This past week was flag football. It was pretty amusing to watch the coaches attempt to teach 3-5 year olds how to block for their teammates to make a play. It went right over their heads. Oh well. It made it fun for the parents to watch. Here is a video of our little all star running the ball and using some of his other “skills”.
Latest Posts
Enjoying my Little Mister
I’ve been having some really special times with the Little Mister lately. He has the greatest little personality that is such a JOY to be around!
This week we went to Barnes & Nobles and we found one of my childhood favorites Amelia Bedilia! I introduced them to the Little Mister and we had a great time reading them outside on the blanket.
We went on a nature walk/treasure hunt around our neighborhood for an hour. He walked the entire way himself, which impressed me. We picked up all kinds of things and we are going to make some sort of collage he says. Along our way we stopped at a bus stop and sat on bench because he wanted to hear stories of when I was a little girl and got boo boos. It’s his new thing. I love the questions he asks. And then the stories that he makes up about when we was a little boy and how he got boo boos.
We played the “what’s your favorite?” game. It’s awesome to hear what his favorite color, sport, food is. It changes all the time. Then he asked me questions like what my favorite tree branch is? You may be surprised but I did have answer.
One morning I was asked him for a bite of his toast. He said no but I kept messing around with him until I finally let it go. But he saw that I was still looking at his toast. “Eyes off my toast Mom!” He is so playful.
I love how he asks me to sing to him at night sometimes because he likes it. He has yet to realize that I have no ability to sing.
Praying with him at night. I ask him each night who/what he wants to pray for. Daddy is almost always on the list but also he names students by name, or a friend that may be sick or his favorite teachers at church or our staff team. He is a very caring and intuitive little guy.
I love the little person he is becoming. He makes me a proud mama.
Little All Stars
The Little Mister has made his debut as a sports all star through our local rec program. It’s a 6 week program for one hour on Saturday morning where you a try a different sport each week. We’ve done 2 weeks and let me tell you it has been a learning experience for us all. Not to brag, but the Little Mister is a pretty good athlete. He impresses us quite often at home with his natural ability. So going to the program we were really excited for him. Well I’m not exactly sure what went wrong the first week. Maybe because we didn’t tell him far enough in advance so it was kinda of a surprise all at once. But that was only because we didn’t want to answer 57 million questions. Or maybe it was because the morning was rushed and all of the sudden we were in the car going to this “new fun thing” and then he was out of the field with all these kids and coaches. Yeah, that could have been it. Needless to say it was a meltdown city. Our aggressive, extroverted, confident, natural athlete of a son had turned into this little person who was crying, clinging to our legs, pretending he didn’t know how to kick the ball! Brian and I are looking at each other like what is going on!?! The coaches split up the kids into different groups and like smart coaches they put all the the clingy kids who appear to have no athletic ability in one group. And we were put in that group! Talk about a blow to my “false” security as a parent. I wanted to run up to the coach and explain that this isn’t really our kid. “No, really you should see him in our backyard!” That’s what I wanted to say. It was humbling and I was surprised by how much it bothered me. Gradually, with ALOT of cheering and enthusiasm like a crazy parent the Little Mister started to come around and went off by himself. Everything was going great till the end when they played a mock soccer game and our aggressive son jumped head first into a pile of kids going after the ball and got kicked in the face. Back to crying we go. For the rest of the game he stood in the middle of the field crying while all the other kids ran around him. Brian and I just looked at each other like “Yep, we are those parents of that kid“. Oh what a morning! Not the experience we were expecting but a learning one at that for all of us. I realize there are going to many many more times like this one in the years to come so I better get used to it. I’m excited for them all even if my insecurities are clearly shown and I’m humbled beyond belief. Oh the joys of parenthood!
p.s. Week #2 he was a little all star, making goals and high fiving the coaches. Just had to tell you:)
The Blogference is on!
The 2nd Annual Blogference which I explained here has started today and will go through Wednesday. Check the following the link throughout the Blogference and you will see all the posts from the 5 hosts. Hope you enjoy it and learn a little bit more about Campus Crusades heart for learning and sharing information . Feel free to comment.
http://www.psw.org/staffweb/barela/?p=163#content
Happy Easter from us to you!
Summer plans
Our family has a very fun summer ahead of us and believe it or not it starts in just about 5 weeks! Yikes! Our summer assignment for our job with Campus Crusade is staffing the Ocean City Summer Project. We have the privilege of being a part of the leadership team that will over see 30+ staff and 120 students from all over the country. This is a special place for us because this is where Brian and I met 9 years ago. Me, a graduating senior from Ohio University remembers the first time she saw Brian a graduating senior from UCLA walk up the steps of the Ambassador, the house where we all lived. Nine years ago, we decided to try the long distance dating thing after getting to know each other for 8 weeks in Ocean City. I remember saying our goodbyes and wondering if I would really ever see him again. Well I did see him and the rest is history. Now with 7 1/2 years of marriage under our belts and 3 kids later we are returning to where it all began. We are so excited to relive our Ocean City experience but in a whole new way!
