Recent cute things my kids say...

~Whenever Eli finds any thing resembling a debit or credit card he says, "I have eighty dollars" I have no idea where that came from.

~I had the following conversation with Emerson on more than on occasion.

Emmy: Bubba I a girl
Me: Emerson am I girl
Emmy: No mama is mama
Me: What about Eli is he a girl
Emmy: No bubba is bubba
Me: What about daddy
Emmy: No daddy is daddy
Me: So what about you, is Emmy, Emmy.
Emmy: No I a girl

I find this hysterical.

~When the imagination doesn't quite translate. Today Eli had a tennis ball inside of a fake ice cream cone and he was feeding everyone his "ice cream" I had some, Marcus had some, we did the appropriate fake eating, exclaiming it was delicious.

Then he said, "Here sissy. ice cream."

Emerson looked at him and said, "That a ball bubba"

~ They played frisbee today for a long time. They call the frisbee "bee" where the "bee go" it took me a little bit to figure out what they were talking about.

~ Our prayers at dinner keep getting longer and longer. We don't stop praying until they name everyone they can think of. Then often we have to go back to praying if they remember someone or something else latter.

"That"...

One of the things I love about Eli and Emerson is how their speech patterns mimic each other.

Their newest thing is to add a "that" in front of names.

For example, "Where that daddy"

"Where that Emmy is"

"Where that grammy go" (Said after we saw them last week for Marcus' grandma's funeral. We came home and it was asked over and over).

or the most common one shrieked by Emerson whenever Eli stands in front of the T.V. "THAT BUBBA!!" Which is her way of saying, "Please move Eli you're blocking the T.V."

It's very effective. As soon as she yells he runs back to the couch.

World Book Night 2012...

Today was the first U.S. World Book Night. 25,000 people across the country gave away half a million books for free to promote love of reading.

The idea was to find people who were light readers or non-readers and give them a free copy of a book. It was great fun. I wish I could give away books everyday.

I picked the Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. The books were specially printed for world book night.

With a special letter on the inside addressed "Dear Reader"

Some of my favorite parts in the letter are

"It's been said a million times before, but it is still true: no one finishes a book the same person as when they started, whether filled with a new understanding of life or just happier for the hours lost in a good story.

"There are few gifts more precious than sharing the love of a good story with someone else."

Good stuff.

We did some painting this morning (Eli and Emmy were a great help. Eli mostly wanted to paint his stomach I don't know what to do with that boy sometimes). 

Then we loaded up our wagon...

and hit the road. 

Eli and Emerson were my helpers. (They brought a bunch of their books and threw them in the wagon, haha silly kids). 

We walked around our little town and handed out books. The first world book night was a success. And people seemed really excited by the concept and the gift a free book. I even gave away a copy to a woman who only spoke Spanish. I used my spanish skills to explain the concept and she wanted a book. I hope she will find a way to read and love the book. 

Sleep Study update...

I'm so proud of my Emerson and how well she did at the sleep study. Emerson is afraid of all things doctor. Terrified... at her ENT appointment we literally couldn't get her to step on the scale.

Given all of this I figured the sleep study would be a disaster, but in an effort to lesson the blow we've been talking about the sleep study since it was first mentioned. We talked about how mama and Emmy would go sleep in a room. When we were there they would put things in her hair and on her face but it wouldn't hurt.

Then we looked at pictures and even watched a youtube video of a little boy doing a sleep study. I hoped that this preparation would help. Unfortunately since we didn't get much notice on the actual day of the sleep study I didn't do all the prep I would have liked.

She was so cute though when I told her we were putting on special pajamas and she could put her "stuff" in her backpack and just me and Emmy were going to a sleep study.

She kept telling Eli, "You stay here, me and mommy bubba."

Then she put her backpack on and said, "I'm ready to go."

Poor Eli on the other hand was so sad that he wasn't able to bye-bye in the car. Poor baby was sobbing as he watched us pull out of the driveway. Marcus said he cried for about 30 minutes.

As we drove to the children's hospital Emerson did ask about Eli and they talked to each other on the phone. "Hi sissy...hi Bubba, I yuv you, yuv you too."

So adorable.

When we got to the hospital we were early so we spent some time walking around the the grounds.

She loved the statues (Excuse the very bad cell phone pictures)

And the bushes shaped like giraffes. She wanted to take a picture to show daddy.

Then she was so sweet. She bravely got on the scale all by herself, she allowed the bracelet to be put on her wrist (Which she wouldn't allow last time). In the room she was in such a good mood. Happily laying her bed, and then we watched the lion King. 

The one thing about having twins is it's very rare to have one on one time with them. Even those these circumstances were not ideal I adored spending the time with her. 

She was so taken with my bed and kept saying, "Mama your bed"

Then it was time to get hooked up to all the wires. You could tell she was terrified by was trying to be brave and she was doing so good until they taped a microphone onto her next and put the tape on in a way that pulled when she moved. 

Then she lost it and started crying. Poor baby. I felt so bad because she was trying so hard.

