Saturday, May 12, 2012

T3. Turning 30 Tomorrow:).

So I know I fell down on the job but I promise to fill in where I fell ASAP:) This has been an awesome birthday..I am so very blessed and happy and thankful! In the meantime, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY:)

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Pep talks, Prayers and Patience

Sooo...it's Tuesday. I started a little post on my phone last night before I went to bed because Sunday I had decided if God thought a day of rest was a good idea then so do I:) But..in the middle of last nights post attempt it was revealed there was still more "rest" and less "post" in me..I fell asleep mid post..so yes it's Tuesday. Well, we survived Sunday's festivities and boy was it ever festive.. 1 ziplining tree top adventure course, 2 birthday parties + 2 hours of promised post pool time, 3 total hours of driving, 4 loads of laundry and a high 5 for having dinner on the table at a somewhat decent time;)
Then, yesterday's time was spent with morning dr appt in ATL, golf practice, grocery shopping, soccer game, homework and a visit paid to La Fiesta since dinner would not have been on the table at a decent time without their help! We didn't win and I didn't take any pictures (the following pics are thanks to Uncle Joey and Aunt Angel from an earlier game this season) so I know that makes the soccer stop sound like a total bummer HOWEVER I can truly say that was one of my top 10 proud mama moments in all my days!! Let me tell you why:)..
Sunny and Christian have been on the same soccer team this season. It's been so much fun watching their brother sister camaraderie during practices and games. This is Sunny's first year and she is my competitive little one and runs up and down that field like she owns it. Christian has played a couple years of Upward soccer and one year of city a few years ago so this was relatively rookie territory for both of them. Christian has found his place in the goal throughout the season and has grown to absolutely LOVE and take pride in that being his position. He's my less intense, more laid back child for the most part so at times I've wanted to get up off my sweet little quilt and show my not so sweet side and tell him to jump in front of that ball before it hits that net!! But, don't worry, I didn't.
So anyway, if they've won a game this season, it has only been one. They have a relatively young team and most of the players have never played together so it's been a little trying. I started to become a little lax with my pregame prayers and positive pep talks thinking they were probably losing steam too so lets just get this last game out of the way and maybe 'get 'em next year!'
So yesterday they got out for their game and I went to park the car..Christian said he was going to ask his coach if he could pay him $10 to let him play the entire game as goalie and Sunny just talked about how excited she was that this was a playoff game. Hmmm maybe my impatience had given up on prayers and pep talks but my little players were still hoping to pull through.
I got settled on my quilt and looked for my pregame thumbs up from my favorite first and fourth period goalie and my 'Sunny smile' shining at me from mid field. Here we go... Within the first 10 minutes atleast 5 times that soccer ball tried its best to touch the back of that net but #19 was not going to let that happen. I have never in all my days seen Christian so determined and fearless. I literally started crying. Yep right then and there..I was a mess:) I looked for Sunny and it was a little hard to find her simply because she was like a little purple flash darting up and down the field like a magnet to that little black and white ball!
It was such a sweet moment. I learned something really cool. That morning I had a dr appt and wasn't feeling too great from it and looking even worse. I had literally been praying for rain all afternoon so I wouldn't have to go to the game because I just didn't feel like it. I never prayed to feel better or prayed for their game. I had simply let my focus get on me and only me and allowed my impatience take the lead. It was such testament to the fact that it's not my timing but His and just when I take my eyes off Him and look at the negative instead of looking for the positive I remember why I am just a person and He is all powerful:)
Had it rained, or had I just not gone to their game I would have missed all their relentless efforts to do their best whether they are in first or last place. It was such a neat moment that I realized I can't give up, just when I think it's time to give up on someone or something, God always knows something I don't. It reminds me of a verse I read last year while I was sick, Job 12:12 '...and with length of days comes understanding' Sometimes that's just what it takes, time. We may be winning, losing, healthy, ill, happy, or sad in certain seasons and day to day life can at times seem redundant but God is always working in and around us, it's just up to us to remain patient and keep our head up with pep talks or put our head down for a little prayer:)

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Don't forget..

