A Life of Glamour

Proud of you, Buddy!

2011-04-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

Mark: the other night, you attended a sleepover with a bunch of boys from school. We had reminded you before you left that you may call or text us at any time. Even in the middle of the night. We always want you to know that we are available to pick you up or walk you through uncomfortable situations if your morals are being compromised.

So, why were we so surprised to receive a text from you at 2:30am?? We are so proud of you for texting us to ask if you could watch a questionable movie (Tomb Raider). Most kids your age would not have called their parents to get permission...especially in front of a roomful of friends. But you did the right thing. And incidents like this continually build our trust in you. We LOVE you so much!!!!

2011-04-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

Long day of school.....

Palm Sunday 2011

2011-04-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

Poor Rina learned that the Jesus riding in on a donkey each year at church is not the real Jesus. She is heartbroken and refuses to give eye contact to this "imposter"!!!

Kids say the darndest things!!!

2011-04-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

Ahh!!! I miss blogging! And I miss recording all the funny things my kids say. Here are some of my recent favorites:

January 2011

(Marina goes on a date with Daddy. She gets all dressed up for the date, with a cute outfit, pretty hair, and lip gloss. She brings along a purse containing a book to read together on their date. They go to Starbucks for hot chocolate. Then come home. Daddy gets out of the car, but Rina remains in the back seat with arms crossed and a pout!)

Daddy: Rina, what's wrong?

Marina: That date wasn't long enough!

(Daddy gets back into the car and takes her out to lunch!)

February 2011

(There is an uneven amount of M&Ms. Someone will end up with more...)

Mommy: I'm going to see who will put others first!

Reese: Rina, will you please "put others first" so I can have more?

February 2011

(In a discussion about Mark wanting to return to Christian school next year)

Mark: You see, it's like a gas station. Sometimes you just gotta fill up.

March 2011

Marina: Mommy, when Ava's little baby Gavin gets big..... (I'm waiting for some profound question about Gavin) ........will Ava be in all day school with me?

(Haha! Um, no Rina. You don't have to wait for Gavin to grow up for that).

March 2011

(Mark's wisdom on dating...explaining why he likes to keep girls guessing)

Mark: Dad, it's like a roller coaster. If you just go up and down, that gets boring. You have to have big drops to keep it interesting!

March 2011

(On the way to Ava's birthday party)

Marina: Are we going early to help set up?

Mommy: No, they will set up. We are just going to have fun.

Marina: (giggle) That's cuz we're the customers!

Preschool Tea Party

2010-05-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

All the other kids in preschool said the reason that they love their mommy. Adorable little phrases like, 'I love when my mommy gives me icecream,' or 'I love when my mommy gives me hugs & kisses.' But when it came to Rina's turn: 'My mommy forgot to tuck me in last night!' Wow! Happy Mother's Day to me! ;)

Mark's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" moment...

2010-05-02T15:44:00.001-07:00

Have you seen the movie? It recently came out, and it's hilarious! Based on the book, it describes the awkward transition from elementary school into junior high...painful!!! I laughed especially hard, because my sweet Mark is about to make that transition to JHi in a couple short months. And, boy! Do I know what is in store for HIM!!! LOL!

Last night, he had an especially "Wimpy Kid" moment. It easily could have been pulled from the script of that movie. And I can't stop laughing about it! Here's the situation:

We invited a family over for pizza last night. Not just any family, though. It happened to be the family of Mark's head-over-heels crush! She is the cutest girl in Kids Connection. And the crush is mutual. :) We've become good friends with her parents, so last night was one of several meals we've shared.

As we waited for the pizzas to bake, we were hanging out outside playing with our puppy. Mark decided to take little Lacey for a walk around the block, and of course his "crush" said she'd join him. As a meddling mother, keeping it pure...I informed Mark that his little sister, Rina, would join them too. "Keep her away from the street! And hold her hand!" I ordered as they began their walk. Of course, Ryan piped in with a wisecrack, "She means hold Rina's hand, not (Mark's crush)." All four of us parents got a good chuckle from that.

Late that night, while Mark was in bed, Ryan and I tiptoed into his room to get all the juicy gossip. "What did you talk about on your walk? What happened? Tell us everything!" So he proceeded to tell us the story, which was extremely "Wimpy Kid" style!!!

He said, while they were walking, she asked him pretty thoughtful questions. They were having a good conversation until suddenly Mark noticed one of his neighbor friends approaching...bouncing a ball obnoxiously loud. Mark cringed hoping this friend wouldn't come up to them! (Here is why: Mark loves to play with this kid. He's a very sweet boy who has played with Mark since they were 3 years old. But, they play kind of goofy, immature things. Things that are okay to play together...but that are NOT okay to reveal to his "crush." For example, they make videos together after school where they are crazy and goofy...and somehow it involves the bouncy green ball. I'm not quite sure how...)

Anyway, here came the neighbor kid, bouncing that ball super loud. He walked up to Mark and said, "Hey Mark! Remember the green ball?!" And then started to snicker and laugh. Mark cringed, not knowing how to laugh at the inside joke while staying cool in front of his "crush," who was giving them both a very confused look......Awkward moment!!! This neighbor kid kept walking alongside him the rest of the way home, which Mark told us, seemed like an eternity! He kept thinking, "Please, don't talk about the videos! Please don't talk about the videos!"

Mark told us, at that moment he didn't know what to talk about. Because anything he were to say to the neighbor kid would sound pathetic and immature in front of his "crush." But anything he talked to her about, would be so embarassing in front of his neighborhood buddy (who is innocently uninterested in girls yet...and consequently is very prone to saying something that will embarass Mark).

If you've seen the movie...this neighbor kid embodies the character of "Rowlie." Yep, it was that kind of moment! Then it happened! She turned to Mark and said, "Remember when we first met in 2nd grade?" Followed by her sentimental recount of their first encounter at school. Ugh! Mark said he about died, listening to her talk about that, while the neighbor kid continued to bounce the green ball obnoxiously loud, alllll the way home! Mark was caught in an awkward paradox. His two worlds had collided: the boyish, immature side of him that he can enjoy in the privacy of his own backyard...and the emerging confident, mature side of him that he is testing out among his almost-JHi peers.

Ryan & I laughed til we cried when he told us this story! Then we called Uncle Brandon up (who was home from college for the weekend) so he could hear the story in its entirety as well. Oh, the joys of junior high! I'm sure this is just the beginning of many, many more "Wimpy Kid" moments. And, I hope I can find the time to document each one. Mainly because I never want to forget these priceless moments. But also, because Ryan and I love to tease our kid....and this will make for some pretty good teasing-material someday!!!

"I'm gonna shoot!"

2010-05-02T15:42:00.000-07:00

I think it's so funny how boys can turn any object into a 'gun'...today's example, a potato chip. Reese nibbled it into shape, then informed me that it was a gun. A few moments later, it was a hackey sack. Somehow (in his imagination) that round object was able to shoot those invisible bad guys! Yesterday, it was his sister's 'My Little Pony' that saved the world by shooting bullets from it's pink & purple mane. Aye!

Easter 2010

2010-04-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

I got my boys the handsomest matching outfits for Easter (color coordinated w/ their sis, of course) ...But I'm thinking this is the last year I can pull this off...since matching your little brother isn't very cool in JHi!!! ;)

Facebook | Karis Morales-Brody

2010-03-30T17:29:00.000-07:00

Facebook Karis Morales-Brody: "pulled a permission slip from Mark's backpack last night, informing us that they are about to start their 'Life Begins' unit in health, including an awkward trip to Robert Crown. Lord have mercy!!!"

2010-03-28T17:23:00.000-07:00

Grandma Liz, Marina & I took a short road trip up to Wisconsin this weekend, to attend a wedding for a special friend (Jenna Houdek). This was Marina's first wedding experience, so I just loved playing it up for her! I explained that we were going to see the bride marry her prince! While we waited for the ceremony to begin, she asked me, "What does a prince look like?" I told her, "We will see..." So, when the groom walked into the chapel, Marina became starry eyed! And when the flower girls made their way down the white runner, Marina informed me, "When I get bigger, I want to be a flower girl too!" When the bride entered the room in her gorgeous white gown, Marina just stared in awe! She noticed every single detail of the wedding...especially the final kiss! It seemed so magical to her. I loved watching her take it all in! When the bride and groom approached our aisle to greet the guests, Marina couldn't stop smiling. She had actually met a REAL bride...and her "prince" too! :) What a fun experience. I'm so happy to have a daughter to share magical moments with. xoxo

ps: On the way home, she told me that she is going to marry Reese when she grows up. I didn't have the heart to correct her. lol.

Some Funnies

2010-03-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

This just cracks me up!!! I found it in Reese's backpack last week, and I plan to keep it forever. Too cute!!!

(Next, we have a scene from our kitchen last night...)

Mark: Those junior high girls were being really mean to us!

Ryan: You gotta understand, they are at that stage where they can't control their feelings. So they act really crabby......Kinda like Mommy...

I can't help but laugh, because it's mostly true!

2010-03-08T12:55:00.000-08:00

Girls' night out w/ a couple of my high school gal pals. It was so fun to catch up over some sushi @ Kiku's Hibachi Grill. It fascinates me to discover the much different paths we have all taken. Jill is finishing up dental school. Erica is a full time marathon runner/trainer. And I am a full time mommy/part time admin in Elementary Ministries. Can't wait for our next girls' night out! xoxo

Ryan & I brought Mark to the Toby Mac/Skillet concert...and we joined up with some of our favorite friends! I had more fun pushing our way to the front during Skillet & hip-hopping w/ Danette and Susie during Toby Mac! Such a fun night! The only thing that dampered the evening was knowing that Ryan's dad was being monitored for his heart at Edward's Hospital. But he was sent home the following day, and we will continue praying for his health! The angiogram showed a blockage real close to his heart. Hopefully meds will clear it up this year. If not, then he will have to have open heart surgery. But we are believing God for a complete healing!

Here are Reese & Rina after haircuts and a bath. They are two little goofballs. But they are the best of friends! Their latest kick is playing Super Smash Bros. on the Wii and watching The Shaggy Dog & Old Yeller on vhs, over and over and over again....

Also, Mark tried out for JHi band this week. He tested the clarinet, trumpet and saxaphone. And he was thrilled to be paired up with his first choice...the saxaphone!!!! He will start up in summer band camp this July.

2010-01-17T13:34:00.000-08:00

This past fall, we were invited by some friends to come out and watch their girls play volleyball on the CCS volleyball team. One of the families that asked us to come was sweet little Grace's family. So, Mark decided to wear his own #2 jersey to support Grace. She is the girl that Mark has crushed on for over 3 years. She and Mark are good friends and have lots of fun together. I love that they have friendship. She is such a sweet girl from such a sweet family. He plans to take her on his 1st date when he turns 16. How cute is that?! Is it wrong for me to hope they will get married someday? :)

Some Recent Ramblings... :)

2010-01-16T12:31:00.000-08:00

*The boys were in school...and Mommy & Rina had an afternoon of lunch & shopping. When we pulled into the garage............. Rina: "Mommy, are the boys coming home soon?" Me: "In a little while." Rina: "How about tomorrow?!" LOL!!!!

*Thank you, Ava, for interpreting Rina's mysterious song from preschool: "If you jeep my connection..." is really, "If you keep My commandments..." LOL!!!

*In an attempt to be an informed parent, I asked Mark, "do kids at school swear a lot?" Mark said, "Not in my class. But there are a couple punks out at recess that do." He then told me about a time when he had asked a kid, "Why do you swear all the time? What's the point?" And the kid told him, "It helps me speak more freely." To which Mark replied, "I'm speaking just fine...and I haven't said a single swear!" Hahaha!!! I just about spit out my water laughing when he told me this! What a great answer, from a kid who is choosing to keep his words clean. I'm so proud of him!

*Reese cracks us up with his new interpretation of Mark's cell phone...he mimics the lady's voice for vocal commands. I need to post a video of him doing it, because it's hysterical. "Say a command...."

Swift Kick

2010-01-14T17:55:00.000-08:00

God gave me a swift kick in the pants today. It was more of a revelation. As my thoughts went through a certain recent situation, He revealed to me my rotten attitude. And I found myself having to repent. Thank you, Lord, for loving me enough to discipline me. Even when it is super uncomfortable! Help me to get over myself...this year I want people to see less of me and more of Him when they interact w/ me. It starts with weeding out rotten attitudes like this, I guess. Ouch!

2010-01-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

In life, it seems like when I take 1 step forward.....I get shoved 2 steps back. Lord, please help me to persevere when life gets painful!

Life's Lessons

2009-11-24T15:43:00.000-08:00

I'm so behind on my updates. And there is so much to tell! So, I've decided to start with the most recent and move backward. :)

Poor Mark had a tough day yesterday. He came home from play practice very discouraged. He said that the cast had practiced the song where he is the featured soloist. And he had trouble hitting any notes. The song sounded sloppy, and he was corrected frequently by his director. Then, some of the other kids made comments to him like, "Why did you sing so bad?" and "Why were you so off key?" Mark described it to me as, "they were making fun of me." But I understand it to be 'kids being kids.' They speak before thinking about how their comments may hurt someone else. I told him that, and I tried to encourage him to put this day behind him and just focus on practicing his song more intensely. That seemed to help.

