The simple life

She's wearing a pale purple and gray flannel shirt, blue socks, and a damp diaper.  Evelynn is tottering towards me.  She's lovely and, for the most part, entertaining herself right now.  This girl of mine is just a doll, and I am so enjoying being a mommy.  She mimics facial expressions and sounds (blowing kisses, snorting, rolling her tongue).  She wants my laptop so badly, she cannot take her eyes (or her hands) off of it.  I just dug out Caleb's play laptop for her, but she seems to know the difference!

I continue to be amazed at how quickly my children change.  My Evie Hope has nearly weaned herself; she is also walking, talking and eating independently.  She now sleeps 10 hours a night and naps at 10 and 2 during the day!  I thought that would never happen!  I am also amazed by how different my children are from one another.

Caleb will be three in November (please check out the invitation on my FB wall).  He's really thriving.  He has become more outgoing and talks to everyone, about everything!  He remembers everything we say or do, and he eats constantly.    This is a kid who knows what he is about. :) He will tell you his name means "strong man who holds onto a good report."   He knows his is not to cause his sister "distress," but takes care of her and his baby bear.  He says some of the most insightful things at times. 

For the most part, I am having a great time staying at home with these kiddos.  Our days are all very much the same, but we sure do have fun!  I am blessed with a little girl who is up early, so every morning she and I take a walk (to keep her from waking the rest of the household). After breakfast, the kids and I go to the park  (there are 36 parks in Visalia!).  Because Larry works from home a lot, I am able to spend time with him during the day as well.  We eat meals as a family, and he and I take coffee breaks together while watching the kids play. We have really simple daily routines, but it keeps everything moving along smoothly. 

Life in Christ is good, and we are very blessed with a simple, happy life. Caleb just woke up from his nap, so now I have two kiddos trying to get to my keyboard!  Finding Caleb's apple juice just passed up blogging on my priority list...I'd better go.  Enjoy your blessed day (we sure are!).  :P

The Latest

Evie's 1st birthday party was a blast.  We hung out with family and friends, ate authentic Italian food, drank wine, and watched a very happy little girl open presents with her Daddy.  Aside from birthday festivities, there's so much going on right now.  The kids are getting big, strong, and smart...fast!  Caleb is speaking in full sentences about surprisingly mature subjects.  Evelynn is playing games, nearly walking, and responding well to sign language.  I'm (we're) finding that our children are very aware of everything we do (and say). 

Caleb is a little hawk, so sharp! Today we had a discussion about whether Mommy should go back to work.  I hadn't even told him that I was considering a teaching position when we asked me if I was going somewhere.  I told him that I wasn't going anywhere, but I pushed him for information on the subject.  I asked if Daddy could stay at home with him while Mommy went to work.  With fiery eyes and a strong voice, he responded, "No.  Daddy goes to work; Mommy stays with me."  That (decision) was easy.  Caleb is very intuitive.  He asked for a cheese sandwich yesterday.  I was thinking about requiring him to eat some leftover broccoli as well, and before I said the word, he piped up with, "No.  No broccoli Mama."  Funny kid.

Larry is leaving for a men's retreat for a few days, so it will be just me and the kiddos for a while. And if Christ doesn't come back, I am sure the kids and I will have many insightful conversations while he's gone!  I bet Evie Hope will be up and walking confidently by the time he gets back.  I know one thing for certain:  God will never leave or forsake us (or you!).  Enjoy your blessed weekend!

Evelynn is ONE today!

Happy birthday to our Evelynn Hope Newman!  She is busily "reading" her way through a basket of books right now.  This time last year, Evelynn was still fondly known as B.G. Newman (Baby Girl Newman).  It took us a long six days to choose her name.  Evelynn means "lively" or "full of life."  The name suits her perfectly.  Everything about this little one is lively!  She regularly giggles, snorts, blows kisses, grins, and crawls to flop her bum into your lap.  She is active from the moment she wakes until she can no longer keep her heavy eyes open.  She climbs up and onto EVERYTHING imaginable.  Her middle name is Hope because she took so long to arrive; I was sure the Lord would return before she made her debut!  Boy, was she worth the wait though.  I have never met a more amiable, sweet baby.  I cannot believe she is already a year old, and with such a personality!  God's hand continues to be on this child as she grows daily into a beautifully healthy, submissive, and Godly girl.  Happy birthday, Evie Hope!

