Posts filed under 'Zach'
How My Children Keep Me Humble
In addition to being a nurse, cook, maid and therapist, mothers often need to be dictionaries. I am constantly defining words for my kids. Recently they asked me what “humble” means. I explained that being humble is to know exactly who you are. You don’t think too much nor too little of yourself. I also told them that God wants us to be humble by knowing who He is and who we are before Him.
It seems they’ve taken this lesson to heart and, always my little helpers, have decided to encourage my humility.
Here are a few conversations we’ve had lately.
Zach: “Do you know who is the very best mama in the whole wide world?”
Me, welling with pride at the expected answer: “Who?”
Zach: “Grandma!”
Ellie: “I want to be a writer when I grow up.”
Zach: “What’s a writer?”
Ellie: “It’s what Mommy does.”
Zach: “Write books?”
Ellie, laughing: “No, silly! Mommy doesn’t write BOOKS; she writes EMAILS! She READS books.”
Zach: “I love all mommies. Mommies are the BEST!! (long pause) Even you, Mom.”
3 comments June 21, 2010
Random things Mama loves
Mama loves that I haven’t felt a bit guilty for not blogging this week. I haven’t felt the need to explain or offer excuses. I’ve been perfectly at peace in my silence.
Mama loves Zach’s imagination! He recently proclaimed a house fly as his new best friend. He named him “Chung” and cried hysterically when I set Chung free out an open door. Later he explained that Chung would be back. He was on his way to Africa and would soon return with lots of pictures.
Zach has also been very vocal about his “big brain.” If ever I ask “How did you know that?”, the answer is always the same: “My big brain told me so.” Today he said that he didn’t remember a particular thing because his “big brain flipped over dinners” and made him forget. I’m not sure what that means, but I love it.
Mama loves summer! Yes, we have a lot going on, but there is something absolutely delightful about sunshine and sweet breezes and days free of regular routines.
Mama loves that no matter what happens, God is in control and we can rest contentedly in His mighty embrace. I really wish I had an update for y’all about the house. I want to show you pictures and celebrate, but it still feels premature. This whole process has been a tremendous roller coaster, and we’re not unbuckled yet. I wish we were! But we’re not. And that is perfectly fine because we KNOW who is ultimately in charge.
Rick and I have been talking about Zach lately, and the truths he represents to us. Now, I’m going to be totally honest here, so don’t judge me. We didn’t want him. When we found out I was pregnant — again — we both kinda freaked out. Ellie was only 8 months old; we were still figuring out this whole parenting thing. It had taken us four years and a butt-load of tests and procedures to get Ellie, so Zach coming — while we were actively trying NOT to get pregnant — was a shock, to say the least. And neither of us was happy about it. It took us time to adjust to God’s plan. We are SO THANKFUL that He didn’t listen to us!! I look at that gorgeous son of mine and am overwhelmed. I can’t imagine my life without him! He is absolutely precious … a miracle … and I love him to pieces.
So, who am I? Who am I to know what my life should contain? Whatever God wants me to have — or not have — I’m there. Bring it on! Because I know from the depths of my toes that God’s will and timing are perfect. They’re PERFECT! I love it.
Your turn! What are you loving today?
3 comments June 8, 2010
Ellie-isms and Zach Attacks
It’s been a while, so some of these kid quotes may be months old, but they still make me smile. I did change the names of innocents involved, specifically those of the kids’ teachers. 
Enjoy!
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Zach: “I think I hear a thinking coming into my head!”
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Ellie, singing the Star Spangled Banner: “O-oh, say can you see by the doctorly light what so proudly we hail as the die lie, we reading …”
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Zach: “Mrs. Smith has a family. She didn’t tell me, but I know this because my brain went to Mrs. Brown’s house. Mrs. Smith’s brain was there too, and I asked her and then my brain came back before we woke up from nap time. Did you know that my brain can leave my head? It does! See this door? (pointing between his eyebrows) That’s how it gets out. It always comes back. That’s good – isn’t it?”
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Ellie: “I get to be Betsy Ross in the program! She sews the American flag. I don’t have a speaking part, though. Mrs. Jones said all I have to do is look pretty. I’m really good at that!”
