Backseat Driver...

OK. I confess.

Like I have shared before in a previous post, sometimes I have a "lead foot." I don't TRY to speed...it just sometimes happens. (Yeah, like a cop would buy THAT excuse as a reason for speeding!). Especially in a 25 mph zone. It is hard for me to go 25. I really have to concentrate in order to do it. If I don't, my speedometer easily flies to the 30s...

Today I was running an errand quickly with just Caleb (a rare occurrence...the girls were at a friends' house playing). We were driving along enjoying some conversation (Caleb is a SUPER chatty boy) when all of a sudden I hear from the back of the van, "Mommy, Mommy! That was a STOP sign. Why didn't you STOP?"

What? I stopped!! OK...so, maybe I didn't stop ALL of the way. But, it wasn't like I just ran right through it...

Looks like I just introduced my son to a "rolling stop," huh??? WOW! I guess that I better be more careful of my driving...even my three-year old is taking notes here!!! :-)

Iron Man...

I walked into Caleb's room last week one morning and saw him starting to take his shorts off...

So, I said, "Caleb, please don't take your shorts off, leave them on, buddy."

To which he replied, "But, Mom, I need to take my shorts off. I need to IRON them."

Duh!! :-) What three-year old doesn't want to iron his shorts??*** So, I decided to let him do what he needed to do to get his shorts all ready to be worn for the day!! :-)

(As you can tell, he wasn't "in the mood" for me to interrupt his ironing for a picture!! Ironing is a serious thing, I guess!) :-)

So, all of you eligible little girls/future wives out there, know that I will continue to try to build on Caleb's "love" for ironing right now. This little guy will be trained to be one "Iron Man" for all of your future ironing needs!!! :-)

***Just to give credit where credit is due, Caleb HAS probably seen his Dad iron even more than he has seen his Mom. Pat usually irons the clothes that he wears each day...it is a morning tradition! And, of course, Caleb wants to be like his DAD!!! :-)

A very "ROCKY" afternoon...

Our afternoon started out pretty well today. I picked the girls up from SPA at noon, and joined our friends on a picnic lunch outing to a park. It was a fairly beautiful day (even though it was getting windy), and I was looking forward to just laying low while the kids ate and played on the park equipment.

All was going well until it was announced that someone had to go to the bathroom. And, why is that (especially with girls), that when one person needs to go, you can guarantee that someone else will need to go as well? Well, that was the case. Since over half of the group of six kids needed to go potty, I joined Lori in rounding up the troops to do ONE group bathroom pit stop at the nearby bathroom.

Caleb was lagging behind a bit, not really coming when I called for him. So, I called for him again, and this time I heard, "Mommy, I have a rock in my nose."

WHAT?? A rock in his nose? Certainly he couldn't be serious, could he???

I ran over to my little guy and knelt down to him, nose-level. Sure enough, right at the base of his nose, IN his nose, there was a little pea rock from the floor of the playground. I tried to get him to blow it out...and tried to kind of push it out myself. However, in that .2 seconds, instead of blowing, he sniffed instead.

IT. WAS. GONE. I couldn't see it anymore. And, let's just say that it didn't fall out. That rock was UP his nose, out of my sight!

I immediately grabbed my cell phone and called the Clinic Peds department. I talked to a nurse about what she thought and then a receptionist about when I could get in. It was 1:10 when I called. The receptionist said, "Well, I can get you in at 2:30."

2:30?

My son just stuck a rock up his nose and sniffed it up even further...so far that I couldn't see it. There was no way that I was waiting around another hour and 15 minutes before I took Caleb in!!! I wanted to head over there right now!! So, again, sharing my concerns about him sniffing it up even further, I asked if there was ANY way that he could be squeezed in earlier than that.

And, I guess that persistence pays off...I had a 1:30 appointment and off to the doctor we went! My friend, Lori, gladly kept the girls for me and said that she would just bring them back to her house and wait for us to get done.

We actually had an appointment with a NP. She came in, and with her light looked up his nose. "I can't even see it," she said. "I am going to have to send you to a specialist. Let's go call ENT (Ears, Nose, Throat) and see if they can fit you in right now."

As you can imagine, Caleb became known as the "little boy with a rock up his nose." We had to go the entrance and re-register for Caleb to now go to his SECOND doctor appointment. The receptionist there asked me if I knew the name of the doctor that we were seeing in ENT. I didn't because with all that was going on, I was more concerned about WHERE I needed to go, than WHO I was going to see. I figured that they would take care of that for me.

