Keep On Praying for Noah...Please!

Well, I continue to pray for Noah -- what a blessing it has been to follow the Crowe's on their journey via their blog http://www.prayfornoah.weebly.com . They found out this week that the pathology of the tumor was malignant and are currently waiting for a protocol for treatment from one of the the world's best cancer pathologists - a doctor at Johns Hopkins. To say that this isn't the news they were hoping for is an understatment. However, we know that God is bigger than this diagnosis!! They are holding firm to the knowledge that God is walking them right on through this.

This Friday Noah will have a 3 part surgery - he will be having a port put in for his chemotherapy treatments, he is having a skin graft to repair the burn he received in the MRI, and he will have a spinal tap to rule out a cancer threat in his spinal fluid. John David and Jessica are thankful that all of this can be done at one time...but of course, as parents, they wish they could take the burden of the surgery and treatments on themselves. They were told that it could be 6 months to 1 year before the treatments are complete.

Please pray that they will continue to feel the very REAL presence of God. John David's prayer request is as follows...

I am asking specifically that you pray for Noah to remain full of joy and peace as he goes through this treatment, that Jessica and I remain strong, that our light shine and that God be glorified through this season of our lives.

If you have a chance to read their blog, John David posted about getting a "No" answer from God when it came to their pleas for benign pathology results. It is EXCELLENT! It is encouraging to all of us who at one time or another have been discouraged by the answer that we have received to prayer. I would try to give you a summary...but I fear that I wouldn't do it justice...it really is best to read it for yourselves.

Praying for Noah

I have all sorts of photos that I want to post. They are of my car's vicious attack on the garage door last week, but something much more serious is on my mind right now.

I have a SEVERE feeling of helplessness and I read updates from a sweet couple in Alabama - John David and Jessica Crowe - as they battle an aggressive form of brain cancer in their son, Noah. John David is the worship leader at Friendship Church in Athens, Alabama. I had the priviledge of singing with him many Sunday mornings during worship and I know he and Jessica both walk very closely with the Lord. However, their faith is being tested at this time as they struggle to put one foot in front of the other to walk down this tough road. The beautiful thing is that they are allowing God to lead them and it is AWESOME and WONDERFUL to see their faith in action -- if only the circumstances weren't sooo challenging. (To see their writing and updates on Noah, as well as photos of this precious little boy, you can go to http://www.prayfornoah.weebly.com/.)

I just want to ask anyone who comes across this blog to pray PERSISTENTLY for Noah. I use the term persistence because it was in KidzVenture just this past week that we talked about praying w/persistence. I joked with the kidz because our Bible verse was 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and our translation (NLT) stated, "Keep on praying." I had the kidz read the verse 3 times with me...one right after the other...and said - "There. Now you have memorized a Bible verse this week." They laughed, but if no one else had it memorized - I did - and I have needed it.

We spoke about praying with persistence being more than whining and asking God for the same things over and over again. Persistence comes in to play when God is saying wait or you feel like he hasn't answered just yet. Persistence means walking with God in an active way while continuing to pray for something that you think God would want. But all the time being willing to accept God's will in the situation. That sounds soooo good on paper (or the computer screen) but to walk it out is a VERY different story. I find myself getting discouraged and giving up when my prayers take a while to be answered. I know now that my focus is all wrong.

Noah has a long road ahead of him - perhaps 2 more months in Birmingham for treatments, etc. His cancer is most likely malignant. It was the size of a grown man's fist. They weren't able to get it all because of the proximity to the brainstem. But every step of the way, God has sent Christ followers to minister to the Crowes...even the team of doctors and nurses that performed Noah's surgery yesterday PRAYED for him and themselves as they began. God is using John David and Jessica at Children's Hospital to minister to other parents who are also hurting...but who see something sooo different in the Crowe family. God's hope.

The Bible verse that they are clinging to at this time is this. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them." Romans 8:28 NLT

I am going to purpose to be persistent to pray for them. Will you join me?

