I have failed...

As a stay at home mom, I have a very high standard set for myself as a mom, and for my kids. I expect exceptional behavior, engaging conversation, and appropraite interaction and play. I have "centers" set up all over half of the family room to encourage different play. We have Little People for towns and imagination, dinosaurs, cars (with a road rug) a small table with crayons, pencils, paper, coloring books, and play-doh, and a closet full of games and jigsaw puzzles. I try to find time every morning and afternoon to get on the floor with the 3 boys and engage them. However, lately, when I set up the Little People town, which takes a lot longer now that Maddox has found the joy in knocking everything down, or set up the dinosaurs, or want to make cards for someone, all they want to do is play X-box or watch a movie. I should be grateful that a 27 inch box can entertain all of them for so long... But I'm not.

Thursday's Thoughts (Jan 24)

Realizing a Miracle
When you hear the word miracle, what comes to mind? A safe exit from a near certain accident? A sudden healing of the body? An angelic visitation? These types of miracles, or phenomenon, have been documented by humans all throughout history, as early as the Biblical accounts of the Old Testament to modern books and TV documentaries today. Many of us remember the stories of David's escapes from Saul and his army, the numerous physical healings in the Bible such as King Jeroboam in 1 Kings 13, and the countless stories of visitations from the Angel of the Lord.

Even in my life, I have experienced an unexplained outcome of a near miss accident, witnessed the immediate healing of migraine headaches as a youth and watched my sister's leg grow in front of my eyes. And I can attest that my mom knew the moment that (when I was in the 1st grade) the neighbor kid showed me one of his dad's dirty magazines. Even though she was washing dishes 4 houses away, God revealed the magazines to her in a vision, and much to my surprise, she pointedly asked me about them the moment I walked thru the door!

So maybe you have had similar experiences where you know- beyond the shadow of a doubt- that you were witness to a miracle. A moment where you realize that you had just experienced a "God-moment."

But my question to you today, is what about those moments that God moves in your life and you miss it. What about the prayer offered before a difficult test, or our plight as we frantically scurry about for our missing car keys? When the A on the test is received, or the keys found, are we too swept up in the joy of the moment, or relief of the moment, to realize the significance of it all? I'm sure most of us at least offer up a trifle of gratitude to God before we happily continue on our merry way. And that's good to realize God as the source of our good-fortune. But, did you miss it?

You just had a God-moment- a brief instance in your life God when was there. Did you meet with Him? Did you feel His presence? Did you truly realize the miraculous way in which He affected your life solely for your betterment simply because He loves you?

All of us would prefer the day-to-day thoughtfulness of our spouse to a once-every-year gift. So why are we surprised when God shows us His devotion to us thru the little things he does for us day after day?

Take a moment and reflect on how God revealed Himself to you today. Be sure to thank Him. But most of all, be sure to look for it tomorrow, and revel in your God moment!

Fun with family.

Sheila and I met in Tuscola on Sunday afternoon with all 5 kids. We did some shopping, ate pizza, swam, and just had a great time! The kids loved being together and playing in the hotel. Here are pictures from our 21 hrs together.

We beat Sheila to the hotel by about 20 minutes, so the boys stood in the window waiting for her, Ryne, and Sophie.

pizza


fun after dinner


Maddox after dinner. (he went to bed at 6:30PM and slept until almost 7 the next morning.)

swimming

Toby's new cuddle buddy

We went to put Cooper and Nelson to bed, and we found this...

Mom, Dad, Uncle Scott, and Aunt Debbie...

If you are finding time in all the sunbathing, rum(cream) drinking, and fun to check in on us...

WE DON'T LIKE YOU RIGHT NOW!!! It's freezing here!!!! Blow some warmth up north, please.

Lazy morning, for some...

Wednesdays are hard on our family. Travis goes straight from work to church to go thru the mail and get ready for that night. I get there early to put dinner in the oven, and then we have dinner, service, clean up and come home. The boys end up in bed later than usual. This routine makes Thursdays very hard! Nelson had a really hard time waking up this morning, he's been lounging on the couch under a fuzzy blanket watching Playhouse Disney all morning.


Maddox started getting up for the day at 3:30AM, we were able to keep laying him back down until about 6AM, but needless to say, I'm wiped out. I layed him down for an early morning nap, and it's not proving to be the most successful nap...
This is how I found him the first time I checked on him...

This is the reaction I got when I told him to go night-night...

