Purse Quote

When you're down and feeling worse, keep a cookie in your purse.
There you go, my answer to all the problems. This is in answer to Molly's thoughts, and by the way ...the littlest bird sings the prettiest song. ( I would have commented on your blog, but it kept rejecting my comment saying it detected spam, nice to know) I love you!

Spanish and growing up

Not really a combination of those two things, just 2 thoughts I need to express.
I really wish I could speak Spanish, no I mean really speak Spanish. And I have a lovely sister who is fluent, wonder why she doesn't teach me!!?? I also wonder why college (also high school) requires a foreign language, yet I still cannot communicate well. This is disturbing and now one of my new goals. I will speak Spanish, even if the only person I can talk to is Molly. Well, I guess I can also call her friends Nicole and Seth and I am sure they would love that.
And if it is Tuesday, then I had bible study...
One word people, only one word to describe your childhood. This was one of the exercises in our bible study class today. Secure. That was my word. I adore my family and I had a GREAT happy childhood that I would love to repeat for my children. I was loved (my parents verbally said they loved me), touched ( they hugged and hugged me), encouraged( they told me how great I was), supported ( active commitment to me), and the told me I could be anything I wanted to be. Thank you to Mike and Linda!!!

soccer coach x 3

Scary!!! When I was at registration for spring soccer and I was in a hurry (big surprise), I accidentally checked the box on Mac's form saying Head Coach! Well, Corey is already Kennedy's coach (and Belhavens) and the last thing he wanted to be was Mac's coach also! So I called the soccer commissioner and told him my error, and he was like too bad, you can do it! So there you go! I am now Mac's soccer coach, even though I will miss every practice (cheerleading on Tuesdays at 4:30) and the first 5 weeks of games (again, judging cheerleading comps all across the nation). So I, being the smart one I am, thought up the great idea of recruiting a couple of Corey's college girls to coach! So he called and they said yes! YEA!!!!!!!!! So I will technically be "coach" but they will do all practices and the first 5 weeks of games! I love them!

A few who are smarter

Earlier this week as I was lamenting my daily schedule to a friend he said "you can always say no to others and they will get over it. You can say no to your family and they may never get over it" (and additionally, they may need therapy later)!
Sometimes I think I am doing good for my family, by scheduling extras that earn extra money for them and then it turns out actually worse for them. Like being shuttled back and forth between Corey and I every day. And everyday they say "I don't want to go in and meet daddy" and I got to the point where I was like "too bad, you have such a bad life". But I was really thinking, it does stink for them, and if I scheduled things even a half hour later, Corey could just come home and they could be here the whole time. So as I was making out my schedule for the fall, I was planning this way and I have been thinking about summer and how crazy it is beginning to look like, and I just refuse to be driven by money and schedules!
Either that or we need to live near parents or family of some sort and then I would not feel bad!

Fear

Fear is a horrible , snagging, entraping sin that Satan himself has laid upon us...in other words, it is sin. There are so many times that fear controls me, fear of unknown, fear of children growing up, fear that I haven't prepared myself yet so how could I have prepared them??? Fear of the future, fear of the present, no fears incringing on tomorrow, but possibly regrets creep in.
The GREAT thing is that the answer to fear is faith!!! (2 "f" words, interesting) Faith that someone else is in control, faith that I am merely the body that performs the task, faith that I may not be able to prepare my kids, but I can direct them to Him, faith that I rarely see with God's vision, yet I am smart enough to know it, faith that fear can be banished if I let it ( so that actually I do have a bit of control, over my own thoughts).
Can you tell I just came home from bible study!!