SO, the receptionist called BACK to Peds and said, "I have Caleb S_______ here, you know, the little boy who has a rock stuck up his nose. Do you know what doctor he is seeing?"

Then, as we walked into the ENT waiting room, both receptionists looked at Caleb and me coming in with little smiles on their faces, giving us the here-comes-the-little-boy-with-a-rock-up-his-nose look...

Here we are WAITING for the ENT doctor to come in and assess the situation... We took some pictures of us to pass the time!! :-)

Caleb was SO brave, even though I know that he was a bit scared. And, I didn't have many answers to his questions of exactly HOW they were going to get that rock out. I didn't know for sure myself. Even though it was not a FUN thing to be at the doctor for, my little guy and I actually had some nice chatting time and cuddling time while waiting for the doctor. I don't get much one-on-one time with him...so, that part of this whole crazy afternoon was GREAT!!

The ENT doctor finally came in, looked in his nose, saw the rock, and said, "Oh, this shouldn't be too bad to get out." Those were some GREAT words for me to hear! I was a bit concerned when the NP couldn't even see the rock...

He got his tools ready ("cool tools" as Caleb called them), sprayed some Lidocaine in Caleb's nose to numb it a bit, and stuck what he called a "right angle" up his nose to wrap around the rock so that he could pull it out.

Sure enough, within about 20 seconds, the rock came tumbling out! I kept it for a special souvenir so that everyone could see just how big it actually was!

When I saw the size, I couldn't believe that that rock was up Caleb's nose so far! From just looking at him, you couldn't even tell that he had a rock up there...it wasn't sticking out or anything. CRAZY!!

So, because of that, and because of the fact that he wasn't really complaining of it hurting, I am SO, SO, SOOOOOO thankful that I was there when he sniffed it up. Otherwise, it would have been hard to know exactly WHAT had happened. Three-year olds aren't always exactly GREAT at retelling events to an exact degree (at least my Caleb isn't!). :-)

Here is Caleb enjoying a special treat after his traumatic two hours at the doctor...

And, just to be sure that the doctor REALLY got the rock out, his buddy, Lukas just had to check as well...

So, even though there were some "rocky" moments today, I am so thankful that the rock really DID come out. And I hope that all of my kids learned an IMPORTANT lesson about sticking things up their noses as well!!! Hopefully it is something that NEVER happens again!!! :-)

A Little LIFE Update...

Kylie's medication update

Well, it has officially been TWO weeks since our little Kylie Joy has been down to just ONE seizure medication...and I am so happy to say that she is doing GREAT!!! :-)

We are thrilled and are rejoicing that we have made it through the first couple weeks of the transition and everything seems "normal" in her everyday life! So, thanks to those of you who prayed for her (and us). Our hearts are truly grateful to God for how well she is doing and the progress that is being made. It is great to get one medication out of her body (and our budget too)! :-)

Caleb's bedtime struggles

I am actually pleased to say that we have some good news with Caleb too! Caleb is waking up WAY less in the middle of the night and doesn't seem to be waking up so scared or having those bad dreams anymore. So, that has been good for ALL of us! Pat and I are getting way better sleep than the two/three weeks of bad nights that we had prior! Sleep is just SO vital to our lives, isn't it??

Caleb even is going to bed a bit better again. I am sure that it was just an adjustment getting used to his new bed. So, that is good too!!! :-)

Other daily life stuff

** During the mornings for the past two weeks, the girls have been enjoying a new first-time experience. They are attending SPA (which stands for "Summer Performing Arts") and are LOVING it!! They get to participate in fun acting out games and skits, playing different parts and showing different emotions. They got to have a tour of the theater area to see where they make the sets AND they got to go up on the cat walk! They were so impressed with that! They come out with big smiles and lots of things that they love to share every day when they are done!! Although I think that it is a bit stretching in some ways, they are being challenged to step out of their comfort zones in a way new situation and it is SO good for them! Plus, their buddies are attending with them...so, that has been good too!

They have a little performance displaying all of the fun stuff that they have practiced and learned on Friday...so, I am really looking forward to seeing it! They are excited that they get to do it up on the "real stage" too! :-)

** Thanks to the suggestion and encouragement of my blogging friend, Amanda, I am officially training for a 1/2 marathon. For the last three weeks, I have been trying to discipline myself to get back into more of a regular routine of running. I have always wanted to run a 1/2 marathon (well, really, a FULL one would be great...but, I know that I don't realistically have the time or knees to be doing that!)...so, this has been fun to start actually doing. And, really it has been going well when it comes to the running.

