Never want to forget.....

Quote:

Samantha: "Mom, me and Lizzie are going to try and raise money, so we are gonna rake leaves for money"
McKain: "Who would buy raked leaves?"
Me: "hahahahahahahahahahahahaha"
McKain: "I'm just kidding Stanta...I will buy your raked leaves"
Me: "hahaahahahahahahahahaha"

Okay, so may things I could blog about tonight...

I will start off by telling a short story about something I witnessed last night that I NEVER want to forget and that I am SURE I will come back and read 1 million times!!!!

Last night, right before bed, McKain started yelling with a leg ache.  (You know, those infamous leg cramps we all got as children, that our parents said were growing pains...)  While I am sure it was painful, because I remember how much they were, I am just as sure it was not hurting as bad as he was screaming.  Well, he had already planned to sleep in a pallet in Samantha and Parker Wayne's floor. (he wanted to watch the Bible video DVD she was watching and we only have one...plus, they love to sleep in pallets in the floor).  He already had his blankets and pillows laid out (btw he used EVERY single blanket I have, they are still there now because I didn't feel like folding them all today) so I told him to go lay down.  About 10 minutes later, I noticed that Samantha had been working like a busy bee.  I kept seeing her go by me as I was sitting on the couch working.  The last time she went by with a bottle of water,  I asked her, "Samantha, what exactly are you doing?  You are supposed to be in bed".  She responded, "Mommy, I am taking care of McKain, I am his nurse."  Of course, all of you  who know these two children, knows how bizare this sounds....Samantha, taking care of McKain.  It would not have been so hard to understand if the names were reversed...but this was something I had to see.

I walked into the room and this is what I saw....
McKain, laying on his 'mound of blankets', with a wet rag on his head, a cup of water and a bottle of water beside him (two for when one ran out), his hurting leg wrapped tightly in Samantha's favorite pink blanket, our infamous teddy bear ice packet tucked snugly between his legs, his favorite puppy tucked in tightly on his right, and what to my surprise was on his left.....HIS SISTER!!!!!! She had made her bed next to him, so she could sleep next to him in case he needed anything, she could get it!!!!!!  I could not believe my eyes.  This was a modern day miracle.  For those of you who do not believe God is still performing miracles, HE is!!  I just had to blog about this moment in time...not only for me, but for them.  I know they will be asking me to tell this story for years to come.

In other news, MY BABY WILL BE ONE AT 6:55AM!!!! Oh Lord, were did the time go?? How did we get here so fast??  And what a joy!  God has truly blessed our family with this little boy!  He just loves everyone and everything.  He is never sad or upset for no reason.  The only time you hear him protest is if he has gotten too hungry or you put him in his bed.  Other than that, he is just happy to be here.
Things he likes:
For you to say "yayayayay"
Cheerios
Any kind of fruit
Samantha and McKain (it melts my heart the way his whole demeanor changes when he sees them)
To find the smallest thing on the ground he can, make sure you see that he has it, then to run from you laughing (or crawl)
McKain's room...it is his MOST favorite
Toilet water (i know, i know)
Bath time
The theme song to Hannah Montana (wherever he is, when this song comes on the TV, he will crawl to it, pull up, and dance his booty off...cutest thing ever)
Singing and Dancing with mommy, brother and sister
Sleeping with mommy and daddy (although this is something we are unsuccessfully trying to stop)
Remote controls and cell phones

Things he doesnt like:
For McKain and Sammy to wrestle
For me and Sammy to hug
Green Pees...that's my boy :)
Long good-bye's (when we drop him off, we just have to say bye and leave, no lingering)
Being in a room by himself....he will protest that loudly
Being in his car seat when he is not tired

What amazes me is what he is aware of at 1...He will put my cell phone on his hear and say "hey", well, his version anyway...He can point to the light when you say "where's the light"....He can give you "love" when directed too....He can point to a tree (which he LOVES by the way...wonder if that has any significance?)....He knows a baby in a picture....He definitely know "no" and actually slaps himself or me when I tell him "no".....He can hold up one finger when asked "are you one?".....He DEFINITELY knows what "night night" means and where that takes place!!.....the list goes on

I am so thankful for all three of my children for so many different reasons!  God has TRULY blessed Sammy and I beyond words.  My prayer for our children and our family is that God will bind us together and use us as a might weapon in HIS army!!! We just want to do it HIS way...(see how I tied that in again... :))))

And lastly....
I was told by my dad yesterday, that his dad, my granddaddy, possibly had lung cancer.  While the fact that my granddaddy is possibly very sick makes me so sad, the fact that MY daddy, through a shaky voice, said to me on the phone, "I am not ready to lose my best friend, he is the best friend I've ever had"  BREAKS my heart!!! Because I know EXACTLY how he feels!!!! I was so proud of my dad though for what he said after that, and that was "God knows what he is doing, and if it is His time to take granddaddy, then I will be ready, because He will give me exactly what I need to get through it".... However, it aint over yet....and God is STILL in the business of performing miracles...when Granddaddy goes in for his test Tuesday, they can say "what mast?  we don't see anything?"  And even if they do....It still isn't over because God can still heal him!! I am believing God for His healing and that no matter what happens....HE will get us through this!

