Life Actually

2008 -- A Year in the Life

2009-01-02T12:46:00.004-05:00

Good-bye 2008. Hello 2009!

After seeing the usual "best and worst of 2008" TV shows and magazine issues, I decided that I would do my own “year in review” here on the old blog. I was just saying last night that I don’t usually get all reflective at the changing of the years. Maybe it was just because I said that, I don’t know, but somehow, I began to reflect.

So, here it is, a year in the life of the Nadreau fam!

In 2008…

Perry started guitar lessons. While he very much enjoyed the lessons, he did not so much enjoy the practice. He has been on a break for some time now, but is asking to go back to it in ’09.
Perry started baseball… and an obsession was born. : ) Hard to believe that he just started that less than a year ago. He’s played 2 seasons now and seems like he’s been at it forever.
On our annual ski trip, the youngest Nadreau really got the hang of snow skiing on his own. He even made several trips down the mountain with no falls!
The Lord brought me to my new job. What an amazing blessing that has been! I found a new love for teaching and met 15 super kids who would become a huge part of my life.
We had a fabulous summer full of friends and family time. Just a few highlights – a birthday backyard bbq for Eric; a trip to the lake with our dear friends, the Statzers; our annual 4th of July trip to my dad’s house; a big extended-family vacation to the beach with uncles, aunts, cousins, sisters, etc.; many day trips and pool days with the Crouses and Statzers; art camp and drama camp.
We spent many LONG days and nights at my fabulous new school as we moved into our new building. A visit from my little sis helped tremendously. It was quite the memorable time as we transformed that place in about 48 hours into a functioning school.
Perry started kindergarten! Wow! He learned so much in 2008! He can now read, do lots of math problems (his real gift), tie his shoes, quote many Bible verses, and much, much more.
We made a small dent in our home renovation wish list. We replaced basement carpet with laminate – a do-it-ourselves project. And we had the pros install new hardwood floors upstairs and refinish the existing ones, and they also tiled Perry’s bathroom. Perry’s room got a makeover as well.
I got a whole new wardrobe, thanks to my 35 pound weight loss. Eric joined me on the bandwagon and lost about 25 lbs. of his own. We’re definitely greeting this new year healthier than we’ve been in a long time – and we’re looking good, too! : ) I hope to finish the job in 2009. Stay tuned.
We visited Mickey Mouse and his pals at Disney World in November. I want to go back already!

Overall, it was a great year. There were some events that would fall into the “worst of 2008.” Through these storms, we have learned, we have grown, and we have clung to one another and to our faith in Christ. We have definitely felt His presence and heard from Him this year, for which we are very thankful!

Pregnancies number 6 and 7, which resulted in miscarriages number 5 and 6. Though this road continues to be long and hard, we do know that our God is at work.
My dad’s quadruple bypass surgery. This came as quite a shock. He came through it well, though, and I think we all came out of it with a reminder of how precious our family members are.
The last week of the year was a tough one for Eric’s family. His uncle passed away on Christmas day. Then 2 days later, his nephew was attacked by a dog and had to have part of his ear reattached. Thank the Lord for the feeling of renewal that comes with the new year!

And the number 1 BEST, most memorable, life-changing thing that happened in 2008 was that our little boy prayed to receive Christ! On Christmas Eve, Perry asked Jesus to come into his heart and be the Lord of his life forever. He will be baptized this Sunday, and we are so very proud of him!

Eric and I have prayed since before Perry was born that he would grow to know and love the Lord and would develop an awesome relationship with Him. Hearing him explain all that he knows and understands about Jesus and His love for us was really overwhelming. He was so ready and so excited about this decision to follow the Lord. He fully understands our need for Jesus and that His sacrifice saves us from our sins and allows us to know Him, talk to Him, hear from Him, and be with Him forever.

We are incredibly thankful for a church and a school that have taught him so much about what it means to be a child of God and for adults and children alike who show him everyday what it looks like to walk with Him. Our joy is beyond words knowing that God has plans for Perry in this life that we cannot even imagine, and now we know that our sweet boy will be with us for eternity!

And THAT, my friends, made 2008 a wonderful year!

Happy Birthday, Perry!

2008-12-19T22:06:00.013-05:00

Lots has gone on since the last time I posted to the blog. The most special event, though, is tomorrow, and I just had to take a little time to post.

My one and only child is turning 6 tomorrow! His birthday is always so special to me because it is a day for me to really reflect on the wonderful little person that he is and how incredibly blessed we are to have him. Many of you know of our difficulties as we have tried for another child. These trials only remind me of what a miracle our little boy is! He definitely fills our lives and our hearts, and I can honestly say that if we never have another child, the Lord has truly given us more than we could have ever hoped for with this one!

The best way to describe P is to say that he has lots of personality! Since he was an infant, he has been very interactive and friendly. I sometimes say now that with his humor, intellect, curiosity, and energy, you either fall in love with him or he drives you crazy! : )

We are so proud of the boy he has become. Just to update you, he is reading like crazy now and loving it! His sports mania continues, and he is now playing basketball. The most excitng thing is that he really has a heart for God and finds awesome joy in praising Him, learning about Him, and serving Him. What more could we ask for?

I wanted to make a scrapbook of his birthdays and continue to add to it as he grows. Since I haven't done that yet, here is a little digital scrapbook. : )

Perry's first day -- Dec. 20, 2002.

The birth announcement picture.

Perry turns 1! We had a party at our house with all of our friends and family. Nana and Grampa made the trip from Ky, and Big Daddy, Gamma, and Auntie Amanda came from Fl. It was a cowboy themed party, and a great time was had by all!

Perry and Big Daddy at the party.

Happy birthday to Perry!

Hey, this stuff is tasty!

His 2nd birthday party was at The Little Gym. This one was a fire truck theme.

Playing ball with Daddy.

Perry's 3rd birthday was INCREDIBLE! : )

We were at The Little Gym again, and obviously, Perry was into The Incredibles at that time.

This picture is really cute to me because the little boy to Perry's right is still a good buddy and will be at his party tomorrow. They went to daycare together when they were 2, and we've stayed in touch since.

To celebrate P's 3rd birthday at Nana's house, we enjoyed a chocolate fountain with the cousins!

He's 4! His love of sports had begun by this time. He had a sports-themed party at The Little Gym. The cousins were all in town for this one, so it was extra-special.

The little pirate turns 5...

This party was at an inflatables place. Perfect for little boys with lots of energy!

These are some of his buddies from school. He is really establishing some great friendships now. These friends are really special because most of them will likely be in class together for many years to come. In fact, Perry went home with one of these buds just yesterday.

Happy 6th birthday, Little Man! We can't wait to make lots more memories with you!

Weekend in New Orleans

2008-10-18T20:59:00.022-04:00

You may remember that we had planned to visit my sis in New Orleans on Labor Day, only to be foiled by Gustav. This past weekend, we finally made it there! Thanks to Columbus sailing the ocean blue in 1492, Perry and I had a day off from school, so we headed to the Big Easy.

My nephew Luke wanted to show Perry his favorite place -- the Insectarium. It was really fascinating, and the boys were both mesmerized. There were bugs of all types, along with spiders, a butterfly house, and a very cool movie experience.

There was also an insect cafe. Eric had heard about this and was eager to give them a try. The rest of us took a little coaxing, but we all took the plunge and tried a wax worm. Luke even ate 2! They weren't too bad, actually. They were cooked and seasoned, and you could really hardly tell you were eating an insect! I will say that I was not interested in anything with legs, though. Even the deep-fried cricket did not appeal to me at all, although I am usually a fan of just about anything deep fried.

Another highlight was a ride across the river on the ferry. Last time we were in NO, it was too foggy to ride, and Perry was so excited to get the chance to actually ride this time.

On Sunday, Lana and Luke took us on a tour of a couple of neighborhood parks.

And we had a great time hanging out at the family business -- The Monkey Room! Perry was a huge fan!

We had a really wonderful visit. I wish they didn't live so far away. It was great spending time with them!

Date Night

2008-10-05T18:16:00.004-04:00

Here we are before we went to the Landmark 20th anniversary banquet last night. I'm so sorry the picture does not show the accessories, though!

Thank you all for your help. I went with the red, which won against the black by a landslide in the voting. Pearls were also popular, but I just ran out of time to shop for anything else.

The hubby and I had a very nice time. It was really amazing to see what God has done with this school in the past 20 years. There were several video slide shows, one of which showed the very humble beginnings of the school, in a run down warehouse building. One of the teachers who has been there since the start told about being impressed that the founders wanted to meet at the Marriott for lunch when they interviewed him. Only later did he find out that they thought he'd never take the job if he saw the school building! : )

Now there are over 800 students in PreK-12th grade on 2 campuses, both of which are MUCH nicer than the original!

I'm so thankful that the focus and the vision have never changed, though. As the school motto says, everything we do is with this goal in mind:

"Every student prepared to impact the world for Jesus Christ."

Now that's what I'm talking about!

What Not to Wear?

