16 Wonderful Things About Becca

She's fearless:

She's fashion forward:

She can do a "do":

She's helpful:

She's a good listener:

And a good talker:

She knows the value of a good nap:

She loves her brothers:

She cooks:

And cleans:

She's a clown:

She's always ready for a new adventure:

She loves animals- even when they don't love her back:

She's a good friend:

She loves God:

She's our princess:

Happy Sweet Sixteen, beautiful girl! We love you.

Whoa...

Today, this chica turns *40*!!

Happy Birthday to me!

"Break" Week

This is co-op break week for us- glory, glory! It's been a *very* busy several weeks. JM, Becca and Philip have worked with the youth group several times to clean up yards, hand out food, or help in other ways after the ice storm. John has been busy cleaning tree debris in the yard, and I've been trying to get the rest of our life back into a groove, with mixed results. The February 4-H meeting, a co-op Valentine's party, a children's chorus fundraiser, and PMS added just enough extra chaos to send this mom to the edge of crazy and back again. (I knew it must be PMS when I woke up one morning unreasonably upset because I had dreamed that John brought home a second, much younger wife. Now, there have been times when I probably would have done a happy dance if John had brought home a second wife, but this was apparently NOT one of those times. John said he couldn't imagine why any man would want more than one wife- one was plenty, thankyouverymuch- and I'm pretty sure he also said something about a gun and a hole in his head too, but we won't go into that.) Oh February, you will soon be over! This was a particularly wild (but fun!) weekend:

Ben, Philip and Becca competed in the county 4-H Communications Day competition on Friday night, and John Mark was a room host. We are all so glad that is over! The storm really threw off speech preparations, so everyone was stressed out. This was Ben's very first time competing, and he did so well! I am particularly proud of him because he is my quiet child, and the one least willing to take risks. The three of them will all compete in the regional competition at the end of March.Becca's best bud, Lauren, spent the night with us on Friday night, and on Saturday, I took the gals to a new ceramic place for Becca's 14th birthday. They painted tiles and ate cake, and were very silly!
Before we left yesterday afternoon, Nathanael came up to me and asked, "Mom, what's an inferno?"

"It's a really large fire. Why?"

"Because Dad's making one in the yard."

!!!!!

SO... John spent the afternoon playing with fire burning the tree debris in the back yard, and when he got done, my honey made me chocolate-covered strawberries and took me out for a late dinner at my favorite restaurant! For all the times that man drives me absolutely nuts, the times he gets it right makes up for it many, many times over. I love that man of mine!

Today, after teaching the middle-schoolers at church and leading CARE group, John went out to burn again, and my soot-covered husband just informed me that he still has both feet only because he was wearing steel-toed boots while cutting logs. Within seconds, the chainsaw had hit his boot, cutting all the way down to the steel. Scared us both silly, and I will be very happy when this mess is cleaned up and life returns to normal (some people in our church and community are still without power, so I really can't complain too much.)

This week, I'm going to do some deep cleaning, catch up on laundry, get the consignment stuff ready to go to the sale in a few weeks, take Ben to the orthodontist, and maybe stress a little more about the Praise Team workshop at the end of the month. The two teens head to Winterfest in Gatlinburg next weekend, and maybe John and I will eventually get to go pick up our new chairs, which have been patiently waiting for a couple of weeks at the furniture store. And now, I must head out to pick up the teens at youth group. Have a good one!

Mother's Day '08

I had such a fabulous Mother's Day! It actually started on Saturday when John took me and the little boys out to breakfast at IHOP and then shopping... at the jewelry stores! I am really not much into jewelry because I am too casual to wear the stuff that really catches my eye. But John decided a while back that he was going to get me a mother's ring with each of our children's birthstones. At the fifth store, we finally found and ordered the perfect ring. John Mark and Nathanael cost the most money because their birthdays are in April, which means diamonds! But I didn't choose the ring with the big settings- my ring is simple and pretty. John almost never purchases me jewelry, so when he does, it's a really special thing.

