My overflowing heart!

My heart is so full of joy and warmth at this moment. Children have a way of doing that to you, especially when you least expect it.

Trey has become much more vocal about his feelings lately. While this can sometimes get him into trouble, we have been having more serious and adult-like conversations lately. This all began when we were in Michigan. After a few days away from home he began crying one night about something. I knew that whatever his complaint was, it was not the real issue. After talking for awhile, he said, "I just miss my home". Since then he has been more open about what he feels. We have been praying lately for poor little Sasha (stuck in an Eastern Europe orphanage and facing institutionalization soon). We prayed for him during morning prayers, and when I brought him up again during bedtime prayers Trey said, "Mom, you don't have to pray for him all the time". I reminded him that we pray for other people regularly, and I began to explain a little bit of Sasha's situation. I explained that Sasha is sick. I told him that we are fortunate enough to live in the U.S. where sick people are cared for properly, but in the country where Sasha lives that is not really the case. Trey looked at me, threw his hands up and said, "but that's not fair!" I don't think I have ever been more proud of him in his life. He has also been saying, "I love my little brother" a lot lately. And after a surprise (and very quick) visit from my dad, he gave me the saddest face and said, "I'm going to miss Grandpa when he goes back to Afghanistan."

Trey has been wanting to build this arch for months, and we finally had enough help to do it...thanks Daddy and Aunt Melina!

Grandpa was so tired from his long trip, he fell asleep in the floor of the playroom :)

Of course, a visit with Gramps wouldn't be complete without a trip to Bass Pro Shop.

Learning how to arm wrestle.

And little Luke is not so little anymore. We have had countless comments on his rapid transformation from "baby Luke" to little boy. He tests his boundaries constantly, but is quick to apologize and give kisses. His rambunctious personality warrants bumps, bruises, and scrapes on a daily basis. He runs to me after one of his many encounters with the ground and says, "dis it...dis it" (kiss it), and upon receiving his "dis" he is back on his way to find adventure, excitement, and usually trouble :) He wakes up every morning asking for daddy, doesn't want to sit at the table or on the couch without mommy, and refuses to play without "Beans". Even though he is growing so quickly, I have been able to savor a few more moments with him in my arms like a baby. He recently had a stomach bug, which in turn resulted in a diaper rash. Because his little bum became so raw, it was more comfortable for me to hold him like you might cradle an infant in your arms. He has let me continue this even though the rash is gone. At nap time he will fall asleep in my arms like that. It is the sweetest thing from a little boy who rarely stops moving.

No more baby :(

Sea Horse racing with Aunt Me

Every round of "this little piggy" earns a chorus of "more!" from Luke.

How could I not be thankful?

Summer Vacation!!!!

We just returned from two weeks "up north". It's amazing how thin your blood becomes living in the south. We were frequently laughed at for our pants and jackets in the "heat".  Even so, we had so much fun (and got so spoiled!). 

We were fortunate enough to be able to tag along on a business trip with Gary. Grandma got to come along as we headed to the windy city. Trey was in heaven taking various modes of transportation. We rode a train to Chicago, took the bus around downtown, and rode a trolly from Navy Pier. We visited the Lincoln Park Zoo, went to the Children's Museum, shopped, played at the park, and ate until we could eat no more. 

While in Chicago, Grandma was nice enough to give us lots of date opportunities, the first of which ended in near disaster (completely my fault). If anyone ever questions the severity of Trey's dairy allergy, please call my mom. Gary and I left the hotel, walked a block, and were stopped by a call from Grandma. "You need to come back, now!" she said. Trey drank milk! The boys have the same thermos. Not wanting to cause fights between them over whose thermos is whose, I opted not to write names on them. For the trip, however, I put milk in Luke's thermos to keep it cold while traveling. I put a small dot on the lid with a sharpie, but never told Trey to look carefully at the lids before drinking. It doesn't take a genius to know what happened. He took a sip, spit it out because it, "tasted funny" and proceeded to swell (his lips, his tongue, and his eyes). Even after a round of benedryl, he was up all night basically choking from the swelling of his tongue, and he spent the following day with slightly swollen eyes. My poor baby :(

After Chicago, we headed back to Michigan for a full week with family.

Trey went fishing for the first time. He is really good at casting, but once there was an actual fish on the line he decided he was done :) I'm thinking he will get over this soon enough. Papa says the other kids used to be the same way, but this time, they were baiting their own hooks, catching a ton of fish, and taking them off the hooks themselves. They even helped to clean them before lunch. Yuck!!!

Kyle caught the first fish.

Waiting...

...but not long!

After the whole fish incident (you know, catching one) this is where we ended the fishing excursion.

Papa caught the smallest fish of anyone :)

The Sikes kids were kind enough to let us ride their 4-wheeler.

Anya and Emily...so cute!

