She’s not just ANY 17 yr old – she’s our ‘baby‘ girl and officially the ‘middle‘ child in our family. We figure the ‘baby girl‘ part makes up for the ‘middle child‘ position. As #6 – Victoria is sandwiched in the middle of a bunch of brothers –  and this ‘girly-girl’ has learned to hold her own.

She’s had the example of her older sisters to follow and the protection of older brothers – sometimes more than she’d like. Victoria has grown up in the ‘middle’ and that’s been a good place for her. She has the option, on any given day, of being ‘older‘ or ‘younger‘ – it’s her choice. She can hang out with older guys or enjoy the simple life of the younger ones. She’s privy to tutoring in debate from ‘above’ and hugs with adoration from ‘below’.

Being in a big family has worked the opposite of what one would think. For example, we’ve been celebrating this birthday for days! She had a party with 20 + of her closest friends who came dressed as celebrities or historical figures. That was ONE FUN party!!

She landed a cell phone for the big day – her Dad surprised her. She’s had breakfast with Grandma, dinner with friends and shopping privileges.

I refuse to be sad (beyond reason) that these 17 years have passed. Her Dad & I have enjoyed every day of parenting this daughter of ours, and invested them to the best of our ability. Her name means ‘victory’ and that what’s she brings to those around her.

“And this is my prayer:

that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

Phillipians 1:9-11

Thank you, Priscilla {big sis} for the great pictures!

Remember to leave a comment on the Give-Away post for free, gourmet coffee!!

This post is linked with Sweet Shot Tuesday & Works for Me Wednesday!

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Although we’re a household of many – we’re a family of individuals. As in any large family – each one stands alone and we all stand together.

Above & Beyond is about motherhood and how the Lord uses it to take us farther than we could possibly imagine while He answers the cries of our hearts beyond anything we have the capacity to envision. Because – He’s God! {Ephesians 3:20-21}

I started this blog with the idea of introducing our children, who still live at home, one at a time on their birthdays and our married kids on their anniversaries. Today’s our son’s 10th birthday. His name, Micah, actually means, ‘who is like the Lord?’.

Micah’s our 10th child and my first ‘late in life‘ baby. I had spent my 40th birthday mourning the loss of our baby Judah, born at 20 weeks. A child we never knew, yet always dreamed of. A bitter season it was – to face middle age with a miscarriage. This loss introduced me to grief, who became a companion I’d not known before. As I mustered the nerve to face the future – my body began to have symptoms that were all too familiar. Sure enough, 6 weeks after the sudden loss of our unborn son, another son was making his way into the world.

During pregnancy my mind questioned his health … but my heart knew he was fine! On this day – 10 years ago – our faith became sight as we held this strong, healthy, large baby boy in our arms. From the start Micah has been dear to our hearts in a unique way for all the obvious reasons.

Holding the spotlight in our home – as a little brother – he has grown to be a confident, intelligent, capable young ‘man’ {ouch! that’s hard to say}. His smile can rock the planet, his voice is still sweet and young, he plays hard, eats heartily and reads habitually. Micah has an earnest way about him that provokes others to wholeheartedness. He loves the stars and dreams of being an astronaut. Although, his brothers tried to convince him this was a dangerous job – his Dad and I believe he just might do it.

We thank the Lord for doing what He does best – creating life!

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We have another teenager! Now there’s 6. When the kids were little we knew this day would come ‘someday’ – well here we are and I LOVE it!! Have I mentioned how much fun teenagers are? I haven’t laughed this much since college. Well, that’s for another post …

Our son Joel is 13! Isn’t it peculiar that when a child has a monumental birthday – a mother’s life seems to pass before her? {or is that just me?}

I think of Joel as the child who almost didn’t make it here. Oh, the birth was fine. {I said ‘fine’ not ‘easy’, but I don’t bore him with those details} Before Joel was conceived, I was in my late 30′s with 8 healthy children and a full life. Our 8th was born by semi-emergency {prolapsed chord} cesarean and recovery was a tough one. Seemed to me, I had every right to call it quits! Anyone would have agreed with me too. BUT GOD wouldn’t leave me alone about it. I felt in my spirit He was wanting to take me somewhere I hadn’t been before. It was as if He was asking, “Will you go with Me?”

The struggle was so personal, I kept it mostly to myself. At church, a praying friend told me, the devil tried to give me a spirit of fear so I would not have any more children. She had no idea… Anyway, I was nursing exclusively and figured I had time to consider my options.

14 short months later – Joel was born – a brown haired boy in a family of blondes. He favored my side of the family (finally) and it was as if I’d always known him when I first saw him.

