Nathan's Baptism

Nathan and his friend from infancy, Rachel, were baptized on the same day.

Nathan's first steps after the symbol of his commitment to follow Christ

Nathan was baptized this past Sunday. He prayed to receive Christ on New Year's Eve of 2005, when he was only 5 year old. His salvation was genuine, but we waited these years to be certain he understood the importance of his choice to follow Christ. Even now, he is so young... I think back to my life when I was in the second grade, and I remember very little... only the most important events, really. I remember my mother having a major surgery and being worried she would die. I remember being placed in the "low" reading group, which was embarrassing. Unfortunately, that's about it. A few images of playing with a little girl named Ginger, the Blanchard playground, and a Brownie uniform; but not much else.

So, how did I know Nathan was ready, even in second grade, to take this life-altering step? How could I be sure he would remember it?

To begin with, I have always been absolutely sure about the authenticity of Nathan's salvation experience. I didn't want him to ask Jesus to save him at 5, because I knew his memory would be limited and I was afraid he would be too young to understand what he was doing. However, he was absolutely determined to have Jesus live in his heart, and would have prayed with or without my help. I could not pass up the invitation to be a part of what God had obviously initiated in his heart, so I just did as much as I could to explain salvation on a 5-year-old level. I adapted the "ABC" formula that I'd learned from the Lifeway VBS curriculum to a language Nathan understood:

A: Admit you're a sinner. Understand everyone sins (the preacher, Mommy, Daddy... everyone but Jesus). Romans 3:23

B: Believe that Jesus died for our sins on the cross because he loved us... that he took our punishment for us (a little boy I used to know said it's like Jesus took our spanking for us). Also believe Jesus rose from the dead (came back to life) 3 days later and is alive now in Heaven and in our heart as the Holy Spirit. John 3:16

C. Commit to try your best to follow Jesus and make Him Lord of your life (the boss). Even though you will make mistakes (refer back to A); you're going to try your very best to do what Jesus wants you to do.

"C" is by far the hardest part of salvation; but I believe it is crucial to help children understand this part of our salvation before Baptism; because otherwise, we are cheating them out of something absolutely necessary for living in Christ. I know of what I speak; I didn't realize I had not done "C" until I was 31 years old. By this time, I had already been baptized twice (once at confirmation and again when I joined a Baptist church); but I had missed out on the key to working out my salvation. I didn't want my children to make the same mistake I had made, so I have really stressed making Jesus "the boss" of your life.

The other thing that helped me know for certain Nathan's salvation experience was genuine was the presence of the Holy Spirit in his tiny body... it was unmistakable. Nathan was strong-willed from the very beginning. He knew what he wanted to do and what he didn't want to do... and there was not a spanking, time-out, or lost privilege in existence to change his mind once it was made up before Christ lived in his heart. Nathan's mind was his law... his own word was final for him. I have never seen anything like it. All I could do was pray.

My prayers for Nathan were pretty specific. He was obviously strong-willed; and I prayed God would use Nathan's strong will for His glory. I prayed my Nathan would be like the prophet Nathan who bravely confronted King David about stealing Bathsheba and murdering her husband. Some of the worst trouble Nathan has ever been in has been for vigilante justice (administering playground justice to bullies when the teacher does not punish an offender); so it seemed like God had already made Nathan to stand up for what was right. I just needed God to harness that tendency and use it for His glory instead of Nathan's vigilantism!

After praying to receive Christ, Nathan was suddenly able to be swayed from doing his own will. He was able to see other people's points of view. He began backing bending his own will when it went against God's will. The Holy Spirit in Nathan was obvious because it was such a stark contrast to Nathan prior to salvation. There was no mistaking it!

This is not to say Nathan no longer sins... far from it. A week ago, he acted out badly at children's church, over something he wrongly perceived as an injustice. Before Christ, there was only an unyielding belief that his own will was superior to all others. Now, Nathan is able to admit mistakes in judgement and actions. Through Christ, he is capable of repentance.

