown for Easter. We found ourselves parked, cars turned off, on Hwy 84 between Slaton and Sweetwater, just totally gridlocked in traffic due to the snow storm. We sat there for two hours and I really had to use the facilities and the tumbleweeds on the side of the road didn't look so appealing for a port-a-potty! I think Kyle and Makenna enjoyed the wind on their faces and just like kids, they hardly noticed how much colder it was, but just loved being outside.

Happy Halloween!

The kids had so much fun last night, trick or treating for the first time for "real." We went last year, but only to a few houses and still while daylight. Kyle was a farmer, complete with his bucket of chicken feed and a newly picked ear of corn in his pocket (from Wal-Mart--wink!). Makenna was our 'diva ballerina.' I loved hearing Kyle excitedly saying, "Mommy, I have MORE candy! Look! Yeah!!!! Let's go get more! I have to fill my bucket!" I love that he gets excited over the simplest things in life. Cousin Megan was the Little Mermaid and her Grandma sewed her costume free-hand--WOW! They were just all too cute together!

Sweetberry Farms Pumpkin Patch

I suppose if we were um...people that root for that little school a few hours from here, you know, with that dog, and the kinda red color and white...we'd consider our trip to the pumpking patch with the Wileys a tradition now. It was HOT again but the kids had fun last Saturday--Makenna especially was interested in crawling on these strange orange round things. And they all loved picking flowers and Ella and Kyle did a great two-for-one when they fed the flowers to the goats! Those goats were so merry to get fed something other than that feed they sell there! And our kids were quite pleased with themselves to come up with the idea!

Carving the Great Pumpkin

Kyle and I carved out our ginormous pumpkin today! He was my official scooper and seed sorter and I had the handy knife. Those carving kits at Target are great! I do wish the patterns had been better suited for a large jack-o-lantern type pumpkin, but I improvised--I'll have the finished product up after tomorrow. I forgot to take a picture since Makenna woke up right after I was done carving it. It's on the porch now. I can't wait to have a candle in it. Kyle is either going to think it's the coolest thing ever or he'll be terrified and tell me he doesn't like it.

Kyle and Makenna Lately

I finally am getting some pics put up! I am WAY behind in printing pictures--I've always been picture-lady but I'm so behind that I may never catch up! The slideshow pictures below are from Sea World, Harvest Fest at Redeemer Lutheran, playing in the backyard, and a couple from watching the Red River Shootout last weekend with Ella and family (yeah, we still call it that...what is this rivalry they say?).

Makenna--Breathe Girl!

I can't remember if I've blogged about our daughter's dramatic tendencies...but here's the latest episode with her! She is having major seperation anxiety issues with me, so when I took her to the church nursery, before I even set her on the floor next to me while I signed her in, she was already crying and clinging to my leg. So I decided to climb over the gate with her and get her settled in. She just kept fussing and getting into my lap. One of the nursery staff told me she'd be good once I left, and I totally agree, been there-done that. So I stepped over the gate and she at this point had stood up and was about to let out a major wail--was VERY red. I started to walk away and then realized she wasn't making a sound. I whirled around to tell them to blow on her--I knew she was holding her breath--and before I could get the words out, I watched my 15 month old tip backwards, without even bending her legs, passing out. I lept over the gate and was blowing in her face, but she was so close to passing out, that I just kept blowing and she let out a cry, then started fainting again. I kept blowing and picked her up but she just kept going limp, so then I really panicked, fearing that she'd have a seizure since kids can have one under these circumstances, and I know seizures cause brain damage. I was in full panic mode at this point. A woman ran over to calm me down and have me lay Makenna down who at this point was awake and now crying.

I decided to call 911 when I saw the bump on the back of her head was red. She was fine for all outward appearances, but I wanted her checked out of course. The first responders with the fire station cleared her safe for me to drive her to the ER, so I cancelled the ambulance and chose to drive her to Dell Children's.

There are so many layers of spiritual warfare around this whole thing that I probably won't ever identify all of them, nor the redeeming grace of God in all of this. Makenna had a CT scan done and checked out fine. Apparently, the doctor didn't see a CT as necessary BUT since she fell on linoleum, that changes the whole situation. Linoleum is worse than concrete and even worse than falling out of a two-story window, so if your child ever falls and hits his head on linoleum and has a bump, GO to the ER. It has no shock-absorbency and doctors in the ER get alarmed when that was what a child fell on.

