Looking back on Tennessee Times

It's been almost 2 weeks since our Nashville visit and I miss those hills already.

Mother's Day morning was spent on the front porch. The third generation drank frothy milk while my brother and sisters and I told our favorite stories about our mom.

We also had a blast watching her open our joined Mother's Day gift-and iPad!!

The kids LOVED the new and improved playground that grandma and grandpa have been working on the week before. What an awesome backyard!!

Uncle Jesse wore the kids out and aunt Abby snuggled them and put them to bed. 

What would we do without uncles and aunts!?! Can't wait to be back in 4 weeks!!

Top 10 - Why I'm Proud

There are so many reasons why I am absolutely proud of my husband, Dan. I know you'd like to read about alllllll 1,968 of them (yawn), but I'm going to narrow it down to just 10.

10. He was supportive. When I started two businesses in the middle of his seminary career, he was not only on board, he was excited for me!

9. HOW he supported me: helped me with my Etsy shop markets and skipped classes and work to watch the kids while I was attending births. At one point, he even spent 2 days with our new foster girls all by himself-an intense job I can assure you!

8. Worked many difficult jobs to support our family.  By the end of our first year in seminary, he had worked 3 jobs! He's tutored, washed windows, and waited tables at various restaurants. Although it's been hard, he's never complained, but often praised God for providing work and income for our family.

7. He kicked BUTT in all his classes! This man will not brag, but I'll do that for him. Dan is an excellent student, often at the top of his class and graduated magna cum laude.

6. He got a free ride! Due to his excellent grades and hard work, Dan was nominated and chosen for a full scholarship given to students in their last year. He was 1 of 12 students to receive this gift.

6. He has grown as a father. We showed up to seminary with a 15 month old Elijah. Lazarus was born during a 4 day break between a summer Hebrew exam and the first day of his second semester. In our last year, he fathered a total of 4 children who were not his own, as well as his bio sons. Talk about practicing what you preach!!

 

which brings me to number.....

5. He was selfless. Sure, Dan's not perfect and we're all truly selfish at the core, but this man put others first in more ways than one. He often helped his fellow students, tutoring them in difficult subjects. He helped people move on his day off. He began preaching at the senior living center in our neighborhood and taught the youth at our church. He invested in difficult relationships when it would have been easier to play the school card and check out.

4. He involved us. When Dan considered going to Zimbabwe for his internship, going alone was not an option. Even though 3 other guys worked the 6 weeks without their families, Dan made it a priority for all of us to go and serve together. Not only did this offer the boys and I a much needed vacation from America, but it kept our family going. We NEEDED that time together to refresh us for our last two years of seminary!

3. He was faithful. If school got tough, he stayed up late and finished his work while saving precious daylight hours for his family. He didn't hesitate to ask us for help or extra space and time, but he also didn't hesitate to drop his books and focus on the people in front of him. It was quite the balancing act, and he did it well.

2. He worked hard on our marriage! 4 years of seminary could have easily made him into a prideful man, one who believes he's arrived and learned it all. Thankfully, Covenant Seminary does an amazing job at humbling you while encouraging you towards Christ. At a time when he could have been tempted to focus on himself, Dan grew as a husband.

1. He answered God's call on his life. He could have run away. He could have given up when we were broke and the dream of opening a taco truck were just at his finger tips (true story). But he didn't. He trusted that God was calling him into a life of ministry, and he followed.


This weekend has been so busy with family in town, late night ceremonies and services and graduation parties. This week, I look forward to enjoying the new normal as Dan no longer rushes off to class or stays up until 2am writing a paper. I am so so so proud of this man and I am so so so thankful it's over!!

PROUD!

8 Semesters. 1 international internship. Countless late nights, exams and papers.

2 proud children.

1 proud wife.
1 seminary graduate.

It was a long four years, but our Lord carried us through. It is because of Him that we moved to St. Louis. It is because of Him that we had food to eat and the power to continue through really hard times. Our God is so great!!!

The End of a Chapter

When we moved to St. Louis four years ago, we had one of these:

Since then, we've welcomed another, cared for many and now anticipate the arrival of another!

