It was 6:30 this morning when I woke up to the sound of two boys racing their cars down the hallway.  Yes, there was a small part of me that was a little annoyed. I had already decided the night before that I would skip my morning run in order to get my much needed rest. It had been a late night and I don’t function well on less than 7 hours of solid sleep. I was exhausted. And well, exhaustion + a hectic life = recipe for disaster.

I try to avoid that at all costs.

But as I lied there in bed, listening to the big sounds coming from small feet combined with the beautiful sound of laughter – the annoyance quickly wore off. Soon the hour didn’t matter and the sounds that would have normally been cringe worthy were now joyful noises to my ears. Joyful because I realized that it seemed like only yesterday that I had held them as tiny babies in my arms. Joyful because a larger part of me realized one will soon turn 5 and the other will soon turn 2. Joyful as I realized that someday those noises will be deeply missed. And while my boys might consider me to be a super hero mom – I’m not the type of hero who can turn back time.

I miss a lot of things from the baby stages and one day I’ll miss this stage too.

So I’m trying…really trying…to find delight in the little things, like…

• All the sounds little boys make. It’s amazing how they can mimic explosions and engine revving.
• Tripping over shoes that were left in the hallway by little feet that were anxious to play, and
• Cleaning up splatters of juice leftover from juice wars (because let’s face it, sometimes it IS tempting to squeeze the box and watch the juice squirt out…especially to little boys!)

I haven’t perfected it yet, but I AM trying to embrace the little things that would normally drive a person, suffering from a small case of OCD, mad.
I know finding delight in these things now won’t keep me from missing them one day. But I can find peace knowing that when I do look back, I’ll do so with joy instead of regret.

We love kale chips!  It’s not only a healthy snack but it actually tastes pretty darn good too!  I’ve experimented with several flavors and we haven’t met one we haven’t liked.  There are so many recipe sites out there so I don’t usually post mine, but I figured this one is so good and so easy, it was worth the share!

• 1 bunch of Kale
• 1 tablespoon of Olive oil
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of seasoning  (I’ve tried White cheddar powder (popcorn seasoning), salt and vinegar powder, garlic powder, caramel powder, curry) – OR – 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper

You’ll want to preheat your oven to 400 degrees and then wash your kale.  Next you’ll remove the leaves from the stems and break the leaves apart into bite size pieces (chip size) and place them into a bowl.  Mix your kale, oil and seasoning together until the kale is completely covered.  (Note:  Don’t use too much oil because the kale won’t get as crispy.  It should make a light cover and since bunches vary in size it’s important to just eye ball it!) (Another note:  Don’t go too wild with any seasoning that has a salt base, the kale really soaks up the flavor.)

Next, place your kale mix in a single layer, flat on a non-greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes (until Kale is completely crispy and has darker edges).

Let stand until cool and then devour!

Evan is definitely ready to be on the mend, but he still isn’t himself.  Thankfully, the rash in his throat isn’t as swollen as it once was so he is able to eat some solid foods.  He also slept through the night, which was heavenly!  He needed a good night of rest and frankly so did mommy and daddy!

We are still restricted to the house and he wants nothing more than to play outside.  The weather is gorgeous right now, so I’m doubly sad for him on that front.  However, I know it won’t be much longer and I’m still thankful that this is just a small bump in the road because it could be so much worse.  God is still good, ya’ll!

Thank you for your continued prayers – we need them!  Also please pray for Caden, that he can stay clear of getting this infection and that he can have some understanding of why mommy and Evan haven’t been able to spend as much time with him as we’d like.  We so appreciate everything so let me leave you with a small momentum…

Not even Coxsackie can kill his cuteness!

Sunday, Evan spiked a fever and he wasn’t up for eating anything.  We figured he was just teething again, just getting his two-year molars (which deep down I was already sure he had, but even I can be wrong!)  We rolled with it.

One restless night, several doses of Tylenol and a very noticeable (popped up overnight) rash around the mouth later… we figured it was probably time to call the pediatrician.

For a moment I thought we were over reacting.  It’s been a little cooler out and the rash was most noticeably around his mouth (I’m thinking it’s just a simple case of wind burn from all the slobbering and what not.)  But inevitably when a child is hurting and there seems to be little you can do, sometimes it helps to have some medical reassurance.   So off to the pediatricians we went.  I was optimistic that we’d be in and out with a confirmation that it’s all just normal.

But that’s not what happened.  By the time we met with the pediatrician the rash had spread to both hands and feet, as well as his diaper area.  The poor thing looked miserable!

