He walked and potty-trained relatively early. But he has no interest in learning how to tie his shoes. Maybe Joseph can tie them for him soon.

The kids went with their grandparents to see The Lion King road show in Atlanta. They had a really great time! Jack earned the game ball! He has really blossomed this year in his athleticism. Joseph got into the paper plates and decorated them. I guess we will use them like this. The kids on a fire truck at May Day at the ballfield. We spent the day there, and they had a great time. Eating their free hot dogs before going to sit with their teams for the festivities.

Reflective

I feel like I am entering a new stage of life. So many things have been going through my mind.... but I'm not sure how to articulate it all.

When you have a bunch of little kids, you feel like this is life, and this is how it is going to be. I have been very thankful for my kids, but I tend to struggle with that horrible victim mentallity, and I have at times felt trapped by motherhood. Then I felt guilty for feeling that way, especially since my great aspirations were not to be a doctor or lawyer, but a mother.

Now, I am really getting a taste of how quickly time is flying. I can't believe that this week, I'll be registering my little baby for Kindergarten. I don't know where the time went! It hasn't all been spent wisely.

Two summers ago, I had a very busy summer at church (music camp, Wed.nite preschool program, sub. preschool teacher). I put in more time that summer than I ever have, and 2 weeks before school started, I was sad that I had not spent more quality time with the kids. My friend Dana suggested that I prayed that the Lord would redeem my time, which He did, and those last 2 weeks were wonderful. That is my prayer now. With just over 3 months before school starts, I pray that the Lord will redeem our time, and that we will have a great summer.

Well that is about a 1/100th of whats going on in this crazy mind of mine. Maybe I can express more later : )

Funny times in 2 year old Sunday School

Kathy and I teach the 2 year old Sunday School class together. They came to us with very limited vocabularies, some did not speak at all. Now most of them have turned 3 and are becoming very articulate.

Over the past weeks we have talked about the crucifixion and resurrection. We have been singing " God's not dead, NO , He is alive". So one little girl asks if we can sing the "God is not alive song"

Today, we were talking about how when Jesus was finished teaching his disciples, his feet lifted off the ground and he rose, up, up, up in the sky. One little girl said, "You need a helmet when you go into space".

Then I gave them each a paper plate "puzzle" that was cut into 3 pieces. The first one was for the crucifixion, the second for the resurrection and the 3rd for the ascension. I told them to put their puzzles together. One little girl said I don't have a puzzle, just a plate (this one is still only 2 years old), I told her that it IS a puzzle, she said "it looks like a plate to me."

She prays

On Friday, Hannah had a friend spend the night. This friend has ALOT of energy like Hannah, but she is a very sweet girl. I put dinner out and as I was getting drinks, they were huddled together. I asked her if they had just blessed their dinner. She said, "yes, just like we do together at lunch everyday at school." I told her that was wonderful. Hannah said, "We even prayed together on the phone today." "About what?" I asked. "That you would say 'yes' when I asked you if she could spend the night"

pics from March

This past Saturday, we went to Atlanta to meet our new nephew/cousin: Wyatt. He is 2 weeks and 2 days in these photos. He is the son of Adam's brother, Aaron and Hilary. The blonde holding him in the 2nd photo is another aunt, our sister-in-law, Kelly.



Erica and boys spent Spring break with us. It was a great visit.... and nice to spend more time with grandparents too.







I spent the first week of March in Maine training for the part-time on-call job that I will be doing (about 5 days a month). Apparently, once the snow falls in the autumn, it sticks around until the end of March. Notice the snowdrift in a parking lot. One day we were there, they had a small snow, but since they had such a brutal winter, the city was low on sand for the roads and canceled school.



This is in Freeport Maine. Each one of these cottages is a different outlet store. Amongst my favorites: Gap and Banana Republic. Of course the main stores are the LLBean headquarters. Even Starbucks is in a small free-standing cottage.

Flattered

I went to elementary school at Rivermont, and then moved across the country to East Ridge : ). Over my junior high and high school years, I'd occasionally run in to an elementary school friend. Over the past 2 years, I've run into 2 people that I had not seen since 5th grade, but recognized me because of my daughter. They said that it was like looking at me.

Last week at the ballfield a girl asked "Did you have a sister in the 1994 TN Jr. Miss Pageant?" I said, "yes, Erica". She said that she had been in the pageant with my sister. I asked her how she knew that we were sisters, had she seen us together? She said "No, you look just alike". Funny, I did not think so, but thanks!