Those Wacky Boyettes

Thankful for time to be thankful

2012-02-01T03:52:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's 5:19 a.m. and I am celebrating the quiet house and my delicious cup of coffee.

Today I am thankful for:
1. A working coffeemaker that sometimes beats me awake and delicious creamer. Today I am enjoying some Belgian chocolate. Fancy! I am thankful for the Cuisinart company that made an awesome coffeepot. I am thankful for the laborers that harvested the coffee beans. I am thankful for the friendly Costco employees that roasted the beans.

2. My laptop computer
Want to type during a meeting? While watching the kids jump on the trampoline? No problem! It's portable!

3. The World's Finest Customers
We're selling the World's Finest Chocolate (2 boxes left) and we appreciate everyone's generosity. Claire's school is buying new computers, but even more exciting than that is that she has almost earned the right to throw a pie at Mr. Gooch (one of the kindergarten teachers).

4. A fantastic kindergarten experience
I can't brag on Bruce Shulkey Elementary or Mrs. Alvarez or Claire's fantastic friends enough! The staff at the school create a positive environment for learning. Claire is learning both socially and academically. She never comes home telling me someone in her class was mean to her or catty. She is in the best place for her and I'm so glad! (Yes, I have been informed that I might be an exclamation point over-user, but I feel it's appropriate here. I now weigh the value of each exclamation point and try not to overuse them.)

5. A relationship based on harassment
Sure Adam and I love each other. We've been married nearly 11 years, but what really has kept us going is the harassment. We have a scary picture of Cher that we hide around the house to scare each other with. And there's the cardboard cutout of the Coors Light lady that has made me scream once. And the dumb ads for the baby figurines (I had to buy one for my grandpa and now they just keep coming). Or the ongoing contest to see who can say something the most disgusting. And the car magnets that appear and disappear. The never-ending fight of who has the most covers when we make the bed. If I wrote the entire list of ways we give each other a hard time, I think I'd have a book. Hmmmmmm...

6. My little bookclub
For three years, I think, every first Wednesday I've been meeting with the same ladies to discuss literature. I love these ladies! We rarely agree, but we always listen to each other and consider the other's opinions. We try to read books that expand our worldview. We laugh and have fun doing it.

7. Being able to help and learning a lesson, too
I bought my granddad groceries last week and then met a lady at the exit who needed milk for her baby. Thinking it was a scam, I decided not to give her cash, but then I learned my lesson. I "called her bluff" and offered to buy her milk. She gratefully accepted. Then I realized the error of my ways and tried to buy her groceries, but she wouldn't let me. I bought her milk, heard a little of her story, and learned that the next time I will say yes before I say no. It was $2.33. She was really in need, but even if it had been a scam, surely I can part with $2.33.

8. Babysitting a baby
On Monday, I was able to watch my friend Melody's daughter and infant son. I love Baby Corbin, but I also knew that as I held him, I am done having babies. I am officially okay with two wonderful kids. I love babysitting, though!

9. Construction excitement
Across the street, there has been some repair to one of the pipes in the street. On Monday, Paul and I got out lawn chairs and sat and watched the digger dig up the street. Then Paul got out his own digger and dump truck and got to work on our front yard. Yes, he dug some shallow holes and killed some grass, but he was having so much fun imitating the construction workers, it was worth it.

10. Membership to the museum
Because we are members at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, we get into the Stock Show for free. We've been to the Stock Show twice now and the kids have had so much fun seeing all the animals. I love how much they pay attention to each animal and point out interesting traits. I showed Paul a bunny with red eyes and he said, "Yeah, he's wearing red contacts." As if that weren't enough to be thankful for, yesterday I renewed our museum membership and saved 20 percent because it was during the Stock Show. Yeehaw! (And I'd like to thank Kaa and Paul March who bought this year's museum membership for our Christmas gift. I have been holding your check and will now deposit it. Thank you!)

Artwork

2012-01-28T08:57:00.000-08:00

For those of you who never get to see the Claire and Paul Boyette Gallery and Museum in person, here are a few of the latest exhibits.

Paul made this snowman in preschool.

This is a picture of Claire's version of the book The Huggapotomas. She said that the parents were very happy that their baby loved to hug everyone so much.

This is Claire's favorite character from the book Armadillo Rodeo. She said the girl is named Harmony Jean and they never told the horse's name.

This is Paul's train that he made at library story time. The directions were simple, and Paul understood them. He chose to put the train cars on top of each other with the wheels in the middle. He said he wanted it to look that way because it was a train wreck.

Thankful for Peace

2012-01-27T07:19:00.000-08:00

Today is Friday, the end of another busy week. I'm not sure if Adam knew, but I for one, have been continuously surprised by how much having a kindergartener has changed our life. Our schedule is fuller and quicker. I get up every morning at 5 or before so I can drink my coffee, read my Bible, and get a head start on the day. On Saturday, I enjoy getting up at the same time so I can snuggle on the couch and snooze and read a book in peace.

Where I was militant about daily naps for Claire, Paul has to go with the flow. Sometimes he gets one, sometimes he doesn't. Sometimes he's sleeping in the wagon while I walk to get Claire from school. Sometimes he sleeps in the morning on the way to my granddad's house and then transfers his nap to a recliner.

Our life rhythms now match that of the FWISD calendar.
Here's my thankful list for today. I haven't posted in a while, so I could easily make this list 100 + items, but for your reading pleasure, I'll try to keep it brief.

I'm thankful for:

1. Trees, again
This time I'm thankful for the giant trees in our front yard. They are the perfect size for the kids to climb. Last week I had both kids in one tree. None of those pansy trees for us. We have big, strong trees.

2. Kids with compassion
Yesterday, Paul went to comfort a crying friend without any prompting from me. A mom friend told me last week that Paul overheard her talking about her sick kid and he questioned her with concern until he was satisfied his buddy would be okay. I feel pride and hope for both of my children when I witness actions like this.

3. A gold-medal Olympian
Claire won a gold medal in reading this week. She's awesome.

4. A husband that thinks completely differently from me
Some people enjoy surrounding themselves with people who think the same way as they do. I love that Adam Boyette is one of life's greatest mysteries to me and I will never be able to figure him out. He's like a lifelong puzzle. We often compare notes on events or conversations we were both a part of. It's always interesting to me to hear what stood out to him verses what I found important. It is almost always different. Adam keeps me thinking and always examining my opinions and assumptions about the world. I often joke that while I am completely right-brained, he is completely left-brained so together we make one brain.

5. My children's unique sense of style
Last Saturday I took both kids to Kohl's to buy a new outfit. Paul wore his Batman costume and solicited many stares and giggles. He also kept standing on his head in the basket, which added to the entertainment. After lots of debate, Claire's outfit consisted of a hot pink jaguar print hooded top with black and white jaguar pants and a rainbow skirt. I love that both kids have their own opinions about fashion and that they express themselves through their clothes. Right this second, Paul is sitting on the couch in shorts, a T-shirt, and cowboy boots.

6. Literature
This week Paul has really started to enjoy books on his own. On Wednesday when we returned from the library, he sat for an hour looking at his newly checked-out books. Claire read eight books before class this morning. I read about two books a week, and even Adam has started reading every chance he gets.

7. Being missed
Due to several scheduling conflicts, I have had to skip several of my normal events. I had to take a time out of bookclub and Bible study. No less than five people have told me they miss me at my normal event. It's nice to be missed.

8. The perfect job for me
I love my job. Twice a week I get to sit in an office and have adult conversations and feel smart. The other days I can work from the house while Paul plays. I feel like a contributing member of society but still a stay-at-home mom. I love it!

9. Winter weather followed by beautiful weather
When it's 70 degrees outside, it's not uncommon to hear someone saying they wish it was this way all the time. Not me. I love the cold, if only for the fact that it makes me not take the beautiful weather for granted.

10. Funny kids
While speaking like a pirate this week, Claire shouted, "Shiver me tenders!" Hilarious. In a Love and Logic moment, I left Paul at home by himself briefly while I waited in the driveway for him to panic and run out. He didn't. He stayed in his rocking chair reading books and even took time to pick up dog poop! Paul is currently sitting on my shoulders. Yep, I have a three year old on my shoulders while I am typing. My kids make me laugh.

Happy Friday!

Ode to Karen and our other homeless friends

2012-01-20T07:19:00.000-08:00

This morning I found out one of our homeless friends died on the street on Wednesday night. Karen was a tall, handsome woman. She was kind and patient. She was a good listener and took an interest in others. She never complained and smiled often. The last time the kids and I saw her was three weeks ago. I was talking to another homeless lady and lost track of the kids. When I found them, they were jumping with glee on Karen's mattress. I tried to yank them off her bed, but she insisted on letting them play. She assured me she loved children, in particular Claire and Paul.

Claire, Paul, and I are very active at Room In the Inn, the homeless ministry at our church. Every Thursday night during the coldest and hottest nights of the year, our church opens its doors to twelve women without homes. Homeless shelters are the fullest during these months and while the weather is the most dangerous for sleeping outside, it's also the time when people are turned away because of overcrowding shelters.

Many people work to make sure our guests are comfortable when they stay at our church. Volunteers assemble toiletry bags, set up mattresses, put tablecloths on tables and prepare meals. It's a lot of work. When our church started Room In the Inn, I volunteered for every post that was available. I wanted to be a part of this important ministry and help out where needed. It was one of my homeless friends that taught me a lesson about that. One day I was especially frazzled making sure everything was perfect and she said, "You know, you can just sit down and visit. You don't have to do it all yourself." From that day on, I have remembered what Terry said. I sign up for food if it's needed, but otherwise, the kids and I just show up to visit with our friends. Sometimes we bring snacks, sometimes we don't. We always sit and talk.

I have been immeasurably blessed by connecting with these ladies. I have found so much in common with them; they too worry about money and search for sales. Most of them are mothers and offer memories of their own children. They laugh at the kids and permit them to climb in their laps and jump on their mattresses on the floor. They are the best huggers. Though they don't have access to a kitchen, they love discussing food and food preparation. I too, love to cook.

Some days I feel worried or depressed about whatever problem is on my mind. Talking to a woman that's homeless puts things in perspective for me. So what if my house is cluttered? I have one. So what if I can't keep the laundry caught up? Everyone in my family has nice clothing and I have a working washer and dryer. So what if I get tired from running errands? I have a nice car to take me and money to buy groceries with. So what if my kids are hyper and driving me crazy after a glass of lemonade? They live with my husband and I, not across town with someone else. I don't have the latest fashions, but I have clothing. I have friends that love me. I have a home with a heater and a nice bed in a quiet house instead of a giant room with hundreds of people on mats. I am blessed and I have no right to complain.

The best lessons I learn from my homeless friends are the ones they don't know they are teaching me. A hug from a friend who hasn't had access to a shower in a week reminds me of my own hot shower. Requests for simple items like razors or flip flops remind me I never have to ask for what I need. Compliments on good food remind me to appreciate the food at my house.

Karen, I don't know your story or even your last name, but my family loved you. You were a friend to all of us. May you rest in peace.

Thankful Pictures

2011-12-18T16:08:00.000-08:00

Today I thought I'd show you what I'm thankful for, instead of telling you.

Mainstay Farms. We got their every year to get our Christmas tree and it is a lot of fun for the whole family.

Kids that make me laugh. Here Claire is wearing a wig from a mannequin at Mainstay Farms.

Hugs from my favorite boy.

Claire's creativity. She had me make a Barbie cake, which was basically a bundt cake that we stuck a Barbie in. Here she is singing "Happy Fake Birthday" and blowing out a candle.

Kids that get along. Here Claire is actually reading Paul a book.

Exciting adventures in nature. We often find lizards. Here Adam and Claire are with a Texas Swift.

A church that loves us all. Last Sunday, both kids posed in the manger for our church's live nativity. Many people walked by and not one minded we had two large kids in a manger.

Exciting education.

These are George Washington's teeth. That's right. They are currently on display at the Fort Worth Museum. The Boyettes are thankful for our passes there, where we learn something new at each visit.

Preschool Programs

Paul was an angel this week in his preschool program. Yes, the child in the stripes, plaid shorts and rainboots was mine.

Diego!

Here Paul is being silly with Diego. Diego is a student in Claire's class and Paul and I are helping tutor him. For Christmas we bought him a little Leap Pad laptop and he was so excited about it that he wouldn't even look up from it when I wanted to take his picture. I programmed it to say his name and he nearly fell out of his chair when he turned it on and the computer said, "Hi, Diego!"

Winter Wonderland Thanks

2011-12-05T13:30:00.000-08:00

It's about 35 degrees outside and we are warm inside.

Today I am thankful for:

1. Fall colors
From my chair right now I can see a tree covered with green, another yellow, and another bright red. I know I often write about being thankful for trees, but every day I walk down the street noticing their beauty.

2. Cookie baking
Paul and I spent part of the morning baking snicker doodles together. He looked so cute in his Christmas apron. He can crack eggs all by himself without any eggshell residue in the bowl. I'm so proud of him!

3. Carols
I've been blasting out the Pandora Christmas station all day today. Paul and I have been dancing and singing to all the tunes.

4. Food for ducks
This morning I was trying to think of an activity Paul and I could do just for fun. We decided to go to the duck park and feed the ducks. We had a pile of stale bread and crackers, so we bundled up and took them to the park. It was raining and cold, and the ducks were starving. At least 100 ducks encircled us wanting food. We have so much fun feeding ducks with aerodynamic pieces of bread.

5. Our covers wagon
Since the weather has gotten colder, Paul has been taking more naps. When it's time to pick up Claire from school, I just wrap him in a blanket and lay him in the wagon. Today not a bit of his head peeked out from the covers. I'm thankful I don't have to wake him up and that he can be transported from bed to wagon to couch without interrupting his sleep.

6. Sentimental ornaments
On our tree right now are ornaments from my grandmother's tree in the 1960s, Adam and my family trees from the 1980s, and ornaments that represent our life together. The crosses were handmade by Adam's 103 year old aunt and several of the ball ornaments have been painted by the kids. It's nice to look at the tree and remember.

7. Avoiding the mall
With the exception of a big trip to Toys 'R' Us, Adam and I are almost done with our holiday shopping. We have successfully avoided the mall. Claire is reading this and has pointed out that we did have our pictures made at the mall, but we didn't venture beyond the portrait studio.

8. Cookies for the postal lady
Our postwoman is named Rhonda. Claire just now ran out and gave her fresh cookies and received a hug. We love Miss Rhonda.

9. Barbie cake
I must conclude this post because I am being called to the kitchen. While Paul is napping, Claire and I are going to make a Barbie cake.

10. A working oven
Thank God our oven works, or else I couldn't be thankful for most of the items today.

Walking Thankful

2011-11-29T04:20:00.000-08:00

This morning I got up on time, so I had a few extra minutes to go on a walk. I leashed up Sugar Dot, threw a coat over my pjs and got walking. No one else was around, so I had a chance to compile my thankful list for this morning.

Today I am thankful for:

1. Snores
Everyone in the house except for me and Capt. Midnight Sugar Dot Express Boyette is asleep. It was easy to slip out of the house undisturbed.

2. Stars
Last night I was too distracted to notice them. This morning I was able to recognize several glittering constellations.

3. Safety
We live in a quiet neighborhood filled with retirees and young families. I'm grateful I can walk around in the dark and not worry about being hurt.

4. Sugar Dot
If anyone ever did try to cross my path, I am assured that Sugar Dot would bite the hell out of their ankles and anything else he can jump to reach. Walking with a dog also takes the weirdness out. Otherwise, people might wonder who the lunatic is walking through the neighborhood in her pajamas at 5:30 a.m.

5. Ice crystals
As sparkly as the stars are in the sky, the grass glittered just as much. A few minutes from now all the ice crystals in the dew will be melted, but I got to enjoy their twinkle at just the right moment.

6. Crunchy leaves
The kids love to stomp in piles of leaves. There is quite a satisfying crunch when you step on a stack of dead leaves. Icy ones are even better because they pack a bigger crunch.

7. A mummifying scarf
As I wrote before, Adam's godmother Kaa, made me several scarves for Christmas. This morning I wrapped my entire upper body in a scarf and still had enough left to go again. I wasn't cold at all.

8. A warm jacket
We are so spoiled with coats at our house that I can pick one to go with my outfit and the exact temperature outside. I am grateful.

9. Quiet
I do my best thinking when there are no distractions. Sugar Dot and I saw only three cars on our 20 minute walk. The only sounds I could hear were from the highway, which is about 2 miles away. Immediately around me it was perfectly quiet.

10. Darkness
I hadn't brushed my hair or teeth yet and I was walking in my pajamas. I was glad that it was dark outside and I didn't have to worry about what I looked like.

Thankful for nothingness

2011-11-28T13:44:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for:

1. Delicious food
If anyone didn't eat too much over Thanksgiving break, I haven't met them. We had several days of deliciousness. And considering that much of the world doesn't even have clean water, I am spoiled.

2. Time to read
We went to Texarkana for Thanksgiving and I read three books. I love days when the most pressing item on my agenda is finishing my book.

3. A husband that enjoys driving.
Adam drove to and from Texarkana. Yesterday I drove to Kroger, the first time behind the wheel in several days. He actually enjoys driving. I am thankful for him.

4. Kids thankfulness
Every day this past week, Paul has prayed aloud at the table, thanking God for his whole self, his whole family, his dogs, and the food set on the table.

5. Family time
We spent all our time this weekend together, doing stuff as a family and enjoying it.

6. Mainstay Farm
Yesterday we took our sixth annual trip to Mainstay Farm in Burleson to get our Christmas tree. We rode go-carts, slides, a hay ride, and Adam and the kids bounced on a giant pillow. Fun!

7. A fresh tree
Although part of our tradition at Mainstay Farm is to cut down our own Christmas tree, the Texas drought cleared them out this year. Instead, we are currently enjoying a lovely tree from North Carolina, where, according to the salesman, got 80 inches of rain in the last few months.

8. Wii Sports
Today Paul and I played competitive games on the Wii. We boxed and played golf like pros, or at least animated ones.

9. Scarves! Scarves! Scarves!
I mentioned to Adam's godmother that I'd like some new scarves. She sent me home with so many, I can't even count. Half of them she made herself, which makes them extra special.

10. Independence regained
Last week, my grandfather asked to be moved back home. I checked with the appropriate people at the nursing center and took him home on Wednesday. This did cause a rift with my cousin, who apparently disagreed, but my granddad says he's doing great.

11. Nothingness
This past week was full of days with nothing on the schedule. We had fun with each other, ate too much, and had a blast. I am thankful.

Rattlesnakes!

2011-11-18T04:32:00.000-08:00

In March every year in Sweetwater, TX, they have a Rattlesnake Roundup. I don't really know where all the snakes come from, but they do a lot of slaughtering there. Claire has now been to the Rattlesnake Roundup twice. Paul's been once. It's become a daddy-kid destination. Adam always comes home with interesting tales of watching snakes get killed. One of my favorite visuals is the beautiful blonde in gorgeous jewelry and nice clothing who dons a white coat and starts hacking a rattlesnake to death.

I've never been and don't really have any desire to go.

The first time Adam and Claire went, he took a video of some slaughtering and we posted it on youtube. Despite all the darling videos of our kids, the rattlesnake slaughter video is by far the most popular with the public. Last night I noticed it has more than 7,000 views and more than 100 comments.

So today if you have one minute and want to be disturbed, watch this. If you have five minutes, read the comments. They are delightful. Apparently some people are passionate about snakes. "Kill them all!" or "Snakes are God's creatures, too!"

http://youtu.be/4JeTgJZC72U

This is my all-time favorite comment:
"How sadly ironic that you bring your little Church buddies to this disgusting event which goes against your Gods wishes to only kill animals for necessary sustinance. Might as well quit that Church, you're all going to Hell sweetcheeks."

I love how the word hell is followed by sweet cheeks. Hilarious. (And the mistakes were theirs, not mine.)

One of the comments suggested I check into the Facebook group, "Rise Against Rattlesnake Roundups". I did and was able to join. These people are very passionate about saving rattlesnakes. I don't really understand it, but I find it entertaining.

I would like to share a picture from my new group.

The guy that got this tattoo really loves rattlesnakes, obviously. He was asking for suggestions for further tattoos he could get. Several users suggested other rattlesnake breeds and offered photos for him to take to the tattoo parlor.

Because Adam and I were laughing so hard we couldn't breathe, I decided to both post the photo on my FB page and e-mail it out to family. I claimed it was Adam's new tattoos. I haven't gotten one response which leads me to believe two things. 1. Our family is pro-snake slaughtering and anti-snake rights. 2. They believed me.

So to clear up any confusion, this is not Adam's back. He would have to find a new wife to accompany this tattoo. We are neither pro- nor anti- snake rights. We are intrigued by the campaigns, though.

My Body

2011-11-16T04:39:00.000-08:00

Last week I read the book Women, Food, and God. Basically this book teaches you to be more conscious of what you are eating. This follows with my personal mantra of late which is, "Pay attention!" I constantly am reminding myself to pay attention to where I am at that moment so I can appreciate it more.
I'm a thinker, so sometimes I feel like I just live in my brain and that my body is just a vehicle to haul my brain around. Today my Bible study prompted me to be thankful for my body, so I thought I'd share a thankful list with you about this thing that is much more than a vehicle for my brain and heart.

Today I am thankful for:
1. My big feet.
I wear shoe size 10. If my feet were any bigger, I'd be special ordering shoes. However, at this size, they are just perfect for providing me with a firm foundation for standing, walking for miles, running barefoot, or whatever I ask them to do.

2. Legs and knees that answer their call, whatever it is.
I don't have a regular exercise regime, but often I go for long walks, or short runs, or excursions to the park. Whatever I have in store for my legs, they carry me there with ease. I am grateful to not report any knee problems or other pain in my legs.

3. Wide hips
My hips are just wide enough to allow two children to sit in my lap at once. I'm big enough to be able to embrace both kids while I read them a book. Sometimes we squeeze a small dog or two in, also.

4. A stomach that doesn't complain
I am grateful for a stomach and digestive system that is happy with whole grain oatmeal and salads as well as hamburgers and enchiladas. I'm not a picky eater and I am grateful that my stomach complies with whatever I put in it.

5. A back that reminds me when I'm over-doing it.
I don't have back problems, but occasionally when I'm cleaning house like a madwoman or doing other manual labor, my back lets me know when I need to quit. It's also strong enough to give many piggy-back rides.

6. A complete set of fingers on a complete set of hands
I have hands that don't hesitate to shake other hands in greeting, to pat friends on the back, to fold laundry, wash dishes, cook a meal, and hold the hands of my husband and children.

7. Curly, low-maintenance hair
I believe God knew what he was doing when he made me. My hair is curly and in a way it fixes itself. I spend approximately one minute on arranging it every day. I'm grateful that for the most part, that is enough. It doesn't usually stick out or look bad.

8. Clear, low-maintenance skin
I clean and moisturize my face, but that's about it. Some days I wear makeup and some days I don't. I'm so grateful that I can choose whether or not to add cosmetics to my face. I look mostly the same regardless.

9. Ears that work
I can hear two kids conspiring in whispers across a room and I can survive two kids shrieking with joy right next to my ear. I am grateful for my ears.

10. My nose
My nose appreciates that sometimes smelling food is just as satisfying as eating it.

11. Eyes that see
With the aid of glasses, I can lay on the trampoline and see details on leaves at the top of our cypress tree. Claire and I did that yesterday, appreciating how tall, strong, and beautiful that tree is.

12. My brain
I can think of approximately ten items at a time. While I am writing this, I am also writing my grocery list, to-do list, and thinking how to get Claire to school on time. There's a few other thoughts as well.

So today I am thankful for my human body.

Thankful Twosday

2011-11-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

Last week I didn't get to do this. I handwrote 10 things I'm thankful for, but I just didn't get to it.

So here's a double dose. Grab a cup of coffee and make yourself comfortable because the list is long this week.

This week I'm thankful for:

1. Days off school
Yesterday Claire had the day off of school due to teacher inservice. Adam took care of himself for lunch, and without lunch obligations or having to pick up a kid from school, we were footloose and fancy free. We stayed at the zoo longer than we ever have.

2. Quiet benches at the zoo.
One of the best parts of having a zoo membership is that we can go any time we want for however long we want and we don't feel the pressure of needing to see the entire zoo to justify our appearance. Yesterday the kids wanted to watch the giraffes, so watch them we did. We sat on a bench in front of the giraffes while crowds came and went. We snuggled and just enjoyed observing the animals.

3. Happy Meal toys
Also yesterday for a special treat, I let the kids get Burger King at the zoo. We have never eaten at that location before, so the kids were so excited to get the Burger King version of a Happy Meal and sit in front of an aquarium and eat. The meal included a ring toss, a crown, and a zhu zhu pet. Several zoo visitors had to step around us, but the kids had a blast scooting their new toys on the floor.

4. Warm cookies
Today in staff meeting at church, we were served fresh, warm cookies by Sue. They were delicious!

5. Medicine that prevents dr. visits
Yesterday Paul was developing a cough, so I made sure to get to CVS and get him some Mucinex. This afternoon I think he's coughed twice, both times for dramatic effect. I love it when we can stop sickness right when it starts.

6. Knowledge of bathroom locations
Several times this past week Paul, who is three, had to go to the restroom immediately. If we know where we're running, we always make it in time. Having to ask directions to the restroom usually ends in disaster.

