Tagged!

April 24, 2008
Did I ask to be tagged? Did you read my previous blog? HA HA
Here goes (from Distybug) 7 random facts about my childhood:

1. When I was in 5th grade, I played Ngana (the polynesian child ) in South Pacific. Yes, polynesian children have dark skin and dark hair. Yes, I had fair skin and blonde hair. My mother dyed my hair black....it turned green! Great memories! I still know the song I had to learn in French!!!!!!

2. I cracked my left elbow in 1st grade by turning a cartwheel in our yard, falling, and landing on a rock.

3. I broke my right wrist and forearm in 4th grade by wrecking my bicycle (which led to my mother being questioned by the doctor since I apparently "easily" break my arms?...DHR anyone?)

4. My older sister and I used to play "Charlie's Angels" by riding our go-cart through the neighborhood....(one of our favorite games!)

5. I always wanted long hair when I was little, only it wasn't going to happen. THIN, short hair is all I had (Abby is reliving this "dream/nightmare" with her short/thin hair and wanting long, lustrous locks!) My granny would clip a towel on my head so I could pretend I had long hair. I would wear it all day long, swing it over my shoulder, climb the tree in her front yard like I was something! I miss her!

6. In 1st grade I got in "trouble" when my teacher left the room and I went to the front of the class to lead all the students in "cheers". (Did you all know that I was a cheerleader, and now Abby is on a competitive cheerleading squad? Maybe she's more like me than I realized!)

7. My lips stayed chapped all the time when I was young. My mother saw me waiting for the bus one cold day. I was licking my lips in the cold wind. No wonder they were chapped all the time! She told me to stop, the chapped lips got better. (I am still addicted to chapstick though!)

I tag ANYONE who reads this blog! You have NO choice! You can NOT unsubscribe! ha ha

I didn't subscribe dad' blast it!

April 17, 2008
I am in full vent mode! Since last week I have been getting TONS of "junk" e-mail. It really irritates me (and I mean with a capital I in IRRITATE) when I go to check my e-mail and I have 37 incoming messages and only about 3 real e-mails! In extremely tiny print at the BOTTOM
of the page is the blasted little message (you've all seen it)... if you would like to stop receiving our e-mails, please click here to unsubscribe. When did I subscribe????????? I don't want to "unsubscribe" if I don't want something....I want to subscribe if I DO want something!!!! Anybody out there feeling my pain? You start a petition-I'll sign it.....a protest-I'll march....anything to STOP having to unsubscribe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Borrowing a blog....

April 14, 2008

I recently read a friend's blog "10 reasons why this day stinks!" (Everybody know who I'm talking about ?) I read it, laughed, and commented "Oh, we all have those days." Today was my day-so here's my list:
1. Scott was sick in bed (I hate it when someone in my family is sick-especially if it's me!)
2. We were out of "fresh" donuts for Abby's breakfast (don't even give me a lecture on healthy food choices)
3. It's April-I should be wearing cute spring clothes NOT trying to find something warm that will fit me!
4. I have a HUGE zit on my chin-and it hurts!
5. Abby has a project at school that needs shoeboxes. The shoeboxes we got out last night are apparently too small...only she didn't tell me that LAST NIGHT-she waited until this morning-right before we were getting ready to leave!
6. Abby was trying to carry 3 shoeboxes, stale broken donuts, a lunchbox, backpack, a bag of dry cereal (to make up for the stale donuts) down the stairs all at one time....and fell...and DROPPED the 3 shoeboxes, stale broken donuts (now broken even more), and began to cry when I began to yell "Why are you carrying all that at one time? Why is some of this stuff not already in the car?"
7. We were late for school ...which meant I missed Monday morning prayer...and I really needed it!!!!
8. My pants (that I picked out at the last minute) are too short and look AWFUL (only I didn't realize it until I looked in the mirror at school!)
9. I took my kids out to recess (in the cold) when it began to rain (of course!)
10. I wanted some mashed potatoes for supper...I turned the stove down too low...then mixed them, and apparently they were too cold...now I have cold, potato soup...HONESTLY-how do you mess up mashed potatoes??????????????

and #11-(just for Reformed Grits...my laundry baskets are no longer empty!)

Seriously, I'm not "looking at the half-empty glass"....this was just one of those Mondays!
Now here's the good news: I only have 4 more Mondays until I am home for good and summer starts! Hallelujah! I am very thankful for Lamentations 3:21-23(another one of my favorite verses)
"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness!"
Can't wait for Tuesday!

PS...I must let you know that we are watching America's Funniest Home Videos and having a great time laughing....Could it be Tuesday already?

The Goodness of God!