The poor little boys were bored out of their minds during our day-long trek however, but they endured it with only minor complaints. On Sunday, we had a wonderful church service which proved that our guys are basically big softies under those rough-and-tough exteriors. Each man who talked about his wife or mom had a hard time holding it together. If I didn't love our preacher so much, I would tease him about almost ruining my day with his Proverbs 31 sermon, otherwise known as The Guilt Chapter. After church, we ate at my favorite buffet downtown, and we all went back home where GranMartha and I opened gifts. GranMartha had taken the kids to the mall earlier in the week to shop for me, and they purchased a denim vest and a tee shirt at my favorite clothing store, as well as an array of gifts from Bath & Body Works. They did such a good job! Becca, Nathanael, Ben and Philip made me cards, and Philip added sweet poetry. I teased my oh-so-rational engineer husband, "This is what a love note sounds like!" GranMartha asked John Mark if he was going to make me a card too and he huffed, "Don't you think I'm old enough to purchase a card now??" So he did. Enjoy those sweet hand-made cards while you can! In his card, he wished me a "Happy 15th Mother's Day." Tempus fugit. I read all my cards out loud to the kids, and finally I came to John's card. After I read it, Ben exclaimed, "We shopped all day for THAT???" He thought that's all we had purchased the day before, and it was totally not worth it! Too funny.

John sent me and my mom out shopping while the rest of the family cooked and cleaned and mowed for CARE group. That was a huge gift, but I think it nearly overwhelmed John because he seemed slightly panicked by the time we returned. During Bible study that night, the guys redeemed the Proverbs 31 Guilt Lesson by sharing things they love about their wives as mothers. It was so sweet, and afterward, my mom joked, "I am so glad this day is over- no more crying men!" They love us. I am blessed.

We Have Run the Race

Co-op is over for the year, and there was much rejoicing! Final exams were yesterday and we celebrated last night with a Pizza Party instead of the usual big co-op production. I think we might be down to one large production a year now, unless someone with a penchant for productions moves in, because by the time April rolls around, I am worn out! But we have definitely run the race this year and finished well.

In spite of all the frustrations involved in co-operative teaching, it is very satisfying to look at a school year and see such tremendous progress with each child. It's good to step back and look at the big picture again because it's so easy to get caught up in the week-to-week chaos and conflict. But the big picture looks really good and overall, I am very pleased with the results of this school year. We still have another month of school, including standardized testing this coming week. This will be the first year in the history of our homeschool that all five children will have met their math goals for the year- no "math guilt" this summer! We have worked hard, and so help me, it better show on their standardized scores! :-)

We are spending the day in "recovery", and the kids are having piano lessons upstairs as I type. I am sorting through papers and notebooks to decide what to toss and what to keep for their yearly portfolios, and I hope to get all the textbooks put up on their proper shelves again. Paper piles seem to be a way of life around here, but at least this will make room for whatever new ones the summer brings. I also have to alter the length of the Philip's tuxedo pants for chorus pictures tonight- ugh- but this is the last week of rehearsals for that too. Just a little while longer- summer's almost here!

****************
In other news, the six-year-old is no longer six; he is now a proud seven-year-old! We had a cookout at GranMartha's new place to celebrate, and then we brought cupcakes to co-op to share with his buddies. My baby is getting big.

Birthday With the Buds

The boy is fifteen today! He had a party with his best buds, with tacos, cake and ice cream at the house and then they all went to a game hangout to play xbox and Playstation on big screen TVs all evening. Word is they had a great time- even dad, who didn't stand a chance against these young hotshots. It's been a lot of fun watching them grow up together, and I am so happy John Mark has good friends to share his life, even if they are now too cool to get too close. Happy Birthday, John Mark!

