Happy Birthday Sloan!

Still can't believe today our little surprise gift is 4! HOW time flies when you are having a good time.  And time is flying and we are having a great time.  Life is good, crazy, busy, and revived!  Happy Birthday today to our sweet surprise party!  God has complete control and gifted us a very precious part of our life, Sloan Rae. 
Some time ago I posted on Facebook that I would no longer rush and hurry.  We felt that we were constantly telling the kids to hurry. Come on. Now. We have got to GO. Go now. Come on.  We were in a rut of urgency.  So I made a vow to no longer rush their life for my agenda or their agenda or whatever agenda was before us that particular moment.  I am pleased to blog that we have ended the urgent clauses of COME ON. GO NOW. HURRY.  Now, Im not pretending that we don't move at fast speed but the tone and pace has changed for the betterment of our family. I remember that a friend of mine commented on the post that morning with "good luck".   Thanks for the luck because it worked!  The circus gets out the door without the urgent hateful clause pounded in their ears.  To be honest, I didnt want them to look at me 20 years from now and think they heard those urgent clauses more than they heard I love you.  Our children hear those special 3 words in their ears often because it's said, BUT on the flip side, I heard us telling them, Come on, Now, Hurry, much more often in a day than those special I love yous.  So, maybe, just maybe, 25 years from now at family gatherings they will not be laughing that all mom and dad ever said was Hurry!

Snow Days

I will attempt to refrain from fussing about the snow today.  I have fussed about it enough.  Instead, I will be thankful.  God gifted my family some quiet time. No schedule. No routine. No where to go.  Yes we drive each other nuts in the house, but isn't that what we are supposed to do.  I mean, the kids play and get on each other's nerves.  Builds character right.  That's what I'm calling. character building 101. We've laughed today. LOTS. Over things that if snow had not been on the ground, someone would have missed it.  Since we were in the living room to which Jeremy trip, it was funnier!  And no one missed it!! :) Snow days are deep breath days. So, breathe in...and relax... breathe in again... the temps are just right to give us a day more of quiet time.

Time REALLY flies

Ok, so it's been a while!  2011 rushed me and it's here!  And it's been here for a month already! 2011 is proving itself to be full of surprises and who doesn't love a good surprise every now and again.  The one year anniversary of Pepaw's death passed.  I was dreading that day so much. God really held my hand that day and helped me remember He is in a much better place.  No tears came. Only smiles. Thankful smiles.  It feels as if it just happened and my heart aches SO; but also it feels like it's been ages since I seen his sharp chin and beautiful gray hair. But it's ok, He's walking in Glory.. and we're here! LOL. He's got the better gig for sure!! ;) Ok, so... Im moving on... cause I could blog about that all day!
Basketball arrived for the Circus - and it's great!  Nothing better than watching your kids playing sports!  The girls love it too.  They get to socialize... yes the social scene of a gym! The Ringleaders have been attempting a weekend away for the past month.  SNOW SNOW SNOW has caused some delays.  We need a small break.  We laugh and say from the kids, but in truth, it's not the kids.  It's the routine. We, like most, are busy.  Busy is good. No complaints. But busy takes a toll. Everyone needs a small moment to refresh, regroup and take on the next chapter.  I believe with all my heart that parents need small moments to remember how important their marriage is in the family structure.  It begins with the marriage.  It's the foundation God supplied for the family.  It must be strong and healthy to endure what all a family can place upon it.  Thus, a weekend away helps!! A little dinner without 3 bathroom breaks, or spills, or colors! A little retail therapy for good walking shoes (specifically a pair of red TOMS calling mom's name)!  A little drive in the car without movie's, Hannah Montana, ear buds, and some fighting over the back seat!  A time without emails, texts, or can you take care of this for me. A moment without a schedule. A small break from all that helps fill in those foundation cracks and gets the foundation firm and ready to hold up the family!
Baseball is around the corner... which means this year, mom and dad split up and get to go three ways this year! I'm sure you'll get to read about all that in a month or so.  Sky baseball. Josie softball. Sloan tee ball.  Looking forward to EVERY minute of it.  Actually, let me restate that... thanking GOD for every moment of it! 
Oohh duty calls... a fight is brewing in the sunroom over a dog, Dr. Seuss, and who's hair is more cute.  This is the day the Lord has made, let me rejoice and be glad in it! -- REJOICE.

Here comes the sun...

