Deep.

I ran a bath and told the kids to read for 30 min and I set a timer.

I settled in with some parenting book that I brought in with me.

I figured I had 30 min to myself…well, 20 if I was lucky.

Kids….I sat thinking about how life was strange.

How did I get to THIS point in my life?

How did I get to a point where I have a bunch of kids that are growing literally in front of me.

How?

When?

WHY?

Why does it feel like days slip thru my fingers like sand while I desperately try and grasp them before they slip away?

Why does it feel like things are changing so fast that I am having a hard time “keeping up”?

Then I heard something…something. different.

I turned off the bathwater and listened carefully….

Someone was talking.

It wasn’t the kids.

It was a man…..in the house?

My heart started racing…..

I quickly jumped out of the bath and wrapped up in a towel.

I ran, still wet into the hallway and stuck my head into the living room….

all the kids looked up startled.

“What’s wrong Mom?  Why did you get out of the bath?” said Shasha.

I looked around the room confused.

I know I heard a MAN.

“I thought I heard someone talking….like a MANS voice.”

They all looked at each other and shrugged.

Then Zeek said , in a strikingly deep voice that I swear he didn’t have when I went into the BATH, “It was me Mom.  I was the only one talking.”

I stood there for a minute in total confusion.

That couldn’t have been Zeek…it was a MANS voice.

I looked again…..nope, he was the only one there.

It was happening….we were changing.  Right. before. my. eyes.

I slowly walked back to the bath a little more AWARE of just how quickly the sand is actually falling thru my fingers.

and

a little bit more desperate to keep days from slipping away.

Not your normal “almost” 12 year old….

As we drove home there seemed to be a stillness that settled in the 3rd row seat of the van.
Zeek was sitting back there alone and his “vibe” just changed.
A dark cloud hung over him.  It seemed to linger and cloud his usual HAPPY self.
When we got home I asked and asked what was wrong…..
After tons of cohersing and convincing….
He hesitated and hesitated.
He tried and he tried to find the words that were scattered in his confused and foggy pre-teen mind.
Then he said something that I will never forget.
He said, “Mom, I just feel like THIS TIME in life is going by so FAST.  I don’t want it to.  Before we know it will be over.”
Seriously?????
I stood there baffled.
What do you say to that?
I mean really?
WHAT
DO
YOU
SAY
TO
THAT?
I was so shell shocked that my mind was frozen.
He was stealing my exact thoughts.  He KNOWS.
Somehow, in the last few months,  my sweet, innocent little boy has grown into a self-aware pre-teen that recognizes his own emotions.
And NOW…he Knows.
He understands that life is not FOREVER.
It is fleeting and not always exactly what you bargained for.
It is …at times…HARD AS SHIT.
And when you are a kid just figuring that out….it kind of sucks.
Sooooo…..
We talked
and
talked
and
talked some more.
I tried to explain to him that in this life, the devil will always try and steal your joy.
Every. single. time.
He will try and trick you into feeling like what you have  is not enough.
He will try and manipulate you into thinking that THIS LIFE is TOO HARD to handle.
I tried to tell him that THAT feeling…the one of sadness and sorrow, THAT is the one that lets you know that he is winning.
It is not always easy…
But- as children of God….we must fight that good fight.
Because life is a warzone and our minds are the battlefield.
Not always an easy concept for a 12 year old….
But –Then again... He  isn’t your normal 12 year old.
Pretty soon...he was back to his smiling self.
Devil-0
Mom-1

A Rebel is Rising.

For years I have been raising a boy who was sweet, endearing, and rarely argumentative child.
Zeek is my first born..he is 11 1/ 2 and is as LOVING as they come.
I seriously couldn't ask for a better first-born.
He is a PRIZE.

But lately...
he has a certain "sass"....
Just a little "smirk"...
A tad bit of "tone"....
A rebelious "look"s deep in his eyes..
I can feel it.
We are comming upon puberty.
We are FAST APPROACHING "Crazy-ville".
We are speeding straight ahead.

