Bah Humbug!!

Why am I feeling "Grinchy" you ask? Could it be the non-stop cough for 3 weeks? Could it be the bronchitis that turned into pneumonia & as I was finally starting to beat the darn thing....dumdumdum...a viral COLD???? Add to that two lovely cold sores & the end of the semester for some Christmas cheer. To top off my holiday festivities, I had a colonoscopy today. That's right. I had to do something that topped off the year, 96, I believe, when I had ALL FOUR wisdom teeth pulled on December 23rd. Of course, the very next February, I met Joe. So, maybe something equally amazing will happen this year. I don't mean meeting another guy, of course....;)

For those of you wondering...the test turned out great. Great of course, if you consider great to mean drinking 2 quarts of oily, salty, lemon-lime flavored YUCK. (Better than the gallon some have to drink!) Thankfully, I don't have to have another one for 5 years. But those of you with kids no how quickly 5 years can go by!

Seriously, I'm thankful all is finally well. My sister's life was saved 2 years ago by an early colonoscopy. She had the early stages of colon cancer & was blessed to only have surgery & no treatments. I thank God for her everyday. It's not a fun experience, but if it will save your life...

Do I Have to Show My Work?

Oh. My. Word. People, this is algebra, you're in the 7th grade...SHOW your work!!!!! And SHOW it ALGEBRAICALLY!!!!!

Alas, this has been my mantra, my rant, my battle with middle schoolers. Heaven help me! One more day, & Ms. Kristy is on vacay!!!!!

In other news, and to my defense, I have not been on facebook since Sunday! I did, however, spend way too long on it tonight! What to do when someone you knew from several years ago wants to add you to their friend list, but they kind of weird you out?? I mean, I'm not sure I want to decline...what happens if I just ignore the request? I'm such a coward...

KUDOS to Joe....he has received a scholarship that pays tuition & books, as well as an invitation to join Phi Theta Kappa (honors frat)! I am so proud of that man & all he does! He actually took me to see Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, or was it Knight? I'm too tired to Google it, & I'm sure one of my English buddies can help me! It was great! The university performing arts department had awesome displays of all the sayings & words that have been coined from Shakespeare's works. It was fascinating!

Learning about classification of the species in science. A student listing traits of an animal says, "big paws," but what everyone hears rhymes with "big malls!" Yeah. Laughing till tears rolled down my cheeks. I could not make eye contact with my co-teacher.

And I leave you with some of my FAVE flair phrases:

Procrastinators UNITE...tomorrow!
If ignorance is bliss...why aren't more people happy?
Procrastinators...Leaders of tomorrow!
If I die at school, I hope it's at an inservice so the transition from life to death is smooth!
SCHOOL, one big SOAP OPERA
HAHA. Wait. What?
Even if the voices are not real, they still have pretty good ideas.
My mom says I'm special. But who's Ed?
Don't follow my footsteps. I run into walls.
Be careful what you say...it may remind me of a song that needs singing.
He was hit by a DODGE, which I find funny & ironic.

I Could Do Without the Fairies...

That was what my husband said after reading & watching A Midsummer Night's Dream for his English comp. class. Ah, well, they are pretty much important to the play I would say. He did laugh with me during parts, though.

A recent favorite "Joe-Quote" of mine came after Joe's full day at work, then classes, then home to study & write papers, as well as spend some time with the family. He was truly exhausted. The scene: Joe & I talking about a recent exam he had taken in his ed. class while I was getting ready for bed. The conversation:

Me: Well, how did you do?
Joe: (with irritation) I made an 80. I mean, I missed 4. Stupid.
Me: What did you miss? Did you study? (hmmm...seems like I had the same discussion with Rebekah earlier about one of her tests)
Joe: Yeah, I studied. (here comes the fave quote) I missed two of them because I chose the wrong answer.
Me: (bursting into giggles, ahhh DUH) That's usually why we get things wrong...
Joe: (beginning to laugh at himself, now a.k.a. Captain Obvious) That's not what I meant. I knew the answer. I just marked the wrong one.
Me: Yeah, sure. You know I'm going to post this, right?

Confessions of a Cheater or Defining Interfacing Polygamy

I admit it. I can't lie about it anymore. I've been entertaining another website. I tried to resist, but was pulled into it's provocative promise of connecting with prior acquaintances, as well as local peeps. Yes, I joined Facebook, and darn it, I LIKE it!! There, it's out in the open. Open for all to see just one of the things that has kept me away...that, and school, and kids, and a husband in school, and the kids' school, and LAUNDRY (does it EVER end??), and just life in general. But, I think I can make it work. I mean, what's one more thing, right? I will, however, try to ward off those luring me to that other networking site...the "m" space. :)

I have SO much to update here, and will have plenty more with Halloween approaching. I see a marathon posting in my near future.

Where, Oh Where, Have I Gone??

Wow. The past month has been a blur. So much to post, so little time. I actually have a FOLLOWER now...WOOHOO!! Thanks, Chance, who, by the way, is an AWESOME swap partner! :) I am going to post pics of My Favorite Things Swap package that I received from her, but in the meantime you can take a gander at what I sent her.

I also have a new reader, Susan. Hopefully she will de-lurk & leave a comment! Hint, hint.

Susan & I have seen each other/chatted several times over the last 5 years, but at a recent wedding shower where we showered "unmentionables" on the blushing bride-to-be, I believe we struck a bond. Needless to say, my less than prudent shenanigans have become the talk around our congregation. All was done in fun, & if you can't cut up at a girls only party, then where, pray tell, can you? Lighten up, people! My husband just grins in acknowledgment & shakes his head. (Of course he was the one who hid in the limo & was chased out by the groom after the wedding!) Amy...you would not be surprised!! Let's just say that I should be receiving a thank-you note from the happy couple soon!! (haha) How refreshing it was to attend a shower for a bride who has truly waited for her special groom & her wedding night. Beautiful, I tell you.

