Speaking Truth- Starting School Off Right

We decided this year to try something new

and have a little family meeting

the day before school starts,

to point out to each kid

#1: Strengths we see in them

#2: Hopes we have for this year

#3: Things we really like about who they are

I want to preserve this info,

so I thought I'd put it here and 

be able to find it again someday!

Taylor Lee Hickle - 2nd Grade

Strengths In You

Mom sees: You have empathy and care for others,
especially those that are hurting around you

Jacob sees: You play marbles and characters well

Robbie sees: You read really well

Dad sees: You truly love to read and it will
help you a lot in school

Hopes For You

Mom hopes: You will experience God's love in new ways

Jacob hopes: You will be a good listener

Robbie hopes: You will make new friends and have fun
Dad hopes: You will learn to be your own self and

make your own decisions

What We Like About You

Mom likes: How you can see the positive in any situation

Jacob likes: How you are kind to others and a good friend

Robbie likes: How you are a good helper

Dad likes: How much you like other people
and show them that

Robbie John Hickle - Kindergarten

Strengths In You

Mom sees: You can remember quotes and details
about people or characters from shows 

Jacob sees: You are good at playing transformers

Taylor sees: You are a good friend and make new friends
even when at first you feel nervous

Dad sees: You are committed to finishing things
and doing what you say you will do

Hopes For You

Mom hopes: You will find out you're stronger
than you think you are

Jacob hopes: You will make new friends

Taylor hopes: You will be a good example
for all your new classmates
Dad hopes: You will be a good helper for your teacher

What We Like About You

Mom likes: How you care well for each of your friends
and show your interest in them

Jacob likes: How you are fun to play with

Taylor likes: How you are a god friend

Dad likes: How much you love music

Jacob Sterling Hickle - PreSchool (1st yr)

Strengths In You

Mom sees: You are strong and fast and can

use your body to do what you want to do

Robbie sees: You are good at playing legos

Taylor sees: You are a kind person

Dad sees: You learn quickly and understand

things quickly

Hopes For You

Mom hopes: You will do hard things even

with no whining

Robbie hopes: You will make good friends

Taylor hopes: You will be a good friend
Dad hopes: You will have fun learning
and see how a classroom works

What We Like About You

Mom likes: How you make sound effects and 

sing songs cuz you make life more fun

Robbie likes: How you are a good brother

Taylor likes: How you have a good sense of humor

and you make things fun

Dad likes: How much you like to and want to help

Back When...

Last November,
since Greg had to work for Thanksgiving weekend,
we decided to spend a half-week away
and escape to Big Sky as just the five of us.

This was the first snow-play of the season for the kids,
and we had a blast playing games,
snuggling to stay warm,
and even did a day-trip down to West Yellowstone
where we went to the Wolf & Bear Center,
and ate at a fun 50's style diner.

I love this lil' family of ours!

(I also had fun playing with our new camera
so there's a few fun shots in here too!)

How many monkeys jumping on the King Size Bed?

One of my new fave pictures!

Lots of games, puzzles and snuggles

Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center

Lunch!

 Auntie Anna came and spent a day and night with us!!

Gorgeous day for some snow play!

(it was the week before ski opening weekend
so we had the place to ourselves!)

 Go Tay Go!

 Look! Wild Animals!!

A great time had by all!

 We look forward to the end of February
when we get to head back up there
and this time Tay is determined to hit the ski hill with her Daddy!

Mamitas Estimadas

Happy Mother's Day!

I have been blessed immensely by my own mother!

And what a treat to get to see her

the week after my birthday and the week before Mother's Day!

May is a blessed time of celebration,
and who better to get to celebrate with than my mama?

Mom,
You're a best friend

You're a gift and a blessing
You're an example of the choice to continuously advance
You're evidence of God's goodness
You're ever growing, sharing, learning, maturing
You're one of my favorite people on this earth
You're a joy and a smile

You embody perseverance, grace, wisdom, patience

You're talented and skilled
You're always just a skype call away
You're truly the best Mom I could ask for

I love you!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I have also been greatly blessed my "second" mother!

We celebrated Mother's Day a bit earlier this week
as Kathy is spending the weekend in Colorado.

(Hopefully greatly enjoying her other son and his wife!)

Kathy,
You're a blessing
You're a woman after God's Heart
You're loving, strong, disciplined and joyful
You're creative and gifted

You're a lover of the Word of God
You're a gift to your family

Thank you for enveloping me into your family

I love you!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

And as I consider mothering my own children

I am greatly impacted by the relationship
my children have with my mom and ma-in-law.

 They love you both so dearly!

And I cannot express my gratitude
that God chose both of you
to be the grandmothers of my little gems.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The other aspect of Mother's Day that now hits home

is this gift of actually being a mother!

It's an amazing responsibility,

an incredible calling,

the heaviest gift I've ever been given,

the most rewarding task I've ever undertaken.

 Dear Jacob Sterling,

Being your mother is a huge gift!

You've been a child-of-the-Hickle-transition-period,

and you've been so very adaptable and go with the flow.

You're a sweet, sweet soul.

You share even your favorite snacks
because you know the other person would like to be included.

You speak joy, even in your syllabic-pre-speech tones.

You're curious, growing like a weed, and you're loud. So loud.

I pray God make His call on your life ever-so-loud
so that you kneel before him and
allow Him to love others through you.

