Snips 'n Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-19T20:30:00.001-08:00

This digital greeting card created with Smilebox

a decade to remember. . .

2011-12-12T19:36:00.000-08:00

Happy 10th Birthday, sweet Gabe!! We love you immeasurably!!

Mom and Dad

Christian's best buddy

2011-11-04T16:57:00.000-07:00

Driving home today from the gym with Christian

Me: Who is your very best buddy in the whole world. (Hoping he would say me I eagerly waited for his response)
Christian: I'll give you two guesses - God or Mitchell
Me: Mitchell?
Christian:Nope God.... Wanna know who my 3rd favorite is? It's starts with a D
Me: Dad
Christian: Yep

Guess I finished 3rd on the best buddy list but so glad a 6 year old thinks his best bud is God.

I'm praying you'll always value God above others.

Love you!

answered prayers. . .

2011-10-27T18:40:00.000-07:00

sunday was one of the biggest days in the life of our oldest little man. gabriel was baptized on october 23rd, 2011. our church has started providing a family baptism service that is specifically for children. it was a sweet time of celebrating gabe and his decision to publicly acknowledge that he is a Jesus follower.

before he was baptized, rick was able to say a few words about gabe. he asked specifically that his daddy be the one to talk. such a neat testament to the Godly example that rick has been in his life. so i won't forget, here is what rick said. . . .

"I just wanted to start out by saying thanks to two groups of people – to our parents we want to say thank you for leaving us with a biblical example of how to love their kids unconditionally and giving us a picture of what it means to leave a godly legacy to our families. The 2nd group I wanted to thank is our small group who constantly allows us the opportunity to live out gospel centered community. Gabriel was the first kid born into our small group and now with over 20 we have established quite the community. You’ve laughed with us and cried with us and you challenge us to be better parents and constantly speak truths into our lives that help us as we raise our boys.

Gabriel… your mom and I wanted to take this opportunity to remind you how much you are loved and to tell you how proud we are of you today.

There was a time 10 years ago when the doctors told us that we may never be able to have you. Your very existence is a testament to God who loves you and has a purpose for your life.

Today you are publicly saying – I am a follower of Christ. Our prayer is that God will continue to pursue your heart and that you will relentlessly pursue a greater relationship with Jesus."

this was followed up with a video of some pics of our sweet boy as he as grown over the years, and a recording of him telling his faith story. our children's pastor, rob marks, followed that up with some words about gabe, and how important it is that we remember our story. gabe was then baptized. after the all the kids had been baptized, they brought them all out and we cheered and clapped and gave them a standing ovation. after it was over, gabe came off the stage with tears in his eyes, and our family and community group gathered around him and thanked God for his life, and prayed that God would continue to pursue his heart and use him in mighty ways. We celebrated with tons of junk food and our sweet family and friends after the baptism.

we asked gabe later that night, why he was crying when he came down from the stage. he said, "i was happy". we are so happy too, gabriel. you make us proud, and we are so excited to see where God's story will take you. We love you so much!!

Mom and Dad

Love my Family!

2011-09-22T18:01:00.001-07:00

Love my Family!

first day of school. . .

2011-08-31T17:45:00.001-07:00

well. . . things are back in full swing around here. school is BACK!! i can honestly say this is the first year in quite a while that i wasn't quite ready for them to go back to school. summer seemed too short. there just didn't seem like enough time to pack it all in.
gabe has another male teacher this year. mr. gunter is a lover of science just like gabriel. he's been relaying the results of several experiments they have done already this school year. he's also is in a class with some fun friends that he missed greatly last year. i know he's going to have a SUPER year!!christian started kindergarten this year. we could not have made a better decision than to have held him back last year. he's so ready for school, and all the fun that comes with it. he has two teachers, mrs. sever and mrs. cisson. on our first day dropping him off, there was another kid throwing quite the violent fit in the hallway. christian's response, "i cannot listen to one more second of that"! that kid makes me laugh. i sure am going to miss him this year.sweet boys. . .mom and dad continue to pray that you will influence your teachers and friends with godly words and actions this year. we are so proud of the young men you are growing up to be. we love you. have a GREAT year!!

Swing and a hit

2011-08-03T17:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Gabriel and Christian were out playing "tennis" in the culdesac when a neighborhood boy accidentally hit Christian in the face.

I was in working on the computer when Melissa asked me to go check on Christian because he was crying. When I met him in the front yard there was blood running down his face. Melissa and I knew right away he would need stitches so we loaded up the car and spent the evening at the urgent care. Christian was so brave when we told him he had to hold still....with tears running down his face he was as still as a 6 year old could be.

We're thankful for God's protection in even the little things!

. At sonic after stitches. Ice cream and stitches go well together

Church Camp

2011-07-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

Today we dropped our not so little Gabriel off at church camp (Lookup Lodge) for the first time. Gabe was so excited and didn't seem nervous or anxious about his first trip alone from Mom and Dad.

We're going to miss him but we are excited that he had the opportunity to spend some time with his friends and learning more about the wonderful God we serve.

At dinner tonight Christian prayed for Gabe to be safe and for him to have a good time - as parents we echo that prayer and also pray that God will continue to pursue Gabe's heart.

We're praying for you Gabe and excited to hear about your first adventure at camp.

UPDATE: Gabriel had a blast and actually told us later in the evening he wished he was still at camp. (sniff, sniff)

an answered prayer. . .

2011-07-19T11:11:00.003-07:00

a few weeks ago, one of christian's buddies from church was diagnosed with leukemia. we have been praying for sweet camden. his diagnosis has led to many discussions about illness, and life, and eternity.

a few weeks ago after church, i received a facebook message from a friend letting us know how thankful they were for christian. their little boy, blake, is best buddies with camden, and was extremely unsettled and upset about being in sunday school without him. blake's mom prayed with him before sunday school that God would provide just the right friend to cheer him up.

how exciting it was to share with christian that he had been the answer to that little prayer.

christian, we are proud of you for being such a sweet friend. it is exciting to see how God is using you to fulfill His purpose in the lives of other people. we love you!!

please join us in continuing to pray for sweet camden!!

It's a wonderful May

2011-06-06T19:28:00.001-07:00

May was a busy month at the DeWalk household.
I think we're all still a little worn out, but thankful for the blessings God has given us!

The Highlights...

Went Camping at Devils Fork State Park

Melissa won SCVCS teacher of the year!

Melissa and I got to attend the SC Charter School awards ceremony and spend the night in Columbia.

So beautiful and so proud of our her!

Rick's parents came for a quick visit
We had a good time at the art festival in downtown Greenville and just visiting. We wished they were closer, but thankful for the times we get to spend with them. My poor Dad was tuckered out - Love you Dad!

Christian graduated K4 (again)
For those of you who don't know we decided to hold Christian back a year in K4. That was a great decision and we're confident he's ready for K5 now.

Christian and Mitchell- best buds!

Gabe finished the 3rd grade on the honor role - so thankful he inherited a love for learning and his smarts from Mom. (Let's just say I didn't excel in the 3rd grade). He had a great year and God answered our prayer with a wonderful teacher - thanks Mr. Klein!

You're awesome Gabriel!

Christian celebrated his 6th birthday.
Christian decided he wanted chocolate pudding for breakfast - yummy

Went camping at lake hartwell state park for Memorial Day

We even got a chance to see some nature....now let's see where is it...look for the nature, look for the nature....there it is....thataway. Thanks Mr. Ranger!

Looking forward to a great June! It's already been a busy one!

Terrific Kid

2011-05-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

When I think about Gabriel and Christian of course I think they are terrific kids, but do I really tell them they're terrific. Do my actions on a daily basis reinforce the fact that I think both my boys are terrific?

I had the privilege a couple of weeks ago to attend the terrific kids presentation at Gabriel's school. As I sat there I heard all the great things that Gabe's classmates had to say about him my heart was filled with joy about how God is working on his heart. Gabe is bright, well behaved, and a natural leader and I'm very excited to see what God has in store for one of his terrific kids.

Love you Gabe! I am proud of you!!
Dad

Another Milestone

2011-03-22T06:12:00.001-07:00

When I got home from work yesterday Christian had something very important to show me. With a huge smile, and a puffed out chest Christian proceeded to ride his bike down the road with no training wheels.

