Last year, Nate received a box of DVD’s for his birthday — the complete first season of MacGyver was inside. It’s a “manly” show about a guy who “who favors brain over brawn in order to solve desperate problems. MacGyver’s main asset is his practical application of scientific knowledge and inventive use of common items—along with his ever-present Swiss Army knife and Duct tape.

The boys recently found the collection and asked Nate more about it. Wanting to raise real men, (I’m sure that was the reason,) Nate popped in the first DVD. The boys were mezmorized.

It has become somewhat of a ritual. The boys only ask to watch MacGyver when Nate’s home — and when I’m busy doing something else. It’s a real boys club. Evan isn’t even allowed, and she’s only 18 months! I can only imagine that they’re belching while they watch it. Otherwise, I’d be invited to at least bring the snacks.

Connor was recently telling me a bit about the episode they’d just watched. It went something like this:

Connor:“And then MacGyver did {some incredible feat involving a lollipop stick, a piece of duct tape and a turkey carcass right out of Martha Stewart’s yard…}”

Me:“MacGyver is so cool.”

Connor:“NO! He’s not YOUR Gyver. He’s MYGyver. And Andy’s Gyver… And Brady’s Gyver. Not your Gyver! MyGyver.”

I guess that’s why my stuff never gets fixed.

Things have been a bit off-schedule around here lately…. Not that we really have a schedule. it’s more like just a routine.

Anyway, Nate had a couple of free days, so we visited his parents and went to the airport with him. That’s why we haven’t been around.

To make up for it, I wanted to share this little gem. While my parents were visiting last week, they had a photo session with my kids. Here’s one of the just the kids.

“Are they ALL yours?”

I was asked that same question FIVE times today at the store. Five… at least. (I sort of quit counting after awhile.)

I don’t mind it when people ask, I suppose. I know my children are remarkably close together in age. After all, we have five children and the oldest is just five. (That’s not counting our miscarried baby.) 

I know we’re somewhat of a spectacle, too. You should see me just trying to get everyone situated in or around the shopping cart when I head to the store without my husband or some other insane adult (as was the case today.)

What cracks me up is that most of the time people who stop us are one of two types of people.

1. Either little old ladies with bluish-grey hair (I’m not judging, just describing) who offer the advice to enjoy it while we can. So sweet… and so true. I’m sure they’re speaking from experience, so I try to listen to every word they say.
2. OR moms about my age or younger who seem incredulous to the fact that five children can be done and are even more amazed that they’re so close together.

The second group are the women who always ask my children’s ages. They stop me half-way through to repeat some of the numbers, just to be sure they heard me correctly so they can report such record-breaking stats to their husbands when they get home. Then, they proceed to tell me why they have the number of children that they do. For example, “Oh, I’d like to have a third one, but my husband says two is just right.” Or, “We just can’t afford it. I have to work just to keep them in daycare.”

Then, they follow up with the kicker: “Well, I’ll let you move on. You’ve sure got your hands full!”

I’ve heard that so many times that I’ve started answering, “Yup, but so’s my heart.” Then I smile. Because I know we’re blessed. Even if we don’t all fit on one shopping cart.

Ever think back to events in your life and know God used them to prepare you for where you are today?

I know, without a doubt, that He did that for me.

In college, the only work study job I could find as a freshman was to work at an outside after-school program that helped elementary school kids with their homework. We tried to make it fun and we also incorporated educational games and stuff. By my senior year, I had been named “assistant director” of the program and was very close friends with the director. (Hi Kris!) I was also given some of the more difficult kids to work with most of the time.

Fast forward to today. I practically run a preschool around here. We officially start homeschooling this fall.  Who knew back then that my insane incentives to encourage learning would one day help my life, happening in my dining room daily? This prior experience is the one thing that makes me a little less scared about the idea… (well, that and proof of answered prayer.)

The summers during my college years I spent as a camp counselor at a Bible camp. Each week I was assigned between 12 and 18 campers. I did my best to create a memorable experience, to teach them a bit about who God is and how He works in our lives, and to keep things hopping so their short attention spans wouldn’t implode.

