Thursday, September 30, 2010

Poor wittle Belle

Baby girl spiked a fever of 104.1 tonight (yikes...soooo sorry all you bible study moms! tis the season for sharing germs.). After a dose of ibuprofen, the fever wasn't budging.

Enter daddy.

11 pm run to the store for more meds...tylenol & ibuprofen to stack. And popsicles. Lots of popsicles. Belle couldn't stay awake waiting for her relief.
We tried to move her to bed, but she opened her weary little eyes and squeaked out a request for her promised popsicles.

"Little girl popsicles" + a Redbox movie + snuggling with daddy realllllly late + silly bands = a happy sicky girl.

Praying the ole' bug stays far away from Judah, or tomorrow could be a looooooong day for Aron while I'm at work. He may be calling in back-ups!!
ejk

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Strangers in a Foreign Land


Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me. Psalm 59:1
Praying this verse over my children as we entered church this morning (hehe).
We're in the middle of our "Big Ten" series (Ten Commandments), and this Sunday was the big tailgate party. We were instructed to wear our team attire. We were just following directions, really.

God's people were generous & forgave my children for cheering for winning teams.
(forgive my low blow, Michi-friends...I love you!)
ejk

Thursday, September 23, 2010

More Danger with a little flavor on top

Its incessant!
Exploring sister's earrings...

And a conversation I overheard just now,
Judah: "Da! Dad! Da!"
Belle: "(Giggle) I'm not your daddy, Judah!"
Judah: "Da! Da! Da!"
Belle: "Judah! Silly boy! I'm not your dad! See look! I have hair!"

These babies are the flavor of my world.
The Pumpkin Spice Latte to my soul.

And the source of my first gray hair, which I found the other morning...thankyouverymuch!
Oh well! If they make me go gray, at least I can dye my hair & be the strawberry blond I've always dreamed I could be (Jenna Young, you are my hair idol!).
ejk

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Danger is my middle name

I am amazed at the inborn desire for adventure in this mini-man.
The thirst for danger, challenge, & conquest.
I must have found him like this 10 times today. One moment he was beside me folding laundry, the next I hear him squealing with delight, proud as he could be to have summited Mt. Table.
And it wasn't enough to stand on the table. He would then bend his knees and rock the table...kinda like he was surfing. Eyes wide & dancing, he let out a belly laugh of conquest.

He makes me crazy with worry & dirt & danger, but oh, how I love that masculine heart of his!
He reminds me of his daddy, and I smile to myself as I think of how God has crafted Judah's heart after his own. Wild, strong, & brave.
I may crave the safe, intimate, & sweet - but there's something about the wild, epic, & fierce that makes my heart go pitter-patter.
Loving the way He was made us male & female,
ejk

Warrior Princess


One of the most influential mentors in my life -
a woman who walked closely with Jesus and had an understanding of His ways of which I only dream.

She was a Warrior Princess.
Its true - that was the name God gave her.

Visions of Zena may come to your mind...but oh, if you knew her, you would understand there is no better description of who she is, her role in the Kingdom, and her pursuit of the hearts of the broken. She believed, really believed, in the prayer of a righteous man. And she believed I (and countless other women) had a warrior princess inside of us. Daughters of the King, devoted to Him, pursuing His heart, pursuing others. Crushing darkness and claiming territory that belongs to our King - that is, the hearts of sons & daughters. Her weapon was love, her strategy intentionality. She believed in community, authentic community. Vulnerability. Confession. Repentance. Reconciliation.

She asked me hard questions, but she loved me even harder. She fought for my heart. She still fights for my heart though distance and time and years separate. She invested in me, poured herself into me. And I am forever changed. I think this is the essence of discipleship.

I want to be a Warrior Princess like that. I am praying God shows me how.
ejk

Prayer for the war-torn heart

*I wrote this weeks ago in a moment of heartache. I find myself returning to it from time to time when I feel my heart despair.
I hope it encourages you as you cast yourself upon Him.

Father,
Fight for my heart; because I don't know how to defend it just now.
I don't even begin to understand the devastation you walked through on my behalf.
And yet you call me friend.

Like a war-torn child who knows nothing of the battles of his people -
But only that he hurts, he hungers, he grieves.
So it seems my heart is in this place.
I don't understand it, I can't articulate it.
I know only that I bleed.
I can tell you of the symptom, please take me to the source.

I know you see my tears,
Even as my soul claws at the dirt, searching for an explanation.
Be my Answer.
My resounding, "Yes!"
Father, may my heart find its home in You tonight.
More than that. Every moment.

And even as I have uttered these words,
I sense You draw near.
Your spirit comforting mine
in a language angels long to know.

Protect me from the evil one,
From his utterances of deception
which my heart is so inclined to embrace.
Protect me from myself.
My pride, my instincts to 'self-protect'-
a suicide potion for the living soul.

Tonight I chose to trust,
when my heart screams 'Withdrawl!'
I chose to rest in you,
As you go to battle for me.
A beautiful injustice, indeed.
ejk

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Isabelle Rose Kirk

Sunday was Belle's Day...her real birthday. September 19!

