IT'S GONE...

What a weekend. Saturday morning we woke up to MC 2 having a touch of the stomach bug. I would love to say we made it to the bathroom in time but we didn't. He seems to be healed now. MC 1 spent the night with his aunts and grandparents Saturday night. He called about 9pm, crying, saying how much he missed us. He NEVER does that. Most of the time he can't wait to get out of here. After talking with my SIL, it was determined that he was exhausted and needed sleep. I know I often want to call my mama when I am that way too. She won't let me come home though.
Saturday evening I went to check on the death trap I had set in the bathroom for my party mouse. HH had told me to stick it behind the "doors" that open up to the plumbing of the tub. I say "doors" because they are not really doors, but make-shift doors. Anyway, I had not heard the trap go off, but I most definitely did not want to leave it in there if it had done its job. I ever so cautiously opened the door and discovered that the trap was.....GONE!
GONE people.
NOT THERE!
Which means something had moved it.
How do you move a mouse trap when you are it's intended target? I'll tell you how - by being a big old rat or something! I was not happy and a great deal freaked out. HH was no help. Not even bothered by the thought of it being a rat. MC 2 was excited that it might have been something huge.
I will say I have not heard the party animal in the closet in a while, so maybe it learned it's lesson and went away.
I hope.
I pray.
I choose to believe that so I can sleep at night.
Have a great Monday!

5 LITTLE WORDS

It is Friday.
Enough said.

THANKS...

to you who provided

my kids with this...

uhmmmm....

yep.....

thanks....

They enjoyed it tremendously:) And most of it washed off.......

I WAS WRONG...

It seems there have some exciting times going on around here.
In my bathroom closet.
It appears, judging by yesterday's findings, that a little rodent has been having himself a high ol' time in there. I, myself, had a high ol' time in there but I am pretty sure mine was bleached induced. Of course, it didn't help that I saw the piece on Good Morning America about the diseases you can catch from your pets...who catch them from fleas and other yuckies....fleas from rodents. I have seen Little House on the Prairie. I know what happens when the plague comes. And I ain't no Doc Baker. I went yesterday and stocked up on supplies. Bleach. Rags. Mouse traps. Many mouse traps as I want to cover all my bases. MC 1 and his tender-hearted self just could not understand why I would not just get a box, some cheese, and cage the savage beasts for a bit then set them free. This from the child who saw a doe the other day and commented how he wished he had his gun 'cause he would shoot her there. I guess I could get my cheese from the moon, which according the MC 2 this morning is completely made of cheese.
Dead serious.
MC 2 also suggested I turn to Tom and Jerry for mouse catching tips, because clearly, Tom was successful at it.
Today, I am restoring order to my house. Which means I will be stalking for any sign of said mouse, bleaching like nobody's business, and trying not to knock myself out.
You'll know by tomorrow.
I hope.

DEAR ARMED FORCES.....

I would like you to know I am raising a man child

who desires to join you.

He is serious...

He is stealthy...

He is resourceful...

He is fearless...

He will make us all proud.

He operates well on limited sleep,

and he likes peanut butter with his apples.

Just wanted to give you the heads up.

EXCITING TIMES.....

must be found else where because we did not have them.
I worked a couple of days last week at a local high school. Friday, I had bible study. We are doing Beth Moore's revised study of David. I knew this would a God thing, and it is. My heart is needing to be restored. Of course, I am pretty sure it will have to be COMPLETELY smashed before hand, and clearly He is working on that. When you tear up at the intro music to the video session, well, I think you can safely say to yourself, Girl you have got some issues. I was fighting back the tears, telling myself, You don't know these women well enough to cry in front of them...suck it up....SUCK IT UP! I can not guarantee that I will make the next 8 weeks with out losing it, but I will try.
Friday afternoon the plumbers came by to fix a leak under the sink. Which meant they had to rip the guts out from under the sink and start over. So $40 in supplies and about 5x that in labor later, I had a new faucet and no more leaks. Saturday found us at home for the first time since hunting season started I think. We slept in, and laid around, and pretty much did nothing. At least I didn't. Saturday night HH had the opportunity to play drums for a small church service. The boys and I went. MC 2 slept the entire time. Please visualize how hard it was to hold a man child in your lap, in a movie theater seat, who is as big as his brother. Yes, collective... awwwwwww.... now please. Sunday we visited a church, came home and crashed again. A trip to Wal-Mart and dinner with the in-laws rounded out our weekend.
I know....you were are pins and needles the whole time weren't you.
Me too::)

