Conversations with Max

(Today I took max to the pediatrician for his 8-year-old check up. The Dr. mentioned that Lucas and I should not wait too long to have what he called the "Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll" conversation. I thought Max might have some questions about that so I brought it up on the way home.)

Mom: Max, did you have any questions about what the Dr. had to say?

Max:  Yes. What did he mean about the rock music? He said something about that the conversation should only take two minutes?

Mom: He was talking about some of the conversations that your dad and I are going to be having with you as you are growing up from a little boy to a teenager to a man. While you are growing up, you are going to be making more and more choices about what you  will do with your body, your mind and heart. The Dr. was reminding your dad and I to make sure you have all the information you need and also to make sure that you know we are the ones you can come to with absolutely any question or anything you don't understand, and we will always tell you the truth. 

Max: Mom, I do have one more question, but it's about a different subject. I don't know how to ask this. I'm not sure what words to say because I don't want to be disrespectful to God. 

Mom: It's okay. Being respectful to God is mostly about the attitude of your heart, so you don't have to worry as much about which words to say when you are really honoring God in your heart. I can tell you are doing that- you can go ahead and ask."

Max: If God is so powerful, why doesn't He just destroy sin?

< crickets chirping >

Max: Is it one of the mysteries? I've asked you this question before but it just keeps coming back to me...

Mom: That's a really good question. And You're right- there is a lot about that question that is a mystery to us, because God's true Word says in Isaiah that God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher than our ways. Remember how your Dad told you it's kind of like an ant trying to understand everything about our world- science, art, politics, business, economics, government- an ant could never understand all that! Maybe 99% of your question is a mystery and 1% we can understand from what God has told is in His Word. 

Max: What's the 1%?

Mom: Well... One thing that we know is that God didn't want to create robots- he wanted us to love Him and obey Him because we chose to, not because He programmed us to love Him. Imagine if your mom was a robot... And every time I told you "I love you," you knew it was only because I was programmed to say it. That wouldn't mean as much, would it?

Max: No...

Mom: The other thing I know about the answer to your question is what I learned when I was in India. While I was there, I saw so many terrible, evil things- and I was asking the same question as you: "God, how can you allow this evil to go on and on?!" And you know what God showed me in His Word?

Max: What?

Mom: He showed me that our God is SO patient and SO kind, and He does not want anyone to perish but wants everyone to have the opportunity to believe and have eternal life. So because he is so patient and kind, He is holding back His wrath and His anger at sin so more people have the chance to believe.  In India, I saw many, many people bowing down and worshipping false gods. Many of them don't know about Jesus yet. 

Max: Did you tell them about Jesus?

Mom: No, I was doing other work. 

Max: (incredulous) WHY NOT??!!

Mom: Good question. Maybe I should have tried to find a way. But God is patient, and that's one of the reasons he hasn't destroyed all evil. He's giving us more time. Because He is powerful enough to destroy sin and make everything right again and HE WILL, and once that happens there won't be any more chance for more people to believe in Him. 

Max: The clock's ticking. 

Mom:  Yep. It could even be today that He comes back!

Max: But I think it will be more like a hundred years. He's leaving more time for more missionaries to go. 

Mom: And maybe you will be one of those who goes! Or maybe you will be a scientist like you've been thinking about- and you can tell the people you work with about Jesus. 

Max: Yes, that is my first idea. I really want to be a scientist and find the cure for the not-going-away kind of cancer. 

(.... And then we were on to another lengthy discussion about terminal cancer. :-). )

Maggie and Chocolate

Maggie (6): Mom, I don't know why, but I'm not really liking brown chocolate very much any more. It's too creamy. You know, people's tastebutts DO change sometimes. My tastebutts changed so that now they are like Uncle T's.

Campaign Chatter

Maggie: You know, Max, you can lose votes. 

Max: How can you lose votes?

Maggie: By doing stuff people don't like. 

Max: Like what?

Maggie: Boys dressing up like girls, stuff like that. 

Saturday Morning Pancakes

Maggie (6): Mom, can I have mine the old-fashioned way, with a 

square of butter in the middle and syrup dropping down the sides?

Play Therapy

I understand why therapists use play therapy to work with children- watching them play can be an insightful lookinto their   life experiences and thought processes. Over this Christmas break, Max and Maggie have been playing a game they made up called "City of Today" where they use chocolate gold coins to buy and sell goods and services from each other. I remember playing something very similar with my brothers when we were children. 

In the game, max owns a little shop called "Max's 1 to 5 Sale" and a movie theater and Maggie owns a broadway theater (no surprise) and a vet clinic. I overheard max say this as they were hashing out the pricing at the vet clinic:

"How much it costs depends on how serious the sickness is. Cancer costs 5, a serious seizure costs 4, a not-so-serious seizure costs 3, and other stuff like colds cost 2."

Interesting insight into medical conditions that he has personally encountered that made an impact on him. Also interesting that Xander's terrifying-but-harmless febrile seizure happened exactly one year ago today. 

It all reminds me that raising children is a scary, thrilling, humorous,  intriguing, humbling, joyful experience every day. 

Branson Birthday Bash!

This year we decided to do a little something different to celebrate our family's fall birthdays. In lieu of presents and parties, we took the kids on a 3-day trip to Branson over Labor Day to visit the Grand Country Inn hotel, water park and resort. We squeezed a LOT of fun birthday family fun into three days: swimming, mini-golf, pizza, bumper cars, outlet mall shopping, Branson variety show, arcade, fudge and more! We found the great 3-day vacation resort package deal on groupon that had so many fun options included that we didn't even have time to get it all in! We could have seen another show and played another round of mini-golf... but these old parents were worn out from all the fun. :-) We had a total blast!

