God works in mysterious ways...

Charlie is almost 3!  It's hard to believe, but he, at least, is more than ready...Jason and I on the other hand aren't so sure.

Unable to prevent the inevitable, though, we have realized that it's time to start preparing him for some changes.  The first of which will be the transition from the nursery to Sunday school at church.  We know Charlie is ready for the coloring sheets and fun lessons...but we're not so sure about the 30 or so minutes in actual "church" before they release the kids to Sunday school.  We tried once a couple months ago, but gave up after about 10 minutes, then Charlie notified us that he doesn't want to try again.

You see, while he isn't exactly "bad," we haven't done a good job of teaching Charlie to sit still, be quiet, etc...and we both absolutely hate having the disruptive kid, so it's time to practice.

Our plan was to gradually increase the amount of time he was in there with us over the next few weeks.  Yesterday was day one -- and absolutely everything went our way!

First off, Charlie's beloved Jennifer was playing the piano.  Then her dad, our pastor Darien, just so happened to incorporate Charlie's memory verse for this week, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and all your soul and all your mind," (Matthew 22:37) in the opening prayer, before leading us all in the Lord's Prayer, the first verse of which was Charlie's memory verse over Christmas.

Next, Jennifer's sister, Samantha, who also works in the nursery and is our favorite Chick-Fil-A employee, stood up to read a passage from the Bible.  And if that weren't enough, for the first time since we've been attending GCF, one of the opening songs was Jesus Loves Me, which the three of us sing every night before bed.

Finally, Mr. Terry, who kindly allows Charlie to play in the trailer, get in his way and pepper him with a barrage of questions every Sunday afternoon during tear-down, stood up to speak to Charlie's delight, then released the kids to Sunday school.

I can't imagine a more tailor-made introduction to "big church" for our little man.  Then to top it all off, Charlie arrived in the nursery just in time for snacks.  Maybe "mysterious" ways was a misnomer, God works in perfect ways...

Daddy-Charlie Time

As of today, it appears that a Fireman theme for Charlie's birthday was the right idea...let's just hope he's not over it by March!

He and Daddy spent yesterday evening building fire stations and putting out fires...who knew it could be so much fun?!

Even Louie decided to help

Don't forget the Sound Effects!

Closing the Garage Doors 

Off to the Fire!

Ladder's Up!  Let's get that kitty out of that tree!

Stumped

Charlie and Mommy are discussing this week's focal point over breakfast: the new peanut butter maker.

Mommy: Your Daddy has some good ideas, doesn't he?  It never would have crossed Mommy's mind to get a peanut butter maker.

Charlie: Where did you get it?

Mommy: Well, we ordered it over the internet.

Charlie: What's the internet?

Mommy: Well... you know how you talk to BaBa and Grandma on the phone?  Your voice goes over long wires in the ground to their house, so they can hear you.  The internet is kind of the same, but it can send pictures and words and movies and songs and all sorts of stuff.

Charlie:  Why?

Hmmm....good question.  We seemed to survive just fine 20+ years ago...and had a lot more free-time, face-time, me-time, etc...The kid makes a good point...

Speaking of the Peanut Butter machine

Mmmmm.....

Time to Celebrate

It's no secret that I'm something of a birthday addict...I can honestly think of nothing better than to spend an entire day just celebrating the fact that someone was born...so yesterday was one of my favorite days of the entire year -- Jason's birthday!

And I think that this year I finally found a card that explained exactly why I love birthdays so much...

"Your life gives me reason to celebrate...

Every day with you

is a day to celebrate God's goodness,

and especially on your birthday

I thank Him for creating you."

How could we not make it a big deal???

So, we actually dragged it out through the weekend as we like to do, celebrating with friends Friday night at Ivory Moon (which we found out used to have dueling pianos, but now just has a fun band), then Jason spent Saturday oystering with his buddy Robert in preparation for an Oyster Roast down in West Ashley that night.  We saved the best for last though, celebrating dinner with our favorite little man at 82 Queen downtown.  Dinner was fabulous and Charlie was well-behaved...we really couldn't have asked for more.

Of course, my "best for last" may be different from Jason and Charlie's -- they are both beside themselves with anticipation for trying out Jason's "new" 1970 Salton Peanut Butter maker that he found on eBay...like father like son...

Staying Warm

2 year old Photographer

"Sharing" Daddy's Key Lime Pie

The good life

Strike 2?

It started exactly the same.  I walked into Charlie's classroom and Miss Chelsea said, "Charlie had a great day except..."

Immediately my mind was racing -- how could this have happened again?  We talked to him.  We made him apologize.  We took away a star on the chalkboard (he was at 4 on his way to 5 before yesterday's incident).  How could he have done it again?

