Christmas Before Christmas

I am so proud! Tonight was "Sparks Store" at Awana, where the kids get to spend the "Awana Bucks" they have been working so hard to earn by memorizing Scripture. Jacob had somewhere over $60 and Grace had near $50. Prior to my kids coming in to shop, I was telling someone that I thought Grace would do OK and think of her siblings, but I was not too sure about Jacob - he may need some guidance. When they came in I decided to mind my own business. I mean, it was THEIR money. Jacob went first and he blew my mind away!!!! He thought of me first, huh??? Then he thought about his sisters, then his dad, then his brother and then himself. Oh my gosh, he so proved me wrong and I could not be prouder to say that I was wrong!!!! YAY Jacob! When Grace got her turn to shop there was less stuff to pick from (because she went last and because Jacob had so much money that he was able to buy almost everything for himself). The funny thing was she bought for me first - well it ended up being for Greg and me because there were no more "man" gifts. Guess what she got us? An angel water fountain. Can't wait to plug it in. It is hilarious. But in addition to them choosing the gifts for each other, they got to have them wrapped. So we were in the car on the way home and I so wish I had a video camera to tape what they were saying. "You are going to LOVE what I got you." "I got you 2 things from the $5 table." "Did you get me make-up? Well, I can't say yes and I can't say no." They told me that they wanted to open the gifts when we got home. I suggested that they wait for Christmas. They said, "We bought them with our own money and we want to give them to each other tonight." Can I argue with that logic? I mean they earned the money, they spent their money on gifts for each other and they wanted to give them to each other when they wanted. What's wrong with that? So we opened the presents tonight. They were so excited to GIVE the gifts to each other - more excited than to receive their own gifts. Oh my goodness, how my heart swells again to think about it. I am so very proud of my children and I am giving every bit of the glory to God!!!!!

Growing Pains

Growing hurts. I am going through a time of growth and I am in agony. First I was trying to "force" something that I wanted and claim it as something God wanted. To be sure, God may want it, but if He does, He wants it on his terms, not mine. I was trying to force my children into Christian school. Everyone knows I hate the school they are in and they don't care for it much either, so I thought if I could get them somewhere where God was the focus, EVERYTHING would be fine. So I tried, but I tried my way. Oh I prayed, but it was mostly complaining to God about what I didn't have instead of focusing on what I do have. I just figured that since it was a Christian school I was looking at it HAD to be God's idea. Satan was even getting his dirty little hands in the mix by making me think secretly in the back of my mind doubting thoughts about how God would work. It was disgusting! I am reading in Galatians and I, like Abraham, was trying to make something come about by forcing it, as in the case of Hagar, where they tried to force God's promise with a child born by man's power, instead of trusting God and His infinite power, like the promised child born by God's power, Isaac. Instead of waiting for my "Isaac", I was forcing an "Ishmael". Oh Lord forgive my arrogance, impatience, selfishness, unfaithfulness and lack of trust. You Lord God reign supreme over EVERYTHING and that includes all of me. As I was complaining about how awful and terrible my life is (basically everything changed and for someone who hates change, it is terrible) and was standing at my kitchen sink bawling, with my sweet 3 year old perched on a bar stool wiping my tears with a towel (what an extension of God's hand she is) and crying out to God saying "I cannot do this anymore. I have no one to talk to." He clearly told me, "Yes Michelle, you do. You have me." How that makes me weep right now. Yes, Lord I do have you and right now I am giving all of my crumbled, broken self to you. I looked down on the counter and saw the index cards of the verse I have just memorized, and it was so clear.

"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.....I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4: 12-13

This is how I can do it. Though HIM who gives me strength. I do not have enough strength to do it on my own, but He can and will give me all I need. Oh, I may not be in the situation I WANT, but He will definitely supply all I need. What an awesome God! That He loves me in my ignorance and gently shepherds me to where He wants me to be. Praise the Lord for making me memorize Scripture and for what an incredible impact it is having on my life. I was thinking I could memorize Scripture to help others in their time of need. Again in my ignorance.....it was me who needed the Scripture I had memorized. Ahhhh God again lovingly showing me, being so patient and kind.

