Our Good News...

Ashton has been saying for awhile that she wanted to get "bap-a-tized", so we have been talking it over off and on for a few months. We wanted to be careful and make sure that she understood everything. Today in Sunday School we talked about spreading the Good News. Tonight we put all the boys in bed and let her show us her Good News bag she made in Sunday School. She was able to tell us what each symbol stood for and what it meant. She even actually related sinning to Jonah and how he didn't want to got to Ninevah and disobeyed God and then asked for his forgiveness and went to tell the people there about God. Jon's mouth fell open as he is always amazed when they spout out things like "Ninevah". We then read the evangelism track together and she could answer all the right questions. She amazed her daddy again again by reciting John 3:16 though we quietly had a quiet giggle over her saying "God's forgotten son!"

Then we asked her if she had any questions and she immediately said, "Will my clothes get wet when I get baptized?" She is a 5 year old girl after all people! After we walked through the entire dressing room and complete wardrobe choices, we were able to answer more in depth questions like "What does Jesus do when he's in my heart?" and the other very important 5 year old girl question "Which of my friends have been baptized?" After a side conversation about how it is a personal decision and does not matter who has or hasn't we felt she was ready to say the believer's prayer! Jon and I prayed with her and over her. It was one of the most precious moments of my life! To know that you will spend all eternity with you child- priceless!!!

After we snapped this picture my daughter says, "Let's get some God and Jesus scrapbook paper and we can scrapbook these pictures and when I get bap-i-tized!"

She was extrememly proud of herself.

We let her go upstairs to tell her supposed to be sleeping brother who responded real calmly despite me standing behind her mouthing for him to be excited "Yeah, I told her about it and she said the prayer a week ago with me. Tonight's like her second time!" My little evangelist taking the credit! God knows for sure when it was said and when He wrote her in His book. It doesn't matter, but just like your baby's first steps you don't want to miss, for Mommy's heart and this blog we're going to say it was tonight!

Next, she wanted to tell the world! She actually first wanted to call and tell her beloved Sunday School teacher, Mrs. Heather becasue she said she would be so happy for her, but since it was after 9 and Mrs. Heather is supposed to be resting we told her she had to wait until in the morning! Then she called some of our family and it was so sweet to hear her tell them!

When we told her it was bedtime she was like a celebrity asking us if we wanted to hug her and kiss her one more time! Jon and I had a good time talking afterwards about how different leading a daughter to Christ was than our son. He sure didn't have any questions about the wardrobe! I can't wait until it's time for the twins. Will they come to Christ at the same time or will one be ready before the other?

What a sweet, blessed night. I spend so much of my time feeling bad about what I don't do well enough (cleaning, laundry, patience) that it is wonderful to know apparently we're doing the most important part right, with the priceless help of an amazing church family! Thank you for each and everyone of you who have had even the smallest part of leading my child to this day :)

"he who belives has everlasting life" John 6:47

Turkey Season 2009...

You know around the Dodd household, turkey season is a huge deal. This little girl is counting down the days until she can be included on the hunting trips. Since she couldn't go with them she drew them a picture:

We were wondering how the twins would react to the turkey. They thought it was pretty cool:

I love the pictures I took because the twins can't look at the camera for pointing to the turkey:

Can you tell Jon is in his happy place? I love him.

The End of an Era...

There was a day that all this girl did was change from one princess dress to another. Now she changes from one outfit to another, but the days of princess dresses seem to be over. I want to cry just typing that! This is honestly one of the saddest milestones we've reached, but we did have a funny moment when she tried to squeeze in her Sleeping Beauty dress:

The Incident...

Two toddlers in the same house and it was bound to happen: a bite! Wesley bit poor sweet Will! It was horrible!
This picture breaks my heart of him just looking at it!

This is me restraining the culprit in a forced time-out!

I was talking to my ballet peeps about how I should stop this, and they suggested putting tabasco sauce in Wesley's mouth if he did it again. It happened again the next day before I could get any tabasco sauce. I was standing in the kitchen trying to think what to do to stop this. I grabbed the first foul tasting thing I could find: liquid soap! Then I rubbed it in Wesley's mouth. (Please don't call the authorities on me!). He cried and cried, but it must have worked because we haven't had a bite since! And no, he didn't burp bubbles :)

I Love My Sister...

My Secret...

If I've been told once I've been told a thousand times, "I don't know how you do it!" How do I take care of two one year olds while homeschooling 2 older ones? I'm afraid you people are beginning to think of me as a saint, so I felt compelled to divulge my little secret. How do I do it? It's simple. I put the babies in a box!

