Little Bits of Life

Conversation today:

Hayes to Becca while she's reading a book: Is dat God's book?
Becca: No, God's book is the Bible.
Me to Hayes, pointing at my Bible on the table: This is God's book.
Hayes: He let you have it?
Me, thinking of what to say: Well, kind of....
Hayes: He let you have it for all day?

And tonight at supper (spaghetti):

Daniel to Hayes: You don't have to eat the tomatoes.
Me to Hayes: Just eat the hamburger and noodles.
Hayes: No, dat's cow. I don't like cows. I don't like to eat cows.

Tune in next time for questions about chickens and nuggets and fish and sticks.

Happy Birthday to You!

Yesterday was our baby's 3rd birthday! And as he told me the other day, "I not a baby! I don't eat baby food! I free (3). That means I not a baby." Well said, buddy. Well said.

Hayes likes cars, especially the ones from the Cars movie, and trains. Anything with wheels I guess. He enjoys playing ball, whatever kind his sister is playing at the time. He wrestles with Daddy, reads books with Becca, and plays games with me. His favorite word is "why?" and he uses it often. He uses the potty like a big boy. He likes my praise and worship music and his most recent favorite is "Everlasting God". He sings "wait upon da Lord, wait upon da Lord" all the time. His favorite food is "cheetos and chicken nuggets" (I just asked him).

I could go on and on about him, but I'll end by saying that he's our little miracle and blessing. We prayed for him for a long time before God blessed us with him and we are so thankful. The Lord has loaned us some fantastic kids to raise.

Here are some pictures from our little family celebration. We're having a party next weekend with all the family from out of town.

waiting patiently

My very own Leapster!!

The very fancy homemade cake

Happy Birthday, Hayes. Try not to give me too many gray hairs this year, 'k?

Love, Mommy

Opening Day!!!

Our little Becca Boo, as we call her sometimes, started softball today. She has 2 years of T-ball behind her and this year she moves up. So it's all girls now and coach pitch. They did really well for their first game, though they lost 3-1. They keep score now!! We were very proud of her. It was a fun morning for everyone but next game I'd like to order up some warmer weather. We froze!! Here are some pictures of Becca and the Green Machine team.

She played at the pitcher position (it's coach pitch) most of the game and got a LOT of balls hit to her. I don't think any got by her.

Throwing to 1st

Ready to go

Saa-wing, batter!

Great job, Becca! We love you!

Eye Surgery Worth Shouting About

Yay! My neck is feeling so much better! Thank you, Lord! We have moved out of the land of stiff-necked people. Finally!

My hubby had LASIK today. Now THAT was fun. ha. Maybe for my kids who got to spend 4 hours at our friends' house, playing guitar hero and eating Mickey D's. (go to Faith's site to see some really cute pictures) Not so much for the adults of the family. The surgery went well and he's now sleeping, so we'll have to wait until tomorrow to get his take on things. Because he doesn't even remember picking up the kids, and he went IN THE HOUSE and talked to our friends!! Good meds!

Now you may not know this, but before I was a stay-home mom, I was a nurse. Man, that seems like a lifetime ago. Well, it was---my daughter's lifetime. Seven years ago. Anyway, you would think I would be used to surgeries and gross stuff---I worked in L&D, for goodness sake. But anything with the eye really grosses me out. Makes my stomach queasy and I want to put my hands over my ears, shut my eyes, and start going "lalalalalalalala". I know, quite mature, huh? So, do you really need to ask if I watched his surgery? No ma'am I did not. I worked on my Bible study and read some People magazine.

I also listened to a video in the waiting room ALL ABOUT THE LASIK. Apparently it was on a loop because I heard it fifty-eleven times. And I seriously wanted to go eject that tape because how many times do I have to hear that you may smell something like burning hair (!) when the laser is on. REALLY? REALLY? Do I even know what burning hair smells like? I'm pretty sure it is lovely.

I'm also pretty sure I could quote the whole thing but seriously I'm trying to block it out. So if you want to know what else it said, go get your own LASIK. (and can I just say that I have been spelling this all wrong all week---lasix) Whatever. I didn't have to have it. And apparently it is always spelled in all caps because the LASIK? It is worth shouting about!

**Go Davidson**

Idol Thoughts and Feeling Old

Not much is going on here in the land of stiff necked people. Kids are playing well together (woo hoo) and I'm still sporting the heating pad. Fun times, people. Fun times.

So let's talk about Idol and Dancing, shall we? I love Brooke! Love her voice, love her piano playing (by ear!), love her hair, love her! So obviously she will not win. Whatever.

I'm tired of trying to interpret Paula. I mean, she seriously needs some sub-titles. I'm just saying.

I really like David Cook, David Archuleta, and Brooke White. I'm thinking it's time for Kristy to go though. She just stands there! Move, girl, move!

