Unexpected Blessing

Today I had an unexpected blessing. My middle daughter E had a fever and had to stay home from school. Granted, when I first realized that my well-planned day was shot I did not see it as a blessing, but I tried to make the best of it. After the medicine kicked in and E was feeling better we decided to go to lunch together. This in and of itself was special because she generally has to share her time with her sisters.

As we were eating, I told E I loved her. She told me she loved me back and then we began playing a silly game we sometimes play comparing my love with her with her love for me. I always tell her there is no way she can love me more than I love her. Suddenly her eyes well with tears and she tells me "Mommy I love you so much that it makes me cry." OK, I lost it. We both sat there with tears streaming down our faces, with her telling me she wished she could have a fever every day so she could spend more time with me, and how she was so thankful for me being her Mommy and for all the things I do for her. We ended the meal with her snuggled up next to me, still crying and talking about how special our time together was.

Now, more than likely she was too heavily medicated.

But still.

And I really needed the encouragement after S poured green food coloring into every possible crevice in her body last night. (And I do mean EVERY possible crevice). Fortunately, she went to preschool today with only one green toe and slight traces of green under her fingernails.

The Lord reinforced to me today the verse from Proverbs 16:9- "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." God wants to be in charge of our day every single day, and His purposes will prevail, even we have carefully made plans. So many times He has to stop me in my tracks so that I don't miss what he has to show me.

Thank you Lord for my interrupted day and the gift of extra time with my daughter. May I always seek to use my time wisely and for Your glory.

L

WHY ME?

Those who know me AND STILL choose to love me is beyond my comprehension. I think I get more dysfunctional, strange, clumsy, etc. as time goes by. Can I still blame this on 3 kids? Anywho, I must tell you all of the things that I've done this past week, and you be the judge!

1. Had a birthday party with scavenger hunt/race for my 11 yr. old. So much fun! At the end of the race, I decided to race my husband's car home. Why? Not really sure. So my team of 6 girls jump in the car. I speed off from 0 to 80 in 2 seconds.
Emma, who is 8, screams in horror, "Mom, Katie B. just fell out of the car." I slam on the brakes and get out to find Katie, and she is 50 feet behind my looking scared to death. I race to her to find out what happened. Well, she and Emma decided for the first time the entire evening to get in from the back hatch of the Expedition. Katie was trying to close it, and I speed off! You can fill in the rest of the blanks. So get this...she has a little scratch on her heel! THAT"S IT! Could have been a disaster, but God was so there. Anyway, love you Katie, and I would never purposefully try to run you down with my car.

2. If that wasn't enough, Tuesday night I helped with my daughter's cheerleading squad at the ballpark. You know the ballpark I speak of... all mom's looking happy, cheering on their team, dad's hollering at the refs, yadda yadda!!! So I am walking onto the field and fall on my rear end down to the ground. I mean a goodie!!! I hear gasps from the stands and realize that I had an audience. There was a timeout on the field so I was the entertainment. Whatever!

3. I take my 3 year old to MDO. Now, I've been doing this since my 11 yr. old was little, so this is really nothing new to me. I go in, drop her off, get in the car, head out for the day. Apparently, I took in her backpack with her lunch and diapers when I dropped her off and then took them right back with me to the car. I go to pick her up 4 hours later and they are like, "She didn't have a backpack, but we made do." I just knew it was somewhere in that building and asked them to look for it.
Guess where it was? In the front seat right beside me and I never noticed.

