Fall Break - Day 2

The second day of our little getaway began leisurely as we didn't have any plans until lunch time and one of my dear sons wakes up at 6 o'clock every single morning. So, we had breakfast and watched some television (a real treat because Nee Nee has cable!) without a care in the world.
  
My dear mother-in-law offered to watch the boys while I went to have coffee with two very dear friends.  I have known these young ladies since they were in sixth grade...and now they are both married and each recently had sweet baby girls.  Brittany and Lora were each part of our youth ministry program for years and I also had the honor of being their small group leader all throughout high school...and now, I am so thankful to be their friend.  What a blessing to be "doing life" with them for such a long time.  I love that God sets us into "faith families" to make this journey with.  So, we sipped coffee and chatted about motherhood, family, and faith.  They even let me hold their sweet little ones.  Swoon....I was in love!  They are young women of great faith and they are also incredible mothers. 

Lora and baby Audrey



Brittany and sweet Cora

So, I left the ladies and hurried back for our lunch date with "Pa Pa."  My husband's grandfather is 93 years old and such a blessing to our family.  He loves a good joke (he's such a good sport, he even laughs at my kiddo's jokes), loves his family, and we love him right back.  He really is a joy and my boys love him dearly.  Brad's mom, his two aunts, and Pa Pa were brave enough to have lunch with us.  We had a great time catching up with one another and managed to have only one spill during our meal.  {not mentioning any one's name....but, it rhymes with LUKE}.  :) 

 

After lunch, we headed to the local orchard for a visit to the pumpkin patch.  I love this little orchard in Indiana...family owned, not too big, not too commercial, and incredibly sweet.  We shopped in the little store, choosing some popcorn to bring home for Brad and some delicious apple cider slushies.  It seemed to take forever for each boy to find a pumpkin...but, we managed.  {snicker}  After all of that, we headed back to Nee Nee's house for dinner, baths, and bedtime.  Having so much fun is exhausting.

Nee Nee and Caleb riding to the patch

Caleb found a winner!

It's impossible to get a good pic of this crew! Little clowns!
 

Sam searching for the "perfect" one...

Luke was determined to find the smallest, "cutest" pumpkin.

 

Back At It

Wow...I think I have been struggling with some writer's block, some serious lack of motivation, or just feeling overwhelmed in how far I have gotten behind here at the ol' blog.  But, I think I am  ready to get back at it.

As promised in the last post, I gotta few things to cover from the holiday season.   We'll do it bullet point style!

• We hosted our second annual “Johnson Gingerbread Party.”  Sam and Luke each invited a friend over to decorate a gingerbread house one Sunday afternoon.  It was such gooey, sugary, sweet fun to watch our boys and their friends be creative.  Much fun was had and much candy was consumed.  {chuckle}
• My sweet little Sam certainly has his mother's blood coursing through his veins.  He suffers from the same excitement and anticipation issues as I do.  {grin} I can vividly remember being so excited for Christmas to arrive that I would lay awake for hours before finally falling asleep on Christmas Eve...only to awaken a few hours later and then trying to convince my parents that 3:30 am was a great time to begin the celebrating! The Lord used these sweet childhood memories to help me give Sam the extra grace he required on Christmas Eve.  He woke up at around midnight (just minutes after I had finished placing the gifts under the tree and stuffing stockings) and asked me to snuggle with him because he was having trouble getting back to sleep.  I called upon my own childhood memories and mustered the strength to stumble to his bed with him.  We lay in the dark whispering and giggling...I am so thankful that God caused me to be gracious to Sam...I could have missed making that sweet memory with him.  Did I mention that he finally fell asleep at 4:30 am?  Oh yeah, he was awake again at 6:30 am ready to go!
• Christmas day was simply sweet.  It was just the six of us enjoying the day in our old Kentucky home.  We sang "Happy Birthday!" to Jesus and enjoyed some of His birthday cake for our breakfast.  This tradition began back in 2004 and it's one of my favorites...and I think the boys enjoy it, too.
• Luke sang "Happy Birthday, Jesus!" for weeks on end, both before and after Christmas.  It made my heart smile to hear his sweet voice singing this song of praise.  {grin}
• Matthew was so excited about his gifts on Christmas.  He is a man of few words, but is always expressive.  His eyes open wide, his eyebrows raise, and his mouth forms a perfect little "o" shape as he says, "Ohhh!"  and "Wow!"  and "Ahhh!"  Such a sweet boy who truly appreciated each gift.
• Caleb took on the job of reminding me to turn on our outdoor Christmas lights each evening.  He’d run to the love seat in our living room and look out the window while instructing me to   “Turn on, Mommy!”
• Sam used his allowance money to buy gifts for each of his brothers.  We did our shopping at the dollar store - lot's of options for a boy with $5 in his hand.  He thoughtfully chose a gift for each of his brothers and took great pride in wrapping them himself.  

