18,000 Words for our past week!

These are just a few of the pictures that represent our past week. It's been a good one and a busy one. I love the weather! I can't believe how much I love the weather. It's just been perfect.

Note to anyone: first good weather Saturday of Spring, don't go to the zoo. Or if you do go in the morning. When we were leaving at 2:20p in the afternoon and it was ridiculously busy. The line for entering the zoo was all the way into the parking lot...at least 200 people in line. And the park closes at 5 (I think). That is NOT worth it and by then it was getting really warm and people were just standing in the heat and babies and kids were SO cranky...I am glad it wasn't us.

Papaw playing with Jackson on the seesaw plane.
Nanah holding Creighton and playing dress-up with her hat on Nanah's head.

She was so sweet this day. Again, we spent a large chunk of our time at the playground at the zoo as opposed to actually seeing any animals. Well we saw a few. Their favorite this time was the elephants!

Here is Creighton totally passed out in the stroller. Jackson said he was ready to leave and I was occupying them with a snack on the way out. She didn't get but one bite and fell asleep with her hand up still in the air and her hat fell over her face. We put her hand down because she looked really uncomfortable.

This was our backseat on the way home from the zoo. Creighton never even knew we left the zoo, and didn't wake up till we were in the driveway. She was OUT COLD! That never happens.

Sunshine and the kids playing outside makes mommy happy!

My handsome man!

She loves to ride anything and everything and has NO fear! She was all smiles.

I really like this picture a lot!

They got these helmets for Christmas and Jackson decided today was the day they need to wear them...I thought they were cute though

First experience with washing Daddy's car (or any car for that matter) (at least that I can think of) They LOVED it!! Although they were both shivering furiously and their lips were blue after we were finished.

Creighton looked so cute in her little swimsuit. I didn't put either of them in diapers though, and her swimsuit you could totally tell...it was cute (but only because she is less than 2)
They have so much fun together (most of the time) and that makes me a very happy mommy!

I am not sure my kids will EVER get tired of swinging in these baby swings. I am so glad I found another at a garage sale for $5 that was brand new!
Umm...really?! I love this kid...and this face...and the fact that he loves his mommy! :)

This doesn't really look like Jackson to me...it cracked me up though!

She is becoming a Daddy's girl...and it is so sweet (and my heart's desire for her)

When Grammy and Pop were in town (and I was out of town) the "fair" was at the mall and my kids LOVE to ride rides...I can't wait for the Kiddie Park to open up! Thought this pic was cute with Creighton's hair blowing in the wind!

Amazing day FULL of activity

Pretty excited to share some photos with you all. I am pretty sure today was fun for everyone! We went to the Zoo with Nanah and Papaw and then came home and went to the park with Daddy (with special treats from Sonic in hand) and then we came home and played outside and washed Daddy's car in our new swimsuits from Grandma Debbie! They had a blast and we're all tuckered out! I will post pics tomorrow (or maybe Monday). It's been a great day and mostly ALL of it was spent outside in the GORGEOUS weather we had....loved it! G'night

Firsts Meme

1. Who was your FIRST prom date?Justin R. was my only prom date. We only had Sr. prom. We ended up dating for a long time after that...

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love? I'd say that my first love was the aforementioned boy from question one. And, no we really never talk. However, I don't think there are hard feelings there anymore, our paths just don't cross.

3. What was your FIRST alcoholic drink? I have never had an alcoholic drink, not even a taste, unless you consider Nyquil (for its purposes). I have, however, smelled just about everything, and the smell alone is gagging to me! I don't see how people enjoy that taste in the least!

4. What was your FIRST job?I am sure I babysat some, but I remember my first job being at a place named Champions Sports Complex. I did odds and ends, ran the concession, ran the entrance desk, etc. Wasn't too bad, but I didn't work there too long...now it isn't even in business. I worked at Kanakuk Kamps in the summers all through college, but I guess my "job" was playing volleyball (or at least that is what I tell people it was) both in high school and in college. It paid my way in full for a private education! :)

5. What was your FIRST car? My fist car was a red 1988 Nissan Pulsar. It was a great first car. It had t-tops and it got me from A to B and it was certainly (albeit old) "sporty" looking. I got my favorite car I have (and maybe forever) ever owned shortly after (about a year or so) It was a Mazda MX6 and it was white and it was "fast as lightning" with 12 changer cd player in the trunk and whew...I just loved that car! (I was given it as a present for my "full ride" to college from my parents).

6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today? My small group girl Bethani about lunch plans (at 7:02 AM)

7. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning? My daughter Creighton who decided to not sleep well (I was up with her at 3, 6, 7, and then for good at 8:30.) I thought I might shoot her :) (I kid, I kid)

8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher? Mrs. Ibarguen (she had a son named Blake that was my age and she was blonde and tall...that is all I remember about her, except for I totally "Failed" an assignment about learning left from right (it was a mickey, minnie, donald and daisy assignment...I TOTALLY remember it).

9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane? Not totally sure. I think I remember my mom saying I flew pretty young. (like 8 months maybe, but I have no idea where). I don't really remember my first flight either. I love to fly.

10. Who was your FIRST best friend and are you still friends with them? I believe it was Amber Autrey. She was the pastors daughter at our church when I was little. We are still friends today, but because she moved away when we were in fourth grade, our lives led different paths, but it's like we spoke just yesterday every time we do talk/get together! Apparently when we were little the nursery workers in the church always sent us home with the wrong parents...crazy, huh? We really look absolutely NOTHING alike. But we were both blue eyed and bald and only a month apart.

11. What was your FIRST sport played? Gymnastics. I loved it too! I was also in dance, basketball and track all through elementary school. I played softball in middle school on a competitive team and then I began volleyball and that is what stuck!

12. Where was your FIRST sleep over? I am sure it was at my friends Amber or Jeanette's. I don't know though. We were such close family friends with all of them that I think it happened a lot younger than most start doing that thing.

13. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today? At 3am this morning I asked Jeff what time it was as I was running (awoken from a dead sleep) towards Creighton's room. But after that it was Jackson, and then Creighton and then Jeff again.

14. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? I believe my first one was my Uncle Kevin and Aunt Francis' wedding when I was 5. I was rather naughty in it, so that might explain why I wasn't in one again till my sister got married when I was 12.

15. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning? At 3am I nursed Creighton and then put her in her crib and let her scream/cry for the next 30 minutes, nursed her again at 6, thankfully this time she went back to sleep, and then at 715 I got her and brought her to bed with me and she proceeded to nurse for the next hour! I think its safe to say I nursed all morning!

16. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to? I am not completely certain...I remember though being VERY excited to see 4 Him in concert at the Mabee Center at ORU when I was in high school. Surely, I saw one before then though...

17. FIRST tattoo or piercing? No tattoos, and that will remain. Piercings, I think I had my ears pierced at 10 or 12 I don't know. Then I went wild in college and had 3 piercings (belly, tongue, belly again)...I know I know...you would have never have guessed it...but I loved it, the tongue ring/bar.

18. FIRST foreign country you went to? We went on a cruise when I was 7 and went to Bahamas and Caribbean. Then went to Mexico when I was in middle school. We went to Germany and France when I was in 9th grade and I went to Australia and New Zealand my senior year of high school. Then I went to study abroad in Europe when I was in college and then I have been to Haiti too (and Canada)

19. What was your FIRST run in with the law? I was 16 and on my way to church on a Sunday and I was going 95 because I was late and a very cute boy was going to be there :) I was SO upset...and it was the first time I ever heard my dad cuss (and AT me at that).

20. When was your FIRST detention?Never had one.

21. What was the FIRST state you lived in?Texas.

22. Who was the FIRST person to break your heart? I am sure it was broken a lot as I was very boy crazy growing up. I am told (and vaguely remember) a boy when I was five named Micah Peatree. I think I was usually good at the breaking up as opposed to being broke up with, until the boy in question 1.

23. Who was your FIRST roommate? A tennis player from Bolivia named Monica at The University of Tulsa. We only lasted a semester because to say we were from two different worlds was the largest understatement in the world.

24. Where did you go on your FIRST limo ride? I believe in 8th grade I rode in a limo on the last day of school with a bunch of girls I certainly do not speak to today...but I thought I was so cool!

Wanna play? Tag yourself, link to me, and get your groove on!

ABC

Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
Joy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of "Camp Complaining"
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To "thank" is a command
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We'll run the race with gratitude
X-alting God most high
Yes, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Zion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!*
*Author Unknown

Hurt

Last night I got on to post a blog about how awesome my day was...however, by the time I finished reading my emails and a few other blogs, I was just a wreck! I don't understand how sadness just finds its way to my heart in so many forms, but last night it just did.

My friend and accountability partner from the Institute emailed me and let me know they just found out that their little girl Aubrey has a serious heart condition. You can read along on their blog here.

Then another friend Maria, let me know about a new Daddy to a precious and adorable preemie who lost his wife a few hours after delivery (can you possibly imagine?). Read here.

And then I came across a comment from Becky on Christy's blog about another story of a family of God losing their little girl. The letter from the mom to baby made me weep and sob and cry for over an hour. I think partially because it is heart wrenching, partially because I didn't get to grieve Baby A's death like I wanted, partially because I am just tired of hearing about all these families hurting

...and it makes me ask the questions that I feel guilty for asking and for asking questions to God that make me feel awful for, but I just really don't understand. I can't fathom any of this, but especially all of this. There just seems to be so much of it right now. I think that is the one thing that is hard about being so "connected" to the world with this Internet...and also one of the amazing things at the same time...

Yet, I guess it just reminds me that this world is not our home and I long to be in heaven where there will be NO more of this pain, this hurt, these tears. My plead is this: people get the picture! God is using these stories for people who don't know him to be able to...in the words of Paul, "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation!"

I Was Getting the Bugs Off!

Whew! I am home. And I am glad to be. Not much time at this very moment, but I know some people thought I might still be stuck in Tejas, so I thought I'd let you all know I am home now.

I have one funny story quickly to tell:

Months ago we were playing outside. Jackson was digging in the dirt. Creighton was swinging and someone (can't remember who) was there with me. I noticed Jackson had a bug (I think a mosquito) on his shirt, so I swatted it dead (on him). He looked up at me like, "MOM, WHY DID YOU JUST HIT ME?!!?@?" Without skipping a beat I said, "I was just killing the bug, I am sorry if I hurt you." For me: end of situation, never to be thought of again...

UNTIL TODAY...

Months later (today) he had a really bad day at school. His teacher was gone and the sub was not the normal sub, and he had a bad night of sleep (down late, up early (very very very early)) and he has been away from me since Friday.... but enough excuses for him ...his substitute said he was making bad choices all day today. She proceeds to tell me that he scraped a little boys finger with a rock, he threw some sticks at people and he had a saw up to Emma Kate's neck

get this

...all in the "name of" "getting the bug off"

This had been (somewhat) plaguing me lately because he would always say something about "getting the bug" or "killing the bug" when he would do something wrong. And I didn't have a clue what he was talking about and really started to worry about him having hallucinations or something...it was starting to scare me. So today I had enough and I called the doctor. She said they had 3 other phone calls saying their children were seeing bugs too...at this point I am WIGGED OUT! But then she says, oh wait, but he isn't on that medicine!...whew, I guess!

Then tells me she'll call me back.

In the mean time Jeff and I are racking our brains trying to figure out an incident or experience or show or something where he has seen someone hurting a bug or doing something of that type. Then it dawns on me this little episode from months ago and it clicked...

He had NO idea he had a bug on him! I just hit him for "no reason" in his mind and my excuse was "I was getting the bug" and it was OKAY for me to do that in the name of getting that bug! So, for months now he has been doing something naughty and saying, " I was getting the bugs"...and oh my goodness...however funny it is, I have no idea how to reverse this. I tried talking to him about it and it just isn't sinking in...

HELP!?

One day I will laugh hard about this I know...but for now I am facing quite the dilemma...he thinks he can do ANYthing and just blame it on the bugs...oh man...so glad I was able to post about this...I think I'll never forget...but just in case I do, its forever documented!