I have to admit that my heart was a little sad. My baby boy is growing up....

Good job Christian - we are proud of you!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-16T20:10:00.000-08:00

Having families in two different parts of the country always proves interesting around the Holidays.

This year we celebrated ThanksChristmas with the Powell side of the family. ThanksChristmas is when you have Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving and Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. This gives us a chance to still celebrate Christmas with family we won't see for quite some time.

After ThanksChristmas we celebrated Christmas with the DeWalk side of the family. We spent 4 days in Ohio with the white Christmas.... For me Christmas in Ohio is special - it's hectic now with long days in cramped houses but it really brings back memories of special times at Christmas with my Grandparents, Mom and Dad, Sisters and all the Aunts and Uncles.

We then traveled with the family to my parents house and spent 4 days in Pennsylvania. While in PA I had the opportunity to get sick, I will spare you the details on the sick part but it wasn't any fun. We also had the change to go snowtubing - I was a little skeptical of going tubing since I really wanted to be skiiing but after a few runs we were all having fun.

Here's a snapshot

And Christian Scores!

2010-12-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

Christian wanted to try playing basketball this year and today (12/18/2010) he scored his very first basket. They don't really keep score at this age but shhhh.....I really know we won 6 nothing.

I'm sure there will be many more, but we are so very proud of our little man.

Good job Christian!

Here is a picture with one of his best friends Mitchell.

Gabe's Birthday Party

2010-12-18T07:27:00.000-08:00

Here's some pictures from Gabe's Birthday Party at Roller Sports. There are a couple things in this world that remain constant...Jesus, and the roller skating rink decor.

We had a great time celebrating Gabe's birthday!

good ole santa clause. . .

2010-12-15T19:14:00.000-08:00

so every year. . . we leave the cookies out for santa. every year. . . santa fills the stockings on christmas morning. every year. . . santa leaves a note for the boys. and every year. . . the boys ask if santa is real. our response is always the same. "it's just a fun thing we pretend at Christmas." no other details. . . just plain and simple. . . we pretend. they have never asked any more questions.

well. . . yesterday when i picked christian (5 yrs old) up from preschool his teacher pulled me aside. she told me that christian had told the other kids at the lunch table that santa wasn't real. he said, "santa doesn't eat those cookies, your mom does." oops!!

needless to say, we had a little talk about keeping that to ourselves. here's hoping that good ole santa clause still visits the dewalk household this year!! =)

you'll always be my baby. . .

2010-12-12T19:45:00.000-08:00

how did you go from this....

to this....

. . . in such a short amount of time. we love you more than you know, gabe. happy 9th birthday! no matter how big you get, you will always be my baby! xoxoxoxoxo

Gabe the Worm

2010-12-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

Here is Gabe doing a little dance!

September at Lake Hartwell

2010-11-08T19:11:00.000-08:00

In September we had the chance to grab a quick weekend away at Lake Hartwell. We always have a good time camping, fishing, and lounging around in the hammock. We are really good at the camping and lounging part, but the fishing thing is a little hard to come by at the DeWalk household. So it is really fishing if you don't catch fish?

Gabe found a rope swing this trip, but the water was a little low so we didn't get a chance to jump in the water. Basically it was a swing of death. Ok, maybe not death, but probably a cracked rib or broken arm if we had not overcome our fear and harnessed our strength. Basically, Gabe and I took turns showing off how strong we were while Mom and Christian admired our strength.

The point is - we're awesome.

Soon enough Christian will brave life and limb and soar high above the mud and rocks like Gabe and I. Melissa, we'll need you to get on board with that.

I love camping with my family - it makes me smile.

Summer 2010 Trip

2010-10-27T18:37:00.001-07:00

In July we got to take a fun trip to Ohio for a family reunion, Pennsylvania to visit my family, and then Washington DC. It was a long trip but we all had a great time!

Family Reunion:
We had a good time visiting with all my extended family. Of course we wish we lived closer to everyone, but we are grateful we get to see them a couple of times a year.

Trip to Pennsylvania:
A trip to Mimi's and Grandpa's is always an adventure. We got to visit with my sisters and just have a great time spending time with the family. We got to go swimming in the lake, fly down the zip line, and sliding down my sisters home made slipnslide.

Trip to DC:
This was sort of a last minute trip, but we are so glad we went. We got to tour DC and just have a great time visiting the Smithsonian and spending some quality time with each other. As much as I love my Mom, Dad and sisters, it's always nice to just have a few days alone to laugh, cry from walking so much(Christian), and to hang out together. Of course there was the midnight, expedition to CVS to get some medicine for Gabe's swimmers ear - he was in a ton of pain. But Dad was so brave and explored our capital in the middle of the night looking for a pharmacy. What would a trip be without a visit to urgent care or the pharmacy?

freckles. . .

2010-07-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

. . . otherwise known in our household as angel kisses!!

10 years and my new toy. . .

2010-07-20T07:57:00.000-07:00

so rick and i celebrated ten years of marriage this month. CRAZY!! it doesn't seem like it's been that long. you know that makes rick super old!!
it is exciting to reflect back on God's story in our lives over the last ten years, and know that we would not be where we are in our marriage, in our parenting, or in our lives without His guidance and direction.
thank you rick for being committed to me for the last ten years. thank you for being a leader in our home. thank you for my two little boys. thank you for being sacrificial father to them. thank you for our past together. thank you for today. and. . . thank you for your forever. i love you!!
alright. . . on to my new toy. i have been wanting a nice camera for awhile. however. . . it is nothing that i would spend the money on myself. well. . . rick totally suprised me with my anniversary present. a nikon 5000!!

thanks for the camera, too!!! can't wait to learn how to use it!!

powell family retreat 2010. . .

2010-07-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

we had a great weekend with my family in the mountains of north carolina. my uncle steve builds luxury log cabins close to the wolf laurel ski resort, and the powell side of the family borrowed one for a long weekend.

we enjoy spending a part of just about every week with my parents and my sister and her family. they live less than seven minutes away. my brother and his wife live in louisville, ky, and they visit often, but it is rare that all of us get to spend four days away together 24/7.

our kids had a blast. they played and played and played. they never seemed to get bored. whether is was playing uno on the deck, picking rasberries, collecting the chicken eggs, or throwing rocks in the pond outside our back door they enjoyed spending every second with their cousins.

our husbands had a blast. uncle steve has a couple of jeeps that the big boys toyed around with for a good portion of the weekend. they were up and down and all around the mountain roads or making their own roads for hours at a time.

the evenings were filled with fun games. mostly rummikub and hand and foot. i can't remember exactly who came out on top. . . but i do know, there were lots of laughs!!

it was a fun weekend. thank you mom and dad for treating us. thank you uncle steve for putting up with us. thank you, Lord, for a family that loves You and encourages us to keep living out Your Story in our lives!!

camping 2010. . .

2010-07-14T20:02:00.000-07:00

i think that most of our friends and family know that we enjoy camping. we have been tent camping for several years. i had two requirements for an enjoyable camping experience. . . a hot shower and an air mattress. we never camped anywhere without those two things. and i actually really enjoyed myself.

we had been faithfully looking on craigslist for several months for a camper that we were interested in. we finally found one that had only been used a couple of weeks, and they were offering a great price. on top of that, it was stocked with dishes, pots and pans, bedding etc. that they didn't want to keep.

we were so excited and purchased the camper in march. we have been camping several times, and i wanted to document all the fun we had this spring on our camping adventures. enjoy!!

Happy July 5th!

2010-07-05T18:47:00.000-07:00

Struggling to find something to do today...you know the day after July 4th that everyone has off work but no one knows what to actually do. We decided to head up to the Saluda/Tryon NC area to visit a place call Pearson's Falls. It's a private falls(whoever thought to buy a piece of land with a water fall then charge people to see it - is brilliant. I am now searching for land with a large water fall so I can quit work.) Anyways it was a fun trip and a great chance to hang out with my awesome family.

Gabe has perfected the act of finding little creatures that no one would even notice.

Here are some pictures from the day.

birthday boy. . .

2010-05-27T22:01:00.000-07:00

christian james, how can you be five years old? i remember so vividly your delivery. it seems like only yesterday. i can also remember the late nights we spent in the living room snuggling. i knew you were my last baby, and i would sit there in the dark just taking you in, and wishing that i could keep you that small for just a little longer.

but. . . here you are. . .

