The Well Rounded Mama

Eight Years

Yesterday we celebrated Alaina's eighth birthday.

Eight years of this amazing girl in our lives.

Eight years of us being parents.

Eight years filled with more joy (and hard work!) than we ever could have imagined.

You can read her (long) birth story HERE.

 

 

And so begins birthday season at our house.  All seven of us will celebrate birthdays in a three-month span. That's a lot of birthdays!

Due to the fact that I will be 33+ weeks pregnant for two of the birthdays and have newborn for the rest of the birthdays, this year will be a little more low key than normal. We usually do birthdays up big, often at a hotel, and always, always with lots of love.  We always celebrate birthdays ON birthdays and we always have special time as a family. "Low-key" just means that there won't be any hotel stays and no big parties.  We told the kids that they could each pick one family activity for us to do (in addition to the normal birthday stuff like picking all the meals that day, gifts, etc.)  When we explained this to them, it took Alaina all of 2 seconds to scream that she wanted to go ice skating.  She has been eager to go ever since they opened a new rink in our city.

So, in between all six of us being sick with at least one ailment (most of us are on 2+), we made a trip into town to skate. I was SO THANKFUL that I was able to go.  The day before I was in the hospital with all my ridiculous sicknesses and problems but being with my kids ON their birthday is so important to me.  And so, while I felt like dying, I made the trip and enjoyed watching my family try to skate.  Obviously, at almost 33 weeks pregnant, I chose to stay on the sidelines.

There was a lot of falling, a few tears, and a lot of confidence and courage building! It was a wonderful trip out, and all around, a great day.  Alaina was so incredibly understanding both mom and dad being sick and was willing to wait on things like her cake (which we will hopefully do today) and her special breakfast cinnamon rolls.

 

I love this girl more than words could ever, ever say.  I am so thankful for the time we have had with her so far and look forward to -- with eager anticipation -- all the years ahead.  She is a bright light in the world and I know she will continue to shine.

Today...

 

Outside my window... It's dark with a cool breeze in the the air.

I am thinking... a lot about obedience and how much it matters to God.  And how hard it is for us.

I am thankful for... my family, who keep me laughing, praying, growing, longing, and refreshed every day.  They make me want more of God so I can be more to them.

From the learning rooms... Much different with Alaina in school.  The boys and I do a lot on our bed, which I love. Today Alaina wrote me the sweetest note that began with, "I love school, but I miss you all the time!"

From the kitchen... Kitchen is closed up for the night, after a yummy dinner of chicken Parmesan.  On the list for this week (by request of different family members)...homemade pizza, french toast, Chicken Tikka Masala, Taco Rice, and "Mommy's special cinnamon rolls."

I am creating... Nothing!  Believe it or not, I haven't been crafting lately.  Since finishing up handmade Christmas gifts and the baby's new blanket, I haven't felt the urge much lately.  I have been much more into reading and just playing games with the kids.

I am going... to bed pretty soon. It's not even 8:00 pm, but really, my days go much better when I am well rested.

I am reading... A few things. 1) I am into 2 Kings now as part of my read through the Bible in 90 days schedule.  24 days down, 66 to go.  2) The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson  3) Love Life for Every Married Couple by Ed Wheat.

I am hoping... for wisdom, understanding, and direction and Jason and I seek the Lord on some big issues and questions.

I am hearing... Nothing! The kids are asleep, Jason is out fixing a tire on the car, and even the puppy is quiet.  Bliss.

 Around the house... "Mailboxes" outside of everyone's door...courtesy of Alaina who wants us to all be able to leave notes for each other.

A Picture I Thought of Sharing...

Homemade biscuits from yesterday. Cooking yummy homemade, from-scratch food makes me feel like a good mama. Just one of the tangible ways I try to say "I love you" to my kids.  We enjoyed these biscuits in a variety of ways...with bacon, egg, and cheese, some with jam and butter, and some with butter and honey..

Spaghetti Painting

 

The other night we had our Second Annual Spaghetti Party.  Last year, on the whim and craving for a cupcake, we had our first. One of the activities that I had planned for that night (in 2010) was spaghetti painting.  I had it ready to go but Jason had other ideas. The painting never happened. 

So this year, I made sure we started with the painting.  And I am so glad we did! The kids had a blast and actually turned out some beautiful works of art.

 

 

And because there always has to be one in the family....Levi decided that paper wasn't nearly as interesting a canvas as his own skin...

"I Love Lucy!"

