10+1=11

One year ago exactly, Seth and I were making our way to Estes Park, Colorado to celebrate our 10th anniversary together. This weekend will not be that adventurous but it will still be sweet. We are staying the night in this hotel. And we will be dining here. I think both of us are just looking forward to the quiet of being together. It's been a crazy year so far (Baby #3 just kicked to emphasize my point...).
I am excited to see what this next year will bring. We feel stirrings of change but one just never quite knows what that means.

If You Haven't Already...

Please Read This!

And, when you are finished...

Read This!

They are both fantastic reads. The first is an allegory-type with so much insight into the Lord's heart. And the second is a great follow-up. Because it goes more in depth to the Father. It really speaks to all of us "church kids" who grew up playing mind games. If I am good today, then He loves me more. If I do bad, then He is pretty irritated with me and doesn't really like me. Just read it and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Yup

This week has been fairly uneventful, other than our fun-park-day. Oh and the fact that I have had persistent heartburn since yesterday morning and I'm not sleeping very well. I'm only 25 week here. This isn't supposed to happen so soon! I love my sleep!! Anyway, I thought I would dig a little from our recent past and show you some pictures from our Florida vacation in June.

This is Seth's Aunt Susan. She's awesome. Even though I miss her for her company, I gotta be honest. I've been craving her spaghetti for 25 weeks now. She's like the best cook ever!

Brothers are weird. They have this bond that involves a lot of punching and, um, gas. But through it all, they love each other. And talk about weird things.

Aren't they cute?? The cousins. I love all of their expressions. L is being swept away by the winds of life. G has secret thoughts. What is that girl thinking that makes her smile so? Josiah is just happy. "Hiii!" And Elijah? Well, he's the oldest and has the right to be the most impatient.

This is Seth's Grandad. Sitting in the same yard that Seth's dad grew up playing on. Heritage is a very cool thing. Grandad sure loves his grands and the great-grands bring a chuckle every time.

I LOVE this photo. I'm going to have it blown up and printed. It will always be a reminder of how cute the boys' feet used to be. Because then they grow big and their feet, well, I just won't go there.

Day at the Park

Seth had a random day off today so we tried to take advantage of the situation. Remember the park where we had sushi? We finally took the boys to the same park and had a picnic. It was great!

Gosh, he's swell!

Feeding the fish. Apparently the fish are not health nuts because they weren't thrilled by the sunflower wheat bread. Which left a bunch of floating bread pieces. I'm sure the fisherman down the current was grateful.

On a mission.

Talking, talking, talking. One of the things about Elijah that makes me want to hug him and wring his neck at the same time.

Discoveries. I think it was a spider.

A very busy bee.

Daddy teaching about the bees. No, not the birds and the bees. Just the bees.

I love my boys! Oh and the chica in my belly!

I call this "A belly and a boy and a pretty view".

I get this look A LOT! It could pretty much mean anything.

But What I DO Love...

is that tens or hundreds of thousands of people will gather in Washington DC on August 16th to fast and pray for our nation. We were a part of The Call in Nashville last year. I know it impacted us in ways we have yet to see. If you are within driving distance to DC, by all means, GO! Be a part of history!!

On a Whole Different Note...

I hate politics. Enough said.

It's Potty Time

Josiah has an announcement to make.

"I Wear Big Boy Underwear!!"

It happened, it really happened. Within 1 weeks' time, Josiah did it with minimal intervention. He even woke up dry every morning this last week! Why am I making such a big deal? I was beginning to convince myself, while cleaning up dirty diaper after dirty diaper, that this day would just never come. Having unhealthy visions of my teenage son walking around with a diaper on. But he came through! He did it! Yeehaw!

And he gets to wear these cute things, to boot~

Count Your Blessings

I think I have a new tool to store in my back pocket for pre-teen/teen years. It will go something like this:

Child enters the room with that "Life is SO unfair" attitude.
I respond, "Well at least Dad and I didn't name you this- Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii!"

Read this article. Thank God for judges who exhibit such common sense!

The Fam!

Recently we visited the George Washington Carver Museum here in Missouri. The man was amazing. He had conversations with the Lord all the time. And he was a brilliant scientist. We fully enjoyed our day...