**100% boy
**hilarious
**thoughtful
**snuggly
**a Jesus lover
**a sweet brother
**a good friend
**kind
**a little temperamental
**FIVE YEARS OLD!!

momma and daddy are so proud of you. you make us smile, you make us sigh, you make us cry, you make us complete. we love you!!
mom

it never fails. . .

2010-05-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

that when rick is out of town on business, that i get sick. today was no exception. before he left, we had a nice lunch out with the kids. this evening, my stomach was not feeling so well. it never fails.

i told the boys that i wasn't feeling well. christian was sympathetic. he checked on me every few minutes after i told him. that little one has such a tender heart. it never fails.

before bed tonight, christian gave me a little advice that went something like this. . .

C: mom, you know what i do when i don't feel good??
M: no babe, what do you do??
C: i just sing to Jesus. He always makes me feel better. you should try it tonight.

thanks babe, for reminding me that "He". . . never fails! love you, christian james!!

the rainbow tree. . .

2010-04-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

this is one of those memories that i will never forget, but hope i never have to re-live. . . here goes.

last monday we got home from school, did homework, got snacks etc. afterwards, the boys asked if we could go for a walk in the woods. i agreed. . . we all put our shoes on and got ready to go. i had to step inside the house for a few minutes to put the dog away. i was away from them for no more than five minutes.

when i went back outside, i didn't see or hear the boys. my first thought was that they were hiding, so i called their names several times, but got no response. i called a little more firmly, assuring them that if they were playing a trick on mommy, they had better come out immediately.

at this point, it has been around eight minutes since i had seen or heard from them. i still was not panicking. i thought that they might have possibly gone back up to the house while i was putting the dog away, so i ran back up, stuck my head in the door and yelled for them. no response.

ten minutes had past since i had seen or heard from them. at this point, i was getting a little panicked. i was torn about where i should go and what i should do. if i took of into the woods, and they weren't there, then i would have wasted time that i should have been looking for them. or. . . what if they came home, and i wasn't there. i started yelling. . . and i mean yelling. in my mind, i was thinking. . . 'if they went down the trail, there is NO WAY that they couldn't hear me yelling'. still no response.

fifteen minutes had past since i had seen or heard them. i called rick in a panic, saying that i couldn't find the boys. my neighbor across the street heard me yelling from inside her house, and came to check on me. as soon as she came down, i knew i had to take off through the woods. i handed her my cell phone and asked her to call 911, and probably ran the fastest half mile of my life, all while screaming their names at the top of my lungs.

twenty minutes had passed since i had seen or heard them, and finally i heard them yelling back. they had nearly made it to the creek a good half a mile down the trail from our house. i was so relieved when i heard their little voices calling back, but that was soon overcome by sheer anger. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? i mean, seriously. . . it takes us FOREVER to get down that trail because of all the exploring, smacking of trees with sticks, finding their favorite leaf, etc. we have NEVER made it that far in twenty minutes!!

i made them run the whole half a mile back to the house, where pat was still on the phone with the dispatcher. they called the police off, but they still had to make a trip to our house to hear the story and "see" that the boys were okay. that scared them pretty well into never doing such a thing again.

after they were settled in their rooms, i spent the next five minutes or so vomiting. i was so sick. couldn't believe that i was 'that mom' that let her kids wander off into the woods alone. thank God that he kept them safe.

i calmed myself down, and then spent some time talking with them a little more rationally. as i talked to christian, he said. . . "mom, you said we could meet you at the rainbow tree". i thought for a minute, because i did remember him mentioning the rainbow tree. i figured it was something they had come up with in the back yard. so, i flippantly said "sure", as i walked back into the house to put the dog away.

it turns out the "rainbow tree" was a few doors down. the exact tree that we watched our neighbor cut down about three weeks ago. they said they would meet me there, but there just wasn't a "there" anymore. so. . . they just kept walking, and walking and walking. . . looking for the rainbow tree.

it was quite the adventure for the two of them. i know it won't be long before they will be trucking all through those woods on their own, but for now, the rainbow tree (or what is left of it), is far enough for me!!

Christian's Big Swim

2010-03-30T18:56:00.000-07:00

Christian swims for the first time...

We love mom because...

2010-02-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

A little video on Valentine's Day that tells all the reasons we love Mom.

We love mom because...

Happy Valentine's Day! We Love You, Mom!

Doughnut for Dad 2010

2010-02-08T17:46:00.000-08:00

One thing I hope to always remember is seeing my boys get excited for Dad to come to their class and visit. This year, once again, was Christians chance to have Doughnuts with Dad. I think they should probably just call it Doughnut for Dad since we just get one, but at least it's more manly than muffins.

I always enjoy reading some of the things that Christian says about Dad on his yearly sheet about me. Here is a snapshot...

My Dad is Special...because he knows everything (hmm)
I like it when my Dad...takes care of me
My Dad can do many things! I think he is best at...doing legos with me
I like to make Dad smile by...bringing home pictures of him
My Dad is as handsome as a...turtle (I am trying to see the silver lining in this)
My Dad is smart! He knows...how to play games. He plays Go Fish with me and my brother sometimes.

Here are some pictures from the Morning. (Click to pic to enlarge)
Love you Christian - My prayer is that you will always be excited to spend time with Dad and I will always make spending time with you a priority. Hope to do it again!

Georgia Aquariam

2009-12-23T20:32:00.000-08:00

For Gabe's birthday this year we decided to do something different. We gave him the choice of having a bowling party or going to the aquarium. He thought about it for a couple of days and then decided that he wanted to go the aquarium. Good choice Gabe!

We couldn't go on his birthday because of Christmas Parties, but last weekend was the week he had been waiting for. We packed up the kids and headed to Atlanta. We left on Friday afternoon and checked into the downtown Hampton Inn. We ate at the spaghetti house on Friday night and then went to the game room at the hotel. It had two flats screens, a Wii and an Xbox. We had a fun time just goofing off and trying to figure out how to play some of the new games.

The aquarium was a blast and the boys loved every minute of it. Gabe's favorite place was where he could go and touch the Stingrays and other fish. He kept asking to go back and do it again. Christian liked the cold water display and Melissa and I liked the large aquarium. We also got to check out the 3D movie but it didn't compare to what we had seen at Disney. We ended the day walking around Centennial park and then heading to the CNN center for some lunch. We had a great time making memories and we will definitely go back someday.

unbelievable. . .

2009-12-12T20:40:00.000-08:00

it is unbelievable that it has been eight years. . .

it is unbelievable how much you have changed. . .

it is unbelievable that you are so healthy and strong. . .

it is unbelievable that God chose you for us. . .

it is unbelievable that despite all of our shortcomings as parents, you are such a sweet and obedient little boy. . .

it is unbelievable that you are in the second grade. . .

it is unbelievable that God chose to rescue you. . .

is is unbelievable how much we love you!!

happy birthday, gabriel william! you're unbelievable!!

my mission field. . .

2009-11-23T11:11:00.000-08:00

had a little conversation on wednesday with christian. he had been in quite alot of trouble that afternoon. i was working on "school" stuff on my computer, and christian was on the floor playing next to me. it went something like this. . .

christian: mom, i think i'm ready to pray now.

me: what do you mean?

christian: i think i'm ready to ask Jesus to forgive me for my sins?

me: what does it mean if you ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins?

christian: well, it means that Jesus will be my Rescuer and that he will take me to heaven one day.

me (a little caught off guard): well, i guess we can do that then. (he climbed in my lap)

christian (with a puzzled look): i don't really know what to say.

me: well, mommy will help you. . .

and with that, our littlest guy accepted Jesus into his life. sometimes, i think the littlest ones understand the gospel even more than those of us who have been christian's for years and years.
i have to admit that i had been feeling a little sorry for myself when all this happened. rick was on a much anticipated mission trip to panama. i was a little jealous that he was going away to have such an amazing experience sharing the gospel with people who had never heard, and i was stuck here just trying to survive the daily routine.
i got a blessed reminder that this little house and the little people who live here with me are my mission field for now. and. . . how excited his daddy was to hear that while he was listening to people in the mountains of panama pray the sinner's prayer, his christian was saying the same prayer here at home. what a blessing for all of us!

christian james dewalk
rescued, redeemed, pardoned, faultless, blameless, free, HIS
november 18, 2009

Help me not to hit my brother!

