Find out why Matthew is running like… crazy!
Author: amylynw
Impromptu Family Reunion
It’s the first day of summer, and while the world complains about the heat, I actually enjoy it. This morning I enjoyed some early morning gardening, thankful that I can stand without too much pain today. Two days ago I found myself flat on my face at the top of our stairs, the second toe of my left foot throbbing like mad. It was almost numb and yet on fire at the same time. Without an actual x-ray to confirm it, I’m 99% sure it’s broken. Its black and blue self stares back at me as I prop up my feet. I’m thankful that I don’t have to be anywhere or do anything. I’m thankful for a lot of things. The last week was a whirlwind of family and sisters and my brother and cousins galore. It was packed with many fun moments and the time went way too quickly. I’m thankful for the photos of this past weekend, which keep cheering me up. It’s hard to choose a few out of a couple hundred pictures, but these are definitely my favorites of this week:
I remember when these guys were all little babies, about 6 months apart each.
I was obsessed with this tree at Valley Forge.
Cousins minus the four Watts.
Nadine kept picking flowers and putting them places to honor the soldiers who died at Valley Forge. It was beautiful.
Betty and Auntie Heather holding hands.
I was also obsessed by these weeds. So pretty. So painful to touch. So much like some choices we make. They look so good, so appealing, yet bring pain and choke out what’s truly beneficial.
This little guy is a heart-melter.
Jack walked the entire time carrying his backpack and this huge stick. It’s how he does things.
At last, all seventeen cousins together!
Creek walking is something we did way back when the entire tall crowd were mere munchkins.
I love my brother and everyone loves him!
Jack, finding the biggest rock to throw. In his mind, skipping rocks means heaving heavy boulders.
A few of the kids who went swimming.
After Audrey found a host of feathers, most of the boys became Indians. Jack’s war dance was especially funny. He found a shoe string in the creek, which became part of his attire.
On my brother’s birthday, we all enjoyed cream puffs under the shade of the hundred-acre-wood, also known as my parents’ front yard.
Sisters are the best!
Another highlight of the week was Betty learning to walk. Just before 18 months, she took her first steps, and every day now she is getting more confident. She also learned how to climb ladders.
We enjoyed a campfire one night at my sister’s.
I’ll close with my favorite picture of the entire week. 
Watt Family Multiplied
Last night my whole family was together. All twenty-seven of us! There is more to write, but for now, a picture says a thousand words.
You Better Be Prepared
I was reminded today by a friend about how wild our God is. He is beyond ordinary. Although it might sound like a paradox, I’ve been expectantly waiting for His unexpected. As Matthew and I approach a month without work, God keeps confirming that this is good, this is His plan, this is all under His control. It’s not always easy to get uncomfortable on purpose. Quitting his job so he can pursue what he loves and what we know God wants us to do has not been a walk in the park. It’s been more like a walk through a very dry desert. But, as the sun beats down on us, He provides shade and water and everything we need. Everything we need. Wild, unexpected places. Almost always God uses people to bless us with money, who could really use it themselves. It never ceases to amaze me. A hundred-dollar bill tucked under our dinner plates. Really? Money in our pillow cases. Really? Food our family eats by the pound, provided through people who love to give. Don’t ever underestimate what good things our Heavenly Father will do when you trust Him to work out the details. Sometimes we are the ones who are surprised. Sometimes God is prodding us to do the surprising. Whatever it is, you better be prepared to be surprised.
An Afternoon in Philly
A little while ago our family took a day trip into Philadelphia. No agenda. Just ourselves. We had a meltdown from the 4-year-old, so I took just the tall crowd up the Art Museum steps for some fun pictures.
We saw five different weddings being shot around the Art Museum. Couldn’t help sneaking this picture.
It wasn’t until I was shooting pictures of our kids when I saw how funny their outfits were. About 99 percent of the time I let them choose their own clothes. Sometimes I veto a certain ensemble when we are going someplace nice. Usually I don’t. They are who they are. I love their confidence.
Shadows are such close friends.
Yes, Jack was carrying a gun in the city and brandishing it while he ran down the steps. One gun was bright blue and the other was a marshmallow blaster made of PVC piping. Always ready for battle.
The tears flowed for quite a while before finally subsiding. I love these kids!
Not every day do you see a UFO on wheels!
At last, her sweet face came out for a smile.
Can you guess where this is?
If that was you behind us in your Ferrari, you made my boys’ day.
I love Philadelphia. It’s my favorite city with so many memories made there. I can always be persuaded to spend a day in Philly.
