Father Knows Best

I'm sitting at home...again. I'm sulking in case you can't tell. We've been sick FOREVER now and I'm tired of being at home! For two weeks now I haven't gone to church, been walking or hung out with anyone. We had a support raising gig in Decatur, had to stay home and now there's a Missions Conf we've been planning on going to and guess what? That's right, its not a good idea to take the kids. I'm feeling left out, but father knows best. Trace is right, we shouldn't go. I know its a bummer for him to go and do all this stuff by himself, too. And all though I was having a pity party, I realize how much stuff I need to be doing. I have a Wed night lesson to review, work on the website, completely plan a lunch and write out notes for a meeting on Sunday, go over school work with Cully, clean the house, and the list goes on and on! So, I hate to admit it and sometimes its fun to pout when I'm disappointed, but my husband is wise and right. We should stay and rest and get completely well. So, now I have the night to myself with the kiddies and I can get a lot done. I'm sure before long, we will all be begging to stay home and not go to different churches! I think I settle in and enjoy it tonight. Sometimes, father really does know best!

My Food Quirkiness

As I'm sitting here eating my lunch, I'm a little grossed out by it. On the menu today is a cheese omelet and toast with jelly. Ya see, I LOVE cheese. So much in fact, I will eat eggs if they have enough cheese on them. I will not eat eggs by themselves or even scrambled with cheese, just a thoroughly cooked omelet with cheese (& other stuff like mushrooms, if I have them).

Another quirky food fact is chunks of fruit. Hmm, where do I begin? I like fruit as a food group and will eat them individually, but I'm not a fan of fruit salad. It makes me a little nervous. I have to be able to identify what I am eating, so I'll eat it if I can carefully inspect each bite. I know that sounds (and looks) weird, so I have learned to be rather discreet. I like raisins, but not IN food. But, sometimes the rules change. Take for instance Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. I'll eat that because 1. I know its in there. 2. Its supposed to be in there. Weird, I know.
Other desserts with fruit-cakes or cookies, nope. Not if its got chunks of unidentified fruit! Pies, maybe. I do however eat cobblers. I told you, the rules change!

Chunks of apples had me afraid for most of my life, so much in fact that my Granny makes me apple pies made with applesauce. I will cut up an apple and eat it, but not cooked in something!

Meat= stress! I am not much of a carnivore, either. I like the taste of it ok, but what gets me is what I might bite into. Hard things, chewy, stringy things. My palms are getting sweaty as I type. I will eat a steak about once a year, if its very, very, very well done and if I can cut up each bite, inspect it and dip it in A1 and Heinz 57, alternating. No burgers, few hot dogs, some chicken. I will not eat it at home if I saw it raw.

Seafood-no no no! Bottom line= it smells bad!

Actually, since I have been involved in missions I have gotten sooo much better! You wouldn't believe the stuff I've been served (or seen and luckily not served). Once in Peru, we went grocery shopping in an outdoor market. They go everyday for fresh food since there was no refrigeration. I saw a dog pee on the potatoes, so I vowed not to eat potatoes for the rest of the trip. That was hard since that's one of the only things I liked there and I could always recognize. I ate a lot of PB&J for the rest of the trip!

Well, there you have it! Weirdness Supreme. But, I embrace it. And please don't be afraid to invite me to dinner!

No Good Day to be Sick

We are all sick. I'm so tired of sickness, I feel like someone is under the weather all the time at our house! Maybe its our house, its making us sick! I'm been sitting here with my feverish baby all morning. Still in my pjs. I am so glad that I am able to just sit here and hold my sick baby and not worry about other things. I love how she says " I wanna hold you Mommy." Cully has been sick with a fever since Saturday. Today he finally didn't have one so he went to school. I wouldn't be surprised if they called to tell me he's not feeling well. My poor babies.

Last night we watched The Illusionist. That is a great movie! I've been thinking about it all morning! I'll probably watch it again today so I can try and figure it out.

Today is a bad day to be sick. Its Wednesday, so I'm supposed to teach tonight but can't because of my fever baby. I also have a meeting after church. We have a new girl starting tonight to work in the nursery and I can't be there to show her what needs to be done. Others can do these things. ( If you're reading this, you can call me and volunteer your services.) Not to mention inviting a friend to go walking at the church, then I couldn't come! Oh, well. Yesterday I thought the same thing when I kept Cully with me as I was working at the church all day. The poor baby felt bad, but he was so good to not interupt and watch a movie or play on the "puter" as he calls it. We went to lunch then had lots of errands to run. He hung in there like a champ. He's a joy to have! I'm very proud of my babies!

Well, here we are watching Barbie Island Princess AGAIN. I have so much to do, but I need to rest with my baby. While do I feel like I constantly need to be doing something, to be as productive an efficient as I can? I need to relax, sit enjoying my baby who just wants to be held. So on that note, I'll close (and stop typing with my left hand, while Ansy's in my lap and my puter is on my left on the couch).

