Beyond Bringing Up Boys

Oh! The hats I wear! Not literally, like Zachary is doing (in this pic from SSI) but figuratively. I'm wife, mom, daughter, sister, and friend.  I'm also teacher, nurse, household organizer and planner, chief cook, laundress, house cleaner, taxi-driver, cheerleader and disciplinarian. Did you just get tired reading this list? If you're a mom, you're well acquainted with these "hats" because you wear them too. Maybe that's why one of the verses from God's word that comes to my mind most often is Galatians 6:9: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not . Like most moms, my daily schedule is already full. My body has not completely overcome its most recent setback and I tire more easily. I find myself "weary" before I begin. I found encouragement this morning in my devotional today Jesus Today by Sarah Young: You live in a world where weakness is often pitied-or even despised. Peop...

 When Zachary’s slender hand grasps yours You lay aside your evening chores, Embarking out upon a pillowed sea. The books reclining on your knees (Yours motherhood; his history), Two spirits blend, his head leans on your arm. He doesn’t have to say, “I love you, Mom.” Seth’s plaintive cry splits pre-dawn’s calm Needing, it seems, your loving balm. His message, to the point: “Take me to Mom.” Setting the steaming mug aside You let him burrow deep, and hide, Enveloped in the solace of your warmth. He doesn’t have to say, “I love you, Mom.” Sam, snuggled in the upper bunk The drink of sleep not fully drunk Has no idea you’re already up. The mixing bowl, the flour and spice He’ll see, and lisp, “O Paradithe” And wrap two sturdy arms around your waist. He doesn’t have to say, “I love you, Mom.” Your husband rises every day And views – miraculous display – How shirts, once hampered, now hangers adorn. Somehow his bride has taught the boys, Delivered meals and picked up toys Each tas...

I cannot remember a time when Easter was not my favorite holiday. In my early years maybe it was because I loved Spring so much.  Being a Pennsylvania gal, sometimes the season arrived too late for my satisfaction. At nearly the first chirp of a robin, I'd be asking my dad if there'd be any more snow.  He'd always laugh and reply that there'd probably be more. Much to my disappointment he was always right. As my relationship with Christ grew, I loved Easter for more than just the season of the year but for the reminder of what Christ had done in my life. From death to life.  Spiritually, with the new birth but almost literally after the birth of Seth. This year meant even more.  I contemplated the words of  Michael Card's "Love Crucified Arose," And these words especially spoke to me.  "Love crucified arose And the grave became a place of hope For the heart that sin and sorrow broke Is beating once again" The grave became a place...

I heard someone say recently that the month of May is as busy as December but she hadn’t planned for it. I can identify! May is always busy with end-of-the-year school activities then add a birthday, piano recital, and at least six baseball games a week and we wonder if we’re coming or going. I LOVE celebrating David’s birthday but because of the above stated annual activities, it sometimes gets a little lost in the shuffle. But I really wanted this year to be different and because we obviously cannot get too much baseball, the boys and I gave him the gift of a family night at Turner Field. It was a late night and so we celebrated over two days and had cake the next night.                              (delivering the candy bouquet we made, along with his favorite drink) David is a lover of God, his family, and friends. I am forever grateful fo...

Zachary and I after his last day of middle school at Veritas It's after midnight and I should be sleeping.  I'll wish tomorrow morning that I'd closed this laptop and chosen sleep instead, or that sleep would have chosen me. I happened upon a picture of what-would-have-been Zachary's eighth grade class if we had stayed in KY. What a shock! In my mind's eye, I still see them as little first graders but the picture showed differently ...and then that wave of " homesickness" hit again. I felt a little like rabbit in Winnie-the-Pooh , "Why, oh why, oh why?" Monday was Zachary's last day of eighth grade at Veritas. There are still times he misses KY too, but he told me Monday this was his best year yet. And through my tears, I smile.

Looking over Zachary as a newborn, David’s mom mentioned how long and slender his tiny fingers were. “Piano fingers.” We already knew he responded to music in in utero. And over the next few years his love for music grew. His favorite group was The Gaither Vocal Band and his all-time favorite song was “God is Good.” He’d belt out that song out ALL the time. He also was fond of the theme song to Clifford the Big Red Dog; would run to his room, grab his guitar and jump on the stage (the hearth) and sing along. He loved to sing in church and sang the Brooklyn Tab’s version of “Happy Birthday, Jesus” in front of several hundred students at Whitefield each year at Christmas from about age three. He’d stop and sing at anytime for anyone. I took him each week to Kindermusic and it just seemed natural that we would pursue music lessons (for him). Samuel was about 9 months old when we took Zachary to the University of Louisville to determine whether to pursue the Suzuki method of violin less...

How do seven years pass so quickly? It still seems like yesterday that I held this sweet boy close and cried tears of gratefulness for his safe delivery. We long ago decided that our special events are much more fun--filled with those we love and so, if necessary, we move the date to celebrate forward or back depending on when Grandma can come. Grandma B was able to come a few days after Seth's actual birthday so we celebrated on the 2nd of April.  Well, everyone but me celebrated. I slept, mostly, but that's a tale for another time. David's niece, Courtney, was here and she and Grandma helped pull off a happy birthday for Seth.  I'm so grateful! I have absolutely no qualms about admitting that I'm very deficient in my cake-making abilities. However, I do enjoy making the boys' cakes and, so far, they've been pretty tolerant of my amateur skills. When Seth chose his cupcake-cake, I thought it wouldn't be that difficult. And it wasn't really, it ...