Appliance repairs, tires, shower leaks, Mayo clinic and a grateful heart

I am about ready to turn the page on January, it has been a LONG month.  But I am choosing to remain grateful for what God has provided.

Last week we had a dishwasher that needed a new pump and 2 freezers that needed new parts.  But I am grateful that items were repairable, and I have learned that they truly DON'T make them like they used to.  2 of the 3 appliances are not even 3 years old.  I also have learned that Cascade is NOT good on new dishwashers.  I am grateful for appliances.  A dishwasher that is run daily thanks to a house full of people eating IN our home, together as often as we can.  A freezer that is filled with frozen pizzas, ice cream, chicken nuggets, and Smucker's pb&j sandwiches to go...that means this house is filled with boys who love to eat and are healthy.

Yesterday morning I got a frantic call from Drew at 7 am.  In tears, the tire popped and he had a flat and was scared.  I asked if he was okay and he responded "yes"...that's all that mattered.  The rest is steel and rubber.  He was okay.  I was grateful for God's protection of Drew, for the fact that he was on the road early to go a bible study by choice...I was grateful that we were able to purchase and install 4 new tires on the truck for the boys.  But MOST of all. Drew was fine.  He was by a gas station and parked the truck.  Scott went and picked him up.  Drew was apologetic to Scott...and Scott told me he just looked at him and said "Drew, it's a tire.  It is NOT a big deal.  YOU are the big deal".

Yesterday I was sitting in the family room talking with my Mom when I heard water...yep...a lot of water...coming down from the Master bedroom shower.  This shower has given us problems before, it really needs to be all redone.  It was not built well, our patch job didn't last.  I am still searching for some gratefulness in this one to be honest.  :)  Considering we had to purchase a new furnace in November, a new Sump pump system in December...and now this...well here it is, I am grateful for clean water. Not all countries have clean water and we do.  I am grateful there are 3 other showers in our house I can use while we await estimates and a plan to repair ours.

And lastly Mayo clinic...while I am not happy we NEED Mayo clinic in our lives I am so grateful for it.  It is close, and we have an appt for Mom there tomorrow.  Between my college friend who is a Radiologist's persistance and Tom Brokaw making a phone call...we fought until we got an appt.  I will be driving there later today to meet Mom and Dad.  I am SO grateful to have Mayo for Mom.  I KNOW there are so many brilliant minds there, and it is a place that gets things done.  All in one spot.

It has been a month...but the sun is shining and God is still in control. Oh and sweet Max’s backpack,snow pants and boots are with Scott traveling somewhere in Iowa today…just keeping it real.  We can’t quite remember it all between nights of 3 basketball games/practices something gets left in the wrong place.  

A Night Out

It isn't very often that we get all dressed up and go out on the town.  Last night was one of those rare occasions and we got to share it with my parents who drove down for the evening.  Tom Brokaw was the keynote speaker at an event downtown Des Moines honoring the Greater Business Partnership of Des Moines.  We heard he was coming this fall and I called my Dad....Dad and Tom are old friends from South Dakota days, and have a lot of Univ of Iowa friends in common as well.  (Dad went to grad school there)...so Dad emailed Tom and voila we were given VIP invitations to come to the event.

Our official VIP picture...sorry I really wasn't trying to block my husband.

It was a wonderful night out.  We were able to have some private time just the 5 of us to talk with him after  he signed books and chatted with those who actually paid for the VIP tickets.  :)

One thing that amazes me is that here is a man who has met Presidents, Kings and Queens, major world leaders...and yet deep in his heart he is a South Dakota boy who was raised by hard-working parents.  His wife is a South Dakota girl, whose parents' weren't so sure Tom would ever pull it all together in life.  He keeps in touch with his friends, they matter to him.  He asked how Mom was doing with her cancer...and we shared a bit about how we are working on getting her into Mayo for another opinion.  He immediately said, please send me an email with all of the details and what you need and I will be sure to call and get it expedited.  The blessing of being "famous" and also a Mayo patient himself, he said, was that he now can help his friends more.  