(Yes she gets one bottle of water a day) But in this case it was a huge comfort to her. She calmed down and we both settled down to watch the rest of the movie. But first in a tiny little voice she said, "I call daddy". And when she started talking to Marcus her eyes welled up with tears as once again she was trying so hard not to cry, "Hi daddy, I come home."

I rubbed her back for a bit and she fell asleep and only woke up once the entire night. They kicked us out of the hospital at 5am and my tired brave girl and I stumbled to the parking lot, only to discover I could not remember where I parked the car.

Once again my sweet girl tried to hep, "hmmmm... where are car go" she was adorable. Then she would look at a car and say, "This not our car"

We arrived home around 6am. Emerson passed out in my bed for several hours. Eli was awake, Marcus went to work, I was incredibly sleep deprived and despite my best efforts could not stay awake. The best I can figure out Eli was having a fabulous time hanging out in the house pretty much unsupervised. Occasionally, I'd wake up and make sure he was okay and then fall asleep.

He managed to weave dental floss through the entire house while I was sleeping because he was "flossing his teef like daddy". I told Marcus to come ASAP from work, and I went and taught a Bible study feeling as though I was walking around in a fog.

We don't have the results yet, hopefully we'll find out soon if anything came from the study. 

Review: The Book of Jonas by Stephen Dau

"...how quickly everything changes, whether because of a decision you make or the decisions made by others, or just because of chance, and in a moment the entire path of your life, everything you knew and everything you will ever know, is altered" (102"

The Book of Jonas is Stephen Dau's debut novel a powerful story of a young boy who survives an American military attack on his village in an unnamed Muslim country.

The man character Jonas, is rescued and eventually comes to the United States as a refuge. The beautifully written narrative takes us back and forth through the events of Jonas' life.

Moments with his family in his village, times during and after attacks, the early years in America, college, counseling. Jonas struggles to deal with his past, and is hesitate to speak of the events that leave him scarred both physically and emotionally.

In the United States his path crosses with Rose Henderson the mother of the American solider who was there during the attack on his village.

The book is a powerful testimony about the realities of war and the realities of those on all sides of military. It takes a little bit of time to get used to the style of writing used by Stephen Dau.

The movement of the book is jumpy. Moving perspectives, years, times, and places. However, if you allow yourself to go with it, you'll be transported into the lives and the pain of the characters of this story as they all try to find peace within themselves for the war which intermingled the lives of 3 strangers.

I can't recommend this book enough. It's powerful, beautifully and uniquely written, a book and a story that will stay with you days after finishing the book.

I look forward to future works by Stephen Dau, an amazing first novel.

Read this book immediately and then join the conversation at blogher here

Notice: This is a paid review. I was gifted a copy of the book and receive monetary compensation. However the opinions expressed above are my own. 

Off to the sleep clinic...

We got a call around noon today that they had an opening at the sleep clinic tonight. This week is really not ideal for many reasons but the next appointment is October so off we go.

I'm hoping things will go better than I'm expecting but here are my concerns:

1.) Eli and Emmy don't do well away from each other. Eli is already really upset that he doesn't get to go "bye-bye car"

2.) Emerson is afraid of all things medical at her ENT appointment last week we couldn't even get her on the scale.

3.) They have to hook her up to all kinds of wires, which directly relates back to point two.

4.) I'm afraid she won't sleep.

Here's hoping it goes well.

Scenes from Holy Week...

I promise I'm going to stop with the Holy Week and Easter posts after this one, but I just wanted to share some of the design elements that I used in my church during Holy Week.

I really love the use of candles and other elements to help invoke emotions and feelings during worship, and Holy Week provides a perfect opportunity for that.

I used only things I had on hand and I sort of made it up as I went along, trying to get the right feel for each service during the week.

Thursday- I did a tenebrae service with communion as the central piece.

I had twelve candles which represented the 12 disciples with the Christ candle in the center. At the beginning of the service I read the names of the disciples and "invited them to the table that Christ had set" as each name was said the candle was lit. Then throughout the service using songs and scripture the candles were slowly extinguished. At the end only the Christ candle remained lit and it was carried lit from the sanctuary. 

Of course on Holy Thursday communion was central and I invited members 4 at a time to gather around the table. Inviting them to feast at the table Christ set and prepared for them. 

On Good Friday I decided it would be a great idea to completely clear out the area. I had a ton of fun pushing around our huge altar and table. But I liked the look. The cross was draped in black and candles lit the way to the cross. The still lit Christ candle was at the base. At the end of the service with the words, "It is finished" the Christ Candle was extinguished. Along with the candles lighting the way to the cross.  

Then on easter everything returned and the cross was covered in flowers. 

I shouldn't read...

books about boy-girl twins, where something tragic happens. I'm reading The last Child and it's about a set of twins, the girl is abducted and her twin brother just can't let it go.

It's haunting me right now. It's 1:32 am and I all I can think about is how sad it would be for my twins to ever be separated. The story is just so sad and the entire family structure in the book erodes under the tragedy of the missing child.

Not a happy night time read, and now I'm here and awake.  

