Issues

Just as I am certain I am the only person in the world with issues (or I guess I let them consume me) I am happy to hear that someone else is having the exact same issues. Do you ever wonder how to figure something out, or what to do and just when you cannot stand it anymore someone else says "oh I have that issue too" And even if they have not figured it out, and they have no answers for you, it somehow makes you feel better. Not that you want someone else to suffer, just that you want to feel normal. I will think, no one else knows what this is like, and I must be the only person experiencing this, and then, whammy, someone else is doing it also.
Parenting my friends...what joys!!!

loong time

well it has been a long time since I have posted...I am certain no one is even checking this anymore...
Molly, my sister, is beautiful! We just celebrated her marriage to Doug and it was so lovely. As all of her friends so openly spoke, Molly is truly great inside and out! The wedding was amazing, the ceremony was honest and the fun afterward was exciting. It was great to see a lot of old family friends and to meet new young friends of Doug and Mollys. It was also great meeting my new extended family: Larry April Mark and David. They are a neat, talented and inviting group of people, who I am glad to be related to.
The entire week was filled with family and friends and the sense of home. I love fall in Ohio!!! Especially out on the farm. What a great week. It feels like a let down to come home...except to see Corey!!! We missed him so much and the kids were ecstatic to see him.
So now, the "dailies" take over and life moves along, yet I am ever remembering the great fun from last week and the special people who are in my thoughts and prayers.

A good day at the Rose home!

Well...
Mac played in his first soccer game and scored 2 goals!!! He was so excited!
Kennedy won her game 4-1 she is a defender, and fyi, she didn't let a goal through, it happened on a penalty kick! She is a great defender and very tough and focused. Her foot was stepped on with a cleat, so she is abbying it now, and then she was out riding a bike and skid her (bare) feet on the pavement and now has 3 band-aids on her feet! Hopefully it will not interfere with her game tomorrow!
AND (drum roll please) Corey's team WON!!!!!! 2-0. He is thrilled, and it was against a team where he was trying to recruit 2 girls, so it was a good win.
So, we have a happy rose home tonight. Emy and I are, of course, amazing and we support out family in all their soccer endeavors!!!

kids ARE funny

Yesterday while shopping at Hobby Lobby, Emy was crying/having a fit the whole time we were there./ So I went from entertainer mom to "you better stop crying" mom to everything in between. It was crazy. Anyway, I just continued to shop, ignoring my child, and one time I said "emy, let's sing a song" and she said "NO" and I said why not? and she said "because I crying!" So I guess I should know better than to interrupt her crying.
Last weekend when we went to Memphis, I said to Mac, put on your sandals, we need to leave. So he gets in the car and we leave, and he had forgotten his shoes!!! Well, any boy only needs one pair of shoes, so I hadn't even packed him any other pair (even though I had packed Emy 3 pair). So I am thinking, great I get to buy Mac some new shoes this weekend. Well, as we were driving, I passed an outlet shopping mall, and I was looking to see if they had Bass shoes, which they didn't. And I said out loud, well, they didn't have the store I wanted to stop at, and Mac said "I have a great idea, (on where to get shoes) the shoe store!!!! " He really thought this was an amazing unique idea. So I sort of laughed a little and then, of course like any good mother would do, praised him up and down for having such a good thought!
Next weekend Kennedy has another tournament in Memphis, and then I will be driving with the kids alone to Ohio for my sisters wedding. I just found out that our travel tv is not working. Pray that I do not kill myself before getting to Ohio!

All about Mac

okay, for any of you who know Mac, you know he is so adorable and sweet and well mannered etc... He is truly a pleasure to be around.
Anyway, he cracks me up...
Last week I let him drive on my lap down the street and I told him we had to be careful or a policeman might catch us. And he said "will he put us in jail?" and I said "I am not sure, maybe" and he said "I do not want to go to jail and become a trash picker upper" See, while we are driving into Jackson, they always have prisoners out picking up trash and he has asked me who they are and I said that they were people who were in jail and the city makes them pick up trash. So that is the reason he doesn't want to go to jail.
Also yesterday he missed his bus to come home. Now I am not sure how that happens, since the teachers are supposed to stand there and put each kid on (especially a 5 year old) anyway, when all the busses left and Mac was there, the teacher asked him which bus he rides (like he has any idea, they are all yellow!!) and so then they take him into the office and call me. Well I couldn't leave to pick him up right away (because Kennedy rode the bus, and I had to wait until she got home) and when I got to the school, he was sitting in a chair in the office, totally asleep!!!! He was so cute, I couldn't stand it. I wish I had my camera in the car.
Oh well, that is my Mac, he is so sweet!

