As I conclude this week's study on posts of yore, I thought I'd share some of the drafts that didn't make the cut as re-posts of their own. They didn't make the cute because well, they were titles and nothing else. Apparently I thought that the title along would be able to inspire me no matter when I got back to it.
How'd that work out for me, you ask?
Not so well.
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Minimal Maintenance - That could literally be about anything. I vaguely remember that the idea was actually really good, but since I wrote myself no notes as to what that idea was....we'll never know if it was good or not.
Did you? - Did I what? I have no idea. Maybe did you vote??? Possibilities are endless.
Google-ite! - Now this one I do remember what I was going to write about but I have since incorporated it into an upcoming, to-be-published, scheduled post (that may or may not ever get posted, beacause, hello! have you been reading the posts this week?).
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There were more but I've already deleted them and we are well aware of my memory performance, so let's just leave it at three for today. Mkay!?
BTW...tomorrow's my birthday just in case you were wondering!
Original post date was to have been two years ago today. Hmm... What I'm NOT doing today, two years later...
Being pregnant
Having pity party about baby showers
Whining about my upcoming birthday
Getting a pedicure
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Today and tomorrow are supposed to be a day of doing household projects in preparation for this little karate kid in my belly. I told The Music Man yesterday that I'm loosing that nesting feeling and delayed 2nd trimester energy fast. I am becoming more and more uncomfortable and my feet are beginning to swell just a bit. There is still so much to do, and I'm afraid that my motivation has peaked and is now waning. I've moved from nesting to desperately wanting to finally hold this baby in my arms, not my belly.
So, this is what's on the agenda for the weekend:
Rearrange the kids' bedroom to make room for baby.
Clean out the bathroom closet and cupboards to make room for all the stuff currently residing on the changing table.
Dig out remaining baby gear from the shed and figure out what is still usable and what needs to be replaced.
Make a master list of everything else that needs to be bought before we are ready for baby.
Name this baby.
It might not sound like much to you, but it is so overwhelming to me, especially given the fact that The Music Man is in the basement on the phone with the IRS and has been for the past hour with no sign of hanging up anytime soon. In addition I've been watching A Baby Story and it's making me sad. I'm so ready to be the one delivering and bring my baby home.
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(WARNING: What follows can only be described as a full blown pity party. I'm sorry to do this to you, but this is my blog and my journal of sorts. Besides I'm very pregnant and emotional so I need your pity and support. Ok, here goes...)
On another semi-related note, I'm a little bummed out. Call me crazy, but why are there no baby showers given for second babies? It just seems like no one feels the need to celebrate this second baby's upcoming arrival or the fact that I am miraculously pregnant after two miscarriages. This may sound selfish, but I just don't get it. This time around I am far from any family, which is making this harder yet.
Don't get me wrong, my friends here are excited about this baby, but it's just not the same as having my family close. There are so many times when I have wanted to work on something for the baby with my mom or sisters, but can't because they're hundreds of miles away. I miss them and the excitement they have over this little addition to our big family.
And, oh my goodness, so many of my girlfriends here read this blog and I don't want anyone to think I'm fishing for a baby shower. That's not why I'm writing this. Maybe it's just because it's rainy outside today which is making me a little down and out.
And, I need a pedicure.
AND I'm turning 30 on Thursday and it will most likely be a day like every other, butit's a huge deal for me!
Why, oh why, is my family scattered all over so far away from me. I need them here!!!
Originally scheduled for posting on September 28, 2008...
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I love my DVR. There is no greater invention than the DVR.* I have decided that there is no reason why I shouldn't live out the remainder of my days watching recorded television. It has given my family freedom like we have not know a part from life with Jesus! No longer are ruled by tv. Your favorite shows on at 8, but your meeting goes till 815? No worries! It'll be on The List. The kids won't go to bed and it's causing you to miss The Office season premiere? Fuhgettaboutit! It's on The List! You want to see the re-runs of The Real Housewives of the OC, but The Rachel Zoe Project is on at the same time? The List will have them both! What entertaining bliss this little device offers!
I don't watch live television any more, unless it's the morning news. I can't do it, I tell you. The commercials are enough to send anyone to the looney bin. They're so obnoxious! And don't even get me started on shows like The Biggest Loser! I love it, but I hate, HATE, THE GAME. If you watch this show, you know just what I mean. So a two-hour show of nothing but DRAMA, only takes about 35 minutes of my time. I just fast forward through all the commercials and pointless interviews about who said what about so-and-so. Beautiful.
