along for the ride

church

2007-11-14T18:22:00.000-08:00

abc

2007-11-13T20:15:00.001-08:00

Jesus Loves Me

2007-11-13T20:11:00.001-08:00

theAlley

2007-03-14T20:10:00.001-07:00

the website for our new church... thealley.org

Beyond the Hypothetical

2007-03-06T21:08:00.000-08:00

After about a year of planning a hypothetical church plant, we are officially going to be planting a new church! Though excited about this new venture I will grieve the ease and expertise that comes with hypothetical church planting. You see a hypothetical church can be anything and nothing all at the same time. It makes you sound smart, it never talks back and in its own world it is amazingly effective.

To fill the void I plan on taking on some other hypothetical challenges. I've been perfecting the art of hypothetical excercise for a while and find though it doesn't do much for physical stamina, it is good for the ego. As long as I don't actually lift any real weights, I believe that I can. I'm also considering espionage, hair dressing, synchronized swimming or some combination of the three for my next venture. Hypothetically speaking that is.

Thanks to Aunt Kathy...

2006-12-05T21:10:00.000-08:00

DSCF2758
Originally uploaded by the Griffins.

for taking a ton of adorable pictures of our little family. Click on the flickr link if you want to see more.

Almost There

2006-11-05T19:58:00.000-08:00

I vowed to begin posting again when the Jesus and Spidey comic no longer brought me to the edge of laughing out loud. I'm close, but not quite there.

2006-07-13T13:37:00.000-07:00

Sorry we haven't blogged in so long. More a matter of little time to write than few things to write about. Even as I do this I have Nate on my lap asking his version of 200 questions. Most notably why spiderman is by Jesus... I've taught many children't Bible lessons, but I think I'll have to pull the, "Ask your mom." card on this one. I love the conversation, but for some reason I'm wishing we would have invented that little fart machine Kate posted about. Seems there is a smell permeating the room.
There's something I just couldn't resist about this comic. Probably the same thing that led me to spend $7 at a garage sale buying spider man laser blasters today. What? It's for the kids... Giving credit where it's due I found the comic on this guy's blog... click here for link

something smelly...

2006-05-24T19:36:00.000-07:00

Ok... the fart machine.

I'm almost afraid to tell you because we don't have a patent on it yet.

Nate and I were meandering through the aisles of Target when Nate gets a thoughtful look on his face. I could tell he was somewhere else and ask him what's up. And he says this: "Mom, when dad and I become inventors (which is just funny in itself... most four year olds are dreaming of becoming firefighters, or basketball players- mine pictures himself alongside of his dad scheming up new gadgets for the world), we should invent a machine that sucks up all the bad smell from our farts and puts it back into our bodies, but leaves the fart sound behind." brillant... the benefits of a fart without the smell. I think he may have something here.

He says all this as a peculiar smell permeates through the air around us.

The best inventions are birthed out of need.

detox

2006-05-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

Ben keeps bugging me about posting... don't know why... there's something darn cute about the geeky looking guy on our last post. But, whatever, Ben doesn't like it.

Thought I'd update you all on how the no TV thing is going. For those of you who don't know, Ben and I, as of June will have been without TV reception in our home for a year. Reason being: we (really Ben's decision) were tired of the pull. You know, you walk in the door, sit down on the couch and what's the first thing you do?? Yeah. Us too. The pull's strangely seductive and drug-like.

So, how's it going??

First few weeks were pretty hard. We were kinda at eachother because neither of us knew how to unwind without it.

But after eleven months there's not a thing we miss (excluding Packers and the office-which is the one show we download). It feels great to control something instead of it controlling us.

I feel like my mind has gone through detox. Really. It's pretty cool. All of the sudden I discovered that I have thoughts past 7pm and they were all mine, not fed to me by someone else trying to sell me something, give me their spin, or shift my thinking to the current of popular culture. I discovered that my children were talking to me and making me laugh instead of that strange buzz in the background that so often distracted me from what jennifer garner is upto now (cuz we're so tight). And that, before, I spent my evenings with a community of people that don't care about me and don't exist while hardly saying anything of significance to the love of my life. Weird how TV can do that. Best part: My relationship with Jesus goes to a whole new level. Just a little easier to think on him when my mind and heart aren't being pulled the other direction. (Not trying to be judgmental- just trying to be truthful.)

