Dancing Their Hearts Out

Another year of dance class has wrapped up for both Marshall, Eliza and . . . Eric! (I'll explain). I was so proud of ALL of my dancers!

Our 2013 dance recital was held last weekend at the Elsinore Theatre. This year, Eliza decided to try Irish dance in lieu of ballet and jazz. Eliza had a great year dancing. She loves her teacher, Miss Holly. And her class was the sweetest group of eight little girls, ages 4-6. They learned Irish-T, partner swaps and jigs. For little girls, there are some definite draws to Irish dance including the lace-up shoes (gillies) and the massive wig of curly hair. I wish I could say that I created all those curls myself. We moms from Eliza's class got our stories straight, and agreed that, if anyone asked, the answer was it took 3.5 hours to do the girls hair.

The opposite of Eliza, Marshall gave up Irish dance to take ballet, jazz and hip hop. There were two other little boys in his class . . . he only wants to take dance if there are other boys in his class! Let me tell you, Marshall has some serious rhythm. He was invited to be in the opening performance of the recital this year, as well as the finale. He was a dinosaur in the opening, and a newsie in the finale. His weekly dance class performed together as fireflies. It all adds up to a lot of costume changes! And, since I was toting a 2 month old baby around, Eric took on the duties of a "stage dad," making sure all those costume changes happened on time. He's a pro!

The newsie performance is where Eric jumped in with his own dancing skills. As it turned out, each newsboy needed an adult family member to dance with them as a pirate. Convenient that Eric has that huge beard! He was the perfect pirate, and was a great sport about learning a hip hop dance that he performed on stage with Marshall. It's a great memory that neither of them will ever forget! And, there may or may not be a DVD viewing party at our house in a few weeks when we get the DVD of the whole performance . . . popcorn and Milk Duds provided!

Soccer Star

For reals. Could this team of boys be any cuter? Or muddier? Soccer, Oregon style, people. Go Leopards!

A Book and a Recipe

Oh what a rainy, windy, dark morning. And . . . shhhhh . . . don't tell anyone . . . I LOVE it. There is just something about the wind and the rain and the cold that I LOVE. My friend, Samm, and I really don't mind trading in our 5:15am walk for coffee at Starbucks. (Yes, we are fairweather walkers). And, the weather gives me an excuse to stay in with the my kids - to curl up with them in our pajamas with good books. And to bake yummy warm pumpkin treats.

Not that I got to stay in today.  After two beautiful days of sunshine, today - the windy and rainy day - was our Classical Conversations pumpkin patch field trip. Despite the cold and wet clothes, our kids still had a fun, muddy time!

Photo Credit: Angelina Buswell

Photo Credit: Angelina Buswell

But, if we had stayed in, we would have read books.  And, one of our favorite Fall books is Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving. It was almost impossible to check-out from the library last year. I think there were enough requests for this book that I would have had to wait almost a year to be able to check it out. I went ahead and bought it, and I'm so glad I did. Such a beautiful true story that demonstrates God's breathtaking sovereignty over the course of our lives. I cannot say enough good things about it.

Finally, one of our favorite Fall recipes, passed on to me a couple of years ago by my BFF, Bethany. I'm giving you fair warning that these muffins are delicious and addictive.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

You need:
1 2/3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup chocolate chips

To Do:
Preheat oven to 350F. Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. In another bowl beat eggs, pumpkin, and butter. Stir in chocolate chips and add to the dry mixture. Scoop into greased muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes. I almost always take them out at 20 minutes, even if they are slightly gooey inside. Let them sit in the muffin tins for a little while on the stovetop and they will continue to bake.

Happy eating!

Missionary Marshall

Dear Marshall,

This entire year, you have been learning about the great missionary, Paul, through the book of Acts and the letters Paul wrote to the early churches. One morning, while you watched me straighten my hair, you just started chatting.

Sitting on the edge of the bathtub, you said, "Mom, I don't know if God wants me to be a missionary." I asked what you thought. You said, "Well, I've been thinking about it in my bed at night. And I think He does." You had never brought up the subject with your dad and I before that day. You'd just been pondering it in that amazing brain of yours.

Then you asked, "Mom, do people still go to jail for talking about Jesus? They don't, right?" Before I could even answer and tell you that, yes, in some countries they do, you blurted out: "Well, if I go to jail for talking about Jesus, then I will just do what Paul and Silas did. I will pray for an earthquake and when the prison doors open I won't run away. I'll tell the guards and the prisoners all about Jesus."

I didn't even know what to say. Your fearless faith amazes me.

It also drives me to Jesus. Because you are my baby. I don't want to see you go through trials or suffering, pain or tears. Selfishly, I want your life to be safe and comfortable, easy and pain-free.

