Coffee CubBuster

Wow.... what a whirlwind the last two weeks has been. There is so much that we've enjoyed, endured, and experienced that I wish I could have recorded it all, but alas, we get to hold our memories and share simple life lessons with each other. It felt like a trip of a lifetime! After flying separately to Canada because of falsified information regarding passports (all I can say, is have one for everyone regardless of age or destination), we were all prepared to learn a great deal on this family road trip. I knew that God could take us through any hurdle as I flew by myself with Levi and Roman to Burlington Vermont and waited to be picked up to cross the border with the big boys. After we returned, I was asked the best and worst part of the trip. I have to say, I think the hardest part was being in such close proximity during nap and sleep times. Since all three of our children need various hours of slumber right now, it was difficult that everyone was somewhat sleep-deprived the en...

It goes without saying: we don't know what we don't know. Right? We can't seem to see things in ourselves that are clearly visible in others. Why do we assume that the plank in someone's eye is only a little sawdust in our own? If we just rub our eyes once or twice, we are extremely certain we'll be able to clearly navigate others in excavating their own mammoth-sized dig. When in actuality, our vision is still completely unfocused. We are missing our own planks while simultaneously issuing unwarranted judgment. I have felt the sting of such judgement; I've also neglected my own planks. I'm reading a book right now about the complexities of commitment, and there's a great comparison between the military and relational problems. Tim Keller writes:      "Therefore, when facing any problem in marriage, the first thing you look for at the base of it is, in some measure, self-centeredness and unwillingness to serve or minister to the other. The word...

Two and a half years ago, Matthew and I were under a relatively stressful season in our lives, and unchartered dramatic scenarios were quickly becoming commonplace. For this reason, something prompted us to let go of normal routine and find joy in spontaneous simplicity. That's when French Toast Tuesday  was born. Now, whenever we feel ourselves getting sucked into the cycle of life or the ebb and flow of exhaustive routine, we stop and say, we need a French Toast Tuesday.  While the name originated around 11:00 pm and included late-night syrup spilling over freshly cooked egg-bread, it now holds significance for all opportunities to stop looking at the clock, stop looking at the calories, stop looking at the concerns on the schedule and just look to live in simplicity. When life begins to feel a bit heavy, maybe your French Toast Tuesday will include a solo car ride singing and dancing at the top of your lungs (picture Jerry McGuire singing "Free Falling"), or maybe it...

We've seen the devastation of multiple hurricanes around our home recently. No matter how much we prepare ourselves for natural disasters, they will still come, and even with advanced notice and precautionary measures in place, we still cannot always see the path of the storm. Similarly, no matter how much we try to prevent or avoid relational disasters, they will still come because we live in a broken society with flawed individuals. Thus, our opposite air fronts are bound to create a potential storm. However, like a hurricane that can switch directions at a moments notice, we may believe we've already done our part to board windows, put away outside furniture, and stock up on batteries, but we are completely oblivious to the storm's future destination. No matter the boundaries we think we've established, unfortunately, we may have neglected to set up a single visible line. It is then that we must face those hard places stuck between rocks, which we dread, because only...

I've decided that Labor Day is my new favorite holiday. It's amazing for so many reasons: 1. There is no big prep or hassle. 2. It's a long weekend of rest and relaxation. 3. You don't have to try and see a million people during time off work. 4. There are no planned events or big gifts to distract from time together. 5. It's the start of the fall season! In short... I just celebrated my favorite holiday with four boys at the lake! Happy Labor Day! Levi's nutrition appointment went okay. He didn't gain much weight, so we were encouraged to continue adding calories. He's well right now, which means he's doing great eating, but when we try to add too many calories into one 24-hour period, he gets too full and those tummy muscles would rather expel some food than work hard digesting them. We continue with our balance beam act and await our trial with the GI doc in two weeks. Nonetheless, we all enjoyed some extra...

"Levi is lucky he was born so early," said Levi's oldest brother the other day during bath time. When taking care of my boys in assembly-line fashion, it is usually the first-born that tends to whine and wince over subtle setbacks. I explained to him that because Levi has experienced such difficulties in his two years of life, his tolerance is a bit higher than others. Thus, big brother Si thought Levi lucky. "Well, that's one way to look at it," I exclaimed. Then I went on to assure my son that we all face different hard things at different times, which all serve to make us stronger, and he was very lucky that he didn't have to be born so early. Sometimes I think that Levi's G-tube serves as my own personal reminder of what we've been through these past couple of years. I'm starting to think in a very weird way that I don't mind it. I don't mind the therapy sessions and doctors appointments because it's nothing too critical a...