New Challenges

It is nice to live in a neighborhood with lots of kids. Every warm day the kids want to run outside and play. The only downside to this is that most of the kids around us are a few years older than ours. Much of the time the neighbor kids are very gracious and kind, including Jacob and Izzy in the things they are doing. But, understandably, there are times when the big kids just want to be left alone. So our newest parenting challenge is learning when to step in, when to bring the kids inside, and figuring out how much about relationships to let them learn on their own. We are also having to talk to them now about checking in with us and letting us know where they are going and what they are going to be doing, and who they are going to be doing it with.

Just one of those days…

Today didn’t start very well. Woke up at quarter to seven with my daughter in my face wanting to crawl into bed and bug me. Minutes later the baby’s crying in his crib, coming into our bed and rubbing my back and pulling at my ears for ten minutes. I leave to use the bathroom, hop into my daughter’s now vacated bed and before I even hit the pillow Andrew has the TV blaring in my bedroom. That wakes up my older boy prematurely and he leaves the room to join the TV arguments in my room. Foolishly I thought I might get a quick snooze with everyone gone, but in no time all the kids are yelling and crying and stomping around. Bring the two younger ones downstairs and its whining for food and juice. By 8 all the kids are downstairs moping around because they can’t go outside. Twenty minutes later they are outside, 2 minutes later the daughter and baby are back inside, and outside, and inside, and outside. I’m on the deck and screaming flows through the open windows of the house in between every sentence I try to read. In the last hour I have pitched baseballs, played catch, gone hunting, organized the toys on the deck, taken a wagon away from my daughter, stopped the baby from dumping out sand from the neighbors sandbox, vacuumed the kitchen, washed a load of laundry, disciplined numerous times for attitudinal issues, and somehow drank almost three cups of coffee. Now my wireless network is down!

Can anyone relate?

Family Inventory

Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch is posting a series of introspective questions on his blog for pastors; even if you are not a pastor I think this list will be beneficial to you…

1. Am I closer to my spouse today than I was a year ago?
2. Have I read God’s word with my family this week?
3. Have I prayed with each member of my family this week?
4. Do my children know they come before the people in the church?
5. Are my children joyfully experiencing Christ at church or do they resent the church?
6. Does my spouse feel close to me spiritually?
7. If my spouse could have me change one thing about me, what would it be? (Why haven’t I changed in this way? What am I going to do about it?)
8. Are we honoring the Sabbath as a family?
9. Do my wife and kids enjoy being around me?
10. Can my family clearly articulate our family values and vision?

Baseball is Back

Minnesota Twins home opener tomorrow. Stephanie and I are bringing the two older kids. Can’t wait. It should be a lot of fun!

Happy Easter 2008!

Updated Family Photos

I haven’t updated any family photos on Flickr for quite a while. Until today. Check out all the new ones here: Balvin Family Photos.

Finding Nemo Show

Had a great time with the family on Thursday night at the “Finding Nemo” On Ice Show. We forgot cash for the parking ramp so I had to drop off Stephanie and the kids and make a mad dash to get some. Luckily I know where pretty much any Super America is within 5 miles of where I am, so I made it back just in time for the beginning of the show.

My highlight of the night came during the intermission. The kids were really bummed because we couldn’t afford any toys or popcorn at the show. As we where sitting down a bag of popcorn was passed down the row our way. When I tried passing it on to the guy next to me I was told it was for the guy in glasses (which was me!).

Turns out a friend some rows up behind us had bought it for us from a vendor without even knowing our situation. It was a real blessing to our family. It was also very convicting because I often struggle with generosity and I was reminded that I need to be more active in blessing others despite my own fears and insecurities about things.

Goodbye Mr. Squatter

Stephanie blogged about a visitor we had in our house just over two weeks ago. That visitor is no longer here. Cheese didn’t work, but some fresh peanut butter did the trick. Snap. Jacob and I escorted the squatter out of the house this evening. He’snow awaiting a free ride to the county garbage dump.

I feel no sorrow.

What I Did On My Time Off

After four days of being off I am headed back to work today. It was a nice break. I had a lot of fun being with Stephanie and the kids. Some highlights of my time off are…

– meeting and talking with the pastor at our new church
– sleeping in until 8 instead of 6
– watching my little bro play hockey twice
– shoveling the driveway and watching my son play in the snow
– watching some of Hockey Day in Minnesota
– changing out two vehicles headlights (major accomplishment for me!)
– taking the family to A&W, IKEA, and the airport

Letting work go to fully enjoy my time off was difficult. As a new employee I am constantly thinking about working hard to get the job done well and looking for opportunities to supersede my daily responsibilities. Checking my work email at home and seeing issues pop up isn’t a good idea. It just adds unnecessary stress. I’ll have to work on this in the future.

He Said I Did What?

In case you missed this a couple days ago on my wife’s blog. I am guessing she paid Jacob to say this…