Saturday night entertainment

Little Miss Lizzie loves her belly rubbed. Wyatt said, "she's stuck" because she wouldn't get back on her feet or belly. It was soooo cute! Previous to this, Wyatt sang, "who let the dogs out..." and many other little 20 month old tricks. SOOOO FUN!!!

When you rub Liz's belly, her feet move very fast. Wyatt was sure she was asking for a high five. He loves Liz!!

Multiitude Monday --counting my 1000 gifts

#311. I'm thankful for today. A day I've never seen nor will I ever see it again in my entire existance. I may visit moments of the day, stored unknowingly in my memory.

312. For popcorn. Especially on Sunday afternoon.

313. For the feeling of sharing God's wonder with someone and they respond.

314. I'm thankful for deep sleeps and happy dreams.

315. I'm thankful for the reassurance that I AM equipped. Never, ever ahead of time or in my own power, but I am here for a reason and created for a reason. No mistakes, no coincidental circumstances or experiences.

316. I'm thankful for red. I love the color red and how it makes me feel good inside to be around red. Deep, barn wood red that warms me. I don't know how our favorite colors are chosen, but I love red!

317. For swinging in the dark.

318. For the smell of skin..skin of those I love. Warm, soft, skin.

319. I'm thankful for this saying: wake up, pray up, preach up, pay up and never let up, give up, back up or shut up, until the cause of Christ is built up.

320. For today's snow. I AM thankful. We need the moisture. Yes, my math class needs to learn so much before our mandated state testing and I can't afford to give up a math class. BUT..we need moisture and I need to be reminded that I'm not in control!

Have a great Monday! Count your blessings, intentionally. Even the little tiny ones that you forgot to notice until today!

Some things never change

This week, I walked into school one morning, my arms full of teacher books, lunch box, teacher bag etc. As I was walking past the kids' bathrooms, a little 2nd grader (not my student) came out, bleeding from his mouth and crying. I asked, "WHAT HAPPENED??" and was getting ready to go into Mom mode. He told me a sob filled story that made no sense because the words were not distinguishable. I thought I heard "needle" but wasn't sure. I called him by name and said, "tell me again, but slow down. what happened?" He told his story again, with little use of his tongue and therefore, little use of my brain in understanding. As he finished up, I heard, "dared me...." and then the principal walked up with a glass of water and told the boy to go back in the bathroom with him. Ahhh...great, my boss was already on the case and I was relieved of duty! As I was turning away to go to my room, I realized that the "labo" I was rolling over and over in my mind, with question marks attached, was really "flagpole".

Yes, an older kid dared him to lick the flagpole and he had. As I approached my classroom, I was smiling. No, I don't think it is funny, but can you believe that kids STILL do that??? Didn't this boy ever watch 'The Christmas Story"? I felt terrible for this little guy and yet, I do hope he learned his lesson to NEVER, EVER take a dare!

Crash course in thankfulness

It is strange...one minute, I felt my needs and felt my need to be in close contact with God. Talking about my situations, people on my heart, asking for help and guidance, feeling a huge need in my life and maybe,.....just maybe being a little whiney and needy.

Within hours, I remembered two young boys fighting luekemia. One had a bone marrow transplant today, with his sister as the donor. Both are connected to my community. (Community in my world is about 1/8th of the state, but they are still neighbors in these wide open spaces.)

Also, a friend of mine goes to the doctor tomorrow to investigate a mass found in her body. She's a single mother of two teens.

My co-worker called from the ER, where she is with her 16 month old son who is struggling to breathe.

A dear, dear friend from my past, who babysat my kids and was a trusted confidant in my life during those years, shocked me with news that her 16 year old son had a stroke. I don't know his condition nor do they know the causes yet.

....and suddenly, I felt, urgently, called to prayer with a heavy heart and a THANKFUL heart. Heavy for so many who are in very painful, scary hours of their lives. Thankful because their pain made mine seem so small and made me take a new perspective, immediately. I love the feeling of urgency to pray and the comfort that is in the place of prayer. There is no other place that is that safe. There is nothing like the pain of a friend to take the spotlight off of one's self.

Multitude Monday--starting with 302

302. I'm thankful for a Monday holiday!

303. For an eye doctor's office that squeezed me in today when I realized they were open on a holiday! Yea for not having to take a sick day!

304. For waking to the smell of coffee...having my coffee made for me ALWAYS makes me feel loved!

305. For sunshine

306. I'm thankful for Valentine's day with two experienced sets of sweethearts. One married 62 years and another married almost 50!

307. For the smell of clean laundry.

308. For Bible study. We are studying the life of David and I'm learning so much!

309. I'm thankful for the joy decorating a clean wall gives me! A new room, a wall with meaning. Ahh..I love this feeling!

310. I'm thankful for people who comment on my blog so I know I am not only doing this blog thing for my own expression but that you care, are interested and still check in on us! I love you for that!

Have a wonderful President's day and a most spectacular week!

Homecoming...mostly

Honestly? I'm not sure what these girls are doing in the photo above! I just know I love the giggles and belly laughs I hear when they are in their own world!

The girls' last game. Jess is #34 and Selina is the wild ponytail girl.
And below...Selina, Jess and Jess's friend Kyra who has been her opponent since the days of PeeWee ball.

This is the freshman float for the Homecoming parade. Cody is the third, standing, from the right.

And Cody's first high school homecoming. Hmm...no, I don't like the idea of a GIRL but then again, I suppose it is normal.

A little peak into lately

My son is on the Broadcast Team. He does play by plays for the live broadcast of the games. We feel he really has talent doing this! Our school has some incredible technology equipment and therefore, some unique opportunities for the kids. If you'd like to watch/listen live, on the internet, let me know and I'll get you the web address via email.

He plays basketball too...

And then, randomly, here is my sweetest little niece! This was hiding on the video camera and I just want to kiss her when I see it! He Mama and I were chatting yesterday and at the time, she had both fingers stuck in her nose and was laughing! Uh oh, I think there is some ornriness here!