Lost and Found

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ring in sand

I had a really interesting experience on Wednesday of our vacation. Gina and I left the boys with Granny and Granddad so we could swim in the ocean for a little while. We took our stuff down to the beach and left it under the tent we had set up. I had noticed during my last couple of times to swim in the ocean that my wedding ring felt kind of loose on my finger. I decided to take it off and placed it in my hat. After we were done swimming, I dried off and put my hat back on without even thinking about my ring. In fact, I didn't even notice that I wasn't wearing it until we had been in the beach house about 30 minutes. I rushed back to the beach without telling anyone why I was going and searched furiously in the sand for about 30 minutes. It became clear to me that this was going to be really hard to find. I came back to the house and broke the news to Gina about what I'd done. She was understanding, but she wanted to go back down to look for it. We recruited a few others to come with us, but after quite awhile we became convinced that the ring was gone. Later that day, I looked out the window and saw Don by our tent. I had this sudden thought, if I don't go back and look while the tent is still up (which gives me at least a general idea where the ring might be) I will definitely not find it again. So, I went down there one more time and began sifting through the sand. After several minutes, I saw in the sand the faint outline of a circle. I dropped down and dug around it, and as the sand fell from my hands, a small silver ring -- my wedding ring -- appeared. I was so excited that I ran back to the beach house without even telling Don, Kendall or Zach, who were on the beach with me, that I found the ring. I also forgot to put my shoes back on and I stubbed my bare toe on the boardwalk pretty badly. I ran into the house, tracking blood the whole way, ascended the stairs and just stood in front of everyone. Gina could tell immediately what had happened. It was a really cool experience.

If you are familiar at all with the two stories Jesus tells about people who found something  they thought was lost (the widow and her lost coin and the father of the prodigal son), you know that both people ran with joy. I don't think this detail was randomly added to these stories. After finding my ring, my first response was to run back home and tell people what happened because I was convinced the ring was gone forever. I think Jesus included this detail on purpose to illustrate the emotions God feels when we choose Him over ourselves, the world or thousands of other things competing for our attention. Pure joy and elation, the natural reaction to which is running toward the lost object in order to end the lostness as soon as possible.

Times they are a changin'

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Gina, Sam and Nate and I have been in Texas for the last week. As many of you know, we are will be moving to Fort Worth this summer to start new jobs in the Fall. Gina will be a nursing professor at Texas Christian University, and I will be splitting my time between the University of North Texas and Good Shepherd Episcopal School. I know if this is the first time you are reading this news, it may seem like it's coming out of nowhere. Actually, this decision has been a long time in the making with a lot of hard decisions and steps of faith along the way. In early January, I received word that my university was in pretty bad financial shape, and in order to make payroll they would need to mandate furlough days and possibly lay people off. Our first response was to look to see what the state of the job market was in case my position got cut. We found nothing for me, but there was a position for Gina at TCU that looked like it had been written for her. She applied, they liked what they saw and she was ultimately offered the job. My journey was not as clear cut, and I won't go into detail about how I landed my job, but God was definitely in the middle of it and I am looking forward to what I will be doing.

So, we came to Texas to find a house and get some things set up before we move down in mid-June. My cousin Amy was able to help us find a house on our first day of looking, and we are really happy with what we found. Here are some pictures of the new pad.

The boys will also be starting preschool in the Fall, and though we are a bit nervous thinking about how they will do, I know this will be good for them. Overall, this is a good move for us and we think it will be good to live close to family. We are certain that this is what God wanted for us, and we are eager to see how he will use us while we are here. In addition to reconnecting with our friends from when we lived here before, we have learned that some of our friends from Virginia are moving here as well. So, God is already opening up some doors for us.

So, that is the latest with us. After a vacation in Florida with Gina's family, we get to head back and pack up our stuff for the move. I have already packed a lot of our stuff, but we still have a long way to go. As usual, it will be a challenge, offer plenty of opportunities to learn and grow and be an exciting adventure.

