Making Mother’s day last

For those of you who take joy in celebrating mother’s day, may I encourage you to appreciate your mother/sister/gramma on an ongoing basis?  Should our appreciation for our moms shine one day a year?  We should intentionally acknowledge this day, this occasion more than once a year.  Let her know how much you love her.

Just some pointers for husbands, from a woman’s (me) point of view:

Tell her how beautiful she is.  Present her flowers at random moments, even if it’s one rose.  There doesn’t have to be a “special occasion” to give flowers.  You give them b/c you are thinking of her, you love her, you care for her.  Offer to do the laundry once in a while.  Offer to take the kids out and give her some ‘alone time’.  Play intently with the children, enjoying their youth while you can, since all parents know so well how fast children grow.  Make the bed without her asking.  Plan a special dinner or night out for just the 2 of you.  Remember how you used to glare or steal glimpses if her whenever you could?  Remember when you’d call just to say “i love you” or just to hear her voice?  Remember when you cared what you looked like to impress her?  Be spontaneous!  Lead the way in romance.  Sweep her off her feet, again, and again, and again.  Don’t let the fire die.  You will be rewarded in how you treat her.  Especially as a Christian, this analogy may work:  Just as you should pursue your relationship with Christ, enduring til the very end, with faith & JOY, so also would you pursue your wife who longs for you to cherish her as a treasure & handle her as gently as a rose?

It’s NOT so much the QUANTITY, IT’S THE QUALITY of time she receives or that’s given & cherished.  It’s the quality time spent with the children.  It’s the quality of time spent in remote places, family vacations.   Turn off your phone(s).  Turn off the computer, the tv.  Don’t think about work, or emails, or chores.  Look at her with sincere interest when you are sharing a conversation.  Take a walk.  Talk.  (*NOTE: this is not an exhaustive list.  BE CREATIVE!)  REMEMBER- QUALITY, QUALITY, QUALITY.

to sometimes think like a child, as we grow older

There is great innocence and wisdom that can be learned from the minds of children.  I was just thinking of the joys and freedoms of childhood, if you’ve been blessed with a good, normal one, that is. (Which can be relative, I know)

Tonight, I was reminded of treasuring the simple joys of life, you know, the little things that count more sometimes than some big, fancy something else.  (You can fill in the blank.)   Like my son, Cody, who is a handicap 15 year old (I can’t believe he’s 15!).  As I finished folding my like 5 loads of laundry (seriously) tonight and brought Cody’s pile of underwear to his room, my heart was humbled that my son gets excited when he has clean underwear.  I’d have to do laundry everyday if I were to keep up with the amounts we have, as I’m sure many can relate.  I don’t mind loading and drying but for some reason, folding & the putting away of becomes a begruding chore for me.  I know I need to work through that.  But as my son yearned for clean underwear, I had to wash the whites to fulfill his request, rightfully so.  But also realizing the gift of such conveniences as running water & being able to wash clothes whenever I want and in a half hour or so, bam, clean clothes.  wow.  Then throw them in a dryer.  giving thanks for that too.

Then today, on a Monday, on which is my husband’s usual day off, we decided to go to Target to ‘treat’ our girls.  What is the treat you wonder?  A hot dog & Icee for $2.  Simple.  I kind of grudgingly agreed since my husband already told the girls we would, to their excitement of course.

I often echo (to my husband’s irritation, I’m sure) how these kinds of things aren’t really treats (fast food, candy) as they are actually bad for our bodies.  So, it’s ironic that we use this as an incentive sometimes and label them as “treats”.   The reason we eat these “treats” sparingly or in moderation is b/c they are not very good for us.  Maybe if we used veggies as incentive ‘treats’, our children will learn & grow to appreciate & look forward to them too.   “hey guys, if you listen really well today, you can have carrots w/ranch dip! how’s that sound? yeah!”  No?  Don’t think it’ll work?  Hm… You’re right.  I’ve already tried.  My kids just looked at me like I’m a fool.

