Britt,

Another year has passed, and alot of things have changed since last Father's Day.  We were all still living in Florida.  In this amount of time, I interviewed, got a job, moved to Indiana, where we lived about 8 months, and now have moved to Pennsylvania and are living in the mountains.  We had a good job in Indiana, but I hope this one will prove to be better, so that I can better provide for you and your sisters.  This is a new house for us, and we have done alot of work so that we can all be comfortable together in our new home.
Not only are we in a new area, but we have added a new addition to our family - Rebecca Joy.  We enjoy watching you and your siblings.  You and Ruth still cause the most trouble.  Some of it is you aggravating Ruth, and other times you are fussing because she is ignoring you.  Rebecca is in her own little world, babbling and laying around by herself.  She especially loves to watch you.  You sing to Rebecca to calm her down when she is crying or fussing, particularly in the car.  It makes her happy, and she gets quiet to hear you sing, but it also makes Momma happy to hear you sing.
You have several accomplishments this year.  You are much better potty trained, having only a few accidents.  You typically can use the bathroom without assistance, though you need help cleaning up.  You have memorized several Bible verses with Momma, and pick them up so quickly.  You have long been interested in reading books, but lately have been asking us what every single sign says while we are driving.  You are recognizing more and more of them.  You are increasingly helpful around the house, Momma has talked about making you a chore chart, you put away your dirty clothes, dishes, and pick up with only minimal reminders now.  I am really pleased with your appetite lately, some days we are shocked by how much you eat, especially since you use to be so very picky.  You have gotten much better about eating with a fork and spoon, though Momma laments that you won't stay sitting down at the table while you eat.
One thing I still love to do with you is wrestle, but you have gotten much harder to beat up.  You cheat by sneaking up to get me when I'm not looking.  I've had to fuss at you several times for jumping all over me, when it's not appropriate.  You really enjoy camping and watching the fire.  We have camped out some, and hope to do more this summer.  You don't mind gathering sticks, and want to put them in the fire, even when I don't want you to.  Lately, we have enjoyed searching for golf balls on the golf course.  Though I often find them and then direct you and Ruth so that you can "find" it.  It's like Easter eggs all over again.  Yesterday, was the first time that I took you on the golf course with me.  We only did 9 holes, but after we ate our hot dog for lunch, you were a bit wore out.  I let you help me drive the golf cart, you were terrible.  You would either barely push the pedal and putt-putt but not move, or you would slam it down all the way and the cart would bounce five feet in the air.  Your idea of steering is to go back and forth with the steering wheel, and didn't drive straight at all, way too much to the left and then way too much to the right.  Needless to say even with me pushing on the brake alot, that poor golf cart got a real workout.  You wanted me to drive and you walk some, so you walked a fair amount of the course as well.
I love you, and I'm excited to see what this next year holds, as you grow older and more mature, closer to school age, and taking the next step.  You have already shown so much excitement in learning from books, videos, and Momma.

Love,
Daddy

So, in the last month or so, in my Bible reading, I have covered all of the reign of King David, and most of the Psalms.  You may recall that if Ruth or Rebecca had been a boy, we were going to use David as a middle name.  I like the name anew, all over again now.  David is such an amazing person, infact the only person in the Bible that is referred to as being a "man after God's own heart" which is about the best thing you could say of a person.  He is a great king, warrior, and poet.  Even more important, he continually honors God, and seeks to rule and judge according to His word.  Even in his mistakes he is quick to admit wrong doing and seek mercy and forgiveness.  In some of his greatest troubles, the loss of his and Bathsheba's first child and Absalom's rebellion, he worships God first.  In many of the Psalms he wrote you can see that he is just a man like any other.  He wants vengeance against his enemies, and complains about his lot, and struggles with depression, but he always acknowledges the power and majesty of God no matter what his circumstances are at the time.

Gary and I have been doing my Sunday reading on the way to Church.  I mean when you have two hours or better, and you want to get your mind in the right frame for worship, you either listen to singing tapes all the way there or do some reading.  Gary says 3 hours of singing straight, will about kill your range, so we've been doing more reading, and discussing.  We hit on a few interesting things this month.  David's parenting skills, and Joab his military commander.

Have you ever noticed that some of the most Godly individuals in the Bible have children that just don't measure up to say the least?  Eli the priest had two horrible sons, and God judged him for it, through a message from Samuel.  Samuel a priest and prophet had sons that didn't follow him in honorable service, but instead too bribes like Eli's sons had.  Samson's parents were very devout, but he didn't honor God for the gift he had been given.  Likewise, David's sons didn't turn out so well.  The oldest raped his half sister, and then after David didn't do anything the third born murdered him.  Absalom later lead a rebellion.  Solomon seems to have turned out pretty well.  But his many wives lead him astray.  Gary and I talked about David's parenting skills awhile.  Was it that he failed somehow in raising his kids?  Was it all their own decisions?  Was he too tough?  Not tough enough?  Was he so consumed with ruling a kingdom, fighting battles, and other callings from the Lord that he didn't spend enough time with them?  The Bible doesn't say.  I suppose that these questions largely come about because like every concerned parent on the planet, we ask ourselves the same thing.  Are we too lenient  do we spank to much, do they need more time on their own to adventure, or should I be more observant, are they getting enough time to play, enough chores to build responsibility   Just when you have a good day and think you must be on the right track, they have a horrible day (in public) and you feel like you need to completely reinvent the wheel.  You want to do everything possible for your kids, and do everything right, but you are never really sure.  After all, you probably have a bigger impact on your children than you will on anyone else in the world, it's a big, awesome, terrible job.  You are so afraid that you are going to screw them up for life.  It's a good thing that kids are pretty resilient and can bounce back from almost anything.

I asked Gary why David didn't do anything to his son, do anything for his daughter.  Gary turned it around on me and asked if I could stone Britt?  I got his point.  Gary speculated that being a man after God's own heart, also meant that he was more tender hearted than most.  Not only was he a warrior king, as we often think, but a man with a gentle heart.  Perhaps that's why he put up with Joab for so long.  The guy was a great warrior, one of his original men when he was running from Saul (as was Bathsheba's husband, Uriah as a side note).  However, he was manipulative, he encouraged David's son in raping his half sister, he murdered men that David might promote above him, and ultimately Solomon has to put him to death for conspiring with another brother to seize the throne.  I wonder sometimes if instead of being soft hearted if we should deal with problems early rather than great havoc being wrecked by our failure to act.

David's reign of 40 years, gave me alot to think about.  (And as a side note, it gave me the second time in the bible that "a mother in Isreal" is mentioned, something I've been doing alot of thinking on.  Perhaps a subject I'll blog about later.)