I know that it was bound to happen..
They all grow up and
if
we
are
LUCKY...they DO REBEL.

Because:
I raise them to think for themselves and RISE.
I raise them to REBEL against all things ungodly.
I raise them to SPEAK THEIR MINDS and OBJECT when they disagree.
In hopes that one day they will be STRONG ENOUGH.
To Rise....
ON
THEIR
OWN.


But- I starts here..AT HOME.
THESE are their TRAINING GROUNDS.
This is where they learn to pick their battles, and hold their tounges.
This is where they learn that GOD serves the best revenge and Karma is real.

So THESE DAYS-
When the rebel in him rises...

I'll do MY job and
I'll meet him..
toe
to
toe.

Because I know that In the end...
We are all SOULdiers.
And SOMETIMES...
WE MUST RISE.

Cards and "Causes"

Kids are funny.....
An ...I am learning, that the OLDER the kids get- the FUNNIER they are.
Their PERSONALITIES are forming and they are HYSTERICAL people.
This week...Zeek got a card in the mail from some close family friends.
It had a card and inside was a $10 McDonald's gift card.
As you can imagine he was so excited....he ran right inside and put that bad-boy in his wallet.

That was it.
I never heard anything else about it.
THEN.....
Yesterday he saw Fran and Willy(the family friends who gave him the card).
I reminded him that he had gotten the card and that he should go THANK THEM.
He walked away to talk to them, and I figured I didn't need to follow.

Lesson learned.
I should have followed.....
JUST
FOR
A
GOOD
LAUGH!!!

Later on that day I was told that THIS is how the conversation went:

Zeek:  Thank you for the McDonald's card I got for my Birthday.

Frannie: Your Welcome!!! Do you think you can use THAT?

Zeek: YES!!!! The KIDS are ALWAYS running around hungry.
           So THANK YOU for helping with "the cause".



OMG!!!!
Could he be ANY more sweet OR more caring????

GOD LOVE HIM!!!!
He gets a card for his Birthday and he WANTS to share it. AMAZING!!!


THEN.....
He got a YOBE (frozen yogurt place) from my friends Nancy and Matt.
I JOKINGLY said, "Oh good, you can take me for YOGURT.!!!!"

Then as to call my bluff, he said...
"Ill take everyone for yogurt!"

And once again...
he made my heart swell.

It made me think....

"THIS KID IS GOING TO DO AMAZING THINGS ONE DAY...."

then

I

thought...

"Silly woman...He is doing AMAZING things TODAY!"

Sweet, Brilliant boy.

Proof Positive..........

How in the world has it been 11 years????

It seems like yesterday and forever ago at the same time.

11 years ago today we went from JUST THE 2 of us...to family.
I had no idea what an IMPACT you would have in my life.
We were all babies then....
We were all fresh to our new lives.
It was the begenning of OUR new life as a family.
We had been thru a FIRE to be together and YOU were the prize.
YOU were my PROOF....a manifestation of GOD'S LOVE for me.
I remember thinking that I COULD NOT BELIEVE they were going to just
let
us
leave with you.


I knew NOTHING about being a Mother.
I was broken, flawed, and rebelious.
How could I deserve YOU???

How could I be WORTHY of you???
I had no idea that it was all inside me.
You have been one of the most influencial people in my life.
I have learned sooo much from you in the last 11 years.
You have taught me to be honest, caring, and sympathetic.


You amaze me more and more everyday.
I am sooo proud of the person you ahve become.
Thru you, I learn more and more about myself everyday.
I love to see you care for and love your brother and sisters.
You are a GOLDEN example of a good brother and thoughtful leader.

Thru you I SEE God.

Thank you for being you.
And
THANK GOD for trusting us enough to give us something
SO
WONDERFULLY MADE.


You are a TRUE blessing, son.

We love you FOREVER and ALWAYS.

