What I'm Reading

For those of you who know me well, you know that pretty much everything interests me. That can be a huge problem in my life because I start a lot of stuff and try to learn about a lot at once. Then, I get very overwhelmed when I realize how much I've started and need to finish. My current book reads will give you a glimpse of what I'm talking about:

always reading: my Bible, I was reminded today in our theology class that we are meant to delight in this Book. It is amazing to me how I honestly do delight in it when I'm reading it, but as soon as I get busy with life, I can so quickly forget how wonderful and truly life-changing God's Word to us really is.
Keith is taking the staff and elder wives thru a theology class right now. We are using Grudem's Bible Doctrine (it's supposed to be the concise version of his longer Systematic Theology :). I am eating this class up. I have been so challenged to want to really know the doctrines that I claim to hold on to. I love having a husband who constantly challenges me to study God's Word and to know what I believe.

The class has gotten me so fired up to help women understand our faith better. In searching for a way to teach other ladies what I'm learning, but at an easier pace, I had a friend show me this next book that I'm reading: Practical Theology for Women by Wendy Alsup. So far, I am loving this concise book of theology. I have already been reminded of the tremendous impact that studying God has on our day to day life. The way I parent, treat people, how I choose to spend my time, talents, treasures, etc., all are affected by what I believe to be true. The Bible says that the "fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." I so want to be wise in all the areas of my life and it seems that to be wise I must fear the Lord and in order to fear the Lord, I must study His character.


Next on the list, Waking Up Dry...this one is for one of our sons who has got to be the deepest sleeper ever. He just doesn't wake up for anything, including when he needs to go pee. So, I am reading about the many causes of bedwetting and how to fix the problem. I'll keep you posted on this one :)

We are still in the prayer process of determining where Kade will experience Kindergarten next year. To understand the homeschooling option, I chose the biggest homeschooling book on the market, I think. What is wrong with me? But, it is loaded with every piece of information I could possibly want to know. Now it's just a matter of getting thru the whole book.

Also, I am reading a book about a certain nutrition plan that could eliminate Keith's need for oral medication for his diabetes. It's a book by Dr. Pompa. I have a friend who has been on the plan for one month and has seen a dramatic difference in her health. It would require major changes for us, so please pray that we will have wisdom and discipline if this is a route we should take.

And to top it off, I have Southern Living, Creating Keepsakes, and Labrador Retriever magazines on my bedside table.

How many of ya'll are as scattered as I am in your reading and other areas of life? Do you have the same problem that I do - where everything interests you and you want to do it all right then? And advice as to how to cope with this crazy character trait :) ?

Guess what? We brought home Gracie today - nope, not a baby like we usually bring home, but a chocolate lab puppy. I'll hopefully be able to post pics soon.

God bless!

Sacrificial Love

So, my mom is simply amazing and I hate that I don't tell her that more often. She and I can bicker back and forth with the best of them and I know I can be pretty ruthless with her about certain issues, but deep down, I am so very thankful to the Lord that she's my mom. I'm not just saying that to make her cry, though I know she will, but I truly think she is a gift from God and I just feel the need to acknowledge this truth tonight.

She retired last March from a job she had held for most of my life to be able to move near us so that she could be available to help when we needed her. Just in time, because I was a couple months away from expecting Brynlee, our fourth! It's just a God-thing that she was even able to retire when she did, really a gift from my late father, who would so not be happy knowing that he is the one who blessed her with the gift of being able to enjoy retirement!

Anyways, since she has retired, she has served our family soooo many times. This past week has been an extra special week of service for mom. She has worked overtime to take care of us as we've all struggled with the flu. I am sitting in a clean home with clean clothes, and I have pretty much been strapped to my chair all week. My kids have been fed every meal and been entertained and loved on. My hubby has had clean sheets put on the bed twice so that he wouldn't be sleeping with flu germs. I'm telling you, she has hardly had a chance to sit down. And I basically have had to make her stop to take a rest break. Otherwise, she would just keep serving. I teased her tonight that now I really know her full potential with how much she can get done in a day and I'm impressed :) She has modeled so many things to me through the years, but this past week will forever stick out in my mind as what sacrificial love looks like. Thanks mom, for loving us so well. You have made a bad week seem not so bad after all.




Love, your daughter.

Cute stuff going on

So, as most of you know, the flu bug has decided to take up permanent residence at our home. Kade and Brynlee had it last week and then Kamden and I have endured it this week. Between the flu and ear infections, we have been dealing with sickness for almost one month now. Now, I could choose to get down, but instead, I want to remember the good from the past couple of weeks.

Funny Kaleisms:
Put my juice in the Refrigerade so it will get cold.

