A few Easter pics

You've got to love Drewdie's precious green smile and Devlans huge cheese!

Today 2000 years ago

So today is a crazy day for me. Being a tax accountant, we are pushing everything that is due on April 15th out the door today so that everyone can enjoy their Easter weekend (instead of working all weekend.) But, this morning, on my way to work I spent some time talking outloud to the Lord as I often do. (In this age of hands-free I get less crazy looks than I used to.) I couldn't get over the magnitude of what was happening this day over 2000 years ago. Instead of my normal listing of please give me and provide for me and forgive me fors, I just asked Jesus over and over was he thinking of me when he was scourged, beaten, spit upon, mocked, nailed to the cross, crowned with thorns and as he felt the weight of my sin as His Father turned his back. His resounding response to me was YES! He loved ME that much. That sounds very diferent that "For God so loved the world", what God was saying through John was "For God so loved Nicole". WOW! He would have done it just for me or you had we been the only ones on the planet. This is a love I hope I never get over and I'm sure I will never understand. Jesus suffered all of this WILLINGLY. Yes, he was nailed to the cross, but he laid down on that cross of his own will. He could have called a legion of angels to free him, but instead he hung there, in agony, thinking of me. Loving me so much, even in my wickedness, and knowing I would never be able to earn forgiveness, so He paid my debt for me. So today I am going to spend the day just thinking of Him and thanking Him for this amazing thing that He's done for me.


Isaiah 53:3b-6, "We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down...But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins! He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all." (NLT)

Drewdie's Test Results and Resurrection Day Plans

BJ and I went to meet with Director of the pre-k program that identifies and helps children with all sorts of learning issues. In the end, Drew was tested by a psychologist, speech therapist, and occupational therapist. He was also observed at his preschool. Donna (the director) obviously had fallen in love with Drew at the observation, and really, I know he's mine, but he IS the most beautiful child EVER!! The bottom line of all the results are that our child is brilliant like his Daddy and wild and figety like his Mommy. His constant movement is attributed to a "sensory input problem" that requires him to experience and process the world through movement. This also means that Drew has a very difficult time ignoring and blocking out ambient noise and excess visual stimuli. Because Drew is above where he should be intellectually, he is not able to get the occupational therapy he needs for free. So we are waiting to see what our pediatrician can find out about getting him into a private therapist. I know that God will provide whatever we need financially to get Drew the help he needs. Apparently things like weighted vests and massage can help Drew stay focused. The good news is that even though he is constantly moving, and it often appears that he isn't paying attention, he is! He is still learning everything he needs to and I guess we should become really concerned if he ever slows down. :)

This coming Sunday is my favorite holiday! Christmas is great, with all the gift giving and holiday spirit, and certainly had Christ never been born we couldn't have saved me from my sins, but there is nothing like celebrating God's power and love through the empty tomb!!!! We have lots of family out of town on Sunday so our normal Easter Sunday lunch is out. So instead we are choosing to do something special for the kids. Jay-May will bring over KK (since her hubby has to earn a living) and we will have a real live picnic. We will have NO adult food, but rather have all of the kids favorite things like mandarin oranges, grapes, cookies, pig-in-the-blankets, and chicken nuggets. We will all pile in the hammock and swing and sing and play. I am VERY excited. I want my children to remember this and what it is all about. I will constantly remind them that this day and all the candy and eggs is just how we celebrate that yes, Jesus died on the cross for me (and for you), but he didn't stay dead. HE IS ALIVE AND LIVING IN ME!!!! HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY EVERYBODY!!!

A funny moment from the Brantley dinner table

BJ and I are making our grand RE-entrance into youth ministry. We have both missed it horribly and through our awesome student pastor, Chris, we are going to participate in a D-now event at the end of April. BJ and I were discussing how awesome these events are (overnight discipleship events) and how we always make memories with the friends that are also participating. I made the mistake of saying, "no children and lots of fun". Of course, nosy britches (a.k.a Devlan) was listening intently the whole time. He raised his hand (sometimes he forgets that he's not at school and knows better than to just interrupt) and said "So are you saying that you don't like us mommy?" I started laughing and then realized that he was semi-serious. So then Bj tried to dig me out by asking Delvan, "Who would you rather play your DS with, Caleb or me?" Devlan had caught on at this point and said "You Daddy". We happened to know that this wasn't true and the smile on his face was a dead giveaway.
Note to self: Not only will they repeat anything they hear but also analyze it.....SCARY!

A grown-up heart ache

Last night I made it home just in time to read the boys a book and tuck them in. After our normal prayers and kisses and hugs everyone got situated in their perspective beds. Devlan (from the top bunk) sat up and handed me his frog (he sleeps with a frog and a bear every night). He said "mommy I can sleep by myself now, you can throw the frog away". He said it without a smile on his face and he was actually quite pitiful. I was saddened and immediately suspicious of what brought this on. Was this a sort of big boy rite of passage to give up your stuffies or had someone shamed him into this? I walked away (with frog in hand) looking for Drew's huge Mickey Mouse and my mommy-dar kicked in. I walked back and stood on the bottom bunk so I could be nose to nose with my big boy and asked him, "Baby, did somebody tell you that you shouldn't sleep with stuffed animals?" Big alligator tears filled his eyes and he shook his head no. I asked him what was wrong and he said "I don't know". I made sure he knew that I was NOT going to throw the frog away and he could have it if he wanted.

