On guard, blackguard!

An evil knight invaded our house - dressed in a dollar store helmet and sword. His goal was to steal the princess, who was immediately defended by her two knights in shining armor.

Well, one knight in shining armor and one knight with a straw hat and billyclub...

The battle was fierce!

But justice and fairness and goodness and red-headedness prevailed...

Our evil knight does not look overwhelmingly repentant of his ill-advised deeds.

Never fear, Pancho Sanchez is ever-ready to battle evil, defend gentle maidens, and protect his fair complexion from the sun!

Godbyes

I'm thinking of never saying "goodbye" again, but changing it to "Godbye". I won't, because I won't remember that at the right moment, and anyway, it sounds a little awkward... but it's more how I feel about goodbyes these days. First of all, I'm trying to be thankful for the time God has provided me with each friend who leaves (even though I stamp my foot like a toddler in a temper each time I get the news someone's moving.) And secondly, He can and will orchestrate reunions for us... some here and some in heaven, but I can count on the fact that these women will be part of my eternal life.

Although some of them will be mortified, as they move away I want to honor each one. I live in a pretty transient town (although nowhere near as transient as where I came from before this), so these will be spread out, starting now and going through July.

Tomorrow morning, Bridget leaves. As long as I've known Bridget, I've known the day would be coming when she and her family (husband and two ADORABLE boys) would be moving on... med school does that to a family. But as she sat through two bible study cycles with me, served with me on steering for MOPS, and kept her even temper in the most trying/exhausting/ draining of circumstances, I grew to love her despite trying to protect my heart.

Bridget on the right - an intent listener, as usual.

So Bridget, please know that everytime I think of you, the word faithful will dance through my head along with my favorite images of you (topped by your charade of "cocktail dress"). Faithful to your family in all circumstances; faithful to your friends when they need you most; and eagerly growing everyday in your faithfulness to our Father. I pray a lavishness of blessings on you and Bob, and a legacy of faith for your boys.

Bridget and BFF Lauren. Flash still gets them confused.

Bridget drawing a flat tire - with her eyes closed! Lauren guessed it.

'Captured' moments

Favorite things my guys are saying right now:

JackJack: Every bug espied is followed by "Catch it! Mommy, catch it!" And butterflies are apparently the most terrifying creatures of the insect world.

Flash: He now sings his morning grace over the food as loud as he can. When asked why, he says, "I think God would like to wake up to my singing."

Mermaid Princess: Tonight at dinner, after I recounted to Daddy all the wonderful things she did to be a blessing to her brothers and others, she looked at me and said, "Mommy, thank you for all the work you do for our family. I'm so thankful that I think I might wake up in the middle of the night just to come tell you again."

Now, in case you think my children are angels in human form, it bears mentioning that the older two attempted to lock the youngest in the bathroom with the lights off and a blanket under the door to block all vestiges of light. I came upon them as they were hooking a chair under the doorknob to seal him in. All survived the incident, but it was hit or miss with the older two for a few minutes there.

Fort-e

Actually, building forts is not my forte, although I did and do love to build them. I'm fine with a bedspread and some sofas, but Lord help me if I ever have to construct one from pine branches and a fallen tree.

Still, I think this one has potential:

Roomy enough for 3!


With three 'twin' beds!
May I admit that I look at these photos with chagrin? This fort was built during a crunch time in both MOPS and our business, and I built the fort and then abandoned them to play in it so I could get in a few minutes of work. Needless to say, they played in it for about 8 minutes.

With a delightfully long summer ahead of us, I know this one is going to get a do-over!

Mommy-time

So... I'm in the grocery store on Sunday (stopping in to get milk on the way home from church) and I count about 20 people in various lines holding what appear to be the very last chrysanthamums in the florist section. And this sums up what I do NOT like about Mother's Day. I don't like it when it feels forced upon us, another obligation grudgingly met, Hallmark card and token flower.

Why? Because I'm just truly beginning to grasp the sacred trust that is motherhood. God entrusted ME with the lives of three of His most precious children. There is nothing more important that I can be doing. There is no obligation more important - let me be late to every appointment from now until I die rather than let my children feel that they are anything but my highest priority (now that's a tough statement for a border collie!).

I want Mother's Day to mean something - not for me, my children are already gift enough - but so that my children get a glimmer of the importance, the essential nature and sacrifice that is motherhood. If they see us put a high value on it - stop our regular lives to celebrate the gift of motherhood - the day will come when they too will put a high value on the worth of a mother in a world that seems to have forgotten how important a job it really is.

