Sunny Days, Chasing the Clouds Away...

Today, there is sunshine. Actual sunshine. And warmth. After days of chilly, grey skies, today is a gorgeous day. Beautiful. Life affirming. Praiseworthy.

Daffodils are in bloom. Tree branches bear pink promises that spring is coming. The UPS man was wearing his brown shorts today.

Life is GOOD.

And not just because of the weather.

Last Thursday, while driving down the road in the pouring rain, I got a phone call.

It was the nurse from my gynecologist's office. She told me that my pap smear had come back as abnormal. I scheduled a colposcopy for April 7th (the soonest I could see my doctor) and hung up the phone.

I felt like crying as hard as it was raining, but I had to stay composed because Camryn was sitting beside me. I didn't want to alarm her.

I didn't want to alarm anyone, which is why this will be the first any of you have read of this. I just wanted to get through the test and know what I was facing before ringing anyone's alarms. I didn't even tell my mom. Or my sister. I guess I figured the fewer people that knew, the better I could pretend like it wasn't happening.

I was a wreck the night of the 11th. After the kids went to bed and I got a chance to talk to my husband alone, all I could do was cry. I got up last Friday and called my GYN's office and rescheduled the test. I didn't think I could wait until April 7th. It would've been torture.

Today was the day of the test. I have been pretty good all week, knowing that all was in the hands of my savior. None of my worrying could change the outcome, because I do not make the plans. God does. If the fear welled up, I swallowed, closed my eyes and prayed for peace. I tried to picture myself being soothed in the palm of God. He's got it all under control, so I just rested in that knowledge.

I lost it in the shower this morning, though. Heaving sobs. I just jumped way ahead in my mind and saw my children motherless. That was the end of my peace and calm. For about 5 minutes. Then I heard the phone ring and it jarred me, kind of like God saying, "HEY! I've got this. Stop your boo hooing. We'll walk this road together, because I love you. You are MY CHILD, and I won't leave you or forsake you. It's all good, k?"

I put my new fuzzy socks (with shea butter in them) into my purse so I could wear them at the doctor's office (I hate if my feet get cold in the stirrups... and I see you ladies out there nodding your heads. I know you know what I'm talkin' about!) and I headed out the door. My sweet husband went with me for moral support. And lunch. A man's gotta eat (no, not at the Gyn's office, sillies. At a restaurant. Afterwards. 'Cause while the kids are in school, might as well have a date with the wife, right?)

The worst part of the test was the vinegar that they put on my Cervix. Holy fire, that stuff burned. It was also awkward making polite conversation with a man who's shining a light up your hoo ha while your husband is in the room. On a positive note, the nice nurse warmed the speculum for me before handing it to the doctor. That's something I've never had done for me before, and LADIES... it made a difference. I shall request it from now on out. If it was customary to tip a nurse, I would've slipped her a $20 for sure.

But back to the test. It was probably the most uncomfortable procedure I've ever had done. But oh, how sweet the words the doctor uttered as the flames in my nether regions were dying out: "I do not see any abnormalities. I didn't see anything that needs to be biopsied."

Sweet Jesus. Thank you for answering my prayers.

I should've known it was going to be alright. I just should've known.

Today's entry in my daily devotion book says, "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you." (Psalm 56:3, NLT) and the devotion that follows says, "How did Jesus endure the terror of the crucifixion? He went first to the Father with his fears. Do the same with yours. Don't avoid life's Gardens of Gethsemane. Enter them. Just don't enter them alone. And while there, be honest. Pounding the ground is permitted. Tears are allowed... And be specific. He knows what you need."

God can be trusted. He can. HE KNOWS WHAT I NEED. I'm so grateful for my God. I'm so thankful for good results today.

Today, there. is. sunshine.

I'm Gonna Have Nightmares

Shopping at OldNavy.com just now.

Saw this - in the plus size section.

A one piece jumpsuit for big girls?!?

I might not be able to sleep.

(At least it doesn't have horizontal stripes. ::SHIVERS::)

Is that you, Rod Serling?

