Valentine's Day and Secret Agents

Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day. Ours was pretty low key. On Monday, I didn't work (our dryer got fixed . . . yay!), and since I had some time, I made one of Patrick's favorite dinners . . . fried shrimp, excessively cheesy and buttery potatoes, and corn on the cob. Any dinner that requires more than two pots/pans or a lot of prep and cooking time is reserved for weekends and days off, and I rarely fry anything. But Valentine's Day is a special occasion that calls for as much artery clogging food as possible.

Yesterday, Patrick showed up at the school during lunch with a gift certificate to this great little boutique that I love. Shopping beats flowers anyday . . . not that I don't love flowers . . . flowers are awesome, but clothes live so much longer than flowers. Please, don't read that sentence more than once. It's really stupid. And since I had cooked such a fabulous dinner the night before, we went out to eat Mexican last night.

As we were pulling into the driveway after dinner, Andrew asked, "Mommy when can I give you your Balentine's Day gift?" So I asked, "What did you get me for 'Balentine's' Day?" His response, "I don't know . . . what do you don't have?" I told him I didn't have a million dollars. He said, "Okay, we'll get you a million dollars, but we'll have to choke someone." Don't worry. He's not generally violent. I have know idea where he got that . . . I'll call a shrink asap.

After Andrew went to bed last night, we watched "The Double" on Netflix. Apparently, it came out last year, but I swear I have never heard of this movie. But then I generally don't see movies that are for people over the age of eight which might explain why I've never heard of it. Patrick watched it last week, and he wanted me to watch it. It stars Richard Gere, and it's about C.I.A. and F.B.I. agents that are secretly double agents (as opposed to openly being double agents). They work for both the U.S. and Russia. Of course, I couldn't just take the movie at face value. I'm still trying to figure out which country the agents were actually loyal to. I mean, were they Russian agents masquerading as agents for the U.S., or was it the other way around? I'm inclined to think that it was the first. Which really concerns me. How common are these double agents? This is causing me a lot of concern. Not to mention, I dreamed all night about secret agents and kidnappers, and people holding me at gunpoint. I woke up refreshed and ready for work.

So yeah, it was a really great Valentine's Day movie. Y'all should check it out sometime.

Christmas "Descorations"

Disclaimer: I acknowledge that this is a totally shallow post. I acknowledge the ridiculousness of all these pictures. I acknowledge that most of you couldn't care less. I also acknowledge, that I'm nosey, and since I like looking at other people's decorations, I figured there may actually one or two of you out there who give a rip what my decorations look like. Otherwise, you can totally skip this post. My feelings will not be hurt. ;)

That's what Andrew calls them . . . descorations.

Anyway, I took a few (or 545 pictures . . . just kidding) of our Christmas descorations, and I thought I would show you.

I take no responsibility for the fact that these aren't the greatest pictures ever. Blame it on the camera. Oh and my house is not crooked. Apparently, I take crooked pictures. There was a crooked man, who had a crooked house . . . nevermind.

Our entryway and the view as you enter our house. (That monstrosity of an entertainment center is about say goodbye. All we need is about 10 strong men to help us move it. Any takers?)

 See Daisy? Patrick was trying to straighten the tree, and she made herself "comfortable".

Again, the tree is not leaning nor is the room. I consistently take crooked pictures.

Our tree is nine and a half feet tall. Every year I risk my life to decorate it. I stand on the top of a ladder and pray I don't fall off and hit the fireplace. Then I scream at Patrick to help me before I fall and die. It's a special time of tradition and togetherness in our family.

Sorry about the glare. Also, I know that the left picture of Andrew as a baby is crooked. I fixed it.

Our dining area. You see that nativity? It took me years to find a nativity I liked. I wanted something that looked somewhat realistic. Seriously, why do people think that baby Jesus should have blonde hair and blue eyes? Not only is that ridiculous, but it annoys the fire out of me. Anyway, I found that nativity at Dollar General a couple years ago. It was only $10, and I haven't seen one that I like nearly as much (and yes I'm aware that the wise men didn't actually come to the manger . . . I'm a preacher's kid . . . believe me I know). Two of my other favorite things are my night before Christmas plates and my snow villages.

These are my dining room Snow Villages. Not all of them are Department 56 Snow Villages (those things are 'spensive). The Candy Store (from "A Christmas Story"), the Dickens Clock Tower and the two houses to the right of it are true Snow Villages. The others are from various discount stores. The other thing you'll notice is that I have a mix matched set of houses. I like it that way. Which goes against my extremely OCD tendencies. 

