Andrew

Andrew's sweet smile. What a gentle soul....

Style or what...

Look at her amazing hair! That took me two hours to tackle... too cute! I love it when she looks in the mirror and the boys come and see her with her afro and say, "oh mom, look at her hair!".

Talk about views...

Girls weekends are amazing... Cashiers, NC with 3 of my college friends for 3 nights in December! Who knew when you thought you were going to a "cabin" that you end up at the top of a mountain that appears as if you are in Aspen--not to mention it snowed one of the nights. I miss snow so much now living in Georgia so it was just the icing on the cake to wake up with mountains with freshly fallen snow. As you can imagine on girls weekends, we did a lot of talking, sitting, sleeping, praying, and just lounging. I got to get in my bed and sneak chapters of my book during the daylight hours not having to worry about when children were napping. It was incredibly bizarre to wake up and fix my breakfast and tea first, knowing I didn't have four more to go and knowing the dishes would be so tiny. It was amazing to reconnect after 10 years since college and see how God has worked in each of our lives.

Hebrews 10:24-25 "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up the habit of meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another, all the more as we see the day approaching."

Thanksgiving

We were able to stay with my aunt and uncle for Thanksgiving who live now on my grandmother's farm. They have a cottage connected to the house where our family slept, and the boys got to get up each morning and go "hunting". At 7 am they were walking around this beautiful view; they also got to feed chickens which was quite the highlight. I miss Virginia so much when I see pictures like this. Can you imagine every day waking up to this view and having that much land for children to romp? AHHHH!!!

The other picture is Sydney copying me while I got to sneak away and have some time with the Lord. Sydney ran right to get a Bible and sat beside me. Quite a little moment.

Foot Surgery

Here are some pics from my foot surgery...

Terrible Blogger

Wow, these days go by and I haven't even remembered I have a blog. Thanksgiving was awesome, jam packed, and full of relationships, fun, and trusting in Jesus. It gave me so much time to reflect on how broken each of truly is, yet how God redeems the brokenness in His timing, maybe not all in this lifetime, but we do get glimpses. I don't think we walk around looking so broken, but each of us comes with a set of little pieces that were chipped at some point, some have been redeemed and some haven't and may not be until Christ returns. The beauty of family is that you come as you are; they take you with all the pieces. Sometimes we are need of great repair, and sometimes we are the instruments of repair. I find it startling sometimes to think through each person's journey. There isn't enough time in our lives to try to see each loved one's lens in which they may see life, but when we are able to, it helps give great compassion to each of God's creations. There are times I think too we want to run to our family to nurture us and pick us up, and then there are times we have to exert our greatest strength. I find the beauty in all of it is seeing how much love clothes each relationship, and that is how it all works. Without that love, it would be too prickly at times; it is the love that makes it flow, makes us forgive, makes us look past the chips and tears, and heals those spots.

On to Christmas.... ahhhhh! Let the fun begin...

Here are the pictures from when the kids got to be in a photo shoot for the Magic Elf... if you haven't heard of them, go to their website... www.magic-elf.com I think it is. They saw it as an opportunity to go see Santa; let me warn you, don't let your kids spend too much time with Santa... it is pretty revealing :). They loved dressing up, eating candy, and just having fun. They each got an elf as a gift, which is supposed to come visit tonight and cause lots of mischief. We will see how this one goes. We are to feed them saltines and water, which remind them of the snow at the North Pole. I think Sydney's is going to jump in my sister's suitcase who is going to Hawaii :).

Andrew eating an orange

Pretty funny...

Deep thoughts

While upacking groceries I found time to listen to a sermon by John Piper. I have heard so much about him over the years and read some of his books, and I finally got to listen to a sermon. Man, it made me think. I have always thought I haven't believed in the "health and wealth" gospel, but when I think about it, I think I am constantly thinking in the back of my head... by obeying God, I might get .... etc... or if I obey God, somehow indirectly I will be blessed and in my mind it is with things that ease life... I don't think i think all this consciously, but I think there are some underlying beliefs such as this when you find yourself discontent or wanting an extra 500 dollars. Intellectually, we all know the extra 500 truly doesn't make you happier, yet why do we still want it? So what did Piper say that was so profound?

