Under Attack

Lately I've been going through a spiritual bootcamp of sorts. It's hard to explain; suffice it to say that I have been challenged on a new level. I have learned things about myself and about God that have left me reeling.

And it's been utterly . . . I don't even know the word to use. Frightening? Shocking? Eye-opening? Words fail me this time.

This challenge has come from a couple of sources. Someone on the Weight Watchers website mentioned a free online Bible study for people trying to lose weight. It's called Setting Captives Free, and I was skeptical, but thought it would be worth a try. The basic premise is that most of us try to use food to fill our souls, when Jesus is the only one who can do that. The lessons focus on teaching us how to feast on the Lord and not medicate with food. Deep down I knew that, but putting it into practice is not a simple matter.

The other piece is the CD set Mom gave me - the first sermons in a series about Revelation. I love their church - it is alive in a way that mine is not. When I visit, I always leave feeling uplifted and convicted. As I listened to a talk about the church in Ephesus (they are the ones that Jesus said had wonderful deeds, but had lost their love for Him), Greg asked if we had lost our first love - could we remember what it was like when we first became Christians? The fire, the insatiable desire for more of God's word, the longing for others to know him as we did?

And then it hit me, squarely in the chest, with all the force of a blast of dynamite.

I have never felt that fire.

Tears just poured down my face at the realization. After twenty years of calling myself a Christian, my heart did not show it. I hadn't lost my first love - I'd hardly ever had it to begin with! Yes, I have worked for the Lord - I've done everything from mission trips to teaching classes to writing VBS skits - but my heart was never in the place it should have been. I could sing "Light the Fire" all day long and never really, truly, deep-down-in-my-gut mean it.

Suddenly I understood wholly the concept of feasting on Jesus, and why I was grasping the idea but not the execution. It was almost too much to think about - I just sat there, dazed and in awe.

Earlier in the day, as I was working on the day's lesson for SCF, it began with a note that when we stop using food to medicate, it can actually be painful. As we lean more on God, the numbness that food provided leaves us vulnerable to past hurts. It dawned on me that Satan might also use this time to attack, before we become so strong that a spiritual battle is more than he can win.

You see, lately I have been unable to sleep at night. I lay in bed, and my mind is a whirling vortex of disconnected thoughts and memories. Sunday night I was exhausted, but it was 3am before I finally drifted off, only to have to awaken less than three hours later. I have tried praying. I've tried reciting scripture. I've tried reading my Bible - but none of it worked. I couldn't stay focused on any of it. The insane, incoherent, stray thoughts overpowered all my attempts to simply be still.

When I am tired, I am spiritually weak. It is hardest for me to resist overeating when fatigue clouds my head - I get drive-through because it is less work, and I munch on anything and everything, hoping for a little burst of energy. I walk around in an exhausted daze, and if the thought of God even flits across my mind, it's something of a minor miracle.

I think I am under spiritual attack.

I am drawing near to God in a way I never have before. Those nagging missing pieces of the spiritual puzzle have suddenly appeared on the table, and as I fit each one into place, the picture is becoming clearer - and yet I have this vague feeling that someone is trying to sneak out the newly-found pieces when I am concentrating on the right spot for the one I have in my hand.

It sounds silly to say this out loud, but I think Satan is keeping me awake at night to keep me tired, because he knows that is when I will be the most vulnerable. I can only take that to mean that he must think I am becoming a threat - and that, I suppose, is a good thing.

If you are not a beliver in God, you probably have written me off as crazy at this point. But if you are - then would you say a prayer for me? This journey is a strange and confusing one, and I need strength to make my way to wherever it is God is trying to lead me.

It's Independence Day!

My birthday is on July 4th. When I was a kid, I was truly convinced the fireworks were just for me, though I wondered how everyone in the whole country could know it was my birthday. It is by default, I suppose, that I am a patriotic person. I love my country, I salute the stars & stripes, I support our military - I am proud to be American, and I am proud to be free.

And in that spirit of freedom, I have declared my own Independence Day - independence from myself, that is. My weight has gotten me down for far too long. Today I am joining Curves. I've been back on Weight Watchers for a couple of weeks now.

It is time to be free from the one thing that really holds me down. Wish me luck - this road is not an easy one, and it's one that has caused me to stumble more times than I can count. By the grace of God, I believe I can accomplish it. (But I still appreciate all the prayer I can get!)

Let freedom ring!

The Annual Birthday Letter

Since Bebo's first birthday, I've written him a letter. Of course, most years the actual letter is not written anywhere near his birthday; this year I have especially bad and finished it three months late! But late is better than never, and I hope he will cherish the letters someday. Each one has been lovingly scrapbooked for him. I always try to tell about the new things he's learned, about what's going on in our lives, and about what I think/hope the future holds. Without further adieu, here is this year's letter & page.

A Sweaty Reminder

We've been living in our new home for about four months now. Tonight we went back to the old house to do some work, and I was reminded - rather vividly - why I love my new home so much.

It seemed an inevitability of summer; at least once during the season the air conditioner would die. I have been basking in the coolness of our little home; even wearing a sweatshirt occasionally. When we stepped outside the door of our old home, a vague whiff of stale air seeped under the doorway. As I walked inside, the humidity and staleness smacked me right in the face. I had expected it; we'd left the a/c barely running and the house always smelled of sewer when the unit wasn't constantly running.

So I turned it way down, hoping it would cool quickly. It didn't. Jeff took out the old filter, thinking that would help. It didn't. We lasted just over an hour before we were both drenched with sweat and thoroughly disgusted. Did I mention that the unit was replaced just over a year ago? The memory of spending several miserable days in the heat made me cringe, and utter a quick prayer of gratitude that I don't have to live there anymore.

Anyway, it appears that I'll have to go early in the morning to work, before the house has time to heat up. I did manage to get one room completely cleared out. We've decided not to try to clean until the house is completely emptied.

I am so utterly grateful for our clean, neat, functioning little home. It could not possibly be more perfect for us, and it is such a pleasant place to be.

Camera Dreams

I really thought I would do a ton of scrapbooking this summer. Obviously, that hasn't happened. First it was VBS, now I have just three days before my Ancestry subscription runs out so I'm frantically trying to dig all the info I can from there... soon it will be gospel meetings, birthdays, etc. My summer seems to be rather full.

My scrapbooking mojo (or lack thereof) is not aided by my camera problems, either. I have been told that my beloved dSLR has a bad megapixel - this is supposedly the cause of a lovely red laser line right down the middle of all my photos. Frustrating, to say the least. It's such a pain to photoshop it out (and in some cases, simply can't be done at all), that I just haven't taken many pictures lately. The good news is that Jeff really wants me to have that camera, so he has promised that as soon as possible, he will get me the new Nikon D90 that I've been drooling over. It's a step up from the D40, and has some features that I seriously regretted forgoing when I bought it two years ago.