I think I've been watching too much Lost, because I SWEAR. I think I'm living in a parallel universe all of a sudden.

Yesterday Camryn discovered the art of card making. She was bored and came up to my office seeking entertainment. I pointed out the cardmaking supplies, gave her a couple of idea books and the scraps and off she went. She's pretty good at it. Best of all, it makes her happy.

So this afternoon Camryn once again went up to the office to make cards. I did a few chores, then joined her in my office. As I hit the top step, the clutter from the playroom side of the office smacked me in the face (not literally, but it's almost as bad as really being slapped. I abhor clutter.)

I sighed as I parked myself in my chair and said something to the affect of, "I swear, I hate that pile of junk. One day I'm just going to put it all in a trash bag and throw it away."

Camryn said, "I'll clean it for you."

I waited.

And waited.

But the "if you pay me" part of her sentence never came. She just got up and started cleaning.

Zoinks, Shaggy. Is this really my house?

I told her I'd pay her $20 (it was a HUGE mess). She just shrugged and said, "Okay".

She's working for minutes. TracFone minutes. They are more precious than gold to her right now.

But I'm puzzled that she didn't first ask for payment before getting to work.

That part is strange.

But whatever. I'll take it.

Friday Fill Ins 3/12/10

I don't think I've ever had a crazier couple of weeks than the 2 that have just passed. I've gone to bed early almost every night this week (8:30 pm on Monday night... can you believe it?!?)

1. I am so looking forward to spring break at Hilton Head. Fifteen days. Not that I'm counting.

2. I have put off too many things lately, meaning to do them later, and then they've piled up. I need some downtime to get the house back into shape.

3. When you get in the car, and there are no other people in there, and you crank up the stereo, and you pop open the sunroof (if you have one) and get to driving fast and feeling cool because hey, only old people drive slow with the radio down (so you can't possibly be old and stodgy... your radio is loud!), and then, on some remote rural highway, some guy on a Moped, wearing a neon orange knit cap pulls out in front of you and totally kills your music-fed, bass-pumping, fast-driving buzz... you remember that you are, indeed, driving a minivan full of car seats and not a shiny red convertible. Sigh.

4. Housework is a big part of my life.

5. If you need anything, don't ask me for awhile. I need to relax and take care of my responsibilities at home. I mean, I love to sub for the kids' teachers and serve at their school, but I need to lay low for awhile and just chill.

6. My kids are a trip. This week I was subbing for Quinn's 1st grade teacher. Quinn and Lillian have recess at the same time, so I was pushing Lillian on the swings. She was on a swing set with two swings, so I was pushing her and whomever came to use the 2nd swing. I pushed and pushed for about 20 minutes straight, and my shoulders started to hurt, so I stopped. Lillian and I walked to the picnic table to sit down, and a couple of kids approached us and asked if I could push them on the swings. I politely declined, indicating that my shoulder was tired. Lillian put her hands on her hips and said, "Yeah! Her shoulder hurts and her back hurts (it did) and she has a runny nose (I did) and a cough (I did) and she has a headache (I'd had one on Monday) and she IS TIRED! Leave her alone!" I didn't realize she had paid such close attention to my ailments, but evidently she'd been asking her teacher to pray for her poor, tired, sick mommy for a few days. To hear her tell it, I had one foot in the grave.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to taking Camryn and 4 of her friends to Melting Pot for chocolate fondue. It's part of her birthday party. Tomorrow my plans include seeing that Camryn's 4 friends make it home safely, then finishing laundry and going to church tomorrow night. Sunday, I want to RELAX!

Manic Monday 2/22/10

I had to go to my yearly lady doctor appointment today. Never something I look forward to, but I love my gynecologist and enjoy spending time with her (when I'm clothed). She never rushes me and always seems genuinely interested in what's going on in my life, so I don't dread the annual visit. Can't say I'm sad when it's over, though. Well, maybe a little. The soap they use has a fragrance that stays with me. It stays on my hands all day long, and the smell makes me think of having babies. While I'm perfectly content with my four and don't want to dive back into babyhood, I still think of those days fondly and wish I could revisit the times when my kids were infants. Such sweet memories.

