...And For You, Geeding!

It has been a crazy day. I can not over-emphasize the chaos. It was the final day of preschool before Christmas break. I should have known we were in for it when we realized first thing this morning that January lesson plans were due TODAY. Somehow my rock star co-teacher and I managed to do a month's worth of lesson plans, put on a Christmas party, stuff 11 gift bags for our kids, and keep our heads from exploding all in ONE DAY. I am exhausted.

While I wait for my blood pressure to come down and gather my thoughts, I will direct you here. My old college buddy Keith runs this crazy blog, which is truly a bunch of nothingness. Kind of like Seinfeld online. He's giving me blogging advice--crazy stuff like "you should post at least once a week"!!--but he must know what he's talking about because BON is one of the top blogs in the country. Check it out...

This One's For You, Kandice......

It has been brought to my attention that I am doing a poor job at keeping up with the blog. So, just in case you're one of those who is faithfully checking in, here's what we've been up to the last few weeks:

1. I gave my testimony at our church's Thanksgiving dinner. I totally get why Moses felt like he needed Aaron, as I am no public speaker myself. But my prayer has been that God would "enlarge my territory", so I had to take advantage of this opportunity. Perhaps I will post what I said on 3littlecowboys sometime soon.

2. Hubby went out of town and I came down with a delightful flu/strep throat combo Thanksgiving week. My mom and sister saved the day when they drove from Houston to Dallas and back in one day to collect my kids so I could rest. I spent 3 yucky (but quiet!) days in bed.

3. Hubby and I traveled to Houston for Thanksgiving. We ate a delicious meal, spent sweet time with our family--including my brother, who made the trip from Nashvegas--, and made a quick departure when all 3 boys came down with pink eye. In spite of incessant handwashing and sanitizing, Nana caught it from them. Sorry, Nana.

4. The moment we returned from Houston, we began decorating our home for Christmas. I was so happy to see our pre-lit tree we bought last year!!! The boys love decorating the tree. When it was all said and done, we had very few ornaments on the upper half of the tree, and several branches were sagging because they held more than one ornament. I wanted to "fix" it after the boys went to bed, but Hubs reminded me that it will only look this way for a few short years. We left it as it was, and they are so proud.

5. I had visits with both my ob-gyn and my oncologist. Hormones (or lack thereof) are taking a toll, but I have been assured that there's nothing wrong with me that is not wrong with many other women, though they may be 20+ years my senior. Supposedly the right combination of medications can make me cheerful and whole again. We're working on that. I will be scheduled for a CAT scan in January to begin the cycle of searching for returning cancer. My oncologist kissed me on the head.

6. We had visits from two of our favorite families in Abilene. It was a fun day of eating and catching up. Happy Birthday, Jared and Tyler!!!

7. Our family was asked to light an Advent candle during the Hanging of the Green service at church. If you've ever taken a 2-year-old to "big church" you know where this is headed.......

I let Baby read the hymnal, sit with assorted friends, and even fed him goldfish (although I have a rule that the kids can NEVER eat in church) to keep him quiet. It was finally our turn to light the candle, and when I picked him up to walk to the stage, his shoe fell off. I carried him down front with only one shoe on, and the whole time he was yelling, "SHOE! SHOE! SHOE, MAMA!!!!" Serene and holy we were NOT.

8. Baby moved to a big boy bed. He is SO proud, and when he woke up after the first night in it, he said to me, "I big, Mama." I cried. We loaned the crib--which has been used constantly for nearly 6 years--to some friends, and I cried. Babyhood is no more at my house!

9. We got a new oven. That's the good news. The bad news is that the new oven is bigger than the old oven. I spent 2 days this week at home listening to the sounds of new cabinetry being manufactured in my garage. Everything I own was covered in sawdust.

10. After a little holiday hiatus, the lady who cleans my house came back today. The sawdust is gone and I am happy.

And there you have it. Thanks for the gentle nudge, KC!

Halloween '07

I sort of forgot about posting Halloween pictures. Sorry 'bout that. Here they are, better late than never.

Boba Fett, Yoda, and Scary Dragon Baby

"Cute costume, it is........."

