He makes me laugh...

Yesterday I had a pot of tulips next to Ezekiel in the car on our way to bible study. He looked at them and said "Flowers! I got flowers!" I told him "Those are for Aunt Heidi, it's her birthday today!" So he began to sing Happy Birthday. When he was done, I said "Great job, honey! Now, when you see Aunt Heidi, what do you say?" After a brief pause, he looked up at me with abosultely certainty and said "PLEASE!"

Isn't that always the right answer?!

Fun and funnies

A few fun pics of Bekah Jane making brownies with grandma! There are some definite perks of living with grandma and papa (yummy cooking and baking tops the list!)

Ezekiel and daddy coming down from their sugar high:

Ok, here are a few of the funny things our 2-year-old has said lately. I love hearing what is going on inside his head - he is cracking me up:

• I took him to Bergstroms to get some new clothes earlier this week. While we were trying them on, he kept looking at the tags, shaking his head, and saying quietly "Too much, too much..." Where does he get this from?!
• While I was on a business call a couple days ago, Ezekiel kept interrupting me saying "Mom? MAMA...I NEED COFFEE!!" Ummm...it's quite possible his mother drinks too much coffee.
• When we pick Ezekiel up from the nursery on Sundays, they give us a little take-home paper with a summary of the lesson. One Sunday, the paper had a picture of Jesus holding little kids. Ezekiel came running out of the classroom waving around his paper and yelling "I got Jesus! I got Jesus!" So do I, son. Isn't that great?!
  
  

Beautiful Girl

Have you ever had one of those moments when you just stare at your child, not really believing that she is yours? That is how I felt on this day... Bekah Jane was prancing around the front yard with this little teddy bear from my mom and I just couldn't take my eyes off her. She was so beautiful and full of life and joy - and I was completely enamored. How did I ever get such a beautiful girl?!

A few funny pictures!

Here are the crazies...enjoying a fun morning right before we moved out of our house (I know, mom, you are so disturbed by the dog on our bed!).

Cathcing Up

My oh my, what a month it's been. Things have been so out of the norm that I hardly remember what my "old" life was like - or how I ever used to have time to blog! I guess that's what putting your house on the market, moving in with your parents, going into escrow, searching day and night for a new house, and falling out of escrow will do to you...yeah, it's been a heck of a month. And, as of today, we are officially back at square one. Our Fullerton house fell out of escrow due to a ridiculously low appraisal. We are back on the market (and really hoping that the appraisal was just a fluke - otherwise we won't be going anywhere for a while!). Good thing we like my parents, because we are totally mooching off them while we try to figure out of our living situation. They have been wonderful, and we are so grateful.

So here I am, taking advantage of an evening where I don't feel like I need to be online house hunting. This is for my sis - who is begging me to put up some recent pictures of the bambinos!

A few cute ones of Bekah Jane hanging with her aunt Rebekah

And, later that night, we celebrated Grandma's 80-something birthday!

Right now.

A quick time out from this brilliantly sunny day to share a few things that I'm thankful for at this very moment:

• The way Ezekiel responds when Bekah wakes up. "I get her!" he tells me then, both times today, he ran in there and says "Hi baby!! I miss you!" He climbs into her crib and throws his arms around her neck (she is usually screaming by this point, but he doesn't seem to mind).
• My new large capacity washing machine! It is revolutionizing my life. My laundry baskets are nearly empty. EMPTY!! That hasn't happened since like 2005.
• Bekah Jane officially joined Ezkekiel in backyard adventures today. E has always loved playing in the yard and will literally spend hours exploring and playing. This time Bekah was part of the fun - not just from her swing or exersaucer -but walking around getting into trouble and eating dirt. You know, the things that really make kids happy. It was great... and Ezekiel was so happy for a mobile playmate!
• How wonderfully my kiddos played this morning (see bullet above) so that I could get some much-needed stuff done around the house (see bullet re: empty laundry baskets). It was an unusually quiet and peaceful morning.... much needed, especially since most of the time I feel like our house is better described by "chaos" rather than "peace and quiet." PS: As a reward for their wonderfulness, we also had a water fight (see: chaos) which left us soaking wet and giggling like a bunch of kids (oh, wait, they are kids... I just enjoyed the excuse to behave like one).
• Clem the handyman. He came out this morning and did some electrical work that we've needed done forever. Our kitchen lights now look great and he was super affordable. I heart Clem.

Alright, that's it for now. It's been a good day. I know it's not even 2 o'clock but, hey, you've got to celebrate the small stuff!