I thought that perhaps I would take post about the different shows I watch from time to time. The other night my post was written while I was watching Project Runway from the week before. (That post is the one below this piece of golden blogging.)
Today, we're going to discuss my new love, The Rachel Zoe Project. Ahhh...cheesy reality shows about quasi-famous people and their drama-filled, ratings-choreographed daily lives. Waste of valuable time or useful tool for greater appreciation of my own beautiful life void of drama?
Anyway, back to Rachel Zoe (Zoh, not Zo-ey).... Isn't she pretty? She's fashion. She's blonde. She's bi-coastal. She's just plain fun to watch!
For those of you who are thinking, "Huh? Who is Rachel Zoe?" This is what Bravo has to say...
The Rachel Zoe Project is a docu-drama that follows celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe and her trusted inner circle -- husband Rodger and fashion team, Taylor and Brad -- as they endeavor to take Zoe's business to the next level. In the series, the perfectly styled, go-to force among "it" starlets, fashion houses, beauty firms, and magazine editors will give viewers a fly on the wall look at how she juggles constant deadlines, fashion shows, and celebrity clients.
This last week the team was in NYC for fashion week and Brad and Taylor
*Ok, so maybe there are inventions greater than the DVR. The wheel--that was a pretty good one. Sliced bread--that was another smart idea. Oh and that whole electricity thing worked out ok, too.
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As you can see I never got past gushing about Rachel Zoe. Rightfully so! She's worth an entire post! Someday I will do a post about what's on my dvr because I think it would cathartic to let the world know about all my tv watching habits.
You're on pins and needles waiting for that post aren't you!?
So I happened to be looking through some old post-drafts that I started and never finished. This is one from 2007. It's been 3 years in the making and I know once you read it, you will know why it has taken me this long to finish.
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cume-cumbers - cucumbers
frig-er-aver - refrigerator
ever you say so - Whatever you say
pop-pa-scle - popsicle (although she says it correctly now)
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That's it folks...That's all I had in the draft and that's all you get today.
Sometimes three years allows one to realize how much can be said in just a few words.
It's not always necessary to go on and on about a matter. This can speak for itself if left to it.
I learned that it's not always better to give a long description to a post. You get it. You're smart people. That's why we get along.
So I won't go on and tell you that this was going to be a cute and witty post about how my girl (then almost three years old) says different words.
I also won't tell you about how she went on to say eleventeen and no matter what I refused to tell her that it wasn't a real number. Gosh darn it, eleventeen is still my favorite number. It's right up there with cume-cumbers!
I originally started this post on January 11, 2008. I was about 4-5 months pregnant with my boy...
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Thought you might like to know that my son is kicking me like crazy right now.
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I have no idea where I was headed with this post. It looks more like a text message or tweet than a blog post. But who can possibly know the mind of me.
Came terrifyingly close to dropping yogurt in my phone. So close, my heart's pounding just recalling the episode. Awesome.
My boy won't eat his breakfast. Awesome.
My man is leaving for a couple of days. Awesome.
I have to go grocery shopping with kids in tow. Awesome.
I have nothing to wear for Easter. Awesome.
I have a load of laundry in the washer that's been there for three days. I wash it and promptly forget about it till the next day. Then I have to wash it all over again. Today will be washing #4. Awesome.
I think I let an unedited, unfinished post be automatically published yesterday. If so, it may not be recoverable now that it's "out there." Awesome.
On a lighter note...
With the absence of my man I will have the whole flannel-sheeted bed to myself for two nights.
Awesomest.
Thinking I might just stay there for the next three days.
***I wish this was all one big April Fool's joke. That would be awesome.
I did this last year. I had totally forgotten about it until a few days ago when I received SEVEN comments on the post. It turned out to be a spammer, but there for a split second I was pretty excited by all the comment love.
Anyway... I have yet to watch a lick of the actual Superbowl...don't get me wrong...it's on and I'm sitting in front of the tv. I'm just not watching it. The Music Man graciously rewinds the coolest commercials for me. (And can I just say that I really don't get the whole Fiddle-playing-Beaver.) Without further mindless banter...on to the shopping...
