“More Christmas!”

The J crew (as I often refer to Jacob and Jeremiah) are at it regularly.  When I say ‘at it’ I mean blowing us away with their grasp of life, people, how we roll and especially the Gospel.  I don’t know how.  It’s like we’re on the adoption journey again.  In spite of us, God is moving.  In spite of our ‘not together’, HE is pursuing.  In spite of all the ways I desire to be intentional, HE’s intentional for our hearts. 

I mentioned WINDOWS before.  Well, here’s one that I got to look through today:

Like any toddler boys, ours have been so amazed by all the ‘bells and whistles’ of Christmas decorations.  What I’ve loved the most is how they have never said “look, lights” or “look, wreathes” or “look, santa” (don’t get me wrong...they’ve learned all these words and more!). 

Here’s how it looks instead: “mommy, mommy (still all day long) LOOK, CHRISTMAS!”  All of it is simply ‘Christmas!’. I LOVE IT! I mean how on earth have they been able to understand any of ALL OUR STUFF is beyond me.  YES, I have talked to them about the ‘light’ in the darkness, and the ‘tree’ that Jesus died on, and God’s love, and the presents (which they have yet to know we shop for), and that sharing at Christmas is what God does for us all of our days,etc.  I talk and walk this with each of them in some haphazard way that I wish was as calculated as others seem to do.  Ironically, this is where my ‘windows’ are opening.  In the midst of some ways of just expressing what I’m processing, God is moving. 

Today, I had a glimpse into ‘more Christmas’.  The boys have been very affectionate lately.  I love it.  It really warms and melts my heart.  So when they had been ‘busy’ for a long time outside and wanted me to ‘come see’, I just kinda wanted them to go do more of whatever it was that they were so happy with.  Nope, not enough for them.  They both grabbed a hand and in their whisper voices said, “shhh....come see, come see”. I guess I thought I’d see another ‘creation’ of leaves or dirt or something of the sorts.  Maybe they wanted to show me something they hadn’t see before and were amazed by or wanted to ask a question about.  I don’t know but I wasn’t prepared for what they really were going to show me. 

(I have to say, if you don’t get this when I say it, don’t worry, it took a few for it to settle into me too.)

So they take me to the front door (not the door they’re usually in and out of).  They are soooo excited.  They tell me ‘don’t look’ and squeeze my hands tighter as the try to open the door for me.  I felt totally special btw.  Then, they take me to the front stoop and point to ‘it’ and say ‘IT’S CHRISTMAS’!  I say ‘what is Christmas?’  They point and jump up and down and say that!  For YOU, and Daddy, and Justin, and KayleeAnn, and Aliza...CHRISTMAS!  Do you know what they did? They had set up on the steps on the side we never use a strategic arrangement of choice items of theirs from the garage as ‘presents’ for each of us.  They had this little pink chair (ok I believe in handmedowns) for ME.  Opened up with cones stacked in it ...all for ME!!  Then they went and recounted their choices for everyone else.  I have never told them about what and where these presents were coming from that they might get and give at Christmas.  We’re not there yet in our ‘to dos’.  It never occurred to them to not give out of what they HAD.  That is the Ethiopia in them.  That is IN THEM.  I didn’t do it.  It’s also the Spirit.  I truly believe the Lord has knitted something in them of Himself that is unique.  I get to watch it unfold. 

Back to the stoop: I felt like we were having Jesus’ birthday party right then and there.  BUT, it just didn’t strike me right away what was so fabulous.  SAD!!!! Of course I thanked them for the wonderful ways they were thinking of others and sharing!  Of course I told them I was proud of them for celebrating baby Jesus.  Of course I told them ...to clean it up and let’s get some lunch:(.  I wish I had sat in that chair and put those cones on my head.  I wish I had sang Happy Birthday to Jesus with them right then and there and not waited until Christmas.  I wish...lots, but you know what, I don’t wish for once that I hadn’t had the chance to look again through the eyes of a child at CHRISTMAS!! I’m blown away by as much as I try to teach my children, it’s the childlike faith that ‘gets Christmas’ more than I do.  So I’m blessed that the little hands already at work ‘making’ our gifts for folks are doing so out of excitement.  I’m blessed that when it doesn’t seem like enough to me, I’m reminded that there’s only 1 enough ...and that gift has already been given. 

So, if you hear some little ones YELLING (b/c that’s what they do!): CHRISTMAS and pointing to a random wreath, light, santa, or baby Jesus, know we hear it too.  If you get a squished box of goodies, know it’s made in love.  It’s all Christmas and may we rejoice over HIM in our own unique ways!

