FAMILY

Is it just me or does anyone else think family is hard work at times?
Blood family, church family, work family. Sometime it is really just hard work.

(**Interruption - in the midst of my oh so deep post about family, mc 1 just informed me he did not understand why dogs ate poop. Me neither dude- me neither).

Back to family, the are no other people on the planet who can bring me greater joy than my family. On the other hand there are no other people that can absolutely make me fighting mad as my family. It is work when we disagree. It is work when we fall out. It is work when I have my opinion and for the absolute life of me can't figure out why they aren't asking for it or following it. It is work when they give me theirs. It is flat out work. It is work when they make mistakes and I am left with the pieces. It is work when I have dropped pieces of my own in their laps. Lots of work in families.

Psalm 127
A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
1 Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.

As I work at building my house (both physical and spiritual) I pray the Lord God is all over it. That His love trump my actions, and my heart be continually broken and bowed before Him. I would hate to look back and think I did all that work for nothing.

HONESTY

I recently did I video for church from my web cam. I'll spare you the address, for it looked more like a bad remake of the Blair Witch Project. At least from the stills I saw because I am way to big a chicken to watch a movie like that. If I am "known" for anything it is my honesty, good & bad. Well, after the video, I reaped some of my seeds I had sown. Let's just say I made a lot of the ladies feel better about themselves because my picture was so horrible. Now keep in mind that it was at 11:00pm and I was whispering in order not to wake the men children because they kept getting in the video. Also, that I wear absolutely NO makeup and get blotchy when I am nervous. Got the mental picture. Yep - scary. But alas I sacrificed for the greater cause. They will get better I promise. Honestly, no one can poke better fun at me than me & you bet I will. Just not 3 inches from my web cam:)

MY NANNY

Today is Nanny day. Nanny was a heck of a gal. She was creative and funny and witty and sarcastic and sweet and loving. She carried her purse down the isle at all of our weddings. She made us many, many Christmas presents. She and my grandfather sat daily and had a morning devotion - it was a beautiful sight. She was the queen of homemade crafts and she made up recipes that were awesome. Who knew that you can make Santa's out of coke cans & terracotta pots or that a concoction of apples, crescent rolls, and sprite was to die for!She tolerated HH passion (she always rolled her eyes at him) and she made awesome chicken fried steak and roast. She loved her roses and her cat and her family (in no particular order, all though I think the cat trumped us all). With the utmost respect I say this - she was a Yankee through & through! Great grandkids called her "cookie nanny". Us grandkids all had different names for her. Once my grandfather called her the "Queen Bee". BIG MISTAKE. By lunch he had recanted because it was becoming increasingly clear that he was going to be on his own for food and laundry if he didn't. She hated tornadoes and loved adventures. Peanut butter cookies on Christmas Eve, festive cake Christmas day. And the robe - the red robe - oh how I missed it this year. She got her hair done weekly - come hell or high water. Not a big make-up lady but accessories - oh she loved accessories - purses and earrings! Nanny is buried at my parents farm. They have gotten a beautiful headstone for both her & my grandfather. Though I miss her terribly some days, I don't mourn her death. Why? Because I know where she is and with Whom she is with. She loved Jesus and strived to serve Him with all she had. She did a fantastic job.
Besides she would fuss at me if I did. Absolutely no sense in it:)

BIG WEEKEND

This weekend is a big one for us. Man child 1 turns another year older. One year ago today my "Nanny" went home to be with Jesus. I am going to take this day to talk about mc 1. Tomorrow I'll talk about Nanny. There is only so much emotion I can take.

**Breaking News** Apparently this birthday weekend is the one when we are officially to old to walk with our parents in the mall because people will think we are a baby. How does that happen in a span of 24 hours?

Man child 1's arrival is a story all on its own. I became pregnant with him after we had suffered a miscarriage at 12 weeks. We had already had a sonogram earlier on and had seen the heartbeat and sac and all the amazing stuff God knits together. When I went back for another sonogram I went by myself, because we thought all was great. There were nursing students observing and I think even a girl I went to high school with. I get all jellied up and the sono tech does her thing and we look over at the screen and there was nothing. No heartbeat, no sac, no nothing. I ended up having to have procedure to remove the tissue (the baby had already gone back to be with the Lord) and we had to wait to try again.