I came across TOMS shoes a while back when Mark Batterson wrote a post about them. Love the manifesto. Love the shoes. Since then I have repeatedly looked through the TOMS website and every time I do, I fall in love with them even more. I want to get these for my husband. I foresee a problem, though. He has this crazy fear of his shoes falling off his feet. The lack of shoelaces may prove to be a hard obstacle to overcome. But for me, I think I'd go for these or these. The best part of TOMS is that when you buy a pair of their shoes they'll give a pair of new shoes to a child in need and that's just plain cool!
I started this last year...It's fun to read from year to year!
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
HOMESCHOOLED MY FIVE YEAR OLD!!!
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
It's really easy to keep your New Year's Resolutions when you don't make any! For next year, I have just one: to water my plants more often, like maybe even regularly so that my plants have a chance to live beyond the brink of death!
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My SIL gave birth to my newest nephew, Isaac David. Gorgeous little man, isn't he?!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My husband's granddad, Paw.
5. What countries did you visit?
Again no overseas travel for me this year...but not for the year to come!!!
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A stronger, deeper faith...It's not that I didn't have a strong or deep faith this last year, it's just that I want a strongER faith and I want to go deepER with my Lord than I ever have before.
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
My Baby's 1st Birthday...
Summer Vacay/General Council It started in Savannah, GA...
Then we headed to St. Augustine, FL to see the Ralls!
Then finally to Orlando with the Romines for General Council!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
HOMESCHOOLING KINDERGARTEN...may not seem like much "bee-kas" it's Kindergarten but it was a huge deal for our family and for me.
9. What was your biggest failure?
The Great Snuggie Debacle of 2009
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
There was the whole RSV thing back in February when Natalie got so sick she could barely stand up for days. Jackson was sick then too. Oh and did I mention we had flown to WI for the weekend. Yeah, that was nice. She sat on the platform while Scott preached on Sunday morning and didn't move a muscle...the whole time!
But we did have Pastor dedicate Jackson like he did Natalie years earlier. (He married us, too...awwww.)
To see my family enough or even at all. Major regret of 2009.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I really, really liked Julie and Julia, but that may be because I went to see it with a great friend of mine and was without children for 3 whole hours!!!
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 31 and had planned to go to the Cherry Blossom Festival with friends, but for the 2nd year in a row, the plans fell through at the last minute. SO instead my friends through an impromptu, but AWESOME birthday party for me. I laughed harder that night than I think I laughed all year. I had a serious case of the giggles. My DebbeyDew... Suzie... Sandy...It was while this picture was taken that I got the giggles that lasted the rest of the night! We played some game that had to do with music and I WAS AWFUL!
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
To be 100% debt free.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Casual Chic Mommy minus the whole I-haven't-showered-for-3-days-and-I'm-still-in-my-pajamas-when-I-take-my-girl-to-ballet thing that a lot of stay at home mommies sport.
32. What kept you sane?
My Jesus, I love thee...
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Beth Moore
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The H1N1 induced panic attacks of normal, sane human beings.
35. Who did you miss?
My parents and sister whom I haven't seen in many, many months and my brother and his family whom I haven't seen in YEARS!!!
36. Who was the best new person you met?
Technically I haven't officially met him, but it would definitely have to be Isaac David, my new nephew.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Letting go of tradition is liberating and makes room in your life for God to do new AND BETTER things!
LET GO...I know that's really two words, but it's one concept that sums up my year pretty well.
40. Hope for 2010.
To continue letting go and moving forward into what lies beyond what I see. To respect my husband more than ever and encourage him as he treads new water with the Lord. To continue training up my children to love and fear the Lord. To live a life full of 1st Century Faith.
My Bible study got me thinking yesterday about respect. What is it? Who defines what it is? Is it to be earned? Can it be demanded? What happens when my version of respect differs from your version of respect? Who is right?
I posed the question to the cyberworld, because, you know, that's what you do in 2009. If it's not posted on twitter of facebook, it didn't happen....
A few people weighed in with their thoughts which really weren't all that different from my own thoughts. It didn't seem to help much or really answer the question I had. But then last night, as I finished a really good book, it hit me like a tidal wave... Respect is not something to be demanded or even earned. Respect is something that grows in time.
