What A Difference!

Dry

Wet

When her hair started getting curly, we thought it was just baby curl. I think we were wrong! These curls aren't going anywhere! I'm sure she will hate her hair when she is a teenager. It's one of those things she will either love or hate. But I LOVE it!

Letters Of Intent

Friday is here! Time for Letters of Intent! Be sure to head over to Foursons to read more great letters!


Dear Inventor,

Really? Fake hands? I am at a loss for words. photo courtesy of Yahoo!

Signed,

The Mommy Who Thinks You Are An Idiot

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Dear Trace Adkins,

I love the song "You're Gonna Miss This". It really is very touching. You did a great job with it. Although, if I may make a suggestion.... you may want to think about changing that one little line about "one kid crying, one kid screaming". I am gonna miss a lot of things about my kids as they grow, but that my dear man I will not miss. Not one single bit. I live that line every single day, as I am sure millions of other Mom's do too. Do you know what it is like to be home alone all day with a two year old and a newborn? There are many times I get to listen to "one kid crying, one kid screaming" and it is never music to my ears. Ever. It is stressful and tears a Mommy's heart to pieces. It makes you feel very helpless and you begin to doubt your parenting skills. Why on earth would I miss that? Good song though. Can't say I haven't shed a tear or two while listening to it.

Thoughtfully,

A Mommy Who Will Miss Everything But That

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Dear Lula Mae,

I am so glad you are eating a few more foods! That is very helpful and I really appreciate it. You are too smart for your own good though little miss. No means no. It doesn't mean maybe, and it will never mean yes. When I tell you "please don't say 'no' to Mommy" saying 'no' is the last thing that should come out of your mouth. Mommy always wins sweet girl. I can play that game all day. I don't really want to, but I will if you force me to. I know you don't understand now, but someday you will. I don't want to see you on Americas Most Wanted so I am determined to win every single battle. I will not pick my battles. Just so you know. Here are a few tips for you: 1) whining gets you nothing in this house 2) back talk gets you a sore thigh/bottom 3) deliberate disobedience will never be tolerated. You can read the sentence "I will listen and obey"... so instead of just reading it, how about live it? Your Daddy and I know that your highs are high and your lows are low. Lets hurry up and get out of this low, okay? We prefer the highs! I love you and we will get past this my dear!

Love,

Your Very, Very, Very Tired Mommy

Bible Verse

In Lula Mae's Sunday school class they have been working on Isaiah 1:17 this month. "Learn to do what is right". What a wonderful verse! We have been reciting it with her every night after her prayer and I also go over it with her every morning during "school". She has it memorized now and I am so proud! She is learning how to hide God's word in her heart and I am so happy about that! Now that she knows this verse, when she is making a bad choice I can say "Are you doing the right thing?" and she will correct herself. It is great! Now, it doesn't work every time of course. Can anyone tell me what does work every time???? Exactley! It is always nice to have some tricks up your sleeve though! Sorry my child mumbles so badly on video, I hope you can understand her!

Pharmacy Fluster

Yesterday I got the luxury of running and errand. Alone. Yep! No diaper bag, no heavy car seat to carry, no toddler plus whatever toy she picked to bring along.... just me. I enjoy these little trips and I really think they help me keep my sanity. So off I went to the pharmacy to pick up Jayce's reflux medication. I did not however enjoy my conversation with the clerk.

Clerk: "Hi, what can I help you with today?"

Me: "I just need to pick up a prescription for Jayce Bell please."

Clerk: "Ok, just a moment. What's the patience date of birth?"

Me: "Ummmm, uhhhhh, it's ummmm............. Oh yeah, May.......the uhhhh....12th...no no no! 4th. May 4th."

Clerk: "What year?"

Me: "Ummmmmm, uhhhhh, what year is this year? Ummmmm 2010! Yep, 2010."

Clerk: (at this point is looking at me as though I have an extra eye in the center of my face) "Ok, here you go. Any questions about the medication?"

Me: "Nope, I'm good."

Clerk: "Are you sure?"

Me: "Yep, I'm fine. Thanks." (and then I pull off as though nothing had ever happened)

Then I thought to myself "I bet that lady thinks I just escaped from a loony bin!". She very well may have. As I drove to the grocery store in the peacefulness of my empty van, I began to think....