The little brown cottage was one of my mom's first Snow Villages, and she gave it to me after we got married (awww . . . sniff . . . tear . . . how sweet . . . I wonder if she'd be willing to donate anymore of her Snow Villages to the cause?). She also bought me the white house for our first Christmas as a married couple. The second year we had it the dumb cat knocked it off the table and broke the chimney. Which is why there are wreaths glued to all sides of the chimney. Trying to hide the damage. I'm classy that way.

This is Pulaski's Candy Store from "A Christmas Story". I know a lot of people who can't stand the movie, but I grew up watching it. Some of my best Christmas memories are sitting beside my dad on my grandmother's couch laughing at the dogs eating the turkey and the infamous leg lamp. Anyway, a few years ago Department 56 had a whole line of Snow Village houses from the movie, and I got this one for a bargain price (probably because they discontinued them).

This is from The North Pole Series of Villages. I have these sitting on the table outside of my kitchen. My grandmother got us this for our first Christmas after we got married. Patrick was really excited (you'll need to say that with a lot of sarcasm). The train really goes. The track is magnetized. Andrew loves to "play" with it. I probably shouldn't let him, but well, anyway . . .

These are my Night Before Christmas dishes up close. Ain't they perty?

Kitchen table . . . since we eat here on a daily basis, I keep it simple. I threw those apples in the fruit basket for your benefit. There was nothing there. Either that means we eat a lot of fruit, or I need to go to the store.

My kitchen tree full of yummy treats.

So that's it. I don't really decorate the other rooms. Try not to be too relieved.

Maybe someday, when and if Patrick puts up the lights outside I'll show y'all what those look like. Otherwise you'll just have to survive on all of my beautiful indoor decor.

Happy Thanksgiving

I didn't think I'd have time to post this morning since I planned on sleeping until around 7:30, and then rushing around the house like a crazy person to get everything ready. Clearly, I forgot who this child is that I gave birth to (yes I know I ended the sentence in a preposition . . . ). He came bebopping into our room at 6:00 a.m., and I tried to my best to convince him it was still night. He wasn't buying it. Then I tried turning on the t.v. for a little while, but he kept asking when we were getting up. So we're up, and I have time to blog.

It is important to note that even though I'm up earlier than I planned, and even though, I should have plenty of time to get everything ready (including myself), I will wait until the last minute and still run around like a crazy person. Isn't that what the holidays are all about?

In order to help you better celebrate your Thanksgiving holiday, I've come up with ten rules for surviving Thanksgiving. I think I may have a future career as a late night talk show host . . . just kidding. Anyway, for your reading pleasure I now present . . .
Rules for Your Thanksgiving (otherwise known as Courtney's Survival Guide):
1. It's okay to eat some of every dessert . . . calories don't count on Thanksgiving. (And as a side note, please don't try to eat healthy on Thanksgiving. How boring!)
2. They do (I'm talking about calories here), however, count the day after.
3. You must love your family . . . it's the only one God gave you.
4. Don't talk about politics. If you do it will be much harder to love your family.
5. You must watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade even though it's not all that interesting.
6. When picking sides in the great Horns vs. Aggies football game, remember it's just a game. It's not worth ending relationships over. (This one's for Texans)
7. If and when you feel sick tonight remember you did it to yourself (just so you know TUMS work wonders).  
8. If you decide to go shopping at midnight, have an exit strategy. You don't want to get trampled.
9. Don't go shopping on Black Friday. It's too dangerous. (That's a joke . . . sort of.)
10. Sometimes it really is hard to see the forest for the trees, but look around you today, and even if your life seems far from perfect, find something for which to be thankful. You'll be surprised at how many blessings you do have.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

Thanksgiving Eve

Good morning y'all. Happy Thanksgiving Eve. It's chilly outside this morning. Just like it should be this time of year. And there's nothing over 75 in the seven day forecast. Perfect Texas weather.

Andrew and I have a busy day today. I have every intention of finishing my Christmas shopping this morning. I know the traffic will be insane, but I'm hoping that the stores won't be too crowded. I'm not a Black Friday shopper. I just can't take the craziness to save $50. I am, however, a cyber Monday (and Tuesday and Wednesday and everyday) shopper. Internet shopping was made for me.

