today i don't think i'll use capitals b/c it hurts to type. this is a labor of love. we (kids & me) went with some friends today over to glen rose to dinosaur valley state park. it's a nice big park that strides the paluxy river. very pretty, but some of you may already know i'm not a river kind of girl. there were lots of slippery rocks that i fell upon (i think i slipped onto my rear 8 times, but i may have lost track) and, on one such occasion, tore a hunk of skin off tall man on my right hand. i don't think anyone else fell as hard or as often as i did, so i'm not sure if i had slippery soles or if i am just becoming highly uncoordinated. either way, i felt dumb. brandon had a blast, of course, but i'm hoping the trip will last him awhile because i don't think my body can take that abuse again. and do you know how often you type keystrokes with the tall man on your right hand? a lot, i tell you. but now i am home and smelling like a city girl once again. also, i'm very thankful for my homedics foot bath/massager and my homedics chair massager, too. both are doing a fabulous job right this moment as we blog. and don't hate me because i'm soft.
well, abby has officially broken her thumb-sucking habit. yay, abster! she's been off the thumb one whole month, so we don't think we have to worry anymore about her sucking it during her graduation ceremony in 2017.
the heezy is coming along nicely. looking to get in it mid-august still. sheetrock is up now. hopefully we'll get bricked next week. whoop!
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Monday, June 27, 2005
Almost Famous
Well that was kind of cool, but I hope it wasn't our 15 minutes of fame, because it really only lasted about 15 seconds. At the Rangers game tonight (Midlothian Stars softball team...remember?), the little roving reporter guy came up and interviewed a girl on the team and Clay, Abby and I were on TV. Not the jumbotron tv, but the real tv...the one in your living room. Too bad if you missed it, because that just makes my 15 seconds of fame even more pitiful. I'll be sure to let you know, though, when the commercial that Abby's team is in airs.
Really, the kids and I spent most of the day at the ballpark, because the kids had a little church field-trip thingy there this morning where we got a tour of it. They got to sit in the dugout, go through the press box and other cool stuff. Brandon loved it, but Abby thought it was "boring". Either way, they both had a memorable summer's day. I think tomorrow will be more restful than memorable. In the words of JA, I sho' tired!
Last night was very nice. 15 people got baptized and lots of people from church were there for the big event. Clay baptized Abby and it was as tender a moment as I remember when he baptized Brandon. Then we had hot dogs and all the kids swam and jumped off the diving board to their little heart's content. Good stuff...I'm looking forward to doing it again in August! [great big yawn] Goodnight.
Really, the kids and I spent most of the day at the ballpark, because the kids had a little church field-trip thingy there this morning where we got a tour of it. They got to sit in the dugout, go through the press box and other cool stuff. Brandon loved it, but Abby thought it was "boring". Either way, they both had a memorable summer's day. I think tomorrow will be more restful than memorable. In the words of JA, I sho' tired!
Last night was very nice. 15 people got baptized and lots of people from church were there for the big event. Clay baptized Abby and it was as tender a moment as I remember when he baptized Brandon. Then we had hot dogs and all the kids swam and jumped off the diving board to their little heart's content. Good stuff...I'm looking forward to doing it again in August! [great big yawn] Goodnight.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
A.E.H. and her very big day
So Abby was reading the kids calendar from church about fun summertime events that is posted on our fridge. She read that this Sunday night we're having a pool baptism at the W's and said to me, "Um, mom, we're having a pool baptism and we need to talk about that." Remember...I told you she prayed to become a Christian in December? Anyway, we HAVE had that talk and she is getting baptized at said date and location. She is soooooooooo excited about it~can't stop thinking/talking about it and reminds everyone she sees. Which is very cool and sets my mind at ease about her being able to remember the event later on. It is a huge deal to her, so I'm thinking it will be firmly entrenched in her mind for years to come. And I'm not even going to try to not cry. because that's just silly. I'm getting teary just blogging about it.
So have a happy weekend. I know I will. :-)
So have a happy weekend. I know I will. :-)
Monday, June 20, 2005
Medically Speaking....
They say that 40 is the new 30. I'm not sure what that means, but after recent drs. visits, it doesn't encourage me any as I head toward that milestone over the next several years. I've been told that I need to start taking calcium supplements because "you're not young anymore" by one kindly physician, and another recently enlightened me this way: "I know that you're not middle-aged the way you think of middle-aged, but medically speaking, you ARE middle-aged." well.
I'm sure that whole "40 is the new 30" thing is because of people like Brad Pitt (41),Tom Cruise (43), Brooke Shields(40), and Sarah Jessica Parker (40), but then...they started out more beautiful in the first place AND they spend the money to fix physical age-tellers, so I'm thinking they're not the best gauge for the rest of us.
Abby has gone 2 straight weeks with NO thumb-sucking. This is quite an accomplishment for her~she's working toward one month and a trip to Celebration Station. I think she's really going to kick the habit this time, because she has shown a determination that we've never witnessed before. She needed a band-aid on her thumb for the first week (just the right one because the left one "tastes nasty. It's not juicy.") Before, this tactic has not deterred her in the least; she simply yanked that band-aid off as soon as no one was looking. But this time, she seems as if nothing will stop her from the bumper boats, and we hope, a newfound freedom from the thumb.
Also, we've found out that Abby's softball team won a contest the Rangers put on...send in video of your team and win fabulous prizes. They've won first place and get 50 tix to a game, their picture on the big screen AND a 30 second spot on a Rangers COMMERCIAL. She's very excited. And Clay took the video himself, so props to him.
I'm sure that whole "40 is the new 30" thing is because of people like Brad Pitt (41),Tom Cruise (43), Brooke Shields(40), and Sarah Jessica Parker (40), but then...they started out more beautiful in the first place AND they spend the money to fix physical age-tellers, so I'm thinking they're not the best gauge for the rest of us.
Abby has gone 2 straight weeks with NO thumb-sucking. This is quite an accomplishment for her~she's working toward one month and a trip to Celebration Station. I think she's really going to kick the habit this time, because she has shown a determination that we've never witnessed before. She needed a band-aid on her thumb for the first week (just the right one because the left one "tastes nasty. It's not juicy.") Before, this tactic has not deterred her in the least; she simply yanked that band-aid off as soon as no one was looking. But this time, she seems as if nothing will stop her from the bumper boats, and we hope, a newfound freedom from the thumb.
Also, we've found out that Abby's softball team won a contest the Rangers put on...send in video of your team and win fabulous prizes. They've won first place and get 50 tix to a game, their picture on the big screen AND a 30 second spot on a Rangers COMMERCIAL. She's very excited. And Clay took the video himself, so props to him.
