The Lesser of Two Evils

Wow, one week until Christmas and I still don't have all of my shopping done.  It seems like I have been busier this year than the last...well...ever.  I guess that's how life gets though.  The older we are, the busier we get.  Especially when you have three kids.  I am so happy though.  I am so Thankful that God has blessed me with these kids.  I just want to protect them with my life from this crazy world.
I recently had a conversation with my mom about the twilight movies and Bella's choice of Edward. We finally saw Breaking Dawn, which was a bit cheesy, but I enjoyed the experience.  Anyway, we somehow got on the topic of vampires being evil. My mom feels that Bella should have chosen Jacob due to his uh heartbeat.  Maybe that's true, but I didn't write the books.  I do know that vampires are not of God's creation, but I don't think the Native American Tribes in the story were exactly Christian.  If so, I missed that part.  I found myself asking if God would create humans to "shape shift" the way they do.  And while I haven't researched it in the Bible, since I don't care to waste any amount of time trying to prove whether or not every character in Twilight is good or bad, I can't help but think that it's all kind of evil.  On both sides.  Now, I know it's just a story, and I have read all of the books and watched all of the movies, but if we are speaking in real-life terms here, I am certain that I would not want to be involved with either of those fellows.  Now, I attempted to explain my reasoning to my mom, to which she replied,
 "the lesser of two evils."
I have heard that saying many, many times in my life without giving it a second thought.  Even agreeing with it at points, but when I heard it the other night there was not one part of my body, soul, or mind that agreed with those words.  Evil is evil and satan is evil and God is good.
Evil has no place in any of our lives, or at least it shouldn't.
This is the kind of thinking that our world is in though.  Choose the lesser of two evils.
Why?  Why should we have to choose evil at all?  We don't. We don't.  So many believe this to be true and acceptable and it sickens me.  We don't have to choose evil at all people.  We can choose God.  We can choose Jesus Christ.  We can choose the opposite of evil.
 That is all I have to say for today.  I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.
 God Bless Everyone!

That song keeps playing over and over in my mind, or just that one verse of that song.
"The heart has a language of it's own.
It speaks in tongues and quiet sighs and prayers and proclamations." 
Just that verse.  It is simply beautiful. I don't even really like the rest of the song all that much.  Well, maybe I do. 

 I bought a used karaoke machine today, only to get it home and realize it doesn't work. I'm returning it in the morning.  I also purchased some nice crocheted beanies at the antique store. And while I was there decided to try on a $1500 emerald ring.  It was a rather large on my finger though.  Oh, and Rufus got a haircut. He looks so darling, I almost forgot he was a poodle.

 I think I want a made for Christmas.  I want an older one, not the young, hot ones that sleep with your husband.  Okay, that is a sign of watching too many silly movies.  I'm sure that doesn't happen that often.  Or maybe it does.  Or maybe I can just buy a robotic made.  Of course, then I would probably end up like Will Smith in I, Robot. 

Grass

It's funny how the grass always seems greener on the other side.  The truth is that all the grass is green or all the grass is brown on both sides.  Depending on how you look at your life.  Today, all of my grass is brown.  I know it's not really brown when I look at the bigger picture, but in my world right now, it's brown.  It was brown in Alabama and in Florida, but I thought it would be green in Arkansas.  Well, I have news, it's brown here too.  I think it might even be a little bit more brown here than anywhere else. Maybe it's just all mud here, there is no grass at all.

Sweet November

I wanted to write a blog yesterday, but I got side-tracked shopping for nik-naks instead.  I wanted to write because it's November now, the most romantic month of the year.  It is for me anyway. Not just because I was married in November, or because Brian said, "I love you" to me for the first time in November.  It's because it is a time of beauty and Thankfulness. The weather is cool and everything in nature is like eye-candy for me this month.  We celebrate Thanksgiving, a real American holiday with meaning, and Winter is well on it's way. Even with the lack of sleep I had last night and the vomit I have been cleaning up all day from my sick little one, I am feeling incredibly blissful. So many of my friends are caught up with the hustle and bustle of this money-driven, fast-paced sham of a life that society tells us to live. It's easy to get sucked up in all that mess.  But I don't want to just step back and enjoy a moment every now and then, I want to stay back and enjoy every minute of the life we were created for.  Our time is now, and I'm tired of missing out.

There are two trees outside of Ethan's school that I see every day.  Two weeks ago I noticed how marvelous they looked with all the bright, yellow leaves in contrast with their dark, brown trunks. I even took a picture of them with my phone, but a long weekend is all that it took for them to become completely bare. I have to admit that I was disappointed that all of the yellow beauty couldn't last just a little longer.

The changing seasons are a perfect example of how fast time escapes us. Let us not waste it anymore.

Jack the bearded dragon lives by the sand, he lays in the hot, hot sun and eats bugs throughout the land....

I don't know what it is about rainy days that make me want to write on this blog, but here I am.  I have all three of my munchkins home today.  Ethan is skipping a field trip to the pumpkin patch in some nasty weather.  I have decided to let him skip all the field trips this year.  He is doing so well with his first year in public school, that I am not going to mess it all up by forcing him to go on trips that he has no desire to attend.  I had hoped that we would sleep in, but the boys need no alarm clock.  They are always up and ready to go at the crack of dawn.  I'm not sure why I thought this morning would be any different.  Normally, I don't mind waking up early, but I am still tired from a long weekend with our family.  We had a lot of fun though and it was worth it.  We also adopted a new pet.  His name is Jack and he is the most adorable baby bearded dragon I have ever met.  He is tiny right now and incredibly fun to watch.  Feeding him is the best part, if you like gross stuff like me.  He eats live crickets, but since he is so tiny right now, I have to break the back legs off of the crickets so they can't hop away.  As soon as Jack sees the little bugs running for their lives, he takes off and gobbles them up in one, swift bite.  Seriously, cutest thing ever. 
Anyway, I think I might take the kids to Hastings to pick out some new books and maybe drink some hot cocoa.  It's a perfect day for hot cocoa. 

