Lunch with Olivia

Today I ate lunch with Olivia at school, and I learned a few things:

• Stetson plans on marrying Isabeau.
• The lunchroom gets very loud, but don't worry because there is a large black woman who gets on the microphone and says with her neck rollin' around, "5! 4! 3! 2! 1! Excuuuuuuse me? I know you children are not makin' this kind of noise in here! I cannot believe what I just saw! I saw two students rollin' around on the floor. Is that acceptable, students? (students yell "No!") I also cannot believe I saw someone yelling to another student two tables over! Can you whisper to someone two tables away, students? (students yell "No!) Take some pride in your behavior, students. (Those of you who know me well are picturing me re-enacting this moment)
• Jamie Oliver was right. Parents are not packing their kids' lunches with much care. I really do not say this to be condescending, because I've sent some unhealthy things in the past myself. I'm trying to improve. I was shocked, though, that Olivia was the only kid with fruit and veggie in her sack lunch. Kid sitting across from me had a balogna sandwich on white bread, large bag of Doritos, a packet of fruit chews, a package of cheetos things (they're like little tiny balls), 2 juice boxes, and a little Debbie cake. 3 other kids were eating the lunchables which I have been guilty of falling to child pressure and purchasing a couple times for Olivia (she begs me to get those crazy things!) Parents, we've got to do better!
• Kindergarten teachers must really love summer time when they can eat a lunch without having to open 20 milk cartons or capri suns or ketchup, mayo and mustard packets. God bless them.
• Ice packs in certain shapes (i.e.a football like Olivia's) are intriguing to everyone at the lunchtable. Moms, wash those ice packs every single night. Lots of licked fingers are touching those ice packs.
• There's always a little boy at the table who wants to show you his chewed-up food in his mouth. I gave him the squinting eyes and shaking head for that gross moment.
• There's some exchanging and sharing between the sack lunchers. I really hope that Olivia does turn down the large bag of cheetos balls offered to her by a sweet little boy even when I am not there.
• Parents who come to eat with their kids are like rockstars. I know, I know. I'll enjoy my star status while I can. These sweet days are fleeting. The kids kept gawking at me and giggling. Funny.
• Kindergartners are just a cute mess. I love the little girl whose ponytail fell out and she obviously attempted to put it back in herself. She only got about 10% of her hair back up in the ponytail holder. The rest hung by the sides of her cute little face.
• Someone's going to spill their milk. Every single day. Someone will do it. Just wait for it.
• I loved seeing Olivia at school, and she loved seeing me there and telling me what I was supposed to be doing.
• Olivia will be a crier--you know one of those people who cries easily at many things. Her mother and father are both criers. She cried when it was time for me to go. Bless her little heart. She was embarrassed, so she buried her head in my shoulder as we sat on the little circular seats and we hugged goodbye. To make her laugh, I pulled my visitor tag off of my shirt and stuck it to my forehead. Soon she was giggling and wiping her tears. She lined up with her classmates and I headed home.

Thank you, Lord for these sweet moments. All good things are from You, and I praise Your Holy Name for school lunch dates with my Olivia.

Some of my Mom's Writing

My Mom, Brenda Adams, wrote this wonderful piece, and I just had to share it with my blog readers (you know, all of you millions). This piece makes me so proud to be her daughter--for so many reasons. It's written so beautifully. The word pictures are a treat for the reader's eye. Her voice is so clear throughout; you get a sense of who she is and her personality. But most of all, I love her comparison of her experience at The Masters to what we long for in Heaven--THE Master Himself! I hope you'll enjoy this piece. So grateful that this is what flows out of the heart of my mom!

