It's Not About Santa

We were packing up, getting ready for our annual trip to see Santa when my oldest came close, lowered his voice so his brothers wouldn't hear him and said, "Mom, do I have to go see Santa? None of my friends do that anymore."

I felt a slight crack in my heart!

We've gone to this same place to see this same Santa since the year my oldest was born. This man has held every one of my children. His face graces every one of our Christmas photos (except one - my mistake).

We have a tradition of lining our kitchen cabinet doors with the photos during the holidays. They remind us of the beautiful gifts God has given to us and help us mark the passage of time. They make us very aware how fast time slips by. (Someday, I will run out of cabinet doors!)

My husband recently questioned whether we needed to continue the tradition since the boys all know Santa isn't real. I reminded him we have a two-year-old and that we have many more years of visiting Santa. He was thrilled!

For me (and I reminded my son), it's not about seeing Santa. He's just our excuse. Once a year, we get to sneak away for a day of shopping and fun while everyone else is having school.

We get to get away from normal.

We eat at our favorite places (this year everyone was hungry for Japanese).

We teach our children to think of others first and to be generous with each other.

We celebrate the One who is our greatest gift.

When we finally got to the picture taking, the boys climbed in Santa's lap and huddled close for the photo. When we were done, my husband shook Santa's hand and Santa said, "I remember the first time you brought them in."

We couldn't believe that after twelve years and thousands and thousands of children, he could remember our family.

But then again, we've always been somewhat of a spectacle.

Josiah's first Santa visit - 1998

Ellison and Aidan's first Santa visit - 2002

Bennett's first Santa visit - 2008

This year's Santa visit - 2010

~ When All the World Is Still

When all the world is still...

...wrapped in blankets white,

God speaks in the silence.

The winds have come and the clouds have delivered a fresh covering of snow to remind us that His love covers everything.

Worship Him wherever you are today.

We're not going anywhere!

Enjoy!

(To listen, just pause my player in the right column.)

~ A Boy and His Books

I came into the living room this morning during those last minutes of darkness just before dawn. The soft glow of the Christmas lights revealed my nine-year-old snuggled in a blanket in the chair next to the Christmas tree.

I asked him where his brother was. They never, NEVER, travel alone!

He pointed behind his chair.

And that's when I spotted him, curled up behind the chair reading, the yellow glow of the tree spilling onto his pages.

I asked him what he was reading, and he held up a tiny little book ornamnent from the tree.

The boy will read anything.

Since we started homeschooling in September, he has read fourteen books, including the entire Little House series. (Right now he's reading two different books at the same time.)

Tonight when I put him to bed, he asked if he could keep reading, and I said no because it was pretty late. I told him if he woke up early tomorrow he could read in his bed. He informed me he would read seven chapters then.

He loves words just like his mama.

Don't get me wrong. When it comes to language, he confuses the terms proper, plural, and pronoun all the time. Half the time he's capitalizing when he's supposed to be 'changing the y to i and adding -es'. Or when asked to change the noun to a pronoun, he'll give you a proper form of the noun instead.

For the mom who loves writing and grammar and diagramming sentences, it makes my head want to explode.

But for the mom who loves books, it makes me proud. I love watching him finish one and immediately hunting for the next one. He's always excited to share the story with me. He's the kind of boy who would get in trouble with the teacher for reading when he's not supposed to be reading.

I guess it's a good thing his mama is his teacher.

Now if I could just get him to understand the difference between a pronoun and a proper noun!

~ I Need a Do-Over

Last night in Wisconsin (and perhaps other parts of the world), school children gathered their shoes (or boots or stockings depending on where you are from) to put outside their bedroom doors so that when St. Nick came, he would fill it with trinkets if they had been good this year.

If they weren't, tradition has it, they would receive a lump of coal.

I did not grow up with this tradition.

Oh, I grew up with stockings all right, but until my first child entered kindergarten and his teacher told him on Dec. 5th that St. Nick would be coming to his house that night (Thank you very much!), I had never heard of St. Nick's Eve.

This observance has its roots in the Catholic Church and in German tradition. And if Wisconsin is anything, it is Catholic and German in its roots.

I on the other hand, am Protestant and my people are from the hollers of Tennessee (not sure where beyond that).

