The Journey

Aunt Christy is our Hero!

2010-11-17T23:14:00.009-05:00

Aunt Christy (Christina Joy) came to visit from Texas last weekend - without her husband or five daughters! And Joseph was out of town for part of the time, so it was like a girl's weekend ... with my four kids. :-)

She played wiffle ball, threw the baseball, chased the pirates, read books, drew pictures, cheered for the Cardinals, braved the heights of the YUM center, folded laundry, ate Chinese, watched for Joseph on TV, cleaned the kitchen, bought breakfast happy meals, worshipped at our church, stayed up late, encouraged me in the Lord ... and more!

David ...

2010-11-17T22:37:00.014-05:00

1. David (4 1/2 years old) unknowingly created (and often uses!) a new helpful word: "butcept." Here is an example of its usage in context: "I have used all the crayons butcept the green one." Why choose between "but" and "except" when you can combine them?!?

2. Depends or Pretends? In a conversation about what time we eat breakfast, David explained, "What time I eat breakfast pretends when I get up." :-)

3. David and K'nex are a fabulous fit! He discovered them today -- and he did a super job following the directions, choosing the pieces, putting them together and making his "Spy Plane!" How cool is that?! I see hours of wonderful afternoon "quiet time!" Fantastic! :-)

4. "I not matter." David's got it figured out - "I not matter." What he means is "It doesn't matter to me." But there is some real wisdom in his statement, "I not matter." I pray this becomes a selfless statement from his heart (and mine!) - that he doesn't matter in comparison to God's glory or to the needs/preferences of others.

Our Growing Family

2010-10-28T16:44:00.016-04:00

Thank You, Lord, for our family - established August 7, 1999.
Pictures below are from 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2010.

Joy and the Boys

2010-10-24T23:10:00.004-04:00

Brotherly Love!

Joy Marie Margaret Bonura

2010-10-20T16:13:00.005-04:00

We praise God that Joy Marie Margaret has arrived!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

7 lbs 1 oz ~ 19 in. ~ 11:09 am

Here is why we chose her names:

1) Joy - The Bible says there is no greater joy than being in God's presence (Psalm 16:11 "In the presence of the Lord is fulness of joy ...") and my dear sister-in-law is Christina Joy.

2) Marie - My wonderful mom is Jan Marie.

3) Margaret - Joy has two lovely, faithful great-grandmothers named Margaret.

We are so very blessed and thankful!!!!

95

2010-10-13T22:47:00.003-04:00

Our church has an annual "Reformation Party." In preparation for the party, at church tonight Daniel and David were learning about Martin Luther and his 95 Theses.

As the boys ate their snack at home after church, Joseph and I were asking the boys what they learned. David described Martin Luther hammering a piece of paper on a door. Joseph asked him, "Do you know what the piece of paper was called? (pause) It has a number. Do you remember the number?"

David grinned and replied, "It is the same number as Lightening McQueen!" :-)

Sports Pictures

2010-09-30T11:46:00.015-04:00

Joseph's dad took some fall sports pictures of the boys:

Daniel is playing soccer with other 6/7-year-olds. Go Fireflies!

David is a 4-year-old fan of the Steelers!

One of Joshua's first words is "football!" :-)

Memoria Press

2010-09-26T21:47:00.007-04:00

The link below is to the most recent Memoria Press newsletter and to their 1st grade curriculum we are using. We have been very thankful for the content and the layout. Next year we plan to use their 2nd grade curriculum for Daniel and the kindergarten curriculum for David.

Memoria Press Newsletter
1st Grade Curriculum

David makes us smile!

2010-09-25T15:49:00.007-04:00

David makes us smile!

1. Today I was helping David clean his room. I asked him to hand me the box for dinosaurs. He smiled a smirky little grin, and he very slowly and deliberately replied in his cute 4-year-old voice, "With pleasure!" :-)

2. When a person wants another person to do something for him, most people say, "Could you please ..." For example, "Could you please help me?" Not David. He says, "May I please you ..." "May I please you help me?" :-)

3. David and Daniel have jobs/chores in our home. Yesterday Daniel cleaned the bathroom, and today he needed to empty all the trash cans, bake brownies, and fold socks/underwear. Sometimes the socks are wearisome for him. Today we made a race - I needed to clean the kitchen and he needed to do socks. Competition always motivates him! "I don't get distracted," I challenged him.

In the middle of our race, Daniel was doing things like asking me to come see his piles and stacks, luring me away from the kitchen. When the timer for his brownies beeped, I taunted him that he better come check his brownies so they don't burn. Reluctantly he came to the kitchen and we checked the doneness of the brownies.

While Daniel came to the kitchen, sneaky little David hid Daniel's basket of socks!!! It was HILARIOUS! We all laughed and laughed. The socks were no where to be found! Thanks for helping me, David! :-) We finally discovered the basket in David and Daniel's closet.

Quotables

2010-09-20T15:53:00.005-04:00

1. David (4 1/2 years old) was laying down for nap time: "Mom, I want to go to sleep, but I can't because my eyes make decisions [to stay open!]."

2. Joshua (15 months) walked up to me this morning and told me "stinkies, stinkies." And he was right -- he had stinkies! Wow!!! His other words are variations of Mama, Daddy, Daniel, David, football, drink, goldfish, and this. When he wants to eat something, he points at it earnestly and sticks his tongue in and out, in and out, in and out.

3. After lunch today, I was extra sore and stiff as I tried to stand up - not unusual at 36 weeks pregnant. I said, "Oh, owww, my back is really hurting."
Joseph, concerned, asked, "What would you like me to do?"
Daniel (6 years old) casually replied, "She's okay. She just needs to walk it off."
Thanks, son - I'm feelin' the love! :-)

36 Weeks

2010-09-20T15:47:00.003-04:00

My two babies: Joshua - 15 months, Baby Girl - 36 Weeks. :-)

Cricket Legs

2010-08-03T11:50:00.003-04:00

What will a man do out of love for a son? Joseph pulls the legs off crickets to feed to David's sick lizard, Fire-buster. Poor Fire-buster can no longer move fast enough to catch legged crickets. :-(

We have been talking with David about the fact that Fire-buster may not live very much longer. Yesterday I said, "David, I don't think Fire-buster is going to make it."

