something I am thankful for

Fraud protection


Someone bought plane tickets to Georgia for over three thousand dollars on our credit card.

Honey, if I haven't ever made it to Georgia I am certainly not paying for you to go!

I did it for the good of the family

This morning we had apple pie for breakfast. It sounds crazy I know, maybe some bad mothering. But really, I did it for the good of the family. There was apple pie left from our anniversary and I needed that dish for Thursday, so it was either eat the pie or go buy a new dish. It was for the good of the family I swear. It had nothing to do with laziness or needing to save the bread for grilled cheese sandwiches and not for toast. It had nothing to do with me enjoying dessert first thing in the morning. And it certainly had nothing to do with me scoring brownie points with the kids.

In fact I had to force it down their throats. There was complaining and I had to threaten sever punishment if they didn't clean their plates.

Oh, who am I kidding, I know I don't have you fouled. The only sounds I heard were happy tummies, begging for their next bit and Timothy throwing a fit when I shared with others.

His groans were so pathetic I had to capture it on film.

You can totally tell by looking at this face that I never feed him.

I don't know what is wrong with me but for the past week I have been crying over the silliest things. NO, it's not pregnancy. I was playing this video and the tears just began streaming down my face while I bounced Timbo on my knee and listened to Bear rock it out on the bed behind me. I have been crying over tv shows and commercials but this one was the strangest.

Today we celebrate eight years of marriage

Yesterday our very good friends resigned from the church and have plans to move to Alabama next month for a full time ministry position......

I was crying as we were getting into the car and he stopped me,

"We're all alone again."

"I know, but I wouldn't want to be alone with anyone but you. You are my best friend."

I continued to cry at the heart ache from losing these dear friends but it was the nicest thing he could have said to me. He is my best friend as well. As long as I can remember Jeffrey has been the one I turned to with any of my problems. The one I long for after a hard day. The one I want to share my stories with. The one I knew I was going to grow old with.

For some reason this morning I can't get the words together to say just how I feel about my love. The feelings are all there, the emotions are swelling within my heart, the tears are freely flowing but I can't get the words to say just what I am thinking and feeling, so I am going to use the lyrics from a song Jeff isn't really fan of but some of the wording is just too perfect

They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong

I'm glad we didn't listen
Look at what we would be missin'

You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're still the one I want for life
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night

I am sure that several people thought because of our age that we wouldn't last and to tell you the truth if one of our kids came home at eighteen and said they were getting married I would think they were slap crazy but for us it was right.

I love you babe.
You're still the one.
And I wouldn't want to be alone with anyone else.

**Okay so I don't know what is up with the different font sizes and all that. That's really not cool on this post. I can't fix it. I have tried and tried. Just pretend like it isn't there and walk away from your computer knowing that I love Jeffrey.

Who is this

this toddler and what did he do with my baby. It seems as if in only moments he has gone from being my literal baby to just being my baby because he is our last. Although all the kids are special there is something about realizing it is your last child that makes you cherish it all the more. He gets away with murder most of the time and I can freely admit the reason why. Never again will I nurse a sweet tiny baby. Never again will I cheer on my off spring as they scoot across the floor in an attempt to crawl for the first time. No more will I feel tiny chubby fingers wrapped around my index finger as someone is learning how to walk. It's heart breaking to realize all this but rewarding for him. He can do no wrong, and it's not just me, the kids feel the same way.

Pumpkin carving

Notice how the kids are all fuzzy and out of focus? That's how they look all day. Always on the go.

Bear wasn't super excited about digging all the guts out, "It's all slobbery".

Poor Timbo was confused. He watched me buy a "ball-ball" (what he calls apples, peaches, etc) at the produce section, saw us cut it and then put it in a bowl. He assumed it was for eating and not for decorating. Clearly he was not pleasantly surprised.
Kati was very worried about Timothy getting hurt. He kept trying to reach out for the flame.

Since he continued to evade her she used her long legs to block him.

New shoes

I haven't been great about posting I know but here are his new shoes I promised to show you. He is very proud of them. He loves to show them off.
He calls them his "feet feet". The cutie in the bottom of the pic is a little girl from church who is his good buddy.

While driving in the car...

(Bear) Well I am gonna jump to the moon and back

(Kati) Well I am gonna jump to the moon and then spin around

Well I am (Jeffrey interrupts)

I love your dorky cute conversations

We're not dorky cucumbers!

