Star Wars, Yellow Paint, and Love

 First, a story about Canaan, because he came up with a "witty" reply on his own, and he is so very proud. I can't remember if I ever wrote about his abysmal record with shoes. He went an entire week with two left shoes, no rights. For almost an entire day his third pair, which was the only one he had left, was down to only a left shoe also. He was going to be reduced to wearing rain boots just to go to the commissary. 

 He has a habit also, once the shoes are off, (and somehow separated and lost!) of removing one sock as well. Just one. I continually find him tromping around the house, and even the back yard, in one sock. I am sure you can imagine what that does in the laundry. 

 When we were at my parent's house last week my mom was fussing at him, and asked, "Canaan, where did you leave your other sock?" He responded, without pause, "I gave it to Dobby". 

 I guess I shouldn't have let him watch the second Harry Potter movie!

 He is now so proud of himself for thinking up a silly response that he had faithfully made sure to tell almost all of the family. I love age eight! 

Also while we were visiting my family last week Canaan and Zion could not find their Star Wars toys anywhere. They have a special stash they keep in the basement, just for visits there, and they were desperately needed.

 You see, when Mom and I were digging through the attic for decorative items to use at Mary Faith's shower we also discovered our old dollhouse. Beautiful, 3 story dollhouse, hand built, painted and shingled by my grandfather. We had bought furniture and dishes with our Christmas money through the years. Wallpapered and decorated. And yet, there it was, lonely in the attic, 10 years after the youngest child had outgrown it. (and that's pushing it, since Mary Faith is 24...)

So we pulled it out. We opened the boxes of furniture. The decorated Christmas tree with handmade Christmas gifts. The cross stitched blanket for the master bed.

 And my boys declared that their Star Wars men would fit perfectly in there. Canaan justified it nicely, saying in his best 8 year old tone, “It's okay for us to play with it, since it's yellow.”

 I guess if it had been pink it would not have been okay. But yellow passes the gender allowed test in 8 year old dollhouse playing. Especially if you are putting Star Wars characters in it, gleefully making them use the porcelain toilet.

But ...they could not find their Star Wars characters.

The hunt was on.

Who, who do you think was the one to find them?

Why, mommy of course.

When I discovered them buried underneath a stack of pillows I teasingly asked Zion, “Who's the best Mommy in the world?” He replied, “You (dramatic pause)... except for Nani.”

 For anyone who doesn't know, Nani is what he calls my Mom. And really, how could I argue with that statement. As much as I would like to be the best Mommy in the world, I certainly can't imagine taking that title away from my Mom! So I just ruffled his hair, gave him his Star Wars characters and sent him up to create the coolest yellow Star Wars meeting room ever. (complete with a replica of a foot pedal sewing machine.. but I digress)

 One of the devotionals I am reading this year is “The heart of a Mother”, compiled by Wayne Holmes. It has stories from famous Christian authors and speakers talking about their mothers, and how they affected their life.

There are some beautiful stories, encouraging ideas of how to lift up my children and teach them to love our Savior with their entire heart and soul and mind, and to love their neighbor more then they love themselves.

I was blessed with a mother who did that for me. Who taught me how to love from the moment I was born.

But there are so many who didn't have that. At least, not from their mother. And yet, that love is still there. That desire to give love, and to receive it in return. We have a job, a calling, not only to love our children and our husbands, our friends and our neighbors but also the people whom we have absolutely nothing in common with. The people we would argue with about politics, and how to raise children. The people that in our opinion are wasteful or miserly, too serious or too nonchalant.

Even the people that hurt other people.

We have love. 

They want love. 

God told us quite clearly to give love.

Matt 5:44 says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons (and daughters) of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous.”

Not everyone grew up with the best mommy in the world (like I did) but everyone has a loving Daddy. They just need to be introduced.

That's our job.

Share His name.

Be His arms.

Shine His love. 

 Valentine's Day is quickly approaching. Love is in the air. While it is on your mind, remember to share not just human love, but God's love too!  

Blessings, 

Home sweet home

 That heading, that title up there... it can be taking two different ways.

 You see, I have been "home", with my parent's and sisters all this last week. Mary Faith, the baby, (and yes, at 24, she is still the "baby". I believe she always will be. She'll just have to deal with it!) Anyway... where was I going... Oh yes, Mary Faith is getting married at the end of March. There are details to prepare. Shopping to do. Parties to plan.
 This past week has been full! I LOVE this "home", and the people in it.

 But that other "home" is calling my name. Andy is my true home - I can't quite claim that North Carolina is calling me yet. I haven't gotten attached to the location yet. But Andy is there, and Andy is home. Home, Sweet Home.

 Can I be any cheesier?!? You may be thinking "gag".

 But I certainly miss that man!

