Playing "Catch-Up"...not to be confused with "Ketchup"

So much has been happening around the Johnson house these past few weeks...and the activity has left little time to blog about it all.


Matthew has been channeling his "inner rock star" the past few weeks - wearing the Elmo sunglasses whenever he finds them. You'll notice his slobber-soaked shirt ...evidence of the teething happening in our house for both Matthew and Caleb. It has been a little messy and sometimes painful. Praise God, the teeth finally broke through a couple of days ago.


There have also been a few messes to clean up around the house. I returned home from the grocery store ( I had the left the many little men in the care of our good friend, Miss Phyllis - more on this precious saint in another post) with a refreshed heart and a few bags full of food. The boys were helping me put things away (well, actually rummaging through the bags to find something yummy), and Matthew's curiosity got the best of him. He opened a 16 oz. box of spaghetti - notice he still has the box in his hand in the photo. You can see that Sam and Luke are mortified by this mess - they look shocked! Matthew and Caleb had a grand time picking it up and distributing it all over the kitchen floor. It's such a good thing that God made them adorable. {grin}



We've been enjoying the warmer weather. Luke especially enjoys creating roads for his cars to travel on in the sand table on our deck...his little brothers just enjoy eating the sand. It's nearly impossible for me to get all four little men out to play by myself. It is simply not safe - the three littlest ones go running in opposite directions. It has been a humbling thing to realize that I can't do what seems a most natural "mom thing" to do. Sam, Luke, and I are able to sneak out from time to time while the twins are down for a morning nap. We normally have to wait until Brad comes home to go out to play for any length of time. However, we're making the most of our time outside - riding bikes, playing basketball, running around, creating masterpieces with sidewalk chalk, petting the neighbor's dog, and with the boys on our cul de sac. I am praying madly for a fenced in yard...and a swing set will be added in just a few weeks. We are so excited!


Brad and I have always been intentional about creating Spiritual Community wherever we've lived - really "living life" with a the people who live near us. Being part of a seminary community has really provided rich blessings for our family in this regard. We've had people from nearly every tribe and nation in our home over the past few years - students, professors, visiting faculty members, international students, etc... Last week, we invited Brad's professor who commutes to campus weekly and another friend (see photo above) over for dinner. The man in the picture above was at Asbury for a sabbatical from his normal ministry duties. Keith and his wife have been called to minister to the poor in rural Ohio. This type of ministry is all-consuming...and I think he is so wise to take time out to reflect, pray, study, listen for God's voice and direction, and renew his heart. Our friend brought his Kermit the frog puppet along to entertain our kids. The boys all loved it! Sam ran to get our Elmo puppet so he could join in the puppet conversation. It was entertaining, for sure! I am sometimes frustrated by this long educational journey we have been on...but, it also brings some amazing blessings. I am so grateful that my boys see Godly people who are answering God's call on their lives in very real ways.