Random morning comment

On the way to school this morning, Isaac exclaimed:

"If I lived to be 102, I would be alive in a part of 3 different centuries!!!"

Twelve years old?!?

Dear Isaac,

Can it be that you are a big 12-year-old young man today? Wow! It sure seems like just a little while ago that we were rushing to the hospital at 2 o'clock on a Saturday morning with A-Gong. We weren't expecting you to come for another couple of weeks, although we were all packed and ready for you :). Ms. Debbie was your nurse that welcomed you into this world at 3:47am! Grandpa & Grandma, Aunt Bethany, Aunt Rebekah, and Uncle Kevan (not yet uncle at that time!) all came out in the middle of the night to see you! As you've been told by Daddy, you came out looking all around, trying to take in and learn as much about this new world as you can... similar to what you still do today :).

Isaac, Daddy and I are so proud of how God is molding and shaping you. You are an amazing young man and I am grateful that God is teaching to develop a heart to be excellent in all that you do. I love that you have learned to manage your time over the last few years; you are diligent in learning how to see your week as a whole and scheduling out your to not be surprised with any tests or homework that is due. I am thankful for your thoughtfulness in asking to help with groceries and running to get my door when we go places :). I have noticed that you have been very intentional about controlling your attitude and being quick in admitting fault. I am grateful to see challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone to develop your leadership skills in running for class rep the last couple of years. Thank you for trying hard to help your sibling with their homework and be a good example to them... I know that is a hard job! Isaac, I am most impressed and challenged by your desire to know God's Word more. I am convicted by you when I see you curled up on the coach or floor first thing in the morning... pouring over your Bible!

You are precious to me, my smart and handsome first-born! I thank God for letting me borrow you for this appointed time. I love watching you play baseball and football with Daddy and Seth. It's so much fun for me to watch you and Seth and Abby play board games and other made-up games for hours. Even though it is a bit foreign to me, I even love how you boys will discuss all sorts of stats of players and team for hours. I'm glad you and Daddy got to run away for the day yesterday, just Father and Son. I know that Daddy had fun biking, kayaking, and miniature golfing with you. Only Daddy will let you get away with having an Olaf for lunch... although the homemade waffle cup, ice cream, whipped cream, and cherry sounded like an amazing treat!!! It was very cute that Ezekiel was so excited about how you got to see "sea creature" on your kayak :).

Kayaking next to Catalina Island... is this before or after the seal greeted you???

Sitting in the front seat of the helicopter on the flight back to main land :)

Hey, thanks for still liking to do stuff with your dear old mom :). I enjoyed stealing you for a quick lunch date last Friday. Don't forget, pomegranate sorbet is our favorite flavor at Yogurt Town! I like hearing your thoughts about school and what you are learning. Your Bible knowledge and insight is beyond your years. I'm glad that you like your class this year... you certainly have quite a few friends that you've been with since you were in kindergarten. I'm glad Miss Meek allowed your classmate to sing "happy birthday" to you all soft and loud and crazy before you passed out your brownie treat. I think you have a sweet class... even if some of them are a bit chatty :).

This is a big year for you. You will be going to Rawhide Ranch with your school and Hume Lake with church! This is your last elementary year. Yikes! Next year, you will officially be a Jr. Higher... with a locker, electives, sports and running from class to class!!!

Your Klondike Kake :D

Hurry Dad... don't melt the ice cream!!!

Could this be better??? I submit not :)

My heart is glad that you take your responsibility as the oldest child (and cousin). You play that role well. I'm thankful for where the Lord has placed you in our family. You have enriched our lives these last 12 years. We await with great anticipation to see where Jesus will lead you in the future. Son, know that Dad and Mom are praying for you always. We are praying that you will continue to grow in your faith and love for our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you would seek to follow Him with all that you do, and that you would treasure Him as your utmost!

We love you! Happy Birthday, Buddy!!! Be circumspect and make wise choices!!!

Thank you, Grandpa & Grandma, for squeezing in a b-day lunch and for the great new shirts! Congratulations on winning the Best Truck Award at the car show... but we already knew that it was the BEST TRUCK :)

Great job, Grandma! Perfect fit!!!

O-B-E-D-IENCE

It has been forever since Mrs. Hunt (the 1st grade teacher that each of our kids have had) at FCS wrote the Obedience Song for her class. Throughout the years, she has taught this song to each of her classes. This song has spilled over to all the other 1st graders in recent years and has grown into a standing tradition for the FCS Chapel on the week that the character trait of "obedience" is focused on. About the 3 week of school, the entire FCS student body sing at the top of their lungs the Obedience Song that they learned as a 1st grader :). I applaud Mrs. Hunt for the concepts behind the song, as well as how it helps the kids learn how to spell a long (but very important) word! Side note: obedience was a spelling word for one of the kids last week. I am pretty sure I heard humming while homework was being completed!

