Silly Bunnies

My parents visited us for Christmas this year. My mom told the story of the tangle bunnies to Sarah, who sat on her lap after breakfast with tangly –hair. It went something like this,

“Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful little princess named Sarah with beautiful long hair. In the mornings, Sarah always woke up with tangles in the back of her hair. You see, while she was sleeping, the tangle bunnies would come. Teeny-tiny bunnies would hop to her door. Then one would peek inside to make sure she was asleep. Next those little tangle bunnies would jump and hop and dance and even make little nests in her beautiful hair all night long. When the first light appeared in the sky, they would hop away. The princess would wake up with tangles in her hair.”

This morning Sarah had some tangles and I said, “Looks like the tangle-bunnies have been busy.” Her response was, “Oh, mama, can we write the story and draw pictures? I want to call them the silly bunnies.” Before I could even smile, she had her markers and paper out. “How do you spell, “once upon a time” ?” Later she proudly showed me her finished story with a slightly different ending…”and the silly bunnies hopped in Sarah’s hair and the silly bunnies got spanked. The End.”

Five things to love about Christmas

1. Celebrating the savior's birth
2. Time with family and friends
3. Yummy treats --fudge, banana bread, homemade oreo truffles
4. Christmas lights
5. Did I mention the truffles?

Church Practice

church practice

These are my kids, during “church practice”? During what? I see that confused look. I actually borrowed this idea from a wonderful woman of God, Cindy S. She had many little ones at the time, including a young boy in cowboy boots who liked to climb under the folding chairs our church used and army crawl through the tunnel. So she had “practice” at home.

Here are my children, each with their “bible”, while my kitchen timer is set for 15 minutes, and we listen to our pastor’s sermon on CD. This way, Mama can “train” and “correct” misbehavior ahead of time, without disturbing anyone’s worship. We did this Monday through Friday this week so I was all ready for Sunday morning.

But Sunday morning, I looked out the window, and what, to my wondering eyes, did appear? But a winter storm warning and weather so drear.

Yes, our beloved service was cancelled this morning. So much for implementing the lessons learned during “church practice”. Since it is Christmas this week and Ryan has time off, I don’t think we will be “practicing” much this week.

On a side note, Do you think the winter weather would keep my husband home? Not to be daunted by a mere “Severe winter weather storm warning”, my fearless husband, was soon out on the roads, delivering cinnamon rolls to some of our church friends. Geesh!

Mommy-teary-eyed feeling

Have you ever had that Mommy-teary-eyed feeling when you see the kids you love loving the man you love or the man you love loving the kids you love? You watch your husband read a book to the kids or hug them. You know the feeling. Or your son brings Daddy a glass of water with an “I love you” note attached. That feeling. I watched Ryan build the kids a huge snow pile in the backyard today and was filled with that happy feeling. The man I love, loving the kids I love, and the kids I love, loving the man I love.

Later in the day, we were playing some music and one of Sarah’s favorites came on, “God of wonders, beyond our galaxy…you are HOLY…you are HOLY.” She learned this song at a vacation bible school this summer and loved it. Whenever it comes up on our kids play list, she runs to the living room and begins to dance, belting out “You are HOLY” in her best little singing voice. And my heart fills up with that Mommy-tery-eyed feeling. Only the feeling is bigger. Because this is my daughter, whom I love, loving the God that I love….

and what Joy must fill God’s heart when we worship him…

Christmas Letter 2008

Welcome to the 16th. annual Westphal Christmas letter (I think it’s 16…we got married in 93 so first letter was 94, plus ten is 2004….is that ten or eleven ? Plus another…nevermind.)

Twas the night before Christmas
And in the Westphal house
Mama frantically typed the Christmas letter
And did not hear a mouse (Thankfully. However, those sticky traps really work.)

Tim and Sarah have grown this year
He is a smart seven-year-old and she’s on her way to six. (and they keep interrupting mama’s typing…I’ll get back to this later.)
They do school with their mama
And love to dance and make brownie mix (Poor Marc does not like brownies at all. He gets a small pile of chocolate chips instead).

Marc and Luc have their learning moments.
They are very active three year olds.
They break and lose their glasses
And always do as they are told (and if you believe that, I have some swampland….seriously, we are working at consistency, active-- not reactive parenting, and patience and prayer as they learn to obey right away, all the way, and with a good heart. Also many trips to the eye doctor.)

And Ryan snoring away and I, with a hot cocoa night cap.
Lie exhausted each night for a few hours nap.

Then it’s back to our lives; we live, work, and play
Following the Good Book and praying each day (Ryan turned 40 this year, will be starting school in January and is an awesome Dad to his kids, and a wonderful husband. He is doing more sales at work and is a man of his word.)

My eyesight has deteriorated at a nice slow pace
Close to the front, and close to the light is my place
These days, I love large print, chocolate, and sitting close to TV.
I know God is in control of everything that happens to me. (Chocolate has nothing to do with vision, but it tastes yummy. Especially those Christmas m and m’s. I think the red ones taste best. Or is it green? I better try some more. Mmm..)

We want to put others first, our family’s goal is ministry.
We pray to obey God and join in his work that we see.
That we all make a difference (go mad) in people’s lives everyday,
Whether we know them well or saw them for the first time today.

For more info and picture proof of our exploits,
Visit my blog and discover (nothing really rhymes with “Exploits”, but it’s a cool sounding word, isn’t it?)

May your life never be too busy but blessed as you share
Your savior, Jesus, with others, as you show your care
For people have problems, perfection’s a myth,
But eternity is good when the savior you walk with.
(Did I just end that with a preposition? Yikes. Merry Christmas everyone. We love you.)
Tracey, Ryan, Timothy, Sarah, Lucas, and Marcus

God's Kids

It’s finally happening. My crew is gaining independence to the point where I can read again. Not entire books like I used to, but I actually checked two books out of the library that were not Easy Readers, Board Books, Drawing Books, Simple Machines, Weather,….you get the idea. Granted, I will not finish these books before the twice-renewed due date, but I will have read parts of them.

Here is what is currently on the end-table. Madman by Tracy Grout –a fictionalized account of the madman at the tombs by the Gadarenes whom Jesus healed from demon possession (several thousand pigs and unhappy farmers were involved). The Minivan Years by Olivia Bruner, Celebrating the Hectic Joys of Motherhood. Here is just a bit of encouragement from Bruner’s book:

“Every mother needs to come to the place of recognizing that her children are not, in fact, her children. They are God’s. Sure, we have the privilege of bearing them, feeding them, comforting them, teaching them, and eventually, releasing them. But we do not own them. Our overprotective impulse, while perfectly natural, is profoundly misguided. I believe God wired moms to keep His kids safe so that we would nurture them toward life, not worry ourselves to death.
The apostle Paul gave valuable perspective to Moms when he wrote the following: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who Love Him, who have been called according to His purpose…..For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:28, 38-39, NIV

So when (not if) mishaps occur, we can rest in the knowledge that God uses all things—even imperfect moms—to accomplish his purposes in the lives of our children. Correction—His children.”

Ever notice that when you watch someone else’s kid, you are more patient, more careful, and more quick to react. Granted, you don’t know these kids as well as the ones you live with, but someone has trusted you with their care. I like to remind myself that God has trusted me to be the mom of these kids. Not only that, but He will provide me with what I need to parent, train, direct their steps, and guide their hearts. He has joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.

My daughter has a new best friend. I actually bought this Raggedy Ann at a garage sale for 25 cents! As much as I hate to add to all the toys my children really don’t need, it was Raggedy Ann, for a quarter.

She looked so clean and unloved in between old coffee cups and baby bibs. So I bought her. My daughter was not that impressed and Raggedy Ann just became one of the toys. That is, until Mark started to undress her one day. Sarah rescued her and wanted to know why she had a heart on her. I quickly explained that Raggedy Ann was a special dolly.

Later, I realized Sarah hadn’t let go of “Ann” all day. Now, Ann is no longer unloved (and no longer clean) but very loved, and accompanies Sarah most places. We’ve also had a few frantic searches for “Ann” before bedtime. (My sister will be pleased to read this as she also LOVED an Ann doll).

