Some thoughts and questions from my boys...

Well, since we have started homeschooling I have had very little time to blog, but I do want to share some things the boys have said and asked that have blessed my heart, made me laugh, or have made me wonder how in the world to answer their questions...

I asked Paul, who is ALWAYS asking questions, "Why do you ask so many questions?"


His reply, "Because I do not know lots of things yet." How true... will he remember this when he is a teenager?



We attended a funeral last week, and the next morning, Paul asked James,

"Daddy, why does your body not go to Heaven? Why do just your bones go?"

(We had explained that your body does not go to Heaven, that it is buried at the cemetery. It is fascinating how their little brains work!)


James explained that your whole body stays here and just your soul goes to Heaven...
then Paul asked "What is your soul?"
... such hard things to explain to a child



The other morning I asked Paul if he had brushed his teeth...

He calls David over and says, "David, smell my breath. I can't remember if I brushed my teeth or not..."

The joy of children...

Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

Thoughts on homeschooling...

This week we started homeschooling! Here are a few things the boys have had to say about it...

David, on Monday evening,

"Mommy, tomorrow for homeschool can you teach us how to clean the bathrooms? I really want to!"

"Mommy, when can we read some more of those books?"

Paul, after our first day of school was over,

"Mommy, I am so excited that we are homeschooling!"

Paul again,

"Mommy, I am glad we are homeschooling. If we went to big boy school we would have to stay there until dinner time and that is a long time."

I am so thankful they are doing a great job and are enjoying school! I pray that it continues! It is so very fulfilling doing what God has called me to do!!


Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

The Food Network

The other day when I was not feeling very well the boys snuggled on the couch with me and we watched the Food Network. They were really into it and enjoyed watching Rachel Ray and then a contest on who could make the best ice cream sundaes and ice cream cakes. After watching it, Paul, my extremely picky eater, looks at me and says:

"Mommy, you are the best cooker! I think you should be on the Food Network!"

There you have it, from the world's pickiest eater.... I am a good cook, so why does he not just love everything I cook?

Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

Brotherly love...

The other day Paul really hurt David's feelings by something he said. I am not sure what he said, I did not witness the interaction, but David was very upset and told me that Paul did not love him anymore. Paul was not the least bit concerned that he had hurt his brother's feelings, he was intently focused on an airplane he was building. I asked him if he loved his brother, he told me "Yes." Then I told him he needed to go sit in the den and think of a way to show David that he really did love him because David was very upset and thought that he did not love him.

Paul did not like this idea... he flat out refused to obey me. So off we went for a little discipline for his disobedience and disrespectful talk. After his discipline and a short talk I left him to think of a way he could show David that he really did love him.

Paul stayed in the library for a good 10 minutes, very quiet... I heard no noise at all. Then Paul comes into the den looking for David... this is what happened:

Paul: "Mommy, where is David?"

Me: "I thought he was on the couch, is he not?"

Paul: "No..."

We find David upstairs... David comes to the rail (we have a loft area) to listen to what Paul has to say...

Paul (to David) in a very sincere and sweet voice: "David, I really, really, really do love you a whole lot."

David: "Thank you." (and then he runs back to play)

I look at Paul and say: "Paul, I am very proud of you. You did a very good job thinking about what to do to let David know that you really do love him. I can tell that you are letting Jesus work in your heart."

Paul looks up at me and says, "I read a devotion book while I was in the library."

Then he went off to play with David!

I guess he is learning something from all our talks and our morning devotions!


Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

If I were a grown-up...

This afternoon I was snuggling with the boys on the couch. David got up to go get himself a drink, so Paul snuggled up closer to me and said the following:

"Mommy, I love you sooooo much!"

I replied, "Thank you Paul, I love you so much too."

Then he says, "I wish I were a grown-up. If I were I would marry you."

That just made my heart melt...

Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

Running out of kisses...

I have this sweet little bedtime routine with my boys... they started it and I just love it. I really need to get it on video before they outgrow it.

I say prayers with each boy... after saying prayers with Paul he gives me 11 hugs, 11 butterfly kisses, and 11 kisses. He counts each one, it always makes me smile...

After saying prayers with David, he gives me 3 little hugs, 3 little butterfly kisses, and 3 little kisses... then he gives me one BIG hug, one BIG butterfly kiss, and one BIG kiss... this too makes me smile...

Well, the other night after saying David's prayers he informed me of the following:

Mommy, I do not want to waste my kisses. I am running out and I need to save some for daddy...

This made me sad but I went along with it, after all I want daddy to get good-night kisses also.

Well, tonight David gave me lots and lots of kisses, and then told me the following:

Mommy, I am still running out of kisses but I am finding more in my heart.

