Random Rantings

Christmas to me...

2011-12-14T22:55:00.000-08:00

I've waited for a couple of weeks before posting this, thinking that perhaps my first response to things I've read/heard was a bit quick and perhaps I needed to fully think through it and then I might agree more with the perspective of those other people, but I don't. Here is the story...
A couple of weeks ago I was minding my own business, taking a few minutes to read updates on facebook before bed (my "me" time), when several posts in a row caught my eye about the overindulgence of Christmas. I was curious about what these overindulgence's were, so I clicked forward to read more...bad idea. The more I read, the more irritated I got. It started with the basic, we do more than we need to and it's not appreciated so where do we draw the line, to, everyone does too much, everyone needs to cut back and everyone has more than they need. From how much is too much, to, only purchase a maximum of 4 gifts per family member and they should be: one thing needed, one thing wanted, one toy, and one thing to wear.
Before you jump to conclusions, here is where my irritation comes from. I grew up in a family where needs were met by hard working parents and the grace of God. There weren't a lot of "extra" things, but we never went hungry and we were happy. Until high school age, the Christmas I remember as being the "best" was the year all the kids got sleeping bags. Receiving boxes from Grandparents at Christmas was exciting because we might get some small toy or baseball/basketball cards for the guys, but even that wasn't "expected". As best as I can remember, Christmas was the time my parents "indulged" to get us things we needed and there were only about 4 until I was in high school that we actually got something we didn't need. Not that they didn't WANT to do more, but when you worked multiple jobs all year long just to pay the bills and feed your kids, it didn't leave a whole lot extra for toys or even extra clothes. We probably met the before mentioned "four gift maximum" with underwear, socks, a robe, pajamas... etc. etc. but they were all necessities. So here I am, a married adult with one child. I have two married siblings with 5 kids between them, I DO have more than my parents did at this stage in my life and I want my daughter and nieces and nephew to have some of those things I didn't. I DO have a Christmas "budget" that I don't overspend and I DO spend more on the kids than anyone else in the family. I may buy one large gift or split the cost with another family member or buy multiple small gifts, regardless, I DID agree with the posted opinion that you shouldn't go into debt over Christmas and usually look all year long for "deals" that allow me the freedom of giving more to my loved ones without spending a fortune! My irritation comes from being the child that saw the toys my friends had after Christmas that I didn't and wanting my nieces and nephew to have that toy that makes their eyes light up but doesn't necessarily have to be the most popular toy that year. From being that child that wore hand-me-downs at Christmas and didn't have the new dresses or coats or shoes etc., that other kids did, and wanting my nieces to feel the specialness of opening up that outfit that was picked especially for them, that made them feel like a "princess" and extra special. From wearing the same shoes until they were literally falling off my feet and wanting to give my oldest niece that pair of shoes that she is SO excited to wear but doesn't "need".
So here's my thoughts:
We celebrate Christmas because God gave the ultimate gift in Jesus to us. That one act was filled with love for every one of us and the desire for our happiness and what would give us a better life. Anything else pales in comparison...so at Christmas time we try to duplicate that thought from the human standpoint. What I do for my family may be more than one person can do, but less than another but it's not about what other people do! Nobody else needs to dictate to me how many gifts to give, what kind, or order. If my child doesn't appreciate the gift(s) she receives then I've failed as a parent not as the gift giver. Not because of the gift(s) or "overindulgence" of Christmas, but because I haven't taught her to appreciate what she has all year long! Our family waits till this one special day to give tangible gifts that show our love to each other, your family might do something different. Our family tries to give to other people in need all year long, you might do the same, or do something for someone in need at Christmas. Here is the point: We are all different. We all have different backgrounds. You might not know everything about me, I might not know everything about you. So don't make a blanket statement that we all overindulge at Christmas, that gifts aren't appreciated, that everyone already has more than they need, and don't try to make me feel guilty if I purchase more than the four gifts you think is the correct amount. I might have spent less than you did...

"It was the best of times....." continued

2010-11-20T00:09:00.000-08:00

When I start thinking back on certain parts of my childhood it never fails that a FLOOD of memories hit me. Wanting so badly to play baseball with my big brothers and finally given the chance if I would just do a "dare" and touch an electric fence that they SWORE was off, (it wasn't, and I never did get to play). Having a tea party and my brothers being so sweet and making "lemonade" that had a remarkably similar taste to Tabasco sauce. Playing "war" with sticks and chopping the "head" off all the dandelions. Having my thumb slammed into the door while my brother's carried out newspapers to be burned because I "had a very important job to help them with by holding said door" and our hyper cocker spaniel deciding then would be a good time to try and escape while his leash was connected to that door. I had some pretty cool stitches though! Sliding down the slide backwards at our school after church one evening, falling off at the top and breaking my nose and my brother carrying me into the church and leaving a trail of blood that stained it until new carpet was put in. Playing football in the house while my parents were grocery shopping, and being so proud of myself for making a touchdown...I think back now and recall how my brothers really didn't try to stop me so I'd keep playing. Playing "catch" with my brothers as I got a little older and able to actually "catch" the ball even though they had to throw it softer to me. Finally riding bareback with my neighbor's son on their monster show horse after waiting for "years" only to get bucked off and break my arm. Going to my brother's basketball games and "cheering". I'm sure it was highly embarrassing for them, but it sure was fun for me! Getting a pool for the first time and spending HOURS swimming with the family and laughing. Sitting around the kitchen table for meals and listening to my dad and brothers joke. Eating tatter tot casserole and trying to throw it away while nobody was watching, only to get caught and get a SECOND helping (I still dislike it)! Spinning each other on the swivel chairs while waiting for my mom to finish working at the school. Getting in a car wreck with my big brother and thinking I was big stuff whenever he took me with him anywhere, even after that. Going to camp and playing capture the flag for hours! So many more memories, good and not so good, but each one is a part of me and has shaped me into the person I am. Memories that have made my family who they are and people that I wouldn't trade for anything. Thinking back, I hope that Peyton can have some of those same memories, whether it be with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or her own immediate family. Memories that make her laugh and cry, but at the end of the day make you into a better person. Memories that make you grateful for the family you have.

