mother's day!

the family took me out on Saturday to have a juicy jalepeno burger and some sweet tater tots. they also took me to walmart where i had to wander around so they could shop for me (in secret).

sunday morning before church, they presented me with 2 fancy chocolate bars (cayenne & orange - my 2 favorites) and some awesome nail polish.

my son picked purple. my daughter, blue and green. hubs got me some glitter stuff (4th of July is coming up) and some new crackle stuff that looks like watermelon rind. cool stuff. and they all know how much i love to paint my toes.

what a blessed mother (and wife) i really am.

happy 10th anniversary to me

Lookie see, what hubby and kiddies got me...

(not the computer, but the beautiful flowers beside it)

my husband bought me shoes?

my husband outdid himself. he came home from work this morning at which point, i tackled him and thanked him for the bear. he then whips out a bag containing a jumbo Reeses peanut butter heart AND...are you ready for this? he bought me a pair of shoes and they actually fit!!!!

trust in the man

i called my husband at work tonight because i was having trouble making a difficult decision due to my emotional involvement in the situation. you'd think this would be an easy fix. he told me exactly what to do and i spent half of the rest of the night trying to formulate reasons why he is wrong. i spent the other half trying to justify that he was right. all that needed be done was to trust his decision and forget it and move on.

i wish trust wasn't so hard to learn and accept. i suppose if there were more trustworthy people, it would be a cinch...until then i guess i'll just keep practicing.

*sigh*

it's a cayenne and cod liver oil kind of day.

good idea

Often I get the feeling that my husband is the only one in the house who gets good ideas.

happy anniversary

I got married today.



In honor of our 9th anniversary, my dear romantic husband has asked me to marry him in our game. The wedding was this evening and the Game Master was kind enough to stand in to perform the ceremony. Watch your eyes, the GM is scantily clad. Apparently this is the standard dress for the "guys in charge". LOL












And the celebration after...





I hope you enjoyed this even half as much as we did!

hubby got a makeover

hubby got himself a makeover too, so he could look hunky and tough. check him out now.









Don't we make a cute couple? Of COURSE we do.

we are gamers

Since I met him, hubby has always had an affinity for epic questing type games. he found one we could play together and it's been loads of fun. he even bought me a makeover for my character, so I could look different (and MUCH cuter) than the other 40,000+ characters running around in the game. As silly as it may sound for a couple of grown parents to be playing a game designed for the average teenager, it's been loads of fun for me and him to have something we can enjoy doing together. It's been such a blast, I decided to take pictures of our cyber questing.



Here's a couple of them. Aren't we tough?




And yes, I DO look this good in real life. *wink* In fact, this picture looks just like me. Hubby is a very blessed man!

anniversary approaching

Folding laundry and listening to the pop station on the radio. Heard a song that really grabbed me. Made me think of all the years hubby and I have shared together and how wonderful they have been.



I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my "hundred years" with you, baby.

I love you.

One Hundred Years: Five For Fighting


Five For Fighting

I'm 15 for a moment
Caught in between 10 and 20
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
I'm 22 for a moment
She feels better than ever
And we're on fire
Making our way back from Mars
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to lose
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
I'm 33 for a moment
Still the man, but you see I'm a they
A kid on the way
A family on my mind
I'm 45 for a moment
The sea is high
And I'm heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy, Time to lose yourself
Within a morning star
15 I'm all right with you
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
Half time goes by
Suddenly you're wise
Another blink of an eye
67 is gone
The sun is getting high
We're moving on...
I'm 99 for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
15 there's still time for you
22 I feel her too
33 you're on your way
Every day's a new day...
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to choose
Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live

i'm gonna need help today.

Today has already started a bit rough. My husband, bless his heart, knew I would be tired this morning and shorted himself on sleep today in order that I might sleep in this morning. I was so thankful for this, but unfortunately, this only took the "edge" off my morning. I woke up with a splitting headache and a general fog lying overhead. I had no milk in the fridge for my coffee and nothing to feed my kids for breakfast. *sigh*

Hubby was already tired and trying to wind down for bed-time, so he was less than thrilled with running off to the store to get milk at a moment's notice while clad in pajamas. Although, I was less than thrilled with his suggestion of getting milk before work, I understood. If I'd have remembered it was St. Patrick's Day, I might have considered a wee bit o'Irish Creme in my Coffee. That might have fixed everything.

