Fall Festival Pics

Just a few quick pics from Fall Festival...poor Jake has been pretty sick for over a week, so he didn't get to join us.  ):  

the princess and the cowboy

Poppa (my dad) sharing a little popcorn with our little cowboy

sweet El

Caleb's last minute "Quarterback" costume...
didn't bother him one bit..."point me to the games
and candy!!"

Love this...David and Joshua (at the last minute changed their mind
and dressed as a Georgia fan and a Samford fan) with El in the corn wagon

love my  little cowboy!

her first cotton candy ever to herself...pefectly pink!

Last year I wasn't blogging yet at this time, so for fun, I thought I'd include a pic of last year's fall festival...(:

Halloween??? To Celebrate or Not???

Ok, so I'm aware that I am stepping into possible uncomfortable territory with this post.  I ask you to promise me something here.  If you start reading this post, you have to read every word of it all the way to the end...otherwise just don't read it at all, ok?  I don't want anyone reading half of it without getting the full picture!  My absolute last intention is to stir anything up or make anyone defensive from either side of this topic, but I do think it is important to post what our view of Halloween is and where the Lord has brought us regarding whether or not to celebrate this holiday in any form (and why). One of the interesting things about blogging to me is that you aren't just writing to one audience.  There are some who will read this post who are adamently opposed to any form of celebrating this holiday and others who will read it and think I'm crazy for even taking the time to write about such a topic, because they see absolutely nothing in the world wrong with it, even find me "extreme" for suggesting such a thing.  I know several people on both sides of this issue (and lots more in between), and love them all the same.  The last thing we need to do is be divisive in the body over issues like this, because Satan certainly has a holiday then!   Here is a little peak into why we do what we do.

I will start by saying that personally I was never drawn to any of the evil or gorey Halloween type stuff, even as a child.  Growing up I always loved dressing up in fun costumes and going to church parties or trick or treating in my neighborhood, but I was never drawn to all of the witches, ghosts, and goblin type stuff that goes along with so much of the holiday.  Truthfully, all of that stuff always made me unsettled in my spirit even before I understood why.  I never really knew many details about the origins of Halloween until I was a young adult and decided to research it further.  I had always known bits and pieces of the background, but my interest in a lot of this peaked even more when we started having children of our own and began figuring out how we were going to "do" various holidays in our own family. All of a sudden there was a new responsibility with our decisions, because we were accountable to the Lord for molding these little souls He had entrusted to us.  I will say (and remember, I was one of them) that I don't believe most Christians are very educated at all in this area and if they were, many might make some different decisions as to what all they participate in or not.  I think it's just easier for us to never pursue knowing more, because we've always done it this way or that way, and quite frankly, we still want to.  It is absolutely true (and there is no debate about it) that Halloween originated as an entirely evil, sinful, and Satanic holiday.  The costumes, jack-o-lanterns, everything.  I can say that when I first really started researching all of that about 15 years ago I didn't really know what to do with it.  I knew the basics, but I had never really dug deeply to learn anything more than the surface level info I had heard before. Try it yourself.  If you've never REALLY done the research on the origins of Halloween it's easier than ever these days with the internet, so take the time to educate yourself and know what it is you're playing around with.

Now, it may seem if you stop reading here that we are "anti-Halloween" in our home...well, yes, and no.  (stay with me)  We've always told our kids we DON'T celebrate Halloween, because "Halloween" itself is a holiday that does not honor God, but we do celebrate Fall Festival.  We don't just say that for the sake of sounding "churchy"...it's exactly what we mean. Now, if someone throws out the word "Halloween" around them they don't gasp and think ugly things about them in their heart...what bigger issues are we creating in our own kids if they grow up being little Pharisees?!  However, we do want them to grow up being educated and understand what we do and why we do it so they can own it for themselves.  My husband has led our family so well in this area, and I believe he is absolutely right in the way he describes it.  Here's the deal...One of the big arguments against doing any type of participation even in church Fall Festivals or dressing up at all in costumes is that we are just making our own version look a little nicer, but it's still celebrating a demonic/Satanic holiday in a hidden version. By the way, I have absolutely no issue whatsoever if families decide not to participate in this holiday altogether, and I can completely understand why some might make that choice.  I would much rather that than the opposite extreme which so many take of allowing little ones to dress in evil costumes and teenagers and grown ups alike going out and watching horror movies, which in no way honor our Lord no matter how you try to justify it. There is certainly no harm in not participating.  But why has our family come to a point where we are completely fine with...even intentional with participating in Fall Festivals of some sort?  Why not just stay away altogether?  Well, the God we serve is in the business of REDEEMING. Jesus Christ IS the Redeemer.  He comes to redeem ALL things.  Redeem just means to "take back, to recover ownership for"  God's word says He comes to make "all things new"!!!  God's word says "THIS is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."  October 31st is HIS day, not Satan's day!  Horrible things originated on this date years and years ago, and much of it still goes on today, but are we just going to let it stay that way?!  EVERY day is sacred and holy!!  Yes, there are evil, demonic things that take place on that night under the cover of darkness, but Jesus is the light of the world!  WE are the light of the world because of Him, and a city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Rather than sit back and let the evil take place, I absolutely love when I see more and more churches taking back October 31st for the kingdom!  "Take back" ...redeem for the kingdom. By doing so, we don't believe for a second that that is giving honor to Satan.In reference to Genesis 50:20, what man intended for evil, God uses for good! I want our kids growing up with the perspective that being followers of Christ is an adventure, and that there are opportunities to fight on behalf of His kingdom every day of their life in real ways.  There is no doubt there is a battle for our hearts.  There is no doubt that there is REAL spiritual warfare in this world.  And there is no doubt that we serve a God who is in the business of redeeming ALL things.  Now I will say that a huge portion of people who participate in church fall festivals and such don't necessarily think it through quite this extremely, and many who fall to the other side of the argument would say this is a problem. Our prayer is that more and more believers who do participate in fall festival activities would see this as the picture of redemption that it is.(and our potential role in that).

