This weekend I had a wonderful time. I frosted my third batch of Christmas cutouts.  Don't ask what happened to the first two batches. Bill and I took the two big kids to see Tangled--super fun movie--take your kids, boys and girls! And Bill took me to see White Christmas downtown. It was supposed to be a surprise, but I knew. I am an impossible person to surprise. I don't do it on purpose, I just ALWAYS know. It's a curse. It was a very busy weekend. Frankly, the whole season has been incredibly busy. I have made at least 14 batches of carmel corn, peppermint bark popcorn, and peanut butter cup popcorn, 3 batches of cut out cookies, we went on the Polar Express with the kids and my family, I've gotten together with friends, etc. I have been so caught up in doing things--and a lot of them are for other people--not in a bad way, but wanting to do things for friends and family, that I have really been missing Christmas. As I sit here and type this, I am thinking of my sister. She is having a miserable season. She is struggling to help her daughter, to understand what is going on inside of Juliana's tiny body, and frustrated that the doctors can't figure anything out. I am thinking of a family situation. A misunderstanding among brothers that is threatening to make Christmas awkward and painful. I am thinking of my sister-in-law, Marylou, who's brother has been diagnosed with terminal cancer while his wife is preparing to give birth to their first baby. Yet, while I sit here, Beth Moore's study, "Jesus" is staring at me. It is a reminder of what this season is all about and the answer to all of life's questions and problems.

2000 years ago, God came to earth as a baby. Jesus. Jesus came to save the sick, the misunderstood, the poor, and me. Sometimes I am all of the above... My hope is in Him, but when I see those I love suffering, my faith doesn't waver, but my frustration with this broken world increases. Watching my loved ones suffer, makes my soul cry out, "Jesus come quickly!" I don't know how much more some of them can take without cracking. So, I am praying to the Great Redeemer and Lover of My Soul, that those whom I love so dearly, would feel Christ's arms wrapped around them during this Christmas season. That they will feel love, like no other, hope for the future, and belief that this life is fleeting--just a tiny moment in the scheme of eternity--and the true knowledge that if they run this race with perseverance, never losing sight of the heavenly prize that awaits them at the end, they will finish at the feet of Christ and hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful Servant." That is all I hope for this season for those whom I love so much, that my heart breaks with them. That is my grown up Christmas list.

I am that immature

Yes, I know all you people who read my blog think I am perfect, always keep my cool, know how to handle anything life throws at me. Basically I am June Cleaver. Well, I am about to burst that bubble. You will now understand why I thank God for a wonderful, patient husband, who finds my immature antics somewhat adorable and cute.

For the past several Sunday's, after church, Rori has had practice for the Christmas musical. So after church we eat lunch together in one of the Sunday School classrooms and then Bill, the boys, and I head home. We have decided that picking up Little Ceasars Pizza is the easiest option for us. It's $5 for a pizza and then I don't have to worry about packing lunches the night before for all of us. This Sunday, I was in charge of picking up the pizza. Actually I was picking up three pizzas because there were two families that were going to have some. I also was bringing Brendan with me. So, I called Bill and asked him to meet me by the door, because they are locked, so that he could open it and let me in. When I pulled up and had unbuckled Brendan and was carrying the pizzas in one arm and Brendan in the other, I realized he was probably going to be meeting me at the door on the other side of the church. That door made much more sense than the one I had picked. He tried calling me, but I couldn't get to the phone as I had no free hands. I was annoyed that I had told him the door that didn't make sense and I was annoyed that he didn't pay attention to the fact that I said the door that didn't make sense. So I put Brendan down and the pizzas down and dialed his number. He didn't answer. I dialed it angrilier (is that a word?) this time. He still didn't answer. People were looking at me sitting on the sidewalk with a baby and three pizzas. I called it again. No answer. I was starting to sweat. I hadn't had breakfast. I was debating just eating pizza with Brendan on the sidewalk and just waiting for someone to come find us and let us in.

