What's Up?

VBS-all week at my church this past week.  It was amazing...I worked registration and loved getting to visit with all my church peeps!

Rearranging furniture/toys and cleaning/organizing...AGAIN.  This time in Graham's and Drew's room.  We are selling their bunk beds because they now have NEW ones in their room!  Woohoo!

I finished another amazing book...The Yada Yada House of Hope series by Neta Jackson...Who Do I Lean On?

Slacked on blogging.  Sorry.  No inspiration/motivation.

Kept up with my favorite bloggy peeps!  I found a new favorite cooking blog...my friend and kindergarten teacher of 2 of my kiddos...Katie Ledbetter.  Her blog is From My Kitchen To Yours...click on my blogroll on the right and check out her yummy recipes!

Entertained my kids...and several others.  :)  And fed them all.

Went to the grocery store for much needed food!  With all my kids.  $240 later, our fridge and pantry are stocked!

Watched a LOT of HGTV.  Becoming addicted.

Did countless loads of laundry.  Including ALL the bed linens.  And then put it all up.  :)

Assisted my hubby in shaving his head bald.  Not really.  I just offered my opinion from time to time. 

Had dinner with friends last night.

Worked a day at the school.  :)

Had fun with my kids.  Hanging out, doing not much of anything, enjoying our last days of summer. 

Relished their creative energy. 

Bored you with my goings on. 

my favorite day of the week...

is Sunday!  I love our church family.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.  When I walk into church it feels like home.  I love the people, the kids, the preaching, the music.  Today was especially cool because we got to see our former music pastor, Kent Ferrin, his beautiful wife, Kathy and their kiddos, Abby and Will.  I've really missed them, and today when I saw them and hugged them it was hard to believe it had been 2 years since I'd last seen them.

Those 2 were the ones I looked up to the most while they were here.  I'm a choir girl, and Kent was my pastor.  Because I was with them the most.  Kent did such a great job at making us feel like a family.  We sang together, we had parties and cookouts and game nights together and we all just genuinely liked each other.  Not that we don't now, we do!  We just don't do as much as a group anymore.

It's okay, though.  I don't expect for things to always stay the same.  Times change.  People move on.  Change is inevitable.  Am I always okay with it?  Of course not.  Do I want things to stay just the way we are?  Sometimes.  But I shouldn't feel that way.  I know that the things of this life are only temporary.  And yes, I become very attached to things the way they are.  I am constantly working on that.

I started writing this about my favorite day of the week, and got sidetracked.  Whoops.  It was about church this morning.  The worship is always so good at our church.  I'm a music girl (I said I was a choir girl) and the music is what always makes me either really like a place...or really NOT like a place.  We've been to other churches, and none had the kind of music that I was used to.  And we're not just church peeps.  We are pentecostal peeps.

Do you know what that means?  We clap our hands, we raise our hands, we're never really still, people shout "Hallelujah!", we are generally loud people.  And the music?  There's only one volume setting: LOUD.  Just the way I like it.  I love to participate in the service.  I love to sing in the choir.  I love to lead worship on the praise team.  It's my favorite place to be...in the house of the Lord.

My kids feel the same way.  Just this morning after a great service, 2 of them came home wanting to write out Bible verses they're going to start memorizing.  Life verses, they called them.  They came home with these on a card.  The title is 10 For Life, and today they got the first 3.  The first one is Proverbs 3:5&6.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths."

The 2nd one is John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."

The last one is 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from Heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land."

I love that they got so much out of church this morning.  In this day and age, there are so many things that we as parents are up against.  Life with technology is nice at times, and scary at other times.  It's nice because we have everything at our fingertips, but it's scary because of the bad stuff that can be at their little fingertips.  Or mine, or my husband's.  I am constantly in prayer over my family, though, and I trust that God IS directing our paths, just as His word promises. 

This is why I love Bible study so much.  It keeps me fresh in His word and His promises.  I'm currently just starting Esther...It's Tough Being A Woman by Beth Moore.  I haven't started the homework yet, but from the one dvd session we've watched, I know it's going to be awesome.  With my awesome church peeps.  Of the women variety.  :)  Happy sigh here. 

What about you?  How do you stay fresh in God's word?  How do you tackle to task of raising your kids in this day and age?  Just curious.  Leave your thoughts...even if you've never commented before, now is a great time to start!  Love to all. 

