Challenging Morning

Our boys went to their first ever athletic team practice this morning for flag football.  It was pouring down rain and about 44 degrees Fahrenheit by the gauge on my car, which always runs a little warm.  We arrived and they were game to get out of the car.  We met the coaches, Coach Nathan and Coach Tammy.  And then practice started.

The boys stretched with the team, ran with the team and then started drills with the team.  And now comes the part that is sad.  On his second snap, Luke completely lost his footing and fell backward with his feet in the air and his back in the mud.  Imagine the classic banana peel slip, only it's not funny because it's your sweet, precious boy who is already stretching his comfort zone.  Luke lost it.  Completely.  He burst into tears, ran to the sidelines, and refused to join the team for the remaining forty minutes.  I had tried to buy him cleats the day before, but we were unable to find a good fit for either boy at the one place we visited.  Oh, how I wish I had persevered in that hunt.

Meanwhile, Paul is doing okay, but the cold is starting to get to him.  By the end of practice he is in tears, so cold that his teeth won't stop chattering.  That's when I remember that he's wearing short sleeves under his coat.  Oy.  I needed to fight that battle this morning and I failed to do so.

The ride home is an unhappy one.  They hated nearly every minute and I'm really struggling with feelings of embarrassment and disappointment, not in them so much as the situation.  I had been looking forward to the boys' participation on a team, learning a sport, and all that fun stuff.  I have no delusions that they will be professional athletes someday.  I just wanted them to be part of something bigger than themselves and have some fun.

Upon arriving home, I bounced off the house to do the grocery shopping for the week.  I left Erik to deal with the aftermath which involved a bath for Paul, whose teeth finally did stop chattering and a complete change of clothes for Luke.

Grocery shopping is always therapeutic for me.  Of course I began my trip thinking, "Well, it doesn't really matter that my children behaved abominably.  We will never see any of those people again.  Ever."  I know.  Selfish and small.  I have never claimed to be anything other than a work in progress.  Very slow progress - like two steps forward and one step back.  Strolling the aisles buying cereal and pasta, I quietly asked the Lord what I was supposed to do.  By the time I left Winco I was considering the thought of taking the boys back next weekend.

When I arrived home, both boys were chipper and ready to talk.  We explained to Luke that we want him to learn to persevere even in the hardest situations.  We know that cold, rainy football practice isn't really a difficult life situation, but it is the toughest thing my six year old faces right now.  Luke seemed to get it.  We also made a plan for next week's attire.  It's okay to triple layer.  We even had Luke practice wearing three shirts at once.  Lastly, we are going to purposely layer ourselves and practice being outside in the rain this week.  As a homeschooler, I set the schedule, I choose the activities.  We will be spending 45 minutes outside in the rain this week in preparation for next week's practice and game.  This was Daddy-Man's idea, and I think it's brilliant.  We will also buy some cleats.

After our family meeting style conversation, the boys wanted to put all their gear on.  Jerseys, wristbands, belt with flags attached, and mouth guards.  Then they went downstairs with Daddy and practiced running around while he tried to pull their flags.  They had fun together.  This is what I had been hoping for.  Will they be able to transfer it to the field next Saturday?  Unknown.  Will we try again?  Yep.  Not because we are parents who have it all together and think that our kids will be perfect or even better next time.  More because we have a God who grows us and our kids through the trials we face, big or small, and He is good even when our circumstances are not.  Besides, if the boys improve even one tiny bit, we can rejoice and give God the glory.  Stay tuned for that possibility.

A few pics were taken before the tears began.  Here they are:

 Paul is in the dark blue with his back to us and Luke is in the light blue with his profile to us.

 Stretching

 Luke's first snap - he did great.

Paul's first snap.  You can't really tell, but he's grinning.

Bye Bye, Tree

We had some excitement here today.  And when I say excitement, I mean the type of action that only six and four year old boys really appreciate.  We had a tree removed from our backyard.  It has been leaning in the scariest way for about a month now.  We've never loved this tree.  I know.  Trees are good.  We planted two in our front parking strip in January.  I like trees.  Just not this one.

It had sharp thorny projections and wasn't good for climbing.  Various branches had been rubbing against some wires connected to our house and every time we removed the offending branch, the tree would lean over a little more so that a new branch can take over the job.  Irritating.  Did I mention that the sound of the rubbing could be heard in our bedroom and was sometimes loud enough to be heard through my earplugs at night?  Bye bye, tree.