2008-09-29T19:40:00.008-04:00

OK, ladies. Here I am living in this house full of boys, and I find myself needing fashion advice. This is where you come in!

This Sat., we are attending a banquet celebrating the 20th anniversary of the school where I teach. Since this is the first dressy function I have attended since the weight loss, I had to buy something to wear. Oh, and it did make me so sad to have to do that (can you hear the sarcasm? You know I loved it!).

I went with a pretty basic black dress, and I've decided on the shoes (black patent, chosen mostly b/c they flatter the legs). Now I need to accessorize. We all know that accessories are very important to the black dress, so this really is a dilemma!

Since the dress doesn't really lend itself well to a necklace, I went to Steinmart today and picked up this lovely bracelet and these earrings. I was thinking it would add some interest -- a pop of color, if you will.

My hubby seems to prefer this simple black sparkly cuff bracelet. Now keep in mind that his preference may be completely motivated by the fact that I already own said bracelet, and it does not involve a new purchase. Not that I'm saying he's cheap or anything...

And besides, I still need earrings if I go with that one!

Sticking to black accessories would be a classic look. But would it be boring?

Any other ideas for accessories?

Help me out, girls!

Catching up

2008-09-28T15:47:00.001-04:00

Aren't we beautiful?

2008-09-28T14:52:00.006-04:00

Do you like our new fall look?

Very cutting edge and fashion forward, right?

We had tacky day at school, and Perry and I made a great showing, as you can see.

I am going to put together a slide show of some of the other exciting things we've been doing lately. Maybe once I feel caught up, I can do a better job of keeping the blog up to date.

I can hold onto that hope, anyway.

In honor of the 2 week anniversary of Labor Day 2008...

2008-09-09T20:40:00.011-04:00

Finally! Pictures from Labor Day!

2 weeks ago we were supposed to go to New Orleans to visit my sister and her family. If you remember, however, a very unfriendly guy named Gustav cleared out The Big Easy that weekend. So my sister evacuated, and we took a last-minute trip to see my mom and stepdad in Kentucky.

Perry always LOVES being at Nana and Grandpa's house! There are so many fun things to explore there. This trip did not disappoint.

We roasted a few marshmellows.But Perry soon decided he'd rather just eat them out of the bag.
Grandpa showed Perry all of the cool stuff that's growing in his garden. P picked some carrots and baby pumpkins himself.

We also got to visit my Uncle Mark and his pool! When we asked Perry if he remembered going there last year, he shouted, "Oh yeah! That place is awesome!"

It earns such high praise because there is a diving board AND a slide! Wow!

My cousin and his kids actually came by while we were there. It was fun watching Perry play with his kids. It brought back lots of memories of us at that age. When I was Perry's age, we were living there in Ky, and we had some good time with the cousins back then!

The last day we were there, tour guide Grandpa took us exploring. We checked out the creek behind their house, and, of course Perry couldn't resist testing out the waters!

He only got waist-deep in water!

And he wondered over and over why Nana and I didn't go in.

An excellent time was had by all!

I have a lot more pics, but, hey, you can't expect too much! For some reason, uploading pictures to blogger is a much slower process on my laptop. No idea why. I'm working on it.

Maybe someday I'll get the pictures posted from Perry's nursery rhyme parade at school. Right now you'll just have to imagine. It was very cute.

Yep, those will be coming right along with pictures of him driving his first car...

Where I've been

2008-09-05T23:30:00.003-04:00

So I know that I said I'd post pictures from Labor Day weekend, and I haven't gotten around to that yet. Allow me to explain...

A couple of weeks ago, my dad told me he was going to be having a heart cath. He had an EKG that "was not textbook," as he put it. They did a stress test, and based on those results wanted to do the cath. They thought there may be some blockage that could require a stint or simple angioplasty. They scheduled the cath for this past Wed.

Wed. afternoon my little sis called with the news that Dad would be having quadruple bypass on Fri. -- 2 days later. The heart cath revealed serious blockages, and they decided to schedule him for Fri. and keep him in the hospital until the surgery.

Not exactly the news we had expected! But we were all thanking God for that heart cath, which allowed them to identify the problems so they could be fixed.

Of course, I wanted to be there with him for the surgery, and the Lord graciously worked that out for me. Amazingly, I found a very reasonable price on a last-minute plane ticket, so I headed down to W.Palm only a little more than 24 hrs. after hearing the news, and I arrived around midnight last night.

Amanda and I made it to the hospital (VERY early this morning) to give him kisses before he went in.

The surgery went very well. The doctor was pleased with the results, and, according to the nurses, he is on the "fast track" recovery-wise. They were able to remove the breathing tube about 5 hrs. after surgery (MUCH to Dad's relief).

We pray that the rest of the recovery will go well, and that he will feel better than ever!

And I will get around to posting those pictures eventually, I promise. : )

My New Toy!

2008-09-02T21:28:00.006-04:00

I am posting this using my brand new lime-green laptop! Oh, it is fabulous! So pretty!

I even took some pictures. Because I do want you to share in its beauty. : )

Eric just called it "the new blog machine." Hopefully its portability will allow me to post more frequently. And it's so fun to use, you know, 'cause it's so pretty! I really want to go out to Starbucks right now and do some public blogging, just because I can.

Too tired, though. Wouldn't you know it.

I have some other pics from the weekend to post as well. I just had to test this out!

I'll be back tomorrow with more.

Miscellaneous

2008-08-23T14:44:00.003-04:00

Greetings to the 3 of you who still bother to check my blog even though I haven't posted in about a year and a half!

How ya been?

School is now in full swing, and I am beginning to feel like my head is above water now (well, at least my eyebrows, maybe even my nose). Although things still aren't quite as organized as I'd like, my students and I are all settled in and are rolling along. I even have plans done for the entire week already! Whoa, Nelly!

So I thought I'd stop by and leave a few updates and thoughts on the ole' blog.

First, fall baseball practice has begun, with Eric still coaching the team, and the youngest member of our household is quite thrilled. The baseball obsession is alive and well and growing everyday. Eric is enjoying it a little too much, I think. His new favorite thing to do (especially when there are other men around who will be impressed) is to name major league baseball players and have Perry tell him what team they play for. Perry is quite good at it, and it's a little scary. Do you think it's possible that he will fill up all of his brain capacity with baseball facts and have no room for little things like reading and math? Boy, I hope not! And football season is starting... Oh, brother.

As for me, I am really loving the new job. I can look out my window and watch Perry playing on the playground, and I can get hugs in the middle of the day. Love that! I also adore my students. Having the same 15 kids all day everyday, I feel like I have a much better handle on their needs than any other students I've ever taught. Spending so much time together, and the fact that we can talk freely about spiritual things and pray together, is allowing us to really build a bond, and I love them already!

Another thing I love about my school -- chapel. Maybe one day I'll get through a chapel without getting teary. Watching the kids praise God with so much freedom and enthusiasm is just about the coolest thing I've ever seen! It is not some dry, ritualistic chapel service. We sing and dance and then hear some great teaching (with audience participation, too!). I really get a lot out of it myself, and it is incredibly exciting that these kids have the opportunity to hear this teaching and learn the joy of praise at such a young age. I just feel humbled to be a part of it, and most of all so very thankful that my kid is there!

Here's one awesome lesson from chapel that is a profound thought for all of us to live by. The kids learned this last year, and they still love to say it loud and proud! Imagine hearing 145 children yelling this --

"God is HUGE, and I mean HUGE
I am small and I mean small,
but HE chose ME!"

How cool is that?

School Days (and nights)

2008-08-11T20:08:00.005-04:00

Oh Blog, how I've missed you.

Other things I've missed -- sleep, seeing my family, eating a meal at my house, etc.

1st let me say, very clearly, that I LOVE my new job. But it's been a little crazy this past week. You see, the school moved into a brand spankin' new addition this year. The Lord smiled on us and got everything completed before school began (which we didn't think would happen). However, it wasn't much before. We were finally able to get into our classrooms last Wed. around 4 PM, and we had registration on Fri. at 10 AM.

And so began the marathon.

In less than 48 hours, that place was completely transformed. It was truly amazing how hard everyone worked and how helpful everyone was -- the entire staff, their families, the Landmark parents, people we found on the street...

Oh, ok, we did stop just short of dragging in anyone who could lift a box. We did spend A LOT of time there, though. Eric was such a good sport, putting together massive pieces of furniture and even helping me with a bulletin board. And he only complained a little. : )

School did start today, and I just adore my children! Perry was very happy with the teacher he got this year (I actually teach her son as well -- funny!). And Perry's best bud is in his class.

Here are a couple of shots of us before we left today.

During all the madness, my lil sis was here visiting. She was a lifesaver, keeping Perry entertained and helping out in my classroom some as well.

I felt really bad that I wasn't spending as much time with her as I would have liked. We did have a fun girl's day on Sat., though. We got our hair cut in the morning, and then we went out for some sushi that evening. YUM!