His speech was amazing.  I wish it would have been recorded so I could share it here.  No notes, nothing but standing on stage for 45 minutes and talking about our country.  What he feels has made it great, what he feels we are lacking.  How we have so much to grow and learn.  His ending points got me...he talked about in World War II how the parachuters were dropped down in the night..the Invasion of Normandy..and how they had brass clickers.  These small clickers fit into your hand...and you clicked them to find the rest of your unit and anyone who was on your side.  Then he clicked one into the microphone, it sounded like a cricket almost.  That is how you found your allies....and how no one spent time asking "Are you a republican?  Hey are you a democrat? Hey what do you believe about _______ and _______?"  nope no one cared about those things...they were on a mission as brothers for their country.  And how we have lost that through the years, and how we have got to find common ground once again.  So powerful to have him clicking that and sharing those words.  

After he was done Dad went to say goodbye before he left...as people were now really trying to push in to meet him  (1400 friendly people were there) and I thanked him again.  I asked him where I could find one of those "clickers" as Drew and Jack are history buffs and Drew LOVES World War II stuff...and he handed me his to give to Drew.   Special memory...engraved on it is the date of the Invasion on Normandy..June 6, 1944.  (That was Drew's initial due date...June 6th)

After our little time alone with him...

 walking through the back tunnels to sneak into the ballroom for dinner

 What a fun night.  I even pulled out the red lipstick which Max said was TOO much...oh well.  

And the clicker...

and because my hair was actually professionally done and cute here is a shot of the back. :)

My beloved

I try hard not to take my Love for granted...really hard...but I know so many days I do.  But today I was reminded again how the little things in marriage add up...how true love shows up in the mundane. (yep I am using that word again)  This year I want to be more intentional in so many ways, and I want to soak in the moments.  Not race through life.  

These are the little things I have noticed lately:

-he runs to the grocery store more often than I do, for eggs, for milk, for bread...most times I don't even have to ask.  He just does it knowing we are out.

-he does laundry, if I haven't done it he doesn't complain about the piles of laundry, he just does it.  

-he cuts meat off the bone for me (I cannot do it, and rarely do I make things with bones, but we had a roast chicken the other night and he just knows and cuts it off for me before it hits the table)

-he takes the boys and gives me breaks, without asking he plans something to get away with them.  An errand, a game, lifetime...something for them to do together to give me a moment

-he encourages me to workout with him, he doesn't get irritated when I say no, he just asks again the next day

-he does the dishes, almost every single night, he cleans up the dinner

-he brings in the mail and then let's me go through it first because he knows I love to see what's in the mail

-he thanks me for the things I do to make the house run smoothly, he appreciates me.

-he makes sure my car always has enough cleaning fluid on these slushy days of winter

-he makes me laugh

-he lets me cry

-he never complains when things aren't picked up around the house, never ever.  

-he makes our boys smile and laugh

-he follows the boys' grades online and spurs them on to do their best with weekly notes

-he sends us scripture in emails

I am grateful for him.  20 years of sharing life with him.  It matters who you marry.  

The Mundane Days

I often think about the days...the mundane days.  The days like today, where I have a million lists running through my mind of things that need to get done.

-pantry needs to be cleaned out

-Christmas lights put away

-the pile of donate, keep, sort sits still in the corner to be gone through

-the dishes that need to be hand washed because the dishwasher still isn't working right

-the clothes that need to be put away

-the thank you notes that still need to be written

-the paper piles on my desk need to be sorted

-the freezer that needs to get cleaned out and defrosted

then there are the boys...

-some who are sick

-well check ups this afternoon for others
-one who has a possible concussion headed into the Dr

-basketball uniforms that need to be washed

-team dinners that need to be planned

-socks that need to be sorted

-reading that needs to be practiced

then there are my own goals

-prayer journaling

-book reading

-bible studying

-eating healthy

-exercising daily

my other "jobs"

-photo editing

-Twig & Daisy planning for 2016

-yearbook planning and organizing

plans that need to begin

-graduation open houses

-spring break trips

-flights found

-college planning

And then I come back to last week...

-an 18 year old boy who took his own life

-a mom waking up to that thought every morning

-the word cancer again

-6 month check of a mammogram for myself with ultrasound scheduled

And it all comes into perspective again. 

What really matters?

The mundane days of God's faithfulness.  God hasn't moved, He is not surprised by any of this...He holds the plan.  Do I fully trust Him?  Do I fully trust in His plan?  That challenges me.  I like to be in control and I like to put the labels on the bins, coordinated with each other with a beautiful polka dot ribbon on top.  But I have to let go and let God in the little and the big stuff.  

Birthday Boy

We had Max's birthday party here on Saturday, from 11-1:00 pm.  He has been SO excited to have it he has been counting down the days since Christmas!