My favorite part of Mother's Day this year? Every time the kids wished me a Happy Mother's Day, I answered, "And who are the three amazing kids that made me into a mother?"

Beth Moore writes an incredible piece on motherhood in her blog today. For her thoughts, particularly about siblings, click here.

Happy Mother's Day!

Guys and their girls

We have had an interesting development here at Strong Echoes Central. Mermaid Princess has developed a passion for reading. At the moment, she is just about impossible to extract from Big E.'s old Calvin and Hobbes books. For a couple of days, Flash was stumped at the sudden disappearance of his best bud.

Upon glancing around our abode for a solution, he suddenly realized that the pesky two year old who arrived some months ago and still hasn't been sent back might be good fun after all. And just like that, a friendship has formed.

It did give me a glimpse at a potential down the road conflict - the kind that happens when two brothers are 19 months apart... We had a friend from JackJack's class at church over here on Monday. Initially, she and JackJack were thick as thieves...
Then Flash joined the fun (MP having disappeared into C&H again.)

Mommy pulls out the popsicles to lure MP from her comic strip induced haze (using sugar to break a reading habit... hmmmm.... I think I may need to reconsider that policy.)

Everyone went for a romp on the trampoline (with the sprinkler on underneath - I could see their goosebumps from across the yard.)

And then Flash drove off with JackJack's girl!

By the time we took our friend home, Flash had claimed her for his own, making sure she was buckled into her carseat correctly, getting her snack ready, and then holding her hand on the ride. Fortunately, JackJack seemed fine with this turn of events. Either brotherly love triumphed or he was so ready for his nap, he just didn't notice. I will, however, have to put my foot down if I see this friend-poaching habit continue!

Recent artwork

We were hanging a picture yesterday. It took a little longer than normal. Here's why:

"To low. To low. To Hi. Just rit."

That's right... the "up down left right" directions had to be written before they could be shared. My arm is a little sore.

And then, Mermaid Princess and Flash came home from church the other day with these:

Definitely keepers.

My 'artwork', on the other hand, has not fared as well. As usual, each spring, I go buy a few packets of seeds, have the kids help me plant them, water them devotedly for a few days while babying them on the back deck and then, inevitably and inadvertently, kill them. This year, they were drown.

Given the choice between being roasted to death (last year)
or drown, which would you choose?

The rosemary plants in the back came with some trees I ordered this year. So far they have survived my gruesome mauve thumb.

With a name like "Amazement Square"...

it has to be good. We went with some friends to Amazement Square in Lynchburg for Flash's fourth birthday. Mermaid Princess made a video, Big E. had a blast playing virtual reality games, and we all had a great time watching the kids try out everything in very rapid succession. In fact, most of the pictures we got were from the one time they all actually sat still for a little while...

while a few of them got their groove on.

We were never quite sure which tunnel tube they were going to pop out of next.

The birthday boy!

I didn't get a great shot of his Spiderman cake, but he loved it!

And one little guy got so tuckered out, he slept through half of dinner.

"Come On, Get Happy"

Oma and PopPop gave Flash a set of musical instruments for his birthday. I'm eager to take banjo lessons (seriously) and Big E. can take up keyboard, and then the Chambers Family Band can get rolling.

A little percussion to keep the beat.

Some good soul mixed in.

I'm curious to see if the triangle really proves to be centrally important to our sound...

So, should we go for more of a Partridge Family sound or maybe more Barbara Mandrell (with her sisters)?

Getting a little C & C

Two exchanges with Mermaid Princess in the last couple of days that have kept me on my toes...

MP: Mommy, it was raining on DuckDuck and icy rain and she got cold and then she slipped and fell and she got hurt!

Me: Goodness! Where were you when she slipped and fell?

MP: I was doing chores. And we need to talk about that.

Photo by Kim Swales. Thank you, Kim!

MP: I was just having a nice dream that I was the mommy and you were the kid.

Me: That does sound like a nice dream. Are you a nice mommy?

MP: Well............. you wouldn't get what you want. You would only get choices and consequences.

I'm not sure what to make of those, but I'm sure of one thing... we are on the edge of another big cognitive development leap. Lord, make me wise as the questions and situations arise!

Flashiest Flashbacks

This is my last day of reminiscing! Then we'll get caught up with current goings-ons...

Turning 3: the family birthday celebration.

Turning 3: his first real themed birthday party.

Licking the beater for Mommy's b-day cake.

Cowabunga, dude!

Obviously, I missed a couple of spots with the sunscreen.
There is nothing in a boy's life quite like his daddy.

One of my very favorite photos, and it brings us up to where the blog got started last fall.

I'm so glad I did this. Thank you for indulging me!