I completely overdid it

Yesterday was the last day of 'free movies at the lake'. Every summer, the local country station sponsors about 5 weeks of free movies on the lake. One night a week, they will play a movie on a giant blow up screen. They have food vendors and games. It's just a really nice time!

Last night, I went with Nolan, Gideon, and Haddon. They were playing Alvin and the Chipmunks, and if you know my kids...they really love that movie.

We arrived around 7pm. We had to park soooo far out. I didn't realize that there would be so many people!

I hadn't been planning on bringing the stroller, but I figured it would give Haddon a place to sit during the movie and it would give me a place to put everything when the kids got tired of carrying it.

The radio station handed out free toy guns, lol. They asked me ahead of time if it would be okay, and I said yes. I spoke to the kids that they were only allowed to shoot birds, bugs, and large animals...oh yeah, and DOGS! Gideon kept stalking this dog that was on the blanket next to us!

We met up with some friends and had a really fun time! The kids each had their special treats they had picked out and were loaded with sugar, as every kid should be on special occasions!

I didn't realize how sore I was until I got up to get things cleaned up before heading to the car. By this time, it was 11pm, and I'm sure I was quite the sight. I could barely walk as I pushed my 40 pound three year old in a stroller to the very end of the very long row of cars.

We did make it and made it out in good time.

I had a horrible night of sleep, since everytime I would turn my body around, I would gasp in pain as everything seemed to hurt and throb all at once. Today, I am hobbling around like an old lady and feel like my body is going to tear in two!

I guess I'm just not up for this kind of thing...being as pregnant as I am, waddling around as I do, having as many children to chase after as I have.

I hope I recover in time for the 4th of July. I really don't think I can handle many more nights like this!

I love my husband

You see, a couple of days ago, I received a speeding ticket.

I will not make an excuse for myself...except for the fact that I am pregnant, my brain is currently mush, and I seriously believed that the speed limit was 10 miles an hour higher than it actually is.

I am still fairly upset about it. Just disappointed in myself really, cause if I catch myself going higher than the speed limit, I immediately correct it. That's probably the reason I haven't had a ticket in about 10 years.

I really hated having to tell John. I know that it's not that big of a deal, but still, it really upset me that I got it.

So instead of telling him when I received the ticket, I waited. I didn't even tell him last night when he got home from his mission trip. I did it in an email. Yeah, call me a chicken, but if you could only be inside my hormonally challenged body right now, you would realize that I probably wouldn't even be able to get the words out before I looked like this.

Anyway, he has been nothing but gracious and that means a lot to me.

Oh, and the boys were pretty excited to meet a real police officer. I didn't really tell them what was going on, because I knew that would be the topic of conversation for weeks to come. They sat in the car looking around for the bad guys. I wasn't about to tell them it was me!

My Haddon

Is this not the cutest hat?

At the mall last week, I made my usual stop at Gymboree. I usually don't buy much of anything unless the price is right, but in their 99cent bin, Haddon found this hat. Regular price on it was $14.50, but since it is an older line, it's been marked way down to just get rid of it.

He loves it and wears it all the time...and I think he looks pretty cute!

Reflections

Reflections on a Home

This blog entry from GirlTalk really resonates with me. Not the moving part...we are going to be in our home for many years to come, Lord willing. I really understand what Carolyn Mahaney is talking about when she says:

But most of my days looked pretty much the same.

I got out of bed each morning so that I could do everything I did the day before.
I washed the dishes so they could be dirtied again.
I ironed the clothes so they could be worn and wrinkled again
I wiped noses so they could run again.
I picked up toys so they could be played with again.
I mopped the floor so mud could be tracked on it again.
I cooked meals so that I could go to the grocery store again.
I made beds so they could be slept in again.

Some days I wondered: if I do all I do, only to have it undone, am I really doing anything?

I can't even begin to tell you how often a stay at home mom has these thoughts. There are some days when it feels like nothing is accomplished. As I pick up after my family, moving from room to room, those little precious boys of mine seem to follow me, making mess of what I just spent time cleaning.

I love that she summarizes with this:

I realize that all of the mundane, repetitive days were actually full of significant, enduring work. A home was being built. A family was being knit together. Four souls were being shaped for eternity.

It is easy to lose perspective. It is easy to be selfish and not want to do anything. It is so much more rewarding and obedient to keep our eyes focused on God, the plans He has for our family through our daily chores, and that He is to be glorified in all things...