Now he’s 13, a young man and the delight of his father. An avid learner and logical thinker. He never spoke ‘baby talk’, sang at an early age and handles maps like a pro. Mostly, he’s a delight. The strong, quiet type. A young man now. He’ll get a ring to signify this ‘rights of passage’ into early manhood. Once his Dad’s recovery time is over – we’re headed to a nice, I mean nice, restaurant for dinner outside and a night to remember.

I find it interesting that ‘Joel’ means – ‘Jehovah is the Lord’.

“For high have the heavens been above the earth, So high have been My ways above your ways, And My thoughts above your thoughts”. Isaiah 55:9

This Sweet Shot was taken by our daughter, Priscilla – with a little help from her Nikon.

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Since birthdays are a national holiday around here – 18th birthdays call for a holiday weekend to fit it all in. Josiah turned 18 and we’ve been celebrating for days!

Josiah was born our 5th child and much welcomed ‘little brother’ of the family. Only 16 months later he was dethroned – as a little sister took her place center stage. That was fine with him – he’s a man of action and not one to sit very long anyway. Once she arrived I tried to take a picture of the kids to send out for a baby announcement. Little Josiah would not stop bending over and kissing her, as she lay propped up in her infant seat. The older ones were all poised for the picture so I finally just took it with him hugging on her. It was too much to ask him to be calm – he couldn’t contain his excitement!

So have gone the last 18 years – filled with adventure and energy – thanks to this son who truly exemplifies the ‘zeal of the Lord’ which his name defines.

He’s a senior now and his days are filled with books (lots of books), debate research, basketball, guitar, piano, politics (just ask his opinion), writing speeches for competition and most always a smile – not to mention humor. He’s, undoubtedly, one of the funniest people I’ve ever met.

He’s transformed from a busy, opinionated, little guy with mesmerizing blue eyes, who would literally pogo stick all afternoon if we let him – to an energetic, stable young adult. Oh, he’s still busy and opinionated – and our lives are all richer for it!

Happy birthday Josiah – with love. Enjoy that ipod and we’ll see you at the polls!

Since Above & Beyond is a fairly new blog – I’ve decided to write posts introducing our kids on their birthdays and anniversaries so you can get to know us like we are – one person at a time.

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Birthdays are a ‘national holiday’ around here.

Malachi turned 14 today. The day held a flood of memories and emotions for Mom and Dad ~ and a nonstop celebration for him. Every-other-year he gets a party with his friends. This year, it’s just the 17 of us – celebrating his life. We’ll serve the dinner he requests next week for a family meal and each of us will tell what we appreciate about him.

-For Today -

• The day started with a special breakfast, by Dad
• No chores! School cancelled. It’s a holiday!
• Cranium played with sibs
• Visits from the married sibs – niece and nephew
• Phone call from Grandma
• Cards from Grandparents – with money
• Lunch out with Dad and Mom – not a kid place – a nice restaurant {I like that part}
• Shopped at Gap for cool clothes – hit a sale (Woohoo!)
• Rock climbing with older sis and bros – a first
• Movie tonight – one he’s been waiting to see. Since it’s rated PG – I told him I have to be the “P” – I love watching movies with our teens!! TV Guardian keeps it clean.

One day a year it’s all about YOU around here!

Today, for Malachi, we’ve tried to make birthday gifts elaborate and every moment count. We want to impress upon his soul that he is a blessing and a gift from the Lord. The enemy will try to tell him otherwise – soon enough. But for now, we want our voice to join with the Lord of all creation in giving a resounding approval of who he is.

Just like we did … the day he was born.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” Psalm 127:3

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Happy Birthday

Amos is 15 today!

Right about now – 15 years ago – he was born…

How’d this happen?

I still remember how we chose his name. Explaining to the kids that the baby will come in the fall,“when you see the leaves change color and start to fall off the trees“. I’ll never forget the day our 4 yr old, came bolting into the kitchen announcing, “the leaves are falling!!” with the anticipation of his birth.

I remember the little hospital – the delicious meal I ate after he was born – what I wore (don’t ask me why) – what it felt like to hold him – his sounds – how peaceful he was – how Dr. Ted & Tim cried  - and I …. sighed with relief! I remember bringing him home to be overtaken by 7 older brothers and sisters who couldn’t WAIT to hold him!

Right now he’s beating his Dad and brothers at basketball in the backyard. He just finished a ranch-style breakfast (thanks Dad) and we’ll will  take him to lunch in a couple of hours (just the parents). It’s our tradition. Tonight he’ll have friends over to watch the Cowboy game. His gifts are money, sports equipment (man never has enough of this) and the political book he’s wanted.

He’s a fine young man and our hearts are overjoyed with the pleasure of knowing him and watching him grow. The moments have added up to weeks – months – and years, lots of them.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory…to all generations.” Ephesians 3:20

…that’s how this happened…

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