Ezra is SIX!!

 I don't do big, crafty birthday parties every year.  We always celebrate every birthday and try to make the day special, but I don't do a party every year.  But this year, I was so excited to do a party for Ezra.  We chose a "superhero" party theme.  It was so fun!  As soon as I had him get dressed into his superhero costume, he was in complete "superhero" mode.  I just love this kid!!

Superhero sister is pretty awesome too!

Oh, how I love this pic!  Those smashed noses.  It just doesn't get much cuter than this!

All the superheroes have arrived!  We are in safe hands tonight!

Let the games begin!  This is a game of superhero agility.

Let's stuff in those muscles for superhero strength.

The power-punch game for candy!

 Cake time!  Happy Birthday, dear Ezra!  Happy Birthday to you!

Baby brother is enjoying the cake too.

Present time!  He was so excited.  

Thank you, friends!!

Sweet hugs.

And every year, on the day of their birthday, I ask the kids these same questions.  Here are Ezra's answers on his 6th birthday!

1.  What is something Mommy always says to you?  You love me.

2.  What makes Mommy happy? When I obey.

3.  What makes Mommy sad?  When I disobey.

4.  How does Mommy make you laugh?  Tickling me.

5.  What was Mommy like as a child? You weren't spoiled rotten...like I am...and you did good jump rope.

6.  How old is Mommy? 35

7.  How tall is Mommy?  Uh...20 inches.  Are you 20 inches?

8.  What is Mommy's favorite thing to do?  Photography

9.  What does Mommy do when you're not around?  Have girl time with Sophia, which is not fair.

10.  If Mommy becomes famous, what will it be for?  Cuz you're the president.

11.  What is Mommy really good at?  Photograhy and Jump-rope.

12.  What is Mommy not very good at?  Sleeping

13.  What does Mommy do for her job?  Photography and cleaning the house.

14.  What is Mommy's favorite food?  Steak

15.  What makes you proud of Mommy?  I'm proud that you can jump-rope good.

16,  If Mommy were a cartoon character, who would she be?  What's a cartoon character?  You would be watching the weather.  Like watching earthquakes and tornadoes.

17.  What do you and Mommy do together?  Jump rope

18.  How are you and Mommy the same?  Because we like pickles. Because we like tacos.  Because we like steak.  Because we like olives.  Because we like purple grapes.  And we both like apples, pears, and peaches.  We both like onions.  We both like to eat deer meat and ham sandwiches.  Peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Peanut butter and honey sandwich.  That's it.

19.  How are you and Mommy different? You like tomatoes, and I don't.

20.  How do you know Mommy loves you? Hmm, maybe because you kiss me.  And hug me. (Then he nuzzles me.) :)

21.  Where is Mommy's favorite place to go?  Larry's Buffet

22.  What makes you happy?  Ooooo if I can have my phone.

23.  What makes you sad?  When people punch me all over my body. (He giggles....this has NOT happened.)

24.  What makes you laugh?  Tickling me

25.  What is your favorite thing to do?  Let me think.  Ride my bike.

26.  What is your favorite food and drink?  Ocean Water and Steak.

27.  What is your favorite color?  Blue

28.  Where is your favorite place to go?  Firehouse Subs

29.  What are your favorite movies or TV shows?  Star Wars and Power Rangers Mega Force.

30.  What is your favorite book? Oh, you already know that one...the turtle books. (He is referring to the Franklin books.)

To God be the Glory

It was a traumatic day.  Well, not traumatic day, but there were definitely some traumatic moments to this day.  I'm exhausted.  But I don't want to go to sleep before writing about the story of this day. Because I have a story to tell...

This morning during our Bible time, the kids and I read about the blind man who was born blind.  The disciples asked Jesus if the man was born blind because of his sin or his parents' sin.  Jesus said neither was true.  This man was born blind so that God's work and power would be shown through him.  And God healed the blind man for His glory.  I told the kids that sometimes things happen that seem to be "bad things", but that God changes them and uses them to show His power and for His glory.  