Mark 10:15  “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

There is value in the innocence of child-like mindedness.  I often meditate on emulating the way my children just enjoy being outside; the excitement in going for a walk around the neighborhood or to the park; being read to; being with friends… I’m sure the list can go on for miles.  I try to enjoy my children everyday.  I love to just sit and watch them.  I love to watch when my 2.5 yr old talks.  She’s so animated that I just gleam with joyful fun watching & listening to her & the things she says.  She can be so hilarious & I love to laugh.  She definitely keeps me laughing. And she’s quite a stinker.

I need to count my blessings more often.  May you know your blessings each day.  Just my thoughts for the day.  Thanks for reading.

this is kira & lexi dancing to “rebel” by Lecrae

my sweet babies enjoying their banana split treat made by mommy

a trip to chuck e cheese

advice: not a great idea to try to ‘hang out’ with multiple families at chuck e cheese, maybe unless you’re the dads.

it was chaos. won’t do that again. no offense steve. heehee

This is part of our girls’ breakdance show.

our girls are a blast…enjoy.

this is lexi and kira doing their hand stands.

what a riot to watch them move. i can watch them all day.

they like to dance to Lecrae’s Hands Up High, a christian rap artist.

Family Trip Reno, NV

Our recent family trip to Reno, NV to see Rick’s family. It was a looong drive. An hour into it, the infamous question already arises…” are we there yet?”  oh boy, chips ahoy! “no, honey, we’re not there yet.” another hour…”are we there yet?” “no honey, not yet.” after a few hours, they took a nap. when they woke up… “are we there yet?”  “no honey but we’re getting closer.” and one it went, just about every of the 6-7 hours it took to “get there”. the drive was a bit boring so I dreaded driving it back but it ended being a nice visit. We ate losts of good food. Of course, while we were there, we had to visit a couple of the casino buffets & sushi. yum! we had some fun @ Boomtown, one of the casinos that had a fun center for the kids.

isn’t that a sweet pic?mom had to get in on some of this action! it brings you way up, then bobs you up & down til you get back down. then repeat. we got to on multiple times on account that there were hardly anyone there and no lines!!  woo hoo!

now this was a ferris wheel, in the like of a old wagon carriage. so cool. on this ride, lexi didn’t know what was going to hit her. she raised her hands before the ride moved. she didn’t make it. i asked the guy to bring her down after the first couple bobbings considering she freaked out. poor baby.

does it seem as if lexi’s hanging on for dear life? probably b/c she thought she was, even though mommy was holding on to her. see my arm there to the right?

kira’s got monster muscles. she carried the ball all by herself.

daddy’s got skills. here’s the strike sign to prove it.

it was fun.

here’s gramma Burchett’s dog-max.  yea, max- the dog.

he may not admit it, but i think this was rick’s favorite part of the whole trip. he even wanted a picture with the sign & here’s proof!

Looking forward to Spokane, Expository Godfather, and the Minor Prophets

I want to thank the elders of my church for granting me a sabbatical leave to attend the following conference in Spokane, WA. I’m really looking forward to it. I have heard great things about this church from a missionary family that we support which attended this church while living in Spokane. Actually, you should check out the Underhill’s website here.

I am also looking forward to meeting Kent Hughes (former pastor of College Church in Wheaton, IL), who is like the Godfather to Expository preaching. Coincidentally, I am also preaching through the Minor Prophets, which is the theme of the conference. Now tell me how many conferences in the entire world are focusing on the Minor Prophets? Probably just this one.

Looking forward to some good times, good fellowship with fellow pastors, etc. Information is pasted below FYI. What a deal for $99!!! 

