Chuck E. Cheese

Yesterday it was 20 degrees, so no outside activities. My parents took us all to Chuck E Cheese. Josh, Dad, and I played a lot of skee-ball, basketball, and air hockey. We did also play with the kids. :)

It's always important to have cute hair and a cute new outfit to debut at such a fun place.

Luke liked to help Daddy shoot baskets. (Josh and my dad had a pretty intense competition going on basketball...Dad had been complaining all morning about having to go to CEC, but ended up having a blast.)

This is how Luke plays skee-ball.

And again- my daughter. At least my mom knows how to smile- Dad is a grown-up and really has no excuse- not only did he not smile, he did not look at the camera. Geez.

Look! No hands!

Mom- did you see the huge mouse? Luke stared this guy down for a while and then finally walked up for a handshake.

They loved doing the same things at the same time (yes, Andrea, I think it is the girl first thing that really makes this happen- she is majorly mini-mom to Luke, and he just adores her)

I loved Josh's excited face for Rebekah, who had just scored.

Luke and I were a team- you never know when you'll need a balloon. Look at that face. Oh my.

I am having one of those days where I simply can't believe my blessings from the Lord. Josh is such a good husband to me and these kids of ours are just awesome. This is a wonderful, fulfilling stage of life. :)

p.s. We just started reading Gospel-Powered Parenting (by William Farley), and it is awesome! More than just do's and don't's, this book really focuses on the heart of the Gospel and its transforming power in your child's life and the way you parent. I laughed that he credited his authorship of the book to 2 things: 1) Proverbs and 2) reformed theology. Reformed thinkers really are the best, no? I love theology that says the Gospel is the answer. For now, I leave you with some of his opening thoughts in chapter 1: you are either a defensive or offensive parent, meaning you either assume your child's conversion and then try to protect them from the world, or you assume the power of the Gospel in your child's life and believe that God will use it in their lives, thus freeing you to put your children in the world. Since Josh and I are pro-public school for this very reason, we were psyched. Our prayer has been that Rebekah and Luke will be influencers in the public school system, and the only way I can stomach the thought of them exposed to the world is by believing that the truth of the Gospel will guard them.

*side note: if you are for homeschooling or private school, I am not trying to pick a theological fight with you. This is just how we feel convicted at this time and it is not a salvation-issue, so we can still be friends. ;)

Anyway, I will report back with more later.