Otesian Ideas

Enough of this Craziness!

Steve — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 01:32:30 +0000

Tonight was my turn to put Megan (my talkative 3 year old) to bed. I was going through the normal routine of rocking her, humming and telling her a few things that I tell all my girls each night.

When I started tonight, she stopped me after the first line (which is “Megan, did you know that I think you’re beautiful?”)

She stopped me and said “Dad, enough of this craziness!”

Me: “What craziness, Megan?”

Megan: “Of you telling me you love me and stuff.”

Me: “So you don’t want me to tell you that stuff anymore?”

Megan: “No. Well, just sometimes.”

Me: “Is tonight one of those times?”

Megan: “Maybe, I’ll let you know if it is…”

Great, she’s 3 going on 13!

She’s smarter than us!

Steve — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:14:35 +0000

Today is an awesome day! Sara was getting ready to go to the store, and wanted to suggest that I take the girls on a walk. We were all in the same room, and Sara didn’t want the girls to know what we were talking about, and here’s the conversation that followed.

Sara: ”Daddy, I forgot how to speak pig latin, so I’ll spell my idea backwards. K-L-A-W.” (Lauren can spell most things, so Sara knew she couldn’t spell in normally.)

Lauren: ”Hey, that’s walk! I want to go on a walk!”

Dear Lord–she’ll be smarter than us in a few years!

Variety Show Recap

Steve — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:24:21 +0000

This week, we had our Junior High Variety Show. Notice that it’s not called a “Talent Show.” That was intentional. We’ve done this event for several years, and it’s always a great night. This year was no exception. We had 15 acts, and some displayed great talent, and others displayed lots of variety. We invited parents to join us for the night, and we had a good number of parents with us. There were some hilarious skits and great songs. However, my favorite part of the night was the way the kids encouraged and applauded each other. After each act, kids cheered. It’s a beautiful thing to watch junior highers encouraging each other!

There were lots of other great acts, but there was something about a few of the acts that made them stand out. Either the audience response or the quality of the performance

The Argument Room
Beans & Rice
Rockin’ the Suburbs
Both Piano pieces
Revolution

All in all, it was a great night! Can’t wait to do it again next year!

King Triton

Steve — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:55:40 +0000

Wow, it’s been awhile since my last blog. I apologize. No excuse, I just haven’t made time for it lately. However, I did have to share what Lauren said this morning.

One of my commitments for 2009 was to get back in shape. I’ve been working out in the mornings before I go to work. This morning, Lauren got up early and came down to the basement with me. She was watching me and said the following. I almost fell over laughing.

Lauren: “Daddy, are you trying to be like King Triton?” (Apparently he’s the most muscular person she can think of.)

Me: ”Well, I guess so. How am I doing?”

Lauren: “Pretty good! The only thing is that you need to grow you’re beard really long and turn it white.”

Me: ”Oh, that’s the only thing, huh?”

Wow, kids sure can give you a confidence boost!

IHOP let me down

Steve — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 01:24:24 +0000

If you’ve read this entry, you know about Laure & Megan’s recent excitement about IHOP. Last Saturday, we decided to take advantage of the “Kids eat free on Saturdays” deal. We invited some friends along in the adventure. Everyone placed their order & enjoyed the pancakes. We got the bill and I noticed that the kids’ meals were still on there. No big deal, they can take it off at the register, right? Wrong.

I asked the girl at the register to fix the bill, and we had the following conversation.

Her “No, I can’t. Kids don’t eat free today.”

Me “Excuse me?”

Her “Kids eat free on weekdays now.”

Me “When did that start?”

“Last Saturday.”

Are you serious? We show up with 5 kids on what turns out to be the first Saturday that kids don’t eat free, and no one says anything until we have to pay? Not cool.
My girls still love IHOP and want to go back, but man…that was really frustrating!

Her Daddy is Youth Pastor

Steve — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:04:17 +0000

Today while I was out with Lauren running a few errands, we had some good conversations. We started out talking about her favorite kinds of cookies, (oreos) and then she started listing her favorite games, and also coming up with ideas for new games. I wanted to share one of her inventions.

“Hey, Daddy–we should play dodgeball with Oreos! That would be fun!”

I started cracking up! I swear I didn’t prompt her at all. By the age of 5, she already knows how to spot a good youth ministry game! I may have to try this one with my Junior Highers….

We’re going home!

Steve — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:08:46 +0000

We just talked with the attending neurologist, and things are looking like the episode is related to complicated migraines. (Which is what we were hoping for.) No more tests today, and Lauren will get to play in the snow.
Thanks so much for all your prayers and support!

Why do I need all these people to pray for me?

Steve — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:02:40 +0000

That’s the question Lauren asked me last night. We talked about how so many people want to help Lauren, and that most of all, people are asking Jesus to help the doctors find and fix whatever’s going on inside her head. (The joke has been that we now have proof that she has a brain.) It was a really great conversation about what prayer is, who we’re talking to, and what prayer does.

It was especially cool when some friends (Dan & Jamie) made an audio recording of their boys (Will & Aiden) praying for Lauren and sent it to us. It was neat to watch Lauren’s reaction as she listened to her friends praying for her.

God’s Great Timing (Psalm 46)

Steve — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:40:18 +0000

Each morning, I try to spend time doing devotions and exercising. Right now, I’m using a Bible reading plan that has me read a few chapters from several different books. I really like reading in 3 books at once. It’s really cool to see the way different parts of the Bible tie together. Anyway, yesterday morning one of the chapters was Psalm 46. I’ve always loved that Psalm. Given the events of yesterday and taking Lauren to the hospital, the first few verses were especially appropriate.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

Talk about an appropriate passage! Even though we don’t know what’s coming, and it’s scary when your 5 year old is having brain scans, we can be totally confident that God is faithful and He knows exactly what’s going on! He truly is an “ever-present help in times of trouble…therefore, we will not fear” no matter what comes our way. God is good!

thanks so much to all of you who are praying!

Prayer Needed for Lauren

Steve — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:01:26 +0000

Well the last day and a half has been a little crazy. We are in the hospital with Lauren. Yesterday at lunch she started being weird–not 5 year-old girl weird, but their is something wrong weird. Lauren had slurred speech and loss of muscle tone in her cheek along with an intense pain behind one eye. We decided to have Sara take her to the ER, and on the way she had some problems talking. Thankfully, the face and speech weirdness only lasted a short time and the intense head pain also ended after about 2 hours.

At the ER they did a CT scan that was normal. GREAT! They felt the need to transfer Lauren to another hospital for better care and more tests. She had a new experience, an ambulance ride! She thought this was cool and was so calm that she even took a short nap on the way.

At the new hospital she had an MRI and more neurological tests. All of her neurological tests have been normal. Lauren has been acting like herself and totally enjoying the hotel-like accommodations (as she described it). The MRI, however, did not come back normal, and the doctors are still trying to solve this mystery of what all of this could mean.

Please pray for:

The doctors as they consult other doctors to try to decide what to test next.

Lauren as she doesn’t like the IV in her hand and is eager to get back home.

Sara and I to ask good questions and to continue to have peace. (We are really doing well–God is so faithful and we are at peace that God is totally in control.)

Our youngest two daughters while we are away. Pray that they continue to be in good spirits even though they don’t understand what is going on.

Thanks a bunch for praying. You can contact me if you’d like more information.

Steve