More pink!

Today, my friend Tracy and her husband Tommy welcomed a sweet little girl into the world! I'm so excited for their family - Big Sister E will have lots of changes in her life, but oh, to have a sister, is awesome! I can't wait to meet her tomorrow and get to love on her!

I've had fun shopping for all the new little ones - there seems to have been a serious baby boom this year and that is so much fun, especially when you know you will never have another little one in your home. Loving on others' babies is the next best thing!


In other news, I can now add Coach to my list of things I've done in my life. I know, it's a shock to me too! Lance is out of town right now and soccer practice was last night. The assistant coach was late (he has 4 kids 6 and under so it's kind of understandable!), but you cannot let a 1st grade boys soccer team go without something to do. Other than you know, poking ants and catching grasshoppers! So, this crazy momma, who's only soccer experience is being a soccer mom, got out the cones and began to "run drills". I'm quite sure nothing I did was "correct" or even "legal in soccer world" but hey, it kept the boys out of trouble and it was kind of fun!

Needles don't bother me...

I said dumbly to the doctor this morning. You can give me a million shots and it won't bother me at all.

And then I screamed. No, really, I did. I think the longest needle ever was inserted into the top of my foot today. Inside was steroids. Hopefully, this will help my foot issues. She also prescribed oral steroids. And said to tell everyone that I will be a barrel o' fun while taking these. So, fair warning to all who will see me IRL the next 2 weeks! :) Lance has never been so glad to be out-of-town!
I go back to the dr. in 2 weeks to see if the 'roids are helping and plan the next course of action.

In other news, we have on our hands a FABULOUS FALCON! N was the Falcon of the Week at school last week! We are so proud of him - he has worked very hard in 1st grade this year!

L had her 4 y.o. check-up last Friday. Her dr. advised us to try giving her some orange juice (we have eliminated all fruits/juices from her diet due to stomach issues). So, over the weekend, L indulged and oh, did she love that OJ. But, alas, the stomach issue came back and the OJ has been removed. L told me this morning that Dr. Meyer was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. And L, she was right, right, right. I do hope L outgrows this fruit intolerance, allergy, or whatever it may be. But for now, Gatorade is as close as this girl will get to juice.

She's here!

My friend, Jennifer welcomed a sweet baby girl this morning. I won't post her name, but it's a really sweet one and I can't wait to meet her. She has a cute big sister, S, whom I'm sure is really excited as well!

There is alot going on at MommaJen's house, hence the lack of posting lately. I will be back, but am trying to wrap my brain around some things right now.

Update on the foot: I have several issues in addition to the Plantar Fascitis and meet with the foot doctor on Monday - I'll let you know more then, but for now, I'm doing pretty well. The 7 days of rest seems to have helped tremendously!

The foot curse

My maternal relatives have feet issues. And for me, a great portion of my junior and senior years at Baylor were spent wearing a Blue shoe due to bunions and ingrown toenail issues. Oh yes, you know the shoe, lovely with velcro and all. In fact Melissa, the maid of honor in my wedding, joked about how we were going to have to add rhinestones and pearls to that shoe. I was determined to wear real shoes that day and I did.

Funny, once I was married, the foot issues went away. But now, they have returned and I am not excited, not one little bit. I went to the doctor yesterday and then had to go have an xray. I either have a stress fracture or the beginning of Plantar Fascitiis (sp?). Me personally, I'm hoping for the stress fracture - it will heal and we can move on. From what I hear about PF, it lingers and rears it's ugly head from time to time that you won't forget who is in charge. My aunt has struggled with this the last couple of years and has gone thru surgery and all number of things. My mom had bunion surgery back in the fall and is still trying to completely recover.

So,I'm still awaiting my diagnosis and whether I will have to go get a big honking shot of steroids in the bottom of my foot and meanwhile my doctor told me to elevate my foot and take mass amounts of Ibuprofen for the next 7 days. Hello, elevate and stay off feet?!? With 2 young children and a hubby who will be out of town?!? So, what'll I do?!? The kiddos and I were already planning to head to Dallas and enjoy fun times with family, now momma may just be a little slower than normal. Whaaa :(

Hope you all have a wonderful Spring Break whether you are staying home or travelling!! I will be offline for the week, but look forward to catching up with you!

Lacey, you are the "winner" of my 200th post contest which a whole whopping 2 of you entered. I can see the lure of choosing my blog subject is just not near as inviting as the free gas giveaway from last summer! :)

Lacey, let me know what you'd like me to write about and my first post back from Spring Break will be on that topic.