Of course there is always a certain amount of initial respect everyone deserves just for being human. A friend commented that it's a part of living in "polite society." I absolutely agree. There is also a greater respect due to certain people simply because of the position they hold...the president, your boss, your parents, your husband, etc.
Submitting to another person goes hand in hand with respect. How many times have you submitting completely and gladly to someone who you truly had no respect for? Maybe I'm the only one, but I'll tell you what, it is not easy to do!
I'm reminded of Paul's charge to the Ephesians to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Eph. 5:21) That word submit means to, well, submit, put yourself under someone else authority, to obey someone else, to give up your control to another, but the verse doesn't say you do that when the other person deserves to be submitted to or because the other person demands that you submit. No! You are to submit out of reverence to Christ. It's not about how you feel or what the other person does. It's about submitting yourself to Christ first and out of that reverence for Him you find yourself willingly and gladly submitting your control and self to another.
I think respect can work the same way. We respect because it pleases our Lord. That's it. We shouldn't have to earn respect from others or be demanded to respect. We should willingly and gladly offer our respect to another out of reverence for Christ. In doing so we honor that person, we honor God, and we truly honor ourselves. It's then, and only, then that we allow respect to grow in a relationship. Out of respect will flow trust, friendship, and love.
And isn't that really all any of us wants? To be in relationship with some one who respects us, trusts us, and loves us unconditionally? If we want that we have to give that first. Allow yourself to open up to others by respecting them. Don't do it because you have to or because they deserve it. Do it because of your reverence for Christ. Life is never about you. Life has always been and always will be about Him and Him alone.
Disclaimer: I have no idea where this post is going to go...I'm listening to an awesome (if I do say so myself) playlist I just made for myself the other day and I'm thinking that I might just give some commentary as the songs play. Be prepared though....we're just winging it here people.
Say What You Need to Say by John Mayer I mean come on...this just says it all. Or does it? Maybe there is more to be said. A friend of mine has a sister in law who went to the doctor the other day with a stomach ache and within the hour was admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of a body riddled with cancer. They gave her days to live. She's in and out of conscienceness and her family hasn't told her yet the diagnosis. She still thinks that she'll be back to work in a week or so. My girlfriend, another girlfriend, and I were then talking about whether or not she should be told her diagnosis. All three of us felt that she should be told. We agreed that we would want to know and one of the reasons we brought us was because sometime there are things that need to be said. Sometimes it's a confession of our soul, other times it's as random as I have a wad of $50 in my sock drawer. We thought that this lady needs to have the opportunity to say what she needs to say, and listening to this song always makes me think that I need to say those things now, rather than later...
Moving along...
Walk This Way by Run DMC & Aerosmith This song just makes me smile...I don't know why...It just does...and that's all I can say about it because I've been texting back and forth with my mom right now about nail polish. The playlist has moved on.... You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift This whole cd is very fairytale-ish. Fun but most every song tells basically the same story. BUT she reminds me of Faith and Shania...Speaking of Shaniaaaaaa......... Any Man of Mine by Shania Twain How could you NOT love this song? It's pure kitchy brilliance. I need a man who knows how the story goes...
Except from the real-time txt with my mom:
Me: Glad to help...btw...I'm blogging right now & I just wrote in the post that we're txting.
Her: So I made the blog?
Me: U totally made the blog. :-D
Her: woohoo!
Speed of Sound by Coldplay When I listen to Coldplay I feel as those I should lower the lights and turn on the air conditioner.
Sweet Emotion by Aerosmith My thoughts regarding this song aren't real deep. I just like it. It makes me happy and I smile when I hear it. That's all.
Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) by Mika Ah, Mika, my husband cannot stand to hear you, but you make me laugh. It's so irreverently delicious and poppy which is precisly why The Music Man hates it. Plus I first came across this song when my girth was growing daily...it ended up that I was preggers and had a baby a few months later, but at the time I just felt huge. This song was a balm to that big girl's extended belly! Made me feel sexy and proud to be big. I still wholeheartedly agree that big girls are beautiful, pregnant or not. Rock what you've got, Ladies!
Bust Your Windows by Glee Cast Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! This is my closet obsession...well I guess it's not so much in the closet anymore. If you have not seen Glee, run, don't walk, to your DVR and set it to record all future first run AND reruns. Or go here and watch any and all episodes anytime you want. It's pure genius!I have been known to get up and actually dance along with the show as I watch especially when I saw this. Oh my, seriously! How great is that?! Wait...did I just say that I dance along to the show out loud? Can that just be between us? Mm-hmm? Ok, thanks.