After the shopping is done (hopefully), we'll come home, and I'll bake pies for tomorrow. I always bake a buttermilk pie for my parents', and I'll also bake a pumpkin pie and another buttermilk for here. Some of the second buttermilk pie will go to my father-in-law since he loves buttermilk pie. The pumpkin pie is Andrew's request. For some reason he thinks we need one here at home.

So I'll bake, and then I'll clean. Usually I clean then bake, but it finally clicked with me that I end up mopping the kitchen floor twice since I'm such a messy baker. I'm not organized or neat when it comes to baking or cooking. I can make the biggest messes you've ever seen. So it makes more sense to clean afterwards.

Tomorrow morning, I'll make a corn casserole, and then we'll head to my parents' for lunch.

Now that you know our itenerary for the next couple days, I'm sure you'll be better able to enjoy your Thanksgiving. I have no idea why I felt the need to share all that, but anyway, if I don't get a chance to tell everyone, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Let the Holiday Season begin!

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5 NKJV

Colds, Carpet, and Thanksgiving (oh . . . and Oreos)

Y'all I've had a cold since last Wednesday (a.k.a. an eternity). I know it's getting better. I've progressed through all the stupid phases of having a cold. I'm just sick of it. I'm sick of my throat hurting, and my nose running, and you get the picture. I know I'm whining about a dumb cold, but have you ever tried to teach school with a cold? It's a sight let me tell you. And my ears are so plugged up that I couldn't hear anything the kids said. I bet I said, "What?" at least 16,000 times today. I'm just glad no one came in to observe me.

The good thing is this cold has not had any effect on my appetite. That's really important because I'm trying to keep my weight up for Thanksgiving. Wouldn't want my stomach to shrink. Then I couldn't eat as much. Which is why I'm eating Oreos as I write this. Plus when I eat my throat feels better. Priorities people.

Anyway, life doesn't stop for a cold so on Saturday I decided it was time to shampoo the carpet. I've already tweeted it, but I have to say just once more that I will never put carpet in a house again. You would not believe how dirty our carpets were. And I'm a clean freak. I mean I was really grossed out, and it is amazing how much better our carpet looks. It's definitely brighter and fluffier.

This is ridiculous . . . I sound like an advertisement for some Miracle Carpet Cleaner.

Oreo anyone?

I'm waiting for this weekend before I put up our big Christmas tree. I'll show you pictures of my decorations when they are all done because I know you're dying to see them. I may or may not be slightly obsessed. I'm actually a little behind this year. I usually have all my gifts bought at this point, but I still have a few men left on my list. What the heck do you buy men for Christmas? Patrick's ideas for gifts fall into the "let's spend half of our savings" category. Hope he likes his shirt. ;)

Either way, Thanksgiving is before Christmas. I can't wait to bake pies, and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and eat, and eat, and . . . well eat some more.

I have so much for which to be thankful. I'm an incredibly blessed woman.

To Christmas or Not to Christmas? (a completely nonsensical post)

It's not what you think. We are most definitely still celebrating Christmas. The question is in regards to the decorations, and when is the appropriate time to put them up. So now I'm going to have an argument with myself in the form of a blog post. I'm going to list the pros and cons (only in reverse) of putting up the decor pre-Thanksgiving. Then I'm going to most likely ignore the cons and put up the decorations anyway. Because that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I roll. So here goes.

Cons (a.ka. the lamest reasons ever not to put up the Christmas decorations):
1. Thanksgiving is its own holiday. It deserves its own time to shine. It deserves to be celebrated without being cluttered and overtaken by Christmas decorations.
2. I can't think of another one . . .

Pros (a.k.a. excuses to put up the Christmas decorations):
1. I have a ton of Christmas decorations. I love to put them up, but the process is daunting. It has to happen in phases. Therefore, if I start now, I should be finished by the time Thanksgiving is over.
2. You can be thankful with a Christmas tree just as easily as without.
3. Andrew is ready for them to go up.
4. If you wait, you don't get to enjoy them very long.
5. I love Christmas. It's my favorite holiday.

Well folks, looks like the pros have won. I know I'm pathetic. I know all the arguments against decorating before Thanksgiving. Frankly, I don't care. Sorry.

Also, last night Patrick told me I couldn't get anymore Christmas trees. I'm all about honoring your husband and everything, but I'm pretty sure that crossed a line. I really don't think that falls into his jurisdiction.

