We went hiking at a local nature preserve with some friends. Boys had never hiked before and weren't quite sure why we were doing this. It was a pretty cold day, and being so outdoorsy, I wasn't sure why we were doing it either. But we ended up having a great time and plan to go back!

My firstborn turned 5 years old today. This occasion has led me down memory lane -- join me, won't you?

Seems like it was just yesterday I found out I was pregnant -- it snowed that weekend, in Texas. I vividly remember all the doctors appointments where the baby (and I) grew bigger and bigger. I remember the fears that he'd get too big (which I now believe to be ridiculous, but that's a different soapbox).

We scheduled our induction for Monday, October 18 at 8 AM. The week before I coordinated, and Matt taught at, a conference for children's pastors. It was huge, so was my belly, and my ankles. I was rather miserable, but Matt kept singing to me "Come Monday, it will be all right. Come Monday we'll be holding him tight . . ."

The conference ended on Saturday and our families started arriving. (A definite benefit to scheduling the birth, everyone could plan to be there!) Matt's parents flew in from Kentucky. My mom flew in from Poland. And my sister flew in from Africa. Mom and Joni had only seen pics of me pregnant and Joni almost screamed in the airport when she saw the giantness of me.

Joni hadn't eaten an American meal for years, and I wasn't supposed to eat the morning of the induction, so at midnight we went out for burgers, fries, and ice cream. That was the last meal I ate before my world totally changed.

We got to the hospital and started the paperwork and pitocin. The day progressed slowly. The family played cards while I napped and watched Dr. Phil. Finally, around 7:30 that night, it was time to push. I had chosen to not take any childbirth classes, for fear that they would freak me out, so I had no idea what was normal. Turns out, we weren't. I pushed and pushed but he didn't come. My doctor explained that he had gotten stuck on my pelvic bone, so each push was pressing him into the bone, rather than out the canal. They used a vacuum and out he came. His little face was bruised and squished, but he was otherwise perfect.

(BTW, during all of this pushing business, the doctor was more concerned with Matt than me. Apparently Matt wasn't handling all of this well. Dr. White kept sending him out to get juice and suggesting he sit down. Hello, people, I'm trying to have a baby here!)

I'll never forget the sunny fall day we drove him home from the hospital. I've found a Maya Angelou poem that describes how I felt that day -- and still do.

The moment you came into the world
I tried to see it through your young eyes and
Everything became new again.

The moon became brighter,
The sun warmer,
and the stars even more mysterious.

Yet nothing is as glorious as you.

Happy birthday, my Patriot!

Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of the day I married my best friend. We're celebrating with a trip to New York City in November, so we decided not to really celebrate on the actual day-of. (Plus, we're on a family road trip to North Carolina, so the focus has been packing and getting down the road -- thus this blog post wasn't written yesterday.) However, one of Matt's love languages is gift-giving, so I thought I'd get him a little something to commemorate the day.

Thinking it might be a fun place to start, I looked up the traditional 10th anniversary gift which, according to About.com, is tin or aluminum. "The pliability of tin and aluminum is a symbol of how a successful marriage needs to be flexible and durable and how it can be bent without being broken."

What a beautiful illustration of the place I feel like we've reached in our marriage! After 10 years, we've discovered each others faults, realized we can't change them, and learned to strengthen where the other is weak. After 10 years, we've acknowledged that the goals and plans we had on our wedding day may not all become reality, but we're committed to the adventure that is before us. After 10 years, we've learned that our spouse cannot meet all of our needs (that took some counseling sessions) but it's OK to look to friends, hobbies, and God for some fulfillment.

Right now we are in another "pliable but durable" phase in our marriage. Kids are starting school, I'm looking at taking a job outside the home, and Matt's responsibilities are changing again. Transitions are rarely smooth and easy, but I am confident our marriage will survive to the other side. What will the next 10 years bring? If I've learned anything, it's that I have no idea what God has planned. But I know our aluminum marriage will survive.

So, what gift did I give him? An aluminum water bottle with a cool design on it. He can stay healthy and be green -- perfect!

So we were in the car and we had this conversation:

P: Hey, Mom, I learned something new from Kung Fu Panda.
M: Really, what did you learn?
P: I learned that when we're upset, we're supposed to eat a lot.

WARNING! WARNING! TEACHING MOMENT APPROACHING.
CHOOSE YOUR NEXT WORDS CAREFULLY.

M: Um, well, a lot of people do eat when they're upset, but it isn't really healthy for our bodies. It's best for us to pray to God when we're upset. We could also talk with someone or go for a walk. But you should only eat when you're hungry.

(BTW, I am an emotional eater, so this one was difficult for me, too!)

These are my favorite moments with my boys. They come when I least expect it -- so I have to always be prepared. When they suggest a topic, and I'm able to put together a rational and correct answer for them, then I feel like a successful parent.