Then we had a slight altercation, most likely my fault and I decided I wasn't going to make through the morning, much less the entire day without coffee (and I just can't drink it black - what a mood buster), so off to the store I went. I barely got hubby's car started - it's a delicate old girl (like me). Then I pull out and realize I didn't get any cash, so I attempt to turn around (in a yacht) and I start rolling backwards in "DRIVE". Keep in mind, it's drizzling and yucky outside which didn't improve my mood at all. I finally get the transmission to do what it's told and I pull into the side road to back up and I roll forward in "REVERSE". AAACK. Again, I ease the old girl into forward motion at my discretion (not hers) and I almost hit a woman driving by me. I decide at this point that turning around could prove to be disastrous. Then I remember, I have a $5 in my purse so on to the store I go.

I get there and have trouble deciding what to get, but finally get through it without much of a hitch. The ladies even gave me animal crackers and balloons for my kids. Yippee.

So home I go and I can't get the door open without setting down the milk and I nearly dropped it. I didn't want to set it on the ground because it was muddy all around the door and my head is still pounding and I don't want to make a second trip out to the car.

I decide to give the kids their animal crackers for breakfast (great mom, ain't I?) and hubby vetos it for one of the kids because of something that happened while I was gone. My surprise was crushed and I didn't hesitate to let my husband know that he had failed me in this respect. So onto the second altercation of the morning. My head is pounding harder. Yeeeech. I lay down and sulk and rest on the couch and hubby comes over and apologizes and works on my back. He is such a dear sweet man and I softened. Then hubby went into the bathroom to get ready for bed. I tried to poke my head in the door to get a hug and he shut the door on my head (he thought the kids were trying to walk in on him and apparently he was "exposed" LOL). Then I'm a bit stunned and can't remember what I wanted and when hubby tries to get me to answer, I just stand there a bit dumbfounded.

Then I walk back to the couch and lay down to sulk again. Then I lay on the couch a bit longer and asked God to get me through this day, cuz I just knew I'd never make it alone.

Then I look up and tell hubby, I just came into the bathroom to tell you "I need you". He seemed not to understand and I was unable to explain it further. It's so weird, how when I feel like this, all of my collegiate level vocabulary and articulation skills just fly right out the window. I need to learn to grunt better. He gets up to go to bed and I muster myself back off the couch and wander over to stand in front of him and look exceptionally pitiful and needy hoping he will read my mind--a truly difficult task at best and nearly impossible when my internal reasoning is broken. He was probably reading something like this--blah, whine, hurt, aaaaach, hug, love you, yuck, the cat needs water. No wonder he didn't know what I wanted. I FINALLY manage to articulate "I need a hug". Hubby was kind enough to accommodate....ahhhh a little better.

Well, it's lunchtime and I still have a headache, but the most amazing thing. Hubby went to bed happy (we made up). I got to eat a fresh blueberry muffin made by the finest bakers that our local grocery store has to offer. The kids are being extremely good and quiet and the phone hasn't rung all morning and I even had a nice "quiet" chat with a good friend on the messenger this morning. God is good.

(I think I'll have another muffin.)

One of my favorite verses...seemed appropriate.

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
~1 John 3:22

Here's another good one.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
~Matthew 11:28

Those Eyes

Who could say "NO" to those eyes?

how a woman's brain works

Ever wondered how a woman's brain works?
It's finally explained here in one, easy-to-understand illustration:



Every one of those little blue balls is a thought about something that needs to be done, a decision or a problem that needs to be solved.

A man, of course, has only 2 balls and they take up all his thoughts.

My World

My World

Fried Eggs

A wife was making a breakfast of fried eggs for her husband.

