How long has it been....

Wow. I think life gets so busy sometimes that I can't narrow down which part to write about. So I don't write about anything. For a month. yikes.

Here's a little list today just to get back in the groove of things.

• We started a new homeschool curriculum in January. I thought I would love it but it's not turning out that way. However, we're stuck with it until May.

• Lucas is in a community theater group. His first assignment is to do a mime performance for a downtown event in March. If you know Lucas you will find it as ironic as I do that his first acting performance requires him to be silent.

• I have taken a freelance writing job. It's a great job. I write. They pay me. We'll see if I can keep it up.

• I have also decided that no matter how hard I try to make myself be a runner I am not one. I am okay with the fact that a 5K is as far as I will ever run. I would rather do an hour of an intense weight workout or even a P90x video instead of run. That's who I am and I am proud. 

• We went to the dentist yesterday. The boys had chocolate and cookie dough flavored toothpaste. I found that a little odd.

• Ellie is at Kyle's parent's house all week. I have constantly had this feeling that I'm missing something or leaving something behind.

• I am ready for spring. 

• I don't really have another one but can't stand to end with an odd number. Yes I have issues.

So. This is probably the most disconnected list of nothing that I've ever written. But I can say I posted something today. Now I must go see what God has in store for today that I can write about tomorrow. :)

I'm sure you're all familiar with the Old Testament story of Jacob & Esau. Esau, in a moment of impulsivity, gave his birthright to his younger brother Jacob in order to get some food to fill his hungry belly. Something he greatly desired at that moment. He wasn't thinking into the future, only about the desire for the moment. Jacob wasn't innocent in this, though. He was a manipulator throughout the entire thing.

Fast forward to the Brogdon house, 2011.

For Christmas, the boys got a rather large lego set to share.  They had been looking forward to putting this set together since Christmas morning.  Yesterday, they opened the box to begin. Lucas and Jacob started arguing over who was going to put the trailer of the truck together. Lucas had been "wanting since he saw the box" to do it, but Jacob insisted that he was "good enough to do it." This went on ALL. DAY. LONG.

(I must insert here that Noah was happily putting together the smallest portion of the set and was in no way involved in this brotherly disagreement)

Until finally, sometime later in the afternoon, I heard the following conversation.

Lucas: Jacob, please let me put the trailer together.
Jacob: NO.
Lucas: PLEASE?!?!
Jacob: Okay, you can put it together, but you have to clean my whole room.
Lucas: Okay. Deal.
Jacob: Deal.

Lucas clearly wasn't looking into the future. He was only thinking about what he desired in that moment.
Jacob, wasn't innocent in this, though. He definitely knew what he was doing when he made that deal.

This morning the deal is being completed. Lucas is not happy about this. (I wouldn't be either. Jacob & Noah share a room and it is a disaster!) But he is learning a lesson about making decisions, thinking ahead, and fulfilling promises made. (though he insists he did not PROMISE. He just made a deal.)
Our modern day Jacob & Esau story is done.

All this analogy has made me think. How many times do I make a decision based on my momentary desires? Do I stop and consider future effects of my decisions?  On the other side of the story, how much do I try to manipulate circumstances to fulfill these desires? How many times do I try to help God out by taking things into my own hands?

If I'm honest, I have to say I'm not good at thinking ahead and I certainly have been known to manipulate and take control of something to "help God out" a bit.

Hmmm ..... maybe I have something to learn from Jacob & Esau myself.

nine

In early 2001, Lucas was 7 months old, I had just come off of working a long-term substitute position, and Kyle had a new job. We were not planning on having another child for a while when all of a sudden - surprise! We were in shock. But, it didn't take God by surprise. 

Nine years ago today a precious, tiny, 5 pound baby boy came screaming into our lives. We weren't prepared for his arrival. He wasn't supposed to be here for 6 more weeks. He was a Christmas surprise. But, he wasn't a surprise to God.

We were told he'd spend some time in the NICU. "Babies born this early do well, but be prepared for him not to go home with you." I can still hear those words clearly, and feel the anxiety that I had.

Noah entered this world crying loudly and was very alert. He did not spend even a minute in the NICU. Everyone was surprised. But not God.

During his preschool years, we noticed some odd things. Habits, routines, speech patterns. The way he never entered a group of kids to play, but would stand by the fence and pace back and forth during preschool recess.

"He's just shy. He'll catch up. He's just a late bloomer," everyone told us. Over the next few years, though, it didn't get better. 

When Noah was seven, he was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome - a high functioning form of Autism. I had long since figured this out through my own research, but hearing it from a "professional"? It rocked my world. It took us by surprise. But, it didn't surprise God.

Noah is the light of our family. He has such a pure heart. Not big on words, but when he does speak, you should probably listen. It's most likely worth listening to. Though he doesn't talk about it much, his understanding of spiritual things is almost deeper than mine. His baptism was a lesson for me straight from God. (you can read about that here)

He is super smart and loves all things computer. He's not big on athletics, but give him Lego Star Wars or Super Hero Squad and he's completely satisfied.

He rarely complains (unless it's at dinner. That's another post for another day) and is very easy going as long as he has his routines and video games.

He has a sense of humor that rivals anyone around. He can twist words to make jokes that I never would have thought of.