So, is this just a lighter version of celebrating the actual holiday of Halloween when we let our kids dress up in costumes, play games, and go door to door for candy?  In those early years I questioned the same thing at times before I grasped this picture of Jesus being in the business of redeeming. One year when our first boys were young I suggested to Kenny maybe we should go to the fall festival but not wear costumes.  He said, "Well, they wear costumes almost every day of their life around the house,but we're going to NOT let them to fall festival because we're being legalistic?"  Valid point.  Again...it's the Lord's day, NOT Satan's!  Jesus is the redeemer. Now, let me say, we would not allow them to wear costumes that are dishonoring to God, whether that be playing around at home OR out to a fall festival.  One of our family members last year said something I absolutely loved.  They had just moved into a new neighborhood, and he said, "what better way to start getting to know your neighbors for future opportunites to share the gospel than going trick or treating door to door with your cute little one all dressed up!"  I loved it!  That's exactly what we're talking about.  Taking back the day for the kingdom!  They dressed up their cute little one in a costume (and who doesn't love seeing a sweet little boy all dressed up?) and went door to door introducing themselves through the neighborhood as the new family on the block.  They used it as an opportunity to open doors for sharing the gospel. Only God knows what opportunities were to follow because they were intentional in this way. 

SO, most years you will see the Dallas family participating in some sort of Fall Festival event at one place or another, and our kids excited and enjoying every minute of it.  We are very open and honest with them about the truths of what "Halloween" is about at the core (for each at their appropriate age level, ofcourse, but even down to the little ones)...the origins of it and the way many people still celebrate it...many knowingly, and many unaware.  They grow up knowing why we do what we do, and that WE are the hands and feet of Jesus.  He is ,and forever will be, in the business of redeeming....He makes all things new.

The Twins...Part 2

In my previous post I shared the story of our twins, Joshua and David, and how the Lord gave them life even when the odds were completely stacked against them. We chose their first names, because they were two Old Testament warriors...mighty men of God who had enormous impact for the kingdom.  In this post I have just written a little about each one of them individually.  This was their first year not being homeschooled and going to regular school.  The first week their teacher asked all of the parents to write for her a brag letter about our children, just wide open permission to brag on them in every way to give her a little peek into who they are and their giftedness. (what parent wouldn't like the chance to do that, right?!)  I've taken those letters and added a few things to each, and that's what I've posted below.

Now, I do think it's necessary to point out that this is a BRAG post to celebrate their little lives.  If you are new to reading my blog or don't know me well, you ought to take some time to read some of my "I'm inadequate" type posts I've written, because life around here is definitely not picture perfect all the time!  I also promise to take the time to gradually share more in future posts of the challenges and issues we have and have had through the years so far in day to day life with a house full!  All that aside, I  LOVE these fellas, and I give God every ounce of the glory for what He has done and is continuing to do in their lives!!!
                                                          Joshua

(click on collage to enlarge)

