Prayers of a Child

"God, I super-dee-duper love you!"

This is what moves the heart of God. A child coming to Him in his own language and declaring his love for his Lord. Can you imagine what heaven sounds like when these prayers reach their ears? There are no patronizing, "that's-just-cute" responses. I believe Heaven responds with a symphonic roar to these prayers, adding their own words of love and affection to their Maker. Oh for just a glimpse of this, just a taste of this pure worship. Maybe we are given a taste of it, if we open our ears to our own children? Definitely something to think about?!

C-U-T-E

The boys and I had a little "photo shoot" this afternoon. It's always great when they actually cooperate!

Redefining (works very closely with Refining)

This weekend has been one FULL HOUSE! Let's see, it all started Friday evening when we spent a little time with Grammy and Papa for dinner. Then last night, our good friends Tim and Emily came over for dinner and a movie. The movie was about Mother Theresa and her life ministry to the poor and broken. Oh my goodness, her story has really "messed up" our hearts. Still processing that one!
After Tim and Emily went home, our friends Dan and Misty came over for some good ol' fashioned hot chocolate. Not the packet kind, but homemade. MmmmMmmm! It was snowing outside and toasty warm inside.
Tonight, we invited a great family we have become close with to have dinner with us. They have 3 children so add our 2 and you got it...pure fun chaos! The kids all played great together so the adults actually got in some meaningful conversation.

So here's the deal. The Lord has slowly chipped away at our ingrained, traditional view of "church". I definitely still believe in going on Sundays for teaching (which is the absolute best here in KC) and for corporate worship (in my biased opinion, also the best at FCF!). But I believe this weekend, Seth and I practiced "church" in a way that the Lord has always intended. Building the relationships, blessing each other, laughing and enjoying the time. Many months ago, I posted something about feeling a shift in what the Lord was teaching us. Community. That is exactly what He has been doing. He has formed a small community of friends around us. I just feel so blessed to be apart of it all. Because I know they are strategic relationships. For not only now, but also definitely for the future!

Keeping Busy

So I thought I would post a couple of pictures of our living room and sitting room. I've had fun finding good deals on decorative stuff. Here and this place are the best! Oh, and when you have a gift card for this store, that's just plain fun...

Here is our finished living room

And this is what we did to the little side room off of our kitchen. It has been empty these last couple of years because I couldn't figure out what to do with it. So I made it a little sitting room.

What's that White Stuff?

I just talked with a friend who moved here from California almost 2 years ago. We were saying how much of an adjustment it is to have our lives temporarily dictated by weather. 2 weeks ago we had a couple of ice storms. It took forever for the ice to start melting and then last night we were the reluctant receivers of about 6 inches of snow. I'm not sure if I could ever get used to this. I am thankful we live in a place where the winter temperatures do actually go up. And that we don't live in an area where it stays like this all winter long.
But the boys LOVE the snow. In fact, as I type this, they are all out there playing in it. I decided to forego the pleasure...




I think if I had a snowsuit like Josiah's, I would reconsider. He looks pretty darn comfortable, don't you think?

I Believe...

...that you haven't experienced life until you have walked out in single digit degree weather or until you have driven on inches of pure ice.
That's all.

This California girl is ready for some Spring!

This Week in Macchiville

What began as a windy, blustery week ended in back-to-back ice storms. Winter is finally upon us. I have not put my face in fresh air for 2 whole days now. Why, you ask? Because if I tried, it would freeze and fall off of my head. Anyway, here are a few photos that highlight this last week...

Here are the boys pretending it is warm enough to climb up an actual playground set. What can I say? When it's this cold, you end up a bit desperate.

Here is our fearless wonder.

Who, by the way, got a real haircut this week by a very sweet woman from IHOP. It was a perfect introduction to the "real haircut" world because it was done in the safety of her kitchen with me holding him. He behaved brilliantly!

I know there have been quite a few blogs concerning Josiah's hair. I would apologize, but I think it has become its own entity. We could actually name it if we felt so inclined. Here is a pre-cut photo to back me up on this...

Final exciting news around here. Today we began a much-desired project of painting the living room. It would have been done years ago but the sky-high ceilings have been quite intimidating. Well, we tackled it today with the help of our super-duper friends. Here is a little preview of the color. We will finish it tomorrow and then I get to do some decorating. Yahoo!!

The Year of the Blog

Okay, so I just realized last night that I have been blogging for a full year (crazy because a little over a year ago, I had NO idea what a blog was!). A whole year's worth of information, personal and not-so-personal. I can honestly say that it has been fun. I just wish there was some cool way of archiving these things because it would be really fun to go back in 15 years and read all our shenanigans. Is there any technology out there doing this thing?
Anyway, here are some of my favorites, funny and serious...

1.A Serious Beginning

2.Peanut Butter

3.Crazy hair

4.Josiah's birthday

5.Spanish Lessons

So, for all my 3 daily readers...do you have a favorite? I would love to know!

Happy Boys

I do believe I have a couple of very happy children. They eat well and laugh often. What more could a mother ask for? Hmmm, good question...more sleep, more quiet time, more sanity...but I digress.
We have really enjoyed the boys the last couple of months. Josiah is really coming into his own now that he's walking and attempting to talk. Elijah's mind is in constant motion always ready to include us in his little world at any time. Seth and I are constantly praying for wisdom (I can't imagine doing this whole family thing without the Lord, for real!). Some days feeling like we are on top of all of it, other days ready to crawl in the hole where all impatient parents go.
As I look at these 2, something in me rises. Hope, expectancy, and faith that these 2 will make it. These 2 could very well usher in the second coming of Jesus. This generation will see more than I ever thought possible. But the greatest hope I have for them? That they will love Jesus with all of who they are and they will know His intense love for them. That these 2 will see themselves as the "Bride" for whom the Bridegroom is coming back for. And that their highest purpose in life will be to have the deepest relationship possible with their Creator, their Father, and their Friend. I pray they will never feel pressure from me to pursue these things but that even by my life and the way I pursue my Beloved, they will want to do the same. Amen and Amen.

Who knew...

...that a garden tub could also be used as a playpen?

We support "child containment" around here. Especially when you HAVE to take a shower and you run out of options. You just hope they don't turn the faucet on =)