Evan is 4!!

This year Evan kept saying that Thomas (as in Thomas the Tank Engine) was going to be at his birthday. In actuality he was correct, Thomas was going to be at our Train Museum the weekend of his birthday. So we decided to plan on visiting Thomas the day of his birthday.

If you have not been to this event before it is really is something to do especially if you have small boys. It is free to enter you can watch a live magic show, watch a live puppet show, get pictures with Thomas and Sir Topham Hat. They have putt-putt, a train car you can go in to look at an electric set, bounce on inflatables, get fun temporary tattoos and play with several train sets. If you want to pay to ride Thomas you can, we have a few times, but did not this year.

About lunchtime we headed home to get ready for the party!! I made a train cake and set up several games for the backyard. Kenneth cook brats on the grill and we had all the fixings to go with it!!

Once our friends and family arrived the fun began!! The kids all ate out on the deck, then they were off to play on the swing set. Once I had eaten I started the kids on some games. We played a "sling shot" game with marshmallows, spoons and plastic cups. It was harder than I thought, but they still loved it!

Next it was time for cake and presents!! Then to play stick the #1 on Thomas (like pin the tale on the donkey). The last game of the night was a mess!! Think of a snowball fight except instead of snow you throw giant marshmallows.

This year marked a first for our Evan as well.

He became a big brother!! He has taken this job seriously and loves his Denton.

Mighty Evan,

Happy Birthday !!! What a joy you can be!! You have a way with your thoughts and imagination. You are so funny sometimes. You have brought us so much laughter! You have also taught us alot about patience and endurance these four years of your life.

I pray that you will yield yourself to our heavenly Father's plans for your life. You can do all things through Christ because He willyour strength. I pray that you will flourish like a stately tree. I thank God for helping you to bring forth good fruit. I pray that you will be rooted and grounded in love. May you bear godly fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

"I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ...that Christ

may dwell in your hearts through faith;

that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able...to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. ~ Ephesians 3:14,17,19

Sleeplessness and a Healthy Dose of Honesty

It's amazing how sleep is almost as exciting as a planned vacation. It is currently 2:46 a.m. and here I am. No, I'm not up with a sick child or a teething baby, everyone in this house is sleeping away. You may wonder why I'm not asleep and the answer is complicated.

First, I think it might be the iced coffee I had at 5 this evening (that was a duh!). Second, I feel a little detached. We are in the process of planning much needed vacation, sort of a second honeymoon. Kenneth and I just celebrated 9 years of marriage. In the process I've been thinking about nothing else than this impending trip. Instead of interacting, I've been mentally absent. In being mentally absent, I've been short tempered. (How dare my little ones interrupt my magazine reading, don't they know that I need to know the fashions so I don't look like a worn out mommy?) Our middle child is one that daily, sometimes hourly, interrupts a pleasant thought or moment with his.....Evanness. I really don't know any other word. I know he's not a "bad kid" or "overly hyper" or any other label we tend to put on our kids. He is loud, ornery, smart, silly and three going on four. But he is totally draining. Having a baby under one year of age doesn't seem to help either.

So, here I am trying to get a grasp on myself before I can leave my babies behind and enjoy my husband without mommy guilt. So, I do what any other mother (I know) would do. I get out my trusty parenting books, prayer books and Bible and try to dig out of the emotional and spiritual rut (those two go hand and hand for me).

I pull out Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas and turn to the chapter titled Walking on the Wild Side of Parenting: The Gift of Extremely Demanding Children. The chapter begins with Psalm 127:3-5, but quickly that children-as-a-blessing is not the only biblical truth, that in some instances children can also feel like a curse.

Ok, let me stop right here and add that I do not feel like my children are a curse, at least 90% of the time. If I stop and really think about it those times are mostly influenced by spiritual dryness, hormonal shifts, and feeling under appreciated. Usually two of these are tied together.

Now back to the book, Thomas then goes on to say that because of our free will given by God, two Christian parents can raise a wayward child simply because of the childs will. This is both refreshing and disturbing to me. I want to raise boys into wonderful men, who don't have to feel the need to go their own way. I want them to desire God's way. The truth is I know they will at times go their way, they may even stay wayward. Thomas then goes on to say

Godly, children are a trementous blessing: this is a precoius biblical truth. But

scripture is honest, and we should be as well. Wayward children can, at the

very least, feel like a fierce curse. The bible couldn't be more clear that

wayward children will pay for their treachery. (Prov. 30:17)

The wayward child wounds a parent in two ways. First, the child wounds the

mother by despising her, cheating her, robbing her or even hitting her. But then,

almost inexplicably, he tears his mother's heart in two when she grieves over her

profligate child's misfortune as he inevitably marches toward his own ruin.

How sobering to face the vulnerability that someone could make our lives absolutely miserable-and yet we would lay down our lives on their behalf withoug thinking about it.

There's no getting around the fact that parenting occasionally can suck you dry. It will

take you beyond your own strenght until you want to weep from weariness, but then you

watch, amazed that you still get up and give some more.

All of this leading up where he says that even if you have a great day with one child another will feel jealous or resentful. In my house this is constant, at three there are some things that Evan can do to feel "big", but its not what he wants to do. If big brother has recieved praise for accompling some task before he has decided to start the one I asked of him, Evan then decides its not worth doing. That is only one issue.

