THANK YOU.

Thanks Rachel for my cute "Fridge" note. :)

Love you too.

Yes, we must get together soon.

Maybe we can make those wallets together when YOU figure out how to make them.

Yes it's True...I don't have time to make this stuff up.

OKAY! I will admit it!!! I HATE buying Enemas in a Family size "Bulk" Pack.

Yesterday I drove straight in from Ft. Worth after a 6 hour drive with 5 kids and a long doctors appointment to stop by HEB to pick up 2 necessary items. 1.) A Family Size “Bulk” Pack of Enemas for…Miles. 2.) I needed 2 boxes of brownies to make for a funeral.

I left the kids in the car with Randy so I could just run in quickly. I go in and grab the biggest pack of enemas available. The biggest pack available happened to be for adults instead of kids. Also, the biggest pack available happened to be the generic brand so the box was all weird and no nonsense.

Miles rarely poops or pees without “encouragement” so this isn’t a new purchase for me. And since I had just seen a new doctor with strict instructions to get that boy cleaned out I bought what I needed to buy.

Buying enemas isn’t usually a big deal to me. However, I can usually mix such a purchase with a family of seven’s groceries so it’s much less exciting. Yesterday though I just wanted to go in and then get home. I grab the you-know-whats and then quickly get to the brownie aisle. I can’t find exactly what I’m looking for so I scan the items several times too many.

I finally picked out 2 boxes of turtle brownies. It shouldn’t have been such a hard decision, but like I said, the brownies were for a meal after a funeral. The day sucks enough. The family deserves a good dessert with lots of gooey goodness.

I throw the brownies next to the “poop eject button” and almost make it to the end of the row when I hear a man say, “Brandi? Brandi is that you?” I turn around and it takes my mind a second to flip through my mental rolodex and I place him. I knew this guy in the 5th grade. Yeah, the 5th grade.

We smile and chat and talk about how crazy it is to see each other after all these years…blah blah blah. The whole time I’m talking to him I’m praying to All That Is Good that he can’t see those dang enemas and 2 boxes of brownies! I mean, MY GOSH that looks like a serious problem!

He already caught me looking a mess after being in the car with 5 kids for 6 hours, and then the crazy look I probably had on my face when I was racing down the aisle to get out of the store.

We talk and I’m constantly trying to hide my purchase, but I can’t tell if I am or not because my back is to the cart.

I would rather him have caught me filling up my cart with gallons of wine and some toilet paper.

But no, I don’t have that kind of luck.

Anyhow, I finally break free from our elementary school reunion and turn around to see the huge box practically hovering over the cart in bright white letters with a green background yelling, “ENEMAS!!”

My face feels totally flushed. I can feel my heart beating fast. I run to the Express Lane and shamelessly throw my 3 purchases on the conveyor belt and Dare someone to make a joke! No one does.

The Dear Cashier scanned my items, placed them in a bag and let me leave without making an ass out of myself.

When I got to the car I chunked the bag at Randy and then we laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed. We laughed all the home. I almost peed my pants.

Oh, I wouldn’t want to do this life with anyone else. I love that man of mine!

My Prayer for this Summer

FIVE KIDS.

ALL SUMMER.

ALL HOME.

JUST 1 ME.

This would make some people fear and tremble, but I love it!

I love being at home with the kids in the summer.

I love being free of a daily routine. I'm always glad for the routine to return, but for a couple of months it's so nice to stay up late, sleep late, hop in the car and go places, read aloud to the kids for hours and in general just be free.

My prayer this summer has been that I really want to "see" and "hear" the kids this summer. I want to be "with" them and not just in the same house. I don't want the summer to just fly by and tolerate them while they're home. I want to laugh with them, engage with them, enjoy them, pour into them and train them up this summer. I don't want to just play referee.

Each summer we've picked a couple of big books out and we'll spend the afternoons with me reading out loud to them. They love it so much. They beg for another chapter. Always before we've read kid books. I'm sure we will get to those soon, but we've already started God Smuggler. This is the first "real" book we've read. Joey could sit down and have it read in a day, but I'm making him wait and listen with the other kids. They've all been enjoying it although it's a "grown up" book.

It's so fun to plan and go on a vacation, but these are also things that make memories that last!

