Extraordinary Faith for Everyday Life
Love how she crosses her legs. She loves to be quiet and watch out the window when Emma isn’t in the van.
All the pattern and color is so “Lexi”
She loves Mattie. Sometimes she says she wants to be a vet.
She loves her chicken and ketchup.
Emma (yelling from the bathroom after school one day): There’s this boy in my class that likes me….and I like him back.
Me: What’s his name?
Emma: Drew.
Later I find on a piece of paper where one of Emma’s friends has written about them liking each other. I think Lexi mentions that Emma has a boyfriend.
Me: Is Drew your boyfriend?
Emma: Maybe it’s true. Would you let me?
Me: I think you’re a little young for a boyfriend (Like TWENTY YEARS too young!)
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Emma and I are in the van on the way to pick Lexi up from school.
Emma: The TRUTH! Is the tooth fairy real?
Me: *sigh* No, she’s not.
Emma: So you just take my tooth and put money there don’t you?
Me: Yep, Mommy and Daddy just pretend we are the tooth fairy.
Emma: I’m going to wake up and see you guys next time I lose a tooth!
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This seems to be just smidgen of all the little ways she’s growing up! Make it stop!
For those that like getting a glimpse of every day life around here, this one’s for you…
The three day weekend was just what I needed. While I spent a lot of time doing some great things, it definitely wasn’t a sit on my duff kind of weekend.
Friday Scott’s nephew’s girlfriend had a baby so we got to go see her Friday evening. We went out afterwards with Scott’s family and then ended the evening by watching another disc of Lost DVDs after the girls went to Scott’s parents for the night.
Saturday we…um…I don’t recall Saturday morning. Oh! I do recall that I got up really early and was ready by 9am. I cleaned up, did some laundry and worked on the new site. In the afternoon Jill and I went to see Sherlock Holmes. Great, great movie. I was a little hesitant throughout because they were showing so much sorcery but *SPOILER* it turned out to NOT be sorcery and Sherlock Holmes figured out by the end of the movie how it all happened. Saturday evening we stayed in and did breakfast for dinner. I made The Pioneer Woman’s sour pancakes and marmalade muffins (along with eggs and bacon of course). Scott and I ended the night with Dollhouse on DVR and the Suze Orman show.
Sunday we had a great morning at North Rock Hill. Definitely check out the podcast if you are interested. It’s one of those sermons that I think everyone can take something from. We had my family over for lunch instead of going out. Scott and I went on a run together in the park in the afternoon. I realized just how slow I was running…Scott walked with me at one point. But that’s ok! I can get faster later. Last night I made The Pioneer Woman’s biscuits and ranch dressing…but not together! The biscuits are actually on my do not make again list 🙁 They just weren’t the type I like. The ranch dressing is not the one I’ve been searching for but it’s good and I expect to make it again. Beyond that, we ate in and just spent time together.
This morning after getting up and around, the girls and I headed to the store. We got back and made mocha brownies and chicken pot pie (Do I even need to mention they are The Pioneer Woman’s?) in between getting some much needed outside play time. My family ended up coming over just because we had a half a pie left over and I had to get someone else to taste it because it all was SO good. It’s been a busy evening with One Tree Hill and Life Unexpected (WATCH THAT SHOW! IT WAS FABULOUS!) and unfortunately I’m ending the weekend on a very tired note! Very tired but very good!
On a side note I just have to mention how much I’ve enjoyed cooking lately if you can’t tell. Scott and I both agreed to quit eating out so much in the new year and normally it is so tough for me to cook. Not that I can’t, I just usually am not enthused about what I’m cooking. Since finding The Pioneer Woman’s cookbook though I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the process. Finally I don’t mind eating what I’ve cooked. The recipes have very normal ingredients, the steps are easy to follow and the book itself is just fun to look at and pick recipes from. The food is rich and just GOOD. I really think Ree and I have the same taste buds! The book is only so big so I don’t know how soon I’ll tire of the recipes but it sure is fun taste testing so much great stuff in the mean time.
Anyway, I guess it’s back to school and work tomorrow. Hopefully I won’t be dragging too much considering how late it is right now!
So, I did it. CW’s new Life Unexpected that premieres tonight at 9 has a new fan site. It really looks good and I have high hopes for it. For a short version, it’s about a girl that spent her life in the foster care system and then reunites with her birth mother and father and all the drama that ensues from that. Come check it out!
Thought I published this yesterday…
What you see there is all I have left to do before graduation. The walk breaks are over. I am running.
Week 4 was hands down the turning point for me. That week we began 5 minute runs and it beat me down pretty bad. I would kill for 5 minute intervals now. But I guess that’s what training is all about.
