Trying to be Consistent

Here is a hand to all parents who (like my great sister-in-law) are consistent in their parenting. I am maybe the most consistent at being inconsistent. My poor kids, no wonder they all whine and beg all the time, sometimes I say Yes and sometime it is No or do or don't or go or come or whatever. I just don't do the same thing all the time and I drive myself crazy! Here is a good example. I am on a new jag now and Boo is going to do "chores" each day to get an allowance. That will be the only way he will get any new toys or games or movies or stuff from now on!! One of his chores is to make his bed each morning. Last night I went in to check him before I turned in and he was making his bed already!!! He was going to sleep on the top so he would be ready in the morning!! I then remembered that Mookie did the same thing when she was probably about his age. I must have been on the same type of jag--she had to make her bed each morning. She had a blanket that she would cover with and then in the morning she would scrunch it into her closet so her room was clean. Worked for me, so tonight I told Boo that he could use a sleeping bag at night and put it in his closet in the morning!! He thinks I am great!!

Praying for Stellan

I stumbled upon a blog you need to read, it is called "Praying for Stellan". He is 5 mo old and has a terrible heart condition. He has had it since before he was born. His mom is the blogger and her faith is unbelievable! She is truly trusting Jesus for His healing of her son. She is a beautiful writer and sounds like a beautiful person. She and her husband have 3 other children. He is home with them while she is in the hospital, in another town, with Stellan. I never had to be that far from my family when Sweet Girl was in the hospital, but I have been pulled apart when you can't be both places at once. Please pray for him and his family. They know God is doing something mighty and they are just serving Him while they wait. Stuff like this puts life in perspective for me. You see sometimes I still want to stay in "Pity City" but God wants me to stand firm in Him and enjoy all the wonderful blessings He has given me! What would we be without Him?

Random Thoughts

Can you believe our weather? Thursday, (2 days ago) we were walking around SDC in our shirt sleeves. Today we have had tons of rain and then snow!! Huge snow flakes, it has been pretty, and it didn't stick, but what is going on? Tomorrow it is going to be about 58! This is why they say, if you don't like the weather in Missouri, wait a minute and it will change. I wonder who "they" are. Spring Break is almost over, I have loved having Boo home, but I am ready for some normal time in my day. When he saw the snow today he was already hoping for a snow day on Monday. He asked Daddy and I the other night if we would please adopt another child. He said he could use someone else to play with. We told him we didn't feel God was leading us to do that, but we would be sure to pray about it. He said, well you had 3 kids, one died and you got me. Now, another has died so we should get one more. Children's logic is so simple. I wish life was simple too. He is on a count down until April Fools Day! He is so excited to get Dad. He has lots of plans, I'll be sure to let you know how they go. (3 days left)

My ______ fell off!

I forgot to tell this really funny part of the story from yesterday. When 1st Grandson got off the big roller coaster for the 1st time, he yelled "That made my Nuts fall off!" It was just too funny! He is a crack-up.

Can you be too old for Spring Break?

It is Boo's Spring Break this week and I am exhausted! We have been to the most fun Pizza place in the area, the most amazing Burger King, a great park, a camp out in our basement watching movies, and today Silver Dollar City! I don't think I can do another day of spring break! It never was this hard when our big kids were little. Maybe we should go on a nice quiet vacation next year. Today on the way home from SDC Jim and I just complained to each other about how tired and sore we were. I won, because my eyes were all dried out from the wind and riding rides, so they really hurt. We had to stop at a Walgreens so I could get some eye drops! We did have a great day though, Mookie and her family were with us. Watching those two boys and Boo play, ride and laugh, well it can't get much better than that. #1 Grandson rode a pretty big roller coaster and #2 Grandson rode the little one!! I was so proud of them! When we asked Boo what was his favorite, he said "All of it!" ( he fell asleep on the way home). My favorite part was watching all their faces, and listening to their laughter.

Sweet Girls Cooking

Sweet Girl could not cook. Her few attempts have left burnt, untastey memories in all of our minds. She once was making chocolate cookies and put chili powder in instead of coco powder. I kept them both in plastic containers because we had them in bulk, but they really smell different. She was helping Mookie, one time, fix food for a friend at church who had just had a baby, and she made this horrible mess from a box. I think it was some kind of chicken meal, she put it in the wrong size pan and it ran all over Mookies car and smelled terrible. She made something for us one night and she put in way way to much cumin. We had to go out to eat that night. She could make brownies. She made them for her brother-in-law, they were pretty good. Her very best and the most favorite thing she made was Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies. She made them for one of her uncles and 2 of her cousins. They would always get a special tin of them at Christmas (lucky boys). She was so proud of those cookies! I'm telling you she really could not cook, but she had lots of other great qualities!! God is having lots of fun in heaven with her!