Check out these 2 hotties. (Perry took the picture, by the way. Not bad, huh?)

LOVE YOU, SIS!

Read this

2008-08-05T21:44:00.004-04:00

This post by Angie at Bring the Rain is absolutely beautiful. I loved every single word.
http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/2008/07/blink.html

I just had to share it with you.

Enjoy the show!

2008-08-03T22:26:00.001-04:00

Our annual beach trip -- SUPERSIZED!

2008-08-03T20:42:00.006-04:00

Every summer since Perry was a baby, we've spent a glorious week in Litchfield Beach, SC with Eric's family. We always make lots of memories with his parents and his sister's family.

This year was extra-special, though. In addition to the regular crowd, Eric's aunt and uncle and their kids and grandkids joined us! There were 11 adults and 7 kids. What fun!

It was a lot of people, but we stayed in this house.
Sometimes we even found ourselves wondering where everyone was. Space was not a problem!

Of course, having so many kids around to play with was super-special for our little guy. Eric's cousin, Cindy, has twin boys Perry's age. They haven't seen each other in over 2 years, but they were fast friends. We're already planning a visit to NY to see them.

We were missing our niece Hannah, the oldest of the "little cousins" (grandkid generation). She was in Illinois playing softball. We also missed Cindy's husband, Joe. They own a business, and we know how tough it is to get away from that!

Of course, I took a million pictures, so there will be a slide show for your enjoyment.

Just to let you know who everyone is, here's a group shot.

Back row -- Cousin Cindy, me, Eric, Uncle Rocky, Cousin Rachel, Aunt Lynne, Sister Sarah, her husband Claude, Mom Barbara, Dad Don

Front Row -- Cindy's Zachary, Perry, Sarah's Cameron, Cindy's Nathan, Cindy's Isabella, Evie's Tierney, Sarah and Claude's Tori (standing), Cousin Evie

The "big cousins" -- Cindy, Eric, Sarah, Rachel, Evie.

The "little cousins" -- Tori, Tierney, Isabella, Zachary, Nathan, Perry, Cameron

Everyone kept commenting all week about how great it was to be together. I completely agree!

Great company plus sand, sun, swimming, boogie boarding, wave-jumping, go-carts, mini-golf, walks on the beach, ice cream, s'mores, and so much more!

It was a fabulous way to bid farewell to summer.

Mountain Adventure

2008-07-25T22:16:00.009-04:00

Yesterday was a day filled with friends and fun! We started off the morning with a tie-dying party hosted by my creative friend, Kim. Here's Perry's finished product.

His daddy was telling him tonight how cool his shirt looked, and I was agreeing that it came out great. P responded, "Thanks." Then he looked at me and said, "Although you really did all the work." At least he's honest. Although he found the whole process quite interesting, all that rubberband tying and soaking just took too darn long!

Later in the day, we met up again with our summer fun buddies, the Statzers and the Crouses, and set out for Stone Mountain.

The kids were all very excited to tackle the new Sky Hike (which has been heavily advertised on TV this summer, hence their excitement). We decided to start at the Barn, though, a HUGE, multilevel playplace filled with things to climb, balls to shoot, slides to try, and stuff to explore. I don't have any good pictures of that because I couldn't catch the kids long enough to shoot any!

After some fun in the barn, we boarded the Sky Lift and headed for the top of the mountain.

Being "on top of the world" was Perry's favorite part. He was running all around, wanting to see it from every angle, shouting, "Come over here, Mommy! Look at this!" I loved watching him!

I got some great pictures up there, and I hope I was able to capture even a little of his joy, awe and excitement. I want to remember that!

Here he is checking out the Atlanta skyline.

We then made our way to the much-anticipated Sky Hike. Robin, Ethan, Caroline, Perry and I suited up in our oh-so-flattering (and comfy!) climbing gear and strapped in to tackle the first level. It was quite daunting once you were up there, but the kids were very brave. P was proud of himself for getting past his initial fear and conquering that whole 1st level, but he did decide that was enough for him. Caroline, Ethan and Robin continued on to the 2nd level, which we hear was a real challenge! I can't imagine what level 3 is like (it's 36 feet off the ground!).

Here we are getting ready to take it on!

Perry on one of the "elements".

There was more fun to be had in the area around the Sky Hike, including a "jr." Sky Hike and a rock wall.

Sarah, the youngest of our kids, was the first to make it to the top of the wall!

Later in the evening, the dads joined us for a picnic dinner and the Lasershow.

There was more laughter and fun with friends...

There was dancing...

Don't ask. I have no idea where he learned that dance.

And, of course, there was singing. Robin and I treated the group to a lovely rendition of "I Will Always Love You," and we ALMOST hit that note! : )

Scott impressed us with his ability to sing EVERY WORD of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."

Eric, Perry and I cheered loudly when Georgia Tech was featured (although we may have been a slight minority in that crowd). Ha -- not even sure you could hear us over all the booing Georgia fans.

Of course, the kids enjoyed their glow sticks and flashing necklaces.

And a great time was had by all (except maybe the folks sitting around us enduring our singing and such).

For His Glory

2008-07-23T19:11:00.005-04:00

It's been a tough week.

Although I have thought and prayed about how much to share here, I can't shake the feeling that I really should share. I don't know if it's for you or for me, but I feel that I must write about it.

We found out early this week that we are having another miscarriage. This is number 5, and it has been, of course, sad and exhausting. However, God has chosen this time, as He often does, to show up and make Himself known in some really amazing ways.

Because of our particular fertility issues and my history of early miscarriage, I was hesitant to even take a pregnancy test. Once we see that positive test, the loss becomes much more real and more difficult. It became apparent a little over a week ago, though, that I was most likely pregnant, and a test confirmed that. Well, the day afer I tested, I started some light spotting. I thought that was surely the beginning of the end.

That very night, I got an email from my sweet friend Kim, whose faith and intimacy with God are such a blessing to me! She said that she had been praying for me and felt strongly that when I got a positive test, she was to come over and lay hands on me and pray for me. I expressed my gratitude to her but told her that I thought this one wasn't looking good.

Well, I continued to just have very light spotting, nothing more, for several days. This is not a normal pattern for my miscarriages, so I wasn't sure what to think. Last Wed. evening, we attended a class at church, and afterwards there was a special time of prayer.

We started off praying for the church and our community, and then our pastor called for several groups of people to come forward for prayer -- business owners, those in need of a job, those recently diagnosed with disease, etc. Well, he then called for one more prayer, saying, "Is there anyone here who is struggling to conceive."

Talk about being blown away. I hesitantly lifted my hand, and Eric and I were the only ones who went forward for this prayer. As our pastor prayed, he not only asked that God open my womb, but he prayed at length that we would give birth to a child who would grow to love the Lord and make a difference for Him. It was really amazing and overwhelming to know that God orchestrated these moments for us and led our pastor to this prayer, at this time.

We have walked through this wilderness for 4 1/2 years now (since P was about 1 yr. old), and this is the 1st time someone has prayed for us so specifically and publicly. Twice in one week God led someone in our lives to speak His words to us about this.

I began to feel such peace and hope, just knowing that no matter what happened with this pregnancy, God had shown us that His hand is in this situation. He has not forgotten us, He has not forsaken us, He has not denied us. He is saying clearly that we should not lose hope.

When we were still uncertain at the end of the week, Kim and her husband did come over and share a very special time of prayer with us. Again, the Lord used them to speak words of truth and hope over us.

Eric and I had a date that night, and we talked at length about faith and trust and hope. We read through stories in the Old Testament about women whose wombs were bare, and how the Lord chose to open each one in His time. Although I had heard each of these stories before, I was really struck by the emotion in each of them, the details about how each woman was feeling as she cried out to God to give her a child.

As we left the doctor's office on Monday, Eric commented on how different it was this time -- that I handled the whole thing much differently and seemed much more at peace. I really feel that way, too. As I told him then, although the disappointment and feeling of loss are the same, I don't feel hopeless or abandoned. That makes all the difference, and, as Eric said to me this evening, the way I feel emotionally right now is truly a miracle.

There is much more to the story, but this is already quite long (I hope I haven't lost you)! The point is, although we now know that this pregnancy is ending, there is no devastation with God this time. I am sad, I am exhausted, and it is incredibly hard.

But I am thankful.

I thank Him that He is my loving Father. He is holding us through this time, and He is showing us that He is in control.

This is for His glory.

Audience participation, please

2008-07-16T15:21:00.004-04:00

This week, Perry has been attending art camp at his school. He has loved every minute of it, both because of the art and because his best bud from school has been there, too.

His mornings at camp have given me some time, and I've been spending most of it trying to plan what I'm going to teach the children that will show up in my classroom in a mere 3 1/2 weeks.

I am so excited about this upcoming year because I will be teaching at Perry's school, and it's a private Christian school, which opens up such great new opportunities for me as a teacher. Also, this will be my first year having a regular, all-day, self-contained elementary classroom. I am thrilled about having that time to know this group of kids and really "bond" with them. I am both thrilled and humbled to have this chance to impact these kids academically, socially and spiritually.