I also have picked out a new lens - a 60mm f/2.8 prime lens that will allow me to take extreme close-ups - something I have desired to do for some time now. I have been itching to take pictures of bugs and flowers and cat whiskers and eyelashes - with that lens, I will be able to, and I might even consider a foray into stock photography.

I miss holding the camera. It's hard to explain, but when I am looking through the viewfinder, I see things that I wouldn't see otherwise - little imperfections in a brick, a mole on a cheek, lines in a landscape.

I will say this much: I am definitely going to purchase an extended warranty. I'd hate to have another processor ruined.

Razzie Award

Today I am going to hand out my own personal Razzie - the "We Didn't Think This Song Through" award is dedicated to all the songs with lyrics or music that leaves us scratching our heads, wondering what on earth the writers were thinking - either through lyrics that are so nonsensical that they make Shel Silverstein sound like Shakespeare (no offense to Silverstein - love his stuff) or are utterly offensive to the sensibilities when strung together in a song.

Today's Razzie for "We Didn't Think This Song Through" goes to . . . .



"I'm Gonna Sing, I'm Gonna Shout!"



The song has been awarded this dubious honor solely for one of its absurd verses. It's a VBS classic gone terribly, terribly wrong. It's starts out nicely, but makes a u-turn all too quickly.

I'm gonna sing, sing, sing
I'm gonna shout, shout, shout
I'm gonna sing I'm gonna shout
Praise the Lord!
When those gates are open wide
I'm gonna sit at Jesus' side
I'm gonna sing I'm gonna shout praise the Lord!

I'm gonna twirl, twirl, twirl
I'm gonna hurl, hurl, hurl
I'm gonna twirl I'm gonna hurl
Praise the Lord!
When those gates are open wide
I'm gonna sit at Jesus' side
I'm gonna twirl I'm gonna hurl
Praise the Lord!

To the person who actually thought teaching children a song that puts vomiting in the same the breath as praising God was a good idea (song includes twirling and barfing motions) -

Here's your award. You have earned it well.

My Genetic Anomaly

I suppose it's time I tell everyone about my little problem... I just can't hide it any longer. I thought I could keep it a secret, but that's too stressful, so it's time to be honest and open about it. Perhaps there are others like me; maybe I could form a support group someday.

I'm quite convinced that my problem is genetic - though it will likely never receive an official diagnosis - because my mother seems to suffer from the same affliction. There are two symptoms of this anomaly, both of which threaten to make me crazy.

You see, my genes have apparently mutated from the norm with what I call Bathroom Radar.

The first symptom of this genetic mistake is this: in any situation where there is a single bathroom available to multiple persons, I can just think about getting up to make use of the facility, and someone rushes in before me. It's almost as the stray thought gives off an inaudible beacon to those around me, and compels them to move to the bathroom before my legs get the mental command to bring me to my feet.

It's inevitable, and it seems that the more urgent my need, the louder the beacon - and thus the chance of someone beating me there increases exponentially. Worse, the person who beats me there usually has a book in hand and is planning on making the trip an extended experience.

The other symptom (and perhaps the more aggravating of the two) is that the very instant I actually make it into the bathroom, the phone rings.

Every. Single. Time.

It's unreal. How could they possibly know when to call, unless I'm giving off some sort of signal that creates a subliminal urge to call me (usually for the most mundane of reasons)? Since I work from home, I have guilt issues about not answering the phone, but I don't especially want to give the boss a number when he asks where I was, either!

It's sort of like washing your car in a drought, and it rains the next day. It's just a given.

So there you have it - my little problem, disclosed for the world to know.

'Scuse me. I gotta go.

Big Cards & Shout-out

I have been making greeting cards for our card ministry at church for a few years now. Occasionally I am asked to make a Big Card for something special - perhaps someone is having major surgery, or celebrating a 90th birthday. These Big Cards are really difficult to make. I use that foam-core stuff that's the size of a posterboard, and none of my scrapbook stuff is to that scale. It's tough to make 12x12 paper look right on something three times that size, ya know?

This is where the shout-out comes in...

One of my fellow scrapper/card makers, Diana, has a really cool blog that has new posts almost every day. She posts challenges and sketches, and one of the sketches really helped me finish the Big Card I had to do Sunday (in between church and getting ready for VBS Day 1). I didn't take a picture, because there just wasn't time. Just wanted to say thanks, Diana - you helped me out of a pinch, and you didn't even know it!

Public Service Announcement

Irregardless is not a word. I've seen/heard it three times today. If you look it up in the dictionary, it will tell you it's "nonstandard" or "erroneous."

Drives me nuts - like seeing business signs that are misspelled. Guess I'm just a grammar snob.

Carry on.

Anniversaries & VBS

I really dislike VBS. Frankly, I think it's time to just let it go and try something else. For years, I've never seen it be anything but a cheap (free) baby-sitting service. But the ghost just won't die, so today I'm preparing lessons for the 5th & 6th graders. It's a cowboy theme, and my biggest dilemma is deciding whether they think they are too old for crafts or not. Whatever the case, I'll be rather busy this week, I'm afraid.

Our anniversary was nice. I'd long hoped we'd be able to do something really special on our tenth go-round, but our budget allowed only dinner, a movie, and a couple of small bottles of spirits. We saw Star Trek again, though I practically had to drag Jeff into the theater. He seemed to think that since I'd already seen it, I would not be interested in going again. What he didn't understand was that I enjoyed it so much I couldn't wait to see it again, and I knew without a doubt that he would love it - which, naturally, he did. We ate at Kanpai of Tokyo, a positively delightful hibachi grill, and killed a little time shopping for new scrubs/nursing uniforms and browsing the sci-fi racks at Books-a-Million. It was a perfectly enjoyable date.

He bought me flowers, too - nine white with a single red, because he said that this last year had been our best. Sweet, huh?

Well, I'm off to the races. Lots to do today.

Ten Years

Oh, how time flies! Ten years ago today, I married my sweetheart. God has been good to us, even if the years have not always been easy. I am grateful for what He's done - I have a wonderful little family, a roof over my head, and an opportunity to do something rewarding with my life.

Ten years ago I was a naive young woman who'd just graduated college and was ready to run headlong into life. I walked down the aisle to marry a man with whom I'd fallen hopelessly in love. He was intelligent, romantic, and kind. He was just the right height, too - I could lay my head perfectly onto his shoulder.

Our first meeting must have been orchestrated by God. He was interning as a youth minister the summer my family moved from Indiana to Tennessee. The Sunday we met was one day before my nineteenth birthday. I walked into the teen class that morning so I could stay with my little sister. Moments later, the very cute boy I'd seen down the hall entered the room. He smiled and introduced himself, then asked what grade we were in. When I told him I'd just finished my freshman year of college, his resulting expression was priceless.

