Satan is a fool.

He really is. He doesn't get it. Satan didn't get it on Black Friday when Jesus took our own sins upon Himself so that He would suffer the punishment we deserved. Satan didn't get it on Easter morning when Christ rose from the dead, conquering forever sin, death, and the devil. Satan doesn't understand that this battle for the souls of the elect has been won. And, he doesn't get that he isn't the winner. 

We spent last week in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Fort Wayne isn't a perfect city, it can be actually quite annoying, there is a lot of traffic, and people don't really stop to say hi to each other. But, nestled in what feels like the secluded woods, you'll find Concordia Theological Seminary, a little spot of wonderful. At least, it is a little spot of wonderful to me.

Even on a cold January day it is still beautiful. 

Imagine a place where everyone agrees that Jesus Christ is the true Son of God, that He lived a perfect life for you, that He died a perfect death for you, and that He rose again so that you too can have eternal life. Pretty wonderful, right? Now add to that a place where everyone agrees that abortion kills babies, that traditional marriage is great, that children are a blessing, and that we should love and care for our neighbors. You are feeling the wonderful, aren't you? Then....top that off with a handful of people who think that Arrested Development is by far the funniest television show that has ever been created and can quote it on queue, and I think I've made a pretty convincing argument. 

"The seal is for marksmanship, and the gorilla is for sand racing."

Last week, the seminary held its annual Symposia. It is a week of papers and presentations, of liturgy and theology, it is a week of awesome. A week to be surrounded by super Lutheran people saying super Lutheran things. I told Ben that it was a week to get our Lutheran on, get re-energized  for his vicarage, and get ready for his pending call. And last week was all these things. It was so good that on the way home we were already talking about how would could manage to do it all over again next year. 

Last week, was also kind of a stinker. We ended up having to take our van into the shop and drop some major money on repairs only to have it continue to malfunction on the way home. Now we await our appointment at the shop here in town on Thursday to see what else is wrong and how much that is going to cost. In addition, after we got home Ben's laptop quit working, the hard drive just completely went out. There were other things too. A lot of things to bring us down and flood our newly re-energized minds with worry and doubt. 

Which brings me back to my original point. Satan is a fool. Satan hates the fact that Ben is going to be a pastor. He hates the fact that my husband is going to proclaim God's word each Sunday to all who will listen, he hates that we are raising our children to believe that what the Bible says is true, and he hates the fact that we are baptized children of God. He also hates the fact that last week we had a solid week of theology and friendship, and little bit of Arrested Development one liners. He hates that last week we were super happy and excited for the future. So he does the only thing he can do: he tries to make us despair. He heaps burdens on us. He takes away our security. He thinks that if he can just take away some of our blessings that we will curse God and will fall away from our faith. 

Satan is a fool because just as he didn't realize that Christ on that cross was God's victory, he doesn't realize that suffering only drives us to that same cross. When I have doubts, I do not despair, I pray...fervently. When my securities are stripped away, I do not curse God, I rely on His generous and constant care of my family. Satan is a fool because he doesn't realize that when he takes away some of our blessings that it reminds us of our true blessing: that we have been given faith in Jesus and that one day we will live with Him in heaven, our true home. 

Two isn't all bad.

I gave Sophia a hard time the other day for her general two-ness. I don't think that is a word, but I don't let a little thing like that stop me. 

It turns out that as hard as two can be, it isn't all bad. 

Also, there is nothing quite like a sleeping two year old to make your heart melt...and your neck to ache in sympathy. 

Ugh, I had forgotten about this.

I had a two year old about five years ago. I remember that it was terrible and awful, but I've spaced out a lot of the more grueling details. I think that may be because that two year old grew into a horrible three year old, and then an even more challenging four year old, and then slowly started to get better. By the time we got to five, two was just a distant memory and pain and suffering.

I have a two year old now and she has been acting her age for a while. It wasn't until today that I had that "oh yeah" moment. It happened at about 11:00 am when I realized that she had been actually either crying or whining since 6:30 am this morning.

You may think that I am exaggerating...I'm not. She had been literally crying or whining since she woke up. Never stopping, just continuing, never tiring, only annoying.

As rough as it has been and as much as I feel like it isn't getting better anytime soon, I still have this vague sense that Connor was so much worse.

I also look at my sweet little, precious, cuddly baby girl and think "you're going to do this to me too, aren't you?"