The kids are at their aunt's house this weekend. How crazy to live in the same county, but have different fall breaks. My mother-in-law happened to be there as well. Grammy, as the kids call her, is battling ovarian cancer. Of course, with the chemo has come hair loss. Worrying that Bekah & Micah might be frightened or at least a little taken aback, she & Joe's sister decided to talk to the kids about her hair loss & the new wigs she is sporting. After they finished talking, Grammy removed the wig she was wearing. From the aunt's account, if they had videoed Micah's suprised, if not horrified expression, we could have won the hundred grand. When asked by Grammy, "So what do you think?," Micah replied ever so seriously , "I think you should put it back on!" He was later seen that evening running around the house with one of the wigs on his head. Comic relief, that kid, comic relief.

Joe & I have had lots of fun this weekend, but I can't wait to see Bekah & Micah tomorrow night! I'll be posting soon about my swap, the state fair, & other happenings! Stay tuned.

LOL....SERIOUSLY!

If you have, will have, or have ever had a toddler or preschooler to take to a public bathroom, you MUST check out the following link!!! I have not laughed so hard in a long time, & believe me I've needed to! Some of the comments are too funny. Enjoy this excerpt from the McMommy Chronicles.

Has It Really Been 11 Years?

Today is the day that I married my best friend 11 years ago. 11 years full of all that makes a marriage. 11 years of smiles, laughter, tears of joy & sorrow, passion, & even anger. We haven't had a perfect relationship, but we've had one with lots of love & commitment not only to one another but to our Creator. The way we met is a post in and of itself, but let's just say God's hand was in it. The awesome thing? There were things about Joe that fulfilled many things deep down in my heart that I had prayed for. Only God knew the desires of my heart, & oh how he has filled those desires. Here are the reasons that I love Joe, even when he makes me crazy (not in the sexy way, either!!).

1. I love him for his commitment & desire to serve the Lord.
2. I love him for his tender heart & love for those in need.
3. I love him for the time he was helping a mentally ill woman clean her home & I watched as he knelt on the kitchen floor armed with only bleach water & a window scraper to clean layers of animal waste & newspapers off that floor. (I cannot describe the condition of this woman's home without making some of you ill, but I will NEVER forget the humbleness of heart with which my husband served the Lord during this entire situation.)
4. I love him for standing by me through thick & thin, & when life turned our world upside down 9 years ago, he was my earthly rock and protector.
5. I love that when he's truly happy and his heart is care-free, he will sing, albeit rather loudly & off-key, the National Anthem.
6. I love him for the way he continues to love me & still gets that mischievous twinkle in his eye regardless of how I look or the pounds I may have put on.
7. I love him for having the courage & commitment to go back to school at the age of 34, while working full time, in order to not only fulfill his dreams, but his family's as well.
8. I love him for the way his heart swells & his eyes tear up whenever someone obeys the Gospel & puts on Christ through baptism.
9. I love him for the way that he knows me, sometimes better than myself.
10. I love that although he has a very tender heart, he is also the head & leader of our family.
11. I love that despite his tender heart, I can't just run over him (not physically/literally...although there have been times....;) Those of you who know me, know that I am a little strong-willed, okay stubborn. (Wonder where are children get it from?)
12. I love that ALL the kids look for "Mr. Joe" after worship to come outside for any number of games he gets together.
13. I love that he gets excited when scoring a touchdown or homerun against a bunch of 5-12 year olds...seriously!
    
14. I love that he has a soft spot for the elderly & can be seen not just helping them inside before worship, but you might often see him racing one particular man in a walker.
15. I love that he loves ALL people regardless of looks, money, status, etc.
16. I love that he's just a big kid inside.
17. I love the ways that I've watched him grow, both as a man & as a Christian.
18. I love that when I've been very sick he has done things that most would not do because I needed him.
19. I love that although he can be a "mean sleep," he is also hilarious at times when talks/sleepwalks.
20. I love him for the laughter that he brings to our home & to our children.
    

This list is certainly the abridged version of all that I love about my husband. Some were left out to keep this site family-friendly (ha,ha). I leave you with what I feel sums it up beautifully. (This was "borrowed" and the years edited.)

"Do you love me?

Do I what?
Do you love me?

For eleven years I've lived with him,
Fought him, starved with him,
Eleven years my bed is his,
If that's not love, what is?

Then do you love me?
I suppose I do.
And I suppose I love you, too.
It doesn't change a thing, but even so,
after eleven years,
it's nice to know."

Who's Line is it Anyway? & Other Ramblings

For those of you who like a little challenge, as well as love movies, visit one of my favorite sites for a little contest.

In Micah's world, we have been on yellow twice this week. It seems that he's a bit "rowdy" to quote the teacher. When we talked with Micah about obeying his teacher & keeping up, he calmly explained that he "could catch-up...it was easy." I explained that even though he can be all over the place & still learn, as his teachers at both school & church can attest to, others may not. He looked shocked to think that he might actually be bothering someone else! What, there's other people in the world besides him?? The really sweet part is that he prays every night for God to help him stay on green the next day.

