The Marathon Weekend

We had a very busy Thanksgiving weekend, and though we are thankful to get back to ‘normal’ life, it was a delight to see so much family! It all started with Abigail’s birthday party, when my (Licia) family came for the day. Not only did we have a good time at the house with the children, but my mom, my sweet sister and myself all scurried out the door after the festivities and went to the Salvation Army Thrift Store – it was family day and almost all the clothes were half off! So, I completely switched out Andrew’s wardrobe, added a couple things to mine, and found a few more prizes for the birthday girl.

Thursday brought a morning full of preparing a few dishes to take to Andrew’s folks’ house for the big Turkey Day. Before we had our turkey dinner, Abbi had round two of her birthday gifts. As I said before, she received a pair of cowgirl boots (and a nice cowgirl outfit) but she also received a wonderful array of very crafty items that she has already tried her hand at – a little weaving set, beads to make necklaces, and some paint-your-own-ponies.

"Prizes for ME?!?!"

Cow Girl

Liamiah pushing Lilly

It wasn’t long until the majority of Andrew’s family started pouring in. Andrew is one of six children so now that they are all married there are twelve kids. Sarah, the oldest sister, waited a long time for Catherine (Kitty-Bob) the youngest; now both of them have four extra sisters – for better or for worse! In any event, we all have fun together. So, in the house for Thanksgiving Day there were nine grandchildren – 8 of which are age 5 or younger – and most of the twelve children. And, there was beloved GG: Great Grandma whose arms are always ready to hold any of her great grandchildren.

GG holding baby Lincoln

Andrew’s mom, Mary, did a wonderful job preparing ample amounts of tasty food – not only on Thanksgiving Day, but also on Friday and Saturday! Since most everyone was in from afar we made a weekend of it – lots of hunting, playing, watching mighty machine videos (and some girly tear-jerkers), playing with play dough, drawing, and good ol’ jibber-jabber. I’m sure the dishwasher paid for itself with all the dishes that were done! Mom did a great job of opening her house to all of us, making us all feel welcome. Thanks mom!

Lets see… Some highlights for our family were (1) Abbi’s boots, (2) Working in the Shop – our kids helped Andrew make a base for my piano table, (3) Tricks with Uncle Ben, (4) Story time with Aunt Sarah, (5) Play Dough – mom made a fresh batch on Saturday and I think it was played with almost all day, (6) an outing to Wegmans, (7) Sharing the fun toys that Grampa and Gramma have, (8) Seeing cousins, (9) Phin got to help cut up a deer, (10) Eating the deer meat that Phin got to help cut up… that is just a sample of the fun we got to have!

Now, believe it or not we didn’t get very many pictures. There were so many other cameras flashing all weekend that we didn’t really think to get ours out. But, we do have a fairly good shot of all the cousins lined up on the couch!

Lydia, Abbi, Angel and Ariel, Phin, Lincoln, Liam, Nathan, Micah

Phin and Lincoln

Hope you all had a fun Thanksgiving!

True Love

True Love is when we have baked potatoes for supper and the carpenter removes the potatoe skin from his potatoe, fills it with a generous portion of butter, seasons it with salt and pepper... then gives it to me - even though I already had one.

An Elegant Princess Is Now FIVE!

Wednesday, the 25th, was Abigail Dawn's birthday. She turned FIVE! I really can't believe it. 5 seems so... BIG! Four is, you know, just four! But five? Wow! My little girl is FIVE. And I've NEVER seen anyone so excited to have a birthday! We were planning for more than a week before the big day. Abigail knew exactly what she wanted to eat: Sticky buns (with pecans), bacon and eggs for breakfast; Pizza and salad for supper (pizza with pepperoni and olives and salad with little red round tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, and the white dressing - poppy seed.) Oh - and she wanted an ice cream cake with a white snowman as decoration. And, she did NOT want to know even a hint of what prizes she was going to get. If Phinehas even began to mention something he wanted her to have she, with wide eyes and a very serious voice, would say, "Phin, don't tell me! Its supposed to be a surprise!"