Running Through The Night and More
After my last weepy post, I have been blessed by the hugs, reassurances, and reminders of faithful friends all around me. It is difficult for me to know the balance between honesty and what could come across as, “Pity me, please,” that is so often inundating our lives… or walls. It is my true hope that I can be real both in life and in writing. That what you see is what you get. I have daily struggles, and validating that fact is better than ignoring them. I want to convey a well-balanced story of my heart and life, without being depressing or making one cock their head and wonder if everything is always perfect. My life is an open book, and I hope I can be courageous enough to show you not only the beautiful parts of it, but also the difficult and sometimes ugly. Ultimately, everything points to Jesus, the Author and Perfector of my faith.
This week has been full of spring-time activities. A long-anticipated visit from an old friend. Night-time talks on the front porch. Roses from our garden in full bloom. Putting a bathing suit on Betty for the first time.
Strawberry picking with the kids.
The boys decked themselves out the other day in this fashion. Paperclips in their ears, gaudy jewelry, and the usual bling all over Jack. They love to be tough and strong. They can also be so gentle and loving. I am constantly amazed by this sweet balance that both they and their Daddy possess.
Speaking of Matthew… he took me on a date Friday night. We enjoyed live music at Burlap & Bean, with some delicious coffee and tea. We had some much-needed time to reconnect and pray together.
Tonight he is running through most of the night in preparation for his ultra-marathon next month. We will be posting more details about it soon. I plan on interviewing him myself to answer the many questions poised his way. In fact, if you have any questions about his goal of running 100 miles in 24 hours, please post them in the comments, and I’ll be sure to add them to the interview!
God painted a beautiful rainbow this evening. I ran outside in the rain with a cardboard box on my head, squealing at the sight. I always try to imagine I’m Noah, seeing a rainbow for the first time. It always works, and I’m amazed every time. God’s promises will never ever fail.
Now I Can Enjoy Life
There was a moment today when I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to pull myself together and go into public again. These days happen. Gut-wrenching, slobbery-faced tears that soak a handkerchief in a minute. Disappointment, anger, delayed hopes, all melded together to form a huge pot of emotion that bubbled over onto my poor unsuspecting husband.
The Lord takes care of those who are as helpless as children. When I was in great need, he saved me.
There really is nothing to be said for the comfort that God provides. He binds up our wounds. He wraps us in His love.
I said to myself, “Be calm. The Lord has been good to me.”
Sometimes I get so consumed by the here and now, the disappointments or drudgery of the moment and I forget all He has done for me.
Lord, you have saved me from death. You have dried the tears from my eyes. You have kept me from tripping and falling. So now I can enjoy life here with you while I’m still living.
While I’m still living. I’m alive and I can enjoy life here, not just despite my circumstances or surroundings, but because of them.
Some sweet Betty time today. Verses in italics from Psalm 116.
222,222
Two-hundred-twenty-two-thousand-two-hundred-and-twenty-two. Wow. Our incredible van recently pulled out the cool mileage of 222,222 on the odometer. It’s been an “Ebenezer” to us, reminding us that, thus far the Lord has helped us. (1 Samuel 7:12) We’ve never named it before, but maybe it’s time. It failed inspection yesterday, which I find both reassuring and faith-building. Count it pure joy, we’re told. It’s reassuring that God is still in control and that He hasn’t changed. Our faith grows when we’re faced with trials of different kinds. This particular trial comes on the heels of some recent study and thoughts I’ve had on God’s love.
So often we think of God’s love as a tidy package in perfect wrapping, tied with a bow. I just finished reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. My heart feathers have been ruffled in a good way. I’ve been thinking a lot about God’s crazy love. In Ephesians, Paul prayed that we would know that love now. How can we know this love that surpasses knowledge? I think one of the first ways is to stop putting our own definitions and expectations on God’s love. Stop equating God’s love with blessing, ease, and provision. God promises to always love us, but He didn’t promise that we would be free from pain, sickness, heartache, trials, and even death. No, He rather promises that these things won’t separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39) There is no aspect of God’s love that promises you peace, safety, and posperity. When we’re faced with trials of every kind, these things should test our faith and in turn increase our knowledge of God’s love. We are such emotional creatures. If God allows us to suffer, we think He has stopped loving us. Our mindset in this culture is to eliminate all difficulty, pain and discomfort. I’m not saying we should all switch our water-heaters off or start walking everywhere. I’m not actually saying anything, except that we need to examine ourselves to see if we’ve placed such a high priority on safety and comfort at the expense of reliance and trust in God.
Complacency and ease are often the very things which wedge our hearts farther from a true knowledge of Him and His love. When we face really hard things, they either break us or make us. I hope and pray that my faith in an unchageable God will grow stronger through fire.
