Early Easter Surprise

At 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 22, someone will be arriving at our house to deliver a very special surprise to our kids.  The process of planning this surprise has been so much fun for me, and the waiting has been almost too much to bear. 

The kids have been begging for a pet for many years, but they were initially too young to take care of a pet, and I wanted them to be responsible for the pet, not just me.  We have also had our house on/off the market for the past four years, and we had the house listed as  "pet-free", so we could not have a pet during that time. We also did not want an animal tearing up the house, barking during showings, or causing any such detractors for potential buyers.

We have now agreed to stay here for a while but do not consider this home to be our forever home and may decide to move anytime over the next few years.  So building a privacy fence to contain a dog did not seem like a financially prudent option, and I certainly don't want a dog tearing up the house, although dogs have always been a favorite pet of mine.  My husband and children prefer cats, but our son is allergic to cat dander.

I had a pet bunny as a child and remember it being very low maintenance.  If we got a baby bunny now, it should hopefully live up until the time the kids go off to college but not too much longer after that, so a bunny seemed ideal for the kids right now.  Seeing an adorable French angora bunny at the Biltmore Estate last month put the idea in my head again, so we started researching angora bunnies and found a few for sale in various parts of our state.  Those rabbits, when properly groomed, are hilarious balls of fluff with facial features buried beneath the poof.  However, they are high maintenance, shed horribly, and require regular shearing lest the bunny die from swallowing too much of its own fur.

English Angora Buck

So I continued my research and found the Mini Lop and Holland Lop rabbits to be the most ideal bunnies for children.  They are friendly, loving and usually do well being held unlike most rabbits.  They are also hilarious to watch as they play, especially when they catch air or pop wheelies. 

I found videos of a Holland Lop named Bailey on youtube.com demonstrating these aerial stunts.

 

I searched for Mini-Lop and Holland Lop breeders all over our state and found one I really liked in a neighboring town.  She had one Holland Lop bunny left from a January litter who would be weaned and ready no earlier than March 22 which is too late to serve as birthday gift for our daughter but just in time for Easter.  I fell in love with that little critter, and the breeder has been sending me pics of him almost every week.

Since we wanted it to be a surprise, we contracted with the breeder to build us a hutch for the bunny since we could not build one without the kids seeing, and she offered to deliver the hutch, bunny, food, and hay to our house for the surprise.  I have named our new bunny Oreo to reflect his coloring (Double Stuffed Oreo or Oreo Milkshake would be more appropriate, I guess) and since our daughter has named all of her favorite stuffed animals after chocolate sweets (Smores, Brownie, Chocolate, etc.).  The kids can rename him if they wish.

This secret has been hard to keep, and I have told more people that I should have already because I am about to bust.  When the kids keep begging for a bunny, it's even harder to stay silent and wait.

Family Tree:

Mother/DAM (pictured top left)

Breeder Name:  Bubba's "Lily" of Skittles
Pedigree Name: LUV SBS' Lily
Color:  Broken Black
Weight: 5.0 lbs

Father/SIRE (pictured top right)

Breeder Name:  Magee's "Opie" of Flip Flop
Pedigree Name: LUV SBS' Opie
Color:  Opal (Blue Agouti)
Weight:  2.8 lbs

*All pics provided by breeder

Stay tuned for the next update which should include pics and/or video of the kids receiving their surprise.

 

1000 Gifts (Part 8): Horse Farm Edition

For the past two years, we have given our daughter horseback riding lessons for her birthday since she loves horses with a passio .  This post will record some of God's gifts I tasted while at the farm.

122.  Escaping the hectic and loud routine of life to relax in a tranquil, quiet, country setting

123.  Viewing the sky through a filter of tall pine limbs and bright green leaves

 124. The security and freedom that healthy boundaries provide

125.  A miniature horse named Dreamy who is just her size

126.  Watching her recall riding skills she hasn't practiced since last summer

127.  Well trained horses who kept her safe and did not get spooked while carrying her

128.  An introverted farm cat with captivating green eyes to amuse my little boy

129.  An extroverted horse named Emily who trots right over to visit whenever she sees us. 

130.  The way Emily nestles her head into my arms to be hugged and petted

131.  Watching a friendly horse help my boy overcome his fears

132.  The delight in my boy's face as Emily interacts with him

  As we left, he kept saying, "Why won't she stop looking at me?"   