How could I forget my sons birthday? I would have never forgotten Lula Mae's like that. Oh no, do I love her more? Do I spend the same amount of time with Jayce as I do with Lula Mae? Probably not! Have I been filling out his baby book and first year calendar like I did for her? I think so. Am I taking pictures of him like I did her? No! I'm busier though. Will he hate me for that later? Am I going to do as good of a job raising him or am I going to get sloppy and slack off? If I can forget his birthday that easy what else am I going to forget? To feed him? To change him? he sound of his first little laugh, where we were and how it happened? I mean I remember Lula Mae's... but what if I forget his! Oh no, I bet I do lover her more!

I sat in the van for a moment before I went in the grocery store. I took a deep breath and leaned on the steering wheel. I told myself that I was worrying over something silly. Although I don't find things like that silly, I know that those things aren't going to keep our family feed, keep us warm in the winter and cool in the summer, keep us clothed or keep us healthy. That is what matters. I love both of my children the same amount... but I love them in different ways. I may not remember the same moments for each of them, but I will remember moments. Every moment I have with them is special. It would be impossible for me to remember all of them. It is so easy to lose focus, for me at least. I have to remind myself a lot to live in the "here and now" not in the future or the past. Right now my kids need love, shelter, encouragement, discipline, nutrition, family and church (to name a few!). I can do that. I don't know why I insist on worrying so much, but it happens. A lot. More than necessary. Luckily I have an amazing God who is helping me worry less day by day.

Ten Things

Today I am linking up with Emmy Mom- One Day at a Time with a list of ten things that made me smile this month. It is a great way to reflect on the months positives, since we all too often focus on the negatives. Here is my list. Enjoy!

1. Lula Mae loving her red hat because she thought it was a "Jessie hat".

2. Hearing Jayce laugh for the first time.

3. All the moments like this. Family time in the evening is the best!

4. Watching Lula Mae learn. Particularly learning her very first bible verse! She learned Isaiah 1:17 "Learn to do what is right".

5. Watching Lula Mae and her cousin play in the dirt and get completely filthy. Enjoying my little girl as she enjoyed the simple things.

6. Going on a date night with the hubster! Even if we did nothing but talk about our kids the entire time, being away for a few hours was very nice!

7. Noticing Jayce looking more like me!

8. Lula Mae starting to say "I love you too Mommy/Daddy!" after you tell her you love her. She says all kinds of sweet things that will just melt your heart.

9. Seeing Jacye's eyes light up and his sweet little smile every time he sees Lula Mae.

10. Realizing every single morning that I am right where God wants me to be.

Monday Mugs

It's Monday again! Time for Monday Mugs hosted by Oswald Cuties! I thought I wasn't going to be able to do this post, so I am glad excited to share this! Confused? See this post. You'll get it then!

This weeks theme is purple

Now head on over to Oswald Cuties and see more purple posts! Happy Monday bloggers!

You Know Who You Are

To whoever hacked my blog...

DON'T HACK MY BLOG AGAIN!

What would your Grandmother think?

If you do it again I'm going to send Brock Lesnar after you...

... after he is done with you, I will send Jason Statham after you.


Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Letters Of Intent

Well, it is Friday! Let's all do a little dance about that, shall we? This week has been long for me so I am very glad for the weekend to be here! I hope you are ready to enjoy some Letters of Intent! You may laugh, you may cry, you may fall asleep (please don't!). So grab your beverage of choice and a snack and make the best of your Friday! Head on over to Julie's to read lots of great letters! I promise you won't be disappointed!

***********************************************************************

Awwww, look how cute!

Dear Pampers,

I think it is great that you teamed up with a designer to make your diapers more fashionable. They really are cute. Almost too cute to resist! What parent wouldn't want to waste... I mean spend... their hard earned money on them! Although, I asked my 2 month old if he would feel more loved if we bought theses fancy things for him and he seemed to not care. Surprising huh? Go figure! Making your diapers fashionable does not change the fact that they are going to hold urine and fecal matter. Yep, I said it! Pee and poop folks! Nor does it change the fact that they will be thrown away and will rot in a land fill. Does the pretty design help them not kill the planet? No. Well that's a shame. Perhaps you should have teamed up with an environmentalist instead of a designer. Sorry I am not going to buy into your marketing ploy. Better luck next time Pampers!

