Hi all,
I've been working on this blog post for over a week and just haven't known how to finish it. I'm sure it comes as no surprise that Christmas makes me miss "home," my family of birth. Also lots of other things (and people!) in the U.S., although I am still immeasurably grateful to be here in PNG with six healthy, happy kids! I treasure my friends who have become family here, and I will soon receive family in the form of my "in-loves," Gavin's parents! They arrive mid-January - woo-hoo!! That will be such a nice boost and huge blessing! If you think of it, please pray for their transition.
As I wrote my mom-in-love today, I wish I could say our Christmas Day was magical, but honestly it was mostly just hard. Life just isn't "easy" with five two-year-olds, so it was more of a gut-it-out kind of day. I really missed the magic of Christmas, including the Christmas Eve carol service that didn't start until 9 p.m., so we had to miss it (no babysitters!). I was just super homesick for the first time since arriving back here. Thankfully, it was just Christmas Day and the day after (which was Christmas Day back in the US) that were hard for me. The 23rd and 24th were great days with friends! So having two hard days out of the whole season of really good days is nothing to complain about. I know each year will be different, and, Lord willing, the magic of Christmas Day itself will return at some point before too much longer. Gavin often talks of how eager he is for the kids to get older, and I keep thinking I want them to be small as long as possible, but some nights we fall into bed and I realize, "We NEED these kids to grow up!" It's just so constant and exhausting at these younger ages. However, it's certainly a very good, rich, blessing-filled life at the same time, and they are SO cute! Sometimes in life lots of blessings equal lots of work [I know anyone who's ever taken care of children can say a hearty, "true, true!" to that statement!].
Speaking of the kids being cute: Gracie speaks in all full sentences now. "It's my turn to swing!" "Daddy, I need you to help me with my pants!" "Mommy, look at me!" It's always so startling to hear a full sentence come from that tiny body. Last night Gracie told me I was a "good girl, Mommy!" for helping her find a toy behind Will's bed. She also says about thunder "They're talking in the clouds!" and when I said it was time to go to bed last night she said, "No, first I want to play with the cars!" She is SO verbal! She has a running commentary about her life. "I got the blanket." "I put the binkie nigh-night" [We make them leave their pacifiers in the crib.] "I need help to open this." "I need to wear the pretty clothes. This is Marcie's clothes." She tells the other kids to "move back!" when they are in her way, but she also says "thank you" without being prompted, "bless you" when someone sneezes, and used to say "excuse me," but I haven't heard her say that in a while. Marcie is also very verbal and strings plenty of words together to communicate. Will is definitely stringing words and concepts together. Seth and David still mostly just talk in short sentences. Seth's current favorite thing to say is, "No! My turn!" He is definitely the most mischievous right now. There is nothing lacking in his energy level, even if all his ribs show and his hips look hollow. Since his last check-up he's only netted a gain of 2 oz despite an initial jump of a full pound. So weight for height, he's actually skinnier now that he was at his appointment in November when he was only in the 5th percentile for weight. So please keep praying as you think of it, please. I have been convicted of my lack of perseverance in prayer. I think, "Problem solved!" and move on, but this is one issue we're going to need to continue keeping an eye on in prayerful anticipation of God's work in Seth's life. He's been SO healthy, it's awesome, so we praise God for that.
The other day I told Will that God made him big and strong, and that it was his job to take care of and protect the littler kids. He grinned his dimpled grin and went around the room gentling touching each of the other kids' blond heads in turn, as if blessing them. He loves being told that God made him big and strong, and he tries to repeat the words. David continues to be a little engineering genius, Marcie takes care of everyone and everything she sees that needs doing (in a sweet, motherly way - she loves to wipe noses), and Seth tackles life and challenges head-on with a heart of bursting affection for his sisters. Will and David are the big wrestlers now. They laugh so hard at each other! The girls and Seth keep their hug games to themselves. It's adorable!
They all say "keput" instead of "ketchup," and four of the five would drink the stuff if they could (David especially). Seth is not such a fan.
I can hear the boys playing in the huge water puddle below our study window. That will be fun to clean up . . .
I'll attach some pictures (such as they are - sorry, we didn't get many good ones) and get off for now. The kids need me to work on lunch!
Love and gratitude,
Carrie for all
The kids goofing off with their floaties yesterday (we went to a nearby pool - fun! Pictures to follow.) I couldn't get Seth to stand still long enough to take a decent picture of him:
I've been working on this blog post for over a week and just haven't known how to finish it. I'm sure it comes as no surprise that Christmas makes me miss "home," my family of birth. Also lots of other things (and people!) in the U.S., although I am still immeasurably grateful to be here in PNG with six healthy, happy kids! I treasure my friends who have become family here, and I will soon receive family in the form of my "in-loves," Gavin's parents! They arrive mid-January - woo-hoo!! That will be such a nice boost and huge blessing! If you think of it, please pray for their transition.