If you could invite any five people to your birthday party, who would they be?

Besides my family? Because that'd be a party of five right there. If it's anyone besides my family, then I'd have to start by inviting Harry Connick, Jr. (::SWOON::). I'd ask Paula Deen to bring herself and all her best butter and may-naise recipes ("may-naise".... that's how Paula says it... 2 syllables!) Amy Poehler would be invited, and she could bring Tina Fey if she wanted to. Those ladies crack me up. Last on the list would probably be Joel McHale (from "The Soup" and NBC's "Community") because I think he's one of the funniest people on the planet. I love The Soup! If I could have an alternate guest, just in case, I'd ask The Pioneer Woman to attend, too.

What birthday has been your favorite so far? What about it made it special?

I'd have to say that the birthday I just celebrated was the best in recent history. My parents came to visit, I got some great gifts, some beautiful flowers, and I got to go to Great Wolf Lodge with my family. We had a SUPER time. I don't think we've had such an awesome family vacation in a long time.

What one thing are you craving today?

More time to get things done.

Tell It Like It Is, Son

So I'm sittin' here in the den with the laptop in my lap, wearing my Snuggie, relaxing after a long day. Lillian is playing outside with a neighborhood friend. She came inside briefly to get her bicycle helmet, then went back out, 'cause she and her buddy were going to ride bikes.

'Cept Lillo forgot to tell her bud that she was going inside to fetch headgear. When she went back out, her friend was crying and walking home because she thought Lillian had abandoned her.

Note to self: teach Lillian about the concept of giving someone a heads up.

Lillian comes back inside and starts whining to her daddy about what's going on. He and I both give Lillian the same advice: go back over to V's house and tell her you want to keep playing.

Whine, whine, whine. Scream, kick, whine.

Hubby says to Lillian: "Do you want V to ride bikes with you?"

L: "Yeeeaaaaaaaahhhhhh...."

Hub: "Then you have to go tell her that, because you just standing here screaming and crying is NOT going to get V. to come back and play with you."

And from the corner of the dining room comes a voice, an unmistakable voice of wisdom and clarity. It is Quinn, speaking from where he has parked himself in front of the Wii.

He says, "Well, if she screams loud enough, it will."

My boys have a knack for telling it like it is.

100 Days

My baby girl has been in kindergarten for 100 days as of Tuesday (it would've been Monday, but the snow forced us to miss a day of school.)

Here is the book she made as part of the 100 day celebration her class had.

Yes, folks. That's 100 SERVANTS. As if the one she already has (me) wasn't enough. She needs 99 more, I guess.

Smart kid I have there. I couldn't do 100 spiders, either. Our life isn't an episode of Fear Factor, after all.


You'd get a nasty bellyache, but yeah... 100 cupcakes is a dream.



Not if you ate 100 cupcakes, honey. You couldn't lift 100 of yourself (well, maybe if each one of you only had 1 cupcake each).



Spiders and bugs? You'd think we need an exterminator. Maybe she was sitting with boys when she filled this out. I swear our house is clean, y'all.



Make those tents, dear. (See "100 cupcakes")

On a funny note, I told Lillian that dresses was spelled with an -es at the end and she begged to differ. "It's 'DRES' 'S', Mommy!" as she pronounced the "s" as "-es". Something tells me that the K5 kids haven't discussed suffixes and plurals yet.

So, 100 days... that means only 80 more, right?!?

YAHOO!

Log Your Memory 1/13/10

Today's Log Your Memory question is this:

Create a list of 100 things you want to do before you die.