Grown Man Crying

Today I know how my Uncle John felt the summer of 1980. At the time, we were attending Westbrook Church of the Nazarene and participating in their Vacation Bible School. I remember that during the last day of Vacation Bible School, there was an alter call and a bunch of kids went forward. But, being that I was only 5 years old, I didn't understand what they were doing. So, my Uncle came up and sat next to me to explain that the kids that all went up to the front had decided to live for Jesus and become a Christian. He said that they were going to pray and ask Jesus inot their hearts. Then he asked me if I wanted to have Jesus come and live in my heart. When I said yes, he led me in a simple prayer.

It was amazing! Even at 5 years old, I knew something was different. I knew I was changed. I literally felt a weight being lifted off me and my heart felt light. But I never thought about how my Uncle felt at that moment. Not until now... not until tonight.

Tonight, January 13, 2008 at 8:05 p.m., in only a way Cooper could ask, my oldest son said, "Dad, yesternight, before I fell asleep, I just think I would just want to ask and see if Jesus to come into my heart." So, like my Uncle did with me, I asked Cooper if he wanted to pray and ask Jesus into his heart. And so we prayed together, "Dear Jesus, I know that I do bad things sometimes, and make bad decisions that keeps me from spending forever with you. I believe that ou died on the cross for me. Please forgive me for the bad things I have done. Please come intomy heart and help me make good decisions and live for you. I love you, Jesus. Amen"

Oh the joy! Oh, the honor that my son would ask me. I am humbled, and thank God that he has answered my prayer that I prayed when Cooper was born. That God would protect him and bring him into His own.

I'll be honest. After I kissed all 3 boys, gave them blessings, and left the room, I just broke down and cried. Bawled like a baby, quite frankly! I'm not sure why. Perhaps because of the joy, or the pride I have in my son, or the release that my prayer was answered. But I think more so, because of the awesomeness of God. It was amazing to see Cooper being obedient to the call of God on his life; not yet fully comprehending the significance of it all, but being obedient nonetheless.

Thank you Lord for putting godly people in my life, who invested in me, and in my eternity. Thank you Lord, for allowing me to experience the biggest decision in my son's life. May he never lose his sensitive spirit! Help me Lord to train him in Your ways. And thank you Lord for revealing to me Your hand in Cooper's life, the way You revealed yourself to Moses on the Mount. I am in awe of Your power!

Who would have known?

These three boys bring me so much joy, heartache, and laughter. If someone would have told me 5.5yrs ago that I would be the mother of 3 giggly, silly boys I would have fallen over. I love how God knows me better than I know myself!!!!
Every morning, I wake up to Maddox openning his door and toddling down the hall mumbling his word for food. As I'm getting out of bed I have Coooper stumbling right behind him to give me a great big hug! Nelson is usually the last one up, he finds me making the coffee with his blanket in hand, waiting for me to turn him into Batman or Superman.
I love how protective the older 2 are of Maddox. I love how Maddox hears the word "bus" in the afternoon and can't get to the front window fast enough to wait to see Cooper again. I love how they all want to play together....
Yep, I'm one blessed woman!

I've been failing in the picture department, so here's one from this morning, when Cooper and Nelson were showing Maddox where to put the costumes and matchbox cars.

With Nelson never a dull moment.

He came and found me after lunch and told me, "Mom when I play with my batmobile plane I feel like there is poop coming out of my butt."
I respond with, "stop playing and go potty".
Nelson looks at me confused and says, "Mom, potty is spanish for pee".
The things this child says never cease to amaze me.

A big boy...

Maddox learned to walk a week ago. Today he made another "big boy" milestone. He got a bed! Travis took down his crib and we put up the toddler bed. I think Cooper and Nelson were more excite than Maddox! (truth be told, they were just excited to see the Elmo sports bedding again) Maddox loves his bed. He gets up on it (with some help) and crawls from one end to the other with his doggie and pacifier just squeeling with delight. Let's hope he sleeps peacefully tonight! He didn't nap at all in the bed this afternoon, he just laid in it and cried on and off for over an hour.

No more toys.

Having the kids home from school has been so much fun. We baked, made trips to the library, watched too many movies to count, and played with too many toys to count. Now that they are back into a routine I started organizing all of the toys. If any of them ask for another toy anytime soon I'm going to explode. Granted, they are all organized in theme (little people, heroes, blocks/Maddox aged) however, they have taken over the family room!

