Happy Birthday Beaver!

Beaver is my oldest friend. Not that she's old. I have friends who are older than Beaver. In fact, I'm older than Beaver. It's that she has been my friend longer than any other person in the world - except my brother, and he doesn't count!

Beaver and I have been friends since we were in the nursery at our church - more than 35 years! Ahhh, did I just type that number? Wow, I feel ancient! She has 4 wonderful kids, a handsome hubby and the voice of an angel! She has the best handwriting of anyone I know and is extremely creative. When we were in college, she came to visit me for the weekend at HPU. The next week was my birthday. I got a package in the mail from her - an outfit she had just "whipped up" for me! It even included matching hairbows (it was the 80's)!!

I wish I could say that Beaver and I have remained close all these years. Living far away from each other has made it harder to stay as close as we'd like. But time and miles haven't changed the fact that she is one of my favorite people and I'm so glad she is a part of my life. I would post a picture of her from when we were growing up, but I don't dare. Beaver has an arsenal of old pictures too - and she's not afraid to use them!

Happy

Birthday Beaver!

Heartsjoy's Birthday

Today my sweet friend celebrates her birthday! And, being a twin, so does her sister, Literature Lover!

I won't tell you her age, but I'll let you do the math. This picture was taken in 1997. If you can see the candle, you can see which birthday we were celebrating.

Heartsjoy - you are one of my favorite people in the world. You are so sweet and funny and you have been a blessing to me for more than 10 years! God bless you today!

I love you!

Lost Withdrawals

I already miss LOST. This is Wednesday, the night the hubby records JERICHO and LOST. After church and after the kiddos are in bed we stay up as late as we need to in order watch both shows. I guess tonight it will just be JERICHO.

How sad!

Urgent Prayer Request

Please visit my sister's blog and read about this military family. They are in desperate need of our prayers right now and for the next few days.

It's Official...

I'm allergic to cotton! OK, not the kind you wear, the kind that grows in the ground. The kind that everyone out here in West Texas grows! The kind that provides for the livelihood of the families of our church. You might say that cotton pays for my husband's salary! And I'm allergic to it! What's funny is everyone here tells me that this is the allergy capital of Texas. Funny, that's what they say no matter where you live in Texas. I know, because I've lived everywhere!

This is cotton-picking time and I guess it's just in the air. We're still new here, but I'm told that just about everyone here suffers during this time of year. The cotton and the chemicals (yuck) wreak havoc on everyone. After suffering for 2 weeks - and being miserable after football games and trick-or-treating, I was told to "go get a shot" like everyone else does. I kept thinking it would just go away, but they still said, "go get a shot". But I don't have seasonal allergies - my mom and my sister do, not me.

I can't believe I'm blogging about nasal passages and itchy eyeballs, but I'm just so glad to get some relief. I got the shot (along with a flu shot) so, now I'm on Zyrtec and Nasonex and life is much sweeter.

I know you must be so glad that you just read a blog entry about seasonal allergies! What a waste of time!

He's Three!!

Happy Birthday little monkey!

Birthday Pancakes

Here are some pics from his party-

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie...

...he'll crawl under your refrigerator and DIE!

I knew I smelled something funky in the kitchen! I got the flashlight and searched under the fridge (where the odor was the worst) and there he was. All I could really see was his skinny tail. Big, strong Hubby moved the fridge and now that nasty mouse and his even nastier stench are gone!

Kinda makes me miss the days when we had a cat!

The Other Day on Oprah...

OK, I don't usually watch Oprah, but every once in a while I will see what's on. She's been showing parts of her cross-country road trip with Gayle - and it's really funny. So, the other day I caught the end of their journey. As they drove through Ohio, they took the opportunity to spend some time with an Amish family. IT WAS FASCINATING! The couple was young, maybe 30, with 3 kids. They sat outside at a picnic table, chatting with Oprah and Gayle. They discussed the Amish lifestyle, modern conveniences, traditions, marriage, courtship, pre-marital sex...really interesting stuff. As you can imagine, Oprah and Gayle couldn't fathom no dating until 18, no sex before marriage, marriage and sex with one person for a lifetime, etc. But what blew them away was that the couple said they were 100% content with their lives. They wouldn't change ANYTHING about the way they live.

Do you know anyone completely content? Are you? Are there things you would change about the way you live in order to find more contentment? Why are we so unwilling to live a simple life in our modern society? Does simplicity provide more contentment?

This couple fascinated me. They subscribe to Time magazine, so they do know what's going on in the world. They have an electric washing machine (not anything like what any of us have, but still...). They use modern equipment to milk the cows. All these things surprised me. What also surprised me was how beautiful their home was. Why did I think otherwise? Just because they are known for being plain doesn't mean they don't enjoy beauty. The inside of the house was decorated simply and tastefully. The walls were painted blue. There were fresh flowers in vases in several rooms.

