Tuesday, March 31, 2009

My Day....Me Screaming!!!!

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CHAOS MUST STOP RIGHT NOW IN THE NAME OF JESUS!!!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Name that tune...Please!!!!

Need Help.

I don't usually like Country music. I do have my exceptions (like when Elliott sings or a great girl country song) but I've heard a song several times that I really like and I have no idea who sings it or what it's called. I thought maybe you might know. I don't think the song is new.

Here's the chorus: I'm gonna love you, like nobody loves you.

It's a man singing and the song isn't too twangy. Also, it says something like, "He wants to stand out in a crowd for her." Anyway, it talks about things he wants to do and be for his wife.

If you have any info on this I would appreciate it. :)

Sunday, March 29, 2009

This is what I'm doing.

I'm preparing to be gone all day Monday while I take Miles to Ft. Worth. Also, this week I'm going to be gone Thursday, Friday, Saturday and some of Sunday for the BFW.

This week I've got to make a wig and mustache that looks like Albert Einstein. I went to the Lucky Beauty Supply (Afro Hair Care Products) and bought a bunch of stuff to make Joey's wig.

Also, I've got to help Joey finish his first research paper. I mean a real research paper in the fifth grade! The paper is about Einstein...thus the wig. On Friday (when I'm not here) he will have a "Day at the Museum" at school where he will dress up like a Einstein and have a table full of props and math paraphernalia. I've got to help him get all this together before I leave town on Thursday.

Thursday is Spencer's very first baseball game. I'm going to miss it. Spencer has been crying off and on all afternoon since I told him this. AHHH. Before the game I need to buy his uniform.

Melody's 6th birthday is Sunday. I will not be making any plans for this yet. I will just have to do that after I come back.

Joey & Miles are sick. I'm pretty sure that I have to take them to the doctor Tuesday.

I need to buy groceries before I go so they will have stuff to eat.

I have a mountain of laundry that I've got to get done so they will have clothes to wear.

I already got babysitting in order.

I know it will be a busy week, but I'm excited that I'm getting to go to the BFW. I know the Lord has many wonderful plans for all his favorite ladies this weekend. Since that is true I will merrily make my wig, wash my clothes and take my kids to the doctor because I know my reward at the end of the week will be sweet.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Can't think of a title

I'm going to be teaching 1st grade all day Wednesday. Jocie is in that class. Today I went to eat lunch with my kids at school and all the 1st graders were excited about me being in their class on Wednesday. They treat me like a celebrity. It's so sweet! I just went over the lesson plans for a long time so I'm feeling confident about how things will go.

I'm still not feeling myself so please pray for me. I haven't been sleeping well since my Grandma died. I'm not having nightmares. I just don't have peaceful sleep. In my dreams something is always off, or unorganized or undone. Then I wake up and have a feeling like something is not right and I remember that my Grandma Jody died. That's not a good way to wake up. Then yesterday I thought I saw her in a car next to me. It was a red car so there's no way it was her. She only liked white cars. I don't think she would be sporting a red car in the after life and driving down South 14th. Also, I've been seeing Grandmas with their grandchildren every where I seem to go. It makes me happy for the little kids and sad for me. I've been feeling so emotional and fragile. I don't feel depressed. I just feel sad and off centered. I feel like a big piece of me is missing. I drive past her house almost everyday when I'm picking the kids up from school. I see her car there and it makes my heart heavy. This is the first person that I've lost that's been really close to. Randy's sister died of cervical cancer a year and half ago and that was hard. I actually cried a lot more when she died then when Jody died, but I'm feeling it so much more. I feel sorrowful. With Sharon it was more of a faith issue then a saddness. I truly believed Sharon was going to be healed of cancer and I was shocked when she wasn't. With my Grandma dying I didn't feel a struggle with my faith. I've actually been so thankful that she was 76 years old and healthy almost every day of those 76 years. She didn't suffer.

Anyway, I miss her so much. She meant so much to me. I told her all the time how much I loved and appreciated her. It's just that I want to tell her some more. I know that some people might think I should be better now, but I'm really not. I'm still very sad and I haven't had the time to mourn. I still have to do a million things around here. I just have to do them with a heavy heart. Please please pray.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Um, Groovy!



This is a picture of my Mom and Dad back in the day. My mom was pregnant with my little brother. This was taken in 1979!

Where was he going in that tux?

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

My Grandma Jody


This is one of my very favorite photos of me, Grandma Jody and my brother Chris.

My Grandma Jody died this Sunday. The funeral is tomorrow. Jody meant so much to me. As a kid she was my stable in an unstable world. My brother Chris and I spent the weekend with her almost every weekend. We would go to her house on Friday night and leave sometime late Sunday afternoon. When I was at her house I felt safe and there seemed to be magic every where in the every day things. I'm working on capturing in writing all the things that I loved about my Grandma. I thought I might share a few of my special memories on here as I find time to write them.



Party at night . In the evenings when we spent the night we would watch tv together. At some point Jody would say, “Is it time for a party?” We would cheer and make our way to the kitchen. We would just have a snack but she called it a party and so it felt like a party. We were delighted when she said those magic words. When we got to the kitchen we could have anything we wanted but here’s a few of the things that we usually had: donuts that we had previously picked out for the party, cereal, cheese and crackers, pimento cheese (my brother only) or a sandwich. We would eat our snack and chat. It was one of my most favorite things when I was a kid. Having a party on a Friday night for no reason at all made me very happy. We did it almost every weekend but I never came to expect it. I was always taken by surprise when she would call out, “Is it time for a party?”

