Not a Problem...

Hey Jana! Wipe that sheepish grin off your face. You are one of my most loyal readers and you have the coolest name on the planet. Thanks for being the one of two people who actually comment on my random thoughts. Keep it up! It makes me feel like at least one person is listening. We frustrated writers have to stick together!

Besides, you're not the one who accessed my blog 12 times yesterday. I know who that was, and they need to get a life!

Lexapro, anyone?

I always do this in January. Christmas is over, my stepkids have gone home, the weather is crap, and my daughter will be going back to school...I'm still not quite used to her being gone until 2:30 everyday. Spring, of course, is months away. Call it what you want, but it feels like depression to me. Not to mention Auburn got stomped today in the Capital One Bowl. I caught the last half waiting at the airport with A, and it wasn't pretty. Oh well, what do I care about Wisconsin. I don't know anybody from Wisconsin. Anyway, the worst part of today was saying goodbye to A and watching her walk through security until she was out of sight. It's really difficult to have these kids live so far away. We practically have to pry her off of us and onto the plane. Geez, I can't think about this right now. It's just too much.

Well, sorry this post is so dreary. I'll get over all this, it just takes a little time. Happy New Year, everybody!

Happy New Year...almost!

I trust everyone had a wonderful Christmas and has big plans to ring in the new year! We had the best Christmas ever. I say that every year, but it's true! After spending Christmas Eve with my parents, we came back and stayed up til 2 a.m playing Santa and googing around with the teenage girls. We finally had to send them to bed so Santa would set out their gifts. Christmas morning was awesome, even though we had to drag the older girls out of bed at 7:00. The kids were thrilled with their gifts and sat patiently and attentively through the reading of Jesus's birth. I had prepared Christmas dinner alone this year, and even though it was a lot of work, it was definitely worth it! The last several days have been all about my 16 y.o. stepdaughter whom I adore. There just aren't many kids like this one. She and I bonded immediately 4 years ago and have been very close ever since. She became a Christian here a couple of years ago and since she isn't able to attend church at home, we always have lots of things to talk about. We have all had a blast hanging out and I shudder to think she has to leave in a couple of days.

Well, New Year's Eve for us will involve ordering pizza and watching movies with our kids. At midnight, of course, we will watch the ball drop, exchange kisses and hope the kids sleep til ten the next day.

Happy New Year!!!!

Merry Christmas to All!!!

I just wanted to say to all my readers (especially those who comment!).....Have a wonderful, inspiring Christmas and please take the time to say a prayer of thanks to our Lord for His "inderscribable gift" this season!

Titles Are Overrated

Um, has it been like, forever since I wrote something meaningful and inspiring? Uh, yeah. Sorry about that. I can't seem to get past the events of the holidays. This is my fave time of year, but these last few days (a.k.a. crunch time) is when I start to get a little freaked out. I will get over it by Christmas Eve, but right now I am just wondering, what if everyone hates their gifts? Did I forget anyone? In my wrapping of about 70 + gifts, have I somehow mislabelled anything? Will there be a turkey left in Publix if I wait til Friday in an attempt to get a fresh, never frozen variety? Will the dressing turn out okay? Am I doing enough baking, decorating, etc. to make wonderful memories for the kids? Will all the flight schedules stay in place in my brain so no one will miss a plane? Most importantly, will the children who are now sick be well by Christmas? One threw up several times this morning and one now has a hacking cough and fever. Thankfully, not the same one. Okay, well, I had a single glass of wine this evening with dinner and now I can hardly type. Can we say low tolerance?

Okay, now I just have to vent about a few things in the media, so bear with me...

Intelligent design banned from schools? Don't even get me started.

" When challenged by skeptics to prove the existence of a Creator scientifically, Dr. Wernher Von Braun, the "Father of the American Rocket and Space Program," said, "Must we really light a candle to see the Sun? The electron is materially inconceivable, and yet it is so perfectly known through its effects that we use it to illuminate our cities, guide our airliners through the night skies and take the most accurate measurements. What strange rationale makes some physicists accept the inconceivable electron as real, while refusing to accept the reality of a Designer on the ground that they cannot conceive of Him? The inconceivability of some ultimate issue (which always will lie outside scientific resolution) should not be allowed to rule out any theory that explains the interrelationship of observed data and is useful for prediction." [1] To simply dismiss the concept of a Creator as being unscientific is to "violate the very objectivity of science itself." [1] While we may not be able to comprehend knowledge of a Creator, we certainly can apprehend it. "


1. Originally published in Edward F. Blick's Special Creation vs. Evolution, 1988, pp. 29-31.

Enough said, thank you.