Anyway, about the warfare. We had a guest with us who needed this worship service. We had another friend whose two boys were with us and the older boy is one of Kyle's best friends. This was their first visit. And here we all were outside with the firetruck. And our friend with the two boys was already leaving when David felt moved by the Spirit to 'chase her down' and let her know that they were going back into church while I took Makenna in. In fact, David wanted us to bypass the 911 call and drive her to the ER ourselves. If we had done so, we would ALL have left and neither of our guests would have been in church. But I insisted on the 911 call and because I obeyed that still voice inside me, they all were back in church where God desired them to be.

To further all of this...I had just told my friend that morning how I woke up totally disoriented about what day it was. I was so confused and when I realized it was Sunday, I was overjoyed. And the forces of evil sought to destroy the morning and take ALL of us out of God's presence. But God triumphed over that.

He later showed how He works when I found myself in conversation with a woman at the ER who confessed she hadn't been to church in months and needed to return with her kids, but she was anxious about leaving her 2 year old in the nursery due to the same issues Makenna is having. I was able to minister to her and reassure her that children do well once Mom is out of eyesight and get engaged in the nursery and do better once they've been going consistently. I was asked by the CT technician where we go to church and she had the chance to listen to me sing songs about Jesus to Makenna while she was in the CT scan.

God just works all these things out and my goodness, He is so big. I talked with our Children's Minister who was absent yesterday. How things can go awry when Satan sees that a ministry leader is not around at church. While it is no reason for a churckworker NOT to be gone from an event, he sure takes advantage of that absence. How much more we must be on our guard and on the offense for his strikes. To further this is that when I began to panic, a woman I didn't even know was on the floor with me, her arms on my back, rubbing my back and calming me down, talking to me. I was terrified Makenna was going to have a seizure. She ministered to me and through that, we bonded. I need to know who she is now. I want to know her. And if our CM had been at church, she probably would've been in the hall when all this happened and would've been the one calming me, rather than a member of the Body of Christ being moved by the Spirt to step in and minister to a sister in need. How GREAT is that????

To top it off...I have been convicted this week multiple times of my need to be transparent again in our small grou in order to take our group into a deep encounter with God every time we meet. I had found myself becoming less 'real' and moving into that churchworker mode where you pretend like you have it all together. I did that for over five years and it is NOT how God wants his children to live. He wants authenticity, relevance, and REALNESS. Well, how much more REAL could I be than sobbing on the floor, clutching my 15 month old little girl, while people watch and a woman I do not know is kneeling beside me, holding both of us. I just don't think there's much more transparency than that. And you have to understand that a moment like that makes me feel super vulnerable and is just not the facade I wore in ministry for the teams that I led, which is why some of them found me emotion-less at times and out of touch with them. It was because I was. I was pretending to have it altogether and pretending so much that I had lost the ability to be relevant and real and to show my complete vulnerability, which would have taken my team to spiritual levels that we never saw because of my own fakeness, which essentially, is just plain ol' sinful.

I thought over the scripture earlier this weekend about where we're called to confess our sins to each other. I always have read that in regard to 'getting right with God' again through confession and restoring the broken relationship we create every day that we sin. I now am starting to think it is so much more than that. Jesus totally knows that when there is not only confession of sin, but also confession of the matters of the heart, the innermost feelings and longings and pains, well, that is where depth in Him comes from and that is where the Body ministers to each other and helps take each other into a realness with their Maker that is only found when we're fully transparent and fully authentic with ourselves and each other. Jesus knew it then when he inspired Paul to write that command regarding confession. He wasn't just talking about sin. He was talking about people being real with each other about everything. His heart's desire is for us to be in deep fellowship with each other and to experience Him deeply with each other. He knows that transparency inspires others to 'go there' and that is when the Body of Christ is just doing what He most wants it to do!

Whew--that was long...I suppose with my lack of blogging over the last month, I just made up for it!

The Lion of Judah at the Baptist Church on Bolivar Island

I don't know if you've seen one of the featured stories on Yahoo News today or not. I heard about it on the way home from the gym this morning or yesterday morning (I don't remember much at that hour of the day, um, like at 6:30 AM--the mornings run together). Anyway, read the story about the zoo keeper and lion who took refuge from Ike at the baptist church on Bolivar Island. In fact, he had full reign of the sanctuary. They locked him in there and watched him from the choir loft! It gives a vivid image of Jesus as the Lion of Judah. In fact, the article mentions how the lion snarled from his perch on the altar. I have images of Aslan in the Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. And C.S. Lewis put it best when he said He is not a tame lion, but He is good.