It's All Downhill From Here...

or so Becca reminded John in the birthday letter she wrote him yesterday. I think he had a good birthday. After he bought himself a PS3 last week- after discovering that Blu-ray had won out over HD DVD- I figured there wasn't anything I could possibly buy him that he couldn't buy himself. Instead, I called some of his good friends that he hasn't spoken with in many years, and they each called him over the weekend to offer birthday congratulations and harassment. We had a fun family dinner with a cake which John Mark baked and Becca decorated, and later this week, John and I will go out together to celebrate. The boys made him funny cards and Becca wrote a letter giving her father "points" for various things, all of which added to 40 (of course). Here are some of the points she awarded him:

• Slightly humorous at times
• Although you’re protective, you give me enough room to breathe
• You think positive: when someone falls down, you say “If you can still walk, you’re okay” when someone cuts their arm, you say “You’re not going to die” and so on
• You introduced me to my best friend – Jesus
• And you are not as embarrassing as some of the other parents I know
• You are always there to protect us, and I give you three points for that.
• I love that you forgive quickly when we make mistakes, and you ask for forgiveness when you do
• I give you one point for being mine
• And the last is for the hug you owe me for this letter

The whole thing had us rolling on the floor- funny girl! The kids love their dad. We are blessed to have him.

What 40 Looks Like

40 Candles 40 YearsHappy Birthday, Baby! March is a wonderful month because it gives me an excuse to celebrate you.
I love you.

Eleven

Philip's birthday is today! He shares the date with good people. We had a fairly typical day, except that piano lessons were today rather than yesterday, thanks to all the ice. After we ate tacos (Philip's choice), the brothers entertained with a series of bad jokes. We opened presents (John Mark is dying to get his hands on Philip's new Spiderwick Chronicles boxed set), and Philip was thrilled with the 3-D hologram nightlight that Becca bought him Gatlinburg. We ate chocolate cake and Spumoni (MOM!! There's something inside my ice cream!!) and then Grandma and Grandpa called to sing "Happy Birthday." The conversation from Philip's side went something like this:

Hi Grandma!......... No, not really (sigh). I had piano, homework, and got grounded (he got grounded for spitting off the second balcony at Annie two days ago).....Hey, did you see the lunar eclipse??........... I'm going to work for NASA......HUSH!!!.... Not you, Grandma, I was talking to Nathanael.... and after that, there was a lot of giggling- Grandma must have been pretty funny. Here's his birthday cake:

He's not 56. His sister couldn't find two "ones" in the cake miscellany box, but she found a five and a six (5+6=11, right?) but she decided that was confusing, so she found 11 regular candles too. Happy Birthday, Philip! I'm sorry that you have such a strange family, but we love you!

Two Teens

Today, my Becca-girl turned 13, and I am the mother of two teens! Philip, Becca's next younger brother who totally adores his older sister, spent his very own gift card on jewelry for her at Walmart. (Smart boy, that one!) When her dad asked what she wanted for her birthday, she requested a new Bible, so he made a special trip across town to purchase one for her- a hot pink and brown number with pink-trimmed pages and a fashionable belt closure. Since he is not "up" on teen fashion, he was not too impressed with his purchase, but she was, and they are both quite pleased. He was glad to buy this for her and asked if she wanted anything else. "Well," she said, "I'd really like it if you'd fix the dishwasher!" Oh, she's such a smart cookie, and I think her dad just might do it for her. We all have our fingers crossed...

We love you Becca- you are a joy. Happy 13th Birthday!

Over the River and Through the Woods...

to Grandma's house we have come. Most years, we spend Thanksgiving with John's family in Indianapolis, and here we are again. Due to some unusual circumstances within the family, the kids are scattered from relative to relative, and John and I are at his parents' house, where Thanksgiving dinner was also held this afternoon. Thanksgiving dinner is a big, happy, crowded gathering with feasting, football-watching and game-playing until one by one, relatives reluctantly begin heading back home, leaving John, his dad, and his brother Mike to enjoy chess and perhaps a cigar together. It's tradition.

I always enjoy coming to Indiana for Thanksgiving; it has lots of happy memories for me. John brought me here the first Thanksgiving after we met so that I could meet his family. They were all highly intrigued to meet the crazy person who had fallen in love with him, and I was highly excited. He bought plane tickets for the two of us to fly in from Baton Rouge, and his parents met us at the airport to take us back to the home on Carol Drive where he had lived since he was four years old. I was enthralled with every aspect of his life, from the neighborhood where he had delivered papers since middle school, to his old room, which still held a good bit of his boyhood junk, to the huge drawer full of family photos. We stayed up late into the night while he dutifully showed me the photos which chronicled the story of his life. I was finally meeting the people who had made him into the man I had fallen in love with, and I was enchanted.