Rebecca,

Today you are three months old, I can’t tell that you’ve grown that much, but I’m sure you have. According to our bathroom scale you are between 13 and 14 lbs that is up from 10 lbs and 12 ozs at your 2 month appointment. I can tell you are longer than you were because the sleepers are getting a little tight, but for right now, I still have you in 0-3 stuff. You’ll have to make do, until I find the box with the bigger clothes. You have lost quite a bit of your hair especially on the sides. You like to hold your fist up beside your head and rub it when you are laying stretched out. You have lost some in the back too, but I can’t tell that you’ve lost that much on top. It still flies around, and doesn’t lay down. The swirl in your hair is on the opposite side from your siblings, same side as mine actually. So I’ve tried parting your hair on the opposite side, but I can’t tell that it does any better that way. Not only does it stand up, but at the end it curls. You’ve outgrown the baby headbands, and until I get some bigger ones, I just let it fly around. It’s kinda cute in its own way. I’ve decided you do look a lot like my baby pictures, especially when you smile. You don’t have the squishy eyes that crinkle up in the corners like your Daddy and siblings have, when you smile they are big wide eyes.

You still sleep great at night. You are still in the cradle, but I don’t mind because you sleep heavy, and don’t make a lot of racket like the others did. I plan to move you to the crib after we get yours and Ruth’s room painted. Even though I have most everything unpacked in there, it’s just not very clean and everything I want yet. Sometimes I worry a little that you don’t eat enough. You don’t eat as often as I remember the others eating. Last night you slept 14 hours straight, and I started to wake you up and feed you, but then I knew I was crazy, and just enjoyed sleeping. Today you’ve made up for it by eating almost hourly. I guess you are about to have another growth spurt. You don’t spit up as much or as often as you were. You still occasionally get me really good, like a couple of mornings ago, when I was dozing while Daddy was getting ready for work, and you soaked me, the bed and my best pillow.

As you might guess the routine we had in Indiana is out the window with the move. You wake up to eat about the time Daddy is getting up to get ready for work, but right now that’s the only constant in our day. Your brother and sister have somewhat fallen into a routine, but not you. Maybe when I get the painting and cleaning done, and maybe even when I get the rest of the boxes unpacked (sometime next year at the rate I’m going) you’ll have more of a routine. You’ve been pretty understanding about letting me paint. There have been a few screaming sessions that only ended when I quit and held you awhile, but for the most part, while you have complained at me a little bit, you let me finish whatever I have my hands full with before feeding and changing you.

You’ve not been spending as much time in the floor since I’ve not had things very much together. Your tummy time has mostly been in the middle of a bed, surrounded by pillows while I paint. You like to nap in the swing, but you don’t like it as well as the others did. You prefer to lay in the floor on your belly, or propped up a little on a pillow. Today for about 15 seconds you pushed up and locked your elbows, before face planting. You have great neck control. I pretty much just hold you around your chest when I have you sitting up on my lap now. Today you managed to scoot around almost the whole rug in the living room while laying on your back and pushing with your heels. You were trying so hard to push over onto your belly, and getting so mad, when it wasn’t happening for you. It reminded me that you will be mobile far too soon. You calmed right down when I laid you on your belly. You don’t show much interest in any of your toys, except the singing bear that hooks to the side of the crib. I know you can track, but you pay almost no attention to toys. Instead you tilt your chin up to look over whatever is in the way, and grin at me. Yesterday, I finally found your ticklish spot, and I have been enjoying getting you to laugh, and not waiting for you to decide that the most unlikely things are funny.

Britt and Ruth are still enamored with you. Britt is convinced that you can talk, if he can just figure out what you mean. He says you are harder to understand than Ruth, haha. He tells you about all the fun things that you can learn with him when you are big enough to “do school” like him. I often find him repeating things back to you, that we have been talking about. Whether that’s how to behave at Church or the different kinds of reptiles, or that bannanas make your muscles strong so they don’t hurt and stop you from playing. Daddy has been especially happy to have you back around this month. I have caught the two of you stretched out in his chair more than a time or two when he is suppose to be painting. The two of you seem to be enjoying watching baseball together.

You are such a loving baby, and I am so thankful that I get to be your mother. I love you little girl!

Love, Momma

I'm still about a week behind in my Bible reading.  I'm in I Samuel now.  This is where reading it chronologically is going to start getting confusing.  As I start reading about David, there are a few Psalms here and there that go with I Samuel, and then as I get into II Samuel, a few Psalms and some of Chronicles gets mixed in.  Then as I finish up II Samuel, I'll have Chronicles, Psalms, and some of Kings all mixed in.  All this is in an attempt to follow the kings of both Judah and Israel.  There's a break in the middle of all that for Solomon's writings before the split of the kingdom, then later on various Old Testament prophets are mixed in with the longer spanning Chronicles and Psalms.  Then in the New Testament according to the reading plan I read a little bit in just about all of the gospels each day.  I'm really excited about this, even though it's more complicated to keep up with.  This has been part of the reason I wanted to read it this way, so that I could see the whole picture at one time, and get the connections better.  Anyway, as a result, I suppose when I blog, I'll be blogging on particular people and events, instead of by each book.

I Samuel primarily revolves around 3 people.  The first third of the book tells about Samuel - his birth, growing up, and serving as Israel's last judge and first prophet.  The next section tells about Saul as king until the Lord has pronounced judgement on him.  The last part (that I'm just starting on) tells about David, after he is anointed as king, but before he assumes the throne.  There is such a huge difference between Samuel and Saul, that I don't know how I haven't seen it before now.  See I've always felt a little sorry for Saul in some ways, like he was a good guy that just got promoted above his level of competence.  (Think Jimmy Carter, great governor, terrible president.)  I'm not so sure about that assessment now.

Samuel was prayed for, literally, and his mother made a vow that if the Lord would give her a son, that she would give him back for His service.  Now, unlike Sampson, this vow seems to have affected Samuel as much as his mother.  She didn't try to get out of it and keep him either.  She had no guarantee that the Lord would give her more children (she gets 4 more) and yet she still gives her most precious "possession" up.  I have often wondered if I do enough to be sure that my children get the message of what is most precious to me - the Lord's Church.  Apparently Samuel got that message.  Early in life the Lord calls him, and he answers, in the way we all ought to when we know what He would have for us to do.  Throughout his life he travels the length and breadth of Israel judging the people.  He even appears to serve perhaps as a priest for a time, between Eli and his sons' death, and Eli's grandson coming of age.  (The grandson right about the time, the others die.)