All Creatures of Our God and King

As performed by Nolan and Gideon...with a little Haddon thrown in and a few whines from Jamison.

I heart Carrabbas

If you don't live near a Carrabbas, then I truly feel bad for you. If by chance, one crosses your path, eat there.

You see, every now and then, I get an itch for good Italian food. I don't just mean good...I mean melt in your mouth Italian food. I can't say enough about their caesar salads. I could seriously live off of them if I had enough budgeted for that.

A few weeks ago, John and I had Carrabbas for dinner. We watched a movie and ate by the light of the tellie. My salad was superb. The bread melted in your mouth. And my Pollo Rosa Maria was....chewy? Was it the cheese? maybe the proscuitto? the mushrooms?

When I looked at it more closely, I could see that the top of the chicken breast wasn't cooked all the way. Since I had already eaten half of my main course, I just hoped I didn't get sick and was very disappointed.

The following day, I decided to call them up. I was very nice and told the manager that we love Carrabbas and have never had problems with the food. I described what happened the night before, and he thoroughly apologized. He took my name and address and said that he would take care of this.

I figured maybe I would get a free appetizer or some sort of buy one get one free dinner.

I was wrong.

I opened the mailbox today to find a gift certificate for $20.

I'm sure you can guess what I'll be having for dinner tonight!

A Message for Reformed Christian Rappers/Paul Washer

In Memory of Maria

On May 21, 2008 tragedy struck the Chapman family in which young Maria
Chapman died . But through this tragedy, Steven Curtis and Mary Beth
Chapman continue to think of the many orphans in China. In order to let
the world show how much they loved Maria, Angel Covers has been asked to
accept donations in honor of Maria for baby bouncers. These bouncers
will provide hours of interaction and fun to the babies cared for at the
Shaohannah’s Hope Healing Home (SHHH), a new project in China, of the
Chapman’s organization.

Because of a partnership between the Chapman’s and Dr. Joyce and Robin
Hill, this 60,000 sq ft facility will care for 128 medically fragile
infants and toddlers . One hundred baby bouncers are needed for SHHH in
order to help provide these babies with the best care possible.

Maria was a beautiful little girl with a huge smile and contagious
laugh. Please help us spread her joy for life to the children of SHHH.
Only $10 purchases one of these bouncers and will bring countless hours
of happiness to these needy children. Please feel free to pass this post
along to any groups you'd like. We want to provide as many bouncers as
possible.

Click here for information on how to donate: Angel Covers

Please pray for the Rainey family

Heartbreaking

update

Um, no thanks

NC 'Big twins' tip scales at a combined 23 pounds

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. --They aren't America's heaviest newborn twins on record, but they certainly tip the scales: Sean William Maynard and Abigail Rose Maynard weighed in at a combined 23 pounds and 1 ounce at birth this week, a North Carolina hospital announced Friday.

Freda Springs, spokeswoman for Forsyth Medical Center, said the twins were delivered two minutes apart by Caesarean section on Tuesday at the center's Sara Lee Center for Women's Health in Winston-Salem.

The boy weighed 10 pounds, 14 ounces; the girl, 12 pounds, 3 ounces. Springs said both babies are in excellent condition after their birth to parents Joey and Erin Maynard of Winston-Salem.

The combined weight of the twins is about four pounds shy of the combined weight of twins born in Arkansas in 1927, the hospital said. Those twins weighed a total of 27 pounds, 12 ounces, hospital researchers said, adding they could find no public record of any heavier twins than the Arkansas pair born since 1900.

They said the Maynard twins topped a 1997 delivery in North Carolina of big twins weighing a total of 18 pounds, 10 ounces.

Sean, tucked in a blue blanket, was held by his mother and his sister, swaddled in pink, was cradled by her father at a hospital news conference Friday. The infants slept quietly through their first public appearance.

Charlotte Observer

I will be just sooooo happy with an 8 pound baby, thankyouverymuch!

A shout out to the Tums people

Over the past few days, I have been suffering from extreme acid reflux/indigestion/heart burn. Pregnancy related, of course!

It has affected my sleep. I can no longer lay down flat and have been woken up countless times because of the hold being burned into my throat.

No matter what I did, nothing was helping. Yesterday, I didn't eat anything after 6pm...and still...around 10pm it started up.

I recently saw a commercial for Tums Quik Pak, instant dissolving powder. I had a couple coupons, so I figured I would get a box and see how it works. I am the kind of person that hates chewing on tums. I hate the chunks in my teeth, etc. Now, with the powder, I don't have to deal with that problem!