Ezekiel's Funnies and Catching Up

Things have been busy! Good, but not much time for blogging. Here is a quick re-cap of the latest with our little family:

• Christmas was wonderful! It was so fun to watch the kids open their gifts and see their reactions. Ezekiel kept saying "How cute!" (even if he was just looking at the box!) and Bekah Jane even got into it saying "Oohhhh!" when she opened a gift. Cool family tradition: Every year at Christmas, my parents choose a "family Bible verse" and Dad reads it aloud Christmas morning. My mom prints it on pretty paper and every family gets a copy. It is a passage that we all reflect on throughout the year, and it always seems perfectly appropriate for the experiences we go through as a family during the year. This year, as dad read the passage, it really hit me how much I love this special tradition.


• Bekah Jane turned one!! I can't believe it. We had a great day with a little "Sugar-n-spice" breakfast party in the morning and then dinner out with my parents and sister that night. Kevan and I keep saying that she really seemed to change overnight. She got her top front teeth, is walking all over the place, and has started to show quite the little temper! She is turning into a little girl. I still want to post pics from her b-day and Christmas, but that'll have to wait.


• We are trying to sell our house!!! Big decision. This, combined with the holidays, is what is making things so busy I suppose. We are getting it all ready this week and next (read: making it look how we always wanted it to look... just in time to hand it over to someone else) and plan to put it on the market the week of the 19th. Who knows what will happen, but it's worth a shot. We are hoping to move closer to my family in Yorba Linda... and to get into something just a wee bit bigger.

Ok, I leave you with a couple of the hilarious things my son has done lately. He is my comic relief. I love that kid:

• When we were at my parents' house the other day there was a guy giving an estimate on new cabinets, whose last name is Cowell. As we were leaving, I told Ezekiel to say "Goodbye Mr. Cowell". He looked him in the face and said it perfectly. I was so proud. Then, as we were walking out the door and Mr. Cowell was out of earshot, Ezekiel started saying "Goodbye Mr. COW. See ya later Mr. Cow. Mooooo Mr. Cow.... Bye Mr. Tiger....Bye Mr. Elephant..." He loved his little jokes (and I thought it was pretty funny too!)


• We have been working on getting Ezekiel to respond immediately when we tell him to come (not going so well, by the way). Here's how it played out last Sunday: Me: "Ezekiel come here!" (no movement). Me: "Ezekiel I said come here!" (not a twitch) Kevan: "Ezekiel, Mama is calling you!" Ezekiel (putting his hand to his ear to mimic a phone): "Hello? Hello, Mama? Ok, mama, ok. Bye bye Mama!" The kid is two. Do they really know how to be sarcastic at two?!?

Ok, I have to post at least one picture. Here is Rebekah walking like a champ on her birthday:

"More Charlie Brown!"

In anticipation of Christmas, Kevan and I have started showing Ezekiel some of the classic Christmas cartoons. It is so fun to relive our childhood as we all snuggle up on the couch and watch nostalgic movies. Ezekiel especially loves the Charlie Brown one. This is what he said when I walked in the door from shopping tonight (he and Kevan were watching Charlie Brown), "I see Char-ie Brown, mama! Saw Dog. Sit on couch, mama, watch Char-ie Brown! C'mon, mama, c'mon. More Char-ie Brown!"

We are having such a great time preparing for Christmas this year. We have actual kids. I mean, Christmas is a totally different experience now that we have a little boy old enough to understand the excitement - and even catch a glimpse of the meaning ("Happy birthday Jesus"). And a little girl, too, with a new pink stocking hanging on the mantel and an adorable Christmas dress hanging in the closet (I confess, shopping for that was definitely a highlight of the season for me - who doesn't want to browse through darling little dresses and find just the right one for your own little girl?! Dream come true.) We're starting new traditions (a 25-day advent calendar with little doors hiding a small surprise or fun activity for the days leading up to Christmas) and trying to incorporate creative ways of conveying the Christmas message to our little ones (tonight I told the Christmas story to Ezekiel and made up little characters for the animals in the barn who were there when baby Jesus was born. Ezekiel kept saying "BAAAA" but, whatever, it's a starting point!).

Ok, time to play catch-up on pictures. Here are some of my recent favorites:

E in my dad's car on Thanksgiving

My sister with the kids when she surprised us at the house Thanksgiving morning!

Ezekiel is so funny in this picture!

Little miss Rebekah Jane climbing on everything!

Me and E watching Charlie Brown!

Picking out our Christmas tree

Bekah Jane and Everett slidin'... how cute are they?!

Snuggling with great-grandma

My Heart is FULL!

