So today has been amazing!!! it was naptime and my 5 year old (6 in 3 days) usually just rests on his bed a while then plays til i come get him. today was different. he had been playing quietly when he comes out of him room and says, "mommy come here."

, "mommy, i just saw God. i was on my bed, i looked up and he was just looking at me and smiled...so i hugged Him". then he says, "mommy, when can i get baptized?' i told him that he could get baptized any time he wanted to as long as you know why you are getting baptized. he said, " iknow why mommy, becuase Jesus came to earth to die on a cross to take away all my sins...and i want my sins taken away...and i will go to heaven then too...and if i don't have jesus in my life it will always be yucky!"

WOW!!! that is really all i can say. we will be spending some time talking to him in the very near future. I can't wait until he is ready! although...it sounds like he is pretty close!!! Please be praying for my sweet baby boy! I can't wait to see where his life leads!

Sometimes our children are sent as rescuers from heaven! mine was today. i am having a terrible day. i got news that has kinda rocked my world a little today and i have had a hard time dealing with it most of the day. I have been crying a lot, and trying to hide it from the kids. but my mood has come through. came through so much that I was really thinking myself a horrid mom in the midst of all this. It is hard to be emotionally spent and still care effectively for 5 chilren (at least and do so happily). But God sent me my rescuer....again! Mat 7:9 says, "Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?" I asked the Lord for comfort this day and this is what he sent me....

Kenna approaches me and says, "mommy, there is never a better mommy than you! you can even do things my daddy can't do. like make all my clothes clean, play with me, laugh and snuggle with me, clean our dishes and make us dinner. i love you mommy!" The Lord sent me exactly what i asked for in the form of my daughter...my rescuer today! Thank you Jesus!

It's a new dawn...a new day... a new year!

The year of 2009 has been interesting! As I prepare for the new year, I find myself reflecting on what has passed as much as what is to come. This will always be the year the Lord taught me to practice being an “esther” and waiting on Him in all things. I learned that God will not leave me hanging. He will always follow through. And in that I was able to see my family come together and my son’s life greatly enhanced all due to the Lord teaching me to wait on Him and not do things in my own timing or rely on my husband. It is a lesson I pray I never forget!

This will always be the year I was reunited with my dearest friend, Carmen! She brings special something to my life that no other friend has ever been able to bring me in my lifetime. I am so thankful God showed us favor and brought restoration and forgiveness our way.

This is the year that Makenna blossomed into an amazing, creative, empathetic, sweet-hearted, God loving child. To hear her pray humbles me daily!

This year I keep attempting to grow in my homeschooling and find our home’s niche. I think that may be what is in store for us in 2010!

But most of all this is the year the Lord returned my husband’s heart home. Dirk has spent the last few years really working himself to the bone. He suffered personally in a tremendous way. In waiting on the Lord, He chose to turn Dirk’s heart back to the basics of life…we are sooo grateful! He now stays home until 1pm everyday, does breakfast, bible reading, reading lessons and homeschool with me. It makes our day so smooth and easy with errands, appts, etc come up. he will start teaching and a home group this year too. I am so thankful for this man God has given me. He’s the kind that makes submitting to easy because of how he loves me!

Bring on 2010!!!

Let it Snow...

It snowed for Christmas this year...how fun is that? so, after the 20 minutes of bundling up, hats, boots, gloves, scarves, layered socks, snow pants...the whole shabang, we went out...for a few minutes! we had our first snowball fight, snow angels on the trampoline, sledding on what proved to be not a good hill, and attempted a snowman with snow that was nothing but powder.

In true bella form..she ate it...a lot of it!

this was Elias after the enduring the torture of being bundled...ecstatic to explore the world of snow...

this was Elias hating every moment of the snow....and yes, he has pink pants on! he's gonna really regret hand-me-downs one day!

On our trip to Tupelo last month, we were reunited with some old friends there. they now have 2 children, Anders (6) and John Michael (8). They were in much need of some rest and reuniting themselves so we decided thier kids were spending a week with us. i mean, what's two more kids after you have 5 anyway, right? so...the fun began. first, they woke up to snow....more snow than they had ever seen in thier lives, as John Michael said. by 8:45 am they were all already bundled up and out in it having the time of their lives. the trampoline just proved too enticing to avoid...i loved seeing them play on it. the week went great! we even added another one to the mix one day just to make things interesting. 8 is fun i must say. i will say that 7 kids is really really loud. due to the fact that i added 2 more boys...it was astronomically loud!! there is something about boys! but overall...the kids and i are all better for it. i hope this was a time their parents were able to enjoy as much as we did. now if i can just get Isaiah to stop talking with a southern accent!!!

Can't you hear it??? just imagine all the noise at my house last week!! 8 children!!!

So the 8 kids decided to make a band. there was no actual singing...because when asked why they weren't singing teh visiting Xavier said, "because people in rock bands only scream because thier music is too loud"!

Christmas techies...