Then, just before bed, he seemed discouraged yet again. As I tucked the boys into bed, I asked Mark what was wrong? After a little bit of prodding, he finally opened up to me and told me that it's been hard adjusting to public school. I asked him specifically how? He said he has made plenty of friends, but it's embarassing when kids leave him out of certain joking or conversation because "he's a Christian and won't understand what they are talking about." He feels like he is treated like a baby, just because he is a Christian and has come from Christian school. I encouraged him that he has obviously done a great job at taking a stand on issues. And the fact that they know his morals is a great sign that he is living how he should. I reminded him that we are to be set apart. We are 'aliens' in this world. I explained that all these different interactions are teaching him how to live as a Christian in a worldly environment.

He said, he would rather just go back to Christian school. But after I explained that Christian school is just a 'safe zone' and he needs to learn how to survive in the real world, he really understood why it's important for him to be among non-believers. I used the butterfly as an example. When the caterpillar enters the cacoon, it is in a safe zone. But it cannot stay there forever. In order to fulfill it's destiny, it has to push its way out into the real world. It's a painful process. But without the struggle of pushing its way out of the cacoon walls, the wings would not gain enough strength to fly! It's the same way in life. We HAVE to go through hard, uncomfortable situations in order to learn and grow and be strong enough to be who God wants us to be in life. Even in this situation, feeling persecuted by kids who don't understand his faith, Mark is learning how to stand strong. I reminded him to pray for wisdom right in the midst of those circumstances.

Then I shared a few instances where I struggled in my younger years. And it wasn't til years later that I realized, "Wow, Lord, you really used that to teach me and strengthen me...and you never left my side!" Lastly, I told him that I now live my life remembering those tough times. And I stand firmly knowing that the same God I saw at work in previous situations is the very same God that will help me through tomorrow.

I love how he totally understood and accepted what I was saying. I can't believe my little boy is now facing life on his own! He's having to learn for himself how to rely on God for wisdom. And he's having to stretch his wings little by little. God, please continue to give us wisdom as we lead and shape our kids!!! Amen!

This Week In News...

2009-10-11T20:32:00.001-07:00

Mark auditioned for community theater. It was his first time doing a singing audition at this level. And he actually landed a main role! (Lucky little booger!) He will be playing the part of Schroeder in the musical, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." Mom and Dad are beaming w/ pride!!!

Reese has had a rough week. I even got a call from the teacher, saying he had a lot of trouble focusing this week. He ended up coming down with a fever Saturday night. Well, that explains that! Poor kid has been fighting something. :( I've been enjoying all the snuggle time I can get with him while he feels under the weather. I've always said, he is my sweetest child. And moments like these snuggle times remind me what a sweet boy he really is. I want to protect him always!

Rina enjoyed her very first sleepover Wednesday night! Her best gal pals, Ava & Alia, invited her over for the night. Never did I think I would let my daughter start sleepovers at such a young age. I mean, 4 years old?!?! But, they are like family to us. So, I was happy to let her go. And Miss Independent had a blast away from home. :) They made pizzas & brownies, watched movies, and did french braids & cheek glitter. So fun! Can't wait to post pics!

This past month...

2009-10-03T09:37:00.001-07:00

Reese lost his two front teeth. Mark lost a side molar. Rina lost her earring.

Lacey ran away twice....and luckily came back home....with her tail between her legs. (Little stinker!)

Ryan has been working a flex schedule, so we get Mondays off together. I've thoroughly enjoyed our Monday mornings together! While the kids are at school, we've been going out to breakfast or doing shopping. It's like a date every week!

Mark has adjusted to public school. He's made lots of friends. And recently he's become obsessed with learning card tricks. He carries a deck of cards in his pocket wherever he goes, ready to baffle his friends and family. Such a cutie!

Reese, we've been told, has the best handwriting in his class! And he only had one word misspelled on his first spelling test. He spelled "We" like "Wi"

Marina absolutely loves preschool. She went on her first field trip to a fire station. She is having a blast being such a big girl!

And I'm loving the job. So busy. So hectic. But also so fun! It gives me a fresh feeling of accomplishment. I like that. :) And I've made some dear new friends. Being a full-time Mommy was very fulfilling. But being a working Mommy is an all new kind of fulfilling.

I LoVe this quote!

2009-09-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

...just read this today on a friend's webpage:

"Behind every successful woman,
there is a pile of dirty laundry!"

...do you agree???

Dear Mark,

2009-08-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

I know this has been a season of transition for you. You were uprooted from all your friends & familiar surroundings in private school & made to start fresh in public school. But you have made us so proud with your good attitude. After a little hesitance, you accepted this change with an adventurous spirit!

After only 4 days in public school, your true character has already shone brightly. And this has also made us so proud! On your first day, you stood up to a kid who was defacing bus property. On your second day, you kindly shared with a girl who was without, even amongst teasing from other kids who don't understand a giving spirit, and assumed you were crushing on the girl. And today, you protected Reese on the bus by telling a loud-mouth kid to quit swearing in front of your little brother!

I love how willing you are to take a stand for what is right. And I love how fearlessly you face each situation. You are not swayed by what others might think of you. You are a leader at heart. And I just can't wait to see how the Lord is going to use your strength and conviction to affect this world! How I love you, buddy! XOXO

When we go out......

2009-08-31T14:16:00.000-07:00

Analytical Mark is the first to ask, "Where are we going?"

Social bug Marina is the first to ask, "Who will be there?"

And homebody Reese is the first to ask, "When can we go home?"

First Day of School '09

2009-08-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

Little Marina began 4yr old preschool today! She has been so excited all week! She is lucky enough to have her best gal pal, Ava, in her class as well. :)

Reese is starting 1st grade! He is such a big boy! We took him to meet his new teacher earlier this week. Reese enjoyed checking out his new classroom and sitting at his new desk. I think it will be a fun year for him. We are so proud! He was excited to ride the bus with his big brother for the first time. Next year he will riding with his sister. I love the memories these kids are creating w/ each other! :)

Mark is entering 5th grade this year. It's a year of great change for him, because he is making the switch over to public school, after attending christian school for 6 years! He really misses his friends. But he is excited to meet new people, try something new, and not have to wear school uniforms! lol!

He is also very excited to be able to ride the bus with his little brother. :)

A Milestone

2009-08-27T19:28:00.000-07:00

This week I have truly hit a milestone!
All 3 of my kids are in school! Mark just entered 5th grade, Reese entered 1st, & Marina just began preschool. Wow! I'm a working woman now, with no kiddies at home!

It's so strange. I didn't think this day would come so soon! It makes me realize that all the long sleepless nights, the potty training, the nursing & cuddling, the midnight feedings, heavy carseat carriers, unattractive maternity clothes, stretch marks, etc....EVERYTHING!!! It all was worth it! And it all was for a short season in life.

Now I enter a new phase in life. It's a super fun one too! School projects, after school sports, youth group lockins, weekend sleepovers, chauffering preteens to the movies, etc, etc....that's the next phase in life. And I'm so excited!

For a time, while the kids were infants and toddlers, I felt like I had completely lost my identity. It was so hard! I became a burp cloth. A pillow. A machine that met needs. At least that's what it felt like at times. I also enjoyed their first smiles, first steps, and every dimple & chubby little finger grasp. But thru it all, I felt like I had lost my own identity. Life was wrapped up in the tasks and responsiblilities of motherhood....with very little reward involved. At least not immediate reward. No paycheck. No "thank you's." No bonuses. LOL. In its early stages, motherhood is an investment of time, sweat, and even tears.......with no visible gain in sight. We do it out of love for our sweet bundle of joy...and for the sheer knowledge that someday we will reap the benefit of the long season of sowing.

Well, sure enough, I'm finally at that stage of reaping! I see my kids entering social situations with confidence and the knowledge of what's right and wrong. I see them enjoying different experiences and accomplishing many things. It's awesome! And little by little it's my turn to gain some more of that identity back....beyond simple motherhood. I'm free to take on an office job, spend time working out, fit into clothes that I like for fashion rather than function, etc.

It's a very surreal time in my life. I don't know why. I guess it takes awhile to readjust the way I think about myself and about life, after living in a certain mindframe for over 10 yrs. But I'm excited for what's to come. And I want to encourage other new moms to hang in there. Motherhood is fun. And rewarding. But it can also be tedious and unforgiving. It's in those times I want to say, hang in there! The fun is on the way! And you'll appreciate every moment invested into those little guys when you see them bloom into the confident, happy, smart little boogers you'd hoped for.

So, here I am...super excited to journal all the coming stories and experiences that come with this next season in life. But first, here's a video I came across in my archives. It's one of my favorites of the kids when they were so little. Poor Marina!

Tough Girl...

Summer has come and gone!

2009-08-08T05:54:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't found time to update ALL SUMMER LONG! It's been that jam-packed and amazing! After Kid's Camp, I plan to sit down and do some pic uploading and journaling. :) That's right! I said KID'S CAMP!!! So exciting! Sunday, August 9 we head down to Carlinville to prepare for the 85 campers that will be arriving Monday afternoon for an amazing, powerful camp experience! Check out our Kid's Camp blogsite all week long for updates on our crazy games, messy field competitions, and awesome worship services. http://kidsconnectioncamp.blogspot.com Please pray for our safety and wisdom in reaching these young kids for Christ.

It's been so long!!!

2009-06-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

Life has been crazy busy.
But it's been really good too.
I can't believe I haven't posted for over a month.
So much has happened. :) I will update real soon.
xoxo

High Honor Roll

2009-05-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

Drained

2009-05-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

There are so many interesting events happening around the world. In the entertainment world. In the political world. In the religious world, etc. And my mind typically overflows with commentaries and opinions about what is going on. I'd love to give my input here.

But, honestly, I have been so drained lately. I can't even seem to connect two coherent thoughts without being interrupted by whining, crying, and fighting in the background. I've just about had it! I love my daughter. And I love little Emma. And I reeeeally treasure my job as mom and caregiver. But these girls really need a break from each other. They fight and whine constantly! And their cabin fever is making me crazy. CRAZY! I feel like my nerve endings are screaming!

I have no creativity left. And no energy to think or share an opinion. It's so frustrating. 3 more weeks, and I start my new job. I'm so excited about it! What a welcome, fresh start! A chance to think, create, and be useful. I can hardly wait.

But I realize that I need to give 100% to the job at hand. Lord, please give me the patience and endurance that I need for these last 3 weeks. Help me to have a good attitude and to be a blessing to these girls in these last few days I have w/ them. And please reduce the amount of daily "MOMMY!!!" 's to under 100. Thank you. Amen.

Mother's Day 2009

2009-05-11T14:23:00.001-07:00

For Mother's Day, Papa Bill took our whole family out for a fancy brunch at the Westin Hotel in Itasca. It was their Mother's Day champaign brunch. The food was amazing. So many things to choose from. And the tables and decor were so elegant. Every mother was given a fresh rose as they sat at their table. We had fun celebrating all the moms in the Brody/Dahms clan.

After brunch, we headed home for some chill time. When everyone was settled, I headed out on my own to some of my favorite stores. Loehmann's, Nordstrom Rack, JCPenney's, and Kohls. It was so fun to quietly browse all the clothing racks without any child interrupting! And I took my time trying on fun outfits. I ended up making a few purchases. At Nordstrom Rack, I splurged on a very impractical....but extremely cute....leather jacket. And at Kohls I found several cute pieces to add to my wardrobe for when I start my new office job. What a relaxing day! A perfect Mother's Day! Ryan was so sweet to take care of the kids so I could have some ME time. :)

Soccer!

2009-05-04T07:01:00.001-07:00

When friends disappoint....

2009-05-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

I'm having to re-learn a lesson I learned a long time ago.
Be careful not to place unrealistic expectations on other people. Friends, family, spouse, etc... Because, in their humanity, when they can't live up to that expectation, it only causes hurt, dissillusionment, and even resentment. It's unfair to everyone involved.

I've recently been deeply wounded by something a close friend said to me. This friend is unaware that it hurt me. And I don't plan to reveal it, b/c I know this friend didn't mean any harm. But what it has done is caused me to self reflect. And I realize that I had been placing too high an expectation on this friend. I had been expecting this one person to fill too many holes. And when they weren't able to live up to that, I was hurt, devestated, and even becoming bitter.

So, I'm the one that needs to change. It's tough admitting that sometimes. Especially where anger is involved. So, I'm stepping back and re-evaluating my friendships.

And I'm eating a whole lot of chocolate. It's been a pretty lonely week. :(

BIG day!!!

2009-04-22T07:21:00.000-07:00

I went in for my official interview yesterday. I was formally offered the job and gladly accepted. I'm so pumped!!! Starting June 9, I will be working on staff in the Children's Dept @ Calvary Church. Ryan and I are super involved in that ministry on a volunteer basis. So it seems like a very natural step for me to join their team on a professional level.

The job itself is going to be so fun! Part deskwork (emailing volunteers, typing up event info, speaking to parents & volunteers about event rsvps, etc) and part hands-on work (research/brainstorming ideas for service curriculum, shopping for supplies, artistic creation of props & object lessons, etc). The perfect outlet for my creative itch. :)

The part that made this decision so bittersweet was having to break the news to my current employer. For 3 years I have provided in-home childcare for sweet little Emma. She first came into my care as a tiny 6 month old infant. Now she is a 3 year old busy, inquiring girl. And along the way, she and her parents have become like family to us! So, breaking the news to them was painful!

They were so gracious about my decision. But also emotional, which made me want to back out of the new job altogether. Yet, at the end of the day, I know this will be a very monumental and valuable change in my life. And they are completely supportive of whatever I do.