Anyhow, I digress.

As I was saying, somehow without meaning to, St. Nick's Eve has become a part of our holiday tradition. That first year, I had to run out after my kindergartner had gone to bed so that he wouldn't be the only child left behind the next day.

As usual, last night I was caught off guard again. Luckily, I had done some Christmas shopping the day before and had some small toys in my trunk outside for each of them.

They scurried around looking for their boots before bed, putting them "just so" by their bedroom doors.

The big boys worried about the smallest one's boot. He was fast asleep, and they were afraid he would be left out. I told them not to worry.

I would handle it.

They said, "But his shoes are so little. Will there be enough room."

I assured them, "I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT!"

They all went to bed anxiously anticipating St. Nick's arrival and totally at peace that mom was taking care of everything. All was well until...

...St. Nick forgot to come to our house last night and they woke to empty boots this morning.

Let's just say it was not pretty. There were tears - theirs and mine.

I blame it on the kindergarten teacher. It's really all her fault. I'm just thankful we have this motto at our house.

I better get going. St. Nick's Eve is on Dec. 6th this year (at least at our house).

~ He Thinks He's Korean

I walk through the door to his squealing delight.

"Mooommmmy, you're home!"

"Yes, and I got a Christmas tree."

"Yea!!! Let's go open it. I do it and you do it and Siah do it...," and he continues, eyes bright, until he has gone through the whole list of us.

His enthusiasm contagious, we open boxes and pull out treasures, each like a friend from the past. As I remove each one from its box I unwrap its significance for the boys.

To one I say, "You have more ornaments because you have been with me the longest."

To another I warn, "Be careful. This one was Mommy's when she was a little girl." (Daddy points out it is verrrry old!)

And then I pull still another one close and whisper, "Let me tell you about this one. See the date. I bought it for you on your very first Christmas while you were still in Korea. I wanted you to know you were ours even though you weren't here yet."

He turns it over and reads,

"We can't wait until all your Christmases are with us!"

His face dimples and he cradles the precious words in his hands all the way to the tree.

They continue placing each ornament in its perfectly appointed spot, sometimes one right on top of the other.

One says, "I love doing this!"

The smallest one says, "I do one more." He keeps saying it until the boxes sit empty and then he comments about how "bootiful" it is and plays "I Spy" through the branches.

"I see you, Mommy!"

He is mesmerized by the shimmer of the lights and all the ornaments. He spots the star with the picture in it. (You know, the kind the first grader brings home, made with paper and glue and glitter, lots of glitter.) Once again, his eyes dance with excitement.

"Daddy, it's me!"

"No buddy. That's your brother."

"No Daddy, it's me."

He argues like this for a while and what we always snickered about, from the moment he was a miracle in my tummy, has become a reality.

We used to joke, "He'll probably grow up thinking he's Korean."

After all, these are the faces he plays with all day long.

These are the faces he hugs good night every night.

These are the faces he touches when he first says good morning. (He pets their heads.)

We often look at the twins' pictures from the past and get them confused. That's the thing about identical twins. But trust me, there is no mistaking this little one from his brothers!

His blue eyes and blond hair are a constant reminder that God chose to complete our family in His own perfectly imaginative way.

There will always be a blur of white in the sea of dark heads.

There will always be a little piece of sky among the earthy brown eyes.

And there will always be a little one who wants to be just like his brothers.

Children often ask us when they see our Korean boys, "Are you going to tell them they are adopted!"

We just laugh! Isn't it obvious!

It just never dawned on us we might have to tell our youngest one he's not Korean.

~ No Promise Can Compare

Yesterday, we started our countdown to Christmas, marking the days with small little mittens filled with treasures as we prepare for Christ's coming. This year, in addition to our traditional countdown, we began an advent devotional from one of my favorite writers, Ann over at Holy Experience. The passage for Dec. 1st took us right back to the beginning of the story of Jesus' coming - right there in the book of Genesis.

We have spent alot of time in the book of Genesis lately. Our history curriculum for the year covers the Old Testament and Egypt. Our Bible curriculum covers Genesis through Joshua. In our read aloud, we have been reading the Genesis commentary that I raved about here. And my oldest son's Omnibus curriculum had him reading and studying the book of Genesis for the first month of school. As I opened the devotional for yesterday's reading, I wondered if I might hear their little voices moan with, "We've already done this."