The interview really made me think. No, I'm not about to become Amish. But there are aspects of their lifestyle that really are worth contemplating. What would I be willing to give up for a simpler life? Not the internet, for sure! What's funny is that I found myself wanting to see more into the lives of the Amish - and my first thought was, "I wonder if there are any Amish blogs?" I immediately realized the absurdity of that thought! But how disappointing! Wouldn't it be great if there were an Amish blogroll out there?

Dumb Dumb Dumb

This is by far the DUMBEST movie I have ever seen. EVER! Yes, it has taken me this long to see it. It was funny - very funny at times. But, it was so incredibly DUMB! I just kept praying that my boys wouldn't turn out like anyone in the movie! I also kept imagining my brother, sister, cousin, and nephews laughing their heads off during this movie - quoting every line! What kind of sick family are we? GOSH!

Sick Day

My older son woke up this morning not feeling so well, but he really wanted to go to school (not because he wanted to be at school. He was excited to wear his new pants! How girlie!). He had just a little bit of fever, but within the limit. So, dad took him to school. Well, just as I thought, the school secretary called - asking me to pick up D. When we got in the car I asked if the nurse had taken his temp. She had. Here's our conversation:

"What was your temp?"
"Umm, 91"
"Well, I think it was probably a little higher"
"Uh, 160"
"I know for sure it wasn't 160"
"Why?"
"Because you'd be dead!"

As soon as he walked through the door he put in "The Incredibles", plopped down on the couch and informed me he was hungry. I guess after everyone saw his new pants, it was time to go home!

Thoughts on Motherhood

I've been reading an article in Radiant magazine called The Stay-at-Home Question: What is the New Ideal for New Mothers? Although I don't consider myself a "new" mother, the discussion is interesting. Here is a quote I keep coming back to:

Leslie Leyland Fields, mother of six and author of Surprise Child ...notes the tendency some have - even within the Church - to criticize and even look down upon those who do not adhere to the functions of the at-home mom. "There are those in our churches who believe that unless you're homeschooling, taking your children to every church event and service, devoting your every minute to your children - unless you are all these things, you're not a good Christian mother," she says. "I disagree. I think we're sometimes in danger of deifying our children and our family, setting them up as idols in place of God."

Here are some of my thoughts and questions:

• Knowing that it is ideal for children to be at home with mother let's say at least until preschool/Kindergarten, will there ever be situations when it IS within God's will for mom to work outside the home?
• Are my friends who work full-time out of God's will?
• What about those mothers in ministry or fields of public service (ex: doctor), is it ever God's will for them to return to their careers when their children are small?
• I think it's easy to assume that God's will is for all mothers to stay home with their children, but do we ever set up our role as sahm as an idol?
• Is it possible to take mothering TOO seriously, therefore ignoring what God might be leading you to do that's different?
• Is devoting yourself so completely to mothering stripping you from who you are?
• Can we get lost in the role of mother?

I so enjoy reading blogs. Most of the blogs I read are written by moms - from all walks of life. I enjoy everything from the homeschooling/homesteading/ultra-conservative mom to the leave-your-kids-with-daddy-for-a-girlfriend-weekend mom to the career-minded mom who lives in the city. All these moms love their kids - and the Lord! Sometimes though I can walk away from the computer feeling discouraged. "Am I supposed to be living like that mom?" "Should I be doing what she does?" "Should I be churning my own butter and making my kids clothes?" (Just kidding - ain't gonna happen!)

I know that just like educating our children, each family must seek God's will for their family regarding whether mom works. I admire homeschooling moms tremendously. God isn't telling me to do that. I so love being at home with G. But will there be a time when it's His will that I work - especially if my work is ministry?

There may only be 4 people out there who read this, but I would really like some feedback. What are your thoughts?

White Rabbit

Welcome Autumn!

Leaves
Elsie Brady

How silently they tumble down
and come to rest upon the ground.
To lay a carpet, so rich and rare
beneath the trees without a care.
Content to sleep, their work well done
colors gleaming in the sun.
At other times they wildly fly
until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
til all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
to wait, like children, for the snow.


Oh, I love autumn! If only it looked and felt like this here in West Texas! Although the afternoons get quite warm, the mornings have been beautiful and cool - a chill in the air. Saturday I got out all the fall decorations and today I bought pumpkins for the front porch! I LOVE AUTUMN!!! Pumpkin bread and caramel apples. Sleeping with the windows open (you can do that in a small town!). Friday night high school football games!

I would add some other great fall pictures I found, but Blogger is being Blogger. I guess this is as good as it gets!

Happy Birthday Kacole!

Today is my sister's birthday! She is smart, stylish, creative, talented and absolutely hilarious. She is straight-forward and tender-hearted. Tears come very easily and so does laughter! She is compassionate, practical, and can turn trash to treasure in the blink of an eye. She is thoughtful and gives wonderful gifts full of meaning.