I remember when we bought Dan's desk and got him all set up for his first semester of class. I had NO idea what the next four years would hold!

I also had no idea that we'd get rid of Dan's office in our fourth year to make space for a playroom of all things!

The last four years have been nothing short of challenging, but we've come away with a deeper marriage and a better understanding of who we are in light of God. We are so blessed!

I am so excited to spend this week celebrating Dan's graduation with his family in town. We've got lots of busy nights ahead of us, but hopefully we'll get to squeeze in a date night?

Wedding Shower Love

I've just returned from a long weekend in Nashville. It was packed with family and wedding planning activities. We had a lovely tea party brunch celebrating Abigail, the most loving deserving girl I know.

The smaller party guests.

The bride and some of her bridesmaids.

The bride and the flower girl.

Sisters, our dearest marmie and my niece (the flower girl). Oh, and my dress is from Ross, aka best place to find non-maternity maternity clothes!!! 

It's been so so so good to be with them this weekend!! Next time I see my sister, it'll be her wedding week. I've got a lot going on between now and the end of June. Next on the list is celebrate Dan graduating!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mothers Day to THE BEST mom ever. No really, yours might be nice and lovely and give you good advice and hold you when you cry. MY mom let's the grand kids climb into bed with her at 5:50am so us mamas can sleep in peace.

What I Wore - Boring Mom Outfit

Boring mom attire, but it fits. Well, my shirt's working hard, but I'm not complaining.

Deets:

Top : Old Navy clearance, $2

Necklace : Me

Jeans : Forever21, $10.50 (yeah...this is the last year I can confidently shop there, right? is there a store designated for moms in their 30's?)

Heals : Family Thrift, $6

Side braid pony tail inspired by Katniss. I'm in the middle of book number three. Can't put it down!!

I've gone a few days without a nap and feeling pretty good. Afternoons are tough, but I pull through with two little rascals keeping me on my feet. Today, I walked in on Lazzy making his own chocolate milk, only without milk. Yup, just a cup with chocolate sauce in the bottom, ready to be mixed.

Between one boy's drama and the other splashing his face with dirty toilet water, it's a wonder I'm able to sit down between 7am and 9pm. Good thing we're headed to the hills tomorrow!! I'm so excited to spend time with my family and celebrate my little sister at her wedding shower!

Also looking forward to finishing Mockingjay!

Kids Say the Darndest Things - Attitude

Elijah continues to give me such great material for this blog. There are so many things throughout the day that I forget, but sometimes I remember to write them down. Here are a few new ones for ya.

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We are driving home from an awesome play date which ended on a sour note (due to Elijah's attitude).

Elijah : "Mom, I just had such a sad day."

Me : "Awe, honey. I'm so sorry you feel that way." ( I was ready to explain to him that he actually had a wonderful day, but that he feels sad about how it ended...)

Elijah : "Mom, I'm not feeling that way. It's just how my day really was!"

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Lately, Elijah has been creating hilarious cut downs for when he's angry with us. He's practically name calling in his anger, but they are so funny, I have a hard time taking him seriously!

Here are some of my favorites (all said with an angry voice and scrunched up nose):

- Mr. One Man Show

- Mr. Stinky Pete

-Little Kicker

-Tickle Tootie Schmootie

-Funny Pants

Of course, we give him talks about name calling and how we just need to communicate frustration instead of stuffing it and acting out. BUT, we have to give him credit for his creativity!

Friday Favorites - Reading

Just some things I've been reading lately:

24 ways to prepare your young man to become a gentleman

I'm always always always keenly aware of the male/female relationships around me. Having had two older brothers myself, I have clear ideas of how I want my boys to protect, honor and love their younger sister if they had one. But they don't have one yet, so we talk a lot about how to protect, honor and love the girls in their church, classroom, playground and community. And I ALWAYS stress for them to be super helpful and sweet towards mamas :)

3 things I want my son to know about porn

Don't close your eyes or look away. Porn is a serious issue in our culture and it's getting worse. This article (written by a father!) was so good! I know this will be an ongoing conversation in our house, but I bookmarked this article because I felt he explained very well the heartache behind it all.

