Her New $2 Room

Look who did it ALL by Himself!

Sorry Caleb - I had to post this. You are WAY to cute!

Why summer is Fun...

Baby Steps

I wanted to post a quick note saying thank you to all of you who left encouraging comments and emails regarding my previous post Directions Please?. I love that you are supporting us, comforting us, and praying with us. We just can not express how grateful we are to the body of Christ. To you, who love the Lord, and have the same ending goal. We are thankful, and we are blessed. And today I feel uplifted, refreshed and encouraged. Ready to take another step. Because we are not alone.

God is telling us to follow him. But he never promised it would ever be an easy road. In fact he said it would be quite the opposite. I think that it is easy to assume that everything is going to fall into place the way we want it to based on our "obedience". That isn't who God is. That is not the God I love. And I really don't want to live my life under that assumption.

I long desperately to obey God. I desire in everything I do to be pleasing to Him. I want to give Him everything. Everything. I want my life to glorify Him. These are just words. But they are being tested. I pray that we will be found truthful and trustworthy.

And if that means waiting. And waiting. And more waiting. I will wait. As a family we will wait. We will fight for God's calling in our life. And we will lay down everything to obey Him.

Obedience is not based on circumstance. Faithfulness is not based on circumstance. Love is not based on circumstance. During this process I have often felt like a little child who is learning how to obey. I hear my daughter's voice in my head as I talk to God. " We will obey BUT such and such is not working out." or "I will obey, just let me do this first." or "But God it is just too difficult- you are asking too much."

To obey means to obey. It's not easy. It will never be easy.

And so we continue to walk.

This weekend I will mail my application to become an American citizen that will grant me the freedom to leave the country whenever I want to, for as long as we need to.

And hopefully soon we will have formed the dynamics of our support team state side. Please pray with us that the right people will be placed on this team.

And we are shooting to do a survey trip in the end of August to Brazil. Making our take off goal January 2009 more of a reality. 7 months.

Crazy.

But totally possible.

In a weird way it feels good to be crazy. To be trusting when all things tell us it isn't possible. Or that we are dreaming too big. And that we aren't following the norm.

Because instead we are following Him who is telling us to keep walking.

I didn't anticipate so many others walking with us. But God knew we needed you to complete His vision for our lives. And so there you are. Thank you. We pray and hope that we are as big of a blessing on your journey as you are on ours.

25 and a whole lotta drama

I am now 25.
25 - responsible, sophisticated and looking like a mom.
Or so I thought.
I still got a dirty look at the grocery store today from an older lady.
Maybe because Caleb's face was dirty and he was shoeless...
And Gabriella was wearing shoes but she was talking louder than necessary...

Maybe being 25 doesn't mean that I look like an adult quite yet...

Regardless I had a wonderful birthday.

Michael and the kids woke me up late ( 8:30 a.m.) with cards and my favorite flowers. Daises. We ate a huge breakfast of bacon, eggs, and hash browns. It was delicious. I wish I could eat like that every morning. But Michael works early mornings and there is no way I am cooking all that in the a.m. !

About 20 mins later I was back in bed. In intense pain. My stomach felt like someone was gutting it with a knife. Seriously. I thought I was dying.
Like my description? Gabriella did. This is what she told her auntie:
"Tia, somebody put a knife in my mommy's tummy"
Ooops. I really need to start censoring my mouth!

The most touching part about this pain, was Gabriella and Caleb ministering to me. They took turns praying , and blessing me. Caleb climbed into the bed and snuggled. Afterwards he found a brush to comb my hair. Bella ran to find me blankets, and water, and coffee creamer. She even read me her own version of Cinderella. Cute. I did eventually feel better. And didn't have to call 911 like I was thinking. I am known to be somewhat of a hypochondriac. You would think that I would recognize monthly cramps after all these years!

For lunch we went to Big Bowl. One of my favorite places to eat. We have never taken the kids before, but I heard that it was rated very kid friendly so we decided to bring them. It was fun.
That was until Caleb tried some of Michael's curry , before we realized that there was PEANUTS in it. Thankfully he ended up spitting out the tiny bite of rice and sauce. But even that caused a hive reaction around his face, and his belly. We rushed home and gave him Benedryl that calmed down the rash . This is only his second exposure to peanuts and each time he has reacted like this. I feel bad for the little guy. We are taking him to an allergist soon.

That afternoon Gabriella had her turn for tears and prayer. Waking up from her nap she vomited all over the place. ( I think it had something to do with the 5 pieces of bacon she consumed for breakfast) Poor thing- she was miserable.