First it was going to be a Rescue Hero Party and then he opted for Star Wars over Christmas break.  Easy enough as there is Star Wars stuff everywhere right now!

We even surprised him with costumes...that was fun.  We planned a Jedi Training Academy in the basement.  Complete with Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Jango Fett and of course Darth Vader.

After their "training" was done, they basically ran around in the basement playing while we got lunch set up.  I had found a sheet of fun labels with Star Wars puns written on them and basically we made things fit to those labels.  Thank you pinterest and free printables.

...more pictures to come.  Another day. :)

Found this today

Scott had the day off and has been cleaning his office...he came upon a drive that had this image on there...my friend Makila put it together for me when Max was a baby.

Here are all of the boys at 4 months old...

precious babies of ours

Boymom

Recently our junior high Pastor, Joe,  asked me to write a guest post on what I have learned from raising boys...yikes.  I certainly have learned a lot of what works and what does NOT but I am in NO way all knowing about these boys that live in our house.  Not AT all...but I did my best with what I know now.  And above all we pray a LOT in this house..for wisdom, protection, direction...

Here is what I sent to Joe this week as my final draft.  I am not sure when he is posting it.  I pray that it encourages someone.

I am so very grateful to be the Mom of these boys.

I am a boymom (a mother to only boys) and I absolutely love it.  Along with my husband, I have the privilege of raising four boys into men. Currently we have an 18-year-old, a 16-year-old, a 13-year-old, and a bonus little guy who is 5 years old. By the time he is a teen I hope to have this whole “motherhood” thing down.

There are things I have learned along the way but have by no means perfected my parenting. Despite the varying personalities of our sons there are several things that have remained the same while raising them as teenagers. 

Here are the top10 things I have learned from parenting teenage boys:

1. Some of our best conversations happen in the car…when they don’t have to look me in the eye. They feel more freedom to ask me something that may be a bit uncomfortable for them to ask eye-to-eye. I purposefully don’t play a lot of music in our car and they aren’t allowed to be on their phones if they are sitting in the front seat. It allows time and space to talk.  

2. Food matters. I am “that mom” who agrees to run pizza to school, bake cookies for their friends, buy their favorite treats at the store, and make their favorite meals to celebrate them. Food matters to teenage boys. My boys appreciate that I understand how important food is to them. They have repeatedly thanked me for being “that mom” who always provides good food for them and their friends.  

3. Texting is safe with Mom. My boys text me often. They text me about funny stuff, sports stuff, and real life stuff. It’s another safe place for them to share with me. Texting is quick and they don’t have to look me in the eye. It’s also a great way for me to send a quick encouragement, reminder, or prayer to them. Plus I know they always see and read my texts.

4. Teaching them to be gentlemen is appreciated. There was a time when my boys rolled their eyes as I stood there waiting for them to open a door for me, but now they are proud to do it for me and for others.  They love to be “the man” by holding the umbrella for me or parking the car for me so I am dry (wait until they have their driver’s permit for this one). I often hold their arms and have them escort me into church or the mall so they can feel what it’s like to be a protector. They are not too young to learn. Teach your boys to walk on the outside of a sidewalk and let Mom walk on the inside and to pull chairs out at a restaurant. They may act like it’s cheesy but trust me, they will love having this inside info when they begin to date some day. 

5. Play an active role in conversations about sex. It does not have to be a father/son only conversation. I have found that my boys and I have an open dialogue about girls/women “stuff” because I have allowed and welcomed it. Certainly I know more than their dad about being a girl, so it makes sense that they feel comfortable with those conversations with both of us. In our house I would prefer they ask us rather than their friends. It is an ongoing discussion, they have heard the word uterus more than they would prefer. They may giggle and be mortified but in the end I know that’s all a cover---they’re secretly grateful to have answers to their questions.

6. Praise them for the little stuff.  Quick comments matter. Praise them when they try something new. Praise them at the end of a game even if they only played one minute. Let them know you LOVE them. Thank them when their laundry makes it into the basket or when they help fold laundry or help with a meal. Kids want to please their parents---tell them when they’ve accomplished that!  

7. Teach them to write a letter to you and share their feelings. I don’t ask my boys for presents on Mother’s Day or my birthday. Instead, I ask them to each write me a letter. I tell them, “Write me a letter; tell me what you are thankful for, what you need from me, and what matters to you about my mothering. “ It teaches them to write a “love letter” and it teaches them to search their hearts. I pray someday this will translate in their marriages. 

