Esther, Joe, & Psalms

So from a previous post you know we've been learning the "Books of the Bible" with this rap/pop song. I love it and the kids do too. I have heard them both singing it randomly. Reese was singing it this morning while I was fixing (true southern term I know) her hair.

Reese: "We got Esther, Joe, and Psalms. These are the gospels go and make disciples."

Me: "Reese, it is JOB not Joe and those aren't the gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Those are the gospels."

Reese: "Well, I like Joe better and all of them make disciples."

 I almost corrected her again but didn't.

Because she is right.

Maybe not about the "Joe" part but about how the whole Word of God "makes" disciples. You can't have the "gospels" without the Esther, "Joe", and Psalms. You can't read any them and not be changed.  Or if you can you better "check yourself before you wreck yourself." (Sorry, I had to :) )

Thankful for wisdom coming from my 5 year old even if she likes 'ole Joe better.

And you should hear her say Habakkuk...priceless. I can't even type the word I think she is saying because it is hers. Have not a clue what she is saying.

Vomiting, Sidekicks, and Her Momma

Today has been "interesting." Interesting is the term I like to use when I really don't know what else to call it.

Around 5 am
Reese: Mom, my stomach hurts.
Me: Do you have to throw up? Do you have to poop?
Reese: No, I just need some water.
Me: Okay (she drank the water on my bedside table and got in my bed)

And then it happened just like it does every time.
Reese: Mom, I am going to "fhrow up" and then buckets of vomit. I was lying on my stomach so she was vomiting on my neck, shoulder, and back. I couldn't move. She was crying. I was trying to get Josh to help. I know that this is something moms do. We get vomited on. But Reese is 5. We have tried to have the "you go to the toilet" speech but poor thing just can not. And we did this 3 times. THREE TODAY.

And you know your mom is in the medical field when you ask for Zofran. By name.

Now the stomach bug is gone and Reese is acting like Reese. While I was giving her the 4th bath of today....

Reese: "Sidekicks do whatever you say."
Reese: "Mom, did you know I have a sidekick?"
Me: "You do?"
Reese: "Yeah, it is daddy."
Me: laughing
Reese: "And bubs"

After the bath we are snuggling, eating saltines, watching American Idol and this girl has on a midriff shirt.

Reese: " Look at her shirt! Her belly is showing."
Me: "I know."
Reese: "What is wrong with her momma?"
Me: "I'm not sure but she must not have seen that shirt."
Reese: "I guess she didn't."

Hoss

I walk in to have lunch with Reese and she is sitting with 6 boys. I sit down with her and they were talking about getting to go play outside and running around the track. All of the little boys were talking about how fast they run and how they could all beat each other. One of them looked at Reese and said, "We all can beat you because you are a girl."

Reese looked at me. Her little face was priceless.

She looked straight at that little boy and said, "You got another thing coming hoss."

I burst out laughing.

The little boy looked confused.

Reese was smiling.

Then she looked at all of them and said, "I'll beat all of you."

Poor, poor boys. They have no idea.

Let me help you

I try to eat lunch with the kiddos once a week. This week I was in a hurry and forgot that my eyeliner was in the car. So, when I pulled up to the school I put it on real quick.

When I sat by Reese at lunch she looked straight at me, licked her finger and said, "Girl, let me help you," and wiped my eyelid with her finger. Apparently, some of my eyeliner had gotten on my eyelid.

She then told me to "check myself" in my camera on my phone.

Extra Prayers

On the way to school we pray. We each take turns. The kids usually fight over who goes first, you know being holy and all. This morning was the usual. It was decided that Reese would go first. She was just a praying and after "Amen" John Rhett started right up.

John Rhett: "Lord,"
Reese: (interrupts) "I forgot to pray for something."
John Rhett: "Reese you are interrupting me. You can say your extra prayer when I am done."
Reese: "You are going to need an extra prayer if you don't let me say mine now."



Well, Hallelujah.

He holds her

This past weekend we had a rescheduled trip. We let the guys come along this time. In April of last year, we had planned a "girl's trip" to the beach. It was early one morning the week before the trip that I received a text. One I definitely was not expecting...."I can't go on the trip. I think I have breast cancer."

Shock. Panic. Faith. Can all of those feelings be wrapped up in a few seconds. Yes, I am sure they can.

I remember falling on my face. Praying and crying. I called Josh. He did the same. Maybe not falling...he was at work but his tone, his concern. I knew he was doing the same thing.