            Caleb opening his well-wrapped  gift from Sam.

 

• The sight of my four boys in matching pajamas on Christmas Eve thrills my heart.  I know that this is not normal...but, as a mom of all boys - there are so few "clothing related" joys! {giggle}
• As an afterthought, I bought a very inexpensive gift for the boy’s stockings.  A package of 4 silly glasses/nose things (what are they called anyway?) for one dollar.  These turned out to be the “hit” of the day.  We laughed at one another and really got our money’s worth of them. Luke and Sam…so stylish. 

 

Is that Peter Pan in disguise or Matthew?

 

• The boys and I all enjoyed having more time with Brad during the holidays.  Things are always better when Daddy is home.  {grin}

I think I am on a roll now….getting excited about getting caught up.  So many more good stories to tell about how God is restoring Caleb’s health, time with our extended family’s over the holidays, and the twin’s second birthday celebration!  I really am back at it!

Random Thoughts

I just finished cleaning the kitchen...it's late and I'm tired, but the music on my Ipod helped me to find some "joy" in my job tonight. While I was cleaning, my mind was full of very random thoughts. Among the thoughts was, "I should write this stuff down. Some day I'll look back on this season of my life, and I will have forgotten how sweet it was and how God was working in my life."
So, here it is:

• Sam (5) has a very good friend just two doors down from our house. They play together several times a week - at our house or his. Joshua and Sam ride bikes in our cul de sac nearly every night after dinner. They do their best to avoid hitting Luke - who has no appreciation for the "rules of the road." {grin} Joshua and Sam have so much in common: they are both 5 (S was born just 3 days before J), they are both gentle and tender-hearted boys, they are both easily intimidated by aggressive children, they both enjoy super heroes and Star Wars (although neither of them has seen the movie). When Sam returned from a play date at Joshua's a few weeks ago, I asked what they had played. Sam said, "We played Joseph." I wracked my brain trying to think of what this meant - a new Star Wars guy? I pressed Sam for more information and he replied with, "Mom, like Jesus being born...his mom and dad." These boys are so blessed to have one another - and we are so blessed to have friends like the Chen family to walk alongside as we each work to honor God in raising our sons to be men of God.
• I never thought that getting older would be a blessing, but it is. I am really growing in confidence in the Lord and who I am in Him. For example, I am more willing to just simply obey - even when I don't understand. It isn't always easy...but, I am learning to do it without questioning. Mind you, it's in small ways...but, I am learning. For example, I was shopping for groceries very late one night last week...and I dreaded it. It seems that the store is full of grumpy parents and very tired children who should be in bed...instead, they are crying and getting reprimanded by their parents. It makes me crazy! So, I prayed on my way to the store that I would have grace for the task...and that there would be no angry parents shouting at their children. Sure enough, I passed a dad and his three young children in the frozen food section. They were talking and laughing, so sweet. The dad pulled his littlest boy close and hugged him tight and told him he was so glad to be his daddy. I nearly cried...but, instead I smiled. Our paths crossed several more times as we each made our way up and down the aisles. At one point, I overheard the little girl ask if they had enough money to buy Che*t-os. The dad did some quick calculations in his head, and excitedly answered "Yes, we do!" She grinned from ear to ear. As I was leaving, I passed them in the "arcade" area near the exit. They were laughing and enjoying the driving game together. I walked through the exit and then immediately knew that I was to go back and give them a few more dollars to play games with. I had a short conversation with God in my mind, "Are you serious? I don't even know them? I am really a shy person..." I knew God would win...so, I looked into my wallet and found a 20 dollar bill, and three 1 dollar bills. This was a miracle in itself - I rarely carry more than a few dollars in cash. So, I went back in...sheepishly approached them and told the dad that he had blessed me. I told him that I loved watching him really enjoy his children...his little girl grinned at me and said (in a thick southern accent), "My daddy is the best!" I handed him 3 dollars (thinking my hubby wouldn't be happy about me giving a stranger 20 dollars for games) and told him to enjoy a few more games on me. As I walked away, I heard him say, "Yippee, 12 more games!" I still can't believe that God asked me to do that - but, I am so thankful that I did. I told Brad about this...he said, "Why didn't you give him the twenty?" I love that man!
  
• My heart is breaking for those who have had a bad experience with the church...and been hurt deeply as a result. Not sure what to do about it just yet...but, I feel like God is working.
• I stink at being consistent in disciplining my children. ugh. Sometimes, I just get tired or lazy.
• I am really more rebellious than I would like to be. For example, when people ask if we are finished "growing" our family (always asked with a twisted face that implies we'd be foolish to have more children)...I secretly long to answer with something like, "actually, I am expecting" or "we are adopting." I know that our family is large by some standards, but it's all relative (pardon the pun {snort})...many families are much larger than ours. Usually, I smile and say how blessed we are...and that we're not certain what God has in mind for our family.
  