April 9, 2008
Do you ever get truly awed and amazed at how good God is? How he answers specific prayers? How very personal He is? This past week God has just "showed off" for us. I am not returning to work next year so I can stay home with our precious new baby. We didn't know how it was going to work out, but we were just trusting God. He did an AWESOME work in our finances at just the right time. Coincidence? I think not. The only other big thing that was bothering me was the baby's due date (Aug. 7). I was so anxious because Abby was due Aug. 6 and wasn't born until the 17th. I just kept telling God (like He didn't know) but Abby needs some time with the baby before school starts, I don't want to have to worry about the stress of starting school and the timing of the new baby, etc..... Today I find out that school will NOT start until August 25 (2weeks later than planned...oops-I don't know if this is "public" information yet-so you DIDN't hear it from me:) Coincidence? I think not. Now whether Alivia ( for those of you who don't know her name is Alivia Scott...Livi for short!) is born "on time" or "late", we still get family bonding time without the worry of school! Look, God can part the Red Sea, but He can also answer prayers that are very personal, very real, and may seem very small. That's what amazes me about our God. HE CARES...and He is sovereign and knows what's best for us even when we don't trust Him. I love it when He "shows off!" :)

Psalm 139 is my favorite scripture...may it encourage you today!

"Our Song"

April 7, 2008
OK, I need to blog about the baby, the sonar, etc, but I just read Gayle's blog about her sweet song with her "honey" and it reminded me of a funny story about "songs". Years ago Scott and I were driving with some friends of ours and we were (believe it or not) talking about songs. I told Scott...."We don't really have a "song". We need a song!" (For those of you who don't really know us well YET, you will soon discover that we are not the mushy gushy types, we argue (strike through that-EXPRESS our OPINIONS) loudly and often- but all in the name of love. That's just who we are (take it or leave it).
Anyway-we are driving down the road when Scott says..."I do have a song for you." I was excited and curious when he put a CD in. Could it be a little Lionel Richie? maybe some Vince Gill? (These are the CD's that were in our car at the time.) Next thing I know out comes the lyrics from Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers (if you do not know who they are STOP reading this blog right now!!!! You are either not old enough to appreciate it or you don't know good, harmonious country music when you hear it!) Here's what came through the speakers:
chorus:
I did, I did, I did ( in 3 part brother harmony) not mean to mislead you
And I never intended for push come to shove
I don't, I don't, I don't have one thing against you
I just wish you were someone I love!

OK- some of you might have jumped out of the car and headed straight for the nearest lawyer's office and filed the papers. Not me....I've never laughed so hard in all my life. (Which is, I hope, what he intended in the first place). From that day on- that's been our song. Call it our "warped" sense of humor and appreciation for each other-but we just "get it". We have an understanding-
there is NO song that expresses what words could never really express. Scott is who I TRUST, RESPECT, APPRECIATE, and can't imagine a day without! But in the words of our song...."I just wish he were someone I loved!" HA HA HA


PS....You can listen to "our song"...just click the link at the top left of my blog (above our picture)
Sorry -we are NOT blog professionals! ha ha

Spring "Break"....NOT!

March 23, 2008
Happy Easter! (or as my dear friend says...Happy Resurrection Day...I love that!)
I know this should be a day of total joy, but the "human/selfish" side of me is a little sad that school starts back tomorrow. Maybe it's because I don't really feel like I've had a "break". My day off began with moving the furniture out of the study/soon to be nursery. (ok-I didn't move it-but I supervised very well!!!!) Once you begin moving furniture, it is quickly followed by "rearranging" furniture, which means you see walls and floor that you haven't seen in awhile, which means you see DUST and other "stuff" that shouldn't be there, etc. etc. do you see where I'm going here? It was a never ending task...which thankfully DID end but at the END of the day.
(day 1 gone!) Next day was church (which I know should be a "restful" day, but never really is).
On Monday I did actually take a few hours "off" and head to the park. It was wonderful weather and good fun with friends. Shortly after I drove Abby to her mawmaw's house for a sleepover with her favorite cousin JoJo. After visiting and driving home the day was over (day 2 gone).
I got up early Tuesday morning and began the dreaded task of swapping winter shoes for spring/summer shoes. (I know I could avoid this by getting rid of some shoes...seriously? Do you really think I'm going to do that? Don't ya'll know how much I love my flip flops? all 22 pair! not really (more like 17) ha ha) ....anyway....I packed up all the boots and winter yellow boxes and made way for the open toes! Then I headed to the kitchen to tackle the dreaded tupperware cabinet. How is it that all the lids and bowls get mixed up and some just downright disappear? That cleaning led to the casserole and pots/pans cabinet...do you see a pattern? Then it was time to go get Abby and take her to cheerleader practice...(day 3 gone) On Wednesday I decided to wash all the baby clothes I had been given (by my sister and a friend-thanks!) to see what we actually had. Let me just say , after 8 loads, that I now know why Kate (from Jon and Kate plus 8) has someone come in and do her laundry! I have NEVER done 8 loads of laundry in a day (maybe not even a week!) and will NEVER do it again! But...all those adorable clothes are sorted and hanging in the closet- labeled with sizes 0-3/3-6/etc.(and yes-they are organized by casual, short sleeve, long sleeve, "dressy church" , Auburn, and Christmas...call me OCD but it sure does look good in there!) Whew! (day 4 gone)...How can spring "break" be almost over? I haven't had one day of a "break!" I didn't even add in the cleaning out of Abby's closet, getting "yard sale" stuff out of the attic, shopping for Easter shoes, buying the nursery furniture and setting it up, cleaning out the car, choir practice, a birthday party....oh my! I do feel like I accomplished a LOT! Scott asked me if this was early "nesting"? I sure as heck hope so...cause all I can say is -when is summer? I need a break!