So, it's official! After being a stay-at-home mom for over 10yrs, I'm actually taking on a job outside the home! It makes me a little nervous and anxious....but it makes me very thrilled and excited! I see how God has met our needs the past few years...by opening the door for this childcare relationship. Now I see Him opening the door for a new job. And I hope I can be a blessing and an asset to this ministry. :)

"Jesus Toys"

2009-04-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

Marina still plays with a nativity set that I had kept in her room around Christmastime. It's a tiny set of porcelain figurines that she calls "the Jesus toys." It has Mary, Joseph, the wisemen, a shepherd, and a tiny little baby Jesus.

Tonight she called upstairs to Ryan, "Daddy, can you bring me my 'Jesus toys'......and the baby too?" LOL! Who does she think the baby is???

Modeling Without Makeup

2009-04-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

Now this article I like! It's about time, people!

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/yay-french-elles-amazing-no-makeup-issue-and-why-american-mags-need-to-step-it-up-446538/

In honor of this amazing leap in the beauty industry, I will post my own picture of myself without makeup. Coming soon....

Predicting Marriage Success...

2009-04-15T10:14:00.000-07:00

This article caught my eye on Yahoo! News today:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090414/sc_livescience/smilespredictmarriagesuccess

Um.....you cannot be serious?!?!

Easter Service

2009-04-12T18:15:00.000-07:00

During the crucifixion scene of the Easter service, Mommy tries to assure a worried Marina, "Don't worry, Jesus will come back alive. And He will beat the bad guys and WIN!"

Marina replies, "Mommy, after Jesus wins...can we go home??" LOL!!! I think I laughed all the way until the resurrection!

Easter 2009

2009-04-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning the kids awoke to special Easter baskets awaiting them on the kitchen table. Then we participated in the annual Oakhurst Egg Hunt. The kids got to meet the Easter bunny and gather candy-filled eggs w/ other kids. Then we headed to the mall to finish purchasing our Easter outfits.

Saturday evening, we attended the Easter service at church. It was an incredibly powerful and creative presentation of the gospel message. They had a Stomp routine, full choir, special artist Sarah Kelly, human video, biblical drama with live animals, etc...

Sunday morning, we arrived at church bright and early in our Easter best outfits. In Kid's Connection Rye & I presented character monologues as part of the creative gospel message. I played Mary Magdelene and Ryan played Peter. I helped to lead worship at the end of service. It all came together to make a great Easter service for the kids.

After church, we met the rest of the Brody clan at Buca's for a special Easter lunch. Then we headed over to Grandma and Papa's house for another Easter egg hunt. What a fun weekend for the kids! And what great experiences we shared in church, in the neighborhoods, and as a family. :)

So Much More!!!

2009-04-09T14:15:00.000-07:00

We just finished a 10 week study of the book of Esther.
I began the journey with hopes that I would find a way to let God break some personal bondages in my heart. But even that seemed too good to be true, since I have unsuccessfully fought these inner battles for years. Yet God showed Himself to be so much greater than I dared imagine. Not only did he break those bonds and set me free.....He also gave me an insatiable hunger for His Word. That's something I hadn't specifically anticipated. But, boy, am I glad He did it in me! I sincerely feel forever changed. I wish I could be so open and honest about every step of the journey....so that perhaps someone in those same shoes could be encouraged. But I believe some things are meant to be kept between myself and my God. And perhaps others who are struggling can be encouraged merely by the result....a confident woman, free to love herself, others, and her Creator. Free to live in relationship & daily communion w/ Him. If you've never experienced that before, goodness sakes! You're missing out! Please don't wait. Run to Him. He's waiting. He always has been. And if He can wait as long as He did for stubborn me to come around....He can wait for anyone. That's the thing tho. He doesn't just wait. He also prods and tugs and beckons us to join Him in relationship. Amazing. The power of the Cross means so much more to me this Easter. :)

Morales Girls' Road Trip!

2009-04-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Mom's bday this year, we hit the road to travel down to Springfield, MO to visit Lindsey and Brian. We had such a blast together! Shopping, dining, and even hitting up an Improv/Comedy club! Such good times!!!

Fruits & Veggies

2009-03-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

I've started using my juicer.
It's crazily addicting!!! I feel so much energy on this vegetarian menu that I've actually kicked the coffee habit. A 3-year habit of downing 2 cups of coffee a morning, just to wake me up.......GONE!!! No w/drawal or headaches. Weird!

And, seriously, my craving for junk food=completely GONE!!!
I may take a bite of a chip or and sip of a soda...and I have to push it away b/c it is completely unappealing to me anymore. So, so weird!!! What I crave now are my fruit/veggie juices, my baked sweet potato for lunch, and my fruit/protein blend for snack. Here's the recipe for the fruit/protein blend. I 'borrowed' it from my fave coffee shop:

1 Cup Frozen Fruit (you can easily buy a bag of frozen fruit at a grocery store)

1 Cup Soy Milk

1 Tablespoon Flaxseed Oil (also can be purchased at any grocery store)

1 Serving Protein Powder...optional (I added this ingredient on my own, just for an extra protein boost)

Blend it up and it's a really good, nutritious alternative to those high-cal Foo-Foo drinks that I've been drinking for years!

Next step=start working out!!!

Decision Time

2009-03-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

I had it all planned out.
I was going to start taking a writing course thru Christian Writer's Guild this summer. And I was going to spend my summer w/ my kids the way I always do....taking nice long walks in the morning, hitting the pool everyday, and just enjoying our time together without school or any other time commitments. Then in the fall, I was going to continue my writing course while providing my 4th year of childcare for little Emma...which is a flexible job w/ gr8 pay. The girls will begin preschool this fall, so I was looking forward to having a few mornings each week ALONE...free to workout, get coffee with a friend, or just work on my writing assignments. I feel so strongly that God's plan for my life includes writing. Getting His message out thru the written word. That's so exciting!!!

BUUUUUUTTTTTT......this week I was verbally offered a different job. It's a job I've wanted for a long time. A very exciting opportunity. But at what cost??? I would have to sacrifice some of my time w/ my kids. And many details in our daily life would have to change. Could I manage this new job, have quality time w/ my kids, AND continue w/ the writing course?? I'm tired just thinking about it! lol. But selfishly, I want it all! (blush) So....what do I do???

I feel like I have 2 doors standing in front of me. Both are enticing and both have reward behind them. But they both cost a measure of sacrifice as well. Which do I take??? I'm at a total loss!

Thankfully, I have a husband behind me who supports me through every decision. We plan to sit down and discuss the options. I pray that as the leader of the home, he will have wisdom to point things out that I just don't see. (He is so good at that!!!)

I'm also comforted by a single thought: In the midst of a storm, or confusion, or uncertainty, God calls us to hide in the shelter of his wing. He is a Rock, and we can find safety within his cleft. I recently heard a speaker mention that in times of darkness, when you just can't see the answer or the way to go, it's then that we hide in the cleft. He covers the opening with His hand, and we are safe inside. Yes, it's dark in there, but we can rest assured that He has never been closer than times like that! And later on, when we look back, we can see just how close He really was. Thank you, Lord, for your safety and security. Please give us wisdom. And give me strength to make the right choice. And to have peace about that decision. Amen!

Psalm 18:2 "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

Psalm 63:7 "Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings."

Quotes of the Week

2009-03-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

While Ryan and I were discussing various favorite music from the 90s, Mark piped in and said, "You know, I'm the best thing that happened to the 90s!" Oh WOW!!! He must get his humility from his father!!!

Marina was playing with her plush kitty beanie baby, when suddenly she informed me, "Kitty is licking her coo-coo...just like Lacey do!" Yes, people, 'coo-coo' is what we call it in this house. lol!

This one puts me over the edge! I sent Reese to school with lunch money the other day. (Mainly because I didn't have time to pack him a lunch). It was his first time purchasing 'hot lunch' at school, so I clearly prepared him for the situation, not wanting him to panic when he didn't find his lunchbox in his backpack that day. After school, I drilled him about lunchtime. "Reese, did you give your lunch money to your teacher?? Did you get hot lunch today?? Did someone help you?? What did you eat??" To which Reese replied, "I had chocolate milk." Hmmm.....chocolate milk. "What else did you have Reese??" "Nothing. Just chocolate milk." Instinctively, my motherly feathers were ruffled, and I wanted to know why in the world my child was not fed lunch! Before accusing the school, I asked Reese again and again, "Are you SURE you didn't eat anything?? Nobody gave you lunch?? You only had chocolate milk??" To which he gave me the same reply. Only chocolate milk. Hmmm.... So I called the school office and nearly chewed out the first unsuspecting lady that picked up. She transferred me to Reese's teacher, who assurred me that Reese HAD eaten an entire lunch that day. He had been given a choice between nachos and a cheese sandwich...and he'd chosen the cheese sandwich. Having been hasty in accusing the poor teachers, I quickly covered my embarassment by thanking this teacher and telling him I had been SURE Reese was misrepresenting the truth. (I know, I lied!) Phew! Hang up the phone....and go confront Reese. "Reese, are you sure you didn't eat lunch?? Not even a cheese sandwich??" Reese looked up and said, "Yeah, I had a cheese sandwich...and chocolate milk....AND applesauce." What?!? My goodness, child!!! I'd just been duped by a 6yr old!

Marina's 4yr old pics...

2009-03-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

Mommy curled Marina's hair so pretty, painted her nails, put a pretty outfit on her, and added a pink pearl necklace. Then Mommy swiped some blush on Marina's cheeks, and some shimmery gloss onto her lips, and a little purple shadow on her eyelids. Just for fun. When Marina looked at herself in the mirror, she could hardly believe the transformation! "Mommy! I'm Princess Belle!" Then we grabbed the camera and went outside to take some pictures of this recently turned 4yr old. ;)

BLUE MAN GROUP!!!

2009-03-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

Dinner @ Park Grill, Chicago. Ryan and I had amazing pasta...but the others weren't thrilled with their burgers. The dessert was yum! It was strawberry shortcake w/ cheesecake filling. Mmmm.... Happy Birthday Chuck!!!

After dinner, we headed out to a late night Blue Man Group show! Michael & Kristi have seen the show numerous times. And it was Ryan and my 3rd time seeing the show, but Vicki & Chuck's first. Super fun! We girls had a fun time checking out the handsome ushers..........(our hubbies were volunteer ushers that night).

Sisters' Night Out!!!

2009-03-19T12:51:00.000-07:00

Sisters' Night Out!!! We celebrated Marilee's birthday at Rainforest Cafe. Then we headed out to a late night movie. Fun fun!!!

It was an awesome time of catching up! Only...we were missing our sweet sista, Lindsey. :(

New job for laid-off moms: Stay-at-home Motherhood

2009-03-13T07:57:00.000-07:00

In a recession, some professional women try out a brand new job: stay-at-home Mom
Jocelyn Noveck, AP National Writer
Tuesday March 10, 2009, 3:26 pm EDT
Buzz up!
Print
NEW YORK (AP) -- Soon after New Yorker Geralyn Lucas was laid off from her television job in January, she took her 2-year-old son to the playroom of her apartment building. She realized she had never been there before.
Within minutes she had inadvertently broken all the cleanliness rules. "I wore shoes," confesses Lucas, 41. "I brought food. I changed his diaper. I didn't know those things weren't allowed."
When she took Hayden to his playgroup at a toddler center, she had to ask the little boy for directions to his class. And when she went to the pediatrician's office, the nurses were so used to seeing the nanny that they didn't recognize Lucas.
Lucas and other laid-off women like her are involuntarily experiencing the life of a stay-at-home mom, and they are getting to know a lot more about the details of their children's daily existence. They are also discovering some of the things they have been missing.
Though the mass layoffs of this recession have so far affected mostly men, more than 800,000 women have lost their jobs since the end of 2007. For the mothers among them, it means that, suddenly, Mommy's home, often for the first time in many years.
For many of these women, unemployment has no doubt been terrifying. But for some -- particularly those who have the financial resources to ride out the storm -- it has been a precious opportunity to get to know their children a little better.
Mary Quinn, a 48-year-old mother from Greenwich, Conn., was laid off in December after 18 years at a Manhattan investment company, but a severance package has bought her some time to find a new position. After years in which her husband was the main caregiver, she is finding the time off with her children to be an unexpected blessing.
She is savoring small pleasures such as picking up her 11-year-old daughter, Paulina, from school and having a little snowball fight on the way home, or trying out new recipes with Isabelle, 17.
"As a mom, it's been amazing," says Quinn, a former vice president and portfolio administrator at Oppenheimer Capital LLC. She notes with delight how, for the first time, she is the one who gets to hear the schoolday tales that Paulina comes home with.
"I'm getting the stories from her directly now, not secondhand from my husband like before," she says. "I used to be so envious."
But as she well knows, many laid-off mothers have no time to smell the roses.
"I can't say I've seen any mothers who see being laid off as a positive thing," says Jessica Polsky, a career counselor at New York's Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. "Even if it's $10 an hour that they made, it's something, and they really needed it. They need to get out and get new jobs."
Even for women who may have a financial cushion for at least a few months, it is hard to focus on the joys of your family at a time of economic crisis, says Carol Evans, CEO of Working Mother Inc., which publishes Working Mother magazine.
"It's very difficult to juggle anxiety about the economy and pleasure with your kids," says Evans, who herself was laid off from a job 10 years ago and recalls feeling a combination of happiness -- at the possibility of a summer with her kids -- and panic. "And anxiety is at a fever pitch right now."
Milwaukee mother Shelley Ziech was laid off about a year ago, and her husband got the ax six months later. That has made Ziech's job search even more urgent, but she is still thrilled about the time she is getting to spend with Elizabeth, 12, and Martin, 19.
"It's been one of my greatest joys," says Ziech, 56, who as a sales manager was on the road several nights a week. "Before, I felt like the manager or director of a family. Now I get to do the Mom things -- making the lunches, taking my daughter to school. It's been fabulous."
Editor Sasha Emmons, 34, was laid off in January while pregnant with her second child but found a new job a month later.
"It was a mixed bag for me," says Emmons, the Brooklyn mother of a 3-year-old daughter. "On the one hand it was definitely nice, especially pregnant, to have a bit of a rest. And my daughter loved me coming to pick her up from school. It was nice to do art projects and cooking, baking and yoga class together."
On the other hand, "I would have enjoyed it a lot more had I known that everything was going to be OK financially," says Emmons, now an editor at a parenting Web site.
She also learned something from her brief experience being laid off: Financial pressures aside, she prefers working.
"I just felt kind of lost without a job," Emmons says. "Everyone talks about the mommy wars, and you always have that question as a mother: Is the grass greener on the other side? For me, the question was answered."
Lucas, the Manhattan mom, has drawn a similar conclusion, though she is grateful for the chances she didn't ever expect to have -- like the snow day she spent recently with her fourth-grade daughter and a school friend, taking them to a pizza lunch, listening to all the school gossip and spoiling them with a trip to buy candy.
As for Quinn, her younger daughter recently delighted her by announcing she had decided to forgo any summer activities -- she just wants to hang with Mom.
Once her older daughter is ensconced at college in September, Quinn hopes things will begin moving on the job front. But until then, she plans to make the most of it.
"I want to be able to look back and say that I didn't squander this time," she says.

