What a fun-filled weekend we've had! Both kids had games Friday night and it was cold, but it was still fun. Abby threw out a girl at first from short stop for the second time this season...it was a thing of beauty. Brandon pitched and in two innings struck out 6 and gave up no runs. He is very, very proud, so we didn't point out how horrible the other team actually was. I mean, he really did pitch great, but they were....um, not good. Anyway, on Saturday we ate all 3 meals together around a table. We ran errands and played lots of games and then, for our only dissatisfying moment of the weekend, we watched the Rockets choke...again. sigh.
Did you know that next Sunday is Mother's Day? I've kept a word document for each kid through the years where I've recorded funny things they've said and done, and some rather touching things as well. In honor of the occasion, I thought I'd share some of them with you this week. We'll begin with some early stories from the eldest child. Enjoy... I know I have.
Brandon, the early years:
* to my good friend's mom while riding next to her in the car- "Hey! You’re big….and SQUISHY!"
* June ’98 Clay: “Who do you want to invite to your birthday party?”
Brandon: “Girls.”
Clay: “What about Colt?”
B: “No, just girls.”
Clay: “What about Aaron?”
B: “No, just girls.”
Clay: “What do you want to do at your party with the girls?”
B: “Have a swimmin’ party!”
*July ’98 at the dinner table: (singing) “I got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my...(pause) WHEW!!!! I need to go potty!”
*When eating and/or drinking or wanting something to snack on: “Jesus needs a Cheeto”(or whatever he wanted at the time because, naturally, if Jesus is in your heart He must be in your stomach, too)
*Sept. ’98 after “helping” Clay put Abby’s crib together…”When Abby leaves our house, we’re gonna break that bed down.”
*After watching the final scenes of Home Alone, where the mom and son are reunited in the foyer, embracing and tearful, Brandon sighed and said, “I wish I could have a mommy like that.” hmmmmmmm....hope he didn't pick a card that expressed THAT sentiment
* Shone a flashlight on his tummy, then explained: “Well, it’s dark in there, and God is scared.”
* Sept. 99 when asked what’s 5 minus 0 while in bed with us at night Brandon said, after a long pause, “I can’t see my hands.”
* When his hermit crab named Big Stick died, Brandon asked, “Did he die on a cross, or did somebody shoot him with a gun?” Then, upon Big Stick’s burial in the back yard, Brandon said, “Now maybe he’ll come back to life.”
* Clay and Brandon went golfing and had to golf with 2 guys they didn't know. One of them used very colorful language until he learned Clay's occupation. Then he began to get more creative with his exclamations. After missing an easy putt, he shouted, "Holy Moses!" Brandon stepped up and sank a putt about 7 or 8 feet long. He lifted both arms to the sky and shouted, "Prince of Egypt!" (yes, Clay lost it.)
* Feb. ’00 prayer: “….and thank you, God, for letting us build a house. A big, big house with lots and lots of room. A big, big table with lots and lots of food. A big, big yard...” (you get the picture)
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
been there, done that.
Wow. Last night's 24 episode was almost too intense. I was so scared for Chloe because you never know what they're going to do on that show. Only 3 more hours, though, and then a 2-hour season finale. What will we do when it's all over?
And how 'bout those Rockets? That was fun. Although, I really do like the Mavs except for Dampier and Bradley (since we live here and everything), but I've been a diehard Rockets fan since I was little. It reminds me a little bit of the year the Rockets swept the Magic in the finals. Clay and I lived in Orlando at the time and I taught 5th grade. The banter was delightful and I drew a broom on the big marker board for the children as they arrived to school the next day. good times.
The forms are in place, the plumbing has been done and the foundation will hopefully be poured this week at our new place. Yea!
As promised, a 2nd list...just so you know how fascinating my life has actually been.
*some stuff I've done and some places I've been*
(in no particular order)
1. rappelled down 130' mountain face in Colorado (the same trip as the chocolate chip pancakes)
2. rode to the top of the Space Needle in Seattle, WA.
3. had my name (oh, and Clay's, too) on the scoreboard at Candlestick Park in San Francisco
4. snowmobiled (and skied, too, but that's not as impressive) in Purgatory, CO
5. Night skied at Keystone
6. snow-tubing, Durango
7. Phoenix, AZ...Tent City, the Church on Fillmore, Cubs Spring Training game
8. Orlando, FL...Church Street Station, Orlando Magic bball game against the Bulls, Michael Jordan minor league baseball game, Dinner Theaters: Sleuth's, Arabian Nights, and King Henry's Feast. The Melting Pot, Disney, Universal, Sea World, and all that stuff
9. Cocoa Beach and Melbourne Beach, FL
10. ate Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Pie in Chicago
11. threw up in Philadelphia, PA outside the Liberty Bell
12. Christmas in a mountain home in Gatlinburg, TN
13. Christmas in a beach house in Galveston
14. Seattle Mariners game, Safeco Field
15. jeeped a couple of hours up a mountain pass to a ghost town - Colorado
16. rode a motorcycle
17. toured the White House and the Smithsonian. Also, quoted the Gettysburg Address at the Lincoln Monument
18. Chicago Cubs game, Wrigley Field
19. Ruiodoso (hanging out) and Santa Fe (skiing), New Mexico
20. saw Carmel, Monterrey, Santa Cruz, CA and took the 17-mile drive at Pebble Beach
21. and more, especially all the Texas A&M, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas stuff
Well, that was fun for me, but it would be more fun if I could know your list, too. So email me or "comment" your top 5, how bout that?
And how 'bout those Rockets? That was fun. Although, I really do like the Mavs except for Dampier and Bradley (since we live here and everything), but I've been a diehard Rockets fan since I was little. It reminds me a little bit of the year the Rockets swept the Magic in the finals. Clay and I lived in Orlando at the time and I taught 5th grade. The banter was delightful and I drew a broom on the big marker board for the children as they arrived to school the next day. good times.
The forms are in place, the plumbing has been done and the foundation will hopefully be poured this week at our new place. Yea!
As promised, a 2nd list...just so you know how fascinating my life has actually been.
*some stuff I've done and some places I've been*
(in no particular order)
1. rappelled down 130' mountain face in Colorado (the same trip as the chocolate chip pancakes)
2. rode to the top of the Space Needle in Seattle, WA.
