Checking Out For A Few Days

I'll be away from my blog for the next several days while I get caught up on life. Have a great week!

Blog Awards

Life unfortunately has the uncanny ability to spin out of control from time to time. For us, it has been a combination of school starting, babysitting, hubby's work, and recording our own family moments before they are forgotten. Now it's time to slow down and say "THANK YOU" to a couple of sweet friends who blessed me with blogger awards days and even weeks ago. My friend, Michelle gave me the "Blogger Reflection Award" as one of her choices for fitting the requirements to "be an encouragement, a source of love, someone who has impacted you in some way, and has been a Godly example to you. Five Bloggers who when you reflect on them you get a sense of pride and joy... of knowing them and being blessed by them."

Michelle wrote: "N is one of the bloggers I was lucky enough to meet on our vacation...along with her 3 great kids! She is just as sweet in person as I thought she would be from reading her blog! I enjoy reading her posts and she writes with such passion and honesty and bares her heart and soul. She is definitely someone I would like to have as a neighbor!"

What more can I say to that then "Wow!" Thank you, Michelle. And since the rules didn't state I can't give this award to anyone who gives it to me, I certainly would like to bestow this right back! I've had the privilege of meeting Michelle in person, and she is exactly what you read in her blog - thankful, courteous, strong, humble and kind. Plus everything this award embodies to boot. She is also soon to be a Mommy again even while her husband serves our freedom in the Middle East. Please remember to pray for this precious family!

These are the other bloggers who bless my socks off each time I read them. They are funny and witty and have so much wisdom to share from the humble standpoint of those who have "been there." They are amongst the blogs I miss most when I am away.

A Pink Carnation In Bloom

Lots of Scotts

Robinznest

Especially Heather

1. Copy this post.

2. Reflect on five bloggers and write a least a paragraph about each one.

(I know. I know. I REALLY DO think these women have specific qualities that make them GREAT, but I have a baby crying every ten minutes in the background. I have to hurry. Plus this way, you can go see for yourself why I picked these sweet ladies!)

3. Make sure you link this post so others can read it and the rules.

4. Go leave your chosen bloggers a comment and let them know they've been given the award.

5. Put the award icon on your site.

Also, Michelle and another of my favorite bloggers both honored me with an award called "Nice Matters." Yes, it does! And how kind of them both to think me deserving of such a "nice" honor:

"This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world."

My sweet friend Toni at In The Midst Of This Season wrote: "Mayhem & Miracles - Oh, what a heart she has for hurting children. That's the ultimate nice if you ask me. And on a smaller (but cool) note, her new blog design is nice too."

Thank you, Toni! I don't know that I could ever really fully express the encouragement of such kind compliments. You really made my day! And thank you, Michelle, for thinking of me twice! You are so sweet.

Now Michelle and Toni know a little something about what nice is from first-hand experience. They are what NICE is. And not only is Toni nice, she will CHANGE YOUR WHOLE DAY with a laugh if you'll visit her blog! Her humor to me ranks up there with Lucille Ball, I'm telling you. She actually makes me snort when I read her stuff!

Here are my picks for "Nice Bloggers." These ladies always have such a great outlook on their circumstances. Whenever I post a problem our family is in, their comments to me are light-hearted and show concern at the same time. They love God and show love for others by always offering to pray.

Ms. Sniz - my wonderful new friend

Hope and Grace For Sunny Days

The Journey To Sky

and a great lady new to the blogging world - MY MOM! She hasn't posted yet, but I know she is going to be "nice" addition to this blogging community. Any writing talent that I may have came from her and I know through thirty-ahem-ahem years of personal experience how very nice she is!

Once you’ve been awarded please pass it on to 4 others who you feel are deserving of this award.

You know what would be really NICE? A "Lotsa Links" Award. I think with this post I could win!

(And for my computer to actually put in my line breaks! Sheesh! Sorry!)

Needing More Muscle

I was giving them their reminders on the way home from school, so they wouldn't get sidetracked by play time before remembering to take in their drinks and backpacks.

"Take in your cups. Put your backpacks on the hooks. And if you have to make another trip to the car to clean out the trash, then do that too. THEN you may go play with your friends, but you need to be sure to pick up the car first."

How funny when my 5-Y-O asked in confusion, "How do you want us to pick the car up? That's gonna be too hard."

Then under his breath to his brother in the back seat, "Is she just kidding around with us?"

Not Defeated; Just Needing Some Calm

It's been a really rough night. I'm too tired to explain it. I know things will look up if I can just get some rest and quiet time. I would appreciate your prayers. Thanks. Good night. And sweet dreams.

One Very Big Reason Why Moms Are So Special

They pretty much get almost everything you will ever go through from personal experience. And even when they don't, they will hurt for you anyway.

At least I hope everyone here has or had that kind of a mom. I'm so blessed that I do.

Priorities And A Paycheck

My husband is smack in the middle (I'm southern, if you can't tell) of his busiest season of the year. He is working long hours like a crazy man and coming home hungry and tired, sometimes too tired to care about the hunger! So yesterday I offered to take him some lunch which turned into somewhat of an impromptu date while he waited on late concrete. He decided to show me through the home he was working on. It was the personal home of one of the builder's he contracts for and it was magnificent. There is not one tiny detail that has been overlooked in this mansion. The builder/homeowner was with us and guided us through, explaining his excitement over certain aspects of the process with much humility, almost embarrassed about the amount of money he has put into it. But when we were done, he joked to my husband that we could build a house just like it if we'd give up certain things in our own lifestyle. Then he added seriously "really, we would love to send our kids to your school, but I can't. We are completely out of money building this thing. So, see, G., just pull your kids of school and send your wife to work and I can get started on building your place."

I know it was this man's way of defending the notion that he isn't all that much more financially set than we are (which isn't true), but after witnessing my husband's reactions during our conversation, I came to much more fully respect one aspect of his character that I've probably taken too much for granted.