An hour later we got confirmation that our poor Evan was suffering from a form of Coxsackie virus (hand, foot, and mouth virus) as well as a double ear infection!  In addition, the pediatrician showed me the rash that was also in his throat.  He wasn’t teething at all…he was in pain from the bumps/rash.  Not our proudest parenting moment but we live and learn, don’t we?  So anyhows, we were told it was mildly contagious but it’s most common in children under five and that it would go away on its own.

So Evan is being quarantined.  Mommy gets the honors of supervision until this virus runs its course and I’m so not complaining! I’m honestly thankful it wasn’t anything worse, even though it is still scary.  Other than the ear infection (which he’s getting antibiotics for) there really is nothing we can do to ease his discomfort except to just be here when he needs to be held and loved on and who can really complain about that?!?!

We had another eventful halloween!  The boys had a blast (for the most part) and it’s always nice to connect with people around the neighborhood.

Evan was a little fussy at first, but once we visited a few houses and he caught on that he was getting candy, he perked right up!  I think he made a cute Charlie Brown.  What do you think?

Caden loves Iron man and he was stoked to dress up as him this year!  I think he pulled it off quite well too!  As for daddy, well let’s just say Caden tugged on his heartstrings enough that he caved and bought a mask.

We hope you had a fantastic (really wanted to put “fangtastic” here) halloween!  We sure did!

Each Halloween I try to include something crafty to give away with our treat bags. In the past it’s mostly been the typical decorated candy (like ghost lollipops) or hand crafted bracelets and such. This year I got an idea to include something a little different – Halloween bird treats. They are super cute, easy to make and most importantly a perfect little treat for God’s creatures. These cute bird treats can be hung right on a tree branch, bush or planter and the birds love them (squirrels too!)

If you missed this for Halloween, try it out as fall décor. A batch makes between 16-25 treats and you can decorate your tree with several of them!

You’ll need:

• ¾ cup All-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp. Light corn syrup
• 4 cups bird seed
• ½ cup water
• Cookie cutters (use the shapes you desire)
• Wax paper
• String, yarn or package ribbon
• Straw

Mix the flour, corn syrup, bird seed and water into a large bowl. Once mixed, spread out a workable amount (a few treats worth) onto the wax paper. I used a rubber spatula to spread the mixture and flatten it. Once flat, take your cookie cutters* and start creating your shapes.

I placed my cutters and then moved it to an open space, using my spatula to flatten the mixture inside the cutter again.

Once the shape has taken place, take a straw and push it into the mixture, creating a nice clean hole. Remove the cookie cutter and repeat.

*NOTE* I sprayed my cookie cutters with spray oil so that mixture didn’t stick. I also lightly sprayed the wax paper so that the mixture would transfer to the drying areas easier (since it can’t be picked up.) 

Allow the shapes to dry overnight (turn over once stable, if able). Once dry, all that’s left is to string them and then hang them (or bag them as we did.) The dried treats are easy to work with, more durable than one would think and they really do turn out quite cute!

I totally didn’t expect to walk into the restroom to see this little nugget…

I absolutely love fall!  Those who know me know that I also enjoy decorating our home to compliment the seasons – placing small reminders of God’s goodness all around!   Fall is one of my favorite seasons and I love creating a harvest home.  It truly does bring a home to life and my boys already love seeing the transformation from season to season!

Our home is filled with autumn colored leaves, beautiful pumpkins, harvest candles and festive fall arrangements.  I also make home-made messages on chalkboards to help complete the feel!  It is so nice to take heart in the simple things.

“October…the artist’s paradise of wonder and beauty. Harvest at its fullest. Getting in the corn. Stacking the wood for the long winter. The falling -leaves in a silent benediction, like blessings that have fallen upon us all year long”. – George Matthew Adams

Since becoming a mother, I’ve learned that some things aren’t as natural for some people as they are for others.

For the better part of my childhood, my family was classified as low-class.  Neither one of my parents made much money so what little money we had went towards necessities.  It wasn’t an easy life, but it did teach me a few things.  I understand what it’s like to go without and I also know what it’s like to rely on the giving of others. So humility and thankfulness come quite naturally for me.

Today, God has provided us with the means to give our children a different upbringing.  But we’ve learned early on that an overabundance of things doesn’t exactly mold a character of thankfulness or humility.

Our children are still young but that doesn’t mean we get to take the easy way out.  Their characters are being molded even now and we have to be the example.  So we teach our children to be intentionally thankful.  As they get older we’ll be able to implement other methods but for now we help our children understand that God supplies all our needs.  We are teaching them now that God gets all the glory and He takes care of us.

