Surprise Supper

Recently, our two oldest hooligans made a very personal decision to become Christ-followers. It was the biggest decision they've ever made, or will make, and one that I was thrilled to see happen. Billy and I have spent the last 7 and 5 years talking and sharing with them about what we believe and Who we believe in, but have both made a point to allow the decision to be theirs alone. I wanted it to be something they took ownership of, and am so thankful that they chose to follow Christ for themselves.

On that note, occasionally Merrick will go into "big class", as he calls it, with us at church instead of his class. *Tirzah likes to be more involved and loves crafts and papers, so she always opts to learn in her own class. ;)* This past Sunday we happened to be taking communion. It was a happy coincidence that he was able to take participate in his first Lord's Supper with us, and we were able to teach him even more about God's love for him through this symbolic tradition.

Merrick has such a sweet heart, and I love the times he's in church with me. While some of the time he's playing games on my phone, other times I see him listening, and singing. He stands beside me on his chair and pats me on the back, asks me his little boy questions, and grows up as I sit here and watch. I am thankful that he's made the most meaningful decision he can make in this growing up business, and that I was able to be a small part of it. 

"Brinklers"

Spring has really started warming up (as in, it went from chilly to 80 degrees overnight) and it's been great for getting outside with the hooligans. We spent probably 10 hours at the playground last week, and went again earlier this week, and then spent some time at the fountains at one of the local malls. This place is SO much fun. It's almost better than the pool. (There is a bench for me to sit on in the shade...if I happen to get a chance to "sit", no one can fall in, and there is no adult swim. Perfect!)

All of the hooligans were big fans...even Fancy Pants. I don't have a swimsuit for her yet, but I pushed her little stroller right up next to the fountain so she was close enough to put her chubby little fingers in the water. It kept her entertained for the entire time we were there. She didn't even mind the occasional sprinkling from her siblings. (Which was always very much intentional.)

Oh, Jericho...bless his bad behind. He loves to ruin photo ops.  I mean, I guess it depends on what "ruin" is...so I guess I should be glad at least he's in the picture? He definitely makes in known he does not want to be involved in documenting these memories I love so much. (We later tried to get a video of all the hooligans holding hands and running through the fountain...he veered off at the last minute and ran AROUND the fountain. Every time. I finally just decided that's the stuff memories are made of...and comforted myself knowing it will come back to bite him one day when these are a slide show at his wedding. ;) #momwins) He couldn't quite get the word sprinkler right, so he called them the "brinklers".

There's that chubby hand I was talking about...it's just about too much to handle. She was so intent on grabbing that water, and couldn't ever figure out where it was going. It's kind of like a cat chasing a laser pointer. Endless hours of entertainment for me and for her.

And of course, no trip anywhere is complete until someone climbs something that wasn't really meant to be climbed. Another reason this might be better than the pool. No lifeguard whistles. 

They Still Like Me

I was given one of my most favorite things for Mother's Day: New running shoes. (I mean, there is nothing like that new shoe smell. It's right up there with new baby smell.) I also got chocolate and roses from the hooligans. They told Billy specifically what they wanted him to go get for me, which I thought was pretty adorable. He told them it wasn't Valentine's Day, but I think it's pretty darn cute that they knew specifically what they wanted to get me. And that they know me well enough to know chocolates are always ok.

I was able to run two days this weekend, which is a rare occurrence these days. (I work out at home most days now, because I loathe dragging all 4 to the gym, and with Billy's schedule I don't get much chance to run, so workout videos are the new normal for me. Good thing Max:30/21 Day Fix Extreme does the job. But I've SOOO missed running recently.)

I love coming home from a run to see these faces. They hear me on the front porch (I usually stretch or just kind of cool down out there) and they come running to open the door and harass me until I come in the house. They like to inform me I'm sweaty, or smelly, or that I wasn't gone very long, or that I was gone too long, etc. I just think it's awesome that they love me so much that coming back from a run is like coming back from vacation...they act like they haven't seen me in weeks. I know there will be days in our future where they will probably want to get away from their "not cool" mom. But I'm enjoying this phase of life where they still kind of like me. ;)

Indecisive

Jericho has typically been accused of being a mama's boy. For the longest time he would even say things like "me love mommy", if asked if he loved daddy. He is still somewhat of a mama's boy (which is fine with me) but he's finally decided he is ok with daddy, and even likes him. (If you remember the zoo incident...he will even cry that he missed daddy.)

The other day, when he had to be asked multiple times to clean his room, he decided that he missed daddy more than ever. He went to his room to clean, but he didnt go quietly. He spent about 20 minutes crying "I want daddy". Ironically...daddy is meaner than mommy. So sometimes I want to give him to daddy and let him see what he's missing out on. ;)

I will now let you experience just a little tidbit of the "I want daddy" saga:

Zoo Take Two

I remember about this time last year I took all the kids to the zoo. (At the time, it was just 3, and I was pregnant with Amaryllis.) I had potty trained Jericho earlier that week, was hugely pregnant, and alone at a zoo. I still can't figure out what I was thinking, but this trip was much easier! ;) (It's amazing how much not being pregnant makes things easier in the physical activity department.) My sisters and my mom went this time too, and the hooligans loved having their "cuzzies" with us.

This zoo isn't the biggest or the fanciest, but the kids don't really know the difference. It has lions and tigers and giraffes and penguins and lemurs. So basically, the whole cast of Madagascar except for Gloria. It'll do. Feeding "Melman" (a giraffe for all of you who don't have children who have made you watch Madagascar 438 times) was definitely a highlight. In a "ew gross he licked me that's so cool" kind of way. Giraffe drool is just as bad as kid drool if you ask me. The hooligans were definitely shocked that someone drooled on them. Can you imagine? I never get drooled on.

They were of course "tired" of walking in about 5 minutes, but not too tired for the playground that's somewhere in the middle of the zoo. (Funny how that works, right? My 7 year old legs cannot move another step please push me in the stroller and let the baby walk but I am suddenly full of energy to climb and run and jump when someone says "playground".) They rallied after we had a break and some ice cream, and were able to make it through the rest of the zoo with only minimal "I'm tireds".

We did have a small meltdown at the sky safari ride. It had nothing to do with the ride (which takes you over all the animals) and more to do with someone missing daddy. He got really quiet after Billy sent us a picture of him making a sad face that he couldnt be with us, and then once we got off the ride started bawling. He cried for a few minutes but then drowned his sorrows in an ice cream cone as big as his head (if you know Jericho, you know that was a big ice cream cone) and then moved on to scare the birds in the aviary.

All joking aside, I had so much fun with the kids. I love being able to go and do things with them like this. (I mean, what's the point of homeschooling if you can't go and do stuff when you could be in school, right?) I love the hands on learning, and the time spent outside together. As funny (and occasionally disastrous) as outings with 4 children are, I hope that these will be some of the memories that stand out as they grow up. Although hopefully Judah, my niece, won't remember how horrified she was when a bird landed on her head. Although there's no way we will forget it for a long time, since we are still laughing about it 3 days later.