Brotherly Insight Part 2

We were all driving in the car on a Friday afternoon after spending what felt like years at Northpark when Mason spoke very valuable words of wisdom to Garrett once again.

Garrett was complaining about never looking in time to see the cool thingy we are all talking about and Mason was ooing over the dead tree at the gas station. Garrett was really upset he "always misses everything!!!". Remember nothing could ever be fair enough in Garrett's world. Once again mason gave garrett the "life is not fair" speech and God has different blessings planned for each of us.

Mason then drives his point home with, "Garrett just be glad you have eyes, you could be deaf."

I thought kyle was going to drive off the road. After we picked ourselves up off the floor, we had a blind vs. deaf lesson.
I am so glad i have Mason because i don't have to say those ridiculous things my parents said to me when i was a child, Mason does it for me. By the way my mom's favorite was, "Eat your dinner there are starving children in Africa".

i love shin guards- part 2

ok- it's 4:45. soccer starts at 5:30. i have promised "extra" time playing at the park before practice so reed will actually "practice" soccer. the baby is hungry because he went to "school" today and ate 2 whole hours early (suckers). reed needs shin guards, socks, water, a ball, and transporation to practice- oh yeah and early playing time. ouch! where is dad? shin guards are evil.

and then............... i was actually practicing being thankful in ALL circumstances and sweet Garrett (g-muddy) steps in and just begins to "help" reed so he won't miss practice because at this point it is at least 5:15.

just a fun pic and thanks God for giving me each one of your precious children to raise but today i needed garrett. thanks!

a garrett funny- today at school it was ms. owens birthday and they made an announcement during the pledge about it. garrett asked his teacher (ms. lewis), "did ms. owens know it was her birthday?" man i love that kid!

Too cute!

Cutest skeleton ever! He is such a precious baby- and growing way TOO fast. It is such God's design to finally REALLY enjoy the good and bad times with the 4th child. It took 3 "trial" runs to just relax and "enjoy" even the 3am wake ups with kyle out of town!
miss you kg!

Implosion- of a building, not a child

This morning before church we woke the kids up really early and went to a building implosion on central south of royal. it was so awesome; we got to stand just behind a chain link fence and watch it go down. It was so loud and such a rush. it amazingly folded into a sandwiched pile of rubble without even a tree being harmed. Check it out! The boys LOVED every minute of it- except when they thought the birds would get blown up too, but they weren't even that concerned about them either.
http://www.wfaa.com/video/?nvid=301633

Thankfulness or lack of it...

Where have i been, why haven't i posted in a while?? I have been in a hole since the time changed last Sunday- i am exhausted and i have no idea why (no i am not pregnant for those of you with dirty minds...)

We have had sickness (babies and kids) that will knock you back several weeks and the general busyness that accompanies raising and feeding 4 boys. Well, I have been wondering what to write about (a little brain dead) and i always pray the Lord will encourage me to share with transparency what is going on with us so... here goes.

This month our family devos are about thankfulness and our verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." We have shared the cliche thankfulness statements..."our family, home, dogs, food..." But we had a family celebration (turning a sitter-less Saturday night into steaks and "family fun") and each boy got to share something their brother had done for them that they were thankful for. It amazed me how well they remember the times someone extended grace, a kind word, or encouragement.

Reed was thankful Mason threw the football with him. Garrett was thankful for our baby (surprise). But as i was thinking back on the week and sadness swept over me. True heart wrenching disappointment and just plain sorrow. The Lord has been nudging me all week to be thankful and do all things without complaining or arguing. ouch!! We are training (I mean attempting to train) our boys to run the race with greatness and i am standing at the starting line.

You know those moments when you have to wipe up Izze off the kitchen table (and it is VERY sticky) and when the baby poops AGAIN; I was not thankful. And when garrett cannot read a clock and comes down at 5:30am to tell you he is ready for breakfast or Mason is tired of Garrett copying him; i was NOT thankful. When mason has a full on asthma attack during flag football and Garrett has killed one of Shaeffer's snakes; i was not thankful. (see pic of the snake before Garrett accidently stepped on it with his cleates on) Does it really say ALL circumstances or just when the circumstances are convenient for me?