7. Another Aha! book
Apparently I'm on a roll with reading good books. This evening I will wrap up my reading of Women, Food, and God. Much of the book resonated with me and I read it with a highlighter close by. My next read is "I is an Other", at the recommendation of Rev. Jason Valendy. I'll let you know how that goes.

8. Fashion Freedom
Today Paul wore his rainboots. He wore one fireman rainboot on one foot and a larger, blue rainboot on the other foot. He paired those with camouflage pants and a striped shirt. Claire has to wear a school uniform but personalizes it every day with fancy socks and hairbows. This morning she walked to school with a hand made crown on her head. I love that my kids feel they can express themselves through the clothes they wear.

9. Snow hats
Last week when we had a cold snap, Claire wore her snow hat to school. It was then that I realized not only was her hat too small, it was the same one she'd been wearing since she was six months old. She was a big baby and I bought her a big hat for that first snow. Five years later, she's finally grown out of it. I love all the memories attached to that snow hat, and look forward to the memories she'll make in her new Minnie Mouse hat. We purchased her a new hat at Target with a pom pom on each side for Minnie Mouse ears. It is one of the cutest sites I have ever seen. She's been wearing shorts, flip-flops and her snow hat everywhere since we bought it.

10. Kids that bathe dogs
The kids bathed both dogs today. They love it and do a good job. All I did was turn on the water. Now I have two sweet smelling dogs and two entertained kids.

11. My new wireless mouse
I just got a new mouse for my laptop and it is beautiful. It moves with such fluidity and perfection that I am in awe.

12. Trunk or Treat
Each year our church has an event where the family gets dressed up, decorates our trunk and passes out Halloween candy. It's always a blast.

13. Theme Halloween costumes
The kids were fish and we were fishermen. It was pretty cute, even if the designer says so herself.

14. Generosity of candy
The day after Halloween, the kids decided they wanted to share their candy with Adam. I told them also that the church collected it to pass out during Christmas. They filled two gallon bags with candy they wanted to give away and left little for themselves. I wanted to shout "Hallelujah!" for several reasons, including less hyperness.

15. Patient, instructive zookeepers
Last week when it was just Paul and me at the zoo, we went to the fish petting tank. The zookeeper asked Paul if he wanted to pet a giant snail. He said no. She calmly encouraged him to pet "just his shell" and "just his side" and before Paul knew it, he was petting the slimy part. It was a good experience for him and I could tell the zookeeper knew what she was doing.

16. Mandatory naps
Last Tuesday everything was looking kind of glum for a number of reasons. After Claire got home from school, I ordered mandatory naps for everyone. We all felt better and happier after an hour of rest.

17. Gracious web support
I just revamped our church website. It's not completely done and it's not perfect, but I did it! I was quite proud of myself, but I must give props to my web support guy, Scott, who answered my emails quickly and helpfully, even if they were titled, "Auuuugggghhh!"

18. Catching up with good friends
In the last two weeks I've had some opportunity to put the brakes on the schedule so I can catch up with some of my best friends. I cherish the times when I can have meaningful, adult conversations with friends.

19. Backup
My cousin Jeff and I have been sharing the duties of helping care for my grandfather, who is currently in a rehab center. Jeff does more than I, and I am grateful that we work as a team to make sure my granddad gets the best care possible in the place he's at.

20. Trees that think it's spring
A few doors down from us a family moved out with haste. They didn't water their yard for a long time, so their tree was on death's door for a while. With the rain lately, the tree is now in full bloom. It's beautiful.

21. Blankets
When it's cold outside, we have plenty of blankets to cuddle up under. We have so many that we can actually chose which blankets best fit our decor and the weather outside. We are spoiled and grateful.

Double Duty Thank You

2011-10-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

Last week I was swamped with tasks and I didn't get to type my thankful list. I always keep a running list going in my car, in my journal, and on various post-in notes, so I'm always recording my thoughts, but last week I just didn't have time to sit down at the keyboard and compose them. With my grandfather in rehab in Irving, I fear this week will also be hugely busy, so I'm going to give my readers 20 things that I'm thankful for to cover the last seven days and the next seven.

1. Traffic that makes you stop to observe your surroundings
Since my grandfather has been ill and in the hospital and now rehab, I've been doing a lot of driving and a lot of sitting in traffic. One night as we were driving home from an errand we were stuck in traffic during a beautiful sunset. If there hadn't been traffic, we would have gone forward without savoring the beauty. I'm grateful when life makes me stop.

2. Entertainment during traffic
Oh the fun games the kids and I play in the car! Last week we rolled down our windows and started yelling at bales of hay. "Hey, hay! Hey, hay!" Claire was doing the honk horn symbol to everyone that passed. We were cracking up.

3. Finding quality care for a loved one
My cousin and I were faced with placing my grandfather in a rehab facility this week and I am grateful we chose one with employees that care about their patients. When my grandmother was ill we learned that the furnishings of a retirement home have nothing to do with the quality of care that patients receive. We selected one with decent furnishings and so far, high quality care.

4. Hand washing
One of my soapboxes (literally) around here is the importance of washing your hands in relation to your overall health. Adam and I have instilled in both our children that washing hands is part of going to the bathroom. Now that Claire is in kindergarten, she has taken that knowledge to school and is unknowingly holding janitors accountable to keep the soap dispensers full and her teacher on her toes about making sure at least one child washes her hands with soap and water multiple times a day.
Also, when I went to see my granddad for the first time in his new abode, I walked in on him washing his hands very thoroughly. I don't remember the last time I saw him at a sink taking care of himself. It was a moment of rejoicing because the day before he seemed not to be able to get out of bed.

5. Physical therapy for all
Part of my grandfather's physical therapy is practicing to catch and throw balls. We were visiting him and Paul picked up a ball and joined in the fun. I have some pictures of the two of them playing ball; something they have never done together.

6. Text messages that avoid fights
My father has decided that the best way to communicate with his family in North Texas is through text messaging. Apparently he has chosen the correct way because we've had several courteous conversations that way and when he had to speak to my cousin the other day on the phone, they mutually decided that text messaging was a more positive way to go. I believe that if we didn't have that avenue, there would be a lot of yelling.

7. Ghosting neighbors
This week after the kids went to bed, our doorbell rang. No one was there, but there was a bag of candy with a note. We had been "ghosted", and our job was to pass it on to two other neighbors. It was such a cute idea that we chose three houses. The kids were so excited to run up to a house, ring the doorbell and run away. We were only discovered once, when both kids were giggling so loud we were caught red-handed.

8. Flying squirrels
Driving home from church a minute ago, I saw a squirrel jump from the ground, three foot in the air, to land in a tree. I am so happy when I glance around and happen to time it just right to see sights like that.

9. Play dates with friends
We had Claire's two best school friends over after school this week for a play date. Both girls were polite and well behaved. There was a lot of giggling and no fighting. I was so happy that for her best friends, she chose the same girls I would have chosen for her.

10. Knowing my kids are safe and loved
My kids feel quite at home at our church, Arlington Heights UMC. They feel so at home that they sort of wander around greeting everyone in there path, and accepting cookies from many, many friends. (One day Paul ate 12 cookies.) Whenever we're at church, I always know that whatever part of the building the children are in, they are safe and they are loved. I cannot ask for more.

11. Smoothly paved roads
As I've been burning rubber on 183 and I-30, I appreciate the good condition our highways are in. In some parts of the world you cannot travel very fast because of potholes or lack of pavement. In Fort Worth, Texas, we don't even think about it. Our only concern is traffic, not the quality of driving surfaces.

12. Long drives by myself.
A few times I've trekked to Irving alone to see my grandfather. It's so peaceful in the car. Usually I don't even turn on the radio; I just listen to all the thoughts in my head until they calm down. Sometimes I roll the windows down and blare out music that's not really appropriate for children. Either way, I enjoy being by myself.

13. Alone time
Adam and the kids have been camping for nearly 24 hours. I expect to hear of their arrival home any minute now. For 24 hours I have gratefully acknowledged that no one needed me and I could do and eat what I please. I shopped, I finished a book, I worked, I watched bad TV, I went out with a friend, I went to worship alone. It was fabulous, but it also makes me realize how much richer my life is with my kids around.

14. The Lizard Reality Show
Every night after dark, a family of lizards gathers on the screen of my kitchen window. From that post, they catch and eat flies and seem to socialize. It's fascinating to watch them hunt the fly, catch it, chew it, and even watch their stomach muscles begin to digest it. We call it our own reality show.

15. Catching up
Until the kids arrive home in about an hour, I can relax knowing I have caught up all the laundry. Every sock has been matched, folded, and put away, every shirt has been hung....for now.

16. Listeners
Last night I went to dinner with a friend. We talked and talked and talked and talked. We even talked about talking and about how sometimes we know we're not interesting. She told me about how her husband often tells her stories from work or the news that she might not be interested in, but she listens with interest because he listens to her when she tells him about the bargain she got with a coupon. Sometimes I know I'm just rambling and not even making sense or possibly even words any more. I am so grateful that I have a few people in my life that listen anyway, even if I'm just spewing words.

17. Books you can relate to
I just finished Mitten Strings for God. It's about being a busy mom, and several times in the book, I wanted to contact the author to find out how she crawled inside my head to know what I needed to read. I loved that book almost as much as An Altar in the World, which also made me want to shout, "That's what I think, too!"

18. Wind chimes
We live in a very quiet neighborhood. Right now the only sound I hear is the wind blowing the wind chimes next door.

19. My husband
Since my granddad has been in the hospital, my favorite husband has been picking up the slack for me. He answers the phone and completes chores when I'm resting. He eats frozen pizza twice in a week. He helps get the kids to bed. Right now he's wrapping up 24 hours of taking care of the kids by himself. I love that man!

20. Knowing how blessed I am
Several times in the last two weeks I have been overwhelmed with gratitude for something. I have received a set of gift books from a family who are all unemployed. The church custodian gave me a Halloween lapel pin this morning. I've had offers of babysitting from the extremely pregnant and a lady with excruciating back pain. I've had unexpected hugs from friends. My children and husband have all been supportive and understanding in this ordeal with my family. Every day I know I am loved and every day I am grateful.

Day 36 LBJ Lola is sick!

2011-10-13T13:29:00.000-07:00

Today Lola was supposed to come over for a playdate but she was sick. I'm sad that she's not coming. I'd like to call Bailey, but we don't have her phone number.

The Best Friends are Claire, Lola, Bailey, and Zachary. Where is Zachary's house? I know he lives on Wessex Avenue. Can we see his house from our driveway?

Tomorrow I will go to art class again. I figured out there's a sign with a clip and it says where we will go.

Here's a joke: Do you know what I call Jake? Rhino.

Thankful Twednesday

2011-10-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

Hello from the beautiful city of Fort Worth, where we are enjoying a beautiful sunny day after a beautiful rainy night and morning. Yesterday I was just too tired to type, so today I'm doing my tardy thankful list.

Today I am thankful for:
1. Days off
From 4:30 a.m. yesterday to 10 p.m. when I collapsed, I was going non-stop. I love days like that because they are so productive, but I really love days like today that consisted of little productivity and some rest and calm.

2. The excitement of superheroes
Yesterday Paul was handed down a Batman costume. He's been wearing it pretty much the entire time he's had it. This morning I asked him to get Sugar Dot so we could put the dog in his kennel. Paul chased him out from under the bed and announced, while wearing his Batman costume, that he was a good superhero. Yes, he is.

3. The sound of rain
Few sounds are more beautiful that rain falling softly on your window as you sleep. We've been blessed with several rainstorms this week and after the drought, we are grateful.

4. Help around the house
Last Thursday, Adam's godparents parked their huge RV in our driveway and dug in to help out. The official reason was to visit us, but it was apparent after a few days of scrubbing, that the unofficial reason was to help me in the never ending battle with housework.

5. Finding treasure at the thrift store
I'm working on the kids' Halloween costumes, so we went to my old favorite thrift store, McCart Thrift. I hadn't been there since Claire was a baby and I forgot what great merchandise they had. I scored a solid leather Liz Claiborne purse, brand new, for $9. I also got three new blouses, all under $5/each, all designer names. Paul got some rain boots (Yes, another pair) and Claire got some peace sign flip flops. (Yes, her second pair of those.)

6. Not having to shop at the thrift store
As much as I love shopping at the thrift store, I am so grateful that we are not forced to shop there. We have a variety of places we can afford to shop at; I just love a great bargain.

7. Kids' gifts in the mail
Adam's mom sent a giant package last week to the kids. Inside were many treasures for the kids. They were elated.

8. Pride at the flea market
On Saturday, we went to the flea market at the Will Rogers Coliseum. I bought Claire and I each a coin purse and paid a little too much for them, but when I thought about it, I'm glad I did. I was able to engage the crafter in conversation about her handiwork and how proud she was of it. Listening to someone take pride in their work is worth a few bucks.

9. New games
This afternoon Paul engaged me in a game of "tennis." This involved using tennis rackets as golf clubs in the garage. He was excited I was doing well, and I was excited that there was no winner in the game. We were just playing for fun with no mention of who was "winning." I love that my kids enjoy the process and don't worry so much about the winner.

10. Peace
Today Paul and I went to see my grandfather. I mopped his house and completed a few other tasks he had for me. Paul slept. He fell asleep in the car on the way over and slept for the entire time we were there. My grandfather and I just sat silently together for a long time. He shared some recollections of my grandmother and what he was thinking about other family members. I listened and enjoyed the silence. Paul enjoyed not having anyone disturb his nap in his Batman costume.

Thankful Tuesday

2011-10-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

Hello! I made it on Tuesday this week! Currently my daughter is painting with hot pink paint and my son is crying because I unpacked his school bag, but nonetheless, I am still thankful!

Here's my list this week!

1. Being on time
After what seemed to be a slippery slope of near tardiness, we got Claire to school right on time today. I can't get up any earlier, so I'm hoping better time management will help us to make this a habit.

2. Not getting a ticket
Adam and I both earned a $500 pedestrian violation ticket on Saturday when we left the State Fair, but luckily, the cop let us go with a good talking-to.

3. Missing the train
We were in a dangerous position on Saturday, in between an opportunity to get crushed by a freight train or hit by a TRE, we escaped both. Please read.

4. Neighbor kids
We live in an older neighborhood and there aren't many kids to play with. My children don't mind, but you would have thought a celebrity came to our house this Sunday when the boy down the street played in the driveway on his scooter. He's 14, so I doubt he was as excited as the kids were, but he was very sweet to them and showed them his tricks. He also respected my wish to keep my kids in the driveway.

5. Bor-ed
I don't think I posted this last week, but if I did, know I'm still grateful for it. Claire came home the other day and said, "You know so and so in my class? She told the teacher she was bor-ed. What is that?" I laughed because my children have never used that word. There's too much to do to be bored. Besides, Claire didn't even pronounce it correctly.

6. Electric windows
Remember when you had to crank the windows up and down? I am so spoiled with electric windows in my car, that rolling up windows by hand sounds miserable to me.

7. Free fun at the State Fair
Since we spent lots of money on train tickets and food, we were grateful for the free quality entertainment at the fair. We saw African Acrobats, stunt dogs, and stunt BMX riders, all for no additional money. Woot!

8. Kleenex
I feel as if I listed this before, but oh well. When I was young, I had terrible allergies, and my mother was constantly getting on to me about how many kleenex I was "wasting." Nowadays you can get a box for $1 so I even let my kids make crafts with it. There's not a sneeze in my house that can't be met with a kleenex.

9. Kids that entertain themselves
On Saturday, we had to wait an hour for our train. The kids didn't even notice. They were too busy playing red light green light with their colored fans from the State Fair.

10. Emergency ice
Also on Saturday (an eventful day) Paul fell off a bicycle rack he was climbing on. He had a huge knot on his head and the nearest restaurant was three blocks away. Luckily the DART police had an ice chest in their car trunk and we fashioned an ice pack without having to walk a long way and beg. His head was fine within the hour.

Just another Saturday, full of adventures

2011-10-02T05:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the State Fair of Texas and had a memorable time. We rode the TRE train there so we wouldn't have to worry about parking or driving to Dallas. The Barto family joined us for part of the day and fortunately missed all the drama that the end of the day held.

We started the day without a hitch. We were almost late to the train, but we made it and each sat comfortably. Adam mapped out every bit of our train schedule and fair map as well as a schedule of fair shows that we wanted to see. We started with the African Acrobats.

Then we went to a dog trick show, Jump!

This was followed by the obligatory fried food, a visit to the butter sculpture, and a tour through some booths. In one booth, a man started questioning one of the Barto's daughters about heaven or hell and Christy intervened with a firm affirmation that "We're United Methodist and she knows exactly what we believe about heaven and hell. I appreciate what you guys are doing, but she knows what we believe." I wanted to say "Booyah!" but thought it might be inappropriate.

Then the Bartos went home and we took the kids to the midway. Paul was so happy he couldn't even keep his eyes open. (In case you don't recognize him, he's in the rear of this picture.)

Then we saw BMX stunts and enjoyed more expensive fried food.

At the car show, Claire was excitedly going on "errands" to get pamphlets about new cars. She got plenty for her, Paul, and Paw-Paw. We saw what looked like a concept car, but turned out to be an advertising stunt. Basically in this picture, you're seeing a remote controlled airplane shaped like a car. It was still really cool.

And then we were beat. Adam said we had to get back to the train station, and then the drama began.

First, we went out the wrong gate. We were turned around and knew time was ticking. Adam reoriented us and then we were RUNNING down Fair Park Avenue. The train came, but apparently you cannot walk on the sidewalks when a train is approaching. Pedestrian railroad crossing signs blocked the sidewalk, but our train was approaching and we were about to miss it. Adam swiftly ducked under the crossing bars and pulled the wagon through. I was panting hard from all that running and just sidestepped the crossing. At the next crossing bar, Adam ducked again and I didn't see anyway around it, either. I cursed and bent over as low as I could go. We were running to catch the train, but a motorcycle policeman barreled up the sidewalk to warn us of the dangers of a train. Somehow he decided not to give us the $500 ticket we just earned.

We missed the train, but we were all alive and didn't have a ticket, so we were fine. We took the next one and arrived at our station. Unfortunately our next train wouldn't arrive for an hour. We discussed what to do while the kids played on the bicycle bar. Paul fell and a huge knot swelled up on his head. We had to find some ice, but I knew from experience, when you're at the American Airlines Center, the nearest restaurant is a few blocks away. Luckily some DART police helped us and gave Paul ice from their personal cooler. So icepack on head, we went back to wait for the train. Paul's head returned to normal and the kids entertained themselves with playing Red Light Green Light.

It was seven minutes before our train was scheduled to arrive when another train pulled up. The freight train scared the kids because we had never been so close to a moving train. Then it stopped. We were stuck on one side of the freight train and we knew that our TRE train would come on the other side. People were panicking and climbing on and over the freight train. We thought that was ridiculous. One man was spending some time trying to convince his daughter to cross under the train car. She was mortified and refused to do it.

Adam helped a family across and was about to convince us we needed to climb on the freight train, but all three of us were skeptical and scared. Then the TRE arrived in the distance. No matter how long we had to wait at that station, we were not going to climb onto an active freight train and then run in front of a moving passenger train. Then the freight train started moving and we were all thanking God that we hadn't gotten on it, because we would have been stuck or even killed. Adam was jumping up and down trying to flag the TRE as the freight train passed. Luckily they waited for us, and when the freight train rolled away, we were safe, all in one piece, with the TRE waiting patiently for us.

We made it home without injury or ticket. We were all grateful.

Thankful Twednesday

2011-09-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Thankful Tuesday but I was so worn out I just couldn't make it. It's okay.

Here's my thankful list this week:

1. Presents that are nearly priceless
Last week my friend Mary Annelle alerted me to a way to get a new board game for $1. I got two. I also used my $10 Kohl's coupon to buy Adam a Christmas present. This morning I started my vistaprint.com holiday shopping. I ordered notecards, postcards, notepads, a mousepad, and magnets, all with my kids' pictures on them, all for the cost of shipping only. We're doing Christmas on a budget.

2. Just Between Friends Consignment Sale
This sale is where I purchase most of my kids' clothing. If you ever see Claire in a gorgeous, expensive looking dress, you know where I got it. I take the kids twice a year and basically say, "Whatever you want, you can have." They love it just as much as I do.

3. Day in the District
Last Saturday, every museum in Fort Worth had free admission. We were able to take the kids to two art museums and teach them art appreciation in the process. Each kid was thoughtful with their comments, telling why they did or didn't like a work of art. I was impressed at the depth of thought they put into it.

4. Last minute babysitters
We had a friend having a birthday party on Saturday. We were going back and forth on whether we wanted to go, but when we finally decided, we were able to secure a great babysitter. The kids played in their tent and didn't even miss us.

5. Trips down memory lane
Before we went to the party on Saturday, we stopped by the Half Price Bookstore that I used to work at. One of my friends was still there and caught me up to speed on the latest news. Then Adam and I drove around UTA and reminisced about our college days.

6. Calm
Yesterday we had a busy day. This morning Paul and I rode the Forest Park mini train together, snuggling, half-dozing, and just enjoying not having to be anywhere but where we were.

7. Reconnecting with an old friend
My friend Jo is elderly and dying. I have taken the kids to see her several times lately but her nurse said it was a bad time. Finally on a whim on Saturday, the whole family rang her doorbell. Success! We all got to give her the hug we've been wanting to give her for a while.

8. Empty laundry hampers
They mean I at least have all the clothes washed.

9. A computer found
Yesterday I was so proud of Paul's cowboy outfit, I was showing him off. Unfortunately, my focus was on him and now carrying my computer to the car. I got home and was afraid I had lost my laptop. Thankfully, I just left it in my office and it is locked up until I can retrieve it.

10. Swings in the backyard
Nothing makes the kids happier than me to push them as high as possible on their swing set. Nothing makes me happier, either.

Thankful Twednesday

2011-09-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a full day from the time I got up at 5 until my head hit the pillow at 10:30. I absolutely didn't have time to type this up, but that doesn't mean I wasn't thankful! I almost wrote this on Monday, and actually restrained myself to wait.

Here's my thankful list today:

1. Rain
There was actually wetness from the sky more than once in the last week.

2. Flowers that say "Thank you."
The morning after the rain, I was pushing Paul in the swing and I noticed several flowers in our yard that weren't there the previous day. We have blooms on several plants in the yard, one of which I didn't even realized bloomed. Also, an indoor plant bloomed for the first time ever that day. It was as if all the flowers reached up to the sky to offer their gratitude.

3. The ability to turn a bad day into a good one.
Last Wednesday I sitting in the recliner at 5 a.m., drinking my coffee, praying and journaling. Paul woke up and wanted to snuggle, so he snored on my lap as I continued. Then he had an accident in his sleep. Normally that would make me grouchy and set off a chain of events for the whole day. This time, I decided to bite my tongue and carry on. By intentionally not being grouchy, I was able to have a great day.

4. A tongue that is slower than my brain.
My Bible study assignment last week was to find five different ways to pray. One day I attempted to pray aloud. Something I discovered during this exercise is that my brain works twice as fast as my tongue. I am grateful for this because I hadn't realized I did have that much time to filter my words. I'd hate to listen to myself if I actually voiced every thought.

5. A truck that keeps on going.
Adam's Toyota Tacoma crossed over the 200,000 mile mark this week and he is still proudly driving it with no problems. We have taken that truck to Key West, Niagara Falls, the U.S./Mexico border and seemingly everywhere in between.

6. Being at the right place at the right time.
Sunday morning, I was in a bit of a rush. I was going to drive my friend Ann-Marie to Dallas to go to her daughter's baby shower. We were trying to leave church, but we just couldn't get out. Every time I thought we could leave, I was approached by another friend that needed a hug or wanted to talk. I finally got free and went to the bathroom only to run into another friend who just received bad news and was crying. Had I been 30 seconds earlier or 30 seconds later, I would have been unable to give her the hug she needed at that moment. I was at the right place at the right time.

7. Parades
When I was driving Ann-Marie back to Fort Worth, we stopped for coffee. We were getting frustrated because we were having a hard time finding coffee in downtown Dallas. We waited in line at Whataburger, only to get to the window and hear that even though we ordered it, they couldn't give us any coffee. However, as we were leaving Whataburger, we ran into a Gay Pride parade. It was fantastic and totally worth the Whataburger disappointment.

8. Freedom for flexibility
Yesterday when Claire came home from school, she wanted to play with Paul. Every day I document her school story, but yesterday she wanted to put on a birthday party for her baby doll instead of writing. I was happy to oblige and happy that my kids get along so well and that we have the freedom to be flexible. I've got freedom of flexibility, too...I'm writing my Tuesday entry on Wednesday.

9. Cooler temperatures and open windows
The weather has been so beautiful this week that I've driven everywhere with the windows down. This results in a giant frizz ball head, but I don't mind. Adam has also been opening our windows at night and I've been enjoying the nighttime sounds of the neighborhood.

10. Productive play dates
On Monday, my friend Mary Annelle asked me if Paul wanted to come to her house to play. I dropped him off at 9:52 and was able to do all my shopping at Costco and Wal-Mart and be back at her house at 11. It was amazing how fast I can shop when there is no one underfoot. I was so productive that I wanted to return the favor. I brought her son over here and was able to do my laundry and work around the house while he and Paul played happily. The boys had fun and the moms got our work done. I am grateful.