See y'all later. I'm off to Hobby Lobby. ;)

This Is Us Not Celebrating Halloween

I mean seriously, how do you tell your kid "no, you can't dress up"? So we compromised. I'm still not a fan of the witches and goblins, but Batman . . . I'm a huge fan of Batman.

Saturday night we went to my parents' for a hayride and hotdog roast. The younger kids wore their costumes, and ran around screaming like banshees for two hours. It was awesome.

Today was Andrew's party at school. He was so excited about wearing his Batman costume to school, but apparently crime fighting is serious business. No time for smiling.

Andrew took apples to school because I'm the super cool mom that signs up to bring apples to the parties. When I picked him up he said in his most pathetic voice, "My friends did not want to eat my apples . . . and neither did I." Next time I'll sign up for cookies.

So, I'm having a stare down with a heck-of-a lot of candy right now. We're a bit off the beaten path so we don't get many trick treaters. I still want to be prepared just in case. I guess if no one shows up I'm going to be forced to eat most of it myself. Sad, sad situation.

Changing subjects . . .  I wonder why I can' t seem to lose this weight I've gained?

A Time to Give . . .

So life is continuing as usual around here. This time of year is so busy. It seems like we have something going on every weekend from now until Christmas. And do y'all realize that Thanksgiving is less than a month away? One month . . . I have one month to lose 5-10 lbs which I have every intention of gaining back during the holiday season. It's also why I just ate four twizzlers. Because I'm all about being super healthy.

I love being busy and on the go. I love the parties and the time with family and friends. But I'm also a big homebody and equally love having time to stay home and read a good book which doesn't look to be in my plans for the next two months. Maybe when we're out for Christmas break . . .

As we move into November and get closer to Christmas many of us start thinking about gifts and what we're giving to our family and friends. We start Christmas shopping in September (okay . . . maybe it's just me), and we are constantly on the lookout for the "perfect" gift. While we are busy getting and giving, I think it's very important look for ways to give outside of our family circles and teach our kids the importance of giving to those who are less fortunate. Every year we pack boxes for Operation Christmas Child which is ministry of Samaritan's Purse. Samaritan's Purse is hands down one of my favorite ministries. Last year, Andrew helped pack the shoe boxes, but I don't think he really got it. This year, I think he'll get it, but I also figure he'll want to keep most of the toys for himself. It should be a great learning experience. ;)

National Collection Week is November 14-21

Sunday, November 6th has been designated as Orphan Sunday. You can click on the link to find out how to give to the many orphans around the world. There are so many children without families and homes, and the need is incredibly great, but if everyone gives just a little it's amazing how far that little bit can stretch.

As always, there are local organizations and charities that meet the needs of those here in the United States. One these is the Salvation Army. You know Christmas is on its way when you hear those Salvation Army bells ringing. The Salvation Army has been around for over 100 years, and they meet so many needs in so many ways all around the United States.

So there you have it, my plug for giving as we approach the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. These organizations are not asking me to endorse them. Actually, they don't have a clue who I am, and if you have your own personal favorite organization then I encourage you to give to them and do something for those less fortunate than yourself.

Holidays in Our Home

This is a very weird post for September. Just go with it.

Okay, so I have holidays on the brain. I made Patrick and Andrew pose for our Christmas Card pic yesterday. Hello, I'm Courtney, and I'm extremely ever so slightly off kilter. Truth be told I was having a good skin and hair day so I decided we were taking the picture. I'm extremely selfless that way.  So in honor of the fact that I'm crazy (and apparently very shallow), I decided to do a "holiday" post, and discuss not only how but if we celebrate certain holidays. Before I talk about any of these days and the traditions that surround them, I want you to know that I am in no way judging the choices and decisions that you make within your own family. How you celebrate is your decision.

Ladies and gentleman, fasten your seatbelts it's about to get exciting. Okay, not really, but if you'll please humor me.

Halloween . . . I have mixed feelings on this one. Neither Patrick nor myself were raised in families that celebrated Halloween. Overall, I think it is an innocent and fun holiday for parents to torture their children by dressing them in ridiculously hot costumes kids to dress up, and parents to take too many pictures. Still, we've decided that for the most part our family won't be celebrating Halloween. However, we will let Andrew dress up in his Batman costume (that he doesn't know he's getting for his birthday) and wear it to school that day (we're not the meanest parents ever). We (meaning Patrick) may even take him to the Fall Festival at the local church. (I hate those things . . . not because of it being Halloween . . . more because it's germ central. Germ-X anyone?)