Worth far more than rubies

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On Sunday, Sam, Nate and I got to honor Gina for her third Mother's Day. Of course, we don't wait until the second weekend each May to honor Gina, but this is a day we get to lay it on pretty thick. We started the day off with fresh blueberry muffins and eggs, which Sam and Nate kind of helped me make. By help I mean they stood in the kitchen and screamed "Wuff-wim!" until they were ready. While we were eating our breakfast, we also gave Gina her Mother's Day cards and presents. I gave her a copy of our book, which I recently created from our Virginia Blog. I know, you book purists out there consider it a stretch to call this a "book," but by definition it is bound and follows a consistent theme. It's not bad for a rookie effort. Anyway, the boys got Gina a new bike helmet, which she is wearing in the picture above. She had been asking for one, and since we have been riding bikes quite a bit lately Sam and Nate thought this would be perfect.

After breakfast we went to church, then we had lunch at Chipotle. We went home to take naps (and I got to vacuum the car), then we went on a long bike ride that ended at the park. There were a lot of other families there enjoying the nice weather, which was a lot of fun. The boys especially loved riding on the see-saw with Gina and I. We made it go really high, which caused a lot of squeals and giggles. The day ended with us playing in the backyard, having sandwiches for dinner and taking a bath.

There isn't enough room on this blog for Sam, Nate and I to express our love and appreciation for Gina. She is an unbelievably wonderful mommy, and we are so blessed that God put her in our lives. In Proverbs 31, the author goes into great detail about the characteristics of a noble and godly wife. Verse 28-29 states, "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.'" Gina truly is amazing in the way she loves and cares for the boys (and her overgrown boy), and she does it with grace and patience. She has definitely made me a better man, and the boys will look back on their lives and see how richly God blessed them through their beautiful mother. Sam sums it up pretty well with this smile:

Then and Now

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In case Sam and Nate decide to complain about anything, I will always have this blog post to refer to.

Baby Bike Seats Then

(I just found this on the Web, by the way. I don't know these people)

Baby Bike Seats Now

Video Games Then

Video Games Now

Jungle Gyms Then

Jungle Gyms Now

Of course, some things will never change.

As the weather turns warmer, the days grow longer and the world turns greener, here's to the timeless tradition of having fun.

The Lord is Risen

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This Easter we got to celebrate the risen Lord together at church, which was actually our third Easter together as a family. Our first Easter together was also the boys' first time to attend church, so it was extra special. This Easter was special, as well, because the boys got to wear their outfits that GiGi made for them.

We invited our friends, the Pease's, to church and lunch at our house. Ken and I also hid eggs all over the backyard for the kids to hunt for (even though many of the eggs weren't actually hidden). The boys are still trying to figure out how the whole Easter egg hunt works, so Jordan (the oldest child) got most of the eggs. One thing Nate has figured out is that each egg has candy in it, so he wanted to open each egg the second he found it and eat the candy. This isn't exactly how it's supposed to work, but it worked for Nate because he ate a ton of candy before we even sat down for lunch.

We feel so blessed to be able to celebrate Easter with each other and with good friends. More than the candy or hunting for Easter eggs or playing with friends or wearing cute outfits, we love Easter because it's a time to stop and reflect on our true source of life, Jesus Christ. He lived a perfect life among imperfect people, willingly suffered and died a brutal death to pay the price for our sins, and he rose from the grave to prove that he can not only conquer death but forgive our sins. The life and hope that Jesus showed us on that morning is available to each of us today. I have no idea where Gina and I would be without Jesus, and our deepest desire for Sam and Nate is that they will come to love and trust him for everything. May God's love, mercy and grace, that was perfectly demonstrated through Jesus, be made real to you on this Easter.

Remembering Big Mama

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On Monday our family experienced a great loss when my grandmother, who we called Big Mama, passed away. She died peacefully with my uncle in the room with her. For those of you who met my grandmother, you were quite unlikely to forget her. She was an amazing woman who absolutely loved people, especially children. She had an unbelievable ability for making children feel special.

