Better Together Than Apart

10 years ago yesterday Jeff and I were married on a chilly, just the right amount of snow day in Buffalo, NY. It was a milestone for us and we celebrated and remembered all that God has done in the last 10 years. There is so much, yet, it can be summed up in the fact that we have chosen Jesus and His ways. We have tried to laid ourselves aside so many times for the sake of the other and now there is much fruit. We are enjoying a season of marriage that we could not have imagined what it would be like then and we are grateful. Our relationship just gets better and we look forward to the next 10! We talked about having a wedding reunion at our 20 year mark since there were 30 people in our wedding party! It would be so fun to all be together! The night started with these dozen white roses on the arm of my man. They are absolutely beautiful! We enjoyed a lovely dinner as a gift from Jeff's parents, a wonderful trip down memory lane as we sat by the fire at Starbucks and then we watched the video of our 10 years that I made. We look forward to spending the gift my parents gave to us as well! Thanks Jan, for watching the little two and thanks Scott and Mindy for giving the older two a different place to sleep for the night! Thanks Jeff for your heart, life and soul. I am so glad we are husband and wife-life is more rich, meaningful and precious because I get to live it with you!

Happy Halloween!

Here are the kids in their costumes. Analiese has talked about being a pink cat for quite some time now and we were able to make a fun homeade costume. She got her haircut about 2 weeks ago. It was not supposed to be so short, but as I cut, it was not even and then I cut and then it wasn't even and so on. In fact, Jeff and I have revisited the hair length issue for some time and he really wanted her to keep long hair (looks more little girlish and can have pigtails) and I really wanted her to have it at this length (much easier to wash and style!). He has every right to his opinion since when he is home he is the one who gives them their baths even though I am typically the one who styles the hair. So, I had decided I would not push and honor his request. He was out of town the night I cut it so I emailed him to warn him of the change. He was grateful for the warning and very gracious and complimentary of her hair. I thoroughly hope my mom can save her from the crazy scissors I control in the future (are you up for fixing it at Thanksgiving, Mom?)! She is an experienced hair stylist unlike myself. In fact, my mom had a shop before I was born and after that did hair in our basement on Saturday mornings for as long as I can remember.

We have really enjoyed making Halloween a holiday to bless others! Last night was the second year we have served free hot dogs, coffee and water. Jeff is quite a hot dog vendor and thanks again to Mr. Marty for all of his help (he grills hot dogs PERFECTLY)! Thanks too to Maggie and Cara for manning the candy and the cornhole (we gave prizes of large candy bars and quarters for those who could make it in the hole!) It is amazing how appreciative parents are as they come by and see FREE and DINNER. I am certain few of them have time for dinner when you are getting home from work and competing with excited little faces. It is a HUGE help to us too as when we returned from Trick or Treating in our neighborhood, our dinner was waiting for us.

Alexa dressed up, but spent the evening in her swing as she fell asleep right before we left to go Trick or Treating. I didn't want to make her miserable (and the rest of the clan...or worse, cut our Trick or Treating short!). She was still sleeping when we returned and then I finally woke her up at 8:30. It all worked out for the best as Colin needed to ride in the stroller anyway.

What a fun day. Analiese already said she would like to be a mouse next year. That should be easy! We will see if that remains!

Mr. Marty, the Entertainer!

We want to say a BIG thanks to Mr. Marty for not only staying for dinner last week, but for providing unending entertainment that we CAN NOT duplicate! There was no lack of BOINK! jokes (every joke and every punch line is a form of this word!)...hilarious! He was such a gracious guest as our kids made the most of his company. It was really fun to watch someone enjoy our kids so much, especially when we often feel we spend most of our time telling them what to do and what not to do! Mr. Marty is MUCH more fun....so THANKS again for just being you!

Cutie Patutti!

Alexa has been so adorable with smiles, cooing and even laughing when we get her in the right mood. Here she is sharing some of her sweetness! There of course is a great debate as to who she looks like. At this point, she has Analiese's eyes, Colin's nose and Brandon's mouth. I am always anxious to know what they will look like as they grow, but I am in no hurry for sure...these are fun days! She is such a joy!