Elijah was a bit skeptical of the all-Caucasian African band playing on the grounds. Oh wait, I was the skeptical one...

Boy on a Red Bench

Beware of the boy with the plastic knife!

My handsome Boys!!

Penny for your thoughts....

Elijah is so excited for a little sister. 7? Pshaw! He's still my sweet boy!

Okay, sorry, this has nothing to do with the museum. Seth let the boys give him a haircut. He tried the "hair thing" for a while but just loves bein' buzzed!

Updates

Allow me to go down the list...

1. This Friday, I will hit 24 weeks in my pregnancy. Talk about flying through time!!
2. Elijah is out of kindergarten and will begin 1st grade. The plan is to homeschool again this year. He turns 7 in a couple of months. 7??!! Excuse me while I go blow my nose...
3. Josiah is growing splendidly! He can totally hold his own in conversation. It is an amazing stage when kids can speak their whole thoughts in paragraphs. He is also "officially" using the toilet. My boys. My boys take forever with certain things. Walking and using the potty. But once they do, there is no going back. It has finally clicked for little J. Even to the point of waking up dry for the last few mornings. We can now enjoy 4 whole months without diapers and wipes!!
4. This update still kinda blows me away. We're having a girl! Can you believe it? It was difficult for me to, even while staring at the cute moving gray blob on the ultrasound screen. Her name is Lyla Marie. Lyla means "Lily", a flower that may look delicate but is as tough as they come. Don't you think that's appropriate for a little girl who will be growing up with 2 older brothers?!
5. Seth turns 31 this Friday. He is soooo in his 30's now! He hasn't been traveling much these last few months. What a blessing! Especially when I felt terrible the first few months of this pregnancy. It's funny how quickly you can take for granted the "coming home at 5" days. But there is enough traveling happening in the near future to help me remember.

I believe that is enough for now. Next post? Pictures!

Time to Start Sharin'

I hate reading the blogs that go on and on with excuses of why they haven't posted in so long. So I will save you the misery. I have been lovingly poked and prodded back into bloggy-land (Hi Holly and Misty!) and I do believe I'm ready for a new round!

I Have Become a Fan

I have mentioned before how I love to find new blogs to read. Not that I need to find any more at this point of my life, but if I come across a new and interesting site, it makes me happy. I'm not sure that I could call myself a "Midwesterner", even though I have lived in the dead-center of America for almost 4 years now. It's a life I never expected. I am getting better at recognizing crops as I pass fields and fields of green. I can identify different breeds of horses. I have learned to love the smell of barns.
Going back to my first point, I recently stumbled across a blog that I have thoroughly enjoyed. The site is kept by a woman who is the wife of a rancher. She grew up, never seeing herself living in the Midwest. Yet she fell in love with a cowboy. I can relate to her environment just a tiny little bit. Although, I do happen to live right down the road from a Starbucks!
Here is a short interview of the Pioneer Woman. Watch out! You may become as addicted as me =)

Quote From a 3 Year Old

"Mom, I don't feel so good."

"Really? What hurts?"
"I hurt my feelings."
(He now collapses dramatically on the couch.)

Still Here...

Sorry for the sad lack of posting! I am suffering from the worst case of "mental constipation" to date. I'm gonna do it, I know I shouldn't...but....I am blaming this on hormones. What else can I say?

Ahh, if it were only this easy....

I'm Outta Here!

Not really, but I am leaving Thursday morning for a 5 day vacation to New York City!! My lovely friend Misty and I have been talking about celebrating our 30th birthdays with a bang for quite some time now. So we are headed off to New York to do some sightseeing and some eating and some shopping. It is our first time to the Big Apple so it will all be very exciting. We will be staying here. Very posh! We will be seeing this. We will be visiting here and here. Both places I have dreamed of visiting for years! Oh, and we have reservations for dinner here and here. All just a taste of our itinerary for the weekend...
Meanwhile, back on the home front, Seth will be staying home with the boys for 5 whole days. Not that he really needs a reminder, but I do think it will open that door of appreciation just a little wider for the Momma who has had to do it multiple times over the last few years...
Seth's such a great Daddy, I don't really have any worries about leaving. I just know that is a whole heck of a lot of testosterone for 5 days! Yow!!

