Elfers Family Matters

Halloween

2009-10-31T22:35:00.000-07:00

Tonight was a lot fun. We went out with Benjamin (Tigger) and Emma (piglet). Nathan was Aslan from the Chronicles of Narnia and Daniel was Elmo. I think Nathan was a little jealous he didn't get to be Elmo but he was a pretty ferocious lion!

I love my boys!!

Baby Shower Devotional & pictures

2009-10-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

So, its been awhile since I posted anything, but i did a baby shower devotional on Monday that miraculously turned out well. So I thought I would share it and give others ideas for devotionals they might have to do. Also, I wanted to post some adorable pictures of my children from Spooner's pumpkin patch and the fair earlier this year. My 2 beautiful boys are growing up way to quickly!!!

Baby Shower Devotional for Nikki
October 19, 2009
by Becky Elfers

My morning routine is pretty much the same every morning. I wake up a little before 7 with my 2 year old son on the bed looking into my face with a huge smile. As my eyes try to focus the thought runs through my head, “I wish he had a snooze button.” Soon I give into the child jumping on me and head downstairs to make breakfast and face the day. On the way I pick up my 8 month old who has woken up to the sounds of his brother calling “baby Daniel seeping!”

I round the corner of the stairs to head into the living room which looks like a tornado has gone through it and think to myself, “when will these children grow up and leave me a little peace, quiet and tidiness?” I know there will come the day when I will be free from the thump thump thump of feet as they run through my kitchen and drop their toys on the way. No longer will I receive the gooey kisses of a child shortly after they eat an orange that has somehow ended more up on their shirt and face than in their mouth. I will no longer be asked to kiss the Owies that were inflicted because they ran headlong into a closed door after I had asked them to “stop running in the house!” I was basking in those thoughts of peacefulness, when it occurred to me how precious these few moments I have with my children are. How much I enjoy cuddling with them on the couch as we watch their favorite shows or read their favorite book Or sneaking around the corner to tickle them and throw them on the bed. Their laughter becomes infectious and we all end up rolling on the floor. In that short moment I realized that my life would be so much emptier without all of this. I hear a soft whisper telling me to remember the wonderful gift I have been given in my two sons. Someday they will grow up and my presence will not be necessary. I have so much to enjoy in them now! I stop and give thanks to my God who has given me this day to love and train my children. My heart fills with a sense of purpose and I set to work making a path through the sea of toys in the living room. I set my baby down, grab my two year old and whirl him around in a big hug and plant a huge kiss on his cheek. He giggles, “momma silly!” and I set him down in contentment thankful to be facing another day of wiping noses, kissing owies, changing diapers and giving my best to the two most beautiful children I know. Someday they will grow up and all this will only be beautiful memories. God has called me to make the most of today.

Nikki, as you think about having your daughter, I imagine your heart must be excited to meet the new life inside you, but your mind is going crazy with the unknowns of change ahead. I’ll be honest with you, it is not an easy road, but it is well worth all your effort. I encourage you to remember these truths:

1. God has given you your children to be a blessing to you. Psalm 127 says, “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;”
2. You and your family are precious to God. He knows all that is going on inside and out and is right beside you in all that you do. Psalm 139:13 “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, {And} skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained {for me,} When as yet there was not one of them.”
3. The most important thing you can do for your children is to let them know that they are loved and that in turn will model to them the love Christ has for them. 1 Corinthians 13:13 “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
4. Motherhood is a lot of work, but it should also be something you enjoy. Have fun with your children, connect to them, give them boundaries and enjoy the short time you have with them at this age. This is only a short season of your life, so make the best of it. Ecclesiastes 3:1,10,11 “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven... I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves. He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime.” This is your time to be the mother God has made you to be.
5. Don’t forget to take time for yourself. I know it is hard to even brush your teeth on some days when your children are vying for your attention. Find a spot in your day when you can connect with the Source of strength for your day even if it is to only say “Dear God, I don’t know how I’m going to get through the rest of this day.” He will know your heart and honor your plea. Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge him.” And in Psalm 91:14-15, "Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him {securely} on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.”

I want to end with a prayer from Colossians. I pray that as a new season of motherhood arrives you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience. So that you may joyously give thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. (Col 1:9-11).

Summer Fun

2009-06-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

Well, the weather has been hot and we have been spending a lot of time outside. Here are some good pictures from the last month.
I got Nathan a pool for the hot days. Here he is chillin' with his cousin Senna and brother Daniel.

Here is Andy and Nate hanging out in the pool.

