The Sweetest Sound

So, we sing alot of little "church" songs, and "kid" songs around my house -- while doing little tasks like washing hands, changing diapers, cleaning up toys, etc. and ALWAYS before naps/bed. Well, yesterday, my sweet little Daniel started singing "The B-I-B-L-E" -- it sounds something like "A B-I-B.... a B-I-B... a B-I-B...." and he get the biggest smile across his little face and brightens up. The more of the song that I sing to him, the happier he gets and at the end he claps and wants to start all over again! I am going to try to get it on video.
It is the cutest little thing EVER!
As I was woke up this morning, I heard him in his room when he was waking up, just singing away... "A B-I-B.... a B-I-B... a B-I-B...." It was so sweet and wonderful to hear!!!!

Thank you, Father, for the sweet innocence of children!!!!!!

Oh, here's the whole song, in case you don't know/remember it:
"The B-I-B-L-E,
Yes, that's the book for me.
I stand alone
on the word of God.
The B-I-B-L-E.
Bible!!!"

Denial?

"The grass withers, and the flowers fall..." (Is. 40:8a)

It's such a cliche, but SO TRUE -- time just passes too quickly... especially when you have little ones!!!! Some times each day seems SO long, but the days quickly turn into weeks, the weeks quickly into months, and the months into years!!! I constantly ask myself "where did the time go???"

So, I have just 1 week left with my 2, almost 3-year-old. So, I guess that makes him 2 51/52 this week. And I am going to hold onto that, and cherish each and every day of it. It's not that I want him (or any of our children) to remain a baby "forever" -- it's just that you only have the present, you only have this one chance at parenting your kids, and it's for this brief "moment" in time. And I just want there to be enough time to do "everything" -- all that I am "suppose" to do. They are such blank slates, so innocent and teachable... and such sponges, just wanting to soak in all the knowledge that you can give them! It is such an awesome privilege and responsibility!!! I, as a HUMAN Mom, sometimes seem to have a limited supply of patience and energy and endurance and etc, etc, etc.
I know that I can only do my best, and that with prayer and help from God -- every minute of every day -- I trust in what Phil 1:6 says "And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ." and what Phil 2:13 says "Not in your own strength for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you -- energizing and creating in you the power and desire -- both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight."
I guess I never really realized what a hard job it is to be a parent -- what a higher calling it truly is! I am so thankful for this gift, and I pray that I am open to being used by God to raise Godly boys who will be Godly men in the future. I don't know if these ramblings make sense, or if any other mommies/parents have these same feelings and thoughts, but just something that is on my heart today.

So, "The grass withers, and the flowers fall, BUT the word of the Lord remains FOREVER!!!!!" (Is. 40:8) Thank you, Lord for the promises in your word!

Hurry for Texas Spring!

Well, even though Spring officially begins tomorrow, the central Texas weather has been gorgeous lately!!! Here are some pics of what we have been up to lately.

My Sweet Luke -- almost 3 already!!!

Hanging out at a near-by park!

Sweet "little" Daniel -- loves the parks too!

Daniel playing in Daddy's boots!

Thursday, we headed up to the Waco Zoo with some friends... what a beautiful day! And the most of the animals were out to see!

Luke by the alligators. He had to ask "He won't eat me, right?"
Playing in a tunnel at the little zoo park.
Giraffe waiting on breakfast.
Lions resting --- they started "talking"/howling at each other... it was really neat to hear them!

Daniel loving all the "annn-i-muls"

Daniel in the tunnel!

Today we took the boys to the lake to play and fish a little. Another beautiful day!

Daniel LOVED throwing rocks into the water -- probably didn't help the fishing!

Luke trying to catch "A big one"... no luck this time though. Still having fun!

The boys enjoyed climbing up and down these giant rocks.

Daniel being super serious, but having lots of fun!

And lastly, one more of Luke climbing up "super high"!

We are loving the great weather, and enjoying being out in it as much as possible! Hurray for Springtime!

Recent Happenings

So March has turned out to be another busy month! We have been outside playing just as much as we can -- the boys just love being outside -- running, jumping, playing at parks, feeding ducks, you name it, anything OUTSIDE!

A little bit about Luke:
He is my 35 month old (yes, I know it's just as easy to say "almost 3-yr-old" but he's still my little guy!!! And I am still in a little denial that he has a 3rd birthday coming up in just a couple of weeks!!!), self-proclaimed "big boy". He is very independent and capable of doing many things for himself (such a big help to his Mommy!), but he readily accepts hugs, kisses and cuddling! He loves to ride his bike, kick balls, read books, do puzzles, build things out of Legos, color/draw/paint, sing songs, and watch some TV (he really likes Go, Diego, Go! and MickeyMouse Clubhouse). He asks about 1,000,000,000 questions a day, and I try to answer them all -- sometimes it's the same question 5 times in a row! He loves his little brother, and is usually more than willing to entertain him and play together! My favorite things he says now are "Mommy/Daddy, I love you so much!" (right before bedtime), "Daniel, you're my best buddy!", and "What we gonna do today, Momma?" I just love my big boy!