Thankful Tuesday

2011-09-13T17:01:00.000-07:00

Hello! I am writing in a cushy chair in an air-conditioned house in the best state of the best country in the world. If that wasn't enough to be thankful for, here's more:

1. Clean Public Restrooms
I've always been grateful for the opportunity to use a clean public facility, but when I had kids, my gratitude multiplied. You never know what the little hands will touch next, so I am grateful when that surface is clean.

2. My live-in copy editor
Besides my blog, Adam edits nearly everything I put my pen to. I always have issues with commas, and he gets his red pen and stops any errors from leaving the house.

3. Meaningful memorials
Sunday was the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Instead of going to early service at church, we opted to go to the Museum of Science and History to be a part of the Fort Worth memorial service of the tragedy. Everyone in the crowd had a flag, and another giant flag was suspended from two fire truck ladders. The crowd was sprinkled with uniformed soldiers, police officers, and firemen. Inside the museum is a steel beam from the World Trade Center. It was an easy way to explain to the kids the importance of the tragedy and its aftermath as well as personally thank those who risk their lives daily to protect us.

4. Having a platform for our voices
If you don't know yet, Claire has a blog. Every day when she gets home from school and changes her clothes, we sit at the computer and she dictates to me her adventures of the day. I type word for word what she says. It's been an entertaining and informative way for her to express herself.

5. Meerkat Peekaboo
Yesterday I took Paul to the zoo. We were talking to the meerkats and they appeared to be listening. When one went in a hole, I told Paul, "He's trying to play hide and seek with you!" So Paul would cover his eyes and say, "1-2-3-4 Ready or not, here I come!" It was hilarious.

6. Easy volunteering
Yesterday morning Paul and I spent about an hour and a half at Claire's school volunteering in the library. It was a breeze. He played on the computer while I shelved and labeled books. We actually finished all our work in time to be at the zoo for opening.

7. Happy endings
This past Lent, we raised some ducks. Adam bought them at a feed store when they were three days old and we raised them in a coop in our kitchen. We did the best we could for them, and then when they were too big for us, we took them to the local pond. The problem was, we didn't realize that even though there were a variety of ducks there, our ducks were still outsiders and wouldn't be accepted. We came back the next day and they were gone. We saw a few that we speculated were ours, but we weren't sure. Recently on a trip to the duck park, we talked to a lady who lives across the street. She found our ducks the night we released them and took them home to live with her. They currently are fat and happy swimming in their own private pool and pond. Every night they sleep on a raft. We were delighted they were rescued and not, we feared, eaten by a fox.

8. Quiet time that's quiet
A few mornings this week I was able to crawl out of bed without alerting anyone but the dogs. I was able to drink my coffee in peace and read my Bible and journal. I do this every morning, but I am grateful for the mornings I'm able to do this without a kid in my lap.

9. Quiet time that's not so quiet
For every day that I get a quiet quiet time, I also have one that is interrupted by a tired kid who wants to snuggle. I know the kids won't want to snuggle for long, so I just scoot my books over and try to soak up the love.

10. Craft drawers
We have two drawers at our house that are crammed full of craft supplies. I never know what will be created. Yesterday I asked Claire to get Paul a pair of socks, so she got in the craft drawer and made him a pair from construction paper. Currently the kids are making me "gifts" that consist of homemade cards and wrapped up Hot Wheels. I am grateful.

An Evening in Sundance Square

2011-09-11T05:51:00.000-07:00

Last night we didn't have plans and Adam had to work, so the kids and I went to downtown Fort Worth to see what kind of adventures we could find. We found a lot, mostly expressed in pictures below.

First we went to the Central Public Library. We stayed until closing and checked out many books. We kept hearing closing announcements over the PA system, to which Paul kept saying, "We're going to get trapped in here!"

Then we stopped to look at a partially demolished building, shown below.

We found this interesting because it seemed incomplete. It looked like the demolition company started their job and then punched out at 5 p.m. on Friday, regardless of whether or not they were finished.

After staring at the building for a while, we rode Molly the Trolley, a free shuttle around downtown. We met many interesting people, all with wineglasses in their hands, all celebrating one gentleman's birthday. We also sidled up next to a car of newlyweds, still in their gown and tuxedo. They waved cheerfully and we clapped for them.

We got off the trolley and started walking around downtown, looking for more adventure. We met this lady below, who had a bad day and decided to reverse her mood by standing at a street corner with a sign. We gave her several hugs throughout the evening. As we toured around, we kept ending up at her street corner to give her more hugs. She said she turned out to have a great day.

After hugs, we enjoyed some gelato before returning for more hugs. I warned the kids that their gelato might get on her pristine white outfit, so in this photo, they are keeping their distance.

We saw several people marching in protest of Palestine's lack of recognition as a country. I didn't explain all that to the kids, but Claire recognized the word Obama, so I said they didn't like his job. We called this a parade...These people were marching through downtown with their banner, singing, "Give Peace a Chance." We only saw them for about ten minutes and then they disappeared, so I wonder if they didn't have parade permit.

There were many carriages downtown, but Paul's favorite was the one pulled by Michelle, shown here. The horse owners were friendly and let us stand talking to and petting their horses for a while. Claire pet a horse named Bucky. The kids were also highly entertained that behind the horses was a special sack to hold their poop.

After all this excitement, we headed home, but not before riding an escalator and waving and folks from a sky bridge. The entire evening cost me $17, but the fun we had was priceless.

Thankful TWednesday

2011-09-07T04:03:00.000-07:00

I know I'm a day late, but I absolutely did not have time to post yesterday. I'm still thankful and I'll be back on schedule next week.

Here's my thankful TWednesday list today:

1. Loose teeth
Claire has a loose tooth and it's a hot topic at our house. Every little bit she says, "Is my tooth still there?"

2. Open and honest conversations
On Sunday Paul rode to church with Adam so Claire and I rode in my car and talked. She told me all about her fear of the cafeteria monitor at her school. We talked for a while about what she doesn't like at school and I was proud that she was willing to tell me. I hope I was able to ease some anxiety and put some light on some situations. Right now her worries are small, but I hope that she continues to feel she can share them with me.

3. Beautiful Weather
Just when it was so hot for so long that even the lovers of summer were giving up, we got some cool weather. Yesterday Paul told me he thought it would definitely snow. I doubt that, but we are loving the lower temperatures.

4. Family Uno games
Both kids love to play Uno Attack and are pretty good at it. Saturday we had family over and the kids showed no mercy in playing Uno.

5. Good teachers
Paul started preschool yesterday. Last week when we went to church to meet his new teacher, several of the boys started to make a huge mess with some dried beans. I asked her if that bothered her and she said, "No, it's developmentally appropriate. When they develop their motor skills more, they'll stop doing that." I would like to now label my house as developmentally appropriately messy.

6. Storytime in the recliner
I can still (barely) fit both kids in my lap at one time to read a book. Nothing makes me happier than sharing a good book with them while they snuggle down and listen.

7. Compliments about my kids
At Claire's open house, her teacher said that she was a pleasure to have in class. She said Claire is very "intuitive, caring, and mature." She also said she was proud of how smart she was. I'm grateful.

8. Tag team parenting
Often when Adam and I are at church or another large, busy place, we have to tag-team with the kids. It's easier to keep up with one in a crowd than two. Whenever we get in a situation where that's appropriate, we don't have a discussion, we just tell one another which kid we have and move on. It's so nice to just know the drill and do it.

9. Color Blindness
Claire kept coming home from school talking about her friend Bailey. I kept hearing about Bailey's birthday and how every time Bailey spoke in class, Claire would say "Birthday girl." When we went to open house, we got to meet the infamous Bailey and found out she was African-American. That's not a big deal. What was a big deal to me was that didn't even occur to Claire to tell me. I was amazed and pleased that her friend's race was so little on the scale of importance that it didn't even bear mentioning as a descriptor.

10. A life saved
Last week we were riding our bikes home from school and Claire almost got hit by a car speeding through the school zone. Claire swerved and kept honking her bike horn, but I honestly don't know how she didn't get hit. I'm working on pulling some political strings to get a speed bump put in there, but that won't lessen my gratitude for her escape from a speeding car. She could have been killed or confined to a wheelchair. Every time we cross that street now, I saw a prayer of thanks for her survival.

Tuesday Thankfulness

2011-08-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

Hello! Welcome to Thankful Tuesday.

Today I am thankful for:

1. Time to catch up.
Nearly the entire church staff was elsewhere today, so I actually had several quiet hours alone in my office. I got so much work done, I was able to get a jump on my work for next week.

2. Compliments when you need them.
Last week was difficult for many reasons. Claire started back to school, and Paul only had me to play with. The entire family was exhausted, and I somehow pulled together a church newsletter. Right after sending it out, I received a compliment on a job well done. Considering I felt like I was barely concious and stressed out, those kind words meant a great deal to me.

3. Shopping tips
Recently my friend Mary Annelle shared yet another great way to save money on groceries. She reads all the sales papers and simply types up the bargains she wants. Then she goes to Wal-Mart and requests price matches on those items on sale at other stores. She only has to go to one store, and she gets all the bargains. Considering we are on a strict budget around here, that news is worth rejoicing over.

4. Time to sit and think.
Yesterday morning was cloudy and cool, so I took Paul to the park. Even though I kept running through my to-do list in my head, I made myself sit there and watch him play and join in where appropriate. We got to focus on feeding the ducks with one piece of bread at a time, and we made several discoveries. We never noticed the giant, nearly three-feet long fish in the pond, or the way they steal the bread from the big turtles. We also got to pet a duck which we have tentatively identified as Claire's duck from Lent.

5. Grace
Several times in the last week I needed grace and received it abundantly. No one was upset that my work was a day late, and Adam forgave a brief temper explosion. Also, I had to step down from a volunteer position that I hadn't started yet. I had offered to coordinate communications for the Benbrook Early Childhood PTA, and the closer we got to kickoff, the more I realized I was in over my head. I stepped down with fear that I would have to leave the group. Every member met me with understanding and grace. No one was upset that I had overcommitted and I am grateful.

6. Long hugs
Last week was the last week of our summer season of helping homeless ladies. One of the ladies has been working hard by taking classes at the community college. She told me she's not likely to see me again because she will transfer to a four year college in the spring. She gave me one of the best hugs I've received. When I kept thinking it was over, she kept on hugging. It was humbling.

7. Creative kids
Claire has figured out how to make penguins with construction paper and glue. She has made an entire flock, but I love it. I am always proud of items that she creates successfully, and of her own volition. Right this second, Paul is tearing xerox paper and setting it on my shoulders so I can have wings.

8. Sermons that make you think later on
We have a new senior pastor at church, and she preached an excellent sermon on Sunday. I won't do it justice by summarizing it, but what I took from it is that every day you should be concious of where you saw God that day. I sat in the pew and made a list right there, and I'm still thinking.

9. Kids that take pride in their work.
I have been noticing that Claire's schoolwork has a lot of pencil checkmarks on it. Yesterday I asked her who did that, and she said, "I put check marks on there so you know I did a fantastic job." Why yes, she did.

10. Creative pet names
You might already know our two dogs are named "Wesley Eugene Boyette" and "Capt. Midnight Sugar Dot Express Boyette." What you don't know is that Paul's favorite stuffed dog animal is named "Wind The Bobbin Ding Dong" and Claire's pig is named "Piggie-Pig Pig." I named Wesley, but everything else around here is named by the kids. I even get new names, and often am forced to answer to the name "Mommy Dog."

Thankful Tuesday Aug. 23, 2011

2011-08-23T14:10:00.000-07:00

Hello! It's time for Thankful Tuesday, when I record my gratitude for the small and the big.

Today I am thankful for:

1. Sardine Sandwiches
Today at the Hemminger home, Clyde fed Paul a sardine sandwich. He enjoyed it and washed it down with a Coca-Cola. I have never given Paul either one of those, but am happy for him to experience new tastes. I'm not going to buy him sodas or sardines, so I'm glad he enjoyed them while he had them.

2. Useful advice
When we registered Claire for school in June, the school secretary told me to go to the store immediately and buy all the uniforms I could find. I did, and when the crowds started hitting the shops, we were done. I was grateful that we knew to shop early, thanks to that advice.

3. Family walks
So far we've all four walked Claire to school both mornings of kindergarten. I hope to have everyone out of bed and ready to go so we can do this every morning. Nothing is cuter than Claire walking in her uniform with her backpack on, right next to Adam in his business attire, and Paul and I bringing up the rear in whatever fashion we please.

4. Early bedtimes
Getting up early means getting to bed earlier. I am savoring nights when both kids are in bed by 7:15 p.m. I feel like I have an entire evening ahead of me, even though I am hitting the pillow earlier as well.

5. Family field trips
Adam took off half a day on Friday and we went to the Museum of Science and History. We were able to talk the kids into watching the 3D video about gas drilling that they had been too scared to do before. Saturday, we rode the TRE to the Nasher Sculpture Museum and had a fantastic time spending 30 minutes walking through the balloon room. It was so nice going out as a family all weekend.

6. Drinking water
Because we rode the TRE on Saturday, we did a lot of trekking around downtown Dallas. We walked to the West End for lunch and then the downtown library to see the Declaration of Independence. We were hot, but thankful that I had packed four bottles of water that were disappearing as fast as we could drink them. Twice that day, I saw men going through the trash, looking for a drop to drink. One man was pouring empty soda cans into his bottle, trying to get the last drop. Another was sucking on straws of discarded cups, trying to get a drink from used McDonald's cups. We were able to give one of them a bottle of water, but it broke my heart to see how some suffer in the heat. I am grateful that not only do we have bottles of water to refill or discard, we also have a tap that is solely for our use.

7. Experienced teachers
Claire had a lot of anxiety about school starting, and we were able to fineagle a tour from the secretary. I kept saying that she was anxious and everyone was so nice and caring. When we left, Adam told me that Claire wasn't the one with anxiety. Obviously, it was me. I am glad, though, that her teacher has been teaching 29 years and I'm sure I'm not the first mom who's off her rocker. Claire is now adjusting well and has a blog to prove it. Read it at http://clairegoestoschool.blogspot.com/2011/08/kindergarten-day-2.html.

8. Church choices
Last week, I took the kids to visit my grandmother. I was talking about church and our new senior pastor, who happens to be female. My grandmother let me know that she felt that was only a man's job, and I replied, "Well, thankfully, you don't go to my church." Her Southern Baptist church suits her just as well as my Methodist church suits me. I'm glad that we do have options and in the United States, you can go to whatever church suits your fancy.

9. Love notes
At least four times a week I get a craft that says something about "I love Mommy." I am blessed, even by the ones that are illegible.

10. Wildflowers
Today when I was driving to church, I noticed a patch of wildflowers growing in the median of a busy street. In these 100 + degree days, it's nearly impossible to keep anything alive. It was refreshing to see that somethings apparently survive on their own.

Thankful Tuesday...under the wire!

2011-08-16T19:44:00.000-07:00

Today's been quite a busy day. I started early; right at 5 a.m., followed by getting the troops up in time for our "back to school drill." We get ready as if it's a school day and walk to the school to see the playground and then back home. I also worked today, took the kids to the Kimbell Art Museum, went to Wal-Mart, and made a home-cooked meal. I'm worn out, but couldn't go to bed without letting my readers know what I'm thankful for this week.

1. Rain
Last Friday the sky darkened and everyone rejoiced. I had told the kids that since it's been so long since we've seen rain, we would go dance in it the first chance we got. The kids grabbed their umbrellas and we waited, ready to dance. And we waited some more. A few drops came down, but not enough to be conducive to a rain celebration dance. The next morning the rain was coming steadier, so I took the kids with their galoshes and umbrellas on a walk. We're all thankful for the brief respite from the heat, which also allowed for a glorious day at the zoo.

2. Rainy days at the zoo
If you ask me, a zoo regular, when the best time to go, I will tell you to never go on a Wednesday. (Yes, it's half price day, but there's double the crowd.) I'll also tell you to head to the zoo whenever precipitation is falling from the sky. Not only does rain clear the crowds out, the animals are more active and mischeivious. It makes for a better experience all around.

3. Two vehicles with working air-conditioners
It has been so hot; today my car said it was 109. I am so grateful that not just one, but both of our cars have great air conditioners. Daily, I am also grateful that Adam and I bought a new air conditioner for our home last summer.

4. Trivial Trivia
The kids eat off of educational placemats. We've got an international map, where yesterday we pointed out Libya and discussed war there. We've also got a map of the United States, where we showed Paul that Rick Perry lives in the same state as us. Today we were working on the presidential placemat. I was doing well teaching Claire and Paul the names of the presidents, but Adam gave us all sorts of entertaining points to help remember them with. Apparently Zachary Taylor died of gastroenteritis, which means he was going to the restroom a lot just before his death. The kids thought that was funny.

5. Flashing school zone lights
There's a new school zone on Hulen Street, and I am thankful every time I drive through it, because I wouldn't notice it if it weren't for the flashing lights. I love that not only do we have school zones, we have lights that flash at you and say, "Hey you! It's a school zone! Slow down!"

6. Trashmen
This morning we walked to Claire's school and were captivated by the trashman. Apparently the teachers have been throwing out shelves as well as acres of paper, and the dumpster was weighed down. It took several minutes for the trashman to configure the prongs on his truck to lift up the heavy dumpster. After he dumped it, he had to get out of his truck and climb up a ladder on his windshield so he could get to the top to make sure it all cleared the opening. We were excited to watch the prongs on the truck lift the 1,000+ pound dumpster as well as the guy climb up his windshield on a ladder. So often I take it for granted that after I push it to the curb, the trash doesn't disappear on its own. I'm thankful for our sanitation engineers.

7. Church Staff Meetings
Once a week I get to participate in a productive, thoughtful meeting full of intelligent and caring people. I'm the communications coordinator at our church, so I go to staff meetings, and I just get so excited about the adult conversation. This is the one time during the week in which one of my conversations has nothing to do with chores or child-rearing and I actually feel like a productive member of society and not just a mom.

8. Roads paved with bricks
Our church, Arlington Heights United Methodist, is located on Camp Bowie Boulevard in Fort Worth. Camp Bowie is one of the few roads in the area that is still paved with bricks. After the Depression, under the direction of President Roosevelt, Camp Bowie Boulevard, and other streets like it across the United States, were paved with bricks, giving local people jobs. I'm thankful that that thread of the past is still something that I drive on regularly.

9. Lydia the Literary Ladybug
On Sunday, Claire caught a ladybug in our pool. It is still alive, living in a Mason jar in the kitchen. The kids take that jar on errands with us. Just today Lydia went to Ann-Marie's house, Wal-Mart, and the Kimbell Art Museum. She's a well-travelled ladybug and I am grateful that she is still alive, for the moment. The kids are so proud of Lydia the Literary Ladybug.

10. Dancing in the kitchen
We have a large, long kitchen. Several times last week when I was cooking dinner, the kids and I cranked up the music and just danced to our hearts' content. During moments like that, I want to freeze time and savor it. Dancing carefree to Madonna is an event to be savored.

11. Free stuff
Today I was given a new Bible and a calendar for free. The Common English Bible is barely in print, it's so new, and I now have a copy. I also have an official Methodist Calendar for 2012. So yes, while I usally stop at 10, I got free stuff today, so I had to add it. I am excited and grateful. Excuse me while I go read my brand new Bible.

Thankful Tuesday

2011-08-09T13:54:00.000-07:00

Hello! Here's another edition of Thankful Tuesday.

Today I am thankful for:

1. The pause button on the remote
I just taught Claire how to use that yesterday. I love fast-forwarding through commercials and pausing action to go run to the kitchen or the bathroom.

2. Balloon animals
Friday was our big grocery day. When we walked into Wal-Mart, we noticed a man crafting balloon animals. Then we noticed our friend Caitlyn, the cashier from Aldi. She generously told the kids to pick out what they wanted and she would pay for it. A few minutes later we were walking away with a dinosaur and turtle. Then we went to get our free cookie stickers (they were out) but a gentleman on a bench gave the kids pocket change so they could put it in the MDA donation bin. We were doubly grateful.

3. Politeness at Chuck E. Cheese
We took Claire and Paul to Chuck E. Cheese the other night where we met the most polite kids I have ever seen. The daughter was running around like a crazy loon, enjoying all the place has to offer. Her dad stopped her and said, "Are you having fun?" "Yes, sir!" she replied with glee. I was amazed. When I asked him about it, he said, "Ain't no other way." I had been a little lax on enforcing it at our house, but I was convinced. We're yes sir and yes ma'am 100 percent of the time now.

4. Laughter
Today I am thankful for having the opportunity to make my children laugh so hard they can't breathe. That is true joy, and whether it comes from tickling or acting silly, I am grateful.

5. My parents
Yes, I said it. I disagree with them on 99.999999999% of things in this world, but my mom gave birth to me and with my father, raised me with love. I am grateful.

6. Conversation with homeless ladies
Weekly, we are grateful to have the opportunity to visit with the homeless ladies that come to spend Thursday nights at our church. Talking to them puts my problems in perspective. It always makes me chuckle, too, to learn how much we have in common. Last week I was telling one how great the Wal-Mart optometrist is and that he actually was the best eye doctor Adam had ever seen. We were comparing prices on eye exams and hair conditioner. There's no pretension with these ladies. The kids and I both look forward to seeing them.

7. The love of reading
I LOVE to read. Yes, I know that all caps means I'm yelling, but it's true. I read voraciously from a wide range of subjects. Right now I am reading simultaneously Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Death of a Celebrity. I read my Bible every morning. In the last two years, Adam has caught the reading bug and I'm happy to say that both kids love reading. Claire is beginning to read on her own and I'm so proud of her.

8. Generous kids
Nearly every store is collecting money at the register now for their selected charity. We're on a budget, so I don't even think about it and just say no thanks. On Monday we were at Tom Thumb and Claire saw a poster of kids with Muscular Dystrophy. She asked about it and I explained that the kids had a muscle disease and the grocery store was collecting money for their doctor's bills. "Oh," she said. "I wish I had some money and I'd give it to them. Even if it was a dollar." Of course you know I looked in my wallet and pulled out a dollar bill.

9. A sense of wonder
The kids and I often take detours to explore new construction or other exciting sites on our way to a destination. I am grateful that they do have strong sense of wonder and that they mostly absorb what I teach them. I'm pouring information in them non-stop and I'm so grateful that most of it sticks.

10. My locket
Before she died, my grandmother gave me a locket that my grandfather had given her on Valentine's Day in 1947. In this gold heart, they are forever preserved in their youth. I wear it often and treasure it.

Thankful Tuesday number trillion

2011-08-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

Aloha! From the sweltering heat in Texas, here is today's Thankful Tuesday list!

Today I am thankful for:

1. Cupcakes
Claire came to me on Sunday and said that she wanted to make cupcakes. I was happy to oblige and proud of her that with supervision, she made them herself. We weren't making cupcakes, we were making memories. (yes, that's cheesy, but true.)

2. My granddad's jokes
Two weeks ago I asked my granddad to start writing down the punch line to all his favorite jokes. Last week I returned with my computer to type them up. He had a list of funnies, some of which were funny and others which were cryptic. For all of them, he was laughing as he told me. He was in better spirits that day than I've seen him in a long time.

3. Okra
My paternal grandparents used to raise a large garden in their backyard. Every year they would pickle and fry okra and do anything else with okra they could think of. I remember several summers when I was a teacher, coming over to their house to help my grandmother, who was ill, to wash, cut, and prepare the okra. She used to crack jokes the whole time. Last week my granddad was waiting for me with his own batch of store-bought okra. We carefully battered and fried it for a long time while we reminisced about my grandmother. It was tasty fun.

4. Golf courses with brown grass
I remember growing up during the hot Texas summers and noticing all the brown, dead grass. I also remember passing golf courses with pristine green grass and thinking how unfair it was that most people couldn't afford the water bill to keep their grass green in the heat. Last week I noticed at least one local golf course has brown grass, and oddly, that made me happy. Suffering through the heat has been a great equalizer.

5. Yellow lights
Wouldn't it be terrible if we didn't have them? If lights went straight from green to red, there would be countless wrecks, and I for one, would be receiving many, many tickets in the mail. I appreciate the warning. "If you don't stop soon, you'll get a ticket in the mail!"

6. Hole in the wall restaurants
Nothing is more exciting to Adam and I than to find a new locally owned restaurant. While the quality of a locally owned restaurant depends on the owner, each one overwhelms you with character.

7. Signs that make me laugh
There's a vaccuum store near our house that's having a "Summer Sucks Sale." I laugh every time I think about it.

8. Planned goodbyes
I have a dear friend who will die soon. I value her friendship for countless reasons, one of which is that she's been preparing me for her death for years. When Claire was a baby, she started liquidating her possessions and passing on items that others can use. Even though I am sad about it, we know that each time we talk might be the last and therefore we appreciate each other all the more. I am confident that she knows that I love her and I know she loves me. It's a lot easier to let her go when I'm prepared.

9. Listening friends
Yes, I made a list today, of issues I had. (Nerd Alert!) Fortunately I found an empathetic pair of listening ears. (Thank you, Nancy.) People are so busy today that it's hard to find people that will just let you read off a list of your personal problems. I am blessed to have a couple in my life.

10. Storytime
Every Wednesday, for the last three years, with few exceptions, we have been found at the Wedgwood Branch of the Fort Worth Public Library at 10:30 a.m. We started when Paul was firstborn and I took him in the Baby Bjorn. Now Claire is about to head off to kindergarten and we're still going. The librarians are just like family and I thank them for all the cute crafts, songs, and stories they have taught my children.

