Construction Updates

We saw our neighbors outside the other day high-fiving and fist-bumping each other.

Why? you ask.

Because the driveway Port-A-Potty is GONE!!!

Woo hoo!!! (insert jump and click heels together here)

This is fantastic news because it also means that they are. just. about. done. with. construction!!!

The boys have been a little sad when they realize the two main construction guys won't be here almost every day anymore. And Jas even said he felt a little bittersweet saying goodbye to the construction guys.

I say, "See ya! Don't let the door hit ya in the keyster!" No bittersweet or sad anythings going on for me. No sirree! Good job, thank you, and see ya bye!

Here, check this out:

Carpet last Friday ~
The boys are "into" wrestling in the family room now!

Grammy is in town ~ we can spreeeeaaaaad out and play games now!

The new door that replaced our old sliding glass door

Outside... Oooh. Aaaah.

We only have a few things left before it is all done. We have to paint two short sections of gutter trim (what's that called?), the gutters should be put on early next week, and the stone tiles for around the fireplace are on backorder so those will go up in a few weeks. We also have to install different smoke detectors before the city does their inspection. Those just arrived today. That's it!

Woot woot!

Now to start planning the kitchen remodel for early next year...

(((hugs))),
chris


Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted
eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole
scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11

Letting Go

We all have this tendency to think that we have things under control when we like how things are going. Or we feel stressed out because we don't feel like we have any control when things don't go the way we think they should.

The truth is that deep down people actually having control is an illusion.

All smoke 'n mirrors, baby.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

We only have control over our own actions and thoughts and words. Our choices. Not anyone else's choices. Or our children, our spouse, our coworkers, the freight train schedule that makes us late for school pickup, our government, our illnesses, nothing. Our choices can and will have an effect on others, but will not control others.

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.   1 Corinthians 10:31

My dad was in Alcoholics Anonymous for a long time. When I was 16 he got sober. He was sober for 19 years before he died. We have the Serenity Prayer hanging in our front room. I always loved AA's slogans. Here is my favorites list:
  One day at a time
  KISS - keep it simple, stupid
  We're all here because we're not all there   :)
  This too shall pass
  If God seems far away, who moved?
  The will of God will not take you where the grace of God will not
  Courage to change

Slogans are the wisdom written in shorthand. My favorite having to do with control is "Let go, let God." If we let go of our need to feel in control, and move out of the way, then God will move in and through and all around us and He will take care of everything. Fill every. Single. Need.

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.   1 Peter 1:8

Our God is the One who has sovereign control over us. Our lives. Over everything in the world. All the big things and all the details. Over all the good. And when "bad" things happen, maybe He made it happen, or maybe it was a person exercising their free will and making a bad choice that affected others.

One thing we know as Christians is that everything is all for His glory in the end. God will turn it all to good.

Every stinkin' thing.

Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. 
          Romans 5:2

Maybe we get to see how He is glorified in this life. Maybe we don't.

The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
          1 Peter 1:9

Hear it. Rinse. Repeat. "Salvation of your souls." Eternal life. In heaven. With Jesus.

Clarity. Joy. Love.

Awesome.

That's my goal.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.  1 Peter 5:10

Let go, let God. So super-easy to say and so freaking hard to do.

I'm keeping my eyes on the prize at the finish line. I will love God. I will love the people around me. I will pray. I will struggle with this. I will turn the control over to Jesus.

Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.  Romans 6:13

Lord, take me and use me as your instrument.

Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.  James 2:26

Lord, use me as your instrument. Bring it. I'm listening.

(((hugs))),
chris


May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ —for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
           Philippians 1:11

Pictures

I haven't taken many pictures of us since we have been living in construction-land. Here are a few recent and maybe-not-so-recent pictures of my guys...

Brothers playing iPad

Brothers playing Play Doh

Brothers spinning beyblades or ninjago or something....

Sammy & our old man cat, Killer

Brothers playing Twister

My Supermen

(((hugs))),
chris

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
                        ~ Romans 12:2

And our baby is THREE now!!!