Killer Care Bears?

Funny stuff! The kids and I are watching a movie. It was Ansy's turn to pick a movie and she picked Care Bears. Cully didn't like that so he picked Happy Feet and tried to talk me into his choice. I tried rationalizing with my 5 yr old "Cully, you picked Power Rangers last time. Its her turn and we're gonna watch what she picks."

Cully: " But Mom, Care Bears is about killing! Happy Feet is much nicer and happier. They are babies and love each other. Care Bears is a mean movie!"

Our First Snow!

It was very exciting to finally get some snow! They begged all morning to go play in it, and didn't want to come in! In between trips outside, we enjoyed yummy hot chocolate and chicken soup! It was a perfect lazy Saturday!

Rambling to Avoid Housework

I'm so cold! I cannot get warm, no matter how much coffee I drink! I need to be cleaning. My house is embarrassing its so dirty. I am not motivated to clean because I don't feel good and I'm cold. I kept the house nearly spotless for a week(that's a record for me) and then I started feeling bad and just let it go! But, I must clean because people are coming over. I strategically invite people over just so I'll clean the house. That's not entirely true, so don't feel bad if I invite you over. I do love having folks over! But, a teensy bit of my motive is to make sure I motivate myself to clean.

This morning we went walking. That's a good thing. I feel good after I exercise, I just don't want to do anything once I get back home. Hmm, that's trouble.

I feel like making a new playlist. I want fun songs- like Phantom of the Opera songs. Kim has involved me in her Phantom of the Opera movie kick and now I'm singing the songs in my head. I found the songs on playlist and clicked on the theme song. The organ music started blaring and I jumped out of my chair! Now I'm just a little creeped out, looking over my shoulder making sure there's no half-masked guy peeking around a door. Oh, I must stop-I scare waaaay too easily! It's just a good thing we don't have a basement! I'd be convinced a creepy "Angel of Music" was down there. If you haven't seen the movie-watch it! I'm not much into musicals but its good, just kind of creepy. I like it alot. I've never seen the play, I bet its excellent!

Just got word that the babies can spend the night with MiMi and Pops Friday night so we can go to Workplay to see Act Of Congress! So excited! I will feel like a real grown-up, going on a double date with the Boykins and coming home to no children. Wow! Grandparents are cool!

Ok, enough! I must go! So much to do, so little time! I have little more pep in my step after hearing some good news...

Out with the old...

I'm ready for a change. I'm unsure about this look, though. I love the pictures because it shows my life, what I'm about right now: my family and looking towards Europe. However, everyone I know is doing the same header! I know because I copied it from someone else too! So, we'll see how long I keep it! But I do love learning how to do new stuff on the computer!

Dear Santa,

Thanks for giving us all the toys we begged for! However, we are already pretty bored with them and there are still some haven't even played with yet and have forgotten about. What we've been playing with the most since Christmas are a couple of empty Rubbermaid boxes and some styrofoam blocks from the packages. By the way, Styrofoam makes great "snow" in the backyard, just make sure to pick it up before Daddy gets home! He didn't think it was that great. So, next Christmas, please just bring us some plastic boxes and styrofoam.

Love,

Cullen and Ansley

Peace, Be Still

Ya know, I've wanted to blog, but just haven't had the time or mental capacity to do it lately. I have a million and one things swirling in my head at any given moment. Do I have ADD? Perhaps. Am I overwhelmed with life right now? At times. Do I feel our life is chaotic? Definitely! This morning, Ansley is still sleeping. I was sitting on my couch, half praying and half watching the Today show. I started praying for all the big things we have no control over, just to give them to the One who does. I don't do that enough, by the way. Why? I don't know what to do, He does. This I know, but do I think He already knows and has it under control, so I don't even talk to Him about it? That's foolish, but I must ponder this....

Anyway, I just turned to any book, any verse for a quick read and then off to clean and check stuff off my list. I read the passage where He is in the boat with His disciples and He's sleeping through the storm. And He awakes, and calmly stops the storm. At first, I didn't get it. It was like He told me to take another look at it and figure how to apply this to my life. So, I read it again, and again. Then I realized, I just rattled off to You all these things I can't control, making a storm in my life. I handed them to You and You are not worried. You are not bothered, in fact You are resting, just as I should be. He has total control and purpose of my storm and He just reminded me that He's right beside me, controlling it all. I know that, but it's nice to be reminded of that in a loving, special God-kind of way in a quiet morning. Its nice (but humbling) how you can have head knowledge and rattle them off to any friend in need of encouragement or on any missions application for that matter(ouch), but go through times where you're not living it out in your own life. Then, He gently reminds me and brings me back in a way I'll remember. How loving and gracious He is!