WE MAY HAVE STUMBLED...

out of the gate this morning. An outburst by MC 1 about a forgotten shirt at Nanny's and a pop off by MC 2 started our day. HH stepped in and declared no bus, so I took them to school. Seems they did not believe us at first.

MC 2 asked

why...

Because of your attitude....

My attitude is FINE.....

Spoken by a true kid with an attitude. They pouted all the way to school. Which was pretty much par for the weekend. HH and MC 1 were to go hunting. That fell through when MC 1 developed some sort of abscess on one of his precious "silver teeth". A trip to the pediatrician and a round of antibiotics we seem to be on the mend. My major accomplishments this weekend included rearranging one half of my living room, painting my toe and fingernails, and watching The Last Song. Also, seems I felt the need to teach Susan Lucci how to defend under the goal during an inbounds play in my intense basketball game dream. I blame the Oscars and watching the Blue Devils and the Aggies both fall this weekend for disturbing my REM with that craziness.

Hope you have a great day!

SMALL STEPS LEAD SOMEWHERE....

Thinking about yesterday's post, I guess I wanted to make sure you guys knew that I knew all the dry erase boards in the world aren't the key to this. I can have as many scriptures as I want posted up there, but it won't matter if the MCs don't see HH and I walking it out.
If they don't see us keeping no other gods before God, it is all for naught. Just as importantly, if they don't see us repenting when we have lifted an idol up, and redirecting our small steps back toward Christ, I have wasted many a good dry erase marker.
The small steps we take with the MCs must be pointed in the right direction. They must be following the steps of Christ in every area of our life. We will stumble, fall, and get back up again. I think the kids need to see that. Otherwise, how will they know how to handle their own falls down the road. Maybe not graphically and privy to every detail, but they need to know none of us get it right all the time.
But we try.
And we keep trying.
And by the grace and wisdom of God, we get it a little more right each time.
So whatever small steps you are taking with your kids, make sure they are pointed in the right direction.
Small steps lead somewhere.
We choose the where.

Give careful thought to the paths of your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
Proverbs 4:26 (NIV)

SMALL STEPS...

A few weeks ago I heard a very challenging sermon (Flip This House) about parenting.

So challenging that I left church convicted that HH and I had to do this better.

Much.

So we have tried.

Which probably explains a few of MC 1's tears.

He is probably wondering where his real parents are,

because the ones he has now have lost their minds,

causing him to exclaim how,

"IT'S NOT FAIR YA'LL GET TO DO STUFF AND I DON'T!"
One of the areas I needed to step it up in was discipleship.

What do I want my kids to know about God, Jesus Christ, and the Bible?

I live and die by scripture memory so why was I not imparting that to my men children,

like now?

This is what we have:

It is not fancy by any means.

I made a list of the topics I wanted my kids to know about rock solid.

Things like the 10 Commandments, the power of our tongue, and fear.

Each week we will focus on one verse until we go through them all.

In the morning, we go over the verse and what it means.

Then we take prayer requests.

We read a little devotional.

Then we pass the plate because mama don't work...

Just kidding...

At night we pray over our requests.

Underneath the requests are the MCs chores for the week.

I really like the board because it is always right there before them.

Not impressive, but prayerfully fruitful.

So if you are like me, and need a place to start, here you go.

The boys seem to like the dry erase board, and are tolerating the rest.

Love to hear what discipleship pointers you use with your kiddos.

PLANS CHANGED

We were only planning to be gone one night.

Drive to West Texas Sunday.

Stay the night with RaRa and Grandpa.

Up Monday to pick up the work truck and book it back home.

MCs were covered by Tutu.

That was the plan.

Until we went to get the truck inspected and it failed.

It had to be repaired.

So we turned around and headed back.

We called Tutu and she graciously took on the MCs for another night.

HH and I got a two day stay in the land windmills.

Yesterday, we were up at 5:30.

Truck was ready and we headed back.

Through D/FW.

Driving, by myself.

Which was okay until HH decided we needed to cross 3 lanes of traffic within a tenth of a mile to our exit.

I am pretty sure those guys hauling the mobile home called me a bad name.

I almost certain I gave HH a good talking to.

We made it home to our MCs, much to Tutu's delight, and the meltdown began.

MC 1.

It was too much for him.

Both of us being gone.

He cried and cried.

He had a hard day.

He's never had a day like that.

People hurt his feelings.

We don't love him.

On and on.

So I wrapped him up in my arms and just gave him some good old mommy lovin'.

Today, I put both happy little men on the bus and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

Thinking of how my plans changed.

Never expected to still be a stay at home mom.

Never thought the boys would want to ride the bus.

Never planned to be here, now, in the middle of all this, still trying to heal from hurts a couple of years old.

Sorting out how those same hurts have colored a lot of decisions I have made and how to move on from that.

But I am.

My plans may have changed, on a big and a large scale, but God's have not.

His plans for me and mine are rock solid.

They didn't waiver at the cross.

They don't waiver now.

Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

In the midst of my changed plans,

I choose to believe that.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

M....C....ONE....

One part cheese factor.

Two parts drama.

Cases in point...

DRAMA:

My BIL, we will call him Chuckie, and my baby sister, coached a basketball playoff game nearby, so the MCs and I went.

I have no GPS.

We navigated ol' school.

We got our directions from Map Quest.

We got lost.

While calling my parents to figure out how we needed to be re-routed,

MC 1 is yelling

"WE'RE GONNA DIE!

WE'RE GONNA GET LOST

LIKE THOSE PEOPLE IN THE SNOW

AND WE'RE GONNA DIE".

We had recently watched the 20/20 special on the Kim Family ,who were tragically trapped in the wilderness after a series of mishaps, and where sadly, the father passed away.

CHEESE:

We bought some clearance Valentine candy at Wal-Mart. Admiring the empty heart box he said this:

We should have gone to SuSu's house.

Why? SuSu is gone.

But Jesi is there.

And since she is my aunt

and I

LOVE....

HER....

SO....

MUCH....

I could give her this.

Seriously.

Heads up Dude,

he has not lost his love for your woman.

2 parts drama

1 part cheese

Combined...

all my love.

(and he totally gets it from his daddy)

MANY SHADES OF RED...

Picture my face those colors.
If you know me, you know what it looks like.
Creeps up from the neck.
Red and blotchy.
Makes it's way up the face and to the tips of the ears.
I can feel it.
I know when it is happening.
Happened while I wrote this.
But it needed to be said.
Love peeps....
Love....

TODAY IS BIBLE STUDY DAY!
GIDDY!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT DO I KNOW

A discussion prompted by Moses.

PORTIONS...

It has been a couple of days....
like ...it has BEEN a couple of days.
Days that were longer than I wanted.
Days full of punishment and consequences and Lysol.
Friday started out well, but ended with me picking MC 2 up from school for disciplinary issues and MC 1 bringing home a behavior report, a bad one.
The wee hours of Saturday morning found me nursing HH along as he fought a stomach virus, and not well might I add.
I did not know humans could roar like jet engines, but it seems that can.
So much so that it awoke the MCs.
Saturday night I was able to go watch my sister's basketball team advance to next level of the play-offs. Other sister and hubs had already coached their game and advanced as well! WHOOP!
Sunday, I herded the XY chromosomes and we headed to church.
Topic - parenting.
Result - HH and I have got to do this better. Of course him being sick did not facilitate a discussion, but one is coming, and soon.
The testosterone took over the house Sunday afternoon as we watched more History channel in one afternoon that I have in my life.
Swamp People and Ax Men, and they went on for HOURS....
So, MC 2 is banned from the bus for at least a week, if not longer, in the mornings, which means I take him to school. HH is still not up to snuff, and I feel like I have lost control of my house. Which is how I usually feel when I get stressed. The need to organize and control things.
BUT, God....
is still good,
still on the throne,
still doing a work in me,
still loving me.
So this, too, shall pass.
I realize there are much worse things people are going through.
Much.
However, this was my plate this weekend.
Fortunately, Jesus is my portion to go on that plate.
He is enough.