Pumpkin Guts are STINKY!!

I am sooo behind on posts!! But I came across this picture again today and I had to put it on the blog and explain! This is what Luke thought of our pumpkin carving this year - "IT'S STINKY!!" He would walk into the kitchen and make the most hilarious face and immediately cover up his nose and announce those words to us. Needless to say, he didn't do very much to help prep the pumpkins for carving -- and it was HIS idea for us to do this.

This year we tried templates for the first time. I just googled 'pumpkin carving templates' and explored a couple of web sites until I came up with a few that I wanted. I wanted a silly pumpkin and Kyla's vote was for a vampire pumpkin -- I think we both got close to what we wanted. It was MUCH easier to use a template than to do the 'free-style' carving that we had always done before. In the past we drew on the pumpkin w/a sharpie marker and attempted to cut along the lines -- it always worked out fine...but was never EXACTLY like we had planned. Next year maybe I'll even try an 'artsy' pumpkin -- but I'll have to convince the kids that is what they want first - ha!

Summer didn't seem to find the pumpkin guts too stinky. Look at how close she is getting to them!

At 10 years of age - Kyla may be the 'expert' in the family when it comes to pumpkin preparation. (She already is on SOOO many other things - ha!)

Trick or Treat!

Trick-or-treating has become a BIG deal for us since we moved back to Texas. To be honest, we NEVER once took the kids trick-or-treating door-to-door in Alabama (the Haneys did once, but we didn't). That sounds soooo terrible...but they ALWAYS had pumpkins FULL of candy before Halloween ever came and went. At our church they had trunk-or-treating at the fall festival...where people would line the parking lot and hand out candy at their automobiles. Talk about covering a lot of square footage QUICKLY...it was VERY efficient! On Halloween night, we never had many trick-or-treaters because our house set sooo far off of the road...you wouldn't drive up to it if you didn't know who lived there...so we were able to let the actual Halloween night sneak right by and the kids were none the wiser. Advance a couple of years and now we live smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood where ALL of the kids head out for candy. No more hiding from it so we have embraced it!

This year - we had a pirate girl (Kyla), a candy corn witch (Summer), and a boxer (Luke) - as well as Princess Jasmine (Caitlin) and Snow White (Taylor). It was WONDERFUL that Halloween was on a Saturday AND that we received a bonus hour!! I'm not sure how many trick-or-treaters came by the house...PopPop stayed to hand out the candy this year...but I know that it was ALOT. We went to more houses this year than ever before...mostly because there ARE more houses in our subdivision than ever before. And more to come - wonder how much candy there will be NEXT year!?! ha!

The Mis-Adventures of DermaBond Boy

Today has been an emotionally draining day. One of those days as a mother when you have had such a RUSH of adrenaline that by mid-afternoon you feel as though it is midnight. It has been waaaay too long...once again....since my last post, but I couldn't resist sitting down at the computer this afternoon and writing about DermaBond Boy.

Dermabond. That sure does have a ring to it, right?? One of those scientific words that just rolls off your tongue. Today, thanks to Luke, I had the opportunity to see Dermabond in action. I don't know precisely how he did it - I found him face down on the bathroom floor...arms straight out in front of him as if he were trying to fly...and collapsable potty stool next to him, collapsed, on the floor. It only took a few seconds to hear the crashing sound and then the wailing of one hurt little boy. And only a few seconds more for me to get to him and see the blood...on his chin.

As soon as I saw the cut, I knew a trip to the doctor was coming. It was just too earily similar to Kyla's laceration from the ice-skating rink last year. However, I didn't know if it would need a stitch or not. Thankfully, it didn't - dermabond should do the job nicely. It sure was faster than stitches...and anything that keeps a shot from being given MUST be good. (at least according to Luke) I hope that Dermabond Boy will stay out of harms way for a long, long time and that there won't be a sequal anytime soon!!!