That's all I have to say about that!
~A

Babylon on NBC

It am not so surprised, but frustrated by watching PrimeTime television tonight...my daughters and I LOVE watching The Biggest Loser! I mean we really love it! And tonight we had to contend with "...open up a can of Whoop A**", "Beat the Crap out of them", "I'm real pi**ed off" and "Hard as Hell"...and these were the words they didn't bleep out! Both my girls reacted to these with the appropriate "Whooo, mom, did you hear what they said?!?" But then I was SO shocked by what one of the trainers said to one of the contestents. Evidently, one of the contestent's parents got divorced and she was really upset talking about it. Well the 'pep talk' from the trainer went like this...(and I quote b/c I do have the TiVo)... "So, your mom and your dad are together, she falls out of love, she leaves him for another man...Your mom did the best thing she ever could have done getting out of that marriage. You know why? She wasn't happy...If she wasn't in love, then she wasn't in love...For once in her life, she put herself first. Have you ever done that?...It could be the greatest gift she'll ever give you. The truth of the matter is that you need to take care of you." So then I just had to pause it...and explain...we don't believe that...that's what the world tells us ~ we should be first, we deserve to be happy - no matter who it hurts...I asked them what God's Word says...so we really talked about it...how we are set apart, marked by Christ to be different! It's amazing to think that God has chosen us and expects us to be in this world, at this time, in these circumstances, and be obedient to His Word...How awesome is that, and how hard.

Can anybody say "Daniel".

"J"

Where does the time go?

My baby turned 9 today. I can't even believe it, 9...that's crazy! I remember her birth like it was yesterday...I was almost 8 months pregnant...I came home early from work because I wasn't feeling super great...I was pulling ALL of my things out of the kitchen cabinets - I mean like every Tupperware bowl and lid, every Pyrex casserole, all my plates, cups, bowls, everything...and my water broke! Yet, right then and there, right in the middle of watching Oprah (at least I have changed some things over the last 9 years)...I called sweet Paul and said, "You're not going to believe this, my water just broke!" And then he said, "I really doubt it." Well, there you have it - cause he'd know! Well, about 10 hours, a fainting husband, and one push later...was Katie B. Oh, what a beautiful girl! She's been amazing ever since. Her Poppy says she has an old soul. He is so right. Tonight saying her prayers she asked God to "turn the bad men to good, to believe in You and go to church"..."help the soldiers protect us and not get killed"..."Keep us safe through the night and wake us up with the morning light"...these are all part of her "ritual prayer" that she says every night...but she ALWAYS adds a fresh prayer to the end...tonight’s made me cry. "Thank you for giving me my parents, and my sissy, and for making my life so good, so far."

Thank you Lord for giving me my Katie...and making my life SO good, so far. Amen.

"J"

Random

Am I the only one who can't get rid of piles in my kitchen? I have spent all morning moving them from one place to another. And you may think, "Why not use a drawer?" And to that I would say "They're all full, including the garbage bag full of kitchen drawer stuff I dumped last Christmas to go through later." Or you may say, "Get a bulletin board to organize your papers." And I would say "I did that and now I have piles on the refrigerator AND the bulletin board!" I need an intervention.

And also, is it too late in the season to wear flip-flops? I need to know these things.

And last but not least..You know your mother-in-law is a martyr when.............. she calls your six-year old daughter the night BEFORE her birthday to wish her well because she is going to be too busy to call on her real birthday.

And that's all I have to say about that.

L

He Blows Me Away!

Last night we were at the Living Truth Conference at HSBC. I was so blown away by the obvious emotion Dr. Grudem and Dr. Dever feel for all of us to grasp the Glory of God. I so hope everyone there felt God's love and power as we searched His character. I am so excited by God and by the people in my church who are also excited about our journey as Christians. Can you even begin to imagine when we get to heaven and see Him face to face in all His glory? There are no words!

~A

Look Ma...no chin!

the pic on the right is new...it was taken at a Beth Moore Conference in San Antonio this summer...she rocks btw...i'm "J", i'm the one in the middle...we took this pic ourselves...i was told that if you press your tongue up to the roof of your mouth while you're smiling, it will make your double chin go away...i was obviously concentrating on this very very hard while i took this picture...i think i actually gagged myself...that's all i'm saying.

"J"

An Oldie, but a Goodie

I'm trying to put some of my "Loretta Stories" together...for a future bestseller...so here's an oldie, but a goodie...