And how God is using Scripture, which is "useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the (woman) of God may be thoroughly equipped to do every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

I cannot say enough about how the Precious Lord is working in my life. And I cannot say enough how I am glad to be awake to it, instead of sitting back on autopilot. Praise you, Jesus!!

Blue Monsters

Jacob is still sick. His fever peaked at 104.2 this afternoon. I think he may be on the downside - we will see how the night goes tonight. It is very hard to be in 2 places at once, but I HAVE to keep Jacob quarantined upstairs because I do not want anyone else getting this, as we are supposed to travel on Saturday (4 days from now). So while I was upstairs tending to Jacob, I had to leave Jadyn and Grant downstairs playing. This is normally a safe thing to do. However, when I came down....THIS.....is what I found.





He is saying cheese in this picture - can you tell?



Clearly, I needed to lock the cabinet with the markers in it. Even though I did not get a picture of it, Jadyn's mouth and hands were almost as bad. Both of their tongues were blue too. I guess this is what happens when the 3 year old and the 18 month old watch themselves.

Greg's Christmas Party

Tonight was Greg's work Christmas party. About 1 1/2 hours before we were to leave Jacob got a fever. I gave him some medicine and put him in bed to watch tv and rest for the night. I also gave him the phone and a paper with my cell phone number on it in case he got really sick, then he could call me and we would come home. Around 8:30 my cell phone rang and it was Jacob. I left the ballroom where the party was and asked Jacob if everything was ok. He said, "Mom, it is 8:31 and the girls are still up." I could not stop laughing. Thanks for the report, Jacob. Actually he was quite bothered by the fact that they were still up (we told the sitter they could stay up until 9) and he was in bed. Poor sick baby.

Also at the party both Greg and I sang karaoke. We both sang duets. The "boys" sang "Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks and the "girls" sang "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" by Whitney Houston (not my choice but I thought I rocked it out - Greg told me otherwise). Too bad, we were all competing for $50, put up by the owner of the company. Since we left before the party was over, I don't think we won. Bummer - I sure could have used that money. It was a good night though - Greg was lively, as always. Every party needs that person to get things going and more often than not Greg is that person.

Jadyn's New Nap Habit

The last couple of days Jadyn has been doing some weird things at naptime. I mean, not really that weird, but more like "not what she is supposed to be doing while napping". When she wakes up and comes downstairs, she has on new "accessories". A couple of days ago she came down with tights and socks on, over her clothes. Another day she came down with short and a skirt over her pants. And today she came down with all the pony tail holders that have 2 "things" on them (you know the kind that you loop over each other?) on her wrists as bracelets. Now.....I am not about to let her give up her naptime - it is too precious (to me), but I think that she may be having a little more difficulty falling asleep. She really does sleep - eventually and she still needs some nap. Any advice? If you have some, you will have to email me because I still don;t know how to let people comment on this blog.

pawlakfamily1600@yahoo.com

I Serve an AMAZING God!

This is what is happening. I have been unhappy with the school Jacob and Grace are in since we started here. Not really thinking I had any options, I sat here miserable every time I thought about it. I have recently become accountability partners with a wonderful gal named Lori. I admitted to Lori that I get jealous anytime someone talks about their kids in Christian school (Lori's kids also go to Christian school). She told me to pray about it and do some research and see what direction God is leading me. Well.....today I took her advice. Hold on, back up. I have been complaining to God (and everyone else) about the current school. I have told God that I am jealous of others and don't want to be, whether or not my kids are in Christian school. I never actually asked God about what I should do or for that matter told him the desires of my heart. So today I made the call. A wonderful lady named April answered the phone and told me she could answer any questions I had. I really didn't know what to ask. So she said she could tell me about the school, which she did. As she talked, questions came to my mind and she answered all of them. The more I talked to her the more excited I got. What threw me over the edge was the fact the she was not the receptionist that normally answers the phone. She just happened to be walking by and picked up the phone - and she is the director (and one of the founding members of the school)! O Praise God, who has His mighty hand in EVERYTHING! In His perfect providence, He had her answer my call. He is so great! By the end of the conversation, I told her I had goosebumps and was almost in tears. We set up an appointment for me to come look around the school, meet her and fill out an application. I am so thrilled I cannot even explain it! The very thought of my sweet children leaving the school I hate and moving to a place where studying the Bible is part of the core curriculum has me walking on the clouds. All praise to my Lord and Savior!!! As much as I want this, I have to remind myself to remain in God's will. If this is not part of His plan, then it should not be part of mine. But, OH, how I pray it is!