Not only is she a great sister, but a wonderful aunt! When our first nephew was born, she introduced herself to him and said she would be his "favorite aunt"...ahem! She wasn't far away when both my boys were born and loved them from the moment she saw them. All our kids are crazy about her, even though she moved out of the house with the pool! She also has been known to give the kids some awesome gifts as well - even though they can be awfully noisy! But, her day is coming. The brother and I have vowed to supply her kids with the most obnoxious toys on the market!

Since I am the emotional, sappy one, I will keep this post along those lines. Our brother can roast our sister in his usual manner! In all, my sister is one of my most favorite people in the world. I wish we lived next door to each other, but I'm sure we never will get that privilege. One day she will become an incredible mother and I can't wait to see her become that person.

So, Happy Birthday Sis! I love you very much. Here's a thought I heard this morning that made me think of you:

"When you get in your late 20's, you realize that no one you ever looked up to knew what they were doing either!" -John Mayer

Oh so true!

But I Really Want It

We always want what we can't have!

I'd give just about anything for a huge, fresh spinach salad.

Even if all the fresh spinach in the country hadn't been tossed in the DUMPSTER, it's not like I could run to the store and get me some. Our tiny grocery store doesn't sell it even when it hasn't been contaminated with E-coli! Sad, huh? We only have iceberg and wilted green leaf!

I really want some spinach!

Interesting Observation

Being a mother can be tough. It was interesting to read that a panda mother's heart breaks, too!

Please Pray for this Family

A few months ago, Susan wandered over to my blog and now I consider her a friend. There is something so wonderful about blogging with Christian women. The Lord has a way of knitting our hearts and lives together in a special way - even if we never meet in person.

Susan and her family are on a heart-wrenching journey right now. She is pregnant with their 4th child, due next week. A few months ago they found out that their baby has no kidneys. This means that as long as he/she is in her womb, there is life. A few hours after delivery, their baby will die. As most of you know, at the end of pregnancy, the only thing you can think about is going into labor. You are anxious to deliver and hold this precious life growing inside you. You are READY to have your baby. Not so for Susan. She knows that when Tuesday comes, she will in fact deliver her baby and hold him/her until that little life is gone. She has stayed so strong all this time, but reality is setting in as the day grows closer.

Susan and Marty have 2 sons here on earth. I mentioned this is her 4th baby. This will be the second child born to this couple with Potter's Syndrome. Please take a few minutes to participate in some ministry opportunities for this family. In the days to come there will be hundreds of people praying for and encouraging this sweet family through a very difficult time.

What's He Saying?

This is what G, my almost-3-year old, says daily: "mompadod"

We know what he's saying, but can you figure it out?

White Rabbit

My friend decided a long time ago that it would be fun to be the first one to say "White Rabbit" on the first day of the month. This game has become quite an obsession among a few of us. She and I have gone to great lengths to "White Rabbit" each other - even using our children if necessary! I was accused of taking the game way too seriously when I (through shear determination!) had my second child 8 days early - November 1st! I just knew I'd have myself a little white rabbit baby!!

Of course, DeVon and I still play "religiously", but I've sucked a few others into this psychotic game - like my husband and sister. It is SO aggravating to make the trip to the potty sometime after midnight on the 1st and hear hubby say "White Rabbit" when you crawl back into bed!

Knowing that my sister will probably check my blog today, this one is for her!

Gotcha!

Hurry Up October 4th

Only 33 days until the return of this!!!!

4 8 15 16 23 42

Is this more like it?

My sis thinks my baby is growing up too fast and that I need to have another one! So, Mrs. C., is this the kid you miss? By the way, we ALL agree, you get to have the next family baby!

Back to School

It's the first day of first grade! Yes, I've been singing the song from

Veggie Tales' Jonah since yesterday! On his 7th birthday, Big

Brother went back to school. Although I was excited for him to

go to school, I was a little sad that this was his first birthday not

spent with us! Someone else got him all day!

His teacher is a precious Christian woman. I prayed all summer

he would be in her class!




Of course we had to get a picture with the Texas flag!




The classroom next door has a Blue's Clues Thinking Chair.

Little Brother was thrilled when I pulled out a notebook

and crayon for the picture! He's obsessed with Blue's Clues

and was so excited to sit in this chair!

What do you think?

Everyday Mommy has some very interesting thoughts regarding today's headlines. Check it out.

I'm Still Here!

There are lots of things I'd like to blog about. Today is my son's birthday. It was also the first day of school. I have an idea for WFMW. But all these posts would be enhanced by photos and I still can't load any!

So, please don't give up on me. Life has gotten busy and I am frustrated with Blogger. I'm going to give it another try tomorrow!

Meanwhile, check this out! My sis did a cute tribute to the birthday boy!

Thanks FlyLady!

As a subscriber to FlyLady's wisdom, I am learning the importance of spending 15 minutes decluttering. Well, that's how long it just took me to delete all her annoying messages in my Yahoo inbox! I would unsubscribe, but I'm afraid I will completely fall off the wagon if I do.