Anyway... I'll try to keep it a little lighter next time and tell you about Nate's plans for a fart machine...it's good.

So long, geeky Ben.

New Computer

2006-05-10T05:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry we haven't been in the blog world for a while. Our computer died. I mean, competely lost all function. So, we were forced to purchase a newer faster and cooler computer. It was painful, but we will get through it. It took a lot of convincing on Kate's part, but I finally yielded.

I spent a good part of yesterday ignoring the beautiful weather and playing with my (our) new toy. Of course, with all of the things I could have been doing... I got caught up in this beautiful little thing called a web cam. Thought you'd like to see how we are using our new computer to be productive and better the world.

breakfast in bed

2006-04-02T18:50:00.000-07:00

This morning I was awakened by two small boys bearing breakfast bowls. Nate and Eli stood beside my bed each with a bowl full of cereal in hand and huge, proud grins on their faces. As my mind is still trying to turn on, Nate says, "Look, mommy, we brought you and daddy breakfast in bed!" As I reach out to take the bowl and tell him how suprised I am he says, "Oh, and we DID spill some of it on the floor... but don't worry, we got almost all of it back into the bowls." Yum... (my bowl gets put aside) I tell the breakfast brigade that we'd better finish this party downstairs at the breakfast table (in hopes of cereal without carpet hairs in it).

As the three of us head down the stairs I feel tiny cereal flakes crunch under my feet with each step I take.

Oh, to be as pampered as I am...

I think...

2006-03-27T17:44:00.000-08:00

We've probably been over-blogging lately, but here goes anyway. Every night Nate does everything possible to avoid going to bed. Usually once we get him settled he sneaks out of his room and makes up some crazy excuse as to why he needs us. Tonight was one of my favorites... "Dad, I think stars are bigger than 81 feet" he says with an I'm the smartest child in the world face. Always an adventure... and, I checked, he was right about stars. Maybe he is the smartest 4 year old in the world.

new look

2006-03-27T10:36:00.000-08:00

Wow... my husband's amazing...

Test Video

2006-03-25T12:05:00.000-08:00

Well, here goes our first attempt at adding video to the blog. This just happens to be my (Ben's) first addition to this blog. I dare not compete with Kate's writing skills, but I may be able to add a little on the tech side.

This is just a test and really a precurser to a story that we can't wait to show you. Just need to make sure it all works. This particular video is a few years old. Pre Eli and Ava. You may remember Nate's co-star TP (the cat) from his past works including, "Who's that biting my ankle?" "Did you smell that?" and "Bye, Bye kitty!" Corny I know, but he was not a family friendly animal. Let us know if this works on your computer. You can either click on the pic or... Click here to view video.

STL

2006-03-22T19:41:00.000-08:00

Library - 0024
Originally uploaded by the Griffins.

We spent last weekend in St. Louis with Sarah and Todd (Ben married our old neighbors... uh, performed the ceremony, that is...).

Some highlights:

-hanging with Sarah and Todd (and getting the giggles with my sister til neither one of us knows what we are laughing at, but have lost all ability to stop... I miss you, Sarah...)

-staying in our old apartment... some smells never fade.

-enjoying the zoo and botanical gardens without sub-zero temps.

-Watching the wedding dj. My eye first noticed him while I was behind him in the buffet line as he piled mounds of green beans over his salad, which covered his entire plate, and mashed potatoes over those, while at the same time coached a guy how to hold rolls under your plate so there's more room for food... and we were only at the beginning of the line. Scary.

-Knowing that the year spent with our neighbors continues to be a strong friendship

-Worshiping at Todd's field work church, Christ in the City (worth checking out) and hearing Todd preach.

Overall great weekend. I only wish we were closer...

personal trainer anyone??

2006-03-07T18:21:00.000-08:00

After two and a half years straight of being pregnant or post baby, I can finally fit back into my pre-Eli and Ava jeans. To celebrate, I thought maybe I should work a little harder at it and pull out my old pilates video (yeah, I'm cool). To top off the coolness factor, the only time I really have to do it is while the kids are napping and during Nate's "quiet time". This means that I have to subject my son to it. (Sure hope his childhood is a blur.)

I was trying to jazz the whole experience up for Nate, telling him why it's important to exercise and how it builds strong muscles and all that in the hope that he might join me instead of just staring at how dumb I looked. I showed him how he could do some other things like jumping jacks, run in place, or push-ups just hoping that he would quit using me as his entertainment.