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THE NEWEST ADDITIONS TO THE ZACH AND ELLIE DICTIONARY:
- Arm-in-oar (noun): A creature that eats everything
Ellie: “I love being an arm-in-nor because I like trees (a.k.a. broccoli) and shrimp!” - Be-member (verb): to recall something forgotten
Zach: “Mommy, be-member you said we would go to the park.” - Cannon-hole (noun): a big, splashy dive into the pool (Zach calls this a “Run-and-fun.”)
- Carnival (noun): A creature that only eats meat
- Creditor (noun): A creature that preys on other creatures
Zach: “Creditors are dinosaurs that want to eat you. T-Rexes are my favorite.” - Frickle (verb): the rising act a bandage makes when adhered over a joint
Ellie: “This band-aid frickles too much.” - Her-vi-bor (noun): A creature that only eats plants
Zach, singing: “I’m a hungry, hungry her-vi-bor! Plants are what I’m hungry for!”
3 comments May 27, 2010
Can you hear angels rejoicing?
Zach accepted Christ this weekend. Well, I think he did. Only God knows his heart, and you know my reluctance to trust child conversions. But it seems that way and, in spite of myself, I’m excited. After all, angels may be celebrating, and I’m not one to miss out on a good party!
During an ice cream stop at the mall, Zach confessed that he didn’t want to die. Ellie, being the evangelist that she is, paused from her crusade of telling every passerby how much Jesus loves them to tell Zach that he should just believe in Jesus. I explained that when we put our trust in Jesus, we never die. Instead we just move from Earth to Heaven to live with God forever. Zach decided Heaven must be better than ice cream. He also assured me that Heaven is better than coffee. (The yet-to-be-glorified part of me wonders.) Then my little man prayed a simple prayer:
“God, I believe in you and I believe in Jesus. So does Ellie and Mommy and Daddy. And we all want to go to Heaven with You. Thank You for loving us and making Heaven better than ice cream. Amen.”
Such simple words, and yet such a huge step. Maybe he doesn’t understand justification or the total propitiation of sins. He’s probably clueless (as many of us are) about the depths of grace or the extent of Jesus’ sacrifice. But it’s a start. And it’s a big one.
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“Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
“Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.”
– Luke 15:4–10 (The Message)
4 comments January 12, 2010
November Ellie-isms & Zach Attacks
It’s the first of the month! Time for the previous month’s best kid quotes. ENJOY!
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Zach: “Barnes and Noble makes me happy.”
Me, trying to catch a housefly: “Where’s the fly?”
Zach: “I don’t know. I was clapping, but he didn’t come to me.”
Ellie, as we drive past the Nabisco factory: “Mommy, what is that wonderful smell? I (sniff) … I just (sniff) … I just CAN’T STOP SMELLING IT!!”
Zach: “Mommy, I like your nails. They’re good at opening things! And they’re part of your body. I guess that means I like your body.”
Ellie, singing: “I know God the bellybutton!” (This is from VeggieTales’ silly song in which Larry, Mr. Lunt, Jerry and Jimmy pretend to be N’Sync and lament “I don’t got a bellybutton!”)
Me, pointing to jelly on Zach’s bare chest: “What’s that?
Zach, pointing to his nipple and speaking to me in a very “Duh, Mom!” tone: “That’s my dark skin button.”
Zach: “Her was talking so loudly that all of my thinkings went out of my head! And now I have no thinkings.”
Ellie has been making up worship songs and memory verses lately. Here are a couple of the “memory verses.”
“Thank God for the things He does. Ellie 56:1:233″
“Be great to others and good to yourself. Ellie 4:92″
5 comments December 1, 2009
Ellie-isms & Zach Attacks
Ellie, singing: “I lo-ove you, orange juice, because you have vitami-i-i-i-i-ins!”
Ellie: “This peach is so delicious and healthy; it makes me want to run outside.”
Zach: “The guy from the pretend A&P just gave me a hundred and ninety-six dollar hot dog for ninety-six dollars! He didn’t even look at the sign!! I looked at the sign and it said “Six one.” Can you believe it?”
Ellie: “My mom and dad are so old. I’m sure they’ll get sick soon and then I’ll have to find someone to adopt me. (turning to me) Hey, Mom! Will you die next week? Do you think Grandma will adopt me?”