We have a Name

Today the baby was named by his/her big brother, Eli. And the name is........Shrimpy. Because he/she looks like this at 9 weeks-

Shrimpy has been kicking Mommy's booty. I don't have the time or the energy to deal with pregnancy sickness but he/she doesn't seem to take this into consideration. It has not been fun. I have to be honest- I don't really enjoy being pregnant. Since this is my third go-around, I guess I feel brave enough to say it out loud. There are parts of it that are fun (i.e. the ultrasounds, the kicking, and the baby at the end) but overall, pregnancy has not been kind to me. I am just looking forward to that day when Shrimpy lets me feel a little "normal" again.

"I'm Fwee!"

Says the boy who had a birthday yesterday.

"I want a guitaw, a keyboard, and dwums." This was the birthday boy's list this year. He managed to get 2 out of 3...not bad, not bad! The "dwums" will be saved for a later date since big brother has been asking for a set for about 3 years now. (Which will most likely be happening this Christmas...Mommy is trying to type this without wincing.)
It was a nice, quiet day. But from the excitement-producing soprano notes reached by Josiah's voice all day, you would have thought we spent the day at Disney!

Caution: Curvy Road Ahead

From the very beginning, our family's "straight and narrow" path has had some interesting curves, twists, and turns. The Lord has always kept us on our toes and we would not have it any other way! I have become settled in the fact that I believe He created Seth and me to love adventure, to not live the 9-5 existence, to always look ahead with hope that something new might be on the horizon. This has been a little more of a stretch for me than for Seth. To love the unknown. I love adventure as long as there is a handy list to go with!
We have had a new "curve" in our road this year. At first, it actually felt like a sharp right turn that knocked me off my balance. But now as some time has passed, the first jolt has mellowed out to yet another Macchi adventure. Friends, I am pregnant. Yes, it was a total surprise and No, it was not planned. (At least by us.)
And yes, we are still planning an adoption. I hope that answers all of your initial questions. I will be posting more on this subject. But for now, this is just the happy announcement of LIFE.........

Sweet Boys

I have been a mom for some years now. Every once in a while it still kind of freaks me out that there are 2 people on this earth who will always know me as "Mom". There are still times when, for a split second, I look for my own mom when one of the boys calls for me. Even weirder? When the boys ask me a question and I hear myself say, "Go ask your Dad". But I just have to say- I love my boys! They are kind to each other (okay, maybe not all the time. maybe about 70 percent of the time.). And they are kind to others. Something I fully appreciate!
A couple of days ago, I walked outside. I turned to come in and this is what I saw. Can you blame me for running for my camera?

Sorry, I couldn't decide which one I liked the best. So there you go.

Meet My Friends

This is Clyde. How do I describe Clyde? Clyde is like that big, gangly kid in your class who doesn't quite know his own strength yet. The one who is sweet yet would never pass up any opportunity to play that practical joke on you. You can't help it but he actually becomes your favorite because he's so funny and you know he won't take things too far. Yes, this is Clyde.

(Doesn't he look mischievous?)

Aaand this...is Solo. I actually imagine Solo with a British accent. He is such a gentleman. Solo is my friend's horse. She is guiding me through Natural Horsemanship training and is generously letting me learn with him. He is much older than Clyde so he carries himself quite differently. He and I have quickly become buddies, even more so when I have a pocket full of cookies!

Mama is Down

I repeat. Mama is down. Best flu remedy around here? Well, isn't it obvious? Tigger and the warm-up puppy, of course!

On loan from a very sweet and very concerned 6 year old boy.

It Has Begun

The trucking of children from practice to practice. The Saturday morning games. Yep, you guessed it. Elijah joined a soccer league. His first team sports experience. Practice began this last Wednesday and his first game was this morning. A very unorganized, chaotic almost 2 hour (when all was said and done....the actual game was 45 minutes) soccer game on an early Saturday morn. Every mom's dream, right? Better still, it was in the gym of a local school. We do things right around here...indoor soccer leagues!
Elijah was adorable. He was nervous so there was a lot of quirky shirt twisting and fumbling. (Good thing there wasn't any grass to pick at, huh Mom?) But he warmed up pretty quickly. You know, I've always known my son is a pretty big kid but today it was more than obvious. He stands about a head taller than all of his teammates. I guess I'd better keep feeding him his Wheaties!
They did great. In fact, they won. We're pretty sure the score was 5-1. It's kind of hard to keep track in the middle of pure chaos.
Elijah's biggest fan was, of course, his little brother. We heard "Go Eli" a few times from the munchkin man. His turn is still a few years away. Thank God!
So, there you have it. The beginning of the end. I see a future of endless practices, stinky shorts, deadly socks, and adrenaline-filled games.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Please excuse the quality of the pictures. I am going to attempt to use the "sports setting" next Saturday. Maybe that will save me from all the blurriness...