Faith of a child, that's what we need.  Mine and Samantha's conversation about granddaddy...

Samantha: "Mommy, why are you crying?"
Me: "They think granddaddy may have lung cancer, he may be really sick"
Samantha: "Is that what Daddy and Hope's Pawpaw died of?"
Me: "Yes, yes it is"
Samantha: "Well mommy, dont cry, if granddaddy dies, he will be in Heaven with Nannie and he will be so happy!!"
Me:  (crying harder now)"Samantha, how did you get to be so smart?"
Samantha: "Duh, from daddy!!"

Good night!!

Sleepless Nights

So, I cant sleep....what's new?

First, it was because Parker Wayne was crying because we woudln't get him out of his bed, so he could sleep in ours.  It's not that I mind him sleeping with us, it is just that he WONT sleep!!  He just slaps us in the face, crawls from one end of the bed to the other, bangs his head on the wall and laughs, throws his passy just so he can say "uh oh", and so on and so on.  Not to mention, he tries to nose dive off the bed every 10 minutes.  So, tonight, we decided to let him cry it out.  That only took a total of 2 hours....and he is still waking up momentarily only to notice he is STILL not in our bed, and cries for a few seconds til' he doses back off.  It is actually quite pitiful.  I understand more and more sometimes why the Asian people sleep on the floor....

The second reason I cant sleep...Today, (or should I say yesterday) was Sammy's birthday.  The kids could not have picked a more perfect day to act their absolute worse.  I think if I would have given them a gun, they would have shot each other.  It was awful.  I came very close to sending them to bed with no dinner.  They both had a nap, had tv and ds taken away, had birthday cake/ice cream taken away, and had to lay in bed until dinner time.  I think I decided to blog that, just so when it gets harry again, I can come back and read this and remember when it was REALLY bad!! :)

Sammy's birthday was good though.  I love celebrating his birthday! He is just such a wonderful person and it is fun celebrating someone you love so much and that is so important to  you.  I love making him happy too and seeing him smile because of something I have done for him!  He said tonight that if he was President, he would make every day his birthday!! (guess I did good :))

And the main reason sleep evades me tonight.......something amazing happened tonight....Sammy and I prayed together....and the fact that we prayed together is great, but it is what we prayed for that is amazing....we prayed for our country!!!  We prayed for God to restore and heal our land!! We are clinging to the verse in II Chronicles 7:14.... and we are humbling our selves before God and begging Him to heal our country!  We know He can do it!  In the Bible, God is constantly just looking for one...one person to make Him their one and only...one person to cling to Him....one person to be His vessel!! Well, I want to be that one!  I asked God tonight to reveal all the other gods in my life that I am putting before Him.  I asked Him to convict me of all the sin in my life that is keeping me from being all I need to be for Him.  I believe God for His promises and I want more than anything to be used by Him.  Sammy said tonight, "I sometimes believe I was created for a bigger purpose than just this.....or is it that I WANT to be USED for a bigger purpose?"

Things are changing around us so fast.  Our country is falling, just like Rome fell.  Americans wholeheartedly take for granted the life they lead.  We have NO idea what true suffering is, and unless we ALL humble ourselves and beg God to cleanse us and change us and mold us....we will all find out, soon enough. 

Grocery Store and Baking Success!! Yay Me!!

First of all, today is Sunday....my MOST favorite day of the week, and for the first time in a LLLLLOOOONNNGGGG time, I attend a church that I get absolutely ecstatic about going to.  Because, I know the WORD OF GOD is being preached.  I can feel the anointing all over that place.  Even in the chair I sit in, I can feel the Holy Spirit resting on it.  What a blessing!  First of all, to live in a country where I can FREELY serve the ONE TRUE GOD, and secondly, to know of and attend a church where the people are on FIRE for God and HIS purpose and calling (thank you Heidi and Stephanie for inviting us, we will forever be indebted to you)

Okay, on to my grocery store and baking success!  First I want to say I am so proud of myself on so many levels.  I took a trip to the grocery store for the first time in my adult life, with a list, a certain amount of money to spend (left my check card and check book at home) and actually was successful in only getting what was on my list and staying in my budget!!!!!  I know, it's a miracle!!!  I was able to buy enough groceries for me and my family to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for the next week and a half, until we get paid again!  I knew that with a little time, patience and discipline, I could do it.....bahahahaha (I knew that if I spent over, Sammy would kill me...cause that would mean he would have to bring me some money :))
I shop at Publix, which I love, and used their "sale add" along with items I already have in my pantry, sat down with my new I-pod (that my sweet husband bought me from a guy at work for $100--side bar) and made a breakfast menu, lunch menu, supper menu and grocery list.  I picked two dinners that I knew we could eat on for two days, then picked the others based on the meats they had on sale.  I also bought a lot of Publix brand stuff because it is always cheaper.  My point in sharing this, is that it is doable....because if I can do it....then anyone can!!!

