Melt My Heart

Sitting in the nursing mothers room with Calvin, I was upset by having a disruptive three year old at yet another Sunday morning church service. We were sitting in a rocker. He was struggling to loosen my grip as I struggled to hold him still, trying to make being taken out of the service a more boring experience than sitting through it. Discouragement began to set in and I searched for ideas on how to make the struggling stop. "What color are my eyes, Calvin?" I asked. He stopped struggling and looked at me. He brought his nose within an inch of mine, looking deeply into my eyes. "Um, pretty," he said.

Calvin

Just plain cute!

I Wish There Was No Such Thing As Fish.

Calvin can't pronounce "f" very well. It comes out sounding like "b". He also has a hard time saying the "sh" sound, it sounds more like "ch". So having a conversation about fish with him is extremely painful, as you can imagine. The conversations usually consist of him excitedly telling me all he knows about the fish we are looking at, their color, what they are doing, etc. And the only responses he gets from me are the correct pronunciation of the word, and it becoming more and more emphatic as the conversation progresses.

The pain only increases in more public settings. I just want to shoot myself when we take him to the aquarium at the zoo. Maybe the shocked glances I get from people sitting nearby are just figments of my imagination, I tell myself. Maybe they realize, having children of their own perhaps, that it is just a mispronunciation. None of this lessens the pain as I try, unsuccessfully, to get my son to talk of something else while in front of a vast aquarium full of "biches".

Merry Christmas!

Calvin's First Snow Angel!

With the recent snowfall in Columbus, I bundled up my babies and took them outside. Calvin was thrilled to finally be let outside to play in the snow. He had been asking to go out even when there was only an 1/8 inch on the ground.

He isn't usually enthusiastic about trying new things, so up until this point I hadn't suggested trying to make a snow angel to him. But this time I did. After seeing me lay down in the snow, I half expected him to ask to go back inside. I was surprised when I got up and showed him my snow angel. He squealed, ran over to a clear area, laid down and start working his arms. "You gotta use your legs too", I said. He giggled.

In fact, Calvin giggled the whole time. Then he got up to survey his work. He was pleased. So pleased, he insisted on Evelynn making one too. It didn't happen.


My study has been about Nehemiah. Two of the concepts that have had an impact on me are:

God is always faithful to His Word. He blesses faithfulness, and punishes unfaithfulness. If we are in a state of discipline, God is still being faithful. Nehemiah praised God while Israel was in exile by the Persians because God was being faithful to His Word.

The Lord's judgment always starts in His house. If we are of a people who do not follow God, He will not excuse us for fitting in, even when it seems as though He is excusing the rest of the world. If He is unhappy, we will be the first to be disciplined.

Stringing Popcorn

This week is going to be busy getting ready for Christmas. We have wrapping, packing, cookie making, cleaning, and celebrating to do. I am most excited for Calvin. I can't wait to see him experience Christmas. He was still a little too young last year to understand what was going on. But this year he gets it.

He loves doing anything that has to do with Christmas. He loves the lights, decorations, stories, and he has even picked out a favorite song (unfortunately it's Jingle Bells). I am sure his favorite part is going to be Christmas morning though. :)

Bird's Nest Ornament

Bird's Nest Ornament

It is considered good luck to find a bird's nest in your Christmas tree. (We don't believe in "luck", but it is fun to play along.) We didn't find a nest in our tree this year, so we made our own. My younger sisters made this ornament at a function a few years ago and I have been saving the idea and waiting for the year that I could make one with Calvin. I think it is adorable.



Materials: Clothes pin, acorn cap, three Navy beans, glue, ribbon and scissors (optional)

1. Glue (we used low temp. hot glue) the acorn cap (stem down) to the top of the clip end of the clothes pin.

2. Glue the three Navy beans to the inside of the acorn cap.

3. Tie a bow with the ribbon, and glue it onto the clothes pin wherever you desire.

4. Write your name and date on the back, hold up your ornament and look cute so your mommy can take another picture! ;)

Calvin loved making this ornament. Using the low temp. hot glue was a good choice, in my opinion, because it doesn't burn if the little ones touch it. Calvin was also able to handle the ornament and clip it on the tree as soon as it was assembled.

A word on my Bible studies: I have been continuing to study every day (praises to God). The studies have been about the promises the Lord gave to punish (particularly with exile) Israel for disobeying Him. Israel did fall into grievous sin later in the Old Testament and the Lord fulfilled His promise by allowing them to be taken by numerous other kingdoms, the last and most extensive exile being the Babylonian exile. I have found it interesting that even with His promises to punish them, and after many incidences when that happens, the Lord keeps telling them that if they repent and return to Him, He will not abandon them. It reminds me that God desires us to be close to Him, but our repentance is required for that to happen.

Some Things Change, Some Stay the Same

As the leaves change and begin to fall, the realization that Summer is gone is beginning to set in my mind. I lament for the season I see as holding never ending lazy hours. Even though our activities change only slightly with the change in seasons, Fall always brings a mindset of leaving play and getting back down to the business of life.

Looking back on the pictures I took of our play from this week reminds me of earlier this year at another change in season, one that held a little more excitement for me. Seeing these pictures made me realize that a certain someone is always excited to see the changes.

Even when the snow comes, which I dread, he will still be happy to run around the yard like a crazy man.

("one Grecian Urn" if you don't know what I'm talking about you need to watch The Music Man)

2 Kings 20:12-21- Hezekiah makes a foolish decision that shows his lack of faith in the Lord and a desire to be like the nations around him. Despite his weakness the Lord loves him.