Tomorrow will be the long awaited "SPA DAY" that the girls and I have been planning for a month now. The older boys are gone to Austin so the girls and I will be enjoying our time together pampering one another. We've got facial masks, pedicure stuff and the all important cucumbers for our eyes! We plan on doing this a few times this summer and Jocie's teacher heard about it and wants to come and join us one day.

Those are great things, but even more than the Events...I want to look and listen to them when they're talking to me. I want to answer their questions with more then a "I don't know."

I feel like this summer has the potential to be the best one yet!

I just bought Groceries...

I just bought groceries....hopefully they will stick around for awhile. Summer is here!!!!

Hurry Up Summer!

Dear Summner Vacation,
Please get here soon. I miss you very much! I'm looking forward to sleeping in late in the mornings and going to bed late in the evenings. I'm excited to load up the kids and go swimming at the State Park. I want to hang out at the Dollar Movies and play the Wii all day. Most of all I'm looking forward to punching the clock in the face and not caring what time of day it is. I'm thrilled about ditching the 3:00 hour and all the picking up and driving around that it requires.
Speaking of the 3:00 hour...I must go for now.
Until then my dear Friend...

Mother's Day

Okay. I’m curious what your views are about gift giving on Mother’s Day.

This is not written out of complaint for my own husband! Randy’s a great gift giver and so I have nothing to complain about! It’s just that I’ve had several conversations with people on this topic and it’s made me question a couple of things.

Here’s the deal. I don’t demand a present on Valentines day. Randy and I may or may not get each other something for Valentines day. The day could pass us by and we don’t really care. For Christmas we rarely get each other a gift. If one of us sees something we know the other one would love then we would probably get it, but it’s not expected. We tend to get each other things randomly throughout the year instead of waiting for the calendar (or Wal-Mart) to dictate when to buy something for one other.

Also, with Randy owning his own business he doesn’t just take off when there’s a national holiday. On Labor Day….he Labors. He’s not a Veteran so on Veteran’s Day he works. If something needs to be done on Christmas Eve then he does it. On the same coin though, there may be a random Tuesday that he wants to take off so he does. (You get the point.)

Anyway, so you see that I’m not demanding a big gift at each holiday. It’s not that big of a deal to me. BUT!!!!! I’m sort of freakish about two days a year! I think that my birthday is as big as any other holiday! Also, I think that Mother’s Day is really important!

I always want my whole Birth-day to be about me. I want to get out of doing regular chores. I want to be treated special. I basically want to get my way all day long and be treated like a special queen. Is that really too much to ask?

Mother’s Day is another day I feel like that. I think it’s strange that I don’t care about other “made up” holidays but I care about this one. The way I figure is that I had FIVE children! Five of them! And that means that I deserve some kind of recognition or something. :) Besides that, mothering is my full time job. I don’t work outside of the home, besides volunteering so it’s like a day to appreciate me what I do for day in and day out.

Here’s where the question comes in…WHO should be the one honoring and gift buying on this day?

Is it your kids that should make the day special? Should the mom be happy with her homemade card and macaroni necklace and hope that no one fights during the day? (If you're a single Mom then this is your present which, I find terribly unfair!) Or should the husband also make the day special and crank out a really special gift?

The argument of course is that the wife is not the husband’s mother so why should he give her a gift.

To me though, it seems like the perfect opportunity for the husband to thank his wife for all she does as the mother of his children. Again, I’ve very grateful to Randy because he’s a giver and he tolerates my craziness about these two dates on the calendar.

However, I know that it causes trouble for other people.

So, what are your opinions about this holiday…or other holidays that are usually associated with “gifts”.

Maybe wives should be more like husbands in the area of gift ideas…Sex. Sex covers all holiday gift giving. Am I right?

Let it Be Lord!

Miles got a Fortune Cookie last night that excited us all. Of course we're not "believers" of the Fortune Cookie, but if one were to come true this would be the one I want! I would love to see Miles "dance."

Miles Breathing

This is Miles breathing. I feel so discouraged about it. He's already had 3 breathing treatments today and been in his VEST, airway clearance system.
Last week I took him to see his pulminologist for some answers on how Miles could have healthy lungs.

The doctor told me that healthy lungs were "unattainable" and "impossible" and that I shouldn't entertain those thoughts. He messed around with his medications so we could treat the symptoms and to try to "keep him alive."

Geez!

Anyway, I've been pretty bummed since that appointment. I went there Hopeful, and after some Plans and Answers.

I left with Discouragement and with a kid that still struggles to even take a breath.

Would YOU????

