crazytown

Whoa. Nelly.

Life is crazy around here and only getting crazier.

And do you know what I do when I'm overwhelmed with craziness?

Nothing.

Just nothing.

I do nothing for a month and then I think "Oh yeah, I have a blog that's supposed to be documenting this crazy life so that when I'm old and gray and my sweet, sweet grandbabies ask me about what life was like "back in the old days", I'll have something to say other than "uh...I think we had fun?"

Anyway:

We had a great Christmas in South Carolina with Joe's family. Joe got me a new laptop for Christmas since my old one crashed. He is amazing. And also a total cheater since we "weren't doing gifts this year". I guess I’ll have to think of a sweet birthday gift for him!

We got the boys a puppy for Christmas. He's a 14-week-old Golden Lab. His name is Charlie. He is beyond cute and they are beyond overjoyed. I will try to post pictures and video soon.

Silas can walk now. He started taking a few steps at a time right around 9 months...but he started really walking - as in walking across a room - when we were in SC. He's starting to talk, too, which is super fun. He says "ha-yo" for "hello" - almost always while holding a hand up to his ear as if he's holding a phone. He says "dada", "Bow-ba" for "Roman", "ba" for ball, book, and pretty much any other "b" word. His favorite word, though, is "Dyoo-dah" for "Judah". :) He also signs "more".

Judah loves his "Char-yee" dog. He is always hugging him. He is starting to recognize a few letters and is currently obsessed with puzzles. His favorite book is Go, Dog. Go! Judah is Roman's biggest fan (or worst enemy depending on the situation). But, for the most part, he loves him. He asks for him when he's not around and tells me "Want mwo-mwan". We're still working on those Rs. :) Some of my favorite Judah moments:

·   waving to daddy out the front window "Bye, daddy! Have fun at preschool!"

·   always wants Silas to clap so he can tell him good job. He says "Siwes cwap". I think he's saying "crap" almost every time. What is wrong with me?

·   I have often said the following in my house: "You're being sneaky. I don't like that". Judah doesn't really understand that it's not a compliment. He will proudly come out of a room and announce "You're snakey" when he's been up to no good. At least he's honest.

·   We have a hard time figuring out what motivates Judah. He just so rarely cares about anything. Except shoes, apparently. He lost a shoe outside at Chrissy's house a few weeks ago and was devastated the whole ride home. When she called the next morning to let us know Jon found it outside, she became Judah's hero. He still tells me, almost daily, "Chrissy find your shoe".

Roman, oh my Roman. You can most often find him acting out a scene from Lion King. For example, he will climb up the slide at the park and pretend to be Mufasa hanging on the cliff for dear life, while yelling "Scar! Brother! Help me!" This is followed by him letting go, sliding back down and yelling as if he is plummeting to his death. I'm sure this is no way alarming to the other kids (or parents) at the park. He is getting really good with sight words and sounding out words he doesn't know. I'm sure he'll be reading in no time...and then, Look out, World! He had a great time "looking at all of Grandma's beautiful bugs" in SC. Roman always has lots to say...here are a few examples:

·   He's getting really close to being able to do a cartwheel. I had made him "try again" one too many times apparently, because he told me "Mom, I'm all out of cartwheels".

·   One of his favorite movies is Prince of Egypt. One day he was reading a children's Bible and came to the page with Jesus on the cross. He declared "I AM that I AM". Maybe coincidence. Maybe some pretty solid Trinitarian understanding?

·   Also (I'm guessing due to the current love for Moses), he mashed up red jello the other day and told us it was the burning bush.

·   My brother and his wife were invited to attend a concert at the White House a few weeks ago. We were lucky enough to be able to watch it on TV a few days after. When I was telling Roman what we were going to watch, I asked him "Do you remember who lives at the White House?" He responded "Snow White?" I laughed and said no. Then he said "OH! President Obama!"

·   Running around the ottoman he said "Look, Mom! I'm running in rectangles!"

·   So, somehow, four-year-old boys magically know how to turn their eyelids inside out. I am confident that this is not an innate ability in girls. I'm also confident that no one taught him how to do it. All I know is that he thoroughly enjoys saying "Hey, Mom!" and getting me to turn around and freak.out. about how he looks like a character in a horror film. Seriously, so so gross.

As for Joe and I, we have a goal to read through the Bible together this year. Thanks to Monica for organizing a chronological schedule and posting here: http://therewillbebiblestudy.blogspot.com/  (We would love to have you join us!)

It has been such a blessing to us already.

And just when I begin to feel overwhelmed about how my plan is not going…well, as I had planned, ( read:  when I start acting like a two year old trying to jam the puzzle pieces of life where they clearly do not fit), I am reminded of how the One who has designed every inch of this beautiful world, has perfectly orchestrated all that is laid out before me.  That.  Is.  Peace.

Job 38

The LORD Speaks

¹ Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

² “Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge?
³ Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
⁵ Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
⁶ On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
⁷ while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels^[a] shouted for joy?

⁸ “Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
⁹ when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
¹⁰ when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
¹¹ when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt’?

¹² “Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,
¹³ that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked out of it?
¹⁴ The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
its features stand out like those of a garment.
¹⁵ The wicked are denied their light,
and their upraised arm is broken.

¹⁶ “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
¹⁷ Have the gates of death been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
¹⁸ Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.