Time to enjoy the first October weekend...

It's Friday and tomorrow is October 1st, it's going to be a fabulous weekend. The weather will be sunny and cool, my favorite kind.  We have an engineering family picnic to attend tomorrow.  I'm excited to meet some of Brian's new coworkers.  A little nervous too.  I hope the other wives are nice.  Sometimes I wish we had a boat to go out on the lake.  The kids are still a bit too small, but how awesome that would be?  On a day like this, going into the mountains to find hidden gems of trees and secret waterfalls.  I'm sure there are some around here somewhere.  I love the natural wonders and beauty of nature.  I can stare at the same trees for hours outside of my window and still be in awe.  I always dreamt of being a photographer for National Geographic Magazine as a child.  I would pin pictures of wild animals torn out of magazines to my bedroom walls.  Those later turned into posters of Justin Timberlake.  I am still a fan and I do continue to listen to N'Sync.  Haha, it's my dirty little secret.  Maybe, when my kids are a little older and not so demanding of my time, I will have the ability to wait out in the woods for a perfect wildlife shot of an American Black Bear.  For now, I will just have to settle for the zoo.  Peace out and Love Jesus! 

I do realize I have almost abandoned this blog.  In my defense, I have been sick for the past month.  Yes, month.  With Ethan in public school now, we are catching everything germs have to offer.  It's been a long ride with lots of snotty noses, puke, and other things that are just too gross to mention.  Yesterday, I felt well, for the first time.  I cleaned my house and baked a pie from a pumpkin.  It was nice.  Today, I have just enjoyed watching the rain.  Cool, rainy days remind me of Robin Hood, yes I do mean the cartoon version.  Maybe I will take a stroll down to Hastings to see if they might possibly have it on dvd.  Ah, this is the life.  Three beautiful children, a handsome, helpful, loving husband, and everything that goes along with my role as a suburban housewife.  Yes, even the times when I have to pause writing this blog to take Adelyn some toilet paper, dig dog food out of Alex's mouth, and get the button on my sweater stuck in my hair as I am pulling it off.  And now that I am sitting back down, I have completely lost where I was going with this.  Oh well, that's life.  God is so good.

A Life without Jesus, Is like peanut butter without milk....

It may taste good, but you will only be left thirsty.
I thought of this cute, but very true analogy this afternoon as I was making my kids peanut butter cookies for an after-school snack.  I was chowing down on the cookie dough alone in the kitchen as I usually do, only to open the fridge and realize that we are out of milk.  Uh, can we say freak the freak out?  I had to make due with some water.  And as Mandy pointed out to me, peanut butter can even be dangerous without something to drink.  Much like a life without knowing Jesus.  So, why do so many people reject him?  Why do so many of my friends act awkward if I bring anything God related up in conversation?  Why do so many Christians treat spending time with Him as a chore?  I have been guilty of the latter two.  It is because satan wants us to feel that way.  He loves the way people squirm when God is mentioned.  He is just fine with organized religion.  And the thought of somebody rejecting our Savior, well that's just one more soul for him to destroy. 
I love life on this earth, but it is so much better with Jesus.  What do we have to lose, satan's approval?  That's fine with me.  You don't have to give up your life to be a Christian, you just have to include Jesus.  He wants to be there for you, sharing every memory and unimaginable moment with you! 
You wouldn't eat peanut butter with out milk, or water for those who are lactose intolerant.  So, open up your hearts and take a drink of God!

It's that time of year....

Why do oreo cookies go so well with coffee?  I know, so unhealthy. I guess I will just have to make up for it tonight by eating some extra veggies.  Life is good.  Even with a cold and two sick babies, I can enjoy just being alive.  Brian and I were Baptized in the lake this last Sunday.  It was a such a beautiful, just have a good time, kind of day.  It's nice to be back home, close to friends and family.  I have missed this and I think Brian has too.
I can feel Fall just around the corner.  I know this because I have this unexplainable urge to bake.  I am ready for the smell of pumpkin spice and cinnamon. Orange and red everywhere you look. Weather cool enough for hot cocoa. And college football!  Yes, over the years Brian has turned me into a true fan.  I just love watching a good Razorback game on a cool Saturday while eating chips and homemade salsa.  I love Fall weather clothes!  All the sweaters and hoodies.  Big piles of leaves for my littles to jump in while I snap memories with my trusty nikon.  I. Seriously. Can't. Wait.

Ready to be still for a minute...

It's been an exhausting week.  After what ended up being a nine hour drive with some crazy stops, we made it to our new home in Arkansas last Thursday.  By crazy stops, I really only mean one crazy stop for coffee at a country gas station.  We stopped only to realize Alex had pooped all over himself, literally all over.  It was on his head.  And after two bees and a rambunctious labrador puppy tried to hitch a ride with us, were finally able to get back on the road.  I don't want to make a drive like that again anytime soon. 

Ethan started school Monday.  I can't say that he loves it, but he's adjusting okay.  I like the staff, they are all sweet, Christian women.  I have to say that it hasn't been easy on me either.  I miss my boy like crazy.  And even though I am enjoying the extra time I am able to spend with Adelyn and Alex, I feel like I haven't spent any quality time with Ethan this week.  I suppose this new schedule will take some getting used to.  I will give it a year and see where we stand from there. 