Happy 11th Birthday, Ezekiel!!!

GOD knows....

Sometimes during the summer I wonder....
Are my kids are forgetting everything they learned in school last year?

Are they still "smart" ??? LOL

Anfd then right in the middle of a week filled with tooth extractions and illnesses..

Zeek says something that BLOWS your mind.

THAT was my reality this week.

While telling the CHICKEN STORY
and he said, "Mom was looking for the 1 chicken left and found her nestled deeply into a pine bush...COMPLETELY UNSCATHED."

I looked around the room to make sure I wasnt in HOMESCHOOL HEAVEN..and everyone was looking at ME.
SMILING.

I guess sometimes....God knows when I need a question answered. LOL.

Soon Enough........

"Mom, Mom, There is a SKANK in the pool!"

"Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dad was cleaning the pool and there was a SKANK in the pool!"

I smile a smile that only a mother of a PURE 10 year old boy can smile.

He is so excited!!! There was a SKANK in the pool after all!!!

I looked at him and laughed.

I said, "Tell your Dad that we discussed this a LONG TIME ago. NO SKANKS IN THE POOL!!!."

Zeek looked at me with a confused look on his face, but being the SOMEWHAT obedient boy he is he ran off saying , "DAD!!! Mom said to tell you that there are NO SKANKS allowed in the pool!!! She said she told you that A LONG TIME AGO!"

I peeked around the corner just in time to catch Jays face as Zeek finished talking.

It was priceless. We both started CRACKING UP LAUGHING!!!

He looked at both of us with a confused look on his face.

"Mom, I can TELL that it means SOMETHING. I can TELL."

" Zeek it is called a SKINK....not a SKANK. There is a BIG DIFFERENCE." I said trying to hide my laughter.

"What is the difference then?" he said innocently.

"Soon enough you will find out Boy." Jay said.

Sunshyne an I looked at each other and then Jay...we all LAUGHED OUT LOUD this time.

Soon enough Boy, soon enough.

The FLOOD....of TRUTH.

It all started like this:

We live in an old home...an old elevated home.

OK...its a trailer.

But we live in Florida ...so it counts as a home.
LOL.

Anyway...as in any old home sometimes things need to be fixed.

All kinds of things.

This time...it was the floor.

It was "spongy" ...as Jay called it.

It needed to be reinfoeced from the undernneath.

It was a problem that NEEDED to be fixed.

It is normal wear and tear...I mean our "raised house" is a 1975 model.

It was bound to hapen.

And GIVE THANKS that I dont have a "mamsy-pamsy" husband because this was not a "mamsy-pamsy" job.

THIS was a "put on your LONGJOHN CAMO jumpsuit, shoes, mask, and hat and crawl under the DARK house" kind of job.

NOT for the faint hearted.
AT ALL.

He actually went 30 feet under the house with a light and tools and FIXED it from underneath...CRAZY.

But THIS is not the funny part...this is the BACKstory.

Sooooooooo....

He spent 3 days under the house...making improvements.

An then he LEFT....for the evening.

and
THAT
IS
WHEN
IT
HAPPENED

Iasked Shasha to runa bath for me while I cooked dinner.

She DID.

And then..
I FORGOT....and there was a FLOOD.

Lets just say I FREAKED out when I walked into the hallway and stepped in a PUDDLE.

I think me EXACT WORDS were, "HELP ME!!!!!! HELP ME!!!!!!!! NOWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

And of course the kids ALL come running and THROW TOWELS at me.

I mean they throw EVERY towel at me.

AWESOME.

So for the rest of the evening we dried water and shifted fans.

and washed towels.

Again...AWESOME.

And after things had "calmed down" and my blood pressure went down...
I said to the kids, "Hey guys...we don't have to tell Dad RIGHT AWAY about this. He just worked REALLY HARD under the house and I think it might hurt his feelings. So...lets just let it be."

They all looked at me wide-eyed and surprised..."So you DONT WANT US TO TELL DAD??????"