Yes, Sarah was even Raggedy Ann for Halloween. Ryan liked to watch people’s reactions, “Oh, a raggedy ann. I haven’t seen a Raggedy Ann in years! How cute! You can have two treats, honey!” (And he thought working the “It’s my birthday” angle was the only way to get extra treats). A special thanks to my grandma for the Raggedy Ann costume.

Things Kids Say

“There’s windy-wind out there, Mom.” To which we added rainy rain, and snowy snow.

Another Markism. “My tummy’s thinkin’ about an apple, mom.”
Luc’s version, “My stomach is WORRIED about an orange.”

Our microwave flashes “End” when the time is up, and Sarah has noticed this. Tonight she told me that when her snack was finished, she would be “E-n-d, done.” She was so smug that I couldn’t even tell her “E-n-d” spells “End.” Maybe tomorrow.

Luc coughs this morning and announces, “I have a frog in my chest.” “Don’t you mean in your throat?” “Nope. In my chest. There’s two of them in there.”

Tim’s new response to any good news is “NICE!” It seems such a teenage response to
me.

God's choice

Have you heard those Christmas songs that seem to depict Mary and Joseph as completely unprepared for parenthood, as if labor pain caught them by surprise.

I tend to think of Mary as an expecially prepared young woman. She KNEW she was pregnant. It wasn’t uncommon for girls her age to wed and have children. She was WILLING. She told the angel, let it be to me as you have said. She knew this child was from God. She was probably studying parenting before the angel left.

I have known a few very smart 14 year old girls. In today’s age, they would get books from the library, and google labor and delivery. They would also do what Mary did, seek out information and advice. She went to see her cousin Elizabeth, a woman who was further along in her pregnancy. Mary may have even been present at the labor and delivery of baby John, taking mental notes, and making a list of what she needed. And she continually praised God….She experienced the Holy Spirit…wow..

Now she may not have imagined a birth in a stable, but I am certain she imagined the birth. After all, God chose this remarkable young woman. The Bible also says that she treasured these things in her heart. I think she was a woman who thought about things. She was there at the savior’s birth and she was there at his death. I can’t even imagine such a thing. Let’s give her a little credit, shall we?

A plus B equals C?

Has anyone else noticed the a plus b equals c mentality that seems to be shaping parts of the church today? There seems to be this underlying principle that if you give, go, and do, God will bless you. There’s no untruth in that. It’s the definintion of the blessing that I struggle with.

God wants you to be healthy…okay…it sounds good, but what if I’m not? What if I’ve raised my kids “right” and they still make bad, life changing decisions? Can I thank God for that blessing?

I just think there’s too much of this—Follow God and it will be well with you.
On the surface it is true . .Does “well” mean my house is paid off, the van is paid off, and the college fund for the four kids is growing? Does “well” mean no one is sick? Or does “well” mean that if all my kids are missionaries in Africa, my husband’s gone and I’m alone at night in 40 years? Is that well?

Yes, God has blessed us, but rejoice if God calls you or your kid to be a garbage collector in India. Send them off willingly and know it is “well”.
We will struggle on this earth. You can’t appreciate the rainbow if not for the rain, right?

A Typical Afternoon, and You?

I deecided to go to the store after lunch. Tim needs gloves. He keeps outgrowing everything. I called Grandma to see if she needed anything. Papertowels. After lunch, everyone wants to go outside Perfect. We will be leaving for the store in a few minutes, everyone. Of course, it’s 23 degrees and snowing like a banshee..

Luke wants help with his socks. He can do this himself, a fact of which I remind him. Mark is already working on it. I am trying to find Sarah her mittens, which are the tote in the laundry room. She heads that way. Tim’s zipper split, but is a quick fix. Marc and Luc are freaking out because they each have one sock on and their brother is wearing the other sock. This is quickly fixed by getting out one more pair and dividing it between them. They look at me as if I have performed a magic trick.

Sarah is almost crying because she can’t open the tote. Remind her to ask nicely for help. Go to laundry room, open tote. See toy car on the floor, put in basket to go up stairs. Marc is going “beeps” and needs to be wiped. Done. Tell him not to run in socks. Wham. Hugs for hurt. Remember your walking feet. Wash hands, where’s the towel? On the floor. Put that back on rack. Find wet washcloth, marble, and doll under the towel. Hang up washcloth, put doll and marble in basket to go upstairs.

Try to convince Marc and Luc to put on their own boots. Much talk and sharing of boots. Start clearing cups and plates from lunch. Finally put boots on boys while praying for patience. Send Marc outside. Send Luc for his coat. Luc dumps tin of popcorn on floor. Sorry mom. Get out broom. Marc is back, he needs a hat. In the tote. Realize contents of tote are covering laundry room floor. Toss stuff in tote, including two marbles and a doll. Weren’t those in the basket?

Okay, all four are outside, with coats, hats, mittens and boots. (except for Tim, who needs bigger gloves.) Whew. Only 1:30…Didn’t we have lunch at noon? Grab my coat, boots, run to the bathroom. Realize I haven’t brushed teeth yer. Thirty second brush job. Out the door. Gather kids. Get to store. Store is stifling. Cart is so stuffed with coats, there’s no room for Grandma’s papertowels. Tim will carry them. Wow thank you Tim.

Where’s Luc? We lost Luc again. I check the next two aisles. I find him trying on boots. He tried on boots last time he was here. Wow, he has a great memory. Only one of his boots is visible. Sarah finds it one aisle over. I put boots on Luc and overhear Tim say, “Watch how far I can throw these papertowels up and catch them!”

Luc is not happy about being dragged back to the cart. Stay by your mom. I calmly explain to Tim about the inappropriate behavior of tossing papertowels. Take deep breath. Sarah is crying. Apparently Marc has hurt her feelings. Luc is also crying. Something about boots. Head for the checkout. Wait in line. Cashier smiles sympathetically, too sympathetically.

This is when I realized I am wearing my shrug in public. The shrug is that quilted flannel shirt from 1987 with the frayed edges, missing buttons, and rolled up sleeves. It’s not pretty, but its the warmest thing I own. I love to wear it around the house. However, it’s really NOT supposed to leave the house. Smile back. Mention that I brushed my teeth today. Cashier stops smiling.

Make way to door. Put everyone’s coats on. Lucas is crying because he is wearing Marc’s coat. Marc is crying for the opposite reason. Switch coats. Sarah is crying. Apparently Lucas has hurt her feelings. I resist the temptation to tell Sarah that more than her feelings are going to be hurt soon. A quick hug instead. She decides to stop crying. Where are Tim’s gloves? Oh, that’s what we came here for….maybe Ryan can get some later.

Back to the van. Buckle Marc and Luc. Time on the clock 2:45. Didn’t we have lunch at noon? Yikes. Drop papertowels at Grandma’s. No, we can’t stay today, Grandma. Arrive home by 4:00. Ever wonder where the day went?

The 21 Rules Of This House
by Gregg Harris

1. We obey God.
2. We love, honor and pray for one another.
3. We tell the truth.
4. We consider one another's interests ahead of our own.
5. We speak quietly and respectfully with one another.
6. We do not hurt one another with unkind words or deeds.
7. When someone needs correction, we correct him in love.
8. When someone is sorry, we forgive him.
9. When someone is sad, we comfort him.
10. When someone is happy, we rejoice with him.
11. When we have something nice to share, we share it.
12. When we have work to do, we do it without complaining.
13. We take good care of everything that God has given us.
14. We do not create unnecessary work for others.
15. When we open something, we close it.
16. When we take something out, we put it away.
17. When we turn something on, we turn it off.
18. When we make a mess, we clean it up.
19. When we do not know what to do, we ask.
20. When we go out, we act just as if we were in this house.
21. When we disobey or forget any of the 21 Rules of This House, we accept
the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Five things
Five movies I like (for various reasons)
1. The Mummy (I’m a …LIBRARIAN)
2. The Prestige (I Never guessed this ending)
3. Ghostbusters (Hey, where do these stairs go? They go up.)
4. Sixth Sense (I never guessed this ending)
5. Ransom (Love for a child revealed)
6. Matrix (Spiritual parallels abound)
7. Schindler’s list (may we never forget)
Oops! That was seven.