I am DEEPLY committed to developing a godly character in our kids hearts, first and foremost, and I know my husband is too. Otherwise he would not be spending roughly 20% of our income on Christian education. He has been behind me on that from the beginning and was completely supportive of home schooling, too, though he couldn't give me the logistical help required for that. But he does go out and bust his rump 10-12 hours per day, 5-6 days per week in the Midwestern heat, getting dirty and dealing with many a weather change and employee need (he is a FANTASTIC manager) to make enough for school. And because he never complains, and I myself am so completely comfortable with Walmart clothes and hand-me-downs, I never really realized how much macho pressure he faces building these million-dollar homes every day. I think all the time about the heat and the sweat and the blowing sand, but yesterday I saw something else. IF he wanted to spend his income another way, he probably COULD HAVE the mahogany office and the sports car or the vanishing edge swimming pool. I wouldn't want them even if we could afford it (for reasons that would require a whole other post to explain), but that doesn't mean he wouldn't. And yet what he wants more, even as these guys entice him and he spends his days surrounded in the fine details of gorgeous showcase manors, is for our children's hearts to be solid and firm and set on the things of God. Despite his daily temptations otherwise. His lack of materialism is a huge part of why I married him in the first place. But back when we were first married, he could not have offered those things anyway. Yesterday, however, my respect and admiration for him only swelled. He wanted to let me partake in the beauty he would like to give our family and that would probably be a physical validation of all his hard work, but he's not so macho that he'd dwell there to the detriment of our children. THAT is why I am rich!

Edit to add: I was hesitant to post this example because I do not want to start a debate on public vs. private vs. home schooling. We have done them all and chosen what God wanted for OUR family at each particular stage. And I believe SO STRONGLY in my heart that God ordains different venues for different people and different seasons and that ALL God-fearing parents and most people in general angst for proper education choices for their children. This includes our builder, who no doubt gets a lot of breaks on his building costs! I am also convinced that only a parent (or other ordained caretaker) of a particular child is equipped by the Holy Spirit to know God's sovereign will for that child. Only that person knows what doors God has opened or closed. I pray for all of you and all your children to have their hearts protected with Truth every day, wherever they go. We are ALL precious in His sight!

Tenderness And Deep Deep Love

The only way to sufficiently explain the way my daughter has touched my heart tonight is to admit that I lost it. I mean I totally, utterly and completely lost it this morning when she threw her temper tantrum. It's not what I said to her that I regret. That was pretty much what it needed to be. But I yelled it in such anger that it escaped my throat almost as a growl - a loud, angry, overbearing growl. And it devastated me for much of the day as I worried about how devastating it must have been to her. In getting through the proper spoken message, I really screwed up the subconscious one, and it hurt.

Then just now, I went in to crawl into bed and found four beautifully sprawling sunflowers and a note: "I love you Mommy."

She certainly is not perfect, but she has the forgiveness thing down pat.
And I would die for her.

The First Day

Written Earlier

Well, I wasn't able to stop it. I have distant but vivid memories of soft coos and diapers, first steps and the worry of a Y2K scare that threatened to end the world. Little did I realize how quickly my sweet children would progress into backpacks, lunch boxes, opinionated outfit choices and strides that race to beat the tardy bell. I also thought that last year's half days were pretty good practice for this year's empty nest. Wishful thinking.

What is about parenting that the better you try to do it, the more solemn it becomes? I want my kiddos to become independent, to trust in their choices, and to follow their own adventurous path that God ordains for them......when they are like, 45, or something. I just don't want confidence without even NEEDING a kiss at the class room door to be a part of it. :(

I actually thought I was doing pretty well. We were calm and on time for the first day of school. I hadn't even had a thought about having to try to stave off any tears. There was eager commotion everywhere, but not too much. Just parents and their kids all excited to see other again. Lots of searching for the right spots to put stuff. A few people already making carpool plans. A great first day all in all. Then my new middle schooler got impatient and eagerly pleaded with his facial expressions to let him go ahead upstairs without having to wait for me and his siblings to make our way through the throngs of people he had already dodged through with sleek agility. Oh, well, at least he was excited.

We dropped off my daughter next, who is usually the least enthusiastic of my three children about school. She was so brave and calm. I was at one time relieved that she was keeping such a great attitude and sad that the only comfort she seemed to need was help with her supplies, a smile and a whisper of encouragement. She had her coloring page started before I even made it to the doorway to look back at her one last time.

But what I didn't quite expect was for my bright new kindergartner to altogether miss the importance of umpteen pictures and a half hour of lingering inside the classroom door. He is my last child, after all. Didn't he know how much Mommy needed to hold on, even if he doesn't?! What a fabulous teacher he has for the foray into formal schooling. She knew our mothers' hearts so well. Upon leaving, each mom was handed a sandwich baggy with a cotton ball, a tissue and a tea bag. Once in the car, I opened it to find this note:

"After you have wiped your tears, make yourself a nice, hot cup of tea. Then put your feet up, close your eyes and rub this cotton ball in your hand to remind you of the soft, gentle nature of your child."

O.K. So maybe I'm the only one who can cry all over typing that again just now. But he's my BABY! HOW, OH HOW, do you high school graduate empty-nesters do this?

After I got in my car, I sat and thought about life, my kids, and my new purpose for those few hours a day. Then I realized that I have plenty to keep me busy for the next, oh, say three and half years or so, but it is almost all back at home in a quiet empty house. So I did what so many of us of the female species do in a crisis. I went and walked around Walmart. I didn't necessarily need anything. Except, of course, to sort through my many thoughts and hear the sound of kids laughing or whining, either one. And guess who I saw there? Seriously, no kidding. About five or six other kindergarten moms from our school. Every one them were looking off into space and simultaneously smiling and crying. But the morning chattiness we had so robustly enjoyed was gone. Our conversation now was silent, but clear, and spoken with our eyes. "I'll pray for you and you pray for me, too."