As I wrote my mom-in-love today, I wish I could say our Christmas Day was magical, but honestly it was mostly just hard. Life just isn't "easy" with five two-year-olds, so it was more of a gut-it-out kind of day. I really missed the magic of Christmas, including the Christmas Eve carol service that didn't start until 9 p.m., so we had to miss it (no babysitters!). I was just super homesick for the first time since arriving back here. Thankfully, it was just Christmas Day and the day after (which was Christmas Day back in the US) that were hard for me. The 23rd and 24th were great days with friends! So having two hard days out of the whole season of really good days is nothing to complain about. I know each year will be different, and, Lord willing, the magic of Christmas Day itself will return at some point before too much longer. Gavin often talks of how eager he is for the kids to get older, and I keep thinking I want them to be small as long as possible, but some nights we fall into bed and I realize, "We NEED these kids to grow up!" It's just so constant and exhausting at these younger ages. However, it's certainly a very good, rich, blessing-filled life at the same time, and they are SO cute! Sometimes in life lots of blessings equal lots of work [I know anyone who's ever taken care of children can say a hearty, "true, true!" to that statement!].
Speaking of the kids being cute: Gracie speaks in all full sentences now. "It's my turn to swing!" "Daddy, I need you to help me with my pants!" "Mommy, look at me!" It's always so startling to hear a full sentence come from that tiny body. Last night Gracie told me I was a "good girl, Mommy!" for helping her find a toy behind Will's bed. She also says about thunder "They're talking in the clouds!" and when I said it was time to go to bed last night she said, "No, first I want to play with the cars!" She is SO verbal! She has a running commentary about her life. "I got the blanket." "I put the binkie nigh-night" [We make them leave their pacifiers in the crib.] "I need help to open this." "I need to wear the pretty clothes. This is Marcie's clothes." She tells the other kids to "move back!" when they are in her way, but she also says "thank you" without being prompted, "bless you" when someone sneezes, and used to say "excuse me," but I haven't heard her say that in a while. Marcie is also very verbal and strings plenty of words together to communicate. Will is definitely stringing words and concepts together. Seth and David still mostly just talk in short sentences. Seth's current favorite thing to say is, "No! My turn!" He is definitely the most mischievous right now. There is nothing lacking in his energy level, even if all his ribs show and his hips look hollow. Since his last check-up he's only netted a gain of 2 oz despite an initial jump of a full pound. So weight for height, he's actually skinnier now that he was at his appointment in November when he was only in the 5th percentile for weight. So please keep praying as you think of it, please. I have been convicted of my lack of perseverance in prayer. I think, "Problem solved!" and move on, but this is one issue we're going to need to continue keeping an eye on in prayerful anticipation of God's work in Seth's life. He's been SO healthy, it's awesome, so we praise God for that.
The other day I told Will that God made him big and strong, and that it was his job to take care of and protect the littler kids. He grinned his dimpled grin and went around the room gentling touching each of the other kids' blond heads in turn, as if blessing them. He loves being told that God made him big and strong, and he tries to repeat the words. David continues to be a little engineering genius, Marcie takes care of everyone and everything she sees that needs doing (in a sweet, motherly way - she loves to wipe noses), and Seth tackles life and challenges head-on with a heart of bursting affection for his sisters. Will and David are the big wrestlers now. They laugh so hard at each other! The girls and Seth keep their hug games to themselves. It's adorable!
They all say "keput" instead of "ketchup," and four of the five would drink the stuff if they could (David especially). Seth is not such a fan.
I can hear the boys playing in the huge water puddle below our study window. That will be fun to clean up . . .
I'll attach some pictures (such as they are - sorry, we didn't get many good ones) and get off for now. The kids need me to work on lunch!
Love and gratitude,
Carrie for all
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| Isaac opening his stocking. Yes, Pringles and Fanta are big deal and great stocking stuffer on the mission field! :) |
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| Gracie putting the shoes on her Anna doll |
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| Isaac showing Will the finer points of his new Tonka firetruck (Marcie in the background) |
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| David was obsessed with this truck. As you can see, he takes it very seriously. It's still the one he looks for. He knows it's his! |
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| Happy mayhem! Our little friend Annika sent a card wishing us a Merry and Messy Christmas, and she was right on! Seth loved this little puppy book he got. He read it for days! |
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| This was my brother's favorite book as a kid: Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things that Go. As soon as Will unwrapped it he temporarily forgot all about the cars and trucks and trains he had to play with, and he's been enamored with the book ever since! In this picture he just finished saying "Yellow truck!" |
The kids goofing off with their floaties yesterday (we went to a nearby pool - fun! Pictures to follow.) I couldn't get Seth to stand still long enough to take a decent picture of him:
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| Marcie (taken through a dirty camera lens yet again) |
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| Gracie (seriously, isn't she so cute?! She's the only one who would really pose for me) |
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| David doing a great Queen Amidala impression |
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| Will grinning because I took his floatie off |
Oh goodness how beautiful are these kids??? I love you all so much and am so thankful for these pictures!!
ReplyDeleteThey are ALMOST as beautiful as your baby, little sis! ;) We love YOU all so much!!