I have an unique perspective. As a medical professional and friend. My mind races. When I first started as a nurse, I worked in oncology. I gave chemo. I loved patients and their families. I've held their hands and seen last breaths. I've experienced sacred. The medical professional, well, we learn to be stoic. The friend, not so much. The friend loses it.

We met Lisa and Doyle in 2008. We were at a party and our boys were playing. We talked all night and if you some of you know all of us...I am sure you can see how that was possible. :) Our sons ended up in the same pre-school class the next year and the rest is history.


So, this weekend was a time to reflect. Time to rejoice. After almost a year of diagnosis, chemo, hair loss, weight loss, mastectomy, reconstructive surgery, reconstructive surgery gone wrong, more chemo, scans after scans...Lisa is cancer-FREE. She continues her journey this week. Radiation. Hysterectomy. Reconstructive Surgery. We were just sitting on the couches talking. Shocker I know.

And I saw it.

 I can still picture it in my mind and it moves me to tears. Lisa was talking about His faithfulness through tears and laughter. She mentioned her thoughts on dying. That cancer is now part of her reality.  Although we know our God is healer and she is CANCER-FREE...(did I mention that), she has found joy in the fight of fear and faith. Joy that found her during the darkest moments that I am not privy to. Joy that found her when she was vomiting and bed bound. Joy that gets her through each day.

That kind of joy is strength. Strength found through scars. Nail scars. And that moment in the mountains, I saw it. Sun beaming in on her as she sat snuggly on the couch just talking. Sacred.

I saw what it is to know you are held.

I kissed her (almost) bald head when we left and said, "I love you." I couldn't have hugged her if I wanted to. I would have fallen apart. But when we got in the car, I looked at Josh and cried.

The Savior of the world. He holds her.

Student of the Month

 Today we will celebrate John Rhett as "Student of the Month."

We are so proud of him. He is a very good student. He likes to call himself a nerd.

That just makes me smile.

Because Josh and I both are nerds too.

Last evening, I was putting the kiddos to bed. After prayer time, which trust me I need to be video taping their prayers because they are so pure and so funny...

John Rhett: Mom, tomorrow is my student of the month recognition.
Me: I know. I am so proud of you.
John Rhett: Reese, have you ever gotten student of the month.
Reese: What's that?
John Rhett: It is where your teacher notices that you have been a good student. Maybe you got better at something or were well behaved.
Reese: I'm never going to be student of the month.

She has high ambitions that girl.

It is only money

Both of the kids were jumping on a chair in my room. We have been over this at least one thousand times. I was still kind of out of it because I had to work night shift the night before so, I was in "la-la land." Half awake, half asleep...if you've ever worked nights you know what I am talking about.

Reese: Bubs, you can't jump as high as me.
JR: I am jumping higher than you right now.
Reese: No you aren't. I wish you were but you aren't.
JR: I am too. (He is getting frustrated. He stops jumping and runs to me.) Well, I beat you to mom.
Reese: I wasn't racing.
JR: I still beat you.
Reese: I don't care because I want to jump.
JR: What if you won $1000 if you beat me?
Reese: It is only money. I'm jumping.

As much as Reese has made me almost lose my mind in so many circumstances because she is SO strong-willed (which I might add I prayed for) I was so thankful to hear her little raspy voice in that conversation with her brother.

She is so strong-willed and determined. I pray as we continue to guide her in HIS ways that she will continue to jump. She is going to change her world.

Karaoke - Let It Go

Just like every other household in the world, we have watched Frozen a bazillion times. Reese LOVES the music.

Reese started walking at 9 months old. And once she realized she could climb she would take a chair, put it in the middle of the floor, climb on top of it, and sing to the top of her lungs. There have been several occasions that she will sing the entire soundtrack to Frozen in one setting and pretty much dare us to move. We have clapped, cheered, and yelled about how awesome she did. If we didn't she would say, "excuse me" or "you didn't cheer loud enough."

Poor John Rhett. He can't stand to listen to Frozen. He might have enjoyed it the first or second go around but he is over it.

Reese knows this and she knows how to push his buttons. She can get him mad, angry, frustrated in a second.

We got Reese a karaoke machine for Christmas. I'm not really sure why we thought this was a great idea. After the first song on Christmas morning, Josh was asking where the mute button was located.

(Today upstairs in Reese's room.)
Reese had been singing for probably 30 minutes straight the group Unspoken's latest album. If you haven't heard of them or their songs, trust me it is worth the money. John Rhett today said, "Mom, I can tell they love Jesus." John Rhett had been waiting patiently his turn on the karaoke machine and he wanted to sing one of Unspoken's songs.

