TWELVE YEARS AGO TODAY...

...We tied the knot...

And I love him a lot ...

He's like totally...hot.

He puts up...with...a lot...

A chocolate chip cookie...

I GOT.

(Yes, I know that cookie part seems totally random but I haven't had a lick of sugar, in any way, shape or form...simple carbs or refined anything! ... for a solid 3 weeks. So the cookie was a big deal folks.)

And to my husband, my best friend in the world~

Everyday with you is like a miracle for me. When you get home from work at night I still get that same funny feeling I had when we were flying away into the clouds on our honeymoon and it hit me like... oh my gosh it worked! That poor fool just actually married me! SWEEET!!!

Seriously though... it still feels like a miracle everytime you come home and walk through that door...to me. You're my hero, my very best friend, everything I ever wanted and so much more. You make the gospel so very real to me the way that you love me and these amazing kids. Thankyou, thankyou oh my gosh Brian.....thankyou...... I am so totally looking forward to seeing you as a really cute old guy... holding our grandbabies and tipping over in your rocking chair... heh...heh heh...

Thank you for loving me

I love you so so much.

HAPPY 12th ANNIVERSARY

No Small Potatoes in Parenting

Today (at Gemma's request), I was gathered with all my sweet younguns excitedly around the computer, poised to take the exciting Lord of the Rings Personality tests. Most of said sweet young children were quite predictably just bursting with hope that they'd turn out to be the lovely Arowen...the brave Aragorn, Legolas......or even perhaps the funny hobbits...

...except for one child. He, with the most disturbingly hopeful yet honest face blurted out:

"Oh! I just hope I'm Smeagol!!!"

and we...like usual, assumed he was cracking one of his jokes with only a little fear that he might be serious. It became more disturbing when he began answering questions very Smeagol like...and yet...honestly very Silas like. So alarmingly (yet honestly) alike were the answers that none of us could fault him for rigging the thing...

When asked if he was loyal, his reply was:
"Yeah...I'm pretty much ah....not that loyal at all cuz none of the kids twusts me even when I pwomise...it's bucuz I always bweak so many promises"

When asked if he was noble: it was "Nope! And I don't even know what that IS!" (which, in and of itself answers a big NEGATIVE to the next question on whether he is "wise" or not.)


When asked if he "likes to meddle in other people's affairs" he didn't hesitate to say with a teeny reassuring glimmer of remorse:

"Yeeah...I'm pretty much a meddler cuz I like to spy and get into all of the girlses stufffff..."

And that little reassuring glimmer was the last bit of hope when asked if he was afraid of the dark, and he hesitated a bit before saying:

"Weoll...some of the time I'm afwaid of the dark...but some of the time...I....love it!"

The torture went on, when asked if he was proud, mischievous and secretive, he answered again and again "yes", "yes" and unfortunately yet again.....yes. (would this torture ever stop? thought his poor disturbed mother)
Fiery Temper? Affirmative. All are in agreement on this as well.


Really, the only "no" that I can think of was in answer to the question "Are you willing to accept responsibility?" Oh wait...I guess that's still not-- (gulp).


And then came the question we were all so sure clenched the deal. It was to choose his favorite food out of the following four: 1)Lembas, 2)mushrooms, 3)Stewed rabbit with herbs, or 4)Ale. There was no question in our minds, and he certainly did let us down when he (with spit a flyin), shrieked out:

"Oh MEAT! Definitely MEAT! I love meat even more than BEER!"

And with that, all the Kirkman household, fully expected the following face to pop up on the screen as Mommy clicked for the results:

But alas, with some seeming computer gliche...like some merciful internet miracle from the heavens...

like a direct ray of hope to a tortured mother from the Almighty Himself......

we all gasped in shock!

For...

what could this mean? There must be some kind of mistake!

I wouldn't go so far as to say he was disgusted, but Silas was certainly not pleased. He said something like: "Awwww DANE-IT!" and walked disapointedly away. After the excitement died down, this perplexed mother was left to grapple with the turn of events... when it finally hit me. Yes! That must be it! Just moments before Silas took his own test, his big brother, his best friend in the world...and quite simply his hero...Elijah (I know, how appropriate)

had tested to be none else than FRODO BAGGINS!!!

And now it all makes sense. Sam Gamgee used to be a real rascal before he had to buck it up and help Frodo save Middle Earth. It's really funny actually. My little rascal Silas hasn't read the books or seen the Lord of the Rings movies yet to even know that Sam turns out to be the real hero in the end. It may have been that ONE blessed virtue of bravery that Silas scored on the test (because he sure bombed out on the "loyalty"!) Or maybe it's the fact that loyalty has nothing to do with the supporting cast, and everything to do with the main character.

