The Weekend

How do they go by so fast? Saturday we had a fun packed day. Carlie's last Upward basketball game was in the morning. She had quite the fan base! Both grandma's and grandpa's showed up, and even Aunt Ginger! Can't tell she is loved...

Then we tried our hand at a "service project." As I have confessed in the past, our family has been struggling finding a "service project" that allows us to show our children how to act out God's love towards others. This weekend I planned a "Kid's Outing" for our House Church. We went to the local nursing and rehab home and coordinated bingo with the residents. The kids loved it. Some of the residents were unable to watch their bingo boards, so the kids sat with them and helped them. I loved seeing my girl's speak kindly and respectfully to the elderly. I loved watching them help and the smile on their faces when they got to yell - Bingo!

Then off to bowling. Believe it or not, this is the first time we took our kids bowling! They loved it and did great. With 10 kids...all under 9, we had many near missed pinched fingers, many balls "thrown" (pitched?) down the alley, and many near missed toes with dropped bowling balls. But by the end, everybody had fun! I am thankful for the friends I have through our church. I am thankful for their values they teach their children. And I am thankful my girls can have friends that love Jesus as much as they do. And I am most thankful for my healthy family.

Lady Rockets

My beautiful girl is getting so big!! This is her basketball team picture!

Baptism

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Mark 16:16

When I met Jeff 16 years ago, we were both unbelievers. I had the advantage of knowing Christ, and being raised in a Christian home. Not that Jeff's home was bad in any way, he had two loving parents, but they simply did not practice the attendance of church on a regular basis. Before we were married, I remember my father at one point telling me that I needed to be the spiritual head of the family. I knew Jeff was my one and only, and I was prepared to take on that role to marry him. Fast forward 8 years, and God blessed us with a beautiful baby girl. At that time, I felt God nudging me back to church, and wanting to recommit to Him in my life. At this point, my marriage could have went one of two ways. Jeff could have told me, I am not going to church, I never have, and I do not ever want to. Or he could decide to attend with me. And I think we know, he picked the latter. We found Grace Gathering with many young families, and a pastor who Jeff could relate with on a personal level. We also met a couple who graciously took Jeff and I through a Seeking God bible study. At that point, I still was not sure where Jeff's heart was on accepting Christ. He struggled with waiting for that "a-ha" moment ... and when it never came, he wondered why? Then one Sunday he decided he didn't need that "a-ha" moment, and simply told God that he was His, and ready to do His work. Next, the natural realm of Christianity is baptism. Nope. Didn't want to. Didn't want to go in front of everybody. Didn't feel like he needed to. Knew scripture didn't mandate baptism. For awhile, I bugged (nagged?) him. I should know by now, that this is NOT the way to get Jeff to do something! You think I would have learned that with the marriage proposal! So for some time, several people in our house church, as well as me, have been praying for Jeff to take this next step of obedience to God. This morning - Valentine's Day - while I was dressing for church, Jeff casually mentioned to me, "If it makes any difference in what you wear today, you are baptizing me." Tears of joy and happiness. So Carlie, Lucy and I got to baptize Jeff today in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I am no longer the spiritual head of this household. If somebody would have told me that I would love my husband more today than the day we married, I would have laughed. But I do.

Chucky Cheese Birthday

Birthdays at Central are quite the thing. Parents don't just "do" - they seem to "over do." We attended a party at Chucky Cheeses on Friday, and Martha Stewart couldn't have planned it better herself. Each child has a crown of ribbons and hearts, each child received a hand made draw string bag filled with goodies...not to mention each sibling that attended also got a gift! Then each parent was sent home with a chocolate and white frosted cake hearts. All for a seven year old birthday party! It was so fun to attend, and even Lucy got to enjoy the fun. I love seeing Carlie interact with her classmates, their giggles are so contagious. With such a small class, it is easy to know each child personally and each parent as well. I enjoy and appreciate that about Central. Perhaps it will come back and "bite me" someday. But I rather remain blissfully ignorant at this point.

Copon for Carlie's Petacear or Manacear

Am I raising "high maintenance" girls? Perhaps. The girls were playing the other day, and I when I was cleaning up, I came across this "Copon" that Carlie's prepared. I love her effort for spelling and it made me smile. I look forward to the days of getting a coffee with my girls and having a "mani and pedi"!

