Flashback Friday

First Day of School

August 2008

Isaac and Kenny to Learning Center at church

and Ellie homeschooled Kindergarten

We had so much fun.



Flashback Friday



Kenny turns 1 ~ July 22, 2007





Today Kenny turns 5!!!

Happy Birthday Buddy!

My life would be completely boring without you in it.

I cannot imagine.

You bless us in so many ways.

...on a sidenote

My baby is school age. 

...sad and excited at the same time.

Super-Human Grace

I'm exhausted. I'm tired. I'm worn down. I'm bushed, disheartened, dispirited, distressed, exasperated, weary, overburdened, annoyed, haggard, irritated, jaded, and spent. (Yeah I used a thesaurus but that does not negate how I feel!)

This was one day about a year ago when they were bored in their room.

Everyone needs two almost-5-year-old boys with nothing to do all day every day. 

I spend my days saying to myself, "WHY??". Why can't they learn? Why don't they listen? Why don't they obey? Why don't they desire to make better choices? WHY?

I have gone to bed every night for the last week trying to brainstorm how to make my days better, easier, more enjoyable while they are at home together all day every day for the next 90 days. I pray for wisdom and creativity and endurance and sweet words to flow from my mouth. I pray for new perspective and outlook. I read books about loving unconditionally and how to live life to the fullest right before I fall asleep. And approximately 10 minutes after I put my feet on the floor in the morning I am spewing and threatening and yelling and well,  feeling exasperated.

As I was cleaning this morning and had moved one unnamed 4-year-old-boy to 3 different time out locations, I thought, 'isn't that how our Father God feels about us'? Exasperated? Wondering every day: Why can't they learn? Why don't they listen? Why don't they obey? Why don't they desire to make better choices?

Fortunately for us He is God and He has infinite amounts of grace and even when exasperated He can still offer grace and love and give us another chance. I, however am human. A visual I have had lately is of God living in me and giving me power that I would not have otherwise. Almost like a super-hero. Visualize haggard mom with a big 'HS' for Holy Spirt on her shirt. The holy spirit is in me and can make me more like Jesus every minute of every day. He can give me the ability to love these boys well despite their sinfulness.

God give me the POWER to have your super human powered grace exude from my person every minute of every day!! Those boys need it. And Lord forgive me for every time I open my mouth and spew nastiness to these boys today. Amen.

Anyone have advice for structure, creativity, and large amounts of patience? Anyone else going through this yet or anticipating it as summer begins?

Flashback Friday

Happy Easter!

Kenny ~ Easter 2007

 

Ellie and Isaac ~ Easter 2007



Flashback Friday

Happy Adoption Day Kenny!

Kenny's adoption into our family was official 2 years ago today. He was almost 3 years old! If you want to read more about Kenny's story, you can go here.

I DID IT

Apparently I need some accountablity - big time. It's a bit of a risk. This post. But here goes...I did it. Today was my first real work-out in a year. It was very minimal to most people's standards for sure. But to be quite honest - it kicked my butt. According to the BMI on my Wii Fit I am currently 60 pounds overweight. It's April 5th. My goal is to run the 5k "race" with my husband on July 4th in Sterling. Key word being RUN. I've walked it many times. Once I even jogged a little bit but never have I run that far without stopping. I honestly cannot even wrap my brain around actually doing that. I printed off a 6 week training program from Weight Watchers. Supposedly in 6 weeks I should be able to run a 5k. I'm giving myself a little more time but I will do everything I can to stick to the program. Running is the hardest physical activity I've ever done. I'm guessing it would be easier on my joints and my body if I was not 60 pounds overweight but let's hope the eating right and running helps that too! My real goal is to hike a 14er or two with my husband this summer (and not be miserable doing it). I love to spend time with him and I cannot think of anything better than spending time with him doing what he loves.

Josh and I on top of Mt. Princeton
a week after we met
June 1998

So far my work-out buddy has been very helpful and encouraging. He stuck with me today.

So I guess the point is - ask me in 6 weeks how the training for the 5k is going. I considered "before and after" pictures but I'll spare you. I'm so tempted to just delete this whole thing cause the accountability freaks me out. What if I just get really fatter???