Although my feeble attempts did not move him from off the play chair that he had pulled up in front of me to make me a spectacle, something I said must have stuck. Tonight (almost a week later-yeah, I'm a slacker), just before Nate crawls up into bed he looks at me and gets this cute "big boy" look on his face and says, "You know, mom, I do push-ups every morning." I look at him, trying not to smile as I picture this little four-year old in his pajamas doing his "push-ups" before he leaves his room in the morning, and I say, "You do?" He says proudly with a little shake of his head, "Yep, ev-wey mone-ning" (ya gotta have the full effect).

He could certainly teach me a thing or two about self-discipline. At this rate he's going to be buffer than me in a matter of weeks.

only the beginning...

2006-03-05T19:14:00.000-08:00

natesdrawing5 copy
Originally uploaded by the Griffins.

Thought y'all might enjoy glimpsing into the mind of a budding pre-literacy prodigy (ok... the prodigy thing is a stretch...but really, this is just plain cute...)

Nate has recently been disappearing on us (which is unusual as he rarely likes to be left alone). I will suddenly become aware that the house has become unusually quiet and really, very peaceful.

As all parents know, this is the peace that we would all love to bask in, but can't because this is the peace that could be our demise. It's usually the time that my couch is being "decorated" with bright shades of Crayola or dental floss is being strung all around the house (both recent occurances).

Well, lately this "peace" is actually being used constructively. Just as I'm about to investigate what might be happening during one of these quiet moments, I am have been greeted by a sweet note (as shown).

Nate has been writing semi-phonetic sentences. It's neat to see that he has the confidence and the curiousity to give writing a try. I must admit, though, when he hands these notes to me I have to keep a very straight face to not grin at the jumbled stream of letters he's put together... so interesting to see a child's mind at work.

I'll let you know when his first book comes out...

Six years...

2006-02-23T19:53:00.000-08:00

Ben and I wrapped up our sixth year of marriage by driving fourteen hours with three kids who each had hacking coughs, runny noses, and goopy eyes down to Memphis... the weekend started shaky, at best.

The plan was to spend some time in Memphis with Ben's folks, relax, and then get some alone time... just me and my wonderful husband... for most of our anniversary day and overnight. Mmmm... glorious... Those plans began diminishing as we wiped snotty nose after snotty nose, were kept awake most of the nights by one of the kids crying, coughing, or complaining that their eyes wouldn't open (seriously gross... it's called a cold in the eye-as if there isn't enough places for junk to drain (nose, mouth) it also comes out the eye and goops them up and glues them shut... I know, sick, but you have to know what we were up against).

Grandma and grandpa were AWESOME, to say the least. They barely batted an eye at having to wipe countless nose and put up with lethargic, cranky kids. Isn't it great to be loved no matter what??? What's even better is having your own personal nurse to check their ears and to calm my nerves... as I worry that they're coming down with pink eye, croup, pneumonia, sinus infections, or possibly the first case of the bird flu in the US.

When we thought that there was no way we could leave our kids like that, his parents talked us into it, knowing that they may be up most of the night with at least one of them... now that's love. Ben and I were able to go ahead and leave for the day... no agenda, no kids, or cries, or whines. It was glorious. We debated what might do over coffee, saw a movie, listened to some jazz, stayed at a plush hotel, slept in, went out for breakfast... and didn't worry once about the kids.

Thanks Mom and Dad G. for making what could have been a disasterous weekend awesome!!

Valentine's Day

2006-02-16T18:18:00.000-08:00

So this valentine's day, Ben and I spent in two differnet venues. Him at home with a buddy of his and six kids (isn't he awesome???) and me out with some really great chicks, Lindsey and Sarah to see the musical, Little Women. Too fun!

I have a thing for the story, Little Women. Every Christmas that we're together my mom, my sister and I watch the movie version. As soon as there's even the remotest possiblity that this sort-of annual event is about to happen, Ben jets. As much as I LOVE the story, he hates it (claims it's dull...). He said he was glad not to be one of the many men in the theater snoring through it for their significant other. There were no snorers- I checked.

Anyway, overall awesome night!

next round on us...