Thanksgiving . . . No controversy here. I. Love. Thanksgiving. I think it's just about the perfect holiday. There's not a lot of hype. There's not a lot of me, me, me (because I'm really not as shallow as I seem). It's a time to bake, eat, and be thankful for all God has given us. I usually spend the day before Thanksgiving baking, and then we spend the actual day with our families. We eat, we laugh, we relax, and of course, in true Texas fashion, we end the day watching the UT vs. A&M football game. Actually, I just found the controversy . . .

Christmas . . . Oh Christmas. My favorite holiday. I love the decorations, the music, the food (oh my, how I love the food), I love the traditions, and of course, I love the meaning behind Christmas. So where's the controversy? Santa Claus. I know, how could the jolly old man be controversial? I grew up believing in Santa. Patrick didn't. Somehow, we managed to overlook this important difference until after our marriage (I'm not implying it was a make or break it point for us . . . I'm just pointing out that it was overlooked). When I found out that Patrick didn't believe in Santa, I was mortified. What would this mean for our future children? When he found out that I did believe in Santa, he was horrified. Obviously, I was brought up wrong. Don't worry, we worked it out. I think, once Patrick realized that Old St. Nick was just one small part of my whole Christmas experience and in no way took away from the real meaning of Christmas, he was okay with it. And just so you know, I wasn't devastated when I realized the truth. Because our Christmas experience didn't revolve around Santa, but around Jesus, it was just a natural progression as we got older. We outgrew it. So in short, yes Andrew believes in Santa. We visit him. We leave out milk and cookies. And he leaves a few treats in our stockings and some gifts on Christmas morning.

More than anything, however, we focus on Jesus and His birth, during the Christmas season (and throughout the year). We read stories about the birth of Jesus, and we Sing Away in a Manger (670 million times). We also pack boxes for Operation Christmas Child so that Andrew can understand the concept of giving to others. The whole giving to others thing is a work in progress. Who knew four year olds were so egocentric? I'm pretty sure I learned that in my first Child Phsych class . . . if only I had paid better attention.

As we get closer to Christmas, I'll share more of our traditions, but basically, that's Christmas in a nutshell.

Easter . . . I would consider this the last of the major holidays. To me it is so important to take time out each year to really focus on the sacrifice that God gave us in His son, Jesus. Not that we don't remember throughout the year, but Easter is definitely a special time of remembrance and reflection. The hardest thing this past year, was explaining to Andrew about Jesus's death on the cross. The concept of death is still very vague to him, but we have done our best to explain to him Jesus's death and Resurrection in an age appropriate way.

We also hunt eggs. Please don't tell me it's a pagan tradition. We haven't dyed any yet. I'm not sure I'm that brave. We don't do the Easter Bunny. I know it makes no sense, we do Santa, but not the Easter Bunny. And really I don't have a problem with the Easter Bunny, but we try to keep the gifts at Easter on the low key side. I think sometimes we get too focused on the gift giving and forget about the real meaning. So yeah, the only Easter Bunny at our house is made of chocolate.

Of course, there are other holidays throughout the year . . . Mother's Day, Father's Day, The 4th of July, my birthday . . . Haha! But I think I gave you a pretty good idea of how we celebrate (or don't celebrate) some of the biggest holidays. Because I know you've been dying to know. :)

The 4th of July Davis Style

If you're thinking our 4th of July sounds adventuresome and exciting you're going to be dissapointed.  It was actually pretty laid-back, and I somehow managed to make it through the whole day without taking a single picture. No wait . . . I was wrong . . . I did take a single picture after all . . . of the back of my parents' house.

Wow! Now there's a thrilling photo . . .

Anyway, we had a good fourth. We spent the afternoon at my parents'. As usual, we managed to eat way too much. I have the uncanny ability to continue eating even when I feel like I could explode. It's a gift few were given. I would've stopped, but my grandmothers made Italian Cream Cake and Double Choc. Cookies. What's a girl to do?

We didn't make it into the river to swim. No one felt like it before we ate and afterward everyone was too full to move. So we talked and cleaned up the kitchen while the kids played. It was quiet and low-key. My favorite kind of holiday.