Here is Nathan playing with his friend Tommy.
Nathan decided it would be fun to play dress up one day. I'm not sure what he was trying to be, but it sure was cute.
My sister got this shirt for Daniel. I think it suits him rather well.
Nathan loves holding his brother as long as Daniel isn't screaming.
Never wake a sleeping baby.
This weekend we celebrated Andy's birthday and here we are with his family eating dinner. This was our first formal dinner party at our new house.

Cute pics

2009-05-16T21:34:00.000-07:00

So I took these pictures of the boys this week. Andy put a blanket over Daniel's baby gym and turned it into a fort for Nathan. He has since commandeered Daniel's gym. Sometimes Nathan will let Daniel enjoy it as long as he is supervising.

Baby Dedication on Mother's Day

2009-05-11T16:37:00.001-07:00

We had an eventful Mother's Day as both Nathan and Daniel were dedicated at church. There were a lot of families having their children dedicated. My parents, my sister and Andy's mom and step dad were able to come to this important day. I wasn't able to get any good pictures when we were up front. But I do have this cute one of Nathan holding Daniel before the service.

Other than that I have some cool pictures I have taken over the last few weeks of the boys around the house.

Easter

2009-04-17T12:44:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful and relaxing Easter. Sunday after we went to the Sunrise Service at the high school, we stayed home, finished our taxes and took naps. I love getting up early and being part of the community as we all remember the sacrifice and miracle our Lord and Savior made so long ago.
On Saturday my friend Nikki and I took our sons Nathan and Tommy to the Easter Egg Hunt at the high school stadium. I had both Daniel and Nathan so I was lucky that my mom also showed up and was able to help Nathan with the hunt.

Two weeks ago we went to the Daffodil Parade. It was a lot fun. The day was absolutely gorgeous and the crowd was large. Nathan especially loved when the fire trucks and tractors went by. However he was not too keen on the Seafair Pirates and the big bang that went off when they shot their cannon. It was a long parade and by the end of it we were all very ready to go home and take long naps.

On another note: Postpartum hormones hit me pretty hard this week. I forgot how awful they are!!! Monday and Tuesday I was blown away with the wave of sadness and inadequacy that washed over me. Thankfully I have a wonderful God who has provided me with a loving husband and supportive mom. I am glad to report that I am feeling much better now and am beginning to see myself in a new light. I asked God Wednesday night that if he won't help me change to become what I want to be that he would help me to accept and love the woman he has made me to be. It is alarming to realize how destructive my negative thoughts can be. It is like I am attacking my own soul and essence of who I am because I refuse to see myself in a positive light.

Nathan's 2nd Birthday Party

2009-03-30T10:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! I know it's been a long silence and sooo much has gone on I don't even know where to begin. In the past month we have had a baby, moved and put on a birthday party for Nathan. Here are a few pictures from Nathans birthday. It was so much fun to have our friends and family over and not feel overly crowded. I think the kids had a blast too!

Here's Nathan chillin' in his new sunglasses while he eats breakfast.

He got a new toy work table. He currently goes to bed everynight with the hammer.

A fun picture of our friend Nolan.

Me in the kitchen getting ready for the party.

The kids as they eat their cupcakes...So cute!!!

I Benjamin and Emma enjoy a movie as they were the first ones to come.

An adorable picture of Daniel hanging out on his playmat.

A picture of Nathan this morning hanging out playing with his toys.

Our friend Brian took care of Daniel for over an hour while I was busy running around. Now that's a real man!

Big Thanks

2009-03-08T21:47:00.000-07:00

This has to have been the most stressful 2 weeks of my life! We have had a baby and moved all in about 10 days. I also have to say that it has been a time when God has really shown off to us. An almost unbelievable amount of friends and family helped. There is no way we could have accomplished all of this in the amount of time we have without others help.

Last Saturday as we were just starting the actual move to the new house, I became completely overwhelmed. I ended up telling God through my tears that there was no way I would make it unless He pulled some kind of miracle. An hour later my mom and a girlfriend showed up unexpectantly saying they had come to help me. They were able to pack up most of the rest of the house in just a few hours while the guys Andy had recruited loaded the truck. The next day 3 more girlfriends called and asked if they could come over and help unpack. They unpacked my kitchen and living room making the transition into the new house that much easier. I can't believe how much God provided. On top of all that, many ladies from church have brought us meals and now my MOPS group will be providing them for a few more days. Also, little Daniel has been a joy to have around. His demeanor has been very laid back and nursing has been a breeze.

I just wanted to send out a big "thank you" to Chris & Angela, Steve & Keren, Pam, Andy & Alicia, Mechelle, Aimee, Jake & Nikki, Seth & Abi, and to all the women who have lovingly provided meals and support to us during this hectic time.