Here's the link to the article:
http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080917/ap_on_re_us/ike_tales_of_survival

Men Worship and Women Will Follow

I've been meaning to blog this week about my epiphany moment in church on Sunday, but the week has been very full with Southern Living at Home work on Monday while the kids slept, a full day at the mall yesterday, getting the kids' pictures done at Picture People (turned out super cute!), and today, finally sitting down to blog.

I don't know how many times I've sung a song in a worship setting where the men sing one thing and then the women echo. I suppose it could be the reverse, but on Sunday, we did a song where the men sang, women echoed. The phrases included "I will love you..." "I will serve you..." "I will trust you..." The one that really struck me was "I will serve you." I have to add that whenever our staff at Bethany had chapel and we sang a song with echos, I did not quite like it. Our staff only consisted of a handful people, me being one of five women total. So when the men sang, it was great, and when the women sang, we sounded like little birds squeaking out the notes, especially when one of these fine men picked a song that was in a range none of sounded good singing and we probably could've broken the windows if we had projected enough. Well, maybe it was just ME that sounded like a squeaking bird--I'm sure the other gals sounded fine--I just could hear me squeaking! My point is that men always sound pretty fantastic when it's just men singing. They can bolster out the notes, fill a room with sound, and just sound majestic and powerful.

So during this song, I really heard the powerful theological implication behind men/women echo. I heard men belting out the phrase "I will serve you" and then the women following with the same commitment. I believed it was a powerful display of how God wants his Church to be and each family to be conducted, with a man commiting to serving His Maker and the women taking cues off that commitment and following with the same commitment.

I think women are always looking to men, whether we know it or not, to lead us in our faith, to walk with us. Now I have had many women in my life who are powerful faith leaders for me. But there is something distinct and engaging, almost mystifying, about a man who loves Jesus and falls on his knees in submission to him. Men are so macho, powerful, independent, headstrong...and when they show vulnerability as human beings, flawed and helpless, and yield to their Warrior God (if you will go along with that image for a moment)...well, wow, there is power and attractiveness in that all around. It is finally a man being what God says a man is--someone who serves Him and no one else.

I could hear David belting out his commitment to serve and then felt a rush to proclaim that commitment to Jesus with him. I would pause and then listen for his commitment to love Jesus and then I couldn't wait to say my part and commit too.

It was a mind-boggling moment for me since I have sung echos so many times and really have never thought about the power of men singing as one unit and women as another unit, and then united together. It must be an amazing thing for Jesus to watch--I'm sure he's just like, "YES! YES! This is IT! This is what I'm talking about when I talk about submitting to each other and to me and you be unified, one in Spirit--now you're GETTING IT! These men are your cheerleaders! Listen to them! Follow them!"

I believe women, married or not, are looking for spiritual direction from men around them. I believe many married women are dying for their husbands to take the lead. And I believe many men are failing miserably and women are failing miserably at not nagging them about it, instead of showing an example of submission to Jesus as a way to be an encourager in the home. We women just get in the way! I also believe there are many men doing an AMAZING job as leaders for Christ in their homes and communities. I am blessed to know quite of few of these menfolk and I will stand on the spiritual battlefield with them any day, my husband being the main one, of course! But we have some wonderful menfolk friends who are our warriors for Jesus with us, who we admire and know are doing what God has designed men to do.

I read an amazing book at few years ago by John Eldredge called "Wild at Heart." Check it out--men, women, young, old...menfolk--read it with your teen sons or young man sons--women, read it to get a clue...I don't have a clue either, just my ramblings of a wife who needs to silence her tongue more, listen to her family more, and above all, submit to Jesus way more and get off my high horse. Sound familiar, girls out there?

First Bath Together

Kyle and Makenna took their first bath together on Tuesday night! Kyle was so excited about it--I wasn't sure if it's because he had plans of splashing her like Niagra Falls or because playing with a friend in the tub is just way more fun than alone! I did a video clip of them but I am having trouble uploading it to google so if anyone out there knows how to troubleshoot that, please tell me what to do! The kids do a rousing rendition of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." Oh, and the bath water is yellow not from what you might think but from Crayola bath coloring tablets--very fun stuff!

Labor Day Always Special

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT7x3VnrqbA

I think Labor Day weekend will always be special and significant to our family, especially to me. One year ago today we visited our home church Point of Grace for the first time and knew we had found our second home. It was the week after Makenna had been baptized and we had spent the day before at Sea World with our good friends, the Beckers. I was so excited all weekend about going to Point of Grace, while also knowing it might not be a fit. I was at a place though where I didn't care so much about where I worshipped, what denomination it was, or if it even had a sound system...I just needed to meet with God, be in His presence, and experience Jesus in my life. It was no short order, but it definitely wasn't too tall of an order for God to fill. In fact, it was his absolute desire to do this for me, to be with me.