• I love being a mom of boys.
  
• I don't have anxiety about Sam beginning Kindergarten this fall. He is a momma's boy and I know he'll struggle initially. However, he is so ready to go - academically and socially. It's going to be a huge adjustment for all of us. I think I am really going to miss having him around in the afternoon.
• Matthew is sick with a virus of some sort and running a really high fever...I know it's twisted, but I have really enjoyed some extra snuggles with him today! The twins are on the move constantly these days, so snuggles are more difficult to come by.
  
• Caleb is obsessed with sitting on the couch. The only problem is that he has no idea how to get down...or that the fall could be painful. It is a source of anxiety.
• Matthew is a climber, for sure. He scaled the kitchen chair and onto the table in a matter of seconds while Brad was filling his sippy-cup with milk. Can't even imagine what this will look like in a few weeks. ugh. The joys of boys!
  
• Luke has worn through another pair of shoes in just 4 short weeks. He has this little "green man" riding toy that he loves dearly...he zooms up and down the driveway and he uses his feet to brake. I bought another pair of "durable looking" shoes. We'll see how long they last.
• My husband is an entrepreneur at heart. He always has something brewing in his mind. It's sometimes a source of stress for me...I value stability! (grin) However, God is teaching me to truly love my hottie boy for who he is...just as God intended him to be. So, Brad is teaching me through his ventures into gardening, composting, rain water collecting, fish guiding, etc... and I am learning to enjoy the ride. {grin}
• I love that God still uses music to stir my heart and make my eyes leak. It makes me wish I could sing well...or at least on key. I love that He loves my praise anyway! What a good God!
  

Favorite Foto Friday

I love this picture because it really captures who Brad is as a "daddy" to my little men. He was putting the "big boys" to bed...this is a real treat, for sure. The big boys often ask Daddy to put them to bed...which is a blessing to this tired mom.
Our bedtime routine involves reading one "fun" story (apparently this night's pick was "The Magic School Bus") and then doing our devotional book, "Step into the Bible." We love this book...written just for children, it has great questions after each Bible story. These questions are age-appropriate and spark great conversation for our family. Sam and Luke really enjoy this special time, we even wrote a special "Step into the Bible" song that we sing...a jazzy little number that we sing when I get the book down from the shelf each night. After filling our hearts and minds with God's word, we pray together before we turn out the light...and hopefully fall fast asleep quickly! I am so blessed to have a husband who delights in his children and his wife!

What a whirlwind of a week!

My husband, Brad, was away for a few days last week. Off to enjoy a well-deserved "mancation" with some of his dear friends from our home church in Indiana. These men love the Lord, love their families, love each other, and love to fish for SHARKS! That's right, they actually search out these large sea creatures with many teeth to chomp them with...I just don't get it. I don't think this kind of thrill-seeking is for a woman to understand, no matter how many times I read the book "Wild at Heart." {grin} Nonetheless, I am grateful that God has provided faithful men to encourage, challenge, and care for my husband..in a real "manly" way, of course. {bigger grin}

So, while Brad was away, my parents came to stay (what a fun little rhyme). My dad is retired, but my mom still works a demanding full-time (and then some) job. I love that my mom considers coming to my rowdy house the best way to use her vacation time. We accomplished so much during their ten day stay.

• We painted the front/back doors RED (posh red, to be exact), we planted some fun flowers in the pots on our front porch, my mom bought me a gorgeous hanging basket full of beautiful flowers to hang out front as well. I even bought a new welcome mat...our porch looks really inviting now.
• We planted day lilies along the fence row in our back yard...they are going to be beautiful as the mature.
• We washed the curtains in the kitchen, living room, and the boys rooms. We also washed the windows. It felt so good to get this done!
• We switched out the last of the winter clothes in exchange for some fun summer clothes. Matthew looked so cute in his little camo shorts!
• We went shopping for groceries, bought a blow-up pool for the boys, searched a neighborhood garage sale for bunk beds for Sam & Luke, and my mom even bought me a new pair of sandals! {grin}
  
• My Dad travelled nearly 40 minutes one way to look at some bunk beds that we found on Craigslist. We had to go to the owner's barn several miles away in a remote area, I was so glad that my dad was with me. We ended up not buying them, they were in terrible condition. My dad didn't even complain. {grin}
• We took the boys on a picnic at the park. It was such a blessing to be able to play with them and not be stressed out. It is anxiety-producing to try to watch all four of them and keep them safe in an environment like that. We had a great time...lots of giggling, running, swinging, and sliding.
• We found an answer to prayer, at our church, of all places. {grin} More on this later. It truly deserves a post of it's own.
  