Marker Monsters

Craig and I were trying to get the house cleaned up, so we gave the babies some markers to color with. We gave them paper too, but they didn't really use it as you can see. Evie's markers were meant for babies so it came right off.

Calvin's however, I found out were not washable. I'm so glad he only really tattooed his torso because they were still there over a week later.

Deuteronomy 8:7-1o - Just as God promised the land of Canaan to the Israelites, the new heavens and earth are our Promised Land. Israel was kept alive in the desert by His kindness and so too anything we have is due to His kindness. God deserves our gratitude and thanks for ALL things He has given.

Thomas the Tank Engine Rolling Along!

We bought tickets for Calvin (and the rest of us) to ride Thomas the Tank Engine for his birthday.

It was hot and dusty and not exactly very exciting in my opinion. Calvin liked looking at all the overpriced Thomas stuff (none of which we bought). And Evie tried eating overpriced smashed popcorn off the ground (we did not buy the food either). By the time the day was over we were all hot, tired, hungry, and cranky. Calvin and I were the crankiest, but he's 3...

This was the only picture I could get with Calvin's face (sort of) and Thomas in view at the same time. Whenever Thomas was around Calvin wanted to be looking at him. He was afraid to miss anything. It was cute how all the kids thought it was the real Thomas. Calvin was very excited to get to ride on him, in the train car he kept saying, "I'm riding Thomas!"

Although the passage I read yesterday was very pertinent to my life right now, I was thinking that I needed a little more direction in my study, so I picked up an old Tabletalk. I had just been reading whatever sounded good, or sometimes where ever the pages happened to fall open. It isn't the best way to study, in my opinion. But God will use whatever means He wants to get you to hear the message you need because the passage for today was Genesis 12:1-9 (the call of Abram). And the corresponding study about how God called Abram, and kept him, and blessed him. Not because of anything Abram did, but because He chose him. All Abram had to do was trust God. I think God is trying to tell me something. And when I realized this, how the tears began to fall.

No Longer A Baby. Now A Little Boy.

My baby boy turned 3 on September 16th! My birthdays don't affect me, but his, especially this one did. I had a profound feeling of losing my baby. I know he is only turning 3 but I have always viewed the age of 3 as the door from babyhood into childhood. No longer a baby, now a little boy. I sat on the back porch after he opened all his presents from us and watched him running around the yard playing, I'll admit I nearly burst into tears.

A Post Just For Grandma Nickoloff

Un Bobby

"Un Bobby" bravely loading the rubber band gun for Calvin to go shoot in other people's direction.

Memories of Calvin

Calvin has a rough and tumble personality. Sometimes he is a little too rough for my liking. He likes to climb all over me, tug my hair, pinch my cheeks, and press his face (really hard) into mine. He was doing his regular thing one evening this week and my nerves were wearing thin. I told him to quit a few times, then I started to get angry. Right when I was about to lose my temper, something inside told me to pause and pay a little attention to him. So I stopped and let him bring his face up to mine. He stayed there for about 30 seconds or so. I breathed in deep and smelled him. He smelled like a dirty little boy, but under that was a faint sweet smell and...Craig. Hhmm. I just got a glimpse of Craig as a child I thought. It's funny to learn of the things we share with our parents, even things we can't see. Things like a smell. What are some interesting traits that children in your lives have inherited?

Alum Creek

Yesterday, I took my babies to Alum Creek Reservoir. I didn't think we would be there long. I thought my babies would both hate the water and be bored with the sand. Just had a feeling. It turned out to be wrong. Calvin LOVED the water, and Evie even warmed up to it after a while. And we had fun building "Sand Castles in the Sand". =)

After a few hours Calvin was still going strong. Evie however, decided she had had enough fun and climbed up into the stroller and sat there for a good 20 minutes just watching Calvin and I run around.

The reservoir even had a little playground, so we took a break from the beach and played up there for a while.

Dayton Air Show

Craig and I took our babies to the Dayton Air Show on the 17th. We didn't think about it being loud. So when we arrived and there was a fighter jet flying through the air, Calvin started freaking out. We tried to tell him it was just an airplane but it didn't work. Craig ended up buying ear plugs at the nearest booth. It was a good thing they had them or we would've probably left. Even with the ear plugs in it took Calvin a while to settle down. But by the end of the day he was watching the jets fly through the air with no problem.

Evie and I did some kissin' while the boys looked at boy stuff.

The boys were lookin' cute!

Rainy Days

On rainy days, and there have been quite a few lately, when we can't go outside we have to find other ways pass the time until Daddy comes home. Calvin loves to paint. He has to have a little bit of every color, dips his paint brush in and then watches the brush as it moves all along his paper. He gets into it.

And sometimes it gets on him.

Sunny Days

Whenever it is nice we like to be outside. I want to make sure Calvin especially is outside as much as possible, finding bugs, swinging on the tire swing or his swing set, pretending, playing in the sand, getting good and dirty, and just generally running off energy.

The desire for him to be outside is not only to give me a break from entertaining him, but also for his enrichment. I have dreams of Calvin (and all my children) looking back on his childhood with very fond memories. It is important to me that he not only use his physical body but that he use his mind and even his spirit to play. I have dreams of Calvin running through the back yard playing in an enchanted land of make believe.

I believe God designed children to live that way, and I kind of envy them for it. Sometimes I wish I could go back to the days of my own childhood, but God has given me the task making these days special to my little ones now. I hope I can do as good a job as my parents did.

A Lot of Silliness Going On

Calvin loves his Grandparents Nickoloff's basement. I think he would live there if he could.

A lot of silliness goes on down there...