Saul on the other hand, has been living his entire life, just the next town over from Samuel's home town, and base after Shiloh is destroyed around the time of Eli and his sons' death.  He is famous, and Saul doesn't have a clue who he is, from the exchange in I Samuel 9 and 10.  That tells me that he wasn't concerned about spiritual things at all prior to this.  That's confirmed when as Samuel predicts Saul begins to prophesy, and everyone says "Is Saul among the Prophets?" as if to say, when did he get all religious (I Samuel 10:9-12).  This is the root of the problem with Saul as King.  He looks the part of the king, in some ways he acts the part of the king, but ultimately he isn't concerned with the things of God, so he can never be a true king, a good king, the kind that would lead God's people.  He takes credit for Jonathan's victories, rather than being honest in giving his son the credit (I Samuel 13:3-4).  He takes it upon himself to offer sacrifice rather than waiting for the man of God, and then makes excuses for himself rather than own up to it.  As a result, God tells him that his descendants won't rule after him (I Samuel 13:8-14).  He makes a foolish vow that no one can eat until everyone is defeated which impared his army from fighting, led them to sinning by eating meat with the blood still in it, and would have let his son die, if the people hadn't intervened (I Samuel 14:24-45).  The ultimate mistake was when God told him to kill everything and everyone, and burn the stuff of the Amalekites.  Saul doesn't do it, lies telling Samuel he did.  Samuel calls him on it saying, I am not an idoit, I hear the sheep! (Obviously my paraphrasing.)  Saul then tries to blame it on the people, and says we were going to sacrifice it. Samuel replies with that famous line, "to obey is better than sacrifice" (I Samuel 15:22).  He then tells him that the Lord will not be with him any longer, and is removing the kingdom from him.  It is still so sad to me.  Here was a man that appeared to have such potential, who initially recognized his unworthiness when he said, "Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?" (I Samuel 9:21).  Despite all that potential he squanders it by not seeking and following after God.  I'm not there yet in my reading, but to think of such promise, and at the end of His life he consults with a witch and dies by suicide on the battlefield with basically all of his descendants.  It's such a sad story.

The difference between Samuel and Saul is huge, because Samuel chooses to follow after God.  His mother may have made the decision to dedicate him and carry him to the priest in Shiloh as a child, but Samuel chose to follow God, even when he had unpleasant things to report.  Saul chose to do what he wanted.  We all have a bit of Saul in us.  We all want to do what we want to do.  I've heard Gary say, it's easier to ask forgiveness than get permission.  Too often we do things that we know we shouldn't, and then try to make up for it afterward.  I would hope I can become more like Samuel and less like Saul.

Making the rounds at bedtime tonight, I was reflecting on how well this month has gone.  When Britt first came along, I was in heaven.  But, it wasn't a cakewalk to adjust to this very demanding, high maintenance  small dictator that had taken over the house.  I NEED my sleep, I can remember one night about 3 weeks old, during the fellowship meeting, where he woke up to eat every hour and a half.  I didn't enjoy nursing him AT ALL, and I felt like a milk cow with no personal space.  I can't remember much about the first six months after Ruth was born.  It's a real haze.  I remember alot of phone calls to Gary crying, wondering when he would be back from various things he had going on campus.  I remember being terrified to take them both out of the house alone anywhere.  I remember looking at her and feeling like she was a little alien, and I couldn't figure out where she came from.  Looking back, Gary and I strongly suspect that I had some post partum depression going on with her.  Before Rebecca was born, I was a little nervous about coping with three.  We love all the kids, and think they are the beautiful gifts from God.  We want more of them, but there's always a bit of nervousness when you add another one.  All that self doubt about not being a good enough parent, and trying to hit that perfect standard, that we never quite make.  Nothing makes you over analyze and second guess yourself like parenthood.  Sometimes I'm not real decisive anyway.  I hate picking out meat in the store.  I know Gary's so particular, I'll try to pick between a half dozen things, and then debate what size I need, and then debate if I should even bother, so I always just let Gary buy the meat.  If I'm like that about something fairly not important you can see how I could be about something that actually matters.

The first one to check on was Ruth.  She's a light sleeper, so I turn on the light on the stairs, just enough to not trip and die on anything that might have been gotten back out after bedtime.  I have to sneak in there and cover her back up, and no doubt she'll be back out of the covers by the time I'm out of the room.  She alternates between snoring and sucking even though her thumb isn't quite up to her mouth.  She's still got all those adorable rolls of baby fat everywhere, hands that almost seem too big for her, and that cute round nose.  She's got crazy hair, with ringlets everywhere at all angles, in her face standing up, stuck to her neck and her pillow.  The best part is her squishy eyes, and the way they crinkle up in the corners just like her Daddy's eyes.  They are his best feature, and it thrills me to death that she has them too.  It's hard to believe that she's not the baby anymore.  Her speaking has gotten so much clearer in the last two months, that she seems so much older now.  And this month she has finally hitting that "terrible two" stage, right as Britt finally appears to be coming out of the illogical, emotionally unstable toddler stage.  Everything is "Me do it.  BY. MY. SELF!" or "Me too!!!" or "But I want to?"  Britt still rarely picks out his clothes, or cares what I dress him in, but all of a sudden this month, she has become the fashion diva, needing me to give her multiple options for the day's outfit.  She has an opinion about everything, and a bit like her Momma isn't afraid to share it.  Even for all of the teenager in a 2 year old body thing she's got going on, she's quick to throw away diapers, and tonight, I found her rubbing soap all over the shower stall glass door.  (The same door I scrubbed with some new cleaner for an hour to get all the soap scum off of just 5 days ago.)  Her explaination, "Me help you cwean.  We go to Vania now wiff Da-ee."

Next, I head into mine and Gary's room, to check on Britt.  Sprawled out, taking up 2/3rds of the bed, the boy never wakes up after he finally crashes for the night.  He's matured so much in a month, it's shocking.  I told Gary the other night on the phone that he might not recognize him.  He has been incredibly helpful, the daily spankings have decreased drastically.  All I have to do is ask him to recite Ephesians 6:1 and then ask him what obey means, and he straightens up considerably.  His attitude still needs some work, but he is complying more and more as well as quicker and quicker these days.  He's been such a helper.  He's insisted on helping me clean the bathrooms lately.  Of course he always wants to help in the kitchen and with the laundry.  He's also tried to be comforting.  I had on a singing cd with Gary leading one day last week.  He asked why I was listening to it, not on Sunday, and I told him it was always good to sing to God, but that I also like to listen to Daddy lead, because I miss him.  Since then anytime I do something that he perceives as missing Daddy (such as drinking Coke or sleeping on Daddy's side of the bed) he comes up to me, pats my arm, and says, "It's ok, I miss him too."  He has been such a big boy, but wrapping the covers around him tonight, I can't help but notice his long, long eyelashes, and his full lips.  I remember when he was a baby thinking that they were almost more suited for a little girl than for a little boy.  I love what he calls his "curls" in the front.  When I got into the bed he snuggled up closer and mumbled something about cuddling with me "all night long."

Finally, I had to feed Rebecca and try to get her to sleep.  I love the way she lays her hand out flat to "hold" me when she's nursing.  The way she stops every so often to grin big at me.  After she nurses herself to sleep I like to hold her on my stomach, and I love the way her arms stretch all the way around to the bed now.  She's so adorable when she's dreaming about eating, and her mouth is moving almost like a dog laying on a rug chasing cats in their dreams.  I've noticed that her hair is thinning on the sides over the last few days, as I found some all on the carrier after the zoo trip, and in the car seat this afternoon.  She's batting at her toys now, though she doesn't have much aim yet.  It's hard to believe how fast they change and grow.  I've had an easier time adjusting with her than with any of the others.