 Joshua is the oldest twin (by a few minutes!) He's always been such a sweetie. We used to call him "Smiley" all the time when he was little, because he always had this big, bright smile on his face and he was such a chunky little sweet teddy bear! He's still so kind and "smiley", but Joshua is also strong, tough, and athletic... and so much fun! He loves anything that involves a challenge, especially if it requires a ball or a lot of physical activity. He is competitive, hard working, and has been really successful at every sport he's tried so far.  Just a natural athlete. God has given him such a wide range of giftedness, though, because as much as he excels at sports, he is equally gifted at music and art. Joshua has beautiful handwriting, and loves to draw and create things. When he was about 3-4 years old he would create just about anything out of notebook paper and tape. He could make these huge free standing castles all on his own with just paper, tape, and that little engineer-like mind of his! He's always liked making things with his hands and doing any kind of painting or artwork, and he's really talented in those areas. He began taking guitar lessons last fall, and he has just taken off in his love of playing and singing with the guitar. Just this summer he began writing a couple of songs on the guitar (and singing), and I love hearing his heart for the Lord come through in his music already. Kenny and I have said more than once that it wouldn't surprise us one bit if Joshua became a worship leader someday. There's something special there. Whatever God is up to with this guy, I have no doubt it's something big for His kingdom. Joshua desires that. He is a fine young man, a good friend,a leader, and a young warrior with a servant's heart.



                                                          David

(click on collage to enlarge)

David is the younger twin, and though he has always been a little smaller than Joshua, it's never slowed him down one bit! From inside my belly 9 years ago, David was already a fiesty little fella. I have never had a baby that did that much flipping and flopping the way David did! They told me with twins that after about 32-33 weeks the babies would stay in position, because there just isn't enough room to move around.  Well, they hadn't met our David!  Twice a week I went to the doctor at that point, and every single time he had changed position! Head down one day, feet first the next! (and I might add, I knew EXACTLY when he was changing positions every time!) It still makes me smile to watch him run and play the way he does and watch his fiesty little personality, because that's exactly who he was from the beginning! David has always been naturally athletic. Anyone around him from when he was only 16 months old and on, couldn't believe the way he could throw a ball already...I'm not exaggerating. It was a regular thing each week to have the different nursery workers at church come to greet us at the door saying, "How did you teach this kid to throw a ball like that already?! Grandparents and other friends and family who spent any time around him couldn't believe how naturally this little guy could throw either, and specifically both of his grandfathers said multiple times they couldn't wait to see this Dallas duo one day with David throwing and Joshua catching or receiving (depending on the sport!)! He still loves to throw that ball, and do anything and everything that involves sports, activity, and challenge.  He may have been the smallest Dallas baby, but his big, contagious personality made up for that quickly! David has always had these eyes that just dance. He's fully alive, and just loves Jesus and loves people. He loves to read, and he loves anything that involves music, too. He began guitar lessons last fall, and he has done an incredible job learning to play and sing.  He absolutely loves it and hearing him worship His Lord through playing and singing blesses my heart. God has given him quite a math mind, also, and he loves learning and absorbs new things very quickly. David has a thankful, tender heart. He is so quick to say thank you to us over and over even for what might seem like the smallest thing to most kids. He just can't express it enough, and it's just beautiful to me. I love the contrast in his personality....much like David of the Bible. Brave, bold, warrior....but, also, this loving, kind young man of God who loves to worship and loves serving others. I believe with all my heart that God has big things for David for His kingdom. He desires that already himself, and is a great leader and lover of God.


We love watching the unique relationship these two have, and seeing it continue to grow over the years.  My husband often refers to the Proverb that says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man strengthens another." We pray this to be true among all of the brothers in our home, and we remind these two frequently that they have been given each other for specific reasons, many of which only God knows.  Somehow it's part of God building them to be exactly who they are called to be.  He put them together on purpose.  I sure am thankful that He did.

"Is the Arm of the Lord too Short?" (The Story of Joshua and David)

Joshua and David September 11, 2002



David and Joshua (their first time ever having haircuts different from each other!) the day after their 9th birthday


(WARNING:  LONG POST, LOTS OF PICTURES!!!)



 I know I've shared a big story along with each child's birthday, but all of our lives are all part of one huge story, and we all have our own chapters in that story to tell.  I'm the kind of person who loves hearing other people's stories. In God's word we can see that He wanted people to remember what He had done in their lives and tell it again and again for generations to come to always remember His faithfulness to His people.  In light of that, I want to share the "story" of Joshua and David, our twins who just turned 9 years old last month.  I've decided to divide this into two posts, which I figured was acceptable since there are two of them!  Here I just want to share a little about the beginning of their little lives and in the next post I will tell a little more about each of them individually.

We had moved to Georgia the very end of May, 2001 with our two boys (Jake 3 1/2 and Caleb 2).  We settled in and got through our first football season at Landmark and were just beginning to feel we were getting to know people a little better and settle in. Well, sure enough, the end of January we found out we were having baby #3 (so we thought!  Only God knew then it was baby #3 and 4!)  We knew we had wanted more children, and even though the exact timing of this pregnancy wasn't "planned" it was exciting and wonderful.  It would be our second time having a baby due during football season, which is kind of our crazy time of the year (to say the least!), but we weren't too concerned about that.  Life would be busy, but we had always said we wanted 5 or 6 children if the Lord allowed it, and we were getting closer to that goal than we realized!  

