Lord, if I am filled with you…I will not complain.
If I am filled with you…I will not wallow in self pity.
If I am filled with you…I will not expect appreciation.
Instead, I will embrace every task you have given.
I will replace my vain ambitions with your will.
I will be content, and joyful, with where you have placed me.
I will glory in you.
Today, as I was sewing, I was listening to the Foster family music album, “Music Through the Years,” Vol. 1. I was singing along, thinking about what formed my love of music – my family. Let me list the songs on vol. 1:
Through the Years – Kenny Rogers Copacabana – Barry Manilow Maneater – Hall & Oates Emmanuel – Amy Grant Money, Money, Money – ABBA Harry the Hairy Ape – ?(I don’t remember) Indian Outlaw – Tim McGraw Everything I Do, I do it For You – Bryan Adams Can’t Smile Without You – Barry Manilow Thriller – Michael Jackson Sisters – The Clooney Sisters I Am Woman – Helen Reddy Got 2 B Tru – Steven Curtis Chapman Big John – ?(I don’t remember) Yesterday – The CarpentersIf you notice, there is quite a variety, and that is what I love about it. But even more, I love the memories that go along with the music. I remember a trip to Colorado when we listened to the Robinhood, Prince of Theives soundtrack over and over again, because Leslie just bought it. I remember the many Christmas’s listening to the Amy Grant tape. I remember driving in the car, with me in the middle, listening to Barry Manilow’s “Like Father, Like Son,” trying to remember the words, all the while annoying the rest of my family with my constant rocking to the beat. We watched the White Christmas musical so much one summer, that we memorized every word. I remember mom & Leslie joking around at the end of Got 2 B Tru, that they could hear a flute in the rap song. We always had music on, and there was always such a variety.
As I was listening to Harry the Hairy Ape, I started laughing, because it is such a silly song, but it cracks me up! (What record? Shut up!) As I listened to Copcabana, I was be-boppin along as I sewed. As I listened to Through the Years, I started crying as I thought about how thankful I am that my mom and dad have stayed together, and been such an example through the years. As I listened to Big John, I thought of Leslie saying it, and I remembered the tape with all those silly songs that we loved to listen to – Cockfight, Beep! Beep!, Monster Mash, Running Deer, the mouse one (I don’t remember the name, just “tequila.”) As I listened to Yesterday Once More, I once again started crying, because so many memories came to mind.
I thought about my son, Caleb, and how I hope that he loves music just as much. I don’t want to force him to be a major musician, but I want him to love music, a variety of music, for the rest of his life. I want him to have the kind of happy memories like I have. So, he listens to ABBA (disco), oldies, bluegrass, opera & classical, choral, worship, and so much more. We run around the house and dance. I try to encourage him singing along, because I love it when we all get together and sing our favorite songs.
I then thought of my husband, and how when he and my bro-in-laws are around and the Fosters start singing, they all kinda slowly disappear – I know they think we are weird, or at least my husband does. But I would never change our musical heritage for anything. We love music, it is a part of our lives, and I think it brought us together. We are a close family, and yes, we had our fights, but we always had fun together too.
Dad, Mom, Kelly & Leslie, thank you for being a part in forming our own music history. I love you all, and I think we need another record night!
Caleb has two new favorite songs: My Redeemer Lives from Hillsong, and Amazing Grace by Chris Tomlin. I have a burned cd in the van that have them back to back, and he always asks to hear them both. On My Redeemer Lives there is a section that has the singing with just a drum background – he really likes this part! Wednesday, he was running circles around the living room, kitchen, and dining room singing the song. After he sang the interlude part, he stopped by the basement door, started pounding his foot on the floor, and sang the chorus of the song. He was doing the drum part!! 
Some friends of ours have a small studio set up in their basement with a keyboard, drum set, guitars, amps and speakers. After going over a couple times, Josh would now like a drum set for his birthday and Christmas. We sold our big screen tv, so we might turn that half of the basement into a bonafide music room. Hmm…I have a feeling Caleb will want drum lessons.