Friday, June 17, 2005
Circle Yes or No
Well Brandon took 2 showers this week at camp and bought a travel size Scope mouthwash in the gift shop mid-week so he could avoid brushing his teeth from that point forward. And still, somehow, he came home with a new "girlfriend". Those preteen years are magical, I tell you. Actually, from the polls I heard as the vans were unloading, his personal hygiene was right on target with the other boys. Several proudly exclaimed that they had not showered all week and I know of one for sure who could not remember brushing his teeth after Monday. Bless every man who has ever endured a week in a cabin with 10 year old boys.
The "girlfriend" story is quite entertaining, too. I sat and listened to B, Z, and R at lunch telling me all about how she went to camp "liking" B and R. R decided to go ahead and ask her to "go out with" him one day, but asked B to stand behind him as his back up in case she said no. But, since he had purchased a package of Sour Punch Straws for her, she could not resist. It lasted 5 hours, or so I'm told, at which point B stepped in. She couldn't resist him either b/c Z had given her Sour Skittles, telling her they were from B. I asked B (because these are important questions) what made her his girlfriend since he said they didn't walk together, sit together, or talk anywhere except the "Canteen". He said it's because "I like her and she likes me." I give it another half hour.
A is on her way home from N&Ps house. I can't wait to hug her little neck! It's been a fun week, but now I understand what my mom meant all those times she talked about needing all her chicks in the nest and stuff like that.
FYI - Cinderella Man is a GREAT movie if you, like me, love true stories and can handle all the pugilistic bloodiness. Little Opie did well and I didn't even think about Russell Crowe throwing a telephone at that hotel employee after about the first 5 minutes.
The "girlfriend" story is quite entertaining, too. I sat and listened to B, Z, and R at lunch telling me all about how she went to camp "liking" B and R. R decided to go ahead and ask her to "go out with" him one day, but asked B to stand behind him as his back up in case she said no. But, since he had purchased a package of Sour Punch Straws for her, she could not resist. It lasted 5 hours, or so I'm told, at which point B stepped in. She couldn't resist him either b/c Z had given her Sour Skittles, telling her they were from B. I asked B (because these are important questions) what made her his girlfriend since he said they didn't walk together, sit together, or talk anywhere except the "Canteen". He said it's because "I like her and she likes me." I give it another half hour.
A is on her way home from N&Ps house. I can't wait to hug her little neck! It's been a fun week, but now I understand what my mom meant all those times she talked about needing all her chicks in the nest and stuff like that.
FYI - Cinderella Man is a GREAT movie if you, like me, love true stories and can handle all the pugilistic bloodiness. Little Opie did well and I didn't even think about Russell Crowe throwing a telephone at that hotel employee after about the first 5 minutes.
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Insipid Insights?
Childless evening #2 provided me with so much blog material I don't even know where to begin. We went out to camp to visit Branman, which is a post all on its own, but I have other things on my mind at the moment. Then we went over to Ft. Worth for dinner with L&SA at Rosa's. It was, I might add, almost as wonderful to eat at Rosa's as it was to see our friends. I almost felt like we should push a bunch of tables together for Crestview, but it wasn't a Sunday night and we weren't in Midland. Anyway, our conversation produced so many possible blog topics: dredlocks, stepping in gum, and bug-swallowing incidents just to name a few. I have two such incidents of my own...took a drink from a can of coke once and ended up with a bumblebee in my mouth. Another time, I kept feeling something weird in my ear. My mom put drops in and out crawled a GIANT ant (ok, so I didn't swallow it, but it's still a good story).
But, again, I digress. What affected me the most was a question. We were talking about the blog itself when LA asked, "They're (blogs) supposed to be banal, right?" Now I'm certain he didn't MEAN to offend me, but the question has haunted me since, even causing me to question my very blogistence. I mean, BANAL??? You might need to look it up in your dictionary or at merriamwebster.com so you can know why I'm so distraught. But I can tell you it's not good. Ah well, perhaps he'll find mine not so lacking in originality and freshness and will redefine his opinion.
I'm off to lunch in Waxahachie with MLS. Catch ya' later~
But, again, I digress. What affected me the most was a question. We were talking about the blog itself when LA asked, "They're (blogs) supposed to be banal, right?" Now I'm certain he didn't MEAN to offend me, but the question has haunted me since, even causing me to question my very blogistence. I mean, BANAL??? You might need to look it up in your dictionary or at merriamwebster.com so you can know why I'm so distraught. But I can tell you it's not good. Ah well, perhaps he'll find mine not so lacking in originality and freshness and will redefine his opinion.
I'm off to lunch in Waxahachie with MLS. Catch ya' later~
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Everything Is Not an Anecdote
I forgot to mention that while we were in the West End, we came upon a young spray-paint artist. Now, I know that probably doesn't sound all that exciting, but it was really incredible. The guy was very young and had quite a crowd watching him as he quickly painted space pictures as a driving beat blared through his jambox. These pictures were so good I don't think I can describe it, but each one took him 5-10 minutes and it seemed as if he was just creating each new scene as he went along. We (incl. S&LsS and fam) were quite impressed, even thinking he should charge more than the $25 per picture he was getting. As we left, Brandon said, "That guy is unnatural." well put. And speaking of Branslam, he got his first homerun on Saturday during his end of season tournment. Yea, Brandon!
Last night Clay and I went to see Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I liked it, but it was sort of weird because there's all this violent killing going on but it's really a comedy. It was strange to laugh, but we did anyway. I think we're going to see Cinderella Man later this week.
yesterday, I went to a drs. appt. near downtown Dallas, then drove across the metroplex almost to Ft. Worth to pick out appliances for the new house, THEN drove down to Sam's in Grand Prairie before heading home. The entire trip, portal to portal, took about 4 hours. (just in case you wanted to know how long that might take a person) I don't know why, but I found that knowledge both informative and interesting. However, a scene from the movie, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles may better express your thoughts at the moment. It's where Steve Martin says to John Candy, "You know everything is not an anecdote. You have to discriminate. You choose things that are funny or mildly amusing or interesting. You're a miracle! Your stories have NONE of that. They're not even amusing ACCIDENTALLY!..........You know... you know when you're telling these little stories? Here's a good idea: have a point. It makes it so much more interesting for the listener!" I have to remind myself of that sometimes.