8. Kiss them daily. Yep, even if they squirm. My boys don’t leave the house in the morning without a kiss on the cheek. It’s not an option.  

9. Tell them “I love you.” I don’t think any of us can hear “I love you” enough. 

10. Pray them out the door. I pray every morning with our boys before they leave for school. Don’t just tell them you are praying for them today—actually pray for them!  Pray aloud, in the kitchen, in the car drop off line, and even when they are running late. There is no better way to send them out the door.

In this world of boys in our home there may not be cute ribbons and bows, coordinating shoes, or quietness in our home, but we do love BIG!  The blessing of boys is they do a lot of things with great passion; they fight hard, forget fast and love BIG!

Pictures are Powerful

I have always felt like pictures are powerful.  I have always known that, always been a picture taker.  Yep, when I was in elementary school I got my first camera..a disc camera.  I have awesome pics of my neighborhood, my street, my stuffed animals, my bedroom...all that I probably took in 2nd or 3rd grade.  Then I have awesome ones of the last day of school 4th-6th grade.  Playground pictures, group pictures.  I have ALWAYS been THAT girl with a camera.  Bless my parents hearts for the thousands of dollars spent developing my pictures and allowing my to blow them up, and hang them ALL over my walls in my room.  Never ONCE did they complain, or tell me to stop taking so many pictures.

This week I have been humbled.  I took senior pictures this past summer of the boy, Drew, who took his own life.  His Mom emailed and asked for any and all pictures I still had, that I had not edited.  I put a verse on one of his photos and asked her permission to post it, she asked to make a poster of it.  I always force ask senior boys to kiss their Mom's for a photo, and last night at his visitation his Mom shared how that picture from that moment will always be her very favorite ever.

As I have edited more pictures this week of him, and looked through my archives of photos of when he and Tommy were younger and played on the same sports teams I realize the power of photos even more.  They capture a moment, a memory, something you will never get back.

I have also realized the impact one person can have on a community.  There were probably 1000 people last night in line at his visitation.  I am NOT exaggerating.  The line went for hours, they were still greeting people at 11:00 pm.  They started at 5:45 pm.  If Drew only knew how loved he was by many...

I don't ever want to be editing senior photos for a funeral again, but I am so grateful that the love I have for photos, for capturing every expression I possibly can, for always taking TOO many photos at a session...I am grateful that right now this is a priceless gift I can give his parents, his family.

Pray for this family, they are hurting.  I am grateful for the promise of heaven for those who believe!

BEING LIGHT TO YOUR FAMILY

by Carolyn Oakes, JH Bible Teacher

I remember the devastation and embarrassment as if it were yesterday.  We had traveled back to the Chicago suburbs to visit family and friends and were attending an event at our old church.  My husband and I had grown so much in our faith since our move to Des Moines. We were looking forward to sharing and being a light to loved ones in our old community.  We looked fantastic!  I had spent extra time that morning creating the image of perfection, matching dresses with big bows for our daughters, color-coordinated with our sons and their clothing.  Not a hair was out of place, because of course, we have to be perfect, or at least appear to be perfect to be a light for Jesus - or so I thought.  Our kids were sitting with old friends in the very front row as the event began.  Part way through the first song there was a loud shriek, followed by screaming in the first row.  Two unruly children jumped up, the younger with his chubby 3 year old hands firmly wrapped around his sister's long hair, pulling with all of his might, as she, with her face contorted, continued her howling.  I quickly scanned the room to gauge the reaction of the shocked crowd, as I jumped up to collect my children, yes, my children.  My not-so-perfect children.  I escorted them out, diverting my eyes from the disapproving gaze of the crowd and firmly depositing the hooligans into our mini-van.  As I commenced my verbal tirade, I was crushed and despondent.  Our children had typical moments of misbehavior but had never done this before. Why here?  Why now? I felt defeated as a parent and as a light for Jesus.  How could I be a testimony to these dear ones in this community now?  Our cover had been blown.  We were not the perfect family.  We could not be a light.

This was one of the barriers that I had to sharing my faith.  I willingly believed the lie that I had to be perfect. What prevents you from shining the light of Jesus to your family and friends?  There are various reasons and barriers that believers struggle with, but some seem to be extremely common.  

