Thursday, December 30, 2010

Boys, Boys, Everywhere!

As I type this post, I am listening to our middle boys. Here are a few of the actual things that have come out of their mouths in the last 5 minutes:

1. "Caleb keeps killing me!"
2. "Caleb, close your lightsaber!"
3. "Aaaaughhhh!"
4. Insert shooting noises here...
5. "Get him!"
6. "AHH HAA!"
7. "Die you! This is what you get for killing him!"
8. Insert flying noises here...
9. "Don't kill me!"
10. "Stop it! I'm sick of this! I quit!"
11. "Don't kill him! Stop!"
12. "Let's get em' boys!"


All boys, all the time!

The noises are annoying. The conversations are loud, and are all about fighting.

This house is definitely ALL Blue!

Check out the shirt that I got for Gavin:






It says, "Boys Only! (Except Mom)"

Yep! That about sums up our house...even the dog is a male! I am so in the minority around here!

I TOTALLY LOVE my boys! They definitely make life exciting and full of adventure! Plus, my boys are seriously the BEST! And, I am really going to miss them when their Christmas vacation is over!

BUT.....just so you know.....this Momma dreams in, and of, PINK!

And, This is one dream that I pray comes true someday!


"The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in it's streets." Zechariah 8:5

Monday, December 27, 2010

Merry Christmas!




It didn't really feel like Christmas to me this year. Maybe it's because our family, all except me, came down with a horrible stomach flu the week of Christmas, or maybe because Joel's mom was in the hospital, or maybe because I'm just getting old and things aren't as they used to be.....whatever the reason, it didn't feel like a normal Christmas to me. But.....we definitely enjoyed ourselves, and we certainly had and have a lot to be thankful for!

On Christmas eve we had several family members and friends over for a gathering at our house. This was great, because we were able to get the 5 cousins all together!



This was my sister Amy's son's first Christmas, and Tate was probably the highlight of our party!



Caleb was very excited to have one of his favorite people at our house! I don't think that he can get enough of Mr. Tate! But, who can blame him? I can't get my fill either! Aren't they cute together?!



I bought Gavin and Tate matching PJ's, and they have their names on their little bottoms! Can you say adorable?!




On Christmas day we went to church, and then visited with Joel's Mom at the hospital. She is looking and feeling much better, and will hopefully be able to come home sometime this week. Keep those prayers coming please!

Here are a few of the many pictures that I took of my handsome boys Christmas day:









Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

This picture will have to serve as your Christmas card from us, for awhile anyway.....with all the craziness of the last couple of weeks, getting cards out has been the last thing on my mind! But, they will be sent out soon....I hope! :) Thankfully I put Merry Christmas AND Happy New Year on them! :)

We hope that all of you had a blessed Christmas!






"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

When it rains, It pours!



This is how Gavin and I have felt all week!

This was actually a picture of Gavin about 2 weeks ago, while we were at one of Jacob's basketball games. Gavin has decided he hates basketball.....or at least he hates the whistle blowing and the buzzer going off! Poor boy!

But, I decided to post this picture today, because I felt this picture pretty much sums up what the feelings have been around here lately.

Joel's mom had to have emergency abdominal surgery early Saturday morning. She had been in the hospital after a routine surgery from the week before, that went really wrong! She is still in the hospital very weak and with a whole lot of changes to get used to...and hoping to be home by Christmas, but that isn't looking promising. She is normally such an active and healthy person, so it's very difficult seeing her so weak and in pain. Please pray that she continues to heal and that there are no lasting complications and that she can return home very soon!

Then, Nolan came down with the stomach flu and passed it on to Caleb....who threw up right during the church service Sunday night! (Can you say embarrassing?!) I wasn't there...thankfully for me, because I was home with Gavin who was getting sick as well!