1. Be completely debt free

2. Take a cross country trip

3. Take an Alaskan cruise

4. Ride a train across the United States

5. Visit Hawaii

6. Go back to Paris

7. Visit Jerusalem

8. Tour Pompeii

9. Visit Masada (I read a book about it in 5th grade and have been fascinated about it since!)

10. Go on a zipline

11. Build a new house with double ovens and a huge laundry room

12. See all 4 of my children grow to adulthood and find success

13. Lose 100 pounds

14. Grow my fingernails out

15. Try being a blonde for awhile

16. Visit New York City

17. Vegas, baby

18. Live in a loft downtown

19. Own a convertible

20. Stay in a luxury hut on stilts in the ocean.

21. Give a bunch of money away

22. Help Samaritan's Purse give away their Operation Christmas Child boxes

23. Go on another mission trip

24. Take a culinary tour of New Orleans (Emeril's, Brennan's, Delmonico, Antoine's)

25. See Saturday Night Live... LIVE!

26. Travel Route 66 from beginning to end

27. Own a Maine Coon

28. Eat at the chef's table at Victoria & Albert's (Grand Floridian, Disney World)

29. Go to an Alabama vs. Auburn football game

30. Go to a professional baseball game (nope, never been!)

31. Visit the British Isles

32. Tour Britain, Scotland and Ireland

33. Swim with a dolphin

34. Sail on a private yacht

35. Take a few girlfriends and my sister to Disney World for a girls' trip (or my girls, my sister and my momma!)

36. Take a cake decorating class

37. Take a ballroom dance class

38. Go to San Antonio to see my friend Joanie again. She's one heck of a gal and I miss her!

39. Attend a CHA conference

40. See my sister find someone she can spend the rest of her life with, someone who treats her like she deserves.

41. Go to Spokane, Washington with my dad to visit all the places he knew growing up

42. Take my kids to a NASCAR race with my dad.

43. Be on Jeopardy!

44. See the entire family go one Christmas without giving or getting gifts in exchange for providing for other families who need it more

45. Spend Christmas in Colorado

46. See Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and Yosemite (again.... and this time remember it because I'm not 18 months-old!)

47. See school vouchers become a reality

48. Walk the Great Wall of China

49. See a space shuttle launch

50. Hear at least one of my children say, "Mom, you were right." And in case that was something my own mom has on her list, I'll say, "Mom, you were right!" about so very many things.

51. Know that my mother-in-law is living within her means and has no credit card balances.

52. Hold a snake.

53. Scuba dive.

54. Visit Auschwitz, Dachau and any other tourable former concentration camps.

55. Read Gone With the Wind because the book is different, oh, so different from the movie.

56. Take my kids to the Louvre.

57. Return to Madrid and tour the Prado. It's closed on Mondays, so I didn't get to see it.

58. Watch the running of the bulls in Pamplona (I don't want to run with them... just watch!)

59. Learn how to quilt. I have a bunch of old t-shirts that I'd love to turn into a quilt.

60. Learn how to can veggies.

61. Grow a successful garden (thus the reason for learning to can veggies!)

62. Own chickens so we can have fresh eggs.

63. Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.

64. Take the kids to see Niagara Falls.

65. Go back to King's Island and ride The Beast.

66. Meet The Pioneer Woman. I'm not obsessed with her or anything, but she seems so very cool.

67. See Bette Midler in concert

68. Go to Maine.

69. Take voice lessons.

70. Go to the Miss America pageant

71. Visit historic battle sites: the Ardennes, Iwo Jima, Normandy, etc.

72. Take a trip on the Orient Express

73. Attend at least one major sporting event: the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the World Series, etc.

74. Skydive.

75. Ride a camel into the desert.

76. Be one of many in the crowd counting down to the New Year in New York City.

77. Spend Christmas on the beach.

78. Donate money and put my name on something: a college scholarship, a building, etc.

79. Kiss the Blarney stone.

80. Drive really fast in the Bonneville Salt Flats.

81. Get a (very small) tattoo.

82.Minimize existing clutter and excess possessions

83. Go to the Kentucky Derby and drink a mint julep.

84. Ride a gondola in Venice.

85. Ride a mechanical bull.

86. See the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC when they're in full bloom

87. See the Pyramids.

88. See Stonehenge.

89. Visit Machu Picchu.

90. Visit all 50 states.

91. Go on an African safari.

92. Drive Down Highway 101 (West Coast Highway)

93. Tour Anne Frank's House.

94. Visit Alcatraz.

95. See the Aurora Borealis.

96. Visit the Top Ten US Lighthouses.

97. Watch the Changing of the Guard At Buckingham Palace

98. Sleep in an Igloo

99. Kiss my husband on top of the Eiffel Tower

100. Go a month without television

Breakfast Chatter

This was part of our morning conversation:

Me: So, tonight's dinner.... tilapia, potato skins and broccoli with my homemade cheese sauce. Sound good?

