Almost Back to Normal...Whatever That Is!

The few weeks leading up to Christmas seem to be some of the most busy weeks moms and dads could ever have throughout the year! All of the kids have school parties, Christmas concerts, play practices, toys and cookies needed for exchanges, and usually new clothes for any or all of these events! (you moms know!) Multiply that pressure times eight and consider for a moment how busy we have and continue to be right now! I really don’t know if I’m coming or going most days! If it weren’t for my companion day planners, I would lose my mind for sure! Though tempted to remain in a constant state of stress, I’ve managed to remain calm and try my best to just enjoy the kids as they enjoy the season! Last week however, it hit me! The stomach bug swept through my house hitting someone different everyday of the week! Wesley and I tried our best to manage juggling kids around making sure the “well ones” still made it to the places they were to be and the sick ones had time to recuperate! It was INSANE! Seeing as how it would usually hit people in the late afternoon or evening time, we spent our days cleaning and disinfecting, and our nights holding hair and gagging! LOL I finally broke down on Sunday, when we were quarantined to our house, and had to finally cancel on some things we were supposed to do and places to be. If there is one thing I hate in this life, it’s being a disappointment to others by having to back out on commitments made, but I realized on Sunday, ONCE AGAIN, that I’m just not in control of life and the curve balls that sometimes come my way! At the end of the day, Wesley and I did the best we could do and prayed for life to quickly resume to its normal state, even if it meant back to being busy! Though 4out of 10 have yet to be sick, we are praying it’s over with for now! We all got plenty of rest on Sunday and now we’re back in business! Cookies to bake, gifts to buy, and parties, plays, and concerts to attend! So busy, yet so thankful for restored health! Never too busy to thank the Lord for the abundance of blessings in my life! I look forward to next week though, when the kids are home from school and we can have some time to teach what Christmas is REALLY all about!

Boys, Men, and "War Stories"...

Being one of three girls, I never knew the thrills growing up with a brother. I will even go the length to say, that when it comes to raising Nate, I feel so very inadequate, because I just never knew so much energy could be captured and stored in one little body! He knows how to absolutely drive me insane one moment, yet the very next, make my heart melt with how supremely loving he can be. I JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND! I’ve also noticed a trend of destruction when it comes to the male nature. Things in my house that made it through three years with Bella, can’t make it 5 seconds with Nate. This picture for instance, well…let’s just say, my son can make even a wise man lose his head! LOL
It has come to my understanding as of recent that the insanity of it all never quite goes away throughout a boy’s life, it just expresses itself through different avenues! Urgent moments that happen in a boys life are not life or death moments, they are just stories thrown into a library and used as a “rite of passage” into MANHOOD! Let me explain it better from a recent blog I read. A young boy plays with a knife his dad gave him, because his dad says it’s dull and won’t hurt a fly. He ends up hurting himself bad enough that his panicked mother takes him to the ER and he has to have stitches. The mom calls the dad and grandfather to give them the FYI and instead of them panicking along with her, they laugh, exchange stories of the first time they cut themselves with a pocket knife, and declare to the young boy that NOW HE’S A MAN! All because he has a war story (of sorts) to tell now! Does this sound absurd to anyone else?? Would a young girl ever do such? I did some pretty stupid things as a child, but my stupidity and inability to listen to the instruction of my parents never made me a WOMAN! It made me a little girl who got hurt in some way due to failure to listen! HMM? Why does this notion make me a little frantic when I think of how many more years Nate is supposed to have on this earth?
Nonetheless, my purpose for this post was not to rant and rave about the psychological differences between male and female. THEY ARE TOO VAST!!! My purpose was actually to tell a small piece of my weekend. Saturday night, Wesley was out in the cold selling Christmas trees while I had the joys of being stuck in the house with eight children. (PS- the 1:8 ratio is not recommended) Some of my girls did actually get to go to the Clemson game and the others wanted to be outside around the fire at the tree lot drinking hot chocolate. So, some how or another it was just me and the two little ones. Nate and I were enjoying leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner which happened to include grape salad, which Nate LOVES. I usually still cut his grapes for him, but for lack of time, he got them whole that night! Fortunately, I didn’t stray too far while he was eating and was able to catch him as he started panicking from the grape suddenly being lodged in his throat. He couldn’t breath! Though I have been trained for moments like this, I went into Mommy panic mode and instead of beating him on the back first, my finger was in the back of his throat before I could even analyze what was going on. I fished for the grape then turned him facing the floor on my arm. One blow to the back, and out came the grape. As a mommy, I was ready to console him in hopes that it would really calm ME down, but instead Nate wanted nothing to do with me, he wanted down, and he wanted that grape back in his mouth! WHAT? I quickly picked up the grape before he could get to it, only to discover that it was covered in blood. Whoops! I must have dug a little too far in my efforts to retrieve the grape. You will never know the panic I felt even then. Though Nate seemed fine, my heart was still racing and I wondered now if I had hurt him in the process of helping. Nate however, laughed at me when I tried to shine the flashlight down his throat! Now, had that been Bella? Shrills could have probably been heard in the next city had that happened to Bella. BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! Why do the big things seem so small to them?
Minutes later, Wesley calmly walks through the doors with a blood drenched hand dripping all along the path he walked. “REALLY?”, I thought. Seems he had pierced his finger with his pocket knife while cutting a zip tie from a tree. I helped him wash away the blood to try and take a closer look, but the problem was, the blood would not stop pouring long enough for me to see the wound. I frantically exclaimed that we would be going to the ER right that instant! HAHA That went over NOT so well! Wesley was determined NOT to go and was also convinced that it wasn’t THAT bad! So… because of his stubbornness, I went on washing the dishes and picking up around the house for the night. Probably an hour after the incident, the bleeding was still steady and I finally convinced him that we needed to go, even though he still thought it was a stupid idea! It took 4 ½ hours to get to a resolve, but Wesley now has a new “war story” to add to his library. Turns out it was pretty bad! He stabbed himself a good inch right through the tip of his pointer finger, back behind his fingernail. With a digital block for the pain, a tetnus shot, an antibiotic to prevent infection, and an expensive bandage we were finally ready to go home. You’ll never guess what he said when we left the building. “I told you they wouldn’t be able to do anything!”
So, though a bloody night for me, the two guys in my life have new “war stories” that evidentially aren’t that big of a deal! Go figure?! Just another rite of passage, I guess?

The Other Side of Me...