I left the boys to go to sleep and slipped into my own bed to read while I waited for BJ to come home. I couldn't get over the frog thing and my very wise husband (via the phone) said why don't you go get in the bed with him and talk. This hadn't occurred to me at all, mostly because I feared breaking the bed and smooshing Drewdie down below. He assured me it would be ok.

My climb into the bed was less than graceful, but was very welcomed by Devlan. I kissed his face and wiped his tears away, much like my own mother had done a million times for me. I asked him again, did someone say something to him about sleeping with stuffies? There, in the safety of the darkness, he began to whisper to me about how he has been picked on by 2 girls in his class. He took his bear with him on pajama day during spirit week, and ever since then has been ragged by these two little girls. My heart was broken in 2, not because he had been picked on (that part made me want to strangle a 1st grader), but because I realized that this was his 1st of very many grown-up hurts. This was different than when your babies are sick and your heart hurts, I truly felt his aching heart in my own chest. I reassured him and reminded him that God made him so special and that there will be many people in his life that have things to say about him and none of them matter except for what Jesus thinks (and mom & dad, I must confess I added us in). I told him I would talk to his teacher, and he asked if his "Daddy could handle it", which attests to Devlan's full faith in his father's strength and protection....how do I teach Devlan that one day, when his earthly Father is gone, he will have to rely on his heavenly Father. This task of raising godly men is almost too much, Jesus show me how to make my babies value your opinion over the snotty nosed 1st grade girls!

Late is better than never

So I'm a month behind on updating my blog, big fat surprise considering we're in the heat of tax season.

BJ's surprise was my dream date, in living color. We went to eat sushi (my favorite), a couples massage at Skin Sense, and ended up at the Embassy Suites for the night. He had purchased me something beautiful to wear....and that's where the PG ends...it was sweet and wonderful to spend time alone and away. I'm still looking for the wings that must be attached to him somewhere.

Devlan has started baseball and it turns out our little brain is really good at throwing and hitting (who'd a thunk?). They are just practicing right now and he is really enjoying it. Devlan also made A Honor Roll (again) and is growing like a weed. It makes me want to cry as I clean out their drawers to make room for warm weather clothes. The years are flying by and I don't want to miss a moment of it.

Drew is still the baby (his forever designation) and is getting funnier by the day. Althogh BJ can be hilarious, I'm guessing that Drew got his humor from his Uncle Scott. I spend alot of time trying to avoid laughing at him in moments when I should be giving him the evil eye. For instance, last night we were having a family dinner around the table and Drewdie was eating like a horse. He asked for more after scarfing down a huge sandwich and bowl of soup and then let out the loudest burp ever. He of course smiled and said "Scuse me". I did my best to cover my face and act like I was choking while bouncing with laughter at him. So Drewdie and I got the evil eye from Daddy...oh well.

What's the Big Surprise

My husband is up to something....imagine that! I have no clue what is going on, but I know that my kids are staying with my best friend tonight, overnight (say a prayer for them) and that is truly the extent of what I know. BJ has been SUPER secretive, not even telling me if I need to come home after work or meet him somewhere. I am totally in the dark, and that drive me batty. I'm a planner and need to know girl so that I can be prepared, but BJ has said to me like 100 times this week, "You just go to work and I'll take care of the rest". Today will surely be the longest day in the history of work....but what's a girl to do but wait. And I shouldn't act like I haven't tried bugging the pee out of BJ to find out what the deal is. But after nearly everyone in my life said, "You better leave it alone or you're going to ruin it", I finally decided to do my best at being patient and waiting (definitely NOT my strong suit).

In other news, Drew had his first testing this week. The psychologist said that after about 10 minutes she had trouble getting Drew to focus and concentrate and I'm thinking...DUH!!! This is the whole reason we are having him tested. He see the occupational therapist today for more tests. We won't get the results until the very end. This child IS wide open ALL the time, but he is so uniquely precious. He always brings Psalm 139:13 to mind, once again reminding me that God knit Drew together inside of my belly (WOW!!) And, even though he can drive me wild, if I can point him to Jesus, then God will do GREAT and MIGHTY things with that wild child. And for the mean time, I will treasure even more the moments when he climbs into my bed and shares his wrinkled and soggy thumb (his most treasured possession) with Mommy.

Devlan is playing baseball this spring in our local league. He goes for his skills assessment tomorrow at noon so that the teams can be assigned. He has NO lack of self-confidence. I was explaining that he has to do this so that no one team gets kids that are all good at the same things. He quickly informed me that "I'm good at throwin', and catchin', and hittin'" I love my little country bumpkin!