Well this post will be short, sweet and sans photos since this is all from my somewhat smart phone;) just didn't want anyone to think I was falling down on the countdown and forgot! We are in Callaway Gardens with Ms Carol, April, Evie and Hannah as a little birthday celebration from Buddy it's so beautiful here and I just love the laid back slower pace for a change. A little saying we saw while in one of the shops, Don't worry, don't hurry and don't ever forget to stop and smell the flowers:) What a nice little reminder to remember everyday, not just during weekend getaways and vacation time. Until tomorrow:)

Friday, May 4, 2012

Live and Learn

Aha!! See, I told you I could do it:) I actually wasn't so sure myself so I'm as surprised as you are!! So, Day 2 into my 10 day til 30 countdown.. First, I wanted to share a picture of my latest little project...
I've been searching high and low for a buffet for our dining room since we moved into our house 2 years ago. At Easter I noticed this pretty little number in Memaw's garage. It had been there for years but I never paid much attention other than using it as a prop to take my shoes off or to lay things on as I was cleaning out our car. I asked Memaw about it and she said it was, her Mom's, my Great Grandmother's, dresser. How neat! I asked if she would mind if I used it at my house and if so, could I refinish and paint it. Being the giver Memaw is, she said of course. Well, after 6 very thought through glass knobs, a few piles of sandpaper, a pint of primer, 2 weeks and coats of paint and varnish later, this is our finished product..
I was so proud of her, I call her Bessie because that was my Great Grandmother's name..I just had to share! Memaw said Grandma would have LOVED it:) As for today, while on the subject of LOVE, I just got back from a field trip with Sunny:) She has been counting down the days to this thing and was so happy I could come along. At school lately there has been some girl drama:( Sunny has several of her closest girlfriends in her class and other relationships that are blossoming into something very sweet, but it's sometimes difficult to not leave someone out and make everyone happy..a lesson I still have to re-learn almost daily. But, I remember those years..it happened a little later in Middle School for me but these kids do everything faster and unfortunately this is no exception! A few weekends ago was Sunny's birthday party. We had a girls phootshoot on Friday afternoon before the party Saturday...
On a sidenote, a great big THANK YOU and we LOVE you to Aunt Jessica for sharing her skills and being our fun photographer..with her trusty little assistant Lyla, of course:)
I just love seeing my kids carefree and with their friends just being "kids:)" Simple I know but I see how fast time flies more and more everyday and that these are truly the moments that last through the test of time. So it was a good day:)
Well, like us adults, the girls got back to the day to day hustle and bustle and responsibilities of school and sports etc and just let things get put on the back burner and just go through the motions. As soon as back to school it was back to bringing daily drama to mama every afternoon:( With cliques and gossip and just plain being ugly to each other. It makes me so sad because I truly remember it being that way, in the blink of an eye you go from that innocent little girl with not a care in the world to that same little girl taking on the world's problems.
So I guess in a kind of a cracked up nutshell my 'thought' for today somewhat goes back to the "choo choo train" bible verse. I remember in Sunday School we would do this verse a lot and we would always draw a train to go along with it to help us with the memorization.. Proverbs 22:6 "Train up your children in the way they should go..when they are older they will not turn away from it." I can't protect Sunny and Christian from every bump in the road. They're gonna, unfortunately have to get some scrapes and bruises of their own. But I can prepare them for it and hopefully some of it, just a little bit of it, will stick and help out when they need it. A little like Grandma's dresser. After all these years, Memaw kept it. It was old and probably forgotten about to most everyone else. But it still had purpose and meaning and when the time was right, it was perfect.
I hope that will be the same for Christian and Sunny. Many times I feel like I'm talking to myself when I share my words of wisdom..I use the term 'wisdom' loosely when referring to my own words, but it's all I got so I work with it;) But hopefully when the time is right, they'll recall their meaning and give them purpose. One of my favorite songs ever is Gungor, Beautiful Things. It says that, "He makes beautiful things out of dust, He makes beautiful things out of us." God never forgets us or throws us away as dusty and broken down as we all get at times.
So I just have to remind myself of these things and remember if I am focused on Him and His way, my path will be made straight..for my feet and especially for the pitter patter of the 2 sets behind me:)