"Make it where?" he asked.

I answered, "I don't think he's going to live very long."

With a sad face, David replied, "That's okay. Lizards die before people anyway."

Good perspective, son.

20-Second Hug

2010-08-02T15:15:00.003-04:00

Today I was feeling tired, and I was trying to think of what activity the boys should do next. Daniel said, "What should I do now, Mom?"

I said, "Hug your mother; she needs a good hug."

He gave me an obliging, wimpy, less-than-half-hearted hug.

I said, "How about hugging your mother while I count to 20?"

Pretty shocked, he said, "20 seconds!?! A 20-second hug?! No way! I'm never hugging anyone for 20 seconds!!"

I chuckled inside and thought, "We'll see - someday you may change your mind!" :-)

Quiet or Silent?

2010-08-02T14:49:00.002-04:00

David (4) likes little special stuffed animals - a dinosaur, a raccoon, a skunk, a dog, etc. He call them his babies, and sometimes they come with us in the car, or some days he shares them with me, and most often they stay in his bed with him.

David and Daniel (6) share a room. When they go to bed, Joseph tells them if they should be "quiet" or "silent." Quiet means they can talk quietly for a while. Silent is pretty self-explanatory.

David was in bed by himself without Daniel Saturday night (Daniel was up playing a game with his cousins). David came out of his room and sweetly asked, "Mom, is it quiet or silent?"

"Well," I said, a little puzzled, "I guess it can be quiet, but who are you going to talk to?"

With a big smile, he said, "My babies!" :-)

Of course!!!

We're Back!

2010-08-02T14:25:00.002-04:00

We're back! 14 1/2 months since our last post - and we're back! Since I last wrote, we've had a son, Joshua Douglas, and we are 11 weeks from our daughter's due date (October 18, 2010).

Joseph is continuing to take classes at Southern Seminary, nearing the end of his MDiv degree. He tutors at Langsford Learning Center, and he does a great job taking care of his growing family! This school year he will be doing an internship with our church, learning more about how the gospel plays out in all areas of church life and ministry.

Daniel is getting ready for 1st grade in the fall. He really enjoys reading and sports. We are using a curriculum from Memoria Press for our "Happy Home School." (Nice name, huh? Reminds us that the Mom is happy to teach and the kids are happy to learn! :-) The curriculum is very similar to what is taught at Highlands Latin School here in Louisville, where some of Daniel's cousins attend.

David is a carefree but sensitive 4-year-old. He loves his brothers, cousins, and friends. He has a twinkle in his eye and likes to tease (sound like his Dad?!). David will tag along with Daniel's homeschooling - he enjoys his preschool activities.

Joshua has learned to walk! His crawling days are almost done. He is a pleasant boy who works hard to keep up with his big brothers. His favorite words are "drink" and "out." "Out" is for out of my highchair ("I'm all done eating"), out of my car seat ("I'm tired of sitting here"), out of your arms ("I'd like to get down now"), out of the changing table ("I don't want a diaper change"). It's a nice versatile word! :-)

We are thankful for the Lord's continuing work in our hearts, our marriage, our family, our church, and our neighborhood. I'll use this blog to record thoughts, memories, things that make me smile or cry, and whatever else seems important at the time! :-) You are welcome to peek in this window into our world as we find joy in the Lord and on the journey God has for us.

David's Third Birthday

2009-05-20T17:03:00.022-04:00

David turned three-years-old on April 26! We had a great time celebrating him and thanking God for him!

Here are some things we enjoyed:
- A train cake

- Cowboy boots from his brother

- A Lightening McQueen Sleeping Bag

- A pass to the Zoo and Science Center for our family from Pappap and Grandma

- A party with Bonura cousins in Louisville

- A very cool police hat and fire helmet from Gramps and Grammy

- A firefighter celebration with Anderson cousins in Missouri

- Family time at a Louisville Cardinals' Baseball Game

Also, chewing his first gum first thing on David's birthday morning was much anticipated and he is enjoying that privalege!

We thank God for David! And we had a great fun birthday celebration! :-)

David's Scripts

2009-05-20T16:25:00.002-04:00

David (just turned three-years-old) sometimes has ideas of how conversations should go. I think he scripts them in his mind.

1. David was talking in a very whiny voice. I told him firmly, "Please close your mouth and do not speak again until you can talk in a clear calm voice."

He immediately replied in a clear calm sweet voice, "No, Mama, you say, 'Awwww, David, what's wrong?"

Oh wow - I was definitely taken back by his reply! And I thought to myself, "We are not going by your script, David, but by mine!"

2. David was sitting with me on the back outdoor steps, watching Daniel and two friends (ages almost-five and two) play in a puddle in our driveway. David suddenly yelled across the yard to the boys, "Hey guys! (pause) Hey guys!"

Daniel replied from the puddle, "What, David?"

David said loudly, "Say, 'David, come on!'"

Daniel, confused, responded again, "What, David?"

David repeated from the steps, "Say, 'David, come on!"

So Daniel motioned and yelled across the yard, "David, come on!"

And David replied casually, "Naw, I'm sitting with Mom," and he leaned over to cuddle with me.

?????? Maybe he just wanted to be wanted by the boys! :-)

Stomach Flu and Salad?

2009-03-25T11:34:00.003-04:00

Both our boys like salad. Real salad - with veggies in it! Maybe it is because we only feed them one meal a day and it is always salad?! Just kidding.

Daniel (4 years 9 months - he's counting!) especially prefers salad. He will choose a salad at a restaurant every chance he gets - even over a burger and fries! And he likes cool dressings -- honey mustard, poppy seed, raspberry vinaigrette, etc.