I figure since he is the topic of this post I should post his 1st day of preschool pictures. I can't believe that I didn't...especially since the girl's pics are on here. I guess the third child really DOES get the left-overs. ha! He is attending Universal City United Methodist Church Preschool (say THAT 3 times fast) on Wednesday and Friday mornings - it would be EVERY day if it was up to him. He LOVES it!! I love having a couple of mornings to myself, and I never have ANY trouble finding things to do!!

First Day of School!

Well, it has officially begun. The rushing pace of life after summer has swept us up and we are now being pulled along by the current. Or maybe I should say the kids are being pulled by the current, because I am sitting in a quiet house...typing on the computer...enjoying a warm cup of coffee.

This morning went flawlessly. Neither girl 'allowed' me to walk them in this year. Summer gave it some serious thought, but decided that she could find the gym all by herself (she was having to enter through a different door at the back of the school this year...so she gave it VERY serious consideration...we're talking a back-and-forth-many-many-times type of consideration). Kyla, on the other hand, quickly made up her mind that her mom was NOT to come in with her. A friend from church was a God-send...she was walking her son in and asked Kyla if she wanted to walk in with them...PERFECT! She walked in w/Cheryl no problem....so apparently it wasn't a no-mom rule...just a no-Mom rule. ha!

It is so quiet here because Luke spent the night with Granny & PopPop. They thought it might really help to ease some of the stress on the first day of school...especially since Luke doesn't really understand that he doesn't start school the 'exact' same day as his girlies. They were sooo right! It was downright peaceful this morning! What a blessing!

It took about 30 minutes to do the round trip driving from the house to the two schools this morning - it isn't a far distance...the elementary school is only about a 3 minute drive from the house...the intermediate school is about 2 miles away...but there are 4 school zones that you have to drive through to get from our house to both schools - CRAZY! And I saw the signs - NO cell phones in the school zones now, too - that's new! I guess I'll be staying off the phone...I'd have to hang up every few minutes - ha! I better get used to all of the driving around - this is only the first of many years when the kids will be at different schools.

Back to School Pedi-s

Well, my girls feel like they are super stars!! As a very sweet back-to-school surprise, their Granny and PopPop treated them to their very first pedicure.

They were sooo funny - Summer spent a lot of time giggling because it tickled when they exfoliated her feet. And the women who performed their pedicures were impressed with their manners and how kindly they talked about their parents, so they painted flowers on their toes for free!! I guess the girls will have to figure out what shoes they have that will show off their toes...and match their first day of school outfits.

School starts on Monday. I don't really care for that...it will make for one very LOOOONG first week back. I'm a firm believer that the first week of school should start on a Wednesday or Thursday. That way by the NEXT Monday, most of the glitches in schedules and classrooms are fixed and the real learnin' can begin! But they don't ask my opinion when figuring out the school calendar around here - imagine that!

Summer had a back-to-school night last night and we found out that she will have Mrs. Maryfield for 3rd grade. I'm very pleased - she was Kyla's 4th grade teacher last year...excellent teacher...sweet but firm.

Kyla won't meet her teachers until Monday - no meet-the-teacher/back-to-school night for her. It is a little odd to me, but I guess that will be the 'norm' for intermediate school. Intermediate school!?! That just doesn't seem possible. Some of my most vivid memories of school start in the 5th grade. I don't know if it is because that was the year that I went from private school to public (talk about a culture SHOCK!)...or just because of the age. They are going to post the teachers up at the school sometime this evening...and we'll drive by the school and see. It won't really do us any good - we don't know but a couple of teachers there anyways...and from what one of them has told me - she isn't in her class. But, at least she'll have names - a name is better than no name, I guess.