I was very sick the first trimester of that pregnancy (much more than the first 2 pregnancies) and was excessively tired.  It was hard keeping myself going alot of days with a 2 and 4 year old at home and no family around, but I was genuinely thankful for this pregnancy and knew feeling the way I did was a good sign that all was well.  It's so strange looking back, because as I prayed for this "baby" (remember, I still thought it was 1) I did something I had never done before during my other pregnancies.  As I would pray, I started saying something like this:  "Lord, please take care of this baby... or babies"  Now, honestly, I never really stopped and thought through that possibly this could be twins...not even for a minute.  However, I just sord of casually added that to my prayers when I would pray over this pregnancy.  It's not unlike me to feel the need to cover all the bases when I pray (used to wear myself out as a kid praying at times...thank you, Lord, for teaching me through the years more of your grace!!), however, when I found out later that there were 2 babies it blew my mind that somehow in my spirit I knew to pray for both of my babies! 

Around 14 weeks I went for a regular checkup.  Kenny was out of school that day, so he stayed home with the little ones while I went for my appointment.  We didn't expect anything significant that day, and he had heard the heartbeat the visit before and was going to the next visit when I would have my regular ultrasound.  My appointment went just fine, but even though I had only gained 2 lbs, which was normal for me by about this point, I got into a discussion with the midwife I was seeing about how I couldn't believe how quickly my belly had begun growing this time compared to my other pregnancies.  They weren't very busy that day (which is unheard of!) and she said, "Do you have twins in your family?!"  "No!" I replied.  She said since they weren't busy, let's just do a quick peek ultrasound just to check.  I was in absolute joyous shock when I looked at that screen and saw 2 babies inside of ME!  Then I laid there and couldn't believe Kenny wasn't there to see this!!  They were kind enough to give me a copy of the video to take home, and I drove home half crying/half laughing about this crazy situation!  I could write another whole post about going home and telling Kenny and the boys, and telling our friends and family, but I better get on with the story for now!

We went a few weeks later to the perinatologist for a check up and thorough ultrasound, since immediately any twin pregnancy falls in the "high risk" category.  We were to find out that day the sex of the babies (yes, we LOVE knowing what we're having ahead of time!!  Sorry to all of you who can't stand that!)  We took Jake and Caleb with us, not expecting anything out of the ordinary.  We were shocked to hear the news given to us that day. After the ultrasound the doctor called us into his office to discuss what had been found. The twins were dealing with a condition called Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome.  This is only seen in cases of identical twins who are sharing a placenta, and basically it's when one twin is receiving more than it's supposed to and the other isn't getting enough.  Both are equally dangerous.  The smaller twin, for obvious reasons, is in danger, because his body isn't able to receive all that it needs from mama to grow and develop.  Along with this comes being surrounded by too little amniotic fluid, as well, which only causes more problems for him.  The larger twin is receiving too much from mama and though growth is not a problem, these babies are often in more danger, because they can go into fluid overload, or congestive heart failure, just like a cardiac patient, and their heart, kidneys, and other organs cannot handle the stress.  This baby usually has excessive fluid in his amniotic sac.  We were also told that the larger twin (Joshua) had something wrong with his kidneys, but they could not tell yet if it was something mild or severe.  The doctor also told us it was very likely that Joshua had some chromosomal abnormality, specifically Down's Syndrome, as well.  Needless to say, this was a lot to take in.  We were there with our other two little boys who couldn't understand all that was going on and were playing around on the floor under our feet in the doctor's office as we got this news.  The doctor went on to tell us that it looked very unlikely that both twins would survive.  When Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome starts later in pregnancy there is always the option of delivering them early, but at only 17-18 weeks along it was almost impossible that they would both live.  Just getting to a point in the pregnancy where both would even have a chance was unlikely. He told us at the time there was an 80% chance that one would survive, and entirely unlikely that both would.  Even if they did, there were questions as to how long we would make it in the pregnancy before delivering (meaning even in the case they both survived that long, we were to expect to potentially be delivering babies who were extremely premature, which could bring on an entire new list of possible problems), and it would be uncertain until after delivery what other issues Joshua would have.  Now, in the mix of all of this chaos, keep in mind, we did find out that both of these sweet babies were boys....4 boys.  We were thrilled.  Lots of people had told us once they knew we were having twins that they just knew we would have 2 girls and so that would give us 2 boys, 2 girls, but Kenny and I both went there totally expecting to hear these babies were boys, and the thought of a house full of little boys just excited our hearts. Needless to say, though, our hearts were heavy as we left there that day and when we made the phone calls to our eagerly awaiting family to inform them what we were having, we had to fill everyone in on what the doctors had found.  I can't put into words how trying the following days and weeks were.  There wasn't a thing we could actively "do" to fix or improve this situation...it was a time of praying and waiting that at times felt excruciating.  The more I prayed and read and cried, the more my heart was aching for both of these babies to live.  I would see pictures of moms in books I had gotten holding twins and I would long from the deepest part of my being to be able to hold not just one, but both of these precious babies.  I knew I had to come to a place where I could be thankful if only one of them survived, or even if we lost them both, but I honestly just wasn't there.  Weekly, and sometimes twice weekly, I had to go for ultrasounds to check the babies' status.  One week would be a little improvement and the next would be worse.  It was a constant roller coaster, and the only place that left us was at the feet of Jesus.  We could worry ourselves sick, and it wouldn't improve a single thing.  We could be impatient or restless, but it would only make things worse.  We entered a season of learning to trust the Lord that can't be put into words.  He really was our only hope.  It's funny, because normally hearing that a baby had a kidney problem and possibly Downs Syndrome might have been troubling to us, but in light of the bigger life or death issue we had almost no worries at all about those things. 

