one of those mystery fever things

Last night we were invited to a "welcome to the world" dinner for my nephew, Asher.  As my brother said, it was kind of like a baby dedication, but mostly (being the good Baptists that we are) we were just eating.  We had a great night celebrating this new life that God has given into the care of Philip and Rebecca.

After the party, we realized that D was running fever and not feeling well.  Even though he promises me that nothing hurts, he has done nothing today but camp out on the loveseat and watch cartoons.  Those of you who know my little hurricane, know how unusual it is for him to be still for more than 5 minutes at a time.  Still, he kept telling me that nothing hurt and that he felt fine, so I just let him vegitate with the cartoons and went on with my day. 

Finally, this afternoon, his sister found something that could coax him to eat, cantaloupe.  Between the two of them, they quickly polished off half of a large melon.  A little while later, D climbed up in my lap and told me that he felt better.  I told him that I was glad that he felt better, but that he and I would have to hang out at home tonight while the rest of the family goes to church so that he wouldn't risk spreading any germies to his friends. 

His response was classic D.

There were only 2 germies making me sick and they left in my pee. 
They just went out and washed away and now I don't have any germies left.

Yep, that's my boy.

daybook

#22 for 2010

Hosted by Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window ... the weeds in the back yard are taller than the dog ... I really need to get it cut today!

I am hearing ... the soft snoring of one of the boys in my bed ... I think it is JW.

I am going ... to a dinner in celebration of the birth of my nephew.

I am wearing ... blue knit pants and a yellow t-shirt.

I am noticing that ... our puppy doesn't look much like a puppy anymore ... she is getting so big!

I am thinking ... about the vacation we are trying to plan for this fall and hoping it works out.  I think Ronnie is getting a little stir crazy ... he needs a break (and something to look forward to)!

I am hoping ... to get to see some friends from my college days who will be in town this weekend.  Catching up on Facebook is nice, but it would be MUCH better to actually see them in person.

I am reading ... Philippians.

I am creating ... LB's pillowcase dress.  I need to go to Mama's and finish hemming the dress we started and hopefully, I will soon get a chance to make the 2nd dress I bought material for.  LB wants to keep these, so I plan to buy more fabric to make dresses to donate.

On my mind ... my friend whose husband passed away last week and a young mother who is having a hard time following the birth of her 2nd child.

I am remembering ... the beautiful wedding we attended on Saturday.  The bride was in Ronnie's youth group 10 years ago when we came to the church where we are now.  It is hard for me to fathom that those kids are married and some of them even have kids of their own now ... tends to make a body feel rather old.

Counting my blessings ...  getting to attend Sammy's wedding, fresh cucumbers about to become pickles, LB getting to spend the day with my parents (if she'll ever get out of bed!), kids who still like to sit in my lap ~ even if they don't fit anymore, dreaming and planning vacations with Ronnie, making plans for promoting Operation Christmas Child this fall.

Words that I am pondering ... Is there something in your life that has no real spiritual meaning, but which you regularly do?

From the learning rooms ... LB is going shopping with Mama today while Daddy is in physical therapy, so it will just be JW and me ... we are going to spend some time reviewing the phonics book he just finished.

From the kitchen ... potato casserole and hot corn ... I'm helping my sister-in-law with the dinner for Asher tonight.

Around the house ... we are getting ready for Granny to come on Thursday ... today, I'll be tackling bathrooms.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... Granny coming, WMU dinner on Thursday, hoping to get together with friends this weekend, church picnic and bike parade (for the kids) on Sunday.

One of my favorite things ... weddings.

A picture to share with you ... LB working on her pillowcase dress

I hope you have a wonderful week!

a promise kept

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.  And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.  And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.   Genesis 9:13-16

life changing

Today, I have been to both a funeral and a wedding. 

This morning I helped to prepare a meal for the grieving family. 

This afternoon I shared a meal with another family as they celebrated
the joy in their daughter's eyes as she became a bride.

I have tried all day to come up with something profound to say about these
two events, but have come up dry. 