Thoughts on School

It's been a really good week.  After this weekend, we are officially on countdown mode until school resumes.  This year I have very mixed emotions.  Part of me is really excited to be getting back into the swing of things.  I am excited about seeing all "my" school kids.  I've seen several over the summer, and I realize that I've missed them!  I'm also sad...because it'll be back to the real world.  I love spending the days with my boys all at my side, so I always dread sending them off.

However, they love school.  They love all of it.  The social aspect, the privileges they have that go along with being in a public school (like the amazingly updated technology they have at their fingertips), they love having so many friends to pick and choose from, they love the extra's (art, music, gym, library), and they love their teachers.  We've been blessed every single year with amazing, Christian women as teachers.  Isn't that a God thing?!

So with all this being said, you see why I have mixed emotions.  Especially because Graham is going to the middle school.  I have covered this child in prayer this summer.  He admitted to me yesterday that he is a little nervous.  When I asked why, he said it was because of how big the campus is.  I was able to reassure him that while it is big, all of 6th grade is in one building.  The only times he'll leave that building are if he needs to go to the office for something, for gym and for band.  The gym is just right across the bus lane and the band room is down the breezeway on the way to the office.

If you're the praying kind, will you help me pray for him?  I am praying that God will replace all of his fears with confidence, and that He will bring some amazing friends across his path this year.  He has been burned by some friends.  He has lots of acquaintances that could possibly turn into good friends, though.  That's what I'm praying will happen.  One of his friends held a 6th grade co-ed Bible study at his house over this summer, and Graham has gone to most of them.  I'm praying those will be the kids he sticks with.  He's also about to be going to some jr. high youth group functions at a local church near us.  I'm excited about him meeting even more good, quality kids. 

I am really praying that God will bless him with a best friend at school this year.  He has a best friend, Drew Coleman, but he needs one at school as well.  I pray that God will make Graham the kind of friend to others that he needs in his life.  I don't know why he struggles in this area.  My dad says it's because he's so good at so many things.  He's in the accelerated classes at school, he's a good musician, he's sociable, he's good at any sport he tries and he's the kid that teachers love.  He has a magnetic personality-if you're an adult.  Unfortunately, kids don't agree.  And please don't think I'm bragging...because if I could take all that away so that he would be the kid that every other kid loved, I'd do it.

But God is teaching me something through this.  He's teaching me that it's okay to be the one that stands out.  Not in a bad way, necessarily, but in just a different way.  Graham genuinely loves adults, and he told me over the summer that one of his favorite things about starting school is learning about his teachers.  He enjoys getting to know them, and he considers them not only his teachers, but someone that he can be friends with.  I think his 5th grade teacher this past year might have spoiled him in this department.  She brought her personal life into school and made each of her students a vital part.  He loved her, and he loved getting to know her.

I think that God has big plans in store for Graham this year.  I'm believing it, and I'm trusting Him to take care of him this year.  I think that He could possibly be setting Graham up to be able to minister to someone this year.  Because we all know that God uses the unlikely ones.  Look at David in the Bible.  All of his older, taller, stronger brothers were passed up, but God wanted HIM.  I'm claiming that for Graham in the sweet name of Jesus.

So, I didn't mean for this whole blog to be about Graham, but God has laid it on my heart.  Maybe so I can share it with all of you so you all can help me pray about this.  I covet your prayers in this area.  Especially now that I know that he's nervous.  Will you join me? What about you?  Is there anything that you have in your life that I can pray with you about?  If you don't want to share on here, email me at allboys@gmail.com.

I hope you all have a blessed weekend.  I'm spending the day with Mom again.  I have an unexpected day away from the kids.  Todd took them all to his friend's farm to do some car stuff.  And to probably ride some 4wheelers.  They were so excited as they left here this morning.

Well, have a blessed day.  Love to all.

My Mom

I've been spending a lot of time with my mom lately.  She is currently not working, and I've had the privilege of getting to spend quality time with her throughout this summer.  I've gotten out of the habit of being able to spend time with her in the past years, either because of her work during the week, or mine.  Except for our Saturday nights.

When Todd and I first got married, she started inviting us over for dinner on Saturday nights.  I had no idea that it would continue for nearly fourteen years now.  I don't even know that she intended us to do this for so long, but it's something that has continued, and it's something we all enjoy.  Of course it became more special once the kids were born.  Especially since my kids were the first "little ones" they'd been able to enjoy in a long time. 

