Potty Training

So this morning I sent my son to his room to play...

• I discovered quickly upon entering his room that he had done something in those "big boy" Thomas the Tank Engine underwear that we have discussed so many times that he should not do...
• Sent him to the bathroom to wait for me while I collect myself and vow not to take my frustrations out on him...
• Manage to clean him up, while calmly explaining to him how big boys should also poo-poo in the potty not in their shorts.
• Send him to his room, and (joyfully) begin the task of cleaning the big boy shorts
• Son appears and announces that he just got pee on his favorite doggy
• Take doggy and toss him in the load of laundry I just started, while son sits on the toilet to see if anything else could possibly be left (I did not realize he was holding his favorite train)
• Return to the bathroom to discover favorite train in toilet and son crying
• Frustration definitely getting the better of me... send son to his room, again, and dive in the toilet after train (remember, I was cleaning out big boy pants just prior to this)
• Wonder for the 1000th time how some parents blissfully proclaim that they are able to potty-train in one week, perhaps they are concealing the fact that poo-poo training takes considerably longer? Or maybe I am just blessed with an unusually stubborn son.

As I am later researching in vain for any pointers on how to make this training process easier on both of us, I realize that this season will pass and at some point my son will learn what I am trying to teach him. Hopefully, I will gain some more patience as well and perhaps learn a valuable lesson about comparing myself to others. After all, they are worth it...

Advent Calendar

So, I know it has been more than a year since I last blogged, and I may at some point post a synopsis of the past year. Today, though, I am just going to talk about my advent calendar.

One of the fond memories I have from my childhood is dragging out the felt advent calendar every December 1! My brother and I took turns every other day, pining the ornament for that day to the felt Christmas tree. Someone had carefully crafted that calendar and spent quite a bit of time making the felt ornaments that reposed in each pocket. My brother and I would secretly find our favorite ornaments and put them in the pockets that corresponded with our day to pin it on the tree.

I decided that this would be a fun tradition to continue with my children. In researching advent calendars, I was overwhelmed by all the fun ideas! I have created an advent calendar that is much like I remember, but without a pattern and with my impatience to complete the project, it is far from perfect. So we will use it this year to get us started and maybe next year we will try another idea.

I sewed beads onto the tree so that my Little G can actually hang the ornaments himself, instead of having to mess with pins.

I also purchased tiny ornaments, because I certainly do not have the time and patience to craft 24 tiny ornaments.

The pockets turned out to be much more roomy than I had originally intended them to be, so I may put a piece of chocolate in each pocket as well and combine a couple of calendar ideas.

A New Erb!

Congratulations to John and Drina, on their new very handsome little man (aka Mag-lite)!!

Happy Father's Day!

Jason's idea of a really good Father's Day...

I am so thankful for God's blessing of a terrific husband, who is a wonderful father!! Thank you to Papa and Mimi for setting such a godly example!

One Year!

Happy Birthday, Little G!

The Swimming Pool

Jason was pretty excited this past weekend to have the opportunity to take Little G to a swimming pool.  Little G is a HUGE fan of bath time so he should love the pool....right?  If you cannot make out Little G's expression in the pictures, let me tell you as traumatic events in his life go, it ranked right up there with his visit to the barber shop.  We are hoping that he will learn to love it sometime this summer, but I guess there is always next year.

Can you guess....

...what new event would turn this...

...into this...

...Little G started walking this week!  He is very busy exploring and making messes.  Here he is in action...

Update on My Dad

Today's surgery to remove my Dad's kidney was successful and completed without any complications.  The recovery room was a little rough as coming back from the anesthesia proved to be a little difficult for him.  Though he is in quite a bit of pain, we are all thankful for God's grace and mercy.  Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for a speedy recovery.

Graduation

Graduation festivities began this week with a reception for the graduates and their families at the seminary president's house.  Here we are with Dr. Al and Mary Mohler.

Dr. Mohler's basement library is impressive to say the least, somewhere near 30,000 volumes.  Jason and Little G are sitting in front of Dr. Mohler's desk.  Little G has really picked up on how  to "cheese" for the camera.
The forecast of thunderstorms threatened to move this outdoor graduation indoors, but Friday turned out to be a perfect day.  Here is Jason receiving his diploma; he has now officially completed his Master of Divinity in Theology.  Congratulations, Jason!  I am so proud of you!!

Thank you so much to the family and friends for all the support and prayers!

Barber Shop

I, Andrea, am usually the barber in our house, but since I am certainly a novice we decided that Jason and Little G would go to the barber shop for nice short "summer cuts."  I have cut Little G's hair a few times before, but since this was his first trip to the barber shop I grabbed my camera to get some pictures of the event.  Well,  I was so busy trying to keep the little man still and calm that I never got one picture of him sitting on Jason's lap in the barber chair.  But here are some pics of them after. You sure cannot tell from his smiles how traumatic the haircut was for him.

Last day of class!

Jason attended the last day of class for his formal education (at least that we know of for now) today.  He was a bit nostalgic last night as he stayed up very late to complete his last paper.  This educational process has, after all, been a rather long chapter in his life.

Here are some pics as he heads off for the last class...

...contemplating being done with school...

...and this last one makes me smile!

Now we get to celebrate!

God is Sovereign

Last week I had just finished listening to a John Piper sermon on how God is sovereign, I was very much moved to hear him describe how God has used two poignant circumstances in his life to lead him to where he is, with such an effective ministry, when I received a phone call that would test my faith in that belief.  My (Andrea's) dad had gone to the doctor for what seemed to be a minor health problem, a hernia.  The doctor being concerned about the location perhaps being problematic sent my dad in for a ct scan, which I should add doctors do not normally do for hernias.  After the test my dad went in for the follow up visit the doctor told him he did not have a hernia but an 8 cm tumor on his right kidney.  He was told that less than 5% of tumors on the kidney turn out to be benign so all are treated as if they are cancer.  Wow!  Those are words no one wants to hear.  

My dad had an appointment with the cancer doctor yesterday and we are somewhat relieved to learn that while they will have to remove his right kidney the cancer has not spread to the renal artery or the nearby lymph nodes.  They will be able to do this procedure with a minimally invasive surgery and no chemotherapy.  We are praising God that the cancer was found while still in the early stages as this type of cancer has almost no symptoms and is usually not discovered until it has spread.  Please pray for my dad as he will have surgery to remove his kidney sometime within the next four weeks and also that all the preliminary tests are correct and the cancer is confined to just the kidney.

Just for fun...

Little G is getting outfitted for the summer camping trip...


A recent family pic...

And Little G (before haircut) hanging with his best bud, doggie.

The Maestro

Through the generosity of my parents, I was recently able to aquire a keyboard. Here are some pics of our little maestro...

We tried to capture his fingers in action, but as you can see from the pic below, his "fancy fingerwork" is just too quick! :-)

Little G's first set of wheels...

Kids can be useful...

Together Again

A week ago while Jason was gone on yet another business trip I went to IL to visit my family and upon returning to KY we were able to spend time with Jason's folks, who made that long trek down from the north. Thank you Papa and Mimi for spoiling us! Here are some pics of Little G with both sets of Grandparents.

Welcome Home Daddy!

Jason was gone to a training session in Texas this week. Having him be gone for nearly a week certainly made me appreciate him in a whole new way. What a terrific husband and father he is!! We are so thankful to have him back home!

Eight months and crawling?....Ah not so much...

This...
quickly becomes this...Yes, Little G certainly prefers to standAny of you mommies have this problem? Suggestions?