"Mama, are you Santa?"

Yesterday, while we were driving in the car, the song Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer came on the radio. Wubs and Bella did their best to sing along, and it was so fun to hear their sweet little voices. We were driving to pick up some poinsettias that David had ordered for the YMCA, and I wasn't exactly sure if I was on the correct street. At the redlight, I picked up the email David had printed out for me with the directions, and I was trying to read it when Wubs asked me a question. "I'm sorry Wubs, what did you say?" She repeated her question, "Mama, are you Santa?" *gulp...* My mind was swirling, my heart was racing- what should I say??? I decided to just answer her exact question, and say no more. " Well, I'm your mommy." I looked at Wubs in the rearview mirror. "Nooo! I'm being Rudolph, Mama! Are you Santa?"

"The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love."- Psalm 145:8

Hamsters

Early Saturday morning, we went to Breakfast with Santa at the YMCA. Wubs loved sitting on Santa's lap and telling him about her special Christmas wishes, but Bella refused Santa's warm attempts for a hug. wink. After breakfast, we stopped for David to get a haircut. There was a line at Sports Clips, so to entertain the girls during the wait, we all walked next door to Pet Smart. Oooooh, what a treat for Wubs and Bella! Bella liked the fish and cats. Wubs enjoyed watching the dogs getting groomed at the ' salon'. As we were leaving, we saw them. The hamsters. Wubs loved those furry little fellas! She had her face pressed up to the glass to watch them run on their little wheels, eat their seeds, and drink from their bottles. Today, as I was cooking dinner, Wubs drew me this picture. She said, "Mommy, look! I made you some hamsters! Aren't they adorable?"

"Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips."- Psalm 141:3

Forgiveness

This morning, as I was loading the girls into the car to run a few errands, Wubs made a confession. Apparently she was feeling a little convicted about an incident that happened in her Wednesday night discipleship class. "Mama, when we were supposed to do our craft at church last night, I didn't go to the table when my teacher told me to." "Why didn't you obey your teacher's words, Wubs?" "Well, I was making a tower." "Hmmmm. Do you think you could have made a tower after you went to the table to make your craft?" "*sigh* Yeah. Do you forgive me?" "Of course, I forgive you Wubs! Do you know why Mommy will always, always, always forgive you?" "Why?" "Because Jesus taught me how to forgive. He will always forgive me, and I need to forgive others."
"Jesus will ALWAYS always forgive you?!? That's really cool, mama."

Sweet Wubs. We are praying that one day, both of our girls will understand just how 'cool' Jesus really is! It still amazes me that He loves me, and He forgives me. Always.

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."- John 15:9-11

A Texas Thanksgiving

We enjoyed a very special holiday treat this Thanksgiving! We got to travel to Texas to spend time with our precious friends, the King family. We drove (17 hours, whew!) across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana to reach Beaumont, Texas. The Lord blessed us with a wonderful vacation, filled with great conversations, laughter, and lots of delicious food! Wubs and Bella loved playing with Sarah, Andrew, and Ellie. When it was time to leave, Wubs said, "Mommy, I wish Jesus would give our house to someone else and we could just live in Texas!"


Ellie and Bella squealed with delight each time Bryan would jump out to catch them!

Andrew + Wubs = A perfect match!

Bella shows us her super strength!

Best of friends.

Ellie and Bella loved having tubby time together!

Bryan and Jamie- We love you!!!

"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."- Psalm 25:5

Psalm 126:3

"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."

"Lollipop- hot?"

Yesterday we made a quick little stop at the local CVS pharmacy. As I was unloading the girls from the car, Bella was very interested in a man standing outside the building. He was smoking a cigarette, and I think she was confused about what he was doing. As we were walking through the parking lot, Bella began to ask, "Lollipop- hot? Lollipop- hot??" I quietly replied, "No, baby. He doesn't have a lollipop." Now, Wubs has asked me before about the 'no smoking' signs we have seen at various restaurants and stores, and I have explained that smoking is bad for you. I told Wubs that smoking isn't healthy for our bodies, and to make my explanation more dramatic, I added that smoke makes your insides turn black and sticky. Well, Wubs has a very good memory. wink. We had almost made it past the man and inside the pharmacy, when Wubs very loudly explained to Bella, "Bella, he's SMOKIN'. That's really bad and he'll turn black inside and it's NASTY!" *gulp* Note to self: Wubs will repeat everything I say.