2009-11-02T19:42:00.000-08:00

At Dinner:
Me: What can you Thank Jesus for tonight.
Christian: Dear Jesus, help me not to hit my brother, and help Gabey not to tease me.
Amen

Soccer Season 2009

2009-10-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

Fall soccer has just finished up for the 2009 season. Here are the highlights!

This was Christians first year playing soccer(5U). Christian did well, but he tends to get distracted quiet easily, which is common for a 4 year old. Melissa ended up being the assistant coach this year which really helped keep Christian excited about the games . Christian had coach Steve this year - he is a very good coach and Melissa was able to help him out with organizing the 3-5 year olds, which can be quite challenging. Christian also figured out, with Melissa's help, that when other players have the ball that he should head over to the goal and wait for a pass. Christian scored his first two goals of his soccer career and we are super proud of him. Way to go!

Gabe had a very good season this year in 7U. He scored 4 goals for the year and really showed some great improvement over last year. He had a very talented coach (Joe) who really was focused on teaching the kids the fundamentals of the game. He wasn't concerned about winning but rather making sure the kids understood the basic skills that would grow with them through the years. I really respected that in him.

Gabe also started to understand position soccer and has gained some ball handling skills that he loves to tease his brother with. You could tell that in the first half of the year Gabe was really reluctant in games, but in the 2nd half of the season with some good coaching he was a new player. Now if Melissa and I could just keep quiet on the side lines...it's hard. This is the first year that we haven't been Gabe's coach, but I think it was good for him to learn from someone else besides Mom and Dad.

It was a fun year for all of us and we are excited about doing it again in the spring.

good grief. . .

2009-10-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

so we were off to take gabe to school yesterday morning (actually early, just for the record). we had gotten dressed, brushed teeth, eaten breakfast, fixed hair and all the other fun stuff that goes with getting two boys ready for the day. into the car we went. we always spend the morning ride to school going over AWANA verses for the following week, learning the books of the Bible, and praying. all of this took place yesterday morning as regularly scheduled (did i mention we were early!!). i was just about to pull into the school's car line when i hear gabe say from the back seat so matter of factly, "mom, we're going back home. i forgot my shoes." good grief!!

there are many ways that i could have reacted to this situation. i could have made him go in with just socks (not thinking that would have gone over well), i could have gotten upset and yelled at him. . .then i remembered that in the past week, i have turned around at least five times within five miles of our house to go back and get something i forgot. so. . . i cut him so slack, turned it around and came back home to find the shoes neatly placed right where they belong on the shelf. . . and the best part. . . we still made it to school on time. =)

September Beach Trip

2009-10-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we had a chance to head to the beach for a long weekend. I know it may be cold where you are, but up until a week ago we have been enjoying temperatures in the 80's here in SC. We would have like to go longer but I am heading on a mission trip to Panama in November so vacation time is a little scarce this year.

This is really the first trip to the beach where both of the boys have been able to really enjoying playing in the water. We had a great time and can't wait to go back!

Can't believe how big the boys are getting...I am getting old!

Click here to watch the video

I'm a Gabebri-old !

2009-09-21T09:47:00.000-07:00

Last night we were trying to get the kids to bed after a long weekend away. Both kids were tired and of course trying to get out of brushing their teeth. Christian decided that he wanted to cry and whine for a few minutes and so here is the conversation we had.

Rick: "is that something a two year old would do or something a 4 year old would do?"
Christian: "That is something a Gabebri-old would do!"

He was obviously trying to tell us that Gabe does the same thing...in his own kinda way.

Thanks for the laugh and for brushing your teeth. We love you buddy!

BTS '09

2009-09-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

summer is over and it is Back To School for both of my little men. gabe started a couple of weeks ago, so we'll start with him. . .

we are very happy to have ms. connelly for a teacher this year. gabe's first thoughts about her. . . she's pretty. i think they will get along just fine.
he came home the second week of school as the "student of the week". he was very excited about all the fun stuff he got to bring home, and the things he got to share with his class. he even got his picture put on everyone's homework sheet. proud of you gabey. praying that you and ms. connelly have a great year!

and then there is christian. how we have made it back to mrs. hamilton's class already, i am not sure. i can't believe that my "chub chubs" is already starting k-4. the thought that he will be starting k-5 next year makes me nauseous. i keep reminding myself that is a year away.
in the meantime, we are back at brushy creek. christian is thrilled that some of his friends from last year are in his class again. and. . . he is super excited that k-4 gets to go on field trips. he cannot wait!! christian, we love you. . . we are praying that you and mrs. hamilton have a great year.

Playing in the rain!

2009-08-31T18:34:00.000-07:00

Here's the family taking some time to just goof off and play in the rain.

Coonskin Weekend

2009-08-05T17:47:00.001-07:00

Last weekend Melissa had the chance to go and see her good friend Beth in West Virginia. While there she had the opportunity to run in the Coonskin 5k.

While Melissa was out of town I got to hang out with the boys all weekend. It went by a whole lot faster than I thought it would. Here is how the weekend went.

Friday -had movie night with Scooby Doo. We ate lots of popcorn, soda and Doritos.

Saturday- went to the gym, mostly because I ate so much junk the night before. We then went to Lowes and eventually headed to to Chuck e Cheese to play games followed by dinner at Dickies.

Sunday - we went to church then lunch with Nanna and Pappa.

We had a really fun weekend, but we're all glad to have Mom back.

Here are some pictures of the Coonskin 5k Melissa got to run in while on her trip.

A morning Kiss

2009-07-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

Every morning I make it a point to kiss each of my loves good bye and tell them I love them. I can honestly say that it makes me sad when I'm driving down the road and I realize I either forgot to kiss one of them or was running late and didn't make it a priority. Not to be depressing or anything but I just don't want something to ever happen to me and they not remember that I kissed them good bye and told them I loved them. Ok - enough sappy stuff.

This morning I went into kiss Christian and this is what he said:
CJ: Is it morning?
Me: Yes
CJ: Then why are the Crickets cricking, it's morning?
Me: I don't know maybe they are confused.
CJ: Tell the crickets to stop creaking because they are keeping me up.

love languages. . .

2009-07-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

i read the book about the five love languages when i was in college. the basic premise is that each person has a language of love that they respond to the most. as the boys continue to grow it has been fun to see their love languages develop.
christian's love language is definitely physical touch. the kid is such a lover. he can't get enough hugs, kisses, and i love you's from me in one day. his language is easy to communicate every day.
gabe's love language on the other hand is challenging. his language is personal time. he loves having rick or i or both of us to himself. we struggle with finding the time and opportunity to love him in that way.
but, rick and gabe had the best time last saturday hiking at table rock state park. . . just the two of them. gabe was so excited. he came and woke me up before they left. he had his backpack on his back, and when i asked him what he had inside, he said eight starburst, some water, and some snacks. he was so prepared.
i warned him that he might not make it to the top. he was fully expecting to get there. i encouraged him to do his best and have fun and they were on their way. meanwhile, christian and i spent the day running errands. around 11:00am my phone rang. it was gabe on the other end to proudly announce that he was at the top of table rock. i was so proud of him and of rick for pushing a little of the way up!
after hiking, they spent time swimming in the lake (yuck! glad i wasn't there for that!). hope you enjoy the pics of their little adventure. super proud of you, gabe!

fantastic family fun on the fourth. . .

2009-07-13T17:54:00.000-07:00

thanks to all of our ohio family for a fantastic fourth of july. love you all!

1st grade awards. . .

2009-06-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

okay, so you're going to have indulge this momma for a little while so she can brag on her biggest boy! gabe had first grade awards last week at school. we knew that gabe was getting an award, but we weren't sure exactly what it was. turns out. . .he got two awards. first, he got the super scientist award. he loves science!! he was probably most excited about that one! second, he got the "good citizen" award. it was more or less the best all around award. he was beaming! i might have been beaming just a little bit too.
it's hard to believe that first grade has already come and gone. mrs. buckley was the perfect fit for gabe this year, and we will all miss her. now onto summer. . .and then, we will have a second grader. YIKES!!
mom and dad are so proud of you, gabe! you worked so hard this year, made new friends, and set a great example of what it means to be a friend of Jesus. great job, buddy!

our littlest one. . .