The other night I was having a particularly emotional end to my day which had also just capped off a very emotionally tiring weekend. Noticing I was super tired and contemplative of things in life, Wesley told me to go on to bed and he would take care of devotions and getting the girls in bed. Although I normally would have jumped on the offer, Marleigh was nowhere near tired at the time and there were still so many things to be done in the house, that I decided to stay up a bit longer. I sat in the living room as Wesley did devotions and the girls scattered to bed. Though so many things raced through my mind at the time, it was as if I was paralyzed in the chair as I held Marleigh in my arms. I had also just come to the realization, because of my growling stomach, that I had been so busy with meetings and chats about the girls that I hadn’t even had a chance to eat dinner. Yet I still just sat! I was pretty much too tired to go to bed! Ever had those kind of moments before? I was also having to recite verses over and over in my head trying to talk myself up a little because I was just feeling inadequate in every way possible. I just wasn’t measuring up the way I needed to for the people around me! Though I don’t like to admit it, I felt like a failure. Just then, my sweet hubby turned the corner with some dinner in his hands. For me, of course! “What a sweet gesture”, I thought. He handed it to me in a rush, as he was trying to get Bella down for the evening. As if taking care of the nighttime routine wasn’t enough, he brought me dinner, and a simple 3x5 note card sat atop of my cup of soup. With the emotions I already had going, my eyes immediately welled with tears, and then the tears started flowing as I read the precious words my hubby wrote to try and lift my spirits. It was a moment, like many others, I will cherish!
The point? I love my husband! He is truly my soul mate! He knows me inside and out and still chooses to love me through it all! Even on my most emotional days, when most men run and hide from their spouses, he stands by me, comforting me along the way! Now, don’t get me wrong. We DO have our moments, but usually he makes me laugh in the midst of them, and we usually realize how stupid our tiffs are. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR MY WESLEY!!!
One of the songs performed in our wedding ceremony was The Other Side of Me by Micheal W. Smith. Everytime I have little moments like the other night that seem to decorate our marriage, I usually will think back to that song. It goes like this:
If they were to write about the story of my life,
They would have to mention you with every page they write.
There’s another side to every story told.
If I were the ocean, you would be the shore,
One without the other one would be needing something more.
We are the shadow and the light.
Always love me
Never leave me now.
Now you are the other side of me.
I have know the emptiness of feeling out of touch
And living life without you here would be living half as much
Casue I’ve a need that only you can fill.
If love were mathematical, you’d understand the sum
To the hearts equation, where one and one makes one
And lonely equals me, minus you!
Don’t know what I would do without him; but with him, the opportunities are endless! I will never cease to thank God for letting our paths connect some 22 years ago. So many great memories now and to come! I LOVE YOU WESLEY! (even if you hate I wrote this post!)

My Calling in Life...

I've struggled for as long as I can remember with knowing my calling in life. Somewhere along the road, in my younger years of force-fed faith, I made the judgement that one who calls himself a christian, must also KNOW to what he has been called. A teacher...a missionary...a pastor, perhaps?? Or what if you're JUST a mom (oh, how I hate that phrase!)? Maybe even a nurse or and engineer of sorts. For all my life I have equated "calling" in life to the choosing of a profession.
When Wesley and I first moved to work at the Home for Children, we had every belief that we were moving one step closer to our calling in life. Although very true, I had no clue the lessons God had planned for me to REALLY learn about "our calling". We've always adored working with children, have felt the urgency to be overseas, and with all the"work" we had done in our local ministries, well...we just thought we were the most well-equipped people for the task at hand.One more step to get us closer to the "calling"! lol Our first few weeks here were bliss; family and friends helped us make the big move. With a new baby in the house(Nate), family made frequent stops. We only had three other girls that were very well-behaved. My list could just go on and on of all the things that were RIGHT in the world! And then, nestled somewhere in between the months of October and November of last year, IT hit us! REALITY!
Having given up the youth pastor role at church for better efforts toward the HFC, we not only lost a title at church, but also relationships with people we had called our friends for so long. Family didn't stop by as often anymore. A surprise pregnancy(Marleigh) hit right at the time Wesley lost his full-time job, and along with that, went the medical insurance and the extra vehicle. And the girls living in our house at that time...OH MY, my words would fail me if I tried to describe the chaos in my house during those months. A step towards "our calling" that seemed so right just months before, now seemed wrong in just as many ways, if not MORE! Though surrounded by people, I was alone! Though all bills were somehow paid month after month, I felt the pain of each financial blow! Though still feeling God's compassion, I felt as if I had NOTHING to offer the girls in our home and sometimes MY husband and kids. I was empty, broken, alone, and carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. Although I had just moved 30 miles away from home, it might as well been halfway around the world. It was a dark place. THIS was my calling?
Now I can honestly say that during that time, it wasn't ALL gloom! I think I have just as many praise reports of God's action in our lives, but it still didn't take away the sting of rejection we felt on so many levels. But God is ever instructing me through difficult times in life. In fact, one of my favorite quotes as of recent, simply says, "...God is never closer that when your heart is aching.", and though we did our best to keep truckin along in life, God was so close while we were hurting! Following our calling seemed to lead us to a place of death.
Now, a year removed from that dark time, I have finally realized a little bit of what God might have been trying to say through it all. In this past year, I have grown. I was introduced to taking a class at church called Healing and Restoring the Heart. It was a journey I didn't purposely embark on, yet one that I will always mark as a pivotal turn in my christian walk. I could have another thousand blogs on what I have learned in this class; however, for the benefit of this post, all you need to know is that I am now walking in freedom instead of being bound by the chains of religion! Living in total freedom is blissful, even though it took muddling through painful memories to get there.
I can't get the planting of a seed off of my brain these past two months when I think about the circumstances of my life last year. The seed gets buried in the ground. Total darkness. Total isolation. Taken away from things familiar, comfortable, and precious. And through it's death, LIFE springs forth! Not just once, but MANY times over! WOW!! That's us! God took me to a place of darkness, and isolation for the purpose of us to truly find "our calling" in life! Our call was...to die! It was not linked to my profession or a foreshadow of the steps that needed to be taken. It was direct, plain, and simple. Our "calling" was to die! Die to ourselves daily, so that Christ could truly dwell in us(Gal. 2:20).
I can't even begin to tell you the whirlwind of events that have taken place since we have chosen daily to lay down our lives that He may use us however he pleases! God has already opened many doors, sparked a new creativeness within each of us, so much that we can't wait to live our next day to watch what God will unfold before us. All I know for sure is that life will spring forth, many times over if we continually die to ourselves and allow Him to take up residence.
We may search forever for the exact profession wanted in life. In fact, I'm going back to school right now to work towards something I feel will aid in doing something I now have a great passion for due to past circumstances, but in the meantime, the "calling" is definitive...The calling is the same as Christs' (though His had to be literal). I will take up my cross daily, deny myself and methods for living, and follow Him! It's just that simple! I don't know why it took me so long to GET this, but I'm glad I finally did! Even as I read back over this, it all sounds so elementary, because it's stuff I've heard all my life! An illumination day, if you will. The difference for me lies within the hearing...and the doing!
My "calling" on some days may seem to only wipe booties and noses, serve as a burp cloth, and try my best to be there for each child and they all face difficult situations; but I will try my best to pursue this "calling" as passionately as Christ pursues me!
Comment back with any thoughts or a common verse that had an illumination day for you.