I can remember during those weeks of waiting and praying we drew close to the Lord in ways we never had before.  We had to lean on Him and trust Him in ways that we simply had not had to do before all of this.  During that time there were two things that literally leaped off of the pages of God's Word and struck my heart.  The first was the verse in Numbers 11 where Moses is asking God for help, but once God tells him what He plans to do Moses questions how this could be possible...  The Lord's response?  "Is the arm of the Lord too short?"  Now before you scan over that short little verse too quickly, slow down and read it again slowly: "Is the arm of the Lord too short?"  Whoa...meditate on that one for a while next time you feel the weight of all your troubles crashing in on you.  The peace the Lord gave us through that verse became powerful to us in those days more than I could ever describe.  I wrote it down in more than one place so we could see it regularly and be reminded that our God is in control and He IS all-powerful, above and beyond all we can fathom. The second thing the Lord brought to my attention was something that happened in Numbers 14.  After the Israelites lack of faith to go in and take the Promised Land as God had told them, the Lord told Moses that He would destroy them all right then and there.  Moses begins pleading with God on behalf of the people, and powerfully makes a case to the Lord for the sake of His glory to spare His people.  After Moses prayed and presented his case to the Lord, so to speak, scripture clearly says, "and the Lord changed His mind." What?! Seriously? The Lord can do that?  It almost seemed sacrilegious to me when I first thought I had read what I saw there.  I went on a huge study of God's word, literal translation, other places where this was found in scripture, etc. in the days and weeks ahead to try to understand this.  I can't tell you even now that I completely grasp all that is entailed, but I do know that because of Moses' intense, faithful prayer God changed His mind (KJV says, "repented" which means He was going one way, but turned completely around and went the other direction) and did not destroy His people for the sake of His glory.  Immediately this became my prayer...I shared this with Kenny, and we both prayed for days and weeks with this in mind.  My prayers were something like this: 

 "Lord, I do not claim to understand your ways completely, but I want to know more of You through all of this.  What I do know is,God, you said in your Word that when Moses prayed as He did you changed your mind for the sake of Your name and Your glory.  Lord, if these babies die, our hearts will be absolutely broken, but we WILL give you glory even in the midst of it all.  Yes, people will see us trust You and honor you regardless of how this turns out and will see us go on with the strength only You can provide. That will last for a time, and your name will be glorified...  But, Lord, if you choose to save the lives of these two little men, we will raise them and teach them in the ways of Your kingdom, and they will always know that You chose to save their lives for great and mighty things.  They will grow to be such mighty men of God that their lives will have huge impact on this world for your kingdom, and look at how much more glory You will receive by letting them live!  Their lives will affect many for the sake of the gospel all across this world and for years and years to come.  Lord, we beg you, if you will, to give them life. We do trust you, Lord, through whatever is to come, and we will glorify You no matter what." 

I've heard it said that God's will is what we would choose if we knew everything God knows.  God knows, not me, what REALLY is best and REALLY what will glorify Him most.  I do believe that I can present my case before Him, bring in prayer before His throne all that burdens me, and that obviously doesn't mean He will always change His mind... and it certainly doesn't mean He loves me more or less depending on His decision...He is all knowing and my husband and I certainly are not!   Now, I will not know for certain until I get to heaven whether or not our prayers changed the mind of our Father or not.  I don't know what would have happened if we had prayed differently or what His original intentions were, but I do know those weeks and months of waiting, praying, and multiple appointments grew us in ways that I will never be able to put into words. And I know that on September 11, 2002 we met Joshua and David for the very first time face to face...38 weeks into my pregnancy.  6 lbs 11 oz and 5 lbs 8 oz, as healthy as they could be.  No chromosomal disorder, no prematurity, and even came to find out in the weeks ahead that Joshua's kidney problem was only horseshoe kidney, which had to be monitored closely for a few years but has caused him absolutely no problem whatsoever.  Yes, the weeks that followed were incredibly busy with 4 boys 5 and under, a football coach husband in the middle of a busy season, and living far away from any of our family...however, I would just hold them, change them, and feed them often in quite a weary state, yet with an absolute overflowing heart of thankfulness as I held these precious miracles in my arms.  We would never forget what God had done..and this was just the beginning of their story.