No doubt, neither family will ever be the same.

an e-mail worth passing on

This e-mail has been going around for years, but somehow it just seemed too good to pass up today.  Of course, I have no idea if Charles Schulz even had a philosophy, much less if this is it.  It really doesn't matter, though ... who doesn't like Peanuts and the thought is good ... so, enjoy!

The Charles Schulz Philosophy

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip.

You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just ponder on them.

Just read the post straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.
4 Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.

These are no second-rate achievers.
They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies..
Awards tarnish..
Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson:
The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money...or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most.

'Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia !'

''Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!"

Thanks Donna, for giving me the idea to share an e-mail on my blog!

daybook

#21 for 2010
Hosted by Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window ... the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and it is already HOT!

I am hearing ... blog music and the sound of my tpying.

I am going ... nowhere today, Ronnie has my van since the air conditioner in his truck isn't working.

I am wearing ... blue jean capris and a gray Bass Pro Shops t-shirt.

I am noticing that ... I haven't done a daybook in several weeks.

I am thinking ... about what needs to be done this week, and realizing that I probably won't get it all done.

I am hoping ... to get a little more caught up on housework today.

I am reading ... a couple of "just for fun" novels and my Spurgeon devotional trying to get some direction for what I will share with the ladies tomorrow night.

I am will be creating ... a pillowcase dress with LB at Keeper's tomorrow.  The plan is to donate the dresses to Little Dresses for Africa.  I also think that, depending on how hard they are to make, it might be something we could include in Shoeboxes.  We'll have to see, though.

On my mind ... Mama getting chemo today and a friend whose husband is very ill.

I am remembering ... that our VBS is only a few weeks away! 

Counting my blessings ... fresh veggies to can, Vacation Bible School, watching the kids play with their cousins, Ronnie helping Daddy in the garden, leftovers, kids who like cereal for supper, fresh new days - with no mistakes.

Words that I am pondering ... "In order to see great things, we must be passionate about the things of God."

From the learning rooms ... continuing our summer session, mostly doing math and grammer/phonics, with a good bit of reading thrown in.

From the kitchen ... a great big mess!  I'll be tackling it first in my quest to catch up on housework.  Once I find the kitchen, I plan to bake some chicken and cook veggies for lunch.

Around the house ... you don't want to know!

A few plans for the rest of the week ... the big kids are back in VBS this week at my parents' church, we have Keepers tomorrow and possibly a play date on Thursday, and a wedding on Saturday.

One of my favorite things ... the popping sound of jars sealing.

A picture to share with you ... I love pictures of my kids sleeping ... this is D, inside my pajama pants.

I hope you have a wonderful week!

perfect peace

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee. Isaiah 26:3

Tonight, I sat in a room full of women and listened as they talked about The source of peace.  My mind understands everything they said and my heart even agrees, but that peace they speak of has been elusive in my life of late.

These ladies have been through so much in their lives.  Illness ... grief ... pain ... loneliness ...  and they speak of the peace of God in words and tones that can only be understood after one has come through the fire of testing.  That testing may not have been welcomed, but the results are clear.  They have experienced adversity beyond my imagination and while I moan my way through the little things in my life, they share a passion for the God who has brought them through each trial.

What is the difference in them and me?  I recognize that one difference is age and maturity, but that is only part of it.  I listened, inspired and convicted, as they spoke of their time spent with the Lord.  They rise early in the morning and begin their day reading the Word and praying.  They also take the time to actually listen to what God is saying to them.

Listening ... your problem is that you don't listen.

I spoke these very words to my son tonight.  He wanted to know why I was so frustrated with him.  Son, you just don't listen!  Do you ever hear what I am trying to say???

My child, are you listening?  Is your "mind stayed on" Me?  Do you trust Me?

Tears prick my eyes as I realize how deaf my heart is.  How can God speak to me when I am running at breakneck speed trying to be the person I think He wants me to be and yet feeling strangely empty at the end of the day.  Sometimes I wonder just what I would be different if I had been listening to the voice of my Father as I walked through the day.  How would my words and actions been different?

How would I have responded to my friend who told me today that she and her husband are getting a divorce?  What would I have said to that person who hasn't been to church in a long time and I don't really know why?  How would I have spoken to my child who wasn't obeying me?  Would I have responded to my friend in a way that probably sounded judgemental to her?  How different would the drive home have been had I not been frustrated by little things?