Honestly, I have learned a lot from her and I appreciate her ministry and encouragement. But I have to admit that some of that stuff creeps me out a little. If you come over to my house, you won't find her looking up at you from my kitchen sink. Her image won't be on my refrigerator or car or anything else. I don't have a control journal, but I don't mind calling it my "I-can't-run-this-house-without-it" binder. I get uneasy when she talks about God breezes and purple puddles. And, in a house full of males, "fling boogies" has a totally different meaning!

Surely I'm not the only one who feels like saying, "FlyLady, thanks for the help, but now you need to get out of my personal space!!!" :-)

Blogger is Driving Me Nuts!!!

Since last Thursday, I've been trying to post about a wonderful party we had for a friend with cancer. Blogger won't let me add the pictures - not even one! Blogger even tells me that the images are uploaded AND THEY'RE NOT! I am ready to scream. No wonder so many of you are switching to Typepad!!

Works for Me!

At our house, we love the Pampers Kandoo Foaming products!

To keep from having to buy new bottles when we run out, I simply refill them with our own soap and water. It works great! Once the soap or shampoo is gone, refill with your own clear (not conditioning) liquid hand soap or baby shampoo/wash. Squeeze about 1/2 inch of soap in bottle, then fill the rest of the way with water. Attach lid and give it a shake. The kids will never know!

For more tips, check out Shannon's blog!

Gripes

First gripe: Does anyone else feel stressed out when you can't read all 100+ tips from Shannon's blog every Wednesday? AAAHHH!! Throughout the day I periodically check the list and try to read a few more. But each time I check it out, there are about 20 new entries! I think it would take all week to read them and then I'd have to start all over again!

Here's my 2nd gripe: IT'S HOT! I am so tired of the HEAT! Yes, it's Texas. Yes, it's July. You'd think after 37 years I'd be used to it. But I'm so sick of it. I think what's so irritating is that the people on the East Coast are whining and complaining because it's 95 degrees there. Poor babies! Try 105 everyday for weeks! Try no significant rain for months.

OK, I'm better now. Hubby just returned from DQ with a Heath Blizzard! It may be a little bit melted, but it's heaven! Why do we feel justified eating ice cream in the blazing heat - like that takes out the fat and sugar? I guess in a way I feel I've beaten the heat for just a moment.

Is it October yet? Who am I kidding? November...is it November yet?

What a Relief!

Despite the way I often feel, I'm officially not a NERD!!

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But I refuse to take the "stupid" test!

Vacation

We're back from vacation. Here are some pictures of the boys.

Finding Time for God

Although I've known Christ for a long time, I go through dry seasons. Sometimes I need gentle reminders to get back to the basics. Life can get so busy and distracting that I neglect my most basic need - to spend time with the Lord. Here's an article I just read that I found helpful. Even though none of it was new to me, I needed to read it.

Are you struggling with finding time for God? Maybe this article will encourage you!

God Bless You!

Cleanup on Aisle 7

I don't usually grocery shop with my kids. Living in a small town affords me the luxury of running to the store when hubby is home for lunch. In fact, the other day I left the kids with their daddy, washed the car, grocery shopped, and was back home in 30 minutes!

Today was errand day. It required grocery shopping with the boys first. Now, our little store has one door in and one door out. Everyone who works there knows me and my little one. I normally let him loose as long as he stays fairly close by. Besides, the shopping cart is so small, there isn't much room for him and the food! The first stop is produce where little one starts grabbing tomatoes in each hand. "Oh, no, honey. Put the tomatoes back. Yes, they are red. Now put them back." This is all said in my sweet voice - it's early. Besides, my 2 year old knows the color red - he's brilliant! Next he grabs a cucumber and holds it up beside his head and says, "Hello!" like he's answering the phone. Oh, he's so cute and funny! By aisle 7 (out of 12) it wasn't cute or funny anymore - I didn't care how brilliant he was! After telling him 27 times not to touch everything in the store, he pulls off a jar of Vlasic dill pickles onto the floor. Crash, broken glass, pickle juice, vinegar smell. My sweet voice was gone! Mary Poppins had been replaced by Viola Swamp! I grabbed him and threw him in the cart. I looked at big brother whose eyes were like saucers and knew that he was the one who had learned the lesson! Of course the mother in me couldn't pass up the chance to say "See what happens when you touch things"!! Poor thing, he wasn't even the guilty one!

After dropping groceries off at home, we drove 40 minutes to Wal-Mart. Not a SuperCenter, just a regular old Wal-Mart. Once again, I let little brother try out his wings by not strapping him in the cart. We started off in the garden center where he and brother had a great time. They "rode" the lawn mowers and tried out every piece of lawn and patio furniture. Little brother only pulled the heads off of a few dozen flowers. He also had a short meltdown as we stepped back into the store because big brother beat him to the door.