Christ the Redeemer Church in Spokane, Washington
March 17-19, 2009

Barry Webb is a research fellow in Old Testament at Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia where he has also served as Lecturer, Senior Lecturer since 1978 and held the post of Head of Old Testament Studies during 1991-2005. He has several academic degrees and credentials including a BA from Queensland, B.Div from London and Ph.D from Sheffield University. He also serves as an assistant editor for the Reformed Theological Review. He has written or edited numerous books and articles including the Bibles Speaks Today commentaries on Isaiah and Zechariah as well as Five Festal Garments: Christian Reflections on the Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther.			About This Workshop  About Workshops Who Should Attend   Christ the Redeemer Church 900 North Maple Street, Suite 100  Spokane, WA 99201  (509) 328-8700 www.christredeemer.com   Registration must be received by March 6, 2009. For more information please call Christ the Redeemer at (509) 328-8700. Brochure [pdf, 557kb] 9.00am-4pm, Tuesday 8.30am-4pm, Wednesday 8.30am-noon, Thursday $99 USD includes lunch and refreshment breaks each day. $25 nonrefundable deposit
Kent Hughes is retired Senior Pastor of College Churchin Wheaton. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Talbot Seminary as well as advanced degrees in ministry and divinity from Biola University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has authored numerous books including Disciplines of a Godly Man and many volumes of the Preaching the Word commentary series of which he is the editor.
Paul Rees is Senior Pastor of Christ the Redeemer Church in Spokane, Washington. He was raised in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, and spent time studying in London before transitioning into full-time ministry. He graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from Moore Theological Seminary in Sydney, Australia.
Carey Hughes is Assistant Pastor of Christ the Redeemer Church in Spokane, Washington. He studied secondary education (with an emphasis in Bible) at Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina. After three years as the Jr. High Director at College Church in Wheaton, Carey completed a Masters of Theology at Moore College in Sydney, Australia. He has been at Christ the Redeemer Church for 10 years.
REGISTER NOW!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow already!

Ok, so I’m apparently one of the strange few (adults) that actually enjoy snow.  It’s been cold here in Idaho.  I’m freezing here in my office too.  For some reason, the 2 front rooms in the upstairs of the house, doesn’t get well circulated air (not good).  So, in the summer, it’s smoltering.  In the winter?  You guessed it.  It’s cold.  My feet are freezing (and I have socks on).  My fingers get numb from being so cold (and I have 2 long sleeve shirts on).

So, anyway, I say, if it’s gonna be cold, it might as well snow so we have something to do with this coldness.  Me and the kids enjoy it.  Rick, not so much.  He tries.  (not very hard though)

As Christmas was approaching last month, I asked a friend about snow and whether he thought we’d have a white Christmas.  I was told that statistically, Nampa gets a white Christmas about 1 in 7 yrs.  So I then asked, “did you have a white Christmas last year?”  His response, “yeah”.  So, then I said, “so…I gotta wait another 7 yrs!”  Well, our first Christmas here, it turns out, I got my white Christmas after all!   I wouldn’t say I was “dreaming of a white Christmas”, but I was excited at the beautiful site!  Thank you Lord!

Apparently I heard we had record early snowfall for this area.  No problem for me.   (so sorry for those who dread it.)  After the 1st snowfall, Kira begged me to build her a snowman but I didn’t get to it until after Christmas when it was starting to melt.  So,  Me and Kira had fun making “our snow family” (minus the details- eyes, buttons, nose, etc), that is, one to represent each member of our family, b/c Kira wouldn’t have it any other way.  Well, of course I did most of the work! … while she joyfully ran back and forth in the snow and slush.  happy day! 

But now it’s been cold for weeks and no snow.  Argg!

Hope you all had the merriest of Christmases!

congratulations, it’s a new van!

Ok, well, it’s not so new but new to us.  Yes, folks, finally, after 3 years of anticipation, my husband bought us a van!   THANKS HONEY!  …  But wait, it needs a new windshield… and oh, don’t roll the windows more than a couple inches or it will get stuck…and oh you can’t use the right sliding door…and oh…and oh… OH boy!

