He did it....

The big birthday is over ... and what an event.

He celebrated with all his pals at school with a skateboard cake on the last day of school. They were already celebrating with sprinklers and beach balls ...

He went to his favorite Mexican restaurant and ate chicken nuggets (he basically drinks the salsa - that's why we go - anybody remember my cravings for salsa???)

He opened presents with the fam ... including 2 Nationals T-shirts. One that "is a little too big, but don't worry mom, I can sleep in it".... this kid is just NICE to his bones.

that's when Jeff spoke up and said "no, buddy that's my shirt - do you have any idea why you and I might need these T-shirts?".

While holding up his new glove and baseball - he replies, "yes sir, so we can play baseball ... you know the Nationals are my favorite team".

Jeff responds, "well yes we could do that, but what else could we do with these 2 shirts?"

That's when Abby's squeal got him really thinking.

Then Jeff holds up two tickets for the front section on the 3rd base line and Michael's struck silent (that's how you know Michael's really excited!!!).

Then we went to to Kindergarten Graduation and mom cried her eyes out. His test scores were yet again thru the roof, his pals and teachers love him and dad beamed when Michael said he wanted to fly 737's when he grows up....then he spontaneously saluted his dad before he got off the stage! It was so cool!

The next day was Matti's final soccer game and party and then Jeff and Michael took off for laser tag, car shopping, the subway ride to the game and yet another moment of silence when he walked into that stadium "with millions of people mom!" Jeff said he was overwhelmed.

We finished the weekend with church and "Kung Fu Panda"....

Michael's 7 and mom and dad are wasted!!!

Only 2 more days till Matti's birthday ...here we go again!

Michael ichael motorcycle....

This guy is SOOOOO much fun!

More mighty Michael....

The birthday countdown continues...2 days to go. Michael is over the top ... mostly he's over the stairs of his bunk bed in the middle of the night because he's too excited to sleep ("mommy, can I sleep with you guys until my excitement goes away?")

Michael is a tender soul. I've decided to homeschool him for reasons I still can't put into words - but I'm hoping one of the end products is a protection of that tender heart.

Right now my mommy radar is detecting a conflict in my mighty warrior this week. He's so excited to finally get to celebrate his birthday at school, but keenly aware that this will be his last day at this precious school with these amazing kids and teachers whom he loves dearly.

Michael tends to be like his mom when it comes to people - he really digs in and listens and remembers. Folks really seem to connect themselves to his little heart. All you need to do is mention someone's name and he can tell you about them. I ask him about his day and instead he tells me about "his people".

Will and Alli? - "Their birthday is on the same day as Abby's - they're twins."

Landon? - "He's funny"

Juliana? - "Her mom thinks she's shy, but she loves to laugh, you just have to be funny."

Jaden? - "he's my Star Wars buddy, his mom sings too mom"

Carter? - "He has a peanut allergy - so mom no goldfish so I can sit at his table for lunch today"

Grace? - "She's been sick, but we've been praying for her. She came back to school, but I think she's still tired."

Mrs. Leake? - "Her daughter is in from college and they had an appointment, ....."

So in the midst of being super excited about his birthday, I think the last day of school is hitting him pretty hard. Again, I thank God for our school - I believe it's the greatest gift God has given us in Virginia. I'm going to keep Matti there as long as I can so they can write on his heart, like they did Mighty Michael .

I pray God always gives Michael lots of people to love - because he's really good at it. He's also good at telling lots of people what to do (that's from his dad), but he realldy does have a gift when it comes to people.

If you are someone who's loved Michael well - like you Scott K, or Cocky, or Mrs. Leake, or Mrs. McDonald, or Grandma and Granpa, and Mrs. Forero adn Auntie Jeanne and the Chalklettes, and a WHOLE host of others ...

Thank you -

I think you would like what those seeds are growing up to be.

the 2 old men in the car seats in the back of the van

So there's this other stuff I love about Michael.... and since it's his week, I figure I'll just keep talking about one of my favorite people on the planet.

I love the part of our parenting curriculum that shares the value of giving kids the moral reason why - we've learned and continue to learn that giving the children the ammunition to make their own good judgments and choices has far more lasting value than just saying "yes" and "no".

All of our kids are thinkers, and I think it is primarily because I'm wanting to answer their questions or challenges in ways that will eliminate them needing to ask again. So they think things out.

This is not more true of anyone in the house than Michael. He reasons everything out, ponders, thinks, analyzes and frets a bit. But he also includes and shares endlessly - everything he learns; he shares. His little brother is really benefiting from that.

Michael is also quick to share all the rules. With the arrival of warm weather, we're having to go over the "crossing the road" rule again - and General Michael is really training his little brother.

