Building an "I can do it!" kid

Not too long ago, our pastor's wife (beautiful Ms. Pam) challenged all of us to be encouraging. To be cheerleaders for our husbands. To build in our kids the idea that they can accomplish whatever God has for them to do. I have been trying to get better at increasing my ratio of encouragement to correction. I just reaped a benefit, even if it was just a small one.

Jasmine has been in a phase lately of wanting to act like a baby. She is three and very articulate. She has good large and fine motor skills. However, she has reverted to baby talk, wanting to be held, and needing help with everything. Can we say frustrating????

I just turned on the computer for her because she wanted to go to the NickJr website and watch Dora. I was expecting that she would want me to put on the show and then change it for her each time one ended.

She surprised me. She logged on herself, clicked on the website in the bookmarks, found Dora and clicked on her. I looked at her and said, "Jasmine, you are getting really good at this!"
"Thanks, Mommy!" she replied and lifted her lips for a kiss.

Then she turned back to the computer and clicked on a game. She turned to me and said, matter-of-factly, "I'm going to play this one cause I'm really good at it!"

So cute.

My focus scripture this morning is Ephesians 5:4 "There must be no filthiness or silly talk, or coarsse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks."

I am choosing to be thankful today for a little girl who is on her way to becoming a confident young lady (even though the road is still long). For a little boy who loves his sister and helps her when I can't get to it. For a husband who loves us even when all of us are whining. :-)
God has truly blessed me. Thank you, Lord!

I could get used to this...

Have I mentioned that I have the greatest husband ever?!?! He grilled amazing pork chops for dinner last night and then baked a cake for dessert. Yummy!



Jasmine decided to help out and provided the most hysterical moment of the evening. She walked into the kitchen and Mike said, "Hi, Sweetheart!"
Jazz glanced up and replied, "Hi, Mommy!"

I think Mike is reconsidering the apron move. :-)

Forest Park Balloon Glow

I used the GoDigitalScrapbooking.com July Collab kit for these pages.

Any Eaters out there?

I love to follow Grace Upon Grace, the blog of a girl I knew when I was a child. She is sooo much better at keeping up with blogging than I am. And, her entries are quirky and thought-provoking.
Anyway, a while back she posted that she was reading a book by Michael Pollan called In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto.

I checked it out from the library and have been reading it. Wow! Pollan expresses his ideas so well that you don't feel like you are reading a book about how to eat. It's a fascinating read. I haven't dumped all of the processed food out of our pantry yet (my family would NOT rise and call me blessed for that move), but I have really started thinking about what I am putting in my mouth and in my kids' mouths. However, it's not really a worried, stressed out thinking about it. I am learning to slow down and savor each bite. I also have made a view more choices for whole foods. You know, those ones God designed, instead of scientist's copies.

Anyway, I was thinking about this today and wondered how many other people had been pondering their food choices. Have any of you read this book?

Merry Christmas to all!!!

Why does one very small extra child make things a whole lot harder to get done? It really is not proportional that having two kids instead of one should make it difficult for me to get things done. Oh, well. She's worth it! Christmas cards have been extra challenging this year to get sent. Please look at the card above and know that you are loved and appreciated by our family. We pray God's best for you and your family in the coming year. Merry Christmas!

Christmas isn't coming???

So, Judah and I were watching Saturday morning cartoons. Darby, Pooh Bear, and friends were singing about how Christmas wasn't coming because Santa lost the presents and had called the whole thing off. I turned to Judah and said,
"They're being silly, aren't they?"
"Yeah," Judah grinned and looked at me.
"Judah, what's Christmas really about?"
His little face scrunched up in concentration and then he remembered,
"Jesus!"
"I hugged him and nodded. "That's right! Santa can't cancel Christmas because its about Jesus. Even if no one got presents, Christmas would still happen."
Judah turned to the TV and yelled, "Christmas is about JESUS!"

I tell you this anecdote because I am so excited about this idea of Operation Take Christmas Back. I started a couple days ago as it said on my blog and already it is bearing fruit. I don't even know the lady who thought of this plan, but I read her blog and am being blessed because of it. Thank you to all of you who put positive, uplifting, challenging, Christ-glorifying ideas on your blogs, facebook, myspace, e-mail, etc. You never know the fruit that is reaped.

Gifts, gifts, and more gifts?

Disclaimer: I am not Scrooge. I love gifts. I love Christmas.

So, our basement bedroom overfloweth with Christmas presents waiting (somewhat impatiently) to be wrapped... At the same time, our house overfloweth with stuff. Over the past few months, I have been realizing more and more just how much "STUFF" we have. And I'm not just talking about my particular house. Practically everyone I know has far many more things than we have ever needed. Now, I'm not saying that economic times are not hard, and I know that the dollar doesn't stretch as far as it used too. Indeed, I have friends and acquaintances that are in real trouble with respect to mortgages, rising grocery prices, and skyrocketing unemployment. I simply feel a need to purge my house of extra things. I am ready to cart everything off to Oasis ministries and Goodwill. Does anyone else see the crazy irony in the fact that while I feel this way, I am purchasing gifts to fill up my house and the houses of our friends and relatives yet again. Yikes!
This year I must be getting old. I am far more excited about spending time with family than the prospect of receiving Christmas surprises. People are of so much more value than all the exciting merchandise of the season.
Thanks for listening to my venting.