Christmas was fun this year. the kids are getting older and are getting to understand it more. i can only pray we raise children that truly understand the meaning of why we actually celebrate such a season. of course they still love getting presents, but i do see glimpses here and there of thier maturing minds really contemplating the reason for the celebrations of the season.

can you tell what they all got for Christmas???

Too Funny!...

This kid cracks us up! he is always playing little jokes just waiting for someone to look at him. here is one of them. you turn around and he has pink glasses on and knows it is funny! he is so funny. you will just look over and he has a pot on his head and he is just waiting for you to look at him then he busts up laughing. he adds so much joy to our house. it really is fun having a little one with others that are older just because we can all find him so funny. when 4 were under 2, no one but me laughed....i like it this way!

I love this kid!!!

Elias is special! truly special. I mean, not only was he a huge surprise in our lives,but this child is amazing! he just brightens up your day each time he walks in a room. His daddy is so enthralled with him too. He has the power to bring all the siblings together as the all love on him constantly. Elias and all his siblings are blessed because they have a father who adores them and adores his God! Dirk is a model I love for my children to follow. He shows them unconditional love, odebience to the Word, and a very hearty work ethic for his family. He is one who takes correction to heart ever wanting to be better in his walk with the Lord, and his place as a husband and father. I have much to learn from him. the bible says in Deuteronomy 6:2 "so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life." Dirk does his best to instill this in his children. i am a blessed wife!

Psa 127:3
"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him."

children are so literal!...

The change in weather, water, etc in Mississippi made Ian's face really dry. so Dirk says, "go put some moisturizer on your forehead, Ian". he comes in my room looking just like this. i found this profoundly funny and a perfect example of children's ability to be completely literal! i love kids.

Reunited...

Dirk and I were blessed this year to return to our first place of ministry...Tupelo, Mississippi! we had not been back for 10 years. we took all our children (lucky Josh and Carmen!) and we really had a blast. i was really needing this time away and to get to spend it with my best friend was precious to me. Dirk is always really wonderful about letting me go and spend time away from the kids and him when i need to. but not only does he "let" me, he does so makign sure i don't feel guilty at all about it. actually one one outing with Carmen, we came home only to have my wonderful husband tell us to leave, that we were home just too early for a girl's night out! he really does love me as Christ loves the church! i am so blessed.
Josh's mom, Janice, was so thoughtful as to stay with all 6 kids so that we could all go out and enjoy an evening together as couples. it was a relaxing, joyous time had by all! great food, great company, and a wonderful sitter for the kids. visiting with Janice was good for my soul! i truly enjoyed getting to see her again and remembering why i loved her so! the kids (especially Isaiah) really loved her. she is a natural!

If any of you know bella, you know that if you hold her, she is your friend for life. well...Josh made that mistake the first day we were there. and on his shoulders she stayed almost incessantly! but seriously could you resist a face like that? occasionally she did give Josh a break to go pee...but that was about it!

My best friend Carmie!!! She does my heart good!

Thanksgiving...

thanksgiving this year was spent in dallas...yes, that is a 12 hour drive for us. yes, we have 5 kids, all in one minivan, all 5 and under....for 12 hours in a car!!! it was interesting to say the least. the way there was quite fun...the way back..not so much!!! however, for the first time in about 15 years, my family was able to be together for a holiday. it was really fun and we have decided every three years will be a great tradition for us all...

here are some of the cousins in dallas right before a really fun walk to the park and into the river bottom for exploring.

this picture is out of order, but i just can't seem to figure out how to get them where i want them. after our tree was up after thanksgiving, we had cookies and hot cocoa to christmas music by the tree...it was a great treat! but of course it started a precident for the rest of the season!

here were the cousins all lined up at Olive Garden ready to scream "thank you for our meal!"

daddy and his boys!

on one of our "we were bored days" in dallas we went to a bounce house gym. Elias really had fun. and Kenna got her first tooth knocked out! even with blood it was enjoyable!

daddy raked the leaves in unlce don's yard and kids got to jump in them. kenna had a particularly good time!

daddy and Isaiah

Bella and Mommy on Thanksgiving

Halloween 09

Halloween is my least favorite day of the whole year! usually i am good throwing together "costumes" from the dress up trunk at our house. but this year, i actually started planning in September! big deal for me! now, i still don't go way out, make my own or anything time consuming like that! however, each child was actually dressed up this year. Elias technically wasn't, but he looked so cute in his cable knit sweater we decided he was actually a scottish boy. we had lots of fun in the freezing cold going to a church festival. rode horses, had carmel apples, played games and then did a little trick or treating on our own. good times had by all...

Maple Leaf 09...

Maple Leaf is a week long festival in my home town that pretty much is a town reunion for anyone who has ever lived in carthage, MO. it is really fun. the culmination is a parade. here are all my kids lined up and ready...love kenna picking her nose. however, it is the only picture i took. it was great to see them all so excited to see it start. they could not wait for the candy to start raining down on them.