Micah is also the center of a love triangle in this week's episode of "As the Lunch Box Opens." It seems that he has a little girlfriend, but the little girl that "broke up" with him at the end of K-4 wants him back. She told her daddy that Micah just won't take her back no matter what she does. It seems the poor girl has been blatantly batting her eyelashes at my boy, or so she imitated in FRONT of her father! I think we should be worried. Her dad's a big man. Instead of eyelashes, she'd have a better chance if she brought him a pudding cup or Little Debbie at lunch. Micah shared that there's one girl he doesn't like because she's not modest. (Seriously, he said that!) Yep, she apparently shows her tummy on the playground! Now, I ask you, how many years do I have before he prefers the belly-flashing type? I am afraid, very afraid, and this is in kindergarten at a Christian school.

Last night I fixed Micah's bath & left him for a few minutes to get Rebekah to bed. As I returned to the bathroom, I find him lying stretched out on his back in the water with his eyes closed. The High School Musical cup that I use to rinse his hair? Upside down creatively covering his unmentionables...yep, gives a whole new meaning to a guy wearing a cup.

What a Week

It has been a whirlwind week. We began school last Friday, and it seems we have not stopped. I am really enjoying this school year. Instead of co-teaching with 4 different teachers, I co-teach math with the same girl for 3 periods & 1 period with the science teacher next door. We've also gone to 75 minute periods which goes by more quickly than you would think.

I am amazed at how UNORGANIZED 7th graders can be. You would laugh at my comment if you could see my house right now, but seriously I love & desire to be organized. My classroom reflects this, I just can't keep up with the 3 other bodies in my house! Back to the kids...what an eye opener to work with several in homeroom to organize their notebooks. Papers everywhere, assignments/notes ALREADY missing, no dates or titles on things...but we did it! Now if we can just keep it up. I'm also amazed at how 7th graders ALL seem to struggle with fractions. Is there something developmentally in adolescents that makes them forget something they've been working with since like 2nd or 3rd grade??? Heaven forbid they have to find a common denominator. Despite all this, I am truly loving this year. I have a few challenges, but all with great potential. It's overwhelming to think of the impact you can have on a kid's life, especially as precarious as the middle grade years. I never would have thought that I would have enjoyed middle school as much as I do. (I'm not really looking forward to my OWN kids' journey through adolescence, but maybe I'll have lots of good experiences to pull from...yeah, right!)

On the home front....

Joe has taken Rebekah out tonight for a Daddy/Daughter date. I believe they were going to go eat & maybe to the movies. Rebekah was so excited. She loves 3rd grade. I can't believe she's 8 years old. The song from Mama Mia!, "Slipping," really hit home with me.

Micah is home with me. It seems that his "card" at school had to be moved from green to yellow to blue...one turn away from red earlier this week. The crime? Standing in his chair at lunch & playing some version of Power Rangers. I believe the teacher also commented that he was "rowdy" throughout the day. The next day, we went for his 5 year check-up. It had rained all day, & the poor guy had not been able to go outside AT ALL! By the time the doc made it in to us, he was running laps around the table, climbing, etc. Needless to say, I left with paperwork for myself & his teacher to fill out regarding the ever-popular ADHD. To be fair, our doc is very conservative with meds, & she did see him at a bad time, so I tried to leave with an open mind. The truth? Micah is ALL boy, full of energy, mischief, witty/funny, and very affectionate. With that, he is hyper & bull-headed to say the least. The paradox? He does very well in school. Apparently he can multi-task, but some of the other kids can not. He will also exhaust you just from watching. Joe is totally against any meds right now, so I am trying to limit stimulants like red food dye, excess sugar, etc. You would not believe how hard it is to limit some of this stuff...labels can be shocking. Anyway, we stayed on "green" the rest of the week, & if he keeps it up all next week, he gets to go somewhere special with Joe. The teachers on my hall have been rewarding him everyday that he stays on green...he seriously can win anyone over. I hate to think of meds, too, because he is so funny and has a great personality. I don't want something to change his personality, but I also don't want his impulsiveness to cause him to get hurt. But, he is only 5...

Someday I will post more pics...

For Whom the Bell Tolls & Other Random Thoughts...

Yep, tomorrow is the day. The day that I return to work, preparing to shape (or warp), the young minds that will be taking care of us one day. Scary, no? My charges will arrive on Friday.
.
Tomorrow is also Micah's 1st day of kindergarten. (We have two school systems, & their private school follows the other system's calendar.) He will be attending at the same school in which he attended preschool, but now he's in the "big" building. Funny, but it makes me kind of sad. My youngest is officially a "big" kid. Where has time gone? Of course, he still keeps me laughing & life is never dull. Take for instance tonight at church. He had these two little cheap tops (the kind you get at the arcade for about 2 tickets), & as we neared the invitation & song, he noticed that he had lost one. Not realizing that he had, at some point, placed it on my shirt, I moved to see if maybe it were under me or on the floor. That's when it went DOWN my shirt & into my bra. Talk about awkward & a little uncomfortable! I love that he makes me laugh, even if there are times I want to pull my hair out!




Rebekah is entering the 3rd grade. I love, and hate, that she is SO much like me! She is always eager to help, and LOVES being in charge of something. But, wait, aren't I in charge??? LOL See where the butting heads comes in? Seriously, she is very tenderhearted & LOVES to boogie with me. She & I have been belting out the tunes on the Mama Mia! soundtrack. (BTW...AWESOME chick flick!!) I'm debating on whether to take her or not. She would absolutely love the musical numbers, but there are a couple of parts I'm not sure I'm ready to venture into with her. For instance, I can hear her asking me, "Why doesn't she know which one is her daddy?" So far I've been able to answer any of her "birds & bees" questions with truthful, yet simple, answers. I'd kind of like to leave it that way for at least a year more. It's bad enough that Santa's days are numbered with her. The innocence and magic of childhood just doesn't last very long anymore. So, my limited interpeeps, should I take her?



