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.

Bedtime Chatter

After a long and weary day, I was reading bedtime stories with my freshly-bathed "big" boys. Sam and Luke were climbing onto the bed as I searched for the book and our children's Bible...and the following conversation occurred.

Sam: "Mom, are cockroaches real?"
Me: "Yes, they are. Maybe we could look on-line tomorrow for a picture of a real one."
Sam: "Are they part of the crustacean family?"

Can't even believe this kid!

Cup Full...and Running Over

Life is really getting in the way of my blogging lately. Well, then again, I guess I wouldn't have much to blog about if it weren't for my life. {grin}

It feels like our family is in one of those "spots" we find ourselves in from time to time. You know, the calendar is full, Brad's workload is tremendous, we've had lots of fun house guests, Brad travelled out of town overnight, and the list goes on and on.

In the midst of all of this activity, God has been doing something in my heart. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but, I am (kind of). {grin} I am usually a better listener when my life is quieter. This season of my life has been anything but quiet - quite loud, in fact. However, my God knew that my well was dry...and in His perfect timing, He is filling my cup. Lent has always been a special time for me...walking the path of suffering with Jesus and remembering how badly I need a Savior. That sort of love - sacrificial to the point of death - is so difficult for me to understand. However, I am so thankful that it isn't mine to comprehend...but, just to accept. So, I have spent several weeks being reminded of God's amazing love for me in spite of my rotten, sinful life. It's humbling and very overwhelming. My heart has been so full of gratitude for His grace that I have often found myself weeping through my daily Bible study, or during my prayers with my little men, or while a song is playing on my Ipod, or while I am driving down the road, or while singing a hymn at church....you get my point, my heart is full to overflowing and it is leaking out of my eyes! {grin}

On Good Friday, I was doing the bedtime routine with Sam (5) and Luke (3). Luke was overly tired and had difficulty listening. Sam, on the other hand, was totally drawn into the words and pictures of Jesus trial, suffering, and death. His eyes were brimming with tears as he shared that it made his heart sad that Jesus died. At one point, Sam said, "I sure hope this story gets better...it's making me sad." My tear-stained face broke into a smile as I thought of how thankful I am that it hurts his heart to know that Jesus died for him. We talked about why Jesus had to die, how He took our punishment (this concept was so foreign to Sam - he said he wouldn't dream of taking a "time out" for Luke), we talked about how much God loves us. It was a special moment that is forever etched into my heart and mind. A gift from the Father to me and my son. Sam, Luke, and I said our prayers and then I kissed them goodnight. Sweet.

I was so looking forward to celebrating Easter...Brad's brother was coming to visit us (always fun!), so it would be even more special. I had prepared some of our dinner on Saturday evening, filled some baskets with goodies for each boy, and then went to bed. I woke up the following morning covered in HIVES! Red, blotchy, incredibly itchy hives covered my body from head to toe. I was unable to go to worship and I was crushed. I really wanted to be there - to see the lilies, sing the songs, see the little ones in their Easter pastels, and to be with my church family on this special day. God had another plan. Our celebration was more intimate, more informal, more simple, and more dear to me. We ate a yummy dinner, we laughed, we played, we searched for eggs, we ate candy, we shared lots of hugs, and we remembered how good God had been to us.

Our dear friends (missionaries who once served in Ecuador) taught our family this sweet little song from my childhood in Spanish. My children all love to sing this song and it's dear to us. It sums up how I am feeling these days.

"Running over, running over

My cup is full and running over

Since the Lord saved me, I'm as happy as can be

My cup is full and running over"

Favorite Foto Friday

Sam was 10 months old when he got into this little bit of mischief. I turned my back long enough to put something away on the bookshelf a few feet away...and SHAZAM! He was "digging" in the soil that housed our ficus tree. Thankfully, I thought to grab the camera before the clean-up began. It was a major mess....requiring a bath & wardrobe change for Sam, a thorough cleaning with the Shop-Vac, and then a little carpet cleaning, as well. Whew! It's a good thing he was so cute! {grin}

Heard Around Here

My kiddos are always saying funny things. They are sometimes so funny that I double over in laughter -and I"m certain that I will never be able to forget them. Other times, the words are so sweet and precious that I can't imagine the day when they wouldn't be in my heart. However, I am old....and tired....and forgetful....and busy.....and my head is full of thoughts....and I am easily confused!
With that in mind, I wanted a more permanent record of the things that are heard around here these days.

