Bath Time

Caleb has been wanting to take a bath with Aaron pretty much since the day he was born. This was the first time it happened. More out of a time saver, they both needed a bath and it was bedtime.

They loved it.

I love these smiles

Wake Up Sleepy Head

Caleb is the hardest person to wake-up and get going in the mornings. However, for some reason, this only applies to school days, not weekends.

Anyhow, I have started trying this. It seems to be working so far.

Aaron seems to like it too. I put him down and he knows just what to do!

(yes that is Alisia's room. 95% of the time that is where I find him in the mornings. Who says each child needs their own room?)

What Secret?

He must think therer's a secret in the fridge that we're keeping from him.


Every time he hears or sees someone open it, he makes his get-away for the fridge as fast as he can crawl.

He's so pleased with himself that he made this time before the door closed.

10 months

Caleb took these sweet pictures of Aaron.

Bracing Myself! Looks like walking could be anyday!

"Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways."

Psalm 128:1

Rooted

After trying a few places in town, we couldn't find what we were looking for. So we decided to head out to look.

As we drove into the oh-so-familiar country setting, I had a feeling we'd be in luck.

When we pulled up, I knew this was the place!

They had several seperate greenhouses filled with the most beautiful choices of flowers and plants!

And I got to pick! 

This Mother's Day I got the BEST present ev-er. My extremely-talented hubby blessed me by landscaping our yard! He worked hard and finnished the whole front yard! And it looks awesome!!

Oh, and how symbolic! This is my first Mother's Day in the same house I grew up in! I am so thankful for my roots. My Christian heratige. Thankful for godly parents and godly grandparents. Thankful for God's promise to be faithful to all generations. I have so much to be thankful for in my mother who helped establish my roots in the Lord. Her and my dad faithfully pray for their children and grandchildren.

Thankyou, Mom (and Dad)! Happy Mother's Day!

 Now we are raising our children here. I want to pass on that godly heratige to them. I long for their roots to grow so deep in Him. Starting now, where they are at. And I'm so thankful that my grandparents and parents can be a part of my children's lives and encouraging them in the way of the Lord.

Alisia treats her Papi right
My handsome, hard-working gardener

Tah-daaa:

"He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:8

Featured

Just wanted to invite you to read an article I've featured at One Million Arrows. While you are there, check out their site. They have a great cause! I haven't read the book yet, but will be keeping my eye out for a copy!

"Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior's hands. How happy is the man whose quiver is full of them!"  Psalm 127:4-5

Developing Mission Minded-Kids

The Desiring God blog has an article about helping kids love missions. Their ideas are geared toward families being missions minded with their kids. Here are the ten ways they pointed out. Click through to their website to get more details on each.

1.Pray for missionaries.

2.Read missionary biographies to your children.

3.Support missionaries financially as a family.

4.Find a missionary kid pen pal for your child

5.Welcome missionaries into your home.

6.Take risks as a family.

7.Encourage the traits that missionaries need.

8.Teach your children to be world Christians.

9.Read missionary prayer letters to your children.

10.Use missions fact books and resources

Most of all, pray every day that your kids will develop hearts that mirror God’s compassion for the nations and love for his glory in them!

We want to serve as a family so what a better idea than to encourage your kids be an active part of God's work. I'm excited to start implementing more of these ideas with the kids. How great of God to use parents to be part of his work in his children.

"I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples."  Psalm 57:9

Home Schooling

No, we aren't considering home schooling for the kids (at least not at this point). We love their school! And I have hard enough time trying to get through homework on some days. But Alisia sure has made me consider it. She has taken our "office" and set it up as a classroom. She has done quite a good job! And she is quite the teacher!

The kids disappear in there for hours and do real school work! I'm so proud of Ms. Garcia and all that she is teaching her students. She has a daily list of helpers and jobs and the work they are working on. And she has a weekly scripture they learn. Caleb isn't always up on doing it her way, so she usually lets him be the gym or art teacher. They even put on a little play for Angel and I and recited a poem they made up, a scripture, and sang a song! I'm thinking if I had to homeschool one day then I could probably do it! I love that she has a heart to teach others! I get so excited praying for her future and thinking about how God will use this throughout her life.

"Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Psalm 34:11

When I Grow-Up

“And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

2 Corinthians 5:15

Caleb: “Mommy how come I have to be something when I grow up”

Me (no idea what he’s asking): “I’m not sure Caleb”

Caleb: “How come I have to be a drawer or cooker or race-car driver or a police man?” (those are on his current list of future aspirations)

Me (still not quite sure what he’s getting at): “Well you don’t have to be one of those things, you can do anything you choose. “

Caleb: “But how come I have to choose something when I grow up? How come people ask me that?”

Me (thinking I understand where he’s going with this now): “I guess cause they just want to know what you like.”

Caleb: “But why?”

Me (realizing this could go on for a while): “I don’t know bud.”

Ya know, I’ve been thinking about his question. ‘Cause my answer wasn’t good enough. Yes, it is true that he’s still in the “why” stage of life, but still. My answer, ‘you can do anything you choose’ just didn’t feel right.

Every child loves dreaming about when they grow up. For me, I loved pretend to wash dishes with my older brother and using my younger brother to play dress up and play house. I loved dreaming that one day I would be a famous singer. As I grew up, I still searched for what I was good at. I knew I liked drawing, math, and language. I liked writing. As I grew in my love for the Lord, my heart broke for people that did not know him. I could never find the right words to explain what I wanted to do. I couldn’t explain “service.”

As I look back, it is so clear. Little by little God kept pointing me down the same path, and giving me the same desires. As my relationship with the Lord grew, the desires of my heart became stronger.

Consider these thoughts from Elizabeth Elliott:

"What do you want to be when you grow up" Is that a fair question in teaching kids to submit their lives to God? Is it really their choice? We are trying to teach our kids to listen to God's calling in their life and surrender their life to him....

…If a young person has been taught from childhood that he ought to ‘be something’ without at the same time being shown that nothing is better than being God’s servant, he may be preoccupied with ambitions and ideals he has gotten solely from the world.”

Well, now I feel prepared to answer that question differently. We want to teach our children to obey God’s will in their lives. We want to help them to see the gifts and talents the Lord has given them to serve him! Now I will look for an opportunity to pray with my children, that they will seek the will of the Lord in their life. The prayer of the Psalmist:

" Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths; 
guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long"
Psalm 25:4-5

Here's a picture of my little buddy helping me clean the windows! He shows such a servants heart!

Permanent Beach Hair?

I'd love some second opinions.

These two pictures were taken right BEFORE we went to the beach:

This picture was taken right when we arrived to the beach very late in the night.  

These two were taken AT the beach:

And this is how his hair has been ever since we've been back!!! AFTER the beach!! I mean seriously? Have you ever seen a baby with a natural mohawk? Maybe I should put some gel in it and make it look like I did it on purpose? I gotta admit, it's growing on me and I love it! But I can't help but wonder....