This month has gone surprisingly well.  We've managed trips to the grocery store, landscapers, Church, library, and even the zoo.  I've juggled feeding Rebecca watching Britt play outside, and Ruth napping upstairs.  I've cooked at least 5 nights a week, and creatively at that since I'm trying to eat everything in the freezer.  I've managed to even squeeze in my Bible reading (some what uninterrupted) in the mornings while they watch their morning tv show, and some reading just for fun in the afternoons here and there.  We've found a little bit of a routine.  It's almost been fun to be on our own at times.  These little moments I guess have given me some confidence, I can do this parenting thing, without resorting to hiding out in the bathroom with the door locked.  I love these heathens to death, I want to save these little moments.  I completely get why Daddy has joked that if they stayed like this Mother would have had alot more kids.

All the same, I'm excited, only 3 more days till we get to be with Gary again.

Yesterday, I took the kids to the zoo.  We had a really good day, and they behaved great.  I told them before we ever left that the only way this would work would be if they were good and obeyed when I told them to do something.  I also made it clear that any fighting or fit pitching would result in a drive back home.  Either they were just in a better than normal mood, because of the trip, or they believed me because until they started getting tired around hour 6 or so, they were as good as gold.

At Britt's requested we started out in Africa.  We've not been there the last two trips, and he was begging to feed the giraffes.  The first stop of note was the pelicans.  Both kids found them really interesting.  They would bow and parade around in front of us.  When I pulled out the camera, one honestly was posing.  They seemed so tame, I was almost tempted to touch one.  The funniest part though, was when 2 geese ran hissed, picked a fight and ran them out of the middle of their own exhibit   I mean they are probably 5 times the size of the geese, they literally stood up to my chin.  Next, Ruth fell in love with the hyena.  It kept pacing back and forth along the glass and then would sit down under a stump.  Ruth was running with it, and trying to talk to it.  Britt said they were bad (the boy has watched too much Lion King), and promptly asked to go see the Lions.  They were sitting way up on top of a hill, doing nothing.  But Britt proceded to yell to "Simba" how he liked his "mountain."

Finally we wound our way over to giraffes.  Out of the seven there, only one was out were we could see her.  I've already forgotten her name, but she is the matriarch of the herd, at 24 years old.  I paid a dollar to let the kids get a piece of lettuce to feed her.  They were trying to reach her, I had the stroller, and Rebecca, so I just snapped a bunch of pictures and luckily a few turned out.  She licked Britt with her tongue while getting his lettuce, so he didn't want to feed her any more.  Ruth on the other hand loved it.  I ended up having to pick her up so she could reach the giraffe, but she laughed and loved feeding her.  She even pet her nose a little after we ran out of lettuce.  We saw lots of geese throughout the day, 4 of whom were sitting on nest.  We even got to see one goose turning her eggs in Africa.  Of course, Britt then wanted to know when we could have chickens and ducks and geese and maybe a turkey again.

After that we headed over to the Indonesian Rainforest.  Britt was really interested in the new 15 ft long python they have.  Ruth and I, not so much.  They stopped to play in the explorers hut, and watching them attempt to navigate the hammock was really funny.  Poor Ruth's shirt finally came un tucked, and she was having pants problems getting in, Britt kept rolling out.  Finally I thought I need to video this.  After they finished I got our only group picture off the day, in the mirror there.  Next the kids watched the orangutans.
Britt was really tickled because the boy went and got a pink silkie blanket to carry around.  He was holding a bowl up in his other hand near his face so that it looked almost like he was sucking his thumb.  Britt told Ruth "That orange-tang sucks his thumb with his monkey like you!"  Next we rode the carousel  and the kids split a piece of pizza for lunch, while I fed Rebecca.  I can't get over how Britt eats pizza: all the meat off, then the cheese, then he finally ate the bread, but not the crust.  We then rode the carousel l again.  Someone offered to get a picture of all of us on the Peacock, but by the time I got Rebecca turned around, Britt decided no picture so oh well.  Ruth was disappointed that none of the monkeys and apes were back out over there, she really liked the gibbons apes the last two times we went.  We did stop and visit the lemurs though.  She held her monkey up and showed it to them, then she turned and told Monkey all about the lemurs.  She informed me that the liked each other now.

After that it was off to the kids favorite part of the zoo the sea lions, just like before.  Britt as you may recall is convinced that they wave to him and tell him hi as they swim by.  Ruth just says that she likes them "alot, alot"  We only stayed for 15 mins, but I promised them to come back and watch them feed the sea lions this time.  So Britt wanted to see the bats next, Ruth wanted to ride the train, and I wanted to get something to eat in Australia.  So, we did all of those, before heading back over to the sea lions.  Britt watched them, and talked to them for 20 mins, and then we watched them do tricks for their food for another 20 mins.  Then Britt sat talking to them about how much he liked them for another 10 mins.  We stayed there the longest.  Just about everywhere else, we went Britt or Ruth was ready to go on, after a short time.  They love those sea lions.  It worked out though, because Rebecca needed to eat again.  I wish I had thought to bring the milk I have frozen in a bottle from the house, but another mom ended up sitting down next to me, and nursing her's too.  It was a little amusing to be perched on the rocks of the flower bed together.

After that Ruth asked about the kangaroos (and she even said the whole word, pretty close), so we went back to Australia and did the walkabout.  At that point the kids were starting to get a little whiney with each other, so I thought I had better call it a day,  It had been a little over 6 hours, and no nap.  As we went to walk out, Britt asked to walk through the barn first, and since it's right by the exit, I told him ok.  I'm glad idea.  Aside from me laughing at him for insisting that the hairy, spotted pigs, were little cows, I got to enjoy them playing with the goats.  We didn't feed them since that cost money, but you could get a brush and pet them for free.  You should have seen them following the goats around.  It was funny.  One lady shared some of her food with Britt.  When they figured out he had food, 6 goats, were chasing him around.  He was hollaring, and came and put it ALL in my hand.  He didn't much like that.  It was all I could do to not laugh at him, and make him more upset.  When I told them it was time to go, Ruth went around kissing her "favorite goats."  Like the good Momma I am, I didn't tell her how nasty that was to stop, instead I took a picture.  They also found the pump and wanted to pump water, but weren't having any luck.  So I got it going, primped the pump, and then they took turns.  Britt kept it going a bit sporadically, and Ruth, well, she managed a trickle, and was happy.

They were asleep before we got back on the road and slept all the way back to Decatur, and the grocery store.  We had a great day.  And I should be about 10 pregnancy pounds lighter from all that walking, hauling, and pushing that double stroller up hill.

I thought I had mentioned on here before, that Ruth is probably my favorite book in the Bible.  Infact, I started to not even blog about it, because I was pretty sure that I already had at some point, but I went back through all my old Churchy post and couldn't find anything. So, maybe I'm delusional and only thought I had written about the book of Ruth. Or maybe I'm remembering discussing it with Strem on Myspace back in the day. Or maybe I'm remember one of the many conversations I've had with Gary on this book. Back when we were dating we studied it out together over the phone.