October Events
1. Ryan and I see the bridge and hang out in Mackinaw for our anniversary.
2. We travel to Wisconsin to see my cousins and Aunt. I get to go to a baby shower for Baby Girl Wheeler. 
3. We go trick or treating from Great Grandma Doris’ house. The bee and the bear only last one street. Raggedy Ann made it farther, but the Soccer Player and his Dad went the farthest. Weather was perfect.
4. Ryan turns 40 and hangs out with friends and family at a small surprise party.

On Adventure

Westphals love to go on adventure. Into the van, pick South and East and go, go, go. Sarah and I spy a yellow plane out the window against a blue fall sky. It was fun to see. A little later, we see a sign for a campground and decide to check it out. We find a playground with a beach and everyone piles out to check it out. There's an elaborate sand castle on the beach that had been there awhile. Then, on the water, we see our yellow plane again. We say hello and learn that there are wheels on the bottom of the floats for when they land on the ground. Take off is loud and windy but definately something you don't experience every day.

This was the view out our window Monday morning. I could hardly contain the little ones and eventually they ended up outside, with snow pants, boots, hats and mitts. I stayed in the kitchen helping with boots, zippers, etc. Then someone had to go potty, someone lost a mitten, someone needed a coat zipped up better, the one who went potty needed new pants, someone couldn't find a sock stuck in the boot, someone got hit with snow in the face, someone slipped on the steps, etc..Welcome to winter. It was nice to have them inside again.

Five things to love about Sundays

1. Worship with other believers (yes, I am not alone in my walk with Jesus0.

2. A Sunday School class that is a blessing. (we did the book Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, by Joann Weaver. I highly recommend this book if you want to discover balance between work and worship in your life.)

3. Children's Sunday School --where Godly people patiently pour God's word into my children.

4. Sunday afternoons at my Grandma's house.

5. Watching my husband interact with the children. There's something incredible about seeing the man you love LOVE the children you love.

On Adventure

Have you ever gone “On Adventure”? Our family loves to do this. We clamor aboard the Westphal van on an early Saturday morning and pick two compass directions, one is either E or W, and the other is either N or S, and then we drive. When we reach an intersection, we turn whatever way keeps us on our directions. It’s like getting lost on purpose, but we have seen some interesting things. We try to bring the camera so we have photographic evidence.

Here is one such adventure.
We found these cars racing around a big parking lot at Grand Valley State University. They are students, careening around these cones to achieve the fastest time. And you thought college students studied? Note that the cars have taped-on numbers, and thankfully, drivers have helmets, but I couldn’t help wonder if mom and dad knew what junior was up to with that car they gave him for trips home. Note that one of the wheels is actually OFF the ground.

Summer Slideshow

Make a Smilebox photobook

Who's your Wilson?

We were recently playing cards with friends and someone mentioned you can’t be a Christian in a vacuum. I chimed in, “Everybody needs a Wilson.”
Incredibly, three of us were thinking of different Wilsons! (Of course, the women were of one mind.)

Wilson one –from the movie Castaway. When Tom Hanks was alone on the island, he actually made a friend and almost drowned trying to save a volleyball with a handprint on it.

Wilson two-from the show Home Improvement. When Tim Taylor had a problem he couldn’t solve, he often went to the backyard to talk it over with his neighbor Wilson, whose face always remained hidden.

Wilson three-from the Fox series House. Dr. Gregory House, rude and self-centered, yet a genius at solving illnesses, has an oncologist friend named, you guesses it, Wilson. Wilson often inadvertently gives House the answer to his medical mysteries during conversations in his office.

So, my question remains: Who is your Wilson?
I’d like to say a special thank-you to my Wilson (you know who you are.)

My grandma broke her toe. But this story is not about Grandma. It’s about me, again. (Deep down, we are all such selfish creatures. Hopefully, we are battling to put others first, if we are striving to be true Christ followers).

My grandma broke her toe. So I stopped by to help her out. (The kids all watched T.V. They LOVE to visit Grandma Doris). Grandma took a shower. She didn’t want to do this when she was home alone. I started laundry and swept and mopped the floor. I continued to watch the sky as the afternoon wore on. I began to lament the time change, the darkness, and of course, my impending curfew. (Please note, my deteriorating vision makes night driving far too dangerous for me, my family, other motorists, and pedestrians).

I had to hurriedly pack up the kids and leave with stubborn, damp towels still in the dryer. Arghh…I gave Grandma strict instructions not to attempt the stairs in her condition. Then I prevailed upon the gem of a man I married to stop by after work and finish my grandmother’s laundry. He lovingly complied. (I love this man). But as I drove home in the gloom, I sighed at my doom. (Hey, did you catch that rhyme? Too much Dr. Seuss in my life at this time).

As I grew sad about my vision loss, I tried to cheer myself up by playing the comparison game. You know the game…it could be worse, I could already be blind…my kids could have cancer….my husband could be dead…etc..etc.. This never works as a source of encouragement. It’s just too self-centered. Today I was cheered up by a true source of encouragement, the WORD OF GOD (I say this in my best BIBLEMAN voice).

If you are familiar with pro-life literature, you’ve probably read this verse countless times, “For you formed my inward parts, you wove me in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13. Well, it wasn’t that one. It’s the two verses before it that provided me with peace this morning and reassurance about who is really in charge of our lives. I will close with these verses and pray that they encourage you in your “darkness.”

“If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night.’ Even the darkness is not dark to YOU, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to you.” Psalm 139:11, 12.

Things kids say

Who do you think it is? Is it Marc or Luc? How did you know?

I Mom and Luc have a conversation.
“I love my daddy,” Luc says.
“oh, how much?” Mamma inquires.
“Too much.” Luc answers.
“Really?” Mama answers, trying to keep a straight face.
“Yes,” Luc replies seriously, and then he smiles, “But I love my Mama THREE much.” Mama laughs out loud at that one.

Marc had learned “Oh, be careful little eyes what you see…” and now is making up his own verses. Here’s the latest, “Oh, be careful little nose what you blow..”

Things Kids Say

Marc is pointing at his hip. “I hurt here. You pray. It’s my leg-shoulder.”

I jump in the van with the kids, “Hi good kids!” Tim, “Hi, bad mom!” “Hey?”
“Well, somebody’s got to be the bad guy.”

Marc talks to man in Meijers. Man asks, “Well, how old are you?” Marc “I five. I a BIG kid.” (He’s only three.)

I lost Luc at the zoo. He likes to join other family groups. No concept of stranger anxiety. He is not one of those kids who has to know where mom is. By the time I discovered he was missing, (from the enclosed frog room), he was completely gone. As I walked past a zoo employee, I heard her walkie-talkie stating lost child. I stopped her and said, “That’s mine.” She radioed back, and Luc showed up, grinning from ear-to-ear and holding a zoo employee’s hand. “Hi, mom.” Later we saw the same guy. Luc’s enthusiastic response, “Hello helper man!!”

Marc is now a thesaurus. His breakfast cereal does not get soggy. “My O’s are wilty” “What do you mean, “wilty”? “I mean, my o’s, they MELTED. Oh no, they’re melty and wilty..can I have more o’s please?”

Happy Anniversary

October 2, 2008 marked 15 years of marriage for this couple and we’re up for the next 15. Seriously, God led me to marry a gem of a husband, with a sincere, generous heart, positive outlook, and a steady faith in God. (I could gush for hours here so I better stop).
Ryan almost surprised me with a getaway for our anniversary. I say almost because I discovered the surprise through our email. Ah, the conveniences of modern banking. “A new payee has been added”. It was a bed and breakfast in Harbor Springs.

Before I completely freaked out that someone had “hacked” into our account, I reflected that we had honeymooned in Harbor Springs…so I confronted the man “Did you make reservations at a bed and breakfast?” The look on his face was all I needed. So I suppose I ruined my own surprise, but I can’t keep a secret. His second response was, “Oh, good, you can help me pack everything for the kids!”

