Our afternoon with the Coffey boys...

          Yesterday we had the pleasure of having John and Hunter Coffey over for the day while Jen, their mom, went to visit their dad, Sean, at the hospital in Boston.  Sean is a friend of ours who was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer back in September.  Please lift him up in your prayers!  He has been dealing with a lot of pain recently and is having surgery to have a pain block put in to help manage it.  

          First let me start by saying that these boys are..... Enchanting!  Mark went to pick them up along with Amber, Joel and Chris, while stayed I at church because I have nursery this month.  Of course, I was anxious to see how they boys were, so I texted Amber.  "How are John and Hunter?"   Amber replied, "Oh my gosh, mom!! They are adorable... and so well-behaved!!"  (I know that Jen will love to hear that!) 

          When we all got home after church... the boys were HUNGRY!!!  They had NO problem expressing this fact!!  So Mark and I got hopping on making some lunch.  First, they had homemade pizza that we had made the night before...and they LOVED it!  It was so funny because while we were getting lunch ready, they marched themselves right into the dining room and parked themselves at the table.  Joel camae over to me and said, "Mom, where are the crayons... they want to draw pictures."  So I pulled out the box of colored pencils and they went to town.  John drew me a spider web with the big ol spider in the center.  It read... "the spidr web is rily sticky"...  he brought it over to me and said, "This is for you!"  and smiled this big smile.  "Thank you, John... I love it!!"   Hunter drew something.... shall we say... more abstract.... but just as special nonetheless.  They were too cute! 

          They decided that they wanted to go outside and play basketball, so I put their coats on and out they went.  Joel went out with  them.  They ran around... picked up acorns.... walked on the brick wall... shot some hoops... then they came back in and Hunter announced... "I'm still hungry.."  At this point, the hot dogs were just about done being grilled, so I had them wash their hands and sit back at the table.  While I was helping Hunter wash his hands, I noticed how BIG his hands were for a three year old boy!!  I thought to myself.. this boy's gonna be a big bruiser when he gets older!!  He was giggling and asking all sorts of questions... mainly  about our dogs.  He made it very clear that he did not like dogs.  We have two mini dachshunds who are all bark and no bite.  But he did not want them anywhere near him and he would put his hands out toward them as if to say, "Do not come near me!!"  John, on the other hand loved them.  He played with them and tickled them.  I asked him if he wanted to give them a bone and he did.  John gravitatde toward Joel.... actually, both Hunter and John did.  Joel was making funny faces and they were cracking up!!  Joel is great with little kids.

           Finally, we all sat down for lunch.  Hot dogs and gold fish with raspberry ginger ale.  Not the healthiest meal, I know, but we were on a tight schedule.  We had to get to Joels game in Ivoryton within the hour.  We sat at the table and "the man with the red vest"  (this is how Hunter referred to Mark for most of the day..)  said the blessing.  Hunter and John dug right in....  They were both very aware of everyone.  When Rex walked in, Hunter's eyes got very wide.  I think it was his crutches that caught his attention.  And Angie was also a person of interest to both of them, although they did not say anything... they just looked at them....  I could see the wheels in their head turning and turning...

          Hunter was the first to finish.  John had part of a hot dog and some goldfish left.  I asked Hunter if he wanted to finish John's lunch.  (I was partly kidding when I asked him)  and he shook his head "yes".  He cleaned the plate!!  Mark and I just looked at each other.  Mark said, "That boy can eat!" and he laughed with that big laugh!!  I had everyone use to bathroom before piling in the car to get to Joels last soccer game of the season.

          One of the best inventions that car makers ever decided to put into cars is the DVD player.  We use ours whenever we go on long trips.  This keeps the kids quiet and happy, and mom and dad happy, too.  John and Hunter were very "happy" that we had one.  We put on "Tale of Despareaux"  and it was sheer silence for most of the trip.  About 10 minutes into it, Joel whispered, "...look mom..."   Hunter was asleep on Joel's shoulder.  I thought that  might happen, especially since Jen said that he takes a nap every single afternoon, at least when he is at home.  I thought about how much their lives have changed with their daddy being sick.  One day they are here.. the next.. there, and the mommy having to be "all things to them,,,, mom and dad" while they are going through this ordeal.  That is why Mark and I want to be available to them whenever they need us.  (Do you hear me, Jen?)  We are here for them,, for whatever they need us to do.. as are  many others.  I know that it is hard to ask some times... you feel as if you are putting a burden on others when actually, it helps us feel like we are pitching in and helping out.  So never be afraid to ask for help.... you hear me??  (Jen?)  I love you!

          We finally got to the field and we all piled 'out' of the car.  It was COLD!!  Thankfully the boys had their brand new coats on!!  John looked over at the port-o-potties...  "I need to use the bathroom.."  "But you went before we left the house, didn't you?"  "Yes, but I need to go again."   I detest port-o-potties.....  I suppose they serve a necessary purpose, but they smell awful and are so dirty!!!  YUCK!!!  Anyway, there were two of them.  One was occupied by a rather large fellow... the other was empty.  "I will be right here, John.  Please do not touch ANYTHING!!"  "Ok", he said with a smile and walked in.  He wasn't in there long at all.  I'm sure he was thinking what I was thinking... "This place stinks!!"

          The game was exciting from the very beginning.  We scored first.  All the while I was taking pictures of Joel on the field and the boys running around.  John seemed to take a liking to Amber at this point.  He even snuggled with her under the blanket for a while before Mr. Hunter came in and took over!!  He was sitting on Amber's lap. "Mom, he is heavy!!"  she said as she was trying to give him a horsey ride.  She was laughing and so was Hunter.  I am so thankful that the Lord has been shielding the heavy burden of Sean's sickness from these little ones.  They seem oblivious to it... they act as if everything is fine and dandy... and for that, we are all thankful.  I looked over at John.  Looks like he made a new friend!  Her name is Addie.   She is a beautiful little Chinese girl that friend's of ours adopted when she was an infant  from China.  She is the only girl of three brothers, and let me tell you, she is a little princess!!  And she knows it!  Anyway, she and John had a blast.. collecting rocks together.... chasing one another... and chatting with one another.  I think that John may be a bit of a ladies man.  Look out girls!! 

          Later on at Burger King (another unhealthy, yet quick and kid friendly choice for dinner), Mark, Amber and I were talking about Hunter and John.  "John looks like Sean and Hunter looks like Jen," Amber said.  I thought the opposite....Hunter smiles just like Sean... and John make facial expressions like Jen.  Mark agreed with me. They were eating and gabbing and laughing the whole time.  They put on their BK crowns.  I took some cute videos of them.  They ate well.  Hunter even helped himself to my fries... taking the whole thing and pouring it out on his napkin!  "Here help yourself, Hunter!"  We all laughed!

          We got home around 6:30 or so.  Jen was on her way back from Dana Farber.  The boys wanted to watch  Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  It was a funny movie.  They snuggled on the couch with their ice cream cones in front of the pellet stove and vegged out for a while.  Mark and I were talking...... "I am not used to this anymore.... having to put the kids in their car seats and buckle them in.... having to watch them wherever they go... helping them wash their hands...."    I have not had to do that in quite some time.... but I found that I really enjoyed it!  Or maybe it was that I enjoyed the Coffey boys.  I could see why their mom refers  them as "DELICIOUS"!!  :)  They truly are wonderful little boys and have quickly become a blessing to our lives!