We have been in a semi-empty house all week.  Brian is in Alabama today to oversee the movers pack up the rest of our things.  I can't wait to have all of our stuff delivered.  To finally just be settled for a minute. That's only about how long things last in this world before something changes.  I am not complaining.  I know how very blessed I am.  I am so Thankful for the changing seasons of my life. 
Just imagine how boring life would be if everything always stayed the same...

We found a house.

It has been a busy couple of weeks, and they are not over yet.  We made a second house-hunting trip to Arkansas last week.  And what do ya know, we found a house.  Actually, it was all God, just like I knew it would be.  I could attempt to explain the way it happened, so easily and perfectly, but I just don't think I can convey it in words.  Our house is perfect for us.  It sits up on a hill and we can see the lake from the front yard, which is less than a five minute drive.  It's not a huge house, it's just the right size for our family.  The two things I love about the house though, the two things that God knew I would love, are the hardwood floors and the wall-to-wall shelves in the living room. 
I was also able to get Ethan into the school I wanted, even though it was out of our zone.
Yeah, I've decided to give up homeschooling this year, but definitely not forever.  I just need a bit of a breather for now.
Now, all we have to do is wait to find out when the movers are going to be packing up our stuff.  I can't wait to get settled in our new home.
I know God has big plans for us and I just want to enjoy them. Life is good.

Busy

Hello blog, old friend I have been neglecting.  I have been so consumed in this mad house-hunt that I have let little things that I enjoy go.  Here we are, two weeks until Brian's start date and still no house.  That's how God works though.  Just when something seems impossible, he swoops in like superman and saves the day.  Only he's not superman, he is much bigger than superman.  He is God.  He is the creator of all things good.  He is the creator of the creator of superman!  So, even though I have been incredibly frustrated, I'm still holding onto my faith.
This is going to be one busy week.  I have lots of phone calls to make and we are going to attempt another house-hunting trip.  Oh how I dislike that drive, but it has to be done.
I am currently in the process, and it's a long one, of filtering through our things.  I am determined not to drag a bunch of useless junk to Arkansas.  With all of the back to school sales right now, I have no problem finding the organizational tools I need to get the job done.  Wow, that sounded just like something someone would say on a Wal-Mart commercial.
Anyway, I have a little man who wants to be held and another little man who needs help with a computer game, so I guess that means I'm done writing for today.  Hopefully, by the next blog I will have a new house to write about.

Exhausted

Over the weekend we made a trip to Arkansas to find a house, only, we didn't find one.  The seven hour drive on Saturday was draining, but not nearly as bad as the seven hour drive back home yesterday.  I had been looking forward to spending time with my mom, but things didn't go as planned.  She came down with a nasty stomach flu the day we drove up and it lasted the entire time we were there.  Being the good daughter that I am, I was making trips to see her anyway and to take her medicine, gatorade, and ginger ale.  Sunday night my stomach started to really hurt.  By Monday morning I realized I too had come down with a stomach virus.  Isn't it just my luck to be sick on a day we have to drive seven hours home?  Yes, we had too.  Brian's boss made it abundantly clear that he had to be at work Tuesday (today).  So, I took a combination of imodium and emetrol to try to settle the horrible cramps, nausea, and other symptoms I would rather not talk about.  I told Mandy how I was feeling and she called me so we could pray about it together.  We did and I felt better.  Good enough to eat at least and get to our scheduled house showing for that day.  Once we looked at a house that we were completely disappointed in, we headed back home.  Although I was not throwing up, my stomach felt terrible.  I will admit it could have been much, much worse, but either way that drive was not fun.  I was exhausted from not getting sleep the night before, and the kids made it impossible to fall asleep on the way.  The sun went down about two hours before we arrived home, just as we drove into some very heavy rain and lightening.  The rain pounded down on our van, only leaving about two feet of visibility for us.  Cloud to ground lightening surrounded the area we were driving through and it was so bright that it was blinding.  Talk about conditions that are hard on the eyes.  I prayed and stayed surprisingly calm through the storms and once they passed, I climbed in the very back of the van, curled up with a blanket, and went to sleep.  I know that's not safe, but I was desperate by that point.
I am feeling better today, but still recovering and very tired and looking forward to a good night's sleep.  As far as the house goes, I hope something pops up soon.  I know it will, but I'm still not fond of this whole waiting thing.  Good night and sweet dreams, I'm going to la la land.