I'll tell you a silly little secret - I promise it's true. Have you ever heard the old song "Today I Met the Boy I'm Going to Marry?" Really and truly, that song popped into my head the moment he told me his name. We would never have met were it not for that little church that made our paths cross.

Ten years later, through circumstances that came very close to tearing us apart, we are together and we are strong - looking to the next ten years, and beyond.

Escape and Recapture

I've been totally MIA, huh? After school was over, I needed to break from everything - well, at least everything that I could. You can only ignore work and laundry so long.

Mom & I spent half of last week in Gatlinburg. A few years ago, we made a trip to a CKC (Creating Keepsakes Convention), and we enjoyed it so much that we began taking a trip together every year. We've been to 2 CKCs and 1 CKU. This year we had the chance to go to a CKU, but I didn't feel like it, and with their format change, I didn't think we'd enjoy it as much. So instead we went to Gatlinburg. We got a little cabin in between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg; it sat high on a steep, winding road, and was in the perfect spot - close enough to town to be accessible and far enough away to be quiet and peaceful.

We shopped like mad women. I absolutely despise clothes shopping - besides the fact that I hate the way I look, I'm so cheap that I have a terrible time justifying spending more than $20 on jeans and $10 on a shirt. (Maybe "cheap" isn't the right word.) But Mom took me shopping, and I came home with an armload of stuff - new underwear, three pair of capris, two pair of the comfiest workout pants I've ever owned, some shirts, and even a skirt, which I haven't bought in years. This was a huge addition to my pitiful closet, which consisted of one pair of capris, one pair of jeans, and maybe four shirts decent enough to wear anywhere besides a grocery trip to Wal-Mart at midnight. I also came home with goodies for Bebo - a new "big boy" Bible, t-shirts, pajamas, and Thomas the Tank Engine stickers.

When Mom & I get together, two things inevitably happen: first, we hit every craft store in a hundred-mile radius, looking for scrapbook stuff that neither of us need but think we can't live without. (I was good this time; I came home with a minimal addition to my stash, and only things I actually needed.) Second, we talk. A lot. I adore my parents, and Mom and I can gab for hours - which is precisely what we did, and it was oh-so-nice. Since she & Dad took on my sister's kids, time for us to talk has been scarce at best. We still phone each other at least once a day, but it's harder to have much of a conversation. Catching up is a great thing.

We also ate delish food - the Pancake Pantry in downtown Gatlinburg is the business! - rode the skylift (which I hadn't done in years), and watched some movies that I'd been wanting to see since they hit the DVD shelves.

We had a fantastic weekend, but I wasn't done escaping. I came home and watched seasons 1-3 of Heroes on Netflix. Great show, but now it's time for me to be recaptured and thrown back into my everyday life. There is work to be done, and nobody but me can do it.

Time to re-enter the real world.

More Scrap Stuff

I am working as hard as I can on B's kindergarten album. This has been SUCH a fun project. I like the format so much I think I may use it again for his first-third grade years.

From the Mouths of Kindergartners

If you know my child, you know that he says some pretty funny stuff. His teacher, bless her heart, wrote down some of the best ones. For your reading pleasure, I give you Silly Sayings by Braeden.

1.22.09 - My Daddy poots a lot.

2.3.09 - If you get hit by a stunky (skunk) then you will really have to take a shower. Mrs. M, isn't stunky a hard word, a really hard word?

11.25.08 - I am thankful for my daddy.

2.20.09 - What is a watch? Tells you what time church day is.

How do you celebrate your birthday? Get a cake with fire on it.

Tee-hee.... I am going to tell everyone I know about the first one!

Quickly...

Two more for B's album. Tired of seeing these yet?

Breathing

With the end of school, my life suddenly came to a grinding halt.

I like it!

Okay, maybe "grinding halt" is a bit overstated. It's not like I can quit cleaning the house, washing the dishes, or folding the laundry. And I still have a lot to do this summer to get ready for school - like vaccinations and background checks and CPR courses and the like. There's a ton of scrapbooking to catch up on, particularly Braeden's kindergarten album, which I can hardly wait to have printed. And I'll be teaching two Bible classes this summer - my girls' class on Sunday morning and 3rd & 4th on Wednesday night. Of course, there will also be VBS, a ladies' day, and a gospel meeting to deal with. (Might skip the gospel meeting.)

Hmmm... maybe "grinding halt" is the wrong phrase. Maybe I should've said "brief pause!"

Nah. I actually do feel like a load has been lifted from my shoulders. Yes, there's a lot to do this summer, and even though there are deadlines and schedules, the timing of much of it is entirely up to me.

I spent a fabulously lazy weekend with my folks. We just goofed off all day Saturday, then a sitter took over kid detail while Mom, Dad & I went to see Star Trek. (Fantastic movie, btw, even for non-Trekkies.) Yesterday started with an encouraging church service, then we enjoyed a late lunch at Don Pablo's. I picked up a few goodies at Sam's, then the Beebs & I headed home (making one more stop at Books-a-Million on the way).

There's something intensely relaxing about sitting around doing whatever I feel like, with no schedule, no demands (save a niece & nephew constantly crawling in my lap), and no where to be.

Yup. Life is good.

On a Rainy Day....

I love a good rainstorm. Even with thunder, there is something strangely peaceful and safe about the sound of rain pounding against the windows. It doesn't hurt to know that the roof is leak-proof, either. :)

I apologize for my MIA-ed-ness. I've had my nose buried in the books for the last two weeks in preparation for finals - which, as of yesterday, are over. I also feel the need to brag on myself a bit, because I am going into nursing school with a 4.0 GPA. As I told Jeff, I am such a competitive person, and there was something in me that just needed to know that after ten years out of school, I could still successfully plow my way through a college course.

The reality of it all is starting to sink in now - I registered for nursing classes last night, and now that all of my prereqs are complete, I am finally believing this will actually happen. Funny, because this time last year, the possibility had just barely crossed my mind. I've always been that way, though - I sometimes make Big Decisions on what seems like a whim, but they always seem to be good decisions.

In other news, if the rain lets up by lunchtime, I am heading to Wal-Mart to pick up my new purple Dell laptop! As a requirement for nursing school, I had planned on waiting until Tennessee did their tax-free back-to-school holiday, but my uber-cool Dad surprised me by ordering for me a bit early! Now I have time to get used to it, and load it up. It's a powerful little computer - I wanted something that could double as a work computer and also be able to handle my scrapbooking stuff.

More to come later. I have to see if the power has come back on at work yet so I can resume what I was doing there. Later!

Oh, Scrap It!

