Red, White & Broke

What have we done this weekend? Well... hubby's car decided to smoke on Friday. It's in the shop getting fixed and then will be put up for sale. We wound up purchasing a car for hubby and new furniture for the living room (for those of you who follow the blog you'll remember that we sold our living room furniture at the community yard sale a few weeks ago). We got great deals so that helped ease the pain of making such big purchases.

As far as fun goes, Dairy Queen, mini golf, bowling and a surprise invite to my cousin's house for a BBQ rounded out the excitement. We went to our small town's Memorial Day Parade which, I must admit, was really fun. It flooded me with childhood memories of the Memorial Day parades I attended with my family. It felt great to see Chris excited about the festivities. Of course we also were trying to explain to him the purpose of this important day. When asked what his favorite part was he replied, "the candy". Of course... who wouldn't love the candy that was thrown by the people participating in the parade. He honestly collected as much as he does on Halloween. Not a bad gig.

Hope you are all enjoying the day with family and friends and a special thank you to all of you who have served or are currently serving our country and for fighting for the freedom that we enjoy each and every day

Close Friends

The other day we were asking Chris who is closest friends are. He started naming several kids in his class and we were a little surprised by some of the people he was naming. Not that they aren't nice kids, it's just that he doesn't talk about them much or socialize with them much outside of school. When we asked why so-in-so is his close friend, he replied, "Well he lives near our house.. I'm naming all the "close" kids.. you know the once that are closest to our home" Bless his heart.. he was right.. we asked who were his closest friends.. and he listed them by proximity.. not closest to his heart. How cute.

BP - Bringing People together - Funny!!

Man, It's HOT

Today I remembered why I hated going to school in May and June. THE HEAT! Oh my word. Today I spent 2 1/2 hours in Chris' school helping with various activities. I don't know why I bothered to shower this morning, because I was dripping with sweat when I left there today. Stale, hot air... that's all that flowed through the school. It brought back memories of my own school days. Relentless heat and teacher's trying to get you to pay attention when all you can think of is a cold drink and a swim.

I don't know about you, but I'm staying in with the air conditioner on... with any luck I'll catch a nap (and another shower) too!

Field Trip

Today, lil' guy took his very first class trip.. .without me, mind you. They boarded the school bus and headed to a local farm... couldn't have been a HOTTER day for their outing. 90 degrees.. now I don't know about you, but the LAST place I want to be on such a hot day is at a stinky farm. Maybe me not being on the trip was a good thing given my outlook LOL.

Chris had a great time and is definitely tired from the adventure. A friend of mine knew I would be worried and thinking about him all morning, so she did what any good friend would do, invite me over and then we went shopping. Totally kept my mind occupied for which I'm very grateful.

I remember going to a ton of museums in NYC when I was in school. My mother must have really have been prayed up those days of us getting on a school bus and going into Manhattan!
Do you remember your first class trips?

Waffle...

How would you like your waffle? On the floor or burnt... because that's the only two ways I could make them one day last week. You know how it is as a mom.. you rush around like a crazed lunatic in those early morning hours doing 10 things at once.. combing hair, brushing teeth, packing a lunch, folding laundry, cleaning up a spill and trying to get breakfast on the table. The other morning I made myself two delicious looking waffles... topped off with butter, syrup and applesauce..just the way my mom used to serve them to me. I was so anxious to devour them that as I turned to put them on the table, one of them slid off my plate and plopped right onto the kitchen floor. Needless to say, that poor waffle wound up in the garbage. No problem... make another. Popped it into the toaster oven and I was off writing my to do list, making beds, checking emails, etc. When the toaster oven chimed to let me know my waffle was ready, I was so saddened to see that it was burnt beyond recognition. By that time, I HAD no time, so I ate it.
My husband came down and he suggested a bowl of cereal...

TGIF !

Another busy weekend... traveling to visit my sister-in-law for her birthday and bringing a wonderful lasagna and cupcakes to celebrate. Wish we could stay all weekend, but must travel home tomorrow night so the lil man can sing with the Children's Choir again on Sunday.