If you look closely at that middle trunk, you can see a massive crack.  Not good.

I don't usually allow couch standing, but they were so completely enthralled.  The presence of work crews around our place has a rather hypnotic effect.  The boys stare with mouths agape and move zombie-like to whatever surface will provide the best view.  It just happened to be the top of the couch for Paul. And yes, he is wearing his bathing suit.

Machinery, on the other hand, produces shrieks of excitement and leaps for joy.  They've just spotted the chipper parked in front of our house.

One down, three to go.

I finally asked Luke to turn and smile. He did.  I asked Paul, too.  He was not able to comply.

Still standing on the couch, watching in amazement.

Why does Luke look so old in this picture?  The baby teeth help, but other than that, he seems SO grown-up to me.  In a *completely* random sidenote:  I just finished reading Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie and he cites the reason why Peter was so very irresistible: he still had all his baby teeth.  So there you go.

This man climbs trees for a living and gets to use a chainsaw all day.  My guys probably want to be him when they grow up.

Yes, that's our Christmas tree.  Yes, it was in our backyard.  Yes, these guys were nice enough to take care of it for us.  Probably the most expensive tree disposal we've ever had.  I don't recommend it as an annual practice.

Watching the chipper at work.

In other news, we had guests yesterday.  While their mom traveled with older siblings to a debate tournament, these two hung out with us.  They all had fun, spending much of their time playing pretend games that usually involved pillows, jumping, and someone being an alligator or a tiger.  Love it!

So cute!

Unexpected Hodge-Podge

Unexpected because this will be my second blog posting in as many days.

Hodge-Podge because I finally got a charged battery into my camera and discovered a very random assortment of pictures which I will now share with all of you.

The boys help me "make" bread.  Okay.  We all dump different ingredients into our bread maker.  But it tastes amazing and they like to dump things in and watch it stir.

Our favorite whole grain bread, sweetened with molasses.  It looks gross here, but I think that's part of what the boys love about it.  Turns out amazing every time.

Ever wonder, "What do those boys do all day?"  This is a fair part of it.  They also build forts, construct and deconstruct lego creations, argue with each other, pretend to be knights, and eat.

More of the above.  This is a Brer Rabbit storybook that is part of our Read Aloud curriculum.  The boys enjoy the crazy, mad-capped humor and the fact that I read it with my best southern accent.  I'm allowed.  I'm not a possible presidential candidate. (First political comment on my blog!!  Will there be backlash?!?)

We went on a date in February.  We had my mom take this picture beforehand so we would remember that we went on a date and it was fun.

Paul likes marker a little too much.  I'm so glad these things are non-toxic and washable.  Although I will say it took more than one bath to get all of this to go away.  He's never seen the old Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but I really wanted to teach him the Oompa Loompa song when I saw what he had done to himself.

I'm sorry that I can't remember why he posed like this, but I'm glad I took this picture.  It accurately portrays what he is like for much of the time - goofy.

Yep.  Goofy.  This is in the cabin at Sunriver with a bug net over his head.

There are the pictures, people.  I told you they were random.  Paul just came out of his room, pointed at this picture and said, "I know who that is.  It's Link."  Also random.  Perhaps as we get back into our schedule this coming week, things will be less random and I'll actually have a blog post that makes more sense.  :-)

Pajama Pizza Party in Medford

Greetings Friends!  I apologize in advance for the shocking lack of pictures in this post.  There is a story behind that irritating business...maybe I'll share later.  For now, I will share the cuteness before me.  My boys are currently sitting on a queen sized bed at the Courtyard Marriott in Medford, OR.  They are wearing matching pajamas and they are watching one of their favorite videos, Crazy Hair Day.  Daddy will be arriving shortly with gourmet pizza for the grown-ups and pepperoni with no cheese for the short ones.  Sparkling water for us, chocolate almond milk for them.  YUM!

We are celebrating our last night of travel after ten days on the road.  This was our very first multiple-day road trip.  We did pretty well.  There were a few moments that were less than lovely, but I think those are pretty normal for most families who travel together.  Here are some of our highlights.

Our first night on the road we stayed in Dunsmuir, CA at the Rail Road Park Resort where every room is a real caboose that has been converted.  Yes, the boys were both absolutely entranced.  This was the point at which I realized my camera battery was dead. I had failed to bring the replacement, and I was officially sad.  I know that Grandma and Grandpa, with whom we were caravanning at the time, took a few shots.  We'll see if I can get a few of those eventually.
Our second day of driving, Paul was noticeably confused.  He kept asking the same question over and over.