Who needs kid gloves, just treat her like a boy

This is Kati's first year to be in Sparks. In the beginning she had already made up her mind that she wasn't going to like it. In fact she declared that she wouldn't even be turning five. if you find out how to stop age progression then let me know sister She has now changed her mind, in the words of Kati "It's way cooler than Cubbies". One of the things that I enjoy about her being in Sparks, aside from all the spiritual growth, is game time. Although we do go out nearly everyday to play it's not like we can get a good game of tag going on when there are only three people who can run and one of those people has to keep up with the baby who can't do any of that. She loves to do things with us but once she gets with a group she becomes all shy and won't participate. At VBS she wouldn't do anything. Even on the last day when Kyle and Keith got out the slip n slide Kati chose to sun bathe instead. So when AWANA started this year I insisted that she play even if she didn't want to. I will admit at first she was very unhappy with me but she has really come around.

Mr. John has them play things like tee ball, volley ball, tag, and many other things including hockey where Kati got those lovely bruises from. I saw them Monday morning and asked her if she got hit with the stick last night, she said yes. I asked her if it hurt and she said, "Yeah, but I just rubbed some dirt on it". That's my girl.

Before you watch I should tell you this isn't what I was hoping to catch on video. What I really wish I could show you was the conversation before. Kati has decided well ahead of time that she won't like fish no matter what kind or how I cook it and lately Bear is being her shadow. Bear declared that he doesn't like shark to which I replied

You have never had shark so you don't know if you like it or not

Yes I have

when

when I was with Grandma and Grandpa

no you haven't

yes I have and it was yucky

okay, let me call them (getting up from the table)

NO NO I haven't never had shark

Score one for mommy, gotta love technology!

Catch of the day

well catch of a few weeks ago really, but it was shark. Black Tip shark to be exact. Jeff and I have really been looking forward to eating the shark. I looked up a marinade on the Internet, my cooking friend, and it smelled great. The marinade that is, the actual fish cooking smelled horrible. Jeff and I both had to force ourselves to try a bit, which is exactly what I made the kids do too.
Clearly Timothy wasn't a fan. It tasted a lot better than it smelled but I still couldn't eat much of it. Oh well, we had a new experience as a family and it was fun to thank God for the food that Daddy caught.

I will post a video later to show you what a Kati and Bear thought of it.

I wanted to blog for all five of you this morning but the computer wont let me upload pictures for some reason I'm really behind so that stinks. I still need to show you the kids carving the pumpkin and how much Timbo loved it. I need to show you all their Halloween costumes and our night at the church. You haven't seen Kati's war wounds from playing at AWANA nor have you seen my latest attempt at photoing three kids at the same time. Until then I guess I can share this story with you that doesn't have pictures to go with it.......


Mom, what letter says 'chu'?

Well, actually Kati that's two letters that go together, ch, ya know like chilis, c-h-i-l-i-s. Or check c-h-e-c-k.

Or chill.

What's chill?

Ya know, like when you are just hanging out and watching a movie.


When did my baby girl start learning things like chill. I guess you don't need public school to pick up slang. Maybe it comes in your morning bowl of Wheaties.

We're classy

Maybe I shouldn't be so excited about this but look at what a good job she did! She even gave him eyebrows. What I thought was super cute was she made me draw a heart so Daddy would know she loves him.

The kids love going to the park, in fact it doesn't even have to be the park, they love playing in our drive way too. As long as it involves fresh air they want to be there. And since I have put on more weight than I would like we have been making nearly daily trips to the park so I can get in my exercise. I know working out in a gym works for some people, the majority of people, but I like to be out in the open, feeling the breeze on my face and hearing the birds around me so we make our daily trip for me and for them.

We found this new park that I think we will be going to once a week just to change things up a bit. On our second trip to the park we found this as soon as we got out of the car.This is the reason we are going here. The ducks. The kids love them.

Look at how brave my scaredy cats are being. Some of those ducks got really close. One even ate it right out of my hand.

He is a tease, he wouldn't share with anyone.

Another reason we come, our regular park doesn't have a sandbox.

I'm finding myself at a loss for words

History was made last night. Until the end of time people will talk about this election. Maybe Kati will even remember watching some of it on TV with us. Although I am proud to live in a country where the color of a mans skin doesn't stop him from holding our highest office it breaks my heart to know that the person who will be leading our country for the next four years doesn't hold a high regard for life.


Psalms 139:13-16a
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body."

