Reid's Arrival photos

http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=7430513013/a=112377666_112377666/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
The link above should direct you to our snapfish album of the hospital photos (including delivery for those who don't want to see that stuff). I couldn't get the direct upload to work - sorry!

Kyle singing to Reid

Reid Jeffrey

Here are a few pictures of our newest addition! I will get around to a detailed update on our life at some point but for now, Jason and I are enjoying our hospital time and getting to know our son-shine!!!

Thanks for the love and prayers!

Biblical Blessings for Children

Five elements of a Biblical Blessing:

• Appropriate and Meaningful Touch: in the Bible, fathers and grandparents laid hands on their children and grandchildren. The Bible also contains many other examples of touch, included when Jesus "took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them" Mark 10:16


• Words of Love and Acceptance: in many homes today, children grow up feeling that they are loved - yet they never hear words that express this love. If that's the case, then they've never received a verbal blessing from their parents. Their parents may care for them when they're sick, but kids also need to hear words of love and acceptance.


• Value Placed on the Child: Blessings used in the Bible attached a high value to children. They were words of praise and honor that imprinted a beautiful picture of parental love upon the child's memory.


• Acknowledgement of a Special Future: In biblical times, when parents would offer a blessing to a child, they would pick a character trait they felt God could use or affirm in the future. The blessing was a powerful way of encouraging a positive look at who the child could be, backed by a parent's belief in him or her.


• Genuine Commitment: Finally, the blessing assumed that these actions and words were backed with the genuine commitment of a parent.

Meeting the need of our child's need for affirmation doesn't have to be difficult. Our goal as parents should be to build up our sons and daughters. Once we, as parents, can learn how to do those things, our children can and will feel blessed. They are kind of a different spin on the Five Love Languages.

Now you just have to learn to: interpret it for each of your children individually.

Are you excited to become an active blesser for your kids? There is a website to visit to become a part of a national incentive in changing our kids' lives - http://www.theblessing.com/

Welcome to Oklahoma

Scary, sad day for a lot of Oklahomans! This is from a few hours ago northeast of Oklahoma City.

End of Schools!

End of year! Here is Grant's spring pictures and Kyle with his preschool graduation certificate! What big moments! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI4Ee6bsNYk

The link above is for Kyle's certificate presentation!

Ways to Pray and Teach Your Children

As a Christian mother, I think it is very natural for me to want to protect my boys and direct them towards a Christian life-style. It's also easy to say that I won't worry but will direct my desires to God in all situations. Easier said than done. I worry. I fret. But I should know and trust that He will help my kids through everyday difficulty.

I received a magazine the other day in the mailbox that we hadn't subscribed to, and I finally got around to reading it while watching the boys play in the culdesac. It's Thriving Family by Focus on the Family. There are a few articles in it that I want to share and paraphrase on here (hope it's legal!).

Some general ideas on how to pray for your children:

• Pray for Protection - ask the Lord to watch over your little ones as they play and your teens as they drive! Trust that the Lord will protect your kids in every way - body, mind and spirit (Psalm 5:11)


• Pray for Grace (both them and you) - Ask God to help your family love each other well (2 Cor 9:8)


• Pray for Wisdom - Ask God to help your children understand the difference between right and wrong and how to respond to difficult situations (Phil 1:9-11)


• Pray for People in Authority - Pray for teachers, coaches, pastors, and others who may have influence in your children's lives (1 Tim. 2: 1-3)


• Pray for their Daily Choices - Pray that your children will understand that obedience brings safety and blessing (Eph 6:1).

Additionally, there was an article on raising obedient children. It mentions that one of the Ten Commandments is to honor your mother and father and that those that do are promised long lives (Ex 20:12). Children need to know that obedience isn't optional and that learning to obey their parents is key in learning to obey God.

• Show your children how obedience looks - point out speed limit signs when you're driving and how you're obeying the law, explain that going to work every day enables you to follow God's command to provide for your family... Adults have to obey, too - God, our boss, our government - it's a part of God's plan


• As children grow older, they need to trust that when you tell them to do something, you have a good reason for it - when they're able to understand, tell them w-h-y they have to do something - because it will keep them safe, or healthy, or give them a skill they need to learn, etc.


• Say YES to kids whenever you can and limit the NOs! - only say no when you have to - when the issue deals with safety or growing their character. This reflects God's heart. Ask them to do things that are reasonable and for their good, and be prepared to give them the reasons when they're old enough to understand. This approach to obedience helps children realize as they grow older that God isn't arbitrary or a killjoy.

pluggedin.com

pluggedin.com - a website that is Christian-based for reviews of movies, games, books, and online videos. Apps are also available for those of you with a fancy phone!

Farm Fun

Playgroup was at our friends' farm this week! They have horses, goats, an emu and lots of fun stuff to do! Did you know that goats don't have upper teeth? We didn't! Just gums.