133.  A larger, loving horse named Socks

134.  The giddy expression on my girl's face whenever she is perched on or above a saddle

March 2009

135.   Knowing that same joy and excitement she feels when riding a horse

136.  The healing comfort horses bring

137.  Memories of playing "Giddy Up Horsey" with each kid on my lap

Giddy up horsey 

 Go to town.
Giddy up horsey 

 Don’t fall down.

138. Remembering each child's first horseback riding experience

October 3, 2008

139.  Reminiscing about a cute little boy in a girl's pink helmet that was too big for him

140.  Memories of each child's first attempt riding solo

1000 Gifts (Part 7): School & Family

103.  I'm so thankful that the guests at our daughter's spa party had so much fun.

104.  I did not lose my temper when I saw the aftermath of the birthday party in our daughter's room.  All Glory to God!

I'm a neat freak, and this past week just happened to be the week each month when I am most easily overwhelmed and frustrated (ahem), yet because this 1000 gifts project has me now looking for God's face in everything, I managed to see her messy room as evidence that she had a great time at her party.  All the new presents strewn about the room also reminded me of what loving, generous, thoughtful friends and family members she has in her life.

105.  I survived living in this house with a room that messy for seven whole days, y'all!

We were all so busy this past week, there was never enough time to clean it properly, so I kept her door closed and went a whole week without losing my temper.  God's mercies are new every morning.

106.  I am so thankful that she finally cleaned up that mess.

 Today, her room looks like this:

107.  Praise God for modern medicine and for putting people at the right place at the right time.

After the party last weekend, I visited with my neighbor for a while.  She ended up talking to me for a very long time about her husband who had spent the past 14 days in the hospital having multiple blood transfusions due to bleeding from an unknown source.  Had his wife not brought him to the premier hospital where he had his lung transplant six years ago when his symptoms started, he would have gotten much, much worse without any clear diagnosis.  A young Australian doctor performed a rare procedure that only a few doctors in the world know how to do which saved his life.  What a blessing that this doctor just happened to be employed by that same hospital at that time.

108.  I'm thankful for embarrassing moments averted because my daughter wanted to hug me goodbye.

I was so busy talking to my neighbor that I did not have time to help my daughter get ready for the Young Artists piano competition that took place less than two hours after her party.  Right before my husband took her, she ran over to hug me goodbye, and I saw facial mask bits from the party remaining in her hair and on her face.  I'm so glad she ran over to see me so that I could wipe off that mess before she played for the judge!

109.  I'm thankful for the progress my daughter made in preparing for this piano event. 

Two weeks ago, she barely knew her pieces for this event because she would not practice without much wailing and gnashing of teeth and then storming off in a huff.  She got frustrated because the music was difficult, and she thinks everything should come easy for her.  My dear husband, who has more patience than I do, worked tirelessly with her when she would actually cooperate.  We wondered how she would do at the event following all the excitement of the party, but we were at least satisfied that she had finally gotten to where she could place the pieces, albeit not perfectly.

110.  I'm also thankful for my husband who patiently talks her down from her emotional cliff when she gets frustrated with herself for not mastering something perfectly the first time.

111.  I'm thankful when my daughter exercises self control.

While playing for the judge, she lost her memory in the middle of one piece which is very rare for this girl who had recently memorized 17 pieces for one recital.  Memorization is not an area in which she usually struggles, but since she was still distracted by the party, it was more likely to happen.  Yet, despite making that mistake, she kept her cool (no dramatic fits) and started again without letting it phase her. 

112.  Seeing my child overcome is a wonderful gift.

That one memory blip must have been her only mistake because except for an "Excellent Rating" on memory for that one piece, she got all "Superior" ratings in every other category for every piece and a "Superior" over all. 