Last night Clay and I went to see Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I liked it, but it was sort of weird because there's all this violent killing going on but it's really a comedy. It was strange to laugh, but we did anyway. I think we're going to see Cinderella Man later this week.
yesterday, I went to a drs. appt. near downtown Dallas, then drove across the metroplex almost to Ft. Worth to pick out appliances for the new house, THEN drove down to Sam's in Grand Prairie before heading home. The entire trip, portal to portal, took about 4 hours. (just in case you wanted to know how long that might take a person) I don't know why, but I found that knowledge both informative and interesting. However, a scene from the movie, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles may better express your thoughts at the moment. It's where Steve Martin says to John Candy, "You know everything is not an anecdote. You have to discriminate. You choose things that are funny or mildly amusing or interesting. You're a miracle! Your stories have NONE of that. They're not even amusing ACCIDENTALLY!..........You know... you know when you're telling these little stories? Here's a good idea: have a point. It makes it so much more interesting for the listener!" I have to remind myself of that sometimes.
Monday, June 13, 2005
Rantings of a Quadruped
You might have wondered, "How long CAN a dog continuously bark?" I think I'm going to be able to give you the answer. Most days, we're awakened by this precious neighborhood dog's melodious rantings. However, today he seems extra determined to be heard. We're going on 2 1/2 hours at the moment, with no sign of exhaustion or laryngitis. Now I understand how you could be driven to consider soaking a biscuit in anti-freeze (I won't give up your name here) and tossing it over the fence. [note: don't worry activists and dogmanitarians, I don't think it actually happened. It was more of a pleasant dream I heard about once.]
So, no, I don't think I'll spend my first childless day in the house. Got B and Z off to camp this morning and A left yesterday with grandparents. Z wanted to go see Dallas from the observation deck at Reunion Tower so we ate in the West End and rode the elevator up last night. I kept looking around for A b/c it was really weird---her not being there. But we've already spoken twice and she's having a great time.
Anyway, I'm all done writing for the time being, so if anyone wants to do something fun this week, I'm all yours. Aside from a drs. visit in the big city today and some Welcome Week preparations, I'm footloose and fancy-free.
whoa....it happened again....you remember that "If you blog it, it will come" theory? It sounds as if the dog has just stopped barking. spooky. I think I could probably get on Oprah or something with this newfound ability I seem to have.
So, no, I don't think I'll spend my first childless day in the house. Got B and Z off to camp this morning and A left yesterday with grandparents. Z wanted to go see Dallas from the observation deck at Reunion Tower so we ate in the West End and rode the elevator up last night. I kept looking around for A b/c it was really weird---her not being there. But we've already spoken twice and she's having a great time.
Anyway, I'm all done writing for the time being, so if anyone wants to do something fun this week, I'm all yours. Aside from a drs. visit in the big city today and some Welcome Week preparations, I'm footloose and fancy-free.
whoa....it happened again....you remember that "If you blog it, it will come" theory? It sounds as if the dog has just stopped barking. spooky. I think I could probably get on Oprah or something with this newfound ability I seem to have.
Friday, June 10, 2005
The Pretty Flowers
So we started summer small groups and I'm leading, along with KP and TC, the 11-12th grade girls group. We're going through the book and workbook "Every Young Woman's Battle". I'm looking forward to it for a couple of reasons.
A. good chance to get to know some girls.
2. never led a study on that particular topic before. As the kids get older, I realize more and more how important it will be for me to be ready to discuss such issues. And wow...parents never had to address "virtual relationships" as a subset of their sex talks before, did they?
and
D. Bible study is always a good thing.
I'm teaching in youth SS for the next 3 weeks as well, which also pleases me. 11th grade girls, and then the whole group, I think. Let's see, what else....we're having our own version of "The Amazing Race" on Saturday and I just found out that I can't be there b/c Brandon's baseball tournament conflicts. bummer, too, b/c I was looking forward to watching that pool challenge at the Wooten's! I think we need a Minister to Adults or something to put together stuff like The Amazing Race for big people because that would be fun. maybe. I mean, really...why should we have to wait until we're in the "Glory" class to have people plan group trips for us to go eat at Luby's and look at the pretty flowers?
Well, the sun is shining and the pool is calling my name. Before I go, a few personal notes...
SJ - Happy Birthday to you way up there in Portland, OR!
BD - posting just b/c I know you're waiting. :-)
SAd - pick up the phone
R&KJ - thanks for the invite; will definitely make that visit soon
SAs - ok, this time I'll come to you...you have a Rosa's nearby, right?
A. good chance to get to know some girls.
2. never led a study on that particular topic before. As the kids get older, I realize more and more how important it will be for me to be ready to discuss such issues. And wow...parents never had to address "virtual relationships" as a subset of their sex talks before, did they?
and
D. Bible study is always a good thing.
I'm teaching in youth SS for the next 3 weeks as well, which also pleases me. 11th grade girls, and then the whole group, I think. Let's see, what else....we're having our own version of "The Amazing Race" on Saturday and I just found out that I can't be there b/c Brandon's baseball tournament conflicts. bummer, too, b/c I was looking forward to watching that pool challenge at the Wooten's! I think we need a Minister to Adults or something to put together stuff like The Amazing Race for big people because that would be fun. maybe. I mean, really...why should we have to wait until we're in the "Glory" class to have people plan group trips for us to go eat at Luby's and look at the pretty flowers?
Well, the sun is shining and the pool is calling my name. Before I go, a few personal notes...
SJ - Happy Birthday to you way up there in Portland, OR!
BD - posting just b/c I know you're waiting. :-)
SAd - pick up the phone
R&KJ - thanks for the invite; will definitely make that visit soon
SAs - ok, this time I'll come to you...you have a Rosa's nearby, right?
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
not a clever title in me at the moment
Note 2 Self: blogs about Michael Jackson and/or disgusting restaurants get no comments.
Today I wrapped up my week of dizzles so now I'm officially on summer break, too! Actually, though, I already feel as if we've had a month and a half of it! Brandon has football camp at the high school every morning this week and is loving it. Don't worry...it's non-contact and they're not wearing pads or anything. But he's loving the drills and is having a blast because he's sporty like that. And I love it when he comes home every day telling me about the obstacle course agility drill and other stuff. He has this big smile on his face as he describes every detail of the races that he's lost. It's almost like he gets a kick out of the challenge, even though he's smaller and not as quick as a lot of his friends. I've also noticed it in the pool where he races his buddy Rio every time they swim together and Rio has won every single time. Brandon always comes up smiling and says, "Wanna race again?" I want to say, "See who can hold his breath the longest" or something that I know he has a chance at. But I love that about him.
Just when I thought baseball was over, we find out Brandon is playing for the All-Star team. We don't know yet if he's going to get to play or is an alternate who has to be there all the time but just sit the bench, but he's excited about it anyway.
The house is looking good. They're supposed to stain the concrete today; we'll check it out tonight. I'm glad we're here with the peezy for the summer, but it sure will be nice to get everything out of boxes in a couple of months. I think it will be like Christmas for the kids, especially for Abby who has probably forgotten all the toys she has that have been missing.
ummmm, guess that's it for now.
Today I wrapped up my week of dizzles so now I'm officially on summer break, too! Actually, though, I already feel as if we've had a month and a half of it! Brandon has football camp at the high school every morning this week and is loving it. Don't worry...it's non-contact and they're not wearing pads or anything. But he's loving the drills and is having a blast because he's sporty like that. And I love it when he comes home every day telling me about the obstacle course agility drill and other stuff. He has this big smile on his face as he describes every detail of the races that he's lost. It's almost like he gets a kick out of the challenge, even though he's smaller and not as quick as a lot of his friends. I've also noticed it in the pool where he races his buddy Rio every time they swim together and Rio has won every single time. Brandon always comes up smiling and says, "Wanna race again?" I want to say, "See who can hold his breath the longest" or something that I know he has a chance at. But I love that about him.
Just when I thought baseball was over, we find out Brandon is playing for the All-Star team. We don't know yet if he's going to get to play or is an alternate who has to be there all the time but just sit the bench, but he's excited about it anyway.
The house is looking good. They're supposed to stain the concrete today; we'll check it out tonight. I'm glad we're here with the peezy for the summer, but it sure will be nice to get everything out of boxes in a couple of months. I think it will be like Christmas for the kids, especially for Abby who has probably forgotten all the toys she has that have been missing.
ummmm, guess that's it for now.
Sunday, June 05, 2005
There's a manatee in my macaroni
Is anyone besides me sick of opening your home page day after day to see Michael Jackson's picture and name under"Front Page News"???? I'd just like to say, WE GET IT ALREADY! And speaking of our world's strange fascination with weirdness, I ran across this article and thought you should know(just in case you're ever looking for a place to eat in Taiwan):
Out There: Toilet Eatery Bowls Diners Over
Sunday, June 05, 2005
•Foodies are feeling a little "flushed" about a new restaurant in Taiwan that serves them food in pint-sized toilet-bowl dishes.
And, yes, the food is designed to look like something that belongs in pint-sized toilet-bowl dishes.
Restaurateur Eric Wang's theme eatery, called "Marton" — named after the Chinese word for "toilet," matong — has become quite the popular one in the southern city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan's second-largest, since its opening last year.
You see, at Toilet, the food isn't served on boring old plates. No, no, no. The meals "bowl" diners over as they arrive at the table in miniaturized Western and Asian-style porcelain thrones.
And Wang doesn't stop with the theme. The venue is a bottomless pit of toilet tricks and treats.
Nestled in the teeny-tiny toilet bowls are squishy offerings like curry chicken rice, chocolate ice cream and anything else that reminds one of, well, the real thing.
Patrons seem to love it.
WOW, and I thought it was stepping out to eat at PF Chang's. You can see the rest of the story here http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,158641,00.html if you're so inclined. I also learned from another "Out There" story that there's a new phenomenon sweeping this 15-minutes-of-fame-starved generation...food sightings. Yeah, you heard me right. Taco Bell has even devoted a page called the "Food Sightings Museum" (www.tacobell.com) where people can be heard about the Virgin Mary they saw in their Stuft Burrito. weirdness, i say. But on the other hand...maybe I should be staring at my food a little longer.....
Out There: Toilet Eatery Bowls Diners Over
Sunday, June 05, 2005
•Foodies are feeling a little "flushed" about a new restaurant in Taiwan that serves them food in pint-sized toilet-bowl dishes.
And, yes, the food is designed to look like something that belongs in pint-sized toilet-bowl dishes.
Restaurateur Eric Wang's theme eatery, called "Marton" — named after the Chinese word for "toilet," matong — has become quite the popular one in the southern city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan's second-largest, since its opening last year.
You see, at Toilet, the food isn't served on boring old plates. No, no, no. The meals "bowl" diners over as they arrive at the table in miniaturized Western and Asian-style porcelain thrones.
And Wang doesn't stop with the theme. The venue is a bottomless pit of toilet tricks and treats.
Nestled in the teeny-tiny toilet bowls are squishy offerings like curry chicken rice, chocolate ice cream and anything else that reminds one of, well, the real thing.
Patrons seem to love it.
WOW, and I thought it was stepping out to eat at PF Chang's. You can see the rest of the story here http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,158641,00.html if you're so inclined. I also learned from another "Out There" story that there's a new phenomenon sweeping this 15-minutes-of-fame-starved generation...food sightings. Yeah, you heard me right. Taco Bell has even devoted a page called the "Food Sightings Museum" (www.tacobell.com) where people can be heard about the Virgin Mary they saw in their Stuft Burrito. weirdness, i say. But on the other hand...maybe I should be staring at my food a little longer.....
Friday, June 03, 2005
Musings
Well the summer has certainly begun with a flurry of activity. Had a great week with the extended fam. Got to check out the new Market Street area in The Woodlands...very chic...lots of upscale specialty shops and kewl restaurants around a grassy, waterfally, statuey park where classical music wafts about the air. Also toodled over to Dave's Pepper Palace in Old Towne Spring so I could stock up on my favorite dip mix (I'll eat some for you, my Midland small group friends!) And Clay and the youth had a great time at camp, too. We're all back home now and are enjoying a peaceful rainy day indoors. Since I'm in a rather thoughtful state, let's have a list, shall we?
Things I've Learned (or have been reminded of) So Far in the Summer of '05:
*Pepperoni Rolls are a timeless food favorite.
*Family get-togethers on the less-celebrated holidays are the best because whatever tradition occurs is a result of your own doing.
*The Woodlands, TX is my favorite place on the planet.
*Cell phones are a wonderful invention so you can talk to your youth minister husband when he's at camp and you're not and you can even send him a picture on his phone to make him smile.
*There's a Pier 1 Kids, and it's very cool.
*Sometimes you have to drag your kids out of a swimming pool when their eyes are bloodshot and fingers are wrinkled because it's quite possibly the most treasured kid activity known to mankind.
*You can have fun on Monday nights even after 24 has ended for the season.
*You can travel from Midlothian to Houston to Austin to Waco to Midlothian in about the same amount of time it used to take you to drive from Midland to Houston (or even less if you followed the youth choir tour bus.)
*Brain tumors...I'm trying to think of another word besides that one that AL says I shouldn't use and "stink" just isn't strong enough.... (thanks for the tea and Starbucks visit JK&LB...looking forward to next time with M, too!)