Here are my favorite moments from our trip:

On our second night, I put the littles to bed at their regular bedtime and Lucas took Max and Maggie to use their arcade cards and ride the bumper cars. Max had SO much fun that when he returned to the hotel room to get ready for bed, he whispered to me in all seriousness: "Mom, I'm afraid I'm getting a little spoiled." It was precious. 

One of the things we got to do in our package was see the Branson show Amazing Pets. Maggie was completely engrossed and delighted the entire time. I mean, with tiny poodles wearing leotards and tutus and dancing and spinning  on hind legs to the nutcracker, what's not to love?!

Xander is such a little water monkey. He LOVED the indoor and outdoor water park. When we were back in the hotel room, he would go find our water park entrance bracelets, take them to lucas and say, "Wa-wa", "Wa-wa" incessantly! He wanted to get back to that water!

Amelia did well on the trip in spite of her recently cranky ways. :-) we only had a couple times she got really upset, but the rest of the time she did great and put up with a lot of craziness for a 3-month old! My favorite moment was when she *immediately* fell fast asleep in my arms when I dipped her toes in the warm water of the hot tub. She LOVED that warm water!

We made some great family memories this weekend. So glad we came!

Insights from Maggie

Maggie: Mom, did you know that 'Narnia' is a movie that can teach kids stuff? Aslan represents God, The White Witch represents Satan, and Edmund represents that we will never be perfect. 

Practice for the future

Maggie: Max, do I look cute?

Max: Maggie, I don't like these types of questions. 

Instant Roebuck Family Classic!

Happy birthday, America!

Ten Years Later

June 28, 2003: Ten years ago tonight I was taking my father's arm so he could escort me down the aisle to my groom. While we were waiting for our cue, my Dad turned to me and said, "You don't have to, you know. It's not too late to change your mind... if you're not sure."  I was sure. 

Ten years, four kids, three states and eight moves later, I'm still sure. Sure that God orchestrated a lot of details to bring us together. Sure that there is no other person who would be as good a match for me as Lucas Roebuck is. SURE that I got the better end of the deal when I married him, and sure that he is a better man than I even knew when I agreed to be his wife. Sure that I would love nothing more than to add 40 or 50 more anniversaries to our first decade together.

 I love you, Lucas! Happy 10th anniversary!

Amelia's Bathtime

Washing up:

Drying off:

All clean and ready to sleep!

Amelia's first day in church

Feeling very blessed and thankful today- it was so special to introduce our daughter to her church family this morning!

Max's Hero

Celebrating!

We are so blessed with wonderful, generous friends at our church! Several dear friends hosted a beautiful baby shower for the ladies at church this week to help celebrate our new baby girl. I dropped the ball and didn't get many pictures- I really wish I would have gotten one with the wonderful hostesses. Thank you, Laura, Allison, Chris, Meagan, Karen and Nancy for planning such a special evening!

Snowy May

Arkansas had its first snowfall in May in recorded state history this week. 2 inchess of the cold white stuff on the ground when we woke up on May 3!

The kids enjoyed a little time playing in the snow before a nice end-of-the-year May school day!

Maximus was baptized on Easter Sunday morning, March 31, 2013. He was ready, and we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate Easter! Lucas had the privilege of baptizing him. Check out the photos and video below and celebrate with Maximus!

Back in the Saddle

Okay, for all of you who report that you've been missing the blog updates (Hi, Grandma!), I'm back in the saddle in the blog world. I'll try to do better at keeping some updated photos and stories here for those who like to check it!

Craft Fun Galore!

Nothing pleases a house full of princesses more than CRAFTS! We kept all these cute little fingers busy during our tea party with several different craft projects from Creativity for Kids. As the girls were arriving for the tea party, they made these adorable pink zebra-striped tote bags (Maggie was THRILLED that this project included zebra print- she's a zebra fanatic!).

After the bags were complete, we started stuffing them with some more craft goodies for the girls to take home!

After tea and sandwiches, we all headed out to make fancy headbands and pop art necklaces. Both of these projects were definitely a hit with all these fancy little ladies! Maggie's cousin Susan was a big help and showed all the girls how to get started on their pop art necklaces.

And here are the little ladies with their fashion craft creations! Aren't they lovely?!

Happy Birthday, Maggie Mae.

Maggie Mae,

Happy Birthday! You are five years old today. I know this is the kind of thing moms say all the time, but I can hardly believe it's been five years since you made your grand and speedy entrance into the world in Nampa, Idaho. Your dad and 21-month old Max and I had just moved to Idaho a few weeks before you were born. We didn't know a single person in our new town, but the day I brought you home from the hospital I knew I instantly had a wonderfully tiny and precious new friend. I loved those first few months of getting to know you!

Even before you were born, I believed God had a special plan for your life. Now that I really know you– the strong, passionate, artistic, intelligent, loving girl you are– I believe more than ever that God has great things in store for you. I pray every day that God will capture your heart and channel all of your passion and strength and stubbornness toward the things that really matter, toward the very few things in life that will last forever.

I was thinking this week about a time when you were just over a year old. I was playing the piano at Grandpapa and Grandmama's house and you came in the room to listen. When the music came to a quite dramatic and beautiful resolution, you spread your arms out wide and let out a huge sigh. You got it. At one year old. This week you played your first real song on the piano. And I saw another glimpse of the beautiful soul that God formed inside me five years ago. I can hardly wait to see what the next five years will bring and all they will reveal about the woman God is growing you to become. I wouldn't trade this journey with you for anything. Anything.

I love you, sweet girl.

Mommy