Happy Home

Happy Monday bloggy buddies. I hope you all had a great weekend! I wanted to start the week off with a Happy Home post. Have any of you been working on keeping your visual space clutter free? Yes, no, maybe so? If you have, great job! Keep it up! If you haven't.... oh well! I hope you will give it a try though. You won't be sorry!

Today I want to talk about a house work schedule.

The first thing I would encourage you to do is to have a chart posted (small white board, paper on the fridge, index card on your mirror). Where ever or in whatever form you like best. The key is to have it visible. Your list needs to include all of the chores you wish to accomplish in a week (vacuum, dust, bathrooms, mirrors, etc.) Be sure to add anything to your list that you consider to be important enough to be done on a weekly basis.

So, are you someone who loves to have a big cleaning day each week? Or are you like me and would rather do one or two major chores a day? That is the next decision you need to make. I have learned that sometimes I have one big cleaning day and other times I clean as the week goes. Life kinda determines that sometimes ;-) so be flexible with it!

Having the list on a white board is really helpful. When I finish a chore I check beside it, then at the end of the week I can erase all the checks and have it for the next week. It's good for me. Find what is good for you and run with it. Perhaps a new sticky note each week on your planner would work best.

The main thing is to determine what chores you consider to be "weekly". Having them be a constant factor will make your housework become more natural. When things become natural, they get easier and feel less like work. Your housework should not be as big of a chore as most people make it out to be. I hope this helps you have a Happy Home.

Money Making March

Money Making March
3M Challenge

Google Image

Feburary was a tough month budget wise for me. I have phases with my budget. For a while I will be totally on top of things and really do great. Then we hit a slump where it seems like we are just unable to keep our budget in the front of our mind. Are we the only ones? Please tell we aren't alone.... anybody else out there wishing their budget was closer to what it is on your monthly outline?

Well coming in March I am doing something drastic with my budget. Not so much drastic, more challenging really. I am not changing anything on my outline. I am not switching over to an envelope system (quite yet) I am simply going to use cash only for my miscellaneous category. That is the one category that I have the most trouble with (big surprise!). The other thing I am going to do is have a calender with a spending schedule on it. I want to have it outlined when I will do what shopping for the month. Along with this schedule there will be mandatory 'no spend' days. That means on those days, unless it is a medical emergency needing medication or something major like that or my husband needing gas for his vehicle to get to and from work, no money will be spent.
This is my blank slate (sorry it's a little grainy). On March 1st I will post my filled out calender. Then throughout March I will post updates to how I am doing. I will let you know if I think these few changes are making a difference. My goal is to do a better job of spending the money God is blessing my family with. I fail over and over again to do a good job with our money and I desperately need to do better. These few changes should change our budget by $300 in the positive direction of done correctly. If I can do this for 3 months I will have positively increased our bank account by $900.00! WOW! Then, if I can do it for 6 months you're talking $1800.00! This is a big deal my friends! But let's not put the cart before the horse though.

Do you need to buckle down and get better grip on your money? Don't be afraid to join me! Perhaps just adopt the mandatory 'no spend' days and scheduled shopping trips. Make Money Making March work for you! Grab a calender and fill it out! Don't want to fill out a calender, then just post about how you plan to save money in March. I'm not picky, I simply want to see what ideas you have about getting a better handle on your budget. Post about it on your blog and give your readers updates on your progress! Lets encourage each other this March! What do you have to loose? Each Friday I will have a Money Making March post with a link tool. If at any point during this challenge you want to join in on the fun, please do!

Venting

I wanted to take Lula Mae out for a biscuit this morning to get the kids out of the house. Getting out of the house was fine. Eating was fine. Leaving was..... not.

We don't have to deal with public meltdowns often (and I am very thankful for that) but they do happen from time to time. Today was one of those times.

She refused my instruction. She quickly began giving me that horrible look. Then as I grabbed her hand to help encourage her to come, the fit really got started. The screaming was loud and the flailing was strong. While trying to hold on to a flailing toddler and carry a huge infant seat I could hear many comments and see all the funny looks. I could barley make it out the door before I began to cry.

How could they judge my child and my ability to parent by a two minuet period they witnessed? They don't know me. They don't know her. They have no idea what our home life is like. They have no idea how old I am (although it really get under my skin every time I hear someone say "She's too young to have kids, that's her problem.") I am well aware of my short stature and young face. I know that I have two small children close in age. None of that gives anyone the right to judge me, my child or my parenting.