Sarah and Rubens came over later bearing lots of food and flowers. They made us cookies, and set up a feast of cheese, fruit, and chex mix. I am very thankful to have friends like them. I was trying to avoid a celebration but they didn't want to miss out being with me. They are great! THANK YOU- you make me feel so loved!

For dinner ( as if I could eat MORE!) we went to Michelle and Chris's house for homemade french fries, rice, and salad. Weird combo. But it was what I requested. Chris called me the side dish girl. :) And Michael said it was a girly meal.

As if my day wasn't full enough ( of food) we had cheese cake for dessert! Yum. I have left overs in my fridge. Come and eat it!

Along with the drama this year, I got some wonderful gifts: A pretty red rice maker from C&M. A pretty green and purple dress from Mom2 and Dad2. Pretty purple flowers from S&R. A Starbucks coffee mug and guilt free $20 to spend from my love. So fun.

I love my birthday and this one was no exception. thanks to all of you who made the day so special!

Lydia Bug

Lydia had way too much fun at Tia's house and needed a time out! Love you girly!

Directions Please?

Sometimes I wish our lives came with a road map. Our destination: Brazil. Our goal: Open up a Coffee house. Our Vision: To see lives completely change by the love of God.

So we know that.

Can someone please tell us how we get there? And how long it is going to take? I want to scream. Really scream.

I am trying to patient. Believe me, we ALL are trying to be patient.

BUT.

I am frustrated. With Red Tape. With money. With Rules. With waiting. With decisions. With questions. With the world. With politics. With goverment.

Seriously.

For the past few weeks we have been hearing God telling us to :

Walk.

Trust.

and Obey.

Ok. We will. But to where?

Do we go left?
Or right?
Backwards?
Frontwards?

Is our walking going to lead us to some road that is going to eventually sink us into the mud. Or worse are we going to drop down some big black hole?

Probrobly not. But still.

God is telling us to Walk. To trust. To obey.

But I have no idea what the means right now. I do want to obey, and to trust. But it is easier to do that when the circumstances allow it! When the ball is in my court. And when I am calling the shots.

I'm not calling the shots.
Michael isn't either.

It is somewhat scary not knowing the road ahead of us. Can anyone relate?

Caleb's New Room

Last weekend we decided to change up Caleb's room. Our motivation was partially out of desperation for little boy to sleep. And thinking that a cooler, higher bed would do the trick we grabbed a hammer, a $5 can of paint and went to work. I am always impressed with Michael's ability to create almost anything out of virtually nothing. Caleb loves his new room...almost enough to sleep the night through even. The night before last he didn't get out of bed once, but last night he was up twice! I wonder what is going on with our little night critter?

I wanted to remind myself what it is like to see my sweet little boy actually sleeping! He was so worn out from NOT sleeping last week that he actually fell asleep mid morning. Isn't he just SO adorable!

Playing Catch up

Sleep isn't the only thing we need to catch up on lately. We have been outside so much these days that little time has been left for blogging, emailing, cleaning and laundry. But like we all need clean underwear- I am sure that you stalkers are lurking for new information. So here you go:
Bella has discovered how easy it is to have curly hair. She loves it and asks for curly Q's ALL the time now. On a walk we had a conversation that went something like this: "Mama God gave me straight hair. But YOU mama gave me curly hair!" So true baby girl!
The battle continues with this one sleeping. My theory and plan was working until two things got in the way. The first was the boy's Daddy who disagrees with the method ( he is a softy- and I love him for it), and the second was a combination of a runny nose and cough. Despite these two things, he was actually sleeping a little bit better and I was planning on writing about how firmness, ( and compromise with spouse) pays off in the long run- however last night he was up for 3 hours and ended up in our bed again. Oh well... back to the drawing board!
Most of our mornings are spent at the park. I love the selection of parks we have around us. This summer both of the kids are big enough to conquer them on their own. And instead of making sure no one falls I am able to play chase and climb along with them. Who ever said staying at home was difficult? We play hard all morning, make it home for lunch and then ALL of us take a nice long nap. ( thus the lack of posts!)
I've been enjoying watching little Caleb transition from a baby to a boy. He is talking much more now, and spends his time doing boy things, "playing in the mud, playing cars, finding rocks and sticks, and hitting things. " He is fun to be around, and I am finding doing "boy" things to be much more exciting than I imagined.
Bella and Caleb are in a weird phase with each other. One moment they are best little buddies playing nicely and co operating with each other. The next moment they are screaming at each other and calling in the forces. A.K.A ME! I was thinking that it would end soon, until a mom with three kids told me that it really doesn't. At least anytime soon! But it is nice to see them love each other... even if a little bit of bickering is included.