Signed,

The Cheap Woman Who Loves Her Cloth Diapers

***********************************************************************

To Whoever Designs Baby Socks,

I think all Moms out there are wondering this so I am just gonna come right out and say it. Why do you think my newborn needs grips on the bottom of his socks? I am baffled, really. I don't expect that my newborn is going to jump up and run off, but I sure am glad he won't slip and fall if he does. I bet socks would be cheaper if you didn't add the grips. Moms love cheap so go ahead and skip the grips, okay?

Sincerely,

The Woman Who Does Not Have A Newborn That Walks

***********************************************************************

Dear Movie Theater,

You are robbing people, do you know that? I had a great date night with my Hubster last weekend but I think we may need to get a loan to cover the cost of the movie, popcorn and drinks. Thanks for the military discount though. If it cost $16.00 for tickets after the discount I would hate to see what it is without! Just imagine if we would have opted for 3D! Oh my! Then it was $17.50 for a medium popcorn and two medium drinks! So for our movie we spent $33.50... do you relaize we ate dinner for $22.00? And we both got entrees! How do you sleep at night? I can tell you right now that I won't go to another movie. I will be just as satisfied to wait until it comes out on Netflix. Then I can pause it to go pee anyway. There is nothing worse than getting to the climax of the movie and realizing your bladder is about to burst. Oh, I held it. Sure did. I paid way too much money to miss the best part of the movie! I hope people left trash all over the place... you sooooo deserve it!

Signed,

The Broke Woman Who Now Has A Bladder Infection





Don't forget to visit Julie's blog for more Letters of Intent! Happy Friday everyone! Have a great weekend!

Bible Story Mix Up

The Story of Noah's Arc is pretty cut and dry. There aren't really any gray areas about who or what was on the boat. I do not recall God mentioning to Noah to be sure to save the root-n-est-toot-n-est cowboy in the wild wild west. As you can see, if it were up to Lula Mae Woody would have been the first to board the arc. All the cute little critters would have had to step aside for Sheriff Woody.



She really REALLY loves Woody.

Thanks For The Warning!

This is Lula Mae's pool. It holds roughly 5 gallons of water, max. When filled, it may have a total of 5 inches of water in it. She takes a bath in more water that that. It's cute though! I am terribly afraid of water, so poor Lula Mae has to suffer and play in this pool that is meant for a 10 month old baby. I could have gotten her the two ring pool, but the thought of that made me cringe in the store so I opted for the incredibly boring one ring model. Although it is a baby pool and she is absolutley not a baby, she has a great time so I don't feel too terribly bad. After having the pool for a good month I realized I had never checked the warning labels. Once I did check them confusion set in, laughter emerged and a blog post was imminent! Take a quick glance at the label below...

Ok, did you catch that? The picture of the kid treading water (deep water) and the parent keeping visual contact? Please know that I do keep my eyes on my child at all times when she is in the pool, but in the puddle that is her pool the last thing she is able to do is tread water!

Now, did you read the bold print that says "NO DIVING!"? Again, being that this pool is more like a puddle I'm not so sure that was really necessary. I really love that they felt the need to add "You can break your neck and be paralyzed" under the NO DIVING. Not only that, they put a picture about it too! I must say, Lula Mae was really looking forward to practicing her Olympic diving skills this summer. Sorry sweet girl, the label says no!

Now, take a quick look at the other warning label.

I can understand this label, for the most part. Except for the last part. "Pool fencing laws may affect this product, please contact your local council for further information"...So basically, I may have to fence in my baby pool???? Really???? I'm gonna take my chances and not call my local council for further information. It actually seems like a contradiction considering the sentence above says to empty the pool when not in use. It sure would be silly to fence in an empty baby pool. But hey, that's just me!

Any parent knows that baby stuff in general has silly warning labels. I am still trying to figure out why our space saver highchair says "do not use as a car seat". Does that mean someone tried it? Or are there really people out there that are that dumb that they would have to check to see if it would be ok to use it as both a highchair and a car seat? I always read warning labels, but not always for the right reasons. Sometimes I am just looking for a good laugh!

Monday Mugs

Monday Mugs time again!
This week the theme is: Swinter
(Summer in the winter)

Here in South Carolina we don't get much snow. Typically we get freezing rain, 10 minuets of snow that doesn't stick and nasty icy roads. But this year we got snow! SNOW! And a lot of it! Lula Mae loved it and had an amazing time! Hope these help cool you off!

Lula Mae's first feet prints in the snow

Walking in the snow

Sledding with Daddy

Lula Mae's snow ball (that she was a tad bit obsessed with)

Winter wonderland

Be sure to visit Oswald Cuties for more Swinter pictures!