Today Daniel woke up with the stomach flu. After throwing up for the 2nd time, he moaned, "Mom, I don't want breakfast, (sigh), and I don't want lunch. (sigh) But I do want dinner."

I was thinking "That's reasonable - maybe you'll be feeling better by dinner time."

Then Daniel added, "I do want dinner - if we are having salad."

Hmmmm ... generally we follow the stomach flu with toast and Sprite. Salad?!?

Homecoming 2006 - Naked Toddler Jumping!

2009-03-21T16:45:00.004-04:00

Oct 2006 - We went to Taylor University Homecoming. Professors from each major were in the gym so students could come visit with them. Lots of kids were jumping on the pole vault mat at one end of the gym, so we let Daniel (almost 2 1/2 years old at the time) join them as we visited.

Suddenly, from across the gym, Joseph saw Daniel start to take his shirt off, so he excused himself from his conversation and started walking towards him. In the mean time, as Daniel proceeded to take off his pants, Joseph started running across the gym towards him. Daniel continued to undress, until he was happily jumping on the mat in nothing but his socks!!!

After increasing to a full sprint, Joseph tackled Daniel to cover him! As he began to re-dress Daniel, and he asked, "Daniel, what were you doing? Why did you take your clothes off?"

Daniel answered simply, "I was hot!" :-)

2006-2007

2009-03-21T16:15:00.009-04:00

I found some memories I jotted down from 2006-2007. Here they are ...

1. Oct 2006 - Daniel (2 yrs 4 months) prayed, "Thank you God that you are so kind and gentle."

2. Oct 2006 - We potty trained Daniel, at the encouragement of our dear friend Amy Morello, who was potty training her twins Alex and Peter! It is always better to potty train with a friend, right?!

3. Nov 2006 - Daniel (2 1/2 years old) had an ear infection, and after we explained this to him, he said, "Does David have an ear-itation, too?" :-)

4. Feb 2007 - Daniel (2 2/3 years old) was repeatedly struggling to stay in his toddler bed, and so he had been disciplined quite a bit. This led to two notable conversations:

- Over time we had shared with him that Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for our sin. After being disciplined again for getting out of bed, Daniel asked with a deep sigh, "When will Jesus take my discipline?"

- Later he asked, "Mama, when you lived with Gramps and Grammy, and when you slept in the bed I sleep in [he usually slept in my old room on Belleridge Pike] , and when you got out of bed, did you get disciplined?" Yep, sure did, son!

When I am afraid ...

2009-03-20T11:17:00.003-04:00

David's (almost 3) memory verse for Sunday School is Psalm 56:3, "When I am afraid, I will trust in You, God."

One of the teachers reviewed the verse with the kids as she got their snack. After saying the verse with them, she asked, "So, children, what do we do when we are afraid?"

David answered enthusiastically, "We run, run, run, run [picture him pumping his little arms in a running motion] ... weally weally wast [really, really fast] ... and go hide!"

The other boys chimed in passionately, "Yeah! We hide from the monster!"

Monster?!? The teacher said all thoughts of the memory verse were lost at this point as the boys discussed the monster and what do to about him!

And all she was asking for was "I will trust in You, God." :-)

Quotables

2009-03-02T23:57:00.002-05:00

Daniel (4 1/2 years old) commented tonight while eating a McDonald's Sundae, "Ice cream is the best thing in the world, (reflective pause), except for Jesus!" :-)

David (almost 3), was talking about food he likes, including "maca-cheese 'n roni." :-)

Hydrangea Hair

2009-02-23T11:57:00.004-05:00

We just got home from a pleasant couple days at Joseph's parents' house in Pennsylvania. The following conversation was hilarious to us as we enjoyed lunch after church. Gigi is Joseph's grandma, Daniel's Great-grandma. You'll also need to know that there was a vase on the counter filled with a bouquet of hydrangea blossoms.

Daniel, sincerely: Gigi, when I came in the door I thought those flowers were you because they look like your hair.

Gigi, matter-of-factly: Well, thank you, I think those flowers are lovely.

Daniel reiterated: The flowers make me think of you because they look like your hair. They are the same shape, but they aren't the same color.

Gigi, with good humor: I could probably do something about that! :-)

"Dig"

2009-02-18T23:58:00.002-05:00

I generally pick out our boys clothes, but today I went in David's room (he'll be three-years-old in April) and found that he had sorted through his shirt drawer to find just the right one - messing up all the piles in the process.

I called him into his room and said firmly, "David, you cannot dig through this drawer."

His quick response, "But Mom, I'm an excavator!" :-)

Are you okay?

2009-02-15T22:25:00.002-05:00

Daniel is learning to sound out some simple words. Tonight in the car, he confidently declared, "I know how to spell 'Are you okay?'"

"Oh, really?" we said, curiously.

He answered, "R-U-O-K!" :-)

He's ready to text message! :-)

Power Outages and Grandma Anderson

2009-02-10T11:59:00.009-05:00

Well, from recent ice storms, a power line to our house was down and we were without power for a week. Our swing set was crushed and our fence was damaged on all three sides! These pictures were taken from our back door. But we were thankful our neighbor's house, our house, our car and our shed didn't get hit!

Joseph and I and the boys stayed a night at Joseph brother Doug's house by the fire place ;-), and then a night with good friends from church. On Friday the boys and I drove to my parents' in MO and Joseph stayed at the Bitners' (his sister who lives 6 miles from us).

The Lord's timing was very kind. My-86-year old grandma lives in the same town as my parents in the alzheimer's wing of a nursing home. On Saturday (while I was in MO because of the power outages) the nurses called and said she had been struggling to eat. We visited her that evening, and she was indeed have great difficulty swallowing - one of the last stages of alzheimer's. On Sunday, she was nearly unresponsive. On Monday the nurses called and said the end was near. So, because I was in town, I was able to sit with her for a couple hours. She died later that night very peacefully while Dad sat with her. The Lord was very merciful to her (and to my dad!) because she wasn't in pain.

