Aloha, Baby!

Aloha from us:

We are in Oahu and this is the view from our hotel room:

Now we're heading out on a run to enjoy this view:

Aloha!

What She Wore Sunday

I know some bloggers faithfully post "What I Wore" on various days of the week. My personal wardrobe isn't overly exciting. The majority of my fashion ideas come from all of you who are my girlfriends. So, most of my outfits look something like one of yours.

Eliza's outfits, however, are often worthy of a "What She Wore" post. I think I'm just going to start posting her most recent noteworthy ensemble of each week. We'll call it "What She Wore Sunday," as Eliza's most creative outfits are often those that she puts together for church. Very rarely, I have to tell this little lady to make a change to her outfit. As long as it's modest, I am happy.  (I know, her belly is showing in this picture - that almost never happens.)

I can't resist posting this picture of Eliza coloring up the sidewalk. There is just something so sugary sweet about this four year old. And the chalk drawings that she is making. Wow. In case you can't tell, they are Prince Jameson and Princess Eliza. She clearly got her amazing artistic ability from her mama.

My First Guest Blogger

Today's post comes from our first guest blogger, Marshall:

It was really fun meeting Doug. Doug is the dog from Up. We went around the Challenge Trail with Eliza too. Eliza was afraid of Doug. We went on the tire swing and one girl fell off. And then the man said "You have to stay on with your arms and legs." This was at Disneyland. And we ran through the Challenge Trail. No flip flops or anything that would fall off in the net. Wear tennis shoes. Staying at our hotel was really fun. It was called the Howard Johnson. 

I cried in San Francisco because I did not want to stay there.  I said "This town is a stinker!" with my blue blanket over my head. The Golden Gate Bridge was really fun. We got a picture there. I will put this picture up in a little bit. Actually I'm going to put it up now.

We are standing in front of the Golden Gate Bridge and I just got that gun from Disneyland. It is a Rebel Blaster.

Here I am pretending to hold a light saber. Besides, I went to Jedi Training Academy. It was pretty fun. I am now a Padawan.

A lady took this picture for us. I don't really know who she was though. Here is the five people in our family.

We stayed the night in Redding, instead. Eliza woke up with a barking seal cough at 5 o'clock in the morning. It must have been really painful for her.

Me, Daddy, Jameson and Eliza. Please comment about this picture:

Comfort for a Little Boy's Heart

It's a sad day at the Compton home as we report that Fish Vader and Seawalker, the goldfish, have died. They met their demise before I even had a chance to tell you that they had names.

Marshall is so disappointed that his fish died. It is heartwrenching as a mom to sit hugging your little guy as he cries real tears of sadness because, well, it just makes him so sad. And, there is nothing that I could do to change his circumstances. There is no CPR for goldfish. And, I lack the power to bring them back from the dead.

As I prayed for Marshall before bed, I prayed that Jesus would give him comfort. And, thanked Jesus because He has already promised in His Word to do it. Praise Jesus that I had been living in 2 Corinthians this week and the words from 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, "[He is] the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles ...," were fresh in my mind and on my heart, ready to share with Marshall.

Leaving Marshall's room that night, I remembered that there is a BSF Home Training Lesson (HTL) that mentions helping kiddos when they face disappointment or trials. I knew I had read it in years past.  But, I am a children's leader at BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) and I needed to finish my preparation for the next morning's BSF leadership meeting. It was already late, and I didn't have time to dig through my old BSF materials to try and find the lesson. However, I really felt like I needed some direction from the Word about leading Marshall to Jesus in his sadness. 

Sitting down to prepare my children's lesson for leaders' meeting, I began reading the current HTL, the first step in preparing the children's lesson each week. I squealed out loud, by myself at my kitchen counter, as I realized that this week's HTL was the one that I had been thinking of. This was the week that we were covering that topic this year.  The HTL was about comforting your child. Being unable to change his circumstances. Leading him to the Lord who is in control of the circumstances. To the Lord who can provide true comfort in our sadness. It even specifically mentions missing a goldfish! 

The next morning I sat in children's leaders' training time. One of Marshall's sweet teachers shared the Truth she had chosen for hymn time in their class. It was about God's comfort when we are sad. I already knew that the main truth for the week was: "God gives His comfort to us when we are hurt or sad." But something about hearing Marshall's teacher say those words out loud made it click for me that Marshall was going to learn that concept this week. His memory verse would be 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, the verse that I had just shared with him during bedtime prayer. My eyes were brimming with tears and I was overwhelmed with emotion. God orchestrated what Marshall, my son, would be learning in such a timely way. God cares about my baby boy. Because Marshall is His son first.

I know that my son will face more dire circumstances in this life than losing a goldfish. For, "man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward." (Job 5:7). But, God is shaping Marshall's heart now, weaving a tapestry of trust. Jesus is using even the loss of goldfish to train Marshall to rely on Himself. He is wooing Marshall. He is giving Marshall tangible ways to experience His comfort. Marshall has parents who hug him and listen to him as he shares his sadness. He has a sister/best friend who made him a drawing of Seawalker and Fish Vader that said I Love You.