Silas in general, is not a loyal kid (yet). But... he is loyal to his truest friend Mr. Eli. And like Samwise the Brave and the others, he simply won't be able to resist following one who would lay down his own life for those he loves. Or namely, The One who already did. It's that same sort of irresistable grace that has hold of him I think. The end is already determined for this kid and He will grow to understand who is his truest, closest friend and hero. (thank God!) My little Silas will surprise himself and everyone else in epic proportions, except for the one who laid down His life even before he set Silas' little rascally life in motion.

And Jesus (our main character) said:

13"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other"

~John 15:13-17

We love, because He first loved us ~1 John 4:19

Keep on loving your own little hobbits Mommas. The greatest heroes are born out of crazy, happy little shires like ours. :)

Our Little Ones

See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

Matt. 18:10

If you make the Most High your dwelling-- even the Lord, who is my refuge then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 14 "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Psalm 91:9-16

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Heb 1:14

Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

Col 2:18The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul.

Psalms 103:19-22

*Although I do feel that the angels depicted in most images end up looking more like what I imagine the little wives of the actual celestial beings would look... since those "mighty ones" given charge over us are described throughout the Bible more like great and fearful warriors (if only we had eyes to see into the spiritual realms), I kind of prefer the idea of the actual warrior guardian to the more nursery appropriate whimsical lady angels, but one still can't help but love these beautiful reminders that our children indeed are the heirs of the Kingdom and the very sons & daughters of the Great High King. It is just a biblical FACT that great guardians are appointed over our little ones to carry out the great and loving plan God has for each of their lives.

And it does a Momma good to remember!

My Easter Dollies

Punk Kids

I'll get them back.

Oh yes.

Oh yes I will.

Juliet goes uncle

Every now and then I like to conjive a new word into the American melting pot. Uh heh heh... In this case those who know Juliet's Uncle Matt need no further explanation but for those who do not understand the use of uncle as a verb...

un'cle (ung'k'l), n. 1. The brother of one's father or mother; also, the husband of one's aunt. 2. slang. A pawnbroker. 3. verb. [as in to "go uncle"] marked by extreme force or sudden intense activity esp. when a generally calm, cute and non-violent person evokes such sounds and thunderings from a percussional instrument quite never imagined to come forth from natural objects. [early Seattlese from the belief that uncle Matt Johnson is the supreme percussionist.]



Eyes closed in rapture



Passion.

Passion!
I can't believe I'm so flippin awesome!
-Time out-... Essie mops her sweaty brow... all worn out.
How was that, Uncle?

Look what I found!

While digging through boxes for spring clothes, I found this old costume in the 2T box!!! We used to think it a frog, or a dinosaur... but on this particular 2 year old it is looking rather...

Turtley

Never Bored
Years ago, I remember jokingly answering a particular "bored" child by saying "Oh dear, only dumb kids get bored." Now... let me just clarify that as a rule of thumb in parenting I certainly don't encourage name calling but I kind of just blurted it out and remember following it up with an explanation of my strong opinions on the idea of boredom and some good life perspective. I have to say though, it was very effective. As a result, being "bored" is unknown in these parts. It probably also has something to do with the fact that (in these parts), when you are seen lulling around, you usually get given a job. :)

So when Brian and I told all seven kids to wait in our small bathroom while we hid the resurrection eggs for their little hunt, I was only a little alarmed to hear blood chilling screams and soon found the not-bored children all somehow piled on the toilet playing splash mountain. I may be partial here but, I think they play it pretty convincingly...

Resurrection EGGS~ A fun way to learn the Easter Story (and might I add, something I would have seriously frowned upon a couple years ago.) From twelve days before Resurrection Sunday, we've done a little egg hunt in the house before Family worship. In each egg is hidden a couple jelly beans or m&ms. In one special egg is hidden a symbol that illustrates the part of the story we are reading that night.

So great to have my wonderful man home again.

What would you do...?
Our kids constantly ask us what we would do in the most outlandish imagined situations. It can get quite exhausting because they are truly expecting a detailed description of what we would do if "an orca whale swimmed into the kitchen right now" or if "Attila the Hun rided into the yard with raw meat sticked under his saddle" I mean...really, these kinds of questions are coming from a sincere curiosity and desire to understand this big interesting world, and thoughtful responses.... take some thought!

So I ask you... how would you answer the following question. Silas picked this particular hat right out of the pile at Target, put it on, put on this face to go with it and asked:

"Hey Mom. What would you do if I turned up to be one of these boys?"Hmmm....what would I do? is this a challenge???Trying on hats for fun at Target...

This was the best I could do.

Escape!!! While busy not being bored, Juliet likes to pull up heater vents and try to escape. She REALLY REALLY wants to know what's down there...

Juliet usually won't wear hats but when I tried this little $2 clearance bonnett on her just for fun, she fell in LOVE with it and didn't take it off all day!