I just read this article and it cracked me up so I thought I would share it with you. Plus I needed something new on here. :) So honestly...WOULD YOU DO IT?????

I'm shallow. Yes I would do it.



Would you change your name to TexasMotorSpeedway.com?
By Jay Busbee
Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.
You gotta hand it to Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage. (He's the one in the photo that's not Carl Edwards.) The man knows how to get press for his track. He's a modern-day Barnum, wheeling and dealing and doing whatever's necessary to get the word out.
His latest gig? An offer that makes for a killer "would you do it ... ?" On Tuesday morning, Gossage offered the host of a Dallas country music station $100,000 to change his name to TexasMotorSpeedway.com for one year and get a permanent TMS tattoo. Terry Dorsey, a DJ on 96.3 KSCS, has exactly 24 hours to make the decision.
It's genius, in its own little way. If Dorsey goes through with the stunt, then Dallas listeners will tune in to TexasMotorSpeedway.com in the morning until 2011. And if not, Dorsey will have to explain to his wife why he turned down six figures.
So why not do it? After all, as Shakespeare once said, what's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. (Gossage probably wants those renamed to, say, "TMS Blossoms", but "The Yellow TMS of Texas" sounds more like a disease than a country song.)
All right, so ... decision time. Would you do it? Would you change your name to TexasMotorSpeedway.com for a year for $100,000? State your case below, and who knows ... you might get a call from Eddie.
Oh, and if you see posts here written by a "TexasMotorSpeedway.com," don't fret. It's still me. But you'll know why

eBay

I sold this on eBay yesterday for $28. Can you believe it?




I've been selling silver dollars on eBay consistently for $15 each. It feels like free money!

Mortgage Question...

Mortgage Question...
I've never heard anyone talk about this before so I'm wondering if we're just special or it's just not talked about.

This makes our third year in this house and every year the mortgage payment gets lower and around this time we get an escrow check from our mortgage company. This year it was $158. We're now paying a $100 less every month on our mortgage then we started out three years ago.




(We have the opposite of this!)
Is this normal????

The Moment

I finally have a Smart Phone!

Some of you know how I've been drooling over the iPhone since...well, just forever. Since we use Sprint we couldn't get one. I've been waiting on my Palm Centro to die, but it was just indestructible! It would not give up. I've ben due for an upgrade for a very long time, but it seemed silly to get something else when my phone worked just fine and I couldn't have what I wanted.

While on "vacation" we were at The Parks Mall & we stopped by the Best Buy Sprint store.

I ended up getting a new phone. It's the Sprint SAMSUNG "Moment."

Tbe Best Buy guys at the store went on and on about this phone. They said it does 10 times more than what the iPhone can do. (what else are they going to say if they don't sell the iPhone?) It plays movies in HD. You can get APPS. It plays Music, you can get on the internet, it's a Camera & Camcorder. GPS & NASCAR LIVE RADIO. (You know I don't care about Nascar radio!)
Since I was up for an upgrade I got it really cheap. It sells for almost $700 and I got it for $99. Randy paid half so I really only had to pay $49.

They were right! The phone can do awesome stuff! I went from a phone where it's main function was calling people. This phone has caused the kids to ask all day, "Can I PLAY with your phone?" No one used to ever "play" with my old phone. It wasn't playful at all. It had one Suduko game on it, and that's lame! On this one they can watch shows from The Disney Channel on it.

So this awesome phone does amazing things. I've had to spend a lot of time figuring out how to Out Smart the Smart Phone.

One problem though...THE "PHONE" PART OF IT SUCKS!!!!!

Can you believe it?

It's been dropping my calls. Calling people unexpectedly. AND when I've been talking on the phone over 3 minutes the other person can no longer hear me. WHAT'S UP WITH THAT????

The most important thing it's supposed to do it can't do.

I've got 30 days to bring it back so I'm going to have to take it back. It's ridiculous! This totally awesome phone is totally awesome except for being a phone!

I'm hoping that I just got a bad one, and that when I exchange it, the phone part will be working better. I really do like this phone. It's fun. I just want to be able to talk with people on it as well as "PLAY" with it.

VACATION...because that's what we're calling it!

It's Spring Break and I kind of finagled us a mini vacation. We'll see how it all works.