Viva La Vida by Coldplay If I ever go skydiving, bungee jumping, climb Mt Everest, or scan the horizon from the tip of Mt Kilimanjaro, this is the song I want to have playing on my iPodin those moments. I also feel the need to do this dance when I hear this song. The beat requests demands it.
I skipped over a few songs so I could get to this...
Fidelity by Regina Spektor I ju-uh-uh-uh-ust lo-o-o-o-o-o-o-ve this so-o-o-o-o-ng. It doesn't get be'er, be'er, be'er, bet'er, better, better than this!And the fact that my 5yo sings along to it is almost to unbearablly cute!!!
ONE more and this one is just for my Nati-Girl and The Music Man...
Little Boxes by Melvina Reynolds The Girl knows every last word to this little ditty. Could some one please tell me what ticky tacky is? Please? It's been plaguing me for weeks now. And now I'm done. My brain is empty and floating away...we can all say thank you to my affectionate 17 month old for sharing his congestion and sniffles. Yay!
It's been a while...I know...but as I've said before, with Twitter and Facebook, I've lost that blogging feeling. I even think in tweets, 140 characters or less. Crazy, I know. If only I would have known how those would both become so much a part of my everyday life however many months/year ago when The Music Man convinced me that my life was totally void of meaning without Twitter and Facebook in it, I would have thought twice about signing up. Nah. I still would have but for a few moments I would have felt sad about the neglect of this blog that my new love affair would lead to.
Aaaaannnnnnyyyyyyyyyyywaaaaayyyy...that's not what this post's supposed to be about. (I always feel like I need to explain myself to my two readers (Hi Mom and Grandma!!!). And, here I go again...more explaining.)
Let's get on with this post....
Two weeks ago we celebrated my man's birthday. It wasn't a monumental one this year. (That was last year and we did nothing for his or mine...something that we have since regretted!) A good friend of ours, John, has a birthday two days after The Music Man's so we usually celebrate their birthdays together. This year was no different....If we're friends on FB you already know all this and have seen the pictures from our Lobster Feast. The Birthday boys...
Again, that is not what this post is about. I'm getting to it...I promise!
See this beautiful lady below with the cake?...That's my friend Sandy. She married John. They had three kids who are all mostly grown now. Their second son is getting married this Saturday. I know, right! There's no possible way that she could be old enough to have a son getting married, much less two sons that are (will be) married and a grandson! But she does and she's amazing and SHE is the whole reason for this post. Well, more specifically, her TOES are the reason for this post...
See the night of the birthday festivities I noticed her toe nail polish and I FELL. IN. LOVE. It was THE color I have been wanting for years! I told her that and asked her what it was and who it was and where it was. She gave me all the info and I continued to admire her toes for the rest of the evening. Then I went home, put my kids to bed, and forgot about it.
Until this past Saturday night, when in a panic I went to the Walmarts in search of the color on Sandy's toes even though I knew I wouldn't find it, but I just had to try to find SOMETHING like it.
Yea, I didn't.
What I found was terrible and not what the sample card said it was and it looked terrible and I was so upset at the result that I contemplated wearing closed-toe shoes on Sunday because of it, but then I remembered that I don't wear closed-toe shoes unless it's snowing and threw on the cutest pair of sandals I could find with the hopes they would make up for the ugly toe polish.
Then I went to church.
Just as church was starting, Sandy comes running up to me and hugs me saying, "I got you something. I know you loved my toe nail polish so I got you some." She then handed me the little Trade Secret bag with my very own nail polish JUST LIKE HER'S!!!
I. was. blown. away.
You see, I've been blessed with some amazing friends over the course of my life, but it's been a rare friend who does those little thoughtful things that take them over the edge into the AWESOMEST territory. That's what Sandy did. I totally planned on getting my own at some point in time, but she knew I liked it and decided to just go get it for me. If I had worn socks and closed-toe shoes, they would have been blown off. That's how blessed I was.
That kind of friend is rare. When you find one, do everything you can to hold on to them for life. I'm enourmously blessed to have a number of these friends in my life right now.
One time I couldn't go on a girls only weekend, so my girlfriend brought me home lip gloss.