My Christmas Present (from Jacob - 2009)

Jacob got off the bus and was eager to talk to me. He had in his hands what looked like a ball of newspaper. Upon a closer look, I saw that the wad of newspaper was taped with masking tape. As he was attempting to unwrap it, he was telling me that this was MY Christmas gift and we (meaning he) had to unwrap it now. I asked if I could wait until Christmas and was immediately turned down. Then I asked if we could at least wait until we got in the house (as it was 10 degrees outside) and shouldn't I unwrap it, as it is my gift? He agreed. Once inside, all bags, coats, hats and gloves dropped onto the floor, we (meaning I) unwrapped my gift. And this is what I saw......













Not exactly what every mom dreams of for Christmas, but it was made for me with love by my sweet son. I know what it looks like, but it is really a guy sitting on a chair, playing XBOX 360. Jacob also said he could be reading a book, but he liked the XBOX 360 better. Look hard, you'll see it. (NO PUN INTENDED)

Ahhh......Monday Mornings with Grace

Sounds like a novel, doesn't it? Well, it could be. This Monday morning started like any of the others. Grace climbed into bed with me and told me that her belly was hurting, due to the fact that it was Monday. She just HATES leaving me and having to go to school. She didn't even want to talk about what the tooth fairy left for her last night. So the morning progressed with the normal complaining and whining about the sick tummy. I even told her that she may actually end up giving herself an ulcer from all the worry. Then the conversation drifted (no pun intended) to the snow that had just fallen. I was telling the kids that they were going to have to wear their boots to school. Grace then fell into the drama of wearing boots. "I can't wear boots to school. What about my tennis shoes? Do I put them in my bag? Where do I put my boots at school? When do I take them off? What if the other kids at the bus stop are not wearing boots?" Heaven help me.....this sweet angel girl is going to drive me nuts!!! Seriously, where does all this worry come from? I mean, I know I am a worrier, but this is crazy. I was in blow drying my hair when Grace walked into the bathroom. I must have mentioned something about the snow because she started crying (again) and said, "Don't even say that word. Just hearing the word s-n-o-w makes me sick. Ohhhh, do I have to go to school?" I got down on my knees and prayed with and over her and she said to me, "Mom, I pray all the time. I don't think God is listening to me because my stomach always stays sick." I asked if she was truly trusting that God will take away her worry and sickness, because everytime I talk to her she is dwelling in her misery. So we prayed again that God would help her to trust that He is bigger than her worry. I do so hope that her day was better today. She was not crying at the bus stop and (thank goodness) another girl was wearing boots. I even told that girl thank you because she saved me from another round of you-know-what. But prior to the bus stop, I told Grace to eat her breakfast, to which she replied, "I cannot eat Mom. My stomach is already sick and thinking about food makes me even sicker." If you think I am making one word of this up - I AM NOT! I was thinking this morning that she may need counseling. I love that she loves me so much and wants to be around me but I hate that she is so miserable and I cannot control it. Please Lord, help my precious drama queen. She is such a special treasure and a wonderful blessing and I am terribly proud to be her momma. I have a lot I can learn from her, but she needs to learn some trust (from me?). Maybe she needs to see me trusting in the Lord more instead of relying on myself, so that she can know that God is reliable and trustworthy - so much more so than her flawed mother.

Christmas Cards 2009?

WHICH ONE SHOULD I CHOOSE FOR THE CHRISTMAS CARD 2009?