Okay, now on to my baking success...
For those of you that know me, you know my two older children, and how MUCH they love and adore one another....NOT!!  So, taking on the task of baking with them is a big one!  But I was up to the challenge.  So, Samantha, McKain, Lizzie (Samantha's friend) and I, made raspberry cheesecake bars....AND....I did it without yelling... Again, for those of you that know me and my kids... know this is almost an impossible task!  But I learned today, that it is doable!  I can smell them cooking now, and WOW, they smell good!!!

Parker Wayne is sitting in his high chair protesting because there is nothing on his tray...I think he would sit there all day and eat if I would let him.

There is chili in the pot simmering, laundry is all done, and it's only 5:37....Today has been a very productive day!

Something New

So, my sister started her own blog not too long ago and I thought, "wow, I wish I had time to blog"....  Well, I still don't have time, but I just couldn't stop thinking about how great it would be to "write" down all the things that are happening in my life right now.  For me, for my kids, for my grand-kids, to look back on and enjoy. Every day is a REAL adventure in my life and even if no one else reads this, I will!  My sister always says when we are all together, that TLC is really missing out on a great TV show...they should definitely have cameras following us around :)

I thought it would take me a long time to come up with a title, but once I sat down and thought about it, it just came right to me.  I feel like this is my life moto.  I am just TRYING to do it HIS way!  (by HIS, I am referring to my Savior, my LORD, my God, the GREAT I AM :)) Now of course, I fall short every day...but in the end, I think it is how hard we actually tried that matters!  And I do try.

I thought about, "where would I start" and I concluded that I think it would be best to just start with today....too much in the past to start anywhere else.  When need be, if I refer to the past, I can fill in the blanks.

So, today...

Parker Wayne (our youngest of 3) said "pees"....his version of "please"...Sammy was feeding him and said, "say please" and as plain as day he said, "pees".  Not sure he knew what he was saying, but he did say it a few more times.  It just hit me, like a ton of bricks, my baby is not a baby anymore.  He is about to break into "toddler" mode.  How did this year get by me so fast?  I tried to make it slow down, savor every moment, and now it is gone....I told my dad on the phone the other day, "I know raising my kids is not going to last very long, it will be over before I know, and it is not even going to be a majority time period of my life.  It is a brief journey that too many people rush through and then regret not 'living' in the moment"  I dont want to do that.  I want to enjoy every moment.  Even the tough ones, because I know they are going to be grown and gone before I know it.
McKain (my middle son, he is 7) had his first "lock in" last night at a church we are visiting.  He was so excited, he wanted to pack his bag Wednesday.  He had fun, and he slept (unlike his sister-Samantha, my oldest, age 8-who did not sleep one minute at her lock in the weekend before--The leader from her lock in actually called me later the next day to tell me again, Samantha did not sleep one minute, as if I needed some sort of warning as to what my day would hold...HA!)  McKain is in that in between age right now.  He still wants to be my baby, but wants to be a big boy too. He kept telling Samantha today, "We are so popular" Ha...I even heard him tell Sammy, "dad, it's because we are popular"...HA!! 
Samantha had a friend from our homeschool group/new church we are visiting spend the night tonight...(well, she was going too and got scared and went home...her mom told me not to blog about that...LOL)  Samantha was so upset that she was going home, she was kinda rude to her.  I tried to use this as a "learning" moment (as my Aunt Gayle always says), and told Samantha, "this is your opportunity to be a great friend, show her how much you care about her and that you are okay with her going home, you understand"....BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.... I might as well have spoken German!!! She was not hearing it. I actually had to make her go to the bathroom until she could stop crying.  It is in these moments as a mom of a little girl that you sit back and think...."Man, I've got a long way to go" :)  We will get there....just got to keep "doing it HIS way"... (like how I tied that back in??? I have mad blogging skills)

We all went to my Mama Hazel and Pop-pop's house tonight to watch the football game. (We dont have cable...I know I know)  I LOVE those two people so much....God just gave me and my kids all kinds of blessings when HE decided to let us be their decedents... I love how EVERY-TIME I get on to my kids in front of her, Mama Hazel says, "Michelle, leave those kids alone", "they can eat as much candy/chocolate/ice-cream/cookies, before they eat dinner, they want", "they aren't hurting a thang"....how do you argue with that??? You dont! :) She made us Salmon patties (my dad calls them something I cant put on my blog....they are his favorite....not)....they were delicious...why is it you can cook they same EXACT thing your grandmother does, use the same exact ingredients, even the same cookware, and it still does not even come close to tasting as divine as hers?? How is that exactly?  I did get by with cleaning the kitchen completely before she knew what I was doing, just as I dried the last pot, she heard me in the kitchen and said, "Michelle, get out of there and leave that stuff alone...", and I replied, very haughtily, "Yes Mam....just let me put away this last pot".... Wish I could put my Pop-pop's laugh on here.... it is price-less... She amazes me, she just wants to do everything for you, and wants nothing in return!!

Well, that is all for now...I am so glad I started this!  At least for me anyway, so I have somewhere to write it all down and go back and read it...so I can laugh and cry and remember ;)