Sam:
With a huge grin on his face, "You know what you are, Mom? A cruel woman."
--This comment was made after I told him he couldn't play with Play-Doh until his bed was made. Funny kid..

Luke:
Me: "You are being so silly this morning. Are you a silly boy?"
L: "No, I not silly boy...I Lukey-boy"
(this conversation is played out in many variations throughout the day)

Caleb:
"AAAAWWWW" said while hugging a stuffed animal.
"Da Da" said at any sighting of his beloved daddy.

Matthew:
"Ah-Dah" said while signing "all done"
"Ma Ma Ma Ma" said whenever he needs rescuing from his crib, high chair, his brother's clutches, etc...

There are a million more I need to record...but, right now I hear the laundry calling. {grin}

The Same, Yet Different

Caleb and Matthew, that is. They are very much alike...both blonde haired, both love to eat yogurt, both love to play "chase" with Sam, both love to be tickled, both don't like to have their diaper changed, both are all smiles when they wake up, both can eat their body weight in spaghetti & meatballs (okay, maybe I am exagerrating - but, they do eat a lot of it), they both LOVE splashing in the bathtub, and they both don't like green beans.

They have shared the same "space" since they were conceived...a womb, a crib, and a room. They are beginning to really enjoy playing with one another. Caleb and Matthew have their own version of "hide and seek" they like to play in their room. One of them will hide behind the curtains, and the other will giggle wildly when the "hider" reveals his face. It's so funny to watch. I pray that they will always be close friends...that all of my boys will treasure the special relationship between brothers.


While the twins share many things in common...they are individuals, for sure. Caleb is an avid reader - several times a day, he will bring a book us to read it to him. "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" and "Barney's Weather Book" are currently at the top of his reading list. He requires a little more reassurance from his Momma - needs to see me at all times, or at least know that I am easily reached. He needs more hugs, kisses, snuggles...but, usually doesn't initiate affection. Well, except for the "open mouthed" kisses he has been giving me lately! How funny! Our dear friend, Phyllis, says that he has "the heart of an only child." {grin} This is so true! If he could have his parents undivided attention, he'd be in heaven! Caleb is famous for making this funny little face when he is very happy - he squints his eyes until they nearly disappear and cheeses the biggest grin. Funny! He loves that this makes our entire family giggle. Caleb is smaller than his twin brother - nearly 4 pounds lighter. His hair is lighter, too. He squeals more often - and much louder. Caleb falls asleep quickly...almost instantly. Caleb is a joy to our family...can't wait to see who he becomes as he grows.

Matthew makes a sweet little face when he is happy - scrunches up his little nose and squints his eyes. He "melts" in my arms when I pick him up...allowing his body to rest fully on mine and then pats my back with his pudgy little hand. This absolutely makes my heart soar. Matthew is a very dainty and polite eater - picking up one little piece of food at a time and being very patient in enjoying his meal. Matthew jabbers for a long time before finally falling asleep...it's so sweet to hear his little voice on the monitor when I am cleaning up after lunch. Matthew has a temper...he growls when something is taken from him. It's a LOUD growl. He wants to let us know he is angry and means business. However, when things are made right in his world, he is thrilled! Matthew is very affectionate - he often comes running into my arms for a quick hug or a kiss. He is a great dancer - shaking his little bottom to the 'Ten Commandment Boogie" while I make dinner. Matthew likes to "sing" along with the worship music at church, too. He loves to be tickled, chased, and to play "peek a boo." Matthew is content much of the time...such a sweet dispostion. We can't imagine the Johnson fam without this little guy.

Two little blessings...and twice as nice. {grin}

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!