Another time (for my birthday) a couple of my girlfriends went together and got me a subscription to The Old Schoolhouse because they knew I was nervous about homeschooling this fall.
Friendships are about a whole lot more than common likes and life situations. They're meant to be give and take. They're about two people being there for one another even when it's really hard to be there or you feel like you're not wanted. Friendship is not about the friends you have, it's about the friend you are.
So these are my new toes...cute, right?
If you're wondering what color that is...it's OPI Pink Flamenco. Sandy got mine at Trade Secret in the neighborhood malls, or you can get it here.
So in closing....I guess this post is about friendship and nail polish with a bit of shellfish thrown in for good measure. Everything is better with shellfish.
About six months ago I applied to run Blogher ads on my sight. At that time I was posting a couple times a week. Then it tapered off....slowly...to the speed of cold molassas in January. I totally forgot about the application and about Blogher in general until two weeks ago when I received their response to my application.
A paraphrase... "Due to your utter lack of posting we're going to pass this time on you this time. We prefer to have our ads run on blogs that people actually read! People don't read blogs that are only posted to once a month. Sorry about your luck. When you get your bloggy butt in gear you can re-apply."
(It really wasn't rude AT ALL! I added all the snippy comments.)
I was so irritated with myself on the one hand, but on the other hand I didn't care at all. Since applying for the ads, my outlook on my little piece of the blogesphere has changed. I used to want lots and lots of readers. I wanted to run ads to draw more readers and more advertisers so I could make a name for myself just like The Pioneer Woman and Dooce.
But I've discovered that's not what I want at all. I just want a place to be me. I want to write about the stuff I love and share my life with the people I care about. If a stranger stumbles upon my little blog here and is encouraged or blessed or amused by something I wrote and wants to come back day after day, er...month after month, then more power to them. But I'm not going to seek that out. At least not now anyway.
Soooo...what's my point? Um, I guess there really isn't one. Ha! With Twitter and Facebook giving, I haven't felt the need to post here. And honestly...the few people who even read this blog are already on either Twitter of Facebook (or both) and you haven't wondered one moment where I've been.
I'll be interested to see where this blog goes. I'll keep you posted.
This morning as I was putting on my makeup I put on a little old-school Jason Upton and instantly I was sitting on the floor in my closet doing the very same thing only it was 9 years ago. I could smell my closet and the summer breeze coming through under the door. I was overcome with those precious feeling of falling in love for the first time, the giddiness of knowing that I had met my husband-to-be. The feeling of utter abandonment to the Holy Spirit's leading. The nerves of knowing I was on the verge of the beginning of my life. The innocence of ministry that can only be found in someone who doesn't have the first clue what's to come.
I close my eyes and I can see the pictures lined up on the mirror on the back of my closet door. I can see the brand new size 8 dresses bought just days ago hanging to my left and the dozens of bridesmaids dresses hanging on the right. I can hear the phone ringing and feel my stomach flutter wondering if it was The Music Man. I had no worries, no real responsibilities, no mortgage, no kids, no mini-van. It was such a simple time.
I can see it as clearly as I can close my eyes and see my children today. It's like it was yesterday. It makes me so emotional to think of it now. Oh! to be able to recapture those innocent feelings of complete abandonment to the Spirit. To shake free from the worries of life. To feel like anything's possible for me. To have a passion for ministry that's not been tainted and a bit scarred.
My prayer remains the same as it was then... "Lord, have YOUR way in my life...take it, take all of it and do with it whatever YOU want!" But yet I don't feel like I am the same person. My innocence is gone. Responsibility and demands schedule my days now. I'm pulled a thousand different directions and it's hard to keep track of where I'm going.
I look different.
I act different.
I think different.
I am different.
On the one hand I'm glad. I've grown up so much. I have experienced things I wouldn't wish on anyone, but yet I've also had more joy and fulfillment in my life than I ever thought possible 9 years ago.
But on the other hand, I feel like such a different person from that young bride-to-be, that I often wonder who am I? Am I still that carefree, spontaneous, goofy girl and have I just lost sight of her along the way? Or am I this new more serious, slightly OCD, home-body of a woman who's called wife and mother? And is it possible to be both and still be me?