Things

I think this is so great! A true Southern Afternoon...
I took the kids and we went to the barn, and on our way out the lady who owns the property (about 70 years old) and her family were busily picking up sticks etc... So we decided to help them and while the kids picked up sticks the grandma and I were sitting on her old country porch sipping sweet tea (and she made homeade lemonade) and just chatted. She is precious! She said with her southern drawl"My it's hot, I think I should make us some lemonade" How cute is that???!!! Then she showed me all around her home, which has been in her family since the 1700's! That is amazing to me, that a family can be somewhere that long! Anyway, the home was originally very small, and had been added onto so many times, but was so cute and old and homey. She is sweet.
Today I am 38. Ouch, it sounds bad saying it, but it is better to get older than the alternative (death) so I guess I will keep getting older. When I am 40 I will go to Hawaii for a week and play. So anyone who wants to come is invited!
Mac is beginning to think that kindergarten is over, they have been out of school so long now. They will be out this week as well...So we are trying to keep busy at home. I am trying not to waste gas driving frivolous places. So....Entertainment is hard to come by.
We are going to make a big birthday cake today, so that will be fun. I love to bake with the kids, they think it is so exciting.

Blessings

I want to say how thankful I am for God in Heaven today!!! He has truly blessed us by sparing us form this enormous disaster as well as giving us electricity back within 24 hours. I feel so fortunate since there are so many in despair. Even in our neighborhood, there are people without power and I should say it is 100 degrees here today. (heat index) So, I am so very thankful. I just heard on the news how actual fights are breaking out in Downtown Jackson over bags of ice!! We had a few left over and Corey took them into town and gave them to a friend of his, and his neighbor was like "Where did you find ice???" I cannot believe the absolute devastation and the well, I cannot even write anymore. I am feeling so sad =yet so blessed.

Looooooong day!!

So Monday at 5:15, John Blake calls me and asks me to come to a cheerleading certification seminar in Atlanta....on Tuesday! So I flew out at 8:10 am conferenced all day and flew back by 9:30 pm. What a crazy day... My return flight was delayed because of severe storms (initially I was supposed to leave at 9:15 pm and arrive at 9:30, but I called an was bumped up because our meeting was finished early. Well, then because of the storm delay, I still arrived at 9:30. I bet they will refund John his $25.00 change flight fee!!! RIGHT) and when we finally boarded, my seat was 19c. This is the very last seat before the potty room. Well, I thought something had exploded in the potty room, it smelled so bad!!! I was holding my jacket over my nose and I could still barely breathe!! So I patiently waited until everyone had boarded and when I noticed the extra seats, I asked if I could move. She of course said yes, and I ran to the front of the plane! When I turned around 5 other people were following me, it was so smelly! What a disaster!! So we sit on the runway for 25 minutes and then we finally take off. The flight is freezing!!! I am shivering! Oh yes, I forgot to mention that when I arrived at the airport it was a monsoon and I was SOAKED!!! Even though some man let me walk under his umbrella, I was walking in water up to my calves! So I am wet and now cold and the flight attendant says "oh right, there are no blankets on this flight!" So that is my luck, and then I land and have to trek to my car and then stop at Walmart (what mom doesn't have to stop at Walmart daily???) and now I am home and ready for bed!

Smooth sailing...

