Good-byes, Verbs, Teething and Get Aways

First of all, I have a favor ... PLEASE VOTE FOR A HAIR COLOR ... see the side bar for instructions and to vote!!!

That being said, we now return you to your regularly scheduled programing ...

Well, my boys are gone. Again. And I don't like it.
I got used to all of the activity around the house (not that it is in ANY way quiet on a regular basis!) and seeing the girls fall a little more in love with their big brothers every day. And, much as I hate to admit it, I kinda like the constant bickering and teasing that happens when they are here. They are fun guys and I love 'em to pieces. I miss 'em when they're gone.


I had a long talk with Hattie's speech therapist yesterday - I just love this woman. She always gives me ideas and tips to be working on. Yesterday we talked about verbs. Stimulating conversation, I know! Seems our Miss Hattie tends to forget to ad the verbs to her newly forming sentences. OR she doesn't always choose an appropriate verb. For instance, the dog next door barks. ALOT. and every time he does Hattie says "I see a puppy". She also says that when she sees a puppy. ANY puppy. Whether she sees, hears, smells, pets or tastes a dog, it's the same thing - "I see a puppy"! So, we gotta work on that one. But at least she is expressing herself.

She is also singing songs. One song in particular is a Wonder Pets song about a bee. A song with many, many words. And Hattie knows 'em all. It is so sweet to hear her sing it. I love that girl!


Sophie's second tooth is coming in. Have I told ya how very much I love teething? I HAVEN'T? That us be because I DON'T!!!!! I can't stand watching my baby deal with pain. She is normally the happiest kid around. But when teething, not so much. Breaks my heart. I just want to take all of the pain away.
I guess that makes me like just about every mom in the world.

Hubby and I had to alter our get away plans again. We are now just going to have a day long date. No overnight stay anywhere. Not right now anyway. We will wait til we can afford to do it right. Or at least without any guilt over spending money on ourselves.
So, we are gonna go to the BIG mall that is about an hour away. They have many things that make it special. Like a BIG Brass Pro shop for my man - who has gotten so many gift cards from there we could shop all day! And I can usually find a little something for myself, so that is good! They also have a movie theatre, which will be showing the new Narnia movie. VERY excited about that one!!! As well as our favorite restaurant. The very first time Hubby took me out to eat, we went to a little place called On The Border. YUMMY Mexican food - and when I can get a good enchilada, I am a happy girl! The night he proposed - On The Border. And three guesses who catered our wedding. Yep, I ate salsa in a wedding dress! Oh, wait ... I never ate at my reception. Too busy being social. But I did enjoy the sample tray they made up to show us what they would be serving!!!! I am excited about that one!!!!

So, there ya go!

Oh, did I mention ... PLEASE VOTE!!!

Needin' Some Input Please!

OK Friends, I need your help. I am puttin' this out there at the risk of sounding very vain and stuff, but I really need your opinion, so I am taking a risk...
I have been looking at pictures a LOT lately - some old and some new (like the ones in yesterdays post). I just recently got my hair done, including a new color. I loooooovvvvveeee the cut but am not so sure about the color. This is where you, my bloggy buddies, come in.

Looking at all of the pictures we just took, I think that I look old. And I think that it may be the new color. That and the fact that I need to lose a bit of weight. So, I am going to show you some pictures and you tell me what you think.

Here we go:



These are from our wedding and honeymoon 5 years ago. I was MUCH thinner and obviously 5 years younger...

This is two years ago at Hattie's adoption. Still much thinner but not quite as young...

This is one year ago, I was about as heavy as I am now and almost as old ...

Just this past Christmas. Same size, same age, different color...

And, one week ago. This weight, this hair and this messy kitchen. (Remember, you aren't judging the kitchen!)

So, there ya go - what do ya think?

This Mommy Thing ROCKS!!!!!

Have I told ya lately that I love being a mom?
I do.
I really do.

