Cutest video clip ever :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPoQWclfqOY

Don't know how to embed the video, but you have to watch. Big thanks to my sister for showing me this!

Elections and fears

A lady in my Christian military wives' group posted this message:

"You know what I noticed?? so many of us Christians are talking about the election and people are saying they are worried and all that, but none of us are saying well lets pray about it together. i mean doesnt It say 'where two or three are gathered" ?"

I wrote her back, and during my writing to her, I realized this has affected me far more deeply than I was aware of:

"I will admit, I've been battling a sense of fear and dread when I think of the elections. I'm not thrilled with the direction our country has been heading, and I know that it's not going to change any time soon. One thing my Mom reminded me of is the verse that says (and I'm paraphrasing here, since I'm too lazy to go look it up), "all authority in heaven and on earth is from God". No matter who is elected, I have to believe that he/she was given that authority from the hand of God for some reason. I may not know why...we may NEVER know why...but we have to trust that God allows these things for a reason. (Yes, I'm trying to convince myself of these even as I'm typing it!) Will I breathe a small sigh of relief if McCain is elected? Probably. Am I guaranteed if that happens that things will get better? Absolutely not! If Obama is elected, will I be scared? Yes! However, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind." I must cling to these scriptures, as I firmly believe they are the truth!

And you are correct, we MUST be on our faces before God. And really, what better way to vent about how you're feeling and air all your fears and concerns than to lay them before the feet of the only One who has the power to affect the situation??? :)"

Co-signing

I got this email from a friend. I wish I could claim that I wrote it, but I didn't. I LOVE the perspective she puts on this:

No surprise the big Presidential vote is here. You know it's near when you go into a bakery for rolls and force yourself to buy the red, white and blue cupcakes believing yourself to be more patriotic if you do. I think I heard one of the candidates say they had no calories, and they wouldn't lie would they?

I don't follow politics, but I do pray for them all. The truth is I'm just a simple mom of two. I'm a wife of a man who loves my hot dogs and a teacher of many wiggly and talkative First Graders. I once got to school and realized I still had my slippers on. Did you pick up I'm not a deep thinker especially before my morning coffee?

I try not to get emotional over issues. I just want to know facts and make a reasonable decision. Throughout my day I hear so many talk about who they'll vote for and why. It seems we all have one passionate heart issue we tend to over focus on but sometimes it is possible to be...wrong. Have you ever been?

This is the way I look at this election: Donna's Voting 101
1. I vote for a President and then he wins.
2. Everytime he votes for something it's like putting my name next to each document he signs because I voted him in. (even if I disagree with it). I'm now a co-signer to everything he does.

Hmmmm...serious meetings in an office. I've had many.

For years now I've often found myself in the Principals office. Growing up my parents often joked that if I was ever lost it'd be the first place they looked. I was an "A" student but loved humor. In Junior High it was for innocent practical jokes like reprinting the face of the Vice Principal on one of those bogus "Elvis Sighted" magazines. All grown up as a Teacher on staff I once sent my students down for a hearing screening and told them to repeat "What?" everytime the nurse asked them if they heard the "beep". I was scared, nervous and had a pit in my stomach but the joke was always funnier and overshadowed the serious meeting with "The Head Honcho".

However; recently I sat in the office of someone I really respect. He's wise, he loves me...but I found myself in the doghouse. Why? He told me the truth and didn't accept excuses for my signature being somewhere. I was really disappointed in myself and realized what I allowed to happen by the signing of my name. It really sobered me up to the power it had and to the power I gave away.

After that last meeting it hit home with me just how down to the basics this election is.

Is money your passionate issue at the polls? Is energy, the war, business rights?

To me it's extremely simple. I believe God wants me to vote for someone that votes with God.

There's one candidate who doesn't believe in abortion. That same candidate doesn't believe in homosexual marriage. He also believes parents do have rights over their kids in education. Don't shoot the messenger, just writing what I read in His book and compared to our candidates views. Check it out for yourself.

Voting for the other who opposes what God holds dear? I already had my "office meeting" scare this month and now I'm VERY careful who I'll sign my name next to from now on. I don't think God will even care about the energy ideas or war strategy I co-signed for. However; you better believe He'll take note to any name next to a vote to abort a child of His, or a vote to approve of gay pride celebrations.

As a teacher I'm reminding everyone to do your homework. Please be careful who your co-signing your name to for the next 4 years. After the election, one day on a divine appointment we'll all meet with God. I don't want Him to ever say to me, "no excuses......

"depart from me, I never knew you".

Hope to see everyone at the polls,
Donna

Some days are like that...

"It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." Okay, so I can't claim those lines as my own, but I honestly think life as a SAHM can be summed up by that famous quote. There are times where it is the absolute best. I see his first grin. I catch her first steps. The first giggles. The look of wonder on his face as he discovers something new. Her awe at the newness of the everyday occurrances. Going on the first field trip. Making Rice Krispies treats for the soccer team. Going to the pumpkin patch. Days at the beach. Volunteering my time to help others.

However, at times, being a SAHM is the worst. Many times, I feel isolated and alone. Getting out of the house is not always easy with little ones, and many times, I just don't bother. I feel like I don't really have any deep, lasting friendships here, which breaks my heart. I miss my best friend...I miss my family. Sometimes, I just want to feel like a productive member of society. I get sad...lonely...depressed, even.

