Happy Birthday!

Here's the Ringmaster at 3... and today he's 33! In honor of his big day, I thought I'd jot down 33 reasons why I love my sweetie...

1. He loves the Lord with all his heart, mind, soul and strength.

2. He loves his Jayhawks and talks about their coaching, talent, stats, like it's REALLY TRULY IMPORTANT.

3. He puts his own dirty clothes in the laundry bin.

4. He looks great in a suit.
5. He's amazingly self-disciplined and hard working...

6. but never too busy to stop and hold me.

7. He loves to wrestle on the floor with the kids.

8. He fears God and will stand unswervingly for truth, no matter the cost.

9. He keeps up on current events and politics so he can talk to me about the things I'm interested in.

10. He is deeply concerned for those who don't know Christ and loves sharing the gospel more than anyone I know.

11. He likes working around the house and keeps his "honey-do" list short!

12. He has beautiful blue eyes which he has passed on to two of our children so far.

13. He sets aside time every single day, no matter the obstacles, to spend time in the Word and prayer.
14. He is true-blue loyal to his friends.

15. When I think about what I'd like my boys to be like in the future, I just think of their father--if my boys grow to be like him, I'll be one happy mother.

16. He remembers not only our wedding anniversary, but also our first date anniversary, our engagement anniversary, and my birthday every single year!

17. He reads aloud to the kids.

18. He cries at the end of sports movies.

19. He romances me and loves to take me out.

20. He gets as excited about playing with Nay-nay's new toys as Nathan does himself.

21. He really appreciates good food and thanks me for every single meal, however simple, that I place in front of him.

22. He lives with me in an understanding way. Considering that I've had 4 babies in 4 1/2 years, this has at times been no easy task!

23. He makes me laugh until my sides hurt, and fills our home with joy and mirth.

24. He makes me a better wife, mother, and child of God than I'd ever have been without him.

25. He gets up in the middle of the night with sick or scared kids.

26. He instructs his family in the Word--from the pulpit, around the dinner table, in the car, at bedtime, while playing in the living room.

27. He loves God's people and never tires of being with them.

28. He helps with the dishes.

29. He is a reader and loves to learn.

30. He is far more godly now than he was when we met, and growing ever more so day by day.

31. He loves and respects his parents.

32. Thinking about growing old with him makes me unimaginably happy.

33. Somehow, amazingly, he picked me to be his bride.

I love you sweetie! Happy Birthday!

Our first snow!

With Bado, Grandpa, Uncle Paul and Auntie Lisa visiting from California, God graced us with a dusting of snow this morning! What a joy to wake up to a sparkling, changed world!

After shoveling down their oatmeal, the kiddos bundled up and ran outside to play in the quickly melting powder. Snowball fights, flavorless snowcones, trike tracks... it doesn't get much better than this!

Psalm 100

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.

Only in Kansas...

Yesterday's high: about 80 degrees. Today's high: 37, with snow flurries! Yesterday we were running around outside in shorts and t-shirts. Today I bundled the kids up in coats, scarves, mittens and hats just to get to and from the van! Wierd.

You know you're behind on laundry when...

Your laundry room looks like this.




And instead of sorting "darks" and "lights," your categories are "pinks," "brighter pinks," "light greens," "navy," "denim," "light blue," and "lighter blue". And they're all full loads. This should serve as an encouragement to any readers who have ever been behind in housework. Okay, all of us.


In my defense, the three kids and I have all been taking turns being sick. But with guests coming for the holidays (Yeay!! Hooray!! Only two more days!!), it's definitely time to tackle the piles...


Well, a dozen loads and a tired back later, my laundry room now looks like this:



All you who are still climbing out from under your piles, try not to be jealous.

What is the Trinity?

"The Father, the Sun, and the Holy moon," says Miss B. Okay, so we have some work yet to do...

Miss B, practicing for her American Idol debut

With the current writer's strike, we think there's a good chance it will still be running when she comes of age!

The politics of pile-on

Hintz style.

` And yes, my front door is pink.

Amberly's first trip to the salon...

Before (a bit shaggy) ...

During...

And After!

Not bad for a kitchen salon, eh?

Fall is...

A great time to be in Kansas!

Growing up in sunny Southern California, summer has always been my favorite season--long days, warm evenings, no school, no allergies, spending as much time outside as possible every day.

Now that we've moved to Kansas, autumn has supplanted summer as my favorite time of year. The air cools and loses its mugginess. We wake up to clear, crisp mornings, gorgeous colors everywhere we look, and NO BUGS!!! We've already adjusted to the cooler temperatures, and somehow a high of 52 doesn't seem so bad-- just throw on a sweater and enjoy the brisk air! (This rapid adjustment may be helped somewhat by the fact that my body is currently doubling as an incubator.) And now that the starlings have migrated south and peace has returned to our neighborhood, we can spend as much time outside as we'd like, without worrying about being showered by the "white rain." Yes, autumn is a great time to be in Kansas.