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. :(

Talking with a Friend

I am so grateful for the precious hour of talking time I was able to enjoy with my dear friend, Kristin yesterday afternoon. Talking with Kristin always does several things to me.
It lifts my spirits. We do a fair amount of laughing at one another, at funny things our kid have done, at bizarre experiences her mother has had as a Christian counselor (I would love to tell this story, but not sure if it would be appropriate! But OMW!! So funny!), or at memories from college days.
It inspires me. Kristin is the mom to two precious little girls, Alaina and Sasha. Alaina is autistic, and Kristin's acceptance of this difficult situation as part of her calling in life, her honesty concerning the day to day struggles of it, and how she leans hard into her Savior through it all is nothing less than inspiring to me.
It spurs me on to greater surrender to Christ. Even though there is already such a strong depth of faith and life in Christ that is apparent in who she is, I can hear in her words a hunger for more and more intimacy with her Savior. Isn't it wonderful how the Holy Spirit makes that hunger contagious? When I hear my sister in Christ just chompin' at the bit for more of Him and hungering to make Him known more to others, suddenly my mouth is watering for more, too!
So thanks, Kristin, for making me laugh, inspiring me, and spurring me on to greater things with my life in Christ! I just wish we were closer so we could see one another once and a while. It's been much too long! Bless you, friend.

More Facebook Status Updates for you NonFBers

I really enjoyed the ice dancing couples, but did anyone else catch that several of them were brother-sister teams? It's one thing to have a dance with your brother at someone's wedding or something, but to straddle your brother's hips while wearing short Daisy-Duke style shorts and a cropped top....I love you, Will, but it just ain't happenin'. Hate to crush both of our Olympic dreams so brutally, but...

spent $76.62 saved $80.08 which felt like a particularly big accomplishment as I had Benjamin with me! :)

the birds are a-talkin' this mornin'! Spring's a comin'!

my star status just quadrupled--My dad included something from my blog on the front of his church newsletter. :) What a neat surprise!

getting ready to head to Valdosta to be with Stan and some of his band students at the district clinic. Should be a fun, frugal diversion. I just wish Mom and Dad still lived there (just for times like these--not that I want Dad to be a D.S. again!). Olivia says we can go by and say hello to "their house".

is home after a fun quick trip to the 'dosta with my precious husby and kiddos.

for all of you who are regular Focus on the Family radio/podcast listeners, if you are yet to listen to the broadcast today, get your hankie ready! It's Dr. Dobson's goodbye as chairman of the board, and he reads a love letter to his wife Shirley that will have you ringing yourself out like a washcloth! Tender!

hard headed son who is terrified of doing #2 in the potty + hard headed momma who struggles to understand this irrational fear = less than stellar moments in my life as mom. When do I clock out today? I'm done. Lord forgive me and help me be better tomorrow.

happy birthday Dr. Seuss! Olivia, my 5 year old, went to school so excited about celebrating his birthday today, and when I walked her into her classroom, her teacher had red and white hats for each of them and was drawing cat whiskers on each of their faces! So cute in a room full of 5 year olds!

feels like I've been a recovering messy much of my life, but there are times when the messy wins out, and it seems to be one of those weeks. I'm working on getting back on top, but it's a bit of a climb to the top of mount messy this week.

has been crunching numbers this morning, planning our next attack on debt--student loans better watch their back! Startin' in October, they're goin' down!

in the spirit of Aunt Betsy, I'm 'bout to have to pull over in the "spankin' lane"! it has just been one of those nights! After Benjamin kicked Olivia in the leg (this was 3rd incident of the evening) he and I had a meeting of the minds (and my hand had to meet his hiney) and I eventually asked him to LOOK his sister in the FACE and tell her he was sorry for kicking her. I was feeling pretty tense and less than joyous at this point, and he said in all seriousness, "Oyivia, I sawee I kick you in da face." Olivia said, "You didn't kick me in the face! You're supposed to look me in the face!!" This interchange just made me double over in laughter, and my sweet daughter said, "Oh good, Momma found her joy again!" Praise the Lord for the joy He brings us--even in the spankin' lane!

Fun Weekend--and it's only Saturday night!