"It was the best of times, It was the worst of times"

2010-11-19T23:30:00.000-08:00

So lately I've been doing quite a bit of Holiday baking for different occasions and it's caused me to start thinking about some things that I look forward to doing with Peyton as she gets older... Don't get me wrong, I don't want her to get older TOO quickly, just thinking of things that will be so fun to teach a little girl. One of those things is teaching her how to cook and bake. Of course, thinking about teaching my own daughter these things, made me remember some moments with my own mom in the kitchen. One in particular never fails to make me laugh, and has been known to be brought up if a certain "dish" is mentioned in our house when our family is together.
I think I was about 7 years old and I had probably been begging my mom to let me "make" something for quite a while before she finally gave in. I mean, it was only right since I was the ONLY girl and my brother Shane had been baking cookies since he was about my age and would NEVER let me help. I'm sure I pestered (I mean patiently waited for) my mom to let me do something on my own until she finally gave in one Saturday. I remember it QUITE clearly. My dad and brothers had sequestered themselves into the laundry room/ sewing room to sit around an itty bitty black & white tv to watch some kind of sport (I believe it was football). My mom thought this would be a good time to start "teaching" me to cook. She had this really neat Children's Cookbook that I was SO excited to use and let me pick out my own recipe for a "snack" for the guys. Well, I remember picking out two or three, and mom narrowing down my choices to one by looking at the difficulty and how long it would take and deciding on bread pudding. Imagine my youthful excitement of "cooking" for the very first time. I followed the recipe to the letter, even triple checking! Okay, maybe that was my mom who did the triple checking, but I waited patiently with each measurement while she did it. :) Finally it was done and in the dish, time to place it in the fridge for a few hours and let it "set up". A few hours later FINALLY came (it seemed like forever in my little mind), after I "checked" it several times just to see if maybe the recipe was wrong and it didn't REALLY take that long, my mom declared it finished and called my dad into the kitchen. At that point he had no idea what he was getting himself into. I remember clearly my mom telling him this was my very first time cooking, that he and my brothers needed to eat a helping, even if they didn't want to, so it would make me feel good. So in come my brothers and my dad gives them each (including himself) a nice big helping. I was so proud of myself and went into the room to get "feedback" on my abilities as a master chef, only to hear one of my brothers, (I don't remember which one now), ask my dad if they really had to eat "this stuff" because it tasted horrible. Imagine the pain I instantly felt at such cruel remarks!! I did have a hero in my dad who responded, "Yes, just do it for your sister." I was still a little hurt by their less than excited reaction to my cooking so I went to take a taste of it myself. After taking one spoonful, I declared it utterly abhorrent and unfit for man OR beast! Okay, so maybe I just said "yuck"..and refused to eat any more of it. In the span of time between me watching my brothers reaction to my cooking, and testing it myself, my poor brothers had gulped down that nasty recipe in a hurry to try to get it over with. If only they had waited just a little longer, they would have gotten out of eating it, since the "chef" didn't even like it. Because of their sacrifice I'm still willing to try out "new" recipe's, but you probably won't EVER see bread pudding on any of our kitchen tables. If you invite one of us over for a meal, are serving bread pudding, and wonder why we aren't eating it, blame me. I am the reason that at the mention of "bread pudding" it might cause them to look a little sick.

Peyton Lynnae

2010-10-05T21:05:00.000-07:00

Daddy's gift

2010-10-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

Normally I write posts about things that happen to me, but lately it seems that Chad has been on the end of some rather funny moments. Here's one from the very first week of Peyton's life.

Peyton was apparently blessed with great bowels and loved to give them a workout from the very first day of birth. Going off the charts of what was "expected" of newborns diapers. That being said, I didn't realize she had a "special power" till we got home. I was sitting on the couch talking to my mom after feeding Peyton when she had quite the need for a diaper change. Chad had just walked in and, trying to be sweet, offered to change her. He takes Peyton into her room to the changing table and about two minutes later we hear (in a high-pitched worried voice) "A little help here"!! Of course, I can't hurry anywhere at this point, so my mom rushes into the room and I hear a burst of laughter, so I decide this is worth getting up for and join them. When I get in there I see my mom trying to clean up my daughter and my husband trying to clean up the dresser (which doubles as the changing table), the armoire, and the wall! Apparently in his rush to change her he had forgotten to get a diaper out before taking her dirty one off, and Peyton had decided to initiate her Daddy. She had blown poop over everything within a three foot radius, thankfully not on the floor though. So now Daddy has learned a lesson, always have a clean diaper ready to go before taking the dirty one off. :D If you come visit don't worry though, it has all been disinfected!

My Gift, "Before I knew you I loved you"

2010-10-05T19:38:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while since my last post and a lot has happened! For one, I managed to make it through the last "waddle"stage of pregnancy without too many more "blond" moments and relatively few mishaps. These are a few things I've learned in the last month or so.
1. Waking up fifty billion times ever night to use the bathroom DOES prepare you for your child's entrance into this world and nightly needs.
2. Said bathroom trips are usually quicker than said child's nighttime needs.
3. Clothes I wore before pregnancy somehow stretched and shrunk in all the wrong places...some are too big and some are too small.
4. Whoever said it was easy to find *cough undergarments for a nursing mommy, was WRONG. And whoever it was, it was a bad joke! Seriously.. do you KNOW how unhandy it is when you don't have the right clothing?! I'm sure someone SOMEWHERE out there has to be the same size as myself..but as of right now, no mommy in Europe or America is buying or making them besides myself. Who would have though I could start a new market?! ha ha
5. Because of said garment challenge, I have found that going ANYWHERE for longer than a 4 hr period, is pretty much out of the question and makes for VERY quick shopping trips. Too bad half of those trips are spent driving!
6. Being a mom makes me have the best AND the worst days.
7. Who knew that a baby could mess up a whole set of clothing with one bowel movement.
8. Said clothing should be treated immediately, but may never be the same again. No matter how quickly it's treated. And somehow I have a mental block about putting that clothing back on her, even if the stains come out completely!
9. One smile from your baby makes the worst of days better.
10. Crying from that same baby with no known reason is usually the CAUSE of those worst days.
And last but not least, watching my husband learn how to care for his daughter and interact with her are the moments I'll cherish forever.

Thought number 6 leads me to the real thoughts behind this post, being a mom. I posted about our struggle to get pregnant, about the miracle of our pregnancy and the gift God gave us. I hadn't taken the time till no to post about the birth, and our "gift's" entrance into this world, so here it is.