In other news, I've won 2 items on eBay. I actually bought Bekah some overall shorts for $1.99!! Crazy me, I also bought this pretty silk-looking babydoll tank-style shirt from someone in Thailand. I'll have to let you know how that one goes. They were listed as a power-seller, and the majority of comments were positive. The worry? About 65 negative comments in the last 6-12 months were left, but out of thousands of transactions, they still had a 95-96% positive rating.

I really want to post a Summer Summary later this week, so stay tuned & pray that I don't get lost in the clutter! I'm in the process of MAJOR cleaning & sorting of the kids clothes & toys. If you haven't heard from me here in the next week, send a search party! LOL

Happy 4th!

What a great day it was for the family! We started by decorating foam hats & "Uncle Sam" door hangers Thursday night. Here's a look at the kids' handy work:



Of course, the decorations were not complete until we applied the ever festive tattoos:



We then loaded up & traveled about 2 hours to a state park with a neat zoo & play park. OK, this was probably not the best idea in the south, in July, in the middle of the day, but we lathered on the sunscreen and grabbed the H20. Here's Joe & the kids enjoying a break at the end of our nature walk where we saw everything from grey wolves, to bison, to lemurs...





The pic above is of the alligator habitat. Even adventurous, daring Micah, knew not to lean or climb on the railing...Thank goodness! Here are some of our prehistoric friends. I wonder what the 2nd guy has been snacking on???





Rebekah & Micah had the chance to climb into a replica of an eagle's nest as well as participate in a "long jump." The jumping area was marked off in different animals by how far they could jump. Rebekah was similar to a mouse, while Micah jumps like a flea. You know how spastic fleas can be! :)





Finally, it was time to head home for the fireworks. We stopped by Loco's for some much needed nourishment. If you haven't tried their Rooster Salad w/ the house dressing....mmmm. Here they are waiting for the fireworks to begin. We did kill some time playing Go Fish, Candy Land, & Slap Jack in the back of Joe's truck.



Here's one of my favorite poses that you can often see Micah in...with his arm around Joe's neck. Priceless.

My, Well Somebody's, Big Redneck Baby Shower

To begin with, let me just say that the family farm is a very special place for my family. My dad & his other 7 siblings were born & raised right here. We love to have lots of get-togethers & celebrations here, but this time was probably one of the most comical.


You might be having a redneck baby shower if ...

The "table" for the gifts is actually a hay trailer loaded with freshly harvested red new potatoes:


Your uncle is seen handing out "appetizers" (a.k.a. new potatoes taken from the trailer, washed in the spigot, grilled with butter & seasonings, plated on fine Chinet, & "served" directly to your mouth from the end of a pocket knife). Think I'm joking???


Need hydrating? We have the freshest, straight from the spring, water around. Shoot, you don't even need a bottle! Heck, you don't even need a cup or glass!


Hot? Flies & gnats gettin' to ya'? Why, we even have a 10hp eee-lectrical air conditioning system w/ built-in pest deterrent capabilities!


Some of your gifts actually come "wrapped" in a farmers' co-op paper bag!


Your decorations include this chair & "cleverly" hidden tool shelf...


And finally...any of your pictures feature farming equipment in the background!


Note: Do NOT reenact a portion of Diary of a Mad Black Woman in front of an audience where only ONE person has seen the movie! Let's just say that the dad-to-be was taking a little too long opening a present & as soon as I said "rip it," the drama demon possessed me. I was full-out Madea in the walk-in closet. For those of you not familiar with Madea...RENT the movies!!! I wish I had a photo of everyone's expression, except for my twisted sister, Tammy, who knew exactly what I was doing.

My Life at 36

I will be turning 36 this next week and many things have changed, some things just this past week.

1. Instead of the fading black & white sonogram pictures of my two precious children, I now have a GLOSSY color photo of my uterus with my procedure circled! An added bonus: My uterus is surrounded and insulated by fluffy mounds of fat. Anyone have the local WW's number? Get ready to see my ticker move over there. I mean, do I really need anymore motivation? That's the picture I need to post on the refrigerator, and my lunch bag, and on my bathroom mirror...you get the idea.

2. Instead of stopping by the local drugstore on a late Friday night with my husband to buy "fun" products, we stopped to buy me some Colace tonight. Please don't ask. Let's just say the painkillers from my surgery did more than we, or I, asked for!

3. Instead of having lots to type, I've forgotten what else I wanted to say.

Yep, that pretty much sums it up. Discuss.

NVR Forget!

Here is a really cool tribute to 9-11 that my awesome sister-in-law did with some students that she works with! May we "NVR FORGET."

5 Year Olds & Menopause

My oldest sister calls on her way to our family's baby shower for her daughter, Charlotte, who is expecting a baby girl in June. There has been some debate on the baby's name. We started out with Stella, then went to Ava, & now it appears we may be back to Stella. My grandmother, Lord love her, who is in her 80's, is refusing to call the baby Stella. She even wrote the card for "baby Ava." This is nothing new since my other sister has a new baby granddaughter named Lily. When Grannie calls, she asks how "Rose" is doing. Think this is because of senility creeping in? Nope. Just Grannie being Grannie and a little opinionated. Hmmm...I wonder if any of her grandchildren inherited this trait? (Side note: My sisters are 13 & 8 years older than me, so they have a couple of grandkids already.)

Anyway, back to the story. My mom hangs up after telling Cyndee, my oldest sister, not to worry about coming & to just turn around & go home. We all look puzzled and inquire about what's going on. She tells us that Cyndee is feeling really bad & was crying terribly. It seems that she is going thru the "change," & today was NOT a good day. Rebekah then inquires with, "Mama what's the change?" Well, before I could finish with my generic response of "It's something that happens as we get older," Micah, who just turned 5 yesterday, pipes up with "Yeah Bekah, you go to jail & you never get out!"

