Micah's getting his Boom Boom on

Micah gets his happy face and his tendency toward being dramatic from me.

He gets his big, "chocolate almond milk brown eyes" (his words), his love for finding out how things work, and his interest in all things gun-related from his daddy.

But Micah is his own person, and some things he gets from neither of us. Like, apparently, his taste in music.

We were on our way to the zoo the other day, and Black Eyed Peas' new song, "Boom Boom Pow" came on one of the radio stations I frequent. Micah, who was busy talking to his friends in the back seat, paused and then requested, "Turn it louder!" Curious to see what would happen, I did, and watched as he intently listened to the music, sort of in awe of it. Since Black Eyed Peas aren't really my thing, I gave him several seconds and then thought I'd change it. As soon as I did, he became a bit distraught. "Turn it back!" he begged. I humored him, mainly because it was humoring me, and watched as he quietly listened and bopped his head to the beat. I endured the next two minutes or so, and when it was over, was surprised to see Micah start tearing up. "I want da boom boom song!" he whined. "Turn it to da boom boom song?" I tried to explain that I couldn't control the songs that came on the radio, but to no avail. Micah (and his friends) begged for the "Boom Boom song" all the way to the zoo. And what do you know, they almost had the title right!

HOURS later, I loaded the kids back into the suburban to go home and sleep, assuming the "Boom Boom" song was long forgotten as I had completely forgotten it myself. But as soon as I turned on the car, the requests began from the back seat. For the next twenty minutes, I listened to my son and his friend beg me to turn on da boom boom song. Who knew my kid had a thing for rap?

For those of you who don't know this "Boom Boom" song, here's a youtube link*:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F444CELomo

Watching the video of this song brought a smile to my face, as it was obvious that these people KNOW they're cool. They just don't know that they're cool in my precious little boy's eyes, which is too bad, because I think that's pretty significant (and very amusing)!

*DISCLAIMER: Not to state the obvious, but if you watch this video, beware that Fergie does not adorn herself in the modest apparel that becomes women professing godliness. But I'm sure you didn't need me to tell you that!

Hello Again!

Well, this summer has been crazy busy. My schedule has picked up quite a lot, and because of that, my blog has been inactive. But six months is too long to go undocumented, what with a two year old who is turning into a little man more and more every day. I'm going to do my best to record these unforgettable days!

I think I'll start with a little preview of what will be happening in our house beginning October 5th. On October 5th, Micah turns 2 1/2 years old. (I know, it's been SIX MONTHS since my last blog entry! Micah's aunties are none too happy!) His doctor told me not to think of potty-training him until he was 2 1/2, so friends, I have not thought much about it at all. However, we have had a few practice sessions on the "big boy potty," and, though fruitless (no number 1, no number 2), it has been fun to watch Micah turn into a big boy and enjoy the freedoms that come with that.

This is how I left him:

And minutes later, this is where I found him:

He figured out his way around the bathroom on his "porta-potty", and apparently decided now was as good a time as ever to explore the undescovered wonders of the bathroom.

This child makes me smile. Let's just hope I'm still smiling when we start potty training!

We're Still Alive!

I know I've already used that title, but it is even more appropriate here. More to come...SOON!

Happy Birthday Micah!

Before we had Micah, our lives were carefree...we could just pick up and go on trips, sleep whenever we want, and we were pretty much in control of our own schedules.

But after we had Micah, everything changed.

Since the moment we set eyes on him, Colin and I have not been the same. Micah immediately started bringing joy into all of our lives!

Suddenly, we couldn't imagine life without this little blessing, and we couldn't get enough of him.

Since April 5th, 2007, he has brightened up every day...

He has made us laugh, cry with joy, and rediscover the world around us.

Watching him learn new things has been one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences!

We know he loves us and needs us and it is hard to believe that our baby is actually old enough to tell us so now.

Micah has an incredibly sweet spirit. He loves people, he loves to try to make everyone laugh, He loves singing Psalms, he loves the outdoors and he loves to learn new things. We are SO proud of him!