All that to say that I want this to be a FABULOUS year! And I'm asking for YOUR HELP! Please comment and let me know your thoughts on any or all of the following (I will be teaching 4th grade, FYI):

1. Teachers/former teachers -- What are the "must-dos" in your classroom? What have you done that has worked really well for you? Activities, class procedures, organization, 1st week activities, etc.

2. What was your favorite teacher like? What did he/she do that made him/her so memorable for you?

3. What are some things you did in school which had an impact, either educationally or personally?

4. Anything else???

I will have a brand new classroom this year (I even got to pick the paint color!). They built a new section onto the school, so I am really starting from scratch! While that is a bit overwhelming, I look at it as such a fantastic opportunity to make my classroom what I want it to be.

So, please, any ideas you have for my classroom organization, management, activities, etc., CHIME IN! : )

Thanks a million!

A boy after my own heart

2008-07-12T19:29:00.009-04:00

One of my favorite ways to relax is to take a hot bath, and, if I have some time, I usually take a good book with me.

Tonight, after we'd finished the mandatory washing part of Perry's bath, the time came when he usually gets some toys and plays for a few minutes. This time, though, he said, "I'm just gonna stay in here for a little while, like you do," and he laid back to relax.

"You need a book to read," I said.

So he asked Daddy for one of his I Can Read books and kicked back.

I just thought it was too funny. One of those moments when you realize they are always watching, and they do love to imitate!

Oh yeah, and Perry wanted y'all to see what he's learned to do recently.

After trying and trying, and declaring several times that he thought he "just had to be a little bit older to blow bubbles," he got it!

3 feet of me

2008-07-11T11:08:00.003-04:00

I haven't talked about this much on the blog because, you know, fear of public failure and all, but I have been working really hard the past 3 months to lose weight and lead a healthier lifestyle. It has not always been easy, but, to be honest, I don't think it's been as hard as I thought it would be.

I went in this morning to meet with my weight loss counselor (who has been KEY to the success I've had!), and she did measurements for the 1st time since I started losing. I've lost 26.4 pounds, but even more exciting might be the almost 3 feet I have lost off my body! 34 inches of me are gone. I was really amazed that inches came off of every part of my body, even my neck (1 1/2 inches smaller -- weird), ankles, knees.

Maybe I'll do some "before and after" pictures at some point. I still have a ways to go, but nothing motivates me to lose like losing does. : )

I do have to say that this experience has been much more than just a physical change for me. I've tried so many times to lose weight, and I have really had food addiction/emotional eating issues my whole life. I had to begin to look at this as a spiritual issue and find strength from God to deal with the frustrations along the way. He loves me and wants the very best for me --including the very best for my body and my health. It's not about looking better, but about living better, serving Him better, loving myself more so I can love my family and others better, etc.

Hopefully He will continue to give me victory in this area of my life and continue to teach me along the way.

Here's one other important lesson from this journey. I have always had LOTS of clothes. I love them, I love to shop, and I love having variety in my closet. Well, as I've lost weight, of course, I've "lost" clothes. I haven't wanted to buy much at all because I want to lose more. Plus, it's summer, and I'm not working, so I don't need too many nice things right now. As a result, I've worn the same few items repeatedly this summer. I have had to learn to put less importance on my clothes, and that I can have confidence in ME, not just in my attire.

Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE clothes, but I do see that much of my having to dress "just so" was a result of a general dislike for how I looked and felt about myself.

Of course, once I get to a point where I really like how I look, I will enjoy dressing that new body! I pray, though, that I will keep it all in perspective.

Our Week: West Palm Beach to Antarctica

2008-07-10T13:55:00.009-04:00

It's a stormy afternoon, and I have some blogging to catch up on! Here's the latest in our summer adventures.

Traditionally, we spend the 4th of July at my dad's house, where we have a big annual shin-dig. There are about 4 days of competitions. Everyone competes with their spouse (except for my little sister -- she's only 22 and not married. She gets to pick a partner each year, which is not fair really, since she's found some real ringers in her college athlete friends!) in bowling, pool, karoake, softball, golf, cooking, and more. It's always been a really fun tradition and the source of many memories.

This year, however, my sister, Lana, and her family couldn't attend. They are deep in the big adventure that is starting a business! They opened an indoor playground a few months ago, and that has kept Lana too busy to travel (or even to take a day off, most of the time). Check out the link on the left side of the blog to learn more about The Monkey Room. We missed them, but we will get to New Orleans to see them very soon.

So we did travel to see Big Daddy, Gamma, and Auntie Amanda, and we had a great visit. It was a much quieter trip than usual -- mostly we just hung out and enjoyed the company. We did make it to the beach (which we've NEVER done in all the years we've travelled to W. Palm), but it was raining, so we weren't there long. It was fun, though, because we took all of the dogs, and they all tried out the water. Samson ran straight in, but when he realized what was going on, tried to make a quick exit!

We spent one morning at a little water park, and that was a big hit! I managed to get some pictures there.

Here's Perry hanging out with Gamma.
There were 2 fairly large water slides. This one had a 120 lb. weight limit. Unfortunately, the rest of us JUST BARELY missed that cut, so P enjoyed that one all by himself. : )
P LOVED hanging out with Auntie Amanda and her friend, Savannah (who was visiting from Chicago). He wants them to come live with us. He said last night that, "it would be just like having 2 sisters!" How fun to have such a young, hip aunt! Much better than hanging out with us old, parental types all the time.

There was a large pool with 2 diving boards. I think that alone could have kept Perry entertained all day! The adults tried it out, too. Of course, Eric has had to take muscle relaxers ever since, but, hey, we're livin' on the edge!

Kind of reminds me of the time my mom jumped off a cliff into the lake when I was a teenager. There was some sitting on an inflatable donut after that, I believe.

Sorry, back to the pictures!

Here is another contributor to the sore muscles of the old folks -- the "obstacle course." P was determined to make it across. He got all the way to the final 2 "rungs," but they were too high for him to reach, and he fell in. The lifegaurds were quite impressed with his determination and kept commenting about him as he made his way across.

Sorry, no pics of our attempts. They were too embarrassing.

Yesterday, after a day of rest from our long trip, we ventured out to Fernback with friends. I have not been there in years, and, let me tell you, it was much more fun taking my own child than it was when I took 100 7th graders!

The special exhibit was all about penguins, polar bears, etc. The IMAX movie about Antarctica was really neat -- a great summer educational opportunity!

Here are some highlights. You can read more about it and see more pictures on Kim's blog, too. (I know, I know, you just can't get enough of us, can you?)

The whole gang with a BIG dino!

Perry and Sarah checking out some dinosaur footprints.

This young "tour guide" showed the kids how to find fossils in the floor tiles. They found them everywhere, all day long -- on the stairs, in the bathrooms -- EVERYWHERE!

Perry, the weather man. This is a picture of the TV. He was actually in front of a green screen. He had fun with it, but was quite confused about how to accurately point to different things. He was telling Eric about it last night, and he said, "When you put this hand up, the other hand went up!" That whole reversed image thing is very confusing!
Here's more from the hands-on science lab area. There were so many cool experiments to try!

In the exhibit about the Arctic and Antarctic, the kids tried out walking like penguins, sliding down an iceberg, playing an iceberg game, and even trying to care for penguin eggs by placing them between their feet, like male emperor penguins do!

And that's just the tip of the iceberg! (groan! Sorry, I couldn't resist.) There was so much more we saw and did. Definitely a trip worth taking again!

As an added bonus, we stopped off at the Dekalb Farmers' Market afterwards. We got some great deals on fresh produce and found some wonderful specialty items to support our healthy eating goals. We'll be going back there soon, too!

My Meme

2008-07-04T17:17:00.003-04:00

My friend, Kim, "tagged" me for a meme. Although I had no idea such a thing existed until about a week ago when I saw one on someone else's blog, I'll give it a go...

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What was I doing 10 years ago?:
I had finished my 1st full year teaching, and I spent that summer in New Hampshire with my boyfriend at his parents' house. We shopped for rings that summer, and that boyfriend soon became my hubby and his parents my in-laws! I worked at a YMCA camp as the Arts and Crafts Director.

What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?
To-do list? On a holiday? Not much of one today. Ummm... let's see
1. Spend time with my family.
2. See fireworks.
3. Eat (without gaining any weight!) : )
4. Have fun.
5. Thank God for the blessing of living in the USA!