I have a very strong willed daughter. Stronger than strong willed! That trait will be a gift someday I am sure. She will be a strong woman and I will never have to worry about her "doing it because every one else is doing it". Her will may also cause her many problems because there is a time for just going with the flow and not being so assertive. She will have to learn that delicate balance as she grows.

Do you have any idea how tough it is to feel as though you are not doing anything right? We all feel like that from time to time, right? It's not just me.... right???? I hope I'm not alone on this one. These days Lula Mae has been tough and Jayce has been tougher. I feel as though I can do nothing right for either of them. I feel like my emotions are never where they need to be.

Jayce is very cranky. Don't get me wrong, he is a good baby, a sweet baby... just fussy and not as content as most babies. I feel like nothing I do makes him happy. I feel like I can't please him. I'm his mom and I can't make him happy. All day long I feel defeated.

Lula Mae is testing every boundary possible. Her temper worries me. Her behavior confuses me from day to day. Her lows are lower than they ever have been before. I feel like all the effort I am putting into her is a waste. Nothing I do works these days.

Even though Jayce is cranky I know he loves me. I know deep down he is happy. But I am still lost in a sea of emotions. I know Lula Mae is benefiting from what I am teaching her about God and His love for her. I know that she has a huge heart and is quick to forgive and ask forgiveness. But I am still mentally exhausted by the battles.

I am not telling you this so that you feel bad for me or to make you think I hate my life. Believe me, I am exactly where I want to be. I am telling you this because writing is therapeutic for me. If no one reads this, I don't care. If no one comments, it won't change anything. Just know that I am in need of your prayers. I need you to pray that I stay focused on God. If I just stay focused on Him every other decision will be easier. God is working on me every single day and I am humbled by His grace and mercy.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
-Philippians 4:13

Letters Of Intent

Dear Horrible Day,

You broke my spirits pretty bad. I am still trying to recover. Do me a favor and please, please, please never come back again!


Thanks In Advanced,

In Shambles And Nearing The Point Of Needing To Be Institutionalized

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

Dear Lula Mae,

I promise we are going to Disney World. I am sorry that you think every time we get in the car it is time to leave on our trip. I know you don't have a great sense of time yet, but please stop asking if we are going to see all of your friends yet. Time is going fast enough, lets not rush May! I am not ready to have a 3 year old and a one year old! Are you trying to kill me darling? Stop growing up! I promise, when we are leaving for Florida you will know. There will be tons of packing going on dear, it will be hard to miss. We won't forget you so just relax and enjoy being two for a little while longer please!


Love,

You Mommy Who Throws A Party In Her Head Every time She Thinks About Disney World Too (sorry girl, it's just genetic!)

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

Dear Gas Prices,

I have nothing to say to you. You sicken me!


Singed,

Going Broker By The Fill-Up





Do you need to get something off of your chest? Do you want to do it in letter form? Then link up with Julie at Foursons! Have a great Friday everyone!

This Is What Whining Looks Like

Annnnnnnnnnnnnd GO!!!

• I accidentally ripped the toilet paper holder off the wall while half asleep this morning
  
• Jayce refused to eat his breakfast
• I spilled Lula Mae's milk everywhere while fixing her breakfast
• Jayce cried all morning because... well, because he is Jayce and sometimes that's how Jayce is
• I went to get the clothes out of the dryer so I could get dressed and saw that they had been dried on medium heat... therefore I felt like a big old fatty trying to fit into my jeans
  
• Lula Mae argued with me about playing in the playroom for about 15 minuets
• Lula Mae then had a time out where I got to hear hear scream "I want my Daddy because he loves me more than Mommy!" over and over and over again (I mean I only carried and birthed the child, heaven forbid she like me or anything!)
• Jayce decided napping was not really on his agenda for the morning so he cried and played instead
• Lula Mae's lunch fell on the floor and I had to prepare another meal (luckily it was an accident!)
• Jayce did not enjoy the lunch I picked out for him and to show his disapproval he screamed through lunch, nibbling and gagging here and there
• I needed to get the kids ready to go to the book store after lunch and started with wrestling Jayce through a diaper change
• During said wrestling match/diaper change I got pooped on
• While dealing with the poop Lula Mae informed me that she couldn't get her jeans off because they were too tight so she pooped in her panties
• Once I finally got the kids loaded in the van I needed to get the double stroller out of the garage and loaded into the van
• On the first attempt at putting the stroller in the van it fell out
  