I wonder if in another 9 years I'll listen to a cd and it will transport me back in time to a day much like today. I'll hear my babies laughing and playing. I'll see the mounds of laundry and the choas of an upset toy box. Will I remember this time as fondly as I feel towards it right now as I live it? Will I look at myself today and think how innocent she was!? Where will I be in 9 years? What will God have brought me through? Will I be even more serious or will I be more spontaneous and carefree?
I still believe anything possible, but somehow this feels different. It feels more defined...more refined...
Refined by time.
Refined by life experience.
Refined by tradegy.
Refined by babies.
Refined by love.
Refined by God.
Is anyone else floored by the Idol finale? I totally thought Adam was walking out of there as the next American Idol! Overall the finale was delightfully entertaining! There were some really great moments and some real doosies. First the highlights... (These are just my opinions so if you don't agree that's cool.)
1. Norman Gentle
2. Ryan in Norman's glasses and headband
3. Anoop and Alexis with Jason Mraz
4. Kris and Keith urban
5. Randy's cute little bow tie and matching specs
7. Kara and bikini girl - Love the way Kara whipped out her own bikini!
8. Gene Simmons pony tail
9. Santana, and SANTANA ONLY...please see Miss #3 & #4 for more information.
10. Tatiana del Toro
Total Misses
1. Adams skeletor shoulder pads and boots
2. KISS. I just don't get them.
3. When the top 13 joined Santana
4. The excessive group numbers.
5. That oil rigger guy
6. That Matt guy with the nubbin on his head (which, by the way, they've photo-shopped out of this picture!)
6. Not enough Anoopdawg
7. Too much of Adams falsetto screaming
8. The trophys - just weird.
9. This guy reminds me of this guy.
10. I really only had 9 misses, but I'm too OCD tp not have 10 highlights and 10 misses.
That's it. That's all I've got.
Now what am I going to do with my Tuesday and Wednesday nights???
I follow Mark Batterson on Twitter. He's this really great guy who happens to also have this amazing church in our district. Anyway, he's written like a million books (slight exaggeration **blush**) and his little tweets are pretty witty. Today he had a really great one... So I'm going to make that my prayer for today too.
We watched Australia last night after the kiddos went to bed. I was excited to see it ever since seeing the previews a while back. It had been heralded as this great epic film. The only thing epic about it was it's length. An hour into it I got on my computer so I had something to do. The movie was sssssllllloooooowwwww goings!
Here's my real-time commentary of the movie. I wrote this last night as I watched starting about an hour into it...
I seriously doubt they even went to Australia to film it. It looks like the whole thing was filmed on a back lot in LA. Some of the cheesiest FX and uses of green screen I've ever seen.
When that little boy "sings" to animals...TOTALLY CREEPY!!! I'm afraid that when we finish this movie the only thing we'll be saying is, "Now that is 2 hours and 45 minutes of our lives we'll never get back."
"The wrong side of business" = Horizantal mambo
1:14 into it...
A friend just told me that the second half gets better. I'm kinda thinking that a root canal would be better than this. At least at a root canal they give you happy gas. I could use some happy gas. And why must King George always be in tree pose?
Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman...not a believable couple. Wolverine and Tom Cruise's wife??? Just doesn't work for me.
And the random Japanese cook??? This movie does make me want to see the Wizard of Oz again though. I must admit.
If I was all dolled up and a patroness of a fundraiser...I wonder how much a dance with me would go for? You think I could raise $5?
Ok. Here we go. Mr. Jackman is clean cut and all dolled up too. Something tells me that the wrong side of business is in their future. Thanks to The Music Man we just skipped on through that part. But I tell you what! That Mr. Fletcher is a bad man. He gives me the creeps too.
All this talk of "creamy" makes me want ice cream. Mmmm...I want coffee mixed with cookie dough eaten with cinnamon graham crackers. Oh my...now that is something I can enjoy. I lived on that while I was pregnant with the boy-wonder. It's a miracle I only gained 26 pounds. Shoot! I sho'nuff want me some ice cream now. I could go get it and be back before the movie was even over. I'm sure I wouldn't even miss anything.
Other things I could be doing right now instead of watching this movie...
Folding clothes. Seriously. The basket's right in front of me.
Playing computer games like this and this or even playing around with this. Can you say, "I heart MacHeist 3 Bundle"???
I was going to write 10 things I could be doing instead of watching this movie, but I'm too bored. Talking about those games makes me want to play them. I'm ending this commentary. My recommendation would be to read this and save yourself a few hours of time.