Grace (the lady), Jacob (smiling? whoa), Jadyn (never looking) and Grant (whatever)

Grace's December 2009 Tooth Extravaganza

Grace has been on a tooth loosing frenzy. She was already missing a bottom right tooth when on December 3, 2009 she lost her bottom left tooth. (see below post for the tooth fairy story) Here is what she looked like:



Then on December 6, 2009, after MUCH hysterics, the top left tooth finally fell out. I was going to try and pull it out and when I finally got Grace to agree the darn thing just fell out into my hand. So here she is now:



I am wondering HOW she is going to eat. EVERYTHING feels weird, according to her. Ahhhhh, the drama. I am wondering if we make it to Christmas without the other top front tooth falling out....it is wiggly.

Thanksgiving 2009

.....was spent in Charlevoix, MI. We stayed with Krystel and Steve, and ate at Wayne and Sandy's. It was wonderful. I hated to leave. Dinner was (as always) great. And all us girls (Sandy, Kim, Lisa, Kathi, Krystel and I) were up at 2 (some of them later) and we were on our way to Traverse City by 3 AM. We did TC in style and spent a lot of money, but still ended up at the Omelette Shoppe. The tradition continues. "Black Friday" is one of my favorite days.

Here are some pics....

Kids eating breakfast at Krystel's house

Grant at Wayne and Sandy's house

Bryce Thomas at Wayne and Sandy's

Kathi and Katie (Ella), Bryce, Krystel and Jack at Wayne and Sandy's house

Sandy, Lisa and Braiden at Wayne and Sandy's house

Grace and Madison working it for the camera




Braiden, Bryce and Grant (in age order)

Jadyn, Madison, Ava and Grace (not in age order)

What is that shiny thing sticking out from behind those girls? Oh, it's Craig - sneaking in for the shot.

Goofy girls

Jadyn playing hide-n-seek

Seth, Jacob and Spencer in their matching pjs from grandma

Jadyn and Ava

Jadyn and Ava

Randomness

Some random things that have been happening:

I asked Jacob if he had a girlfriend and he adamantly said "No!" Then he thought about it and said that his girlfriend was grandma. then he said "Wait. I have two. The other one is Jadyn." Interesting, but he has always shown preference for Jadyn over Grace - I think it is because Jadyn is still a baby to him and it is OK to like a baby sister, not a sister that is close in age to you. A few minutes later he said, under his breath, " I really have three. The other one is m-o-m (spelled out)." I guess he has all the ladies - at least in our family.

On any given morning there are bound to be screams of torture coming from my girls room. This is a special time we like to call "the brushing of the hair". I really do try to be careful and hold the hair tight above where I am brushing, so as not to pull it. I brushed my own hair the way I was brushing theirs and decided I did not like it, so I am now VERY careful when doing theirs. I was brushing Jadyn's hair and she was screaming. I think it had more to do with her not feeling well than it did me brushing her hair - but nevertheless, she was crying. Grant "kneed" (his new way of half walking, half crawling) his way over to her and wrapped his little arms around her and hugged her, all while saying "cry, cry". It was absolutely precious!!! He was showing empathy - I was impressed.

Last night we finally freed one of Grace's 2 wiggly teeth. We went through the process of carefully placing it under the pillow for the tooth fairy. This morning (at 5:30am) I was awoken by both girls showing me what the tooth fairy left. Then Jadyn said "The tooth fairy left US some gum and money." US? I mean the girls share a bed, but it was Grace's tooth. When I explained that to Jadyn, she left the room screaming, saying it was not fair. A few minutes later, she came back in and said "Mom, my tooth is wiggly, too. See?" Well, no, I could not see as it was 5:30am and given that you are only 3 years old, I am thinking that it is not wiggly yet. That is, unless you just went in your room and banged it on something. I would not put this past her - bless her heart.

A Sunny November Day & Grant Walking

Gorgeous Grace

Joyful Jadyn

Grace working on her chalk masterpiece

Jacob working on his masterpiece

Jadyn thinking about making a masterpiece

Check out the amount of chalk on the butt

Working hard AND working together - not a regular occurrence

Jacob and his masterpiece

My BIG guy, Jacob

Grace and her masterpiece

Grant starting to walk

Still trying

Ahhhh, success. Great job Grant!!