I can only imagine the man God will lead you to become.
Your dad and I are proud to be your parents.

I love you so dearly!

Dear Robbie John,

 I love getting to be your mother!

When I try to describe you to others

I come to three main words: passionate, enthusiastic, heart-led.

You lead with your heart.

You feel emotion at it's strongest: whether depleted or elated.

Your enthusiasm is contagious
to each and every person you come in contact with.

You bring smiles to others' hearts.

Your passion for life
has only barely been scratched in your three-year-life,
and I know God has huge things in store for you.

I see Him using you to bring others to Himself.

I see Him speaking truth through your words,
showing His love, mercy and grace through your actions,

giving new life to others through the way you live yours.

I am so very proud of who you are.

I love you so dearly!

 Dear Taylor Lee,

You're the one that made me a mother!

You're an observant, daring, empathetic feeler.

You value others so well, and they walk away feeling loved.

You are inquisitive and so very intelligent.

Your depth of thinking, connecting and understanding 

boggles my mind at times,

and I know God has big plans for you.

You find great energy spending time with others

and yet your imagination soars when you play by yourself.

 I know, without a doubt, that God loves others through you.

I see Him using you to speak value to those feeling worthless.

I see you cultivating relationships with those feeling isolated.

I see God continuing to call you to Himself
as He furthers His Kingdom through you.

I am privileged to be called your Mom.

I love you so dearly!

Sometimes I stop and wonder:

Why do I get to be their mother?

How will I be enough for them as they grow?

Where will our relationship be 10 years from now?

Who will they become?

What else will I learn from these blessed children?

And my daily choice (some days harder than others)
is to place them back into His hands
and ask God to speak into their hearts, 

to mold them and grow them according to His plans,
and leave them there- trusting Him with their little lives.

I'm thankful for the examples left by the mothers in my life.

What a privilege to be a mother! 

Busying Ourselves

Greg has been working three days a week,
working 12 hours a day (or night).

We are all adapting to this big transition.

Here's some of what we do to keep ourselves busy!

A Day for Baking

CHEERS!

Jacob has gotten very creative in his play time.

Here he emptied all the play animals out
and climbed into their tub.

Last month Burger King had a deal
where 10 nuggets were only $1.49!!

At least once a week I drove the kiddos over there.

Here's a BEFORE shot!

And here's the AFTER shot!

My three little Kings!

Bath time is still a trio-activity,

Something that won't last much longer, I'm sure.

But for now, they greatly enjoy the time together!

I'm crazy about these three goobers!

We watch a lot less TV these days.

It's been fun to see their ability to busy themselves,
grow and develop as they imagine and play together.

Here Jacob obediently played that he was the baby
while the Daddy and Mommy
read books on the couch next to him.

They periodically came over,

kissed his forehead,
and tucked the blanket back in around him.

It was hilarious.

He participated JUST as they wanted!

On this day we gathered together for a TV show.

(McQueen and Mater joined us too!)

I took all three kiddos to a doctor's appointment
one week when Gary and Kathy were out of town,
and I didn't have other options for childcare.

They impressed with the best of them!!

They were quiet when needed to be,
shared the stepstool thing on the bed so they could all read,
and waited patiently when we had to.

Gems!

All this time away from Daddy
takes it's toll on them sometimes.

 When he works a 12 hour day
he leaves around 6:30am
and returns around 8:00pm.

That's before kids are up,
and after kids are down for bed.

But Mommy gets extra time with him
cuz I don't have to share him with the kids!

When he works a 12 hour night
he leaves after dinner
and returns just in time for breakfast,
but then sleeps for most of the remainder of the day.

So the kids enjoy seeing him for 2 of 3 meals a day,
but Mommy never gets solo face-to-face time
and feels like I miss him greatly!

One evening the kids lay siege to the exit
and said he wasn't allowed to go anywhere.

One of the blessings about his job
is that it is a mix of night and day
(better for Mommy and the kids,
although I know it's hard on him sometimes)
and that most of his shifts are days in a row.

So that means we miss him greatly for a set of days,
but know that he'll be with us for a few days
before he has to return to work again.

We are still settling into our new home
so in order to get stuff done around here
when there's only one adult to entertain kids,
I use the baby gate when necessary =)

We've been doing picnics inside sometimes.

Very fun!

One night we were busy doing chores all day
so I told them we could go on a milkshake date
to one of Robbie's favorite places, Red Robin!

When we sat down, 

I told the waiter we were on a milkshake date,
and he made it extra special.

He split our shake into three cups,
put whip and cherry on each,
and sweetly served us well.

Sometimes, when Daddy's working nights,
if Mommy has dinner ready early enough,
then we eat and afterwards get to do a little
family walk around the neighborhood.

Such fun!

 These kids love to be outside.

We've established the boundaries they can walk to
before they have to turn back around to be with adults.

They bike & scooter around,
and are just lovin' the Spring weather!

There's nothing like having time when all five of us are together,
and the more we live out this new schedule
the more I find myself thankful for our time together.

One evening we went and picked up some fast food,
intending to go eat it as a picnic in the park,
but it got windy and began to sprinkle,
so we just had a family date in the car.

Daddy squeezed into the small space
between the biggers' carseats.

It's these kind of memory-making-moments
that warm my heart greatly!

I love this man with all my heart!

He's working so hard,
and balancing so much through this big transition
back into the work place!

Proud of you Babes!

Thanks for all your hard work!