113.   I'm thankful for family movie outings.

Mobile photo of us in a dark theater were we saw "The Lost Medallion"

We rarely ever go to to the movie theater, because frankly, there is hardly ever a movie showing that is worth our time or money.  Most modern movies are complete filth.  The Lost Medallion, though too violent for younger viewers (we covered our son's eyes in certain scenes), contained valuable messages everyone should hear.  While the Gospel message was presented more vaguely than I would have liked, it was in there along with lots of valuable moral lessons straight from Scripture.

114.  I'm thankful for my kids' funny quotes during and after the movie.

During the moment of greatest suspense in the movie, the 6-yr-old cried out, "That's not a good idea, peeps."

After the movie, the 9-year old said, "It was a good movie.  I'll give it 4 out of 5 stars.  I had to deduct a star because it didn't have any horses in it."

115.   "Couch time" with my husband is a precious gift. 

I love this chance to reconnect at the end of each day, and I love the way it helps our kids tangibly see and know that their parents love each other and are committed to their marriage.

When my son came downstairs this evening we were having our "couch time", and he said, "There they are again, all cuddly wuddly."

116.  I'm thankful that our kids' teachers make learning history so much fun.

 They've been studying the Roaring 20s, so on Thursday, the school hosted a 20s style shindig.  Our daughter's class dressed up in typical 20s style fashion.

 (Oops! We forgot her headband with feather in our rush to school.)

At the shindig, the students enjoyed some awesome silent, short films created by the dialectic and rhetoric students, some treats, and a Charleston dance off!

117.  What a gift this video, taken by our daughter's teacher, was to us parents who really wanted to see our kids dancing the Charleston.

The movie begins focused on our daughter dancing with the teacher's much taller daughter.

118.  I'm so thankful that I'm still my boy's favorite girl. 

When I picked up the kids from school this past Thursday, my boy was so excited to tell me about another new present he received from a girl in his class. He thought the mini baseball was so cool. Then I heard whispers followed by the boy wailing in tears. I asked what was wrong, and apparently his sister had been teasing him saying that "he loves" that girl. I reminded them that some people just like to give gifts to their friends without any other intentions. Then I said to my son, "Besides, who cares what your sister says because we both know that your heart belongs to God first and then me.  I am your #1 girl." That settled it, and all tears and arguing ceased. Too bad it won't always be that easy. :(

119.  I'm thankful that my children love to pray for others, even if they do so at record speeds. 

When you put a scrumptious 4 cheese stone baked pizza before my hungry 6-year-old who wants to say the blessing without forgetting anyone on his prayer list, you may wonder if he's praying or auctioneering.

120.  I'm thankful for the way God humbles me as I try to teach my daughter to me more like me.

I found out around 9:30pm on Wednesday night that her teacher assigned her a book to read, The Wind and the Willows, two weeks ago to be read by the following day, Thursday morning. She had read tons of other fun books instead, but had only read a few chapters of this book.  So, we sent her to her room immediately to finish the book.  She fell asleep reading around 10:45.  

I knew she would never finish, so I sent her teacher a note explaining that we were sorry that our daughter would not complete the assignment on time, but that she needed to learn to be more organized and responsible (virtues we left-brained types value highly since we can't function without them), so we would gladly welcome a failing grade on the assignment if it taught her to be more responsible. 

When I woke up that morning, I found her reading in her room.  She finished chapter 12 just before breakfast. There is no way I could read have finished that book in less than two hours, but for her, it was no problem, and she could ace most any test her teacher gives her about that book.  She proved me wrong, and I can just hear her thinking to herself now, "I told you so, Mom!"

121.  I'm thankful that God gave my daughter a gift I always wanted for myself, the ability to speed read.

Spa Party for her 9th Birthday

"The days are long, but the years are short."

It seems like just yesterday that our daughter looked like this:

Age 3

We just got back her school pictures, and is it really possible that now she look like this?

4th grade yearbook photo

I have tried to continue the tradition my mother started with me by throwing my daughter a big birthday party every year.  My heart's desire is that she and her friends will remember our home as being a fun, hospitable place where they will want to spend more time.  This year, she wanted a spa themed party.  While spas are typically not my thing, I was so excited for this party that I had turned the house into a full service spa a week before the party was to begin. The night before the party, I had nothing left to do, so I worked on our tax returns instead.  How crazy is that?