IT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE KIM AND NIELSEN GO MAD...

which is probably what you will think I have done by the time you finish this post because, honey, it is all over the place.

HH loves a variety of shows. He has introduced me to a whole new world of viewing that I would have other wised missed. Wild Justice....Junior vs. Senior....Head Rush....Bone Collector.

Then, there is the fact that it is clear by our recordings that some one is a Twi-Hard.

Last night, he introduced me to the world of Teen Mom 2.

All I can say is w...o...w...

Which leads me to this morning.

I read an article about KK and I have to say I agree with her point. My heart literally broke for these girls, but not just for them.

It broke for the millions of girls watching who see a shot at fame.

Who see a way to get popular FAST....

and the generations that will pay for it.

Yes, plural.

For the record, my heart breaks for Sr. and Jr and Mikey.

I worry about the millions of "Bellas" who won't heed Charlie's advice about

learning to love what is good for you

and who will do anything to be with "that" boy.

It is almost enough to crush your heart and hope.

Almost...

but not quite.

I'll tell you why.

First, Jesus.

Second, Him in us.

My sister has started a group for girls at her high school. They meet one day a week during their lunch. They talk about insecurities. They talk about true beauty.

They talk about how hard it is to be a girl sometimes out there. Then, they encourage each other and go back out there. Some may only pay lip service. But for that ONE.

The one girl who really takes it to heart. The one girl who realizes she is fearfully and wonderfully made. The one who sees the beauty within.

The one who finally gets that she has value...she has a purpose....she has a destiny.

She can encourage another one.

Then, slowly, girl by girl, they start being who they were created to be.

If the generational ripple effect is going to stop, it starts with Jesus.

It comes through us.

What are we modeling to the young girls in our lives?

What are we teaching the young men?

Even my own MCs.

What am I showing them is acceptable?

What am I tolerating, even at this tender age, that sets them up for failure in the future?

Parenting is a weighty responsibility, teen-aged mom or not.

So is teaching, mentoring, coaching a city league or leading a youth group.

These kids are looking for some "thing" to emulate.

Some "one" to follow.

Who do we point them to?

Celebs on TV?

Fictional characters with fictional lives?

Or the One, the only One, who can lead them by still waters amidst of the storms of life?

We choose.

GROWN UPS....

Things are changing fast around here.
Last week the MCs had to ride the bus.
It has opened them up to a whole new world.
THEY LOVE IT!
I know I should relish it now because there will, more than likely, come a day when they detest it.
For now, though, it is the coolest thing E...V...E...R!
MC 2 pulled his own tooth out the other night.
It was already loose, and with a little UFC from MC 1, it was ready to go.

As I was writing this, it was time for the boys' bus to come. They had asked me not to wait by the road, because it was not cool and they are "not babies". So I honored their request, and the bus zoomed right past our driveway. I had to chase it down to the corner and get the MCs, who thought it was totally awesome that they got to walk down the road. Seriously, do I set myself up for this stuff?!

Anyway, MC 2 has lost 2 teeth now. He cried and cried, yet maintained it did not hurt.
Okay, I am out of stuff now that I had to chase the bus.
Have a great Wednesday!

Please keep praying for Joanne, Toben and their family. I believe the girls started private school today after being home schooled for a year and a half. They will need your prayers.

MY ROYAL WHIPPIN'....

INTEGRITY

WELL, I'M....

feeling at a crossroads of sorts.

Not so much a 4 way intersection.

It feels like a twenty way intersection.

Decisions to be made.