Snacks I enjoy:
Protein bars
Baby carrots and hummus
Strawberries
Grapes
Cheese

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Live debt-free
Give to my church (and to other causes the Lord brings my way)
Pay off my family members' homes
Adopt a child
Buy a lake house/beach house and a ski chalet (or maybe just one house on Lake Tahoe, where I could do both!)
Travel

Places I have lived:
Oxford, Ohio
Jacksonville, Florida
Calvert City, Kentucky
Marietta, Georgia
Woodstock, Georgia
Dallas, Georgia
Newnan, Georgia

Jobs I have had:
TCBY yogurt girl (my 1st job!)
Little Caesar's Pizza
Waitress (several places)
Instructor and Program Director at The Little Gym
7th Grade Teacher
Elementary Gifted Teacher

People I want to know more about:
Susan
Amy
Cheryl
Kristin

I know that's only 4, but I think Kim took my only other blogging friends. : )

My heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be your name

2008-07-02T14:05:00.008-04:00

Today is a very busy day for us, and I have lots to do in the next few hours. However, I really felt that I needed to stop and reflect on some of what I learned this weekend at the Deeper Still conference in Atlanta.

First of all, my mom came into town with 2 of her friends to go with us, and I am so glad they did! I always love sharing these experiences with Mom and being able to talk about what we learned. Even days, weeks, or months later God often brings some key point back to mind. My friend, Robin, also went with us, and I know that the Lord really spoke to her about some things that she's been dealing with lately. I also believe that He was preparing her for an event that has come into her life this week. One of her good friends lost a child very unexpectedly, and I know that God will use what Robin learned at Deeper Still to help her be a support for her friend as she walks through this wilderness. Praise the Lord that Robin got that last minute ticket!

I went into the conference so excited about hearing all of the speakers again, and all of their messages were so timely and powerful. My favorite one, though, was Priscilla Shirer's message on Fri. night. She talked about the wilderness that we all walk through in our lives and how God meets us there and speaks to us, often at our lowest points. She based this message on the story of the Israelites' journey out of Egypt, through the wilderness to Cana. God asked them to trust and follow Him, and He promised to speak to them and allow them to see Him. He led them on a route to Cana that was certainly not the shortest, most efficient, or most pleasant. However, when they were right in the middle of their journey, at the furthest point from the Promised Land, He met them at Mt. Sinai. Although they had been so excited to hear from God, when the time came to go up the mountain and meet with Him, they were afraid. They sent Moses to get the word for them.

Priscilla used this to teach us that when God wants to speak to us, it is so much more powerful if we seek Him for ourselves and allow Him to speak directly to us, not just through our pastor or through a writer or speaker. This is the part that spoke to me today.

Many of you know about our struggle with fertility (I plan to tell the whole story on here at some point, but that is for another day). We have wanted another child for years. We had one miscarriage before God gave us Perry, and we've had 3 since then, all very early in the pregnancies. I have long considered this our wilderness, and I have gone through a huge range of emotions related to this issue. Last summer, after 2 back-to-back miscarriages, I was angry with God and went through a time of really not understanding why this was happening. Actually, Beth Moore's message at the Deeper Still conference in Nashville last fall helped me begin to admit that anger and get over my "devastation with God," as Beth put it.

I have since then felt some peace with the situation, although I still pray that it will happen, and we still desperately want to be blessed with another child. So what I learned this weekend is that through my wilderness, I have waited for other people to bring me my word from the Lord. I have waited for God to speak to me through messages at church, at conferences, in books I read, and even through my friends. He has been faithful to do that, too! He is showing me now, though, that He wants to speak directly to me, He wants me to spend time with Him alone and to be still and listen to His voice, to get to know Him more through His Word.

Kay Arthur and Beth Moore really opened my eyes this weekend to how much there is to learn about scripture. Wow! Every word in that Book is deliberate, intentional, and has meaning for us. Beth broke down John 1:14 for us and explained the meaning of every phrase, as she helped us memorize it. We had fun learning hand motions to help us remember each part of the verse and its meaning, but I was blown away by how much we can learn through studying the individual words used in even the most familiar verses.

Anyway, back to what I've learned. This morning as I prayed and read the Bible, I began thinking about my own wilderness (the fertility thing). I started thinking that the Israelites had really no idea what the Promised Land was going to look like. They had to place their trust FULLY in God, to lead them to this place that He promised would be perfect for them. In our journey, we must do that as well. We don't know what our Promised Land will look like. It may be exactly what we envision -- 2 beautiful, healthy children -- 1 boy, 1 girl. It may be 5 children (Perry did tell me recently that he wanted me to have quadruplets -- YIKES!). Or it may be a Land where our desire for another child is gone, and we are completely at peace with our little family. We have no idea what His plan holds for us, what that Land will look like. We only know that He promises to take us there. He promises to bring us out of the wilderness.

So, I will CHOOSE to say, through this time, "Blessed be the Name of the Lord."

We sang that song on Sunday, and I actually sang the 1st verse alone. After what we'd learned, this "old" song, especially that verse, had such powerful meaning for me.

Blessed be Your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name

I also love the part that says, "my heart will CHOOSE to say, Lord, blessed be your name."

That's it, y'all. It is a choice. When He gives and when He takes away, we have a choice -- to turn our backs or to trust that He is our holy, loving Father who will meet us in the wilderness and carry us through to the Promised Land.

I have lots more to say, but I will stop here for now and go get some stuff done.

My one little blessing is dying for some attention right now! He is not seeing the glory in the fact that I am on the computer and not reading his new baseball cards to Him.

Thank God for that little distraction. I am so grateful that we have him.

More pictures, as promised!

2008-06-29T22:48:00.001-04:00

Dreamin' of a trailer on the lake

2008-06-29T20:32:00.006-04:00

I have lots to share about the past week! Shall we begin?

We spent a few days last week on a little getaway with our wild, wacky friends. Kim graciously invited us to spend some time with them at her parents' lake house. We had a fabulous time! The house is amazing, and we had a great time enjoying long talks with friends and the beauty of God's creation.

And having other kids around to entertain our one and only was a real treat!

I'll go over some highlights, but I'm going to post a slideshow of pictures. There are just too many good ones, and I know you wouldn't want to miss any of them!

The kids really loved fishing. No matter what other fun we were having, someone was always asking when they could go fishing again!

Perry caught his first fish! Eric even cooked it up that night, so they could all have a taste.

Jack's birthday was Wednesday, so, of course, we celebrated him!

Tubing was also a big hit.

Thumbs up means "go faster." Perry and Caroline did that a lot! They were our little speed demons.

We took a long boat ride on Thursday afternoon, and on the way back, this little miracle happened.

I must say, I very much enjoyed that moment with my baby. It doesn't happen often anymore that this big boy falls asleep on my lap. With him there sleeping and us out on the water enjoying the perfect weather, the lake, and the beauty all around, I was so thankful to a God who loves us enough to give us all of this! Blessing upon blessing.

That big boy did get heavy, though. Once I laid him down on the seat, all of us adults enjoyed this.

That's all of our kids, all conked out on the boat. We sat in the back and chatted as we watched our angels sleep, and, I'm telling you, it was Heaven on earth!

So I asked the hubby to buy me a trailer on the lake. I don't need a fancy lake house, just somewhere that I could lay my head and where we could enjoy the rich family time that comes with getting away from it all. With a trailer, a boat, and some fishing poles, we'd be living the life, I'm telling you!

Someday my dreams will come true. Dreams of a double-wide on the water in Alabama. Wooooo weeee, y'all!

Enjoy the slideshow of the rest of our fun!

I'll be back later with more. After we got back from the lake, I had the awesome experience of attending the Deeper Still conference in Atlanta. We heard some amazing teaching from Beth Moore, Kay Arthur and Priscilla Shirer. And, of course, I LOVED the worship time with the fabulous Travis Cottrell and team.

I'm not even sure where to start, but I'll try to string together some coherent thoughts.

Why I enjoyed cleaning my bathrooms today

2008-06-24T15:23:00.006-04:00

Method all-purpose cleaner from Target -- Cucumber scent.

Now, as many of you know, I am certainly not one of those strange people who usually gets joy out of cleaning. I will admit to getting some joy out of organizing (though summoning the energy and setting aside the time often alludes me), but certainly not cleaning.

In fact, my mom may have fainted after reading this title. And if she ever figures out how to leave a comment, I'm sure she will confirm for you all how I've never loved to clean.

My best friend, Shawn, used to clean when she was upset. When we were roomies, if I came home and the apartment was sparkling, I knew it was time to pick up some ice cream and maybe a box o' wine.

Anyway, back to the cleaning enjoyment I experienced today...

I was walking through Target this morning (I know, it's so hard to believe that I would be shopping! And at Target, of all places!), and as I passed the cleaning aisle, I recalled a post I read on Bring the Rain a while back. She mentioned her love for Method Cucumber cleaner. I knew that I had a good bit of cleaning to do today, so I thought, "Why not try something new and different?"

When I first picked it up, I hesitated a little because somewhere I saw something like "natural cleaner." Well, I'm all for natural in most areas of my life, but there are some things that seem to call for a little chemical assistance. So for the same reason that I've never tried natural deodorant, I wasn't so sure about cleaning bathrooms with natural cleaner.

I'm so glad I tried it, though. It worked great, and that fresh cucumber scent is just lovely!

I even cleaned my bathtub for the 2nd time this week, just to freshen it up a bit. I wouldn't want my big, fabulous tub to feel bad when the rest of the bathroom wore a fresh cucumber scent and it was stuck with the smell of Comet with bleach.