• While picking it up I pulled my toe nail back and began gushing blood
• When I got to the store I had to park in the "additional parking in rear" area because there was an old man just sitting in the way of the first entrance to the very awkward parking lot
• When we got home both kids were not thrilled that it was nap time
• Pretty quick though they both fell asleep
• Then Lula Mae woke up screaming for some reason which then meant Jayce was awake screaming

And here I sit... frazzled by the first half of my day. If the second half goes this darn smoothly I may spend the rest of the day in tears. If you never have hard days, you wouldn't appreciate your good ones. However, I would love a good one tomorrow!

Happy Home

Welcome to my first series Happy Home! As of now, I am not sure if this is going to be a weekly thing, bi weekly or whatever.... but I am going to be sure to make them regular. Enough of the chatting, lets get things started!

When you think about your home, what comes to mind? Do you just shake your head? Do you laugh and brush it off as though its condition just doesn't matter? Do you daydream about what you wish your home was like? Well, you shouldn't! Your home should make you happy, comfortable, excited and proud.... just to name a few things. I want to start Happy Home simple. I know that having clutter free and organized pantry, closets and drawers is important, but we need to start with the basics.

Visual space

Your homes visual space is one of the most crucial elements. If your visual space is cluttered you can't keep the unseen space kept up either. It is nearly impossible. So lets get right to tip #1.

Tip #1: Keep your visual space clear (focus on the living areas in your home clear first. Personal areas like bedrooms can come later.)

Do not let your kitchen table become a drop off point.


Keep it clean and ready for a meal all the time. Your table is probably a large space and if you keep it cleared your visual space is possibly 50% taken care of.


Now that the table is clear, lets move on to the next areas that need to stay cleared. Counters! Don't let your counters absorb the impact of keeping your table clear.


Our buffet is another surface that I am constantly working to keep clear. It is in the center of our house and does not need to house "stuff" waiting to be put away.


Can you think of other surfaces in your home that you are catchalls? Our entertainment center is one. I even limited my decorating on this piece of furniture because it is the focus in the room. Too many decorations can even look cluttered, so choose wisely. At least try to be minimal of focus points. See that chest there? Not only is it a decorative item, it also houses our remotes so they aren't just laying all over the place. I love multipurpose things!

So what is the solution for tip #1? Have designated locations for your "clutter" type items.


Hang an organizer in the kitchen to hold your keys, mail, wallets and things of that nature. Want to know my real secret?


I have one spot in my house that is allowed to be cluttered. My school table in my bedroom. If there is something that needs to be looked at or just needs to find a home, I put it there. Have a place like this in your home. Somewhere that isn't in your living room ;-) Be determined to only drop your clutter off there. Then, have a day of the week that you focus strictly on dealing with that area and its acquired clutter.

So, what did we learn today?

• Keep your visual space clear.
• Keep your kitchen table in eating condition at all times.
• Don't allow your living areas to become catchalls.
• Have specific locations that are designated for clutter.
• On a weekly basis make it your goal to put away and organize your designated areas.

These few things will give you a great start on having a Happy Home. I know I was long winded and probably confused you on several occasions, but I hope something here has made a light bulb go off in your head. Take tip #1 and run with it! See how you feel about your home with clear visual space!

Happy Home

I have been told that I should start a section on my blog about organizing and homemaking. The source says that people may actually like reading about how I run my home. I am not convinced that anyone cares, but I think it may be fun anyway. If it helps just one person, then it will be worth it. So, I am starting a series on my blog called....

Happy Home is going to be tips on having an organized home that runs smoothly. I am not trying to say my house is perfect and I just have the smoothest running house around, but I do have a "talent" for organizing and home management. Obviously (see the quotes?) I am using the term talent loosely. I just enjoy organization and cleanliness. Through Happy Home I want to bring homemakers/SAHM tips to make their lives more organized and cleaner through simple steps that anyone can do!

Stay tuned!