"No...I didn't say THAT. I said that let's not run up to him FIRST THING in the morning and say, "Mommy flooded the bathroom!!!"....Lets give it a minute."

They seemed ok with that...I felt ok with that.

THEN IT HAPPENED....

I was getting ready for work the other day and Zeek had been at the recording studio with Jay.

When they got home I said, "Zeek..how was it?? Cool?"

He said, "Dad told me to say, "There were more girls in bikinis there than I had ever seen!!!" But I didnt want to say THAT!!"

Then Jay walked up and said, "Zeek...You weren't supposed to tell her that I TOLD YOU to say that...you were just supposed to SAY THAT."

It was a plan devised to get a RISE out of me...LOL.
Foiled by Zeeks affinity for the TRUTH.

My reply was , "Aww...sweet boy you always tell the TRUTH. You will always tell Mama the TRUTH right?"

I was so proud. Sweet boy. TRUTHFUL, sweet boy.

Then without a thought he said to ME....
"Yep, I am. And I am going to tell Dad about the FLOOD!!!"

Oh no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He ran off before I could say ANYTHING...
I couldn't stop laughing. and kneeled down in my bathroom tucked behind a wall because I KNEW.

I KNEW that Jay was comming.

And when I finally came out from my hiding place....
there stood Jay..with a HUGE smile on his face.

LOL

I guess the TRUTH is the TRUTH.
And sometimes it comes JUST LIKE A FLOOD.

Comming Full Circle....

Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories. ~John Wilmot


I love that quote....I love the wisdom in those words.

It is funny to me how we THINK we know everything....

When I was young....I THOUGHT I knew what was good for me.
I thought I was making GOOD decisions.
I thought that how I felt THEN was how I would always feel.

How naive.
How sad is THAT?
So prideful that I couldn't see past MYSELF.
So silly to think that I was "grown".

Making big girl decisions...with a little girl's mind.

Thinking that I KNEW who I would be....in the future.

LOL

I remember being pregnant with Zeek and thinking things like, "I will never spank my kids!".

or

"I am going to be a CALM parent...never yell, or get upset."

or

"MY kid will never play with swords or fight!"

When I look back I can't help but laugh at my NAIVE self.

What a kook...thinking I knew ANYTHING about ANYTHING really.

Not because I was young....lots of people go thru their lives and make GREAT DECISIONS at a young age. That is GREAT...but not MY STORY.

I was prideful and was USED to thinking I KNEW something.

I was USED to THINKING I was right..THINKING that I understood things.

I remember when Zeek was VERY YOUNG(under 1 year)...we met a family who had a couple of boys.

They were nice, sweet kids (about 6 and 9 or so)
but
they were playing some card "game".
Something with dragons and spell cards and points.

And I remember thinking to myself, "I would NEVER let my kids play with something that was about DRAGONS and SPELLS!!!! NEVER ...no way! Those are things of the devil! Uh-Uh...No Way!!!"


You see...there it was again...my PRIDEFUL SELF who CONTINUED to think that she knows ALL THINGS!"

LOL

I was so judgemental...without even knowing I was being judgemental.

I had JUST been saved about 2 years before and was still "SORE" from my former life.

I WAS going to be DIFFERENT.
I WAS going to please H.I.M.
Come fire or rain....I WOULD be different.
I WOULD make up for it.

I guess somewhere along the way I decided that in order to "make-up" for all things "former"....I would need to "set fire" to all things "not holy".

I thought that in order to "repent"...I needed to "purify" my life.

So...for MY KIDS- there would be NO DRAGONS, NO SWORDS, and NO SPELL CARDS.

see what I mean...Naive.

I know.

Stop laughing.

Well....Life is a journey and it comes full circle.

As I grew in my faith...I realized that Dragons, spell cards, and swords....have NO POWER over me or my kids.

As long as I teach them that the devil comes in all sizes and shapes...and that he can only come in when there is a door left open.