I am sure his teacher/sub thinks he is crazy (or that we all are)

One more quick thing about my sweet boy: last night he wanted to talk to his cousin Jake so bad, so I let him call from my cell phone and Jake got on and jackson said: "say sumtin' to me" it was so cute!...maybe you had to be there

In Dallas

Not quite there [home] yet but I am in Dallas. I have been in this airport since before 12 and it is after 4 now. I have attempted to get on 4 different flights and have had NO success. I am hoping (and the odds are good since I now actually have a boarding pass with a seat located next to MY name) to get on the next flight out of here. I was really really wanting to get in earlier so I could go to Apples of Gold tonight, but it just wasn't in the master plan of my life I guess.

This little trip I was on was so fantastic. I loved it and only wish it had fallen on a different weekend. There were so many things I missed out on, but the Lord had different plans for me, and although I am a little leery of the journey ahead of me, I am content...knowing that on the other end of it there is really good stuff...great things in store for my heart and my relationship with so many people I cherish.

I can't wait to get out of this airport and hug on my hubby and my babies! I missed them a lot...and of course I really hate pumping and dumping so I am very ready to be finished with that. My time on this computer is about to end, so I must go for now...

I am off...

I am off to a retreat for a few days. I will not be back till Tuesday night. I don't know how excited I am right at this exact moment but I do know that once I get there it will probably be a really good thing! The Lord's hand must be in it because I am missing so many things between tomorrow and Tuesday night I could cry...but at the time I signed up I REALLY felt the Lord leading me there...so I walk out in faith for this weekend really double faith since I am flying American Airlines!

I'll catch up on Wednesday and post about how things were...I am praying that my heart, my mind, my soul, my spirit, and my faith are all renewed and refreshed while I am away. You could pray for Creighton as I don't have enough breast milk to leave behind...it could be a rough next few days for her...

Jeff and the Tree

During the ice storm in December, our tree snapped in three pieces and one of them fell barely missing our sun room roof. We were lucky! Just last week someone sweet removed that from our front yard (that had been sitting there since the storm). Well that was Sunday and then Monday-Wednesday we have had some more severe weather. Severe weather. Monday night (Tuesday morning) we were awoken by a HUGE thunderous noise...assuming it was thunder accompanying the lightning we rolled over and went to pretended to sleep. However, it was another third of our tree breaking and falling on our power lines and backyard shed that probably is what woke us up.

Jeff spent some of Tuesday, some of Wednesday and most of Thursday cutting down all the branches of this crazy tree with a hand saw! Poor guy. He tried and tried to get a chain saw and finally got one and it wouldn't start. He spent 30 minutes pulling and pulling on that silly thing and it just wasn't going to start for him...so he grabbed that hand saw and began cutting away again.

We borrowed a trailer so we didn't have to have the tree sitting in our yard for another 4 months before someone got fed up with us again was nice enough to remove it for us, and on his first load, he got the trailer and the trailblazer stuck in the mud. So, after a security guy helped him, they fortunately got the trailblazer out of the mud, but the trailer is still there...and thus, so most of the limbs still remain in our yard. ugh! And we have an awful eye sore of a stump-ish thing...Jeff is hoping to turn it into a table...

But really Jeff is quite amazing...thanks honey!

Random Photo Stop III

Feeling like nothing to say...to your benefit :)

Oh my goodness...I love her! She is getting so much bigger by the minute!

My little man absolutely loves his Nikao t-shirt like Daddy's...thankfully we have 2...he wants to wear it constantly now...
My little diva. American Idol (oh Lord, please, heck no!) in the making...I have video that is so so funny. She loves to sing and dance and she actually has a little rhythm :)

This was from Katie's party...totally random

Apparently he liked Easter egg hunting in Enid (not so much on Easter Sunday though).

Them riding the go-cart at Papa John's house...I love to ride that thing too! :)
More to come tomorrow on the aftermath of the storm and our backyard, house, and power lines, but I liked this picture!

Apples of Gold

So, I have wanted to post about this for a few weeks and I am not sure why I haven't. This is the greatest thing and I just love it! I don't know Betty, but it is fantastic and I think EVERYone should do it.

I love inter generational things...and this is one of them!

It is a study/event that is called Apples of Gold. Our women's ministry team at Grace has put this together and it is truly just awesome. They each are so unique in their gifts and it is very neat to see it all play out together and just how well they all compliment one another in this way.

What it is: a night where the "more birthday-ed" as I like to refer to them as women in our church take us younger women and serve us, teach us, spoil us, love us, and teach us so more! We are meeting for 6 weeks (each Tuesday night) for 2.5-3 hours. The first little bit they teach/show us a new recipe and some cool kitchen gadgets/ideas/tricks of the trade etc. Then we meet for a bible study over specific topics based on the scripture Titus 2:3-5. After that we get to eat what we were shown in the cooking part and also have fabulous conversation with a group of 4-6 women.

I just absolutely love this! It is priceless. I love hearing the lives' of women that have gone before me in the journey of being a believer, a wife, a mother, a friend...they are so sweet and precious--all of them. They each have different stories and different personalities and they are so fun! They seem to really enjoy being on their end of it as well. I like to make a big deal about them, just as they seem to do for us.

I like it also because it is small. They only took 10 of us "younger" women and there is about 5-8 of them each week (I think they rotate, maybe). Anyway, we have had three weeks of it so far and I wish I could just stop time while I am there. I wish I could make this last forever because I love it so much. It is so refreshing and the food is really really really good! All together I am not sure there is much in my life that I look forward to right now than my Tuesday nights with these ladies.

I highly recommend anyone to this program. I suppose it needs to be put together well or it wouldn't be so fabulous, but our ladies did/do it top notch each and every week. They go to the extreme and it is so neat and fun! I hope that if you haven't had the opportunity to be a part of it and there is one in your town/church that you will find out more about it. It's that good! And I have learned so much about cooking/baking/being in the kitchen and then of course about being kind, and about being a loving wife and mommy.

Pure Excitement

Tonight we had an event called Pure Excitement in Bartlesville. It was fantastic...and it always is. Joe White puts this event on all over our country and has for years. I absolutely love it. Tonight I had the opportunity to go with 2 of my small group girls. I love love love these girls so much and tonight I just broke. I broke for them. I wept for them and with them. It was really neat. I know that God moved in their hearts and the Lord knows He moved in mine as well.

I was telling one of them as I was taking her home that "I am 27 and married and yet, the Lord still uses nights like that to restore my soul and remind me I am loved, I am forgiven, and I am free from the chains of sin..." That is it. That is what it is all about.