Yippie!!! I had the slightest of breaks in the madness that is my life, so I jumped on the opportunity for a little "creative therapy." Feels so good to scrap again - I'm looking forward to the relative quiet of summer so I can do some serious catching up.

Still Here, Still Crazy

Thought I should make a quick post to let you know I have not fallen off the face of the earth. To summarize:

- A&P test today

- lots of cleaning last week, yet no visible progress

- our bank has me seriously irritated (and stuck all weekend with a -$400 balance b/c they tried to post the same check twice and didn't fix it before the weekend)

- Jeff loves his job!

- Braeden is frantically learning sight words so he can get into the principal's treasure chest

- Jeff is, as usual, procrastinating and will probably depend on me to help him out (never mind that I'll be studying for my own classes)

- I have lost 6 pounds in the last two weeks!

- on Saturday we're going to see Thomas the Tank Engine (again) at the railroad museum

- we just squeezed through the bills at the middle of the month

- it's time for me to get ready for church

Susan Boyle

By now, you've probably heard of Susan Boyle, the woman who blew away everyone at Britain's Got Talent tryouts. If you haven't, look her up on YouTube.

Someone sent this link to another song she recorded several years ago - I am blown away by this woman. So sad that the outward appearance has kept her talent hidden all this time!

I like Adam.

I swore off American Idol when Melinda Doolittle got voted off. But you can't really avoid the AI machine, and I have to say, I am really impressed by Adam Lambert. He's goofy, and I don't always like his version of some of the songs - but he is one heckuva performer. I don't think it matters how far he gets in the competition. The man is guaranteed a record deal, and at the very least, is quite entertaining to watch.

Handsome Boy

When you're six, and your mean mommy is making you help with the housework, it's easy to find distractions. This is especially true when you are instructed to clean your room - lots of treasures can be found under the bed.

It's so tempting to play with the previously forgotten toys, but you know Mommy won't like that. What you can get away with, however, is playing with the wearable items. So by the time you are finishing cleaning, it's perfectly acceptable to be wearing a too-small ball cap, Transformers sunglasses, black gloves, and a Thomas watch.

And naturally, you want feedback on your fashion sense, so if you say to her, "Mommy, don't I look handsome?", of course she won't laugh.

Or will she?

He Is Risen!!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." - Matthew 28:1-10

It's taken me a while, but I finally got a page about Bebo's birthday scrapped. We started the day with chocolate donuts and "special chocolate milk" (aka, Yoo-Hoo). I had planned on making cupcakes, but then I got sick the day before and decided it wouldn't be such a great idea. So the night before, we headed off to Wal-Mart to pick out cupcakes... except that Braeden wanted a cake, not cupcakes. I begged and pleaded, because I really didn't want to have to cut up a cake, but he was adamant. I gave in and carted home a somewhat ugly yellow birthday cake - but hey, it's what he wanted.

We had the school put Braeden's picture on the marquee, which he thought was the coolest thing in the world. Friday afternoon Jeff & I headed off to school with the cake, Transformers napkins, and Capri Sun in tow. Braeden was so proud to see us. He was wearing a little sticker that said "It's my birthday!" The kids sang to him (one little girl was totally off-key, and naturally she was the loudest). His reaction was just hilarious - he closed his eyes and got the funniest look on his face - you could see the internal conflict between being totally embarrassed and loving the attention at the same time.

It was then that we understood the obsession over the birthday cake. His teacher asked him first thing that morning if he was six, and he said "No. Not until the birthday cake!"



He got home and opened his gift from me & Daddy. The Leapster was a huge hit. Later we went to Grannie & Peepop's, where he got a bike and a play tent.

The original plan had been to go to Mom's last weekend, but he was still running a fever so we stayed put. Mom sent his package, and we got it yesterday - his very own Cuttlekids die cut machine! The child was in heaven. Jeff was - shall we say - concerned that it was too girly a present for a little boy, but Braeden really enjoys all things art. Mom had picked up a set of alphabet dies and some with trucks and motorcycles. When I showed Braeden how to use it, he exclaimed in utter delight, "Mommy, this is just the bestest birthday ever!"

Love that kid!

Blessings

They just seem to be rolling in lately. I've been really worried about money - the middle of the month is when all our bills come due, but at the moment there are more bills than money. With Jeff starting a new job, we had no idea when the first paycheck would hit, or how much time would elapse between the last Domino's check and the first Memorial check.

As usual, God was watching out for us. He'll have his first check next week. Some of the bills will be a couple of days late, but at least I will be able to pay them. We're going to make it. Things are going to be just fine.

More Good News

Jeff is in orientation for his new job today. We had expected him to get about three 12-hour shifts in a two-week period, and maybe he could pick up some extra hours along the way. It didn't sound like much, but it was more than he is currently making at Domino's.

Well, he just called to tell me that they are going to train him in CICU (cardiac ICU) and MICU (medical ICU) - and he will get three shifts a week! The pay is great, and I am ecstatic. Three shifts are manageable for him, even in school. Plus he'll be working nights, so he'll actually see us more than he would have otherwise.

You can't imagine how much pressure this will take off of me. I'm finally going to get a break and not have to be the main breadwinner for the family. Plus he's going to have benefits, which will allow me to back off my hours when school starts in the fall. There's no need for me to quit, but I am looking forward to slowing the pace a little so I can focus more on my studies.

God is good!!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" Psalms 3:5-6

Catching up

Jeff's orientation for his new job is tomorrow. Even though he'll be working nights, orientation is earrrrrlllllly in the morning. He has to leave the house by 5:45, which makes me laugh just a little. He's always griping about having to get up at 7am, but I'm out of bed every day long before he is! I admit, the time change between here and Chattanooga is a little irritating.

My piano has finally come home to me! We didn't have an appropriate trailer to move it when we moved the rest of our stuff, so it's just been sitting at the old house in a pile of unwanted junk. While I worked to clean up the mess at the old house, Jeff and Peepop moved the piano - and two others. It's a little more crowded in the living room, but I'm glad my baby's home. (No, it's not a baby grand.) It sounds soooo cool in this house, too. :)

Braeden, while over his headache, is still puny. The fever seems to be gone (finally), but it's obvious he just doesn't feel well. Poor guy. I wish he'd just get better already!

Did I mention that I got accepted in the nursing program? ;) I am really excited, but it now time to kick my butt in gear and lose some weight. Should you be interested in daily blather about my weight loss journey (or just bored with nothing better to do than count flowers on the wallpaper), you can mosey over to my weight loss blog and see how it's going.

And with that, I have work to do - homework, housework, and exercise, to be exact. Enjoy what's left of the weekend!

WOOO-HOOOO!!!

I got accepted!!!!

Rough Night

There is nothing in the world worse than seeing your baby hurt. Nothing.

