Jackson's first football game!

April 26th, 2014

I have lots of pictures from this game, but I have not talked with the other parents about putting their kids on our blog, so I am just putting a couple on here.

Jackson thoroughly enjoyed this day!  

This whole NFL flag football stuff is for real!  There are more than a few parents who have big tents and they set up on the sidelines.  We took our beach tent because I wanted the baby to be protected from the sun, but it is a little hard to see the game the whole time from in there.  

I doubt I can convince Mike to get us one of the bigtime tents, lol.  

Clemens comics and other stories

Mike could not be home one Tuesday night and I had a Key Spouse dinner I had already RSVP'd to, so I asked my friend Sonia to babysit.  Naturally, I forgot until that day that Jackson was also supposed to have football practice.  I could drop him off at practice, but I would have to leave for my dinner basically right after that.  I offered to see if I could get a ride back home for him or he could just not go to football practice and stay here with Sonia.

Jackson:  It's okay Mom.  I can miss one practice because I'm already really good at football.  LOL!!

Jackson and Max love to have thumb wars, but of course, Thomas is too little to partake in the fun.  So Jackson decided that he would start having "finger grab wars," in which Thomas has to grab Jackson's finger. 

Thomas wins every time :-)

Jackson has this idea that he has a mustache.  He goes to the bathroom today and come out saying, "Mom, my mustache is getting even bigger."

Today we thought we were going to be running around as usual.  However, I received a text from Jackson's football coach saying practice was cancelled due to the weather.  It looked gray outside, but there was no rain at that point.  Within 15 minutes it was raining cats and dogs.  

The boys had been outside playing with their friends and they were at the neighbor's house.  Next thing I know I hear them yelling like little boys, lol, and running from our porch to Evie's.  They were getting soaked, but it was just so funny.  They have not really ever liked to play in the rain like that before.  Max got so wet, but he wanted to continue to play outside, so he came in and put his bathing suit on.  Jackson did one round and he was done, lol. 

How great He is!

Isaiah 12:3  You will receive your salvation with joy as you would draw water from a well.  4  At that time you will say, "Praise the Lord and worship him.  Tell everyone what he has done and how great he is."

I have been beyond blessed here in Hawaii to meet with an amazing group of ladies every Monday night for a Bible/book study.  My heart will be sad when the first of them PCS, which is coming all too fast.  It is ironic to me that I ended up in this group, as I wanted to be low key.  The Lord proves to me over and over again that He will provide what I need and what is good even when I don't know I need it, wasn't looking for it, maybe did not even think I wanted it.

Many of us have exchanged our salvation stories, or in other words, the stories of how we became Christians.  Every time I tell my own story (which generally includes Mike's story) it is surely like drawing water from a well.  I am reminded of the Lord's love for me.  I am reminded how great He really is and how much He is worthy of my praise.  Each time I tell the story I am thankful all over again for how God provided for me then and how He provides for me now.  I am thankful for how He provided for all of us more than 2000 years ago, in Jesus' coming, his death on the cross and His resurrection.  I receive that salvation over again in my head and heart and it gives me strength.

I am reminded that at some point in my life, I did not know how great the Lord really is.  I knew there was a God, and I even believed in Jesus, but I did not have a relationship with them.  And I remember the feeling of something being missing, the feeling of insecurity about my purpose in life and why I am here.  Now I know, and realize over and over again, the greatness of God/Jesus and I say a prayer of thanksgiving that He brought me home to His heart now and one day I will be in heaven with Him forever.

More Easter Fun!

I found this project somewhere on facebook:  basically creating a symbolic empty tomb.  I could not find the small clay pot, so that, in our picture, is a coffee cup, lol.  I think the dirt would have packed in around the clay pot a lot better.  The boys had way too much fun collecting rocks, ending up with a collection of 235 rocks.  We obviously could not put all those rocks in there.

We sprinkled grass seed around the rocks, all over the dirt.  It never did sprout on the top.  The boys went around the back area looking for the perfect sticks to make three crosses, one for Jesus and two for the two criminals who were crucified with Him.  I think it turned out pretty well:)  And we had fun with it!

I love things that help us solidify the story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection into our minds.  I am not sure the boys quite understand the whole thing.   Such grace we received from Jesus!  Such love displayed on that cross. 

After church on Easter morning we went to the house of our friends, the Honeycutts.  This my other friend Ashlee, who was also there with her family.

Ashlee's little Vivian.

Our little friend Hadley

All the little friends.  We are so blessed to have found all these little people and that they have fun together!