High School Musical 2

Too Much Fun!!! I very honestly can not remember the last time I anticipated a gathering of friends so much! That may sound sad, considering I am a grown woman with a mortgage and a car payment and the common factor around which we gathered was a Disney original movie, but you have to hear me out!

My children are not huge TV watchers, because their father and I are extremely strict in what they may and may not watch. It is not enough for us that their programming be free of immodest dress and foul language. We also don't want the undertone implying concepts in contrast to our own teaching. Obviously, nothing will ever agree 100% with our philosophies, but this show is as close as it comes to making one ourselves. It's fun and sweet and wholesome and evoking of all things Gidget and Innocent, so we were LIKE, TOTALLY ANTICIPATING the release of part 2, Oh My Goodness!

Our neighbor, who is my daughter's best little friend, five of our church girls between the ages of 6 and 9, plus one of their mothers and a super funny single gal who babysat when I home schooled all came over to watch THE PREMIERE OF HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2. For those of you who haven't seen it, it's like a very tame version of Grease for kids. Except the bad girl-vs.-good-girl-to-get- the-guy in this movie is a lot campier and not taken seriously even by the youngest girls. There is lots of singing and glitter and AMAZING dance (with basketballs in perfect sync, mind you) and fun, almost caricature-style acting.

Before the big show, all of us girls made a big pile of sleepover gear in my husband's office and moved some tables back so we could dance along should any of us get the urge. Then we were sure to light the house just right and loaded up on buffet finger sandwiches, hors de oeuvres, and a dainty array of dips while debating the dance chops of Corbin vs. Zac. Each girl drew a character from the movie for game purposes. Everyone in attendance won a cute girly prize by the end of the night. Those dressed up for HSM2 won an additional silver butterfly photo frame. Other prizes included a makeup bag, a denim teddy bear set, movie poster, disco ball, and locket bracelet. The first game was just to watch for the last character shown in scene 4 and whoever it matched up with, won. (For those curious amongst you, it was Sharpay.)

Other games throughout the night included Karaoke (of course!), Twister Dance Moves, Popcorn-In-The-Mouth Basketball (in honor of Troy, our film's main stud - this was hilarious! ) and my personal favorite - Yearbook Scavenger Hunt! Every girl or woman brought a year book of her own or her parents'. Then I gave them specific things to look up. Some were timed and some were judged by vote. I have to tell you. I was impressed with what these young girls came up with. We found the people who looked most like the movie's characters (there was a lady who looked JUST LIKE the drama teacher! Is that not HYSTERICAL?), the basketball team with the winningest record, the ugliest cafeteria. Then we did some really fun stuff like the cheesiest note written within a year book. I'm hesitant to admit that my daughter won that one with mine. And the girls erupted in roaring laughter at the 80's big hair look!

After the movie, it was dance time! The twelve of us gathered in the living room floor to try to challenge one another to learn dance steps and sing. We carried on until well past midnight, then crashed all around the living room to talk into the wee hours. Everyone was exhausted! But I couldn't help but wake them all up laughing when my girlfriend, only 2 years my junior, whispered from the couch at 3 o'clock in the morning "Oh. My. Goodness. I'm achy. My back is KILLING me. OOOOOh, my rump hurts."

That definitely would NOT have made it into the script.

Floods and Tears and Jesus Are Water

Sorry about the difficult reading. My enter/return is not working.

If you've watched any sort of national news in the past week, then there is a good chance you've seen the exorbitant amount of flooding that has taken place very near our home. Within 7 miles of where we live, there are three miles of road still shut down while flood waters recede. Then some road re-building will have to be done. At least 7 people lost their lives last week while getting caught in this stuff.

But even closer, within one mile of my MIL's home, another life was claimed yesterday by this natural disaster. A young high school boy was jogging with his track team around the lake dam when three of them apparently slipped in. He is from the same high school where my husband graduated. Two of the boys were able to fight the currents and swim out. But this young man had injured shoulders and the flow of water pushed him under. Right now this dam is running at full capacity draining the very flood waters shown above.
I have such sadness for his family.

This morning here at our house was AWFUL! But not equally. My daughter provoked an episode that far tops ANY tantrum or outburst we have ever experienced with any of our kids. It was something I imagined we would probably realistically go through at some point in our child rearing. After all, part of our jobs as parents are to root out sin in our children's hearts and I imagine every parent could at least once expect it all to come hurling out in one explosive eruption. So I was driving home from school drop-off, still feeling too stern and controlled to cry, but certainly wanting to, thinking about what I had told my daughter in all her rage. "Life could be a lot worse than you have it right now."

And that young man came to my mind as an example - with a simple devotion from the Heavenly Father.

That young boy was killed by water. Of all things. Water. A rush of H2O ordained by God Himself. However difficult that is to understand. And yet, water is the most basic requirement we have for physical life. It is the very thing that would kill us the quickest should we go without it. The very water that is on the inside sustaining, refreshing, and life-giving, also has the potential to be powerfully deadly from the outside. No wonder Jesus is called the Living Water. To give us life, He MUST BE on the inside. He can not merely be a religious knowledge, a rush of thoughts, or an ideal, or something to get around to one day when it's convenient. From the inside, He sustains our very lives. But from the outside, He has the power and potential to bring death in an instant by the rush of His presence not in us. Amazing. At least to me, for this day.

I certainly hope that the allegory for this young man stops with a mental picture. I'm hoping that someone at sometime had told him about the Living Waters that quench every need, and that he had taken a big swig of Jesus. And I hope you have too.

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14

Lord, please comfort the devastated family of this handsome young man. In Jesus name.

Keep It Up Buddy And I Might Just Quit Shaving

Read previous post first for better understanding.