Wednesdays are Braeden's day to go "up da mountain" to spend the afternoon with Grannie & Peepop until time for church. He played hard all afternoon, and when I met them at services last night, he was unusually lethargic and quiet. He even curled up in Peepop's lap and went to sleep - something he just doesn't ever do. I decided I would take him home early, and by the time I pulled in the driveway, he was in tears from a headache.

Naturally, the clinics were all closed for the night, so I called Jeff at school and he said to go on to the ER. By the time I got there Bebo was nauseated and couldn't quit crying. He said he had a "brain freeze" headache - like when you eat ice cream too fast, only it wouldn't go away. After two and a half hours, a doctor finally came in to see him. (Oh, and don't get me started on the receptioninst. I asked her for a pillow for Bebo, and she said she'd have to get one from the back room - and then went back to reading her book. I have never been so infuriated in all my life!)

But I digress. Turns out Bebo was having a migraine. The light was hurting him so much that we just sat in a dark room with him and tried to get him to go to sleep. The really bad part was when they had to draw blood. NOT a pleasant experience for mommies and daddies. :(

He's okay this morning, although it was 3am before they finally came home. Once I knew he would be okay, I came on home so I could work today - made me feel like I deserved the Bad Mommy of the Year award for leaving, but Jeff insisted there wasn't anything I could do anyway.

Ugh. I am so ready to get on with the nursing program thing already! I felt so woefully inadequate last night.

Now that the boy-child is okay, I have some serious studying to do to catch up with for this test - if I can stay awake....

Must Be Doing Something Right

Me & the Beebs just got back from a parent-teacher conference. Bad mommy that I am, I managed to miss the one in the fall. (Bad mommy! Bad mommy!) I wasn't going to miss this one, so even though I had totally forgotten about it until I was reminded by the school marquee, I hauled the boy-child back to school (after a snack at Sonic), hoping to find an open time slot. Turns out PT conferences are more of a come-and-go sort of thing, so I walked right in.

As the parent of an only child who spent very little time in daycare and none in preschool, I had my worries at the start of the school year. I really didn't know what to expect, and I imagined all sorts of scenarios, from him being the class clown to the class reject to the troublemaker to the quiet one... well, you get the idea.

Turns out I was worried about nothing. He got a glowing review from his teacher. The whole class has moved on to first-grade math, but it's addition and subtraction, and he was doing that on his own at the beginning of the school year. They split into reading groups, and she put him with some kids that don't read as well - not because he's not reading well, but so that he can help the others learn. He reads the story to his partner, then his partner reads it back, and Bebo has to correct him if necessary. His handwriting has improved drastically since the start of the year, and academically, he's just doing a great job.

She also told me that he practically never complains, is always well-behaved, and plays very well with the other kids. I was highly amused to hear that he's also the funniest kid in the class - she writes down the cute things the kids say, and apparently he keeps her busy. :)

So yeah, I'm tickled to death. Sometimes I wonder that God saw fit to bless me with such a precious little boy.

I Have a Boo-Boo

I picked a fight with a chair and lost. Now my left leg from knee to ankle is blue, and my left side, while not as visibly bruised, hurts just as much. I hardly ever get visible bruises, so if there's something you can actually see, you know it was bad. :(

In case you're wondering how I managed this, it's actually quite simple. Jeff brought me these really cool (and large) bamboo windchimes from Florida. Since it was supposed to storm Saturday, I decided to take them down. Dummy me tried to stand on a wet patio chair in my Crocs to get the chimes down. 'Nuff said.

Braeden's birthday went pretty well - we had one miniature crisis, but avoided complete meltdown. I'll tell more and post pictures as soon as I can, but first I have a microbiology test to deal with. Lots and lots of meds I have to memorize. Ick.

Ciao!

Good News!

Remember Rosco from Dukes of Hazzard? Of course you do. I loved the way he talked, especially when he was excited about the latest scheme Boss Hogg was cooking up. So imagine Rosco hollering "Good news! Good news!"

Got it?

Okay. My turn.

Good news! Good news!!!

Jeff got a phone call today - and will soon be employed as a nurse tech in the cardiac ICU unit! Woot! Not only is it an awesome opportunity, cardiac is very much what he's interested in right now. I'm soooo excited!

Now if that silly acceptance letter will just get here...

Feeling Better

... and maybe not so invisible.

Thanks to those of you who commented yesterday - I guess the insanity of the last few months is getting to me. I'm too isolated and sometimes the loneliness is overwhelming.

Maybe, just maybe, my mailbox will soon harbor an acceptance letter for the nursing program. The social contact will do me good.

And in other news...

Jeff had an interview at Memorial yesterday. He really felt good about it, and is so excited at the prospect of working in ICU or Cardiac. (I'm really excited about the extra income!) He's expecting to hear back from them soon.

Braeden's birthday is Friday - wah!!! I scored a great deal on a Leapster 2 last night - Wal-Mart had them marked down $10 plus I had a $10 coupon - and I think it will be better for Bebo than his current video game obsession. I'm still threatening to kill Jeff for getting him started in the first place!

Anyhoo, I'm going to make cupcakes for his class. He's been inviting everyone to his birthday (he leaves out the word party, making me laugh everytime). But we just couldn't afford a party this year, so I'm taking the party to school. Saturday we're going to take him to ride the Incline Railway, and if it's warm enough, we might go down to Coolidge Park and splash in the water a bit.

Of course, somewhere amidst all that, I have to study for two tests and complete two massive study guides. :)

And life just goes on....

Invisible

I'm having one of those days... the kind where I feel lonely and isolated. I have so much to be thankful for, and I am - but today (like many, many others) I just feel invisible. Irrelevant. Unnecessary.

I hate invisible.

Making Progress (Part 2)

I am trying to catch up on Braeden's kindergarten book. I've missed the little guy this week. It's his spring break, so we had planned for him to spend the night at Grannie & Peepop's, but then I got sick. Thankfully, they were able to keep him from Sunday until Wednesday - keeping him away from my germs and giving me a chance to recover. He came home last night and first thing gave me this huge bear hug. :)

Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky - for some reason, he came home with a box of Lucky Charms (don't ask). Anyway, I decided I wanted some for a snack, but couldn't figure out what he did with them. "Oh, I'll show you, Mommy!" he said, and proudly took me to the pantry. The little turkey - without asking - had put the box exactly where it belonged!

I love this kid! :)

Recovery

Ugh... I am recovering from one of the worst stomach bugs I've ever had. I won't go into the gory details, but it's been a long, long time since I was that sick. I didn't even work yesterday - and I work from home!