My wonderful, and incredibly brave parents took all FOUR kids overnight. (If you’d like to send them a fruitbasket, fudge, or flowers, I can provide their address.) and we had a fabulous time. My mom even let us take her new birthday toy along, a GARMIN. (Talking navigational device). Ryan absolutely loved this thing and it came in handy navigating back to the bed and breakfast after a dinner in another town.

Our room at the bed and breakfast was decorated with the exact same pattern of bedding we received as a wedding gift. (Our comforter is now on the twins’ bed and not in perfect condition). They also had matching wallpaper, pillows, bedskirt, curtains, wallpaper and even a bench. I was astounded when we walked in the room. It was like walking back in time. Of course, the husband could not have planned such a meaningful, detailed touch. This had to be God winking at me. All in all, it was wonderful to spend time together (alone) and reflect on our life together thus far.

Five things that taste good

Root beer floats after a hot afternoon
Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting
Cool cherries from the cooler when you are at the beach
Desert my husband brought home for me
Hot food

Good (attitude) morning

Good morning, again. No really. I have been systematically woken up since 12:30 pm last night. You may think this makes for a grumpy mama. This makes for a mama struggling against grumpiness. Did you catch that? I am making a conscious choice to fight against the grumpiness that accompanies my yawns, my tired eyes, my achy limbs. I feel like a parent of a newborn.

How did I come to this revelation? The twins have been sick for three nights. They wake up every couple hours, having to “go potty”, “need water”, “sing to me” “I tired” “I lost my Lukey!!” “I need medsin!” This is usually accompanied by crying of some sort. Now you take that couple hours and divide it by two boys, it’s more like once an hour. Then throw in a crying little girl with wet sheets at 3:00 in the morning and a leaky sippy cup in the twins’ bed at 4:30 requiring removing and replacing bedding. Then Ryan has this new window fan. It is supposed to maintain temperature so you don’t freeze. It shuts off and turns on automatically. Sounds great. Not so great. Imagine a fan going on/off on/off on/off for a minute every hour or so. Between clothing changes, bedding arrangements, songs, trips to the bathroom, and the intermittent noise of the fan, I found myself almost in tears by 5:00am.

Hence, the revelation. Have you noticed that if you love Christ and read the Bible, those verses come back to you? So, it’s 5:OMGIE in the morning and I am sitting on the boys floor, singing a barely recognizable version of “Jesuslovelittlchillen” when this verse pops into my mind.

“Whatever you do, work at it with your whole heart, as though working for God and not man.” Colossians 3:23. WHAT! Now? I use that verse to inspire students to put forth their best effort, but NOW? I’m so weary, so tired, so half-hearted toward these children…Then it hit me (again). I don’t have to do this alone. I have Christ. I have fruit of the Spirit. I do have patience, and kindness, and gentleness, even at 5 OMGIE (OMYGOODNESSITSEARLY) time. My whole God-renewed heart needs to be working hard at WHATEVER I do, including this 24 hour mom thing. So for all you moms out there, keep working with your whole hearts!

And have a GOOD Morning. (I recommend coffee+scripture)

Things Kids Say

“I wish we had gas for blood,” Tim announced today. “Why’s that Tim?” “Then the mosquitoes wouldn’t want our blood.”

“This is only writing that I can read. Would you like to hear it?” Sarah.

“Soccer sucks up all my energy, just like a black hole sucks up everything.” Tim

“I like donuts with sprinklers.” –Mark

“It’s bedtime,” says Mama.
“I don’t want to go to bed,” answers Luke, crossing his arms.
“You need to improve your attitude, young man.” Mama frowns.
Luke smiles a huge smiles, spreads his arms and announces, “I love to go to bed!”

Camping

The Westphal family arrived tired but happy at our campsite (a minimal amount of fidgeting in the car, and a few potty stops) in Orchard Beach State Park, on Lake Michigan, near Manistee. (Check it out, if you like. Back arrow to return to blog. http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=480&type=SPRK ). My parents were already there, setting up. The best part was watching my husband’s stress level decrease as he settled in to life as a camper. We unpacked, set up camp, made a campfire, watched the sun set into the lake (Yes, “into”, we even listened for the sizzle.), watched the stars come out, and just plain relaxed. A few moments to share:

1. Very cold nights. I woke up hearing a child cry. The sound was OUTSIDE the tent, a little ways away. “Ryan, Lucas is OUTSIDE the tent!”. I grab the flashlight and shine it where Lucas is supposed to be. Just an empty pillow. Ryan is now putting on jeans. “Oh, I found him.” He is off the mattress, on the floor, under a sleeping bag and some dirty clothes. He is sound asleep. However his parents are not.

2. Ryan and Tim toured a ship in the harbor that used to ferry rail cars. This Daddy-son time was fun for both.

3. We went letterboxing and successfully found TWO letterboxes in the Manistee area (Check it out sometime. Use back arrow to return to blog http://www.atlasquest.com/). We took my parents on our second trip, and stopped for ice cream on the way back. Discovered an old friend running the ice cream shop, and I went out to breakfast with just her the next morning! No kids.

4. Kids biked like maniacs. (Do maniacs bike? Where does this expression, “like a maniac” come from? Why do I keep using it?). They loved it and we increased their boundaries as time went by. Tim and Sarah both have training wheels so you could hear them coming as they zoomed by. They both made friends with other campers, and we enjoyed playing at the playground.

5. Ryan and I spontaneously joined our neighbors one evening before sunset when we saw that they were playing Bocce. That was fun, even if the guys won.

6. We had a beach day with my parents and I at the big lake. They all loved it. The water started out very calm but within two hours, a breeze was blowing in and we headed back for the campsite. We still had great fun. Ryan hates the beach so he skipped out and went to a coffeeshop with his computer. Very happy man.

7. During my breakfast with my friend (and no kids), a couple came to our table. It was my inlaws! What a surprise! They were traveling through the area and happened to stop for breakfast in the same restaurant. They called Ryan to verify it was me before they said Hi! They stopped by the campsite to say Hi to all before continuing on their way.

8. Told stories by the campfire and sang silly songs. We ate smores and popcorn popped over the fire! Plus licorice, peanuts, Pringles, and cookies.

9. Marc and Luc cried when we told them we were headed home.

10. A good time had by all, and we are planning on going again next year.

Five things I love about camping

1. Telling stories in the round by the campfire.
2. Biking to use the "porcelain potties".
3. Hearing the waves of Lake Michigan at night.
4. No TV, no radio, no washing machine, no telephone....
5. Spending time as a family.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sabinche/424078457/

Three–the age of independence….Are you familiar with John Ball Park Zoo in Grand Rapids? It’s a wonderful zoo with a wonderful aquarium building. They have a window with a sign that says “octopus”, but usually, you never see him. My son recently discovered how to get the octopus to come out. When the zoo is really busy, there’s a line for the restroom in the hallway of the aquarium. There is also a fire alarm in the hallway of the aquarium. You see where this is going…If your son pulls the fire alarm and your daughter (and many other children) begin crying because it is so loud and scary, and the building clears out and you finally exit the restroom with your children, you will actually see the eye of the octopus and all eight arms moving around right next to the glass as if to say, “What is going on out there?”

Five wonderful smells
1. Baby shampoo
2. Freshly made no-bake cookies cooling on wax paper
3. The perfume that came on the honeymoon
4. Candles
5. Fresh summer morning

Thank you, Lord, for the sense of smell. This blog finds me at home once again. My wonderful husband (with outside assistance from a good friend, thank-you!) has provided me with a working computer. (No more blogging at the library). The whole gang is in bed, and I have finished much laundry and many dishes this evening. No idle hands tonight. God Bless you all and good night.

Greetings friends, neighbors, and anonymous blogsurfers (you know who you are.)
If you are unable to reach me via my regular email, I apologize. We are still without a home computer. Yes, I am still blogging at the library. Even now, strange sounds are emanating from the children's corner where a rather unique flying puppet show is being performed by two small unruly twins. (I wonder where their mother is. probably blogging at the computers...)
So, without further ado, five things.
Five children's books I adore. (I am at the library, after all.)
1. Diary of a wombat.
2. The library lion by Michelle knudson
3. A rooster named BOB! by Tracey Pearson
4. Mary had a little lamb -HOberman
5. 10 Fat Frogs --read this one really fast, in a dimly lit child's room while you are have asleep...very funny...