DRUMROLL, PUH-LEEEEASE!!!

Introducing.....

our THREE year old....

and his very FIRST birthday cake....

Happy Birthday, sweet Sammy!!! 

Opening presents

Grammy got him an accordion...
Guess how Grammy will be woken up the next time she comes to town?

Last year at this time we were three days post-surgery on his birthday... no cake, just chocolate milkshakes for all! And Samuel didn't even like the milkshakes, poor guy. This year we had his birthday party in our construction zone... which is much better in my opinion! He had a great day wearing his "It's My B-day" pin and singing "Happy Birthday to You" all day long.

Then the next day...

Samuel's first day of school

Can he be old enough for preschool already???

He loved his first day of school. We walked in and two kids were crying... I thought well this is it. We're going to lose it. But I was thankfully wrong ~ no problems at all! Because he had seen D do the morning routine so many times, Sam knew that he needed to hang up his backpack, and then go wash his hands. Then he went right in to the bathroom by himself. He seemed so proud to be able to use that bathroom all by himself, like he had been WAITING to do that... He kissed us goodbye and then walked off to play in the middle of the other kids. We were so proud of our little man!

Whew! What a week!

(((hugs))),
chris

I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.
                                      ~ John 11:25

And the construction continues...

We have had construction guys in our house for weeks now.

They broke through the old inside wall the other day.

Now they are all inside our house.

Our old wood deck was torn out on July 18... so that's when all this started. Rather than being bothered by dust and dirt, I am enjoying not having to clean the house :) No complaining here, because when the construction is over and they are GONE it will be awesome. We are blessed! And the construction guys are all nice ~ no scary grim reaper-types have showed up or anything.

Is it wrong to give your construction guys cookies and popsicles and bananamelons?

Here are the most recent pics:

The munchkins ate lunch next to the big opening where the old sliding door used to be
while the construction guys put in our new door

The old room

Bye-bye side bricks and carpet!

Jason and Josh helped with the demo - supervised by one of the Broncos of course :)

Ooh, it is growing!

And the roof over the patio is here

Yesterday the roof paper stuff was put on and the electricians worked their magic. Today we will have inspections from the city peeps, and drywall and siding are on our schedule early next week. Somewhere in there the roofers will come back and finish the roof too. Things sure do move quickly here in constructionland :-D

I understand that if you are not our family or close friends these construction updates may be super boring to you. Sorry about that. It is not boring to us! I suppose it may also be boring for our family and close friends too... oh well! The project is scheduled to be finished by October 10... (and the port-a-potty in our front driveway will be gone then too ~ that little update is for our neighbors tee hee hee). This is less than two weeks from now ~ YAHOO!!!!

And next week... during the drywall and siding days... we have a birthday...

Someone who is turning 3 is super-excited!!!

(((hugs))),
chris


Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.       ~ Ephesians 6:18

Harelip

Do I have your attention?

One sec while I step up on to my soap box now.

Ahem.

The appropriate word that defines a birth condition in which facial tissues fail to fuse during gestation is "cleft", not "harelip". How many of us parents of kids with cleft issues have heard the term "harelip"?

The term "harelip" is now considered to be insensitive and offensive. In case ya didn't know.

Just like "cracker" or "gook" or "oriental" or "colored" or "wop" or "chink" or "reta**" or "ni****" .

Any of those make you bristle? "Harelip" makes me bristle. All those words are insensitive and inappropriate and offensive.

The history of the term "harelip" will help you to understand why it is so inappropriate. Check this out:

This one is about: "Harelip" - The Dark History of an Unfortunate Word
(c) 1996 Wide Smiles

In the 16th century, it was a French Doctor who, when discussing a patient with a cleft, first coined the phrase that would be translated, "Lip of the Hare". In English it was more comfortably shortened to "HareLip". It was an unfortunate pairing of similes. The good doctor was only reflecting that the lip was split, as is the lip of a Hare (and every other rodent). But unfortunately for those who were born with a cleft, the hare had also long been associated with witchcraft!

