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Her biggest fan......

A picture does speak louder sometimes:

Waitin' to Swing.....

The guys came early Thursday morning to build the playset that our kids have been pining away for the last few years. Our first set (which we built) was flattened to bits of firewood right in front of our eyes during the fury of Isabel in 2003. We were fortunate to be spared any major damage to our home and were kept safe from harm. Still, it was traumatic to watch that enormous tree from our neighbors yard be plucked from the soil like a carrot and come careening over the property line with the sole purpose of turning our swingset into a heap of toothpicks!

Samuel sat outside and waited patiently (somewhat) for his "playground" to be completed.





Three years later and a whole lot of beggin' and pleadin' have led to this day and oh what a happy day it is :)

1Timothy 4:12

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

September 2000
This post is a couple of weeks past due, in part due to our hectic schedule but mostly because of the denial on my part that my baby girl is actually a middle-schooler! She is growing up and while this should come as no big surprise, I must say that as my friend Tiffany mentioned in her post it always sounds so cliche.

*Time flies*

or

*Enjoy them while they are young, they grow up so quick*

These statements from those who have been there sound so far fetched when you are up to your eyeballs in diapers and nursing marathons! Still, it is truly only a season and not a very long one that we are privileged to impact these babes. We are obligated to instill in them the Godly desires and virtues that the Lord has given to us through his teachings through the word. I am sweatin' at the prospect of trying to hit the mark and questioning myself daily. Am I a living witness for my daughter? Is my marriage a Godly example, a biblical example; one that is a beautiful model for her to emulate? Are my friendships wholesome? Is there accountability in my conversations with them so that I am the perfect teacher for what holy friendships look like? Do I practice humility, gratitude, grace, forgiveness, self-sacrificial giving, (and on and on....) so that she then can have a reference when she is challenged in her school? Can the Lord use her in the mission field that is public school? I believe that He can and He does. While her light may not shine as brightly because it often stands alone, it is still light. Even though she is exposed to a culture that is not for Christ, she is still firm in her faith and is given such an awesome opportunity to testify. Difficult? Absolutely and nearly impossible, if not for God's grace and *His* possibilities.

My prayer for Hannah is this: "Lord, if it be your will, then please use this child and her love for you. As she is generous with her words of kindness, may they reflect your love and presence in her life. As she extends the invitation for the study of your word in our home, may it provide a place for boldness where she is otherwise timid. When confronted with worldly issues and situations that are so completely outside of your plan, may she be an example of a holy choice and one that totally gives glory to you because it is so different than the others. When she chooses an activity that is a challenge either physically or mentally, I pray she turns to you for the strength & discipline needed to finish the task. Through it all I pray that we are continually seeking your guidance and direction for this *Missionary Middle-Schooler* and we give you complete praise and honor for any great work that is accomplished."

Dialogue from a 3 year old's first day:

Mom says: "Sam, did you like preschool?"

Sam says: "Yea, I like dat teenie potty"

Mom says: "Did you have a snack?"

Sams says, "Yea, but day don't have goldfish. They do have deez crackers and MOM, I DRANK WATER! and I put my hands in da soap. I use da teenie potty, den I put my hands in da soap. I wash dim, I wash dim and I put my hands in da soap." (he likes soap)


Mom says: "What did you do when you saw your teacher?"

Sam says, "I squeeze her really hard and told her dat I poop on the potty"
(a relief to many)

Mom let the teacher know that Sam is sharing something
very special with her :)

Welcome to the Ooo La La Salon!

Our daughters have always had vivid imaginations! When I was pregnant, so were they (pillow inserted into t-shirt). When I was nursing, they just popped those dolls up underneath their shirts and fed their babies :) They are certainly nurturers at heart!

They escorted me to the nail salon a few months ago and had their first manicure/pedicure special and they became *high-maintenance divas* overnight! Seriously, I usually get one good foot-scrubbin' in the spring before I put my flip-flops on and expose these boney-beauties to the world. Well, ever since that experience the girls have been made wise to the world of business. I guess all those free back scratches and head rubs are history, cause these sisters are looking to score a little cash for their labor!