BUT...I really am HOPING that I can continue with the training. My right knee, the knee that I dislocated three times in my gymnastics days, is giving me some trouble. It doesn't really HURT when I am running...but, it has been rather inflamed lately and just seems a bit "off." I can just tell that it is agitated and feels swollen for a while (even days) after I run too. So, I am going to take it easy a bit this week. Plus, after buying some new running shoes last week, I have been experiencing bad back pain on my right side when running. So, that is not good either!

We will see, I guess. I really want to continue to do it...however, I know that I only have ONE right knee and ONE back...so, I know that I can't be taking any crazy chances here either. I guess only time will tell! I am going to head back to the shoe store to see if they will take the new shoes back today (especially since two employees there worked with me and suggested these shoes for me!). But, I am not sure if they will do it or not!

My sister and I also plan to run a 10K in my hometown here on the 4th of July...so, hopefully it holds up for that! Katie is really doing some quick running-training to be ready for that (good thing that she is in great shape from her gym classes!). So, that should be a fun sister-thing to do!

** Other than this, we have just been enjoying the BEAUTIFUL summer weather that we have been having here!!! We have been going to as many different parks we can, packing picnic lunches and letting the kids play away! It has been so refreshing to have summer finally here with us!!

Hope that you have a great week! :-)

Fabulously FUN-filled Family Day!!

This past weekend, both my brother and sister and their families were home for the weekend to celebrate a week-late Father's Day and attend a wedding for our cousin who got married on Saturday. It was a busy, fun-filled weekend...and it was especially beautiful out on Sunday as we enjoyed spending the day hanging out and playing as a family in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard!!

So, instead of writing about it all, I thought that I would just let the pictures do the talking here... :-)

Mommy and her girls

Daddy and his boy

Ready, Set, GO!!

Auntie Alison (my brother Tony's wife) patiently trying to teach a 7, 5, 4, and 3-year old to play croquet

Like father, like son (my brother Tony)

Uncle Craig (my sister Katie's hubby) carrying a load of FOUR girls through the sprinkler

Back feeling OK today, Craig? (Too bad I didn't get pictures of your somersaults in the sprinkler...or Alison's attempt to play follow-the-leader with Mackenzie, Kylie, and Olivia before greatly injuring herself...or of my and Katie's attempts to bring back some of the gymnastics days! We all should be pretty sore today!)

Boys will be BOYS
(although Katie and I got in the "game" of batting and chasing after balls as well)

Grandma and Isaac

What? This isn't a microphone, and the world isn't my stage?? :-)

What a FUN weekend!! We love you all so very much!! :-)

"Let Me Hear Your Body Talk"

I don't know about you all, but my Caleb's body actually TALKS to him. Amazing, I know. But it happens...quite often, actually.

Here are some ways that Caleb's body talks to him...I know that I have shared this one with you all before...

Me: Caleb, you need to take a few more bites of your food in order to be excused from dinner.
Caleb: My tummy says, "NO more food. I am full."

But, his talking-body doesn't end with just his stomach. There are other parts that "talk" to him as well!

Caleb: (While we are walking in a parking lot) Mommy, I need you to carry me.

Me: Come on, buddy, you can do it. You are a big boy and I need you to walk.

Caleb: But I CAN'T. My legs say "NO." They hurt and are tired and can't walk anymore.

Caleb: I have to go potty. I have to go potty.

Me: Then run inside and go potty, buddy.

Caleb (Starts to run inside and then abruptly turns around and comes back outside)

Me: What are you doing, Caleb? Go inside and go potty if you have to go.

Caleb: I don't have to go anymore. My penis says, "NO." It doesn't have to go potty anymore.

How can you argue with a talking-body??? :-)

Following in Daddy's Footsteps

At supper tonight, Pat was talking with Caleb about "helping" him mow the lawn after supper. EVERY time Pat mows the lawn, you can be sure that you will see Caleb out there alongside of his Dad with his little bubble lawnmower, following in his Daddy's footsteps. It is a sweet picture of the true desire that our little Caleb has to be just like his Daddy.