On the way to church this morning, I mentioned this all to David. I've recalled multiple times over this last year how I knew I was in the right place during our first service there. Following our Pastor's message every Sunday, we have a time of prayer and meditation, a 'concert of prayer,' in which we can pray independently, with others, simply worship, come to the front to pray, whatever feels natural and flows from your individual experience of Jesus. Sometimes I sit hunched in prayer. Sometimes I stand and worship. Sometimes I kneel at the front. And often I do a combination of these things. And sometimes I just sit and feel 'checked out' and not sure of where my heart is at but it's all okay because I know despite how I feel, God is still there and is very real and very present and is totally in love with me. On that particular day, the song that went with the prayer time was "Who am I" by Casting Crowns. I had heard it on the radio but had not yet experienced the song in worship. I could barely sing through it. The refrain just opened a floodgate inside of me and I just wept in worship and knew that I was in need of so much healing. And God started to just pour healing balms over my head and heart.

So today should not have surprised me when God revealed himself again through a very similar means. Our sermon today was based on Matthew 9, the healing of the woman who was afflicted with twelve years of continuous bleeding. She was a nobody who became a somebody, having questioned for so long who she was. Our Pastor then played a YouTube video to the same song we had sung a year ago, "Who am I." I just sat back and sang quietly into Makenna's ear as the images of this video moved across the screen. How amazing what a full circle a year has made.

The song meant something different this time as I feel that God has really helped show me who He is in my life this last year in new ways and has continued to show me that I am somebody, not a nobody, and that he doesn't want me to blend in or go unnoticed. Up until about six months ago, I had no desire to really be noticed at church or to be outspoken, which are really not who I am, but I found myself wanting to blend in. I thought it was because I had been in such a visual position before in ministry. I now think it was because I had allowed someone, who shouldn't have been allowed, to have creedence in my life and who caused me to question my value and worth. I should never have allowed such a person to have authority in my life that way. I praise God that He has healed me of all these things and has taught me how to forgive and move on. Today that song and the Scripture spoke to this process over this last year. We ended today's service with "Fields of Grace" by Big Daddy Weave, and there's nothing better than worshipping Lord, especially dancing before the Lord! I just wish I had had more room to dance... wiggle and move.

I've included the YouTube at the top but I think it's a shorter version of what the author produced.

Here are the lyrics to "Who am I" by Casting Crowns:
Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You're

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me
I am Yours

Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

Happy Baptism Birthday Makenna

Today we celebrate Makenna's first baptism birthday. August 26, 2007, Makenna was baptized by Pastor Knippa into Jesus' family at Bethany Lutheran Church. We celebrated her new life in Jesus as a new creation, and we continue to celebrate this rebirth every day. I recall taking a baptism class just prior to Kyle's baptism. There were children of all ages represented. I remember we discussed when a child should be baptized. I believe Jesus calls all nations to be baptized, all nations including not only all people, but all ages (Matthew 28:19, Acts 16:33-34).

The Greek for baptism is the same word for 'to wash.' I believe baptism is a means of grace, a way for faith to begin in a child, a place for our sins to be washed away and be made anew. When we look at the New Testament, we see whole families being baptized. It was an understanding of the early Christians that an entire family would enter into this new life through an actual water cleansing, while also knowing they were receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. So for David and me, we can think of no greater thing for our children than to bring them officially into the faith through baptism. It is what made a distinct physical statement that their life was now the Lord's. Our associate pastor likened baptism to a time machine, where in an instant, as a total mystery, we are transported back into the grave with Jesus and we come alive again with Him, baptized into his death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). I once likened baptism to this: picture a power plant that goes into turbo-drive and the extra breakers have to be flipped on. To me the Holy Spirit is like that in baptism--it just goes into turbo-drive, like on Pentecost since the baptism of Jesus is a baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:16)

I also believe the Holy Spirit begins faith in people outside of baptism too. The Holy Spirit is so much bigger than the rite of baptism, although I believe in the beauty and joy of baptism for infants and children. I remember during this class, we discussed why we baptize infants. There are different ways of interpreting baptism. For me personally, baptism is a way to officially welcome a person into the family of God, a time when the church body rallies behind the baptized person and commits to walk with them and work with them in the faith. To baptize someone into the name of someone else is for that person to be a follower of that name, to enter into a covenant, and for David and me, it is our commitment to raise our children to be followers of Jesus their whole lives. I think of Hannah who committed her son Samuel to service to the Lord and gave him over to God when he was weaned, sending him to live in the temple under Eli the priest. I also knew that the Scriptures gave no indication that personal examination needed to occur, or even a comprehension of the mystery of the baptism, before it could be performed. And extra-biblical writings give testimony that the Apostles baptized entire households, including children. And it will be a joy when we can hear them confirm their faith when they are older and can confess it to the church on their own. I look forward to that day so much!

