I have so many Easter pictures I could go on for days and days. I don't know how many I'll put up this year. Maybe I should save lots for years to come. There is one picture I'm still looking for that if found may make my life worth living.....and it involves Whitney. I'm hoping it happens.
I do have pictures of "curtain dresses" with Turners and Herrocks as well. They will appear sooner or later BUT Whitney and Mollie's picture wins the prize. I'm not sure what prize......but it does win nonetheless.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Yeshua
Yeshua is Jesus' name in Hebrew and it means salvation. It's my favorite name for him. This is how it's spelled in Hebrew ישוע
I'll post some Easter photos of years gone by this week. I have some that document stunningly bad clothes choices. You'll see what I mean. If anyone has any Easter pics on their phones, please send them to me. Otherwise I will have to scan and scan and scan and that always makes my sigh and say oy vey. But I'll do it. Because I love to remind people that throughout the years, we have all made bad decisions with our clothes. Just as in this picture below.
Some observations:
Although he is adorable, Austin looks like a very small southern businessman
Carrie's dress is bright and busy.
Mine is well hidden but it surpasses Carrie's in the bright and busy.
Although baby Caitlin is hiding John's neck area, he is in fact wearing a BOW TIE!
Whitney looks like she has an opinion about something.....shocking.
Melanie looked and looked but she couldn't find a hot pink dress ANYWHERE.
Slade is rocking the little Lord Fauntleroy hairdo.
Lydia's dress is 2 inches off the ground.
Billie's outfit contains hot pink and busy but that's really just her everyday life.
Becky is missing in action. It's possible her outfit was so bad we refused to let her in the photo.
Some observations:
Although he is adorable, Austin looks like a very small southern businessman
Carrie's dress is bright and busy.
Mine is well hidden but it surpasses Carrie's in the bright and busy.
Although baby Caitlin is hiding John's neck area, he is in fact wearing a BOW TIE!
Whitney looks like she has an opinion about something.....shocking.
Melanie looked and looked but she couldn't find a hot pink dress ANYWHERE.
Slade is rocking the little Lord Fauntleroy hairdo.
Lydia's dress is 2 inches off the ground.
Billie's outfit contains hot pink and busy but that's really just her everyday life.
Becky is missing in action. It's possible her outfit was so bad we refused to let her in the photo.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Update on the plumbing problem and geraniums
Plumber was called.
Clog was eliminated.
In less than 20 minutes.
$127.50
I need to go to plumber school.
But the one problem is I have a real aversion to sludge.....and.......well......poo.
So on second thought I guess it's not bloody likely.
Changing the subject....Melanie, BJ and I went to the geranium lady today. She has beautiful geraniums and lots of them, as witnessed here.
Clog was eliminated.
In less than 20 minutes.
$127.50
I need to go to plumber school.
But the one problem is I have a real aversion to sludge.....and.......well......poo.
So on second thought I guess it's not bloody likely.
Changing the subject....Melanie, BJ and I went to the geranium lady today. She has beautiful geraniums and lots of them, as witnessed here.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Random email between me and Dale Tuesday
Originated by me
March 23, 2010
Me
I have to pick Owen up at 11 at Lee so I will be a little late for staff. They just told us the time this morning.
Dale
Dude we will sit n silence til u arrive u must have a 500 word written single spaced sincere apology that will be judged by me. If found to b insincere or flippant you will then have to write a 10000 word essay on humility. No changes to this allowed. The one who tells u what to do and u must do it because u r scared of me!!!!
Me
I'll take the electric chair. Much faster and better results.
March 23, 2010
Me
I have to pick Owen up at 11 at Lee so I will be a little late for staff. They just told us the time this morning.
Dale
Dude we will sit n silence til u arrive u must have a 500 word written single spaced sincere apology that will be judged by me. If found to b insincere or flippant you will then have to write a 10000 word essay on humility. No changes to this allowed. The one who tells u what to do and u must do it because u r scared of me!!!!
Me
I'll take the electric chair. Much faster and better results.
Another day another what?
Well I'm happy to report that Owen and I survived his public school experience. All went well and I didn't have to thump one kid. He said everyone was nice and he liked the teacher that was giving the test. I think he really enjoyed it. He'll go back in a few weeks for 5 days and then he'll be finished. I can't believe this school year is coming to an end. It really was August just a few weeks ago wasn't it?
