A calling in the making?

Little Miss Bossy Pants may have found her calling in life... what could be more fulfilling than yard duty? Alyssa put together this getup all on her own (which bears a striking resemblance to the outfit worn by the school playground supervisors), and seemed to thoroughly enjoy both the whistle and its accompanying authority.

Who says trash men can't wear heels?

Little golfer

We love the park, not the flu

I realize this is quickly becoming a photo blog. There's no excuse really for my lack of coherent thoughts lately, but at least today I can place the blame on the flu. I can't recall the last time I've actually had a fever, or spent 12 hours in bed, but here I am... back on the couch. I'm fortunate to have a mom nearby to entertain these two monkeys for me, and am certain to be on the mend soon. Here we are yesterday, before the bug hit:

Reagan's more consumed with the wood chips in her shoes than the play equipment, and Parker's working hard to avoid my camera lens.

Teeth and tresses

Alyssa is quite impressed with the new hole in her mouth! I have to agree that a gap on top changes her look so much more than the loss of her bottom teeth did.

You've all wondered just what Parker's eyelashes would look like on a girl, right? Well, Crazy Hair Day at AWANA gave us that opportunity, if even just for a second. Needless to say, the "itchy" wig didn't last for long.

Happy 30th!

My favorite sister (a.k.a. my only sister) hit the big 3-0 yesterday, and we celebrated at her favorite restaurant at her favorite mall. It also happens to be my favorite restaurant and my favorite mall, so no complaints here! Even the long wait for a table was fun thanks to a trolley ride, beautiful park and a Vegasesque water show. The kids loved it, managed to stay dry, and especially enjoyed hanging out with my favorite nephew (you guessed it - my only nephew!). Happy birthday sister!

Parker's new shoulder extension

My parents are en route to visit their 7th continent, so Maltby is living with us for a few weeks. Parker is in heaven and the bird rarely leaves his shoulder. I think the boy is a little torn between his longing to see Gaga and Papa and his regret to see Maltby go home.

Potty Dance

A very short-lived illness forced Parker and I onto the couch for most of yesterday morning. He absorbed all of the cartoons his little mind could handle, pausing only to refill a bowl with his breakfast, and I got to cuddle him while listening to church on headset. It's not quite the same as fellowshiping with the saints in person, but since sickness is one of the only things that can get Parker to sit still long enough for me to really love on him, I certainly couldn't complain. Even when the service was over and the kid shows deteriorated from mildly entertaining to barely tolerable. However, one of the less-desirable programs redeemed itself with one hilarious commercial. Or maybe it's only funny to those near to that fun stage of childhood called "potty training." Danny didn't find quite as much joy in this video as I do, but since many of you are or have recently been in the same boat, maybe you'll get a laugh too. So try out the Potty Dance. (And if you have an even better version you can enter their contest to win a $5000 room make-over.) Fun stuff!

4th Photo

I've been tagged by my friend Jenny, and since I happen to like the 4th photo in my 4th folder, here it is! I'm sure most of you have done this by now, but if not, consider yourself tagged.

This was taken just moments after we met Reagan for the first time, steps away from the little room where she spent the first six months of her life. Look at how calm and sweet she is! And notice (or don't!) how frizzy my hair is. The akward hold is a function of my inexperience in holding babies wearing no diaper. I quickly overcame my trepedation over being peed on, and though I was rewarded with cuddles I paid the price in wet clothing. The joy of that day now pales in comparison to really knowing the girl in those photos. I'm still amazed at the ease with which she bonded to us, and especially amazed at her transformation since then into a girl who is in every sense our daughter. God is so good!

Unanswered prayers

Remember the old Garth Brooks song? Or the relatively new “Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts? Here is where I disclose my love for country music (though I can most often be found listening to Veggie Tales Silly Songs, G.T. and the Halo Express, an Awana handbook set to a tune from the 1970’s, or on rare, cherished occasion, talk radio). But that is not my point. My thoughts today don’t even specifically relate to prayer. The theme of these two songs (and my post) is God’s grace in not sustaining certain relationships. Guys I wished and prayed and hoped would be mine, who God in His wisdom withheld. I dated a fair amount I guess. Danny teases me relentlessly about the number of guys my sister and I spent time with. One of his favorite games is “state-a-male-name-and-guess-which-sister-dated-someone-with-said-name.” It rarely works out quite as tidily as he expects, but then, compared to his family where both of his siblings dated their now-spouses for 6+ years, almost any amount of dating would look excessive. I had a handful of “serious” boyfriends through high school and college. I had a lot of male friends, some of whom I naturally developed crushes on. I usually had a date for the major school dances and banquets. I was by no means popular, but I wasn’t often lonely. My heart was not broken many times, but I remember longing for a man who would love me unconditionally and commit to me for life. There were a few times before I met Danny that I thought I knew who would be “The One.” Now I wonder what in the world I was thinking! Through the miracle of the internet, I’ve recently reconnected with many of the guys I was once interested in. Most of them are now mature, godly, responsible men. I’m still proud to call many of them friends, and not just of the Facebook variety. But they aren’t half as cute as I remember. Quirks I recall as endearing just aren’t. They have personality traits clearly incompatible with mine as a mate. In short, they don’t hold a torch to Danny. In fact they generally are attractive, fun, and interesting to talk to, but they weren’t made for me. I intend no indictment on these men, but rather want to give testimony to God’s wisdom in choosing the right man for me. Despite my many pleas (then) for others. I prayed for guys who clearly (now) were not that man. Instead, God kept me just for Danny and for that I will always be grateful. He was the perfect guy for me nearly 10 years ago, and he’s even more perfect for me now. Danny is the prayer I'm glad God answered with a "YES"!