So, I love the book of Ruth, I think it's a beautiful story in and of itself. I don't know why Hollywood, never thought to make a movie out of it. I mean think about it, a woman far from home and her family, in a strange land, a widow condemned to a life of poverty, a man takes pity on her (and unless I'm mistaken) in time they fall in love, and he redeems her. They live happily ever after and are the great grandparents to a king. As great as that story is, it's even more wonderful when you see what God is trying to teach us about His relationship to us through this story.

One of the best known verses in Ruth is probably chapter 1, verses 16-17 "And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me." My mother and father used it in their wedding. Gary and I used it in our wedding. It's a really common wedding verse. I've sacrificed alot of my desires at least for the time being to follow Gary - living in Alabama near the family, teaching, etc. I think he's worth it. However, think of God our Heavenly Father, and Christ our bridegroom. Shouldn't we be willing to sacrifice all to follow him as Ruth followed Naomi? She left home, family, friends, her entire culture. Shouldn't we be willing to put behind us any that would hinder us from following Him, to lay aside the sinful culture of this world, and follow Him until death?

Boaz is a type and shadow of Christ. Boaz is also the name of the pillar in front of the temple later one. I think the significance is that a man/husband is to be a strength as the pillar, and just like the pillars in front of the temple lead you to the temple, a husband's conduct should point us to Christ. Boaz shows great love for Ruth in this book. She is amazed that he would be so good to her, since she is not an Israelite. Moab and Israel were enemies, and the Moabites invaded and fought against the Israelites in the book of Judges. He tells her that she has taken care of her mother in law and that is enough for him. God loved us when we were enemies, He took us in and made us his children. He is even more amazing than Boaz because not only does he not hold our past against us, but we didn't even have any redeeming qualities like Ruth.

Maybe my favorite part of this book is when Boaz says "let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her" (Ruth 2:16). You know the Lord provides for us in many ways, food both natural and spiritual to be sure, but also in giving us people along our journey that can strengthen and encourage us, the ability to give to others in service, and many other blessings we can't begin to deserve or thank him for. You know, that all of these things are given purposefully by him. He doesn't just fling grain out the way you feed chickens, and let us scramble in a free for all to get enough to survive. He purposes good things for us. Boaz could have been content to let her have the scraps around the corners of the field, but instead he instructed that they leave hand fulls of the good stuff specifically for her. God commanded that they leave the corners for the widows and the fatherless, but you know the crops in the corners aren't as good as the grain you harvest in the middle. I've learned from listening to Gary and watching the fields up here that the corn on the outside corners of the field have to compete with trees, grass, etc for nutrients, also that's where fertilizer and such is spread the thinnest, as a result grain doesn't grow as tall, produce as big of a head with as many kernels God is the same way with us, he gives us purposefully of the best stuff. Boaz even gives her additional barley out of what he had threshed, something he didn't need to do. (Ruth 3:15)

In the end Boaz loves and cares for Ruth enough that he gives up the right to his first born son in order to raise up seed for his dead kinsman. God gave up his first born, his ONLY son, to raise us up out of death into life. Should we not be willing to serve and follow God like Ruth loved and served Boaz?

They always love all the games, toys, and things that Mrs. Leah does with them.  Britt loves it that he gets to play too.  I've never realized just how much we are teaching them when we play with them, but to talk with Mrs. Leah, and to see what she writes up about skills learned at each visit, it's amazing to realize, that everything really is a learning experience.  They really are learning through play.  Ruth is using actual sentences more and more, and using more adjectives than "alot, alot" since starting therapy two months ago. She's hearing and attempting many more consonants these days.  I think it's quite remarkable just how much her vocabulary and enunciation has improved just in that amount of time.  Ruth has had so much fun, being the center of attention, and playing with her "new friend."

(This past weekend Fort Wayne had their annual meeting.  Britt normally sits with Gary on the men's side, but since he wasn't here, Britt sat with me during Communion and foot washing.  Not sure if it's the norm or just his age, but he had a MILLION questions, none of which he could wait until after Church to ask.)

Britt:  What are they doing with all those little red cups.
Momma:  We are going to use them for communion.  Do you remember what communion means?
Britt:  No, is that red juice?
Momma:  Communion is when we stop to think about what Christ saved us from.  The bread and the wine are to help us remember.
Britt:  Are those smushed rolls?
Momma:  No, it's unleaven bread.  Do you know what kind of bread that is?
Britt: It means flat bread?
Momma:  It means it has no leaven, no bad stuff in it.  It's pure like Jesus.
Britt:  It has no bad stuff only good stuff, like God.
Momma:  No bad stuff, no sin.

(At this point they put the white sheet/table cloth/thing over the table, and after a few more minutes they start singing.)

Britt:  Why do they have that white thing up there?
Momma:  It doesn't mean anything in particular, it's just tradition to have the table covered.
Britt:  But why do they do it then?
Momma:  Somebody probably started doing it a long time ago.  Use to they didn't have air conditioning, and it would be hot and they would have the windows open, and maybe the sheet was to keep the flies away from the table.
Britt:  Are the flies going to get it?
Momma: No, there aren't any flies in here today.

(A few more minutes and Bro. Michael starts telling about the significance of the last supper and the meaning behind the bread and the wine.  Britt ask several more questions, I told him to listen to Bro. Michael that he was telling what it all meant.  He wanted me to tell him, so I rehashed most of what I had already told him before Communion started.  Then he finishes talking, and pulls the sheet back and starts to tear apart the bread.)

Britt (in a voice that is embarrassingly loud for Communion):  Why is he tearing up the food?  He took the sheet off, the flies are going to eat it all now.
Momma (mortified and trying to shush the boy):  There are no flies in here!  He's breaking the bread, like Jesus's body was broken for us.
Britt:  He got his legs broke for us?
Momma (frantically trying to figure out how to explain to a four year old, how His body was broken, but not like he is thinking):  No, he didn't have any broken bones, but He died for us.
Britt (now alarmed, and getting loud again):  I don't want Him to die.
Momma:  He's alive now, like that song you like to sing "The Lord Liveth".

(Britt sits there a little longer, I'm relieved that I don't have to try to explain how He was dead and now He isn't in the middle of communion.  I'm hoping that Britt can save any further questions till after Church, though I guess a four year old doesn't have that much of a memory.  Bro. John gets up and then speaks on the blood of Christ.)

Britt (leans over and "whispers" like he's letting me in on a special secret, that not everyone else knows):  You know, spiders drink blood.

(After a few more minutes, the wine gets around to us.)

Britt:  Is that red juice?
Momma:  It's kinda like juice, it's made from grapes.
Britt:  Is it good?
Momma:  I don't think you would like it much.
Britt:  It's blood.
Momma:  No, it's just wine, but it's to help us remember that He shed His blood for us.
Britt:  I don't want Him to bleed and die.
Momma (feeling like I'm somehow slaughtering and completely losing the beauty of the doctrine we believe answers):  Remember He's not dead anymore.

(Next, Bro. Michael says a few words about footwashing, before we start.  Sis. Leah takes Rebecca from me, so that Sis. Leta and I can wash feet.  Ruth who has been asleep until this point on the bench wakes up, and she and Britt feel that it is imperative that they follow me up to the front bench to see what we are doing.)