An Open Window

I really wish I had this window every night when ‘the littles’ (our name for Aliza +J crew) go down.  I don’t.  Usually this window is quickly turned to finishing dishes or moving onto Act 2 of the evening with the ‘olders’ (KA and Justin).  Tonight they’re occupied for a moment.  So, I’m seizing it with noting this glimpse into our day vs the ‘piles’ staring at me. 

So, the start of Advent marked 5 months of the Jcrew being home.  5 months.  In some ways the most loaded 5 months I’ve known.  Mostly b/c they’re on the tail end of one of the most intense years I’ve known.  Anyhoo...I think we’re still amazed how quickly the boys have adjusted, learned, inquired and grown.  We’ve now been through summer (beach, walks, parks, pool, popsicles,hanging, etc), fall (enamored by the ‘snowing’ of leaves and fabulous sunsets, camping, fires, s’mores, preschool,thanksgiving and the like) and now we enter Advent and Christmas. 

Of course each year you want your kids to get ‘excited’ about celebrating the Lord’s coming....in a manger and when he’ll come again.  What I’m amazed by is, as much as I try,  this can’t be grasped without the Lord in it.  Some traditions grow ‘old’ for teens, some traditions grow ‘old’ for me even.  So I rethink each year what message to communicate about these.  Thankfully, God has been good to me to not ‘ram’ each of these down everyones’ throat.  I mean a little bribery won’t hurt, but ramming? no.  So we began our Advent season. 

I really thought everyone was going to be ‘so excited’ to share our traditions with the Jcrew.  Suddenly, I discovered they were busy, tired or distracted themselves.  2 weeks into Advent and it’s occurring to me that our traditions don’t necessarily ‘slow us down’.  Sometimes they do quite the opposite.  So, what do I do?  I start a new one.  One of demanding ‘quiet’.  Yep.  That’s it.  TV less, computer time less and even friends less.  If we can’t be still on the outside, we won’t be able to settle inside and anticipate what’s to come.  It’s not natural.  I know.  BUT, we’re getting ready to celebrate the supernatural (aka Spiritual) that gives us life.  Why should I be surprised that this is tough? Is there resistance? Yes.  Will it be worth it? I don’t really know.  I just know that somehow Advent, when drawing into it, always reveals things that possibly God wants to show us all year through.  I’m hopeful that God can do what I can’t.  So, I’m not as concerned that I didn’t dot all my ‘I’s’ and cross all my ‘T’s’ (even though I’m trying) if we’re not looking any different this month than we look all year through. 

So even though on the outside we are pulled and tugged even more during this season, I find my heart can be oriented to anticipating new things in the midst.  It means being creative and asking God for windows.  I think I forget this way to often.  ASKING GOD.  Why? I go onto autopilot. So, for now, when at wits end with the ‘to dos, to get and remember’, I’m convinced I need the same ‘undoing’ I need every day.  This is where I wish I lived.  Undone and ‘over’ my list....but remembered, delighted by and drawing near to my Savior.

And what I really sat down to write about was the answer to these ‘windows’...windows to taste and see that the Lord is good and how to talk about that with my family. More to come...

 

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 While I'm at it...some pix...that always upload blurry...oh to have time to figure that one out;p

 tickle time ...even in the leaves;) Jeremiah and Aliza

 umm...had to capture this...you tell me where this comes from...boys and 'stick guns' ..in 5 months?

 never a non-snuggly moment here! haha... (can you 'hear' me saying 'take it' threw clenched teeth?)..

 Saying bye to daddy!

 Our first reading time with Gdaddy...

 Thankful for a good thanksgiving with Gdaddy and Gmomma AND Whitney!

 Girls CAN run the bases!!

 AND ...we love our guest appearances by THE COLEMAN ...sharing his headband and really thinking Jeremiah is going to stretch it with head! He ran off around the bases like we'd never seen...

 Just another family game of baseball...LOOK AT THAT FACE!! BOY IS HE WORKING HARD!

 Look here boys...soon this will be YOUR job as I'll be 'outta here'! I don't think they even knew about the 'attic' until this;) Now they want to go venture in it...

 All done with the attic downloads...and more down-loads here...Justin rocks at making them smile!

 Aliza had the honors of placing the window garlands;)

 Do you see what these guys did? On their own they 'found' their very own leaf blowers.  They'd get in the pile of leaves Andy was blowing and to them THEY were blowing them.  Starting to really love that they're not electronically entertained.  I can't take credit...but I love the fruit it's producing!

Leaf blowing...creativity at its' finest!