kicking off summer 2016

We started off summer with the girls having checks ups. Everyone was healthy, and no shots this time so we celebrated with an icee thing from on cue. Then I really needed to get some books from OC's library. Turned out to be a great first outing for summer. OC has a children's literature collection, which they keep on the third floor. We've been a few times and the kids really enjoy it. There's a couple of bean bags, and quotes from different books on the walls. They have a lot of older books, which makes for a change from the Metro library. We ended up checking out a few, and will probably be a regular place to visit this summer.

 

 

 

 

 

jungle book @ myriad gardens

Last Friday we met our friends the Kochers at the Myriad Gardens. We love having them here and have missed them terribly! The Gardens' spring fundraiser usually transforms the children's garden into a theme, and this years' is Jungle Book. They always do a fabulous job with the activities and decorations. The kids had a blast! So worth getting a membership every year. Sweet memories with sweet friends!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God's shine

The other day in the car we were driving, and Todd saw the sun.

He asked if that was God's shine.

At the time we were also listening to TJ McCloud's Let the Little Children Come. A very fitting song for the moment. We were driving to go see Grandad in the hospital, and we had just read about our friends Matt and Angela's update on their blog about baby Joy. So many of our family and friends have taken hits recently. It was a very emotional moment to be present in Todd's wonderment of God. I just really wanted to document this moment with him.

Mother's Day 2016

This year was a little different with Chris' dad still in the hospital so soon after his surgery. We had a nice lunch with Chris' mom, sister, and our nephew. Chris contributed to my fiesta collection. The kids had sweet cards and homemade gifts. Elle lost a tooth when she and Todd and Weston were playing too rambunctiously upstairs. Makes her look so much older. 

 

Today I attended Elle's Mother's Day tea at school. Her love language is quality time so it's something I can't miss. It's great having a little special time with her, especially since she's so big!

 

Some thoughts and feelings were rolling around all weekend. A Facebook friend summed them up perfectly. She posted, "For those with hurting hearts today, I am thinking about you....friends who yearn for babies, friends who've lost babies, friends who've lost mamas.... And for the birth mothers today, you are my heroes!"

looping through songs

I was listening to someone talk about how kids who don't come every week have a hard time really understanding when you say "last week we talked about..." In the curriculum we use for our nursery-preschool every lesson generally has a short song. Songs are great memorization tools, so I decided one great way to help those kids pick up on what we talked about previously, and reinforce the lessons for the kids who were there, was to loop back to all the songs from each lesson. I bought small chart paper tablets and my intern and another volunteer began writing up the songs. Now teachers can quickly flip through each song.

cpc 2016

In January I attended the  Children's Pastors Conference for the second time in Chattanooga, TN. It was a great experience, and I got to recharge my batteries and do some planning and thinking for our children's ministry. This time I stayed at The Read House, which was beautiful, and I loved the historic feel of it all. Just wished I had more time to spend exploring Chattanooga. I loved getting to spend time with other children's ministers and those working in children's ministry. I'll be posting more from the sessions later.

I couldn't get away from everything though. I still needed to have class so my students were super nice and met in our classroom and did a video chat over Google.

I did take advantage of being on a vacation of sorts, and had cake for dinner one night at a local diner! It was so delicious!

Each night and morning you attend a general session. My favorite was Bob Goff. Each time I've seen him I've been inspired. If you haven't read his book Love Does you should get on it! 

Thankfully, even though the huge winter storm hit the the east while we were there I was able to get out and head home. I left a little early the last day to make sure I had enough time to get to the airport. These are some pics I took in the plane and airport for the kids.

I also took advantage of the time to catch up on work and some reading. I want to post more about this book later, but the middle paragraph was very appropriate for my trip. I'm so blessed to be involved in children's ministry. It has grown my faith in amazing ways, and I can't say enough about how wonderful this experience has been. It has not escaped me that to be entrusted with other people's gifts, and their well-being is something very special. This has also been a precious experience to work with my own gifts--Elle, Todd, and Reese.

todd february 2016

Todd is sweeter and funnier than ever! He is really into anything Paw Patrol, or construction, but his love of the Rescue Bots still can't be matched. When he was asked at school who his Valentine is this is what he said:

We predict that he will end up being a police officer because he loves to make sure everyone is doing the right thing, and will step in to enforce the rules. One of my favorite things has been teaching in his Bible class on Sunday mornings in the fall and on Wednesday nights. He loves his sisters fiercely, and makes sure to get his hug and goodbye from Elle every morning. He is all boy in that he is always playing trucks, tools, or good guys and goes at everything with full force that he injures himself quite frequently. I'm not sure that I've mentioned his "factory" before, but instead of an imaginary friend, Todd has an imaginary factory. It comes up less often lately, but he still talks about it from time to time. Especially, when there's something that he isn't allowed to do, he makes sure we know he can do that at his factory. Rupert and Herman live at the factory and get into all kinds of things. It's really clever I think, and I'm hoping this is just normal kid stuff. He also is very sweet to listen to during prayer times when you get to hear what's on his heart. He has taken more of an interest in learning to read and write, and his speech has improved so much since attending classes at Chisholm two days a week. He makes our hearts so full!