Some of my best memories as a child are on the farm. It was a magical place for children, with plenty of places to explore, a ton of scrap wood to build things with and plenty of fast toys like a motor scooter and a go-cart. My cousin Amy and I used to have so much fun playing together at Big Mama's house, taking turns on the go-cart and eating all the candy, soda and ice cream we could handle. If you follow my sister's blog, she has already covered most of this.

One thing that could not be denied about Big Mama was that she LOVED to talk! She would strike up conversations with just about anyone, and when we got together as a family, she always had plenty to say. And she didn't have to be in person to talk, either. She routinely called us about once a week or more, and always loved hearing from her, even if it was for just a few minutes. So, what happened if we happened to not be home? Well, she would just leave a message as if we were having a conversation (she usually did most of the talking anyway). Gina and I got the idea a couple of years ago to record some of her voicemails. Well, Big Mama didn't disappoint and gave us several good ones, which I have posted below.

[display_podcast]

The Joshua Tree principle

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I also could have named this post, "Things I never noticed before I had children." If you've never heard of the Joshua Tree Principle, you can read a little about it. It's interesting but not groundbreaking stuff. The first observation was something I put on my Facebook status yesterday. Yes, I updated my status, not something I do all that often. Anyway, I got annoyed yesterday because I was plagued with a recurring issue in my life: trying to find the boys' sippy cups. This shouldn't be that hard, since the boys basically spend all their time in two rooms in the entire house. And the rooms aren't that big. But when it comes to finding their sippy cups, I am pretty sure I spend half of my time wandering around those two rooms looking behind, under, next to and top every single item in the room. Why in the world would two little cups be so hard to find? Well, it's because sippy cups are the exact same color as every one of the boys' toys. They blend in perfectly. I swear, there have been instances where I am looking directly at a  sippy cup and can't see it. There are deer and elk in Wyoming who wish they blended in with their environment this well. I know the whole point of these colors is marketing. I don't know too many parents who will buy their children earth tone sippy cups. But on a practical level, it's a little annoying that every company that makes anything for children uses the same colors. Toys, tableware, cups, books, DVD cases ... you name it. Put them all together and you get a brilliant mosaic of red, blue, yellow, green, purple and orange, and good luck trying to distinguish individual objects from within the mire. It's like Where's Waldo, but this time Waldo is a blue cup with a yellow lid.

The other observation I have made is how grocery stores, or stores in general, market to children. I noticed this the first time with my nephew Zach, and I have seen it replayed with my own children. Unless you are three feet tall, you would never notice that (seemingly) everything on the lower grocery store shelves is marketed for children. Sponge Bob, Spiderman, Lightening McQueen, Dora and Buzz Lightyear adorn such items as Spaghetti-O's, Mac and Cheese, fruit cups, juice boxes, yogurt, etc. From my perspective, we go to the grocery store to buy food. My kids think they are at Disneyland or Universal Studios. The same is true of Toys R Us. You need a bike helmet for your toddler? Good luck finding one without a cartoon character on it. Now, to be fair, the extent to which toy companies and the TV/film industry are in cahoots is no secret. I mean, I there was a time when I would have sold my soul for a Star Wars figure or ship. So, it's not like I go to Toys R Us and feel violated because 99% of the toys are based off television shows or movies. I know how the system works. I guess I am just a little bothered that so much effort is put into trying to attract my children's attention and turn them into little consumers. Even more annoying is how shameless these people are in trying to get to my wallet through my children.

This post is probably more appropriate for my other blog, but I just thought I would write what is on my mind. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on this.

Overwhelmed

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The word "thankful" hardly seems adequate to capture all that I have felt the last few days. I guess I am recalling  my experiences as a teacher, when I would encourage my students to list all the people and stuff in their lives that they were thankful for. I'm not criticizing that perspective on thankfullness, but it goes much deeper than that for me. More than anything, my spirit resonates with an awareness that every single blessing in my life has come from a much greater source, and I didn't do anything to earn any of it. I am so tempted to walk through life with the attitude that, "I live a good life, therefore ..." The truth is, God is committed to capturing my heart completely, restoring it wholly and using it solely for His Kingdom. That's all He wants, and everything good He has given me is an expression of His love, not my merit.