But Ann has a way. As we read the verses about the Fall and Eve's decision to sin once again, we caught a glimpse of Christmas, right there in the words God uses to curse the serpent.

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Their little minds didn't catch it at first because, as Ann put it, it was only a whisper, a hint of what was to come.

Jesus!

Christmas!

Right there in the first book of the Bible.

As we discussed it, their little eyes sparkled with realization. Jesus is coming. It was God's plan from the very beginning. The Old Testament confirming the New Testament. Or perhaps it is actually the New Testament that confirms the Old.

At the end of the devotional, Ann's challenge was to sing a worship song or a Christmas carol to invite Christ to come be with us. My oldest immediately responded with, "Mom, I have Shout to the Lord on my Ipod." I told him that would be great. I knew we probably all knew that one.

He grabbed his Ipod and began to play the song. I was blown away that I was getting to worship with my children in school for the first time. (I'm quite sure that is their first experience with that!) As we got to the chorus, we sang louder. Then we sang the words that will give new meaning to Christmas for my boys this year -

"Nothing compares to the promise I have in You!"

God is amazing. He is weaving His story together for my boys. We've been preparing for Christmas for the last three months, and we didn't even know it. We've studied creation. We've studied the fall. We've studied the curse. And now, my boys understand even better the promise that God made from the very beginning. Jesus is coming. There's no promise that can compare to that!

And this year, we'll be ready!

Take a moment and enjoy our favorite new Christmas song; after all, it's all about Jesus.

Just press pause on the music player in the top right margin.

This is the Lincoln Brewster version my son had on his Ipod.

~ What the Seasons Teach Us

There is abundance in the laboring

and beauty in the fading,

wisdom in the cultivating,

and strength in the bracing.

There is peace in the quieting

and purpose in the dying.

There is hope in the waiting


and life in the wakening.

~ With a Thankful Heart

Today, I am grateful for...

...waking up to a nine-year old's birthday wishes

...lingering in bed with a hot cappucino

...a husband who stopped home mid-day yesterday with French pastries

...an almost teenager who's not too big to crawl up in my lap and let me run my fingers through his black silky hair like I did when he was a baby

...a little voice saying, "You wanna watch it with me?"

...the beautiful sound of little fingers on the keys practicing Christmas songs

...a two-year-old who only wants to wear his shirts backwards and inside out with the tag in the front

...a husband who cooks better than I do

...a weekend to rest from schooling these boys

...wiping a green, goopy nose (two years ago there was no nose so now I wipe it happily)

...a long call home

...snowflakes on my birthday

...a mom and dad who teach me everyday about loyalty and respect

...a warm house on a blustery cold day

...not having to cook the turkey this year

...friends that feel like family

...sweet birthday words from my mama (who gets me like nobody else)

...a pantry ready to begin holiday traditions

... a hubby who risks life and limb taking children out to play football on Thanksgiving morning in 36 degree weather

...my Savior

...having more than we need (always more than we need!)

~ Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

These boys of mine are growing up so fast I can't keep up. Every day brings new changes:

* These pants hurt my waist!

* Does my hair look ok?

* Can I ride across town on my bike?

Can I take my brothers with me?

* None of my shoes fit!

* Can I buy this new gadget that costs ____ (way too much)?

* Can I go to the high school football game with my friend?

Add to those a new big boy bed and staying at the YMCA by themselves and increased allowances for new nightly kitchen duties and leaving the oldest home to babysit for a late date with hubby and on and on and on...

My chidren are growing up!

And I'm not ready!

How am I supposed to protect them and keep them safe with all these changes coming at me so fast? Not to mention ...

Internet

Email

Ipods

Texting

Netflix

Cell Phones (WITH CAMERAS)

How do I hold on to their innocence while letting them spread their wings?

How do I counteract all the negative influences in their lives when I don't know what all their little minds are taking in? When they're not with me 24/7 anymore? When other influences compete for priority in their lives?

I've been thinking alot about this lately.

