Stellan update

I know some of you have been following and praying for baby Stellan.  I'm happy to report that after 5 plus weeks in the hospital, a trip to Boston children's hospital, an ablation and so much more...he is finally home and doing great.  His SVT is being controlled with meds plus the effect from the ablation.  Thanks for praying for him.  To read more about this miraculous story, even from the womb, visit My Charming Kids.

Spring has sprung!

Springtime in Indiana is beautiful and this week it seems to have finally arrived.  The flowers are blooming and so are the kids.  After months of winter, we are loving the great outdoors!

boys will be boys

A few construction trucks + a pile of moon sand =  one very happy boy!

Love...

This is a post from my friend Jen's blog.   I thought it was worth repeating.  Great words of encouragement and wisdom.

Love...

"If I keep my house immaculately clean, and am envied by all for my interior decoration, but do not show love in my family, I am just another housewife. If I'm always producing lovely things - sewing, art, macrame; if I always look attractive and speak intelligently but am not loving to my family - I am nothing. If I'm busy in community affairs, teach Sunday school, and drive in the carpool, but fail to give adequate love to my family - I gain nothing. Love changes diapers, cleans up messes and ties shoes, over and over again. Love is kind, though tired and frazzled. Love doesn't envy another wife - one whose children are "spaced" better, or in school so she has time to pursue her own interest. Love doesn't try to impress others with my abilities or knowledge as a mother. Love doesn't scream at the kids. Love doesn't feel cheated because I didn't get to do what I wanted to do today - sew, read, soak in a hot tub. Love doesn't lose my temper easily. Love doesn't assume that my children are being naughty just because their noise level is irritating. Love doesn't rejoice when other people's children misbehave and make mine look good. Love is genuinely happy when others are honored by their children."

From "A Mother's Heart" by Jean Fleming

Start 'em early

I love it when my little ones want to copy what I do.  The girls are especially into being mommies and doing everything mommies do.  Hopefully, one day, they will be mommies.  All the practicing will not be in vain.   We're just aspiring to start Titus 2 training early.  :)

cuteness

No real reason for these pictures... 

other than to show you all what pure cuteness looks like.

Sweet home Alabama

We had a great trip to Headland over Spring Break, all things considered.  When we left for AL, most of the kids had colds or were just getting over colds.  When we left Headland to come back home, most of the family there had colds.  Only, they got the mega-version of what we all had, even warranting my mom missing nearly a week of work (which never happens).  I was certain that we only had a minor bug, but apparently it affects people in the South differently.  Ken likened it to when the Europeans came over and wiped out all the Indians with the plague.

  However, illness aside, we did enjoy our trip.  The drive was long, but God was merciful and let Nathan (who hates the carseat) sleep nearly the entire trip both ways.  This seriously is an unexpected blessing because he always (before then and since) screams in the car.   On the way down we got to stop and spend the night with Billy and Hope.  It was a fun time catching up and seeing them for just a while... they are such an encouragement to us.  Their kids are great too and our kids had a blast.

Once in Headland, we enjoyed family cookouts, playing with cousins, Easter egg hunts and lots of visiting.  I wish we could visit more often.  Who knows?  Maybe one day we'll settle down home in Dixie.  

My sister, Kim, her husband, Derek, and their little girl, Aidan.  This was the kids first time meeting their newest cousin. 

Jacob, enjoying the egg hunt.

Hannah, with our cousin, Abbie.

The girls enjoying Nana and Pa's new puppy, Buddy.

Ken and Billy and our youngest ones.  Did I mention that Billy introduced Ken and I back about 14 years ago?  So he's responsible for all the this!  Thanks Billy.   :)

Our kids and the Atchison kids.  Good times.