On another front, some days I'm living in a freak show. Caitlin came home this afternoon after having been in the library for several hours and sang loudly for several more hours. She stated that she had to be quiet for so long she had to "get it all out of her system." I told myself I would remember the songs but I lied to myself. I remember none. But they were very odd ones like maybe a country and western song? I know for a fact that girl does not listen to country music.....anyway it was a very loud afternoon.
Then tonight after Olivia finished showering, she announced there was "some water" on the floor....TUH HUH!! There were actual clothes floating out the door. And so the clog that's been in the shower drain for weeks, the same one I asked my husband to tend to for weeks, finally reared it's ugly head. So after a trip to Wal Mart to buy clog busting stuff and John announcing no one could go to the bathroom, we sit and wait to see if it will unclog or if we'll we have to call a plumber. It was all I could do to keep my wits about me and not give him the thumping that I was prepared to give the punk kid that never showed up earlier in the day.
So now we wait.
The second John put a moratorium on bathroom visits, Caitlin said she had to go. The power of the, "No you can't," kicks in ridiculously fast. It's like a big mystery now. Will the clog go or will it have to be bombed out by the plumber man? Come on God. Save me the plumber dollars please and amen.
I'll update tomorrow on whether the plumber was called and did I or did I not eventually just HAVE TO thump John. We shall see.
On another front, some days I'm living in a freak show. Caitlin came home this afternoon after having been in the library for several hours and sang loudly for several more hours. She stated that she had to be quiet for so long she had to "get it all out of her system." I told myself I would remember the songs but I lied to myself. I remember none. But they were very odd ones like maybe a country and western song? I know for a fact that girl does not listen to country music.....anyway it was a very loud afternoon.
Then tonight after Olivia finished showering, she announced there was "some water" on the floor....TUH HUH!! There were actual clothes floating out the door. And so the clog that's been in the shower drain for weeks, the same one I asked my husband to tend to for weeks, finally reared it's ugly head. So after a trip to Wal Mart to buy clog busting stuff and John announcing no one could go to the bathroom, we sit and wait to see if it will unclog or if we'll we have to call a plumber. It was all I could do to keep my wits about me and not give him the thumping that I was prepared to give the punk kid that never showed up earlier in the day.
So now we wait.
The second John put a moratorium on bathroom visits, Caitlin said she had to go. The power of the, "No you can't," kicks in ridiculously fast. It's like a big mystery now. Will the clog go or will it have to be bombed out by the plumber man? Come on God. Save me the plumber dollars please and amen.
I'll update tomorrow on whether the plumber was called and did I or did I not eventually just HAVE TO thump John. We shall see.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Well tonight I've had quite a struggle for sure. It seems that my entire life has been turned upside down like a bucket that someone is trying to get the last drop of everything out of. It's been shaken and turned and shaken some more and then tossed upside down on the ground so that I am unable to put even one drop of anything back in it. Nothing I put my hand or mind to since August is the same and I have had the fight of my life to maintain a positive thought.
The one thing that will happen tomorrow that's never happened in almost 22 years of parenting is I'll send my 14 year old son off to public school. He'll just be there to test for the day and we prayed for him tonight and he seems completely fine and maybe even a little excited but my heart is heavy and my stomach is queasy. And once again I find myself in the place of wondering, "How the heck did I get here?" I have argued with God and reasoned with Him and wondered and figured and struggled and cried and thrown my hands up in disgust but surprisingly enough He has said very little about any of my shenanigans except things like, "Let it go." or "Trust Me." or "Be still." Each of those has been at some point very very aggravating. He's not taken one of my suggestions. Not one. And so even though it sort of feels like I'm sending my baby boy, that is now taller than me, off like a lamb to the slaughter, it's what I have to do.
There have been way too many changes in my life in the last 6 months and I still have no idea what the next 6 holds for my family. I'm trying to cling to hope like a life raft but for the past 10 days I've been in the fight of my life. Just when I feel like I take 5 steps forward, I end up feeling 8 steps back. But then I got a late Elijah List word, which is very unusual, and it reminded me that if I'm striving for anything on my own then it's doing me absolutely no good. And so once again I'll give it all over to God for the billionth time and say I won't ever take over the planning of my future.....even though clearly I know and God knows that eventually I'll end up having more meetings with myself about what should happen next. But God is way more tolerant and loving and patient and forgiving and understanding and all of the good words than I could ever be so He'll forgive me again once I realize it again.