God has used this little boy in my life in big ways. He has shown me that my plans? They're not the best. My timing? Not perfect. But God's plans and timing? They are always perfect. He is in control and nothing slips past Him. Nothing.

Noah, As you grow I pray that you will continue to follow after God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Always remember how special you are for you are "fearfully and wonderfully made." I love you more than you will ever comprehend and I thank God for giving me the privilege of being your Mom.

I love you, Mama. 

Just another normal Monday morning......

• Start washing machine for laundry. The sound of water makes me remember that the dishwasher needs to be started. 
• Walk into kitchen and turn on dishwasher. Phone rings. 
• While on phone see that email from husband has come. 
• Read and answer email after phone conversation is over. In the meantime, see 3 different emails that "need" to be read. 
• Child #2, who is almost 9, can't seem to find a pencil and desperately needs help. Help child find said pencil which is on table right in front of him.
• Tell child #1 to help child #4 put together a number puzzle. Take puzzle into living room and see cups on end table that should've gone into dishwasher. 
• Put cups in the sink and see coffee that was made 2 hours before. Decide to warm up a cup.
• While coffee is in microwave, see water bill on computer desk. 
• Walk through laundry room, to get to the car, to get checkbook and see the washing machine full of water and no clothes. 
• Try to push dirty clothes down into machine full of water. Close lid, and hope for the best.
• The sound of water reminds me of the water bill so I retrieve checkbook from car. While in garage, see Christmas presents that are stored in storage room. Remember that something is on sale today that I need to order for hubby. 
• Sit down at computer to order present for hubby and decide the blog needs to be updated.
• While writing blog, remember coffee that was put in microwave that is now cold again.
• Realize how truly miraculous it is that anything is ever accomplished around here!

Merry Christmas!

• It's a little rough around the edges. Guess I should have given them more than 30 minutes of prep time. 
• Jacob seems to have developed a case of performance-based stuttering. Or maybe it's the fact that he's had no solid food in 48 hours due to a case of the nasty, evil stomach bug. Poor guy.
• Could Lucas look any more like a giant in the land of the littles?

Despite my phone's horrible video quality, the kids apparent need for more learning time, and their inability to stand still, I thought it was a success. :)

Seems I've taken an unintentional bloggy break, huh? Life has been crazy lately and by the time I can sit uninterrupted to write something I'm so exhausted that lifting each finger to type a key seems too hard.


What's been going on around here? Well, let's see:


School, weekend company, more school, more weekend company, the launch of weekly services at our new church, spending time with old friends, Thanksgiving, fighting with an eBay buyer and spending hours on "live chat" with eBay customer service reps who have no idea what's going on, Christmas preparations. That last one just kinda snuck up from nowhere. I was still thinking we had at least 6 more months!


*Thanksgiving was fantastic. We head up to Knoxville to spend a week at my grandmother's every year stopping in Chattanooga on the way to see friends. The only picture I have from the whole week is on Kyle's phone. So sad.   Update: found a few pics on Kyle's phone and here they are!

Lookout Mtn. Battlefield - Chattanooga

Had to get 2 new tires on the van while we were there so we hung out at the mall with the minions from Depsicable Me movie.

Had dinner at my aunt's house one night. This is Jacob beating playing the drums.

Hiked House Mtn. in Knoxville with the boys. Noah found a new passion in hiking.

Good times with Lily, Elie, Zoe, & Sam

*Christmas is my most favorite time of the year. Always has been. I've had Grooveshark going with all sorts of Christmas albums I'm too cheap to actually purchase. The house is decorated. Most of the presents bought and wrapped. Baking planned out. Love it all.  


*This time of year, I marvel at the fact that Jesus came down and took on flesh to become our Saviour. My mind is boggled at the fact that he was all God yet all human. "How deep the Father's love for us! How vast beyond all measure"


*I also think about Mary. A few years ago I wrote down my thoughts here.


*While all this is going on around me, I received an email last night about a prayer request for a dear friend. I won't go into details but it devastated me. I truly believe that God is sovereign even in suffering. Though I will never, ever understand why some things happen. Praise God that there is hope through Christ. 


"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ⁸We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;......... ¹⁶So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." 
2 Cor. 4: 7-17

end of an era

About 3 years ago Kyle came home from work with a really nice (expensive) camera. His department had found it in the midst of cleaning out some closets, so he brought it home to experiment with. He had taken several photography classes while in college and it quickly came back to him.

Soon after that, we invested in a much less-expensive version of that camera. Kyle began doing some photo work for various families and kids and before we knew it, he was a full fledged, part-time photographer. Kyle Brogdon Photography was born.

Kyle Brogdon Photography went of out business when we moved this summer. But he still had his equipment. I would not let him let it go. Until this week. I realized we don't really need that much of a camera anymore. I can't pick it up and just start taking pictures - it's much more involved than that. And, with debt to pay and Christmas approaching, the extra money would be nice. So, the camera is now on ebay.

This past weekend I had a mini-breakdown realizing that this camera would soon be gone and we had not taken real pictures of our kids in over a year. So we headed out yesterday to the college to get a few quick shots. Here's some of what Kyle did in about a 20 minute time span. I may be biased, but I think he's the best photographer around.