Followers, Comments And Such...

Would you please take a moment and look to the right of your screen....check out the number of followers if you will....21!!!!!!! Ok, well 21 minus myself makes it 20. Woo hoo!!!!!!! Everyone say hello to Stacey from McCrakensX4! You are my 20th follower and that means you win... ok you really didn't win anything, I'm sorry. But I am super excited! Everybody go check out her blog please!

Moving on to comments. So we all love them, there is no mistaking that! I have to apologize to any of you who may have left me a comment and did not get a response. I just figured out how to set it up where your comments go to my email so that I can email you a response. Yeah, I am not super savvy, I know. So thanks for all your comments! Keep them coming! I will be a better blogger friend now and respond!

What, Another Award???

Yep! ANOTHER!!!! When someone gives me an award I feel like the kid who gets picked first for kickball! How lucky! I have to give a big THANKS to The Simple Life for giving me this award! Go and check out her blog!

Taaaaa Daaaaaa!!!!
The Versatile Blogger

Now for the fun part! I get to tell you 7 things about myself. Totally random stuff. Gonna be hard since I have shared so much random stuff with you lovely readers before! Ok here we go...

1. When I was little I was afraid of the "wrinkle monster". I had to have my blanket completely wrinkle free before I could go to sleep so that the "wrinkle monster" would not get me. Yep, I was even OCD then. Not too much has changed.... although now I don't think the "wrinkle monster" is really going to come after me.

2. I won tons of theater awards in high school but I only have 2 of them displayed in my house today. One is an All Star Cast Award which I got at the South Eastern Theater Conference that was held in Mobile Alabama during my junior year (ummm yeah that is a pretty BIG deal) and the other is a Superior Acting Award that I got at the Palmetto Dramatic Association during my sophomore year (yep, pretty BIG deal too). I am super proud of them!

3. I love taking pictures but really stink at it. Don't care though. I still enjoy it and am glad I am capturing these precious moments of my kids.

4. When I was little I had an imaginary friend. Remember the movie Casper with Christina Ricci? Well Stretch the ghost was my imaginary friend. Why I chose him over Casper is beyond me. No clue there. All I know is I took pictures of my imaginary friend, that's how serious I was. Oh, and those pictures were in an album. Yep, Stretch at Biltmore! Gotta love it!

5. One of our cats had been missing for a few days (oh, this was when I was little by the way) so my Mom, my sister and I all decided to go and look for him before we left to go somewhere. Well I found him dead in our playhouse. Not just a little dead, I mean like nasty dead too. Instead of telling anybody I lied and said I couldn't find him. Not because I was sad or thought I would get in trouble, but because I wanted to go to the zoo or the museum (I can't remember now which it was) and I knew Mom wouldn't take us if she had to deal with the dead cat. So now I am secretly terrified that I will do that if I find a person dead too. Just walk away and act like I never saw it. Sure hope I never find anyone dead! How messed up would that be? And also illegal in some situations!

6. I am afraid of the dark. Terribly afraid. So afraid that I hated that show "Are You Afraid Of The Dark?" just because of the title. Ok really I am just a big scardy cat because I am also afraid of big open spaces, flying, the water, being shot and/or stabbed in the back, chocking on something and watching someone watch me die that way, the gas pump exploding while I am getting gas..... weird stuff.... ridiculous stuff!

7. I hate being repetitive. You know when you tell someone something and they say "huh? what did you say?", well before I say it again I have to think of a different way to say it. Then if they don't get it that time I just say "forget it" and move on. Saying it three times may make my head explode! The teenage years should be a blast for me (gulp)!

Well I hope that did not bore you too much (or scare you into not following me!). I now have the honor of giving this wonderful award to another worthy blogger! Drum roll please....

Emmy at
Emmy Mom- One Day at a Time

You really must check out her blog! You never know what she will have! Parenting tips, recipes, pictures, questions to ponder... oh the list goes on and on! Head on over and take a look! Congratulations Emmy!

Letters Of Intent

Hello Friday! It's time for Letters of Intent! Enjoy!