Enter man child 1. To say that I was scared to death was an understatement. Fear plagued me for months. I pleaded with God - please give me a sign that this child will be okay. Daily I would cry and muster up the faith to go on. God was faithful. My family, both blood & church were amazing. HHubs was fantastic. And we got through the months. One of my prayers was that as we got to the end, my water would break because I was scared to death I would not be sharp enough to know what was going on.

So one bright and early morning I am awakened with incredible back cramps. (Naive me knew nothing about back labor). As the hour progresses I become more aware that perhaps something is going on. So I yell to HH (on my way to the bathroom)
me -"HH I think you need to get up because I think it is time"
HH - " Are you sure cuz I am not getting up for a false run"
As he finishes the sentence - my water breaks like the Hoover Dam
me " YEP- pretty sure"
So we scurry around to get going. I think he actually may have taken a shower first (if he didn't he definitely wanted to - cleanliness is next to godliness)
On the way to the hospital he asks
"hey do you think we could stop by Wal-Mart so I could get some magazines?"
That would be a negative mister.
Long story short, MANY hours later I end up with a C- Section. Now HH can field dress just about anything, but the sight of his woman in C-Section position was almost too much for him. When man child 1 enters this world, HH first words were
"RED HAIR? Where did he get the red hair from?"
My drug induced response - " He is yours I promise. "
While they were in there (my abdomen ) checking around they discover that I have a hemi. That is right Dodge has nothing on me. Like a good Ag' I have sawn off one of the horns of my uterus. Yep - I got a hemi. So next day, what do they do? Roll in a sonogram machine to check for my kidneys to make sure they are both there and other organs just in case. Guess they forgot about postpartum and all that goes with it.
Long post, more for me than you I am sure. Props to you if you read the whole thing. Did I mention my OB was in Mexico because " I (Me) wasn't supposed to be there that weekend". My response - Well you were!

Ya'll have a great night!

I DON'T EVEN KNOW

I don't even know where to start. My head is jumbled with a lot of things rolling around. The past few weeks have been very stressful for me spiritually. It has been a battle and I have come under attack. I spent the first part whining "why am I being attacked? What is wrong with me". At our women's retreat this weekend the Lord broke through.


Let me back up a bit. I bought the Esther study a few weeks after it had come out. Maybe several weeks. Now I adore Beth Moore. I really do. We are just two ole girls for the South with hunter hubbys who love Jesus. I enjoy her bible studies to no end. God always speaks to me and deals with me. So I started Esther and something strange happened. I was bored to tears. I mean to TEARS! I was not getting it. It did not click in any way shape or form. I kept reading all these people who loved it, best bible study ever.... and I am thinking - seriously? I am struggling with it. I even commented on the All Access blog what a struggle it was for me to do the study and then I said something to the effect of" it's probably the enemy trying to keep me away because God has something really great for me in it". Had I only known the prophetic word I was speaking to myself? I did exactly what satan wanted me to do - I got busy & forgot. Forgot about Esther, bible reading, all of it.


Backing up even further, I faced my most difficult spiritual battle about 3 years ago. It is a long, pride filled, humbling story. But I was delivered by the very Word of God. I dug deep into the Word. I had my sword sharpened and I was wielding it at the enemy. And I walked in victory. I don't even know when I dropped my sword, but I did. I somehow decided that hand to hand combat with the enemy was a better idea. Wearing my own armor was better than God's. I don't even know what I was thinking. There is a reason why it says the battle is the Lord's.

Back to now, I had been asking God why? what is wrong with me? And Friday night, at 12:30am , in a solitary sanctuary He showed me- nothing. The enemy loves to torment me.He loves to torment us. It is one of his favorite tactics. The next day in the study talked about God allowing a new threat to remind us of a past miracle. H-E-L-L-O???? That is exactly what I had done. I had put the battle plan for the victory on the back shelf and had come up with my own. Thank God He reminds me. He loves me enough to re-armor me in His armor. I don't even know where I would be without Jesus Christ. He is absolutely the best thing in my life.

Did I mention?

