GentleWhisper.com - By Amy Maxwell » Children

A loving heart

Amy — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:31:31 +0000

As we said our bedtime prayers, Sarah prayed, “And thank you for giving me a loving heart.” After her amen, I asked why she prayed that. Had she heard it somewhere? No, she said. “I just said it because he gave me a loving heart… he made me love you.” Then she kissed me on the cheek. Such a sweet girl.

Brain Food

Amy — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:38:15 +0000

We recently sat at the dining room table eating eggs, biscuits and gravy for dinner. I encouraged Jeremiah to eat his scrambled eggs because, “eggs make you smart.” I often say this to him because eggs are in fact, good for brain function. [Or at least that's what scientists say lately.]

Jeremiah reluctantly took another bite then said,

“How can eggs make you smart? It’s not like they tell you something you don’t know.”

Bingo!

Amy — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:52:11 +0000

So you think you can beat me at bingo?!

Yesterday the kids and I enjoyed/endured two hours of free bingo. Jeremiah takes his bingo playing very serious… Sarah not so much. Each of us won once. The prizes: Three $10 Wal-Mart giftcards. Awesome! The night before I had gotten upset about spending too much of our grocery money. This took care of that worry.

I know, I know I shouldn’t have worried at all. God always provides.

Bingo!

What lies behind a locked door

Amy — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:02:53 +0000

Setting: The master bedroom door is locked.

Daughter: “Whine whine whine.” knock knock knock
Me: “Who is it?”

Daughter: “Mommy!!!”
Me: “Who is it?”

Daughter: “Momeeee!!!”
Me: “It can’t be Mommy, she’s in here. Who is it?”

Daughter: “It’s Sarah.”
Me: “Sarah, what do you need?”

Daughter: “I need Mommy!”
Me: “Try looking in your closet.”

Silence…I tell my husband, “I think I’ll be a little disappointed in her if she leaves.”
A minute passes… maybe two… followed by footsteps and a loud knock on the door.

Daughter: “YOU LIED TO ME!”

Baseball - Military Appreciation Night

Amy — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:31:00 +0000

Joel got four free tickets to last night’s Springfield Cardinals game. It was military appreciation night… unfortunately he was away for Army training and couldn’t go with us. Um… thanks!?

We invited a friend of mine to join us and had a wonderful time. We got our first foul ball which was incredibly exciting.

Seeing the young soldiers reminded me of why I want to be a chaplain. Sarah made a few friends. These future MPs represented the Army well. I’m very proud of them. They ate an INCREDIBLE amount of food. I’m going to need a huge snack budget when I become a chaplain…

Art by Jeremiah: Dragon

Amy — Sat, 10 May 2008 13:10:43 +0000

I found this watercolor of a dragon guarding his treasure in Jeremiah’s backpack yesterday. I’m terribly impressed with it. I think I might have to frame it.

A kind of bird

Amy — Fri, 09 May 2008 03:29:10 +0000

As we drove home tonight, Sarah and I discussed the third person of the Trinity. It all started when Sarah said, “The Holy Spirit is a kind of bird.”
I told her that the Spirit is not a bird, God just made him look like a dove once.
She asked why.
I told her God is kind of confusing sometimes.
Sarah said, “Yeh he put a costume on the Holy Spirit!”

Then we got serious and she prayed that Jesus would fill her with his Holy Spirit. She asked the Holy Spirit to help her be like Jesus, to show her what to say, what to do and where to go.

Not only was it cute, but it was a big deal. Sarah rarely prays out loud. She’s really growing up.

Jeremiah reading his Bible

Amy — Thu, 08 May 2008 03:50:58 +0000

Jeremiah just realized that he can read the Bible to himself. After trying out a few versions, he’s gotten comfortable with the NLT HoneyWord Bible. [Mostly because the font is bigger.] Here he is reading Genesis 1.

Another Frozen Head Adventure

Amy — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 23:43:00 +0000

I finished my last class of the semester on Tuesday night and left for Tennessee on Wednesday morning. A trip to visit Rachel means hiking at Frozen Head State Park. Here are a few photos:

Kid conversations: curly hair

Amy — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:09:51 +0000

Me: Sarah, what do you think of my hair?
Sarah: I like it!
Jeremiah bluntly: You should comb it.
Sarah curious: Did you curl it in the bathtub?
Me: I scrunched it.
Sarah confused: You scrunched it?
Me: Yeh, I scrunched it with some mousse.
Jeremiah yells amused: A MOOSE?!
Sarah giggling: His hair is curly too?

