Our new house

For Christmas the boys got a new playhouse.  Now, Jonathan put in a word with Santa to make sure it was a manly playhouse, so he brought one with a porch & outdoor grill.  Santa sure is good!  Here are a few pictures of our new house, which I am enjoying as much as they are.

Christmas Reflections

We've been really trying to teach the boys the true meaning of Christmas.  Now they do know what Santa says, and we're working on actually saying "Merry Christmas."  They are enamored with the presents under the tree, and for some reason think they all belong to "Uncle To-dy!"  But we really want them to know that first and foremost Christmas is about the greatest treasure we could ever find, an innocent baby named Jesus, fully man and fully God, coming to die for us all to offer the free gift of salvation.

I found an advent story that Noel Piper wrote that has been an amazing teaching tool.  Every day it adds a piece of the nativity story with a new character we add to an advent calendar.  The boys love it.  They have learned some of the main characters already like Mary, Joesph, and the shepherds (they really like these guys).  We've also learned new animal sounds, so unless you want to be sprayed I would avoid asking them what a camel does.  :)

I have had several opportunities to think about the characters involved in that first Christmas, and this year I have really been thinking about Mary.  I think motherhood makes you do that.  If I had the opportunity to talk to her I have several questions....

• What was it like to care for a tiny infant completely dependant on you, and yet still know that this was the Messiah you had been waiting for?  The very Messiah who ultimately you would depend on for your salvation.
• One of the greatest joys I have as a mom is watching my boys grow and discover on a daily basis.  Did Jesus grow in His discovery of who He was, or did He seem to always know?  What about the world around Him (which He created), did He have to discover anything or did He already know how it all worked?
• What is it like to raise a perfect child, and allow Him to see your mistakes?
• How did you handle knowing that ultimately He would lay down His life for you and all of man kind?
• What were some of the biggest lessons He taught you?
• Was there sibling rivalry and how did you handle that?

I cannot even begin to imagine the role that God asked Mary to fill.  Her faith and humility completely amaze me!  One of the biggest blessing I have is getting to be a mom, as imperfect as I am.  Daily I cling to God's grace as I teach, model, love & discipline our boys.  I can't help but think that parenting Jesus, caused her to cling to the Lord more than she had ever done before.  She must have felt even more inadequate than most of us moms feel.  Yet she never doubted His plan for her life, or complained that it was just too hard.  She didn't argue or protest.  She simply accepted His call on her life, and praised God for who He is.  My prayer is that I can look at the plan God has called me to and as Mary, confidently walk through it proclaiming "for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant....for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." 

 

The Great Outdoors

So I'm a little behind on blog updates...between Thanksgiving and we moved out of our townhouse and into a real house this past weekend, I haven't really had a chance to think about blogging so this will be short & sweet. 
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family & friends, I just didn't take very many pictures, so instead I'll share with you the boys' first 4-wheeler adventure.  The weekend after Thanksgiving, we went out to a ranch with some friends from church.  Now this wasn't your normal ranch, it was nicer than any home I'll every dream about owning, and sat on 100s of acres of beautiful land.  We took the boys out exploring on a 4-wheeler (complete with seat belts and a full second row of seats- please don't panic)!  They loved it.  They sat in awe as we drove by several ponds , deer, and even a wild hog.  I don't know about you, but I've never seen cuter kids in camo! 

There's a Spirit Can Never be Told

Okay, so I realize that my last post was the boys in their Aggie jerseys, and adding this post just makes me look like "that" Aggie, but oh, well!
This past Saturday we had the opportunity to travel to College Station to watch our beloved Aggies lay a good ol' defensive smack down on the Nebraska Cornhuskers.  Now I have been to many Aggie football games over the past several years, and this was the best game I have ever watched in the stands at Kyle field.  We walked away with a hard fought victory!  WHOOP!

If you know anything at all about Aggies, it is that they LOVE their school.  The traditions, the spirit, the values all of which are unique to A&M, but when I think of my four years at A&M those aren't what I remember.  I want others to know about another side of A&M.  As we walked across campus this past weekend I was flooded with memories.  God used my time in Aggieland to grow my walk with Him in ways I would have never guessed.  From on campus Bible studies, to ministry projects, to a church that just loved serving college students and making sure they knew the Word this time in my life unlike any other was saturated by the love of Christ.  I learned what it looked like to have a hunger for God's Word.  I learned what it looked to have true community that really does life together.  I learned what it looked like to serve others and think of them first.  The best part of that is I know I'm not alone.  There is something different about A&M.  Every year, hundreds of college students have the same testimony.

I am a proud member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2004, and so grateful to be a part of the Aggie family.  I will forever cherish the memories, traditions, and camaraderie I have from being an Aggie, but more than that I am so thankful the Lord uses a place called College Station, TX to move and work in the lives of young college students.

Thanks & Gig'em!

Train up a child in the way he should go...

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

Some may call it brain washing or indoctrination, but I prefer to call it passing along important values and tradition!  You see it's all in your perspective.

These are our sweet little Aggies.  They have officially learned to "Whoop" and we are currently working on "Gig 'em."  They are very aware of their Aggie attire, and point it out when it's in the laundry every time.  "Aggies!  Aggies!"

So it is with great honor that I would like to introduce you to the proudest members of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2031! (crazy thought isn't it?)

           Levi our future lineman!

    Luke our future quarter back or strategist.










P.S. Thanks Aunt Noel for our jerseys.  We love showing our Aggie pride!!

Copy Cats

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children." Eph. 5:1




Levi loves to "cook."  I really think it is the
loud noise of a metal bowl and wooden spoon.



 As a teacher, I've always understood that children follow the examples they see. They learn best by the examples in front of them. Now as a parent of two 21 month olds I understand this in a completely different way. The boys are very much in the monkey see- monkey do stage. They love to copy things we do and say (talk about instant accountability!). What is even funnier is when they copy each other. If Luke has learned a new phrase or trick Levi learns it seconds later, and vise-versa. Oh, the joys of having a twin.



However, as parent this also very much frightens me. My kids are watching me. They are learning from me, ME! Our poor boys have flawed and sinful examples to learn from. But I take much comfort in Ephesians 5:1. I love that Paul didn’t tell us to be imitators of God, as stubborn adults set in their ways, but as beloved children. Kids learn by imitation. They learn by watching closely to see what those around them are doing and saying, and even not doing and not saying.



Luke saying over and over again "Heddo" on
the phone (please note it is really a remote control).



Just as our boys copy the little things we do like cooking, talking on the phone, sweeping the floor, trying to leash up our 100 lb. lab for a walk (this one is hysterical), folding their hands to pray before meals (and reminding us to say ma-men if we've prayed too long) we are called to imitate God in the same simple way Luke and Levi imitate. They learn just by spending time with us. The more they are around us, the more they imitate (both good and bad).

My job is to imitate the Lord in the same way our precious boys imitate. I’m so thankful that we have such good teachers in our lives, even if they can’t articulate a complete sentence yet.





Mac or PC?

Halloween costumes for twins are so much fun, especially when they don't have a say in it yet (although I think our time on that is running short).  So after narrowing down our list, we decided on the Mac & PC duo.
Last night, we took the boys to the fall festival at our parents' church.  I'm not sure who had more fun the boys or the grandparents.  Here are some fun pictures...

When these guys are your mac & pc, how do you choose mac or pc?  

Nona J, Levi, Luke, Daddy, & Papaw

Oma, Luke, Levi, & Grandpa