Things I Never Thought I'd Say to My Daughter

Liza is crazy, seriously. We call her a Crazy Chica, and she signs back to us that she's a crazy chicken... LOL

I find myself saying things all the time to her that I never thought I'd say to my daughter, or maybe to my child period. Here are a few examples:

• "Oh Lord! Don't drink from the dog bowl!"
• "You're not a dog, you're a girl!"
• "Liza, don't lick the counter!"
• "Liza don't bite Grandma's toes!"
• Please don't lick your brother."

So, what do you think? Anyone else find theirself saying unexpected things to their kids? Surely she's not the only Crazy Chica (or chicken) out there.

Sunday Snapshot: Austin

I don’t know why I keep thinking I can do these weekly blog linky things… (um whatta ya call em’s)?  But, I saw this one on Stefanie’s blog and decided I just had to try it. Maybe it will force me to blog more consistently and take pictures more often too. I am NOT a good photographer at all and really don’t think I have the will or the time to learn to be better, but I have been hit over the head lately with the realization that my kids are growing up a heck of a lot faster than I like. So, if I want to remember them as they are now I better do something to help preserve these memories. Sunday Snapshot seems like a nice way to do that.

Speaking of kids that are growing up, Austin is 13 and just recently graduated from Middle School. Meaning he will be going to HIGH SCHOOL (cue scary music) next school year. Lord help me!

But, at least I know he still loves his Mama. Well, he does – he just may not want the whole Middle School to know it. Can you see him trying to get away? tee hee. He’s still catchable for a little while longer, just another reason for me to keep running.

I can clearly remember standing outside his Kindergarten classroom peeking in to spy and see how he was doing. How he worked so hard to learn how to read and now he’s moving on to Honor’s English. How they kept telling me he was so smart, but almost every day he was being sent to the Principal’s office and I kept saying, “Smart kids aren’t supposed to be the troublemakers”.  Now, he’s been accepted into the Governor’s School. I am so proud of him.

He’s even got a hug for Dear Old Dad. This is the man that has pushed him to try harder, even when he didn't think he had any more to give. He doesn't always like it, but I think he's learned that hard work really does pay off in the end.

Look at that, Brotherly Love! I love it when I can catch them in moments like this. Especially since they don’t last long. 
      
See? It’s already going downhill.

Yep, that’s a little more like what I usually see. Honestly, most of the time I love the relationship that is developing between him and his younger brother.


I absolutely love this picture. It is one of my all-time favorite shots of him. I love how they are both looking at each other. This is my younger brother’s little boy, Jayvion. Austin’s three year old cousin. He is so good with him. Listens when Jay talks, helps him figure things out, encourages him.

Recently we were at a party and Jayvion didn’t know any of the other kids so he didn't want to leave Grandma’s (my Mom) side. Austin came over to Jay and asked him if he wanted to go play, held out his hand and Jayvion went happily – knowing that if Austin was with him he’d be ok. Does this mama’s heart good.


The Grandparent’s. They love him. And he loves them back.

Renaissance Faire

Does anyone else love going to Renaissance Faires/Festivals? I was introduced to my first one, the Georgia Renaissance Festival, in 10th grade. I was in Mr. Horton's History class and we were taking a field trip there one Saturday. The only problem with that was I had just been hired as a Hostess at one of the local Waffle Houses in our VERY small town (yes I worked at Waffle House and yes there were more than one - less than five miles apart) and I had to work that Saturday, and my Mom wouldn't let me take the day off - teaching responsibility or some such nonsense (just kidding Mom!) So, to make it up to me, Mom arranged for Me, my best friend, BFF's mom, and Herself to go to the Ren Faire another weekend. That was it, I was hooked. Totally loved it and everything about it. Maybe it's goofy, maybe it's "nerdy", but I still love it and would go a couple times a year if I could.

A couple of weeks ago Rick and I took our kids to the Virginia Renaissance Faire during Pirate Week. It was H.O.T. that day but it was still a lot of fun. AND maybe the best part of the day - there was a guy dressed like Captain Jack Sparrow. He looked just like, him, walked like him, and even waved/smiled like him. He waved at me and smiled and I wanted to follow him like a little puppy dog. I felt like I had been warped into a pirate movie for a second. What is it about Jack Sparrow that makes ladies love him? I'm not the only one, right? I wish I had gotten a picture of him. Ah well....

