Surrendering to the Unknown

I love Saturdays. It is just so nice to not be in a rush at times. They are days where I don't really mind unloading the dishwasher or just straightening the house. The kids are all happy because Daddy's home and that means that they go outside and just do projects all day. They love their Daddy. They love building, love the leaves, dirt, worms, tools, climbing, being dirty, wearing sweat pants, and just yelling. Boys are simple. Girls... Sydney and I like to be inside, drink tea, and just cuddle... Isn't it amazing God made woman for man... it is pretty incredible to be a mother of boys to learn even more about your husband and to gain insight into how they are made, operate, and breathe. I like them a lot.

These pics make me happy; to see Andrew grin like that goes so deep in my soul I can't even breathe sometimes. To watch a child just laugh and be free without going into a sadness any more... what more could you want?

Andrew's first reaction to Santa was, "Happy Birthday"... I guess all American parties seem the same.

We ask him what he wants for Christmas and he says the same answer as Halloween, "Batman".

This week was the first time we experienced that helpless feeling of watching your child realize he is different than others. We had friends over and the kids were putting pony tails in their hair and he wanted to so badly. He asked 3 or 4 times and I kept distracting him saying, put the rubber bands on your ears and on your wrists. It didn't suffice. I then combed out his tiny hair and put miniature rubber bands in it so he could have that same experience. This time it worked. It won't always work. It made me reflect on how many times I will watch all of my children not fit in or not be the same and how hard it will be to sit back and just watch. I think of all the times we will want to control their pain, yet know the pain is what will carve them into the people God wants them to be. I then reflected on my life and others I know and thought, but isn't it neat that each of us has all of these same feelings, some more than others, but we are all left with the same challenge, coming to accept and EMBRACE being different than others.

My sweet friend Shea lost her mother this week and I think of all that a mother is to someone. I cannot imagine her loss and pain right now, but I know it is deep. A mother represents so much to each of us. Whether we have one that is present or not, the images, the emotions, the love, the sacrifice, the human bond between a motheror a mother figure is so powerful. Shea is an amazing person; her faith is solid and her knowing her mother is with Jesus must be so bittersweet. Pray for her and her family as they grieve.

So, only 22 days until the big day. I will have to say, it is rather exciting. I am still like a little kid when it comes to Christmas. I am dying to play with some of the toys I have already bought the kids. I asked Bobby today, "do you know why we celebrate Christmas?" He said, "because Jesus died on the cross"... no son, that is Easter. He then said, "oh yeah, it is when Mary gave birth to Jesus." That is right. I then said, "what do think it would be like to be Mary and be pregnant with God in your belly?" He said, "you mean Jesus" and I said, "well it is really the same" and he said, "yeah, it is like she was pregnant with triplets, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit."

Has anyone else had the experience of taking your Christmas card and sweating? I was sweating, getting them dressed, socks, shoes, runny noses, and making a fool of myself trying to get them to smile...

I am loving my picture of my little girl beside me with her pink hat. The zoo was so much fun; they just loved walking around and feeling as if they owned the place. We went to church Saturday night and so we went on a Sunday morning... that is the time to go.

Can't forget to post about my new cutest little nephew Tommy! My sister had her baby right before Thanksgiving and boy is he a cutie. Another Thomas after my Dad; everyone asks me if I am okay with that and I couldn't be more excited to have another Thomas in the world. Here are some adorable pics...My favorite is of Henry holding Tommy... he is stunned.

OH Thanksgiving, how wondrous it was to get there and just be taken care of. I don't think I got up with the kids one morning until about an hour later of slowing opening my eyes. I have been craving that for 6 months, to know they were fine, but just to awaken on my own time. I found myself just in bliss at times. I got to sit so many hours and just chat while the boys played outside with their new toy guns, john deere tractor riding, and just the outdoors. Virginia is truly the most beautiful place I have been; I just crave the mountains in my soul. There is nothing like my grandmother's place on the farm where my aunt and uncle now live where you just stare at the open space, mountain, and beauty. It just doesn't feel the same staring at strip malls these days...

Bobby was dying to put on a "Pocahontas" play so my Dad was a great sport and edited the version at Plymouth Rock and put it at Jamestown for entertainment. He was Powatan and Thomas wanted to be John Smith... quite amusing. You can see from the last picture those are all the cousins, only little Sydney was outnumbered by the Indians and the Pilgrims...

We were thankful this year beyond all measure. I watched Andrew swim in the bath today by himself and play with a boat for an hour and just thought to myself, "he wouldn't have had this experience if he didn't live here." Those moments I cherish; sometimes life is going so fast I don't get to get the perspective, but when I do, it is breath-taking.