3. had my name (oh, and Clay's, too) on the scoreboard at Candlestick Park in San Francisco
4. snowmobiled (and skied, too, but that's not as impressive) in Purgatory, CO
5. Night skied at Keystone
6. snow-tubing, Durango
7. Phoenix, AZ...Tent City, the Church on Fillmore, Cubs Spring Training game
8. Orlando, FL...Church Street Station, Orlando Magic bball game against the Bulls, Michael Jordan minor league baseball game, Dinner Theaters: Sleuth's, Arabian Nights, and King Henry's Feast. The Melting Pot, Disney, Universal, Sea World, and all that stuff
9. Cocoa Beach and Melbourne Beach, FL
10. ate Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Pie in Chicago
11. threw up in Philadelphia, PA outside the Liberty Bell
12. Christmas in a mountain home in Gatlinburg, TN
13. Christmas in a beach house in Galveston
14. Seattle Mariners game, Safeco Field
15. jeeped a couple of hours up a mountain pass to a ghost town - Colorado
16. rode a motorcycle
17. toured the White House and the Smithsonian. Also, quoted the Gettysburg Address at the Lincoln Monument
18. Chicago Cubs game, Wrigley Field
19. Ruiodoso (hanging out) and Santa Fe (skiing), New Mexico
20. saw Carmel, Monterrey, Santa Cruz, CA and took the 17-mile drive at Pebble Beach
21. and more, especially all the Texas A&M, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas stuff
Well, that was fun for me, but it would be more fun if I could know your list, too. So email me or "comment" your top 5, how bout that?
Friday, April 22, 2005
Never Evers
Wednesday night, Abby was upset that she didn't get to go to The Meal at church because she'd been home from school all day with a hugely gross ear infection. They were having breakfast for dinner, and Abby's a big fan. So I decided to make French Toast because I don't know how to make just a few pancakes. But I've never made French Toast before, so it was an adventure. I even had to call my mom (thanks) to ask how you do it. Upon completion, they didn't look all that great (apparently you're supposed to spray the griddle or something), but they tasted great. Now I don't want you to get the wrong idea...I can cook, and do it with greater regularity than probably many of you. It's just that I wasn't a big fan of breakfast until recent years(inspired by:
*AL's and my quest to eat breakfast every place that served said meal in the Permian Basin
*those chocolate chip pancakes we ate every morning in Colorado two summers ago
*the previously mentioned chicken biscuit from CFA).
By now, you're probably wondering what is the point of this seemingly plot-less anecdote. Well, the French Toast experience brought to mind all the other everyman activities that I have never experienced. As a result, I feel the need to make a list:
*Some Stuff I've Never Ever Done*
1. I've never ever been to the circus.
2. I've never ever eaten Spam (SA used to call me "Silver Spoon" because of this one, but I will not cave in to such peer pressure)
3. I've never ever eaten grits (not even one grit, if there is such a thing)
4. I've never ever been out of the country (which I'm thinking should negate the "Silver Spoon" nickname. However, I have been to a lot of very cool places within the Continental U.S., but that's another list altogether)
5. I've never ever been drunk with wine (or anything else, and don't worry---I'm too old to be curious about that now)
6. I've never ever mowed a lawn (thanks to two brothers and a husband. Although once I took the handle from Clay and made a pass across the yard that made it look like #5 is a big fat lie.)
7. I've never ever been able to watch ballet without cracking up inside.
8. I WOULD never ever have had a funnel cake except that last summer at the Lamesa Drive-In (Spiderman 2) M. Palmer got wind of it and went and bought me one. (but I didn't like it. :-))
9. I've never ever been to a carnival. (that's different than the circus, right?)
10. I've never ever bought/owned a class ring (not high school and not Texas A&M, as shocking as that is)
Naturally, this list brought to mind a lot of things I HAVE done, so I'll have to post another list soon. I certainly can't have you thinking that my life has been boring.
*AL's and my quest to eat breakfast every place that served said meal in the Permian Basin
*those chocolate chip pancakes we ate every morning in Colorado two summers ago
*the previously mentioned chicken biscuit from CFA).
By now, you're probably wondering what is the point of this seemingly plot-less anecdote. Well, the French Toast experience brought to mind all the other everyman activities that I have never experienced. As a result, I feel the need to make a list:
*Some Stuff I've Never Ever Done*
1. I've never ever been to the circus.
2. I've never ever eaten Spam (SA used to call me "Silver Spoon" because of this one, but I will not cave in to such peer pressure)
3. I've never ever eaten grits (not even one grit, if there is such a thing)
4. I've never ever been out of the country (which I'm thinking should negate the "Silver Spoon" nickname. However, I have been to a lot of very cool places within the Continental U.S., but that's another list altogether)
5. I've never ever been drunk with wine (or anything else, and don't worry---I'm too old to be curious about that now)
6. I've never ever mowed a lawn (thanks to two brothers and a husband. Although once I took the handle from Clay and made a pass across the yard that made it look like #5 is a big fat lie.)
7. I've never ever been able to watch ballet without cracking up inside.
8. I WOULD never ever have had a funnel cake except that last summer at the Lamesa Drive-In (Spiderman 2) M. Palmer got wind of it and went and bought me one. (but I didn't like it. :-))
9. I've never ever been to a carnival. (that's different than the circus, right?)
10. I've never ever bought/owned a class ring (not high school and not Texas A&M, as shocking as that is)
Naturally, this list brought to mind a lot of things I HAVE done, so I'll have to post another list soon. I certainly can't have you thinking that my life has been boring.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Hall Monitor Extraordinaire
yesterday I was hall-monitor at the kids' school during TAKS. Can't really think of a less exciting job, but somebody had to do it. Apparently the testing folks are pretty serious about heading off all attempts at cheating because test days are somewhat like prison, as far as I can tell. The kids may not speak to anyone, not even in the bathroom (hence, the need for hall monitors). And that, in itself, is pretty funny to me because what elementary schooler is going to meet up in the bathroom to discuss answers to a test? Maybe I could write a movie script about that...The Perfect Score Goes 4th Grade. Anyway, at lunch time, the teachers must lock up the tests while students eat their (brought from home or sacked in the cafeteria) lunches at their desks...in silence. I put some funny riddles in Brandon's lunch and I'm not even sure that notes from parents are legal, but y'all know that I like to live on the edge.
Today, clay smuggled the next book in the Redwall series that Brandon loves in to his teacher. He asked her to give him the book after he's finished with the test. We have to stay a step ahead of the boy; had he known about the book before test-time, he would have rushed through the test to spend the day in the world of warrior mice. And, per my previous comments, who could really blame him?