Going to mom's house for dinner is like going home.  Even in her new home, it's like this feeling of "ahhhhhh".  Her and Bill (who am I kidding, mostly it's Bill who does the cooking for us!  Sorry, Mom, I can't lie!) cook the most amazing meals.  Steak, salmon, catfish, grilled chicken, pork chops, hamburgers & hot dogs, Italian spinach, grilled veggies, potato casseroles, banana pudding, chocolate chess pie...I could go on, but these are just a few of the things that we have when we go over there. 

I've always felt like I could just sit back and relax when I'm over there.  Mom has always just taken over with my kids during this time.  It's like her gift to me-the night off!  No hassles, no questions, no worries!  Even at one time or another when they were all little, when we all sat around the table to start eating dinner, there would  be a baby that would start crying.  I guess the smell of the food made him hungry, because it never failed.  Once we sat, the tears came.  Mom ALWAYS let me eat, and she would either eat with just one hand while she held the baby in her lap, or she would entertain him while I ate.  I love that about her.  She also started bathing them before we would leave.  This started when Graham was just days old, and has continued all the way to present time.  Although now they don't require supervision.  Because that would just be weird.  We usually carry clean pj's to her house so they can be all squeaky clean for church the next morning when we leave her house. 

So...back to now and why I'm writing this post.  A few weeks ago, I found on facebook that one of my dear friends from highschool and my college roommate, a sweet girl named Angel, lost her mom.  Her mom had been the picture of health until the past 6 months or so.  I think she had kidney problems, and that was what her mom died from.  And then I started thinking of all the people I know that are my age that have already lost their moms.  I felt this overwhelming thankfulness that I was still among the blessed to have the presence of my mom in my life.

And then I started thinking of the way my mom took care of her mom.  My precious Mammaw, Vera Mae Myles, lived the last twelve years of her life in a nursing home.  She'd lived with my aunt until she became so sick that Mammaw had to move in with us.  I was a junior in high school, I think.  We were able to care for her until it became dangerous for my Mammaw.  She had dementia and actually got out of our house one night.  My mom took amazing care of her.  She visited her almost every single day, she fed her, helped bathe her, took her her favorite treats, she would sing to her, or often she would just sit by her bedside, holding her hand and rubbing her face. 

She was the picture of love and devotion.  And again...I feel so thankful to have my mom in my life.  Sure, I've taken her for granted.  Did I mean to?  Of course not.  Life is busy, with family and work, but my mom is a rock for me.  We could go for days without seeing one another (although I prefer not to), but we always pick right back up.  Is our relationship perfect?  No.  Unfortunately I can be quite moody and subject the poor dear to my meltdowns.  I always try to apologize for those times, and she's always there to just quietly tell me, "It's okay, sweetie.  I love you."  I'm sure she gets frustrated with me, and I've gotten frustrated with her, but the bottom line is that she is my mom and regardless of what is going on or has taken place, she loves me.

Last week we spent almost an entire three days together.  She let me drive while we were together.  I loved the feeling of taking care of her.  I felt so protective of her while I escorted her around.  I even found myself ordering for the both of us when we were eating at a restaurant.  Not because I wanted to be in charge (because I am in charge of enough little bodies for this present moment!), but because I just wanted to take care of her.  I didn't want her to have to worry about one little thing. 

And do you know what she did to repay me?  She slaved in Jonah's and Noah's room the next day and almost painted herself silly.  I'm not writing this to make anyone jealous, or to brag about what my mom does for me, but because I want to HONOR her.  God has blessed me with a loving, kind and gentle mom.  His word tells us to honor our mother and our father.  I don't really know what "to honor your mother and your father" means, but I hope that in writing this, that I am doing just that. 

Mom has given me so much in my life.  She has taught me how to be a mom.  She is the one responsible for making me love to cook and love being a homemaker.  I love all the little domestic things that come with being a wife and mom.  I know, it's crazy, but I enjoy the cleaning, the laundry folding, the putting away of the laundry, even spending hours in my kids' rooms cleaning...I love all of it.  I especially love cooking one of their favorite meals.  I love when they ask me to make them something...even when the request sounds like, "Hey Mom, can you make Nana's chocolate gravy/cornbread/banana pudding?" 