200 posts and a chance to dictate 201

Today is my 200th post. In honor of this occasion, I thought about writing 200 random facts about myself, but realized not only would I have trouble writing 200 random facts, but that you, my few readers, may be terribly bored by said list.

So, how about something else instead...

I'll say a little something about my favorite topics:

Boys - and I don't mean the cute kind from middle school that we all wanted to dedicate songs to on the Friday night dedication show. I'm talking about the cute, little ones that grab your heart as your first born and then suddenly can tell you all sorts of interesting facts and jokes and just make you laugh out loud. Today mine told me all kinds of interesting animal facts like giraffes don't have voices and they are as tall as a house. He also just sang me a song about a skunk in a barnyard. Gotta love the things they learn at school! But, I'm super proud of my boy. He has had some struggles this year in 1st grade. But, he has worked very hard to overcome these and he's come a looong way since the first of the year. Yesterday, he met a new friend in the neighborhood, which we are so thankful for since we've had the bully issue. This new friend is right on N's level and they enjoy playing the same things, plus as an added bonus, this friend moved here from Hawaii. Land of volcanoes - which is really cool considering N wants to be a volcanologist when he grows up!

Girls - my sweet gal L that can "push my buttons" and she's not even 14 yet! But she is also my favorite girl to color with; do fun tricks with, and even shop with! L taught me a new song this week called The Clown Song and even though her big brother thinks it's lame, I love it and have even found myself singing it when she's not around! L is a masterful bike rider and has told me that she wants to take her training wheels off next week. She has always seemed older than what she is. Her skill levels and vocabulary are excellent and she has recently learned to count to 59 and write her name!

Lance - my husband that puts up with my crazy ideas! I'm much more "all over the place" than Lance. Lance is the level-headed calm force in our family. When he gets stressed, watch out, you know it's bad! Lance has a very strong work ethic and morals and I really respect this especially when there are so many that don't. Lance will never be seen as a news headline for someone with a moral or legal failure :) And even though we've been together for almost 18 years (14 1/2 married), I'm still in love with him and wouldn't trade him for another. He's my best friend.

My friends - Early in our ministry years, I struggled with friendships. I wouldn't allow myself to relax and have friends. Part of this was because our first ministry experience was ROUGH. Part was because in our second ministry experience we were in a small farming community, where if you hadn't lived there 30 plus years, you were a newcomer. Part was my insecurity. Living in this community has finally taught me it's okay to have good friends; it's okay if they are in the church with us and it's okay if they aren't. Some of my closest friends live here in this community and I'm so thankful for them! They "get" me when no one else does! It's fun to trade mom stories, work nightmares, and have fun playing bunco or crafting!

My church - Being part of a church is like being part of a family. You are with each other during good times and bad. Our church is going thru some of the "bad" right now. It's hard, but these are the people of God and Lance and I were called to serve with them. I've been taught so much by so many of our members and feel blessed to have been alongside them in ministry these last 8 1/2 years.

This has been way too long and really may be less interesting than 200 facts, so to those of you who are still reading, I'll leave you with this....

I used to hear people say all the time how life gets better the older you get and I just COULD.NOT understand this, but now that I'm quickly approaching 37, I get it and I believe it. My life is much richer and more full now than it's ever been. I'm thankful for all the hard days and times that have brought me to this point. I know more hard days are ahead, but I truly do appreciate those good days even more!

Wow, I sound old...

In honor of my 200th post, I'll try something else besides blog candy.

If you leave me a comment and I choose your name, you can choose a topic for me to blog about. And for some of you out there, if you win, I'll even let you "require" me to post pics...and that my friends might be more rare than a $2 bill.

Deadline to comment is noon on Friday the 13th.

growing up

Last night, we watched part of Dancing with the Stars. L is a dancer thru and thru and we thought she'd like the show. She did. And so did her 7 y.o. brother. And they both sat on me while we watched. This amounts to almost 100 pounds of squirming, fidgeting, dancing kiddos. So, as I was reminding them to sit still, I also reminded myself to enjoy. Because it won't be long before not only will they not physically be able to both sit on me, they just won't want to. These days are fleeting. 'Course when I said this out loud, N popped back with "oh yeah, I will still want to sit on you when I'm 15" Yeah, right, all 6'5" of him, I'm sure!! I'm just hoping he will still want to talk to me when he's 15.

And that leads me into the apology that I owe him:

Dear N,

I'm so sorry I embarassed you by sending Dora yogurt in your lunchbox. I didn't realize your friends would notice and call you a baby for eating "baby" yogurt. I wrongly assumed that because you still enjoy watching Dora that eating her yogurt would be okay. I was wrong. I now know that just because you will still act like a little boy at home that it doesn't mean you are a little boy in front of your friends. Please forgive me.