Mommy To Be

She isn't having morning sickness

She isn't having crazy cravings

She isn't having trouble finding a comfortable position to sleep in

She isn't running to the bathroom to pee every five minuets

She isn't sure of her due date

She isn't freaking out about getting an epidural or the pain of natural child birth

She isn't pregnant... yet

But she is expecting

She is the most wonderful mommy to be I have ever known

I bet she has a million paper cuts from the mountain of paperwork that adoption requires

I bet her emotional stretch marks are worse than any stretch mark you get from pregnancy

I bet she has been way more emotional than any expecting mom out there

I bet she thinks about her future child/ren on average, 15 times more than most women

I have not doubt that soon she will be holding her own little one/s

It may not be a biological child, or perhaps it will be, only God knows for sure

I feel certain that there will be a mixture of both filling her home soon, very soon

Seeing her with my kids fills my heart

But my heart will burst when I can hang a picture of her with her child/ren on my wall

Progress

Every time I turn around this little guy is standing up! He is close to cruising and I just can't believe it! Luckily the playroom is finally done so Jayce can have a safe and fun place to play.

Here are the before pictures of the playroom.

It was a horrible dungeon of a room. There was popcorn texture all over the walls which was seriously sharp.

Not to mention the horrible baby green walls and green trim and accents. So very dated!

It was being used as a catch all. Things just hung out here until we got around to finding a home for it.

What is all that????

And that????

That is what it looks like when you try to scrape popcorn texture that has been painted twice off.

This section took a total of about 5 man hours to scrape. It still wasn't "done" either. We would have had to scrape the entire room, sanded it, mudded it and sanded it again.... folks it is a BIG room...

So the hubby took my advice and we began ripping out the drywall. It was literally going to be easier to re-drywall the room than go through the 50 million steps to get the popcorn off. Ridiculous! Soooooo we had a big mess for a while. And for some stupid reason I forgot to take pictures of the room being re-dry walled. Oh well, too late now!

Now when you look down from the kitchen this is what you see...

I have a closest now! That door to the left is my new homeschooling central! It makes the room look so much more like a room, and less like a "mud room" like it did when we moved in. I LOVE our carpet!!!!! The concrete floor before was just a joke! You can't live on concrete!!!

This is the view coming in from the garage. So nice and inviting!

View from the picture window looking towards the garage door.

And this gives you a good view of my new closet!

I know it is hard for you to see the difference like we do, but trust me it is a HUGE difference! It changed the feel of the whole house! It just feels so much more like home now! We really love it! The only problem I am having is Lula Mae not liking to be down here with Jayce. She is a great sharer with other kids..... not so much with her brother. We are working on it... but it is a bumpy road!

Energy.... Where Are You???

Confessions #1: I haven't logged into Blogger since Thursday night

Why? I'm not sure. I feel like I have been busy, but I don't think I really have. Weird.

Confession #2: Since I have neglected to log into Blogger I have gotten WAY behind on my reading.

I am not happy about this because I hate to miss anything you wonderful people write. Plus, when I visit your blogs during nap or before bed I am always uplifted or encouraged in some way (because you are all amazing!) So why then have I let myself stay away???

Confession #3: My "new every two" rolled with Verizon so I get to pick a new phone

I am blaming this on a lot of my blog-time-stealing. When I get to pick a new phone out I obsess over it, unfortunately. For days I stare at the website, scanning through all the choices, reading reviews, constantly changing my mind. It is frustrating beyond belief. Luckily, right before I logged into Blogger just now, I picked a phone and it is on the way. Thank goodness!

Confession #4: I have been incredibly moody lately.

So bad that Charlie actually mentioned it (in a nice way, not in a "you sure are nuts" way). Probably has a lot to do with feeling like I have no time to get "my stuff" done (stupid selfish flesh!). It could also have a little to do with not logging onto Blogger and enjoying all of your posts. Regardless, I have noticed my patience level nosediving. Not good!

Confession #5: I'm not perfect

Like I had to clear that up for you, right? ;-) I'm not saying it because I, for even a split second, thought perhaps I was perfect.... I'm just saying that a lot of things are happening right now that are showing me just how not perfect I am. Don't you just love being slapped in the face by life? People say "God whispers" well not around here! It's more like "God uses a megaphone"!

