Christmas Card Experiment

I experimented with Picture It tonight...after having forced Blackie to pose with Katie for some pics! I think they turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself!! I'm going to have some printed at Wal-Mart tomorrow!

I'm so thankful...

...for simple things...like the fact that my husband is off work today, and can get some rest, that my daughter is in kindergarten today, where she can learn about Jesus's love for her, and that she loves to go, that I am going to start work here in a few minutes, at a job that helps with our bills, and is at the same time so flexible, and that we are looking forward to a big Thanksgiving Dinner with my parents on Thursday. I am truly blessed. I just feel thankful today.

Intervention

God intervened and spared mine and my daughter's lives this morning. Katie and I were on our way to school and work this morning. I needed to pass the two cars in front of me, because they were driving at the average speed of 45 miles and hour...on a 65 mph highway...and we were running late. I started to pass and while I was directly in line with the car that was right in front of me, she decided to pass too. She didn't see that I was RIGHT BESIDE HER! At first I thought she was just drifting to the center of the highway, and I pulled over a little, then I realized that she was actually trying to pass...I honked my horn, but I don't think she heard...I ended up completely on the shoulder and almost into the grass before she saw me and pulled back in behind the car in front of us. It scared me to death...I'm still shook up about it. If she would have hit us, it would have been on Katie's side, and I just cannot even bear to think about that. Even now, my heart feels like it could jump out of my chest. God had his hand in this...and I think it might have been right there in between our two cars. You just never know the accidents and circumstances that God saves us from.

Outside

We had such a great time outside this afternoon. Katie rode her bike, and we made chalk pathes on the driveway. I think she looks so cute in her little jacket with the hood up...I had to convince her that she could not wear her new pink clogs to ride her bike...she just loves that we have matching shoes (top photo)! We got them at K-Mart, and she was just thrilled to see that they had ones big enough to fit mama too!!

Forgiven...

Well, my daughter taught me an amazing lesson a couple of days ago, I wanted to make sure I recorded it. We had a little bit of a rough day and I was grumpy *really* grumpy. I always apologize, because I want to teach her to ask for forgiveness, and to apologize when she hurts someone's feelings. I asked her if she could forgive me, and she said, "I'll aways forgive you mama" It brought tears to my eyes...we are doing something right...and she is turning out just beautifully, inside and out.

My Dad's Singing

Tonight Mom and Dad and Bobby dropped by. I was sitting at my computer pea-ing in my pj's, heard a knock at the door, and just about jumped out of my skin! Nobody ever comes by! Anyway, they were just on their way home from B'ville and stopped to say Hi. Katie was entertaining everyone with her songs that she has learned in K. She was standing on her "stage" our fireplace hearth, and just singing away. My dad asked her if he could sing her a song. He sang "Mexico", "No other word for grace but amazing" and "step into the water". It was so incredibly good to hear him sing...and to sing about Jesus...it made my day...my week...my month! I love my mom and dad, I really, really do. They humor me to look through all of my scrapbooks, and they listen to Katie jabber on for ever and ever, and they would do anything for you if they could. I am so blessed to have them as my parents.

um....

Well, it has been a few months since I have added an entry. I really do want to try and do this. I just find that I am not motivated sometimes. I have some things I need to ramble about today. Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi this week. The damage and destruction is devastating. I have just been overwhelmed every time I read or see news about it. I am sad for those people who did not get out in time. Kris and I have been talking about how incredibly blessed we are to have a dry house, a dry yard, and cars to drive. When I think of the devastation down there, I am just grateful...for everything..our family being safe, our jobs, our home, our lives...

Katie started kindergarten this year. She was so happy. We decided to send her to the Bible school, because of the commute between our town and where I work. The schedule would have been to complicated. I am happy that she is going there though. On the first day of school, I watched through the little window in the door, as they held their Bibles in one hand, and covered their hearts with their other to say the Pledge of Allegance. Then they sat at their desks and bowed their little heads to pray. It just made me feel so incredibly good to see that. At that point, I knew she was exactly where she needed to be. When I picked her up and asked her how it went, she said "I love Kindergarten---it was awesome!" I am so glad she is happy...that is what I want the most for her.

Our life at home has changed quite a bit since I last journaled. Kris's work schedule changed to weekends, so he works all day Sat, Sun, and Mon, and part of a day Wed. The new schedule has really taken a toll on all of us. He is pretty tired most of the time, and we see each other a lot less than we are used to. He also has to miss church, and I know he is really struggling with this. We know God has a plan for all of this, and that he is working things out in his own timing. We are just praying for patience and grace to get through this. We miss each other, we miss our time together as a family. We miss our time together as a family in church. Things will get better. God is faithful.

I am really going to try and do better on my journaling...I really am. I had forgotten how therapeutic it is just to write things down.

Friday night...

Tonight we had dinner, and then Katie and I went to Mom and Dad's to swim...they weren't there though. Katie missed seeing them. After we decided that we were frozen, we drove down to Jill and Jay's new house to see them, their new home is going to be so pretty! Little miss Megan wasn't feeling too good...poor thing. We came home and Katie went straight to bed...everyone is pooped...it's been a long week! Speaking of pooped...I am heading to bed!