*The hectic schedule of youth ministry in the summertime is a small price to pay for the intense pleasure of seeing teenagers commit their lives to Christ.
looking forward to week 2...
Things I've Learned (or have been reminded of) So Far in the Summer of '05:
*Pepperoni Rolls are a timeless food favorite.
*Family get-togethers on the less-celebrated holidays are the best because whatever tradition occurs is a result of your own doing.
*The Woodlands, TX is my favorite place on the planet.
*Cell phones are a wonderful invention so you can talk to your youth minister husband when he's at camp and you're not and you can even send him a picture on his phone to make him smile.
*There's a Pier 1 Kids, and it's very cool.
*Sometimes you have to drag your kids out of a swimming pool when their eyes are bloodshot and fingers are wrinkled because it's quite possibly the most treasured kid activity known to mankind.
*You can have fun on Monday nights even after 24 has ended for the season.
*You can travel from Midlothian to Houston to Austin to Waco to Midlothian in about the same amount of time it used to take you to drive from Midland to Houston (or even less if you followed the youth choir tour bus.)
*Brain tumors...I'm trying to think of another word besides that one that AL says I shouldn't use and "stink" just isn't strong enough.... (thanks for the tea and Starbucks visit JK&LB...looking forward to next time with M, too!)
*The hectic schedule of youth ministry in the summertime is a small price to pay for the intense pleasure of seeing teenagers commit their lives to Christ.
looking forward to week 2...
Saturday, May 28, 2005
That Nasty Fall
"He said to Adam....The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you...You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground..." Gen. 3:17-19
I'm glad I'm a woman. Today, Clay has gone (with KD and NE) to load up and haul off the massive piles of wasted construction scraps and other trash from our lot. ($2K saved...cha-ching) This, after spending yesterday dropping the cable/phone/computer wires by the sweat of his brow throughout the new house (cha-ching again). Yes, indeed, it's good to be female. Oh, stop thinking that. I'm going out there in just a little while to help, but there are inside chores to be done first; plus, the kids just got up. The bottom line, though, is that I'm not in charge of such horrible little projects, and for that I rejoice. There are some other problems that we women must endure (see v. 16), but overall, I think it's a nice little trade-off.
Well, school ended without incident and now we're preparing to make the most of our 3 months of freedom. I did get to click "send" yesterday on the big writing assignment that I've been working on since April. Now I just have a few loose ends on that and a week of dizzles (hip-talk practice for you, mom....that's a week of devotions) to write in the next couple of weeks. Then I'm through at least until August and maybe September. I'll be on vacation next week, but will post if there's anything exciting to share. Until then, have a blessed Memorial Day, live, laugh, love, and all that other stuff.
I'm glad I'm a woman. Today, Clay has gone (with KD and NE) to load up and haul off the massive piles of wasted construction scraps and other trash from our lot. ($2K saved...cha-ching) This, after spending yesterday dropping the cable/phone/computer wires by the sweat of his brow throughout the new house (cha-ching again). Yes, indeed, it's good to be female. Oh, stop thinking that. I'm going out there in just a little while to help, but there are inside chores to be done first; plus, the kids just got up. The bottom line, though, is that I'm not in charge of such horrible little projects, and for that I rejoice. There are some other problems that we women must endure (see v. 16), but overall, I think it's a nice little trade-off.
Well, school ended without incident and now we're preparing to make the most of our 3 months of freedom. I did get to click "send" yesterday on the big writing assignment that I've been working on since April. Now I just have a few loose ends on that and a week of dizzles (hip-talk practice for you, mom....that's a week of devotions) to write in the next couple of weeks. Then I'm through at least until August and maybe September. I'll be on vacation next week, but will post if there's anything exciting to share. Until then, have a blessed Memorial Day, live, laugh, love, and all that other stuff.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
tha peezy fo' sheezy
I can't say much because I've been publicly reprimanded by M&B, but OH MY GOODNESS. I think that was the best season of "24" yet. And quite possibly, the best season of dramatic television ever. It's a sad day now, though. I'm somewhat at a loss as to what I'll do for entertainment between now and 2006. I guess I might have to check out a book or something, because once Alias draws to its dramatic conclusion tomorrow night, I'll be all done for awhile. let's all observe a moment of silence.
You guys are making this hard on me...posting belated comments on previous blogs. But that's ok; I'm up to the challenge, I think. Thanks SA for the reminder of Brandon's "it's a little bit funny" story, and to dad for, well, just being dad.
T minus 1 full day and 2 half-days until I've got 2 kids at home with no state-mandated activities for an extra-long summer. Hey, SP, we're goin' to the peezy! I'm looking forward to a summer full of blog-worthy material. After all, I realize that some of you have real jobs and don't get summer breaks anymore. I'll do my best to keep you in tune with life on the other side.
summer activities I'm most looking forward to:
*swimming
*family get-togethers (like next week!)
*mission trip to south Texas where it's even hotter than Brandon's last baseball game
*swimming
*my first Super Summer ever - I'm working in the Wienie Wagon!
*Gage and Britt's bday party
*moving
*swimming
*sleepovers--because I'm cool like that
*tagging along with KP on her educational/recreational-calendar-planned-don't-let-the-children-be-cooped-up-in-front-of-the-PS2-all-summer-long-events
*reading the Bible through alongside Brandon and Clay(we're all 3 in Exodus right now...let's see how far we'll get this summer!)
*and swimming.
You guys are making this hard on me...posting belated comments on previous blogs. But that's ok; I'm up to the challenge, I think. Thanks SA for the reminder of Brandon's "it's a little bit funny" story, and to dad for, well, just being dad.
T minus 1 full day and 2 half-days until I've got 2 kids at home with no state-mandated activities for an extra-long summer. Hey, SP, we're goin' to the peezy! I'm looking forward to a summer full of blog-worthy material. After all, I realize that some of you have real jobs and don't get summer breaks anymore. I'll do my best to keep you in tune with life on the other side.
summer activities I'm most looking forward to:
*swimming
*family get-togethers (like next week!)
*mission trip to south Texas where it's even hotter than Brandon's last baseball game
*swimming
*my first Super Summer ever - I'm working in the Wienie Wagon!
*Gage and Britt's bday party
*moving
*swimming
*sleepovers--because I'm cool like that
*tagging along with KP on her educational/recreational-calendar-planned-don't-let-the-children-be-cooped-up-in-front-of-the-PS2-all-summer-long-events
*reading the Bible through alongside Brandon and Clay(we're all 3 in Exodus right now...let's see how far we'll get this summer!)