 

The sentence, "I LOVE LUCY!" is one that I have heard about a zillion times in the last 24 hours. I think it has even slipped out of my mouth a few times.  But really, can you blame me?

 

 

Yesterday we brought a new little girl home.  And there are six VERY happy people in our house today! After having to find another home for our Golden Retriever, Maggie (due to the size of our yard and neighboring walls) we have been a little sad.  There was some relief in not having to deal with the issues of a VERY hyper BIG dog in a small house that often has guests, but we were sad to see her go.  To me, a dog is part of childhood and I really missed seeing the kids playing and wrestling and enjoying one of those sweet parts of being a kid.

Jason and I had talked about it a few times...would we get another dog?  If so, what would we get?  What would be a good fit with our family? How much were we willing to invest in it? We've talked a number of times over the last few months and we just decided to see how things went.

A few weeks ago we were at the mall and there was a pet store and like we always do (even when we aren't pet shopping) we stopped in just to look.  Indonesia doesn't actually have a lot of breeds to choose from and most of what we saw was the typical: the Shih Tzu, the Chihuahua, the beagle, and even a $1000 french Bull Dog.  There were also two little pugs, something I had never seen here before. We looked for a few minutes and left.

I used to think that Pugs were very ugly dogs, but at this visit, I actually found them rather cute.  I got online to read about them and learned that a Pug would actually make a great fit with our family, our house, having people over, etc. We also really liked that, at least at this store, they were the cheapest option. We read and learned a lot and decided to just wait in see.  We were in no hurry.

Earlier this week I was walking by the pet store with Caleb and decided to just take a peek to see if the Pugs were still there. To my surprise, one of them was there, being sweet and playful (she was dragging her food bowl through her cage trying to "share" with the Beagle in the next cage). She was cute, but I still didn't know what I thought of having another dog.

Then yesterday, we were trying to decide what to do with the day.  After tossing around some ideas, we decided to go visit "dog street," a place in town where they sell lots of dogs on the street.  We were curious what they would have and to see what they charged.  We found out!  They had LOTS of animals and they were about 1/4 of the price, but most of them looked a little sickly and the workers couldn't even tell use what the breeds were (we knew most were mixed, but we felt it was really important to know WHAT kind of dog we were getting). After that visit, we decided to stop in a few stores.  The kids were told that we were "just looking" and they were incredibly patient and understanding that just because we were looking it didn't mean we were buying.

At the end of the day, after not seeing anything that interested us, we stopped at the store where we originally saw the Pugs. To my utter surprise, the little girl Pug was still there.  We had the workers take her out and I have never seen four kids more excited.  The little girl just ran after them and crawled on them and basically acted like she had finally found her family.  It was really too sweet.  I have learned not to share my opinion and just let Jason mull things over and so when he came over to me and said, "So, a crate, some food, some little toys...what else do we need?" I just smiled a big smile. I suggested "Lucy" for a name since I love it and Jason vetoed it about .2 seconds after I put it on the baby name list. The kids (who have been watching Narnia) quickly agreed on the name Lucy. Caleb wanted the name Anna, "Because it is easy to spell!" so the kids were quick to call our new little lady, "Lucy Anna Phillips."

And now, after 24 hours, I can safely say we are all in LOVE (well, other than our cat, but she doesn't like any person or any animal). Lucy is just the sweetest...she loves to play and she loves to snuggle and sleep.  She slept ALL night on our bed and was just so happy to snuggle in.  Today has been a mix of playing tug-o-war and snoozing (Pugs are known for being perpetual toddlers...including their energy levels on either full force or full sleep mode!)  I might just be the MOST in love. Can you blame me? Maybe my momma nesting instincts are just in full force as I wait for the other little lady to arrive (who I am positive will be nameless!)

 

 

 

And a few more, because I just can't resist (and I am currently staring at all these because Caleb is desperately asking for these pictures printed, "So I can always remember her!")

 

 

Welcome, Little Lady, to the family. We're so happy you are here!

Two Weeks In

It's hard to believe that we are already almost two weeks into the new year. And what a year it is proving to be!

For the last three years, I have chosen a word for the year.  In 2008, it was CHANGE.  In 2009, it was HOME.  In 2010, it was RUN.  Each year, these words have been a huge part of my life...partly by choice and partly through God's intricate workings in my life. As 2011 approached and I thought and prayed about my word for the year, the answer came quickly. As a long mental list of things I want to work on formed in my mind, it was very clear that only one word would even have the chance at helping me grow:  ROOTED.

