Letter ~ Take Two

Dear Hubs,

I am begging and pleading for you to please stop sending our child to bed with her books. Please, please, please.. pretty please?!?! I understand that she loves books... you could even say she adores books. However, when she is in her room with a book in her crib, she quietly reads it and looks at all of the illustrations demolishes the stinkin thing. We've gone from ripping the binding off and tearing a couple of pages, to ripping out every blessed pop-up picture in an entire book. So, please, before you give her another book to lay down with, remember that she ruins every book you give her to sleep with. If this continues, her collection of over 200 books is going to slowly dwindle down to about 2. I understand she's adorable, and it's so hard to say no to her, but... say no anyway!

Thank you,
Your Wife (who also happens to be a lover of books, and if you keep this up, I am going to have to beat you with all of the books she's ruined until you get the fact that a 3 year old can't be given a book to sleep with... especially a 3 year old who undoubtedly destroys each book she takes to her crib)

f.y.i.

the 9 inches of snow that fell over night are wonderful... and we probably won't be going to school for a good old while. also, if you ever need to know what the weather forecast is going to be, please just ask me. cuz the 65 nutty 4th graders most definitely proved that we were going to get some major weather. and they were right!

suits for all occasions

my adorable kiddo informed her papa (my dad), after carrying it around all day long, that she needs to get her "babing" suit on to go play in the snow. i don't know how successful that would be, but man was she ready with that "babing" suit (it was actually her snow suit... she doesn't even have a babing suit for this season yet).


annnd.... i'm back from the land of the dead. the 24 hr. funk hit me and my boy pretty badly. we've both laid in bed all day long or in the living room. the buckets of sweat from my fever breaking were wonderful.

weird

would you find it weird if you were watching alvin and the chipmunks the squeakquel, and the twenty-something group of guys sitting next to you were doing more "oh yeah"'s, high fives, and carrying-on than all of the kids in the theater? i know i sure did!

amazing

Take a second... clear your mind of all the worldly thoughts that are going on.. your "to do's" ... what's for dinner... your schedule... just be still... take a deep breath... ready? now read this:


Jeremiah 29:11-14

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. [a] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

how amazing is that? He's amazing, incredible, wonderful, almighty, all powerful, the giver of life, and so many other things i can't even comprehend. i absolutely adore these four verses, and read them often.

Thankful in the form of a *LIST* :o)

I am thankful for:

*a God that loves, protects, provides, and saves
* an amazing, wonderful, studpendous husband... he's seriously the best... and he's an awesome daddy, too
* the cutest munch in the land (she's nuts, but she's mine)
* a wonderful family
* my cute, furry pomeranian... i (heart) him more than a person should love their dog
* the fact that i get to see my family more than a couple of times a year (i often struggle with this when i really miss my mom, but i do get to see my parents a lot more than other people do, so i need to realize that i am fortunate for that)
* extra jobs so i can provide for my family (even when i don't want to work 20 hours in one weekend, and would rather be with my fam and in church... i'm still thankful i have these two extra jobs)
* my house... no matter how cluttered and disorganized it gets, i have a house that keeps me warm
* the fact that our eyes were opened... rather wide, i must add... to the fact that we are spending between $350-$450 more a month on food (groceries, going out to eat, etc) a month than our alotted amount in our monthly budget... that's gonna help a whole lot!
* the fact that my little nasty bubble on my eye decided to fix itsself so i didn't have to have the opthamologist cut it off *ick* and *OUCH*
* the fact that we've really taken a beating (mentally) and have realized that we need to make some changes financially because there is no reason why we are in the situation at hand
* i should be able to go down to one extra kid and not two by this summer, the latest probably the fall (we think.. and i hope)
* after this happens, even if it's not for another 6 more months or so, i'll be able to spend more time with my family and go back to church... yay!
* that all of my "problems" pale in comparison to millions of those around me... i whine and complain, and let it all get me down, but in reality, my life doesn't suck that badly... it's actually pretty darn good... and if we made wiser decisions, it would be a whole lot better... we are all healthy (mostly.. hopefully the kiddo's immune system strengthens soon, and the kidney stones go away)... we have the most amazing kiddo ... we are all happy... we have jobs ... a nice house ... wonderful families ... an amazing God that sees us through each and every situation ... we are really blessed, in all actuality.

the list ends here... for now :o)

PS.. can you say Dave Ramsey "Total Money Makeover" PRONTO?!?! ~ live like no other!

