The Jesus Storybook Bible

Reeves is a very active kid. He isn't a big fan of slowing down to read or write or do much of anything "school related" during the summer! Nope, according to Reeves, summertime is all about the fun!

Don't get me wrong, I love some fun, too. We have very few rules during these lazy summer days. I take each day as it comes and let them get away with a whole lot more than I should! I hope they'll look back on their summers with the same kind of fondness that I do. My mom made summer fun....big time! I want the same thing for my kids. We have sleepovers and playdates and pajama days and picnics and snow cones whenever we feel like it! We eat all sorts of junk and fresh produce (I am blessed with fabulous eaters.....summer fruit is at the top of their list), stay up as late as we want, sleep in as late as we can, and wear whatever we feel like wearing. Our hair stays wet, our feet stay bare, our beds stay unmade, and our plans are always ready and waiting for a new adventure!

But alas, school will be in session in a few short weeks, and I figure I better try to get in at least a few moments of structure before the first bell rings! Reeves and I have been searching and searching for a good book for him to read, and this morning we found just the thing!

Our pastor at a2 Church recommended The Jesus Storybook Bible to me a few months ago, and I made sure to pick it up when I saw it at Barnes and Noble. Every once in a while I have flipped through the colorful pages and read a few stories, but have been too busy to really dig in. I wish I hadn't taken so long to crack the spine! Let me just tell you....it is one of the greatest books I have ever read!

This morning my kids blessed me by sleeping in. I woke up at 8:45 and Reeves was soon to follow. We had about 30 minutes all to ourselves and I decided to take advantage of our quiet time. I was flipping through the book when he asked what I was reading.....I couldn't wait to share it with him. I got my pot of coffee going and cuddled up with him on the couch. We took turns reading pages, and by the time we got through a few stories, tears were streaming down my face.....it is such an amazing interpretation of the stories in the Bible! I loved when Reeves would retell what he had heard about a story or character in his lessons at church....I soaked in every detail of his recollections from his lessons. There is such truth and beauty and detail in every word of the book we were reading.....it is beautifully and intricately written. It's like no other children's story Bible out there, I can promise you that!

Just read this....

No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne - everything - to rescue the one he loves. It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!

You see, the best thing about this Story is - it's TRUE.

There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.

It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle - the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.

And this is no ordinary baby. This is the Child upon whom everything would depend. This is the Child who would one day - but wait! Our Story starts where all good stories start. Right at the very beginning.....

~Sally Lloyd-Jones

Wow!

Simply said, it just might take your breath away. Could she have said it any more perfectly?

So for these last lazy days of summer, Reeves and I are going to dive into The Jesus Storybook Bible. We are going to learn more about the love of our great God and precious Jesus while we get a little reading in.

Nothing beats cuddling up with my favorite little man and a good book.

What A Weekend!

I can't believe that it's been over a week since I got a post up on the blog. The week has flown....thanks to all sorts of excitement around the ole Mileski hizzle! We are soooo busy. Work, school, talent show rehearsals, school projects, church stuff, sniffles, 911 calls, household projects, birthday festivities, snowdays.....whew! B.U.S.Y. !!!

This weekend was all kinds of fun though. Snow....

WE. HAD. SNOW!!!!

Greer and Daddy marched around in it for over an hour before the big kids finally made it home from school. They managed to make it for over half the day, and enjoyed a snowy recess....a rare occasion here in the deep south! Days like these are what memories are made of! Right? Right!

Gotta love a snowy sunset......something we rarely may never, ever see again.

I want to freeze this picture in time! Gorgeous, huh?

....or maybe this is the most gorgeous photo of the weekend!

Chris and I went out for our Valentine's date last night (more on that and the 911 call tomorrow)....

....but today we made it special for the kiddos!

It was cold and dreary this afternoon, so I decided that an afternoon at the movies was the perfect solution! I took the big kids to see "The Tooth Fairy" while Chris and Greer set up for an awesome candlelit dinner at home! The kids LOVED it!

Dim lights. Candle-light. Cheesy, dollar-store gifts and decorations. Plastic Champagne Flutes filled with sweet tea (we forgot the sparkling grape juice). Norah Jones on the Apple TV. Jarred Spaghetti (their favorite). Paper Napkins. Mom and Dad waiting on them hand and foot (we had the waiter and waitress thing down pat!).....

Lucy said, "Y'all are the best Mom and Dad, EVAH!"

Reeves asked, "Are we Rich? Are you our Servants?"

Chris said, "Yeah Buddy, something like that...."

A whole lot of random...

...coming your way! No pictures for this first post of 2010, but I promise to dig up a few very soon....we've had a blast over the past 2 weeks! Now to catch you up and give you a giggle...

School's out till tomorrow, and it's freakin' freezin'! I mean seriously cold for these parts. We may even see the white stuff by the end of the week! I would really appreciate a snow day Friday since my kiddos probably won't make it to school before lunchtime anyway. Seems we have a rather important obligation this Thursday night! Can I hear a Rooooollllll Tide, Roll?!