Dads

Father's Day Entry...
I am late adding in my Father's Day entry, but I wanted to make sure that I put this in, because it's so important. I am thankful for my dad...simply that. My dad is kind, tender-hearted, sensitive, helpful, humorous, and so very generous. He is always willing to help in any way he can. He will help a complete stranger. He has had some heart problems this year, and it does not make sense for a heart that is so full of helpfulness and kindness can be defective. I love you, Dad...I want to have a heart like you when I grow up...

And my husband...he's only been a dad for five years, but he is a good one. He is so strong, and able to be consistently firm with Kate, and that is an important characteristic for a Dad. He is also growing in the Lord, so much that it amazes me sometimes...it makes me think of the verse...He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it! You are a wonderful work in progress Babe, and I love you so very much!

Monday's entry (also a day late!)...
We had a great day today. We went to Osage Hills State Park, and it was really nice! We hiked a trail and I got some great pictures of Katie and Kris, I think they will be beautiful. Katie enjoys being outdoors...she notices the tiniest little creatures! Kris caught a tiny little frog and she was so excited about seeing it that it made both Kris and the frog "jumpy"! Then she noticed a cardinal so high up in the trees...she had a lot of fun! We took a picnic lunch, but ended up eating at a bbq joint (that was yummmm and cheap!) It was nice having a cooler full of ice cold water and Pepsi for the day, and it saved money on stopping for cold drinks. We are really trying to save money. We finished off the day at Mom and Dad's for a swim. We played water volleyball, and Mom and I "almost" won against the boys. It was a good day. We are blessed to have family that are close enough to visit whenever we want.

A much needed compliment

Tonight we went to a Mexican restaurant in our town that we had never been to, and it was wonderful! The most terrific part about it though, was the way our daughter acted during dinner. She had a rough day today, not getting along with cousins, being a little sassy, it was tough. Tonight, after she had a cool bath, and Daddy got home from work, she was a new child so we decided to go out to eat! A lady came up to us, and told us that she was very impressed with the way our daughter acted during dinner. She said we should be proud of her for being so well behaved...it made my day...my week...my month! Sometimes I feel like I am not parenting her right, and it is nice to be complimented once in a while. I am proud of our Miss Katie Bug! She is upstairs right now, and I can hear her singing...I am so blessed to have her.

Cavity Bugs

Well, it's 11pm, and I am up making Mama Alexander's Baked Beans and checking for cavity bugs. Maybe I should explain...Katie had dental health awareness month at pre-school last winter sometime, and the hygenist told the kids that if they did not brush their teeth, then the "cavity bugs" would crawl around in their mouths and eat their teeth (ewww!!) or at least that is what Katie got out of the presentation. So now, every night, before she goes to bed, she brushes her teeth (which is wonderful!!) but has me check every single tooth for cavity bugs! The rest of her nightly routine (which is usually at least 2 hours earlier than it is tonight) is to ask me about twenty times, "Will you check on me and lay with me?" and then to eventually come into our bedroom a few times to make sure we are there and to make sure we know that she loves us! She avoids settling down to sleep at all costs!

Now, I will explain why I am up so late making beans...for the love of my dear Grandma! She requested our special recipe baked beans for our annual family spring/summer get together at Cedar Bluff tomorrow. Kris's Mom started making this recipe many years ago, and they became very popular at our rehearsal dinner for our wedding, and we have been making them and taking them everywhere we go ever since! They are made simply with 6 regular sized cans of pork and beans (pork discarded), 1 lb bacon (crisp and crumbled), onion (1 medium) (chopped and fried in left over bacon grease), 1lb ground beef (cooked and crumbled) some bbq sauce-1/4 c. or so, some ketchup 1/4 cup or little more, some garlic powder, salt and pepper, a few shakes (6-8) of liquid smoke and the best part--- a TON of brown sugar (well, not a ton, but about 3/4 of a bag!) They are so good! We were out of bacon and liquid smoke, so we had to go to WM to get those things, so now, here I am...cooking...late at night!

Katie had a little bit of sleepy sillies in WM tonight, she ran over to the lobster tank and said, "that crab (which was really a lobster) wiggled his ears at me!" hee, hee! She was a maniac in WM tonight...that's what I get for dragging her out so late!

Gotta go stir the beans...they smell really yummy!

The beginning of my blog!

I am so excited! I have officially started my own blog! I think my primary use for it now will be to keep a log of things I want to remember to scrapbook. Later I may use it for other purposes, but it's probably best to keep things simple for now.

So now...for today's official entry:
"Goodbye, my love" Words that I do not believe have ever been spoken to me before this morning. Kris leaves for work VERY early in the morning, and when he left this morning he said that. I think my eyes must have popped wide open when he said it, because I remember looking at him in a very strange way, and asking him what he said...He usually says, "Bye Babe, I love you" which is wonderful too, but this morning was different. I love him, I am truly blessed to have him.