The girls waiting their turn for the 4-wheeler

Lukey at the beach

Trey had a sleepover with Xander. And another one with Josh, Kyle and Emily. The boys loved playing with their cousins all the time. This is one of those things that makes me a little sad to be away from family.

We had fun, but Alabama never looked so good as it did after that 12 hour drive home :) 

I recently read a blog where an accomplished mother of 5 used the character Heathcliff from the classic British novel Wuthering Heights to draw paralells to real life. I thought this was a novel idea (yes, pun intended...haha). Anyway, I thought I would share some life lessons from a recent book that I have read. 

In The Very Hungry Caterpillar the main character (yes, this would be the very hungry caterpillar) ... okay, just kidding :)

...

So much has happened since I posted last. I will try to do this speedily.

We had an awesome visit from Nana, Papa, and Cousin Lynnen, but mommy was too concerned with what we were going to do and where we were going to eat to pull the camera out - WAY TO GO, MOM! Maybe I can make up for this when we head to Michigan in a few weeks.

Trey decided to start riding his big boy bike (a little incentive from Grandma didn't hurt). He has had it since Christmas, but refused to ride it. All of the sudden one day I was outside watering plants, and Trey ran up to me (from in the garage) and said, "Mommy, I can ride my orange bike now". I learned the following day that Grandma had told him on the phone that she bought him an airplane to put on his handlebars. 

Trey also has a new fascination with Skype. He wants to Skype Grandma EVERY DAY!!! He wants to Skype Nana too, but she doesn't have a webcam, so he settles for talking to her on the phone EVERY DAY!!! 

Grandma bought a new toy for Trey (an airport set). She is going to give it to him when we go to MI. So Trey told her, "I want to get you a special treat for buying me that". She said, "thank you, but I'm on a diet. I'm trying to eat healthy". His response: "vegetables are a good treat". So he begged me to buy her a "treat" at the store.

Grandma's special treat!

Being a good big brother and reading to Lukey

Lukey is turning into a little boy more every day. He says a lot! In fact, the other day we ran some errands. I said, "come on out of the car Trey-beans" (we have all kinds of silly nicknames for our kids - especially Trey). Luke looked at him and said, "Beans!" We finished out errands, came home, had lunch, and Luke went down for his nap. When he woke up, he looked at Trey and said, "Beans!" It has officially stuck.

Luke has also had a few potty successes. He poo-pooed twice in the potty. The first time he thought it was hysterical. He laughed so hard (is this a boy thing?). Of course, he hasn't done it in about a week. 

One of his favorite things to do is hide. He is REALLY good at it too. He can do it for long periods of time, and he is quiet. He hides in his closet, behind curtains, under blankets, in the pantry, wherever he decides. 

He also loves the vacuum. We have to keep about 3 doors between him and the vacuum. He has a pretend one that he likes too, but tantrums ensue over the real one. 

We also had a dr. appointment recently. Trey weighs a whopping 31 lbs (this is the 5th percentile)!!! He is in about the 25th to 50th percentile for height. Luke is also in the 5th percentile for weight, but the 75th for height. 

I rejoice!

"Do all things without arguing or complaining so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out THE WORD OF LIFE..." (Philippians 2:14-16)

My heart is heavy right now. I worry about people I have met on the streets: people without jobs, homes, money, food, or family. I watch men clamor to find a broken milk-crate to rest on, just so they won't have to sit on the hard concrete while they wait in the heat for their next meal to be served. I watch Richard, the same age as my parents, stumbling to find a shady spot in line. His belt is twisted, shoes worn, clothes stained, teeth missing, and his body shakes violently as if he is being overtaken by something. My heart breaks as I try to make out his words, telling me that he lives with his dad. His dad drops him off and leaves him for the day. I cry because Richard cannot take care of himself, and either his father cannot or does not care for him either. I remember Kevin trying to piece his life back together after a prison sentence and a losing battle with dope. My heart is pained for Pat who needs a job, but needs Jesus more than that. I pray for John who cried and spoke of his alcohol addiction and his daily battle with temptation. 

But, in all of this suffering, I REJOICE!!! I rejoice because I have seen the stars shine in this "crooked and depraved generation". I am not the only one who knows the stories of these men. They are no longer just a statistic: they along with many others are known and loved by all of the members of our summer small group. Our friends know their faces, their names, and most importantly their stories. Gary and I agree that we are not worthy of the miracles that we witnessed over the last 6 weeks. We saw men give their lives to Christ, we saw confessions and testimonies given when they were needed most, we saw our friends opening their hearts and wallets to supply 220 meals! We saw God provide in ways that many people don't believe. More than all of that, though, we saw what happens when you REALLY open yourself up and let God use you. When you are obedient to the LORD and the promptings of the Holy Spirit and take His words as truth, miracles are around every corner. 

Cousins!