True Life: I'm the Mother of a NUT

As my cute, adorable, wonderful, precious, amazing daughter was playing tonight, she decided to randomly stand up in the middle of her drum (that would be two markers banging on a metal 8x8" cake pan) solo. Once she stood up, she pulls down her pants and panties, bends over, grabs her bum, then yells, "I have a rear and a bum crack!"

Seriously.... where does she get this stuff?

o.ver.whelmed.

i'm feeling a little overwhelmed lately. okay, well, maybe a lot overwhelmed is more fitting. i have the need to vent... i've cried several times to my husband, but writing about it helps, too. here are the things that are making me feel this way ~

* my girl has had strep 3 times in the last 2 1/2 months
* i'm almost out of sick days because she's constantly sick... it's always something, and the poor kid can't catch a break
* on friday, we thought she broke her foot, and we had to go to the ER.. it wasn't broken, but it seems as if the sprain is causing her more pain and grief than a break
* we got a call today that we had to come get her again because she had 2 diarrheas, and she's not allowed back at school for 24 hours... sigh
* my husband is having kidney stone issues again... this will be his 7th kidney stone in the last 4 years, and he'll probably end up having surgery for the 7th time in 4 years
* i have this funky, infected thing on my eyelid... i was told to put hot compresses on it, and that it would go away.... but it would get bigger first... it has gotten bigger, and bigger, and bigger, but it isn't going away. it is starting to hurt, too.. not to mention that it is the thing people stare at when they are talking to me, so it makes me feel so self conscious
* i need to have a root canal, but haven't been able to because of how sick my kid has been
* i haven't been to the orthodontist forever because of my sick child
* it seems like the medical bills just pile, pile, pile... and we don't have enough money to cover them all... and we can't leave ourselves stranded at the end of the month, either.. ugh
* i need to start grad school, but don't think we will get financial aid b/c our credit more than sucks
* it doesn't seem like we're ever going to get out of this financial hole we've dug ourselves in to... i think we're just sinking deeper and deeper

okay... i think that's enough venting for now. if i do anymore, i will start crying again, and be a huge mess. please pray for me, for us.. it's so frustrating. i want so desperately for things to change, but it doesn't seem like they are going to, ever. it seems like they are just getting worse. any suggestions on what to do? if you have some, please give them to me.. i need advice and support!

i'm so desperately ready for color, buds, sunshine, and life.... and not to mention, flip flops. spring, please come quickly.

Letter

Dear Baby Girl,

After seeing you for the past year-and-a-half since you have been able to walk on your own, I think it is time that Mommy just goes ahead and apologizes to you. I apologize that you got a double-whammy of clutzy genes. The bruises, bumps, scrapes, alligator tears, pouty lips, "Mommy it hurt"s, the tumbles, and all of the other stuff that wreaks havoc on your poor little body.... it is all Mommy and Daddy's fault. You will never be able to fully walk like a normal person and not trip. Your balance is going to stink your entire life. Who knows how many things you are going to run in to on a weekly basis. The bruises and bumps will be countles, so get used to them. I am so sorry that, when you went to kick that ball today, your little foot decided to go awry and do something totally funky. Mommy started falling down steps when she was about one-and-a-half, and Daddy when he was younger. Be thankful that our house doesn't have any steps. We will provide you with as many hugs, kisses, and snuggles it takes to make the pain go away; along with knee-pads, elbow-pads, helmets, and bubble-wrap for good measure. So, please forgive us. We gave you other great qualities, too.. You know, like your dimple, your blue eyes, and your adorable little personality. How about we concentrate on the good things we passed on to you, and not this one bad thing, K?

We Love You (clutziness and all)
Mama and Daddy

beautiful

"Heabenly Fadder... I sank you for food, I sank you for my friends, I sank you for my Mommy, Daddy, and Coley, I sank you for my Jesus, I sank you for my family, I sank you for my bed and my room and my home, please keep me safe tonight and help me feel better from my yucky cough, I love you so, so much. In Jesus' Name, Amen"


She said it... all by herself. It was beautiful.. Mommy cried, and Daddy beamed with pride.