So, after hearing their Daddy say something to Caleb about helping, the girls chimed in with some of their thoughts about helping Mommy. (We have some age-appropriate responsibilities for each of the kids right now; however, we also talk about the days when they get a bit older and mature, when they will be helping me with EVERY chore/task around the house.)

Kylie said, "When I get bigger, Mommy, I am going to be your dishes-partner and laundry-partner...and your running-partner too. I am going to help you with all of the jobs around the house." Mackenzie then said, "And I am going to be your vacuuming-partner and your dishes-partner too." **

Then, in all sincerity said to me, "When I get older, Mommy, I want to be just like you."

Yes, the tears came to my eyes. What a high calling, great responsibility and joyful privilege being a parent is.

Many days I can struggle with feeling like less than a "good Mom" knowing my shortcomings, impatience, imperfections, and failings. I can struggle with guilt, fears, and real questions and doubts about the job that I am doing as a mom to my kids. I don't have all of the answers, definitely am not always patient and loving, can be reactive rather than calmly responsive, and fall short daily of the high expectations that I have for myself.

How encouraging, yet so challenging to hear those seven simple words from the mouth of Mackenzie..."I want to be just like you."

It warmed my heart and was so encouraging to know that all of my failures and shortcomings are NOT what my daughter sees when she looks at me. My kids KNOW that they are loved, treasured, and special for who they are!!

But what a "high calling" and super challenge to know that my kids are looking to ME (and Pat too) as examples of how to live life...examples of faith and as children of God, examples of marriage-partners, friends, daughters/sons, and Mom and Dad. They one day will emulate much of what they learned right here in this very house.

How my heart aches to be a true example of God's unconditional love to my kids. To have a faith in God that is real, true, genuine, and ALIVE. To love the Lord my God with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. To not merely just give God a part of me, but to be recklessly abandoned to Him and His plans for our lives.

I pray that Pat and I would be displaying and showing GOD'S love and ways to our kids. That it would be HIM working through us to be a living example of real, genuine, deep faith. That the Jesus that they learn and read about in the Bible would be the Jesus that they see alive in our lives and hearts.

And, even more than wanting to follow in their Mommy and Daddy's footsteps, I continue to hope and pray that our three kiddos want with their WHOLE hearts to follow in their Heavenly Daddy's footsteps...

Here are some lyrics to a song that always brings tears to my eyes because it SO deeply expresses the desires of my heart. It is an older Phillips, Craig & Dean song called, "I Want to be Just Like You."

He climbs in my lap for a good night hug

He calls me Dad and I call him Bub

With his faded old pillow and a bear named Pooh

He snuggles up close and says, "I want to be like you."

I tuck him in bed and I kiss him goodnight

Tripping over the toys as I turn out the light

And I whisper a prayer that someday he'll see

He's got a Father in God 'cause he's seen Jesus in me

(Chorus)

Lord, I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be just like me.

I want to be a holy example

For his innocent eyes to see.

Help me a living Bible, Lord

That my little boy can read.

I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be like me.

Got to admit I've got so far to go

Make so many mistakes and I'm sure that you know

Sometimes it seems no matter how hard I try

With all the pressures of life I just can't get it all right

But I'm trying so hard to learn from the best

Being patient and kind filled with Your tenderness

'Cause I know that he'll learn from the things that he sees

And the Jesus he finds will be the Jesus in me.

(Chorus)

Lord, I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be just like me.

I want to be a holy example

For his innocent eyes to see.

Help me a living Bible, Lord

That my little boy can read.

I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be like me.

**I wanted to make sure that I put this in writing so that when my girls are older I can remind them of the eagerness that they had to be so helpful to me in so many ways. You know, in case they ever need it when some of that eagerness wears off!!! :-)

Could it be TRUE???

Could SUMMER actually be here???

After waiting MONTHS and MONTHS for some warm weather, weather that warrants putting on the swimming suits and playing in the water, the DAY has finally arrived!

Yesterday my kids enjoyed it immensely and had lots of fun having their buddies over for the afternoon to enjoy the SUN!!! :-) The Sprinkler, Sandbox, and Sun-bathing were the three "S's" of choice!!!

It was so refreshing to have some WARM weather! In fact, my shoulders may even have gotten a bit burnt. Hard to believe since yesterday was the first day that I actually broke out the tank tops!

And yet another proof that summer actually is here...Ice Pops (or "freezies" as my kids call them!). It is our special summer treat from time to time!!! :-)

Hopefully summer is here to STAY!!! :-) If it were up to me, it would be 80-90 EVERY day!!! Kind of ironic where I live then, huh??? :-)

Where did that 1/2 year go???

