Life at the Ekpo's

Twins, Dozens, and the Phantom of the Opera

2010-09-28T19:52:00.000-07:00

For those of you that don't know, I homeschool my kids Esther and Micah. History is a favorite subject for all of us. We are currently studying Ancient Civilizations and we have moved from nomadic tribes up to the 12 tribes of Egypt. My son Micah Abraham was really exctied today as we learned about Abraham being the "Father of Many Nations". He kept asking if he would be a "Father of many nations" too. I said I didn't know that was up to God, him, and his future wife, lol. Well later that afternoon after nap time we went for a walk to the park. Esther was carrying a basket she got from her Oma Kay to go with a Little Red Riding Hood outfit she got this weekend. Micah got a Phantom of the Opera cape (he LOVES the Phantom of the Opera!). With the basket in tow we set off and the kids began a game of make believe. This is something they are WONDERFUL at! Much better at it than I was as a child.
The cast:
Isis- played by Esther, was an ancient Egyptian God, married to Osiris, and mother to Horas
Horas- Played by Micah, father of 12 boys (Like Jacob, and the 12 tribes of Egypt at least for the purposes of todays make believe)
Gabriella- the air, and then later played by Esther, lead girl in High School Musical, Isis' daugther riding in Little Red Riding Hood's basket covered up with a blanket. She is 1 inch tall.
The Phantom of the Opera- Micah and the father of 13 sons
The POTOpera's mean brother- the air

The story goes something like this.....

Isis was carrying her baby, Gabriella in a basket. She needed to be careful when she walked because she was trying to keep her hidden from the vampire that wanted to kill her by putting her in his tummy. But before long Jacob came up and needed to talk to Isis because his dogs had killed her knights. "I am so sorry, I gave them spankings and they won't do it anymore." Isis replied, "It's okay! My knights are magic and they aren't dead anymore."
Jacob was very happy because his wife had another baby in her tummy and it was going to be another boy! Isis was so happy for him!

Intermission (crossing a kind of busy street... a school zone!)
Now Esther is playing as Gabriella and Gabriella is NOT Isis' daughter anymore.
Micah is now playing the Phantom of the Opera.

The Phantom of the Opera spotted Gabriella up ahead and ran to catch up. Something definately was wrong. "Gabriella, my brother, the mean Phantom of the Opera has killed your baby." Gabriella was not shocked. Nor was she upset, she simply sighed and said, "Phantom of the Opera, my baby is NOT dead. Horus and Isis are fine. They are right here in my basket that my grandmother gave to me." She reached into the (empty) basket and pulled back the (imaginary) blanket and shrieked!!! "No my baby is dead! How could you mean Phantom of the Opera?!" The Phantom of the Opera immediately cut her off, "No, listen to me Gabriella! I didn't do it! It was my BROTHER the mean Phantom of the Opera. I have 12 sons and will be a good guy. My brother did it and my dogs killed him so he can't kill us anymore!"

This is one of the first playtimes I can remember when Micah had a dog kill the bad guy. Usually he has his soldiers or a teenage mutant ninja turtle do it.

The afternoon was ended with popcicles and kids spending another hour in the backyard running and playing. One was wearing a Phantom of the Opera cape, and the other a head band and a Little Red Riding Hood.

Jesus and the Baseball

2009-11-18T15:39:00.000-08:00

We don't do the "Santa Thing" with our kids. We decided to just explain it to her from the begining that Santa is not real. He is based off of a man named Saint Nick, etc. The real reason for the season is the celebration of Jesus' birth. So every year instead of leaving out cookies and milk for Santa we make Jesus a birthday cake for Christmas Eve.
Today we started talking about what kind of cake we should make for Jesus. Esther immediately puts in her opinion.... "Jesus wants a Baseball Cake!"
I said, "How do you know that?" and after a little more questioning I got the entire story of why Jesus wants a baseball cake for his birthday this year.