Plunder!!!!

March 5, 2008
Sunday was a great day! The weather was beautiful, we were actually ON time for church, and Jeff preached an incredible sermon (again). It was titled "Binding the Strong Man". The main points were :
1. our enemy (Satan) is real...he is a personal enemy to me and those who are loved by God and wants to destroy both.
2. our enemy exercises great power/influence in the world. He is at work through industries, music, movies, businesses, and individually. We are at war!
3. (but here's where the good news starts...) our enemy has been bound! (I John 3:8, Col. 2:13-15, Hebrews 2:14)
4. (this is the best part...) our enemy now is being plundered!!!! What he tries to take and destroy, God returns and blesses (even more than we imagined!)

2 years ago I experienced heartbreak like I had never known. For years Abby had been praying for a baby. Scott and I joined her in prayer when she was 5. After a year and a half of "trying", we finally found out we were pregnant! It was March, 2006. At the same time we were trying to sell our house (another miracle story for another day) and found out that it had sold!!! So in the same week 2 huge prayers were answered and I was on "Glory" cloud nine! Scott and I decided we would tell Abby about the baby on Easter Sunday (what better day right?). It was not to be. On Thursday (before Easter) I miscarried. We were living with my mother (our house had sold and we moved out quickly) and in a bathroom that wasn't mine- I experienced an unbearable loss. I was already scheduled for a DNC on Friday (I had a final sonar on Tuesday and there was no heartbeat), but I just wasn't ready for the "sudden" end to it all. On top of the pain, confusion, etc. we were trying to "hide" all this from Abby. (She still doesn't know about the miscarriage. God has not given us a peace about sharing this with her yet. I know the day will come-but for now (and then) we kept it to ourselves. That made hearing her prayers every night even HARDER!) We moved to our new house (ANOTHER miracle story), met wonderful new neighbors, and ended up joining a new church (a blessing of wonderful new friends).....but the loss was still indescribable. For years Scott and I were content with just Abby and thought our family was complete. Only when GOD (through many people, scriptures, and events) changed our hearts did we begin praying that His will would be done in our family. We really thought we would get pregnant "right away". It didn't happen. We both got "tested" ....completely normal. That's when the questions and doubt began. "God, did I misunderstand you?" "Where are you in this?" "Why is EVERYONE getting pregnant but me?" "Why would I finally get pregnant, only to lose the baby?" ....Hard questions! Many tears! Many days, weeks, months, and years of praying for a "peace that passes all understanding". That peace FINALLY came after so many people (including many of you readers) prayed for me and with me. I learned more about God and is faithfulness, sovereignty, and goodness through this trial than anything else in my life. I FINALLY surrended. We "assumed" that our family was complete...and that Abby would have her sibling in heaven. In December, I reluctantly took a pregnancy test. Let me say VERY RELUCTANTLY. It was positive. All I could do was cry. I didn't know why He had finally answered our prayers, but I do know His timing is always perfect. We were so scared and nervous. Would everything be ok? The first and second sonar were such vivid reminders of our previous lost, but such promises of great joy when we saw that little baby developing, heard the heartbeat, saw the arms and legs moving......
On Thursday (as you've all read in the previous post) we found out it was a girl! (85% ha ha)
This was to our entire family's delight! She was moving around so much that Scott said, "I can't believe you can't feel that!".....and then Sunday came.
Sitting there listening to Jeff preach about "plundering the enemy", I felt a little "bubble"...and then another, and another, and then a KICK! Let me just tell my fellow Presbyterians that I nearly jumped out of my pew and shouted Hallelujah (but I restrained myself...ha ha) I motioned to Scott that I felt her kick and he just reached over and patted my belly and grinned from ear to ear. Talk about plunder! How gracious is our God to walk with us, tenderly wipe away our tears, let us throw temper tantrums and then hold us close, and give us the "desires of our hearts."
Plunder indeed!
(Maybe now you all will know why we are so over the moon about this pregnancy, acting like no one has ever been pregnant before, downright giddy....it's because of the plunder!) :)

Psalm 40