How can it be? Our "baby" is OFFICIALLY 3 1/2 today!!!

Yikes...where is the time going? It doesn't seem like that long ago that our Caleb was blowing out the number THREE candle on his Vikings cake!

To keep in my blog-tradition here on 1/2 birthdays, I asked Caleb some questions and tried to the best of my ability to capture JUST what he said. I just love his imaginative, creative, and funny mind...he never ceases to make us laugh with the goofy, off-the-wall things that he says!!!

Me: How old are you today?

Caleb: 3 1/2

Me: What is your favorite thing to play with?

Caleb: Football with Daddy, playing with my Vikings boy, and I like it when Daddy reads a book for me. (WHO reads you more books? Ouch! :-) )

Me: What is your favorite food?

Caleb: My favorite food is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Me: What is your favorite fruit?

Caleb: Viking fruit? (After more questioning) Strawberries!

Me: What is your favorite color?

Caleb: Purple...because I have a purple Vikings helmet.

Me: What is your favorite Bible story?

Caleb: About God - because He lives in our hearts.

Me: What is your favorite song?

Caleb: My favorite song is...what is it again? I don't know...oh, Amazing Grace. (He really is referring to Chris Tomlin's "Amazing Grace/My Chains are Gone"...he gets super excited whenever it comes on the radio or I play it on our iPod.)

Me: What is your favorite animal?

Caleb: A Viking animal. It has a Viking shirt on. It is a cow one animal. No, it's a horse one that runs. (Trying to describe the Viking's mascot, maybe?)

Me: What is your favorite thing to do outside?

Caleb: Play football with Daddy and I like to play with my new bike too.

Me: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Caleb: A Viking - it's my favorite thing to grow up.

Here is a little funny video of Caleb from last week. He was "freestyling" and making up some music here. It just is SO him, so I thought that I would share today on his special day!!! :-)

Happy 3 1/2 birthday, Caleb!!! You are our Viking/football-loving, guitar-loving, drum-loving, music-loving, car-loving, train-loving, Daddy-loving boy...and we love YOU to pieces!!

Happy Father's Day, Pat!

We all love you SO very much and feel SO blessed to have a wonderful, godly man like you leading and serving our family in the ways that you do!

Thanks for being such a wonderful father and so involved in the lives of our kids. It warms my heart to see the love and respect that our kiddos have for you and how much they look up to you and want to emulate you (especially Caleb!). I appreciate your desire to spend time with the kids playing and wrestling, the time that you spend communicating with them, getting to know their hearts, and the example that you show them of God's love in your interactions with them.

I know that life is busy for you and your job pulls you in many ways sometimes. However, I am so thankful of the priority that you make our family and the time that we have together as a family. That means a lot to me and is a great example to our kids as well!

I am so thankful that I have YOU as a "teammate" on this journey of training our kids...it sure is a WILD ride, isn't it??

We love you...hope that you enjoy your day today!!! Thanks for being YOU!!

20 Questions...

Our Mackenzie likes to KNOW what is going on! She is NOT one to "go with the flow"...in fact, she is the exact opposite! She likes to know EVERY detail of every day...from what we are going to do, to where we are going to go, to what we are going to eat. Everything. It can drive me bonkers sometimes because there are always questions...always!!

But, the reality is, it shouldn't!!! Why you might ask? Well, the poor girl got her "need to know" from ME!!! My family used to always tease me about this growing up...and, I know that if I wasn't more "in control" of the happenings of each day, I too would probably be wondering and asking lots of questions, just like my dear oldest daughter does DAILY.

So, here are some of her VERY common questions...most of them she asks EVERY day (and more than one time a day too)!!

"What are we going to do today?" (Asked in the morning - EVERY morning)

"What are we going to do tomorrow?" (Asked before bed most nights)

"What are we going to do after this?" (Asked when we are not even finished with our outing, errand, or whatever)

"Am I going to get to see Madelynne today?" (Her best buddy)

"Do you think that this tooth feels loose? Can you wiggle it? Is it more loose? When am I going to lose a tooth?" (She is still waiting for her FIRST tooth to fall out)

"What are we having for supper?" (Asked at lunch or some time in the afternoon)

"What are we having for lunch?" (Asked at some time in the morning)

"Can we have a snack?? I'M HUNGRY!!!" (This is probably the phrase that I hear most often from my Mackenzie Sue. This girl has quite the appetite, I tell you!)

