Hillsborough

Jeffy has a thing for random small towns.  When driving through one, he usually talks big like the plans to move there are in the works. He likes to point out the street he will live on, where he will have his office, etc.

We were in Homer, Michigan a few years back.....a very small one-stoplight town...eating dinner. After dinner, Jeffy thought he heard a football game. It was Friday night, so he (and we by association) set off to find it. As we neared the game, a local was walking our way.  Jeffy asked him, "Who are they playing tonight?" The guys said the name of another rival town, indicating that Homer was losing to them. Jeffy's response: "Oh, they're always tough."  As nonchalantly as if he's gone to every Homer football game for the last ten year. What a goober!

So, we headed out to see what Hillsborough, NC had to offer while Grandma and Papa were here this weekend.

Calvin loved the walking and talking big with Papa, and Jack loved taking in the sights at his own pace. It was sweet to watch Jack meander behind us stopping to look carefully at flowers, knock on shop doors, and stare at people on bikes.





I am so thankful for jeffy's quirky and loving influence on the boys....and us!

Mr. Persistent

Luke proved yesterday that he's a Rocke. The boys have each now shown a stubbornness bordering on ridiculous. Lucky for them, their mama and daddy have it in spades as well.

Luke decided to start rejecting the bottle last week...after taking it without much problem for 2 months. This is just not an option because of my tutoring (and sanity) over the next year. So, yesterday I drew the line. Boy did I meet my match!

This little guy sputtered, gagged, and made sour faces every time I held the bottle up to his mouth. Since the last time I nursed him was 5 am, I thought, surely he is hungry for his morning feeding. That came and went without a gulp of milk, and back to sleep he went for a short nap. Then I thought he must be starving enough to take his second choice in feeding mode (still breast milk). Nope. That and 2 other feeding came and went.

The whole time, Luke was relatively happy and had me doubting everything. I tried different nipple sizes on the bottle. I tried to make the milk a little warmer/cooler. I tried holding his body in different positions. I sang to him. I faced him away from me/held him really close. You name it. I prayed like crazy for wisdom and for him to relent. I was certain there was something wrong and that I was torturing my little guy....

UNITL 4:15 pm when Luke opened his little eyes from another too short nap (I'm sure from hunger!) and opened his sweet little mouth. And he started gulping with the sweet little sound of an experienced bottle drinker...with no hint of gagging, sputtering, or sour faces. It was the sweetest sound to my ears!

And it told me that I have met my match with Luke! 11+ hours without food just because he didn't prefer that way to take it!! I really don't think I would have done that.

Then he finally rested. And so did I.



If Jack's occasional willingness to dig in and undertake numerous spankings/ time outs/crib time for the sake of not giving a taken toy back is any indication, I am pretty sure the battle is not yet won.



And I think Luke is showing that he can keep up with Calvin's dramatic ways. :)



I am so thankful that God is the one giving me wisdom for these goobers. And I am even more thankful that He is the one responsible for molding their little hearts. He is the only one who can create and redeem strong willfulness for good!

Today's bottle is warming up! Luke hasn't eaten since 4:30 am. Here we go....

Rollerskating

Jack was doing everything our friend and neighbor Hockey was telling Cal to do...but without skates. Sweet buddies!

Going on a little run...

Dan and I each went for a little run yesterday. So, Calvin announced that he was going to go on a little run himself...and boy did he!  I bet he ran close to a mile in his converse, sunglasses, and jean shorts...alongside Dan. He was pretty sweaty and proud of himself when he made it back home!

Our Morning Hike at the Eno

We have been loving this small trail on the Eno River.  It is perfect for our little guys and Luke-carrying mama! It is only 3/4 mi. round trip,  but it is rugged and hilly enough to feel like a real hike....it elicits Calvin's "I'm big-time" strut and makes Jack ask for Daddy's shoulders, anyway!

About halfway to the awesome log cabin destination, there is a suspension bridge...or as Calvin calls it, the "shake-shake" bridge (from Thomas the Train).  It makes me nervous every time we decide to take the boys across it because it just has a few cables strung across that my mind envisions being WAY too far apart. When we actually get to the bridge I am always relieved that it is not that bad.

Then, we make it to this log cabin to have a little snack and throw rocks and stomp in the river before heading back. 

Today Calvin found this "flag" made out of rotting leaves on a stem (in honor of the Olympics) and some other treasures on the walk back to the car.  

And, the mark of a good hike, everyone was too wet and dirty to wear shoes or clothes in the car on the way home....and Cook-Out burgers and corn dogs on the way home for lunch!  What a great morning!

God Our Father

Tonight at dinner, Calvin, Jack, and I had a sweet time listening to "Still Listening" by Stephen Curtis Chapman...6 times in a row.  So sweet to see Calvin singing these words. I am so thankful to get to see a glimpse of God making Calvin's heart enjoy these words even though he doesn't understand yet.

Please excuse my voice trying to sing quietly in the background...when I stopped, so did Cal....

I love seeing God work in Jack in the way he has loved the Bible since he was a little guy.  I have found him sitting by himself flipping through the Bibles in our house since he was only crawling, and Jack often asks for a Bible story "ba-Bow sa-ee" when he gets to pick a book. I am thankful that God draws us to Himself in ways that connect to us individually.  I pray that Jesus would show his love to all three to Calvin, Jack, and Luke as they grow up.

Productive morning

I had a really productive morning upstairs.  It took probably 90 minutes for me to start some laundry, rotate the clothes in the boys' drawers for the fall, give Luke a bath, and put Luke down for a nap.

This empty shelf and mess argues that Cal and Jack were even more productive during that time!  The boys were really happy the whole time...totally worth it!

Finally Cooperating

I feel like since Luke was born our family has been operating a bit like an awkward teenager....growing, but not really running smoothly.  The last couple of days have been so much better on all fronts. It is like we are starting to cooperate instead of jockeying for position.  

A HUGE component of this is me giving up control of naps for the guys. I really wanted Calvin and Jack to sleep sweetly together in the same room to make tutoring easier.  I realized a couple days ago that this is not fair to anyone, and trying to control the boys to submission was only hurting all of us.  So, Calvin has been napping in our bedroom getting the rest he needs, Jack has been alseep within a few minutes in his room (compared to staying awake for 2 hours before), and Luke and I have been enjoying the quiet. Thank you, Lord, for showing me that I was expecting too much! So much better now....and tutoring has been fine even with this arrangement! 

Maybe it is the extra rest for us all, but the boys have been cooperating instead of competing with me and each other, too. Calvin has been eager to help Jack out with picking up dropped forks at meals, fixing his cement mixer truck, and even putting on his shoes.  So sweet to my eyes!

Unfortunately, Calvin has been equally eager to help Luke...

I was giving Luke a bath yesterday and both older boys wanted to "help."  I put Luke on Jack's bed and asked Calvin if he would like to play with Luke while I filled up the tub.  "Play" usually looks like Calvin giving Luke kisses and gently rubbing his head while saying things like, "It's okay, Luke."

It did involve all of those things, however, it also meant more. I turned into the bedroom to get Luke from the bed and Calvin met me at the doorway.....with a look of strain and fear on his face and Luke in his arms! Luke was completely content...he did not know how close he was to being dropped. Calvin did....I gasped, but did not have to say a word. The look on Calvin's face told me that he will not try this again. And later that day he asked me, "Why did God make babies so heavy?"  Yeah.

Here were the sweet helpful moments at Luke's bath time.