a few more.....

As I have mentioned before, my boys think that any "bathroom" talk is hilarious. I am told that you can't really change this behavior, only "channel" it, as grown men still think that it is funny! (and I live with one and know that to be true). So we are sitting outside, enjoying a nice lunch in the sun when Dylan just starts saying "pee". To which I immediately say, "Dylan no bathroom talk." To which he replies, "Oh Mom, I'm not! I am saying the letter 'P'. You know it is the best letter of the ABC's." I am thinking yeah right, I bet. But proceed to ask him why the letter 'P' was so great. "Well", he says with a HUGE grin, " poop and pee and puppy and penis and pop corn, and pretzel all start with 'P'!" He sure got a rise out of his brothers! I had no idea what to say, so I took joined in the belly laughter.......

At Eagles soccer camp in the summer, they play a game like "red light, green light", but add other colors. So at camp when a coach yells out "green light" everyone dribbles their ball. When he yells out "black light" it means dance party. So imagine how cute and excited they are when they hear "black light." On the way to church Sunday, we are sitting at a red light, when Bryce yells out, "Mom, look, a BLACK light!!" I of course have no idea where this was going and pretend to see what he is talking about. I ask him what a black traffic light could mean. "It means you have to dance your car all over the road!" Oh he was so serious and excited!

Two sweet stories that happened months apart, yet both are so precious and show me the sweetest side of my big boys and their love for their siblings.
One day I took all the kiddos to the woods for a hike. Each boy was responsible to get their own shoes and socks on. They did a great job, however, Dylan chose not to wear socks. So we were only 15 minutes in when Dylan started crying over a blister on his heal. I told the older two we would have to head back out. They were pretty upset about the hike being cut short. Sweet Tyler said to Dylan, "here Dylan, you can have my socks and then your blister won't hurt and we can keep hiking."
Yesterday the boys were outside digging for snakes aka worms (thankfully!) They had come in to clean up and have a snack. Dylan had run back out without his shoes on and Bryce noticed them on the floor. He went to take them out to Dylan and then suddenly stopped and headed to the stairs. Curious, I asked what he was doing. "Well Dylan can't wear his shoes without socks on or he will get blisters." So he ran up, got him socks, and I heard him yelling out to Dylan, "Hey Dylan I have your shoes you forgot and I brought you socks so you don't get a blister."

a few of my favorites.......

While dying Easter eggs.....
Dylan:"Nice eggs!"
Bryce:"Nice eggs!"
Tyler:"yeah, nice legs Mommy!!"


While Ty is playing on the I-Phone, but supposed to be getting shoes on:
Bryce:" I just did the nicest thing for Tyler!"
Mommy and Daddy:" What did you do?"
Bryce:"I put his shoes on!"
Daddy:"Wow, that was nice!"
Bryce:"He said he would pay me $5000.00!!"


Out on an afternoon stroll:
Bryce climbs a huge rock, throws his arms out to the sky and yells, "I'm the King of the Jews!"
Getting close to a busy street I tell Dylan to stop running and stay close to me; He instantly drops to his knees and starts crawling!


I usually grab Starbucks when we go to Target, so we walk in and Bryce asks for a smoothie. I tell him not today:
and he says, "but don't you want coffee?"
Me:" well I do, but I gave up coffee for Lent."
Bryce:"Oh like we gave up TV? Is it really hard?
Me: It is really hard, especially today!"
Bryce:"But not as hard as Jesus dying on the cross, right Mommy?!"

Easter

I can't even begin to describe the incredible joy I experienced this Easter. It was as if I was "getting it" for the first time in my journey with Christ. I was so overwhelmed with the ultimate gift of redemption. Jesus died for ME! For ME! A sinner by nature, not worthy of God's love, yet He chose to send His son to DIE FOR ME! WOW, yes I guess I am a slow learner. I was in tears all morning at church in awe of His great love. There was no way this day could get any better! But that afternoon God once again gave me a sweet glimpse of Heaven. As we gathered around to share a meal to celebrate the Resurrected King with our family, friends, and neighbors; I was moved by the love and joy in all the faces around me. I could sense the Presence of God moving over each heart as we laughed and enjoyed each others company. While walking around taking pictures I was struck by the many cultures that were represented, and this verse came to mind: "....from every nation, tribe, people, and language standing before the throne......and they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne....Rev 7:9-10 This is one of the most memorable and most powerful Easters for me as we celebrated the greatest love story ever.