Lessons from brother.

This is how you play the game.

And this is how you dominate.

Any questions?

Lincoln makes me smile.

I love this kid.

He cracks me up and makes me smile all day long.

It’s a good thing too.

It just so happens we spend a lot of time together 🙂

I love his obsession with basketball.  Sure I hear that word in my sleep but at least it isn’t Dora or something worse.  I can live with basketball, heck, I even like it.  The fact that he has to take a basketball with him everywhere is nothing less than hilarious.  Screw a blanket or stuffed animal.

Pass that kid the rock.

 

He makes me spray perfume on him every morning.  Love it…people tell me constantly that Linc is “all boy.”  Well this boy likes to smell good.  We have the application process down.  Spray, then dance in it.  It has become a part of our morning routine.

 

I like watching him eat.  Is that weird?  He just looks so cute.  He will stuff a bunch of food in his mouth and then try his best to chew with his mouth closed.  I didn’t teach him that, he just born with these impeccable table manners (har har).  Maybe it’s a toddler thing.  Do all toddlers chew with their mouths closed?

 

If at any point during the night I say “go hug BoBo”, he will.  This is amazing because he only listens to me when he wants to, which is rare, so he must really like his brother.  It is so sweet.  And kind of dangerous, he is a little rough.

 

Bedtime kisses.  He is not very cuddly but when I am tucking him in at night he can’t get  enough mommy kisses.  I love it.  These few minutes are my absolute favorite of the night

After bath cuddle.

Getting both the boys out of the bath and dressed before someone pees on the floor is a challenge.

But I have it down to a science.

Drain the tub.

Bowen out first.

Diapered.

Lay him on Linc’s bed.

Linc next.

Diaper.

Then dressed.

Today I was unprepared and did not have PJ’s set out, so I had to run to the other room and grab them.

When I came back I found Linc, lying on his bed, snuggled up to his brother.

I couldn’t even handle the cuteness.

I am so happy my camera was close.

Attached.

 

Yesterday when dad went to pick up Linc at daycare, Linc did the cutest thing.

As they were headed to the door Linc said, “BoBo?”

Dad, “no buddy, it is just me and you today, Bobo is home sick.”

Lincoln then broke down into tears, crying and throwing a huge fit.

“BoBo, BoBo, BO BO!!!”

Finally, dad walked Linc down to Bo’s classroom, so that he could see for himself.

He looked in, he searched.

No BoBo.

And then it clicked.

“BoBo, Mama?”

“Yeah buddy, Bo is with mom.”

And then Linc ran towards the door to leave.

 

When his dad told me this story my heart melted.

He is only 20 months old and already looking out for his little brother.

There was no way he was going to leave daycare without his Bo.

Brotherly Love

 

This will be one of many pictures of my two boys together.

I look forward to all of the years.

I look forward to all of the hugs.

All the high fives.

All the wrestling.

All the balls being thrown or kicked in the house behind my back.

All the giggles.

All the bedtime secrets.

The blanket made forts.

The bike rides.

And the small successes.

I look forward to all the times were you will stick up for each other.

Be a good friend.

And an encouraging voice.

I am so excited for you to share your lives together.

To grow older with a best friend.

To know that you always have someone in your corner.

I am so glad you are brothers.

Though there may be fights and a little rough housing along the way.

You will always have each other.

Brothers are forever.

the Brothers.

Sometimes I am struck by how real the Bible truly is.  Today I started reading Obadiah which is really a whole book of the Bible dedicated to war.  Being that our Nation is involved in a war and I personally have a brother who served in this war, I became very intrigued by why the Bible dedicated a whole book to war and what it had to say on the subject.

The History:

The book of Obadiah tells the story of two nations, Israel and Edom.  It is also the story of the two twin brothers (yes, brothers), who rule these Nations, Jacob and Esau.  It all begins in Genesis when Rachel, their mother, learns that she is giving birth to twins.

And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.” Genesis 25:23

From the very beginning God knew.  I think about what is going on today and the same holds true.  From the very beginning God knew that we would be at war right now.  He didn’t change his plan because he knew two Nations would be fighting and killing, he knew, and it is still happening.  I wonder if God realized that in a sinful world that war is sometimes necessary to achieve peace.  Even saying that I feel a little bold.  I don’t want to put words into Gods mouth or try to twist my beliefs into Biblical translation, I am not that crass.  But that is certainly what I believe and to go even further I don’t think a world with sin is even probable, it is just a momentary lull in the storm.

Anyways…back to the story.  Esau and Jacob could not have been more different.  Jacob related well to his mother and like to cook and stay in the kitchen, while Esau was a great hunter and outdoorsman who was well liked by his father.  The problem was that Esau was the first-born son, and back then this was very important, but Jacob was able to get Esau to hand over his birth right by not giving him food after a long hunting trip.  Esau returned home hungry and nearly starved and before he could eat Jacob made him swear over his birth right.  The second thorn in Esau’s side was at his father’s death.  With the aid of his mother Jacob tricked his father into thinking that he was his brother so that he could get his father’s blessing instead of Esau.  After these two events occurred and brother very bitter towards the other they each went their separate ways into different areas of the land.

Genesis 25-28

Tomorrow I will continue with Obadiah.  I really thought the background history was interesting enough to share first.  I think that is one problem I have with the Bible is that it is read in pieces and you never make the connections between two brothers spoken of in Genesis to a war spoken of in Obadiah.  When you truly understand the beginning middle and end of a story that is when it really becomes real to me.  It is not about one moral lesson from one verse.  It is a full circle.  Full circles are much more fulfilling.

I am excited to see what the Bible has to say about war tomorrow.