Tonight, I was reminded that perfect peace is available to every child of God.  It is available, but it isn't a given.  I must keep my mind and my heart so focused on God that I don't have time to focus on anything else.  It is only in building a relationship with my Father that I will be able to hear His voice when He speaks.

I am so thankful for the sweet lady who listened to the voice of her Father and shared what He put on her heart.  She may not have known how much I needed to hear this tonight, but He did.  He knew that I needed to sit quietly and listen to His voice.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen,
I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

worn out

I got the kids up early this morning to get ready for day 2 of VBS, which starts at the insane incredibly early (at least for my family) time of 8:30 AM.  We got home quite late last night and so the kids got in the bed way too late to be getting up so early, but the big kids were excited enough not to complain.


D was a different story, though.  When I picked them up yesterday he jumped in the van and said, "THAT WAS FUN!"  I thought we were home free for the week, until he told me that he didn't want to go back because the arm band they have to wear (for safety reasons) tickled.  I figured we could get past that little obstacle.  And we did. 


Until we got to the church this morning and I literally couldn't pry him off of me.  I did finally manage to get him passed off to one of the teachers and I left, after telling them to please call me if he didn't calm down.


Just for the record, I only thought I felt guilty yesterday ... today was much worse!  D has never been separated from me except at our church and even then he has had the same Sunday School teacher since he was 2 and he knows that we aren't actually leaving him! 


I had only been home long enough to pour a cup of coffee before the phone rang and I knew who it was before I ever looked at the caller id ...


While we were walking to the van, I asked him if he didn't like his class ... he didn't really have an answer for that question, but he did tell me, "I love that office, though!"  Silly kid.


Before you feel sorry for me missing my morning all alone, let me tell you that I really didn't miss anything.  We went home, D got on the couch and was asleep in about 5 minutes and slept until time to leave to pick up the big kids.


Me?  I snapped beans and watched M*A*S*H.  It was lovely!


Tomorrow is still a toss-up ... but the lure of making stick horses may just be enough to entice him back!

celebrate

Happy 13th Anniversary to my wonderful husband! 
Sometimes I can't believe that we have made it this far!

I LOVE YOU!

And

Happy 46th Anniversary to my parents!

What a blessing to be able to follow in your footsteps!
________________________

And finally, thanks to our friends, Brad and Amy, for babysitting tonight so we can go out to eat ... we'll be happy to return the favor in a couple of months for y'all!

As soon as my computer is back up and running I hope to post some pictures of Ronnie and me from our wedding!

feeling a little guilty

I have spent the last hour sitting at our church browsing the internet in peaceful quiet except for the music from my blog that I am enjoying.  I would prefer to be at home doing this, but since my computer is still being de-bugged, I can't be at home.  Hopefully, our computer will be fixed soon and I will be able to return to the things I enjoy, like blogging regularly and even more importantly, reading your blogs regularly!

Where are my little noisemakers kids, you may ask?  The answer to that question is why I am feeling a little guilty.

This morning, I dropped all three kids off at another local church for Vacation Bible School.  The older kids were invited by some of our homeschool friends who attend the church, so I don't feel too bad about them.  D, on the other hand, is just going because the older kids went and because I thought a week of mornings to myself might be nice.

Okay, that is a giant understatement!  As a matter of fact, when I told my Mama that D could go to VBS at a church where I am not teaching this year, I told her that I didn't know what I would do with myself, but it would probably include a few minutes of sitting somewhere just drinking in the silence!

I guess I feel guilty because I have never thought of using church as a babysitter before.  My children have been in VBS all their lives and they have even gone to VBS at a church where I wasn't teaching, but always because they have friends there.  Maybe I am just splitting hairs, I don't know.  I am just going to take consolation in the fact that my friends who are members there don't seem to be bothered.