I know I said it here before but stretching, hydrating, energy gels and podcasts (and Melissa) have all saved me in this program.
I did do something different today for my first 25 minute stretch that I wanted to throw out there. You seasoned runners will be pleased. I know I said I hated running outside but today I went to run at the local walking park. Scott and the kids packed a lunch and played on the playground and I ran. It was 55F and just a beautiful day. I found the time went faster and it was easier to adjust my pace (from really slow to much slower). And of course, I loved having my family nearby. Emma even ran out to give me my water bottle once. With the weather not permanently nice, I’m sure I’ll be going back to the treadmill but I have to say I’ll definitely be giving it more of a chance come Spring especially now that I’m doing longer runs.
I can’t say yet that I like running. I like that I’ve completed 6 weeks of training. I like that I’ve improved during those 6 weeks tremendously. I like that I’m exercising consistently. I like that a 5K doesn’t seem like an unachievable goal. I especially like that I’m not gaining weight anymore (although I’ve only lost 1.5lbs in the past 6wks). But running? Nah. Give me a stationary bike in the dark at the Y for an hour any day.
I’m feeling crazy tonight. Second-guessing the whole add a few more blogs thing. Because I haven’t touched the new one in two days and I *need* to work on that if it’s going to take off. And because when I got off work today we interviewed Brad Leland “Buddy” of FNL and then we had company over for dinner and my amazing husband bought and made dinner and while he talked to the company, I got the girls to and from church and did homework when they got home while watching American Idol and then watched FNL after getting them off to bed and podcasted it directly after that and found out we have two more FNL interviews next week, one with “Vince” and one with “Billy” (yay!). It’s 11 and I just now put the dishes away from dinner and started the dishwasher. Not to mention my Danny blog that is getting seriously neglected by me right now and thank goodness for the help I have there. And oh my word, just feeling a little overwhelmed tonight.
I’ll be ok. Carry on.
I’ve been holding off on this post for months now. Simply shame has stopped me from me posting. After reading Pete’s blog today about pride, I feel it’s a good time for a little confessional. But not just for confession’s sake, but maybe to help others make a change.
I had a few minutes to myself after dropping my ring off at the jewelers at the mall. I went through Nine West to look for shoes and went to Ann Taylor to try on jeans, none of which I bought. I settled in at a book store for my last stop, browsing romance and then Christian fiction. I was caught up by the Buy 3 Get 2 Free sale and spent at least 20 minutes trying to pick out 5 books. When I realized time was slipping away, I hurried to the front with an armful of books. As I approached the counter from the side, I noticed two other females coming at the counter straight on from another section. I thought I had “beat” them there, or at least gotten there at the same time so I flashed a tight-lipped smile and continued towards the counter. I also knew I was younger, prettier, taller, skinnier than the other two and socially, I “should” go first. That’s shameful to admit, but yeah, I thought it. But apparently they didn’t. As I walked up to the counter, I saw the lady at the register shrug her shoulders at the other two females just as I was going to put my books up on the counter. I held on to my books and turned around to find two very peeved females waiting their turn. I blushed, pulled back and insisted that they go first. They shrugged and took their turn. As I stood waiting my turn, I wanted to run and hide. How awful was I to push my way to the front, considering myself better and more deserving to go first? The ladies left without a backwards glance. It was a knife in the back that I had read the sale wrong and had to put aside a few books at the counter when it was going to cost much more than I had anticipated. Squish two of your fingers together as hard as you can and I felt a little smaller than that. I left the store and the mall with stinging eyes.
I can’t count the number of times since then I have stopped and let someone through a door before me or in a checkout line ahead of me. Some of them seem surprised and sometimes it even brings a smile to their face that I’ve let them before me. I particularly remember waiting on an older mother and her two kids to go through the line at the movie ticket line when it would have been so much easier, had I, who was alone gone through first. Every time, I’m reminded of how disgusting my pride is at times and I am happy to let them go before one such as I.
I can’t help but think of this verse and how much in the past I’ve prayed for these things.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
I suppose sometimes learning a lesson is not fun but it wasn’t in vain. How many of these things listed were improved upon by this one encounter? As painful as it was, I’m so grateful. I’m so glad God pricked at me and showed me what kind of person I was being. I could have shrugged my shoulders and went on with my day, not really seeing what was going on. I’d rather feel this pain and shame than cause one more person to feel smaller than who they are because of my pride.
So take my lesson and make it yours…make “go ahead” part of your encounters.
I think it must be a record I’ve gone 5 days without blogging, at least in recent times. So what have I been up to?
Alrighty, it’s going to be another early night…