I have also been told I need to provide more pictures of our new little guy. So here are some good ones...

Daniel Charles has arrived!

2009-02-23T16:10:00.001-08:00

Daniel was born at 12:26 a.m. on Saturday, February 21st. He was 8 lbs 10 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. He has been a pleasure so far and Nathan has given him a warm reception. Below are some pictures of the last few days.

We're Moving

2009-02-15T09:27:00.000-08:00

Its official we are moving a few blocks away to a bigger house. That means that we have a thousand projects to do, packing and a baby to have! Both Andy and I are feeling a little overwhelmed but are confident that this is the right decision. It is ironic how God seems to give us too much only to show us that He is the one who will be able to get us through. Here is a picture of the house we are moving to. It is one block down from the park in Sumner.

Andy has been lovingly working on the last of the house projects at our little house. Here is a picture of him installing a picture window in our kitchen. Sometimes I'm amazed by how much he can do.

Nathan is also determined to be a little helper as Andy or I work on any project. He is actually really good at not getting too much in the way and it is a lot of fun to include him.

My due date is tomorrow, Feb 16! Crazy! A couple of weeks ago I didn't think I could wait any longer to have this baby and now with all these changes I feel like I don't have time to have this baby yet. This weekend we are pretty focused on getting the packing and painting done on the house we are currently living in so that we can rent it out. If anyone is looking for a 2 bedroom house in Downtown Sumner to rent let us know. We have the perfect one!

Baby Shower!

2009-02-03T19:15:00.000-08:00

Last night my church and my good friend Natalie threw me a baby shower for our coming little one. It was a lot of fun and I feel supremely blessed as so many women from my church, my family and other friends came to love on me. A big thank you to all who came and chatted, ate and laughed with me!

Reflecting

2009-01-28T23:27:00.000-08:00

Today was a nice day to spend with Nathan. We spent lots of time together playing on the floor with his blocks. I can't believe how much fun it is to spend time with him and see him grow. God has definitely blessed me with a child who loves to play games and interact with those around him. Here are a few funny pictures of him trying to get my attention to play blocks with him.

On the baby front, I find that I am becoming ever more anxious to have this baby out of me. It is getting painful to walk and do my everyday activities. (Andy said he can't wait until he doesn't have to share my body with the baby anymore. I have to agree with him.) I think that maybe the Lord is just trying to teach me to trust Him more as I wait. He knows when our son will make an appearance and then I will have to learn even more patience as I work with a newborn and a toddler. In any event, I am ready for this stage of the game to be over and I know for certain that I will have to give birth by March 2nd as I will be 2 weeks past my due date at that point. Please pray I don't have to wait that long!

Nathan's 1st Haircut

2009-01-24T15:30:00.000-08:00

We finally did it! We took the plunge and got Nathan's haircut at the local barber shop in Sumner: Doug and Kathy's Barber shop. He did really well. He first got to watch Grandpa Enslow and Dad get their haircut. Then, he sat on Dad's lap and very patiently got his haircut. During the whole thing he kept handing us locks of hair as they fell onto his lap. I tucked a few pieces away for a keepsake.

Nathan was carefully checking out his grandpa and dad to make sure the haircut was being done right.

"I think I'm ready for this. Now don't cut off too much."

"Yes, I am the most handsome little man I know of!"

Christmas Part 2 & 3

2009-01-24T14:55:00.000-08:00

We had Christmas on December 27 with Andy's dad and his family. We had lots of fun, and Nathan was even more spoiled with a Tinker Toy Set, John Deere Tractor farm yard and colorful wood blocks.

On January 3rd, Andy's mom and step dad came over for a late Christmas/Birthday celebration for Roxanne. Nathan had lots of fun spending time with Grandma Rox and Grandpa Bud.

Christmas, Snow and Projects

2008-12-26T18:21:00.000-08:00

Well Christmas has come in a flurry of activity and it seems to have been a great success. Here are some pictures of us opening presents at Becky's Parents house.

We celebrated Christmas Eve at our home with just the three of us. Nathan got a set of Bristle Blocks and he and dad had tons of fun putting them together and knocking them down. Here are a few pictures of us playing in the snow last week. Andy and I had fun, but Nathan wasn't too sure if he liked it being so cold.

Andy put in a pedestal sink in our bathroom. It was a quasi-Christmas present as it was unplanned and the sink had been sitting in our kitchen for the last year as he worked up the energy to put it in. But I was very pleased with the result and am glad to have it done. It makes the bathroom look very good.