Emma gives one mean foot massage for about $1.00 but I usually don't get out of there for less than $2 or $3 because she has so many other options that those fancy salons just don't have (hair brushing, lotion on my back) all the while I get some good ol' fashioned girl talk and it beats salon gossip any day!


Hannah's place is a bit pricier with manicure and pedicures because they charge for polish......scrubbing........cuticles.....(I was wondering what the manicure *did* include) but I kept silent during my service (all the while tallying my bill). She did a mighty fine job and all the while I had little Sam using the pumice stone on my shin bones and that's something you sure don't get at the local *Nails-4-U*!













We enjoyed our Labor Day and we certainly didn't "labor" much. The girls and I had a ceremonous trip to the nail salon and had our manicures and a lesson in Buddhism at the checkout counter (there are sooo many opportunities to learn).

Tomorrow is our first day of school and I need to go sit at the top of the stairs and gaze at my girls' baby pictures and do my traditional ugly cry!

I'll do my best not to mess up my manicure/pedicure.

Tent Dwellers

I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah
Psalm 61:4

Ernesto!

Well after our day of swimming, we managed haircuts for our entire clan and with the bribe of a baby bottle pop (basically crack for children) Samuel managed a very uneventful cut with NO tears!

We started our day Wednesday with dentist appointments for the girls and then on to the theme park which turned out to be a really good decision because crowds were down so lines were short!

Sam rode the Avalanche with me and Hannah and Emma rode for the first time too! This is a major milestone, because their momma is a thrill-seeker and is grooming the young-uns to follow in her footsteps. We have a long way to go, but when I let Samuel know he actually had my permission to scream like a wild indian then the whole *scary ride* concept wasn't so bad!

We stayed until the early afternoon and then drove Emma to gymnastics. As I sat there watching my daughter swing from the uneven bars and spring across the mat I struggled to keep my eyeballs pried open. How do they do it? I was completely spent and she was a bundle of energy :)

Yesterday we had Open House for both girls (Emma-elementary) (Hannah-middle). It went well but I'll save that sappy post for later. We left and headed to an indoor playground for little tikes that just recently opened an area of big huge blow-up thingies for older kids. It's one of those places that you go to and say, "hey, I had this idea once" but somebody else beat you to the punch.

The kids and I had some shopping to do afterwards so we braved the beginnings of the Ernesto rain and forged ahead to Target (isn't that always a must?- frames are on sale like CRAZY), Old Navy (love those new doggie toys), Kohls, ya know-the regulars. Well, walking into Kohls my Emma says, "Momma, your purse is leaking" and at first I am thinking the rain must make it look like my purse is leaking, BUT NO! My purse is actually leaking! An entire bottle of Diet Coke (Kelly, I am also a struggling addict) has spilled into my (warning-name dropping ahead) VERA BRADLEY purse! Now if you know me, you know this: I don't spend much on much and I struggle terribly when I do. I love this purse and it was a birthday gift and at that moment the contents of my beloved purse were swimming in brown carbonation. We walked into the atrium of Kohl's, dumped the purse, held the tongue, took a deep breath and looked desperately for the teachable moment. Come on, Kim! The kids are watching! Another deep breath, mopping up with paper towels (thanks guy from Kohls) dumping contents into a plastic bag and then I manage to utter, "well, it's no good to get upset, now is it? It won't really change things, now will it?" The kids (who had sort of cowered in the corner awaiting some sort of volcanic eruption) start to ease out and release their deep breath. This event may turn into really good advertisement because I have used the kitchen sprayer on that sucker with no soap and you can't see any evidence a soda spill :)
Things stay exciting when we shop with Samuel because as we made our way into the store and I busy myself gathering a cart, Samuel had made his way up the mannequin stand (he always does this) and while giving them a firm *little man* handshake and a "how do ya do" he nearly knocks that ol' girl off her feet!

We have sort of kept Friday plans up in the air to see what the kids were up to and because of the rain we are limited to staying home but honestly that is what our family does best! We love to stay home and hunker down so thanks Ernesto for our great-big-huge-indoor-Tent Day!

Off I go to build the world's greatest playground of sheets! Blessings :)