I was so excited to show my husband my new blog look! He never reads it, but I was just proud at what I'd been able to figure out on my own and needed somebody to show it off to. "Yeah, you did a really good job! Why do your legs look so white?"

You know, I think I'll just take my blog and go play somewhere else.

Where is the love? I know men sometimes speak without weighing the ability of a comment to come across very differently than intended, but sadly their innocence (or ignorance, depending upon how I feel like taking it) has brought me to a very depressing, inescapable conclusion. I ain't 18 anymore! It's been a long time and several pounds since I was voted Miss Photogenic of the Oklahoma Central Miss Pageant. Of course, that's nothing close to Miss America either, but still I was at one time honored for the ability to look my best on camera. SIIIIIGH.

I'll be keeping the white-legged look for a while. I'm just going to claim that it best matches the palette. Or pretend I'm wearing tights, either one. Then I'll tersely remind people I haven't tanned since my roommate developed skin cancer in college even as I laid out right beside her. Then I may try to grow a mustache - just for spite!

Does This Blog Make My Butt Look Big?

Rhetorically speaking, of course. Please don't REALLY answer that!

A couple of months ago, my dad called to chat and catch up with us and just and generally see how we are doing as a family. Or maybe that was just his cover. WINK.

"Punkin" he said, with his term of endearment that generally precedes a flattering compliment. "I just want you to know that I think you are a FAN-TAS-TIC writer! You really are. I think your writing is about as good as any I've read."

"Thanks, Dad. Wow! That sure is sweet! I appreciate that!"

"Well, it is, Punkin. I can see our college money was WELL spent. Could I just make a suggestion, though? That blog photo is not your best one."

"Oh....really? I actually kind of liked it. What is wrong with it?"

"I just don't think it's one of your better pictures. You have so many that look nice, but that's not my favorite. I'm just trying to look at it like someone who doesn't know you might see it. It doesn't show you like you really look."

"I know. You've never seen me with brunette hair. And I think you've always liked it blond. Maybe that's it."

"No."

"Well, what IS IT about it that's not good."

"I don't know. It's just not my favorite."

"Is it the angle? Because it cuts off at the chest?"

"I don't know."

"It's probably that I'm 36. And you're not used to seeing wrinkles and age on your own daughter."

"That could be true. Let's talk about something else."

Now, I know my dad. And he really wouldn't ever say anything except to help me. So I have thought about changing my photo. I'm just waiting for my face not to break out. Which happens about as often as the summer Olympics. Sorry if that's not "real" enough, but there are just some things people don't necessarily NEED to see. Like Aunt Francesca in her skivvies, ya know what I mean? O.K. The truth is, my priority list leads with other things right now, like food and shelter and such things I'm still working on. But I will get to it. I also set out to have my blog professionally re-done. Then some financial "stuff" happened, and that was BEFORE taking out a second mortgage to pay for school supplies (o.k. I'm just barely kidding on that one), and well, it's going to have to wait. In the mean time, I'm using what Blogger offers to try to come up with a new look. The old one was getting, well, OLD.

In the meantime, I want to recommend the WONDERFUL lady who has started to work with me on my blog AND been patient and kind enough to understand me dragging my feet for LO, these many months. I chose her not only for her other blog work, but much more importantly for her professinalism, and would ask you to consider the same. She is a SWEETHEART to deal with. And I figure the least I could do is refer her to some of you while she waits on my slow sorry.........um, wallet.

http://www.justalittlecreation.blogspot.com/

Then when my pocketbook is a little bigger than my hind sight, I'll be contacting her again too, and things will begin to look a lot prettier around here.

Edit to add: I just noticed the side bar looks like it has up-side-down cr*osse*s. Please know that was totally unintentional and is cause for me to change my layout again just as soon as I get a chance.

AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!

Stop the snoring!!!!!!! PLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSEEEEE!!!!!!! I'm a bit tired; can you tell?

Sweet Peas and Sweet Peace

If anyone would have guessed my last post's riddle, I assumed it would be A Pink Carnation In Bloom. FABULUS was the spelling on the pink sports car in High School Musical 2. We had a big Premiere Party sleepover for all the little church girls and for some of the ones who are not so little anymore. But my post will have to wait a few more days. The next two weeks are proving to be INSANE. And I mean that in the most positively stressful way. School started - open house orientations, the big back to school bash, volunteering by choice to meet more people, school photos (seriously, already?), and emergency newborn child care for some friends at church who were in a big bind. Wee bit busy we are.

Have you ever been fortunate enough to have one of those days that seemed perfect from beginning to end, not because all of the circumstances went just so, but just because peace permeated every moment for no other reason than grace? That was how our last day of summer vacation was. We started our morning early, with a required orientation for my son at MIDDLE SCHOOL! That right there threatened to shut down all of my senses - or send them spinning out of control, either one - except that it just went so smoothly and actually helped me to feel good about my son's new adventure into "big kid-dom."

I was so happy we left the house a few minutes earlier than we actually needed to and was I feeling so proud that we were not having to rush around to get to school when I passed a city police cruiser that promptly whipped a U-turn behind me. We were the only car on this stretch of road. Sure enough, the officer pulled me over and asked that infamous question.

"Ma'am, do you know why I stopped you?"

"I'm going to assume it was my speed since I didn't look to see what it was when I passed the last stop sign. And I know I should've done that."

"Yes, ma'am. This rest of this stretch is 45, but for this half mile here, it slows to 35 to allow for the traffic merging from the off ramp. Could I see your license and insurance please?" To which I had to admit that although my insurance IS up to date, my husband and I had put other to-do's ahead of locating it and putting it into the car. (This is so unlike us, but of course I knew he had no way of believing that.)

