Seven Year Adventure

Dear Hunter, you turned seven years old today. People always say, "time flies" and I think that they always say it because it is so true. It feels like you were a baby just yesterday, but at the same time, I can barely remember our life without you in it.

You were perfectly planned in our life. We didn't struggle to conceive and after your dad adjusted to the fact that he was going to be a father, we loved each day of my pregnancy. The day you were born opened my eyes to the reality (and pain) of labor and childbirth - and the perfect joy that results. After 14 hours of labor and 30 minutes of pushing, you joined our family, weighing in at 7 pounds 14 ounces. That experience alone opened my eyes to the courage I would need to be a mother.

Your early years tagged you as our guinea pig. You are still our parenting experiment and we learn a lot from you of what works and what doesn't. After I found out I was pregnant with Sauce, I remember asking my mom how I could ever love another child as much as I love you. My mom quickly came back with the wise answer, "Laurie, I remember feeling like that when I was pregnant with you, and it is a total miracle - your love just doubles." How true, because the arrival of each of your three brothers has not lessened the love we have for you.

As you've grown, we have realized that you are inventive, inquisitive and independent. You work so hard to figure out how things work, how you can get things to work your way and how to do things on your own. At seven years old, we are praying that God will help us harness those qualities for good. I call you my little dumpster diver because you spent all last summer pulling things out of the recycling bin and scotch taping them together as an "invention." Luckily, this year I have found that K'Nex toys can quench that thirst for inventing. Passion is not far down on your list of qualities. When you get something in your head, your whole heart is in it. I pray that you will seek God's direction for passion in your life and that you will allow Him to use that for His glory.

Now that you are the leader of our troop, you have the heavy responsibility to be an example to them. They all look to you for guidance and comfort and you four are best friends already. I am so proud of you and your generous and loving heart toward others. You are always the first to be a kind friend to someone on your sports teams or at church. Speaking of sports, you love all the sports you try - swimming, t-ball, soccer and hunting, but you have become quite the skiier this year. Your dad and I took you in Jupiter bowl last week and the only way down is double black diamonds - you hammered it! I was so proud of you and realized that I need some lessons next year if I am going to keep up with you.

We love you Hunter and are excited to see the man you grow into - just don't do it too quickly!!

Here is a little glimpse of your life so far.

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Progress???

Well, at least today everything was frontwards, but he came downstairs saying, "Dad, my shirt is not working!!!" I wonder why upside-down-boy!

Need I say more?

At least he was thorough and his underwear were on backwards too.

Do you think his head and legs are just on backwards?

A night I won't forget

I regularly reserve books online from the library's website and a month or so ago I saw that the homepage advertised that Stephen Nasser was coming to speak on March 4th. No, I had never heard of him either, but his book "My Brother's Voice" was also displayed on the web page. I read the description, found that there was an available copy, and before I knew it I was engrossed in his story. Mr. Nasser is a Hungarian Jew, who at just 14 years old was liberated from Hitler's holocaust. I have never met a holocaust survivor before. Anyone who does the simple math can tell that soon there won't be any left to meet.

First, his book... I can't say, "it's good" because it's not. It's horrific. I had to read it with a box of tissues nearby. The events that surrounded his childhood can't be paralleled with words. I pray that our world never again knows such evil, but even as I type these words, I know that less publicized horrors are happening in places such as Darfur. Mr. Nasser witnessed the murders of several of his family members (including his baby cousin), and was subjected to the horrors of Auschwitz. After getting shipped out to a work camp, he nearly starved to death and held his older brother in his arms and watched him succumb to death.

I feel a responsibility to our world and especially to those who suffered through the holocaust to hear stories like these. My family and friends and I live such a blessed and charmed life of freedom and prosperity that I must make myself aware of those that don't. I guess that ties into my heart for orphans too... having compassion makes me appreciate life more.

Kenyon happened to be out of town when Mr. Nasser was to speak, and I almost didn't go. Childcare was going to be an issue, but my friend Christa generously allowed me to drop the boys off at her house so I could go. I'm glad I did.

I already knew a lot of what he told he audience, many of them had not yet read his book. But, some of what he said was not in his book - and he was inspiring. He spoke of freedom and how it isn't free. He said that whether or not you agree with our military involvements at any given moment, you must have an appreciation for our brave soldiers who go wherever and whenever they are told to. They are ready and willing to sacrifice the greatest possession any of us have... LIFE. He thanks God every day for the brave American and allied soldiers, who played a role in his liberation and ending the war. I'm proud to say that my Grandpa August Possehl was one of those brave men. He's still fighting today, in his 80's, but luckily, he's fighting weeds in his garden in Atlanta.