Those are my preschool/picture book favorites. My older kids list is much longer but I must go. The kids are holding two kids and a librarian hostage.

Five things

Five Things to be grateful for:
1. Summertime
2. Thunderstorms
3. Gardens
4. Patience
5. Children's books

The virtue of Patience

I have just realized something I should have known a long time ago.
Patience is a gift. I mean, truly, a gift from God. It's an actual FRUIT of the Spirit. Because, and only because Christ lives in me, I have the fruit of patience growing in my life. (I have recently prayed for some miracle-gro to accomplish this process faster but I have been reassured that God's timing is indeed perfect.)
We are still without our computer, so I ask for your patience. :-) For more on this topic, check out the Word of God, especially Galations 5.

Out of Context 101

My mother discovered she really does have rain sensing wipers!

Hero

Perhaps you have seen the preschool cartoon show "Little Bear"on Noggin tv. If not, you need to watch one episode, just one and you will meet one of my role models. It's Mother Bear. Here's what I love about Mother Bear.
1. She talks in the same, patient, loving manner as Mr. Rogers (always).
2. She always looks on the bright side or has something "positive" to say.
3. She loves to bake and always has muffins or cookies ready for Baby Bear or Father Bear.
4. She never wears make-up.
5. She is not thin.
6. She smiles alot.
7. She wears frumpy clothes, including aprons. If she has to go out, she puts on a hat.
8. She patiently teaches Little Bear a valuable life lesson in every fifteen minute episode.

Poetry in Octanes

When I am surrounded by these four beautiful, wonderful, inquisitive children, it can become hard to find a moment to complete a thought. The mental sentence always ends mid-thought. I have to: wipe a nose, zip a coat, find a shoe, clean a shoe, find a sock, tie a shoe, brush some hair, straighten glasses, help someone go potty, look at a cool rock, put a dandelion behind an ear, give a hug, give a kiss, give a stern look....I recently read that during a typical day, a three year old child will have a need once every three minutes...times that by twins, add an almost-five-year-old and a six-year-old who loves to play monopoly. I realize this paragraph has been interrupted sixteen times, thus far. Henceforth, I usually "think" in those groggy, exhausted moments between nine and ten, when the children are asleep and the husband has important things to remind me about. By 10:30, I am asleep and all thinking is relegated to dreamland. However, I have said all this to say, that the body has accomodated, or acclimated, or adapted by thinking deep thoughts at very strange alone times.
For instance, while pumping gas, I discovered a deep thought. Yes, the prices are outrageous, but for a few precious moments, I am alone. Seperated from the chldren by the frame of the car, watching the numbers roll, glancing around at the weather, smiling at strangers, feeling the wind, wondering why the octane numbers seem so familiar. Yes, the octane numbers. Those yellow squares with the black numbers. 87 89 93. Did you know I can measure my life in octanes?
I mentioned this to a friend. Puzzled, she asked, "Is that poetry?" I realized I had spoken out of context again. I come by this naturally. My mother does it all the time, leaving you to wonder what she's talking about. We recently watched a World War 2 documentary with her and she suddenly says, "I don't have rain sensing wipers and I thought I would!" We all just stared at her. We had no idea.
Ah, the octanes. 87... That's1987 for me. The year my life began. No, I wasn't born then. I was fifteen. I took driver's training. I had my first real haircut. I got my braces off. I traded in the coke-bottom bottle glasses for contact lenses. It was a Cinderella year. I met my best friend ever, I met the man I would marry. All in one life changing octane..I mean, year.
89...I spent most of 1989 grounded. It was my senior year of high school. I crashed and totalled my car. Ryan and I broke up and got back together at least four times in 1989. His younger brother died of leukemia in January of that year and it wa my cancer-ridden grandparents last journey to Michigan for my graduation. (they died in 90 and 91). In 1989, I turned 18 and I started college in a different state. At last I was an adult, I had arrived.
And 1993. The year of the weddings. While Ryan and I dated on again off again for six years, he proposed in 92 (I did say yes), our friends got engaged and married before us Finally, on OCt. 2, 1993, we stated our vows before God, pledged our lives to one another and to God's glory and on we moved into wedded bliss. I mean, we committed to the hard work, diligent communication, mutual frustrations and joys we were certain the journey of marriage would entail. We'll be married 15 years this October. Wow that was fast.
So there's my life in octanes. Perhaps an eight line form of poetry containing reference to one's life journey would be better. I'll have to work on that one.

Our Computer is Down and Out

Yes, I am typing this at the library while my children are hopefully playing. I can't see them good from here so if I leave suddenly, you'll know why. (Hee, hee). According to our local and extraordinarily talented computer guru, our computer is in need of a mother. You know, everybody needs a mother. Someone to love, comfort, guide...wait a minute! I didn't mean mother, I meant motherboard. Sheesh!
Anyway, here are my five things. (thank you God, for...)
1. Library internet access.
2. Children who come when called. (Hallelujah!)
3. A sleeping child.
4. A good friend to cry with. ( she makes great coffee, too.)
5. Puppets at the library

Five Things to be Grateful for

1. The sound of your grandma laughing.
2. The sweet smell of chocolate no-bake cookies Grandma makes.
3. All the old photos you can look through with Grandma and find out who people were.
4. The sight of my children hugging Grandma.
5. The taste of hot coffee while sitting at Grandma's table.
(Guess where I went today).

The Perfect Mother's Day

It all began with breakfast. Yes, breakfast. But not breakfast in bed. I wanted some solitude. So I went to IHOP. (IHOP?) yes, that's right. The International House of Pancakes. I adore pancakes and their chocolate, chocolate chip pancakes with whip cream on top are my favorite.

There was a 45 minute wait. At 9:30 in the morning. I put in my request for a table for one. That stopped the hostess for a moment. The room was filled with mothers and various family members, and I wanted a table for one? She flatly told me "45 minutes". I smiled, "That would be great." She did not smile back.

Not to be daunted, I purchased the actual Sunday paper. I rarely read anything beyond children's books, the Bible, and parenting books, so it was a real treat for me. I read for over an hour before they called my table for one. Mothers with small, hungry, bored children stared on with envy as I settled in to my lone booth. I took my time, I got comfortable. I spread out the paper. My waiter apologized for taking so long to get to me. I smiled, "No problem," and I ordered. He brought coffee back. (my very own pot! I love IHOP!) I read for another 40 minutes or so. He came and apologized. They got my order wrong. "That's fine, " I smiled, "I'm in no hurry." He did not smile back.

Not to be daunted, I kept reading and enjoying myself. He brought my pancakes. I ate them slowly, enjoying each bite. Do you know pancakes are actually served hot? I had more coffee, I read more articles, I relaxed. I headed out a little while later, leaving a nice tip for my waiter. I was shocked when I turned on the car and the clock said 11:55. I had been to breakfast since 9:15. Wow.

I made my way home, driving carefully as the rain came down. We need the rain anyway. It refreshes the grass. It cleanses the land and makes us appreciate the next day's rain-washed brilliance. Some days as a mom can be quite rainy. Some days are quite thunderstormy (if I can turn that into an adjective), but I am not alone in the storm. He who calms the storm calms my beating heart as well. I am a believer in Jesus. Christ in me, the hope of glory. While some days may be wet and dark and cold, that rain-washed brilliance will come. Could we truly appreciate the sunshine without the rain? As a friend pointed out, beautiful windchimes would have no song if not for the blowing wind.

Arriving home, I found a quiet house so I crawled under the covers for about 10 minutes until I heard little voices and little feet coming up the stairs. "We got you something mom! Guess." this from my six-year-old detective. "It's purple!" added my little girl, "That's a HINT," she explained to the detective. "It's POWERS!" declared Mark the moment he entered the room.

"Are they special?" Everyone nodded. "I could use some special powers." "No, they're flowers!" the older two explained as Ryan entered with these beautiful flowers.

