Birthday Plans, Valentines, and Baby!

The boys are excited about filling out their valentines today; and, I have to admit, so am I!  I love helping them get ready for a fun day at school.  They look so forward to it.  To make it even more special, I have decided to make cake balls to give away to their classmates.  Not something that I can say I'm good at (cookies are more my forte).  But, I have the ingredients and I'm ready to give it a whirl!  W. A. and Hubby hope to help.  Sounds like the makings of a marvelous mess!  :)

W. and A. working on their Valentines for their classmates!

Hubby's b-day is coming up, and the boys and I have been talking about what we're going to do to celebrate.  Because his birthday is so close to Valentine's Day, we are going out Tuesday evening (without any children in tow, thanks to the sisters-in-law) for dinner and a movie.  Also, it's already time to start planning for J.'s 1st birthday party.  Not sure what all we're going to do, yet, but it will be fun!  1st birthdays are always bittersweet:  they are no longer infants...and in J.'s case, he will no longer be the baby of the family.  In fact, being the baby was a little short-lived for him, seeing as Baby #4 will soon be here.  While I'm excited about a new little one, I somehow feel as if I'm cheating J..  I do know this, little J. LOVES his brothers and will probably take it in stride that he has another one to play and laugh with.  :)

The Latest Babe!

Little T. is moving around and growing as well.  Had a Dr. appointment today and learned that the date scheduled for my C-section (have to have C-sections due to an existing condition) is April 6, 2012.  If I go into labor on my own before that date, obviously they will deliver sooner.  We will have to wait and see what birthday God has for the little guy!  :)  So excited to meet him!

W. and A. are a funny pair.  Hubby always teases them by calling them nicknames ("Willy" and "Abe Lincoln").  A. was telling W. today:  "when I turn 4 I will be Abe Lincoln, and when you turn 6 you will be 'Willy'."  This did not make W. happy, because he absolutely hates being called by that nickname.  Who knows how A. came to this conclusion.

Both boys are doing really well at pre-school and kindergarten.  Mommy and Daddy are proud!  I LOVE to listen to W. read!  It just amazes me, and I hope he'll always have a love for reading (just like his parents).  A. is excelling with his counting a little better than W. did at that age.  Perhaps he's going to have the head for numbers.

Acteens and Annie

Okay, so my Acteen group at church is doing a fundraiser.  Basically, you order a Valentines Goodie Bag, and the Sunday before Valentine's Day, the girls from Acteens will hand deliver the bags during the Sunday School hour.  Cost per bag: $2.  All proceeds go toward the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.  We received LOTS of orders today, and I am super thrilled!!  God has really blessed our fundraising efforts this year.  What's also exciting is seeing a group of teenage girls get together and really studying what it means to do "missions" and applying it to their every day lives.  I'm super proud of them!!  Praying that God will continue to use them in awesome ways to further His kingdom.  

Teeth and Translation

I'm quite astounded by the fact that A. and W. can speak SO much "jibber jabber" and know what each other is saying.  I've heard of twins coming up with their own "secret language" and actually delaying speech because they have their own special way to communicate, but I never thought that siblings who are two years apart could accomplish it!!  I kind of find it frustrating, I will confess.  It's like being in a room where everyone else is speaking a foreign language and you're left wondering what in the world is being said!  Hopefully, this is a phase that will pass.  Don't get me wrong, they do actually speak legible English, but during play is when they lapse into their secret language.  


While this is going on with the two oldest, J. is cutting teeth...several!  He's an over-achiever!  Why cut one or two, when you can cut three teeth at once!  Needless to say he's a grump!  My usually cheerful baby, full of cuddles and giggles, is now just lying in wait for the opportunity to bite someone and then scream as if it were himself he bit!  :)  Of course, despite the grumpiness (and the teething diapers) we still adore the little guy.  In just TWO MONTHS he will have his first birthday.  Flabbergasting, I know!


Other great news, W. is beginning to memorize Bible verses!  I know there are Super Kids out there that probably memorize the entire Bible at the age of two, but, to me, (an adult who still has a hard time memorizing scripture) I am so proud of my 5-year-old.  Hubby and I pray CONSTANTLY that God will give us direction in raising up young men who will love and serve HIM all the days of their lives!

Hitting Pause

Some moments you wish you could freeze and hold on to for forever.  Last night, our house was humming with the usual activity, and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by God's love for me.  I felt it through the family He gave me, and was amazed at what wonderful guys they are!  Hubby was standing at the sink, washing like the third round of dishes, and as I watched him, I realized what a true servant he is.  W. was encouraging A. as he worked on a computer learning game.  His words were affirming and made A. smile.  "Good job, buddy. You're good at this!"  It dawned on me that he is our encourager!  A. gives whatever he has to whomever seems to need it.  He is our giver!  And, J.?  Who knows what wonderful gifts he has been blessed with.  One is always apparent, and that is joy.  He is always SO joyful!

Looking at my family, and freezing the moment for just a second, I knew instantly how much God loves us and how He is ever working in our lives.  He gave us an unexpected blessing yesterday that really touched me and my hubby.  Coming from such an unexpected person at that.  Our Lord is good to us in so many ways, and it is never more apparent than when I look at this family.

One little, two little, three little Turkeys....

We have our own little turkeys running around the Forsythe home, and they look very much like our three tow-headed boys!!  We certainly do love them!  We're getting ready for Thanksgiving, and we're reflecting on all the great things God has done in our lives.  While we were powerfully shocked to find out that we were having yet another little one, we are excited that he/she is coming, and thankful for this unexpected blessing!  We've experienced such great health this past year, and that is a true blessing, considering that boys seem to attract yucky germs with their dirty hands and their growing opposition to soap.  Yes, trying to keep them clean and sanitized is a great task, but a necessary one.  :)


This morning we made turkey-shaped pancakes!  W. and A. were so excited, and like true males, when they cut into the turkey, the first thing they declared was "I just ate his butt!"  Nice!

I'm able to blog this morning because the boys are playing nicely together, and J. is sleeping in.  My Youth Pastor (YP) hubby is only at the church office half the day today, and then we'll enjoy some family time.


I am unbelievably thankful for him.  I watched him yesterday, running out of the house, helping me out by driving me to Murfreesboro.  He had J. in one hand, his back-pack in another, and a box of baby cookies grasped between his teeth.  At that moment, he looked like a magnificent super-hero, minus the cape.


He is SUPER DADDY!  And the best husband in the world.  Thank you, honey, for all you do!


Time yet for another cup of coffee.  Happy Thanksgiving, ya'll!  Here's some lyrics from one of my favorite thanksgiving hymns:

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich"
Because of what the Lord has done for us.

Give thanks

The things they say....

Conversations overhead between W. and A. (especially in the back of the van) can be quite amusing. Today, A. was speaking incessantly about superheroes.  W. sighed, as if he were growing tired of the one-sided talkfest and said: "A. there are no REAL superheroes in this city!"

A. was quiet, only for a second, and responded:  "no, 'cause they're on my underwear!"   :-)

I had to laugh out loud!  The next "funny" didn't occur until bedtime, and then we had two in a row.  The first started when W. wanted to entertain A. with his stuffed Larry the Cucumber.  He was making Larry "speak" and moving him around like a puppet.  He proceeded to "preach" a sermon to A. about caring.  He ended the conversation with this, "so, A. you should care about other people (pause) and that means not poking their eyes out!"  Good point!!

Finally, it came time for bedtime prayers.  W. volunteered to do the praying, so we closed our eyes and bowed our heads.  "Dear God, please help Granny to stop being old....." and I must stop there because I'm too distracted by laughter!  :)