Just Checking In...

If you're missing me, I can be found under a gigantic pile of wrapping paper, ribbons and baked goods...a little delirious but happy.

Tomorrow is our church small group (who is like family) party. I can't wait! Besides the fellowship and food, we get to play "Dirty Santa" which is always fun. Each couple brings one good gift and one gag gift, so you never know what you'll wind up with. Last year Randy and I came home with a beautiful angel candle holder and a baseball cap with reindeer antlers on top. I can't wait to see who winds up with our gag gift this year. You never know when a Shrek Chia Pet will come in handy!

Ha! Hallie has been begging to open a gift for weeks and I just told her she could open one when her stepbrother is here next week. She just informed me that I am the best person in the world, other than God and Jesus. Is that funny or what?!

By the Way...

If you've been wondering where my title and background went, you're not the only one!

I guess I better do some work on my template.

Sweet and Sour

Well, today has been a mixture of emotions. It's very cold (25 last night) and my son woke me up at 4 a.m. coughing his head off. So, I went upstairs and sat up with him for a while and finally crawled into bed at 5:30. When the alarm went off an hour later, I had only slept a total of 4 hours. So my husband told me to go back to sleep and he would get Hallie up and take her to school. I drowsily and gratefully agreed and all was well until I was straightening up our bathroom a few hours later. I opened the closet door and realized that all my gifts to my husband were there in plain view. They had been delivered last night right before he got home so I stowed them away in there to hide them quickly. I meant to move them to a more secure location while he and my son were at music, but got distracted cooking and totally forgot. I told myself, "maybe he didn't see them" and called him immediately. Ah, but no such luck. He did. I burst into tears. I couldn't help it. I was so disappointed at my own stupidity and I realized that there was nothing I could do to change it now. So, he tried to console me over the phone and convinced us to meet him for lunch. After I hung up, Ethan came over to me and said "What's the matter? Do you want your daddy?" I said, no, I was just disappointed. So he took my hand and put it to his cheek and said "Oh mommy, I'll make it all better." It was all almost worth it right then and there! While at lunch, I noticed that Randy had my daughter's rainbow "God loves you" bracelet around his wrist. When I questioned him, he said Hallie had asked him to wear it this morning so when he looked at it he would think of her and God and be happy. What a precious family I have! Two loving, compassionate children and a husband more than willing to wear a rainbow bracelet all day long just for his little girl. It's hard to feel down and out with all that going for you.

~~Daddy's Empty Chair~~

A man's daughter had asked the local minist er to come
and pray with her father.
When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed
with his head propped up on two pillows.
An empty chair sat beside his bed.

The minister assumed that the old fellow had been
informed of his visit.
"I guess you were expecting me, he said.
'No, who are you?"
said the father.
The minister told him his name
and then remarked,
"I saw the empty chair
and I figured
you knew I was going to show up,"
"Oh yeah, the chair,"
said the b edridden man.
"Would you mind closing the door?"
Puzzled, the minister shut the door.
"I have never told anyone this,
not even my daughter,"
said the man.
"But all of my life I have never known how to pray.
At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer,
But it went right o ver my head."
I abandoned any attempt at prayer,"
the old man continued,
"until one day four years ago,
my best friend said to me,
"Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter
of having a conversation with Jesus.
Here is what I suggest."
"Sit down in a chair;
place an empty chair in front of you,
and in faith see Jesus on the chair.
It's not spooky because he promised,
'I will be with you always'.
"Then just speak to him in the same way
you're doing with me right now."
"So, I tri ed it and I've liked it so much that I do it
a couple of hours every day.
I'm careful though
If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair,
she'd either have a nervous breakdown
or send me off to the funny farm."
The minister was deeply moved by the story
and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey.
Then he prayed with him,
anointed him with oil,
and returned to the church.
Two nights later the daughter called
to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon.
Did he die in peace?" he asked.
Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock,
he called me over to his bedside,
told me how much he loved me
and kissed me on the cheek.
When I got back from the store an hour later,
I found him dead.
But there was something strange about his death.
Apparently, just before Daddy died,
he leaned over and rested his head
on the chair beside the bed.
What do you make of that?"
The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said,
"I wish we could all go like that."