It is simple. He used the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 and how Jesus says he is th bread of life. His point is that Jesus, only Jesus, not Jesus, plus 1000 more dollars a month or Jesus plus a nice new sweater, or Jesus plus anything...is enough. So then why do we spend days feeling discontent, frustrated, or going after things that are temporal? Why aren't we spending more time just being with Him and eating up every bit of his presence and peace he gives. It is almost too simple; it almost makes you ask, "so what is the trick?" You could just quit all the rat races and just be... would we be bored each day or would we be so full of peace?

Something to think about. I am going to have to listen again to get it to sink deep; it was so profound and so simple. It gives me great hope to think about how anything we are going to face... it is going to be okay....

Goblins...

The Star Wars Clan was trick or treating in style in their minds... things fell apart ten minutes before...

Thomas lost his Anakin mask, Andrew wet his pants, and Sydney thought Yoda had a paci! What a night... I stayed home since I couldn't walk all that well and played on my new computer.

I think my new job will be to go on QVC or some tv show where I can sell Apple products from the iphone to a Mac. I resisted this tech world for a long time and had a pretty negative attitude sad to admit, but now I am sold, hook, line, and sinker.

Mac's rock beyond all PC's hands down! Mommy is happy with her new technology. I loaded 6000 pictures in 7 minutes onto my computer... my whole life in 7 minutes! That is called a lot of money equals more time with kids, less yelling at kids while trying to upload one photo, check email, etc.... $= efficiency. I hate to admit that!

Powerful video on Tithing

How beautiful...

Untitled from Jason Sears on Vimeo.

Foot surgery

I had foot surgery on Wednesday so I have been on the sofa for 72 hours. It is so strange to have down time and to not have a to do list. I have bee having pain in my foot for a couple of years so they had to take out a piece of my second toe and take off a bunion. They then puttwo screws in and I can't put any weight on it for awhile. The kids have been farmed out so that has left me with some quiet. Ithas taken two days for me to feel decent and for my brain to defreeze from the pace. I am feeling aot more Mary like rather than Martha in he bible just being able to sit and listen and not worry. I am actually really liking this and thinking that god knew I needed an extended break.

To have meals brought to your door, to not have to plan alist, cut coupons, grocery shop, cook, clean and do it all again every 3 hours....whew who could complain about a foot? I feel grateful. My sister has two of the children and what a break for Andy too. We got in the pull out sofa with our little two and watched Extreme Makeover home edition- I felt like I was in college without a to do in the world.

Bobby loses his first tooth

For me Bobby losing his first tooth is almost as big as Kindergarten because then their little faces change from being tiny to big... thankfully it takes a really long time for them to fall out so I survived just fine. Here is a clip of it falling out... watch part II and III for the aftermath!







And finally, Mommy disassembled the sink and found it!!! whohoo! I was so proud of myself. Plumbing isn't so hard with google.

Oh, and we complain about anything...

I saw this on a friend Shelly's blog who also has adopted three children from Ethiopia and had to post it. It shows the desperate need for people like us to get involved both financially and with our hands.

Nana's birthday card

Andy's grandmother turns 90 this week and the boys were making her a card... I told them to draw anything they wanted and write what they wanted. Bobby is learning to spell and write so he loves to write adorable little sentences. He finished and said, "Listen to my card." It said, "I am so so so sad that you are going to die soon."

How do you not burst out laughing. I read it to Andy very seriously and both of us could not contain oursleves. The simple sayings of the way they perceive life. He then wrote a new one after a conversation about it. He did not understand how it could be offensive since it said he was so so so sad...

He then wrote, " I am so glad you have lived a long life."

Sydney and her hilarious laugh

Don't ask me how we got on to saying, "Do you want a baby sister named Shakira?" one morning, but we did. I think we were joking and because Sydney laughed the way she did, we just kept saying it, and she just kept laughing. Enjoy!

Sister named shakira from Martha Cook on Vimeo.

A budding songwriter

Bobby and his best buddy wrote this song today...

Consequences are effective

Any parent knows that as you train your children in life, you go up and down. Sometimes you are on and others you are just off; you get lazy, you start believing "oh well, no one else cares" or "no one else is this ridiculous about this issue", etc... this list goes on about all the lies we start believing and then get way off track. I usually have this realization about every two months; I start off strong and then after awhile, I just weaken. I think that is just life; I think that is the sin in us and that we aren't perfect; therefore, we begin to see our patterns where our ideals don't match what we are doing.