Thoroughly Admonished

Okay, since I was fully admonished on my good friend Kelly's blog for not blogging very often, I will attempt to do better! (Some people have 2 jobs and 3 kids and a life to juggle) Just kidding!
I too believe in "comment lest you receive no comments" and I guess I now know why I have no comments! I certainly enjoy reading about everyone's life, I just don't usually take the time to comment...So believing that there are rules to blogging (just like everything else in life) I will strive to do better...(Kelly, check your comments)
Lost game boy: This sounds like a very petty thing, yet when you spend the $100.00 to set your 5 year old up with one, you would kind of like to have it longer than a week! Upsetting, yes; life altering, not really. Four days later (and a mighty clean house) has produced the above mentioned game boy. Now (like everything else in life) there are game boy rules...When you are done playing, put into case on shelf. There you go.
Lone choir teacher: I have again decided to volunteer for childrens choir at church and I thought I was signing up to be the assistant to the teacher. She apparently thought the same thing! I told her I would be late and then I arrived on time and she was 45 minutes late!!! (choir is 1 hour) Boy, talk about sweating it out in front of first graders. Anyway, I AM the teacher and even though my husband cringes at the sound of my singing, the kids loved it and me!Yea!!!
Shaping the Next Generation: Super great bible study I just joined last Tuesday...Talk about your major life responsibility! Parenting...Argh!!! As I grow steadily fearful of the ever decaying society we live in, I am wondering what will shape my children! I PRAY it is God's love shown through their parents, and this will be my third most important goal on this earth. Sounds like a low grade, but I feel I have to put both raising people for the kingdom and my husband above my children. Sounds harsh saying it this way, but I believe it to be correct.
Anxiety: how to live without it and how to turn it into faith. This should be a bible study and I should be in it! I taught my choir kids about trust last week and I made them fall into my arms and as they each stood in front of me with their backs to me I said "Do you trust me? Do you believe that I will catch you?" and they all eagerly replied "yes" and then only 2 actually fell into my arms without moving their legs. Interesting. How many times does God say "Do you trust me? Do you believe that I will catch you?" and I actually leap or fall without looking. Not nearly enough.
Sisters: If you don't have one, I am sorry for you. I have so enjoyed mine over the years and each one is special in a certain way, yet they are all the same in some ways as well. Sweet, first born Wendy; a people pleaser, will fight for what she believes and at the same time try not to hurt your feelings, supportive in all situations, seeking Him, desiring what is right in God's eyes not her own, emotionally connective. Kelly; fiercely independent yet needs people, commanding and direct, stern yet so heartful, ambitious to accomplish all things well, always prepared for what she wants to accomplish, loving to others when they need it, accepts advice and ponders all things well before deciding. Molly; young, yet wiser than her age, 100% committed to whatever she is seeking, abundantly giving and supportive, praying and seeking and searching and will not give up, relentless in quest for her God.
Well, these are the way I see them and these are the great things that they freely give to me! Love y'all!!!!

Barely a second

Wow!! Since the beginning of 05 I have barely had a second to get anything done! I had 2 sick kids (Kennedy sinus and Emerson pneumonia) two birthday parties (Mac on 6 and Emy on 10) and I have been on one trip (the 5-9) and Corey has been gone (the 12-17) so...Everything has gone crazy! In between all of that, I have worked and taught children's choir and the list just goes on and on...I have read email, but not answered it and of course my whole blog has been totally ignored!
So, for catch up...
Kennedy is awesome, she is so beautiful and fun and she is trying oh so hard to be kind and considerate! She is helpful and well-mannered and I do adore her. She was chosen to be in the spelling bee! She is the 2 best speller in her class and she competed on Friday in the bee. She spelled 5 words correctly, but then missed "slipper". She did a great job and I took her out for pizza as a treat! She has been going to the cheer gym with me everyday and working hard on her tumbling! She is getting so good, and is having so much fun! She starts soccer again in 2 weeks (as it will be spring in the south!).
Macguire has been healthy and having fun at school. He had his party and all his friends from school came...Especially a girl named Sadie who (according to her mom) "never stops talking about Mac" how cute! He had a ball, and he now has every single Spiderman action figure known to man!
Emerson is totally putting together sentences now and she is cracking us up! She is so fun, and she loves Mac and KK and they adore her!
Corey is in Baltimore at a Coaches convention and he gets back tonight, boy how we have missed him! He adds so much to our family, I cannot wait to have him home.
I am starting a bible study on Tuesday and I am very excited about it! It is about raising kids (I guess I need the help!) It will be fun and a friend of mine is also doing it with me. I have 3 trips in February to judge cheerleading, so that will be busy as well!

The Do's and Don'ts on flying with a 23 month old

Do have a lot of snacks available
Don't have them in your backpack under the seat in front of you. With a child on your lap, bending over at the waist and actually breathing can be somewhat difficult.

Do bring a portable DVD player
Don't forget to charge it, and try not to fly for 3 hours and 45 minutes straight! Don't forget to bring movies that your child actually watches, and don't forget headphones (because hearing is near nil capacity at 30,000 feet) also good to make sure the said child would actually wear headphones!!

Do wear sweat pants or something stretchy
Don't try to be chic on a flight with a child. It is uncomfortable and something may rip. If and when your child does fall asleep, she cares not that her drool (and/or snot) is all over your outfit when she wakes up!

Do bring water
Don't let your child (or the flight attendant for that matter) convince you that she needs coke to drink on a 3 hour and 45 minute flight! It causes many problems; bathroom visits and incapability of holding still on mothers lap are the most common!

Do bring books, coloring tools and lots of paper!
Don't carry black sharpie in your purse though, passenger sitting next to you can be somewhat grumpy at end of flight!

Rose Family at the Oregon Coast! 