*and swimming.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Beff's Dad
I should probably be writing for pay right now since I have two assignments I'd love to get finished before school is out on Friday, but I thought I should first tell you about the 15th anniversary trip. I surprised Clay with a trip down to the place of our courtship...Texas A&M University (whoop if ya' can). We spent Thurs. through Sat. walking around campus, eating at familiar places, updating our former student wardrobes, and mostly just taking it easy. A&M played t.u. in baseball Friday night and it was a GREAT game. couldn't have asked for better. From inning one to the victorious end the crowd was raucous. We were sitting around a pretty good contingent of teasips and some particularly vocal A&M students, which is always an exciting mix. They shared unpleasantries throughout the course of the game, but nothing too uncomfortably ugly. It was all in good fun, and the Ags pulled out the win on a wild pitch with bases loaded in the bottom of the tenth. A good time was had by all, except possibly all those people in orange who left the field with scowls on their faces. But the biggest coup of the trip was that I pulled some strings and Clay and I had free lodging at the VP's on-campus very large and nice home. He doesn't actually live there, but uses it for entertaining, student meetings and such. He was in New Zealand and was thrilled to let The Hopkins stay when he heard from my former Intramural boss that we were coming to town for our anniversary. That "Student Worker of the Year - 1990" is still paying off for me, I tell you. And that's a good lesson for us all...do a good job, even if it's just some hourly minimum wage gig. You never know where your boss will end up down the road.
So upon our return we had Brandon's last regular season game in the hotter than Sheol afternoon. They lost, and finished in 3rd place, which is still quite an accomplishment for them. They'll have a tournament that I can only hope will be played in the evenings, because I don't know anyone, child or adult, who enjoyed being out there Sat. when it was 200 degrees (or something like that). The Abster has her last game tomorrow night and I'm pretty sure she's invited everyone she knows.
And speaking of the Abbinator, I've been reminded of a story that I failed to share earlier when we were doing that. It's funny, and I want to share it now just to show that I was not the only recipient of her zings.
I think she was 3 years old -
me: who's your favorite mom?
Ab: you are
me: who's your favorite brother?
Ab: Brandon
me: who's your favorite daddy?
Ab (deadpan): Beff's (Beth's) dad.
So upon our return we had Brandon's last regular season game in the hotter than Sheol afternoon. They lost, and finished in 3rd place, which is still quite an accomplishment for them. They'll have a tournament that I can only hope will be played in the evenings, because I don't know anyone, child or adult, who enjoyed being out there Sat. when it was 200 degrees (or something like that). The Abster has her last game tomorrow night and I'm pretty sure she's invited everyone she knows.
And speaking of the Abbinator, I've been reminded of a story that I failed to share earlier when we were doing that. It's funny, and I want to share it now just to show that I was not the only recipient of her zings.
I think she was 3 years old -
me: who's your favorite mom?
Ab: you are
me: who's your favorite brother?
Ab: Brandon
me: who's your favorite daddy?
Ab (deadpan): Beff's (Beth's) dad.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
When you're 36, do people round up to 40?
Well it continued to be a great bday. It started out a little hectic, though. I was planning to write yesterday morning before my lunch date, but turned on the computer and my brand-spankin' new keyboard and mouse wouldn't work. So I tried to make it work for way too long before I had to step away from the situation entirely so as not to reign curses down on an inanimate object. Because that's not a very mature thing to do when you're aggravated, and I am 36 now. So I thought I'd take it back and get a better one, but this made me sad because I love this one. That's why I picked it. So last night we (and when I say "we", I mean Clay) reinstalled (thanks for the tip T&LDW) and hooked it up a little differently. Waaaalaaa! It's working perfectly.
That's probably a little TMI, I know. Lunch was fun and after I got the kids from school they swam happily before coming in to get ready for dinner and Brandon's game. I tell you that pool is going to be great to have this summer. We had chocolate chip pancakes and sausage for dinner. mmmmmm. Then...this is the neatest part....we went out to the new house (which has been framed and there are some wall-innards and stuff)and wrote Scripture verses on the floor and framing. The kids had picked some to write on the floor of their rooms and Clay and I wrote some in other parts of the house. Then we had a family prayer time as we walked through the house. It kind of reminded me of the unit I'm writing about on leadership. The session I've been working on this week is from Joshua 4 where the Israelites set up the twelve stones before the ark is carried up out of the Jordan. The point of the lesson is that it's important to lead others to recognize God's work in their lives. Anyway, remembrances are good and I hope that ours serves to remind us who God is, what He's done in our lives, and who He'll still be in the not so far away future.
Brandon's team that started out like the Bad News Bears this season actually has a chance to finish in first place. Unbelievable. The transformation is incredible, as we witnessed them beat, no...DOMINATE, the first place team last night. funny, and I'm sure there's some spiritual app there, too, but I know that you prefer levity here in blogosphere, so I'll save it for another day.
That's probably a little TMI, I know. Lunch was fun and after I got the kids from school they swam happily before coming in to get ready for dinner and Brandon's game. I tell you that pool is going to be great to have this summer. We had chocolate chip pancakes and sausage for dinner. mmmmmm. Then...this is the neatest part....we went out to the new house (which has been framed and there are some wall-innards and stuff)and wrote Scripture verses on the floor and framing. The kids had picked some to write on the floor of their rooms and Clay and I wrote some in other parts of the house. Then we had a family prayer time as we walked through the house. It kind of reminded me of the unit I'm writing about on leadership. The session I've been working on this week is from Joshua 4 where the Israelites set up the twelve stones before the ark is carried up out of the Jordan. The point of the lesson is that it's important to lead others to recognize God's work in their lives. Anyway, remembrances are good and I hope that ours serves to remind us who God is, what He's done in our lives, and who He'll still be in the not so far away future.
Brandon's team that started out like the Bad News Bears this season actually has a chance to finish in first place. Unbelievable. The transformation is incredible, as we witnessed them beat, no...DOMINATE, the first place team last night. funny, and I'm sure there's some spiritual app there, too, but I know that you prefer levity here in blogosphere, so I'll save it for another day.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Best Birthday Ever
So my mom and dad always give me birthday money for my birthday. Usually I'm very responsible with it and buy myself clothes or useful and needed things for the house or yard. But today, I'm sitting here at the computer witha brand-spankin' new cordless and ergonomically correct keyboard in my LAP (I got a mouse, too) while my HoMedics SBM-200 chair massager is working out the knots in my back. I can't recall ever spending my money on items of such frivolity, self-indulgence and pamperedness. This massager is so great that I'm even making up words like pamperedness. I'm pretty sure that's not a proper use of the root word, but I'm so relaxed I don't even care!