• I bought a Bissel "Little Green Machine" and used it to clean our couch, love seat, and ottoman with my dad's help. I felt so good about this investment. The cost of the cleaner was less than one professional cleaning, and I will use it often. You can't even imagine how dirty it was and how lovely it looked afterward!

• My parents generously agreed to watch all four of the boys while I spent the day with my dear friend, Jodie. She is celebrating her 40th birthday this week, and her dear husband planned a very special day for her. I was her "host" as I drove her to shop for a dress & jewelry, took her out to lunch, enjoyed a "spa afternoon" with her - complete with a one hour massage and manicure. I had such a good time watching her get a haircut and style afterward - she looked amazing! Then, I delivered her to her home to her husband and took her 2 sweet girls home with me. Jodie and her sweet hubby went out to dinner at an amazing restaurant. Jodie is a really giving, selfless person...so, it was so fun to see her cared for and pampered. I was blessed to see her overwhelmed by her husband's extravagant love for her.
  

It was so nice to have my mom and dad here while Brad was away. I really enjoy their company and the truly helped to lighten the load in Brad's absence. It was a great week of memories made and relationships deepened. Today, we were all really sad after they left. I guess that is a good thing, right? {grin} Here are a few photos from our Memorial Day celebration.




Matthew really enjoyed the frog-shaped inflatable pool. He was so eager to get into the water, he wouldn't wait to take off his shirt! Matthew would have slept in the pool, had we allowed him. He was not happy about getting out.






Caleb feel in while waiting to get into the bathtub last week...earning him his second black eye. Poor little guy hardly complained at all. Hopefully, it looks worse than it hurt.
He thoroughly enjoyed his first Popsicle.





Brad blew bubbles for the boys...Sam and Luke never seem to grow tired of chasing them and popping them. Cheap entertainment for our entire tribe! Don't you love sweet tummies spilling over the waistband of their little swimming trunks? Too cute!

My Husband is a Fine Fellow

It's no secret to all that know him, my hottie boy husband is one great guy. He is funny, hard-working, humble, loving, smart, witty, goofy, and manly. {grin} He is a Jesus-loving, wife-dating, diaper-changing, oil-changing, tire-rotating, little-boy-chasing, tummy tickling, recycling, garden composting, God-seeking kind of guy. I love that I love him more today than I did on that lovely September day in 1997. I remember vividly waiting for my dad to walk me down the aisle to begin my life as Brad's wife...and being certain that I would never be able to love him more deeply than I did at that moment. I couldn't conceive that my heart would be able to hold it. Many years, struggles, triumphs, sleepless nights, sick babies, times spent earnestly seeking God's will for our lives, belly laughs, and walking through life together have made me believe otherwise. I know him now more than I did then...I know his heart, his strengths, his weaknesses. He has made me feel safe in allowing myself to be known by him. We have accepted one another...and our love has grown. God is amazing. We are not perfect people, but we love one another and we love the Lord.

Yesterday, some other people acknowledged that my hottie boy is also a fine fellow. Several months ago, Brad applied for a scholarship. It was an in-depth application that required pages and pages of writing and lots of time to complete. He was then selected to be among the applicants to receive an interview by a committee. He flew to Dallas, TX and met with a group of people for a brief but thorough interview. Yesterday, the call came. Oddly enough, we were registering Sam for kindergarten and missed the call. {grin} Two of my favorite men and oppostie ends of the educational process...one beginning school and the other pursuing a PhD. He was awarded a scholarship and has been welcomed into this group called "John Wesley Fellows" - a group of scholars committed to teaching and living the way John Wesley did. This scholarship is a generous one. It means that Brad will be free from a bit of the load he has been carrying...providing for our family of 6 is no small task. He is diligently working as a teaching fellow (really ministering to and loving his students) and being a student...and it's a heavy load.

My husband is a fine fellow...and I am a proud wife.

Favorite Foto Friday

That's my sweet little Sam tucked into his Daddy's coat. Sam was about 5 months old when we made the lloonngg drive to Canada - Quebec to be specific. Brad was a youth pastor at the time and we were doing preliminary work for a mission trip he would lead that summer. We had a great time, met some amazing people, saw some beautiful sites, and took Sam sledding for the first time. Some great memories were made on that trip. We were driving along the road when we saw a van completely engulfed in flames, we stopped to ask the driver if he was okay. He sat in our truck until the fire department arrived. It was incredibly sad. On a lighter note, we ate Tim Horton's doughnuts for the first time - YUMMY! There was a ton of snow on the ground. So much snow, that Brad actually drove on a snowmobile path thinking it was the road! HA!