week with the VZ's

Some of our very best friends moved to Houston a little over 3 years ago.  We miss them terribly, and while the girls seem to get together with some regularity, it's very uncommon for all six of us to hang out for an extended amount of time.  When Natalie emailed Jamie and me that they were planning to come to OK for a few days in April, I immediately turned in vacation requests.

We've had such a great time with them this week.  Wednesday, all the girls went to the tea room for a fancy tea.  Caroline got to come with us and we had a great time.  We got dressed up and pretended to be fancy ladies drinking tea, eating scones and wearing funny hats.  All the pictures from that day are on Jamie's camera, so I'll have to share those a different day.

Thursday was "kid-free" day because JM and Caroline had school.  The girls went shopping (MAJOR sales at Gap right now, just FYI) and the boys shot guns or something manly.  We all met up for lunch at Pops.  The VZ's had never been to Pops, so that made it extra fun.

That evening we made PW's drip-beef and macaroni salad.  Kelly & baby Darryl came over to see us too.  The boys watched the NFL draft and the girls played banana-grams.  It was a perfect evening and felt just like old times.  I can't begin to remember how many nights we spent cooking dinner together, just hanging out.


Yesterday we went downtown to the Arts Festival.  It was fun to walk around and see the different booths and art.  The kiddos got their faces painted and we ate some yummy food.

Then we went to the race expo to pick up our race packets.  Natalie and I are running the half-marathon tomorrow.  This is Nat's first big race!  We were so excited to get our bibs and t-shirts and goody bags.

Last night we went to dinner then cuppies to celebrate Micah's birthday.  The guys played video games and the girls watched the blind side.

For today, we're just taking it easy, drinking lots of water and making t-shirts to wear in the race tomorrow.  Oh, and Jamie's making us a fabulous carb-y dinner.  I fully plan on being in bed by 9, since 4:30 is an early morning wake up call!

I'll be back tomorrow with a recap of our race.  Expect lots of pictures- Jamie is going with us as our official race photographer!

completely random

*I went to Edmond Memorial Follies tonight.  This is not your average, run of the mill talent show.  The talent these kids has is amazing!!  Makes me wish I had listened to my mom when she said I should practice the piano because I could be good (but not enough to go back and do it again!).  There was singing, dancing, a string quartet... serious talent!

*I did my last long run before the half marathon last weekend.  I ran 11.5 miles.  I thought I was doing 10 and being slow... turns out I was actually keeping decent time!  Tomorrow I go in search of my race day outfit!

*I desperately need to work on my front flower bed.  I always have grand plans of pretty blooming flowers and such, but I have a tendency to not keep them alive.  Anyone know some easy, pretty plants or flowers for me to stick out there?  I seriously need foolproof!

*VBS Registrations begins this weekend.  I cannot believe that it's that time of year already!  It means summer is right around the corner.

*John Mark has become obsessed with superheroes.  He says that he is silver surfer, Micah is wolverine and I am spider girl.  Hey, at least I'm included.

i REALLY don't like birds...

I'm not a huge animal person.  Never have been, probably never will be.  The way I see it, I'm doing good to keep my family and maybe a few flowers alive and well, I don't need something else to worry about...

That being said, I do love the zoo.  Probably because it doesn't require any direct contact with the animals- I can just look at them and admire our God who made them all.  We have a zoo pass and go on Fridays with John Mark a lot during the warmer months.


Yesterday was no different.  We left the house to check out the new children's zoo they had opened up inside.  It was a really cool place.  I highly recommend it to anyone with kiddos.  John Mark LOVED the petting zoo with goats and pigs and sheep.  You could climb up this rope ladder onto a bridge and go down a really big rock slide.  There was even an area with monkeys and in the middle was a big rope to swing on like the monkeys.

At the other end of the area was a bird exhibit- Lorikeet Adventures.  You could buy a little cup of bird nectar and take it in to feed the birds.  (I'm sure you see where this is going).  We bought the nectar and walked in the doors and heard the instructions.  Micah walked through the rope door first and went to put the stroller away.  I walked through with John Mark.

Within two minutes of walking into the bird area, birds started dive-bombing at me and landing on my shoulder, arms and hand.  You know that movie birds?  It was like that.