Easter Recap 2012...

We had a great Easter. Eli and Emerson are getting old enough to understand things a little bit. They had a great time dying the "eggies" as they call them. Only 3 or 4 were broken in the process.

Eli couldn't help himself, and his hands ended up quite blue in the process. 

The finished result. 

Then we set the baskets out for the bunny.

The cutest thing is Emerson remembered the next morning. Usually when they wake up they both head straight to our bedroom. But on Easter morning Emerson headed right to the living room and said, "I see if Bunny here."

And the bunny did indeed come and visit our house. 

The loved their new chairs. Just like daddy's complete with a cup holder. 

Then off to church. Trying to get a picture of the two of them is difficult. I guess all things considering this picture isn't so bad. 

Then Emmy gave her brother some loves, and when she was done hugging him, Eli took the hug and threw it away. Haha this is a game they play they throw everything away. Hugs, kisses, our noses. 

I did my first baptism on Sunday. Such a wonderful and joyous occasion. Notice my daughter tugging on me. She doesn't like to share.

The family Easter picture on the steps of the Church.

After church we went to a party and dinner at the house of a member of my congregation. They had a bounce house and Eli and Emmy bounced for hours. They came out occasionally for water, and then right back in. And then another egg hunt. Much like our last one Eli was happy with just a few eggs and his candy.

While Emmy ran around grabbing every egg in sight. It was a nice Easter.

One of my favorite parts is that Emerson knows who Jesus is. I gave all the kids in my congregation an activity pack on Easter since we didn't have sunday school. Inside was a religious coloring book. At one point she said, "I coloring Jesus" and then she said, "I coloring a cross" She's learning something haha.

lenten goals update...

We made it through lent and Holy week. I'm still recovering from Holy Week to be honest. It was good but a lot of work. Three services is a lot to plan and organize in a short amount of time.

At the beginning of lent I gave up soda, Reese's Candy, and procrastination.

I did pretty well overall. I did have soda a few times during lent but hardly at all, I didn't have Reese's at all, and you want to hear a sad story. I got some Reese's from the easter bunny after not having any for 40+ days. I had a few but now I can't find them.

That's right I somehow lost my candy. I would like to blame Eli that boy loves his chocolate but I'm pretty sure this is all my fault. Sad times.

As far as procrastination I did much much better and it made my life about a million times better.

The best part is that during lent both Marcus and I started exercising. I had to stop for a couple of weeks in there, because I bought some awful shoes and ended up with some really serious pain I had to recover from but we've both been really committed, and during lent Marcus lost 16lbs and I lost 5lbs.

I bought a pair of jeans the other day and they were a size 4 (last time I bought jeans I was in a 6) so this is exciting.

Now to keep it up and stay motivated.

On a sad note Marcus Grandma passed away on Friday. I'm assisting with the service so that's been on my heart and mind lately.

I have lots of pictures from easter but I'm so exhausted and just don't have the energy right now. Perhaps tomorrow.

Caught up in Holy Week...

I haven't had much time for anything but work this week. Three services plus a morning prayer service = my head is swimming.

Today at choir practice I was trying to remember which song went with which service haha. I have to say though as busy as this week is for me I love it. There's something so powerful about creating worship experiences on Holy Week.

I love that I get to do things outside of our normal ritual, to invoke emotions, and the Holy Spirit. Tonight while service communion was one of the Holiest experiences I've ever had.

Something was just different tonight. Different than the communion service on sunday, and different than the communion sundays' I've done for the past 9 months.

Eli giggled through the entire service. He was taking Marcus' nose and throwing it away and apparently this was super hilarious. This of course made Marcus laugh so my boys had to excuse themselves a couple of times during the service. I didn't mind though, it's way better than the alternative.

Emerson sat really well with a couple of members from the congregation and I was just relieved I didn't have to hold either one of them tonight.

Good Friday service tomorrow and then Easter on Sunday, where I will do my first baptism!

Palm Sunday & Egg Hunt...

Today is Palm Sunday and the start of the Holy Week Madness. When Marcus saw my schedule for the week he said, "Wow this is way harder than Christmas" haha. Yes it's a little more involved.

Yesterday, my church hosted a community egg hung, which included singing, craft, and story as well. Eli and Emerson were so anxious the entire morning to go and find the "eggies".

It was hard keeping them calm as they tried to wait patiently for 10am.

Emerson's Easter cross craft. 

Starting the egg hunt

Notice Eli's empty basket. He found one egg, opened it started eating the candy and was content. I finally urged him forward and had him pick up a few more. 

Emerson got a ton of eggs. She as an egg hunting fool. 

The bigger kids had a separate egg hunting area. 

And then Palm Sunday today. One of the great things about living here is we have palm trees. A member of our congregation just trims their trees and we have palms. 

We had a processional in church while we sang Hosanna!

And of course I had to do some more Hosanna yelling with the kids as we waved our Palms. 

Eli loved the Palms he walked around fanning everyone in the congregation. Eli and Emmy also handed out the palms to everyone. It was a good weekend, and a good start to Holy Week.