Uh, What Was That Again?

Do you ever find yourself in a situation or just notice something unusual and say "hey, I'm going to blog about that" and then later in front of your computer you cannot recall what it was? Well, I find myself doing that frequently these days. I had several of those moments yesterday and now sitting here, all I can remember about yesterday is listening to certain Christmas songs my son has to play/sing for his piano recital over and over and over again. Oh yeah, and I remember dancing and singing to them in my car while waiting for the gas pump to stop and getting some very strange looks from some guy on the other side. Oh well, if you're not willing to make a fool out of yourself for your kids, then what kind of mother are you? Trust me, silliness is not a rare commodity around our house...for any of us. Randy and I would like to say it was just for the kid's benefit, but honestly we are as goofy after they go to bed sometimes as we are when they are around. Sometimes you've just got to do your own rendition of several 8o's songs complete with original dance moves and contrived voice to really relax. Okay, its just us.

Well, whatever it was I meant to blog about.........maybe it'll come to me later.

Christmas is Coming...

Okay, the Christmas season has begun. I spent all weekend wrapping presents and I am still not even halfway finished. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it immensely, but I am starting to get stressed. I have all the shopping done for the children under the age of 6. It's the teenagers I don't have a clue about. The oldest has such weird taste that I can't bring myself to buy anything he would actually like and since he works at Target, a gift certificate which has been great in the past would be pointless. The 16 y.o. is so precious that she can't bring herself to ask for anything. Only after threatening her with five hand knitted sweaters did she come up with a list...CD's, clothes, and love. Well , I love her dearly but that doesn't make my job any easier. Of course she will appreciate anything, so at least I don't have to worry about her being totally disappointed. The 12 year old is the hardest because she is at that tween age. She doesn't want any more American Girl dolls, but she isn't ready for lots of clothes, either, at least not that we would pick out for her. Hmmm.........that one is going to be tough. If any of you have any ideas, please feel free to share them.

I'm also exhausted from having to plan my family's gatherings. Since my parents are divorced and can hardly stand the sight of each other (yes, it was 28.5 years ago...??) we always have to plan 2 different events. Since my stepdaughters will be with us on Christmas Day this year, it is essential that we stay home. So, I have had to divide up Christmas Eve since my parents can't imagine packing up all the gifts and driving all that way (60 miles). I really felt like saying, "yes I know, try it with two kids" but instead decided to appease them for the sake of peace and goodwill. Anyway, I just plan to go with the flow. I don't mind chaos too much and I actually thrive on it sometimes (which is helpful with 6 kids) so...such is life. Moving on....

The hubby and I were in our church's Christmas program this weekend which is an outdoor, very realistic recreation of Bethlehem and the Nativity. Although we froze our heinies off (34 degrees, windy and dark) and I breathed in more chiminea smoke that I care to in a lifetime, it was a wonderful experience...especially seeing the children's faces as they watch the story they have heard many times unfold before them.

Well, I must go finish addressing Christmas cards. I wish I was this productive year round!

O Tannenbaum!

Whew...what a week! With Thanksgiving, my son's third birthday and now his respiratory illness, I have been rather busy. He is fine, I am just keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't set off a bout of asthma. He had an awesome Buzz Lightyear party on Sunday and it is finally sinking in that my baby isn't a baby any more (but he'll always be my baby!). The last few days have been fun. We picked out our tree, got it in the stand, put the lights on, and finally decorated it...all in about 3 days. It was worth all the work, though, as you can see for yourself. If you've ever seen a more beautiful tree, don't tell me! Of course, there are some in my neighborhood who actually pay people to come and decorate their house and yard for Christmas. I happen to think that is ridiculous. It's like paying someone to go to Disneyworld in your place...you're fine as long as you get to see the pictures. Where I grew up, people didn't do things like this. Of course, they also didn't add 6,000 square feet of living space to the already existing 5,000, a regulation size flagpole, and a six car driveway for a family of three (?????????). I just think that decorating for Christmas should be a family event, not a job for two strange men and a hydraulic lift, but that's just me.

