Heads up

The story of David and Goliath is probably the most read, talked about, acted out and watched video in our house. Parker cannot get enough of the story and what I thought would be a passing phase has become an all out Broadway production. We yell in deep mean voices and throw balled up socks at each other's heads and we run towards one another with empty paper towel rolls. It's quite humorous. Up to this point we have always read him and told him the milder and more innocent version of the story. Meaning, David threw a rock at Goliath's head and Goliath fell down. End of story. However this past week we decided that our now 4 year old was ready to hear the unedited version. A friend gave him an old school David and Goliath storybook and in it they did not spare children the details of how David chopped Goliath's head off after victory and brought it to King Saul. After reading this part to Parker, I looked over at him to see his reaction. It was priceless really. His eyes were huge and he was staring at the picture very closely trying to match what I had just read to what he could see. He was staring so hard and not blinking that he actually drooled from the intenseness (sorry, but he did). He didn't say anything but I could tell he was thinking. DEEP thinking... I finished the story and he grabbed the book out of my hands and flipped back to the page where David cut Goliath's head off. He then turns to me and goes, "David cut Goliath's head off?" I answered "Yup. That was what king Saul wanted him to do when he won." Then very seriously he goes, " To eat it?" I just about died. No wonder he looked horrified. I explained to him that they weren't going to eat his head. Just look at it and be proud of how brave David was with God's help. He nodded his head and said, "Good. that would have been really really icky."

Ya' think?

Counting my blessings..one birthday at a time...

Augh! My little guy turned 4 years old today. I can't believe it! To this day Trev and I say his birth and our lives are a miracle. Parker and I should have never survived being hit by that semi truck in our little 1993 Acclaim on that rainy foggy evening. It used to be that a day didn't go by that I didn't think about that accident or the events surrounding his emergency c-section and birth . Now I would have to say a week doesn't go by. Time definitely helps heal the memories and the nightmares are definitely less frequent. It has just been in the last few weeks that I showed Parker pictures of "him in my belly" and pictures of the mangled car that must have had a thousand angels protecting it. He knows that his life is precious and that the joy he brings us everyday is indescribeable. I pray daily that I do not take being a mom for granted. Even in my most frustrated and impatient moments I pray that I treasure it all (yes, even the tantrums, meltdowns and occasional sassyness) b/c it could have been taken away from me in a second. I also try to remember that Parker (and Lillie) are gifts to Trev and myself. Do you how hard it is for me to admit that they are not ours? I mean we say "our kids" but it actuality they are God's and they are only ours while here on this earth. I am embarrassed to say it took me 2 years before I could fully dedicate Parker to God. I could turn over our finances, our marriage, all of our material belongings but when it came to my children the most treasured possessions I have, I could not do it. I would pray it every morning but it wasn't until right before Lillie was born that I could fully give my kids to Him. It was like all the stress of trying to protect them myself and make sure they were constantly cared for and safe was too much to handle. The moment I relinquished control of those feelings I felt relief and peace. So here, as I celebrate Parker's 4th birthday and his happy, healthy, carefree (and oh so active) life I am reflecting on the fact that being his mother is an amazing blessing.

It's all about "the girl"

We have become quite accustomed to meeting with my best friend Lela and her daughter Jovey on a weekly basis. Our kids LOVE LOVE being with each other and have soo much fun together there is no way we could deprive them of each others company (not to mention Lela and I would go through withdrawl as well)... Yesterday after spending all morning with them, we came home and took a run. While running, Lillie was babbling and singing in her cute Lillie way. Parker then says to me, "Mom, Lillie and Jovey sound alike don't they? Do you hear?" I asked him what he meant to which he replied, "They both have cute little girl voices. They make me smile."

I think Parker might be slightly enamored by Jovey....

While putting him to bed he announced, "I am going to marry Jovey when I turn 16 and Jovey is going to marry me!" That would make Jovey 14 and I am pretty sure that would not go over well with Josh and Lela. When we explained to him that he should probably wait until he is maybe 25 his laid back and easy going response was, "Ok. I can drive a big car when I am 16 and marry Jovey later."

Typical guy...

Frog-legs anyone?

This afternoon after catching frogs in the garden

Parker: "Mom, do you think frogs would taste good if you cooked them?"
Me: "I guess I don't really know. What do you think they would taste like?"
Parker: "Umm... I think they would taste ok. Maybe kinda chewy but not good like icecream and a little frog might taste icky but a bigger frog could taste better."