To this day, the twins can't remember a time they didn't know the story of how so many of God's people, many who they will never meet this side of heaven, prayed for them all of those weeks and months and how God chose to use their lives even from birth as a testimony of His power and glory.  They have often been reminded (and will continue being reminded) of their Mama and Daddy's promise to the Lord before they were even born to teach them to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and that God put them here on purpose for great purpose for His kingdom. 

I could write an entire book about all of our "twin adventures" so far, especially in those early years, but I suppose maybe I can share some of those in the future!  These two are full of life, and it has been a gift just to get to have a glimpse into the unique relationship of twins that we would have never known.  I hope as you look through the pictures below now knowing some of their story your heart is full seeing God at work through these past 9 years.  I know mine is.  In my next post I will write a little about each of them individually and what the Lord is doing in and through their lives already. We serve a mighty, awesome God! 

4 months old...bet you can guess which one is which!!

Bathtime...about 2 years old

3 years old...always big buddies





sliding down the hill about age 2 (one of our favorite things we used to do at our old house!) These two

have been pretty much fearless from day one!

I love these sweet baby faces!!!  (about 3 1/2 to 4 years old)

hee-hee!!  They make me smile!

Love this picture taken by a friend at church when they were about 3-4

They have always been "eat up with" football (as my husband puts it!)-Age 4

One of my all time favorites of them! (5 years old)



Tough guys!



This past Christmas (8 years old)...absolute sweetness to me!

"IS THE ARM OF THE LORD TOO SHORT?"

Our Little "Light" (Elly Turns Four!)

The last couple of  "catch up posts" I have to do are birthday posts for some of the kids.  I started posting for a couple of the boys this way earlier this year as their birthdays rolled around, and I really wanted to tell a little about each of the others, too, as their birthdays came up.  So, today, almost 2 months after her 4th birthday, I am finally telling you about our sweet Elly girl.  (Twins and Jake next on the list!)

(click to enlarge picture)

Well, I have to say after 4 boys in a row, we started to think maybe we just have boys in this family!  Truthfully, I cannot put into words how much I love my boys, so the thought of that was honestly not a bad thing to us at all.  Kenny felt quite sure this Dallas #5 was going to be a girl, but I really thought the opposite.  My heart was just overjoyed , though, when they told us, "It's a Girl!"  Our boys had begged and begged (no lie) to name the baby Eleazar if it was a boy (If you don't know the story of Eleazar, one of David's mighty men, I'll leave that one hanging for you to research on your own.  Let's just say, he was an absolute warrior!)  Now, if there are any Eleazars out there reading this, I have no desire to offend you, but this name was not happening in our family!  No matter how much of a mighty man he was, there are just some names that don't make the cut.  Well, as soon as we found out Baby #5 was a girl the boys quickly decided, "Ok, then she will be Elly!!"  At first it was a passing joke...the female version of their mighty man, but after a few days of calling her that, the boys were absolutely set on that name!  They loved it.  They seriously thought it was the prettiest thing they had ever heard.  Now, don't get me wrong, I did like the name Elly a lot, but my thought was, "oh, that's cute", and that was the extent of it.  Well, week after week passed, and not a day went by that at least half a dozen times one of our guys would pat my belly and talk to "Baby Elly".  I kept saying over and over, "No, that's a sweet name, guys, but that's just not it."  Just about a month before her arrival I was reading through the baby name book for the 500th time that pregnancy in bed one night, and Kenny was reading something else.  Out of nowhere he just said, "I think her name needs to have something to do with 'light'.  I'm not sure, just every time I think of her, I think of 'light'."  I immediately said, "You're kidding me, right?  Do you know what one of the meanings of Elly is?  LIGHT!"  Unbelievable!  Needless to say, it was a done deal right then and there.  There was never another doubt that this little one's name was meant to be "Elly".