Oh, I am trying to really get the idea of gratitude across to Judah. Does anyone have any ideas on how to teach this rather ethereal concept?

Christmas Decorations

Practically everyone who knows me knows that Christmas starts on October 14th (the day after my birthday). I pause for Thanksgiving -- it's always good to be grateful. Then I keep on trucking to Christmas. I love the lights, smiles, music, gifts, smells, foods, just about all of it! Our house is decorated inside and out. We also just got back from Thanksgiving in Branson with Mike's family. Silver Dollar City is bedecked in millions of Christmas lights and sooooo pretty. The pics in my new blog header are from our trip. Jasmine grabbed tons of attention in her pink marshmallow suit. Cute, cute, cute! What a fun time with family! The whole experience put me in the mood to decorate my blog for the season. So, merry Christmas to all! Let's remember the true meaning amidst the fun of the season. Jesus gave up an awful lot to be our gift, and I am truly grateful!

Thankful for...

This week naturally has me thinking about blessings in my life. Wow! There are lots of them. I am so grateful for all of the many amazing people, opportunities, and things in my world right now. As soon as we get close to Thanksgiving and Christmas, I start to miss my Texas family more and more. Today I was thinking about four women down there and I am very thankful for their roles in my life.

My mom (aka Marme): She is hospitality in the flesh. There is rarely a day that goes by that someone doesn't drop by my mom's house and she is always ready. There is coffee, snacks, cold drinks, the house is presentable, and she sincerely welcomes everyone with open. Whenever I hear that someone will be in the area where my parents live, I tell them to tell me the exact dates so I can get my parents to feed them or let them stay at the homestead. My friends never believe me and don't take advantage of this great opportunity...but they should! My parents would welcome anyone (and everyone) with open arms, a lovely guest room, and more fabulous food than anyone should eat at one sitting. Marme is an example to me of church in motion during daily life. She invites, offers, hosts, and welcomes untiringly.

My Sissy (aka Nesey): Hmmm...shall we say that growing up I didn't appreciate her as much as I do now. I was very black and white, always knew what was right for me (and everyone else) and willing to share my opinions without invitation. Yikes! My sister loved me wholeheartedly anyway. She is a teacher -- in the best sense of the word. The classroom (and any other place you get her together with teenagers) is her mission field. She is bold to proclaim God's Word and passionate about His heart and people. Sissy was always labeled as the bubbly, people-pleaser. However, I have come to recognize that this is very misleading. She disregards how people might judge her when God tells her to do something. She goes right on and does it. She also is very intelligent. Because I adapted to school like a duck to water, people were quick to label me the smart sister. My sister praised me and let me take the glory when she could have demonstrated her own intelligence and accomplishments. I hope I grow up to be as bold for Christ and as loving of others as my big sister.

My Sister-in-Law (Angel): We had already pretty much adopted Angela when my brother fell for her and married her. She is one of the most caring people I have ever met. She never forgets about what is going on with you. And, watch out, cause if she prays for something, it happens. She tirelessly petitions God on behalf of family and friends. She fiercely loves her daughters and is their advocate and comforter. She is quick to smile, quick to hug, and quick to laugh. The perfect person to share a cup of coffee with -- even if you don't drink coffee!

My Sort-Of Sister (aka Tricia): Okay, so no one (including my husband who has seen it in action) really understands how much Trish is a part of our family. She has been my sister's best friend for over 20 years and is truly a sister (if not by blood). I have a camaraderie with Tricia that allows me to call her and chat at any time and feel like no time has passed. We may not talk for a month or more, but when we dial up each other, it is hard to get off the phone. Tricia is the ultimate organizer. She makes sure things get done. She is perpetually prepared and has the biggest servant's heart in Texas. If there is a need, Tricia is already on the way to meet it. She puts aside her own plans to help out at a moment's notice. She is a caregiver and you'd be hard-pressed to get her to sit still to be served.

These four women are an inspiration and blessing in my life and I am very grateful to God for them.

Texas Vacation

I haven't posted anything new for a while because we have been visiting my family in Southeast Texas. There was a big Hurricane Gustav scare while we were there, but in reality, Saint Louis got more rain yesterday than the hurricane produced at my parents' house. Most of my family got to meet Jasmine for the first time and we had a great time seeing everyone. I am so blessed to have such a loving, God-loving family. They are all so hospitable and outreach oriented. More pics to come later but here's a page of Jasmine bonding with my Dad.

Created using Helen Ehrenhofer's Mom's Garden from GDS

Blessed Beyond Expectation

I am so blessed. When I was younger, I used to pray that I would really fit into my future husband's family. I prayed that we would have a great relationship. I expected that when I got married, I would like my father and mother-in-law. I expected that we would get along and there would not be huge struggles over my husband. I got blessed beyond my expectations. I got enveloped into a family. Papa Bear and Moma D (my in-laws) care for me like my own parents. They are continually supportive, helpful, loving, and servant-hearted. BUT, God's blessings don't stop there. Mike's extended family accepted me as one of their own. It makes being away from my family in Texas so much easier to have a wonderful family here. Not to mention I have another sister in Laura -- so cool! God longs to pour out his blessings on us whenever we share our desires with Him.

Recently, Mike's Aunt Margie and Aunt Nan came to visit so I made this scrapbook page for Jasmine's scrapbook. I used Trendy 3 page kit by Christy Skaggs.