Wisdom From "The Graduate"

Now that Ephraim has graduated from preschool, he is full of wisdom and advice for everyone. After church yesterday, we went out for lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant so the boys could enjoy Mexican chicken fingers and french fries (ha, ha). At the end of the meal, Charles took Nathan to the restroom and Ephraim got up to follow them.

"Ephraim, come back," I said. "You already went to the bathroom with Mommy, remember?"

Ephraim returned to the table, but looked worriedly over his shoulder at his father and brother who were by this time nearly around the corner. At the top of his voice (across the adjoining table where about 10 people were seated), he hollered, "JUST REMEMBER TO FLUSH!"

Charles and Nathan hastily scooted around the corner, leaving Matthew and myself to put our heads in our hands and laugh.

Always an adventure!

Ephraim's Preschool Graduation

Singing "Deep and Wide"

Counting his "fingers in his pocket"

Going on a "Bear Hunt"

Receiving his "Diploma"

I didn't think I would cry. This was my third time watching one of my baby boys graduate from preschool, after all! I was wrong. I cried more this time than ever before.

*************************

Oh, cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,

But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep.

I’m rocking my baby. Babies don’t keep.

-taken from a poem by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton published in Ladies Home Journal in 1958

Like It Was Lasterday

(Nathan up to something; his brothers oblivious)

Nathan is 8. How can this be?

Nathan was a sweet baby who loved to be held. Many people don't believe this, but he never even cried until he was 4 months old and got his first ear infection! Before that, he made this noise that was a cross between a sniff and a cough when he wanted something. The first time we heard that noise coming from the bassinet, Charles and I looked at each other in confusion. We walked over to the bassinet and peered inside.

"What's he doing?" I asked.

Charles had an incredulous look on his face. He said, "Is that his... is he... crying?"

We thought we had hit the mother lode!

As a toddler, Nathan was such a character. He looked like an angel with his blond hair, green eyes, and long lashes; but he was always up to something. He waited a long time to start talking... until well after he was two... and suddenly started conversing with us in complete sentences! He had very few baby words: "Bubba" for Matthew; "lasterday" for anything that happened in the past but not yesterday; and a precious few others. At 3, he talked like a little adult with the exception of his high-pitched voice. Charles called him our little munchkin because of his voice.

When Nathan was 5, he asked me on New Year's Eve if he could pray to ask Jesus to save him. I was worried about him being too young, and told him he could wait until he was older if he didn't understand what he was doing. Really, I tried to talk him out of it. He sighed and asked, "Mommy, I want to do this. Why can't I ask Jesus to save me now?" I talked with him at length and came to realize he really did understand; so he prayed on December 31, 2005. I saw the Holy Spirit in him after that night. Don't get me wrong... the character and mischief is still there! But so is Jesus.

The days and months flew by; and before I knew it so had the years. I can't believe he is 8! The boy who clung to me for dear life when I tried to leave him at Pre-K now hops out of the car and bounds up the stairs to school without a backward glance. He can still be sweet, though. Even though he spoke very few baby words; one precious word still remains in his vocabulary: "renember" for remember. I cannot bring myself to correct him! The other night, Ephraim fell asleep in my lap. After Charles took Ephraim to bed, Nathan said to me, "Mommy, you can sit with me in the big chair if you want to." This may not sound like much of an invitation, but it is huge for an 8-year-old boy! He still crawls into bed with me in the mornings just before I wake up. These precious moments will disappear so gradually that I won't notice exactly when they go, but I will wake up one day and realize they are gone.

Disney's Water Parks

Matthew (left)

Nathan on a water slide

Nathan

Ephraim

This was our first trip to Disney during the warm months since 2000, so we had the opportunity to try out the water parks. The older boys loved them! Ephraim fell and skinned his knee and didn't want to risk losing his band-aid on the day we went to Blizzard Beach, so he skipped that one. I was glad... Typhoon Lagoon had more for preschoolers than Blizzard Beach; although Blizzard Beach had a nice area for both babies and "tweenagers."