Deaths are DOWN and the heroes of the story aren't who you think
The story you've heard about AIDS in Africa is wrong. I think this article sheds some much needed light on this subject. In America, we push birth control to prevent abortions. In Africa, we push condoms to prevent AIDS. But that's a problem for married couples who want families! In their case, a religious standpoint is very helpful in encouraging a lifestyle of monogamy and faithfulness which then has brought AIDS numbers down.

"There is no ambiguity in the data: Religion has been central to curbing the spread of HIV in local communities across sub-Saharan Africa. Measurable changes and improvements were detectablebefore PEPFAR and Gates dollars started rolling in. "

Interesting. This article was sent to us by a beloved missionary doctor currently living and working in Malawi, SE Africa.


Just some light reading for the weekend ;) You might be relieved to know I picked up the second Hunger Games novel and am LOVING IT! I didn't read the first...saw the movie (finally! just a few weeks ago, ha! i'm so behind in pop-culture). I'll give you a minute to judge me.

Now, I don't have much time to read, so I'm cramming in book number two before the movie comes out in the fall.

What I Wore - 14 Weeks

Well, I'm almost 14 weeks and am feeling much better. I'm in shock because it took 16 weeks to feel better with either of the boys. My energy is still low and I'm craving bagels like mad! I've definitely gained some weight already (not sure how much...) but being pregnant in America is so awesome!! Mac & Cheese at your finger tips. ALL. THE. TIME. I've converted to Annie's Organic-it makes me feel better about the large quantities I inhale on a weekly basis.

Elijah is home from school now (more on that later) so we're off to the Botanical Gardens today!

This hat was an awesome find. Our local Goodwill gets loads of new merch from Target that didn't sell. This hat was only $3!! I love the shade it provides for my fair skinned face and the wind has yet to knock it off my head. Love it!!

Outfit details:

Hat : Goodwill, $3; Mossimo

Necklace : I made it :)

Dress : Goodwill (in Chicago), $4; Motherhood Maternity

{I bought it and wore it often with a belt and cardigan and boots this winter. I'm happy to be wearing it as a true maternity dress, now!}

Sandals : Walmart (last summer), $9

Moving at a Turtle's Pace

The days are long but the years are short.

I'm really feeling that phrase lately. I start my day way too early. Before noon, I've already had a nap and three breakfasts. Lazzy dresses himself and the rest of the day revolves around the rain boots. They go on, they come off. Back on again, then kicked off in a random protest about nothing. They go on again. Then, they are lost and the sky falls.

If glamour could be measured in loads of laundry, I'd be the most glamorous woman in town. I probably answer 983 questions a day. In full detail. Sometimes looking up information or videos to satisfy a certain 4 year old's curiosity.

My Etsy shop is closed. I'm not taking any new doula clients. Do you hear the crickets chirping? Life is slow and I'm still getting used to moving at a turtle's pace.

I do know that I am adored. I am loved and I am cared for, not only by my amazing husband, but by my boys.

Since the announcement of baby number three, the boys are overflowing with love and care for me. They genuinely worry about how I'm feeling! So sweet.

I'm just soaking up these long days because I know in the blink of an eye, they'll be old.

Surprise Vacation!

Since last January, Dan has been slowly talking through the possibility of coming on staff at a church in Bellingham, Wa. After a Skype interview and many phone conversations, we flew out last week to visit the church for a final interview. It was such a wonderful time, as we also got to see Dan's parents.

Good thing Dan is taking care of Eli.

We spent lots of time at the beach (just down the street from Dan's childhood home). We ate lots of Thai food. Dan interviewed for the job and we loved our visit with the church in Bellingham. Big life changes coming our way!!! More on that later :)

Friday Favorites - Rain Boots

I've had my gray rain boots for 4 years now. They still work great even though they've been through a lot. That said, I've been wanting something new that fits a little better, and maybe something more like a shoe that I can wear with anything (and not just skinny jeans or leggings).

These are some of my favorite finds:

(BOWS!!!)