Today I am finally starting to feel a bit more normal, although certainly not 100%. Now I have to crack down on the books. It's very difficult to study for a microbiology test over how viruses make you sick when you're puking your guts out, ya know? (insert wry smile here)

Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggety Dog

I have a weird kid. Shocking, I know, considering his parentage. :) He doesn't eat meat, except for the occasional chicken nugget. I could never get him to eat hot dogs, hamburgers, and most pizza (unless we take off all the "good stuff" - aka, toppings). When he puts meat in his mouth, he instantly starts to gag. Gross.

For reasons that I don't quite understand (though I suspect his Handy Manny lunchbox may be embarrassing him), he has lately wanted to eat in the cafeteria at school almost every day. There were several days that I knew hamburgers, hot dogs, chili, fish, etc. were on the menu, and I couldn't quite believe him when he insisted that he ate all his lunch. He would always tell me that he only liked those things at school, not at home.

Yeah, right.

So I put him to the test. We had hot dogs for supper one night, and I informed him that he wasn't eating anything else until at least half the hot dog was gone. It took a bit of coaxing, but he actually ate the thing, and without gagging! I was so shocked I had to take a picture. Jeff laughed at me, but I couldn't have cared less. Now that I know he will eat meat, he is just going to have to deal with occasionally having it on his plate!

(So much for the vegetarian spell, huh?)

The Cat Won

Yes, the cat won. Jeff insisted that the cat would be an outdoor pet. I'd been begging for a cat for months, and was repeatedly denied. Then this skinny little furball gets stuck under the house, and everything goes downhill (at least for my staunchly-opposed-to-cats husband).

We moved into the new house, and after a series of traumatic events that involved multiple trips to the vet's office, Sizzle finally moved to the house with us - but Jeff still wouldn't let him inside.

Then it got cold. Really cold.

And that's when Braeden started laying it on thick.

"Daddy, it's too cold outside for Sizzle. He might freeze!" "Daddy, is the kitty dead?" "Daddy, can Sizzle sleep with me tonight?"

Naturally, Jeff could not withstand the wiles of his five-year-old, so he relented and rigged up a temporary litterbox. After all, the temperatures were dropping well below zero. Of course, he maintained his stance, saying "the cat is going to be an outside cat with indoor privileges."

So the cat spent a few nights inside. No accidents, no destroyed furniture. A few nights turned into a few days, and yesterday Jeff formally announced his defeat.

Sizzle is now an inside cat with occasional outdoor privileges. :)

Pot, Meet Kettle

I'm not sure I've ever heard anything so absurd as this:

"Obama to States: Spend stimulus wisely or else"

Somebody please tell me he was kidding. The man just signed two enormous stimulus bills (the numbers are so big that the "professionals" say we average Americans cannot even comprehend the amount), including spending as follows:

$1.7 million for pig odor research
$2.1 million for grape genetics
$650,000 for beaver management
$1.7 million for honeybee insurance
$2 million to promote astronomy in Hawaii

And the list goes on... now will somebody please tell me how somebody who could throw money at pigs (literally and figuratively) has any right to tell the states to "spend their money wisely?"

Just when I think I've heard it all....

The House

Obviously, we aren't finished yet. There is nothing on the walls, save a calendar in my office. Boxes are still laying around, waiting to be unpacked. Even so, it's quite livable and has reached the not-finished-but-comfortably-livable stage. Since I was getting fussed at for not posting pictures, here are a few.

You've seen the front yard; here is the back. All of the furniture belongs to the owner, so we'll have to get our own stuff eventually. Doesn't it look delightfully pleasant?


My wonderful kitchen. Please ignore the mess - I was in the middle of cooking supper when I took a break to take pictures.


Braeden's room - and I'm not going to apologize for the mess. :) The fact that you can even see the floor is impressive.


The next three are all of my office - by far, the room needing the most work. I had a bit of a furniture crisis - it didn't quite fit like I'd expected it to, so I had to completely rethink my storage options for my scrapbook stuff.




Braeden's bathroom - isn't that a cute shower curtain? I love that there are two functional bathrooms! LOL


The living room looking into the dining area:


The dining room looking into the living area:



I'll post pictures of our bedroom and bathroom later - they were in use at the time. :)

Creativity

It sometimes amazes me what Braeden can come up with on a rainy day! Case in point:

DaVinci

I'm not a product-pusher, I swear. But when you find something you love, it's only fair that you tell others, right? Right.... :)

Anyway - during one of my Weight Watchers stints, I heard about DaVinci syrups. Someone mentioned that they used them in coffee. Wal-Mart actually carries a few flavors (hazelnut, kahlua, vanilla, caramel, and sometimes Irish cream), so I tried it - and fell in love. Hazelnut was my standby, until I decided to try a new flavor...or two or three or four or five.

The DaVinci website has tons and tons of flavors - in sugar-free, original, and all-natural varieties. The bottles are large (750 mL) and will last quite a while (at least they will if you don't use them a thousand times a day like we do!). The berry flavors are delicious in tea. Several of the others are wonderful in coffee - but don't stop there. They can mixed with alcoholic drinks (gasp - did I say that?!), desserts, etc. In fact, there are quite a few recipes on the website.

So I decided to place an order. Right now I'm drinking blackberry tea - absolutely divine! The glass bottles are nice and heavy, and I think when they're empty I'll use them to make "custom" flavored oils.

Shipping is a flat rate per box, but I would suggest you order in box quantities of 6 - you can mix flavors. I placed the order and received it in less than a week - the bottles are very well-packaged and I am quite pleased with both the price and the service.

Okay, enough of the infomercial. Since I am a goober and couldn't decide which pic I liked better, I just decided to post both. See ya!

Sewage, Explained

"Hey, Mommy! Do you know what happens when you flush?"

"Tell me..." (thinking this could be interesting)

"Well, the poop goes in the toilet, and when you flush, it goes down the toilet. Do you know where it goes next?"

"Nope."

"The poop goes into the ocean. It does!"

"Uh-huh... and how do you know that?"

"Oh, I just made it up."

Wow. I am sure am glad I have him to clear that up for me!

A Whole Lotta Not Much

Yeah, I know... the title doesn't make any sense. Neither do I. I'm mentally and physically exhausted. There's another test to take this weekend, and then I get a semi-break. I say "semi" because I still have to get ready for a Micro test in a week and a half.

I got behind from the very beginning and I'm not sure I'm going to catch up. The good news is that I only have to pass these two classes - my acceptance into the nursing program doesn't hinge on having a spectacular grade, and at this point, I am trying to look at that as a very good thing. ;\

Just Stuff

Sorry - I can't get enough of this silly cat these days! He really knows how to push the right buttons. After all, how many kitties will curl up with five-year-old boys?


Like our new-to-us truck? It's a 2001, but in practically pristine condition. I love love love the truck - too bad I still can't drive a stick shift! LOL We convinced Jeff's dad to sell it to us (finally), and it really came in handy with the move.



