Fun Times

Oh, the days are getting longer and the weather is finally getting warmer... and that means fun times with friends.  Here they are with a group of neighbors playing a game.

Our neighbor and babysitter, Emily dressed for prom.

When we came home from church Gwen and Zeke decided to build a barn for their horses.  Zeke goes to sleep and Gwen comes to "wake up the farmer".

Budding Photographers

The kids found my camera and decided on their own to take some photos in their room.  I think it's interesting what they captured and I couldn't help but smile. :)

Baby 3

I am 18 1/2 weeks along now.  I haven't seen my doctor since I was 11 weeks.  I did have an appointment, but my doctor was running 45 minutes behind and someone was watching my kids out of the kindness of their heart, so I decided to reschedule.  I had to get special permission to wait until my sonogram time, but they granted it to me.  I am just much more relaxed this time around and at peace with what is going on inside my body.  I have started to feel movement in there these past few days.  It still surprises me and astonishes me when I feel it.
I have convinced Ben to find out the sex of this baby.  We will have a sonogram the 24th of this month and we will have a cake maker make a cake for us and we will find out with our small group on the 29th.  So, we are looking forward to including the kids on all the excitement about their new brother/sister.
I feel fine mostly, but I get winded easily even though I'm exercising three days a week.  I get headaches and lower back aches... sounds like pregnancy right?  I'm starting to look pregnant now and perhaps I will post a  picture at some point.

Basilica and Bug

My choir had a concert last night here.  The St. Louis Basilica.  What makes it a Basilica and not a cathedral is that the pope has been there and named it a Basilica.  Don't ask me anything beyond that, because I don't know... but it was beautiful.  This Basilica had 44 million little pieces of mosaic put all throughout it.  It was stunning.  I didn't really want to go on this trip because it meant driving to St. Louis (a 4 hr trip from my house) on a bus, doing the concert, and then driving the 4 hours back.  Look what a marvel of a room I would've missed.  There is some spiritual application there, but I can't think of it right now.

us warming up.

The weather has begun to warm up here and we are grateful.  Gwen found a ladybug the other day and put it on her shirt.  She was very happy about that.

The Amish Way

If you know much about me you know that I find the Amish lifestyle interesting.  That doesn't mean I want to be Amish, but it does mean that I think they have valid points and things to consider in their choice of lifestyle.  Somehow in a women's discipleship group that I was in the subject came up and one of the women found out my interest in the Amish.  This lady bought a book for me called "The Amish Way" by Donald B. Kraybill, Steven M. Nolt, and David L. Weaver-Zercher.  I have read many books about the Amish- fiction and non, but I found many things about this book to be new info to me.  Here are some things I've been thinking on.

Some things we can all learn from the Amish:

1.  Spiritual vitality comes at a price.  Whether one is Amish or not, the cost of spiritual vitality is high, and those who pay the price are often perceived as paying too much.

2.  The importance of taking spiritual perils seriously.  Addressing things that get in the way of spiritual vitality requires time, effort, and intentionality.

3.  The importance of practices.  What does my family do on a regular basis that shapes the lives of my children?

4.  Importance of patience.  Am I reminded that many good things in life come slowly?  

5.  The importance of the past.  Do I value the practices and wisdom of those that have gone before me?  Am I teachable and willing to yield?  

6.  The importance of people.  Do I share in a common purpose, a common set of values, and a common set of spiritual practices as others?  How important is Christian community to me in every day life? 

Easter 2013

Yesterday we went to Grandma Barreth's house and had an indoor Easter egg hunt.  The kids had a good time.  

This morning we went to church to celebrate.  I thought they were cute.

Ben had to play his armpit to get these smiles... no lie.

Kid's Art

I find kid's art very interesting.  I especially find it interesting to see how it changes over time and to see how different Gwen and Zeke's images are from each other.  This first one is by Gwen and she must be tired of the cold or must be hearing her mother say she is looking forward to seeing the garden grow or something.  She told me she drew plums, cherries and a carrot and then sunflowers near the people. :)

These next two are Zeke's pictures.  These are maps.  I find these all over the house and think they are just scribbles so I throw them away only to have Zeke find them and him tell me, "NO, these are my maps!"