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under complusion, for God loves a cheerful giver."- 2 Corinthians 9:7
Here are some pictures of the girls making 'scary' jack-o-latern faces for the camera!
Wubs took the picture below of Bella and mommy!And Bella turned 2 years old last week! Thank you, Papa, Nana, Great Grandpa and Great Grandma, for coming and helping us celebrate! We enjoyed making sweet memories with you!

'Praying A Quest'

I am so incredibly thankful the Lord has given me the opportunity to be a mommy! He has also allowed me to be at home with our little girls. Each day is a treat, filled with new adventures! I want to follow the instructions written in Deuteronomy 6:5-7, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Although I am still growing in this responsibility of teaching our children about Jesus throughout the day, I do try to grasp teachable moments. When I am driving in the car with the girls, I always use that time to pray outloud with Wubs and Bella. It's part of our routine. I have taught Wubs that a 'prayer request' is anything she would like us to pray about together. Yesterday, as we were backing out of our driveway, I said, "Burrr! Jesus has given us a beautiful chilly morning! We should tell Him thank you! Wubs, do you have anything else you would like thank Jesus for?" Wubs thought for a moment and replied," Actually, I have a praying a quest." It was so sweet!!! (Her 'praying a quest' was praying for daddy at work. Precious!)

"I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life."- John 6:47

Zoo Trip

Last Friday, Daddy took a day off from work to take his girls to the zoo! Wubs and Bella especially enjoyed the sea lions and flamingos, and David liked the snake that fell from the tree (true story... an angry squirrel chased a snake out of a tree right in front of us on the walking path). I liked everything about our zoo day- from the beautiful weather to the sweet family memories we made together. Here are some pictures of the fun!






(This is my favorite picture! )

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."- Phillippians 4:7

Miss Style

Our soccer season ended this past Saturday morning. Coach Scott had a banner made for the Striker team to run through before the big game. There was a boombox playing some fun music for the children, too. (If you read the banner closely, you'll see 'Wubs'! We laughed about that!)

After the game, our team met at the nearby McDonalds for an awards ceremony. Each little player received a soccer trophy. As Coach Scott was giving out the trophies, he introduced each player by saying a few kind words. Players received awards such as the "Mr. Defense award", "Miss Engergetic", "Mr. Score another goal", etc. Finally it was Wubs' turn to receive her trophy. David and I had no idea what Coach Scott would say, since Wubs hasn't been very...um...competitive this season. wink. Wubs proudly received her award for being "Miss Style" for always having her piggy tails and shirt sleeves tied up with sporty soccer ball ribbons. Watching Wubs happily receive her award, I thanked God for the way He made Wubs, our little Miss Style. She may or may not ever have a passion for sports, but we are praying that Wubs will have a passion for the Lord!

"My command to you is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, the he lay down his life for his friends."-John 15:12 & 13

Seventy-three cents

This weekend we went out for a special frozen treat with daddy! The fall weather is so beautiful!

Bella, Wubs, and a new friend playing follow the leader.
Bella in her favorite shades!
Seventy-three cents isn't very much. I could probably dig out seventy-three cents from the seats of our family car or from the bottom of the diaper bag. But it was seventy-three cents that amazed me the other day! Here is what happened...

A few weeks ago, I found out that one of the benefits I receive from my part time job at our church is a medical reimbursement plan. I haven't been to the doctor in a couple years, so I haven't needed to turn in any receipts. Apparently, this unused money rolled over from the last two years. I had no idea how much money was in the account, or if I would ever really use it. My friend, Cindy, told me that I could always turn in receipts from our family medical expenses- not just my own personal medical receipts. (David is really good at managing our monthly budget, paying our bills, and saving our receipts. I knew we'd have some receipts to turn in for sure!)