Free. from mAckenzie on Vimeo.

Adoption

November: National Adoption Awareness Month
I am so excited when November rolls around each year! I am presented with the idea of Thanksgiving and Adoption all smushed into one month! It comes as no surprise to me that they would declare National Adoption month in the same month that all Americans reflect on the things of which they are thankful. Because of course our number one item to give thanks for is usually our family. Adoption is a subject that I have become insanely passionate about over the past few years; and though controversial I'm sure, I think it is something all Christians should be passionate about and consider! Yes, I said it, if you don't agree with me, feel free to let me know.
First, it is simply amazing to me that I myself have been adopted. Romans 8:14-16 states, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." As a Christian, I am presented with the privilege daily of crying out to my Heavenly Father who has grafted me into his royal/priestly family! I don't know about you, but the immeasurable joy I get from that notion never gets old! Secondly, the word explicitly tells us to defend the cause of the orphans and widows (Isaiah 1:17), and if we wish to practice a pure and genuine religion, to care for them in their distress, refusing to let the world corrupt any further(James 1:27). and although God is the absolute Father to the fatherless, and the supreme defender of the widows, He will still place the lonely in families for them to be physically cared for (Psalm 68:5-6)! Now I'm not one to try and be "preachy", but this is obviously a heartbeat of God and should therefore be a heartbeat of mine, if I am in fact trying to be more and more like Him.

The list could go on and on of the things I have learned from being here at the Home for Children, but one of the most recent, is my compassion levels for others. Sure I have (or try to have), compassion on the children here, considering the things that life has presented before them, that they have in no way asked for. Sadly, I've criticized biological parents, wondering to myself why they couldn't "get their act together" for their kids. But now, God has opened my eyes quite widely to the fact that most of these parents do love their kids, they love them the best they know how, which in most cases is not good enough. They try their hardest to love their children, but they love them through their addictions and sorrows of their own childhood disturbances. It is truly sad when you stop and consider just how corrupt the world really is. I wish all would love and literally do all that is required to be a parent. I wish that my job didn't have to exist. However, we live in a very corrupt culture, which causes us to have many corrupt problems. Compassion is the key!
Now...here I sit, a christian, a believer in the inspired Word of God. What will I do about this? What can I do about this? I wish I could do something huge, but maybe God is calling all Christians just to be a small part of the puzzle. Adoption? I may not be able to save a whole country of children or cause human trafficking to end so innocent children would no longer be victims, but I could make a difference in the life of one; and if all christian families made a difference in the life of one, that would be a difference in the life of many. All Christian families should "consider" adoption. Let me say this in a little different way. All wholesome christian families should "consider" adoption. Families that are anchored in Christ and seek holiness should "consider" adoption. Individuals that know who they are in Christ should "consider" adoption. Why? What better way to introduce someone to the Lord! Working with children in the system daily, those up for adoption are asked by their respective case workers what they would "want" in a family. The number one answer I have seen across the board is: "A christian family". Now why would that be so important to a child that has, in most cases, rarely been taken to church or told about the Lord? Because they seek love, and freedom from their past and they see a "christian" family as their avenue to experience these joys of life. Who better to teach them about true love and how great life can be when we have been adopted into a family of true "wealth". (PS - their number 2 is usually a need for a "rich" family! LOL)
So, my plea is this, whatever walk of life you find yourself in, what is stopping you from "considering" adoption? Maybe you could be content sponsoring a child from overseas or stateside, knowing they are receiving better care, or maybe you desire to give a child a place at your dinner table. Maybe you're crazy like us, and though God has greatly blessed in the fertility area, you see fit to care for many more in their time of limbo. What action will you take?

I should definitely mention that Wesley and I have no present plans to adopt; however, it will always be an option to "consider". Right now, we are in our proper roles. :) I am also curious to hear feedback?!?! Thanks for reading!

A Bruised Brow, the Rolling Over Rug, and a Lesson in Shaving...

I'm out to prove that ignorance is not always bliss! In fact, it can be rather PAINFUL! My ignorance of guns has proved that way for me! No offense to my PETA friends, but we are on quite the mission around here to take care of some "extra" critters. Having a borrowed gun, my curiosity got the best of me, and I just had to attempt a shot. I've shot a "big gun" once before and had no further desire to do it again due to the very loud noise and the kick. However, I was quite sure I could handle this "glorified pellet gun" with a silencer attached.(As you can tell, I don't even have the knowledge to tell what kind of gun!) No incredible danger to me, right? Ha. My husband set up a small paper plate as a target for me and took a front row seat to hopefully get a good laugh. Being a BIT competitive, I would have to get a perfect shot on the first try just to prove that I'M GOOD! lol I raised the gun to my side and glared down the barrel through the scope with intense focus to take perfect aim. Then...BANG! I immediately doubled over in pain, throwing my hand over my eye to relieve the pain, as my husband exclaims, " You weren't supposed to KEEP your eye that close!" and then he asked FIVE MINUTES LATER, if I was okay. OUCH! The "kick" as I call it, kicked me in the eyebrow as I shot the gun! This was last Friday and my brow still feels as if it has a fresh bruise on it! So, was the pain worth my ignorance? almost. I did get an awesome shot in, even though I didn't even care about it until the initial shock of the pain was over! I also gave my hubby a GREAT laugh! Still not quite sure how I feel about that!
The rest of the weekend was once again a huge blur. Many birthday parties and church activities kept us going, going, going! All my homework and the dread of two tests this week only added to the chaos of the weekend, but alas, I've made it through once again. One of my highlights was watching Ms. Marleigh roll all over the place. She's been rolling over here and there since she was 2 weeks, but this weekend, she began doing it with intention! And just like her big sis and big bro, she found the living room rug to be the best place to do so. All (and I do mean ALL) my children have rolled over on that rug! How special! The rolling over rug! Though stained with MANY things now, the rug has survived long enough to receive this special label. One last highlight of the weekend was giving my first lesson in shaving! Didn't think I'd be giving that lesson so early in life; but, I also didn't think I'd be living at a home for children with a house full of hormonal girls! lol I have two sixth graders this year who have finally been made aware(by their peers, of course) of just how hairy their legs are! So, lucky for them, I had grown out just enough of a winter coat, to show them just how much they could benefit from shaving! We all three rolled up our pant legs and made the side of the tub our classroom. I have to say, I had fun with it! I showed them first on my leg, then they got to try it out with me watching! They were so nervous! I think I had them stressed to the max about the possibility of cutting themselves. Their little hands were everything BUT steady and they barely applied any pressure at all! Needless to say, they took FOREVER during shower time that night!