There isn't One

Lately, I've really been in tune with seeing God all around me, and taking in His wondrous blessings that He has lovingly given to me to enjoy. I've been often pondering how so many people can say that there isn't a God, He doesn't exist, it was all evolution. It just gets me how people don't open their eyes and see what's around them. Here are some of the many things that I've been taking in lately that definitely prove to me there most certainly is a God (this is just here in our physical world... not even tapping in to Salvation and the fact that He sent His only Son to die on the cross for my sins so I could spend eternity in Heaven with Him):

*each and every snowflake is in some way different... think about how many snowflakes there are, especially in a blizzard... and to know that each and every one... billions of them... are different. how amazing is that?
* the fact that a woman is able to conceive, hold another being in her womb, nourish it, and then give birth to that being to love and bond with... that is one of the greatest miracles, a miracle that richly blesses my life each and every single day. it still stuns me that my daughter grew inside me... i fed her and sustained her while she was growing in me so she would be able to live outside of my inner being.
* look at the entire human race... not one person is exactly 100% identical to another person... even if they are identical twins there is something that is different about them somewhere inside or outside their body. if God didn't create humans, then why are we each unique... why aren't we all just the exact same, and why don't we all have children that look exactly like the rest of the world? if we aren't God's creation, and He didn't "beautifully and wonderfully" make us, then why aren't we all blonde haired, blue eyed, 5'6", 160lbs, have perfect teeth, perfect skin, and have the exact same personality?
* consider the animals around us... how many different shades of rabbits there are and different kinds of rabbits... long eared short eared, long fur, short fur... why are there black and white cows, just plain white cows, just black cows, brown cows, brown and white cows... why do some cows have horns, but others don't? why are there so many different types of birds... some of them being plain in color, while other ones are brilliant shades of reds, blues, yellows, oranges, and other colors mixed in? what's the point in having so many different breeds of dogs and cats? why aren't all frogs just green? who needs to see the most stunningly beautiful blue frog or an orange frog that is the most amazing color of orange you've ever seen? wouldn't one type of whale, shark, fish, seal, sea lion be enough? why do caterpillars need to build a chrysalis and turn in to butterfly? why does a caterpillar have 238 muscles in its head? why does an owl eat its food whole, and then regurgitate the bones and fur to make an owl pellet? why does a spider have 8 legs, spin its own web, and secrete an oil while it is spinning the web so it doesn't stick to the web it is creating? and this doesn't even touch the tip of how many different kinds of animal species are out there, and the wonderful, amazing differences in every single one of them.
* we have 4 seasons in every year... each season has its own unique characteristics... the spring has warm and cool days... everything has new growth... bright, beautiful colors are starting to spring forth... the birds start to sing again... the flowers come out and grace us with their beauty.. there is a lot of replenishing rain.. in the summer there are hot, hot days.. there are wonderful sunrises and sunsets... we spend time with family at the beach, park, or just even outside... in the fall it starts to get cooler again.... the trees turn magnificent shades of orange, red, and yellow... animals start to gather provisions for the long winter ahead... bears have to put on extra body weight so they can hibernate all winter long.... there's a crisp, freshness in the air... it starts to get a dark a little earlier... there's a cozy, warm feeling all around... the harvest moon shines brightly in the sky.. the leaves fall to the ground and make the trees barren... in the winter there is no color... every thing is kind of drab, but it is beautiful in its own way... snow falls... you don't see many animals out because they are all protected from the elements in their homes...it gets dark really, really early... the frost glitters in the bright sunlight like someone sprinkled silver glitter all over everything outside... frost etches different designs on our windows... we can see our warm breath making steam in the cold air... water isn't liquid... and so many other differences
* rainbows... why do we need to see red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet? what's the point in a rainbow anyway?
* what's the point in having different cloud types for the different kinds of weather? or having a moon that changes shapes depending on how it is reflecting the sun's light?
* why do we have deserts, marshes, forests, rainforests, tundra, etc? why isn't the whole Earth the exact same?
* why do we need so many types of bananas, apples, peppers, pears, potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, and every other kind of fruit or veggie we eat and enjoy?

All of this greatness I just mentioned is because He loves us... He wants to share His creation with us... He gave it to us so we could enjoy it, appreciate it, and marvel at His greatness. How awesome is that in itsself.. that He loved us so much that He thought to make all of these things in so many different ways? It's almost uncomprehendable! All of this stuff didn't just happen... they are this way because our Great Creator made them that way.

I think this is enough for now. I have challenged myself to see God in everything around me... and it is amazing what I've been paying attention to and pondering. It has most definitely made me more grateful for His creation, and the fact that He made everything different for me to enjoy; when He could have made everything the exact same. How boring would that be? So, I challenge you to see if you can start noticing the differences in the things around you. And, to be thankful that not one thing is exactly the same as anything else, then thank God for the fact that He made all of these wondrous things for you to enjoy. How can you not know there is a God with all these glorious things around us?