We are so thankful to God for giving us these last two years, and we greatly look forward to the future. We know we have so much more to teach our little guy - and though it is humbling and challenging at times, we know it is our duty as parents and that God will be the strength in our weakness!

We love you little Micah! We know you are a gift from God to us and we could not be happier that He saw fit to make us YOUR mommy and daddy! Happy Birthday Love!



Since Micah's birth, our prayer for him as been Psalm 1:

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on that law He meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree that brings forth its fruit in season, whose leaf shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."

First Two Years

I think his first two years have been good to him...

I just can't believe tomorrow my baby is TWO!

Goodbye Crib, Hello Big Boy Bed!

I'm one of those moms who thought I would have my son in his crib until he was three...or, seriously? Until he learned how to climb out of his crib like a civilized person. Because what's more comforting to a tired momma/control freak than a safe and comfortable container for her child? I can't think of anything!

However, those days are over. My son will never learn how to climb out of his crib with skill because he learned how to throw himself head first over the edge first. And then, he did it on a regular basis, because he noticed a pattern. If he threatened to throw himself over the edge in a dramatic fit, I stayed in his room. Even if it was two in the morning. And I wouldn't leave - for hours. I noticed a pattern too: someone was in control, and it wasn't me. No longer was the crib working out for our family. The time had come for the big boy bed.

Sunday night, March 29th, was Micah's first night in his bed, and I am so impressed with how smoothly things have transitioned! We made a very big deal out of it, and so Micah was pretty excited about his big boy bed. He "helped" Daddy build it (like only a one-year-old can), and then we snuggled in to it for our new bedtime routine, which means mommy or daddy gets to be IN bed with Micah while we read him his bedtime story. Micah thinks that's pretty cool, and he has done so well. He is being so obedient, even waiting quietly in bed in the morning until I come and get him. I didn't even teach him that!

I am so thankful it has been so much easier than I thought it would be. I am convinced parenting will be easier the second time around (I think I see all the second-time moms rolling their eyes). I am just so scared of everything! I really relate to Grover in the book, "The Monster at the End of This Book." (Did I just say that?) The whole book he is scared because there is going to be a MONSTER at the END OF THIS BOOK!!! Well, in the end, the monster turns out to be HIMSELF. I think the greatest obstacle in every new parenting venture has seriously been me. Giving up nursing and the bottle and the crib, etc., would all have been much easier if I had not let fear get in the way. I make things into much bigger deals than they ever needed to be! I wonder if I really will learn my lesson the second time around?

Recent Discoveries

Lately, Micah has been discovering some new things.

For instance, blue paint. A few days ago I left him alone in his high chair for two minutes with a small jar of blue paint and a piece of construction paper. Yes, there was a paint brush, but really, I think it's clear that I haven't been getting enough sleep lately because, what was I thinking? If the paint brush got used, I'll never know. What almost two-year-old wouldn't want to dig right in? Apparently, those two minutes were just that important to me.

Another discovery? Pockets. Micah realized he had them one day and now he loves them. My favorite is when he's wearing his peacoat at church and he's got his hands in the pockets of his dress pants. He looks so Brooks Brothers!

But before you think my son is a preppy snob, let me tell you about Micah's favorite discovery: the river. He can't get enough of it! He and Daddy go down there on a regular basis to throw sticks and rocks into the water and see if they can spot a passing duck or boat. The only problem is that with all the rain, sleet and snow we've had recently, Micah's trips to the river often leave him stuck in the mud. I guess little boys' shoes were made to get dirty.

(P.S. Another thing Micah discovered how to do is throw himself head first out of his crib to manipulate me into staying in his room for hours every night when I would much rather be sleeping. Without sleep, I become a crazy person, and lets just say it shown me a lot of not-so-pretty things about myself! So Micah hasn't been the only one making discoveries around here. I've discovered that I lean way too much on my own strength when it comes to parenting. I've gotten a new glimpse at the depths of sin in my heart, which means I've also discovered a new sense of awe and gratitude at the grace that has been shown me. I've been reminded that really, parenting, and if not parenting, just living, is all about grace, grace, grace, and more grace...where would I be without the Gospel??? So, discoveries get a little more complicated as you get older - but I'm so thankful God isn't through with me yet!)