The Nativity Story Up Until Now as told by Esther Ekpo
"Back when Jesus was born these guys came up to him with their backpacks that look just like mine, except they were for boys and they gave him presents that were pretty and smelled good. Then when He was 10, Jesus got to play baseball and he really liked it! On his 603 birthday he was living in Texas and God gave him a baseball for his birthday but NO cake! Because God doesn't make cakes. So this year, I think we should make a baseball cake for Jesus; he likes baseball and has never had one of those kind of cakes before!"
The End!!!!

the Simple Life

2009-08-06T06:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have done it! I have discovered the secret to a happy life! The simple things!!!! Take pride in what you do, take joy in what you do, and do everything for God's glory! Who cares if your house is spotless all the time? No ones kids are going to be happy all the time. They are going to fight, they are going to cry, they are going to mess up. So are you!
If you want to have a good day no matter what try this.....
No matter what happens, don't yell.
No matter what happens do something for your spouse that you KNOW they will make them smile and go the extra mile on it.
No matter what happens, take some time to play with your kids, dog, whatever you have.
No matter what happens, take some time for yourself. (Take a bath while the kids are napping, or eat some cake or pie and watch your favorite movie)
No matter what happens read the Bible, even if it is only for five minutes.
No matter what happens call a friend just to catch up. Ask their day is and ask if there is anything you can pray about for them.
Go sit outside for a bit and just listen to the birds, bugs, and soak up some vitamen D, or feel the cool breeze, or smell the rain. Then say a prayer of thanks for the gifts from God that he has given to you.
Sing your favorite hymn while you do the dishes.
Try it and I pray that you have a wonderful God filled and God blessed day!

Changes

2009-07-21T14:38:00.001-07:00

Well, life rolls along as it always does. We have moved and are getting settled into a new routine. We are now in a house with three bedrooms and a HUGE backyard. The kids seem to enjoy their own space ALOT. I am enjoying having my own space a LOT!
Lloyd got a new job and now works for the state of Texas! It is a Monday through Friday job with vacation time, benefits, ect. We are truly blessed by a faithful God! He sure does know when to let you suffer a little and when to releve you.
I have noticed lately that I have been feeling more tired than is normal for me. I am not sure if it is just aging, lack of sleep, or what. I know that I feel less stress than I have in a long time. So, I really don't think it is entirely stress related. (maybe a little stress)
I am also anxiously awaiting the arrival of my 2 new nephews. Logan and Nathan. My brother and sister-in-law are pregnant with twins and are due in October. I can't think of anyone in the world that would be more excited about having kids born around Halloween than him! I can't wait to meet them and love on them and show then how much their Aunt Julia loves them SO much! Also their cousins Esther and Micah ask everyday if they can look at pictures of Nant Natalie and the babies. They also pray everyday for their cousins.
"Dear God, thankyou for Nant Natalie, Uncle Todd, and my cousins, keep them safe and let them have fun. Please let me share my toys with them and be nice so they won't cry. "
Another developement which I am sure is no surprise to anyone that knows me, I have decided to homeschool Esther and Micah, at least for now. The plan is to home school them until at least I graduate with my bachelors or masters. Basically if things go well with homeschooling we will keep it up, but if we feel the kids would do better in a school atmosphere AND we can afford the private school of our choice we will put them there. (Any suggestions of schools that we can look at this coming year?)
We are also with out a car.... technically. We have our Explorer and it is still running but we never know when it taken its last trip. We are currently borrowing Lloyd's sister's car and we have it for another 3 weeks. So we have 3 more weeks of having a car and currently no chance of getting one before that 3 weeks is up. I KNOW that God will provide as He always does but I am interested to see how it is going to work out.
Well I hear a cring 2 year old so that is my cue to end this post. May you all have a very Blessed Day!

We're MOVING!!!

2009-06-04T09:04:00.000-07:00

We are moving into a house in Burleson! I am so excited! We will officially be moved out by July 1st. We have begun packing boxes, cleaning, and trying to get this place presentable for our landlord. Have you ever felt like you are going to burst just because you can't start something that you know that you need to start and it is going to take a LONG time to get it finished. We have to scrap the popcorn off of the ceiling, repaint the cabinets, touch up paint in all of the rooms, repaint the master bedroom. Plus packing here, cleaning here, and spraying for bugs here. (God bless our new landlady, they are having the new placed sprayed and professionally cleaned before we move in!)

LTC and the ER?

