5th Bday Party

Jeremiah was so excited about his party this year. He made his own invitations with paper, stamps, stickers, and markers and proudly handed them out at church. We had a fun afternoon celebrating our boy!
(The party was Saturday, February 27th.)

There is always much excitement when it comes to the cake.
This year Jeremiah chose a hedgehog. I think he turned out pretty cute.

I love seeing our living room full of people.

Reading a new book from oma.

Jeremiah closes his eyes for his big surprise from grandmom and grandad.

A new bike!

Off he goes...

Journal Entry

Here is my journal entry from the day my mom went back to Holland.

March 6, 2010

I watched Jeremiah's face crumple into tears as the reality of his oma walking away from him hit him. The inevitable separation caused by the barrier of the security gate. I watched him feel the impact of immediate loss, his body trembling with it. There was nothing to do but drop my bag, gather him into my arms, and rock him as we sat on the airport floor. People continued to mill around us oblivious to this moment. This moment when pieces of my childhood and my adulthood merged and I who was so often the grieving child must now be the comforting parent.

I knew the pain he felt because I have felt it too. More times than I can count I have felt the tears sting my eyes and the cold ache of sadness creep into my gut as I waved goodbye to someone I loved. I have been on both sides of the security gate and know that neither side is without pain. Goodbyes and separations have always been part of my life from the time we moved to Nigeria when I was 9 months old until now. I guess it comes with the territory of growing up in a missionary family. The goodbyes don't get easier. The constant feeling of missing someone never really goes away.

I knew that words would not be enough to lift the sadness my boy was feeling. There was nothing I could say to minimize his grief in that moment. Words would only sound trite to him, empty. So, I held Jeremiah. There on the dirty airport floor with impatient people walking around us I simply sat and loved and prayed and shed a few tears of my own.

1000 Gifts (12)

Today I am downloading pictures and smiling at good memories made.
My heart is full of thankfulness for:

My first born who turned 5 and is still surprised by his birthday cake:

This man who loves me patiently, tenderly, faithfully, quietly and the way we are growing together:

His love of the Word (he got a "real" Bible for his birthday and now insists on reading our morning Psalm for us):

A beautiful week spent with my mom (oma) in which we enjoyed each others company and the blessings were too many to count.

Handmade Valentines

The week before Valentine's Day I put out stamps, stickers, paper and crayons and let Jeremiah go to town. He worked hard for 3 hours and made special Valentine cards for all his aunts & uncles and grandparents. He did such a great job and showed so much creativity!

My Valentine cards from my boys. Jeremiah's says:
To:mama
From: Jeremiah and papa/we/love/you/just/the/way/you/are/but/we/like/you/much/better/than/you/are/i/love/you/
Jeremiah

Today Jeremiah made me a Valentine that he said was for next year. It says:
Dear mom
I:love:you:more:tehn:a:baer:loves:honey:to:
Love:Jeremiah

Isn't crazy how pieces of construction paper and penned letters can convey so much love?

Letter to Jeremiah on his 5th Birthday

Our Dearest Jeremiah,
How can 5 years have passed so quickly? Before you were born other mothers would tell me to savor every moment because before I knew it you would be grown up. Now I know what they meant. I sit here and wonder at how quickly 5 years have flown by and changed you from a tiny, helpless baby into and energetic, independent, and intelligent 5 year old.

I will say that 4 had been a fun year! You have had so many new experiences and grown in so many ways!

We watched your creativity blossom this year. You have created more paintings and colored more pictures than I can keep track of! Sometimes you would sit for hours coloring and cutting, painting or stamping. You especially enjoyed making art for other people and often wanted me to mail one of your pictures to somebody.

It seems as if your imagination has also really grown this year. One of your favorite things to do was to make believe stories with papa and Nathaniel. I would often smile when I heard you playing "Horton Hears A Who" or "Ice Age" or tearing around the house being "Speedy Gonzales." You liked dressing like a pirate, pretending to be a wolf, roaring like a dinosaur, or going on jungle walks.

Your love of books continued this year. You started to read a loud to Nathaniel and I would often see you boys sitting together, you reading while Nathaniel listened. Such sweet moments. You also discovered chapter books this year. You enjoyed starting the Narnia series and you and papa had fun reading "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" together. You also loved the Winnie the Pooh books (and liked to act out all the characters).

This past fall you played soccer with the local recreational league! Your papa and I had so much fun watching you run around the field with all your energy, chasing and kicking the ball. You loved to run! You would bob your head from side to side and let your arms fly out beside you, obviously glorying in the feel of the air against your body and in your hair. You didn't care much about winning, you just enjoyed playing.

How we have enjoyed watching you learn and grow this year. We have had so many interesting and thoughtful conversations with you. You have asked thoughtful questions about God, the Bible, and the world around you. You became interested in maps and started learning about different countries. You wanted to give generously and pray often for people in other countries who do not have as much as we do.

We have watched you learn to share, play, and interact with Nathaniel and other children. We have seen you take leadership, be protective, be generous, be kind.

Son, how silly you have been this year! You have told riddles, and made up silly rhymes with words - your cheerful laughter ringing bright.

You are loved more than you know. Every day with you is full of joy, laughter, thought, and energy. You are a special gift from God.

We love you so much!
Mama & Papa

Edit: I had this saved as a draft and then accidentally just hit "post" when I finished it today. I have no idea how to fix it - but it was supposed to be posted on Jeremiah's birthday February 25th.