Matthew 5:14  "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

As believers, we know that we are commanded to let our lights shine.  We desire for our family members and friends to know the incredible love and security of our Savior, but let's face it - it can be a struggle.  Let's look at some of the typical barriers that prevent us from sharing our faith and some Biblical strategies to overcoming them.

Pondering the "what ifs?"

Many of us are caught up in the "what if" mode of thinking.  What if they reject me?  What if it creates awkwardness between us?  What if they think I'm prideful? What if they think I'm weird?  What if they ask me a question that I cannot answer?  What if they are smarter than I am? What it they don't want to change? This line of thinking is clearly a trap of the enemy.  If Satan can get our focus off of the Lord Jesus and the good news of His love, grace and redemption, and onto ourselves, he has won a battle.  We are told to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith," (Hebrews 12:2) and to "take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5)

When spiraling down in our thoughts, we should be compelled to ask the question, "how big is our God?"   Friends, He is the creator of the Universe.  He is the one who formed us.  He is omniscient and omnipotent.  He is the one who calms storms and stirs hearts.  The great Rescuer!  He can handle each one of our "what ifs?"  

What if they reject us?  The Bible tells us, "Though your mother and father reject you, I the Lord your God will never reject you." (Psalm 27:10) We are not to seek after the approval of people anyway. (Galatians 1:10) His approval is what truly matters.

What if it becomes awkward between us?  If we truly just continue loving our family and friends, any potential awkwardness can melt away. 

What if they are smarter than us?  They might be and that is okay.  What if I don't know what to say?  The Lord will give us the words to speak through the power of His Holy Spirit. God assures us in Isaiah 55:10-11 that His Word will not return empty, without accomplishing what He desires.

Rebecca Manly Pippert, in her book, Out of the Saltshaker and into the World, addresses this fear:

"Our problem in evangelism is not that we don't have enough information-it is that we don't know how to be ourselves. We forget we are called to be witnesses to what we have seen and know, not to what we don't know. The key on our part is authenticity and obedience, not a doctorate in theology. We haven't grasped that it really is OK for us to be who we are when we are with seekers, even if we don't have all the answers to their questions or if our knowledge of Scripture is limited." 

Past Mistakes

Recently, my husband and I had coffee with a sweet, young couple, who desperately want to be a light to their extended family.  The young woman was sharing with us how she has 25 years of past mistakes preventing her from sharing truth with her family.  Can you relate?  I sure can.  I thank the Lord that His mercies are new every morning.  Great is His faithfulness!  (Lamentations 3:22-23)  He reminds us in His Word that He has set us free from sin (Romans 6:18) and that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) 

How important it is to take a humble position and attitude in our discussions with our families.  We want to remind them that although we want to be good examples, we make so many mistakes and fall short often. But we are coming before the Lord, asking for His wisdom.

We were recently encouraged by a story that author and speaker, Gary Rosberg told at a Christmas party.  He and his lovely wife, Barb, had traveled to London to counsel a couple living there.  They were unexpectedly detained by the London-Heathrow airport immigration officials and taken to a jail in the lower level of the airport.  Their possessions, including their cell phones were taken from them, as they were interrogated individually.  After being held for a several hours and still being denied answers to the charges holding them there, Gary reached out to the senior official.  "I can see that we have offended you, " he said.  "Would you please forgive me?" The woman was astounded. "What?" she asked, bewildered by his words. Gary repeated his statement.  "I don't know what we have done wrong but I can see that we have offended you. Would you please forgive me?"  Immediately, the woman rose from her seat in the cold, sparse room.  "I'll be right back," she quipped.  She returned shortly with official permission and documentation to release them without delay.  The power of asking forgiveness! I was spurred on by his story to ask for the forgiveness of another.  Is there someone who needs to hear these words from you, Friend? Don't delay.  One never knows how the Lord will use this act of love to break down walls when we are obedient and humble before Him and others. 

So we have overcome some of the obstacles in our way but how do we do it?  How do we shine the light of Christ? 

Practical Love

Jesus tells us to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength; and to love our neighbors as ourselves.  He calls this the Greatest Commandment.  (Matthew 22:37-39; Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:27) A person in love with Jesus is a winsome sight.  Because we are so loved by Him, we can love others like he does, in His strength.  We are set free from our human constraints and can truly love the unlovable.  But you don't know my Uncle Ed, you may be thinking, or my mother-in-law.  Yes, many of us have difficult to love people in our families, but immersing and wrapping ourselves in His love frees us to love anyone.  