Dear Hubster,

I love you! You have been working really hard lately and I am really proud of you. Since you have been so busy I am willing to let a few things slide. I can forgive you for forgetting to take the garbage to the road (even though it was slam full and I am pretty sure half of it was diapers). I can for give you for forgetting to drop the mail in the mailbox (even though I put your keys and wallet on top of it and you drive right past it when you leave for work). I can forgive you for leaving your dirty clothes in the bathroom floor after your shower (even though I haven't moved the laundry basket). But my dear, I cannot forgive you for keeping me up most every night with your snoring. Who knew it was possible for you to learn how to side and stomach snore. I mean, the back snoring I get. At least then I can nudge you and tell you to roll over and it stops. Now it doesn't matter how you are laying! The worst is when you are facing me! That's really not good for me! I know you think I'm beautiful, but this beauty doesn't happen naturally. If I am not rested I don't have the energy to shower, dry my hair and put my make up on! And that my dear is when the magic happens! I am going to give you a little bit of a break. I know work has been draining and you are exhausted by the time we get to bed so I am willing to make you a deal. Once things get back to normal at work, in 2 weeks or so, we will see if the side and stomach snoring cease. If they do, I will continue to let you sleep in our bed. If they don't, I am going to set up a twin bed in the playroom for you! Now that we have that settled, can you please try to remember that every Tuesday is trash day?

Love,
The Other Adult In The House Who Would Enjoy A Good Nights Sleep

ps. Did I mention I love you?

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Dear Self,

Just thought I would remind you that when you don't pluck your eyebrows you look like you have two fuzzy caterpillars on your face. Not cute! Not even close. Plus, your feet are in need of some TLC. It wouldn't be hard to scrub them down and slap some polish on your toes. I know you are busy. I am well aware that you have 2 kids, a house and a husband to care for. All I am saying is you find time to blog......so...... yeah...... you get what I'm saying, right?

Signed,
The Woman With Two Fuzzy Caterpillars On Her Face

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Dear Food Lion,

I don't mind shopping at your store. I mean, you aren't my first choice, but you are just so close to my house! You are quite convenient and typically have pretty good sales. One quick question though, WHY ARE THERE ONLY TWO REGISTERS OPEN???? This is not just a once in a blue moon thing. I can't recall there EVER being more than two open. Ever. Do you know how hard it is to keep my 2 year old content when the buggy is not moving? Lets just say there are times when dental work would be more fun. Waiting does not rank high on a toddlers list of things they likes to do. If you would just open a few more lanes I think all of your customers would be happier! And could you teach your cashiers how to load my reusable bags please!!!! They act like I am Super Woman and pack all my groceries into 3 bags even though I brought 10 to the store with me! Just because they are bigger and stronger than plastic bags does not mean stuff them to the top! Okay? Sounds like you need to have a staff meeting!

Sincerely,
The Woman Who Is Going To Take Her Business Elsewhere




Head on over to Foursons and check out more Letters of Intent! Happy Friday!

I see

Right now I see (and I am thinking)

Books scatted all over the floor (I should really pick those up before Lula Mae gets up from her nap so that she can pull them all out again.)

The bill book on the kitchen counter (Why do I feel like it is staring at me? I can feel it judging me from all the way over here.)

A burp rag about to fall out of the swing (I better get that before Lula Mae does. She may try to wipe her nose on it and that would be gross.)

A new list of words on the board for Lula Mae to learn (I wonder if she likes getting new words? How does she learn these words so fast?)

One last swig of tea in a glass on the counter (I bet that fly has pooped on the rim of my glass. I better get a straw.)

A piece of tape wrapped around the light pull cord (How long has that been there? I didn't put it there, I can't reach that high. I guess it was Charlie. I wonder how many times I will have to ask him to take it down?)

A cobweb on the ceiling (Why did I buy a condo with vaulted ceilings, I am never gonna be able to reach that. Not even with my stool. I wonder how many times I will have to ask Charlie to get it down?)

A potty for Lula Mae's baby doll (Why is it that Lula Mae will pee and poop on her baby's potty but won't go on her potty? Even though it is in her diaper it is far more success than anything we have had in her potty. She can be so stubborn sometimes. No clue where she gets that from.)

I am sitting here because I have forced myself to. Not that I have to force myself to blog, but I have to force myself to relax. During nap I typically fly through the house like a chicken with my head cut off. I try to get everything I can done during that short window of time. Well today I am not. I have banished myself to the couch. Yep, banished! I am a very strict person, I can tell you that right now. When I approached myself about this earlier today I was intimidated! Not only that, but apparently I spit when I talk. Sorry to anyone out there who already knew that! So, here I am. Relaxing. Not doing anything. I must say, it feels kinda nice.