Coach and Son - happy as can be (finishing up soccer season!)

Kyle's Art Show

Kyle's preschool had their art show and ice cream social. This is his picture - "Triangle Tornado." Also included with the art was a questionnaire with some questions. I'll just type it out because it is hard to read!
Kyle, age 4.
Likes: "I like to play cars"
Parents: "My mom likes to play with me but she has a baby in her tummy. My dad likes to play cars with me, but he never ever ever ever cleans out his dirty Lexus."
Future ambition: "When I grow up, I will be a Survivor guy and a race car driver. I will know how to drive really fast. I already have blue and red 3-D glasses to help out. I'll be #24."

Baby Game!

Baby Walker's debut is fast approaching and after playing a little guessing game this evening, we thought it would be fun to include some others in the game! So, have a guess at when you think our baby boy will arrive and also his birth statistics.

I am including the other boys' stats so you can try to compare and guess!

Grant: due March 25, born February 26 - 6 lb, 1 oz, 19 1/2"

Kyle: due February 5, born January 31 - 7 lb, 12 oz, 20 1/2"

Happy guessing and thanks for particpating!

Fav time

One of my most treasured memories about getting this year with Kyle "alone" during the days is our Wednesdays - we have taken a snuggly nap together nearly every Wednesday afternoon and it is a great memory for me (and hopefully him!).

Different?

How has this pregnancy been different? Without an ultrasound, just based on the items below, I would have bet it was a girl because so much has been different this time around!

• morning sickness for about six weeks


• medical issues/bleeding in the first trimester


• bed rest at 27 1/2 weeks


• consistent contractions way too early


• feeling absolutely great with three weeks to go


• another medical issue that you probably don't want to read about


• tested positive for Group B Strep


• I still have a waist from the front view and am carrying him more like a ball in my stomach than I did the other two


• we have no clue on what to name Mr. Perfect!


• labor and delivery room then transported to a teeny room (miss me some Lakeside!)

Sleepy Head

We always take the boys to the bathroom right before we go to bed as to prevent any nighttime accidents (note: Kyle has NEVER wet his bed!!!!).

Kyle will usually partially wake up and make it to the toilet to do his business just fine. Grant, on the other hand, is usually a supply of laughter. He sleeps really deep, and will often times run in to a wall or a door frame on the way down the hall. When I am doing it, I will hold his hand and basically take care of everything for him. Jason likes to be a bit more comical and daring.

He just came down the stairs laughing with this story: "I told him it was time to go stand in the closet, and he went in the hall closet, and I shut the door, and he stood in there for a few minutes before announcing he needed a drink of water." They then went to the bathroom, and Grant woke up enough to tell Dad to quit messing around and it was time for bed!

Jason's Half Marathon

I have to give my husband credit: I wouldn't have gotten out of bed!! The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon this year was in a rain shower, windstorm, and even some reported hail (those who ran the full). Jason got out of bed, drove down to OKC, and was back home to us before 11:00 a.m.! He improved nearly a minute/mile over his time from last year, and especially considering his very busy schedule of dentist, business owner, coach, and the recent acquisition of Mr. Mom, .... I am so very proud of him for finding time to train and finish!

T-ball, house and cake smashing!

My parents' house is finally coming along! The framing was started this week on the first floor so I had to grab a picture at this point in the process! We had an ice cream cone out there on Friday night and it was so peaceful with the wildlife noises! A great neighborhood choice for them!
Silver Airjets T-ball is in full swing, with seven more weeks of games and practices! Grant is a very good hitter. He really enjoys smacking the ball in to the outfield, and has been the only one to get a double and a triple on his team! We haven't really seen him on defense yet as he hasn't been in one of the prime spots to touch a ball (pitcher, 1st, 2nd). He's even got the leg pull mastered!

Here are my monkeys celebrating Jason's birthday with his cake (as requested, I didn't make it until after the marathon!). For some reason, they decided this was the night to experiment with cake in the faces. We just laughed. They must have some of Jason's blood in him as, for those of you who were around back then, recall that my "darling" newlywed husband decided to smash my face, the happy bride, with cake on our wedding day. It was not so funny or cool to me at the time (or even now!). BUT, all backtracking aside, cake looks cute on little boys' faces!

Baby Shower!

Last Saturday, I was suprised beyond measure at the loveliest baby shower I have ever been to - and it was for me! Supposedly going on a dinner date with my mom and her best friend, I really didn't feel the need to dress up after a day at home with the boys. So, I had on a maternity t-shirt, wet hair in a pony tail, and sunglasses! :)

To Kristy, Katie, Anne, Denise, and Taylor - THANK YOU! Jason and I so appreciate of your efforts and thankful for all of your friendships!

Because I couldn't select just a few photos, here is a slideshow of all of the decoration details and of my hostesses!