For the past two years our youngest son Luke has wanted to go to
Tweetsie for his birthday.  Last year it was cold, foggy and rainy
when we went.  This year is was cold but we were welcomed by the
sun cheering the day onward.  If you live anywhere near the NC
mountains and haven't been to Tweetsie it's a real treat, especially if
you have boys. 

Not only are you lured into the past by the steam engine but there are
cowboys and indians, a saloon, lots of really neat rides (farris wheel,
race cars, chair lift, teacups).  When I went as a kid I remember
the indians boarding the train and scaring us half to death.  We
swore one of us would be scalped and left for dead.  Nowadays the
cowboys and indians show is done off the train and has more comedy than
fright in it.  (Bummer…I was kinda looking forward to that look
in my kids eyes….Mom and Dad to the rescue!)

But never fear the Ghost Train is a theme park favorite through the
months of October.  This train ride is certain to scare most
younguns to death! 
It's fun but we chose to heed the park's recommendation of ages 8 and
up.  Our almost 7 year old tends to have a little chicken blood
running through his veins.  (Wonder where he got that!?)

We also got to visit my birthfather and his wife while we were
there.  God blessed me 2 years ago by allowing me to meet both of
my birth parents.  My birth mother lives in WI but my birth father
lives near the NC mountains so we get to stay with him each Tweetsie
visit. 

My sister and her children met us at Tweetsie this year.  Her
children had been when they were much younger but were ready for
another visit to the famed theme park.  It was fun to see her
older children (girls) enjoy the park too.  Although they don't
look too excited having their pictures taken in jail I think they
really enjoyed seeing their cousins excitement over getting to ride a
REAL steam engine.

For those of you wishing to check out Tweetsie you can do so on their website:  www.tweetsie.com
Make sure to turn up your sound for a great “whooo…whooo” from the
steam engine.  And if you happen to be interested in the Ghost
Train Halloween Festival book your tickets well in advance.  They
sold out almost every weekend this year.

Choo Choo!!
Julie

Each
year our downtown merchants open their doors for the gifting of candy
to tons of children.  This year was no different except we were
also blessed by a Christian band playing on stage as we hoofed it
around town.  One thing I love about living in a small town is how
one event can bring out most everyone in town.  You see people you
go to church with, used to got to church with, the lady who checks you
out at the grocery, takes your deposits at the bank or helps keep your
pets healthy.  It's a really neat experience.

It's
taken us seveal years of parenting to decide where we stand about the
whole Halloween thing.  My husband brought up a devotional from www.purposedrivenlife.com
about Halloween.  I thought it very thought provoking and
balanced.  I found myself asking, “Where would Jesus be on
Halloween?”  Since he seemed to hang out with a lot of less than
desireable people I think I just might have seem him downtown if he
lived near me.  I included the article my husband brought me to
read below.  Have a Jesus filled Halloween time!

Turn On the Light Tonight   

  by John  Fischer

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…  

    1 John 4:18   

Today
is a day that comes with a good deal of confusion and too
much fear in some Christian circles. It has not always been the
case. When I was a child in the 1950s as part of a very fundamental
church, Halloween came and went with ne'er a thought of concern.
We couldn't play cards, dance, go to movies or listen to rock and
roll, but we could   trick-or-treat our little candy bags
full every October
31.             
                  
All
that changed about fifteen years ago when the word spread rapidly in
Christian circles that Halloween was actually not dress-up day
after all, it had been Satan's holiday all along since its origins
as All Hallows' Eve, and something that Christians should have
nothing to do with. (Studies actually show major discrepancies on
the origins of Halloween, making a truly definitive conclusion
dubious at best.)       
 

Something
about these inconsistent Halloween experiences indicates that the issue
here may be more one of perception than actual truth. Granted satanic
activity may be an issue on this day, but I wonder if we actually
give Satan more regard today than we should, while ignoring his reality
the other 364 days of the year.   

                             

This
much I know: Regardless of where you land on the trick-or-treating
thing, if there is anything believers should not participate in
today,  it's not trick-or-treating: It's fear. Christians have no
business being afraid today or any day. We worship the God of the
universe who is over all powers and authorities and rulers on earth,
above it or “below” it.  If we as Christians show ear to the
world, it comes as a disgrace to God. What does it say about the
eality of God in our lives when we allow fear to motivate
us?  

We
currently live on a street that has a reputation of being the
best trick-or-treating street in town. Our house is right smack
dab in the middle of a two block area that is so crowded with kids
each year, the police put up barriers to keep vehicles out. We
bought 6,000 pieces of candy last year and still ran out. As I see
it we have three choices.  Darken our door and hunker down inside.
Plan to be gone for the evening.  Or stock up on candy, put our
chairs out in the front yard and enjoy the parade while we mingle with
our neighbors.        

Given
our mission to love the world as Christ loved it, I'd say it was time
to turn on the light. There is nothing that will stifle hope
more than fear, and nothing that will overcome fear more than
love.     