The unusual thing about her passing was that my mom couldn't be there. Her dad had knee replacement surgery two hours away the same day Grandma died, and Mom needed to be there to care for her dad. So, the Lord's timing was kind that I could be there with my dad and help make arrangements, etc. This helped puts mom's mind as ease since she couldn't be there to help Dad. What a crazy situation!

Our power returned Tuesday, so the boys and I came home on Wed. Joseph, Daniel and I left on Fri morning to go to IL for Grandma's visitation and funeral. We were so thankful that Grandma and the Lord were honored in the funeral. My brother got to share during the service from Grandma's favorite passages of Scripture - those she could still quote even when she couldn't remember anything else, and those passages that were very well marked in her Bible and catechism book. Very special. The pastor also did a lovely job of honoring God for the evidence of His work in Grandma. Very meaningful. We will certainly miss her, and we are thankful for life on earth and her eternal life!

It has been a whirlwind couple weeks, but we are warm, fed, together and have much to be thankful for.

... in a size 4T??

2009-01-09T23:31:00.005-05:00

We have a good friend, Harry Miles, who played college football for the Citadel in South Carolina. He is now a very good high school head football coach in Savannah, GA. We recently enjoyed a lovely visit with Harry and his wife Sarah. (Sarah is my dear friend from high school - we've been friends for over half our lives! Wow!)

Harry is still a big, strong man! 6'4" and thick with muscle! The boys REALLY liked seeing Harry's Citadel football helmet and he even let them try it on. Then he got out his BIG jersey from when he played at the Citadel. It seemed almost as tall as Daniel!

When Daniel saw this real football jersey, his eyes were wide with amazement. He asked Harry with all sincerity, "Do you have one in a size 4T?" :-)

Daniel and David felt pretty cool swimming in the jersey and helmet!

Texas Cousins!

2009-01-09T23:14:00.005-05:00

We just enjoyed a very fun visit with my brother Jonathan and Christy and their girls - Anna (6), Abby (5), Aubrey(3) and Ashlyn (1). Our boys Daniel (4) and David (2) fit right in the age line up! Their family slept in our newly finished basement, and we squeezed 10 around our kitchen table - 4 kids shared 2 chairs and it worked just fine! They left this afternoon after almost a week.

Jonathan went to class at Southern Seminary each day, Joseph worked some and wished he was working some more (we are getting the hang of securing substitute teaching jobs!), and Christy and I grew the babies in our "tummies!"

The kids played and played and played! They played much more wildly than the girls are used to - our boys encouraged them to spy, and our boys talked them into "manly" wrestling (and then we explained that you can't "manly" wrestle with girls!!)! The kids also played more calmly than the boys are used to - lots of playing "house," and David is pretty attached to Aubrey's doll that she accidentally left behind! Good times together!

One funny moment (among many!) was when David really surprised two of the girls! They were pretty shocked when they were taking a bath, and David not only let himself in the bathroom, but took off his clothes and got in the tub with them ... and then proceeded to pee in the tub!!

We played Wii, ate sushi, went swimming, got a flat tire fixed, watched videos for rest time, played with Bonura/Bitner cousins, watched football, ate more junk than usual, had good conversations and thanked God for our time together!

By the way, as you can see, it is a near miracle to get six kids to hold still and look at a camera at the same time - and we didn't have a miracle this time! :-)

The Hardware Store Worker

2008-12-09T22:56:00.005-05:00

Last year we frequently shopped at hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowes as we worked on many home-improvement projects in our newly purchased house. Daniel thought the workers at these stores were really cool. And at one point he even said, "When I'm 16 maybe God will let me work at Home Depot or Lowes!"

At Christmas time last year we were talking about Mary and Joseph. Daniel said with confidence, "Joseph worked at a hardware store." He paused as we cocked our heads and look at him with confused expressions. Daniel explained what was obvious to him, "Joseph worked with wood!" :-)

"What this one about?"

2008-11-24T16:59:00.009-05:00

Here's a guessing game. What is David (2 1/2 years old) talking about when he says, "What this one about?" A book? A movie? Nope!

Here's a hint - the answer is something like sour apple, root beer, watermelon, etc.

He's asking about ... a sucker! When he gets a sucker from the bank, he asks, "What this one about?" Translation = "What flavor is this?" ;-)

Ready, set, go!

2008-11-22T22:19:00.002-05:00

Tonight at dinner, David asked if he could pray. Joseph said sure, and David folded his hands, bowed his head, and said in one breath, "Ready, Set, go! Dear God ...." :-)

That Friendly Old Man

2008-11-17T23:40:00.005-05:00

Last year in November, Daniel and I were in Lowes and he saw a big inflatable Santa on a top shelf. His excited response was to point and say, "Look Mom! It's Noah! ... or is it Moses?!" ;-)

This year, we were driving in the car and we passed Rally's drive-through restaurant. Daniel laughed and laughed in the back seat. "Mom! There's an old man sitting on top of the Rally's drive through! ha! ha! ha!" (I'm thinking, "What is he talking about?!) "Mom," he continued, "it was that friendly old man who sometimes gives candy to kids in the winter! ... sitting on TOP of the drive-through!"

Now I get it! :-)

I'm not Jesus!

2008-11-15T16:24:00.003-05:00

I got out Daniel's winter coat from last year, and I said to him, "Does this still fit you?" He started to put on the coat and answered cheerfully, "Let's try it. I don't know. I'm not Jesus - I don't know everything!"

Very true statement, Daniel! :-)

Not me!

