In Love with the Boy

Oh, my little boy just continues to madden me and melt my heart every day of the week.

Last week, he came home with two notes from his teacher. One for elbowing another little boy so hard that he made him cry for 5 minutes and the other for play punching someone too hard 4 or 5 times.

Then today, he proudly popped in the door and showed me the "excellent" written across his hand. I made him cookies. It was the first HAND message of excellence he had ever received. Can you believe the word "excellent" even fit on his hot, grubby hand?

Before bedtime he came downstairs wearing every shark tooth necklace that he owns. All four of em. There's just something about a little boy that makes you want to hug em and never let them go.

The child is competely sold out right now to his interest in the Titanic. He pores over pictures and knows a lot of info about the disaster, including the location in the ocean where the boat sank and the name of the boat that saved the survivors. Today at the library, I found The Magic Tree house book Trouble on the Titanic and the CD to go along with it. I turned it on for him about 9:15. Bad idea. I thought he had fallen asleep to the author's soothing reading of the story, but at 10:45 he came and asked me (told me) to put the next CD in. "No way!" I insisted. "WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY," he moaned loudly! Luke really brings alive the old saying "my way or the highway." I gave him a sleep strip and it was MY WAY like it or not.

Surprisingly, he has a soft side too. Our doggie isn't well. In fact, we took him to the vet today to see if there is something we can do. He sleeps all day and hasn't eaten in several. They decided to keep Cosmo overnight, and when I told Luke, his comment was, "Poor Cosmo. He must be so discouraged." My sister's 3 year old daughter Maggie has captivated all of us, but in particular Luke who sits next to her at every family occasion and cutely puts his arm behind her back when he is walking by her.

One more thing: last week, when I took him to Sunday school, the teacher stopped me and told me that Luke had prayed for the Sunday school class last week and that his prayer was a really wonderful one. Honestly, I so seldom get stopped with positives about Luke that the tears flowed out of my eyes almost immediatley. That meant so much to me. So we got in the car and I mentioned his prayer to him and he said that in fact he needed to pray right now. "Heavenly Father," he said quietly, "please help me to get 1000 Lego Motors so I can make cars, and... (glancing over toward me,) "please give my mom 200 pairs of earrings." Ha. So much for the profound prayer, but at least he included his mama!

What a lucky mom I am!

Fireflies

It's funny how much your kids can open up your mind to new things. Luke came home from a friend's house singing this new song, and was begging me to look it up on You Tube for him.

I had never heard of Owl City or their song "Fireflies." (I'm positive that I'm completely out of it when it comes to the music scene. It's quite possible that everyone in the world has heard this song except for me).

Anyway, "Fireflies" is all we have been listening to the last few days and if you haven't heard it, you've got to take a quick listen and look. I am completely mesmerized by it. The song itself is such a great reminder of the innocence of childhood and shows a deep longing for that magical time, but check out the video... if you are a child of the 70's, you will see some of your favorite things that you probably had forgotten about.

Report Cards are Out

Remember those bumper stickers that say something like "My child is an Honor Student at .... whatever... school" and "My honor student is smarter than your honor student"? Did I dream that? Do people really put things like that on their cars? A google search led me to some other funny bumper stickers and a few really funny ones I wouldn't post on my family blog (my kids are all over it.)

Anyway, I am hoping this post won't be that obnoxious, but it was so cute that I couldn't pass it up.

Yesterday, report cards came home and I asked Kami how she did. She brought it over to me and showed me the results. I was very, very proud of her, but could tell that something was bothering her. "What's wrong?" I asked. She looked down and said quietly, "well, something happened. I didn't get on the Principal's Honor Roll this year. I am on the Janitor's Honor Roll." I didn't understand, so she showed me her certificate. In big black letters, it read "Superintendent's Honor Roll." I think she had heard of a "building superintendent" and got confused with THE "Superintendent of Schools." I assured her that she was on a GREAT honor roll.

So it got me to thinking about a new bumper sticker, "My child is on the Janitor's Honor Roll!"

Tennis, Anyone?

As you may have read in one of my past posts, I have recently taken up tennis.

Those words "taken up tennis" bounce around ridiculously in my mind. When I size myself up, I couldn't be any farther from a tennis player. Despite multiple attempts as a child to find my sports niche, I never found enough coordination to have any success. It was so bad that I was CUT from my college sorority intramural basketball team. No kidding. PEOPLE DON'T GET CUT FROM INTRAMURAL SORORITY TEAMS. I did.