So, as I celebrate Thanksgiving, I am overwhelmed that the God of the universe would reach into my heart and sing me a love song. It just seems like a few short years ago that I was kind of wandering aimless through life with all kinds of questions about how my story would develop. I have a beautiful wife, two unbelievable twin boys who amaze me everyday, a loving and supportive family, and the opportunity to pursue the career I have always dreamed of. I don't deserve it, so the best way I can think of to show my gratitude is to breathe it all in fully and give the glory back to the Author of this adventure.

Great autumn day

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We had a great time playing, working and relaxing today in the cool fall weather. We started off the day by going to the Old Capitol Farmer's Market in downtown Springfield. We bought some organic lettuce and turnip greens. After a yummy lunch and a nap, we went for a walk on our street, then we played outside while Gina made dinner. I decided to clean up some weeds that had been sitting in the grass for a few days, and Sam and Nate wanted to help. We then had a delicious dinner, took a bath and did the night-night routine. The boys are now sound asleep, and Gina and I can't quit talking about how blessed we are. One thing that is becoming clear to me is that this is autumn in so many ways. Gina and I spent some time today going through toys the boys don't really play with anymore, and we came across their sandals from this summer. They were sitting out when the boys woke up, and they wanted to put them them on ... over their socks (in honor of Uncle Joe ... just kidding bro!). I remarked to Gina that they would probably never wear their little orange and blue UVA sandals again, which reminded me that when we bought them they were so big they barely clung to the boys' feet. I think we will probably keep the sandals just to look at from time to time, but it won't be long before this fall, and this time in the boys' lives, is just a memory. I'm thankful to God for blogs and digital cameras and sandals and every other thing that serve as a reminder that every instance of "today" and "now" are what we use to write the stories that will last us a lifetime.

Casting crowns

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A good friend of mine used to say that crowns are anything that bring glory to the wearer. I always thought this was a good reminder of how tempting it is to take  the things God has blessed us with -- our crowns -- then "wear" them in a way that brings glory to ourselves. Whether it's a job, money, fame, renown, status, talent ... a crown could be anything. It's hard to keep those things in perspective and not use them to bring glory to ourselves. On a slightly different note, Saturday was just about as close to perfect as you can get. We spent the morning riding bikes and playing in the park, then we went to a music festival in the afternoon. We capped the day off with baths, a story, prayers, a song and goodnight kisses. As the boys got their last minutes of playing in before bed, we talked about how big they've gotten and how much fun the day was. This was the kind of day I used to envision when we were awaiting their arrival into the world. We were both amazed at how much they are learning and how curious they are. We love taking them out and showing them off, as they charm just about everyone they see. It's also pretty natural to want to protect them and shield them from some of life's harsher experiences. Bullies, mean words, disappointment, , failure ... they are sure to encounter these and other hard realities. But we also know that this is part of the human experience, and no amount of effort on our part will make them immune from pain and hurting.

This brings me back to my friend. He said that crowns are anything that bring glory to the wearer. We can keep the crown and bring glory to ourselves. Or we can turn around and give the crown back to Jesus. He may keep it, or He may bless it and give it back to us for His glory and purpose. That's what we choose to do with Samuel and Nathaniel everyday. We acknowledge that God used miraculous circumstances to bring them into the world, and He has a divine plan for their lives. We know they are His and God has given us the privilege of raising them and witnessing each and every special moment. The same God who carried us through difficult times and heartache will be their strength no matter what awaits them in the future. In the meantime, we cherish every giggle and new word, endure all the food throwing and willful tantrums, and share their looks of amazement at new things, the snuggles, hugs and kisses. It's the best way I can imagine of honoring God for the abundance with which he has blessed us.