Expository Thoughts of a Three-Year-Old

This morning we read Psalm 128 in our family devotions.

1 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.
2 When you eat of the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.

Upon hearing this, Hannah blurted out:

"Look! One of the olive plants is having some grapes!!!" --- referring to the fact that Mommy was nursing Caleb.

After rather amazed laughter on Peter and my part, and continuing giggles from the girl (who was quite pleased that she had told a really good joke), we sat there amazed that not only is she listening, but understanding, analyzing, AND developing a sense of humor. To God be the glory.

Chessmates

Behind me, Peter is teaching Hannah to play chess. These are a few things I've heard so far:

Peter: "Your queen can move, here, here, here, here, or here. What do you want to do?"

Hannah: "Here."

Peter: "Whoa. That was sneaky. That was a good move!"

---

Hannah: "Can our knights kiss each other?"

Peter: "Ah, no."

---

Hannah: "Hey look! These two knights are twins!"

---

Peter: "Check."

Hannah: "Where can I put my queen to keep it from getting killed?"

Peter: "Well, here."

Hannah: "I don't want the game to be over. How about if I say 'Check?' Where can I move my king? I want to be safe."

---

I should be taping this...

Housing Drama

In case you're wondering, our house has not yet sold. In case you're further wondering, Dream House did sell...to someone else. In case you're wondering how we're doing with this development, I'd say we're OK. We prayed that God would open or shut the doors, and He has. Everything is going to be OK. We just don't know what Plan B is.

All this has got me thinking that really what we really need to discover is God's Plan A. Our Plan A was apparently not His Plan A. That's OK. We're walking by faith. He's got our best interest in mind. He will reveal it. Everything is going to be OK.

The Pumpkin Patch

Things have been so busy here, that I haven't sat down to blog in quite a while!

The kids (of course) loved it. As I could not get them to hold still for a photo, this was my favorite candid one. Daniel and his friend Matthew are examining a real-live caterpillar on the stem of Daniel's pumpkin. (Can you see how entralled he is? You should see him when we dig up a worm in our garden!)

We began at Pumpkin Class, learning the various stages of pumpkin growth. Did you know that the base of a pumpkin is where the flower once was, and now is withered off? Then we went for a hay ride around the farm. Next was the petting zoo. I don't think I've ever seen the cattle equivalent of a Shetland pony until last month! There were horses, goats, rabbits, turkeys, sheep, chickens, ducks, you name it. From there everyone got a chance to choose any pumpkin they could carry out from the 3 acre of pumpkin patch.

I think Hannah's favorite was the petting zoo. She loves animals, and Papa came along and bought her some feed for the animals. She was delighted. :-)

Even Caleb loved all the excitement!

Can't wait till next year...

My Daughter Just Amazed Me

Hannah had a difficult time waking up from her nap today. Debra's not here. (She's picking up her dad and brother from the Fresno State game, which they lost 68-37 by the way. But we digress.) So, she's been crying for her. Nothing will help but Mommy being back. So imagine crying girl sitting on my lap and the following conversation:

Hannah: (still crying) "Do you know there is something wrong with me?"
Me: (totally composed) "There's something wrong with you?"
Hannah: (still crying) "Yes."
Me: (still totally composed) "What is wrong with you."
Hannah: (still crying) "Well, the antibodies are not eating the bad cells."
Me: (not totally composed now, trying to stifle laugh)

That kind of blew me away. I didn't know she knew what antibodies are.

BTW: Gators just scored to put them up 17-8 over Auburn.

Overheard...

From Hannah ~

"That's not tempting to me. Do you have anything else?" - A bargaining response to her Mimi, who was trying to get her to eat the rest of her sandwich by letting her know what would follow.

"What does a bison sound like?" - Does anyone know? It's a bonified question!

"Did God make Himself?" - Well, noooooo. He's always just 'been.' She went on to elaborate that God made everything, so how about Himself? Distilling doctrines to preschoolers isn't always easy.

"Can we talk about the difference between a bowl of soup and a birthright?" - Her new favorite book is IBLP's Character Sketches, Vol. II. We read about Jacob and Esau yesterday. Apparently, it made an impression.

"I am the firstborn. I have a birthright. So I am winning!" - What she told Daniel over dinner. I think my competitive girl didn't yet get the concept that the birthright was for the firstborn MALE, and was a spiritual bestowment, not something you win!

From Daniel ~

"Chief End Man" - Things we review during family devotions...Daniel likes to be the one to quiz Hannah.

