Ready for Preschool!

Daddy was in charge of bathtime to make sure Carter was squeaky clean for his first day of Preschool on Friday. This is what I discovered . Daddy obvioulsy took this job to the FULLest! Carter was so excited when he woke up Friday morning. He was beside himself. I was a little worried that he might change his mind when I dropped him off but he proved me wrong. I opened the door to his classroom and he announced "I'm here!" and walked right in and sat at the table of play-doh. I can't believe how grown up our little guy is now. He loves his teachers, "Miss Beff" (miss beth) and "Mrs Flower" (Mrs. Lauer).

Highchairs and Rocketships

Kelsey finally joins the family dinner table!

Since Kelsey is still refusing the bottle, we are moving straight to the sippy cup. We haven't mastered it enough to count on a full feeding from it but we know she won't starve if I were to be away (which is YET to happen... ahh, 6 months is a long time to be attached, literally, to your baby)

This is Carter's "rocketship"! Upon his own creative mind, he decided to make a rocket ship and told me to get on it with him. I helped his creation a bit with some more pillows, I mean "seating".

T-Ball At Its Finest

A few practice shots before the big "game" (which consists of 20 kids and 20+ parents taking turns on 3 different tees and letting them run bases)
As good as a team picture of 2 and 3 yr olds will ever get!
Enjoy our three shades of green.
BOTH grandparents got to see Carter play last week.

Teach Me

Yesterday, Carter called me into the living room with a fair sense of urgency. I promptly came, thinking I'd be helping him get his ball from underneath the couch or a basket of toys down from the cabinets. Instead, Carter sat down on the fireplace step and repeated, "Mommy, Mommy, come here."
I walked over in front of him, "Yes Carter."
He folded his hands in his lap and looked up at me with very serious and pleading eyes, "Mommy, " he said, "Will you teach me? Will you teach me so I can grow up?"
Mommy's heart melted, of course.

Thinking of that sweet little interchange between my son and I - God has reminded me of something. If I am a child of God, do I look up at my Father and simply ask, "will you teach me?" Hardly ever.
Obviously Carter knows he still has to "grow up," and as a two year old we know this is true. But for me, as a mother in my adult years, I consider myself already grown up (most days). But spiritually I know I have some 'growing up' to do. I'm not sure how I think I will mature myself spiritually if I don't let God teach me. And how does that really look in my life now - "letting God teach me"?
First, I think it means submission. Carter was ready to stop whatever he was doing and even put his hands in his lap so he could learn. As a mother of two, I will seldom be found putting my hands down. I am always "doing" - holding, creating, folding, cooking, fixing, etc. My hands, I believe, show God's labor of love to my children all day long. But if I want to be taught, I must stop my Martha hands and submit at His feet like Mary.
Next, I think we have to be teachable. With Carter starting preschool this month, I've prayed often that he would be "teachable" - that he would listen to his teachers and do what they say. So not only do I need to stop myself before God, I need to listen to him. How does He really see me as a student in His classroom? Am I teachable? Or am I running around so busy with my own thoughts and agenda everyday that He can't even speak?

Teach me your ways, so that I may know you. Exodus 33:13

I don't think we're ever grown up until we can say we know God. And I hope I always want to know him more.
Teach me Lord, so I can grow up.

Happy Birthday Gramie!

Good to Be Home

It's been so good to be at home the past couple weeks and not be traveling so much (for now). Carter had a blast with Gramie and Pop-Pop but we are very glad to have him with us again. Of course I'm sure he actually got real baths at gramie's house -- here, we've been caught more than once this week by our neighbors using the sprinklers as Carter's nightly shower. (The boy gets so darn sweaty playing outside at night - "To Carter's Future Wife, I apologize for this trait") Carter had his first T-Ball game this week. (Yes, they have TBall for 2 1/2 year olds.) He did great and played with all his heart! He even scored some new tennis shoes for all his new sporting days.
We were all so glad to have Mimi and Pops back home this week too!
In Carter's mind, if he is going to sit in Kelsey's bouncey seat and that is where Kelsey is supposed to sit - then he'll just hold her and sit in it too! Of course she does not mind. Kelsey has fallen totally in love with her big brother. He is the only one who can make her laugh . . . I mean really laugh hard . . . everytime he tries! If he could feed her, he'd be the only one she'd ever want.
Oh wait, he IS feeding her now! Kelsey is not quite sure about this yet, as you can see - "Are you sure about this mom?!"


I'll leave you with this little future worship director. If you know Carter at all, you know this boy LOVES to sing. And thanks to Gramie -he's got about 5 hymns he performs flawlessly : ) I was able to get him to sing a little for the camera and then Sesame Street won his attention. (I apologize for the crooked neck you'll have trying to watch this)

Be Strong

"Be men of courage; Be strong." (1 Cor 16:13)

My devotional today really got me thinking. In today's world, we are seldom encouraged to "be strong." Instead, there always seems to be a way out, an easier way to do things or an excuse. This way of thinking carries over into our prayer lives. When our days get stressful or relationships get rough, we often pray that life will get simpler. "Just make it go away, God."

How tragic this must be to God. Here he stands on the throne of the Universe, with more power than we can possibly imagine, waiting to unleash that power and strength to us - and we pray against it. We choose not to witness for ourselves and display to others the "strength beyond measure" that God has for us.

The Proverbs 31 woman often seems so unattainable to me. This woman gets up before sunrise and she works her tail off. She serves her children, her husband and even those outside her home. She does business. She sews. She cooks. She speaks wisdom. She is never idle. She respects her husband and she loves her children. She is not stressed or worried, but "laughs at the days to come." The girl has energy! She "is clothed with strength" (Prov 31:25).

We know we are not born with that kind of strength. So I believe the biggest attribute of the Proverbs 31 woman is that she surely was not afraid to pray for strength. And apparently, God never held it back from her. God tells us that "your strength will equal your days" (Deut 33:25) The well of strength never runs dry for us as children of God. Why don't we drink from it? Why are we so afraid to ask to be strong instead of asking for a way out?

Lord, make me strong. When life seems to be out to get me, let me resist the temptation to pray for shelter - instead, clothe me with strength.