Exciting

I have GOT to lead you here. And you have GOT to listen to the song and watch the video!

Very cool!

Thems some cute little Canadians! And talented to boot! Congrats to the proud mama!

Lyn

My OWN Strength

To show me my own strength God sent me Chosen One with a new kind of Blue Bell! It is called Cake Batter. CAKE BATTER, I say! And it is so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But you see I can't handle dairy without medicine and even with medicine sometimes ice cream still makes me sick. So I took a nibble. Just a nibble.

STRENGTH!!!!!!!!!

I prayed for it. Nobody to blame but myself.

Lyn

Strength

This past Sunday, as I sat in the pew next to my Rowdy One who was proving his name, in church no less, I prayed for strength. I asked God to guide me to strength, to show me strength and to help me with strength. Many days I feel like I am crumbling. So I prayed for strength for my family and for me.

Since Sunday this is what I have been shown. And I have taken a deep breath each time and recognized them. They are strength, my examples and my models. Sent to me from God. A gentle whisper telling me they are all around me and even when I crumble they are there to lift me up.

*a lone white dove in amongst the other fifty sitting on a power line. Seen while I was putting gas in my car. We have dove all around us. I see dove every single day. But this is the first time I have seen a snow white dove in the midst of all the regular gray ones. She was not afraid. She entered their chat feast as one of them. No matter she was stark white and they were dark. Strength......

*a friend making a deep decision. Facing things that she should not have to face. Make decisions that she should not be faced with. And all the while doing it with hope and commitment to the ones she loves. Strength.......

*Wise One jumping out of the car this morning and hollering "hey Nicole" to a girl he barely knows but one he calls a friend. This from my shy one. This from my one who would rather stand in the rain than have someone notice him. Strength.............

*my Chosen One lending his strength to his mother. She can no longer get around by herself. Her strong legs have given out. Her strong mind is wavering. And he is lending her his strength to prepare her for bed. He is lending her his strength in the one sided conversations he continues to have with her. He is showing me strength.............

*a single, bright sunflower in a yard that I drive by every single day. I have never noticed this sunflower until today. It is in the middle of the yard. It is the dead of winter. We just had a cold snap and while everything else is wilted and dying this sunflower is strong and tall. And BRIGHT! Strength.....................

I hope everyone gets a glimpse of strength today, in their everyday.

Lyn

Sickies

Rowdy One woke us up Saturday and was sick. You know what this mother hen's first thought was? Oh we will have a day with Rowdy One on the couch and the rest of us can hang around and watch movies. Poor guy is sick but at least he will be down and contained for the day. What an awful thought.......................

But true to his name, Rowdy One was sick and then up playing. Sick and then running around the house. Sick and then wanting to go outside. Every time he got sick he was down for all of about 5 seconds and then off again.

I should be a glad mother hen. Instead I was a tired mother hen.

This was his first encounter with "vomit". After he got sick the first time I heard him asking Chosen One, did I just throw-up? Was that throw-up? He had not a clue and once he realized he was not possessed I think he was a little proud!

Six year old's can even make sickies funny!

Lyn

Staff?

As I am getting ready to leave this morning the phone rings. Without even looking I answer it and am greeted by a woman who then proceeds to butcher my last name, "may I please speak to Mrs. ^$#&*(?" At this point I knew it was a telamarketer and I said, sorry she is not it.

"Well, then may I speak to someone on her staff?"

Blink. Blink.

"Her what?"

"Her staff, may I speak to someone on her staff?"

"She has no staff."

"Oh, well I will call another time."

Now I have thought of this all day. Who would be calling me thinking I had a staff????

Kinda funny!!!

Lyn

Shorts and Sweaters

I have lived in South Texas long enough, all 34 yrs of my grand ole life, that I know you very well could be wearing shorts on Christmas, that you never pack away your summer clothes and you have very few winter clothes which your rarely unpack. I don't even own a "winter" coat. I own several "windbreakers" some lined if it is really cold. But this weather we are having now is really getting to me. Yesterday it was 75 degrees and I was in shorts. Right now it is 33 degrees and raining with a chance it might warm to 45!

