Frat Hair

One of our friends told Thomas he has frat hair. This of course sent my imagination careening into a time warp where T is a grown college man in chinos and flip flops with books, no wait! girls on his arms, and it's 11:00pm! and he's just now leaving to go to that party?? Does your mother know what you are doing, young man!? 

Have mercy. This boy may be the one that does me in. In the meantime, the hair stays. You wouldn't cut this mop, would you?

Morning frat hair.

After bath frat hair.

 High humidity frat hair.

 Slept-on-my-face frat hair.

The Best Birthday Ever

She told me, as we were leaving the American Girl Store in Atlanta. "And I mean it this time, mom." Kate was born on our 2nd anniversary. We exchanged anniversary gifts at 1 AM, before leaving for the hospital. While walking around the house timing contractions that were 5-6 minutes apart, my husband surprised me with a 20 degree mummy sleeping bag, I passed along a long-coveted walking pole-slash-monopod camera mount. We thought we'd take our children camping. It was not long after this picture was taken....

 ....that I realized our expectations for our family were to completely change. The kind of parents we wanted to be versus the kind of parents we were actually going to be, well, the disconnect was huge then. You couldn't have convinced me that roughly 8 years later this tiny baby would be 8, going into 3rd grade and hopping in our minivan to join me on a day trip to the American Girl Store. 

 A pile of Dunkin Donuts was her "cake"

 We have arrived!

 Posing by the new dolls coming out later in the month. and holding the price list for both....

 There may not have been a place to hang my pocketbook, but there was certainly a special spot for any American Doll that accompanied her friend to the restroom.

 Grace, hanging out by the toilet seat covers.

 A very pink bathroom

Grace had her own seat, crown and....

...teacup and saucer.

 mini hot dog and hamburger. 

 our new addition, Chocolate Chip.

 Grace headed out from a long but satisfying day of shopping.

 Asleep

Not asleep. And present. Kate did not go by herself.

Happy Burns Day 2011 to Us!

We Be Trippin'

It seemed perfectly logical, when our friends the Espinosas moved, to plan a trip to visit them in their new town. It seemed almost normal to plan meals, talk with Joanna about sleeping arrangements, and even to fill out our volunteer applications for the Boys & Girls Club of Allendale. But the normal stopped when we arrived at 8:30am at the church, loaded 11 kids and 4 moms in 2 vans, and actually made the trip we had been talking about and planning for weeks. When I would tell people outside of Grace or our circle of friends we were going to Allendale, the reaction was always similar: "Oh, neat. Where?" You can read more about what Grace Church is doing with members of the Allendale Community here, and you can catch up on the Espinosa's story here.

Funny favorites:

1. Nancy standing in a room with only 4 other people, high school or college age, playing her favorite game "raise your hand if you like _______." And they actually played along.

2. That Marvin Love could hardly believe that all the 11 kids we brought were ours and ours alone, not kids from other families as well. You should have seen his eyes bug out when we told him we left 3 children behind in Greenville.

3. We saw a camel in someone's front yard right outside of Denmark, which was right down the road from Norway. Which is just northeast of North, South Carolina.

Awesome favorites:

1. Having the opportunity to see Joey, Joanna and the kids in their new environment. Friends, routine, house, all of it.

2. Having the opportunity to see Joey and Joanna serve together, as a team, united for a cause. They are amazing, and I am blessed to call them friends.
3. Sitting outside with friends late Tuesday night, waiting for the kids to go to sleep. Because it was cooler outside, and because we needed to decompress. We see each other at our worst sometimes, this trip no exception, and it was great to see the good, bad and funny and talk it all out.

3. Being uncomfortable, albeit very briefly, with my kids there to see it. Being out of my zone, my monotony, so to speak. I want more of that kind of experience with my family.

Our adventure with the Keevers, Taylors and Mozingos was one that I hope my kids will always remember. I hope the Espinosas and their kids enjoyed our visit and it wasn't too much for them. Something tells me that 11 extra kids wasn't that big of a dent to their routine. I'm already scheming ways to get back down there again, this time with Ryan.

 In Allendale, they ride golf carts in their yards for fun. 

 Singing in fans never gets old. To the kids.

 Sleepover. Guess which one was the last to go to sleep out of all 11?

Yep. This one.

 Who doesn't love a gluten free birthday cookie cake for breakfast?

 So sweet, singing Happy Birthday in pjs.

 Nancy and friend being read to at the B & G Club.