Drumroll Please....

Exciting news in our little world. We have begun a new blog specifically for our adoption process. Another blog for you to check =) I posted the link on my sidebar. Hope you enjoy!!

Togetherness

When Seth and I got married, our friend gave a tidbit of wisdom that has stuck with us over the years. "May you know the joy of togetherness". I can honestly say that through our ups and downs, this is something we have guarded. Our joy of being together. These last couple of months, we haven't had much of a chance to be together. So the joy started dwindling slowly but surely.
This last weekend we remedied this by going away for the night. We booked a room here.
In the Castaway Isle suite. Who doesn't like their bed in a boat stuck in a tree? We had dinner here. And then played here.

Looks like we got that joy back after all.

Long Overdue

The boys and I had a great time in South Carolina with my parents. My grandma even came to visit from Ohio. It was really special to see her and for the boys to meet their great-grandma for the first time. I'll let the slideshow do the rest of the talking for me.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Home

Seth is due to land within the hour. His first flight to Kansas City was cancelled because of the ice that is currently being dumped over Missouri. Somehow they are keeping the runways clear. Yah!
We get to see each other for less than 24 hours before we all part ways. The boys and I will be in South Carolina for the next week visiting my parents. Seth will be in Philadelphia working on a show.
Posting will be non-existent for the next week with the promise of pictures and stories from our visit with Nana and Grandad...

Peace Out.

Mistah Jones!

I had my doubts. All of these "old man" comebacks were beginning to disturb me. Okay, mostly Mr. Stallone's comebacks. Indiana Jones? Could Harrison Ford really pull it off? Well, we shall see come May 22nd. In the meantime, this trailer does give a bit of hope!

I Love Technology....

I finally did it. I set up a blog reader feed. It was so much easier that I expected it to be....just typed in all the sites I frequent and Voila!! It lets me know who has written anything new, so I don't have to check their site every time I am on the computer, wondering if they have any new posts. It even shows me new posts on Craigslist, something I am shamelessly addicted to.
So, go ahead, try it. If I can do it, so can you!!

What is This World Coming To??

I know there is a huge attack on marriages, family, children, etc. But this article just made me ill! They make it sound like they are doing an act of service....ugh.

By the way,

Happy Valentines Day!!

Go give that "someone" a special hug....you know you want to =)

Grateful

I just want to write a quick note to say how much I appreciate my husband. He works SO hard (since last Sunday, he has worked about 100 hours...no joke!). He doesn't do it because he has an inner drive competing to be the best. He works hard because he loves the Lord and desires to walk in His will. He works because he loves his family with all of his heart. I watch his heart break a little more each time he is called to be out of town, away from his boys....who happen to adore him.
We know this is just for a season and we all feel God's grace as we are walking through it. We know that he is called to a ripe mission field. So we wait, longing to see fruition of seeds planted. We understand that is why he is where he is. Not to necessarily become a better audio engineer but to keep sowing in hope of that one day when one of his co-workers comes to him and says, "What must I do??". It's worth it, isn't it?

What I Did Last Night

I ate this.

Traditional Ethiopian fare. Two words- SO GOOD!
Maybe Seth can take me on my birthday to the lake for an Ethiopian picnic??

Snow IS Fun

As much as I complain about the cold, relentless winters of Missouri, I do have to admit that I really enjoy the snow. At least the first snow. This Christmas when all the Macchi clan came to visit, we were blessed with a beautiful blanket of white. Here are some pictures from our snowball fight!!