So please pray for the boy tomorrow and I'll give an update tomorrow night and hopefully it won't include me thumping some punk kid that was rude to Owen. And somehow if it's possible I just felt God shaking His head at me for the gazillionth time.
I'll end this with a few lines from the Francis Frangipane word that came tonight. It's title is "In the Face of the Impossible" and it sounds very familiar to me these days.
Francis Frangipane:
Do as He commands, for as you give the insufficiency of your skills and your pitiful provisions to Him, He will begin to bless and break you, and then multiply what you give Him miraculously. In all my years of ministry, I know of no transforming grace greater than that which comes when, in spite of our inadequacies, we obey God in the face of the impossible.
The one thing that will happen tomorrow that's never happened in almost 22 years of parenting is I'll send my 14 year old son off to public school. He'll just be there to test for the day and we prayed for him tonight and he seems completely fine and maybe even a little excited but my heart is heavy and my stomach is queasy. And once again I find myself in the place of wondering, "How the heck did I get here?" I have argued with God and reasoned with Him and wondered and figured and struggled and cried and thrown my hands up in disgust but surprisingly enough He has said very little about any of my shenanigans except things like, "Let it go." or "Trust Me." or "Be still." Each of those has been at some point very very aggravating. He's not taken one of my suggestions. Not one. And so even though it sort of feels like I'm sending my baby boy, that is now taller than me, off like a lamb to the slaughter, it's what I have to do.
There have been way too many changes in my life in the last 6 months and I still have no idea what the next 6 holds for my family. I'm trying to cling to hope like a life raft but for the past 10 days I've been in the fight of my life. Just when I feel like I take 5 steps forward, I end up feeling 8 steps back. But then I got a late Elijah List word, which is very unusual, and it reminded me that if I'm striving for anything on my own then it's doing me absolutely no good. And so once again I'll give it all over to God for the billionth time and say I won't ever take over the planning of my future.....even though clearly I know and God knows that eventually I'll end up having more meetings with myself about what should happen next. But God is way more tolerant and loving and patient and forgiving and understanding and all of the good words than I could ever be so He'll forgive me again once I realize it again.
So please pray for the boy tomorrow and I'll give an update tomorrow night and hopefully it won't include me thumping some punk kid that was rude to Owen. And somehow if it's possible I just felt God shaking His head at me for the gazillionth time.
I'll end this with a few lines from the Francis Frangipane word that came tonight. It's title is "In the Face of the Impossible" and it sounds very familiar to me these days.
Francis Frangipane:
Do as He commands, for as you give the insufficiency of your skills and your pitiful provisions to Him, He will begin to bless and break you, and then multiply what you give Him miraculously. In all my years of ministry, I know of no transforming grace greater than that which comes when, in spite of our inadequacies, we obey God in the face of the impossible.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Another weekend
Well it's another end to another weekend with another group coming home from New Orleans. That almost NEVER happens. In a matter of one week, all but 2 from the family traveled there and back. It's enough to alert the media. There was no wedding this weekend but there was lots of basketball watched, some turtle soup eaten, more walking, sounds like MANY deserts eaten and to stop my wondering mind, silver people still doing their thing. Apparently a gold person was out and about as well.....still fascinating.
So, the group going this time was Keith, Becky, Randy, Melanie, Carlie, Maggie, Caitlin and Olivia. Six of them watched 6 basketball games in 2 days and deemed it worth every minute and every dollar. I don't have any pictures yet but I'll be getting some from Melanie and Carlie soon I hope. And much thanks to the aunts and uncles for the love, care and feeding of my 2 kids over the last few days. It's greatly appreciated and they had a fantastic time with lots of fun memories made.
Whilst they were out of town, more Glee was watched by Mollie, Emma and I. Also Lindsey, Whitney, Emma and I went to Old Navy together and Whitney and I were the judges of the clothes that Lin and Emma tried on. They mostly got the stuff we liked. But Lindsey DEFINITELY should have gotten the black hoochie mama dress with the ruffle....you know which one.....the one you did the little dance in? But whatever.