I think that sums up menopause pretty well, don't you?

Joining the Craze!

Welcome to my sister-in-law, Karen, to the world of blogging! Go check her site out. It's really looking good!

HUGE shout-out to Joe for again pulling a 4.0 this quarter. (And, no, I have NOT done ANY of his work!) He actually pulled an A in college algebra! WOOHOO!!! I am proud of my man, and exhausted too from our crazy schedules.

Here are some pics of Micah from T-ball. Okay, I confess, these are from the fall, but cut me some slack. Teaching full time, raising 2 kids, & a husband back in college has me running in circles. Maybe I'll get the spring ones up by Christmas! :)





Ready for anything!



Check out that pitching arm! Awesome throw, Micah!



Partners in crime, um, I mean best buds!! (That's Micah on the left.)



GOOOO TEAM!




We all know how important stretching is before the big game. It helps as we flip, stand on our heads, & twirl during the game!

And some final pics...Rebekah this time. Loving all things 80's, I truly love these photos of Bek & one of her best friends. Do they remind anyone else of a Benetton ad?



Don't hate us because we're beautiful inside & out!

A Question for the Readers...

As mentioned in my previous post, I have had a bit of an estrogen imbalance resulting in 7 not-so-fun weeks. As of today, I am looking at having an ablation along with a tubal ligation in the very near future. Why is it, my female friends (& male if you have insight into this issue), that at almost 36 years of age, with 2 great kids, & with reasonable certainty that we are done having children, do I have the internal struggle with the decision to make it official??

Yes, I loved being pregnant. Yes, my children are tremendous blessings (even when they make me crazy or at least they exacerbate my existing craziness!). Yes, I love babies, toddlers, & preschoolers. (In fact, 0-5 is probably my favorite age group.) No, I do not think that I want the late night feedings, more laundry, more illnesses to go through, & all the other strains that come with parenting. But...I do miss the sweet smell of a baby's head as they nuzzle close to your neck; the sweet, yet bitter, feelings as they reach new milestones and independence; the excitement & joy over a new little life...these are hard to surrender. I guess if my sentimentality makes it difficult for me to throw away any little thing from Rebekah & Micah, it shouldn't surprise me that being a pack-rat might also spill over into body parts!!!

Seriously, can't you see me in the nursing home one day showing off my gallstones, or what have you, in little mason jars? You know you can... :)

Heed the Small Voice...

Remember this link about heeding the small voice that God gives us? Yeah, well, I decided not to listen today to the horror of many I suppose. I won't bore, or should I say gross you out, with the female tribulations I've been dealing with for about SIX WEEKS & all the fun things the doctors have scheduled for me, but it's important to understand how an estrogen imbalance impacts more than just the physical as I start my story.

Let's just begin with a whirlwind trip to run errands, a dash to grab a snack for the kids at Chick-fil-A, while trying desperately to get Rebekah to gymnastics on time. Thank goodness the girl had her suit in her book bag & was able to change while waiting in the drive-thru at CFA. (Obviously at the tender age of 8, she knows her mother & how we seem to live life while hanging on by our teeth, as she is the one who has started to pack her gymnastics suit on Monday without ANY prompting or suggestion from us...I love that girl!) We actually did make it on time, so Micah & I proceeded to go to the post office & finish a few other things that needed to be done. That's when the "love wagon" began to jerk & sputter. My gas light had just come on, so Micah & I began to pray that we would make it the gas station, which we did. After running by the house, I was miserable in my work clothes, so I promptly changed into white, yes I said white shorts, and a comfy t-shirt. Of course it was comfy, because I had removed the over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder, otherwise known as the bra. Micah & I took care of our "pets" & then got ready to go pick up Bekah when Micah notices that I have something on my white shorts. Great. What perfect timing. All I had time to grab were my royal blue pajama pants with green, red, & white polka dots. They go smashingly with the matching Santa shirt, but not with my faded slate blue tee with G.R.I.T.S. (Girls Raised in the South for you yanks) embroidered in a corn-husk yellow that I was currently wearing. BRALESS...44DD's which could be dangerous projectiles if not harnessed properly...I mean I could get black eyes in a fender bender. To complete the ensemble I wore my hair up in a fun ponytail/bun held secure with a fuschia scrunchii.

Now that still small voice was telling me to change; to at least put on a bra. Did I listen? Of course not! After all, I was only going about 1-2 miles from the house to pick up my girl, & returning promptly home. I would not even have to get out of the car...yeah, right.

As I was leaving the Y and turning onto the road the car began to sputter again & suddenly pressing the gas did no good. There was NO acceleration, and suddenly no anything. The car died. All I could think of was, "Are you KIDDING me??!!" As I called the tow company owned by some people we know, my emotions began to rise a little. Seriously, my estrogen has reached points of "Towanda" (for you Fried Green Tomatoes fans) in the last couple of weeks. It didn't help to feel like an imposition on the tow-truck driver as he had to leave his kids' ballgames. (Like I planned this on purpose?) So there I was, in all my redneck fashion glory, broken down on a road near the interstate with plenty of truckers pulling into the nearby station. Thank goodness my neighbor came to my rescue & at least took the kids back to her house while I waited on the tow truck. They were spared some of the humiliation. (Her husband was going to come, but as I expressed my concern over my outfit, he promptly suggested that his wife come. Hmmmm.) My neighbors actually wanted the tow truck to drop me off at home so they could get pics of me with the tow truck in all my fashion glory. That's just what people want pics of...a plus size beauty getting in touch with her trashy side. Don't hate me because I can be a redneck HOTTIE anytime I want! :)

I wonder if Joe will be embarrassed? I should go begging for TP in this get-up for sure!