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Conversation

"Mom, what is a baby horse called?"
"Well, a girl horse is called a filly and a boy horse is a colt."
"How about a grownup girl and boy horse?"
"That would be a mare or a stallion...oh and there is something called a gelding."
"What's that?"
"Well, it's a boy horse that can't help make babies." (Now realizing the hot water that the mother has just put herself in, she is trying to pedal forward very quickly through this conversation.)
"Boy horses can have babies??"
"No, they just can't help make babies anymore....."

(The car is silent. The mother begins to cringe waiting for the inevitable question.)

6 year old boy says, "Mom, I like horses."
(WHEW!!) "Me too."

Dream On

I love the cartoon version of this photo because that is how this part of my life feels right now- unreal. I think the Lord plants seeds in everyone's hearts from conception. Some seeds begin to fruit very early and others take their time and show their sprouts much later in life. My dream of horses is one of the latter. I always knew I loved horses but it never occurred to me that it might be possible to come in close contact with them. And here I am, learning how to partner with these majestic, 4-legged creatures.
Just to be down at the barn- listening, smelling, touching- fulfills something very deep in me. It has not been super easy thus far. Learning from ground zero is definitely a challenge as an adult! Be prepared to hear lots of "horse-y" stories from me. Because it quickly has become a big part of my life =)

Winter White

And no, I'm not talking about snow on the ground. The boys and I just got back from the park because the temperature shot up to 72 degrees!! I wore short sleeves (something I haven't been able to do for a couple of months now) and noticed my glowing white arms. Pale, pasty, winter white. I'm seriously questioning my heritage here. Filipino? That's not what my skin is sayin'.

Tomorrow's forecast : High 32 with a Wintry Mix.
Translation: Cold and Wet.

Ugghh.

What's the SuperBowl?

Without the great commercials? I actually did not have the privelege of watching the big upset. Who needs to when the very next day, Yahoo posts all of the ads for my viewing pleasure?

This one is Hilarious! Screaming forest creatures...C'mon!!

I LOVE the Budweiser horses...

The Justin Timberlake/Pepsi ad was pretty funny, too. I won't post it, though. Somehow it feels like I would be betraying some inner moral about pop stars...(please note the sarcasm).

Profound

I found this quote on a blog I read frequently. She's a mother of 5 boys (!!!) so I can always read her postings and be thankful for my 2. She puts life in a great, humorous perspective. Anyway, this quote is very appropriate for the community in which we live here in Kansas City. Jesus truly is coming soon but before that happens, we will face situations we never thought possible. How is He preparing us for the time to come?

"Do not desire crosses, unless you have borne those already laid upon you well—it is an abuse to long after martyrdom while unable to bear an insult patiently."

--Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales

By calling us to live our life without offense.

Florida, The Call has Come to You!

Tomorrow, February 2nd, the Call will be happening in Orlando at the Silver Spurs Arena at 10am. Read the following letter from Lou Engle and see if it doesn't spark something in your spirits. The Lord has a plan and purpose for Florida and I don't think we have any idea what it looks like!!

Urgent - TheCall Florida

Dear Florida,

Four years ago we launched a prayer movement for the ending of abortion, elections, and spiritual awakening in our nation. For 50 days and nights, up to a hundred young people gathered together for continuous fasting and prayer. During this time, we received a very significant dream from a prophetic leader in the nation. In the dream, the letters F-O-C-U-S-S were seen. They stood for Florida, Ohio, Catholics, Universities, and Swing States. For those 50 days and nights, we cried out to God for Florida for the turning of the elections. The prayers of thousands in Florida and the voice of the church turned the tide in 2000.

Once again, we are in a critical moment, and Florida is a swing state. Not only is Florida a swing state for the elections, but also it is a swing state for revival in the nation. Great moves of God have come out of Florida in the last 30 years. The sounds of prayer that birthed those movements are rumbling again.

I just got off the phone with two key pastors in Florida, and the first pastor I talked to has 24/7 prayer in his church and twenty full-time intercessors. The second pastor’s church is in 21 days of fasting and they hold three prayer meetings a day. When I hear this, my heart is stirred. I believe history books may well record that 2008 was a year of the great prayer reformation in America.

