No One Puts Baby in a Corner

As always, so much to say, but too little time to document it all! So... just a few notes for now:
1. This is a caterpillar.... the boys are not growing tails or widow's peaks. They thought this was great.
2. Dirty Dancing - did any of you watch that movie? I know it's not the most appropriate movie, but I did really love the dancing and for some reason, I was allowed to watch it. Remember the last line when Patrick Swayze says, "No one puts Baby in a corner"? The other night we were mixing up the seating arrangement at the dinner table. Jonathan moved Myles' high chair to the back near the windows... and I said No - that's not good. He's in the corner all by himself. And then I said, "No one puts Baby in a corner." For some reason, J and I couldn't stop laughing. Like a blast from the past! So at breakfast the next morning, the boys kept saying, "No one puts Baby in a corner. No one puts Baby in a light bulb. No one puts Baby in a wall...." and on and on they went. It was so funny.
3. It is so very difficult to get a picture with everyone smiling.
4. Warm weather is here, and with that, come storms and more storms. This is the first year that Henry has shown a heightened awareness of what 'watches' and 'warnings' mean. He is very into the radar screen and what tornadoes can do. We always take him back to the Bible... reminding him that God is even God over the weather, nothing is out of his sight, He is with us at all times, and even if a tornado did take our home, He is still with us. Would it be scary, yes. Would it be difficult, yes. But not out of His control. The storm the other night was a great opportunity to share with him how we fear the storms b/c they are amazingly powerful and beautiful and frightening all at the same time. But when we are safe in the basement, we can be in awe of the storm but there is nothing to fear. It is similar to God... we have much to be terrified of if we stand apart from Christ. God is amazingly powerful and beautiful and frightening all at the same time and He can crush us, but if we trust in Jesus, we have a refuge from the storm... a strong shelter to run into. And we 'fear' God in an awestruck way, not a 'scared' way. He seemed to really understand that in the way a 5-year old can. It still gave me chills even as a 32-year old... that I have a refuge in the storm of life... a safe place. That is Jesus!
5. Wyatt says the word 'cozy' all the time. The other morning he woke up Henry on accident b/c he crawled onto Henry's pillow b/c he said "I was cold and wanted to get cozy with Henry." Of course, Henry did not appreciate that when he got woke up at 6:20am, and neither did I!
6. Wyatt dilly-dallies (is that even a word?). ALL*THE*TIME. I'm not even sure what he is doing. The other day he was in the nursery at church, and a good friend happened to be in the nursery working. She said Wyatt was playing and told her daughter that she was "wasting time!" Oh dear... I guess that is what I'm saying when I ask him for the 4th time to get his shoes on and he's still trying to talk to an ant on the floor, or catch a fly, or see how many lilac petals he can pick up... "Wyatt, please obey NOW. You are wasting time!" I guess sometimes it's true, but I'm sure other times I could be much more patient with his youthful wanderings! But it was a good reminder that kids repeat what we say. And oh dear Michelle... how I need more patience! I am always praying that God would give me a more gracious attitude with my family.

7. Time truly is flying. And I'm thankful for every minute I have with these kids. I wouldn't trade it for a minute. And I try to keep ever mindful that they are only "mine" for a short time... a loan from God that He's asked me to care for. 

Smiles with Myles - Volume 10

Seriously, we'll let you borrow him if you need a baby fix. He's so darn cute! He is sitting up very well now and babbles off and on a lot... the boys are always hearing words they think he is saying. The other day, they swore he said "I want a cookie." May is winding down thankfully. The lack of posting is due to the pace of this house in the month of May. We are looking forward to June!