I am what I am

I like this "By the grace of God I am what I am and His grace toward me was not in vain..." God has chosen me, He has made me the way I am, He has been perfecting me for a long time. How good to know.
I told my cheerleaders tonight to think of a blessing that God has given them and then to share that blessing with someone else. So I will do the same.
I have been blessed with an amazing husband who I really did not think I could love more than on that day (12 1/2 years ago) that I became his wife. I really thought "Great, I love this man and he is my husband. That is great" But understand this, I love this man more than that. More than the day he first kissed me. More than the day he purposed marriage. More than the day we had our first, our second and our third children. He is so good. He has become so much better. As a husband he is first rate. As a father, he is so much better then I sometimes think he will be. But as a person, as a follower of Jesus...he is great. Even if I was not his wife, I would like him as a person. He is good. So I am blessed and although I cannot (will not) physically share him with others I will tell you this...do not settle for anything less than what God has prepared for you. He knows best.

Good Weekend!

It started out on Friday with an amazing work-out session, I just felt so good like I could keep running and keep lifting and keep crunching up and down! It was such a good feeling to really push my physicalness to the limits! Thank God for being healthy and whole.
Corey and Kennedy went to Wichita Falls for a soccer tournament, and Kennedy was able to stay and visit with her friends (whom she misses so much) and she had a great time! Thank God for friends and being able to spend time with them, even at age 8!
Mac, Emy and I went to Walmart and bought some paint to paint my bathroom and while we were there Mac said "Remember when Papa came and painted, like, our whole house? That was hard work and he was so nice to do that!" So thank God for Papas that care so much for their children.
I don't know why, but every time Corey goes away, I paint something. There must be some correlation there, but I do not know what it could be. Anyway, I painted my bathroom and it looks great! I couldn't be happier...although Papa would think it a bit sloppy for his taste! Oh well.
Then the 3 of us made Christmas cut-out cookies! I love doing this and it makes me laugh (and sometimes swear under my breath) but it was so fun, and this was Emy's first time, she was so cute. I had out 2 stools and they each had one and then I would measure and let each one pour it into the mixing bowl, she thought it was great! Today, we ice and decorate them! That should be fun (oh and maybe a little messy). Corey's soccer team is coming over for a Chrsitmas dinner, I am excited for that and it will be fun as well.
I love it that when I need a recipe I can call Hope and she knows exactly what I am talking about! Last night I called her and I said "I can't find my recipe for a triple chocolate peppermint cake you made in Dec of 2001" and she went and got the recipe for me! She is great! Then I was able to talk to one of my all-time best friends, Wade (her husband). He is the best, we just laughed and talked about all our old high school times. He remembers everything! That was fun! Again, thanking God for good friends and being able to spend time with them!
I watched How to Make an American Quilt last night. Probably one of my favorite movies. Last night it really hit me that every old person had a life, a history. They were young and thin and beautiful and life happened. It was a good thought, even if it sounds crazy right now.

Happy thoughts

I love when people are happy. You can see it on their faces, hear it in their messages and feel it reading an email. I just received several of those and now I too am happy.
Molly, sweet girl. Do you not know what makes you complete? I am sure I do, so let me know if information is needed.
Wendy, yea to the country , simple (let me know how simple plowing is) life! You are happy and truly blessed! What a great bog adventure waiting to happen! I cannot wait to visit with you!
My family, what a treasure chest, full of a little of everything, yet, each one so precious.
I am missing you all tonight, I am missing the chaos that comes with you all. I am missing the noise level (MMO, I do not think my children breathe loud!), because now even though there is peace, there is loneliness. To everyone I know, be happy tonight! Thank God for every little thing that has made you smile, made you laugh, made you cry. All of these things are life!

Just another day in Mississippi

I am continually asking God for patience with the english grammar of the native Mississippians! It is hideous! Not a day goes by that I do not hear someone mutilating the english language.
Last night one of my cheerleaders was teaching a cheer and she said "fer" instead of "for" and I said "Marla, the word is F-O-R you need to pronounce it this way." and she really didn't get it. And then I was like well, maybe I don't really get it. I cannot change the entire Mississippi populus, so ...
Insanity: definition: doing the same thing in the same way and expecting it to be different.

A sad moment

Kennedy had a sad moment yesterday, she missed one spelling word! This is the first word she has missed all year, and she was devasted! I casually asked her how her test went and she started crying and I knew it, I knew she missed "conclusion". She was struggling with that one, but I never thought she would miss it! She even gets the bonus word everytime (with the definition) so she has not scored lower than 105% this year. She was crying and I tried to tell her how even adults get confused on how to spell things sometimes and she wanted to know an exact instance, and of course I couldn't think of one so I had to make one up and I was like "Well, sometimes daddy (blame it on daddy) can't remember how to spell vacation, so I have to remind him" and she was like "oh that one is easy!, Why doesn't daddy know how to spell vacation?" So then I had to assure her that daddy in fact knows how to spell it, but sometimes gets confused or he is in a hurry and it just comes out wrong. So now she is probably thinking that at least her dad can spell, even if he is stupid! Anyway, I felt so bad for her! And she had to write the word she missed 5 times and she has to re-take the whole test tomorrow, and she doesn't get to eat a special treat while all the other (dumb) kids re-take their test! Life lessons stink!