The Sun Still Shines

After a trying couple of weeks, things are brighter again. For starters, 15, YES, FIFTEEN days of school left!! Woohoo!! Of course, we've already been given most of the month of June to return for professional learning sessions with offers of stipends that will barely cover the cost of gas & daycare. Yet, the promises of summer still beckon to me. The promise of days at the pool with the kids, trips back home to go to the beach, VBS, and days of sleeping in helps to ease the dragging days ahead.

Rebekah celebrated her 8th birthday last month. One of her presents was a Webkinz. Not familiar? I didn't know what they were until Rebekah received her little Dalmation. WE ARE HOOKED. In going with my true nature of having no shame, I must admit that I have found myself up late playing the games and earning Kinzcash. Really, there should be a warning of addiction on these things. Remember the old "Neopets?" Well, here is the new generation where you also get a plush toy of your pet. These are certainly cuter and paying between $9.99-12.99 per pet has proven cheaper than a real pet! (Lots cleaner & easier to maintain, too! :) My sister bought Rebekah and Micah another one last night, & bought me the Pet of the Month, the panda. I, of course, had to name her Ling-Ling in honor of the late Ling-Ling. (I also found another Ling-Ling that passed in the 90's. This is the one I was actually thinking of when I first heard the news.)

Well, here's promises of pictures to be posted soon! (That is if I have time between caring for our FOUR "pets!") LOL

With a Heavy Heart

I began this week with enthusiasm & with the hope that I would find time to post about our little spring break get-away to St. Augustine & JAX. But no one could have seen the tragedy that was to come.

On Monday afternoon, I received a phone call from one of my best friends. She shared news that a lady, a sister if you will, had just been discovered by her teenage daughter after committing suicide. I knew her very well. Our daughters, (hers is in 4th grade),were to sing together in the upcoming mother/daughter banquet tomorrow. Even though we were not terribly close, the disbelief, grief, & anger that I felt rode thru my body in sickening waves. She had been battling mental illness for some time now, & I guess things had become unbearable, at least in her mind. My heart is grieved at what her children must be going thru as I can not begin to fathom the intense grief & sorrow they must feel. It has all been so surreal, especially since most of us had seen her at worship the night before & things seemed to be going well. How difficult it is to explain to my own children in a way that is age appropriate while being honest and gentle.

In the midst of this tragedy, however, something amazing happened. I saw God. No, not in the ridiculous sense of seeing the image of Christ or Mary on a piece of toast or a random cheeto, but in the sense that we learn about in the New Testament. I saw God in the many people who flocked to the family's side in the wake of devastation. I saw God in the hands of ladies preparing food, men bringing in coolers of ice for drinks, in the loving kindness of our youth & even some of our elementary age children who hugged and cried and sometimes just sat in silence with the bereaved. I witnessed these young people show great maturity and concern for others that I have never seen before. God was there in a dear brother & sister in Christ who opened up their home to this aching & hurting family. A couple who have since taken off the week from work to help the family with arrangements, making sure the children receive immediate counseling & even sitting up all night with a teenage girl struggling with the memory of that terrible day.

Oh, God was there. In His people, in their eyes, their hearts, their hands, their feet He was there.

TWO Posts in ONE Day!!

To my faithful readers, or uh readER, don't die of shock at my posting TWICE in ONE day instead of in one month! :)

I just could not resist adding this link to one of the blogs I LOVE to read. This post is simply hilarious, as are many of Christie's. (I hope you enjoy it as much I do!)

Also, we are traveling to St. Augustine in the morning. We'll spend the day there & then spend some time w/ Joe's family. I hope to have some great pics when we return! Now it's off to clean, do laundry, & put the kids to bed....although, probably not in that order!!! LOL

Manalays & Birthday Princesses

Does your husband have a manalay? Well, apparently my husband does, or at least in his dreams. One of the fun things about Joe is when he talks in his sleep. The other night as I slipped into bed, Joe was already snoozing. I leaned over & kissed him on the head. He immediately popped up, kissed me, & then leaned way over his side of the bed. You know, like Micah does, where only his legs are still on the bed? I asked him several times what he was doing, but couldn't understand the grumbles. He finally righted himself, & snuggled in beside me. I again asked him what he was doing. He replied he was getting his "manalay." Trying desperately to hold back the giggles, I asked him what a manalay was, & apparently it is something you pick up metal with! Seriously it's not even a word, & when I asked him the next morning what a manalay was, he looked at me like I had three heads. He had no idea what I was talking about.

Of course, that was funnier than the other morning when I tried to wake him up because his alarm was going off and he said, "shut your mouth, it's not my ADDING!" If I didn't know about his sleep habits & that college algebra was stressing him out, I would have pushed him out of bed. In fact, maybe next time...

Here is our birthday princess who just turned eight last Saturday! This is the outfit she put together to go & spend her giftcards:

She is a shopping queen! She found a couple of shorts/pants & SEVERAL tops for around $75 at the "Children's Place" store. Let me put it this way...two of the items were $9, the rest were between $3-$6! I am never so lucky. I'll post pics of her new outfits soon.

Here are some interesting pics of Micah's toys that I took after he went to bed one night:

That is the preschool version of Magnetix he used to create what I assume is an impound lot. He loves to line up things like cars & crayons. He sometimes even sorts by color. If you really knew him, this type of OCD behavior doesn't quite fit. And, yes, if you look closely, that is a Christmas M&M character playing the part of night watchman!