 In other news... Andy has been making fun of me for saying "awesome" entirely too often. However, as I thought through the available vocabulary for expressions of excitement and approval, well, not many came to mind. "Cool". "Neato". Shall we return to the "Rockin" phase in time?

 So I think I shall create my own new expression. "XP" That is what I am going to start declaring when I am excited. It stands for "Exclamatory Proclamation". "EP" just doesn't sound cool though... so "XP" wins.

Announcer: "You just won a million dollars"!

Me: "XP"!!!!

 Can't you just hear it now?

 I was actually mulling it over (yes, I am that much of a dork) and was thinking that "XP" would make a perfect word of unhappiness too. Andy makes fun of my "fiddlesticks" too. Perhaps "Exclamatory Proclamation" would be a fitting answer to moments of disgust too. Hmmmm

 Something to consider.

 In the meantime, I need my sleep. I have to look my best tomorrow. I am off to see the man of my dreams!

Blessings, 

Light at the end of the tunnel?

 I had been very frustrated with myself since we lived here. Where was all the time going? The first few weeks I could blame it on unpacking. Then Andy took some time off and he always keeps me busy. We had Thanksgiving, then Christmas. Both 3rd grade and Kindergarten are slightly more time consuming when you put them together... but still, how in the world was it that I truly and honestly did not have any time. Until this weekend I had not read a single book since we lived here. My Bible and devotional greeted the morning, but beside that a few quick glances at BH & G, Parents, and Southern Living had been then sum of my word consumption. For TWO MONTHS! I had barely blogged, or even read the blogs of others. We don't have cable, I practically never get on FB and even the world's new addiction to pinterest has only touched me minimally.

 But then I remembered that we are in a new place - I have had to meet all new doctors, again. That was where all my time was going. Family doc to get all my referrals. Endocrinologist, twice already. Go get bloodwork done, more then once. Neurologist - all the way in Sanford. Then try to find the special building on post to schedule the MRI (because new doctors are never happy with the one taken 18 months ago by a different doctor. It has to be new). Fill out all that paperwork. (This time it wasn't by choice that I had to find the place either - it couldn't be done over the phone.) Schedule an EEG. Find a new dentist, then find out that both kids have cavities so have had to go back twice for fillings. I have lost entire days to doctor appts! Over and over!

No wonder I haven't had time to read or blog!

Well, that's not exactly true.

I could have given up sleeping.

Or teaching my children.

Or cleaning the house and cooking.

But I don't think any of those were good things to give up....

Now, here I am, with all the cavities filled, and the doctors met, and the major tests scheduled.

So I allowed myself a little free time the end of last week and over the weekend to read a novel. Just for fun. It was wonderful.

But, back to work I go. Today I have to figure out how to get my prescriptions transferred from MO to here. That 90 day supply is on it's last few days. Sigh. Off to the post pharmacy we go! I swear, but I sometimes think that just staying alive is a full time job!

 Eventually I will have a normal schedule again, right?

 Until then, enjoy your normal, or not so normal, day my friends!

 Blessings, 

The colors of fall

The end of the year sort of escaped. Truly. It just disappeared. The three months between Missouri and now are slightly blurry. 

 I know a few things...

We went to the pumpkin patch.

We enjoyed the Thanksgiving celebration with Andy's side of the family first.

 This is our niece Britton. Aren't those the most delicious lips you have ever seen?

 I did an entire photo shoot with these three. I got a few decent shots, but this one, despite it's terrible lighting and silly faces, continues to be my favorite. 

 Zion however decided to be a model. Look at that pose! 

Of course you have football on Thanksgiving, but you can't forget the all important Thanksgiving wrestling match too! 3 against one, or course. (don't tell, but sometimes, just sometimes, the camera gets set down and certain other people join in... )

Next came Thanksgiving with the Binkley clan.

 I love this picture of my sisters, inspecting the photo shoot we had just attempted. It is really, really hard to take a good picture of 13 people, especially when 3 of them are age 8 and under. Since, obviously, I was taking this picture, my camera was not the one taking the family picture. I am so glad to have been removed from that pressure! However, that means I don't have the originals or easy access to posting them here. Bummer!

 Canaan was simply sitting there waiting, but he looked like such a poser. I couldn't resist a picture!

 Perhaps my favorite picture of Andy all year. 

He had wrapped his scarf around his head, just being goofy, waiting for the next "pose" for the family picture. But I love that look of mischief! 

 Aren't they beautiful? These are they amazing example I have had my whole life, showing me how to live my life for Christ- My parents. 

 Zion, once again, posing. 

 Canaan threatened that if he was forced to take another picture he was going to give himself bunny ears. Just because. 

 The "good" family picture is probably on FB somewhere. Or in the files of Snapfish. But it is late, and I am exhausted. And I have only caught up as far as Thanksgiving. 

Seriously, where did December go? 

I hope yours was full of joy. Worship. Fun.

 I'll post some pictures of mine soon! 

Blessings,