Suddenly her husband burst into the kitchen."Careful .. CAREFUL! Put in some more butter! Oh Good Grief! You're cooking too many at once. TOO MANY! Turn them! TURN THEM NOW! We need more butter. Oh Good Grief ! WHERE are we going to get MORE BUTTER? They're going to STICK! Careful ... CAREFUL! I said be CAREFUL! You NEVER listen to me when you're cooking! Never! Turn them! Hurry up! Are you CRAZY? Have you LOST your mind? Don't forget to salt them. You know you always forget to salt them. Use the salt. USE THE SALT! THE SALT!"

The wife stared at him. "What on earth is wrong with you? You think I don't know how to fry a couple of eggs?

The husband calmly replied, "I just wanted to show you what it feels like when I'm driving.

new wedding ring!

My husband bought me a new wedding ring for Christmas. It's sooooooooo beautiful, I can hardly contain myself. Just had to share.

Blessings

we can't all be queen bees

DOING YOUR JOB

I have this crazy habit of speaking in metaphors. Some tell me it's a real talent and others think it's kind of weird. Nonetheless, I use metaphors to teach my children about things that I think are important. Today I was talking to my teenage daughter about marriage and being grown up and I shared something with her that I discovered a couple of days ago. She was very impressed and thought that I should share it with you, so...here goes.

I love my life as a wife and a mother, but sometimes doubts creep in and make me wonder, "am I doing enough?". I mean, we are supposed to be leading people to Christ. This is our "purpose" in life, but as a wife and a mother, my main “job“ is taking care of my husband and raising my babies. Shouldn't I be more involved in this activity or that ministry? Some actually are and find that they don't have enough time after ministry to do the mundane of taking care of their family, but they reason that their "purpose" is more important than their "job".

Yesterday I was watching "Reading Rainbow" with my 4 year old and they were telling the kids about bees. They told about how some bees do nothing but repeatedly flap their wings in order to regulate the temperature in the hive. Talk about mundane. Other bees, gather food. Some build cones and attend to the baby bees as they hatch while others hover around and protect the hive from predators and other "robber" bees.

Then the announcer said something that really caught my attention. He said the main "purpose" of the bees was to pollinate flowers so that they would reproduce and grow more flowers. Whoa! Think about that. Their main "purpose" is to pollinate flowers, but their "job" has nothing to do with flowers whatsoever. Their main "job" is to make baby bees. Everything they do, regulating temp, gathering food, building cones, protecting the hive, etc is all about making baby bees, but when the bees do their "job", their "purpose" fulfills itself quite naturally and easily.

Wow! That was quite a picture for me. My main "job" in life is to care for my family, but when I love my family, and teach my children and let others see me doing this, my "purpose" (to win others to Christ) comes naturally and easily for two main reasons. The first reason and most obvious, would be that I will win my children to Christ. The second and somewhat less obvious reason would be that extended family and friends, neighbors, etc, will see my functioning happy family and want what I have. Then they will see Christ and want Him too.

Now if you back up to the bees a second. Stop and think, if the bees decided that they should take their focus away from their "job" -- away from making baby bees -- and place it on their designated "purpose" –- pollinating flowers -- because it's more important, what would happen? This generation of bees would pollinate many flowers and when they were gone?

Everyone have a blessed day!

Xanga Archives 10/11/2005

It's been yet another day in the "O" "K" Coral. All my doggies are in need of some brandin' - one in particular (hahaha). My mind is so focused I couldn't even remember I was going to feed my kids leftovers. So I made a new meal and behold the frige gets to eat the leftovers - oh well, tomorrow is yet another day to forget my name and the leftovers in the frige.

I think we've finally beaten the fleas (I think). I finally broke down and went to the vet and spent a phenomenal amount of money on one month's supply of Front Line. About 2 days after treatment, 3 of us showed up with a ridiculous amount of new bites, but we treated on the 6th and we've had no new bites for a couple of days now. I'll let you know.

Got my daughter's purity ring in from Amazon.com today. It's very pretty and I'm excited to give it to her, but we've decided it will be for her birthday, so I have to waaaaaaaaaaait until December 31 - ugh.

Got the cable to my new digi camera. After I get it figured out, I might post some pictures. Maybe tomorrow I'll remember to take some pics of the house. I think we could audition our house for the next Amityville Horror movie or something like it. Hee hee.