2009-05-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

is not so little anymore. it is so hard to believe that it has been four years since that little one arrived. i remember that day so vividly. he wasn't as anxious to come out as his brother (my scheduled c-section got rescheduled three times b/c he wasn't ready)!
so today, i want to reflect on his year and the things i love about him. . .
**it's been fun to see you grow into a little boy this year. all the baby fat is gone except for those sweet cheeks. that is my favorite part of you! mommy is hoping that those stick around for a while longer.
**i can't believe that you started and finished K3. we are so grateful for mrs. bagley and all the things that she taught you this year. it was funny to see the end of the school year slideshow. let's just say that it was no secret who the class clown was! you love attention. . .you get that from your mom!
**your love for your brother grows more and more every year. it's been fun to watch you learn to play together. . .although you have also learned how to jump on each other's last nerve this year (and mom's too) =). i hope that you two will continue to be best friends as you grow.
**i love that your love language is physical touch. i love that you need a hug even in the middle of the night when your half asleep when i come to cover you up one last time. i love that you need a hug first then a butterfly kiss, an eskimo kiss, and a regular kiss each night before bed. i love that you will always stop whatever you are doing to give me a hug. i love that you'll sit on my lap and snuggle when i need a good snuggle. i love that you save most of all of those things for your momma! let's hope it stays that way for a long time!!
**it makes us so glad that you are learning more and more about Jesus and how he rescued you so long ago. we know that you don't understand the extent of how much he loves you. . .we don't understand that either. but, our prayer for you is that your love for Him and your desire to please him continue to grow right along with you.
christian, we are so blessed by you. you make us laugh constantly, learn daily, and love lavishly. have a great day!
mom and dad

Spring Camping

2009-05-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we had the chance to go camping as a family. We try to go as much as we can in the spring and summer, but it seems like our lives are always busy with one thing or another.

It was a fun time of fishing, hiking, swimming and watching movies under the stars. We would have had a fire but there was a burning ban that weekend at the campground.

One of our favorite places to go camping is Sadlers Creek at Lake Hartwell. It was a fun time with the family. Can't wait to do it again.

The sunsets were beautiful and the boys were dirty. Christian wasn't a happy camper on the trail!

We made the boys take a nap in the shade. They were up till midnight the night before. Here are two of my 3 loves!

Here is a picture of a bass that I caught and me looking Hot. (Melissa took this...she was checking me out!). The lake was cool but the boys didn't care.

I'm a Christian

2009-04-08T18:38:00.000-07:00

Tonight was boys night... As is always the case, me cooking just will not do. So we flip a coin and head to the nearest fast food restaurant with a play area. To be honest it gives my the creeps to see the kids slide down a germ infested slide then come over and grab a fry, but I would like to believe I am building up their immune system.

Well, it's Easter time so I thought I would talk to Christian about what Easter really means...to be honest he knows all the right words to say. He keeps telling us that he asked Jesus in his heart but Melissa and I have never prayed "the prayer" with him so we're still praying that he would understand what we are trying to tell him. At dinner, and I use that term dinner loosly, Christian turned to me and said "Dad, when is Jesus going to be done building us those houses in heaven"....hmmm that's a good question. I told him I didn't know but we just had to be patient. Seemed to be enough for him and his ice cream was melting so he asked for more nuts for his Sundae. About that time Gabe thought he would chime in and tell Christian that he had to be a Christian to go to heaven. Talk about confusing the little guy. Christian kept telling Gabe he was Christian and Gabe kept telling him he wasn't. Talk about a good time....try explaining to Christian that he is not a Christian.

We're praying for you Christian...praying that God will grab a hold of your heart and that you'll come to know my friend Jesus in a personal way.

Love you guys.

Christian's Prayer

2009-04-03T05:12:00.000-07:00

This is a snapshot of Christian's prayer the other night....

Dear Jesus,
Thank you for the outer space and for the armynauts. Help Gabey to go the the hospital.
Amen.

(Gabe has been sick the last couple days and Christian hasn't grasped that the hospital is not a fun place to go yet. He just knows that people go there to feel better.)

wordless wednesday

2009-04-01T13:38:00.000-07:00

christian and his cousin noah making trouble together. . .

our march. . .

2009-03-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

this is how the month of march began a few weeks ago. one weekend we were marching through 5 inches of snow, the next weekend, we were marching on a hike through the woods with sophie and haleigh in 80 degree weather. only in south carolina!!

licensed. . .

2009-02-17T13:12:00.000-08:00

so on saturday, after much complaining, i finally went to take a course that rick has been wanting me to take. it was a long day (almost 9 hours), but as of 2/14/09 (yes, that's right, valentine's day), melissa is licensed to carry a concealed weapon. yikes!
let me reiterate again and again that i did not want to take this class. i complained about how long it was, that it was on v-day, that there was going to be a camera crew there from fox filming us, that i had to shoot a gun and actually hit a target at least 35 times out of 50, that there were a thousand other ways that i wanted to spend my day, etc.
all that to say, that it was totally worth every minute. i learned so much. i honestly think that every woman who has a handgun in their house should take it. now don't get me wrong, melissa will probably not be packing heat anytime soon. still trying to wrap my mind around that one. but, i learned how to be comfortable with a gun, how to shoot a gun, how to protect myself and my family, the law about when and how i can protect myself, and to top it off, i actually hit the target 49/50 times.
so let me say publicly. . . thank you, rick! i know that i gave you a hard time, but i learned alot and the v-day surprise that you had waiting for me when i got home made up for the hours i missed with my fellas.
let me end this post with a quote from the instructors e-mails. . .it cracks me up. listen up folks, "tactical perfection is a journey not a destination". heehee!

the backyardigans

2009-02-13T12:27:00.000-08:00

one of the things that we love most about our new house is our backyard. our property backs up to about 25 acres of woods that cannot be built on b/c they are in the flood plain. although it is not our property, we recently met the family that owns it, and he said we were free to explore and enjoy the land. he has spent countless hours blazing a four wheeler trail throughout the woods and along the creek. so on saturday, we decided to take a little adventure. took of few pics of the highlights. i'm sure the boys will spend countless hours as they grow up exploring and imagining in these woods.

Zing Zang Zoom

2009-02-12T18:40:00.001-08:00

It's circus time. Not really sure what Zing Zang Zoom means but they said it all night long.

Gabe and Christian had a great time and were so excited to see the elephants, lions, and even the clowns. At first, Melissa and I were not all that thrilled about going, not because we hate the circus, but because we went to Disney this fall and didn't want to be disappointed. It turned out to be pretty good. I must admit that I nodded off, but it was only for a second.

Here are a couple pics.

The circus sure has changed since I was a kid...Does anyone else remember having to go through a metal detectors and getting bags checked by security? The other thing that I can't seem to figure out is how they make those elephants stand on that little step stool, or why doesn't the lions just eat the man with the whip. Questions to ponder.

Donuts with Dad

2009-02-02T18:12:00.000-08:00

One of the times of year I have always enjoyed is the annual donuts with dad event at the preschool where both of our boys have gone. This year Christian is in K3 so this was his first year.

When I woke up on Friday, Christian was so excited that donuts with Dad was finally here that he followed me around the whole time I was getting ready and even helped me pick out my outfit.

Off we went....

I must say that I am pretty impressed with my ability to drive and take a picture at the same time...ok, relax it was at a stoplight.

Donuts with Dad was a blast. We got to play dinosaurs, put a puzzle together, make a counting book (which I ended up doing myself), and of course eat donuts. It's always fun for me to get a snapshot of Christians world while he's at school.

While I was there he gave me a card and a sweet poster. I could tell he was so proud of both of them, and I was proud to show them off at work.

Christian cried a little when I left because he thought I was going to stay longer (for all you critics out there, I told him numerous times it was only for a little while). So reluctantly off to work I went, although I would have rather spent the whole day with my little man.

I love you Christian, thanks for the sweet morning.

a year in the life. . .