In the days before kids, Thanksgiving was a low-key affair, but the prep work was always an event. I padded into the kitchen that first Thanksgiving morning to find every fan in the house going at full speed and John's dad standing over dozens of slices of bread with a hair dryer because he had forgotten to dry the bread for the stuffing. John comes by his personality quirks quite honestly. We had dinner at his Aunt Gayle's that year, and everyone was on their very best behavior, lest they scare this poor girl away. But they shouldn't have worried- John already had me reeled in.

The day after Thanksgiving, we joined the Black Friday crowds at the mall, where he took me to all the jewelry stores! We had discussed marriage, but this was my first real sign that this was all "for real." I was beyond excited at this unexpected turn of events, and I'm sure my fiancee-to-be was relieved that my tastes in jewelry are simple. I floated throughout the day, and then that evening, we drove downtown for dinner at Union Station, an old train station which had been converted into shops and restaurants. We ate fabulous seafood, listened to the brass quintet playing Christmas carols, enjoyed the shops all decorated for the season, and took a carriage ride together while we watched the lighting of the giant Christmas tree in the Circle. Our first Thanksgiving together was wonderful, magical, romantic, perfect. We flew back home on Sunday with an armful of bridal magazines, totally in love and full of anticipation for the visit to my family at Christmas.

That was five children and seventeen years ago. Trips to Indiana are now more likely to focus on activities for the kids, get-togethers with the aunts and uncles, and perhaps a Colts or a Pacers game rather than romantic adventures for just the two of us, but the memories are still magical. I love coming "home" to Indiana.

I Love November

I love November.

I love the lingering bright gold days of autumn, when the trees display their stained-glass leaves against a crystal blue sky.

I love the cool gray days when a mist hangs in the air, making our average neighborhood blend into a collage of color as beautiful as a Monet painting.

I love the blustery days that are a precursor of winter days to come, and I love the crisp nights when the moonlight shines cold and clear upon the barren fields across the road from our home.

I love the festive grocery displays of nuts, spices, powdered chocolate, almond bark, and candy sprinkles. It's the only time of year that actually inspires me to want to cook.

I love the anticipation of the holidays, the calm before the chaos.

I love holiday travel, with hugs and kisses waiting at the end of the road.

I love special times with family and friends centered around an all-day eating frenzy with all of our favorite dishes, and then catching up on the year's events together in sated contentment while the guys yell at the football game in the front room.

I love November.

Halloween

Among homeschoolers, Halloween is a tricky business. As a whole, Christian homeschoolers have certainly demonstrated their willingness to "walk the talk" when it comes to the importance of teaching their kids about God. The flip side of that is that homeschoolers can also come across as very judgmental of those around them who do not make the same decisions, and there's nothing like a good, old-fashioned Halloween party- or even a "Harvest Celebration"- to bring all those tendencies right out into the open.

During my years as a homeschooling mom, I've learned that for any given issue or activity, every family will draw the line at a different place. My neighbors who explained to my children that "they don't do Halloween because it's S-t-n's birthday" (don't want people searching for that to end up here!) were also the same ones who let their elementary aged children watch rated-R movies and listen to Brittany Spears and Eminem, which certainly wasn't allowed in our house. Some things you just gotta leave to God because there's no figuring it out. When I ran across this article today, I thought "My sentiments exactly."

What's up with Halloween?
Jim Liebelt

You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of the world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as, "Don't handle, don't eat, don't touch." Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires (Colossians 2:20-23, NLT).

At HomeWord, we receive questions from time to time about Halloween. Should parents allow their kids to "celebrate" or not? To avoid "giving the devil his due," so to speak, some Christians change the name of their festivities from a Halloween party to a "Harvest Party" (while pretty much everything looks exactly the same!). Churches throughout our country use Halloween as a means for outreach to the community. So what's up with Halloween?