Still fighting a mild virus (bronchial) for hmmmm...about 2 weeks. Live too far from civilization to get any ginger root for my tea, so been trying to get well eating Kimchee and Hot Sauce. Sometimes it helps.

My inspiration for the day....are you and your spouse maintaining your physical life?.....cuz, if you're not, you're defrauding one another.

The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
~1 Corinthians 7:4-5

Also remember that being with your spouse physically is not a product of sin. It never was. God created this for man and wife long before the fall.

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
~Genesis 1:22

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
~Genesis 2:23-24

When you married your spouse, you made him/her promise to never be with another but you; and if you're not available, then you're reniging on the bargain. Is it time to make a date with the one you're married to, the one you promised your love, devotion, AND your body too?

Xanga Archives 08/09/2005

I think I chickened out on the streaking. I just can't seem to figure out how to do it. I didn't want the brush on or the cap - my hair is just way to long for either of those methods to work. I think I'll just take the dye back to the store and dream of beautiful hair.

I have a prayer request. Our new neighbors are wonderful people (or at least he is). She on the other hand is a very bitter and distraut woman and is going to inevitably destroy her marriage. I would ask that you all pray that the Lord would convict her heart and come to Him and then bring her heart back to her husband. I just keep watching this all happen before my eyes and it makes my heart ache. If she does not answer her convictions, pray the Lord would keep her from taking his children out of the country and therefore out of reach as she is not a US citizen. (They have one and one on the way).

I'll just let you folks know, that I feel very blessed that the Lord convicts my heart daily to bring it back to my husband. My husband is far from perfect, but if he were perfect, what use would he have for me, the mess that I am?

Everyone have a blessed day!

fever of 103 and life goes on

I'm so behind. I'm not sure I'll ever catch up. Pipe exploded in the basement last night and our kitchen was overrun with ants - all while I was taking a nap - oh wait, don't forget the honey beehive that we discovered inside the siding of our new home. I had to laugh - when I woke up from my nap yesterday, my husband hit me with all of this and our baby was already sick - fever 103. I asked him if the roof was going to fall in too and he said "yeah, probably". Of course you must know, last week, I was watching my extra kids and all 3 of them were sick - of course not all at the same time. One each day.

Thank the Lord it isn't any worse. The kids were only feverish and the virus passed quickly. The ants are dead, thanx to my efficient bug killing hubby. We're still working on the beehive - who knows, maybe we'll find some honey. hahaha. And the neighbor allowed us to fill a large bucket with water so we could at least flush the toilet and wet cloths for washing up the kids.

I'm just thankful the Lord has been with me to keep the stress levels at a minimum. Now, if I can just get my tail to the doctor and get an adjustment so that my arm will quit going numb, I'll be good as new.

I just started reading the children's series by CS Lewis "The Chronicles of Narnia". My husband recommended them as did my father's pastor and now with the movie coming out, I decided to give it a go.

I was particularly intrigued by a passage the pastor quoted and I'll share it with you. This was a passage he used to relate to the husband's and the wive's individually when he was doing his marriage series that I advertised in an earlier post.

"...Finally he whispers, “Who are you?”

And he hears, “One who has waited long for you to speak.”

Shasta is terrorized and says, “Oh, I am the most unlucky person in all the whole world.”

And the Voice says, “Tell me your sorrows.” And Shasta does. He unloads all of his sorrows, his litany of woes. “I do not call you unfortunate,” said the Large Voice.

“Don’t you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions?” said Shasta.

“There was only one lion,” said the Voice. . . . “I was the lion.” And as Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing, the Voice continued. “I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you.”

“Then it was you who wounded Aravis?”

“It was I.”

“But what for?”

“Child,” said the Voice, “I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own.”

“Who are you?” asked Shasta.

“Myself,” said the Voice, very deep and low so that the earth shook: and again “Myself,” loud and clear and gay: and then the third time “Myself,” whispered so softly you could hardly hear it, and yet it seemed to come from all round you as if the leaves rustled with it. Shasta was no longer afraid that the Voice belonged to something that would eat him, nor that it was the voice of a ghost. But a new and different sort of trembling came over him..."

~~C.S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy

Everyone have a blessed day!