Ok, I don't have a whole re-cap because I'm on medication and I can't really remember the entire show. (Actually not remembering the show doesn't have anything to do with the meds, but it makes me feel not so old to say that. And let's face it. Hearing songs from the year they were born that I knew every word to because I sang them AT PROM, is making me feel old enough. *sigh*)

SO....on to Dancing. Can I just say, the Jonas Brothers? Singers? Not so much. And they had to have stocked the audience with young teenagers because I'm pretty sure adults wouldn't be screaming like that for them. Anywhoo, not too surprised about Monica leaving and it was a toss up between Penn and Adam for me. I'm loving Kristy Yamaguchi and Jason Taylor. And I'm just amazed at Marlee Matlin every time she gets on that floor!

Also, this has really been bothering me. Samantha Harris needs to stop cutting people off! I know they are on a time schedule and blah blah blah, but girlfriend is interupting people left and right! It drives me crazy! Ok, rant over.

Are you ('you' referring to the 3 people who read this, ha!) watching these shows? What's your opinion? Who needs to go? And more importantly, did you feel old listening to the songs on Idol?

Oh my aching neck

This is going to be me whining about my neck. And I can because this is, ya know, my blog.

So in the shower on Sunday, bright and early because I had to be there at 7:30(!), I started feeling this knot in my upper back. Right in between my left shoulder and my lower neck. Just a little tight knot feeling. I've had this before and it is NOT good. It's only the beginning of some major crazy pain.

I told Faith on the way to church about it (we rode together). She was quite encouraging, with all the "oh goodness all the standing in choir isn't going to help that". Thanks, girl. (I'm so kidding) Anyway, it did indeed get worse as the day went on. My afternoon and evening was spent in bed with a heating pad. Happy Easter!

And today? I am sitting on the couch with my new best friend, the heating pad, listening to the BigBoo Cast from BooMama. My kids are running wild and we haven't done school yet. I walk like the hunchback of Notre Dame, barely turn my head, and can't lift my arms above shoulder level. Good thing I don't have to fix my hair today! Fun times!

Ok, I have to go break up a fight. Later!

Friends and Food

So I finally charged my camera battery. Here are some pictures from our fun night at South 21 on Friday.

My silly husband

The guys hung out in our car after we ate. There were ballgames to listen to and guy stuff to talk about.


The girls and the kids were in Chad and Faith's van. This is Rebecca and Hayes (our kids) and Emma (Grace's daughter, Chad and Faith's neice).

Too bad I didn't get any pictures of us girls. We were busy chit-chatting. We had a lot to catch up on!! Maybe next time.

And Hey! I figured out the linky thing! Welcome to 2008, me!

There's No Place Like Home

We're finally home!!! Well we got home Friday evening. But as you can see, I've been too busy playing with my blog to actually post something.

We got home just in time to meet our friends Chad and Faith at our favorite restaurant. (I don't know how to do that linky thing yet, so go over to my friends list for Faith's blog) They had her sister and her daughter with them. It's one of those old-school, park and eat in your car places (like Sonic, but older). Anyway, the BEST burgers. And we always get a cherry-lemon Sundrop. Yum!

We pulled in there like the Clampett's. We had driven Daniel's Accord to the airport, so we were all stuffed in there with all the luggage and stuff from 2 weeks of travel. So funny! All we needed was Granny strapped to the top!

The kids played in Chad and Faith's van and in between our cars. Cause what kind of mom would I be if I didn't let them play in the parking lot? We took a few pictures but of course my camera battery died before I could download them, so that will have to wait.

I am so happy to be home! My bed felt so great! And it's calling me now! Since I had to get up at 6 to get to church early, I'm worn out.

Thanks to Faith for helping me with my blog. I'm still working on it. Bear with me!!

Why we're here

So all the traveling. Daniel (he thinks it's funny that I've been calling him "the husband") has a project in FL that requires him to be here a lot. Since we homeschool we've been able to come with him some. We've been here for 2 weeks at a time over the past 3 months. Then we go home for 2 weeks and come back for 2 weeks.

And while in theory 2 weeks in FL in the winter sounds really great....sometimes it's just not. We're in a 2nd floor apartment. Much better than a hotel obviously. But a 3yr old and a 7 yr old in a 2 bedroom, 4 room apartment? Not easy. There's not much room to run around and they can't really run around and be loud since we're on the 2nd floor.

And I'm lonely. (pity party, table for 1) I miss my friends! Not that I see them every day at home or even always talk to them every day. But I know that I can if I want to, ya know? I know I'll probably see somebody I know if I go to Target or Chick-fil-A. But here? It's kind of odd to be in a city for 2 weeks, go places, eat out, whatever and never see anyone you know. Except for the ones you brought with you. Who are honestly getting tired of only seeing YOU too.

The kids are actually better this trip than others. On the other trips, they weren't very well behaved. Arguing a lot, with each other and with me. Lots of drama. Which makes the already emotional mama feel like her head is going to spin off her shoulders. Anybody with me?

So...after all the complaining, are you still with me? Because I've been praying that the Lord would show me what I'm supposed to be learning from all this. And y'all, He is showing me.

