Loving Jesus 6/30/11

I started my day early,

Before the room was light.

I lifted my son from his crib

And wished it was still night.

But as I held him close and said,

"Hi, Kenneth, precious one,"

I knew that as I greeted him,

I greeted too God's Son.

When my daughter woke up later,

Calling, "Mommy! Mommy! Down!"

I picked her up and hugged her

In her worn Elmo nightgown.

I know she felt the closeness

That a mother's touch affords.

I welcomed not just Ellie,

But so, too, the Lord of Lords.

That day, I mixed some formula

And opened jars of peas.

I fixed some "pizza butter" bread

When she grinned and said, "Pleeeeease."

I heated up some leftovers;

I had to nuke them twice.

And when I fed my children,

I was feeding Jesus Christ.

I made some funny faces,

And "played puzzles" on the floor.

I dressed kitties, ran around outside,

And played with them some more.

We laughed and jumped and tickled,

Making memories to be stored.

When I spent time with my children,

I spent time with my Lord.

I wiped up sticky cereal

And washed the dishes clean.

I straightened, picked up, put away,

And dusted in between.

I did six loads of laundry

And folded it like new.

When I cleaned for my children,

I cleaned for my Savior, too.

When my children were both crying,

I held them in my arms.

I cuddled them and whispered

That I'd keep them safe from harm.

I told them how their Father saved them

With His perfect Lamb.

When I comforted my children,

I comforted I AM.

Later on that evening,

I put them in the bath.

I washed their little bodies

As they kicked around and splashed.

I dried them in soft towels

And put their jammies on.

When I had washed my children's feet,

I'd washed the Holy One.

I cooked and cleaned and rearranged,

Made beds and taught and played.

I made sure that we had food to eat

And that we often prayed.

I died to self. I made a home

From ordinary things.

But when I served my children,

I served the King of Kings.

To some, I have done nothing,

But to two, I've done the world.

I made eternal difference

To my precious boy and girl,

And to the One who watches over

Every pathway that I've trod.

For when I've loved my precious children,

I've loved Almighty God.

- Megan Breedlove

(www.mannaformoms.com)

all over the place

This post is gonna be all over the place. Just like this past Sunday when we went all over the place to see Jim's dad, sister, and brother and to meet our new niece (and cousin to Jake and Parker), Delilah.

And just like this coming weekend for Jim and I to celebrate thirteen years married on Saturday. Tomorrow night we have an overnight date planned. Grandma has heeded to the call to give us an entire twenty-four hours of couple time. She's coming here later today with Jake in tow (because he's been with her since Monday night). Between job interviews and dental appointments, Jim's SAHD duties had to be shirked for a few days again this week.

"He looks just like me!", Dad said when he saw Parker for the first time, and his smile was priceless. And they exchanged lots of them over lunch while Christy and Jim looked at old family photos and Jake played with Steven's (Christy's son aka our nephew aka Jake and Parker's cousin who is just a few months older than Jake) Buzz Lightyear he brought to share.

Jake swung on the swingset in the backyard, and we watched the martins fly in and out of their nests.

And Parker gave his teething toys fits. His gums are beginning to swell, and the only time you see him without something shoved in his mouth is when he's asleep. I definitely think it's almost that time, and his teachers do too (and yes, that would be code for he's been crabby off and on during the day this week). He's also babbling with consonants and the vowel a now too. The sounds of "ba-ba-ba, ga-ga-ga, and da-da-da" have been music to our ears each night.

"Don't lay on top of him now, Baby. You might hurt him - break a rib or something.", Grandpa said. I guess holding him made him feel like Parker was safer. So that's what he did as long as he would let him.

And at times, he held them both.

When we got the call that Jeremy and Heather were finally at home with Delilah (who weighed in at a whopping four pounds, fifteen ounces at birth), we formed a convoy to go meet her.

So precious. So tiny. So miraculous.

So glad we spent this time with our extended family.
 

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

This was

our flight

on

Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

 

When imaginations run wild...

my four year old becomes a penguin.

He does things like refer to himself as The Penguin and walks like one all the way to his bedroom…the refrigerator…you get the idea. “Penguin wants a snack, Mommy.” Oh does he now? (That’s my response…just role playin’. Why not?)

Last night my son (guess he wasn’t in character just yet) asked me,

“Can I change my name, Mommy?”

To what, Baby?

“Penguin.”

Go ahead and think he’s weird.

It won't hurt my feelings.

Sometimes I think he's weird too.

I also think he's the brightest...blue-eyed...best...

 
Buzz Lightyear-loving four year old I know.