Where was I? Oh yeah.... took the kids to Ren Faire. They learned the Medieval alphabet, apparently we added a few letters since then, and they learned that they would have probably had a job by age nine. I think they were glad they were born when they were. There were a couple of guys there doing an acrobat/comedy routine that was really funny and of course the “Queen and her Court”. Not to mention all the other pirates wondering around and the quest to decide who would be the Queen’s official “privateer” which is different than a pirate but still kinda the same… yeah…..

Some snapshots of what we did:
  

The boys got to throw sharp objects at targets. Let’s just say Noah will never be an axe murderer…. or a wood-cutter either, but it was fun to watch him throw that axe at the wall.

  

  They didn’t do too bad with the bow and arrow, but I think it felt a little awkward at first.

 
The Lovely Step-daughter and I decided to stick with something a little more lady-like, so she had her face painted and I got my hair braided.  Pops (AKA Rick/Dad) just hung out, drank a little wine, and somehow managed to not be in any of the pictures. It was a good day.

Her Legacy

The lovely lady in the lei is my Great Grandmother, Dorothy Frances Allison Marsh. The photo was taken at her 90th birthday party last year. I think she looks pretty amazing for turning 90. As a matter of fact, she was amazing!

Grandma passed away in May after a 3 1/2 week bout with pneumonia. She was sick for a little while, but because she's always been strong and stubborn she didn't tell anyone or go to the doctor. By the time my Aunts figured out something was up she had to be admitted to the ICU. She fought really hard, and we all prayed really hard (we weren't ready to let her go) but I guess Jesus was ready to have her home with Him. I wish He could have waited just a bit longer but I know she is so overjoyed to be in His presence.

My Great-Grandmother was what I like to call "feisty". She wasn't afraid to tell you the truth even if you might not want to hear it. Believe me, she told it to me a few times. When I was a kid I was afraid of her-I thought she was mean. What I didn't realize then, as the great granddaughter who lived three states away and only saw her in the summer, was that she knew what her rules were and made sure you knew them too. She also knew what the Bible said about how you should live and she wanted her children to follow that Way. She loved ALL her children and grandchildren tremendously! And that was a lot of love to be spread between 10 children, 20 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren, and eventually 12 great-great grandchildren. As I grew into an adult I realized Grandma's love had been steady throughout the years and am now so glad I had the last few years to see her more often than just the summers.

Grandma's legacy began when she was about 6 years old. That was when she gave her life to Jesus and as far as I know she was faithful to Him for the next 85 years. WOW! To be able to say you served Jesus for 85 years! That blows my mind. She grew up and attended Belvoir Assembly of God in Marshal, VA right up until the end. One of the neatest things I learned from her as an adult is that the land for the church was given by her Father or Grandfather, I've forgotten which. That was so interesting to me because I've read so many pioneer story books and they usually always mention how Mr. So and So gave the land for the church to be built in the community. Now, I can say that I have that kind of story in my history.

I have fond memories of attending that church with her and my Grandmother, her daughter, when I was a little girl. Singing hymns from the old hymn books, having church suppers outside in the summer under the trees. I lost a ring outside that church as a young girl. I still wonder if it's there somewhere laying under that tree, just waiting for another little girl to find it some day. My children can even say that they attended the old Belvoir church with their Great Great Grandma. She was so proud to show them off-her first two Great Greats. Thinking of those days brings a smile to my face but a tear to my eyes.

There are so many more wonderful memories of Grandma that I have. Playing in her basement every summer with cousins, the socks/underwear that we always got at Christmas, then when I was older the towels she sewed for our kitchens. I cherish those towels now. She loved making ceramics, a hobby she picked up about 20 years ago and shared with my Grandmother, Frances. How she worked so hard all her life. First as a clerk at a downtown five and dime, then as a lunch lady at the local public schools. After retiring from each of those she then "took care of an old lady", her words! I loved how she considered this lady to be "old" when in actuality she was only about 10 years older than Grandma herself. She made the most wonderful fried apples, and no matter how I try I have never been able to duplicate them. She always made sure to make them when she knew I was coming.

She prayed relentlessly for her family to be saved and I know that I am an answer to those prayers. I am going to miss her so much. But, I am so proud to count myself as part of her legacy.