Tater Night

It has been an exciting year so far with AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed). This is a Bible Club that Analiese and Brandon go to with their cousins at their church. The kids memorize Bible verses (for which they get points for), play VERY active games, do a craft and enjoy a Bible story. Our kids LOVE it and even nap without complaining so they can stay up late to go. Late in our house is past 8:00 pm so it is very exciting to be out after that. There are theme nights and a couple of weeks ago was Tater Night. They had to decorate potatoes to look like their AWANA leaders. Brandon picked the leader of his Sparks group, Mrs. Eichenauer (pictured first above) and Analiese picked the leader who does the games, Mr. Bingham. It was a lot of fun getting creative with the details on the potatoes. It was really neat to see the other kids' potatoes the night of the judging. Brandon won for his group and got a Nestle Crunch bar for his efforts! Analiese just earned her new vest (they were uniforms kind of like Brownies and Cub Scouts) for reciting John 3:16. She is very good at presenting and speaking up front. She gets on her "game face" and speaks with this great confidence and then a big smile at the end. The best part is when we cheer for her after, she says, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." and accompanies it with a bow! It is so cute. They are looking forward to their next chance to be in the spotlight at our homeschooling group's oral presentation night. (I wonder where they get this from-ha, ha...). Brandon is a little nervous that he will get "stage fright" as he says like he did with his magic act last spring. Brandon is reciting a poem and a story he wrote about camping. Analiese is doing some verses she memorized for AWANA. This week at AWANA is the store where they redeem their points to get prizes. I won't forget this, because they are definitely looking forward to this one!

These Perfect Fall Days

Today was another beautiful fall day. I love that about recent years in our neck of the woods. We have summer-type days and cool nights through September and the real fall doesn't usually hit until October. Of course, until June, it isn't the best-but that is OK. Brandon's love for the snow alone makes it all worth it...well, except for those weeks when Jeff has to spend all of his free time shoveling. I will actually be able to help him now that I am not pregnant...whoo-hoo!

Anyway, Jeff spent the last 3 days hiking while doing a personal prayer retreat and investing some time in what really makes a difference. This was the perfect time to go with the weather. He had a great time. We hung back here and kept to our schooling and I got some sweet sleep. Besides, even if I could go, I would not. It is bare bones camping as in BYOW...Bring Your Own WATER!, dig a hole to go potty, carry everything on your back to each campsite and shower at the end of the trip! One of the nights a mouse got into his bag o peanuts, he also thought he heard a bear and they stayed warm only by a fire that burned all night...I don't think Yogi Bear would approve of that one! Anyway, this is his favorite thing to do and I am so glad he has found something he really enjoys! The pictures below are of a past trip to Canada with Brandon. Brandon too is gaining a love for this outdoorsy excitement! Yes, the middle one is Brandon CLIFF JUMPING! Whew, really glad I wasn't there!

I Used Up All My Words Today

According to a theory of sociologists who study human nature, the number of words spoken by the average man in a given day are about 10,000. The average woman uses about 25,000 words in a day. I have used all mine up today. This is not too rare, in fact and it is clear why women have been given so many more than men. It is not because we have new thoughts or more lengthy explanations (though if our words are not readily used we easily use them up telling every detail of a story opposed to a man's 4 sentences told for the same story!). It is actually because women spend so much time with children! I do not have significant or lengthy things to say to my children...actually quite the opposite (all the moms out there know exactly what I am about to say). It is because of how often a mother has to repeat herself! Can I just give you a rundown of the most repeated phrases in the Doeringer home? I am willing to bet some are also repeated in your home if you have even 1 child above the age of 1 year. Some come from the homeschooling life we lead and those of you who homeschool also know of the phraseology I use, I am sure.

Come here. Do not touch that. Give it to me. Let go. What are you doing? No, no. Sit down. Stand up. Go to the bathroom. Please eat. Stop talking with food in your mouth. Use a napkin. Don't blow bubbles in your drink. Stop rocking on your chair. Get your pencil. Concentrate. Pay attention. Sit down (oh, I said that...did I mention this is about me repeating myself...oh, I said that too...I just can't stop!). Where are you going? Wash your hands. Clean this up. Don't yell. Shhhhh, I am right here. Just a minute. I said, just a minute. I am coming! What would you like? What do you need? Are you done? Get dressed. Put your shoes away. Do your work. Are your chores done? and probably the most frequently repeated phrase...Will you forgive me?

Some phrases are necessary, some are not and some are absolutely essential to my existence. The last phrase is that. I have to remind myself daily and sometimes more often, that I am seeking to train the children in our home in the ways of the Lord, socially, intellectually, etc...not so they can be what I want them to be, but so they can be free to be what God wants them to be. So hard to do when so much of that involves repeating ourselves. I grow weary at times, I get frustrated, I feel like a failure, but I know the most important thing is that I be faithful. I am grateful that I don't have to talk sometimes, but the reflection comes and reminds me that these are little souls that need my instruction and I need to give it...consistently, faithfully and sometimes ABUNDANTLY...Oh Lord, give me your grace and your heart for these precious children.