Our Latest Catch(still no chipmunk) :(

(getting closer though!)

As we pack up for our time off this weekend, we are excited about family time as we head into the busy holiday season! Exciting, memorable times are waiting on me. Better keep my camera charged!

The Play by Play

I Thought I Was Allergic to Running!

Ater reading another fun blog I follow I was so pleased to hear that I am not alone in this world! For as long as I can remember, my legs have always itched severely whenever I would run, jog, or even walk briskly! I finally quit announcing it to people at some point in life when they always looked at me weirdly! Since I’m a yo-yo exerciser, every time I’ve always started an exercise regiment, I would just expect that the itchy leg issue to be horrible at first and then taper off as I got back into the swing of things.
Here’s the diagnosis:
Symptoms: When you start running, you feel an itchy sensation that is sometimes so bad, you have to stop running. It most often occurs if you run after a long period of inactivity. If the itching is accompanied by a rash, it might be a different condition, such as exercise-induced anaphylaxis (see Embarrassing Running Problem #6).
Causes: The most common cause of itchy legs is actually because of what’s happening inside the skin, not on it. When we exercise, the millions of tiny capillaries and arteries inside our muscles expand rapidly because of the demand for more blood. If we’re fit, these capillaries remain open allowing maximum blood passage, but, when unfit and inactive, they tend to collapse, allowing only minimal blood passage (which, by the way, is fine for a sedentary person). The expansion of the capillaries causes adjacent nerves to send impulses to the brain, which then reads the sensation as an itch.
Prevention: The problem should go away once you have increased your fitness level.
So, there you have! It’s official; I’ve joined the “unfit” inactive people of America! The way I see it, I have two options if I never want to have itchy legs again: 1. Keep up with the exercise routine the REST OF MY LIFE! or 2. Give up altogether. HUM?!?! Which one should I choose?

Weapon of Choice? French Toast Sticks, of Course!

Barely room for groceries!

WOW! The past few weeks have been a total blur for me. It can all be summed up in the phrase, “So much to do, so little time”! Haven’t we all felt that way from time to time? It seems my house has had a revolving door on it over the past 2 weeks. All in the same week, I had two new girls move in and one girl move out! Hard times and sad times. It’s always difficult when one leaves, especially this last one. She had been with us the longest. Just like your own children, they can drive you absolutely bonkers, but all of the sudden when they are no longer here to do that anymore, you just feel like you’re missing something; and it’s never a good feeling to feel like you’re missing a child. You probably know the feeling; the "I’m-standing-in-the-middle-of –a-huge-crowd-but-can’t-find-my-child" feeling! PANIC! It’s taken me a whole week at least to assure myself that she’s not escaped my care, but that she is gone altogether. On the other end of the spectrum though, we are going through the “adjustment period” with our two new ones. It’s a rewarding feeling almost when you have new ones come into your care; however, it just gets a bit insane at times. Adapting them to my family and their new surroundings can be downright difficult. I will say that they are doing well, but just as any child, they have had x amount of years living life a certain way, and I always feel like the “bad guy” when I tell them to live and do things in a different way. Nevertheless, we make it work and I’m constantly in a state of LEARNING!
The Halloween weekend seems to have gone just as quickly as it came. We had a lot of fun with the girls. All dressed up, we had a huge variety show! One Whoopee cushion, Cleopatra, 3 baseball players, a mermaid, a star trek girl with blue hair, Wonder Woman, a bat, and a Hershey kiss (which then later transformed into Yoda due to the warmth of the outfit!) A SITE, for sure! (I would post more pictures, but sadly my camera was MIA when I needed it most! - I say MIA, but that happens to be my lingo for "burried under stacks of paperwork and Christmas list on the office desk!) Though a very fun weekend with family and the girls, it did not go at all as I had planned, and if any of you know me, you know I live strictly by my day planner! So, after I got over the initial frustration of things not going as intended (or should I say MY WAY – lol), I just enjoyed the ride. I endured the overbearing classroom moms at Bella’s preschool as I helped at her fall festival, the baking of too many cupcakes for birthdays and other events, the headache of 7 kids pumped full of sugar, and the horror of the vicious cycle of cleaning then destroying that goes on in my house daily! We actually DID end up with a couple hours of family time (just the 5 of us) on Friday night due to a kid’s event at the church. YIPEE! We got to eat at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants and watch Nate enjoy chips and salsa for the first time! He loved it so much; he took his passy for a swim in the salsa! We also finished up some shopping for the events to come, and I don’t think I’ve had so much fun with my family as I did on Friday night just strolling around and hanging out. We also enjoyed a bowling birthday party, allowing Bella her first experience with bowling! Although the weekend proved to be tons of fun, I literally rejoiced when Monday rolled around and the kids were out the door for school.

Taking the Passy for a Salsa Swim!


Not quite sure which dropped first, the price or the pumpkin!



Bella, granny-bowling!


The fake eyelashes she wanted SOOO desperately lasted all of one hour!

Couldn't believe she wanted this costume! LOL

Then yesterday, Election day, I was elected to be queen babysitter! Ha-ha Much to the girls’ surprise, they were elected to be “the cleaning crew” today! My day started well, with an hour of extra sleep, but boy did I need it! These children were absolutely CRAZY! And I suppose I shot myself in the foot a couple weeks back when three of five girls were given the consequence of not enjoying outside playtime, due to misbehavior. I’ll rethink that consequence the next time it comes to mind! I think they enjoyed a nice break from school though, even if they were stuck inside with the “cleaning Nazi”! They also enjoyed the fact that we caught a possum the previous night in one of our traps! Many may know that we have a death warrant out for all chipmunks, so Wesley has a vast size range of traps set for the little critters. So far we have managed to catch a whole bunch of nothing, until yesterday. The girls looked out the window and saw the fur of an animal blowing in the wind. They had all manner of assumptions as to what it was. None guessed correctly! When they finally got outside to see the ugly thing, they all thought it was the cutest little creature ever and wanted to keep it! (We’ve watched Over the Hedge a few too many times!) All it took was one hiss, and they were over it! Nate, our expert animal noise maker, has now added the possum hiss to his animal noise library. HILARIOUS!! Speaking of little man, I now refer to him as Nate, the sailor man! He sounds like he is absolutely cussing you out when he jibber jabbers. Also, HILARIOUS! I’m sure he’s saying something important, but right now, his words are pure entertainment! This leads me to my last fun story of the day! In our house we have a nighttime ritual with the girls called “Take 10”, which means when the phrase is stated, the girls then have 10 minutes on the clock to get their teeth brushed, an extra swipe of deodorant(just for good measure), clothes laid out for the next day, and be in bed when the timer goes off! I also give them the option of reading a bible verse to me when I come around at the end of those 10 minutes to say goodnight. Most of them delight in this time to read a verse. Sometimes they try to charm me with their memorization of a verse, other times; they are down right smart alec when they read some of the longest/shortest verses of the bible. However, the opportunity just to have the word of God in their hands gives me more of a thrill than they will ever know! Working with them, and many other children over the years, it always gives me a giggle (inside) at how children will attempt to tackle words they do not know! And don’t we know the Bible is full of them! Most children will pause forever, and finally look at you with bewilderment, waiting on you give assistance. So, when one of my girls picked up her King James Version bible with super-small print the other night, and flipped to the Old Testament, I knew I could be headed toward one of those moments. To tell you the truth I can’t even tell you where the verse is, because we all got a bit distracted with the meaning. All I can tell you is it had to do with a fight of the Amalekites. However, when she got to the word Amalekites, she gave no awkward pause. She just went for it! And with her wording, instead of the Amalekites fighting, it was the omelets fighting! Enjoying quite a hearty laugh from it all, Wesley came down the hallway to see what had me tickled, and of course he had to add his thoughts. “What were they fighting with? French Toast sticks?” We all lost it from there! It took the girls another good 10 minutes just to get their giggles out! Needless to say, I’m anxious for their comments and reaction the next time we have French toast sticks for breakfast! Oh my fun life! Wouldn’t trade it for anyone else’s! It’s a mess! One big, beautiful mess!

Stop, Drop, and Roll!

Bella, now in K-4 at Brookwood Preschool Academy, has just recently completed a whole week's worth of learning everything there is to know about fire safety! Each day of that particular week, she would come home with a piece of knowledge to impress us all! I've been reprimanded for my candles, instructed to keep a glass of water and a cloth on my nightstand every night, shown all of the proper exits in my house, and how to call for help! However, her most prized piece of knowledge is the same of any child that has been through a fire safety course...What to do if your clothes catch fire. Bella not only told us about how we should stop, drop, and roll, but demonstrated on NUMEROUS occasions how to follow through these three steps. She had us, the girls, and Nate, rolling all over the floor! :)
Being so very proud of her and her enthusiasm for fire safety, I couldn't help but stop at a certain devotion titled, "Stop, Drop, and Roll!" as I thumbed through the girls' devotion book. Knowing it would perk every one's interest, I selected that devotion for the evening. It took the stance that no matter what circumstances may have you feeling under fire, it is important to not panic, but simply STOP what you are doing, DROP to your knees in prayer, and ROLL all of your anxieties onto Him, because He cares for you!(1Peter 5:7). The girls enjoyed the devotion that night, especially Bella! In fact, most of them rolled down the hallway into their beds afterward! LOL When the lights went out for all, I took the time to apply the verse to my life! At first I was just amazed by the fact that my God cares for me in all extents of the emotions I feel, whether justified or not! WOW! He CARES for me! All I have to do is surrender all of those anxieties to Him in prayer and let Him instruct me on how to REST in Him! Powerful! Yet in my mind's eye, I couldn't stray from the image of someone rolling all over the ground in an attempt to put a fire out, yet because they are in such hysterics, they don't realize they are rolling themselves straight back into the fire again! Crazy thought, I know! Relating it all back to the spiritual, I realized how silly I am at times when I get all worked up about stuff, go pray(or complain) to God about what's going on, and either halfway surrender it all to Him, or give it all to Him, but pick it back up before I give my Heavenly Father the opportunity to really care for me like only He can! How foolish to think that I can't trust Him to put the fire out, and calm me down!

So, the next time I don't want to relinquish my rights to my anxieties of present circumstances, I hope Bella's fire safety training will help me out! After all, HE CARES FOR ME!!!

A Blog Post Worth 19,000 Words....

I'll let the pictures do the talking for lack of time. Here are a few snapshots from the past few weeks.

Sweet Marleigh

Nate's Drive-thru Window

Frequent Request: "CoookEEE Peas" (Cookie Please!)

Gave up on the whole sitting up thing!

Bella's fall interpretation of her family!

No room for more!



She's growing up on me!

Fresh out of bed!

She was placed on the blanket!

Still amazed she didn't bump her noggin!

Trying to be the baby!

Basket Head!

Baby fro!

"I'll take THAT one"

Candace's Bridal Shower

Theme: Carved Out for One Another

You can always use nature when the pocket book is lacking!

SOOo much fun to see a finished product revolved around one little carving!

Centerpieces

The Gift Tree

The Yummy Cake!

Moss letters in the shape of the carving!

Place Settings

Wooden ornaments as guest favors!

Table Setting

Serving and Cake Tables

A Whole lot of work, but a whole lot of fun!

All for one AMAZING sister!

Expect Delays...