Introducing Lacey Brody!!!

2009-03-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

A week ago, we went to pick out our new puppy.

Mark wanted a 'boy' so he could name it Blitz. His first choice for a dog was either a Beagle or a Pug. I wanted either a tiny yorkie-poo or a Puggle (beagle/pug mix) because they are the cutest puppies I've ever seen. Reese wanted an 'Otis' dog, like the movie Milo and Otis. And Marina wanted a 'Sandy' dog, like on the movie Annie.

So, we went to the pet store to find our puppy. We played with a cockapoo, which Rina believed was Sandy, but it was too nervous and afraid to even move. Yeah, no fun. Then we played with a tiny, 8wk old Puggle! I fell in love with her immediately! But Mark pointed out the fact that it was a 'girl' and we could not name her Blitz. Hmmm....

As we were playing with her, she kept chewing on our shoelaces. Suddenly, Mark told us, "We could name her Lacey!" Sweet! So, we were all onboard with choosing Lacey. And on Monday evening, we went back to pick her up and bring her home to be our very first family pet. Introducing little Lacey Brody:

Toenail

2009-03-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

The other night, while we were all getting ready for bedtime, I glanced over at Reese and noticed him biting on his toe! This is the dialogue that followed:

Me: Reese, why are you eating your toe?

Reese: I'm biting my toenail off 'cuz it hurts!

Daddy: Reese, you have a hangnail.

Reese: (continues to bite and then looks up and smiles)

Daddy: Don't swallow your nail...it will grow a toe in your tummy!

Reese: (immediately spits the nail out and looks horrified)

Me: Honey! Don't scare him! Reese, you won't grow a toe in your tummy!

Daddy & Mark: (laugh incessantly at the mean joke...and pretty soon we're all laughing!)

2009-03-02T06:54:00.000-08:00

Whenever we visit Grandma Jan's house, Reese & Marina borrow a vhs tape from her collection of classic Disney movies. Their most recent craze is "Alice In Wonderland." Ryan & I can hardly watch this trippy movie w/out feeling dizzy, but the kids absolutely LOVE it! They especially love the 'Treasure Cat' (Cheshire Cat). Last night as we were driving home from getting icecream, Marina excitedly pointed out the moon, which was eerily shaped like Treasure Cat's smile. Reese quickly joined her excitement as awe filled their little minds at the idea of Treasure Cat sitting up in the sky and smiling down at them! It was really cute. And it made me realize once again how sweet and enchanting it is to be a child.

Brody Update

2009-02-26T10:18:00.000-08:00

Reese has learned to count money in school! He came home with a homework page last night, and quickly completed it without assistance! Wow! I am so proud!

Mark was embarassed in class yesterday. And I'm afraid it's my fault. During the English lesson, he felt something weird in his sleeve. When he pulled it out, it ended up being one of Mommy's nylon knee-highs! Ooops! Must have snuck in there during the dry cycle. The whole class saw it and laughed. But, being the cool kid Mark is, he easily laughed along and played it off well. Sorry Mark! I owe you!!!

Marina likes to pull the chair over to the counter, climb up, and raid the snack cupboard! Little sneak! She also has a new fascination with Barbie Princess movies. So, she is constantly asking me if she can watch Swan Lake or Repunzil. Her other new favorite is Charlotte's Web (or as she says, Charlip's Web). She spent her own b-day money on these movies. And she loves when we set up the laptop in her room so she can watch them while she plays.

Girls' Night Out

2009-02-26T09:57:00.001-08:00

Girls' Night Out with a couple of my high school gal pals!!! We met up @ the Melting Pot for some yum fondue!

Here's me and Chrissy. I love this girl! We are in similar phases in life...mom, wife, etc... and it's fun to bounce ideas off each other...or simply relate to each other's experiences!

Here I am with Erica! This girl is a riot! She is so ambitious in her career and in her marathon running/coaching, as well as in her shopping habits! LOL! She always puts a smile on my face.

I love that I can be completely serious or totally silly w/ these girlys. Where are we going next, ladies???

"Do I hear $250??"

2009-02-20T22:46:00.000-08:00

Tonight was the annual 8th grade play/Silent Auction @ Calvary Christian. We've attended the last couple of years. But we weren't planning to go this year. Until....this morning when Mark begged us to take him. "Everyone is going to be there! Pleeease! We just have to go!"

Being that I just melt when my sweet boy begs us to take him anywhere that everyone is going to be.......I conceded, and did what any melting mother would do.........I enlisted Daddy to take Mark. (hehe)

Before heading out, Mark cleared out his wallet and counted his cash. Exactly $20 in singles. He proudly declared that he was going to use his own money to bid in the auction........on lunch with his teacher, the beloved Mrs. K! While we encouraged his determination for such a worthy cause, we also reminded him that there is a chance he could be outbid. But he figured it was worth the effort. So he and Daddy headed out, w/ Mark's very own $20 in his pocket.

I impatiently waited at home to find out how the auction went! Sure enough, Ryan sent me a text message....that Mark was in tears. He had been outbid by $100!!! I wanted to cry with him! There's no way a 10yr old kid can compete with a $100 bidder. It seemed so unfair. Ryan felt so bad for him too. So bad, in fact, that moments later I was receiving yet another text message from him...."I bought a puppy!" What?!?! Yeah, right! Nice try, buddy! "No really, I won the bid for a puppy!" Turns out, Ryan felt so bad for Mark's loss that he impulsively raised his hand to bid on a puppy. The bidding started at $250, and he had been certain that SOMEone would join the bidding. But no one did! So, the puppy goes to Ryan! And to little Mark, too. Who deserves it, I'd say, after all the ups and downs of the past few weeks.....just as long as the poor pup doesn't get thrown in the wash or left on the hood of the car or dropped into the toilet! (You gotta read the next blog post to understand what I mean). Wow. A puppy. Mark isn't so upset about missing lunch with Mrs. K anymore. Altho, lunch with her would certainly put him on cloud 9!

The Fate of the Ipod!

2009-02-20T22:15:00.000-08:00

Poor Mark! He has had such a roller coaster week! Our story begins with his iPod-Touch that he had purchased with his own, well-saved birthday money! $250 covered the ipod and the cool black case. A couple weeks after his big purchase, he let his little brother play a game on the ipod. For some reason, little Reese decided to shove the ipod into his jeans pocket. And before the night was over, we realized with horror that Mom had thrown the little jeans into the wash...not knowing that the ipod was in the pocket! By the time we realized this, the load had gone thru a cycle, and needless to say, the ipod was drenched with soapy water. Even behind the screen. It was destroyed. And poor Mark was devestated. Yet he never yelled or lost his temper or blamed anyone. He just covered his face with his hands and sobbed. I felt horrible that I had done this to my kid! It's not like he had left the ipod in his own jeans and tossed his jeans in the wash. He had taken really good care of his possession, and I felt responsible for not checking Reese's pants pockets before washing them. So, I decided I would save up and replace his birthday treasure. But, Ryan decided, instead, to make a trip out to the Apple store and see if they would replace it. Sure enough! They replaced it, no questions asked. Phew! Mark was thrilled!

One week later, Mark brought the ipod outside to show a neighbor kid a song. He carelessly set it down on the hood of visiting Papa Joel's car. It wasn't until Papa Joel said goodbye and drove away that Mark realized he had forgotten to retrieve the ipod! Again, he was miserably distraut at his loss. I gave Papa Joel a call...with little hope that we'd find the thing. As we spoke, he looked out over the hood of the car.....and saw the ipod still sitting there! He had driven miles down a busy 4 lane street, stopped in a grocery store, and continued driving to his hotel....and somehow the rubbery grip of the ipod case had kept it planted on the hood of the car the entire time! So, he hopped out at a red light and grabbed the ipod to bring back to Mark. Phew! Another close call!

One week after that, Mark had the ipod sitting on the sink ledge while he was washing his hands, and oops...it slipped and fell into the toilet. Ugh! AGAIN! He didn't tell us all day until Daddy came home and tried to turn it on (to no avail). At that point, Mark fessed up to his carelessness. Aye! I've about had it with this ipod! It's too much of a responsibility for a 10yr old! And Mark agreed. Ryan didn't feel like it would be honest to go back to the Apple store and try to sucker out of them a new one. In fact, he told Mark that it would be stealing. And I agree. And I was so happy that Ryan chose to be honorable in this instance. So, we've tried all the little remedies that people have suggested....like using isopropyl alcohol to dry it out....and let it sit for a week in dry rice to soak up any addit'l moisture...etc... But no matter what, the thing won't turn on. So, Mark has pretty much counted his loss and decided to move on. I still get a pit in my gut when I think about it tho. Even tho it's a small loss in a huge world of need, I still feel so bad for my kid. :(

60 Degrees in Chicago

2009-02-18T10:41:00.000-08:00

Last week, we enjoyed a few milder February days. But on this particular day, it reached 60 degrees! So we happily made our way outside for some playtime!

Here is Reese practicing his baseball swing!

Marina decided to play outfield. LOL.

Mark was so happy to get out and play street hockey with some of his buddies!

Princess Birthday Brunch

2009-02-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Marina's 4th birthday with a Princess Birthday Brunch! We invited all the special girls in our life...cousins, aunties, best friends, & of course, Grandma! Every princess needs a castle. LOL. So, Mommy surprised Marina with a pretty, pink castle cake! This birthday girl is growing up so fast! xoxo

25 Random Things About Me...

2009-02-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

1. I start each day sipping a mug of Folger’s medium roast coffee with Coffemate Vanilla Caramel creamer, at which time I also pop my daily dose of synthroid. Without these, I’m a zombie…and I’m crabby. I really don’t know which is worse.

2. I married my high school sweetheart. He was a funny, freckled-face redhead (17 yrs old). And I was a nervous, frizzy-haired New Girl (15 yrs old). He always made me laugh in the lunchroom. At Christmastime, he gave me an oversized teddy bear that was doused in cologne (I still have it), and he asked me to be his girlfriend. I said no, because I wasn’t allowed to date until I turned 16. He waited! 6 months later, he took me on my first date. We celebrated my Sweet 16th birthday @ Medieval Times. The rest is history…it’s sappy, I know!

3. I vividly remember the exact moment I realized I was in love with Ryan. About 2 years into dating, we were driving in his red Geo Tracker, and he randomly busted out singing the theme song to The Wonder Years, “What would you do if I sang out a tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me? Lend me your ear and I’ll sing you a song. I’ll try not to sing out of key…” He meant it to be funny. It made me melt into a puddle of goo.

4. I’m very proud of my heritage. My paternal grandparents lived a life dedicated to ministry. They planted numerous churches in several southern states. But it’s my maternal grandmother that holds my highest esteem! A native born Dominican, growing up under a stern dictator, she quickly worked her way up thru school and university to find herself a place in government. Before she turned 30yrs old, she was put in charge of the dept of social services for the entire country! She then married an American preacher, and moved to the states where she raised a family, while keeping a hand in various types of ministries. Today, she is an international evangelist, sharing the good news of Jesus to Latin countries. She is a respected religious icon in her native country. In honor of her amazing legacy, I named my daughter after my sweet "abuelita," Marina.

5. Since I’m on the topic of child-naming, I’ll mention here that my husband took the liberty of choosing names for our 2 sons. And since I love my husband so much (and I’m such a gr8 wife…ahem!) I agreed with his choices. Mark Salomon is named after the lead singer of one of our fave bands, Stavesacre. And Reese Alan is named after Reese Roper from another fave band, Five Iron Frenzy. The Alan part is Ryan’s and Papa Bill’s middle name.

6. Some of my favorite dates I’ve enjoyed with Ryan over the years=Walking along the Naperville Riverwalk while sipping Funky Monkeys from Java & Juice; Playing on hillbilly mini-golf courses on warm summer nights…complete with 80s love songs blaring in the background; Splitting a chocolate tall cake @ Ruby Tuesdays; Catching a late night movie…which means splitting the popcorn, soda & Twizzler combo; Celebrating our 1st and 2nd anniversaries with fondue @ the Melting Pot…Rye even had a bouquet of roses waiting @ our table when we arrived; Chomping on chips w/ conqueso and BBQ wings @ the bar area at Chili’s while watching a football game. There’s something so electric about corporate cheering w/ a bunch of strangers; Yet, even more exhilarating than that was spending a weekend in Indy and catching a live Colts game! Goosebumps, people, goosebumps. We had ‘em for weeks!