She kept asking me all day in disbelief if she was really four?!?!
A few hours later she would ask if she was still four, "Right now? I'm four!?!".
I interviewed our four year old Princess to capture a brief piece of her sweet little self.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
"A doctor! Because everyone wants to go see the doctor, and it is fun! Oh, and a stand-er-up-swimmer."
What's a 'stand-er-up-swimmer'?
"Yoooou know. When you get big and you can stand up and touch the bottom of the pool like Gracie!"
What's your favorite food?
"Steak. And corn on the cob. And rolls with honey. That's all!"
She is her father's child. Judah loved my salad at dinner - there is still hope for him:)
What's your favorite thing to do?
"Going on a date with daddy to the movie-sitter."
What's your favorite season?
"The fall, because I just love it! The leaves change colors, and its so fun!"
We started the morning celebrating and singing.
What better way to celebrate your birthday than to meet with your friends at church and celebrate God!
We left extra early and hit up Dunkin Donuts for a special birthday breakfast.
Judah was a bit tired from partying hard the night before.
Aron & the kids napped as soon as we got home from church, and I caught up on my Bible study homework. Then it was birthday dinner time...and our girl wanted steak and rolls. Can you guess where we chose? Who has the best rolls of all time? O'Charley's, of course!

After a D-E-LICIOUS meal, a quick trip to the princess (Disney) store was all this little girl needed to make her four year old heart jump out of her chest! She had a little bit of birthday money to spend, and this she absolutely loved!

It didn't seem right to stop celebrating at six o'clock. Afterall, we were nearing the very hour of her birth! And what a beautiful evening the Lord had given us...
So putt putting, it was!

I must say...playing putt putt with two little ones was - well, a whole new ball game, so to speak.
My husband is...(how shall I say this)...is a tad bit competitive. No, that would be an understatement. Well, lets just say he comes from a lineage of men that like to compete, and win. A lot. The children were an added challenge to our normally intense games.
The last time we played, I was 8 months pregnant, and I emerged victorious.
After my first hole -in- one...Aron was sweating.
But he and Belle started working together (she loves to win as much as her daddy!).
For example - Belle held the swinging obstacle out of daddy's way while he putt'd, but at daddy's instruction, started it swinging for me. It subsequently sent a 'would-be' hole-in-one flying in the opposite direction. Aron thought this was the most awesome thing ever!
Aron picked up his game...

And took hold of the title of Reigning Putt Putt Champion.
We finished off the evening with Belle's requested Pumpkin Cookies, and we almost forgot to measure our 4 year old on her birthday! Its getting crazy to see all the years starting to stack up...1, 2, 3, 4 year old heights! Yikes!

Isabelle,
I wish I had words to describe to you the joy you bring to our hearts.
In one year's time you have become a little girl - full of beauty, gentleness, compassion, and love. We miss the toddler, but are in awe of the personality emerging from your tiny frame.

We tell you all the time, but we seriously mean it - You are the best big sister in the entire world. The way you love your bubs blows our minds. God has given you a heart to nurture & protect, love & delight in others. We adore watching you express these things to Judah. Just yesterday, I looked in the rear-view mirror, saw you take hold of Judah's hand, and say, "Its you and me. Best friends, together. Through it all. Its you and me. Best friends, together. Through it all."

You are smart and intuitive, expressive and imaginative. You crave quality time - an intrinsic love language for you, to be sure. And you have me on the fence as to whether you are introverted or extroverted. You light up when you are with your friends, yet can just as easily escape into worlds beyond playing on your own for hours. Can you tell mommy loves unwrapping the gift of you? Each day discovering more of the girl God has made you to be!

Isabelle, we pray God will teach us how to communicate His love for you. We pray His Spirit will protect you and open your eyes to His Love. That you will fall in love with Him as we have. That you will understand this world is so much more than what we can see, and that You were created for eternity. He is your King, dear Princess. There is a prince of this world, and he will attempt to steal your loyalty, trap your heart in his deception, and cause you to doubt that your King even loves you at all. We pray you will understand His heart toward you is Good, and His dominion is love. And He is worthy of your trust, worthy of your devotion, worthy of your heart. Our King says you are lovely, you are worth fighting for, and His love is enough.

You have given mommy and daddy the best four years of our life.
Happy Birthday, our sweet Bella Rose!
ejk

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Livin'

Cruisin'
a wobbly wonder walking.
Peekin'
Ocean eyes sparkling.
Hidin'
Baby dimples flashing.
Fallin'
in love all over again.

Crunchin'
sticky sweet juices flowing.
Anticipatin'
Girly giggles erupting.

Rockin'
To the cadence of the evening.

Learnin'
Warrior ways exposing.
Fightin'
Manly noises clashing.
Delightin'
Daddy's attention bestowing.
Bondin'
Man hearts becoming.
Bathin'
Bubbly dreams surrounding.
Splashin'
Joyful arms flapping.
Tastin'
Tiny suds disappointing.
Make Believe'n
Dreamy hearts wishing.

Thankin'
Grateful hearts bowing.

ejk