2009-01-01T18:23:00.001-08:00

of the dewalk family has come and gone once again. hard to believe that 2009 is already here. i thought i would include some of the highlights of our year in this post to help us remember what a blessing the year 2008 was in the life our family.

winter 2008
--we sold our first house. it was an emotional month as we said goodbye to the only home that rick and i had known as a married couple. the house we brought our babies home to. the home that we made so many memories in. anyone who knows the story of how our house sold, knows that it was completely the Lord's timing and providence that directed us to make this giant step of faith.
--we started to build our new home. it was so fun picking and choosing all of the things that we wanted from the ground up. anyone who has lived in an older home and knows the work that goes into it would be as excited as we were to pick out everything from scratch. although a little overwhelming @ times, it was fun to shop and create a home that was "us". again, anyone who knows the story would also know that only the Lord could have led us to this house/builder/neighborhood. thank you, Lord!!
--we moved into an apartment for the "in between". while our house was being built, we found a reasonable apartment close to gabe's school. it certainly was a much different apartment experience than when we were first married. adding two kids. . .let's just say CRAZY!! thankfully it was only for a short while. . .there was so much to look forward to.
--another little niece joined the fam. love those little girls so much. katie bug. . .you were the perfect valentine!!

spring 2008
--rick and christian celebrated b-days. christian turned three this year and celebrated with a "mickey mouse" party.
--we made the move in may. the new house is more than we ever expected. i had so much fun decorating and making a new house our new home!!
--gabe finished his kindergarten year. his teachers mrs. perry and mrs. moore were such a blessing to us this year. he made some great friends, and although we were sad to leave mitchell road (b/c of the move)he had some great fun and learned so much!

summer 2008
--life this past summer was interesting. we were settling into the new house. one thing that we miss from the old neighborhood was the neighborhood pool. our new neighborhood doesn't have a pool. we were used to spending almost everyday swimming. we did find other things to fill our time. . .but we will be looking for another pool come next summer.
--fourth of july was spent in ohio with great grandpa and grandma. what a special treat that the boys have been able to know and love them as much as we do.
--another niece joins the bunch. allison vaughn has the cutest little chubby cheeks (a family trait). miss her and noah so much and hoping to bring jon and nichole home someday.

fall 2008
--gabe started school @ skyland elementary. i had a harder time this year sending him off to school. it was all so new. . .but he got through it much better than mom. first grade is serious business. he has learned so much already this school year. . .so proud.
--christian started k-3 with mrs. bagley. love her. she had gabe in k-3 also. christian is a different kid than gabe. i have to remind myself of that a couple of times a week when he has come home in a little trouble. not so much b/c he is disobedient, just all boy. . .that tends to get him in hot water sometimes. he's learning. . .and i'm learning to parent a little differently. hopefully we both get the hang of it soon.
--disney world was finally here!! we waited all summer for this. we pulled the kiddos out of school, and had the most amazing family vacation. we're ready to go back!!
--after a visit to the emergency room, rick successfully had his gallbladder removed and is doing much better these days.
--thanksgiving/christmas with the powell fam was a blast. we had to celebrate both @ thanksgiving while we were all home. fun. . .but tiring. we did split up the "work" this year and had each holiday @ a different family's house. that seemed to take a little of the pressure off of my parents. such fun.
--my b-day and gabe's were in early december. gabe celebrated with a sleepover. he and his buddies had a blast.
--santa came early to our house since we were in ohio for christmas. he brought new bikes and a wii. we have already gotten much use out of both. ohio brought alot of fun with rick's family. . .we love them each and every one.

so that was long, but that was it. God has been so good. as He moves us through 2009, our desire is to honor Him as much as He has blessed us. pray with us to that end.

gabey. . .baby?

2008-12-14T18:44:00.000-08:00

that's what we used to call him. . .still do sometimes. i can't believe that my "baby" turned seven this past week. there's something about seven. . .seems so old. i still remember bringing that little five pound baby home from the hospital. we were so young, so clueless about the journey we were beginning. we certainly haven't been perfect, but somehow our "gabey baby" has become such a sweet, thoughtful, and loving boy. we are so proud of him.
gabriel wanted to have a sleepover for his birthday party this year. he couldn't have picked four sweeter buddies to share his special day with. they had such fun playing @ mcdonalds, creating their own cupcakes, sharing a movie and popcorn, and camping out in gabe's room.
gabriel. . .we wish there was a way to keep you small just a little longer, but as you continue to grow, know that your mom and dad love you immeasurably!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

quite a dinner party

2008-11-25T08:07:00.000-08:00

on saturday night we went out to eat @ a small greek restaurant here in town. while we were waiting for our food an older man with a long white beard walked in and sat down @ a table on the other side of the room. fresh from his visit to see santa @ the mall, christian speaks up and say, "hey look mom, there's santa claus!!" we all had a good laugh and continued waiting for our food. about halfway through our meal, christian is again staring across the room @ "santa". there was also an older lady eating @ the table with long blonde hair that she had put back in two french braids. again, with a look of wonder in his eyes, christian speaks up and says, "momma, santa claus is eating with goldilocks." silly, silly boy. you make us smile.

catch up. . .

2008-11-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

so. . . the blog has obviously been stalled for a little while. this is my attempt to catch you up on the last month or so. . .in pictures. included are a visit from mimi, the apple orchard, christian's fall celebration @ school, my first real homemade apple pie, and halloween.

adam and eve. . .

2008-10-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

christian has had such fun being involved in AWANA this year. cubbies is right up his alley, and he is learning and growing already.
this week, we were reading his lesson about adam and eve. after reading the story about how they sinned, i asked christian if he sinned and if he could tell me about that sin. after thinking for a minute, he hung his head and said, i picked the fruit off the tree. he, of course, was thinking back to our peach picking adventure during the summer. i could only laugh as i explained to him that picking fruit was not a sin. . .still not sure if he got that.
but, he is learning. he asked me to turn the radio off tonight so that he could say his verse. he proudly pronounced, "God is truthful", and then gave me permission to turn the radio back on.
christian, mommy is so glad that i get to be your teacher for cubbies this year. it is so fun to hear you memorizing and learning God's Word. He loves you much more and much better than mommy ever could. i look forward to seeing you grow in Him! love you, kid.

Disney 2008

2008-10-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

To see our pictures, click here

We had an amazing time at Disney World a couple of weeks ago. The boys made memories that will last a lifetime. Here is a list of the things we enjoyed the most. . .

1. Staying 7 full days. Totally worth it if you have a little one 3 or under. We did not feel rushed at all, and got to do everything more than once.

2. Our resort. We stayed at Coronado Springs Resort @ Disney. We enjoyed the pool the most. Everyone told us that they had the greatest pool and they were right!

3. The meal plan. We actually got our meal plan free because of special they were running for this week in September. It is so easy to use, the food was great, and it was nice not to have to worry about spending money on food all week.

4. Fantasmic. This was a spectacular lights, laser, and fireworks show @ Hollywood Studios. We got amazing video of the boys in complete awe @ the effects during this show.

5. The rides. . .of course. Gabriel impressed us both. He went on every roller coaster and the tower of terror (which i wouldn't even go on). And . . .he actually enjoyed it, too. Christian went on everything that he was tall enough for. He reminds me so much of myself. Even if he was scared, there was no way he was going to admit it.

6. Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Spooktacular. We paid a little extra to go to this on our last night @ Disney. It was at the Magic Kingdom which was closed to everyone else who didn't purchase tickets. We did not wait for one ride all night. We walked right in to all of the attractions we wanted to experience again, and the boys got to wear their Halloween costumes and trick or treat. They also had a Halloween Parade. It was a fun way to end the vacation!

We waited a long time for this! Christian has been asking for months when we are going to see Buzz Lightyear. It was an amazing family vacation, and we can't wait to do it all again!

Gabe's dream or mine

2008-09-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

Growing up one of my favorite memories was riding my bike. I enjoyed racing, jumping and doing all sort of tricks. I must admit that I was pretty good, or at least I thought I was.

Over the last couple of months Gabe has become quite the bike rider and with us having an empty lot next to us I jumped at the chance to start Gabe on his way to becoming a BMX star.

Gabe was doing great and had mastered the 1 foot dirt jump that I made for him until he had a great idea. The conversation went something like this.

Gabe -"Dad I'm going to ring my bell when I'm going over the jump"
Me -"No, you need to keep your hands on your handle bar"

The rest is history. (Make sure you listen for the bell.)