But, I know that you are God's before you are mine. You belong to Him. Your dad and I have the tremendous privilege of raising you and training you up to walk in God's ways. Those ways include a life of faith. Those men and women remembered in God's Word for living by faith "acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth . . . they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city." (Hebrews 11:13, 15-16).

There would be no greater honor than to have raised you up to live each day by faith in Jesus Christ. To have you know with certainty that eternal life with Jesus awaits you. That you are only a stranger here on Earth. And to have that truth drive you to live for Jesus with reckless abandon.

Your favorite missionary, Paul, said this, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."(Ephesians 2:10).

Sweet Marshall, you are God's workmanship. You were created in Christ Jesus for good works. Good works that God prepared for you from before the creation of the world. Good works that He created that you should walk in them.

Whatever those works are, buddy, I hope you remain as fearless as you are today. Confident that God is Who He says He is. I want you to step out in faith. To go where God calls you, and to do what He says, because you trust what He says in His Word: that He will work out all things for your good and His glory. My desire is that I, too, will trust God so much, that I will be able to rest in Him, no matter what He calls you to. To rest in the fact that He is good, and that He loves you more than I do. And that He will work out all things for your good and His glory. Whether you're a businessman in America or a missionary in Africa. Wherever He may lead.

My prayer for you is that, at the end of your earthly life, you will have experienced the reality of God's words about Himself in Isaiah 46:4:

And right up to old age I am the same. 
And right up to grey hair I will myself shoulder the weight
It is I who made,
and it is I who will carry,
and it is I who will shoulder the weight 
and rescue!

Love,
Mommy

A Ray of Sunshine and a Happy Leprechaun

Dance recital day! We were excited here at the Compton house. As Eliza says, she's been waiting every day for a whole year for this day. Highlight of her year. As we sat waiting for the performance to begin, Eliza said to me, "Mom, I can't wait for this magic day to begin!" Always a little extra drama with that sweet girl around.

On Friday, we spent part of the morning and afternoon at the Elsinore Theatre for dress rehearsal. Costumes, make-up and hair had to be done. All of the preparation had to be re-done on Saturday! I was grateful that Robyn offered to come help with the kids while I got everyone dressed. More specifically, to help with Jameson while I did Eliza's hair. Since Eliza chopped a big chunk out of her hair sometime this spring, I had to have her hair cut back into a bob. Which makes creating a bun on top of her head difficult. Jameson likes to interrupt the process. Usually this means sneaking the bottle of hair gel to squirt it out on the carpet. Then I have to let go of Eliza's hair to stop Jameson's mischief. And the process starts all over again. Praise Jesus for Gram's help.

Well, after a lot of Dep hair gel and hairspray, and a plethora of clips, bobby pins and a hair net, the bun was cemented in place. Eliza is thrilled because she gets to wear blush, lipstick, mascara and eye shadow. She watches me do my make-up every day and so badly wants to wear it herself. Her dream comes true once a year at recital time. Serious delight.

The recital makes me thankful that Marshall is a boy. Marshall is so easy. Just put on his costume. And a little blush so he doesn't look washed out under the lights. And he's ready to go.

Eliza's sweet little class waiting for the magic to begin

These are videos from Marshall's dress rehearsal. It is amazing to me to watch these videos of Marshall. Just two years ago, he was so shy that there is no way he would have danced on stage. Let alone in front of so many people. It was so much fun to watch him up there, dancing front and center!

[To hear the music on the video, go to the Mixpod box on the right of the blog and pause the music before you watch the video.]





Our videotaping of Eliza's rehearsal went a little haywire. So, here are a few pictures from her performance. Including a couple from her mama's backstage view.

No More Hot Chocolate. Never. Again.

I am thankful this morning as I listen to two little people watching cartoons, and can see a third on the monitor peacefully asleep. This Mother's Day, I'm not feeling so much like Mom of the Year. Thursday morning, I made both of my kids hot chocolate and set about unloading the dishwasher.  All of a sudden I heard a crash and hysterical screaming.

Marshall had spilled scalding hot water down his front. As his pajamas came off, I could tell that his burns were much worse than I'd expected to see.  I was screaming for Eric to come downstairs.  Poor Eric was getting dressed for work, and had no idea what was going on. But when he came down the stairs, he could tell immediately that the burns were bad. I think at this point we both went into auto-pilot parent mode and just tried to do what needed to be done.

There are so many things to praise God for in the midst of a horrible accident. I just can't stop singing the old hymn: "To God be the Glory, great things he has done!" Amazingly wonderful paramedics were at our front door step within minutes. All of them were about our age, with young children at home. They were well aware of how we must feel. And they were so wonderful with Marshall.

