Toothpaste facial?

The other day I realized the house was way too quiet & my heart was immediately stricken with fear! I began looking for the kids, and as I turned the corner from the kitchen to the back bathroom I heard the sound of Maya's voice quietly jabbering to herself.

When I opened the bathroom door THIS is what I saw! After I had a good laugh (and took this picture), I asked Maya "what are you doing?". It was at this point that she furrowed her little brow, and gave me a look that said "what do you think I'm doing?" It was very clear that Maya, like all women, was inventing a new way to deep cleanse her baby pores. You know, you can never start good facial cleansing habits too early!


After LOUDLY protesting my "intervention" in her pore cleansing experiment, she surprised me by turning to the medicine cabinet to put the toothpaste back on the shelf. That's my girl!

Ahhh... it's nice to know I'm teaching her good habits at such a young age :-). She is definitely a girl....had this been Chandler's "experiment", he would have eaten the whole tube of toothpaste and then flushed the tube down the toilet just to see what happens!

The God Who Sees Me.

Last year I did an incredible Bible Study by Beth Moore called "The Patriarchs". Obviously this study was focused primarily on the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, if any of you have ever done a Beth Moore study then you know that your study is going to take you from Genesis to Revelation & then back again!

Without sounding like I "worship" Beth Moore, I'll just say this is a woman who is truly anointed by God. NEVER.... EVER have I gotten so much out of a Bible Study. If someone had told me 5 years ago that I would be EXCITED to study the genealogy of Abraham, much less to be forever changed by reading 49 chapters of Genesis, I probably would have laughed out loud. But, that was before this study!

During this study I began to see God as a personal God....my God....my savior. It sounds a little strange to say that since I grew up in a Christian home, with wonderful, godly parents. Maybe it was because of my "safe" upbringing that I didn't really try to "own" my faith. I just sort of accepted the faith of my family.

Fast-forward to last year. I was (and still am to some degree) really wrestling with what I truly believe. Who is God to ME. What does my faith mean to ME. This may sound silly, or even selfish, but I was searching for something that made God seem real to me. I'd spent SO MUCH of my life listening to my parents and Sunday school teachers tell me who God was, that I don't think I ever stopped to figure that out for myself.

Two weeks into the Patriarchs study we were Studying the life of Hagar. Now, Hagar doesn't exactly hold the most coveted role among women in the Bible, but her story touched me deeply. Hagar was Sarai's maidservant, who Sarai gave to Abraham to have a child with. When Hagar became pregnant she despised Sarai (wouldn't you?) and Sarai mistreated her. It didn't take long for Hagar to get tired of being mistreated & she fled from Sarai. Can you imagine that? Really? First of all, you are given a lowly position of being someones "maidservant", then you are "given" to this chicks husband to have a baby with. Once you get pregnant... you are expected to be happy about it, and willingly give this child up to a woman who is treating you badly! Does that even seem fair?

Yet, God...the LORD (the I AM...the covenant God... Yahweh) God saw Hagar. In all her shame and hurt, while she was traveling all by herself back to Egypt, God looked down on her and chose HER to reveal himself to. The LORD sought her out. God was looking for Hagar! In the midst of Hagar's greatest time of loneliness and pain, in her humiliation, HE...GOD found Hagar (Genesis 16:7-15)! Isn't God amazing?

What's more touching about this story (to me at least) is the name Hagar gave to God after she encountered him there in the middle of the desert. She gave God the name "El Roi" which means "The God who sees me". The first time I read Genesis 16:13 (where Hagar gives God this name) I wept for a long time. Why? Because, who doesn't want to feel "seen" or "known"? I believe it's a basic human instinct to want to be known and understood...to be seen. I LOVE that God chose Hagar to reveal himself to, because that shows me that God sees me too. Who am I that God should see me?

Hagar's story gave me a new perspective on who God is. My whole life it made perfect sense to me that God would reveal himself to biblical characters such as Abraham, Jacob, and Moses. But, me....NO WAY! God would never do that for me...right? I never saw myself as "worthy" of God's attention in that way. I always thought that I was the one who had to seek God out & hope that I was worthy enough to be given a "morsel". In my mind I was never "good enough" to be given great things to, or "bad enough" to be saved in a miraculous way! I think I saw myself as invisible to God. I thought of myself as "nothing special" to be sought after.