Thanksgiving Weekend

2008-12-09T00:40:00.000-08:00

I have been terribly remiss in keeping up with the latest updates on our family. Thanksgiving weekend was very full and a lot of fun. We spent Thanksgiving day at Becky's parents. Then on Friday we went to the Bridge Lighting down at the Old Cannery and the Windmill Nursery. It was a lot fun. They had fireworks and Nathan was unsure if he should laugh at the beautiful lights in the air of cry at the loud noise it was making. Here are a few pictures:

Here we are in front of the bridge after its been lit.

Here we are over at the Windmill after our trek across town.

Here are my sister Sara and her fiance Dustin hanging out with us.

On Saturday morning, Andy played football with some people at our church. Andy caught a few touchdowns. (Go Andy!!) Nathan had a blast playing on the sidelines although he did get upset when I told him he couldn't go on the field to get dad.

On Saturday afternoon we went with my parents, brother and his fiance, Margaret to get a tree. Margaret completely spoiled Nathan by holding him as much as he wanted. She said he was too cute to make walk so much.

Here is a picture of Nathan on the train that went around the farm picking up people and the trees they selected. He was so focused on it all that we were sure he was having a good time even though it was hard to get him to smile.

Here we are at the end of our journey having paid for our tree. We took this picture outside the barn.

Margaret and Dave strike a cute pose as they prepare to leave.

Finally, we finished our weekend at Andy's dad's house with Sunday Thanksgiving feast. Included in this picture are Dave, Andy, Nathan, Eve and Brandon.

This past weekend, the girls in my family got to gether for a Christmas tea at the Secret Garden here in town. Three of the girls are currently engaged. You can imagine what most of our conversation consisted of. In any case it was a blast and I am looking forward to making it a holiday tradition. From left to right, Young,(Margaret's mom), Lori (Margaret's sister), Margaret, Me, Sara, Kelly(Sara's friend) and my mom, Bertie.

Supermall Playdate

2008-11-26T08:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday some of the moms from my MOPS table met at the Supermall playground and we let our kids run free! It was lots of fun. It took Nathan a few minutes to warm up to all the kids running around but once he figured it out he had a blast exploring.

Here is a picture of most of the mom's that were there: Liz, Tiffany, Jenny & Nikki.

Here is a picture of Nathan and Tommy (Nikki's son). They have a lot of fun when they get together most anytime.

And of course I couldn't leave out a cute picture of Nathan as he runs around the car slide:

Puddle Jumping

2008-11-10T21:42:00.000-08:00

The other night when the rain just wouldn't quit Nathan and I went outside in the dark to go puddle jumping. He had a lot of fun while I tried to hide under the umbrella. He got sopping wet, but he was so cute I couldn't resist showing the pictures I was able to get.

I also wanted to add a picture of Andy and Nathan up at Grandma Roxanne's house where we had an early Thanksgiving feast this last weekend.

Potty training and other dreams

2008-11-05T08:17:00.001-08:00

For the last month, I have been trying to potty train Nathan, so that when the new baby comes I won't have to change so many diapers. I am beginning to think that it is becoming a lost cause. He has gone potty on the toilet a several times, but in the last week he has decided that going potty is just not interesting. Oh, he doesn't openly defy me, but when I say 'potty' he quietly runs into another room. Little Stinker!! Oh, well, all things come in their time. At least I have a cute picture of him sitting on his "Cars" training seat. (I won't show him this post when he gets older, I'm sure he will be very upset with me.)

Other than that, life is pretty pleasant this morning. Here are some pictures I got of Nathan playing and sitting with me.

Welcome to Our Blog!

2008-11-04T14:56:00.000-08:00

Well, I have finally gotten around to starting a blog for our family. I guess the best place to start is with an introduction. Here is my family on our trip to South Africa a year ago. I can't believe how quickly time has flown by.

This was the first Halloween Nathan participated in. He dressed up as a dragon. We took him to downtown Sumner to the Street of Treats and he had a blast having random people hand him candy. Here's another picture of Andy and Nathan.

I can't believe how quickly the year has gone and how much Nathan has grown up. But we are getting closer to the terrible-two's and I am dreading having a newborn and two year old to deal with. Nathan has definitely started to become more demanding. His favorite word is currently "mine!" He also loves to say "hi" to strangers as I walk around the store unless of course the stranger talks back to him. Then he acts as if the person had tried to attack him. He is definitely a hard guy to read sometimes.

Andy and I are very blessed to have such a good kid and are pleased that he is our son. He makes us laugh all the time and one of our favorite things to do as we debrief our day is remember the ways Nathan made us smile.