Well, tomorrow I have to get up with the birds for a special breakfast at my daughter's school and since I am a major night owl, it won't be easy. Later!

Thanksgiving Fun!!

I love this time of year! October through Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love the colors, the smells, the excitement, and the FOOD. Turkey and dressing, sweet potato casserole with brown sugar topping, green beans, cranberry sauce, ambrosia and pralines washed down with several glasses of sweet tea is heaven. I am one of these people who wants to eat that very meal over and over again. Some people get tired of it after a few family gatherings, but not me! I love to cook it as well, so that is also helpful. As for the cleaning up afterward?....well, I could do without that.

This has been such a fun week with the three kids. They love each other so much and play together so well. Ever noticed how one boy is active but two or more together morph into cavemen? Just kidding...wild as it gets around here, we love every minute of it. Hey, when it comes to kids, it's the more the merrier around this house! Anyway, we have been busy painting T-shirts, making Christmas decorations, and today we will be decorating the tree. It's a little early, but we want to do it while Marshall is still here. Tomorrow we'll be heading out for dinner with the family and then soon after that the new week will begin with my little boy's third birthday! So, lots going on here...speaking of which, I've got to go!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

How to Tell if You Are From Alabama

I love my home state, but I thought this was kind of funny and I can definitely relate to many of these. Hey, going to the lake in a Chevy Silverado with every flavor of Coke imaginable is hard to beat!

1. You can properly pronounce Arab, AL.

2. You think people who complain about the heat in their states are sissies.

3. A tornado warning siren is your signal to go out in the yard and
look for a funnel.

4. You know that the true value of a parking space is not determined by the distance to the door, but by the availability of shade.

5. Stores don't have bags, they have sacks.

6. You've seen people wear bib overalls at funerals.

7. You think everyone from a bigger city has an accent.

8. You measure distance in minutes.

9. You go to the lake because you think it is like going to the
ocean.

10. You listen to the weather forecast before picking out an outfit.

11. You know cowpies are not made of beef.

12. Someone you know has used a football schedule to plan their wedding date.

13. You have known someone who has a belt buckle bigger than your fist.

14. You aren't surprised to find movie rental, ammunition, beer, and bait all in the same store.

15. A Mercedes Benz isn't a status symbol. A Chevy Silverado Extended Bed Crew Cab is.

16. You know everything goes better with Ranch.

17. You learned how to shoot a gun before you learned how to multiply.

18. You actually get these jokes and are "fixin' " to send them to your friends.

Finally:

19. you are 100% Alabamian if you have ever had this conversation: "You wanna coke?" "Yeah." "What kind?" "Dr Pepper."

Proud to be an Auburn Alumnus

Auburn 28, Alabama 18!!!!

War Eagle, Baby!!!

For the first time ever in my life, I didn't see the Auburn/Alabama game, BUT it was for a very good reason. The family and I drove 12 hours to pick up my sweetheart of a stepson who will be with us for the next week. Yeah! We are all very excited since we don't get to see him nearly enough (lives in Chicago area). I wouldn't have missed that for anything. But, we did bring the laptop so we could listen to it via the web and it was totally awesome, or as Ethan would say "totally wicked!" Auburn stomped Bama by scoring 21 points in the first quarter. It was a surprise to a lot of people since Alabama was ranked ahead of Auburn, but not to us. This is one game that always exists outside the realm of logic. It may seem strange to those of you who aren't from Alabama, but believe me, college football is KING down here, and this matchup always proves to be a great one. Having grown up a Bama fan (my parents got their graduate degrees there) it wasn't until my sister went to Auburn to major in Speech Pathology that I found out what an awesome place it is. After visiting her there for one weekend, I knew exactly where I wanted to go. I did and it became home to me very quickly. It's a beautiful campus in the heart of a small town rich with history. My Tuscaloosa-born husband fell in love with it as well and horrified his family by becoming a huge fan. That's okay, though, they still love us, we just don't talk on game day! I'm kidding, of course...my mother-in-law is one of my best friends and we pretty much talk daily, regardless of football.

Well, I have to go. I am just very excited and since I can't be at Toomer's Corner tonight, I guess blogging is the next best thing!

Oh yeah, and one more time, War Eagle!!!

Discovering Selah...