Britt: What's she doing to you?
Momma:  She's washing my feet.
Britt:  Why they aren't dirty?
Momma:  It's one way to show that we love each other.  And because Jesus said it was a good thing to do.
Britt:  She's not washing them right.  She doesn't have any soap.
Momma:  We don't need any soap.

(At this point we swap, and I wash Sis. Leta's feet.  Then she takes Rebecca and I get ready to wash Sis. Leah's feet so that we don't leave anyone out.  I'm wrapping the towel around me.)

Britt:  What's that thing?
Momma:  A towel.
Britt:  Why are you tying it on your dress?
Momma:  So that it's easy to get to.
Britt:  Does it keep your dress from getting wet?
Momma:  Yes.
Britt:  Then why did you get water on it there?  (After I don't answer he continues.)  Can you wash my feet?
Momma:  No.  One day if you decide to join the Church you can wash feet and be a part of communion.
Britt:  What if I just wash Ruth's feet.
Ruth:  Yeah, "Bit" wash me feet.
Momma:  No, you can just watch.
Britt:  It makes God happy when we wash feet right?
Momma:  Yes, and I'm sure one day you will be able to do that too, but not right now.
Britt:  I'm still too little?
Momma:  Yes.

(By this point, everyone is hugging, getting shoes back on, singing a song.)

Britt:  I can give everyone hugs and shake hands though right, Momma?  I'm not to little for that.  I can tell everyone I love you too.
Momma:  Yes, you can.
Britt:  I like this hard Church.

(Britt refers to churches by their benches, not their names.  Little Union is "our red church" because it has red benches.  Grumps and Ahna attend "the brown church" because Mt. Olive has brown benches.  Antioch at Vero Beach, is "that funny green church." Bethel Church where the Gulf Coast Meeting was at, is "the orange church."  Fort Wayne Church is "the hard church" because they have no padding on their benches.)

Rebecca,

You are 2 months old today.  Tomorrow you have your 2 month appointment, but at your 6 week appointment you weighed in at 10 lbs and 1/2 an oz, and 22 inches long.  You are long and slender.  You are wearing size 1 diapers now.  I found a few newborn diapers last week that I hadn't used, and I put them on you, so as not to waste them, but they were a bit of a stretch to cover you.  You still have an outie, but not as noticeable as before, except right after you have eaten.  When you have a tight, full belly, I can see it through your onesies.  I can't tell that you've lost any of that long hair, but I can tell that it's much, much lighter than before.  Your face is more narrow than the other's were, and though I'm afraid to say it, I'm holding out hope that even though you didn't get the red hair, that you might favor me a little.

You've been sleeping through the night since you were a month old.  There were a couple of nights right after that, and one night last week when you woke up to eat, but you are sleeping a good 6 hour to 8 hour stretch at night.  I've managed to work your bedtime back to around midnight, though some nights like last night it was still almost 1:30 before you got to sleep.  You tend to sleep until between 6:30 and 7:30, wake up to eat, and then go back to sleep until 9:30.  Thank goodness, you are sleeping through the night.  It's a real blessing, because I'm really not sure how I could function with all three of you by myself on any less sleep at night.

We have a bit of a routine since getting back home.  I get up with Britt and Ruth between 8 and 9, and get them breakfast, let them watch their morning shows, and by then you are awake to eat again.  After that I can usually sit down to my bible reading and morning facebook time.  You are awake for a little while, before falling asleep again for around an hour or so.  I either hold you a while, or let you sleep in the floor on your tummy.  Occasionally, your brother and sister will lay beside you while they play, or they will try to talk to you.  Britt is convinced that you are watching him every time your eyes are open and turned in his general direction, and he delights in trying to get you to smile, and in parting all the wisdom of his 4 years as quickly as possible.  Ruth likes to cover you up, and sometimes even gives you kisses.  Your owl that she says she got for you, stays by the swinger and she's always moving it to be sure that it's as close as possible to you.  You typically wake up to eat again around 1.  After which you take a long nap until close to supper time.  I usually put you in the swinger then, so that I can work on other things, while being sure that no one runs through and steps on you.  I'm just waiting for Britt and Ruth to forget to pay attention and squish you.  You often wake up during supper time or right after, around 6 ish.  After I feed you, you go back into the floor to hang out, and I get the other two into the bathtub.  You complain pretty much the whole time, as I am putting supper things away, and cleaning up the house.  After Britt and Ruth get out of the bathtub, I lock up the house and head everyone upstairs about 8:30.  I lock the gate, so as to get no escapees, and I get everyone in their pjs.  I get Britt and Ruth to bed between 9 and 9:30 and for the next 3 to 4 hours you eat more or less nonstop.  I have occasionally thought that you were mostly asleep and tried to put you down, only to have you wake up, complain, and have to start all over again.  You are most alert in the evenings, and when you are awake you want to eat, or at least have it available.  I've tried to tell you that this isn't a 24 hour diner or an all you can eat buffet, but you seem to know otherwise.  I wish I could get you on a more normal, eat for 20 mins or so and be done, kinda schedule, but you just don't eat that way in the evenings.  Nursing wasn't the terror it was with the other two, so I guess I don't really mind so much.

You have been the easiest baby to date.  You are sleeping great in the cradle, though I have to get you mostly asleep before putting you down.  I'm thinking about moving you into the crib in the room with Ruth when we move to Pennsylvania in another 2 weeks.  You have napped a few times in it, and you seem to sleep well in it, like you do on our bed, I guess a real mattress makes a difference.  You are holding your head up really well.  Sometimes you even push up enough to get your chest off the floor for a 30-60 seconds.  Starting at 6 weeks old, you are rolling over from stomach to back, though you prefer to just get on your side.  I'm using the sleep positioner to get you to stay asleep.  Like your siblings, you only seem to sleep good on your side, not your back.  Plus you spit up alot.  Maybe it's normal, not alot, but since the other two didn't spit up almost ever, it seems like alot.  Over the weekend, I decided that you weren't just randomly smiling anymore, but social smiling, in response to whoever is holding you and talking to you.  You are cooing back more when anyone talks to you, though you are still very quiet when no one is talking to you, you don't talk to yourself at all.  I got my first laugh from you on Thursday.  I've been trying to get one ever since, I just can't describe the joy of those first baby laughs.  You'll do anything to get another one, one of these days when you have kids, you'll know what I mean.  It's just the best feeling in the world.

I look into your big serious eyes, and I wonder who you will become, and I can't wait to see. Your daddy loves and misses you so much.  Your brother and sister adore you.  And I love you more than words can say.

I love you goopey eyes,
Momma

I miss Gary alot, for all the flack I give him, for all the mushiness we don't like to show in public, I know that he's the better half this marriage.  Maybe everyone in a good marriage thinks the other one is the better half, maybe that's part of what makes a good marriage last till death do we part (and I don't mean the till-I-can't-stand-it-anymore-and-kill-my-spouse kind either).  I am continually amazed that he sticks around, and maybe even more so that he always wants to stick around.  (I promise this has to do with the book of Judges, give me a minute.)