It was believed throughout the dark ages and even to relatively recent times that a witch would often take the shape of a hare. And if a hare were to frighten a pregnant woman, she would give birth to a child bearing the mark.

In the 17th century the hysteria surrounding witchcraft rose to a new and frightening level. And it was during that time that the hare had become a symbol of Satan himself. A woman bearing a child with the mark of the hare, or a harelip, at that time, was thought to have had to have had relations with Satan. And thus, the cleft-affected child born of a woman, say, in Salem Massachusetts during the mid 17th century, in the midst of witchcraft hysteria would have condemned his mother to a violent end. That baby would have constituted "irrefutable evidence" of his mother's unnatural liaison with Satan. 

Fast forward now to the 20th Century. Many people still use the term, "HareLip" when they mean to say, "Cleft Lip". Do they associate our children with Satanism and witchcraft? No, surely they don't. But it is nonetheless a term that has persevered in our language, long after a more accurate, more appropriate term has been coined.

At the very least, the term, "HareLip" likens our children to a common field rodent. It is not a soft, fluffy bunny. It is just a rodent. At the very most it harkens back to a darker past. A past that would never have happened were it not for massive hysteria on the part of a superstitious and almost militantly religious population. A past that condemned our children as the Devil's Seed, and condemned their mothers to death.


Please please please don't say "harelip" in front of my children. Don't compare them to rodents. They have to deal with enough stares and judgment and crap from meanie-mcmeanster people already. And we are always going to have to deal with racial issues too. Two of my kids are "cleft-affected" or have a "cleft lip". You can even mention their cleft palates, though most of you will never see that part of them. Thank you.

Stepping down now.

I do know most people say this term not in a malicious hurtful way, just out of ignorance.

Consider yourself educated on the topic.

Because I like you.

(((hugs))),
chris


So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. 
                      John 13:34-35

Giggles

I heard the sweetest sound yesterday. I wish I had a video camera on me or an upgrade to my dino-phone so I could have taken a video of it. It was so cool.

Number 1 is sick, so I took him to the doc yesterday afternoon. As we were driving home, #2 was singing in a singsongy trying-to-annoy-my-little-brother voice. #3 was whining and telling #2 to STOP and #2 kept on going. #1's throat hurt too much or he would have certainly joined in. Now, #3 does this singsongy trying-to-annoy-my-big-brother voice quite often too, so I didn't feel right stopping #2. You know, I wanted to teach #3 how annoying it is - natural consequences, right? So #2 is a persistent sort of fellow, so the singsongy-ness went on for 5 minutes. 10 minutes. 15 stinkin' minutes. Picture me driving and grinding my teeth with my eyes popping out of my head being in my relaxed space listening to a little K-1ove whilst this is happening in the back seat.

Ignore, Chris. Ignore. Don't micromanage the children...

So at a stoplight 15 minutes into this with no end in sight, I reached my hand back and gently took #2's hand. I said a prayer to myself. Something like, "Please, Lord, make the song stop! help me to love these little boys how you want me to love."

I looked at David and told him that he had been singing loudly for quite a long time. And that I loved him.

I turned back around to keep driving, and the boys started giggling.

(enter the sweet, sweet sounds)

And giggling.

And giggling.

And #2 started saying, "Oh my goodness! Look at that _____! Oh my goodness! Look at that _____!"

And #1 started giggling at that too.

And #3 started giggling and tilting sideways to be silly.

And the next thing you know, all three are belly-laugh giggling, saying silly things (the whole time D is Oh my goodness!-ing), and tilting sideways, and giggling more.

The giggling continued... down the road, through the drive-through, waving at people driving by, washing hands at home, eating dinner. Giggle, giggle, giggle.

Pure sweetness! It was awesome!