Abbi's special day began with her FINALLY being able to wear her birthday skirt - as well as new leggings and a shirt AND a birthday crown of flowers.

When she was arrayed in all her five-year-old splendor, she and her Papa went on a date to Dunkin' Donuts. She wanted an iced mocha latte and a bagel (but ended up eating a gross donut). When they got back the table was all set up and we were waiting for our company. Since there was a little bit of a wait till they arrived, Andrew took the boys out to help clean up Abbi's big present - a bike (a hand-me-down from cousin Angel) Oh my! I wish I had a picture of her face as she was riding for the first time! Andrew was holding onto the back while she was peddling, as if in a dream - it is good Drew had a good hold on her; if he didn't, Abbi might have floated up to the clouds, bike and all!

Soon enough, the party company came for brunch - my parents and my sister and her family.

We all had a lot of fun eating yummy food and playing with the kids. Then Abbi opened her gifts. Goodness! I've never seen a child so thoroughly enjoy the process of peeling back the paper ever-so-slowly, then completely enjoying each present before moving on to the next one.

After gifts came cake! Andrew's mom divulged her secrets about how to make a very yummy frozen treat. It was a success!

For supper we had, of course, pizza! And salad. But the festivities were not yet over for the NEXT day Abbi had a whole new set of prizes from Andrew's family!!! Abigail hadn't been expecting anything so she was, as you can imagine, tickled! You'll get to see some of those pictures later. I do think Abbi's absolute favorite prize was the pair of cowgirl boots from Aunt Kitty and Uncle Kyle. She would have slept with them on, if we'd let her! Gone is our fairy princess, quickly replaced by the cowgirl queen from the wild west! How fun it is to have a girl!

Teaching By Example

My! I love my man!

In the early morning of each workday, I get to crawl out of our warm bed and tramp downstairs, all blurry eyed and dream filled. Hot coffee is waiting and, better yet, a warm ‘good morning’ embrace from the Carpenter.

My! I love that man!

He quietly readies himself for work and I quietly ready his lunch, trying to put in delightful treats that not only taste good but are also somewhat healthy. He is usually off 25 – 30 minutes later and I get to stand in the kitchen window watching him pull away. Each day my heart travels up the road with that man; he keeps it well.

My! I love that man!

When the kids get up an hour or so later, the first thing Phin asks is, “Where is Papa?”

“You know son.”

“At work in the city!”

Our children have, in their Papa, a wonderful example of a hard worker. Currently, we are working on teaching diligence to the children – that they may do a job efficiently and well. Actually, it seems like we’ve been working on this for a long while. Sometimes when Phinehas is unloading the dishwasher or sweeping under the table he’ll stop and, with his little chest all puffed out, say, “Am I a dil-i-gent worker, like my wonderful Papa? Am I doing a good job?” Often I can say, “Yes, son! You are doing a wonderful job! You’re growing to be an excellent worker, just like your Papa!” Sometimes I need to say, “Well… no not really. You’re just standing there talking about doing a good job. Hop to it and get working and when you’re done I’ll let you know if you did a diligent job or not.” He is learning, and it is a delight to see him progress (though, if I’m honest, I’d have to say that sometimes it tries my patience as it is a s-l-o-w process!)

Abigail has started doing the breakfast dishes by hand. Yes, we have a dishwasher, but the breakfast dishes are few and it is a good job for her. She is happily doing her job to be a blessing to Papa and to learn how to be a ‘good woman’ some day. When I compliment her, especially when I tell Andrew about her accomplishments, she glows from within! Yes, she is a wonderful helper to me, but I want to teach her how to be pleasing to her Papa – and one day, her husband. She is surely on the right path!