In the pharmacy he touched every box of character bandages. He screamed when I took away the $40 ear thermometer he had grabbed off the hook. He "helped" me choose new candles for our house. He found a display of letters one can use for wall decoration. He had to touch each one and sing through the alphabet song while I stood there tapping my foot. He eventually became so wild I had to do the unthinkable. I spanked him in the housewares aisle after he intentionally knocked off a glass olive oil decanter. I thought it was going to be the pickles all over again. As soon as I spanked him I realized what I had done! I have always made fun of people who spank their kids at major discount department stores. Now I was one of them. For a brief moment I was sure I would end up on TV - hidden camera footage showing me beating my child in public. Luckily, no one was around. There's not much of a chance anyone in Stamford, TX cares if I spank my kids.

Well, by spanking him and strapping him into the cart seat, I broke his spirit! Dejected, he just reached out his little hand as we squeezed through the clearance in the boys section, saying "touch, touch". He just had to have his hands on everything! By the time I was ready to check out, he was sucking his thumb with his head on my chest while I maneuvered through the store.

We still hadn't had lunch!

I'm exhausted just recapping it.

My Calling as a Mom

I've been reading some powerful and convicting blogs (everydaymommy and joy in the journey). They've been discussing Moms as Missionaries. As a mom, I really need a kick in the rear sometimes to remind me how important my job is. My wonderful friend heartsjoy was challenged with this issue just this week. It's bad enough when the secular world or the Christian culture doesn't take our roles as mothers seriously. But when we don't take it seriously...shame on us!

We've all joked about our kids complaining that we are on the computer so much. We laugh about being addicted to reading and writing blogs. You need to check out the comment at the very bottom of this great website. Tremendous wisdom, but OUCH!

Holy Reverence

The Old Testament is amazing. Fascinating. Even if I live to be 90, I will never fully grasp it. I could do every Beth Moore study and it will still be a mystery to me. An amazing, fascinating mystery. Yesterday I was reading (2 Samuel 6:1-8) about the ark of the covenant - the ark of God, which is called by "the Name". God's name is so holy the Hebrews referred to it as "shem" - The Name! They revered His Name and His holiness that much! Back to the ark. His very presence was enthroned between the cherubim on the ark!

So David and his men are carrying the ark very carefully, so as not to touch it. They had gone to great lengths to slide poles underneath before they placed it on the new cart. As they are moving along it appears the ark might fall off. Naturally, Uzzah reaches out and grabs it to keep it from hitting the ground. Big mistake. Deadly mistake. God is angry. (The word here also means "nose, nostril". Could it be that His holy nostrils were flared? I'm picturing a bull with hot air blazing out of it's nose.) Wrath.

Wow. Wouldn't you have done the same thing? It's easy to understand his human nature taking over and reaching out. It was the ark for goodness sake. No one would ever let it fall to the ground, right? How many times have you reached out to catch something that is falling? It's human reaction. I got to thinking about what I would let fall. A hot iron. If my iron were falling off the board, I think I would jump back and let it fall. It's not worth getting burned. I have too much respect for the power of the heat coming out of my iron.

See, God didn't need Uzzah to reach out and save the ark. God created the gravity that would have sent it to the ground! Besides, God had made it clear the ark was NEVER to be touched. Here's the real problem - Uzzah got casual with God's presence. Had he been mindful of God, he would never have reached out. In fact, if the whole gang had taken God's presence seriously, the ark would not have been placed on a cart to begin with.

Oh, I don't want to be casual with God's presence. There are so many Sundays I join my church family for corporate worship and I'm on autopilot. I might genuinely enjoy the music and learn from the sermon. I have gotten good at playing the "pastor's wife". I know how to act and what to say. At home, I often put my time with Him aside to accomplish other, more pressing things. How arrogant of me! There are many days I spend more time reading blogs than reading God's Word. Do I really think the words of all these nameless women will bring power into my life? Why do I care more about what everyone else is saying in blogworld, than His fresh, healing words for me. Uzzah was struck dead because of his casual attitude toward God. When am I going to grow up and get serious? I don't want to be casual. I want holy reverence.

My Little Sluggers

My older son began his baseball career this spring. I dreaded it because once they start sports it doesn't end for a long time. I dreaded adding one more thing to our family life. I guess I thought it would be an intrusion. But when the time came to sign up, I was all for it - maybe because the T-ball season is so short! He was on the Astros, which couldn't be more perfect for us. We already had all the stuff!

I loved watching him play! He just got better and better and cuter and cuter as the "season" went on! He's a good hitter, but he got distracted when his team was on the field. They finally moved him off first base since he never paid attention to the ball. It was comical!