If I could, I would, hands down, make purity decisions for every teen in America. If I could, I would certainly like to redo some of my choices I made as a teen. But I can't do either of those things. But man, if you could see the tears and hear the commitments and listen to the worship, and just be still where I was tonight...at the sight of 200 plus teenagers committing or recommitting their lives to Christ and to purity...your heart would be soaring like mine.

I pray that it isn't/wasn't just an emotional experience that won't last and for some I know that will probably be the case, but even if just one of them change because of what they heard, are different forever because of a choice they made tonight, then it was dang worth it.

I haven't been to Kanakuk in so long. We have visited over the past few years, but I haven't been "IN" it like I was tonight in quite some time. There is good there...lots of good. I love it. I love it that teens are made to feel special and unique and good about themselves and to hear positiveness for a change and that its okay to be different than our culture teaches you to be. I love it. I just do.

I know that my two girls are different tonight as of 8p than they were when they walked in at 6p. God is good. All the time. I prayed so hard for this message to be heard...and it was heard. They heard and they listened and they responded...and I can't be more grateful and blessed and honored to have been able to be there with them. I just LOVE my girls and I could have said what he said tonight until I was blue in the face and they just needed to hear it from a different source...thanks Joe!

The name contains my soul's emotion....Pure Excitement

We are blessed

Today Jeff was preaching at church! It is a neat opportunity that he gets more often now that he is ordained! It was suppose to be an eventful day during second service because of some people wanting to cause a scene, but after much prayer--specific prayer--thankfully nothing out of the ordinary happened. That was a VERY good thing. I was so distracted the entire time thinking about what was going to happen that I really don't know how his sermon went, but I am sure he did a good job.

Then we went to lunch at this place where Pastors get to eat free! Well, even better than that, someone from our church paid for our lunch all together! That was way awesome. Thank you Watson family! What a neat thing...and just when I was thinking there weren't good people in this world :) (see a couple posts down if you don't know what I am talking about).

Then, it gets better...

I was coming home after dropping Jeff back up at the church and found upon my driveway...

wouldn't it be cool if I said there was a new car...

there wasn't :) but that is okay, because it was the next best thing....

someone, so graciously, took our dead tree and hauled it off to goodness knows where.

Y'all...really!? That is unbelievable. I have been begging Jeff for OVER A MONTH to do SOMETHING/ANYTHING with that eye sore/mess/dead tree (from the ice storm) from our front yard. It was awful in EVERYway...and now...its GONE. Poof...just like that...gone.

I can barely contain my excitement!

And the best part is, I have no idea who did it. That is good...good people, good deeds, good-ness! I love it.

Thank you whoever you are! Thank you for being nice. I will pay this forward...(let you know how I do that)

Baby A

Baby A went to be with Jesus last night at 8p. I don't know what to say but please pray for comfort and peace for the family. So excited that her life on earth touched so many. She survived for 5 weeks, 1 day and 12 hours. What a miracle!

Lack of Sleep = Foolishness

I am an idiot! It was official before this for a million reasons, but it is quite official today. I am going to blame it on the fact that I have had NO sleep (with the exception of the nap I got on Tuesday) since Sunday night. I don't know what insomnia pill I took, but good gracious, I hope it has gone away before I hit the hay tonight....

On to why I am such an idiot....

Jeff and I have been talking about getting a laptop. (which we are both excited about for millions of reasons). I want a PC and he wants a MAC. I am not a fan of Mac because it is different and I am used to a PC...that is really the only reason, well and they are 5 times more expensive! But, anyway I got this email today saying I could receive a free MacBook Air. Usually I don't give those kinds of things the time of day and wouldn't even consider opening the dumb email. But today I did. I had time alone and I was tired but couldn't sleep (even for a nap).

Anyway, I knew knew knew that it was going to be a scam deep down in me, but something told me to check it out anyway. So I did. I thought I did all my research to make sure it was legit. It was legit I found out...however, a complete scam at the same time.

I am just an idiot and I can't even believe that I am announcing this publicly, because seriously I usually scoff at the people who fall for these things...thinking, "did you really think that was for real?" I know to trust my instinct. For crying out loud, Jeff used to calls me his "voice of reason" and typically for good reason!

In order to get this silly computer I had to complete 2 sets of offers from 3 different tiers. I have seen these before and realized that I could probably get away with spending not too much at all (usually they are like free trials that you just have to cancel within the 14 day trial period) and if it was for a Mac Book then, heck yeah, I can do that...even if I have to spend some money...what was I thinking? Anyway, I get past the first 2 tiers without too much damage at all, and actually have a little gift for my dad and brother on the way...thinking "this is going to be so great, Jeff will be so proud of me!"

Haha...laugh it up...laughs definitely on me. 3rd tier consists of ONLY 3 options, of which I have to choose 2! Do you want to even guess what they were? 1) a ROM machine (like 25-40K) 2) some pocket computer (12-15k) and 3) a European rail pass *you had to buy 2 (@$899/person)...what the heck? Seriously, I could have bought our whole community several MacBooks...

I was FURIOUS to say the least...a) because I knew it...b) because I blew it c) because I had spent money that I didn't need to, wouldn't have otherwise, and couldn't do a THING about it now because you had to do them in succession of course! I wrote a very nasty little customer service note and sent it to the people. But really, it was because I was just mad at myself and really felt sorry for those people who fall for this more than once, which Lord help me I hope I never do again. I think I am officially the most un-trusting person in the world right now.

ugh! I just felt dirty and used and like dumbest person on the face of the planet. They got my money, y'all get the laughs, but maybe just maybe someone else won't fall for that kind of thing. (Y'all probably don't fall for those kind of schemes...)

Anyway, it just goes to show that you should always trust your instincts...at least I know I should trust mine. They are usually pretty good at keeping me out of trouble and today I just was too tired to listen to it hoping there was someone good in the world.

The saying should no longer have a probably in it: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

I was a fool and it wasn't even April Fool's Day...a day late, a brain short (and much sleep deprived)=stupidity at its finest!

***Also, Baby A is 5 weeks old today and is struggling more by the day. She has touched so many people's hearts and lives in such a short lifetime. We are praying for them. Word has it that they are all at peace for now, but please continue lifting them up in your prayers...