I guess that is one joy of having three kids right in a row. By the time Sophia is done being two, Elinor will be almost there. And, by the time Elinor has grown out of the terrible twos and into the tiresome threes, the baby will be ready to take over as resident tyrant.

Looks like I've signed up for at least another three or four more years of this fun. Bring it on kids. I can take it. And for revenge, I'll make sure that this picture makes it out on prom night.

No, no, no.

Elinor is almost 8 months old and very mobile these days. As such, the word no is becoming part of our regular vocabulary.

I'll give Elinor this much, every time I say "Elinor! No!" she stops what she is doing and looks at me.

However, she then blows me a kiss and goes back to whatever she was doing before anyway.

Parenting Fail.

Pilgrim Time

Connor's 1st grade class had a pilgrim play. He was pretty impressed with his role as the pastor.

Here are some video highlights.

And a song. I kind of love his very loud singing voice.

Six Big Changes

I was looking at a picture of our family from a year ago and from Thanksgiving weekend.

Check out the differences.

First - can I just brag on my husband for a minute? Do you see that he is like half the size he was a year ago?  I'm very impressed when he gets up every morning at 6 am to go work out at the YMCA. I'm not so supportive that I get up and go with him or wake up more than the amount required to say goodbye - but I'm impressed and so very proud of him.

Second - do you see how much Connor has grown over the past year? He used to come to Ben's waist and now he is up in elbow territory. He also just looks so much older now than he did a year ago. I didn't expect him to start looking so much like a kid so fast.

Third - a year ago Sophia looked confused in her picture. Now she just looks mischievous  There's a good reason for that...she is.

Fourth - isn't Elinor a cute butterball of a baby? I think so. She is quite possibly the sweetest and most even tempered baby in the world. (I'll bet a year from now that I will be much less complimentary of her demeanor).

Fifth - Note to self. Don't wear green stripes when you are going to get your picture taken...or, you know, ever.

Sixth - We are going to have our own little firecracker this July. We are due to have another little Ockree on July 2nd, 4th, or 7th (depending on how big little one has measured in the various sonograms I've had).

What this means for our family?

1. We are going to need a bigger car. Five is the most we can safely shove into a sedan. 
2. Dr. Wheeler is going to have to temporarily move his practice to Topeka, Kansas. (I'm sure he won't mind).
3. That 10th anniversary trip Ben and I were planning is going to be replaced with an even more expensive trip to St. Francis hospital.
4. I'll be joining the girls for afternoon nap time. 
5. I'm going to need to make more friends. Preferably the type that like to hold babies in church so that I don't have to sit by myself with a 7 year old, 3 year old, 1 year old, and 1 month old. 
6. I'm not getting away from diapers any time soon. 
7. Life is about to get a little bit rougher and a whole lot more awesome. 

Of Road Trips and Love Letters

Yesterday Ben and I took some of the high school kids to Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska. It was a great trip and I am pretty much sold on the Concordia college system for the following reasons.

1. The students are required to live in the dorms for three years, or until they are 21. 
2. The students are required to live in the dorms for three years, or until they are 21!
3. Please see either #1 or #2. 

I already informed Connor, Sophia, and Elinor that they would be attending a Concordia College, so they better keep those grades up. We're going to need some scholarships. 

We wanted to leave for Seward first things Friday morning, so I asked my Mom if she would watch the kids for us Thursday night and all day Friday. She, being the awesome Grandma that she is, of course said yes. 

After picking up the kids last night I could tell that they actually missed me. They all had different ways of expressing their love for me and happiness for being back in my company. 

Sophia proceeded to tell me everything that had happened all day. The conversation went something like this: "So Mom, we had Grandma and played and then Connor took my french fry, but I didn't want to eat it all, and at lunch there were kids, and I had nap, but I a princess so I wished on star for castle, and that because I princess, and Connor, and kids." 

Connor showed me that I was missed and loved by telling me about every wild brilliant plan he had come up with during the day. My favorite was a plan to train and release into the wild orphaned squirrels whose parents had been run over. 

Elinor showed me she loved me by waking up at 11:00 and refusing to go back to sleep until she had been held and had been able to hug and kiss me for about half an hour. Then she needed some time with her dad as well and started to shout "Dada" until he woke up to giver her some snuggles.

It's nice to be loved. Even at 11:00 at night, and especially by my monsters.