The year, 1991...the season, Christmas...the boyfriend, Paul, new since September...the mother, same ol, same ol... Paul and I had been dating for about 3 months when I asked him on Christmas Eve, when I got off work at the Galleria (pause for groaning at the thought of working Christmas Eve at the Galleria) if he wanted to come home with me for Christmas. He said he would, I called home and checked with my parents...all was set. Now keep in mind, it's after 8:00 p.m. the day before Christmas. We get to my parent's house really late and go straight to sleep...Santa's coming! The next morning I spied 3 wrapped gifts under the tree with "Paul" on the tag. PANIC!!! I whispered in his ear, "Just so you know, those gifts weren't bought for you..." "Huh?!?" So I explained...my mom has a long tradition of re-gifting and wrapping random 'male' and 'female' gifts untagged under the tree...she keeps the tags along with a pen under the tree skirt so that when that impromptu visitor comes by with a gift she can run and "grab theirs" from under the tree. So, knowing the stores close earlier Christmas Eve, that she didn't even know he was coming until late the night before, and that she's cheap...I knew there was no way those 3 gifts were bought for him. The opening of the presents begins...his first gift, a cologne gift set - GUCCI - sealed in plastic overlay from Eckerd Drugs (tacky, but not too bad)...his second gift, a Precious Moments kitchen towel, beige, with the little boy and girl sitting back to back on a stump with "Love One Another" written underneath (YIKES!!! He's a 21 year old man...he has an apartment with another guy...WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!?)...the third gift, a Hallmark ornament with two mice dancing on a piano with the caption "Our First Christmas Together 1990" (HELLO...It's 1991!!! Where did she even get that?)...but the good news is that we've been hanging that ornament on our tree every year for 14 years as our Christmas tradition and laugh...I highly recommend the laugh!

"J"

"Come 'n listen to my story..."

All 5 of us went to a 3 yr. old birthday party today.  Of course, we were in a hurry!  As we run out the door, I ask my husband, "Hey, do you know where Lyla's shoes are?"  He responded with a quick,"Yea, they're in the car."  So off we went.

We arrived at the party and had to park 6 blocks away (not really, but felt like it) because there were so many people there.  I get Lyla out of the car and guess what?  NO SHOES!!!  We get inside and there are 30 kids and all of their parents.  Oh yea, forgot to mention that all of these people go to our church!

 I know what they were thinking... "Oh look, here comes Jethro and Ellie Mae and all their chitlins.  Bless their hearts!"

~A

"Babbits"

"You got babbits, Mommy?  I got babbits, you got babbits, Mommy?"

What on earth could this possibly mean coming from my barely 3 yr. old?  It took me lots of time going through every word she knows to find out what she's talking about.  

Finally, she told me about seeing my nephew and he had "funny babbits."

Well, what she really means is, "You got privates, Mommy."  Whatever... please tell me life gets easier with 3 girls!  Seriously...somebody just tell me this to make me feel better.

~A

You've got to be kidding!

This morning there was crying over clothes...yes, you heard me, clothes! Did you cry over clothes when you were young? I don't remember crying over what to wear to school. I rememeber crying when I got caught cheating on a test in 4th grade, crying when I got caught stealing the car at 15, crying because I wasn't allowed to go to the prom in 11th grade because of my grades! But she's crying over her clothes...Not world hunger, not gas prices, not sheet wrinkles on my face, but clothes! CRYING BY MY 10 YEAR OLD! She was crying because she didn't want to wear the outfit that was out for her to wear. Now, please let me clarify so I don't get comments with great ideas on how to avoid morning drama...like having her pick out her clothes the night before...she did that. SHE DID THAT!!! She did that and still she is crying over the outfit that she chose the night before because it was not the right outfit this morning! WHAT? Okay...and then to add to the drama, she decided that she need to bring a change of clothes to wear to P.E. because they are doing gymnastics this 9 weeks...so she picks out a skirt! HUH??? She has on a pair of shorts and needs to bring a skirt to do gymnastics in so she'll be more comfortable. I don't even understand this...I tried to explain that she could grab her soccer shorts, so she grabbed her tennis skirt. I tried again to explain that you can't do gymnastics in a skirt because you can't split your legs to kick up to a handstand with skirt on...she then tried to explain to me that hers was a skort not a skirt, it has shorts under it...so I then said, "Then just wear shorts." More tears! Lots of moaning and groaning...this, my friends, is a very big deal! So I said, "Just go get your gym shorts out to bring." And then she yelled, "Mom, this is not GYM, it's GYMnastics!!! You just don't get me!!!" And what I didn't say is that I pride myself in that! I can't wait till she gets to be a teenager...GOOD TIMES AHEAD!!!