Immediately I begin to FREAK OUT.  I start crying, yelling "I HATE BIRDS!  GET THEM AWAY!  I REEEEALLY DON'T LIKE BIRDS!" and trying to get Micah's attention.  A lady behind us says "you probably shouldn't be holding the nectar"... (which makes perfect sense) so I start trying to hand the nectar to John Mark- who is also freaking out (because of me, I'm sure!) because a bird is on his shoulder. 

I finally make my way across the exhibit to Micah- who is standing there, watching the whole thing and LAUGHING AT ME!  I throw the carton of nectar at him and crouch down.  The birds all flock to him and I start to calm down (and calm JM down too...)

I look around the exhibit and realize that everyone in there is staring at me.  (I wonder why?) The zoo worker is just smiling behind his hand, probably trying to contain his laughter.  I was almost embarrassed... but not really, because I REALLY don't like birds.

easter weekend

The Easter festivities began on Thursday with John Mark's Easter party and egg hunt at his school.  We took cross shaped sugar cookies (that I bought at McLaren's) and I found fun little peep bag toppers that I put together for his friends.

He had a great time hunting eggs with his friends.  It was CRAZY windy outside, so in all the pictures I got of him with his friends they are all squinting and holding their hands over their eyes. Still super cute though.

One of the perks of working at the same church where he goes to school is getting to walk over to his parties with Micah.  I'm going to miss being right across the lawn next year when he is in pre-k in public school.  (WAH!!)

Friday morning we loaded up at headed to Central High to see my parents and have an egg hunt with all of John Mark's friends down there.  It's one of my favorite things that we get to do and this year we invited some new friends to come play with us.

Before the egg hunt though, we dyed Easter eggs.  This was John Mark's first experience with real Easter eggs.  He wasn't too sure about it, but thought it was really cool when we were done with the whole process.  He loved getting to work with his daddy too.

Nanny came by to see us too.  She loves John Mark and over spring break, he nicknamed her "baby doll."  It's the funniest thing, especially since he makes her call him "daddy-o".

We headed back to Edmond Saturday afternoon so Micah could work the Saturday night service at church.  Sunday morning Micah had to be at church early.  John Mark and I got up and headed to church for the 10:45 service.  He looked so handsome in his Easter outfit.  Unfortunately, he wasn't exactly cooperative when it came time to take photos of him wearing it.  This was about the best I could do. 

We spent the afternoon at home and then went to Micah's grandparents for dinner that evening.  It was a great Easter weekend filled with the ones we love!

resurrection eggs

I love Easter.
Of course, I do love most holidays.
But I especially love Easter.

The celebration of what my Jesus did for me...
The starting point of salvation for mankind.

I wanted to make this day about THAT for John Mark.
Not just eggs and candy and baskets...

I've heard of Resurrection Eggs from several people,
so I went to Mardel and bought a set last week.

Last night we sat down on the floor and read the story.
It's the sweetest thing.
John Mark loved opening each egg to see what was inside.

Each egg has a something small in it-
a donkey, coins, nails, etc.

But the last egg, the gold egg- is empty.

When John Mark he opened it and said-
"Empty... Jesus is alive!  He rose from the dead!"

These are awesome tools for teaching young kids about Easter.  I would highly recommend them to anyone with kiddos!

Happy Easter everyone!

thank you

Thank you for the cross, Lord
Thank you for the price You paid
Bearing all my sin and shame
In love You came
And gave amazing grace

Thank you for this love, Lord
Thank you for the nail pierced hands
Washed me in Your cleansing flow
Now all I know
Your forgiveness and embrace

Worthy is the Lamb
Seated on the throne
Crown You now with many crowns
You reign victorious

High and lifted up
Jesus Son of God
The Darling of Heaven crucified
Worthy is the Lamb
--Hillsong

home

It was a LOOOONG trip home,
including an overnighter in Albuquerque,
(thank you spring snow storm!)
but we made it.

1AM on Sunday the bus pulled in.
My church has never looked so good...
my shower never felt better...
I wanted to kiss my toothbrush!

And don't get me started on my bed.
That was just heaven.

I'll post a full recap later.
But for now- I'm just glad to be back.

Thanks to everyone who prayed us home.
I am convinced they led us.

leavin' on a jet plane

well, a charter bus anyway...
tomorrow we head out for the great state of Arizona.
with 35 high school students
and 10 college students.

we have to be at the church at 4:45 AM.
it's currently 9:15 PM.
am i packed?
nope.
am i sitting on the couch with rach getting new music?
of course.

sometimes people ask how we do it-
the crazy schedule, always going.
i say that's just how you know you're called to something-
when it seems crazy to the rest of the world,
but makes perfect sense to you
and you couldn't imagine life without it.

that's what i love about God-
we're all equal parts different and important.

if you think about it- say a prayer for us.
safety. obedience.  peace.
all of those would be appreciated.

what's your manna?