And then there is Luke. He is going to "preschool-school" two mornings a week this year. He won't let us just call it school...or preschool...it is only to be called "preschool-school" and he has decided that they will teach him how to drive. Wow! I hope that he won't be too disappointed. He could be talking about the tricycle track they have in the center courtyard -they will ride around it and learn 'traffic laws' - but I'm not so sure. You just don't know with that one - he could be talking about driving a car...a motorcycle...heavy equipment...you just don't know. He will have to wait until after Labor Day to start school. The 2 weeks between the girls going to school and his starting may be the looongest two weeks of his and my life...ha!

WAY! WAY! WAY behind!

WOW! I wonder how home-school mom's do it!?! They manage to run a household...stay up to date with life...all the time having their kids under foot. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE having my kids here...I LOVE the summer schedule - or is it the 'lack there-of'?? - but somewhere along the way the time to keep things current vaporizes!! ha!

I always go into the summer forgetting that. Then, for a few weeks I am frustrated with how hard it is just to run the register for the checkbook...or fill out the bill spreadsheets...or get to the grocery store...or POST TO THE BLOG! :) But then, I remember that in just a few short months...life will be back to the school-schedule-pace...and I'll be wishing for summertime once again. So for now - I am trying to EMBRACE the fact that I am behind! That is what the summer is ALL about - at least for me!

I have pictures on the computer from Kyla's birthday, Luke's birthday, the girl's haircuts (Summer's is HUGE - a donation to Locks of Love!!), and even the trip to the beach we just got home from. But then again...all of that has happened in the past month. NO WONDER I'M BEHIND!!

I had this picture of Summer that I took on Saturday...I had to post it. I think I'm going to get it blown up...and printed in black-in-white. I didn't ask her to stand like this...or hold her hand up like that (she is actually touching her necklace)...it was just one of those moments...it reflects her TRUE self! I want to have it hanging on my wall FOREVER!

My grand plan was to get some great pics of the kids on the beach...however, I knew that the lighting was going to be an issue. My delima - I could get the kids out of bed at the crack of dawn so that we could drive to the beach for the pictures w/GREAT lighting...or I could wait, let them sleep in...so that even with not-so-great lighting I might actually capture a smile! I chose the later...especially since we were going to the aquarium for the rest of the day...and naps were not on the agenda. These were some of my favorites...I'll post the more candid playing in the ocean photos later...who knows when...school may be back in, first! ha!

Jazz Under The Stars

I must say...as an adult it is genuinely FUN to hang out with my mom and dad. I thought that my parents were 'fun' when I was a teenager...but I would NOT have ever admitted it...nor would I have desired to hang out with them. By the time I would have enjoyed their company again...I was married and living 1000 miles away. So yet another benefit of moving back to Texas is being able to hang out with my parents (Kyle's parents too btw!).

They invited us last weekend to a jazz performance at my 'little' brother's school. My 'little' brother, Adam, may be 19 years YOUNGER than me...but he is now OFFICIALLY taller than my husband...oh my! He has spent many years playing classical guitar, and he is REALLY good - at least he has been on those rare occasions where we can convince him to put on a mini-concert for us. He picked up the bass guitar just so he could play in the jazz band...and he has some MAD SKILLS!! (that IS a compliment...right???...ha!) Not only does he play with the jazz band, but he also plays in the jazz combo - a smaller, more exclusive group, that travels and performs at functions, etc.

My grandmother was also present for the concert and my how she enjoyed it!! Alot of the music was from the 1940s and 50s...what she considered "her music." They even played "Sentimental Journey" - which was my grandfather's and her song. She mentioned that she couldn't count the number of times the two of them had danced to that song. My grandfather was VERY musical - he picked the guitar up very late in life - and it would have pleased him to NOOOO end to see his youngest grandson playing guitar. Alas, he died in 1995...Adam was not quite 4 years old. So, it was bittersweet for my grandmother to watch - enjoying it herself...but missing my G-dad terribly!!

