• 03.09.2010 Conquered
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    The boys were busy saving the planet yesterday. With Legos. The little ones did their part in wold domination via cuteness. …they’ve at least conquered their mother’s heart.

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  • 02.18.2010 Up and Down
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    Number 4 loves slides. First it was head first on his belly. Then it was going down backwards. Now, it’s climbing the highest one he can find… …throwing caution to the wind… …and zooming all the way down… …with Number 1 catching him at the bottom with a big brother smile. Little man.

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  • 07.01.2009 Real (and unreal) Life
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    This last week without the Man Of The House was not nearly as triumphant and memorable as the last time. Unlike previous occasions that were marked by visits with family and friends, this last week felt lonely and isolating. God was gracious, however, to turn many cloudy moments into bright memories…and to give victory over the nagging shadows that can so often creep in uninvited. One afternoon, after experiencing a morning of disappointments, the boys and I sat down at the kitchen table and purposed to have fun. The kids purposed to make a creative mess. I purposed to enjoy it (the inevitable debris, that is.) Armed with a hot glue gun, craft sticks, sheets of foam, and googly eyes, we set out to create a little world where potty training was a breeze, brothers never fought, and mothers always had the right attitude. In this little world, 7 yr. […]

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  • 06.05.2009 Gone Fishin'
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    My sweet little men who converse over cups of tea proved to be all boy this week as we got away for a three-day fishing trip up in the Pecos. Number 1 caught his first fish, and got to carry his dad’s big knife. Number 2 learned to shoot a bow and a BB gun, but equally enjoyed making bannock bread on the campfire. Number 3 made cross-contamination an active verb: touch dead fish, eat blackberry, touch road-kill snake, eat lunch, play with salmon eggs, eat trail mix, repeat. And Number 4 wanted to be down in the dirt, sticks, and bugs so bad he couldn’t see straight. Baba came alive walking his boys down the same riverbanks he fished as a child. There were many proud daddy-son moments throughout as he gave instruction about out-smarting trout, making fire, and the many nuances of being a man. Mama went along […]

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  • 04.19.2009 3:30
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    3:30 in the afternoon is Teatime at our house. It’s our new tradition. My recent reentry into the world of tea has reminded me how much I love the ceremony, and why it’s appropriate for young gentlemen as it is for young ladies. And young gentlemen are what I have. Number 1 and Number 2 are now old enough to forgo afternoon naps, and enjoy reading and engaging in quiet activities in the afternoons while the little ones are asleep. Our diminutive respite is held daily at the kitchen table around 3:30. The boys sip, respectfully, out of thrifted teacups that came complete with a voice altering function that turn manly boys into demure young lads. We steep our teapot, stir discreetly with our demitasse spoons, and indulge in sweet little sugar cubes. Occasionally, we munch on lemon wafer cookies. The best part of this ritual is the deliberate conversation […]

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  • 04.09.2009 In Their Own World
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    This snapshot deserves a caption. Any takers? Here’s mine: “Man! Man!” We’re sinking! We’re going down….AAGGHHRRGGG!!”

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  • 03.17.2009 MAN
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    The boys’ made-up game: “MAN” No. 1: “Hey, Liam, you wanna play “MAN?” No. 2: (In a 40 yr. old-GI Joe-with a Texas accent voice) “Yeah, Man, let’s play.” No. 1: “Man!-what are you doing?” (Now, also sounding like GI Joe) No. 2: “There some bad peoples chasing us!” No. 3: (As gruff as a two-yr. old can muster) “MAN! MAN!” No. 2: “VROOM…GRR…” No. 1: “C’mon MAN!” No. 3: “MAN! MAN!” No. 2: (Back in his normal squeaky voice) “Let’s go inside and say ‘hi’ to Stone.” No. 1, 2, and 3: (Talking like Minnie Mouse) “HI, Stone. You wanna play ‘MAN?’”

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  • 06.25.2008 The Blessing of Again.
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    Despite the nagging suspicions that I was carrying a girl, our ultrasound today confirmed that we are in fact having another boy. Boy number 4. And, very likely, child number last. The other three were with Grandma and Grandpa today, so Troy and I had a great time to bond over the news. We talked a long time today about God’s sovereignty and our relief in knowing that He knows what is for our best. It’s one thing to pray it and say it, and another to respond with faith in all circumstances. Perhaps there is a false perception that the difficult work of the first year of a child’s life is somehow lessened if the experience is switched up a bit through having the opposite gender. But alas, raising a child is work–hard work–regardless of the clothes, decor, and experience. Nevertheless, I can’t think of a better investment than […]

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