Britney's Boobs and Mrs. Duggar

This morning I caught a few minutes of Matt Lauer's interview with Britney Spears. I sorta wish I hadn't! Being pregnant, her boobs are enormous and spilling over. Her skirt was slit up to her thigh. She's lost all modesty. She really looked like a scared little girl in a woman's body. The saddest part wasn't even how she looked, it was what I saw in her eyes and on her face. When asked how she deals with the world thinking she's a bad mother, she blew it off and acted like she didn't know what he was talking about. When asked how she feels about the papparazzi, she broke down crying. I know it must be horrendous dealing with the constant invasion, but why didn't she show any emotion when asked about mothering? She must be addicted to approval like most of us. Doesn't it bother her that many think she has terrible mothering skills? What kind emotion would that bring out of you? Although she has tremendous influence on many many girls and young women, I'm glad she isn't the average young mother!

On the other end of the spectrum, there's Michelle Duggar. You know, the mom from Springdale, AR with 16 kids. Did I mention she homeschools and makes a lot of their clothes? I know there are many out there who don't get this family, but I'm fascinated! Everytime they are on Discovery Health, I have to watch. They are so organized and intentional. The parents seem so sane. Michelle is the picture of submission and mothering. There is no TV in the house (7000 sq ft, by the way). All the kids play an instrument, have a buddy, do specific chores, etc. It is the picture of efficiency. When I watch them I can't help but think she can't be real. What I'm seeing is sugar-coated. She has the sweetest, most gentle voice. Does she ever scream at all those kids? Do they bang on the door when she's in the bathroom? Or do the kids bang on the bathroom door when their older buddies are in the bathroom? Does she ever get time by herself? Has she had time to give herself a pedicure this summer (like Supermom suggested in Summer Pledge?) Does she ever have cheerios stuck on her butt? How many times a day does she hear "Mom, look at me!"

I'm glad there is a woman out there like Michelle Duggar. I think what she and her husband are doing is great! The kids appear to be wonderful, responsible children who love the Lord and can probably out-quote all of us in Scripture! I am also disturbed there are so many mothers out there similar to Britney Spears. What really comforts me is that there are millions of us who fall comfortably between the two! I don't have to be like either one of them! I can be a devoted mother by day and wear tight shirts with my boobs hanging out at night! LOL!!!

Random Thoughts

1. Cancer. It's an ugly word. I hate the sound of it. No one should have to hear the doctor say that word. There is a woman in my church - 39 years old - who just found out she has Hodgkins Lymphoma. She is at MD Anderson right now being tested and evaluated. Today they tested her bone marrow - which is extremely painful. When she gets home this weekend, she will have to wait another week to find out what stage it's in and what her course of treatment will be. How do you keep your sanity during that wait? How do you keep your children from being terrified when you are absolutely terrified down to your very core? How do you tell your parents that you have cancer? How do you concentrate on anything except the evil, horrible stuff growing inside you? What an invasion.
2. My sister (27) had a procedure done last week to remove some pre-cancerous cells. She's too young to hear the doctor say "pre-cancerous". Everyone is confident she will be just fine. The only concern is her ability to have a baby - or carry one to full-term. I've always told her that she is the only one I would consider being a surrogate for. She reminded her hilarious, insane husband of my willingness to carry their baby and he said, "I'm NOT sleeping with your sister!" What an idiot! :-)
3. My friends who are missionaries in Prague adopted a baby last year. 2 weeks after the adoption, she found out she is pregnant. She's having TWINS! This time last year they had no kids and next month they will have 3 in diapers! I got to talk to her today and it was so good to hear her voice. I've only lived in this remote small town for 6 months and I miss my girlfriends. Isn't it great that no matter how much time goes by between visits - you just pick back up where you left off?
4. Vacation Bible School is next week. I'm the director. I might go insane before it starts Monday morning! So many details! Even though it can be stressful, VBS is such a blessing. This year's mission project is called "Blanket the World with Jesus' Love". We're sending fleece blanket to children in poor, mountainous regions. Our church is very excited about it.
5. Oh, I went to the doctor last week for some routine bloodwork. This was my first time to see the doctor here since we moved, so he was asking me lots of family history, etc. He is my age and very funny. Everyone in town calls him by his first name. I like him a lot. Well, I did, until he told me to get a mammogram! He asked if I would rather go to Abilene or Wichita Falls? I said "NEITHER". I had no intention of getting one of those until I'm 40. I'm only 37 now! I thought I had a couple of years to psych myself up for that! Less than 2 years ago I was nursing a BABY! Mammogram was not on my radar screen. Aaaaahh!!
6. Tonight is the last night my baby sleeps in his crib! We bought the boys bunk beds and they were delivered today. I asked hubby not to start assembling tonight because baby needs to sleep in the crib one more time! Like baby cares! He's always excited to sleep elsewhere. It's this mommy who isn't ready to take down the crib. Not only do I like the confinement it provides, but this is my last baby. That crib will go to my sister's house soon. Besides, no one with a baby still in the crib should have to get a MAMMOGRAM! Right?

Must go to bed now.