Brought to you by the letter "M"

Because I'm woefully low on blogging ideas (and even lower on energy to put to pen the ideas I actually do have), I'm borrowing a post from Dania over at Adoption to Remember. Here are the rules: If you want to play, leave a comment on this post letting me know and I’ll assign you a letter. You write about ten things you love that begin with your assigned letter, and post it at your place. When people comment on your list, you give them a letter, and the chain will continue.

So here are my 10 favorite "M"s, in no particular order:
1. Morgan - Alyssa's Bitty Baby, who Reagan and I probably enjoy more than Alyssa does. Have to say that I hate the American Girl doll store though: I can't think of a better way to breed discontentment and materialism in a little girl.
2. Music - especially Scripture set to music. Especially when my kids are singing it.
3. Make-up - I'm not at all adventurous in this department, but it is rather miraculous when used properly. I'd be lost without my concealer and Revlon Sandstone lipstick.
4. Missionaries - my favorites undoubtedly being the Dick family serving in Croatia and the Biedebachs in Malawi. They are dear friends who serve the Lord with joy and insist that it is no sacrifice.
5. Mexican food - Whenever I go abroad, this is the taste I crave the most. One of my most memorable meals were enchiladas prepared by one of my professor's wives about 3 months into my semester in Israel. Why isn't this cuisine enjoyed worldwide?
6. Muscle memory - Without this phenomenon there's no way I could still play Chopin. Or ride a bike for that matter. Or ski.
7. Mercy - God's withholding of the punishment my sin deserves.
8. Manly men - Guys who aren't afraid to be the leaders God has called them to be. Like Danny.
9. M&Ms - Perfect little bites of chocolate, capable of satisfying my sweet tooth. Also capable of motivating two-year-olds to use the toilet.
10. Mornings that start later than 7 am - Granted at this point in my life such mornings are few and far between, but I treasure those few extra moments of sleep made possible by the occasional sleepover at grandmas.

Anyone else want to play?

Horse people

we're not, but our good friend Heath allowed us to pretend for the afternoon. He recently got a fun new job working with horses, and we had a wonderful time today hanging out with the Heath and his son Drake, learning about the animals and their own quirky personalities, and of course getting thoroughly caked with dust. Even our ever-cautious Alyssa hopped on with a huge grin, though she wasn't too sure about the grooming - I love the photo below where she's standing as far away from the animal as possible while still obeying Daddy's encouragement to brush. Reagan, who is very hot and cold about animals had a "hot" day and ate it up. Parker... well, I think could live in the barn!

A little confused

Though "winter" has finally come to Southern California in the form of a little rain, our unseasonably warm weather over the past few weeks has led to some confusion amongst our plants. This poor pear tree seems to think it's spring!

Before and after, part 3

Let me know if you guys get tired of these things, or if you're just as voyeuristic as I am. Posting pics here actually does provide a little motivation for me to actually finish my home decorating projects. I'm getting there! 8 months after moving in I still have 3 bedrooms to paint and my bathroom... well, my bathroom is a disgrace. For months now it's been mostly-painted, which is far worse than un-painted in my book. The walls are a soft gold, which I like, but the corners, around the doors, around the ceilings, around the tub and around the shower are still builder-basic white. The rolling part of painting is just so easy, fast and fun. The cutting in... not so much. So I have a feeling that I'll be spending a lot more late nights painting when Danny returns to Malawi in April. Funny how I get so much more done when he's out of town! But without further ado, my complete-enough-for-now family room and kitchen - "before" on the left, "after" on the right, in case (sadly) it's not obvious:

(wish I had a better "before" for you... the chairs are in the same spot)
Not too much different here I guess - paint, cabinet hardware, new faucet...

But this right here is my favorite part of our home: the view of my favorite boy playing outside the kitchen window.