All is well here...not too much news to report.
Corey is still having 3 a day practices meaning he leaves at 6am and gets home at 10pm. Lovely!! And this time it is not really the kids who are hard to handle but the dog!!! She is a crazy puppy and that is all you can say about her. There is nothing to do to fix that except time.
I am still struggling with our schedule...trying to make sure everyone can get everywhere. Today I have practice at 3:00, so the kids will get off the bus at the neighbors and will stay there until 6:00. Then at 5:30 Kennedy's friends mom will pick her up for soccer practice at 6:00 and then after I pick up Mac and Emy (and maybe try to have some dinner that is not from a fast food joint) we will pick Kennedy up at 7:30 and then rush home, shower and get them to bed by 8:00. Oh right, and that excludes the fact that Kennedy has a vocab test tomorrow that we will have to study for. She had a math test on Wednesday, spelling test on Thursday and vocab test on Friday!!! This is EVERY week!! So I am really trying to get it all together and still be sane. (is this possible?)
Today Emy has on her big girl panties. Can't wait to see how long that lasts. (sarcasm)
It is still 98 here with a heat index of 105. That stinks!!!
I am going to start teaching a kick boxing class at the gym. That should be fun, and tiring and fun.
"Do not question the Creator of the universe- stand firm in your faith, in your belief that God does want the very best for you as he loves you like no one else can."

Lots of thoughts

Our dogs name is Elliotte Keegan Rose and we call her Elle for short. She is 9 weeks old and weighs 14 pounds. She is precious, but CRAZY!!!! And there are times that she runs madly through the house, smacking into walls and furniture and still running after that.. Her favorite thing to do is...chew on anything that is left on the floor (and you can imagine with 3 kids) and play with the door stopper thing!!! She "fights" with it and growls and thinks it is so funny! So, she is great.
The kids are loving school and Mac is thrilled that he has learned to spell!!! Yes, it is true he can spell red and blue. There ya go, all you ever need to know.
Mississippi has the highest teen birth rate, the highest teen drop-out rate and is the 3rd worst state for inbred hillbillys!!! (okay so I made up that last one, but the first 2 are true!!!) They highlighted them on the news and I was thinking, why would they want to make these known to the poor people who live here? Do they want everyone to move? We seriously are 3rd in the nation in something, but I cannot remember what it was, but Alabama and Louisana were 1 and 2!!!! I guess just avoid these three states when your kids are teens if at all possible and move out if you can!!!!
Joseph was our topic in church today. Carrying a grudge, how painful that can be and how it can grow and become something unbearble to hold. Joseph (if you can remember) had every reason to hold a grudge, and in fact he proabably did for awile, but in the end he surrened it to God and he forgave his brothers!!! Amazing example. I really do not hold grudges, but there have been times I have withheld forgiveness. I guess if someone is holding a grudge against me, I feel like there is no reason to forgive them, after all they are the ones mad at me!!! Like my friend here has been mad at me because my daughter didn't invite her daughter to her birthday party. (I swear this is the truth, and yes, we are 30 something women) Anyway, at first I didn't know why she wasn't talking to me and I would call her everyday and leave her message and then one day (duh) I realized she wasn't calling me back. So I went back and reviewed what I thought I did to make her angry and that was it. So I called her again (daily, for 3 weeks) and she still never called me back. So one last time I called her and said "Okay, I am not going to keep calling you, you have obviously made a decision not to talk to me anymore, so I will not bother you again" And do you know that she didn't respond top that call either. The last time she talked to me was May 18. This is August 14. So, I am sad because she doesn't want to be friends, but I have stopped trying and I haven't forgiven her for being...stupid! For wasting a 2 year friendship over something so trivial, well it seemed that way to me. So now I am forgiving her and I will try to repair the damage, because this is right and this is what Jesus would do. He would not leave. You can simply turn around and Jesus would be there. I should be there for her. Forgive the craziness and forget the pain and love the person.
"You will not be asked to do the impossible, but you may be called upon to do more than you dreamed possible"

School has started

Well, the kids had their first day of school!!
Mac loves kindergarten, he really had so much fun! He was sad though, because when I asked him what he did he replied "I didn't learn anything today!" He is so cute. He did tell me all about the discipline policy though, so she must have really stressed this point!
Kennedy had a great first day in fourth grade. Boy she is getting old! Her teacher is pretty strict and she went on and on about responsibility etc... So much so that it even has me worried! Will Kennedy be able to get everything done etc... And already (yes after 1 day) I can tell that 4 grade will be the turning point. I realize how much she was coddled in 3 grade, and her (3 grade) teacher was much more, oh I can do that for you etc... And now its like if you don't put your name and number in the right corner on every paper it is 5 points off!!! So, she will learn a lot this year!!
Emy was sort of bored, but I will tell you it is easy having only 1 at home! We were able to go to Target and Kroger and the library and it was so simple! She misses the kids though and waits for the bus to bring them home!
Elliotte has worms!!!! Nasty! I am taking her to the vet today, she is gross. I will spare some people the details (kt) as they are in a delicate condition!

