ok, I fixed it, now you can make comments

on the previous post if you so desire.

This Is the Day That The Lord Has Made!

I'm sure everyone and their brother will be blogging about what a fine early spring day it was today. It really was. I couldn't help but look out my window more than usual today just to watch the grass getting greener by the hour. I suppose it is unusual for March in this great state for temps in the 70s but I'll take it, even if it means a roller coaster weather ride in April. As this Monday went on I noticed a few weird maybe unusual things that happened not common to this time of year.

• I let my children play with the hose, get all wet, just short of getting their swimsuits on.
• We went out for ice cream--Wendy's Frostys--picked up at the Drive-thru and eaten at home.
• I am chosing to sit on the main level of my home which is a 79 degrees and not the basement where it is markedly cooler-- because I'm enjoying the heat.
• I rolled up a hose and weeded a flower bed on March 26!!
• I had BO
• I went out to eat and instead of bringing my cell phone I took my home phone along with me in my purse. Ok, so that happened last week, but how ridiculous. It deserves to be in this list.

What inspired you this lovely day?

The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.
Psalm 104:19

You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!

Galatians 4:10

good times had by all

I was inspired by Tami to do a little slideshow of the family cruise we took in January. These are only a few of the many hundreds of photos we all took, but they are some dandy ones I tell you what. THANK YOU!! Dad and Mom for the spectacular time and the unforgettable memories made!

The Best Day Ever.

I might be overstating it a bit, but last Wednesday ranks pretty high.

Let me give you a little history. My husband works in concrete construction. It is a dirty job. Each and every day Dan comes home with dirt, mud, concrete, oil, etc, all over him. For almost 10 years his work clothes have piled up in the garage until he or I decided to either rid ourselves of them or worst yet--attempt to wash them! In 10 years we have gone through 3 washers and 2 dryers due to the abuse they take from washing his heavily soiled garments.


It has been one of those sore subjects in our marriage that seems to rear it's ugly little head every so often. Once, early in our married life I had had it up to my ears with his disorganized piles of dirty, smelly clothes. As any horrible wife would, I shouted out the threat "If you don't take care of those work clothes I'll throw them out in the front yard! How'd ya like that, huh?" Out in the front yard they went. But Dan being the excellent bluffer that he is, took that threat and raised me on it. It didn't bother him that his clothes were out in the yard, he got up , put on his clothes one leg, one arm, one shoe at a time just like any other day and went on his merry way to work. My plan was foiled.

Fast forward to now and why I am happy as a clam. Last week my dream came true.

wait for it....

Dan has WORK UNIFORMS!!!!!!!. This is exciting on so many levels. No more work laundry! No more piles of old T-shirts from 1998 stacked a mile high. No more bickering!
It was like my birthday! He thought it was his too.

The simple things in life, ya know?

photo coming soon...if he'll let me.
Seriously though, best day ever.

I thank God for the laborous, grueling, dirty work that He has provided, and that Dan is willing to get out there and do it for all of us.

Spring Cleaning?

Without fail, this time of year makes me cringe when I look around at my home. Dirty doors and walls, gooey windows, dusty drawers. It's time to spring clean this place. I procrastinated so long last year that spring cleaning 2006 has now turned into spring cleaning 2007.

So, will I bite the bullet, or will I get out the Murphys soap, and Windex only to finish my complete my mudroom? (that was spring cleaning 2005) The question I have is, do people still spring clean? Is it just a ritual that housewives used to have time for?

Here are the Elements of Clean, some may find it helpful, others may find it unnerving.

Download the PDF "period table of cleaning" It all looks fine and good---


for my mother.

Beauty is in The Eye of the Beholder

I wish this was my eye. I have never thought that my eyelashes were one of my better assets, until I lost a few of them. I didn't realize I was that vain until I cried over the bare spot on my eyelid where lashes once grew strong.

