Some Thoughts on Prayer

Noah: After we adopt a girl baby we won't have any more seatbelts in our car.
Jeana: Yeah, we'll have to get a mini-van.
Noah: I don't think we could get a mini-van.
Jeana: Yeah, I don't think we could get one either. But I think God could give us one. I'm praying that he will.
Noah: But I don't hear you praying...
Jeana: Well, sometimes I pray silently in my head.
Noah: Oh. Well, I will pray that you get a mini-van, too.
Jeana: Thanks, buddy.
Noah: You pray in your head and I will pray in my mouth. "Dear King Jesus, please give Mommy a mini-van if you want her to have one. Amen."

I love how Noah was so responsive and ready to join me in prayer. His Sunday School teacher told me that he's been volunteering to pray in class. And at bedtime he consistantly prays for several of our missionary friends and a family who is the process of adopting. I'm so proud of my son and so pleased about his tender heart for God.

Another thing that struck me is that I need to be praying out loud more often. When Noah said, "But I don't hear you praying" I realized that I need to let Noah in on my conversations with God. I want him to know the things I'm praying about and for him to recognize how God responds and works in our family's life.

Milestone

Noah had his first playground injury today. He tripped while running and scraped his elbow. He's pretty proud of his giant bandage.

Extra Cuteness

Jeana: Toby! How did you get so cute?

Noah: I know! He stole my cute powder!

Jeana: Oooh, is that how? Toby, did you steal Noah's cuteness?

Noah: Yeah, but it's okay. He can have my cuteness--I have extra!

Noticing

Every Tuesday and Thursday, when I go to pick up Noah from pre-school, I see the same old couple walking down the street. They have matching jackets, blue with yellow accents, and matching dogs. Sometimes the man is carrying a paper grocery sack from Trader Joes. Even though I only see them two days a week I have to assume they walk together every day at 11:15 am.

Last month I noticed that the man was using a walker and the woman held the leashes of both dogs. Last week I noticed that the woman was walking alone. I felt so sad. Did her husband die? Was she strong enough to carry a Trader Joes sack by herself?

But today the man was back! On a scooter. With a Trader Joe's sack in the front basket. I rejoiced in the car and grinned all the way to school.

Note to self: Life and death is happening all around me--don't miss it!

Wedding

This morning Geary and I were cuddling when Noah asked, "Why are you doing that?" Geary said, "Because we love each other and we're married."

Noah scoffed, "You guys aren't married!"

I pointed to several wedding pictures and said, "Yes, we are! Look! There's a wedding picture, and there's a wedding picture, and there's a wedding picture..."

Noah was impressed. "Wow...you guys went wedding a lot!"

A Bad Day for Mommy

Have you ever had one of those days where everything seems to go wrong? Yeah...me, too. I just had one recently. Thursday.

Toby's shots made him fussy all day long which frayed my nerves.

Noah had a couple meltdowns at the park which further frayed my nerves.

I accidentally closed the car trunk on Noah's elbow which made me feel like a horrible mother.

I cracked my thumbnail halfway down while trying to unbuckle Toby's carseat--ouch!

And then...on top of all of that...this happened:

Toby was in his bouncy chair watching me eat dinner--enchiladas. He kept flopping over to one side so I had to keep adjusting him. One time when I adjusted him I noticed that I had gotten enchilada sauce all over his legs. So I wiped off the sauce with my hands and then licked my fingers. Only...it wasn't enchilada sauce.

In case you're wondering, breastfed baby poop is completely flavorless.

Eight Weeks!

Today was Toby's 8 week well baby visit. He is growing like crazy! He weighed 11 lbs 3 and 1/2 oz (47th percentile) and measured 23 and 1/4 inches long (71st percentile). Remember when he was the size of a goldfish cracker?

He also had to get five immunizations, but he handled it like a pro. He let out a mighty scream and then wimpered for about two minutes while I rocked him. Then he was all smiles and giggles again.

Thank you, God, for this healthy bundle of joy. We have been incredibly blessed!