There is no doubt that Halloween's origins can be traced to
pag_n beliefs and rituals. S_t_nic groups have also attached meaning to Halloween, celebrating it as a special holiday. These origins and meanings can be researched pretty easily on the Internet. Christians of good conscience differ on their views of whether or not believers should have any participation in Halloween celebrations. Certainly, Christians should not participate in the "dark side" of Halloween -- to in any way approve of the s_t_nic, or the focus on pag_nism, evil, death, etc.

Yet, the reality of Halloween participation for many - believers and unbelievers alike - is that of exercising a bit of fantasy, dressing up in costumes and having fun trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. To many, this is what Halloween is about, without any connection to occult or pag_n practices. I have a hard time saying that there is anything wrong with this.

Let me give an illustration: We know the source and heritage of Christmas. We also know that for many people, Christmas is a very non-religious holiday. People give Christmas their own meaning, regardless of its origins. We would never say that everyone who celebrates Christmas is a follower of Christ or honors God. Halloween, I believe, is similar. People give Halloween their own meaning, regardless of its origins. Consequently, just because people participate in Halloween does not necessarily mean they are promoting or encouraging occult or pag_n practices and beliefs.

Whatever conviction you hold about participating in Halloween, live it out for God's glory! In all these things, a person should follow his or her own convictions, while understanding that Christians may differ in their beliefs about this issue. So, if you run into those fellow believers who differ from your stance on Halloween, give them freedom to live out their own convictions. The Apostle Paul said it this way, "Who are you to condemn God's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord's power will help them do as they should" (Romans 14:4, NLT).

Birthday Weekend

Yesterday was the last birthday of the year in our immediate family, and that honor belongs to Ben. He would gladly trade that honor in for a date in the late winter or spring, like the rest of his siblings because while everyone else is having parties and receiving presents, he has to wait... and wait... and wait... which is not the strong suit of any boy that I know. But now he is nine. It's hard to believe it's been nine years since that VERY hot afternoon when he was almost born in the car on the way to the hospital... that was lots of fun, let me tell you. But Ben is a joy: sensitive, easy-going, anxious to please, goofy sense of humor... he's a great kid.

Grandma and Grandpa came in on Saturday morning just in time to see the last half of Philip's flag football game and all of Ben and Nathanael's game. You must understand that this is not real football, but it is highly entertaining, especially if you're watching one of the younger teams. They're generally clueless, but the coaches are out on the field with them, lining them up and telling them where they need to run on the next play... if the other team was even half-way paying attention, it would be a blow-out, but the other team is equally clueless, so you have a bunch of small kids running in circles around a field and occasionally, someone makes it to an endzone with the football. I know those coaches and refs must be exhausted by the end. After a full morning of this, we are more than ready to go home too.

After the games, we all headed downtown for the Barbecue Festival- one of my favorite weekends of the year! With a family of our size- plus grandparents- John went up to a vendor and told him, "Just give me three slabs." That's a lot of ribs! With sweet tea and lemonade, a corn-on-a-stick for everyone and a side of cheese fries and fried pickles to share, we were all plenty full. And still had room for fried pies and ice cream. Delicious, Southern, artery-clogging cuisine- it just doesn't get any better than this!

Ben opened presents last night, but Grandma and Grandpa brought John a big gift too. They felt sorry for John and his poor minivan and brought him one of their "extra" cars as a gift. (You can probably tell where John picked up his car philosophy of If one broken car is bad, then four must be better!) However, this car is very nice, looks nice, sounds normal, and- most importantly- runs well, just like other people's cars. Imagine! John is thrilled and we are very thankful for their generosity.

We all went to church together this morning and then the potluck afterward. Grandma and Grandpa headed home and John took the boys fishing. Becca and I will leave in a bit to go see Becoming Jane. I have been waiting for it to get to our town, but our theater is more into the latest horror flicks and potty humor. Sigh. We had to wait for Becoming Jane to show up at the "artsy" theater downtown. That's ok- we like the artsy theater, as long as it is showing something... well, normal.

