Know Him. Trust. Obey.

They keep growing: a photo presentation

As previously announced....the photo documentary.  Behold:

August 2006

 

August 2007

August 2008

They are a bit worn out after a full 1st day, but yet they still managed to put up with my desperate need to take a picture.  I think everyone will sleep well tonight.  Love you guys!

 

1st day...1st photo

OK, I couldn't help myself.  I took a photo of the kids this morning without Noah.  Poor Noah.  I didn't lose him; he was already out enjoying the muddy soccer field.  This afternoon I'll get the entire crowd together.

(Sorry about the bad resolution and Grace's red eyes....my photo editor is not cooperating).

It's like Christmas eve

I'm feeling a little giddy over here...all four kids go back to school tomorrow!  Whahoooooo!  At 8:15 tomorrow morning I will start celebrating 8 hours of peace and quiet.  No loud crazy music.  No endless bickering.  No new toys laying on the floor after I pick one up.  I will be a free woman, people.  At least until 4pm.  And I'll love every minute of it.  I'll think often of the kids and wonder how they are doing, and if they are enjoying their new classes and teachers.  And then I'll go pick up a latte, grab a book, and find a nice place to hang out, uninterrupted.  The good life.

OK, so here is another fun photo documentary:  August 2006

August 2007:

 

Tomorrow....drum roll please......August 2008.  (Except, I'll have to capture the moment when I pick them up from school because this year Noah must be at school by 6:30 for soccer practice...uh wait, what?!  Fortunately, the coach lives in our subdivision and gladly(?) drives him to practice so I don't have to be out the door with 4 kids by 6 am, which, seriously, would never happen.  I know my limits.) 

ANYWAY....tune in tomorrow for the 1st day of school update....if I can manage to put down my latte and book. ;)

Guitar retrospective

 Ben received a guitar for his 8th birthday.  Behold...

 

This photo reminds me of something...hmmmm.  Oh yes, here we go:

Different boy.  Different guitar.  Same loyal fan club of one: Grace. 

Hey, as long as we're here, I'm in the mood for one more comparison.  April 07 vs November 07. 

OK.  Just one more...I promise.  Really.  August 08...what a difference a year makes with these guys.

Ready for school???

I am!  And so is Grace, apparently, given her choice of imaginary games lately:

These three are the most studious of the group, I guess.  The others just lay around in a pile around Grace's bed.  I'm a bit worried about the bear in the duck suit, though; he's easily distracted.

So, moving on to the humans around here....

School starts in 4 days.  After a week of running around, we have uniforms, bags, supplies, and shoes.  Tomorrow - haircuts.  Three people are on board with the haircut idea; one is currently mourning the upcoming loss of his "look". 

I know...it's a tragedy to come between a teen and his hair identity.   But I'm nothing if not a mean mom.  It's my identify and I'm hanging on to it for a while. 

Happy Back to School Weekend everyone! 

Six

This one turned six yesterday.

We celebrated with her choice of lunch restaurant and cake.  The presents are already unwrapped, along with Ben's at a joint birthday bash last Saturday afternoon (photos forthcoming). 

I spent a while this morning watching her be her, trying to memorize how she is at this age.  She's the youngest, so I'm holding on to her littlest years as long as I can.  Right now she is sweet, incredibly goofy, silly and smart, bossy and brilliant, all rolled up in a little girl wearing a ballet dress, cowboy boots, a scarf and mittens, and holding two purses, a coloring book, a doll and a pink puppy.  Just perfect the way she is.

Triple jump results

Noah is back home safe and sound from Detroit.  Here are the results of the triple jump.  His personal best jump is 35' 9", so he was disappointed in these results, but still had a great time.  Check out the top jump: 46 feet - wow!  Noah said the kid was over 6 feet tall and had really long legs....and wings. ;)

 AAU National Copy Champ. Meet
            2008 JO National Championships - 7/26/2008 to 8/2/2008            
                                  Detroit, MI                                 