It is really taking me awhile to blog about our vacation! I am entering the busiest time of our year... April thru June... when every single weekend is taken up with one or more birthday celebrations and/or a holiday or anniversary. I will probably not blog regularly until July!

To complicate matters, we have two children graduating this year... no, not from high school! Matthew is graduating from the 5th grade (since middle school starts in 6th now) and Ephraim is graduating from preschool. Ouch on both accounts! I can't believe either of them has grown so quickly!

Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios

Ephraim's Brown Cow

Ephraim, Matthew, and Nathan

The "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" Playground at Hollywood Studios

The Sci-Fi Drive In Diner

Ephraim, Petting Zoo Tour Guide

If you know Ephraim, you know we spent some time at Animal Kingdom. Matthew and Nathan were wanting to move along to the more thrilling attractions... but nothing at Disney World was any more thrilling than finding a brown cow in the "Affection Section" petting zoo!

The Kilimanjaro Safari was another big hit. We didn't have our camera the first time we rode it, because it had been raining and still looked threatening. Oh, I regret not having the ability to video on that first safari ride! Ephraim was so sweet, and so in his own little world! He was so excited about every animal we saw, and even told a few of them he loved them! I remember in particular as we passed the elephants, he said,"Bye, elephant! I love you elephant!" in his sweet little four-year-old almost whisper!

I took my camera on the second safari ride, but he never said the same thing again. He was still cute, though!

Ephraim, Safari Tour Guide

Disney's Fort Wilderness Cabins

We decided to go with a cabin for our Disney vacation, because of the kitchen and living area. When you have 3 children, being able to spread out is of utmost importance!



The cabin was very cute, and we were able to spread out in some ways. I think it was the right choice for us this year, but I know we'll never choose Fort Wilderness cabins again for a couple of reasons:

• Bus transportation to and from the campgrounds (which includes the cabins) takes twice as long as other Disney resorts because you have to take a separate bus to get to your cabin once you arrive at Fort Wilderness. So, it takes 20 minutes to get from the Magic Kingdom to Fort Wilderness... and then another 20 minutes to get to your cabin. The total travel time for every place we went was a minimum of 40 minutes... not good with 3 rambunctious kids!
• There were very few drawers in the cabins... much less drawer space than a regular hotel room... which meant 5 people were living out of 5 suitcases for an entire week. That kind of cut down on the benefit of having enough space to spread out!
  

• The campground, like much of Florida, is a swamp. We had a GREAT time with no mosquitoes... but we ARE talking about a cabin in the middle of an honest-to-goodness swamp. I'm not sure what the experience would be like during the summer!
• I don't know HOW many lizards my boys caught in the swamp right outside the door of our cabin. My fear for my boys was, if the lizards like living in the swamp so much, maybe their friends the snakes are living here, too! I warned my boys of this, but it did not deter them from sneaking into the swamp to catch another lizard. I think a nice room on the 12th floor of a different resort might be a little safer for my adventurers!
  

Disney is expensive... there is no getting around that. Staying in a cabin or a suite is more expensive than a regular room, but we thought we would save money by eating some meals in the cabin. We ended up buying the meal plan that included one table service, one quick meal, and one snack per day. Thank goodness we bought the meal plan with travel time being so long, because we only ate breakfast in the cabin. We wouldn't have gotten to do everything in the parks if we had eaten every meal in the cabin.

We loved the meal plan! That table service meal (translated sit-down dinner) was priceless for parents with 3 kids! This sounds bad, but I just love having people bring me my food! We spent about the same amount on the meal plan as we had spent buying food (mostly quick-service) on previous trips; so it was definitely worth it for us. Charles and I were actually able to eat healthy once a day for about the same price as fast food all day. That worked well for us... but we do have 3 boys and they REALLY eat a lot (chicken fingers and french fries, anyway).

Next time, I think we will stay in a hotel room on the monorail (Grand Floridian maybe?) which will significantly cut travel time; buy the deluxe meal plan, and pay for child care a couple of times if we start to feel claustrophobic!