We went to the hospital on Sunday afternoon, August 15th, a few days after her "due date" to be induced. This was great timing since Papa made it into town about 2pm that same afternoon, so we were glad he would be able to be there for the birth if it happened that same day. To make a rather long story short, they broke my water but the inducement didn't work, and after several hours of labor into the next day, and the baby and I both being on monitors, I hadn't progressed anywhere near where I needed to be. At some point there were signs that something was going wrong and my midwife and the doctor came in to check on my progression. After they did their checking I was hit with, "you are not going to have this baby anyway but by c-section and you really don't have very long to make your decision. In fact, I had literally five minutes to decide something that really wasn't a "decision". So we were rushed into surgery and 45 minutes from the time the doctor and midwife gave me my "options", Peyton Lynnae entered this world. Now, that sounds all nice and easy, but let me tell you, it wasn't all fun and games. Apparently, Peyton was nice and comfy inside her home of nine months, and had decided to wedge herself in and stay for a while. When the doctor decided to cut her out, she "dug her heels in", that is to say, she was stuck. With two nurses (according to my husband) pushing on me from the top side and the doctor pulling they finally managed to get her out, but during this process, my body decided to go on strike. The veins that they had put IV's in for meds decided they were done and infiltrated, leaving no options for medication in a hurry. With several people trying to find veins (oh, did I mention they have a hard time finding my veins anyways, and when they do they generally can't poke them?) the doctor was getting a little on edge. With all the shoving and pushing I was losing quite a bit of blood and they weren't able to get the meds in the way they prefer to. Needless to say, they did end up going to option two and three which was giving me a shot directly to my uterus to help slow down the bleeding, but the bleeding had become a real issue at that point. They finally found a vein and got meds pumping but at this point my levels were very low which was something they monitored closely in the hospital and am still dealing with. So there is my "birth" story..... We are thankful that God's hand was on both Peyton and myself, and the moment I heard her little voice crying out, it didn't matter what I had gone through, I was just glad she was here.
Now, I say it didn't matter what I had gone through, but don't get me wrong, I'm not in a hurry to do it again anytime soon!!!
So now my gift is here. The long awaited baby that I have prayed about for over two years and had become a reality for the last nine months. The gift that had changed our lives just by finding out she was on her way, and now would affect the rest of our lives (we hope in a positive way..ha). This little baby that I had packed so many hopes and dreams into, was absolutely perfect in this mommy's eyes. Maybe it was the drug induced state, but I like to think she was absolutely beautiful from her very first moments outside the womb. I do of course realize that each and every mom thinks her child is perfect, that's our right and nobody better try to tell us otherwise! :)
After those first few moments I suddenly realize that I can't even get out of bed by myself, how in the world am I going to take care of this baby?! I was planning on a natural birth, not surgery! Thankfully I have a VERY gracious family and everything worked out for my mom to stay longer to help out and I was able to take some time to heal without worrying about Peyton 24/7. Now, I'm almost to the point (health wise) of being allowed to exercise more than walking on a track and I'm looking forward to getting RID of the gift Peyton left me with. :) Some gifts are better than others!

Pregnancy Story

2010-05-31T09:24:00.000-07:00

So usually I try to keep most of my embarrassing/blonde moments to myself, they are so common that it feels overwhelming to actually ADMIT to them. I couldn't resist sharing this moment though, so here it is.
About two weeks ago I traveled with Chad to a printing shop about an hour from our house to try out a new printer he was looking at. It was a last-minute trip and I didn't have time to grab a book or anything to keep me occupied while Chad was working. After sitting on the couch in the office playing a game on my phone for over an hour (and my phone almost dead) I decided I needed something else to do, so I told Chad I was going to go look for a book or magazine. Thankfully there was a Kroger's grocery store right down the walk-way so I didn't have to go far to look. I walked in and ended up searching every aisle before I finally found the right one, but I did find it! Not only did they have a VERY small selection of books, but they didn't have anything worth reading, so I moved on to the magazines. Now, I'm not a really big "magazine" person. I do enjoy an occasional craft/decorating magazine but usually I gravitate towards those that have recipes in them. Seeing that there were several magazines fitting that category, I was really excited and did not take into consideration the location of said magazines. They just happened to be on the bottom shelf of this rack so, not thinking, I hunkered down to begin my browsing to find the perfect magazine to take back with me. After spending quite a bit of time down there, it occurred to me that most of the cooking magazines were filled with articles instead of recipes and it would be a waste of money to purchase such a magazine. A little irritated at not finding anything to fill my time with, I decided it was time to return to the shop. Easier said than done I might add. Apparently after squatting down for over 20 minutes browsing this magazine selection, my legs forgot the job they were intended for, either that, or they were going on strike with the added girth of my baby girl weighing down my front side and affecting my balance. My first attempt at rising from my position on the floor was quite sad, and I'm sure the lady standing beside me enjoyed the look I know had to be on my face when I realized getting up was going to be more difficult than normal. I simply wasn't able to make those legs do all the work they were supposed to do! I mean really, who would have thought a pregnant woman squatting for 20 minutes could play such havoc with the ability of your legs?! After sitting there for another five minutes thinking how embarrassing it was going to be to have to ask someone for help and pretending to browse the fine selection of cooking magazines I had already browsed, I decided I could not bring myself to do it, and started thinking of other options. There was a shelf right above my head holding another selection of magazines so I decided that would work fine to leverage myself up. Praying the entire time that the shelf wouldn't break, I grabbed hold and managed to pull myself up enough to allow my legs enough room to do their job. I promptly walked back to the shop where Chad was working and informed him that I now needed one of those emergency call buttons that inform people when you've fallen and need help getting back up. I'm not sure if it was the extended period of time I was squatting down there or what, but I've decided to never go shopping alone after that, or at least until this baby arrives.

We're Pregnant!

2010-02-10T13:11:00.001-08:00

Okay! Most people already know by now that Chad & I are expecting an addition to our family, but somehow it just didn't seem right that I hadn't blogged about such a blessing in our life. It didn't come easy, by any means, but the gift God has given us brings tears to my eyes each day. Whether it's a new pain or feeling of nausea with such tasks as brushing my teeth, I cherish each moment because of what it means for us. Not that I don't still complain when I wake up five times during the night to use the restroom, don't get me wrong, but it's worth going through for the end result. Some may be thinking.. "She's pregnant, okay...what's the big deal", and not understand what it has taken to get to this point. So here's a few of the details to help you understand why I feel grateful for God's little miracle.