I just thought that was precious!



Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

The boys on skin color...

Last night we were eating dinner and out of the blue David says:

"Mommy, did you know that some people have different color skin?"

They have never seemed to notice skin color before and I was quite surprised they brought it up...

Anyway, the conversation went something like this...

I said, "What do you mean, different skin color?"


David said, "You know, like Tristan and Tyler (some friends from 4K)... they have brown skin."


Paul says, "And you know, like those boys who live behind our fence in the back, they have black skin."


So I looked at Paul and asked, "Well, what color would you say your skin is?"


He looks at his arm for a few seconds and I can tell he is pondering, and he says... "Mine is yellow."


I asked David what color his was, and he looked at his arm and replied, "Mine is dark, but not as dark as Tristan and Tyler." (He is very tan from days spent at the pool).


I then asked what colored mine was... to which David quickly responded as he looked at the freckles on my arm, "Yours is spotted!"

It made me think of this song:

Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world,
Red, Yellow, Black and White,
They are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world!

We just need to change the song to include "spotted" so that mommy is loved too!!


Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

Precious Memories...

I was cleaning out some folders on our desk today and I came across these things the boys had said that I had written down to save, so I thought I would share them here...

David said the following:

"Mommy, I love Paul sooo much!"

(While eating an ice cream sandwich)... "Wow! This is my most favorite dessert in the whole wide world!"

Paul said these:

"Thank you Mommy for cleaning the house so good. It smells good!"

"David, will you come play upstairs with me? I don't want to be lonely."

"I love you like a cookie!"

Have a great day!



Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

Paul's heart...

Tonight as we were headed home from church after the AWANA awards ceremony, during which Paul said the Bible verse that David had practiced to say rather than the one he had practiced to say and he got very upset because he messed up, (did you get that...)

Paul very joyfully says to me from the back of the van...

"Mommy, Jesus touched my heart AND He healed my tummy!"

He had complained earlier of a tummy ache...

I just thought this was such a sweet statement that I had to document it!!

Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

Meals in Heaven

Last night as I was cooking dinner Paul, my very picky and slow eater, asked what we were having...

I told him we were having...

fish...

broccoli...

and rice...

Paul then asks, "Mommy, will we have dinner in Heaven?"

I replied, "Well, I really do not know. What do you think?"

Paul says, "I think we will just have breakfast and lunch, no dinner."

Can you tell dinner is not his favorite meal of the day? As a matter of fact, he will be having his rice and broccoli for breakfast tomorrow... all he ate was the fish and that took him WAY TOO LONG! But he did eat his taco for dinner last night... in the past he has made tacos last at least for 3 meals...


Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

Thoughts on adulthood...

Today I took the boys shopping for a few items after I picked them up from 4K. I told them we were going to a store... they asked if we were going to the toy store. I told them no, we were going to a different store, to look for something to wear to church on Easter.

They continually bombarded me with questions about going to the toy store...

Why can't we go to the toy store?

Well, when can we go?

Are you sure we are not going to the toy store?

After they finally began to believe me...

Paul says, "Well, when I am a grown up and my kids want to go to the toy store... I am going to take them... even if they want to go during dinner..."

I replied, "I will remember that and will remind you one day."

I guess he does not think I am being a very good grown-up!


Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

Children of God

The other night my husband and I had a free date.... a free babysitter and a gift card to cheesecake factory! What a treat and what a needed night out we were able to have!


As I was taking the boys to Sandra's before our date, I was explaining to them that Mrs. Sandra and Mr. Joe may not be there yet, and if not they could play with her son, Eric, until they got there.

David asked, "Where are her other children?"


I replied, "I am not sure."


Then Paul said, "A child is a smaller person, a son is a bigger person. Isn't that right Mommy?"


I replied, "Well, yes, children are smaller, but children can be sons too."


Paul says, "No, children are smaller and sons are bigger."


I asked, "Well, which one are you, a child or a son?"


Paul quickly replied, "A child, a child of God!"

It was just too cute not to share! I am so glad to know that he knows that he is a child of God! Would you be so quick to say that you are a child of God?


Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

Who will tell them?

This past weekend we had some friends traveling through town who stopped and stayed the night at our house. We all really enjoyed the fellowship... James and I enjoyed the adult conversation, and the boys enjoyed having 3 other boys to play with.

Sunday morning they were leaving early, before we left for church, as they had about a 10 hour drive ahead of them to get to grandma's house. Paul was in the bathroom with me and asked:

"Mommy, are they going to their grandma's house because they do not want to go to our church?"

My reply, "No Paul, they just have a very long drive to grandma's house."

Paul, in a very concerned voice: "Well, how will they learn about Jesus if they do not go to church?"