"J"

Sheet Wrinkles on my face...

I cannot make them go away! When I was younger, they were endearing. There for a few minutes reminding me what a good, hard sleep I had just had. Then they were gone. Now, not so much! Now, they are there for hours, reminding me that I have no more elasticity in my face and that I'm getting old. This morning I massaged them, lotioned them, steamed them and even tried to stretch them...you see, I didn't have the time to wait for them to just leisurely disappear...I had places to go, people to see, PTO meetings to attend. Do other PTO moms have sheet wrinkles 3 hours after they wake up?!?! I DON"T THINK SO! You know why? Because they are AT LEAST 5 years younger than me...they are all Kindergartener's moms...not 5th graders moms! And you know why? Because after you've had a child in school for 5 years, your desire to be on the PTO (let alone the treasurer...I don't even balance my own checkbook) has faded...like your sheet wrinkles use to when you were in your 30s! Whatever!

And to make me feel better about my age, I will, from time to time, remind my girls that I am 40 - so I have some credit, a little clout...like they're not the only ones who know everything. Like I need to boost their confidence (or mine) that I just might be smart enough to carry on an intelligent conversation with an almost 9 and 10 year old. Do your kids question everything you say? Do they ask you after you give them an answer, "How do you know?" Or try to make sure you're catching on to their conversation by asking, "Mom, do you get me?" So, this weekend, my almost 9 year old was telling me something and then said the infamous..."Mom, do you understand what I mean?"...and I, rather defensively said, "YES...I'm 40! There's not going to be anything that you know that I'm not going to know." And then she said, "Well, You don't know all the moon phases." She's got me there...

"J"

Let's Potty!

I seem to have a blog theme going!  Anyway, I'm really struggling with potty training my now THREE YEAR OLD!  You would think that I would've figured this out by now...she is my third child.  

So... this morning I finally say, "No more pull-ups in the house.  They are all gone, and the store has no more to buy.  You must be a big girl and wear panties like all of your other friends and your sisters."  She stood there a moment and looked at me, little wheels turning in her brain.

She becomes hysterical and yells,  "I not a big girl- I the baby- I can't potty- I not like it- it's not fun- no mommy, I the baby- I the baby."  She then spreads out on the floor in dramatic fashion crying for 20 minutes.  

HELP ME!!!!!!!!!

~A

Labor Day

This entry is for all of you moms who sometimes think you aren't worth a flip!  After reading this you will say, "Wow, at least I'm better than she is."

Labor Day with my fellow chix and a few other families.  Shall I set the stage???  Swimming pool, lake to fish, Bobcats to drive, lots of land to run free-you get the idea.  Well, not 5 minutes after we arrived, I got all of my clothes soaked jumping in the pool to rescue my 3 year old.  Then, 15 minutes after that I see something brown at the bottom of the steps and the bottom of the shallow end of the pool.  What was it????  POOP!!!!  Seriously, can this be happening to me? She had on a swim diaper.  I proceed to get that big 20 ft. long net to "fish it out" without everyone knowing what was going on.  However, my 10 yr. old and J's 10 yr. old begin the chant,  EWWWWW, GROSSSSS, that is so NASTY, etc.  I am mortified and L calls her husband from the lake to help.  He sees me and says," Get in the pool right now."  He and I jump in and he swims to all of the people on the side of the pool not going in or letting their children in the water and gets a huge mouthful of pool water and spits and.  He says, " Were good, get in the pool."  