This week I finished up my reading in the book of Judges.  The overall message that kept hitting home to me was that Isreal has this vicious cycle.  Things are going great, everyone gradually forgets about God, does "that which is right in his own eyes", the enemies overwhelm and oppress the people, they cry out to God, He sends a Judge to deliver them, things are going great again, everyone gradually forgets, you get the picture.

I'm continually amazed that Gary wants to be with us.  He drove roughly 17 hours round trip last weekend to be here 36 hours, and a chunk of that he was asleep.  I mean he really wants to be with us.  I mean, let's face it, I know I'm not the easiest person to live with.  I know my own failings.  I'm selfish and demanding, I'm a perfectionist and impatient, I can be overly emotional, I worry and over analyze everything, I care entirely too much about what everyone else thinks, I sometimes have a temper.  I struggle with depression and resentfulness.  I mean, some days I don't want to live with me, so I can't say it enough, I'm continually amazed that he sticks around.  And not just that he's obligated because he gave his word before God when we got married, but that he WANTS to stick around.

Sometimes I can hide some of these things from Gary.  And sometimes, as much as I wish he was a mind reader, or that I could just let him see what/how I'm thinking, it's really a good thing that he doesn't know what I'm thinking.  I'm even more amazed that God, who knows my faults even better than I do, from whom we have no secrets, I'm even more amazed that He could continue to love me.  See I'm like Israel  and I know it.  It's so easy to go, why in the world in the roughly 325 year that the book of Judges covers, and all of the history of the Children of Israel in general, why in the world couldn't they get their act together.  Does anyone ever actually learn from history?  It would be easy to say that and act like we could do so much better, but when I'm honest with myself that's me.  Time and time again, I fall into the same old faults.

But there's some hope, look at the people that the Lord used in such might ways.  Those twelve judges weren't perfect either.  For example, Gideon while turning down the kingship, was a bit greedy and materialistic getting all these earrings as payment for what he had done.  He then makes an ephod that later leads a whole group of Israelites into idolatry.  He also has a son by a concubine that later kills 69 out of 70 of his half brothers.  Then Jephthah makes a foolish vow to offer as a burnt sacrifice whatever greets him at home, and has to sacrifice his daughter.  He also gets angry with a fellow tribe and ends up killing 42,000 Ephraimites.  Then of course there is Sampson, perhaps the most mighty of the judges and yet probably the least moral.  He marries a Philistine contrary to God's law.  He has temper and often kills in a rage, rather than only carrying out judgement as necessary when commanded of God.  and until, the end he never once credits God as the source of his strength.  Then of course there is the case of Delilah, a no good woman, who he knows is no good, and yet he allows her to be his undoing.

I suppose the overall message from the Book of Judges is that despite our failings and shortcomings, despite the fact that God allows us to feel the consequences of our actions, despite His judgement and chastisement  He is always there to deliver us when we turn back to Him.  In Judges 10:10-16 you can see the summary of the whole book, the people cry out and God tells them He is through with them, but they cry out again, and forsake their idol worship to serve Him again.  Then "His soul is grieved for the misery of Israel" and he sends another deliverer.

So, Rebecca rolled over for the first time from stomach to back a week ago.  That would be last Friday the 12th, Gary got to see her roll over once or twice on Saturday while he was here.  I've been trying ever since to get her to roll over on video, and don't you know she wouldn't "perform" on camera.  Tonight, I finally managed to catch her doing it.  Of course she took her own sweet time about it.  I don't know that I remember rolling over being such a long and drawn out processes, of course, it probably makes a difference that she seems to prefer to lay on her side.  I quite often put her down for tummy time in the floor, only to find her rolled over to her side.  I can't blame her, you can see alot more that way.  At least, when I told her the batteries were about to die in the camera, she pretty quickly finished the job.

(4-7, Britt showing off his "co-ling ball" shoes.)

Britt:  Well, I want to talk about our new, big, big, strong backyard.  It is in Pennsylvania.  I'm excited about going to our new house.  It has a door to go in and out to play and go places.  Daddy is there getting our house ready.

















Britt:  Why he was gone we went co-ling ball (bowling) for the first time ever.  To go co-ling ball, you need co-ling ball shoes.  Not real shoes for going outside to play but special co-ling ball shoes.  You need strong big hands to carry the co-ling ball.  Ruth is not a big girl.
Ruth: Yes I am.
Britt: No you are not, you don't use the bathroom like a big girl.

Britt:  I like putting the co-ling ball down the dragon tail.  I tried to do it like Momma one time, but it fell done on the sides, and it didn't go all the way.  So Unca Nick got it back and I tried again, but it didn't knock anything down.  Unca Nick, Unca Benji, Grumps and Ahna, and Momma, and Ruth all went co-ling ball with me.  I used the green ball, but I liked the purple and black ball better.  They were too heavy, but I tried to carry them.
Ruth:  I like it too.

Britt: Stickers are so sticky on your arm and cheek.  I also know about bandages.  Angry bird bandages, they stick like stickers.  I didn't need any after I went co-ling ball though.

4-16, Napping

(I asked Ruth this morning what she wanted to blog about and she said animal crackers, so here goes.)

Ruth:  Animal crackers so yummy.  Me eat all animal crackers.  There are horses, rhinos, and sheep.
Britt:  There are no dogs and sheep.  Sheep live on farms not with animal crackers.  There are donkeys and elephants.
Ruth:  Hey, you go about bowling balls in a minute.  My turn.

Ruth:  I like animal crackers.  Sis. Lydia gave me animal crackers.  I don't share my animal crackers.
Britt: But I want animal crackers too.
Ruth, laughing, says: My yummy animal crackers.

4-12, She can hold her own.

Maybe meandering through Joshua would be a more adapt description. I took 3 1/2 weeks to get through this book, and it's pretty action-packed. My reading has been really off with the trip to Alabama-Pennsylvania-Florida and back again, plus with Gary gone, it's harder to find enough quiet moments all at one time to read, think, and processes my reading. However, I finished up the book of Joshua this weekend. There are lots of good lessons from it - like when the Lord tells you don't do something, don't do it (story of Achan in Joshua 7), or that we overcome through the Lord not our own strength (fall of Jericho in Joshua 6), and that we ought to prayerfully consider any major decision, even things that seem innocent enough (Deception by the Canaanites in Joshua 9), but my favorite part of the whole book is found in Joshua 23:14.

There is alot of really good stuff in the last couple of chapters, but the last part of Joshua 23:14 reads, "...ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof." Isn't it beautiful to know that when the Lord says something he doesn't forget, he doesn't fail, he doesn't change his mind. All things that he promises comes to pass, and not one thing fails. Every promise in the bible, every word holds true. When he promises no end of seasons, when he promises blessings for obedience, when he says "It is finished." His word stands eternal (Psalm 119:89 & 160). He is "a God of truth without iniquity" (Deu. 32:4). He changes not (Psalms 15:4). Isn't it great to know that in Him there is security? I mean as well meaning as family and friends are, as tight as you can write a contract, as honorable as anyone can be, promises get broken, but not by God. Though we break our end of the "bargin" time and time again God is faithful (Deu. 7:9).