Fast forward to today. My aforementioned preschool is starting to benefit from my experience as a counselor. Just today, Brady and I had some one-on-one time. We discussed just what sin is and how God views us. It wasn’t major, but it was a big step for him to understand that we all sin. I felt like a camp counselor as I showed him verses from the Bible. Also, my kids are starting to enjoy learning some of the wacky camp songs we used to sing. (”If I were a teddy bear, I’d thank you Lord for my fuzzy-wuzzy hair…” Everybody now!)

Also, back in college, I had one crazy roommate. (Hi Rosie! I miss you!) Not only did she use play-dough for study breaks, but she also drove an ambulance “signal 10.” (That means lights and sirens.) Rose was an EMT and kept the tumultuous hours to prove it. She was often “on station” all night long, or sometimes jumped out of bed in the middle of night to answer the “tones.”

Fast forward to today. My police officer husband often works midnights. He and his canine sometimes get called out in the middle of the night to chase down drug dealers. (I wish I was kidding.) I’ve been in the squad car numerous times when we’ve pulled over to help someone on the side of the rode, or blocked traffic so an on-duty unit could get the bad guy. I’ve watched many dinners get cold on my kitchen table because my husband was doing CPR on someone before the paramedics arrived. And though our 12-passenger van is not an ambulance, my husband sometimes drives it like he’s racing to a call. (Love you, honey.)

Oh, he doesn’t generally pull out the play-dough like Rose did, but my kids do.

I’m not trying to be all philosophical or anything. I’m just saying it’s fun to see how so many of my life experiences have helped prepare me for where I am today. It’s not that God hasn’t been teaching me new things, too. Otherwise, my husband would be an OB/GYN and, early on, I would have had lessons in how best to throw up in a helicopter. I’m just saying.

Do you see it in your own life, too? How?

I took Andy and Brady to the library the other day and (finally!) enrolled them in the summer reading program. We found out that Connor can participate, too.

Much to the boys’ delight, we also learned that they get a small prize for every five books that they read (or have read to them.) I wanted to argue, just five? But I kept my mouth shut. We read seven just tonight.

Anyway, we turned in our first set of titles and each boy got a prize. Andy chose a piece of cheap junk cherished toy that pops up. Connor got a certificate for free apple dippers from McD’s. And Brady — my boy who’s allergic to dairy — reached in and blindly chose a certificate for a free milkshake from Steak’n'Shake. Um, yeah.

Guess we’ll do a little trade.

Anyway, I was hoping for some help. I checked out 25 books to read to the kids tonight. Those won’t last us long. I’m generally in a hurry when I’m choosing more, so I was thinking of putting some on hold via the library’s website. So, here’s where you come in. Anyone have a favorite kids book you think we should read? What are your all-time favorite titles? Who are your favorite children’s authors? Why?

Please keep in mind that my kids aren’t quite ready for chapter books yet. (The oldest is just five.) Any suggestions are welcome, though.

For the record, my all-time favorite storybook from when I was a kid is “The Flying Hockey Stick” by Jolly Roger Bradfield. It’s out of print now and very hard to find (unless you miraculously win it on eBay like I did.) If you can find it, it’s worth a read. Kids love it! (And I still do, too.)

We finally got around to taking a whole-family photo that includes Ferris. We needed an updated photo for a project I’m working on, so my mom took one some of us in our front yard on Monday and here it is…

My favorite part of this photo is that Brady and Connor (aka: oil and water) are holding hands. We all look so peaceful and almost normal, don’t we?

As a nod to The Wizard of Oz, “pay no attention to the graphic artist behind the computer.” She may or may not have altered three photos and combined them to get one where all five children look relatively normal.

Then again, maybe she should have tried a bit harder. We’re pure cheese.

As a teenager and college student, one of my favorite Bible passages was Psalm 37:4-5:

Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

I remember having all of these wants, but desperately wanting to do the things that would please the Lord the most. I found this verse and took it to heart. By letting go of my own desires and turning to Him, He’d see to it that my needs and wants would be taken care of. I just needed to get out of the way!

I really wanted to find a great guy to marry. I always said, “I’d rather be single than settle.” Along came my husband, just months after I graduated from college. (Someday maybe I’ll share that story.)

I wanted to be able to be a wife and mother, but still get to do graphic design. I really wanted to use it as a ministry… To be able to help out missionaries and the like. My dream projects were prayer cards and cd covers. Now, I have enough of that kind of business to keep me busy! My husband recently said it could easily turn into a full-time job if I let it. (Alas, I’m a wife and mommy first!)