"Please wait here for a moment." Which is, of course, officer speak for "since you were putting the public in danger trying to shave off only a few extra seconds, I'm going to have to make you late to make sure you learn your lesson." And we were, twenty minutes late, on school orientation day, which had the potential to be hugely embarrassing to me and devastatingly attention-drawing to my son. But neither happened. Our tardiness was discreetly overlooked and the officer issued me only a warning, which I found to be both surprising and very kind of him considering the circumstances.

During orientation at school, the kids were led around and shown how to switch from class to class now that they are maturing enough to need specialized training in each subject. (Hear my SNIFFLING?) There is one big room that contains cubbies for each student as a preparation for having lockers come 7th grade. I was being careful not to smother my son with hovering motherdom now that he is going into this new era in his life, but as I helped him finish loading his "mini-locker" with supplies, he turned to me right in front of the rest of the entire 5th grade and nonchalantly said "Thanks. I love you, Mom." Oh, my heart was flying!

After orientation, we headed downtown to our health department to get final immunizations. Normally, I take care of this early in the summer when we are not fighting the last minute rush for school shots. But there are issues with immunizations for my kids, so we do not get all of them and we don't follow the recommended schedule. Also, the forms to exempt from the ones we don't get are available there, so I can take care of all aspects of this in one place. Anyway, the entire process took over three hours and my kids behavior while we were there was PERFECT! I was in awe of God's goodness during those three hours! We had already been forced to spend the last three days of summer dealing with unexpected issues at our house instead of swimming or seeing a movie, which I like to end the break with. But none of them complained even one time - about the long wait, the hot room, the fact that we were missing having fun or that I forgot to recommend them bringing their handheld video games. I'm telling you, that was grace and mercy. It was just one of those days when, without my even stopping to ask for it, God just took perfect care of everything! Even when the lady who administered the shots was a snot to my daughter (who for the first time ever didn't cry or flinch and thereby made me so proud!), my kids just said when we left "we should pray for her Mom. I don't think she is having a great day."

I am not telling these things merely to brag on my kids. Trust me when I tell you they have their days. But God just continued to bless us this day for no reason other than He is good.

I decided to reward the kids excellent behavior by taking them to a movie despite the late hour and school starting the next day. Just one other family and us shared a huge stadium-style theatre for a showing of "Ratatouille," a cute movie with a good message and nothing objectionable to worry about. (At least, I think. I was busy taking one or the other child to the bathroom an awful lot.) For dinner, I treated them to concession stand junk food - hot dogs, nachos and popcorn. Hey, it's not every day.

And when we got home, we still had time for a relaxing hour-long bedtime routine. We read a book about true friendship. We prayed for the school year. The kids confided their nervousness over forgetting the right routines and reminded me that lunchtime is the sole thing they truly dread. (It's in an old building with no windows.) Then they shared their excitement about their teachers and special friends they will have in their classes and the outfits they can't wait to wear. I LOVE these unrushed moments when they invite me into their secret thoughts and desires.

I will miss seeing these reactions ongoing throughout the day. It's what I miss the very most about homeschooling, but I am immensely grateful for our school, for the administration sincerely committed to Christian education, and for my Christ they teach about. And I am thankful that every once in a while, He reminds me what He means when He promises to give us "the peace that passes all understanding." What a great day!

Time Flies And I Can't Seem To Stop It

I just now realized it has been a full 8 days since I posted anything. WOW! Time is FLYING! We have been having fun. I hope to catch a few minutes to post about it soon and catch up on everyone else's equally busy lives. Have a FABULUS weekend! (And the misspelling IS a hint to some of what we've been up to.) Any guesses?

A Lil' Bit Of R&R- Not Available In All Areas, Certain Conditions May Apply

So the hubby's been working insanely long hours trying to acquire an income after days and weeks of rain earlier this summer and ice earlier this year. And the temperature has been about as blistery as his nerves while working in it. So he surprised us today, by coming home early and suggesting a little family fun time was in order. Then he tried to convince us what a blast it would be watching him nap. I thought paying bills sounded slightly more fun, so I did while he slept a few minutes. At least until the neighbor boy noticed signs of life through our windows (that would be the shades briskly shutting) and took that as his cue to run over and ring the doorbell multiple times, because Boy Scouts are nothing if not thorough.

Once hubby was up, he decided he did feel in the mood to go and do something (besides kick the neighbor boy's pants!) as long as it was something that would require little activity and wouldn't fry him like an egg. He suggested the amusement park.

Just let that sink in.

At least his tired overworked brain cells gave him a taste of the daily confusion I experience as his suburban homemaker bride. We settled on dinner, a baseball game and a stroll through down town. We thought at least at the ball park, the crowd would be more mellow than the folks slinging sweat and comparing tattoos at the Tiltawhirl.

Um, we would be wrong.

You know those conversations you have from time to time that really aren't exactly conversations, but a repetitive script you don't realize you are participating in? Like when the waitress, smiling, leads you to your little corner of respite and asks "Will this table be O.K.?" And automatically you respond "yes, thank you."

Why did I do that?

I didn't understand until tonight the dramatic effect "Gray's Anatomy" has had on pop culture, but we were the only people to share a room with twenty or so medical personnel who have apparently taken the show way too seriously. I know because in their amplified drunken voices, they were "discussing" their LOVE LIVES! AND THE COMPLEXITY OF THEIR UNIFORMS! AND HOW A TWELFTH BEER MIGHT REALLY GIVE CLARITY TO UNDERSTANDING THEIR BOSSES DISDAIN FOR THEM! I MEAN, WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AFTER ALL! And did you know that complimenting a nurse on the enormity of certain ones of her body parts is completely acceptable (even welcome) while wasted?