This afternoon, I was watching my brother's kids for a little bit while he went to the doctor.  The older kids were playing outside, and then Sophia and Ian run in to tell me that Ezra had fallen.  At that exact same time, I heard the loud cry.  I ran out to the porch to find Ezra with blood pouring down his face and a hole in his forehead.  I'm getting tears in my eyes right now and almost crying, just remembering it.  It was bad.  Very bad.  He had jumped off the porch and hit his head right on the corner of our brick porch step.  The brick had split through his forehead to the skull.  

My first reaction was to call Dell.  I had 6 kids at the house, and I needed him to come home because someone was going to need to take Ezra to the E.R.  He knows I'm not really a panicky type person, so without hesitation, he said he was coming home. (My hero.)

Ezra cried for probably less than a minute, and then was eerily calm.  No pain.  Nothing.  Ian, Ezra's oldest cousin, really stepped up to help me and took the little ones out of the living room and helped calm Sophia.  I was so proud of how he helped handle things.  Ezra and I sat on the couch, and he started telling me he didn't feel too good and he just wanted to rest against my shoulder.  I don't know much about head trauma, but I have always heard not to let someone go to sleep who may have a concussion.  So I continued to hug/comfort him, but didn't let him "rest" against me.  By this time, he started losing color in his lips.  This momma was SCARED.  

I walked him out to the porch, so that he could be ready to go the moment Dell pulled in the driveway.  By this time, his lips were white and his body started feeling cold.  I figured he was already experiencing some shock since he wasn't in any pain, but I didn't know if he was about to pass out or worse?!  What was going on??  I was in panic mode.  I text to Dell, "Come now.  He's getting cold."  And then kneeling beside Ezra in the chair, this momma called out loud to God Almighty.  I don't remember my exact prayer, but something along the lines of, "God, I know you see us and you see my Ezra.  And I pray in Jesus name that you will touch my little boy right now and that he will be okay."  People reading this.......God touched my baby boy!!!!  Within seconds, that little boy started to get color back in his lips.  WE didn't do anything different.  We were just sitting there waiting on Daddy.  But God did something, and I KNEW that God heard my prayer and touched my baby boy.  And he revealed it in my heart that He had heard my prayer, and I just told Him, "I believe in You."  

Dell got home a few minutes later and was a wreck.  I'm gonna admit, that to see my manly husband broken and concerned over our little boy made my love for him double in size.  He told me that he called 911 and that they should be at the house any moment.  Sure enough a couple of minutes later, the firemen, policemen, and EMTs arrived.  They checked him out.  By this time, Ezra's lips were nearly back to full color.  They couldn't believe how calm and "tough" Ezra was considering how bad his head looked.  He didn't appear to have a concussion!  I'm so thankful for these guys.  They did so good with Ezra and were so kind and professional.  They told us that he definitely needed to go to the E.R. to get his head looked at and sewn up, but that he should be fine!  God had helped him!

Dell took Ezra to the E.R., and Daniel took Sophia and Amos back to his house so that I could join Ezra at the hospital.  They stitched him up, and he was as calm as a cucumber.  When the doctor explained to me that the brick had gone through skin, muscle, and to the bone and that she was putting 3 stitches on the inside and 5 stitches on the outside, I nearly passed out.  Literally.  I had to drink a Sprite and put my head between my legs. I can watch a C-section delivery with blood everywhere, but when it comes to my babies that's a different story!!  But the great news is my Ezra boy was okay!!!  So thankful for family members who were praying!  

While at the E.R., my friend texted me.  She works with Dell and had seen him leave in a rush,  so she was checking to make sure that everything was ok and assured me that she was praying for Ezra. I told her what had happened, how scary it was, and how we had prayed and that God helped Ezra...Well, tonight she texted me these words: 

"A friend texted me just this afternoon that she needed to know that God was real and that He heals people.  So I was able to use your story today of God just healing Ezra and giving him color back immediately after praying to encourage a friend who was really doubting that God was real!  I told her, what if God allowed Ezra's accident to show her that He is real and He hears us and He heals??!  She was encouraged and said thank you!  Tell God Ezra used him!"