My reply, "I am sure they know about Jesus, their mommy and daddy tell them about Jesus, and they go to church when they are at home. They will probably have church in their van today."

He seemed satisfied with my answer. But I thought it was so precious that he was so concerned about them learning about Jesus...

What about you and me? Are we that concerned about the people God daily brings across our path learning about Jesus... it has really made me think.

Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

Burps...

I am telling on myself a little here, but it is funny, so I will share at the expense of ruining your impression of me!!

We were driving home from 4K today and I let out a little burp and quickly said, "Excuse me."

Paul said, "I did not know that mommies can burp..."

Then he and David proceeded to see who could burp the loudest! What a wonderful ride home we had!!


Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

Music and tickets...

I have had a great day today! God has filled my heart with so much joy (you can read about that over here), I have just wanted to praise and worship Him today, and I have done just that!

I have been in the van a bit today, running a few errands while the boys were at 4K and having lunch with a friend. So while in the van I had my praise and worship music cranked up and sang to the Lord with all my heart! I was having such a wonderful time praising my Savior, and my heart was so full, that I did not want to stop when I picked the boys up. So I didn't...

I kept the music up, a bit louder than normal, but not so loud that it would harm anyone's hearing. While I am singing at the top of my lungs (and my boys were not complaining as they often do when I sing... hehe), I hear:

Paul: "MOMMY!"

I turn the music down just a bit, and say, "Yes, sir?"

Paul: "Sometimes the policemen give tickets to people who have their music too loud."

Me: "Oh, that is ok, we are not going to get a ticket, our music is not that loud."

I turn the music back up and continue worshiping my Lord and Savior all the way home... no more complaints from the kiddos... I think they were enjoying my singing :)



Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

Menu Planning by Paul

Tonight when Paul found out we were having grilled chicken, pasta with pesto sauce, and corn for dinner he informed me of the following:

"When I am grown up I am going to make myself peanut butter and jelly ALL the time."

"And I am going to give my kids breakfast for lunch and for dinner."

Maybe their grocery bill will not be too high! And by the way, he did eat his dinner, it only took about an hour for him to eat it all...


Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

Peanut Butter & Jelly

Peanut butter and jelly is a staple around here... Paul could live off of that and nothing else. They had it again for lunch today. Neither one will eat a whole sandwich, so I split it between them and cut it into 3 triangles for each of them. They have been so full of energy today, they could not be still at the table during lunch... I told them that after lunch they needed to go out back and play tag to get some of that energy out. They thought that was a wonderful idea and were very excited...

However...

It still took Paul quite a while to finish his 3 triangles. David and I had finished eating and I was in the bedroom petting the cat when Paul comes in.

He says, "Can I just eat 2 triangles today and then go outside?"

I said, "No, you need to eat all three."

He says (in a playful voice), "Well, when I am a grown-up I am going to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and not eat it."

He continues, "I may make one in three triangles and only eat 2 and give the other one to my kid."

He then went in the kitchen and finished his sandwich in a painfully slow way... while he watched David play out back through the window. They are both out back now hopefully expending all that pent up energy!


Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

The Blanket...

Paul has a blanket that he has had since he was a baby.

He used to carry it everywhere with him... if we left it, we had to come home and get it. He was very, very attached; He HAD to have that blanket. He still has it... he does not carry it everywhere with him now, but he still loves that battered old blanket. It has had new tags sewn on, has had holes patched, and has been washed so much that it is practically threadbare.

He still likes to have it to sleep with, if he feels bad or is sad he wants his blanket, he uses it to cover up his favorite dog, Mousey, (who happens to be real to him considering some of the things he says about Mousey, I am sure I will share some of those at a later date...), and sometimes he just likes to hold it in the van.

Well, the other day we were doing something upstairs and out of the blue Paul says,

"Mommy, when we go to Heaven do we get to take our stuff with us?"

I replied, "No, we do not get to take anything with us to Heaven."

He looked at me, very seriously, and said, "But Mommy, I HAVE to take my blanket!!"

I said very gently, "No Paul, you will not be able to take your blanket to Heaven."

He got extremely upset and was almost in tears over the fact that he will not be able to take his blanket to Heaven. I explained to him that Heaven is going to be so wonderful that he will not need his blanket or even miss it... he still was very adamant that he needs his blanket in Heaven. I then told him that it would be a very long time before he went to Heaven so he really did not need to worry about it right now... and I also said, that maybe, just maybe, Jesus would have an extra special blanket for him when he gets to Heaven. That seemed to satisfy him and he went off to play...

I bet that I will keep that blanket of his a lot longer than he will! He will one day forget about it and I will put it in my "joy box"... my box of memories that I want to keep. And then one day I will show it to his wife!!

Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia