LAST I SAW YOU....

I was left holding the bag.

Actually, MC 2 was holding the bag.

Amidst my many protests, MC 1 said,

"Well, just be glad it wasn't poop."

Well, yes, son, I am rather glad of that.

My sister's kids were here Monday.

(They were not contributors to our "survival bag". She would want you to know that.)

Her MC has a fascination and astounding knowledge of all things military.

He and MC 2 can talk army guys for hours.

He is pretty much the only one MC 2 will even play army guys with, civilly.

A female cousin tried to participate in his army guy training exercise while we were in West Texas.

Mom! She can not play. Army guys do not have girls.

Yes, girls can be in the army.

I did not know that.

As a treat, I decided to take them to a local war museum. However, no one was there to show us around and I was not about to let them touch, climb on or attempt to fly anything.

SO... the worst mom ever made them leave, enduring the cries of MC 2,

WHY DO WE HAVE TO LEAVE?

THIS PLACE IS THE MOST AWESOME!

I DON'T WANNA GO!

Tuesday, the cat disappeared.

Seems I locked him a closet.

Oops.

That night we had storms blow in.

Nothing major, but you would not have been able to convince MC 1 of that fact.

He spent a portion of the evening carrying said gato around and saying,

We're all going to die.

We're all going to die.

Of course, he really thought we were when the power abruptly cut off.

Yep... it was then end of it all.

Despite his doomsday predictions, we all slept soundly and survived to fight another day.

If you are reading this, so did you.

Choose the good fight.

1 Timothy 6:12 (NKJV)

Fight the good fight of faith,

lay hold on eternal life,

to which you were also called

and have confessed the good confession

in the presence of many witnesses.

RAISING DAVE AND CODY...

Just when I thought I would have nothing to say today.....

MC 2 just brought me a Ziploc bag with a urine specimen he and MC 1 had produced.

They were saving to:

1. Show HH

2. Light a fire by using it as a magnifying glass

I am going to bet Dave and Cody's mamas faced similar issues.

I hope they threw it away as quickly as I did.

I am not sure who the survival tactics are for, me or them?

Maybe they should make a show about surviving your sons:)

LAST DAY OF VBS....

is finally here. It has been really great, but also really tiring. I mean this body hasn't been through a VBS since she was actually in VBS oh so many years ago. Spending every morning with some 40+ second graders has had its perks and its challenges. I just keep reminding myself we are planting seeds, and from our days growing up in Arkansas, I know that seed planting takes work. Lots of it. So I am off to finish planting today and looking forward to the harvest. Have a great weekend!

WHAT'S IN A NAME...

See this box above?

Full of pigs in a blanket for VBS today.

This simple, yellow, Tupperware box caused a strange reaction in me.

Aware that I would be leaving it in the "deli",

I knew I needed to write my name on it.

And oddly, I found I didn't want to.

Not my married name.

But my maiden name.

Because this box is from my mom.

It is full of memories from my childhood.

It is the box she stored the honey bars in.

It is the box she used for those pecan puff things, rolled in powder sugar,

she made at Christmas time.

The box made many a varsity basketball pregame trips.

It reminds me of my sisters and parents.

Of the group we used to be, and still are when we get the chance.

I liked that little group.

I loved that group.

I am proud of that group.

The box has always been a part of my life as I can remember.

And I could not bring myself to ignore that fact.

But I knew if I wrote my maiden name,

it might never find its way home to me.

So I compromised.

With myself.

That may be more telling than I realize about a lot of things.

I wrote my maiden name on one side,

and my married name on the other.

When I finished, I stared at it and thought how odd the whole emotional response was.

I mean it is just an empty Tupperware box.

Physically.

Emotionally, it is packed full of memories, good memories.

Mom was going to give it away.

I am going to cling to it.

Maybe one day the MCs will have fond memories of that little box.

REASONS WHY I LOVE WEST TEXAS

1. RaRa & Grandpa,

who welcomed me with open arms some 14 years ago when I made my first trip.

2. Jamie & Greg,

who let us bring our not so quiet MCs

to their awesome and very quiet house and seem to love every minute of it.

3. HH with Grandpa.

Grandpa's health has hit a few bumps.

He told us this weekend one of the things

he missed was being able to cook outside.

It did all our hearts good Friday to see HH and Grandpa cooking out.

Lawn chair and wheel chair side by side, they were happy men.

4. The fact that HH can show the MCs his pets from his childhood.

As much as I dislike snakes, horned toads, tarantulas, and "snake hunting",

the MCs LOVE every minute of it.

Experiences they would never have if we stayed here all the time.

5. The beauty of God's creation.

I love my trees.

They are majestic and powerful.

However, not much can top the West Texas sky at night.

It is absolutely breath taking.

Nothing will make you aware of how very small you are in this big old world.

Realizing that, nothing makes you more aware of the power of God's love for your tiny little self and how important you are to Him.

That puts a very grateful and humble heart in this gal.

He counts the number of the stars;

He calls them all by name.

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;

His understanding is infinite.