2006-02-13T18:51:00.000-08:00

I've been finding out that our Nate likes to inform everyone (his teachers, his friends, their parents, the other mother helpers, really, anyone who will listen...) the going-ons of our house... and the child has a terrific memory, so the situation is not looking good. I found this out because Nate came home from school last tuesday with his backpack FULL of hershey's kisses. The teachers informed me that the mother helper felt sorry for him because he gave her a sad story about Ben leaving for Ecuador and me saying, "I don't know what we're going to do without your daddy...".

A little scary that our privacy is being breached by a four-year old, but so far nothing we can't handle...

Well, to celebrate Ben's homecoming from Ecuador I bought some of his favorite IBC Cream Soda. We are not soda drinkers, but there's something about a cold IBC from a bottle... So last night Ben was drinking one of these sweet IBCs and thought maybe Nate (who wont touch soda because he claims it's too spicy) would want to give soda a second chance. Nate took a few precautionary sips out of Ben's bottle and decided that despite it's "spiciness" he might like a small cup of his own. He proceeded to take a few more sips and then placed the remainder, as is his habit, back in the fridge to "save for later".

"Later" happened to come this morning. As I was trying to get everyone breakfast I hear Nate's voice from the fridge say, "Mommy, do you know that my beer doesn't taste as spicy when all the bubbles are gone?" (Hey, when you can't read, cream soda and beer are one in the same.)

Forget parent of the year award- we are definitely NOT going to fare well when Nate tells his teachers that we're supplying him with beer...

mondays

2006-02-06T11:25:00.000-08:00

So in the sad event of Ben leaving, I decide that we are going to make today as relaxing and low-key as possible.

We hung out in our jammies until ten (I know you're jealous) then decided to take long, warm bubbly baths (for the kids- although it does sound nice).

Ava and Eli have been happily pouring water and seem very content in their warm bubble world. I begin wrapping up the time by washing up Ava. As I reach in to wash her I feel what seems to be little wet pieces of paper floating through my fingers. As i am determining all the possibilities of what this could be, my greatest fear is realized as I notice that the water has turned a murky shade of green. Yep... a big pile of poo in the bottom of her bath seat. No wonder she's so happy.

Then, as I am cleaning out the entire tub, all the toys, and the bath seat in order that I can run fresh water to clean off the children that have been contaminated with poo, Eli, standing stark naked, takes one look at me (probably deciding that this is a key opportunity) and pees all over the bathroom floor.

I hope your Monday has gotten off to a better start than mine...

time warp

2006-02-02T05:29:00.000-08:00

I'm not a morning person, but I've gotten into the habit of waking at 6am so that I can have a good hour to myself. It's great. A nice, warm cup of coffee in hand, snuggled by the fire, a time to collect myself, read and pray. I LOVE this time.

The other day though it was stolen from me. I was unusually tired, we had just returned from out of town and I wasn't feeling the greatest, but I'm still up. I situate myself and rest my head for but a second. My eyes close but not for long. I come to and I'm feeling ready to begin my time of deep spiritual study. I take a sip of my coffee, bracing myself for its heat... and it's COLD. Not even luke-warm, but disgustingly cold. I'm sure that there must be a malfunction with my coffee maker and I'm already upset at the manufacturer until my eyes meet the clock- 7am-a whole hour had been stolen from me. Weird. I'm still not really sure where it went. I think perhaps I have been the subject of time travel.

So if you can't find me tomorrow...you know where I am.

just like his dad

2006-01-31T13:06:00.000-08:00

Sorry...

This is just too cute to not share. Check our our friend Lindsey's blog (on our links) for a cute Nate story.

Titled: another small note, jan 27

hooked on phonics

2006-01-31T12:24:00.000-08:00

I don't remember 'quiet time' as a child, probably because I was forced to take naps until a very old age, during which I do recall watching the numbers on my mom's not so digital digital clock flip and trying to teach myself how to tie shoes, braid hair--- anything to make the numbers flip at little faster til they read 3:00.

Nate is at the age of "quiet time" and has found that writing notes will help the on-going challenge of occupying this seemingly endless amount of time.