It also helped tremendously with my acid reflux! When I searched for it, I discovered that you can find a coupon for $2.25 off a box...which is about half price! If you click the back button really quick, it will let you print off the coupon twice!

Run to your nearest drugstore and get it! Click here and on the left hand side, you'll see the button to click to get your coupon!

Mexico Mission Trip, part 2

I just spoke to John on the phone. They are having the pastor's conference today and had 3 pastors show up, as well as some members of their congregations. They are pleased with the turn out!

Unfortunately, last night, John woke up with some sort of stomach bug that has prevented him from being able to speak today at the conference. He hasn't eaten anything that should have upset his stomach, but he woke up in the middle of night with horrible cramps and has gotten visited by the great revenge of Montezuma!

Please pray that the pastors are ministered to and that their hearts are open to the teaching they hear today.

Also pray for John that he begins to feel better! And thank the Lord that he remembered his toilet seat...he says he wouldn't know what to do without it!

33 weeks...

7 weeks to go.

In a few short weeks, it's crazy to think that they won't stop labor if it were to begin.

Although, with my history, the count down should be more like 8-9 weeks until arrival.

A quote

There is no nobler career than that of motherhood at its best. There are no possibilities greater, and in no other sphere does failure bring more serious penalties. With what diligence then should she prepare herself for such a task? If the mechanic who is to work with "things" must study at technical school, if the doctor into whose skilled hands will be entrusted human lives must go through medical school... how much more should the mother who is fashioning the souls of the men and women of tomorrow, learn at the highest of all schools and from the Master-Sculptor Himself, God? To attempt this task uprepared and untrained is tragic, and its results affect generations to come. On the other hand there is no higher height to which humanity can attain than that occupied by a converted, heaven-inspired, praying mother.

~Anonymous (quoted in The Shaping of a Christian Family by Elisabeth Elliot)

I have to say that this quote is very convicting. Motherhood is not something that is done last minute with no planning. Instead, it should force me to open my Bible more to be better trained to raise my children.

A trip to Lifeway

I am usually not one to voluntarily go into Lifeway Christian Book Stores. I believe that some of the books and resources they sell are downright unbiblical.

Anyway...

The kids like going in, and very rarely do I ever buy anything...but I did today.

First off, if anyone is interested in what hymnbook we use for our family devotions, you can find it there. They have it on sale for a couple dollars off. It's the update Baptist Hymnal. I'm thinking that we might pick up a few more to have more of a collection...especially since the kids like to each have their own to look at.


While we were there, I thought to look at the music section and see what kind of selection I could find when it comes to hymns. It's kinda hard to find, especially since they are all mixed in.

I'm usually not one to condone the WOW music series either...but I guess today is a day for exceptions. I bought the double WOW hymns cd. It has a lot of the kids favorites!

If you are interested in checking it out click here WOW Hymns. The kids were so excited to hear Holy Holy Holy and were singing along. Nolan was pretty happy to hear Trust and Obey...and that's all we were able to get to in the car on the way home. He asked me if I could bring the music into the house, so that he could listen to it in the cd player.

I have a feeling he's going to be sitting on the kitchen floor, hymnbook in hand, singing along....

Mexico Mission Trip, part 1

I spoke to John last night. They had just met up with the rest of the guys going on the trip, which is good news!

Best of all, I reminded him about a very important purchase:

Yes, that's right...a toilet seat. Believe it or not, where they stayed in Mexico last time, has no toilet seats! No matter where they went or how nice of a place they were visiting, there was a toilet but no seat. The guys seemed pretty affected by this and thought it most important to get one before they go over the border. So no worries, their rears will be properly taken care of.

For the last couple of nights, John and a few friends from home have been staying in a large room, set up like a bunk house. The other guys from St Louis had some travel delays, and they were finally able to meet up with the rest of their group. They'll be leaving this morning to head over the border. Please keep them in your prayers as they have to go through border patrol.

I'll be keeping you updated as much as I possibly can!

Behold I stand at the door and knock....

The Sinner's Prayer

The eccentric Dr. Robert Morey talks about decisional regeneration, the sinner's prayer, and manipulation in child evangelism.

from Reformed Voices

A Father's Day Gift

(My head isn't really chopped off in the original picture...it's just that the scanner doesn't scan 10x13)

Obamatopia