It's been another fun, fun weekend. Goodbye, September!

Back Home Again

I went back to Alabama this weekend for my cousin's wedding. It was a quick trip, down on Saturday and back on Sunday, and I wish I had another week there. I love driving the streets of my home town and seeing the sights that were so familiar when I was growing up: the rockets at the Space Center, just across from my neighborhood; Big Spring Park, downtown and across the street from the civic center where I performed in the Huntsville Youth Symphony; the big water tower which we watched them build one summer during long, hot hours on the marching band field; First Baptist Church with the bizarre painting of Jesus on the front, where I took piano lessons when I was 9; the pond at UAH (University of Alabama, Huntsville) where my grandparents took me to feed the ducks; the mall where my Gran worked at Castner-Knott's and where the two of us shopped to our heart's content with her employee discount; the church of Christ on Jordan Lane which I attended with Gran and Grandad on many Sundays. My favorite place may be Monte Sano mountain, which was always part of the background of my childhood scenery and on which my husband asked me to marry him on Christmas Eve, 1990. I love my home town.

Sarah's wedding was up on the mountain too, and it was gorgeous. My crazy family was a bunch of dancin' fools... this must be where Becca and Ben got the dancing gene. It was a wonderful time.

Three Generations: my mom, me and my daughter

Father's Day

"He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers"

Malachi 4:6

My children are blessed to have a dad whose heart is turned towards them every single day.

Happy Father's Day to a wonderful father!

Happy Birthday, Nathanael!

Tomorrow, my baby is six years old. We celebrated with a "Cowboy" birthday in the backyard. In addition to his brothers, Nathanael invited his favorite friends: Joseph, Lilly, Ethan, Garret, and Aiden. John Mark and Becca coached them in the bean-bag toss and Horseshoes and then they buried each other in the sandpile, rode scooters down the driveway, jumped on the trampoline, kicked the soccer ball, climbed trees, and swung on the swings. And then we had birthday cake and opened presents! There will be some tired kiddos tonight, but it was a fun, fun day.

Tempus Fugit

Time flies, and today my boy is 14.

There is just something special about your firstborn- not in the sense that you love him more than his siblings, or that he is any more wonderful or talented than they are, but there is a history between parent and child that the other children just don't share. It's the firstborn, after all, who must endure the brunt of his parents' inexperience- and his grandparent's enthusiasm. Firstborn children know there are high expectations for them, and many quail under the pressure. Not John Mark. He has so far managed to survive the firstborn experience with grace and humor- and the occasional "attitude" as well.

John Mark has always been fearless and ready to meet new challenges, from his first time sleeping over at grandma's, to his first haircut, to his first trip to the dentist office, to his first public speaking opportunity: a First Grade presentation on hurricanes. He gets his confidence from his father, but fortunately, he managed to pick up just enough of his mother's caution that common sense generally prevails in precarious situations. For this, I am grateful.

I see a great deal of his father in him: in his love for fishing, hunting, camping, and being outdoors; I see it in the engineer's approach he takes to problem-solving; and I see it in the determination that kept him begging his father to play chess until the day he finally won. I see it in the delight that both of them have in spending their mornings in deep theological discussions during Bible Study and in their shared passion for their church family.

I see myself in my son too. We share a love of reading, and I am pleased that John Mark will eagerly read books which I recommend. I love to see him sit at the piano and play just for the sheer joy of it, and I smile to myself when I see that he has read ahead several chapters in history because he found it interesting. He gets that from me.

I have happy memories of our first years together, the days of just me and my baby, the two of us visiting friends, reading books, listening to praise & worship CDs on the stereo, and John Mark toddling after me as I went about the work of being a wife and a mommy. He was beautiful, happy, and lots of fun. I loved that baby.