Keeping up with three older brothers is quite a feat but I think Danielle is going to be able to whip them by the time she's two.  Today at the park she was pushing the Tonka Monster dump truck right alongside the boys.  It was such a gorgeous day here….surely it's going to be 70 degrees without humidity in heaven!!

I received one of my biggest compliments yesterday.  My husband reads my blog. 
Isn’t that neat?  He takes time out of his busy
work schedule to read the ramblings of a 40 year old mother of
four.  Oh yea, I am his wife too!!!  Sometimes all the
busyness of having four children I forget that.  Long before the wildness that has now invaded our home we had a romance,
a life without kids, and a REAL relationship.  I think one of the
biggest challenges now is trying to maintain that relationship.

So let me tell you about this wonderful man I married 10 years ago.  First, he is very good looking (yea,
you baby!).  He is a patient and loving husband.  He
encourages me on days when I’ve done too much (like yesterday) and
rolls down the bed for me, tucks me in and shuts the door.
Ahh….peace.
He also is a great dad.  He
relates to my “almost 7 year old” so much better than I do and can
usually get through to him when I can not.  He loves to snuggle
with our daughter and at 16 months she has effectively wrapped him
around her sweet, precious 2 inch little finger.
He is an avid AUBURN football fan and is certain
there will be football in heaven.  AND of course it will be
college football!  He’ll be the star quarterback, running back and
kicker!!!
He is full of life, spontaneity and
fun.   Without him I would be a bore.  He’s the silly
one who keeps us all laughing…sometimes to the point of tears.
He’s full of Jesus and loves others so well.  He has a heart full
of compassion and love for others to understand how passionately Jesus
loves us.  He’s the dreamer.  The one who still dreams of us
going to Colorado to ski, even with four children.  Can you
imagine the cost???  I’m still the practical one.
We make a good team together.  He’s definitely
my opposite and my compliment.  As we continue on this venture
together I’m sure I’ll discover even more wonderful things about
him.
Thanks for reading my blog baby!  I love you.

Julie

Lately I've been struggling with all the testosterone flowing through my house.  We have 3 boys ages 6,5,4 and then there is my husband.  Oh, even our two cats are boys.  So as I'm talking with my husband the other day wondering why my children can't sit still and play something fun like Chutes and Ladders he tries to explain to me that it would only turn into Shoot and Who Can Be the Loudest!!!

My ever patient husband tries to explain to me that all this hitting and rough housing my boys do is normal.  I keep trying to tell him it's not normal for a female.  Why boys feel the need to walk by one another and slap one another across the back of the head is beyone me…

BUT….they do. 

It just so happens that a very good MALE friend of mine called the other night to say hello so I asked him.  Only half believing my husband's explanation of boys I ask him, “What's the deal?  Do your boys do this?”  (He also has three boys.)

My friend just laughs and gives me this wonderful word picture.  He tells me that boys are like puppies.  Have you ever watched a litter of puppies?  They climb all over one another, bite each others ears, snip at one another, get mad, growl, get madder, bark, stop, lick their “you know whats”, and continue on.  Sooner or later one pup gets fed up and heads to their “room” or corner ignoring the other pups for a while and THEN before you know it they are back at it AGAIN.

Okay!!! So now I get it.  There is the male testosterone thing I don't begin to understand but the puppy thing I can relate to that.  So now when my kids are beating the mess out of one another I simply walk by, roll my eyes and look forward to shopping with my 16 month old daughter when she gets a little older.

I got lots of estrogen to burn!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone out there know what I mean???

Oh, and thanks Tony!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Julie

Praise God from whom all blessings flow….

Thanks Jesus for my cheerios!!!!!

With all the hub-bub of daily life I sometimes I forget to look at my wonderful husband and remember the man I fell in love with.  I mean, what DID we do before we had kids, homeschooled, carpooled, took karate lessons, and began helping our church in a start-up venture?  It's really hard to remember those two years before we began having children.  I'm sure our life was wonderful but WHAT DID WE DO??

Inspired by an email I read earlier in the week I decided to find out a little about my husband AGAIN     so I emailed him a few questions I'd come up with…things I thought I'd like to know.

The thought occured to me that I could probably answer a lot of them about my children but isn't that out of order in God's priority list?

1. God first
2. My husband second
3. My children third
4. Everything else after that

I've included the questions I emailed  to my husband while he was in California this week in hopes that I may learn a little more about him.  I hope this will encourage you to rediscover that warm, wonderful body you snuggle against each night.  And who knows, maybe grandma can watch the kids one night so you can surprise him and do something he loves that maybe you've just forgotten.

Happy Rediscovering!!!!

Julie

Do you want to take dancing lessons with me sometime?

Having a daughter has been so different after three rambunctious boys.  Dressing her in pink (even if it is a football shirt), buying pretty clothes and finally getting to buy sandals that aren't navy, dark brown or Spiderman has been a real treat.  I pray each day for the safety of my family and for my children to make good decisions.  Each child is so precious and I love that God has gifted me with the experience of raising a girl alongside of three boys.  Look out Mall…..here we come!