"It goes fast"

Sam came into our bed this morning.  At 3 am.

It's always cute in theory, when your kids climb in with you.  And I always think, "Enjoy this while you can, because it goes by fast."  Or so they say.

But then the child rolls right up next to you, and he's hot, and he tosses, and he turns, and you think, "Thank God this goes by fast."

The truth is I already feel that regret.  The loss I imagine you feel when your children grow and pull away from you.  And I panic, "Are they really learning anything from me? From us?  And if yes, is it the good stuff?"

This may come as a surprise to you, but I am not perfect.  And although he is pretty stinkin spectacular, Josh has issues too.  Are we turning out good children?

Ahhh!! This time we have with them slips away a little more everyday and I don't even realize it!  I am so focused on facebook, blogging, laundry, what's for dinner, work, home renovations, that I am afraid somedays I don't even remember that we have this responsibility called:  Parenting.

And then I turn around and have an 8 year old, making his own lunch, doing his own laundry (yes...it is true), and my children are becoming men right in front of my distracted eyes.

So, lately I've been making more conscious decisions to be with them.  For example, on Sunday they were begging to go play the Wii and I made them weed with me.   It was great!

And now for a trip down memory lane:

Noah, then

Noah, now

Ben, then

Ben, now

Jake, then

Jake, now

Sam, then

                                                                                        













                                      Ha Ha!!  just kidding (really, don't we all have a baby pic like that one up there???  I do!)

Sam, then

Sam, now

And now a little bonus:  Noah and Ben, before other brothers.

AHH!!!  I can't stand it!!!!

Love that Noah

Such adorable babies...They were just so cute

A few good [soon to be] men.

jake

noah and ben, at attention

sam, loving ben

And now for a little monday blues booster.

One day I was on an airplane.  I was 22, single, and thinking I was so cool, travelling the world.  Actually, I was headed to Indiana, but destination aside, I was going somewhere.

I was seated next to an older, distinguished looking business man on a small commuter plane.  It held about 37 people, give or take a few.

I was looking down, reading something, probably the magazine in the little seat back pocket, when I noticed a long string of drool coming from my mouth.  I was mortified and quickly slurped it back up.

That's it.  I hope you will still acknowledge me when you see me in public.

Boston Marathon and Waterboarding

Does it ever happen like this in your life?  That your thoughts take a theme?

I started thinking about the Boston Marathon Bombing... and then about the perpetrators... and then about what other attacks are in the planning stages at this very moment...and then about how we can find that out.  And I thought about waterboarding.

And I watched an old Mission Impossible (tv series...o.l.d.) and they threatened to bomb a bomber, and then I watched a LOST episode...where torture was used.  The theme of torture was tracking me yesterday.  But it wasn't torture for tortures sake.  It was torture for information.

Did you follow the events in Boston?  I sure didn't.  Maybe I just wasn't all that shocked that there are people wanting to kill Americans who are making plans and executing them.

Remember "Never Forget"?  Is it just a catchy phrase?

See, to 'never forget' 9/11 does not mean that we just remember those whose lives were lost.  No, although those lives were important, it is not just 'in memoriam' that we remember.  It is also, 'in protection of'.

There appears to be a radical people among us and those few believe that we are the ENEMY.

They don't just dislike us.  No, they HATE us.  They believe with all their hearts that we, with our restaurant consuming, SUV driving, cable watching selves, are evil.  Hannibal Lector evil, not just Cruella DeVille evil.

They believe unto d.e.a.t.h. that we must be destroyed.  They believe this so fiercely that they are pursuing us, on our own soil, at our own events, and following us into our own homes with scenes that terrorize us from CNN.

They are training their children to despise us as well.  Haven't we all seen the scenes of young and old alike burning the American flag, rejoicing over the loss of American lives, celebrating our despair?  Remember that verse, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Pro. 22:6?  It stands to reason that this goes both ways.  Whatever way you train, good or bad, will be the way he will go.

When I see pictures of athletes that have their legs blown off I am not upset at the idea of "sleep deprivation" used in interrogation.  This does not seem cruel or unusual when being used to gather information that will save lives.

I have an eight year old.  I see how much he adores his dad.  When Josh talks, Noah raptly pays attention.  Josh is his hero, his example of how to be a husband, father, and just all around good man.  When I think of how excited he would be to see his hero finish a long endeavor, like a marathon, a little thrill runs through my heart.

And when I think of how there was an eight year old who, while waiting excitedly for his dad to cross a finish line, was mercilessly and excruciatingly murdered, I think water boarding to discover where the next child is in danger is the LEAST that officials should initiate.

I'm sure mothers all around America would gladly see that terrorist laying down with a washcloth over his face if it meant that their own 8 year olds would be protected.  Some, if not most, of them would gladly take the water bottle themselves and apply.

I know I probably would.

Because I love my family.  And I want them protected.  And their lives are worth a terrorists few moments of fear and discomfort.

And I don't think this makes me any less Christian.  On the contrary, I believe God has blessed us with four little boys to protect.  And if He has entrusted us with them, then we are accountable to Him for their lives.  We better do whatever we can to keep them healthy, fed, in a warm home, etc...because we'll have to answer for what we've done with His generous gifts.

Can you love someone who is trying to kill your children?  I can pray for them, I can hope that they confess, and repent, and that in doing so can live in peace with us.  That seems pretty loving to me.  But if they come to my house, threaten my children, then I feel the priority should be to protect my innocent children.