"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.  See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ." COLOSSIANS 2:6-8 (emphasis mine).

There are BIG things going on in my heart, in my mind, and in our lives.  There are GOOD things, HARD things, and GROWING THINGS. It is easy for me to feel overwhelmed, to become discouraged, to be tempted to give up and just think, "I can't do it." But I am convinced...more and more each day...that the answer to the issues (both good and bad) that I face is to be firmly ROOTED in Christ and in His Word.  It is the ONLY way to navigate these waters.  It is the ONLY way to truly grow and change and become the woman I want to be (and the woman God wants me to be).  No self-help book (no matter how well written), no conversations (no matter how encouraging), no resolution (no matter how committed) can take the place of being rooted in Christ and in His Word.  As I root myself there, I know that the precious nutrients that my life needs will be soaked up and affect every other area of my life. 

Do you know what that means to me?  FREEDOM.  Freedom to stop striving and trying to improve on my own.  It is the FREEDOM to know that as I root myself in Christ, HE will do the work I so desperately want to see. Now this doesn't mean I don't need to ALLOW Him to work or that I don't need to work to follow His commands, but as I root myself in Him and HIs Word, the things I long for will be natural outflow. My striving needs to be for HIM...not for the change I want to see in myself.

 

I am excited.  I am already seeing tiny glimpses of the fruit to come.  I also painfully feel the pruning that is taking place. But excitement overrides the pain and I look forward -- with great anticipation -- to the woman I will find myself to be at the end of 2011.  I am excited for what it means for me, for my husband, for my children, and for the people in my life.  Great things are in store...things far beyond what I can think or imagine...and I am EXCITED.  I will no longer be taken captive by the philosophies and empty deceptions (especially as it relates to home, family, calling, and career) of this world, but rather, I will root myself in Christ and let HIM guide the choices we make and the relationships we foster.

2011 has already been a great year...and we are only two weeks in!

A PHOTO A DAY

I know I am about a week late in posting this, but hey, better late than never, right?

Last January, after completing my first year of Project 365, I wrote a post about my feelings and suggestions about the project.  I re-read the post today and really have nothing new to add. I finished my second year with the same happy results and the same confidence in my goals. I have never set out for this to be a showcase of photographic skill...for that I would take and choose different photos.  Instead, I do this to capture the every day moments of our lives...the moments that I would surely forget if I didn't preserve them now. As I look through another year of memories, I am so thankful to have captured moments like my kids jumping on hotel beds, the bead I pulled out of Levi's nose, the books that changed me, the yummy food we ate, the day Alaina learned to Google, crazy things about living in Asia, life changing moments, moments days I would rather forget, creativity at its finest, special celebrations, anticipation, and more.

And so I start another year, full of hope and excitement for the precious moments that will be preserved.  And after realizing that I only appeared in nine photos all of last year (one of which was just my ankle), I have vowed to stop hiding and let myself be seen.  I don't like pictures of myself, but I desperately want my kids to know I was a part of their life, not just the person documenting it.  And for the record, Jason appeared in over 30 photos, the boys were both in around 80, the girls in 90, food was showcased in over 40 photos, and my proudest accomplishment...all four kids were in 27 photos!

And now for my favorite twenty photos from A PHOTO A DAY 2010 (there was no way I could narrow it down to ten). These are twenty photos that, if I were to lose them, I think I would cry.

In chronological order...

I just adore this photo...my sweet girl in her batik shirt and henna tatoo. I love that my kids are growing up in Asia!

 

This photo just makes me laugh. How many kids can devour meat on a stick like this??  Katie still loves her sate ayam!

 

This photo, which hangs as a HUGE canvas on our wall, reminds me of where we live. The rice paddies, the mountains, the beauty. LOVE it.

 

Two of my three favorite men

 

An amazing birthday party for my amazing seven year old

 

My sweet and loveable twenty pound ankle weight

 

Me and my boys.  I never had any clue how much I would LOVE being a mother to boys!

 

A reminder of all of the fun and amazing things we do as a family

 

One of those moments where I just think, "WOW!  I have four AMAZING kids and I hope they have the most AMAZING childhood ever!"

 

A beautiful reminder of our trip to India...a place we all love so much!

 

A photo that could represent many, many others.  My four year old is, I believe, allergic to clothes and would prefer that he never have to get dressed.

 

Another classic Levi photo that portays his personality so well!

 

My sweet, sweet Caleb who loves his baby kitties more than life itself.

 

The sweetest moment...EVER.

