Enjoy a little flower…

        

These are some photos I took when we were up north. I love taking pictures of flowers. Enjoy!

 

Vacation Week: Phase Two

We spent Phase Two of our vacation up at my parent’s cottage in the upper peninsula of Michigan.

Brian educated Jonathan in the art of roasting the perfect marshmallow. Brian is seriously a marshmallow expert. No one, and I mean no one, roasts a marshmallow like him.

We also flew a kite (courtesy of Aunt Martha). Shortly after this picture was taken, Thomas decided that he was done and simply let go of the kite. Brian made a mad dash and luckily the kite fell at the bottom of some pine trees.

We saw lots of freighters. Dad has an uncanny way of “feeling” them even before they are in sight. Did you know that it takes less than 10 people to crew a ship like this?

Mom and Dad taking the boys to the beach. I love this picture. Just to keep it real, they are on their way to place some fish guts on a rock by the water in hopes of spotting an eagle.

The boys got to go on a 4-wheeler ride- just on the very empty road by the house- no off roading for little boys! They had a BLAST. Thomas came running down the driveway when they got back and declared “DAT was FUN!”

Aunt Kelly and Uncle Ted took the boys on a canoe ride. See those binoculars Jonathan is holding? They were his constant companion all week. He took them everywhere, along with his Usborne nature book.

It was a great week!

 

Baby Update: 18 weeks

It’s hard to believe we’re already at 18 weeks. Here is a picture we took at 17 weeks. As always, I carry really high, but there is definately a belly there:

During weeks 15-16 I was feeling really sick. The heartburn was really bad. But, it seems to have subsided quite a bit. Yay!

At around 16 1/2 weeks I started feeling the baby move all the time. I swear he (we say he a lot- Brian maintains that he is the gender neutral) is doing the breaststroke in there. I like it. I’m pretty sure that I felt him move externally on Sunday- it felt like a good sound kick.

Also around 16 1/2 weeks I completely gave up on my non-maternity clothes. It just wasn’t working. Remember Kelly, my own personal shopper? She even shops for me long distance. One day while we were on the phone I discovered that she was at the mall- the mall with the Motherhood store. So, she picked up a few more t-shirts for me- just in time for vacation. Yay for sisters! Kelly, you’re the best!

Today was my first Centering appointment. Basically, every 4 weeks a group of women who are due at about the same time meet for our regular appointment. We take our own blood pressure and weight and then the midwife does a typical belly check. We also chat and discuss various issues and concerns as a group. It’s kind of fun- and a really good chance to meet people. I discovered today that women travel from all over to come to this group of midwives, some driving over an hour! Baby sounded good today- his/her heartrate was in the 150’s (last time it was in the 160’s) and the midwife didn’t have to chase him/her all over the place.

My ultrasound is scheduled for next Tuesday. So, if baby will cooperate, look for an announcement!

 

Vacation Week: Phase One

Our vacation started when we celebrated my other grandfather’s (great-grandpa pinchbug) birthday. He turned 80. Happy Birthday Grandpa! 

Then, we headed up to Mackinaw for a few days as a family. Here are a few of the sites we saw. First, the Mackinaw Bridge. Or, as my Dad likes to call it, the “Big Mack.” The Mackinaw Bridge Museum currently resides in the upper floor of a pizza parlor. It was pretty neat.

The lighthouse:

All of my boys playing on the beach at sunset:

A shot of the beach. You gotta love the great lakes- I miss them:

And where there are beaches, there are seagulls. This one posed quite nicely for me:

Then, we went over to the island. To get there, you cross on a ferry- it’s a very windy 18 minute ride if you sit on the top deck (which we did on the way back). It’s also very exciting for a two little boys to ride such a big boat. Mackinac Island is really a fun place. There is a fort there, the Grand Hotel, great views, and NO cars. Only bikes and horses. On our carriage ride we got to sit in the front. This was our view:

We heard several proclamations of “I smell something stinky!” throughout the tour. This was what Main Street looked like in the other direction. See? Not a car in sight. I should mention the fact that I believe we visited just about every restroom on the island- okay, maybe just on our tour path.

A highlight for the boys was when the soldiers fired their guns. Thomas ran around singing, “Bang! Bang! Bang!” for a while after that little demonstration.

And here is the harbor. Pretty, huh? This was the view from the top of the boat.

And there you have it. A tour of Mackinaw. Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of the fudge. We ate it. Mackinaw is known for it’s fudge.

Phase two of our vacation coming soon….

 

Worldviews: Who Cares?

Hello All! Or, Hey Y’all if you’re from the south. We’re back from “up-north.” Brian is currently mowing the lawn, the boys are napping (sort of) and I’m taking a break from making a grocery list (eek! Empty refrigerators are scary!). 

I have many vacation photos and highlights to post, but first I wanted to share a bit about a fantastic message we listened to on the way home this morning by Voddie Baucham. 