7. I love the written and spoken word. I guess that’s pretty obvious, seeing how all of my answers have turned out to be a paragraph long. LOL. But, to me, writing is an art form. Like clay in the hands of a potter. Or a paintbrush in the grip of an artist. I love to create & shape both characters & environment using descriptive words. I’m amazed by authors who can pen their thoughts onto paper so creatively and effectively that I can virtually see, hear, or even smell the location they are describing. I am going to begin a 2yr writing course this summer through the Christian Writer’s Guild. My goal is to be a published author soon after I complete my studies. Now, when I pass by neatly stocked bookshelves @ bookstores, I dream of the day I will see my own thoughts and creations, bound & published, and waiting to be purchased by the avid reader…

8. I’m much more comfortable speaking in front of a huge crowd than I am speaking one-on-one with an acquaintance. Chalk it up to insecurity, but I feel like people can see right through me to that very insecurity. And I struggle with small talk. I can’t think of what to say. So it usually ends up being something embarrassing.

9. At the same time, I thrive on stimulating conversation. If a person is intellectually sharp, quick-witted, or willing to share rich experiences…I will plunge right in and be glued to the conversation…that is, until something more stimulating comes along. Then you've lost me... (blush)

10. My radio is set to political talk radio. It provides me with the stimulating conversation I crave when my day is otherwise filled with 3yr-old whining and correction.

11. I love roller coasters! I love the upside down, loopedy-loop, corkscrew kind of rides…but I absolutely despise giant drops. One try @ Raging Bull was enough for this woman.

12. I really can’t tell you what my natural hair color is. We can look back on old photos and speculate. But my hair has been dyed so many colors, your guess is as good as mine.

13. When I turned 18yrs old, my older sister took me to a tattoo parlor. She got her belly button pierced. I got my tongue pierced. Both of us removed our uncomfortable *bling* within 3 mos. So much for being “cool.”

14. We are a Disney family! Big time! Ryan grew up vacationing there almost yearly. And now as a couple, we have visited 5 times! Our favorite resort is the Disney Caribbean. We’ve also stayed at the Port Orleans & the Pop Culture resorts. If you ever have questions planning for a Disney vacay…we’ll gladly share what we know!

15. Speaking of vacationing, some of our destinations=Disney World (already mentioned); Wisconsin Dells. Ryan’s parents owned a cabin on a lake for several years, so we’d spend many summer weekends there. We’ve also enjoyed some of the Dells’ resorts: the Wilderness Lodge, Kalahari, and Mount Olympus (that one changes its name every few years); Hillbilly tent camping @ a Jellystone park. (C’mon, we had to do it at least once! Our kids would be deprived if we hadn’t); Weekend getaways for Ryan & me in Indianapolis, downtown Chicago, and @ a quaint little inn in Geneva; Branson, MO (if you’ve ever been there….’nuf said); Corpus Christie, Texas. Wow, the beaches are amazing…but the driving is scary; Illinois State Beach Resort. You walk out of your hotel and are literally steps away from the beaches of Lake Michigan. Beautiful; Salt Lake City, Utah. Boy, you don’t realize how flat the Midwest really is until you fly over those gorgeous mountains! And climbing the mountains…completely exhilarating; And finally, my favorite vacation was our 5yr anniversary cruise to the Bahamas. First time cruising for both of us. And first time Ryan and I danced in a salsa club on the boat. Haha. I still have the red mini skirt…..

16. I seriously fall more and more in love with my Rye-bread everyday. Yeah, sometimes I wanna strangle him. And sometimes he wants to cut my tongue out. But other than that, we are awfully happy. (choke, choke) No, seriously, he makes me laugh til my side splits. And I love to see him make other people laugh too. Even though he uses the same jokes he’s been telling for 10yrs. Which happen to be the same jokes his father has told for about 30yrs. Aye! It never gets old.

17. Ryan has trained us up to be a movie-quoting family. Whenever the opportunity presents itself, we respond to a situation using movie quotes. The flicks we imitate most are Naked Gun, Princess Bride, Young Frankenstein, Liar Liar & Shrek. I know there are others…but those definitely take the cake. “Taffeta, darling, taffeta!”

18. When I was in junior high, I dreamed of being Anne of Green Gables. The braids, the bare feet, and (of course) the handsome Gilbert Blithe!

19. Growing up, my family moved so much, I attended 9 different schools. I think that’s why I’m insecure in friendships. I think that’s why I fear being left out in group settings. And I KNOW that’s why I suck in history class. Hmph!

20. I cannot stand up on ice skates. And I had a horrible experience w/ skiing (age 13). So, now I refuse to do either.

21. As a teenager, I was blessed to be able to participate in several missions trips. 7th grade=our youth group traveled to ghetto Birmingham, Alabama. We teamed up with Habitat for Humanity, painting run down homes and reaching out to inner city kids; 8th grade=again, our youth group traveled to Miami, Florida to help clean up after Hurricane Andrew. The devastation was incredible and I walked away forever impacted; 9th grade=I traveled with a different youth group to an Indian reservation in northern New York State. We put on VBS for local children, did some cleanup around the church building, viewed the Niagara Falls from the Canada side, and hit Cedar Point Amusement Park during the drive home. A lot less impacting than the previous trip; 11th grade=El Salvador missions trip. This trip required major mental and spiritual preparation. We worked with King’s Castle ministries to reach a country devastated by civil war and major earthquake damage. The poverty among families was heart wrenching. It completely blew our minds! But the number of hearts receptive to the gospel was so inspiring. And the fact that God used us as His tool to reach those hurting people…well, that was completely humbling.

22. We spend our evenings during the summer and fall…sitting on the football field, watching our little athlete practice w/ his team. And we spend our weekends on the bleachers, cheering our hearts out for him! And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

23. The next trip I hope we take is to San Francisco. My abuela Marina, along with many of my other relatives, lives right there in the bay area, and I’ve been wanting to visit them for ages. One of my very best friends lives down in Los Angeles. Maybe we can make a stop there before heading home?? Oh yeah, another best friend of mine lives right outside of Denver, Colorado. I guess that would be a stopover too. Aye! No wonder we haven’t taken this trip yet!

24. My Mom has made it a habit to call me almost every Tuesday. I am the 2nd child out of 5 siblings, and Tuesday is the 2nd day of the workweek…so that explains that. I LOVE our phone chats. They are usually short, and sweet, and full of estrogen. ;)

25. Um, how do I end this thing? How about, if you’ve actually read this entire novel, drop me an email. And I will take you out for coffee to thank you for being so sweet and spending your time getting to know me! Seriously…it’ll be my treat! xoxo

The Girl Scares Me!

2009-02-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

Little Marina is the social butterfly to top all others!
She will strike up a conversation with absolutely anyone! ANYone!
Unfortunately, she proved this to be too true the other day...and it scared me!

Ryan & I had purchased a new bed for our master bedroom. When the furniture guys arrived, the first one was just as wide as he was tall. About a 300 pound man, I'd guess. Very jolly and nice. But a stranger to us, and a very large, intimidating one at that! Upon their arrival, little Emma immediately asked me to hold her. You know, the normal thing for a 3yr old girl to do when a strange man enters the house. But not Marina! Oh no! She was way too interested in what we were doing to think about being shy!

After I showed the man to the bedroom, we were going to return downstairs for the furniture. Emma was on my hip, and Marina asked for me to carry her down too. (More out of jealousy than anything else). I said, "No, honey, I'm holding Emma. But how about I hold your hand instead?" When she pitched a mini fit, the man (at the top of the stairs) said in a deep, gruff voice, "How about I carry you down?" It was more of an effort to make Marina take my hand...but oh no! She looked up at him and cheerfully said, "OK!" Then she climbed the five steps up to him and allowed his huge self to swipe her up and carry her down the stairs! The whole way down, she was chatting, "What's your name? I'm Rina. It's my birfday!" The poor man apologized, and explained that he didn't think she'd really take him up on his offer! Oh boy! He doesn't know this little, social, trusting Marina! While I'm glad she can make friends so easily...it's also very scary to think about how easily she will go to a stranger. From now on, she must hold my hand in public, at ALL times!!!

What is Beauty???

2009-01-27T10:33:00.000-08:00

At Women's Bible study, we are going through a Beth Moore study of the book of Esther. And, inevitably, the topic of appearance is being discussed. True beauty versus store-bought, skin-deep, fake-baked beauty. And as God knows...my head is very thick! And very often my brain is blissfully unaware of the ugly faults in my heart. So, He decided to teach me a couple lessons this week, OUTSIDE of my study. Oh Lordy! You know how to shake me up! And it usually involves a big swat in the pants! Here's the first story:

"For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
1Samuel 16:7

Ok, I'm addicted to social websites, like facebook and myspace and blogs! It's no secret around here...I could get wrapped up for hours if my kids didn't pull on my arm and tell me, "I'm hungry! It's past lunchtime!" Ooops! That's how absorbed I find myself when I'm surfing those websites. Well, I was checking out my myspace account this week, and I noticed that someone had commented on a group topic that I had previously commented on. This person was someone I had never met, but as we began to comment back and forth with each other, I began to think, "This seems like a cool girl! She could be someone I'd really click with!" She didn't have a photo attached to her name, so I had no idea what her appearance would be. All I knew is that she was witty and friendly, and I liked our quick banter. A few days later, this woman posted a photo of herself. And I'm so ashamed to admit, my first reaction was so snotty! I immediately thought, "Oh! I couldn't be friends with her...she's nothing like I expected." What?!? I stopped myself and questioned my unfair judgements. What was I suddenly finding wrong with her?? The fact that she was probably 15 yrs older than I expected?? The fact that she had a head of silver white hair, rather than the young trendy cut that I imagined?? Or was it the fact that she was wearing sloppy 'hillbilly' clothes in her photo, rather than a cute, updated outfit that I was sure this fresh personality would be wearing?? Wow. So, her appearance suddenly changed the way I thought about this sweet, friendly woman?? I was so disgusted with my shallowness. And I know God allowed this situation to happen for a reason: to show me what is really in my heart. Ouch! That's painful! My prayer=Lord, please change my heart. Help me to see others thru your eyes. With kindness and acceptance, no matter what the outer appearance may be. Help me to remember that every single person is a unique, valuable creation that you have breathed life into and placed a purpose within. Amen!

"I don't dare to compare myself with those who praise themselves. I'm not that kind of person. They measure themselves by themselves. They compare themselves with themselves. When they do that, they are not wise. But I won't brag more than I should. Instead, I will brag only about what I have done in the area God has given me. It is an area that reaches all the way to you."
2 Corinthians 10:12, 13

OK, here's my second story. It is a totally different take on the issue of appearance. I admit that I am in the habit of comparing myself to other people. You know, walking into a room and sizing up the competition. Oh c'mon ladies! Don't pretend you don't do the same exact thing! I automatically notice one lady's cute shoes, the next lady's adorable hairstyle, and (yes! I will admit to you!) I will definitely notice the beautiful woman in the corner, and then I will proceed to pick out each and every flaw I can possibly find in her....just to make myself feel better I guess??? Who knows!!! How superficial, I know! It is tied to my own insecurity. And the Lord is showing me, through this study, how deep that insecurity goes. (And how horribly it manifests itself in my own attitudes!) Unfortunately, the comparisons don't stop there! I find myself comparing my mothering skills to other moms, my marriage with other marriages, etc, etc...you get the idea. What this verse tells me is that it is so foolish to compare ourselves with each other. Rather, we should let God's standards be our litmus test. Last week, the Lord showed me...with obnoxious, flashing lights...just why it's so foolish to compare ourselves with other people. When we compare ourselves to others...what we're really doing is comparing ourselves to their appearance. Not the truth behind the appearance. Here's what happened: I was online again (I know, I know...my poor neglected children!) and a close friend of mine opened up a chat window and began to chat with me. Almost immediately, though, she got right to the point. "Can I ask you a question? You and your husband have been together for a long time.....how do you make it work?" I was kinda caught off guard, and I quickly admitted to her that we have our share of struggles too. She responded with, "But you always look so happy." Hmm......

I replied, "I guess everyone smiles in pictures, right?" But, what I realized was that people may look at our photos, see us always smiling, and assume we are always happy. After further chatting, she admitted that she and her hubby are going thru a rough patch in their marriage. It nearly broke my heart to think that she may be comparing her marriage with mine.....or rather, the appearance of mine. No! No! No! How dangerous and disastrous that would be! As a matter of fact, I've found myself in her same position. I've found myself in those 'rough patches' with my hubby, and I've thought to myself, "We just aren't as happy as that other couple...there must be something wrong with us!" Aye! If only we kept in mind the fact that every marriage goes thru those 'rough patches.'

So, I didn't waste a moment in expaining to her that, yes, there are days when I am so happy in our relationship.....but there are also days when I wake up and have to recommit my vows for that day. Marriage vows aren't only made at the altar. They have to be made every day. Especially when you don't feel as happy as other couples appear! My prayer=Lord, thank you for opening my eyes to see beyond the surface. Help me to display an honest perception of my life. And help me to stop comparing myself with others! Amen and amen!!!