Today man child 2 opened a paint by numbers container with his teeth. When I saw the yellow teeth and tongue (I mean we are rednecks BUT NOT THAT redneck) I panicked. After a call to mom and Poison Control, I can confirm that he is fine. Again another blessing from the Lord. DID I mention that I and two other ladies have planned a retreat for our church this weekend. It is kinda a big deal because we have not had one in a long time and we have a HUGE number of women coming for our church. I don't know but I am thinking that MAYBE these distractions might have something to do with that. Well that defeated foe can give up because we are moving forward with God Almighty and proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ!

12 HOURS AGO

*Update - when man child 2 woke up from nap he had wet the bed (too much Sprite to treat the diarrhea). More laundry! Stay at home moms are the greatest! So are working mom's!
**Update 2 - on the way home tonight with my nephew I had a lovely visit with a public servant who politely flashed his lights at me to give me a warning. From the back " YEA! A policeman!" Yes. Yea! He was a very nice policeman & he did not give me a ticket so YEA!Apparently there was a bulb out somewhere.


12 hours ago I was climbing into bed after going round 1 with stitch witchery and a few banners for our ladies retreat.

I had to wait to make the banners late at night because it is very hard to make a banner pole when some unmentionable children keep using the rods as light sabers. Even my Jedi mind powers would not deter them.

5:00 am - mom I think I am going to throw up says the voice of man child 2. Mad dash to the bathroom. According to HH is was a mad walk and included me yelling at the sick child. How dare I ! (I don't recall yelling but I do recall telling man child 2 to get his rear end in the bathroom & he better not throw up on my floor. Probably did say it louder than I should have. Man child 2 - I apologize).

Calm morning, caught up on my blog reading and made some emails about the retreat. All seemed well.

10:00 am - while gearing up for round 2 with the banners I walk past the bathroom and hear water running that should not be. Open the door to 1 inch of water on the floor. The electric heater still plugged in and running on the floor and the toilet going crazy. Apparently man child 2 now has diarrhea and was trying to take care of himself. So I unplug the heater and get all the towels I can. HH was a HUGE help. He mopped up while I swapped over laundry;carried towels out to the washer. He earned his keep for the day:)

10:45 am - Now in our third pair of underwear for man child 2. He is outside with HH cleaning the yard when he gets into fire ants. Had to be stripped down and got some medicine to help the welts go away.

Had to run to the store to get some stuff to mop with, as well as stuff for the lawn mower & lunch, and have now returned home. Ahhhh.... home.

All the while man child 1 had discovered his daddy's IPOD and earphones and has spent all morning going "MOM!MOM! CAN I DO THIS OR THAT! " all while I am 6 inches from his face.

And who said Spring break was a time for relaxation.

To end on a positive note - I do thank God that all of this could have been much worse and He spared us. Man child 2 does not feel bad (he is SO mad that he can't have a sandwich right now) and appears to be on the mend.

I am telling you - always exciting around here:)

AT A LOSS

When I came home Friday, I discovered that it is 15 yards from the dishwasher in my kitchen (as if it would be anywhere else- sorry it's late) to my ironing board against the back wall. How did I discover this you ask? Pictures are worth a thousand words.

See somebody got a Glendale buck and since it was raining on Friday and he was home alone - well - you can just imagine. I can't show you the picture from Friday because apparently the "grouping" was not all that great. So here is the buck from today.

And here is where he missed. BUT only once. There was an explanation but I didn't really hear it. I was just in shock I think. At a loss.

Did I not tell you there was never a dull moment. NEVER!

I do love this man! I really do. I am a blessed woman. Highly entertained and blessed!