My Impressions of The Masters

We had the privilege of being given tickets to the Augusta Nationals Golf Tournament. It was a first time for both of us or as Don said to someone there, “I am a Masters’ virgin!”
It was a very intriguing experience, not just because of The Masters itself but also because of my reaction to it. This gut response that I had to it caught me off guard! I should probably say that I have never had the desire to go The Masters; I do not know if this lack of interest came just from the fact that watching golf on TV was akin to watching paint dry for me or...if I never thought of having the opportunity so just naturally dismissed it from my mind. But, whatever the reason my lack of expectations may have set me up for the response that I had. I would like to believe otherwise.:)
I guess that I should also explain one of my long held convictions and that is that this earth even at its most beautiful is a prototype or reflection or pale copy of much of what Heaven will be for us someday! I got this idea from C.S. Lewis who in turn seemed to have gotten it from Plato. Lewis promoted it through his writings such as The Great Divorce and The Narnia Series. At the end of the Narnia series in The Last Battle there is a quote that expresses it well. Lord Digory is speaking:
“... our own world, England and all, is only a shadow or copy of something in Aslan’s real world. You need not mourn over Narnia, Lucy. All of the old Narnia that mattered, all the dear creatures, have been drawn into the real Narnia through the door. And of course it is different; as different as a real thing is from a shadow or as waking life is from a dream.’ His voice stirred everyone like a trumpet as he spoke these words; but when he added under his breath ‘It’s all in Plato, all in Plato; bless me, what do they teach them at these schools!’ the older ones laughed.”
This thought so captured my attention when I was younger that I have found it very much a blessing to have it all through out my life since. And I frankly find myself almost looking for these pieces of fore knowledge, preveniences or even Glimpses of Glory! In short, on my better days, I am looking for Heaven!
For example, why do I simply love parades and become emotional even at the Shrine Day Parade in Butler GA?! The concept of having a parade everyday in Disney World has pleased and delighted all who have the opportunity to go! It certainly did me! I know, I know, maybe I am just an emotional sap but at the same time there is something deep within me that is touched. I believe that it is some thing in me put there before the dawn of time that is a glimpse of the glory and joy to be for those who will meet in our true home, Heaven, where there will surely be a parade every day!
It is with this conviction that I approached the gates to The Masters, which is without much argument, the most famous golf event in the world. As we entered the gates, I had an immediate feeling of excitement accompanied with a feeling of attraction or drawing or pulling toward something. Could it be that the deep feelings of being attracted to it, drawn to it have to do with our natural yearnings for Heaven?
The sweet people who were hosting us also had their 8 year old grandson with them. He went to a designated gate for children where he was given gifts and special attention! What a concept! He was asked who he was pulling for in a manner indicating to him that he mattered!

We had been fore warned to leave our cameras, cell phones and pedometers at home or in the car! How interesting to think that in Heaven we won’t need cell phones! We will all be together! We won’t need cameras because we will have the real images before us! And we won’t need to count our steps!
As we moved in through the gates, I was immediately struck by how well everything was handled and by the way the people looked and acted. They were dressed comfortably but also modestly, not to impress but to enjoy their time.
We soon realized that we hadn’t come prepared for the day! We had both forgotten our hats and sunglasses! (Actually, we had remembered them but they had gotten left in our car and we ended up traveling with the family who hosted us.) So we went and selected a hat for Don and a sun visor for me and sunglasses for each of us. We selected them not thinking so much about the price as about how well they would help us through the day. We both felt like we looked good!

Will Heaven be like this?
“Southern”, courteous, gracious, kind, mannerly?
Will there be new hats, sunglasses because of the glare of HIS PRESENCE, will we even have new and beautiful bodies?!
Will it be green rolling countryside with beautiful dogwoods and azaleas,
with large crowds of people moving peaceably about?
Will there be No Waiting! ( I was amazed that there were no lines at the women’s restrooms, and lines at the Men’s Room! HaHa :)!)
Will it be running into family and friends from a life time, reminiscing, discovering how God led and guided them in their faith journeys, all the “God-incidences” that have happened! We so enjoyed visiting and talking with Bill and Betty Hatcher and Denny Key!
Will there be people there that we will be surprised about? (Dad is pretty sure he saw Rudy Guiliano!)
Will it be sweet iced tea, pink lemonade, egg salad and pimento cheese on white bread?
Will it be the “Amen Corner” where those who love to shout, dance, clap and wave their hands will be totally free to do so?
And then there was the actual reason for being there...the golf!
But in Heaven... THE MASTER!
Will it be moments of complete silence as millions upon millions are awestruck in
HIS PRESENCE and then...
Times of thunderous roars of adulation and praise, as with one voice we praise HIM!