Caleb with his new wheels. Thank you Mr. Stimulus. We wanted to do one fun thing with the money we recieved. And couldn't think of anything better than bikes for the kids. They are learning how to ride. But don't worry we also bought a big box of bandaids to go with us!
Speaking of bikes, I probrobly should wrap this up so we can get back outside. I'll catch up more this weekend I promise. There is one more thing I have to share...

MY BABY IS NOW TWO! Sniff sniff... I am so proud of my Caleb... and he is getting so BIG! We had a fun day and a really fun party. I'll post more pictures soon.

Hope you all have a good long weekend!

The Switcheroo

Gabriella is officially sleeping in her own bed. ALL night. It is wonderful...

kind of...

I am still tired...

REALLY TIRED...

Why? you ask...

Because Monkey Boy is now taking up her old place on our floor.

WHY? you ask...

I have no idea ...

It started at the begining of the week. And it hasn't ended. At about 11pm he awakes in fits of crying. He can't be stopped. We have tried everything short of ripping out our hair and screaming along side of him to get him back to sleep for the night. Some things seem to work in the moment: an extra cuddle, a milk refill, a special blanket or "moose the lion".

Once we finally get him settled- we stumble back into our room , lay down in our bed, and close our eyes- seconds later we hear this slow moan from monkey boy's room that quickly turns into a very high pitched cry. That frequency is impossible to ignore. And contrary to popular belief - my boy does not have an "off button"- nor does he have volume control.

Before we go to his rescue Michael and I fight about who's turn it is to get up. For those of you who have the impression that we never get mad at each other... come on over at 3am. There is a ton of huffing and puffing, blaming, and whining. I promise that it is very entertaining.

After a few hours of this process. One of us eventually gives in- assembles a bed on the floor, plops booger face on it-and calls it a night. Our solution isn't ideal. But hey it bought us a little bit of sleep. And to be honest if Caleb told me he wanted a million dollars to stay in his bed for the night- and i was able to provide. I would have. I am an easy sell.

Aren't you?

Or are you one of those hard knocker parents that don't budge when it comes to night time wakings?

If you are, I envy you. Because you are probrobly sleeping ALL night.

I am going to try my best to be you tonight. Because last night I only got one hour of sleep.

Why? you ask...

Because Booger Boy upped the anti. And moved his little- big butt into our bed. On my side. And the nerve of him took BOTH of my pillows.

I can't have that. That is where I draw the line. I need my bed. I don't share. Especially my pillows.

So here is my new plan...

If Monkey Boy wakes. I am going to put him straight back to bed. Without a word or offer of milk, extra loveys, blankets, or balls ( don't ask) - walk back out of the room- close the door- and plant my feet firmly on the ground. If he gets up again... and he will... I can promise you he will... I will repeat the process. Like a robot... all night long...

Do you think it will work?

Sweet Baby Julia Joy

Oh How we wish we were there with you! Love you Pati and Neval. She is beautiful.

My Mother's Day...

was wonderful...lots of hugs and kisses, cards, yummy food, prayer for me from the mouths of babes, and declarations of love and adoration. It was perfect. And if I already didn't feel blessed to be the mommy of a charming little boy and a beautiful little girl...I feel blessed now.

One of my many gifts. Flowers all summer long.
I had this little man's help
and this little girl's sweet company

mmm...baby love....nothing compares.

Thanks for stopping by!

Bad Influence

I forgot to tell you about the bad news that is moving to our neighbourhood!

It is going to be great! And I can't wait to have two of our best friends and their daughters within walking distance! But seriously Rubens... you are going to have to watch your rap around my very impressionable , music lovin, hip hop girl!

She can READ!

I have reason to believe that our little nightly visitor has been reading this blog and your helpful comments. I didn't know she could read. But it is true! For the past two nights she has been sleeping in her own room ALL night! Either she feels sorry for her poor tired hosts or our complaints have evoked prayers of rest on our behalf. Regardless it is wonderful.
And Bella is 2 nights closer to getting herself a shiny new bike!