Yesterday as we drove out of the neighborhood, a jack rabbit crossed the road in front of us. Everyone looked and squealed and then went back to what they were doing. Well the two old men in the car seats in the back of the van struck up a bit of a conversation. Without ever looking up from his leapster, Matti said" that rabbit should have known better than run across the road". To which Michael responded, "that's right little buddy".

So this past week Matti's been showing off his dance moves. This is a bit odd, since Matti's a little shy and Michael's our dancer. But again, if Michael's done it, learned it or seen it, he's going to share it. So Matti's picked up Michael's (above average) dance moves and was dancing in the van the other day. When he finally caught my eye - I laughed and laughed and laughed. He was pretty good -a bit more wild with it all; but pretty good with the Austin Powers stuff. Michael has a bit more finesse of course, but you knew that already.

When I finally quieted down, Michael pointed to his brother and said " mom, that's 'Michael Junior" over there...with just a touch of violence".

Yes, Michael thanks to you he is "Michael Junior with a Touch of Violence".

Michael Man....

a week from today my Michael man will turn 7 ...

I am struggling.

I think it's all the grown up teeth, and the grown up haircut and the grown up words, and how fast time has gone by. I don't even remember blinking and now he's 7.....

I may be sad because he ties his own shoes now, buckles his own seatbelt and can pour his own cereal...will he forget me? or just quit needing me?

I like Michael alot. He's funny and quick, and tender and caring and smart and did I mention funny? He's a deep, deep well that you can't predict - I like that.

I was thinking recently about my parenting goals...I ponder that alot. For a while now I've been saying that we need to keep the end in sight - we're raising adults - not good kids in bigger bodies. We need to raise grown ups that we would hire, that we would befriend, that we would enjoy having as neighbors; grown ups that are effective and obedient to God.

I may want to revise that a bit ... there's this picture stalking my mind. I see Michael in our home for years as a boy, learning and growing and changing - becoming a man. And then I see the sun rising as Jesus walks toward him with his arms open wide - and Michael leaves me and chooses to take His hand and off they go down a new road.

I'm not sure why that makes me sad - because I don't imagine that as Michael moving on to heaven - but more Michael moving on into a personal, dependent, submitted relationship of worship and adoration with His Lord. The two of them walking that out in college, and marriage and career and fatherhood and ultimately eternity.

So if that's the end game, then my job today and tomorrow must become totally focused on helping Michael grow more aware and more comfortable with the ways of God. I must share with him the blessings of obedience, the need for surrender, the wonder of worship, the majesty of a friend God ... so that when the moment comes it will be seamless for Him. I long for all our children to become so comfortable sharing their lives with Jesus in our homes that it's just a given in their adult lives.

I need more time - I need time to move more slowly, I need more God in me and my life ...and yet in my weakness He is strong, and it's not by my might - but by His power says my Lord, and I can do all things thru Him who gives me strength....

Father, again I ask you to please raise this mighty warrior for your kingdom in spite of me and when you can, with me. I long for Michael to know you in ways I can onlly imagine, I long for Him to have your love and compassion for the lost and the saved, I pray you'll fill him with the spirit of a tender tiger as He pursues Your will for his life. Make him a man of ministry and effectiveness, make him a man of prayer and great favor - give him even tonight as he's brushing all of those new teeth - give him an UNQUENCHABLE thirst for You and Your word.

Help me serve You and him - as You build him into all of those things.

and please help me quit crying before the party.

Thank you for Michael God.

Let us pray....

Today I'm going to be getting ready for preschool graduation, then to soccer practice and then cheerleading parents meeting and then at some point I will open my refridgerator and look for something for dinner...

Today there are mothers in China who will spend their day waiting for their childrens remains to be pulled from buildings - hoping beyond hope ...

Today there are mothers in Burma waking up with nothing - including their children ...

Today there are mothers in Africa watching their children starve to death...

Mothers - let us pray

...and the Wards...

Thought I'd catch you up on the rest of the crew - I've been blog hogging for a while now.

We're almost finished with our first soccer season - what fun that has been.

Abby's got tryouts for the high school cheer team in a couple of weeks, and has already started dry land training for swim team.

Matti's last day of school is next Friday - what fun he's had. I love our little school. I've been invited to "Muffins with MOM" tomorrow in his 3 year old class! I can't wait.

Michael's lost yet another tooth - I've got to get a more recent picture. He's almost toothless now. He's loving soccer, getting bored with karate and ready to try baseball and football.

Jeff's got 100 days left at his job in International Affairs - we're guessing they'll squeeze 5 trips to India in that time. The fact that he knows how many days he has left tells you all you need to know. He drove me up to Andrews Monday to see the 737's and the Air Force One Hangar and all of that - it looks like it's for real - can't wait till he gets back in the cockpit again - I miss that smile.