Kid Overload

Well, Sometimes I lay awake in bed right before the alarm goes off, and I am happy to be there, cacooned, and have my thoughts to myself. I am still unprepared for the onslaught of children, the needs, and the voices that certainly interrupt my time. But, as usual, I get up and face them all. I think this is a great accomplishment!
Anyway, today I had to work at Moms Morning Out (I am a sub for a preganant lady until Christmas) and I have 3 year olds! ( at least the are out of diapers) So I was there from 8-1:30 and then I went straight to the gym where I had to entertain 25 5 year olds at a cheerleading birthday party. I mean, I may as well just put on the clown suit! What a nightmare!!! Then I had my regular classes, 4:00-6:00 and my team 6:00-8:00, and I am so over kids right now, I cannot even express! I do not even think I am good with other kids, and the whole time I am thinking "Man, these moms need to add a little discipline here!" Whatever. I really disliked my day though and I am trying to get rid of all the negativity before I go to bed.

Emotions

Insightful
Yesterday I heard some bad news from someone and it put ME in a bad mood. I found myself feeling down and discouraged, even when I personally didn't have a bad day.
Today I found out that one of my good friends has finally gotten pregnant, after 3 times of in-vitro! And I feel like something good has personally happened to me! I am floating through my day!

Life is funny...at times!

I am laughing because what constitutes work for some is vacation to me!!! John called and asked me to fly to Atlanta on Friday and judge a cheerleading competition on Saturday and one on Sunday and stay in a hotel and eat out and get paid to judge, and I was like well I am not sure... right!! Whatever!!! Yet when I said to John "What a great mini-vacation" he said "this is work you know" and I was thinking is it?? Does it beat waking up at 6:15 getting 2 kids ready for school and one husband off to work and a baby with me to the gym and then to Walmart and then home fix lunch do laundry, fix dinner, clean house, run to cheer gym and work for 4 hours with 50 kids that bug the life out of me?? Oh yes, I will let you decide which sounds better!

Everyone needs break-time, a rest in the journey, a break in the cycle...it refreshes me and I need refreshing!!!

Some responsibility

okay, to be fair I guess I need to take some responsibility for not being registered. I still think MS is a loser state, but I guess I should have double checked them telling me they were registering me!??? Whatever...I feel sick today.
I have just finished mapping out my November schedule and we are going to be really busy! In my mind, Nov is over and December is steadily coming closer! Yikes!!
I love it that Kennedy wakes up every morning in her own room and says "I love this bed and I love this room" She is sweet. She was sad the other day when she phoned her friends in Texas, she still misses them so much! Since it was raining in Texas on trick or treat night, her friends were going to go out to dinner and to a movie instead, and she was so sad!!! She wanted to go with them instead of going trick or treating! She has problems!!! J/K
They were very cute! Kennedy was a cowgirl! She is really into the horses thing and this is what she wanted to be. Emerson was a cute butterfly, although a hot one since her costume was made out of fleece, and it was 80! Macguire was the traditional cheetah! This is seriously something that both of my cousins wore (who are now 40) and Wendy, myself, Kelly, Molly, Betsy, Abby, Kennedy and now Mac! He looked adorable, and he loved it! I was happy that he wasn't a power ranger for once, but I guess that is his everyday outfit, so it wasn't special enough for Halloween!
Anyway, they had a blast and it was a good night!
Corey is in Florida right now playing in their regional tournament! I hope all goes well...
Got to get Mac to school!

Mississippi.....the loser state

Whatever!!!!
When I finally went to the DMV to get my Mississippi drivers license, they asked me if I wnted to register to vote, which of course I said yes, and checked the little box, and there you go.
So, today I called the Rankin County Courthouse to check and see where I needed to go to vote and they said they didn't have me registered!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was like, what???????? And they told me how they have had so many phone calls asking the same thing and people not getting registered at the DMV, as they have promised. And I was thinking, who cares, I want to vote! And of course now I cannot. I am very angry about this and I will be worse if Kerry wins!

Just a test

Okay, last week I blogged a very long blog and then when I went to post, it didn't go through...could be because my 22 month old pushed our moniter off the desk and now everything is sideways, or it just didn't feel like posting. But I do not feel like blogging and then not getting the result of a post...so this is a test.