All Smiles

Brother Stuff

Noah is completely in love with his baby brother. One of his favorite things to do is sing a song that he and I made up for Toby. We usually hold Toby up and make good use of his step reflex while singing.

I had a little monkey,

His name was Toby Joe,

I put him on the racetrack

To see if he would go.

He raced past all the spiders,

He raced past all the goats,

The winner of the jungle race

Was little Toby Joe!

Noah has also become quite good at giving brotherly advice. For instance, "Toby, we don't kick people in the face."

The Many Faces of Toby Joe

Updatifacationage

It's time for some updates, don't you think?

Tobin is getting bigger. I took him for a weight check on Tuesday and he was 10 lbs 5 oz and 22 inches long. He's also getting balder and is sporting the perfect hair-do for a friar. We're pretty sure his eye color is dark-dark-almost-black-does-this-kid-even-have-pupils-brown like his mother. In fact, Toby has quite of few of his mother's features including skin tone, ears, and spreadable toes. (Geary and Noah can't spread their toes apart--freaks!)

Noah has started this summer's round of swimming lessons. The first lesson was a bust--he just sat on the steps of the pool and cried. I think there was just too much going on and he didn't know anyone and it was kind of overwhelming. But his next lesson went great and he is really excited and motivated about learning to swim. He's also learning to recognize different car symbols and can identify Honda, Ford, Nissan, Audi, Toyota, Mercedes, Lexus, Chevy, and Jeep.

Jeana had her 6 week postpartum check and is doing great. My energy levels are coming back and I'm starting to feel like a functioning human being again. I'm looking forward to summer vacation and Geary being home during the day (so that I can maybe get a nap and/or a shower).

Geary is looking forward to the end of the school year and working on getting us a mortgage so we can buy a house when we move to Oregon! Yep, we're definitely moving--probably in August. I wish I could tell you more, but it will be better to wait until more details are figured out.

Negotiating with a 4 year old

On Saturday Geary and I took the kids to Half Price Books. I found a Robert Munsch book that was not yet part of our collection (Mud Puddle) and excitedly showed Noah. "Look, Noah! Do you want to get this book?" Noah barely glanced at the cover as he replied, "Nah...how about this one?" and held up a cheap Dora the Explorer book. I tried to convince him, "How about I read this one to you and you can see if you like it..." He considered this for a moment and then said, "Okay. And when I don't like it we can buy this one." I got the hint...but I still bought Mud Puddle.

All My Boys

I'm so blessed!

The Scariest Place

Noah and I were having some snuggle and story time while Toby napped. I was telling him the story of Rapunzel.

Jeana: So the witch pushed the prince out the window and he landed in a thorn bush!
Noah: Hey! That's like the Forest of Prinkles and Forns!
Jeana (laughing): The what?
Noah: The Forest of Prinkles and Forns! It's the scariest place. It has spiders and hawks and chasey bats!
Jeana: What are forns?
Noah: Like the pokey things on roses.
Jeana: And prinkles?
Noah: Like when you're in the bath for too long and your fingers get all prinkly. Okay. Finish the story.

Where a kid can be a kid

Noah went a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's yesterday. He really enjoyed playing the arcade games, especially the race car ones.

Noah and Jaxson (the birthday boy) were so little they could barely reach the gas pedals.

Playing WaveRunner. Noah was thrilled that it was a game and a ride!

The funniest part of the party was when Chuck E. came out. He was introduced as "the master of fun" and then proceeded to lead the kids on a march around the tables. Super fun, right? Not. So here was this line of 4 and 5 five year olds looking totally annoyed. One kid even rolled his eyes and said, "When do we get cake?"

After the party Noah made a good connection...

Noah: I liked the whole party except one part.

Jeana: Which part?

Noah: The marching part.

Jeana: Yeah, that didn't look very fun.

Noah: It was kind of like that Piped Piper story.

Jeana: You mean The Pied Piper?

Noah: Yeah. But instead of a man leading the mice it was a mouse leading the people! Except nobody drowned.