They have to know about caution in life....no matter what they have in front of them.No matter the situation.

As long as they are living for THE KINGDOM....then they are PROTECTED BY GOD!

No spell cards, swords, or dragons will harm them.

EVER.

Oh and BTW:
Today---My boys LOVE their YuGiOh cards....and all the swords,sell cards and dragons that come with them.

See.....FULL CIRCLE.

Amazing.

Creative "play".....

Homeschooling can LOOK like many different things.

Some start at the crack of dawn....
Others in the afternoon.

Some stick to a schedule....
Others have NO SCHEDULE.

Some don't stray too far from the public school cirriculum...
Others make a POINT to STAY FAR from it.

The kiy is to really TUNE IN to your kids and figure out what works.

They are all different...
all special, with their own quirks and learning styles.

So...
you have to pay CLOSE ATTENTION.

I have learned that for ME....LIFE SCHOOL works.

I try to look for the learning opportunities in EVERYTHING.

I try and always HELP them to be creative and USE their minds....
no matter the situation.

One thing that I have learned about my kids is that they LOVE puzzles,games,etc.

Puzzles are one thing that will keep them OCCUPIED.

So...
I thought I would pass it along.

These puzzles are AWESOME!!!! (Sorry for the BAD pics!)

WANTING to read.....

Tonight I told Zeek to come in the living room and watch Man vs. Wild.

Then he said something that I thought would MELT MY HEART.

He said, " Mom...I am READING my Yu-Gi-Oh cards."

I had to do a double take.

I almost fainted.

I mean seriously.....I almost CRIED!!!!

I said, "Well then..HERE...sit under the lamp!!!"

I have said it before....

It may not be on the AR reading list- but I DON'T CARE.

The boy WANTED to read.

So ...
I dont care WHAT he reads.

As long as he READS!!!!

And it CONTINUES.........

I could tell he was getting frustrated.

I could see it in his NORMALLY calm, sweet face.

He was about to blow.

I was waiting.

He was supposed to be doing his MATH....which he LOVES- but he was NOT IN THE MOOD.

His eyes started to water and his face turned that "Im about to CRY" fresh color of pink.

"Mom.....My head hurts and I don't want to FREAK OUT...BUT- I think I just need a minute. Everything is making me mad. The kids are all getting on my nerves. Everything is frustrating me. I don't know WHY...But- I think I need a break."

I could see it...He NEEDED a break....like I need a break sometimes.

Zeek needed a break....from it all.

Hes 10 and apparently he is "right on track" with this whole "growing up" thing.

I was sooo proud of him for handling the situation like that.

I could learna thing or two from him....
I am
NOT
ALWAYS
as sweet and composed.

So I got him set up on the couch with the heating pad(because a heating pad always helps). I gave him a few books and kept the kids in the schoolroom.

I was impressed and scared at the same time.

I have a feeling that we are just starting on this journey....

May God let this time,and these kids youth creep by slowly.

Even though....
This is going to be EXCRUCIATING.

................................................................................
Psalms 71:17-18
“Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.” (NIV)

The Perfect Party…. <3

1o years.

Its a BIG one.

It deserves a party.

Especially when the 10 year old is as SPECIAL as Ezekiel.

He’s amazing.

sweet

caring

loving

giving

golden

So when Sunday finally arrived…he was STOKED.

He could hardly wait till 5pm.

We cleaned, hung the lights, cooked the food, and set up the backyard….

all in preparation for the big “10th Birthday Movie Mash up!”

The party was amazing.

31 kids from the ages of 15 years to 5 months.

 

  

It was a LOVE fest of friends and family.

We all ate Jays famous HOMEMADE CLAM CHOWDER and Taco soup.

And Josiah's Mom made Zeek 2 cakes.

She made him a guitar cake AND a chocolate cheesecake.

AWESOME!!!!

Jay set up his sound system so we had FULL MUSIC all night long.

AND our dear friend  Matty brought his famous bean bag toss.