We have been working on potty-training Caleb since last Thursday. He got the idea pretty fast (we tried a couple months ago, so he picked it up again) so Friday we went to underwear. Well, Sunday we were gone a lot, and I kept taking him to try, and told him to tell his teachers at church, but you know that takes a while. Well, yesterday we had to do a few errands as well. He and Grace had a dr. appointment, and we tried to go there but he never goes on a big toilet without a smaller seat. Well, by the time we got to church to hang out he had gone in his pull-up. After his nap, I reminded him that he needed to tell mommy if he had to go potty, and about 2 minutes later he said he had to go. The church has a little potty, so that was what he wanted to use, and did. Later, when we were in Overland Park signing some paperwork, he said he had to go potty. I doubted he would, since all they had were full-size toilets, but he DID!! Yeah!! So, I think we have now gotten over that hurdle (and he had a diaper on the whole time, too).
Now, for my readers without kids, sorry for the next portion. I have been just mentioning to him about pooping in the toilet too, after cleaning a few pairs of underwear! Well, last night, when running around without underwear on he said he had to poop. (Caleb right now likes to completely take off his underwear when going potty, so he just hadn’t gotten them back on yet.) I told him to try to go on the toilet, and at first he said no, but then he ran to the bathroom. A couple minutes later I hear him get down and he says “Mommy, come see!” So I come, and he pooped in the toilet. So, once again, we cheered yeah!! He then told Josh that there were “rocks” in the toilet. Hee-hee
My God, why would you shed your blood, So pure and undefiled, To make a sinful one like me Your chosen, precious child?
Well might the sun in darkness hide, and shut His glories in When Christ, the mighty maker, died for man, the creature’s, sin. Thus might I hide my blushing face while his dear cross appears. Dissolve my heart in thankfulness, and melt my eyes to tears.
My God, why would you shed your blood, So pure and undefiled, To make a sinful one like me Your chosen, precious child. -copyright, Sovereign Grace Ministries
Thank you, God, for your amazing gift. I am not worthy, but oh so grateful!
Ok, I am a lucky mom. Grace is a good baby. My mom took the night shift while she was here (thanks mom!!), and Grace did pretty well, but I still wondered what she would do once I was “on my own.” Well, both nights she only woke up one during the night to eat, and then when back to sleep until the morning. Yeah!! So far, then, I have been getting pretty good sleep.
Caleb is doing well with his new sister. He likes to go up to her and tell her hello, and he’ll just sit by her and watch her. I think he thinks she is pretty cool!!
The newest addition to our family came on Thursday. Grace Marianna was born at 3:20 pm, 8 lb. 7 oz, 20 1/4 inches long. She has lots of straight dark hair, and we haven’t decided whether he eyes are dark blue or will be brown. Right now, she is sleeping!! She made labor easy on mom, one push!! Right now it won’t let me add pictures, but I will try again later once we take some more.
Ok, so here are some kitchen/dining room pics. There are a few things that we still need to do:
One day, the long term plan is to put a french door in place of the dining room window, move the fridge to where the current back door is, and extend the counter top & cabinets. But, that will also require a new back deck, which is MUCH more expensive, so we opted to wait until we need to replace the deck.
I just want to take a minute to say thank you to all my wonderful church ladies for throwing me a wonderful baby shower!! And you were all so gracious to give what we needed. 1 pack of newborn diapers, 4 packs of size 1, 4 packs of size 2, 1 can of formula, as well as other girl baby stuff like blankets, clothes, burp clothes, and etc. Not to mention all of the gift cards!! Thank you so much – you are all so very kind to us.
Not to completely change the subject, but I PROMISE that I will put kitchen pics on here later today. My ultra cool light is still not hung, which means that most likely it won’t get hung until the fall, but most of the other stuff is done. So I will put up pics of where we are right now.