And it's really no single issue that drags us down or send us over the edge. We blanch at the ever-present wight of al the issues put together-day in, day our, morning, noon and night. Parenting can surely be an exhausting profession, but it's also a complex calling-one that can have a profound impact on our spiritual development.

We need to use the most wearisome aspects of parenting as the occasion for thanking God

for putting up with us. Only the most forgetful and the most blind among us can act arrogantly before God, as though he had giben us a heavier burden than we had given him.

Sacred parenting reminds us that no matter how difficult a child may be, we still play in the

minor leagues compared to God's great sacrifice.

"This brother, as troublesome as he may be, nevertheless teahes you patience, kindness,

and compassion; that is why we need him here. No one else can teach you the lessons

he teaches."

So now I feel inspired again. I know I will be extra tired once the boys are ready to start the day but for me to have been encouraged and to pass this on to whoever reads this post is worth it. This is what my blogs are for, so I can go back re-read my thoughts and inspirations and remember my mission and calling. I will end with this verse that is taped to my bathroom wall; "Do not grow weary in doing good, for in due season you will reap if you do not lose heart." Galations 6:9

Whew!!! Now What?

We have finished our Classical year so now what?? For those of you who wonder what Classical is you can visit www.ClassicalConversations.com. I say we have finished our Classical year because we never finish "schooling". After this past year I have realized that focusing on our math and writing during the summer and winter breaks would really help to take the pressure off of squeezing it in. Quality is much more achievable when we can take the time to really savor and digest the information that I am teaching and the boys are absorbing.

I have really enjoyed watching Clayton this past year grow and meet new friends. To see him push himself and to watch as something he struggled with finally clicks. What a blessing this time in my life is!!!

I would like to review our Classical year, I hope you enjoy!!

In our group during Christmas activities.

Working on a Science Presentation for group

Evan tracing letters with his fingers in corn starch

All the boys in Clayton's group did a Lego creation and took pictures, however we never submitted this one.

Clayton cutting out a weather chart for a week

Evan having some "quiet time" with the listening library

Playtime with daddy is always a must!!

Using their imaginations to build houses out of cardboard and blankets

Evan working on his hand eye coordination by tracing lines

Outside time is great to grow strong bodies and minds

Beautiful

"Watch me momma" Evan doing a trick

Making yummy treats for Easter!!

My handsome guys

At the Zoo with some classmates

Denton was thrilled by the lorakeets!

Earth Day we picked up trash with Nanny and Pappaw

Closing Day at group with support of the Grandparents

Closing Day Clayton's class memorised the 10 Commandments, 7 wonders of the ancient world, the Kush and the Berbers, the Anasazi Indians and the Mexican Revolution

TIME TO ENJOY THE SUMMERTIME!!!

Seven Years Ago.....

I can't believe how fast seven years has flown by. On a Thursday night during an exceptionally warm March, our fist child was born!! I remember that first second that he entered the world reaching for him and greeting him with a "hi baby"! A moment I will never forget.

I could imagine all I wanted about what kind of boy that baby (all 8lbs. & 4 oz. of him) would be. He is far more of a blessing than I could ever have imagined. On Monday Feb. 22 of this year he felt his need to ask Jesus to be Lord over his little life. Yet another moment I will never forget. That day became his "spiritual birthday". What a great leader and example he is to his two little brothers. He is such a sweet, smart boy and we are very thankful to call him son.

The morning of his birthday we did one of our usual birthday morning traditions, waking him up with a doughnut, candles and the birthday song. We had him open his gift from us, a scooter!

He had been wanting one for awhile, I had it hidden away for months and it was hard to save it.

Evan gave him a hot wheels car and got a hug in return!

Then for lunch we tried to eat at POP'S, but because of the time demands of daddy's school, we had to settle for Freddy's (not a bad compromise). We were also all sick so his party had to wait until the following weekend.

The day before his party he helped to make cookies. He chose to make mint chocolate chip!! YUMMY!!

He helped mix the ingredients and break up the Oreo cookies for his dirt cake.

The next day was his party day, finally! He chose to have a family party this year, with the neighbors

kids and our close friends the Kittredges. We had pizza, cookies, cake and presents!! Then the

kids retreated to the back yard to play, what a great day!!

Now I want to reflect on the past seven years with you.

Our first family photo

Clayton's first hour

Clayton's first birthday

Clayton's 2nd birthday

Clayton at 3

Clayton at 3 1/2 with new brother Evan

Clayton at 4

What sweet boys!

Clayton at 5, during our vacation to Durango

What a fun day!!

Clayton at 6

6 1/2 welcomeing another brother!!

"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be STRONG, be BRAVE.

Let all that you do be done in LOVE."

~1 Cor. 16:13-14

What a blessing these past seven years have been!!

Dearest Clayton,

What a joy it is to be your momma. I am so thankful that you have such a loving heart. You have an awesome example of what it is to be a man of God in your father. "Listen my son, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding." (Prov. 4:1)

You have a special calling on your life, God given. I pray that you will learn to discern God's voice and do His will in your life.

What a great age to hear your need for a Savior!! You, my son, are AMAZING!! Remember Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the begining of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." You will grow and do great and mighty things!!

I love you!