It's hard to believe that the school year is winding down. Next year it will be full-day for Chris... a big boy in first grade. Next week the kids are going to "practice" eating in the cafeteria so they get used to it. So many milestones going by too quickly. Going to give him a big squeeze right now - at least he still responds to those and squeezes back... wish I could bottle him up at this age. Love it!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and sending special prayers up to my Uncle David today -- we love you and are praying for you!

Sit Down!

So we are still without a sofa in our living room. My son brought up his little Pooh couch that he's had since he was a baby so at least he has a place to sit while watching TV. I moved one of our chairs from the kitchen to our living room so at least Steve or I have a place to sit should we need one. I guess we are going with the "less is more" look. Just not great for entertaining, so we are going to have to continue our search for a new sofa.

Chris loves shopping for sofas... he has now been to two furniture stores with us in the past few days and he is hysterical. He walks in, scopes out the place... must find the restroom to check that out, and then it's on to couch testing. He has discovered an inner passion for recliners... specifically sectional sofas with at least 2 recliners. Some have the traditional levers that you push/pull, and some are more up to date and have the little semi-circle levers that you simply just lift. He is in glory! He purposely wears easy shoes to slip in and out of so he takes off his shoes, plops on a couch and reclines. He is in heaven. Or maybe he just really misses having a place to sit in our living room!

Everything But The Kitchen Sink

Yesterday our community held a huge garage sale. They hold one every year, but this was the first time that we participated. At first, we didn't think that we had much to put out, but we found several items (baby gear, toys, an old TV, etc) and decided to put it all out to see what happens. So Friday was spent gathering items and tagging them, so on Saturday all we had to do was put them out and sit back.

Well, something unexpected happened on Saturday... I was expecting a few people here and there, but there are some serious garage sale hunters out there, people! They were coming in DROVES... looking and buying. So, the more we sold, the more I started thinking... what else could we sell. So, I ran to my bedroom and grabbed some old books - put them on the table and they sold. Next, I went through some old boxes in the garage that we hadn't tackled on Friday and found more items - put them out and sold them. Then Steve & I looked at each other and we both had the same thought --- the Sofas! Yes, we decided to have our neighbor come over and help Steve haul out our couch and loveseat. Steve has had this set for at least 10 years.. well before we got married. They look really good, but we were planning on buying a new set sometime in the next year. So, out they went.. and we sold them! It was the funniest thing... I had to explain to Chris what was going on.. he looked at me like I was crazy, but I guess a garage sale made me a little crazy. I came back into the house to "check on him" (aka - grab more stuff to sell) and he had taken the cushion from our piano bench and had it on the floor of the living room playing a game. It was hysterical.

Anyway, after the couches, I got a grip and just starting visualizing what I would sell next year. Other than the couches, we didn't sell anything that had been used on a regular basis. Mostly stuff that had been in boxes since our move from Florida. We don't have the wall space or counter space to display most of it and if it's been in a box for over 2 years, the likelihood of it getting used in the next 2 is slim to none.

We were so exhausted by the end of the day, but it was a great time. Chris was thrilled to sell a bunch of his old toys (and we were so proud of the fact that he was able to sort through his things and decide which toys he no longer needed).

Of course the first thing we did after the sale was jump in the car and start furniture shopping... no luck yet, but hopefully soon!

Upate on Dad

Thank you all for your prayers. Dad is doing fine. The doctors did not need to put a stent in and while they were examining his heart, they checked the other stent and it looked good as well. So, we are very thankful that he did not need further surgery today. He should be able to go to my sister's house later today where he can rest up for a day or so.

Again, thanks for praying!

My dad

Hi everyone.. just a quick post to request prayer for my Dad. He is having a procedure done at the hospital very early tomorrow morning and would really appreciate your prayers. The doctors are going to be checking for blockage in one of his arteries and, if necessary, will be inserting a stent.

I will update as I have more information tomorrow. Thank you so much!