2008-11-13T11:03:00.004-05:00

Joseph was reading to David and Daniel about Jesus' empty tomb. To review the story, Joseph asked David (age 2 1/2), "Who rolled away the stone from in front of the tomb?" David replied quickly with urgency, "Not me! Not me! I not do it!" He's pretty convincing! ;-)

Praise Ye the Lord

2008-11-13T10:57:00.002-05:00

Daniel has been learning the song "Praise Ye the Lord, Allelujah!" at church.
However, he sings: Praise G the Lord, Allelujah!
I explained to him that the word is "ye" and it means "you."
He said: No, Mom, it is 'G,' like short for Jesus. Praise "Je-" the Lord! :-)

Nicknames

2008-11-12T15:04:00.003-05:00

Last winter when Daniel was 3 1/2 and David was 1 1/2, a high school girl at church often called Daniel "Dan the Man," and he called her "Anna Banana." In response, we were explaining to Daniel the idea of nicknames. He replied, "David's nickname is 'no!'" ;-)

VERY loud

2008-11-11T20:43:00.002-05:00

Daniel was telling me about his day today. He was building lego towers with a baby sitter. Daniel said that when they knocked it over, it was VERY loud! It was like 500,000 lions roaring outside or like 2,000 homes falling over. David even had to cover his ears!

I love his descriptions!

Be Careful, David! - Tongue Troubles!

2008-11-10T19:48:00.009-05:00

* Warning - injury pictures!*

Because of David, I know how to get to the Emergency Room (actually I had directions in my daytimer before we needed them!! Thanks, Lord!!), the pediatric dentist, and the urgent care! Yikes!

In a period of 2-3 months, David had several accidents.

First, David bit through his tongue so that the tip was dangling off!! At about 9:00 pm after Sunday night small groups, David was sitting on the couch watching football while I got the boys' rooms ready for bed. Joseph was at work for the night.

I heard a "thump" and then a cry, so I came quickly. David was face down on the floor in a little pool of blood!!! Apparently he fell off the couch! I grabbed the first thing I could find for him to suck on to stop the bleeding -- a dirty dish cloth!! Ahhh! (Note to self, take an extra 2 seconds to grab a clean one!) The second thing I got him was a frozen teething ring ... which he kept in his mouth for the next 16 hours!!! Literally!

I called for Daniel and we quickly went next door to the Kleitz's house. They kept Daniel until Aunt Loretta could arrive. David and I headed to the ER.

At the ER, David was a TROOPER! He repeatedly opened his mouth and stuck out his dangling tongue so the doctors could examine it. By midnight, the ER determined that they didn't want to try to stitch David's tongue without sedating him, and they didn't want to sedate him. Instead they sent us home and referred us to a pediatric oral surgeon/dentist to give him stitches in the morning.

Aunt Loretta took Daniel to her house. David and I slept together in the living room chair for a few hours, and he continuously held the no-longer-frozen teething ring in his mouth! Perhaps the pressure made it feel better? Perhaps he was too scared to move it? Regardless, it brought him comfort and we got a little sleep.

In the morning, we headed to the oral surgeon, but unfortunately we miscommunicated. I thought the dr. said to be there first thing. The dentist thought that first thing they were calling me to set up a time to come in. They were gracious and agreed to work us in. So, we spent 5 hours there! But again, thank the Lord, David did very well!

At this point, David hadn't eaten or had anything to drink since the night before - and the dentist didn't want anything in his stomach in case he needed to be put under for stitches. By late morning, David began asking for apple juice, but he was pretty okay when I explained that the dr. said he couldn't have any yet.

When David did finally see the dentist (15 hours after the accident!), he was pretty amazed with David's willing cooperation! Thank you, Lord, for helping David stay relaxed and compliant!

At about 2:00, they were able to put in two stitches, without sedating David, and secure the tongue tip back in place.

The three pictures below are 1) the tongue before stitches, 2) David outside the dentist with his trusty teething ring, and 3) the tongue after stitches!

I think I'll have to write about the other injuries another time! Whew! This was enough for one post!

Conversations with Daniel - Fast-backwarding

2008-11-10T19:34:00.004-05:00

Daniel likes to watch videos. His favorites right now are about fire trucks and ambulances - kind of like rescue hero documentaries for kids. We just implimented a new movie ticket system for Daniel. He gets four tickets each week, good for one half-hour movie. He can use up to two on any day, but he only gets four per week. He can bring me a ticket and say, "Is this a good time for me to watch a movie?" So far, this is helping to eliminate his consistent asking, "Can I please watch a movie?" and it is helping him make choices. By the way, if I tell him to watch a movie (which I occasionally do - right before company comes, when we are babysitting several children, etc) he doesn't have to turn in a ticket.

All that to say, I was putting in a VHS video for him the other day. We were talking about the numbers on the VCR moving quickly as I was rewinding. Daniel said, "Oh - if we were fast-forwarding, the numbers would go the other way. But since we are fast-backwarding, the numbers go like this!"

Fast-backwarding! What a great word! Makes total sense to me!

Conversations with Daniel - Vibrating

2008-11-10T19:24:00.003-05:00

- Jessica -

Daniel (4), David (2), and I stopped at Wendy's to use a reward coupon from the library for a Frosty. After a few minutes of sitting at the table eating their Frosties, Daniel said, "Brrr. I'm so cold I'm vibrating!" ;-)

Yep, shivering is a lot like your body vibrating!

Conversations with Daniel - Marriage Concerns

2008-11-10T19:09:00.004-05:00

- Jessica -

4-year-old Daniel was having a snack at our kitchen table with Grammy (my mom) and I was doing dishes. Out of the blue Daniel said, "What if I ask some ladies to marry me and they all say no?"

Grammy wisely took his concern seriously and encouraged him that if God wants him to get married, He will provide a godly wife for Daniel, and that he doesn't need to think about that yet.

Daniel replied with a solution to the problem, "I guess I could marry a dog or a cat ... Or I could just marry a man!"

Grammy calmly explained that God designed for a man to marry a lady, not another man.

Daniel said, "Yeah, that would be silly for me to marry a man."

