Why?

This is the age of "why?". Nonstop, all day long, I get questions asking me to explain everything in life. It has gotten so rampant that Asher will even mock himself when I don't answer right away by saying, "Why, why, why, Asher always asks why."

Here's a typical conversation:

Asher: Why is my baby crying?

Me: Because she is trying to tell us something. Maybe she's hungry.

Asher: Does she eat food?

Me: No, she can only drink milk now.

Asher: Why can she only drink milk?

Me: Because her stomach is not able to digest food.

Asher: What is digest?

Me: Making food into small pieces.

Asher: Why small pieces?

And this might be the point where I stop answering because truthfully, I don't know why!!

Here are my "why" questions.

Why does Asher never open his eyes for pictures?

Why won't Asher hold Amelie's hand nicely?

Why is she so cute?! :)

As I'm getting ready to publish this blog, we're having this conversation...

Asher: Are you the mommy?

Me: Yes, I am the mommy.

Asher: Why are you the mommy?

Me: Because I said.

Asher: Why, why why?

Ethiopian princess

Our Ethiopian princess...

Get out of the house

"Get out of the house, right away," Asher told my mom when she stopped over for a visit.

Of course mom didn't know what to say in response to Asher's rude demand, until I explained. In Asher's mind, our house was consumed with blazing flames. About to use his axe to chop a hole in the roof, his command was intended to save our lives rather than force Grandma to go back home.

We actually see fires blazing all around town these days. When we pulled up to a restaurant last week, Asher claimed there was a fire burning down the building that he needed to put out. Walter and I were able to convince him the other firefighters were on their way so we could safely go eat, but the fire was still there when we emerged an hour later. Since we had brought the firehose with us anyway, we allowed Asher to run over to the building and save the shopping center from burning to the ground.

When we got home, there was a fire on our neighbor's house which Asher was also able to put out. And there was even another at the library yesterday which mommy and Amelie helped to get under control.

We seem to attract fires these days, so if you see us coming in our red pumper fire engine, look out for the fire!

Asher's wish

"If only my sister were a ladybug..."

A dark night

It's so tempting to rush past today.

Remembering Jesus' death on the cross this Good Friday is plain sad. Trying to explain that Jesus died to Asher has been hard because I want to skip past this part. I want to make sure he knows the good news that Jesus rose from the dead and is ALIVE.

We've been looking at pictures of Jesus on the cross and how He was hurt in our place and I see that Asher understands that this is sad. Of course I don't like to see my little boy feeling the sadness, but I also know that its important to feel this sadness. Because without it, there can be no true joy on Easter morning: when the best news ever is realized. Like Jesus said as he was being arrested, "...it's a dark night, a dark hour." recorded by Luke in the Message version.

What an understatement. Absolutely the darkest night and the darkest hour.

There has to be a true understanding of the bad news before the good news can really be good news.

I am always jolted into reality of my part in Jesus' death when I remember the words to the hymn, "How Deep the Father's Love for Us."

"How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life -
I know that it is finished."

Welcome to a new kind of craziness

It took some work...

But we got our picture!

These are days.

I was in labor for 20 hours with Asher. Many thoughts filled my mind during those intense hours. For the sweeter part of that time, my mind ran over and over the lyrics to a Collin Raye song. I remembered these words from my post-high school summer of country music listening when it was cool to go see Collin at the Illinois State Fair.

One boy, one girl Two hearts beating wildly To put it mildly, it was love at first sight. He smiled, she smiled, and they knew right away This was the day they'd been waiting for all their lives, And for a moment the whole world, Revolved around one boy, and one girl.

Although, he is singing of a couple who found out they are expecting twins, in between painful contractions, I mulled over the fact that this was one of those days I had been waiting for all of my life.

There are few days such as this. Days that I dreamed about as a little girl. For as far back as I can remember, I've had discussions with my girlfriends about becoming a mommy, planning how many kids we would have, and what kind of mom we would be.

And there I was. In that moment. Experiencing the labor I had wondered about for years.
About to meet the baby that had long been in my dreams.

So here I am again. Living in the days that I waited for all my life. And the words I keep thinking of are the title words from 10,000 Maniacs song, "These are Days."

These are days youll remember.Never before and never since, I promise, will the whole world be warm as this.And as you feel it, youll know its true that you are blessed and lucky.Its true that you are touched by something that will grow and bloom in you.These are days youll remember.When may is rushing over you with desire to be part of the miracles you see in every hour.Youll know its true that you are blessed and lucky.Its true that you are touched by something that will grow and bloom in you.These are days.

Few times in life are there days so contented. When I am not wanting the next thing or the last thing. Even though I'm itching to get out of the house, I want to be living in this part, right now. These are the sweet days I will remember when my little girl goes on her first date, when she graduates from high school, when she gets married, when she has her own babies.

These are days.