A Facebook Post

Charlie not going on this deployment was a big deal to me. After writing about it the other day, I felt humbled. Although, I did not realize what not going on the deployment might do to my husband. I guess I thought that he would be 100% for staying home. Then I read this on his Facebook:

"I have been in the Army for 10yrs, I have seen stuff that I hope others will never have to during my two deployments overseas. But the saddest thing I have ever witnessed was standing in the grass this morning as the sun rose with a couple hundred others waving good bye to over 100 people that I care about. Never really thought about how hard it would be to be the one not on the bus.

See you guys soon.....Take care"


And then I read the comments that followed:

• I believe your Army friends would appreciate this statement. Spoken from your heart.
• I always knew you were a big softy on the inside, just like Dabo is on the outside. I will send you a picture of my new temporary home soon.
• Im super sad too Charlie. Tough not going even though I'm thankful.
• I cant imagine what u guys go thru. I want to say THANK YOU to u and all the other service men and women that protect us all. May God bless you all.
• Everyone will be in my prayers - we really do appreciate you and all of the service men and women who sacrifice so very much for our country! Love you - brother.
• That's really nice Charlie Bell...and thank you for how you have already served our country!
• yes, thanks to all men and women. Be careful.
• very touching charlie. love ya!
• I thought of you and I could not imagine how you felt...but I know how I felt. So burdened for them, yet so glad that you did not have to go again. God Bless them all. We pray for their safety and pray that they ALL return. Love you Charlie!
• I sure do love you babe! I am so grateful to not have to spend this year away from you! Me, Lula Mae and Jayce sure do love having you around!

I am very aware that I am a selfish person, but I did not realize how selfish it was for me to think Charlie didn't want to go overseas as badly as I didn't want him to go. My husband is not one to show emotion. He is not one to dwell on things or hold a grudge. I never thought about how hard it would be for him not to go on this deployment. He is a very loyal man and he loves his job. He has more integrity in his little toe than most people have in their entire body. Now I realize that I owe my husband one big thank you. I think if it weren't for me having Jayce 9 weeks ago, he would have been on that bus and I would have been the one waving from the grass. I think he would have gladly given away his "stay behind" slot to someone that he thought was more deserving. I never thought that not getting on that bus would be so tough for him. God gave me an amazing husband and I love him more than words can ever say. He has done a lot for me in the past, but this takes the cake.

I love you Babe.

Did That Just Happen?

Today I am linking up with Once Upon A Miracle for True Story Tuesday! Head on over and fill up your laugh tank! Happy Tuesday everyone!



The other night, while I was washing cups and bottles for about the millionth time that day, I realized I hadn't mixed any formula for the next day yet. So, I politely asked my husband if he would mix some up for me. Well I thought I asked politely... perhaps I was wrong...

The formula should be in this container...

Not all over the floor!!!!!!

Or all over my shoulder!!!!

Or all down my back!!!!

Or in my hair!!!!

Or in my right ear!!!

I was minding my own business, washing bottles quietly at the sink, when all of a sudden... POP!!!! I was covered in smelly, warm formula. Not only that, there were still undissolved chunks of formula all over me too. I must mention that Charlie was standing a mere 2 feet away from me at the time of the explosion. I'm not sure what I did to deserve this, but you can bet I won't be asking Charlie to mix anymore formula while I am in the kitchen. Oh, he says it was an accident. "You made the water too hot and it built up pressure! How was I suppose to know it was going to explode?!?!?!?! Ummm I think you have a little something on you Babe." Really? Where? Oh, ALL OVER ME?????? Thanks Babe! I probably would have missed it had you not pointed it out. As I stood at the sink, in shock of what had just happened, all I could do was bust out laughing. We stood there together, in the middle of all that terribly smelly puddle of formula, and laughed, and laughed, and laughed. We could not breathe we were laughing so hard. The explosion came out of nowhere so it really caught us off guard. It took a good 30 to 45 seconds for either of us to even move or look at each other. There are certain things that just only seem to happen to me and Charlie. We have some of the CRAZIEST stories, but I wouldn't change it for the world! There is never a dull moment when we are together. Once we finally stopped laughing, I finished washing the bottles and then was off to take a shower. That would not have been so bad had it not been 11:00 pm. I can't complain too much though. It may have been a late shower, but at least I got to take a shower without an audience for a change! What an end to an already long day!

Monday Mugs

Well, hello Monday! Seems like you rushed to get here this week... any reason in particular??? Well, since you are here it is time for....