We had a wonderful time last weekend going to Carrie Beth and Brad's to stay the night and then go see Peter Pan the next morning. The ballet was wonderfully exciting and it surprisingly kept even the boys riveted. Our afternoon was simply perfect as we had a leisurely picnic at Forsyth Park in Savannah. The weather was glorious! A true spring day, and we were so grateful for the Atkinson's sweet hospitality--even with Benjamin having pink eye and still getting over his strep throat. Aunt Carrie Beth cooked us a great breakfast and had balloons and a present for tbe birthday boy, and that night after we got back from our outing, she made a marvelous dinner before sending us on our way. Sweet times. Just wish Abby and Will could've been there.

FB updates

1. challenging thoughts from MUFHH "Tolerating a wrong attitude toward another person causes you to follow the spirit of the devil, no matter how saintly you are. One carnal judgment of another person only serves the purposes of hell in you." "The deadliest attitude of the Pharisees that we exhibit today is not hypocrisy but that which comes from unconsciously living a lie."
2. enjoyed hearing a great sermon this morning from Dadd-O. So many great illustrations as well as the inclusion of Orianthi's song "According to You". It was also fun being in Mom's SS class. She's doing a great job and giving such careful preparation for her class lessons. So proud of how Dad and Mom are pouring themselves out as a fragrant offering for the Lord's great Kingdom purposes.is at Mom and Dad's. Yeah! the kids woke me up at 5:20. Boooo! I'm going for a run. Yeah! The yeahs outweigh the boos! Yeah!
3. eagerly awaiting my phone appointment with my bestie from the westie (Kristin Ebright Pattison from AZ) today at 1pm--been much too long since we caught up ear to ear.
4. has had a particularly awesome day because my mom and dad zipped into town after Dad finished a J.Wesley gig on SSI. We had dinner together and the kids were just about ecstatic about their surprise visit--as was I. Benajmin said as they drove off, "That Cocky--he funny, Momma!" :) Yes, Cocky is funny. :)
5. loves that when I'm rounding a corner a little quickly in my van I can sing the General Lee's Dixie horn, and as soon as I finish singing it my kids both yell, "Yeeehaw!" Seriously cute and fun!
6. Dear God, thanks for waking up one morning and thinking, "I'm gonna make an awesome one today! I'm gonna make a Stanley Kenneth Rogowski, Jr. and he will grow to be a man after my own heart, and he'll adore music, and one day he'll be a wonderful husband and daddy! He'll lift my name up high and draw people to me!" Happy Birthday Stan! I love you dearly!
7. really nice time tonight for our Dins with the Ins. The kids get so wound up with their Grammy and Papa here--they just are so excited to visit with them that they get a little rambunctious. The meal turned out pretty yummy-oven baked chicken, green beans, home made macaroni & cheese (recipe from Jan Karon's ckbk), rolls and iced brownies w/ice cream. Happy early birthday to my precious husband!
8. did the grocery trip tonight--spent 61, saved 70! And I had the most awesome checker-outer-girl, a lovely Miss Helen Clark! It's been a nice, leisurely Saturday with a long nap and everything! I'm already looking forward to our Dins with the Ins tomorrow night. Should be a good time with a little b-day celebration for the husby
9. The Rogowski Barber Shop is closing soon--I've done three heads this morning. If you need a trim come by before I get around to mopping! :)
10. I bought a new toilet brush today, and Benajmin is enjoying playing with this virgin toilet brush. I told him to enjoy it while he can, because soon it will be off limits. Don't worry, moms, I store it in the laundry room up in my cleaning caddy/bucket thingy, so he won't be able to get to it again...hopefully.
11. really beautiful morning run! PTL! Only bummer is that my black running pants are neon green on the front because of all the pollen. I saw it billowing out of the pine trees like green smoke when the wind blew! Nuts! One allergy headache, comin' up! :)
12. Olivia & I made her leprechaun trap which she chose to be a hotel for leprechauns. It's a shoebox wrapped in St. Pat's Day shamrock napkins with 2 silver/green checked sponges on the inside acting as a bed w/a tap light next to the "bed". Shamrock garland surround the "roof" of the hotel, and leprechaun stickers perform the job as "wallpaper" inside the hotel. We'll put some money on the hotel bed to tempt him. :)
13. the over-ripe bananas finally wound up in banana bread tonight. Mmmmmmm.
14. Stan did his volunteer day last weekend for the Disney Give a Day Get a Day promotion, and I'll do mine this weekend. We'll have 2 free tickets to Disney World after our little bit of volunteer time. I'm so grateful for this and am looking forward to a quick, frugal Disney trip sometime in our not-to-distant future! :)
15. is feeling mischevious...in a good way. :)
16. s ready to feel all better. I've had a stomach virus since Sunday night, and now we're all praying it won't get passed around the house--just in time for spring break.
17. finally seeming to come out of this nightmarish stomach virus. On the mend. Feeling a bit wimpy still, but on the mend, praise the Lord!