After 8 weeks in Ocean City we will head to Ohio and spend some time with my family and hopefully enjoy and little down time before Brian and I head out the door and leave the kids with Grandma and Pa. We will be flying to Ft. Collins, CO for Campus Crusades bi-annual staff conference. For a variety of reasons we decided it would be best for our family for Brian and I to go alone. It will be long 8 days with out the kids but we are both looking forward to having this time together. After the conference we will fly back to get the kids and then turn around once again and fly home on Aug. 2! Yep it’s a lot but we are looking forward to this adventure.
Even though we are not leaving until May 13 the preparation to relocate our family for almost 3 months has begun. Lists, lists and more lists! So if you have any ideas of what would be great to pack for the kids, or things to be sure not to forget or anything…please share your thoughts. More to come on this topic I’m sure!
Blogference-Round 2
Next week April 13-15 is the second annual Blogference created by my one and only husband Brian Barela. It’s a conference with hosts sharing on specific topics, but all done online. It is a great opportunity to learn more about our ministry, why we do what we do and even how you can implement these principles any where, even if you are not in full time ministry. You can be a part of this by joining the Facebook group or follow the links of the hosts. These will be coming soon. Below is an excerpt from Brian’s blog explaining a little more. Hope you join in with a comment or two or at least read a few of the amazing topics that I’m sure will be coming!
Last year I hosted Campus Crusade’s first Blogference along with 4 other staff. It was a refreshing time for me of sharing my heart for apostolic ministry and participating in conversations with staff from around the country and world!
We as an organization have so much experience, wisdom, and insight gained from stepping out in faith repeatedly in different contexts. Yet there are enough similarities for us to have a seamless conversation about ministry with almost any staff.
This year I hope to utilize social media tools to allow for maximum interaction and connection. Dialoguing through comments is great, but I’m working on some other tools that will make the experience more personal.
Although it’s the brainchild of CCC peeps, I would love to see more non-CCC people participate.
What can you do?
Invite 5 people to the Facebook Group.
Blog about the Blogference and spread the word!
Twitter about it, status-update it, etc.
Have you “flipped” yourself?
I recently finished the Beth Moore study on Esther. Great study, would recommend it to all women. Throughout the study Beth Moore helped us celebrate our unique qualities as women. To be honest something I don’t often think about. I enjoyed camping out in this short book for 8 weeks learning more than I ever thought I could know about Esther and the crazy King Xerxes. There are so many things that stood out to me week to week but one really stuck with me. I’ve mentioned before how fear can easily get a hold on my thoughts and affect my attitude, decisions and view on life in general. It was comforting to hear that many women deal with this same thing. Yeah! I thought it was just me! Fear often holds me back from opening up to God and others. In Hosea 7:8 I learned the word ephraim which is a flat cake not turned over. Basically a pancake only cooked on one side. Beth Moore used this metaphor to show how God wants access to both sides of our lives: the side we present to the outside world and maybe even God, you know the one where we act like we have it all together, never lose our patience, never a jealous thought, always have wonderful, healthy meals planned, fun, enriching activities for the kids, loving words for everyone around us etc. Then there is the other side where we are a complete mess, full of doubt, fear, frustration. Yes, He wants access to that side too because SHOCKER, He already knows about it anyways! But I try so hard to cover it up. I believe that not only does He want access to both side but he wants us to give access to others. How can we grow if we don’t have others to help us in the process. I’m learning that I have to believe that God won’t walk way when He sees my “other” side before I can believe that others won’t walk away. I’m also learning that really there is only ONE opinion that counts anyways, as hard as it to live by truth. I want my life to be marked by Him, I want it to be changed.
My life will not be turned around until I “flip” myself.
Have you “flipped” yourself?
Still laughing
Yesterday the little mister (TLM) made a classic comment that I am still laughing about and had to share with you. Here’s how it went:
TLM: Mom what are those on your legs? (lots of pointing and touching and very concerned)
Me: Those are goose bumps buddy. You get them when you are cold.
TLM: Oh.
***5 minutes later***
TLM: Mom how are your duck bumps?
Me: Huh? (not catching on at first, then laughing so hard I can’t talk) Oh, they’re fine. Thanks for asking.
That one is for the books!
So much to say, so little time
I’m not not blogging because I don’t have anything to say, there just hasn’t been time. My parents came to visit and then we all got the flu so enough said. But here are some things coming your way…
- Lots of pics of grandma and pa loving on our kiddos
- My debut as a seamtress! (yeah right)
- The Little Mister at his first week of Little All Star…wow a learning experience for all of us!
- What I’m learning and how pancakes fit into that.
- More pics
- Our summer plans
and much more but I”m tired now and I can’t think anymore…night night.
hope to be back real soon!