The past few days we have been having "boot camp" at the Cooks (again). The Lord has been showing me for weeks now, how my to do list gets the priority and I forget my main job of training these little hearts for the Lord. Frankly it is easier to sweep or to do laundry. Sometimes I just feel so ill equipped. When I actually slow down and spend time with God, it is like magic. Somehow I will get some piece of wisdom to do my job. It is the slowing down that I don't like to do ( I am sure we can all relate). It is easier to just be busy because I think we all like to avoid doing the hard stuff. So, the past few days, my oldest has had some yells. Consequences are a beautiful thing. Sometimes I get so into the argument, I argue with words that is completely ineffective with a 6 year old. Yesterday, I went with all actions, whew... was he mad. Today, all actions again. Tonight, all actions tonight from Dad. I think by the end, his heart may have broken and become repentant. That to me is hard because you hate to see your child break... YET it is the most glorious moment because they are right where God wants them to be. I always think of the way God describes David and how he was a man with a repentant heart; he wanted to change from his ways.

Let's just hope tomorrow we will be back on the train of listening and obeying... I think that goes for me as well.

A week that defines you

It is difficult to know what to write at times when you just want to sit and dump out the millions of thoughts you have had and pick a few to share with friends. I think of the verse in Hebrews I think where it talks about how we must "spur one another along in love and good deeds" (or something like that), and I am seeing ths blog world so similarly to Paul's letters to the different churches. Given there are millions of these letters in the blog world, but when you pick a hand full you get a glimpse of the Lord's hand in other's lives.

Last week, a man drove up to our driveway and asked my oldest two, "Is your Mommy home?" Bobby said "yes"... He then said, "Come here. Come open my car door." Well if anyone knows my child, the radar went off and he yelled for Thomas to get inside. They came inside yelling and screaming, and Thomas was so mad at Bobby for making him come inside. I won't go into all the details here on the blog, but those are the facts. Bobby is a rule follower, by the book, intuitive, and was made for this moment. There are times in my life I pray "Lord, help me with this amazing child because he asks 1000 questions!" But here, I heard it loud and clear, this personality was made by ME (God) for a reason. I am so thankful at this moment, he knew to run. For a week now, I am just different. I see it all so differently. I don't know exactly how different, but it was right in front of my eyes where everything about my life could have changed and somehow I was spared? There are people in the world that are not spared of this kind of pain. What a question to wrestle with. I keep crying out to God and I keep getting the same answer, "trust me... you will never get answers to all this."

For now, this has kept me. I have had to pray the verse of "taking every thought captive to Christ" this week so that I don't allow my mind to go to the dark places of the would ifs.

Sweet Thomas has learned many lessons and I am just so proud of him for listening to his big brother even when he really didn't want to. He then got pneumonia and we have all been home watching a lot of tv! I am so thankful he is now better...

Kindergarten

I would love to say I will blog more because I love to be able to write and slow down, but whew without camps, babysitters, and school, it is only me with a husband back in the school year. There isn't one second for a brief update... only in the shower when I think oh that would be a great little story to share...

On to Kindergarten... Bobby started almost two weeks ago and is still getting up early asking, when can we leave? It is a true understatement to say he LOVES it. I think it has to do with him being 6 and Daddy being with him... he is just ready. He comes home and shares so many stories and each one comes with great enthusiasm. He told me tonight he wanted to have a friend over who was a boy who was "so cute"... how funny is that ( I find out later he is really tiny so maybe cute was appropriate).

The first day was pretty emotional. I get so teary when I watch anyone, doesn't matter if it is my own child do something like leave the nest for the first time, get on a school bus, play in a football game, etc.... all the hype just gets me right in the game. After watching 20 cars drop off their little one the first day, I fell a part in the car and it felt so good. I have spent so many days this year wishing he was already in school and so many loving having him one more year that this mix of emotion all came to a climax in a wonderful 10 minute cry before showing up at "Coffee and Kleenex" at the school. Once in public, I pulled it all together and had 2 moments where I thought I may lose it again, but once home felt an incredible peace. By noon, I hate to write this, but I was rejoicing with thinking, "I have made it to this day with my first one in school."