It is hard, it is neverending, it is mundane at times, aggrivating at times, scary at times, and IMPOSSIBLE at times. But it is my ideal ALL the time.

Yep - I love it.
And here are just a few reasons why ...



Yesterday was family picture day and even though Hattie wanted to get down and play in the rain puddles, Hubby wanted it to just be over with, Sophie wanted to sleep and the boys never wanted it to have begun, I think they did pretty well.












And then we ALL had just kinda had enough!!!



And, actually, this is the one that most resembles US!

Yep, I love being a mom!!!

Picture Perfect Monday - STUCK!!!!!

Sometimes, when a four year old girl says she's "stuck" she is simply playing along with her little sister ...



...but, sometimes, she is really stuck ...




...which plays havoc with said girl's hair!



...

Happy Mother's Day

Faith Passed Down

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Prov. 22:6

This verse, hand stitched, hung on the wall in our house as I was growing up. I cannot explain how much peace that fact has given me through the years. Because, to me, it was a symbol of my mom’s love.

I had the example of four amazing Christian women in my life from the very beginning. My mom and my grandmothers each had amazing gifts of faith that were visible in everything that they did. My mom’s faith, however, was displayed to me every single day. The way she prayed before every meal and at bed time – not route prayers, but heartfelt and sincere messages that showed us how prayer was supposed to be done. God was not some far off deity to her. He was, and is, her very best friend.

She had a personal relationship with Him before it became the “Christianese” term that is heard in churches today. I’ve seen for myself the peace that this relationship has given her through some pretty tough times. She clung to the Cross through an abusive marriage and a messy divorce, single parenthood on one small paycheck, remarriage which found her with five ( and then six) children and everything in between. She was strong because she found her strength in Him. Because she loved her children, she did everything in her power to teach us that same faith.

I grew up watching and admiring the convictions of my mom and my grandmas. However, it was not THEIR faith I needed. One more thing my mom taught me was that the only faith that could save me from sin was my own. I had to know Jesus for myself. She introduced Him to me, but I had to let the relationship develop. I had to turn to Him and ask Him to save me. I had to get to know Him for myself. I had to get on my own two knees, admit my weaknesses and ask for His grace. That was all I had to do, but no one could do it for me.

The other memorable thing that hung in our house through my childhood (and now hangs in MY house for MY children to see) was a painting of Christ at a door. He was knocking because he could not let Himself in. There was no knob or handle on His side. I remember, very clearly, the day my mom pointed this out to me. I had looked at that painting my entire life and had never noticed it. She explained that Jesus is a very courteous guest and would never invite Himself in, we have to ask Him. Once we do, He will move Heaven and earth to get to us, but we have to give Him a way in. “Just open the door” she told me, “He will do everything else.” She made me see how much I needed Him. She made me see how much He loved me. She LET me see how much she needed Him as well. That is what I remember, and admire, the most.

My mom is the strongest woman I have ever known. Letting us know that the strength that carried her was not her own was, and is, the best gift she could ever have given us. It is the gift that will carry us through this life and into the eternal life that awaits us.

My grandmothers (the OTHER three strongest women I have ever known – who also found their strength in Him) as well as my grandfathers have gone on to that eternal life, but because of the legacy that these women have left behind, I know that I will see them again. I know that this earth is not my home, that a better one awaits me on the other side. I am so very homesick to see all of my grandparents again, as well as other dear friends and family who have gone before me. They are waiting for me in Heaven, I know.

I cannot begin to imagine life here without my mom, but I know that odds are it will happen someday. She is healthy and strong, but we are humans and humans grow frail and weak. Neither of us will live forever and she will, obviously, get older first. I face this with a bit of fear, but only the mortal fear that, in this life, I will be without her. I KNOW that my eternal life is secure and will be spent in the same place as hers. I know this because of the other verse she taught me, the one that gives me hope for the future …

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:3

I love you Mommy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!