August of 2007 Chad and I were married, we decided we wanted to wait about a year before adding to our family. We did not, though, want to use birth control, so knew our chances were slight that we might be adding before we planned to. We did not, and about six months after our marriage we went on vacation with Chad's family. On the way home, driving through Alabama, I had some issues with Kidney stones, an infection, and some freaky heart issues along with a large weight gain over those few months with no reasonable reason. Needless to say, I am my father's daughter and did not check out those heart issues when I came home, but it did make me think I wanted to add to our family sooner rather than later. Chad agreed and the story begins. I've struggled with some personal physical issues for several years and took the opportunity now that we were wanting a family to visit a doctor. To my dismay, there were more issues than I had "planned" on. The weight gain I had was a cause of some of these issues and I started taking medication to help keep it from getting worse and control other symptoms. We were also told that our chance of having kids was slim and the sooner we started trying, the better our options would be. We decided to hold off on taking fertility drugs until we had time to pray and think about it. At some points I thought, maybe this is God's answer, maybe we shouldn't push this. Other times my desire for children seemed overwhelming! Thankfully my husband was very understanding! After a few months of trying to do this on our own, we decided to start the first stage of fertility treatment. This was an extreme up and down road for me. Wondering if this was the month, terrible mood swings from the medication, and both the fertility and other medication I was taking making me sick every day. My hopes being dashed as every month the answer was the same, and trying not to lose that hope that God wouldn't have given me this desire if He didn't intend to fulfill it. Slowly the fertility dosage was raised until I was taking the maximum amount for this particular treatment. Still no luck, and not only not pregnant, but didn't even show an opportunity to GET pregnant. That summer I talked to my Aunt who is a midwife and has a ton of knowledge about herbs and started taking some herbs as well as sticking to a tough diet she had made for me. It was hard for me to get to the point of sharing our struggles! I felt like such a failure at times, knowing it was my body that was preventing us from having children. Still not pregnant though and, with several family members and friends having babies, it was tough. I was happy for everyone around us, and extremely excited to meet each child, but still wanted that same thing for my family. The Doctor's gave us our next option, more expensive, more side-affects, and could only be used every other month. We decided to go ahead with it, deciding that we would only do one treatment, and took the treatment in November of 2009. It was a no go, after ultrasounds, the first giving us hope, the second dashing it, the doctor's called and said there was no way we were going to get pregnant that month and to not even finish the treatment, to wait and call them in two or three weeks for medication. We were devastated, and thought this was the end. After waiting three weeks I took a pregnancy test before calling the doctor, it was negative but several things happened to where I couldn't get into the doctor, one of them being Thanksgiving. About two weeks before Christmas I still hadn't been able to get into the Dr., nor get medication for a cycle. Knowing they would want another pregnancy test, I took one knowing what the results would be. Boy was I wrong! At first I was extremely excited, it was positive!!! Then reality hit, if there could be false negatives, could there be false positives caused by my other issues? Take into consideration that this is about five weeks after the doctors said there were absolutely no possibilities. I called my Dr. and made an appointment to have a test. It was positive there too, two weeks later over the Christmas Holidays, I had another test that confirmed I was pregnant. So here I am now, knowing that God controlled the making of this baby, that when all the doctors said it wasn't going to happen, God had already made it happen. When I thought my dreams of having children were at an end, God was saying, this is just the beginning. He protected me from taking medication that would have taken that life away by making me feel I was too busy to see the doctor until the point that my body was able to realize it was pregnant. Not that there won't be ups and downs, or haven't been. But this little miracle has proven once again what a gracious, loving, heavenly Father I have, a Father who gives amazing gifts to His children.

Politics

2010-01-11T16:47:00.001-08:00

Recently I have had my share of "political" discussions with people I know and some I don't even know, while some discussions I've only been a viewer of. I'm not really a "political" person but I find myself becoming increasingly irritated by some people's opinions and things they say. I have my own ideas of the way I think things should be and about who the type of people leading this Country should be. Just because I have these ideas doesn't mean I demand other people share them even if I do believe them to be the best, but when I see other "politically conservative" people trashing the values of other conservatives and making light of issues that should be important to them and are to others, or family issues that they don't know about, I get a little irritated. Where are the values that our parents raised us with? Just because we are adults now doesn't mean that respect for other people should be thrown out the window, and just because you disagree with someones ideas or what they choose to do with their life, doesn't give you the right to be rude and unthoughtful. How would you feel to have your life pulled through media filled trash, to see your children publicly humiliated and your lives become something you never dreamed it would be? To have to put your dreams on hold to give your children a better life, to make a decision for a career and have everyone give you a label normally deserved for hollywood wannabes. To fight for something you believed in and have everything you worked so hard for dragged through the mud? What makes YOU God so that you know their thoughts and motives behind every decision that others make. Shame on not only the politically conservative people, but those that call themselves Christians to post things publicly that you don't have any clue about and that belittles another person. Why don't we focus on what we can do to change this Country for the better, instead of on the most recent gossip?! Which we all know is media fed, and since they ALWAYS tell the entire truth we should believe everything they say. In a perfect world maybe, but we all know this is not it. What happened to the "politically conservative" adults who got a great education and were STILL able to stay conservative? How did it become so easy to take other people's views on government and life instead of God's? What happened to learning about life, making our own decisions about it, but still doing what was RIGHT? When did it become so easy to belittle people that try to do what's right and forgetting about those who are doing everything in their power to rip apart our families and nation?! I seem to remember being taught to focus on things that were true, honest and of good report. Too bad that's becoming a lost art.
There's my venting for the day.

Trying to catch up!

2010-01-02T18:29:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I haven't blogged in quite a while, a lot has happened in that time, but not much that I really want to take the time to write about. I do have a few highlights though!

On October 6th my newest niece, Kinsley, was born to Chad & Brook. We were VERY grateful for her safe arrival, since she was only about 5lbs at birth she had us worried, thankfully she seems to be doing quite well now though. My husband Chad & I were able to travel back to Oklahoma for her dedication and it was a double bonus that my niece Cambryn's birthday was while we were there. I stayed about a week longer to help out with Alivia & Kinsley if needed, then my parents met up with Chad in Missouri to drop me off.

Thanksgiving came and we traveled back to OK for the holiday with my parents and the rest of my family. We enjoyed a Thanksgiving evening meal with all of the extended family on the Cowherd side and even had some time to play a few games. The rest of the weekend was spent with my family and trying to work around all the different schedules. We celebrated an early Christmas with my family which was a blast with all of the kids and then returned to Indiana.

Christmas kind of snuck up on me this year, not in the gift department, as I buy all year long for Christmas, but the decorating!! I failed to realize last year when we purchased our family room furniture that it left no room for a Christmas tree downstairs. I was feeling slightly let down, even though we had put up the big 14ft tree upstairs the week after Thanksgiving, so Chad found a 3ft tree that nobody was using anymore to fill my decorating needs downstairs. Needless to say, it was a little sad looking, but at least I had a spot for all my Tigger ornaments that I love!

My parents were able to visit us for the week of Christmas and we had a very enjoyable time. As always time with family flies by too quickly. Christmas day we celebrated Christmas with Chad's extended family. Everyone soon went home for the evening except for a few that stayed around to play games, which was quite fun. My parents returned home Sunday after Christmas, much to my dismay but my brother's relief, and we soon fell back into the normal routine.

Chad has been crazy busy with work, while I've been home trying to build up the nerve to try out a sewing machine and serger on my own. Why didn't I listen to my mom when I had her undivided attention and willingness to teach me? That's one of those questions I will forever ask myself. So now here I am with a brand new serger and a new sewing machine (to me thanks to my mom) trying to figure out what all the buttons and levers are for and daring to hope that I might actually remember enough of what my mom taught me to keep from sewing my fingers to a piece of cloth. In my defense, who knew that 15 years later I'd be WANTING to sew, apparently my mom did, as she was so fond of saying "one of these days you'll wish you had paid attention". Gotta hate it when those words come back to bite ya. :) Thankfully she was kind enough to fill in my memory gaps on using a sewing machine but that still leaves the serger that my wonderful husband purchased for Christmas.... oh well.. off I go to conquer the world!! Or at least sewing. :)