The good news in all of this is that the next day Gabe was out jumping again. Good job Gabe! I'm proud of you!!!!

K3 candids. . .

2008-09-04T05:12:00.000-07:00

christian started his first day of preschool yesterday. he was quite apprehensive on the way to school, and even more so when he realized that i would be leaving him there all by himself. thankfully, his teacher mrs. bagley is amazing at diverting his attention and making him feel at ease.
mrs. bagley is the same teacher that gabe had when he was in K3 and we just think she's super. mrs bagley,we will be praying for you as you love on our baby this year.
christian james, your momma and daddy love you so much, and we know that you're going to have a great school year.

a blessing. . .i think

2008-08-31T10:18:00.000-07:00

okay, i'm going to start from the beginning, because not everyone has heard this story. some of you know that i like to job search. not just for me, for anybody looking for a job. i think it's fun and interesting to see what is out there.

well, around mid summer i saw a job on careerbuilder that the new south carolina virtual charter school was looking for teachers. i had heard some things about the charter school, but not much. i carelessly filled out an application thinking that they would send me some more information. never heard anything from them.

then, about three weeks ago, i was "job searching" again, and saw that they were looking specifically for a part time physical education teacher. let me jump in here and say that i have been thinking alot about "working" lately. i feel like the boys are at an age that i need to at least start thinking about going back to work. i can't say that the idea of teaching for the next thirty years or so sounds very appealing right now. i do enjoy it, just not sure that's what i want to be when i "grow up". all that said, as i was wondering exactly how you teach phys ed "virtually", i filled out the application again. i was a little more descriptive this time.

the following day i received an e-mail from a recruiter saying that i looked like a possible match and that he was sending my resume and application to the school administration. that was on a wednesday. . .by monday i was on the phone with the administrator doing a "mini interview". she said she would get back to me later that week. she called and hour and a half later and offered me the job.

this whole time, i'm thinking this is way to good to be true. here were all the pros. . .
1. i can work from home
2. it is only 10-12 hours a week (perfect amount of time since christian is in preschool three mornings this year)
3. money. . .great money. more than i can make subbing (i have subbed for the past couple of years), and certified subs make pretty good money in greenville county.
4. they sent me a laptop and a printer.
5. they will pay my bill for my internet connection each month

and cons. . .
1. let me think. . .nope. . .can't think of any!!

my theory most of the time is that if something sounds to good to be true is usually is. but, after reading the employment agreement, it seemed like everything they said was a reality. i accepted the position on august 20th, and my classes started on the 28th.

needless to say the last week has been hectic. i'm trying to learn how students do "school" virtually. it is a very interesting program, and one that i think will be HUGE in the near future. it's definitely worth looking into if you are a homeschool parent. it offers alot of the advantages of homeschool, while removing most of the grunt work.

so they've got me taking this online course myself about how to teach virtually. it's been a rough week. the course usually takes four weeks to complete. i have ten days. talk about being confused. sometimes i think my brain just doesn't work the way it use to. but, i am encouraged by the fact that there are other people in the class that are confused as well.

so, that's it. i'm back in the work force. . .part time. please pray for me as i have much going on these next couple of weeks. i'll post later about how you teach pe online. everyone keeps asking, and i wasn't really sure until this week.

this is a blessing. . .i think. . . i'll keep you updated. thanks for your prayers!

emergency. . .

2008-08-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

i actually made it to bed early last night. i had plans of getting up and running before the kids woke up from school. none of that happened. we spent the night in the emergency room.
rick woke me up around 12:00am saying that he was having some serious stomach pains. within 10 minutes of him waking me up, i was getting the boys out of bed and into the car as fast as i could to make a visit to the hospital. i have never seen that man in so much pain.
we practically threw the boys and their car seats out of the car at my parents house (thanks mom and dad), and went to the emergency room. after blood tests, pain medication, ekg, an iv, and x-rays; the doctor told rick that he thought he had a gallbladder attack. he had an ultrasound this morning that confirmed that he has gallstones. he visits a surgeon on monday to discuss further treatment.
all that said, i'm tired. we didn't get home till 5:00am only to get up @ 6:15 to go pick up gabe and get him to his second day of school.
i'm praying for a little less dramatic night tonight. no running in the morning. only sleep, sleep, sleep.

the end and the beginning. . .

2008-08-19T17:36:00.001-07:00

the end of summer. . .

the start of school. . .

mrs. buckley

2008-08-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

that is the name of gabe's new first grade teacher. let me start by saying that the simple fact that he is going to be in the first grade is unbelievable. it just doesn't seem possible that we are at this point already.
gabe will have to switch schools this year because of our move. we loved mitchell road and were very happy there, but gabe is excited about being at skyland this year and making new friends.
so, back to mrs. buckley. i usually have some anxiety each year as i wonder who gabe's teacher will be, what she will be like, does she share our belief system. it is the thing that scares me most about the public school system. i am turning over my little boy to someone i don't know, and someone who will spend more time with him during the day than i will.
so, all that said, pray that i will continually turn this over to the Lord. He knows even better than i do what gabe needs, and he will provide that for him when i cannot.
mrs. buckley (if you ever read this), we are praying for you, and we hope you have a blessed school year.
gabe, we're proud of you buddy. you are an amazing kid and we hope you have lots of fun in the FIRST GRADE!!!

ps. by the way, this picture had better be the only time we find you in a police car!!

my bff. . .

2008-08-14T08:48:00.001-07:00

this week my best friend from college, beth, came to visit. here are the things i love about beth. . .

1. she's funny. she is one of the funniest people i know. she's always laughing or making me laugh.
2. she's honest. she's one of the few friends that i have that will tell me like it is. if i mess up, say something stupid, or get too caught up in myself, she will let me know.
3. she gets me. she understands my hang ups, frustrations, funnies, obsessions and shares quite a few of them. i think that's why we are such a good match.
4. she loves my kids. my kids look forward to beth's visit. she tickles them, hugs them, and loves on them like they are her own. i teared up today when they said goodbye and told her that they loved her. i have to remind them several times during the week that bethie came to "play with mommy" not with them!!
5. she's a good example. whether she realizes it or not, beth sets such a great example for me. she is the perfect picture of someone who loves the Lord and continues to wait patiently on Him as she finds her place in His story.

bethie, i love you more than words can say. i'm already missing you and you just left 30 minutes ago. thank you for loving me, making me laugh and being my best friend forever.

augghhhh!

2008-08-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

christian: (auuggghhhh. . .followed by whining) "i have something in my shoe!"
mom: "well, come here and mommy will get it out."
christian: "oh wait a minute. it's just my foot."

craziness!!

Your Father loves you!

2008-08-08T11:24:00.000-07:00

Today I had the chance to watch some videos of the Steven Curtis Chapman family. As most people know, there was a tragic accident in which the youngest son Will ran over and killed the youngest adoptive daughter Maria Sue. There are many things that really made me hurt while watching the video. Of course, the thought of loosing one of my own sons came racing through my mind, but what really wrenched at my heart was how in the process of leaving for the hospital, without hesitation or even remembering doing so, Steven rolled down the window and yelled out "Will Franklin, Your Father Loves You!" What a powerful picture of a Fathers love for his child.

Gabriel and Christian, your Father Loves You! No matter what happens in life, good, bad or ugly, may you never question the fact that your Fathers love you! Your earthly Father, and most importantly, your heavenly Father who orchestrates everything together so perfectly for his plan and purpose. I love you both!!

For those of you who haven't see the video, click here.

sunscreen. . .or sour cream??

2008-08-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

this morning we had a great time swimming with some of our small group friends (thanks, brittany, tyler and carson)!! we have so missed having a pool right around the corner this summer, so it was a real treat.
in preparation for the "big swim", i spent the last few minutes @ home putting sunscreen on the boys. this is how the conversation with christian went. . .

mommy: "christian, come here and let mommy put this on you?"
christian: "mommy, why do you put sour cream on me?"
mommy: (laughing) "it's not sour cream it's sunscreen."
christian: "but i want sour cream, you have some downstairs."
mommy: "i think we'll save the sour cream for something else."
christian: "okay."

silly, silly boy. could squeeze you all day long.

the "2nd biggest winner"

2008-08-03T14:48:00.000-07:00

i have to take just a moment to brag on my husband. several months ago, rick entered a contest that his company has every year. his company is owned by staples, so even though his company is smaller, there were tons of entries.
he had to develop an idea that would make their business more money or more effective. in june, he found out that his idea was in the top ten and that he would be able to fly up to chicago to present his business plan to the executive team.
he spent most of his july working on it, and went up a few weeks ago to present the idea. and. . .he won second place. this came with a very nice little cash prize that will add nicely to the new car fund and a little celebration.
rick, we are super proud of you. you deserved it.

our community. . .