As I wind down in body and gear up in mind on this Saturday evening, I can’t help but compare my Saturday night/Sunday morning routine to a traffic jam! EVERYONE not only has to get out the door on time, but also properly dressed, smelling good, Bibles in hand, and open minds ready to hear from the Lord! I have a personal list of my own duties added to that list: Every item packed in the diaper bags, preview everyone’s clothes to make sure they are proper, throwing offering into the abyss of my purse(only to be hunted and scraped out later), seeing that mouths are feed, and preparing myself mentally for all the things that might “go wrong” along the way! Wow!
I guess the biggest thing I have learned in the stress of watching Sunday’s come and go, is that liken unto a traffic jam, I must expect delays! If every car in one city used the same road and had to be at the same place at the same time, the people in those cars should just KNOW to expect delays. As we all try and get out the door at the same time for church, really ready to go, we just HAVE TO expect that something is not going to go just right. Somebody will be missing a button, have a couple hairs out of place, need to be fed in the middle of ironing clothes, or be missing their Bible. The list could go on and on. I’ve learned however, over the past year, that my attitude concerning the delays, can mess the WHOLE day up or make it run more smoothly. Going back to the traffic jam, as many may know, our attitude towards the delays, affect the entire ride to our destination. If we choose to lay on the horn, demand everyone out of our way though nowhere to really go, and rehearse as many expletives we may know, in our heads or verbalized, all we end up with is high blood pressure and a bad mood for the rest of the day. However, on the contrary, if we leave out early, knowing we will have delays, we can enjoy the scenery as were stuck in traffic. From time to time, we can even get a chuckle out of those who are acting a little manic. At least when we arrive at our destination, we can still enjoy the day and look back at the delays as opportunities. (Even if you do end up being a little late!)
So, as I sit here tonight, hopefully having as much done as possible, in an effort to be at church on time with everyone looking great, I full-well anticipate any delays as well. Who knows what tomorrow may bring? All I can hope is to take whatever comes my way with ease, compassion, and the opportunity to allow God’s wonderful grace to shine through me.

When Certainties become uncertain....

I have so much that I want to blog about. The everyday events of my life are enough to usually keep me laughing, but as of the weekend I'm simply at a place in life where so many of the things in life that were so certain, suddenly became uncertain, distant, and unfamiliar. If you're looking for a laugh out of this post; read no further. I'm hurting right now. I am of course able to continue with life and enjoy it, but I can't help but know that God is at work right now in my life with the events surrounding. I say all of that to say this, I don't know what to do except pray right now. That's it! I can't run to the rescue or even run to rescue for myself right now. I'm sitting. Resting in Him. Learning to be still and accept the present darkness, knowing that the end result will be life flourishing!

Thoughts and verses that are helping me now:

In the same way of the seed:
"We need to be willing to give up whatever is most familiar , comfortable, and precious to us, allow ourselves to sink into darkness, and trust God to bring life out of what feels like death."- "This is the mystery of fruitfulness: Life multiplied many times over from what seems like death."

"Heartache forces us to embrace God out of desperate, urgent need. God is never closer than when you heart is aching." ~Joni Eareckson Tada

Psalm 116:1-6

Psalm 126:5-6

" The closest communion with God comes, I believe, through the sacrament of tears. Just as grapes are crushed to make wine and grain to make bread, so the elements of this sacrament come from the crushing experiences of life." ~Ken Gire

Psalm 34:18
Psalm 51:17
James 1:5-6

"There are moments when God makes utter and complete sense to us, and then suddenly, life changes and he seems a foreign remnant of a childhood force kl-fed faith..."Lord, give us eyes to see your coming and going, ears to hear your voice and your silence, hands to hold your presence and your absence, and faith to trust your unchanging nature in all seasons."
~Elisa Morgan

"It doesn't matter what the size range of your circumstances might be; all that matters is what will your response be."

"We can hug our hurts and make a shrine of our sorrows or we can offer them to God as a sacrifice of praise. The choice is ours." ~Richard Exley

"But when we release our grasp, our relinquishment puts a stop to our manipulation of other people and releases the Holy Spirit to do the supernatural through the power of prayer."

"Our broken lives are not lost or useless. God's love is still working. He comes in and takes the calamity and uses it victoriously, working out his wonderful plan of love." ~Eric Liddell

I choose to give it to God.

To California and Back!

If you know me, you know that my children are my pride and joy! Sweet Marleigh doesn't have much of a personality yet, but I got her laughing last night for the first time! It's such a wonderful experience as a parent to watch them be happy; or better yet, create an environment for them to be happy! Little Man Nate is such a love bug! Whomever gets the joy of waking him up in the mornings, gets the biggest hug! The kind that just make you melt because of the the way that they melt into your arms. And to hear his countrified version of "Awww", will make the worst of days become the best of days. It's now his favorite word when he gives hugs or sees pictures of his family members! So sweet! Last, but certainly not least(she wouldn't dare let that ever happen), is Ms. Bella Boo! Every night we have a 15minute bedtime ritual that she WILL NOT let you forget about. After brushing teeth, reading a book, and saying her prayers, the lights go out and I take the time to let her know just how much I love her. Ever since her toddler days, Wesley and I have always said the phrase to her, "I love you to the moon and back!", and she always responds, "I love you too"! Yet as of recent, she has been learning about other things and places in the world, and will try to out-do "to the moon and back". To the sun and back, to the milky way and back, etc.... But my favorite yet is; "Mama, I love you to California and back!" One day I will have to break the news to her that California is not so far away compared to the others, but as for now, there's not a better feeling in the world than to be loved to California and back by my sweet Bella! And just as much as she means that with her whole heart, I can only conclude that I love them just as much! I thank the Lord daily for my little blessings, no matter the messes they may challenge me with! Nothing can ever dilute or discredit the love that I have for my babies; a love that stretches ALL THE WAY to California and back!

Babies, Brides, Books, and Bleach....and don't forget the Random Chipmunk!

I'm about that age in life now that all my friends are getting married and having babies. Thank the Lord I'm already done with both!!(I'm so competitive at EVERYTHING!!) This past weekend and week to come I have joined in celebration with two of the most amazing people in my life. It all started with preparing for my college roommate/best friend's baby shower on Friday night. I was assigned to bring the cake, and AS USUAL, I had to make things more difficult by wanting to make the cake instead of going the store bought route. An adventure in itself! However, Wesley and I built our very first decorative cake. And yes, it was a building process. In fact, Wesley compared it to tiling a floor! For being our first cake, we were quite proud of it, and I couldn't think of many people that I would want to spend that much time and effort on doing something for, except Michelle. When I headed off to college back in the day, I was stuck with some random girl who ended up being an amazing part of my life!! At the time, she was a little over-bearing, cared a little too much about the happenings of my life, and had strict standards for herself. Oh how I needed her though! I've never learned so much in my life from one person! The most important thing I have learned though is the love of a friend, a true friend. You can't out love or out give Michelle. An example, you ask? Get this. She shows up to HER baby shower with gifts for US! WHAT?! What a woman! I'm so excited for her and her venture into motherhood!