A little bit of crazy

Can it be?  Only 7:30 and all of my children are asleep already.  Score! I just hope they stay that way.  Especially after the stressful, yet kind of funny and not all that uncommon for us, chain of events that unfolded in my house earlier.  Okay, first off, we have been invaded by fire ants.  For some reason Ethan's bedroom floor is covered in the little suckers and they are venturing out all over my house.  I have no clue where they are coming from.  Honestly, if it were the nice little kitchen ants that simply wanted food, I wouldn't really care too much since they don't bite the crap out of you.
Ethan is very allergic to them.  I found this out last year after an attack by them in our Florida front yard that ended up in a trip to the emergency room when his face swelled up fifteen minutes later.
Anyway, Ethan came to me earlier  with two fresh bites on his knee.  He was crying and told me the ants were on his leg and now his leg was really hurting. I gave him a dose of Benadryl and pulled out my anointing oil to rub on my hands and pray over the bites.  About two seconds after we were through praying, I looked up just in time to see Alex fall over and bump his head on the bottom of a chair.  I immediately ran to pick him up.  I proceeded to pray for him as I walked into the kitchen to fetch an ice-pack from the freezer.  Once I sat down to hold ice on Alex's head and comfort him, Adelyn walked in.  I saw some kind of substance covering her arms and legs and then realized she had been into my anointing oil.  I must have forgotten to put it back in my purse.  She then showed me where she left the empty bottle and the rest of the oil.  My kitchen table was also covered in it.  "Sigh."
I sat the baby down on the floor to use both of my hands to clean up the mess.  I instructed Adelyn to go wait in the bathroom for me to give her a bath.  When the table was clean, I needed to check on the baby.  Low and behold, he was covering my phone in drool.  Luckily, it was not destroyed.  This all happened in about a twenty minute time slot.  I sat down on my bed to text Mandy and make sure my phone was okay, when Ethan said, "Mommy, Adelyn ran out the front door naked."  Are you kidding me?  Okay, so I jumped up and flew out the door to grab her before the neighbors decided to call the police and report us for having a naked three year, who is covered in oil running around our front yard.  She didn't get very far from the porch and I picked her up and walked back to the door, only to realize I locked myself out.  Yep, sure did.  Ethan was nice enough to let me in this time, rather than laugh and refuse to open the door.  I think he must have really wanted a piece of his Daddy's birthday cake.  And I also think some days, my life would make great reality t.v.  Although, I would never agree to such a thing.  I guess you all will just have to settle for the blog.  :)

After Dinner and Before Bed....

This is what they do...

 Never a dull moment in this house.....

 Just look at that sweet face...

Today is Friday, it's Brian's birthday, and it's going to be a fabulous weekend!

Taking it easy

So, we still haven't found a house, but I'm just leaving it alone and giving it to God.  I know that He will work it out, He always does.  My day was very sluggish. I could barely drag myself out of bed this morning. I felt as though I had only had two hours of sleep.  I seem to be feeling better now, and have taken this evening to snuggle my kids and read blogs.  I am totally hooked on the pioneer woman.  I can relate so much.  As I'm sure many women can, since she is quite possibly the most popular blogger out there right now. She is very inspiring.  I am especially enjoying all of her photography posts. 
I am hoping that, with a lot of practice, I can achieve that professional look in my photos.  So, here are some of my favorites that I have taken lately.

                                        Adelyn looking at the pond below. I love bridge photos.

                                     
                                      My two nieces having their fashion show.

                                   
                             My niece, Makayla, I just love the rawness in this picture of her.
                                     Beautiful...

                                
                                              My Ethan man after he had been playing in the rain.

 
                                    And Adelyn, the lighting was not great here, but her hair was extra curly
                                    and I didn't care about anything but getting a picture of it...

A little discouraged....

We have less than one month before Brian's start date at his new job, and I am growing increasingly frustrated as I search the net for rental houses.  One thing I forgot about small towns, they are behind the times.  There are all of three property management businesses that rent out houses there, and only two of them have their listings online.  None of which look very promising.  Our family is just too large and rowdy to attempt apartment living and buying right now is out of the question.  I suppose I should call it a day and check the same websites again tomorrow for new listings.  Maybe we will find more on the house hunting trip, which will hopefully be very soon.  For now, I think I will just have a late night snack and zone out in front of the television with the man who doesn't sweat the small things.  At least one of us is sure we will find a decent house. 

Saturday Night Fever...No Fever, Just a Spider

It's Sunday again and I am always amazed at how fast the weeks fly by.  I spent my Saturday night hanging out with Brian and the kids, as usual.  I believe it was about midnight before I was finally able to get Adelyn to stay in bed.  Her agreement for sleep time came after a long conversation we had where I tried to explain, that her Daddy and I are not brother and sister.  I don't think she ever quite caught on to all of the different family bit.  When I told her that Aunt Mandy is Daddy's sister, she laughed at me and said, "No, she's not."  She finally just told me that I'm a girl and she's a girl and left it at that. 
Just as I was drifting off to sleep on the fresh pillow case covering on my pillow that I had just pulled out of the closet, I felt something on my shoulder.  I reached up with the opposite arm to try and figure out what it was.  I was half asleep at the time, so it took me a minute to register the fact that feeling something moving on my shoulder was not normal.  I grasped my hand around it, only to realize I had a rather large spider loafing around on my bed, or on me I should say.  I quickly tossed it up in the air and off of my bed with my bare hand in the dark and sat up.  I demanded Brian to turn on the light so that I could look for it on the floor and kill it. But by the time the light was on and I was up, which was only about a minute, the creepy crawler was gone.  It took me a while to go back to sleep. 
So, now here we are, Sunday morning.  There's a spider hiding out in my room, and I have done something horrible to my back.   Our bird wants Alex to be his friend, and Alex wants to chase her and squash her.  Ethan is watching Spongebob, again.  And Brian and Adelyn are, of course, sleeping in.  Life is good.  Strange sometimes, but good. 

Rainy Saturdays

I am flooded with memories of Arkansas this rainy Saturday morning.  Memories of some small  things I love about the town we will be moving to in just one short month.
Mountain Biking with Brian.......Searching for wildlife at Bona Dea......Fishing at the lake......Walking around Hobby Lobby.......All the wonderful Parks.......The Pet Store......Watching Brian fly his RC Airplane.....Thrift Store Shopping.....Autumn......Snow.....My Mom....

A few things I am excited about....No more crazy traffic.....Less violence on the nightly news.....A shorter work commute for Brian.....Lower cost of living.....Better schools.....Better work schedule for Brian.....Small town living.....Family....

