The Last Days of SUMMER!!!

Hard to believe, but school starts a week from Tuesday.  Bobbye Sue and I are doing our happy dance & Dalton, of course, is dragging his feet and starting to make those loud  moaning noise that cause me to halfway be concerned, but mostly be annoyed.  So, we're trying to sneak in a last few days of "FUN".  Yesterday, we went skating  with some of the  girls from Girl Scouts.  Bobbye Sue's BFF since 2nd grade is moving to Indiana in about a week, so we're trying to see her some.  God is so good...Barrett's niece,  .Kaylei, has came to live with her grandparents.  I think this will soften the blow when her friend moves.  
      So today, we went bowling with my BFF, Becki, and her 3 kids.  We met up with another friend and her daughter  The kids had  a blast and discovered Alex & Dalton LOVE laser tag!!!  I love that our kids are so close and get along, even though we sometimes don't get to see each other a lot.  We laugh at Alex & Dalton, they're always hesitance about getting together, but always fun when they do!   
    As we start this next week, we've really have to transition back to school 'mode'.  We started going to bed early last week, but this week we got to work on GETTING UP EARLY.  Barrett start his new shift this week which we allow him to be home earlier & see the kids more (YEAH!!!!!!!!).  Hopefully, I'll be able to get into a better routine myself; especially with house cleaning and healthy menu planning, & maybe even more time for blogging.  The start of school is always (still) an exciting time for me because it's fresh new star - a new year.    I can't believe I have a 7th grader & a  4th grader.  They're growing up way to fast.  I prayer that God will help be aware & gracious of the days in my little people's lives. 

BE CAREFUL LITTLE (BIG) hMOUTH WHAT YOU SAY...

...BE CAREFUL LITTLE (BIG) MOUTH WHAT YOU SAY, FOR THE FATHER UP ABOVE, HE IS LOOKING DOWN IN LOVE; BE CAREFUL LITTLE (BIG) MOUTH WHAT YOU SAY!

We have to be SO careful of what we say and how we act in front of or little people don't we?  A few months ago I was having trouble with Dalton disobeying & disrespecting me, so I printed out copies of the 10 Commandments and tape them to both his and Bobbye Sue doors, with all intent of nipping the problem in the bud!  Well, as you can guess, I haven't use it as much as I had planed on or should have.  


Well last night, I was "helping" Bobbye Sue clean her room.  A tedius jobs that took hours and plum exhausted me. While I was taking a hot bath - trying to loosen my sore muscles, she brought me her copy of the 10 Commandments and said.  "Mama, this says; 'Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God.  The Lord will find guilty anyone who misuses His name.' Mama, while we we cleaning my room I heard you misuse the Lord's name serval times.  You shouldn't do that!"


GUILTY AS CHARGED!!!  A great lesson for me to lead by example and practice what I preach!!!

Twistable Tuesday - Fall Break

Hard to believe, but my little people are on fall break this week...  So far it's been an OK week.  Today we went to the library and then Barrett picked us up and we went to supper at Toots.  Then we went and saw Dolphin Tales; such a great inspirational, family movie.  Of, course now Bobbye Sue wants a pet fish and go to the Clear Water Aquarium in Florida and visit the real Winter the Dolphin.  We're not doing too much the rest of the week.  On Friday, Dalton's going to a church lock in and Bobbye Sue's BFF is spending the night - can't call it a sleep over, as I'm sure not much sleeping will be going on...LOL

Bobby Sue's Friday Night Jaunt to the ER.

So, it was the first "normal" Friday night of football season.   Can you tell I'm married to a sports announcer??? Barrett was gone to a game.  I had ordered pizza and was folding clothes and watch TV(and listening to the radio).  The kids were outside playing with the neighbors.  Suddenly, Dalton ran in and called "Mama!" with that voice that said, "There's something really wrong here."
      Bobbye Sue comes back to my room.  She was covered in blood from her nose to her throat.  At first, I wasn't sure where the blood was coming from.  I got her laying down on the bed and got the bleed stopped enough to see it was from her nose.  She said her (right) wrist hurt and the was I big knot on it,  and she cringed whenever I touched her.
     I told Dalton to call Granddaddy (Barrett's dad) and I hurried to get ready to go.  She was crying; Dalton kept saying, "I'm sorry, it's all my fault."
     Piece by piece, I gradually begin to comprehend what had happened.  Apparently they were "experimenting" with a new was to use the tire swing.  She was lying on top of the tire, holding the rode and Dalton was swinging her by her legs.  (This is something I can imagine my brothers and I doing years ago.)
Well, needless to say, her hand slipped and she kissed the dirt.  It's been rrumored that there was a dog leash involved too, but I chosen to close my "Mama" eyes to that little bit of information. 
     So we head off to the ER to find that Bobbye Sue did fracture her wrist.  (& yes, she is right handed and it is the start of a new school year.)   
     I must say, I'm really proud of Dalton; he stepped up and took care of his baby sister.  All went well until she asked him to hold the other hand while the doctor splinted the other and Dalton squeezed it too hard.  His reasoning; to divert the pain.