I DON'T HAVE CLOTHES FOR THIS, DEAR WEATHER GODS!!!! And I have to go to work! Please, have mercy on my thinskinned self!

Yes, I am working on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. As my boss said "sorry, but this is football season for us." as in tax season. I am glad that the boys and Chosen One get to stay snug in their jammies for the day!

Lyn

Cracked. Me. Up.

I am catching up on my blog reading. When I got to this story I had to get the box of kleenex, I laughed so hard. I love the way she writes and that she is not afraid to tell these tales.

Seriously. I was C.R.Y.I.N.G. I was laughing so hard just imagining the pictures in my mind as the story was unfolding.

Just imagining a child in a highchair saying "I see fire!" is enough to make me start laughing all over again.

Lyn

What a week!

This past week was our first full week in work/school mode. I fell into bed exhausted last night at like 8pm!

The boys are thriving in school. Thank God! And I am not saying that lightly! Thank you God above!!!!! There are some things I have issue with at Rowdy One's school but they are minor and I just need to make my concerns known and I am sure there is a fix. Wise One is having a grand time learning the ins and outs of his new enviroment. They are both very bright kids and are excelling in the new setting. I could list all the things I miss/am concerned with/wish were different but I am not. I am listing all the positives we have had this week. And there have been many.

Work is great. Really. Great. I am very capable and my new bosses are very good about telling me that. The verbal reenforcements are good since I was/am having such a hard time with the transistion. It is a pleasant atmosphere with no real stress and lots of positive vibes. My office is right next to Rowdy One's school so I can skip over there for lunch with him any time I want. I also do not have to be at work until 9 so we are not rushed in the morning. I have cuddle time and all. And the pay is nice. Truly. That is the main reason for returning to the workforce. And it will relieve some stress fairly quickly and help us get back on our feet. And working for CPAs has some perks, as in wonderful advice and education on some long term things at my finger tips.

Ah! All around this week was a good one.

Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes I have received. I have felt wrapped in prayer and good thoughts and I so appreciate the kindness!

Lyn

Smiles.

As Rowdy One was getting ready for his bath .....

"Mommy, sometimes my tummy hurts and I think I need to go to the bathroom but then I let out a toot and I feel better."

"Yes, sweetie, that is called passing gas."

"Did that happen to you when you were a kid?"

"Well, yeah, and it still happens to me now."

"Awe man, you mean it can happen any time in your life?"

Blink. Blink. Smile. Smile.

**************************************************************
More smiles over the phone when a friend calls to tell me all the good things that happened to her today. Really, just simple everyday things that she received great happiness from.

Smile. Smile.

**************************************************************
A wonderful email from a friend with a list of what makes her smile.

It is nice to have a friend so content with her life. Even if she is thousands of miles away and I miss her terribly. Just knowing that her choice to move, a thousand miles away!, have brought her great joy make me...

Smile. Smile. Smile.

**************************************************************
A sweet little arm wrapping around my neck, as I type on the computer, asking me to come lay down with him.

Smile. Smile. BIG smiles.......

Off to read bedtime stories and cuddle with one of my favorite guys!

Lyn

Positive Thoughts

"All the great blessings of my life are present in my thoughts
today." Phoebe Cary

Positive List for TODAY:

Having a FAB-U-LOUS outfit to wear today! And Chosen One making a wonderful comment about it.
Being greeted with much excitement at the new work place.
Having these waiting for me when I got home. Man, was I ever glad to slip into them! (a Christmas present from one of my favorite aunts that I wear Every. Single. Day.)
Easy and yummy dinner. Homemade pizza.

Lyn

Books

Three books in four days. All were good and I enjoyed them keeping my mind busy.

The Dog Walker by Leslie Schnur Raunchy at times but funny all the same. I picked this up on whim at the library.