My husband's task for the party was to take pictures, so I knew I would end up with hundreds of pictures to edit and weed out.  However, I had a hard time deleting any of them, so the rest of this post will be filled with layouts I made for my daughter's scrapbook to display so many of those pictures.

1000 Gifts (Part 6): Marriage Enrichment

Every couple must figure what works best to nurture their unique marriage.  Some insist that weekly date nights are the best way to build a strong marriage while others read books and attend marriage conferences together.  Statistics indicate that couples who pray together have the best chance of staying together.  "Couch time" is a popular way for couples to reconnect on a daily basis.

We try to incorporate as many of these tips as possible, but one of the ways we have found that works best for us is to get away alone together.  I have to totally distance myself from the home and all my responsibilities there for more than a few hours to fully focus on glorifying God through nurturing a healthy marriage. While my husband and I do not share similar interests with regard to hobbies, we both love to travel.  So, we have found it better to focus less on weekly date nights, which require a sitter and logistical hassles, and save that money for getaways together.

I've already shared some of our photos from the Biltmore Gardens and Conservatory in part 4 of this series, but I would like to share a few other photos from our trip to highlight more gifts for my 1000 gifts project.

97.  That handsome man on the tractor who works so diligently to provide for our family.

98.  Seeing him on that tractor reminded me what a gift his executive job is because it keeps him dressed neatly in suits and sitting in a comfortable office where his knowledge and God given gifts are best utilized.  I'm thankful that he does not have to toil out in the fields since neither one of us has a green thumb or enjoys agrarian work very much.

99.  Cloud, the overly fluffly French angora bunny, who gave me an idea that has me elated and bubbling over in anticipation.

100.  The sight of free range chickens roaming about Antler Hill was a gift because whenever I see a chicken, I am reminded of my mother-in-law and some precious friends who keep chickens for the wonderfully healthy eggs they produce.  Chickens also remind me of the children we sponsor in Ethiopia and Haiti because the simple gift of a few chickens can enable the poorest of poor to meet their basic needs.

101. The winery tour was a gift because the desire to learn how everything is made, intensified by touring camera and auto manufacturing plants in Japan at age 17, is what led me to major in engineering.  The tour was very informative, and I would highly recommend it were it not for the "get them tipsy so they'll buy more" wine tasting festival at the end which we obviously skipped.

102.  Those beautiful horses at Antler Hill were a gift because the mere sight of my favorite animal brings peace and joy to my heart.  We should love God's creatures, great and small, but the horse is one of the most awesome I ever saw.

Upward Basketball 2013

Now that our family has gotten busier than I ever intended, we are setting limits on number of athletics activities each kid can participate in at one time.  Our daughter chose gymnastics over basketball this season but wished desperately that she could be on the court during every practice and every game her brother attended. She was a great cheerleader, however, and she took a special interest in encouraging one player on our son's team who refused to get off the bench and play in any games.  He was obviously just too young to play this year, but she encouraged him regularly and even gave him a Valentine on Valentine's Day week to boost his confidence.

While we love the UPWARD program and have not been able to say enough good things about the ministry or this awesome church that hosts it each year, this year did not meet the ultra high precedent set and upheld during our previous years with this program.  For reasons we do not understand but trust were valid, the coach did not follow the rotation schedule in the book, so our son played every period of every game except the game he missed due to family travels without sitting out once, even though I asked the coaches to pull him out to give another player who did not get to play as often more time on the court.  While I try not to be a helicopter parent with my own kids, when I perceive that another child is being treated unfairly, it's all I can do to keep myself from flying up (and possibly off the handle) like a helicopter parent to set things right for another parent's child.  But I was reminded that as a parent in the stands, I can't see what happens off the court and do not have the wisdom to judge rightly.  What an encouragement it is to know that mankind's ultimate Judge has all knowledge and all wisdom to judge with perfect righteousness combined with infinite love to extend grace to those who trust in His name.

Psalm 9:8

And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.