Carving this year's "Jack"

Checkin' out the loot!

Little Middle Goes to Big Church

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Dear Baby,

Today you turned 2 years old. This birthday is bittersweet for me. I am excited to watch you grow and learn--you are changing every day! At the same time, I know you are the last baby I will have, and my sentimental mama heart mourns the end of your babyhood. It will just be a matter of months before we put away the crib for good, we say goodbye to diapers (well, that's not so sad), and we trade in the car seat for a booster.

Your vocabulary has increased at an alarming rate recently. There is nothing you won't say! We asked you all day how old you are. At first you would say "two" and hold up your little fingers. After a while, though, you got bored with it and started saying whatever number came to your mind. "Baby, how old are you?" "Fwee," you answered. Or "sebben." Or whatever.

It must be such fun to be you, as the world spins at your direction. You are funny and easygoing (most of the time). I would love it if you would eat something besides dry cereal and mac & cheese, though. Sometimes I think you just refuse to eat--no matter what it is--just to see if you can get a reaction. It amuses you if Daddy or I insist that you consume the food we put in front of you. Your refusal infuriates us, but your grin is irresistible. You did not have trouble with your birthday cake, though!

You are a lover! You remind me of the theme song from "Cheers"...sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. You're the guy who knows everyone's name! You will run to the ladies at church and hand out hugs freely. They eat you up! Nothing feels better to me than wrapping you up in my arms and receiving a big, wet kiss on my cheek. Every morning before Goliath leaves for school you ask for a hug from him. You have a sweet heart and you love people.

On this day two years ago, I had no idea why God sent you to be part of our family. All I knew, from the moment I laid eyes on you, was that you were wonderfully made and I was privileged to be your mommy. I still feel that way. My beautiful infant son has grown into a full-steam-ahead toddler. You stretch me, you melt me. You make me want to be better than what I used to be. You have brought great love and laughter into our home, little man. You will always be my baby.

Love,

Mommy

1 Corinthians 13 (For Moms)

I can read bedtime stories til the cow jumps over the moon, and sing "Ten Little Monkeys" until I want to call the doctor--but if I don't have love, I'm as annoying as a phone that rings all the time.

I can chase a naked toddler through the house while cooking dinner and listening to voice mail, I can fix the best cookies and Kool-Aid in the neighborhood, and I can tell a sick child's temperature with one touch of my finger, but if I don't have love, I am nothing.

Love is patient while watching and praying by the front window when it's 30 minutes past curfew.

Love is kind when my child says, "I don't like you anymore!"

It does not envy the neighbor's swimming pool or their brand new SUV that we can't afford, but trusts the Lord to provide every need.

Love does not brag when other parents share their disappointments and insecurities, and love rejoices when other families succeed.

It doesn't boast, even when I've multi-tasked all day long and my husband can't do more than one thing at a time.

Love is not rude when my spouse innocently asks, "So....what have you done today?"

It does not immediately seek glory when we see talent in our children, but encourages them to get training and make wise choices.

It is not easily angered, even when my 15-year-old acts like the world revolves around her.

It does not delight in evil (is not self-righteous) when I remind my 17-year-old that he's going 83 in a 55-mph zone, but rejoices in the truth.

Love does not give up hope. It always protects our children's self-esteem and spirit, even while doling out discipline.

It always trusts God to protect our children when we cannot. It always perseveres, through temper tantrums, rolled eyes and crossed arms, messy rooms, and sleepless nights.

Love never fails. But where there are memories of thousands of diaper changes and painful labors, they will fade away.

Where there is talking back, it will (eventually) cease.

Where there is a teenager who thinks she knows everything, there will one day be an adult who knows you did your best.

For we know we fail our children, and we pray they don't end up in therapy, but when we get to heaven, our imperfect parenting will disappear.

When we were children, we needed a parent to love and protect us. Now that we're parents ourselves, we have a heavenly Father who adores us, shelters us, and holds us when we need to cry. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Vocabulary Lesson

Last night, the kids' choir rehearsal came to a screeching halt so that the director could explain to Goliath that we "proclaim" the Savior's birth, not "complain" it!