I recall saying that while Kyle was not yet baptized, I totally knew with 100% certainty that Jesus was already alive in my son. I knew the handprint of Jesus was stamped in his heart and that nothing in all the world could seperate him from the love of Christ. God's Word confirms that. I knew that I had nothing to base that certainty on except my understanding of God's character, that He is a gracious and compassionate God and that He loves all that He has created and wants all to be saved through the name of Jesus . And I knew since Kyle was in a Christian home, the Holy Spirit was already working faith in him through our faith and how we hoped to share Jesus with him through all we said and did. I knew this was all to be true, even though I had nothing tangible to base it on. Pastor Knippa then simply said, 'but after tomorrow, you will have something completely tangible and physical to base that upon.' And was he ever right. I respect other traditions that regard baptism as something to occur after a child is of a certain age and can testify to their own faith. For us personally, it is a joy to bring our children to Jesus for baptism in their infancy. I don't believe baptism HAS to happen or a person is not saved; I would rise up against any such teaching, because I think it makes baptism then into a work, rather than what it is, a gift of the Holy Spirit. I also don't believe in 'once saved, always saved,' as if to say that now that my kids are baptized, it's a done-deal and they can't fall away. It's not like baptism "bought" their way into Heaven (like we paid our dues) and they never have to have a relationship with Jesus. That's just simply unbiblical. David's and my role is to help them develop a personal relationship with Jesus. My prayer is always that Kyle will serve Jesus only and walk in his ways all the days of his life. We love what baptism means and the mystery that is is--I will never understand it, yet I stand in awe of what occurs through it.

So today we pulled out Makenna and Kyle's baptism candles and lit them to teach them again about the day they were baptized. I described to both what was said and why we baptized them and showed them pictures from their baptism. Kyle is fascinated by it and recalled his friend Ryan, who was baptized just a few months ago at our church. We look forward to when they will testify about their faith on their own.

If I've said something confusing, email me--I'd love to clarify. These were my thoughts as they rattled through my head and I know I might have left something unexplained. The pictures of Kyle with his backpack are from Sunday when our church did "blessing of the backpacks" and all the kids laid hands on each other and prayed. It was simply awesome.

Hoppin' Hippo is so FUN!

Kyle and Ella had fun yesterday at the Hoppin' Hippo here in Hutto--what fabulous alliteration. Ella's parents just had baby Seth this past week and we had an opportunity to help out by keeping Ella entertained before her parents came home from the hospital, so entertain we did! I took them to Hoppin' Hippo's back-to-school event, $5 jump with hot dogs and face painting--couldn't ask for more! They had a blast and I was so thrilled that Kyle wanted his face painted. This is one of those milestones that is special to me as he has always shyed away from doing face painting and usually backs out once it's his turn. So this was tremendous fun for me to watch him enjoy such a fun childhood thing like face-painting. Since Kyle loves sealife, this shark was perfect for him! He's just growing up in so many ways--hard to believe he is nearly 3 1/2. Makenna continues to be all over the place and today absolutely delighted me when she took her baby doll, hugged it, and kissed it, while sitting in her rocking chair. I had no idea little girls already do that at her age! (although I have been modeling that roleplay for her and she imitates EVERYTHING once she has seen it a couple of times). She is almost 14 months old--hard to believe that too!

Makenna the Escape Artist

Makenna has been labeled by her nurse as Houdini , as she 'escaped' from a bandage-wrapped finger TWICE (putting the entire cotton/bandaid in her mouth) until finally another nurse bandaged her up so well that her finger was like a giant weapon. Anyway, today I went to get her up from her nap and this was what she had done to her shirt. She tried to escape! What in the world??? She is red-faced in tears because when i saw her, i ran out to get the camera. That upset her. Obviously. Anyway, obviously this shirt is not safe for sleeping in!! Choking hazard!!! Eek!