Favorite Foto Friday-Jackson...

My sweet boy!

Favortie Foto Friday- Ashton...

I LOVE her hair! That is probably being prideful but it's one of my favorite things in the world. We ended up with perfect curls for Easter Sunday set off by the perfect hairbow. We love Mrs. Jen!

Favorite Foto Friday- Wesley...

Favorite Foto Friday- Will...

We Have a Little Work to Do...

before Will and Wesley are baseball ready...

but don't worry the Dodd genes are strong and they will prevail (I hope because my biggest fear is that one will be Mr. Sports like Daddy and one poor child will be Mrs. Uncoordinated like me, how awful would that be?). We've got a year or two to teach some basics, like which way to hold the bat and gloves don't go on your head!

So, the Kids and I Are at the Park...

minding our own business and happily swinging

when we see this wierd apparition rolling down the road. What could it be???

Oh, it's just the Lazy Man who let the dog pull him all the way. I don't think he paddled once!

With a Gram Like This...

who brings them cards and teaches them to play blackjack, who needs the bad influence of friends?

Will really needs to work on his poker face!

Although he has down the "read 'em and weep" look:

Apparently, Wesley lost the shirt off his back :)

Thanks Gram for the cards. May they give their future loan shark your number?

The Apple Doesn't Fall, Etc...

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the apple:

That would make Yours Truly the tree. I take full responsibility for this pose and look.
You see, as a child I did the folded-hands-next-to-face-head-tilted-sweet-voice-
pleeeeease A LOT! My grandfather Bill and Uncle Gary were real suckers for it. Seriously, growing up I had like 8 ponies, 5 cats and since they took me to all the local flea markets, 254 jelly bracelets!
Now, it's my daughter's turn and she's working it. Have you seen the child's wardrobe, Barbie collection, art supplies or 22 Webkinz?
If only I could still use it! For example, "Will you pleeeease babysit my 4 children overnight?" or "Will you pleeease wash, fold and put way this laundry?" If only...........

What Do You Do When You Only Have Stinkin' Brothers...

Adopt you a "sister" and dress like twins, of course!

Sweet Ashy and Abi who both cried when finding out they were only going to have brothers and who will always be able to sympathize with one another over the fact! That is until that dreaded day when they realize their brothers have lots of cute friends who come over-aaaaaahhhhhhh!

Gate Jumping Justified...

For those of you who have been to my home in the last year and have thought, "Is it really necessary for her to have a gate at the door and a gate into the kitchen. I mean it's really inconvenient for me to have to step over them!"

To you who have asked that I say #1: Quit your whining. I gate hop about 376 times a day and if carrying twins didn't ruin my hip bones for all time then hopping their gates have. I won't even mention the 2 dozen times I haven't cleared the gate and fallen down flat taking gate and various bystanding children with me!

#2 A funny side note here: I know there is a gate about 2 feet inside the door. When I welcome you into my home that implies you may come over the gate. You do not have to stay in the entryway. Seriously, no one comes all the way in any more!

3. Anywho, back to your question: are they necessary? Let's see what happens if they are down for about 30 seconds:

Yes, the gates were down for all of 30 seconds and this is what I found. You will notice several interesting things in this picture:
1: Big sis is laughing and in no way trying to stop it or warn me of what's happening.

2. Will is obviously gifted and only wants to be involved in the math lesson that was taking place and in no way is trying to be a table dancer :)

3. Will is not making eye contact with me or the camera because he know he's being naughty and like all peek-a-booing toddlers everywhere is a firm believer in the "if I can't see them they can't see me" philosophy.

4. Wesley, unlike his brother, is not interested in scaling Mount Table and is in fact headed to the laundry room to get his beloved broom that he always makes a beeline for to do some sweeping. Come to think of it, maybe I should let him out of the gate more often!

Before you feel too sorry for these children who spend their lives entrapped, I can assure you these two little Houdinis have their ways:

Hey, I'm using this gate thing as long as it works, although I can see their days are numbered.

My Concern...

Sometimes I am really concerned that the big kids can be too rough with the little ones.

Of course, by "big kids" I obviously meant Wesley who anytime he sees someone on the floor happily jumps on top! I guess my concern should be for whatever poor child happens to be on the bottom!

Will on Fettucini...

or is it fettucini on Will???
Anyway, he gives it 2 thumbs up and 3 noodles on the floor! And we won't even guess how many in his hair!