Whoa.  God brought to my mind just what we had read about this morning, and how God used the blind man to show His power and glory by healing him.  Did God use Ezra in this way?  To encourage this friend?  To encourage you, reader?  Maybe.  Very possibly.  I know that He is able.  And He works in the intricate details of our lives because He is quite able and big enough to do that. 

Tonight Ezra is sleeping beside me.  I'm gonna feel better with him right beside me.  But we are not alone. "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them." Psalm 34:7.  Praise God for that!!!

*I have a picture of the wound (hole) that I texted to Dell after it happened, but I decided not to post it due to its graphic nature.

Sophia is EIGHT!!!

Sophia requested an art party for her 8th birthday party.  She loves arts and crafts (and so do I), so this party suited her well and I was happy to put it together for her!

(Most of these ideas came from Pinterest!)

The cake was super easy, and I got the idea here: http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/melted-rainbow-cake/9150c1ed-296b-44c1-b181-071f63d5b529 

We started the party with a little bit of chalk art.

 

Then we started our first project, which was fairy lanterns.

We stopped for a game of Twister.

Then we started our next project...painting and decorating the first letter of the girls' names.

Cake time!  Happy Birthday to you, my sweet girl!

One of the girls suggested that they all smash the cake in their faces.  It was very funny! :)

Sophia's friends were so excited to give her the gifts they brought.  So sweet.

Sophia had such a great time at her party!  It's so great to have sweet friends!

And as I do every year, I asked Sophia these questions on the day of her birthday.  These are her answers:

1.   What is something that Mommy always says to you?  I love you.

2.  What makes Mommy happy?  Tickling her on the feet.

3.  What makes Mommy sad?  When I say "I hate you."

4.  How does Mommy make you laugh?  Tickling me.

5.  What was Mommy like as a child? She knew how to jump-rope really good.

6.  How old is Mommy? 34

7.  How tall is Mommy?  To me, she's like 10 feet taller.

8.  What is Mommy's favorite thing to do?  It's hang out with me or crochet.  Not just me...people.

9.  What does Mommy do when you're not around?  Sometimes clean.

10.  If Mommy becomes famous, what will it be for?  Man, I really have to think this thru...a party thrower.

11.  What is Mommy really good at?  Crochet and cleaning.

12.  What is Mommy not very good at?  Doing push-ups.

13.  What does Mommy do for her job?  Take care of kids.

14.  What is Mommy's favorite food?  Salad and chocolate flavored stuff.

15.  What makes you proud of Mommy?  For all the hard work she does.

16,  If Mommy were a cartoon character, who would she be?  Something in Mickey Mouse...You're nice; you're pretty; you clean; you help people out...Minnie Mouse

17.  What do you and Mommy do together?  Sometimes watch movies.

18.  How are you and Mommy the same?  You've told me this before...our noses are the same.

19.  How are you and Mommy different?  Different hair colors.

20.  How do you know Mommy loves you?  Because she kisses me, hugs me, and says she does.

21.  Where is Mommy's favorite place to go?  Shopping

22.  What makes you happy?  When everybody else is happy and when I'm with my friends.

23.  What makes you sad?  People being not kind.

24.  What makes you laugh?  Mommy tickling me.

25.  What is your favorite thing to do?  I don't really want to say this...but...electronics and hanging out with people. (referring to the electronics part.)

26.  What is your favorite food and drink?  Does dessert count as a food?  Dessert and Dr. Pepper

27.  What is your favorite color? Everything but brown, dark brown.

28.  Where is your favorite place to go?  From the top of my head...heaven...I don't know what it's gonna look like, but I know it's gonna be great.

29.  What are your favorite movies or TV shows?  Mickey Mouse, Uncle Grandpa, My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, and Scooby Doo.

30.  What is your favorite book? My Mama Had a Dancing Heart

Mommy and Daddy love you, Sophia, and we are sooo proud of the young lady you are becoming! xoxo