Last Sunday Ben and I were trying to take advantage of this time when we hear the pitter-patter of little feet up the stairs. He tip-toes into the room because he knows he's not supposed to be there and asks, "Daddy, how do you make the /ih/ sound?" Ben says with an i. This satisfies Nate and he's off. We return to relaxing when a few moments later we hear pitter-patter sounds again. "Daddy, how do you make the /wi/.../wi/.../wi/ sound?" He asks this with a extra-cute quizzical look to avoid getting into trouble. It works. Ben says with a w. Nate leaves to apparently add this new letter to the note that he's writing. He's gone for but a few minutes when we hear him again. We humor him because we're both sure that our child is one letter away of being a prodigy. This time he asks Ben how to write the /qwi/ sound. Both of us are slightly amused by this, wondering what kind of word includes the letters i, w and qui. Is he thinking about a quilt, a quill... we're stumped. Finally ben asks him which word he's trying to write.

Nate replies with a big-eyed innocent look, "I'm trying to write 'Maiwry Quwistmas'.

Hmmm... I guess instead of advanced classes, we should be thinking speech therapy.

Really, it was just plain cute.

2006-01-18T18:34:00.000-08:00

This is what not watching TV has done to me...

I looked out the window the other evening and it was snowing (not unusual). But this snow didn't stop, it just kept coming harder and faster... and continued throughout the night so that we were awakened at 5am by snowplows.

This is the stuff Minnesotans live for... the stuff they hype up in the seven-day, talking it up a week before it happens... the minute by minute of where the snow is, and how much to expect by morning.

And nobody told me.

What was even stranger- I really liked the surprise.

2006-01-10T13:54:00.000-08:00

Our little Ava Jane made her big debut into solids this afternoon. The word "solid" in this context actually meaning dry rice flakes mixed with water into a runny, gloopy sort of consistency (mmmm...).

Eli threw a new spin into the 'feeding the baby solids for the first time' event and decided that, although he despised the stuff as an infant and is an incredibly picky eater as a toddler, he wanted to give the whole rice flake thing a second chance.

For every bite that Ava took, Eli demanded an even larger bite. It was obvious by his grimace and choked smile that he hated the stuff, but he still matched Ava bite for bite. He tried to throw me and Nate into the mix but was repeatedly denied.

This could be the solution to all of Eli's eating issues... next in the line-up-- mashed peas.

2006-01-05T18:56:00.000-08:00

As I sit and wait for Ben to drag the VERY dry Christmas tree outside, I might as well procrastinate sweeping up all those needles...

Some fun things about Christmas 2005:

~My sweet Ava Jane has become a pro at sitting up and she got her first tooth (although the fact that she was even teething escaped us...)

A mere look can get her giggling, but mostly her brothers are the best at keeping a smile on her face. The best is when Eli decides that he and Ava are playing a game. Eli would speak to her in half jibberish and half english and then he'd bust up laughing and Ava would join in... (probably thinking...I don't have a clue what you're saying- but I'll go with it).

~On Christmas Eve eve Ben and I had wrapped all the presents and by Christmas Eve day they were all under the tree waiting to be unwrapped. Eli's newest catch phrase is "I dooo" (-meaning I do want this, or I do want that). So that day I was waiting to walk into the room finding Eli ripping into all the gifts. Instead he would bring me one at a time at various times throughout the day saying "I dooo?...I dooo?" with this sweet, expectant look on his face. We only lost one bow in the process.

When we were finally allowed to open gifts Christmas day, Eli would hover over Nate with wide eyes as Nate unwrapped a gift. With every new gift no matter what it was, Eli's response was OOOH! WOW! With huge, shocked eyes... like he'd never seen anything like it before. Way cute.

~One evening on the way home from a harried grocery store stop... busy shoppers getting last minute things... snow coming down by the buckets. I'm trying to concentrate on the road and not take out any of the shoppers dashing out of the store with no heed to the crosswalks whatsoever. Over the radio is playing one of about a gazillion Christmas songs of the evening. Maybe it was because of it's peppy tune, I don't know, but this one ("It's a Holly Jolly Christmas") seemed to capture Nate's attention.

Out of the darkness in the back seat I hear- "Mom, when I close my eyes I think I can see the man that sings this song. Do you know what he looks like?" (Here I was waiting for the response of a big jolly guy with a long, white beard and a red coat...) Nate responds, "When I see him he has brown skin and a brown face all around except for just a little red on the tip of his lips. Don't you think that's what he looks like?"

At first I was shocked... what was he saying? Then I realized that he's not saying anything... just that he likes this song and he thinks that he knows what the guy looks looks like. Kids actually say what they mean... no hidden anything.

Wish it could be that easy for us, adults...