YouTube Lifehouse "Everything" Skit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVJqRLU3J0I

Our worship service last week included this youtube skit in the sermon. I was in the nursery so I didn't see it until today when I clicked on it from a church email. I've seen many skits similar to these, but something about the choreography of the dancing makes it unique. It gives us a profound image of our struggle between our flesh and the Spirit of God. I have always loved picturing Jesus as someone I dance with and who loves me in a way that a Bridegroom loves his Bride, which I suppose is why He uses those images in Scripture. I will give a little disclaimer that it depicts some difficult issues that are the result of our fallen world, but nothing is graphic by any means, just as an FYI. I think it's well-done and stays away from the cheesy realm for the most part--good for youth groups and profound to all ages as well. I think if it were done for adults, props could be omitted as adults can project their own 'brokeness' or 'dark representations' into the skit, without prop usage.

Kyle in Big Boy Bed!

Kyle finally upgraded to a big boy bed tonight--a twin bed! He has been so excited about it and has been super happy about using his new fish sheets. His theme is surfer/sea life, but we have a ways to go before I go 'all out' with decor--it'll be awhile! But he's loving his bed and was happy as a clam!

Castle Princess and Southern Charm

Kyle and Makenna saw their first castle yesterday at our friends Mike and Sueann's wedding at the Falkenstein Castle in Burnet, Texas. You can click on the link below to see the castle--really stunning. Makenna was outside the castle when I took this picture and to me it just captured the innocence and beauty of a little girl. She was simply enjoying the breeze on her face and the interesting granite and stone steps that were a new sight. She's our little princess and since she is a Texas girl, she should have some southern charm up her sleeve too, which I'm sure she'll use one day! Speaking of southern...

David and I have been deliberating for a while as to how to bring in "the bacon" with my working at some level. We were not sure how to do this since I didn't want to be out of the home during the day and certainly did not know what I could do from home at my leisure. I have decided to return to a company that I love and launch my Southern Living at Home business in mid-September. I am excited about the possibilities and have more motivation than I had two years ago when I launched my business, as a side-project hobby. This time I am motivated by the business-end and hope to build a steady business that can work around our family's schedule. And I will still be able to be at home with my kids and will be able to keep our flexible schedule. My goal is 4-6 parties a month and with having weekends open usually, it really helps me have flexibility. When I launched a few years ago, I was so busy most days that squeezing in parties was difficult and stressful. I worked the weekends often for church and then tried to squeeze in Friday or Saturday night parties which took away family-time. With the chaos-free lifestyle we have now, I am looking forward to not having to balance so much. I'm also happy that I will have a project outside of the kids that is something for me to wrap my brain around. I need that!

I love their product line and it made sense to return to something that I have some experience in and is easy for me to 'jump back into.' I also do not have any of the chaos in my life that I had two years ago when I tried to run a business as a hobby. While that was a good thought in theory, the reality is that being a consultant for Southern Living at Home is a business, at least if you want to really thrive and go somewhere with it, providing a useful income to the family.

I'm looking forward to this and with Kyle starting his three-day-a-week preschool this week, the timing could not be better. The new catalog releases this month too and I am amazed at the new product lines that have been added in the last two years. I do not have my website running yet as I will not officially sign on as a consultant for several more weeks since I must time it with my launch date. I'll post my launch date soon and if you are even far away from Hutto, you can be a customer from a distance since the company now offers drop-shipment which is a great perk that they added last year.

I'm excited that I will be helping provide for our family and hopefully eventually have funds to do home improvements or simply save for little vacations for us. And really, how fun is it to party with a bunch of ladies who just want to shop???? Oh and yes, the company is an equal opportunity employer--menfolk can consult too! Wink! And as a sidenote, my hubby likes the product line too--have to say that David enjoys their stuff almost as much as I do! He must have some sort of decorating bone in his body!

The link to the Falkenstein Castle is http://www.falkensteincastle.com/ if you want to see a cool place to get married!

Bumped Heads Always Available Around Here

With little kids, especially two so close in age, we easily have several bumped heads a day. Makenna's are usually from falling (or me bumping her head into a door frame earlier). Kyle's are from his tumbles off the couch or just raising his head up too fast and bumping me--ouch! And then of course there are the head bumps that come from "Opportunity-Strikes-for-Pushed-and-Bumped-Baby-Sister."

I prefer not to leave a room with Kyle and Makenna alone, event for a minute. This morning they were both loose in our front dining room (a room they are rarely in). I was bustling around getting Kyle's lunch ready for preschool, so I was hoping that no calamity would occur while my back was turned. Too late. I heard my wrought iron stand with the Madeleine Hurricane tumble over and Makenna screaming. I rushed in, picked her up, and immediately began blowing on her face so she would not pass out, as she tends to hold her breath when crying hard. I noticed Kyle crouching in the corner, guilt written all over his 3-year-old face. I knew what had occurred, but I chose not to say anything and continued to comfort Makenna. Within seconds, the Great Confession occurred.

