Thankful Little Soul

I am enamored with Maddox's thankful spirit.  He has a way of noticing all the little things in the world and pausing to thank GOD for them.  So often he will say "I want to tell GOD ______" and then he will bow his head and say "GOD thank you for _____".  Just last week Maddox and I were driving in the van and he said "Mommy aren't the trees that GOD made beautiful?"  I told him yes and then he said "I am gonna tell GOD."  Then he said "GOD, thank you for the beautiful trees."  This continued for a while as he prayed for everything and everyone that GOD created.  It was so precious.....love it!

My sweet pea praying at school before lunch

eVan Gogh

Evan has really impressed us lately with his artistic abilities.  We do not spend much time with other 5-year- olds but we are quite impressed with his art work.  He has really blossomed in his talent.  We have had several "WOW!! Did you do that by yourself" moments.  We have even considered enrolling him in art classes to further his talent and invest in something he enjoys so much!  Our own eVan Gogh : )

a banner that Evan made for Brady's basketball team...the Ducks

A penguin Evan colored for the brochure he made for his class' presentation on the Arctic

Sweet Rudolph that Evan drew in December of 2014

Art project that Evan came home with on 2/19/15

The best Daddy

Yesterday while having lunch with my caboose at our kitchen island, Maddox looks at me and says "you know who the best Mommy is?"  I answered: "Who?" With his yummy grin he says, "You, Mommy."  Then he says: "Do you know who the best Daddy is?"  Assuming the answer, I replied: "Daddy?"  He said: "No, not Daddy?" "Cwis, that is his other name, you know, Cwis (Chris)."  He is quite funny this little guy.

Winter fun at home....fort building

Out of the mouth of Babes

This one:

 (Maddox on Circus Day at preschool)

 and his many "sayings"

I love the fun, sweet, curiosity-filled things this sweet Angel says on a regular basis.  As much as that, I love how he says things....how his r's are still w's, his cute lisp....how this is it, my last baby so I am enjoying every misspoken syllable of it knowing when this ends, it is over for me.  This past Sunday after I picked Maddox up from his class at church I asked him about what he learned.  He told me about how Jesus healed Lazarus.  I said "that is awesome, buddy, isn't it?"  He said "yes, Mommy, GOD is going to heal my back too." (he fell on the bleachers at Brady's basketball game the day before).

Last week while Maddox and I were in the car together he said: "I love Daddy.  I want to be just like him when I grow up."  I said: "you do?"  He said: "yes, I do.  I am gonna ask GOD right now if I can be like Daddy when I grow up."  I said: "okay, buddy."  Then from the back seat, I softly hear: "GOD, can I be like Daddy when I grow up?" Then I hear: "Mommy, GOD said 'that is fine'".

It warms my heart how he will come running up to me at random times - "I want a hug and a kiss" with his arms open wide.  When I kneel down to hug him, I am greeted with his puckered lips : )  After our hug and kiss, he goes on his merry way....so precious!

Often in conversation with Maddox when we tell him some bit of information, he will say "I already know that."  This is always after we have told him something we have not yet conveyed to him.  When we ask him how he knows, his answer is always: "Because GOD told me."  Oh my!  A prophet perhaps?? Probably just a know-it-all ; )

Love this sweet babe and all his little comments, cadence, and voice!

Are you kidding me?

So today Maddox and I were in the restroom during a quick stop on our way to Atlanta.  As he was standing there with his pants down around his ankles he noticed the "convenience hole" in the front of his underwear.  He looks down and then back up at me and says "These underwear are getting ode (old).  I need to get new ones."  I said "why do you think they are old; they are fine."  He said "look, they have a hole."  I wanted to bust out laughing.  I then explained to him what the hole was for.  After he listened intently, he looked at me and said "Are you kidding me?" seriously and with a straight face.  It was quite funny, what a card!

an appropriate pic for this topic : )

Sophmoric Salvation???

So it is no secret that Chris and I have come to a saving knowledge of Christ and have turned our lives over to HIM as LORD of our lives.  We are Christians who are thankful for Jesus' sacrifice and the LORD's grace and mercy.  With that said, it is no surprise that we are teaching our children about our faith and taking them to church where they learn about it as well.  Whenever I lay them down to sleep - nap or night time - I pray with them.  One thing I always pray for is that they "come to a saving knowledge of you (Jesus) at an early age".  Based upon Chris' and my beliefs it is obvious as to why I would pray this and why that is important to me.