SOOOOOOOO FUN!!!

The blessing of LIFE were so evident that day.

Everywhere you looked there was a little pocket of LOVE.

Fireside

or

on the Trampoline

or

in the kitchen.

Love EVERWHERE.

 

Then…when the night fell…

we turned on the movie projector and watched “How to Train a Dragon” under the stars …Fireside!!

Could it have been more cool????

At about 10pm everyone was leaving and the Night was getting settled in…

The tents were set up.

1 girls tent with 4 girls.

1 boys tent with 6 boys.

1 FULL MOON.

and 1 very LOVING Daddy who was willing to sleep outside with them.

It is an amazing thing to watch Jay CONSTANTLY give the kids the gift of MEMORIES.

Gifts money CAN’T buy.

Memories that can only be bought with  the currency of  TIME.

This party was AMAZING.

Memories were made.

Friends and fellowship.

All under a HUGE full moon.

Sweet.

Beaver Schmeaver……

Soooo….

On Fridays we have homeschool co-op.

When we start we do opening of a prayer, show-n-tell, etc.

It always reminds me of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRARIE.

All the kids, ages 3-18. sit together, cross-legged on the floor.

Little kids in the laps of the big kids and  friends sitting next to friends.

Its a sweet opportunity for ALL the kids to have a chance to be social and interact with OTHER students…you know-the ones that AREN’T their brothers and sisters! 

LOL

I love watching them be with their friends,and get sooooo excited over sitting together…

Its a sweet part of the co-op.

Anyway….

Last Friday we were having our opening prayers, etc.

After that the kids were sooo excited because there was a BUCKET of candy sitting next to the “teacher”.

As you can imagine…this causes a FRENZY in the co-op.

So…she started asking bible related questions.

Who was  the brother of Cain?

Who were the Magi?

Where was Jesus born?

All STANDARD bible questions…

THEN-

She said, “What kind of wood was the ark made of?”

AWESOME!!!

We’re studying the ark and Noah….sweet.

Zeek swiftly raised his hand and said “ohhh, ohhhhh, ohhhh, I KNOW!!!!”

I was so proud.

In my mind I was saying, “Thats my boy!!! Were studying this.  He KNOWS this.  Thats right! Im a great teacher. My kids GET IT!!!!”

Awesome…..He will GET THIS ONE!!!!

Then-

she called on him.

“What kind of wood is the ark made of?”

I stood there ready to be praised….ready for the “Good job Mom!” pats on the back.

LOL

I stood there with the word GOPHERWOOD on the tip of my tongue.

Then …he answered.

“BEAVERWOOD!!!!!”

HAHAHAHA

Yeah. 

I guess we need to go over that again!!!!!

Soooo Funny!!!

Sweet boy TRIED….

He knew it was some kind of ANIMAL WOOD!!!

On Loan from GOD……

 

 

 

How did this happen???

Where did time go????

When did it  slip away from me????

I demand to know!

10 years ago today we were BLESSED with a son.

He brightened our lives from DAY 1.

He has a LIGHT in his eyes, so easy to see.

Loving and Caring and SWEET as can be.

With a heart that is weaved of LAUGHTER and LIGHT.

And a smile that  makes you fell like MID-FLIGHT!

He is the most GIVING person I’ve ever seen…

and RARE is the  day you  see him be mean.

He’s WILDLY inventive and smart as can be….

with an INTUITION that freaks out even ME!

10 years ago we were granted a GIFT.

a wonderful, amazing, sacred gift.

On LOAN from God…we were given this chance .

What a wonderful life with him in THIS DANCE.

To Ezekiel ….our firstborn son .

Your work in this world is FAR from DONE.

May your life be  JOYOUS and DEVINE.

May the  God in you FOREVER SHINE.

Oh Brother!!!!