Also, I got to go out to dinner last night w/out kids and that was fun. And tomorrow I get to go to lunch with some friends at a place in Waxahachie that I hear is great, even though it might remind me of my San Angelo experience of croissant with turkey-for-her-only bias. Oh! AND, a couple of concerned blog-readers (S and LsS) got me an extra special treasure---a whole bag full of SPAM products! Did you kow that there are many flavors and varieties? It's "CRAZY TASTY"! I think I got all the different flavors, plus a "SPAM Single" package--"Just rip and tear your way to CRAZY TASTY town!" Very funny gift, but know this S&LsS....it's ON! I have awhile to plan, but there will be sure and swift retribution on the days of YOUR birth.
Let's see...I also bought some of those really neat flip flops that have the soles of a tennis shoe. I like 'em. I like 'em a lot. And Clay got me the new Jars of Clay cd, "Redemption Songs". It is very very good...old hymns sung in a modern way. If you liked the music from the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou?" (RJ, for sure), you'll LOVE this cd. I especially like their renditions of "I'll Fly Away", "Nothin' But the Blood", "On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand", and "It Is Well." good stuff.
All that, and my birthday hasn't even actually ARRIVED yet! Yes, indeed, Gloria Deluxe CH has nothing on me. She probably only got a new saw or accordian strap for her birthday.
Also, I got to go out to dinner last night w/out kids and that was fun. And tomorrow I get to go to lunch with some friends at a place in Waxahachie that I hear is great, even though it might remind me of my San Angelo experience of croissant with turkey-for-her-only bias. Oh! AND, a couple of concerned blog-readers (S and LsS) got me an extra special treasure---a whole bag full of SPAM products! Did you kow that there are many flavors and varieties? It's "CRAZY TASTY"! I think I got all the different flavors, plus a "SPAM Single" package--"Just rip and tear your way to CRAZY TASTY town!" Very funny gift, but know this S&LsS....it's ON! I have awhile to plan, but there will be sure and swift retribution on the days of YOUR birth.
Let's see...I also bought some of those really neat flip flops that have the soles of a tennis shoe. I like 'em. I like 'em a lot. And Clay got me the new Jars of Clay cd, "Redemption Songs". It is very very good...old hymns sung in a modern way. If you liked the music from the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou?" (RJ, for sure), you'll LOVE this cd. I especially like their renditions of "I'll Fly Away", "Nothin' But the Blood", "On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand", and "It Is Well." good stuff.
All that, and my birthday hasn't even actually ARRIVED yet! Yes, indeed, Gloria Deluxe CH has nothing on me. She probably only got a new saw or accordian strap for her birthday.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Go Google Yourself
Have you ever googled yourself? It's quite interesting, but also a little bit depressing. I googled myself yesterday and found out that I'm not the most famous Cynthia Hopkins around. It's really weird to see your name with someone else's picture, but that's what I found. There's this chick who is, apparently, a very successful musician. Anyone heard of the band, Gloria Deluxe? Well, the other CH started the alt-country band and plays the accordian, guitar, saw, trumpet, viola, and drums. She's a "magnet on stage" and has written the award winning gleeful musical odyssey "Accidental Nostalgia," that explores the pros and cons of amnesia. hmmmm. Then there's also a CH who was the set dresser for the 1986 TV show "Yuri Nosenko" with Tommy Lee Jones. AND, if that weren't bad enough, there's another CH who is a writer! She's Canadian, and I ran across an article she wrote for "Mothering", which I have to admit, was very good. So there's a chance that I might not even be the best CH writer!!! How am I supposed to work this morning with this newfound knowledge????
But there is a ray of sunshine. I did run across the real me on two web pages and that was kind of cool. The ec sample on LifeWay's site is a devotion that I wrote. You can see it here.
http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_ec_Sample.pdf
Scroll down to see my name as a devotional writer on the bottom right hand side of the contents page. Then, scroll down past the article to see a devotion that I wrote awhile back. And then there's this old notice from a church in Lubbock for their "Holiday Celebration" that I spoke at last fall. They put my name on there and "Featured Guest Speaker", which is kind of funny to me, because I'm pretty sure that didn't help them sell more tickets. Maybe if it had been Gloria Deluxe CH.... :-)
I also googled my maiden name and found out that I may, in fact, be the most famous Cynthia Wooldridge, if I still went by that name. Because mostly I just found genealogy stuff for that name.
Now I don't want you worrying about me---I don't have this deep inner desire to be famous or anything, it's just that it's kind of fun to see yourself on the world wide web. So take a few moments and go google yourself. You might need to narrow your search by adding your city or something. Have fun with your new little project, and let me know how it turns out!
But there is a ray of sunshine. I did run across the real me on two web pages and that was kind of cool. The ec sample on LifeWay's site is a devotion that I wrote. You can see it here.
http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_ec_Sample.pdf
Scroll down to see my name as a devotional writer on the bottom right hand side of the contents page. Then, scroll down past the article to see a devotion that I wrote awhile back. And then there's this old notice from a church in Lubbock for their "Holiday Celebration" that I spoke at last fall. They put my name on there and "Featured Guest Speaker", which is kind of funny to me, because I'm pretty sure that didn't help them sell more tickets. Maybe if it had been Gloria Deluxe CH.... :-)
I also googled my maiden name and found out that I may, in fact, be the most famous Cynthia Wooldridge, if I still went by that name. Because mostly I just found genealogy stuff for that name.
Now I don't want you worrying about me---I don't have this deep inner desire to be famous or anything, it's just that it's kind of fun to see yourself on the world wide web. So take a few moments and go google yourself. You might need to narrow your search by adding your city or something. Have fun with your new little project, and let me know how it turns out!
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
the complexity of brick and some other stuff
So it turns out I was wrong about a few things~
1. all brick is not, in fact, created equal. Thanks to my builder brother for straightening me out on that one. And just in case the rest of you didn't know, clay brick is way better than concrete brick.
p.s. the house is taking shape-it's framed and looking good!
2. Chick-fil-A is not actually a good place to eat breakfast, health-wise. Thanks to Sharon for spending time in her last semester at A&M to actually study each menu item for nutritional value. (this really isn't new news to me, it's just that I've chosen to ignore the knowledge. and will, it seems, continue to do so as I have just this moment polished off a delicious chicken biscuit)
3. Jack didn't stop the nuke in time, but I'm thinking he's going to figure out how to make it land in Siberia or the ocean or something before it actually destroys us all. And also, I'm tired of Audrey, the acting President, and that guy from China. 3 hours before it all comes down...whew!