18. today we saw some geese eating in a field by Olivia's school, and Benjamin said, "Da momma goose say, 'Hafta eat your salad fust if ya wantcha desert!'" Think Benajmin's heard his momma goose say that a time or two? :)
19. is feeling a bit blue as my mom and dad are about to drive off with Olivia and it will just be Benjamin and me here tonight since Stan isn't home yet from his 8th grade band trip.
20. sometimes getting out of town is so hard! I can do this! I can do this!!
21. here at Mom and Dad's in Albany for a few days. Ahhhh.
22. call me tacky and cheesey, but I love seeing a dogwood in full bloom with tons of bright plastic eggs hanging from its lowest branches by fishing wire. :) Those two symbols, the dogwood and the eggs remind me of Christ's death on the cross and how He gave us new life through his sacrifice!! Hallelujah!
23. is enjoying my last day of spring break with my mom and dad in Albany. Egg Hunt and picnic coming up soon and then Mom will drive me and the kiddos to Tifton to meet Stan who'll take us home. He sweetly encouraged us to stay an extra couple days when he had to head home to be there for the Maundy Thursday service.
24. needs to stop looking through all my old iPhoto albums--Easter last year, Easter year before--where did my babies go?? They'll always be my babies, but goodness gracious how they've grown! Benjamin has a fever tonight, so I'm praying he'll be feeling better in the morning. No one should have to be sick on Easter! Hoping to celebrate with my church family in the AM. Death where is thy sting???
25. He is risen indeed!! Hallelujah! I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today! I know that He is living whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, and just the time I need Him, He's always near! He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!!!
26. doesn't like seeing my little guy suffer through sickness. He was a real trooper tonight as we took Stan's parents out to eat since it is their anniversary and my MIL's birthday. He sat bundled in a blanket in the highchair. Poor little guy.
27. We managed to get a few pictures this morning even though Benjamin has been sick much of the day. I was disappointed to not get a family picture together at the church this year, but sometimes sickness trumps the family photo op. Hallelujah! Christ Is Alive!!
28. We just got back from a wonderful week-long visit at my parents' home in Albany. It was so much fun! Hated to see it end. So grateful for so many precious moments. And so very grateful for two loving, generous parents.
29. His agony was the basis for the simplicity of our salvation...Because of what the Son of Man went through, every human being has been provided with a way of access into the very presence of God. -O.Chambers MUFHH 4/5
30. is sick again with stomach crud, and my little Benjamin is still sick. Taking him to the doc today.
31. just amended my "about me" section on facebook only to realize that the last time I'd written it I had a 16 month old and a 4 year old!! Good heavens how time flies! Benjamin will be 3 this Friday, and Olivia will be 6 in another month.
32. so my little guy is still getting over strep throat and this morning he wakes up with a bright pink eyeball that is watering continually. This little guy is definitely sick of being sick. He just started weeping when I told him we'd have to put drops in that eye. Bring healing and wholeness, Lord.
33. taxes done! Can someone peel me off the ground? As an English teacher from another life, working with numbers for this extended period of time has been like a slow melt of my brain. Now we sit and wait for Uncle Sam plop some cash in our bank account. Thank you Lord! This will be almost enough to pay off our only remaining credit card debt! :)
34. is enjoying being at Carrie Beth and Brad's home today. We're celebrating Benjamin's 3rd birthday (whether he recovering from strep and has pink eye in both eyes or not!!!) by going to see Peter Pan the musical performed in Savannah today! By golly, this will be a fun day, because I'm worn out with the no-good-sick-day...
35. is looking forward to a nice day with the fam. Think we're going to try to go to the Fernandina's Farmer's Market on our way down to Jax where we'll take Van-go in for an oil change and try to scour a few stores for some little girls' clearance deals. Olivia is bursting out of her clothes! Grant us favor in our endeavors and give us discernment, Lord.
36. What a day. No, we didn't get it all done, but that's OK. We made progress and had some fun which was an accomplishment since our little fella had a flip out session this afternoon. We were the ones leaving Wal-Mart with a screaming child. I love this little rascal, and I appreciate my Mom speaking encouraging words after we survived the battle. He will be a strong, good man for the Lord!
37. I know the Lord meets us where ever we gather and call on him, but I have a hankering for corporate worship in Hughes Auditorium. Maybe it's 'cause my cousin Elisabeth Key keeps talking about missing Asbury!! :)
38. is thoroughly enjoying the breeze coming through the windows of our home. The whining weed eater noises, not so much, but the breeze, yes. :)