I hope all you moms reading this had a WONDERFUL mother's day. (Also, my heart goes out to all those would-be moms. Ryan and I struggled with infertility for 6 years and mother's day was a sad, hard day for me. A day when those who meant well felt sorry for me and those who knew my heart prayed for me. So if you know a would-be mom, keep praying for her heart, especially on Mother's Day.)

NIght sounds

Are you a fan sleeper? I mean, do you HAVE to have a fan to sleep? I am a fan sleeper by marriage only, and occasionally, I miss those night sounds. A train's whistle from far away, the whoosh of cars on wet pavement, crickets, or the "who-cooks-for-you?" of the owl. Instead, I get "hmmmmmmmmmmm...." But my husband's rest is important. Ryan is an early riser and is out of bed before 5:30. That's when the fan goes off. He opens the window a bit and every morning this week, I have heard the joyous cacophony of the birds welcoming the sunrise. It's been so nice...

Five things

Five Things to Be Grateful For:

1. Children who love to play outside.
2. Little boy kisses. (Lucas likes to kiss first one cheek and then the other. He will manually turn my head to do this. It's quite entertaining.)
3. The patience the Holy Spirit provides me.
4. Going to the bank with Tim to look at an actual $100.00 bill to check if Ben Franklin is really on it. ("Mom, why don't we have $100.00 bills?" Hee, hee.)
5. A husband who ministers to others.

Everybody has a name

Oh for the innocence of childhood. For the unaltered friendliness and complete lack of self-consciousness. Did you know everyone has a name? Everyone cries. Every single one of us has a mother. God made us and designed us. He designed that guy who is always standing in his yard whenever we drive by. He designed the shirtless skateboarder, resting on a bench, absorbed in his ipod. He has plans for those individuals…

We walked to the park in Grandville. It’s a little bit of a trek from our home, but Tim and Sarah had bikes and the boys sometimes rode in the burley and sometimes walked. Plus Ryan was meeting us at the park. It was 82 degrees according to the church clock on the corner of Canal Street and 36th. when we strolled by. A beautiful summer day in the midst of April. Lovely. We crossed the street.

We passed the occasional biker, or walker. We all do the polite smile or nod and move on in our lives, don’t we? My three year old gave me pause. We passed a man standing in his yard. He wasn’t doing anything. Just standing there, looking around. Mark stopped and stared at him for a moment. Then he said, “Hi, what’s your name?” with a huge smile. The man smiled, “My name is Harry.” “Hello, Harry. I’m Mark. We are going to the park today.”

Now, it may be that since the van crash, we haven’t really seen too many new people, but I think it was more than that. My heart was warmed by my son’s words and as we walked away from Harry, I realized I would have never known that man’s name if Mark had not asked.

I know it’s typical three year old stuff, but I couldn’t help but think how we don’t want to involve ourselves with ‘strangers.’ We don’t really want to know their names. We just want to move on our way. I pondered this as we walked on. It was a long walk and at last, we were on the trail by the creek. Mark saw the shirtless young man from a distance. He was sitting on the bench, listening to an ipod, with a skateboard near his feet. “Who’s that?” “Oh, it’s no one we know, just some one enjoying the day…” Well, Mark stopped right in front of him, sized him up and smiled. “Hi, what’s your name?” “Jacob, “ replied the man, removing an earplug and smiling a pleasant grin I did not expect, “What’s your name?” “I am Marcus.” “That’s a nice name.” “Yup. I am going to the playground now. Goodbye.” I did the polite smile thing and we walked on.

I think I wasn’t just humoring a small child, I was learning that we need to care about what other people’s names are. We need to have and make room in our neatly ordered lives for new conversations, even new relationships with other people God made. God created Harry and Jacob. Their parents gave them names. They have souls inside. Now, I probably won’t be introducing myself to everyone I see, but I hope to listen to God’s voice, and obey, and remember, everybody has a name.

When Science comes to you (IV)

"Tim, look at this branch I found in the yard. What made these holes?"

"A woodpecker did that, mom!"

"See how it's hollow inside? What was the woodpecker trying to get?"

"Bugs."

"Yes, let's set the branch aside to show Dad tonight."

Later, I heard Tim showing it to Sarah, "Sarah, what made these holes?"

"A woodpecker?"

"Yes. See how it's hollow inside? What was the woodpecker trying to get?"

"Bugs?"

"Yes. Let's set it aside to show Dad later." It made me smile to hear my lesson repeated. I love to hear my kids teaching each other.

From a few sightings last year, we think it was a downy woodpecker, but it was very high up in the tree, and hard to see. If you hear a woodpecker in your trees, it means there's a dead branch. If there's a dead branch in your tree, it's going to come down eventually. :-) For more on Michigan's woodpeckers, look here for a video from Channel 9 and 10 in northern Michigan

http://www.9and10news.com/category/story/?id=131279

Five things

Five favorite moments of today (okay, yesterday)

1. Taking a walk with the boys in the burley and Tim and Sarah on bikes. The sun is shining and the grass is actually green.

2. We have lunch outside. Classic PBJ and some cut up oranges. Sarah tells me I am the best mom ever. I remind her that no one is perfect, and we all make mistakes. But Mommy prays to God and God helps mommy be a good mommy. Don’t we have a great God?

3. Washing two pairs of dirty hands coming in from outside play. What tiny little hands that will do so many things in two lifetimes. Oh Lord, bless those little hands.

4. Losing the parking ticket and having the husband find it in two seconds of looking after Tim and I looked for a half-hour with the flashlight and everything. Losing the checkbook (needed to pay the parking ticket). and becoming so upset I could cry. Calling the husband and being shocked by his laughter at the situation. It made me smile too and stopped the tears. Still need to find checkbook before I lose the parking ticket again.

5. Having a friend minister to us with grocery shopping this week. Her two daughters watched the kids while she took me shopping. It was a nice getaway and wonderful to talk to a grownup one on one. Oh, and it was nice to get the shopping done.

Spring is coming

Reading Lesson by Elizabeth B. Rooney

What shall I write, my Lord?
Write about me.
What shall I tell them, Lord?
Tell them how beautiful I am.

But that's been written already, Lord.
In the sky.
In the pine needles under my feet,
In granite and sand,
In all of the sparkle and shine
Of your world.

I know, Child,
I wrote the book.
Tell them to look.

Thank-you Lord for Safety

Smash-bam

I got into a car accident, on April Fools’ Day…No Foolin’.. Wednesday morning was gray, wet, cold, and rainy; a perfect day for the mall. I had all four kids with me and we were on our way to meet a friend and her kids at Centerpointe Mall. We never made it. . For those of you familiar with the old Rogers Department Store on 28th. street in Wyoming, you know there is a blinking yellow light there. Why it is there remains a mystery as Rogers Department Store has been closed for quite some time and there really is no extra traffic.
The young lady in the white car in front of me was a little confused and slowed for the yellow light, coming to a complete stop to wait for it to turn red, then green. I did not see her brakelights in time to come to a stop. I braked and slid smash-bam right into her. We both pulled off the road. Kids were all okay. She was very apologetic, very shaken, but physically okay. It was her first accident and I felt bad for her. I instructed her to use her phone to call 911 and report the accident and the police department would send someone. We went back to our cars and waited. Tim wanted to get out and check out the damage so I let him do that, and Sarah began to cry so I held her on my lap, and we sang and prayed together, “I just want to go home, Mom.”
“I know, sweetie, we have to wait for the police officer.”
Fresh tears, “Is he going to take us to jail?”
“No, not at all.” The boys just wanted out and Lucas kept trying to squirm out of his buckles. I found some toys for them to play with while we waited. I was much more calm, cool, and relaxed than I thought I would be. I have never been in an accident as a mom before and I think it’s a little bit of the mother-bear thing to stay calm for your kids. After I received my traffic ticket and began the drive home, I noticed my hands were a little shaky. By the time we arrived home, my voice was shaky. I got the kids busy with other things and by the time I called Ryan, I was in tears. Thank you God for keeping me calm, cool, and collected when I needed to be.
It's not that I hit someone stopped at a red light. More than just the damage, more than the ticket, more than "yeah, everyone's okay," lies a deeper issue. A vision issue. Should I be driving?
It was a wet, dark, rainy day on a road I don't drive all the time. I was calm during and after the accident. I only got shook up and crying when I reached home. Ryan was grateful no one was hurt, but his biggest concern is the same as mine and the one question he asked is keeping me thinking. He asked, "Do you think I would've had that accident?" Absolutely not. Do I think some other licensed drivers would have hit her. Absolutely yes. So, I am really struggling with my vision issues.