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  Hebrews 4:12

I love this verse and the promise that every time I read His word, He wants to speak to me.  No matter the number of times I have read a story, I can learn something new.

I've read the stories of the Israelite journey to the Promised Land more times that I could ever count.  With each and every reading, I've judged those silly people more times than I want to admit.  And each time I've judged them, I've felt conviction over the moments in my life when I have done the same thing.

But last night as I read this story, a verse stood out to me in a way it never has.  "And we hate this wretched manna."  Pretty harsh words from a people who, 40 days prior to this had begged God for this very thing.

And it struck me- I DO THE SAME THING.  As I look over my life, I can think of two very specific times in my life I have lived in bondage- my Egypt.

Both times, the Lord moved in mighty ways to set me free.  I walked out of my Egypt head held high and marched across the Red Sea.  I watched as my enemies were drowned as the water crashed down onto them.  I knew in my heart of hearts that the Lord had moved- and provided me this opportunity, this freedom.

I walked along, basking in new found freedom, until my heart became calloused.  I noticed that I was hungry and cried out to the Lord.  He was gracious (so very, very gracious) and sent manna from heaven.  It was sweet, unexplainable and nothing I had ever experienced before.  My heart was happy again.

Weeks turned to years and eventually the manna started to get old.  What I had once viewed as an amazing and perfect gift from the Lord quickly turned to something else- an annoyance in my life.  I found myself exclaiming "I hate this wretched manna..." and wondering if maybe God misunderstood what I had asked for.  And asking him to maybe make the manna a little more like ________.

Isn't it funny how we can pray and pray and ask God to give us something.  And for a while that something exceeds our expectations and makes us happy... but as our happiness becomes more attached to the blessing, we forget the Giver of that gift.  We find ourselves loathing the very thing we asked for all those years ago.

And so I ask you today- what is your manna?


forgive me, Lord.  i have taken so many blessings in my life for granted.  i have become complacent in the wilderness without trusting you to move.  i've given up and stopped moving forward towards the freedom you've promised to me.

babies babies babies

We are so blessed by our fabulous group of friends.
Every Tuesday we meet to do small group.
For 3 years, we've been the only one with a kid.

But last April, Daryl and Evan had sweet baby Logan.
And last month, Chris and Kelly had baby Darryl.
So our small group has grown.

It's so fun to see the different stages of life.
And I love watching my best friends become parents.

Being a parent is such an awesome responsibility...
it can be overwhelming and scary...
rewarding and fulfilling...

I can only pray that I can be a good mommy example.
And that in all I say and do,
The words I say... the way I love...
Will show my son the love of Christ.

This is the cry of my mommy heart:

"God, our God! God the one and only!

Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got!

Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates."

friends

“As I look back on all that’s happened…growing up, growing together, changing you, changing me — there were times when we dreamed together, when we laughed and cried together. As I look back on those days, I realize how much I truly miss you and how much I truly love you. The past may be gone forever…and whatever the future holds, our todays make the memories of tomorrow. So, my lifetime friends, it is with all my heart that I send you my love, hoping that you’ll always carry my smile with you, for all we have meant to each other and for whatever the future may hold.” --unknown

We met in college.  She was a friend of an acquaintance.  Eventually, we ended up teaching 8th graders together at church.  She was one of those people who managed to be incredibly cool and incredibly genuine all at once.  After our weddings, she invited me to be a part of a small group with her...
Jamie

Our first night in a new small group, she and her husband walked in, collapsed on the couch and started talking immediately about her yelling at him to "Get the spices" when he tried to wake her up from a nap.  She was quirky, funky and real- nothing fake about that girl.  After a couple of months in this group, I worked up the nerve to ask her to lunch.  She almost jumped on top of me yelling "YES!"
Natalie

Six years of friendship and that's how it started.  The three of us, going to lunch every Wednesday- (the Indian family that owned the Quizno's knew us by name).  It was during those lunches that I met my best friends, the kindred spirits of my heart, my very best friends.