Thoughts

2009-10-02T17:42:00.001-07:00

I've had a lot of time to "think" about things lately. How sometimes we really do walk through life without any control and never realize it. To some people this may not be surprising, to others it may come as a shock, to me, it was absolutely devastating. I am a "control freak" in the truest sense. I like to be in control, to live my life with a planned itinerary so to speak. I prefer to plan out my day a few days in advance and stick to that plan. Not that it has to be "my way or the highway", just that I like to know what's going to be happening. I don't like "surprise attacks" by life. It seems that recently I have been on the receiving end of a few of those "attacks" and realized how it is entirely impossible to get through them on my own. I need help. I'm not talking about familial help here, although that might be nice, sometimes those "attacks" come from the people that are closest to you. I'm talking about coming to the end of yourself and realizing you have no control. No control over what others do, or say, no control to a certain extent on what happens in the future, no control about certain health aspects in your life... that you are living a life where things might happen that are wrong and hurtful, but that you ultimately can't control those things. That there is only one source that you can fully rely on Who has absolute control. I'll be honest, it wasn't an easy lesson for me to learn, and perhaps I haven't quite passed the course yet, but I'm learning that really, the only thing I can control is me. How I react, or respond when things happen that I don't expect or appreciate. That God is in control and has a purpose for everything that happens, and that I have to be willing to drop the reigns of life and willingly hand them over to Him. It's not always easy, and I'm still struggling. I don't always understand why God allows things to happen, but it's a little easier to take when I remember that He is in control. I've recently realized that I can't control how people respond to me. I can't control whether or not they even like me! It's a lesson I think that God has been trying to teach me for years, but hopefully it has finally sunk in. It's not always easy to take, or fun, but realizing that I have no control is helping me learn that it's okay. That I have to live my life according to God's Word, control me (how I act/respond), and learn to let go in some areas.

Time Flies

2009-10-02T16:34:00.000-07:00

I wanted to wait until I had really given the " evil epilator" a chance before I posted next, I guess enough time has passed now for me to formulate a better opinion. :)
Well, the machine wasn't as bad as I thought at first. It really wasn't a tool of torture. After the fourth or fifth time it was even relatively painless, and it DOES actually last for several weeks at a time!! So for those of you who have been waiting for my response before you checked it out yourself....feel free to begin your adventure!

New Experiences

2009-08-02T19:43:00.001-07:00

This blog might not cover this topic in the traditional sense.... but the memories I'm about to share were quite painful. I thought about NOT posting it, but my husband convinced me that there might be women that read my blog that would be interested in knowing about this painful experience, that perhaps it would help her to make an educated decision in the future. So here it is.
Many years ago I reached the age that girls only dream of. The day we look forward to, that moment that defines us for life. The day I shaved my legs for the first time was such a glorious moment in the eyes of the child I once was, and I've complained about it ever since. Like many women, I've come to annoy this "pleasure". Who would have thought that you could spend so many years looking forward to something that ends up being such a pain? So anyways, you know the background now so on to the good stuff. Recently my wonderful husband (after listening to my complaints for two years) took it upon himself to correct the curse that befalls every woman. He bought me a machine called an epilator. For those of you who may not know what an epilator is, it's a small innocent looking machine. In fact, my machine even has a glitter looking handle! The point is to basically "pluck" the hairs along with roots to ensure smoother skin for a longer time, apparently up to 4 weeks with only "slight discomfort"!! Hearing my wonderful, loving husband verbalize this information, and looking at the innocent machine, I decide that this is WONDERFUL news for all women and that I should take advantage of the electronic gift. I read the directions thoroughly, didn't see anything alarming and charged that sucker up! 45 minutes later, I'm ready to go so I unplug the epilator, follow additional instructions and turn it on. The first moment it touches my skin I think to myself, "wow, this isn't really that bad, not going to hurt nearly as bad as I thought it would". At this stage I enter the point of no return and bring the epilator into the first contact with the lovely hairs of my leg and thus felt the worst pain I have ever inflicted upon myself. When I say this little innocent machine packed a terrible punch, I'm not exaggerating! I'm pretty sure the little tweezer arms inside the head of the machine separated the pores on my leg, dug down to the bone THEN grabbed whatever it could reach it's little arms around and tore it all out of a hole the size of a needle point. Now, smarter women would have thought to themselves that this was more than enough pain for them and would stick to shaving. Not me! I look at this sweet looking machine and think, "I will not let this evil product win, I've got to show that I can handle this". So, me being me, I attacked my leg with this machine, gritted my teeth, and eyes watering up, proceeded to finish the job I had started. I couldn't let myself slow down, I was afraid once I stopped that I wouldn't build up the nerve to start again. I got up to the knees before I couldn't handle anymore, only to look at my legs....the poor, swollen, red stumps I used to be able to walk on. At this point I was thinking how dumb I was for trying it in the first place, but then I remember it was my husband's idea. The man that promised to love and cherish me!! How could such a sweet man have forced such an experience on his loving wife?! Okay, so maybe I wasn't forced and maybe he really thought he was offering my a wonderful gift. Maybe I really don't have as great a pain tolerance as I thought I did. Regardless, red, bruised legs don't lie. Maybe a week from now I'll think it was worth it, but for now... beware of pretty packages designed to attack the unsuspecting female.

Thoughts

2009-07-27T00:23:00.000-07:00

It finally hit me today. Probably not for the first time, nor the last, but the thought entered my mind that I am an adult. Forever thrust into the world of family, jobs & decisions. I remember my dad talking to me when I wanted to get my first job. He said, "Amber, don't rush growing up...once you get there you can't turn back and it's not as fun as it looks, enjoy being young while you can." At the time I snickered to myself, thinking he was just trying to keep me the "baby" of the family. Maybe it did run through my mind that he was attempting to do what all good father's should, and protect me for just a little bit longer, but that thought was fleeting. I got angry when he told me no, and thought what a terrible decision he had made. He did know though, and now here I am trying to decide if decisions I have to make are going to be the best for MY family. Thinking to myself that I never knew I'd be faced with these things, trying to imagine what it would do to OUR future. Nobody can make these decisions for me, and it doesn't just affect me. The pressure of making the "right" decision seems overwhelming. "Should I", or "shouldn't I" are the thoughts most prevalent in my mind. "Is this what God wants for me, or would He have worked it out without me making the decision if it was right? Am I following His will for my life, or attempting a detour?" I keep thinking my dad was right, it's not as fun as it looks and sometimes it's not even enjoyable, but here I am. If God knows the number of hairs on my head and sees each sparrow that falls, then surely He cares about the decisions that weigh me down and, just like my dad, wants to help me make the right decision, but only when the time is right. This is the second thought that hit me, and it's this one that I'm attempting to concentrate on, even if it's not always easy.

Attack of the killer spider!!