Reese: Ok, Bubs I've got your song for you. (hits play and the beginning of Frozen starts)
John Rhett: (breaks down crying) Why would you do this to me? Why Reese? Why?

That little stinker changed the CD when he wasn't looking. I laughed. I couldn't help it. She is too smart for her own good sometimes.

Little Lady

I am constantly telling Reese, "act like a lady," "sit like a lady," "little ladies do not act like that" so this made me laugh today.

Me: How was your day at school?
Reese: It was great. I didn't get in trouble. But this silly boy, he stuck his tongue at me. It hurt my feelings because I am a little lady.
Me: What did you do? (She has gotten in trouble at school for punching a little boy in the face so, I was bracing myself)
Reese: I gave him my meanest look and he stuck that tongue back in his face.

My sweet little lady

Break My Heart

This past Sunday we were challenged instead of making our own "New Year's Resolutions" to re-think the whole idea. The scripture was Nehemiah Chapter 1. Which just happens to hold such a special place in my heart! I did a Bible Study on the book of Nehemiah by Kelly Minter and to say I loved it would be an understatement. In the first chapter, Nehemiah is broken for his "people" and Jerusalem. Go read it.
His story is incredible.

We were encouraged to re-think the whole idea and instead of the resolution being about "us" for it to be about others and how we could carve out time for something that "breaks our hearts." I'm praying about it. What breaks my heart? So many things...

I wanted to hear my kid's take on it. For this RE:SOLUTION (as it is called) to be for our whole family. Here's our conversation.

Me: What breaks your hearts?
Reese: Well, it breaks my heart when Bubs acts like he is going to put his boogers on me.
Me: John Rhett do you do that? And Reese that is gross.
Reese: It breaks my heart into little pieces.
John Rhett: I pretend I am going to do it but I never do.
Me: Ok, we are off track. What breaks your heart? Like when you think about it makes you want to do something?
Reese: I know. When people know that they are dying. That breaks my heart.
John Rhett: When people are hungry.
Me: How could we make some time for that...
Reese: I could draw them pretty pictures. That will be easy because all my pictures are pretty.
John Rhett: I don't know mom. Feed them?
Me: Those are great ideas!!!

We've agreed on a plan. Reese is going to draw some pretty pictures and we are going to contact a local hospice for them to give to some of their patients. John Rhett is going to choose some food items he would like to donate to Backpack Buddies and use his chore money.

Backpack Buddies- I can barely type that without crying. This organization is amazing. They identify children who may not eat ALL weekend and send them home with a backpack filled food on Fridays to get through until Monday when they return to school. Heart breaking.

We are pretty excited about our RE:SOLUTION. I'll keep you posted!!

Books of the Bible

"These are the books of the Bible.
When we read them it makes us stronger.
 And we learn about our heavenly Father.
When we read all the books of the Bible. "

A catchy little rap that my kids are currently using to memorize all the books of the Bible. These are Reese's first 3 books..

Reese: Genesis, Exodus, Lovinkiss...
Me: Say that again
Reese: Genesis, Exodus, Lovinkiss
Me: (laughing) Reese, it is Leviticus
Reese: Actually, it is Lovinkiss because that is what it sounds like.


Not sure what your Bible says but ours says "Lovinkiss."

Behind the Scenes

When I began to pray about starting this blog, I knew it was going to need more people than just me.

I have NO (and I mean NO) idea about graphic design and/or photography (Instagram doesn't count).

I wanted the design to have PURPOSE. I have a friend, Dara Lynn Rieger who blogs and recently had a design overhaul and I LOVED it. (I love her blog and highly recommend reading it ) She's real, vulnerable, "Mae" have a Reese on her hands,  and loves her family and Jesus. I contacted Dara Lynn and she gave me Danielle's information.

Danielle Burkleo = the graphic designer extraordinaire.

I felt bad for Danielle because all I told her was the name and what I liked.

Arrows and Acorns. Which of course have absolutely NOTHING to do with puddles or jumping.  And  no stripes. That is what she had to go on. What she created was nothing short of fabulous.

So this is to explain ARROWS and ACORNS.