"Do I look like a first-grader or do I look like a second-grader now?"

"I am up to HERE on you, Mom...up to your shoulder" (putting her head up to my shoulder and measuring with her hand). "I think that I am going to be taller than you, Mom. Do you think that I am going to be taller than you, Mom?"

"Do you think that I am going to be taller than Kylie? Do you think that Caleb will be taller than both of us??"

"Do you think that I look taller/older today?" (She LOVES to talk about how big/tall she is getting and loves to think that she could be taller than me. And, really, that won't be too hard being that I stand at a mere 5'3")!

Oh, Mackenzie...your "need to know" is what uniquely makes you so YOU!!! We love you!!

Theology 101

"God is not in my heart... God is not in my heart..."

This is the song that I heard Caleb making up and singing the other morning.

So, I asked him out of curiosity, "Caleb, are you saying that God is not in your heart?"

To which he replied, "No, not me, Mommy. I am singing about another guy. He had God in his tummy, so he had to have surgery so that the doctors could take-d God out of his tummy and put God in his heart, where He was suppos'd to be."

What do you say to THAT??

Looks like we need to have some Theology lessons over here, huh??? :-)

"The Monsters might come and get me..."

This any many other "fears" have come from the mouth of our little Caleb in the middle of the night for the past couple of weeks.

I don't know when/why this all started...

Our Caleb has always been a pretty good sleeper. One thing that definitely helped as a baby was his LOVE for the pacifier (which he called a "fier"). He was our first baby to like the pacifier...so, it was a new thing for us!

That pacifier love went on well into his twos! Although I always said that I would take it away about the time that he turned TWO, that didn't happen as I was really apprehensive of what bedtime might be like if he didn't have it! He loved to go to bed (it was the only time that he got his "fier") and was content to lay there, suck on his "fier," and sing himself to sleep. It was SO easy with the pacifier. So, why ruin a "good thing" I thought!! :-)

We actually transitioned him to a bed before we took the "fier" away. We thought that it would be a good natural consequence to take away from him IF he had issues with staying in his bed (which we had experienced much with our second daughter). However, to my surprise, he did GREAT! He never came out once!

But, the pacifier...oh how I was afraid that taking that away would be the "end all" to good bedtime for Caleb. When he was about 2 3/4 we decided that it was about time to take away the bedtime pacifier. And much to my SHOCK (I guess I just expected the worse there!)...he did GREAT again!! Since then, he really has been a great go-to-bedder and really hasn't been one to get up much in the middle of the night.

Until NOW!!!

My good sleeper has started to not want to go to bed at night. He has started waking up in the middle of the night SHAKING and SCARED, struggling to fall back asleep. I feel so bad for him, as he really is feeling afraid. And that makes me so sad. I always hope and pray that our house will be a very safe and secure place for our kids. So, to know that our little Caleb is feeling so afraid in his bed, it makes my heart ache!! He has such an imagination...and I see that really affecting him now as wakes up scared at night!

Here are a few of the things that we have been hearing lately as he clings tightly to us after waking up afraid...

"The storms might get me." (I think that he means "shadows"...but, for some reason he keeps calling them "storms")

"The monsters are coming into my room."

"I want someone to sleep with me."

"I want to sleep in YOUR bed."

Don't get me wrong...I LOVE cuddling with my kids and snuggling them close...especially when they are afraid. But, the ONE thing that Pat and I can't do is let our kids sleep in our bed with us. Both of us are such light sleepers, that if we do (and we know from experience), we don't get ANY sleep! Neither one of us can sleep with legs and arms flailing all over the place. It just doesn't happen. We need our "space" to get any good sleep!

We have tried laying with him in his bed and comforting him in that way. Let's just say that it is a little hard to actually get comfortable in a toddler bed...especially when you are sharing it with a three-year old too (I know that from experience as well!). We have tried making a bed for him on the floor in our room so that he feels like he is WITH us even though not in our bed. This didn't really work for him either as he just kept getting up and wanting to be in bed with us.

So, last Sunday night, we made the big bed switch! We had been talking for a while about replacing the toddler bed with a bigger boy bed. My parents just happened to have a full size mattress, box spring, and frame just hanging around in their basement...and this was perfect as our crib back transitioned into a full-bed headboard.