Tea Party at Honey Heaven

Amy — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:07:38 +0000

Today Sarah and her friend Gabbie joined me at Honey Heaven for a tea party. Here they are in front of the bees.

Christmas Eve-n

Amy — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 14:02:46 +0000

We safely arrived at my parents’ house in Texas last night after a pleasant ten hour drive. My kids traveled wonderfully. Really, they’re a lot of fun. We started our adventure with milkshakes from Arby’s then sang “Bye Bye Miss American Pie” at the top of our lungs. I know that’s probably not the most ‘Christ Centered’ song for my children to sing, but I do find great joy in them actually knowing the words. Ask my five year old if Jack jumped over the candle stick. “No.” She’ll tell you. “Jack flash sat on the candle stick, cause fire is the devil’s only friend.” That’s my girl. She interpreted the lyrics and advised me that “the day the music died” must have happed because the electricity went out… the music always turns off when that happens.

I don’t think we have any major holiday plans for today. My twin sister and her family aren’t coming back until tonight. I’m not sure if my younger sister is coming over or not. I hope so. Tomorrow we’ll go to my paternal grandmother’s house. The next day we’ll celebrate with my parents and sisters. That’s what I really look forward to.

I miss my husband. Of course I do. And yet, It’s Christmas Eve-n though we’re a part. As Chaplain Iris Dickerson sings Christmas carols in Afghanistan… and Rachel reminds her readers to remember familes like mine… as Joel sings the Holdiay blues and my children incessantly say, “If Daddy were here…” I’ll celeberate Christmas even though my man is gone. Even though my babies miss their Daddy. I think instead of Christmas carols, I’ll sing,

“Say hey, itâ€™s a good day
Even if things arenâ€™t going my way
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey, itâ€™s a good day“

-Ffh - It’s a Good Day

A song for Daddy

Amy — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 02:48:02 +0000

Read this so you can cry with me

Amy — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 15:22:59 +0000

Rachel wrote a touching post about my little girl. I could never in ten lifetimes repay her for the love she shows my daughter.

I’m so thankful for her friendship, it’s a daily reminder that God must really love me.

Forever Friends by Rachel Harmon.

Happy Birthday Sarah!

Amy — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 22:07:27 +0000

My baby turned five today. She’s having a good birthday. We stopped at Wal-Mart on the way home from church and let her pick out a present from her grandparents.

Here’s what she got:

This little Sandisk Sansa Shaker MP3 player is way cool. It has a speaker and two head phone jacks. Transferring music is much easier than on my ancient Rio. I’d be tempted to steal Sarah’s new player but… it’s pink and looks like a salt shaker.

I say potato…

Amy — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 01:29:00 +0000

In an IM conversation with Rachel, I told her yet another crazy thing my daughter said. Then the conversation went like this:

Me: “I will never understand her.”

Rachel: “You say potato….she says, ‘What if I had a potato that lived on my head and had a pink purse and sixteen kitty cats that lived in the flower pot by the igloo?’”

Four Year Old Finances

Amy — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 23:17:36 +0000

My four year old just walked in and asked me, “Are you a spender or a saver?”

Two days ago she was playing children’s monopoly with her brother and uncle. Someone had to pay her a dollar because they landed on her property. She cheerfully declared, “Thanks, I’ll put that in my budget!”

I’m used to these kinds of comments from Jeremiah, but not from his sister. He must be giving her personal finance classes while I nap.

Missing her Daddy

Amy — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 12:16:30 +0000

Sarah just came into our bedroom and sat on the floor. Quiet for a moment, she looked toward the front door and asked, “When is Daddy going to be here?” “Around Valentines Day,” I said. Her head dropped and she stared at the floor. A few sad moments later she asked for some of the “candies that look like M&M’s.” Now she’s on my lap, eating a handful of Reese’s Pieces. If we can eat ice cream for breakfast on my anniversary, we can have candy on Father’s Day.
–

Yesterday she sat on the counter and told her Uncle David, “Daddy’s not here. Every time I go in his room, I look, and I see that he’s not here.”
–

Please pray for all the Daddies who can’t be home today. And all the little ones who miss them.