Marshall had an emergency appendectomy about two and a half years ago. From that experience I knew he would be just fine on morphine - which was the only pain medication they had available in the ambulance. Because I had experienced God's hand in the appendectomy experience, I was able to trust Him more fully to come through in this emergency. It gave me an immediate peace that transcended my own understanding. I was able to wait with expectation for the ways that Jesus would show Himself to us in this trial. Not that I'm a sadistic trial-seeker! I never desire to go through another trial. And yet, when a trial appears, I seem to experience God in a more real way than I do during "normal" everyday life.

In God's timing, Eric had not yet left for work. He was able to ride along in the ambulance while I prepared Eliza and Jameson to go to Gram's house. As I saw the ambulance pull away, one of my dearest friends from law school, Yvonne, drove up. Yvonne moved in down the street last summer, and in God's timing she was leaving home just as I was outside. To see the face of such a dear friend, who also loves the Lord, was exactly what I needed! It reminded me that God was in control, and was going to provide everything we needed.

Back in the house, I was grateful to know Jesus, as I sat praying on my family room carpet with Eliza and Jameson. Grateful that Eliza knows Jesus as the one who takes care of her and her brother. That even though Eliza and I both had tears flowing down our cheeks, Eliza is learning to go to the Lord immediately when she is scared and overwhelmed. I can seek Him with my 4-year-old and know that He will give her a peace that I cannot provide. 

My next thought was to call my best friend. She is more like a sister than a friend. And since Eric was in the ambulance, I was hoping to find comfort in her human voice. But, she didn't answer. And, I think God was saying, "Talk to me. Your human, tangible comfort is unavailable, and I want you to talk to Me. I'm real and tangible and right here with you." Thank you Jesus for taking every opportunity to demonstrate yourself and redirect my way of thinking and doing things.  

Gram graciously welcomed Eliza and Jameson to her home, even though she was having a meeting there that morning. Being somewhere so familiar and fun as Gram's house distracted Eliza from the trauma she had just witnessed. And blessed my heart, as I knew Eliza and Jameson were so comfortable and felt at home with Gram. 

When I arrived at the emergency room, Marshall was virtually pain-free and had found new friends in the paramedics, doctor, nurses and a sweet teddy bear later named Crutches. He happily told me that he had to go to Portland. The doctor at Salem Hospital was more comfortable sending Marshall to the Oregon Burn Center at Legacy Emanuel Hospital. Now that the pain was gone, I think Marshall was experiencing a slight sense of adventure.

So, Eric rode with Marshall in the ambulance again. I followed behind them. And soon we were up in Portland, getting settled for an overnight stay. Marshall entertained his doctors and nurses with stories about his siblings and being homeschooled. At one point he proudly announced that being homeschooled means he gets to stay in his pajamas all-day, just about every day! Thanks, buddy. LOL!

And, God showed up even in the smallest details. For example, the pajamas that they give kids at Emanuel have penguins all over them. Marshall loves penguins. There was a really wonderful chaplain who visited us twice in the hospital. And, in many regards he spoke the same "language" that we do in regards to Jesus.

In God's mercy and loving kindness, the burns were limited to second-degree burns. It is almost 100% certain that Marshall will not need any surgery to heal his skin. The burns to his chest are mainly superficial. His left thigh bore the worst of the wounds. Changing the bandages daily is proving to be the most difficult part of the healing process.

But there is beauty, even in the pain and suffering of our six-year-old. And, Marshall can see it too. There is beauty in listening to Marshall pray for himself, asking the Lord to make his bandage changes happen without pain. As Marshall and I considered all of God's blessings in the midst of the pain, Marshall thought "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow" was a good hymn to sing.

There was beauty in listening to Marshall and Eliza share a sweet conversation over the phone while Marshall was in the hospital. Beauty in hearing Eliza spontaneously praise Jesus for the details - in particular that Marshall's face, feet and hands were not burned. Beauty in seeing the joy in Marshall's face when he heard the list of names of those praying for him.

There has been beauty in experiencing God's love as friends, family, and neighbors have poured out their love on our family in so many ways. I think Marshall experiences God's love even in the cards, treats, and balloons and in the sweet neighbor who loaned Marshall his helmet from his firefighting days.

There is beauty as our family has the privilege of experiencing God's provision, even down to the smallest details, and the reality of who He is.

Recent Happenings I Don't Want to Forget

Fun date night seeing Coldplay at the Rose Garden with Kari and Conrad.

Jameson plays hoops.

Eric was planning to run his first trail run - Monument Peak - but ended up with plantar fasciitis. Major bummer. He has been a trooper. Patient in his suffering. Making every effort to rehab himself with rest and Trigger Point Therapy tools. He is back to running just one to two miles at a time. And still went to the race to cheer on Conrad, and to work as a volunteer at the aid station where he took this pic.

Jameson discovered the backyard slide.

Baby on a Shelf

Oh weekends, how the Comptons love you. Especially when you are (finally) full of sun. There is something so fun about driving the Jeep with the top off and all three kids squeezed in the backseat. 

A big brother played t-ball.