Anyway, next time you're at Target, pick some up. You won't regret it.

I might mop my floors with it later.

The After

2008-06-23T20:57:00.005-04:00

You may be wondering why I haven't posted for a few days.

DIDN'T YOU READ MY LAST POST??? I have so much to do!!!

Seriously, we have had a busy week, which included this...

YES! It's finished!

And LOOK, there's even furniture!

That's our yellow lab, Beau, standing guard. He hasn't quite decided if he likes this new floor situation. It's much too slippery for him, I think. We had to get him to lay down for the first pic because he kept sliding around when he tried to sit!

Don't you love a finished product? We're tired weekend warriors, but we're quite pleased with the results of our labor.

The other excitement that kept P and I busy last week was Backyard Bible Club. I was going to write a post about it, but my friend, Kim, who hosted the whole shindig, did a fabulous job telling all about it on her blog. So I figured you could just read about it here. I had the joy of leading the music. This group of kids had so much fun singing, and I loved every minute of it! The theme, as you will read in Kim's post, was all about service -- to God and to others. Great stuff!

I am dedicated, I am motivated!

2008-06-17T19:57:00.005-04:00

So I have many goals for things to accomplish around the house this summer, you know, since I don't have to work again until August and all. I have been starting to feel as if I had not made adequate progress, and I needed some motivation.

And today I saw an answer to my prayers on BooMama! She is hosting a "Before and After" extravaganza, and it is just the motivation I need to GET ON IT!

Below you will find my "to do" list. Then MARK YOUR CALENDARS for July 25 because you will not want to miss the before and after pictures of all of the wonderful projects that I have completed!

I hope you can stand the wait. The anticipation may be too much, I know.

THE LIST

Completely finish basement flooring. Add rugs and return furniture, etc. to its place. Do not return anything that is junk -- THROW IT AWAY! (This one WILL be finished by the end of this coming weekend, in preparation for guests next week.)
"Spruce up" master bedroom, including window treatments and decor to match our new bedding.
Choose and install new ceiling fan in living room. ***Disclaimer: the timely completion of this one does depend on the hubby's time availability and willingness to take orders.
Clean out and organize 2 storage areas (1 inside, 1 in garage). Clean out other closets and GET RID OF SOME JUNK.
Plant flowers by mailbox.

OK, I think that's enough for now. I do have to leave myself some time to lounge by the pool, shop, read, and, oh yeah, spend time with my kid! : )

Be sure to check out BooMama's EXTRAVAGANZA for yourself!

A Day for Dad

2008-06-15T17:32:00.009-04:00

On Fathers' Day, I would like to pay tribute to all the dads in my life.

First of all, I know everyone says this on Fathers' Day, but I am so thankful for my man! God really blessed me with the best husband anyone could ask for, and he is such a great daddy to our son. He loves us with all of his heart, and he truly enjoys spending time with us. I love watching him play with Perry, hearing him read bedtime stories at night, and seeing the true joy that P brings him.

So THANK YOU, Eric, for all of the personal sacrifices you make for us. Thanks for getting up in the middle of the night when P has a bad dream, for playing Backyard Football with him (because I DO NOT understand that game!), for putting him to bed every night, for coaching his baseball team, for laying flooring on Fathers' Day, for smiling for a million pictures, for enduring mobs of screaming children at countless birthday parties, for putting together all manner of toys and gadgets, for listening to me and laughing with me, for working so hard to provide a wonderful life for us, and for being the example of a man who loves the Lord and strives to live an honorable life. You are the best!!!

And now, some photos...

Of course, the older generation deserves a big shout out as well.

HAPPY FATHERS' DAY to...

my dad (Big Daddy)

my step-dad (Grandpa)

and Eric's dad (Buppa)

You are all so special to us! Thanks for being the great fathers that you are.

WE LOVE YOU!!!

Our Star of the Stage

2008-06-14T22:49:00.010-04:00

P's 1st words this morning were, "Today is the most important day of my life!"

Birthdays, vacations, 1st day of school... it all really just pales in comparison to the performance he was about to give. Obviously, he was quite excited about his play today!

It was really amazing what they were able to accomplish with these kids in just 5 days (and only 1/2 days at that). There were about 45 kids involved in the camp this week, and they put on 3 short plays today. The kids not only learned their parts, but they also painted the sets. It was all very cute!

Before the plays began, they all came out for an opening number, a funny song about drama camp.

Perry's favorite part was the kick line at the end of the song.

Here's a little video clip of his part in the play. He's the one in red -- he was the "2nd counselor" and the "Master of Swords." You can tell he was a bit nervous, but we thought he did a fantastic job. And check out his little "celebration" after he says his first part.

"More Than a Match" from Lisa Nadreau on Vimeo.

Taking a bow...

After the show...

He loved the whole experience and already asked if he could do it again next year.

On another note, here's the current status of the floor.

OK, so it's not exactly an "after" picture. It's more like a "during" picture. It's about 75% done, though.

As it turns out, pulling up carpet by yourself yields some sore muscles and makes you a slow worker the next day. : )

That after picture is coming soon...

Ty Pennington, Bob Villa, and Me

2008-06-13T20:00:00.003-04:00

Look what I did while P was at camp this morning.

This is our basement, and as of about 10:00 this morning, there was carpet there. A lovely berber, circa 1996. By noon, it was no more.

And I did it. All by myself.

Don't worry, we're not leaving it that way. Hopefully by tomorrow evening, I'll have some "after" pictures for you. Now that the hubby is home, we are hauling all the carpet away and prepping for tomorrow's project -- laying down the new flooring.

After my very productive morning, P and I met my friend Kim and her son at a lovely indoor playground for some air-conditioned fun! The boys ran wild, and we enjoyed some adult conversation.

Sorry, no pictures of the adult conversation... only the wild boys.

And LOOK -- Perry is wearing his very first autographed t-shirt. Oh, remember those? That Sharpie-smelling t-shirt really took me back.

This one is a souvenir from the drama camp he attended this week. Tomorrow is their big show. P has 4 lines. His teacher actually offered him one of the lead parts, the king -- with 15 LINES -- after he did such a great job memorizing his 1st line.

He decided he did not want that kind of responsibility, though. Either that, or he didn't want to give up his warrior sword.

Day Trippin'

2008-06-08T21:18:00.007-04:00

Yesterday the family and I took a little trip with Grammy over to Birmingham where P's cousin Hannah was playing in a softball tournament.

Grammy suggested that we go over there and surprise her -- and boy was she surprised!

Of course, P LOVED watching her play. She played a great game, and we got to visit a little afterward. We took our new addition, Samson, along for the ride. He got lots of attention. Teenage girls love a cute little doggie!

After the game, we took Hannah for a bite to eat before we hit the road for home.

When I saw P's meal, I just had to document it. Try to contain your amazement at the nutritional value contained in this kid's meal. It will be hard, I know.

Do you see that there are nachos and cheese, Cheetos, and Teddy Grams in front of him? Yes, that was it. I promise it was not specially ordered that way, either. He chose the kid's nachos from the menu (nachos have been a recent fascination), and that's how it came.

Please notice that he is drinking milk, though. Thank you.

You know, we ate at this really great deli, and all of us had yummy salads or wraps with some fruit or potato salad or some such thing. The kids, though? Load them up with carbs!!! Who is driving our economy? To whom do restaurants/stores, etc. cater? Don't be fooled, people, it's all about the kids.

And carbs, they do make a kid happy.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2008-06-07T22:20:00.005-04:00

We spent Thursday evening at the Braves' game.

You may be wondering why the boys are wearing Cubs gear to a Braves' game. Good question. Here's why...
It was "Braves' Night Out" for Perry's baseball league. They got to parade around the field before the game, dressed in their uniforms. A couple of the teams got to play a short exhibition on the field, too. It was quite exciting seeing those little guys walking around that big field. We even saw many of their sweet faces on the big screen.

It was totally worth standing out in the blazing sun for over an hour to see it!

Here are a couple more shots from the game.

Some of our good friends came along for the fun!

We had a fantastic time. P's love for baseball and his understanding of the game is really unbelievable at times. He followed every play so closely, with rapt attention, and talked about them with such excitement. It was really fun to watch.

And we were there when Chipper Jones hit his 400th homerun (we were actually walking through the stadium and didn't see it live, but, hey, we were there)! When P saw that on Sports Center the next day, he couldn't believe it. Now he tells everyone about it -- not just about the homerun, but about them showing it on Sports Center, too. That's the best part, right? : )

Another Day Full O' Fun

2008-06-06T22:57:00.004-04:00

In the category of things boys love are knights, swords, and all the grandeur and majesty that was the Renaissance.

We spent this past Sat. at the Renaissance Festival, and although it was a SCORCHER, as they say, we still had a great time.

Perry's favorite, of course, was the joust. We watched it twice! He was thrilled that I took some pictures of it for him. Here's his favorite knight... the good guy, of course.