It’s our 2nd vehicle.  We’ve shared a sedan for the last few years while we lived in upstate NY that we inherited from Rick’s grandparents whom passed away in our first years of marriage.  I’m thankful for the car.  It’s served us well.  Granted we didn’t “need” a car while we were in NY b/c Rick worked so close to home at the time (a mile) but sometimes it was a hassle to have to schedule things around each other’s tasks.    We’ve had it now for a few weeks?  Something like that.  But after some fixings, I now get to drive it!  Woo HOO!!  The kids have been so anxious to ride in it.  Lexi’s, our youngest girl, has been asking her dad, “is this daddy’s car?” and “can we share this car daddy”?   Kira, our middle daughter, is fascinated with opening and closing the sliding door.  The got to play in it for the 1st time today while I cleaned the garage a little and boy, you’d think we were at some wild park the way they climbed up, on and over the seats, trying on every seat belt.  And oh boy, when I left the back hatch open…whooooa…watch out!  here come 2 screaming monkeys attacking the back of the van.  You’d think I was selling a pound of triple deluxe chocolate fudge banana split, ice cream with sprinkles, whip cream and a couple cherries on top!  or something like that.  Cody, our 15 yr. old missed it this time b/c of that thing called school.  But I’m sure there will be more moments like that.  These girls are a riot.  Maybe you had to be there?  Anyway, it was fun. Thanks honey, for buying the van that gave us the opportunity for fun times!

Apologies to the Obama’s “potential” grandchildren

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Obama,

I want to express to you that my child is NOT a “punishment” to me.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNzmly28Bmg

Let me give you a little background, if I may.  In my junior year in high school, I made a mistake.  The mistake was having premarital sex.  Well, as a result (or consequence of doing something I shouldn’t have been doing), I got pregnant.  But as a 16 yr old (non-christian at the time), abortion was NOT an option.  I fit the mold of most stats that say I would end up where I was, a non-married pregnant high school teen that was likely the result of my childhood voids-2 parents household, absent father, negligent mother, lived in the big city, growing up without a family role model.  But I would not say the baby that I then carried in my belly was a “punishment”.  The baby that was conceived had no say, no choice and according to your political stance, still has no value unless the women (in this case, me at the time) deems it worthy to live.  Though my action was irresponsible and immature at the time, pregnancy was a risk of my decision, like many risks we take in life.    The results of the many choices (some good, some bad) have an after effect (sometimes good, sometimes bad).  Each decision, usually causes a stream of after effects, situation that we face with then having to face another decision and yet anther decision, and on the circle goes.  Sometimes there are right decisions, sometimes there are wrong decisions, sometimes the decision is truly in the hand of the beholder (like whether I should buy fat free milk or whole).  In the case of abortion, there is no gray area.  The thing in the womb is still a life- a human, a baby, no matter what “scientists or doctors or professionals want to label it (ie. fetus, blob…)  When you look at the result of the procedure, how can you deny that life was taken away and justify it taking place in our society?  The day my family found out i was pregnant, they cried “abortion!”.  They said “it” would ruin my life.  They said I won’t be able to finish school…  I won’t be able to go to college.  I won’t be able to do this…do that…  The father of the baby and I initially decided to give the baby up for adoption but when labor day came, my mother’s love and instincts couldn’t let him go.  I eventually gave birth to a down syndrome baby boy in the beginning of my senior year and thankful for him.  I’m also a minority which also fits into the stats.  Well, I graduated high school early that year and worked for a few months at McD’s until my graduation ceremony.  Then I went off to college and continued through 4 yrs of college.   Although it was going to be a tough road ahead, it was just a matter of making the right choice of giving birth to the baby and doing what needed to be done.  I couldn’t even fathom murdering my baby b/c society says it’s ok if you’re not ready or that you can’t be responisble enough to take care of someone else.  Now, as an adult and a Christian, I truly understand the value of life, where and when it begins and ends.