Everyone has a worldview whether they know it or not. A simple definition of worldview:  it refers to the framework of ideas and beliefs through which an individual interprets the world and interacts with it. The two prevailing worldviews today are Secular Humanism and Christian Theism. These two worldviews have been on my mind a lot lately, especially as we pray about the choices that we need to make regarding our boys’ education in the coming years. 

Voddie asserts that you can determine into which category you fall by asking yourself the four basic questions that every human being eventually asks him or herself in one form or another: 

1. Who am I?
2. Why am I here?
3. What is wrong with the world?
4. How can what is wrong be made right? 

Basic, yet profound questions. Questions that certainly plagued me during my teenage and young adult years. 

What struck me in this message was the stark difference between the answers of a Biblical Christian and a Secular Humanist. What also struck me was the importance of knowing where you stand and knowing how your worldview shapes every single decision, every single relationship, every single moment of your life. Here is a brief review of the answers of a Secular Humanist according to Voddie Baucham:

1.  Who am I? I am NOTHING. I am a glorified ape, an accident of nature and evolution.
2. Why am I here? To consume and enjoy. The only thing that matters is acquiring more and becoming more powerful than the person next to me.
3. What is wrong with the world? The world is insufficiently governed and educated.
4. How can what is wrong be made right? More government and more education.

 As a Bible believing Christian, I believe that God is the Sovereign creator of the heavens and the earth. I believe that He made me and that he made ALL humanity (born, unborn, disabled, and the elderly) for a purpose. I believe that the chief end of man is to glorify and enjoy God forever. I believe that the problems that we experience in our world today are due to sin- my sin and the sin of all of humanity. But the most beautiful part of a Biblical worldview is the answer to question number 4.

Yes, I believe that sin is what is wrong with the world. But the world’s condition is not hopeless. Instead, God prepared a way, a perfect way, to make things right through His Son Jesus Christ. The creator of the universe, the creator of you and me, decided before the world began to send His one and only Son to the cross in order to save His people (his “crowning jewel” as Voddie likes to say). He did this to make right the wrongs that are caused by sin.

How can you and I make things right? All it takes is repentance and faith. Confessing to God that contrary to the assertions of secular humanism and popular culture, we are not the centers of the universe- that there is something bigger than us. Confessing that we have lived according to this belief and that this way of life is sin because it only focuses on the temporary- consuming and enjoying the moment. And then, we turn away from that lifestyle and believe in the one and only God, the way to salvation, the only way that anything will ever be made right in this world.

Listen to the message. Let it challenge you and educate you. If you hate it, fine, you’ve just learned a bit more about worldviews. If you already knew “all that stuff,” great, let it sharpen and refine you. In the end, you’ll have a better understanding of the world around you.

 

Hasta Lasagna…

Hope you’re having a good post-Fourth week! I’ll be away from the computer for a few days so I won’t have a chance to moderate comments or respond- unless of course wireless works in the deep woods. See you in a few days!

 

More Snippets

Thomas, singing:

Row, Row, Row your boat! Gently down the street!

Jonathan, in response to Brian’s question, “Now, who is Thomas’ Daddy?” (Jonathan had been giving a few too many directions to his little brother)

Your own self is! Why did you ask me that?

Thomas doesn’t call them hiccups, he calls them

Hook ups.

Thomas was introduced to a new catechism question: How did God make Eve?

From one of Adam’s ribbons.

After a little reminiscing discussion with Jonathan:

Jonathan: Mommy, sometimes I remember things that you don’t.

Me: Yup.

Jonathan: Does that mean I have a better brain than you?

During the Lord’s Supper at church. This was the first time that Thomas had joined us for this part of the service.

Thomas, as they passed the juice: What’s that?

Me: Juice

Thomas: I want some!

Me: No, not right now Thomas

Thomas: When can I have some?

Me: When you repent of your sins and believe in Jesus and  follow him all the days of your life.

Quiet for a moment.

Thomas: I’m going to follow Jesus.

Me: Oh, that’s good Thomas. Do you just want some juice honey?

Thomas: Yeah.

Jonathan after wishing my grandpa Happy Birthday at his 90th birthday party:

Mommy, great-grandpa is 90 years old but Uncle Jeff is still taller.

Thomas, while doing “his thing” on the potty:

I think I need to Stop, Drop and Roll to get it all out.

 

Men, Women and Creepy Crawlies

How a woman kills a spider the size of a quarter crawling on the floor: 

Option One: She squeals and decides that stepping on this spider (or squishing it with a tissue) will make way too loud of a crunch for her taste. And, quite frankly, the sound of a spider’s skeleton crunching as a result of her very own fingers is enough to make her stomach churn and send her running to the bathroom. So, she grabs the nearest cork backed ruler, wraps it in Kleenex (so her ruler doesn’t get bug guts on it- she uses it for scrapbooking afterall), and whacks the heck out of the spider leaving only a brown streak. She smiles in triumph for a moment, until her smile fades when she looks again at that brown streak and thinks about The Crunch. She considers running to the bathroom. 