While we were in Mo. my mom stayed with her best friend who lives way out in the woods with lots of land, a creek, and horses! my kids were in heaven! they were so free. Ian was born to be a cowboy and this boy's feet never touched the ground the whole time we were there for 4 days! he ate and breathed those horses. so, we decided to have an impromptu birthday party for him (since it was his birthday). everything he adores was here...so we brought on the bonfire, hot dogs, had a little tractor pull, a few presents and....you have a great birthday party. probably better than anything i could have ever planned at home! he will remember that forever! i love those moments.

You can just see his contentment and bliss...

born to be on the range!

Bella

Kenna

Walkin' in Memphis...

We met up with my best friend Carmen and her husband Josh in memphis to go to a family life marriage conference! it was really good. i just love it when God gets to clean out stuff in your life you didn't even know needed cleaning out! nothin' like it. also, my hubby really likes the show Man vs. Food so we looked up the best places to go in memphis...we hit em all! they were fabulous! we all ate the most amazing sweet potato pancakes ever! we will be revisiting that place.

Carmen and I on Beale Street...which is so not interesting.

Carmie and Josh

Livery and Justin for ALL!!!

Each morning we do the pledge of allegiance at school (homeschool). ian is doing really well considering this is only his 6th time or so. he is really into memorizing things right now...so we are capitalizing on that! so enjoy his pledge...especially his livery and justin for all!

Goal Achieved!...

a couple of months ago my 5 year old, isaiah, made a goal of learning the name and location of all 50 states! he said that if he did it, he would like to get to stay up after all the kids went to bed and watch a movie with mom and dad. not realizing how fast he would do it, i said yes! well...thursday was the day...HE DID IT! and he knows them well. he can even see the states in such things like rocks, animal crackers and pieces of paper. i figure if you can see the shapes in other inanimate objects..you have learned them. i am sure that has nothign to do with the fact that i used to bite chips into the states and see if he could guess what state it was...just a little game to pass the time at our favorite mexican food place!
so, the only problem was that he wanted to watch star wars. the good old ones of course! we were not sure how we felt about that, but after talking about it, realized that it was fine. there was nothing bad in it. it was just hard to do when you don't let your kids watch anything more than curious george! however, like most kids his age, they somehow know every character and what they do anyway just from osmosis. having never seen anything about star wars before he loved it. we explained the dark side, the force, and sadly enough i had to try to make a lesson out of it. poor kid just can't watch a movie without a lesson in it! he liked it though...and was in bed by 9:30...not too bad. so, now we are on to the next goal...the books of the bible!!!

Playing House...

Bella had her first real live play date today with Caleb. of course it had to take place at the Cabin at MamaLane's house. they played house the whole time! they cooked, tucked their babies in bed, rocked thier babies, took them on a walk, had dinner, and even called each other husband and wife. ..which was fine til they started kissing. we now see they will have to be chaparoned at all times!!!

Too Cute!

On a walk...

Making dinner!

enjoying the outdoors!

Autism Day at the Zoo...

it will be a miracle if i ever get all 5 of my kids in a picture with everyone looking, behaving and all somewhat cute! here we are trying to do just that at the springfield zoo on autism day. which basically means nothing more than: it was FREE!! the kids had fun and it filled our saturday night with memories.

It was so impressive to see all my children wait for over 20 minutes to get their balloon animal fro the ever so patient clown! by the time we got there, i had successfully convinced 3 of the 4 to get swords...why? becuase they take all of about 4 seconds to make. leave it to Bella to insist on the poodle with special eyes and mouth and of course a certain way the tail just had to be!!

one more attempt at 4 kids....


Bella...being Bella!

Growing Up...

It was time again for Isabella's and Makenna's birthdays. i got brave and decided to invite actual children this time. they have now been to real birthday parties and know that other kids can be invited, so it was time to bring on the chaos. AND IT WAS! what was supposed to be an easy outdoors water toys party, turned into a complete steady downpoor of rain all day long leaving about 20 people in my house with lots of kids! we improvised well. did a game or two in the downstairs playroom, and other than that, just let those kiddos play.

Bella wanted a princess cake..and OH did my mom deliver! bella loved it!

Kenna on the other hand wanted spiderman, but still my mom pulled through!

Bella's face says it all! she was so happy when we all sang to her!
this moment is captured in my heart forever for sure!

makenna asked for a pirate costume. she got one...and began her piracy right away!! MamaLane was the victim this time!

Bella's best friend, Caleb! they just love each other!

Makenna's best friend, Lili!

The boys found the air hockey table to their liking. we had to pry them all off of it!

once time to open gifts it really got crazy! because of the rain the kids were in the floor with all the other kids/adults around them! not good! there was a little girl there that just could not stop opening the girl's presents. so, i will be doing my best when trying to do thank you cards. i think she was about 3 presents ahead of teh girls most of the time. most of the time we didn't know who's presents she was even opening. she was a little excited! in that chaos, we did get a good pic of kenna with her new doll that she named Annie (after annie oakley of course!)

we loved the game the kids played with balloons. i especially loved the game they played cleaning up...who knew cleaning balloons was so much fun. for some reason the movie won't post, but you can always click on the link if you ever want to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCB1xIGI_sE