Kindergarten Graduate

Amy — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 22:19:22 +0000

Well, my little man is very excited to finally be embarking upon Summer Break. He did awesome in Kindergarten…and in case anyone ever doubted that I’m a proud parent who tends to brag incessantly about her children… well let me clear up that misconception right now.

Jeremiah got the Good Citizenship award for his class. Which I guess, is a big deal. He got an award and a free Qdoba meal and [this is the big part] he got to bring home the class field day banner… which I will have to post a photo of because occasionally this is a mom-blog.

In addition, I’m obligated to share this photo too.

Just a dream

Amy — Wed, 23 May 2007 14:16:19 +0000

Riding in the backseat, she gazed out the window as we drove past a gas station changing their prices once again. Unusually quiet for a four year old little girl, she soon broke the silence with her thoughtful words,

“He wasn’t really here you know… It was just a dream.”

She spoke of her Daddy. Though we hadn’t been talking about him, she was thinking about his recent time home on R&R.

“It was a dream,” she said. “A good dream.” “I wish he would have stayed one hundred days… But, he wasn’t really here.”

Army Strong Kids

Amy — Tue, 22 May 2007 16:45:37 +0000

They may not look Army Strong, but these kids are heroes. They’re so very brave with daddy away. They miss him but know how important his job is. Jer says, “Daddy is keeping our country safe.” They don’t cry or complain, they just soldier on. They draw pictures and write letters and make sure our flag never gets rained on or falls on the ground.

Thanks to the guys who played Frisbee, soccer and countless other sports with Jeremiah on Saturday. It’s nice for him to have a guy to play with when his daddy is away. Thanks to those who love these kids as their own and pray for them each day.

Are there little heroes like this in your neighborhood? Spend time with them. That’ll show your support for the troops more than any car magnet, yellow ribbon or five dollar flag t-shirt.

A Mom Contest

Amy — Mon, 14 May 2007 02:28:09 +0000

Joel entered me in a local radio station’s Mother’s Day contest. I just told Jeremiah that I didn’t win. I suggested that maybe they found a better mom… He thought about it a bit then said,

“Maybe they saw a mom that is a Marine who goes into space and plays baseball games and always gets home runs…”

Wow, that would deserve a new washer and dryer.

Phone Calls and Emails

Amy — Sun, 13 May 2007 12:13:17 +0000

I awoke early this morning to find a sweet email from Joel in my inbox. I love his emails. I’m blessed to get so many. I don’t think I’ve heard his voice for days… I can’t remember if we’ve actually talked since he left. It’s OK though because we get to write back and forth so often. I’m blessed with the job that he has. How crazy, a man can go to war on the other side of the world and still seem so close. I know that others aren’t so lucky though. Many soldiers don’t have Internet access in their offices and b-huts… Many soldiers don’t have offices and b-huts… their loved ones have to wait and wonder and pray for a rare phone call.

–
Sarah just woke up and crawled onto my lap. She hugged me and said, “We won’t have a phone to call you though… ever you’re in war.”

How odd, it was as if she had been reading over my shoulder as I typed this post. I would think she had… but she was asleep and she can’t read yet.

I reassured her that I won’t be going to war anytime soon. Then I realized that she was thinking of her dad.

She can’t read yet.

She hasn’t been blessed with all of the emails I was just giving thanks for. She misses her daddy and she hasn’t heard his voice since he said goodbye at the airport.

I need to be more intentional about helping the kids feel connected to their dad.
–
Note: Joel just called. Sarah got to talk to her Daddy.

Mother’s Day Morning.

Amy — Sun, 13 May 2007 11:30:18 +0000

Good morning,

What a beautiful Mother’s Day morning. My children are still sleeping. They somehow convinced me that since it was Mother’s Day Eve, they should sleep in my bed. They’re cuddled up with each other on my bed. They must think that I’m still in the middle and that they’re cuddling with me. It’s always funny to watch the horror on their faces when they realize the truth.
—
A note from one of my supporters:

Learn about the history of mother’s day as well as some fun activities for kids in general here.

Kids and Coffee: A MommyBlog Post

Amy — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 00:32:17 +0000

Steam rolls out of the teapot and fills the kitchen. As I create the perfect cup of coffee, I notice my children low-crawling across the carpet. Side by side they traverse the living room floor while Sarah chants, “Stay low and go. Stay low and go.”