Head on over to Oswald Cuties for more Monday Mugs! The theme this week is feet. I have to apologize for the obscene amount of photos I am about to show you... I have a thing for feet. Especially baby feet! *sigh* Be still my heart!

Jayce's feet. Thanks again Casey for this adorable shot! So angelic!

Another shot of Jayce's sweet little feet. I could eat those toes!

My terribly swollen feet that my husband felt the need to photograph. Sorry to anyone who has a weak stomach, I should have warned you about this one! Childbirth is tough on EVERY PART OF YOUR BODY! Even your feet. Ankles? Where did you go? I assure you my feet have gone back to normal now and look much cuter. I am now the proud owner of ankles, yet again.

Lula Mae's tiny little foot in her Daddy's hand. This one makes my womb shiver!




Lula Mae's feet now. Much bigger, faster and smellier. Still precious though! She has my weird habit of curling her toes under. If she can't look like me, at least she acts like me!

Happy Monday everyone!

The Emotions Are Mixed

Today. What can I tell you about today? Well, for starters, I can tell you that I have about 365 things to be thankful for today. Today should be the last day I get to see my husband for a year. His unit, which I obviously can't tell you much about for their safety, is deploying today. Today is the day.

Last night should have been the last time we sat together to eat dinner. It should have been the last night I got to lay in bed and feel his warmth beside me. I should be sleeping alone tonight. I should be feeding the kids, giving them their baths and tucking them in alone tonight. But I'm not.

Tonight I will get to hear his car pull into the drive way, hear his keys jingle in the lock and hear him come through the door with his normal "Heeeeeellllllllloooooo!!!". I will get to see his face, hear his voice and feel safe in his presence. Instead of hearing Lula Mae say "Mommy, where's Daddy? He at work Mommy? When he gonna be home Mommy?" I get to hear her say "DAAAAAADDDDDYYYYYYYY!!! HELLO!!!!!!!" just like any other day. I get to see her come around the corner running as fast as she can and jumping into his arms to hug him and lay her head on his shoulder so sweetly, laughing out of excitement that her Daddy is home. I could just as easily be seeing her stand at the door, calling for Daddy with tears streaming down her face because she doesn't understand why Daddy is not home. I could just as easily be holding her, wiping away her tears and trying to comfort her the way her Daddy does. I can't be her Daddy. I don't look like him, act like him, sound like him or smell like him. My arms are not big enough, my voice is not soothing enough, my words are not silly enough, and my presence is not comforting enough. She loves me and needs me, but she needs and loves her Daddy just a little bit more.

By the Grace of God I don't have to be her Daddy. He gets to stay behind. He gets to come home each night and be with his family. We need that. I need that. I need my husband, my best friend, my partner in crime and my right hand man. I don't have to wonder if Jayce will be afraid of his Daddy when he returns because he is a stranger. I don't have to wonder if Lula Mae feels like it is her fault that her Daddy abandoned us. For the next 365 days I will be thankful to have my husband by my side instead of half way around the world.

We know we are lucky. No, not lucky, blessed. We are very aware of how blessed we are to be able to say that he is a stay behind this time. It is proof that God answers prayers, even big ones. Since we heard about the deployment I have prayed and prayed and prayed that he would not have to go. While praying for him to stay home, I felt guilty. I should be praying for God's will, not for what I want. So I did. I prayed for both. I told God that if he had to go, he had to go. I told Him that I knew He would get us through it if that was the case. Then I prayed that He would just let him stay. Never in my wildest dream did I think God would bless me this big. This is HUGE. Bigger than any blessing I think I have ever received (aside from my children). I owe Him big time for this one. Big time.

God is my strength, my joy and my life. God is showing me every single day that I need to be grateful for everything. The good things, the bad things and all those things in between. He is showing me that I really can give Him all of my fears and problems and He will take care of them. His grace is amazing! I have an awesome God who loves me and takes care of me. He is molding me into a better person with each passing moment. My heart is forever changed and focused on Him. I hope my children look back at this and realize that God was looking out for them. Their lives would have been changed forever if their Daddy would have had to go overseas for a year. What if he didn't come home? How devastating would that have been to all of us, but especially to Lula Mae and Jayce?