There will be plenty of things I will miss about living here, but I am ready to get back home.  It's a new beginning for us and I can't wait.

I like coupons.

I finally bought my sun hat.  But isn't it just my luck that the sun has not shone since I walked into the store to buy it?  I found a very nice little, white one at Target yesterday, I knew they would have some. I would have preferred it to be on sale, but it wasn't, so I paid the full price of $12.99.  I don't like paying the full price of anything, even if it is at a price some might consider cheap.  One of the benefits of moving to Florida was meeting my very good friend Donna.  She introduced me to the wonderful world of couponing.  Think what you want, but until you have experienced saving forty, fifty, eighty dollars on your groceries, you just haven't experienced shopping.  I'm not one of these extreme couponers you see on TLC, although I do admire them for their effort and the amount they save.  I don't have a stock pile of groceries in my garage, even though sometimes I wish I did.  I just have three hungry children and I like to save money.  Plus, it's just fun.  I actually had a cashier at Publix tell me that coupons should be illegal once.  Sad girl. I guess she was spending too much on groceries.  I will be sad to leave behind Publix, but I am hoping they eventually extend over to Arkansas.  It really is a pleasure to shop there!
Pictures of the sun hat are coming soon, if the sun ever comes back out.  Happy Friday!

Sweet Babies Always Grow Up...

I am up early today.  I have actually been up since 4:30 due to Ethan waking up screaming from a nightmare. He never would tell me what it was about, he usually never talks about his dreams.  If they are anything like mine, they are very strange indeed.  Needless to say, he refused to go back to sleep and now he is running around like a wild animal while trying to force Rufus (our poodle) to hop around and play.  I think Rufus, like me, wants to go back to sleep.  Four and a half hours just isn't enough.

However, I am determined to enjoy this day. Alex is officially seven months old, and I must get lots of pictures. How has it been this long since that miraculous day I gave birth to my sweet baby boy?  And why does each passing year seem to fly by so much more quickly than the last?
Sometimes I want to pray, Please Lord, just slow this down a little, let me enjoy this stage of our lives a little longer, I'm not ready for change.  It seems like yesterday he was merely a sleeping newborn babe, but today he is trying to pull up on his feet and stand like a man.  Of course, I know in reality if these fleeting, wondrous moments that we cherish so much lasted any longer, we would not know to appreciate them the way only we can as mothers.
I am so thankful that our Father has helped me realize that this time I have with these precious gifts he has given me is short.  Sometimes we get so caught up in day to day frustrations that we forget to stop, breathe, laugh, and love.
If you are mom reading this today, take some time out to really treasure this time you have with your wee ones.  Today will be gone tomorrow.  

Eggs and Friends

Here I am, with a never ending list of errands and chores I need to do, but instead I am blogging and eating hard-boiled eggs.  I love to eat eggs, they are easy and fast to make and pack so much protein.  So, as I was standing over my kitchen sink full of dirty dishes peeling my eggs, I was instantly reminded of a dear friend.  Yesterday, I received a very random and strange text message from this friend, telling me she was fantasizing about going into an egg shop and eating lots and lots of eggs.

My next thought was of the character Gaston in Beauty and the Beast.  You know what I am talking about.  "When I was a lad, I ate four dozen eggs every morning to help me grow large! And now that I'm grown, I eat five dozen eggs, so I'm roughly the size of a barge!"
I then laughed to myself as I remembered the Wal-Mart trip I recently made with my sister, Mandy, and my niece, Madison, as we repeatedly sang that song the entire time.

I can't wait to move closer to my friends and family so that I will be able to embrace my weirdness with them.
 
That is about all today.  I really, really need to start de-junking my home.  I don't want to drag a bunch of clutter to Arkansas.

Surreal Life

I feel like I'm in a dream. Trust me, I know how silly that sounds, but everything feels so surreal right now.  I had reached a point where I just didn't think we would ever move back.  And I was okay with that for the most part.  It's funny how your entire life can change in one minute.  Yesterday, I was searching the local real estate here, today I will be searching in Arkansas.  God is good.
So, even though we will be very busy over the next month planning and moving and all that, we will also be taking time to just enjoy Alabama.  Who knows when we might be back.  For now, I think I will go buy that sun hat. Stay cool everybody, it's gonna be a hot one.

