Saturday, May 31, 2008

Some pics from yesterday


This is a road close to Dena's house.


These birdhouses were behind the DQ. Thought they were funny.



Yesterday, Josh and I went up to Dena's for the evening. Mom and Dad called and asked if I could keep Karleigh until Thursday because Mom got time off from work and they want to go to my grandparents' in Missouri. Of course. So, they brought her to El Chico's where Dena and I were gonna eat and ate with us on their way out of town. It was really nice. After dinner, we went to Dairy Queen for Blizzards (super-yum!). We all had a really good time. It was nice to hang out with them.

This morning, Jake's team actually won a game! I quit posting all the scores because it was just so sad. Anyway, it was one of those edge-of-the-seat games that was very close the whole time. Jake caught two pop flies and scored 4 of their runs! Go, Jake! I wish Cody had been here for it. He would have loved, loved, loved winning a game.

So, you think you can dance?

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Laundry!!!

I have done so much of it the past several days, my head is swimming! I went into Cody's room to get it ready for company and it was crazy in there! He had stuff stuffed everywhere. I'm not surprised, he's a 12-year old boy, but it was still nuts. I took everything off his top bunk and threw it into his closet. Then I fished all the clothes out from under his bed and threw them in the closet. I stripped/washed his bedding and put it back on. The girls who slept in there used a sleeping bag on the top bunk and his bedding on the bottom. I decided I'd tackle all the stuff in his closet today. I pulled it all out and probably have about 10 loads of laundry to go. Once I get done washing everything, I'll head back in there for all the trash/broken stuff. Hopefully he'll be happy when he comes home to a nice, clean bedroom.

Jacob's was tackled right after Cody left, but it still has a ways to go. I'll get in there and help him too, when he comes back from Mom's, or better yet, once I get done washing all of Cody's stuff.

I hit Emily and Joshua's room yesterday and cleaned out/organized alot of Emily's toys. I'm so glad she has things here so that she feels like it's her room. Joshua's stuff is mostly in the living room in a bucket, so I try to keep it pretty organized for him. He mostly just sleeps/changes in their room. I do need to get through the dresser again so that she has a place for her clothes when she's here for the summer.

Once they start school, I'm sure I'll take care of washing their clothes again for them - if nothing else, out of self defense. I can't stand stuff stuffed everywhere and I know they're both at a point where they'll appreciate it.

Monday, May 26, 2008

A couple of thoughts from the last few days

I had this all typed out and then Blogger lost it. Hopefully I can get it out again like it was before.

I have been watching Joshua dance alot lately. He's so excited to hear music - he gets this funky indian rain dancing thing going. Soooo cute! Anyway, as I posted before and lost it, I wish I could find that abandonment when I worship. I picture little children like Joshua dancing funky rain dances before God's throne and God absolutely loving it. I know that my inhibitions come from myself and are things I have to work through, but I want to feel that freedom. We're working on it, and will get there.

Another thing that's been in my head comes from the movie Cars. Joshua seems to have picked this movies as a favorite and wants to watch it ALL THE TIME. There is a rusty old truck in the movie named Fred who gets so excited when Lightning McQueen and another famous racecar know his name (which is on his license plate), that he forgets to listen to what they are saying to him. He just falls all over himself with the "he knows my name! he knows my name! Lightning McQueen knows my name!" I know that sometimes I get so excited when I hear God speak my name, that I just don't hear past that. I want to hear His message, but don't want to lose the wonder of God knowing my name.

I wish I were a better writer.

Friday, May 23, 2008

I am lawn mower repair woman!

Since we've lived here, I've learned how to drain the oil, add the correct amount of oil and clean the air filter! I'm sure more is coming. I'm starting to recognize little symptoms of the lawn mower by how it sounds, like when it doesn't have enough oil and when it's flooded. I guess you can't really know too much about stuff, but right now, I smell like gas and oil - kinda' reminds me of how my Dad smells after he's been working on some mechanical thing - minus the extreme sweat!

It may not sound like much, but I'm pretty proud of me.

I can't believe I did that!