Thanks SJ for sending my new phone the CTU ring. I am so cool now! Well, I'm off to draw thumb animals with Abberooski. But here's one for the road:
What do you call cheese that isn't yours?
answer: Nacho cheese!
Today, clay smuggled the next book in the Redwall series that Brandon loves in to his teacher. He asked her to give him the book after he's finished with the test. We have to stay a step ahead of the boy; had he known about the book before test-time, he would have rushed through the test to spend the day in the world of warrior mice. And, per my previous comments, who could really blame him?
Thanks SJ for sending my new phone the CTU ring. I am so cool now! Well, I'm off to draw thumb animals with Abberooski. But here's one for the road:
What do you call cheese that isn't yours?
answer: Nacho cheese!
Sunday, April 17, 2005
A Trip to Remember
Scratch number 3 on my most previous list. I'm not much in the mood for eating out right now after my apparent bout with food poisoning in Nashville. Wow... that pretty much sums up my trip. I could give you the details, but I think that in this case, a summary is best for everyone involved. I think I'll eat at home for awhile.
ON a positive note, however, Clay had done laundry and had gotten everyone where they needed to be on time AND had picked everyone up on time as well. He played Mr. Mom for Abby's Kindergarten field trip to the Ft. Worth zoo. Then he unloaded my stuff and got me a Gatorade Friday night after they got home from Brandon's baseball game and found me passed out (figuratively speaking) in bed. 15 years of marriage this May and I'm still thinking he's a keeper. :-)
ON a positive note, however, Clay had done laundry and had gotten everyone where they needed to be on time AND had picked everyone up on time as well. He played Mr. Mom for Abby's Kindergarten field trip to the Ft. Worth zoo. Then he unloaded my stuff and got me a Gatorade Friday night after they got home from Brandon's baseball game and found me passed out (figuratively speaking) in bed. 15 years of marriage this May and I'm still thinking he's a keeper. :-)
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Chicken Biscuit and a Coke
Yesterday I blogged about my favorite breakfast food, and this morning my sweet husband went to get it for me! Maybe that will keep working for me....if I blog it, it will come???? Cool!
let's try it. Here are some other things I'd like to have:
1. the HoMedics SBM-200 Therapist Select Back Massager
2. a housekeeper, because I'm so busy all the time :-)
3. dinner at Red Lobster, because they make the perfect salad,
awesome bread, and I love shrimp.
4. a fountain drink machine in my home (see "things that make me
smile", #9)
5. a massage table (see "A massage, a shoppin' baskit, and some
turkey")
I'll stop there for today so it doesn't seem like I'm taking advantage of the system.
After school yesterday, Abby told us that Evan isn't her boyfriend anymore. Naturally, I asked her why and she replied, "Well.....he has cavities." That's right. The boys better straighten up because my girl has set her standards high.
So I'm off to writers' conference tomorrow, which is really the reason I'm posting again because I probably won't sit down to do it in Nashville and I'd hate to lose the readership. Usually I like to go to wc, but I'm not really looking forward to it very much this time, even though it is GMA week (Dove Awards and everything)and I might run into someone whose music I listen to. But Clay will have to handle the baseball/softball/picking up from school duties on his own and, on top of that, I'm missing out on the ministers' wives annual retreat. sigh. AND, I'm right in the middle of fantasy basketball championship week. In order to repeat as champ, I, team Abbyoop!, must out-manage my big brother from now until next Wednesday. (which is, naturally, more important than normal simply because of my opponent. and don't judge me...you know you like to win against your older sibling, too.)
I still haven't gotten the picture thingy working yet, but if I email you an invitation, you can go see my pictures at kodak's website. So if you can't see it and really want to, send me an email. cchopkins@gmail.com OR, you can go to www.ofoto.com and sign in to become a member. It doesn't really mean anything except that I think it will allow you to see the picture instead of the little red x. But I'll keep checking the other photo hosting thingy to see if it's working again and will try to post future pics that way. later!
let's try it. Here are some other things I'd like to have:
1. the HoMedics SBM-200 Therapist Select Back Massager
2. a housekeeper, because I'm so busy all the time :-)
3. dinner at Red Lobster, because they make the perfect salad,
awesome bread, and I love shrimp.
4. a fountain drink machine in my home (see "things that make me
smile", #9)
5. a massage table (see "A massage, a shoppin' baskit, and some
turkey")
I'll stop there for today so it doesn't seem like I'm taking advantage of the system.
After school yesterday, Abby told us that Evan isn't her boyfriend anymore. Naturally, I asked her why and she replied, "Well.....he has cavities." That's right. The boys better straighten up because my girl has set her standards high.
So I'm off to writers' conference tomorrow, which is really the reason I'm posting again because I probably won't sit down to do it in Nashville and I'd hate to lose the readership. Usually I like to go to wc, but I'm not really looking forward to it very much this time, even though it is GMA week (Dove Awards and everything)and I might run into someone whose music I listen to. But Clay will have to handle the baseball/softball/picking up from school duties on his own and, on top of that, I'm missing out on the ministers' wives annual retreat. sigh. AND, I'm right in the middle of fantasy basketball championship week. In order to repeat as champ, I, team Abbyoop!, must out-manage my big brother from now until next Wednesday. (which is, naturally, more important than normal simply because of my opponent. and don't judge me...you know you like to win against your older sibling, too.)
I still haven't gotten the picture thingy working yet, but if I email you an invitation, you can go see my pictures at kodak's website. So if you can't see it and really want to, send me an email. cchopkins@gmail.com OR, you can go to www.ofoto.com and sign in to become a member. It doesn't really mean anything except that I think it will allow you to see the picture instead of the little red x. But I'll keep checking the other photo hosting thingy to see if it's working again and will try to post future pics that way. later!
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Welcome to My World
So I've waited til now to post a list regarding MY new little life here in Midlothian because I wanted to be "substantive", per my previous blog entitled, "The Stuff of Substance." And after 4 months here in Midlothian, I think I have enough of that substance for some honest-to-goodness peace, love, and joy. I'm sure I'll leave something very important out, but here goes:
As I shared at CBC's ladies' retreat last week, the body of Christ is the body of Christ--no matter where you live, which I have found to be a very comforting truth. So I'm saying that I love my old church, but I love my new church, too. And here's a subset of reasons why:
As I shared at CBC's ladies' retreat last week, the body of Christ is the body of Christ--no matter where you live, which I have found to be a very comforting truth. So I'm saying that I love my old church, but I love my new church, too. And here's a subset of reasons why:
- It's a place where freedom of worship is ok.