Love,
Momma

Growing up - it's hard on us mommas.

Party with the Mouse!

We partyed with a mouse on Saturday night. He was cute, though a little loud. The occasion was L's first "friend" birthday party. Her first three birthday parties were just with family only - and that was okay with her. She is much more shy than N and had never asked for a friend party. But...this year was different, she has been looking forward to her Chuck E. Cheese party for months! Since her actual birthday is during Spring Break, we decided to celebrate early to include her friends.

I haven't included any pics of her friends since I don't have their parents permission, but I've included some of L.

Her cake is hard to identify, but it's a puppy dog and she was thrilled, although, she doesn't like to eat the "dirty" parts....it's called fur, my dear and it's chocolate! And when you have a puppy dog cake, it's almost all fur!!

The highlight of the evening for her was the medal. At the Cheese, they do a whole 5 minute birthday song which is oh, so, loud, but at the end, they give you a birthday medal - looks kind of like an Olympic Gold Medal, which really I think they should give to the parents for making it thru another year :) Just kidding! L is so proud of this medal that she has slept in it and worn it to church and school. And since her party was 10 days before her birthday and Daddy will be gone on her birthday, she is getting to have a birthday 1/2 month instead of just a day, and that my friends is a girl after my own heart.

So now, I'll leave you with some pics!

Oh, and please excuse the nose...we are having some allergy issues and it's rather gross!

Big D, you're not what you used to be.

So, I spent 3 1/2 days in Dallas this week. I was in training all day - brain overload to the max - but after hours, I had a lil' fun in Dallas.

I was able to make some cards - about 15, I think and that was oh, so productive. As the bellman carried in my card-making supplies, he asked me if I was an attorney! Ha! (I store my paper in file boxes, so I look really smart!) :)

I went out and did a lil' shopping, but bought nothing. I think I've gotten really cheap or something...I just couldn't find any bargains, even with all the selection Dallas has to offer. Disappointing. :(

And then there were the strange, different things that happened.... I think I have been a small town girl for too long now, because oh man, I saw some things that just aren't on my radar in Aggieland!

The mall - cops everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. They even had little "stands" built for them to stand in. There is nothing like being in an upscale Dallas mall at 5pm and seeing more cops than customers.

The hotel I stayed at was swanky. Like "call the butler to get the ice" swanky. I grew up as more of a motel kinda girl. Like you know, the ones that leave the light on for you, so this was an experience. It was nice, I was in the lap of luxury, but because of the whole "call the butler" issue, I got in a sticky situation... I had dinner with my parents on Weds night and then decided to stop on the way back to the hotel to get a cup of ice at a convenience store so I wouldn't have to call the butler and tip him for SOME ICE! So, as I approach the ice dispenser with my cup, I feel a very wet, sticky sensation on my left foot. I look down and immediately flick my shoe off where it proceeded to hit the wall. The substance appeared to be red jello in a pan, but I'm quite sure it was actually some kind of bug/rodent trap which Mr. Convenience Store man would neither confirm nor deny. He took my shoe and washed it in the convenience store sink and gave me a rag to wash such substance off. So I'm standing in a convenience store at 8pm in Dallas where all kind of interesting people are in and out purchasing their beverages and smokes and I'm on one foot trying not to let my naked foot touch the floor. As I finally get my ice and leave, I realize I'm in the middle of a "gay pride" event.


So, even after years of proclaiming myself as not a country girl, but a city girl, I may have to amend that statement to: "I'm not a country girl, but I'm not a city girl either, I'm more of a suburban-type girl"

Kinda sad, huh?

Mr. Mom

So, I'm leaving town today. I will be gone for over 72 hours. This is the first time I've been gone for more than one night on a business trip since before kids!

I'm excited about the opportunity to learn and develop my skills and hopefully craft and watch TV in the evenings! I'm meeting my parents for dinner one night and may even try to do a little shopping in Big D.

But, I'm a little sad about missing a few days with my family. Lance will do a great job of getting everyone where they need to go on time and with a little help from a friend, even soccer practice is covered. They will have a good time doing things "daddy's way" and I'll enjoy some solitude. It's a win-win, but I can't wait to walk back in the door and be mobbed, 'cause there is nothing like feeling like a rockstar to your family!

So, I won't be around this week. Can't wait to read all your blogs when I return. And if you think of it, say a prayer for Lance!