are you singing to me?
blowing....
I did it!
yummm...
SuperWhy planes... my favorite new toys!
A birthday party on a tiny couch!
We ended Zaiah’s Birthday at our hotel room in N.J. We all cozied into our beds, with plans to awake and go to Hunter’s gymnastic meet in the morning.
The next 14 (yes fourteen!) photos are for you Mom, and well me too…
Praises and worship to the Savior have echoed throughout the house today, the music is ringing. Christmas decorations were brought out. I love this time of year. Today marks the first day of Advent calender.
Ving was really anticipating traditions and particulars, and it amazes me how our children declare that we have to d0 _____ because we do EVERY year… and I never even noticed that particular thing as a tradition.
Our artificial, wonderful, tree was resurrected today. It has been “the only tree Ving has ever known”. It smelled B.A.D. Bad, as in every living creature in our barn must have lived, slept, ate, and did you-know-what in it all last year. There was much evidence of their doings all over my living room floor after we shook the tree around to set it up.
As the house warmed up the tree, the odor worsened. If I had closed my eyes, stood in my living room and took a big sniff, I’d have imagined days-old pee pee diapers hanging from the branches.
We discussed dousing it with toilet bowl cleaner out in the driveway and hosing it off. We love that tree. However, as we attempted to take it out for the washing, we were gasping for air. It quickly took up residence next to the garbage totes.
The Biggies (Dad included), have a plan to add it to their pine tree forest next to their tree house, this week. I’ll try to catch pics. I told you it has a special place in our hearts.
We tossed around ideas of what to do now, do for a tree this year. We considered going-green, but I desired to get the tree up today. We thought Christmas Day with no needles on our tree might not be so great. We pondered getting a potted tree as we did our first Christmas without Tucker, but decided no – as I wouldn’t want to plant it and move away. We settled on another artificial, that is pre-lit this time. Yet, we questioned the height as we don’t know where we’ll be living in Christmas’ future.
Irv drove to Lowes and I took a Sunday nap with the Littles. I awoke to a lovely 9 foot, pre-lit tree in the living room. The boys were eager to do ornaments. I love looking at all the photo-ornaments of Christmas’ past and sharing the stories behind the different hangings. Our first married Christmas together, we drove to Walmart to purchase our supplies. Irv chose this angel, and she still sits atop 14 years later.
Hunter commented, “Mom, I held up an ornament of Tucker, so he could be in our tree photo too.”
Our first year without Tucker here, we purchased a train in his memory…. now he is with us in fun each holiday season around the tree. I loved and savored all the boys setting it up with Dad and playing with it tonight.
Oh, Eden Grace helped with the train too. Isaiah kept telling her “No” as she continued to squirm over to the box and reach in. She doesn’t miss a thing. (She loves starring at her Daddy.)
The Biggies are sleeping out under the tree as I type. All are tucked in. I feel a refreshing beginning of this Holiday season.
I also put together my CHRISTmas binder today. It is ready to record wish lists, each persons desires for special to-do’s this month, who we need to make / purchase gifts for, and our Holiday calender. Being organized reduces the stress of the obligations & busyness. I feel free to enjoy the True meaning of Christmas, CHRIST … and savor the more important simple things of the CHRISTmas season.
The Nativity, advent celebrations, and our CHRISTmas countdown….
Sweet CHRISTmas preparations to you….
A Baby Dedication is a ceremony (intentional moment) in which believing parents, and sometimes entire families, make a commitment before the Lord to submit a child to God’s will and to raise that child according to God’s Word and God’s ways.
Practical applications may include:
1) Dedicating a child acknowledges God’s sovereignty over the child and the parents.
2) Vow to raise the child in a godly way: teaching and training them in God’s word and ways. Church attendance, family devotions, prayer in the home.
3) Raise the child in the ways of God, not according to our own ways. Be an example of Christ’s love to them. Discipline them as the Bible instructs.
4) Pray for this child. For them to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior and glorify Him with their lives.
I’ve had six of my children dedicated at our church. After Tucker’s death, I delayed Isaac’s dedication ceremony. For one, because the first opportunity was on Mother’s Day – which is already a difficult- bitter-sweet day for me. Especially in that first year of grieving. Second, because I had to complete the conversations in my head and heart with God about baby dedication in my grief.
A baby dedication is a purposeful time of prayer in entrusting our children to the Lord’s care. I had entrusted Tucker into the Lord’s care, and he died. His death caused me anguish. Yet, despite my sorrow and grief, I came to terms and believed that the Lord has perfect plans for Tucker, that all Tucker’s days were ordained by the Lord before one of them came to be (Psalm 139) and that Tucker was still in the Lord’s care: secure, hope-full, whole and well in Heaven.
Children are a gift from the Lord. Psalm 127:3 proclaims that “Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him.”
They are not a personal possession that we have rights over. Or, control over. They are gift from God above to love and cherish for as long as He sustains their life on earth.
The Lord girded me up, and I had Isaac dedicated in 2007.
This past Sunday, September 27th, 2009, I once again stood before my Lord, friends and family in another baby dedication. Isaiah and Eden Grace. I am honored and grateful that the Lord has chosen ME to mother these children.
Irv and I prefer the entire family participate in the dedication. We discussed with the Biggies the meaning of a dedication and how they can choose to agree in their hearts before the Lord to help raise the Littles, by being good examples and leading them in righteous living and loving kindness.
Our sweet Grandma’s and friends the McO’s were witnesses to this divine event, along with our WBC congregation.
We celebrated afterwards at our home. Sandwiches from Grandma Wegmans. And my sister-friend Julie blessed and surprised us with the MOST STUPENDOUS cake ever …. thank you UpperCrust!
isaac participated as well at the front of the sanctuary
the most beautiful cake I've ever seen!
half -and - half ... by the UpperCrust
princess Eden
yummy butter cream frosting cones
my beautiful princess!
Some of the above thoughts I wrote in 2007 to myself. At that time, I also collected info online, so some of the words might not all be mine. If any words are indeed not mine, I don’t know who’s they are…. but I wouldn’t want to claim them on accident I can’t remember details from yesterday, let alone 2007!
to derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in…
In my preparations for meeting Eden Grace, I’ve been checking off many to-do’s from the list. I needed to remind myself to stop and savor. Savor my beautiful children and the moments passing so quickly. After a long morning of doctors visits, we spontaneously veered into the Lilac Festival parking lot.
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Isaiah’s reluctancy to smell the lilacs soon tappered, and he repeatedly rubbed them all over his face and nose.
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Love the curiostiy, and the curls.
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We found our favorite climbing trees at Highland Park.
I never knew gymnastics could be done in a tree!
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After sharpening a stick into a carver, Ving added to the plentiful tree art.
I love the concentration tongue pose. A mommy favorite!
"Mom, this is like the old-en days when their teeth were all rotten!"
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I am so blessed. “Thank you Lord for these treasures. May I glorify You as I mother them. Please fill me with your wisdom to love and grow them into mighty warriors for You!”
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I am purposing to savor the simple moments, take mental photos, build up with words and sweetness, and embrace.
What are you savoring today?