Add on to my lack of athletic ability that I am not the tennis club type, really. What is the type? Oh, I don't know, but I am fairly sure that I am not it.

However, I have this friend who I call Recruiter Rhonda. She is just one of those people who is really good at motivating people. Really REALLY good. She's got me playing tennis. That is nothing short of a Roger Federer Ace. What is really amazing is that I am enjoying it! I think the ability to learn new things at any age is one amazing gift that God has given us. Now, I am not saying I am good, but I can hit it over the net!

All this just sets the stage for what happened yesterday. I went to my tennis drill group at the tennis club where I have already had my share of embarrasing moments: I have fallen twice while trying to hit the ball... right on my tushie. But drill went well, and I had to leave a little early for a meeting, so I went into the ladies locker room where I am always a bit nervous. I changed back into my work clothes and was excited at the assortment of free products on the counter. As I refixed my hair, I delightedly grabbed the hair spray and sprayed away. That is when I noticed the ladies in the locker room giving me a strange look. It clicked.

I was spraying my hair with aerosol deodorant.

2010 in The Year of Our Lord

There are an explosion of things to like about a new year. Besides parties and resolutions there is a fresh start and new hope. Remembering the past, yet looking forward with clean slate.

My favorite thing about the new year doesn't fade like the memory of a party or wear off like new year's resolutions. It won't tarnish.

My favorite thing?
I take comfort and joy in the fact that we are living in the year 2010 A.D.

That is 2010 A.D. (anno Domini, not "after death" as many think), which is Latin for "in the year of our Lord."

In the early 6th century, Dionysius Exiguus was commissoned by the pope to find the correct date of Easter. In doing this, he invented a new system of counting time, and the system replaced their current system, the Diocletian era. Thus time changed that year from Diocletian 247 to A.D. 532.

(Side note: Since B.C. means Before Christ and A.D. reflects that Christ was born upon the earth, there is no year 0. The time literally COUNTS DOWN B.C. until the Birth of Christ 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and then immediately moves to 1 A.D., the year of our Lord - interesting to me at least!)

And since then, every year, the world counts time according to the birth of the one who made it all possible.

There are experts who say Dionysius got it wrong, that Jesus was actually born closer to the year 4 BC. There are also those who, opposed to living under a system that presupposes a Christian belief, refer to the year as 2010 CE (common era). I don't care.

None of that bothers me a bit, because the year 2010 resounds in my heart.

The government can take the 10 commandments out of the courthouses, but they cannot take away the faith that is strengthened every time I write the year and think about the fact that we are indeed living in year 2010, the year of MY LORD.

Gratefulness

The kids wanted to make posters for Tom when he returned from his sub-zero journey to the Dakotas. Ellie greeted him in Ed McMahon style (her idea), asking me later, "do you think Dad really expects me to give him a million dollars?"

3 Parties, 2 Bowling Dates and 1 Fantastic New Year

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day came with no lack of activities for us this particular year. I think it was God's little blessing to me since Tom was gone for 7 full days from December 28th AM to January 3rd PM. Helped me not to get too lonely or have enough time to feel sorry for myself.

We rang in 2010 with a gaggle of people in family style. It was a great party in a huge house with unique entertainment (a kids' talent show - Luke did his breakdancing routine!)
Some of Kami's friends were there!

See, I told you.... lots of people.. and this was just the kids!

Earlier in the day, we hosted a Bunco party for the girls in Kami's class at school... I was a little worried about 6th graders getting the idea of bunco...

but... uh..... it wasn't a problem. I just sat and relaxed on the couch, while they rang the bell, tallied their points and moved on when they won.

They went four rounds and LOVED it! I just gave out prizes at the end, but wait until they get a taste of playing for $! Ellie wanted a bunco party too, but we opted for a Clue party instead.... I was a little frazzled at the thought of 12 eight year olds trying to figure it out. Clue was much slower paced; there was some yawning. I felt kind of bad because they started talking about all the different ways to die.... "I would rather die by poison," one girl said. "NO WAY!" said another, "that rots your insides out. Just get a gun and get it over with." Nice little heartwarming game of Clue that was. But I think they had fun.

Brooke and Kami are on to something

Savannah showing her card to Ellie and Hallie.

Savannah making an "accusation." By the way, the New Clue (I couldn't find the old one) has all these new-fangled rules, that while making me miss the original simplicity of the game, still added some interest and challenge that the original didn't have.

We went bowling two days in a row... New Year's Eve and Day... here we are with Tiff and LeeAnn's families on New Year's Day.