You lucky people have a lot to look forward to. I have before and after pictures of the new FINISHED playroom, pictures of the kids enjoying a beautiful day at the park, a video of Lula Mae singing her favorite song! Not only that, I will be catching up on all your wonderful posts and sending out tons of bloggy love! Happy Wednesday all!

Letters Of Intent

I can't believe it is Friday! This week has been so crazy that it just slipped away somehow. Since it is Friday ( and I am realizing it before it's too late) I am going to link up with the wonderful Julie at Foursons. Have a great weekend everyone!


Dear Lula Mae,

You are quite a budding artist my dear.
An artist who is so very proud of her work.

But if you don't stop chewing your tongue while you work on things you will be a tongueless artist!

Love,

Your Mommy Who Prefers You To NOT Chew Your Tongue Off

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

Dear Hubster,

Stop teaching Jayce to walk! Did you bump your head?

Love,

The Lady Who Wants Jayce To Stay A Baby For A While

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

Dear Hubster,

I think it is cute that Lula Mae thinks you look "fluffy"....

but do you think it is still suppose to be that swollen? It was only one wisdom tooth! I think I will be calling the oral surgeon and asking a few quick questions. Sorry you are so frustrated about the healing process. I can imagine that it really does stink. I'm trying to be helpful however I can.... but you are not exactly the nicest patient. Just saying!

Love,

Your Wife Who Loves You Madly Even When You Are Grouchy

Uh.... ummmmm.....

I so can't think of anything to really post about. I just finished sewing a valence for Jayce's room and apparently it took all of my creative juices for the day. Bummer. So instead, I thought I would share some random things about me. Because you so care, right? That's what I though. Here we go.


I can touch my nose with my tongue

I have "monkey feet"

With those monkey feet I can play some Super Nintendo games

Also with those monkey feet I can strike a cigarette lighter

I can't dance (not even a little) and won't dance (not even a little) unless it is with my kids

I can play the piano.... a little (with my hands, not my feet)

I do multiplication on my fingers.... because I never memorized them in 3rd grade

I was 12 years old before I was tall enough to ride a roller coaster

Since then I haven't grown more than 2 and a half inches

I can quote Forrest Gump word.for.word. (funny I can memorize that and not multiplication tables)



So, will you sleep better tonight knowing that? No? Well I am sorry. Perhaps tomorrow I will have something philosophical, uplifting, helpful or humorous to say, but today that's all ya' get. Happy Thursday everyone!

Sick And Tired!

These ugly little guys have been a pain! I have been dealing with the stomach flu/bug for a while now. First Lula Mae got it. Then she shared it with Jayce. Then Jayce shared it with the Hubster. Last but not least the Hubster shared it with me. I guess I can't complain. I would rather have it last so that I am able to take care of everyone else first. Charlie and I are not sure if the two of us had the same thing the kids had though. He had a friend come over to help him with a project that came down sick the next day. We are praying that the kids don't have another virus to look forward to thanks to us. Hopefully we all had the same thing and we are done with these ugly little germs! I will be doing yet another round of sanitizing tomorrow. Fun fun! I am so sick and tired of this sickness! Luckily we each fought it quickly and didn't suffer long. Jayce had it the worst :-( poor baby.

I on the other hand had terrible timing with my sickness. Mine hit while I was keeping the kids out of the house so the carpet could be installed. (YAY for new CLEAN carpet!). I switched locations with my hubby (since he was sitting at the house all day while the carpet was getting put in.) He went to be with the kids at Eric and Heather house and I came home. (so basically now Eric and Heather are going to be the next victims of this horrible bug/virus) It was oh so fun being violently ill while there were 6 strangers in my house. Totally fun! Then Charlie had to bring the kids home and get the house back to normal while I laid in the bed with fever and chills. Luckily we have wonderful family who came and helped keep the kids occupied while Charlie and my Uncle got everything back to normal. It was a very hectic evening! Then, to top it off, Charlie went this morning (the next day) to have his wisdom tooth cut out. Yep, it has seemed quite chaotic today! He's in pain and I'm still exhausted from being sick yesterday. Tomorrow is a new day! A new and better day! I am so grateful that we are all feeling better and seem to be done with this mess! I hope all of you have been much healthier than our household! Have a great rest of the week!

I'm Bad At Tag!