I wanted children, if God allowed it. Along came five babies in a little over five years.

And, selfishly, I wanted my kids to be Cubs fans and my sons to maybe play baseball. Well, just last night, all seven of us sat around eating a leisurely dinner of pizza and watching the Cubs game. You should have heard the cheers when they won the game… And the noise wasn’t all from me!

Above all, I wanted — and still do — to know that “my children walk in truth” 3 John 4). I see tiny evidences of their growth toward God everyday. May I be a help in that direction and never a hindrance!

God is faithful and His Word is true. Once I got out of His way, He worked everything out in my life. I’m so thankful.

We just got home from Andy’s first-ever baseball game. (So, it’s T-ball… whatever.)

The Mariners played great. They were clearly more prepared than the other team. We are really blessed with great coaches who not only are patient and practice a lot, but they also have a knack for explaining things in “little kid terms.” They’re great.

Supposedly, they won, but I don’t think anyone really keeps score at these things. Andy did call Daddy to tell him they beat the Dodgers, though, so I guess it’s that official. (Poor Nate had to work during the game, but he was able to stop by on his lunch break!)

Andy played first base most of the game and pitcher later. (I should say “pitcher,” because he played on the mound, but never pitched the ball.)  He hit the ball well, too. He was giddy about the whole ordeal and didn’t seem at all embarrassed when I yelled for him. He seemed to eat it up. Silly boy.

Here’s Andy playing first base. Watch out Derrek Lee!

Though Ferris slept in her stroller through the whole game, the other kids did great, thanks to some extra attention from my super wonderful nieces Faith and Leigha. (We love you, girls. You rock! I owe you a million Tootsie Rolls.)

Here’s Evan totally absorbed with the game… or at least her fashion.

Here’s Connor, who was eagerly awaiting the fruit snacks I had packed in my bag.

Brady had fun showing off Sirus, who arrived with Daddy on their dinner break. They’re both good boys.

Andy scored three times during the game and made a few outs. His fielding was phenomonal, too… Maybe I’m a bit biased, but maybe not. The coaches awarded him the game ball for “being a wonderful first basemen!” He’s estatic and has already called Daddy to tell him.

Now that we have five children (all five and under), we’re starting to feel like a larger family. (I don’t feel like we’re a large family yet, though.) Nate and I have been noticing some of the effects, too.

Not only do we spend a small fortune on milk each week, but our kids have adapted to their environment without much prompting. Case in point:

In preparation for our recent trip, I hit our local grocery store and stocked up on snacks for the hotel room. Among the cookies and chips healthy treats, I brought home three small drink bottles for each of the boys to have during the drive. Andy saw them sitting on the kitchen counter and said, “Brady, look! One for Mommy, one for Daddy, and one for you, me and Connor to share!” He automatically assumed he would have to share! Once we explained that he got his own drink, he was elated.

Later during the week, we were winding down for the evening. Though we’d already eaten a big dinner, the boys were famished after swimming in the hotel pool. Connor had asked Nate if he could have “one cookie,” so Nate gave him one and he toddled on to play.

Brady then tried his hand at getting a late-night treat. “Daddy, can we have cookies now?”Nate handed him two cookies. Brady automatically ran off shouting, “Andy! Daddy said we could have a cookie!!”

Nate and I couldn’t help but laugh. Nate fully intended to give Andy two cookies also… Yet Brady assumed he had to share his good fortune. A similar situation happened again today, which is what reminded me to write about this.

Our kids are happy and healthy. They may never know the privilege of having their own rooms, but they certainly won’t be lacking for a playmate, a friend, or someone with whom to share their cookies.

While we were away last week, I took the kids to a small neighborhood playground a few times.

Since we’ve been visiting this same town twice a year for more than five years, I pretty much know my way around. I’m so thankful for this small, simple playground. It provides such a needed release for pent-up-in-a-hotel-room energy. From these photos, you’ll notice that my wacky kids are thankful for the tiny park, too.

So, Ferris may not have enjoyed it as much of the older kids… but she does look peaceful, doesn’t she? 

Maybe Evan got her name from Dale Evans? Happy trails to you…

Connor enjoyed “legal” climbing.

Brady enjoyed climbing … and sliding … and swinging.

Apparently, Andy just liked making goofy faces at his mommy.