Now if Caleb wakes up SCARED, one of us can just grab our pillows and go and rest with him until he safely falls back asleep. As much as I don't want to make a "habit" out of this, it has been so heart-wrenching to see our Caleb SO afraid at night, clinging to us and shaking in fear sometimes. So, after calming him, praying for him and his dreams and thoughts, we NOW have a place to lay our heads while our little guy falls back to sleep in peace.

What I wasn't anticipating is now that he is in the new big-boy bed, he is not wanting to go to sleep by himself either and has actually started getting out of bed and not wanting to go to bed. Something that he has NEVER done before...

I keep trying to remind myself that this is going to be a "phase"...I KNOW that he is not going to be wanting to come into our bed and sleep with us when he is 13!! (Right?) In fact as I was laying there with him one night, scratching his back and calming him down, I had a flash-back of me laying with Kylie in her bed a couple of years back doing that same thing. She was probably right around Caleb's age and really went through a time period of waking up a lot in the middle of the night, unable to fall back asleep. I remembered feeling like that was NEVER going to end. When were we EVER going to sleep well again?

Well, it happened. She sleeps really very well for the most part (of course still wakes up sometimes). It DID end.

So, in the midst of being up for HOURS a night sometimes, I am trying to keep that perspective...to keep "running with perseverance the race marked out for me"!! I just wish that Pat and I weren't so tired in the process!! :-)

Here is Caleb soundly sleeping tonight...let's just hope and pray that he stays this way until the morning!!

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

From TWO to ONE...

As of tomorrow, our Kylie is down to ONE medication! We gave Kylie her Keppra for the LAST time today...

So far, the transition of weaning her off this seizure medication has been fairly smooth. So, thanks so much to all of you who thought of us and prayed for us...it really means SO very much to me!

For the last five weeks, we have slowly been changing/weaning her medication down to where she was only taking 0.5mL/twice a day for this last week. We originally were going to keep her at this dosage for two weeks total and completely take her off NEXT Monday; however, next Monday morning, Kylie (and Mackenzie as well) is going to be participating in an Elementary SPA (Summer Performing Arts) program and we didn't want her first day there to be the first day that she is officially off of the Keppra. Since we were being overly conservative in the weaning process anyway, we thought that it would be OK to just do it now and give her a week of being off the med completely before she starts this extracurricular activity.

So, with all of that said, we would appreciate your prayers!!!

All and all, I am feeling OK with it. If I let my mind "go" it is easy to become fearful and somewhat anxious. Like I have said in posts prior, the last time Kylie had a grand mal seizure was when we weaned her off of her Keppra a little over 20 months ago. So, it is hard to not struggle with the thoughts/fears of this same thing happening again!!! As excited as I am to get her OFF of the meds, it is amazing how they become in some ways a true source of "security" as well as they really have helped control her seizure activity these past 20 months!

However, I really am just trying to keep focused and trust God. Trusting that no matter WHAT He allows (seizures or no seizures), He is going to carry us through and uphold us. Trusting that Kylie is in His mighty hands and He loves her so much. And, trusting that His plans and ways are perfect...even if they are not necessarily what I would have "planned" sometimes. Even though I can't always see what He is doing when I am in the middle of my trials and struggles, I am so thankful that I can trust Him with the "big picture" of His ultimate plans and purpose and trust and know that He is using it all to produce character, perseverance, and a deeper faith in me.

SO...here goes nothing!!! I will keep you posted...and would greatly appreciate prayers!! :-)

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow...

Last night my friend, Lori and I saw the most amazingly beautiful rainbow!

We had just finished an evening out of enjoying a nice, relaxing Mexican dinner with a group of girl-friends to celebrate Lori's birthday (which is today - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my dear friend!) and decided to run a quick errand and do some clothes/window shopping for a bit before we went to a late movie.

We were so in awe of the beauty of this rainbow that I literally pulled into the parking lot of Gordman's, parked illegally across many spots, and quickly took out my camera phone to TRY to capture the amazingly bright and complete 1/2 rainbow that we had in front of us. The pictures aren't the greatest because of this, but, still, you can get an idea of the true beauty of this colorful promise!!!

Whenever I see a rainbow, I am reminded of God's promise of a covenant that he made with Noah in Genesis 9:12-16...

And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

How thankful I am to know, love, and serve a God who is SO faithful to keep His promises. And, for me, a rainbow always seems to bring those faithful promises to my mind...not to mention put me in total awe of the Creator who made something so beautiful for us to see!!

