On my way...

I'm on my way out of town today for a little get away. Should be fun. I always struggle with leaving the kids at all. They are great at making me feel needed and loved. (; First, I will start with a massage, then pick up 2 other friends, then head for Arkansas. We will swim, relax, read books, eat and SLEEP!! Most of all, I won't have my own laundry to stare at that constantly whispers "you know you should be washing me, but you're not!!" and my own sink that says "I used to be shiny."

Yes, of course Forest will be coming with me. Since they haven't developed the technology yet to allow daddies to nurse. Hopefully I will take some pictures and have lots to tell you in a few days. Mostly though, I will be posting about my precious little girl who will be performing her first dance in pointe shoes on Saturday. I can't wait to see her. If she spins and leaps half as good as she does at home, then we're in for a treat!

2048

I've been thinking. Where will I be in 2048? You know, when I was younger, I didn't have the presence of mind to set goals for the future...like, when I'm 30, I want to have accomplished "so and so". But now, I'm finding, I have some very specific thoughts about my future. Dalene's comment about saving her a spot on my front porch in 2048 got me thinking. First of all, YIKES! What in the world?? That sounds so weird. 2048. But, then again, when I was just a little girl singing "tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999", I never knew I would be in a hospital delivery room welcoming my first son into the world in 1999. (strange idea of a party) In a way, those children of ours have been the beginning of the best party ever. Anyway, I think by the time I hit 75... yes, that's how old I will be then, I will have some very specific things that I want to be able to say that I did. If the good Lord gives me the mercy and grace necessary to live that long of a life.
I want to somehow finally have my college degree. I would prefer it was a liberal arts degree personally. BUT, a simple education degree will do. ( I have a feeling I'd be sitting in most of the classes whispering under my breath about most of what they have to say) I want to have spent a good deal of my years teaching. My own children and others. I want to have raised at least 4 children. I want to have many many grand children. I want to have helped COUNTLESS people and NO ONE to know. I want to have grown in humility and wisdom every year. I want to have reflected the unconditional love of Christ, and finally, I want my husband to still be by my side, and be happy about it. ( :
That's all...

Life, Friends and Controversial topics

Well, I am sitting down to write for a few minutes... we shall see if I don't get interrupted. ( : I think it's pretty funny that I blogged about some of the things we've done in the past couple of weeks twice. It is evidence of how crazy it has been and a small lack of sleep. (LOL!) No, the baby has not kept me up at all. He's doing good... (except naps, they are 30 minute random things). But, different things like the cat going crazy in the middle of the night, Rachel officially getting her pointe shoes (which means that you stay up until 1:30 like a good mom and sew on elastic and ribbon), then baby waking at 6 a.m. you know, just life. Anyway, I'm rambling. Sorry.
In between doing all kinds of fun summer stuff, I have occasionally sat down at the computer to continue a discussion that was started months ago about a slightly controversial topic. Many of my friends do not agree with my opinion on this topic, so I have spent many an hour trying to "explain" myself. I know many of you that have been involved in or reading the conversation will probably read this blog and know what topic I'm discussing here, but I don't want to bring it up. I really don't want to live through that again. ( : It has gotten heated at times and I have been concerned for friendships. It has brought many a deeper thought to my mind. Mostly regarding friendships. You know like, can we REALLY agree to disagree? Or, will there always be that judgement in the back of their mind? Should we really tell people what we think? Or are friendships (for the most part) just too fragile to be THAT real? Should we just do what we do and not discuss it? Do I ever choose to quietly cross someone off of my list because I don't agree with them? I want to look inside and examine these things for myself. What kind of friend do I want to be? I hope through life's bumps and curves, I become a better friend as I go. These are the things that have been rolling around in my mind. I guess I hope that I haven't been TOO real. But, ultimately, I guess, "it is what it is". In the famous words of my husband.

Update

Wow, It has been over a week and I haven't had time to blog at all. I thought this was summer?? We have been busy and it has been fun. Parker had Cub Scout Camp and that was really good. He did archery, be-be guns, fishing, hiking. He really felt great at the end of it all. I was so happy to know that he is part of it. We went on the last day for the family picnic and campfire. Whew. We took some friends out in Tulsa for her birthday. Rachel attended a babysitting class. Then both kids had to take the ACS placement test. Then we had another birthday to attend. We had church, then auditions for a part in the New York Theatre Ballet presentation of Sleeping Beauty. Didn't make it, but it was a great experience. Today, Rachel headed to her 2 week ballet workshop that is ALL day and now, I'm headed to take my grandfather to OK Mozart tonight. In between, I've been cramming baby naps, laundry, a little cleaning and meal preparation. Oh yes, and I forgot running to my parents last night for an ever so brief Father's Day celebration.
Poor Tim spent the WHOLE day on the tractor. Luckily he enjoys it. What a Father's Day...
Well, I hope to write more later. In the meantime, hope you're having a good week.

