Got Vision??

Pun'kin Head is a typical 9 year old boy when it comes to writing. He was an early reader and has impeccable penmanship, but gets very stressed out when asked to write even a paragraph for school. To help engage him in this seemingly mundane activity, I've been encouraging journaling. His journal started out with few words and mostly artwork, but I felt I shouldn't push him. He has come to enjoy writing short stories and his own comic books. But I've found him writing more and more in his journal, outside of my homeschool writing requests. I've found him copying scriptures into his journal and the other day I read an entry that really made me think. It read:

"I think for the future. I can make churches with my friends."

Wow! My boy has vision! He is planning for his future and I am proud that those plans include the works of the Lord. Vision, we all need to be people of vision. Without it, we perish. So I send out this question...search your heart...Got Vision?

Will You Keep Testing Me, Mama?

This was the question Pun'kin Head presented me with upon the "tuck-in" tonight. As he had a math test today and got a 100%, I thought he was referring to math tests. He said, "Promise me you'll always test me to keep me sensitive and tell me if I watch any bad shows or play with any bad toys okay?" It took a while to convince him that Mama and Daddy have it under control and that's what we are here for. To monitor everything he does until he's old enough to do it for himself. But I'm impressed that he is sensitive enough to know that he does need to listen to the Lord within himself and follow as He leads his steps. Oh, my sweet Pun'kin Head...Sweet Dreams.

Happy 9th Birthday Pun'kin Head!

Autumn is my favorite season. The air is clean and crisp. All of nature seems bustling with activity in preparation for the long winter ahead. The animals are scurrying while they gather provisions. The trees use their leaves to put on a spectacular display and end with a finale of beautiful colors. And then they settle in for a long needed rest. Nine autumns ago, while my belly grew and grew, I anxiously anticipated the reaping of my own great autumn harvest. It was a cool, blustery day, the day Pun'kin Head arrived. And so he came, 6 days early, and he is still learning to perfect the trait of patience! What a joy and blessing he has been to our lives. We've been smitten with him ever since. He is a sweet, sensitive boy with an inquisitive mind. He definitely keeps us on our toes! I have no idea where he gets the questions he comes up with. He has a sensitive heart toward the Lord and there is nothing that pleases a parent more. I am confident that He has a wonderful plan for this special boy. He tells us he dreams of one day building churches with his friends and he is always eager to share Jesus with everyone he meets. So, a very special Happy Birthday, to my very special boy :)

Pun'kin Head's 9th Birthday Party!

Monday is Pun'kin Head's actual birthday, but today we had his birthday party. He requested the youth room at our church (which is the best youth room in town!) for his video game extravaganza party. He's such an easy kid to please, which is such a blessing to Mama and Daddy. A great time was had by all. Of course we had many treats, some healthy, some not. But that's why it's a treat, because we don't indulge like that everyday. Here are a few snaps of the festivities :)

My Irresistible Boy!

We had some visitors at our house for the past two weeks, or should I say INTRUDERS. You know the gross "germy" kind. They hitchhiked to our home with Pun'kin Head and came from an unknown source. They settled in right away and shared the love with every family member, so we wouldn't feel left out, I suppose. The same exact pattern took place with each of us. Day 1-scratchy throat. Day2-unbearably sore throat, can't eat or drink a thing because it's too painful. Day3-no more sore throat, yay, just a constant running nose! Day4- No more runny nose, yay, now a stuffy, can't breath nose and fever, ugh! Day5- No more fever, a little stuffy still, cough, cough, cough! So, of course Mama kicks it into high gear. You know the drill: Prayer first, then, roasting garlic, cooking chicken soup, handing out echinacea, zinc, vit. c, tea, lots and lots of h2o. Changing unplanned-for dirty sheets, trying to cuddle, read stories, rigging the laptop for in-bedroom dvds, de-germing all surfaces, sitting up for all hours of the night with Sweet Pea, who instead of just taking some children's Motrin, would rather scream every half hour that her throat hurts and doesn't want mama, who is now feeling quite yucky herself, to go in her own bed. Needless to say, I was quite tired. Once all the germs set in, I decided to quarantine both kiddos to their rooms as much as possible. Obviously, we all share the same germs, but they can get better rest when forced into beds. It's not easy to keep 8.5 y.o. and 6 y.o. children confined for long. Pun'kin Head was waiting patiently to be tucked in, knowing he could steal away a private audience with Mama. Handsome Hubby was working one of his late nights, therefore would not be home for his usual clean-up-after-dinner blessing he usually bestows upon me (I love it when HH is home for dinner!) Normal bedtime is 8:30, by the time I got Sweet Pea out of the bath, dried off, lotioned up (she had been long overdue for a bath) and painstakingly combed through her thick curly head of hair and put her to bed it was 9:15. I dragged myself to Pun'kin Head's room hoping a quick prayer and hug would suffice for tonight, being so pooped out. I walked in to see him sitting up in bed waiting patiently for me. His one hand was under his pillow like he was hiding something. "Mama," he started, "Because I haven't spent much time with you, because I've been in bed all day, I REALLY missed you." I could tell his brain had hatched a little plan. I sighed. Seeing the disappointment in my eyes he saw his opening. "Could I interest you in a game of Uno?" he asked with a grin. I think before he was born, the Lord must have told him in heaven, "You'll be going with that lady because she won't be able to resist you!" I couldn't help but chuckle. Fifteen minutes later it was finally lights out and as I stumbled out of Pun'kin Head's room, Handsome Hubby walked through the door. "You're just putting him to bed now?" he questioned. My response..."Yup, and he beat the pants off of me at Uno again!"