My best friend's boy stays with us when he's not in school. He's a sweet kid and we enjoy him.

He doesn't have school today, so is staying with us. I talked to his Mom and she needed the door unlocked about 7:30 this morning. Well, guess what. I didn't wake up and totally forgot the alarm! I could not believe myself. I'm not one to usually do stuff like that and totally feel awful. I think she was only a few minutes late to work, but it killed me. She's getting a key and the alarm code asap!

I have so much to do and really don't want to. I need to be cleaning and will in a few minutes. I know it's just the getting started part that's hard. After that, I'll be on a roll and get it all done. We have some friends coming from Wichita Falls this weekend and are really excited to see them. They have the sweetest kids. They were our neighbors on base and we also went to church together. It'll be fun!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

interesting...

I recently signed up for a blog tracker. I can go to that site and see a map of my readers, right down to the street they're reading from. I am completely amazed! I have alot more traffic than I thought. Some of the cities fascinate me also: San Antonio, Houston, Indianapolis, Detroit, just to name a few. It shows me the times and dates of their visits also. Pretty cool. And here I was thinking that nobody really reads me....

Monday, May 19, 2008

David got an interesting call today. A while back, he sent an application in to another freight company. They called him today about an interview. There is so very much to consider because it might require a move. They are all over the southeast U.S. The farthest west they come is Dallas. It wouldn't require quite as much thought if he were offered a comparable position in Dallas - he wouldn't have to deal with the Teamsters, so it would basically come down to money and benefits. We'll see. Maybe that will be the answer to the $$ prayers we've been having. I hate not being able to do alot with the kids and all they hear is "we can't afford it". They're such good kids, though, and don't really complain. Thank God for good kids!

I'm thankful for my husband. I know God has used the things he's been through to make him who he is and I get the benefits of that. God does that with everybody who'll let him. Thank you, God, for my teachable, loving, sweet husband.

Cars

Josh sits transfixed to the tv when that movie is on. He's so stinkin' cute!

Josh and I have already been to Walmart and the post office. I've already tackled the kitchen and am thinking about floors when Josh takes a nap. The laundry is also calling. I'm sensing a productive day....

Sunday, May 18, 2008

We had a really good day. Church was nice, then lunch with Mom and Dad. Jake went to their house for a couple of days, so it's just the three of us here. David's working tonight.

Joshua has a follow-up doctor's appointment tomorrow to make sure his ear is clear. Other than that, we have no plans for the next few days. I love quiet times, but miss the kids after a couple of days.

rambling thoughts

Sometimes I just wanna post my thoughts. I worry that people who don't need to hear my thoughts read this. I really shouldn't worry about that, but I do. I don't want to make this blog private, or start another one that would be private somewhere else and try to keep up with two. I am praying for courage to not worry about other people reading this. I am very insecure about that. I also seem to think of lots of things to blog about when I don't have time to blog. I wish I were a better writer (that's another insecurity). I am not a difficult person. I hate feeling like things have to be made more difficult than they are. I don't know why I'm feeling guilty when we talk about sending the boys to school. We have prayed about it and know that is where they are supposed to be, but I still have that "sending my kid off to Kindergarten" feeling. I know that they're 12 and very excited to be going. I just know that I'll miss them - even with all the days that it's difficult to have two 12 year olds with me 24/7. I know the morning will come very early and I need to go to bed, but it's so nice to have the house quiet. I love that Josh is sleeping so well lately. He's such a sweet baby! He completes our family in a way I never, ever thought he would. He seems to be the glue that ties all the kids together. He's the common thread for all of them. I thank God for him every day. I thank God for the love that our family can share - even though we're blended and that's not always easy. I pray for Emily - it's so hard to not have her here. She's so precious. All our kids are precious. I pray that God gives us the wisdom to raise them in Him. I pray that Emily hears his voice and knows Him. It's so hard to not be able to see that she is trained up in the way that she should go.

I can think of nothing more that will form into typed sentences. I'm off to bed...

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

My kid's feet




This is what size 13's look like!



And this one just because.

