Bethany College- Day 4

Okay, so there isn't much to say today, except look at this amazing fun!!! We watched entirely too much PBSkids this morning, so when afternoon fun with daddy came, it was desperately needed, and we went to the Transportation Museum!!! It may not seem very exciting, but let me assure you-- to little boys who love all things that move, an upclose look at a real engine, caboose, and dining car from the 1920's were really cool. I guess Daddy and Mommy liked it too. Nonetheless, it was a hit of an afternoon, so enjoy the pics!

On a different note, we were walking out of the museum after spending close to two hours and it struck me. . . . what would we do if there was a little girl in our family?? The thought was unfortunately new. I don't know if she would like trains or not. I don't know if what she would like is something the other two would like or not. What to do on a family vacation?? I remember conversations from my family as a kid, trying to make such a decision, but I don't remember how it was decided and how everyone felt about said decision. Wow, still can't wait to bring her home. Still, really excited about having a new addition to our family. Still really ready.

Goodbye and goodnight.

Bethany College- Day 3

Okay, so here we are continuing through our week of fun. Today was no different. I should point out first that the silverware slide is still the highlight of all meals. We actually ate out tonight and were concerned about missing the slide. Anyway, we hung out around the room for a bit this morning, played with cars, and Big Boy has been working on his photography skills. Here's one for your enjoyment. . .


This afternoon we went to an apple orchard and had a great, though terribly cold, time. We picked, played, ate, and played some more. We even got to ride a tractor!

To end out the day we made it to McDonalds drive thru (for Big Boy) and Panera for the rest of us. What a wonderful way to end a cold, but really fun afternoon- hot soup in a bread bowl with a really good cup of decaf. Yum. I am also really blessed with a Little Boy who loves tomato soup. He had it for lunch and dinner!




On another note all together I read this book today during naptime (part of it) about the Parable of the Prodigal Son. It was very interesting and it struck me with a basic question. "If the parable was only about the younger son returning and the heart of the Father when he does, why does Jesus include that last part about the older brother?" It is truly a powerful warning to those who like me, have lived so much of our lives in the church. I have known of the Father and his heart for me for a long time. I long to stay fresh, to remember well the things he has saved me from. And yet, in the parable- not only am I an oldest child, but I am also one who has been under the Father's love for many years. The "obedient" one. The older son doesn't come in. I want desperately to be in on the party and yet the older son doesn't go in. He is consumed with selfish anger at his Father's willing forgiveness and the loss that it ultimately may cause to his own inheritance. (A younger son once reinstated can get a second inheritance when the Father dies.) It is ultimately selfish. Displaying the true and fallen sinful heart- at the core only concerned about keeping it's own needs met. As I am sitting here in this wonderful and interesting place, I am struck by my own heart. I am reminded of my own shortcomings and I am amazed that the Lord still invites me in. Thank you, again and again, I say. Thank you.

Bethany College- Day 2

Well, it has most definitely been an eventful day. We woke up to snow this morning! Yes, I know, I was surprised too. Even though I had done my homework, looked on weather.com before packing, I knew there was a chance for snow, but was still surprised. You know, down south when there is an early chance, it usually means we'll get a flake or two. It snowed here from before we got up, through lunchtime. No real accumulation, as I figure the ground is still warm, but what a fun addition to our trip. We just needed waterproof gloves to go with our snowball fights!



This one is my favorite, as you can clearly see how we love to walk. Despite the fact that our shoes might get wet, we don't have our snow boots or pants, and we don't really like the other pair of shoes that mom brought-- we still choose to walk directly in the snow. Really, is there any other option???


This morning as we were cleaning up for breakfast we found the second most exciting part of the trip thus far. Second only because it happened second, not because it is second best. You see, we are eating in a college cafeteria. And as most of you know, when you are finished with the food on your tray you take it to an area and follow any number of directions to help with the cleaning process. This my friends is what we found. . . .



I made it a bit bigger so you can get the full effect. It will forever be termed, the slide for the silverware. Need I say more??

Goodnight and sweet dreams.

The Family Trip to Bethany College. . . . Bloomington, MN- Day 1

Alright friends, we loaded up this morning after having a wonderful weekend with the Lee family (at least three of them) and have now arrived in Minnesota. Bethany College of Missions is a small college that we became connected with last year, and they invited the Daddy up to teach a class. They offered to put the family up for the week, so we considered it a vacation! On that note, and because we are all sleeping in the same room and therefore have to be really quiet after 8pm, I thought I would give all three of my loyal readers the highlights from each day.

Here we are leaving the house. . . . (the random new friend in the back is Angie, she needed a ride from KC back to Bethany.)


Then I was driving, since my husband was preparing to teach all week, and I thought I would document the interesting things I saw while utterly bored. (no, it wasn't all that unsafe)


Then a signpost. . . oh wait, Des Moines is just barely halfway there. :(


Then some cornfields. . . and a rather unhappy Little Boy face.



A staticky stop. . .


Some fun playing in the room. . . wrestling as much as mommies are made to. (I missed the really good pic of them taking out their daddy!)