BEST DAY EVER. I love Thanksgiving... and yesterday was the best one yet! The day got out to a great start when I heard a knock on my door about 9:30. Standing on my porch with a bouquet of flowers was my SISTER!!! I went ballistic. She flew in from the Dominican the night before to surprise us - and it was SO worth it! I was so shocked and ineffably happy. We had all been saying what a neat Thanksgiving this would be - celebrating in our "nearly burned" house with TWO brand spankin' new babies... all we were missing was Rebekah. So her arrival made the day absolutely perfect. The WHOLE family was together - all 5 of us kids, spouses, and all 13 nieces and nephews. Plus my grandparents, Aaron's in-laws, and Alice's mom! That alone is something to celebrate! It was crazy, kids were running around everywhere, we were constantly checking outside to make sure no one "escaped", and we were wall-to-wall pack-n-plays, toys, and highchairs. And it was great! The kids played together so well - Ezekiel woke up from his nap saying "play with cousins?" - they all had the best time together. In addition to this day from heaven, here are a few things I am especially thankful for this year:

• My new baby girl. This was Bekah Jane's first Thanksgiving and I am so grateful for her in my life. She is starting to say "bye-bye" when she waves, and it just warms my heart to hear her little voice. She is an absolute JOY... still can't believe I have a daughter.
• How unbelievably cute my kids are when they play together. Ezekiel laughed with joy the first time he saw his sister, and has not stopped adoring her since! Kevan and I don't take their special relationship for granted and can't get over how fun they are to watch interact. This morning when Ezekiel woke up he came right over to Bekah Jane sitting in my lap. He stretched his arms out wide and said "C'mere baby!!". Love it.
• The Bible study I started attending in September. Since becoming a mom, I've had a hard time digging into the word and I'm so grateful for this study to give me direction and accountability. It is challenging me to acknowlege the "lies" I've been living and to replace them with Biblical truths. I love studying the truth of God's word and learning how to apply it to my life. It is absolutely changing the way I live for God.
• My amazing friends. Wow, am I blessed in this category. This has been a year of deep growth with my friends and I am thankful for each girl and the unique richness she adds to my life. No matter what season of life I'm in, each of my girlfriends meets the needs of my heart in their own special way. Beautiful women, beautiful friendships.
• My awesome husband. Example of the day: I came home from work Monday night sick as a dog. Yep, the flu. Kevan quickly ushered me to bed, took care of the kids, got the house picked up and cleaned, and kept checking on me to offer a back rub or bring me 7-up. When I told him "Thank you - you are amazing" he said with a smile "You're worth it. How 'bout that?" Oh, I feel loved.

Wow, I'm in a good mood. How could you not be after a list like that? I hope you all had a blessed and memorable Thanksgiving! Praise be to God for his abundant blessings in our lives.

Beauty from ashes.

Last weekend my parent's house - my childhood home - nearly burnt to the ground. Fire raged through the canyons and ravaged homes up and down their street. We watched the news in horror as it showed the house right next door - consumed by an unstoppable fire. All through the night, in a "Little House on the Prairie"-type display of family, community, and heroism, my husband, brother, cousin, uncle, and men from our church fought off the fires that threatened to take the home we love. When the ashes settled, we surveyed the damage: Much of the landscape had burned, the horse stables melted, the sprinkler systems destroyed, and a good portion of the ranch house my parents built for missionaries home on furlough had gone up in flames - along with some family pictures and all of our Christmas decorations. And, as sad as that sounds, we realize that it is nothing - nothing - compared to what could have been.

This has been a week of perspective. Gratitude. Rejoicing. Beauty from ashes. As I reflect back on the events that unfolded, I am struck not by what we lost, but rather by what we gained through this experience.

• A renewed awareness of God's faithfulness to answer prayer. As Kevan and Matthew frantically ran through the house trying to save whatever they could and the fire grew closer to the property, they knew there was very little chance the house would be spared. Kevan told my dad (visiting my sister in the Dominican) over the phone, "Your house will be gone unless God sends his angels." When you see the property now, there is a stark contrast between the ash and ruin and the vibrant green lawn surrounding my parents' home. It literally looks like a band of angels surrounded their home and stopped the fire from spreading.
  
• A deep thankfulness for God's hand of protection over those we love. I suppose some would question the wisdom of their decision to fight off the fires. But I married a man who is wired to protect, to defend, and to fight for what he loves. And by brother was raised the some way. So that is what they did, and the Lord answered our fervent prayers to protect them. And, because of them, our family home was spared. They put out a fire that caught on the roof of the main house, and saved the ranch house from burning completely. Kevan tells me that he never felt like his life was really at risk ("It was under control, babe"), but I know God had His hand on them the entire time.
  