Works for me Wednesday--Flashlight for Toddler Night Fears

I haven't ever participated in this new thing called Works for Me Wednesday from Rocks in my Dryer, but I figured since I like it so much I might should and maybe some of you that read my blog could benefit, as I have, from some of the great things that people put out there!

So, what works for me?

Jackson is terrified (here just recently) of monsters! How on earth this came about I am not sure...but he is certainly not watching Monsters, Inc. ever again :) But to solve this issue, we pray with him specifically for him to have sweet dreams and to not be afraid, and of course he has a nightlight.

However, about a week or so ago I was at Walmart and found a really great flashlight that is Cars--Lightning McQueen and it has a really cool feature that you can just press the button to make it work (and also do the normal push it up and it'll stay on mode) and only works while you are holding the button down. This has been amazing for him. I like it because I wasn't worried about it staying on and him playing or burning himself with it.

I told him if he gets scared in the night to just shine it where he sees the monsters (shadows) and they will go away. Literally, the night we got it for him he stayed in his room and hasn't come out of his room at night crying since! It is great!!!

That works for me!

Breastfeeding Help?!

Okay, so Creighton is going to be 17 months in 3 short days and wow...that is crazy! I am still nursing her. I know that there are SOOOO many varying opinions on this topic, but I thought I'd put myself out there anyway....just to see what comes my way (I might regret this...)

I don't really have a desire to quit. I'll say that upfront. However, I will say that there are times when I wish she wasn't addicted so dependent on it. I really don't see an end in sight in her eyes. I feel as if it would completely ROCK.HER.WORLD. if I quit nursing her but certainly not because she needs it for nourishment. She needs it for emotional stability I feel. She is like white on rice when she sees me at times! I TRULY think that if I let her and produced like a cow she would nurse ALL day long and ALL night long too.

She sleeps through the night (generally) and wakes (generally) between 6-7a for a "good morning snack" and then (generally) falls back asleep till 8 or 9. This works for me. Like I said I am not wanting to quit that. I really don't even mind nursing her at nap time...not really at all...

The problem arises that when she isn't with me for nap time (ie. Mother's Day Out) she doesn't always take a bottle of breast milk. And when I was gone from her for an entire week over spring break, she did take 2-3 bottles a day (nap, nighttime, and IF she woke up at that 6-7 hour).

I used to have like some ungodly number of ounces of breast milk in our deep freezer (that we bought SOLELY for the purpose of storing my milk). **like close to 1800 ounces at one time** (insane I know) But now, I have MAYBE 4-5 bags of milk left because I had to throw most of it out because it was over a year old! That was heart breaking! Anyway, back to my story.

I don't think she needs to nurse, I just know she WANTS to. I don't mind the 2-3 times a day, but she wants to much much more than that, and so instead of weaning, I find myself either constantly saying "no, not now" and trying to refocus her attention, or just giving in because I am tired of doing the above after a million times a day. (or 10 or 20 whose counting :)?)

This is the look I get if I try the "not now"

And this is the sweet face I get to cuddle up with and see smile when I give in...you can see it in her grin...she says "tank ewe mommy" (could you resist that sweet face?)

I guess my question is this: how do I wean her down to just 2-3 times? When should I wean her completely? How on earth do I do that? What do I say to all the people who give me crazy looks because I am still nursing a 17 month old? (only sometimes does it get to me)

And one for the fun of asking even though I know the answer...will "they" ever look the same again? Because, really, its so sad...

Random Photo Stop II

I wrote a list at church today of lots of topics I want to eventually blog about but tonight I am way unmotivated. So I will leave you with some pics instead.

Another together pic from Easter...he is so sweet to her

Here is our new slide we just bought from Lowe's. They LOVE it!

My little princess/diva :P

I love her eyes in this picture

He and his Daddy were doing something that was making him make the funniest faces!

I "taught" Creighton how to sing with heart and soul...pretty much makes me crack up!

The kids LOVE to swing!

Birthday Party and Blues *Updated

One of Jackson's little friends had a birthday party today and it was very fun. Vicki is so talented and creative! I am sure she'll probably put up some pics on her blog soon, so check here if you want to see them. She made everything there so cute! The theme was ladybugs and bees. She cut big holes and stripes in black bags and put red and yellow tissue paper, respectively, in each one and it was so cute! Those were the gift bags for the guests and they had cute little books, bubbles (ladybug of course) and a bumble bee toy and some candy. The cakes were precious little round cakes with the shape of bee and ladybug. The "pin the tail on the donkey" game was adjusted to put the ladybug (sticker) on the flower (she had drawn and katie had colored on big science fair project board)...it was cute. They did the blind fold but some of the kids didn't enjoy that, but still did it. She had cute pinwheels for gifts. Then she had pre-cut little bees and ladybugs to make magnets for crafts! The food was so great for preschoolers too. She had little sandwiches, bumble bee graham crackers, cheese cubes, lots of really great fruit and veggies...it was great!

Jackson and Creighton are the opposite of shy. Like in EVERY way. There were some kids that were playing, but most of them were quiet and/or sitting in their parents' laps the.whole.time! Mine on the other hand were like a three (even though there is only two of them) ringed circus! I feel a bit absurd now because of HOW bad of a mood I am in, but my kids are trying to drive me crazy (I know this isn't true) but really...I feel that way.

They do not know how to sleep (in) anymore and that is so frustrating to me. They don't know how to take naps anymore and in the middle of days like today, that is like torturous for me. They need more sleep. I need more time away alone. So that makes for 3 unhappy people.

Creighton literally wakes up screaming and crying and just ridiculous from her naps. I know she isn't getting enough rest or she wouldn't be like that. I can't stand the fits and crying all the time. Then Jackson will be sweet, but only till Creighton wakes up and then whine whine whine is all I hear...its driving me berrying nuts! (if you read Jen you might know what that means)

There is not enough junk food to keep me sane for the next few days. I swear I am such a stress eater! If I was an alcoholic, today I might have died of extreme intoxication...good thing I am not. (maybe)

Sorry for my ranting...maybe one day my children will behave again...thanks to all of you who let me know at least I am not alone. Let's all pray for sunshine the next few days, if for no other reason, but I REALLY need some vitamin D and serotonin flowin'---really bad.

Vickie, thanks for the birthday party! That was way awesome!