Zach: “… seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, two-dee –”
Me: “Twenty.”
Zach: “Mommy, you’re so silly! Two-dee-one, two-dee-two, two-dee-free …”
Ellie: “What are we having for dinner?”
Me: “Chicken.”
Ellie: “Bar-be-que chicken?”
Me: “No, just seasoned chicken.”
Ellie: “Does it grow in all seasons or just summer?”
Now I don’t have exact quotes on this, but a new form of Zach Attack has been his rules. He makes these really funny and rather strict rules about random things.
For example …
“I don’t believe in God because He starts with G and I don’t like Gs today. I only like Gs on Wednesdays. I’ll believe in God on Wednesday.”
Or
“My teacher said we can’t bring any fruit to school for snacks. The rule is we only bring chips or candy.”
Another one:
“I only eat vegetables on Saturday. But I’ll eat broccoli on Tuesday because I like green on Tuesdays.”
1 comment October 1, 2009
Adventures in Shopping — or sleeping?
Okay, so maybe my family has a tendency toward passing out. Or maybe we’re just really, really comfortable wherever we go.
I have slept on planes, trains, friends’ couches (during parties), hardwood floors and city park benches. I have slumbered in movie theatres, on a table at Pizza Hut, and even once on a roof in the ghetto. I have slept through classes, hurricanes, tornados and a gang fight.
You think I’m kidding. I’m not. I’m being quite literal.
So now we simply add kickboxing class to the situations where I’m comfortable enough to sleep.
It seems I’ve passed this wonderful trait to our son. How ironic is it that we spent three years trying to get him to sleep through the night and now he can sleep anywhere? His list of unusual nap spots starts with Payless.
8 comments September 17, 2009
Mama Loves: Ellie-isms and Zach Attacks
I may have the funniest kids in the country. I love it! Here are some of the summer’s best quotes.
Zach: “I’m done with my wake-up nap now.”
Me: “What’s a ‘wake-up nap?’”
Zach: “It’s when you’re talking but you still need to be woken and after a little you’re awake. It’s a wake-up nap, Mom.”
Ellie: “Flour comes from the mill. The farmer takes it to the mill and they turn it into flour.”
Me: “That’s right! Where did you learn that?”
Ellie: “Oh, I just had it in mind. I’m really smart — are I’m?”
Zach: “I was sinking that we should — “
Ellie: “Zach. It’s not SINKing; it’s DINKing! Hear that T-H sound? Dink. Dink, dink, dink.”
Ellie, singing: “A-O mountain high, A-O valley low, A-O river wide in love. If you need me, call me, no matter where you are, no matter how far.”
Zach, also singing: “‘Cause babies say A-O mountain high in love! A-O mountain low in love! A-O river wide in love to keep me from getting to you!”
Ellie: “Can we go to Disney God Tom today?”
Translation: Can we visit Disney.com?
Zach: “You gotta look!! I did a pepper-salt!”
Translation: I did a somersault.
Ellie: “Mom, you make a really nice waitress.”
Zach: “Bye-bye, peepee! Have a great adventure! (Then in a higher, funny voice) I will! I’ll send you a picture! Bye-bye, you silly boy! (Back to his normal voice) Ha ha! I miss you already!”
Me: “Ellie, you are insufferable.”
Ellie: “You mean I’m a genius.”
3 comments August 4, 2009
An attempted Scripture reading
What follows is an actual dialog from bedtime. Please note that my children have heard this story several times. They’ve even seen it acted out by vegetables.
Me, reading from the NIrV, starting at Joshua 5:13: “‘When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him. The man was holding a sword.’”
Zach: “A sword?! Like a pirate?”
Ellie: “No. It was Jesus. It’s always Jesus.”
Me: “It was an angel. (Back to Scripture) The man holding the sword ‘was ready for battle. Joshua went up to him. He asked, “Are you on our side? Or are you on the side of our enemies?” “I am not on either side,” he replied. “I have come as the commander of the LORD’s army.” Then –’”
Ellie: “See. It’s Jesus.”