Ones I don't want to make.

I feel like the noise of life is drowning out the noise of truth.

Or my sin is.

Or something is.

Today, feeling very "alone".

The quietness of it.

The stillness of it.

Asking, and still feeling alone.

Knowing full well that I am not.

Knowing full well that He has not forsaken me.

He has not forgotten me.

But knowing and feeling are two different things.

Sometimes we have to deal with the feeling part of it all, and it takes some doing.

Beth Moore often says desperation is a gift, when we become desperate for God.

I need Him.

I need Him to speak.

I need Him to move.

I need Him to talk to me in a way I know it.

I need Him to show me the way.

To light the path.

I need Him to calm this churning inside that feels like a storm brewing.

I need Him today.

Not depressed.

Not crying.

But not settled.

Not right.

Feeling the weight of the world.

The weight of this season of life.

Correction and discipline thrown in.

Honestly, I can't explain it fully.

I can't articulate exactly what "it" is, because "it" feels like a whole lot of things.

And maybe it's just hormones because I am getting older.

(but even if it is, I bet there is some truth to the discipline and correction part).

I sort of feel like screaming,

What do You want me to do? Just show me and I will do it!

Except He has.

Trust Him.

Worship Him.

Praise Him.

Obey Him.

Share Him.

LOVE Him.

So today, regardless of how I feel,

I choose.

PRAYERS NEEDED...

for The Simple Wife, Joanne Heim.

You can read her husband's, Toben, request on The Simple Wife.

Also, her friend, Janna, has a great way you can tangibly encourage the family.

Let us, the body of Christ, surround them at this time.

TODAY...

Truck is dead.
MCs rode the bus for the first time to school.
Mama cried.

TAP...TAP....

Are you still on the other side?

I am still on this side.

The last week has been a flurry of activities.

Tuesday I helped my mom work her heifers....

Then we fixed some fence.

This required driving through some rough woods....

Hey Bryson, Aunt Rhonda found your goggles.....

Thursday, my BIL came over and we worked on putting in my kitchen floor.

Friday I started Beth Moore's newest version of the study of David with a local church.

It has been a long time since I have done a corporate Beth Moore study

and I am very excited about it.

Even watching the Introduction, I knew the timing was perfect.

My heart has some healing to do.

Some things to let go of.

Some surrender to make.

We spent the weekend at my parents because it is still deer season.

Sunday, MC 2 and I went to church and then this happened....

So today we have a rare Texas snow day.

We have a fire and Direct TV so I confident a movie is in order.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

POST #1 for 20-11

Well, now that I have recovered from my New Year's excitement....

I mean who can top sitting around watching football with your dad

and listening to your mama talk about how

"once you have done NYE in New Orleans, TWICE, everything else is pretty much ehhhhhh."

Plus your hubs going to bed at 9 because he must be up SOOOO early to hit the woods.....

We've got fun, yes we do!

We've got fun, how 'bout you?

All sarcasm aside, we really did have a good weekend.

New Year's Day, mama traded in her memories of her time in the Big Easy for a movie with some of the grandkids and actual kids. Of course, when someone mentioned they hadn't sat that far back in a theater since high school....

I am not sure Disney could erase the mental pictures that were provoked...

not even in a mess of magic golden hair.

Sunday, the Mcs and I went to church.

They gripped the entire way there.

Why do we have to go? Why can't we stay home?

Then when I picked them up a tad early, they griped.

Why are picking us up so early? Why are we leaving?

Worse than women about changing their minds.

Except for yesterday.

Yesterday they were very clear about not wanting to go to school.

WHY DON'T YOU JUST LEAVE US ALONE!

I'M STILL 'LEEPY!

I drug the little monsters out of bed and

dropped them off with a smile (mine, not theirs)

at the front doors of the school building.

Praise the Lord!

The little creatures I picked up yesterday were much nicer.

Until we started homework.

That last week before Christmas is full of games and fun and food.

That first week back is the reckoning.

However, we will choose to have a good week!

Hope you guys do as well!