Feeding the ducks at the park -- he wanted to be RIGHT by the water!!!

Swinging in the backyard on a beautiful, sunny day!


Luke riding his bike at a near-by park. He had really got the hang of it now, and gets going pretty fast!!! He gets stuck sometimes, but has gotten much better about problem-solving and figuring a way to get started again.

A little bit about Daniel:
My 16 1/2 month old little guy who is day-by-day getting bigger, talking more, becoming more independent, acting less and less like a baby and more and more like a big boy! He has developed his own little opinion lately -- and tells you when he wants/doesn't want something. Some of his newest words are "No!", and "Mine!" -- such a little toddler! He loves to take his clothes off now -- he would run around naked all day if I let him! He is almost always happy and smiling, and loves to give a "keeeessssss" He lights up and runs to the door when Daddy gets home from work! He just loves his big brother and is usually just a few feet behind him, trying his best to do all the "big boy" things that Luke does. SLOW DOWN, sweet Daniel!!!! You're getting too big, too fast! He wants to be "ou-siiii" all day, and loves to go "bye-bye". What a sweet little guy he is!!!
Playing peek-a-boo while sitting in a Lego tub... such a cute smile!

So serious as he tried to feed the ducks -- well, actually he was chasing the ducks and trying to eat the bread, but still having fun!


He stopped playing for a brief moment to take a pic with Mommy!


A little bit about #3:
Well, this little guys has decided to "pop out" in the last couple of weeks... I can definitely tell I've/he's hit a grown spurt!!! He is quite active, kicking and rolling all the time -- especially at night right before I go to bed. He is almost 1 pound now! No name picked out just yet -- still working on it. The boys still aren't too sure what to think about a little brother coming soon -- they continue with life as usual. Luke is sure to tell me "You have my baby brother in YOUR belly, he's not in my belly!" and will occasionally ask "Is your belly getting bigger again today?" So funny the things that he comes up with!

All is well at the Anderson household! We are all healthy and loving everyday that God has given us! What a fun life!

1 Corinthians 13 (Paraphrased)

I have seen many different versions of 1 Cor. 13 -- different Bible translations, and different people's interpretations. I found this one in a book I am reading, and found it to be really helpful to me at this season of my life.

"If I keep my house immaculately clean, am envied by all for my interior decorating, but do not show love in my family -- I'm just another housewife.
If I'm always producing lovely things -- sewing, art, macrame; if I always look attractive, and speak intelligently, but am not loving, to my family -- I am nothing.
If I'm too busy in community affairs, teach Sunday school, and drive in the carpool, but fail to give adequate love to my family -- I am nothing.
Love changes diapers, cleans up messes, and ties shoes -- over and over again.
Love is kind, though tired and frazzled.
Love doesn't envy another wife -- one whose children are "spaced" better, or in school so she has time to pursue her own interests.
Love doesn't try to impress others with my abilities or knowledge as a mother.
Love doesn't scream at the kids.
Love doesn't feel cheated because I didn't get to do what I wanted to do today -- sew, read, soak in a hot tub.
Love doesn't lose my temper easily.
Love doesn't assume that my children are being naughty just because their noise level is irritating.
Love doesn't rejoice when other people's children misbehave and make mine look good. Love is genuinely happy when others are honored by their children."


~~ Dear Lord, Thank you for your unfailing love that you give to me so freely. Help me to CHOOSE to love everyday! To have YOUR love for others, and to impress that upon my children's hearts! ~~

Somethings to think about....

In a parenting book that I am reading, it starts each chapter with a couple of quotes from different people. These are some of those quotes that I found to be very good advise. Hope you can find one or more that you like too. Enjoy!

"Mornings provide us with a clean slate. No matter what we did -- or didn't do -- the day before, the sunrise marks a new beginning. Each one of us gets to start life anew every morning." -- Woodeene Koenig-Bricker

"As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live." -- Pope John Paul II

"If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much." Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

"Successful parents do what unsuccessful parents are unwilling to do." -- Garcia-Prats

"Whatever the times, one thing will never change: Fathers and mothers, if you have children, they must come first. Your success as a family, our success as a society, depends not on what happens at the White House, but inside your house." -- Barbara Bush

"Our children will rise to the level of expectations we have of them." -- Stand and Deliver quote

"Be what you want your children to be, and watch them grow." -- Leo Buscaglia

"In practicing the art of parenthood an ounce of example is worth a ton of preachment." -- Wilfred A. Peterson

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying, that we are born to eternal life." -- St. Francis of Assisi

"I am not asking you tonight, Lord, for time to do this and then that, But your grace to do conscientiously, in the time that you give me, what you want me to do." -- Michel Quoist

"Be the change you want to see in the world." -- Gandhi

"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give." -- Kahlil Gibran