At some point this Fall, Evan was asking me questions about GOD....about seeing him, talking to him, etc.  This was not the first time we have had a conversation similar to this one.  By very definition faith is believing in something you cannot see.  So with GOD not tangibly in front of my boys, faith and the Holy Spirit are aspects of Christianity that we discuss.  Whenever the idea of Jesus living in their hearts and guiding their lives comes up there are many questions about what that means.  On this particular day, Evan was asking me questions about Jesus, about what it means to have Jesus live in our hearts.  I explained to him that Christians are saved from their sins and have eternal life with Jesus in heaven when they ask him to forgive them of their sins, ask him to live in their hearts, and ask him to be LORD of their lives.  He then asked me "how do you ask him?"  All the while, Evan is on the potty while we are having this conversation and I am working on getting Maddox down for a nap.  I answered Evan, "you pray to Jesus and you ask HIM to forgive you, ask him to live in your heart, and to be GOD of your life if you feel like that is something you want to do - and if you sincerely ask him - HE will do it, he will live in your heart."  Evan said "okay, Mom, I want to do that."  I said "okay" and then continued into the bedroom to get Maddox settled.  I then hear Evan praying - while sitting on the pot:  "GOD, I want you to live in my heart.  Okay?"  "I want to live in heaven when I die."  Then I heard him yell from the potty: "Mommy, I did it.  I prayed.  I asked Jesus.  He lives in my heart now."
I was very excited, of course, but was nervous on how to proceed and exactly what to say next.  As much as I loved the fact that he prayed this sweet prayer, that he asked Jesus into his heart, that he was excited about it, I also was very skeptical.  I could not help to think - He is only 5, he does not fully understand, he is too immature to know what all this means, he does not understand what a daily surrender, a true relationship with Christ means.  I did not want to take it too lightly, not show excitement and love for something so AMAZING, so WONDERFUL, the most important decision my children can ever make.  What message would that send to Evan?  So I wonder....does he get it?  Is it real?  Only GOD truly knows....so we shall see, I will continue to teach and pray, I will continue to be open and excited to any and all open doors that lead my sweet angels to the one and only Savior.

BIG School Year

It has been a while since I have written about life here in the Stidham household.  I would love to think I will remember all the things that have made me think: "I need to journal that because I do not want to forget it."  Unfortunately I am sure there is several things I will forget because it has been too long.  I am going to do my best to catch up on the little moments I want to remember.

This was a school year of firsts.  Maddox started school for the very first time....3K, preschool at Shades Crest Baptist Church.  Evan started at big school....kindergarten.  Brady started 3rd grade this school year, which means REAL grades for the first time.

 Maddox has adjusted to school very well.  He has made his own friends.  He constantly says to me "Miss Morgan (his teacher) loves me." 

I was caught off guard by the emotion that welled up in me when Chris and I walked Evan to his first day of kindergarten.  I felt fine leading up to it, he was excited about it, he was not my first child to start school at Bluff Park Elementary - yet still - I found myself thinking "oh my gosh what is this I am feeling.  Why do I feel apprehensive?  What is this anxiety and uncertainty?  That prickly burning behind my eyes is a familiar feeling."  Then...just as we get to where we stop and Brady & Evan would continue into the building, I let go of Evan's hand and he looked at me and said "Who is going to go with me?" Oh no!!!! Oh No!!! Why is he asking that?  Is he not going to be okay with this?  What do I do?  I looked at him and said "Buddy, you will be fine.  You will see Mrs. Shipp (who he had met the day before) and make a bunch of new friends.  It will be great."  Then he walked in by himself with the cheerful encouragement of Mrs. Littlejohn - the assistant principal - and I turned my back away from him and the tears poured out....I was so caught off guard by how I felt that I was not sure how to handle it....I was ill-prepared.  I was anxious to pick them up that afternoon as I was dying to hear how it went.  Evan got in the van and said "I had a great day.  I love kindergarten!"  Phew!!!! That was a long 7 hours for this mommy!

I have been so proud of him and how he has made the transition to "BIG" school.  He has always been a bit more reserved so I had some concerns about the whole "little fish in a big pond" idea. My concerns have proven to be unfounded.  Bluff Park Elementary has been a great environment for Evan to spread his wings and open up.  I have heard from countless adults about how kind he is, how social, well-mannered, and confident too.  It has given me great joy to see him enjoy big school so much and to come into his own as a well-adjusted kindergartener. 

Prior to 3rd grade, our elementary school just gives N's, P's, and S's.  (N - Not Secure, P - Progressing, S - Secure).  So for Brady this is his first year to have "real" grades.  At this point he has only received one report card and it had ALL A's....that was very exciting!  The best part to me about his report card was the 3's (the best) he received in all the sections under Conduct....respect, helps others, etc.  That warms my heart to the core!  I have reminded Brady countless time over his short span of school....it does not matter how smart you are if you do not respect authority and do not treat others kindly.

That was our start to this school year....hopefully I can take the time to journal more and not have to play catch up as often.