Doing The Right Thing Is Hard

This week we had to teach Carlie that doing the right thing is hard. Hard as in crying. Hard as in butterflies in the stomach. Hard as in it is what God would want us to do. Ugh. Carlie took (asked for) a scrunchy from - all people - her teacher. She was so proud of this scrunchy, wore it around all night until Jeff finally noticed it. Once he confronted her with where she got this scrunchy, she informed him that Mrs. White "gave it to her." Upon further examination, it wasn't given without first being asked for. I know this isn't a major infraction in the life of a child, but Jeff and I both decided it was a time to teach a lesson in life. We explained to Carlie that you cannot simply "ask people" for things you want. It doesn't work that way. Do you go up to your friends and say, "I like her shirt, can I have it?" Where does that entitlement come from? If somebody first offers to give you something - different story altogether. Jeff and I came to the conclusion that she needed to give the scrunchy back to Mrs. White, and apologize for asking for if in the first place. Whew. Lots of tears and tummy aches that night. She laid upstairs and stewed for over an hour. My heart hurt for her! I struggled...was it really that big of a deal? But I knew I didn't want to raise a child who asks for things and expects to receive them!

The next morning we go into the classroom early. I was just as nervous as she was. Several times I almost told her, "let's just forget it." She was a brave little angel and apologized and immediately burst into tears hugging me. Well...I did my best to hold back the tears, but I definitely had some moist eyes. Even poor Mrs. White had moist eyes! I explained to Mrs. White the situation and that Carlie was not aware that she shouldn't ask for things that aren't hers. Mrs. White understood, but I think her heart hurt for Carlie as much as mine.

I am proud of Carlie. Doing the right thing is hard. Unfortunately, I know she has many more stomach aches ahead of her...and ahead for me as well. *sigh* Lord, I pray that I am alert when you send me those little lessons in my child's life. Help me to teach them Your way, and teach them that Your way isn't always the easy way, but it is THE way.

Another Busy Weekend

We are off and running...again! Friday night we met Grandma and Grandpa for dinner at Applebee's. That was a treat for our Friday night. We normally come home from dance and spend Friday nights with a frozen Digiorno pizza.

Saturday we went to Carlie's Upward basketball game. In just two games, the girl is getting better! She still seems to really like it too (I know, I know...its only been two games..), but I love her enjoying herself so much. Directly after basketball started out trip down to Indy. As soon as we reached I69, and saw the long line of tail lights, we knew this trip wasn't going to be easy. What we thought was an accident, was actually two state troopers slowing down both lanes of traffic for an over sized semi. 40 mph. On I69. And when you have kids, what is the first thing they say once they get onto a highway? "I have to go to the bathroom...." So off the highway we jump, potty break and then we decided to take 3 down to beat the semi - it worked!! It only put us about 1/2 an hour behind schedule.

We picked up Lacey and Caden, and off to the Children's Museum. Lacey had the ultimate family package hook up, which turned out to be such a blessing. To say this place was busy - would have been a complete understatement. It was a mad house! We made it to the dinosaur exhibit and Barbie exhibit, met up with the Fancher's for a quick hello, and then we decided we'd try a trip another time. Lacey guaranteed us it wasn't always this busy. Oh my - it was BUSY! Although the girls enjoyed the Barbie exhibit... Caden, not so much.



Back to Lacey & Jerome's where a house full of people were waiting with food (of course, we are Ringger's aren't we?) All the kids played for hours and hours, while the adults laughed, played Wii..oh yeah, and there was a Colts game on too! We finally decided to hit the bed at around 11:30p..I can't remember the last time I almost saw midnight. I am getting old! Sunday morning came and the house was full of sickies. Caden who had been running a low temp on Saturday, woke up with a higher temp on Sunday. Carlie woke up with a temp. Caden was coughing, Ginger was coughing, Eli was coughing....ugh. I hope Lacey sanitized everything after we left. We made it to Exit 88 before I heard it. The cough. The one every parent knows...the cough that comes before the vomit. Good thing she didn't have much in her stomach, but Carlie ended up getting sick in the van on the way home. She is still running a temp, but I can't chance giving her Tylenol because she might get sick...ahhh...the vicious cycle. Well, looks like no work for me tomorrow. I so hope Stella and Millie stay well!! Sorry sisters!

Cousin shot! Obviously this was taken before we knew all the sickie virus lurking in their bodies.

I had to post the video of the night. The canoeing game on Wii Resorts was the hit of the party. I was the ultimate champion, I might add :) Well, I only had to win once, and then I simply refused to play anybody again. But as you can tell, we had everything into it!! I just laugh watching them, and Carlie cheering in the background!!