Our little Elly was loved more than I can tell you from the moment she was born by those big brothers.  I had a friend tell me once after Elly was about 8 months old that she had never seen older siblings (especially that many of them) all continue to be that enthralled with a baby sister still that long after the newness had worn off.  They couldn't pass her without hugging and kissing on her several times even just walking through a room and even if they had seen her a hundred times that day already.  They just couldn't get enough of that sweet baby girl.  Still to this day they are so in love with this little red head, and it makes me smile to watch the way they adore her.  I love the way the Lord is using their baby sister to bring out a part of them that wasn't there before in continuing to prepare them to be the men He's called them to be, and I love seeing how a house full of these wonderful boys is building her into the woman God desires for her to be. Her daddy...well, let's just say this little one loves her daddy, and he is crazy about her!  A friend of ours with grown children, one of them a girl, told us when I was pregnant with Elly that this little girl would be the sunshine in our house.  I think we would all agree.  She's a sweet ray of sunshine, and having only the one girl with those four big brothers and one little brother now adds a dynamic to our house that just wouldn't be there if it weren't for her.  Now, don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean the dynamic is always perfect!  Just having the mix of a bunch of boys and this little red headed girly girl is hysterical at times!  I always tell people that between her daddy and all those brothers she will be more protected than she may ever want to be as she grows up, but she most likely won't need it, because she'll be able to hold her own quite well after growing up in this house full of boys!  She's completely girly-girl, but she loves a good sword fight, (usually wearing a princess gown and a crown) and she loves fishing and digging in the dirt until she's covered from head to toe!

Elly:  She's our first girl, our first red-head.  She sings constantly...half of the time she goes about life as if she's in the middle of a musical, singing what most would just be saying with plain ol' words!  She has a wonderful imagination and she loves to help and serve.  She loves taking care of "the boys", especially being Mama #2 to Zech (not really, but she would sure take it over if I let her!)  She is incredibly bright and loves learning, and she asks so many deep questions it keeps me on my toes, but thrills my heart all at the same time.  She is a teacher at heart.  It's hard to explain unless you are around her a lot, but it's just built in to who she is.  She doesn't meet a stranger, and isn't shy a bit to talk to bigger kids or grown ups.  (At the drive through window recently she rolled down her window and told the girl working at the restaurant, "I like your fingernails!  They're so pretty!") She loves dates with Daddy, playing outside, laughing with her brothers, helping her Mama, playing with her baby dolls, playing dress up and having tea parties, singing, dancing, "reading" her piles of books on her bed, and coloring and creating things.  I suppose I could go on and on, but that's a pretty good summary. 

I'll just close with this.  My pregnancy with Elly started off as a twin pregnancy.  We knew from early on that the other baby's sac was sunken, so it did not seem likely that it would make it.  However, we had to wait about 6 weeks before we went back to the doctor to find out. (which put me at about 14 weeks before we knew) Obviously, the other baby and sac were not there by that next ultrasound, and after weeks of praying we were very saddened about this, but also so thankful that we had not lost this baby in the process.  A sweet and Godly friend and mentor of mine with six children (including 2 sets of twins), all much older than my children, said something so profound to me the day she found out we had lost one twin.  She told me that even though that little one did not make it, she believed that God would instead pour upon Elly a double portion of blessing and gifting in every way for His kingdom. No, there were not two babies, but her prayer was powerful to me, and I will never forget it. That baby, our sweet Elly girl, is beginning to grow into a beautiful little lady.  I don't know what all the Lord has for her, but I love just getting little glimpses into what He's up to in her little heart and life.  I'm so thankful I get to be her mommy, and I pray we honor the Lord in every way as we train and teach her to become the woman of God she was created to be.  In Matthew 5:16 it says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  That is our prayer for Elly's life. 

I'll close with the same words I pray at the end of my prayer with her every single night as I tuck her in.  I think it sums it all up quite well... "and may she always be a shining light for Your kingdom."

Guyana Mission Trip-Part 2

Ahhh!!!  Do you ever just feel incredibly behind on life?!!  That's about where I am right now!  I have so many posts in my brain that I'm so eager to work on, but I just haven't been able to justify spending the time to get them done.  Slowly but surely, I suppose!

Well, I promised I would share a bit more about the boys' and Kenny's Guyana trip.  Jake and Caleb wrote their own "Top Ten List" from their trip, and I thought it would be perfect to include it here (in their words).  I think it sums it all up quite well.  Here we go:



THE GUYANA TOP TEN LIST! by Jake and Caleb [not in actual order]

10. Learning to play the number 1 Guyanese sport Cricket, which all the children there love. We played it for hours with the kids

9. VBS! We had a great time playing games and sharing Christ with the boys and girls at Save R Kids with a Vacation Bible School. We taught them songs, told them stories, and the overall favorite moment…. SNACK TIME!! One of us writing this letter (eh, Jake), Decided to show off some disco moves, some of the kids joined in and before we knew what was happening, there was a dance party going on!

8. Getting to go on a jungle cruise for part of the last day and swim in pitch black water (Don’t worry, it’s black because of minerals.)

