Hello rest of the world

I'm still here. I still read other blogs. I just haven't found too much write about. The kids and I have been keeping busy. Now that the nice weather is here we go out a lot and I take lots of pictures, so that's what I have to share with you.

Tabitha and Seth are in a hollowed out log in Brookside Gardens:

One weekend we went to a Chili Cookoff, which Enoch wrote about in his blog before the event. Enoch was a judge, which turned out to be a tougher job then he had expected. He wouldn't mind doing it again next year!

Seth is the cutest kid. He charms all of us all the time. However, it is very hard to capture his charming ways on camera, because he just moves WAY TOO FAST. So, here is his profile while he sits long enough to watch tv:

Patricia sportin' dem shades:

Enjoying spring weather:

Seth with his Batman "puter":

Tabitha the drama queen. She told me she was fashionable because she has a dog with her. She dressed herself like this:
My three munchkins:

We were able to go into DC to look at the cherry blossoms
Cherry blossoms: (sorry, the camera acted funny that day and so, you just can't see the trees that well. Ok?)

Part-time Teacher

I'm not a homeschooler, I don't plan on homeschooling and even if I did homeschool I would not be very good at it. I get way too frustrated when my children play dumb. However, I think our daily lives present many opportunities to teach our children and I like taking advantage of them. Please allow me to give a few examples.

I have a four-year-old daughter who's forte is language. That definitely gives me an advantage. Every season I have wonderful chances to explain things to her. With flowers blooming everywhere I'm able to tell her specifically about daffodils and cherry blossoms. When we drive in the car, Tabitha yells out, "Look at all those daffodils, mom!". She did this just yesterday and I thought to myself, "I was over 25-years-old before I could distinguish a daffodil from a crocus, yet here's my four year old telling me." If that wasn't impressive enough, I will continue this story. We were on our way to a friend's house. She watched Tabitha and my 2-year-old, Seth so I could take my youngest to the doctors. When I returned, my friend informed me that Seth looked out the window and shouted, "Daffodils!". She was impressed that "flowers" wasn't specific enough. I was impressed, too!

This morning presented another learning "session". I looked out the window of my breakfast nook and was tickled to see a FAT red breasted robin. I called Seth over to show him. The robin quickly flew away, but was replaced with a couple of beautiful cardinals. One was red and the other not so colorful. I oohhhed and aahhhed at the beautiful bird and pointed out some distinguishing features. I said, "can you say cardinal?" He dutifully repeated me. Time had passed and he looked out the window. The birds were gone. He kept asking where the cardinals were. It warms my heart to know that he can learn these things at such a tender age. If he builds on this foundation now I wonder what kind of bird watching he'll be capable of as a teenager and even further along I wonder what kind of amazing things he'll be able to teach his own children.

Learning is not only about knowledge, but experience also. I think that children should be given the tools to explore their creative side as well. A few weeks ago I bought some supplies at a very cheap price. Each child received a ¢.44 plaster character and a paint brush. I was the one who dipped the brush in the paint between colors, but they chose which one they wanted and how they wanted to express themselves. I ended up with three beautiful "above my sink" window decorations and they ended up exploring their creative sides. I'll close with a few pictures.


Tabitha and her horse:

Seth had a car:

I think Patricia got more paint on herself then on her ladybug:

Their bright new home:

Is it Spring yet?

This morning I took Patricia to the allergist. They poked the poor little thing lots of times to see what she's allergic to. The big spot on top (with the circled plus sign) is what a positive reaction looks like. The three positive reactions on her back are from tree nuts. At this point I think that will be easy enough to avoid. Plus, I'm told that it's not a severe allergy, so we're good!

For lunch the whole family went to Pizza Hut. Here's my men. They both need hair cuts pretty bad, but they still look handsome!

When we got back from Walmart I insisted that we spend some time outside. Tabitha wanted to color her new papers, so she did just that. I'm loving this nice weather.

Quick Update

Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm still around. Sorry about the lack of updates! We haven't been up to anything special. Enoch was away for 3 out of 5 weeks on business, but is going to be staying home for a good while now. I've been busy baking. Enoch's brother, Sam, is dealing with medical school stress and trying to figure out health problems. We've been praying for him.

I'll leave you with some recent pictures!

A family picture where we're all looking at the camera and smile (well, for the most part). This is at the airport the last time we picked Enoch up.

Carrot cake with cream cheese icing and kid's decorating.

Spring is on it's way!

I like the reflection in this one. This is also at the airport.

Patty Cakes. She's 13-months-old now.

Attitude Adjustment

This morning I decided to wake up early so I could have uninterrupted quiet time. I awoke at 5:30, but remained in bed until 6, because I didn't want Patricia to wake up. (If you know me, you will realize that this is an unthinkable hour for me.) Before I even got to the shower she was awake and at the bathroom. By the time I was out of the shower all three kids were there. 

Now here's where choice comes into the situation. At that moment I chose to grumble and complain that I can't even get a few minutes to myself. And that choice carries on throughout the whole day. This is not just today, but everyday I find myself trying to take time away, so that I can fill some desire of... what, I don't even know. It's like I have this idea in my head that if I do enough for myself then I will suddenly be content. How flawed is that thinking?

When Tabitha was a baby I was so happy. I LOVED the idea that someone needed me 24 hours a day. I never had a break and I was perfectly content. I didn't mind in the least if I had to stop cooking because she needed to be picked up or if cleaning had to wait, because she wanted a book read to her. I had a baby that I always dreamed of and a wonderful husband, what more could I ask for?

Some where along the line I got this insane idea that I shouldn't have to serve all the time, but that I should do things for myself. Get out and do things "without the kids". Pursue my own interests, which most often happens to be self centered interests. Things that don't often involve the children. Well, here I am, often trying to attain some sort of self fulfillment. Every night I have one to three hours of alone time after they go to sleep and yet I am not content for the most part. I see that I need to change my attitude, but it's not something that's going to happen over night. 

If you think of me, please pray that I would have a servant's heart.

The Birthday Girl

Patricia turned one last Wednesday and I'm finally getting on here to update! She wasn't in a real picture taking mood, but that's ok.

Here she is on the verge of tears:

Posing with her siblings:

On all the kids' first birthdays it seems to have become a tradition to eat at Chevy's Mexican restaurant. We didn't want her to miss out on this yummy feast, so we made last minute plans to go there. My dad and Suzie joined us for the occasion. Patricia was the only one out of all three children, who did not cry when they sang happy birthday to her and put the sombrero on her head.


This is the fifth or so picture taken of us. We finally got the lighting right, but as you can see, some family members are tired of smiling for the camera =)

Verse for thought: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

Lazy Day

The kids had a lazy day yesterday. None of them even got out of their pajamas all day long. Patricia is posing here with five items I fished out of the toilet. Apparently she thought that it was a bucket of some sort that needed socks and puzzle pieces.


Seth. What can I say?


Tabitha making pictures out of magnets.

Patricia enjoying her Mickey Mouse sticker. She was fascinated with it.


My mom, Patricia, with my daughter, Patricia.