2009-06-22T21:18:00.000-07:00

This may come as a complete surprise....but I am deathly afraid of spiders. Little one, big ones, spotted ones, brown ones, black ones, it really doesn't matter what they look like, they all freak me out. And not just a little bit. This is an out-right phobia! I have been known to throw shoes at them, as well as call for the nearest person to come kill them, instead of just killing them myself. Needless to say, I get a little hyper when I see one crawling about. Last week I came into face-to-face contact with one of these not so lovely creatures. I was riding along in my mom's car, minding my own business while heading towards a store when I notice a weird looking spot on her dash. Well, mom had spilled a drink in there a few days earlier, so at first I thought it was just a spot she had missed when cleaning up the mess. Not so! As I took a closer look, I realized to my dismay that it was a spider. Not even just an itty bitty spider either! This spider was about the size of a nickle, including legs. In may way of thinking, riding in a car at such a close proximity with ANY spider is terrible, but riding with one that's bigger than a pencil eraser is unacceptable. I frantically looked around for something to squash it with....only to come up empty handed. My mom is busy driving, and is no help at all. She is talking on the phone with my dad and laughing at my predicament. Finally she tells me to use a book of Sunday School literature....well...I did.. but this spider was so flat that the Sunday School literature didn't squash it!!! Not only did it NOT squash it, but it clung to the book and jumped into my purse on the floor in front of me. Since you know about my fear now, you know that I was not at all happy about this new seating arrangement! At this point I have pulled my legs up in the seat of the car and scooted as far back in the seat as I possibly can, my mom is laughing so hard I'm surprised we didn't get into a wreck...and I'm trying to figure out how to get this spider out of my purse. We are now stopped at a stop light and my mom sees the spider crawling out of my purse onto the handle of my purse. She then proceeds to to attempt squash it onto my seat. This was not a good idea. The spider THEN began to crawl ON my seat. Yes, I realize I'm 25 years old and should not be reacting in such a manner, but believe me when I say, it was absolutely uncontrollable. I'm near tears when I finally see the spider on the side of my seat, I grab that ever-so-handy Sunday School literature and squash that spider! So maybe it wasn't even capable of harming me, so maybe it was more scared than I was, so maybe I overreacted, so what! That spider will not be crawling on MY seat again, and I must say the next time a spider rides in a car with my mom and me....I hope it crawls on HER seat!

Oklahoma Visit

2009-06-18T22:05:00.000-07:00

So you know that I went to Oklahoma for a visit, well, it's been a blast. Last week I enjoyed spending time with Shane & Marla's kids. I haven't been able to spend nearly as much time with their youngest two as I was with their oldest, so this was an awesome opportunity for me. Shane & Marla had a basketball camp during the day, and since it was Treven's first year to participate, I only had the two girls. I got to cuddle with sweet Taylin and learn more about who my lovely niece Cambryn was growing up to be. It seems like just yesterday I was filming her as she was born, and watching Treven catch his first glimpse of her. Time has passed MUCH too quickly for me! She's got such a fun little personality, and after one week.. I say.. watch out mommy & daddy!

Taylin is a little cutie, and quite a big mommy's girl. It's so neat to see her reaction when Marla walks in the room to pick her up. Don't get me wrong, she has lots of smiles for Daddy, but mommy holds the key to her heart right now. :) Even though she's only 9 months old she's already got such a cute little personality!

The week wouldn't have been complete without going to watch Treven participate in his first Bulldog Basketball Camp. It was so much fun watching him play, and even MORE fun to watch him play in the highschool practice jersey! It was more like a dress on him and in his way most of the time. Even though he was quite a bit smaller than most of the other players, he wasn't intimidated in the least, and was a pretty good little defense player. He's growing up so quickly, and it was this realization that made ME more than a little sad. Being so far away makes me appreciate these times so much more, but I'd still like to push "pause" on life sometimes.

Although I spent much of my first week with Shane & Marla's family, I did spend quite a bit of time with Chad & Brook's Alivia. She's growing up too and doing so many things! She's becoming a little talker and it's fun to listen to her.

I know.. I'm a bit biased, but I just love these kids and think they're amazing!

Last week was jam-packed with so many things, it's too hard on my brain to remember them all, so I'll leave those for a later date.

THIS week Treven, Cambryn, & Taylin spent the night at Grandma's and we had a blast. The next day we decided to take ALL the grandkids (excluding baby girl Cowherd not yet born) to get their picture taken. It was more work than I had anticipated....but was a lot of fun and hopefully well worth it! The kids did a wonderful job considering the photographer was extremely loud and "in their faces". She kept using this duster thing to tickle their faces and I held my breath more than once, waiting for one of the kids to say something about it, but they did a great job and we ended up with some nice photo's in the end. Afterwards we went back to Grandma's for a dip in the pool. It was a lot of fun and included a lot of laughter.

Well, that's the main highlights of my trip so far, I've skipped several humorous moments with the kids, and times spent with mom & dad, but I might catch you up on those later. I'm off for now, to come back another day!

Long Time Coming

2009-06-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, So I realize it's been quite a while since I posted anything new...in my defense, it's been a crazy couple of months. I'm officially done with school (teaching assistant part) and moving on to SUMMER! The last week of school was crazy with everything going on. Recitals and awards ceremonies are not what I remember, lets just leave it at that. :)

I'd just like to point out that there should be some sort of law on how many family members can graduate, have babies, or get married in one year. Let me explain. I had 9 graduations, I have/had 6 weddings and 6 baby showers already..more to come! AHH!! WHAT IS IN THE WATER?! Whatever it is, it's not in mine. :)

Regardless, with all of the graduations, parties and showers I haven't really been "digging" the whole writing aspect of blogging. But now I am, and the world may rest at ease knowing that I have returned!

So you may be asking, "What's new?". To this I reply..........hold it... deep breath.....wait for it.... NOTHING! HA! And you thought I would have some big news to disclose... Oh well...

I got to spend a WONDERFUL day with a good friend on Monday. I haven't seen her since my brother Chad's wedding! We both traveled 3 hours and met up in Lexington (yes..I did manage to get there without getting lost, for those that remember my ability to lose all sense of direction even with GPS). She brought her two adorable kids with her and it was a lot of fun. Looking forward to spending more time with them soon.

I almost decided to leave this part of the post out, but here it goes anyway. Many of you may recall how I seem to be accident prone...well, last year about this same time I was attempting to mow a slightly steep section of our yard. In my attempt to cut the yard to perfection, I got a wee bit close to the retaining wall and took a flying leap over it, knocking down parts of the wall. Thankfully, I survived. Oh! Don't worry, the mower did too! I was a bit shook up and worried for the mower, but all was well. Since that time I have been extremely careful with the mower, since it was Chad's baby I didn't want to be the one to break it. Well, my carefulness did not pay off. I broke it. "How?" you might ask? Imagine my surprise when a big rock comes hurtling onto my drive in front of me, I attempt to swerve but it's no use.. okay.. so that's not exactly how it happened. I DID hit a big rock, with the side of the deck...and the poor mower didn't stand a chance. The moral of this story is....don't try to be careful because you will break it anyway. :)

Chad and I are headed off to Oklahoma for a visit with my family on Thursday. He'll only be staying a few days, while I get to stay for three weeks!!! I have mixed feelings about this.. I mean.. seriously.. who wants to leave their husband for three weeks?! Think about all the damage they can do to your house!!!! HA! Seriously though, it will be a lot of fun spending time with all my nieces and nephew, but I sure wish he would be there too. Should I cook meals and freeze them? Would he eat them anyway? Without a fast-food restaurant nearby, he's likely to starve! Since this is the first time since we've been married that I've left him for such a long time, I'm sure you can understand my concerns. :)

I'm sure I will have plenty more posts soon, as I will be well entertained by my family. For now, this is all I've got so continue on as you were.