I will admit to being incredibly tired. I have an A&P midterm and a Microbiology lab test in the next two days. Ugh. My brain is just not wanting to absorb the material, and I'm almost at the point that I just don't care. I only have to pass these classes, not make straight A's. I know good and well that a B will tick me off, but I might just have to deal with it - there's an awful lot on my plate and only so many hours in the day, ya know?

Little House on the Hill

Okay, so it wasn't exactly the last layout for the CCG blog. I promised Janet I would stay on until the new team was selected. Here's one I did for last week of our new little house - have I mentioned that I love it??? :) It's really just perfect for us. It is a little smaller than our old house, but it's laid out so much better that it seems bigger to me. There are plenty of closets for storage, and nice hardwood floors, and lots of natural light... it just makes me happy. :)

Color Combos Galore

I'm baaaaaack!

Sheesh! Being without internet, phone, and cable stinketh mightily!!! However, I am thankfully back in business, and absolutely loving my new domicile! Pictures will follow soon - but for now, there's a lot of catching up to do. Gotta make this short and sweet - ta-ta!

Last One for the CCG

I am stepping down from the Color Combos Galore blog. It's been a hoot, but I really need to focus my time on school now. Janet let me choose the combo this week (fun!) and it was neat to get to work with colors that I love.

Gotta go now - work is calling!

Taking a Break

Moving is hard work! I've packed up everything in my bedroom that I possibly can. What's left has to wait until the last minute. This morning we've worked in Bebo's room, sorting through books, broken toys, and Transformers limbs. The whole experience is rather exciting for him. He's been talking nonstop for days, and the volume of his voice seems to be increasing exponentially.

So much is happening in the next seven days! I have two tests, a nursing entrance exam (NET), and a large lab assignment. Jeff has clinicals, a test (I think), and a project due. We still work, still have to pack, and still have to take care of Braeden. I am tired just thinking about it!

BUT - the end result will be worth it! The mere thought of living in a house that functions properly thrills me to my little toes. I can't wait to organize my stuff - neatly - and not have so much accumulated clutter to deal with. Mmmm... just seven more days, and then the real fun begins!

Fight!

Check out this article:

Fight Between Bradley Central High Students Leads to Stabbing

Submitted by Larry Mack on February 4, 2009 - 12:41pm. News | Bradley County News

One student suffered a superficial wound and another is in custody following a stabbing at Bradley Central High School.
Bradley County Director of Schools Johnny McDaniel says two boys got into an argument about 8:15 Wednesday morning.
He said a punch was thrown and then one of the boys was stabbed in the abdomen with a pocket knife, "We did go on lockdown just to make sure all students were in class. Everything was handled very smoothly. Unfortunately, a student was injured. It was an altercation over a girl."
McDaniel says the suspect will face discipline under the school's zero tolerance policy.
Charges are also pending the completion of the sheriff's department investigation.
Additional SRO's were sent to the school for the remainder of the day.
The school also made counseling available for students who witnessed the fight.

Say what? Counseling for the witnesses? That must've been some fight. I understand that the kid got hurt, and I guess I feel bad for him, but given the amount of violence on TV and video games, I can't imagine it being too shocking of a scene to the onlookers, unless the kid's guts were spilling out all over the hall.

Back in the day (you know, when I was in high school), a fight was the highlight of the day and rumor mill fodder at least until the next big fight. I don't recall any witnesses who needed counseling after the fact, either.

Weird.

Lucky Me

Just a quick one for the color combo - I wanted to do an all-paper page before I had to pack up all my scrapping stuff for who knows how long. :) This is my mom and dad, who are absolutely the bestest parents in the world. No joke.

Happy

I realized that my posts have been rather grumpy as of late, so I thought I should make a decidedly un-grumpy post.

Braeden will be six soon, and even though I love him more as each day passes, I still miss those baby days when he cooed and drooled and melted everyone's heart. In packing up for the move, I ran across these pictures of his very first camping trip. He was six months old, and was discovering the new sensation of grass underneath his feet. I love that precious little smile - we saw it often during those baby days. My happy little baby has grown into a happy little boy.

Could I be any more blessed?

I've been tagged!

I am almost embarrassed to post this picture - not because it's terrible (which it is) but because you can see the pitiful state of my house. Yes, my curtains are stapled to the window. Yes, those are 1x4s that got nailed to the window "frame." (No, we that was not our idea.)

But I digress. This was taken the night before Braeden's fifth birthday - March 26, 2008. The next day we went to Pump It Up!, Chuck E Cheese, and Toys R Us. This particular night, we stayed up late, and Jeff and Braeden engaged in one of their favorite pastimes. It's exactly what it looks like - Jeff is launching our son across the bed into a pile of pillows. I only wish you could hear the squealing and giggling that was going on!



Now it's your turn. If I tag you, take the sixth photo in the sixth folder. Post it and tell us the story behind it.

http://toliveistopray.blogspot.com/
http://aimeemsmith.blogspot.com/2009/01/rock-star.html

Untitled

I am at a loss for a title for the blog post today. Everything that comes to mind is too tacky.

We will be moving next month. I can't tell you how excited I am at the prospect. Right now we live next to a church, which is a significant con.

Before I begin my tirade, let me first say that I do not mind helping those in need. In fact, I enjoy it. "Just a cup of water," right?

BUT -

Some people have serious nerve. Living next to a church means that every drug addict, alcoholic, and professional beggar stops by the house, wanting to know where the pastor is and if they can have some money. I have had people come by who were in genuine need. Those people are always humbled by the experience of having to ask for help. They will take only what is absolutely needed. I once even had a man who lost his home to arson ask for a scrap of carpet that was going to be thrown away because he could use it as a rug. I would do anything for those people. The former? Not so much.

I used to think it was just limited to this part of the country I live in, but I am increasingly deciding that there is a large population of people who think they are owed something, and get very demanding if they can't have that something exactly when and how they think they should.

Here's a little tip to the professional beggars (not that they would be reading this blog): You will get a lot more out of people when you are humble and not demanding. Try "please" and "thank you," for starters.

Do not pull up in my driveway on a Saturday morning and honk your horn. I do not run a drive-through service, and I will not come to your car when you are perfectly capable of walking to my door and knocking.

If I tell you that the church does not provide gas money, do not argue with me. I don't have it to give to you, either. When you ask for money for food, do not turn down the food from the pantry. I will remember when you come back and won't offer the food that time.

Don't tell me you are from out of town and need money to get to Florida. All I have to do is look at your license plate to know that you live in the county.

Don't bring your kids when you are begging for money. I am not stupid enough to think that you will spend the money on formula when I can smell the alcohol on your breath.