David and I have been praying for a long time about our finances. We have seen God's hand over and over again as He has provided for our needs. Our goal is to become debt free! When I told David about the reimbursement plan at the church, he asked, "Will it help us make the payments for Bella's tubes?" Bella got ear tubes back in April, and her surgery did qualify for the reimbursement. The reimbursement check was mailed to our house last week, in the amount of $1, 140. David called Wake Med (the hospital where Bella's procedure took place) and our remaining balance was $1,140. 73. The difference was only seventy-three cents! All we could say was, "Thank you, Lord!" As always, His faithfulness and provision is amazing!

"Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them."- Psalm 111:2

Multi-tasking

( Daddy and Wubs stretching during soccer practice.)

It wasn't until I became a mommy that I truly understood the importance of multi-tasking. I enjoy a good challenge, such as folding laundry while simultaneously playing Pet Shops with Wubs, changing a diaper while listening to my voicemail, cooking dinner while playing hide-n-go seek...the list goes on and on. This morning, however, I attempted to take my multi-tasking to a new level. wink. Wubs wanted to take a tubby and Bella wanted to eat breakfast, so I thought, "Hmmm, why can't we do both?" I prepared a plateful of waffles, and then I got the bath ready. I helped both girls get into the bathtub, and I cut up the waffles into delicious bite sized pieces. It was going really well until... Bella's tummy got full. I held the fork out for Bella, with a yummy waffle bite dangling. Bella pushed my hand away and said, "All done, mama". It was then that a 'terrible' thing happened. That little waffle piece flung off the fork and splashed into the water. You would have thought a tarantula had accidentally fallen in the tubby! Both girls began splashing and screaming, "Ahhhh! Get it, mommy!!!!" I was doing my best to fish out the waffle, but it began to break apart into even smaller pieces. Bella started to cry. Wubs continued to shout, "Get it, mommy!!!That's nasty!!!" Although it seemed like a good idea at the time, I don't think I'll be serving breakfast to our little girls in the bathtub again. (Daddy giving Bella a quick sugar during a time out!)

"Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness."-Psalm 115:1

Marching?

We have a sad spoon. (Actually, we have two sad spoons. One stays inside my pocketbook, and one is in our kitchen. ) The sad spoon is used only when our children are intentionally disobedient or defiant. We never spank the girls when we are angry, and while we would prefer to 'overlook an offense', we understand that training and disciplining our children go hand in hand. Today as I was reading in Hebrews, I came across an encouraging scripture that I really need as a parent. "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."- Hebrews 12:11 There are days that I feel discouraged as a mommy because my children are continually requiring me to be the referee, the mediator, and the sad spoon administrator. wink. A dear, wise friend told me that God doesn't expect us to be perfect, but he does expect us to be growing. I'm still learning a lot about being a mommy, and I am so thankful for God's word, a loving husband, and Christian friends who share their wisdom. I want to find joy (and many smiles) in the trials of parenthood. Which brings me back to the title of this post- marching...
Wubs has been working on using words that are not angry or whining. It's been an uphill journey for our oldest daughter, and we have been training her in this area. We have been giving her examples of words she could use when trying handle a frustrating situation. Wubs has been wrestling with this concept to the point of making a growling sound when she is mad, because she didn't want to get the sad spoon for using angry words. (I quickly trained her that growling was not okay either. wink.) This morning as I was turning off her television show and leading her to take a bath, she glared at me and stomped her foot- hard. "Wubs, did you just stomp your foot at mommy? Was that a kind thing to do?" Wubs replied, "Awwww, mommy. I wasn't stomping. I was marching with one foot."

(Thank you to Lisa for the beautiful black and white pictures I added to this post! You are such a gifted photographer!)

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful in building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."- Ephesians 4:29

The Snuggie

Just a little info before this story...
Have you seen the commercial for the Snuggie? It's really a blanket but it has a hole for your head, and it also has sleeves and pockets. It looks like a big fleece poncho. The commercial promises you will stay warm and cozy while wearing the 'fashionable' Snuggie. wink.