The "S" is for Sophie

Moving on to Sunday. After praise and worship at church, I headed off with my little sister in an attempt to have bridal portraits done. After getting her 2tons of (gray) hair done up, we traveled to the end of the earth to Holly Springs Baptist Church. We stepped inside to get her in her dress, and then we heard it....RAIN! What?! Thankfully, after a few shots in the church, the clouds passed on by and we were all set for some outdoor shots. Being that brilliance runs in our family, Candace had the awesome idea to go up to the top of Bald Rock for some photos. And all I have to say about that is: "Blow Away Bride!" We get to the top of this big rock and it is absolutely FREEZING! Then, the wind starts blowing like crazy, and what does Candace want to do? She wants to put on 6in. purple stilettos and both veils. So....long story short, we become crutches for Candace and pray that the wind doesn't rip the expensive veils from her head. We would hold everything together, and run away quickly, just for a few snaps of the camera, while bystanders nervously watch the bride as she clings to the rocks for dear life! I'm sure we got some pretty amazing shots, but OH MY WORD! Since my brain is in math world, I can only express this in terms of Candace + Stilettos + a windy mountain top = PRAYER to the second power! We did have fun though! And though most brides focus on their adorning dress, leave it to Candace to change shoes 4 times for her pictures! IT"S ALL ABOUT THE SHOES! And not to get too mushy about her, but there are very few people I'd go traipsing up the windy, cold mountain for, just for one good shot!

I wish I could give you a pic from yesterday, but then Steven could see her

in her dress!

I got home later than expected and began my study efforts! Math test was today. Two weeks into this class and I'm dreaming about math! I feel as if that's all I do! A word to the wise: if you drop out of school with intentions of going back, don't wait more than five years in between. You lose credit for math and computer. But alas, here I sit, not so wise, working my algebra. A couple things have changed since I was in school last. My book for instance, I sure did pay $139 for it, all to find out, they didn't bind it. So, I have to get a big notebook to put it in, all to find out the book is online as part of my class! BOO! What is wrong with this picture? Regardless of all my gripes, I studied hard and did well, considering it is math we're talking about. I'll have to live with a 95.

Now, with time off coming this week (meaning much cleaning and packing for me), and Candace's Bridal shower(meaning lots of decorating for me), the week has just begun to get crazy! The Lord knew I needed a laugh today so the stress wouldn't reach a "knock-down, drag-out" climax. So, when I hopped on the mini bus (AKA the short bus) to go pick up kids, something didn't seem quite right. I heard a knocking sound. It seemed to stop long enough to get to the school, but when I pulled in the drive and came to a stop I heard it again and a sudden thud directed my attention to the door. Looking out, a very frightened little chipmunk jumped from under the bus to the sidewalk. Back and forth his head kept jolting, wondering what his next move would be. All this pavement. All these kids. All these big buses. I could do nothing but laugh out loud as I sat there all by myself. I brought a chipmunk to school. HAHAHA! Seeing as how the chipmunks ate through our gas tank last winter, I wished nothing but demise for the rodent. It appeared that he had finally scurried off realizing he wasn't in for another ride under the bus to get back home. As I pulled forward a little to get the kids, I glanced in my side mirror, only to laugh even harder. There he was again, in frantic desperation, dodging buses and heading back to me. Once again, he stood at the door of the bus, as if he were asking for me to PLEASE open the door! I just glared back and thought, "You got tha wrong one, sucka"! And then I ever so politely drove off! Who knows, maybe some others will join him tomorrow! They better if they know what's good for them. I may not know the proper technique in shooting a gun, but I can get creative!

Turns out I really did need the laugh today! After getting dinner on the table, the hustle of the evening routine, and cleaning up the mess from an overflowing toilet, I'm sitting here in my bleach perfume with a million things to do for the Bridal shower and time off, all while I'm supposed to be studying for another test tomorrow. I should really get busy!

I had to make up a math problem then solve it on my test today. I'm interested to see who might take a stab at it. Submit your answers as a comment.

Dacusville and Mauldin are 23 miles apart. Wes and Lindsay are driving from Mauldin to Dacusville for church and Candace and Steven are driving from Dacusville to Mauldin for MIP. The couple leaving Mauldin, averages 2 miles faster than the couple leaving Dacusville. Both couples meet on the road 30 minutes into their trip. What are the rates of the cars? (P. S. - I realized after working this problem that they wouldn't really go this speed.)

Piggies Can't Go to Market!

As many of you may already know, my husband LOVES flip-flops. They are a part of his year-round wardrobe. Wearing them at all times, we have some pretty tragic stories of flops gone by. If you dare, delve into the mind of my crazy man and his take on our most recent loss.

Faded Glory flip flop, more commonly known as”Flip”, age 2 of Mauldin, died Saturday September 25th at 12:38pm., from injuries sustained in a flop of flipping furry. Although, great “strides” were taken to revive Flip, his premature death issued a “toe-tag” sentence.

Flip was born in December 2008 in a rural factory in the east of Taiwan. In 2009, Flip and brother, Flop, were shipped to the local Mauldin Wal-Mart where they were adopted by two crunchy feet. Flip and Flop worked a variety of odd jobs, including multiple sessions of praise and worship, being a cushion for the lead foot to the pedal, and an all too unfortunate event involving a dog, tall grass, and a slighted step. Flip’s life ambition, and now legacy was to see all lost “soles” to be found and “heeled”.

Flip is survived by brother, Flop; Mother, Stiletto; Father, Penny loafer; and distant Cousin Nike. He is predeceased by his Grandfather “Squeaky Heel” Oxford; and Native American Grandfather, Moccasin.

Services were held on the date of death shortly after the accident. Officiated by Pastor Plantar Fascitis, the service included a “toe-tapping” rendition of the hymn, If I Walk In the Pathway of Duty.

Contributions in memory of Flip can be made to the Corn and Bunion Foundation of Slater-Marietta.

Stinkin' It up!

