Silliness

Some of the silly moments caught on film.

After Christmas Cookies

I had packaged cookie dough left over from Christmas so decided to keep Matthew busy for a little while. I'm quite sure a whole bottle of sprinkles got eaten the in the process, but he had fun.

Too Many Thoughts

My wireless router died so my laptop use was minimial for the past week or so. Plus, I just haven't felt like blogging. I have too much on my mind and no idea how to condense it enough to make any sense to anyone but myself. So, instead I will just post pictures. We have now had 5 weekends in a row of snow. This is very unusual for Denver. I miss the sunny warm days that usually come to melt the snow between storms. Matthew and I built a cardboard castle in the basement and I managed to get myself inside with Tyler in my lap. We had fun until I started feeling claustrophobic. Matthew is wearing his Frog halloween costume.

Hearts

I love this story sent in my weekly e-mail from MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers)

Hearts by Jolita Peterson, Council Coordinator

"Feel my heartbeat, Mommy!" My five-year-old daughter grabs my hand and places it upon her chest so I can feel the rapid thump-thump beneath my fingers. She is fascinated by hearts - both kinds. She loves to get out her Human Body book and look at pictures of the human heart with its valves and chambers. She enjoys my (rather limited) explanation of how the blood gets pumped throughout the body. She also adores the I-love-you kind of hearts and practices drawing them at any opportunity. I was out of town for a few days recently and returned to find all the mirrors in the house covered with "I w U" written with dry erase marker in kindergarten scrawl.Someday she will ask me about the connection between the heart organ and the heart symbol for love. Someday I will tell her that my love for her is as much a part of me as the blood that flows through my veins. That I began to love her from the moment that my blood began to nurture her body. Someday she will know that I love her so much that I would shed my lifeblood in order to protect her. That love and life are intricately connected in a way that goes beyond vital organs and written symbols. Someday she will understand how very much I love her. Until then, I'm content to demonstrate my love in ways she can understand.I put love notes in her lunch box, cuddle her when she is sick or sad, and kiss and hug her every chance I get. I do my best to listen to her when she has a story to tell (even long and boring ones) and to be patient when she is grouchy (I don't always succeed at that one!). Someday, (all too soon!) these opportunities will be gone and I'll be looking for other ways to show her my love - from my heart to hers.

New Year, Old Friends

Steve and I had the pleasure of spending a brief visit with our old friends Brad and Debbie Ellgen last weekend. Brad was preaching at our church as he and Debbie prepare to go to Germany with Cadence Internationl Missions to run the Baumhalder Hospitality House to serve the army base there. I came away from our visit with a lot of great memories and a fresh reminder of the type of people I want in my life. Brad and Debbie had a profound impact on Steve and I when they were leading the "Change Point" singles group at our church 7-10 years ago - where Steve and I met and started dating. Brad is so down to earth, real, and approachable in his personality and his teaching. There have been very few people in my life who could reach to the core of who I am and make me laugh and want to follow God more than Brad and Debbie. Their lives are about ministry - best done over a steaming cup of coffee or hot meal in their home. I miss them dearly and relish any time that I get to spend with them. I pray God's comfort, strengh, and love for them as they move so far away. The best part of technology is that in a strange way they will still be close through, of all places, their myspace sites.