Speaking of Abigail, I now know how I sound when I sing. It isn’t as fair and as lovely as I had hoped! This past spring I had a very bad cough and it really messed up my throat (excuses, excuses!). Since then, I feel as though I cannot sing very loud, nor do I have any semblance of range (not that I had a good one, before!) Anyway, for those of you who know the song In Christ Alone, you may recall that there is a point that the melody jumps a little high: “… What heights of love, what depths of peace, when FEARS are stilled…” Well, when Abbi is singing she jumps about 3 octaves and screeches out the word “FEARS” in a backbone tingling, hair-standing-on-edge, eardrum-bursting squawk that makes me cringe. I want to stop my piano playing and tell her adamantly to stop goofing, each and every time! But, when I look at her little face I can see that she really isn’t trying to be funny! In my heart of hearts I know that she is, yet again, just emulating her mother… teaching by example.

Time to Stop...

This morning I was so blessed and amazed by my little girl – my little girl who is almost 5. As I was changing Lydia’s diaper in the bathroom, I heard the unmistakable *tink* of dishes being banged about. When I entered the kitchen, there was Abigail, with her wispy, bed-tussled hair and a sweet gentle smile on her rosy cheeks as she hummed quietly while emptying the dishwasher - of her own accord. What a source of joy she is to me! I wanted to gobble her up. But then, before the morning had passed, I found myself once more being utterly offended that AGAIN she was trouncing on and bullying her brother – especially when she was supposed to be doing a specific task! I was so frustrated and spoke more harshly than I should have, correcting her in anger rather than with calm justice. Why do I take simple childish things so personally? All I need to do is deal rightly with them as they come, rather than viewing each insurrection as a personal affront. Why is that so hard?

I don’t know. But I so want to change! I so want to have ‘the law of kindness on my lips.’ I so want to speak the truth in love – even and especially to my children! I so want healing to come from my mouth – not destruction. It so grieves me to hear the harshness of my voice echoing back to my burning ears. I wake every morning crying out again to the Lord to please, fill me, guide me, and help me to be swift to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

Yet, when I stop… when I pause and wait for Him… He does answer! And when I think back on the past five years of my life as a mama I DO see the marks of His fingers on my heart. I see the places He has molded, shaped and formed. I can look back on my life and see a small part of the picture He is tirelessly weaving, the story He is daily unfolding. I am reminded of His patience, His kindness, His goodness towards me. I know that as I continue to yield to His guidance, His hand, and the challenges He brings me, He will change me so that I am daily being conformed to His image. I then remember that when I stop… when I pause and wait for Him, He is there! Always ready to guide! It is only when I rush heedlessly ahead that I end up tripping on the pitfalls.

So… time to slow down. Time to take a breath and lift my eyes up. Time to stop and listen to the chirp of the birds out back. Time to stop… and fully look at the 1,000^th picture that Abbi has drawn today. Time to stop… and hug little Liam who always says, “I love you” with a “BOO!” Time to stop… and admire the latest engineering marvel built by young master Phinehas. Time to stop… and smile at a Lilly and watch her face blossom and bloom before my eyes. Time to stop… and adore and be adored by the man that has been given to me, my best friend, my closest companion.

Our Phenomenon

Phinehas: What is a phenomenon?

Me: Something amazing.

Phinehas: Do you think I’m a phenomenon?

Me: Why?

Phinehas: Because I’m cool looking and handsome looking and I ride on a flying horse.

Me: Yes, son. You are definitely a phenomenon!

See the flying horse below, as well as Abbi's banister horse.

Late mornings - Ahhhh!

I didn't officially get out of bed til 7:30 this morning (save for the 30 minute semi-wakefulness when I was up to see the Carpenter off). Yes, you read it: 7:30. Granted, there were two little boys cuddling with me for the last 35-40 minutes, but I was still in bed, warm, cozy, and luxurious! I finally pulled myself from my nest in order to wake Lydia up so she could have her breakfast. Yes, I had to actually wake her up! She was totally in dream land!

And what did I gain from my luxury? Not much. Only momentary satisfaction. The laundry was late in getting started (oh, wait. That happens every day). My brain was late in waking up. And, I didn't end up making my bed til after lunch.

Was it worth it? Yeah.

At least I'm not going to be late in getting into bed tonight! Maybe I'll be back on track tomorrow...