* Updated I added pictures of what Creighton was dressed like because it is one of her new outfits and I love it! And I figure with such a whine of a post, I needed to add something worth looking at :) (well I guess the party information was good) :)

Anyway, I am getting out of my funk slowly, but I sure was in one! Everything was going wrong (so it seemed) and I was whining just as much as they were and acting like a two year old too! I think they were rubbing off on me...thanks for enduring, that is if you made it this far down the post.

What a day

I am not certain why today was such a difficult day with the kids, but man, was it a doozy. There wasn't so much one particular thing that happened, it was the every second on the second occurrence of outlandish behavior by BOTH of my children. We also had invited 3 different moms and their kids over for play today at our house. It was a little crazy but not too bad. There were 4 mommies and 8 kids. All of the other kids seemed to play so happily and fine, but mine were little heathens the entire time almost. Its so frustrating! I felt like a horrible mother during and after everyone was here. Lunch went relatively smoothly (I think they were starving--probably had a lot to do with it). Needless to say, I was wiped out by nap time and took one myself!

After nap, it was a little bit better for about an hour or so while we danced and sang and had lots of fun, and then out of nowhere the craziness began again. So I decided we were leaving the house and going to the pet store. I have no earthly idea what enticed this notion in my head, but at the time I thought it sounded better than going insane at home. I am happy to report that nothing was broken (well there is a dead fish on the floor of the pet store, but it was already dead in the net on the tank and one little girl whom will remain nameless (not Creighton) helped it onto the floor and Jackson then accidentally stepped on it--not his fault) and we left there unscathed.

Creighton threw a horrid temper tantrum as we were leaving...causing a huge scene though! She LOVES LOVES LOVES LOVES dogs---well any and all animals and they are all dogs to her. She is so funny about it but it is getting very old. She loves to go see Molly and Hershey, the dogs next door, but they aren't always out and the neighbors don't care for us to be over there unless they are there because they bark so much. Anyway, needless to say it is a battle every day for her desire to go see the dogs and my stance on "no". It is awful (which may be why I decided to go see the dogs at the pet store today).

Anyway, tonight thankfully was parents night out. I desperately needed that! We had a nice dinner with Kara and Mike and then went to the Power Team thing for a little bit and the Josh McDowell thing for a little bit (not too exciting either of them in my opinion) and then we came home and relaxed a little bit before having to go get them at 10. We were the last ones to get them. :) Oh well. We weren't late though! Now they are both in bed and that is a good thing! I am going to bed soon...very soon.

Glad today is coming to an end. Not ecstatic at all that Jeff is leaving us for a "business trip" till Tuesday night late though! :( Very sad about that...very very sad.

The Funeral

Sorry I haven't written in quite some time. I just haven't either, had the time, or the desire. I really want to write about the funeral, but yet, I didn't at the same time. I think it will be good for me to write about it though. It was, overall, a really really great funeral (if they can be).

Over 500 people showed up for my Uncle's funeral. That was awesome. We got there incredibly early and I was with my family in the front row and so I didn't even notice that there were SO many people behind us until we all stood up to go out with the casket. It was nice that so many people were able to come. It was held on Good Friday. I think that was a good thing, symbolically...and because lots of people were already off from work. Being that he was in the wrecker service for as long as I can remember (at least 20 years, I think 28 if I remember correctly) he pretty much knew every wrecker in Houston. They all knew and respected (and maybe even loved) him and they all showed up!

One of the coolest parts of his funeral was his testimony. The pastor shared a little bit of it, but it seemed that the crowd spoke it without saying a word. Hearts were mourning, but also rejoicing. That was evident.

The music was fantastic (well, maybe with the exception of one song--however, because of its placement after a letter from my aunt (his wife), the song did well to hold us all together, instead of making the place continue to cry the river from the sweet letter). They sang Amazing Grace at the very beginning and I cried and cried throughout the whole thing...then at the end they sang 3 of his favorite praise and worship songs, and that was neat.

The actual service part was very cool, because along with his testimony, they shared the gospel and made it very apparent that it is exactly the way he would have wanted it. One thing that will always stick with me is he told the pastor that he "almost waited too long" to come to know Jesus and he is so thankful that he didn't. As much as anyone with 2 feet still standing on this earth can attest to it, the pastor said that he was certain of Bubba's eternal future and that he knew he knew the Savior. That was so neat!

With all the wrecker drivers there, you have to know that they ALL brought their own wreckers to the funeral and the procession to the grave site. That was by and large the neatest (and longest) processional I have ever seen for anyone. There were about 200 cars in the line and about 70-80 of them were wreckers---with LOTS of flashing lights. My uncle (and FBI agent) worked out his friends in the bureau to come and work the lights/intersections for us. There were about 20 or so of them and they did a really great job. They were on every corner and even every apartment entrance and such. They held off everyone from going or coming while we passed by. Thankfully we were only about a 5 minute drive to the cemetery.

The burial service was short and sweet. We let 47 balloons go (the age of my uncle when he died). That was a really cool sight to see. Because there was an airport close by my uncle said that he got word we had effected the tower/security --oops! Oh well. It was funny because 3 of the balloons stayed behind (got stuck in the trees) and everyone laughed because they said that was very typical of Bubba to try and stay around, and/or make everyone laugh one more time.

The funeral was really great. It was hard but it was good. I think I was pretty okay until I (every few minutes) stopped to put myself in the girls' shoes or thought of what it'd be like if it were my dad. Then I lost it, then I'd get myself composed and then that cycle would repeat. I tried my best to be comforting and encouraging to my mom, my grandma, and my aunts and uncle. Maybe that was more out of my need to do so than their need to receive it, but either way I hope they all felt loved.

Death certainly makes you think. It has affected me so much, and I think that is why I didn't want to type this up. I don't want to forget. I don't want to move on and not remember. I want to be different. I want to "live like I am dying." They of course played this song to a montage of photos and I heard it over and over and over again. He did it. He knew his time was coming a little more clearly than most of do (if we're to die of an accident or something) and yet, I don't think that is an excuse. He showed everyone he met the love of Christ. I want to do that, to be the hands and feet of Christ... In his death, his life was evident, his love was evident.

I don't even know if I know 500 people, but would all those I do come because I impacted their life, like he did all of south Houston? Thanks Uncle Bubba for showing us (me) how it is done.

