throw up

WOW! I am THE mom of the world! Kennedy informed me last night that she felt sick and thought she was going to throw up. So we go into the bathroom, and wait and nothing happens. Well, she is so like her dad, she actually asks for Pepto Bismol and then takes it! Gross! I usually just wallow around in my misery until I throw up, I despise the stuff. Well, anyway as she is going back to bed she says "If I feel like throwing up, I will come into your bathroom because you are so good and help me so much" So what a compliment!!!

Summer smells

Normally I do love the smell of summer...yesterday someone was buring some limbs that they trimmed and it reminded me of a campfire. However, on Wednesdays and Saturdays I hate the smells of summer...this is trash day!!!! And as I am running at 6:30am through my neighborhood, I am no longer enjoying the smells of summer but rather trying to hold in last nights dinner!

Sick children = no easter church services

I will say that even before my kids became sick, I sort of dreaded getting to church services. Not because I do not like it, but because it will be so crowded and so busy and I just do not like the confusion that follows me into the sanctuary. So we will praise God that His son rose from the dead, and we will do it in the non-confusion (well sometimes) of our home.
Mac has walking pneumonia.
Emerson has an ear infection.
Kennedy has something (to be determined by the doctor today, yes on Easter Sunday!) She has had a fever of at least 101, since Friday. Who knows what she has.
We will try to have an egg hunt of sorts, as it is raining, muddy and nasty outside!
And instead of celebrating lunch with firends we will keep our sicknesses to ourselves and eat at home!
BUT, we are all alive and we are in the comfort of our own home and we are family. Yea for that!

Be like Samuel

The Lord called once, the Lord called twice, the Lord called Samuel three times.
Samuel answered "Yes Lord, your servant is listening"

Do not be too busy to hear the Lord calling.

Amazing first child

Just want you all to know how great my first baby is...
She is 8 (although she would say 8 3/4, since her birthday is in May)

She looks just like her daddy, her warm colored skin and deep brown eyes still captivate me! (just because I carried her in my belly doesn't mean she has to look anything like me)

She has a streak of independence that I admire, yet when she crawls up into my lap and I stroke her hair, she is my baby.

She is a tough soccer player who has a tough coach (her dad) and she holds up well.

She LOVES to learn and read and study and is very concerned with global issues. At night she asks me if anything bad happened in the world today and then we pray about it (love that).

She is an outgoing, go getter. And just when I thought we had "ruined" her by moving a lot, she amazes me by finding friends and making her life work.

She loves her family and is strictly devoted to us.

She is well-rounded and well adjusted and contributes a lot to this family.

I was thinking about this because yesterday I had a parent teacher conference, and she got all A's (even a 100 in language arts) and her teacher could not stop talking about how great she is. So I had to add my 2 cents as well.

Corey's turn

As I have traveled every weekend for the last 5 weeks, my husband now thinks it is his turn to go away! He is leaving tonight to go to Memphis to scout and will be gone until Saturday. I guess I really "deserve" This, but I am sad that we will not have a family weekend! Instead it will be me getting Mac to his game at 10, Kennedy at 12:45 and again at 2:00. And dealing with Emy the whole time. Again, shall I complain, no this is exactly what my husband has done for the last 4 weekends! I say, good job to him for holding it all together for so many weekends!!!
Kennedy: she has been doing great in soccer, and her select team is coming along. They did get spanked this past weekend, but we are trying to look past that!! She is also doing great at cheerleading and her tumbling is so good, and she is also stunting now! I have her doing privates with Jeff (he is 26 and works at the gym) because I didn't want her to learn on little girls and probably fall! She is doing well, and I think the next thing I need to work on is humility! She was like "I am so good at this" And I was trying to say yes you are, but you don't need to say it. Also this week she tried out for the part of Queen Esther at our church play. She was nervous, and it was so cute. She did a good job, I am not sure if she will be picked though. There were 14 girls who tried out, and some of them are older than her. So we will see. But she said to me "I did my best and it was fun" So that is good.
Mac: Still coming along in soccer, he scores goals now all the time, at least that is what he tells me. Last week his team won 22-2. So that was fun for him, I guess! He is sweet and I am loving watching he and Emy becoming friends! She really likes him and he acts so sweet to her!
Emy: becoming a full on 2 year old! Telling me no and everything. I am not looking forward to what I know is coming, constantly staying on top of her, and trying to impose my rules and not give into her! But boy, she is so cute, this is hard! She just realized that she can say something to make Kennedy and Mac laugh, and then she goes around saying it the whole day. It is so cute!

Molly's Question

I like:
being my husbands wife, especially recently
being a mom of 3, even when I thought 2 would do
being a good cook
being an advisor of sorts
being a good student
being a runner
being organized
being a fantastic party planner
being an enjoyable writer
being a mediator
being a blue-eyed blonde
being a frequent flyer
being snuggled
being at Barnes and Noble with Kennedy
being involved with people
being creative
being an avid book reader
being funny
being optimistic in every situation
being 3 years shy of 40
being an encourager
being interesting to others
being somewhere new
being somewhere familiar
being anywhere with family
being in worship at our church
being in the car with the windows down on a long country road
being important
being there for my children
being in the company of old friends
being able to imagine
being a transformed Southerner
being in love with my husband
being able to hold a newborn
being independent
being someone's "mama"

I dislike:
crossing my legs all the time
things that appear off balance
road rage
people in a hurry
kids that are rude and un-mannered
any body odor
the notion that I have to work out everyday
most confrontation (although I am getting better as I age)
fake people
kids with runny noses
addiction to anything self-destroying
the smell in my house after cooking bacon
the tongue that is too sharp
that I sometimes feel discontent from within
that beyond being a wife and other I am nothing
slack workers at any retail/fast food place
fear
the way of the world and that my children will be raised in it
being hurried
someone else making decisions for me
the flab that jiggles when I run
balancing my checkbook or any money related topic
the notion that more is better (unless it is about love)
people who bash their husbands
wasted time
the potty room on small airplanes (Good Lord, only small children can fit!)
prejudice
wearing a thong to bed
people without any plans/goals (especially if they are really gifted)
improper grammar usage
drunk, loud, obnoxious people

ha ha ha not really funny

okay, so on Sunday Kennedy tried out for a select team (the first time she has tried out for something) and made it. So today we get an email from the soccer commissioner saying here are the girls who made the team and their coach is...you guessed it, Corey Rose. So yes, Corey is now the proud coach of a college team, a U-5 boys team, a U-10 girls team and a U-10 select team! What is up with these people! I am thinking that they really believe him to be the best coach around, just like I do!
Right, and today Kennedy's picture was in the paper! She was in a Spelling Bee (see previous blog) and they took her picture. How fun!

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!