I must apologize to my mom for the antics with her phone. OK - so perhaps the 'apology' is more of an excuse to re-live the hilarity?? I hope that by now she has taken the time to figure out how to use the camera....and change the wall-paper. Kyle and I might not be so 'kind' as to reset everything back the NEXT time. moooo-waaaaah!!! (diabolical laugh)

15 years!!!

Well, I think it is kind of funny that I am upstairs posting a blog about my 15th wedding anniversay, meanwhile Kyle is downstairs playing the Wii game that I gave him (Tiger Woods golf...or something along those lines). I guess that is what 15 years of marriage does! ha!

We had a fabulous evening! We ate at the County Line...really pigged out would be a more appropriate term. It was a great evening - just the two of us - and we took some time to reflect over the last 15 years and allowed ourselves to think about the next 15. Oh my! That was eye-opening!! It occured to us that our baby boy would be about ready to graduate from high school in another 15 years...let alone the ages of his sisters...23 and 25. At that moment we hoped and prayed that the next 15 years would NOT fly by so quickly as the last 15 years have. Although I do think we should have added a caviat that would allow us to change our minds when our girls get to that 'oh so pleasant' teenager stage...I have a feeling that I will want to speed through that time period and get to the mid-twenties when they will consider that Kyle and I will again have an IQ that can be respected.

I wish that I can say that 15 years of marriage has been easy-breezy...but I have to admit, there have been times when it has been hard work...for BOTH of us. However, when it is all said and done, there isn't another man on the planet that I would rather spend the REST OF MY LIFE with! I thank God for crossing our paths 19 years ago (almost exactly) at that scholarship interview...where Kyle held my purse for me. That is the man I feel in love with...that is the man I am in love with...that is the man I will be in love with...forever.

Summer's Dance Recital

After missing two weeks of dance rehearsals due to the swine flu break, I wondered if Summer's dance recital would be postponed. However, in true show-biz fashion and 'the show must go on' mentality Summer performed with the Cibolo Hermann Sons dancers at Texas Lutheran University yesterday. She complained most of Saturday about being nervous and not really wanting to perform, but once she was out on the stage during the dress rehearsal she was fine. She loved it! She couldn't WAIT for the performance!

She has danced for 3 years now...but she hadn't performed since she was 5. The year we moved she missed the recital and then last year she choose soccer over dance...so it had been 3 years since she had been on stage...I think a few nerves were justified! The girls danced to True Blue by Madona - (that is the blue tap outfit) - and Sunrise by Nora Jones (that is the yellow ballet outfit). I liked them both, but my favorite was the tap routine - the parents and kids voted for that for their group photo as well.

Summer was blessed with LOTS of family to watch her - Granny, PopPop, Mime, Grace, Dustin, Lisa, Caitlin, Taylor, and of course Kyla, Luke, Kyle, and me! Yet another instance when it is WONDERFUL to be near the family - they can share in your children's exciting moments. It's GREAT! I was able to make two flower arrangements for her out of all of the flowers she received - she felt like such a DIVA! You can probably tell that by the smile from ear to ear in her pictures! ha!

Busy! Busy! Busy!

After our swine-flu break, life seemed to pick up at a rapid pace and I have felt about 10 steps behind ever since. The break extended our soccer season yet another week. However, we FINALLY finished the season Saturday - a close game...but sadly, a loss. Kyla played goalie the 2nd half of the game and did an OUTSTANDING job. She even had a stop where she went for the ball and was practically tackled by an opposing player...she has a scrape right at her hair-line on the nape of her neck - a battle scar. A little frightening for mom...but it was something for her to talk about all day. ha!

It stresses me out to watch her play goalie. I wonder if she realizes all the pressure that 'should' be on her in that position?? There were 3 different kids who played that position this year...interchangably...and the coach awarded them with a special trophy at the end of the season party. Can you tell how proud Kyla is of hers??