4. Boston Rob and Kelly didn't win the Amazing Race. Yea, Uchenna and Joyce!
Abby has her end of the year party today, a luau! The next couple of weeks are fun-filled for both kids. Clay and I have apparently been assigned a very important job at Brandon's Field Day this Friday. So important, in fact, that Coach Oliver had to lay it down for us Monday night at Abby's softball game (the other team didn't show up :-( Word must be getting out, the Stars remain undefeated with only 2 games left on the schedule.) Next week, Abby has field day and Brandon will have "Cowboy Day". I'm not sure what that one's all about, but he said something about a longhorn at the school, grilling hot dogs and other cowboy-type stuff.
And next week will surely prove to be fun-filled for me as well. After I turn 36 on Monday, there are only a few more days until our 15th anniversary. Clay and I trade off each year who has the duty of planning a date/trip or whatever. It's my year, and I must say, I've outdone myself. But I can't tell you now because he reads this and I'm keeping it on the down-low. But I will say that we'll be out of pocket for a few days. More to come!
~Cynthia
1. all brick is not, in fact, created equal. Thanks to my builder brother for straightening me out on that one. And just in case the rest of you didn't know, clay brick is way better than concrete brick.
p.s. the house is taking shape-it's framed and looking good!
2. Chick-fil-A is not actually a good place to eat breakfast, health-wise. Thanks to Sharon for spending time in her last semester at A&M to actually study each menu item for nutritional value. (this really isn't new news to me, it's just that I've chosen to ignore the knowledge. and will, it seems, continue to do so as I have just this moment polished off a delicious chicken biscuit)
3. Jack didn't stop the nuke in time, but I'm thinking he's going to figure out how to make it land in Siberia or the ocean or something before it actually destroys us all. And also, I'm tired of Audrey, the acting President, and that guy from China. 3 hours before it all comes down...whew!
4. Boston Rob and Kelly didn't win the Amazing Race. Yea, Uchenna and Joyce!
Abby has her end of the year party today, a luau! The next couple of weeks are fun-filled for both kids. Clay and I have apparently been assigned a very important job at Brandon's Field Day this Friday. So important, in fact, that Coach Oliver had to lay it down for us Monday night at Abby's softball game (the other team didn't show up :-( Word must be getting out, the Stars remain undefeated with only 2 games left on the schedule.) Next week, Abby has field day and Brandon will have "Cowboy Day". I'm not sure what that one's all about, but he said something about a longhorn at the school, grilling hot dogs and other cowboy-type stuff.
And next week will surely prove to be fun-filled for me as well. After I turn 36 on Monday, there are only a few more days until our 15th anniversary. Clay and I trade off each year who has the duty of planning a date/trip or whatever. It's my year, and I must say, I've outdone myself. But I can't tell you now because he reads this and I'm keeping it on the down-low. But I will say that we'll be out of pocket for a few days. More to come!
~Cynthia
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Mother's Day
The kids gave me my M-Day gifts a day early today. They helped clean the house, drew pictures and each gave me a card they had picked out at Target. Brandon even stuck a dollar bill in his card for me. :-) And Abby hasn't stopped showering me with words of love and kindness all day long. See? Some of our moments are tender. Here are the best of the best:
* We talked with Abby a lot last year about what it means/takes to be a Christian. One night after she'd asked some questions and I'd explained it, including the fact that it involved making Jesus her boss, she thought for a moment then said, "Maybe I'll do that tomorrow." She then rolled over and went to sleep.
But then, on Dec. 8, all on her own, Abby prayed to make Jesus her Lord and Savior during her bedtime prayer. When she was finished she looked up at me and smiled that great big smile of hers and said, "I did it, Mom." We're waiting a little bit on baptism, but know that the choice was her own. Since then, we've watched with great pleasure as she has sought to grow, even at her young age, through reading the Bible and having "quiet times."
*July 2001 - Brandon had been asking about getting baptized for awhile, but had not yet understood about grace up until this point. Then, one night during his bedtime prayer he said all on his own that he wanted Jesus to be his Lord and Savior and the boss of his life. We talked about it a lot the next few weeks and felt confident that Brandon understood what he was doing. He prayed again with Clay and was baptized a couple of weeks later.
August 2001 After Brandon's baptism, we were looking at the pictures I had taken of the event. Brandon saw the one where he's looking seriously down into the water, seemingly prayerful. He laughed and said to mom, "Nana, you know what I was thinking right there? I was thinking, 'I sure do wish I was swimming in this water right now, because it is so warm.'"
It's funny to me how both kids came to Christ in similar ways. I guess I had this picture of leading them to a point of decision, and in a sense we did. But mostly, both kids just took the lead when they were ready. When I was trying to hold Brandon back a little bit, concerned about how young he was, a friend reminded me that salvation is between them and God, not them, MOM, and God. Guess I'll probably have to learn that lesson about some other things along the way as well.
It's a very, very good thing to be a mom.
* We talked with Abby a lot last year about what it means/takes to be a Christian. One night after she'd asked some questions and I'd explained it, including the fact that it involved making Jesus her boss, she thought for a moment then said, "Maybe I'll do that tomorrow." She then rolled over and went to sleep.
But then, on Dec. 8, all on her own, Abby prayed to make Jesus her Lord and Savior during her bedtime prayer. When she was finished she looked up at me and smiled that great big smile of hers and said, "I did it, Mom." We're waiting a little bit on baptism, but know that the choice was her own. Since then, we've watched with great pleasure as she has sought to grow, even at her young age, through reading the Bible and having "quiet times."
*July 2001 - Brandon had been asking about getting baptized for awhile, but had not yet understood about grace up until this point. Then, one night during his bedtime prayer he said all on his own that he wanted Jesus to be his Lord and Savior and the boss of his life. We talked about it a lot the next few weeks and felt confident that Brandon understood what he was doing. He prayed again with Clay and was baptized a couple of weeks later.
August 2001 After Brandon's baptism, we were looking at the pictures I had taken of the event. Brandon saw the one where he's looking seriously down into the water, seemingly prayerful. He laughed and said to mom, "Nana, you know what I was thinking right there? I was thinking, 'I sure do wish I was swimming in this water right now, because it is so warm.'"
It's funny to me how both kids came to Christ in similar ways. I guess I had this picture of leading them to a point of decision, and in a sense we did. But mostly, both kids just took the lead when they were ready. When I was trying to hold Brandon back a little bit, concerned about how young he was, a friend reminded me that salvation is between them and God, not them, MOM, and God. Guess I'll probably have to learn that lesson about some other things along the way as well.
It's a very, very good thing to be a mom.
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