Thankful Tuesday

2011-07-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another edition of Thankful Tuesday!

Today I am thankful for:
1. Homeless Christmas Tree
There is a tree on a hill east of Beach and I-30 that was planted as a Christmas tree for homeless people in Fort Worth. It is decorated year round for all the homeless in the area to have a tree they call their own. We have the benefit of driving by it every week on our way to my granddad's house. It's a great tree and a great story.

2. Bumper stickers
Instead of staring at the redlight I am stopped at, I like to entertain myself at intersections by reading the bumper stickers on the cars around me. Bumper stickers are like tattoos for cars. They are almost always worth the read.

3. Exciting detours.
Recently we were on the way to somewhere and had to turn around to see an exciting site. There are two fields in our neighborhood that were the site of recent apartment demolition (another detour event). We got to see a water truck park in the street between the two fields and a man watered both fields from one spot in the middle of the road. He had a firetruck hose and a pivoting stand where he kept rotating and watering. He watered two entire fields just from one spot. It was really interesting, and I'm afraid that we creeped him out just slightly because we were so excited that we actually followed him to watch him refill his truck at a fire hydrant.

4. Trees on the horizon
I drive to Irving once a week to go visit my grandfather. Last week I was driving and thinking and realized how much more interesting trees make the drive. I can't imagine how boring the drive would be with no trees to look at as I whiz by. Of course I don't recommend only staring at the trees, but they are nice.

5. Shade tree escapes
We have a giant shade tree in our front yard. I think it's an oak, but you should really ask Adam because he knows for sure. Twice this summer we've looked out our window to see an exciting site under our shade tree. One time a limo was parked in front of our house. I got out to offer the guy a bottle of water, and he said he was waiting to go to a wedding at the church down the street and just wanted to sit in his limo in the shade for a while. I told him to stay as long as he wanted and to take us with him, but alas, he didn't. Last week a trash truck parked under our shade tree so the driver could get out and take a break visiting with his girlfriend in the car behind, also under the tree. Who knows who will park under our tree this week....I guarantee it will be exciting!

6. !!!!!!!
I have recently been informed that I am an exclamation point abuser. I have since calmed down my exclamations in professional writing, but at home, I am showing my true enthusiasm for life. !!!!!!! I am now super concious of how much I use these !!!! but also how much they usually truly reflect how I feel when I write the sentence that ends with !!!!!

7. Cute kid crafts
Part of being active at church is that the kids bring home cute darn crafts every week. Paul brought home a shoebox shaped like a whale last week and the week before that he brought home a water bottle with blue water and a balloon floating in it, both illustrating the Jonah and the Whale story. Claire has painted two flowerpots this summer and made an awesome rock cross. I love decorating our house with kid crafts! (Yes, that exclamation point was purposely used.)

8. Hope
I love surprises as much as I love mysteries. I haven't checked the weather report today, but I look outside and see rainclouds that I hope to bring forth rain. I have already been informed that these clouds won't bring rain today, but if you already know what's going to happen, do you really pay attention to the shapes and colors of the clouds and hope? I don't prefer ignorance, but I do prefer hope. The weathermen aren't always right and that cloud over our house is pretty dark. With some events, I just find it better not to know what's going to happen.

9. Connections to the outside world
Last week I took our laptop to my granddad's house and began interviewing him again about his personal history. I have done this in several different formats through the years. I have cassette tapes of me interviewing him, I have a journal of questions and answers, and now I'm typing his answers. He is 86 and full of exciting stories that will die with him if I don't get them recorded. Last week we talked about his job as a lineman for the electric company. He taught me about wire insulators and that they really aren't much different today than the first ones he installed in 1949. Since then, the kids and I have been looking out the car windows spotting wire insulators on the electrical poles. It's exciting to look at those and know that they are tied to our family history.

10. Kids pushing me to be better
Somedays I wake up and decide, "Today, I am grouchy." Yes, I know this is ridiculous, and it rarely happens. Sometimes, though, I forget to set the coffee up at nighttime, or I don't get to have my personal quiet time, or I'm woken up because Paul has just wet the bed. On days like that, I get frustrated and I just say to myself, "I'm grouchy or I'm tired." Fortunately for me, the kids never let me stay that way long. They will unknowingly say something hilarious or ask me to do something that makes me feel better. Recently I was exhausted on a Thursday afternoon. I was ready to pack it in and head home, but then I told the kids that our church was hosting homeless ladies that night. "We have to go!" Claire said. Tired or not, I turned around and took us to church. We were blessed and I wasn't grouchy any more. Darn those kids always making me a better person! (intentional exclamation point.)

Thankful Tuesday July 19, 2011

2011-07-19T05:15:00.000-07:00

Good morning to cyberspace! Today is Tuesday, when I count 10 of my blessings. If I counted all my blessings, you would literally be reading this all day, so I limit it to ten a week.

This week I am thankful for:

1. Electricity
Adam's cousin John came and worked on our electricity on Saturday. He's a master electrician, so he rewired part of the house and installed a new circuit breaker box. Apparently the box we had could have been featured on Antiques Roadshow. Because he and Adam were working on the electricity all day on Saturday, we didn't have any power for most of the day. When the air conditioner came back on, I sent up a prayer of thanks that we have lights and air conditioning that work.

2. No electricity
Yes, while I am very grateful for the prescence of electricity, I was also glad that we didn't have it for almost a whole day. No dishwasher, computer, or lights. I had no choice but to ignore all my chores and play with the kids. I couldn't clean house so we had to go swimming. Poor us.

3. Cloud formations
The sky always holds a new and exciting shape. I love staring at the sky and drawing pictures in my mind of what the clouds represent.

4. Family games
Our family, even little Paul, loves to play UNO. We have this awesome version called UNO Attack! where the cards shoot out you instead of drawing from a stack. The entire family loves strategizing against each other. Paul gets so excited when he can skip one of us. Claire loves the "trade hands" card.

5. Wal-Mart as a Spiritual Practice
I just finished re-reading An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor. It is a beautifully written book about becoming concious of God in your everyday life. She discusses spiritual practices that remind us that we are human. I was spurred to begin viewing Wal-Mart shopping as a spiritual practice.
When I shop at Wal-Mart, I am reminded that I am no better than the toothless cashier or the woman with her underwear hanging out the bottom of her shorts. I, too, am a Wal-Mart shopper and a human and we are all equal. On Friday, I was delighted that the Wal-Mart cashier was able to fill in the missing lyrics to the "Dear Liza" song. I'm fairly certain that a Target cashier won't hold up her line to sing you five verses of "There's a hole in my bucket, Dear Liza."

6. Postal Workers
It is humbling to me to see our postlady walking in pants through our yard with a towel on her shoulder to wipe her forehead and a smile on her face as she brings us mostly junkmail. She is walking and walking in 100+ degree heat to bring us junkmail. God bless her.

7. Good neighbors
Yesterday morning the doorbell rang at 7:45 a.m. It was our neighbor from down the street, Loretta, who was going out of town and didn't want her fruit to spoil. She brought us her fruit and leftover donuts from her church instead of just pitching them. Later that day, Paul fell on his bicycle and another neighbor ran out with an icepack for his injured hand.

8. Memberships
Last week I was trying to let the kids pick whatever they wanted to do. They wanted to go to the zoo. At noon. On a day I was wearing pants. In 106 degree heat. We went, but we only lasted 45 minutes. I was so grateful that the trip wasn't a waste of money since we have a membership. The next day we went to the museum and used another membership where we could enjoy air-conditioned entertainment.

9. Educational placemats
We recently got Claire a placemat that was a map of the United States. (Paul's hasn't arrived yet.) Every meal she reviews what states she knows the names and locations of. I might not be able to list all 50 states and place them on a map, but I'm going to make sure my children don't have the same problem.

10. Post-It notes and flags
There are few books that I read that don't have a Post-It note in them where I have taken notes or marked a meaningful passage. When I plan my meals, I put Post-Its on the recipes in the cookbooks I will use. Post-Its really make my life easier.

Thankful Tuesday

2011-07-12T04:50:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's Tuesday again and time to count my blessings.

Today I am thankful for:

1. Synchronized wakeups
This morning I had planned on trying to get up at 5, but both dogs and Paul started making noise at 4:45 a.m. A little early, but I was very appreciative that they did it at the same time and I was able to sleep uninterrupted until then.

2. The excitement of small wonders
A couple of days ago, Paul asked about the washing machine, so I held him up and put a screwdriver in a hole to trick the machine to start working without the lid. We stood there for almost 10 minutes just watching it fill up with water and rotate. He was captivated and I was aware, once again, of what a miracle it is that we have a machine that washes our clothes for us.

3. Xerox machines
File this under the small wonders category. Claire was asking what they do the other day and I spent some time explaining it. This caused me to think and appreciate what a miracle it is that you put one paper on top and then identical papers come out of the machine.

4. Free activities
There are many free activities in our area for kids and we are thankful. The kids even get excited when they hear the word "free" because they know it's something I won't say no to. We've visited the Kimbell Art Museum's permanent collection several times this summer. The kids like to talk about what is happening in the paintings. It's air-conditioned and it's FREE!

5. Mouse cars
Claire has requested that we attach ears and a tail to my Jetta, but it wouldn't quite be as cool as the Truly Nolen exterminator cars that look like mice.

6. Songs that bring you back
For every season of my life, there is a song that reminds me of it. Hearing the Dire Straits or the Eagles reminds me of quiet nights of dinner and playing cards with my family growing up. Hearing the Toadies reminds me of the college nights Adam and I attempted to play pool at Gilligan's.

7. The power to limit quantity and still be satisfied
On Saturday, we took the kids to Lone Star Park to see the horseraces. We stayed for about two hours in the sweltering heat. The horse races continued, but we were beat, so we went home and were satisfied. Last night we introduced the kids to Slurpees with their own individual cups filled halfway. Sure we could have stayed for every horse race and filled the kids' cups up to the brim, but then we would have had exhausted and cranky kids one day and hyper kids another. Instead we had perfectly content children. It's about quality, not quantity.

8. Staying home
Yesterday we stayed home all day. We took the dogs for a walk, played at the park, splashed in the kiddie pool, I scraped paint, we all went swimming in the big pool, painted our toes, read books, took a short nap, and a few other activities.  When it's so easy to be busy, it's also a blessing to be able to be at home.

9.  Sprinkler systems
This weekend our neighbor was watering his grass by hand. I'm sure he was doing it for hours, but I didn't stay to watch the entire event. I am thankful for our sprinkler system. While it's fun to water my special plants, it's also nice to have green grass without labor on my part.  (Of course, Adam will argue that the green grass is plenty of labor on his part, but he's not writing this blog.)

10. The power to say yes
We're certainly not lottery winners, but it makes me happy to be able to buy the children items they need and sometimes items they just want. Claire had been asking for a tutu for about a month. As a rule, I don't just buy her what she asks for every time because she often changes her mind and I don't want to waste money. Last week I got her a bright yellow and pink tutu from Costco and she was tickled pink. It makes me happy that Adam and I are able to purchase some items for the kids that they really want and all the items they really need. When I was buying school uniforms last week, I said a prayer of thanks that we had the ability to get those, because they are not cheap. Many families will struggle this school year with keeping their kids clothed in uniforms and we are blessed to not have that problem.

What I've learned recently

2011-07-11T06:52:00.000-07:00

It is said that you learn something new everyday. Usually, that's true for me. Here are some things I have learned in the past few days.

1. South Sudan is now its own country.
Since Sudan won its independence from Britain more than 50 years ago, there's been strife between the North and South, revolving around religious beliefs and natural resources. There has been lots of bloodshed and tragedies amidst several peace declarations. Finally the northern and southern parts of the country have officially separated, hopefully, leading to peace.

2. Burnett Park has an awesome spiderweb climby thing.
Recently we were downtown and noticed this park. Since the kids are into Parkour and Ninja Warrior, they especially liked the spider web you can climb in the middle of downtown. We have now made two special trips to this park and then rode the free trolley around as well. I don't think the trolley goes to the park, but if it's not too hot, you can walk to the nearest stop.

3. You can buy individual serving packages of blueberries at Costco.
Each pack contains only delicious blueberries, and for on the go in the heat, it's perfect.

4. Kids' agendas are not the same as adults.
I took the kids to the zoo last week and asked them what they wanted to see. Claire requested elephants and Paul requested a train ride. From where we were standing, we started with the elephants. I thought that would lead us through a trip through the entire zoo and then a ride back on the train. Nope, just the elephants was all that was needed for Claire. So we saw the elephants and then walked over to the train and then played at the indoor zoo playground in Texas Wild. Both kids were completely satisfied and not concerned that we skipped the lions, tigers, bears, and nearly every other animal at the zoo. I was dreading all that hiking in the heat, and we didn't even do it. I often forget that their standards and agendas are different than mine. They think outside of the box much easier than I do.

5. The Wal-Mart greeters have free cookie stickers.
Yep, that cute senior citizen at the front door of Wal-Mart is holding out on you if they are not giving your kids the little blue stickers that say "free cookie." If they don't offer, ask.

6. Buy school uniforms now.
When we registered Claire for school two weeks ago, the secretary said, "I'm going to give you some advice." I was expecting something educational about how to prepare my daughter for kindergarten. I nearly told her I knew it all because I was a teacher just a few years ago. Thank goodness I kept my trap shut and listened because she told me not to wait to buy uniforms. She said that if you don't buy them as soon as you see them, they sell out and are not restocked due to season changes. The other day we grabbed some skirts at Wal-Mart and debated buying more. When we went back to the rack five minutes later, they were gone. Apparently if parents wait until the tax-free weekend in August, they're out of luck.

Thankful Tuesday

2011-07-05T14:45:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday again and it's time to count my blessings!

Today I am thankful for:
1. Clerks that meet you at the door.
Standing halfway in the heat of the summer and halfway in the air conditioning, I am thanikful today for these people who greet you as soon as you walk in the door. At Wal-Mart, few things are as exciting for the kids as the door greeter who sings to them and offers stickers worth free cookies. At Costco, the kids fight over who gets to show the membership card to the door greeter. At church, the kids can't wait to race to hug the senior citizen who is greeting that week. Today I am thankful for the cheery door greeters that set the tone of entering a place with joy.

2. Freedom for limiting social schedules.
Each day I make specific decisions about the kids schedules. We could go to the zoo, the museum, the library, a friend's house, or 1,000 other possibilities. With so many options at our disposal, I rejoice in the fact that we can set our own schedules and that we can say no when we don't want to do something or become overwhelmed. Yesterday for the Fourth of July, our family stayed home together and started working on getting the house ready to paint. The kids were in bed by 7:30 and I followed at 10. We did fireworks on Saturday and I rejoiced that yesterday we had the freedom to stay home.

3. Sharing clothes
Adam's godmother brought a sack of clothing that she couldn't wear anymore. I love it when someone hands down clothes to me or the kids or when I am able to pass something along that someone else can wear. It's like shopping for free.

4. Surprise showers
Today on my way into church to work, Claire noticed that the sky wasn't as sunny as normal. I agreed, but dismissed it because it wasn't cloudy, it just wasn't extremely bright. A few minutes later I drove through a 30 second rain shower. If I hadn't been paying attention, I might have missed it completely, but I was watching and got to enjoy the blessing of a summer rain, brief as it was.

5. The power to make home improvements
Yesterday as I stood on a stepladder scraping paint off our house exterior, I was grateful that I had the energy to do it. I am grateful that my arms can be raised above my head for long periods of time and that Adam and I both have the time and energy to paint the house. Granted, we have only just started and I might feel differently in a few days.

6. Sprinklers
While I was sweating it out scraping paint, the kids were in their swimsuits dancing in the sprinkler. Millions of people around the world struggle with access to fresh water. We are so blessed to be able to turn on the faucet for a drink, a shower, or even entertainment.

7. Real life TV
On Sunday night, Adam noticed He-Man was on TV. He recorded it so the kids could watch it and enjoy his favorite show from childhood. Knowing that our children are active and hands-on, he had the brilliant idea of bringing the He-Man characters into the living room for the kids to play with while they watched the show. What ended up happening was the kids tuned out of the show and began to make their own storylines with the He-Man figurines. I love that our children's imaginations override their desire to watch TV.

8. Sportsmanship
Last Thursday was Paul's last basketball game. I was so grateful for the other parents who helped encourage Paul, by far the youngest player on the team. I was grateful for his teammates who didn't seem to notice that he was a foot shorter than everyone else and not quite as coordinated. I was grateful for his coach who assigned him playtime on an incoming ball again and again and never lost patience. I was also grateful for referees who tried to teach the children to play fair and interceded when the ball was stolen from Paul. Lastly, I was grateful for the single basket shot by my favorite three year old in the last game.

9. Private fireworks shows
We love fireworks, but I hate crowds. Several years ago, Adam started shooting fireworks at his uncle's house in Chandler. It's in the country, so it's legal. As the years have gone by, Adam and his cousin John have gotten close to professional on their fireworks display put on just for the family. No crowds to fight, and we got to go in the air conditioning as soon as it was over. It was spectacular.

10. Carpet cleaners
Last week we had two dogs that had some stomach issues. When they were finally well, I steam-cleaned the carpet with my own appliance. For just the cost of detergent, the carpet is fresh and clean. Everyone in the house is grateful for that.

Thankful Tuesday

2011-06-28T05:03:00.000-07:00

Aloha! Welcome to Tuesday! I've been up since 4:30 a.m. this morning, so my brain is wide awake and supercharged on caffeine. From my bed, I was looking forward to coming to the computer to do this.

Today I am thankful for:
1. Big toes.
My feet aren't very pretty. They're large I run around the house barefoot, so they're not exactly smooth. However, today (and yesterday I was thinking about this) I am thankful for big toes. Not only do they hold me up, they provide a giant canvas for my kids' painting abilities. Where would I be without my big toes? Probably sitting down.

2. Snuggling.
I am blessed to live in a house full of snugglers. Whether it's a kid that got in bed in the middle of the night, a dog who wants to get close, or my husband, I love it when I'm lying in bed half asleep with someone against me. This morning I woke up to find Capt. Midnight Sugar Dot Express curled up on my belly. Snuggling makes me happy.

3. Birds in the city.
We live in a city, so we've got concrete all around, but we still have tiny sparrows that hop on our driveway and cheep at me. This morning I was walking Sugar Dot and I saw a male cardinal. I love that in the midst of the city, there is still wildlife.

4. Adam's brain.
While I have been eagerly working on teaching the kids to read and write, Adam has recently bought several tools to teach the kids about evolution. That's something I don't know much about and I'm grateful that his brain can handle all that left-brained stuff. I'm great at imparting curiousity about the world, and I'm thankful that I can often defer to him for the answers.

5. Children's prayers
Of their own accord, the kids stopped saying "God is great" and started making up their own prayers. There's nothing sweeter than hearing Claire say, "Thank you God for the wonderful world and all our friends and all the food on our table." or Paul saying, "Thank you God for all my friends that brought me birthday presents." Yesterday Claire's table blessing included gratitude for her scrapbook kit, which she explained. "Thank you God, thank you Spirit, for my scrapbook kit that we can stick letters on and order prints from Costco to put in my book with other decorations and bind the entire thing together in a book."

6. A healthy body
While I'm not winning any beauty contests, I am grateful that my body is fully functional and I've never had any major health problems.

7. Stickers
Last week I took both kids to the doctor for their wellness exams. Claire had to have four shots and both children had blood drawn for lead testing. Both kids screamed, but once they had fancy band-aids and a reward sticker, the pain seemed to be over. Stickers are magic, just as magic as fancy band-aids.

8. Beating the alarm clock
I can think of few sounds more annoying and dissonant than an alarm clock. Today I woke up before I had to listen to mine. It makes for a much more peaceful wakeup time.

9. Success in imparting wonder and appreciation in my kids
When I was growing up, my parents, in particular, my mother, loved to make fun of others. I don't know how it started or why, but I was a participant for a long time. As I grew older, though, I realized that I didn't want to be critical of others. So even though, to this day, I can still hear her in my head laughing at those who are different, the voice stays in my head and doesn't come out my mouth. What does come out of my mouth, for the most part, is intentional appreciation for those who are different. For example, at church on Sunday, a lady wore an elaborate bright silver headwrap. Claire said, "Look at that lady's head." So instead of laughing about it, I intentionally directed the conversation in another direction. "That's pretty cool," I said. "I wish I had a silver headwrap to wear to church." Claire said, "Yeah, that would be neat, like a princess crown."
Although Claire doesn't recognize that as a victory, I do.

10. Perfect timing
This week I am thankful for all the times in the past seven days that we have made it on time to an event. It takes a lot to get the whole family clean, dressed, and fed, and I breathe a sigh of relief and gratitude when we succeed.

Seeing a miracle

2011-06-24T05:03:00.000-07:00

I saw a miracle yesterday and it lead to all sorts of theological thoughts and debates.
I was driving to church to take the kids to VBS. We were about to turn onto Hulen street when I noticed there was a giant tanker truck in the middle of the road, stopped. The truck looked fine, and I know there is not any road construction at that intersection, so I started paying attention to what was going on. Then I noticed there was a Grand Prix underneath the tanker truck. There was a car completely under the wheel well of this giant truck. We all hear about tragic wrecks like this which usually end in death.
But as I was looking at the car the miracle happened. The driver's side door opened and the driver got out of her car and walked safely to the side of the road unharmed.
My mouth hung open and the kids were shouting, "What's going on?" The Grand Prix was obviously undrivable and the roof had been partly crushed down. But the lady walked out of the wreck unscathed. It was a miracle.
So while the kids, in particular Claire, was saying, "Thank God she was okay," I thought about God's role in that drama.
I do believe that the lady should thank God that she is alive. I'm sure she was. However, I don't actually believe she is alive because she might have prayed in the accident or was favored by God. I don't think it works like that.
I believe God has infinite power that he doesn't always use. I don't believe that he looked at the lady and said, "Oh she's a Jesus lover. She should live." I also don't believe that in the same situation God would think, "Oh, she's a hellion. Death upon her."
I believe that God stays out of the details but comes in with love at every turn.
My thoughts led to a theological discussion with one of my ministers, who told me he is mulling over the phrase "self-limiting." God has infinite power but values human freedom so much that he chooses to self-limit. Jesus is the ultimate example of God self-limiting. The divine came down in human form, self-limiting himself (or herself or itself).
So if God created humans to fellowship with him, it's not really fair if he keeps swooping down to fix the bad stuff. Instead, I believe he provides healing and love in all situations. I believe that every time you feel love, you are experiencing God.
I do believe in miracles, and I also believe that in the grand scheme of things, my little brain will never be able to understand all of God's power. However, humans are always asking why bad things happen to good people and this is one answer.

Thankful Tuesday

2011-06-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday again and it's time to be thankful!

Today I'm thankful for:
1. Random statements of faith
As a person who is often caught saying, "Because I love Jesus" as a motivation, it makes me smile and often laugh to see other wackos who randomly spout their faith. This weekend I saw a handwritten sign scrawled on notebook paper and scotch-taped to someone's bedroom window that said, "Smile. God loves you." I did. I also giggled at the hotel marquee with the scrolling letters, "Cable TV. Free continental breakfast. Pool. Jesus loves you."

2. Naptime/downtime
Although we don't get to take a nap daily any more, I cherish the moments when the house is still and calm and everyone is at peace with the world.

3. Vacation Bible School teachers
This week is Vacation Bible School at our church, which also means that it's the week that our niece Morgan comes to visit. I've been hiding out in my office working on other things, but outside my door, I can hear the teachers patiently asking each child, "Do you need to go potty?" One teacher is even working with a leg brace and I heard her shout today, "Slow down! My runner's broke!" That's pretty awesome when you can't even walk well and you are devoting your week to teaching children for free.

4. Accountability friends
Recently I said complained to my friend Stacy about something petty and she said, "Really Sarah? That's about the third time I heard you talk about that in three days." Oops. I am grateful for being surrounded by people that love me and also call me to task when I need it. Adam is great at doing that.

5. Mail
I never know what the mailman will bring. It's always exciting when it's a card from a friend or a coupon to Kohl's.

6. The easy-going nature of Paul's basketball team
It's Paul's first season in basketball, and I am grateful that every parent and the coach for his team is not competitive. Obviously at three years old he's not going to be a superstar on the court, but every action on the court is supported with a high five or a "Go Paul!" None of the parents on our team yell at their kids for not getting the ball or make otherwise negative remarks. We wanted this to just be a fun time for Paul without any stress and it certainly is.

7. Lightening
I woke up last night in the middle of the night to let the dogs out and saw a fantastic lightshow in the sky. It was beautiful and worth losing sleep over.

8. Hotdogs
They're portable. They're easy to cook. They can be eaten outside. I like the carefree nature of the hotdog. (I've been grilling a lot lately for all the birthdays we've had around here.)

9. The end of birthday season
This past weekend was Father's Day and Paul and Adam's birthdays. A few weeks before that was Claire's, and a few weeks before that was mine. I am glad that our spring birthday season is over and we don't have any parties to plan for the foreseeable future.

10. flickr
I'm in charge of maintaining our church's website. The problem is, when I'm uploading photos, I have to create a new webpage for each image. It takes FOREVER! This weekend I noted that our new senior pastor used flickr for her former church. Now I have created a flickr account for us and can upload all the pictures at once and simply put a link on our website. It's fantastic!