Bill ended up calling me--his phone hadn't rung for some reason--and I told him I was at the other door. He must have run to the door I was at, because he was there within about 5 seconds. I huffed in angrily because he hadn't listened to me and been at the right (but wrong) door. I am completely aware that I am directionally challenged, but I don't like to be anything less than perfect. So, in my immature retaliation, I took his unopened can of Coke and shook it :) Yep, I'm that immature. Bill just laughed and told me he loved me. Thank God my husband is a wonderful representative of Christ's love for His church. For whatever reason, Bill loves me unconditionally and forgives me seventy-times seven for my immature behaviors. And I am even more thankful that Christ forgives my immature behaviors. It's mindblowing for me to think that He loves me even more than Bill does. 

Jim Sinegal

This weekend Rori and I went with my mom to see the Wizard of Oz that was playing at a Mariott theater. It was a present for my mom's birthday. As an extra treat, my dad, who does some traveling for business, used his hotel points to book us a room so we could spend the night before the play. We did this last year as well. This year, when my mom checked in, she gave my dad's name Jim Sin*ell--she even spelled the name (I have deleted part of the name so that no crazy stalkers will find him--because I have lots of crazy stalkers reading my blog, you know). Anyway, they told my mom she had a room with a king size bed and she explained that we needed two doubles. They made the changes and she discovered we were in the Concierge Wing, which is the VIP area. When we got to our room, the front desk called and I answered. She said, "Mrs. Sinegal?" I said, "Mrs. Sin*ell," but it didn't faze me because I'm used to people butchering my maiden name. And she proceeded to ask if my mom left a book at the front desk, I said no and we hung up. That was the first clue of mistaken identity. Rori wanted to explore the hotel so as we were leaving the room, a bellhop was bringing a tray of assorted chocolate covered strawberries and sparkling water. Mom jokingly asked if it was for us. He said if we are in room 3211. We were! He said, "they are for Jim Sinegal." Mom said, "I'm Victoria Sin*ell." So he delivered them to us and said they were from the hotel manager. We were in awe. Rori was in awe and thought they were beautiful. We didn't eat them, but put them in the fridge for after dinner. We looked at the card. It said Jim Sinegal. Clue number 2. Mom said, I think there's a mixup somewhere. I said, people butcher our name all the time. So we went and toured the hotel. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought mom was right. So mom called the front desk. They asked if she was with Jim Sinegal from Costco. Mom explained that she was not with Jim Sinegal but Jim Sin*ell. The front desk manager told us they had us booked at a different hotel and were sending a bellhop up to get our luggage. And yes, we had to give the strawberries back. We were hugely embarassed. We did the walk of shame out of our VIP room and gave our luggage to the very kind bellhop. Mom went to the front desk and while explaining it all to the manager, started to cry. I told him it was her birthday. He kindly booked us another room, back in the VIP area. We went to dinner and when we came back, the front desk manager had sent us a fruit tray with two bottles of water for mom's birthday. It was way better than the strawberries--I had already decided they were old and dry. At least that's what we told ourselves :) I googled Jim Sinegal, and he is the CEO of Costco. I hope he enjoyed his strawberries...

Happy Birthday Baba Hoo Hoo

Happy Birthday to my very special mommy who gets up well before the sun every Wednesday morning to get to my house by 6:15 am with sausage and cinnamon  melts for my kids! You have managed to tame the wild blonde boy, you travel to far away imaginary lands with Rori Rose, and you survive the three ring circus when Brendan is awake :) We appreciate and love you very much!! Thanks for being the best mom I could ever wish for!

Teaching Rori and Liam about the new baby they were going to get

 Meeting Brendan Rhys

 Showing that you are a Kool Aid Grandma :)

Kindred Spirits

My sweet niece

Most of the people who read my blog also read my sister's blog, so you probably all are aware of what is going on with my sweet niece, Juliana. She will be checking into Children's Memorial hospital tomorrow in the hopes of getting a diagnosis for her problems. She doesn't eat, and often when they can get her to eat, she projectile vomits it all back up. She is very small for her age and Jenna takes her to several different types of therapies to try to help her. Finally, they have found a doctor who is serious about getting a diagnosis. He has arranged for them to check into the hospitals and is getting as many specialists together to try and find out why this little girl won't eat. Understandably, my sister is very nervous--I'm sure she's nervous that they won't find anything, and nervous that they will. So, I am asking for prayer. Pray for wisdom for the doctors, peace and strength for Jenna and Ryan, and healing for Juliana.

