You know you have good neighbors when...

It's a good thing it's Spring Break around here, because multiplication facts have a way of sneaking onto the back burner with happy little distractions like sun and 80 degrees on unsuspecting March days.

We're pretty much cool with distractions like that.

We've accepted our momentary academic lapse, and in it's place have welcomed to our backyard loads of the friendliest, most well-mannered neighborhood kids on the planet. I tried to keep the girl out of the mix for as long as possible so: 1. the boys could actually pull off an organized game of soccer, and 2. So she wouldn't get run over by a herd of hyper children who just woke from their Winter slumber. The trampoline held her off for a while, and then there was no use... But she didn't head out all on her own. I had to confirm that my ears had heard correctly. Did those boys just invite her to play? I couldn't believe it. Two middle school boys from down the street had just offered a free kick to my three year old girl. You'd better believe that she didn't even look over to check with me first. The game continued with her now in it, and the look of pure bliss on her face was priceless. I'm not sure if that was the best part, or if it was when Chase kept saying to the neighbor kids, "That's my sister, you know," as he looked back to check on her. She ran like a maniac, trying to keep up. And after she snuck in one last kick and made a wide-open-on-purpose goal, she danced some crazy celebration dance while chanting, "Uh huh, oh yeah, uh huh, oh yeah..."

Junior high boys are officially cool.

Resetting the Cycle...

In my arms was a humongous pile of filthy laundry; an all too fresh reminder of the stomach flu that had just invaded our house. As I walked I asked God for more grace than I felt at that moment, since I had just pulled an all-nighter with two very sick, needy little ones. Without even thinking (really, who could put together any coherent thought after the night that I had just had...), I made eye contact with this picture as I quickly passed through our bedroom on my way to the laundry room...

I let out a nervous laugh so I wouldn't fall onto the floor in a heap of tears and exhaustion. Boy, did life at that moment look very different from the future of bliss that I had pictured on my wedding day. Truth is, between work and school and responsibilities and sickness and all-nighters and life, I hadn't had one complete conversation with Tyler in days. I missed my husband. And I was frustrated with the wife I had become in the midst of the stress.

You see, I can answer the phone in a fake happy tone. I can choose to write positive facebook posts and even pull off a smile for the Schwann's Man when he shows up at my door at the most inconvenient times. But there's no faking it with Tyler. He knows the real me, for better and for worse. And if I'm not careful, the one who I pledged all of those heartfelt vows to on my wedding day can get the last and the least of what I have to give at the end of a long, hard day.

I looked at that picture that day longer than I had in years. I'll never forget our photographer saying that the shots right after the ceremony always turn out the best because they capture the emotion and joy of the day. He even shared a story of one couple who reported to him that their wedding photographs had saved their marriage. In a time when their relationship was in turmoil, they looked back to pictures from their wedding day and remembered how it all started. The look in their eyes. The vows before God. The commitment. The hope. The excitement and somewhat naive invincibility of facing a new life together.

In an instant, I studied our cheeks pressed together... my cheesy smile... Tyler's bloodshot eyes from his tears that flowed throughout the ceremony...

...and I made a choice to go back. Back to the "vicious cycle".

Much of our wedding day is a blur, but one thing I'll never forget is our pastor friend speaking of the "vicious cycle" of love and respect that day. Since then it has become a popular term that Tyler and I refer to often in our marriage. It's the "vicious cycle" that's explained in Ephesians 5: when I respect and submit to Tyler out of obedience to God, then it prompts him to respond in love. And when he loves me as Christ loved the church, I want to respect and submit all the more. And the cycle continues.

Unless life gets messy, and then it doesn't.

The challenge? Choosing to be the one to reset the cycle when it's broken. Not because it's easy. Or fair. Or because I feel like doing it. But because there is joy and freedom when I follow God and His design for marriage.

"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" ~Ephesians 5:21

And the winner is....

Congratulations to sbowe (thanks to random.org) for winning our Easter giveaway!! I am thrilled to be sending this Family Life Resurrection Egg set to her lovely family this week. If you have young children and don't already own these eggs, you still have time to incorporate them into your Easter traditions this year!

As for me, I need to give away my stash of these... probably my all time favorite seasonal candy in the history of seasonal candies.... Somebody rescue me from these evil, yummy things. I have no control.

I promise to be back soon with some family updates. We just wrapped up two crazy weeks of sickness in our house, followed by an incredible few days spent with my sisters and their families while they visited over their Spring Breaks. We are blessed, I tell ya.

Now, go buy your Resurrection Eggs! :)