Sydney is a real fan of the pool.  We went to my friend Nancy’s house yesterday and of course the boys had a great time in the pool.  They are both fish.  Sydney, on the other hand, takes pool loving to the extreme.  She missed her morning nap (we are still not fully recovered from VBA week) so she was tired.  I put her in the pool and the poor thing was exhausted!  Her eyes were at half mast and she even put her head down a few times on the float.  I TRIED on several occasions to take her out and rock her, but it was a no-go.  She wanted to swim.  We had a great time amd she never did get much of a nap. =0)

Who needs toys?  Sydney has a box and some beads…  life is good.

Sydney just sat up all by herself!  Twice!  She has been very stable in sitting up and playing for a while now, but up until today she has never been able to get herself from lying down to sitting up without help.  Well, she did it!!!!  You go girl!!!!  The best part was that she immediately clapped and smiled.  Apparently I am not the only one who is proud of her.  She was quite impressed with herself.  (as she should be).  Yeah Sydney!!!

We just finished out our Vacation Bible Adventure week tonight with a family gathering with dinner and a bouncy house.  We had a GREAT week.  Our VBA is always so much fun, but it is a lot of work and a solid week of going, going, going along with knocking the kiddos off of their schedule makes it exhausting.  So, with mixed emotions we end the week.  This year I did something new, I joined the music team.  Although I am not the best singer on the planet, I can harmonize with the music and I can help the kids with Sign Language.  Besides, I got to work with two women that I adore, Nancy and Dona.  They are the traditional music team.  I enjoyed being part of thier group this year.  The music was catchy and the kids really enjoyed it.  My husband burned CDs for all of the kids and my boys are constantly asking for the VBA cd to listen to on the boom box or in the car. 

 My wonderful husband built a “set” for our Hula night.  He built an 8′x8′ wall that we attached grass skirting to, then he built two 4′x8′ walls that we covered in tapa paper.  He never ceases to amaze me with his ingenuity.  I saw something like, “Honey, do you think you could rig up something that looks like a grass hut for the hula night?”  And he builds 16′x8′ of walls.  I was thinking of something simple, and he pulls this beautiful set out of his head.  He spent a two days building the frames and we spent a few hours together stapling raffia and ta-pa paper and arranging the set.  It was some great spent together as a family.  What a guy!!!  The pictures are still on the camera, but I will get them up this week.

The boys both had a great time at VBA and we were delighted that our neighbor (Anthony’s best friend) Olivia was able to join us all week.  Tonight at the picnic, it was just great to see all of the smiling faces of the kids and families together.  It just made me think of how lucky we are to have such a wonderful church family.  God has been good to us!

I was reading a fellow blog Big Blueberry Eyes where a mom overheard another mom use the word ret*rd used in a flippant way.  This word is so terribly hurtful.  I have not experienced anyone use it in front of me in the last year, but know the day will come when someone will.  The big question is, what will I do when the time comes?  For those reading this entry, here is a gentle lesson.  PLEASE drop the word from your vocabulary.  It has become a flippant comment, but carries such powerful rejection in it.  It originally meant slowed functionality but has become an ugly term which is degrading.  In Big Blueberry Eyes, she references a link to a High School speech given last year that is incredibly powerful and I highly recommend listening to the whole speech.  Here is the link to watch the speech or read it. 

 Thanks Blueberry Eyes for posting the speech.

This week is our church’s VBS, although we call it VBA instead…. Vacation Bible “Adventure”.    This year’s theme is Christianity around the globe.  We have a different holiday or holy day each night and we are celebrating it from different countries.  VBA is always a fun but exhausting week.  This year is Sydney’s first VBA.  She was passed around the first night because Randall and I were both working a station, and tonight she either rode around in the backpack or hung out in the nursery.  Last night I hosted a station where we talked about the Sabbath as celebrated from Hawaii (representing one aspect of the US).  I taught the kids the Hukilau hula, we made island rythms with faux gourds (clorox bottles painted brown), then we ended with a free-style hula to Elvis’ Rock-a-Hula.  Folks, let me tell you, I TOTALLY overestimated my capabilities!  We have a 20 minute station with four rotations.  When I was a little girl doing the hula in Hawaii it was so easy.  30ish years later it is a different story.  So now doing the Hukilau hula four times in one night is a little rough on the knees, but the Rock-a-hula (a FAST paced hula) is REALLY what did me in!  The kids loved it, but my poor left knee was swollen twice it’s size last night.  Luckily some motrin and icy-hot did the trick.  The night was really roungh, but my knees are remarkably better today.  I was really worried that I did some real damage. 