So, here's my next question. How does a woman send out an accurate image to others, without airing out all your laundry?? Hmm...this may be the next lesson God teaches me. Hopefully without having to swat me over the head! lol!

Date Night

2009-01-27T10:16:00.001-08:00

Ryan & I enjoyed a 'date night' on Saturday night. We joined our friends Michael & Kristi Grove and Vicki & Chuck Prescott for a dinner in downtown Chicago...to celebrate Michael's birthday.

We made reservations for Andy's Jazz club, on Hubbard Street. The atmosphere was really cool. The music was great. And we all agreed that the food was really good! Fun times!

Auntie Danielle was kind enough to come babysit the kids for us, so we could have a night out. The highlight of the kids' night was when they made a fort with blankets and watched a movie inside the fort. ;)

randomness

2009-01-19T07:40:00.001-08:00

I was trying on my wedding dress...for the 1st time in over 10 yrs! Yikes! But I may need to wear it again...in a V-Day dinner/theater play that Ryan & I have roles in. So, I was trying it on. And to my surprise, it still fits! When I stepped out of the bathroom, wearing the gown, Marina was immediately before me...and her eyes were sparkling with enchantment! She started gushing about me and my 'princess' dress! "Mommy! You're wearing a princess dress! You're so pretty! Mommy! You look like Cinderella! You're wearing a princess dress!!!" And then she said something that made me melt into a puddle of love on the floor. She said, "But, Mommy.....who's gonna dance with you?" She is such a girly-girl! Because, obviously any girl wearing a princess dress MUST have a prince right around the corner, ready to dance with her! I LOVED seeing the innocent enchantment in her eyes. So sweet!

The other day, I was trying to do some housecleaning while the little kids took a nap. I knew I only had a short window of time to complete my tasks before the busy kids awoke, so I was hurried and stressing and really kinda crabby. I sent Mark outside to play in the snow, not so much for his sake as it was for mine, to get him out of my way. While I was switching the laundry upstairs, I heard Mark run back inside and stand at the bottom of the stairs and shout up to me, "Mommy!!!" I was so angry that he was being so loud and almost woke up the kids from their nap, I raced downstairs and lost my temper on him. "SHHHH!!! Be quiet! What's wrong with you!?! You're gonna wake up the kids! And why did you walk across the carpet with your wet boots?!? What do you WANT!!!" I was fuming! He looked at me with sad, embarassed eyes and said, "I just wanted you to look out the window at me." He had that same look of innocence in his eyes. Like, all he wanted was Mom's attention. And in that moment, all my housework and tasks suddenly seemed meaningless in comparison. I was so ashamed of my behavior. And I reminded myself that his desire for Mom's attention will be short-lived. Very, very soon, he will be too old & busy to ask Mom to look out the window at his snow creations. So, without another word, I followed him to the front of the house, and I sat at the kitchen window for a long time, watching him play in the snow, and thinking about my attitude, and realizing that I need to cherish these moments so much more than I do. They will be gone too quickly if I don't.

LASER TAG BABY!!!

2009-01-17T09:47:00.000-08:00

Friday night we had Mark's party. 12 of his friends joined us at Chaser's Laser Tag for pizza, cake, group gaming, and (of course) laser tag! Pastor Michael and Kristi were so kind to join us too! I'm not sure who had more fun...the 10yr old kids...or Ryan & Michael, who couldn't wait to whoop on the 10yr old kids in Laser Tag!!! LOL!

Wow. Boys get awfully competitive when they have a laser gun in their hand!!!

Mark was hoping to score enough birthday cash to buy an ipod-touch. Sure enough, his friends were so kind to give Mark cash and gift cards, and now he has reached his goal! We plan to take him tomorrow to make his big purchase! So, not only did he have an awesome party with gr8 friends...he also is able to buy "the best gift ever!"

Mommy made some Creepy Crawly Alien Cupcakes...complete with one eye and tentacles...

Happy Birthday buddy!!!

We ended the night with a sleepover! The boys played air hockey and sword fights...and a few rounds of "tarantula" (where the boys had to creep down into the dark basement without being caught by the hiding Ryan & Michael! LOL! The boys were so scared to leave the bottom step, but they loved every minute of it!) Then they pulled up their sleeping bags, grabbed some popcorn, and watched a movie (Prince Caspian). They only got about 4 hours of sleep...so we are awfully tired! But it was worth every moment. We all had such a blast!

Happy Birthday Mark!

2009-01-17T09:29:00.001-08:00

My baby boy turned 10 years old this week! That just seems so momentous to me. He's excited to be in the double digits. lol. What a sweet birthday week he's had too! We've experienced record cold weather this week, so he enjoyed 3 'snow days' @ home! On the morning of his birthday, I gathered the 3 kiddies around the breakfast table and we sang happy birthday to Mark. Then he blew out a candle that was in his blueberry muffin. So cute! That night, we treated him to his favorite restaurant for dinner...Portillo's. And Ryan watched a movie with him that Mark has been begging us all year to let him watch...Dark Knight. Ryan and I like that movie, but we hadn't allowed Mark to watch it (even tho all his friends claim to have seen it), because of the violence in the movie. But since he had turned 10 that day, and he is growing up so fast, Ryan decided to let him watch it. Of course, Mark loved the movie, and "wasn't at all scared!" (roll my eyes) So, it was a fun birthday for my sweet boy who has turned a whopping 10 years old! Phew!

Uncle Jay Explains the News

2009-01-09T14:28:00.000-08:00

"I telled a LIE!!!"

2009-01-07T07:09:00.000-08:00

My sweet little Reese has told a couple lies in the past few weeks. This is a new thing for him. The first time was when I sent him downstairs to get his socks and shoes on for church. I was upstairs still getting ready. After a few minutes I hollered down to him, "Reese! Do you have your socks and shoes on?" To which he quickly replied, "Yeah!" With hurried relief, I went about getting ready. But when I came downstairs, there was Reese, playing video games, with BARE FEET! He had a little grin on his face, like, "I tricked you. That was fun." The little stinker! From then on, I knew I couldn't place all my trust in his responses.

The other night, I sent the boys to brush their teeth before bed. They were awfully silly and playful in the bathroom, so as Reese walked out, I asked him, "Did you brush your teeth?" To which he replied, "Yes." Being skeptical of him lately, I narrowed my eyes and said, "Let me smell your breath." He shyly let me examine, and sure enough, he had NOT brushed his teeth! Another lie! This time, I knew I needed to take action, so he would learn that lying is not a game. I told him, "Reese, you told Mommy a lie. You said you brushed your teeth, but you really didn't. That's a lie. It makes Jesus sad. And it makes Mommy sad." At which point, he burst out into tears. It's like he was heartbroken that he had made Jesus sad and Mommy sad. I wanted to cry with him; he was so sincere about it. Quickly I said, "Reese, let's try again." And I went on to ask him if he had brushed his teeth. This time (thru tears) he told me the truth.

As he entered the bathroom, I overheard him tell his big brother, in a sad, sad voice, "Mark...I telled a LIE!!!" What a sweetie!!!! He melts me. Truly melts me.

I swiped this from a friend's website...so deep!

2009-01-04T12:50:00.000-08:00

In times of change, the learners will inherit the world, while the knowers remain well prepared for a world that no longer exists. -Eric Hoffer

1st Loose Tooth!!!

2009-01-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

On New Year's Day, Reese lost his very first loose tooth! It began to wiggle only the night before. And that quickly, it fell out! He was a little bit afraid, not understanding what in the world was happening to him, so I calmly explained what was going on. And I reassurred him that everyone else has lost a tooth too! Even little cousin Mikayla has her 2 front teeth missing at the moment, so it was comforting to him to see that he had a toothless companion.

Marina, on the other hand, refuses to believe that she will ever lose a 'toof' because she insists that her 'teef' are already sharp!

Morales Christmas

2009-01-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Christmas with my side of the family, on New Year's Day. Dinner at Jenae & Tony's house. Board games. Gift exchange. And of course, MUSIC!!! There's always a lot of music involved in our gatherings. I don't mean a boom box or an ipod playing. I mean live music! Somebody is always strumming on a guitar or playing a song on Jenae's baby grand piano. And if there is no instrument around, we start a beat by tapping different patterns on our dinner glasses, until every person is involved, creating a percussion set that even Blue Man Group would envy! And if we're simply scrubbing dishes in the kitchen, someone will inevitably sing out a tune, and soon enough we are all harmonizing. We are a very musical family, and I just love how music is such an integral part of our family times! Here are some snapshots from our Christmas gathering.

Bringing in 2009!!!

2009-01-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

True to tradition, we started out the evening by meeting Ryan's family at church for communion. We love to group together around Pastor Ron as he prays for each member of our family (from the oldest to youngest) and for blessings in the new year. Then he passes us out communion and we spend a few moments remembering what Christ has done for us. It's an amazing time of reflection...both on the past as well as the future. How blessed we are. And how grateful we feel for the continous way our God showers us with love.

Then, we headed out to Heather's house to join some of our closest friends in a New Year's celebration!

All Dressed Up...

2009-01-01T09:37:00.000-08:00

...the kiddies...all dressed up for church in their Christmas outfits...

Christmas Day @ the Brody's

2009-01-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

Brody Family
All smiles (except Marina! My word!)

Another Christmas Day, spent with my sweet hubby!

As every year, Christmas Day was spent at Grandma and Papa Brody's house. Extended family joined us as we ate a Christmas meal and exchanged gifts.

Here is Ryan with his grandmother, 'Mom Riefke.' She spends the entire year gathering special gifts to give to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren on Christmas Day.

Christmas Morning

2008-12-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve morning...traditional breakfast with our best friends, the Grove's.
Christmas Eve dinner...Grandma & Papa's house, lotsa food, lotsa gifts, lotsa fun.

Christmas Morning...kids woke us up at 7:30am. Gifts from Santa were waiting under the tree and gifts from Grandma & Papa (from the night before) were carefully set up and displayed on the couches for the kids to see when they reached the bottom stair. (Mark stayed up with us last night to help set everything up, since this was his first year knowing that Santa isn't real...now he gets to be in on fooling his siblings!) The time is 8:20am and Daddy and Mommy are heading back to bed!

"Don't bother me...I'm playing with my new dollhouse..."

The Town of MEville

2008-12-21T21:40:00.000-08:00

Ryan, Mark & I had the opportunity to be a part of the MEville presentation...a fresh, creative, & dramatic way to tell the Christmas story. It was written, Dr. Seuss-style, by Calvary Church's very talented Children's Pastor...Pastor Michael. Ryan played the role of the Town Rep, I was spoiled, bratty JayME, and Mark was one of the Oompa-Loompa-type King's helpers. Here are a couple snapshots of the castmembers at one of our many rehearsals.

Here are some of the townspeople of MEville.

Here are some of the kids from MEville.

This is LucyME (the town villain) & JayME (the spoiled brat).

Ryan and me...after the Saturday night performance. We had two more on Sunday. Both Sunday services were packed. Praise God! Our prayer was that the whimsy and creativity of this production would be the tool that would tug at people's hearts and remind them of God's gift to us at Christmastime.

"It's a Wonder-Full Life"

2008-12-21T18:48:00.000-08:00

I'm finally catching up on my blogging!

We are so proud of Mark! Once again he auditioned for the school play, and this time he landed the lead role! Here's the little guy in action!

Here is Mark with his teacher, Mrs. K. She is one of his very favorite teachers!

I apologize for the poor camera-work. Mommy was trying to film Mark, while handling an antsy 3yr-old Marina. We plan to purchase the professionally filmed dvd for our keepsake...but here's a little taste of Mark's solo from our own (shaky) camcorder.

A Life of Glamour

2008-12-16T08:28:00.000-08:00

This video so accurately describes a mother's life!
Check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMhuAtyFCrw

ps: I emailed this to some of you directly. Sorry for the double dose. Altho, I think it's worth a second play. It's so stinkin funny!
xoxo

Riding the Polar Express!

2008-12-15T13:45:00.001-08:00

On Saturday, we were invited by our good friends Vicki, Kennedy, and Talon to hop the Polar Express train to the "North Pole" to meet Santa Claus! It was quite an adventure! We had so much fun. And so many laughs along the way. Thank you girls for inviting us! xoxo

Jingle Bells

2008-12-14T06:43:00.000-08:00

Rina: "Jeeter Bells, Jeeter Bells. Jeeter all dah way!!!
Jeeter Bells, Jeeter Bells. Jeeter all dah way!!!
Jeeter Bells, Jeeter Bells. Jeeter all dah way!!!"

Reese: "No, that's not how it goes! It goes like this...
Jinger Bells, Jinger Bells. Jinger all dah way!
Olay fun it is to why in a one horse open sleigh!"

Stolen Markers & Sharpened Pencils...

2008-12-12T07:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was quite an eventful day for my two boys.
First, Reese came home from school...strangely hobbling off the bus in front of our house. When he stepped inside the door, he had the look of mischief in his eyes. He said, "Mommy, guess what I have in my shoe." Um...I can only imagine! "What Reese?" At that point, he whipped out a fat, black dry erase marker. "I have a marker!" he declared with a smile. Normally a marker wouldn't alert my mommy senses, but the fact that he had sneakily brought it home in his shoe caused my suspicions to surface.
"Who's marker is that, Reese?"
"Mr. Hayek's"
"Did you take this from Mr. Hayek's desk?"
"Yes."
"Reese, when you take something that isn't yours, that's called stealing. How do you think that makes Mr. Hayek feel?"
Suddenly Reese's face transformed into one of sheer despair!
"Does it make him feel...SAD?"
"Yes Reese, it makes him feel sad."
He burst into tears, and I felt like the rottenest mother ever for pushing my sweet, naive boy to tears. Especially when this was one of the darlingest thing he's ever done! But true to my role as mother, I helped him close his eyes and tell Jesus sorry for stealing. Then I instructed him to give it back to Mr. Hayek tomorrow, and tell him sorry for taking his marker. Again, Reese busted out crying, "But I want a marker!" OK, he obviously wasn't getting the concept. So the issue was dropped, and I swept him up into the tightest, kissiest hug I could give him. He is my sweetest child!