We've been to the Festival before, but this year he and Daddy got to sword fight! Here they are all suited up and ready.

En garde! The battle begins! Perry has gotten some fencing practice on the Wii, but the real thing was quite a bit different, as he soon found out.

And Daddy showed no mercy. Look at this! He almost knocked the kid down!

Perry was declared the winner in the end, though. It was a tough battle, but he got his 5 jabs in first.

All P talked about the whole way there was this eagle ride. He did it last year and couldn't wait to get on it again!

This barrel ride was really neat -- completely man-powered. That one guy pushes and spins the barrel. Quite the Renaissance workout!

Wow! That's one big dragon!

Our New Addition

2008-06-06T11:59:00.007-04:00

We have had another eventful week, so I am going to do several posts with pictures in the next few days. Hope you enjoy getting caught up! : )

First, we have a new addition to our family! He's been with us for a week now, and we are really enjoying him. Some of you know that I've been wanting a small dog for quite some time now. So finally -- here's Samson

He's a long-haired chihuahua -- 7 months old. He's been a lot of fun so far, and he is adjusting well to life at our house. You'll notice he's representin' for PetsMart.

Perry really loves him, and they get along great.

Perry even asked to leave the pool 2 days in a row because he wanted to go home and play with Samson. This could possibly be even better than a little brother or sister! : )

Living in a Man's World

2008-06-03T15:24:00.003-04:00

It all started a couple of months back. Perry and I were riding along in the car, and he says, "Mommy, ya know what I saw when I was watching Sports Center the other day?"

He's 5 years old, y'all, and already he's turning into his father.

For those who don't know, my husband is some sort of phenomena when it comes to sports facts and trivia. He knows the stats of sports teams from colleges that I didn't even know existed.

In the car the other day we were riding along listening to our standard tunes of choice -- some rockin' worship music, and the kid pipes up with, "Can we listen to sports radio, Mommy?"

Ummmm... NO! You can listen to that in Daddy's car, kiddo.

Today, after a very busy morning and afternoon, we came home for some relaxation time, which usually involves some cartoons for him and a good book for me (or, more likely, some laundry or cleaning products). Anyway, he sits down on the couch and turns on, you guessed it, Sports Center.

ESPN now ranks among the top 3 channels my 5-year-old watches. He always checks Nick, Disney, and ESPN.

And this morning as I'm making breakfast and he was watching some morning TV, he yells to me, "Mommy, come quick! They're showing Big Papi on TV!" (For the ladies/non-sports fans -- Big Papi is David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox)

I was very excited.

His daddy, however, is quite proud.

Birthdays, barbeques, and baseball!

2008-05-28T22:11:00.013-04:00

We've been quite busy kicking off summer in style the past few days!

The weekend started with a bday party for one of Perry's best buds. They had a great backyard party, and the kids enjoyed some Slippin' n Slidin'.

Sunday was Eric's birthday, and we hosted a barbeque to celebrate. With the birthday and a long weekend, how could we have passed up that opportunity? And there was more Slippin' and Slidin'!

And some fun with water guns.

Let me just pause here to say that I LOVE OUR BACKYARD! This was our first real backyard "party" since we moved to this house last summer, and it was such fun! We love having so much room for everyone to run and play (I was going to say for the kids to run and play, but if you look back at the water gun pictures, you'll see clear evidence that the big kids enjoyed it at least as much)!

OK, back to the pictures...

Tuesday evening was our last baseball game of the spring season. Of course, there was pizza and trophies after the game!

We had a really great team, fun, supportive parents, and one very handsome coach!!!

And there's more! I know you can hardly stand it, but this is life in the fast lane, people!

Tonight was the Summer Kick-off at church. We had a barbeque dinner and games, but the big attraction was the PreK - 1st grade children's choir in their debut performance!

Yes, Perry finally got his hands on a microphone in public! On stage! He sang one of the verses of the song, on mic, with another little boy. He took it very seriously and did a great job!

That's all for now. I don't know about you, but I'm tired!

My how he's grown!

2008-05-23T21:46:00.010-04:00

When Perry came home from school yesterday, he, of course, brought with him the obligatory envelope with end-of-the-year paperwork and such. There among his awards and report card was something so amazing, I just had to share it...

This is a self portrait he drew the 1st week of school.

Here is what he drew this week...

Although we watch him develop everyday, seeing his growth in such a concrete form is really unbelievable. It's more than just "budding artistic" talent, too (that was one of his awards, by the way -- Budding Artist). This is just a visual expression of how much he has truly matured this year. Wow...

Just in case you're interested, he also brought home "The Bible Award" because, trust me, he is quite the little Bible scholar, and an "Outstanding Sportsmanship" award from PE. I wouldn't have wanted anyone to lose any sleep wondering what those other awards were!

We're very proud! : )

Cute shoes! And CHEAP!

2008-05-22T20:02:00.003-04:00

I was thinking last night that I have been remiss in sharing my "somewhat deep thoughts" about fashion so far...

Then I saw these, and I just had to share.

Look! Jellies! In many colors! And ON SALE! How fun for summer!

I think I'll go buy some tomorrow. Seems like a fitting way to celebrate my last day of school, right?

Random thoughts from a brain ready for Summer!

2008-05-21T20:14:00.008-04:00

I have been away for so long! I have so missed the blogging! Let me explain the week we've had. Then we'll move on to some random thoughts.

Last week, while the hubby was out of town, I started breaking out in an ugly rash -- 1st on my leg, then all over my face (of course!). I thought the stuff on my face looked like poison ivy, but the spot on my leg had me confused. As it got worse, I decided to see someone. I got in with the nurse practioner on Fri., who told me I had a staph infection. YIKES! So all weekend I'm panicking because it's continuing to spread and get worse, and I REALLY don't want to be responsible for spreading staph around. I went to another dr., who agreed that it looked like staph but changed my antibiotic. Finally I got in to see my regular dr. on Monday, and he tells me it's POISON IVY! So everything I've been doing to treat the staph has actually probably been making it worse. He gave me steroids, but also left me on the antibiotic since he does think the leg is infected. It now seems to be improving, THANK THE LORD, but it was quite the ordeal.

Meanwhile, Perry got a fever and sore throat. After the dr. on call reassured me that this could not be related to the staph, I relaxed a bit, but we eventually found out that it was strep throat, as I suspected. He was on the mend quickly, though, and even made it back to school in time for field day on Tuesday.

All this at the beginning of the last week of school, which those teachers out there know is the CRAZIEST time of year! Summer's coming fast, though. HALLELUJAH!

Now for some random thoughts that have been floating around in my head for the past week...

1. American Idol -- I voted for David Cook. I would love to see him win, mostly because I really like his style but also because I am truly afraid of what might happen to Archuleta if he actually wins the thing. Seriously, people, he looked like he might pass out at any minute last night! Anytime the judges were talking to him I was waiting for him to hyperventilate or just fall into a heap on the floor or something. He truly has an amazing voice, but I think maybe he just needs to go home and be 17. I love him, though, I really do. To paraphrase one of my favorite bloggers, BooMama, I just want to hug him and give him some fried chicken!

2. My baby, my only child, will finish Pre-K tomorrow. How can it be??? He is about to be in KINDERGARTEN! Seriously, I have no idea how this happened. Although often when I'm talking to him, I think he has to be at least 14...

So if he acts like a teenager now, what will he be like when he is one? Will he act 5 then? Probably so...

3. I saw this really terrific idea somewhere the other day. I really hope to find the time to start it this summer. It's an "On this day..." family calendar. You record significant events as they happen, and it becomes a great family history to review. For example, May 22 might say, "On this day in 2008, Perry attended his last day of PreK." You can record new places you visit, big family milestones, and silly little things. I think it would be fun to see which things different family members choose to write down and how long it takes to fill up every day of the year! I REALLY wish I could find the link to the much better explanation I found online... I'm trying, I really am!

4. I missed my little sister's college graduation today because, for some strange reason, her college thought the middle of the day on Wed. was a great time to hold a very meaningful event which people often travel many miles to attend! So, even though I was not there, I want to say

CONGRATULATIONS, AMANDA!!! We're very proud of you and love you very much!!!

Now, go get a job!

Sorry, just couldn't resist! : ) Just kidding... We do love her lots. Again, though, how can it be that my BABY sister is a college graduate? Seriously? I am OLD, people!

That's all for now! Hopefully, I'll be back to regular posting and I'll find something meaningful to talk about. Fun-filled summer days are ahead, so check back often for news and pictures!

Making the World a Better Place... One Stick at a Time

2008-05-10T21:41:00.007-04:00

After a little yard-saling this morning, we spent some time working in the yard today. Perry enjoyed helping us, until he decided there were more important things he needed to do.

"Mommy," he says, "I'm going to make the world a better place for bugs."

"OK, how?"

"I'm going to build a playset for the bugs," he said.

And he did.

It was quite elaborate. I'm sure the bugs were mighty pleased with his work!