Sunday

I titled this 'Sunday' b/c right now for Wyatt, everyday is Sunday. He is always telling us, "Yes, I did that on Sunday," or "Mom, I wore those 'jama's on Sunday," or "Oh, I get it, Daddy's going to work on Sunday." It's so ridiculously cute! But I also titled it 'Sunday' b/c it's a quick recap of Mother's Day. We had a great day. Started off with Jonathan making breakfast like he always does on Sundays, and then church, and then a Trader Joes run, a Five Guys run (which was a great choice b/c there weren't many others in there... I guess no other mom's were requesting burgers for lunch!), and Myles being dedicated at church that night. Jonathan had the boys make me homemade cards and they picked out a new Starbucks mug for me. Love it... my coffee now stays warm from 5:30am to at least 9:30am!

I was hit that day with how much we LOVE our children. It's just indescribable the love that overflows for them. I can't hardly imagine the Lord loving us more, but He does, and His love is perfectly patient, perfectly kind, perfectly perfect. It is such a mystery b/c we are such desperate sinners. First John says, "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." What a blessing!!!!

At breakfast we were cracking up... seriously cracking up. Jonathan was reading Proverbs 31 to the boys. How wonderful this woman is... more precious than jewels, "Do you know what jewels are boys?" asked Jonathan. "Yes," Henry says, "they are like diamonds." Wyatt looks up from his muffin and says, "Or like my jewels..." and points to his privates. Nice. I'm sure that is exactly what Solomon was talking about in that passage.

All in all, we had a wonderful day and I'm so thankful for these three little boys and my wonderful husband!

the race

Race day came last Sunday, May 2. We ran the half marathon - 13.1 miles. Not a bad run considering the scant training. And we finished. We finished even with Jonathan's sprained ankle. Sprained ankle? you say... Yes, sprained ankle. We rode to Cinci with the Berry's for the race. The race starts at 6:30am - so we have to be up at 4am and hit the road by 4:30am in order to get parked and make it to our corral by race time. (Yes, they corral you like horses... in groups estimated by your stated finish time on your registration. I think we were in corral B or C.) We find parking in a parking garage, we all get geared up... stuff our pockets with jelly beans, shed the extra layers we don't need, make sure our timing chips are on our laces, etc. Ask ourselves... do we need to pee, or not pee? Did you have a bowel movement before you left the house? Shoot, me neither... I hope I don't have to go on the run. (Yes, this is exactly what we are all discussing on the way there. If you've never been to a race, I just want you to get the feel! Trust me, you DO NOT want to have to use the porta potty's on the race... it is so very nasty.) I'm never sure exactly what to eat or not eat b/c I don't typically run in the mornings. I chose a bagel and banana and forewent (is that a word?) the coffee b/c that can get my GI system moving too quickly :)

Ok, so we leave the parking garage and it's still dark. Jonathan is hopping all over the place to get warmed up and comes down right on a lip in the sidewalk. Seriously... maybe a 1/8" lip. It was nothing. However, you will see HERE and HERE that it doesn't take much to take this guy down. Too many high school basketball injuries I suppose. He totally wiped out and then sprung up and grabbed Devon by the neck... it was so, so funny and if you ever see Beth and I together, we can completely reenact the entire episode. He would not let go of Devon - so they hobbled back to the car to get a pain killer (which of course is another necessity at every race) b/c Jonathan was determined to still run. Meanwhile, Beth and I wait at the curb and some guy walks past us (who was a runner... everyone you see at that time in the morning in Cinci is either running the race or spectating or doing something illegal... this guy happened to be a runner) and says, "Did that guy just get hurt? The race hasn't even started yet!" We didn't claim him.

*Had to stick this in here...I think I need to start a new label. We were impressed he took the covers for this one!*

He did run, he didn't die, but his ankle was pretty sore, bruised, and swollen when we got home. We finished the race -- had a big pancake breakfast with Devon and Beth on the way home, and then went home feeling REALLY tired. But, it was so great to finish! Bummer we have no pictures with the Berry's -- someday we'll get spectators to come see us so we can have some pictures and someone to cheer us on at the finish line! :)

Don't Ask, Don't Tell - Volume 18

This used to be in the dirt outside. Apparently, they found a better place for it.