Wow

Where should I begin....okay, I will just say it.  I have experienced God today like never before.
As I stated in a previous blog, my husband and I moved away from our home state of Arkansas three years ago.  It was very hard for me to leave all of our family and friends, but I have since then realized it was for the best at that time.  I have grown and learned so much.  Ever since we left, I have wanted so desperately to move back.  You don't realize what you have until it's gone.  Even though my mom and I have a lot of bumps in our relationship, I have come to miss her so much.  I miss ALL of our family there.  So, skip a little bit ahead, have a baby, move to Alabama, closer than Florida, but still a distance.  We have been here for one year now, and I love it.  It is such a beautiful state with so much to offer to residents and tourists.  Outside of Birmingham is great location to be in.  Four hours from the beach, three hours from Nashville, four hours from Memphis, and two and a half hours from Atlanta (which I love btw).  However, I still miss our family, and our home.  A few weeks ago I was having a challenging night and I told my husband that things would be so much easier if we lived close to family.  Being the amazing husband that he is, he proceeded to search for jobs in Arkansas.  He found an opening with a company that he has been trying to get in with for the past three years, and only had until midnight that night to submit his resume.  What are the chances?  A couple weeks later he received a phone call for a phone interview.  We were both a little shocked.  He gave his interview and they told him they would get back with him in about two weeks.  For the past two and a half weeks I have been anxiously awaiting to hear back.  Let me tell you, playing the waiting game sucks.  I have had so many emotions every day.  I finally realized that even if we stay here, it will be okay.  It would be God's will and I need to let go of the ropes because I am not controlling anything, I am only trying to.  So, this past Saturday before Mandy left, I activated my Faith as she called it.  I said, I'm done worrying because I know that he will eventually get a job there, and even if it takes time, that will just be more time for us to enjoy Alabama.  Yesterday Brian and I just enjoyed each other and the kids.  We drove around in the rain while drinking coffee and laughed at the way people would make mad dashes to their cars after coming out of stores.  Excuse me, we were not laughing at them, we were laughing WITH them.  Okay, so maybe that wasn't nice, but we have all been there, running to our cars trying to avoid the rain as much as possible.  Why?  Because we don't want to get wet, it's a bit silly.  Anyway, enough about that.  Last night I started reading a book that Mandy left me.  It is called Heaven, Close Encounters of the God Kind.  I wasn't sure if I would like it or not, but decided to pick it up and give it a try.  I read a little bit before going to sleep and decided that it would absolutely be a book that I would finish.  I picked it back up today and spent about three hours straight reading.  I kept telling myself I needed to put it down and get some things done, but I just couldn't.  I was laughing and crying and all the while thinking, "why can't I experience this?"   I was about half way through when I read one sentence that brought tears to my eyes.  It said, "We told you the Lord would give you the desires of your heart."  At that moment, my phone rang.  Brian was calling me and I knew what he was going to tell me.  He told me that he has just received a job offer for the job he interviewed for in Arkansas.  We hung up shortly after since he is at work and couldn't really talk.  I knew that was God.  I began to shake as I called Mandy.  What my body went through at that moment, I can't even explain.  I felt fire inside of me, no it wasn't heartburn, it was the Holy Spirit.  My knees buckled and I had to catch myself on my kitchen counter.  My arms went completely numb and I felt like I could not breathe, but I could.  It was not a panic attack, I have experienced those many times, and those are baaaad.  This was not bad, it was amazing.  I was a little scared, but after a few minutes my physical being returned to normal.  It was like my spirit was being lifted up out of my flesh and my physical body could not handle it.  Now, I know a lot of you are probably thinking that I am a little bit crazy and that this is no big deal.  But it is a HUGE deal for me and it is just the beginning.  I know God did this to really strengthen my faith.  He did it to shake me to my core and say, "Hey, this is real and you are not alone!"  I can't wait to finish this book. I can't wait to move home.  I can't wait to really share this with my husband!  I can't wait to have more experiences like this!  That's it for now.  :)

Luke 12:22-32

The Message (MSG)

Steep Yourself in God-Reality

 ^22-24He continued this subject with his disciples. "Don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.  ^25-28"Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can't even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don't fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?
 ^29-32"What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don't be afraid of missing out. You're my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.

Finding Simplicity

It's 6:43a.m. and I have spent the past hour browsing through friends of friends on facebook.  Carefully searching for people I may have connected with at one time or another.  There were dozens of people I knew from high school, only a few worth adding to my friend list though.  After wasting the last hour facebook stalking people, I have come to the conclusion that I need a large, floppy sun hat.  Yep, that's it.  Social networking is strange isn't it?  I love the fact that people can reconnect with long lost friends so easily.  I mean just imagine how our parents must feel.  But for all of us "young folks," it's like we never really escaped high school.  We didn't get the chance to create long lost friends. That's life I guess. In this day and age things are rapidly changing. Most of us can't keep up with all the new space age technology.  As for me, I don't care that much about all of it.  I am just going to buy my big, floppy sun hat, sit in my backyard while I read, and pretend to live in simpler times.

For those of you who don't know, this is Marilyn Monroe.  A lovely picture of her reading in the sun...

Someday...

So, this one time at band camp.....just kidding.  I know, that was so 1999.  Anyway, I love farms.
The other day Mandy and I took the kids to hang out with some farm animals at Oak Mountain State Park.  I take my kids there a lot, it's cheap entertainment and really close to my house.  We love the outdoors and all the little farm animals running around in the barnyard.  But this time, it was the first time either of us had ever seen a male peacock with his tail feathers fully extended.  They are such beautiful birds.  I want one, in fact I want a farm.  Oh how I long to move out into the country somewhere with lots of land and fruit trees.  A few goats running around, some chickens for fresh organic eggs, a big fluffy collie (I used to own one and they are the best dogs ever), a little pond stocked with catfish and a couple swans, and of course a peacock running around.  Maybe a male and a female.   I could grow a big garden full of peppers, tomatoes, carrots, and potatoes.  We could live in a an old, completely restored plantation style home.  It would be painted white and yellow, and have a giant wrap-around porch with rocking chairs.  And I can't forget the white picket fence to go around the front. I could have a room dedicated to homeschooling my seven children, (yes, I know I only have three at the moment, but who knows what the future holds).
Ah yes, that's the stuff dreams are made of.  One day...  But until then, I am going to enjoy my home, it may not be huge, or on a farm, but it gets the job done, and I love it just the same.

Trying to stay awake as I write....

After a week of company my house feels a bit empty tonight.  The kids are asleep and Brian is watching Through the Wormhole on the Science channel.  I am usually not a fan of this show, but tonight's episode is quite interesting.  It is about a "sixth sense" in our brains.  I would go into detail, but I think that everybody needs to just watch it.  It just proves to me that we are capable of so much more that we realize.  It coincides with what The Word says about the amazing powers the Lord has given to us.
It saddens me that t.v. shows like this absolutely refuse to give any credit to our Loving God.