The best thing about school is having a teacher that is on your team. I feel like I have back up now; I feel like all the things I have tried to teach are now validated and that when I explain to him what talking back is... he gets it in an entirely new dimension when he gets penalized at school (like today :)). I praised God today that He knew to give me a teacher that could major on the same things I major in and that she could reinforce what I have attempted. Sweet Bobby was at the end of the day repentant after talking it all through, crying 3 times and finally owning his part of what he did wrong. He told me in the car today, " my heart is in the wrong place"...at first I thought literally and got worried, then I realized all those times I have told him about how our hearts can be in the wrong place, it clicked! We talked about how Jesus can put your heart in the right place and he agreed and then said, "but it is still in the wrong place because I have to have a consequence".

It must feel similar to God when he has to discipline us; he must hate it because He loves us so much. I feel that pain every time I know I am to cause pain for the good of my children so they will learn to obey God. It reminds me every time how much He loves us and must hurt for us. As I watched Andy, it just broke me knowing that the harsh consequences in our lives are what lead us to repentance and what in turn lead us to the cross.

Quote from Bobby

Bobby says in the car, " You know you gotta be sneaky to steal a kid." I burst out laughing because he is quite fearful at times and I thought, how does even know about anyone stealing a kid anyway... He then says, " To steal a kid, you got to get a hammer and hit his butt and then once the child is hurt, it is easier to steal them."

Wow, the thoughts of a 6 year old. He is thinking...

Family...

We had a full weekend with my nephew's baptism this weekend. He is about the cutest little baby I have seen if I say so myself, but the most beautiful part of the worship service was to think about the significance of handing your child over to the Lord; putting a sign and a seal of the covenant on him. Not that in itself, it saves him, but it is a sign that represents so much more than the every day sign. I was thinking of his name since it too is Thomas and thinking of my Thomas and my dad's name. It is powerful to know that God already knows what that name means, who they will become, what He will use them for in His kingdom work. I struggled when I named my Thomas because I felt like was I setting myself for hard questions, doubts, and struggles like the Thomas in the Bible, but it was a neat process because in the end I remembered that his faith was so genuine in the end. I am an immediate gratification kind of girl so I don't the saying "in the end" it works out, etc... I want to know they get it now. Well after thinking about my dad's personality and how he does openly doubt, he in the end comes around to searching out truth. My sister's pastor said today, Thomas doubted and doubted and in the end said, "My Lord, my God." What magnificent power those few words have... such humility in the end. I can't wait to see my little Thomas' personality and see him one day say, My Lord, my God in such awe of a mighty God.

August summer days

Tonight I feel so much peace. There is something about preparing. Preparing for school. For fall. For a turn of seasons, events, people, growth. My friend Amy wrote the most endearing email this week on there is a time for everything, using those wonderful, well known verses and adding a few of her classic Amy like own about fireflys and "smart" boards... With those versese sometimes comes a little loss of breath for me because when you are on the flip side of the verse, like time to laugh... you think. uh oh, there will be a time to cry. Isn't it difficult to just take in moments. They are so fleeting yet so real. I have been bathing, lotioning, reading, and cuddling with the kids so much this week which is typically rare since life gets busy and the little things are just left for when there is time. Those little things though who knew to a mother bring such joy and satisfaction.

Who knew that smelling your child's hair while you read them a book and it smelling so fresh could cause the feeling of getting an A as a parent. There are too many nights to count that they just smell like sweaty boys and the shower comes another day, hate to confess. It got me thinking that if we take so much pleasure in these precious moments, why don't we do more of them? I believe the lie so often that getting that entire to do list will happen. There are times when it actually does, maybe 10 out of 100, but then there is more. I still believe there won't be more though. How silly? Yet how good. Wouldn't we then eventually be bored and find disatisfaction in bathing children?

Deep thoughts in August. I am preparing my first to go to Kindegarten next week and it feels surreal. I overhwelmed with joy for him because he is ready, but the era of my little biddies is beginning to shift. With that comes mourning and rejoicing. I can honestly say, mostly rejoicing thankfully, but I like to process both sides because it makes me feel alive. I used to hate crying because I cried a lot in college. Now I don't cry so much so I really like it. It is painful yet it makes you feel so alive. It makes you dig that compassion out of your heart and risk something. Maybe I will cry , maybe not, but who cares really... I just want to enjoy the moment and not let it pass without being there.