Event 162  Boys Triple Jump Youth
===============================================================================
PIT 2                                                                        
    National: N 45-00.75  1998        Quincy Seaberry, Hammond, LA            
    Name                    Year Team                    Finals  Wind         
===============================================================================
Finals                                                                        
  1 Akinmoladun, Dapo         94 Grandview, MO         46-11.75N +0.0    14.31m
  2 Muller, Shawn             94 San Antonio, TX       42-01.00   0.2    12.82m
  3 Strong, Jaelen            94 Philadelphia, PA      41-11.25  -0.1    12.78m
  4 Edwards, Shannon          94 Bakersfield, CA       40-05.75   1.7    12.33m
  5 Young, Anthony            94 Akron, OH             39-08.25  -1.2    12.09m
  6 Barrow, Antonio           94 Temple, TX            39-06.25   0.3    12.04m
  7 Price, Emmanuel           94 Saint Louis, MO       39-05.75   3.1    12.03m
  8 Lawson, Jarrion           94 Texarkana, TX        J39-05.75   0.5    12.03m
  9 Oglesby, John             94 Jonesboro, GA         39-02.25   0.5    11.94m
10 Johnson, Dezmin           94 Bedford, OH           39-00.75  +0.0    11.90m
11 Grimes, Thomas            94 Bakersfield, CA       37-05.75  -0.5    11.42m
12 Mitchell, Randall         94 Upper Marlboro, MD    37-04.25  +0.0    11.38m
13 Smith, Kyle               94 Upper Marlboro, MD    37-03.25  -1.0    11.36m
14 Newbold, Ladarius         94 Lancaster, TX         36-10.25  -1.0    11.23m
15 Ellis, Calvin             94 Phila., PA            36-08.50   1.0    11.18m
16 Locher, Jonny             94 Burien, WA            36-05.75   0.7    11.11m
17 Ways, Ceolamar            94 Jacksonville, FL      36-04.00  -1.8    11.07m
18 Mennear, Jacob            94 Gastonia, NC          36-02.75  -0.6    11.04m
19 Peoples, Amond            94 Rembert, SC           36-02.25   1.6    11.02m
20 Muhammed, Ishmael         94 West Palm Beach, FL   36-01.00   1.7    10.99m
21 Burton, Kashief           94 Pikesville, MD        36-00.50   4.0    10.98m
22 Young, Sayvon             94 Houston, TX           35-10.50  -1.0    10.93m
23 Schneider, Jay            94 Milwaukeee, WI        35-03.75  -0.7    10.76m
24 Cox, Noah                 94 Schertz, TX           35-00.75   0.1    10.68m
25 Griego, Luke              94 Bastrop, TX           34-04.75   1.6    10.48m
26 Perry, Gregory            94 Upper Marlboro, MD    33-11.75  -0.3    10.35m
27 Taylor, Cortland          94 Wharton, TX           33-10.25  -0.3    10.31m
28 Williams, Shidel          94 Savannah, GA          33-06.00  -1.0    10.21m
29 Freeman, James            94 Killeen, TX           33-00.50  -0.3    10.07m
30 Purvis, Vondale           94 Copperas Cove, TX     32-08.50  +0.0     9.96m
31 Foster, Eric              94 Collierville, TN      28-09.25  -1.1     8.76m
-- Holton, Anthony           94 Waldorf, MD                 ND   NWI         
-- Crawford, Darrel          94 Wilkes-Barre, PA            ND   NWI 

John 4

This must be my day for 'show and tell'

Wow - 3 posts in one day; crazy, I know.  But, really, I just have one more idea to share with you today. 

Found this from an interview with Marcus Borg.  What do you think?

When the afterlife is emphasized as the primary reason [for being a Christian], it inevitably turns Christianity into a religion of requirements and rewards: [With this type of thinking] if there is an afterlife, it doesn't seem fair to most people that everybody gets to go there regardless. One must have to do or believe something [in order to experience life after death]. Suddenly we're focusing on requirements and rewards.

Secondly, when the afterlife is emphasized, it tends to divide the world into those who are saved and those who are not. An emphasis on the afterlife also directs our attention to the other world or the next world rather than to transformation within this world. I see transformation within this world to be the primary meaning of the Christian gospel. An invitation to relationship with God is what begins to transform our lives in the here and now, and as that relationship deepens, it also leads us to become concerned about the transformation of society and the world itself.

I see Christianity, and its roots in Judaism and the Hebrew Bible, as very much a this-worldly religion. There's no denial of an afterlife in my saying that. But it's a way of saying that we leave the afterlife up to God. Our task is the transformation of ourselves and of the world this side of death.

At least he gets points for effort

Ben:  Mom, can I please open a gift tonight?

Me: No, your birthday isn't until tomorrow.

Ben: Yea, but you know...It's my birthday EVE?

Nice try.  Christmas Eve, maybe.  Birthday eve...not a chance. ;)