Ahhh, I gotta love my little people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Going Through The Marriage Devotional Bible - Day 6 "Who's in the Driver's Seat

Mark 4:35-40

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Calms the Storm

 ³⁵ That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”  ³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
 ⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”


Why is it so hard to?  To trust God? To trust Barrett?

I'm not a good "in charge" person; Barrett knows this, my little people know this & most people who know me know (& would agree 20 fold)  Giving a normal, calm state of mind, I don't normally wish to take charge of things.   However,  due to the fact that the state of my mind is neither calm nor normal, I can assure you I let myself get into all types of sorts of situations that require me to make decision that I usually fail at.

That being said, when I'm not  in charge I start to feel anxious.  I naturally want to have the ultimate control.   I think submission to Barrett is one of the hardest things about marriage.  I'm naturally a selfish person.  Plus, growing up I was taught to fight for what I wanted; what I need...It was a survival mechanism.    But, I've got to learn to choose my battles.  Even though Barrett's right 99.9% of the  time.

Going Through The Marriage Devotional Bible - Day 5 "The Value of a Tender Touch"

Mark 1:41-42  "Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. 'I am willing.' He said, 'Be clean!'  Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured."

A touch can speak volumes.  I am a big fan of Gray Chapman's "5 Love Languages."  One of my primary love languages is touch; both of my kids share this love language too.   I must say that while I do like to be touched; I don't like it when people (i.e. my little people) lay and wallow all over me.
     Barrett, on the other hand  is not a real "touchy-feally" type of person.  So I've really struggled with this in our marriage.  Very early on, I saw it as a form of rejection.  However, as I've gotten to know him over the years, I've learned that it's not; it's just not his main love language.  He did not grow up in a home where love was expressed in that way.
     So, I try very hard to learn his love languages and speak them to him.  Not only is it fulfilling to me; but as time goes an I realized he's starting to speak my love languages too.

Thankful Thursday - Getting back to NORMAL

Today I'm just thankful that our life is getting back to normal and getting my house in order and writing more.  Tomorrow my BFF and I are going to lunch.  She works close to my house & I'm going to ask if she wants to come have lunch with me once a week and maybe do a short bible study.  I do feel lonely and isolated at times with Barrett gone to work & my little people gone to school.  It's easy for me to fall into depression and my self therapy is to sleep all day.   I've got to use my time better and focus on doing God's will and not mine.

Frame of Mind Friday - Crossing into the Twilight Zone

DO-DO-DO-DO-DO!!!  We, like many other folks have discover the wonder of of NETFLIXS.  One of Dalton's new favorite shows  is "The Twilight Zone"  I personally LOVE this show!!!  The something very intriguing
 about watching a show that's a little off with a bit of spookiness & doesn't really  have any rhyme or reason.  I suppose it's because half the time I myself feel like I  have entered into the twilight zone.  I just sometimes feel like I'm just watching things happen; things that I have no control over.  This has been a busy  week and as the school winds down, our schedules seams to be picking up.  I'm excited about our upcoming summer plans, I'm also aware that they will  come their own trails and stresses.  I really want to enjoy this summer; Barrett & my little people.  Sometimes when we get busy, we tend to ignore(or more like) put our spiritual life on the  back burner.  However when we do this, even when it's intentionality, it can leave an portlet for Satan to come in and try to gain control in our life. We   have to be very villi-gent in these times to stay straight and focused on God

Dining Room Prayer

God, the center of the dining room is the table.   Help us to always remember to give thanks for the food on the table.  May it always bring health to our bodies.  Please bless the conversation that surrounds our table.  May we all gather around the table for years to come.  


 Lord, this room also holds the little people's computer.  I pray that it won't become an idol in their lives.  May it only bring good and godly things into our home.  Please teach us wisdom in using the computer and may everything we do on it glorify You.  Please help my kids understand that the computer can offer a lot of dangerous things, and that by limiting their computer time and checking on their computer use;  I'm doing so in order to protect them..  As they mature, help me trust them more.


In Your Holy Name I prayer...Amen.

Our Bedroom Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the sanctuary of our bedroom.  Please help me to keep it clean and nice so it may be a place of peace and rest.  May it always bring Barrett and I closer as couple and,  when we  open it up to the little people, as a family.  May it be a safe harbor in times of sorrow and stress:  May it know more joyful smiles than harsh tears.  


In Your Holy Name I pray...Amen

A to Z Blog Challenge - F is for Friends

  is for friends!  This is something I pray constantly; especially  as my little people grow up and start  to figure out who they are.  They are going to need people to lean on in their life...People to encourage them and balance them; people who can challenge them and help them to be  a better person.  I also pray that God sends them friends that may not know God that may kids may witness to  them.  The friends - especially those that they will make during the next years will be some of the most influential people in the life.  As they grow up, my little people need to discover who they are for themselves not who they are in Mama's and Daddy's shadows.  I may not like  all the 
choices that they, or their friends make.  My job is to prayer for them, offer them the best advice I can and to try to live my life in a godly manner as example to them 
        O Lord,  Please watch over my little people and help to a;ways do Your will and seek Your guidance.   Pleas give them good friends who will be there to help guide them and encourager them to be the people that you want to be.  Please help them to also be encouraging to theirs friends.  If their friends do not no you,  Please allow them them be a light to help lead them to you.  In  Your Holy Name, I pray, Amen