To everything there is a balance and if I were to define torture it would look a whole lot more like putting a dirty, metal/nail/glass filled bomb in a crowded area than depriving terrorists of sleep.

At least we can get intel from water boarding.  A drone garners....what??

Fine wine and stinky cheese...

Some things just get better with age....right???

I found this beauty posted in our break room at work.  I think it was during my child bearing years...my coworker says it was before.

What do you think???

It may have been taken on this very day.

And now for something completely different...Potato Chip Chicken!!

My most favorite meal is called:  Potato Chip Chicken.

G.G. always made this.  G.G. is my dad's mom and we are good friends.

She is a wanna-be chef, so she follows a recipe a little closer.  She grates the onion, cooks and removes the chicken and then cooks down the liquid, etc etc...

I'm not that interested in recipe s-t-e-p-s, so I try and condense as many as possible.  GRATE an onion???  Ain't nobody got time for that!!!

Anyways, I always make sure that I have the ingredients for this in my pantry, cause I love it that much, and it's an easy go-to meal for me.

WARNING:  I don't measure, I guesstimate, so if you are an exact-recipe-amount kinda girl (or guy) I apologize in advance.

Ingredients:

chicken (I usually use 2 large breasts)
chicken stock (enough to cover chicken)
white wine (optional...just add extra broth if you omit)
small onion or 1/2 a large one
1 can cream of chicken soup
tablespoonful of sugar
1/4 or so cup of mayo (hellman's of course!)
splash of lemon juice
potato chips


Directions:

1.  Cook chicken in liquids (stock and wine).  I  believe the technical term for this is "poaching".

 [sorry bout the blurry pic!]

I have little kids, so I cook the chicken a little bit, then cut it into bite-size pieces and finish cooking.

2.  Mix the rest!

Years ago I was given something like this as a wedding present:

I love it, it has come in handy more times than I can count.  I used to use the immersion blender to make baby food out of whatever was for dinner, it was so great!!!  [On a side note...this is a much better investment for 'homemade' baby food than the high priced gadgets they market specifically for that use.]


Anyway, see that little R2D2 looking attachment?  I put the small onion in there and chop it, then I add the mayo, a spoonful of sugar, a splash of lemon juice, and the can of condensed soup (Rachel Ray would be very disappointed in me).

I WHIR it into oblivion.

Then I add it to the chicken and it's lovely liquid on the stove and stir it together.

Put all of that goodness into a casserole dish

Bake it at 350 for, like, about 45 minutes.

 Crumble some potato chips up and sprinkle on the liquidy top for the last 5-10 minutes of baking.

[note:  this is not as crumbly as I like my chips to be on top...but Josh did it AND took the picture...so I'm not complaining, just sayin is all]

Serve over steamed (or microwaved) broccoli and rice and voila!  dinner!!!
[Yes, that's a well used kiddie plate, what do you expect!]


I like this especially saucy so I use a ton of broth (like 3/4 a box full).  If you don't like to pour sauce over the veggies and rice, use less! See how I do?

Ok, if you try it and love it, tell me!  If you try it and hate it...I don't know what to say....!!!

Have  a Wonderful Wednesday!

Hooray for earth day!!!

On this earth day, I am thinking of how the earth came to be.

And then it occurs to me, the earth was created for man. Not man for the earth. It is here FOR us!  For our provision, our enjoyment, it is ours to subdue.  

The earth will overtake.  It will grow and grow and grow, because that's how it is created to provide for us, with constant renewal.  Humans may set it on fire, but that just brings back greener grass.  We may cut down the trees, but they continue to reseed themselves.  

I love that.  That something, like the earth, can just be spun into motion and then continue, and if it continues unchecked, will overrun.  

Even the earth needs discipline, boundaries, a stopping point.  

And it needs care.  It needs to be coaxed, coerced and corrected.  The weeds must be stopped for the flowers to flourish.  

I love this time of year, when hope is visible through every window.  Hope in the form of leaf buds and green grass, hope in the form of seemingly dead wood coming back to life.  

It is a beautiful image of God's intentions for us.   We get to witness the reassurance that no matter how desolate our life may seem, how dead and hopeless, there is life, and life, and life to be had.  A thriving future is within our reach.

Every leaf, every bud, every green blade is here for us to see hope, and in seeing that hope, partake of it.

What a beautiful picture of love for us.

Happy earth day!!!

Thanks

Every night my boys say their prayers.

They are simple little prayers.  They aren't stopping famine, or bombers, or terror.   It's really more along the lines of daily thanks.  But it's daily communication with God...and I love to hear it.

Noah:  "Thank you Lord for this day, and for letting me live on the earth, and for everything good, Amen."

Ben:  "Thank you Lord for healing me."

Jake:  "Thank you Lord for this day and for the food, Amen."

Sam:  "Thank you Lord for this day, and my mom and dad and for everything and for everything and for everything and for everything and for everything and for everything."

So, these prayers are B.A.S.I.C.  Just a thank you note every evening.

Guess that's what great prayers begin and end with, thanks.

Maybe they're growing to be great prayer warriors after all?

At least they know who to attribute all the good things in their lives to!  And if Josh and I love hearing them so much, can you just imagine how sweet it is to God?

This is my prayer tonight:

"Thank you Lord for this day, that my boys are all healthy...that we have plenty of food in our cabinets and that you are providing for us, just like you said you would.  (Phil 4:19)  Help us to become who you desire us to be...to be your love in this world.  And thank you for those who read my blog.  It means more to me than I can say and I'm grateful."