A FULL DINNER

Pregnant bodies are amazing things, created by the Creator to nurture, foster, develop, feed, and protect these little ones until they are ready to breathe and eat on their own...
Tonight at dinner we showed the kids the pictures we got of the first ultrasound (I am just 9 1/2 weeks along).
Ava kept asking, "Is the baby gonna come out today??" With that cute little look she gives where she tilts her head down and looks at you out of the top of her eyes (You're missing out if you haven't seen that one).
And we explained yet again that the baby needs to stay inside Momma until it's big enough to come out. Jonah said, "Yeah, but how's that BIG BABY (insert hand motions here) gonna come out of your mouth?!"
I said, "Out of my mouth? Um, we'll have to talk about that one later, Joe, eat your dinner."

And looking at the photo of baby, with a little head and little arms and legs that were just buds a week ago, and just realizing that we have such a huge responsibility before us...That we are our children's first encounter with THE WORLD. That they see things partly through how we present them. That we care for, nurture, and protect these little ones while trying to present them with a worldview the Lord would be pleased with. That while trying to be their conscience we are teaching them to listen to the whispers of the Spirit already.
And I was justifiably overwhelmed. What a blessing and a miracle!

Yesterday I got an email from Jonah's Sunday School teacher:
"I forgot to tell you on Sunday that Jonah said the first part of his (very long) memory verse and then told me, 'My mom doesn't like me to learn too many Bible verses.'"
Where do they get this stuff?

A friend sent this to me today...
"~ Tough Love vs. Spanking ~
(A psychological conundrum)
Most of America thinks it is improper to spank children, so I have tried other methods to control my kids when they have one of "those moments."
One that I found effective is for me to just take the child for a car ride and talk.
They usually calm down and stop misbehaving after our car ride together.
I've included a photo below of one of my sessions with my son, in case you would like to use the technique. "
(Check out the speed in the background!)

Check THESE out...

Baby Hannah--my cousin Brian and his wife Jennifer's new baby! (Just three days old when photo was taken)

Isn't she sweet?!?!

Today Jon, Jerry, Louise, and I took the kids to the Clackamas County Fair--it was super fun! We ate and ate and ATE! Here's little Rellie showing off her cotton candy nose and her chocolate covered teeth after finishing off Nana's chocolate ice-cream bar.

Jonah in the balloon ride with some other kids--isn't he cute?! He put his hands up during it!

Here's that green car again...

Jonah back on the rides--he couldn't wait! Here he is "driving" a funny green car all around in a circle.

Sheriff Deputy Jonah Brawley

Sheriff Ava!

Jonah taking Ava to jail in the Clackamas County Sheriff's new car!

Ava was sooooooooo excited about all the baby animals!

Fireman Nannie!

Fireman Rellie!

Fireman Jon!

Fireman Jonah!

Ava's just a little scared...

Ava went on the balloon ride all by herself--she got a little intimidated but made it through!

Jonah getting stoked on that Gator ride (Who ever knew going in a circle could be so exciting?!)

Ava on the Gator Ride!

Jon was working on his Impala yesterday, so Jonah wanted to work on his "car", too.

Ava watching the progress, eating carrots...












Brother and sister in the John Deere Gator














Getting down to the nitty-gritty...Like Father like Son. 

Last weekend Jonah went with April on an outreach day with her church. Check out her reflections...

My Beautiful Twin! heehee! It's been so fun to have my sis April in town and she's even gone to Costco twice with my card--hey, we look alike!

"Super-Joe", complete with Heat-Vision and sporting his new outfit, courtesy of KGW and Pat and Pat Dugan (our neighbors from Clackamas), who won a huge Superman gift-pack and brought it all over for Jonah! Thanks again Dugan's! 

Bella-Rella!  

At Ian and Mindy's house Monday night for dinner...Paige (3) wanted to take a picture with us! She and Ava are best buds.  

Amazing thing...this pregnancy.
I wake up completely nauseated (despite my Meclizine prescription) and stay that way (while I seek refuge on the couch) until about 3:30, when all of a sudden I feel fine! In between the nausea I stumble into the kitchen to make my kids "Breakfast" (a bowl of cereal) or "Lunch" (macaroni and cheese, again??) and myself whatever sounds and smells good. I stay away from the fridge (all those smells merging together make my stomach turn!) and slather a piece of toast with honey while I gulp down a piece of watermelon or some dry brown rice or a tuna sandwich (yes, together). It never ceases to amaze me that Black Pepper Kettle Chips always sound good, even at 8 in the morning and I am completely off coffee, which is a miracle in itself! (Can't stand the smell of the stuff!) But we are so excited and Jon proclaimed last night at dinner, "I can't wait for the BELLY!" hahaha

Good-bye Friends!
Yesterday we said good-bye to our friends of 11 years, Gerald and Jenni Griffin, who are moving to Arizona for a year before they become missionaries to Northern Spain. Needless to say, that wasn't easy, as we've been through a lot together and our kids are buds, too.

Tea Party at Nannie's House! (And once more, Ava is in "The Minnie")