I love my mom.  I love everything about her.  Even her hands that are so strong and capable.  They're aging a little bit now, but they are still gentle enough to rub my back when she hugs me.  I love her so much.  And I thank God for every moment He gives me with her.  If you are fortunate enough to have your mom in her life...why don't you tell her so today?  Because we never know what life has in store, and we never know when one moment may be our last. 

the things that make me cry

Charlotte's Web.  I took Jonah, Noah and their sweet little friend, Hannah to see that today at the Malco Kidzfest movie.  I almost made a spectacle of myself.  I absolutely LOVE Julia Roberts in that movie-she is so good as the voice of Charlotte.  And Kathy Bates, and even Oprah Winfrey, although I don't much care for her.  I wondered if I was the only one crying at the end?  Hmmmmm.

Toy Story 3.  Holy cow.  My dad, boys and I went to see that last Monday, and I thought I was going to have to get up.  R.I.D.I.C.U.L.O.U.S. I tell you.  I knew it would be a tear jerker, too, because Andy had grown up.  And that sentence brings me to....

Let Me Hold You Longer, by Karen Kingsbury.  If you are interested in looking into this book, click HERE.  Just do yourself a favor and go there and check it out...then come back to my blog.  I was thinking the other day...I don't remember the last time I held Graham and Drew.  It's true-what this book is about-you spend a lot of time recording your kids' firsts.  But what about all those lasts???  It makes me realize that I need to slow down and cherish those moments.  Who knows when it will be the last?

Prayer for my loved ones.  Any time one of my family or friends comes to me with a need, especially a serious, sometimes life-threatening one, while I'm praying I cry.  I always get overwhelmed by God's love for me, and the fact that He cares about all of our life's troubles.  This happened Sunday night at church, as we gathered in circles and prayed for one another.  I love that time. 

A friend's kindness and sensitivity.  That happened to me today as well, and it made me cry.  Maybe it was the fact that the floodgate had already been opened by Charlotte's Web...I don't know.  But it made me cry.

When other people cry in front of me.  I stole this line from Steel Magnolias (one of my all time favorite movies EVER):  "Nobody cries alone in my presence!"  I think it was Dolly Parton's character that said that to Julia Robert's character.  :)  As Julia looked at her new short hairstyle in the mirror after Dolly had cut it.

Saying goodbye to someone who lives far away.  I cried when we left Iceland for this very reason.  Who knows when we'll all see each other again?  I also cried as we said goodbye to the pastors of the church in Vestmannaeyjar. 

Well, I'm gonna go for now.  My neighbor and her nephews invited us over to swim.  So, that takes precedence.  Love to all!

my lovely monday

It really was lovely.  It involved cleaning and organizing, and you all know how I love that.  This time it was in Graham's and Drew's room.  I'm ashamed to say it's been almost a year since I have done that.  It's amazing what builds up in their closet...and organized though it may be, it was still quite the task. 

And no, this is not from today.  It's from when we first did their closets a year and a half ago.  It looks almost this good again, though.  It's amazing what all 2 boys collect.  Well, 4, but in today's case it was just 2 that I was dealing with.  I cleaned out their closet, their drawers, their entire room from top to bottom.  :)  Because sometimes, a mom just needs to do it, ya know what I'm sayin'??? 

Here are some of the odds and ends that I found while cleaning out their stuff:

odd little pieces of metal-guess which one would be the collector of that lovely item?  Drew.
a ridiculously huge collection of chapstick
a rainbow assortment of colored mardi gras beads
love letters from the first grade (Drew again)
old birthday cards, including one that sings, "You make me wanna SHOUT!"
all kinds of playing cards
hand written notes of a secret language (Mahaba=hello)
a yellow shotgun shell (guess which one again???)

Oh wait.  I think all of this stuff must have belonged to Drew!  Have I mentioned that he is quite the collector?  I ended up throwing a lot of it away...behind his back, of course...so we'll see how long it takes to get all messy again!  I know, I know.  I have really high expectations don't I?! 

And the stuff under their beds.  Oh.  My.  Goodness.  What in the world?!?!  I guess this is just characteristic of boys, but what in the world do they have against putting things up?  Dirty socks, a couple of "lost" shirts, pencils, books, you name it, it was under there.

On another note, I traded kids tonight.  I exchanged 2 for 1.  Good for me, bad for my friend.  :(  I can't help that mine come in pairs!  So the little ones are upstairs with their sweet friend, working on going to sleep.  I'm about to head there myself.  If I can pull myself away from the marathon of Silent Library.  On MTV.  Yes, that would be the only thing I watch on that channel, but it is hilarious! 

Okay.  Love to all. 

what a weekend.