Ebenzer. Thus far the Lord has helped us. I am persuaded. Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God of The Unexpected
God doesn’t often use the expected means to get His purposes accomplished. When Jesus fed the 5,000, He didn’t send His diciples to the grocery store or discount outlet to buy enough food for everyone. He used what was available: 2 loaves and 5 fish from a willing boy’s lunch, and He multiplied it five-thousand-fold. Unexpected.
When the Israelites left Egypt and came to the Red Sea, God didn’t stop everyone and put the exodus on hold just because a huge body of water was blocking their exit. He didn’t call a meeting with builders and architects to conceive a plan on how to quickly build a bridge or a boat which could accomodate thousands of people safely across the water. No, He simply split the water in half and had the people walk across dry ground. Unexpected.
When there were thousands of lives at stake during an unstable time in history, God used the wisdom and courage of a woman named Esther, to save an entire nation. Why not an army? Unexpected.
This week I have been reading in Ezra. Israel returned to Jerusalem from captivity and started to rebuild the temple. They were tricked and discouraged by their enemies, and the rebuilding halted for about fifteen years. God used Haggai and Zechariah to encourage the people to start rebuilding again. Then a guy named Tattenai tried to stop the work by sending a message to King Darius, telling him to search the records about whether or not they should indeed be rebuilding the temple. He was trying to intimidate them into stopping the work again. The response of the King is so astounding! Not only does he foil Tattenai’s plan, but he tells him to use the king’s own money to fund the project! He tells him that he is to give them day by day whatever they need. Unexpected.
God can use anything and anyone to accomplish what He wants. He has good plans for us. He is not limited by our money, our status, our connections, or lack of any means. God will take our lack and use it. He will smile, because day by day He likes to surprise us with the unexpected.
Purple and Camo: The Perfect Blend
This morning as we ate crepes there was much drawing going on around the table. Robots, cats, and flaming arrows (which I innocently thought were flowers). Elijah asked Elsie how to spell her name. She began to clearly spell it out for him in a teacher-like voice. Then she proceeded to tell him, “Elijah, you didn’t do it correct. Here, let me do it for you.” He is the type to be able to chuckle to himself at her bossiness, and we exchanged smiles about it.
This weekend there was a father-daughter dance at church. The girls were decked out in their “wedding dresses” (dresses they wore to Matt’s brother’s wedding) all afternoon. Yes, Elsie wore a yellow head-band. One would never know the drama that went on with that decision. When they came home that night Elsie told me that, “I was only dancing with my feet one time.” The rest of the time Daddy held her while they danced. We both realize this will not always be so, so we treasure the small beautiful girl with the high-pitched voice that we sometimes just want to be quiet. Even though some days the tears seem to come in the quantity to fill a small ocean, we love our precious Elsie Rose who knows how to spell her name and loves everything pink. And purple.
Then we have our oldest, who didn’t need to be held to meet Daddy’s eyes while they danced. Her beauty is swiftly unfolding, and it’s frightening and exciting all at once to see her growing up. When we were driving to church the other day she dramatically yelled from the back seat, “Don’t open the windows! My earrings are dangly!” Elijah agreed that they just might fly out. It was pretty funny.
While the two oldest girls were away, the boys, Betty, and I stayed home. At the moment I was taking this picture, I was not exactly happy with the mess going on here. They made strawberry-watermelon juice with every kitchen tool imaginable and I was stepping on sticky juice all night. Matt left me with a smile that said, “Enjoy them, they’re just being boys.” After this picture, they hopped in the tub, Betty went to bed, and I made pizza. Then I introduced the boys to one of my favorite shows as a kid: Knight Rider, and we ate homemade pizza and oohed and aaahed over the coolness of Kit, and there was nothing girly until the purple clad girls came home donning balloons and memories of dancing with Daddy.
Our house is full of the mixture of flowers and flounce, camo and guns. Gaudy necklaces and hair ties that don’t match, bicycles that make loud noises and robot drawings. Pretty tea parties and scary bike ramps. Perfume and stinky feet. Hello Kitty bandaids covering a scratch and bruised and bloody knees that deflect the stick of a bandaid. Once in awhile these two worlds collide, and I catch moments of gentle love between them. True gentlemen can put aside their macho muscles to gently hug their sisters and tell them how pretty they look. Strong women can hang on to their femininity while scaling daunting heights and playing in the mud. When boys and girls live together there are clashes, yes, but there is also a perfect blending of beauty and brawn, sweet and salty, tenderness and toughness. Sometimes I don’t always appreciate their differences and honestly I sometimes define different as wrong. Don’t we all? But having five little personalities surrounding me every day all day long, I realize and must embrace their differences and not try to compare them with others or change them. They each fill a void that would otherwise be in this world, and together they are the perfect blend.
Grow Old With Me 