Concerns:
If I crash on 28th. st., what about the drive to the gardens or the zoo or the children’s museum? There is a blinking yellow by the zoo.
Should I limit myself to Jenison? Grocery shopping and the bank. What about the library? No driving on rainy mornings?
What about dental appointments? I’m not super-familiar with the trek to the kids’ dentist office?
These questions fill up my mind. How do I make this judgement call?
Do we look for housing on the bus line? How soon? Can I be within walking distance to the library, park, and grocery?
What about help? Who has the time, patience, and vehicle to haul four kids and their mom to the dentist, or the zoo for the afternoon?
In three years, we can all bike, which is good for my present location, at least part of the year.
In 6 years, Tim can be in charge, and I can go for short treks alone. Will I be driving then? Eleven years until Tim is driving... will I be driving then?
All these questions and no answers. Please pray for Ryan and I when you think of us.

As you know, the twins celebrated their third birthday in February. Age three has arrived. It’s the age of independence, ingenuity, creativity, interesting sentences, and the use of tools.

My boys are finally getting to an age where they can do things for themselves. They invent scenarios for their toys and they take their cars on trips to the library, the farm, and all kinds of places in their little imaginations. They are great play mates for each other and I can leave them unattended while Tim and Sarah and I have school…or so I thought.

Oh, no, tearing off the wallpaper wasn’t good enough….that’s two-year-old stuff, old-school tripe. Holes in the wall…now that’s three year old genius. Ah, but if there is now a hole in the wall, it should be fixed. Maybe they asked themselves, “What Would Daddy Do?” If there are plastic tools available, logic dictates that they should be used. I actually found this little scene after the boys had been tucked in bed. They were sound asleep and I reached for a book to read to Sarah and…there it was…there was nothing to be done tonight…., but take a picture… (Don’t worry, we had a serious “mom to little guys, ‘yes mom’” talk the next day.)

Things kids say

Ryan put a screensaver on the computer for Timothy. It looks just like a fish tank: gravel, plants, and five fish wandering around. Ryan and I are in the kitchen when we hear the question, “Dad, do fish sleep?” Here’s our new answer for these tough questions, “I don’t know, Tim, we’ll have to do some research.” Tim’s response, “Okay, Dad. Maybe they sleep in the wintertime under the ice and they wake up in the spring and stay awake.” Here’s an answer for those of you dying to know if fish sleep.

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/bio99/bio99047.htm

Things Kids Say

Sarah has been learning her address. I also refer to scripture verses’ addresses, like John 3:16. I think she may have been confused.

We are all singing “Deep and Wide” in the car when Sarah pipes up, “Wait, I know the other address to that song, Wide and Deep! Wide and deep!”. (Honey, you mean verse, not address.)

We were expecting guests one evening and Timothy was excited and wanted to watch for their arrival on the porch. When their car pulled in he ran in the house and stated, “Our customers are here!”

Mark is rubbing at his eye, “My eye is poking me.” Well, actually…”Mama, can you take it out?” Let me get a washcloth…

When Mark sneezes, he tells himself, “bless you.”

Mark saw the blowing snow outside and declared it to be “powder.”

I was wrapping up Ryan’s large yellow extension cord.
Mark says, “What you doin’ Mama?”
“Wrapping daddy’s cord for him.”
“Like a cowboy?”
“I suppose so.”
He seems satisfied and begins to walk away, talking to himself, “Daddy a cowboy, yup, yup.”

Tea Party

Hello Captive Audience, (hee, hee)
Our morning at the Westphal Home.

The Quest for a cup of coffee. Day started at 6:35 with a small boy asking for “o’s, please, Mama.” O.K., I’m up. What time is it? It’s still dark out. Why are you awake before 7:00?

Boy sits at counter. I pour o’s. I start to make coffee. Second boy is up. He is demanding oatmeal, loudly. Sent to his room for not asking nicely. Goes back up, loudly. Bleary eyed daughter arrives on scene. Asks politely for oatmeal. I start the oatmeal.

Boy 1 eats o’s, spills some, asks for papertowel and juice. Reformed boy arrives on scene, demands juice, loudly. Boy 2, (formerly reformed) is sent to room for more reformation. Give Boy 1 juice. Girl asks for water. Twice-reformed boy returns. He says “please” at a reasonable decibel level. Oatmeal is finished. Where was I on the coffee? Boy 1 says his tummy hurts. He has to go potty. Take boy 1 to potty. Boy two demands juice, loudly, while we are in the bathroom.

Girl needs bathrobe. Boy 1 is going “beeps”. Boy 2 has mysteriously quieted down. Wash hands, return from bathroom, help girl with robe. Boy 2 is eating grapes; quietly. Boy 1 says his tummy hurts, he lays on couch and asks for “big blue” (The wonder blanket). Settle Boy 1 on couch.

Coffee? I actually start the coffeepot. Little girl has finished breakfast, and heads upstairs to play, two boys join her. Big bleary-eyed boy arrives on scene, needs to cuddle. I take advantage of this for two minutes. Other children need the “tea set”. I explain the location and they get it ALL ON THEIR OWN. I hear them playing. I pour a cup of coffee.

Little girl wants to have a tea party. I tell her to set the little table. She goes up for more cups. She reports there’s been an accident, upstairs. It’s the liquid kind. Boy 1 has had an accident upstairs, on the tea set. I ban the children from the room and first, clean up the little offender, and find new clothing.

He goes potty, boy #2 goes potty, Sarah goes potty, Tim goes potty. I begin clean up upstairs. It was not a little accident. I put the offended pieces of the tea set in a bowl and give it to Tim to give to Sarah to put in the sink to be washed. The bowl spills in the hallway. A blanket and several toys, and parts of the floor mat have also been offended and must be cleaned. Get that done, start the laundry. Clean up hallway. Employ two older kids to help wash tea set in bath tub (so little spoons don’t go down sink drain.) Leave to help boys solve dispute. Find another liquid accident. Not that kind. Boy #1 has spilled Tim’s water bottle all over the top of a tote. The fan is standing in the middle of the puddle. Yes, the fan is on. It is creating waves in the puddle. Carefully shut off fan and go to get a towel in the bathroom. Briefly explain why electricity and water are NOT friends.

Arrive to find big boy standing in tub of water with teaset. He couldn’t reach the cups. Bring towel upstairs and wipe up water (and fan). Mediate another small dispute between boys. Help wash and dry tea set. Wipe up water on bathroom floor. Supervise the tea party.

Finally, take sip of rather cold coffee. Rejoice that my children are happy and healthy. Take picture of tea party. Glance at clock, not even 8. My day has begun.

There is a season

There is a season..
I am cleared for take-off. Into the unknown, of course. You can only predict and plan your life so much and then, we’re outta here. For those of us who know Christ, it’s a hopeful end that isn’t an end at all.
We heard a man who ministers in music all over the world on Sunday. He described himself as an “adrenaline junkie”. He told this story. He was on a plane whose landing gear malfunctioned during take-off. They had to prepare for an emergency landing. This guy was so excited that he had to try to keep from smiling as the stewardess explained the crash position. And then, yes, he was in the row that had the emergency door! Was he willing to be Assistant #1? Absolutely! It would be his job to open the emergency door and help people exit. This guy was thrilled. The plane flew around to burn up most of its fuel and headed down for the landing. Even while assuming the prescribed crash position, our guy couldn’t help but peek out the window. There were NO other planes and there were fire trucks waiting. Our guy was really excited now. As they landed, the pilot touched down on the two good landing wheels, and eased onto the bad one ever so slowly. The wheel held and they had a normal exit. So our guy was now disappointed that he didn’t get to open the door. Most people would be terrified. Not our guy. He also talked about how the flight attendants went person by person to make sure everyone knew the crash position. He emphasized how our position with Christ needs to be one of prayer, of constant communication. It was a great point.
Ryan also made an interesting point that is well worth sharing. Yes, this guy may be an adrenaline junkie, but even more than that, he wasn’t afraid of death. His relationship with Christ was so close that this emergency situation did not evoke any fear in him at all. That’s really how it needs to be.
One of our friends, Dave LeYanna, died this weekend. As his obituary states, “he departed and went to be with his Lord.” He was one of those people who knew. He knew Jesus and that was enough. He was an extraordinary man who looked forward to eternity, knowing life here is temporary.
So are you prepared for take-off? Do you have fears about death lingering in the corners of your heart and mind? Go to God with them. Go to God every day. Get ready.
“There is a time to be born and a time to die.”