Celebrations

In my family, it just seems that celebrations just roll one into another. The first half of the year is just packed with birthdays, anniversaries and the common celebrations like Valentine's day, mother's day, etc. We finally get a little reprieve around the end of June and then it picks up in November. This past week was not exception. Mother's Day and then Steve's birthday. Of course little man was still on the prowl for a gift for himself. On Mother's Day he lovingly wrapped his arms around me and said, "Happy Mother's Day Mommy.. I love you.... (insert pause) "Do I get a gift for loving you?" He's too funny... He just thinks it's all about him and usually it is LOL. That's what happens when you have one child.

We are having a great week... even if it feels like winter. I had just started putting all our sweaters away when we got slammed with a cold spell. I'd like to personally tell mother nature that we are over it...bring on spring and summer.

Hope you all had a blessed mother's day and that your families are all happy and healthy.

Food for Thought

Busyness

My devotional earlier this week was on busyness and I thought how appropriate since there is hardly ever a time when I don't feel busy. The author was cautioning the readers to not be so busy that you don't take time to get quiet before God to hear what he's trying to tell you. He longs to speak to us and to answer our many requests, but do we ever stop long enough to spend time praying and focusing on Him, or worshipping Him to get the answers that we are seeking?

The other day was particular busy for me.. my to do list was 2 pages long and I was overwhelmed. The last thing I wanted to do was return phone calls, but I knew I should. So, I dialed a friend who had left me a message and 2 minutes into the conversation, I was so glad that I took time out of my busy day to call. She needed a friend, a Christian friend, to pray with her over a particular need. I've been in her shoes when I've had days when a friend called me at just the right time, to utter just the right words, or pray with me when I needed it most. That's when I realized that there are some days when I'm busy and doing good things, but maybe it's not the right kind of busy.

I was really challenged that day to make time even in my busyness to listen to God's voice and to pray for Him to direct me to the activities that He wants me to accomplish that day. So, I'd like to encourage you to take a moment each day and ask God to direct you in the midst of your busy life towards the activities that would be blessing to Him.

Full Speed Ahead

Yesterday I managed to attend the Ladies Bible Study brunch, host 2 back-to-back play dates at my house, make 1 trip to the E/R AND had dinner on the table last night (thanks to a crock pot!). I didn't think that so many valuable lessons could be shared in ONE day....

The trip to the E/R was due to 2 kids running around the house having fun and inevitably running full speed into each other... resulted in a loose tooth for Chris' friend and a ton of blood. Chris has a little bump but is fine. The other child definitely will loose the tooth sooner than expected but otherwise was fine.

I am so glad there's no max in how many times you can reach out to God during the day.... his name was on my lips all day!! Just so thankful that all turned out well... and I told my husband I deserve a medal for having dinner on the table, because that's the LAST thing I wanted to deal with after all was said and done yesterday.

Ten

I've been in a sad state for several days and didn't really put two and two together until yesterday. You see, today marks 10 years that my mom passed away. I'd like to say that it doesn't affect me.. that you "get over" it. But you don't. In fact, this day hurts so bad every year. You realize that time has marched on... life continued...but you weren't able to share your trials and victories with that special someone. Do I wish things were different? That's a tricky question. If my Mom would have been able to live a healthy, vibrant life... of course! But would she have continued on a path of cancer filled with pain, suffering and discomfort? How can you wish that on someone you love?

You'll have to excuse me if I'm somber. It's just that in some ways I feel she missed the best part of my life... my wedding, the birth of my child, etc. The last ten years was me living out my dream! But my dream never included my mom not being here for it. But, God knows... God is still faithful and she is in a better place. I guess in her eyes, she might say that she was here for the best years... when I was little, finding my way in this world, making choices, and learning to lean on Jesus through every trial in life. Before she passed away, she told me that she wasn't worried about me. Even though I was still single and my brother and sister already were married, she told me that she knew I would be okay. She took my hand and looked me in the eye and told me that she was proud of me and that I just needed to hold on to Jesus- no matter what life threw at me.