God broke my heart when I read Hagar's story. I was Hagar! I was not really searching for God because I didn't think I was "good enough" to hear from God. I knew I had made mistakes, I knew I had some wrong thinking, and I was sure God had better stories to tell than my story. I just didn't see God as a God who sought after people like me. I can say for certain that God spoke to me that day in a very real way. He allowed me to see myself as "worthy" of being sought after by the almighty God. If he cared about a girl like Hagar enough to seek her out in the desert & reveal himself to her...then maybe he could do the same for me.

Beth Moore had a quote in that days lesson that said: "We are not an afterthought to God. We are the point of His involvement with this planet. He does not just tolerate us, He pursues us.". Amen!

************************************************************************************
She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said "I have now seen the One who sees me."

Genesis 16:13

Bass Pro!

Last week we visited the new Bass Pro that just opened. I have to say that I was a little (OK...A LOT) let down. The only other Bass Pro I had been to was the one in Springfield & this new one doesn't even come close to the Springfield one. But, we just wanted to get he kids out of the house & that's what we did :-) Anything you do with the "Three Little White's" in tow is never dull....or without a tantrum-LOL! Here are a few picture's. Enjoy!


Chandler was telling me about the "Bid Fwish" in the aquarium :-)

McKenna being a cute little ham for the camera. She was so cute all day. She talked to the fish in the aquarium for a LONG time. She has such a neat imagination.

Still talking to the fish!


Maya just wanted to pet the fish, so I found this cute bench for her to "pet".


This stuffed bear really freaked the kids out. They would just barely touch it then go screaming in the opposite direction!


Daddy and Channy picking out next years Christmas gift (yeah, right!!).



Maya wants the little red one :-)


This was just too sweet. McKenna is such a animal lover. She fell in love with this stuffed coyote (??I think that's what it was) & asked to go back and see him THREE times. She sat and talked to him like this for about 20 minutes & when we left she ran back to him and kissed him (I know...yuck!) and said "I love you little fox....you take care now, OK".


The kids had a great time in the camping section. They were all getting pretty tired by that time & they started to curl up in the sleeping bags for naps!
*************************************************************************************
*Karen, when you and Tom buy that $37,000 "Party Barge" you had better invite us out-LOL!

Random thoughts....and such.

Random Thoughts

*Today I received a anniversary card with a interesting message & a book of first class stamps. Yep, STAMPS! Wow....I'm touched??? The person who sent me this very belated anniversary card shall remain nameless....but those who know my family "situation" can probably guess who gave me such a "thoughtful" gift. Nothing says "I love You" like a book of stamps, eh? (*No, it was NOT from Jonathan....shame on you for thinking that!).


*We are well into the Lent season now, and I think I've come to the conclusion that most of my friends and family are giving up "blogging" for Lent. Anybody want to update their blog....anyone???

*Yesterday McKenna told me I was the bestest, most beautifulest Mommy in the whole world! Oh, and she also told me I have the "softest squishiest tummy skin too". Thanks, babe! I'm pretty fond of my "pizza dough" stomach too (hey, at least someone is fond of my flap that I like to call "abs").

*Maya has a "sweet" new phrase...... "GIVE BAAAAAAAAACK"! I love how the third child learns so quickly! Believe me, I don't have to fight any of her battles for her. She does just fine on her own! In fact, pretty soon I'm going to have to protect Chandler from HER! Jon calls Chandler and Maya "Pinky and The Brain"....Chandler's the brute & she's the boss!!! Ten years from now those two are going to send me to the "Crazy Home".
************************************************************************************* Random Pictures




I just smile every time I see this picture of Maya. It's just so...."her".

Me and Channy! The thought occurred to me that I should enjoy these years while my little boy is still "mine". I know there will come a day when he will give his heart to another woman & I'll lose the sweet little boy in this picture (sniff, sniff).


This is what I found McKenna and Maya doing one day! I LOVE how Maya is stuffed in a tiny suitcase for this "tea party"!! I think I'd ask for better accommodations :-).