A baby brother wished he could play t-ball too

And he sat on a shelf. Weird, I know.

A little sister passed the t-ball time looking for daisies. Unfortunately for Eliza, I think that she might have inherited my total and complete inability to play team sports. I have really random athletic abilities. I am coordinated. I can run. I did competitive cheerleading in high school (had to slip that in).  But, I have no gifting for team sports - you can still get my family to laugh (hard) at the mere thought of me playing softball. or volleyball. or basketball. Sorry, Eliza. Your deficiency is a genetic trait. At least you have a cute giggle to make up for it. 

We finished the weekend with dinner at the next door neighbor's house. How providential that the family next door has a boy and a girl. Almost exactly the same ages as Marshall and Eliza.  Jameson just tags along. Somehow I think he'll be okay. Even if his parents do set him on the shelf occasionally.  

i got to have choices

Wow. My kids are funny. Oh so funny. If I do say so myself.

This afternoon was Marshall's first t-ball game. It seems we need a lesson in base-running. He got a hit right away and ran to first base. Then he was at second base. Then he was running for third. Or . . . so we thought. He ran right past third base and straight into the dugout. Huge grin, with dimples showing, all the way. With everyone shouting. And then laughing so hard we cried. It was priceless. Simply priceless.

First season. First game. First at-bat.

New topic. This evening I received this text message from Maggie, who babysat the kids last night. I love when babysitters share stories about our kids. Makes me wish I could be a fly on the wall. Here's the text I got from Mag-Mag (her name around our house). I'm just going to leave it as is. Hopefully you enjoy the description of this conversation as much as we did.

marshall was talking about how he likes kennedy. and because he likes kennedy he is going to have to marry both sydney and kennedy. so i was explaining to him that he could only have one wife and he said "well i am young! i got to have choices" and then eliza chimes in and says "i always thought i was going to marry noah. but now i don't know because i met lane" (and exaggerated the n sound) and then said "i got choices too!" then marshall asked me who my choices were and i said i didnt have any and eliza goes "you should marry an australia man!" and then marshall goes "i have a better idea. marry a spanish man. and next year i will learn how to talk to him!"

Love.Them.

Welcome, Spring!

Hello First Day of Spring! Finally. Time to head outside and play in the . . . snow?  A little (2-3 inches) snow wasn't going to stop us from enjoying the backyard. This is the (first) day (of spring) the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!

A little swing and slide action. I only had my iPhone in the backyard and I left the HDR on. Not the best set-up for action shots.  But, I had to document our snowy day in mid-March.

When God gives you snow, make snowcastles! And snowmen! And snow angels!

Happy Spring!!

Leprechaun at Lancaster Mall

As I type this, I'm sitting in a hotel room with the hubs. We get to spend the night in Portland before tomorrow's Shamrock Run. I know, I know, another night away. Please don't hate me for having amazing in-laws. They are also giving my kids a Red Robin fix. So we don't have to. Oh gosh, now you really hate me huh?

However, this night away seems like an ample reward for having spent part of our day at Lancaster Mall. Only if you live in Salem would you understand the pain of such an event. Oh Lancaster Mall, how I loathe thee. Half of you probably think I'm a snob now. That's okay. The other half of you are nodding your heads in agreement with me . . . I just don't find much redeemable about this particular retail outlet. 

But, our sweet redhead boy was performing there with his Irish dance class. We don't even know if we have any Irish in our genes. But we have a redheaded son who looks Irish and another son named after Irish whiskey. So, it's fitting that we would have a little guy who loves Irish dance. 

Here is Marshall and his two minutes of fame at Lancaster Mall. We're still not sure why exactly they were performing there. But, Marshall loved loved loved it. He's so proud. Which is all that matters. Nowhere else we'd rather spend St. Patrick's Day. We must really love that little leprechaun.

The Drunk Monkey and the Marshmallow Smiles

What we did today . . . another food craft. thank you, pinterest.  (For all of you to whom I said "no pinterest for me!," you can now say I told you so. It is the best.) The natives were restless today. The time change has the kids just a little "off." And Jameson had reached drunk monkey status. You know. When he's so tired that he is delirious. And he thinks everything is funny. And he hides in the cupboard. and dances. and bobbles his head around like a crazy man. and giggles. and giggles. and giggles. Much, much better than a cranky, tired baby.

We had hours to go until Eric was home. So, we made apple, peanut butter, marshmallow smiles. Messy and fun and yummy. They were not nearly as pretty as the ones on Pinterest. But it just didn't matter.

We cored and sliced an apple. Spread on the peanut butter and stuck on the marshmallows. (Yes, Marshall is in his Christmas pajamas. again. Don't judge. Like I've said before - pajamas are better than just Lego Star Wars underwear.)

And then we ate.

And ate.

And ate.

And got messy.

I have the .... Best job ever. Best kids ever.