Teddy Bear Parade

All the kids in Vincent's class brought their teddy bears to school for a parade. Lots of fun.

These boys love to draw, paint, cut, color and read.

Shining Star

This is a Shining Star. It has one big heart that is giving power to all of the other hearts. It's very strong so it can't be broken.
Daniel worked away, making this star for me as I fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion. He then woke me up to show it to me. "Mom, look at this." Half asleep I tell him no, let me keep sleeping. He persisted two more times and I snapped, raising my voice, without looking at what he was trying to show me. "No! I need to rest!" He cried that heart-broken cry, so sad that I didn't look at what he had worked so hard and lovingly on just for me. He closed the door and went into the other room sobbing. My nap was over, I've totally failed at being a loving mother again. I've broken my son's heart and it's not the first time this week. I got up and hugged him and apologized. He showed me his masterpiece and described it. It's amazing. He's amazing. He has love overflowing from his heart. Me, I have exhaustion, impatience, selfishness overflowing from my heart. Funny thing is, I was just reading about how we should be overflowing with joy, life, grace. Fail. But I hear Love's whisper from my 5 year old. "There is One big Heart and it's giving power to all the little hearts."

Miscellaneous Photos

Sprouts: one of our new favorites.

This photo is old, but this summer Gavin, Dominic and Lucas all took gymnastics together in the same little room we took gymnastics as kids. They had a blast.

These cousins love each other so much.

The boys have been playing together so great lately. The morning of this photo, they were all playing house. They each placed their pillow on Gavin's toddler bad effectively making 3 beds, then tucked themselves in. Daniel was the mom. He told them when to go to sleep and when to wake up. Lots of baby talk and more giggles.
Auntie Jess came over on Friday after a long week of me being alone with the kids. George was working out of town for the week. So she gave me a break, some precious time alone for a couple hours. So nice! Not only did she watch my boys, but she entertained Maggie and Seanie too. They all sat and listened to this entire book.

Raising Tinys

I first met Heidi Hildebrand in Germany where she and her husband were missionaries with the Navigators. I was nine and we played Monopoly. When I was twenty-two, I was driving my 30 year old BMW through Arizona where they had moved and were raising their three children. I stopped by for a quick visit, a sandwich and some car repairs. Mike and Heidi were one of those rare, inspirational couples that you just loved to be around. You couldn’t help but smile being around them. Their love of life, God, each other and those around them were infectious.Four years ago, I attended Heidi’s funeral. As her best friend spoke of her through tears, she recalled a comment Heidi once said to her that has stuck with me. “Wouldn’t it have been great if we could have raised our tinys together.” They had met once their children were school-aged. That comment comes back to me often as I think about the friendships I’ve made in the past 6 years, mostly friends who also have “Tinys”. I met most of these friends at MOPS and the friendships have stuck. I am deeply blessed, enriched and encouraged by them.

Daniel just started school and has left the tiny stage of life. My other friend’s kids are also entering a new phase of life. My friends have decided to be intentional about keeping these friendships going and growing. A couple of them have invited all of our similar aged kids over twice a month for “Basics Club” where these friendships will continue to grow between our kids. Our kids will have other friends whose families love God and who are learning how to love God and each other better as they grow up. When we look back on this time, I hope we say: “Aren’t we lucky we got to raise our Tinys together.”

School Days

On Vincent's first day of school, he walked right in, put his name tag on all by himself and got right to work playing. Not a moment of hesitation. He was so excited for school. He is a very independent boy. "I can do it myself" are words commonly coming from his lips.


Daniel's buddy Jakob lives across the street, he was born 6 weeks after Daniel and now they are in the same kindergarten class. It's so fun having neighbors, friends and classmates all rolled into one.

Portraits

For a short while longer, I have a 2 year old, a 4 year old and a 5 year old. Sweet, sweet boys who love to snuggle with their mom. They give each other hugs when someone is hurt...after they apologize for doing the hurting.

I gave them all haircuts yesterday. All three boys have exactly the same color hair. A look at the pile of cut strands on the floor shows a mess of dirty blonde. Magnificent highlights.

Deep eyes. I get lost in them.

Gavin's hand on his big brother's shoulder.

Dinner and paint stain this cute face. There is almost always food on "Gavinger's" face. He scavenges constantly.

Heartbreaking

Excersize

This morning as I was checking my emails, the boys called to me from the other room: "Mom, come in here and look what we're doing!" I found them all doing their excersizes. Gavin was doing Yoga, Vincent and Daniel were working the weights. It looks like a good before-school routine to me.
The boys love making houses out of the laundry baskets. They each get their pillow and a blanket and hang out like this for a good 20 minutes. Silence. Giggles. So great.
This is the garage movie theater where the boys can watch their 99 cent VHS movies. Two spare booster seats and an emptied out toy basket. Total contentment.

Mom, I want to marry you

At lunch today, Vincent says "Mom, when I grow up, I want to be just like you." How sweet. I tried to get him to specify what it was about me he wanted to be like. "bigger." As in all grown up. Okay. I should have left the first statement alone.
Then at dinner he looks adoringly at me in the midst of all his brotherly chaos and says. "mom, when I grow up, I want to marry you." Ahh, I love it. Daniel explained what he already learned a couple years ago...I'm already married so you'll have to get your own chick. So I told Vincent that when he does get married, I would like to dance with him. I had to fight back the tears just imagining handing him over to someone else. I love my sweet boys, and I love this time with them.

Vincent going to preschool

Vincent is now in his second week of preschool and loving it. It seems the best part for him is the lunch box he gets to bring. He shows it to everyone, then opens it up and shows whats inside describing each snack and drink. He has the same teachers Daniel had last year, Miss Grace and Miss Sharon.
Daniel starts on the late bird schedule tomorrow which means instead of starting at 8:25 am he starts at 9:25 after the first day of the week. This means Vincent will get dropped off at 9, then Daniel a block away half an hour later, then Vincent gets picked up at 11:30 and Daniel at 1:15. We've been walking most of the time since both schools are so close. But it seems all I'm doing is walking to and from school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and killing time until the next kid comes or goes. This new schedule will take some getting used to. At lease everyone likes school. Gavin is a trooper walking or riding his balance bike and sometimes needing a lift, but no more strollers.