Some Funnies

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!

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.

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... :)

*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

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!

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

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!