After walking through my cluttered home earlier this evening, I decided that I am going to simplify my life. Mainly, my home.  I have a plan to come up with a theme for each room and go through boxing up anything that seems inadequate.  Maybe one day I will learn how to be completely organized....

I have been so tired lately, it must be lack of sleep.  I suppose it's worth it for the quiet time I get while my children sleep.

I know this post is relatively boring.  Most of them are, but nobody reads them anyway.  I could write about my opinions on natural childbirth, breastfeeding, or homeschooling.  All of which I am a strong advocate for.  Those tend to be touchy subjects among some moms.  This is the world we live in.... I'm so tired, I need to go to bed now.  Hopefully this blog will make sense in the morning.  If not, oh well.  I need sleep now.

Just Random

Most people are way too trendy. Manikins are strange.  Everything is overpriced.  Salad Fingers is really creepy. Mario must be super rich now, I hope he is not still fixing toilets.  Kids grow up way too fast. Some people never grow up.  Waiting for anything isn't fun.  Babies can bring a smile to anybody's face.  Spring and Autumn are the two best seasons.  The Beatles really rocked in their day and still do how many decades later??  A dolphin's brain is bigger than a human's brain. 

25 Years and Counting

Well, it's Tuesday night, way past my bed time, and I can't sleep.  I don't know if it's due to the fact that I feel like I am in abeyance this week, the excitement from my new Wii microphone and Glee game, or just because I had two cups of coffee late in the evening.  Either way, I figured since I am up anyway, I may as well write a blog.  The reason I have been MIA the past few days is because I have a house full of guests.  I had a fabulous birthday on Saturday.  My sister-in-law, Mandy, and I took the entire day to shop.  I can't begin to express how nice it is to go to the mall without little hands constantly tugging on my shirt.  After we decided that we could not possibly walk anymore without our legs popping off we headed home to relax a little.  I came home to find that my incredible husband had not only watched six kids all day, but had actually managed to bake me a cake and cook dinner!  Tell me I'm not married to superman and I won't believe you.  I must also mention that this was the first time he has ever baked anything.  Everything was delicious.  Once we fed the herd, we all headed out to see the firework show.  All in all my turning 25 rocked, and I am so blessed to have such an amazing family to make it all worth while.


Here is a picture of Makayla (my niece and the other birthday girl), who was cool enough to let me take pictures of her wearing a fake mustache.  Isn't she adorable?  Look at that gorgeous red hair!

Eleven Reasons I have kept a smile all week...

1. Brian and I have been exchanging sweet emails all week.
2. He has also been reading my blogs all on his own.
3. My house was the quietest it has ever been yesterday with my children actually awake.
4. Alex has kept a smile on his face in spite of  his fever, diarrhea, and the worst diaper rash ever.
5. And even though he has been feeling so under the weather, he started to crawl with his tummy off the floor.
6. Mandy and I have realized that our friendship is even stronger than we thought.
7. Ethan held up a french fry from McDonald's and asked, "What is this called again, Daddy?"
8. Adelyn yelled at her princess puzzle yesterday.  Out of the nowhere she shouted, directly at Sleeping Beauty, "I don't like your boobies!"
9. The temperatures outside have been incredibly pleasant.
10. We get to see our Family today.
11. The Lord has shown me how much I have changed in the past few years and really made me appreciate everything he has so generously blessed me with.

"Growing Up" doesn't end at 18

   I'm not sure where to begin this morning.  I have had a couple hours to myself to really think about my life, past, present, and future.  When I think about my past it's not a pretty picture.  My childhood was pretty rough, but I don't have any anger or even negative feelings over the first 17 years of my life.  Sometimes people just don't have the best circumstances.  The anger and shame starts to seep in when I think about the decisions I have made since becoming an adult.  The bad examples I displayed in front of my 1 year old.  The crappy wife I was to my husband.  The alcohol I consumed in my body so often because I thought it was fun.  The kind of people I let myself get caught up in.  Why did I make such shitty decisions?  After everything I had been through with my own parents, why would I put myself on that kind of path to destruction?  I really don't know.  I don't think I will ever have an answer as to why I was constantly running away from my family to hang out with people who never cared one bit about me as a friend.  I know that God has forgiven me. I think it is always hardest for us to forgive ourselves.  So, I will say it, moving away from what I picture still as our home is the best possible thing we could have ever done.
   Let's skip ahead to the present.  I have such a beautiful life, even though there are times when I don't always recognize it.  I get so caught up in the little frustrations of my day.  My home is never completely clean, no matter how hard I try to get it that way.  My kids eat a lot of junk food, even when I attempt to force veggies down them.  My husband and I never, ever get alone time.  I think these are the things that most moms deal with from day to day.  I feel like I grow a little every day.  My children amaze me in the most unexpected ways.  My husband proves his love for me through so many small gestures.  I am growing in my Faith.  I may not be perfect, but I am sure not who I used to be, and that is an accomplishment all in itself.
    For our future, I want to be thankful ALL of the time, not just when things are going good in that moment.  I will pray more and complain less.  I will appreciate every moment I have with my children and husband, even when we are in the midst of total chaos.  And I hope that one day we will be able to make it back home to be close to our family and true friends.
Enjoy this day.

Oh Happy Day, the Baby is Better and Life is Good!