Yes, "some are good and some are bad. I don't know why. Go ask your Dad." (sorry, couldn't resist) I have a sweet lady in my moms' group (I'll bet she's reading this, too! I sure hope so.) who is having a sad day today. I can totally empathize with her. She may not be feeling sad for the same reasons, but the sadness can be very overwhelming at times. She is loved, not just by me but by a whole slew of ladies whose lives she has touched with her genuinely loving, giving, generous, Christ-like heart.

Life is a roller coaster of ups and downs. I think the downs definitely make me appreciate those high moments even more. How else would I know just how great the ups are if I never experience the downs?

Can You Relate???

Got this email and seriously sat on the couch, laughing as I read:

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2008 WHEN...

1. You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave.
2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.
3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three.
4. You email the person who works at the desk next to you.
5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have email addresses.
6. You pul up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.
7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.
8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't even have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic, and you turn around to go and get it.
10. You get up in the morning and go online before getting your coffee.
11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. :)
12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.
13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.
14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.
15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list

and finally...

Now you're laughing at yourself.

Where Did I Go?

An old Suave commercial depicted an invisible “Mom” going through a normal day…putting a bandage on a scraped knee…getting dinner to the table…feeding the dog…grocery shopping…changing baby’s diaper (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH8UcZYWwW4 if you want to watch!). Even though it was a hair products commercial, it really spoke volumes about the day-to-day feelings of many mothers.

I have often felt invisible, much like the inner binding of a book. I’m there, holding my family together, yet I’m not truly seen by them. Once upon a time, I had dreams, hopes, interests and goals that didn’t only include the never-ending shoveling of food into constantly open mouths or playing the “Who’s Stinky Now?” diaper sniffing game. I had talents and gifts that I enjoyed using and sharing with others. Many times, these dreams and gifts tend to fall by the wayside as I struggle to keep up with the daily life of being “Mom”. Where did I go?

While dinner does not make itself, the dog cannot pour her own food, the diapers do not change themselves and groceries do not magically appear on the cabinet shelves (wouldn’t that be nice???), we need to remember that we are not only Moms. We are sisters, aunts, friends, granddaughters, daughters, wives and women.

What is your passion? What do YOU enjoy doing? Make some time this month to do something you love that does not necessarily involve being a Mom. Do a scrapbook page. Dust off that old musical instrument, and play something. Go see a movie. Take some time to be you.

Emma Grace

My daughter seriously is a hoot. A few weeks ago, I was looking for EJ's lunchbox to pack his lunch in the morning. I found it inside his backpack and got a little steamed. He knows he's supposed to empty his backpack, put the ice pack in the freezer and the lunchbox on the counter in the kitchen. So, I pull the lunchbox out only to discover that it's got stuff in it. I take it to the kitchen, unzip it, and what do I find? Two zipper sealed baggies. One had a piece of cheese and cluster of grapes (both wooden play foods), and the other had chicken legs and an orange slice (plastic and wood, respectively). Come to find out, my daughter had decided to "help", so she packed his lunch for him! I think he'd have been mighty hungry at lunchtime that day!

So today, we're outside playing. Emma Grace is walking around our very large backyard with her wagon. She brings the wagon up to me and says, "Look, Mommy, I have sticks." Which, sure enough, she did. She pulls about 6 sticks out of the wagon and tosses them on the ground. A few minutes later, she tells me she needs to go inside to get "something". I let her in, thinking she's getting a toy or going potty. Noooooo, not my child. She comes back out a minute later with a lighter in her hand. That's right, a L-I-G-H-T-E-R! I asked her what in the world she was doing. She told me, "I'm gonna put a fire on those sticks." Yep, my little redneck child was going to light a bonfire. After a very serious discussion on how the lighter is something only Mommy or Daddy is allowed to use...it can hurt you...etc., I put the lighter up on the counter, all the way back against the wall. I called my husband to let him know about the drs appointment I had scheduled for this afternoon and to tell him about his pyromaniac daughter. As I'm telling him about Emma Grace, I notice that the lighter is missing. Looking around, I see that my daughter has now moved the pile of sticks out into the yard, under the tree, and is trying to light them on fire! Guess Daddy putting his extra lighter (he uses them to burn the threads off his uniforms...we don't smoke, so we're not sure how she got the idea of using the lighter) in the drawer for me to use to light my candles wasn't his best idea...

MRSA, round 112

We're currently in the midst of yet another go-round with MRSA in our home. Emma Grace had one pop up on her outer thigh, so we went to the dr and got a big bag of medicine. That was last Tuesday. Yesterday, EJ had one pop up on his knee. So, I'll be calling the dr to get him an appointment as well. I'm so tired of dealing with this. On a positive note, neither Evan nor I have had any outbreaks in several months, and Elliot has not had it at all. He has, however, gotten a pretty nasty head cold, and last night, he started throwing up. I hate it when my kids are sick. 'Tis the season for illnesses, though. Many of the moms I know are dealing with it with their kids also.

My friend posted a blog that they had lost their appeal for custody of her step-daughter, who she loves as if she were her very own. Sometimes, there are things I just do NOT understand. This would be one of them. The story is extremely long, so I won't go into detail now. Let's just say that I know the family...both the biological mother and the father/step-mother...very well. I had the bio. mother's older daughter in my Kindergarten class and went to church with the father and step-mother. Coming from all I have seen and know, the little girl really should be with her Dad. To me, this is another failure of the judicial system to do what is really best for a child. Things like this completely infuriate me. I will say, however, that my friend has remained positive and steadfast in her faith. She really is following in the example of Job..."Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him." She really is an inspiration to me. I don't know that I would have the strength to endure that situation.

Happily, today looks to be another beautiful fall day. High in the low 70's, sunny. I have so much to do this week!