~We were also able to see Ben's mom and dad over New Year's. I think they needed a little snow over the holidays. We played alot of Euchre. Girls dominated-- this is a huge feat as I didn't know it was possible to beat Timm in cards (he's got an abnormally amazing memory...)

Anyway, if we were missing anything at Christmas, it was many of you all. I know that sounds so cheesy... but we really did (just saying what I mean). We love you so very much!

2005-12-21T12:53:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I was debating in my mind if I should head out to the grocery store. It's not whether or not we need to (no cheese, no milk, no peanut butter, six slices of bread- it's definitely time) but there are two factors here, taking three small children to the grocery store is parental suicide and the average temp. here for the last week has been hovering somewhere around 7. Yeah, that's 7 degrees.

So I ask Ben over his lunch hour if it's cold outside (anything over 18 is game for going out) he says it's freezing (well, I can't trust his opinion- this is the guy who I asked this very question to a month or so earlier and was told the same thing- when I find out later that it was 60 degrees out).

We are NOT meant for cold weather.

So recently I tried embracing winter. We were at a Christmas concert with some friends downtown, the snow was falling in big, fluffy flakes, and I'm thinking that with the right gear, I can probably make it through winter here and not despise it. I'm just getting used to the new appreciation that I have with winter when the next day Nate (who has always argued with me that winter is one of the best seasons because one gets to play in the snow), says- as we are all piling out of the van into the biting cold, feeling like giant overstuffed marshmellows in all our winter gear, "Mom, you're right we SHOULD move south."

So much for embracing winter...

2005-12-13T18:04:00.000-08:00

So it's been awhile. I know all six of you that read this are dying to know what is happening in the griffin household. So we're finally back. Our computer has been out for awhile. During Thanksgiving Ben noticed a strange smell coming from our bedroom. Usually that means that either someone is poopy or there may be a diaper lurking somewhere under a pile of clothes. (No kidding, this morning I actually caught Eli taking out clothes from the laundry basket and planting a dirty diaper right in them.)

Well, this time the smell had more of a smoky, burning odor to it. Never a good sign- I think I'd take the diaper smell. Using his keen detective skills (or Ben might claim that it's his super-power skills) he realized that it was coming from our computer. I'm still not sure if he was bummed or elated- this could be his perfect excuse to upgrade his Mac. It took a little while, but my super-skilled husband figured out that we had a burned out fan in one of the drives.

Seriously, I am continually amazed by my husband's abilities.

Ok- so a quick story:

I'm not sure if this is the effect of getting rid of TV in our home or if this is just the strange way Nate's mind works.

I have been asking Nate (like all parents at this time of year) what he wants for Christmas. I'm expecting to hear things like, a remote control car, a race track, a somersaulting Elmo (or whatever he does now)- I don't know, anything NORMAL. I should know better. For his birthday he desperately wanted a wheel barrow so he could help me in the garden, and for Christmas last year he wanted pennies and glue (-so that he could make a train out of pennies and glue- OBVIOUSLY...).

So this year when I ask, he stops and thinks for a moment and says, "I want seeds. Daffodil seeds and pinecone tree seeds that I can plant with you."

I can see him at school. What did you get for Christmas... I got these really cool seeds. I mean, really... what do I DO with that?

2005-11-20T14:07:00.000-08:00

Mom's been dying to see a picture of Lisa's new boyfriend. So, since we got to meet him this weekend, we snuck a few photos. You can see the rest on our flickr photolog. Click here! As you can see he is a very nice guy playing with the kids and all. No, he's not the cute little guy (that would be Eli), he's the one with the blue shirt.

2005-11-17T19:41:00.000-08:00

So last night I busted into a bin of my old things from childhood. My mom dropped it off about 5 months ago and it's sat unopened. I was saving it for a special night... well either I missed that night, or it just isn't coming- so I opened it.

Some of the contents: My pink bunny, Baby Foodoo #2 (#1 got whisked out the window of our car onto some Colorado freeway- a heartbreaking experience), An Original Kitty Cat Club Poster (we held meetings in my closet-- let me know if you want to join), letters, crafts, and a HUGE Colorform Miss Piggy Paperdoll, complete with outfits for every occasion-way cool. But the best part was my journals. No joke, one entry reads like this...

Nov. 18, 1985
I allwas (always?) want to talk to Sarah. Do you know why? Well, because I love Chad. I am not sure I will be marryed to him. But I like him. He asked me to borro my crayons. (Yeah...I know, pretty eloquent for a third grader.)