Psalm 147: 4-5 (NKJV)

REASONS WHY I DISLIKE WEST TEXAS

I had hoped to show you more pictures of why I dislike West Texas.

But right now I dislike my phone even more.

So you just get a list.

1. The temp was 111 within a few seconds of taking this picture.

2. HH caught a tarantula.

3. HH caught a snake.

4. HH let the boys catch horned frogs.

5. HH takes the boys snake hunting.

Rattlesnakes that is.

But to not be a Negative Nancy, tomorrow, I'll tell you the five reasons I love West Texas.

THE ONE WHERE I CAN'T THINK OF A TITLE....

You write a post like yesterday and then you think,

Great...now they think I am walking around all full of myself...blah...blah...blah.

Let me assure you, for the days I think I have it all together, there are just as many days when I feel like I couldn't get it together if you gave me the bag and helped.

Which is why my confidence better be tied up in Christ Jesus.

Cause this flesh falls off her self-appointed pedestal A LOT.

I was going to show you pictures of our day yesterday but my phone doesn't want to talk to my computer so you will just have to take my word for it.

We started out bright and early taking Bella to the vet to have her stitches removed.

Did I tell you one of the puppies magically reappeared last weekend?

Uhm-Hhm.

We headed to a not so local library to see the Library of Congress exhibit.

Then it was off to wait in a ridiculous road construction line.

People in Bobcat land...it is going to be a long summer for you.

I mean why would you close down the main intersection in town and 2 miles beyond it in all directions.

Okay maybe dramatic, but it was craziness.

We met up with the sisters (minus one) for lunch at Chick-Fil-A to line out our summer bible study.

Us and every youth group in town.

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl is on deck.

Not on the shelves it seems as none of us could find it, but on deck.

A stop by a Bible book store, a copy of Made to Crave, a Toby Mac Back2Back Cd, and a Jeremy Camp Cd later we checked out.

Made to Crave.... gonna get all up in my business....I can already tell.

We dashed off to the hospital to check in on my grandfather, who suffered a mini stroke that morning. He is also battling shingles, so any prayers would not be wasted on him.

MC 2 had a check up. He passed. He scored big numbers. He is a big boy.

Round out the day with swimming at Nanny's and some good 'ol chili dogs for supper and it was time to wrap it up.

Which I am.

Have a great Wednesday!

NO! NOT ME....

Ever sat through a sermon and thought
Man, so and so should really be here!
What's their name should have heard this!
Oh, the one Sunday "they" are not here! "They" need to hear this so bad!

I had one of those moments last Sunday, and as soon as I thought it, the Holy Spirit said,

And yet you are the one here.
Yes, yes I am.
So maybe you ought to look at yourself.

I am not a fan of those moments.
Especially when I think I got it all going on.
Why?
Because those moments quickly remind me that I don't.
Not even close.
But in those moments we can find hope....

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
Revelation 3:19 (NKJV)

May we choose to remember the first part and move quickly to the second in our times of correction.

NO TV CREW....

So....I have watched a few episodes of Extreme Couponing on

the big 'ol, not bought with a coupon, television.

HH watched one.

Bad idea.

'Nother story.

However, I have decided I could possibly do a little better.

Friday I was excited when my bargain shopping produced this:

Oh, yes 'mam, I most certainly gave a little shout for joy and a praise the Jesus.

Sadly, the others in line were not nearly as excited.

I thought they might give a small applause,

but no,

I was left to celebrate all on my own.

It appeared the long lines dampened their enthusiasm

for anything other than getting out of there.

MC 1 hated every minute of it.

He said bargain shopping made him want to claw his eyes out.

Again with the dramatics.

We celebrated by going to Chick-Fil-A and redeeming our coupons for free ice cream.

If this keeps up, I may get my own TV crew yet.....

A WHOLE LOT OF WORDS ABOUT NOTHIN'

Summer days are finding me with little to blog about. Which is good I reckon. The most exciting thing they have done so far is play Nerf wars, aka army guys, in the house. Seems my kitchen makes a great battlefield. Much to his dismay, it appears the cat made a great enemy combatant. We are sleeping later than normal, all of us, staying outside till dark. HH has a nice little container garden happening in the front yard. We still have too many puppies and tadpoles. Boys are signed up for the library reading plan. We have been having our at home version of summer school and reading time. I discovered that MC 2 will sit for a while and watch the Military Channel, parent approved shows of course. Guess that is it. Next week will be more exciting I think. How you can top chunkin' calf fries at your friends and mooning your daddy I am not sure, but I bet we will.
Have a great weekend!
Pray for Deeper Still...it is the last one:(

THINGS I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SAY....

Hey kids! Ya'll stop throwing those calf fries and hitting each other in the face.

Chunk it over the fence and be done with it.

MC 2 ! Get down off that stool,

pull your britches up,

and quit showing you bootie to your daddy!

We don't show people our backsides.

(HH was weed eating and MC 2 WAS just watching when I left the room.

Upon returning the full moon had shown up).

