Ahoy!

The Sweet Boobahs BEG for playtime after lunch...cuz they know naptime is upon them...Today, I realized they were being pirates...the Patch the Pirate/PeeWee kind, of course.

They pulled one swing up...it's the anchor!

This is the "evil pirate" they are escaping from...evidently, she wants their apples!  They tried to make her wear the patch but MomE said they had to be nice to the poor puppy pirate!

Captain Lubby drops the anchor...

...and ARGH!  They're off...sailing the briny deep!

He loves this sword but was annoyed that it wasn't sharp enough to cut apples in half...*gasp...could you imagine!? 

Quilts, Confusion & Colds!

This weekend my Mom passed on a few quilts she'd set aside for the kids. Emma was delighted with her Sunbonnet Sue quilt!!

Lubby was equally thrilled with his handkerchief quilt...although he did ask if he could blow his nose on it and I said no. He was puzzled... I think I've confused him.  HA!

He was terribly congested so I took him to a the Dr. like a good MomE...turns out he just has a cold.  Oh well...better safe than sorry.  He did miss his nap because of the appt...and fell asleep in a sunbeam this afternoon!  AW!

Better late than never...

Here are the pictures from our escapade with the water line...FUNTIMES!!!

Saved, not inoculated...

Sunday night was very special in our house. 

Emma, in her own words, "asked Jesus to be her Savior from her sins!" 

Now, I have spent a lot of time thinking about whether to post about this event or not.  All things blogged are for posterity, right?  My children have LONG and very detailed baby books.  HA!

No, the reason I wasn't sure about writing on this subject is because I have such strong feelings about it.  We have been very careful to not lead Emma in some pretty little prayer...so she'll feel inoculated with salvation from her sins.  As if this was how it happened at all.  We wanted this to be something that she was prompted to do by the Holy Spirit...not something to just please us or escape the fears of hell and death. 

That's easier said than done...when you have a beautiful, little firstborn so eager to please....and all of ETERNITY is on the line.  But that's the point...I could have gotten her to say the WORDS months ago...but what she did Sunday night was her own personal decision....because God was at work in her heart and mind.


As I tucked her in I sang one of the favorites in our house..."Change my heart oh God..."  As I sang she was feeling for her heartbeat.  She couldn't feel it so I helped her.  As she felt her heart beat she said, "What about Caleb's heart...is it beating?"  I told her that if your heart stops beating you die.  I told her that's why the words of the song talk about changing your heart to be like God...because all of our hearts are sinful. 

She pondered this a bit...and tearfully said, "I don't want to die with sins in my heart!"  NOW...here's the point where I could have just said, "Well, pray this prayer dearie and you've received your salvation shot...don't ever worry about it again."...but I didn't...As Jesus so often did, I asked another question..."What do you know about that sin in your heart?  Who could do something about it?" 

She said, "If I pray and tell Jesus I'm sorry for my sins...he'll wash my sins away."  I asked if she had ever done that before...and she said no.  I told her that she could pray at any time and he would save her.  She said she wanted to pray right then...

Yes, she is still a very small girl.  The days ahead will show the fruit of this decision.  This is just the starting point.  As she grows and matures...I'm praying her understanding of what it means to be saved will grow too...but for now we are rejoicing with the angels!

Luke 15:10, "there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

One lump or two?

Emma had a grand time today....She got out her blue flower tea set from Grams...

...and her new Chinese panda tea set from DadE....

...and accosted invited the dog and all her favorite dolls and animals.  *Sip, sip...ooo, this tea is delicious!"  "Yes, Scruffy we have sugar for the tea...would you like one lump or two?" 

Loverbrains Returns...again!?

Yes, he's home again from another China trip.  He even found a tiny silk robe for Emmer-bean!  AW!  Yes, that's the whole reason he was gone so long...it was hard to find one just her size.  Oh, and a teeny tiny Chinese tea set with Pandas.  Hehehe!

Caleb is enjoying his gifts too...most namely a small, brass dragon and a huge, green dung beetle (captured in amber and made into a key chain.)  Dragons and beetles...what could be better! 

I'm happy too...I can sleep again.  Any crashes in the night are now NOT my problem.  Not that I won't still get up and deal with stuff, of course...Just not alone.  Phew!

In reality, I am most blessed when he is gone.  I have a GREAT network of friends and church family that actually would come to my house in the middle of the night if I needed them.  Just thought I should say that...cuz I do so appreciate them.