LOVE LANGUAGE

Hunter Hubs and I have never taken a class on our individual "love languages". However, I have discovered his - FASHION. Mainly mine.
Or lack thereof.
To say I ascribe to be as trendy as Big Mama would be an understatement. Fashion Fridays are one of the highlights of my week.
Apparently, it is important to HH that I dress more with the times. Mainly - not like my mother
sorry mom:()
So this weekend we went away for a little trip and planned to do some shopping.
I read Big Mama's post on Friday and took mental notes.
I spent all day Saturday watching Stacy and Clinton on TLC. I lamented that fact that even though black is slimming (YEA!) apparently I am approaching the age where it is "too harsh for my skin" (BOO!).
I prayed. Seriously, I prayed.
So when we went to the shopping palace, I had grand plans.
When I walked out I had NOTHING.
N-O-T-H-I-N-G
HH walked out with steals ($350 dollars worth of clothes bought on sale for a grand total of $63- the man is a machine)
We venture on to shopping mart #2. We hit 5 stores. NOTHING
Finally, HH decides I need a new coat so, we agree on one more fashionable and a new purse.
Here are the purchases in all their glory:
Notice the gray neutral that we selected. Much more flattering for my age (according to TLC- thanks A LOT!) I don't know how trendy these are but HH is a happier man. So if allowing him to buy me clothes shows him I love him- Love away baby! Love away:)

LINES IN THE SAND

There have always been lines drawn in the sand and you are either on one side or the other. Mustard or mayonnaise? Dr. Pepper or Coke? Spider Man or Batman? (not even mentioning Superman). Mossy Oak or Real Tree? John Deere or anybody else? Every once in a while those lines are crossed and we get moments like these:

That's right people- it is me & Mack Brown (and a very nice offensive line coach whose name has escaped me). Could not have planned this any better. I did not even know he was coming- so it was NOT staged. Just a chance to bring some peace to the world. To show that we can put aside our differences if just for a little bit. One of my absolute favorite pictures. One of my former students plays for the other school & so when Coach Brown made his way our direction, former student said go see my teacher- it will be funny. And funny it was. Coach Brown was the nicest of guys and very gracious. I will say this was an honor & a pic I will treasure.

NTH Syndrome

The months between January & September are tough for Hunter Hubs. Not only does the temp start warming up (which is bad because a lot of his job is outside)- but there is nothing to hunt. He practices his bow as much as he can, and thank goodness for the Outdoor Channel, but it is just not the same. Today,as he was watching the men children outside, it finally got to him. Nothing to Hunt syndrome kicked in. And Hunter Hubs did the only thing he could. He began hunting a mole. Sat his chair up in front of the hole and waited. Now he admitted that it would not poke its head out with the men children running wild, but what excitement if it did.

It's like the times when there is no Beth Moore study going on.

What to do with myself?

I can relate.

I am just glad there is no camo for mole hunting. Even in pink, I don' t think that would be attractive.

SPRING IS HERE

So man child 2 found some body spray from Bath & Body Works - Honeysuckle to be exact. Apparently when I say "it's body spray" it sounds to him like " bottom spray". So without too much explanation, let's say man child 2's rear end is smelling very flowery now.

QUIET RAIN

We had a little shower the other day. Man child 1 referred to is as a quiet rain. Versus the loud, thunderous ones we had been having lately. It is a nice thought - a quiet rain. So many times we have the storms, some good some bad. The good ones wash away the pollution in the air of our lives, the bad ones come like flash floods and wash away everything. But a quiet rain - a slow steady outpouring from the heavens- that nourishes us. It nourishes the ground and lets the seeds that have been planted start to grow. It's moisture soaks deep into the ground to the very roots.
Like many of you, I have had some storms lately. And I hear the rumblings of some on the way. But what I pray for now is a quiet rain of the Lord God Almighty. I need Him to nourish the very roots of my faith and the let the seeds He has planted, the whispers the Holy Spirit has spoken into my heart, start to grow. I pray a quiet rain for you as well.

HOME EC

Yeah. Never took it in high school. I was an ag girl. In retrospect, probably should have taken it at least one year, because today I tried to boil a chicken. My first. That's right peeps, never boiled a chicken in my LIFE. I can not tell you the countless calls to my mom & mom-in-law. I am sure they found it hard to believe that I am a college educated woman. As we speak the bird is boiling away on my stove. My pot is too small, so we are having to cook lid off. Lots of overflow on my stove, but he is cooking none the less. I really thought the insides where in a bag - uhm no - just in there - GROSS. Bet you wouldn't believe I took a slaughter class & palpated cattle in college - but I did. And yet a little chicken insides was YUCKY! Oh goodness - just caught that I am talking about cooking a chicken and I called you "peeps". HAHAHAHA.
I'll let you know how it goes. Hopefully - fully cooked.
have a great Monday.