Sufficiency

Sufficiency =

noun

1. the state or fact of being sufficient; adequacy.

2. a sufficient number or amount; enough.

3. adequate provision or supply, esp. of wealth.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. - 2 Corinthians 11:8

God flashed this verse in front of my eyes last week. Again, grace is at the core. I don't gain grace after I have loved my husband well, parented my children with patience, maintained a cheerful and inviting home, or reached out to someone in need. I am granted grace first.

Grace truly is enough.

Grace will give me patience in that moment when I want to rush the boys through a task or snap at them.
Grace will give me energy to do that 100th load of laundry, or finish the sink full of dirty dishes, or pick up one.more.toy when all I really want to do is sit on the couch with a book.
Grace will provide for our physical needs.
Grace will enable me to sacrificially love my husband.
Grace will give me wisdom in discipline situations.
Grace will guard my tongue when I want to yell.
Grace will help me to practically love someone who irritates me, or wronged me, or constantly seems to need something from me.
Grace will minister to my spirit when I am tired, or lonely, or burdened and feel like I just can't do it anymore.

The question now becomes, if I have been given everything I need why do I continue to live as if I haven't?

1000 Gifts (11)

- new growth, literally (above pictures) and figuratively
- long lunch with friends, laughter
- feeling the reality of grace during worship
- making warm cinnamon rolls for breakfast, a special treat to show my love
- hand made valentines from all 3 of my favorite boys
- witnessing Nathaniel's excitement to go to church
- being challenged to consider how well I follow Jesus, am I a disciple?
- lengthening days
- my first Cadbury cream egg of the year - a gift from my husband who knows me so well
- God's provision - staying way under grocery budget for the week!
- a bright blue bird in the front yard (some kind of finch?)
- receiving forgiveness from Jeremiah
- dinner with friends - helping with wedding details, witnessing their excitement
- a truly gloriously sunny day
- watching Jeremiah give generously
- the certain glimmer of early spring sunshine
- a restored relationship, conflict resolved, friendship renewed - grace in action
- laughter
- community of women
- time without the distraction of kids and home for conversation that goes deep

I am counting my gifts in my journal (up to 268), I choose some to share here.

What a difference a week makes

Last Friday we were playing in beautiful snow. Today we played out in the brilliant warming sunshine. There are so many signs of spring. We have the biggest, fattest robins I have ever seen hopping around the yard. I have glimpsed some kind of blue finch. But the biggest excitement came when we went to check on our bulb patch and were surprised by two bright yellow blooms! Jeremiah was so thrilled! He has been waiting all winter to see the fruits of his labor. The little area we planted has shoots of new growth everywhere. I think there will be quite a show in the next weeks.

What an amazing God we serve that He would give us so much beauty in so many forms.

the Theatre...

We had some time to kill before the show so we braved the cold and I let the boys run around a bit down by the river. They thought it was really cool. My toes were freezing.
(Incidentally, that spot up there on there on the walking bridge is where Aaron proposed to me 10 years ago!)

Meeting the girl who played the mouse.
Nathaniel had just run straight up to her and given her a hug, my camera was still in my bag...sigh...I'm not sure why Jeremiah looks so forlorn. He was pretty excited by the whole thing.

Jeremiah talking to the actors.
The actors were so sweet to come out and take pictures with the kids and let the kids ask them questions. (Most of the actors were home schooled kids who have the time and flexibility to do cool stuff like this.)

On Wednesday morning the boys got to see their first play. At the Chattanooga Theatre Centre they saw a youth production of "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie." So fun! A perfect introduction to theatre for little ones. Jeremiah sat in rapt attention for the whole thing, I could see the gears in his head turning. Nathaniel was watching but didn't seem to quite get the concept, "Where's the boy? Where's the mouse?" he kept asking.

The friend who told us about this has brought her daughter to a few of these productions all ready and says that all of them have been really good. So I am sure we will go again!

Sometimes...

Sometimes, in the midst of our loud, crazy, energetic days there are these quiet moments that I want to soak up and treasure.

Usually when the boys are quiet I have to investigate because there is some mischief in the making. On this day I peeked through the cracked door and witnessed this beautiful moment. The brothers sitting in the sunny spot. Each reading books. Content in each others company.

Small Town Politics

I added a new link to our list of "Interesting Links."
If you want a taste of small town politics and discussion check it out.

The LaFayette Underground

1000 Gifts (10)

- reading the Word before the dawn and the work of the day begins
- watching the pink color the sky, we may see some sun today!
- a great visit with a cousin I haven't seen in a long time
- 2 phone calls from ladies in our church with invitations to get together - feeling connected
- figuring out how to sew curtains
- knowing that my mom is coming to visit!
- beautiful snowfall
- listening to Aaron and the boys playing in the snow, Jeremiah's hysterical laughter
- watching Jeremiah make Valentine's
- a bright red cardinal perched in a snow-laden tree
- knowing that the homemade granola is satisfying the little tummies - will they remember cozy, nourishing breakfasts?
- a yard that looks like Narnia
- Nathaniel dancing in the kitchen and belting out "Oh no, You never let go, through the calm and through the storm, Lord You never let go of me!!"

How blessed I felt last week! God's gifts were everywhere, surrounding me, sustaining me, encouraging me! I am up to 240 in my journal.