So much cooler online

Have you heard the Brad Paisley song? It makes me laugh every time... but then it got me thinking: am I cooler online? Not that I'm all that cool here, but I wonder if my blog is really an accurate reflection of who I am. The photos really are us. The stories of our life are ours. The ideas are mine. But I don't post the really unflattering pictures. I don't tell all of our less-than-fun or funny stories. My ideas probably aren't as original as I'd like to believe. I try to balance the rosy picture we'd all like to paint of our lives with transparency about things that I'm struggling with. But I know that I fail. I just wonder about the overall impression I give to those who don't know me in real life. There are bloggers I know personally who are the same here as they are at church, at school, or over dinner. I know others whose blogs seem completely disconnected from their reality (or at least my perception of it). And some who are so much more interesting and engaging in real life than they are on their blog. I've had the opportunity to meet a few people online first, and then connect in real life. I've been suprised to find that I didn't click at all with one I thought would be my new BFF, and throughly enjoyed others I didn't expect to have much in common with. I have a number of bloggy friends I would love to meet outside of the confines of text and photos but I wonder if it would be as fun as I expect. Strange new world here isn't it? What about you? Are you cooler online?

Sleeping cuties

Well, not exactly sleeping yet, but settling down in our jammies with a little popcorn and Planet Earth.

The boy who seems to think that we purchased this bunk for the stuffed members of our family. Each night Parker dilligently prepares beds for each of his favorite animals, simulateously refusing to allow me to tuck him in for fear of disturbing their little dens. I usually find him scrunched up into a corner as far away from any critter-filled covers as possible. And yes, that is a pink floral comforter. We have a girl room and a boy room in our house, and Parker and Alyssa have proven to be much better roommates thus far than Reagan and Alyssa.

Our baby girl in a big boy bed! She's been sleeping well in a real bed for several months now... maybe someday soon she'll graduate to a girly one. That is if Parker will let her. The world's cutest kitty. My parents took Alyssa to Disneyland all by herself on Wednesday and she came home looking like this. She also went to school the next morning looking like this, and probably would still be sporting face paint if not for the bath I insisted she take last night.

Danny's a pretty cute sleeper too, but I'll spare you the photo I took just to prove how much he really does intrude onto my side each night. You'll have to take my word for it.

Family night at the park...

A piece of my heart looks like this:

I spent a semester in Israel in college (an experience I still intend to reflect on here someday), returned for another 3 weeks shortly before Danny and I got engaged/married, and is the one place I long to travel to with Dan. Nostalgia and good memories are wrapped up in the place for me. But more than that, Israel is the Promised Land. It is the setting for all the stories I love the most. The background for my favorite Book. And the homeland of my Savior. It's a remarkable blend of ancient and new, a far cry from our "old" cities, like Boston, or even the history and architecture of Europe. The people themselves are fascinating, and the story of their survival through millennia, and through the modern establishment of their country is nothing short of miraculous.

So my heart breaks a little when I hear, again, of Israel's struggle to defend themselves against those determined to remove them from the face of the earth. Then it breaks a little more when I hear our media elevate terrorists to the same moral ground, with the same rights and expectation of sympathy as those who have carefully targeted those terrorists. Naturally no one wants to see civilian casualties in any war, but when even Palestinian leaders admit that it's often impossible to distinguish militant from civilian, how can one blame the terror-fighters? Why not blame the terrorists? The ones who continue to shell innocent Israeli citizens -- indeed targeting civilians. My heart goes out to all those who have lost loved ones in the current manifestation of the conflict (forgive my politicing here), but can we give Israel a little break? Don't fall for the media's oft-unbalanced presentation of what's going on. Remember that the Jews are, as always, fighting for their lives.

NOT Reagan

Ask this girl what her name is and she'll promptly reply "Thi Ho Thao Van." Her Vietnamese name, loud and clear. Granted it's not in quite the right order, but that's probably a function of the fact that we're still not 100% sure what the correct order is (almost every official document has it listed differently, and the Vietnamese do last-middle-first). I don't know why this development has come about - we don't call her Thao Van except when she's in trouble (as in "Reagan Thao-Van T~, stop that right now!"), but I think it's pretty cute. And her pronounciation is probably better than ours!

So you like my book?

It seems that I'm not the only one impressed with my mother's handiwork. I've received so many e-mails and comments asking about how she did it that I thought I'd post it here. (Prepare to be bored if you're not a blogger...).

Her first step in what sounds like a very labor-intensive process was to turn each post into a Word document. She then tried printing it at home, but found that her printer didn't yield the best results. So, she took it on CD to Kinko's where they printed it with a laser printer and cut it to the appropriate size. Then she mailed the printed text to Smith Printing, a publishing company she found online, for binding. According to my mom they were very nice to work with and apparently could have printed it as well. There are other sites out there that help you self-publish (Blurb is the one I'm a little bit familiar with) but they don't interact with Blogger or Wordpress anymore. Blurb books seem to look more like a digital scrapbook than a bound book, but perhaps would be a quicker process, even just using their manual input function. Through it all, the book turned out beautifully - though I think only a mom would invest that much time, effort and money into publishing writing of this quality. Just reinforces my conviction that I have best mother around!