Think you could find the treasure with THIS map??

Amish Poetry

Then the words of the visiting preacher
struck my heart like a two-edged sword,
For he asked, "What's the highest calling
Ever given to man by the Lord?"
He went on and said, "You mothers
At home with your children so small,
Yours is a very great calling,
Yours is a most sacred call.

I lowered my head in submission,
For the lot had fallen on me
To carry this most precious calling,
For I am a mother, you see.
_________________________________________________________________________________

The little cares that fretted me
I lost them yesterday
Among the fields above the sea
Among the winds at play;

Among the husking of the corn,
Where drowsy posies nod,
Where ill thoughts die and good are born
Out in the fields with God.

And... MORE snow

I gave the kids their Easter treat early.  This is all they get in this household... no basket of candy, but still... it's good chocolate.. not that stuff with lots of wax in it.

Does this look like Easter time to you?  Just last week we had the baby pool out and now there is only frozen water in it.  Kansas... the land of extremes.

Daddy

My Japanese Maple saying "help me"

We had 8 inches on the grass and 5 on the road.

 Zeke shoveling with daddy.

Balloon Animals

Today Zeke had a dentist appointment.  After we had seen the dentist we walked into the lobby and they had a person making balloon animals out there.  We got some made and this lady was really good!  Gwen requested a dolphin and look what she got!  I was astonished.  I asked her what her most challenging request was and she said kids surprise her every day with what they request.  

Zeke asked for a fish, but by the time he got home with it the tail was off.  So much for a picture.

These poses are unprovoked.  They crack me up.

First Signs of Spring and Ballet

Well, yesterday it was 82 degrees out.  We loved being outside and the kids were so excited that they somehow with all their exuberance convinced their father to get out the baby pool.  To say the water was a little chilly would be the understatement of the year.  I asked the kids for a picture and while Zeke was totally unaware I had spoken at all, Gwen decided to do some posing of her own choosing.  It cracks me up so I shared several of her poses.  

Daddy splashing the kids.  They had so much fun.  I was having fun too until they threatened to splash me and I made a mad dash to the kitchen.

I've been singing with the ballet.  They are doing "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and the ladies from my choir are providing the fairy voices.  We are in the orchestra pit with the instrumentalists and it is beautiful music.  I love Mendellsohn.  He's my favorite composer.  Anyway, I saw this sign up tonight and decided to take a picture of it for you all to see.  Make sure if you are an adult fairy that you sign in.

Meeting the Heavenly Homemaker

One of the highlights of today was being able to meet a fellow blogger.  Her name is Laura and she writes the blog heavenlyhomemakers.com that I check out every day.  I feel like I know her and her family and we just met for the first time today.  When I met her I told her two things... that my little girl on the way there asked if there would be a roller coaster where we were going and that her turkey sausage recipe has been life changing.  :)  She has a cookbook that just came out and I got it today.  I'll have to make my way through it. 

I've paid more attention to my blog lately and noticed my lack of postings because I'm taking a break from facebook.  I haven't been on there since Tuesday and I feel like I am on the computer so much less.  It's a good thing actually.  I don't want to spend my days looking at that stuff when I can connect with my family or friends or my Lord.  Ya know?  It's a beautiful day here in Kansas City today and we were able to get outside and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air with friends.  The best things in life actually ARE free!  What a revelation!  

Yes, I'm wearing a maternity shirt even though I'm really not showing.  It looked comfy.  The kids were in an adjacent room putting on a puppet show.

Kindness

I'm in Alabama visiting my mom and dad.  My mom is about to start chemotherapy.  She had a small lump that they found in a mammogram that they took out and they took out some lymph nodes.  We thought she would only have to have radiation... but we were wrong.  Some of the lymph nodes came back having cancer cells in them, so they are going to do chemo and radiation.  We don't really know what the future holds of course, but we are optimistic and she has a good prognosis.  

I was looking through some cards that she got recently that she had on her counter and found this one from her mail carrier.  I was so touched that her mail carrier took the time to send a card and even know my mom.  I don't believe my mail carrier knows me.  This is the remarkable thing about the south I think.  People want to really know you.  Everyday kindness like this makes a difference.