How selfish am I? The Lord shows me a million times a day His forgiveness, His mercy, His love, His sovereignty, His grace, His majesty, His wisdom....i could go on forever. And i complain about the circimstances of dirty dishes, piles or laundry, sinfulness in my family, and baby puke down my sweater sleeve. i have such a small perspective of God, i put Him in a box so that I can comprehend this world. God is bigger than world we'll leave!

I am thankful He is who He says He is, who He has given me to share my life with, who He gave me to be raised by, and where He is taking me. "I am blessed" seems such an inadequate way to describe my life. And i don't mean blessed because my life is comfortable; blessed because He is the God of second chances and has the power transform me - not just my circumstances.

Well, i guess that is why we are talking about thankfulness for a full month. Maybe his week I will get it a little more than last week.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween and Happy Birthday Coach Ames!!

I am no Betty Crocker!!

May of you experienced the "great ghost cookie debacle" with me (thanks for your support!) . Why is it that bammm! when you least expect it the slightest thing sends you ever the edge? I wanted to be that mom who can make homemade cookies for an entire class of 4 year olds, check homework, run the laundry, take kids to parties and practice, and have a warm nutritious meal on the table all from 4 to 6 in the afternoon. Instead i am the mom who can only make cookies, asks Kyle to bring dinner home for the kids, calls Laura to help carpool, and still looses it!
Oh well here is a pic of the cookies that most moms can make with their eyes closed (my gifts lie elsewhere- out of the kitchen). They were yummy and i have conquered the ghost cookie- way to go!!

Happy Birthday Reed!

man time

ok - first off i feel like an inadequate blogger. As i spend time (senseless hours) reading random blogs, i realize i am just a mom with a computer stuck at home during nap time. There are people blogging about "real" things, adopting children from foreign nations, changing the world through missions... I never promised to change the world just to make you laugh and cry while you read about a life the Lord has blessed me with immensely! I love this life and thank my husband for making me open to what the Lord is doing!

Now for the real stuff...garrett and kyle went on their first official camp out with the kindergarten boys of wre. it is a group called Building Christian Men that 10 or so dads and sons are involved with. i was thrilled to see him on Sunday when they returned (it is scary that with one kid gone i still had 3 to care for - frightening!)

First of all, a little about our second son. He is the most tender child stuck in the toughest body. Nothing is fair for Garrett. He is just close enough behind Mason that he realizes what he is missing. He hated his blond hair and blue eyes because Mason has brown (until Wags was born).

He spends hours in the backyard harassing nature. He loves to hunt, ride bikes, sing in his head "out loud", go on dates with mom or dad, and be the life of the party. He has probably never worked a puzzle with me or read a book all alone. He has always had a brother sandwiched around him. He has claimed the role in our family as Wagner's protector. He gets angry if you laugh at Wagner's hair and carries him everywhere he can. He is so passionate and loving - i love being his mom!

This is the child who is so particular about his clothes, sometime is is no collar, sometimes only a collar. he did wear a "uniform" to preschool because mason wore one to WRE. He is the first to notice and compliment my pedicure, new hair style, or a new outfit. He gets excited about sugar and will eat ANYTHING you put on the plate! His birthday is the highlight of his life - where on earth does he get that???

Garrett has taught me loud is ok, messy is fun. Just when i put Garrett is a box he surprises me. He is the first one ready for school (for those of you who know Mason, this is a shock!), and he can do ANYTHING by himself. He reminds me to see the beauty God has created - the roach is even a gift...

This is why it was such a treat for he and kyle to spend such great one on one time together. I fear he will get lost being between Mason and Reed- we did have 3 boys in 4 years. Ouch! I thank God that He made Garrett such a unique and lovable child for this reason.