My kids almost ended up at school today cause it seems I was a little confused about the actual "post holiday return date". Wouldn't it make since to start back on a Monday? Turns out that today was a teacher work day....I suppose they need to ease back in to the whole school routine, too!

So, we partied hard for 2 weeks, and I had a full "work weekend" to start the new year. Just so you know.....

....I really do love my job. If only for the entertainment value!

When I work in the maternity ER, one of our duties is to answer phone calls from the patients. Many of the calls are legitimate and straight-forward. A handful of them are little pearls meant to keep us on our toes and to give us a little chuckle during a long, hard shift! I thought you might get a kick out of a few that we got this weekend....

"How you doin'? I had my baby a couple of weeks ago.....is it OK for me to wash my hair?" Me, "Yes, honey, that's an old wives tale....PLEASE wash your hair!"

"Hey, how you doin'? I really want to have a cup of hot tea, is that OK, or will it burn my baby?" Me, "No, honey, it will NOT burn your baby. It isn't growing in your stomach!"

"Is this a nurse?" (my friend Amanda took this call), "Yes ma'am, this is a nurse, how can I help you?" Patient, "how you doin'? I have a headache. Can I put a cold cloth on my head or will it give me a seizure?" Amanda....

...."seriously?"

??????

A Brief Update on My Life

Sorry for ye bloggy absence....it's been a busy few days!

Where to start? Well, the sickness found us me and Reeves, and we've been pushing through. I refuse to let it get me down, so I have tried to let every non-essential in my life go undone while I heal. It's the best rest we mothers can hope for.....it is true what they say! Nope, no rest for the weary.

I did have quite a motivator for getting well, though. Our bestest friends came in to town for a visit (remember the ones who moved to Raleigh), and we had some good times. I am dying for Amy to post the Flip Video she caught of Jake surprising Reeves at our front door. Priceless is all I'm gonna say. I promise to post it as soon as she does!

Tomorrow is a big day for me! It's my first workday (I work 2 days a week as a labor and delivery nurse in case you didn't know...) since the kids started back to school. And since Chris has to be up at the Rick and Bubba Studio bright and ridiculously early, it will be my sole responsibility to get the rest of us up and at 'em....and neatly deposited at said schools. I am a wee bit nervous about pulling it off. I have run the route a few dozen times, though, and if we can pull out of the driveway by precisely 6:53, then we should all make it on time. I'll be sure to keep you updated on how it all goes down.....

So....the bags are packed, the animals are fed, the clothes are laid neatly on the dining room table. That reminds me, I need to go set the coffee maker. The children are nestled all snug in their beds....drugged on cough medicine and hot cocoa. Pray that they don't fight me in the morning. Or have any major meltdowns concerning hair tangles, toothpaste flavors, or sock comfort. But mostly, pray for sweet Greer! She is going to be in for a rude awakening come 6:40....that girl hasn't woken up before 9 am in over a year! She's my happy girl, though, she'll be fine! Good thing she adores her school (have I mentioned that? Well, she does.....she calls the place "PLAY"! Hallelujah & Praise the Lord)!

Sweet dreams y'all!

My Angel

This morning I was a version of my worst self.

Absolutely-positively-horrible.

and that is the nice version if you want to know the honest truth

My voice was raised, my home was chaotic, my face was scrunchy.

And I rushed my children and raised their blood pressure.

There were no gentle words to start their days. No prayers for them. Only "hurry ups" and "I don't care if it feels weird" and "Why did you pull everything out of your backpack!? We have to GO! Y'all are going to miss the bus!"

We ran and we made it!

And I tried to make up for my awfulness in the 2.36 minutes before the bus pulled down our street. But it was too little, too late. And when the bus doors swung open, she clung to me.

And sobbed. and sobbed. and sobbed.

And then an Angel came.

She swept Lucy into her arms and held her and told her that she could sit on the bus right next to her all the way to school.

and I made a lonesome walk home. and I sobbed. and sobbed. and sobbed.

Grace.

"Mom? Lucy wants to talk to you!"

"Hey Mommy.....I love you. I'm having fun on the bus. I love you."

{biting hard on bottom lip so she wouldn't hear the tears in my voice} "I love you, Lucy. I love you baby. Have a great day!"

That bus-driver's wife {the one with 3 children who have all had a hard time getting into the groove of kindergarten. the one who made my sweet girl smile and laugh before she arrived at the school's front door. the one who called me while they were still on that bus to let me know that Lucy was laughing and that they decided the red headband was the perfect choice for that outfit} wasn't supposed to be on the bus this morning......but she was.

First Day of School 2009...

.... a picture says a million things!

Teacher Letters

Tomorrow is the first day of school....for all 3 of my kiddos. Yes, even Greer. Reeves will be in second grade, Lucy will be in kindergarten (at the same school) and Greer will begin "Mothers Day Out" at our beloved preschool. Tomorrow I will have 4 hours sans children, and I am still working out how I will spend that time. Am I sad? To be honest....only a teensy bit. Does that make me a terrible mother? I sure hope not.

They are all soooo excited! I mean, they. can't. wait! How awesome is that?