Thanks for coming to know God, thanks for making sure, once you did, others did as well! See you someday, and yes, the work that you have done spoke for you! (his casket was stitched saying, "may the works that I have done speak for me")

FINANCIAL PEACE JR. FOR KIDS!

A giveaway! I love giveaways. Go here to get the information on this one!

Happy Easter

This was the best there was, and I know it isn't good, but you can see us all in PINK! :) I normally don't wear pink, but Jeff said since he had to, so did I, and that because it was pink for him, it had to be a dress for me too :)...oh well. *don't you just love the name tag ;/

This isn't the greatest family pic, but it is the one that shows the "cool" new walls of our children's ministry hallway. I liked the green and the orange was new today along with the furry-ness behind us. Not sure what I think of the yellow furry, but oh well.

This picture of Jeff and Jackson is SO cute! I love it! They matched down to the brown shoes :) I LOVE IT! They crack me up...

We had just gotten out of the shower and so their hair is still wet...oh well. We were rushing a bit this morning.

Then after church we went to my Uncle Les' family Easter celebration. It was at my cousin Jenni's house and it was a lot of fun. My parents are still in Houston with my grandma and the rest of the family. So, instead of being alone we trekked down there and crashed their party. Lunch was really good and it was so good to see my cousins that I hardly ever get to see (one lives in Chicago and one lives in Tennessee).

We had an Easter egg hunt in the backyard and this is how my kids spent it. Jackson set his basket down and went to look for eggs (sans basket). He found one and it went like this: [open egg up] "No jerry beeens" [drop egg] and runs to the swing...not caring ONE bit about the rest of the hunt or the eggs or anything else but the swing.

Creighton never even pretended to care about the hunt, but rather, only the baby in her arms and the dogs behind the fence. She cried and cried when I told her it was time to go inside...of course after the other kids had been in for like 10 minutes already with baskets full of eggs, and she had none!...but really didn't even notice either.

I am not really sad about that though. I think it is funny. They opened 3, yes THREE, Easter baskets full of stuff last night. (Thanks to all of our Grammies and Papaws)...They got eggs and books and stickers and pails and shovels and bath accessories and swimsuits and fruit snacks and candy, and lots of other random things :)...they LOVED it all!

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful time with family! I have more to post of my weekend in Houston, but figured today is about LIFE and not death and so I will save those for another time. But I am back home now and everything is as good as it can be :)

The Viewing

My brother and I made it down to Texas this afternoon. It was a great opportunity to spend time with him...one on one, uninterrupted, face to face, heart to heart!

Today was the viewing of my uncle. It was so very hard for me to see his body...still, lifeless, breathless, motionless...so skinny and frail, so pale, so very unlike the picture I posted with his other post. It wasn't my Uncle Bubba at all...I could tell he wasn't there, not in that body. My aunt said he looked so much better (that they had done a wonderful wonderful job of preparing his body) than he did on Tuesday night. Everyone that was there on Tuesday as he passed said the same thing, that they made him look so much better. That was hard to hear because, man, it was just NOT what I expected. Death isn't pretty. It is hard. The body without the soul, its so...I don't know what the word is I want to put there...but its just hard.

All the tears and crying and hugging and crying and tears and ALL the emotions flowing were difficult, but good. It was truly amazing to see how many people showed up for his viewing, and I think tomorrow it will be packed. He touched so many lives. That is something I left out of the previous post about him. Even though he didn't know Christ in such a way till recently, he ALWAYS welcomed everyone with love and took everyone and anyone in to his home. They were so good about this. That is one thing I did remember and always know. They always brought "random" people to family events...I wish I would have learned sooner about that kind of hospitality and love...a love that I am not sure even he knew he knew how to do...until recently. That is one thing he is very good at! And so is his family still!

There were hundreds of people there and it lasted for over 3 hours. Then we all went to eat. It was good to see family and friends that we don't get the opportunity to see very often if ever. I saw some people I hadn't seen since I was very little and some I had never met before, but all blood in some way or another...that was neat. It was tiring, but very cool.

I heard lots of stories about me as a child which I find fascinating! I met my Papaw's siblings and they were a riot! I adore the elderly people...and I love hearing stories...especially when i am the subject! Some of these things I had heard and some of them not...I will cherish that!

Tomorrow is the funeral and it will be interesting. I will have to prepare myself for that. I know it will be very hard for so many people to say their final goodbyes. Seeing him, his body, is just very difficult for me...

Continue to pray for the family please because the time tomorrow will be especially hard for them. The littlest one is struggling. There are also some health concerns with my Aunt Trish which at a time like this is the worst thing everyone wants to hear. Hopefully it isn't too big a deal and is just stress related.

My Uncle Bubba

My mom is the oldest of 4 children. Her brother, whom I have only ever known as (Uncle) Bubba, passed away tonight. I have sat down and started several posts over the last few months about him, but for some reason I never was able to post them. I never even saved them. I just couldn't. I don't know why, but it just didn't feel right.

But, now, as I sit and (while listening to Monk and Neagle) write, my heart is still so heavy and I just really don't know what to write, but yet, know I must.

Tonight was Ladies Night Out. I got a phone call right before I was suppose to leave saying that the nurse didn't think he'd make it through the night. So, when I got a call from my dad in the middle of dinner, I was quite certain I knew the words he was about to say. As my eyes, for one of the first times in this whole crazy mess, welled with tears and they began to fall...I felt a lot pain, heartache, uneasy stomach, lost.

Let me give you some background: the story I have tried numerous times to write already. My uncle has (to be put nicely) not had the greatest life. Growing up he was in lots of trouble and didn't know, nor care to know, the Lord at all. He was nice, but really rough around the edges, if you will. He was a drinker, a smoker, a drug addict, a rebel, and for a living he was a wrecker-driver. If you know much about that profession, it can get a little crazy and wild...he fit right in! He was my family though and so, while we were very different, I've always loved him, but yet, been distant from him and his wife and daughters. We did the family things, but never spoke outside of that really (my mom did though).

Anyway, about a year and a half ago, he was diagnosed with lymphoma and wasn't given a good prognosis on life expectancy at all. He, however, proved to be a fighter...in a lot of ways. His wife (my aunt, Trish) was diagnosed with cancer of the liver within a few months of his diagnosis. Their lives were forever changed from that moment forward. Within in a few months, they were both given less than a year to live and in and out of treatments and the hospital constantly.