Normally, after we finish at my parents' we come back home and meet my in-laws at the park here in town to watch fireworks. Sadly, there were no fireworks this year. It's just too dry. All of the fireworks stands were closed, and most of the surrounding towns and cities cancelled their shows. There were a couple of nearby towns that still had theirs, but frankly, I'm glad ours was cancelled. We have a lot of farm and ranch land near where we live, and it's just not worth the risk of causing a huge fire. We're praying for rain, and if we get some, the show is scheduled for Labor Day.

There's not much else happening in my world. I've been slathering lotion on my hands hoping that it will help my electronic fingerprints to turn out well. I'm also trying not to burn my fingers. I'm a good cook, but I'm a dangerous cook. And I have a bad habit of grabbing hot stuff bare-handed. You would think I would learn. Anyway, after my track record with fingerprinting, I'm just ready for the USCIS appointment to be over and done with. I'm gathering all the paperwork, and trying to get it all ready to be notarized and then apostilled once we get our NBC approval. I've got just over a month until I go back to work. The kiddos don't come until the end of August, but us teachers start right there at the beginning of the month. I know that once school is back in swing I'll be short on time and energy so I need to get as much done now as possible. I'm very thankful that our appointments came as quickly as they did. That was a huge blessing.

Seeing as how I don't have much else to say, and this post is already getting way too exciting (say it with sarcasm people), I think I'll say goodbye for now. Have a great day everyone (just think it's already Tuesday . . . yay for a short work week)!

Happy Father's Day

Fathers laugh when you do something totally inappropriate and mortifying in a public place and then loudly and proudly ask "do you smell it?" (Just keeping it real here). Fathers wrestle with you and let you "fight them up" right before bedtime so that it takes you approximately six years to settle down and go to sleep. Fathers let you eat McDonalds and grilled cheese every meal for four days while your mom is in bed with the flu. Fathers watch "Finding Nemo" for the 800th time just because you want to (which just happens to be a movie about a father's love for his son). Fathers rescue you from your mother (or rescue your mother from you) when she's on the brink and may or may not be ready to pull two handfuls of hair out.

Fathers protect. Fathers laugh. Fathers play. Fathers lead. Fathers guide. Fathers pray.

Fathers love.

I been blessed twice in my life. First, by a wonderful father to raise, support, and love me. Second, by a wonderful husband who turned out to be an amazing father. I don't think I'm alone when I say, there are few things better than seeing your husband love your child(ren). Happy Father's Day to two amazing men. Thanks for being the dads you are. Your children are blessed because of you.

A Little of This and A Little of That

Preface: This post was written on and off over the course of an hour to an hour and a half. If it sounds disjointed that's why.
And now for your reading pleasure . . .

When Patrick finally gets around to leaving for work, I'm going to call the FBI again. I don't want to call while he's here. He'll give me some speech about how the FBI is now "watching" me. Well they can watch away. I'm not that interesting. Just get me my stinkin fingerprints. Please . . .

In other news, the story of Kirill's adoption being approved by the Supreme Court in Russia is nothing short of a miracle. Because I know there is no way I can explain it better than his new mama, you can read about it here. Be forewarned she's posting in parts and left us with a cliffhanger last time.

Did everyone have a good Memorial Day? We did. Thank goodness. After Andrew being so sick, I wasn't sure we would, but on Sunday he perked up and by Monday he was back to his normal happy self. We went to my parent's. Their home is on the river (as if there's only one in Texas), and we grilled some hot dogs, the food of champions, and then all plopped down in the middle of the river. The river is pretty low due to bad drought conditions here in Texas so it made it relatively easy to sit down. So far that's the only thing I've found that is even remotely good about the lack of rain, and even that won't be good for long (if the river gets too low there won't be much swimming going on). Pray for rain. Anyway, we spent a couple hours out there, and for some reason, I forgot that I don't tan and didn't put on sunscreen. Smart, I know. I'm paying for it.

My husband grilling up some dogs on the deck. Yo!

The view from one of the front porches. Yeah, that's a steep drop! (And that's off a corner. There is some grass and a yard, and no child has ever even come close to rolling down the drop-off. We keep a close eye them don't worry.)

The view from the deck. Again, a very steep drop! (And you can't see them, but to get down to the river you go down a very large set of steps that comes off of the front porches. If ever you want a good workout, that's the way to go.)

My Dad, my nephew, Anthony, and Andrew and for the record they are sitting.