I don’t claim to have done it all on my own.  It was a collective effort of friends, family (the same ones that wanted me to abort, but eventually became supportive after I deemed the child worthy of birth), the government and ultimately God.  Help is out there!  I’m sure both political parties have some claims in the governmental help I received and I can only express gratitude for it.  I think the government is plenty generous as it is.  As grateful as I am, I think there needs to boundaries and limit to how much help the government should extend as too much can only lead to complacency (a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc.-www.Dictionary.com), laziness & an entitlement attitude.  I did not feel ‘entitled’ but so grateful that the help was there but also I also felt that it was only a temporary season until after college when I can begin a career and be self sufficient from government assistance.  In no way was it a permanent way of life for me, which unfortunately for some, it is.  It’s different if one is in need for physical or extremely mental incapabilities but not for those who just feed off govt. assistance b/c of laziness or deceitfulness.  For some the help is necessary, for too many, the help is taken advantage of and that’s the crime.  The RIGHT TO LIFE is really valuing the people you claim to value, because at the core of this issue is valuing the life of people at their earliest stages…in the womb!!  So what I hear you and the like minded, is that someone doesn’t have any inherent value, unless the women (who inevitably is already a mother whether her baby has been born or not) decides whether that life has value??  How does that make sense?  Either life is valuable, or it isn’t.  It’s not only valuable if someone else deems it valuable based on X, Y, Z…otherwise slavery should still be ok, which I believe it is not.

I believe in the many rights to choose…among these are the “RIGHT to LIFE, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…”  Does the baby’s right not count?  Apparently to many, it doesn’t.

So I pray, that when that day comes, when your daughters, of whom I you treasure dearly, make choices that could possibly affect their “reproduction”, whether in marriage or not, that you wouldn’t be deprived of the right, privilege and joy to meet your future unborn grandchildren because your girls had the right to choose whether a baby, possibly your future grand baby, has any value that is worthy of birth and whom, we hope someday, could then grow up and contribute to our country, and make the world a better place for all, including the “least among us”.

from a sincerely disheartened voice for the HOPE of future unborn generations and CHANGE that will change the way we value human life,

Mimi, proud mom of 3 and hoping, Idaho

I'm so glad I wasn't "punished" with children, but "gifted" and blessed with the joy of my 3 precious babies! Are they beautiful or what??!!

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0308/Stop_these_abortions_.html

“Buddy Walk” for Down Syndrome

We went for a walk this morning with some 700+ in the freezing cold in Boise for the annual “Buddy Walk” to raise awareness for Down Syndrome. For more information, visit http://www.idahodownsyndrome.org and http://www.buddywalk.org.

Recent Hogaboam Outings

Well, our family has been blessed in the past couple weeks to be able to get out and spend some time together. Here are some pics:

Camping in our backyard because I am too scared to go into the woods

At the Boise Zoo, chillin’ with the penguins

Just a pic of my beautiful daughter Lexi sitting at the Zoo in front of a vacant exhibit

The girls riding a zoo-themed carousel…something PETA would like to outlaw.

Hiking in beautiful Boise

Picture of the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise from our hike

Wow, we climbed high

Back down at ground level

The End

mom of 3, longing for 10

I’m not mormon. Nor am I crazy. But ever since I was little, I always wanted a large family.  My husband was not a fan of the idea but I think it’s growing on him.  We currently share 3 children and have been working on #4 for the last year.  At least I’ve been making him work on it, hopefully to his enjoyment.  Family resembles all that is truly dear…a gift from God.  It has been my pleasure and joy to raise my 3 gifts.  But by God’s grace, His will be done.  I love you honey!

Abraham Lincoln and I wish you a Happy 4th of July

I happened to run into ol’ Honest Abe at the “God and Country” Rally in Nampa, ID on July 2nd. He wasn’t too bothered by the 100 degree heat. Anyhow, it was a real privilege to meet the man who occupies a place on the penny and $5 bill.