Wonderment. Awe. Reverence. Love. All of these are states of being brought on by the listening of an album of hymns I happened upon in the aisles of Target one day. By a group named Selah, this collection of songs which ever so gently rocked my world every Sunday morning of my life, stirred within me feelings so overwhelming I was moved to tears. I attend a comtemporary Methodist church which I love, however I grew up spending about 7 hours a week in a Southern Baptist church and it is here that I came to know the Lord as I do. With a very cool rendition of "Amazing Grace" and an extremely moving and upbeat "By and By" (be sure and read the story behind this one), this album has captivated me and my car stereo for the last several days. The first track is "Be Thou My Vision" which is a melody and lyrics unknown to me, but has quickly become one of my favorites. The rest of the songs are old familiar hymns whose words are still and forever will be, locked inside my heart. My absolute favorite is "There Is a Fountain" which is the very hymn the congregation sang as I, clad in a white robe, waded the waters of the baptistry in a small Baptist church 20 years ago and, clutching the hand of the man who had led me to the Lord, was "buried in the likeness of His death and raised in the likeness of His resurrection" and symbolically left my sins behind in the cloudy water. I found myself wondering why, even though I sing what we call worship songs every Sunday with 3 guitars, 2 keyboards and a full set of drums, we have dubbed the hymns of yore as dull, boring or not indicative to modern life. For those of us who grew up holding hymnals in a sweaty hand while the other clung to back of a wooden pew, this album is more than a mere trip down nostalgia lane. It is a moment of worship, endearment and a reminder that some things transcend time, and among those are the outcries of the human heart to it's God and the amazement of his mercy.



There Is a Fountain

1. There is a fountain filled with blood
drawn from Emmanuel's veins;
and sinners plunged beneath that flood
lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains,
lose all their guilty stains;
and sinners plunged beneath that flood
lose all their guilty stains.

2. The dying thief rejoiced to see
that fountain in his day;
and there may I, though vile as he,
wash all my sins away.
Wash all my sins away,
wash all my sins away;
and there may I, though vile as he,
wash all my sins away.

3. Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood
shall never lose its power
till all the ransomed church of God
be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more,
be saved, to sin no more;
till all the ransomed church of God
be saved, to sin no more.

4. E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream
thy flowing wounds supply,
redeeming love has been my theme,
and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die,
and shall be till I die;
redeeming love has been my theme,
and shall be till I die!

Hear the tune here http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh622.sht .
"Selah" online http://www.selahonline.com/ .

A Photo...

An unsuspecting photo of my gorgeous husband this morning during our pancake breakfast. Isn't he precious?...especially with his facial hair grown for the express purpose of our church's upcoming Christmas program, but I kind of like it ;)

Out of Town

Hello Blogdom! I am in the Sunshine State (aptly named...74 degrees and beautiful) visiting my best friend and her new baby, so I won't be writing much the rest of the week. My kids are getting some much needed time with their grandparents, so the hubby and I are getting some much needed time to ourselves. I cannot remember the last time we were actually alone together. Well, yes I can because it was our anniversary, but it was too long ago. Actually we are about to go finish our Christmas shopping (6 kids=starting in August) and then after a sunset walk on the beach, we will feast on crab legs and porch punch. Wow, it even looks divine on the screen. Okay, gotta go.......

Images of Autumn

My neighborhood today....


The road to our house...


The sunset this evening...

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Wow...everywhere I look I see beauty. The leaves are absolutely gorgeous. Every time I drive over the mountain I practically run off the road just looking at them. This is definitely my favorite season...the colors, the coolness, going into Christmas, the turkey and dressing. It's all good....

Well, Halloween was a blast even though I am still sore from walking 3 miles, the last two holding my almost 3 year old (alternating with my hubby anyway). I don't exactly live in a flat neighborhood and boy did I get a workout. One that was very much needed since I haven't had a regular exercise routine since...oh, say...college? Yeah, that needs to change. Not that I need to lose weight at all (nuclear metabolism), but I could use some muscle tone. Okay, I am digressing. I only have a minute, but it had been so long since I blogged I had to write something. I have a very busy week. Halloween, 3 birthdays (including my own...29 is upon me, yikes!), soccer games, soccer parties, church, music lessons, etc., etc., etc. Anyway, I know this is a really boring post, but I have to share this picture of my butterfly and Buzz Lightyear.
Have a great day!