7. played a huge game of soccer err… football in the torrential rain! It was the kind of rain you see very rarely here, it was a blast, even though we kept losing the ball in a puddle…

6. Working on a new work shed for the orphanage was fun. We learned how to mix concrete, Guyana Style, (they don’t have Quick Crete there)

5. Getting to slaughter chickens! Every six weeks they have chicken killing day where they kill forty or so chickens. We all tried our hand at it and learned quickly how to kill, boil, pluck (with a machine), and gut a chicken. The best part of all is, while we were doing the whole thing, Caleb had a shirt on that said “Eat More Chicken!”

4. Getting to meet Brother Mike, and Mrs. Michelle, the people that run the orphanage. We got to talk to them mostly on the jungle cruise, where Brother Mike gave Caleb, being the youngest in the group, the nickname “Anaconda bait”

3. Just plain hanging out with the kids was fun, and many funny things happened. Actually on the first day when we were getting to know the kids, our Dad was standing at the foot of a coconut tree, he looked up and said, “I sure wish I could get one of those fresh coconuts.” One of the kids there, Bryan, (who by the way is getting adopted by our friends the Joiners) Said “I can get it for you.” My dad said that there was no way he could climb the twenty five foot tall tree with no branches until the very top. And Bryan said “Watch.” He began scrambling up the tree. Five seconds later, when Bryan was over half way up, my dad asked if he was allowed, he grinned and said “I am never allowed.” My dad told him to come down quickly! And all of us broke down laughing. We did end up getting a coconut too, when and older boy named Dan Rahge (who was allowed!) climbed up and got us one.

2. We had an incredible time sharing Christ with kids from the whole community through the sports camp. We had many Hindu boys accept tracts and talk with us about Jesus, and others also who didn’t tell us what religion they were. It was an awesome experience to say the least.

1. We had a prayer walk through the community where we passed out vitamins and asked people if we could pray for them. We didn’t have a single person to refuse. We had several people invite us in their houses to pray. We had one woman who asked us to pray for her child with autism, and begged us to come back next year and pray in her house. It was an incredible time to talk with God.


I'm a details kind of person, so I wish I could share tons more about each of these that the boys told us, but I suppose this summary will have to do!  Here are a few more pictures from their time in Guyana.  Again, thanks to Eye4Media and other friends for the pictures!

This makes me smile!

This is during the downpour the boys wrote about

Caleb's blonde head in the middle!! 

They are precious in His sight!

Jungle Cruise on the last day to explore the region in South America

You see what they are holding?! Again, notice the shirt Caleb wore! 

Guyana Mission Trip-Part 1

I'm still playing catch up from summer, but I'm determined it will happen! 

Kenny and our oldest two boys got to go on the boys' first mission trip out of the country in July.  They went with our church to Guyana (in South America) to an orphanage where the church has sent teams for the past several years.  The boys did a great job raising their money to go.  Many were so kind to donate toward their trip, and they also had huge success with a yard sale where friends donated items and the boys sold them to raise money. They also did yard work, car washing and interior cleaning, etc. to earn the rest of it.  It was exciting to see them get to plan and prepare for this incredible trip.

They were the youngest two on the trip (12 and 13 years old), but that didn't slow them down a bit from what I hear!  Kenny was responsible for heading up a sports camp for the kids in the orphanage, as well as in the community on various days.  The team also did VBS at the orphanage, some construction there, as well as handing out vitamins in the community and doing a prayer walk. Kenny and the boys were a part of a lot of this, too. The experience was just amazing, and I wish I had room here to share all their stories!  We do believe that one of the greatest things we can do for our children is to teach them a lifestyle of serving others from a very young age.  There are a number of things we have done and continue to do locally, and a trip like this just adds to that..."It's not about me."  Our kids are NOT hearing that from the culture around them.  It's quite the opposite.  They need to be reminded continually through real life experiences that they were created by God and for God and He has great purpose for their lives.  The more they learn to get outside themselves and love others like they love themselves, the more fulfilling and rich their lives will be....real life.  This is one small chapter in their young lives, but our prayer is that it has molded them a little more into the young men the Lord created them to be and has blessed others for the kingdom of God as they have served.

I will have at least one more post about Guyana with some more pictures and a few stories from the boys in the days ahead.  Here are some pictures from the trip...there are SO many great ones it's hard to choose! Btw, thanks to Eye4Media and another friend that went on the trip for the pictures!  My husband and boys aren't camera people like I am, so I was very thankful to have these pictures from them! Beautiful faces!!





Daddy with Jake and Caleb...What great memories they will always have
of this trip together!







Caleb became friends with this group of Hindu boys in the community
during the week and was able to share the gospel with them on their last day together.



Jake helping out holding this little sweetie...from what I heard, she really liked being held!!

Kenny just being Daddy like he always is!

The kids down there were able to teach our guys a few things about their favorite game...cricket!

In my next post I'll share some more pictures and some stories from the boys' perspectives, including chicken butchering day at the orphanage!