"Children are a gift from the Lord a reward from the Him, LIKE ARROWS in the hand of a warrior..." (Psalm 127: 3-4) I love that scripture. It is humbling and challenging. John Rhett and Reese are my arrows (ok Josh's too) and I (we) am/are the WARRIORS. Some days I don't feel like a warrior. I feel weak, defeated, and broken. I am tired, no make that exhausted, and the thought of bedtime (which if you know my kids is disastrous) makes me "crazy mom." (this is a term of endearment that is a warning to both me and my kids that mom is about to lose it.) And other days, I feel like I've got it going on. I am THE mom of the year. Make that the century. Until of course, bedtime.

My brother and sis-in-law (Derek and Jill) for Christmas got me two perfect presents. A bracelet and a beautiful sign (handmade) that states "Like Arrows." (insert crying emoticon)

Across the word Adventures you will see the arrows. Brilliant.

When Reese attended preschool at First Baptist Academy everyday she would come home with acorns.   They would be in her pockets and in her back pack. I mean everywhere. And I love them. I've kept them by my bedside. The acorns fell from a huge oak tree that overshadows the playground. That sweet baby girl would always take some of her "play" time to pick acorns up for me. Priceless. A great reminder for me as a mom because there is also a scripture reference here - "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of HIS splendor. " Isaiah 61:3

That is my ultimate parenting goal that my children will be displays of HIS splendor. My "job" is to point my little arrows in HIS direction so that Jesus Christ may be glorified.

On either side of the "logo" see the tiny little acorns!! Love.

This blog would not be complete without the talented Brian Kitchens (and his family). Brian has captured what I like to call the "not real" pictures of our family. These are the pictures that have been edited, photoshopped, and displayed as our Christmas cards. During the "shoot" I am 100% convinced that they will look terrible because we can't seem to get it together and somehow he makes it work. He has captured some of my very favorite pictures of my children that I will cherish forever. So this past photo op I had him grab one of just me, which he edited and photoshopped- I am sure even if he denies it.

But way beyond photography, Brian and Melissa are our friends. I mean real friends. Ones that are God-sent. Like descended from the throne room of the Most High and I am not even kidding.

When we had to fill out the emergency forms at school for our kids, their names are there. John Rhett asked me and Josh separately one day, "Mom, if something happened and you couldn't come get me from school who would?" I said, "Brian or Melissa." JR responded, "Dad said the same thing."

We have laughed, cried, and prayed together. They offered to take our 2 with their 4 - yes a total of 6 kids- for the evening this past Sunday for a sleep over. When I walked in their home to put the bag down, Melissa said, "don't look at my house." I said, "don't worry mine looks worse and we have no groceries so my kids ate honeybuns for breakfast." Her response, "ours had lunchables and vienna sausages." And we burst out laughing. Real folks. Who just happen to love us and others so very well.

So thank you. I am so grateful.

RAIN

I do not like rain.
Never have.
It seems to be an inconvenience to whatever I am trying to do.
I remember as a little girl listening to the rain and waiting for the thunder and then lightening. It scared me. Especially if it woke me from sleep. (And if it ever did, I blinked- making sure I wasn't mistaking the thunder for the rapture...if you were raised in church you know the "twinkling of an eye." I was making sure.)
Even as an adult rain makes my hair frizz, makes me nervous to drive in, and usually happens when I need to go to the grocery store. Ugh.

Physical rain is one thing but when there is "rain" in your life it is a completely different situation. Storms of life are altering. They cause your perspective to change. They humble you.

When my kids were around 3 and 18 months, I was really challenged by God to have a heart for "my home." Parenting was much more challenging and difficult than I expected it to be. I began to seek God more and His will for our family. I began to seek opportunities to grow and serve.

One day leaving school with Reese (she was around 2), it had rained and she asked if she could jump in a puddle. And I said yes. So, we found the biggest puddle we could and jumped in it. We were soaked. We laughed and found more. Another mom from the school stopped and said to me, "you are a much better mom than me." I didn't really have a response and so I just smiled. I know I am not a "better" mom. I was just trying to have a little fun with my big brown eyed girl and for that moment, it was puddle jumping. I now know it was more for me than her. From that day on, anytime it rains Reese never gets caught up with the inconvenience of rain. She looks for puddles. The bigger the better. And now, I do too.

My kids challenge me every single day. They make me laugh. They make me cry (sometimes a good cry and sometimes the ugly cry). They remind me of what is important. They encourage me to draw closer to Christ.

We literally puddle jump anytime there is a puddle  (sometimes oil gets mistaken as water but that is another post :) ).

My prayer for my life, my kid's lives, and yours is that we will continue to seek out opportunities to jump. When the rain is hard, cold, and you can barely see what is ahead you look for the puddles. Adventure awaits. This is our story of puddle jumping.