So, please just think of my family today and send some prayers up for us. I guess I'll just close in between my tears by thanking God for a wonderful Mom and the years we were blessed to have her with us.

Change & Trust

By Gini Andrews:
"Life for most of us is not a steady-paced stroll through time with a beginning, a middle, and an end, like a well-constructed play. It's filled with change. We change schools, careers, homes, relationships, and "images" almost as casually as our great-grandparents changed horses.

Not that all change is by choice. Tragedy strikes and our lives change forever. Cherished friendships change in character or another person's choice cuts directly across our own, bringing us where we never wanted to be.

A career change, voluntary or involuntary, may disrupt our lives, leaving us searching for the chain that holds the beads of our lives together. Financial losses sweep away our props. Even geographic change can be disorienting.

And always there is the unchangeable, the irreversible. We long to go back and begin again, to undo our mistakes. Impossible, of course. When we pull out the nails of our failures, the ugly holes remain.

For the believer, then, the question is vital: Is our God the Lord of change? Will he be with us in change, especially when it strains our trust to its limit? Ironically, while we trust him with our eternal fate, we may find it difficult to trust him for next month's car payment, a new relationship, or an unexpected turn in our lives. The assumption that the Almighty is unacquainted with the complex people he has made keeps us hanging onto bits and pieces of our lives, deceived by Satan's ancient lie that God does not want the best for us.

In a threatened world, in the kaleidoscopic whirl of our life patterns, it can be enormously reassuring to remind ourselves that God is unchanging: "I the Lord do not change". (Malachi 3:6)"

Guys Day

Every Friday that Steve is off from work is "Guys Day". Chris loves this day because it is the one day of the week that Steve will drive him to school in the convertible. It's a big deal and he loves it. Occasionally I am invited along. Today was not one of those days and it's okay because on these special days I actually gain an extra half hour into my day. It's an amazing thing.

Now don't get carried away with visions of me rolling over in bed for an extra half hour of sleep. That simply does not happen. In fact, today's half hour included sweeping and mopping, vacuuming and now a quick blog entry. Who knew that an extra half hour could mean so much to a happy homemaker!?

I have a few more minutes of alone time and since I already did my devotions and I'm scheduled to go walking with a friend in about 20 minutes, maybe I can sit down and just rest for a minute! What a concept!!!

The Tub

While filling the bath tub for Chris last night, I turned off the hot water side before the cold (not simultaneously) so he got a burst of cold water splashed on him for a quick second. The shock just made him sit straight up for a quick minute and smiled.

"Chris, I"m so sorry about that! I didn't mean to give you a little jump there at the end by turning off the hot water and not the cold at the same time."

"It's okay, Mom -- I love you.. even when you make a mistake."

That just melted my heart. I thought to myself how much that statement reflects God's own love for us. He loves me even when I mess up. We are so blessed to be loved by a such a forgiving, gracious and merciful God.

Have a blessed day everyone.

The Card

I love buying cards... I put a lot of thought usually into birthday cards and anniversary cards, especially for my husband. So, this year I got the perfect card, filled it out and had it ready to go. The day before our anniversary, I was cleaning out a draw in my bedroom and discovered some cards from the previous year. Birthday cards, Mother's Day cards, anniversary cards and just really was going through them. It's nice to go back and see what people have written to you.

Anyway, as I was going through the stack of cards, I discovered THE SAME EXACT CARD THAT I JUST BOUGHT MY HUSBAND. Yep.. I had managed for two years in a row to buy him the same card. I've come to the conclusion that Hallmark must have fallen on tough times and they have not been able to hire new writers or give pay increases to their current ones. That must be the case if only ONE card draws my attention.

The icing on the cake was when my husband gave me THE SAME EXACT CARD that he bought me last year on our anniversary. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have known the difference except I had just cleaned out that drawer of cards. Needless to say, we had quite the laugh. Next year I'm just going to make one out of construction paper and glitter..well, maybe not glitter.