Kids Are Fun

Four kids and a husband who works nights in a smallish house are not a good combination. Especially when a couple of the kids aren't used to being quiet, everyone loves to talk and laugh at the dinner table, and the master bedroom is right next to the dining room. Not good planning on my part when we first looked at this house. I just knew I loved the beams, the big kitchen, and the front porch. Hindsight.....

Anyway, last night we were having dinner and the new rule is when Dad's sleeping we all have to be quiet. So, the kids are gesturing to each other to pass things and that alone made for some interesting moments. But, then Skippy starts gesturing to Mississippi and everyone else just minds their own business...at first. Then she begins gesturing a little more flamboyantly so I looked over thinking I could help figure out what she needed. She could have whispered it but she was having too much fun with this. Finally, after everyone's looking and we've offered her the ketchup, hot sauce, salt & pepper, and napkins, none of which were what she needed.

So, I asked her: "What are you trying to say?"

And she says, with a goofy grin: "I was telling Mississippi, 'It's really quiet'!"

LOL, crazy kid! Maybe you had to be there but we thought it was hilarious.
Um, Ricky was not amused though........ :)

I Lost the Job*

*(I just don't feel like doing the linky thing tonight but the job referenced is mentioned in the post before this one. And Brandi, I am working on that tag, promise :) Can I have a few more hours?)

Actually it was not mine to begin with but I was praying and thought that it would be so wonderful for me. I would love all the people I worked with and the work that I would do. And the best part were the hours that would allow me to be at home at critical times of the day so that I didn't feel like I was slacking on my family.

When I got the call tonight that I wasn't the one, I have to admit it upset me. I was really disappointed even though I have been praying for God's will. I know that the ones who were doing the hiring were praying as well and that all things happen for a reason. I think this was just the straw that broke the camel's back for me tonight. We really need for me to go to work but I just don't want to have a job that requires me to be out of the house more of the day than I'm at home. Especially with "The Girls" added to the mix right now. Some friends of mine have suggested that maybe the reason I've had so many interviews and just as many rejections is that perhaps God wants me at home right now. The thing is, God knows our financial situation and how tough things have been and how stressed my husband can get, and I can't help but wonder why if that's what He wants He hasn't given Rick that memo. Our friends don't know this though. We've been pretty quiet about how our financial situation has looked, but it's not pretty. I don't want to go to work to have extra money to blow. I need to go to work so that we can climb out of this pit. I hate it, but it is the sad reality.

I know this is the pity-partiest post I have ever put out here but I have been down in the dumps all night. Waffling back and forth about posting this or not and I just had to get it off my chest. I'm praying and crying out for answers but just getting it out here helps a little too. Anybody know of a great part-time job for a mom who's passionate about orphans and adoption?

Something to Smile About

These are the faces that brighten my day, no matter how bad it's been.

What is it about babies?

Tonight we went to my brother's house to have dinner with the family. My mom and dad, aunt, cousin, and of course my brother's three boys were all there. Junior, my baby brother, (don't ask about the name, that's a whole other story) has three beautiful boys: twins, Dykeem and Travon are five and the baby, Jayvion is 6 months. I haven't seen Jayvion since about a month after he was born and I have to tell you I have been missin' out! That little booger is so cute and just the sweetest thing ever! He is soooo fat and has these killer dimple when he laughs, which he loves to do. When I held him he would just cuddle into me, I absolutely love when babies do that.

Holding Jayvion tonight was great and it made me realize a couple of things. The first being that I need to make time to see my family more often. I haven't seen my little nephew since he was a tiny infant but yet they live only 20 minutes from me and I go to church in the town they live in. I just don't seem to ever have time and don't make the time. My brother and I used to be so close and now just barely know what's going on with each other's lives. His older boys are five and are still shy when they see me. Now, there are other issues there but still, when I see how much we've all grown apart it really makes me sad.

The other thing goes back to my deep desire for this baby that we are planing to adopt. When I get a chance to hold a baby and just love on them I am reminded that, yes, I do want this for myself again. Today was my oldest son's 11th birthday and sometimes when I realize how old my boys are and how independent they are I wonder if I'm really thinking straight to want another one :) Every now and then I think, "Am I really sure about this?" Am I the only one who has felt like this in the midst of the adoption process? Deep down I know that this is truly something I want but every now and then a little doubt sneaks in.

Now, that I have totally depressed my readers(all two of you:0) ) I hope you'll still come back. I'm planning to do a post on possible names someday and may want some feedback.