Kyle confesses to everything. He even has taken to confessing misbehavior at school which never occurred. His teacher always looks puzzled and she'll correct him and say someone else pushed so-and-so or someone else threw a toy. I personally think he's identifying with the perpatrator and misplacing blame on himself. I'm not sure why he does this, but a friend recently told me that Kyle has an ability to strongly empathize with others, so maybe that's what he's doing.

The Great Confession: "I hurt her head. I pushed it over on her." Oh, sweet confession...what a total joy it is when your child confesses a wrongdoing without any prompting. I once had a friend tell me that children are born with knowing the feeling of guilt, but that they must learn the feeling of grace. I fully believe it. We come into the world, tainted with original sin. By nature we have the guilt of sin upon us and know the feeling all too well. This is why children are 'dying to confess' when they've done something. I can remember as a child, agonizing all day over a wrongdoing until finally exploding in tears in confession to my parents.

Kids want to unburden themselves. (So do adults). They are looking for grace, although they don't know that is what they are searching for. In fact, I have witnessed Kyle hurting Makenna and then acting out against me when rebuked. I believe he acts out against me because he feels guilt but does not know how to consistently ask for forgiveness, so instead that frustration comes out against me. I don't think it is that he wants to hurt me too, or even that he wanted to hurt Makenna. I know the acting out is from jealousy or from a feeling of needing 'space' from her, etc. It's simply Kyle feeling emotions that don't make sense to him yet and an inability to articulate them and process them properly.

Because we address misbehavior with consequences, I sent him upstairs to play by himself. He can choose his room or the playroom, but the rule is that he needs to be away from "the group" for a few minutes to get himself 'reset' and able to function with us again in a way that is acceptable in our home. As I opened the gate of the stairs for him to go up, he called out that he needed to clean up. I returned to the dining room and there was my little guy taking responsibility for his actions, cleaning up the mess he made (chunky potpourri pieces on the floor). It was completely unprompted. Because I was still dealing with my own emotions from the mishap, I didn't fully appreciate how he confessed his guilt so easily and so readily cleaned up his mess without me asking him to. Wow is all I can say. I know I told him I forgived him and thanked him for cleaning up, but in reflection, I wish I had been far more expressive to him and taken him in my arms too. My kids then kissed and made up and all was well in our home again.

Our pastor recently said to our bibly study group how when we confess to God, without Him having to 'pressure' us, we are that much further on the road to reconciliation, than if He had to push us to 'fess up.' How true that is. And what I feel encouraged by is Kyle must know grace in our home because he confessed without fear. He knew from past experience that we would forgive him and show grace to him, which is my job as a parent, to teach him grace so he can understand his Father's grace. It is encouraging to me since I often worry that Kyle doesn't receive grace from us consistenly enough. But I suppose that is because David and I both have the same flaw Kyle has--brokeness from sin.

These are bright moments for me. And sometimes the Dark One is too present in my flesh, so to speak. But these moments are wonderful and I'm so blessed today that the Holy Spirit spoke all this truth to me in these few minutes of just one of many 'brew-ha-has' that occur here each day.

Fun in the Sun

I realized I had not posted some swimming shots of the kids yet for this summer. They both love the water although Kyle is not keen on deep water yet, but loves playing in it. These pictures are from the Coles' house a few weeks ago. Our nieces and nephews had fun pushing David into the pool and "attacking" him in the water. Kyle became quite upset, thinking they were hurting him. He became very demanding that Daddy come to him and that they were hurting him. He kept saying that they pushed him and it must be very confusing when he knows pushing is wrong, but this was 'okay pushing.' I had David come over to him to assure him he was okay. Kyle was not happy one bit about seeing Daddy 'pushed around.' We couldn't believe how protective he was! I personally enjoy seeing Makenna's fabulous legs! Too cute! She also enjoyed the homemade ice cream that Granddaddy and the kids made. It was delicious! Good family tradition!

Playscapes Always Cleaner After We Visit

One day Kyle will somehow appreciate all the blogging I did about his potty training years. Notice I said years. Yesterday I hurriedly put him in the car after his nap for a quick playdate at McDonald's. I didn't have him go to the potty--big error on my part! So within minutes of him being in the playscape, while I was ordering us a snack, his friend announced to me that Kyle had had an accident. I remembered right then the error of my ways. So I scurried back to the play area, thinking it was just on the bottom step or the ladder area, a structure of platforms that make their way to the top. I'm sure some of you know what I'm talking about.

