Hark the Herald Shepherds Sing...

Yesterday was the first rehearsal for the Christmas Children's Choir at church. Jonah is performing for the second year in a row. When given the choice between an angel, animal or shepherd, Jonah chose the shepherd.

The theme for this year's performance is "The Innkeeper's Tale". It is the story of the innkeeper who, despite previous accounts, tried his best to find accommodations for Joseph and Mary.

Plays are always fun to watch due to unpredictable nature of live acting. Add a cast of young, untrained child actors and viola! It will be a fun night.

The curtain rises on Sunday, December 21st! Sing your heart out shepherd boy.

Walker, Texas Ranger

OK, this post has nothing to do with Chuck Norris, but "Walker" is the key word. Nana and Papa Riggs were kind enough to give Jack and Jed their Christmas presents early. Yesterday their Uncle TJ delivered two VTech walkers. Even though they have therapy 3-4x per week, hopefully this will help their physical development even more. The lights and sounds are pretty cool and so far they're mildly interested in it. Before we know it they'll probably be racing down the hallway with them. I hope these walkers are still in good condition for me when I'm at the end of my years and in need of a fun one.

Jack is Wonderfully Made.

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.
Psalm 139:13-14

Before the foundations of the world were created, God knew that Jack Riggs would be born. He also knew that he would have cerebral palsy. Today, Josephine and I met with the doctor to review Jack's MRI from last week. She confirmed that scar tissue was present on both sides of the brain but more on the left side. This would explain the weakness of his right side. So, it is clear that he has mild to moderate cerebral palsy. The extent is not known. As he grows and matures, we will see how well he speaks. This will determine how severe the palsy is.

A few months ago I studied the story of a paralyzed man that Jesus forgave and healed (Luke 5:18). During my preparation, I examined the word for paralyzed. That word means palsy in the original language. At that moment the Lord gave me a peace about Jack as if to say -- If he has cerebral palsy it is ok.

So, today is just a confirmation of what we have suspected for a few months. The Lord confirmed the diagnosis during this week of Thanksgiving for a reason. So our prayer is for a constant attitude of thanksgiving. We give thanks that God has deemed us worthy to care for four wonderful boys including a child with cerebral palsy. But we also thank Him for His mercy towards Jack. At the end of Josephine's pregnancy the doctor was concerned that Jack might be dying. By God's mercy he lived and he is perfect because God knit him together in Josephine's womb.

So as Jack continues to grow and mature, we know that God will use him to help us grow and mature too. That is something we are very thankful for.

Jonah vs Ezra - Sparring

Turn your head 90 degrees and watch as Jonah and Ezra put their friendship to the test. What is stronger: The bonds of friendship or a roundhouse kick to the face? Watch and find out.

Super Stars - Twins Feed Themselves

Today Josephine went shopping while I took care of the boys (I call it her "vacation"). At dinnertime the twins usually sit at the table but tonight I decided to use their old trays. The trays attach to the booster seats. I had a hunch that having a tray might prevent the normal dinner time game - Sweep everything off the table onto the floor. So, I gave them the trays and placed a few peas on top. Soon the peas were flying to the ground. I tried the Gerber stars (aka flavored air). In an instant both boys were doing something they haven't done in 19 months - Grabbing food and placing it in their mouths. I sprinted over, got the video camera and started filming. Amazingly, they kept feeding themselves the stars.

When mommy got home I showed her the film and she was very proud. Another wonderful milestone reached. Now we can take the twins for Moroccan food.

M.I.A.

Don't be alarmed - yes, it's a real live blog update from the Riggs Family. Yes, we've neglected blogging for quite some time and have probably lost a few fans, but you must understand how busy it's been! Here's a quick update on what's been happening the past few months:

Jack and Jedidiah have started occupational therapy once a week, infant stimulation (one-on-one play) twice a week, and Jack has physical therapy once a week. We started our homeschooling the last week of August - Jonah in 2nd grade and James in pre-K/K. From when we awake to when we sleep, we must juggle the needs of each child and prioritize who needs what and when. Oh, and we have to eat and nap (except for mommy) throughout the day, too. On Thursdays we meet with our homeschooling group and have "school," where the kids are put into classes according their grades and the moms teach various subjects - I teach science to the 3rd-8th graders. Wednesday is the only day of the week when we have nothing other than school scheduled - hence my hurried attempt to catch up on this blog.

My temper is short and my desire is not to be a complainer (1Tim 6:6), but right how I have two babies whining for my attention, a 6 year old begging for breakfast and a 4 year old trying to climb into my lap. I pray that the Lord continues to reveal to me all the blessings around me, and that what I seek is His glory and not just another cup of coffee.

Jonah into the "Arts"

Jonah is a child with many gifts. He loves to draw, sing and plays a mean game of Dodgeball on the Wii. A couple years ago he tried to play soccer but was more interested in his shadow than the actual goal of scoring on the opponent. Over time Josephine and I have tried to steer him in certain directions to build on his strengths. This summer he attended a couple art classes at Thematic Attic and loved them (especially the snacks). Yet he struggles to grasp the intricacies of swimming (like not drowning) after several lessons. He wants to play the piano and loves riding his bike. So as we continue our search for activities to strengthen his mind and body, we attended a Tae Kwon Do lesson at a local studio. Jonah was interested but not exactly chomping at the bit to sign up.

Well, the Lord has shown us that there are certain experiences Jonah needs. He needs to learn self-control and perseverence (Don't we all!). So Mom and Jonah are returning from his first lesson and he enjoyed it. Yay! or should I say HIYAHH!