2008-07-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

this morning some of our community group kids came to share some fun playtime. our community group is the greatest. they are our dearest friends and have been with us through the good and not so good. ladies, (and men too!) i could never express how much you mean to me and our family. i love you each and everyone.
here is our most recent pictures of our small group family (minus carson and tyler). when we started small group, gabe was the only kid. as you can see, there has been alot of babymaking since then...

and here is all the new babies born just this year...

bald heads 'n bubbles

2008-07-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

today we are enjoying a day of NOTHING!!! we are staying home all day. nowhere to go. . .nothing to do. so, to fill some of our "home" time, i gave the boys haircuts. after a quick rinse in the shower they had a bubble bath in "mom and dad's bathtub". that is a special treat that only happens on special occasions. glad you had fun little boys.

abracadabra. . .

2008-07-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

this was the scene of today's magic show starring. . .

GABRIEL THE GREAT

AND HIS AMAZING ASSISTANT, CHRISTIAN

a moth

2008-07-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

tonight when we got home from listening to music in downtown greer, a moth got into the house. without a second thought i tracked it down, took of my shoe, and killed it. it stayed all in one piece, so i asked christian if he would like to see it before i threw it away. his response. . ."yes. . .let me see the poor little guy".

daddy is awesome

2008-07-23T18:58:00.001-07:00

the past two weeks rick has been in and out and back in and back out of town. it makes me realize just how much pressure he takes off of me in the evening with the boys. by bedtime, i've just about reached crazy.
tonight was no exception. rick was suppose to get into the airport by 9:30 this evening. in preparation for the trip to airport to pick him up, the boys took an extra long and extra late nap.
in the meantime, rick's flight got cancelled which wouldn't put him in until almost midnight. at the point, it seemed like the best idea just to drop a car at the airport for him. all good. . .no problem. . .except that because of my genius nap idea, bedtime for the boys came really late. it's 10:02 and i can still hear them whispering upstairs. i'm pretending like i don't hear it because crazy was about an hour ago.
rick, we missed you while you were away. you're a special daddy.

take me out to the ballgame

2008-07-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

we took the boys to the greenville drive game (greenville's minor league team) this weekend. it was interesting. we chose to sit on the "lawn" which is actually a pretty steep hill off the left field side of the stadium. it was a little uncomfortable, but still better than shoving two rowdy little boys into the middle of the bleachers. it gave them some wiggle room. we actually made it through all nine innings and a pretty incredible fireworks show at the end. thanks for the summertime fun, fellas. click on the collage to make it larger.

it's back. . .

2008-07-16T18:44:00.000-07:00

just in case you were wondering, christian's moon is back just the way it should be. he noticed the full moon when we were outside this evening and said, "somebody picked up my moon and put it back." when i asked him how they got the moon to stay in place, he said, "glue". of course, why didn't i think of that?? christian, you're so funny!

my gabe. . .

2008-07-15T20:29:00.000-07:00

here are a few things i love about my gabe. . .
1. his freckles. definitely my favorite part of him. we call them angel kisses, and they are sprinkled all over his little cheeks.
2. his heart. gabe has such a good heart. he loves to help people, he's kind and patient with his little shadow, christian (most of the time). he is sensitive in a way that i don't always understand, but appreciate.
3. his "funnies". he gets just about all of that from his daddy. it's bizarre the "little rick" that comes out in his sense of humor. you make me laugh, gabe.
4. his talents. gabe loves to draw and is actually getting quite good at it. it's fun to watch their little hands learn to shape what has been in their mind all along. he enjoys playing soccer. he was quite the defender this year. he enjoys defense more, but he scored quite a bit, too. he's a quick learner. he picks concepts up quickly, and he loves school and learning.
5. his sensitivity to Jesus. it's been fun to watch gabe learn to be sensitive to Jesus as he grows older. i listened to him explain to his brother today that when he feels like he's going to do wrong that he tells satan, "there is no room for you in my heart, Jesus already filled it up." sometimes i wish he would say that to satan a little more often, but he's learning and it's fun to watch him experiencing God's grace in his little life.

gabe, you are such a miracle. there was a day when we weren't sure if we would be able to have little miracles like you and your brother. you make me smile, cry, laugh, and love. sometimes all at the same time. thank you for being you, for loving your mom even when she messes up, and for showing me how much Jesus loves me. i just can't get enough of you. i love you.

christian's moon

2008-07-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

christian regularly talks about how the moon is "his moon". he thinks it belongs to him. when it's cloudy outside, he asks where his moon is and tells me that he misses him. tonight when he saw the moon he said, "mom, what happened to my moon? part of it broke off." i tried to explain, but it didn't satisfy him. he wants his moon back. if anyone finds the part that "broke off", please let us know ASAP!!!

july 4th

2008-07-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

here are a few pics from the fourth of july in ohio. thank you aunt debbie, great grandma, and great grandpa for a wonderful time. we love you.

hanging with mimi and grandpa @ the canfield parade

watching fireworks with daddy in niles

a happy day. . .

2008-07-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

today represents one of the best days of my life. eight years ago today rick and i were married. it seems unbelievable that it has really been that length of time. it has all gone by so quickly.
rick, i love you with all my heart. when i married you eight years ago, i saw only a glimpse of the amazing man that you are. thank you for the laughs, the tears, the leadership, the prayers, the babies, and the love that completes me. i love you. . .lissa

an unusually cool day

2008-07-01T19:23:00.000-07:00

for some strange reason it was only in the mid 80's today. for those of you who live in or have visited sc in the summer this is highly unusual. so, the boys and i took full advantage and took their bikes out to furman university to ride around the lake. i was surprised at how well they did. we certainly made lots of detours to throw rocks, and sticks, and more rocks into the lake, but we made it all the way around without much whining. note to self--next time bring the razor scooter so i can keep up.
we are headed to ohio for the fourth of july, so no postings for a few days. great grandpa and great grandma, here we come!!!

a peachy saturday

2008-06-30T18:41:00.000-07:00

here are a few pics from our peach pickin' adventure on saturday. the boys had alot of fun, and we picked more peaches than we will be able to eat. just click on the collage to make it bigger!!

alternative entertainment

2008-06-29T19:40:00.001-07:00

we haven't built the playset for the boys in the back yard yet. until then, this is one of their alternative forms of entertainment with a little encouragement from daddy.

another new cousin

2008-06-27T09:46:00.000-07:00

yesterday, gabe and christian welcomed another new little cousin. allison vaughn powell was born to uncle jon jon, aunt nichole, and cousin noah yesterday morning. we can't wait to meet you little one. love you all from far away. . .

pictures of the new house

2008-06-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

so, here is a link to the pics of the new house. if you want to see more you'll just have to come visit. hopefully, i'm doing this right. enjoy.

click here to see the pics.

a new beginning. . .

2008-06-21T19:11:00.001-07:00

so as of today we have been in our new house for one month. there is still decorating to be done, but it is finally beginning to feel like home. our favorite parts of the new house are. . .
1. the deck--we have this beautiful covered deck in the back that stays so cool. we have eaten more meals outside than anywhere else since we moved in.
2. the street--the boys have constantly been up and down the street on their new bikes. there is very little traffic. gabriel has had his training wheels off for about a month and is riding like a pro. christian's little legs are going as fast as they can just trying to keep up.
3. the playroom--there are no words to express how happy i am to have all the toys in one room. . .upstairs. that means melissa has the downstairs all to herself. decorated, clean (most days), and hot wheel free.
i was just thinking that i haven't taken many pics of the new house since we moved in, decorated, etc. i'll work on that for the next post. until then, picture your dream house, then pretend it's ours and not yours. j/k.