Grace - not sure what she is doing

Jacob and Jadyn "horsing" around

David Davis Mansion

Tom came out to visit us this weekend. I am so glad to have him here! He is such a wonderful friend to us and we are so very blessed to have him in our lives. Today (Saturday) we went out to breakfast, which we always do when we are with Tom. As we were sitting at breakfast, my mind was taken back about 7 or 8 years to when just Greg, Tom and I went to breakfast (Tom was our neighbor when we lived in Milford, shortly after getting married). EVERY Saturday (I think) we all went to breakfast at Dmitri's Coney Island. Then Jacob was born and the 4 of us went. Those were very special times for us. Funny, isn't it? How breakfast could be so special. But it wasn't really the breakfast - it was the company. Being removed from "home" makes the company all the more special. All this to say, I am so thankful for Tom and so glad that we are important enough to him to warrant driving all this way to visit with us. I know I look forward to it, and so do the kids and Greg. Greg and Tom are sitting watching the U of M/Ohio State football game and even this takes me back to all the Saturday afternoons we spent with Tom when we lived in Milford. I have lived a very good life and have so many precious memories. Thank you Lord for that!!

I started this post to talk about our trip to the Davis Mansion, so I should get to that. It was a very interesting tour and a very beautiful house. I really should have lived in the 1700 or 1800's. The first room we went into was the "family room". It was where the family "hung out". Before tv and radio and video games, the family sat in this room and played cards, dominoes, checkers, charades, read aloud and/or wrote letters. It was a beautiful, comfortable room and I was so drawn to it, secretly wishing that my family could "grow up" in a place like that. I guess that is up to me to create. Anyway, the rest of the house was really neat to look through. I was VERY nervous that Jadyn would knock something priceless over, as her hands like to touch everything, especially those things she should not touch. Thankfully, she did a great job of keeping to herself! YAY Jadyn! Before we went into the house, we had to sit in the barn and watch an historical video. The video talked about the Davis family and how they were friends to President Lincoln. There were also Lincoln posters hung all over that children had made. While watching the video, Jacob turned to to and asked, "Did you vote for Lincoln?" I started cracking up, but tried to maintain my composure so I would not deter him from asking me questions like that in the future. I explained to him that I was not alive when Lincoln was president. I guess I did not explain it completely enough because his next question was "Did Grandpa vote for him?" Ummmmm, still not alive then. It was so funny. I love how the mind of a child works. So simple, so pure.

So tomorrow is church and I hope we all will be mightily blessed. I am so excited about this new church. After church, Tom is making his famous chicken wings. Greg has been talking about then for days. so the boys are cooking and then I believe it will be football of some kind. Maybe I'll take a nap. I am just glad to not have to make the meal.

Jacob, Grace and Jadyn in front of the "potty house", on the back side of the David Davis Mansion

Greg and Grant in the "barn", where we watched the movie

Jacob, Grace, Jadyn and Tom watching the movie

Totally Brainless Day

The other day I had a very "brainless" day. Jadyn, Grant and I were leaving to go to Sam's and I noticed that the garbage men had come, so I turned around to put the cans away. I pulled back into the driveway, got out, put the cans away and got back in the van. I went to put the van in reverse and noticed that I had left the van in drive! Oh my word - if it would have moved even an inch, it would have ended up INSIDE the house! Praise the Lord the van did not move.

Later in the day, I was getting ready to go get Jacob and Grace from the bus. Just before I left, Grant woke up, so I had to take him with me. Oh yeah.....IT WAS POURING, not just a little rain, but a heavy downpour. So I drove to the bus stop and for whatever reason (oh yeah, I was late) I had Grant in the front passenger seat. I turned on a dvd and was watching it with Grant until the bus came. I figured he was watching the movie and would just stay in his seat. Nope. Didn't happen that way. The bus came, I got out with the umbrella and went to get the kids. As I was at the bus, I looked back at Grant and saw him standing up. I was willing him to sit back down but could not go back as the kids were getting off the bus. So when we got back to the van, I was not surprised to find out that Grant had locked the door. I panicked for a second and then thought, I can just run home and get the other keys. So I had to leave Jacob and Grace at the van WITH THE UMBRELLA. By the time I got home I was drenched, but I got the keys and ran back - even wetter now. I tried to unlock the van but then realized that with the van running you cannot unlock the doors without an actual key. My van does not really have a key, it is just a key faub thing. Now I was freaking out. I was thinking, I am going to have to punch the window in (clearly not thinking straight). Then it dawned on me - there was an emergency key built into the key faub. Good thing I was paying attention when the guy gave us the keys when we got our new van. I was able to unlock the van and free Grant (and free my own mind).