Spring Break 09

2009-03-26T17:42:00.000-07:00

This year was a little different for us than Chad's past tradition. We had a change of plans from going on vacation with his family, to meeting my parents in Branson, Missouri. Although we would have enjoyed his family, we were more than happy to visit with my parents. We left right after I got off work on Friday and traveled 7 hours to the cabin we had rented. My parent were able to get there a little bit before us so had already picked their room. Mom swears she didn't notice that our bedroom had sheer curtains, but I'm not convinced. :) Saturday we slept in and just hung out at the cabin until that evening when we went Lambert's restaurant and then to the musical "Noah" at the Sight & Sound theatre. This was such an awesome play!! I'm looking forward to going again some day.

The trip BACK to the cabin was quite interesting. Perhaps it was because mom was on the phone and unable to give her opinion (ha ha mom), or maybe it was because the men (Dad & Chad) were tired and easily confused. Regardless, we started off by driving the wrong direction...and once we realized this (30 minutes later) tried to get directions off of Chad's map on his phone, which didn't work out very well for us.

Finally, I was allowed to use MY phone and the GPS..which got as safely on the right road. But this was not to be the end of our crazy journey.. no.. my mom and & I (thirsty after such a lengthy ride) spotted a Sonic (yum!) and talked the guys into stopping. By now we had already been teasing Dad & Chad about their driving and map reading abilities, and yes.. it WAS dark.. and perhaps the lines weren't quite as visible as they should have been, but somehow Dad didn't see the right side of the road (maybe he thought it was a one-way?). He proceeded to calmly turn onto the wrong side of the road after the exit ramp (amidst much laughter) until he got to the road leading to Sonic. I can't remember my Dad every doing anything so hilarious on accident, and the trip was worth it just for that. Love you Dad!

Sunday we stayed at the cabin and enjoyed just resting up and later playing dominoes. This was Chad's first time to play, and maybe his last. ha! Monday was Mom and Dad's last day but before they left we were able to eat lunch together and then played a game of put-put golf. I'm not really a golfer (even put-put). It's just not my thing, but we all had fun. Dad & Chad (the golfers of the bunch) were the only one's to hit their golf balls into the bushes.....and we all ended the game at least close to the ideal score. Mom and Dad had to leave right after that and Chad and I continued on to the outlet mall for a couple of hours until time to head to the Dixie Stampede. This was my first visit to this show, and although it was really interesting and fun, I figured out I'm not much of an "eating with my hands" type person. The meal served at the show wasn't served with forks or even spoons, which made me all the more thankful to return home to my own personal drawer full of them!

We left the cabin on Tuesday morning and Chad talked me into stopping at the Arch. Keep in mind I'm a little claustrophobic, and a LOT scared of heights! I thought all I'd have to deal with was the heights.. but no. After we got there and stood in front of the little door to enter what appeared to be a VERY little elevator system, I realized I was in for a big surprise. I made it safely up to the top and was fine viewing the bridges and tops of buildings....it wasn't until Chad thought of the wonderful idea of taking pictures of the ground and our SUV that I began to get sick. At that point I was ready to leave...only to share an incredibly small space with a 6' gentleman and his girlfriend. There was NOT enough space, and the girl riding with us was quite talkative. All I could think was how my mom would have made great friends with her! (love you mom!)
We arrived safely back home Tuesday evening and even though we were tired in the end, thoroughly enjoyed our vacation. The only disappointment was having to say goodbye to my parents again. Thanks for making the trip Mom & Dad !!

Random Chattering

2009-03-05T18:14:00.000-08:00

This week has been incredibly hectic for Chad & me. While he has been away for most of it at a convention to promote his family's company, I have been at home working and trying to tie up loose ends with my nursing school. I have come to several conclusions over this long week, the first is this.. if you miss more than one dentist appointment because you went at the wrong time, you might need to start writing it down. Secondly, it is MUCH better to be missed..than to be the one doing the missing. Being the spouse home in the afternoon after work while the hubby has been gone has NOT been enjoyable! Thirdly, I should never leave home without GPS, as it is impossible for me to NOT get lost while driving by myself.. I headed to a town 15 minutes away to get something to eat, since I was by myself and didn't feel up to cooking just for me. HA! Anyways, I got into the town and decided, you know, this is really silly, I should just eat at home. So I turned right.. then left.. then another left thinking it would take me back to the main road I had been on. Take into consideration that this town I was in was VERY small. I soon realized that I had been mistaken in my thinking, and had thoroughly lost myself. SO, I found a road that looked like a highway....and drove until I found road signs..lol. needless to say.. my trip was a bit longer than I had intended. Last but not least, today I was attempting to copy testing material that the class will be taking tomorrow. It's several pages, so we put several staples in it to make it more like a book. As I was putting the last staple into the last test booklet, the stapler jammed. Well, this particular stapler obviously has a vendetta against me. It is always breaking and the staples get stuck so you have to pull open the stapler and pray that the spring loaded staples don't shoot you. Remembering that I've been shot a few times, I decided I would wisen up and hold the stapler AWAY from me while I tried to unjam it. The children were quietly working at their desks to the side of me and I really didn't want to make a seen, so I wisely held it to the side all the while hoping that THIS time it wouldn't pop out and hit me. Unfortunately, a staple did shoot out...but didn't hit me, I didn't see where it went so I went about my work and finished the last test booklet. I looked up too check on the children's progress only to see one of our more hyper students holding his ear and looking around with a bewildered look on his face. Of course, I was quick to ask him what was wrong all the while wondering what he could be up to this time. He then explained that he had felt something sharp hit his ear and in his words, "heard a zing go by his ear." I realized then that I had found my missing staple. So as you can see, I have had quite a productive week. Thankfully, it is almost over so perhaps I will be saved from additional stapler mishaps!