Then, Mr. Mark came home. He was beaming so bright, he could power all of New York City. What was his secret joy?? He waited until Daddy arrived home before he spilled the beans...apparently, when Mark had entered class that morning, he saw that Grace (his 3-year crush; his dream-girl; the one whom we incessantly tease him about. hehe) was rummaging through Mark's desk. "Grace, what are you doing?"
"Oh, I was cleaning up your desk for you. And I sharpened all your pencils."
Sharpened all his pencils?!?! Oh my! You'd think she'd declared her love for him! He melts into the floor everytime he thinks about her sweet, thoughtful pencil-sharpening skills. And, of course, Ryan and I see it as fresh, new material that we can use to tease him! (Mark laughs his head off when we tease him about Grace. And his face gets beet red. It's great!) So, before bed, when we brought the subject up again, we told him Grace must really like him after his amazing performance in the school play. He had the funniest reply! "She just can't resist showing me how much she likes me!" Oh please!!!! Someone please pop that big fat head before it explodes! LOL.

The Dusty Magazine

2008-12-11T09:08:00.000-08:00

I don't usually read "motherhood magazines" because I find them awfully dull and redundant, and usually pretty cheesy. But, today I decided to take a moment to flip thru a Christian Women's magazine that my sis had sent to me last spring. It's been collecting dust next to my bed since then. (Sorry Lindsey!) Immediately I was riveted by the wisdom saturating the articles. One phrase totally struck me...like a wooden 2x4 smacking me across my thick, stubborn skull. "When our faith is secure, we will be touched by circumstances, yet governed by the Holy Spirit. This we decide every day, with every issue."

Wow! A simple, timeless message. There is so much truth packed into these few short words. It starts with our faith being secure in Christ. But how do you just come up with secure faith? I think it starts with a decision. "Lord, I choose to trust You. Period." Then, we go about our business and find ourselves touched by circumstance. Okay, that hits home with many of us nowadays. So many circumstances are swirling out of our control lately. But our response to the circumstance is governed by the Holy Spirit. I love that they chose to use the word governed in this sentence. I think this requires a constant interaction with Him. "Lord, how would you have me respond today? What should I say? How should I feel?" Then, the part about, "this we decide every day, with every issue," suggests that it is a continual battle within us to do what is right; to respond with faith. And through this repetitive cycle, I truly believe that we will be brought back to the initial concept: SECURE FAITH. When we allow Him to, He proves Himself faithful. And our faith has a chance to grow.

Alright, Lord. How I've blown it, even this week, by responding to circumstance with ugly attitudes or hurtful words. Thank you for another kick in the pants. Today I choose to start at the beginning: Lord, I choose to trust You. Period. Help me live a life governed by you, at every circumstance. And may my faith continue to grow more secure in You.

And thank you for cheesy Women's Magazines.

"The Talk"

2008-12-09T08:02:00.000-08:00

The dreaded "Talk."
It's enough to incite every ouce of anxiety in a parent, right?

Well, we had "The Talk" with Mark on Sunday night.
Ryan and I thought the time was right because Mark will be entering 5th grade next year. And he will be attending public school. Plus he has lots of guy-friends on his football team and in his wrestling club. With all these other influences, we wanted to make sure WE were the ones to tell him the details, before he heard a distorted version from his friends. And we suspected that once we started probing, we'd find out that he already knew more about the topic than he'd let on.

Sure enough, as we began the conversation by asking questions, Mark spilled the snippets of info he'd heard from friends here and there. It wasn't much, considering the conversation that unfortunately permeates average boys' dialogue these days. But, it was still more than we'd realized he had ingested. So, we took the opportunity to fill in the gaps and explain things the way we wanted him to hear it.

Surprisingly, it wasn't nearly as horrible or terrifying or weird as I had envisioned all these years. When Ryan and I approached it in a very casual, informative way, it helped Mark to stop writhing on the floor with fits of nervous laughter, and he was able to look at us face to face and finish the conversation very comfortably. Of course, I'll never forget his initial response: "Eew! Why would anyone wanna do THAT!?!"

It ended up being a very sweet, special conversation. And we were super proud of some of the wise conclusions he drew without our intervention. An example is when we explained to him the way many guys in our culture view sex. They think it makes them cool and macho if they've been with several girls. Right away, Mark looked horrified and said, "But, that's cheating!" To which we responded, "Yes. That's cheating on your future wife." We discussed the importance of choosing your dates wisely; girls that hold the same values as you and have a common desire for purity. Again, he thrilled us when he decided that he wanted to start praying for his future wife, that she will make right choices, just like he is going to do. What a sweetie!

After it's all said and done, I think we accomplished our goal: to explain the basic mechanics of how it works, to reiterate that it's God's plan for marriage, and to reaffirm the fact that when people don't remain within God's rules for sex, they open the door to ugly consequences. Now, I'm pretty confident that when he hears kids make ignorant comments on the topic, he will be equipped with the truth. I also realize that this conversation isn't the big climax that I thought it would be! It's simply a stepping stone. A prerequisite to many more conversations. And hopefully he will always remember that he can talk to us about ANYthing! Lastly, we drilled into his head that he may NEVER tell his friends or siblings about the things we had just discussed. It is the job of each parent to engage their own child in "The Talk."

Phew! One kid down...2 more to go...

Little Star

2008-12-09T05:35:00.000-08:00

Mark's comment this morning, regarding his school play tonight, in which he landed the main role: "We HAVE to go out for icecream with everyone else afterward. For the first time in my life, I'm popular!"

Christmas Pics

2008-12-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

Here are some snapshots that we took after church today. I think some of these will be going on our Holiday cards this year!

Goofy Girl!

2008-12-04T12:45:00.001-08:00

"I see two Mommies!"

"Hee Hee"

RaNdOm ObSeRvAtiOnS

2008-12-04T06:52:00.000-08:00

1. Ryan may never be able to get out the door for work, without first giving a demanding Rina "kiss and lub (love)."

2. When kids are invited to come forward for prayer during Kid's Connection services, the line that the kids form in front of Ryan is 3 times longer than any other leader...and is mostly made up of starry-eyed 5th grade girls. lol. Ryan is such a hunk!

3. I think it's about time for Reese to get a haircut.
<----------------------------

4. I think the water has been altered...because a ton of my friends are preggy all at once! Katelynn, Nicole, Jill, Julie, Tasha, Angie, Caroline, Rebecca, Natalie, Rachel, Megan, Jen...and I'm sure others that I can't remember at the moment. Just the thought of another pregnancy makes me fatigued. I'll be investing in bottled water for the next few months.

5. We are obviously experiencing a recession in our economy. But, lately I've been finding out about close friends and neighbors that are becoming hugely affected by this national burden. A neighbor that I've lived down the street from for 6yrs has been laid off and will be suddenly moving out of state in a month. Another friend (from church) said her husband has lost 30% of his income, and they may lose their beautiful home. (The home I admit I've secretly envied from time to time). WE have been the family that has lived much more modestly than our acquaintances, but now we are the family that still has a job and a home. Ryan's job, as unglamorous and perhaps 'dead-end' as it sometimes feels, is very secure and unaffected by the current market. Wow. How grateful we need to be. And how ashamed I feel when I think of the times I've complained or been dissatisfied.

6. I think I am employed by Mr. & Mrs. Smith. You know, that movie about the couple that looks like a typical suburban pair on the outside, but ends up being undercover special ops or something. Yeah. I think I work for them. I've provided childcare for their child for 3 yrs. And as time has gone on, I've picked up on little details here and there that blow their cover as 'teachers.' Like yesterday, Mrs. Smith let slip a minor detail...that her husband was an FBI agent before becoming an elementary school principal. And that he ranked #1 in the nation for physical and mental testing. Um...yeah. How do you go from that to becoming a district 204 principal? I kinda wonder if my house is under surveillance now...like undercover agents are hiding in trees and peering thru binoculars, making sure that Mr. & Mrs. Smith's one and only daughter is safe. If that's not enough to make me paranoid, I don't know what is. Yet I LOVE this family. They have been so amazing to me. They are like family. But, yes, Ryan and I are so very intrigued by this mysterious duo. We want to make dinner plans with them over the holidays (we've done this once before) and hopefully get the low-down on their story. "What is it that you reeally do?" ;)

Prepare

2008-12-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday, Ryan spoke in Kid's Connection about preparation. He recounted the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth's encounter with the angel as they were told they would give birth to a son, John. And then Ryan explained to the kids that John the Baptist's life's purpose was to prepare the hearts of people for Jesus' ministry. A whole lifelong effort of preparation in order to usher in Jesus' short 3-year ministry. Wow.

As I examine my life, I realize the importance of preparation. Being prepared for daily divine appointments. But also being prepared for a more intricate purpose that God has planned for my future. That's really something to chew on. A familiar concept. Yet it takes on new meaning as I feel the Lord revealing pieces of that 'future plan' in my life. It will take preparation. Today. I heard a preacher once say that every minute spent on your knees in prayer, and every moment spent studying God's Word, is not done in vain. But, it's tempting to think these practices are trivial. Or not as urgent as the thousands of other tasks at hand.

I want to defy the temptation to procrastinate. I want to prepare. For whatever task He has for me. Perhaps speaking into the life of a hurting neighbor. Or wisely exhorting my growing kids. Or even greater things than that, if He so chooses. In any case, it's not about me. It wasn't about John the Baptist. Or the apostle Paul. Or anyone else that He used. It's always been about God's purposes. And His plan to rescue lost hearts. Wow. Christmas has taken on a new meaning this year. At least it has for me. ;)

First Snow

2008-12-01T14:55:00.001-08:00

Today we enjoyed the first real snow of the season. The key word here is 'enjoyed' because by next week, this fun, fluffy white stuff will be the object of my greatest frustration! Shoveling, cautious driving, and muddy puddles on my kitchen floor will turn the winter magic into a season-long curse. At least that's from my point of view. But, I'm sure the kids will continue to 'enjoy' the snow all the way through spring. And I admit...that's just what children should do. ;)

Where the Heart Is...

2008-11-30T12:34:00.000-08:00

Some people have the amazing experience of growing up in the same house throughout their childhood years. And for some, the home is still owned by family and they are able to return to that place of memories now as an adult. What that must feel like! To return to the place that holds so many memories and feelings of sentiment.

Of course, this tends to be less and less of a trend these days, as the average homeowner remains in a house less than 5yrs. My own childhood was filled with moving and starting new schools and living in different homes. With those experiences have come valuable life lessons too. Like learning to adapt to a new setting, making friends, and accepting change.

But I can't help but envy those who have those strong ties to familiar childhood settings. Traditions. Nostalgia. Lifelong friends that have known you since kindergarten. That playground that you remember chasing kids around. The well-beaten path between your house and your best-friend's. Any memories like these that I try to conjure up are immediately assigned to multiple street addresses, and none of those sentiments run very deep, since our family often had to uproot and transplant before strong ties were forged.

Around this time of year, as my sisters and I make plans for the holidays, my mind can't help but run back to this very theme. Because, where is home?? Where should we host the holidays this year?? What traditions can we start, and hopefully keep?? Have you ever seen that saying, "Home is Where the Heart Is"?? Well, in our case, I have decided that "Home is Where the Family Is."

No matter where we hold our holiday meal or settle down to open thoughtful gifts, it always seems like 'home' when we are all together. Because it's the same silly Lindsey who is making us laugh with her homemade gifts and crazy food concoctions. It's always Marilee creatively setting the table and finding a super soft blanky to snuggle in. It's always big sis Jenae serving a well planned and amazingly delicious meal to the rest of the family. It's always Brandon in the corner, gracing us with his heavenly voice as he strums Christmas chords on his guitar. It's always Mom sharing with us her latest story of how she blessed (or was blessed by) a person in need. It was always Dad filling the room with an aroma of music as his fingers effortlessly danced across piano keys. Hmm...and me?? I'm not sure what the others would attribute to me...but hopefully it's the fact that I LOVE stories! And I love to hear all about the things each person is going through at that moment in life. And I always have a camera, ready to snap a silly smile or a precious hug in action. Home is the way someone will start singing the lyrics to a favorite holiday tune or a worship song, and very naturally within moments it will become a 6-part harmony.

This is home. No matter the location. These are the memories that never change. They go far and deep. And they have become such an amazing treasure to me. Thank you Lord for each and every amazing person you have placed in my life. And thank you that the one constant thread that runs throughout the canvas of our family is a love for YOU! Jesus Christ. Lover of our souls. Our Redeemer and Savior.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2008-11-28T18:57:00.000-08:00

I wish everyone a very Happy and special Thanksgiving weekend!
I have so many things to be grateful for...it would take me forever to list them out singly. Plus, sometimes it's nice to tuck those thoughts in my own heart and savor them privately. So I won't try to list them here. But I will mention one thing...and it's that over the past few days, the Lord seems to have revealed a special purpose for my life. And I'm so very excited to see how His plan will unfold in the near future. I'm so grateful that He can use even me! Sometimes I feel so insignificant compared to others who have a powerful ministry calling or a glamorous career, etc... But the Lord longs to use each of us in a very unique way. And He seems to have revealed that to me this week. You'll be hearing about it in time. But for now, let's just be ever grateful for the way He seeks us out, molds and shapes us, and uses us to bless others. ;)

My Hero

2008-11-26T06:30:00.000-08:00

This post may seem silly to some people.
Or surprising at best. But I cannot help but mention something my hero of a husband did last night.