Waxing

I think this is so outrageous!!!
One of Kennedy's friends came over yesterday and her eyes had scabs on the lids, right under her eyebrows and I said "oh, what happened?" and she said "oh, that sometimes happens, I got waxed today!" Okay, she is 9 and starting 4th grade. She got her eyebrows AND her legs waxed!!! Now that is 1. some serious pain for a 9 year old and 2. a little young for that as well.
Now I am trying to decide, when should Kennedy shave her legs??? I am not sure, but I am sure she will not be waxed for a loooooooong time!

Summer = Over

Sure, do not worry that it still is and will continue to be 100 degrees...summer is over! The kids start school on Wednesday! They are both so excited and I am grateful for that. I guess it will not always be that easy. (really like anything with kids is easy????)
We went to a water park yesterday for our end of summer blast, the kids had so much fun!! Oh well, I guess we did also. It is great to make their day by doing something for them.
I loved our church servic yesterday here is the condensed version:
1967 - 20??
Obviously I was born in 1967, (right I know it is old) and I had nothing at all to do with that date. It was not chosen by me and I did nothing to make it that year.
20?? I do not know the date of my death, and I really have nothing to do with that day either!!! I can eat healthy and work out, but if it is my time to go, it is my time to go.
SO, the only thing I do have control over is the - (one measly dash) and in that dash I will have ? years to do what it is I am supposed to do on this earth. So our pastor said "what will you do with your dash?" I love it. So, overall do not be a Moses. Do not say no to God when he is calling. Do not give Him all your excuses. Just do it. God has chosen you, and He believes that you are the best person for that job! What a great feeling. Let's fill the dash with something great for the Kingdom!

just wondering

I am truly wondering if I should have 2 cages, one for Elle and one for Emy!!!! She is becoming a very mischeivious child! Yesterday when I was in the shower she decided to fill the bathroom sink to overflowing (yes onto the floor and everything) and on top of that add about 4 cups of dog food. How disgusting!!! She is a peice of work. Then today, she "used" about 20 wipes (just cleaning the furniture etc...) and since she had already been warned I took off her diaper and spanked her. Well, after she cried for an hour (not really, just seemed like that) she peed!!!! Now she did try to stop it, with her hand, but it ran all over the floor...and then as if on cue Elle squated and began peeing as well. I mean this is like tv stuff. Very scary. The main problem is they are both so stinkin cute it is hard to discipline. But oh we must.

Earthly Dearest...

When I have learned to love God better than my earthly dearest, I shall love my earthly dearest better than I do now. In so far as I learn to love my earthly dearest at the expense of God and instead of God, I shall be moving toward that state in which I shall not love my earthly dearest at all. When first things are put first, second things are not suppressed but increased. CS Lewis

One hour can make a difference

In a matter of one hour here is what happened...
Elliotte (the dog) threw up on Kennedy's sleeping bag, had diarrhea twice (once on my floor and once in Mac's closet), Emerson decided to get her own pink lemonade (therefore spilling 2 gallons on the floor), and then Emy was spraying the dog with the hose and I went to tell her to stop and Elle ran into the house (trying to escape Emy) and I could not catch her until she had fully soaked everything. Oh the joys...
So then I had to...do 2 loads of laundry (my rugs and Kennedy's sleeping bag) mop my kitchen floor, and mix Oxi-clean (2 different times) to sop up poop. How disgusting!!!! And of course it was the great hour of 6-7 when I am trying to prepare dinner etc...
Also, I went out to put steak on the grill. Emy heard the ice-cream man (I hate him for coming through our neighborhood everyday). I told her no. She was mad at me. The next time I checked the meat, she went out the front door to find the ice-cream man. I didn't know this. I searched the house for her, then went outside looking for her and she was no where!!!! I really start to panic and am wondering how I am going to tell Corey that I have lost his last child, and I run into my room to get my cell phone to call him and it is ringing...Apparently he drove up at the exact time Emy was chasing the ice-cream man and so he put her on his lap and they drove to the other side of the neighborhood to "check out a house"!!!!!!! He had called me on my cell, but since I was frantically searching for our baby, I never heard the phone ring. Scary. I really thought she was gone. What a bad mom I am! What a crazy night!