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Tales since September plus 10 'til 30 =)

Hello there! Well it's been 8 months since we last talked..that last post was pretty heavy so my welcome may have gotten worn out;) So hopefully the ole saying 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' rings true here and you're as happy to have me back in business as I am happy to be here!! No excuses BUT just incase this is the one time in my life an excuse can count, my computer died on me in October and I JUST last week took it to the Apple store and got 'em to work their magic and voila she's back up and running:) So let's see, where in the world to start since September (!!) Let's start on a high note..J passed his chili cooking champ trophy, or apron, over to Christian(!!)
The 2nd year in a row winning went to our heads and we were a little fuzzy and indecisive so at Halloween we were pirates. Nope scratch that..a gangsta and a flapper..
Soon after and somewhat back to normal Christian turned 10 and was treated to a surprise guys golf trip with a sprinkling of everything from a land of Legos to a seminole stadium..
Then it was almost Turkey time so off to see another celebrated animal..the Mouse, Mickey Mouse that is..
And we even squeezed in little visit to our beloved Noles on the way to our beloved family's houses for lots of Thanksgiving meals..
Justin celebrated his 10 year anniversary of his 21st bday..
We had school play and field trip numero uno..
And then a partridge in a pear tree..or Christmas:)
Whoo! Hello 20-12:) Rung it in with cousins and beach balls in PCB..
Then it was to the Fabulous Fox Theatre round 1 for a little So You Think You Can Dance filming fun..
In the Fall we all discovered our mutual love for monopoly, hiking and fireplaces..in no particular order:)..
Then it was time for Cupid's yearly visit..
And time to say goodbye to an old friend after many years..
Christian lifted our spirits by being Mr. Citizen of the Month at school..
So we repaid the favor and kept the happiness going during a haul down to Orlando for some Spring Break fun at Legoland, propped our pinky up and got a little fancy for Pink Martini with Mimi and kept the fancy and happy for celebration of our Risen Savior for Easter..
Then somehow someway our baby girl turned 9(!?)..
And somehow someway I found my way back to the Fabulous Fox for the second time this year with some of my faves to attend the Dove Awards..
Found out my husband bears an eerie resemblance to the President..I've always wanted to be the First Lady even though this isn't exactly what I had in mind..
Speaking of eerie, went to the Renaissance Festival for the day then tried to balance it out with some current day normalcy with a trip to the golf course:)
And that brings us to today..May 3 this very moment. About 15 hours since a hug and kiss good night, 12 hours since a mama meltdown, 6 hours since a too early alarm but to faces that make it worth it, 4 hours since a much needed run and prayer time with my Jesus, and 2 hours since an invite to lunch from my husband..another moment much needed:) Today marks exactly 10 days til I turn 30. Cliche as it is, I'm sayin' it anyway..time flies. It really does. And there are those moments that I have to just stop and take note. This life is so good. It is beyond my expectation in so many ways. It may not be where I planned to be at 29 years and 355 days, it may not be perfect and without a lot of mistakes, some regrets and a few scars to show from it all but through all my stumbling God has never wavered in giving me a safe place to fall whether I realized it at the time or saw it much later with that 20/20 thats somehow always fashionably late:) So I'm looking forward to embarking on Chapter "30" of my life:) Hoping and praying these lifelong lessons I've learned in the 20's and before will stay with me everyday! I've set a 10 til 30 goal to share a treasured pre-30 truth everyday..I can hear your doubt coming out in laughter..stop it right now;) Day 1 continue to remind myself to look up instead of in the mirror for my happiness, peace and contentment. What's in front of me changes, who's above me does not:) Until tomorrow..yes tomorrow:) I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...