More beach

This year, we were blessed to be able to take two amazing babysitters with us to the beach, one for our family, one for my sister's family. One of them was Andy's student and the other a friend of hers, and wow, what a difference. It put the vacation back into it. To have someone help with Sydney was such a gift. We loved just having extra hands to help with dinner or to go out... Ah!!!! We actually came home and weren't wiped out.

Beach pictures

This feels like it was so long ago, yet it was only two weeks ago. What a wonderful week we had at my favorite place.

Bobby's quote

My nephew is being christened this weekend and Bobby asks me tonight in the car, "When is Tommy being crucified?"

Has it really been 5 weeks?

I don't even know when I would have made an entry, but hey seize the day! Today is the day.

What a summer; having Andy home was amazing. Typically, I regret some of the time we didn't spend doing a, b, and, c, but this summer, it was just right. We actually did some of things we set out to do like get up early, have quiet times, do some family days, go to the beach, build things, relax some, and just enjoy family. I feel refreshed. Andy went back today so 1.5 weeks until Bobby starts kindegarten. Hard to believe.

I went to visit my parents last weekend with just Andrew. It was the highlight of my summer. I love spending time with that kid. He is just the sweetest. It was our first 4day stint alone together. I fell in love with him all over again as if he had just come home from the hospital and I got to enjoy just him. I had 7 hours each way of focused time. I haven't focused my mind like that in years. I thought of so many things; it just felt good. I sang praise songs for hours; Andrew said maybe 5 sentences in 7 hours. He just checks out in the car; we are made for each other in the car because I do too.

The words I thought of the most on this trip are from a favorite song of my by Laura Story...., "Gently break me, lovingly you take me. Mold me as my Maker." I thought about how the last 15 months of my life God has been ever so gently breaking me so many times, yet so lovingly. I can see the faint outline of Him in all my brokenness this year and see how he has molded me more like Him. I can see where you end up more like Him because after the broken parts of you that you are shown, there is no turning back to that. I am so thankful for such a hard year in that I would have never known what I know today.

It was quite a weekend; I found myself when passing someone saying outloud, "Excuse me." That sounds so weird, but when you have four little children, sometimes you don't even make time to speak to people because you are so tired... :)

All my plants!

Oh my.... never go beyond your budget when you feel like the Lord is saying, " you don't have the money"... that is dangerous territory. I decided to add some color to my yard and lumped it in with our addition of our garage. I didn't quite feel peace about it, but as human nature would do, I decided to take control and plant them anyway. During our garage construction, they took down our fence and after we returned, our sweet deer friends came and ate themselves to oblivion! oh, the lessons we learn when you stray from what God has given you. :)

More lake

We spent the weekend with Andy's family at the lake and got to just be and play with our kids. It was so nice to not have any other distractions except for them, not much laundry, not much cleaning, zero grocery shopping, and very little cooking. All of the boys learned how to get up on a bobsled which teaches them the feel of skiing. It was quite fun to watch each of their personalities and their approach to doing something scary. Andy's sister came down from D.C. and we were able to go see Andy's other sister's camp, which was incredible.

Andrew's 4th birthday

Here is Andrew's boat birthday. One of the highlights was Daddy throwing Bobby over the boat and when he came up, his face not being so happy about it. Mommy got creative and pushed Daddy in to make all better. I did forget that his wallet and sunglasses were on... not good.

It did give us a good laugh and while all that was happening, Sydney climbed right up in the chair and helped herself to some cake.

Camp Performance

Here are Thomas and Andrew performing at camp...

yes, the one with his finger up his nose is mine!

Bobby's God parents

Bobby's God parents came into town for the week from Vermont and the word that describes our visit was just FUN. They are a breath of fresh air. We haven't seen them in 2.5 years and you just pick up right where you left off. Ever since we met them in seminary from day one, we just all laugh together. Our sense of humor just jives perfectly. We went to the lake and got to just hang out. What a break for all of us. They started a church plant in Vermont a few years ago and what a treat it was to hear about what God is doing there and the culture that they live in. They always spur us on to more in life. We went to Decatur one night and then to an Ethiopian coffee ceremony until midnight one night... it is funny how one night can make you feel like you are 18 again. We are truly blessed by this friendship.

We also celebrated Andrew's 4th birthday at the lake and he is all about batman! It was the first time I think he realized that the entire day was his, all about Andrew. He just soaked it in. He smiled from ear to ear all day.