On another note, I did the computer this morning at church for CARLIE AGAIN and she didn't even bring me a present. Blech! Anyway, yesterday Dale called me to see if I was actually doing the computer and when I told him I was he started trash talking IMMEDIATELY...stuff like you better this and you better that and blah blah blah so I told him I WILL be ready for you tomorrow morning and he didn't believe me but oh boy was I ever. I got there in plenty of time to make his power point for him. RIDICULOUS! And then I decided to make one extra slide just in case I might need it and indeed I did. It seems he gets extremely impatient when a scripture doesn't pop up quite fast enough, so once again he started his trash talking in front of the whole church and it was then that I hit my special slide that I had at the ready which said, DO NOT ANNOY ME!! People laughed and he didn't try bossing me anymore! I have to admit I was a little nervous but it was totally worth it. Lord if you would go ahead and forgive me for that it would be greatly appreciated.
And the most bizarre thing of the weekend was the snow that fell off and on all morning and some of the afternoon. WHAT? UMMM NO. Go away snow go away. We'll wish and pray for you next winter but not a moment before. But even still as I sit here it's fricking freezing outside and that's just not good. We need sunshine and warm weather so as not to really really tick me off.
And now I'll end this post with a special prayer for Whitney and her friends for their test tomorrow. Lord give them wisdom and retention and peace and plenty of pencil lead or ink for their 4 hour test. Give them good night's sleeps and restful, peaceful dreams and excellent grades. Remind them that this will pass before they know it and in just a few short years it will all just be MOSTLY fond memories of times spent with people they will remember all their lives. Remind them that it really will all be OK. And keep them from screwing it up.
In Jesus name amen.
So, the group going this time was Keith, Becky, Randy, Melanie, Carlie, Maggie, Caitlin and Olivia. Six of them watched 6 basketball games in 2 days and deemed it worth every minute and every dollar. I don't have any pictures yet but I'll be getting some from Melanie and Carlie soon I hope. And much thanks to the aunts and uncles for the love, care and feeding of my 2 kids over the last few days. It's greatly appreciated and they had a fantastic time with lots of fun memories made.
Whilst they were out of town, more Glee was watched by Mollie, Emma and I. Also Lindsey, Whitney, Emma and I went to Old Navy together and Whitney and I were the judges of the clothes that Lin and Emma tried on. They mostly got the stuff we liked. But Lindsey DEFINITELY should have gotten the black hoochie mama dress with the ruffle....you know which one.....the one you did the little dance in? But whatever.
On another note, I did the computer this morning at church for CARLIE AGAIN and she didn't even bring me a present. Blech! Anyway, yesterday Dale called me to see if I was actually doing the computer and when I told him I was he started trash talking IMMEDIATELY...stuff like you better this and you better that and blah blah blah so I told him I WILL be ready for you tomorrow morning and he didn't believe me but oh boy was I ever. I got there in plenty of time to make his power point for him. RIDICULOUS! And then I decided to make one extra slide just in case I might need it and indeed I did. It seems he gets extremely impatient when a scripture doesn't pop up quite fast enough, so once again he started his trash talking in front of the whole church and it was then that I hit my special slide that I had at the ready which said, DO NOT ANNOY ME!! People laughed and he didn't try bossing me anymore! I have to admit I was a little nervous but it was totally worth it. Lord if you would go ahead and forgive me for that it would be greatly appreciated.
And the most bizarre thing of the weekend was the snow that fell off and on all morning and some of the afternoon. WHAT? UMMM NO. Go away snow go away. We'll wish and pray for you next winter but not a moment before. But even still as I sit here it's fricking freezing outside and that's just not good. We need sunshine and warm weather so as not to really really tick me off.
And now I'll end this post with a special prayer for Whitney and her friends for their test tomorrow. Lord give them wisdom and retention and peace and plenty of pencil lead or ink for their 4 hour test. Give them good night's sleeps and restful, peaceful dreams and excellent grades. Remind them that this will pass before they know it and in just a few short years it will all just be MOSTLY fond memories of times spent with people they will remember all their lives. Remind them that it really will all be OK. And keep them from screwing it up.
In Jesus name amen.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Another writing by Olivia
The small, wiry, dog slinks across the yard with her flowing, white tipped tail waving in the wind. Her copper colored coat blends with the fall foliage and she sneaks into position to spy on the pesky squirrels. Her expression is serious and her eyes are locked on her target. She moves in closer and closer until one inopportune leaf falls in her path and crunch! The squirrels run for their trees, she tries to recover her position but it’s too late. The squirrels have disappeared from sight for now but their irresistible curiosity will bring them back within reach.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
A forced poem by Olivia for her English schoolwork. I think it is delightful.