My friend offered to get someone to clean it up. I declared that I'd clean up after his own mess--I really think it's my responsibility when he has these accidents in public after all. And naturally, being the loopy-prepared lady, I had my humongous Sam's-sized Clorox wipes with me. I use them on the table but of course they are handy when I must handscrub a playscape or two. So I began cleaning. And slowly realized it was dripping from an upper level. So I began my way up. It got worse as I climbed.

Meanwhile kids are clamboring up too and Kyle is wanting his own Clorox wipe to use. Sweet kid. By the way, these playgrounds are designed for kids, not us 'big kids.' I was contorting my body just to get to the next level. It was like I was stuck in a Super Mario brothers level and couldn't find the door that opened. Where is one of those fireballs when you actually need one? Nevertheless, once I mounted the top level, I saw a puddle the size of Lake Michigan, which I've never actually seen in person, but well, it's a Great Lake, and this was well, a Great Lake.

By this point, I'm peering through the slats in the playscape, hollering at my friend to get me napkins because my poor Clorox wipes were just not 'man' enough for the job. An employee brings me a mound of napkins which we inch through the slats. McDonald's might be getting stingy on their ketchup and oh-so-famous dipping sauces, but not their trademark napkins. I finally get everything cleaned up and begin my descent as I pick up all the wipes on the way down. And Kyle's still running around in wet clothes. And he is totally unphased by this whole episode.

I sat in silent (and frustrated) amusement while I cleaned, as it brought back fond memories of a recent trip to Chick-fil-A when I had to do the same cleanup on the playscape there. However, Kyle had not had 3 liters of milk to drink before napping and he was not on the top level of a twenty foot tower. Further, I fondly reminisced about how recently we were with these same friends at their neighborhood pool and Kyle chose to have a 'serious' business accident in his Huggies swimmer, which led to the pool shutting down that area he was in. As we left the pool, the cleanup company was there with a big sign posted "Wading and Beach Area closed due to contamination." Contamination???? He had a swimmer on for crying out loud. Isn't that what they are for anyway? There was nothing floating in the pool either...

As I laid hunched over on each level, amused and frustrated, I thought again how my situation is not everyone's situation. But I know there is a band of Moms out there who also have a child or have had a child who has accidents in playscapes, pools, and every day, a 'serious' business accident in their skivvies. I never thought I'd wash so much underwear in my life! (I forgot to mention how Kyle also marked his territory at a restaraunt at Sea World, while at the same time, Makenna had an explosion in the high chair next to him). These are the moments when I come out of my body and just watch in amusement and have to laugh at the Groundhog Day movielike-aspect of my daily life!

Oh, my little man Kyle. All I can say is thanks to Kyle, the playscape at the Hutto McDonald's has never been more disinfected and the playscape at the Round Rock Chick-fil-A was cleaner after we left. Oh, and of course, let's not forget the neighborhood pool--it has experienced contamination from my child. Whatever shall we do? Kids do their easy business in pools every day and we are none the wiser. Didn't we all do it at some point as kids?

Never fear--I'm here for Kyle more than ever, to clean up whatever needs to be cleaned up and I fearlessly will disinfect any public play area that needs my handy attention. I come armed with Clorox wipes and I might just start wearing a tool belt full of cleaning products so in a moment's notice, I can whip out a Mr. Clean product or a trusty toilet bowl brush...who knows, I might just bring along the chrome polish and polish the public restroom's faucet. Goodness, if only I could be on wheels like the robot cleaning lady on the Jetson's--then I could really move fast! Now I know why I worked in the fast food business as a teenager and cleaned motel rooms one summer...it all is coming full circle...

Makenna Walking More!

We visited friends today and Makenna must have been inspired by her 1-year-old friend Kaylee, who is toddling everywhere! She took over ten steps from the playscape to walk to me. I was so excited! Kyle and William are the same age and so are the girls, so it's a perfect match! I loved watching all four of them crowd around their new kitchen--they were so busy!

Priceless Moment

Ella came over to play today and Janie and I gasped when she looked out the window and saw Kyle and Ella praying before their meal, totally unprompted by us. It was the most precious thing ever! Of course I had to grab the camera and ask them to pray again! And they did! How the Holy Spirit moves the smallest of His children. My prayer continually is that the Holy Spirit would tie Kyle's heartstrings to Jesus. And day after day, as we face the battle within Kyle (the law of sin versus the law of the Spirit), as well as the same battle I have within me, it sometimes feels like the law of the flesh is winning too often...and then moments like these happen, and I see again that God is good as always and despite this daily inner struggle, Jesus is real and is living in Kyle's heart--and Ella's. I can only boast in the LORD...