• A beautiful picture of self-sacrifice. For nearly 12 hours, a team of men sacrificed sleep and their own safety to extinguish fires as they continued to pop up all over the property. These are men that have their own families, their own agendas, and had already worked hard that day. Yet, at a moment's notice, they dropped what they were doing and selflessly served at a time of great need. And countless others volunteered to come. It was truly awesome.


• Evidence of God's providence. There are just too many things to mention, but God had his hand in this experience long before we even knew it would happen. For starters: The only way Kevan was able to get to the house - and bring in the team of men - was because he was dressed in his uniform and had his badge. When he left the house to go "check" on mom and dad's place he had the foresight to go in full uniform and bring his gear. Sure came in handy. And another: When the sprinkler system melted, the pipes burst in such a way that the water sprayed exactly where a fire popped up. The broken sprinklers helped put out a fire! The stories go on and on.


• A new appreciation for the Thanksgiving table we are about to gather around. Countless birthdays, Christmases, and Thanksgivings have been celebrated around our endlessly long dining room table. It is the place we gather to celebrate, to grieve, and to just be together. And the Lord has granted us one more year around the table - as a family and in the home that we all love.

While the Lord spared us from tragedy, we realize that many people have suffered greatly at the hands of the fire. We continue to pray for our neighbors, Ted and Bridgette, and the many others who lost everything. We pray that God would be real and evident to all walking through this tragedy. Because, whether he gives or takes away, He is God and He is good beyond measure.

This little sign hangs on mom and dad's wall surrounded by family photos. I think the Lord heard our prayer!

The next morning: An exhausted but happy Matthew and Kevan

The attic stairs in the ranch house... you can see sunlight coming through the burned roof.



The guest room in the ranch house

The ceiling in the guest room

The next-door neighbor's place


The contrast. Green grass next to ruins.

Bad Mama!

Yesterday Ezekiel was super whiny. I mean, really annoying. I think it's cute when he's says "hold you?" - but it gets really un-cute about the 22nd time in a row. All he wanted to do was sit and have me hold him. Which would have been ok, except that he really wasn't even happy then (and, truth be told, I had about a million things I was trying to get done yesterday morning). I kept trying to suggest a toy or book that would hold his attention...nothing. Not even Elmo. Well, that should have tipped me off right there but, no, I was still too dense. So, when Kevan got home from football and I told him I was at my wit's end, my sweet husband suggested he take Ezekiel out for some father-son bonding. And, just as he got him loaded into the car and strapped into the carseat... Ezekiel threw up. Everywhere. Bad. Smelly. Grown-up style. And I had two thoughts: "Ohhh, that's what's wrong with him!" and, then, "Wow, I suck." Poor kid had spent the whole morning with a tummy ache and didn't get an ounce of compassion from his mama...actually he mostly just got reprimanded. What's funny, though, is that here I'd spent the day worrying that my tough kid had turned into a big fat whiner. And, it turns out, he was really just being tough all along. He never once said to me anything indicating that he was sick (not a "tummy" or "hurt"... nothing) - I think he was practicing mind over matter (just like his mama - so proud.) Lesson learned: If my kid is acting weird, something is wrong! He needs a big hug and an even bigger bowl...and definitely not a car ride!

Beautiful baby...

A sweet shot of our Bekah Jane at a birthday party last weekend. (Click to enlarge... it's worth it.)

Funny Boy

Just sharing some of the funny things Ezekiel's been doing lately. The kid makes me laugh:

• Eating everything like cookie monster - even his peas. He double fists them, shoving them in his mouth saying "Cookie! YUM YUM YUM YUM!" (I know this is not the greatest table manners, but he's two and it's hilarious. I'm willing to let it slide for a while.) The other day I caught him eating grass this way.
• Standing on his head (like he's about to do a somersault). The preferred way to see the world. He does it all the time and in very random places! Last week he stood on his head in the waiting room of the doctor's office... you know, just passing time.
• Saying "Excuse me, Elway." Elway is in his way a lot, I guess.
• Copying Kevan while he watches the football game: "Go go go go....OOOHHHH!" and throwing his hands over his head (yeah, Kevan has to watch what he says during football!)

More to come, I'm sure. I love that funny boy.

Halloween at our House

Kind of a cool shot of how the front of the house looked on Halloween night

My little balerina wan't feeling so great that night, but she sure looked cute!

Bekah Jane with Uncle Robert

Pumpkin carving with daddy!