Dear Lord,
seems I've had lots on my mind lately
and I just wanted to thank you
thank you for sending me family who
listen
sometimes for very
very long times
but most of all
I thank you for hearing me
and knowing me
loving me
and growing me
and wooing me

to come

to always come

with everything
with every thought
every feeling
even angry ones
and fearful ones

and then being so faithful
so true
so amazingly just as you always say you'll be
and even when I come like a screaming baby
you swaddle me patiently
and I find myself wrapped in that peace
peace that really does pass all understanding

thank you, Jesus

Quick Visit with Ansley

These are the two pictures I got from my quick visit with Ansley. I can't believe I didn't get pictures of her other two precious kiddos, but this is her newest addition, Harrison. Isn't he adorable? Ansley, you're a beauty, inside and out, girl! Bless ya!

School Egg Hunts 2010

Here are the pictures from Benjamin's Easter egg hunt at Noah's Ark and there are some pictures of Olivia when she arrived home from school the day of her school egg hunt. I, unfortunately, couldn't make it to hers, but she seemed to survive without me, and she looked pretty darn cute, too! I always love how the kids respond when they see the Easter Bunny at Noah's Ark. Some are petrified and others are mesmerized. Benjamin was very intrigued and curious. He said afterwards, "Momma, why da Easter Bunny was a girl?" Somehow at the ripe old age of almost 3, he has determined that the correct sex of the Easter Bunny is male. Go figure. :) I was in the throws of a nasty stomach virus on this particular day, and I call it a Lenten Miracle that I made it through that morning at Noah's Ark without exploding. :)

Spring Break 2010 in Albany

What an awesome week we had in Albany for Spring Break this year. It was Holy Week, and we felt like we were at Campmeeting somewhere, because we ate most of our meals at church! That was a nice relief for sweet Nonny who regularly turns into chef extraordinaire when we all come to see her. It was a really fun, sweet visit and it even included a surprise visit from Uncle Will. We just wished that the Millers could've come, too! I might try to write more later about this week. Much to share and remember!

Miller Visit to Albany GA March 2010

We were glad to be able to get a quick visit with the Miller family when they came to GA in March. I, unfortunately, came down with a stomach virus when they arrived, so my time with them was limited, but I was glad to see them for the brief time I got to do so. The kids were thrilled to have time with Andy and Titus, too! Sorry there aren't more pictures, but I spent most of this visit upstairs in the bedroom. :(