Secrets and homemade chicken pot pie!

Hello again!  It has been a very long time since my last post.  Life just keeps moving along swimmingly.  The kids are keeping me very busy and are getting cuter by the moment.  This morning Evelynn was crying while I was elbow deep in pie crust dough, and Caleb came to the rescue!  He crawled up to her, laid down on his belly directly in front of her little face and asked, "Is you okay, Sissy?" (I love 2 year old grammar!) She lowered her volume and he tried again..."Can I tell you a secret, Sissy?"  She paused, as if to answer affirmatively.  He put his lips to her ear and whispered,  "I love you!"  She giggled, and my world was made right again!  Every day these beautiful babies are such a challenge and a joy!

Right now (among other things) we are gearing up for the Senior Living Tour this Saturday, 10-2 p.m.  Our assisted living facility, Abundant Living for Seniors will be showcased on the city wide tour of elderly homes.  Which means mama is a very busy lady right now!  Evie's 1st birthday party is also this weekend on Sunday, 4-6 p.m.  Join us to celebrate with an Italian themed pot-bless and homemade chocolate cake (thank you Pioneer Woman for the great recipe!). 

I want to get back to blogging more regularly because the kids are always doing something so amazing that I am daily convinced they are both baby geniuses!  I want to share and remember these precious moments.  But for now, off to lunch with my blessed family.  Another recipe from thepioneerwoman.com:  homemade chicken pot pie.  I'll let you know how it turns out, or better yet, head over to our place for some lunch with the Newmans!  :)

God's perspective (What is it?)

This is Larry here...

I was reproved, corrected and enlightened this morning. The word of God, the truth, the gospel is an awesome thing and God surely has enlightened me to things in his word, regarding his truth, about the gospel. There are some things that God has shown me that have revolutionized my life such as...

The way to know our Jehovah God is by understanding his mercifulness to our iniquities and that he never brings to his remembrance our sin. (Hebrews 8:11-12) This reality is the basis, the foundation to our NEW covenant with God. For me this was such a cool connection. It showed me the nature of our Father, as forgiving (and faithful to what he says).

Another truth that God has shown me that once again has recoursed my life in so many ways is the reality that we are justified as a GIFT by his GRACE. It is nothing of ourselves, nothing we did. Our justification (being right in God's sight) is purely and wholly in the reality that Christ’s redemptive payment of shed blood was enough for God to never ever ever hold anything against us. (Romans 3:24-25)

Which seed will you plant?

Ungodly beliefs: the LIE which produces DEATH

1. I don’t belong. I will always be on the outside (left out).
2. I will always feel lonely. My spouse will not always be there for me.
3. I am the problem. When something is wrong, it is my fault.
4. My value is in what I do. I am valuable because I do good to others, because I am “successful.”
5. I can avoid conflict that would risk losing others’ approval by being passive.
6. The perfect life is one in which no conflict is allowed, and so there is peace.
7. I am unattractive. God has shortchanged me.
8. I have wasted a lot of time and energy, some of the best years of my life.
9. Authority figures will just use and abuse me.
10. My value is based totally on others’ judgment /perception of me.
11. I will not be known, understood, loved or appreciated for who I am by those close to me.
12. If I fail to please you, I won’t receive your pleasure and acceptance of me. Therefore, I must strive even more (perfectionism). I must do whatever is necessary to try to please you.
13. The correct way to respond if someone offends me is to punish them by withdrawing and/or cutting them off.
14. God is judging me when I relax. I have to stay busy.