Ok, so as I read, there seemed to be an theme... page, after page, after page, AFTER PAGE of I love Chad Does he love me I think he does gosh isn't Chad cute, Chad.. Chad... Chad. At least I was consistent. Anyway, it just got me thinking of what God has given me. I have had many crushes, then it was Chad (who I think is a pig farmer now) and others after that. How was I to know that God would give me MORE than I could imagine in my husband. I will be the first to admit that I don't deserve the man that Ben is to me. I just think it's cool that God can dream so much bigger and better that we can even fathom. Thank God for that- otherwise I might be a pigfarmer's wife...

2005-11-14T20:23:00.000-08:00

A quick quote of the day:

I'm sitting on the couch, lost in the world of sweet Ava Jane, thinking of how all is good in my beloved home and in my beloved children when Nate bounds down the stairs with the most interesting news to share. I give him my full attention and with a very serious and intense look in his wide eyes he says,

"Mommy, Eli had a BIIIIIIIIIG BROTHER chunk of poop in his diaper this time!"

Nice...

Why Nate, inspector of all things squishy and brown, has to compare poop to people and examine it trying to decide whether or not Eli had eaten raisins the night before is beyond me.

All I can figure is that a fascination with poop is passed down from generation to generation.

2005-11-10T19:01:00.000-08:00

If you're a parent or even someone who loves to hear the innocent, sweet sounds of a child speaking their first words, there are a few key words that just melt your heart. As Eli's beginning to experiment with the English language, he occasionally stumbles upon a word that is actually English. He has begun to increase his stock pile of recognizable words (at least by me and Ben). For awhile there, it was mama, dada, ball, more and then a whole lot of loud screaming (no...literally), gesturing and a slew of interesting words that are, I'm convinced, in the vocabulary books of his very own language.

I personally love the sound of ma-ma. It's sad to watch your child grow and begin to go from ma-ma to mommy and then to mom. So, I kinda bask in the sound of ma-ma.

Well, somehow Eli has decided to ditch the innocent "ma-ma" stage. I don't know if it was just lacking the cool factor or what.

I'm now affectionately beckoned with, "MAWWWWWWWWW!"

Hmm... sweet isn't it? I'm feeling pretty jipped. Ben still is "Da-da", Nate is still a gentle "Uhh-uh" (which is a general term, but in this context means "Hey, you") and Ava is still "ba-by".

I get "MAWWWWWWWW! Ish-bish ball lupp-up uppy mooore" (translated means, "let's play that game where we pass the ball from me to you again.") The latter is always spoke in a completely calm intonation. What's that all about?

I know what the parent books would all say... do not respond to the undesired behavior. Yeah, at this decibel, it's a little hard to ignore.

2005-11-04T20:50:00.000-08:00

So we wanna be like the rest of you. Consider it a compliment. Thought we might feel a little closer to all of you if we shared with you the random stories of our day.

You're probably wondering who "alley" is. We didn't get a cat (although Ben AGAIN tried to talk me into one the other day) and we certainly aren't looking to add any more to our numbers here. Alley is referencing Luke 14. The ones in the alley were invited to the banquet-- because the original guests didn't have time. This chapter has got us thinking. Are we willing to leave the things we find so important for Jesus... and are we willing to go to the alleys to find those that will leave it all? Can we throw up our hands and know that what he has for us is far better, if only we'd come? Anyway...

On a lighter note I thought it funny when my sister asked how my day was. If she only really knew...

Date: somewhere between yesterday and today
Time: early
Ben and I woke to Nate asking for breakfast. Trying to buy just a few more minutes of sleep we reminded him of the milk in the fridge he'd saved from the night before. Success. He left- but Eli's up. We bring him into our bed hoping to cuddle back in. Not his intentions at all. He squirms out and is off... and Nate is back, but he's a cuddler (as long as your ok with the occasional knee in your back), so all is well. By this time we try to force our eyes shut.. if only for a minute. Eli is just a bit too quiet so we send trusty Nate to investigate. As we lay there we hear, 'OH NO!'. Great. Now fully awake, we run downstairs to find Eli with Hershey's chocolate syrup in hand, chocolate running down his chin and a huge grin on his face. (Apparently Nate decided to make chocolate milk.)

For all those of you who get to wake up normally... enjoy.