Paul:  "Where are we going?"
Mommy or Daddy:  A brief explanation of the concept behind a road trip
(about an hour later)
Paul:  "Where are we going?"
Mommy or Daddy:  Another failed attempt at explaining to the four year old mind why we are spending so much time in the car.

To his credit, Paul did not once ask if we were there yet.  I don't think he ever actually grasped the fact that we would eventually stop being in the car all day. Sweet, patient, trusting child.

Our  second night we stayed in Fresno.  Paul bunked in with us while Luke stayed with Grandma and Grandpa.  That works so well for our people who just haven't been able to successfully sleep in the same room yet.  And while it was just a regular hotel with no railroad theme, there was a pool and the boys found this delightful.

One thing I failed to mention earlier was the absolute deluge we had driven through and continued to drive through.  It rained all day for three days straight from Portland to Palm Desert, CA.  Seriously.  It followed us.  Crazy.

But the boys and I were NOT deterred.  Upon arrival, we discovered that the condo had a fabulous in-ground hot tub.  Being in a hot tub in the rain is so fun!  The boys and I spent our first evening thus "relaxing" while the Daddy-Man unloaded the car and set up camp.  Yes, I realize that staying in a condo in Palm Desert is nothing like camping, but it's kinda as close as I get right now.  Yes, you can mock me.

We spent the next five days enjoying the pools, the parks, and time with Grandma and Grandpa, along with a number of other So Cal family members.  (Official shout out to Betty, Ellen, Barbara and Lyle - it was great to see you all!)  The boys also were able to build legos and drive remote control cars.

Friday morning we were up early and on the road by 7am.  Our longest day of driving was before us and this Mommy wanted to be sure it ended before dinner time.  We made it to San Jose by 4:30 on the dot!  I LOVE gps.  My favorite stretch of road on this drive was Highway 152 - so beautiful!  Green rolling hills with really pretty trees.  We are going to drive that road again without children sometime.

Our arrival in San Jose was a warm welcome from Uncle Jim and Aunt Judy.  Although the boys were heinous at dinner, they were delightful at breakfast.  Road-weary four year olds are hard to please.  Sorry, Aunt Judy.  I thought dinner was wonderfully delicious.  After a fun evening around the kitchen table, we passed out in our beds.

This morning we decided to take the scenic route through San Francisco, over the Golden Gate Bridge, thanks to Uncle Jim's fun suggestion.  The weather was junk, but it didn't matter.  That bridge is cool.  The boys thought as much and so did I.  It was also super fun to go home a different way than we had come.  It was hours of different scenery before we eventually hit I-5 and turned off the gps.  Follow the road home, people.

When we saw our first sign with mileage for Portland (around 380 miles), I had the brief thought of pushing through.  Because I'm pretty done with the road for awhile.  But we would have pulled in around 9pm.  That would have sucked big time.  Besides, this is Erik's favorite hotel of all time.  The Courtyard Marriott in Medford is a pretty accommodating place, I must admit.  If they could just get my four year old to fall asleep quicker...

We pulled in here just after 4pm.  We swam in the pool.  We sent Daddy for pizza.  We put on our pajamas.  We cannot wait to get up in the morning and head for home.  I hope Paul asks where we are going.  I really want to say, "Home!"

Literary Experiences

We have been reading the Francis books by Russell Hoban.  It all began with A Baby Sister for Francis which we received as a gift from Ashli Moore about four years ago when Luke was bitty and Paul was bittier.  Although it was popular at the time, the subtleties of Francis have really started to catch on lately.  We were delighted to learn that our library has the entire collection.

In the past week we have enjoyed Best Friends for Francis, A Bargain for Francis, and my personal favorite Bread and Jam for Francis.  Each features our heroine singing her way through many of life's trials and tribulations, an attribute with which our entire family resonates.

While doing the grocery shopping today, I simply could not resist the urge to give the boys a special "literary" treat.  In A Baby Sister for Francis, Francis runs away from home.  She doesn't run far, as she deems the spot underneath the dining room table the most suitable place to which one could run away.  With her she takes five chocolate sandwich cookies and a box of prunes.

After rest time today, we had special family Francis Time.  The adults declined to sit under the table, but did enjoy a few of the chocolate sandwich cookies...Luke is the only one who ate prunes.  He loves them!  :-)  Here are the pics.

Luke took time to smile for the camera.  Paul was all business with the chocolate sandwich cookies.