Coach Mark has been an excellent coach these past four seasons that we have played with him. We learned at our last game that this will be his last year as coach of the Prowlers. His son, Stephen, was accepted by one of the Lions' teams - no surprise, he is an EXCELLENT player - and so we will be without him AND Stephen in the fall. It will be interesting to see what the fall will bring. I'm sure whatever it is, will be a fun new adventure to Kyla.

Swine Flu Break Week #2

By the second week of the swine flu break the natives were getting a little restless! Luke LOVED having his girls home all day long - they provide him endless hours of entertainment - but with no swimming pool open....and really nowhere to go....the girls' patience was running thin. You can imagine this was doing the same thing to mine!

Granny & PopPop stepped in just in time to save us. They had Kyla and Summer spend the night on alternating nights. Kyla went first, on Monday...and Summer was going to go on Wednesday...after we were to get home from the Dinosaur Musical (another sneak out and about). However, just as quickly as it all began - it was to end. We got a phone call on Tuesday evening (5/5) that the kids were to be back at school on Thursday (5/7). It seems the CDC reversed it's decision to close schools for 2 weeks and so our district had permission to re-open. Luckily, Summer could spend Tuesday night at Granny and PopPop's house and THEN we could go to the musical and finish our swine flu break strong!

We saw the Dinosaur Musical at the Magik Theater. What a GREAT job they do! We have seen 3 productions there now...and it is fun to pick out the actors/actresses based on the other roles we have seen them in. For instance - we knew the prince dinosaur was also Cry Baby William from Junnie B...and we recognized Junnie B...and Meanie Jim...and the actress who had played the mouse in "If you Give A Mouse a Cookie", etc. ha! :)

When Thursday morning rolled around, it was as if it were the first day of school. The girls were excited to see their friends....of course! We have since found out that the days will NOT have to be made up. The state is allowing us an exemption because the circumstances of the closure were not in the school district's control. However, we have had to deal with the cancellation of sooo many fun, end-of-school activities - field trips, field day, talent show, even the science fair. But I guess we can deal with that, if it means we won't have to stay in school until mid-June!!

Swine-Flu Break Week #1

Well, let's just say that life took an interesting turn a few weeks ago here in Guadalupe county! The swine flu 'epidemic' hit a local high school and before you knew it the ENTIRE school district was shut down for almost two weeks. We found out the schools were closing from a recorded phone call on Sunday afternoon - April 26th. We were told to keep the kids home for the week...avoid contact with other kids...stay away from crowds, etc. It was CRAZY! However, we did our best to comply (until Friday). I must admit I did have to take the kids to the store with me in the middle of the week. With such little notice, I didn't exactly have the pantry stocked for 24-7 home life.



The first week was novel...we stayed in...played the Wii...or played in the backyard. We weren't supposed to go to our neighborhood park - and ALL the city parks were closed...and the library too. However, on Friday, we headed north on I-35 and went to Mime's house. Mime treated us to Chuck E. Cheese for lunch and the kids had a WONDERFUL time! Luke must have tried EVERY game in the place! It was sooo nice to get out and about - but we DID use Germ-X at every turn...just in case!

On the way home from Mime's, we got a phone call from Kyle who had just driven past the school district office on his way to grab a bite to eat. The automated sign read that school was also closed for the next week. By this point, Kyla and I were over it and disappointed, however, Summer was excited for yet another week at home.

2nd Annual Morgenroth Easter Egg Hunt

Granny and PopPop outdid themselves this year in the 2nd annual Morgenroth Easter Egg Hunt. I think the total number was 22 family members and friends in attendance...7 kids hunted eggs. The younger children hunted eggs in the 'backyard' area...but the older kids hunted them out in the back pasture - a CHALLENGE!! :) They had a blast...although by the end, when there were only a few more eggs to find, it seemed that patience began to run thin and meltdowns were only a few more minutes away. Why is it that the LAST egg is the hardest one to find?? ha! :)


This year, my parents, brother, and sister were able to make the trip over from Pflugerville...so we were able to celebrate w/EVERYONE at one time...VERY special!! Also, since Summer's birthday was the next day...on Easter...we went ahead and celebrated her bday with the family as well. I think my mom was in 'shock' at the amount of food that is served when 'us' Morgenroths get together...she just couldn't believe it!! I thought it was funny....'cause I thought we did a MUCH better job at being 'conservative' this year! Imagine her shock if we had really out-done ourselves in the food department.