{More bows and color!}

{Bogs-great product, kind of dorky style...}

{Love the color and laces of these boots}

{More bows!!!!}

In the end, I went with the first option. They should be coming soon!! Can't wait!

What I Wore Wednesday - Last Month

I finally have some pictures from that amazing 20's wedding I was in last month!! The flapper dresses, hair and make up were so much fun! Even though I was 7 weeks pregnant, I had so much energy and joy that day.

What an awesome way to celebrate LOVE and MARRIAGE!

{photos by Bonnie Nichoalds Photography}

Kids Say the Darndest Things - Super Heroes

According to Elijah, there are 4 steps to becoming a super hero. They are more like rules for super heroes. I think they're pretty awesome.

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Step # 1 : Super Heroes never fight good guys.

Step # 2 : Never say "you are going to be in jail" to the good guys.

Step # 3 : Never put heat vision on Batman or Wonder Woman.

Step # 4 : There's only 3 steps.

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"I am ice man! I shoot out ice."

silence

"But, I'm silver. It's not what you would imagine, okay?"

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"I'm Superman. My best bud is the Hulk. He's so cool. We're just friends and he looks out for me. He's bigger and stronger than me but that's okay. I'm not jealous 'cause I can fly, ha!"


{that face says it all!}

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Other random super hero phrases thrown around the house:

"Hulk Smash!"

"Take THAT bad guy...um...I forgot your name, bad guy."


"To In-fin bee-YA!"
(5 points if you can translate that!)

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Lazzy walks into my room completely naked with only a laundry basket on his head and says:

"I-I R-robot Man!"

Friday Favorites - Homeschooling

Let me begin (yes, this is my disclaimer) by saying, I do not currently homeschool. I'm not sure it will be what we do forever, but it's how we will educate Elijah at least for the next 3-4 years. I think.

We reluctantly decided to go the pre-school route (3 mornings a week). Elijah has done well and we've LOVED the Montessori method. I feel like Elijah has learned how to learn, if that makes sense. BUT, the benefits are no longer outweighing the negative effects that school is having on our family. Elijah has 6 more days of pre-school and then we are done. There are some big things coming our way. Life changes, schedule changes and weather changes (the sun is coming out y'all!) and we want Elijah to not be tied down to a schedule. We need everyone in our family to be flexible and I'm looking forward to having my boy back!!

THAT said, I am reluctantly looking forward to homeschooling next year. I've been pinning and reading and researching and so far, these are some fun things I've found. Even if you do not homeschool your children, some of these links are activities you can do anytime.

- If you're considering homeschooling or want to understand why the heck anyone would hole up in their house with their crazy kids instead of enjoy the time off, READ THIS ARTICLE.

- One thing I've learned from the Montessori method is to stand back and allow your child to learn through exploration. Even when teaching a new lesson, Elijah's teacher does not verbally explain every detail. She just does the activity slowly and then asks questions at the end to see what the child picked up. This short article supports that method and I'm definitely going to practice it!



- Watch some Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. This show is so sweet and imaginative. I actually remember watching an episode a week when I was in 2nd grade. Instead of spelling out the lesson (be nice, share, etc.), Mr. Roger simply lives out kindness. Good wholesome fun! Say what you want about kids watching tv, but this slow moving thoughtful show will NOT rot your kids brain people. Plus, it's nice to have a little down time in the middle of the day.

- Math Games! I printed out a few of these and keep them in the kitchen. When Elijah is waiting for his meal, he'll roll the dice a few times and suddenly, we're doing school!

- Visit The World of Brian P. Cleary. He's the author of reading books and they are great! We first checked some out from the library, but I think I might buy the set. His website is so fun and I've literally watched as Elijah puts two and two together, reading new words he's never seen.

If you're like me and you're anxious about homeschooling with teeny little ones around, check out some of these activities!

-An entire list of activities for 1-2 yr olds.

-Create some busy bags for different ages. Have them ready and available for the moments when you just need 10 minutes to teach a lesson.

Any homeschooling mamas, feel free to weigh in!! I've got so much to learn!!!