All of a sudden I tuned back in to what Miss Chelsea was saying "I caught him and a bunch of his friends showing their noodles on the playground."

"What?"  Maybe I'd misheard.  I thought kids did that at 5 or 6, not 2 years old!

"I caught them with their pants down, made them pull them up and put them all against the fence."

Nooo....not another time out.  I was really hoping he'd earn back the star he lost yesterday, not lose another one...Is my son a delinquent?

Miss Chelsea continued, "I explained that we don't show our noodles at school.  It's not polite.  Charlie was so upset.  He kept apologizing over and over and asking not to be sent to time out.  I felt bad for him."

Suddenly, I felt bad for him, too.   After all, I don't think we've ever explicitly told him he can't "show his noodle," and he appears to have learned his lesson.  

After a quick quiz on the way to the car, it was clear Charlie had learned his lesson.  I was so relieved not to have to be the stern mom a second day in a row, and not to have to take away another star.  At five stars he gets to go the petting zoo this Saturday, and he's already down to three.

So, relieved that Charlie may not be on the slippery slope to juvie, I texted Jason to share the story. 

His response?  "Is that a two star day?"

The Bad Seed?

Ok...perhaps that is a bit harsh, but Charlie had his first time out at school yesterday.  I know!  I'm not sure what is more shocking -- the fact that he's never had one before, or the fact that one of his many teachers (who happen to be wrapped more tightly around his little pinkie than even I am) finally gave him one.

As anyone who knows Charlie knows, he averages 1 to 2 timeouts a day here at home, but up until recently he was a perfect angel in public.  I guess he has decided that he's spent enough time laying that foundation, and now he can dive into his master plan...what that may be?  I have no idea.

Anyway, the offense happened during the morning shift, so I didn't get to speak to Miss Alisha about it directly when I picked up Charlie after school, but Miss Chelsea assured me that despite the note on his sheet, Charlie had had a "great afternoon." 

And the note itself?  Typical Charlie:

"He had a bit of a time with listening ears today.  I know he will have a better morning tomorrow.  :o)  I love Charlie."

Yes.  That is how my son gets in trouble.  In fact, this morning when Charlie apologized to Miss Alisha, she assured me that it was probably harder on her than on him. 

And the offense, itself?  He pushed a little kid down, the little bully.

And what, you may be asking, was Daddy's response to it all?  Regarding the push he was clearly disappointed and stern.  Regarding the note though, he smirked.  Yep.  That's right.  He thinks it's great that Charlie has grown women falling at his feet...I think we're doomed.

But yes...deep down inside I am thrilled that Charlie's teachers love him so much...how could a mother not be.  Don't tell him, though.  I'm firmly taking the hard line on this one.

Draw near with confidence...

So, I've had a range of different maladies this week, starting with the return of my childhood asthma (yuck!) and ending with an emphysema like cough.  Of course, wouldn't you know Tuesday, the day I actually went to the doctor and had a chest xray, I was fine...figures...

Anyway, I have been more or less half-aware this week, so I don't have any great stories -- other than on Tuesday night Charlie curled up next to me on the couch for at least 4 or 5 minutes to "make [me] all better."

So, I figured I would go ahead and post my last project prior to being struck with my ailments.  Below is this week's Ladies' Bible Study.  As part of our "Life of Jesus" series, we concluded with where He is and what He's doing now...and I just can't tell you how much I learn putting this stuff together.

This is for anyone out there who sometimes feels unworthy/uncertain/afraid of approaching God...once you look at the facts, that's just plain silly (as Charlie would say).

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  (Hebrews 4:16)

Jesus is Fully God (John 1:1; Hebrews 1:3)

Jesus is Fully Man

• His birth (Luke 2)
• His Soul (Matthew 26:38)
• His Spirit (Mark 2:8)
• His Limitations
• Hunger (Matthew 4:2)
• Thirst (John 19:28)
• Weariness (John 4:6)
• Knowledge (Mark 13:32)
• Death

Jesus was Resurrected in a Human Body (John 20:27)

Jesus Ascended in a Human Body (Acts 1:9)

Jesus will return in a Human Body (Acts 1:11)

His Current Place - At the Right Hand of God (Hebrews 1:3)

His Current Role - Intercessor/Mediator

• For Us (Romans 8:34)
• Sinners (Isaiah 52:12b)
• Believers (John 17:9)

His Qualification - Unique/Only Begotten/One and Only

• His Sacrifice (I Timothy 2:5-6)
• His Human Experience (Hebrews 4:14-16)
• His Perfection (Hebrews 9:11-14)
• The Spirit intercedes within us (Romans 8:26-27) the Son intercedes with God for us (Romans 8:34)

His Purpose

• Bear our burdens (Psalm 68:18-19)
• Advocate for us (I John 2:1)

His Timing

• Until the resurrection (Acts 3:20-21)

Our Commanded Response 

• Draw near to God with confidence (Hebrews 4:16)
• Continually Praise (Hebrews 13:15)
• Intercede/Pray for others (I Timothy 4:1)
• Even our enemies (Matthew 5:44)

Difference of opinion...