All that time on the court gave our boy more time to learn to play more aggressively. He handled the ball a lot more, took many shots from the 3-point range with confidence, and scored more points than last year.

One of the biggest blessings of this UPWARD season was seeing so many little boys my son's age from our neighborhood at the court each week.  I had not even realized how many boys are in our neighborhood his age. These games gave me a chance to meet more neighbors and find new friends for our boy.  During the first game, our son played against a team comprised of three boys from the neighborhood.  One was his closest neighborhood friend.  That first game was his team's best all season.

Our son has very interesting form when he shoots that we will have to correct later.  For now, he shoots with both hands thrusting the ball off his right shoulder.  When he jumps, he must jump super high since he's so much shorter than the other players.  His legs kick out when he leaps in a form that reminds me of something from those old kung-foo movies my brother watched during our childhood.


Nana and Pops drove into town to watch one of his games.   Seeing them there made my son feel extra special.  Many other neighborhood kids have grandparents living in the same town making it easier for them to attend their games, but when grandparents drive an extra long distance to see a game, it means a lot.

The awards supper and awards ceremony were awesome as always.  When we got into the car to go to the awards program, I noticed that our son was wearing his red plaid bath robe, and our girl had her Minnie Mouse ears on her head.  Thankfully, they removed both to look more respectable at the awards program. After each player received his or her award and gift (an UPWARD basketball), we all watched a fabulous presentation by an illusionists with a powerful Gospel presentation.

We'll be returning to UPWARD next year (even though detours due to scheduled road construction will double our commute to the church), and I suspect that my husband will be coaching.

One Thousand Gifts (Part 5): Family Edition

I would like to give God praise for some of His many gifts this past week.

72. AAA!

We haven't enrolled in AAA membership since my company paid for it during my working days before the kids were born.  Yet, this past year we felt an inner prompting to enroll, and what a blessing it has been.  My husband and our daughter got stranded at a campground during a Y Princess camping trip when his car would not start.  AAA towed them and the car to a repair shop just in time for me to get them home before our son's birthday party began.

Then this week, after I loaded the car with lunch bags, kids, and all my PE instructor equipment and the kids' school work to head out to co-op, my car would not start.  Neither my husband nor any neighbors were available to rescue me, but AAA is always there.

We've planned several trips this year, and AAA sent us guide books and maps for free the day I requested them.  While shopping for travel insurance, AAA led us to the lowest rate for the best coverage. We're so glad God prompted us to choose AAA the year we would need it most.

73.  Gorgeous spring like weather in early March

74.  A new access point to the Greenway right beside our neighborhood

I have thoroughly enjoyed biking along this lengthy, gorgeous wooded path, which runs parallel to the river, through several counties where other bikers, pedestrians spanning four generations, horses and their riders, stand-up trikers, dogs, turtles, birds, butterflies, and Pandora praise and worship music keep me company.  

75.  End times conversations with the kids

The conversation began with them asking questions about the current political situation, but that led to them asking questions about end times (funny how that happens).  I told the kids to think about what they hope they are doing when Jesus comes back. I asked, "Do you want Jesus to find you fighting with your sibling or loving your neighbor and sharing the gospel?"

The 6-year-old replied, "Mom, I sure hope you aren't still doing chores when He returns!" 

Did my son just deliver an emancipation proclamation for Christian mothers/housewives?

76.  Turbo Tax

While filing tax returns is something I dread each year, I remember when I had to complete all these forms manually.  Turbo Tax makes the painful process at least less time consuming than it once was, and for that, I am truly grateful.

77.  The different perspective my children offer to most any situation

When my husband wears his Mantoni wool and cashmere topcoat with a cashmere scarf over his business suits, I think he looks like a GQ model. The kids, however, recently said, "All he needs is a top hat, and he'll look just like Bob Cratchit" from Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol.

78.  Learning the "Facts of Life" from my 8-year-old

You know your little girl is growing up when every question she asks concerns her feelings, and every answer to her "why" questions is simply, "Because you are a girl."  I have been encouraging her to write down her thoughts and feelings, and our little philosopher recently returned with this paper explaining the "facts of life". 

