What's Going On?

Who got the coolest toy from some amazing friends for his birthday?
Where are your teeth?
Had no idea he had SUCH talent!

Wow- no way he is 9! Ouch!

Flag football party fun!

Is that a bobble head ready for t-ball?

Reed planned n Easter egg hunt for the Huttons

Good Friday with Grandmother Duke

Indoor smile on a rainy Easter - they look like dyed eggs

A Phone Call Away

Ok - Been gone forever and have this weird guilt feeling that i have not blogged in forever- i really love it but have been going so my brain is DEAD! Well today i got the wake up call.


So it is 8:15 this morning and Kyle and i are hanging in the living room talking after he took the big boys to WRE and i am complaining about our schedule and him being gone too much with baseball (yeah- remember when i was working on not complaining - oops!) and maybe i should work on my run-on sentences- or not.


so we send reed to his room for various "not showing proper respect" issues and several minutes later we hear that sound that can stop your heart and change it all. Wagner followed Reed upstairs- he NEVER plays on the stairs- he is WAY too cautious for that nonsense. He prefers shoes and sharp appliances in the kitchen where he can attach himself to my legs.


Reed's version is that Wagner was at the VERY top of the stairs (did i mention that they are hardwood?) and lost his balance while standing up and fell backwards. He landed 12 steps later at the bottom of the wall.


We hear... and jump (less than 10 feet- that is what is frustrating) like SuperParents and find a bloody baby screaming. He just had a busted lip and several bumps on that precious head. So we calm him down and all is continuing on- AND he begins to throw up. (FYI Don't look on the internet if your child falls 12 stairs and is vomiting- not good).


So a VERY fast trip to Plano to doc ensues- what do you know after a full body inspection, an ear infection (did i mention that i took him less than 24 hours earlier to the doc and said i swear this baby has an ear infection- of which the doc said "i don't think so"- really? i would have bet my life he had one- i did not ask her to double check - you know the whole insult the doc thing is not good!)


So here i am tonight (with Dr. Baby Proofer coming in the morning) thanking God for being a God of perfection and taking care of our fragile lives. I mean i was complaining about our schedule- i don't drive a child to the doctor each day for chemo or even suffer from the pain of infertility or have a husband at war.


You never know when you will get that phone call that can change it all and i have been sleeping through the busyness of 4 children feeling completely entitled to living a life of ease and convenience.


I pray each morning that i would experience life His way and not my own - and for my priorities to not be informed by the world's ways but by His plan and sifted through His word. And i realize i freak about a full schedule- wow i have 4 boys to enjoy a calender of fun activities and i worry about nonsense....


So i pray i will thank God for His grace and forgive my selfishness and pray for all those people who really need to experience His peace because of unsurmountable circumstances. The people who are fighting their own battles and God is making Himself known to them... yeah and for holding the life of His precious child in His hands-thank you!

Picture Day

So...for those of you who have or have had boys, school picture day takes preparation. You make sure they shower (i mean scrub) themselves, comb their hair, and wear something that is not stained or torn. Not brain surgery...

You do the prep talk before school on picture day- please smile without doing your goofy face, stand up straight, and DON'T let the photographer comb your hair into your eyes. (Why does every school "photographer" do this?)

I opened the red folder on Tuesday to the surprise of school picture proofs. Never did i think i needed to tell Garrett to TAKE HIS JACKET OFF! Really?

For those of you who know Garrett- you know this sweatshirt may permanently affix itself to his torso. I think he has even slept in it several times. His immediate response was, "Ms. Lewis said it was ok". I am very thankful for this gift from Ms. Lewis (not sure of the validity of Ms. Lewis's approval or Garrett feeling the need for reinforcements). The poor teacher has had to stare at this sweatshirt EVERY day since Christmas!

The "history" of this sweatshirt is simple. Kyle and i were at Sports Authority at lunch time alone before Christmas. Not a date but we were alone! We saw the Under Armour gear and thought the older boys would love one for Christmas. So after some consideration my parents decided to indulge the boys with one in blue for Garrett and one is grey for Mason.

Forget the really cool car that drives on the ceiling or the iPod nano - Garrett got clothes?!@ Garrett is the most tender-hearted and caring boy, but he is VERY particular about this clothing. He wore a White Rock uniform to CCDC preschool last year. You never know with him!

I guess an Under Armour sweatshirt in the kindergarten school photo really does capture this year in it's true form. Scraggly hair, big smiles, and a blue Under Armour sweatshirt!

Gotta love Mason's cool 3rd grade pose! Fun times!