God is good....all the time. Thank goodness He is always paying attention, especially when I am not.

A New Church Home

At last - we have found a home! Since moving to Bloomington, Illinois, we have been searching for a church home. We were going to a church and had gotten pretty plugged in (at least some of us). I was in a Bible study, had attended a ladies retreat, was asked to help with another ladies program, the kids were in choir and really liked the Sunday morning program. Despite all that, Greg and I did not feel comfortable there. Now I am not saying that church is to be a comfortable place, but I do feel like there needs to at least be a welcoming feel there to draw people in. I am not saying that the first church did not have this - they did, but we just did not "feel" that we belonged there. I decided to pray about it, telling God (what He already knew) that I needed to REALLY know. From the first time we entered the new church, I felt at "home". I cannot explain what or why, I just "knew". Each time we have gone there since, the "feelings" have become stronger. Today, after walking out of church, I said to Greg - this is it, this is home. He felt the same way, although I think he felt it before today. The people (and people of all ages - old, young and in the middle) were so welcoming and each time we went back the welcoming continued. It was not a one time thing. This is what I was looking for - a smaller church where people of all ages come together to praise the Lord and grow together, from each other. What is even funny about it is that we go to the "contemporary" service (or EPIC as they call it), and I love to see the older people (and I do mean older) dancing around, arms raised, praising the Lord to what amounts to rock worship music. The pastor there really is led by the Lord to adapt the service to the prompting of the Holy Spirit - which was shown in the service today. This church is not that same Nazarene church I grew up in - yes some is still the same - but much of it is different, and I am happy to call this place home. Thank you Jesus!

Service Project

This morning I went for a walk. While I was walking down my street, I found myself thinking, it would sure be embarrassing if I had toilet paper hanging out the back of my pants. Why? Who knows? But as I turned the corner, I notice a house that had been severely toilet papered. I was so disgusted by this senseless high school prank. I was thinking back to when I had to clean up TP mess from someone who TP'd a friends house and to the time when a kid I went to high school with dropped the transmission in his dad's Taurus while sitting at the end of our driveway, waiting to TP my house. So I hustled back home as fast as I could go and told my family we were going to do a "service project". I explained what had happened and told them we were going to help pick it up. So we grabbed jackets and garbage bags and headed down there. The people who lived there were already out picking up, but seemed glad to have help (since their high school aged kids were still in the house sleeping - never in my household), but I digressed. My kids were eager to get out and get the TP picked up, much to my surprise! They hustled and picked up 4 garbage bags full of TP and plastic forks. The adults in the group kept mentioning what a waste of money this was. The man whose house it was mentioned that they had a birthday party tomorrow and they should just keep and wash the forks for the party. Glad I am not going to that party. Really, they were all thrown away. The work was done really quickly and my kids seemed so proud of all they had accomplished, especially helping other people. Here I thought I was going to teach a lesson and as we got in the car Grace said to me, "Mom, it was really nice to help those people. They would have had a lot of work to do if we would not have helped." Smart kid. I told them all (even Jadyn really got into it) how proud I was of them for going to help people they did not know and for not expecting anything in return. Just the nice feeling of helping someone. What a great morning!

Stinky Boy

I asked Jacob if he used soap when he showered tonight. He said "You didn't tell me I needed to use soap". Really? That wasn't something I figured I HAD to tell you, when you were taking a SHOWER!!! Kinda what shower means - USE SOAP!!! Stinky boy. I sure do love him, though.

The Goodnight Song

Every night I sing a song to my kids. It goes like this:

Goodnight Jacob, (or Grace or Jadyn or Grant)
Goodnight Jacob,
Goodnight Jacob,
It's time to say goodnight.