- Worship isn't a performance. It's just worship.
- It's a place where you can use your gifts in ministry. Thanks to JD, KL and BP who've already provided me with some unique opportunities. And when I figure out what God wants me to do on Sunday mornings in the fall, even better.
- Lots of smiles and hugs. I'm not even all that huggy a person, but it's nice because it's evident that all the peeps really do love each other.
- Wednesday Night Supper. Yes, at FBC, it does indeed seem to be a proper noun.
- New and Old Friends - this is where i hope i don't leave anything important out, but here it goes. *breakfasts with KP where we attempt to solve all the world's problems. *BP, whose transparency and honesty challenge me every Sunday morning. *TC and Wednesday night chats after dinner--love that. *S&LsS, who I'm pretty sure we'd love even if they weren't Aggies :-) *K&TL who are just so stinking nice and who have no idea how much we would have missed Easter lunch in Midland had they not invited us over to their own. *T&LDW who are also super nice, incredibly faithful and devoted to student ministry and who brought us pizza, coke, plates, cups, napkins, and even ice our first night here. *AB who has been dying for me to mention her on my blog because I think she loves blogging even more than I do. *CM, because y'all have no idea how much Abby loves Mrs. Sheldon (Midland teacher). That was so great of God to give her a teacher she loves here, too. *MM, who drove us all around back in November. and the same MM and RB who are going to be building us a very cool house in a very cool neighborhood.--(hopefully we'll get to talk about day 1 later this week!) *KR, my ping pong buddy, who keeps up with me here even on the weeks we don't get to visit at church *lots of youth who have made me feel welcome and stuff. Looking forward to lots of years of fun with them!
Here's some more general Midlothian-stuff that may be less than substantive, but that I think is worth mentioning anyway:
- I love the way the trees grow over the road and grab each other. It looked a little like something out of a horror flick in the winter time, but now that there are leaves, it's very pretty, even quaint.
- I love the way everybody has so much YARD here. And you don't even really have to do anything with it for it to be cool. And also there's still that neighborhood feel. Baseball practices at people's houses, for goodness sakes. Bonfires, 4-wheelers--can I go back to age 10 again, please?
- I love being close to the big city, but not actually in it. Kind of like growing up in The Woodlands, only different.
- I love that feel of community that is so obvious here. and it's small enough, but it's big enough, too. (although it would be nice if I didn't have to go the whole 10 miles or whatever to Cedar Hill or Waxahachie to eat at Chick-fil-A, because a chicken biscuit in the morning is just...well, my most favorite breakfast in the whole wide world.)
OK, so I think that's it for now. I think it's probably a good little exercise for everyone to list the things they love about their current life situation because God is all over the place. I'm glad our places have been together at some point along the way.
Monday, April 04, 2005
A Massage, a Shoppin' Baskit, and Some Turkey (or ham if you're not beautiful)
I had my very first professional massage at the CBC ladies' retreat - now that I know...it definitely won't be the last. Yep, we had a great time. It was great to see many of my Midland friends and to share with them about what God is doing in midlothiancynthia's life. I love y'all! The 4 hour trip there and back was even fun; Jourdan, our worship leader for the retreat, rode with me and I enjoyed getting to know her. Random things struck us as funny, such as the "Shoppin' Baskit" grocery store in...I can't remember which town along Hwy. 67. I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall in that brainstorming session. By the way, if you're looking for someone who can lead worship for a ladies' retreat or other women's event, I highly recommend Jourdan. Her heart is as pure as her voice and her joy is contagious. Although, I'm not sure THAT's what that young waiter was thinking when he made sure that she got the last few slices of turkey while the rest of us were told we'd get ham. (But that's ok, because we just learned that we're all beautiful to God, right girls?)
Abby's pic is coming hopefully tonight, after her first game in uniform. They didn't come in before Saturday's game. But she would want me to tell you that they did win both games of their double-header, and Abby collected a couple of hits in her first at-bats. More later...
Abby's pic is coming hopefully tonight, after her first game in uniform. They didn't come in before Saturday's game. But she would want me to tell you that they did win both games of their double-header, and Abby collected a couple of hits in her first at-bats. More later...
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Parenting 101: Eavesdropping
I forgot to mention that my favorite part of my little trip to The Woodlands last week was when Lisa and I took Brandon, Brent, Zach, and Abby on a bike ride through the trails that I OWNED in my youth. I was very much like my dad as I made them stop to hear stories about each memorable marking-place. One interesting tid-bit that I learned, however, came when I overheard Brandon and Brent discussing girls over their ice-cream cones. I walked out of Baskin-Robbins just in time to hear Brent say, "She's h-o-t?" (I guess he thought that maybe I can't spell very well.) So of course I had to get in on the conversation and ended up giving a mini-lesson on 1 Samuel 16:7. Whew. I thought I had a few more years before we had to deal with "hot".
A friend of mine once told me that it's very, very important, in parenting, to eavesdrop whenever the opportunity arises, and I'm finding that to be true. Since the "hot" incident, I have also learned that Abby has a "boyfriend". And she thinks that the feeling is mutual because, "I think I heard him say it." Anyway, she was ok with me knowing about the boyfriend, but at the mention of it in front of Clay at dinner that night, Abby burst completely into tears. I'm not sure what a psychologist might say, but I'm pretty sure that it's good for Clay and me. Abby couldn't bear the thought that her daddy knew there was another man in her life. How long do you think that might last? I don't know either, but you can bet I'll be one of the first to know......
Happy Eavesdropping,
Cynthia
A friend of mine once told me that it's very, very important, in parenting, to eavesdrop whenever the opportunity arises, and I'm finding that to be true. Since the "hot" incident, I have also learned that Abby has a "boyfriend". And she thinks that the feeling is mutual because, "I think I heard him say it." Anyway, she was ok with me knowing about the boyfriend, but at the mention of it in front of Clay at dinner that night, Abby burst completely into tears. I'm not sure what a psychologist might say, but I'm pretty sure that it's good for Clay and me. Abby couldn't bear the thought that her daddy knew there was another man in her life. How long do you think that might last? I don't know either, but you can bet I'll be one of the first to know......
Happy Eavesdropping,
Cynthia
Monday, March 28, 2005
Cold and Wet
It seems that the part of your brain that informs the rest of your body that you're cold, wet, and miserable doesn't fully develop until sometime after the 8th grade. It was 40-something degrees on Saturday, raining, and windy. But there was no lightning in the area, so Six Flags was up and running. We thought that perhaps Brandon, Abby, and the middle schoolers who were with us might not want to endure such conditions, but we were wrong. Even the suggestion that we leave early elicited an astonished and wildly negative response from these adventurous little thrill-seekers.