Joel decided to go spend the night at the hospital with his mom that night, even though Caleb and Gavin were so sick, and I got to spend an extremely fun night at home with my sick boys! (Can you sense the sarcasm?!) I spent about 4 hours going from one boy's bed to the next, cleaning up vomit and diarrhea, changing sheets, doing laundry, emptying puke buckets, and pretty much wanting to cry my eyes out! Finally I called Joel and told him that he needed to "come home now!", because I was only one person and I seriously couldn't keep up with taking care of both boys on my own any longer! Of course, once he came home it became more bearable and he slept the rest of the night while I stayed on Momma duty cleaning up more messes! (Can you sense the resentment here?!) Anyway, it was one long night and it left Gavin doing horribly!

He is still sick, but hanging in there. On Monday he was so pale and limp that I thought for sure I would have to take him into the hospital. He is normally very stiff, secondary to having high tone from the stroke he had, but on Monday he was as limp as a rag! And, it was quite scary! Thankfully he has a g-tube, and with lots of Pedialite going into it, we have been able to keep him at home! This is such a blessing!

Of course, Joel ended up getting sick as well! So far, this is where it has stopped. Jacob and I have remained healthy so far.....and I am praying that it stays that way! I have been washing my hands until they are raw, and praying that all the care that I have given to the family is all I will have to endure!

Please pray that Gavin continues to get better. He is still having diarrhea and sleeping most of the time. When he is awake, he is sad and grinds his teeth so loudly that I am about to go nuts! That noise is one of the worst noises ever! I haven't seen a smile from him in days, and this is so abnormal for my smiley boy! It's breaking my heart!

There have also been so many friends, family, and school family & church family members going through so much lately! It is really bringing me down! I have been praying like crazy and hoping that we will all see a rainbow after all of this rain!

One thing is for sure, there is always someone else who is suffering worse off than we are! I know that God's grace is sufficient though! And, I also know that all of this has made me more thankful for the reason for this season! So much of what we all focus on at this time of year is just so unimportant! For this reminder, I am thankful!


"For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God." Hebrews 6:7

Friday, December 10, 2010

Do you want a Christmas card from Gavin?

We have been very busy at the VW house lately! I can pretty much sum up our last couple of weeks with 3 "B" words.

Busy.....Basketball.....and Blessed!

Busy: 4 children, laundry, doctor appointments, school, school functions, etc.

Basketball: Jacob decided to join the B-ball team at school. He has never played before, and swore he never would either!, but he decided to give it a try and he's liking it so far.......and we are enjoying watching him and the team play!

Blessed: There is too much to put after this word, but one of the things that is such a blessing to me are these 4 handsome guys!



Speaking of this picture.....if you would like to receive a couple of pictures similiar to this one, let me know if you want a Christmas card sent out to you. I have many of your addresses, but if you haven't received one from our family before and you don't think that we have your address, and you want one this year.....leave your address in the comment section here on this blog, or e-mail your address to me at: javanderwall@yahoo.com

Thanks! Have a great day! :)


"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" Psalm 118:26

Monday, December 6, 2010

Gavin may not be able to tell me what he did at school today.....



.....but something tells me that he did a little painting!



And it appears that he did this with only his left hand. :)



Something else tells me that Gavin is proud of this accomplishment...



and quite happy about his day too!



Gavin may not be able to communicate with words, but he sure does talk to our hearts!


"And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"" Luke 24:32

Friday, December 3, 2010

It's that time of year again!



The brothers are happy about it!



Momma? Not so much. This means that it takes longer to drive to school.....and we are usually running late as it is! This also means that it takes longer to get ready for school.....because there are obviously more layers to put on, plus my boys can never find one glove, or they left their hat at school or somewhere else! Oh, and I can't forget how wet and dirty everything seems to get! UGH!

I don't think Gavin likes this weather either! He isn't a fan of hats and I have to bundle him up a lot to ride the bus to school each day.

"Seriously Mom, this is ridiculous....you are embarrassing me! My brothers don't have to wear a blanket to school!"



"But, it sure does look and feel cold out here!"



Of course, it's also the time of year for snuggly, fuzzy PJ's!



And, me and Gavin LOVE this!



Isn't he just huggable, snuggable and adorable?!



If only we could just hibernate together for the winter! Stay warm out there! :)


"And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath." Matthew 24:20