Grammy elaborated that it would be more than silly, it would be sinful for him to marry a man.

After letting that idea soak in for a couple seconds, Daniel moved on to some other subject -- Bikes, Diggers, more snack ...

Whew! Sincere deep life concerns and lessons at the kitchen table!

Daniel at Homecoming 2006

2008-11-10T19:08:00.004-05:00

- Joseph -

When Jessica and I visited our alma mater, Taylor University, during homecoming, Daniel was 2 1/2 years old and David was 6 months. We were in a large gymnasium mingling with our old professors and classmates. As I was talking with my professor, Bob Lay, I was watching Daniel about 50 yards away jump up and down on a mat with some other kids. I noticed Daniel was beginning to take his shirt off. I excused myself from my conversation with Dr. Lay and began jogging over to Daniel. All of a sudden he started taking off his pants and underwear - I began sprinting! I jumped on the mat and tackled my naked son, "what is going on?!" He answered, "I got hot, daddy." :-)

Fun at Gramps and Grammy's house!

2008-06-04T00:56:00.003-04:00

-Jess-

The boys and I have been in Missouri since last Friday to hang out with my parents. Here's some of the fun things we've done with them!

- Fishing at a county "kids' pond." Daniel caught a 16 inch catfish!
- Visiting a local dairy farm to see cows milked.
- Eating donuts.
- Riding bikes around the block and on a bike trail.
- Making snow cones.
- Reading the Bible on the patio by candlelight. Daniel and Gramps read 100 pages in Daniel's Bible one night!
- Playing air hockey.
- Going to a friend's "Tree Farm." We got to ride in a paddle boat, on a golf cart and on a four wheeler!
- Skipping rocks in the Mississippi River.
- Swimming outside.
- Playing soccer with neighbor kids.
- Eating salmon.
- Visiting Great-Grandma.

WOW! Thanks, Lord, for special times together!

David's 2nd Birthday

2008-06-01T16:13:00.017-04:00

-Jess -

Our second son David is two years old! We love that God made him and put him in our family! What a gift he is to us. We had a great week celebrating his birthday, and David now thinks all cake anywhere is for him because he's two. Here are some other fun facts about David.

* David really likes to be with his brother Daniel. They are quite a little pair, and are usually very caring of each other! That sure makes our job as parents easier at this point! :-)

* David is a great eater - he generally likes anything put in front of him, and he usually eats a lot of it! A few unique favorites are blueberries and cucumbers, along with more common preferences of apples, raisins, cheese, and of course, ice cream and cookies.

* David's favorite color is blue. In fact, his only color is blue! He points to all colors of things and asks if they are "bue."

* David is learning cool words like "both" and "whole." Which kind of ice cream would you like? "Both!" Would you like your pizza cut up? "No, whole."

* David likes to drink [decaf!!!!] iced tea. "Mo tea peese!"

* David likes to climb up and jump off pretty much everything!

* David's favorite song is "ho-y" (Holy, Holy, Holy), which we usually sing at his request before bedtime and naps.

* "Ewwwwww! Ucky!" is what David says about his stinky diapers - as well as any food that doesn't taste good to him!

* David likes to play with bikes and motorcycles - and to look at pictures of them in his books. "Mo-mo-mo-mo!" is the sound a motorcycle makes!

* David is sweet with babies. At his cousins' house, the Bitners, David routinely pushes Abi's and Elli's babies around in their stroller.

* David prefers to wear "shotes" (shorts), and especially "bue shotes" (blue shorts) every day. And he really likes his "choo choo" sandals (with Thomas the Train on them).

* Daniel says that his brother David likes "balls, guitars and swimming pools."

David is certainly a pleasant tough little fellow, who for the most part, goes with the flow. He looks a lot like his dad and his pappap (his dad's dad), although he is named after his mom's dad! :-) What a blessing he is to our family!

Visit to Missouri - April 2008

2008-05-07T23:46:00.011-04:00

- Jessica -

In April, Daniel, David and I got to spend several days in Missouri with my parents. Here are a few highlights:

1. We had lunch with my Grandmother and Grandaddy, my mom's parents, in Illinois on the way. As always, it was great to see them, and this time I took my video camera and recorded the inside of their house. Grandmother narrated much of the time, telling where she got different pieces of furniture, paintings, etc. Very special!

2. We got to spend a day with my very dear friend from 2nd grade, "Miss Laura Graham," as Daniel affectionately says.

3. The boys wanted to wear "swim caps" in Gramps and Grammy's tub! Ha!

4. Daniel really likes looking like Gramps!

5. The boys enjoyed their first not-by-mom haircuts! Debbie has cut my hair since 2nd grade, and my brother was about Daniel's age when he started going to her! :-) She still cuts Mom and Dad's hair - 23 years later!

6. I was very thankful for a visit with my Grandma Anderson, my Dad's mom.

7. Mom and I worked hard getting ready for a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting at church on Friday. Mom does lots of organizing and communicating to keep this fantastic ministry running smoothly, and I was privileged to be the speaker this month, "Keys to a Heart of Hospitality." Very special to be a part of this encouraging group!!

Thanks, Lord, for a trip that was overflowing with evidence of Your grace and kindness! What a gift!

Daily Life - May 7, 2008 - Snoring

2008-05-07T23:28:00.004-04:00

- Jessica -

I want Daniel and David to learn many many things from their dad. But this request was a bit too far! ;-)

Tonight when Joseph was putting Daniel to bed, Daniel called from his room, "Dad!"

Joseph, from in the hallway: Yes, Daniel?

Daniel: Can you teach me how to snore?

Shaklee

2008-03-29T23:21:00.002-04:00

-Jessica -

I have been using Shaklee cleaning products, vitamins, and suppliments for several months and I am very thankful for healthy (and often cost-effective) alternatives! http://Shaklee.com Want to learn more? Want to try some?