Because He has done such great things for us, both now and eternally, it is but a little thing, to live God honoring lives, obeying His commandments. We have nothing to give the Lord of Heaven and Earth, nothing we can do is enough, but we can follow him. (Romans 12:1) Joshua tells the people this several times (Joshua 22:5, 23:8, 23:11). He reminds them to serve the Lord always, just as they do now, and to put aside anything and everything that would come between them and the Lord. In the verses that basically everyone knows from the book of Joshua he says, "Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Jos. 24:14-15). The Israelites echo that they will four times, "we will serve the Lord; for he is our God." Isn't it amazing that He is our God, not some far off God of another people that we don't have access to, but He is ours and we are His. Why wouldn't we want to offer the only things we have, ourselves? Which are truly His, for we are "bought with a price." (I Cor. 6:19-20) It reminds me of my favorite Third Day song.

Gary came in for a surprise visit this weekend.  He had hoped to come next weekend when Fort Wayne has their annual meeting, but someone else already had off Friday and Saturday.  So, I knew we wouldn't be seeing him until the end of the month.  Friday afternoon, Jacki told him with the rain it would probably be pretty slow, why didn't he just go ahead and hit the road and she'd see him on Monday.  So after work, and going by the PA house for measurements and such, he did just that.  He got here about 4 am on Saturday.  Boy were the kids excited to see him when they woke up.

Gary and I were talking Saturday afternoon about when he needed to leave on Sunday to get back to Pennsylvania when Britt spoke up.

Britt:  Yeah! We are going to our new house in Pennsylvania tomorrow!
Ruth:  Yeah! Go to 'Vania 'morrow!
Daddy:  No, I'm going by myself to go back to work, and get our new house ready.
Momma:  We have to stay here and pack up everything. We don't want to leave your books and toys and clothes.
Britt:  Ok, when we get home, Daddy I want you to pack the kitchen.  Momma you pack the bathroom.  Ruth you pack the diamond room. (aka the dining room)
Daddy:  Great.  We are raising a foreman here. (rolls eyes)
Momma:  What about you, what are you going to pack?
Britt:  I'm going to pack the living room and my bedroom.
Daddy:  What about Rebecca?  What's she going to pack?
Britt:  She is not strong enough to pack.
Daddy:  Should we pack her in a box?
Britt:  No, babies don't go in a box.
Ruth:  No Daddy. (continues to fuss at him, in a language no one else speaks.)

That night when we were getting ready for bed.  Britt was still unhappy that Gary would be leaving without us.

Britt:  Momma, we need another baby, there are too many girls in this house.
Momma:  Well, you'll have to just pray about it, and see if God gives us another little boy.
Britt:  Momma, can he give us one tomorrow?
Momma:  I think if He gives you one, it will be when He gets ready, and I don't think that will be tomorrow.  Why do you want another little boy?  I thought you liked to play with Ruth and Rebecca.
Britt:  Daddy keeps going away to work, I need another little boy to wrestle with and play superheroes when Daddy is at work.  One that's not whiny and cries all the time like Ruth.
Momma:  You know, even if we have another little boy he'll be like Rebecca, it'll take time for him to grow big enough to play those things with you.  Besides, we'll get to go to Pennsylvania with Daddy in 16 more days.
Britt:  But, I want to go with him now.  You forgot to pack our stuff.  Hurry up, we have to get all this stuff packed.

Needless to say they weren't happy to see Daddy leave again this afternoon a little before 4, but we are glad that he came home to see us.

Let me be the first to say, I have no idea how single parents do it.   I am so not cut out for single parenting. Single moms raising kids, single dads raising kids, people who have lost their spouse, parents with a spouse who is deployed or work long distances away for extended periods of time, especially people in these situations with no family or close friends around.  I have often told Gary that he doesn't get to die first.  Before we had kids, I would tell him I didn't want to be alone.  Since we've had kids, I tell him that I can't be solely responsible for all his heathens. (Of course, I mean that in only the most loving way, but they are completely insane, uncivilized, destructive forces when they want to be, and I'm totally going to blame the genes he donated, after all he's not here to defend himself.)


The kids have been oscillating between angelic helpers, and whiney fit pitchers of epic proportions - but the idea of an oscillating fan or the gradual swing of a pendulum might not be completely accurate.  They are typically more of a 0 - 60, a complete 180, or sometimes I wonder if they have split personalities.  To use a really adapt analogy, some days Britt has literally pretended to be Fix it Felix and has fixed, run errands, helped with chores, and just looked for things to help with.  Other days he has once again literally pretended to be Wreak it Ralph and has created extra messes, willfully disobedient, demanding, and insisted that he is "the bad guy and bad guys don't help anyone."  I suppose Ruth has hit her terrible twos later in life.  She can be loving and accommodating one minute and the next yelling "but I don't want to" while being the worse drama queen.  Rebecca has had a few days where she screams bloody murder if you aren't holding her 24/7, but the only real problem with her, is trying to adjust bedtime WAY back from 2 am.


While there have been some challenges, I thought I might share some of the highlights.  I have mentioned on Facebook, but I can't say enough what a big boy Britt was on the trip back from Florida.  He was such a big helper, and to look at him growing so tall without much baby fat left to his face, I want to say where have the last 4 years gone?  He never fussed in the car for the three days we were driving, except the couple of times that Ruth kept propping her stinky feet in the middle of his lap.  Instead, he told me what Ruth was saying.  It's never really easy to understand her, but with her mumbling in the backseat where I couldn't look at her or really hear her over the noise of the road, it was impossible.  He worked the DVD player for them.  All I had to do was change the disk for him.  When Rebecca would begin to fuss he would find her pacifier and hold it in her mouth and sing to her.  He would help to calm her down until I could get off the road to feed her.  All of this despite the fact that his Momma kept forgetting to cut Rebecca's nails at night, and she was scratching up his hands pretty good.  Driving is long and tiring, even spread out over three days, it was especially hectic that first day in the heavy rain for the first 2 hours, but he made the trip so much easier on me.


Ruth has been especially good at fetching and carrying things.  It seems like everyone needs something when I'm nursing, or that Rebecca needs something when I'm working on food for everyone else.  Ruth has managed to go get diapers and throw dirty ones away, find burp cloths and blankets, and helping Britt located whatever he's having a meltdown over.  She's getting to be a pro at finding where I last left the cell phone, and running all the way back with it, so I can catch all the phone calls coming in from family, moving companies, and everything else we are trying to juggle.  On that note, she's getting pretty good at finding where I left my planner/calendar and pen too.  When I'm trying to cook, she's quick to go and pat and sing to Rebecca.  If only I can convince her that it's ok to cover her up with her blanket, but not to cover up her whole head too.


And the best part of all so far.  Britt has slept in the bed with me until 9 am every morning, and Ruth comes and gets in bed with us at 7, and sleeps until 8 or 9.  That helps ton on the nights that I can't get Rebecca down to around 2.