I Win {I totally should NOT be admitting this}

remember how i mentioned in my "Christmas.. list style" post that my husband thought a deer was a giraffe? i razzed him about that for quite a few days, but i got my payback. saturday morning, i woke up and went to my second job. being that i had slept in until 10 every morning because my munchkin is an amazing sleeper, i was quite tired. and more delerious than what i thought. i probably shouldn't have been driving with how tired i was, as i was staring off in to space with my half-conscious mind. well... it wasn't until my little *mistake* that i realized exactly how tired i was. like i said, i was driving along, and i drove around a bend... in the middle of the bend is a cute little house with a pretty big side-yard. that side-yard contains horses, goats, and a donkey (i know this because i love looking at the animals). the owners of the house and animals had parked their truck right next to the fence, and there was a massive, round hay bail in the back of the truck. i noticed that a tan colored animal was standing there, and the color of the animal blended so well with the color of the hay... so what my delerious eyes saw was a tan animal with a massive hump on its back. yes, i thought the horse standing in front of the bail of hay was a camel. so, who wins.. the camel or the giraffe? i'm thinking it's safe to say that we need to go check ourselves in to the looney bin. or move to africa.

She's MINE His

I love my girl so much... so, so, so much. I seriously never thought I would have this much love pouring from my heart. Seeing her beautiful personality, getting sweet hugs and kisses, hearing her cute little munchkin voice telling me how much she loves me, watching her interact with her daddy and extended family, and looking at her adorable little face all bring me so much joy. I often get teary eyed thinking about her, how much I love her, and how extremely blessed I am to be her mommy. She is one of God's greatest gifts to me. He formed her in my womb, and granted me the blessing of being responsible for raising her to love, respect, and know Him. I know she's His, just as I am, but I am so glad He let me borrow her while we dwell in our Earthly home. I cannot wait to see what each new day brings, to watch her grow and understand more, to see her love more, and to teach her more about her awesome Maker. I'm eternally and forever thankful to Him for blessing me with this precious girl... she's seriously the best.

MoNsTeRs AnD GoAtS ~ oH mY!

from the time she was two months old, my girl has been an amazing sleeper.... and amazing is putting it rather lightly. yes, i was blessed enough to have my two-month-old sleep entirely through the night. there have been numerous times when my husband and i have thought our girl loves her bed more than anything else because she hits the sack without a hitch. we tell her it's time for bed or a nap, she puts her thumb in her mouth, gets all cozied up, and lays down amidst all of her stuffed animals that overrun her crib. (and she knows every single animal that resides in that crib of hers... don't even try to take one out because when she takes inventory of her friends and one is missing.... watch out!) she lays in her crib and reads, sings, plays with her dolls, and keeps herself content; half the time we don't know she's awake because she's busy playing or relaxing. it's quite cute.

but, i guess all good things have to come to an end at some point in time {hopefully this won't last long} because the last couple nights we've put her to bed or down for a nap, she screams, wails, hollers, and acts just plain scared. we haven't been able to figure out what was up except for she didn't want the door in her room to be closed or wanted us to stay with her while she sleeps. finally last night, she told us that there are monsters and goats (ghosts) in her room, and that she is really, really scared to be in the dark by herself. i personally think it's a little young to be having those issues at the age of not-quite-three. we told her that Jesus is keeping her safe, and that mommy, daddy, and coley wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. she didn't cry, and we thought that was the end of it, but as soon as she woke up again she started talking about monsters and goats. it's kind of weird because her CD player will just randomly play and other things have happened in the house that freak me out just a bit. but i can't think of that kind of stuff or else we'll be looking for a new house and in this recession i don't think that's gonna happen. so tonight, we're going to do devotions with her and pray before she goes to bed, which is something i've wanted to do for a while anyway... and this opportunity presented itsself to kick me in the hiney and get me on the ball. her having a firm belief in the Great Protector and the fact that He loves her and keeps her safe should help.

i'm hoping and praying that this works out and gets resolved soon. do you have any thoughts or suggestions? is she too young to be having these issues or am i just crazy? have your kids had monster or ghost issues? if so, what did you do to make them go away? i'm kind of frustrated and freaked out at the same time. hopefully our monsters and goats will go away. soon.