Do you hear that?

It's the angles singing. Why? you ask... Cooper goes back to school today and Nelson heads back tomorrow. The heavens are rejoicing and so is this mom!

"Expect a miracle"

This was the title of our sermon this morning. If I haven't said it yet, I adore our interem pastor and his wife! They are exactly what our church needed at the time. He's got such great messages and she's been a god-send to me. She has graciously taken over Chidlren's Church, giving me a much needed break.
Anyway, in the middle of the sermon the Ferris family watched a miracle! MADDOX WALKED. Not just one or two steps. Mutliple, turning corners, only stopping when he got to the sound booth and couldn't figure out how to climb the step into it. As if that wasn't enough on this Sunday monring, we recieved another miracle. COOPER TIED HIS SHOES! We have been working with Cooper since the beginning of the year. At Christmas break the teacher told me he was the only child in the class that wasn't tying his own shoes. She also offered a "reward" to him if he mastered it over the break. He will go back to school Wednesday a shoe-tier.
I need to Edit... Nelson had his own miracle this afternoon... He managed to bonk his head, give himself a goose-egg and bruise (that was instant purpleish-green) without breaking the skin. He had yet another stitches near miss. For those counting, that's 3 head bangs in under 6 months.

Because I said I would...

Some doubted if I would truly buckle the Mixmaster in... I said I would, therefore, I did! By the way, she has a name. Her name is Paula (as in Paula Dean). She has made amazing chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chip pancakes.

What an adventure...

Being with family was a lot of fun. However, it came with a price. Maddox had the flu on Thursday, Nelson had it Friday and Saturday, all three of them had it on Sunday, Travis had it on Monday. I'm so glad that it is over! Coming back to St. Louis on Monday was a Christmas miracle. Travis was able to make it from my parents' house all the way to our house without getting sick. We found out on Christmas Day that we forgot a few things at my parents' house, including the flu... My mom had it. Now it's found my dad.
We are loving all the new toys. Maddox is chasing balls around the family room, he even let go of a chair last night and took 6 steps to get to a ball. The older 2 are loving all of the new movies and games they got. Cooper is playing his GameBoy all the time, and Nelson is always up for a game of Legos Star Wars or Curious George on the X-Box.
I know you really just want to see the boys on Christmas morning... So without further ado...

A Mixmaster Christmas

My new Mixmaster. It's plastic and runs on AA batteries. I was so excited.



I then got the ultimate gift... A real Mixmaster! I can't wait until Christmas Day. I will be baking all day.

Christmas with the Nelson family.

Maddox has a backpack just like his big brothers.

"Power Rangers!!! Just what we always wanted."

Aunt Sheila and Cooper giggling before presents.

Me with my two nieces.

Fun with Bart and Sheri

Brt and Sheri took us to see their new house, which is beautiful. We had all the things there for a "proper" celebration... We had fun people, good wine, and fantastic conversation. We did not have a wine bottle openner... Bart solved that problem with screws and his power drill.

Can't fault me for making some Christmas wishes...

One foot in front of the other.

This week has been CRAZY! Next week is going to be just as bad.

1. Cooper had a cookie dough fundraiser at his school. I was the chairperson. I spent all day there yesterday organizing cookie dough and distributing it. When I say all day, I mean it. 9:15 AM until 9:45 PM.
2. Our beloved worship leader is leaving our church. She has been transfered to IN, another excuse to visit that fine state. We have a going away lunch and party Sunday after church.
3. My cousin and her boyfriend are coming to visit for the weekend. I have to finish cleaning the family room and figure out how to use the blow up matress by tomorrow evening.
4. I have a Christmas party tomorrow evening that requires 2-3 dozen cookies I haven't even thought about baking yet.
5. Travis has to be at work next Monday and Tuesday morning at 2AM!!!! Holy Cow! That's early.
6. We have to pack suitcases, the van, and the luggage carrier before Wednesday morning. (You know it's going to be a "Big" Christmas when you are instructed to bring the luggage carrier up to Chicago. There better be a MIx Master with my name on it!!!! That won't go in the luggage carrier, that will be buckeled in the van, a child may have to ride in the carrier to make room.)

The good news is, I've done 2 loads of laundry today (folded and put away). The kitchen floor was washed (on my hands and knees). The kitchen table and counters were also washed. Dinner is planned and defrosting for tonight and tomorrow night.