Reed-isms

I think Reed is trying to figure out this world and who God is. We were driving in the car this morning and it was raining...our conversation went like this.

Reed: I know why it rains.
Me: Why?
Reed: God is taking a shower. And you know what -he puts his dirty underwear on after his shower.
Me: Gross. Why?
Reed: Because he is God.

The other day we were in the kitchen...

Reed: I want a buzz.
Me: Sure, let's wait until after Easter and anyone who wants one can get one.
Reed: That is not fair - the Lavenders and Huttons already have buzzes.
Me: That is because lice was going around and they wanted to make sure they did not get it.
Reed: That is not fair! I bet God can get lice if he wants it. I bet he does not have a buzz in heaven though.

Just some fun Reed comments from the last several weeks. i love that kid!

Happy Birthday Anna!

To our favorite Bronco fan!!

We miss you - here is our "made with love" gift to you!

A kiss from Wags...

A masterpiece from Reed...

And a few more from Garrett..

Finally, a card from Mason and he wanted me to take a pic of his braces for you...

WAIT...Kyle could not miss all the fun...He wanted to put Reed's shirt on but he did not want to embarrass Kevin with his stealth-ness...

Have the best birthday Aunt Anna!- we love you!

Happy birthday Wags!

What a year? I had no idea the Graham family needed to have another baby (i guess, God DOES know what is best for us) It is funny, when we dated i said i wanted 4 children (having NO intention of having 4) and Kyle said he wanted 2. We both knew this strategy gave negotiating room to have 3 kids. We don't make all decisions this way anymore (we have matured- just a little!)

Well the first 3 boys are each 26-27 months apart and then 39 months after our LAST child we had another. (We really are done this time- promise!)

Wagner is such a joy- he is such a loving baby! He loves the noise having 3 older brothers brings about. He loves food -a lot. He loves me- a little too much from 4-6 in the afternoons. He loves being outside. He loves pretending he is going to walk and then putting his arms up or sitting down. He loves the moment before his milk comes out of the microwave and the moment he realizes you are putting him in the high chair. He loves when Garrett holds him upside down. He loves it when Reed sneaks food onto his highchair because he doesn't like it...


I could go on and on but, thank you Lord for the gift of this child. You are an amazing creator and you have designed our family perfectly (do not confuse this with us being prefect!!! haha) Thank you for this first year and i am eternally grateful for all the wise and loving friends and family you have placed in his life. And all the people who have encouraged us to make our home a place that desires to love the Lord- always. We pray he will grow to love and serve you all the days of his life.

A Legacy

Where do I come from?

I love this picture of my parents. It is so them..not planned or perfect, resting in the shadows, a loving embrace, and real.

Ok so my family...they have their quirks (just as my children will say about me, i have embraced this-kinda). They are well...my family. Take it or leave it God gave me to them and vice versa. This is where he wants me; he is sovereign. Well i happen to be very blessed.

For Christmas my dad spent NUMEROUS hours (much to my mother's delight) in the garage building the most incredible gift you could give boys...guns and some sort of "machine type mounted shooting device that attaches to our fort" carved out of wood with their initials on it. I know - amazing if you have boys you know what i mean. This is better than summer camp and a week alone with KG- they have lived in the back yard and spent hours (being on the same team) fighting the pirates, bad guys, cowboy thieves, and shooting grizzly bears named Chili and Rio (our labs)...you name it they have shot it!

(Garrett's gun is not pictured because it is nighttime and a real man sleeps with his gun under his bed!)

I am blessed because of where I came from. My dad is really the most selfless man i know. He does not waste words, so when he speaks you listen. People who know me (and my personality) are amazed when i tell them my dad raised his voice 2 times in my childhood that i remember.

Just as my dad spent numerous hours carving, sanding, and personalizing each gun for each one of our boys- the Lord has spent hours designing each moment for our good and his glory. My parents are not perfect (call me) and i don't claim to raise a perfect family either. But my dad was willing to work on it. That wood came raw and straight and blemished and when he was finished it is something my children will cherish forever (the memories of childhood play in the backyard that their grandfather provided). It has changed them. The Lord is taking me and my yuck and making something useful out of it.

Last Christmas, my dad gave me a verse i will never forget-Romans 1:12 "that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith." Well, Dad I am in awe of your faith and pray my boys have an ounce of courage you had while you were raising me.

There are 5 characteristics of Godly men and i don't know if my father knows these but i know he lives these and that is why KG and i spend the hours we do training our boys. We pray they will stay humble, stand firm, step up, speak out, and serve the King (taken from a parenting conference).