So on we shivered. Thankfully, the Spongebob 4-D experience is in an indoor and heated building (I could have stayed there all day), and the Runaway Mine Train rollercoaster actually had a line...that was under cover. Aside from the aforementioned, Brandon and Abby's favorites for the day were the Texas Tornado (big giant swingset), the Antique cars (because when else can a 6 and 9 year old drive a car?), the Judge Roy Scream (Brandon loved it, Abby did NOT), and the Log Ride (yes, we did.)
Then on Sunday we enjoyed our first Easter celebration in Midlothian. I wasn't in charge of Hashbrown Casserole this year; instead, I did desserts; chocolate chip cake (delicious, if I do say so myself) and cookies that Clay said tasted like dishwashing detergent. To which I say, at least they were clean.
Tomorrow the kids are back in school and I must get back to work! I'm looking forward to this weekend's visit with the CBC girls, but will miss little Abby's first 2 softball games this Saturday. Go Midlothian Stars!
So on we shivered. Thankfully, the Spongebob 4-D experience is in an indoor and heated building (I could have stayed there all day), and the Runaway Mine Train rollercoaster actually had a line...that was under cover. Aside from the aforementioned, Brandon and Abby's favorites for the day were the Texas Tornado (big giant swingset), the Antique cars (because when else can a 6 and 9 year old drive a car?), the Judge Roy Scream (Brandon loved it, Abby did NOT), and the Log Ride (yes, we did.)
Then on Sunday we enjoyed our first Easter celebration in Midlothian. I wasn't in charge of Hashbrown Casserole this year; instead, I did desserts; chocolate chip cake (delicious, if I do say so myself) and cookies that Clay said tasted like dishwashing detergent. To which I say, at least they were clean.
Tomorrow the kids are back in school and I must get back to work! I'm looking forward to this weekend's visit with the CBC girls, but will miss little Abby's first 2 softball games this Saturday. Go Midlothian Stars!
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Easter Blessings
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:2-3
Before the Throne of God Above
words by Charitie Lees Bancroft
Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong and perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is "Love,"
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heav'n He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair,
and tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me.
Behold Him there! The risen Lamb,
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace!
One with Himself I cannot die,
My soul is purchased by His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God
With Christ, my Savior and my God.
Before the Throne of God Above
words by Charitie Lees Bancroft
Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong and perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is "Love,"
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heav'n He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair,
and tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me.
Behold Him there! The risen Lamb,
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace!
One with Himself I cannot die,
My soul is purchased by His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God
With Christ, my Savior and my God.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
exceedingly good fun
We're having lots of fun in The Woodlands this week. Yesterday, we rode a water taxi on the new Woodlands Waterway that has been built by the mall, up to the Pavilion and by other new and interesting places. It's still in the early stages of development, but I think in a few years it could be just as neat a destination and touristy thing as the Riverwalk.
Then we (me, my mom, Lisa, Brandon, Abby, and 3 of their cousins) went to see the movie Robots at Tinseltown, which is also right there by the waterway. I thought it was cute, but the kids LOVED it. It seems to me that animators, directors, writers---whoever it is that makes such decisions--have discovered that one really long, over-the-top scene with belching or flatulence makes it a winner. For the 10 and under crowd, the rest of the movie can rot, and they leave thinking they've just seen Gone With the Wind (pardon the pun). And who can really blame them? It is pretty dern funny.
After a night of sleepovers with cousins, today we've just hung around the homestead. After getting sweaty playing at a nearby park, the 3 boys decided to brave the way-too-cold-to-be-enjoyable water and jumped in the pool for a swim. Abby and Alyssa soon joined them, because they're the kind of girls who refuse to be outdone by boys. And swimsuits are really just a convenience anyway. Tom and Huck never needed them, right? I'm pretty sure that times like these will be fond memories they'll joyfully recall for years and years to come. When I think back to my own formative years, family get-togethers, and such, what I remember most are the times when I got to do things that exceeded my usual standard of fun. Like the times we were allowed to go out to the tank at my grandparent's farm all by ourselves to catch crawdads. Or the time my cousin taught me to skip a rock across that same tank....only I skipped a dried up cow-patty by accident. It floated, by the way. Or when we got to walk down to the 7-11 from my Baw-Maw's apartment building in Austin....by ourselves...to buy gum or candy. Or when Kendall and I got stuck in the elevator on our way back up to her apartment and screamed so loud that mom could hear us. So, you can see, I'm all about making memories.
Tonight we're going to eat at Double Dave's---I'll eat a pepperoni roll for everyone who is at this moment jealous of me...Clay, Stephanie A., La-shea and Scott, and all the Josefy's except for Sharon.
Then we (me, my mom, Lisa, Brandon, Abby, and 3 of their cousins) went to see the movie Robots at Tinseltown, which is also right there by the waterway. I thought it was cute, but the kids LOVED it. It seems to me that animators, directors, writers---whoever it is that makes such decisions--have discovered that one really long, over-the-top scene with belching or flatulence makes it a winner. For the 10 and under crowd, the rest of the movie can rot, and they leave thinking they've just seen Gone With the Wind (pardon the pun). And who can really blame them? It is pretty dern funny.
After a night of sleepovers with cousins, today we've just hung around the homestead. After getting sweaty playing at a nearby park, the 3 boys decided to brave the way-too-cold-to-be-enjoyable water and jumped in the pool for a swim. Abby and Alyssa soon joined them, because they're the kind of girls who refuse to be outdone by boys. And swimsuits are really just a convenience anyway. Tom and Huck never needed them, right? I'm pretty sure that times like these will be fond memories they'll joyfully recall for years and years to come. When I think back to my own formative years, family get-togethers, and such, what I remember most are the times when I got to do things that exceeded my usual standard of fun. Like the times we were allowed to go out to the tank at my grandparent's farm all by ourselves to catch crawdads. Or the time my cousin taught me to skip a rock across that same tank....only I skipped a dried up cow-patty by accident. It floated, by the way. Or when we got to walk down to the 7-11 from my Baw-Maw's apartment building in Austin....by ourselves...to buy gum or candy. Or when Kendall and I got stuck in the elevator on our way back up to her apartment and screamed so loud that mom could hear us. So, you can see, I'm all about making memories.