Children of the same family, the same blood, with the same first associations and habits, have some means of enjoyment in their power, which no subsequent connections can supply...  ~Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814

When you are the mother  of 4 kids that are homeschooled that  spends ALMOST every waking minute with your children ….you can’t help but notice how complex and unexplainable their relationships are.

Sometimes they LOVE,

and then they fight as if they were enemies.

Sometimes they hurt each other,

and then they help each other heal.

Sometimes they pick on each other,

and then they protect each other fiercely.

Sometimes they yell at each other,

then they read to each other sweetly.

Its a very COMPLEX relationship that they have.

Always dependant , yet INDEPENDANT.

So yesterday when Zeek was going to his friend Tai’s house …Malachi started to have a MELTDOWN.

He wanted to go…..BAD.

“Why can’t I go Mom?????  I want to go. WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY can’t I go????? PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.”

“Because your brother needs time with HIS FRIENDS sometimes. You have your friends over all the time. “

Truth be told….Zeek doesn't have that many friends that he sees.

He has a cousin that is a couple of years older, and Tai(who is 11).

I know he WANTS to be with friends…we just don't KNOW that many.

So….Any chance I have to get him together with a sweet god-loving boy…I JUMP.

When Shainee and I talked and she wanted to have Zeek over for the afternoon…We were THRILLED.

Well….SOME of us were thrilled. LOL.

We dropped him off and the remaining kids and I headed off to dance.

(Which was ANOTHER reason Malachi couldn’t stay…he takes DUDE HIP-HOP during that time.Sweet!)

If you have ever had a couple of kids in different activities …you can imagine the next couple of hours for me….Call me TAXI-MOM!

Then we picked up Jay from work and headed to pick Zeek up.

The ENTIRE time Malachi was in the back saying , “WHEN are we picking up Zeek???? WHENNNNNNNNNNNNNN?”

I mean seriously….if Zeek was in the car they would be arguing!!!!

CRAZY KIDS…..<3

 

 

When we FINALLY got there he was OVERJOYED!

Malachi was SOOOOOO happy to be with the big boys.

He was stoked.

They played and rode the “little motorcycle” around.

Then were SUPPOSED to be taking turns…but Malachi is kind of “balls-to-the –wall” so he was a little inpatient!!!!

He basically RAN AROUND behind Zeek and said, “I want to ride” while Shainee and I LAUGHED so hard that we almost peed our pants. LOL

Then in true form …Malachi got on the bike and rode it as fast as possible 1 time in a circle before ROLLING IT only to JUMP right up and say, “And THAT is why you wear a helmet!!”

all the while Zeek was right behind him ….ready for the fall!!!

Oh BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Slipping away……..

Maybe its because Zeek is the oldest.

Maybe its because he doesn't get to very often

BUT…

He LOVES to go spend the night with family or friends.

ANY chance he gets.

He GOES.

Last weekend he spent the night with his cousin and we met them at the beach the next day for a few hours,

THEN

he had a play date planned with a friend, so we took him over there after the beach.

I knew he was EXCITED…he had BEEN talking about it the entire week.

And I love for him to go other places and hang with friends.

I really do.

And he is an AMAZING KID…so people are ALWAYS telling me how nice and polite he is when he is there.

But we ALWAYS miss him.

ALWAYS.

Its like a piece of the puzzle is missing when he is gone.

SERIOUSLY…

Its like a big HUGE puzzle piece is missing.

So…..

As the rest of us sat on the couch and watched “Wipeout” I decided it was time to call…he had been gone for 36.5 hours that he had been “away”  and we NEEDED him. 

LOL

But-I called Mellisa and she invited him to stay the night…..Oh no!!!

LOL

After that… THIS was my conversation with Zeek:

M:”Hey Bud, are you having fun"?”

Z: “Yes Maam!!!!!! “(It  was 9pm and they had JUST gotten out of the ocean! <3)

M: “Well…are you ready to come home????  Dad will come get you.”

Z: “Um…No-I think Ill stay.”

M: “Are you sure?  Dad will come get you!!”