Michigan!

I had been feeling like checking myself into the looney bin a few weeks ago. I had been trying to potty train Liam off and on, Rori's school had been wearing me out--along with her new attitude that came with the beginning of school, and Brendan decided one nap was enough for him. All those things made me feel like I was going to go crazy. I told Bill that if I disappeared, not to worry unless it was longer than 48 hours, because I would just be checked into a hotel relaxing. He told me he was coming with me. So...we decided to plan a trip. I hadn't been back to Calvin College since I graduated and I knew that they had made a lot of changes that I have been wanting to see. Plus, Grand Rapids is gorgeous in the fall! So we got a great deal on a hotel room, arranged for Grandma and Grandpa Casey to watch the kids, and we were ready!

We left on Friday, and all day I told Bill I didn't want to go. I wanted to bring the kids with us. I couldn't imagine going two nights without them! He told me, "too bad." So off we went. I was really excited when we got there because I was going to get to see my old roommate, Lisa and her husband Brandon! It was great seeing them, because we don't get to talk very often--once a year maybe? (hint..Lisa if you would go on facebook, I would greatly appreciate it. please. please. please.). Neither one looked a day older than they did 10 years ago! They have two adorable kids and one on the way. (hint...Lisa, if you go on facebook, I won't have to wait until your Christmas card to find out what you are having...). Anyway, we had a lovely evening and kept them out too late. Hopefully it won't be as many years before we see them again!

On Saturday we spent the day touring Calvin. I was a little bitter at all the great additions that have been made since I went there. But...tuition is about twice what I paid, so I got over it...sort of. The sports complex that they built left me speechless. There are indoor tennis courts, and indoor track, a rock climbing wall, a huge array of cardio equipment each with their own tv., and more. It was incredible. Seriously amazing.

 The other thing that made me a little bitter (not really, but maybe a tad) was the overpass they built across The Beltline. The Beltline is a four lane highway that run between Calvin College and the campus apartments. We used to have to cross that highway in order to get to class and back to our apartments. It was like playing chicken with oncoming traffic. Now there is a covered walkway that goes across to keep students safe and warm during the freezing Michigan winters.

How cool is that? Below is the traffic we used to dodge. It was like playing Frogger. (ok, not really that bad)

When I started at Calvin, I was a Physics major. I only majored in it because I received a Physics scholarship. I knew it probably would not be the degree I graduated with, but I didn't know what I wanted to major in and since they were paying me to take a Physics class, I figured, what the heck. Well, I absolutely HATED my first and only college Physics class. It was all theoretical, which I hate. So I vowed never to step foot in the Science Building again. Unfortunately, I broke that vow. While we were visiting, we discovered that the Psychology department (what I ended up majoring in) had moved to the Science Building, thus forcing me to enter the dreaded place. I have to admit the new Science Building is pretty incredible, and maybe I could get past the horrible memories I had there...or maybe not.

All in all, we had a lovely time and I am so glad we went! However, on Sunday morning I was sooooo ready to get home to Rori, Liam, and Brendan!

Happy first birthday Brendan Rhys!

I can't believe that I just typed those words! Where has the year gone? I am pretty sure that I just found out I was pregnant with him yesterday. Yet, this weekend we celebrated his first birthday party!

 In a blink of an eye...that is where the time is going.

To my sweet biggest baby boy,

What a wonderful blessing you have been to me. You have been the easiest baby. As an infant you were very content. You liked to be held, but you let us put you down in order to pay attention to your siblings. I instantly felt bonded to you. At night, your papa wasn't able to get you to go to sleep or stop crying, but immediately after transferring you to me, you would stop crying and fall asleep. It was truly magical. You are such a joy for your sister and brother, and you love them too!

You are a ham for the camera. The other day while we were at the farm, a lady was holding a camera near you and you got kind of upset that she wasn't taking a picture of you! (I didn't understand it either-who wouldn't want a picture of your adorable smile?).

You answer to many names--chubba bubba, Magoo, baby boy, and most recently, based on the fact that you have everyone wrapped around your little finger, Prince Brendan :)

You love balls, cars, stairs, ceiling fans, and anything that we'll feed you!

  

You have made the last year a wonderful joy, I love you my sweet baby boy!