Going Green with Grandparents

2011-06-15T05:11:00.000-07:00

It's now hip to bring your own bags to the grocery store, to recycle, and to repurpose items. "Going Green" is much in style. This is not a new concept, however. I believe that throughout human history, people have been "going green." I know both sets of my grandparents did as they grew up during the Great Depression.
My maternal grandma has always been a saver and reuser. She fills up her ketchup bottles with packets from restaurants. She collects napkins and cuts them in half when she has company for dinner. She freezes everything, including candy bars and bread. I have witnessed her more than once dig through her kitchen trash to rescue a piece of plasticware that a careless family member threw away.
My paternal grandfather is also a person who has always been "green." Recently at his house I saw him spraying nose spray on his eyeglasses. I asked him about that and he informed me that when he ran out of nosespray he refilled the bottle with windex to clean his eyeglasses.
He doesn't cut napkins in half, but he uses them meal after meal until I sneak and throw them away. He buys his mops at the dollar store, but still removes the mop heads and washes them rather than buy a new mop.
Everything is repurposed at my granddad's house. An Ensure can doubles as a spittoon. An empty juice bottle is refilled with water in case of emergency water cut off. My deceased grandmother's glasses fit his face just fine. Expired milk is drank up to a week later. Frozen dinner trays are washed and kept like fine china. Clothes are mended again and again rather than buying new ones. He's always working on a handyman project around the house like using a hairdryer to melt PVC to mold it so it fits on the shelves in the bathroom.
I must say that both sets of my grandparents have rubbed off on me. At our home, we sometimes have two 60 gallon bins full of recycling. We repurpose unique packaging for crafts. If bananas turn brown, I freeze them for muffins. I have my own chest freezer full of oddities like bread and chocolate chips. Rather than throw out leftovers, I freeze them before they go bad.
While I must admit I have giggled at my grandparents' ways more than once, it seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same. The apple doesn't fall far from the freezer.

Thankful Tuesday

2011-06-14T05:04:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday again, which means it's time to list what I'm thankful for. What's great about doing this every week is that I start to be more concious of gratitude during the week. I'll be in the midst of doing something and think, "Man, I have got to put this on my list!"

Today I am thankful for:

1. Funerals
Yesterday we went to a funeral to say goodbye to Adam's distant aunt, Oma Greer. This was our third funeral to attend in the last two months. We love old people, and one of the downsides to being friends with lots of old people is that you have many funerals to attend. We always make an effort to attend the funeral so we can see friends we haven't seen in a while and offer condolences to the family in person. While it's great to send a sympathy card, in my opinion, it's better to give a hug in person. We always take the kids with us, too. While it is stressful to keep your kid quiet during a funeral, the mourning family always thanks us for bringing them. It's comforting to them to see cute kids that care about their loved one. It's good for the kids, too, to learn that death is a fact of life and that we should be grateful for each other while we can.

2. Good books
This weekend I finished the latest Outlander novel, An Echo in the Bone. Each book in this series is gigantic--about 600 pages each. However, the author sucks you in and makes the characters so real that you feel like you know them. I highly recommend Diana Gabaldon.

3. Google Calendar
This year Adam and I put all our events on Google Calendar. This solved many marital disputes about scheduling. Adam puts his events on there and I put the family events on and we can check it from anywhere. The paper calendar in the kitchen is now obselete, but we also don't argue about "When were you going to tell me about this party?"

4. Small wonders
We got Capt. Midnight Sugar Dot Express Boyette his first tag the other day. Petsmart has a machine at the front of the store that uses a laser to engrave. All four of us were huddled in front of it, fascinated at the technology. What I love about kids is that they bring a sense of wonder to everyday activities. Sometimes we have to make a U-turn just to see road construction. Other times we have to huddle over a small machine to watch it work.

5. Chick-fil-A
If you haven't had a Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit, you are missing out.

6. Dallas Mavericks
What a fantastic series between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat. Adam and I watched each game with excitement. Yes, he had to wake me up when I fell asleep, but I was still excited. We love watching sports where both teams are equally good.

7. Adam's copy-editing skills
Adam reads the paper every day and gets frustrated at errors that the Dallas Morning News copy editors missed. When he sees enough of them, he writes a letter to the appropriate editor and usually gets an acknowledgement of his correctness. I am grateful that I have a copy editor that lives with me who can proofread everything I put to print. (Except this blog, so if you see errors, they are mine.)

8. Words with Friends
Yes, I'm probably addicted to this game, but it's pretty awesome when you put down two letters and get 30+ points. Plus, it makes me feel smarter.

9. Air-conditioning
We replaced our AC last Labor Day weekend, and we are so grateful. I can't imagine living in a time when there wasn't air-conditioning. I truly thank God every time I walk in the house and am hit by a burst of cool air.

10. Cool Band-Aids
Nothing heals an injury as quick as a character band-aid. Maybe a kiss from Mom, but it might be a tie. I love giving the kids a band-aid and having them, instead of cry about their injury, start saying, "Awesome! Lightning McQueen!"

Two "Aha!" moments this week

2011-06-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

Twice this week I was upset with myself and figured out I was the problem. I had an "aha!" moment twice. Here's what hit me on the head this week:

1. The need for community, again.
One of my personal soapboxes, and something I've blogged about a few times, is what I believe is an intrinsic need for community. I think everyone has this need. What happens is that when a person separates themselves from a support network, they start looking inward. Then they only see themselves and their problems become the only problems in the world and they magnify. If one disconnects with society, small issues become great big ones. I see this again and again in my world and see people reaching out less and less because they can write on one another's "wall" or text each other.

The problem is that I can easily see this issue in others, but recently failed to see it in myself. Because it's now summer, I'm less involved at church and socially. I decided to take some time off various groups that I'm in. But Wednesday night, I made myself go see a movie with some friends I hadn't hung out with in a while. I was overwhelmed with a sense of love and friendship and had to remind myself that just because it's summer, I still need to be engaged. It's humbling to hear about a friend's sick baby or ill grandparent and be reminded that I am not the only one in the world with problems. I love it when I get bonked on the head and realize, it's not all about me.

2. The need to advocate for myself
Yesterday I was in a hurry at Costco. We were having company last night and I had to buy some last minute supplies. When I got up to the register, one of the front end managers was leaning on the check-writing stand talking to the cashier's assistant/bagger/boxer/whatever you want to call him. Instead of asking her to move, I politely and quietly waited while she finished her conversation and got out of the way. Then I stepped up to the stand and wrote my check. Once I was finished checking out, I realized that my items were not boxed and that the guy hadn't even asked me if I wanted boxes. I was mad because I had a lot of items. But then I was mad at myself because if I had spoken up at the beginning and called the manager to task, the helper would have been paying attention to me instead of her and I would have been happy with the end result. So again I got bonked in the head and had an "aha" moment.

This week I will pay attention and advocate for myself.

The Last Seven Days

2011-06-08T05:52:00.000-07:00

Today's blog is a run-down of what we've been doing the last week. Above you see a picture of Lyndale the Literary Lion. We met him last week at the library. Apparently Lyndale is a full-time librarian in Dallas. He's an excellent presenter for kids. He had all the kids rapping along with him. It was pretty awesome. We've been rocking out to his CD, which was only $5. And guess what? He's on i-tunes!

Later on that night, Adam was riding his bike around the neighborhood and then found this awesome sight. At the church by our house, they had Christian gangsta rap blasting out their doors and fires in the parking lot. I believe the name of the band was the John 8 Crew, but I couldn't find them on Google.

So yeah, what these people had going on at their church actually made us come from blocks away. We heard about what was happening and immediately got in our car and headed to the church. We toured the church and picked up all their literature. Unfortunately not one person spoke to us. I found that disappointing because we were trying to figure out what the occasion was, etc. And, if I have something cool at my church, I want to make sure everyone feels at home and knows the program. If the purpose of having gangsta rap blasting out your church is to draw people to church, that worked, but we were kind of disappointed after that. We left after hearing the hit "Feel the Holy Spirit Drop" and having a hot dog weiner thrown at our windshield by a little kid.

Here's a picture of Paul at basketball practice. Unfortunately I keep rotating this darn pic and it won't take. So my apologies for the crick in your neck.

We also attended a goodbye party for our friends the Leonard family. Here's Blake and Paul hanging out in the backyard. The Leonards were friends from church who are now friends from Baltimore.

Yesterday was Paul's first basketball game. He did well for a near three year old. I think all the kids at one time running for one ball intimidated him and he wasn't as aggressive as some, but he did shoot for a goal one time (missed) and said he had fun. His next game is tomorrow, so maybe he'll do better now that he knows what to expect.

Today is library day again, so who knows what the next seven days will hold? Excitement for sure.

Thankful Tuesday

2011-06-07T04:59:00.000-07:00

Today I am thankful for:

1. The Leonards
Bill, Leigh, Blake, and Ross are driving to their new home in Baltimore. Each family member is friends with us and a blessing in a different way, and they will be missed. Today I give thanks both for the family and the new roadtrip destination to go visit the Leonards.

2. Jo
One of my dearest friends is ill. We used to live next door to Jo Throckmorton and though we moved, we kept coming back to see her. She is hands down, the most grateful person I have had the pleasure of knowing. She's also the most gracious at dodging questions about her age. Jo is elderly, blind, and widowed, but thanks God for everything she has daily. Yesterday it was both humbling and eye-opening to me to see her at a rehabilitation hospital, frail in a wheelchair expressing gratitude. I think we often think of elderly people are eternal because they've been around all our lives. They aren't, though, and I'm going to conciously try to soak up all the Jo I can while I can.

3. Cuteness
Today is Paul's first basketball game. I believe that sums it up.

4. Listening friends
Yesterday our friend Alli invited us over for a pool playdate. The kids splashed on one end of the pool and Alli and I talked on the other. Due to schedule, it's been a long time since I've done that with anyone. I was grateful to go blah blah blah blah blah. And she listened!

5. Empathetic readers
My dear friend Stacy, who's put up with me for more than half my life now, is also one I'm thankful for. I can e-mail her a long list of stuff at 5 a.m. and she will read it all and respond. It's nice to have someone to send whatever's on my mind and have her reply in the same fashion, and not through a forward.

6. Captain Midnight Sugar Dot Express
We still haven't found his original owner after a week of actively looking for them. However, he's fun to play with and tolerates the kids quite well. Adam's not really grateful for getting bitten the other night, but I'm pretty sure they've made up. We'll put up new flyers this week, but we might just have a new family member.

7. Costco coffee
You can get a 32 oz bag for $10, and it's just as good as Starbucks beans. I love Costco!

8. Easy-going kids
Paul is currently asleep on the floor. Since we put him to bed last night, he's slept in his bed for a few hours, our bed for a few hours, the couch for a while, and now the floor. He's sleeping soundly. I love that the kids aren't picky.

9. Mama Joy and Papa Charles
They'll be over here soon to watch the kids while I go to church to work for a few hours. This young couple is our babysitters on call. We don't have family members that are able to babysit like that, so we are blessed with wonderful friends. Mama Joy always brings crafts to make with Claire and Papa Charles plays with Paul's trainset. We are all grateful for their friendship.

10. A Crystal-Clear Pool
I know I've mentioned the pool before, but today I am thankful for Adam's engineering of the perfect balance of chemicals. Our water is beautiful and crystal clear. From where I am sitting indoors, I can look out the window and see the bottom of the deep end. It is gorgeous. Besides being an ace at balancing a checkbook, my husband is awesome at balancing chemicals in the pool. He puts the ph in phool. (My apologies for the bad joke.)

Captain Midnight Sugar Dot Express Boyette?

2011-06-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was driving the kids and Kaa and Big Paul (Adam's godparents) home from basketball practice when we saw an elderly lady standing on Granbury Rd. crying. That's a major road in Fort Worth, so we were trying to figure out what was wrong. Then we saw a tiny black Chihuahua dodging cars.
The dog was running fast, and we followed him with the car, but when he crossed the street, I pulled over and started chasing him. Kaa said it looked like I was a track star.
Traffic stopped and I chased the dog across Granbury and down the railroad tracks. I finally cornered him under a bush and then Big Paul appeared to help. With the help of a leash from a neighbor, and a few bites, we got a hold of the dog. I was so happy to help a little old lady get her precious baby back.
Panting as if it was our last breath, we walked the dog back toward the elderly woman. Turns out, she was gone. Apparently it wasn't her dog at all, but she was the first one to nearly hit the dog with her car and she was upset.
So now we're hunting for the owners of a precious black Chihuahua, whom the kids have named Captain Midnight Sugar Dot Express Boyette. We've been to Petsmart and verified he does not have an ID chip. We've been to the local vet who doesn't recognize him. We've posted signs around the neighborhood. I can't say that we are looking forward to finding his owners, because we've grown attached. If there's a family looking for him, we'd be glad to return him, but if there's not, he's got a home here.

Thankful Tuesday May 31, 2011

2011-05-31T04:49:00.000-07:00

I've lost count of my Thankful Tuesdays, so I'll just go with the date.

Today I am thankful for:
1. Pool parties -- the mess stays outside. We served kids ice cream on Saturday with the option of jumping in the pool to get off the sticky afterward.

2. Claire Bear-- She's five now! She's a big help around here and a good example for her little brother Paul.

3. Kaa and Big Paul -- Adam's godparents are here visiting. They bring their own RV, lots of food and wine, and they clean our house! They are amazing and I am grateful. Yesterday Paul spent hours scrubbing my stove. The only time I've seen it that clean was the last time he did it.

4. Grocery stores-- Yesterday I ran some errands with Kaa and we ended up stopping at two different grocery stores, both within four miles of my house. I kept whining that I didn't know where anything is in those stores and they didn't have my brand of wine, blah blah blah. I prefer to go to a different store, whine, whine, whine. But really, we are quite blessed to have so many grocery stores that we can actually be picky about it! There are people all over the world, even some in our area, who would love to be picky about grocery stores and have both the money and the opportunity to do so!

5. Inside jokes -- Yesterday my friend Stacy's stepmom asked me if Claire would eat a "nanner." She knew the silly joke Stacy and I have shared since high school. I love cheesy humor that just won't die.

6. Books -- Our entire family is blessed with a plethora of books overflowing every bookshelf we own. Any time Paul wants to learn about Tamarins or Claire wants to know about moos Mr. Brown can do, they can just grab a book off their shelf. Adam has books on history, evolution, and religious debates, so he can always educate himself. I have a mixture of everything, so whatever my mood is, I have a book to accomodate. Literature is important over here.

7. Personalized prayers -- A month ago, we started veering away from the "God is Great" rote prayers and started letting the kids come up with their own. It is so sweet to hear Claire thanking God for the beautiful flowers, her food, and the wonderful world. I love to hear Paul say, "Dear God, I love you so much!" I love that neither Adam nor I have ever given direction on what to say during blessings, but they come up with their own appropriate messages.

8. Spinach -- Everyone around here loves it, including the kids! If I ever overhear someone telling the kids that most people don't care for spinach, that person better brace themself for a whooping.

9. Wildlife out our window -- We live in the city, but our backyard is still teeming with wildlife. I love to watch the courtship rituals of squirrels and blue jays.

10. My brain -- To me, being smart is more important than being beautiful. I am so glad that I am blessed with intelligence and a love of learning. Without that, I just wouldn't be me.

Happy Birthday Claire!

2011-05-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday Claire!

Saturday was Claire's birthday, and we had parties all day. In the morning, we had all her kid friends over, and family came over with tons of food in the afternoon. We have countless pictures of family eating.
Claire is now five years old. With her birthday and the Mavs going to the playoffs, Adam and I have been reminiscing about the last time the Mavs were in the playoffs and I was birthing our first baby.
We are so proud of how smart and generous Claire is.
Two weeks ago, we were leaving a funeral and about to head out of town. We were on our way to Chick-fil-A for lunch when Claire spotted a homeless man with a sign on the side of the road. She asked what it said and I explained that the man was asking for food.
Claire: "I wish we had some food to give him."
Me: "I do, too, but we just cleaned all the snacks and toys out of the car."
Claire: "Well, why don't we buy him some food at Chick-fil-A?"
So we did. We drove back to give it to him. Claire rolled down her window and gave him the food and drink himself. As we made a u-turn and headed home, we spotted him under the bridge chowing down and drinking his lemonade as fast as he possibly could. Claire said it made her happy to see that. Me, too.
In the last two weeks, she's really started reading as well. We bought some Bob early readers from Half Price Books and she's been hard at work reading them. She'll be in kindergarten in just a couple of months, and she's ready.

Happy birthday to my favorite five year old!

Gardening

2011-05-26T05:46:00.000-07:00

Several of my friends have traditional gardens in their backyard, but I've always struggled with that. We don't really have a place for a garden, with the pool, the playset, the deck, and the trampoline. I also don't have a rototiller to dig up the dirt to get it ready. Although I've wanted to garden for a long time, these details have impeded me.
This year I decided to poo-poo traditional. I'm successfully gardening in every terra-cotta pot I own. We've got lavendar, tomatoes, cilantro, okra, squash, and bell pepper. None of it has been ready to harvest yet, but I think we'll be able to eat a tomato by this weekend.
What I love about gardening, is that it is a lot like my church--full of love. When I look outside, I see the aloe vera that my late grandmother started in pots and that I have continuously repotted and shared with others. I see the Rose of Sharon bush that grew from a seed from my great uncle. We've got a beautiful hot pink oleander bush that was a housewarming gift from my grandparents. There's mint, marigolds, and lamb's ear from our friend Ann-Marie. And I've got my daisies which I planted from seeds five or six years ago. Those make me happy every time I see them.
So like the church, I am filled with love every time I interact with my potted garden. When the plant grows out of a pot, I share it with others. If I fail to water and pay attention to the plants, they die just like a relationship that's not cultivated.
Excuse me while I go water my church.

Paul's Basketball Team

2011-05-25T06:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Paul had his first basketball practice. The YMCA has basketball for 3-4 year olds, and while he's not quite three, he'll get there during the season, so they let us slide. It exciting to see him play with the other children and make some baskets. We were quite impressed. The above picture is him stretching with the team and coach.

Here he is practicing passing with another dad. I told you it was darn cute!

Here's a picture that will be worth something one day. Paul William Boyette's first basket. I can't wait for his first game to see him in a jersey running up and down the court!

Thankful Tuesday Number Five, I Think

2011-05-24T05:12:00.000-07:00

Hello! I've been out of the blogosphere for a few days because we took an anniversary trip to Fredericksburg. Lots of shopping and wine and fun.
That leads me to my Tuesday thanks list.

1. Dog-sitters and Babysitters
This week I am thankful for my friends the Carlton family, who watched Wesley Eugene over the weekend. I'm also grateful for Adam's sisters for both watching and thoroughly entertaining the kids all weekend. The list of what the kids did is long...horse-riding, tea party, trampoline ring-around-the-rosy, and on and on. Thanks to all of you!

2. Stacy and Matt
I would like to also extend thanks to Stacy and Matt, who went with us to Fredericksburg. We had a lot of fun, and they even bought dinner one night. Love, love, love them.

3. Adventurous eaters
According to Adam's mother, he was raised on PB&J, Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese, and pepperoni pizza. I am proud of everyone in my house, all with expanding taste-buds. Last night we ate spinach salad and Greek goulash with gnocchi noodles. It was healthy and everyone ate it. I won't say it was a make-again recipe, but I am proud of my adventurous eaters. Claire and Paul even had seconds on salad!

4. The garage
Yesterday we had hail and my car stayed dry and damage-free in the garage. I was also able to load the kids up during a rainstorm without getting wet. We are blessed.

5. Growing things
We are successfully growing lavendar, cilantro, tomatoes, squash, okra, bell peppers, and daisies. This is my most successful gardening year ever!

6. Ann-Marie
Preschool is out, and I didn't have anywhere to take the kids so I could work. Luckily, our friend Ann-Marie was actually thinking about watching kids over the summer so she could pull out all her old teaching supplies. Every Tuesday the kids will now go to Ann-Marie's preschool....for free. We are all ecstatic.

7. Pandora
Last week I was trying to explain Vanilla Ice to the kids. Unfortunately I don't have him on my Ipod. Fortunately, there is Pandora Internet Radio, where I typed in a search for the classy rapper and instantly produced both that song and many more classic 90s dance hits. I was dancing all day.

8. The Blue Chair
When Adam and I were newlyweds, we splurged and bought him a recliner. It still sits in our living room and was the perfect chair for nursing babies, and is still pefect for rocking kids and reading, and doing my devotional each morning. It's so big and comfy, I can sit anyway I want to in it. I love that chair.

9. No flooding.
When we first moved into our home, the kitchen would flood during heavy rainstorms. We bought a little gadget for the door that basically looks like an absorbent snake. We have rarely had to mop up rain since then.

10. Ministers and new perspectives
Sunday was our senior pastor's last day at church. We love Dr. Rev. Jerry Chism, and will surely miss him. He's become family. Today, though, I get to meet our new senior minister, and I can't wait to see all the new perspectives and excitement she will bring.

Feliz Anniversario!

2011-05-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

Above you see some beautiful orchids, sent to me for my ten year anniversary with my hot husband.

Ten years ago today, I wore a white dress in a Baptist church and married my best friend Adam. We've changed a lot in the last ten years, but we've done it together.
Every major and most minor decisions in our marriage have been a collaborative effort. From changes between contacts and eyeglasses to car purchases, we talk about everything. We don't always agree, and in fact, are probably about 50/50 on agreeing on the little things, but we always see eye to eye on the big stuff. We also can have complete conversations across the room just by looking at each other and changing facial expressions.
This weekend we had the privilege of attending my cousin Lindsay's wedding. Of course weddings always make me sentimental and this one was so awesome it made me want to get married again. It was in the midst of all my family, everyone laughing and dancing together, that I really got a lump in my throat. Adam's such a good dad and husband. I can escape and just shout, "You're on kids!" and know that he'll handle it. He's unafraid and unashamed to do white-boy dancing with our daughter, Claire. It was his brilliant idea to let Paul wear his Spiderman costume to the reception.
We're pretty old fashioned. I cook all our meals and send him to work with coffee and a muffin, but that's how we function. I take care of all the food and kiss all the owies and he balances the checkbooks and fixes whatever I break. It works out well.
So today I celebrate and thank God for my husband. He makes me laugh, he makes me happy.

Gnomebody Knows

2011-05-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

We got home from preschool/church yesterday to find a present on the porch. It's a pair of gnomes. I have no clue where they came from, but they're pretty cute as far as gnomes go.
I have a sneaking suspicion my friend Ardis is to blame, but who knows. What I do know, is that I keep "knowing" who it is that left them and finding out that I don't know. The appearance of two gnome kids has spurred me to call several people I haven't called in a while and catch up. I still don't know who did it, but I do know what's going on in others' lives.

Thankful Tuesday Number Four

2011-05-17T04:26:00.000-07:00

Aloha! From my desk in the beautiful Texas weather, I am celebrating Thanksgiving and Tuesday again today.

This week, this is what I am thankful for:

1. A handyman husband
Not only is Adam extremely smart, he's also extremely talented at saving us thousands of dollars on fixing items around the house. I can't tell you how many times we've been in a bind and he's fixed the pool pump, or the toilet, sink, sprinkler system, electrical problems, etc., etc. Yesterday he did it again.

On the advice of his godparents, once a month, I have been draining the bottom gallon of the hot-water heater. Supposedly this removes sediments built up on the bottom and extends the life of the hot water heater. The problem is, we've lived here about seven years and only knew about this for one year. Apparently beginning maintenance on an already old appliance isn't such a smart idea.

Yesterday I did the draining thing but when Adam got home, it was dripping. He was tightening the knob I had loosened and it broke. Long story short, it took a few hours and lots of wasted buckets of clean water to get it fixed. Luckily it is fixed now and we don't have to replace it.

2. Kleenex.

When I was a child, I had terrible allergies. I took every medicine on the market and shots and still went through boxes and boxes of Kleenex. I remember my mom getting upset that I was using too many Kleenex because they weren't cheap back then. I am pleased to say that times have changed and Kleenex are cheap now. Also, the generic brands are much softer than they used to be. Hooray for cheap facial tissue!

3. My husband, again.

This week we will celebrate 10 years of marriage. Not only do I love how funny Adam is and that we can share an inside joke with just a glance across the room, I love that he gets me. It's wonderful being married to someone who is your opposite and strong in every way that you are weak. Since we've been married, I have written countless checks, but not had to balance the checkbook once. He is both empathetic when I am upset and holds me accountable when I'm wrong. Insert mushy gushy love stuff here.

4. God-incidents

Last week was full of them. From the reparation of a friendship to getting lost and ending up in front of the hospital to visit a dying friend, there were about 80 incidents last week that I thank God for.

5. My NookColor

For Christmas, Adam got me a NookColor. I love, love, love that I can think of a book title I want, look it up and download the book any time, day or night. It's like having a giant library branch at your house.

6. A Perfect Wedding

My cousin Lindsay got married this weekend. Claire was one of the flower girls. Both the ceremony and the reception were at the Botanic Gardens and everything was absolutely perfect. It was so much fun and so perfect that it made Adam and I want to go back in time and redo our wedding.

7. Clean Water

As I was dumping out the buckets of water pouring out of our hot water heater last night, I thought about all the people in the world who don't have access to clean water. All we have to do is touch a button and not only do we get clean water, we get to pick the temperature of it. We are blessed.