Anyone ever start a rigorous work-out program 60 pounds overweight? Or something similar? Any advice?

We love to be on the go

~~ Josh had a great time in Wisconsin with his Dad, Grandpa and Grandma Friesema, Grandpa and Grandma Wiersum, Uncle Fred and Aunt Clara, Katrina, and Kari. It was a great visit for him.

~~Spring Break starts today. So thankful - I got out of bed at 9:15!! And have no plans for the day. It's supposed to be 60 degrees so maybe some fun at the park is in order.

~~K, E, I, K, and I are heading to Kansas on Monday for 7 days. Our grand adventure includes a fun swimming pool with water slide in Hays, visiting a friend I haven't seen in 20 years, checking out my sister's new business - a kids consignment sale in Topeka, getting to take care of my cute niece and nephew for 4 days in Olathe, going to the zoo with my other sister and her 2 cute boys in Kansas City, butchering a pig on a farm in central Kansas, bringing some furniture home from my sweet Gram's house, and who knows what else our grand adventure will entail.

~~Looking forward to our trips coming up to Kansas, a long weekend in Florida, camping in Ouray, camping at Yellowstone, camping at the Ranch, 4th of July in Sterling, and many more camping and hiking trips. I love summer!!!

Kenny fishing last summer

I hope you enjoy your spring break!

Flashback Friday

Isaac and Kenny
February 2009

Flashback Friday

(a few days late)



Kenny ~ February 2008
First Haircut



Dinosaur Party!

Several times a week at dinner Josh and I receive hand made invitations to a party happening either in the boys room or Ellie's room. Sometimes it's a board game party. Sometimes it's a carnival with games. Sometimes it's an animal party involving many stuffed animals. This night it was a dinosaur party that included a puppet show with sock puppets they had made that day (that looked nothing like dinosaurs) and...

the professional reading of a self-authored and illustrated book about dinosaurs...

and then actual dinosaurs...

Flashback Friday

Isaac (7 months) and Kenny (6 months) ~ January 2007

Kenny is thinking, "Seriously? Just my luck! This guy?" This picture was taken a few days after Isaac and Kenny met. Kenny and his bio mom came to live with us when Kenny was 6 months old. It was my job as the foster mom to teach her to parent. To work on parenting skills as well as actual bonding and attaching skills. What are bonding and attaching 'skills'? Doesn't really seem like those should be labeled skills. They just naturally happen right? No. They don't. Kenny's bio mom was 13 years old when she had him. There was no natural bonding happening. Nor was this child being cared for in any consistant way. I tried. I really did. I failed. Poor Kenny spent the next 7 months being bounced from her to me and continued to be cared for somewhat inconsistantly and not bonding with either of us. She fought hard to be moved to a foster home closer to her biological mother. So they moved in August. Six weeks later the caseworker called and asked if we would consider adopting Kenny. We immediately said "YES" of course. I'm not even certain I asked Josh! We got Kenny back mid September. We cannot imagine our life without him. He brings so much humor and energy and life into our lives. He and Isaac do not really know they are not twins. Just like any other mom of twins it's a challenge to figure out how to do life and make decisions based on what is really best for each one individually and to seem fair about it so they don't think you like one more than the other and it goes on and on. Our life is blessed with that kid. And he makes me laugh and want to cry almost every day! I love you Kenny.

Flashback Friday

Christmas 2007 - Kenny is 17 months - Oh so sweet

Flashback Friday

That just makes you smile.  



Kenny, November 2008



Flashback Friday

I love this costume. I love these boys. So much of the time that my boys have been little I could not wait for them to grow up. Everyone says - enjoy it - they grow up so fast. Yeah yeah, not fast enough! School can't start soon enough. Bedtime can't come fast enough. These two boys have made me very tired and I have aged 15 years in the past 4. Now they are 4 1/2 and sometimes I want them to be 2 again. They start Kindergarten next year and I still want to hold them and feed them. It is true that life IS short and that time DOES fly. You have to admit, these two are cute!!

Lord help me to cherish every moment you have blessed me with and to really enjoy each of my blessings. They are truely precious gifts from you. Help me to remember that and never take them for granted.

Happy Halloween! Squeeze your little monsters!