(Groans all around. The mere mention of any sort of good veggie gives the kids panic attacks...)

Me: Well, we have to have something green.

Aiden: Pistachio pudding?

Log Your Memory

I found a great site over the holidays: Log Your Memory. They sell Memory Logbooks that are really cool. You can order a hard copy or pay and print out a PDF of the book. I printed mine out, because it was close to 2010 and I wanted it in hand so I could start writing in it on the first. I really like it so far. It's geared towards scrapbookers, really, but you could skip the scrapbooking parts if you don't do that.

Anyhow, every month there are weekly scrapbooking challenges that instruct you to create a layout based on the questions they give you. I want to do these layouts, but right now my office is a mess. I thought I'd just blog about the topics they assign so later I can come back and just print out the blog post for the layout.

This month's main question is:

"What would you do if you found out you had just one year - THIS year - left to live?"

I would take the kids out of school, my husband would quit his job and we'd travel, making as many memories and taking as many pictures as we could. It would be really important for me to finish the kids' scrapbooks so they'd have something I made to look at after I was gone. I'd have to start scrapbooking digitally to do that, but I'd get it done. I'd want to record all of my advice and wisdom for the kids so that when they reach certain milestones they'd know exactly what I would've said in those situations.

I'd cry. A lot. Just thinking about not being there for my kids makes me sob.

There are other questions that you could use if you don't like the question above, so I think I'll use those as blog topics the rest of this week. I've seriously neglected the blog, so that'll give me something to write about for at least the next five days!

Don't get used to it.

Friday Fill Ins 1/8/2010

1. There are places I would love to visit with my family. New York City, Jamestown, the Arizona memorial in Hawaii, Alaska, Paris (again), Civil War battle sites... but we're stuck on Disney for now. I think my husband thinks the kids are too young to take them anywhere but Disney, but I think it would be fun. I definitely want them to see the Smithsonian before too long. Washington, DC is one of my favorite cities on earth.

2. If it wasn't so sunny, I would be wishing for a strong wind to blow those clouds away. I don't like overcast days. Give me the sunshine!

3. Standing in the vestibule of the church before I was supposed to walk down the aisle towards my future husband, I was nervous but excited. I can't believe that moment was almost 14 years ago. Seems like yesterday.

4. We have a new kitten. Oh boy.

5. He (Nick Saban) went out tiger hunting and was successful in beating us (Auburn TIGERS), 26 to 21 on our home turf. Last night he took the University of Alabama to another national championship. I am proud of the SEC and even more proud that our Tigers almost beat the national champions back in November!

6. I have much to do, and that keeps my mind from wandering .

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to working in my office. With the hubby's help, hopefully we can get everything in place. Tomorrow my plans include sleeping late, getting some scrapbooking done and church (I haven't been to service in so long! I've kept nursery, but that doesn't fill my need to worship and learn, and I have MISSED IT.) Sunday, I want to do nothing except fellowship with the community group we haven't seen in over a month.

Boo Yah

Eatin' dinner tonight.

The hubs was a twinge frustrated that the children hadn't made their lunches during the long afternoon they'd been at home. I felt responsible, since I am the AIC (adult in charge) during the post-school, pre-daddy arrival hours.

I was explaining how events had played out since we'd been home.

Come home.

Unload Hobby Lobby purchases from car.

Use the potty.

Change into comfy clothes.

Tell Aiden to shower.

Agree to stay in my bedroom while Aiden (who gets freaked out in my room alone) showers in my bathroom (the only source for hot water since Sunday. Don't ask.)

Decide that I can help Lillian with her homework while I'm on the bed.

Call for Lillian.