We could have gotten through the deployment, we have done it before, but I am grateful that we don't have to. There aren't really words to explain just how grateful I am. I am happy and sad today, all at the same time. Happy for us, but sad for the other soldiers that have to leave today. Please pray for the others in the unit who were not as lucky as us. The soldiers are leaving behind wives, husbands, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, friends and family. Each one of them will forever be changed by the year ahead of them. Pray for their safety, strength and courage. Pray for their loved ones back home.

I will continue to pray for God's will in our lives. I will also pray that God will help me not to take this amazing blessing for granted.

Blog Award

Really? Me! I am flattered! Yet again, I get to post a blog award! Gifts are great, even virtual ones! This gift does not collect dust, cost money to up keep or cause me to gain weight! I LOVE IT! Thank you Deep In The Heart of Texas! You are amazing!

The Blog With Substance Award has just 2 simple rules: sum up your blogging philosophy in 5 words and pass the award onto 5 other bloggers!

My Blogging Philosophy: Fellowship, Inspire, Laughter, Honesty and Gratitude.

And now I would like to pass this award on to (drum roll please!)

A Reservation For Six

Foursons

Jerome's Women

Oswald Cuties

The Joneses- Try To Keep Up

Congrats you guys!!! Each one of you are fantastic!!!

Letters Of Intent

It's Friday and that always means great posts! Check out Julie's blog for more great letters! You are sure to have a laugh or two!

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Dear Kate Gosslein,

No one cares. It's over! Time to move on already. Weren't you the one who said that you wanted your show to be "real"???? I'm just saying! You bug me. "Kate Plus 8" makes me want to gag. I enjoyed your show back when you looked and acted like a normal stay-at-home mom. You know, big tee shirts, sweat pants, no make up and messy hair. Now you are just a fake reality TV star. You and your fake tan, fake boobs, tummy tuck, liposuction, salon styled hair, ridiculously white teeth and designer clothes. You are beyond annoying and I can't believe people still watch you for entertainment. Nailing my tongue to a table would be more entertaining than watching you (and your terrible kids for that matter). Grow up, get a clue, act your age and get a real job!


Sincerely,

The Woman Who Wants Your Show To Be Canceled So That TLC Can Play More Of The Duggar's 19 Kids And Counting

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Dear Facebook,

Stop trying to suggest friends for me. You obviously don't have any idea of who I would like to be friends with so just stop. I don't even know most of these people! Just because we have a mutual friend does not mean I too need to be their friend. You are getting out of hand Facebook. Chill out!

Sincerely,

The Woman Who Is Certain You Are Trying To Take Over The World

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Dear Daughter,

Your bowl of yogurt is not now, nor will it ever be, a birthday hat. Sorry sweetie. Please stop putting it on your head and singing happy birthday to yourself. You turned 2 in May. It is not July my dear. Give it a rest.

Love,

The Lady Who Would Be 60 Years Old By Now If Birthdays Were Up To You

The Adventure Begins!

I made the decision a few weeks ago to start using cloth diapers during the day with Jayce. After lots of research and reading I made the plunge! I ordered some diaper covers, got my 5 gallon bucket ready and mentally prepared myself for the challenge. Once the diaper covers arrived I was so excited to get started. So far we have been using the cloth diapers during just Jayce's awake time and it has been great. He has been very nice to me though. Every time he poops it is right after a nap (right before I change him into a cloth diaper) in his regular disposable diaper. I am sure that the first time he poops in the cloth diaper I am probably going to be asking myself "Why did I think this would be a good idea????" but we will burn that bridge when we get to it. We have not had any messes or disasters yet so I am still excited and motivated. We typically change any where from 10 to 12 disposable diapers a day. With the cloth diapers in full swing we are down to only using 4 or 5 disposables a day. Not only is it saving us money, it is making less waste! Your welcome Earth! It really is a win-win situation! All the little things we do, to save the environment and money, really add up to BIG things!

Just a few FYI things about cloth diapers for anyone thinking about trying them out....

• They are very bulky and don't fit well under outfits
• They are a big cost upfront (more then just disposables)
• You have to change them more frequently because they don't hold what a disposable will
• You have to touch lots of bodily fluids
• You have to wash diapers every day
  

Give them a try! When I think about all the little things we do around our house to save money and the environment I feel good about making decision like this one. If we all do the little things we can really make a difference! Check out the little man!

This is the diaper cover. It is really neat! No more rubber pants or pins! You put the cloth diaper inside of this and then put it on baby just like a disposable! It makes it soooooo easy!

Jayce hanging out in his cloth diaper!