Word of God Speak
I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's OK
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what you would say

Word of God Speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your Majesty
To be still and know
That Your in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your Holiness
Word of God Speak

I'm finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet, hear Your voice

Word of God Speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your Majesty
To be still and know
That Your in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your Holiness
Word of God Speak



I'm finding myself, at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's OK

~MercyMe

Foot Doctor

If you have just started reading the blog and you have no idea what I am talking about with Timothy's feet feel free to look back at one of the first posts to get a quick idea of what is going on.

The visit started out great! Timbo and I got there, signed in, and just played in the waiting room waiting for his name to be called when I noticed a man outside that looked like Jeffrey. It was Jeffrey! He surprised me by showing up, Jeff's job is very busy and he doesn't get to take much time off so I consider it a blessing from God that he was able to make it. That right there took a lot of tress off of me because I knew I wasn't going to be able to remember everything that Dr. McGoodDaddy was going to tell me.

Then when his name was called all the nurses oohed and aahed as he walked through the door. And really what mother doesn't like to hear how cute her kids is. Everyone commented on how big he was getting and I just puffed up with pride all the more. You have to remember that these nurses have seen my little guy since he was just three days old.

We were taken back to our room where the nurse made the mistake of asking me how he was doing and I then gave her my long list of issues. What mother doesn't want her kid to have perfect health and to have that perfect health right now. Anyway she left the room and I changed a horrible stinky diaper (not that I really needed to tell you that part but man was it a bad one) she then came back and said we where going to have x-rays done on his feet. That was a first for Timothy. And it was a first for the nurse as well. She said she had never done an x-ray on someone so young before.
I was worried about how he was going to do but he did fantastic.

Here he is just waiting for Dr. McGoodDaddy.

Poor little guy.



So Dr. McGoodDaddy came in and said a lot of things I won't be able to tell you because I have already forgotten. We got to see the x-rays which brought me to tears. We talked again about how we wouldn't be doing any surgeries until he was three (and maybe he won't need them then, we will just wait and see, don't borrow worry from tomorrow) because his feet are still growing and changing. I am glad, I don't want him to have a surgery unless he needs it.

So then the Dr said blah blah blah (not really, I just can't remember) we are going to fit him for casts. Oh how I bit my tongue. I thought to myself okay, I am going to do whatever he says because I trust him but I can't believe they are going to put him back in casts after all this time when he knows how to walk now this is just crazy they should have left him in casts like I thought if they were just going to put him back in them (aren't you glad you aren't in my mind, I talk fast and in run-on all the time).

Well the good news is I misunderstood. He won't be wearing casts McGoodDaddy was just going to cast his feet for some special inserts for shoes. And here is the most exciting part to me, no need to hold on to your socks because it won't be that exciting to you but I get to buy Timothy a pair of shoes for the first time. I know I know it probably sounds boring to you but he is 16 months old and have never had to option of picking what goes on those sweet feet. I can't wait to hit the store.

Jeffrey asked the question that I was wondering but didn't want to ask....Whenever we touch Timothy's feet he hates it. He doesn't even like me to wash them. I hate to admit it but I let his toe nails get way longer than I should because he just fusses so much when I cut them. I know some of you are reading this and thinking that your kids don't like their toe nails cut either but just remember this isn't my first kid, I have experience with two more before this and Timbo's fussing is different. So Jeff asked about it and the Doctor confirmed what I thought but didn't want to be true, He probably does have discomfort and pain in his feet. It's good to know but not something I wanted to hear. Watching Jeffrey hurt is bad enough but knowing that Timbo does too and can't tell anybody it's just too much for me.

Here is how Timothy felt about having his feet cast.

Here is one of the x-rays of his feet. From here on out I am probably just going to confuse you. You can see that his left foot isn't the way that it should be but he has much more of a problem with his right foot.



Here is where I am sure to confuse you. The crazy blue crayons show you where his bones should be. See how off they are?


Thank you for all of your prayers and I ask that you continue to pray. Pray that Timothy won't feel discomfort or pain and that I will continue to stay understanding that the healing will take time. Just like when you give your child medicine to bring down a high fever you are counting down the seconds until you see results I am counting down until I no longer see crooked feet. This just takes longer and I have to remind myself of that, sometimes several times a day.

Love the 'do.

This is how Bug crawled out of bed yesterday morning.

I am proud to say that I was able to tame all that mess and fix it in ten minutes before we rushed out the door. It was ten minutes that I didn't have to spare but I couldn't let my gorgeous little girl leave the house looking like that.

Prayer Please

I am headed back out to the foot doctor this morning. Please pray that the doctor will have a solution to straighten out the precious feet.

You can see in this shot how his foot rolls out like Jeff's.

I am loving this weather.

Just some pictures from the park that I enjoyed.