Miles has 3 appointments in Ft. Worth. He has 2 on Tuesday and 1 on Wednesday. His insurance pays for the gas for me to go and since he has appointments on 2 days back to back they pay for a hotel as well. Sooooo, I thought that would be perfect for a little get-out-of-town-and-call-it-a-vacation! Of course that does mean that five kids will have to tolerate 3 Dr. appointments, but they're so pumped about sleeping in a hotel that they don't care...YET!

I'm hoping to be able to fit in the Ft. Worth Zoo while we're there. I can get really discounted tickets at Cook Children's hospital and since that's where his appointments are we should be able to get them easily. Melody asked if we could PLLLeeeeaaassseeee take the video camera to the Zoo in case an animal poops so she can film it! To which I replied, "Of course."

AND the winner is...

I put all the names in a bowl & my oldest son Joey did the drawing. Okay, well, that's not entirely true. Spencer did the drawing, but my camera battery went out so I had to charge my battery for a few minutes and by the time the battery was ready...Spencer was running around with just underwear on! I didn't want to take a picture of Spencer in his underwear so I did a "mock" drawing with Joey because he had clothes on! :)


AND the winner is...


How funny is that?

JOE!!!!!!!

He just clicked Next Blog and became a Winner! Congratulations Joe!!!!!!

My email address is rbjsjmm@yahoo.com Email me your address & I'll send you a prize! I think you'll like it.

AND EVERYONE..Please Keep Those Comments Comin'.

LAST CHANCE TO WIN!!

You have until this evening to post a comment to enter a chance to WIN a PRIZE!!!

(See last post and comment there.)

Who Reads This? Anybody????

Are you there?

Is anyone there??


Okay, I'll admit it...I LIKE COMMENTS!

I write because I like to write, but if I didn't care what you think then I would just journal or something. I enjoy feed back. I like to know that something I've written has made you laugh, think, understand, cry or just realize again why you love me.

SO GUESS WHAT...I'VE GOT A SURPRISE!!!



OH YEAH!

Ok here's the deal. All you have to do is show me some love on the comments and I'll put your name in a drawing for you to win a secret surprise!!!


Leave me a comment on this post just saying that you read this blog & I'll add your name to the drawing. I'll give you until this SUNDAY @ 6:00 to leave your comment.

You'll love the prize OR you'll love Re-Gifting it! Either way...WIn WIn.

Got Any Ideas?

This Saturday I’m speaking to the women of Morning Star Community Church. They’ve asked me to give my testimony.

I’m just having trouble narrowing down what to talk about exactly. I’m still pretty new there so they don’t know everything about me. I’m having a hard time deciding what direction I want to go in.

There’s the obvious testimony about how I became a CEO of Chili’s restaurants by the time I was 24? It’s a pretty big deal, and it was my idea to sell the Baby Back Ribs, but I don’t know if that’s what they’re looking for.

Randy said I should share about the time I saved those five kids from the burning orphanage, but I really just happened to be at the right place at the right time. Plus, the plastic surgery I’ve received to heal all the burns is so good that it makes it kind of hard to believe I didn’t have any skin left on three fourths of my face. I don’t want them to think I’m making something up.

I could talk about swimming the Atlantic, but that’s been done so many times.

Randy also thinks I should talk about how I invented the Internet, but we all know that Al Gore did. I don’t want to be too humble though because it was my idea to have a magic box that could tell me any piece of information that I wanted to know in a matter of seconds. I don’t think I invented the internet, but I did possibly invent Google.

What about when I Freed Willy? Nah.

How about when I was an Olympic Gymnast? No. People are kind of tired of the Olympics right now.

See what I mean? It’s hard to pick.

I could talk about my time in prison from that whole Enron incident. I better save that one for later because they really don’t know me that well and the word “prison” has such an awful stigma. Although, I did get my Master’s Degree in Basket Weaving there and I can’t tell you how much that’s come in handy!

Hmmm…my water birth amongst the dolphins? Too personal.

When I beat Chef Mario Batali on Iron Chef America? Too braggy.

How I won a guest cameo on General Hospital, but turned it down because I hate Soap Operas? I guess not. I don’t want them to think I’m stuck up.

I have so many choices, but I want them to be able to take away something they can apply to their own lives. That’s why I think I’m going to talk about how they can have Victory over Circumstances because God has overcome the World. Yeah, that sounds good. Plus, who really wants to hear about I invented the microwave when I was only like 6 months old? Nobody, that’s who.

Kim's "Secret" Recipe

TRY THESE! THEY'RE AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS!