2009-04-13T07:13:00.000-07:00

So, the last couple of weeks I have been getting increasingly sick, so have the kids. In fact Esther missed her first soccer game because of high winds, chilled air, and a SERIOUSLY bad cough. Last week, the I couldn't talk or hear. I chalked it up to a really bad sinus infection. On Sunday of last week, my LTC groups had their last practices before the big event. I could barely talk but the did good job. I was starting to get a little worrited about my drama group because some of my kids still didn't know all of thier lines. On that very same night, my ears started hurting. Hurting worse and worse and worse until I was in such pain that I had not experience since childbirth. It was as bad or worse, I was actually crying and vomitting from the pain. I didn't cry during childbirth, and I have had enduced labor which is AWFUL! and natural labor with a 10 lb kid! So, around 1:30 in morning my husband suggests that I go to the emergency room. Well our kids are asleep and I don't want to wake them but it really hurts so, we call my mom. She comes and gets me and takes me to the ER downtown. After waiting for hours in agonizing pain to get a room, I go in, and they start testing me, x-raying my lungs, and all that mess. They even have me in a mask so that I don't get others in the ER sicker than they already are! They are testing me for things like strep, flu, phenomia, ect. Things I didn't think I had, but of course now I am trying to not panic and worry that I have. So a couple more hours later, I am exhausted and I actaully fall asleep with my ears hurting. By the way the temp in my room is like 50 degrees and I am in a winter coat and have 3 blankets on me, and yes my ears still hurt. The doctor finally comes in and says well, you have a cold, sinus infection, and ear infection. Here is a prescription for a pain med, mix that with some ibprofen, (no clue how to spell that) an antibotic, and an antihistimean with an expectorant, (not sure how to spell those either). Anyway so, we leave the hospital and went to get the prescriptions filled; by this time it is 8:00 or so in the morning. Of course no pharmacies are open until 9, we finally make it to Wallgreen's (their pharm is open that early), and it turns out that one of the prescriptions that the doctor gave me isn't even made anymore. The FDA pulled it!!! So the closest thing I can get to the prescription is Mucinex-D longlasting 12 hour formula. So we spend $80 on prescriptions and go home. Docs orders bed rest and LOTS of sleep. Lloyd took off work that day, and I sleep. I started feeling better by the Wednesday or Thursday.
On Friday, we pack up, clean up, and I drop the kids off, pick up Lloyd from work and we are off to Dallas for LTC. (Can't wait until next year, Esther will be old enough to take with us without any trouble, maybe Micah too.) We get there and one of my drama kids hasn't shown up yet. Kids are starting to panic, we go on in 10 minutes and no kid. 5 minutes and no kid. We ask the coordinators, and they said they weren't sure if we would get docked points if I read for the boy that didn't show up. So, Dallas (one of the kids in my group) says give me the script! and in 3 minutes he learns all of the missing boys lines. The performance wasn't as smooth as the practice we had right before they went on (with me reading lines), but considering the stress they were under due to the missing person, and that aside they did WONDERFUL!!!
Later that night, Lloyd and I went to watch the Jr. High drama group practice because we were going to miss their actual performance on Saturday. So on saturday, we watched the 3rd and 4th graders large chorus (that is the age group that I had for drama and puppets). After that we had puppets. The kids did a wonderful job on puppets too. A quick lunch then I was off to judge puppets for the next hour and a half. Some of the puppet skits were so funny, and and they were all done well.
I have to say though, things are done a lot different than when I was in LTC (a long time ago). The puppet groups had backdrops! Something our group didn't have. I felt a little unprepared, even though our group had already gone. So, now I feel better prepared for next year! Another whole year to prepare for LTC!!! Got back on Saturday afternoon, picked up the kids and watched Luke (one of Esther's friends) for a couple of hours. They are pizza, blew bubbles, and colored Easter eggs. I took pictures and will post them later. Started feeling sick again late on Saturday night, and really bad on Sunday again. (Relapsing after that wonderful eventful weekend.) So today is Monday and it I am coming full circle and going back to the doctor today, because my ears are stuffed up and hurt again!!! Oh the joy of my life!!! I wouldn't trade it for anything! Have a blessed week.