Then, through His Word, God reinforces that these comforts come from Himself. He is the God of all comfort.  Some translations of 2 Corinthians 1:3 say that He is the Father of all mercies. All mercies begin with Him. When Marshall faces tough times as his life progresses, he will already know by experience that his God, the one true God, is the God of all comfort. The Creator of the entire universe cares about this little heart that loves Him. Jesus is already working out everything for Marshall's good. (Romans 8:28).  It is as true for my six-year-old as it is for me. Praise Jesus!

Freezing Cold Fun

After a yummy lunch in Bend at 10 Barrel Brewing (yes, again. don't judge. we heart it. the tuna melt. the fries. the burgers. the kids mac n cheese. we just can't stay away.), we happened upon this crazy fun looking park.

Our kids were dying to play at a park but there had been too much snow in Sunriver. We couldn't pass this one up. So we parked and piled out of the Compton mobile. It was freezing cold. Our family lasted about ten minutes at the park. We got back into the car with red cheeks, cold hands and blue lips (wait. no. that was Marshall's lips. I mean, they were blue. But it was from eating a blue raspberry dum dum, not from the cold.). We had fun though. And got some blog-worthy pics.

Sunriver Living

Our Sunriver weekend in review:

Mommy/daughter pedicures. Eliza really just gets her toes and fingers painted. It is one of her very favorite things in the world to do. It's almost like this girl was created to go to the spa. She likes the relaxation room, spa music and the sound of the ocean, green tea in little tea cups (the idea of it, but not the taste of it. just holding the cup is enough), and chatting up the nail technicians. She is my favorite little girlfriend in the world.

Donuts from Hot Lava Baking Company:

Lunch:

Daddy happy to be at 10 Barrel Brewing Company:

Wrangling Jameson at dinner. It was a treat at dinner to run into my longtime friend, Alisa, and meet her beautiful family. We've been friends since high school cheerleading days and ended up at Willamette Law during the same years. Always fun to see friends "all grown up" with kids. Sometimes I still feel like I'm 16 and think of friends that way. . . how are we this grown up, and who thought we were responsible enough to have kids of our own?

Waking up to fresh snow:

Marshall, you're growing up way too fast, buddy:

Jameson always wants to be included with the big kids.

But, he gave up the idea of playing with Marshall and Eliza after he touched snow for the first time.

 So thankful for three-day weekends!

It's Over the Snowy Pass We Go

First, let me say nice job to my husband for his post earlier today. Way to go, babe. I guess I deserve it after posting the Nightlife Run photo on here not too long ago. 

Second, please excuse the photo quality of these pics. My Canon was packed up in the back of the Suburban. But I didn't want to miss the memories. So I used my iPhone on most, although a few were shared by Eric and C-note. 

We are at the River of the Sun.  Woo Woo!  The only thing I'm not loving is Marshall and Eliza sharing a room. They have been in bed for an hour and a half. They are still not asleep. There have been at least two, maybe three, bathroom trips. Eliza claims Marshall is snoring. But, Marshall is yelling at us that he is awake. To which Eliza replies "nuh-uh, he is sooooo sound asleep." Right. Oh, and apparently Eliza is hearing "booming" sounds so she can't sleep. Oh, and then she couldn't sleep because she is so excited to have her fingers/toes painted at the spa tomorrow. We know, Eliza, you've told us that maybe one hundred times today. We're waiting on pins and needles to see who appears in the living room next . . .

The fab Venti fam is enjoying a weekend at nearby Eagle Crest. [To catch more "Snowy Pass" action, head over the The Venti's blog!] So we all caravaned over the Pass this morning after meeting up at the Bux. (After Disneyland, and now this trip, their kids think that they only go on "wacation" with The Comptons. They are uh-dorable.) Our family even made it out of the house by 9:04. Only four minutes later than we had hoped for. Even more impressive since we were all out late last night together at a dinner/auction. And, at said auction I laughed harder than I had laughed in a really really long time. My abs still hurt this morning. Apparently the best ab workout I've had since having J-Babe.

The Pass looked like this on our drive over:

Which is why the boys are installing chains on the Venti mobile.

The inside of our car on the trip looked like this (check out J's cute baby toes in the bottom left of the picture! He always crosses his feet and his feet are so chubbs):

Let's say hi to the Venti babes:

And cute mama, Kari. I'm posting this picture at the risk of pictures of me showing up on Kari's blog. She stealthily took pictures of me (and you too, Lauren Enns!) laughing until I cried last night. But, this is an uber-cute photo of Kari. The pics she took of me were not so cute (I mean, not cute of me. Lauren, you are always cute). 

Out to lunch at Three Creeks Brewing Co. in Sisters. Oh the chaos of taking six kids out to eat. Um, yes, table for TEN please. 2 highchairs. 4 kids menus and crayons. But, seriously, it was fun. The work is worth the memories. It was easier when we all first met and Marshall was the only kiddo. But, it is so much more fun now. 

Good buddies Marshall and Nolan playing pirates:

Restless waiting for food, so the dads took five of the six kiddos on a walk and a little snowball fight action. No, they are not wearing coats. or gloves. or hats. None of them. Kari, do we win moms of the year?

Sweetest memory of the day was friendship between Nolan and Marshall. They sat together at lunch. And told each other jokes that made each other laugh and laugh. Sweet. Awesome. Wonderful. Heartwarming. Sweetest boys around.