This was a sick realization that I am not as young as I used to be (sniffle, sniffle).  My 37th birthday is coming up this Saturday and for the first time I really feel old.  The extra pounds aren’t helping that.  I need to spend more time on my new birthday present, my Wii Fit (LOVE IT!!!!!).  I was thanking God today for the quick recovery, but took it as a lesson to get busy on the fitness thing.  It won’t get any easier as I add more numbers to my age, so now is the time.  Besides, I will need the energy with three kids to chase around, or just keep up with.

Check out this site about an Australian Dance troup for people with all different Special needs.  The majority of the dancers have DS, but there is a mix of all different special needs.  It is fantastic. http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/  The video is in two parts, be sure to watch them both.

One of my favorite scriptures, and oddly enough one of the hardest to achieve is Psalm 46:10  “Be Still and Know that I am God”.  I had this scripture on a glass pebble that sat on my desk for the four years I worked at Dell.  It was a daily reminder that I need to listen to God, not just talk to him.  Unfortunately He only seems to get a periodic “Thank you” from me during my daytime hours and some minimal time from me each night, and outside of my actual Bible study time, that is all the time I give Him.  I started walking early in the mornings, before the children get up.  So if you know me, then you know that is pure torture since I like to sleep and with three kids, I don’t ever get enough of it.  Before kids, my motto was “I don’t do mornings”. 

So, I have been trying (not always succeeding) to get my tired tail up and walk in the mornings.  Lately I have decided to put his time to good use and listen to the Bible on Mp3.  It has been very interesting and I have really enjoyed it.  It is amazing how I can hear something new out of scriptures that I have heard many times.  Anyway, always a multi-tasker, this is a way to be in the Word more.  BUT, as usual I missed part of the point.  This method is still not following the Psalm ”Be Still and Know that I am God”.  Hmmmm…..  Be Still.  Wow, not easy to do… especially with kids.

 Well, I got another reminder again of this scripture…  of all places at the movies.  I took Anthony “on a mom-and-me-date” today to go see Kung-Fu-Panda.   Yes, you read that correctly, I got a message from God in Kung-Fu Panda.  At one point, the wise old turtle tells another character (I am paraphrasing) that your mind is like a pool of water.  When you are running around and moving, it is hard to see.  When you sit still, everything becomes clear.  Wow, that was profound.  At least to me.  I immediately thought of Psalm 46:10 (don’t be impressed, I didn’t know the actual reference until I looked it up), but nonetheless, “Be Still and Know that I am God” popped into my mind.  I am pretty sure that I was the only one in the theater who stopped to ponder this.  Maybe it was personal.  =0)

 I think if God is talking to me in a cartoon movie (which was very cute, BTW.  I recommend it), then I think I ought to listen.  I say that as I write this at 1:45am.  I am going to bed… and be still.  Obviously I have to work on this concept some more.  It’s a good thing God is patient.

We went to visit a friend of mine, Sarah and her little girl Ellie.   Ellie is only two weeks older than Sydney.  Sarah and I got a chance to catch up and the girls had a blast.  The last time they saw each other, they were only 4 months old.  It is sad how time can get away from us so quickly!  Sarah and I had a wonderful visit and it reminded me of how much I just love her.  Sarah has one of those smiles that lights us a room.  Despite looking a lot like her daddy, it looks like Ellie inherited her mom’s smile.

 It is funny to see how different the little girls are…  Sydney is starting to work on crawling while little Ellie is walking around.  Ellie has mastered a few signs and is starting to say a few words.  Sydney babbled us a storm, but when it comes to signing, we are still waiting for that “water pump” moment (Miracle worker reference), but it is coming soon.  While they are the same height, Sydney weighs in at 21 pounds while Ellie is only 16 lbs, so when I picked up Ellie, it was like picking up an empty soda can when you expect it to be full.  I almost through her, she was so light.  The girls have almost identical hair color, although Sydney has more to get into her little bow.  (sorry Ellie)  The best part of the visit was that the girls had a great time together.  They both enjoyed the “other baby” Ellie ran around the place and Sydney enjoyed watching her. 

Watching Ellie reminded me of the early days with Anthony.  He was crawling at 6 months and walking at 9 months, so I was chasing him from early on.  Frankly he used to wear me out.  (Wait, if you read my last post… he is still wearing me out).  Sydney and I we were playing on the floor and watching Sarah chase Ellie around the place.   Anthony enjoyed playing with the babies for a while then sat and watched Peter Pan.  We were spoiled by Sarah and we enjoyed every minute.  I didn’t have a camera, but will get some pictures from Sarah and post them soon.  We have to make sure that another 4months don’t pass before we visit again.