Red chair that sat by the stove. Jody had a tall red bar stool that sat in between her enormous movable dishwasher and the stove. It was silver with cherry red vinyl coverings. It was my favorite seat in the house. Sometimes Chris would beg to sit in it, but it was usually mine. I liked sitting there and watching her cook. I would also sit there during our Party time. I liked how the seat always felt cold when I sat down. Also, I liked how tall it was so I could see everything that was going on. How I would love to sit in that red chair one more time and watch my grandma cook.

Donut shopping. We used to have a Dunkin Donuts here. It was on North First. Sometimes we would go over there on Friday evenings and we would get to go “Donut Shopping” I don’t know when we started calling it that but it was great fun. She would get a dozen donuts and we were able to shop and pick out one donut. The one I picked out the most was a pink covered donut. She loved the blueberry cake donuts. I can still smell that place if I think about it. In my own personal memory it reminded me of a train car. It was a rectangular building with a long counter that had bar stools under it. There were donuts on the shelves and a glass case at the bottom where I would usually look for my donuts. Also, that place had donut holes which I thought was the best, but I usually only got those from my Mom.

So far that's all I've got. I'll be working on more Grandma Jody memories as I have the time. There's no way for me to fully explain how this beautiful woman changed my life and how much I deeply love her. I'm not sure how I will be able to say goodbye to her tomorrow. I know she was one of Jesus' favorites.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Spring Break

Yep, it's Spring Break and I have five kids at home all day. What do they want to do all day?

Eat.



(Click on it to make it bigger.)

Monday, March 02, 2009

Quick Random Update

Today was a good day. I don't want to go into detail, but I got to see the Lord be faithful to me again! I'm so thankful!

Also, I'm excited about Thursday. I was asked to be a substitute for the 1st grade. I will teach the kids all day by myself. Jocie is in that class. I'm thrilled to get to do that on Thursday!!! I love working at the school.

Spencer has Safety City tomorrow! So fun.

I'm really excited about the BFW. The whole thing feels so healthy.

Randy has been doing a ton of remodeling. He has flipped houses for the last 6 years and hasn't done a whole lot of remodeling during that time. Right now with the economy people are a little scared to buy a new home so they're fixing up their current home instead. Randy has been staying very busy with this. It's kind of exciting to see how his name is getting spread.

I had a doctors appointment today and I weighed exactly the same as I did 2 years ago. Of course I would have been happier if that number was lower but I was pleased that it wasn't higher.

Today when I picked up Jocie she mentioned something about a birthday party today for a boy in her class. I told her that I didn't think we were going to that and she started sobbing. (This is not her usual behavior at all!) I thought she was just disappointed about not going to the party, but between sobs she said, "It's...Just...That...I don't think...That Anyone Else...In First Grade is going to get to go...And I just don't want Tanner to be disappointed!!!! OH my goodness! Her heart was so sweet and pure that I thought I might just cry myself. I know that I've desired to go to parties before when I thought no one else was going to be able to go. The party is at Mr. Gatti's. I called Randy and told him the situation and he said we should go. I've got a bunch of free kids buffets so we can get out of there pretty cheap. I love that she was concerned for Tanner. She's so sweet!

I've started myself a thankful list. I'm desiring to mediate on the wonderful things God has done for me and not dwell on the one thing I'm waiting him to do.

This weekend I'm going to have the "Triplets" all weekend. My brother and his wife is having their anniversary out of town so I will have 2 three year olds and 1 two year old plus all my kids this weekend. WOW. They've never spent the night with us so I'm not sure what to expect.

I think Randy and I have all of the first 4 seasons of THE OFFICE memorized. We watch it in the evening after the kids go to bed a few nights a week. We have a little bit of wine and a little bit of The Office. It cracks me up!

My Dr. put me on birth control pills for at least one month (possibly 3 months) to help with some stuff. If you remember correctly...I don't have use birth control!!!!! He's got me on a double dose this month to get things in order. I hallucinate with Tylenol PM so I'm praying this medication doesn't mess with me. I'm not used to taking medication, but the Lord will be faithful to me I'm sure.

My Mom made me the best chicken salad this week. Man it was good.

Hairspray, the musical was so good. I loved going with my awesome girlfriends to see that!

Randy gets sweeter all the time. I'm amazed at him. I love that every year we are more in love than the year before. If I were stranded on a desert island and I could only take 3 people with me...I would pick him 3 times.

I rented a Spelling Bee DVD from the library. It had the final round of the national spelling bee on there for like 10 years in a row. It was so awesome to watch. I don't have any idea how they could spell so well.

Randy and the lady that does my hair trades labor! It's one of the best things ever! I get to have my hair highlighted every six weeks and never have to worry about if I have the money or not. I just keep track of how much money she owes me or how much we owe her. She does our whole families hair every six weeks and we don't have to spend cash on it!!!!

I love our life group. It has been one of my favorite things for about a year now. We've done life group forever, but I just enjoy it more now than I used to. I enjoy practicing hospitality.

Well, I guess that's all for now. Here's a sweet little picture of the girls.