Tonight we're going to eat at Double Dave's---I'll eat a pepperoni roll for everyone who is at this moment jealous of me...Clay, Stephanie A., La-shea and Scott, and all the Josefy's except for Sharon.
Friday, March 18, 2005
Leprachan Shart
It seems I've left you all dumbfounded with my last post since it was my first "0 comments" ever. Actually, I DID get some comments, just not on here! Last night, thanks to TB and TW, we went to the American Airlines Center for the Mavericks game. We had great seats and had lots of fun. We had more tickets than we needed given to us, so Sharon (who we'd just picked up from her trip to London and was suffering from jet lag), Lauren A., Ryan and Jessica went with us. I have a picture of Brandon and Abby at the game that I'm trying to upload, but it's not working so far. But Abby LOVED those complimentary thunder sticks, I tell you. She beat them and beat them and beat them for...well, I guess the better part of 2 and 1/2 hours. And Brandon decided to cheer for the Blazers throughout the game because he has one of their players on his fantasy basketball team. I don't know where he gets his competitive drive...
Abby brought home from school a sister yesterday. She made this cute little girl out of construction paper and told me that it's her new sister. She wrote "Leprachan shart" (Leprechaun shirt) on her sister's shirt just so she would not get pinched. She put a hair clip on her when she got home. She asked how we could buckle her in the back seat of the van on the way to the game, and even wanted to take her in to the game when we got there. I told her we didn't have a ticket for her sister. Don't you wish that you could escape into another world like that sometime? Although, come to think of it, that might be kind of weird. So never mind.
I need to give notice, a shout out, or however you want to say it to M&B whose recent presence on my blog has given it International consideration. It really is a small world, after all. Have a GREAT weekend!
Abby brought home from school a sister yesterday. She made this cute little girl out of construction paper and told me that it's her new sister. She wrote "Leprachan shart" (Leprechaun shirt) on her sister's shirt just so she would not get pinched. She put a hair clip on her when she got home. She asked how we could buckle her in the back seat of the van on the way to the game, and even wanted to take her in to the game when we got there. I told her we didn't have a ticket for her sister. Don't you wish that you could escape into another world like that sometime? Although, come to think of it, that might be kind of weird. So never mind.
I need to give notice, a shout out, or however you want to say it to M&B whose recent presence on my blog has given it International consideration. It really is a small world, after all. Have a GREAT weekend!
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
once a year is too much
I know this blog is co-ed, so I'll try to keep this comfortable for everyone involved. I don't know why, though, because the once-a-year dr. visit is anything but comfortable. Why should I be forced to keep that all bottled up inside? I thought I'd outsmarted them this time; I had made my appointment first thing in the morning. No waiting, right? Wrong. I did get to leave several jealous people in the waiting room shortly after the time of my scheduled appointment. My visit with the nurse went swimmingly. She gave me my new outfit to wear, a magazine to read, and left me to wait for the doctor. About 20 minutes later she came in and told me that he was at the hospital delivering a baby (am I the only person who schedules things like childbirth?) But I digress. I had made it through about half of Entertainment Weekly, which, by the way, I must commend for giving Winn Dixie its well-deserved kudos. My doctor arrived and introduced himself to me, not because we hadn't already met (we had), but because he was flustered and confused. I think I would be, too, if my job required that I run willy-nilly back and forth between the wonderful miracle that is childbirth and the mundane and uninspiring well-woman check-up. Anyway, about 3 minutes into our riveting conversation about my wellness issues, he was paged back over to the hospital. Apologetically, he explained that he'd probably be gone another 30 minutes if I wanted to wait. But what choice did I have, really? So I grabbed another sheet from the cabinet (Why is it always freezing cold in there?), pulled out the table extender, and settled in for the second half of my complimentary reading material.
True to his word, my doctor made it back in 30 minutes and I was out of there in a jiffy. On my way out, I was hoping to smile knowingly at the poor women who were in for the wait of their lives. But wouldn't you know it? Apparently they'd all chosen to come back another day. Well, at least it's over for me. Until next year, that is...
True to his word, my doctor made it back in 30 minutes and I was out of there in a jiffy. On my way out, I was hoping to smile knowingly at the poor women who were in for the wait of their lives. But wouldn't you know it? Apparently they'd all chosen to come back another day. Well, at least it's over for me. Until next year, that is...
Monday, March 14, 2005
a day in the life
Have I mentioned how cute Abby is playing softball? Actually, I haven't even been to a real practice yet, but have watched her practicing in the front yard with Clay and have seen her sporting her very own blue helmet with sparkles. Apparently, her coach has informed her that she's his short stop...a fact that she will proudly tell anyone who asks. Games start up in April...I have to miss the first one! But don't worry, Johnnie, as soon as she puts on that uniform, I'll get some pics uploaded for you!
And then there's Brandon's team. They also start in April...on the same opening day as Abby....the same day I'll be in San Angelo getting massaged, manicured, pedicured and all the other fun stuff the CBC ladies have planned for their retreat.
Speaking of Brandon, he had a root canal today. He did great and the endodontist (never heard of that word before) said his tooth should be fine. Eventually he'll probably want a veneer or cap on it (Brandon was wondering if that would be silver or gold with a diamond in it), but for now the damage has been stopped. We'll go back in 3 months for another minor procedure that the dr. thinks will be the last. It was all good for Brandon, who was just happy to be out of school...again....and to get a milkshake when it was all over.
So next week is Spring Break. Clay is going skiing in Colorado for the FBC senior trip. He's been checking the snow reports daily and can't wait to hit the slopes. The kids and I are skipping this year's senior trip as we attempt to be frugal looking ahead to Disney World. Instead, we'll head down to The Woodlands Monday for some r&r with family, maybe a trip to the beach, and other fun stuff my very active sister-in-law cooks up. We'll head back on Friday to hear all about the slopes Clay conquered. Then on Saturday...Six Flags with the youth for a day of family friendly amusement and concerts by Mercy Me and Jeremy Camp. Brandon and Abby are REALLY looking forward to that because when we told them we'd be moving to Midlothian, we kind of used Six Flags as a selling point.
Shout outs (trying to stay hip with my usage of contemporary lingo) to:
-Shawna for meeting me and Abby in Mansfield Saturday for lunch and then enduring my tour of Midlothian
-Stephanie M. who calls about once a week and we talk for about 5 minutes before someone else clicks in and she says she'll call back but never does :-)
-Tammy C. for setting up her own blog
-Sharon...who's way far away in England this week--have a smashing good time!