My favorite was when the one girl at one end of the table asked the guy clear at the other end of the table (makes sense) WHAT TODAY'S DATE IS! "AUGUST 10th I THINK. I'M PRETTY SURE!" For some reason I apparently wasn't intoxicated enough to understand, this was an uproarious medical joke! Because the laughter from the entire group at the table didn't subside for a full ten minutes. Funny, funny stuff I tell you! At least it was to my kids, who were loving the fact that these people actually seemed to appreciate them quietly mocking their idiocy. "Who's gonna work on them later when they fall off the curb?" we joked. They were getting to laugh AT these people; not with them -what a treat!

I was just happy for the example. "See kids. Alcohol is bad. It's makes one very stupid." At least until we ourselves became part of the entertainment, in the form of my son's first-ever nose bleed. For no apparent reason, other than a more complete fulfillment of Murphy's law, his nose began gushing blood while situating ketchup on his plate. It (blood, not ketchup) was falling onto the table, into his plate, and smearing across him arm and hands in an attempt to stop it. Oh, the fun was really crankin' up now. I scooped him into my arms and had to carry him the length of the restaurant while blood was flying into food. Oh, no, I just wish I was exaggerating. All eyes were on us as a ripple of pale-faced onlookers put down their forks, nauseated, and waiters squinted at us with glares of "Great, there go my tips!" Of course, my son's only concern was "not the women's bathroom, Mom! Everyone will laugh at me! Don't take me in the girl's!" Yeah, I'm not so sure it's your XY chromosome they're gawking at right now, son.

Mercifully, hubby had the good sense to meet us at the bathrooms where we were able to make our great escape through the back doors, with nary a waiter willing to complain about it. As the nosebleed subsided, we made our way over to the stadium just in time for the national anthem and enthusiastic shouts of "play ball!" The game was GREAT! The atmosphere was FANTASTIC! The guy behind us was....SO WEIRD! I really can't even describe why. His conversation just sort of resembled, well, no one I've ever heard. "You see that guy right there. Hey, you see him? Yeah, balloons are blue all right. Uh huh." Let's just say, I don't really think a Bud is wiser when you've been sipping them since breakfast already. Luckily, though, we just "got" to hear his unusual take on puffy clouds and parakeets. It was the cute kids behind us who were faced with having to try to ignore or respond to his friendliness. Fortunately for us. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.

All in all, one good thing I can say about our evening is that, miraculously, the kids avoided having to see brains splattered all over the highway on the way home from the two bikers who decided to drag race through bumper to bumper traffic. And the memories from our night together will certainly be cemented firmly into adulthood! After all, the family who nosebleeds and walks through sticky puddles on the floor together.......well, whatever. Oh! And I didn't have to cook. That right there pretty much makes it ALL worth it, don't cha think!

Cute Quips

Our five-year-old is wonderfully gifted with humor. Not the kind that comes from the effort of a quick wit, which can be just as fun. He's just funny, without even meaning to be. My daughter is pure sweetness. My older son is deftly gifted with helpfulness and leadership. And the little guy....is the heart of the joy in our home. Here's a sampling from the past 16 hours.

It had been a crazy, inefficient, sanity-sucking day and we were FINALLY making our way home three hours late. So I swung through the drive through, during which I called my husband to apologize and get his order. When he informed me that the neighbor had already invited him over for steak, Justice declared in his high-pitched pre-school voice, "What?! O.K. That is just absolutely not fair!" The boy cracks me up. Where did he get that?

Rolling around with Dad in our bed before going to his own, he said "Dad, you're almost my best dad in the whole wide world."

"What!" I stammered, feeling compassion for my husband.

"My Dad in heaven is PERFECT and my Daddy here almost is."

O.K. Yes. We both almost cried! We were totally unaware he possesses this much understanding and went from appalled to amazed and bursting with warm fuzzy feelings!

But then this morning, he was once again declaring through his verbiage that he is all boy. As he walked slowly toward me from the bed wiping his sleepy eyes, he offered "Hi, Mom. I'm hungry."

It's his calling to remind the rest of us to always smile at everything. Right now that means Captain Redbeard and the Leggo man in a car chase through the "Secret Pashashge" (passage). And rooting on Captain Redbeard to "go, Big Boy!" How fun!

Pink Glittered Lint

Reason #437

why I love the darling little girl I get to call DAUGHTER

----------------------------------------------------------

Glitter in the pink lint after doing a load of her laundry.

I once heard a prominent Christian women's speaker suggest using daily chores as a reminder to pray for certain people or situations in our households. Like praying for the owner of the clothing you are washing, drying or folding. I love this kind of advice - practical and applicable. I am a logical deduction kind of gal and I appreciate such direct advice. Still, parables are important too, sometimes, to understand the context of Divine ideas. So I thought about that lint. How it could easily represent the sin that we all have in our lives. It must be trapped and removed in order to make our apparel the best we can put on. How it hinders the laundering process if not removed. But looking at the lint, it is also indicative of the owner of the laundry it comes from. My husband's lint is almost always a light or reddish color. He works outside and wears light-colored clothing in order to tolerate the heat. The red comes from the Oklahoma dirt. My son's lint is almost always full of small scraps of paper that I somehow missed cleaning out of one of his pockets. He is a list maker deluxe, much like his Momma. Mine is always colorful. I love a different feel to my outfit each day. Fashion is fun for me. And my daughter's lint - it almost always contains pink and glitter.

So even our struggles and particular temptations make us unique. I don't love my daughter because she has lint (or sin), but I don't NOT love her for it either. Yes, I have to stop and pick the lint out of the filter each time I do the wash. It is an extra step and a little bit more work. But I have been given this awesome privilege to be the one to teach her to eliminate more lint from her life. But if I didn't get to be the one to do it, if life were "easier" and the lint removal was left to another, I would also miss the unique personality, the glitter and sparkle, that's peeks through the dust of the lint.