We were so blessed by a visit from Gary's sister and her family recently. Trey woke up the morning that they were due to arrive and said to Luke, "Lukey, my cousins are coming today." He even made his room "beautiful" by lining up every book he owns along his wall and up on his window-sill. Luke, our social-butterfly, adapted with no problem to our visitors. He really took a liking to Uncle Will. He would walk up to him and stare at him...and then poke him in the eye (he thinks it's fun). We got to see Aunt Sara's baby belly, swim, go for walks together, eat TONS of fried food (have to give them that true "southern experience"), and share sno-cones on a hot summer evening. It was great!!!

Emily drilling her bellybutton :)

Silly Cousins!

Teamwork (they are building a car that you cannot see)

Watching Toy Story 2

Trey has become a chatter-box of sorts. He loves to talk on the phone now. He will take the phone, run into his room and close the door (I thought that came in the teenage years) and talk away. Eventually he resurfaces and hands the phone over because whoever is on the other end tries to politely tell him that they have to go. He uses words like "distract". He calls himself "Trey Bonger Hagler" as a joke. And the other day he grabbed my hand in the parking lot and said, "your hand is smaller than I thought. You must be turning into a little boy."

Luke has hit the "little boy" phase. He talks all the time. He asks for "nacks" (snacks), puts words together  like, "buh bye, t's"  (toys). He loves to turn lights on and off, brush his teeth, wear his shoes around the house, and follow Trey around like a puppy dog. 

Laughing at "Amelia Bedelia" (one of Trey's favorites)

I love Luke's "picture face"

Navigating the zoo

Guitar Hero makes a come-back with a new band member

(the thumb-sucking drummer)

Follow the Leader

Two healthy, happy little boys!  

Perspective

Occasionally, we need reminders in life. We need perspective. Yesterday, I needed and got some good perspective. We decided to go get a family picture taken. As soon as it was our turn to go and sit for our portrait, Trey refused to be photographed. But, he also didn't want the picture taken without him. After begging, pleading, and threatening in front of a substantial audience, we picked up our 2 screaming children and walked out. Trey became enraged because NOW he wanted his picture taken. We put them both in the car crying. Trey was so angry he threw both of his shoes at us, which I kept (for the next week he is without orange crocs). He unbuckled himself 3 times (which earned him back his old "baby" carseat), yelled at us, and threw himself all over the place (I assure you there was some major discipline involved when we got home). I cried when it was over and I had a moment to think. I wondered what I had done wrong as a parent that he was behaving like that. I felt as though we had lost half of a day. 

But, at the end of the night, Gary and I sat down to talk. As we were conversing about other things, Gary briefly mentioned the day we first saw Trey's heartbeat on the ultrasound. Many of you know his story, but for those who don't: Trey was one day away from not being here. I was told he was not a viable pregnancy, I would miscarry, and I should have a D&C. I cancelled my D&C at 4pm on Wednesday - it was scheduled for 7am on Thursday. A week later, there was his little heart beating for us to see on the ultrasound monitor. 

Half a day of discipline is nothing compared to a lifetime without him. When your kids drive you crazy, break your things, break your heart, and make you cry, just keep it all in perspective.

Fathers

Fathers come in all shapes and sizes. They are funny, stern, happy and sad. They provide discipline and instruction. They are role models and playmates. They make mistakes.

I know that my dad made a lot of mistakes when I was a kid. I've seen Gary make a few too. I'm sure they are both thanking me profusely under their breath right now for posting this. But the point of my post will be this: "love covers over all wrongs" (Proverbs 10:12). I used to read that passage thinking only that it meant that if you love someone you will overlook their mistakes (instead of saving them as ammo for the next fight :). But then I began rereading 1 Corinthians 13 (you know the famous "love is patient, love is kind..." etc.). Paul talks about love as though it is the only pure and perfect thing. He then says, "but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears" (13:10). He is talking, of course, of the perfection of Christ and his return. But, isn't it true that when pure love is present, "the imperfect disappears"? 

The mistakes that my dad made pale in comparison to the love that he gave. The same is true of Gary. He loves me and his boys probably more than he should. Trey and Luke don't even notice the mistakes, because both they and Gary have covered over them with love. 

Mother's day is highly celebrated (and I am thankful for that :). But father's day usually receives a less glamorous welcome. I think we sometimes forget that daddies don't pour out any less love than mommies. Most of them work very hard and shoulder the stress of providing for their families. I can speak personally about my husband who is a friend and a father to our boys, but is also my strong shoulder when I feel like I can't carry my load anymore. He carries his own burdens and picks up mine when I need a rest. I think of my brother who said, "come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) Gary is my sanctuary in the flesh. Thank you, Gary. I love you! 

Happy Father's Day to all of the daddies (and especially the Father of all who shoulders ALL of our burdens).

At the end of the day, the boys always cuddle together on the couch to watch Caillou before bed. Luke HAS to have a pillow on his lap...so particular.