Hudson the Egg Hunter

My friend Angie and her little Hadley.  Angie was the brunch hostess and she made this really tasty stuffed french toast.  I got a corner piece and thought that was delicious.  Then, after everyone had eaten and half the pan was gone I realized that there was some sort of cream cheese decadence in the middle.  Yes, I took some home with me and ate it for breakfast the next two days.

Angie corralled all four families there in order to get their pictures.  Yay for family photo ops!

Easter baby!

Thoughts on a good consult...

Isaiah 8:19  When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God?  ...  20  Consult God's instruction and the testimony of warning.  If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.

I am not a person who would go to a card reader, a medium, or anyone like that.  What do I do though?  One of two things:  I let my emotions rule (most of the time without realizing it until too late) or I "go to" my own self, attempting to use my own weak wisdom to solve or get through whatever is going on.

Let me just say:  Not good.  When I should have consulted the Lord and I didn't...  it just never turns out good.

There are a few examples in my life that come to mind.  Although I am not going to write specifically about them, they played through my mind as I read this scripture.  The Bible says here to consult God's instruction.  I think one of the things this means is that I need to go into scripture and ask God to speak to me through this amazing book He gave.  The Word is God-breathed.  I believe that this means the Holy Spirit will use it to speak to me about whatever it is I need to hear God on.  I have experienced this phenomenon before, where I feel like the Bible has lead me to what God wants me to do.  I need to use this awesome book more often, especially when I feel worked up about something or bothered by something or overly passionate about something.  I need to use it to slow down and really make sure I should respond in the first place and if I do, that my response is appropriate and loving and kind.

I also need to stop and PRAY.  Why oh why do I not do this every single time I have even a minor question, a tiny struggle, let alone in the big stuff?  God grants us peace when we ask Him for it, and I know He will lead me to the right path, answer, or whatever if I just talk to Him about it.  Example:  I want my kids to come talk to me when they have a problem.  I have been there, done this before.  I can probably help.  Well, our Jesus has been here, done this before.  I need to let him help!!

And also, God gives us people in our lives who He can use to check us, encourage us, or even stop us in our tracks.  I am so thankful for the many times I have talked out an issue with someone who loves God and He has used that person to make His will known.

Not sure when I will need another consult (just every day, probably the moment my kids get out of their bed), but I hope, in the moment, I can be reminded by the Holy Spirit of these avenues to knowing God's will for every moment, every decision, every interaction.

Clemens comics and other stories

Jackson has developed an all-consuming desire to play either flag football in the backyard with Daddy or have kendama wars all day.

Today, he was letting me know that I could play the flag football game with them if I want to.  That I could be on his team and Max could be on Daddy's team.

Max:  But I don't want to be on Daddy's team.  I want to be on your team.

Jackson:  No you are gonna be on Daddy's team.

Max:  But I want to be on your team.  Forever, and ever, and ever.  Oh please, oh please, oh please.  (Awww.  He just loves his big brother.)

Jackson:  No Max, you need to be on Daddy's team.

At this point, Max drops it, bless his little heart.  We never did go out and play football.

Jackson brushed his teeth.  Max called down and said he could not get any more toothpaste out of the tube.  Mike said he would be right up.  Before he could get there Max called down and said, "Never mind Dad, I used the toothpaste that was in the sink."  Ew.

Easter fun!

The boys go through phases of wanting to craft, so I found a cute Easter craft for us to do.  It started with cutting some toilet paper rolls in half and painting them.   The end result were bunnies.  See the link here. 

Then we worked on some schoolwork.  

But not Max.  He just ran around in his rain boots!

The chapel on Pearl Harbor had a morning of Easter fun for the kids.  There was a telling of the Easter story using Resurrection Eggs (very cool; I want a set for next year.)  They had games at different stations and a table where the kids could frost and decorate their own cookies.  

And of course, there was an egg hunt for three different age groups.  Max and Jackson were split up, so Daddy took Jackson around to the stations while I took Max to hear the story and then to the egg hunt.  I did not have the camera with me, so Mike snapped a picture of Max after he collected eggs.  Very proud and happy boy there.

Max and cookies.  A match made in heaven.

Jackson listening to the Easter story of Jesus' death and resurrection.

Max eating his cookie during Jackson's story time.  Once he had that cookie, he did not care to have me take him around to any of the other stations.

Yum!!

This teacher was awesome, giving many children the opportunity to open eggs or answer questions.  There was a little visual inside each egg that helped tell a part of the last supper, crucifixion, and resurrection story.

Getting ready to hunt!!

Max was just carrying his basket around while Jackson egg hunted.  Not that something interesting would bypass that kid; he was crossing the sidewalk and tripped.  Eggs all over.  At first, he appeared upset.  Then, I think he must have just felt like he got to egg hunt twice as he put all his eggs back in the basket, lol. 

They had fun!!