a little color in my day

I've been in a bad mood the past couple of days. off and on. Well, to be honest I am in a good mood until Roger gets home and then for some reason I am in a bad mood. I'm pretty tired and I usually hold in all my frustration with the world until he comes home, then let it all out. BAD MOVE. 

Anyway, today I was a little well, rotten. He left for work and I threw myself on the couch to read for class (Glenn Hinson's "Spiritual Preparation for Christian Leadership"). About an hour later I got a text message that read "you need some color in your day-- check the front porch") I opened the front door and there set an assortment of flowers!!! how sweet. He got me some flowers that I can plant in the little garden out back. Now, if only I had a green thumb. :
 

I'm cooking him some t-bone stakes for dinner.  

A day at the Monastery with E. Glenn Hinson

I seriously have had the best day of my life!!! Ok, not the best day of my life but the best day I have had in a long time!!! That's more like it.

This morning we got up early after a night out with some great friends (Jarrod and Alex) and headed to the seminary to hop on a charter bus headed to the monastery. A group of about 40 people, including me, roger, jarrod and alex where going to the monastery with E. Glenn Hinson to celebrate his academic achievements. We had a wonderful time!! It was such a beautiful day to be walking about the monastery with such important people in Baptist History. I feel so blessed that we had the opportunity to do such a thing. I tried my best to soak up everything that was said.

After listening to the monk (Bro, Paul) who had studied under Thomas Merton, speak about his time at the monestery and his time with Merton and Hinson, we all took a walk to the statues. It was just one of those sereal "oh my gosh am I really here?" moments. Then we walked back to the chapel and prayed the sext hour with the monks (AWESOME). I know, but it gets even better. Then we were taken to the guest house and served a lunch of mash potatoes, chicken, gravy, beans, and chocolate cake. So, here we are all gathered around a table with Dr. Hinson, two monks that studied under Thomas Merton (Bro. Paul and Father James) eating delicious food and listening and soaking up all the stories that everyone is telling. It was amazing. I am still in shock. In utter shock.

When Roger and I got back home we made our way over to Lowes (who knows why) and bought some chairs to go on our back porch. While we were setting up the chairs I noticed a little garden snake wrapped around the deck. I was shocked but not to shocked. It looked kinda cute. After much deliberation (yeah right) we decided it best to kill it. I didn't want Paul or anna getting bit or the snake somehow making its way into the house.

We then decided to walk downtown to the local coffee shop and get some of Mr. Roger's (yes, that's the man's name. I'm not making this up) yummy pulled pork. On the way we decided it was too beautiful to eat inside so we got the food to go. We took it to the local museum and ate outside on their patio furniture (what, no one was there people, it was saturday). It was so relaxing.

On the walk back home we decided to stop by Sarah's house and see how she was doing. We were in for a treat and didn't know it. First of all, their house is STUNNING!!! I mean FOR REAL!!! AMAZING!! BREATH TAKING!!! Second, they LOVE art and collect it. We found out that they used to collect Russian orthodox icons and actually had a grand exhibit at a local university. Anyway...AWESOME. Each piece in their house has a WONDERFUL story behind it and we were lucky enough to hear several stories. Apparently both Sarah and her Father love to paint as well. One day they filled up balloons full of paint, she climbed up on the roof and her dad held a canvas in the yard as she threw the balloons down. Another time her Father was painting outside on this massive canvas and all of a sudden it started to pour the rain. he thought "oh well, I guess that painting is ruined :( ) Then the sun came out, dried the canvas and the wet smeared paint and he was left with a beautiful piece of art. It is stunning. It is as if God helped him paint. such a great story.

After looking at all of this amazing art we were taken up into the attic. It was just like one of those movie attics!!! There where random lights everywhere, random AWESOME toys everywhere and best of all there was a swing set that sarah's dad had built for her and her sister. It was connected to one of the rafters. My breath was taken away. What a wonderful world they have created for themselves. They have such a beautiful house and an even more amazing home. I feel so blessed to have this family in my life. They are truly unique and such an inspiration to me!