-Ryan who called today to tell us about his new girlfriend, Jessica
-Kathy J. who called today to invite us up to Graham for an EARLY Easter Egg Hunt to carry on the tradition...sorry we can't do it!
and Brandon is here standing beside me encouraging me to sign-off...and by the way, he says "Hi!"
And then there's Brandon's team. They also start in April...on the same opening day as Abby....the same day I'll be in San Angelo getting massaged, manicured, pedicured and all the other fun stuff the CBC ladies have planned for their retreat.
Speaking of Brandon, he had a root canal today. He did great and the endodontist (never heard of that word before) said his tooth should be fine. Eventually he'll probably want a veneer or cap on it (Brandon was wondering if that would be silver or gold with a diamond in it), but for now the damage has been stopped. We'll go back in 3 months for another minor procedure that the dr. thinks will be the last. It was all good for Brandon, who was just happy to be out of school...again....and to get a milkshake when it was all over.
So next week is Spring Break. Clay is going skiing in Colorado for the FBC senior trip. He's been checking the snow reports daily and can't wait to hit the slopes. The kids and I are skipping this year's senior trip as we attempt to be frugal looking ahead to Disney World. Instead, we'll head down to The Woodlands Monday for some r&r with family, maybe a trip to the beach, and other fun stuff my very active sister-in-law cooks up. We'll head back on Friday to hear all about the slopes Clay conquered. Then on Saturday...Six Flags with the youth for a day of family friendly amusement and concerts by Mercy Me and Jeremy Camp. Brandon and Abby are REALLY looking forward to that because when we told them we'd be moving to Midlothian, we kind of used Six Flags as a selling point.
Shout outs (trying to stay hip with my usage of contemporary lingo) to:
-Shawna for meeting me and Abby in Mansfield Saturday for lunch and then enduring my tour of Midlothian
-Stephanie M. who calls about once a week and we talk for about 5 minutes before someone else clicks in and she says she'll call back but never does :-)
-Tammy C. for setting up her own blog
-Sharon...who's way far away in England this week--have a smashing good time!
-Ryan who called today to tell us about his new girlfriend, Jessica
-Kathy J. who called today to invite us up to Graham for an EARLY Easter Egg Hunt to carry on the tradition...sorry we can't do it!
and Brandon is here standing beside me encouraging me to sign-off...and by the way, he says "Hi!"
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Alias vs. 24
I had planned to work on Ladies' Retreat, Saturday morning session, that I'm doing in San Angelo in a few weeks. But last night, when Brandon flashed that smile up at me, I noticed the tooth that he chipped 3 weeks ago looked gray. So we went to the dentist today and it seems that he's got surgery in his very near future. We're going to have to go see a specialist on Monday.
Brandon was trying to process all the info. he was hearing and still appear calm, cool, and collected. He asked me if I'd ever had a nerve in a tooth die. I said, "No. I never ran in church." (liar.) He said, "I bet you did." Me: "Yes, probably so." But I was thinking, I probably didn't run with such reckless abandon. Clay pointed out that I did other reckless things... like hose a girl down with the fire extinguisher at church. Come to think of it, the emotional damage I caused back in the day might actually have cost more than the physical damage his accident is going to cost. hmmmmmmmmmm.
This is way overdue. I'm going to compare 24 and Alias. Feel free to agree or disagree. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about....for goodness sakes, get yourself on over to Blockbuster!
Male Lead
24 - Keifer Sutherland
Alias -Michael Vartan
Advantage - Alias. Jack is bad to the bone, but Vaughn is NOT ugly.
Computer Geek
24- Edgar
Alias - Marshall
Advantage - Alias. Bring back Chloe! Bring back Chloe!
Bad Guys
24 - you think you know, but you don't
Alias - Sark, Sloane (because who does he think he's fooling?), sometimes Jack, and that really mean girl who shot Nadia
Advantage - 24. they're good, but don't worry. Jack will take care of them.
Plot
24 - it all takes place in 24 hours, conveniently hitting especially tense moments at the bottom of every hour
Alias - tough girl suffering from the effects of major familial dysfunction beats up bad guys.
Advantage - 24, because whoever thought that story up is more clever than I am.
Organization
24- CTU, Counter Terrorism Unit
Alias - CIA. yawn.
Advantage - 24. And Clay wants his phone to ring like that.
Believability
24 - homeland security issues, very current
Alias - the Rimbaldi Prophecy??? Give me a break.
Advantage - again, 24.
Flexibility
24- recognized bad cast and brought back the old-timers.
Alias - Why is Arvin Sloane still in charge?
Advantage - 24
Relationships
24- Jack and Adrianne(or whatever her name is) ; Tony and Michelle
Alias - Vaughn and Sydney
Advantage - Alias. See "Male Lead"
I could go on, but that will probably give you enough to argue about for awhile. Next week, perhaps we'll discuss the merits of Chick-fil-A verses Rosa's Cafe.
Brandon was trying to process all the info. he was hearing and still appear calm, cool, and collected. He asked me if I'd ever had a nerve in a tooth die. I said, "No. I never ran in church." (liar.) He said, "I bet you did." Me: "Yes, probably so." But I was thinking, I probably didn't run with such reckless abandon. Clay pointed out that I did other reckless things... like hose a girl down with the fire extinguisher at church. Come to think of it, the emotional damage I caused back in the day might actually have cost more than the physical damage his accident is going to cost. hmmmmmmmmmm.
This is way overdue. I'm going to compare 24 and Alias. Feel free to agree or disagree. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about....for goodness sakes, get yourself on over to Blockbuster!
Male Lead
24 - Keifer Sutherland
Alias -Michael Vartan
Advantage - Alias. Jack is bad to the bone, but Vaughn is NOT ugly.
Computer Geek
24- Edgar
Alias - Marshall
Advantage - Alias. Bring back Chloe! Bring back Chloe!
Bad Guys
24 - you think you know, but you don't
Alias - Sark, Sloane (because who does he think he's fooling?), sometimes Jack, and that really mean girl who shot Nadia
Advantage - 24. they're good, but don't worry. Jack will take care of them.
Plot
24 - it all takes place in 24 hours, conveniently hitting especially tense moments at the bottom of every hour
Alias - tough girl suffering from the effects of major familial dysfunction beats up bad guys.
Advantage - 24, because whoever thought that story up is more clever than I am.
Organization
24- CTU, Counter Terrorism Unit
Alias - CIA. yawn.
Advantage - 24. And Clay wants his phone to ring like that.