After a very stressful two days, the baby finally woke up with a smile this morning.  It was 3a.m. when his fever broke and he was ready to play, but I didn't mind.  I was both exhausted and incredibly relieved!  :)  I don't have much else to say this morning, other than I have the best husband.  Even when I am completely stressed out and feeling like I am on the verge of nervous breakdown, he stays calm.  I can be quite mean sometimes, and he just laughs at me, gives me a kiss, and says, "You know you love me."  And he's right, I do love him! So much!  My love for him has grown every day for the eight years we have been together, and it continues to grow.  I don't know what I would ever do without him.  Happy Hump Day Everybody!  I can see the weekend from here, and it is going to be So. Much. Fun.  Peace and Love and all that!

1 Peter 4:8                                                                                                                                           Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

 

 

 

Parent or Child...Which one am I again?

My coffee is strong this morning. I can't complain, I needed it to be stronger yesterday.  The baby spiked his first fever and it was not fun for either of us.  If today is going to be anything like yesterday, it will be loooong.  My older two made a mockery out of my home, due to me being preoccupied with a sick baby.  I am really going to have to stand my ground with them today.  Maybe I can get them to clean the house while I lay around and watch t.v.  I know, I will tell them it's opposites day, and I get to be the kid!  Think it will work?  I mean I obviously look young enough to play that role.  A man, probably around my age or younger, knocked on my front door yesterday.  When I answered, he asked, "Can I speak to your mom or dad?".   When I looked at him in complete surprise and said, "You're kidding, right?!", he seemed to be quite embarrassed.  He was wanting to make some extra cash by mowing the lawn.  Well, imagine his surprise when I told him that it's my husband's job, and that not only am I an adult, but a married one at that!  I made sure to tell him my age before he walked off.  He was so embarrassed by that point that all he could mutter was, "Good Luck."  Why do I need luck?  I must already have it if I look 10 years younger than what I am!  It was funny, but I kind of felt bad for him afterward.  I can't imagine being in his shoes, although most women would be flattered I'm sure.  I was simply shocked.  So, Cheers to looking 15!

This picture has nothing to do with the post today, but it sure is funny.  My three year old freaking out over an emu.....

Are we there yet?

Ah yes, that very annoying phrase was repeated over and over again yesterday, as we drove up to Huntsville, AL.  We decided last minute that it would be a fabulous idea to drive two hours to visit Harmony Park Safari.  We also didn't think to check the weather up there before we went.  There's nothing like being on the interstate driving when the wind is blowing so hard you think it might tip your van over.  Or like watching the dark clouds swirl around above your head.  I said a prayer though, and even though it rained a while, nothing more happened.  The safari was a lot of fun, in a strange kind of way.  We had all kinds of animals sticking their heads through the windows to get the bucket of food we bought before we entered the park.   I wasn't too crazy about the emus though.  My husband found it hilarious to roll down my window and then lock it so that I could not escape those crazy birds.  I didn't find it funny at the time.  I very much enjoyed all of the other animals though, and the kids did too.  My three year old drove us through the park as she sat on her daddy's lap.  She loved all of the ponies of course, but my favorite had to be the zebra!  His stripes were so pretty and he was really friendly.  My six year old son said he didn't have a favorite, but he did name every deer we fed Bambi.  All in all we had a really good time.  And even though the inside of our van is now covered in farm animal food, and the outside in mud, I would say it was worth it.  The best part was on the way home though, when we were in stand still traffic for over an hour.  Yes, I do mean stand still.  We had the car in park for so long that I was able to change and feed the baby, and pee in a cup.  Yes, I did have to go that bad.  We finally made it home by about 9pm last night and went straight to bed.
So, now it's Monday, and I have a very busy week ahead of me trying to get my house as clean as possible by Friday.  The in-laws will be here, but not the dreaded kind, they are the very welcomed kind!
In fact, I can't wait!

Quiet Sunday

I only have a couple things on my mind this morning.
1. I wouldn't mind going back to bed, but my little guys are NOT going to let that happen.
2. I hope Chelsea makes it on American Idol.
Chelsea Savage Vanscoder is one of my very best friends and she is an amazing singer.  Finally, after 10 years of encouragement from everybody she knows, she had decided to tryout for American Idol.  I am so excited for her.  You can read more about her and listen to her music here.
Well, that's pretty much it this morning, I have to change a diaper now. 
  
  Isaiah 40:31
Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

                                     
                                          My very happy 6 month old at the park.    

                                 

Whoo Hoo!

Good Morning Folks. It looks like it is going to be a beautiful Saturday, perfect for trying out my new camera lens.  I have been doing my happy dance since last night, when my very wonderful husband decided to give me my birthday present early.  A Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G lens for my camera.  Finally, I can use something other than my kit lens to take photographs of my wild children!  Yes, they are unruly.  I spent 3 hours putting them in bed 32 times last night.  How in the world people get their kids to go to bed and stay in bed is beyond me.  Anyway, I am very much looking forward to this weekend of shooting and getting some good, family bonding in.  Happy Shooting Everyone!


 Practice shot with my new lens this morning of my early riser.  Low light, Indoor, No Flash.

Sleeping Kids = A Moment of Silence

Well, maybe not complete silence, I do own three Cockatiels.  Even with the birdie chirps, my house is as quiet as it gets.  I so enjoy mornings like these, when I can drink my coffee without my very adorable, yet persistent three year old begging me for one, little drink.  That one little drink usually turns into what is left in my cup.  I know you are probably thinking that I am an awful mother for letting my child drink caffeine, but I do milk it down quite a bit.  Plus, hey, I'm not perfect.  So, for now, I'm signing off, I hope everybody else thoroughly enjoys their coffee, tea, or whatever this morning.  I know I am.