Storms and Soccer

2009-03-31T08:16:00.001-07:00

It has been storming like CRAZY on an off for the past couple of weeks. I guess we are practicing for April. Anyway, here are some pictures of some pretty weird looking storm clouds!
So, Esther is now playing soccer! She had her second pracitce yesterday and what can I say? 4 year olds playing soccer is about the funniest thing ever!!! They had a scrimage against a team the had older kids on it and we were smashed!!! It was so cute! Our kids practice on half of the feild and so they kept running back towards thier practice goal instead of the their shooting goal. But I still hold out hope. I think our kids were faster than thiers anyway. LOL
How are you today?

Thanksmas and Dancing!

2008-12-17T06:32:00.001-08:00

Wells we just got back from Thanksmas which is the holiday our small group celebrates every year. (We are too big of a group to meet for Thanksgiving and Christmas so we smoosh them together.) There is TONS of food and Santa even drops in with a present for every child in attendance. It is always a blast.
We had to leave early on Saturday right after the dinner because my daughter Esther was having her first dance recital ever. I will post it later. She was AWESOME!!! The only one in her class that did the whole dance. I cried through most of the 2 and a half minute dance. Then we went back out to the Owen's Ranch (where we celebrate Thanksmas; it is a weekend long celebration). We put the kids to bed then played some games, talked, watched a little of the Mav's game and had a really good time. We of course woke up super early as always, packed up, and left to drive the 1hour and 15 minute trip back to church. (I teach on Sunday's and Lloyd and I were suppose to work in the 2 year old children's worship.)
That is always fun. Our son is in that class, and everytime we turned on the bubble machine he ATE the bubbles. It was so gross, but then again 2 year old boys are kind of gross, sometimes. It was an awesome weekend, where I stuffed my face, didn't work out an ounce, and packed on alot of weight.
Now I get to leave tomorrow after my husband gets off work to go and see my IN-LAWS!!! That's right. We are driving up to Oklahoma to see Lloyd's parents and middle sister graduate college (before either of us) and I have put on weight. So much that only my fat jeans fit, and my babydoll dress that everytime I wear it someone asks if I am pregnant. Yeah, and the other day my daughter asked me if I had a baby in my tummy, and I said no I have just put on about 20 pounds.; thanks though.

Rotations!!!

2008-10-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

I just had my first observation at South West Christian School. I am so excited!!! The kids were very nice. I have to type up my observation now, fill out all of the forms, and work on a power point. Have a lovely week!!!

Baseball and Dance

2008-09-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

Well, it has begun. We are officially living the lives of busy parents shuffling thier children to different activities. Esther is now in Dance and playing Blast Ball. Micah is about to start Gymnastics (once we finish potty training). It is so much fun!!! I am loving this stage in our life.
We did however make a mistake. Esther started blast ball (like baseball but for 3 year olds), and then after her first week or two she started dance. This was a mistake, because it has taken us 2 weeks for us to get her to want to play baseball again. When she first started she LOVED baseball and that was all she could talk about. But when she started dance she didn't want baseball anymore all she wanted was dance. She has been talking about dance since her 2 birthday, she danced before she could walk. This girl was made to dance. But she also should have an open mind about other sports (i.e. baseball). But now I think that she finally understands that she can be both a ballerina and a baseball player. It doesn't have to be just one or the other it can be both.
And Micah went pee pee on the potty by himself. I guess that means that it is time to start training my big two year old!!! He is so sweet. On the nights that Lloyd goes to work he always wakes up and comes to get into bed with me. What a cuddle baby!!!