He ran out to Blockbuster to pick up a couple movies (rent one, get one free Tuesday). And as he was scanning the wall for a choice flick, a worker approached Ryan and asked him if he needed movie suggestions. The guy immediately pointed Ryan's attention to a racy flick and told Ryan he thought the movie was really good. Ryan told him, "No thanks. I've heard that movie is full of nudity. I'm not interested." The guy gave Ryan a confused look, then moved on to another dvd suggestion. Ryan said, "Dude, that movie is even worse than the first. It's got a lot of nudity. I'll pass on that one too."

The confused worker looked at Ryan and said, "So what? What's wrong with nudity in a movie?"

To which my Knight-in-Shining-Armor boldly replied, "The only woman I want to see like that is my wife."

When the guy shook his head and laughed, Ryan pressed him further, "Dude, are you married?"

"No."

"That's why," stated Ryan. And walked away.

I know that in our culture it's really no big deal for women to display their assets like they are IHOP's cheap breakfast special. And men think it's acceptable, and even desirable, to be lusty, hungry-eyed participants.

But as a couple who is desperately and defiantly fighting daily assaults on our marriage, Ryan and I have decided that we will keep our eyes pure and reserved for only each other. I realize that this battle can be much more difficult for men. So I am so honored and esteemed that Ryan would choose to take the stand he did, even in a little Blockbuster store, which seems like an unlikely battlefield. I respect him so much for his strong sense of character, even when no one is looking. I LOVE you baby!!!

2nd Annual Brody Turkey Bowl

2008-11-22T14:35:00.001-08:00

Roughly twenty competitive boys playing flag football in 32degree weather, refereed by some dedicated, fun-loving dads, followed by some warm, tasty cookies and hot apple cider served up by Mom.........Mmm, mmm! That's the recipe for another very successful Brody Turkey Bowl!

Blah!

2008-11-20T15:37:00.000-08:00

Fever. Raw throat. Muscle aches.
Being sick is no fun at all. Blah!

Julia Juggershnaut

2008-11-16T11:20:00.000-08:00

Today in Kid's Connection, Ryan and I led the Jungle Room (2nd and 3rd grade) service. After worship, I put some crazy glasses on my nose, and transformed my personality into "Julia Juggershnaut," a geeky, clumsy girl who finally got the chance to put on her own show on the 'Food Network.'

So, I got up on stage and introduced myself to the kids, naturally drawing lots and lots of laughs at my crazy, clumsy, geeky character. Then, after choosing two volunteers from the audience, I went about teaching the kids how to make bread. We went thru the ingredients, taking a special moment to explain the yeast. As we mixed and kneaded the dough, I humorously explained how such a small amount of yeast will transform that dough into a large loaf of bread.

Afterward, Ryan came up and tied it all together with today's theme: that even a small amount of faith can be used by God to complete GREAT things! It was super fun. And the kids had a blast. Last week the lesson was about DIRT. This week it was about YEAST. Hmmm...wonder what they'll have us pull off next week. xoxo

This week...

2008-11-14T10:05:00.001-08:00

This week was quite a roller coaster ride for Mommy and Daddy!
(Starting from the youngest) Little Marina learned that shoving mini lego pirates' gold pieces up her nose nostrils is very unpleasant, makes her nose hurt, and makes Mommy very upset and anxious. In the process, she also learned how to blow her nose, with her mouth shut. (Thank the Lord, that's all it took to get those things out!)

Sweet Reese learned how to write the letters 'z' and 'w.' He also learned that, if he pulls a chair from the table to the counter, he can climb onto the counter, stand up, and reach just high enough to pull the big blue bowl off the top of the refrigerator. (That is, the big blue bowl that holds the remaining Halloween candy). Hmm...little Sneak!

Marky-Mark has had the roughest week of all. On Wednesday, he fearfully came home and showed me a behavior slip that stated he was to serve a silent lunch the next day...for spitting from up on the monkey bars. Not a huge crime, but still disrespectful and against the rules. So he accepted responsibility and served his punishment. Thursday, he came home from school visibly shaken, with yet another behavior slip. This time, he did something much worse. In an effort to make kids laugh, he had held up his snow glove, and pushed all the fingers down except the middle. I had to read it a few times to let that one soak in. Not MY kid!!! Not at a CHRISTIAN school!!! I told Mark I was going to let Daddy handle this one when he got home from work. And Mark said, "Oh no! That's the worst!"

He started giving me excuses, but I cut him off right away, saying, "Mark, if you start making excuses, you are only going to put yourself in more trouble! You know you were wrong. Just accept responsibility, Man-up and serve your punishment, and then move on knowing that Daddy and Mommy still love you!" So he quietly endured the agony of awaiting Daddy's return home (and inevitable punishment).

Being the wise father he is, Ryan had a very good talk with Mark. We realize that Mark doesn't understand the gravity of what that gesture means. So, I guess you can add that to what Mark learned this week...that sticking up a middle finger is like swearing at someone. He looked appalled when we told him that! He'd known it was a bad gesture. But didn't know HOW bad. Then Ryan reminded him that everyone in the 4th grade will probably hear about this little stunt. And Mark was equally appalled (and humiliated). Today, Mark intends to go apologize to his teacher, as well as his circle of friends, for not setting a good example and for doing something so wrong.

And Mommy learned that she should never think, "My child would never...." because you just never know. What's most important to me is that my kids would know they can come to us when they screw up. Even when they screw up big time. And we will hold them accountable for their actions....but we will also stand behind them and love them no matter what. I hope this instance can be the beginning of that kind of relationship with our eldest son.

Phew! Thank goodness it's the weekend!

Reese's Prayer Tonight...

2008-11-11T18:58:00.000-08:00

"Jesus...Have a good sleep.
And help us be safe...And Jesus is wiff us.
And we have school tomorrow. Amen!"

2008-11-06T06:07:00.000-08:00

It amazes me to see the creative ideas that come out of young active minds. I gave Marina, Emma, and Mataya each a couple sheets of stickers the other day...and before I knew it, they had created artsy feet! Too cute.

The Aftermath

2008-11-05T06:50:00.000-08:00

Romans 13:1
"Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."

Isn't it interesting that throughout the centuries of history God has allowed such a variety of leadership to take position? Even in biblical Israel...God's chosen nation. They had evil kings. And then they had kings that were considered righteous and would call the people's hearts back to the Lord. God knew. God foresaw. Nothing came as a surprise to Him. Yet, He allowed things to happen for a purpose. His divine purpose. Of that I am so certain.

Throughout this grueling election process, I've received all kinds of comments and emails and opinions from friends, strangers, and then of course there's the media. I'm surprised by some ideas but not at all surprised by others. The ones that surprise me the most are the emails that warn that Obama is the anti-christ. C'mon now. I'm not at all an Obama supporter, but I wouldn't go that far. Whatever the case may be, the fact is that God has allowed this man to be elected as president over our great nation. And God has not been caught off-guard by this unraveling of events.

I think we need to be careful of our words. Not speak out of fear. And instead, use this situation to show people our unwavering faith and security in the ONE who is always in control. People's emotions are highly sensitive at the moment. And I wouldn't want my words or my opinions to hurt someone that holds an opposing viewpoint. I don't think that would be productive. And I don't think that would be right.

If you are discouraged by the outcome of this election...just remember that it is not OUR agenda that should take priority in our minds. It is GOD'S. And think about it...even when His chosen people, the nation of Israel...were ruled by wicked kings, or even worse, were conquered by other nations and forced into slavery...even through all that, His plans were not deterred. His plan to send His Son to earth, to walk among us, to minister to the needy, and to ultimately take our place on the cross...His plan to save us from our sins...That plan wasn't shaken or changed despite the activity of man.

So, as we regroup and head into four years of this next presidency, let's remember that God is not yet finished working among us and His agenda is so much greater than man's. I'm not saying that Obama is a wicked leader. I don't agree with his policies, but I will pray that God will give him wisdom and that He will speak to his heart in the profound way that only the Holy Spirit can do. And as the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays approach, I will let this time of year be a reminder that God's plans have always prevailed and will continue to prevail, despite our feeble attempts in government.
xoxo

Hitting the polls...

2008-11-04T16:32:00.000-08:00

Tonight, exactly 44 minutes before the polls closed, Ryan arrived home from work, which allowed me to hop into the car and head to our voting location. I proudly exercised my right to vote. I am proud to be American. And proud to live in a free country. (Although those freedoms are severely threatened by certain politicians and certain litigations...but that's another discussion).

Ryan laughs at me sometimes...he thinks it's 'cute' that I'm so patriotic. I simply tell him, in a very serious, well-read, and intellectual tone...."Haven't you ever watched the movie 'The Patriot' with Mel Gibson? Look at all the heroes our country has sacrificed for our freedom!"

Okay...maybe Hollywood is not the best source for American history. But the fact remains, so many heroes have sacrificed blood, sweat and tears for the freedoms we enjoy today. That is what makes this nation so great. And knowing that this land is filled with hardworking moral people, yes, on both sides of the aisle, who are striving to keep this nation great...that's a cool thing.

I realize tonight's election in monumental. Yet, I'm not stressing over it. I think certain kinds of "change" will have disastrous effect on our economy, job future, and so many other issues. Yet, I know we Americans are so resiliant. And knowing that God has my future in His hands gives me so much peace. It really does. In other years, I've been brought to tears with fear during election times. But, as monumental as this one is, I don't harbor that same level of fear. Is it spiritual maturity? Learned life lessons? Or simply a choice to have childlike faith? I'm not quite sure. But I firmly believe He is in control, despite the outcome of tonight's election. He is in control. Thank you Jesus.

The Secret Message

2008-11-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

No sooner did I step into my steamy shower today, than a secret message slowly appeared on the glass sliding door. It was a huge heart surrounding the name "Grace," who recently is the object of Mark's affections. Wow! Now that's classic!

Funny thing is...I'm not sure if it was written by our young, dreamy Mark...or by his jokester father who loves to poke fun at Mark's innocent infatuations. Both cases are highly likely. But what I DO know is that it's time for me to scrub my shower! Any bath that can archive a message like that is definitely overdue for a scrub!

Do Some Digging

2008-11-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

Only a couple days from election day. And I encourage you to think. Do some digging. It will take effort. There is information overload out there. And at the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, I'd venture to say there's a whole lot of propoganda floating around. No, not floating...but intentionally targeting voters, college students, even kids. (Have you watched Nickelodeon lately!?! Oh my!)

Everyone seems to have something to say. Lots of anger. Heated words. Flaring opinions. So, I won't be one of them. All I will say is PLEASE do some digging. Read. Listen. Look beyond the rhetoric. Both candidates have reiterated (til they are blue in the face) the problems we face in America. We don't need to be reminded. They've both said that they are for the middle class. For economic reform. And are looking to put country first. Both candidates have offered 'Change.'

Yet, in our desire for change, I warn you not to blindly hop aboard a bandwagon. The 'opposite of Bush' doesn't necessarily mean the 'correct change.' DIG DEEP. Seek out answers. What exactly does each candidate's plan for 'change' entail??? What would be the respective consequence? I suspect that as people search for such answers, they will be forced to explore their own opinions regarding issues like socialism v capitalism, our freedoms, and what kind of policies would seek to slowly take those freedoms away. People will be led to ask themselves things like, "Do I think it's more profitable for government to have more control? Or is it more profitable for people to have more control?"

Decide what your values are. Then listen wisely and sharply to the things the candidates have said. THEN at that point, decide who lines up with your views. I think it would be a tragedy, though, for people to simply mark their ballot based on what's popular or based on the party they've always voted for. We've got minds. Let's use them. This election process is one of our amazing freedoms. May God bless Tuesday's outcome! And may we expend the same amount of mental energy (or more!) seeking out our Creator, Whose motives (thankfully) we never have to fear. xoxo

Trick or Treat

2008-11-01T08:48:00.001-07:00

Last night I had a date with a pink cheerleader, a sheriff cowboy, and a spooky alien. We circled the neighborhood in pursuit of candy...until Daddy came home from work. Then we hit a few more houses before heading to Grandma and Papa's house, to show them our costumes. And I just gotta chuckle when I think of little Marina. She is such a cool girl...as we approached spooky houses with moving parts or scary masks, she had no fear. Just a great sense of humor. The spookier they were, the more she would just laugh. I love it. Afterward, we spent some time @ the Grove's house. They were roasting hotdogs and marshmallows over a firepit and had a huge bouncy set up in their front lawn for the kids to jump in. What a fun night!

There's a New Sheriff in Town!

2008-10-30T06:50:00.001-07:00

And his name is Sheriff Brody!
Reese dressed up for the Halloween parade at school today. He wore his Sheriff costume, complete with a leather vest that his daddy once wore as a child. Too cute!

This little sheriff has more than just a quick draw and a fast punch. He also has learned to read this week! Last night, while he was at the table practicing writing the letter 'j' he surprised us all when he began to sound out words on his own! "J-A-M....jam!" "J-U-G...jug!" We were so thrilled at this little guy's accomplishment! Now he's ready to take on the world, and has the sheriff badge to prove it.