There were sooo many years that we couldn't be with our family on Easter and we usually had something we could do -- many fun memories of Easter at the Hughes' home come to mind! However, there is something very special about being near our family once again and watching the kids hunt the eggs that their grandparents have carefully hidden for them. It brought to mind the egg hunts that Granny Opal used to hold...however, her eggs were MUCH harder to find!!! The orange egg hidden in the pomegranate tree was 'Granny Opal-esque'...to coin a new word...I think she would have been proud of that one!


I LOVE to tell the story about my first egg hunt at Granny Opal's home. When your boyfriend tells you that his 80 year old grandmother had hidden Easter eggs...and each person is in charge of finding ONE egg...what comes to mind? For me...I thought 'how cute!' I didn't think it was so cute when I was practically digging through her flower beds looking for my ONE egg. She had a 'knack' for hiding those eggs. The first egg I ever found was BURIED under a very large bush. I had to move the branches back just to see a nickle sized glimmer of brightly colored plastic. Then, I proceeded to DIG that puppy out of the ground...I was ready to be DONE! ha!


It makes me smile to think that my children will have memories like that with their grandparents!! I hope that this slideshow will help you enjoy some of the moments that we enjoyed that day....

Easter Sunday 2009

How is it that time seems to escape me whenever I am trying to stay on top of posting pictures and writing about the events in our lives!?! I realized this morning that I posted these pictures on my facebook page, but never here on the blog. So I decided to make a slideshow of them in order to show more pictures...in a 'smaller' space. I apologize to those with dial-up internet...I think that it doesn't give you access to all of the pictures, however, I think that I forwarded the facebook link to those of you who I knew look at the blog and might have trouble seeing them all.

Easter Sunday was busy...but FABULOUS. We not only celebrated our Savior's resurrection...but Summer's 8th birthday as well. What a blessed day!

Lessons Learned from Our Children

I hope that is no secret that I am a Christian. It certainly isn't something that I EVER want to hide! It is actually something that I wish and hope for anyone that would ever read this blog. Usually, my posts are light...they are great 'fluff' pieces on my family...the writing is meant to entertain...the pictures are full of the fun we have had. But today, I want to post something just a little different. I want to tell you the AMAZING lesson that Summer taught me yesterday.

I must admit, I often don't give Summer enough credit. She is almost 8 now...and drama! drama! drama! I don't enjoy drama...I don't have TIME for drama...and I feel I loose patience with it rather quickly. I have often thought that her DRAMA is a way that she will NOT be overlooked as the middle child! She was born with drama...9 weeks early...bedrest for 6 weeks before that....so why does drama now suprise me!?! ha! However, in the midst of all of that drama is a soft heart...a heart that I now respect more than ever...let me explain.

This has been a tough week for Summer. She has two friends who have turned against her...I know, drama!...but it has wounded her. She got into the van two days ago and told me her day was "terrible!" and that two of her 'friends' said that she wasn't their friend anymore and ignored her the whole day. Sadly, my first response was more like 'what did YOU do?' instead of 'what happened?' and it put her on the defensive all over again. Perhaps I need some lessons on mothering. :(

Yesterday, the same problem - neither girl would talk to her all day. She tried to figure out what had happened. To the best of her understanding, they think she said something negative to them while they were standing in the lunch line...and for that...they are no longer her friends...have I mentioned how much I DON'T LIKE DRAMA!?!