As Roger and I walked back to our new (old) home downtown we couldn't help but giggle and smile. We are so excited about the relationships that we have built and are building in our new little town. It's funny the places that God leads you when you decided to put on that blind fold, reach out your hand and say "lead me Lord. I trust you!"

oh happy day

Today has been such a beautiful day!! I was so happy about the sunshine and 63 degree weather. I sure needed it. Being locked up in the house with two kids gets kinda old after a while.

After I picked up Paul from school this afternoon I took both the kids over to the church park. The church where Roger is youth minister has a pretty nice little fenced in park off to the side. Roger took his lunch break and came out side and played with me and the kids for about an hour. It was nice being able to have an hour together to play outside in the sunshine!!!!

After the church park Paul decided he wanted to visit to local down town park so I thought "well, it is a beautiful day." So, we went!!! Guess who was there?? The MASSIVE family that I talked about in a previous blog. You know the ones that the Dad had running around doing army drills and timed them. yeah, that family. Guess what they were doing? you guessed it. They were on the side of the hill doing push ups with the dad. The littlest one came running up to me, grabbed Anna;s face (she was in the stroller) and started kissing her and saying "oh, hi baby." It WAS sweet but I had to explain that we can't be to aweful rough with little babies. Then the oldest kid (I think he MIGHT be a freshman in high school but he also might still be in middle school) came up and explained that the littlest one just loves babies and that they have a one week old at home. I was SHOCKED!!! my mouth flung open. I said "so, how many does that make??" He responded with "9". NINE KIDS!!! OMG. They are such a sweet MASSIVE family. But man, as a mother of just two I can't even imagine. I don't want to imagine. Man, my vagina hurts even thinking about 9 people coming out of it. But those kind of numbers were normal back then. I mean some people had 25 kids. But geese. I don't disagree with having that many kids, but I just can't help but think "How are you going to pay for college??" To be honest I would LOVE to have a MASSIVE family.....if I had the money and my heart was healthy.

Anyway, it was nice to see the massive family again!!!! The Dad's a little strange but the kids all seem VERY intelligent and they are not lacking in social skills (sorry psychologist part of me). I wonder if they are home schooled?? I wonder if the Dad is a stay at home dad? It seems like he is the one that stays home but maybe he just takes them to the park to let the mother have a break. Ohhh, that's so sweet.

Alright, back to the story. So, Roger has class from 6 to 9pm EVERY thursday night. SUCKS. He gets home from work, I run to the gym FAST and then he leaves as soon as I get back. Before I picked Paul up from school I went to the library and got the new Charlottes Web movie. Paul and I have started having date night on thrusdays. We watch a movie and eat popcorn until bed. It gives me something other than "roger is gone ALL DAY and NIGHT LONG" to look forward to!!!

Speaking of. How in the world have we gotten so busy lately. When did that happen?? I guess we are back to the whole tag team we're both going to school thing. It kinda sucks but the times that we are together are even sweeter.

I shall go check on the kids and see if naptime/mama sits outside and blogs time is over!!

Letterbox

We went on an adventure to find a letter box (letterboxing.org) today and we found one!!! It was the most family fun we have had in a while.

How the day went:
7:30a - woken up by Paul and Anna talking in the other room. She was crying and he had gotten up to check on her.

8:30a - we all went downstairs and ate oatmeal with some delicious eggs that my husband made for us. We searched online for letterbox clues while eating breakfast

9:30a - I headed over to the gym to get a few miles in while the kids had bonding time with Daddy.

10:30 - we left the house in search of a rubber stamp and stamp book. We choose a beautiful cross and a plan black scetch book

11:30a - we headed over to the Chick- Fil-A to get some grub and play FOREVER in the indoor play thing. Paul had a blast

Then we headed off in search for the letterbox. Paul said we were on a treasure hunt and got REALLY SUPER excited. On the way there I kept thinking "man, I hope we find something. hat if we don't find anything. This is completely nutts. Is this for real? Seriously? Do people really do this?"