I am ecstatic about what is in store for my children this year. I have never prayed it through like I have this year, and we have never been more ready to begin.....

More on that tomorrow....or the next day. I have some really awesome things I want to share.

What did I do today besides hang out at the pool with the rest of the neighborhood? This day before the first day of school?

I wrote letters to my children's teachers. I've never done it before, and I can't tell you how awesome it felt. I shared some of their strengths and weaknesses and made sure to tell their teachers that we had been praying for them all summer....that we would continue to pray for them as the school year rolls on. I wanted them to know Reeves and Lucy a little better and to know that Chris and I care. We're partners in this journey and I felt like I should share a little from our perspective.

I won't share everything I wrote. The letters are very personal to me. But, here is a little excerpt from each letter (and the pictures I included with them)....

"...Lucy loves to help, to be a leader, and to “do it herself.” She can be great with kids who need a little helper or who might be shy. She’ll talk your ears off and ask a million questions (but you already know that)! Please feel free to be firm with her concerning interrupting....I know you will be. She can’t wait to learn how to read and we have been working on some readers a little bit this summer. I am not super hung up on the academics....I know they’ll get there and that she is a smart girl. I just want her to love learning!

Lucy has a very sensitive side and sometimes I have a hard time pulling her worries out of her. She tends to “shut down” and become very quiet when something is bothering her. When she is good, she is great! She is so very excited about big school and she is looking forward to being your helper. I hope she doesn’t get too big for her britches though....I know you know exactly how to handle this type of little girl!..."

*Lucy has the same teacher that Reeves had for Kindergarten (Mrs. K), and she knows her pretty well already. She has 4 kids of her own and is a friend of mine. What an awesome blessing is that? Totally ordained (in my opinion)!

"....I wanted to share a little bit about Reeves so you can get to know him better. For the most part, he is a really great kid. Easy going, eager to please, and ready to learn. He has a pretty gentle spirit and is great at including kids who are younger/smaller than him. He can be kind of shy, but he loves deeply and has a sweet heart. He’s messy and full of energy. I tend to know exactly what he ate for lunch by looking at his shirt when he gets off the bus! You may have to give him gentle reminders to wash his hands!

Feel free to put him to work and to be firm if he is not listening/minding you. He tends to behave way better for his teachers than he does for us! He is so excited about your class and has several buddies to play with. We were thrilled about that!..."

*Reeves has a teacher that we don't know, but whom we have heard nothing but great things about. He seemed to love her when we met her at "meet the teacher" and we can't wait to see him grow this year.

If you have time to write your own teacher letter, I encourage you to do so. It was an awesome experience for me!

The Year Ahead, Part 1

It's hard to believe that our "summer" will come to an end in just 3 short weeks. Where has the time gone....and whatever happened to heading back to school after Labor Day? I don't know why I ask these same questions every year, but I do. No matter, school days are quickly approaching, and I am starting to face the music! It seems that the lazy days of Summer are gone before we know it and we wonder what we did with all our free time.

Oh yeah, I remember!

We ate countless frozen treats from the icecream truck that visits our neighborhood every day after lunchtime....

We swam and swam and swam some more. I am blessed to have such little fish, and I love that they seem to have a passion for swimming like I have always had. You could say it's in our blood....

And he finally mastered the fine art of skimboarding. I am in awe of my big kid and all he can do.....and for what this year will bring for each of them!

We've stayed up late, cooked out burgers with friends, and stayed in our pajamas through lunchtime. We've had no schedule or rules (well, maybe a few) or homework. We've truly filled ourselves back up, and prepared our selves for what is to come....

And in less than 3 weeks, we'll be back in the swing of the school-year routine. One in second grade, one in kindergarten, and one in Mother's Day Out. After-school activities, fieldtrips, and projects. Fights over outfits, earlier bedtimes, and kisses at the bus-stop. Hectic mornings, busy afternoons, and homework! Sure, a little part of me is excited to have a routine back (and a few hours of "me" time each week), but there is a big part of me that will miss the carefree safety net that comes with summer vacation. That reminds me!

I have to share this story with you....

Chris' job requires him to get up with the chickens, and I think the kids sense when he has climbed out of bed. 9 times out of 10, I wake up with a little person lying next to me. Yesterday, I was surprised to find myself flanked by both Reeves and Lucy when I woke up. I have no idea how I could have missed that, but there I was.....

Surrounded by the heavy breathing of two precious little souls.

I found myself with the overwhelming need to pray for them. I prayed for their safety, for their spirits and for their happiness. I had an overwhelming sense that I needed to pray about this upcoming school year. I prayed a prayer for the teachers they would have. I prayed that they would bring out the best in my babies.

I kissed them and hugged them and vowed that over the next few weeks I would continue to pray like mad that this year would be one of the best years of their life. Oh how quickly the time is passing.....and oh what a privilege it is to pray for my children!

There's another big piece to this story....but I'm saving it for another day. For now, I encourage you to pray for your children's teachers in the weeks before they head back to school.....I can't tell you how much peace it has brought to my soul!