Okay, I am over feeling guilty now, so don't tell me if you think I should feel that way, 'cause for now I am just going to enjoy the silence!  And go to Wal-mart with no one begging for anything! 

fruit of our labor

Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. 
 Proverbs 20:11

The kids have been working hard lately and helping me with the gardening.  I would like to tell you that they are excited and absolutely love the time spent in the garden, but that wouldn't be completely true.  Actually, most of the time they are acutely aware that it is hot and they are sweating and their are bugs and many of the plants make them itch.  But, they are slowly learning that complaining does more harm than good and that doing a job correctly the first time means that they won't have to redo it later.  They are even managing to find a little fun in the work as well ... especially in hunting for and picking the ripe tomatoes and when Papa lets them pick up the freshly dug potatoes.  I think they were a little proud the other night when I cooked fresh green beans and mashed potatoes from beans and potatoes that they had helped harvest and prepare.  They all three snapped beans and D was Papa's official potato washer (in other words, he wanted to play in the water and Daddy just put that desire to good use!) 

Truth be told, I didn't like gardening much as a child either.  I did like picking cucumbers and snapping beans wasn't too bad, but our family of six canned or froze massive amounts of summer produce each year.  When my uncle, who was a farmer by trade, would call and say that the corn was in, Daddy and the boys would load up early one morning and head south.  They would return hours later with somewhere between 500-800 ears of corn.  We would spend the next few days shucking, silking, cutting, blanching, cooling, bagging, and freezing all that corn.  And corn was just one of the things that would fill the freezer or line the pantry each year.  One year we canned 300 pounds of tomatoes in one week, making my Mama's special concoction that we call relish but that is really more of a base for everything from soup to chili to spaghetti sauce.  That meant not only washing, popping the skins, peeling, and cutting the tomatoes, it also meant washing and chopping bell pepper, onion and celery.  Not to mention washing the hundred or so jars that would be needed for the canning process.

And then there were the peas and the snap beans and the cucumbers and the squash and the butter beans and the blackberries we would pick in the woods for jelly and the potatoes we would sometimes dig in my Grand-daddy's garden.  Weeks each summer were spent picking, shelling, snapping, cutting and perserving.

I know that, even today, this is not abnormal to people who live on farms or for those of us who would like to return to a simpler life, but let me tell you that this was abnormal in my society as a kid.  And, when I knew that my friends were spending their summers swimming or vacationing or just hanging out and doing whatever they pleased, I was a little jealous. 

But, my Daddy believed in the importance of the family working together toward a common goal and didn't like things that interfered with those goals. 

I thought that he was either crazy or just didn't understand what kids were supposed to do in the summer.  I mean, none of my friends had to do those things, why did we?

I can only hope that my children grow up and have the appreciation I now have for those lessons learned when Mama and Daddy wouldn't let us complain as the sweat was dripping from ... everywhere and when I would have rather been curled up with a good book than contributing to the family economy.  I hope they learn earlier than I did to enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that every member of the family profits when we all work together without grumbling or complaining ... and it doesn't really matter if you are complaining for the whole world to hear, or just doing it in your heart ... the results are about the same.

I hope they grow up to be jealous of the time spent with their families and with a strong desire to protect that time from too many outside interferences.  I hope that they will see the family as a unit that works best when all are working toward a common goal.  And I hope that they will want to pass on the things that we have taught them to their children.

Which reminds me of how important it is that we teach our children things that are worthy to be passed on to our grandchildren.  Sometimes this task seems overwhelming to me.  But I know that with such an enormous responsibility comes an awesome blessing.  I can see that now in how much my Daddy loves to see his grandkids in the garden ... and how I love seeing him pass on his knowledge to them.  It is wonderful to see this come full circle and know that what was only a drudgery to me as a child is now a gift that I can give to my children.  They may not understand that for a long time, but that is okay ... someday, they'll get it ... I did.

__________________________________________

A few more pictures of our gardening experience ...

That little bit of yellow is D hunting in the jungle for ripe tomatoes

JW in the taters

Silly kids with green beans stuck to their shirts

things that make me smile ...

... in pictures. 

A completely random and certainly incomplete look at things (in no particular order) that make me smile. 

Enjoy!

A Daddy/Daughter date

The kids helping their Daddy

Mama and her sisters

Going places with the family

Operation Christmas Child

Kids being silly

Kids really helping!

Completely wiped out kids!

daybook

#20 for 2010
Visit Peggy at The Simple Woman for more daybooks.