Wait for Lillian to remove her shoes and socks so she can get on my bed.

Argue briefly with Lillian about putting her shoes and socks in her own room.

Wait patiently for Lillian to return from her room.

Tell Lillian (for the 3rd time) to fetch her homework folder.

Wait for Lillian to whine it out, then actually retrieve aforementioned folder.

Snuggle a little more.

Listen to Lillian read.

Fill out the paper sent home with the book Lillian had to read.

Call for Quinn.

Call for Quinn.

Call for Quinn.

Start counting to 3.

Tell Quinn to fetch his homework folder.

Watch Quinn pool into a puddle of goo on the floor.

Start counting to 3.

Wait for Quinn to return with his homework.

Help with Quinn's homework.

Sign Aiden's reading log.

Write down 2 Bible verses Aiden is supposed to memorize for school.

Check the laundry.

Unload the dryer.

Load the dryer.

Start the washer.

Take a phone call.

Go upstairs to do a little office work.

I really was doing office work.

Really.

No, really.

After I finished saying, "...office work" Aiden pipes up.

"If, by 'work' you mean 'Facebook', then yes. You were working."

Boo yah.

Manic Monday 1/4/10

What did you get in trouble for the most when you were a kid?

Probably being messy. My room was always a mess, and I was a stuffer. I was good at shoving things under the bed or into the closet. I have reformed my ways, but I have messy children. Life is ironic that way.

Which is your wish that is not yet fulfilled?

I want a bigger kitchen. I need more cabinet space and I'd love to have huge island in the middle of the kitchen. And double ovens. I long for double ovens. Double convection ovens, even. And while I'm wishing, I'll take a larger, more secluded laundry room. Right now ours is the room between the garage and the rest of the house, and I don't like it there. I'd love a huge, sunny room with lots of counter space for folding and sorting. And a huge laundry sink.

Like this:



or this:




If you have to choose a movie title for your life story, what would that be?

"I Don't Deserve This Life I've Been Blessed With"

For a list of possible titles of a book as yet to be written about me, click here.

Friday Fill Ins 1/1/2010

1. Last night I took a bath and was in bed by 7:30. I was planning on just watching TV in bed, but I was asleep by 8ish. I did wake up long enough to see the ball drop, and then I was out again. So much for the big New Year party!

2. I'm looking forward to all God has in store for me this year.

3. The funniest thing I've seen so far this year is this picture of my son wearing his new night vision goggles while playing Wii on Christmas Day:

I've been editing Christmas pictures in Photoshop today and this one made me laugh out loud. I took it, so I've seen it before, but it still makes me giggle.

4. All the boxes were moved from my old office to the playroom and my husband has assembled shelves for all my stuff ...so where do we go from here? The mess is still a little overwhelming. I think I'll just play Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook until it fixes itself.

5. He said "Let's go to the Olive Garden for dinner tonight."; she said, "Sure!". (True story, folks.)

6. Quinn lost his Target gift card that my sister gave him for Christmas and it's up to us to find it.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to the Olive Garden (duh), then coming back home and watching "Funny Girl" on DVD. I've wanted to see it since the last episode of "Glee" when they sang "Don't Rain on My Parade". Tomorrow my plans include getting all the stuff in my office out of boxes and onto shelves, and then church (keeping babies in the nursery tomorrow! Yea!) and Sunday, I want to finish unloading these boxes if I don't get it done tomorrow, then getting the kiddos ready to go back to school (sad sigh).

Passport Not Required

We have a 17 year-old nephew, Christopher, whose toys the boys have inherited through the years. Quinn's favorite are the Hot Wheels that he got in a huge bucket. He keeps them in his room.

A few nights ago the hubby was doing the bedtime routine with Quinn and Quinn posed this question to his dad:

"Did Christopher ever go to China? 'Cause all his toys say 'Made in China' on them."

Hubby put in a call to his brother and confirmed that Christopher had never indeed been to China.

Quinn is mystified.

Post Holiday Humor

We just got back from Target.