We look back a hundred and fifty years, and 1857 is recorded as the year of the great prayer meeting revival. A million souls were converted, and four years later, the civil war began. The great harvest was swept in, preparing for 600,000 men to die on the battlefields of the civil war because of the shedding of innocent blood of the slaves. It was America’s day of reckoning. I believe that we could be headed into times like these again because of the shedding of innocent blood of 50 million babies. We are in a crisis. America is desperate for revival and righteous leaders to be raised up who will overthrow the covenant of death of Roe v. Wade.

In the land of Terri Schiavo and Baby Rowan, and in the land of colliding ideologies in your great universities, Florida is once again ground zero. In times of crisis, God’s remedy is united massive fasting and prayer. It is in the faith that God will hear the cries of His people when TheCall comes to Orlando on February 2nd at Silver Spurs Arena. It is not a festival, it is a fast. For 12 hours, we gather not for entertainment but to turn to the Lord with fasting, brokenness, and worship.

Twenty-five years ago, I read Derek Prince’s book called Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting, which he wrote in 1973 because of the passing of Roe v. Wade. A Brit was burdened for America. That book became a textbook for my life, and TheCall was born out of Derek Prince’s vision. The basic premises of the book are that kings and rulers are raised up and removed when God’s people fast and pray and the latter rain outpourings are precipitated by collective gatherings of fasting which become the hinge of history. It was out of Florida that Derek’s ministry exploded.

I met him in Ft. Lauderdale when he was 86 years old, and I thanked a father for giving a son this revelation of the power of fasting from which TheCall was born. We wept together in one of the most precious moments of my life. This is a part of Florida’s heritage. What will you do with this legacy?

I am determined to carry forth Derek Prince’s legacy, and I believe it is for such a time as this. I have personally launched into 21 days of fasting for Florida leading up to TheCall because I am deeply burdened by the significance of the moment.

We are in a Haman-Mordecai moment. Esther was promoted and Haman was promoted and a 3-day fast determined whose voice would be heard. Haman’s court was overruled by the Supreme Court of Heaven and a Mordecai was raised up.

I would like to call those whose hearts are stirred in Florida to 7 days of fasting leading up to TheCall with the first 3 days in an Esther-type fast for your primaries on the 29th. Let us, for those 7 days, prepare for TheCall by cleansing ourselves and crying out to God for a great awakening in the state. When you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather to me there and there the Lord will fight for us. (Nehemiah 4)

For TheCall,

Lou Engle

Oh, and if you have some time, I totally urge you to watch this video. Seth and I watched it the other night, expecting to only watch a little of it...we ended up watching the whole video. The intensity doesn't even begin to match what is on God's heart for this issue of Innocent Blood!!

Luv Notes

"Saru, I LUV UW."

"Pol, I LUV UW."

"J, I LUV UW."

(Elijah came home from school today with these little notes on his papers. He said he did it during quiet time. I guess you could call us a "progressive family" where we don't get letters addressed to Mom and Dad but to my first name and Seth's middle. I love this age!)

What the Wind Brought In...

Cold Weather!!! Yesterday, it was 60 degrees here in Kansas City. Today it is 21 degrees and blizzard-y. Does that sound crazy to you? I'm telling you, it plays games with your mind!

In other news, my new computer has arrived. An apple green Dell notebook. I'm quite happy with it. Now, I know all of you Mac fans out there just scrunched your noses with the faint derision that automatically appears on every Mac users' faces when a PC is mentioned. I'm with you. I understand the snobbery. All I'm sayin' is that this Dell is pretty rockin'.

How exactly do I announce this next one? Okay, here goes- we are going to have another baby. But I am not pregnant. We are in the very beginning process of adopting!! This is something that has been on our hearts for years now and Seth and I feel like this is the year to move forward in it. We are in a major decision making process now in which direction to walk in this. We know it will be domestic. We are just waiting on the Lord for the next step to take. We are excited and nervous and overwhelmed and thrilled all at the same time. Kind of like being pregnant...I'm just not nauseated! So, if you think about us, please pray that the Lord will give us wisdom and clarity this year. He has had a baby in His heart for us since the beginning of time...we want to just be led right to [her].

Updated pictures are my next project for you devoted readers. I just need to figure it all out on this here new computer.

Peace Out.

To our Devoted Readers

It has recently come to our attention that we have been a bit sluggish in our posting. Our true apologies commence forthwith. With the acquirement of new computer shall
many new posts be written.

Thank you and Goodnight.