And, it was also nice to note that this rainbow was also a "promise" of better weather to come. After a week FULL of rain, cold, and dreary weather, today was sunny and much more pleasant!!! :-)

A tale of two families...

Once upon a time, there were two sisters...and for this little "tale" let's call them Kristi and Katie. They were super close buddies growing up. Being only 19 months apart, they could always be found making up dances together, doing gymnastics routines, swimming and making raft routines in the pool, playing catch, and just playing together a lot. Fast-forward many years later...

On September 18, 1998, Kristi got married to her college-found love, Pat. A little over THREE years later, on November 16, 2001, Katie got married to her high school sweetheart, Craig. Little did they know at THAT time, that THREE years would become an important time span in the lives of these families...

After approximately a little over two and a half years of marriage, Kristi and Pat welcomed their first daughter, Mackenzie Sue. THREE years later, a little before Katie and Craig hit the two and a half year mark in their marriage, they welcomed their first daughter as well, Olivia Nichole.

This trend seemed to follow suit with the next couple of kids to come as well. Kristi and Pat were blessed with a second girl roughly 16 1/2 months after Mackenzie was born. A little over THREE years after that, when Olivia was about 20 months, Katie and Craig welcomed their second girl, Avery Grace.

For Pat and Kristi, next came Caleb Patrick when his sisters were a mere 3 1/2 and two. A little under THREE years later, Olivia and Avery (at 3 1/2 and almost two) would welcome their new baby brother, Isaac Richard as well.

Here are pictures of the kiddos from Memorial Weekend...

Mackenzie Sue, born May 15, 2001

Olivia Nicole, born April 20, 2004

Kylie Joy, born September 25, 2002

Avery Grace, born December 25, 2005

Caleb Patrick, born December 16, 2004

Isaac Richard, born October 10, 2007

However, the similarities don't end there!!! Their birth order may be the same...but so are their personalities in so many ways too!

Mackenzie and Olivia are both a bit more timid, taking in situations before fully "jumping in." They both like numbers, are deep thinkers, and are always looking out for other people. Once they are comfortable with people/situations, they are both very fun-loving girls. Olivia looks up to Mackenzie in a big way. She will often be found doing whatever Mackenzie is doing and wanting to be right by her side...it is pretty sweet!

Kylie and Avery are kindred spirits as well. They are both free spirits, goof balls, and tend to jump into situations readily. They both are climbers, are good at getting into things (and coloring on things they shouldn't!), like to get messy, and just bring such excitement to all that they do.

Caleb and Isaac, well, it is hard to know how similar (or different) they are yet being that Isaac is merely 8 months old (almost). However, both Caleb and Isaac both were/have been content, happy, good-natured babies. Caleb is definitely a "blend" of his two extreme sisters. So, it will be fun to see what kind of personality little Isaac develops.

It has been so neat for Katie and Kristi to share such similar situations as Moms. It has brought them closer and been such a neat bond in their lives! When Katie shares the struggles of having three young kids so little, Kristi can remember back and relate. Because the personalities are so much the same as well, it has been amazing the many similar struggles that they have had as parents when it comes to training their kids. What a blessing this has been in BOTH of their lives!!! :-)

New Church Clothes...

Here are some new "church clothes" that Kylie has...

What? You don't try to dress your kids in "HOLeY" clothes when going to church? ha ha ha (Sorry, I couldn't resist that terrible attempt at some "punny" humor!).

This the state of Kylie's jeans after this past year of wearing them. And, Mackenzie's aren't much better (although she is a bit more careful!)! Caleb's are by far the best...but, probably because he really liked to wear more of the swishy athletic pants and sweats over jeans.

Does anyone else's five or six-year old kids now get more holes in their jeans than when they were baby crawlers??? I guess with all of the gymnastics tricks that are attempted, and all of the crawling that occurs when there are dogs/cats/babies to pretend to be, holes in jeans are just inevitable, huh??

I have TRIED to "preserve" the non-holey jeans, having my kids wear them only when we go out and about, wearing their holey jeans or sweats when we are at home. But, that only works for so long. As the "good" jeans get worn out more and more, the holes and "wear and tear" just keep on coming!

Ahhh...such is life with busy, growing kids!!! And, really, it is a good thing that they are growing too...looks like we need to get some them new jeans anyway - and not just because of the holes!! :-)