So Wuved...

This little guy is so "wuved" by his family, there just aren't words enough to tell him! He'll never, ever know just how MUCH...

Elli Came to Town!

Last week, Micah and I eagerly anticipated the arrival of Uncle D, Aunt Meg, and cousin Elli, the newest addition to our family. I wasn't sure if Micah would understand what was going on when I told him who was coming to town, but I underestimated him. The whole way to Papa and Nona's house he said, "Elli? Elli? D? Meg?" and swung his feet excitedly in his car seat while looking out the window expectantly. It was going to be a good day.

This little angel awaited us at my parents' house. She gets bigger and cuter each time I see her! I love her SO MUCH! I can't get enough of her!

Uncle B, hogging Elli. Er, I mean, holding her.

Aunt Meg is doing very well and is such a natural mother! I just wish she lived next door to me so that we could be best buds every day.

Uncle D and his little Elli.

For dinner, Uncle D grilled up some barbeque chicken. It was mighty tasty!

Uncle D was nice enough to let Micah "help" him, and all night, he told us so. "I cooked. I did it!" He even ate it. Micah doen't eat, so I definitely need to employ him in the kitchen more often.

Elli and me, at the end of the night. I was savoring every last minute with my little neice!

She was quite tuckered out. But she better get used to the parties! It's the family way.

Do YOU Pray 100 Times a Day?

This St. Patrick's Day, I pretty much had the best St. Patrick's Day ever. I was invited to Hall of Men, which, I'm sure as you gather from the name, is a strickly male event. I have been jealous of the little gathering ever since the first time they met and my dad told me about the table they sit around (carved by George Elder), the toasts, the orating, and the home-brewed beer. My time at the Hall of WOmen, as my friend Tom insightfully labeled it, was all that I hoped it would be and more. Not only did we get to hear live music, something that always entertains me, but we got to hear a very well-told story about St. Patrick (being the faithful Protestant that I am, I have to resist quotation marks there), the Namesake of this day on which most wear green, some wear orange, and some just get pinched.

Though the story was incredibly interesting and educational, one of the facts about St. Patrick that stood out the most to me is that he prayed 100 times every day. As soon as this was said, there were some "wows" from the little gathered assembly. I am sure many people felt guilty that they don't pray 100 times a day. But I, cynical person that I am, had a different thought. I thought it was weird that someone knew exactly how many times he prayed each day, especially when the number was so high. I wondered how Patrick kept track of all of his prayers. Did he count them in his head? That would be difficult to do, and someone like me would lose track well before fifty! Maybe he tallied them with a feather dipped in ink or a stick in the sand. Still, that's a lot of counting. I wondered if he could really rest each day until he had prayed his hundredth prayer. I wondered if he ever missed a day. When he did, I wondered if that made him feel like a failure.

Let me be clear: I need to pray more. It would do me well to pray 100 times a day. But praying 100 times a day will not earn me favor with God. It will probably bring lots of good things my way (communication with God is always a good thing!), but it does not make me a good person. St. Patrick's story painted him in a pretty amazing light. He definitely had a hard life and seemed to rise above the circumstances dealt him. He did some wonderful things in the name of Christ. But we have to remember that if he is in heaven today, it is not because he prayed 100 times every day. It is because he was a sinner saved by grace. It was because his old man was crucified with Christ on the cross, and it was no longer Patrick who lived, but Christ who lived in him.