Addy is a yellow dog
She hasn’t ever met a frog
If she did she would run away
Even if it begged her to stay
She is scared of vacuums and brooms
If she sees one she’ll run into another room
Her favorite place to play is outside
She likes to run and make the squirrels hide
When her and Dottie are out on the prowl
They bark so much all the other dogs howl
They bark at morning, noon, and night
It puts the neighbors into a fright
They’ve come inside to go to sleep
From now until sunup they won’t make a peep
She hasn’t ever met a frog
If she did she would run away
Even if it begged her to stay
She is scared of vacuums and brooms
If she sees one she’ll run into another room
Her favorite place to play is outside
She likes to run and make the squirrels hide
When her and Dottie are out on the prowl
They bark so much all the other dogs howl
They bark at morning, noon, and night
It puts the neighbors into a fright
They’ve come inside to go to sleep
From now until sunup they won’t make a peep
New Orleans wedding weekend
Well our New Orleans weekend was a hit from start to finish. We had beignets twice, we took pictures in the French Quarter, we walked thousands of miles, I nearly had my eyes put out when I looked the wrong direction while on Bourbon Street and we saw silver people, which causes many questions in my mind every time I see them. I mean what made them decide this was gonna be their shtick? I need real answers.
There were too many people in New Orleans for my taste but we definitely had a blast. Caleb and Katy did in fact get married as planned and the wedding was so fun. They had a fantastic band and those of us that don't dance, enjoyed watching the ones that do. And to quote Bill, "There is nothing better than a confident bad dancer." And he's so correct. There were some bad dancers and some conservative dancers and some drunk dancers and some cool dancers and we enjoyed every single one of them. We stayed til the absolute end and then went home and tucked ourselves in bed.
Sunday my girls and I walked around the French Quarter and took pictures and ate breakfast at Antoine's Annex which was completely enchanting. There was a violin and guitar player just down the street and we could hear the music playing while we were eating. It was all very delightful. John, Owen, Austin and Lauren went to the aquarium and had a fabulous time as well. We ate lunch just off Jackson Square and then it was time to head back home. We were all exhausted because we did after all walk millions of miles but it was all worth it. I love to go to New Orleans but I love to leave. Not sure when I'll be back there but it's always fun to go see the sights and take photos of the architecture. I'm so glad we decided to go.
I swiped some of Lindsey's pictures to document the peeps and the fun.
There were too many people in New Orleans for my taste but we definitely had a blast. Caleb and Katy did in fact get married as planned and the wedding was so fun. They had a fantastic band and those of us that don't dance, enjoyed watching the ones that do. And to quote Bill, "There is nothing better than a confident bad dancer." And he's so correct. There were some bad dancers and some conservative dancers and some drunk dancers and some cool dancers and we enjoyed every single one of them. We stayed til the absolute end and then went home and tucked ourselves in bed.
Sunday my girls and I walked around the French Quarter and took pictures and ate breakfast at Antoine's Annex which was completely enchanting. There was a violin and guitar player just down the street and we could hear the music playing while we were eating. It was all very delightful. John, Owen, Austin and Lauren went to the aquarium and had a fabulous time as well. We ate lunch just off Jackson Square and then it was time to head back home. We were all exhausted because we did after all walk millions of miles but it was all worth it. I love to go to New Orleans but I love to leave. Not sure when I'll be back there but it's always fun to go see the sights and take photos of the architecture. I'm so glad we decided to go.
I swiped some of Lindsey's pictures to document the peeps and the fun.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
The daffodil field
It was an eclectic group of people on the Sunday ride while we were on our way home from New Orleans. Grandma, Melanie, Jared, Carlie and Maggie rode out somewhere to see a field of lovely daffodils and the necessary documentation by camera took place. It was an excellent photo adventure as evidenced below. That's Jared in the first photo stylin' in his vest. I have posted a few and will post others on another day. They are all magnificent. I love pictures. I love beautiful pictures. These are just that.....magnificent and beautiful. Well done. Spring is so wonderful. It was such a good idea God. Well done you also.
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