And finally, bedtime reading with daddy. It took a bit, but amazingly enough, the boys were both asleep by 8:35! This is going to be a fun week!!!



p.s. Sometime I'll have to tell you about the funny conversation that Big Boy and I had sitting in Subway tonight. It was in reference to Bethany College and his sister Bethany not being here. For a quick moment, he thought we were coming to get her. :(

Are women born this way?

I saw this on a friend's blog today and thought it was hilarious. It is how things work in our house...

So, here's a post to my dear friend Candace!! We had an awesome weekend in Hot Springs, despite difficulties, it was well worth it. We had an early birthday party for Candace, sang Happy Birthday, had a strawberry cake, and laughed a lot! It is such an amazing gift to be partnered with such a woman of the Lord. She encourages my heart in so many ways, often times just listening to my ramblings. My heart has been blessed by this woman.

Quotes of the Day

Okay, so I have tried like three times now to process through my emotions and post something really amazing about my mom and how I feel about her, but I can't seem to get through it. SO, instead, if you want to read something really cool about her go to my sister's blog. She's got it all.

What do I have for you, you might ask??

Big Boy: "You know what mommy, I want to move."

Mommy: "Like where to?"

Big Boy: "A new house, so we can go to outer space."

Mommy (and Daddy as he has joined in now): "Really?"

Big Boy: "Yeah, we need to move to a house that is closer to a rocket ship so we can go into outer space."

And so it continued for close to 10 minutes. . . . he had really thought this one through.

Mommy: "Little Boy, tomorrow is another day at school! Are you excited?"
(p.s. he did really well last week!)

Little Boy: "No, I don't want to go."

Mommy: "Why not?"

Little Boy: "I like you."

Can it melt your heart any more than that???
(In my head I was thinking, I'll NEVER again make you do ANYTHING you don't want to do, not ever again!!!)

Fellowship. . . . part ???

After a 5 month hiatus (is that a word??) to a foreign land, our friends the Millers have returned! It is truly and interesting story, our meeting, but I will say they have become dear friends. We got to know them last fall, then at the beginning of November, they moved to North Carolina. In January, they spent almost three weeks in our house for a visit, left for another part of the world, and have come back for a three month visit to KC. Yeah! Our favorite evening activity would be to gather in the late afternoon, cook dinner together, and eat. We would put the kids to bed and stay up talking together late into the evening! It has been such a blessing to have them back. On a separate note all together, you know how much you love someone, if you offer to let them stay in your flat in a foreign country for three months! (hopefully when we go next summer)




It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord can connect people together. I find my heart connected to people all around the world, and yet it is a connection that is sometimes as strong or stronger than the ones I have right here. How is it the Lord does that? How is it that our sisters in Christ are so close to our hearts, no matter the distance? I suppose this is just a general shout-out to my dear friends everywhere, especially far away. Helloooooo to East Asia, to Shreveport, to Wilmore, to Fayetteville, to Conway, and to everywhere else! I love you all and know that the Lord has mighty purposes in our lives, in joining our hearts, and in forever connecting us in such a tangible, real way. May the Lord speak to you all, may He make His face to shine upon you, and may you see His heart at work in all the things around you.

Fun with Aunt Erin!

Okay, so last weekend Erin came up for a visit. I have two very important things to say about it all. . . .

1. My children love their aunt. She treats them the best, spoils them at every opportunity, and loves them fully. They had a blast together and she even slept on the trundle bed one night! Big Boy and Little Boy were thrilled.

2. I am so honored to have such a good sister. We have started a bible study together over the miles and she said so appropriately, "Maybe the best thing about this study is that we get to know each other better." You know, somehow switching from just sisters, to friends who also happen to be sisters. It's been really fun and the Lord is doing mighty things in us as well.

Oh yeah, and #3-- you should totally go look at her blog and see some really cute pics of us all at a Royals baseball game!

The Fish. . .

Okay friends, this is really quite funny. We have Thursday Night Dinners at our house, where we get the joy of feeding and praying with 10-15 mostly single, mid-twenties students from around the IHOP base. It's a great night, and I have expanded my creative cooking skills, learning to cook for a crowd, things that still taste really good! (some weeks I am better than others. . . but that's okay!) Anyway, this past week I sent out an e-mail on Monday claiming that we would have grilled fish for dinner Thursday night. I had all kinds of excited comments and such, and as it would go the fish that I had assumed was in my freezer had been mostly eaten. Thursday morning after a brief stint in the prayer room, I headed to the nearby grocery store to grab some more fish. It was a quick and slightly distracted trip, as I had sweet Little Boy with me and he was hungry and nearing a two-year old breakdown. All that said, I did look at the package, read the recipes on the back, and there was NO mention of this- or anything to do with this. Here's what came out of the package. . . . at 4:30 in the afternoon, after it was all thawed in my kitchen sink. hmph.



Fortunately, the kind and very pregnant, Katrina, came to my rescue and ran to get some more fish- this time without heads, skin, and fins!