City

For almost a whole week Nathan was busy working on his city.

Sometimes he enjoyed help, other times he tried restrict his siblings to audience only. (They don't always do what he tries get them to do!)

Every time we had to eat, I'd have to disassemble as carefully as possible, then move it back when the table was clear again!

Did you notice the electrical wires? He had it running to every house in the city, and future house locations as well-but they had to be taken down for each move.

"Mom, is there anything you'd like redone in here? 'Cause we're workers who are working on a building, only on the outside of it, and we need something else to do when it's cold."

Off his rocker

Daniel has fallen off his rocker a lot lately.

I'm sure if he's used a bit more caution and common sense this wouldn't be such a problem. But he likes to stand on it and drink or eat up there. He has a few bruises now, and a split lip to show for his efforts.

Hopes

The kids are all tucked in for the night.

My throat, it feels strained
from all the yelling I did.

I sit, and I dwell on my guilt.

Why all this anger?
I stop and consider.

These children, they belong to the Lord.
If all they have to rely on
Are parents who stumble in
Their every act, thought and word
What a disaster it would be.
All praise to God who sets us free!

Lamentations 3:22-23
"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Waiting for Daddy

Tummies are empty and spirits are low.
But soon, hopefully, we'll all be refilled.
Charged up again 'til bedtime

Some days

I think I'm the only one in the concert of life. I step up to play my part eloquently

Only to realize that my effort has been pathetically feeble, and drowned out by the real concert of life. Time for me to step down off my high horse

And give glory to God, the orchestrator of life.

Snow!

All(most all) the kids love it when it snows, and are very excited to go out and shovel the driveway for me. They're not as excited about the sidewalk, since it's so uneven, and save it for last, or for me.




(Daniel is less than excited to be "helping".)

Some words (videos) from the kids to start off your year

Nathan

Yeah, there's a door to get in. Daniel's shoving the door. Uh oh, you're knocking the thing Daniel. You're kind of shoving it!

Melanie

(I had asked Melanie what they had made.) Nathan's! A car world!

Matthew

(I asked Matthew pretty much the same question as Melanie.) It's a hill for they to go down!

Daniel

Mommy, what is it?

Relaxing holidays.

No, we don't think Matthew's ears bother him...he just thinks they make great handles. After all-since he doesn't listen with them, they ought to serve some purpose! ;)

Melanie's gonna have back problems, just like her mother, unless her mother, (like Melanie's mother's mother) tells her constantly to sit up and not slouch. So far, Melanie's mother is far more negligent than she ought.


Nathan is very good at keeping Daniel ought of trouble (in half hour segments max), and seems to be watching me carefully for pointers on how to manipulate the baby, in order to keep him in a cooperative mood. Here, he is making towers for Daniel to break.

Daniel is always happy to break things-although he seems to enjoy it more when he's not allowed, and the reaction is crying instead of cheering. But he does love his siblings, and watches and plays with them for hours. It's usually when he's being left out or snubbed when he acts out against them!