While Miles was in the hospital my new Bestie/Mentor Ruth, made sure that the rest of my family had home cooked meals! Randy was working all day, taking care of the kids all night, washing clothes and signing folders so cooking was not something he needed to be worrying about. If dinner is up to Randy it's for sure going to be PB& J or cereal. Nine days of that sort of thing just isn't good for anyone so I'm really grateful to Ruth for coordinating the meals!

While I was gone the family had: spaghetti, pizza, steak, lasagna, king ranch casserole, enchiladas, sloppy joe's, chicken spaghetti, fried chicken, homemade cookies, cherry cobbler, blonde brownies, pink cookies and the most scrumptious Turtle Cookie Bars EVER!

When Miles was in the hospital earlier in the month of Feburary a woman named Kim Starr brought over some of the most delicious Turtle Cookie Bars. Luckily for me I got to come home when there was still some left. I'm telling you they're just yummy! Kim teaches my Sunday School class. We're doing a Beth Moore series on Esther and it's so rich...just like the cookie bars! The next time I saw her I told her how much we enjoyed the dessert.
Well, when Miles was put back in the hospital she brought Randy and the kids food again...plus she brought the Turtle Cookie Bars again!
Over the weekend I was able to get all my thank you notes written, which we several! On hers I made sure to tell her that I needed the recipe! I mean I NEEDED THE RECIPE!!! I handed out my thank you cards at church yesterday and she giggled at me wanting the recipe.

Well, after my glorious Sunday afternoon nap there was a surprise sticking out of my mailbox!

Kim gave me her "secret" recipe! IT WAS FROM A BOX! I really can't believe it! It totally tastes homemade! It even looks homemade! I was so excited and disappointed to see that it was from a box! I was disappointed because in no way does it taste like it's from a box so I thought after I had the recipe I could WOW my friends with my new recipe. I was excited though because HOW EASY IS THAT???

So, no I'm not just writing about the Turtle Cookie Bars! Yes, they're amazing and you should totally try them, but more than that I wanted to say how very loved we are! We have old friends, new friends & family that show us love when our lives are upside down.

Sometimes a Triple Layer Bar with Chocolate Chips, Carmel and Walnuts is the perfect way to say, "I Love You."

My Purse Contents

Okay my purse is huge and it easily becomes the dumping ground for everyone around me. Also, with being at the hospital for 9 days it just gets full from the strangest things. I have MUCH better things to do, but I must tell you what all was in my purse!

Miles’ detailed master medicine list
Red sunglasses
Lip stick
Insurance cards
2 of Melody’s girl scout patches that I still need to iron on
wallet with the usual stuff
Miles’ supply paperwork
Life Saver mints
My wedding ring that needs to be sized
Phone
Packet from Hendrick admission papers
2 Baggies with Tums & Tylenol (why 2?)
My trusty calendar
Broken flower bow
Picture Jocie drew me
Day Time cold/flu relief
Pediatric Intake & Output Record (to track Miles’ pee)
Menu from Hendrick
Atom bill
Midol
Mad as a Hatter nail polish
2 CD’s of Miles VCUG to give to the Pediatric Urologist
Kids camp brochure
Broken pair of sunglasses
A bracelet that Melody’s friend Allie gave her with the name ALLIE on it
Large rubber band
Baggie with 4x4 scrapbook paper that I like to use for notes
Feminine products
Bank envelopes
Chase bill
Camp postcard
Release forms for Miles’ x-rays
Camera
2 free coupons for kids meals at Rosa’s
Dr.’s orders on how to make Miles poop
Clear coat
A full catheter set
Confirmation code for a toy boat I shipped
Price tag for my awesome “GRAFITIBLASTER” bag
Old communion cup
An inch a half long pencil
Keys
Small tube of Crest toothpaste
Packet of Lubricating jelly (I promise this is for Miles’ catheter!)
Paperclip
Medtronic pump template to locate the needle insertion point on Miles’ baclofen pump
99 cents
6 postal receipts
3 lip glosses
3 packs of gum (strawberry, 2 spearmint)
2 Sonic mints
5 adhesive remover wipes
7 pens (why do I have 7 pens???)

And that’s what I had in my purse!

Miss Mella

Yesterday Melody wrote a little note to her teacher on her Pre-Spelling test. It said, “You’re the Beast Teacher!”

She was trying to say, “You’re the Best Teacher!”

So cute!

It's even funnier that it was on a "spelling" test!