Somehow in all of that mess, they heard the sweet and tender voice of Christ. It is such a sweet miracle to our family that they have come to know the Lord, Savior, Healer and Comforter. His life was eternally changed from this point forward! That is the only thing I am clinging to right now. It makes it "okay," not less painful or sorrowful for anyone, but it helps me. His life has definitely affected others since his salvation. He began going to church regularly, he brought his family and they came to know Christ. (isn't that awesome?) I know that his story has been told and re-told. He did it. He lived and breathed the joy of the Lord even in the midst of his severe pain and trials. You could see it on his face. You could see how much "lighter" he was... That brought me to tears when I was visiting last...

It wasn't that long ago that we were joking and laughing and praising the Lord together in church. It wasn't that long ago...at all. Now, of course, I feel as if I missed my opportunity to finally get to know my uncle. I have been sheltered for so long from knowing anything really about them, and now I want to and can't. I have so many questions I would LOVE to ask him...all unanswered, unasked.

I have said all along that if he got cancer to meet Jesus then it was worth it...that is so easy to say from my healthy non-cancerous body I know, but man, in my selfishness, my immaturity, I wish that God would have just healed him then...not taken him. But what a better place to be than at the feet of Jesus and in no pain and no discomfort. I know that he wouldn't want to be back with us---because I know heaven is THAT wonderful. But that is still hard...and I know that has to be harder for those that are much closer to him than I was: his wife, my daughters, his granddaughter, my grandma, his siblings...and the list goes on!

Death is hard. It isn't ever easy for those of us left here.

I love my Uncle Bubba and I care so much about his hurting family. I hate it that they are hurting...so much! I hate it even more that only God and time can heal that and I can't--I am so a fixer...and I can't do anything about it, and that is hard.

I am not sure what the next few days hold, but I know at some point I am going to Houston to be there to support my mom and grandma and aunt and cousins...and of course all the other lives he touched. I am proud to call him brother in Christ...that alone at this moment brings the tears of joy.

Busy Few Days...and now very Tired

Man I am so exhausted. You would think I wouldn't be since I haven't had my sweet babies since Saturday afternoon, but I am...completely. Saturday night Jeff and I didn't go to sleep till like almost 2am. Why do we do this? What were we thinking? I don't know...I wasn't feeling well all day Saturday so we were low key: we played games and had dinner and then I was on the computer forever and he played video games FOR.EV.ER....I read for a little bit and finally went to be bed without him...

Then Sunday I wasn't feeling well at all. So I stayed home from church...but then I went to the mission project at Vision Onward which went amazing. Sunday, there were several groups: one group did demolition at house to repair it and make it livable for someone, one group cleaned up a west side park/community center (and planted a flower bed), one group cleaned up the outside of the Vision Onward building, and one group cleaned up a different park by the pool. That was like 6 or so hours.

It was so neat the wide range of people we had there. Youth, little kids, parents...it was neat!

Then Monday was 8-8. It was a long day for those that were there the entire time! But SO much was accomplished. It was so great. I am sad we don't' have before and after pics, only after pictures. But for those of us that were there, it was amazing how much work was accomplished. The building that they are using was a disaster, and now it looks great. I bet we packed over a hundred bags of clothes, shoes, kitchenware, toys, children's things, books, music, random things, hangers, etc... It was unbelievable how much stuff there was. Then there were clean up groups too and electric/plumbing people, carpet people, organizing merchandise, sheet rocking, spackling, hauling off and dropping off at other local ministries, etc etc etc...it was insane, but so neat to see so many people working hard and serving during their Spring Break.

This room had SO much stuff in it...this is where we bagged ALL those bags and hauled them off. Now you can actually see the floor its unbelievable that this is the same facility it was on Sunday.

Okay, so you can kind of see some of the room (and all the stuff) behind sweet Kayla (the Vision Onward's founder's daughter) who worked SO hard all weekend! (sorry not the best picture Kayla, but I needed to show the room and it was the best I had) :)

You could NOT even walk in this room before we started! There were tools, sawdust, sheet rock, wood, merchandise, trash, lots of stuff everywhere....now, I am so proud :)

I left early on Monday to go home and get ready for my small group adventure to Tulsa/sleepover. A few of the girls came over early to help me with my makeup (she did SUCH a good job). Then we picked up one more girl and four of us went down early to go shopping. It was insane how much shopping was accomplished in 2.5 hours. I did buy a really cute shirt that I am excited to wear. Then we met up with 2 other girls that drove down for dinner at Olive Garden...and it was SOOOOOO good. I love OG. I got manicotti that I have never had before and it was FABULOUS. Then we went to Freckles for custard and that was good too. Then headed back here and 3 more girls came over at 10:30 to hang out.

We stayed up way too late and had lots of fun. We slept in and the last girl left about 1p this afternoon...it was so much fun but my eyes are barely staying open. We made blueberry pancakes and bacon this morning and played Guitar Hero III on the Wii. It was a blast.

It's been a wild last few days--non stop, action packed, no sleeping fun. I have Ladies Night Out tonight and I hope I make it to the end :) But my plan is to sleep ALL day tomorrow, (not really) because the kids are coming back home Thursday :) They have been doing really well at John and Debbie's and last night they went to Terrie and Philips. I hope they are as good! :)

My love of Apple Dumplings and Cooking

Okay so last night I made the Oven Fried Chicken that my whole family loves and I made the Apple Dumplings that are TO.DIE.FOR from The Pioneer Woman or The Pioneer Woman Cooks to be more specific.

I can't say enough about the Apple Dumplings...they have got to be my new favorite dessert...they are SO easy to make and words simply do not describe their goodness. Really! Really, really...

They only have about a million fat grams and caloric content, but hey, what is dessert if it doesn't?

You seriously HAVE to try them. If I can't mess them up, then surely you can't...and with Ree's easy to see and fun pictures of EVERY step then you should be fine.

I think I really really enjoy cooking....this is a new thing for me. But I love following recipes...and I have really enjoyed finding new ones. I am not too brave yet in that I try mostly chicken and with basic instructions, ingredients, etc, but my recipe box has doubled in size over the last 2 months and we have found things that are REALLY good.