Outside my window ... it is quite warm and the grass needs to be mowed again.

I am wearing ... khaki capris and an olive green t-shirt.

I am hearing ... blog music and the boys watching Fetch up front.

I am going ... possibly to my parents' garden and pick string beans.  JW was supposed to make up his rained out baseball games tonight, but they have been cancelled again.  We didn't think that they would make them up at all, so we were surprised to find that they had rescheduled them.  We aren't sure why they were cancelled this time, but it takes away my excuse for putting off picking the beans today.

I am noticing that ... there are quite a few classics that I haven't read.

I am creating ... a list of books that I want to read this summer, both for myself and for the kids.

I am reading ... Around the World in 80 days and Pride and Prejudice.  And yes, this is the first time I've read either of these books ... I know, shame on me!

I am hoping ... that our tomatoes begin to ripen soon.  I am really ready for a fresh tomato sandwich...yummy!

I am remembering ... how much I disliked working in the garden as a kid, and yet how thankful I am for the lessons I learned during those times.

Counting my blessing ... time spent with Ronnie's mom and cousin this weekend, including a great time on Sunday night with Ronnie's family and my parents at our house, hearing Ronnie preach this weekend,  books to read, gardening to be done, teaching the kids to pick and snap beans.

On my mind ... Daddy's knee surgery next week.

From the learning rooms ... nothing today, we'll hit it again tomorrow and begin reading a new book together, though I haven't decided which one yet.

From the kitchen ... leftovers from the grill for tonight.  Beyond that, I just don't know yet.

Around the house ... nothing out of the ordinary.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... continue with school and the garden ... not much else on the agenda.

One of my favorite things ... Ronnie cooking on the grill!  He finally got a new grill this weekend and I'm looking forward to him using it a lot this summer.

A picture to share with you ... actually, pictures ... my two boys and their different approaches to eating watermelon!  D is all about getting every bit of the goodie he can from one of his favorite summertime treats, while JW is trying to be less picky and try new things.  You can tell he's not too sure whether or not he likes it though.  He did try a bigger piece later, but I don't think it will replace apples as his fruit of choice.

I hope you have a great week!

right before my eyes

This past Saturday night, LB danced in her sixth dance recital.  She was 5 the first time and I was just as nervous as she was. 

Two years ago she danced a tap solo to Singing in the Rain.  It was cute and she did great. 

Last year, LB and her good friend LK did tap duet to Sea Cruise.  They found out that it is harder to cover up mistakes when you are dancing with someone else.  Still, it was a good learning experience for them and they had fun working together.

This year was different.  From the first time we talked about it, she was determined that she wanted to do a ballet solo this year.  One of her classmates had done a lyrical ballet solo last year and she really liked it, and then this year her class began working on their own lyrical ballet to Amazing Grace and she was even more sure that this was the kind of dance she wanted to do.  So, when the time came, we talked to her dance teacher, Mrs. Gerry, and asked her to choose a good song for LB.  She chose Love by Chris Tomlin.  I had never heard the song, but it was a good choice.

I guess I am sharing all of this information with you because of what happened to me as I watched my baby girl dance on Saturday.  Some of you probably already know that I am not given to tears.  I don't think there is anything wrong with tears, they just don't come naturally to me (unless I am angry).  So, I was surprised to find myself tearing up when LB danced her solo.  She looked so beautiful and so confident as she waited for the music to start.  I don't know what she was thinking about, but her poise astounded me. 

My baby girl isn't a baby anymore, and yet even as I realized that she looked so grown up, she still looked like my little baby girl to me.

I knew that I wouldn't be able to find words to express how this moment touched my heart, but I also knew that I wanted to try.  It is as if that tiny baby that I brought home 10 years ago is transforming right before my eyes.  Each year, as I look back at the recital pictures from years past, I see the baby disappearing and a young woman struggling to find her way into the world.  Just typing these words brings tears to my eyes again.

I don't want to rush the process that is taking place in my girl, but I don't want to spend too much time trying to hold on to the past either.  I just want to enjoy this moment with my beautiful baby girl young lady, who will always be my baby girl.