The best, best,best.

I was with one of my best and dearest friends this weekend and I had the best time. She is a great example of Christ. I laughed, cried, talked and listened, and was not ready to come home. I Praise God for giving me this precious friendship. We have seen some really fun times together as couples and some really not so fun times too. God always makes me feel like we have been together everyday, even though it has maybe been months since we have talked. She always has the right thing to say, makes you feel so loved and ALWAYS makes you laugh. We told old stories on each other, one I had forgotten about. In one of my brief times of thinking I should help earn income for our household, I was working and was asked to interview for another position. I was thrilled to "move up the ladder" so I anxiously went to interview. It all was going real well and then they asked me if I could run a PC ( this was about 17 or 18 years ago so a pc was sort of hard), I of course said yes. As soon as I got home the first thing I asked Jim was "What is a PC?". I got the job and even worked for 6 more months. I do better keeping the home fires burning, than going out to bring in the bacon. Anyway, back to being with Karen thank you for being the best, best, best. I had a really good time.

Ammonites

A mmo nites DA DA DA DA DA DA DA I woke up with this in my head yesterday. It is the song in the Caddy Shack movie. I knew it wasn't Ammonites, but I could not get the right words. I asked my husband, while we were getting ready, if he could remember the words, but all he could think of was Ammonites. On my way to Bible study I sang A mmo nites da da da da da da da to the two girls in my car, hoping one of them would remember the words. They laughed and sang A mmo nites with me. Then Jan had a great idea, she called her son at work. He could hear us laughing and commented something about his commute to work not being as much fun as ours to Bible study, however he did come to the rescue! It is "I'm alright don't have to worry bout me"! Great song for a great movie, but I don't know how the Ammonites got into it!

The Prankster

Our youngest, Boo (short for boo boo bear) wants to be a prankster when he grows up. He did a really great one the other day to Dad. He asked me, with huge brown eyes, if he could use the clear tape. I could tell he was up to something so I asked "Why?". He smiled a very sweet smile and said he had a prank he wanted to do on Daddy. How great! He was thinking of his own pranks! He took coins and taped them to the water faucets in each of our bathrooms. He was so excited, I wish you could have seen him. He was going to run up to Dad as soon as he got home, and ask him to go wash his hands. I knew this would be a dead giveaway so I got his mind off the prank. He really did forget and when Dad came home Boo didn't say anything about the water faucets. Sure enough Dad went up stairs to change clothes and soon we heard a loud Boo what have you done? Jim's pants and shirt were both wet. Boo did a good job with the coins. He and I have laughed about that several times, I am sure to check the water faucets before I turn on water though. Oh, it is fun having a little boy around!

The Tooth Fairy

I think my 8 (almost 9) year old son is going to be the end of me. Last week he lost one of his teeth, we naturally put it under his pillow and the tooth fairy came! All was good. The he went to school and told his table mates that the tooth fairy had come. Well, one little girl in all her wisdom, told him that his mom was really the tooth fairy! She knew this because she saw her mom being the tooth fairy. Well, he was not convinced, so he said "My mom will tell me the truth, so I will ask her!" That evening he remembered this incredible conversation and came running to my lap and told me this whole story. I started giving him the run around and he said "No Mama I don't want a story, I just want a yes or no". I started another explanation about how I would look in a tutu and he stated his need for a yes or no again. I was really caught, I couldn't just outright lie to him. I took a deep breath and said ok, yes I am the tooth fairy. He reached down my back, said "No wings, no your not!" and skipped off. I wish I could remember being that easy to please, and always filled with joy. He is definitely a gift from God!

Not My Best Day Ever

Oh, I wish everyday could be my best day ever, but then I guess I wouldn't really appreciate the Best part. I have missed my little Carrie (Sweet Girl) so bad today. Everything I look at, everything I do, everything I think about is her! She really was a huge part of my life. I can see her face and hear her laugh right now. Her silly smile is so cute! God is so happy to have her with Him, and I know she is happy to be there too, but we all miss out with her gone. Her little raspy voice oh, I want to hear it!! My life is good and full and I love it, but I MISS HER! Ok, enough pity me time. Tomorrow night we are going to the school carnival. There will be lots of junk food, fun games, and give aways!! Whats not to love. Well, maybe the crowd, amount of money we spend, and the fact that I am to old to do this. Maybe I'll win a great trip, I would love to go on a vacation! Maybe tomorrow will be another BEST DAY ever! God is Good isn't HE!!