Do not push past me into my house. I do carry a gun.

I can't help you get your crazy check.

I have a five-year-old son, and there is no way I am going to drive you anywhere if it means putting you in the car with the two of us.

Do not ask me for the preacher's phone number, especially not after you've called him the Antichrist. I'm not telling you where he lives, either.

When I say that the benevolence house is open on Tuesdays from 9-11 am, do not ask me to make a special call and have it opened for you. I do not have keys to it and I do not have that contact information. If you tell me that you knew what time it was open, but just "couldn't make it," I am even less likely to want to help you.

Arguing with me will get you nowhere. I can't give you what I don't have, and I don't know anyone who can help you. Do not huff up, do not yell at me, and do not come back.

*************

*sigh* I sometimes wish I wasn't so jaded. I know that God looks at our intent, and not the actual outcome, when we are extending benevolence to others. But after almost ten years of dealing with people who abuse the system (and all the above have actually happened to me at least once), it's hard not to be cynical.

No, I will not miss it one bit.

It's the Weekend!

First - thank you for the prayers! Jeff's dad was able to return home. Jeff and his brother and sister went for a visit, and it's the first time just the five of them have been together in years and years. I miss him, but I'm glad they're getting that time together.

School has officially started again. I had a bit of a panic attack about my textbook for Microbiology, but that has been resolved and I got notification this morning that the book has shipped. Whew. A&P 2 looks to be a total bear, and I am going to have to wrap my mind around it quickly - every day that passes puts us closer to the move, and I am going to have to be more on my toes than ever to keep up with it all.

I'll leave you with a hybrid page (only my second - can you tell what's digital and what's not?). Have a lovely weekend!

Needing Prayer

My father-in-law is very sick. He went into the hospital Saturday with an infection. Turns out it is a blood infection (probably staph), and we found out today that it is collecting in his heart. So far the treatments seem to be ineffective. He asked Jeff to make sure to take care of his mother if something happened. Jeff told him not to talk that way, but we are going to have bags packed and on standby in case we need to leave quickly.

Right now the family is scattered across three states, and we are all worried. Please pray for his healing, and that no permanent damage be done.

Pride and . . . Embarrassment?

We received a delightful Christmas card this year from Braeden's Wednesday night Bible class teacher. I had one of those Parent Moments - you know, the kind where you swell up with pride and delight that someone else thinks your child is as wonderful as you know them to be. Here's part of what she said:

"Braeden is a joy to teach. He wants to learn. He's one of the most well-behaved and police children I have had. Ruth & (the other teachers, I'm sure), feel the same way. You have taught him well."

Folks, this came from a lady who has taught Bible class for 50 years! Nothing she could have said would possibly have made me prouder of my little man.

Fast forward a few weeks....

We've had a good family sort of night. Oh, we didn't do anything special - just a trip to the grocery store, a snack at Taco Bell, and homemade brownies when we got home. Jeff was watching videos on You Tube, and unsurprisingly, Braeden wanted a piece of the action.

"Daddy!" he yelled, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Can we watch pooting pictures?"

Yeah. You heard right. My son, the well-behaved little boy, wanted to watch videos of people farting.

Oh, what is my husband teaching this child??

Boys in the Car

This is what happens when two boys are stuck in the backseat of a SUV for an extended period of time. :)

Gas Explained

The newest member of the family, whose name has been shortened to "Siz," is a flatulent little creature, one of the silent-but-deadly persuasion. It seems to be worse lately, and I suspect it's because he's been eating the dog's food more than his own. Purr-motor on overdrive, he will lovingly weave himself around your legs and drop an invisible bomb. He'll be gone before you ever know you were attacked. He is indiscriminate, leaving clouds of noxious fumes anywhere he chooses. (Word to the wise: don't ever pick him up by his belly.)

Last night Braeden was on the receiving end of the torture. "Mommy, he stinks!"

"Yes, he is rather smelly tonight. Why do you think he poots so much?" I asked, knowing whatever answer he came up with would be amusing, to say the least.

"Well, I'll just tell you. He got runned over by a stunk!"

In Braeden-ese, "stunk" means "skunk." I had a brief visual of our little yellow tomcat being plowed over by Pepe LePew, and decided Braeden's explanation was right on target!

I like to scrapbook.

I can just hear the shock in your voices. :) School doesn't start until next week, so I am trying to get as much done as I possibly can before the study-induced coma begins.

Finally moving...

I already touched on it in an earlier post, but this weekend it was finally confirmed - we are going to be moving!! Sometime around late February or early March, we will load up our belongings and shuffle them across the county. The house is only about three years old, and it's a bit off the beaten path, though not in the boonies by any means. Yes, it's just a rental, but I don't care. It will be the first time I felt like something was even sort of ours.

Don't get me wrong - I am eternally grateful to the church for letting us stay in the parsonage, but it is time to move on. I want to let Braeden play outside without fear that he'll get kidnapped or hit by a car. I don't want to worry about leaky ceilings or drafty doors. I don't want to hesitate when someone knocks, not knowing the character of the visitor. Privacy will be a blessed relief.

We're slowly beginning the sorting/trashing/packing process. A huge yard sale will be necessary, at which time I'll post more details. (Let me know if you want a full/queen size bedroom suite!) Ten years is a long time to accumulate junk. My intent is to be brutal at the chopping block - hopefully I won't wimp out. Stuff just has to go! The new house is a good bit smaller, and frankly, I'm tired of looking at a lot of this stuff anyway!

I will most likely become rather scarce by springtime... in fact, it might appear that I have fallen off the face of the earth. ;)

Cough. Hack. Sneeze. Repeat.

We interrupt this program for an important pity party....

I've been sick since I got home from Christmas vacation - well, actually before that. A week ago I spent one entire day sneezing. That's all I did. Sneeze. And sneeze. And sneeze.

I knew I would pay for it, and boy, was I right. Since Tuesday, I have done nothing but cough. And cough. And cough. I've tried cough drops, cough syrup, expectorants (hoping it would just get it over with), inhalers, etc. Last night, hubby said I should take some Tylenol nighttime cold medicine so I could get some sleep. So I did.

And for two solid hours, I did nothing but cough. I'm talking the hacking, muscle-pulling, pee-yourself-if-you-aren't-careful kind of cough. I drank (yes, drank) some Chloraseptic spray, and finally it quit. By that point, I had a rip-roaring headache, my back muscles were aching, and my nose was running (side effect of all that coughing). Eventually I dozed off, but sleep was fitful at best.

So this morning I'm skipping church. I got up and showered, hoping I would feel better, but it only made me feel worse. As soon as I finish my oatmeal, I am going to read my Bible for a while and then go back to bed.

We now return to regularly scheduled broadcasting.

Gates Family Christmas