Fear.

I have nothing profound to say about what happened in Connecticut yesterday.  I've prayed and cried and avoided the news.  It feels kind of cowardly to avoid the constant updates and speculation but I feel like I need some kind of shield from the terror and fear.  I just wish that there was a rewind button to bring back the innocence that was lost.

Yesterday I took the little kids to the car wash.  This is a rare occurrence so Lauren had not been through an automatic car wash since she was a baby. 

The car wash is terrorizing for a 2 year-old.  Screaming terror.  She's not screaming in this picture because her brother is consoling her (and having the time of his life).  But her face speaks of fear.  I hope that she will never know real lasting fear.  The kind that fights to keep you in the darkness and haunts the corners of your mind.  I pray that no child has to hear or witness terror and fear that yanks them from the safety of childhood.  I hope the worst that they know is car wash fear because that always ends and eventually you realize that the octopus isn't going to eat you.

Matthew 10:16
Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Philippians 4:6-9
 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

It's gonna be a long month

"Mom, it smells like Halloween!"
This was Patrick's declaration after we dragged the Halloween bins out of storage last weekend. And with that scent of potpourri (which has been in my Fall rotation for YEARS but hasn't made it out of the Ziploc since we lived in Sacramento but penetrates everything Fall nonetheless) firmly under his nose, Halloween was on in our house. I didn't actually unload the treasures until this weekend. Owning this much Fall stuff is a tad overwhelming, I have to work up to it. And then there is the problem of TOO MUCH HELP.
Pumpkin Snatcher (I was taking a break from decorating to practice with my camera and the only subject that will stay still, until said subject was kidnapped)



Fall Vomits in My Dining Room

and Leaves it There Until the Next Day or two.

I Love Fall. And it looks like we might finally be getting a taste of Fall weather this week! Feeling optimistic, I put the duvet back on our bed and ordered the boys new sweatshirts (and sweaters and fake Uggs).

Patrick had a special prayer tonight: "Thank you Jesus for the gift of Halloween, Amen."

And the fake spider trick never gets old. And we have Martha back in rotation. We love Fall!

The Pokemon Prayer

PATRICK:
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for the apples. They are very good and I know that they are healthy and good for me.

Jesus, please have the Easter Bunny bring me Pokemon. I really really want a whole bunch and I will keep them in a ziploc bag. Jack, he's my cousin, has Pokemon and we have fun playing. Please Jesus, please let the Easter Bunny know that I want a red one.

ME: Why don't we find something more to thank God for....

PATRICK: Thank you for Bear-Bear (the only stuffed bear on the block who is 14, born on August 16th and recently married his mother--but it was a really fun wedding), AMEN.

Editors notes:
This prayer can also be applied to request for Bakugan which is what Jack actually has, although I don't care to know the difference at this point.

I told Patrick I wasn't even going to entertain the request (let alone buy these things) before he learns how to read the cards that come with the toys. It was of course at that point that he moved onto working the Jesus angle.