It is so easy for us, as humans, to put other humans up on pedestals on which they don't belong. (I say this, not because I felt the storyteller was putting St. Patrick up on a pedestal, but because I do it all the time.) The problem is that this takes the focus off of Christ and places it on a mere man - a man who probably had a lot of selfish, sinful motives for doing all of the good deeds he did. But let this be a comfort to you, next time you hear that someone prayed 100 times a day and you think, "hm, I should be doing that. I wonder if God is happy with me?" Christ didn't come for the healthy, righteous man. He came for the sinner. There is only one way to heaven and it isn't through you. You can't work your way there; you can't earn God's favor. It is only through trusting in Christ's perfect Righteousness that one can be saved. In Christ alone our hope is found! It reminds me of one of my favorite hymns, Rock of Ages:

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy laws demands
Could my zeal no respite know
Could my tears forever flow
All for sin could not atone
Thou must save and Thou alone!

Nothing in my hand I bring
Simply to Thy Cross I cling
Naked, come to Thee for dress
Helpless, look to Thee for grace
Foul, I to the Fountain fly
Wash me Savior, or I die!

Just Like Daddy

The other day, Colin needed to study for class. He sprawled out on the bed to study, and it wasn't two minutes before Micah found something to read himself and scurried to daddy's side to join him.




What Micah found to read was a Dave Matthews cd sleeve. Too cute! But if Micah just wanting to be with daddy wasn't enough, he made Colin feel even more special when he reached out and grabbed daddy's hand. I'm so glad I was there, camera ready!



Since I knew that could only be entertaining to a one-year-old for so long, I found a few more books to occupy him and then did what I do and went camera crazy over my two favorite people.





I don't know if Colin got a lot of studying done that day, but I know he wouldn't trade that memory for anything! (And it didn't hurt his grade - in the end, he got an A. Just a reminder to take time out for our kids even when it feels like it's slowing us down...we won't regret it!)

We're Still Alive!

It's been a long time since my last post. I feel like I've been too busy living my life to post about my life! (I've also been a bit of a slacker when it comes to blogging.) Things at the Kelly house are busy and fun-filled as usual! Micah continues to keep things entertaining and eventful. Colin and I were happy before that little guy came along, but Micah has definitely brought us to a new level of happy altogether. It is so incredible to watch his language develop and to hear what goes on in that almost two-year-old mind of his! But one of the most rewarding things about this season of his life is that he can say "I wuv you" now. It is just heart-melting. He also tells us stories; like how when he saw the "choo choo" he was "scawed," how when he was at the zoo he got a "boo boo," how when we were making play dough the other night he got a "buwn," or how "juice is fun, W is fun, choo choo is fun." It is such a thrill to see the world from his perspective and to see how much he wants to share it with us. He not only wants to share it with us, but with his whole family! Micah loves no one more than his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and now his cousin Elli (and for good reason...have you seen her?) When he falls down and scratches his knee, he seriously calls his family members to tell them about it (okay, okay, we just pretend to call them on his pretend phone, but that's because that would seriously be a LOT of calls) - but the point is that he wants to include them because he is used to them being apart of his daily life. And I am so thankful for that! God has been very good to us. It is so easy to count our blessings, despite the hardship of this season of life. We are insanely blessed by the wonderful things in life that money can't buy.


As for what is going on in the Kelly household, we are still trying to decide what our next step will be after Colin gets laid off at the end of March. However, both Colin and I feel incredible peace that we are in the palm of God's hand and that everything will work out for our best in the end. Not to mention I may be a little too excited about having my husband home at night! The uncertainty of what the future holds can be difficult at times, especially for someone like me who likes to have all my ducks in a row at all times, but it is just another opportunity for me to trust God. As Elisabeth Elliot reminds me, faith is for the times when life doesn't make sense - it is not by sight. We are sure that is God is good, even though we find ourselves jobless in a really *ahem*y economy.

So, to distract ourselves from current events, we have turned off the radio and taken out the markers and construction paper! This Valentine's Day (I know, I know, I'm late documenting again), Micah made all the decorations and we surprised Colin Valentine's Day morning with heart-shaped pancakes and somewhat sloppy one-year-old decorations all over the house. Cheesy? Maybe. But pretty darn cute.

Micah making valentines...

Rolling out the cookie dough...