Anyways, last night Summer and I sat down and just took a few minutes to talk. I know the girls' parents...I know the girls...I wondered if I should intervene...I wanted to know Summer's opinion...I wanted to be her advocate, if that is what she wanted. I wanted to 'educate' her on friendship and what a true friend really was. And then she WOWed me!! She told me of a brief exchange that she had with one of the girls. She tried to talk to one of those girls...and from the best of my recollection the conversation went a little like this:

Summer: Why won't you talk to me?

Girl: You aren't my friend anymore!

Summer: Even if you say I'm not your friend anymore, I can still treat you like one.

Girl: Well, don't!

O.K. As a Christian...as a mom...really even just as a human being her response AMAZED me! I immediately responded with - "SUMMER! That is EXACTLY how Jesus would have responded!" I could tell her in the midst of this - God was showing her how to be just like Jesus! That brought a smile to her face! It brought tears to my eyes!

There was a framed Ann Geddes picture in the girls bedroom for many years that had a caption that said something like - having a child means having a piece of your heart walk around outside of your body for the rest of your life. That is sooo TRUE! I see what Summer is going through and it breaks my heart. However, what an awesome opportunity for God to shine through her. I found myself praying this morning that God would take this away from her...but then I stopped myself...and prayed for God's will in the situation instead. Boy...that was a HARD prayer!! It brings tears to my eyes even now. But I remind myself that God is faithful! He is right there with Summer and he can show Himself greatly in her time(s) of need!

I just wanted to share that you you. Perhaps it will encourage you! Perhaps it will challenge you! I know that it has challenged me. Let me also leave you with this scripture:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV

Big Boy Bed!

SOOOO much attention to Kyla and Summer...and Luke has such exciting news! He is now sleeping in his BIG BOY bed...AND he is working on potty training. We/he has been fairly successful at BOTH. He spent his first night in the bed on Saturday...and he giggled and giggled as I tucked him in. He also spent his first FULL day of potty training on Saturday...and did EXCELLENT until the evening...when he had accident...after accident...after accident. I felt bad for him...having no nap may have been a factor. But today was a new day and w/a 'rough' start this a.m....a couple more accidents...we were accident free all evening.

I am thankful that he seems to be 'catching' on...and each accident is getting less and less of a 'mess.' We figured that spring break would be as good of time as any to train...I have my extra sets of eyes (Kyla and Summer)....and hopefully, we will spend less time out and about because most of our activities are on hold this week.

That is all I will mention on that subject...some of you may be squeemish about it. (sorry) But hey!...when you are writing about a two year old...your subject matter can turn squeemish REAL quick. Just be thankful that I don't have pictures of him on the potty...or of the 'mess' in the potty. I watched a re-run of John and Kate Plus 8 (or as Luke calls them - John and 8 Plus Kate) and she actually takes the children's pictures WITH their first 'poop' in the potty. I like photos...but NOT that much....you can say, "THANK YOU!" now. ha!

Parent Watch at Dance

I am beginning to think that Summer is really learning dance. I'm not trying to be cruel here, but what parent hasn't watched their child attempt something and thought, "I'm not sure they understand what they are SUPPOSED to be doing." ?? This has been the first year for Summer to be in dance that I see her learning the routines and trying her BEST to remember her steps...I love to see the effort she is putting into it! It makes it as ENJOYABLE for me as for her.

We had the opportunity to peek in on their dance class last week...so of course, I took a few photos too. They are working hard on their numbers for their recital - they will perform one ballet number (to a song that had the word "sunrise" in it alot...I wasn't familiar w/it) and one tap number (that one is to "True Blue"....a blast from MY past...ha!). I can't wait for May 17th to come around!! I think my girl is going to WOW me!

A 'little' blurry...but I love the action in this photo!

Great extension of her arms!! She is improving sooo much this year!!

Dancing buddies - Jenna, Katie Jo, & Summer (all Schertz Elem. 2nd graders)