Over the course of the past 4 months, I seem to have had a VERY stinky house, in every sense of the term! Probably sharing way too much information, but poor Nate has had a crazy bout with intestinal issues, to word it pleasantly. Let me just put it this way, I've had to change his crib sheets about three times a week for 3-4 months. (Needless to say, I hate bumpers! Argh!) Finally, having resorted to our last option, he took the meds for a parasite, and things finally seem to be on the up and up! Poor Bella on the other hand, has had quite the opposite problem and has been prescribed to Miralax. I'll let your mind wander a bit with this piece of info.; it got just so bad at church one night that people probably thought I was beating my child in the bathroom. The evening at church ended with me, Wesley, and my Pastor's wife giving a homemade enema with a turkey baster. EWW!! Don't worry church folks, it was thrown away afterwards! Guess I do need to buy a new one! Later that evening, she did get to feeling better, but being in our house was...well...SOMETHING! And now on to precious Marleigh, well things are MOVING just fine, but thanks to a recent cold of mine, that poor baby stunk up the whole house the other day, and I was completely unaware. Everyone kept asking what was stinking so badly and I just couldn't smell a thing. LOL Later realizing that Mareligh was literally up to her elbows in poop. It required a dunk in the bath. Baby wipes just wouldn't do the job!

Many times with books I'm reading, I often relate the material to happenstances in my life. You'll never guess what the book I'm reading now is titled? "Family Fragrance: Practical, Intentional Ways to Fill Your Home with the Aroma of Love". HaHa. Obviously, in the literal sense, my home has been quite stinky. However; now on my LOVE kick, I related my children's "issues" to the spiritual atmosphere in our home. Sometimes, like Nate, it just stinks all the blessed time. No one seems to be intentionally trying love others. Occasionally, we have a good stretch of loving one another, and then, like poor Bella, our anger and frustration with one another becomes quite an ordeal, and packs a punch! And don't forget poor Marleigh, sometimes we're just so busy with the "OUR routine" of life, that our sniffer is not even working correctly, and we can't "smell" the aromas (good or Bad) in our home.

Though an all too messy comparison, it struck a chord in my heart, and is causing me to be intentional with my love!

Thanking the Lord for poop today, to bring me this friendly reminder. My husband would be so proud!

Pictures coming soon in my next update. Sorry for the delay!

Hard? Absolutely! But Oh So Worth It!

We moved back in our home today from several days off! Gotta love family time! This month we did exactly what time off is intended for...REST!! Loved it! When reflecting over this last week though, several accomplishments/failures have been hard for me to face, yet always worth it in the end. Seems like life in general can be that way! You have to endure things, but looking back, they always seem to be worth the fuss; no matter how big or small! Here are a few of the reflections from my week that have been hard, but worth it:

Exercising(blast that stinkin' treadmill)

Eating healthy(I'm getting quite sick of salads!)

Waiting in a hair salon for 4+ hours while my two of my girls had their hair braided(only worth it b/c they didn't have to suffer the embarrassment of me trying to fix their hair)

Packing up the family(all baby gadgets included)and moving from one house to another for some much needed days of rest (Gets really old having to do so once a month)

Expertly cleaning the house to leave(only worth it because I get to enjoy coming back home to a super clean house)

Being a mom(24/7 job feeling like a harsh and cruel being, but somehow worth the struggles when a hug or kiss is planted on you!)

Burning the midnight oil studying like the old days(except now the kids that are involved make for a whole different ball game, but the 96.4 test score was worth my weary day!)

and finally, LOVING! (yes, this comes hard for me all too often!)


I have become vastly aware this past weekend of just how far I have fallen and how much God loves ME! The author and very definition of love, loves ME! Yet even though I understand it with my mind, I can't seem to push this information to my heart and let the actions, words, and thoughts of love come out of me! With my senses so heightened to the awareness of my loving heavenly father, I realized that love would not be quite so hard to exude if I myself would not continually slide away from my first love! God, help me to be filled so much with Your presence, that the action of love would become an easy task!
My beautiful mess this week concludes with the thought that when you find yourself in a spiritual mess, turn to Him, your first love, and become something beautiful; LOVE. No matter what the hard situations of life seem to bring, face them with love, and find them to be worth the hassle!

Sunday Afternoon Naps

Growing up, I had a love/hate relationship with Sunday afternoons. We would always have such good times at church in the mornings, amazing lunches, and some good converstation. Everyone in my family could usually pull themselves together enough to have great attitudes on Sundays, no matter how awful of a week it had been! The freshness of a new week, seemed to perk everyone somehow. But then it came......NAP TIME! My parents always wanted to take a nap after such good times. I just didn't get it! We, the kids, were given the option to either play outdoors if weather permitted or stay in and take a nap. BORING!! I remember having great fun outside, but we dare not get to close to their bedroom window yelling and playing. And heaven forbid we have to go in and go to the bathroom. We could possibly be sentenced to staying inside and being silent if we opened that door too many times. I could always tell the winter time was tough on my parents, becuase we were able to play inside and all too many times we were too loud! How could such a beautiful Sunday be ruined by such a simple resting of the eyes!
Now all grown up with so many kids of my own, I now long for my own Sunday afternoon nap and I also see the dissappointment in my childrens' eyes when we pronouce the dreaded time! I guess Wesley felt sorry for them today, because he let them stay up and in the house! But I didn't feel sorry for anyone today except my tired self! LOL I crawled in the bed and crashed!
Looking back, I thank my parents for teaching me the simplicity of Sunday's and the learned ability to REST. Though I know just how much it drives the kiddos crazy, I hope they too learn that rest can be a great thing to start your week with!

Flip Flop Farm Day.....

Today, Labor Day weekend festivities took us all the way to Dacusville! Ahh....HOME! Dacusville Farm Days; a labor day tradition in my family! Nothing like the scent of freshly cut wood and, well.... tractors! They have a very distinct smell! The girls from the home weren't quite sure what to think of the event, but I think they enjoyed it nonetheless. They were able to get their hair braided, faces painted, and hair sprayed all kinds of crazy colors. We also stopped by my dad's booth that was setup for the family-owned sawmill. Getting to see family is always fun for me! Bella and Nate enjoyed the tractors and the food of course! Even Marleigh got in on the action!

By the time we started home, Marleigh was starving, but we were all very tired and ready to head home. I thus decided that Marleigh would have to wait a 4 hour stretch instead of her usual three. Although she usually won't take a passy, one would be necessary for a peaceable ride home. But, uh oh......I forgot hers. In a desperate moment I gave into something I promised I would never do, even though I have two so close together. I SHARED THE PASSY!!! Nate was already asleep, so Marleigh got his and everything was right in the world for the long ride home.

Though an avid farm days fan and frequent visitor, I can already tell that I've been away from home for awhile. Wesley and I both wore flip flops to Farm Days today. What were we thinking?!?! Beautiful? Not hardly. Thus concluding with our mess of the day; flip flopped Farm Day feet in need of a footwashing!