Now if Garrett would stop acting like my dad and wear shorts occasionally i would be ok with that! And if they did not think it was appropriate to lick the bowl after a meal that would be good too...

BTW...get busy dad, Henry (grandson #5) needs a gun if he is gonna fight the battle.

Boys are like Dogs...

I always say after i tell someone that i have 4 boys and their jaw is on the ground that boys are like dogs- walk them, feed them and you can do anything...

So this is a picture of Wagner at 7:10 this morning - I guess I have not feed him enough because he is banging on the fridge and yelling at it. When I open it, he claps. Yea- poor 4th kid!

Braces!!!

OK, so i was ready for the paci fairy, preschool, our first soccer team, even kindergarten... I was NOT ready to see my first born in BRACES! Ahh- this is a rite of passage. Oh he feels so cool but the pain...

It just aches slightly not because of where he is, but what this means. We are headed to the big stuff, the stuff that matters ALOT! Purity in dating, curfews, trying out for football, zits, deodorant.... I would give anything to go back to the painfulness and agony of potty training.

He leaves for his freshman year at college (i hope) in 10 short years- and we are not done with him! There is way more he needs to know...

Where it all began- 1987?

Number 6 on our 2008 Top 10 was our tenth wedding anniversary so i thought it would be fun to start at the beginning...The Graham Half Dozen really began in 1987- yeah, can you believe it? Kyle and i met when he moved in around the corner from my parents house in the seventh grade (yes, our parents still live around the corner from each other - kinda weird i know!) We walked to junior high school with a big crew of friends and it all began.

He wanted the inside scoop and access to all things female and i wanted the same- it was an arrangement that benefited both parties. We hung out "in groups" and the Lord held our friendship in His hands- nurturing us individually. i am so thankful we never "went together" because the Lord had something so much better planned for us. How often we mourn the loss of something we want when He has something so much better planned for us?

He even drove me to Lake Highlands High School each day because he is WAY older than me :) and Michelle and I needed wheels. He hated waiting for her because she was NEVER on time- especially for school. On random Friday or Saturday nights when there were no plans for either of us, we would go to dinner alone and just talk. We spent HOURS just talking and hanging out. Truly as friends encouraging one another.

The guys were a little jealous because for those of you who know KG, he drove a suburban (not just a suburban - the Kodiak). You can fit a LOT of teenage girls in a suburban - so there were also many nights when KG drove dozens of teenage girls around because like i said, we needed wheels.

When it was time for college, i recall an ex boyfriend telling me someday he better get an invite to my and KG's wedding- i said GROSS! He is like a brother to me and there was NEVER another intention. I gave him the most hideous cow monogrammed stationary so he would write only me on it from separate collages- way too embarrassing to send to even his mother. We wrote letter after letter from college and then it began to change. He would probably still have every one of these letters if i wasn't so non-sentimental and such a wanna be neat freak.

The Lord knew we were designed for each other and KG began to pursue with a little liquid courage. We dated so easily, i knew this man from the inside out for seven years before we went on our first official date. There was something different about him i knew i could be me because he knew only me. He survived my brothers interrogation and we dated when we were home from college.

We somehow ended up at the same college and began to pursue our relationship without dating others (ok yea, i transferred to A&M). there was the typical on again off again re-evaluative moments but all in all dating was fun and we had a blast hanging out and tons of memories from this time in our relationship. an amazing proposal of marriage followed (there were cannons and sabers- i had no choice but to accept). this best friend became the man God destined to be my husband, the man of my dreams and His plans.

A very fun time of wedding planning began- my mom did 3 weddings in 3 years so it was old hat for her. All i really cared about was no carcass of meat on any table - so we had fajitas- classy i know....but it is just us. We had a beautiful ceremony on the most beautiful June day in Dallas with all our friends and family. The reception was a truly Texas celebration with a band, dancing, and food and more food....

i prayed for my husband many times (just as i pray for the future wives of our boys). I never guessed in a million years it would be the boy around the corner and that the Lord had all THIS planned for me. I still cannot believe this is my life and the Lord his given me all this. i am not saying it has been easy. marriage is the hardest thing we have done; not because of him but because of me. And thankfully there is the most important HIM.

I put my thoughts and ideas first and selfishness sets in. Communication is complicated. We have had to learn how to fight and that it is good to do so - occasionally. we have spent hours discovering where we came from and why we do the things we do. but most importantly there is God who is holding our marriage as sacred. and we do to. There are many people who have encouraged us and helped us on our journey in marriage- church, counselors, community group, friends....we are not in this alone-thankfully!

Someday I will tell the "funny" story of how our family began soon after we were married....