There is nothing I like better than to have sun on my face. It brings me warmth and a sense of calmness. I enjoy it. I wanted a car with a sunroof for crazy sakes! The majority of the mornings, I have the sun to my right side. I feel it coming thru my window on my face. It’s one of my favorite moments of the day. However, this morning, I realized something was missing. I could see the sun. It poked it’s rays thru the trees. It lit up the morning. But, I couldn’t feel it. It was all around me, but still I couldn’t feel it like I (me me me me) wanted to. I drove faster. I drove slower. I moved my head. I opened by sun roof. No matter which way I moved, I just couldn’t feel it like I WANTED to. Irritated. I needed my sun. Then it hits me, it’s my upper door panel thingie blocking the light. It was blocking my sun. How dare it. But let’s think, I can’t remove the door panel. If I could have drove without doors, I would have! So, as I traveled, I couldn’t wait to reach the point where the sun would be fully on me. I was hungry for it. I needed it. It’s a favorite thing. Finally, after being patient, there it appeared. Bright. Warm. Big. Glorious. All it’s great big rays shining down on little ole me and I LOVED IT. It’s what I have been waiting for. Then another thing hits me, how crazy is it that we are that way with God. We have just that something in our way of feeling His full love. We want it. We need it. We crave it. But still, that little something or big something is in the way of feeling His fullness. And then again, on the other hand, some, know His blessing is there, see it, feel it, but we want it right then, right NOW. He follows our lives. He is right there with us, but we have to be patient and know and understand that it’s on His time table, not ours. Finally, after we have waited, He appears .... our blessing, our sun on our face, and it’s GRAND... it’s greatness... it’s Him in His way that He wants it to be - for us. Just imagine when we sit, or stand, or whatever position - in His presence, with full SON our on face.... what a morning that will be! And no silly little door panel is gonna steal that away!

REALLY!

For the better part of 3 weeks, we have been searching for an AC/Heat company. To say the least, it's been rough. They are crazy busy and we understand. But get this, one of the companies (out of Benton and rhymes with Bones) I called and left messages and left messages and called (so you get the point right) called me back, gave me a price I could live with, and said, HE WOULD HAVE HIS SCHEDULE MAN CALL ME (bold on CALL ME). That was many many moons ago. Today, I get a call. Mrs. Stafford my men are at your house and we have some questions. HUH. Wait. Im at my house. Just Sloan and I. No AC men with us. Im confused. What happened to the schedule man calling me to set up a time? I return the call, guess what no one answers, imagine that, and I leave a message. Very polite I might add, which if you are reading this and you know me, it's a very rare form I know, but yet, I was polite. It's something Im working on, but anyway... back to the story. Mr. "it rhymes with BONES" Im sorry but in the time that I was waiting on your schedule man to CALL ME, (some 10 days later) we accepted another bid. I now have a unit it. Thank you, Jenny Stafford. Well guess what, I should have tried that approach weeks ago, HE CALLED RIGHT BACK. Mr. "it rhymes with BONES" was less than happy, matter of fact, I would strongly lean on mad. He tried to confirm with me that I was costing him money! Actually, it's right the opposite Mr. AC man, I was trying to give you money! I didnt say that; however, I was thinking it. This is the amazing part, I let him chew on me a bit. I was polite. I let him finish about how I was costing him and how I bumped five people of his list today and about how he didnt appreciate me and about how I could have called him (oh yes that was a good one), and I just thought to myself... REALLY. If this wasn't the funniest conversation I have had the pleasure of having, I might have unleashed the beast but I DIDNT (GO ME). I was polite. REALLY polite. I wanted to use gestures, and words, and more gestures, but I didn't. That's part of winning the war right... so I'm smirking because I do know that what you dish out and some point you will have to... well you know.   So, this is my smirk for today.

The Best of Both Worlds

I'm loving this Tuesday morning! We helped my brother and sister in law do a little remodel this weekend! True weekend warriors we are! But this weekend warrior is feeling it today! HA! This morning, Sloan and I got Sky and Jojo off to school and are now just hanging out with one another! Sloan and I decided that Josie needed cupcakes for her big day tomorrow... so cupcakes we made! It's great to have the day with Sloan. Jeremy and I are so thankful that we have great employers!! Jeremy has a boss that if need arises that he has to take off last minute and take care of something... go and no questions asked. I have a boss that understands how important your family truly is and allows days where I can work from home. It's fantastic to get the best of both worlds and hopefully we will never take that for granted! We understand where the blessing comes from and we are thankful that He has provided the best of both worlds! So, today, it's mom hat for me ALL day! Happy Tuesday all!