Z: “No Mom…Ill stay!”

So- I hung up the phone still 1 piece short of the puzzle.

I hung up the phone and said to Jay, “He wants to stay.”

Jay said, “Its ok.  He's getting BIG!”

But as I sat there I couldn’t help but REFLECT on what was happening.

He is slipping away…….

I’m desperately trying to HOLD HIM.

But he’s slowly growing up.

I realize that there is nothing I can do…..

He is doing what he is supposed to do.

And I guess by trying to slow it…… so am I.

Karma.

 

All of the children are PRECIOUS.

All have their own STRONG POINTS.

Ezekiel's’ strong point is DEFINANTLY his SWEET NATURE.

He is always helpful, gracious, and loving.

He is a LIGHT in this family and the other children are BLESSED to have him as an example.

So when this happened the other day I was NOT SURPRISED.

But I was AWED.

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

We were getting ready to go to the gym the other day and we were LOADING UP in the van.

Zeek was sitting in the front seat and the other kids were in the back.

Shasha was arguing with Malachi about SOMETHING.

I was just getting in the car and I was about to give my best “If you don’t stop arguing , we WILL NOT go swimming after Yoga” speech when Zeek jumped in for me.

“Guys….if you treat people nice , nice things will happen to you. Its called KARMA.  There is GOOD KARMA and BAD KARMA.  If you do something GOOD, GOOD comes back to you.  And if you do something BAD, BAD things will eventually happen to you.”

As you can imagine…My heart was starting to MELT.

THEN he took hold of my hand and looked at me and WINKED.

As if to say…”I got this, Mom.”

You could have MOPPED ME UP.

I was so in love with that child at that moment.

I was so in awe.

I feel SO BLESSED to have been GIVEN such an AMAZING GIFT.

And so HONORED to be able to watch him GROW INTO A MAN.

What an EXCITING JOURNEY we are on.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

1Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.

Psalm 112:1-6

Vegetarian Déjà Vu….

As I said before…..Our kids ALWAYS want to be like Zeek.

He’s older.

He’s cooler.

He’s MORE fly!!!!

Last night we went and got the kids some food on our way home.

It was 8pm.

We were TIRED.

And I didn’t want to cook.

(Lazy, Bad, un-smart…I know.  But we were TIRED from swimming in the pool all day.)

So we got home I sat all the kids up with their food.

They had all(except Zeek-he already ate.) ordered chicken fingers and french fries.

(again-I feel BAD even WRITING it. UUUggghhhh.)

Malachi then took 1 BITE and said, “ Mom- I’m a Vegetarian!”

I said , “You are????”

He said, “Yes, every time I eat it now I think I can taste CHICKEN GUTS!”

I am SURE Zeek had SOMETHING to do with this.  LOL

He probably heard Zeek say that at some point.

So funny…they LOVE their Zeek.

Remember THIS STORY about Zeek?????

And I ‘ll bet you KNOW what Shahshas remark was when she hear Malachi say that…..

AGAIN…”I’ll take HIS!”

Such a sweet love these kids share…down to the CHICKEN. 

Mini Zeek….x3

I guess It happens in every house full of kids.

We had them pretty close together…9,7,6,4.

Stair steps.

They are sooo close in age that they CLOSE to each other…

MOST of the time.

I mean …don’t get me wrong…they DO argue and fight.

BUT-------

They also IDOLIZE the children that are older than them.

CUTE.

The other day they were REALLY QUIET for about 20 min.

SCARY.

VERY SCARY.

And…ALTHOUGH we were worried, Jay and I decided to TALK instead of GO FIND THEM.

Lucky for US…THIS is ALL   they were up to……….

They were dressing up as EZEKIEL!!!!

All of them.

In his clothes.

His hats.

His pants.

AWESOME.

Its a good thing he is a GREAT  EXAMPLE for them to follow.

LOVE IT!!!!!!!

Sweet, sweet kids that LOVE their big brother.