---another reason for the "reasons it's cool to homeschool" list
---my kids are fun to hang out with (who knew?)
---I actually like driving around new places and investigating things
---it's almost fun to clean a tiny apartment that doesn't belong to you, although I don't know why

Finally, (well not really. I think I could write forever about what I'm learning)but...Finally-in-terms-of-this-post, my sweet Lord is showing me that even though I think I rely on Him, I really don't. I tend to rely on Him when I'm at the end of myself and what I can handle by myself. And people, that has been almost every day of this journey. It's just too much for this control freak, comfortable in my little box, like things the way I like them, girl. We fully believe the Lord blessed (yes, blessed) us with this opportunity for D's work. We prayed about it and fasted over it and talked about it and finally decided this was what we should do. And NOW I think He's given me a situation that is TOO big?

Well, it IS too big for me all by my little self.

But nothing is too big for my God.

And THAT, my friends, is the moral of this story.

And then there were pictures...

Note the results of a face plant on the sidewalk. Fun stuff.

Me and the girl.

I told you they were good seats. Notice the Hooters girl waiting to catch foul balls. Yeah, the peanut gallery behind us was so excited when she had to get up to get one. Nice. She was actually pretty nice and promised the next ball to Becca. Unfortunately, there wasn't a next one.

Palm Sunday

So when we're in FL over a weekend (it's only happened 3 times in 3 months---don't like to miss our church) we visit a local church that we found on the internet. It's pretty similar to our home church and we really like it. The kids just go right to their classes, no problem. It's a little more of an ordeal to get ME to small group class though. I just don't really do well with the small talk and we don't know ANYONE, so I get really nervous. Of course I know that I'll never meet anyone if I don't ever do things like this, so off we went. And everyone was super nice. (and this is where the husband says "I told you so!" It's kind of annoying when he's always right!) Whatever. He knows I'm weird.

Well, I got really brave tonight (how many times have I typed 'really'?) and we went to their Lord's Supper service. Now I will admit (shamefully) that there have been times when I have just gone through the motions. Please tell me I'm not the only one! But tonight, with Easter coming up and all, it was quite moving for me. They also showed scenes from "Passion of the Christ" during the service. That movie is so powerful! I'm very visual, so to see the blood dripping off Christ's body, knowing it was for me....and then to hear the pastor quote Christ, "This is my blood, shed for you"...well, how can you not be moved? And so very humbled. And thankful.

And I love, love, love that my 7 yr old was sitting beside me taking part in the service. She accepted Christ last year and was baptized and is always so excited when we have the Lord's Supper. I just pray that she will never take it lightly. I know that she understands only as much as a 7 yr old brain can, so I pray that as her understanding grows so will her appreciation for what it all means.

Thank you, Father, for sending Your Son for me. For knowing the agony He would endure and sending Him anyway. For us. For all. May I never again just go through the motions.

Spring Training

My little family is in FL for 2 weeks with the hubby's work again (a whole other post). We were excited to go to some baseball games while we're here. We've been talking about the ones we really want to see, looking at the schedules, all that. So we're sitting at the Phillies/Twins game today. (Yawn) I mean, what self-respecting North Carolinian would be excited to see either of these teams? Seriously. Braves. yes. Twins? Not so much.

So anyway, the 3 yr old (almost) says,"When are the Crankies coming out?" (I should preface this by saying he is WAY into Thomas the Train and there is a crane named Cranky in that whole train set. So now he calls all cranes that he sees Cranky.) I'm thinking, "I haven't seen any construction around here. What is he talking about?" I say," What Crankies?" He says, "The Crankies, when are they coming?" THEN he says, "the Crankies and the Red Sox!" I almost fell off my seat! The YANKEES and the Red Sox! He's heard us talking about trying to see the Yankees/Red Sox game on Monday! The kids, they are so funny.

And speaking of the Yankees game. Apparently spring training? IT'S A BIG DEAL, Y'ALL! You can't just show up and get tickets. They sell out! Even the Phillies and the Twins! We got the last 3 seats in the whole stadium today. But can I say that 1st row on the 3rd base side? They are good seats. Although I almost got trampled by grown men trying to get autographs. Grown men! And the players? Signing baseballs and ticket stubs (my kid's) is not their favorite thing to do when they've just gotten beaten 11-2. Who knew? So the Yankees will have to do without us on Monday. Because it seems that all the real fans got their tickets in January or something.


Last thing. A word to the wise. From the unwise. Putting sunscreen on your face and chest does NOT protect your legs or arms. I mean really. So you have to put it EVERYWHERE? Well they should totally put that on the label. Now you know.

You're welcome.

I can't believe this....

So apparently I'm the last hold out among my friends. My hubby is making fun of me for caving. But so many things have happened today that I've thought, "Man, this would be great to blog about!" So yea, I'm caving. And you should hear his ideas for blog names. Let's just say I didn't use any of them.

"Homeward Bound" refers to quite a bit about my life right now. I'm a Christian, so I'm heavenly homeward bound. We're traveling a lot with hubby's work, so we seem to be always NC homeward bound. Anyway, the name popped into my head and I thought it applied. So here I go---into the world of blogging. Yippee!!!!