DeleteChristmas is SO HARD when your away from family. I remember Christmas with our own 3 little ones...magical is the right word. As they grew up that "magic" took on a rather tarnished hue! I think our expectations of Christmas go way back to our own childhoods when everything was so wonderful in our eyes. We try and recreate those feelings in ourselves through our children....and while THEY are feeling the "magic" it's kinda gone for us as adults! It's not the gifts, it's not the excitement it's an emotion that is quite difficult to put into words most times. At my age you learn to give up the quest for that "magic" and concentrate on reaching out to others and making their experiences come alive. One of my favorite things to do each year is after Christmas, when everything is on sale, I pick up little odds and ends. A cute Christmas statue, some kind of candle or decorations that are small, costume jewelry, little tool sets for guys. Nothing cost much more than a couple bucks. I wrap them in paper that I know what is for a "guy" and a "girl". I put those little gifts in a tote bag when I go Christmas shopping....while I'm getting checked out, at the end of the transaction, I give one of those little presents to the Cashier and tell them "thank you, Merry Christmas". I have never had one that didn't look at that wrapped present and then back to me with their jaw dropping! They are shocked that someone, a total stranger, would give them something! I know how they must be feeling after dealing with not so nice customers all day long and the stress that brings them. It truly is selfish because it makes ME feel so good! Find little things to do with the kids so they can give back and bring a bit of magic to someone....you'll be surprised how good that makes you feel and how "magical" it can be to bring joy to someone (not that you don't now). Our Christmas this year? It was spent on the couch in our pj's looking at an artificial Christmas tree with one set of blue lights on it.....and nothing else. Nothing under the tree and no family around because the 2 of us were downed by influenza typeA. We come back to Tucson for the winter as we live in Missouri. I have not seen my 7 grandkids or my 3 sons and daughter in loves for 10 months.....it was still Christmas though because even through the sickness that little baby, laying in a manger that was born and gave everything to us all was right there with us....THAT is the "magic" of Christmas! You my Dear are the most loving, caring woman on the planet....you are so blessed and always have love and joy in that huge heart of yours. It will get easier and it will never be "perfect" but then it's not suppose to be! Huge hugs, many prayers for the 6 blessings in your life and peace in your hearts. "A baby changes everything"....He did and He will continue to hold you in His strong and loving arms in the years to come. Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year for you all! Prayers continue....
ReplyDeleteI think the magic I missed so much this year was all the carol/hymn sings and the candlelight, but I realize there wasn't any caroling in the stall where they laid Jesus, and it no doubt smelled like blood and amniotic fluid. I just LOVE the programs we attend each year, including in previous years the Christmas Eve programs, and also the Dallas Baptist University Christmas program. This is the first year we didn't get to attend any program at all. I'm glad it was a better/easier Christmas than yours, though - sorry about the flu!!! Thank you for your encouragement, though. The Baby (whenever His actual birthdate was) HAS changed everything, for which I am infinitely grateful! I definitely feel His strong and loving arms as he's a baby no longer! So glad He's the reigning King, sitting at the right hand of the Father in Heaven and coming again in victory.
DeleteLove and gratitude, Carrie (NOT the most loving, caring woman on the planet, but I could point out a few I'm blessed with in my life!)
Remembering the Richard Scarry book very well! My oldest baby will turn 32 in about 11 days. I am thinking Gold Bug may be in this book and a fun find for Will?
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to your dear family. I'm sorry your days are so hard, and that a holiday doesn't mean much of a change from that! Bless you for your commitment to your family and your work - may Christmas get easier each year!! Wishing you health and strength (and some extra pounds for Seth) in the New Year.
ReplyDeleteWe traveled with our 5-year-old and 2-year old (well, 22-month-old) this year and it was SO HARD with just one 2-year-old! I felt awful expressing my frustration at a time that was supposed to be so magical. I can't imagine how hard it was for you dealing with five of them and so far from home! I have been so amazed at your journey. Merry Christmas! I hope it gets easier for you.
ReplyDeleteWe have two grandchildren with cystic fibrosis and weight gain is a constant issue. I will add Seth to my "appetite/gain weight prayer list". Absolutely love your honesty in your posts. Such good prayer reminders for me.
ReplyDeleteGavin and Carrie ... I have been reading this blog since before the babies were born. I "catch up" every couple weeks and stand amazed with how God has answered SO many prayers regarding their health, your transition back to the PNG, etc. It's just amazing. Our family served with the IMB in India and Thailand and we know first-hand how difficult it is to be separated from family during the holidays. To go from "everything Christmas" in the US to "just another day" in other parts of the world, it's just hard. We all know that guys know the REAL meaning of Christmas, but don't beat yourselves up for missing Christmas in the states, surrounded by family and friends. Many, many people - countless ones just like me that you've never met - are praying you up.
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading this post, it occurred to me what a blessing your 6 kids will have one day as they read back over your words, real, raw words that were on your heart at the moment. I couldn't help but smile at thinking about them all gathered together, reading your every thought and how much love they are going to feel from their momma's words. You may not realize it now, but this "journal" is going to be a timeless blessing for them one day. Continue on, friends ... and again, know that you are being prayed for from Conway, Arkansas this morning.
Many blessings,
Steve (and Joanna) Lasiter