Kung Fu Fighting

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

My husband

I am married to the most wonderful man in the world. He loves our kids and me more than anything else. He's so good to me. He's always ready to listen or do whatever we need. I thank God for him so much every time I think about it. I couldn't ask for a better husband.

Monday, May 05, 2008

a little excitement

The house 4 down and across the street burned - not all the way down, but pretty bad. They called out 5 firetrucks - two from Little Elm, two from Frisco and one from The Colony. It was quite a sight. At one point, we couldn't see the house directly across the street from all the smoke. It all happened just after Jacob left to pick up Trace from school, so he had to get permission to cross the street and come home from a policeman. Crazy. I feel awful for that family. I never did see them, so don't think they know yet. Their dog got out and animal control picked him up. I never saw an ambulance leave, so don't think anybody was hurt at all, but it's sad. They sprayed foam stuff all over the house next door to keep it from catching in the wind. It kept our attention for a bit.

Joshua's doctor's appointment

Joshua had his 15 month checkup a little late. Actually a whole month late. Oh, well. He is 27.6 lbs and 33 1/2 inches tall. That's 80% for weight and 95% on height. I think she over-measured his height, but that was just my opinion. It's ok.

Oh, and the not sleeping - well, he has an ear infection. Nothing about how he acts would have ever made me think that. Jacob had so many, I had picked up well on his signals, but Joshua never even touches his ear. He has antibiotics that I'll go pick up and get started on this afternoon. Poor baby.

I took the boys to their appointment with the school today. I think it's going to be a wonderful place for them. I love the director. She said they take the kids on more field trips than a regular school because the kids are so well-behaved. She said she has alot of parent involvement - more than mainstream school. I'm excited about it. It's a go-at-your-own-pace place. She said they have testing for about 3 hours sometime during the two weeks prior to school starting. We'll be making an appointment for that closer to time. I think she has everything she needs besides that.

Saturday, May 03, 2008

yet again...

I sit here while Josh is screaming bloody murder in his bed. I do not know what makes him not sleep at night. It makes me so angry with God because I just don't understand it. I don't see why this has to be this way. Should I just let him cry all night? Is he teething? He's had ibuprofen. He's hysterical right now. I'm so frustrated. I don't want to get him because I'm already angry with him for not sleeping several nights in a row. I am at my end with this kid. I'm so exhausted. I should not be sitting her with a 16 month old child who WILL NOT sleep! This is so stupid. I start to think God really does care about my rest and then he goes through it all AGAIN. It would be so very different if it were a night or two here or there, but it's not. It's every night. I'm so tired and I hate it when people try to act like they even remotely understand. I have no help with him at all.

God, why can you not change this? It would be so simple for you and it would help him and me both so much. I don't understand? Why? I know it sounds whiney, but I can't take this. Should I just let him cry until he wears himself out every night? I think that is mean, but I am more mean to everybody when I don't sleep. Are you even listening? Do you care? I never thought something so simple as sleep would make me question how much you care about me. I'm so frustrated and I just need to go to bed.

Friday, May 02, 2008

it's been a whole week

I usually don't go that long without updating.

Emily went home on Tuesday evening. I think she had a really nice visit. I sure do wish she could just stay. David emailed her mom about that and she has yet to respond. When we moved last time, she said that she would re-consider wherever we lived - as long as we were in a good neighborhood and a good school district. Emily has expressed repeatedly to us that she would like to live here. I'm praying for God to soften her mom's heart to let her eventually. We've suggested several things we'd be more than happy to take care of and do to make it easier for her. We'll see. It's all up to God, really, anyway.

The boys had a game on Wednesday that they lost 18-0. Not a good trend. Tonights game was 11-3 I think. They did much better. I sure would love to see Jake get one of his really great hits. He seems to be in a slump where hitting is concerned. I think it's kinda' my own fault because I haven't gotten him to the batting cages at all - with or without the team.

Hopefully Joshua will sleep well tonight. We had a rough night last night and he got to bed really late tonight, which usually isn't a good thing, but he's out right now so we'll see.

Ok, I'm off to bed with Karleigh. She's been here since yesterday and will go home tomorrow. She's good company at a baseball game.