8. Free Babysitters

This weekend Adam and I will be taking a roadtrip to Fredericksburg for the weekend with our friends Stacy and Matt. I am so grateful that Adam's sisters are willing and able to watch the kids all weekend for the price of a souvenir.

9. Backyard Parties

Every year we don't have to debate what we will do for the kids' birthdays. We just open the back door and we automatically have a party. A pool, playset, and a trampoline makes for an excellent and affordable party.

10. Coupons

I probably saved $10 or more yesterday with my coupons. My grandmother taught me how to be an excellent coupon cutter, and I don't go to the store without them. It's pretty amazing that you can hand a cashier a piece of paper and all of the sudden you don't have to hand her as much money.

Life Truths

2011-05-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

In Gretchen Rubin's Book The Happiness Project, she lists "Splendid Truths." These are proverbs about life. You don't have to read her book to learn about them; I linked it up above. I've been trying to think about what my own life truths are, and I've come up with three.

1. Efficiency does not always equal productivity. I blogged about this one a few days ago.

2. Don't volunteer unless you really want to.
In the various groups I'm a part of, there is constantly requests for volunteers for any number of activities. A Life Truth I have learned, though, is that I shouldn't volunteer unless I want to do the action. If I volunteer unwillingly, or agree to do something I don't want to do because I was asked, I resent doing the action and don't do it well. If I say no, somehow, someone else always comes up and does it, usually with joy.
One example of this is at church in the Children's Sunday School area. I used to volunteer to be a substitute teacher for the kids' classes. When I did it though, it was work and I didn't really enjoy it. I missed the interaction in my adult Sunday school class. One day I was asked to do it and had double-booked myself, so I had to get Adam to teach for me. He loved it. He does a good job and enjoys it so much that he substitutes regularly now. So once I got my grumpy self out of the way, it allowed Adam to do it with joy. I love how that works out.

3. What you get upset about is in proportion to how big your world is.

When I was in high school, I actually got upset about who was chosen to pray at our bacclaureate program. I am ashamed to say, but I had a petition floating around, getting friends to sign a paper saying that the selected person wasn't "Christian" enough and that I would be a better choice. Nowadays that's laughable to me. There are a number of actions that I did in that situation that were not "Christian" enough. But the point is that my world was high school and church and so small details of life meant a lot to me. I cared passionately about the littlest things, like if my necklace clasp had sunk to the bottom of my pendant and who was praying for the class. My world was very small and I couldn't see out of it to a bigger picture.

When I was in college, I had a larger worldview and got upset about bigger issues like whether or not the president of the university was trying to suppress the freedom of the university press and whether or not I should get my belly pierced and was it okay to smoke a cigarette even if I didn't know how? Although my world had grown, it was still pretty small and centered on the most important person in the world; me.

After college, I got upset about items at the workplace. At my bookstore job, if someone put books in random places on the shelf, I was enraged. At school, we fought over how much copy paper each teacher had, and was someone pilfering it for personal use? The important things in life again weren't a part of the big picture. I giggle now thinking back...Had I been on my deathbed during that period, would I have confessed to taking some paper from the office?

Now, after having children, I have gained a little more perspective. If I lose friends because my hair is crazy or because my toenails were painted by a four year old, then those are friends that I don't want around anyway. Fashion, schmashion. If it's clean, I'll wear it.

My world has definitely grown. Part the growth is realizing how small my world is. I have concerns for people I can see and I can't identify yet with those from faraway places like Pakistan or Japan. I worry about the homeless man that gives me a bookmark each time I see him and making sure my friend from church has life essentials. I try to make sure my children are generous and caring and empathetic to those who are different from them. I am concious of sharing love with the Wal-Mart cashier or a frenzied friend.

So one thing I've learned about myself is that my concern for the little details in life fall away as I focus on the big details.

Efficiency and Productivity

2011-05-14T07:31:00.000-07:00

I am very efficient in just about every part of my life. From loading the dishwasher while waiting for coffee to brew, to abbreviating my sentences to not take up too much time talking, there is little in my life that is not accomplished through multi-tasking. I've been this way as long as I remember, and I've gotten better at it, or worse, depending on your perspective.
The reason I multi-task is so I can get said item done so I can relax and focus on the next thing. The problem is, even in relaxing, I'm multi-tasking.
Two nights ago, I had to get up at 2 a.m. to let Wesley Eugene, our dog, outside. While he was outside taking his sweet time, I was inside thinking of what short project I could accomplish while he was going potty and I was half-asleep. Then the thought occured to me, "Why can't you just sit down?" I started folding laundry standing up while I was mulling that one over. Then another thought occured to me, "Efficiency doesn't always lead to productivity." Obviously I'm blasphemous when I'm half- asleep. Everyone knows that the more efficient you are, the more productive you are.
But maybe that's not true.
I'm constantly on my feet cleaning house and getting stuff done, but if you came over right now, you wouldn't know that. What you would notice, though, is that I can't sit down and listen to you. I'm listening, but simultaneously I'm making my grocery list and folding laundry. I'll ask you to come talk to me in the kitchen while I wash dishes. I don't ever stop what I'm doing just to listen.
I believe this might be a problem. Over the last 48 hours, I have been paying attention to my multi-tasking and realized that I don't think I get more done by multi-tasking. In fact, I think actually that multi-tasking has lead me to a million unfinished projects rather than one done.
Yesterday there was a mother standing outside of Target asking for food and money for her children who were also next to her begging. I looked in my wallet and realized that it was a red-letter day and I had some cash I could give her. I evaluated the situation with my multi-tasking brain. Here's my inner dialogue.
"There's a woman over there that needs money. How can I take the least amount of steps to give her money, get my basket, and get to the bridal registry? I wish she was begging at this door so I could just give it to her here since I have to be on this end of the store anyway. Oh, and darn it, I do need coffee, which is on the other side of the store. I wish things were closer together. I wonder if that lady left. I'm sure it's against Target's policy to beg in front of their door. Maybe I shouldn't encourage it by giving her money. But she's a mother! How can I walk by with cash in my wallet and not give her money or food?"
So I parked on the far side of the store, where the bridal registry was, and walked all the way over to the beggar lady. Since I had already "wasted" time walking to the other end to give this lady money, I just handed it to her and walked off. She was grateful and tried to engage me in conversation. But no, I had already wasted "conversation time" by walking to the other side of the parking lot. I kept walking.
And then it hit me. Maybe she didn't just need money. Maybe she needed someone to see her and not ignore her and actually listen to her gratitude.
Unfortunately when this thought occured to me, I was already mapping my route through the store and I couldn't turn back.
So today I'm going to try to be less efficient and more in the moment.

God-incidents

2011-05-12T04:04:00.000-07:00

Sometimes everything falls into place so perfectly you know God had a hand in it.

Yesterday after Adam left for the airport, the kids slept in. This meant we didn't have time to walk to the library. We were sitting down eating chocolate chip pancakes when the doorbell rang.

A friend of mine, I'll call her "Betsy," was at the door. (I decided to give her a code name here not because she needs one, but because I've always wanted to give someone a code name.)

Betsy and I had been estranged, and although I wasn't mad at her, it appeared we wouldn't be able to be friends. The details don't matter.

What does matter is that Betsy was on my side of town to visit a different friend that lives in my neighborhood. She got lost and ended up on my street. She saw my house and took it as a sign from God she should come talk to me.

We mended our friendship and everything is fantastic. I am so proud of her, though, because that takes courage to ring the doorbell at a house of a "former" friend.

Talking with Betsy made us late to the library, which in turn, lead me to having a conversation with one of our librarians about umbrellas. Claire and Paul have super cute character umbrellas from Wal-Mart and we were talking about them when he mentioned he had forgotten that he needed to buy one. He told me that recently when feeding the homeless, a lady asked him if she could have his umbrella and he gave it to her. That left him umbrella-less in the rain.

After the library, we immediately went and bought Mr. Michael a new umbrella.

Last week I read Adam Hamiton's book "Why?" in which he states that he believes in both coincidences and "God-incidents." Yesterday was full of "God-incidents."

Adventures at the Hospital

2011-05-11T03:51:00.000-07:00

One part I love about being a mother is seeing the world through the kids' eyes. Everything is new and exciting.

Yesterday we went to Harris Hospital in downtown Fort Worth to visit our friend Richard. He's one of the greeters at church and one of our favorite people. Going to visit an old sick man at the hospital might not sound like an adventure to some, but those people would be wrong.

First we had the excitement of the parking garage. "We're getting higher and higher! We're in the sky now!"

We parked on the top level. Adam taught me to do that a long time ago. That way I always remember where the car is. At Harris, the top level also has a Careflite helicopter, which we got to see take off.

Then there's all the elevators. Up! Down! Woohoo! We like to split up the button pressing and one one kid will press the button outside the elevator and the other one will press the button inside the elevator. "Look! There's a window on the elevator and you can see outside!"

Then we went to see Richard and give everyone a hug. It was so touching watching his wife leaning over him to tell him that she loves him.

After our visit, we rode the elevator again...more fun!

Then we followed our noses to the popcorn machine where we got to watch popcorn popping and a magic trick performed by the popcorn volunteer.

After that we chucked some pennies in the fountain and stared at that for a while.

We followed that with a few laps in the revolving doors and then the trek back to the car. It was an adventurous afternoon.

Thankful Tuesday #3

2011-05-10T03:40:00.000-07:00

Today is the day of the week when I list what I'm thankful for. I have so much that I am able to do this once a week!

1. My new Ipod Touch -- While I didn't deserve or need this, I am very excited about it. Now I can put all my music on one Ipod and play Words with Friends. I haven't won a game yet, but I'm getting better!

2. Early morning wake ups -- I get so much more done in the day when I wake up at 5 a.m. See, I've already drank a large cup of coffee, done my Bible study, checked Facebook and e-mail, played Words with Friends, and blogged and it's only 5:48!

3. Dollar Tree -- My kids have run out of activities at my granddad's house. Apparently a box of broken toys from the 1960s doesn't hold the same allure as it once did. I took the kids to Dollar Tree on Friday before we went to my granddad's and felt like a millionaire there. "Sure, we can buy the kids tape! Sure you can have that coloring book and those pencils! Bubbles? Sure!" I loaded up on fun stuff to keep there and there was zero fighting that day. I was actually able to install a printer with no interruptions!

4. Ceiling fans-- You can raise the temperature on the AC thermostat and turn the fans on and not notice a difference. Money saved!

5. Cute babies -- While I will probably not have another one of my own, I have been surrounded by cute babies this week. It was Baby Sunday at church and I got to hold and squeeze nearly every one of them. Yesterday I got to hold another. Nothing compares to the hug you get from a fat baby.

6. Blooming daisies and growing tomatoes -- I have successfully kept my tomato plant alive and it has about five tomatoes still growing on it. I'm very proud of that plant that I bought already blooming at Wal-Mart. Cheating, I know, but fresh tomatoes will taste the same whether you cheated or not. Also, my favorite flowers are blooming in the backyard. I love daisies! They make me happy every time I look at them.

7. Our backyard -- Although you'd have to look hard to find a few feet of unobstructed grass in the backyard, we have it full of fun. A pool, trampoline, and a play set.....It's a kid's wonderland.

8. St. Augustine grass -- I love walking barefoot through our grass. No pesky cockle bur stickers, just soft grass.

9. My grill -- Last year my little gas grill pooped out and we got me a glorious new one. It's red and has five burners. I love it and use it almost every day during grill season.

10. A sleeping house -- Everyone, including Wesley Eugene, is sleeping peacefully right now. I will hopefully be able to catch up the laundry uninterrupted.

Mother's Day

2011-05-09T04:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Mother's Day and I had a delicious day. Adam brought me breakfast from Whataburger, we went to lunch at Mexican Inn and met his parents at Outback for dinner. There was church and a nap in between.

I don't know if it's Hallmark's fault or memories of my mother lounging on Mother's Day, but somewhere I got the idea that Mother's Day meant that I didn't have to lift a finger. In my mind, Mother's Day is like actually practicing the Sabbath. Oh no! I can't load that dishwasher! It's Mother's Day!

I had to force myself not to do small acts of work, and then at the end of the day, I wondered, what's the point? Making myself not hang those clothes was both difficult yesterday and more work I have to do today.

Where I got my sense of entitlement from, I don't know. While it's great to relax on Mother's Day, I should also use some common sense. There are other mothers in the world that don't get three meals served to them in one day, that actually have to go to work on that day, or women in other parts of the world who would laugh at a day for a mom to sit on her fanny.

At dinner last night, I sat next to my sister-in-law Amanda. I asked her what she received as a Mother's Day present. I was all ready to hear the sentimental actions and gifts she had received from our niece. Nope. She got nothing.

"Why?" I asked, mortified. I, by the way, got three meals, flowers, and an Ipod touch.

"I just don't need any more stuff," she said.

"Not even flowers?"

"No, the cats eat the flowers and they die in a couple of days anyway, so I told everyone to save their money."

That was quite humbling. Not only did she not receive any material gifts for Mother's Day, it was because she didn't want them. It was a small reality check for someone who got spoiled but didn't need it, either.

"Well, did you at least get to relax today?" I asked her, expecting that she, too, laid around and didn't lift a finger.

And those of you anticipating my reality check again, are right. Yes, my sister-in-law took her mother to the ER in the middle of the night. And she did a week's worth of laundry and cleaned the house. She also took her daughter to acting lessons on the other side of town. She had more she was going to do that night.

On the way home from dinner, I announced that Mother's Day was officially over, and got to work.

Campaign Fun

2011-05-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, the city government in Fort Worth proposed shutting down some of its libraries to make up for a budget deficit. One of the libraries on the chopping block was the Wedgwood branch, the one we walk to weekly. Of course we were upset and even spoke at a city council meeting to protest.

The library stayed open and we got to know our city councilman, Jungus Jordan. He assured us that we wouldn't lose the library as long as he was in office and we assured him that we would help him when he was up for re-election.

Now's the time. I am a supporter of Jungus for political reasons, and the kids are supporters of Jungus for friendship reasons. They love the guy. One day we saw him shopping at Albertson's and the kids yelled, "Hey Mr. Jungus!" down every aisle and he didn't get the least bit annoyed. So we are all official Jungus fans over here.

Today Adam and I took the kids and campaigned with Jungus down our block and on the next street. Our campaign trail was small because we have small people involved, but there was a lot of heart. The kids rang a lot of doorbells and would tell everyone "Vote for Mr. Jungus!" I think we won over a few votes from cuteness alone.

We also met some interesting people and a parrot. We stayed a long time campaigning to

Heather, and I think we got her vote.

Above is Jungus talking to the real voter in the house about actual issues. He did talk to the parrot, but I don't want you to think he's actually "talking to the parrot." But really, isn't this guy great? How many people take time out of their day to talk to a parrot and discuss political concerns with the parrot's owner?

The kids posed with Heather the parrot, trying to persuade her to vote or to sing "Row, Row Your Boat."

Quotes that Quack Me Up

2011-05-05T12:19:00.000-07:00

I've started keeping journal in my purse to write down the quotable quotes from Claire and Paul. Here are a few from the last month.

1. Paul is making snorting noises.

Claire: "Stop that! I don't like that noise!"

Paul: "I'm not going to stop. I like that noise. That's how I roll!"

(I did end up having to get him to stop the noise, though.)

2. Claire: "I wish I could have giant armpits."

No explanation was given for this other than she loves her armpits.

3. Claire: "I'm cool like that!"

4. Claire: "At the library, Ziya said my hair is real pretty. And it is."

5. Claire: "Paul, you know if you glue a cross on your hat, people will know you are from the Methodist Church."

6. Claire: "Pat-a-cake, Pat-a-cake, Bake your hands."

7. Paul: "Mama, my library CD has Little Bunny Foo-Foo Hopping Through the Meadow Scooping Up the Field Mice and Bopping Them on the Head!"

Apparently that's the song title.

Prayer

2011-05-04T05:03:00.000-07:00

I have been reading the book, Spiritual Classics, edited by Richard J. Foster and Emilie Griffin. This book has prompted me to examine my prayer life and how it has evolved.

For most of my life, I have put prayer in a box. I believed you must bow your head, close your eyes and follow other traditions or you weren't actually communicating with God. Over the last few years, I have opened my mind and extended my definition of prayer.

Now I believe:

1. Eyes closed or open; God doesn't care. If you're praying while driving, you better keep those eyes open!

2. Formal introductions aren't necessary. If you feel like addressing God as "Our Father who art in heaven," that's great, but he also hears you when you start mid-sentence.

3. You don't have to say "Amen." In fact, beyond prayers for food and corporate prayer at church, I never say "Amen." That implies your praying is over. Mine never is. My mind works 90 mph, so I will pray a little bit, think a little bit, and then pray some more. I think God can handle it.

4. Sometimes you don't even have to use words. You can offer God your feelings. You can just think about your problem or your praise and mentally send it up to him. He gets it.

5. I believe physical actions can also be prayers. Feeding a homeless person or helping up a fallen one is a prayer of service to God. Any action you do that extends love to another is a prayer.

6. You can write them down instead of saying them aloud. I enjoy this because it helps me focus, and then months later I can look back in my journal and see how my worries of that day compared to other days. It puts some perspective in my prayer life.

7. Sitting quietly and listening to your heart is also a form of prayer.

This is by no means a complete list of forms of prayer. That's the point. You can't make a complete list because you can't quantify all the numbers of ways to pray. People think up new ones every day and God still hears them.

Thanksgiving Tuesday Number Two!

2011-05-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

As part of my new Tuesday tradition, I will list items I am thankful for.

1. Fort Worth's balance between urban and rural.

I love living in a big city. Every destination I need is within reach. I also love trees and flowers though, and I think Fort Worth has the perfect balance of them. You go downtown, which only consists of cement in many cities, and you see trees and flowers in beds. If you get tired of the gray, you just have to turn your head for some green, and if you get tired of the green, you just have to turn your head for some gray.

2. Texas weather.

Last week we were sweating and this week we're wearing sweaters. I love that I never have to stick to one item in my wardrobe. You never know what tomorrow will bring.

3. My tomato plant.

I bought one of those cheater plants at Wal-Mart that was already blooming and I have managed to keep it alive and healthy. We'll have tomatoes soon.

4. Quotes and Quips from kids.

Yesterday Claire confessed that she thought Pat-a-Cake said, "Bake your hands" but now understands that it is "Baker's Man."

5. Half Price Books

Last week I took two bags of books in and a vague idea of a Bible study book I wanted. I found what I needed and almost paid for it with what I didn't.

6. A cold glass of clean water.

I'm drinking one right now and I'm lucky. Millions of people in the world can't do that.

7. E-mail

I HATE talking on the phone. It's paralyzing and there's something that draws the children to me when I'm on the phone. They'll be busy making crafts but if I get on the phone, all the sudden they are hanging on me like monkeys. I am so grateful that in this day and age, I can e-mail instead of talk on the phone with most people.

8. Birds singing.

In our neighborhood, I often hear the birds singing even at night. It's beautiful.

9. My Steam Mop

I highly recommend my Shark Steam Mop. No detergents and you wash the mop pads. It's wonderful.

10. Flavored coffee creamers

For years, I have been wanting to buy the fancy flavored coffee creamers, but denied myself because I thought they cost too much. Recently I discovered they are only $1.28 at Wal-Mart. It's changed my coffee-drinking experience.

Chex Mix

2011-05-02T05:34:00.000-07:00

I went to a Bible Study retreat on Saturday, and we all brought snacks. My favorite was Robin Stout's apricots dipped in chocolate. Delicious! I made Chex mix, which was tasty, but nothing compared to apricots dipped in chocolate. So at the end of the day, I had nearly a gallon of Chex Mix left.

I was driving home from church, trying to figure out how I was going to get rid of a gallon of chex, when I saw a homeless man with a sign that said, "Hungry and Broke." I always debate whether or not to give beggars money, but Chex mix isn't money, and I was going to give it away anyway, so I rolled down my window and gave it to him.

This man was so excited! He told me that he knew God had wanted him to bring a backpack that day for a reason. He said he was going to try to sell the backpack, but now he filled it with Chex. He handed me a grubby bookmark and thanked me profusely. Then he told me "God loves you and I love you so much, too." He kept saying that now he wanted to find someone to give him money to buy milk to go with his Chex.

It was awesome, and all it cost me was the loss of a giant container. I think I'm going to start keeping more snack mix in my car.

Process vs. Product

2011-04-30T04:10:00.000-07:00

Our kids are process people, not product people. They love to create and then love to share what they have created.

We have two drawers in the backroom designated for craft stuff. These were stocked by Ms. Jennifer Moody, who let us have a ton scrapbook and crafting supplies when she shut down her scrapbook business. (Shout out! (Yes, I did just do a shout-out and a name drop, thank you.) )

Several mornings a week, Claire and Paul will roll out of bed and start crafting while they eat their breakfast. I never know what's going to appear. It could be a dangerous animal or a pretty picture. They love doing it, but once they are done, they usually give the craft away to someone. They don't mind because it's the doing that they love.

It's the same with baking. About once a week we bake cookies or a cake or another snack. The kids get to have a bite or two, but then they enjoy sharing our baked goods with the neighbors and other friends.

In my morning meditations today, I was thinking about how life is that way and how this trait will help them as they get older. Adults often spend long periods of time creating projects for the home or work. Sometimes we get to keep and enjoy them, but many times they are delivered elsewhere. In their school careers, they will spend hours on projects and papers that will often be graded and then discarded.

If it's only the finished product they enjoy, then they miss out on the fun of creating. In life, we only get to keep memories, and we have a hard time keeping those. I am happy that my children do not cling to material possessions and items they have created. Then they get the joy of the journey as well as the excitement of sharing it with others.

Grace

2011-04-28T04:21:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the Baptist church, I occasionally heard the word "grace," but never related to it. To me the word was a cross between style, balance, and something about Jesus' crucifixion. It wasn't until Adam and I joined a Methodist church and later started birthing babies, that I really understood it.

To me, grace is getting something you don't deserve, but desperately need. Every day I experience grace in my life.

I started noticing it when I was pregnant. People would give me their seat. I would be forced by friends to sit down and raise my feet. A friend volunteered to take my hall duty so I wouldn't have to walk pregnant. My principal let me wear Adam's Birkenstocks to school every day because my feet were so swollen they wouldn't fit into anything else.

Once I had Claire, the grace extended to her. Strangers would try to comfort her when she was crying. Her daycare teachers were very supportive. When I locked her in the running car and waited for Adam to rescue me, I was offered cold water.

Sometimes grace comes with large actions, but usually I notice small, thoughtful ones. When I feel overwhelmed, someone appears to comfort me. When I've got full hands and struggle to open doors, the door always magically opens from the other side.

Recently, I was feeling sad that my parents aren't grandparents to my children. I have fond memories of both sets of my grandparents and sometimes am sad that they will never have experiences like I had. They basically only have one set of grandparents. That same day, we had to get my tire repaired at Discount Tire. Claire befriended a lady who was a grandma and was doing all sorts of grandmotherly things with her. Like I remember with my grandmother, she had a purse full of candy and surprises. She had fancy kleenexes and showed Claire how to fold them in a way to swaddle her miniature doll.

This lady eventually had to leave because her car was ready. Not 30 seconds later, another older lady arrived and sat in the same seat in the waiting room. She immediately bonded with Claire and pulled out a notebook she kept in her bag for her grandchildren. She started teaching her how to draw different animals. Paul was asleep on my shoulder during this entire experience, so I was so grateful for not one but two ladies that bonded with Claire and kept her entertained since I was held down by a sleeping child.

I was overwhelmed. Sure, my kids only have one grandmother that they see regularly, but they are surrounded by love and have countless "grandmas" everywhere we look. That's grace.

David Sedaris is Awesome!

2011-04-27T04:35:00.000-07:00

Recently my friend Amy bought a ticket to go see David Sedaris, but she couldn't go, so she sold it to me. Sedaris is one of my favorite authors; he is hilarious. Adam and I have talked several times about buying tickets to see him, but it always seemed like an unnecessary expenditure. Since Amy needed to sell her ticket though, I decided to help a friend out.

My favorite book of Sedaris' is Me Talk Pretty One Day. I read that book on a road trip with Adam and was laughing so hard that I had to read much of it aloud to him. Of course, that was before we had kids...Now, I'd just have to get him to read it himself.

I was the third wheel on a date with my friend Cara and her husband Ken. I didn't mind; they let me hitch a ride to Dallas and talk their ears off. Apparently I need to get out more because I swear I took five breaths the entire night. I was going blah blah blah blah blah.

As well as reading a hilarious essay about poop and snot in China, Sedaris told a few jokes. Here's a couple that I remember:

How did the Mexican cut his pizza?
With Little Caesars.

An old man gets ready for bed one night and the doorbell rings. He answers it and a snail is there, wanting to sell him magazine subscriptions. This angers the old man, so he kicks the snail as hard and as far as he can, then slams the door and goes to bed. Two years later, the doorbell rings again. It's the same snail, who says, "What was that for?"

The people watching last night was excellent as well. Among the crowd were young gay guys, elderly people, and couples. It was quite a diverse group. My favorite was the 70+ year old lady who had pig-tails and eyeglass reachers. I like to imagine that she rode her motorcycle to the event.

Thankful Tuesday

2011-04-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to think of a pattern I could repeat one day a week on my blog. My friend Rebecca does "Truth Be Told Tuesday" and it's pretty funny, but I wanted something that was a little more "me."