After living through the nightmare, Mr. Nasser holds life as precious. Any life. He reminded us that people are created in different colors, creeds and ability levels, but all are precious. He has witnessed firsthand calloused murders by Hitler's henchmen and the helplessness and despair that starvation and physical labor not fit for animals brings. His message: CELEBRATE LIFE, CHERISH LIFE. It is precious. Respect each other and love one another. I was also struck by the fact that he doesn't question why God allowed him to go through it. He refers to God as his, "best buddy" (imagine it said with a thick Hungarian accent) and has an amazing faith that has withstood more than anyone else I know has endured.

During the question and answer time, a young girl in the front asked a couple of insightful questions, I would guess she was about ten years old. She was obviously touched by his story, as was evident by her battle with her tears. Afterward, she waited in the long line of people who were waiting to meet him and get his autograph or picture. She stood in front of me in line and when he shook her hand, she tearfully whispered something into his ear and then handed him a cough drop because he had an obvious tickle in his throat during his speech. She was precious and it was so good to see the next generation changed by history.

Beyond the bickering, brothers are a blessing

The other night we had our friends Todd and Kate Fischer over for a game night. We had lots of fun and laughs and when they left, we went to check on the boys, who we had put to bed in their own beds hours before. This is what we found:

As I've commented before, I often get comments from people like, "Are you going to keep trying for a girl?" Sometimes I've become frustrated with that because we don't feel like we've failed by having four boys! Moments like these remind me that they were perfectly planned by a perfect planner and creator. They will always have each other - a shoulder to lean on, a brother to call on (or three :-)).

We've had a couple of busy weeks around here, but I've had in mind that I wanted to share a couple of pictures of how we spend our Sunday afternoons. Since we leave the house by 8:15ish for church, when we come home, we eat some lunch and park our behinds on the couches in the living room to watch Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, or if my beloved is lucky, a hunting show on the outdoor channel. Kenyon tries his hardest to coax the boys to snuggle with him and drift off to sleep. This particular weekend, he won! One of the boys is not partial to snuggling, can you tell who?

Taking bets

The glasses are here. Yes, after thorough eye exams last week for Hunter and Sauce. Sauce was diagnosed with farsightedness like his mom (I can't get out of that one). His prescription was pretty strong for starter glasses, so I'm shocked he ever learned his letters and hasn't been walking into walls!

In pure Sauce fashion though, he picked out some very cute frames and prayed every night this week that his glasses would be done early. Now, he's fighting me about wearing them... go figure. I couldn't decide which picture to post - cute and angelic or pure sass... so I posted them both.

So, I'm taking bets on how long it will take my boys (because each one will point to the other when it happens) to break this pricy tool of vision aid. Go ahead, place your bets. I'll just say that I don't think we put aside enough money in our medical flexible spending plan this year.

I wish I could write

I have been told at times that I am a gifted writer. Oh, I guess sometimes I roll out the red carpet and write something I'm proud of. But, no people, I'm not in the same league as one of my favorite bloggers Chris at Notes from the Trenches. She also writes for Parenting.com and her post this week and the links in it just made me laugh out loud. She is the one who wrote about three year olds and I feel a kinship or sisterhood with her and the ordinary events that she turns into extrordinary sitcoms. I hope you'll enjoy her too.

P.S. - I'm glad my boys aren't the only ones that pee in wierd and inappropriate places!!

To black diamonds and beyond!!!!

Although ski season is not officially over yet, we always feel like it's wrapping up when the boys' ski school is over. Park City Mountain Resort has a great locals ski program for seven full Saturdays of lessons and Hunter and Sauce have become great little bombers by participating in it. Here they are on their last day.

Kenyon always takes Rufus skiing for a little while when he
drops off Hunter and Sauce
Hunter and his coach Jess

Sauce and his coach Nick

biter biscuits... a cruel joke on moms!

Squirt has started eating some finger foods.... one word... MESS!!! I hate it, in addition to my life being a groundhog day of making meals, cleaning up, and making more meals and cleaning up again, now I have this cute bunch of slobbery mess to deal with too!!!

This is the Sweeney version of the "Mess Around"

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