Before we iced them...


The final product...(not very professional looking, I know!)

Other than crafts, Micah has been absorbing everything we've been teaching him! He loves his ABCs, and now that he can recognize all of his letters he is learning what each letter says (we are teaching him to sound them out). He can sort of count to ten. He is learning colors and shapes and more words every day! We also spend a lot of time out doors. He is forever wanting to go outside. We are so thankful to live on these forty acres, and we regularly go exploring. Sometimes that means we actually go into the pasture to visit the horses (I'm not always comfortable with this because I don't know if it's safe!), sometimes we trek down to the river, and sometimes we pick out hiking sticks and we hike the trails Mr. Castro-Miller has blazed through the woods. Though at times I get a hankering for a dishwasher and a bathtub, most days I don't know if I ever want to leave this place! Could it be any more fun for a little growing boy?

Tanktu Baba.

Today, Micah's grandma, whom he calls Baba, took him to the zoo. There they met his Aunt Nerna and spent the beautiful, spring-like day looking and lions and tigers and bears. Apparently, he loved it! Of course, his favorite part was the train, and every time it passed, they had to stop whatever they were doing and revere the choo choo.

After Baba dropped him off, Micah ran to the window (which was open) and began calling her name. "Baba! Baba!" He wasn't upset, he was just trying to get her attention. His grandma waved at him from the driveway and told him she loved him, and I came from behind and picked him up to get him ready for his nap. As I lifted him up, he said, "Baba? Baba, tanktu, Baba." And he made the little "thank you" sign.

I hope Grandma Baba knows how much that little boy appreciates everything she does for him! And now he's actually getting to an age where he can tell her. Parenting really is more fun EVERY DAY!

Is It Spring Yet?

Micah brought his mommy flowers in January! (with help from the neighbors of course.) It was just what I needed last month.

The last two days have felt so mild and spring-like, I think I'm beginning to get Spring Fever! Which means I'm ready to start re-organizing my house, something I do every spring but procrastinate because organization is not my favorite thing. Those of you who went to school with me might remember my school notebooks. By the end of each semester, they were not a pretty sight! I do look forward to taking everything out of the cabinets, drawers, etc., and putting back neatly only what I need. Fresh starts always feel so good!

Speaking of fresh starts, this spring will bring with it some changes for our family as Colin recently got laid-off from his job. We are excited about what the future holds and feel safe and secure in the palm of God's hand. In a strange way, we see this unfortunate event as a gift that will allow us to do something we would never have done otherwise, which is focus on finishing Colin's degree. He is already in his final year, so instead of dragging it out like we were doing, we're hoping to just knock it out in the next couple of semesters. Besides that, we are greatly looking forward to having more time together. We have been on separate schedules for a long time now, and though we have definitely adjusted, in some ways, this change of schedule is an unexpected answer to prayer. We praise the Lord for His faithfulness and look forward to seeing where He will lead! Though these things are never fun (especially when you love your job as much as Colin loves his) we can honestly say we fully trust Him and are looking cheerfully to the future!

Now for some pictures. Here's some of what we have been doing lately:

Micah and I love to chase each other around the house. He keeps this house full of laughter, no matter what the economy is doing!

We went back to Grandpa's house, where Micah was introduced to the outside, which is sort of a child's wonderland. First of all, Grandpa has a caboose right on his property, and Micah was in AWE because he LOVES anything that has to do with TRAINS!

Here he is checking it out. Notice the Awe and Reverence for the Choo Choo on his face.



Sharing the moment with Aunt Nerna. She feels it.



We also found a canoe we got to explore...



Grandpa pushed Micah and Aunt Nerna on the Merry Go Round... (and Aunt Nerna is pretty amazing in my book! I could NEVER do this, no matter how badly I may want to. Ever since I had Micah I can't even jump on a trampoline. It's pathetic.)



Micah continued playing on his very own personal playground...

And then he had some serious Grandpa time.

I just keep loving every day! This boy keeps me smiling, no matter what!!! God is SO good.