Guess he answered his own question.

Window to the soul

I have written before my desire for our kids to be "spontaneous prayer warriors." Basically, praying without being asked or prompted and praying for whatever they are feeling or thinking however small, big or serious. This week I witnessed Parker do this several times and each time I was moved to tears by his kind and unprompted words and his ability to express to God how he was feeling. Here are the 3 incidences I am calling the 3 F's (Fears, Flamingos and Friends) and although being there in person was definitely the ideal seat in the house, getting it second hand is almost as special.

Wednesday night (Fear)- While giving him a bath, we were talking about his first day of preschool starting on Thursday. Although, he seemed very excited I could tell he was a little apprehensive b/c he kept asking me questions like, "So, Mom you are going to leave with Lillie and I am going to stay there by myself like a big boy and then you and Lillie will come back and get me at lunch. Right?" After reassuring him several times we would be there at noon he stopped asking me and continued playing with his boats. After about 2 minutes of making boat sounds and crashing them he looked at me and says, "Mom. I think I am going to pray." Thinking I might have misunderstood I asked him "What are you going to play?" to which he goes, "No, I think I am going to PRAY... pray mom." And so right there naked in the tub surrounded by bubbles, he folded his hands and prayed, "Dear Jesus.. thank you for my bath and thank you for my food I had at dinner and Jesus I pray that I have a great day at school tomorrow and that I have fun and that mommy comes and gets me at lunch and that I have fun... and AMEN." It was then that I caught a glimpse into his little almost 4 year old brain and realized that he was scared but knew that talking to God would help him and make him feel better. (Maybe it's the mom in me but I am tearing up again writing this) I also realized that I had better be there at 11:50 just to be on the safe side.

Friday afternoon (Flamingos): We went to the zoo for the morning with Lela and Jovey. While observing the Flamingos we watched a flamingo just kind of crumple to the ground in a heap. I am not a flamingo expert so I am not sure if this is their normal way of positioning themselves to the ground or if it had a heart attack or broke it's standing leg... not sure but while Lela and I found it quite humorous and made all sorts of flamingo jokes, Parker was very concerned and kept asking me if it was ok. Even after we left the area, every few minutes he would ask me if I thought the flamingo was standing up again. When we got in the car he said he wanted to go see the broken flamingo next time we went to the zoo. So, while making dinner last night, Parker comes into the kitchen and we start talking about the zoo and all the fun we had and all of a sudden he gets very serious and goes, "Mom, I think we should pray for the flamingo." I almost again thought he said we should go play with the flamingos but then he sat down right there on the livingroom floor, folded his hands and prayed, " Dear Jesus, Please be with that flamingo and his leg. Please make him stand up... and AMEN." For a second time in two days I caught a glimpse of what touches my son and what was on his mind.

Tonite (Friends): The third spontaneous prayer came this evening. Trev and I had already prayed our bedtime prayers with him and after going in to check on him he goes, "Mom! I have to pray for Jovey!" Jovey, who is our bestest friend had to go to the ER today because she hurt her little arm. Although, it turned out to be nothing serious, we didn't know that when Lela called us this afternoon and asked us for prayers as they were driving her to the hospital. Tonite though, Parker did not ask for anything but instead had a prayer of thanksgiving. His simple yet heartfelt prayer was, "Dear Jesus. Thank you that Jovey's arm is ok and thank you that she's ok and thank you that we get to see her next year (he meant next week but it's a little detail)...and AMEN.

I once heard that "the eyes are the window to a person's soul." After what I witnessed this week I believe that prayer can also be the window to a person's soul." You can learn soooo much about what a person is feeling, thinking, agonozing over and is concerned about just by listening to their simple prayer. They may never tell you the details of a situation but in just a few spoken words you can tell what is on their mind. AMAZING!

My spontaenous prayer: Dear Jesus... Thank you! Thank you! for giving us the opportunity to talk to you wherever and whenever. I do not take advantage of that gift enough although with the help of my son I am learning too. Please continue to work in my children's lives and become very real to them. Please help me to be a good listener and to really truly hear what is being spoken no matter how few the words (...and AMEN).

#1 bathtime excuse

After playing outside, rolling in the grass, digging in the sandbox and then trekking thru the garden, Trev told Parker it was time for a bath. Of course Parker asked "Why Dad?" and Trev explained to him that he had mud on him and was dirty and stinky. To which Parker replied, "Dad, I'm not dirty. It was clean mud."