"I love you." - Daddy got the first one.

House Update

For those of you who are wondering, our house has been on the market 31 days now. We've had lots of traffic - meaning people coming to view the home, but no offers yet. It is a little exhausting keeping the home at "20 minutes to viewing," all the time with The Helpers, but we're making it. The home we are interested in also has not sold yet, but has lowered its price twice, so we're in a waiting stage. I understand the average time on the market now is 6 months in this area. 6 months! Still we feel that if God wants us to move, He will do what it takes. Our hearts are at peace.

Just trying to work out!

Feeling out of shape, I recently purchased an exercise DVD where I can do any combination of five 10 minute targeted area work outs. I figured I could squeeze in 10 minutes or more on a regular basis. Who couldn't? Besides, getting exercise together as a family is a good habit.

I wasn't counting on The Helpers. Hannah is my veteran aerobics partner. Peter says one of these days he's going to video me doing the work out, with Hannah copying me - right underfoot the whole time - and Daniel copying Hannah. I'm sure it is a sight. I'm just trying not to step on anyone.

Today we (meaning Mommy and the entourage) decided to do the abs portion after we finished our outdoor projects. (We're already sweaty right?) Silly me. I hadn't done this portion before, and wasn't flashing on the fact that much of it is floor work for crunches, etc.

Picture this:

Mommy and Hannah laying on the floor. Hannah is pressed right against my left arm.

Hannah: "Daniel, move back from the screen. Scoot back. We can't see."

Mommy: Thinking 'Right on, Hannah.' Says "Daniel, move back. Hannah, give Mommy some more space."

Daniel: Turns around and looks at us on the floor. Looks at the screen. A flash of recognition. They match! Doesn't move an inch.

Hannah: Not moving an inch herself. "Daniel, move BACK!"

Mommy: "Yes, Daniel."

Daniel: Scoots back about 3 inches, still blocking the view.

Mommy and Hannah readjust so they can see around Daniel.

Daniel turns around and studies us.

Mommy and Hannah proceed with workout.

Daniel turns around with an evil mischievious grin.

Mommy wonders what is up, while counting crunches to the left with small daughter blocking her arm.

Daniel moves back from the screen with that same odd look. Before I know what is happening, Daniel has 'fallen' on me!

Mommy: "Daniel! That hurts me! Get up! You stand here!" Puts him behind her.

Daniel is determined now. He climbs back on Mommy and lays full body out, making crunches impossible.

Mommy thinks 'This is a 10 minute work out, I don't have 3 minutes to spend on this!'

Hannah: "Daniel, you are a DISGRACE to the movie!"

Mommy: Thinking 'Yeah!' then, 'A disgrace? Where does she come up with these things?'

Daniel is laughing uproarously now. This is great fun. He's climbing back on me saying "MORE!"

This went on for the rest of the 10 minutes. So much for family exercise time! Apparently this is a children's naptime video. ;-)

Count your blessings

Okay, so we figured out how to post videos on the blog recently and maybe we're going a bit overboard. But, this was a pretty cute one we took of Hannah one Sunday morning. Hannah had been very impressed with our church's choir and decided she would have her own choir. She is holding her "hymnal."

Taking Care of the Ladies

I love this! I just saw this on a friend's blog. If you want to see any more of these sweet Everyday News postings, go to http://www.visionforum.com/hottopics/multimedia/enn/.

A Night Under the Stars

Tonight I left the spaghetti dishes to get crusty on the table and went out to the backyard. I sat on a lawnchair on the back grass with Hannah and Daniel in my lap, and we watched the stars come out. It's lazy Indian summer evenings like this that make memories. I remember fun evenings swimming under the stars with my parents when I was not much older than they are. And so it was, with my own happy memories tucked inside, it was priceless to sit and cuddle with my little ones and enjoy God's creation together. This is the next generation. I love that they know Who made the stars, Who made them, and that He loves them so very much, as do I.

Alternate Identities & Ebonics

Hannah has become quite adept at "make believe." She has whole conversations with her dolls during tea parties, doing the talking for each of them, and they aren't just discussing tea and cake.

Recently, she's taken to renaming many of us, according to her (incomprehensible) alternate reality. For example, Daniel is now Michael, Caleb is now Samuel, and she is now Maggie Malone. I don't have another name, I'm just Mom.

Peter's name is another story. Peter suggested today that he might be named "Sponge" for all the crumbs and beverages spilled upon him by one multi-named two-year-old, but Hannah says his name remains still "Lawyer," pronounced with heavy ebonics.