So Tuesday is hereby declared Thankful Tuesday.

Today I am thankful for

1. The sunshine and cool breeze. This morning I drove the kids to preschool with my windows down and Adele pumping out. The temperature was just perfect and everyone was in good spirits. Claire even told me, "I'm cool like that."

2. My dog Wesley Eugene. Wesley will turn 9 this summer. He was my first baby and an answer to my first round of baby fever. This weekend when we went out of town he stayed at a friends' house. Although he doesn't get as much attention as he used to, I was aware of his absence and further aware of how much I love that little Yorkshire Terrier.

3. My church family. Last night I went to prayer group and Bible study with laundry detergent on my shirt. There were some comments of concern, "Are you okay? You have stuff all over you." and some smart-aleck jokes, but I love that I can show up as I am and be loved. Some days I'm able to make an effort to look more polished, but other days I just show up and say, "This is me. It's the best I can do. Thank you for accepting me."

4. Tomatoes! For the first time ever, I am actually growing vegetation! Squash and okra are sprouting in my flower bed and I have a pot with about five tomatoes on it. I call it a cheater plant because I bought it at Wal-Mart when it was already blooming. I figure if I can't keep that alive, then there's no hope.

5. Birkenstocks. I got a new pair for my birthday. I wear them every single day. I used to wear flip flops all the time, but I started getting back pain. Now that my feet have more support, my back pain went away.

6. Our swimming pool. It's not warm enough to swim yet, but soon we will be jumping in the water every afternoon. How cool is that? We have a swimming pool in our own backyard! We also have a play set and a trampoline. Our backyard is fantastic and I do not take it for granted.

7. A working washer and dryer. This weekend I drooled a little over Adam's cousin's high-efficiency washer, but really, I'm grateful for my own. Every day I do a load of laundry. I can't imagine the hassle it would be to have to go to a laundromat. I'd have to buy more clothes for one problem, and save all my quarters for another.

8. Low-maintenance hair. I think God knew what he was doing when he created me. He knew I wouldn't be a primper, so he gave me hair that fixes itself. I love it! I wash my hair, brush it, throw some mousse in it, and I'm good to go. If I'm feeling extra fancy, I spend an extra 30 seconds braiding it. Sure, I could spend more time, but why?

9. Wide hips. I'm not a skinny waif, and as a mother, I am grateful for that. I can't get knocked down easily, and my lap has room for not just one, but two kids in it! Every time I feel down about not being thinner, I think of what I do with all this lap space and I'm grateful.

10. My left-brained husband. Adam sees the world as black and white. I see all the colors of the rainbow. It's nice to have someone around who's different from me and has more focus to detail. He takes care of balancing the checkbook and making sure all the crumbs get wiped off the table, because frankly, he's better at it. I love him for it, because if it weren't for him, all the cabinet doors would be open all the time, and I'm sure there'd be a spot on the table turning into compost.

Easter Weekend Activities

2011-04-25T05:45:00.000-07:00

We just wrapped up a wonderful Easter weekend, and I'm glad it's over. If I don't step on another plastic Easter egg for a year, that will be fine with me.

The kids got to dye eggs twice, once with Daddy and once with Grandma. Here they are with Sarita.

Easter weekend included a funeral for my great aunt Mary. She was elderly and very ill, so it was expected. I'll miss that tiny spitfire of a woman. Here the kids are with my cousin Jeff.

My dad's side of the family is all buried in Emhouse, Texas, regardless of where they lived. It's a nice, quiet cemetery in a town of population less than 200. My grandfather was born there and my grandmother grew up in neighboring Corsicana.

We spent the night with Adam's cousins, the Myers' family. Here are Claire and John after Easter lunch.

This was the first Easter in recorded memory that didn't feature a visit to a church. Usually Adam and I pick one of the family's churches out in East Texas to attend, but this year we slept in and just enjoyed spending time with family. We're at church 51 weeks out of the year, so I think it's okay to miss one. We did talk some about the resurrection, but not making each other get up early to attend church where we don't know a soul and just consciously taking the day to relax, was awesome.

Claire and Paul hunted eggs on the same yard that Sarita hunted eggs on when she was a kid, and that Adam and his sisters hunted eggs on when they were kids. I guess you could call it the Barton homestead.

Adam and I had very different childhood experiences with Easter. His family apparently boiled and dyed eggs, hunted them, and then threw them at one another. There was no refrigeration or consumption of boiled eggs. My family, on the other hand, boiled and dyed eggs, hid them, and then ate them. We went with Adam's tradition this year. It resulted in some stinky, runny eggs and some ants. We did have fun throwing the eggs on the street in front of Adam's uncle's house, however.

Here's a car driving past our cracked, rotten eggs.

This Easter was focused on relaxation and family. I think we might have started a new tradition.

Egg Hunt Day

2011-04-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

Today was Easter party day at preschool. The kids brought baskets and eggs and enjoyed Easter activities all day.
Here's part of Paul's class lined up to get the eggs. Since it was rainy, all hunts were indoors.

He looks cute, except for that darn carpet burn on his forehead.

Here's Claire hunting for eggs with her class. I took several pictures of them, but those four year olds move so fast that most of my pictures are blurry.

After all the eggs had been found, she sat down and voluntarily counted her eggs. She knew she was only supposed to have twelve so she took the others and announced that she would re-hide them. She wanted to make sure that everyone else had twelve, too. I love that girl!

The Importance of Five Minutes

2011-04-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

I recently read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. In it she talks about being aware of how much time everything takes in your day. It made me start watching how much time it takes my kids to do an activity.

I've noticed that five minutes seems to often be enough. They can sit down and play with something for longer, but five minutes seems to be the minimum for satisfaction in play. I had been in the habit of saying "No" often to a craft or activity idea, thinking that we didn't have time.

So now I ask myself, "Do we have five minutes?" The answer is usually yes. I do have five minutes to swing you before I have to send that e-mail. I do have five minutes to let you paint a picture. We can read that book for five minutes. Sure, you can play karaoke for five minutes.

I'm always conscious of being on time to the next activity, but even if I squeeze in five more minutes, we're usually not late. And allowing ourselves five minutes leads to more quality time together. The kids are happy, and so am I.

A Day in the Life

2011-04-19T04:33:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we started the day spa style. We all soaked our feet in our foot bath (courtesy of Anabelle Garay) and then exfoliated and painted all our toes.

Don't we all look beautiful? You can probably tell that I let each kid paint one of my feet. I'm glad I don't have three kids, because then I'd have to grow a third foot! Yes, I let Paul paint his toes, too. He's still 2, and I figure one day he won't want to anymore.

Then we headed to Target for some shopping. We only had a few items to buy and the kids wanted to bring their shopping cart and stroller, so I let them. It was so cute.

Here they are in the frozen foods.

Other parts of the day included cleaning house, making Daddy lunch, and politicking. We are official campaigners for our local city councilman, Jungus Jordan. Unfortunately I didn't get to take any pictures yet of us campaigning. Last night at the campaign kick off rally, our job was to greet people and encourage them to vote for Jungus. The kids were pretty darn good at it.

After such a serious, grown-up event, we tempered it with some silliness at Braum's.

We started the day with spa treatments and ended with ice cream. What could be more perfect?

Hospitality Head-On

2011-04-18T04:16:00.000-07:00

I have shared before that one of my Lenten practices this year is hospitality. I'm really making an effort to talk to others. I've been doing well and making new friends in unusual places. Saturday I shared a laugh with a lady at Wal-Mart whose husband was yelling down the aisle at her, frustrated because he couldn't find the right kind of Coke and because he had children with him. Adam acted the same way when I made him come to Wal-Mart with me. So, I counted that as a victory, but then I realized I was running out of time and needed to get home. I still had Costco to get to. So when I was at Costco, I was weaving around people with my humongous basket and checking items off my list as quickly as possible. I had tunnel vision and was feeling important and accomplished. "Look at me! I just passed right by those samples! Oh yeah. I haven't bought any impulse items! I'm in a hurry and I can't be distracted! I'm important and focused!" That worked great, until I was in the produce room and literally ran right into a lady. (With my body, not my cart, thank God.) I was so embarrassed and apologized repeatedly, and then I realized it was Stella, a friend from church! I apologized again and then explained to her how busy and important I was before I fled the scene. Then I realized that had I taken one more minute out of my day, I wouldn't have run into her, and I could have actually had a conversation with her about how she was doing, and not about how busy and important I was feeling. I get the Grrrrrr.....

Shaw Kemp Open House

2011-04-18T03:54:00.000-07:00

Our library friend Magunn and her mother Laurie alerted us to this free festival in Weatherford. They've taken their family there yearly for a long time, and told me all about it. It's called the Shaw-Kemp Open House, and it's absolutely free!

For more information, click here.

Apparently the Kemp family has owned the property for nearly 200 years. They have kept everything in working order and moved several historical buildings to the site. Not only that, but they have fields and fields of bluebonnets. We got to go in and out of all the buildings, including the residence. There was a free hayride and lots of folks in costume. We had a blast and spent ZERO money!

I highly recommend this to anyone; the family does it once a year.

Here's some photos from our time:

This lady was playing on a washtub. Stacy and Baby Marijn posing next to her.

One of the buildings was an old schoolhouse. Claire and Paul both took turns writing on slates.

This lady and her dog, Tinkerbell, were both dressed as Minnie Pearl.

They had a real jailhouse. We tried to leave the kids there, but apparently it wasn't that real.

Main Street Arts Festival

2011-04-15T05:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to Main Street Arts Festival in Fort Worth. Believe it or not, they actually have several free activities for children. We did all the free ones and a couple cheap ones and I walked out only $13 poorer.

The Tabernacle of Praise had a booth set up. They were telling me how awesome their church was. If you go there on Easter Sunday, you get a FREE 8x10 portrait of your family! He also told me that last week they went to a gas station in Benbrook and gave every customer $20 in free gas. And apparently, soon they will give away $1,000 in free groceries! It almost made me want to go to get the free stuff! Oddly, he didn't tell me anything about God or Jesus, but of course I didn't mention my religious beliefs, either.

Paul chose the ever-masculine ladybug for his face painting. After it was over, I was a little disappointed, because $5 didn't even buy us both cheeks! Even Paul said, "I wanted two ladybugs!" He still was happy with his one, though.

I let each kid spend $5. Claire chose to make sand art instead of face painting. I thought I would have to help, but she actually did it all by herself!

Here she is posing with her sand moon art. This was a bargain. I heard other moms complaining to their children, whom they bought the $10 bottles for, that their kids weren't putting enough sand in fast enough! It took Claire about 10 minutes to fill this tiny bottle. I'm glad we chose the small one.

This clown offered balloon sculptures for a smile and a tip. When the line started forming, though, he dropped the smile off the requirements and said that you had to give him a tip. Hmmmm. I'm glad we saw him on the first day, when he still retained some cheer. I imagine today that he'll be a grumpier clown.

Claire got a flower hat.

Paul got a sword. Claire immediately tired of her flower hat and gave it to Paul, who wore it proudly. He also tried to stab several people with his sword. Everyone was terrified.

One for You and One for Me!

2011-04-14T04:37:00.000-07:00

In the car, the kids and I like to look out the windows at the world around us and appreciate all that is around us. Some people get frustrated with road construction, but seeing the huge equipment and the workers is very exciting to our family.

"Ooh! Look at that digger!"

"Ooh! That man waved at you!"

"Ooh! They're digging a hole! Look there's an airplane in the sky!"

The kids also like to holler greetings at the construction workers and any other car with its windows down. They are disappointed when they don't get a wave back, but ecstatic when they do.

I also constantly scan the construction crowd to find a lady construction worker to prove to Claire that indeed, girls can do everything boys can. Believe it or not, in the last week, I've found two attractive lady constructions workers.

We started playing a game where we assigned people and objects to each other.

"Look! There's a digger for Paul! Oooh! And another one for Claire!"

We try to find items in twos so one kid doesn't get disappointed. When there's only one, like the moped we saw the other day, the kids have a discussion about how they will share.

"Well Paul," Claire says, "I think I should ride it first since I'm bigger and then you can ride in the basket on back."

It's always fun and sometimes hilarious to hear what they claim as theirs, like explorers on the frontier. "Look! Trinity River for ME!" "Oooh! Bridge for ME!"

Yesterday, though, I nearly snorted with laughter when Claire claimed the motorcyclist in front of us.

"Look! There's a man with no hair for MEEEE! Sorry Paul, there's only one man with no hair."

One day she might actually be claiming a man with no hair for herself, but I'll be damned if it's not at least 30 years from now.

Spring Love

2011-04-13T14:08:00.000-07:00

Spring is my favorite season. The flowers are in bloom, the weather is perfect, there's Easter and various birthdays, and I just can't help from being happy. Today we enjoyed the weather by walking to the library. The kids slept in so I gave them breakfast in the wagon and we pretended they were at a restaurant on wheels. Luckily one of the diners finished her breakfast before we mounted a giant hill, because this waitress/cook has a hard time hauling a wagon of two kids up a steep hill. I also practiced my hospitality skills by offering several sincere compliments and introducing myself to several moms that I see every week but never knew their names. The best part about today's adventures, though, was picking buttercups and rubbing pollen on our noses.

The kids loved doing this, but unfortunately the time I used the camera, the pollen didn't show up so much. Oh well. Happy Spring!

Hospitality at Wal-Mart

2011-04-12T03:57:00.000-07:00

One of my Lenten practices this year is increasing my hospitality. I'm usually pretty good at this, but somedays I am tired and don't feel like extending anything beyond my nose. My particular focus is greeting others even when it makes me a little uncomfortable.

Yesterday the kids and I were anxious to get to the zoo to see the new dinosaur exhibit. However, we were also out of milk, butter, eggs, and sodas for Adam's office. We were rushing around so we could run to Wal-Mart, grab our groceries, and hit the zoo.

When we walked in, I noticed the greeter was a darling elderly Asian woman. It occured to me that I should greet her but I thought to myself, "I'm tired and I have to get in and get out because we're going to the zoo!" But no. When you feel the urge to extend something to another, you better do it, or you will do it anyway. At least that's how it goes in my life.

So I had decided I was going to ignore the cute greeter but just at that moment Claire decided it was time to start singing "Row, row your boat." She started belting it out loudly as I was arranging my shopping cart.

Then the little lady came over and said, "What you singing? I know that song!" And believe it or not, she started belting out "Row, row your boat," as loud as she could sing it with Claire. It was hilarious because she was a TERRIBLE singer, had a thick accent and was LOUD. We giggled and talked to her and then she kept on singing, even when we were halfway through the store we could still hear, "Row, Row, row YOUR BOAT!!!"

I said a silent prayer of thanks to God for overcoming my laziness so I could get a giggle and a blessing from the crazy Wal-Mart greeter.

Blackberry Bush

2011-04-11T04:22:00.000-07:00

About six years ago, when I was still a teacher, one of my friends gave me a cutting from her blackberry bush. I was very excited about it and went home and planted it immediately. My thought was that it would grow in the corner of my flower bed and I could save money on buying blackberries.

The first year, it didn't do anything. I vaguely remember stepping around something kind of spiky next to the pool.

The second year, a couple of blackberries sprouted, but they were immediately eaten, and I couldn't figure out what that spiky vine growing was. Sometimes I just don't connect the dots.

The third year, and each year subsequently, I have gotten zero blackberries, but the vine has taken over my little flowerbed! Apparently the blackberry "bush" didn't grow to be a bush, but a vine that is choking everything else out.

Each spring I put on my garden gloves and pull up the sprouts. I always get part of the root but not all of it. Every time I think I have it cleared out, it just grows back. It's quite frustrating and painful if you step on it.

Last week when I was pulling up the sprouts, I thought about how life is sometimes like a blackberry bush. Something small and good, if unchecked, grows into something bad that takes over your life. Also, if you're completely oblivious to the vine that is taking over your flowerbed, you're likely to get a thorn in your foot.

Loose Dogs! Again

2011-04-10T05:23:00.000-07:00

We love our neighborhood. It's so quiet and friendly, with one exception. The neighbors across the street have at least seven dogs, and they let them run loose regularly. It frustrates me and infuriates Adam. So what do you do when your neighbors let their dogs run loose and the dogs come poop in your yard and bark and growl at you and your children? First we tried to be neighborly. We'd alert the family that their dogs were loose and chase them back home if possible. When that wasn't effective, Adam went over one day and told them their dog had just pooped in our yard and he expected them to come clean it. The lady said, "Sure, I'll be right over!" Then she got in her car and drove off. Adam scooped the poop and returned it with a note to their front porch. When that didn't change the situation, we called Animal Control. "Sure, we'll be right there to pick the dogs up," they said. Unfortunately Fort Worth is a big city and they always have other calls more pressing than ours. The dog catcher has never been able to catch these dogs. When that didn't work, we decided to approach the situation from a legal standpoint. We knew for a fact that they had more dogs than the city allows. We called code compliance and they sent an officer out to investigate. The neighbors claimed that not all the dogs lived at the house, that some of them were "just visiting." They didn't get a ticket, just a warning. And believe it or not, that didn't fix the problem, either. So last week when Adam was home and the dogs were out again, he got angry and called Animal Control again. They suggested that we start documenting the problem with pictures and go sign an affidavit. Supposedly this will cause the neighbors to receive a citation and will fix our problem. So here's a picture of a loose dog in our driveway. Unfortunately this is their cute, fluffy, and friendly dog, and not the giant menacing ones. We'll see if this makes a difference.

Happy birthday to my MIL

2011-04-09T04:21:00.000-07:00

April is my favorite month because of the weather, the flowers, the birthdays, and Easter. I missed noting that my Uncle Greg's birthday was the day after mine, and on April 25, my niece Morgan will turn 11. Today, however, is my mother-in-law's birthday. Sarita will have to tell you herself how old she is; I can't remember and it's not proper to ask a lady her age. When I was in high school and college, I enrolled in several Spanish classes. In each class, you have to choose a Spanish name, so my name was always Sarita. In fact, I still have a couple of friends that call me that. So it was pretty funny that not only are our birthdays so close together, so are our names. Sarita was raised in Chandler, Texas, a suburb of the metropolitan Tyler area. She's familiar with rural life, so last year when Claire's pet chicken pooped on her head, she didn't even get upset. She's got lots of crazy stories about animals around the house and yard. Until a few years ago, Sarita was a special education teacher for high schoolers. Not only was she dealing with all the angst that comes with that age group, she was teaching the emotionally disturbed students. That alone qualifies her for sainthood in my book. I admire Sarita for her thoughtfulness and generosity. She never lets anything go to waste and always thinks of who could use something she has. A stale roll is given to the kids to feed ducks with, and old sweaters are packed up for the homeless. She's a huge scrapbooker and saves all her little clippings and unused stickers for the kids to use with crafts. She also sends off for free samples and passes them around the family and gives the leftovers to the homeless. Even her magazine subscriptions don't go to waste. She and Adam's dad, Stan, live in Grapevine, and she used to drive all the way to John Peter Smith to take her already read magazines so the waiting room would always have current magazines. Now that her health isn't what it used to be, she saves all her magazines for me to take to church for homeless ladies to read. At my house, we have a special drawer we call "Grandma's drawer." After I cut my coupons, I put the leftovers in there and when Sarita and I see each other, we exchange bags of coupons and other items. She always has a bag going for each family member, and you never know what you're going to find inside. Mine always has coupons, duck bread, random canned goods, and whatever she got free in the mail she couldn't use. In the family I was raised in, holidays were strictly family time. So the first time I saw that Stan and Sarita had invited extra people to their Christmas celebration, I must be honest and say that I was a little taken aback. But then I realized that the cashier at Wal-Mart didn't have anywhere else to go on Christmas Eve and how kind and generous it is to invite strangers and casual friends to celebrate with your family. Now every year I look forward to whoever shows up because it always makes it interesting. Sarita is always thinking about others. I also love how down to earth she is. There is not a bone of pretension in her body, so many people easily relate to her. Last week, she and Stan celebrated 37 years of marriage and today she celebrates 25 years of life. Yeah, I know the math doesn't add up, but just go with it. Happy birthday, Sarita, my favorite mother-in-law!

Happy Birthday to Mi!

2011-04-08T05:41:00.000-07:00

Today is my paternal grandfather's 86th birthday. In honor of his birthday, I thought I'd share some of his history with my readers. His name is Jerry McClellan Baker. McClellan is a family name, but I must ask again where it comes from. He was born in Emhouse, Texas, close to Corsicana (home of my grandmother). His father died when he was six and his mother moved him and all the kids to her parents house. They survived the Great Depression with a garden and lots of creativity. He dropped out of high school to join the Navy. He worked on a hospital ship in WWII and walked the streets of Hiroshima three days after the bomb hit. After the war, he met my grandmother, Margie, in Corsicana. When I asked him what he first liked about her, he said, "She was a girl." I asked him what she liked about him and he replied, "I imagine that she was glad I was a boy." He got his grandpa name when my cousin Jeff couldn't say the words "my granddad." Jeff could only come up with the word Mi, so from then on he was called that. I love my granddad because he's a saver. He saves all his beer cans for me to take to church to recycle. He has a little shelf in his hallway that he puts all his empty beer cans in, not because he can't put them in a bag himself, but because the kids love throwing them in the bag. He saves all his complimentary address labels for Claire to play with. Ensure bottles are repurposed as spittoons and a empty bottle of nosespray is filled with glass cleaner for his eyeglasses. Rather than buying new eyeglasses for himself, he wears my grandmother's old frames. He is also thoughtful. He makes sure he always has corndogs, steak fingers, and strawberries for each time we visit him. He make sure the garage door is lifted when we come to visit and often backs out his car so I can park in the garage to not overheat my car's interior. He listens to Rush Limbaugh every day and always has a political opinion to share with me. "Look at all that snow. How's that for global warming?" or "Michelle Obama took all the fat out of my gravy." These are entertaining to me and sometimes spark a thoughtful discussion. Sometimes I just listen. In his working days, he climbed electrical poles for TXU. He still wears his uniform daily, unless it's a special occasion. He broke his hip in the 1980s and walks with an elevated shoe and a cane or walker. His house is covered with pictures and he tells me often how satisfied with his life he is. I love to hear his old stories and actively try to record them. Whenever he would repeat a story, I used to stop him to let him know that I remember it and appreciate his stories, but I've stopped that. Now I just listen to them again and enjoy that he is telling them to me and that I don't have to remember them myself yet.

Employment

2011-04-07T13:48:00.000-07:00

Since January, I've been the communications coordinator at Arlington Heights United Methodist Church. I'm in charge of the newsletter, the website, and various other church publications as needed. While the kids are in preschool, I get to sit in my office and pretend I'm an adult. I love it! Here's some pictures of my office: This would be my bookshelf with my shrine to cute kids...mine and Miss Marijn Joan Koons! This is my wall of original artwork. On the left is a self-portrait by Claire. In the middle is a real oil painting depicting faith as a tree. My friend Robin Stout painted it and I was so honored that she let me have it! It's so pretty. On the right is an Allison Smith pastel design. I love to stare at it.

Look! I look important and busy!

Robin took these photos and said, "You're so important and busy that you have to work on two computers at the same time!" I was cracking up when she was taking the pictures. That's how serious I am. If you look in the background, you can even see my college diploma framed! Woohoo! I'm a grownup!

Birthday Reflections

2011-04-06T05:22:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday. I'm 33 and happy to be 33. I don't want to be in my 20s any more. Maybe as I get older that will change, but I'm happy right where I'm at. I'm more comfortable in my own skin at 33 than I was in my 20s. For my blog of the day (and I'm super proud of myself for blogging every day for approximately 8 days) I thought I'd reflect on the last year and hope for the next one. In my 32nd year, I

Potty-trained a two year old boy.

Started getting up earlier consistently and journaling, praying, and reading the Bible.

Began appreciating being called "Ma'am."

Slowed down my printed book buying and began transferring my reading to my Nook.

Had several nights reading quietly next to Adam. I love that he has become a reader!

Admitted and accepted that I'm a bad driver. No wrecks this past year, though!

Got a job! I'm the communications coordinator at church!

Lost some friends and got some new ones. Somehow it always happens that way. I'll mourn the loss of a friend to a move or a severed relationship, and then the next day casual friends start popping up out of the woodwork and becoming true friends.

Caught up and kept up with some old friends. I always love when I can keep enjoying a joke that was cheesy 15 years ago.

Enrolled the kids in preschool.

In my 33rd year, I'd like to:

Appreciate the moment more. I am currently making a conscious decision to do this. I recognize what makes me happy and I'm trying to stay in the moment and enjoy the happiness.

Continue to de-clutter my house. Yesterday I saw some novels that I wanted to read that were FREE! I picked them up immediately but then set them back down so I wouldn't have that extra clutter in the house. I've got plenty to read.

Get off junk mail e-mail and USPS mailing list. I want to save time and a tree!

Read what I want and not force myself to finish a book I don't like.

Get Claire reading fluently before kindergarten.

Teach Paul to write his name.

Save.

Eat better and exercise.

Recognize what makes me frustrated and try to get over it or fix it.

Go on a trip. (Adam and I are about to celebrate 10 years of marriage!)

Silly Hat Day and other photos

2011-04-05T04:52:00.000-07:00

For some reason this morning, I can't figure out how to order these darn pictures. Oh well, I'll provide captions.

This is Paul after a long day of grocery shopping. He took his nap under his bed. Not sure why.