I guess the glitter would be love, since God is Love, and He is the Light - the sparkle. So I thought about my lint, that sin that God removes as He passes me through the wash of the blood of Jesus. It reminded me how much He loves me. That like I do with my daughter, He must pick the lint out of my life, but stop to smile at the glitter. He clothes me in it, just as hubby and I clothe our daughter in her glittery garb. So I guess my prayer would be that I would continually choose the sparkly bright outfit that glitters of LOVE, so that there is always sparkle in my lint. My lesson from the laundry today reminds me to love my family as they are. Help them, pray for them, and give thanks for the note-filled, red-dirt-stained, and pink glittered lint.

A WHIZ at Artful Response

It was a Norman Rockwell ending to a gorgeous evening spent soaking in one of the last few days of summer break. The sun was setting over the ridge of trees across from our house and there was enough of a breeze to send wisps of relief from the hot, humid air. I was enjoying our park bench after hours and endless piles of laundry, watching the kids take their turns with Daddy on the neighbor's four-wheeler, and smiling at the sheer joy in their laughter. That's when my little guy came over to recount the fun ride he'd just returned from, with excitement spewing through large motions of explanation.

Then, without a beat, he casually undid his zipper and proceeded to water the tree. Nature was calling and he decided to answer directly. I don't know how this sits with most mothers out there. I mean, I, like all moms I think, try to teach my boys that bathrooms are made for that particular activity. But my hubby works construction and much more often than not, the only depository available is the great outdoors. The boys have seen this so often that we just don't make that big of deal of it except to teach them to keep it out of common walkways and make sure no one is watching. He was doing both, using the big oak as a target. I sort of figure it's one of the benefits a boy should happily enjoy about being boy, though I'm personally grateful as a girl to be able to cover my zits up with makeup. It's a much more practical privilege to me.

Still, I was a little surprised because never before had my son showered so freely in the front yard at sundown, when friendly chatter could be heard in several directions. "Did you look before you did that, to make sure M. can't see you?" He slowly looked over his shoulder at the neighbor's house next door, then back at me before offering his defense. "Well, did you know that peeing is good for the trees? And so is poop." He grinned ear to ear. "I just think that is SO COOL!"

"How did you know about that?" I giggled.

"You told me about it. They put animal poop on the trees to make them grow. This one's gonna get BIG."

I laughed for ten minutes straight. That particular tree? Exactly how many members of our household was he hinting at?

Breakfast Conversation

I had the children try some new cinnamon raisin crisps that are healthy and can be eaten as a snack or crumbled up in cereal. I wanted to see if they might enjoy the latter.

"It tastes like wood" my youngest stated matter of factly.

My daughter followed with a cheery "Ooh, it does. But wood with a little bit of sugar!"

Then this prayer:

"Dear God,

Thank you for breakfast. And thank you for my new bike. Thank you that Jenny gets to come over to our house most days. Please help my baby cousin feel good on her trip and thank you so much that she got to be at her birthday party and we got to see her. Please help Daddy at work. In Jesus name. Amen."

I say, "Thank you Heavenly Father, for my Savior. For being reminded by the Israeli missionary last night of the torture He endured for my sake. And thank you for getting to start my day with tender smiles at the beauty of these children you've lent to me. Help me take the best care possible of them, for they are yours and they deserve far better than what I can do on my own. In the holy name of Jesus. Amen."

But She Really Digs That Handsome Gray-Haired Guy

Written Earlier

I am not really a huge fan of the action/adventure movie genre, but occasionally the mood strikes me to watch a certain such flick with my husband, especially if it contains comical banter, beautiful scenery, or doesn't move SO FAST that I can't tell the difference between characters. Since it fits the requisite qualities, I have actually been excited for the arrival of "The Bourne Ultimatum," with Matt Damon as Jason Bourne. My husband and I both have enjoyed the first two movies in the series and this one promises to answer many of the lingering questions that intrigue me so.

Like, how could my mother-in-law not understand how valuable tickets to the WORLD PREMIERE of this movie really are?

She is so sweet. I'm not really sure what it would ever take to fully impress her - I mean ASIDE from the latest explanation of something new the kids have learned to do.

My MIL works as the nursing director at a prominent children's hospital that is known, apparently nation-wide, for it's top-notch care of critically injured patients. The halls of this hospital are actually colorful and happy and the staff there feels more like a large team or family. They and their families with them actually do spend a lot of time outside of work fellowshipping together at play. And the kids are just sweet. Most of them have brain injuries so severe they do not even realize the trials they face. As my MIL often states, "that is how we are able to work here even though we lose so many of them."

The hospital has such an outstanding reputation that many prominent Hollywood actors, musicians and sports stars have lent their talents for fundraising efforts. The annual favorite for most of the nurses is the Mark Harmon (Jag, The West Wing, Freaky Friday) Charity Baseball Event. He is such a handsome gray-haired man in their estimation! (And so kind-hearted my MIL has revealed.) My MIL knows we love sports, and for 4 years now, she has offered us primo tickets to this event, but every year something else comes up.

But last night, we sat around doing nothing! I mean except cleaning pots and pans and paying bills if that counts. And do you know the hospital was busy hosting the WORLD PREMIERE of the Bourne Ultimatum?!! Matt Damon and his wife and new baby were all here at a local theatre and we didn't even know until the 10:00 news! And I can just hear D. now when we call her to ask her about it. "Well, is that guy a pretty big actor? I guess I should've tried to get some of those tickets. I did notice they were flying out of B.'s office pretty fast." She is a hoot! But I can't blame her. I don't think action/adventure is really her cup of tea either. And how could she have known who Matt Damon was. She's never seen the first movie in his series - The Bourne
I-D-E-N-T-I-T-Y.

A BLESSING EVEN BIGGER

There is not another person on earth who has probably even noticed. It seems like such an insignificant thing, but to me it represents the quiet smile of God reminding me of His presence after such a long and trying past month. August 5th is on a Sunday, our Lord's Day. And it will be the three month anniversary of my daughter's salvation. I just think it is a special small fact that God ordained before time to have that milestone occur on a Sunday, where I will have time to focus so fully on what a blessing her conversion has been.