Shameless

Last Saturday, Joe & I went on a date. A friend of ours, Brian, agreed to watch the kids. (Brian is a great guy, but Rebekah was probably in charge!) Once we left the restaurant, I told Joe not to forget that we HAD to get toilet paper before we went home. Seriously, if we didn't get TP, we would be in dire straits. The night was a lot of fun. At the end, we returned to Brian's house to pick up the kids. (Just to let you know how great Brian is, I believe he watched Freaky Friday w/Bekah twice! I mean what guy doesn't love a teeny-bopper flick w/ Lindsey Lohan:) As we talked, we realized it wasn't really 11:00, but midnight with the coming "spring forward" time change. We said our farewells & loaded the kids in the car. Then it dawned on me, we had forgotten to get TP. At this time, the grocery store near us would be closed, & I didn't relish the thought of a trip to Wal-Mart at this hour. So, as most mothers, I did what I had to. I rolled down the window (sidebar: why do we still call it "rolling" down the windows when we have automatic windows now??) & called out to Brian, "Hey Brian, would you give us a roll of toilet paper so we don't have to go to the store?" I thought Joe was going to die. Brian immediately ran inside & returned with not one, but two, rolls! Is that Christian spirit or what?!

Fast forward to the ride home. Joe, obviously, unnerved by my lack of shame & self-respect told me that he would ask me never to do something like that again, but he knew that was useless. Instead he asked that I never do it again while he's around. He went on to sarcastically suggest that we should just stop by everyone's house that we knew on the way home & ask for TP. I replied enthusiastically, "Then we'd have a 24-pack!" Note: Joe was still not laughing.

Here's my thought: if I can't ask someone who is most like a brother for TP, who then, can I ask?? Sure, it's a little more personal than borrowing a cup of sugar, but certainly more important. Yesterday at Joe's work, I realized that Micah had a huge rip that had torn the toe of his shoe. I told Joe, forget TP, I should have asked for shoes!! (Yes, Micah now has a sporty new black pair of Lighnin' McQueen shoes from the movie Cars. He was convinced that these were the "fastest" shoes that he needed to win races against his friend Dalton. I mean , after all, it has to be the old shoes that were causing him to lose in the first place, right?)


I Couldn't Make This Stuff Up...

This past Monday we had 9 weeks exams. In order to prepare, we worked on study guides last Thursday. The students were paired together & allowed to work cooperatively. As I made my rounds, I began to help one of my favorite students & his partner. You guessed it, the same big guy with a passion for food. (I'll just call him Bob from here on out.) Near the end of class, my co-teacher was wrapping up the assignment & giving instructions before locker break. She held up the guide we had been working on for almost an hour and stressed to the kids not to come to class on Friday w/o it completed. But most importantly, DO NOT come to class w/o it. With enthusiasm, Bob looks at me & says "Oh Ms. , we gettin' a study guide?" At which time, I had a strong urge to turn & bang my head on the concrete wall.

I also work with a sweet kid with autism. He speaks in a very deep, monotone voice- flat affect. The one class that he has the most problems with is social studies. I believe there may be a little bit of a personality clash or power struggle with the teacher. He calls me to his desk & here is our conversation:

Him: I passed my social studies test.
Me: (with enthusiasm) That's great!
Him: (still w/a deep, flat monotone voice) For the very first time, I love it.

I love these kids.

Just When I Needed it Most....

...God provided the comic relief that I needed. Just when I thought I could not see a light at the end of the educational tunnel, one of my kids (at school-not to be confused with the 2 I gave birth to, although I feel like they are my own :) totally cracked me up, as he often does all of his teachers. This is a pretty big kid, with a love for food. He's not really overweight, just a big guy. If I could connect all the concepts with food, I think we'd have a breakthrough! One of our interns came in, & he wanted to know who she was and could he go to her class because "she's pretty." When the other teacher told him she was taken & had a baby, he replied that he was going to "throw pies at her man." Okay, this may not sound as funny in print, but here's this big kid who looks like he could play linebacker on the high school football team, & the most violent thing he can think to do is throw pies at someone!! Just last week at dismissal, he told us his bus driver "looks like Aunt Jemima....you know Ms. J., the one with the grits and pancakes." The other students were cracking up.

The 80's are so Totally Awesome, Like Gnarly Dude!

...TV Land is showing movies from the 80's that are my all-time faves. Last weekend was The Breakfast Club, and to end my very stressful week, last night was Sixteen Candles and Say Anything... Is there anything better than a great movie & raw cookie dough?? The best thing about the latter movie is "In Your Eyes", the only song that I truly like by Peter Gabriel. Sixteen Candles is probably my favorite of all, that & anything else with Molly Ringwald. She is like the quintessential actress of this era. Like, you know what I'm sayin'? Like I need to quit. Seriously.

Could I have thought of a more corny sub-title? Well, yes! Just ask those who know.

A Day in the Life...

...of a middle school teacher. Could someone please tell me how to motivate the unmotivated?? What do you do when 7th graders won't even do 4, YES FOUR, problems for homework?? Try 3 out of about 25 students completing this assignment. Another 7 did only the odd, and the ANSWERS for the odd are in the BACK of the book! (On a side note: 7th grade math is not what we remember. We've already covered elements of college-level statistics, 2-step algebraic equations, and geometry that we didn't do until about 10th grade. Thanks to some of the elements of No Child Left Behind, a lot more children are not even at the "bus stop" to catch the ride!!)

I've always worked with struggling, difficult to teach students, but I've never experienced little to no effort. I can handle a kid with any type of ability level, but I'm running out of ideas to motivate. I've even watched Freedom Writers for my own motivation. There are so many influences and distractions for them, and many lack the desire for something better. Isn't the natural pattern of things to desire something bigger and better for your own children? Where are their dreams and hopes, and why can't they be realistic and legal? What can we offer them that beats what the street offers?