A game of TAG

This is a little friendly blogger game. I've read a few of these and was hoping I wouldn't get tagged. Not because I don't want to play, but because I was afraid of some of those questions. (: They actually require some memory. YIKES! Anyway, here goes...

The inquisition...
1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player tags 5-6 people, posts their names, then leaves a comment in their respective blogs to let them know they've been tagged.
4. Let the person who tagged you know that you posted your answers.


Questions...
1. What were you doing 10 years ago? I was living in a little condo on Shawnee with my hubby and 18 month old little girl. Those were the days. Life was very simple.

2. What are 5 things on your to-do list today? I'll list for tomorrow since today is essentially over.
Let's see, 1. Get up early to hostess for children's ministry. 2. Get the kids dressed and ready for church. 3. Get the kids dressed and ready for the tap performance at Sunfest. 4. Make dinner. 5. Relax.

3. What are some snacks you enjoy? M&M's, dried cranberries, popcorn, granola bars, chips and salsa, I prefer snacking to meals actually...

4. What would you do if you were a billionaire? I would hire my husband to help me handle it. I'm afraid of myself.

5. What are 3 of your bad habits? My son would say I have a bad habit of saying, "ya think?" I also have a habit of staring off into la-la land. (this is due to frequently feeling overwhelmed). My other bad habit is driving past the place I was headed to...Embarrassing.
Man, those all made me sound incredibly dumb.

6. What are 5 places you have lived?
1. Bartlesville, OK
2. Tulsa, OK
3. Costa Rica (for a month)
4. Nicaragua (for a month)
5. Panama (for a month)
6. then back to Bartlesville, OK (for the rest of my life)

7. What are 5 jobs you've had?
1. bulletin stuffer at FBC
2. babysitting
3. teller at 66 Federal Credit Union
4. dental assistant then...
MOMMY!

8. What is currently playing on your IPOD? Would you believe that I don't have my own IPOD? Sad, huh? We have one for the house but right now, Sirius satellite radio is playing instead. Usually, I'm way too phlegmatic to care. My hubbie picks the music and it could be ANYTHING!

9. What are the last 5-6 books you've read? I'm currently reading The Reason for God by Timothy Keller, I also have started Influence, The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini, My Bible (a little every day), When You Rise Up by R.C. Sproul (I re-read it to challenge myself and see if it persuaded me to NOT send my kids to American Christian School... it didn't.) Love the book though...

10. Who do you want to tag?
Kipplyn Summers
Courtney Berg
Kara Howze

Brag post...

Maybe it's because Parker has been away every day since Wednesday at Scout camp but I am feeling like my kids are growing up so fast that I can't stand it!!!! Someone stop the bus! Anyway, people say this all the time but it is really scary how fast this happens. I say this to let some of you know who have "itty bitty" ones right now... treasure the moments! I know I am applying this lesson to Forest. I know I will turn around and he will be this big too. YIKES! Here are some photos to prove my point.

No kidding... this was just yesterday!! Parker at 1 yr. old opening Christmas presents.

This is Rachel at 4 yrs. old. It seems like not very long ago, but in reality, 7 years have passed!

Here she is now... with her daddy.

This is Parker now. Wow. My little boy riding his own horse. What in the world?

I am so proud and so happy. But, I'm just tellin' ya...it goes way too fast!

Questions and Confessions

OK, once upon a time, in a land far, far away... (no really just down in Texas) a friend told me that I was GREAT at just "hanging out". (: Well, I know she meant it as a compliment but, I think I am just a little TOO good at it. Really people, no one needs the summer more than this poor teacher. I just love to veg. So... that is my confession. Here are some questions...

Does an incredibly BAD odor when you open the refrigerator door really mean that you HAVE to clean it??? I mean, it'll be there tomorrow, right? AND, isn't that the nature of throwing all of your food in one place?

Does 7 loads of laundry mean I should be doing it more often? UGH!

Just wondering. Flylady, where are you? (sigh)