Believability
24 - homeland security issues, very current
Alias - the Rimbaldi Prophecy??? Give me a break.
Advantage - again, 24.
Flexibility
24- recognized bad cast and brought back the old-timers.
Alias - Why is Arvin Sloane still in charge?
Advantage - 24
Relationships
24- Jack and Adrianne(or whatever her name is) ; Tony and Michelle
Alias - Vaughn and Sydney
Advantage - Alias. See "Male Lead"
I could go on, but that will probably give you enough to argue about for awhile. Next week, perhaps we'll discuss the merits of Chick-fil-A verses Rosa's Cafe.
Monday, March 07, 2005
Obscure Ramblings
While you Midlanders are enjoying spring break this week, we're still trudging along with 2 more to go. I take comfort in the hope that it will be warmer by then! It is a busy week, though. Abby has her program this Thursday. She's very excited about that! Clay's parents and our friend Sharon are coming in for the event. Well, actually, Sharon (who loves for me to mention her on my blog) is coming to leave her car while she travels to London for her spring break. Then on Friday, her class (Abby's, not Sharon's) will dress up for "50's Day" since there are only 50 days of school left and kindergarteners like to celebrate such milestones. Plus, we have our first full week of practices. Abby's playing softball and Brandon's playing baseball.
Clay and I had our Friday breakfast at the Waxahachie Chick-fil-A last week (I know you're surprised by that news). Anyway, it made me a little bit sad because there were moms there with their little toddlers getting together for a play date. I miss that...sometimes. But then my thoughts turn to this October when we'll travel to Mecca (Disney World, that is) for our long-awaited, carefully planned family vacation. Abby will finally get HER picture taken with Mickey Mouse and Brandon can get back to his roots. We're going with my whole family: mom, dad, 2 bros and their families...that's 15 in all. Mom and Dad have rented a great big 7 bedroom house (with pool) in a gated community near the parks. (That cinquain was no exaggeration, I tell you.) We planned the event for October because, well, in October it's not so hot and there are no long lines. Midlothian ISD threw a little kink in our best-laid plans when they decided to not take Columbus Day off as a school holiday next year. Instead, we'll have off the following Monday. I don't know, I'm just thinking...I MIGHT have been ready for them to go back to school that day.
Clay and I had our Friday breakfast at the Waxahachie Chick-fil-A last week (I know you're surprised by that news). Anyway, it made me a little bit sad because there were moms there with their little toddlers getting together for a play date. I miss that...sometimes. But then my thoughts turn to this October when we'll travel to Mecca (Disney World, that is) for our long-awaited, carefully planned family vacation. Abby will finally get HER picture taken with Mickey Mouse and Brandon can get back to his roots. We're going with my whole family: mom, dad, 2 bros and their families...that's 15 in all. Mom and Dad have rented a great big 7 bedroom house (with pool) in a gated community near the parks. (That cinquain was no exaggeration, I tell you.) We planned the event for October because, well, in October it's not so hot and there are no long lines. Midlothian ISD threw a little kink in our best-laid plans when they decided to not take Columbus Day off as a school holiday next year. Instead, we'll have off the following Monday. I don't know, I'm just thinking...I MIGHT have been ready for them to go back to school that day.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
A Little Poetry for Mom and Dad, per your very first comment on my blog
Cynthia's Cinquain
ahem.
Parents
Awesome, incredible,
Loving, encouraging, giving,
Makin' other kids jealous,
Mom and Dad
Friday, March 04, 2005
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
The Sequel
I appreciate the bold honesty of Lisa and La-shea whose concern about mechanical pencils and sniffing tennis balls has caused me to look a bit deeper to examine the things that bring me sunshine. (However, you do need to know that the smell of new tennis balls was only slightly ahead of my new silicone oven mitts that are washable and withstand up to 600 degrees of "hotness", as Abby would say.) So here it is. My new and improved list of...
things that make me smile.
*When my friends post comments on my blog
* Brandon wearing eye-black while playing baseball (very cute.)
* Abby talking to her beanie babies as if they were real. (also very cute.)
* Movie and sunset in Cancun. (thanks, Lisa, for the suggestion. You're right...that's probably a really good one. Maybe I'll get to do that someday.) :-)
* Whipping my big brother in fantasy basketball since he always dominated me in the driveway. Who owes who the Hubba Bubba now????
* instead of sniffing the tennis balls...playing tennis with a friend, usually sm or sj
* Movie and sunset in Midland...I've done that one and it's actually quite nice.
* Playing cards (Hand and Foot) in the mountains of Colorado with M&CG til the wee hours of the night AND playing cards (Hand and Foot) in our kitchen in Midland with S&DP--good times!
* getting an email from an old friend--that happened today!
* watching "King of Queens" reruns with Clay practically every night right before sleepy-time. That show cracks me up.
It is what it is.
My friend, Kirk, had his surgery yesterday. It took 7 hours or so and they did it while he was awake, which is really cool (or weird, depending upon your perspective). Anyway, he did great and is fully intact. The awakeness helped them make sure of that, as they had him recite the Pledge of Allegiance numerous times during the surgery. The surgeon was confident that he got all of the tumor, and Jan will know soon specifics about that. Thanks for your prayers!
things that make me smile.
*When my friends post comments on my blog
* Brandon wearing eye-black while playing baseball (very cute.)
* Abby talking to her beanie babies as if they were real. (also very cute.)
* Movie and sunset in Cancun. (thanks, Lisa, for the suggestion. You're right...that's probably a really good one. Maybe I'll get to do that someday.) :-)
* Whipping my big brother in fantasy basketball since he always dominated me in the driveway. Who owes who the Hubba Bubba now????
* instead of sniffing the tennis balls...playing tennis with a friend, usually sm or sj
* Movie and sunset in Midland...I've done that one and it's actually quite nice.
* Playing cards (Hand and Foot) in the mountains of Colorado with M&CG til the wee hours of the night AND playing cards (Hand and Foot) in our kitchen in Midland with S&DP--good times!
* getting an email from an old friend--that happened today!
* watching "King of Queens" reruns with Clay practically every night right before sleepy-time. That show cracks me up.
It is what it is.
My friend, Kirk, had his surgery yesterday. It took 7 hours or so and they did it while he was awake, which is really cool (or weird, depending upon your perspective). Anyway, he did great and is fully intact. The awakeness helped them make sure of that, as they had him recite the Pledge of Allegiance numerous times during the surgery. The surgeon was confident that he got all of the tumor, and Jan will know soon specifics about that. Thanks for your prayers!
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