You are my portion, O Lord;
I have said that I would keep Your words.
I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;
Be merciful to me according to Your word.
Psalm 119:57-58 (NKJV)

WHAT ABOUT LOVE?

I was so excited when I received the note telling me MC 1 had to make a Valentine's Day box.

I fondly remember those boxes from my childhood and could not wait to share that with him.

I bought construction paper with reds and pinks.

I bought the little paper "lace" hearts to put on it.

I went all out girl mode.

Mistake.

I have boys.

Rough boys.

Here is MC 1 working on his box.

(I apologize for the picture but since my camera is elsewhere I had to use my phone)

Looks promising, right?

uhmmmm.......no.....

Here is his finished product....

Those would be flames, because we are apparently making a Harley motorcycle box.

I thought the theme was love but evidently I was wrong.

Unless we say it is for the love of the motorcycle.

Oh....and there is more.

Check these out...

Apparently, every motorcycle themed Valentine's box worth it's salt has crossbones on it.

cue Sir Elton....

Can you feel the love tonight?

I know some of you are reeling asking why I would allow my child to decorate his box so.

First, I am picking my battles.

I drew the line at the request for a skull.

Flames and dog bones I can live with.

Second, it is not my box.

I guess I felt I needed to let him have ownership of it and do what he wanted, within some boundaries.

To my future daughter-in-law, I am sorry.

I promise we are working on this.

I can't promise you he will be Mr. Romance by the time you get him, but I am trying.

Don't judge him by the box.

The love is in his heart...

Some where.

Happy Valentine's Day!

IT'S IN THE BAG

It's a shot in the dark.

However,

since a man child decided to do

underwater recon

for his army guys during bath time

with my camera,

it's all I got.

Prayers appreciated.

So is advice.

About the camera.

Boundaries, peeps, boundaries:)

ACCORDING TO MARK....

this was supposed to go south of us.

It didn't. I honestly don't think I EVER used all my snow days while I was in school. The MCs have. They do not, however, believe in wasting any of their snow day sleeping in. These were taken about 5:45 that morning.

They begged and pleaded for us to make a snowman so the next day we did. I am still in awe of how you can roll this stuff up like carpet. That right there tells you my limited snow experience.

This was the "man" about five seconds after we finished.

Boys.....geesh:)

HER NAME...

is Abigail.

REPRIEVE

I have been substituting at our local high school and elementary this past week.
I am grateful for the work, and just as grateful for the break.
Monday was fine. Junior high math.
Tuesday, I was MC 2's teacher.
Let's just say you know things did not go well when you move your own child's clip to orange, which is one step away from the principal's office. I came home to find that the feline in my house loves our flannel sheets as much as HH and I do. He was buried at the bottom of the bed. Then I moved onto checking MC 1's backpack and his papers were less than stellar. The frustration level was through the roof, so I consoled my self with a bowl of ice cream.
I know, Dicky V. does not give a better play by play.
Yesterday it was back to Junior High.
As you can see, for someone who has not worked for 2 years, it was a lot.
It has been really cold here. Cold enough for me to put our three dogs in our garage when it got dark. Tuesday night, around 10:45, HH and I heard a dog barking. We were greatly confused as to how our dogs could have escaped. HH got up and checked. It was Buddy. Ya'll, it was the saddest thing. He kept barking for his friends. Same thing happened last night, same time, and he was here when we got up this morning. Bless his heart. He does love to come and play. They run and tackle and bite and run some more and just have themselves a grand old time. If he got here sooner, I would throw him in the garage as well.
I have more to tell you about the book Be Intolerant,by Ryan Dobson, I just finished but that will have to wait for another day. The quietness and coffee are calling me.
Hope you guys have an awesome day.

CHECK BACK TOMORROW.
RECOVERING FROM YESTERDAY!