True stories...

Summer .... here we come:)

FRESH EYES

WHAT'S ONE MORE...

I have 500 posts on here. That is a really big number. Makes me wonder what I have done with those 500 posts. Was I honest, with you and myself? Did I point to Jesus? Did I point to myself? All rhetorical questions, but good ones for me to consider.
So here goes #501.
Yesterday we celebrated my grandfather's 94th birthday. We all met up at my parents house for steaks and cake. My aunt and uncle from Dallas we able to join us as well. At 94, my grandfather still lives on his own. He scoots around my parents' farm on his golf cart. He plants his own garden. He entertains little visitors in search of cookies. With my Nanny passing away a little over three years ago, his constant companion has been their cat. Last week he had to have the cat put down. It was tough on him. As he told me on the phone, it was just another piece of his life with my grandmother that was gone. He cried, mourned and then he got right back up the next morning and kept on going. (Fortunately, my parents had a replacement kitty in training so he wasn't alone long). That has been his mantra these past few years. He gets up and keeps on going. Trusting in Christ Jesus for his every need. I think I can say for all of us, we are not just proud that he is 94, we are so very proud of how he has lived those 94 years, especially the last 3. He is such a huge part of our godly heritage. A heritage our kids are very blessed to get to see lived out before their very eyes.
If that wasn't enough fun, we then went to Dude's new house. Dude is HH's baby brother. He and his darling little family just moved into the cutest little house. Seriously, I am pretty sure we were all a little jealous. Cedar closets. Vaulted ceilings. Open floor plan. Yep, if he had room we would all live there:) My father-in-law fried up fish, biscuits, and unofficial "chicken" nuggets, which happened to be nuggets of another kind. AKA Mountain oysters. Google it. The boys rode horses, played outside, and pretty well ran themselves ragged until about 11:00pm.
Needless to say we went to the late church service today.
Tomorrow is the first official day of summer and we have nothing officially planned. Pretty much going to be our theme over the next 3 months. My prayer last week for our summer was that we would remember being together is most important. Enjoying each other, enjoying being a family, and enjoying these few short years we have all on our own. Because in just a few short years, the MCs will be grown and out the door.
But I will think about that tomorrow.....

SHHH......

Today is the last day of school for the MCs. It has been a good year, though a tough one. In 12 short weeks we will be right back at it.
So I will be brief today because it will the last chance for a while I get to sit and watch anything in quiet.
Have a great weekend!

NEED SUMMER....NEED SLEEP

My splitting head had some crazy dreams last night. I need to preface the next few statements by telling you-

1. I did not take anything before I went to bed

2. We have a small science experiment going on in which the tadpoles in the dog water are growing larger than the ones in my pretty glass bowl

3. I am sick of tadpoles

I dreamed that we had one tadpole down at some random barn, in a water trough, that grew into a HUGE frog. Prehistoric HUGE! It's strength was indicated when it hit the doors of the bus HH was driving. Then my sister in law SuSu came down to said random barn and brought our daughter so I could change her into a dress, because clearly I kept all her clothes at the barn. She needed a dress because we were going to church where we saw Scotty in an all purple suit. I mean ALL PURPLE.

DEEP PURPLE.

HEAD to TOE.

Which I am thinking he might have actually owned in real life. Anyone else remember?

And then I woke up.

Come on summer.

I need sleep.

MY SPLIITING HEAD....

For God has not given us a spirit of fear,

but of power and of love

and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

Yesterday fear started splitting my mind.
Side One : Fear that is we made decision A it would be the worst mistake we had ever made. The implications would damage our kids irrevocably. There would be no way to recover from it.

Side Two: Fear that decision A could be the best move we ever made. Decision A could be the best thing for the MCs. Fear that we would miss it because I was afraid to step out and do. Then there would be no way to recover from that.

Back and forth, sick to my stomach and tears, I tried to work it out. Both fears equally powerful. Both fears pulling at my mental state. I told HH about after the kids went to bed. Some concerns are valid. They can be addressed. They are not life and death.
It was so much yesterday that I went to bed with a headache. My head physically hurt from being split by fear.
Control. Security. Those words don't make my head hurt. I like to have control of my life. I like to have security. I like a firm grip on things. You know what that grip squeezes out? Faith. Where was my faith that God would provide wisdom when we asked for it, like His word says He will? Where was my faith that scripture would shine like a lamp unto our feet and direct us where to walk next, like His word says it will? Where was my faith that even if we totally blew it and made the worst decision, He could redeem it? I'll tell you where it was. It flew out the window the moment my sound mind was spilt open by fear.
I can't say that my fears are gone this morning. They are still pulling at my thoughts. What I can say is that faith is fighting the good fight to hold that sound mind together. Control and security are losing their grip. I mean, can any follower of Christ ever claim to have control of our lives? The whole point is that we give Him control. He is our security. I think He gets a kick out of throwing us curve balls. Why? Because it delights Him to no end when we choose Him over the fear of what ifs.
Christ or Control?
Faith or Fear?
I choose.