Palm Sunday: A Ride On a Donkey

Dear Children,

Good day. It's Palm Sunday tomorrow.  A wonderful woman with our children's ministry at church made the coolest Easter Story Characters (paper dolls that stand, small symbols, a chronological scene foldout, etc, etc,  wowza) It's pretty great how they encourage us (and equip) us as parents to help you (kids) be involved in the stories of the bible and play them out. Tonight we shared in the narrative starting with Jesus trip on the donkey to Jerusalem. 

We are excited to go to church in the morning and get actual palm branches to wave. (If we can get to church...we're kinda getting snowed in.) Telling the stories of Jesus, reading them, and acting them out....hope to continue to do all of this as a family...and do it more. It is always neat to learn something from you guys...to hear you, Tegegne, spout out fine details that you picked up from Miss Mimi's story time. Thankful for the wonderful people that share the life of Jesus with our children. 

I also added a few Easter egg ideas I liked. Nothing beats the intricate scenes that Grandma Ileen paints on eggs. I'll try to get some photos, since we're headed home over spring break. Her's are beautiful.

Mom

Happy Birthday: To You (and me)

Born on the same day, you and me. Thirty years of life, ten together. Our life together is better and sometimes harder and often more wonderful than I ever could have imagined.  Life together, under God's provision, is rich and full. I love you.

(As I type Hensley has me putting on a birthday hat and is singing "Happy Birthday To You!" Tegegne said he is going to make me a card that says, "I will listen to you."
And Fields woke me before dawn to say Happy Birthday!

Here's a sweet pic of you and your pop thirty some years ago...

Can't wait for our special night out on the town! Thanks to our free babysitters Micah and Taryn and Eric and Erica! Tag team. The kids are going to have a fun night too!

P.S. I'm reading this book and am soooo loving it. 

Dear Children: Remembering Every Last Drop

Dear Children,

You'll all be big eventually, right? Are you going to grow up? I mean, it's fine if you choose not to. You're dad and I will be thirty in a month. Maybe we should hit pause on life. Okay, never mind. Keep growing, and we will too. But let's not miss out on a single moment together. 

Will you remember your childhood...our back yard bon fires, cranking out the homemade pasta noodles, dancing in the kitchen?  Will you share stories together, these memories with your children? Of course you won't remember it all. My prayer is that you'll at least remember this. "Our parents cared for us, and wanted the very best for us. Our childhood was sweet, and adventurous, and full of love." 

Your dad and I will grow old too. In order to not forget...here's what I'd say about today...
Fields, you turned over! It's January 19th. You are 4 months old and 5 days and you figured out that you can push your momentum to one side and turn over onto your stomach. A true life skill, and we saw you do it for the first time! What will it be next, baby boy?

Hensley, tonight at our bon fire you said, "Sing, sing!" You love to sing and sway your little body. You are charming us with your facial expressions and are a true ham. Your personality is really coming out and it's been seriously fun to watch.

Tegegne you chimed in responding Hensley's request around the bon fire with this dear song..."I will draw a ring around the moon. I will draw a line from star to star. I will sing a pennies worth of song, just to tell you how in love we are." Earlier today you swept the floor (so well!), soothed Fields with kind words and his pacifier, and you and I had this joke going about a king and a dinosaur and my King Jesus. 

And Michael. I loved laughing with you tonight. Over how I fluff my bangs all the time. You always catch me doing it and were teasing me. I was so embarrassed. We couldn't quit laughing. Giggling like children, really. Thanks for that. 

If only we could remember every last drop of sweetness. I'll go to sleep with gratitude...

(Ha! Or I'll write a few more blog posts, because I don't have a lot of time in the day to do this sorta thing.) 

Mom

Family Function: And Fur Coats

Dear Tegegne,

Hi cutie bug. Do you like your lines? You've gotten several complements on them and I must say I'm getting much better at your haircuts. Especially since you get way impatient and I only have 3-5 minutes (Unless dad is home. Then you'll sit for like 20 minutes.) You loved time at Big Sky and were in your snow suit half of the time.  I'd like to chime in with Olivia's mom or Skippy Jon Jones mother and say, You wear me out, but I love you. I just started singing to you during your bedtime routine and last night it was the sweetest. (Because you played with my hair while I sang.) Thanks for being such a patient big brother to Hensley. Dad and I love watching you two goof off together.

Hens,

We matched on Christmas eve. I promise I won't make you do this in middle school, but I've gotta admit I loved wearing our red dresses and fur coats together. Besides the family (and eating all day long), your bunny and thumb are your favorite things in the world.

Michael,

Thanks for a wonderful two weeks together. I wish you didn't have to go back today. We've had a great time watching HGTV + Modern Family, dreaming up what house we should buy next (because we've been watching too much HGTV and want to do more projects!) hosting parties, laughing at the kids, enjoying Baby Fields chubbiness and new sounds, etc, etc. I love our new night stands you made me. Thanks for being such a present man of the house. There is much joy in the family when we are all together.

Love,

Mom

Dear Michael: Happy 7th Anniversary

Happy Anniversary, dear!  Seven years and a day ago we were skiing together at the lake! We were young and in love. Now we're almost 30, but we are still young and in love...just with a few miles under our belts.

Love you so much.

Kris

Tag Team: Back Again

Not many things in life are more satisfying, more rich, more trying and tough, more full of hope and life than the sweet sweet bond of marriage. 

God is doing a good work in Michael and I, showing us that life together can be way good when we tap into the rich source of life in Jesus. I'd say getting through tough times isn't easy, but afterwards there is a new perspective, a deeper understanding, and enduring love. 

Parenthood has tried us the most, and brought us deep joy. Tonight we had a few simple moments that made us glad. Tegegne has a new favorite song, "You Make Beautiful Things" and he was singing it with all his heart in the back seat. And he then said, "God made us out of the dust!" On the way home from visiting a friend, Hensley was crying a sleepy cry. Often we are not excited to hear this, but tonight Michael pointed out the sweet sound of life coming through her little cry. We were comparing it to the first time we heard her cry. Pulled in the drive and did the usual, one-to-one carry the kids to bed routine, but again Michael pointed out how sweet it was. Sweet to have our children rest in our arms and trust us to carry them to their cozy beds and wish them a good night. 

Doing these things together, with Michael, makes all the difference. 

Tag team, back again.

Love,

Kristyn

P.S. (There ya go, Jacob and Nickie, a line item or two for your "pro's" list!) 

Daddy: We Miss You

Daddy-ooo, we miss you already! I went to take photos of us tromping around in the back yard tonight, but realized that you have all of our camera taking opps. So, don't forget to snap a shot or two on your trip!


I'll go back in time instead...

Please, enjoy yourself dear! We'll be here with our new fence when you get home!