A super Sunday...

Today is a day that is probably best described in pictures. And I surely have more than a few to share. I believe I took 31 today...goodness, wouldn't this be something if we were still in the days of "rolls" of film? It makes me so thankful that we don't have to wait the 5 days or so that you used to before the days of 1 hour processing and digital real-time pictures. But anyway...the picture above is of Joshua playing with his JACK-in-the-box (I emphasize JACK for Lindsay. She is still the keeper of our "Jack List" from 709 Heister Hall.) There's something really cool about the expression on a little person's face when that silly clown jumps out at you.

Sunday mornings at our house are pajama mornings. We have to get the messy stuff out of the way before we even consider the thought of putting on good clothes and getting ready for church. And let's face it, who wants to get up right away on the WEEKEND and get into nylons when you're already in them 5 days a week. Not me! So pajamas it is until it's time to get ready for church. This allows for syrup spills, milk dumps, playtime (including, but not limited to markers, paints, crayons and stickers) to show up on your clothing without giving Mommy a stroke. We save the good digs for the very last instant before we go to the car. So here were a few pictures of Joshua and I playing in the morning sunshine before church. One of Josh's favorite games involves hiding. He's convinced that if he hides himself under a blanket that I can't find him (and I encourage him a little by saying "Where's Joshua?" over and over until he comes out giggling). So, this is what I found when I was "looking" for him.

I bet you'd never guess that there is a sweet little boy behind that blanket, would you? Please take notice to the Elmo sweeper back there with him. It was adorable, and 100% Joshua that he took it along with him to hide.

These two are quite possibly my two new favorite pictures of Joshua. He's captured completely in them.

So, after all this fun, I had one very wound up little boy, but were both committed to going to church this morning. One of my biggest issues to resolve in the new year is to settle the up-and-down about our church relationship. We went together as a family last week to First Baptist Church here in Milton (actually, when it's warm, we WALK to church...I can see it from our front porch) and Jason liked it as much as I had the other times I'd visited. So I'm feeling led that that's our new church home. There are scads of children, a great youth program, more than a couple young families, great music, a full (actually overflowing) choir loft, and I've left uplifted and touched each time I've been there. I sound like I'm convincing myself, don't I?

Their services are longer than what we're used to, and it's usually a source of anxiety about how long I can keep Joshua quiet, even with a 1 hour service. He screams his head off if he has to go to the nursery and I find that quite unfair to the kind volunteers who are there to help watch children. So I end up sitting in the nursery and missing church when he acts up. Today's service was particularly long (10:15 until 12:15 to be exact), but this angel of a child sat still, played quietly with toys and was as sweet as he could be for TWO HOURS. He ate more in that 2 hours than he does in most days- Nilla wafers, fruit snacks, marshmallows and goldfish. My theory is that if he's chewing, he can't be talking, so I'm all for it. We had two cute moments that only Joshua could provide. First, one of the microphones gave quite a feedback sound during one of the prayers. It was the only time in 2 hours that Joshua talked in full voice, but he said, "Mommy, what was THAT?" I think even the preacher smiled. Secondly, after the scripture was read, Josh wanted to look at my Bible. He held it in his lap and in a sort-of loud whisper voice started reciting his Christmas Story book from home. "An angel told Mary she would have a baby named Jesus." That wasn't exactly what we were talking about, but at least he knows that the Bible is about Jesus. I feel some success in his mastery of that concept, at least.

So after this marathon church service, he had a little steam to blow off. And boy did he ever. For about a half hour when we got home, he ran from one corner of the house to the other. See...

...he was upside down and backwards. And check out that HAIR!!! Needless to say, after a bit of lunch, our prince is now happily napping in his bed upstairs. It's hard to say what adventures might be waiting for us after he awakes. But that's the good stuff...