Weekend with the Grandparents

My parents wanted to give me a day "off" so they took the boys for a couple of days.  While I had girl time & a pedi with some friends, an extra nap, and a wonderful date night with my hubby the boys kept their grandparents very busy.  They all four went to a safari park to check out a few animals up close & personal.  They got to meet deer, ostritch, camels, and goats.  I'm not sure who had more fun, the boys or the grandparetns!
After a couple days, as much as I enjoyed my R&R I was so ready to see my boys.  Thanks Mom & Dad for a little break.  There's nothing like napping in the middle of the day, and not stressing about sleeping through snack time!

That camel got a little too close for our liking. 
Don't you know those things spit!!



1, 2 Years Old!!

Over the weekend, we celebrated the boys' 2nd birthday!  We had a blast with friends and family as we "raced" to their birthday party (they absolutely love cars).  The few weeks before their birthday we worked really hard on saying "I'm 2 years old."  The best response I've gotten so far when I ask "how old are you?" is the reply "1-2!" as if they were counting.  At least they know where to stop.  Thanks to all our family and friends who made it such a special day.

Luke & Levi, your dad and I are so grateful that God put you into our lives!  You each are a precious gift to us from Him.

Ands here's a video of their crazy post birthday party celebration induced by an extreme sugar high.

And I ask myself, why do we spend money on gifts when all you need are few balloons?

Day in and day out, the same old routines....



Here's a few pictures of a
piece our daily routine!



I want to give you a glimpse into the world of our twin (almost) two year old toddlers.  Our typical day goes something like this...boys wake up and have breakfast, then get dressed for the day, play, have lunch, play, nap (I love this part), wake up for snacks, play, supper, play, baths, and finally bed time.  The great thing is tomorrow starts pretty much the same routine.  If you've noticed a trend it is probably that sleep, food, and play are very important to our world.  The wonderful thing about routine is that we all know what to expect next.  Yet somehow in the midst of our daily routine, God has called us to train up these boys in the way that each of them should go.  In Deuteronomy He told Israel:

"You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth."

What a challenge!  During the Christmas season, I found it very easy to talk about Jesus, who He is, and what He has done for us.  However in the midst of daily routine, I have found this to be more difficult.  Yet, if God were saying these words to me today it would sound something like this, "Teach your boys these words of mine when you're eating together, when you're playing outside or inside, when you're reading stories, when you're riding in the car, and before bedtime."  This should be a part of my daily routine.  So I am borrowing a  prayer I heard my college pastor's wife pray.  "Jesus may your name never be far from my lips!"  I feel the urgency of this prayer now as a mom more than I ever have before.   

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!