They've been there for me through all the ups and downs of my adult life.  The night I showed up on Jamie's front porch, bawling my eyes out... Jumping up and down in the street rejoicing over pregnancies... Nights spent studying the Word and confessing our needs to one another.  Road trips, musicals, running... laughing, crying, times when we just didn't know... births, deaths... Sunday night dinners and Tuesday nights... slap sticky and two susies... These are memories I will cherish forever.

These girls have taught me the meaning of true friendship.  I am so blessed and I thank God everyday that Jamie was brave enough to ask me to that small group.  I know that I wouldn't be the believer, wife, mommy I am today without the presence of these beautiful women in my life.

"I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason
bringing something we must learn and we are led
to those who help us most to grow if we let them
and we help them in return.
Well I don't know if I believe that's true but I know I'm who I am today
because I knew you...
I do believe I have been changed for the better
Because I knew you-
I have been changed for good" 
--For Good, Wicked

I love you girls, so much.
And I had a fabulous weekend with you two.
Counting down the days to April!

a tall girl's lament

I'm tall.  Always have been, always will be-
(unless that whole shrinking as you age thing is true... but that's besides the point)

Growing up, I was tall.  But not only was I tall...
I was skinny and not just skinny... SKEEEENY...
like didn't weigh 100 pounds until I was in high school- even though I was like 5 foot 6 or something.

Needless to say, shopping for pants was a wee bit difficult. 
(actually- more like the most impossible task known to all mankind.)

While everyone else got to be cool and wear their pants cuffed  cutely over their multi-colored scrunchy socks, I was doing good just to get pants that covered said scrunchy socks WITHOUT the cuff.

Everyone else got to wear the matchy-matchy sweatsuits.  Do those pants come long enough?  Nope.

And don't even get me started on dress pants and khakis...

All this has created a very real phobia in my life.  I am so afraid of high-waters...  pants NOT on the ground, if you will...  My pants have to practically DRAG the ground for me to feel they are acceptable.

I refused to wear capri pants for the first 5 years they were popular, claiming "I've spent my entire childhood trying NOT to wear pants that look like this... why would I ever do this on purpose?"

And the cute "ankle" pants short girls get to wear?  Forget about it!

I've always dreamed of walking into a store, breezily grabbing a pair of pants and wisking them home to fit my inseam perfectly.  Unfortunately, it goes more like this:

Locate my size... then find them in length LONG... then pull out every pair of long to find the LONGEST one... Only to have my hopes and dreams dashed in the dressing room when they're STILL not long enough.  (you think i'm kidding, but I so am not!)

Anyway, all this to say- I now have a boy.  A boy who, at age three, is 45 inches tall- and weighs 45 pounds.  You do the math- that's one TALL, SKEEEEENY boy.  So you can only imagine my horror when Micah dressed him the other day and his socks were peeking out of the top of his shoes.  I almost hyperventilated... pulled his pants way saggy down and felt a little better. 

Immediately I told Micah that we HAVE to get him new pants.  These are entirely unacceptable.  He told me to chill out- John Mark's 3... he doesn't even know the difference in long and short pants.

But little does he know- I have plans to use our clothing money to hit up the old navy jeans sale this weekend and buy my boy some new jeans- size 5 slim.

Because heaven forbid he have to go through life wearing pants that are too short like his mom.

sick, sick, sickies

We've been a little under the weather at our house.
It started the Tuesday before Valentine's day.

Aly, our beloved baby-sitter who is leaving us to get married (WAH!!) had just picked JM up from preschool.  She had to run back to the office to talk to wedding details with a lady.  JM walked into my office, crawled in my lap and just laid there.  Clue #1 something wasn't quite right with my baby.

After a couple minutes there, he got up and walked to Aly.  She picked him up and he just laid his head on her shoulder- clue #2.  She sat him down and he walked over to me.  His face was really pale and he was sweaty but shivering- clue #3.  He looked at me and said "mommy, I ate bad candy... I frowed up..." I knew that look and those words, so I grabbed the trash can.  Poor baby left his entire chick-fil-a lunch in my trashcan.

*Time-out to brag on my friend Mallory.  She's not a mom yet, in fact, she's basically a baby herself and she was at my desk during this lovely moment.  I told her she could leave if she needed to, but she stuck it out and then went to get paper towels and sprite for the poor baby.  She later told me she didn't even gag.  Mal, when you become a grown-up, you will make a fabulous mommy!*

So we went home.  We laid on the couch, alternating between watching movies, napping, playing and needing "the bowl." 

