Sweet Toad's Birthday

    And, so it is. 4 years ago we were blessed with one of our life's most precious gifts, Sweet Toad. The only thing I wanted more in my life than to marry Andy Johnson was to have kids with him. I knew with every fiber of my being that God had called me to be a wife and mother and, before Emerson, I feared I never would.

    I had been told when I was younger that having children would be difficult maybe even impossible for me. And, I have to admit, I let the enemy get a stronghold there. I never questioned it but I just accepted it for my life and only once laid it at my Father's feet. I felt like I was being mature, no need to be upset over things you can't change, I just tried to prepare myself and Andy that we would have "trouble" here. 

   The only time I took it to the Father was the month before I found out I was pregnant. I'm not sure why, because we weren't even trying, but I found myself overwhelmed with sadness over this. I had known this would be the case since I was a teenager and had never really taken this to the Lord before. But one day after school, I remember coming home and just weeping sad and bitter tears. I wept because I knew that for me to be a mother would require a long, exhausting and probably fruitless process.  I wept, because I understood that and I knew Andy may not. I wept because I felt disappointed and sad. I wept as I laid it as His feet, this most secret and deep desire of my heart. I finally just gave it away. 
    I remember Andy coming home that day and finding me sobbing. He asked what was wrong and I told him I wasn't pregnant and would never be. Poor Andy, he was so puzzled. "Are we trying????" "No!" I sobbed. Poor guy, we were thousands of miles from home, all he could do was give me a hug and take me to PF Changs to feel better.
   Little did I know, that in a few weeks we would find out we were expecting Emerson. And, that in a few short months we would have to fight so hard to keep him. It's funny what the Lord brings to mind.

Bible Birthdays-Not just for homeschoolers

   I think we have the menu nailed down, sort of. I think we've opted for Chick Fil A, lamb is just too pricey. And now, on to costuming. That's right, costumes. I am making tunics for David and his brothers. And not the cool kind that cover problem areas and have Greek key trim. Rectangles with a whole in 'em, for the kneck, those are the kind of tunics I'm making. And one for Goliath, of course. Also, making banners for the yard.....how hard can that be right?
   Why do all this? Simple. For this one precious season of Emerson's life, he is consumed with David and Goliath. He may never be as excited about God's Word as he is right now. I hope that's not the case, but it may be. He lives it and breathes it. He knows almost all of 1 Samuel 17 by heart and doesn't even realize it.  He knows that David was too young and too small, that with God all things are possible. He even knows that Goliath gets his head cut off, thanks to my "parent of the year" oversight in choosing the wrong D&G video from Hastings.
   I love God's Word. I love that every layer you peel back reveals more about the awesome God we serve and more about our daily inadequacy without Him. Thanks to good Bible Studies and great teachers, I get excited about learning something new. I desperately want Emerson to feel that way too.
   So if that means, random party menus, awful tunics and homemade slings help God's Word come alive for the babies and sparks a fire that stays. Then, here we come..............IN THE NAME OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL WHO RULES OVER ALL.

Birthday Mutton Honey

Invitations....check. Fabric for banners on the battlefield....check. Leather for slings.......check. Appropriate menu for birthday feast..........uh.........well......no idea. Mom was asking me what we were having, and if you know Mimi, you know she could come up with an 8 course menu in her head, have most everything already in her pantry and be growing the flowers she wants to use for centerpieces. Me on the other hand, has been known to sneak out at 5 in the morning to get milk, so I could pretend I remembered it the night before.
    I told her we were having a traditional Jewish feast, with the sacramental elements present, unleavened bread, mutton dripping in olive oil. For at least 3 seconds, I think she thought I was serious. It wasn't until I mentioned the wine I had fermenting in the washing machine that it became clear. 
    I'm at a loss, I can always go with hot dogs. Done. But with everything else being so themey, weenies seem lame. Never thought I would have that sentence in my blog. So I was thinking, what would they eat in the Bible? Well, depending on who in the Bible you are, you'd be eating locusts with sticks in your hair, the heart of a bear, spotless lamb (don't even have one), first born calf (could be burgers?) Eww.
    So any suggestions? Had considered chicken and fruit cabobs. Andy likes the idea of roasting hot dogs outside, but since we are in living in the 6th Plague of Drought and Barren land, that seems unlikely. Grrrrrr.