1. Life isn't fair!
2. Life can be fun.
3. Life is important.
4. Life is sorrowful.
5. Life is loving God!
6. Life is lively.
7. Life is deadly.
8. Life can be great!
9. Life is tricky.
10. And last but not least....Life is for GOD! :-)

She has heard me say many times, "Sorry, honey, but life just isn't fair," so I can see why she began with that one.  And number 7 is probably my fault, too, because I have exaggerated at times in my instructions saying things such as, "You must obey me right away the first time I give you instructions because if you tarry when I command for you to move out of the street, you may get run over and die."  At least she is beginning to understand that our ultimate purpose in life is not to gratify our own desires but to glorify God and enjoy Him forever!

79.  Our gospel-centered, missions-minded church family where truth is taught without compromise
 
Our church understands and teaches that God's vision for each of us, the church, and the world is to glorify Him, and one primary way we glorify Him is making His name known to all people.  I'm thankful that our church is more interested in reaching the lost and discipling believers than in fostering self-glorification as is so prominent in our lost culture.

80. Unintentionally prophetic stories composed and handwritten by our kids

On Valentine's Day, our 6-year-old wrote this little story about a winter wonderland just two days before we received our first real snowfall in over two years with some of the largest snowflakes I have ever seen.  His description of a winter wonderland was an accurate depiction of the weekend that followed....except for the penguins.

81.  A tissue paper snowman crafted by our 6-year-old

82.  Graphic representations to help my daughter and I understand each other better, and God's wisdom in placing her in our family to complement and breathe creative energy into our structured, boring left brained ways.

83.  The way children expand our interests and bring more variety and passion into our lives

As an overly pragmatic, frumpy woman, I've never taken much interest in spa treatments and the like as I would rather do something active and outdoors. However, when my dear daughter asked for a spa themed birthday party, I was suddenly ALL about it. I had already transformed our house into a full service spa six days before the party which evoked interesting expressions from the servicemen who visited our home that week.

84.  God's unique way of giving new desires that benefit us and others as well

My daughter's #1 love language is quality time, and her desire for this love language is off the charts.  Quality time ranked lowest for me when I took the love language evaluation, so giving her the time she craves is a challenge for me, especially considering that we have very different interests making it a struggle find things we both enjoy doing together.  I so want our time together to be fun, not just a duty to dread.

Surprisingly to me, God gave me so much enthusiasm for my daughter's spa themed party, something I would normally not care much about, that I could hardly wait for the day of the party to arrive.  I put more time and energy into this party than any other, and I enjoyed myself more at this party, feeling less stressed and more relaxed than ever before.  This desire is undoubtedly a gift from God.  

After spending over 8 hours that day hosting and cleaning up from the party, God gave me what I would typically desire, time outside doing something active in nature.  That evening after the party is when I discovered the glorious new trails behind our neighborhood where I can explore, run, walk, bike, or even ride a horse to my heart's content out in a beautiful nature setting with the sounds of birds' songs and rivers rushing to soothe my soul and remind me of God's nearness, sovereignty, and love.

85.  Surprising the children

Over the past week, I have thoroughly relished the process of planning a big surprise for the kids in two weeks.  It's made me happier than a punk in a pickle patch!  Every day, I look forward to this surprise we have in store for them.  I can hardly wait and hope I don't spill the beans before then.

86.  Discovering that there is not a mouse in the house

For the past few weeks, I've been so freaked out over the scratchings and rustlings I've been hearing in our pantry that I could barely enter the pantry for fear I would find a mouse in the trap and pass out cold. After further investigation, I am happy to report that we do not have mice, but we do have birds camped out in our dryer vents. They have chewed a nice opening through the vent door and seem to really enjoy using the sauna whenever I run the dryer.  It's a fire hazard, we realize, so we're hoping to soon find a ladder long enough to remedy this situation.

87.  Daddy - Daughter 5K Run

Ever since plebe summer of 1991, my husband has viewed running as a form of punishment.  My competitive daughter will run sprints against the boys at school, but she, too, has never wanted to run long distances, and I was afraid to push her since I wanted her to be free to find her own interests instead of having me impose my own passions onto her. 