I long to teach my sons to think about what is good and right and lovely. I want them to know how to keep their minds pure. After all, God calls us to this - to a life of holiness. A few weeks ago, we spent the week in our devotions talking about loveliness (thanks to Ann's post here). It might seem strange to talk with boys about loveliness for a week, but it gave us many opportunities to talk about how we can be loveliness to a world that is surrounded by such ugliness and how there is still much to appreciate in our lives despite the horrible things we see around us.

The more we talked about filling our minds with what is good and right and pure and lovely, the more I found myself asking, "How does one with a houseful of young boys protect their little eyes?" No matter where I look, I see things that, in a second, could undermine everything I long to teach my children.

It is scary raising boys. They are such visual creatures. Just the other day, my youngest kept asking to wear his green shirt. Apparently, Bobby on the Brady Bunch was wearing a green shirt, and he noticed. (He keeps telling me, "No mom, not this shirt. I don't look bootiful. I want my green shirt." HE's TWO! Scary!)

Anyway, I know that what we take in with our eyes helps determine what our minds think about. So I am very diligent in what I allow my children to do, where I allow them to go and who I allow them to be around. Sometimes, that makes me seem like the meanest mom ever. I'm sure other moms must think I am overprotective and a bit fanatical. Sometimes, I start to question whether I'm doing my boys more harm than good. Maybe I'm just being too cautious.

In our read aloud time, the boys and I have been reading a wonderful book by Nancy E. Ganz called Genesis: A Commentary for Children. It is one of the books in her Herein Is Love Commentary Series. The author wrote it especially for children to teach them about the love of God. I have to tell you, she may have had children in mind, but I am loving this book. It has given us so much to talk about. We read right before lunch, and sometimes they don't want me to stop. Lunchtime is often filled with questions or comments about the book and about God and His plan for mankind. I highly recommend the book for anyone to read if they want a new perspective on our Creator.

The other day we were reading the chapter about the Fall and how Eve had the witness of the world (the earth was full of praise), her own self (being made in God's image), and God's own words to help her flee temptation. However, Eve made a choice to move toward temptation.

These are the words that so captivated me in this lesson:

"The first step towards the fall was just a few millimeters. Scripture records that it was the movement of her eyes." (Ganz)

She looked at the forbidden fruit.

That was the first step toward the first sin, and it was only two more steps until she had disobeyed God. Three tiny steps to break her fellowship with God forever. From there, all it took was two more steps and the world was changed forever. Ms. Ganz goes on to say, "There were just five little steps from God to Satan, just five little steps from heaven to hell.

She saw.

She took.

She ate.

She gave.

He ate."

And with those five little steps, Satan "silenced the praises of God on this planet."

The moment I read it, it confirmed for me that I'm not just some overprotective mom. I'm doing my job. I'm protecting the one thing that has the potential to send my children down a path of destruction and despair - the path that leads away from God instead of the path that leads to Him. I'm protecting their eyes, and I won't apologize for it, and I won't cower from it because of what the world allows or deems appropriate.

I tell my oldest all the time, "With every temptation you will have to decide what to do with your eyes. Will you decide one little look won't hurt you, or will you turn your eyes to the One you know will help you resist it."

Amazing, isn't it, how just the shift of our eyes can determine our course. The question is, "In what direction will we shift them?"

~ A Brief Getaway

In less than 36 hours, I'm headed out of town with my gals.

We usually head up to the Northwoods for a girls' weekend once a year.

This year, we're doing things a little differently.

We're celebrating one of us turning 50. (It shall forever remain a secret - but it's not me!)

I'm leaving all the boys behind to fend for themselves.

If they need me, I'll be here.

I'll be relaxing here,

Or swimming here (yes, it's heated year round),

Or daydreaming here.

I might be here with my book,

Or here taking a nap.

And I'll definitely be eating this (not just your run-of-the-mill continental breakfast)!

The last time I was here,

I was with this man.

(We celebrated our 20th anniversary here and didn't know we were pregnant at the time.)

Sorry you can't come along this time, babe, but thanks for sacrificing so I can go again.

It's a brief get-a-way -

Just 24 hours!

But when I come home, I will be a new woman.
(Okay, maybe not new - just rested!)

This time, it's all about the birthday girl!

And since my birthday happens to be next week, I'm just pretending it's all about me!