Throw up on Aisle 3

2008-07-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we were at Costco getting a pizza for lunch because my kids were soooo good all day long. They were at a babysitters while I was at work and so was there dad. (He was doing some temp work for a guy from our church.) We have just picked up the pizza, it is lunch time on Thursday, the cashier lines are full of people eager to get home and eat, the concession stand was full of people getting pizza and hotdogs, and the tables in the food court are filling up. (Probably about 200 people in the front of the store, all in complete view). I am in work clothes, which means nice dry clean only pants, a white shirt, and open toed high heel sandals. I have the pizza in the cart and I am getting the kids cups of water. Micah says "Hold you" I turn just in time to see him lose all of his breakfast all over himself and the ground and the cart. Thankfully Esther is puke free. Unfortunately I have to clean him up, switch carts, ect, ect, ect. This means of course that I have to pick him up, and if any of you have kids when they are sick, or have just gotten sick you know that they want held. Thats right, my clean work clothes and white shirt are about to be covered in pucke.
By this time, ONE associate has come over to clean the massive amount of throw up that has just come out of my little boy. We jet to the bathroom to do some real clean up while on lookers are saying comforting words like "Oh that is gross", "Disgusting, there goes my appitite", and of course "Why is she at the store if her kids are sick?" Thank you very much, my kids were not sick that morning. They had not been sick at all until about 3 minutes ago when my son lost his breakfast. Excuse me for not being a mind reader and looking into the future to see if my son was going to get sick at the store. I am sooo sorry that my ill child ruined YOUR lunch. By the way thankyou to the one person who actually said "Oh, poor baby. His tummy probably feels better now."
By the way did I mention that I left the diaper bag in the car which had a change of clothes, diaper, and wipes in it? We were only going to be in the store for 10 minutes.
So, how has your summer been going?

First Swim of Summer

2008-06-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

So yesterday was father's day, and the "final day" of the US Open. It was hot hot hot, and I decided that a good present to my husband would be a few hours of quiet to watch golf in peace.
So I put Micah down for a nap and Esther and I suited up and went to grandma's house for our first swim of the summer. Esther LOVES water. As I said earlier she wants not much more out of life than to be able to swim like a mermaid. So, I lathered her up in sunscreen, put her little life jacket on and we got in. The water felt good, she wasn't afraid of the water or anything, and the deepest part of the pool is 5 feet; so not much danger.
I start off by trying to get her to put her face in the water. She holds her nose, takes a deep breath and right as we are about to go under she starts laughing and says that was funny. So Ifinally get her timed right to go under water, and she thinks that it is just the best thing in the world. So we go over to the edge, and she jumps, then she starts fake jumping. You know, bending her knees, leaning forward, and then lurching her body but not lifting her feet even an inch! Which she thinks is even funnier. So she jumps when she wants to and I just have to stand at the ready and hope that I catch her.
Next she goes to grandma while mommy does a little floating and alone swimming. She is splashing, and giggling, and laying on her stomach in grandma's arms trying to desperately do her version of a doggy paddle over to me so she can try out surface diving. As she gets closer to me she is reaching her little arms and trying to grab as best she can and get me to hold her. Well she grabbed me all right. She had in each hand a piece of me. That's right!!! I was groped by my daughter in a pool. Did I mention that we were at an apartment complex where other families are there including my mother's husband who sees the whole thing. We didtn't stay long after that. For the rest of the day all we heard from Esther was "I want to dive, and then swim like a mermaid, and go grrr and be a sea monster and the Lady in Pink".
FYI: The Lady in Pink is from a tv show called The Backyardigans, and Cindy Lauper sings the theme song. It is a very cute show!
But all in all it was a good Sunday, and hopefully a good father's day for Lloyd. Though we do have VBS practice all week since the actual show is next week. Wish us luck!

My First Post

2008-06-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

So, this is my first time to post. I think that it will make it easier than emailing everyone a long email everytime I have some news.
I guess that I should start by telling you about my family. My name is Julia, I am wife, mother, and Sunday school teacher, currently in college to become a elementary school teacher. My husband, Lloyd, is currently pursuing a carreer in web design, and is probably the most talented natural athelete I have ever met. We have two beautiful children that are three and one and a half. Our daughter, Esther, is three and her current goals in life are to swim like a mermaid, dance like a ballerina, and to be a doctor. Our son, Micah, is one and a half and he is in line to be the next heavy weight champ. (The boy eats more in one sitting than I do, and that is saying something. I eat like a man!!!) But he is starting to get into kicking and throwing things lately, and he is a lefty (I can hear the cheers of baseball coaches all across TX, because he is also a very fast runner). We live in the DFW area in TX, where we work, go to church, and go to school.
I grew up in Texas, but my husband is from California.