Contacts

About 5 months ago I got contacts for the first time in my life. It was so exciting because you only have to take them out once a month! I was doing great with them, then about 2 weeks ago, I started feeling like I couldn't see quiet as well as I should. I was always having to grab a pair of reading glasses and get in just the perfect light to read anything! Mookie was here last weekend and I was talking to her about it and we sort of decided I would just get glasses. Sunday night, I was talking to my husband about my eyes, and I said I was a little worried, because I have always heard that if your eyesight changes fast it could be something real bad. Well, it was time to take out the old contacts and replace them with the new ones for the month. I took out the BIG mirror and looked in my eyes and guess what!!?? No contacts!! No wonder I couldn't see, I had no contacts in at all. I guess I rubbed them out or the wind blew them out or something, but they were gone. I put the new ones in and sure enough I can see great. I guess this is a lesson learned!

Last Word Queen

Mookie, later shortened to Moo, Maggott, (from her brother), Yo Mar or Mar or Yo, all of these are names for my sweet redhead. Her Dad would also call her "The last word Queen". I have seen her brother behind daddy several times giving her the cut it off signal, but she would just ignore it and go on & on to prove her point. Bubba would even say, just nod and act like you agree and he will stop, but no, she would continue with her words of wisdom. You see the two of them are just the same on this, "Last word King & Queen". She is also very competitive, on game nights we would have Bubba and Mookie play on the same team or there would be a fight! She was and still is a joy to have around. She keeps me going that's for sure, I love her a lot!

My redhead

I want to talk about my 3rd child. She is a daughter, grand-daughter, sister, cousin, friend, mom, wife and most of all a child of God. God blessed me with her, and I could tell that right off. You see the desire of my heart was to have a daughter with red hair. Scripture promises He will give us the desire of our heart in Psalm 37:4. The chances of my husband and myself having a child with red hair look to be none. There is no one in either family with red hair, so I knew she was a blessing from God!! She really has been too! She is my best friend. I love to be with her, and we always have fun. Once when we were shopping, when she was in jr. high, a lady in the dressing room commented that we sounded like we were having a great time. If you have ever had a daughter in jr. high you know this is not always the case. She has always loved God and loved going to church. She is a great mom and wife. She and her husband have given me 2 grandchildren! She has had to go through things that no child should ever have to go through, the death of 2 siblings. Her love for them is great for a mom to see. She talks about each of them daily and I know I can't feel the depth of her loss, but she has made the choice not to be bitter, but to rejoice in Gods promise that we will be together some day. Stay tuned for the "last word queen" part two of my redhead.

The next principal

My 8 year old came home from school today with big news, he had just found out that his principal won' t be there next year. I am a stay at home mom with lots to do, but he had a great idea! I could be the principal next year! Here is his take on the job description. 1) I would need to be in the lunch room everyday and if anyone was too loud I would give them a warning and if they continued, I would move them to the quiet table. 2) I would need to be in my office and if anyone was real bad they would come in and I would decide if they needed detention or maybe they could go home or be in a special class. 3) Keep my desk clean. 4) Relax in my office the rest of the day! I could even bring a book or my knitting. It sounds pretty good and he said it was easy, so I'm thinking maybe he's right!! Mrs. Bishop would love to hear his description of her job. I have to tell you she is the best principal I have ever known. She would make a personal visit to each kindergartner's home before school started each year so they would know who she was. When our daughter passed away last year she come to our house to spend about 2 hours with our son, making sure he was ok. She always goes over and beyond the job description, I will miss her, but maybe I should go for the job!

My Best Day Ever!

Have you ever had one of those days that you just know is a gift from God? I had one! I had lots of wonderful things happen that day, Bible Study, Grandsons coming over, great weather, I found out I was going to be able to make it to a Women of Joy conference in Branson, I was invited to see To Kill A Mockingbird, and all of that was not even the best part!!! A special friend of mine was going to have surgery and was nervous. I was able to sit with her and laugh and talk while taking her mind off the surgery. It gave me the best feeling. I did that kind of thing so often for my oldest daughter, I never knew I would miss it. I thought I would be able to do it my whole life! God allowed me to have that joy again, this time for another "special" friend. My heart was so happy that I have stood in that joy for days. What an awesome God we have, He can give us joy in each moment if we will just see it. I thank God today for the joy that each of my children have given me, in good times and bad. I mostly thank Him for giving me such a treasure of memories.