I have realized that I really don't like maintenance of any kind:  car maintenance, home maintenance, personal maintenance, etc.  I think my tires should last forever, paint shouldn't chip and my hair just shouldn't get ratty at the ends no matter how long I wait between cuts...  I think that we should be able to do things once and be done.

Clearly, what I think doesn't matter, but I believe that this theory of mine somewhat explains the near despair I was in yesterday morning when Jason and I realized that something was leaking somewhere because the carpet at the door of our bathroom was soaked and a spot was growing by the second in the living room ceiling.  Ughhh...

I know that in the scope of disasters, this is small-scale, but it honestly ruined my whole morning.  Once we'd turned the water off, we pretty much just left the dishes in the sink, thanked God that we'd found the leak after our showers and headed off to church...and I was quietly hoping that we'd get home and find it had all been a nightmare.

Having delayed as long as possible over lunch, we finally returned home, put Charlie down for his nap and Jason got to work.  At this point I was convinced we were going to be cutting huge holes in both the ceiling and the floor, both of which would bring huge bills and huge pains in my neck.

Since Jason and I are much like other married couples in that "projects" tend to be best handled by one or the other of us, I quietly read on the couch while he pondered and banged and peered and wondered upstairs.  Finally, hopeful that the leak was not in fact in the floor, he told me that he would be cutting a hole in the wall.  Preferring this to the floor or ceiling, I cheered him on and turned the page...then I heard Charlie calling from his room (and yes, we are so amazingly blessed that he still waits for us to come get him out of his big boy bed!)

So I walked in, opened his shutters and watched him slowly come around.  Then I asked him, "Hey buddy, do you want to watch Daddy cut a whole in the wall?"

Charlie's eyes rounded to the size of dinner plates, "What, Mommy?"

"Daddy's going to cut a hole in the wall...do you want to watch?"

"Oh, yes, Mommy!  I do!" he shouted, scrambling off the bed and racing into our room.

Over the next half hour Jason found the leak and confirmed that Charlie's love for playing in our tub and pulling up the stopper was the culprit, all the while serenaded with the chants, "This is so cool, Daddy.  What you doing, Daddy?  This is so cool!"

This morning I am thankful for a very handy husband and praying that nothing new happens to entertain our son anytime soon...

Let me see!

This is so cool, Daddy!

Moving Day

So, if you've found our new home, you're likely wondering why on earth I would go to all the trouble to "move" the blog.

Well, it all started in Kansas City when we googled Charlie's full name...and found that hundreds of pictures come up.  See, our old blog address incorporated our last name, as did many, many blog entries...and while I am clearly not an overwhelmingly private person (or you wouldn't be reading this), that freaked me out.

I love sharing our lives with the people we love, but the idea that some stranger could google us and see into Charlie's days made me nervous.

So, I have taken the following precautions:
1 - Removed all last name references from our blog
2 - Moved the blog to a new address
3 - Deleted the old blog and will be completely taking down the old address within a few days

Please feel free to still send links to friends/family if you're mentioned of if you happen to find any Charlie-isms especially adorable (and how could you not?).  My goal with this move was to just limit access to strangers, not to friends, family, etc.

Also, as part of this housecleaning, I have finally added my pre-blog journal entries to the list, so you Charlie fanatics feel free to go back to July 2008 in the history and see how it all began...and how much fun Jason must have had being married to a pregnant me!

He's a Big Boy Now

That's right...Charlie no longer sleeps in a nursery, but an official "Big Boy Room"!  Now, his past couple of days have been a bit trying, as he hasn't appreciated Mom & Dad spending so much time at home working on his room, rather than playing with him...but he slept like a champ and even waited for me to come get him at 6:45 this morning, so we're calling it an unqualified succes!

The room itself is about 95% done...once the dresser arrives and we hang the last picture, I'll add more, but here it is!  We couldn't be more thrilled with how it turned out and we owe huge thanks to:

• Daddy for his superior painting abilities
• Grandma for the AWESOME quilt and sheets
• BaBa and PaPa for the dresser and storage drawer arriving very soon
• By The Room Furniture for going out of business and practically giving away the bunk beds
• Mr. Bob for the cool signal flags
• Mr. Chad for the super crab pot
• And of course, Target, Walmart, TJ Maxx, Land of Nod, etc for all of the necessary accessories

A truly BIG boy bed

Quilt Close Up

The reading nook

C                          P                           B

Today's Catch

What two your old room would be complete without Accent Pillows?