Not above Bribing my kids

For the past few months we have had a little nightly visitor in our room. At about 11:30 she will come quietly in, position herself "comfortably" on our floor with the ready blankets and pillows and fall fast asleep. For the most part she isn't a bother and is very welcome. Except... as of late our visitor has begun talking and crying in her sleep. I think all of the sun and excersise she is getting is having an effect on her mind and body settling down. She mostly talks about not wanting to share, about going to her friends houses, and watching t.v. Cute right?

Maybe. But not really at 3 am when all you want to do is SLEEP. And you are counting down the hours until boy alarm clock demands milk, cuddles, breakfast and his Super Why at an unhealthy hour. Those last hours of slumber are beautiful and sacred. They need to be taken seriously.

So we devised a plan. First we promised a bike. If little visitor would stay asleep in her bed for 7 nights we would buy her a bike. Yes that is a big bribe. But like I said, this mamas sleep is important. And sadly I am not above bribing my kids. I thought for sure that this would win her over...

The first night she comes to me crying. "Mama. I don't want a bike. I want to sleep with you. "

So back on the floor she went.

The next morning I asked her why she liked to sleep in our room. She said she was scared and that she liked being with us. This is no surprise to me since she had shared a room with us for part of the first and second year of her life when we lived in Paraguay. We kinda set the girl up. She also stated that she didn't want a bike anymore. And so my bribe goes out the window.

At a loss for what to do I asked her what she needed in order for her to sleep in her own bed.

And she had the perfect plan...

"You can move my bed into your room!"

I was thinking more along the lines of a special lovey, a flashlight or some comforting music. But that girl is smart isn' t she!

Elbow in My Back

I was just going to write a post about the need for Michael to either A: get a King Size Bed for us- so I am not smooshed on the edge of the bed. Or B: for him to just learn to sleep on his side of our mattress so that I am smooshed on the edge of the bed...

But before I had a chance to rant and rave I visited Matt Logelin newest post. Funny how perspective kicks in- and how it can feel like a knife going through your heart, leaving it aching.

Michael can have all the bed he wants. I am just so thankful that at 2am he was there beside me. So close. He really can't get close enough. In fact maybe we need to toss the Queen and buy a double.

Miley knows Best?

During our ride to the grocery store- Bella picked up on the newscaster talking about Miley and her recent photo shoot with Vanity Fair. Curious to see what the scandal was really all about, I googled the gossip to find a sweet 15 year old girl posing in a somewhat questioning manner. In one photo she is covering herself up with a blanket- leaving her back bear.

Do I think it was the best thing Miley has ever done?

Um probably Not. She probably should have kept her shirt on. But that is not what I want to talk about.

A few weeks back. Bella and I shared a quite shocking exchange that went something like this.

"Bella come here please. I don't want you wandering too far away." says me, deeming myself as an overprotective Mom forever.

Bella ignoring me to the best of her three year old ability continues to saunter slowly in the opposite direction.

"GABRIELLA. come here please!" I repeat in my loudest, quiet voice I can muster.

"Why mom?" she says acknowledging that I was indeed talking to her and not a fictitious character also named Bella.

"Because I said so." giving the best answer I could.

AND TO THAT HER REPLY WAS:

"Mama. Talk to my Butt!"

Excuse me. Did my little sweet child just tell me to talk to her butt?

Of course I asked her where in the world she had gotten that sassy remark from.
Without skipping a beat she blames it all on Hannah Montana.
Is that so... Hannah Montana.

Now Gabriella had never actually watched that show without me sitting right beside her. And i can't recall ever hearing anything about Butt's conversing in rude conversation. BUT.

It still made our decision to pull Hannah Montana off of Drama girl's viewing choices pretty easy. And boy did it ever come off fast.

But not without questions from Bella. That she asked for the 110th time today during our car ride.Why? Why can't I watch her? Is she bad?

No.

She isn't Bad.

But she isn't good for you right now. She isn't a good influence.

"Cause she talks to butts? "

Um No. Because she makes you want to be a little bit sassy.

"And you want me to be like Jesus."

Bingo girly.

*Inwardly my heart is soaring because my daughter is beginning to understand what I have been telling her for the past 3 1/2 years.*

And then the Truth Hits. And the Hallelujah music stops.

"Jesus wants me to have blond hair. Just like him!" she exclaims excitedly!

Sigh- ok maybe she doesn't get it.

"But I DO have blond hair mama. I DO!"

Sigh again...yes you do.

"Mama ...Hannah Montana has blond hair too!"

Uh huh. She does. She really does.

I could tell where her very smart mind was heading and I was so very thankful that before she could go further we had reached the parking lot.