I used to say that the single most important event in my life was coming to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I don't say it because it's the "right" thing to say or because it's the "Christian" thing to believe. I say it because it's true. Without that day, January 2, 1994, there would have been no wedding day, no births of my children, no certain unique experiences God has allowed us to have. At least not ones covered in the knowledge of his Mercy. I KNOW that my life would have taken an altogether different direction - because so VERY many of the choices I have made since that day have not been my choices at all, but His. Choices I didn't understand or necessarily even trust at the time that I made them. But I trusted Him, so I followed and was blessed beyond anything I could have imagined. I was also tried more than I ever expected. But I have ALWAYS been about doing my best, even as a lost heathen muddling through this old world, and I believe that the greater callings require greater sacrifice. (Thank you, God, for our voluntary military! They are my heroes. Please keep them safe.)

But three months ago, in the dark of midnight with quiet tears of joy dotting my cheeks, all I could think was "THIS beats even my own salvation. THIS is the GREATEST blessing I will ever be handed." Watching these A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, emerging young sinful saints covered in grace ETERNALLY! And knowing that my God, the Almighty Alpha and Omega, is developing in them a unique plan that no one else on this Earth can fulfill. And that He's actually allowing me to have an unearned, undeserved part in it all! I lay there most of that night considering my family's past, how NONE of us had any sort of a testimony at all and really NO KNOWLEDGE of who Jesus Christ was. I had heard His name, but never in conjunction with the word Savior. I knew there was Him and Moses and Jonah and Jonah had an ark, whatever that was. But I couldn't have told you what else any of them were known for or who was the more important of the three.

But as I prayed that night I thought about the story I'd read several times by now about Moses. How he'd offered to take the punishment of death and hell for the sins of his people the Israelites if God would just forgive them once again. (Exo. 32:32) I'd always wondered how any human gets that kind of a love, that would give up his own salvation for the redemption of another. I believe Moses knew and believed that God would not take his salvation away because I believe he knew that it was not based upon his own actions in the first place. But he was willing. And now I understand that urgency, because it's how I feel about my own children. They are God's, but they are a heritage from the Lord. (Psa. 127:3) Not just a gift, but a HERITAGE. A glimpse into all the wonder of God's parental side. Children, I believe, teach us as much about the love of God for us than anything else ever could. And they teach us how to love more like Christ just in their existing. How could Moses and how can I love that much? The answer is the same as it is for EVERYTHING.

J E S U S

On the day that my daughter gave her life away to God on Cinco de Mayo of this year, God answered MANY prayers. First and foremost, He answered her prayer to come into her heart and cleanse her of her sins and teach her to walk in His ways. But he also answered prayers I have uttered since before even becoming pregnant. My best friend miscarried her first baby just weeks after I miscarried our second. She said to me, as she tried to find comfort, "I prayed to God that he would never let us have a child that wouldn't decide to one day become a Christian. Maybe even this is an answer to my prayers." As sad as that sounds, I think every loving Christian mother understands her thinking. Having my children come to know TRUE salvation apart from religion has been the one prayer I have asked for them since before they were knit together in my womb.

My older son made his commitment to Christ the Friday before Thanksgiving of 2004. It was equally as exciting for days and months like with my daughter. But he has always been a naturally compliant kid. Of course, one sin makes us fall short of the glory of God. His salvation was every bit as necessary as with my daughter! It meant every bit as much. But my daughter is the one I worried more about needing Divine guidance through her life with her choices. She just has more of a personality that wants to jump in and try new things and think through the consequences later. Or she did. God has done a MIGHTY work in this sweet girl. She is so thoughtful in her actions, so measured now in her decisions. She was the first to go to her room and pray for her parents when she saw that we were struggling to maintain a rational level to our "discussion" the other day. She radiates her Lord! She is still ornery and funny and still loves a good time. And she is still ornery. And ornery. But she puts Jesus first. If it will not bring honor to Him, she more often no longer finds an action worth it. She bears fruit. She is a new creature, created in Christ Jesus. And I will be eternally grateful to my Savior for getting to be there when the cocoon, the shroud of sin, broke, and that exquisite new creation emerged. She still sins. She still gets into trouble and irritates her brothers less frequently, but she now CARES. She is repentant, rather than so disturbingly delighted at her fleshly actions.

Our family, the one I am in and the one I am from has a legacy now of being ones who want to follow Jesus. Ones who are known for reading their Bibles and going to church and trying their best to respond to things according to Scripture. Sometimes we follow Jesus on our hands and knees begging. Sometimes we follow Him after getting lost at the detours. So often we get distracted, take our eyes off Him and tend to forget where we are going. But He doesn't. He's promised to seal us unto the day of redemption. (Eph. 4:30; II Tim. 1:12) We're sometimes lost on the trail, but He isn't. He promised to get us home safely. I trust Him to be able to do that despite how I walk. I am crippled and lame and clueless so often and my stride in the race looks more like a drunk on a storm-tossed ship than a graceful sprint. At times, so will my sons'. So will my daughter's. But I won't leave them alone on the side of the road just because they stumble. In fact, that just makes me as a parent want to help them all the more. They may eventually sometime look like a heap of useless clay laying alongside the road, but that's my heritage there in that heap. I want to wait and be patient and help them to their feet those times more than any other. That's my parental side. That's what it means to be CREATED IN HIS IMAGE. I am like that because He is like that and I was made to be like Him. He is the Light. That bright beacon guiding us Home. And I am just ecstatic that my older children's eyes have been opened to see that Light. No longer must they rely solely on a stronger but stumbling runner to pull them along. Now they have that brighter beacon than myself to guide them along as well. And that is most surely my most favorite blessing.