"Couponing"

2008-03-29T22:25:00.003-04:00

-Jessica -

Did you know that "coupon" can be a verb? To me, "couponing" is the act of acquiring, cutting, organizing, and using coupons in conjunction with local sales for rock-bottom prices and major savings! I started doing this in the last month and we are viewing it as a small part time job - the money we save are our "earnings"!

There is a web site that charts store sales and combines them with newspaper coupons for maximum savings. http://thegrocerygame.com/ Check it out and let me know if you want to talk about it.

My friend Becky also has a blog dedicated to helping with couponing and the grocery game. http://littlecabinsavings.wordpress.com/

Daily Life - March 2008

2008-03-29T22:15:00.004-04:00

-Jessica-

Allow me to introduce you to the honorable "Sir Daniel," a knight at Rachel Kimbell's princess birthday party. What a valiant dragon-slaying guy!

Bikers? Swimmers? Skiers? Soccer players? Basketball guys? Football men? Runners? I never know until a given minute which sport they are pusuing, but they definitely love their athletic outfits!! They would wear a "sports" outfit everyday and everywhere if they could!

A Little Taller

2008-03-29T21:39:00.003-04:00

-Jessica -

Daniel is walking a little taller today. We occasionally go to a "Parent's Night Out" that the seminary hosts. It is great! Childcare at the Rec Center and an evening for Joseph and me! Last night Daniel was put in the big gym with the 4-6+ year olds, though he is 2 months shy of being 4. To his mom, he looked like a little guy in there, but he his favorite teacher from "motor skills" (Mr. Jeff) was there to look out for him.

As we left, they were getting ready to play Daniel's first ever game of Dodge Ball. That has to be a turning point in a boy's life, doesn't it?! I mean, the goal of the game is to throw balls at people! That is like a dream! ;-)

When we picked him up, I said, "How did it go?" His reply was, "Great. Nobody ran over me!" We have high expectations around here.

Daniel's other highlight was running on the track above the gym with his class. Very cool!

The Gravy Song and Green Bean Muscles

2008-02-28T23:32:00.006-05:00

-Jessica -

Two Daniel quotes that make me smile ...

1. We were singing together as a family (we do this occasionally - I play the piano and we all sing a hymn or two). We finished "Nothing But The Blood" and Daniel said, "Can we sing the gravy song?" He repeated, "Can we sing the gravy song?"

Do you know the gravy song? I bet you'll sing it this Easter season - "Up from the grave He arose ..." :-)

2. Last night we were eating fresh green beans (among other things) for dinner, and Daniel said slowly and dramatically, kind of shaking his head in disappointment, "Mom, you should have made cauliflower. I wish you had cooked cauliflower."

Mom: "Why?"

Daniel: "Because it will make me strong!"

Dad: "Green beans will make you strong, too."

Daniel, delighted at this new information: "I'm going to eat green beans and cauliflower every day so I can be strong ... like a man!!!" (Flex your arm muscles and scrunch up your face as your read "strong ... like a man!!")

When I served the left over green beans for lunch today, he asked if he could have all of them, so he can be "really, really strong!" (Again, flex your biceps and scrunch up your face as you read this to feel a bit of his desire! I'd just like to have the energy to flex as dramatically as he does! :-)

Halloween Miscommunication

2008-02-02T23:26:00.000-05:00

- Jessica -

On Halloween we were out front when a neighbor walked by. She casually asked Daniel if he was going "trick or treating"? He didn't know what she was talking about, so he politely avoided the question and we went on with our day.

Later in the day I heard Daniel say under his breath, "digger training, digger training." Finally he asked me, "Mom, are we really going to digger training?" I replied as many moms would, "Oh, that would be really neat, wouldn't it?!" (By they way, in our house, a "digger" is a generic term for construction vehicles - excavators, loaders, bulldozers, etc. - all of which Daniel has really liked for as long as I can remember!).

Still later in the day, Daniel asked Joseph about "digger training." Joseph was understandably confused. Daniel said emphatically, "Dad, the lady walking by our house this morning asked me about it! She asked if we were going to 'digger training!' Do I really get to go to digger training today??!!"

Trick-or-treating == Digger training

I hear the similarity! We laughed and he laughed, and we all agreed that getting candy from our neighbors was a good 2nd to digger training! ;-)

Daniel and His Guitar 2

2008-02-02T23:23:00.000-05:00

- Jessica -

We like to play with musical instruments on our date night. (Not Joseph and me! The kids we watch when it is our turn to babysit!). Everyone picks one, we sing one verse of a song, and then everyone switches instruments. I think we sang Joy to the World 10 times last time we babysat! ;-) Anyway, after opening his guitar at Christmas, Daniel said, "Now date night is going to be REALLY fun!!!"

Last week he shared his guitar with his friends at date night for the first time. One boy, Eric, asked Daniel, "Where did you learn to play so well?" Daniel replied confidently, "I just watch Mr. Stam!" (Mr. Stam is our church's music director and definitely one of Daniel's favorite people!) I pray Daniel not only learns to play the guitar from Mr. Stam, but also gleans his heart for worshipping the one true God!

Here's Amazing Grace ... Can you play it any louder or faster??

Daniel and His Guitar

2008-02-02T23:18:00.002-05:00

- Jessica -

Daniel was very very excited to get a guitar for Christmas, so now he can play like Pappap (Joseph's Dad) and Mr. Stam (our music leader at church). Until now he has used various items such as an umbrella as his guitar. But now he has the real deal. And he loves it!

Get ready for his version of Holy, Holy, Holy ...

Worldview Perceptions

2008-02-02T23:18:00.001-05:00

- Jessica -

"Questions to Guide your Children in Basic Worldview Perceptions"

1. What happened today that reminded you of God?
2. What did you see today that reminds you that all people are sinners and need Jesus Christ?
3. What did you hear or see today that did not agree with the truth in the Bible?
4. What part of God's creation did you enjoy the most?

(Taken from Rock-Solid Kids by Larry Fowler)

Catch up!