*** This was 2 years ago, when Abby was in 1st grade. My last video of this song :) ***

This week was "obedience week" :). Abby was chosen as Student of Week for this character trait! This is the second time (out of 3) that her teachers have identified this character trait in Abby's life. We are thankful that FCS chooses to use so many ways to positively reinforce good behavior. I know that my children respond very well to being singled out as someone that is doing right! I'm grateful for the "village" (family, school, and church) that God has surrounded me to support me in this parenting endeavor. It is absolutely an essential life skill for my children to learn to respect and honor authorities and to be obedient. I love that my kids are learning this skill when the stakes and consequences are lower (that they are not learning it for the first time as an adult, when they get fired from their job because they were disrespectful or insuborndinate to their employer!).

Good job being obedient at school, Abby :)! We are proud of you!!!

Super Hero

School started this Tuesday. How can it be so amazingly hot and humid in CA?!? It's topped 100 in the last few days. We are all looking forward to the "cooling trend" that is suppose to happen this weekend (especially without air conditioning!) We are so very spoiled... I know!

So, Isaac's assignment tonight is to write a Super Hero paragraph. Isaac is to self evaluate and pick a super hero that exhibits similar character traits as him. On the way home, Isaac complained:

Mom, since you won't let us watch TV, I don't know any super heroes. How am I suppose to figure out which super hero I am like...

I suppose it could be worse :D.

Abraham Lincoln

Abby has been working hard at getting her room decluttered and clean out (including the closet and under the bed!!!) before school starts. While I was helping her purge her stuff and looking at some of her mountains of papers with "little writings" on them (it's HARD for me to purge... especially my kid's work.), here is what I found:

AbrHAm is on a Penee And a five Dolr Bille

ABrHAM Livd on a farm cold mawt Brnin

AbrHAm was onist And Loved to reed the Bible

AbrHAM Linclin Liket to rite

no

Judging from the writing, Abby was 5 when she wrote this. She was most likely preparing for an oral presentation (or "share") for her Kindergarten class :). I love that her school allows her ample opportunities to speak in front of the class (and sometimes the entire school!). I'm thankful that she saved this little paper... just for me to find today and to savor motherhood and to remember to treasure even this time that my daughter still needs me to help her clean her room :).

Cousins

Haven't had much time to get on my blog... maybe after school starts :D. This summer has been one big blur. More about that later, I'm sure.

We were at our annual camping trip just a couple of weeks ago and were able to have a few days where all the "cousins" (our kids' cousins) together. They LOVE their cousins!!!

This week, with Matthew in Cambodia, we attempted to spend some focused time (baby steps!) thinking about school starting back up in a few weeks. Of course that means cleaning and purging closets and drawers, etc... definitely much less fun than water skiing at Almanor or hiking in Yosemite... but very necessary :).

While we were "knee deep" in outgrown or stained clothes, the kids were calling to each other using their "Ezekiel names":

Seth: Igitz, where do you want me to put this?

Isaac: Sephie, you may have that shirt if you want it. It's too small for me...

Seth: Oh! Thanks, Igitz! Abby, are you going to give away that pony?

Isaac: Abby... sorry you don't have a special name...

Abby: Yeah... Ezekiel only calls me "Abby". Sad...

It warms my heart that they love their "Ezekiel names". I love that they are constantly talking about the funny things that their little cousins do and say. They even make observations about how one of their cousins make the poutiest face they've ever seen :D. When I take the time to listen to their constant chatter... I would probably log over 50% cousin material (maybe only 2nd to Adventures in Odyssey :)!!!).

Car Trouble

Yesterday, on the way out to Music Practice, our car stopped working on the freeway. After successfully coasting over to the shoulder and calling for a tow and Matthew (because the tow truck would not be able to accomodate me, Seth and Abby). I suggested for us to pray:

Me: Ok, kids we should pray.

Seth: Ok, what should we pray for?

Me: We should thank God for keeping us safe when we were pulling over, that we have a cell phone to call for help, that Daddy was in town to come get us, and that other drivers were paying attenting so they didn't hit us...

Seth: Yes! We should also pray that nobody drove by really fast to take off my arm!!! (We had no signals, so I had Seth stick his arm out the window...)

Me: ... yes, Seth, you may thank God for your arm :D.

I love that there are so many things we can thank God for...