Godly beliefs: the TRUTH which produces LIFE and PEACE

1. I do belong. I am an adopted child of God. I am in his household.
2. I am not lonely, and I have God’s perfect spouse for me permanently in my life.
3. I am not the problem. When something is wrong, I am not always at fault.
4. My value is in who I am in Christ, not what I do.
5. I will not avoid conflict by being passive. Instead I will confront the issues in a Godly manner. I will no longer fear rejection.
6. When there are conflicts, I will use the wisdom and knowledge of God to bring about peace.
7. I am attractive. God says I am beautifully and wonderfully made.
8. If I fail to please others, I will still receive their pleasure and acceptance because I am in Christ.
9. Godly authority figures will not use and abuse me.
10. My value is based totally on God’s perception of me in Christ.
11. I am known, understood, loved and appreciated for who I am by those close to me.
12. I can be very open about what I say because nothing can be held against me.
13. The correct way to respond when I am offended or hurt is to choose to be open and communicate my hurt to the other person. I can do so because God will protect me and love me unconditionally.
14. Not I, but Christ. Done (instead of do).

Camping with the Saints

So we are back from Camping with the Saints!  From the first VERY cold night at Huntington Lake, I looked forward to my cup of Starbucks in Clovis on the way home.  It was certainly a long, productive trip.  The kids did great.  It was so good for them to play and learn in the environment of Truth and amongst saints.  Caleb played long and hard with the big kids, who were so patient and kind to him.  He seemed to grow wings and was rarely at our camp site as he was so busy exploring.  Gone is my little mama's boy.  *Sigh*  And our Evie Hope loves dirt!  She wasn't truly happy unless she was plopped down in the middle of the camp site in the dirt.  She ignored her toys completely opting instead for sticks, pine needles, dirt, dirt and more dirt.  She crawls like a pro now, and I really have to watch her (more than I ever had to watch Caleb) because she moves so quickly. 

Mothering around the saints was really eye opening for me.  Not only did I see how the body of Christ works together to take care of itself, but I became aware of how much judgment and condemnation I had been placing myself under.  Satan is really crafty.  Sometimes judgment against myself is really subtle and others it is so obvious.  No, I am not at my ideal weight.  No, I do not capture every opportunity to spend quality time with my kids.  No, my children do not always sleep when they should or obey when they ought.  But SO WHAT?  More and more I am seeing that this is the very stuff of Christ's redemption.  I learned that when I reckon myself dead to sin and alive unto Christ, I am FREE from caring about how badly my old man flesh stinks.  Talk about revelation! So when my 9 month old cries until 11:30 pm because she is cutting teeth and then wakes the entire camp up before 5 am for the same reason, I refuse to let satan (I purposefully use the lower case) trick me into wasting time worrying over what others will think.  Because I am right before God, I can do my best as a mother and let the rest go (in theory).

We very nearly went into shock when we drove into the valley heat on Monday.  It felt so oppressive after the cool mountain weather we felt unable to breathe. To avoid the heat, we have been in the pool and indoors while we acclimate to the weather.  Caleb started swim lessons this week.  He is doing well with Hannah B. and loves to be in the pool (most of the time).  He is also now comfortable in his big boy bed.  That's another story of God's provision; we were given a Thomas the Train toddler bed - - perfect for Caleb.  It's been amazing to watch God see and provide for our needs during this time of financial conservation.

Speaking of God's provision through the body, I have been so blessed by unexpected gifts!  Daily I am humbled by a gift from someone in the body of Christ.  Gifts that are truly blessings because they are from the heart and require nothing of me.  It is difficult to accept such abundance without anything to give in return.  We haven't shopped for veggies in almost a month because the Brophy family has provided us with egg plant, squash, and cucumbers.  Kathy gave me a beautiful tea cup and saucer while camping, diaper cream, Caleb big boy underwear, spending cash, and more.  The Christoffersons provided much of our food while camping.  Sophia gave us two huge bags of beautiful name brand hand-me-downs for Caleb (were talking $140 jeans for a two-year old!).  It's really amazing how God has just taken care of us.  Like I said before, it's difficult to accept without having something to give in return, but I suppose that's a lot like grace, right?  Christ was God's gift to us.  All we have to do is receive His work on our behalf.  We cannot earn grace and it does no good to try and "repay" what was given in love.  Humbling.  I keep after God about how I can bless those who bless me. 

Well, Caleb is spending time at his nana and papa’s house today.  Evelynn is napping.  Larry is reading on the porch, and I am blogging.  So, life is getting back to “normal” around here – whatever that means.