Total Lunar Eclipse photo from Minnesota

When Science comes to you

Last week marked the total lunar eclipse. If you missed it, you will have to wait until December 20, 2010 and hope the weather's clear. Timothy just finished a class on space at the bookstore, learned about the phases of the moon, and we are reading a space book this month. All this and I didn't know the lunar eclipse was coming until the radio announced it. It seemed a fitting addition to our schooling and he stayed up late to watch the eclipse with Dad on a special outing. When I asked him what he thought, he said it was just like what we read: that ancient people used to think the moon was being eaten up by a dragon.

Sorry About That

Well, God is still teaching me things and I am still learning. Thank goodness He is patient and gracious. Here is what I am working on this week. I am learning what a true apology involves. First, what it is not.

A true apology does not apologize for WHO you are. God made you on purpose. Yes, you have shortcomings, otherwise known as opportunities for growth and dependence on God. However, when you apologize for your character, you aren’t taking responsibility or working on growth. For example, when I say, “I’m sorry, verbal communication is not my strong point.” While the statement is true, I shouldn’t be apologizing for it. The “I’m sorry” can even be taken at “I’m sorry you don’t like it, and I’m not working to change it.” I have been hugely guilty of this one.

Secondly, a true apology does not apologize for circumstances beyond your control. We have all said, “Oh, I’m sorry you aren’t feeling well.” This is another one for me. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry you bumped your head outside.” My six-year-old enlightened me, “You weren’t there, mom. It wasn’t you. Don’t say you were sorry.” This really makes me think. He’s right, it’s not MY fault. Yes, I feel bad he was injured and I should seek to comfort and help, but to apologize? Doesn’t that just put the emphasis on me? Ouch.

A true apology does not seek to escape conflict. Oh, you know who you are, you conflict-avoiders. This is a big one for me. I tend to apologize before I even understand the problem. This can drive your spouse crazy, by the way. (My poor husband could write a book on this one.) This pseudo-apology just wants the problem and the bad feelings associated with it to disappear at soon as possible. This person apologizes for things that aren’t their fault. Henceforth, a solution does not occur, and often the problem resurfaces and you find yourself in a destructive pattern.

Yikes. Is there any hope? But of course. The true apology is out there and it involves four parts (at least that’s what I’ve discovered thus far).

A true apology is an acceptance of responsibility. It states what you are sorry for, and does not include any footnotes. “I’m sorry I broke the vase, but if you hadn’t put it there…” No, you broke it, you apologize. I’m sorry I broke the vase. I’m sorry I said those words. I am sorry I hurt you. I am sorry I threw your Sunday School paper away. No excuses. Claim responsibility for your mistake.

Secondly, a true apology seeks forgiveness. When we do wrong (sin) our relationship with God is hindered. We seek forgiveness with him first, for that is where true forgiveness lies. After you have sought and received forgiveness from God, seek it from the person you wronged. Mommy is sorry she yelled at you. I’m sorry I punished your for something your brothers did, will you forgive me? I’m sorry I talked to Mom about that without asking you first. Even if your sister is so hurt, she refuses to forgive you, you have done your part. Here comes part three.

A true apology seeks restitution. I know I hurt you and I am sorry, how can I make it up to you? I would like to buy you a new vase. Can I help you draw another picture? Restitution is not always immediate and it is not a giant eraser. Hurtful words are like squeezed out toothpaste. They aren’t going to go back and they may be messy to clean up. Restitution just means you truly care and you want to do better. When my kids apologize for “hitting”, I tell them it means “it won’t happen again.” They are committing to a change in behavior, and hopefully a change in will.

Lastly, true apology seeks a solution. I am going to commit to watching my words so I don’t hurt you again. I am going to make sure I ask you before I throw your papers out. I don’t want to sin again. Like repentance, true apology involves a turn-around. So the next time you hear the words, “I’m sorry” escape your lips, stop and ask yourself if you are truly apologizing.

Well, that’s it. If you have any comments, I would love to hear them.

Ginger Morning Star Bettis

My parents just returned from a two week journey to Washington State to visit my sister and her family. Here is a picture of my beautiful niece, born in November. My sister is holding her. Isn't she cute?

The Coldest Day of the Year

It all started with replacing the bath tub drain…grandma’s drain, that is. It went so well Ryan decided to replace ours. There’s an interesting phenomenon in a house that’s about 100 years old. Perhaps some of you have experienced it. It’s this: when you begin one simple project, it doesn’t stay simple. First, the drain was old and didn’t want to come out. Not to be daunted, Ryan consulted with the hardware store and came home with new tools and new resolve. At last, success! Now for the new…wait a minute…oh…the pipe beneath the drain was a little…rusted.. It fell apart when Ryan touched it. “Sorry, honey, no bathtub this week.” I taught my kids how to shower at the YMCA. (One cooperative child out of four isn’t bad, right? I had three showers too. They should consider sound-proofing the family restrooms.)

The weekend arrives and Ryan is ready. We don’t have a basement and access to the underside of the bathtub is through the back porch. That’s right, outside. So Ryan shoveled the snow away, and took up the plywood to reveal our small insulated crawlspace. After a couple hours of cold, cramped work, and several setbacks, including losing tools in the amount of snow accumulating on the porch, he emerged and decided to finish in the morning. He would later regret this decision, along with the decision of even being a home owner. (This is also the moment he realized he was going to have to crawl back under there one more time to locate his cell phone.)

The morning of February 11, 2008, dawned. It was Sunday, the coldest day of the year. It was five degrees with a negative 12 windchill, plus snow and 50 mile an hour winds. They cancelled our church. The boys and I were up first when we discovered the water in the bathroom (our only bathroom) was not working. This meant no flushing of the toilet (the only toilet). Maybe Ryan shut it off? But that wasn’t it. Remember it’s the coldest morning of the year? Yes, our pipes are frozen.

Did I mention we were going to have a little birthday party for the boys at 2:45? I already made cupcakes. I even vacuumed. “Should I cancel?” “Definitely”. So I called and cancelled. I also called my dear sweet grandmother and invaded her home for the day.

The roads were so bad I couldn’t tell where the lanes were. Plus the white outs. Tim says, “I’ll watch for the lights, mom, and you watch for the road.” We made it. Grandma has lots of room, running water, and working toilets, so it was a fun day for all of us, except for Ryan. He called me when we had running water. Only one heart stopping moment when he thought he set the house on fire. The toilet water rushed in warm. It was just from the heater he was using on the pipes. Later that day Ryan called again and praise the lord, the plumbing was fixed. He actually took a shower without water pooling to his ankles. He wasn’t exactly a happy homeowner, and he was certainly warmer and the situation was much improved. Just when all looks well… So I loaded up the van, put boots on the boys and decided to go start the van first. The van would not start. It would not even click. I called the exhausted husband and he faced the cold once more to come jumpstart the van. However, it would not hold a charge.

Grandma said we were welcome to stay the night, after all, the roads were bad. So we stayed. I used to spend nights at Grandma’s when I was a child so this was a treat for me. We put the kids to bed and sat around talking, crocheting our afghans, and watching some lifetime movie (Grandma’s favorite channel). The next morning we were up early and we all climbed into Grandma’s bed to say Good Morning. We had a big pancake breakfast, I did school with the kids, and we watched cartoons and played all day. After work, Ryan came to work on the van some more, and I am happy to report that we are all home again. Whew!