Me: “He’s not Jesus. ‘Then Joshua fell with his face to the ground. He asked the man, “What message does my Lord have for me?” The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals. The place you are standing on is holy ground.”‘”
Zach: “Did he fall?”
Me: “What?”
Ellie: “No, Zach. He just took off his shoes ’cause Jesus told him to.”
Me: “He’s not Jesus, baby. He’s an angel.”
Zach: “I think he has stinky feet.”
Me: “‘So Joshua took them off. The gates of Jericho were –’”
Ellie: “Wait! Jericho? We have that movie!”
Me: “Yes, we do. ‘The gates of Jericho were shut tight and guarded closely because of the people of Israel. No one went out. No one came in.’”
Zach: “Were they stuck?”
Me: “‘Then the LORD spoke to Joshua. He said, “I have handed Jericho over to you. I have also handed its king and its fighting men over to you.”‘”
Ellie: “They were fighting?”
Me: “Well, they were fighting men. Like an army.”
Zach: “An army of pirates?”
Me: “No, not pirates.”
Ellie: “What does that mean?”
Me: “What?”
Ellie: “Handing fight-y men.”
Me: “Well, it means that God gave the land and the people to Joshua because — “
Zach: “They can fix things.”
Me: ” — Joshua found favor with God. He obeyed God, so — “
Zach: “Like Handy Manny.”
Me: ” — God took the land away from the people who disobeyed Him.”
Ellie: “Oh.”
Me: “‘”March around the city once with all of your fighting men. In fact, do it for six days.”‘”
Zach: “SIX DAYS?!”
Ellie: “Whoa. That’s a lot.”
Zach: “That’s like THIS many!” (He held up ten fingers.)
Me: “‘”Have seven priests get trumpets that — “‘”
Zach: “Trumpets? I LOVE trumpets! And drums.”
Ellie: “Me too! I love guitars and pianos.”
Me: “‘” … trumpets that are made out of ram’s horns. They must carry them in front of the ark. On the seventh –
Ellie: “The ark?!”
Me: “It’s not Noah’s ark.”
Ellie: “Oh, I know. It’s Joseph’s ark.”
Zach: “I like arks.”
Ellie: “Or is it Moses’ ark?”
Me: “It’s the ark of the covenant. It was — well — let’s just finish the story.”
Ellie: “An ark is a boat, Mom.”
Zach: “Pirates live on boats.”
Me: “I know an ark is a boat, but this is a different kind of ark. It carried the laws of God and — “
Zach: “I like boats.”
Me: “Let’s keep reading. ‘”On the seventh day, march around the city seven times. Have the priests blow the trumpets as you march — “‘”
Zach: “Hey, look. Pooh is naked!” (He had removed the red shirt from his plush Winnie the Pooh.)
Ellie: “Pooh is naked!” (They both erupted in laughter.)
Me: “And so they did everything that God said and the walls fell down. ‘So the Lord was with Joshua. And Joshua became famous everywhere in the land.’”
Ellie: “Famous. Wow. I want to be famous.”
Me: “Okay, baby. Get in bed.”
Ellie: “I’m going to be on TV.”
Zach: “And I’m going to be a naked pirate!”
17 comments June 11, 2009
May Ellie-isms & Zach Attacks
Here are a few quotes from the month of May. I’m also giving a few of Zach’s additions to our family dictionary. He likes to turn sound effects into verbs. I love it.
Me: “Do you want to take your bath with Ellie or by yourself?”
Zach: “I want to take a bath yesterday.” (He means “tomorrow.”)
Ellie, upon seeing downed wires: “Wow. There must be a really fat bird around here somewhere.”
Ellie: “How cute do I look?”
Me, after seeing Ellie jump and dance in the aisles at Payless: “Honey, do you need to go potty?”
Ellie: “No. I just love shoes SOOOO MUCH!!!”
Zach’s Dictionary:
- Boop (verb) to push a button, as in “When I boop these buttons on my cell phone, I call Grandma.”
- Hip (verb) to jump low; (noun) a half- hop, as in “Did you see me hip over that rope?”
- Rum (verb) to rev an engine, as in “All racecars rum.”
- Dead (verb) to kill, as in “Watch me dead that bug!”
2 comments June 1, 2009
