Friday, December 29, 2006

Crazy Christmas Times

We have been in Little Rock celebrating Christmas since last Friday, December 21st with family, family, and more family (sorry still no pics). Every other year the entire Martin crew converges on Little Rock for a good ole fashion Griswald Family Christmas. Family gatherings for us are getting more and more crazy because well let' s be honest we have 3 children 3 and under, combine that with family houses that haven't consistently had children that little for a long time and lots and lots of breakables and general children's hazards and you have yourself a recipe for hearing a lot of "don't touch that, don't fall off that, don't lick that, don't eat that, watch out for your brother, and a various array of other random statements you wouldn't hear at an asylum for the mentally disturbed. All in all we have had a wonderful Christmas vacation...err holiday and our children are mostly well and happy.

Cooper's favorite gift was probably his new cars from the movie CARS which he pushes all over the house and takes everywhere we go. Jack, as Nana (Tamara's mom) called it liked more than anything else his 2 $.98 toy horses that he carries around with him. Kate could care less as long as she stays fed and gets her sleep...which thankfully she is a champion sleeper. Some of our favorite memories so far this Christmas include Jack asking me every night if Santa is coming, telling me that Santa is out running right now, and a host of other Jackisms. Cooper keeps us laughing with most everything he does but some of my sweetest memories of him from this Christmas involve his incredible imagination and ability to remember stories. At night when we go to bed we read the bible and he has memorized word for word several stories and he holds the bible and reads it to me and Jack and pauses where I would pause and waits for Jack to fill in the blanks. Also, Cooper and Jack both sure love their baby sister and shower her with hugs and kisses. Kate is my little cutie and she is growing so much and is the sweetest little gift and good reminder that Jesus entered the world the same way we do and grew up just like we do. One difference in us and Him is that from the time he was born his purpose was clear and he pursued it with every ounce of who he was, all too often we know our purpose and yet we struggle to find true north in the midst of the sin that so easily entangles us. Our purpose is the same as that of Christ Jesus, to lay down our life for the glory of the Father. What an amazing responsibility and opportunity we have every day to live life with that in mind.

I hope and pray that your Christmas holiday has been a blessing and you are refreshed and ready to pursue this day and every day thereafter with the purpose that God intends for you. Blessings.

Stephen

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Words that make you melt

First of all I fully realize that we are slacking...correction I am slacking on blogging and posting new pics of the kids. Now that we have that formality out of the way I wanted to share some updates with you as we head into Christmas. Tamara and I ran a 5k last weekend in preparation for the Little Rock half-marathon in March. We are doing well and training is going pretty well, although this week has been a bit challenging due to the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping and such.

Cooper last night almost brought tears to my eyes that if I weren't trying to be macho probably would have as I over heard him telling Tamara something very sweet out of the love in his heart for his mommy. He said, Mommy, you know what makes you so beautiful? When you give us kisses. Usually when he tells Tamara she is beautiful or pretty it is because I have coached him to do so, but not this time. This time it was a little boy who loves his mommy expressing to her the out of a pure heart. It was so precious. Then, if that little boy didn't come over to me and melt my heart even more. He said, Daddy, you know what my favorite part of the day is? When I hear the door open when you get home from work and I come running to you saying Daddy Daddy because you're the bestest Daddy in the whole wide world. To be honest it was everything I could do not to let a tear roll down my face and then he threw his arms around my neck and gave me a big hug and kiss and said I love you Daddy!!!

I am pretty sure I could have died right there and my life been complete. Think about in terms of Christmas, think about how God loves to hear us make this realization that He is the bestest Daddy in the whole wide world when we turn from our sins and run to Him throwing our arms around His neck and saying I love you Daddy. Praise Him because it never matters what we have done or how far we have strayed from Him, when we turn and repent from our way of life and run towards Him He embraces us and we feel the love of the bestest Daddy in the whole wide world.

Jack is talking better and better every day and I am pretty sure on the cute scale this kid is a 10+, they all are but there is something about Jack's personality right now that I am so in love with, minus the whining and the grumbling. Even when he says no he makes the cutest face, with his no ending with big puckered lips and a furrowed brow. Everything with Jack right now is 5 minyets (minutes) and he is so in love with this little bible that was Tamara's from 1979. I don't know if there is significance there or not, but I can't help but think about all the time we spent praying over him with a Psalm posted in his hospital bed that it is no wonder he loves his bible. He wants to take it everywhere and he wants Cooper (Bubba) to take his bible everywhere. Often Jack will walk around the house with his bible and then bring Cooper his bible and say to Cooper, Bubba bible...rea it (read it), then he will pick up my bible and bring it to me and say, Daddy bible...rea it. Accountability! It has been such a beautiful reminder of not only my need to be in God's word but my need to model that before my family where it is part of our life. Jack loves to read stories about Moses, Samson, Goliath, and Jesus; I only wish I could type those words like they sound coming out of his precious little mouth. What an amazing gift we have in him.

Sweet Kate just loves her mom and dad, why you ask? She sleeps like Jack did when he was little, meaning a lot. Tamara usually feeds Kate between 7 or 8pm and we don't hear from her again until 8'ish the next morning. She is so laid back and beautiful. In fact, I felt my Daddy protector kick in the other day as I heard Tamara say something Luke Davidson being her boyfriend....in my head I was thinking yeah right when she is 25. We are looking so forward to Christmas and spending our first full holiday season together with full quiver. Thank you for the blessing that you are to our family.

God Bless You All
Stephen and Family