Luke eats his prunes with a fork, thereby preventing sticky fingers.  Yep.

Christmas Pics

Erik woke up on Christmas Eve with a terrible cold.  He went straight back to bed and has stayed there for the bulk of the last three days.  The boys and I did Christmas morning together and I was able to get a few fun shots.

 Happy Birthday, Jesus.  Your cake is delicious!

 Empty plate - big smile!

 Time for Stockings!

 Paul enjoys his Fruit Twist

 Luke with his freeze dried strawberries - a favorite Christmas treat at our house!

 The boys' first gifts were these 3D grizzly bear puzzles.  Challenging but super cool!

 Paul with his finished bear

 Luke got this radio dramatization of all seven Narnia books.  He was jazzed.

 Both boys got these knight play sets.  Yes, they already have armor.  These are for the villain to use...every story needs a villain.

 Luke was pretty jazzed about Aunt Nikki's gift, a cool dinosaur stamp set.

 Paul with his stamp set, naming each animal.  Cute!

 Luke with his castle building blocks from Oma

 The shirt came from Grandma, the shield is from last Christmas and the rest was from us.  The final product is a six-year-old boy who believes he is a knight.

 Fierce Knights!

Happy Knights!

Christmas Letter 2011

In keeping with our new tradition of spending less and giving more at Christmas time, I am once again foregoing a Christmas card and letter.  As I receive your cards in the mail, I struggle with this sacrifice.  I want to send you a darling picture of our family with an enclosed letter updating you on all the Bangsund bizz.  Then I remember that my children most often produce pictures like this one...

...and I am once more convinced that digital is the way for our family to go.  Who wants to hang that on their fridge?  :-)

All joking aside, 2011 has been a year filled with blessings,  challenges, and growth for the Bangsunds.

Erik continues in his position with Takeda Pharmaceuticals.  He embraces the challenges of selling in an environment controlled by managed "care" companies who care more about the bottom line than patient well-being.  He strives to work at all things with all his heart as though working for the Lord Jesus Christ, not men (Colossians 3:23).  He inspires us with his positive attitude and diligence.  We love the Daddy-Man.  Erik also continues in his role as a Group Leader for the local evening men's Bible Study Fellowship class.  He loves the Word and he loves the men in his group.  It's a huge blessing in his life.

Luke finished off his kindergarten year in June, turned six in August and began first grade in September 2011.  He loves knights, castles, Narnia and occasionally watching Daddy play a Zelda video game (only those rated E and approved by Mommy).  We have seen growth in Luke's ability to handle unmet expectations and disappointment.  We continue to pray that Jesus will grow Luke in his patience and kindness.  (Who doesn't need a little work in these areas?)

Paul turned four in July and started unofficial pre-school in September.  He loves cars, trains, watching the aforementioned Zelda game, and playing anything with his big brother.  Those two are tight.  Paul has conquered the use of all restroom facilities.  I won't go into further detail, but needless to say, we were all overjoyed!  We pray that Jesus will help Paul handle the big emotions of being four and grow Mommy and Daddy and Luke in their patience while we wait for him to turn five.  We love our Paul.

Amy doesn't know where to start.  2011 brought new callings on her life from the Lord Jesus that she simply wasn't expecting.  She continues to homeschool the boys and LOVES it.  She continues to be a leader for BSF, but swapped over to an evening class where she serves as a Children's Leader.  She LOVES it because she gets to teach the Bible and invest in the lives of 6th-9th graders.  And now for the surprise.

In late August, Amy and Erik answered God's call to join the core leadership team of a church plant coming out of their home church, Mosaic.  Their new church family, Roots Community, is filled with young families focused on the life-changing truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The night they met with their new pastor, he asked Amy to pray about accepting a call to be Roots' first children's pastor.  Amy thought, "No way," but said, "I'll pray about it."  Long story short, after heartfelt prayer, God used His Word and fellow believers to make it abundantly clear to her that this was a calling He had placed on her life.  And so, Amy accepted the position and began giving roughly ten hours a week to the work of being a children's pastor.  And...she LOVES it.  :-)

God is so good and faithful.  We pray that all of you are experiencing His life-saving grace and goodness this Christmas.

Love,

Erik, Amy, Luke and Paul

PS - Because MANY of you have asked in your Christmas correspondence to us, YES, we continue to lead the Young Adult BSF Prayer Group with the hopes that God will start a new class here in Portland.  His timing is perfect and His ways are not our own.  We trust Him completely.  :-)