Blogging Addiction

When I first began blogging last month, I spent a lot of time reading the blogs of my buddy heartsjoy and her sis literaturelover and all their buddies. Reading supermom makes my day! Don't you wish you could express yourself the way she does? I don't even know her first name, but I think it would be a blast to spend the day with her! Reading what my buddies were blogging didn't leave me much time for blogging on my own site.

Lately I've begun blog hopping. This is addictive! It started with this one's for the girls and then rocks in my dryer. Then another and another and another! Eventually I have no idea where I am and how I got there! And it's fascinating!! In my mind there is the perfect mom, wife, friend, daughter, etc. I know she doesn't really exist in person, but she does exist in blogworld. I find bits of her on one blog and then a bit on another! Combined, we make the perfect woman! I am gleaning so much from all of you out there and it is a blessing!

I try to surround myself with smart, funny, articulate people. Those are the people I like to be around. Blogging has allowed me to do that anytime I want. But I'm not blogging much on my own site! Throughout the day thoughts occur to me that I could blog, but when I sit down at the computer, all I want to do is read about everyone else!

I need help! I need to get a life!

Summer is Almost Here

Only one more week until school is out! My son loves school - who doesn't love Kindergarten? He is like me and thrives around others and prefers the classroom to one on one. Although it will be a transition for all of us, I look forward to the relaxation summer can bring. No more getting his clothes ready the night before, checking the backpack, getting out the door at a certain time. There will still be structure in our house, just no set schedule!

More than anything, I look forward to having my son back! Everyday when I drop him off at school I pray for his protection - physical, mental, emotion, spiritual! There are days he comes home from school and I wonder what he's heard and experienced. He has learned many things this year I wasn't ready for - like names for parts of his body - words we don't use in our house! So, when I say I want my son back, it's not just because I miss him. It's because I want control back. For someone who always thought she would homeschool, this year has had it's challenges. I still believe it is God's desire for him to be in public school during this season of our lives, but I look forward our being the major influence of his life.

We will do some homeschooling of our own this summer. Besides working on the basics like shoe-tying and telling time, we will be reading a lot and working on Scripture memory and character development. I plan to use Focus on Your Child's Character Crew. We'll do one each week.

So, all you homeschooling moms - what are your summer plans? Will you continue or take a break? My sis-in-law goes all year and it works well for them. I really enjoy reading about your homeschooling adventures, plans, struggles, successes! Whether or not I ever get to do it, the subject will always fascinate me! I have such respect for you! And supermom, I know you don't churn your own butter, but my good friend in Iowa has her own goat that they milk! They are a terrific family! But there is no typical homeschooling family!

What are some of the challenges you face as a homeschooler? Do you find yourself asking why you are doing this? Should they be in school somewhere else? I know homeschool parents tend to go through this each year. As a public school mom I am going through some of the same dilemmas. I guess each year we will ask ourselves the same questions - do we continue with public school and is this still God's plan?

Captivating and Radiant

Captivating, by Stasi and John Eldridge, is on my bookshelf just waiting to be read. I keep putting it off for some reason. Busy with other studies and books I'm trying to finish. Captivating is not a word I would use to describe myself, in fact, I don't know if I understand what it really means to be captivating. I guess I would if I read the book!

A month or so ago, my husband told me that Relevant Magazine (one of his favorites) is now publishing a magazine for women-it's called Radiant. I was excited about this and checked out the website. I read through everything and decided to subscribe. Then I read a little blurb at the end of the website. It informed me that Radiant is written for women in their 20's and early 30's! OUCH! What a slap in the face. I suddenly felt old and unimportant! Am I not the right age to be radiant? Relevant? There was no anger on my part, just surprise. This is the first publication I've run across that interests me that is actually geared toward younger women. At what point am I no longer a younger woman? It never occurred to me that Hubby was reading a magazine written for men 10 years younger! He loves it! He doesn't let his age matter - why should I? I subscribed to the magazine.

Now, I will begin reading my book and I look forward to my first issue of my new magazine! I will read them both from cover to cover. My age doesn't define me! So what if I'm 37 and I'm no longer the focus of advertising and publications!

Signed,

Captivating and Radiant!

I Survived

Hubby came home and I am no longer a single mom. Things went fine - no problems at all. But, I sure wouldn't want it to be a permanent situation. Hubby walked in just as Baby Brother was heading to his nap. He was so surprised and thrilled to see "Dad". (He skipped saying "Daddy", thanks to Big Brother. )

A few days ago I held a 2 week old baby. He was squeaky and sweet! Don't you love how they draw their legs in when you hold them on your chest? Anyway, this baby belongs to Heather from Point of Grace. Her parents are members of our church and she is spending some time here recuperating and resting. Her hubby is prepping for comps and needed some quiet time. Anyway, I have grown quite close to Heather's mom, but this is Heather's first trip here since we moved here a few months ago. As I was getting ready to go over there to visit, I found myself fussing about my hair, clothes, etc. Come on, this girl glams up all the time, so there is that part of me that is nervous about how I look. I didn't expect her to look like she does on the album covers, but you know what I mean.