A busy Sunday morning where time was short and nothing was going right was the scene for the lash curling gone wrong. I stuck that lash curler on, pinched it closed. That is when I had what some might call a brain fart. I pulled the curler away from my eye BEFORE I OPENED IT! I actually pulled out my own lashes! I ended up with one eye missing exactly half of it's top lashes and oh so many lashes stuck to the curler.
I screamed out to Dan who did not think it was worth all the emotional drama I was displaying.

Honestly, who does this kind of stuff. Last year at this time I was trimming my eyebrows with a little razor and took out a huge chunk of those too. Yes, they will grow back, but in the mean time I will be purchasing some falsies to see if I can fill the void.

They are just going to kick me right out of the AVON lady business for this one.

man, I'm a nerd.

Right and Wrong

Lately in my house I have heard many discussions amongst my children about who is right and who is wrong. Their arguments usually revolve around what snack I said they could eat or how long they get to stay up. Once they even tried to guess what song they would sing in Sunday school--it never ends well, because someone is correct and the other is incorrect. I would rather them debate what is right and wrong but can I really expect such moral maturity?

Not following far behind comes the self-righteous "I told you so!"

Where did they learn this? Did they learn it from Dan and myself?

I'm afraid so. By my own admission, I dig a good debate and I will, on occasion "pick a fight" just for the sake of arguing.

As I've realized the same tendencies in my children I shudder a little bit. I admire friends and family of mine that avoid conflict, that detour confrontation. Shouldn't I be raising kids that are open minded, empathetic, and basically don't always need to be right? Humble little souls?

Interesting topic don't you think?

I knew I had a problem when Dan gave me a pin that said the following:

"Once I thought I was wrong, but I was mistaken"

It's funny because it's true.

Please Pray for these folks. .

Today on my heart I feel the need to ask all you bloggers to pray.

I have been following the story of Josh Buck a local pastor of Greenhouse Ministries.

The short story is while vacationing in Mexico, he was is a swimming accident, leaving him partially paralyzed and in Rehab for the next few months. He spoke on a local radio station yesterday and I was amazed at his strength, his attitude, and his firm grasp that God is in control of this situation, and his willingness to give God the glory in all that has happened in their lives.



Please include my Aunt in your prayers. She has been living with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) for some time now, and recently had to adjust to some major changes. Pray for her husband, her family, her care-takers. Pray for peace and comfort, and for good days.


I'm not sure how many of you are out there reading this blog, but when you do, offer up a prayer on the behalf of these people. It is needed, and God hears us!

Thanks.

New is better?

I wanted to update the 'ol blog, so my excellent and computer savvy sis-in-law created my new header! Thanks Katie!

that is all.

the great debate.

When our daughter was born on my birthday 3 years ago (yesterday) we didn't know we were having a daughter. With two boys in the house, I was secretly longing for a girl, to even things out a bit. When she had no less than exited my womb for 10 seconds, my husband cried out,

"It's a GIRL---We're done!"
I remember thinking at that moment, "He's just joking around, no one can make that type of final decision moments after the birth of their child."

But yet I certainly had. For me, the feeling is never stronger than just after the moment of birth, that I want to do this again and again. Crazy, really considering the pain af labor and delivery, but that all just vanishes immediately for me upon the sight of my newborn.

I thought the birth of my 4 new nieces this fall would seal the deal for me. I would realize that our family is complete. I would come to my senses, appreciating how far I've come away from the baby stage. No diapers here, nary a nursing pad in sight. Wouldn't most moms relish this accomplishment instead of long for the days?
While babysitting the triplets this week, I couldn't stop sniffing them and rubbing their little cheeks on my own. Am I hopeless? Will I be 56 years old and hope to have a surprise pregnancy?

With my youngest turning 3 and babies stacked up like cord wood in our family I've got baby fever!!!!!

This topic has been on and off the table for many months now and needs to be resolved.

Question--How do you know when enough is enough?? (children that is)





Will this be me??

for more on this actual family click here.