Those were wonderful days, and these are still wonderful days, but they are bittersweet because I am increasingly aware that in a few short years, he will be off on his own. Some days I think I am more than ready for this, and some days I wonder how I'll be able to let him go. I am still the fortunate recipient of quick kisses before he heads off to bed at night, and I know that my nights of goodnight kisses from him are numbered. But I take joy in the knowledge that he is growing into a strong, handsome young man, a young man that loves God and his family, a young man with many talents, a great sense of humor, a gift for leadership and a flair for mischief. He is my son, and in him I am well pleased. I love that boy.

Easter Memories

As a child, I always loved Easter. I had a grandmother that believed every girl needed a new dress for Easter, so each year, she made sure I had a pretty new dress to wear to church. Even after I was an adult and married, Gran took me shopping every year until she grew too frail to shop any longer.

After church on Easter Sunday, we all gathered at Gran's house for dinner, and Gran made the kids little Easter baskets out of green plastic strawberry baskets with pipe cleaner handles. She filled the baskets with green Easter grass, one of the crocheted chicken egg-holders that made an appearance every year, and lots of jelly beans. She also hid eggs for us in the back yard- real ones. One year, we couldn't find one of the eggs and she couldn't remember where she put it. We finally discovered it by the smell it created a couple of months later: it was stuck in the top pipe of the frame for the backyard swing. Ugh! She hid plastic eggs after that.

My children will have memories from this weekend of Easter Egg Hunts (the little ones had a freezing hunt at the church in the morning and the two older ones had a freezing hunt in the evening at Randa's Magical Kingdom (it's her home, but if you could visit it, you would know what I meant!); dying eggs together on Saturday morning (including the great Boiled Egg Debate among all the "engineers" in our home: which boiling method produces the best eggs?); and Easter baskets filled with candy, stuffed bunnies, and for John Mark, a chicken that does the chicken dance.

But I am glad that in addition to all these things, my children will have memories like the ones from our church family's celebration today: remembering Jesus' life, death and resurrection through song and scripture, Family communion and baby blessings, followed by a meal with friends. It was a perfect, beautiful Easter Sunday.

Thursday Thirteen #4

Thirteen Things About Philip

1. Philip is my third child and the second of four sons, meaning that he is destined to share his firstborn brother's room throughout his childhood years (to their mutual dismay).

2. Philip also has a very enthusiastic elder sister who has doted on her baby brother from the beginning. From her, he has learned to play Barbie dolls, draw pictures, coordinate clothes, eat lipgloss... I trust that somehow, some way, these things will come in handy at some point in his life.

3. Philip was born with a terrifically hard head that made labor quite the experience. His hard head has served him well, however. He can shake off knocks and bangs that would knock anyone else silly.

4. Philip was born overflowing with personality. I called him "Philip-Sunshine" when he was a baby because he was always so happy.

5. Philip has a great sense of humor, which his very-funny father is helping him to refine. (This has meant many knock-knock jokes over the past few years.)

6. Philip is a creator of stories and a dreamer of dreams. He can immediately create an entire drama with a bare smidgen of information. (Unfortunately, this talent does not always serve him well!)

7. Philip has a tender heart that longs for God. When he was eight, he began asking about being a Christian. He kept at it for a year until last summer, John agreed that he could be baptized. Philip gave the sweetest profession of faith at his baptism!

8. Philip has a knack for being in the right place at the right time- and in the wrong place at the wrong time. If anything at all is going on, you can depend on Philip being right in the middle of it. (The local newspaper has published several photos of Philip over the years... because he is always where the action is!)

9. Philip is the child most like his father- looks, personality, the whole kit n' kaboodle. This is the child that Grandma was talking about when she threatened my husband years ago, "One day you're going to have a son just like you!"

10. Philip is fearless and a daredevil. (See #9, Most like his Father and #8 Wrong Place at the Wrong Time.) He will be at least 18 before we let him loose with a car. He will conquer the world if he doesn't maim himself first- or worse!

11. Philip loves to build, draw and create. He has made some ingenious inventions with his erector set. He says he wants to be a scientist when he grows up.

12. Philip is a wonderful conversationalist and companion. Many adult friends have shared with me the the entertaining conversations he has had with them.

13. One week ago today, Philip turned ten! Happy Birthday to my happy, creative and much-loved son!