(((hugs))),
chris


Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.    Proverbs 3:6

I Don't Work

There has been a lot of media about stay-at-home parents vs. working parents lately...
     I am not going to refer you to those articles because I am tired of
                     reading them myself.
     Some of them are just plain ol' ugly and judgmental and critical.

And I have heard comments from people in my real life lately...
    "Oh my flowers would look that beautiful if I stayed home all day too."
    "No, she doesn't work. She just stays home."

So I have been thinking about this lately. The value of staying home to raise your own kids.

Maybe I do lay on the couch all day eating bon bons.

Ya, right.

Jason and I both think it is important that I stay home. We think the consistency of me always being with the kids and available to the kids and caring for the kids is worth it. We don't miss the extra income anymore. And we never ever would want to trade this for juggling two jobs and childcare and who is taking off work to stay home with the sick kid today and oh my another daycare worker quit and there is a new one again and did you do the pre-tax forms? and not knowing if our kid played blocks or PlayDoh or rode a bike or said a new word today... barf-ola, baby... To me that just looks like STRESS STRESS STRESS.

This post is not meant to be a slam on those who choose to work or have to work and have someone else (daycare or family or friends or whoever) watch their kids. I think that is really great for other families, and kids from those families grow up healthy and happy. This is OUR life and just how I feel and the choices WE have made. Just my opinion about our life and choices, is all.

And we know we are blessed, because this is our CHOICE. I do not have to work in order that we can have enough money to live or pay for our house or put gas in the car or buy our food. God is good.

Let me share how our life went when I quit my full-time job.

It sucked.

Yup, you heard me. It sucked. Do I sound like a spoiled brat? It was scary and felt like I was floating around out there and I felt so stinkin' DEPENDENT on Jason. And I didn't even quit cold-turkey. I worked half-time for a year after we had Josh, then part-time for my sis-in-law for a while, and then did some in-home daycare.

But it is no wonder that I felt so dependent and out of my element, since I didn't have Josh until I was 36 years old, and I started working full-time when I was 18, so (other than student teaching in college) I had worked full-time and mostly lived on my own for half my life by the time I had a kid. I think people forget this sometimes. Working at a job outside the home was "normal" for me for so long, and not having that responsibility just felt weird. And really really uncomfortable.

You can say that, um, I did. Not. Like. It.

I never ever pictured myself as the stay-at-home mom driving the kids around in a minivan. hehe :-D

But here I am.

One interesting thing about being a stay-at-home mom is how that topic is such a conversation stopper.
                Any other SAHMs experience this?

You can ask someone what they do for work, and they will share, and you can ask followup questions to learn more, and the conversation goes on from there.

A "working" person asks a SAHM what they do for work, and SAHM says something like, "Oh, I stay home with my kids." Other than how many kids or how old they are, the conversation just seems to come to a screeching halt. This has happened to me SO many times.

Funny, eh?

Ya, sometimes I have bad days and I am just stickaforkinme DONE and I run around the house throwing things and yelling, "Jason! I am going to start looking for a job TOMORROW! I think it would be so NICE to go to the bathroom by MYSELF! And drive in the effing car by MYSELF! And talk to other ADULTS without getting interrupted! YOU can start looking for someone to watch the kids!" But I don't really mean it.   I mean, after I pull my head out and look around, our life is so so so good. And I should only be praising the One who gives us all these blessings.

Answered prayers. We are surrounded by answered prayers.
Thank you, Lord, for these blessings.

So today I am comfortable with being a stay-at-home mom. It took a couple years to get here. The thought of sending our kids off to have someone else help raise them so I can go work when we don't need the money, well I am so grateful that we don't have to do that and I wouldn't change our choice. Never ever in a million years.

And I am with them for every laugh and smile and tear and owie and every new thing they learn and experience. The kids know I am here for them no matter what. I get as many chores done around the house so Jason doesn't have to do as much so we can enjoy fun family time together more on his weekends. I do have a very important job, starring in a supporting role.

Now, back to my bon bons...

(((hugs))),
chris

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.     Matthew 6:33