Bad Hair Baby

This is what the sweet lady at The Crop Shop did to our baby. Why is it that when you ask for a little trim so his hair will stop tickling his eyeballs she scalps the poor guy? I specifically said, "Please do not make him look like Jim Carey in Dumb and Dumber. " Apparently she loves this look - oh well. He has been wearing a faux hawk to avoid the comb over. Hair will grow and it is nothing a little product can't fix... BTW- This picture is after 2 weeks of grow out! OUCH!

My 2008 Top 10

Notice the new pic- thanks Angela Weedon (amazing photographer) and Kyle for figuring out how to get it there. I am about as tech savy as the Amish (Missy-that is for you)

I never make resolutions- i think it just sets me up for failure. But when 2008 rolled around 12 months ago, i decided i was going to do everything i could to make this year different "eternally" for my husband and boys. The past several years my husband has been becoming more aware of what God desired for himself and our family but it was my turn for a change.

For those of you who love Letterman like i do, we cannot close the book on 2008 without a top 10 list. I started this blog in August so both of my followers/readers of this blog missed the events of the first few months of 2008 . I discussed my selfishness, the ever so delightful insights from my boys, and my crazy revelations about life so i feel the need to share my favorites... These are not in order of importance (remember i have 4 children who are currently quiet so i need to write fast).

10. We had our final baby boy on February 4, 2008. Wagner John Ellis created the Graham Half Dozen and has been the biggest joy and easiest baby (does he have a choice?) In the delivery room after Wags was born, garrett organized the events and began to become the #1 fan of this new baby. He is his caretaker, mentor, and general gatekeeper if anyone wants to even look at him. He recently asked Cathy Hutton to keep her house cleaner so it would be safer for Wagner to be there. Yeah... We had our first 3 boys in 4 1/2 years and Wagner is 3 1/4 years younger than Reed. so we have been able to "enjoy" watching the boys be his big brother. what a gift!

9. Family Camp at Pine Cove in July

8. Spending time connecting with our community group. These families see the good, the bad, and the UGLY and love us through it all. Thanks for taking the time to hold our hands through tough decisions and encouraging to honor and glorify God (staying at WRE this year, children issues, encouraging us in our marriage...) They have been a rock of encouragement and i truly can't wait to see what God has in store for this group of believers.

5. Reed winking at us all year

6. Our 10 year anniversary on June 6, 2008. I married the most loyal, patient, loving man. Thanks for encouraging me to become what God desires for me, calling me out, laughing with me, laughing at me, and all in just 10 years. i never would of imagined this is where we would be and i still pinch myself- i am the luckiest girl in the world.

6. Baseball season - Coach Kyle coached Mason and Garrett's teams this past year...Mason has a special love/intensity with this sport. i love the way he analyzes his sports.

5. The boys going hunting- Garrett loves this!

4. Going to Roundtop with the girls and Girlfriends. It takes special women to make 20,000 steps in 90 degree weather in one day fun. Also, spending time with the amazing women I am raising kids with in this special place (Lynn, Laura, Tracey, Cathy just to name a few...) They also happen to be the women who shuttle my children all over LH.

3. Hanging with the Huttons - I don't know if Kyle and i love Ames and Cathy more or if our kids love their kids more. It's a win-win. Amazing people, fabulous friends, great family, always a laugh- what more can i say!!!

2. Time with our families. Wes and Kevin and Anna all came for visits and these are such important people to our children. The kids also LOVED spending time with their amazing grandparents.

1. Family Devos and being better off because we had this year together as a family. We had struggles with each kid, laughed at each new stage, slept very little, watched our families hurt, and still I know God designed each event for us for Him.

To our friends and family- God bless and thanks for being a part of making this year a gift for us and we are blessed because we know you. You have forever changed our family and we are grateful for each parent, coach, teacher, and person who has loved our family this year.

Garrett's New Year

This is the most precious "bad guy" i have ever seen! He has an angelic face that can melt me - good thing!!

gotta love the rubber camo hunting boots...

Happy New Year or i'll shoot!!

This is how i feel after Christmas!

My head is going to explode

So this morning Kyle is trying to write the grocery list, get breakfast for the boys, make lunches, and have a conversation with me-clearly too many things!
He comments, "My head is going to explode!". To which Garrett responds in the most serious voice, "Your head IS very red."
Have a great day, Honey! We love you and that you take such great care of all of us!

Merry Christmas Cathy!

All Ye Faithful from Igniter Media on Vimeo.

Missy, thanks for walking me through this and for letting me steal it! This is an amazing video- enjoy!