Option Two: She calls for her husband to kill it for her, leaving the room first so she doesn’t hear The Crunch.

How a man kills a spider the size of a quarter crawling on the floor: 

Option One: If he has shoes on, he steps on it.

Option Two: He squishes it with a Kleenex. The Crunch doesn’t even phase him.

How a woman kills a gigantic moth residing on the kitchen wall:

Option One: She calls her husband to kill it for her. Moths are just too big to kill, thank-you-very-much.

Option Two: There is no other option. If her husband isn’t home, she waits. If her husband is gone for an extended amount of time, this may give said moth enough time to make itself comfortable in it’s new home or possibly enough time to reproduce which would mean the man would have twenty-seven moths to kill when he gets home instead of one. Oh well, that’s just the way it is.

How a man kills a gigantic moth residing on the kitchen wall:

First, since he doesn’t have a fly swatter, he grabs a broom, whacks the moth and tries his best to squish it with the bristles. It doesn’t work and the moth flutters innocently into the sink. At the suggestion of his wife, he decides to capture the moth with a cup. Then, placing the open end of another cup over the cup with the moth already in it, he shakes his newest contraption to see if he really got the moth. He did, so he shakes some more. And more, and more- sort of like when bartenders mix a drink. His wife protests deciding that the yucky moth might be worth protecting. The man says, “Hey, I’m a guy, I’ve got to play with it a little!” Gathering the other “guys” from the house, the man then lets the poor bristle wounded, motion sick moth out the front door. Amazingly enough, it flies away- probably to the back of the house where it is currently plotting it’s re-entry.

 

“Just” a Mommy

“I want to go to work so that I can make a difference.”

 ”If I stayed at home I think I’d gain 50 pounds.”

 ”Well, you also work at church, so at least you have something…. Oh, you don’t get paid?”

 ”A homemaker? Nobody does that anymore!”

 ”I think that if I didn’t have a master’s degree, staying at home might be an option.”

I love being a stay at home mom. The gifts and rewards of being at home with my children are absolutely priceless, but I admit these statements that I’ve heard over the last five and a half years still sting.

Every now and then, I start replaying those statements in my head. I look at other people, I compare and I find myself starting to believe the lie that in order to be significant in today’s world, in order to make a difference, in order to keep my sanity, in order to be somebody… I need to go out into the workforce. Or use my gifts in a significant way at church. I need a title, a paycheck, recognition… something to verify my existence. Something to remind me that I’m *more* than a stay-at-home mom. Something more than making lunches, maintaining our home, going to the park, schooling and reading stories to the kids.

God knew that these unspoken thoughts were lurking in my mind and He also knew exactly what I needed to remind me that my “job” right now is the most important thing I could ever be doing. I read this at Girl Talk the other day:

Now, it is good and right for us to want to invest the gifts and talents God has bestowed on us for the good of the church; but when we view homemaking as a hindrance to using our gifts, I think we’re missing a vitally important truth.

You see, the gifts God has given to each of us are not only for the “common good” (1 Cor. 12:7) of those outside our family, but they are first and foremost for the good of those within our family.  In fact, I would argue that there is no place where our gifts and skills should be more heartily put to use than with the family God has given to our charge.

You can read the entire post here. It’s fantastic. And it got my mind back to where it should be, centered on God’s purposes for my life instead of what society tells me my purpose should be.

Susanna Wesley wrote, “I am content to fill a little space if God be glorified.”

For this season of my life, I am filling a “little space,” a space that isn’t readily recognized by our culture (thank goodness for my very affirming and wonderfully supportive husband). But it’s a space that is vitally important to the health of the church… and ultimately the world. The church and the world will be (God willing) my children’s spheres of influence. Now that, is “making a difference,” don’t you think?

Note: This post is not to confront or push guilt on any mom who works outside the home. This post is simply to relay some of my heart battles and God’s grace in those battles. It is also to hopefully encourage other stay-at-home moms who may be struggling with similar thoughts.

 

Photo A Day

Back in mid-March I spontaneously decided to do a little experiment called “Photo A Day.” I tried to take one photo per day for a month- actually what it looked like in real life was that I took about a zillion photos every day in hopes of getting one *good* one. Oh, and it lasted more than a month. It was a fun experiment and caused me to open my eyes to my surroundings. I experimented with new and exciting photography tricks- okay, they’re new to me not to everyone else- I’m a newbie at all of this, remember? I messed with aperture, shutter speed, ISO settings, etc. I also messed with photoshop and several techniques I’ve been reading about on the internet. So, without further ado, here is my little compilation for my scrapbook.

I think I’ll try this experiment again sometime. It was a good learning experience. Warmer weather would certainly help since finding indoor things to photograph (and doing it well) was sometimes challenging.