Momma loves you,
Momma loves you,
Momma loves you
It's time to say goodnight.

And they love it (so do I)! The girls like to sing along with me and the boys like to be sung to.

Tonight Greg put Grant to bed and as soon as he hit the crib he was crying. I was trying to get the girls ready for bed. I went to the boy's room and told Greg that he needs to be sung to. So I took him out and as soon as I started singing, he relaxed in my arms and started leaning his head towards his crib. It is as though he knows when the song comes it is time for bed.

Later, I was laying in bed with Jacob and he was talking away (like he has been a lot recently - love it too!). Finally I told him he had to go to sleep. He rolled over, lay there for a minute or so, then said (almost sadly) "You didn't sing to me." Oh, that made me sad and happy. Sad that I had not done it and so happy that he looks forward to it every night.

What an absolutely special treasure this song is to my kids and me!!! What's neat about it is that it just happened. I just started singing and this is what came out. I'm not sure if it is a real song that I may have heard somewhere or not, but I know it was placed in my heart by God.

The other thing was....before all my kids went to bed I prayed with them collectively. After I sang to Jacob tonight, I was trying to leave his room (to spend a few minutes with Greg) and Jacob said "Pray with me". Just that simply. How my heart was filled with joy. He wanted his own prayer - Jacob's prayer, about Jacob. I don't care what he wanted to pray about - it was the fact that he wanted me to go to the Lord WITH him.

All praise to my Lord Jesus!

Bedtime with Jacob

Tonight was exhilarating! I was laying in bed with Jacob, and was so tired and wanted to go to sleep, but I knew I had 3 loads of laundry to fold. So I sang to Jacob, rubbed his back and told him I was going to go do my work. He said "do it tomorrow, lay with me and talk to me", and I thought "yeah, the laundry will be there tomorrow, Jacob will not always want me to lay in bed with him with his arms around my head". So I stayed and he asked me if I knew Arthur Lapel (?) - I said no. He told me that he was the author and illustrator of the book he read today and that this man also wrote the Frog and Toad books. It was just an amazing time. Thing is, we do it every night. It was just that tonight I really appreciated what was going on. As I lay there looking at Jacob, I was amazed at how much he looks like Scott did at 7. It was almost eerie. I even asked him what his name was, he thought I was weird. Great night though.

Recent Activities

This morning for church I put both girls hair in hot rollers. This is the outcome.


Jadyn is such an interesting bird. Yesterday we were all at the park and we happened to lose Grant's cup. Greg started walking around looking for it and told me to drive around and pick him up. So I started to drive around and Jadyn was yelling at me, telling me not to leave her daddy. "I will get out of my seat and punch you in the face!" Whoa - who is this kid? And where did she learn to talk like such a mean brute? Everyday at naptime she asks me to "squeeze her guts out".

Grant is almost walking. For the last couple of days he has been trying to go back and forth between Grace and I. He is almost there. I think he will be walking by Thanksgiving. What a thanksgiving blessing that would be! Grant has been knocking himself around a bit lately. This morning he pulled the vacuum on his face (the blood mark), last night he fell into the coffee table (the black eye) and a couple days ago he banged into something I cannot remember (the bruise on the forehead).


Grace and Jacob have been working hard in art. Here are some of their creations:

Grace's Self Portrait

Jacob's Interpretation of the Music


Jacob has been teaching Grant some new tricks (see below pictures) - maybe this is where the mystery bruise came from?

Halloween 2009

Halloween 2009 was spent in Bloomington, Illinois. It was about 50 degrees and very windy. Grandpa and Grandma Boss were here visiting. Grandpa stayed home and Grandma drove the van alongside us and eventually (actually near the beginning) had Grant on her lap and Dad trick-or-treated for Grant (as if we needed the candy). All in all a fun night.

The timid group getting ready to go.

The bunch (minus Grant who was screeching from the car because he wanted to be there) under the scary blow-up thing.

Just a cute little "Tigger"

In action

Checking out the loot. Notice who is sitting on the top of the pile.