My Little Guy isn't so Little Anymore!

Ross learned recently to write his name and today he wrote "Mommy"! He was so excited, as were Gabriel, Annalina, and I!

Even though Ross is getting big his little brother Carson isn't far behind (at least in stature! Carson isn't writing letters!). Ross is 33 lbs. and Babe weighed Carson at 27 lbs. the other day! Funny!

New Creature

II Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Even though it has only been a short time since Ross has received Jesus as his Saviour I have already seen evidence of this new relationship with his Saviour. Yes, Ross still has his strong will and personality and no there is not an angelic glow to him but here is what I have seen.

One, he has been easier to instruct. I can tell he is trying to do the right thing. There are people that we run into on a bi-weekly basis that for some reason Ross has been very uncomfortable around and he would struggle responding kindly to them and now he talks politely to them even though I can still tell he isn't comfortable. At the pool the other day Ross came running to me and the lifeguard yelled at him to stop running. Ross was upset that attention had been drawn to him and he folded his arms and put out a poochy lip. He apologized for being "bad" to me but was still upset. I explained that being bad was when you purposely do what you know you shouldn't and that this was a lesson and explained the lifeguard yelled so that he was sure to hear him. I also told him he needed to have a good attitude and excellent spirit. He took some time and changed his attitude. Later Ross was just being spritely and the lifeguard just got cautious and said something to Ross and he immediately obeyed with a happy heart. He came to me and said "I obeyed the lifeguard right away." He had an excellent spirit!

Two, one night I was talking to all the kids about an especially rough day with obedience with them. Ross said "What happens when you are a Christian and you sin?" He was thinking!!!! Good question!!

Three, I was talking to him one day and he said something to me about when he makes a big mess he prays and asked Jesus what he should do. I was very impressed by this. THAT is a relationship, being in constant communion with his heavenly Father even about what might seem a small thing. The other day after making a mess in the bathroom from missing the toilet he went and just started cleaning it up!!!

Four, he has started making up songs. The one I heard today was something like "Jesus is Lord and Saviour" it was so cute. He also came to me with a song he made up that went something like "Trust, trust in Jesus. Trust, trust, trust in Jesus. Just to know the Saviour Lord." I love that song. The Bible talks about "Singing and making melody in your heart"!

Five, interested in the rapture. Ross--"How will we get up in the sky?", "How will we find Jesus?" He was not scared about it, just interested in how it was going to work! I heard him say the other day about our souls going to heaven and I knew he had listened to me teaching him the other day about death!

Carson's First Birthday!

Carson is a Big Boy now! No more babies here! The kids always enjoy birthday parties and cake! Carson seemed to know the cake was for him and kept reaching for it. I was glad to see he enjoyed it.

On his first birthday he started standing up and walking from a sit or kneel. We were all excited to see that. Now he doesn't have to crawl someplace to get himself up to walk he can just stand up!! His siblings were so excited and proud!! Carson is able to fold his hands to pray, sign for "please", say Mama, Dadda, Ame for Amen, ahhduh for all done. Things he enjoys at age one is playing with siblings, playing with toys with wheels, and playing in the toilet whenever someone forgets to shut the door. He also really seems to enjoying Sonja our 2 year old English Mastiff.

Auntie Theo painted the cute "1 is Fun!" birthday shirt for him. It fit him great!

Wisdom from Proverbs

We are still reading the Proverbs of the day at breakfast. Here are some verses that I have read lately that I appreciated and I can really learn from.

Proverbs 16:21 ". . . the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning."

Here's what the book The Remarkable Wisdom of Solomon by Henry Morris had to say about that . . .

"Verse 21 speaks of 'the sweetness of his lips' as conducive to learning, a concept containing excellent advice for those who are, or who desire to be, teachers. 'Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones' (verse 24)."

As a parent sometimes it is so easy to get frustrated (at least for me) when instructing and teaching. This verse is one I need to remember and be sharpened on.

Proverbs 14:26 "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge."

I need to remember that I can live confidently when I know that I am doing what the Lord has required and asked of me. There is confidence that comes in fulfilling God's expectations and not bogged down in what every person off the street expects of our lives. I think I could preach a sermon on this! The world is ruthless but in Christ we have refuge.

Time just keeps marching along . . .

I just had to post this old picture of Ross when he was a little guy, it is one of my favorite's. He was enjoying playing with Daddy's combat boots and got tuckered out in the mean time! Time goes by so fast!

High Tea

These are some pictures I took about 2 weeks ago and I never posted. Annalina and Ross have so much fun in there pretend worlds. In these pictures they are playing "King and Queen". There is no lack of imagination for them. Annalina is wearing what she calls her "royal tights" a gift from Grampa and Grandma of course!! Ross is wearing an outfit Grampa J bought him in China and it makes a perfect king outfit and I have also seen him use it for a pharoah outfit! Ross' hat came from Daddy when he was deployed to Afghanistan. What a dutiful brother Ross is holding the baby doll to be fed!!

I also added in the picture of Ross sword fighting Carson. For some reason Carson really enjoys the sparing and for the most part Ross is careful that he aims at Carson's sword and not Carson!

Carson and His Baby Steps!

Here's a video clip for Grandma and Grandpa! He's doing a great job! I should have held the camera horizontal but I guess you can view it with a crooked neck! Carson took his first steps tuesday April 6th. We were sitting in the living room with Auntie Flo and Auntie Grace visiting and he took 3 very unexpected steps to me and we started yelling with excitement. Very Fun!

Another Auntie Visit this time Auntie Theo!

The kids were THRILLED that Auntie Theo was coming to visit with us (my brother Quentin's wife. Quentin is a pastor in Colorado). Theo totally lived up to every expectation of her and beyond (they hadn't seen her in years). Theo is EXREMELY gifted with teaching and connecting with children. Theo used to teach kindergarten and did so for many years and she is also very into crafts.