I got there and she looked just like the rest of us 2 weeks after having a baby! No makeup, her other 2 kids were still in jammies, etc. I was so relieved! Isn't it great when you discover that "famous" people are also real people? I knew she would be real, because her mom is one of the most authentic, wonderful women I've ever met. Our visit was great and I really enjoyed loving on her new precious baby. They are a sweet family.

Speaking of family, I should probably go feed mine!

Single Mom

So, I'm a single mom this week! My hubby is gone to a pastor's conference until Thursday. It's times like these I wish we homeschooled because I would have taken the boys to grandparents and gone to the conference with him. There are other times I wish we homeschooled, but that blog is for another day - deciding to send son to public school was a long, hard decision.

Knowing there is no one about to walk in and ask why I'm still on the computer - I've spent quite a bit of time checking out the FlyLady and reading other blogs! That FlyLady is something else and I want others' opinions of her and her methods. LiteratureLover seems to really accomplish a lot with the routines. Please let me know what you think and how you got started and the difference it's made for your home.

What is your advice for this single mom? Early baths, Benadryl, and off to bed? (for the boys, not me). Chicken nuggets and mac n cheese every night? (for the boys, not me) Major house cleaning so hubby is impressed/blessed when he returns home? I am really glad he's at the conference. Everyone needs renewal - especially pastors. I got my renewal weekend earlier this month when I flew to TN for a Beth Moore conference - all by myself! It was wonderful! I tried to get Heartsjoy to come along but she just couldn't do it. Maybe next time!

But seriously, I am thankful I'm not a single mom. I can't imagine a more difficult situation. Even if hubby is in the house, but has checked out (you know what I mean), at least he's here if I need him. Just his walking through the door takes the pressure off me at the end of the day. No one should have to parent alone.

Narnia Mania

Mothering boys is such an adventure! They are such odd little creatures - strange one moment and sweet the next. Some days I spend the whole day telling them to stop jumping off the couch, settle down, be quiet, no I don't want to pretend you are Superman so you can rescue me. There are days I'm just not in the mood. Then the Lord reminds me they are boys - that's how He made them. They are wild at heart! The last thing I want to do is squelch that boy spirit!

In the few weeks since Narnia came out on DVD, it has been played at least 27 times in our house. Big Brother can't get enough. It's fine with me - the movie is wonderful. He even sleeps at night with the soundtrack playing in his room. He knows what's happening during each song! We are also reading the book at night before bed. Oh, and he only puts on his pajama pants for bed and walks around with no shirt and a scarf - he thinks he is Mr. Tumnus! He's six.

The other day while cooking dinner I looked into the den and there was Big Brother dressed for battle - complete with shield, sword, and helmet! He was fighting the White Witch during the battle scene of the movie. He had also dressed Little Brother (he's 2 1/2) for war! I laughed and cried at the same time!

Lord, thank you for my little warriors! My little King Peter the Magnificent! May these 2 rascals always be brave, noble, and courageous! May they fight evil with the Sword of the Spirit and rescue those in need!

Dr. Dobson and John Elderidge would be proud!

Getting Caught

Since beginning this blogging (today), I have found it very time consuming! Nothing else is getting done! My baby has been neglected. Every once in a while I will get up and make a bed, vacuum something, or pay a bill, but after each chore I run back to the computer and read another blog written by people I don't even know! Does anyone else find this bizarre, yet wonderfully satisfying? I try to read what heartsjoy has to say because I have known her for about 10 years. I can hear her voice as I read. But I get distracted on her blog because I am checking out all her buddies and what they have to say! I really like supermom. She says just what I am unable to articulate. I love that!

A few minutes ago I heard my husband come through the house. We live in the parsonage, so he walks over to the house quite often. You may think, "how nice", but sometimes it startles me (and annoys me). When I heard him coming, I switched screens to make it look like I was deeply involved in planning VBS! He would love the idea of my blogging, because he is a writer and reads blogs all the time. He is the one who should be blogging! But I feel guilty when I am on the internet when I should be doing other things!

I'm getting off the computer now. The baby is asleep and big brother is at school. Hubby has returned to the church. I should go do my pilates!!!!

What's in a Name?

It is so difficult naming something - or even someone! Whenever I am on a team of any sort and we must come up with a name, I always go blank! Naming our second child proved to be more difficult than I anticipated - it was so important and so daunting! Having just completed Beth Moore's Bible study "The Patriarchs", the importance of a name is fresh on my mind. Even God's name is so important and revered that the Hebrew people wouldn't say it!

So, today I had to name my blog! I tried so many, but they were all taken. But I think this name reflects how I feel about who I am and about my family. Marriage and mothering is a journey. The Jacksons have been on quite a journey for almost 18 years. Being a child of God is also a journey - sometimes exciting and sometimes tough. But no matter what the journey brings, there is always joy in this journey!