2008-02-02T23:13:00.000-05:00

- Jessica here -

Yikes! 3+ months have come and gone! From Thanksgiving to mid-January we traveled or had company during 7 weeks. What a special and amazing season of life!

But our feet are back on the ground in Kentucky. Joseph's classes have started back and we are in full swing. So, I'm going to write some "Catch Up" blog posts - stuff from the last weeks, months, even years! ;-) Get ready ... here we come!

David's latest

2007-10-20T23:28:00.001-04:00

- Jessica writing -

David is almost 18 months old! He says a few words, mainly that only a mother (and maybe a father) could understand ... ball, dog, dump truck, plane, drink, spoon, fork, up, down, cracker, cookie, milk, banana, hat, hot, glasses, shoes, on, off, and uh-oh! He's got the basics covered!

He is very good at using his body to communicate. He very clearly and very often signs "please," occasionally signs "thank you." He dramatically shakes his head yes and no, and vigorously points for what he wants. He very cutely shrugs when he doesn't know where something is.

His newest creative communication is about hearing and seeing. We often have our windows open, and so he can hear the sounds outside - dogs, planes, balls bouncing, trucks, lawnmowers - some of this favorite things! When he hears one of these, he perks up and points to his ears, meaning "I hear something I like!" And then, especially during meals, he follows with pointing to his eyes and signing "please," meaning "I'd like to see it, please!" :-)

Tonight David laid down on his back in the bath tub so the water covered all of him except for his eyes, nose and mouth. This is a big step to let the water get in his ears - way to go, big guy!

Quotes from Daniel

2007-10-20T23:10:00.000-04:00

- Jessica writing -

From the mind of a three year old boy...

Monster -
Earlier this week, Daniel said, "Mom (urgency!), I have to go stinkies really badly, (pause) like a monster!" Wow!

Superhero -
I had to re-plant our front flowers this week. As many jobs do, this one took longer than expected. So, I was finishing after dusk, when it was fairly dark. Daniel looked out the front door and said, "Mom, you are like a superhero!" Joseph asked him, "in what way?" He said, "They go out in the dark!" Interesting reasoning, but I'll be my son's superhero any day! ;-)

Soccer -
Daniel "really really really really really " wants to play soccer and football. Lots of life is filtered though these lenses. A neighbor heard him talking about this and told him that there is a soccer team for 3-year-olds in a league that the city has. You can imagine his excitement at this possibility! We told him we'd talk about it in February.

So, now his routine question is, "Mom, when are we going to talk about me playing soccer? I forgot." "In February, Daniel." "Mom, in February, after we talk about me playing soccer, if you think it is a good idea, can I get soccer shoes?"

It continues ... we were buying socks, "Mom, are these the kind of sock I wear when I play soccer?"

"Mom, when I play on a soccer team, I'm going to run so fast nobody can catch me." I'm sure you will, Daniel, and I'll be there to cheer you on, "That's my boy!!" :-)

Huber's Farm

2007-10-20T22:21:00.000-04:00

- Jessica Writing -

Earlier this month, we went to Huber's Farm and Orchard to get a pumpkin and some apples. It was a great southern Indiana evening!

Have you ever eaten turtle?

2007-10-15T22:39:00.000-04:00

- Jessica Writing

Tonight we hosted date night at our home. We watch kids from 5:30-8:30 pm once a month, and the other three families watch them the other weeks of the month. We watch 11 kids for three hours and get nine hours of dates! :-)

A highlight tonight was eating turtle. Yep. Real live turtle. Well, I guess "real dead cooked cut up" turtle! ;-) But it used to be live! Our neighbor "Mr. Steve" had two snapping turtles from a friend. We saw them alive in his 55 gal buckets. Then we saw their shells after he cleaned them.
And tonight we snacked on the meat!

The kids LOVED it!! Eric kept asking for more "chicken" please. :-) We had a big plate of little bite-sized pieces and each child had a tooth pick. And they ate A LOT of turtle!!! Thanks, Mr. Steve!

Joseph has a job!

2007-10-13T23:54:00.000-04:00

Joseph is no longer unemployed! He will have orientation Monday for his new job as a security guard. He gets to study on the job! Woo-hoo! :-) Thanks, Lord, for your provision in this way!

Welcome to our world!

2007-10-13T23:07:00.000-04:00

Jessica:

Welcome to the Kentucky Bonura's world!! (At least we are the Kentucky Bonuras for now! We used be the California Bonura's ... and who knows where we'll be in the future.) Let me tell you a little about us ...

Joseph and I have been married for 8 years. My new theme for our marriage is "tender affection." Thanks Feminine Appeal for the charge to treat my husband in this way!

We have 2 kids - Daniel Joseph and David Jonathan. Daniel was born on June 5, 2004. He was named after his Pappap (Daniel Samuel Joseph Bonura) and his dad (Joseph Daniel Bonura). "Daniel" means "God is my judge," and we do pray that Daniel fears God, not man, and strives to please God above all.

David was born on April 26, 2006. He was named after his Gramps (David Charles Anderson) and his uncle (Jonathan David Anderson). David means "beloved" and he is certainly beloved by God! We pray he will know the love of God through Christ deeply and personally from an early age!

We now live in Louisville, KY so that Joseph can study at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, http://sbts.edu/. We used to live in Bakersfield, CA for almost 7 years where Joseph was a junior high pastor at a solid church - RiverLakes Community Church, http://riverlakeschurch.org/. We loved our time there!

In Louisville, we live in a brick house with a great back yard, great neighbors, and a park across the street. It has three bedrooms, one bath, and an attached one-car garage that we may finish into a family room. We like the wood floors and it is the same layout as our house in Bakersfield, which we enjoyed!

We are members of Clifton Baptist Church, http://cliftonbaptist.org/. We play fantasy football. We drive a '93 Pontiac Grand Prix. We eat lots of apples and bananas.

This is just the beginning! ...