When Micah got home from work, he was running a fever and seemed to have contracted a lovely cold.  This would be an ideal time to mention this was the week before student ministry's (his job) biggest event of the year.  Oh, and his buddy that works with him was also sick.  And their assistant.  Great timing!

We all stayed home on Wednesday.  JM was fine on Thursday and went to school.  Micah stayed home, still not feeling well.  Friday we went on our valentine's date and Saturday was normal...

Sunday at 4:00 AM, I woke up with a bad tummy-ache.  I thought it was just something I ate, so I tried to lay there and get comfortable... Nothing worked.  Then about 6, I got sick.  Apparently I got JM's 12-hour stomach bug on steroids.  My valentine's day was nothing but miserable.

Tuesday, JM woke up with Micah's nasty, nasty cough.  By that night, he was running a little bit of a fever, but seemed okay.  I left him with Aly the next morning, but went home at 3 because his fever was 101.  Fortunately, that went away pretty quickly.

We went to the doctor on Friday just to make sure everything was okay.  He had a bit of a virus.  He was so sweet and brave when the nurse poked his finger.  He just looked at me and said "mommy, why'd you let her use that purple stapler to take my blood away?"  Sweetheart!  He cried a little, but felt tough with his transformer band-aid not too long after.

This past weekend was Big Weekend and he got to stay with BB and Poppy.  The house has been cleaned and sterilized and all the laundry is done (thanks, Mom!) so HOPEFULLY (fingers crossed) the sickness has left our house.

So that's where we've been for the past two weeks.  How about YOU?

love, love, love

In honor of valentine's day and the sun shining today,
here is a list of things I love, in no particular order.

*caramel lattes

*snuggles from Narty

*cupcakes

*cherry coke zero

*reading

*ipod touch

*cooking

*running outside

*taking pictures

*blogs

*buying groceries

*taking naps

*You've Got Mail

*dates with Micah

*salsa

*words

*my job

*facebook

*candy

*my niece, Elliana

*candles

*dryer sheets

*spider solitaire

*coffee with wheeler

*fro-yo

*calling it fro-yo

*middle schoolers

*mentoring

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Love the ones you're with!

a potato-y valentine

Today I went shopping with John Mark for a valentine gift for Micah.  We have plans to go out and I was running a little behind on his gift.  So we set out to Target to find the perfect gift for the mister.

As we walked around the store, we ran into this:

 

A mix and match, 35 piece, Mr. Potato Head set.  Every man's dream gift, right.  I tried to talk John Mark out of this gift.  I told him that daddy would probably much rather have something else.  But no... he was convinced.  Daddy NEEDED Mr. Potato Head.  He gave some very convincing arguments-

"Mommy, we can all SHARE this present."
"There's a boy for me, a boy for dad and even a girl for you."
"It's PERFECT."

It even ended up in the basket.  So... guess what we walked out of target with.

 

Officer Potato Head and the rest of the 35 piece, Mr. Potato Head set.

We came home and went right to work putting them together.  Using the bodies of  several potatoes we already had, we created these beautiful masterpieces.

 

Mrs. Potato Head

  

 Dr. Potato Head

 Fryer Fighter Spud

John Mark was thrilled.  Micah was happy to see John Mark so excited.  I thought the whole deal was hilarious.  Just don't tell John Mark that daddy is getting a different gift on our date tonight...

be mine

I love valentine's day.
It's quite possibly one of my favorite days of the year.

I love all the red and the pink...
the hearts and candy and flowers...
I love an excuse to make heart shaped treats.

Speaking of... I made these cuties the other day.

They're really quite simple...
Rice Krispie Treats, cut in hearts with chocolate.

You start by melting butter and marshmallows:
I decided to use the pink marshmallows to make things more festive...

Then you dump in the rice krispies and put them in a pan.
I didn't document this because, well, it requires more than one hand.
(and it's not complicated... then again, neither is pink marshmallows...)

After they set in the fridge for a few minutes,
Cut them with a heart cookie cutter.

Then melt some chocolate chips.

Here's where you can get funky...

you can dunk the treat in the chocolate

OR drizzle it all over the tops.

For my first set, I used the dipping method.

It was a little much on the chocolate.

So I drizzled my second batch.

Then bagged them up, with a pretty red bow-

instant valentine treats for JM's teachers!

Unfortunately, I forgot to get a pic of them drizzled and in the bags...

But I'm sure you can imagine.

Fun and simple.

My kind of treat!