Valentine's Day

2009-02-15T20:57:00.000-08:00

A lot of people think Valentine's is over-rated and too commercialized. Thankfully, my husband is not one of them, nor am I. I absolutely LOVE valentine's day. In fact, I love the entire WEEK leading up to it!! I love taking the opportunity to do something unexpected to show my appreciation to my husband and other special people in my life. Not that you have to wait for this particular day to come each year, but it's a nice time to remind them. :) This year I was able to surprise Chad each day with something special, and was completely proud of myself. I thought I had finally "one-upped" him for once, but it didn't happen. Friday after school he "kidnapped" me without telling me where we were going. We finally arrived at a place called West Baden Springs Resort, about 30 minutes from our house. It's completely gorgeous! I was so surprised! It was lovely, relaxing and totally special. Saturday we got to enjoy an ENTIRE day together in the "big town" and although we didn't eat at the restaurant we chose first (there was a three hour wait) we did have a nice meal and a good time. I'm so thankful to have such a wonderful husband who is always making me feel so loved and cherished. The only down-side to the weekend....he forgot my camera. :)

25 Random Things About Me

2009-02-05T20:19:00.000-08:00

1. I did this once already and totally wimped out about writing what I really wanted to write
2. I have walked into the men's restroom too many times to count.. twice in the same day..in the same bathroom, and I still blush thinking about it.
3. I still cry when I leave family (or family leaves) after visiting..although I'll deny it because I HATE to cry.
4. I'm completely loyal to the one's I love.... and testing that theory is about the only thing that gets me truly upset.
5. It takes me a long time to open up to people, which is probably a good thing that way I don't scare people off with my goofiness.
6. I'm deathly afraid of failure...in anything/everything.
7. I hate picking up my husbands dirty socks, frankly.. I refuse unless there's something else to grab it with.
8. I realize my husband spoils me to death and wouldn't have it any other way.
9. One of my fondest memories is teaching my nephew the word "brobdingnagian" and it still makes me smile thinking about it.
10. I have broken BOTH pinkies being a clutz... I'll not mention the many other broken items but one of the pinkies was cleaning mirrors, which scares me to this day!
11. My greatest "moment" was sledding at college..right into a tree.. but I made the jump!
12. The worst year of my life was my freshman year of college.. deaths and mistakes that I'd love to take back.
13. I'll never forgive my brother for giving me a heart-attack when his quartet van ran off the road.
14. I've only ever kissed one man, which I'm so proud of! (my husband btw)
15. I hate being alone...even for just a few hours.
16. I recently have started a habit of tearing up during Disney films.
17. I'm an extremely proud aunt/wife/sister/daughter....but rarely toot their horns.
18. My first surgery I ever got to experience while in school was traumatizing...do NOT ask.
19. When I go to a restaurant with my husband I like for him to order for me but he rarely gets to because when the waitress looks at me I feel compelled to blurt it out.
20. I have NEVER been able to tell a good joke.. seriously.. I'm the worlds worst!
21. I was one of those goofy kids that listened to "records" dancing and acting out the song.
22. The best practical joke I ever did was saran-wrapping an RA @ GBS's car.
23. I catch myself at random moments counting things in sets of three.... if you know what this means tell me please!
24. I am bad about cracking up laughing about something that happened hours/days/weeks ago.
25. I thank God daily for friends that make my life interesting! :)

Quote

2009-01-14T17:00:00.000-08:00

So I saw this quote and it went something like this.

"In life, the microphone passes your lips but once . . . you had better be ready to sing."

I know it wasn't spoken by someone from a conservative background.. but it made think how true it was from a Christian perspective. God gives us opportunities to be a witness and all too often we aren't prepared to "sing" of His Wonder, Grace, Love and what He's done for us. I find myself all to quick to "shy" away from these moments lest I make a mistake or blunder, when I should be thankful for the opportunity and rest assured He will give the words. Just a thought about something I saw that made me think a little deeper.

1st Grade Craziness..

2009-01-14T14:13:00.000-08:00

Weird and unusual things seem to happen to me at random, unexpected moments and 23 1st graders returning to school after the break was no exception for something crazy to happen. We've had the "stomach bug" running rampant through the school and our class had several students home sick throughout the week. So picture this, I take 23 boys & girls for scheduled bathroom break 3 times a day. They are loud and rambunctious as this is a great opportunity to laugh and play with their friends, and I'm constantly shushing and reminding them "how to act in the hall". I hear yelling coming from the boys restroom so open the door slightly and call the culprits name "in my best teacher voice" thinking this will remind him to quiet down. I return to the children who are finished.. but about 30 seconds later.. the little heathen came to the door scantily clad...and barely covering areas we would rather not see and some we did. The child proceeds to "explain" why he had been yelling... telling me in gross, vivid details of bodily functions that go hand-in-hand with the "bug". I'm in shock and within 5 seconds I'm telling him to close the door, which he ignores. But as he turns around..(FINALLY)..proceeds to give me and 22 other students a view that I'd rather have left unseen. As what usually happens with 1st graders, there were many opinions voiced and shocked laughter. When it all hit me I had to hide my face to cover the laughter. I just kept thinking to myself, "how many other people get stuck in a situation like this and don't have a clue what to do". This week has thankfully progressed without anything TOO embarrassing and hoping it continues to run smoothly. As I dealt with that situation I thought how, more often than not, it seems that parent's are NOT teaching the basic modesty rules to their children. It's no wonder we have so many issues in our society if a child can come to school and not think twice of making such a display. Not having children myself, I know I'll probably view some things differently than others, but I dearly pray a child of mine never gives one of their teachers this same topic to discuss. :)

A New Year, A Fresh Start

2009-01-05T11:12:00.000-08:00

I find myself taking a few minutes to complete my one and only "New Year's resolution". Have you guessed it yet? Yes, it's blogging and joining the communication of the future. Did you ever truly realize how just non-user friendly technology can be? I've struggled for the last fifteen minutes just to add a music player. I know, it's not a necessary addition, but who wants to sit and blog without music?! Regardless of my inability to understand technology...here is what's been happening in our life.

December was a crazy month for us. Between last minute jobs for Chad, making cookbooks and memory books for me, or just the normal rush of life that happens around the Holiday season. We spent the week of Christmas back in Oklahoma surrounded by my family and enjoyed the newest addition to Shane's family. Taylin entered this world a few months ago, and althogh it seemed like she should still be a tiny bundle, she wasn't quite so small anymore... Treven & Cambryn were as enjoyable as ever, and since we stayed at their house for the week, we got to enjoy them to the fullest. Marla had just had surgery so we spent the first few days babysitting. Chad hasn't had the opportunity to spend a lot of time around younger children, so it was funny watching him interact with the kids as he tried to help me dress and feed the youngest two.

Time at mom and dad's was busy but we enjoyed spending it getting to know Alivia, even though she was busy cutting 5 teeth, and hanging out with Chad & Brook as well as my parents. We returned home and spent a few days with Chad's family for a "late Christmas" and now here I am.

So I sit here reflecting over the season and the year. Wondering if I took advantage of every opportunity to be a blessing to someone else, to love my family and friends unconditionally, said the right thing in a time of need, been thankful for the gifts God has given to me, and grateful for opportunities shown to me. I remind myself that I'm not perfect and am expected to make some mistakes, but one thing remains. I pray that I always remember why I am here, what my purpose is, and that if nothing else, I, and my family, remain true to that cause...to love and serve God unconditionally.

There you have it...my first blog.