Recently, our staff had the privilege of sitting under the teaching of Bible teacher and scholar, Ray Vander Laan.  One of the challenges that RVL, as he is affectionately called by his students, put before the staff was to be Besora 'la Basar to others. This is a Hebrew expression referring to being the very presence of Jesus, His hands and feet to those around us.   I often challenge my students in the application of God's Word with "What does this verse look like, lived out by you, a junior high student in Urbandale, Iowa?"  Friends, this is the true key to being the light of Jesus to others.  If Jesus were in our families, how would he respond?  How would he love? How would he speak truth?  How would he encourage?  He was compassionate, yet firm; loving, yet truthful. 

Some of our family members may be difficult to love.  We can love them with the power of Jesus, living in us.  Some may not accept our love. Perhaps they are aloof and unresponsive.  Ask the Lord to show you how to love that person in a way that makes sense to him or her.  And then do it.  He is faithful. 

Proper Balance

Lon Allison, of the Evangelical Covenant Church of America, made a point at a conference years ago that still sticks in my mind.  He was discussing the need to balance sharing the gospel with acts of love. He danced down the aisle, doing a ballroom dance.  He replaced the beats to the song with the words care and share, using ten "cares" to every "share".  His point, as he danced up and down the aisles was that we need our actions to enhance our words.  It is a delicate dance and balance.  Jesus' miracles were usually preceded with phrases like, "He had compassion on the crowds."   Do our families know how much we care?  I am often convicted in the busyness of everyday life that I need to reach out more with acts of compassion.  A phone call to check in; a note in the mail; a text that you are praying for a loved one -  these things do not take much time but can be very meaningful to others, showing that we do indeed care about them.  

Prayer

E.M. Bounds stated that "Talking to men for God is a great thing but talking to God for men is greater still."  Our Father God delights in answering our prayers.  He commands us and invites us to Ask, Seek, and Knock (Matthew 7:7) and to come boldly before the throne of grace.  (Hebrews 4:16)  "Prayer does not fit us for the greater work, Prayer is the greater work," contends Oswald Chambers.  It is powerful!

Chris Walker of EvangelismCoach.org shared some helpful prayer points in a blog post. 

• Ask God to open their spiritual eyes (2 Cor. 4:4)
• Ask God to give them ears to hear (Matt. 13:15)
• Ask God to give them faith to believe (Acts 20:21)
• Ask God to give them the will to respond (Rom. 10:9)
• Ask God to send people into their lives to witness to them (Matt. 9:38)
• Ask God for ways to build caring relationships (I Cor. 9:22)
• Ask God for opportunities to witness (Col. 4:3)
• Ask God for boldness to witness (Acts 4:29)
• Ask God for an opportunity to invite them (Luke 14:23)
• Ask God to set them free from spiritual captivity (2 Tim. 2:25-26)

As we bring our loved ones before God's throne of grace, may He give us His love, confidence, perseverance, and Holy Spirit power, equipping us to be to be Besora 'la Basar to our friends and family, shining the love of Jesus into even the darkest of places. 

Happy 6th Birthday Max Harold!

How can he be 6?  I know I say this every year when our boys' birthday come around...but how can the years go so fast?   Max is a priceless gift to all of us, the baby I felt was missing...and the baby Jack prayed here.  God knew.  I say this ALL of the time but Max truly is the ICING ON THE CAKE in our house.  He makes us all better.

It has been a year of SO many firsts and changes for Max.   The pictures didn't upload in order...so despite my need for order I am just going to go for it and leave them as is...

 First day of Kindergarten (may be tears in Mama's eyes)

 First parade to be in...DMC Homecoming Crown Bearer

 Not a first, but still will snuggle and sleep at times by Mama

 2nd round of stitches...first ones from bleachers in the student section 

 First trip to Legoland (Spring break)

 First golf lessons and golf clubs

 Promising to have a relationship with Jesus...choosing to follow Him

 Fishing more independently this summer

 Learning to write words...

 Lots of cabin early bed times (go go go all day long)

Another trip to see Brutus with Dad

 4th of July water balloon fight

 First lost tooth

 2nd time being a policeman at Halloween

First Season playing tee ball

First season playing flag football

So many things....we love this boy so much...here is a poster I have ready for his birthday party this upcoming Saturday...it is Star Wars themed :)