Today we went to Wal-Mart to pick up some snacks for our soccer team. Tomorrow is not only team picture day, it's also our turn to bring snacks for the Strikers! Wubs was riding in the basket of our shopping cart, and Bella was riding in the shopping cart seat. All of a sudden Wubs shrieked, "Mama! Look! It's the Snuggie! Look! It's the Snuggie, just like on Qubo!!!" People actually turned to look at us and laugh. (Qubo is one of the channels we get on our tv. ) It was really funny! And after all, not every four year old can spot a Snuggie!


'He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge."-Proverbs 14:26

Bunk Beds!

The bunk beds arrived this weekend! We were all so excited! David and I painted Wub's 'old room' pink, and now the girls share a 'new room'. Bella loves sleeping in her big girl bed, and Wubs is having fun talking and giggling with her sister when it's time for bed. (Last night we even listened outside the bedroom while Wubs prayed with Bella!) Here are some pictures of the happy little girls:





"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ."-Philemon 1:6

Morning Adventure

Today started out like any other day. The girls were eating their breakfast when David said, "Good-bye, girls!" Wubs gave daddy a snug and a sugar, and Bella jumped up to come outside with me. Bella and I always walk David out to his truck, to give him our kisses and stand out in the driveway waving over and over again. It's our little morning routine. I was in my bare feet and pajamas, Bella was in her pajamas, and we were waving like we weren't going to see David again for days. wink! That's when I realized Wubs had decided to join us. And she had closed the door behind her. I really hope I unlocked that door before we came outside, I thought to myself. I tried to open the door... but the knob wouldn't budge. As I was processing what we should do, since David was most likely pulling out of our subdivision by this time, Wubs said, "Mommy, my good morning pee pee's are coming out- NOW!" Poor Wubs, she was mortified at her wet legs and the puddle forming beneath her on our front porch. Think Sarah, think. Surely we have a spare key! Isn't there one under our house in the crawl space? While Wubs waited on our porch in her puddle, I carried Bella through the wet grass and got under our house to search for a possible spare key. Yuck- spider webs! No key. I walked back to the front of the house to check on Wubs. She was watching our tv through the window and waiting patiently. I decided to walk (in my pajamas-except now I've added David's lawn mowing tennis shoes to my outfit) to my next door neighbor's house to ask to use her phone. I called David and I left a message. My neighbor, Anne, was so sweet! She came outside with her two youngest children and everyone played. Wubs joined in the fun too, although a little self-conscious of her wet jammies. David called back and informed me that we do have a spare key, but it's inside his truck. Uh, oh! Daddy drove back home and saved the day!

After a nice warm bath for the girls and a second attempt at breakfast, Wubs said, "Mommy, you know what I was doing when you went to call Daddy? I was talking to Jesus." Oh, how that blessed my heart! Even standing locked outside of our house, in a pee pee puddle, Wubs was still looking to the Lord for encouragement. As much as I feel like I spend so much time each day teaching and training our children, they certainly teach me so much too!

Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.'- Mark 10:27

Splish, splash! It's a homegroup bash!

Our homegroup got to spend a fun Sunday afternoon together! Michael and Andrea Cash graciously offered to host a pool party at their neighborhood pool. We got to swim, have good coversations with great friends, and eat some delicious homemade ice cream and cookies! Yum!


Wubs, doing a little cookie jig. wink!

Snack time!

Girl talk with Andrea, Shonna, Lorri, and Laura!

Peyton demonstrates her dive for Wubs and Bella.


Bella loved the homemade ice cream!( Ice cream and 'kinkles'. She loves sprinkles!) This is a picture of her eating her second helping!


Mommy and Bella.

Daddy and Patrick chatting in the shade.


Wubs and Luke ride the 'boat' together.

We are so thankful that the Lord was brought our homegroup families together. We are excited to grow in Christ with our dear friends!

"Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else and not your own lips."- Proverbs 27:2