The "DOG" is on His Way Back!!

With the risk of ruining my reputation, I must confess a love for some things redneck. Here is my weakness confessed:

Woohoo! Imagine my excitement as I found this on Yahoo! It seems that A&E is bringing Duane "The Dog" Chapman back to their weekly lineup.

There is something to be said for mindless reality TV, and I am not ashamed to give into it once or twice a week! Wow, confession is really good for the soul.

Confessions of a Clutterbug

Well, it's President's Day weekend, or should I say the end of President's Day weekend. Rebekah and I have been fighting some type of cold/sinus infection, so no big fun for us! Today is a little better. Rebekah has hopes of going to gymnastics tonight. Hopefully we'll make it!

Despite being under the weather, I have been tackling the clutter that has begun to overtake my bedroom. When you watch Clean Sweep on TLC, and think it resembles your living space, it is time to take drastic action. I even let Joe clean out several things, all the while fighting the compulsion to go behind him and check thru his trash and shred piles. (This is HUGE for me! Just ask Joe.) I never understood why people had such a hard time on that show letting go of stuff and breaking into tears. I get it now.

Boxes of all the kids papers (preschool and on), saved bills just in case there was ever a question, old school stuff, and other miscellaneous junk were making my boudoir anything but restful or romantic. Yes, it was time to purge files of credit card and utility bills dating back several years. (Joe had found a box in the garage a few months ago and discovered it had phone card bills and stuff from my days at FSU. Boy ,was I in trouble when he figured he had moved that box the three times we have moved during our married life!) Yes, I brought myself to keeping only a few of the kids' handiwork and tossing the rest. (Emotionally the hardest part of purging is the stuff with memories attached. Darn being sentimental!) This, of course, had to be done with care since Rebekah and Micah couldn't understand why I was throwing away their school papers. I actually threw a lot away and found some things for a garage sale. I'm working on organizing the items we need to keep. I actually found $20!!! Yay, me!

As some of you can attest, housework with 2 kids, one being a very BUSY little boy, can sometimes feel like shoveling snow during a blizzard. Couple that with the whirlwind lifestyle most of us live with work, church, t-ball, gymnastics, and anything else that begs for our time, and you will have a guaranteed spot on some reality cleaning/organizing show on TLC or HGTV. (That's almost as bad as going on Maury to find out who's the daddy!) I'd rather not air my dirty laundry, (or clutter), on national TV even if you do get lots of free stuff. Therefore, here's to slowing down a little bit and conquering the clutter!

Made in China and Proof that Evolution is BOGUS!

For those of you who know me best, you will appreciate this the most.

With all the news about lead being found in toys from China (is there a toy NOT from China??), I found myself concerned about my 4 year old, the thumb-sucker. (That's him beside Joe, thumb in mouth, reflecting on life while riding Thomas the Train this past summer.) Micah has been known, since around 4 months of age, to be part monkey and part goat. When presented with an object or obstacle, he will either eat it or climb it!! (No joke, he was crawling by 5 mths of age! That was SUCH an OMEN!!!) Anyway, I made it very clear to him not to put toys or his fingers in his mouth while he was playing with his toys. He was also instructed to wash his hands after playing with toys. We talked about why and what could happen. I know you're thinking , OVERKILL, and that he wasn't listening or understanding. You are quite wrong.

We arrive at church, and I take Micah to his Bible class. As he sits down next to another little boy who has brought a toy plane, I observe Micah staring intently at the plane. I watch for a few moments to make sure he is not going to grab the toy, when Micah, very seriously asks the boy, "Is that toy made in China?" I thought his teacher was going to fall out of her chair. He then began to tell the little boy,verbatim, and in an eerily familiar tone, all the rules for playing with toys "made in China." If that were not enough, he came to me a few days later holding a toy and informing me that he had not only put the toy in his mouth and then put his finger in his mouth, but that nothing had happened, and he could "...still think. My head is okay."

For those of you who believe in evolution and the theory of "survival of the fittest," I tell you I have proof of how ridiculous Darwin's ideas are, besides the obvious biblical ones. After marrying Joe and having Micah, I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if Darwin's theory were true, no male would ever make it to adulthood. Their survival and ability to live long enough to perpetuate the species is by the sheer grace of God, an ongoing miracle.

Out of the mouths of babes....My friend Gerry's son, Ben (8):

Ben: (excitedly) Mom! I have acid reflux.
Gerry: What? How do you know you have acid reflux?
Ben: Because when I threw this (toy) I was able to catch it like this!!

Reflux, reflex.....

My Maiden Voyage

Thanks to Amy, my best friend from high school, I decided to plunge into the world of blogging! I'm not sure where this will all lead, but it should be an interesting journey. If anyone has any suggestions or "insider" blogging secrets...please share!

This weekend has been great. Mama Two and Papa Two came for a short visit. Joe gets as excited as the kids because he knows good cookin' is in his future. It's not that I don't cook well, it's just not as often as he'd like. (I also don't do the eggs over easy, just scrambled!) We also ordered a small RED sectional couch with an overstuffed chair and ottoman in a complimentary neutral color. Mama Two approved of the color choice, of course! They get delivered next Saturday. Our current couch might get honorable mention on Regis & Kelly's ugliest couch contest.

An update on my niece Charlotte: It will be a GIRL! At last report the name may be Ava. Love the name. Regal and glamorous...very sheik.

It's late and tomorrow is a school day! I need all the energy I can muster for middle schoolers. Needless to say, there is never a dull moment.