1. I'm done nursing. Well, not technically, but in my heart I am SO OVER IT! My precious baby boy still nurses as often and as much as he did when he was 4 months old. There has been no slowing down for him. I try, oh do I try to get him to eat other food. All he wants is me. Bless his heart. I've always said that I would nurse him as long as he wanted as long as he wasn't still nursing when he went to Kindergarten. I'm not really thinking that anymore. At this point in time, I'm committing to his birthday. Beyond that will only happen by the grace of God.
2. My daughter prefers Granny Smith Apples to any other apple.
3. I'm ready to re-paint my house. All of it. Every. Last. Room. I just want to freshen things up. So maybe I don't have to re-paint everything to freshen things up, but a few things here and there would be great. I've toyed with painting my kitchen cabinets for a while now. I go back and forth between a creamy white to match all of the moldings or a bold black that would contrast everything. I've even thought about painting the top and bottom cabinets differently. I have a lot of ideas swimming in my head. I just need to DO IT one of these days.
4. There is some sort of cluttered pile in every room of my house. I hate it. It keeps me awake at night. But no matter what I do, it always finds a way back into my life. It makes me cringe.
A couple of random things before we get to my post...
1. My son refuses to crawl.
2. He refuses to sleep through the night.
3. I'm glad football season is over.
Ok, now that I've got that off my chest we can get on to the good stuff...
I use certain things on a daily basis that I don't think I could ever live without. Well, I probably could, but I don't ever want to try! I got to thinking, though, that no one should have to live without these things either. But, then I thought, what if you don't know what you're missing....
Soooo... I am going to share a few of the things I don't want to live another day without. Let's start with the first and most important, mm kay?
I will not, I repeat, I WILL NOT live my life without this lip balm. I bought myself some as an indulgence while still preggers with the boy. I fell in love at first swipe and will never go without it for as long as live.
It may be more dinero than your average Lip Smackers, but oh my heavens!!! It is worth ev-er-y penny! I promise.
I buy mine in bulk. No joke. I have one in every jacket pocket. One on my dresser, on the table next to the door, in the bathroom, in my desk door, in the drawer of my kitchen island, purse, car etc., etc. You get the picture. I don't like to be without it.
I've given it away in countless gifts. It doesn't matter what the occasion. This lip balm is perfect for any gift!!!
All this talk of lip balm has made my lips chapped.
We have finally come into winter here in the Mid-Atlantic region. Nothing crazy like when I was a kid growing up in Wisconsin. Check out those piles of snow...
That's me there about the "ss." I heart my big winter denim coat.
(That boy in the front on the left... See him there?... He tried to kiss me about a month after this picture was taken. I didn't let him kiss me until a couple years later at my junior formal. I haven't heard anything about him in years. Do you suppose he's on Facebook?)
We got snow (and mass amounts of ice) this past week. Schools were cancelled and children went sledding (on 2 inches of snow! Those poor deprived children!). They built itty-bitty snowmen and forts perfect for a toddler. I've been looking at all the snowy pictures of my friends on FB and Google Reader.
Unfortunately I have no pictures of my children playing out in the bits of snow from this week. We've been quarantined inside with all sorts of RSV-related illnesses. So I thought I'd post my pictures of the last snow we got...the first one of the winter, which fell a few weeks ago.
The girl wasn't too sure about eating the snow, but I convinced her it was a part of winter. Just stay away from the yellow stuff. That's bad, man!
For this mid-Atlantic girl, running laps in the snow is as good as it gets.
Poor thing doesn't remember the 2 feet of snow we got on Christmas day the one and only winter she spent in WI.
A shot of me and my boy...
What keeps me on my toes... (Would you just look at the love in that boys eyes!!! The feeling is totally mutual Little Man!)
And more snow eating...Trust me! Once you start, you won't be able to stop!
:::
Hopefully in a couple weeks when we go to Wisconsin the tempuratures will be bearable enough to take the kids sledding. Obviously they've never been. We'll have to get her a pair of boots and some snow pants. She's never had snow pants. The first year we lived her we bought her a pair of snow boots. She wore them once. We haven't wasted the money on any since.
(Maybe someone in Wausau has a pair of snowpants and boots she could borrow...hint...hint...)
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