Easter morning

As Ken was reading the story of the resurrection to the kids this morning, I was reminded of a sermon I heard about Easter a few years ago.  We've all heard how, as the Savior was resurrected, the ground shook, the guards fainted and an angel of the Lord rolled the stone away.  Inside, the women were able to see that Jesus was gone.  But here's a thought I had never really pondered...  Why did the angel roll the stone away?  It certainly wasn't so Jesus could get out of the tomb.  He is GOD!  He could have moved the stone himself, to say the least.  So it must have been for a different reason.  The Bible doesn't say why, but I think it may have been so we could see.  We needed to see the empty tomb.  We needed to see that death had been defeated, that Jesus was who He said He was and that He had risen just as He said He would.  Could He have risen and come out of the tomb without the angel moving the stone?  I believe, yes.  But, just as Thomas did, we doubt.  We needed to see.  And God, in His goodness and knowing our frailty, let us see.  The tomb was empty!   The tomb is still empty!  Jesus has risen, is alive and is preparing a place for all who believe.  Praise the Lord, He has Risen!

9 years and counting

While visiting my family in Alabama this week, Ken and I will be celebrating 9 years of marriage.  Oh, what a 9 years it's been!  Never in my wildest dreams did I think that marriage could be like this.  God has truly blessed me far beyond measure in the husband that He gave me.  

Thank you, Ken, for loving me so completely, for protecting our family, for providing for us in every way.  Thank you for listening to me, for understanding me, for helping me and for just being there.  For loving me with all that you can and pointing me to the One who truly completes me.  Thank you for leading our family and for your desire to glorify God through that.  Thank you for the wonderful father that you are, the servants heart that you show everyday and the prayers that you offer of behalf of all of us.  Thank you for helping with homework, for cleaning the dishes and, when the chips are down, even folding the laundry.  Thank you for killing the bugs, taking out the garbage, moving the heavy things and cleaning out the cars.  For playing cars with Jake, rocking Nathan and being a hero to our little girls. Thank you for letting me sleep in,  letting me get out and for knowing what I need even better than I do.  Thank you for shoveling the driveway, mowing the grass and moving furniture around over and over.  Thank you for taking us all with you on this adventure in the Navy and being a rock for us at each new duty station.  Thank you for always putting your family first, for loving me as Christ loves the church and living that example of marriage for our children.  Thank you for being everything that I could have hoped for and continuing to be exactly what I need.  Thank you for keeping our marriage fun, exciting and extremely hot even after 9 years.  For calling me everyday from work and for always kissing me hello and goodbye.  Thank you for working so hard at work, being a great officer then coming home and working another full time job taking care of our many small children.  Thank you for encouraging me in everything and forgiving me when I don't deserve it.  Thank you for your steadfastness and patience in the face of our many, many life changes.  Thank you for the 5 beautiful children we have together here and for the one we'll only hold in Heaven.  Thank you for introducing yourself to me 14 years ago, for walking on the beach with me and for asking for my number.  Thank you for marrying me 9 years ago and still choosing us every day.  I love spending my life with you.  Happy Anniversary, honey!

"Put me like a seal over your heart, Like a seal on our arm.  For love is as strong as death, Jeaslousy is as severe as Sheol;  It's flashes are flashes of fire,  The very flame of the Lord.

Many waters cannot quench love,  Nor will rivers overflow it;  If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, It would be utterly despised."

Song of Songs 8:6,7

for instruction and training in manliness

After having 3 beautiful girls, I think it's fair to say that Ken has enjoyed  having 2 sons around to man around with.  Nathan is still a bit young for manliness, but Jacob and Ken  get plenty of guy time together.  Sometimes it's playing ball, sometimes trains and often it's just tackling each other and rolling around on the floor.  But being a Navy brat and having a Dad that's an aviator....Ken and Jake were quietly "playing" the other day and I walked in and saw them studying these really cool pictures that Ken made.  Seriously.

A boy has got to know his planes.

"Barnyard moo-sical"

Hannah was in her first school musical this week.  She's the white chicken on the far right.  She was a cute chicken and after all the kuddos she got on the bus on the way home, she declared, "Mom, I'm famous!"