What 2 hours of playing the river will do to you (in case you're wondering my Dad is shelling cream peas - yum!).

Okay, Patrick just walked out the door. Time to call the FBI. I'm debating whether or not to put them on speaker phone. Did you see the story about cell phones and brain cancer on GMA this morning? We don't even have a landline anymore. Nevermind, it might annoy the customer service lady to be on speaker phone. Okay here goes. If you'll kindly wait a moment I'll tell you what they say. And . . . everybody do the happy dance. It is on it's way. It was completed correctly! Hallelujah!

Well I'd better go start printing out adoption forms and email our caseworker and home study agency. It's time to get this ball rolling.

Giving Thanks

Today we honor those who have given their lives so that we can be free. Today we can honor those who have died so that we can live. Today we honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Today we thank the families who have lost those they love more than life itself. Take a moment in the busyness and celebrations of the day and think of what your life would be like without men and women willing to die for your liberty. Take a moment today to thank a soldier who has fought in pursuit of freedom. Take a moment to thank God for giving us this country we hold so dear.

"Nothing is a greater stranger to my breast, or a sin that my soul more abhors, than that black and detestable one, ingratitude."

GEORGE WASHINGTON

Happy Memorial Day!

Peace in the Peacemaker

I've had a bit of a crazy day. Nothing adoption related just the normal craziness of life. Thankfully, we have tomorrow off. Not because it's Good Friday mind you, but because it's a bad weather day that happens to fall on Good Friday. But nonetheless, tomorrow is Good Friday. Good Friday . . . the day that Jesus was crucified. Easter . . . the day He was resurrected. I used to take for granted that everyone knew that. I used to take for granted that most people believed that. I used to be a lot more naive. I've found more and more that people don't want to hear about God. They don't care, they don't want to offend anyone, they don't want to be offended. If you don't believe in God, if you don't believe the Bible, I ask you to bear with me. Please don't stop reading.

You see, I was raised in church. I was there every Sunday and Wednesday from as far back as I can remember. I have good memories of going to church, but going to church (as wonderful as it is) is not the same as having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It's not what brought to the point I'm at today. I had to be willing to take it a step further. I've heard people say they "do the church thing" because they think it's "the right thing to do". They figure they need to go for their kids or to make friends or whatever. And I usually think how sad, they are missing the whole point. A relationship with God. I've told you before I'm a worrier. But I find the answers to those worries through Jesus. The Bible never fails to bring me comfort (and sometimes conviction). Prayer never fails to bring me peace. Some of you are saying, "Well that's nice, she finds her peace and comfort in the Bible and her God." But I'm telling you it's more than that. There are a couple of times in my life that I can remember feeling God's peace consume me in such a way that it couldn't be anyone but God. The first was when I was around 12 years old. My grandfather had a brain tumor. Brain tumors are never minor. I can remember being in my bedroom alone and praying that God would take care of him. I don't remember the exact words I prayed. What I do remember is knowing without a doubt that everything was going to be okay. And you know what? It was. I'm not saying it was easy or that he didn't have a long road to recovery, but I'll see my grandfather on Easter Sunday. He's still very healthy, and while I won't tell you his age, I will tell you that I'll be 30 in less than two months. The other time was the night Andrew was born. To put it simply Andrew's life and my life were both in danger. I was in serious trouble. From the beginning of the problems to the end of the emergency c-section it was about 10 hours. And yet I never even felt the slightest anxiety. Me the worrier didn't feel an ounce of anxiety. Looking back I find this so strange, but so amazing. I wanted to know Andrew was okay, but the peace I felt was indescribable. Every day of my pregnancy I prayed that Andrew would be healthy and strong. And my son, who was five weeks early, who weighed 4 lbs 13 oz., who was only 17 inches long, who should've stayed in the NICU for at least two weeks, went home with me the day I left. And more than once the doctors and the nurses commented on how healthy and strong he was. Believe me bringing home a baby that small had its challenges, but without a doubt, I believe that Andrew is nothing short of a miracle.

The thing is I'm not perfect. I mess up on a regular basis, but thank goodness I'm covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. My life is not perfect. Sometimes things go wrong. But I want you to know that no matter what you're facing there is a God that loves you. And in the end, even when life is far from perfect (and most of the time it is), I'd much rather start each day with Jesus by my side than without Him.

Have a safe and blessed Easter everyone!

 

John 3:16-18 (New King James Version)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
¹⁸ “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.