Dad-gum-it and What the heck? - very cute when coming out of the mouth of a 2 1/2 year old, but we'll have to teach him pretty soon that everything granny says doesn't have to be copied.

What's up with that? (hand motions included) - He says this randomly when we're playing Candyland and he doesn't draw the icecream.

Tonight, he told Keith that "We need to pray for mom, daddy, that she'll be all better." Oh, he knows how to melt my heart.

And lately, we've been hearing the wonderful words, "Mommy, I just pooped in the potty!" from Kale. As of Valentine's Day, he has been wearing big boy underwear during the day. He has had a couple of slip-ups today, but for the most part, he has done an amazing job and made the whole training process really easy for Keith and me.

Something else that Kale has been doing lately that cracks us up is working really hard to be able to hop on one foot around the trampoline. He's actually good at it, but seriously, what made him even come up with that goal? He's so proud of it, he is constantly wanting us to watch him perform his trick.
I just love this picture of him jumping up high on the trampoline and looking towards the sky. We call him our "Joy" boy and with good reason. He is our happy, easy-going child that is full of energy and always looking to make someone laugh.


Kamden said something today that I have got to blog about so that I'll always remember it. I was telling him that we could pick up his friends Eli and Kasey for a Chuck E Cheese lunch to celebrate his birthday next month and he quickly interuppted me to say, "but mom, I have another friend, his name is Kade, and he's my best friend." He almost started tearing up thinking I was leaving this "friend" out. I said, "Kamden, are you talking about your brother?" and he said "Yes, I want him to be with me." He is such a loyal, sincere friend and brother.

As I have had extra time the past couple of days to just look thru pictures, I have been really taken by pictures of Kamden. He has the most sincere, precious face - I really am mesmerized by him.

Kade is really into learning sight words and doing phonics related activities right now. I love seeing him get excited every time he reads something. All of the boys are addicted to www.starfall.com right now. If you have young children, you've got to check out this site if you haven't already. It's awesome and keeps them educationally entertained for long periods of time. His logic continues to impress Keith and I. Tonight, after Kamden got the flu causing us to cancel the boys' trip to E. and Papa's, Kade came out of his bedroom with this thought:

Kade: "Mom, just one thing...since I feel good and Kale feels good, what about if we go to E. and Papas and Kamden stays here with you and daddy?"
Me: "Kade, how would you feel if you were the one sick and had to stay here by yourself while your brothers got to go to E. and Papa's house?"
Kade: "Well, I would like it because I would get to special time alone with mom and dad and I just thought that Kamden would like to have special time with you and dad since he is sick."

I'm telling you, he can be so quick to make a good argument and make it sound so sweet and logical. I have been amazed by his ability to do this from a very young age.

Here's a fun video of the boys dancing one night while we were at dinner together. If anyone knows the singer/title of song that is playing in the background, please comment and let me know. I would love to purchase it to have for the boys at home.

Ahi Tuna on a Bed of Spinach

Yes, that's what my man endured for love tonight. Here's the story...Keith and I head out for date night. We start off with a massage given to us by a sweet friend at Salon Ciao Bella. The massages were awesome - a perfect start. Then, we get in the car and begin the discussion of where do we want to eat dinner. Keith says, "I am craving mexican food...let's go to Pasado's." I say, "That sounds good, but why don't we head downtown and try something new?" You see, I love to try new things, whether that be a new adventure or new food. Keith, on the other hand, isn't so much into the new foods thing. But, for the sake of romance, he rolls with my idea. So, off we head towards downtown Austin and end up at The Belmont, on the recommendation of a good friend. Everything is going well until the waitress comes to take our order. Keith is just about to order a burger, but he, being such a gentleman, let's me go first. I ask her about a particular item and she says it's not the best, then goes on about the special of the night, Ahi Tuna on a Bed of Spinach with Pomegranate and Oranges. Now, I've never had any tuna except that in a can and NEVER with pomegranates, so I immediately say that we'll try it and just split it. Oh, the look on Keith's face as he tries to be a team player and still go along with my craziness, even though he has just lost out on a good Mexican dinner and now a good, juicy burger.

Then it arrives. And Keith tries a bite. And he gags. And he tries again. And he still gags.

I'm thinking I just tried my last "new" food for awhile, at least until the taste of raw fish leaves his memory.

The atmosphere was awesome though. And the service was incredible. They have live music there and you can sit outside on a patio in the middle of downtown...how cool is that? Afterwards, we walked up 6th to Congress and then all the way up to the Capitol building. What fun times. I so enjoy the downtown atmosphere. Being there makes me want to sell our home in the suburbs and move into an apartment in the center of the city.