My wonderful sister bought each of my children a $25 Target gift card as their holiday gift. Camryn spent hers 2 days after Christmas. In an effort to avoid another day of the "I've-been-in-my-pajamas-too-long-doing-nothing-and-the-Christmas-decorations-are-already-put-away-and-we-had-our-14 year old-cat-put-to-sleep-and-that-makes-me-sad" blues, I decided to take the kids to Target to spend their gift cards.

Yeah.

Despite some drama over a lost gift card (Quinn), we made it to Target and the toy choice process was relatively easy. Aiden immediately gravitated towards the Nintendo DS games. Quinn chose 2 large Hot Wheels toys (a fire truck and a tractor trailer) and a large race car. Lillian picked out a Little Mermaid doll, some dress up shoes and a tricked out Paris Hilton style Tini Puppini "mini dog" named Tisha (Aiden says she looks like a girl with a dog head and a mustache).

So here's the scene: Lillian has donned her plastic dress-up shoes and a shiny green beaded necklace and she's lovingly brushing Tisha's mane of hair. Quinn has his fire truck in the den, putting out pretend blazes.

Suddenly, without warning, Lillian stops brushing Tisha's hair and shouts, "Quinn! Quinn! Come quick! Tisha's tail is ON FIRE! QUINN! HURRY! HURRY!"

Calmly, Quinn responds, "Sorry, Lillo. I only put out fires in buildings. I don't do dogs."

Poor, poor Tisha.

Oops, I Did It Again

Funny story.

Yesterday was clean up day. The lady who cleans our house is coming today, and I always feel compelled to tidy before she gets here. Go figure.

Camryn's job yesterday was to move all of the gifts under the big tree in the front of the house, vacuum up all the faux pine needles that have fallen off of it due to excess climbage by the cats, then replace the gifts and rewrap the two whose paper has been shredded by the aforementioned cats.

K.

Camryn got to work without complaint (a true Christmas miracle) and then I heard screaming, wailing and yes, I think I even heard gnashing of teeth (my own, it turns out...)

The vacuum noise stopped. The crying (Lillian's) started and it grew louder as the girls approached me.

Lillian thrust this into my face:

It seems that the cats had snagged Angel off the kids' tree and had their way with her, and then Camryn had accidentally vacuumed up the right side of her hair.

Lillian was distraught.

Camryn was laughing (I have to admit it was pretty funny...)

"She looks like Britney Spears when she shaved her head!"

I couldn't help laughing. Lillian didn't think our laughter was funny.

I assured Lillian that we could replace the sweet angel's hair with just a little bit of craftiness.

Britney Spears.

Crack me up.

Manic Monday 12/21/09

What makes you laugh?

Intelligent humor, America's Funniest Videos, watching AFV with the kids (especially Aiden, because his laugh makes me laugh), things my children say, irony, my husband and his dry wit.

What makes you cry?

Sentimental stuff, injustice, poverty, worship time at church, Greater Love by Charles Billingsley, The Star Spangled Banner, the end of Gone With the Wind

What is the best thing about being you?

Gracious. That's a lot of things to list! My awesome family, my parents and sister, getting up daily and living this amazingly blessed life I've been given, my friends... I don't know what else to say. I'm so beyond blessed it's crazy.

Friday Fill Ins 12/18/09

1. No, we will NOT be leaving the tree up longer than 2 days after Christmas. I like to take advantage of the free labor that visits at Christmastime and get everything down and put away. I always hated it when my mom would start taking things down the day after Christmas, but I so get it. I like to start the new year with everything put away.

2. We're going to be playing a lot of games at the old kitchen table over the holidays. Aiden has already requested that we have family game night soon.

3. I watched the steam rising from the hot cup of coffee (or tea) and thought: I hate to admit it, but I actually found a coffee product I like at Starbucks. I discovered the Caramel Brulee Latte and it is divine. I don't indulge often, (it's almost $5 a pop!) but when I do, I'm in Heaven!

4. I'm finally starting to believe that I'm really going to be okay. No more cough, but I do have some leftover muscle pain and a stuffy nose (which has just developed), but I feel so awesome...MUCH better than I did at the start of the week! Hallelujah!