20 years

Well, even if I do not want to admit it, I graduated from high school 20 years ago! Scary, but true. I didn't get to go to our reunion, because of timing conflicts (and distance) but my good friend Jeff just sent me his update and it made me laugh! Mostly I wanted to know why the only thing people are still wondering about me is "Did she or did she not skinny dip with Todd". Well, I will let you decide that one for yourselves, but I am concerned that after 20 years this question is still being discussed. Get on with life people.
So my sister had a precious baby, her third in 3 years, scary for her! We had quite a time trying to figure out all the logistics...which one do you put into their car seat first etc... it is something to think about! I am glad it is not me. And my friend Kelly is pregnant (I guess that gives her the right to force me into blogging! j/k) and that is so exciting for her! And I just got a 6 week old ....puppy and that is all the excitement we need here right now. She is sweet and adorable and just a puppy. She is a lab, just like the great Keegan, and the kids are in heaven. Mac "it's like a dream come true" So that is great for them.
I cannot remember what Kelly's questions were so I will try...
10 years ago: 1995 Living in Winona Lake, Indiana and pregnant with Kennedy! Living across the street from our great friends and loving life!
5 years ago: 2000 Living in Ohio and having Macguire on 1/6/2000 then moving to SC 4 months later!!
1 year ago: 2004 Living in Mississippi, coaching cheerleading, being a mom
Yesterday: ran 5 miles, did 45 minutes of weight training, coached 3 cheerleading teams, and fell into bed at 9:52
Today: ran 4 miles, did 30 minutes of abs, layed out in the sun, went to Target (love it) and sent a present to my other friend Kelly's baby Alex
Tomorrow: running 8 miles, laying around doing nothing inside since it will be 100 degrees!

20 years

Well, even if I do not want to admit it, I graduated from high school 20 years ago! Scary, but true. I didn't get to go to our reunion, because of timing conflicts (and distance) but my good friend Jeff just sent me his update and it made me laugh! Mostly I wanted to know why the only thing people are still wondering about me is "Did she or did she not skinny dip with Todd". Well, I will let you decide that one for yourselves, but I am concerned that after 20 years this question is still being discussed. Get on with life people.
So my sister had a precious baby, her third in 3 years, scary for her! We had quite a time trying to figure out all the logistics...which one do you put into their car seat first etc... it is something to think about! I am glad it is not me. And my friend Kelly is pregnant (I guess that gives her the right to force me into blogging! j/k) and that is so exciting for her! And I just got a 6 week old ....puppy and that is all the excitement we need here right now. She is sweet and adorable and just a puppy. She is a lab, just like the great Keegan, and the kids are in heaven. Mac "it's like a dream come true" So that is great for them.
I cannot remember what Kelly's questions were so I will try...
10 years ago: 1995 Living in Winona Lake, Indiana and pregnant with Kennedy! Living across the street from our great friends and loving life!
5 years ago: 2000 Living in Ohio and having Macguire on 1/6/2000 then moving to SC 4 months later!!
1 year ago: 2004 Living in Mississippi, coaching cheerleading, being a mom
Yesterday: ran 5 miles, did 45 minutes of weight training, coached 3 cheerleading teams, and fell into bed at 9:52
Today: ran 4 miles, did 30 minutes of abs, layed out in the sun, went to Target (love it) and sent a present to my other friend Kelly's baby Alex
Tomorrow: running 8 miles, laying around doing nothing inside since it will be 100 degrees!
okay, I will check what else I am supposed to say and do it tomorrow. Something about 5 things...later

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!