We had fun at my friend Amy's house Friday night.  We made our pizza for dinner, which Jonah and Noah LOVED.  And devoured.  And we even got to throw in some adult conversation into the mix.  It was sweet of her to invite us over...we had some meaningful talks about raising kids in today's world, education and which way works best for OUR family, church, you get the picture.  She was telling me about a really good book she just read that sparked these conversations, and to save my life, I cannot think of the title OR the author. 

I need to find out.  It's going to eat me alive, because it's a book I think I would like. 

We left her house and got home around 9:30, and all seemed well in my world.  I was getting Jonah and Noah off to bed when I realized something wasn't quite right with my house.  It was darker than I left it.  And I noticed the minute we walked in, that it wasn't as cool as it should have been.  Because it was 103 90 degrees outside.  I walked in the dining room where our thermostat is and it read 75 degrees.  Nice and cool, right? 

Wrong.  We keep the downstairs set to 72 degrees, because we're all a bunch of Eskimos.  Then I started noticing that while certain lights came on, some did not.  Bottom line: I realized that my house only had HALF electricity.  Seriously?  Yup. 

I called my favorite nice neighbor, Travis, and he came over to inspect my breaker box.  After flipping all the different switches, nothing happened.  Nothing came back on.  And it was a bunch of random stuff that was off.  Unfortunately, both air conditioning units were not working.  :(  I started to leave and spend the night with some of my family, but when I found out that a good friend (who happens also to have gone on the Iceland trip with us AND is a licensed electrician, thank You, Lord!) would come over first thing the next morning, we stayed. 

Jonah and Noah were comfy in bed and their ceiling fan worked.  I was not as fortunate.  So after sporadic sleep and hot flashes all throughout the night, I was thrilled to see Saturday dawn.  And when it did, I was so stinkin' hot that I couldn't even drink my morning coffee.  Y'all.  I could not drink my coffee.  That is serious.  Because you all know that I go bed early at night so I can wake up early to grab that first delicious cup. 

I was sitting here sweltering and playing on facebook when all of a sudden, I heard this zzzzzztttttt, and all the power came back on.  All of it, except for both a/c units.  And while the lights were on, they were barely on.  They were all really dim.  I called my sweet father in law, and he called and got MLGW to come out.  The man got here, a really nice man, I might add, and told me the problem was not their end, but in my box.  When he called me over to show me what the problem was so I could show my friend Darwin (the electrician), sparks started flying and a little fire started.  Seriously.  He was blowing on things and fanning it to put it out.  I almost wet myself. 

He turned to me and said, "Honey, I'm shuttin' ya down.  I don't feel safe leaving you here like this."  So he did.  And I about cried.  Fortunately my stepdad had come over to see if he could help and took Jonah and Noah to the grocery store, then home with him.  I gathered up my belongings and went to the neighbor's house, in search for air.  Because it was 82 degrees downstairs (and probably close to 90 upstairs), and you know me and my dislike of heat.  It makes me cranky, gives me migraines and makes me want to throw up.

Heaven forbid.

So I hung out with Travis and Katie and their sweet nephews until Darwin got here.  And praise the Lord, he was able to fix it and get us back up and running.  So when he left, I came back home and started on some laundry.  Because I was about to have to leave to pick up Todd and the older boys and we all KNOW what camp laundry smells like!  After that, I was relieved to be able to take a little siesta.  On the comfy couch with the air blowing all around me and my fan on high above me. 

Insert happy sigh here. 

I got the text to head to the church because they were almost home and left.  After all the vehicles were unloaded and parked again, we headed to my mom's for dinner.  A really, really, really yummy dinner of grilled chicken, grilled potatoes and squash, boiled okra, Italian spinach and garlic bread.  I was in Heaven, because I'd kind of forgotten to eat lunch that day.  I don't think I've ever inhaled a plate of food so fast! 

The boys swam and we talked and eventually headed back home.  To lots and lots and lots of laundry.  That will be what I am doing tomorrow!  And cleaning out closets and drawers.  Because I feel the need to.  I forgot to mention that not only did I not sleep well Friday night, I didn't sleep last night, either.  I think I must have gotten up every half hour.  I don't know what was wrong with me.  But if I didn't wake up, I heard a noise that woke me up.  Or the cats fighting.  Or Andy the WonderDog snoring. 

Or....

Or....

Or....

So I am sleepy.  And I'm about to get off this thing and take my book and hopefully drift off to the Land of Nod. 

So, I'm gonna go do that now.  Good night, all.