Not a marathon, but it counts!

Ok, so we did a few push ups to get geared up!

No way, I am not letting go when you can just carry me!

OK, it was just a few steps but they count! Way to go Wag-Man!

One more time, just for fun....

Time to celebrate!

Can i put a brick on his back-this brings a whole new level of "fun". haha

Proud Wagner! Way to go! We love you!

Garrett Knows It All

Reed: Mom did you know that if you snort really loud it can suck your brain out and you will die? I know this for sure.

Me: Oh really, that sounds scary. Who told you this?

Reed: Garrett did and he is in kindergarten so he knows.

Wow, my 4 year old is afraid to snort his nose because he will die. we are that family that no one wants their first born child to be in class with because we have lots of "words of wisdom" to impart on your precious child.

I am so sorry and Reed did not die.

The Best Gifts

Kyle has been out of town and the morning conversations have been about Christmas, Santa, and when is school going to be out... This morning Garrett had a very special gift he was going to whisper to Santa so no one else would hear (me). For those of you who know me, you know i can't stand snakes (it is not a slight fear- i REALLY dislike slithery things!)

Our conversation went something like this:
Garrett: Grandmother Duke buys the best presents ever! (Grandmother Duke is Kyle's almost 90 year old grandmother)

Me: Oh really. Do you think she is going to buy you a Christmas present this year?

Garrett: Of course. She can buy me the ball python snake I want. (Grandmother Duke is a proper Southern women with the utmost dignity, kindness, and gentleness- not to mention the warmest most loving grandmother)

I am crying i am laughing so hard at Grandmother Duke with her walker at the pet store purchasing a snake...

Garrett: And i know...I can keep it at Mimi and Rocket's house since Dad won't let me have it here.

Ok- for those of you who know Donna (Mimi) this is even more hilarious that Garrett would even consider her with a snake. She had to learn to love Reveille when she lived with them for a summer. Of course, she did...for her son.

So poor Garrett is going to be terribly upset when he does not receive a ball python this year for Christmas. I love that God gave me 4 boys to raise - but i do not do snakes. i try my best to embrace the testerone by allowing wrestling in "designated" areas of the house, encouraging them to be what God has designed them to be....wild and brave. i laugh at how many times they have fought off the bad guys or trapped the wild bears in the backyard (Chili and Rio). I played Cabbage Patch Dolls and played soccer so i could get a uniform (running, no thanks!)

Merrry Christmas and Garrett can visit Shaeffer's snake.....

A Thankful Christmas?

ok, I have missed posting because we have been sick, busy, tired...so get ready i have been sitting on this one for a while. I promised in "Thankfulness or lack of it" several weeks ago that i was going to work on being more thankful- that is why the Graham family was going to base our devos on it for a full month (because I NEEDED it-funny how we intend these for our children and God has a different idea)

We are reading Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges with our community group (amazing book that is about examining the sin in my life that is subtle or even acceptable to me as opposed to concentrating on the obvious sins of others/society... it challenges me to deal with my "respectable" sins such as pride, discontentment, self control, and impatience with the same severity i do the flagrant sins of others). yeah- fun!

So.. one of our favorite verses was 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus". I worked on being thankful by not (...trying not) to get irritated and frustrated when we are late. There are many other things throughout each day - toothpaste all over the sink upstairs EVERYDAY, children who don't want to sleep, wrestling....(all the things others do to ruin the plan i had for my day). Yeah, remember when I talked about my selfishness....ouch!

Right after our family devo was about thankfulness we read the chapter on unthankfulness (no coincidence, huh?) In this chapter he makes this amazing connection from 1 Thessalonians giving thanks in all circumstances even those i do not feel thankful about to Romans 8:28-29. Because in Romans Paul tells us, "We know that in all things God works for the good of all those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose." God directs the outcome of my circumstances for my good and His glory (even when i am angry, was unjustly treated, or wronged by another).


So in learning to be more thankful in all circumstances, I pray this season i will thank God when things go awry and do not go the way i had hoped. I pray i will, by faith, thank Him that He is transforming me into the likeness of His Son. When the Christmas card picture is not a picturesque scene of 4 boys living in harmony, our annual visit to the Arboretum is not defined by skipping gleefully down the winter wonderland, or someone tells grandma that is NOT what they wanted...i will thank Him for giving me the MANY chances to develop my Christian character and those of our boys. To rid our lives of being defined by what we get and not what we give (selfishness).

This season is not about my circumstances or selfish desires but thanking God for the gift of His Son/our Savior so my sin is washed away. My obvious sins and the ones i am just so used to i don't even recognize...