Are you endemorated??

While Jack is flipping over handle bars in his latest bike stunt, Emma Grace is busy creating and processing. That little brain of hers never turns off. From a very early age we knew Jack was physically agile. He just moves and jumps and runs with such fluidity-he's really a natural athlete. And Grapes, well, she is as verbally agile as he is physcially. She masters words the way he masters stunts. (thankfully her accomplishments are landing us in the hospital a little less often than his!!) And she's in a really fun stage where she has the vocabulary to express the amazing and complex thoughts going on in that little brain. It's so fun to interact with her these days. And if she doesn't have the right word....

Emma Grace: Mom, I had this dream where I went up to outer space and when I got there I was endemorated!

Me: You were what?

EG: Endemorated.

Me: Oh, endemorated. Well what does that mean?

EG: You know, endemorated. Like when you see something and you are shocked or surprised.

Me: Did you just make that word up?

EG: Yeah, I just made it up.

I guess when words like shocked or surprised just don't quite fit, you can just make up one that works. Funny thing is, the word sounds so real to me that for a second I thought she knew a word I didn't know! Andy and I laughed and laughed at how she just made it up and with confidence told me the definition. We've actually starting using it around our house. Feel free to use it. There's no copyright...yet!

The day it all changed

On this day back in December, when Jack wore a crown and drank a whole can of Sierra Mist to ring in his third birthday, I am pretty sure something significant happened. I didn't know it at the time but my guess is any other mom who has raised a three year old boy knew about it. Why didn't they tell me? I guess they figured some things are best left untold.

It's as if the testosterone was unleashed and what we have here is a real WILD child, emphasis on WILD. This boy is pretty much unstoppable and if we make it to his fourth birthday with no major injuries it will be a miracle. Unfortunately the common sense level doesn't match the mischievous energy level this boy now has. So we've had quite a few almost-disasters. The most recent of which involved the flooding of our upstairs bathroom. Andy informed me that not only was water streaming down through our first floor bathroom light, it was also quite soapy. Not good. There's climbing and wrestling and scars and lots of sneaking for candy going on around here. It really makes we wonder how out of control things are about to get with another boy on the way.

Thankfully for this momma of a wild child, he stole my heart long ago. I personally love the combination of a rough and tumble little man who also picks flowers and tells me I look like a princess. I've said it to him many times, and now he says it to me, "Mom, I'm going to be a good husband one day!" I agree Jack. Our biggest task now is just keeping you alive til' your wedding day!

17 Weeks and Counting!

This picture is actually a throw back from when we were pregnant with Emma Grace. I found it looking through some old pictures and decided it was a fun way to announce that we're having our third!!!
We don't look as thin or as young and our walls aren't green anymore (I miss those) but my belly is about the same size. (I know I'm not as thin because I can't fit into that maternity shirt nor many others that I wore in previous pregnancies. Sad...that was my favorite maternity shirt!)

We're due August 3rd with a little boy. Jack is thrilled about having a roommate. He's a tad confused about when the baby will get here. He actually thought he was coming last week when I went to the doctor and he even got out a baby toy for me to take with me. Emma Grace seems genuinely excited and has been doing lots of practicing, caring for her babies. I have no doubt she will be a great helper. I'm pretty much over the sickness but I'm still going to bed as early as 7:30 some nights from sheer exhaustion.

The more my belly grows and the reality of adding another child to our family sets in, the more I am amazed at God's creative work. I look at Emma Grace and Jack and think about how unique and wonderful each of them is and I get excited wondering who God has made this new little one to be. God's creation is marvelous really.

Being a mom is one of the hardest jobs on the planet, I am convinced. So anticipating this third child feels very different than the first. I am much more aware of how hard it is to daily lay down my life for the needs of others. And I am aware and thankful for the ways my children continually push me to dependence on Christ-for strength, for forgiveness, for wisdom, for patience, for all the bazillion things that motherhood requires and that I lack in myself. This new child, like my others will bring me much joy, I am sure. And like my others, he will push me to deeper levels of seeing my own weakness and seeing the sufficiency of my Savior. Oh sweet child of mine, I can't wait to meet you!!!

Birthday Package for ME?!!!

My dear friend Laura recently told me to be on the lookout for a birthday present in the mail. So when I got a slip from the post office saying a package from China had arrived for me, I was sure it was from her. I eagerly went to the post office the first chance I got and Emma Grace, Jack and I ripped into it as soon as we got home. There was no note in the package but here's what she sent me....Ok, so immediately upon opening it I knew it was not from her. If you know anything about me or Laura or Chinese hot pot you'll know she would never dream of sending me 10 packs of hot pot mix, some rose petal candy and a few jars of old lady spicy beans! It's not that I don't like hot pot. I do actually. But it's just not the love language she and I speak to each other. We speak more of the York peppermint patty-lime Tostitos dialect. But Laura, you should know that I had the best time imagining you sending me this package. I could just see you in the xiao mai bu near your house telling the girls, "It's Ms. EA's birthday and she loves hot pot so let's pick out a few of these to send to her! And yes, Lydia, I think we should definitely send her the jar of ma la spice to go with it!"

Turns out this package was actually from the Chinese girls who stayed with us a few weeks ago. They are from the capital of hot pot and they generously sent us all these ingredients to make our own here in America! Really really kind of them. I know the slightest thing about making hotpot, but thankfully for us, some of our Chinese friends here have the pot. And since we now have the hot (and a lot of it!) I'm sure we'll be combining our forces to make hot pot soon.

Later in the day, I checked my mail at home and found my actual gift from Laura, a gift certificate to a local art studio to do some painting. So groovy. Just wish you were here to go with me. Afterward, we'd definitely have to go out for some of this!!!This is the last time I actually ate hot pot...missing you friend! Thanks for my birthday gift!

Just like Dad

It's fun to see Jack and Andy's relationship continue to grow. Jack loves to wrestle with his Dad and their newest thing is quoting movies or books to each other. Jack is definitely Andy's assistant for errand running. Many mornings they can both be found shaving together and putting on "smellin' stuff" afterwards!

Cold Front

Upon our return to the Sunshine State we were greeted with 80 degree weather. It was AWESOME. We love all the time we get to spend outside and a good dose of sunshine does wonders for my soul.

Recently we had a cold front and it got down in the 30's for a couple days. And the day before the cold set in, Jack received a homemade scarf from Granny Lib! Prefect timing. He loves it and I am pretty sure they both will continue wearing them even in the heat...you know, for fashion's sake!

"CHINEEEEESE GIRLS!!!!"

Jack could never quite get the names of the two little girls we hosted this week. We even tried to get him to call them "jie jie" (older sister) but he just ran around the whole time yelling "CHINEEEEESE Girls" whenever he wanted their attention!

They were really precious and were a part of a group of 150 elementary school students who came for a 10 day visit to the US. They traveled the East coast and spent three nights with us, attending an elementary school and taking day trips to Disney with their group. It was fun to speak Chinese with them. Jack and Emma Grace really seemed to enjoy having them in our home. So thankful for the ways God continues to allow us to interact with Chinese people!