 Teaming up for kickball

 Molly, er, Kate on the Left. Kelly, I mean Harper, on right. And Sender, making an Elvis face.

More on Multitudinous Thoughts

Continuing with my thoughts about the multitudinous tasks of life, ie. the daily grind, I have often found myself wondering, "is this what I was made for? is this why I'm here?" By the way, contrary to what my husband thought, I did not make this word up.

When Ryan and I were dating and newly married, we would daydream of the places God would take us, the kinds of people we would serve and serve with. Ways He would use us for His glory, as we rose triumphantly to the challenges He placed before us, making His name known whilst building a fantastic photographic portfolio of our adventures in evangelism and wine pairings. Very Amy Charmichael-meets-Dave Ramsey, isn't it? I was very ready to sacrifice for God, but only the things I chose to give. I am not unlike the rich man that asks Jesus what he has to do to be born again. Jesus calls him to give away the very thing he won't.

It took almost 8 years for me to realize I was putting working for God before God himself. He has brought on us unexpected circumstances and rearranged my life plan, in which He's shown me He doesn't need me, but it is I who need Him. He hasn't done it through extreme tragedy, overcoming the odds or persevering through the challenges of change. Apparently, the normal, comfortable monotony of our season of life is enough to strip me of my pride and expose my selfishness. Oswald Chambers speaks what my heart feels on those really hard, draining, Groundhog Day-esque days: "Sometimes it is not the difficulty of life but the drudgery of it that makes me think God will forsake me. When there is no major difficulty to overcome, no vision from God, nothing wonderful or or beautiful - just the everyday activities of life - do I hear God's assurance even in these?" (June 4)

Eight years is a long time to figure out that a situation is what it is, and it's not going to change. Eight years is a long time to wonder if there will ever be more. Eight years is a long time to waste. This is my life. And God can speak to me and use me and change me in my daily dishwasher-emptying time as easily as He could if I were in some exotic land. The question I have learned to ask myself is, "am I willing to hear Him?" Do I hear him while I'm folding laundry? Training a child for the 100th time? Burning supper? Carpooling? Flooding my bathroom?

God has softened my heart and changed my prayer from "deliver me from this hour!" to "deliver me in this hour!" And when all the hours sometimes feel the same, I am praying constantly. Which, I see now, is the whole idea.

"We are not meant to be seen as God's perfect bright shining examples, but to be seen as the everyday essence of ordinary life exhibiting the miracle of His grace. Drudgery is the test of genuine character." (June 15, Utmost)

Swimming Cats

N: Our friends C & H have a cat pool at their pool

R: Oh, a cat pool? For cats?

N: Yeah. For them to swim in. But kids can swim in it too.

R: Really? A cat pool? Are you sure it didn't have a toy cat in it or something?

N: Noooo. Like, there's the big pool, and then the kitty pool. For the cats, but some kids can swim. And babies too.

R: Oh! Got it. The kiddie pool?

N: Yeah. The kitty pool.

Why Did the Tomato Cross the Road?

He needed to "catch up".

Spring Break

Easter

A Birthday

Another Birthday

Multitudinous

Photo courtesy: Mantas Ruzveltas

I have heard and read this word recently more often than I care to acknowledge. It is a new word to me. Which is a confession, really, as I pride myself on my vocabulary. It has popped up everywhere - blogs, books, conversations, sermons. The stillness around me (note: when I am falling asleep at night) seems to whisper "multitudinous"; the laundry sneers up at me from it's spot on the floor, "heee heee heee. multitudinous!"; my inbox flashes it's rhythmic light at me "multitudinous multitudinous multitudinous". And on really really hard days, my children surround me, hopping up and down, pulling at my pants leg and saying what I think are real words, but all I hear coming out of their mouths is "multitudinous are we!!"

In all of this sneering and whispering that looms large in my scope, I have realized the one multitudinous thing that I must attend to, without delay or hesitation, is my sin. How do I do that, when I have multitudinous responsibilities, obligations and entitlements to chase? How do I urgently and consistently "make every effort to supplement my faith"?

I must spend time in the Word. I must, must pray. It is not easy, this carving out of time. I am a list genius, making up things to do to avoid what needs to be done. And more often than not, what needs to be done is nothing. Rest. Sit. Play. Look. Simple, but so very difficult for me.

I could write a multitudinous amount of words and thoughts about this monotony that threatens to overtake me and my relationship with God. One day I may just do that. But right now, I have other things to do....