"Don't Dust Your Brother!"

The past few weeks have been rainy, which leads to many days indoors, which leads to a little bit of boredom that can lead certain little boys to raise a feather duster just above the head of their brother, ready to clean. Hence the title.

It has been challening to be inside most days, but thankfully the sun came out today after some sitting in the basement last night during the tornado warning sirens. I even found a steal at a garage sale...a Little Tikes slide that should keep said children happy. For a little while, at least.

Jack is learning to say many words, and this week while his Aunt Jenny is visiting, we have been trying repeatedly to get him to say "Auntie". All that comes out is "Guncle" (not sure who that is, but she is going home with a new title).

Dave and I celebrated 5 years of being married today, and as we went over our list of the most challenging and most rewarding parts of being married, I was reminded of how blessed we are. I look around and I find (and smell) dirty dishes, laundry piling up by the washer, and dust that always comes back. In the middle of worrying about how the credit card will be paid off and how long of a week next week will be while Dave is at summer camp, I am reminded again by God's voice how blessed we are. We don't have it all together, and some might even say we aruge too much, but the reality is that I love my husband and my kids more than anything on this earth. Sure, the boys probably watch "Veggie Tales" too many times a day; they eat Pop-Tarts for breakfast, and sometimes we get to the middle of the day and realize they haven't brushed their teeth (probably because I can see Pop-Tart in them). But in our family devotion time, and when Jack says funny things and we all laugh, when Cameron surprises us with information we had no idea he knew, when Avery smiles....it reminds me. And that's why I'm glad I stay home with them. That's why it becomes more important to me to build a tent in the family room than to tackle the laundry right now.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 3:30 am and 6:30 am

2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Last summer..."The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" (it was free)

4. What is your favorite TV show? Hmmm...does the Weather Channel count?

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Whatever Dave cooks

6. What is your middle name? Artemis

7. What food do you dislike? Green vegetables

8. What is your favorite CD at moment? The Fray

9. What kind of car do you drive? Mini van

10. Favorite sandwich? Chicken salad

11. What characteristic do you despise? Laziness

12. Favorite item of clothing? Comfy pants and hoodies

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation,where would you go? Greece

14. Favorite brand of clothing? Old Navy

15. Where would you retire ? Close to my kids

16. What was your most memorable birthday? They all run together..I'm getting old

17. Favorite sport to watch? none

18. Furthest place you are sending this? Indiana

19. Person you expect to send it back first? No one

20. When is your birthday? October 29

21. Are you a morning person or a night person? Neither

22. What is your shoe size? 10

23. Pets? No

24. Any new and exciting news you 'd like to share with us? I've been married 5 years next week...where did the time go?

25. What did you want to be when you were little? A nurse

26. How are you today? Blessed

27. What is your favorite candy? Chocolate all around

28. What is your favorite flower? Daises

29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? When Dave comes home from music camp
30. What's your full name? Marcella Artemis Mowers

31. What are you listening to right now? Cameron's naptime CD in the monitor

32. What was the last thing you ate? Mini turkey burgers and a salad

33. Do you wish on stars? No...since I'm not a night person, I don't usually see them

34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Yellow

35. How is the weather right now? Cloudy and cool

36. The first person you spoke to on the phone today? Dave

37. Favorite soft drink? Diet cherry Sprite

38. Favorite restaurant? Mexican

39. Real hair color? Brown

40. What was your favorite toy as a child? Anything my brothers didn't play with

41.Summer or winter? Summer

42. Hugs or kisses? Both

43.Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate

44. Coffee or tea? Can I have both?

45. Do you want your friends to email you back? Sure, if they want to

46.When was the last time you cried? Friday

47.What is under your bed? Dust and maybe a baby bottle or two

48.What did you do last night? Ate dinner, did devotions with Dave, tried to finish the Sunday crossword

49.What are you afraid of ? Leaving the bathroom with toilet paper hanging out of my pants
50.Salty or sweet? Both

51.How many keys on your key ring? Too many

52. How many years at your current job? 7

53.Favorite day of the week? Friday

54. How many towns have you lived in? Hmm....9

55.Do you make friends easily? No...I tend to make good ones, then keep 'em for life

It's always too long between posts.

Jack has started talking and has a whole list of words that we love to hear him say; he started last week while we were on vacation at Michele and Nathan's house. All of sudden, he spit out the word "uncle" (uncoo), and it was chatter, chatter from there.

Avery is sleeping through the night (hallelujah) and starting to interact more, laughing and "talking".

Cameron is helpful as a big brother -or "bubba", as Jack calls him, always willing to do what he can.

I was cleaning out a large storage closet at the corps today (didn't even know it was so messy until I walked in two weeks ago...now I'm thinking I shouldn't have even walked in), and I can see progress in the future. Our building is actually an old grocery store, so not much space, but I believe you have to work with what you have. That's why our nursery is the back half of the thrift store manager's office and the chapel shares space with the dining room.

Besides the challenges, I can see so many ways that opportunities are opening up for us, as long as we're faithful. Space is not really the issue; we can make room for what's necessary. I think the issue a lot of times is where my heart is.

The other morning I walked downstairs with the wrong attitude. I was the last one up and not in a good mood, and when I walked into the kitchen and saw the mess the rest of the family had left, it got worse. When I picked up an empty can to throw it away, I cut my finger, which forced me back upstairs to find a band-aid. It's a good thing, because I was able to pray and ask God to focus my heart on what was important. Once I did that, the day went (mostly) smoothly.

The summer looks busy, with camps and vacation bible school, plus a vacation at the end of August.

We are blessed.

Cameron lost his front tooth in an unfortunate play room accident

The ceiling of the Indianapolis Children's Museum