Ellie and Big Braden!

He was a cute bowler. And better than me. I was absolutley awful at bowling! Confirming my theory that I am completely unathletic. I mean, I could not roll the thing straight!

We went back to Tiff's for homemade lasagna cooked by Mr. Italiano, Joe! It was SuPeR yummy!

On New Year's Eve, Luke got to hang out with the BOYZ. Austin and Cody.

What cutie patooties!

and here's to my boy and the year 2010. Many blessings to you and yours in the New Year.

Faux Paux?

This year, Tom told me what he wanted for Christmas.

Silverware.

You know it's bad when your husband is asking for new silverware for Christmas. When we were married, we did recieve a full set of everyday silverware, but that was 13+ years ago. There were a few lone survivors from our original set, but for the most part, we had accumulated a motely crew of eating utensils.

So... I went and picked out something that we could use for the next 13 years or so. It wasn't until I lugged it inside the house I realized that tucked up into the very tip top of my kitchen cabinets was a full and shiny set of our "nice" silverware that we had received as gifts 13+ years ago.

Hmmmm. Should I save it for another 13 years? Or should I go ahead and use it now? For the record, I had pretty bad taste 13+ years ago.... I just got rid of our dark green tinted drinking glasses last year. But I really am not picky about stuff like that.... as much as I'd like to be a domestic diva... that I ain't. And I like the "nice" silverware just fine! I would enjoy using it because if there's one thing I hate, that is wasting things. And it sure seems like a waste for my silverware to be unused for another decade. But will I be sorry? Will I look back with angst and think, "why oh WHY did I ever use that nice silverware? How could I be so stupid?" Why do people save the good stuff anyway? To use on holidays and special occasions? To pass down to their grandchildren? Am I wrong? Am I delusional? Am I socially unacceptable? Somebody, come to my rescue.... tell me what is proper yet practical.

9 from '09 and 10 for '10

9 highlights from '09.

In Chronological Order
1. My 40th!
2. Kami Elected Mayor of Biztown
3. God Using Boxes to Teach Me a Lesson
4. Ellie Falling in Love with Laura Ingalls Wilder
5. Luke Repeating Kindergarten
6. Tiff Accepting Christ
7. I Landed a New Job
8. ORU Basketball Trip to Cancun
9. Christmas Eve Blizzard

10 thoughts for '10
don't want to call them "resolutions" - seems risky to do so.

Instead, I'll call them strong thoughts for the new year.

Thought 1. Simply said, Pursue God. Put away distractions. Focus more on the life-giver because He brings me PEACE. Nuthin' else works. Most everything else I think brings me peace ends up stealing it in the end. Ironic, huh?

Thought 2. Slow Down. Say NO more. All those YESES are getting me nowhere but on "E." As my friend Rena said in a post yesterday, "Where is my peace? What have I traded it for?" My list is long.

Thought 3. Play tennis. Have fun. Enjoy it. Watch out Serena! (This is a huge leap for me.... I have zero athletic ability, but I have a great group of ladies encouraging me and some killer tennis skirts! I'm trying to stick with it.)

Thought 4. Fill myself and my family with better food. Cut down on poison sugar.

Thought 5. Love more. When in doubt, love. When entertaining thoughts of bitterness, just drop it. Because bitterness kills, but love covers. (Rena, if you have that link, send it to me!)

Thought 6. Take care of my skin. Wear sunscreen, even though I really need a tan. I am a WHITE girl. Don't be afraid to use expensive products to help with skin problems and issues that began when I worshipped the sun in my 20's. If I had only listened to my Dad. That's why I put my name in for Georgie's FAB giveaway!

Thought 7. Think of those in need and try to help. Be a better friend. Even a small action each day would be great. A phone call. A note. A prayer. A hug. Chocolate. (Dark of course)

Thought 8. Give up the basketball angst. I've got it. I hate it and I'm giving it up. No amount of pain or worry about our team has ever made a difference. This year I'm giving up the angst. God is much bigger than basketball.

Thought 9. Become funny. It's something I've always wanted to do. I have a long way to go on that one. Ha-ha. A more realistic goal is learning from my blog friend Kathleen. She blogs well and she blogs often. Writing is one of my favorite things and I want to more consistently document our family story like she does! Now if I could just be funny doing so. Wouldn't that be great!

Thought 10. Teach my kids more scriptures. That's no joke. I want to share it with them while I still can. It's more valuable than anything on earth. See for yourself it's benefits: Psalm 19: 7-11 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.