Can I tell you how much I love L's husband?  That was classic.  Also, another friend's husband said later, " Hey, some people eat that stuff to survive when out in the middle of nowhere."

I tell you, men are so great when women freak!!!

Anyway, I'm better now.  Should I mention this is the 2nd time this has happened to me with the POOP?  Maybe not.

~A

When You Marry A Hunter....

You do things you never thought you'd do.

Like pulling dead, bloody birds from your 8-year-old daughter's hunting vest and storing them in ziploc bags in your refrigerator.

Because she killed them and is proud.

That is all I am saying.

L

Seriously

Seriously you cannot make up the stuff that happens during my days. Often I am convinced there is a hidden camera somewhere and that any minute somebody will junp out and say "Gotcha!" But it hasn't happened yet so it must just be me.

So today was going pretty well early this morning when I got everybody off to school, including S who started preschool today (can anybody say "PRAISE THE LORD?") and went and worked out. I was proud to fit that in because I have really been making an effort in that area. After working out I volunteered at the elementary school where my oldest child did not speak to me when she saw me and my middle child chose to be in another line from mine when given the option during a vision/hearing screen. So glad I gave up my free time to hang with the girls. Oh well, at least they are independent.

Then I busted into tears while talking to my friend in front of a room full of suburban housewives because I saw three girls (B, S and P for those of you who know that story)who have been mean to my daughter and I wanted to choke them all. Apparently I had some hidden emotional crisis and just decided to let it all out in the middle of asking 4622 children which car had the broken wheel. Who knew?

Then as I was rushing to pick up S from preschool, I was extremely convicted to go buy lunch for a homeless man on the side of the road. "OK, Lord," I thought, "I will be obedient to Your Spirit and buy this man some lunch." So as soon as the lady in the drive-through handed me his drink the cup busted all over me and the car and the seat and the floor and the 4622 items that were in the car and on the seat and on the floor. Oh well, I tried. And did I mention that it was a very large drink? So I drove back to the man and handed him the food and a bottle of water I had gotten at the vision screening that I may or may not have taken a sip out of. I couldn't remember, but I figured some water was better than no drink, right?

Then I picked up S and couldn't wait to see her and hear about her day. Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. However, she screamed all the way home about how hungry she was so I finally gave in and gave her some applesauce. This was not a good idea. And by the way, the reason that the applesauce was still in her lunchbox was because I am apparently not allowed to bring spoon-fed items to school, only finger foods. But don't worry, because I got a cute little reminder note from the teacher letting me know exactly what to pack in her lunch "next time" since I apparently did not listen during the parent meeting, nor did I read the handbook that I signed and returned today saying "Yes, I have read the handbook and understand what is expected of me." I am a train wreck.

So anyway, the applesauce being the messy item that it was ended up all over S's night-night, baby doll and dress. So I, while trying to navigate the exit ramp onto I-459, am holding the applesauce while trying to find a napkin for her that has only been used one or two times. Meanhwhile, I hit a bump and the applesauce ends up inside my make-up case which is always in the car because I never have time to put make-up on at home.

So by the time we get home and I have finished trying to wipe smeared applesauce from the lip gloss tube, I am done. Wiped out. Over it. Ready to take a break. But instead I chase S around the kitchen while she is screaming "NOT TAKE A NAP NOT TIRED HUNGRY NOT NAP MAMA" 4622 times. So here I sit, blogging, even though I have a 47-page theology chapter to read by 8:00 tonight and two other kids who will be home any minute. And by the way, I hear S throwing things out of her bed, but I am not going up there, no I am not.

L