A while back I was "tagged" by a good bloggy buddy of mine. (Thanks Rachel, I love bloggy love! )Well I am terrible at tag folks. I am slow and clumsy. So I am finally getting around to my post! I love Q&A posts! They are great! Enjoy!

1. if you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family?

Right now, we don’t have any pets. We had two cats, Sadie and Jezebel, before Lula Mae was born but we had to find other homes for them because she was having allergy issues with them. I miss them *sigh*

2. if you can have a dream to come true, what would it be?

To sing the National Anthem at the World Series. I think there are a few people out there saying “you won’t even sing in front of people at church or sing karaoke, but you want to sing at the freaking World Series????” and to those certain people…. back off! Second to that my other dream come true would be to live at Disney World. Yep. The more I think about this the more I realize I have A LOT of dreams….. and moving on….

3. what is the one thing most hated by you?

Okay so I have thought of several things…. then I deleted them because I realize I am guilty of them as well. How terrible is that? So I feel like I should just leave this one alone so as not to be a contradiction.

4. what would you do with a billion dollars?

First off, how much is a billion? Let’s break it down really quick…

I found this on google:

· 1 billion is 1 thousand millions.

· A billion minutes ago, Jesus was alive.

· If you count one number a second without stopping until you reach a billion. That task would take you 31 years, 259 days, 1 hours, 46 minutes, and 40 seconds.

So a billion is… basically A LOT. To start I would give half of it to St. Jude’s research because I have a heart for children with cancer. Then I would give half of what was left then to my church. Then I would pay off all our debt and all our family’s debt. I would take a KILLER Disney vacation too (because hey, it’s me!) With whatever was left I would give to Eric and Heather to help them take care of their huge family that I can’t wait to see!

5. what helps to pull you out of a bad mood?

Coke. My hubster. Coke. Reading my Bible and Devotional. Coke. Talking to Heather. Coke. Donuts. Coke. Playing games. Coke. My sweet kids. Oh, and Coke. Not sure I mentioned Coke.

6. which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?

Loving someone. I mean, it is great to be loved, but I would much rather love someone. Jesus loves me and that’s all I need!

7. what is your bedtime routine?

Well I guess it differs. Sometimes Charlie gets to the computer before me I share the computer with Charlie. He gets his internet fix while I read my Bible and devotional. Then I get on and check all my stuff (facebook, email, blog, bank account). Then we talk and watch some TV. Our biggest part of our routine is watching That 70’s Show at 11:00. It’s our dirty little obsession. Then at 12:00 we finally turn off the TV and drift off to sleep. Or toss and turn. Whichever strikes us!

8. if you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner?

Theater brought us together actually. My drama teacher was his former drama teacher. She mentioned to our cast that she had a former student who was over in Iraq that she wanted us to add to our chat and talk to while he was there. That was back when Yahoo messenger and all those things were the thing. So I added him to my Yahoo and started talking to him. We were totally just friends, considering he was 6 years older than me and he was married. Then Charlie came home on his 2 week leave. He came and watched our rehearsal. At that point during his leave he had gotten some pretty rough news. I won’t go into that because it isn’t my business to share, but let’s just say he asked me to go on a date ;-) So I did. We had a great time. Then he went back overseas for the rest of his deployment. We talked and talked while he was away. Then when he came back we started dating. We have been together ever since! That was in 2003.

9. if you could watch a creative person in the act of the creative process, who would it be?

I am a Theater lover. I did theater in school and almost majored in it actually. I loved competitions so much. There is nothing better than watching someone who is truly talented on stage. Breathtaking.

10. what kinds of books do you read?

I have just recently gotten into reading. I hated reading growing up. Hated it! Now I enjoy reading things about growing spiritually stronger. I enjoy books on Christian parenting as well. I am not really into reading “stories”. I like real life, practical literature.

11. how would you see yourself in ten years time?

I see myself more in love with my husband than the day I married him with a house full of kids. I see myself out of debt (we have a 6 year plan, other than our house). I see myself in the middle of homeschooling and loving every single second of it! I see myself giving more and serving more. I see a lot in the future and it fills my heart!

Charlie …. did you pass out with the “house full of kids” part…… are you okay? Breathe! It will all be okay, I promise!

12. what’s your fear?