To make a long story short....we found the box!!! You should have seen Roger's face. He was so excited. We did the "giddy" dance. Then we ran back to the car and opened up the box. The stamp inside was BEAUTIFUL!!! It was hand carved to look like the castle. Paul yelled out "we found the treasure box." It was such a fun little family adventure. I am so excited about having this book of stamps to record all the places that we have been together as a family. What an awesome thing to have. When Roger and I die the kids will have this book of memories!! Memories of the little adventures that they went on with their parents. And plus, when they come back to visit for the holidays I'll say "hey, you remember when you were little and how we used to letterbox?? Let's go do that again. What do ya think??"

this is all so exciting. Thank you Megan for telling me about this. I am so incredibly excited. I suggested everyone check out letterboxing.org.

here is a link to the pics of us letterboxing

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30831017&l=4cc56&id=151201367

Dear Lord......HELP

This morning was completely WILD. Paul refused to put his underwear on and we are refusing to let him wear diapers. So, the child sat in time out for 4 sessions of 3 minutes, with only a shirt on. Being a boy, he played with himself the whole time and made me sick and Roger say "ohhh son, you're going to hurt your self."

I finally gave up the time out thing (I know I'm a bad mom), threw some underwear on him while he was kicking and screaming and forced him to get into the car. He had school today and we were already 20 minutes late. When we got to his school he refused to get out of the car. Once that was settled (sort of) and I had him in the building he decided to grab onto the railing of the stairs and would not let go, "I don't like this school. I want my diaper." I told him he could stay there hugging on the railing all day but that Anna and I were going to his class room. He immediately took off running after me. I LOVE that. So, I kept on running to his classroom so he would follow. You can imagine the sight. Me holding Anna and Paul's backpack while running through the halls of the school with a 3 year old chasing me screaming "Mamma stop. No Mamma." YOu do what ya gotta do.

Anyway, it was nutts. My hair was all over the place. I hadn't taken a shower and watch out, but I hadn't even gotten a chance to brush my teeth. Oh, the joys of motherhood. By the way, Anna has now taken to laughing every time Paul cries. So, while I was running down the hall of the school being chased by my screaming son, my daughter was laughing hysterically. I'm beginning to think she likes her brother to suffer.

bored?? What??

My life is always so hectic most of the time that whenever things are a little slow I feel bored. Right now Paul and Anna are both taking a nap. I know, WOW right!! I'm freakin' amazing. I love the nap time ritual that I have with Paul. We sit in my bed eating snacks while I read him stories for about an hour. Then we lay in my bed cuddling together until he falls asleep. Then I sneak down stairs to have alone time. While I am walking down the stairs I get so excited about BEING ALONE but then as soon as I get cuddled up on the couch I start missing my sweet little family.

First I start missing my husband and wishing he could sneak home from work and cuddle up on the couch with me. Then I start missing Anna's sweet little giggle. Then I start missing watching Paul jump around the living room and the crazy questions that he always seems to ask me when I am in the middle of something "Mamma, who glued my tongue in my mouth?? I want my tongue to come out. How do I get my tongue unglued?? it's so squishy!! I want to hold it in my hand and squish it. TAKE MY TONGUE OUT"

Anyway, I guess I need to get off of here and TRY my best to enjoy my alone time so that when the kiddos get up and the husband walks in from work I will be rested and excited to see every one.

Feeling Blessed

I can't help but feel so blessed!!! Yesterday was my first day back to school in two years. It felt GREAT but it left me wanting MORE. I'm only taking one class from 6 to 8pm on Mondays. I know I would NEVER be able to handle it, but after the class was over I had the automatic urge to walk into another class. I just had that immediate thought of "Man, I would love to be in class all day everyday." I guess you could say Im a bit anxious. Being able to sit and listen to someone speak about something of interest to me and not worry about wrangling the kids was so incredibly refreshing. I loved it and I am excited about all of this homework that I get the opportunity to do. WOW!!!

The kids have been amazing the past week. Anna is smiling ALL OF THE TIME and she LOVES to give me hugs. This morning she started crying at 7am but when she saw our faces she started giggling and smiling. So, I laid in the bed with her for a whole hour just giggling and talking. Who wouldn't want to spend every morning curled up in the bed with a happy baby?? It's moments like this morning that makes all the throw ups, dirty diapers and screaming tollerable.

Paul is my little buddy!!! yesterday we put backpacks on and ran around the house pretending that we were going on a hike. The stairs were the montains. Then we made a pretend fire by stacking up the books and we laid the sleeping bag out and told stories. I love watching him play in his little make believe world!! It makes me feel like a little kid again. :)