While Eric and I could easily make six figures each, we’ve chosen to bring in modest incomes instead.  While we could dress in designer clothes and purchase top-notch items, we choose practical solutions instead.

We are teaching through action, sending the message that just because we can doesn’t mean that we should. We are teaching our children to enjoy the simple and lovely things in life.  Together we are harvesting thankfulness and allowing the Lord to be the true comfort in our hearts.

“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”  Psalm 27:13

I am stubborn strong-willed.  It’s not an entirely bad thing; in fact it can be an advantageous characteristic to have.  But it is a characteristic that has to be constantly checked, and by that I mean if not carefully guarded it can cause more harm than good.

Sometimes, I ignore forget this.

My husband is stubborn strong-willed too.  He has an amazing ability to succeed at pretty much anything he’s ever put his mind to.  Again, that is usually a very good thing but every once in a while our human wills focus on things of the world rather than matters of the heart – and of God.

Sometimes, he ignores forgets this.

In a union* made up of two stubborn strong-willed people, you can probably guess that there tends to be a fair share of battles.  Will vs. Will, so to speak.  In these battles no one ever wins, everyone loses… always.

Sometimes, we both ignore forget this.

*Did you know that a union is defined as “the act of joining together people or things to form a whole”?  In Mark 10:8-9, Jesus says, “and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

In February, Eric and I will be married for a total of 8 years. That means we’ve been in a faithful relationship for over 10 years now.  That is mind-boggling for me because in a way it makes me feel old and in another it surpasses the number of years my own parents were married.   But mostly, it’s just pretty amazing, right?

And while it would be easy to say that Eric and I have done everything right – we always talk kindly to one another, we always respect one another and we never ever put our own needs before the other’s – I can’t because that would be a lie.

According to the worlds standards, we had more than enough reasons to call it quits.  Since year one, there have been several occasions when we’ve contemplated giving up and there have been countless many opportunities to practice forgiveness.

So the other night, while thinking about that fact, I wondered how our marriage has lasted so long and I wondered if we’d actually make it.

After a while I came to the conclusion that there was no way I’d know unless I made a change. (*gasp* She did not just use the word “I” and “change” in the same sentence did she?!? Yes, I did!  Now let me explain how I came to this monumental, life-changing realization.)

Because we are mere humans, there are certain things we just can’t control.  The most important thing, when considering the scenario, is realizing we have no control over our spouses.   I can’t control my husband or his decisions any more than he can control mine.

I know I can only be accountable for my own actions.  All I have are the facts.  So as I laid there in bed, I started making a mental list of the facts:

• We love each other very deeply.  I have never ever loved someone the way I love my husband.  I adore almost everything about him and even though he is not perfect, I’ve learned to love accept the imperfections.  (While I can’t speak for him, I’d guess that statement is pretty much true for him too.)
• Deep down we only want what’s best for our family (and sometimes Satan tries to lie to us about what is best for our family.)
• We will always make mistakes.   We will both always need forgiveness because the opportunities and temptations will always be there.
• We are Christians. Which means a lot of things, but for purposes of staying on track, this means we must give forgiveness even though it is undeserved, unwarranted and most likely comes with the risk of being hurt again and again.  This also means that we serve a God who loves us and who comes to our defense.

Defense…Battle…?  Revelation!

If I compared my marriage to that of my parent’s failed marriage, immediately I know the main and most important difference – God.  Unlike my parents, Eric and I have built a foundation upon Him.

That means when I get fed up and I want to walk out the door… I fall to my knees first.

That also means that God comes to our defense.  And who is He defending us against?  My revelation is that the true battle is not against my husband (his choices, his actions, etc. or vice versa) but against Satan.

I had to decide that our marriage:

• Is worth fighting for.
• Is going to be attacked by Satan because he seeks to destroy all that is good and all that brings glory to God.
• Is a covenant between us and God.
• Is not something that can be dissolved, broken or separated.

With that change in thinking, I can now put all my faith in God’s promises, knowing that no matter what happens Eric and I are not battling Satan alone.

With that change in thinking, I can also give true forgiveness.   I can forgive myself for not always being the perfect wife and I can forgive Eric for not always being the perfect husband.  I can choose to focus on the facts and not entertain the uncertainties.  And let me say, it’s a rare yet powerful thing when you can forgive someone and that forgiveness doesn’t come with a list of stipulations.  It’s throwing out that “I forgive you but you owe me” mentality.

It’s forgiveness that comes with freedom.  It’s free to those who receive it and those who give it are set free.

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  - Colossians 3:13