Now that I have given up running, at least for a few years, I never thought the subject of running would come up again, but praise God for Y Princesses because they are awarding patches to daddy-daughter teams who complete a 5K in May.  So today, my handsome man laced up his running shoes and patiently coached and encouraged our daughter through their first training run even as she complained throughout all two miles of it.  He's a great coach! Seeing them run together made my heart nearly beat out of my chest.

88.  Our boy's love for the game of basketball

With all those stars they give out at UPWARD, he needs one for "cutest, sweetest basketball player that ever was". He should also get one for "most likely to wear black socks when his mama insists that only white socks should be worn when playing basketball"  

89.  The tendency of boys to outgrow their older sisters

While helping me with the laundry, the 8-year-old pulled out her brother's shirt and said, "This is itty-bitty. It must be E's."

The 6-year-old responded, "Hey now! I'm not itty-bitty."

I intervened, "Be nice to him because one day he'll be bigger and stronger than you are."

The 8-year-old replied, "Nope. When he's grown up he'll be a weak, wimpy businessman, but I'll be a super strong gymnast who works out all the time."

I intervened again, "How can you say that? Your dad is a businessman. Do you think he's wimpy?"

Quick witted 8-year-old, "No, Daddy isn't wimpy because he was in the Navy."

I didn't realize unfair stereotyping started so early. To all my businessmen friends, next time you see my sassy daughter, please flex your muscles and maybe toss her in the air or something to prove her wrong. 

90. Our daughter's love for school which translates into a willingness to help her little brother repeat the same projects she did at school.  

Her WW1 diorama with a plane from the Cold War era (oops)

His home version of a WW1 diorama with no help from anyone except his sister

91.  When kids apply what they learn at school in fun & amusing ways

Our daughter came downstairs one evening with a Nerf dart gun aimed at us.  My husband asked, "What's on the end of your gun?"

She answered, "A butter knife. It's a bayonet. We learned about them at school".

92.  Flowers in unexpected places

My Bible study time this year has encouraged me to seek beauty in every aspect of life so that even those things that once annoyed me bring joy. Flies buzzing around while dining on the back deck can be annoying, but maybe the new pink floral bling on my fly swatter will bring a smile back to my face.

93.  God's strength which equips us to endure the "natural" energy spikes of our offspring

After barely surviving a shopping trip with my exceedingly spastic children, I asked them, "Did you eat any food dyes, sugar, or caffeine at school to make you so hyper today?"

The girl said, "Nope. Air makes me hyper."

Then her sly brother said, "I think eating vegetables makes us hyper, Mom".

 And I thought, "Nice try, boy, but you get a double helping of veggies for dinner tonight."
 
94. My son's willingness to openly talk with me, especially regarding heart matters and girls

I think my son and my husband share similar good looks.  Just as my husband got lots of attention from the ladies during his youth, our son seems to garner much attention from girls of all ages.  Our boy, who I sometimes refer to as DC, Jr. in my mind, had not really noticed the attention since he just wants to hang with the guys without caring what girls think or say.  It's better for him not to think too highly or too lowly of himself because thinking too much of oneself period displaces God, and my desire is that His heart and thoughts would always be consumed with the Lord.

However, when an attractive 15-year-old at his school who helps with his art class told him not once, but twice during the same class period that she thought he was cute, he noticed. And he thought about it enough to tell me all about it.  Now it's time to pray that he will stay humble like his daddy.


95.  The Lost Medallion

I'm always grateful when a movie producer decides to create a film that delivers a Christian message about God's love with clean, family-friendly content that appeals to kids and adults of all ages.  The message in this film for orphans regarding their purpose in life is especially significant to me.

96.  Creative costumes even if they are the fruit of procrastination

My daughter retreated to her room one evening to work on a research paper. She came out later dressed like a French painter. While her garb may give the impression that she's inspired by her research, her topic was Queen Victoria, so my right-brained child was clearly procrastinating.  Gotta love the costume, though.  And perhaps Queen Victoria hired a French painter to paint a portrait of her.