This is us celebrating crazy hat day at Aldi. Paul's wearing my Shamu hat, I'm in a police hat, and Claire's in a pink cowboy hat. I kept calling it Crazy Hat Day and Claire kept telling me her hat wasn't crazy, it was "real."

Pre-grocery trip, we were selecting what crazy hats we would wear to make things more interesting. The kids also brought their rubber rats to the store.

I took pictures of the kids in Bluebonnet Circle the other day. This is the first year I've noticed the bluebonnets in Bluebonnet Circle.

Who loves Mommy?

American Ninja Warriors

2011-04-04T04:29:00.000-07:00

We have discovered a new TV series that the whole family loves. It's on G4 and it's called American Ninja Warrior. We also enjoy Ninja Warrior and Jump City Seattle. All of these shows are about male athletes pushing themselves to the limit and doing risky and exciting tricks. Several consequences have followed our television watching. On the show Ninja Warrior, which is filmed in Japan, Makoto Nagano is the big star. He is Japanese, of course. Recently we went to the local garage to get my car inspected. The mechanic is of Asian descent. Claire whispered in my ear, "He kind of looks...." I didn't understand what she said. Then she said it again. Preparing for her to make a comment about his race, I was thinking of how I could address the issue. Then I understood what she said. "He looks like Makoto Nagano." No compliment could have been greater. Uncomfortableness avoided. Another consequence of watching these shows as a family is that the kids want to imitate Makoto Nagano and the other stars. They've been doing flips off of their bed and jumping off furniture. We try to discourage this, but sometimes fail. Of course they're not really performing dangerous tricks, yet. Here's a video of Claire being a Ninja Warrior on her bed.

Confession that I'm a Walmart shopper

2011-04-03T04:59:00.000-07:00

When I was a school teacher and was part of a dual-income family, I enjoyed telling people how much I loved buying all my groceries at Tom Thumb. Sure it's more expensive, I'd say, but you get great customer service and I use coupons, which really drives the price down. They do have fabulous customer service. All the employees knew me and one lady even knew our dog! I was against shopping at Wal-Mart. In fact, I boycotted them for about 7 years. I was quite adamant in this. Adam and I disliked Wal-Mart for their huge building, huge carts, and incompetent staff. One day, however, I had to go to Wal-Mart to buy my blind friend Jo some special seat cushions. Of course that was the day that my coworker saw me in the parking lot. I still maintained that I was not a Wal-Mart shopper. When I quit work, I started grocery-hopping as my friend Mary Annelle calls it. I would read all the sales papers and then do most of my shopping at Tom Thumb but go to other stores for their sales items. Due to realities of life, I eventually had to drop Tom Thumb off my regular rotation. What happened next was a snowball effect. I would pop into Wal-mart for one thing, a non-food item and then I would remember I needed cereal. Cereal is a full dollar cheaper there. I felt good because I bought my one item and remembered cereal. But then on the next visit, I remembered more that I needed. Then I started bringing a list. Now I am an official Wal-Mart shopper. I am still frustrated by the huge carts and huge store, but I have found competent employees who are both intelligent and friendly. Some items are so much cheaper there that it doesn't make sense for me to buy it anywhere else. My name is Sarah, and I am a Wal-Mart shopper.

My Awesome Sisters-in-Law and Niece

2011-04-02T13:19:00.001-07:00

These are my sister-in-laws. That's Amanda on the left and Angie on the right. Today for the best birthday present ever, they came and cleaned our house. All of it. It was amazing.

Adam took the kids to a coin show so they weren't underfoot. Amanda and Angie and our niece Morgan, got busy. You wouldn't recognize my house, so I took pictures. I also want to memorialize the event before the kids get home.

Here's a bookshelf with only vertical books! There are no papers or piles of paperbacks! Amazing!

They even organized the pool towels! Incredible!

Look! This is Paul's room! There are books and boots, all in the right place! Unbelievable!

Here's the kids bathroom! No toys or towels underfoot! Breath-taking!

Here's Claire's bookshelf! I'm speechless!

This is Claire's room. That brown stuff on the floor is carpet! There's a bedspread on her bed! There are stuffed animals stacked neatly!

I took more pictures, but I didn't want to rub it in how awesome my house looks. No, Adam doesn't have a brother, but Amanda's single! I am humbled and exhausted. Happy birthday to me! (And it's not even my birthday until Wednesday!) Best birthday present EVER!

Destinations vs. The Journey

2011-04-01T04:28:00.000-07:00

This morning in my meditation I was thinking about Adam and how we are different. He is a destination man. Once he sets his destination, he sees only the path to his destination and nothing else. Like last night I asked him to clean the table off after dinner and work on the kitchen. I was thinking that he'd move all the dirty dishes to the kitchen for me to wash later. No, he was trying to create a spotless kitchen, so it was hard for him when I tried to distract him by asking him other things. He saw his destination and he couldn't get off the path to it.

I, on the other hand, am a journey girl. I know my destination and I know I'll get there eventually, but I like to stop along the way and smell the flowers, visit with friends, read a book to the kids, etc. One time I was on my way to my friend Stacy's house. We were going to have a playdate with her daughter and lunch with her mom. Along the way we saw a truck that looked like this:

I was so excited to show the kids this muddy truck that we followed it down the highway and ended up getting lost. I eventually made it to Stacy's house but not on time.

I think stopping to see the muddy trucks in our path helps make life exciting. The kids sure were excited about it!

Riding a Horse at 6 a.m.

2011-03-31T04:22:00.000-07:00

What were you doing at 6 a.m. this morning? I was attempting to read the Bible and have my quiet time. I try to get up at 5:30 every morning so I can have 30 minutes or so to myself. Then I can inject coffee into my veins and get a little Jesus peace. This morning I had to search for peace next to a squeaky rocking horse.

Paul got up with me this morning and while I often can get him to snuggle while I read and pray, today it was a no go. He wanted to play with Legos, and his toolset, and a squeaky horse. I placated him with fruit snacks and tried to focus.

In the Bible, Jesus welcomes distractions, no matter what he is doing. So this morning, I gulped coffee and tried to be grateful for a loud horse at 6 a.m.

Love and Logic Skirts

2011-03-30T05:30:00.000-07:00

This is what Paul looked like when I rolled out of bed this morning. Notice the lovely ballerina skirt. I could say this is the first time it's happened, but that would be a lie. One time I put him to bed and he woke up in a grass skirt. As part of our "Love and Logic" parenting, we put the kids to bed (together if they want) and let them go to sleep when they feel ready. Sometimes this means they go right to sleep, but sometimes it means they stay up late playing dressup together. Last night when I went to bed at 10, there was a tea party going on in Claire's room. For some reason, Barbie had a teacup on her head. Paul's skirt happened sometime between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Adam and I took a Love and Logic class when Claire was about one year old. We have consistently benefited from the course. There are several one-liners that we use consistently: "Uh-oh. Little bit of room time coming right up!" and "I love you too much to argue with you." are our favorites. We use them so much that the kids have taken to saying them. I have heard both Claire and Paul in a dispute say, "I love you too much to argue with you!" It's pretty awesome.

Raising Ducks in Your Kitchen

2011-03-29T12:58:00.001-07:00

These are the ducks. From left to right, we have George Washington Quackers, Skeletor Stinkor Washington Boyette, and Ducky Strawberry Shortcake Washington Boyette.

Last year for Lent, we raised chickens in a coop in our kitchen. Our kitchen is quite long, so we were able to separate them from the food areas and tried to keep it as hygienic as possible. The chickens stank, though, and made noise into the night as well as had floating feathers. We took them to a chicken farm where they were going to be raised to live into long life. Nugget was promptly stolen by a hawk but word on the street is that Birdie still is there.

This year we decided on ducks. It would be easier, we thought, to let them go in a local duck pond than search for a farm for them to live at. We did some research and adopted three baby ducks from a local feed store.

The ducks were quieter and there weren't any feathers flying around like the chickens. They did somehow manage to poop outside of the coop while they were in it. They would line their rears up to holes in the wire and poop on the floor. This was frustrating as was the wood shavings that got all over our house.

On the plus side, they liked to play in a kiddie pool in the backyard and would clean off their shedding feathers that way. They slept all night and put up with whatever position they were held in.

Two weekends ago we released them at the local pond. They were about two months old, nearly full-grown and very healthy. Ducky did have an incident with our dog Wesley, but was healed minus a bald spot. I had been feeding them high-protein duck food and leaving them outside during the day as much as possible to acclimate them to the outdoors.

They jumped right into the pond. The next day we went back and found only Skeletor. He had paired off with a mallard duck and denied knowing us. The other two have yet to be seen.

So we learned several lessons through this experience.

1. No matter what the species, birds in your kitchen are generally not a good idea.

2. Pond ducks are much different that ducks raised indoors.

3. Duck poop and chicken poop stink about the same.

4. We don't want to be urban or rural farmers.

Please, dear reader, learn from our experience.

Getting over myself

2011-03-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog readers,

Yep, I haven't been blogging a lot lately. This is due to my illusion of self-importance. I haven't been blogging because I've been thinking to myself, "This is not worthy of my blog. My blog is only seriously intelligent stuff." I know. Isn't that hilarious? So now I've gotten over myself and will be blogging regularly.

Last week I read the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I highly recommend this book. The book contains practical advice on how to be intentional about being happy. I am very happy, but I am guilty of several "happiness drains" and I'm trying to fix them.

One happiness drain of mine is clutter. There are few square inches in our house not covered with papers, books, or toys. I'm working on it.

I also have e-mail clutter. I'm slowly unsubscribing to lots of e-mail newsletters and deleting unused accounts. Today I went to delete my myspace account but then waxed nostalgic when I started printing off my old blog posts. I blogged on that site for four years and have lots of memories stored there. I printed them and will bind them. I realized that my writing is not always worthy of a professional publisher, but it's full of memories and usually funny. How can you not laugh at blogs about poop?

That's all for right now, but you know more will be coming soon. I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack in action!

Paul Eating Ice Cream

2011-02-25T05:42:00.000-08:00

Yep, our son decided the best way to eat an ice cream cone was from the bottom up. For some unknown reason, it actually didn't make a mess.

Blog-hop

2011-02-25T05:26:00.000-08:00

Our friend Ardis is having guest speakers on her blog. For some crazy reason, she wanted me! Here it is: http://thefreemanfamilyadventure.blogspot.com/2011/02/guess-speaker-blogger-reader-numero_22.html

The Importance of a Social Network

2011-02-21T06:29:00.000-08:00

The last few years I have noticed a trend. I don't know if the world has always been this way and I'm just now opening my eyes to it, or if the world is changing.
Despite what your Facebook friend count is, I've noticed that many people are not connected to a social network. It seems that as we get more connected online, we are less connected face to face. That's a problem.
Online, we can paint a perfect picture of our life. We only post the photos and experiences that are socially acceptable and will interest our friends. Rarely do you see a post about something personal and negative. So looking at each other online, we can't paint the complete picture.
Talking to someone face to face involves a much more complete story. You can see you friend's facial expressions, hear their voice intonation, and give them a hug if they are upset. A word of encouragement over e-mail is nice, but it can't replace the good old-fashioned hug.
I believe it is important and vital that each person is plugged in with some sort of group. For Adam and I, it's church. We go to church, we feel loved, we support others, and we feel grounded. For others, it might be the school PTA, or the Kiwanis club. What matters isn't the location or how you got there. What matters is that you surround yourself with people that love and support you and keep you sane.
Time and again, Adam and I have run across people that are disconnected from society. What usually happens is that they also get disconnected from reality. They start obsessing over small actions and thinking of ideas that probably aren't healthy or true. Without being connected to a group, they begin to believe the ideas and then the world starts looking a lot more grim.
So I insist that if you are not currently connected to a group via a class, organization, or church, that you do that as soon as possible. It makes you happier and more sane.

Holy Laundry

2010-12-08T05:02:00.000-08:00

I'm currently reading Barbara Brown Taylor's book, An Altar in the World. Today I read the chapter on incarnation, called "The Practice of Wearing Skin." Besides many thoughts about the holiness of our bodies, it contains a paragraph about laundry. This passage spoke to me because washing clothes is one of my primary job functions here at home.

She writes: "Hanging his laundry on the line becomes a labor of love. I hang each T-shirt like a prayer flag, shaking it first to get the wrinkles out and then pinning it to the line with two wooden clothespins."

I feel as if I do laundry all day every day. It is a never-ending process, and though I don't mind it, I often don't think of it as spiritual. So this morning when I was folding Adam's shirts, I shook them out like a prayer flag and thanked God for all our blessings.

This summer, Rev. Nancy Allen taught a Bible study called Holy in the Ordinary. It focused on reverence in our daily lives. In that study, she played this song for us and copied the lyrics. I have referred back to it many times and thought other mothers might get something out of it.

The Gathering of Spirits
Carrie Newcomer
2002 Lyrics

Holy As A Day Is Spent

Holy is the dish and drain
The soap and sink, the cup and plate
And the warm wool socks, and the cold white tile
Showerheads and good dry towels

And frying eggs sound like psalms
With a bit of salt measured in my palm
It’s all a part of a sacrament
As holy as a day is spent

Holy is the busy street
And cars that boom with passion’s beat
And the check out girl, Counting change
And the hands that shook my hands today

Hymns of geese fly overhead
And stretch their wings like their parents did
Blessed be the dog
That runs in her sleep
The catch that wild and elusive thing

Holy is a familiar room and the quiet moments in the afternoon
And folding sheets like folding hands
To pray as only laundry can

I’m letting go of all I fear
Like autumn leaves of earth and air
For summer came and summer went
As holy as a day is spent

Holy is the place I stand
To give whatever small good I can
The empty page, the open book
Redemption everywhere I look

Unknowingly we slow our pace
In the shade of unexpected grace
With grateful smiles and sad lament

As holy as a day is spent
And morning light sings “providence”
As holy as a day is spent

Carrie Newcomer 2001

Post-Thanksgiving Post

2010-12-02T04:38:00.000-08:00

Since my last post was all potty-talk, I decided to post a listing of my blessings. This is by no means a complete list.

On Sunday mornings, I am thankful for my church. My entire family is accepted and loved and we are constantly met with grace. I am also thankful for the lifelong tradition of Sunday naps. We take the day of rest seriously around here and usually stay home and spend time together after church.

On Mondays I am thankful for my husband, who goes to work so I don't have to. When I was teaching, Monday was a day of anxiety for me, but now I enjoy it. Monday is the day of catching up for us. On Mondays I am thankful for a working washer and dryer.

On Monday nights, I am thankful for my prayer group. They accept me as I am and have helped me out in countless ways countless times. I am grateful that I can tell them that I've had a poopy week, haven't done any Bible study, have yelled at my kids, and they love me all the same.

On Tuesday mornings, I am thankful for Ms. Carol's music class. Ms. Carol takes rules and procedures seriously and I am grateful for that. She insists on the children raising their hands and following rules. I am quite laidback by nature, so I appreciate the structure and formality that she provides to my children. Of course they also have fun in her class.

On Tuesday afternoons, I am thankful for our zoo membership. We can pop into the Fort Worth Zoo whenever we feel like it and for whatever length of time is convenient. I love taking the kids to the monkey house and letting them observe chimpanzees for as long as they like.

On Wednesday mornings, I am thankful for our library. I am thankful that we can walk to it, and often do. I am also thankful for each and every employee. We are always treated with courtesy and grace. My children and I feel quite at home and I'm not ashamed to ask for what I need, even if it's a roll of tape to repair my shoe.

On Wednesday afternoons, I am thankful for my husband that comes home for lunch and then leaves before naptime. I'm usually exhausted after hauling the Radio Flyer wagon full of books and kids to the library and back.

On Thursday mornings, I am thankful for my grandfather. He's 86 now and still lives alone. He doesn't mind that I invade his house weekly with two enthusiastic children who interrupt his silence and routine. He is always doing sneaky and thoughtful things for us. He's constantly "accidentally" buying too much breakfast sausage or corndogs.

On Thursday afternoons, I am thankful for the homeless ministry at our church. It has been such a blessing to us to be able to put a face on homelessness in Fort Worth and do our small part to help. Our church provides a safe and loving environment where my children adopt the ladies and call them friends.

On Friday mornings, I am thankful for our museum membership. The kids learn about the world every time we enter the building. From the planetarium show with Big Bird to the Children's museum with X-ray charts, they explore learning in ways I can't do at home.

On Friday afternoons, I am thankful for payday and coupons that help our money stretch.

On Saturday morning, I am thankful for late sleepers and catching up on laundry and Bible study.

On Saturday afternoon I am thankful for our two dependable vehicles that get us from place to place. I'm thankful for our many friends who have birthday parties on Saturdays. Sometimes I'm thankful we don't have any friends with parties that day.

Every day I am thankful for our friends. We are blessed beyond measure. Even though Thanksgiving was last week, around here we give thanks every day.

Poopoo and Peepee

2010-11-12T13:20:00.000-08:00

Become a parent means losing all inhibitions about bodily functions. It also means having more conversations about bodily functions than you ever want to have. You have to have strategy sessions with your spouse over what to call the toilet, the urine, and the feces. What is not okay to call it?
All these and more have to be discussed and re-discussed when you are a parent.
If it's not hard changing diapers that get pooped in seemingly every half hour, it's harder to change underwear that gets pooped in. This requires other limitless conversations. To wash or to toss?
Several months ago Adam and I felt Paul was ready for underwear. He was using the toilet with success and we hoped that underwear would be a successful venture as well. We went to Wal-Mart and bought the cutest Sesame Street underwear you've ever seen. I had a long talk with Paul about how Big Bird doesn't like poo poo or pee pee on him, so Paul must use the potty. We were doing pretty well, until one day he pooped on the floor three times. Before I knew it, Claire had stepped in it and I had to scrub footprints and hand prints off the floors and walls. I was so frustrated that I put him back in diapers.
Since then, we've been occasionally throwing underwear on him, but yesterday we were going to be home all day, so we decided to go all the way again, and hopefully for the last time. He had three accidents before lunch, including one major mess. The thing I hate about it is that you have to get way more personal with poop in underwear than you do in the diapers. Diapers involve indirectness, but with underwear, there is little chance you are not going to end up with fecal matter on your hands.
We had a little girl over, too, and she ended up having an accidental poo about 15 minutes after Paul's. Then the dog escaped to the neighbor's front yard to let loose. Yesterday, I really was grateful for those in the house whom I don't have to clean up after.
Today we bravely left the house in underwear. Five minutes after we entered Half Price Books, Paul had wet himself. Off to the bathroom for cleaning.
Then we went downtown. We were at the trolley stand waiting and Paul told me he had to go potty. He proceeded to rain a puddle on a sidewalk in downtown Fort Worth. This time there wasn't a potty to whisk him off to for cleaning. We had to do it right there on the sidewalk.
But that wasn't the supreme violation of potty etiquette. Because it started raining, we decided to explore downtown indoors. I took the kids to some of the skyscrapers that have indoor pedestrian bridges. We were looking out at the downtown skyline when two businessmen informed me that my son was peeing into the air conditioning vent. I was trapped. I didn't want to cart him somewhere else, dripping his way through the City Club. I had to change him right there. So yes, today I stood above Calhoun street taking my son's clothes off for all to see. I said a silent prayer of thanks that he didn't stain any carpet and hope for quick evaporation.
Next stop: Costco. I hope to only have to change him once in there.

Drive Through Wisdom

2010-10-16T06:11:00.000-07:00

My husband Adam is a coin collector. Every two weeks on payday when he goes to the bank, he asks them what uncommon coins they have. Then he cleans them out.
A few weeks ago Adam got nearly $200 in half-dollars. He opens up the rolls, pulls out any he needs for his collection and then we spend them.
This week we were toward the end of pay cycle and I was out of cash. Adam reminded me we had several rolls of the 50 cent pieces, so I took them and spent them.
At CVS I picked up my prescription. $9 in half dollars was put through the drive through window. I apologized for all the coins, but the employee loved them. The clerk was so excited, he said, "I feel like a pirate!"
Yesterday my grandfather had surgery, so after I secured babysitters for the kids, I stopped by Whataburger for a biscuit. I often drive through this Whataburger have wondered why it takes me 10 minutes or more to get my food. Since it was just me and I didn't have to deal with any kids in car seats, I decided to walk in and avoid the drive-thru line.
What I found inside amazed me. Every employee had a smile on his or her face, and everyone was working as fast and as hard as they could. Since it takes so long to get food there, I had assumed there were a bunch of teenagers slacking off talking, but I was wrong. They made every order fresh and to specifications. There were probably ten people behind they counter and they darted around each other working like a well-oiled machine.
I paid for my biscuit with half dollars and the cashier was jubilant. "I love these!" he said. He even gave me a free drink in appreciation of my coinage.
Yesterday I was blessed with two lessons. 1. Don't be ashamed of what you have. Sometimes paying in coins is fantastic. 2. Have patience at the drive thru. You can't see what goes on inside, and the employees just might be working as hard as they possibly can.

Being a Hippie

2010-10-07T04:43:00.000-07:00

I consider myself a modern hippie. I've always loved peace, love, and 1970s clothes.
I've been this way my entire life. When I was in kindergarten, my teacher labeled me the class "peacemaker." When I was in middle school, I was on the "spirit team." When I was in high school, I wore bell-bottoms and flower necklaces. I made sure that no one in Haltom High passed me by without a cheerful hello.
Today I am much the same way. Don't even try to pass me on my morning walk without receiving a greeting. The same goes for church. If I see you at church, you are getting at least a smile and a hello, if not a hug.
Last Christmas, Adam and I sent out about 200 Christmas cards. No one ever gets dropped off our list and every year the list grows.
I say this not to document how awesome I am, but to tell you sharing love always pays off.
Yesterday I spent an hour or two writing cards and sending pictures while the kids were playing. I keep our address book on a clipboard and flip through, writing cards for anyone we haven't had contact with in a while.
Later in the day I received a call from an elderly lady at church who wanted the children to have some hand-made dolls she owned. She had left them for me in the church parlor. We were all honored to be the recipients of such cute grandma and grandpa dolls.
Not only was that lovely, we received another gift last night. Alex, who used to be our favorite sacker at Tom Thumb, and now is a busboy at a local restaurant, bought the kids each a pumpkin for Halloween. I was so humbled that he would spend some of his small and hard-earned paycheck on my children.
So I am here to tell you that when you offer love, it is always returned. Not always from the same place that you gave it, but it always comes back. Take it from a hippie who knows.

Misc. Thoughts

2010-09-15T05:02:00.000-07:00

During the rain last week, we went to the zoo. Only five or six other people joined us. The animals were active and the zoo was empty, so we were able to sit and observe for as long as we wanted. We literally sat in front of the chimpanzees for 30 minutes undisturbed.

The zoo is currently featuring Baby Layla, a new chimpanzee. We were fascinated watching the interactions of the chimp family.

You might wonder why I am posting a blurry picture. This picture is out of focus because I was trying to take a picture of Layla, but then her daddy jumped at the glass and knocked on it. I was a little startled.

We went back to the zoo this past Monday and the zoo was empty again. We were able to talk to zookeepers and see animals up close. The kids even got to pet a 22-year old gecko.

So FW zoo fans, note that rainy days and Mondays are the best days at the zoo.

In other news, I have been a long-time customer and fan of Just Between Friends, a consignment sale that happens twice a year at the Will Rogers Coliseum. Every six months, my mother-in-law and I take the kids and buy all their clothes for the next season. We each spend about $50 per kid and are able to outfit them for the next six months.

This season, I decided to consign. The jury's still out on whether or not we will have another kid (probably not, but maybe) so I can't sell anything that might be used again. However, I have a ton of stuff that we can do without. My goal was to make $300.

This was my first time selling, so it took me a while to learn all the rules of hanging and tagging. I spent at least 15 hours preparing all my items. Adam tallied them all up and let me know that if I sold every item at full price, I'd only make $138. I made about $60.

I also decided to go all the way and volunteer as well. If you volunteer four hours, you earn an extra 5 percent. While working my four hours, I realized that I was hoping for an extra $6.50. I requested leave and was granted.

So I was extremely disappointed, but am hopeful that now I know how the system works I will make more money in the spring. I will not be volunteering, however.

And in still other news....My kids love balloons. We were at JBF picking up my unsold items on Monday night, when the kids spotted an unclaimed balloon on the floor. They both begged for it, but since there was only one, I said no. I knew they would fight over it. A few minutes later, another balloon floated on the scene. The kids were asking if they could have those balloons, and just as I was saying yes, a little boy went and took them both. All kids love balloons, so I understood. At one point, the little boy dropped one of the balloons, and sweet Paul walked over and handed it back to him. My kids are so compassionate and giving, I get sappy.

But last night we were at Albertson's and I was disappointed. The store was having a celebration and we were meeting Chester Cheetah. The PA system announced a cakewalk in the bakery, so my kids begged and ran to the cakewalk. They were looking for a spot to stand on, but before they could find one, all the places were taken. There was one family that was taking up a square for each parent and child. They pretty much had half the walk covered. So my kids were running in circles, trying to fit in. Several adults smiled at them, but no one was going to let them in that cakewalk. I couldn't believe it. The kids were so disappointed and Claire was about to start crying. It made me upset, because if I was an adult on the cakewalk, I would certainly step aside for a kid to play. If my kids were playing on the cakewalk, I would have had them share a square so everyone could play. It frustrates me when I am always teaching my kids to love others and share and then the world disappoints them. I think we might bake a cake today.