You don’t have enough time for this one, trust me. There is a shorter list of what I'm not afraid of. Let me just sum it up and say I’m afraid of death. Horrible thing for a believer to say, I know. While meeting with my pastor I learned that all my fears boil down to being afraid of death. It is something I am working on. If I had to pick one thing I was most afraid of I would say flying. No, perhaps water. I could go on and on about this question so let’s just stop here, shall we.

13. would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to visit outer space?

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I’m sorry, is that a serious question? NO WAY!!! I once thought I wanted to be an astronaut though, after watching Apollo 13, and then I realized I would have to fly…. and that idea when out the window. So you can have your outer space… just give me a bag of Doritos and a Coke and be on your way space man!

14. would you rather be single and rich or married, but poor?

No brainer. Married and poor.

15. what’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

Sounds corny, but I pray. Not kidding. Every single day. Then I get up and fix Jayce a bottle.

16. if you could change one thing about your spouse/partner what would it be?

He is wonderfully made just like he is! I think he is wonderful! Although I would change the fact that he doesn’t know how much I love him!

17. if you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?

What’s wrong with Amy? Well just for fun, I guess I would say Georgina.

18. would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?

I should, considering some of the things I have been forgiven for. I am saying yes, but until it happens I don’t know. I can only pray that if that situation arises I will pour out grace the way God does.

19. if you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?

Well, if I could survive on Coke… I would! If it has to be a solid food I would say chocolate.... anything chocolate! I am such a fat kid!

And there you have it! A few random things that you could have lived the rest of your life without knowing! Get ready, because it is your turn! I am only going to tag.......

LaVonne at Long Wait For Isabella

Emmy at Emmy Mom- One Day at a Time

Have fun ladies! I hope you play along so I can get to know you a little better :-)

Failure

My precious little girl is having a rough time getting back into the swing of things after being sick. Her behavior has really not been normal. Luckily we only have moments of pure insanity, instead of days of pure insanity. She refuses to eat. Really, she is not eating anything that she usually does. It is frustrating. Oh, and just a side note, Jayce did catch the virus and is also not eating. There is a whole lot of not eating in our house and this Momma is not happy. Lula Mae not eating is causing a lot of the behavior problems. Our kitchen table is a battle field and it is tiring. Very, very tiring. There are a few other moments that have been tough. Like today, when I told Lula Mae is was nap time. She never fights about nap... ever! Well, today she did. She screamed at the top of her lungs, flailed her limbs and just acted completely ridiculous. I tired everything. I am trying to be a good example to her and treat her the way I want her to treat me. Unfortunately, 15 minutes into her conniption, I lost it. I slipped back into me old self who thinks that the loudest person wins. I began yelling, popping, stomping, blaming, complaining, fighting. All the behaviors that I hate to see come from my child began pouring out of me. After 15 more minuets of craziness I just held her down in my lap and began praying. Not for her, but for me. She continued to fight and cry. I held her tighter and sang quietly to her. Then I prayed over her. I finally had to just put her in her crib and walk away (once she is upset she needs to be alone. Trying to calm her down is close to impossible we have learned. She works through it better alone.) I went to my room and got my bible. I prayed and cried and read. I had failed her. I failed to be an example of Christ. I failed to show her grace they way He shows me. I had crushed her spirit. I had wronged her in so many ways in merely half an hour or so. Once I heard that she had calmed down I went to her and held her and rocked her. I told her I was sorry and she told me she was sorry. We hugged and sang Jesus Loves Me together. We talked about how we didn't do a good job showing self control (we are learning about self control in school right now) and how we hurt God's feelings by treating each other so mean. When all was said and done we were smiling and singing. She was happy to get tucked in for nap because she was exhausted from the moment of pure insanity. I went back to my room and cried and prayed some more. Then I listened to the sermon I missed last week. It was exactly what I needed to hear! Right now we are doing a series called "Relationships: A Mess Worth Making". My relationship with Lula Mae may be messy sometimes, but it is worth it. She is teaching me that I need to serve her, encourage her, edify her. It isn't always easy, but that's okay. The most important thing she is teaching me is that I am a broken person who need God's grace. God is transforming my heart and I need to focus on Lula Mae's heart. God can accomplish more in Lula Mae than I can. All I can do is set a godly example and pray for her. Praying for her is going to help her so much more than anything else I can do. Folks, it has been a tough day. It has also been a very eye opening day. Sometimes failing is the only way to learn.