5. I'll take my last antibiotic pill today. Yea!

6. It looks like the sleet is still falling outside, at least from my point of view.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation with the kids (don't worry... we're watching the heavily edited TV version and skipping the not so kid friendly parts).I cannot wait to watch it with them. I know there will be many, many belly laughs, especially from Aiden! And how sweet will it be to laugh without coughing?!?! I haven't been able to do that in WEEKS! Tomorrow my plans include staying home; it's supposed to keep sleeting and possibly snowing throughout tomorrow. We're going to stay home, warm and dry. I will probably do a couple of loads of laundry and pack up some more of my office. Two Men and a Truck are coming on the 23rd to move my office up to the playroom. I can't wait to get it all up there and organized! Quinn is anxious to have his room back, too! Sunday, I want to just enjoy family time for a little bit before I have to start cooking for my husband's family get together. He's requested that I make baked macaroni and cheese, and I'm going to make a chicken cranberry sandwich wreath and The Pioneer Woman's chocolate sheet cake, too. That cake is sinfully delicious! It's the closest to my grandmother's Mississippi Mud Cake that I have ever gotten (but it doesn't have the marshmallows.)

The Sweetest Rest I've Ever Known

My husband told me to get a flu shot this year. Stubbornly I ignored him.

He got one.

The kids got the FluMist.

I stood firm and resisted the shot, confident in my Teflon coating that resists all germs.

We went to Disney World. I shielded myself with frequent hand washing, cans of Lysol and bathing in hand sanitizer. I.AM.GERM.RESISTANT. Bring it on.

We returned from Disney. I unpacked clothes, souvenirs and my friend Mr. Chest Cough made himself at home.

I'm not 100% sure that I had the flu, because I didn't go to the doctor when I was experiencing symptoms. That's probably what I had, though. Stupid Teflon coating.

The flu-that-I'm-not-sure-was-flu lasted through Thanksgiving. Then it turned into full blown Bronchitis. I finally dragged myself to the doctor and was given antibiotics and sleep-inducing cough medicine. I thought I'd feel better within a week.

Saturday night I developed a sharp pain in my right side. I thought I pulled something coughing. When I woke up on Sunday I was in bad shape. I actually cried from the pain. I tried to go to the Doc in a Box on Sunday, but the wait was too long. Monday I was at my GP's office at 10:30 am.

I got a chest x-ray and was diagnosed with a torn intercostal muscle (the muscles between the ribs). It was nice to have a diagnosis, but it didn't make the pain go away. (I did get pain medication, non-drowsy cough meds and a Z-pac to finish off whatever was still making me cough).

Today I feel almost normal. I didn't sleep well last night, so I was headed back to bed after the kids left this morning. Surprise! No school today because the school has no power. Wah.

Instead I sat here at my desk and finished up a few tasks. As I worked I listened to Chris Rice on iTunes. I heard his song "Prone to Wander" and thought about how many times I have questioned God's faithfulness to me while I've been sick. I normally wouldn't do that, but I just couldn't see a light at the end of the tunnel. One illness led to another and I thought for sure I would never feel healthy again. My maladies are minor when you consider everything out there that people suffer from healthwise, but to me it was a big deal to be so immobilized by illness. This song just put all my feelings into words.

On the surface not a ripple

Undercurrent wages war
Quiet in the sanctuary
Sin is crouching at my door

How can I be so prone to wander
So prone to leave You
So prone to die
And how can You be so full of mercy
You race to meet me and bring be back to life

I wake to find my soul in fragments
Given to a thousand loves
But only One will have no rival
Hangs to heal me, spills His blood

How can I be so prone to wander
So prone to leave You
So prone to die
And how can You be so full of mercy
You race to meet me and bring be back to life

Curse-reversing Day of Jesus
When You finally seize my soul
Freedom from myself will be
The sweetest rest I've ever known

And how can you be so full of mercy?

You race to meet me and bring me back to life.

Freedom from myself will be

The sweetest rest I've ever known.