She brought a big craft book and let each of them pick out a craft they would like to do with her and we went shopping and she got the supplies for them. I didn't get pictures but I am going to post some once she sends the pictures she took of them! Gabriel made a cardboard and cork castle with a drawbridge for his Playmobil warriors and he loves it. Annalina LOVES toy snakes and she made a snake out of an old t-shirt, floral wire, googly eyes, and paint. It turned out WAY cute! Ross picked out a paper plate duck on a dowel. Ross really liked all the painting he got to do with his project!!!

Auntie Theo also spoiled them with gifts puzzles, tracing paper, book, and pumpkin seeds that are supposed to grow to be possibly 400-500 lbs which was super exciting to Gabriel who just planted a garden with Daddy with corn in it! A 500 lb. pumpkin would be a super fun addition to any 2nd grade boys garden! She also made one of her special recipes of corn dog muffins which she used Jiffy cornbread mix, canned corn, and cut up hot dogs. The kids really enjoyed it especially Gabriel who hardly ever takes 2nds at dinner let alone 3rds and he asked for 3rds!! They were Yummy!!

One of Annalina's favorite things she did with her Aunti was the 2 choir lessons she gave them. She taught the how to sing and how to perform so as not to draw attention to themselves but to the words and ultimately to God. Annalina LOVED the classes and I would see her practicing her singing using what she learned!!

Last night when I was putting the kids to bed Gabriel said to me "I noticed something about Auntie Theo" and I asked him what it was that he noticed. He said "I noticed in the van when she was talking about hard thing [in life] that she always mentioned God too . . . . . I think I can learn from that." Ahh, it is so important the people that surround children and I am thankful for even in the short amount of time she spent with them that she sharpened them in their relationship with Christ.

Hopefully, I'll get some more pictures of her time here posted.

Pictures above:

top picture and middle picture-Theo and Ross cooking

last picture-brave Aunt becomes target for nerf target practice

THANK YOU AUNTIE THEO!!!! YOU'RE A BLESSING!!!!

Annalina and Auntie Flo Piano Duet--Surprise Symphony

I love listening to this! It sounds like a music box! So much to be thankful for and I don't mean that tritely . . . a little girl that practices VERY hard, a teacher that I truly believe the Lord led us to (Miss Jenny) who has done an excellent job connecting with Annalina's learning style and teaching her wonderfully, an Auntie that has fostered a love of good music, and the Lord that has given Annalina the ability to even move her fingers to play a note. Enjoy this little tune!

A RED LETTER DAY!!!!! April 5th, 2010 Ross' Salvation

Tonight Ross came and said he wanted to accept Jesus as his Saviour! I told Ross that it was the most important decision he would make in his life. Brian and I went through verse by verse and phrase by phrase. We read him John 3:16, Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:13, and Ephesians 2:8-9. When we read "the wages of sin is death" and talked about the phrase Ross said "but I want to receive Jesus as my Saviour". He didn't want the death in hell, he wanted Jesus! AMEN. When we read "by grace are ye saved through faith" he said "What is faith?" I said good question!!!! He is a sharp little boy. After Brian and I talked to him and asked him questions we prayed with him and read him John 10:28-29 that no man can pluck him out of HIS hand.

After we were all done and had given him hugs Ross went into his room and told Gabriel and Annalina about his decision. They were BOTH so happy but Annalina's face was absolutely priceless she was absolutely THRILLED!! She was grinning from ear to ear and hugged and kissed Ross. She said "Ross I wanted to see you in heaven." I KNOW she has prayed for Ross' salvation. Ross layed down next to her on her bed and said "Guess what Annalina? No one can snatch me out of Jesus' hand!" Annalina replied "That's right Ross . . . and then I wish I had a video tape she did and absolutely amazing job of talking to him about eternal security!!! I was extremely impressed and touched. She cared so much for his decision and it was a blessing to see her growing spiritual maturity and how it is blossoming. The kids got up to get a drink and while they were standing there Ross said to Annalina "the Bible says I am His child now" (I just love the sound of that, huh?!!) Annalina, in this sweet big sister way replied "we are all his little lambs." Gabriel was happy for Ross' decision too but he is just not as verbal as his sister and did try to add some things too.

As a parent there is NO GREATER comfort or thrill than to know my children have chosen to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour and realize the importance of His sacrifice for their sin. With Easter last Sunday, last week we really discussed what Jesus endured for us . . . the beating, the mocking, the crown of thorns. Ross also has heard Gabriel and Annalina talk about Christ's imminent return. Tonight while I was singing hymns to them before sleep time Ross asked me what "amazing grace" was (this is before he asked to receive Christ as his Saviour). He also asked about another word that Annalina deciphered to mean Redeemer after talking about that I sang the song "There is a Redeemer Jesus God's own Son precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One. Thank you Oh my Father for sending us your Son and leaving your Spirit till your work on earth is done."

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Dear Lord, thank you for your grace toward us and your gift of salvation. Thank you for my salvation and thank you that I have been witness to 3 of my children coming to know you as their Saviour and I pray that someday when the time is right I will see the 4th come to know you too. Lord, I feel so inadequate trying to raise these children to be soldiers and servants of you. Please help me to train in such a way that they look past my failures to your perfect example. I do ask they they would pick up from Brian and I the sense of your reallness and presence in our lives and that you are as real to us "as the air we breath." Please give Brian and I wisdom, guidance, and patience. Thank you for blessing our home with the children you have given us. They have enriched our lives more than could have ever been imagined. Please help them to grow up to love and serve you with all their heart, soul, and mind. Thank you, Thank you for your saving grace. I love you Lord. In Jesus name, AMEN.