I have just returned from a fun quick trip to Valdosta. Olivia and Benjamin and I followed Stan and some of his middle school band kids over there as they attended the district band clinic. We were needing some sort of little adventure as a family, and this was the perfect remedy for that need. Some of the highlights include:

• seeing the kids act like we were taking them to Disney World when we drove up to the hotel
• watching them play office in the hotel room--they discovered that they could hear one another on the two phones in the room and somehow this was almost blow-your-mind-exciting! :) (btw-Benjamin played the part of the male boss, and Olivia played the part of the female secretary--how do they slip into these stereotypical roles at 2 and 5?)
• being back in Valdosta--this was both a high and a low since Mom and Dad don't live there anymore, but we enjoyed talking about all of our wonderfully sweet memories from their years there
• going to two awesome parks and watching the kids laugh and run and play until they were utterly exhausted
• eating in the school cafeteria together as a family (OK, truth be told, this was also a highlight and a lowlight :)
• shopping in TJMax this morning and finding a couple of things on super-duper clearance! (Can I just say, I love that store?? Seriously folks, deal potentials out the wazoo!)
• getting to hear the VHS jazz band perform last night--this was a wonderful little surprise performance! They are quite a swinging group, and I adore live jazz, so I soaked it in like a thirsty sponge. They even had a couple of vocalists to perform with them on a few numbers. My fave of the night: Etta James' "At Last". In my dreams I would sing like Etta James or like Natalie Cole or Diana Krall...That's another story. They ended by playing an arrangement of MJ's "Thriller". Must say that I thought I wouldn't like it, but it was great! Just needed some dancers on that one--also would've like to have done that! :o)
• getting to visit with my dear friend, Ansley Hickox and see her precious family!! This was also a totally unexpected blessing, and we had such a sweet quick visit! Ansley, I miss you! So glad we got to catch up a bit. Your family is beautiful, and you are too! You're doing a wonderful job as wife and mother. I've always admired your walk with your Savior and how apparent your love for Him is. Bless you, sweet gal! I am concerned about your eye sight, however, as you said you think my skin looks so good and it hasn't changed since we left Baxley!! Girl, you somehow missed all my crowsfeet and many other skin issues, but thanks for the kind words anyway! :) I love that you had sweet potato spit-up on your jacket--this is REAL life as a mom, isn't it??
• seeing my kids playing with their wonderful Daddy on the school campus during some of the rehearsal sessions. Mommas, you know what I mean. There is just something that warms the cockles of your heart (that was for you, Dad) when you see your husband delighting in your children. It is a warm fuzzy that trumps most all other warm fuzzies. A few weeks ago they all went grocery shopping with me on a Sunday night. As we were leaving Publix, Stan walked in front of me as I pushed the cart, and he held their hands as we walked to the van. They started skipping and giggling--all three of them, and I thought I was going to smile so big that my face was going to turn inside out! Thank you, Lord, for a husband who loves me and our children so dearly, so passionately, so apparently, so joyously!
• riding home tonight from Valdosta, I heard a song on the radio that I imagine many of you are familiar with. It's an older song by Lonestar, and as I heard the lyrics being sung, I felt like they sort of expressed what my last bullet was saying. Anyway, I'm so grateful for a fun quick getaway. Here are these sweet lyrics. Enjoy!

The only ground I ever owned was sticking to my shoes
Now I look at my front porch and this panoramic view
I can sit and watch the fields fill up
With rays of glowing sun
Or watch the moon lay on the fences
Like that's where it was hung
My blessings are in front of me
It's not about the land
I'll never beat the view
From my front porch looking in

There's a carrot top who can barely walk
With a sippy cup of milk
A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong
'Cause she likes to dress herself
And the most beautiful girl holding both of them
And the view I love the most
Is my front porch looking in, yeah

I've traveled here and everywhere
Following my job
I've seen the paintings from the air
Brushed by the hand of God
The mountains and the canyons reach from sea to shining sea
But I can't wait to get back home
To the one he made for me
It's anywhere I'll ever go and everywhere I've been
Nothing takes my breath away
Like my front porch looking in

There's a carrot top who can barely walk
With a sippy cup of milk
A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong
'Cause she likes to dress herself
And the most beautiful girl holding both of them
Yeah the view I love the most
Is my front porch looking in

I see what beautiful is about
When I'm looking in
Not when I'm looking out

There's a carrot top who can barely walk
With a sippy cup of milk
A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong
'Cause she likes to dress herself
And the most beautiful girl holding both of them
Yeah the view I love the most

Oh, the view I love the most
Is my front porch looking in
Yeah
Oh, there's a carrot top who can barely walk
(From my front porch looking in)
A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong, yeah
And the most beautiful girl
(Beautiful girl
From my front porch looking in)
Holding both of them