Giovanni's Light by Phyllis Theroux I looked for this before Christmas and it was checked out so I read it after Christmas. Good, no matter when it is read. A good quick read.

Marley & Me by John Grogan Recommended by my aunt and my sister received it for Christmas so I read it yesterday while the guys cooked and watched football! It made me laugh, out loud!, cry and run and hug my dog!

Lyn

Positive Thoughts

In looking for some positive things today I found this:

"If you pay attention to the darkness, you'll never find the light."

Yeah, okay, I can go with that.

Positive List for TODAY:

Boys talking, with excitment, about school.
Visiting with a friend.
Chosen One cooking fried shrimp.
Comments from blog friends to let me know they care.
Four Legged One, that dog really makes me smile.
Cleaning out the pantry and reorganizing.
No where I had to be today.

Lyn

School

Well, they are there. Tucked in with the other 600 children in their schools. They were troopers. I was a mess, well not until I got to the car, but a mess all the same. I felt like I was going to throw up or run back in and rescue them. I barely contained both feelings. It has been exactly 30 minutes since I saw them and I miss them TERRIBLY! This is not how I want things. I do not think I have ever had this feeling before....this feeling of swimming against the tide in MAKING myself do something. This is worse than my fight with depression or is it worse because of my fight with depression? Well meaning people say "they will be fine". And all I want to scream is I DON'T WANT THEM TO JUST BE FINE!!!!!!!!!!!

I bought something for myself for Christmas. A sign that reads "if you're handed it you can handle it". Well, today that is a bunch of hooey. And I should have jerked my hand away as it was being handed to me.

I am going for some retail therapy. It is raining and grey out and I need to leave the house of homeschooling books and toys. I feel like a failure today.

Lyn

200th Post

And for my 200th post I leave you with some of my family's favorite things in 2006!

From the fam:

Everest: Beyond the Limit on Discovery Channel

Iron Chef America on Food Network

Mancala

Story of the World

baked potatoes with steamed broccoli

Skippyjon Jones as talked about here

This animal!

From Me:

Broccoli Salad

Brothers and Sisters on ABC

Cottage Living ~ I love this mag!!

this hand cream

these earrings ~ they are the first ones I reach for when I go for earrings.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven as noted here. I still think of this book. And I have since seen the movie and was not disappointed. It still makes me think and wonder.

What are some of your favorites?

Lyn

The J.O.B.

This is a hard and exciting and nauseating and wonderful post.

I have a job, starting the 8th. Wise One and Rowdy One will begin public school starting the 4th.

There I typed it. Now I can go and cry.

This decision has been a tough one for me. Tough for my family. The job will relieve some very stressful situations, financially. My hope it that relieving that stress will free up a lot of good energy to fill our lives with.

The public school part....I really can't talk about it yet. Very emotional for me.

But the job is a wonderful job, working for wonderful people I have known for years. They are very family oriented. There is much excitement in that their business is growing in a new way. They are excited to have me, which makes it nice to go to work. I have purchased some FAB-O work clothes that I am sure I will get tired of wearing but I am riding the high as long as I can. The job is local and there are some flexibilities that are hard to find these days. And it pays! I get a pay check! Twice a month!!! Money!!! Oh, that will feel good, even if it doesn't stay in our account!

Lyn

This new year.

What 2007 means to me?

Still processing.....

Lots and lots of changes coming up for my family.

Some sad things that I know will come in 2007.

Many exciting things that will sprinkle in.

It is all a little overwhelming when I look back on 2006. It was a HARD year my friends. And I know many hard things are being carried over to 2007 because life just doesn't get wrapped up nice and tidy that way. If I could pour everything in a envelope and mark it "2006" and file it in the attic with the other forgotten memories, I would!

I am thinking and rearranging and understanding and growing. My years seem to be so adult these days.

One thing I will focus on this year will be bits and pieces of fun. I will embrace the silliness when it peeks out at me. I will laugh a little longer and a little deeper. I will enjoy what is offered to enjoy. The rest is still marinating in my head.

More to come..........

Lyn