 

Just a cool, cool photo.

 

Our sweet dog that I miss so much

 

Eleven years and counting...

 

It's so easy to forget how blessed we are, and how that blessing is supposed to be poured out onto others

 

Every family needs to laugh and have fun together

 

The greatest Christmas gift I could ever ask for

 

 

Can't wait to see what 2011 holds!

"Want to go to the beach?"

I woke up on Monday morning and took a walk.  I was feeling the reality of the fact that while I have been being good with really resting during this pregnancy, I haven't been as good at continuing to get adequate exercise. So, I got up and at about 6:15, headed out down my street.

It was a gorgeous morning.  The mountains were clear, the views stunning, the fresh air invigorating.  I kept thinking, "I need more of this."

So twenty minutes later, I got home and said to Jason, "Want to go to the beach?"

Jason had mentioned a number of times in the past few months about wanting to go to the beach over our Christmas break.  I was very hesitant, mostly because of the long drive and my intense desire to "just be home."

So, although this beach was a place he had wanted to go, Jason doesn't quite have my level of spontaneousness and was rather shocked at my suggestion that we go...and that we leave in a few hours. So I gave him some time to process (a whole hour! Ha!) and finally we decided to go for it.  We packed up for a few days with no plan other than "to go to the beach" and we headed out.  The kids were thrilled...love that they are always up for an adventure!

The drive was longer than anticipated (turned out to be about six hours) and deciding on a hotel wasn't a smooth process, but in the end we found a gorgeous place to stay.  I SO wish pictures could do it justice...but there is just no way.  We had a family suite at a gorgeous homestay.  The whole place was filled with gardens and flowers and stone paths. We had our own porch out back and I declared it one of the most amazing places ever.  It would make a gorgeous honeymoon location!

Out our front door

 

Around the hotel grounds

 

The kids loved the giant chess set

 

My sweet girl working on her own Photo a Day project

My other sweet girl just being her beautiful, happy self.

___

We were only gone for two nights but we were able to make it to the beach a few times.  It was just a few minute walk and it was nice to just spend a few hours playing in the sand and the water.  It was really fun to see the kids get used to beach and the waves and to go from being timid to just LOVING the waves.  I'm so glad that they are good enough swimmers (other than Katie) that they can venture out on their own.  It took some time though!

The first time we visited it was mainly just to check it out.  The sand is a dark volcanic sand and the kids were quite excited to change clothes and come back to play.

Later in the day (after eating and swimming in the pool) we headed back to the beach.  Alaina was ready to get in the water but the boys and Katie were quite content to play in the sand.

The next morning we headed to the beach once again, and this time the kids were much more interested in the water.  It started with a lot of just being close to mom and dad...

 

 

And sitting at the edge of the water, getting used to the feel of the waves...

And then the girls were ready to start venturing out a bit farther...the boys would take a few steps and retreat back to the beach.

And of course, they were photographed 18 bazillion times by any Indonesian that walked by.

Eventually, though, the boys decided the waves were worth exploring and they had a great time.  Caleb -- more than once -- declared playing in the waves "the best thing EVER!"

I don't have more pictures of them playing in the water because we were all so busy enjoying being together in the waves.  But believe me when I say they had a blast and I just loved watching their fear dissipate and their love of the ocean grow.

We headed back home that day...a short but oh-so-sweet trip. The drive home was long...another six hours...but at least we were able to enjoy the gorgeous views. A lot of this...

And a good deal of this...

Getting away is just so good...we had some hard moments but good things came of it...maybe even life changing. I am thankful for my burst of spontaneity and thankful my family could indulge me. Three days away on a trip to the beach with my family...the best $150 ever spent.

Making Choices

Every day we have decisions to make...decisions about how to spend our time, money, energy, strength, love,  and dreams.  One of the best pieces of advice I have ever been given is to realize that we can never accomplish all that "needs" to be done every day.  Instead, we need to pray and seek wisdom and ask God, "What is most important TODAY?"

 

And so, while emails go unanswered, a box of junk from my desk sits unpacked, craft projects go undone, photos go unedited, errands remain unrun, and a long list of blog posts go unwriten, I will soak up the last four days of our Christmas break and choose to be with my husband, my children, and my Lord. And then next week, different priorities will surface and other stuff will get done.  But today?  If I answer an email or two and then spend the rest of the day with the people that matter most to me, I will consider it time very well spent.

 

And the photo? One of many beautiful memories of a very impromptu trip to the beach this week. More on that later.  I have little people to kiss right now.