We did get something accomplished. Look!

This is beside our shed in the backyard. I wish I had taken a "before" picture. Just try to envision small, half-dead bushes on a slab of eroded clay. Quite the improvement, huh? We built the wall and everything.

Now, I'm thinking I might post a picture of our front yard and request your landscaping suggestions. I'm at a total loss! We have quite a large yard, and I'm not sure where to start.

Stay tuned...

Our Trip to the Big City

2008-05-07T20:29:00.005-04:00

On Monday, my man and I had the opportunity to visit The Trinity House. I have 3 words to describe the experience -- A-MAZ-ING! OK, I know that's technically one word, BUT in this case, it should be 3.

A group from our church visits each month for the TEAM dinner program. Eric went last month and came home full of great things to say about the ministry and his time there. Anytime Eric is full of things to say, I know something powerful is happening! My man is not much of a talker for the most part. (I know what some of you are thinking -- but even when I do give him a chance to speak, he doesn't usually say too much.) Anyway, he insisted that I go this month, and, boy, am I glad he did!

The men at Trinity House are in recovery from addiction, and, let me tell you, this program is SERIOUS. They have to be ready to turn their lives around and willing to work for it. First, they must personally ask to be allowed into the house. They interview with the staff, and, as our guide put it, "that's the easy part". They must also convince the "brotherhood" that they want help and are commited to change. Basically, the whole structure is somewhat like a fraternity, with some military aspects as well (think push-ups, strict schedules, household chores, etc). There is a hierarchy based on time in the house, and they gain priveleges as they "move up." The goal, of course, is independent living, and they may spend up to 2 years in the house working towards that. There is intense accountability, incredible support and structure, and lots of spiritual and emotional focus along the way.

We did tour the facility and learn about the program, but most of our time was spent hanging out and eating with the men.

(Cool historical fact -- The Trinity House is built around an old church which was the site of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s funeral. We ate dinner in the chapel where his body lay in state. WOW!)

Each man shares some of his personal story at dinner. The guests share as well, and the openness and honesty of all involved is really incredible to see. Many of the residents blew me away with their insight and their vulnerability. One man sitting next to me spoke of the humility it takes to come to the house and to get clean. He said, "When you humble yourself, you are exalted. When you exalt yourself, you will be humbled." Another of the residents took off from that point and discussed how all of them were once willing to humble themselves to support their addictions. They would do things they never thought they would to get what they REALLY wanted. Just the same, they had to REALLY want to recover, because to be in that house and turn your life around, you MUST humble yourself.

One of the guests then shared about how he had lost everything a few years ago -- his business, his financial security, etc., not because of addiction, but because of pride. When he started over, he chose to do it with God in his life, and humbling himself and giving up control was the only way he could begin to recover what he had lost.

Now, I don't know about you, but I know I have lost some things in my life because of pride -- opportunities, friends, etc. I admire these men so much for their humility and their willingness to say, "I have a problem, and I need help and support." Even those of us who haven't lost it all or hit "rock bottom" have times in our lives when we need to say that. The sooner we do, the sooner we release it and head back in the right direction.

Here's the other thing: these men were so much fun to hang out with and talk to! I genuinely had a great time learning about the man sitting beside me and laughing and joking with him at dinner. They were all homeless, many are estranged from their families, and most do not have jobs right now. However, several of the men we met were professionals and family men at one time in their lives. One worked for IBM and travelled the world, but when he went through a divorce, he "fell apart," as he put it. As I listened to them, I thought many times, "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

One of the residents made the point that lives are changed in a moment. In a moment, one can make a decision that will eventually ruin them. In a moment, he can turn away from it and commit to change. As I walk through my life, I must remember that my life is defined by my moments. What I do and say, the choices I make, have the potential to affect me and those around me for eternity, really.

I am so thankful for The Trinity House and the work they are doing with these men. These intelligent, funny, friendly men are learning to walk with God, functioning as part of a family, and truly learning to live again. Their futures, their eternities, their lives are literally being saved.

I can't wait to go back.

When I Grow up I Want to be a Life Coach

2008-05-03T20:08:00.003-04:00

I have been trying very hard to lead a healthier lifestyle lately. I've made big changes to my diet, and I exercise daily. Of course, Perry has taken note of this. I have experienced some frustration for the past couple of weeks, however, because the scale is not cooperating, despite my efforts. So I was discussing this with Eric this morning. Perry was in the room, but wasn't participating in the conversation until he piped up with this...

"Mommy, why don't you just persevere!"

I have found new motivation from my 5 year old. Thank you very much.

2008-05-03T09:06:00.001-04:00

Tied Up

2008-05-01T21:38:00.000-04:00

Look what we've learned this week!

It does take some deep concentration, people...

It's all worth it in the end, though. And now he has taken to keeping track of how many times he has tied his shoe -- the current total is about 8, I believe. I'll double-check in the morning to be sure that information is accurate. I certainly would not want to communicate a falsely inflated count or rob him of the glory due him if the tally is actually higher than that!

Oh, and one more thing...

This kid is SERIOUS about some baseball!

Happy Birthday, Sis!

2008-04-29T17:12:00.000-04:00

Happy birthday to my big sister!

We love you!!!

By the way, if you're ever in New Orleans, be sure to check out her super-cool kids' playground and party place!

http://www.monkeyroom.net/

Do Good

2008-04-29T16:22:00.000-04:00

"and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Mark 10:44-45

About a week and a half ago (on my bday, as a matter of fact!), close to 300 people from our church took part in DO GOOD day. All wearing fabulous kelly green shirts (great color choice, Do Good team! So good for the red-heads), we went to various sites around our community to do pre-arranged service projects. It was truly amazing to see that many people ready to love their neighbors with service, at 8 AM on a Saturday! WOW!

Check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmk3f6dbLxw

Service seems to be something God is speaking to me about lately. Not just service through pre-planned projects, though, but living with a servant's heart daily. Looking for every opportunity to serve those around me -- family, friends, acquaintances, strangers.

In our Life Group this week, we discussed the verse above and what it means for us. We shared stories about when someone has served us. Interesting that most of the stories were about small things -- friends happily volunteering to watch our children when we needed it most, a stranger handing over a coupon when financial times were tight or paying for our soda at the gas station when we've found ourselves with no cash. It is in these acts of service that we see the hand of God in our everyday lives.

So, I've been thinking about why I don't do more of this. For me, it simply comes down to being so caught up in the business of everyday that I often don't even see the needs of those around me. Sure, I think about what's going on with my friends and family, and I try to reach out to them when they're in need. But the people around me in the store, at restaurants, on the road, and at work are those that may need some small act of service the most. Now, even with our busy 2 working parents schedule, I FIND time for things that are important to ME and my needs -- shopping, pedicures, hair, waxing (although THAT, I believe, truly is a service to others, because trust me, no one wants to see the out of control eyebrows!), sometimes even reading, and occasionally an entire episode of American Idol. None of these things are bad, of course, but my prayer now is that as I go through my life, I will simply look around and see opportunities to serve -- that I will learn to truly live with a servant's heart.

Now let me be absolutely clear that I in no way believe that having a servant's heart is about "keeping score," somehow striving to make sure that I do "x" # of good deeds each week or whatever. But Jesus tells us to "love your neighbor as yourself." OK, so really think about that. I spend a lot of time thinking about my own needs -- my need for rest, for help with the kid or the house, the need to look and feel good... oh, I could go on all day! We are all naturally "slaves" to our own needs. So if I love my neighbor as myself, then I should think about their needs as well, and be a "slave of all". There are needs right in front of me everyday that I could help meet without even much sacrifice or effort -- a crying child alone in a store, a cashier telling me how she's going through a divorce and struggling to make ends meet, a stressed-out mom with a screaming child behind me in line at the grocery store, a student reaching out for a attention... I could go on all day!

One thing that I loved about Perry's school from day 1 was the emphasis on service. The students do service projects - several each year - from preK through 12th grade. They also emphasize DAILY service to one another, though, and model what that looks like. I LOVE that this is a constant part of his life so early on.

(Side note -- For those who haven't heard, I'll be teaching at Perry's school next year! HOORAY! It's a wonderful private Christian school, and I am so excited to be a part of it!)

Perry's teachers have taught them "the last shall be first" concept. Here's what he's learned from that so far, by the way --
It came up a couple of months ago on the way home from school. The conversations went something like this.

Perry: "Mommy, can I play the Wii when we get home?"

Me:"First, you need to finish writing your cards, then you need to get ready for baseball practice. If there's still time, you can play before we leave."

Perry: (PAUSE...) "Mommy, the Bible says the last will be first."

Wow. Manipulating scripture to meet his needs at such an early age. We're so proud! Um, yeah, we're working on that...

If you pray, please pray for me, that God will open my eyes and give me the courage and the resources to love and serve my neighbors! I'll pray the same for you.

Our Weekend

2008-04-27T20:47:00.000-04:00

This picture pretty much sums up our weekend (at least our Saturday). We had ambitions for getting some work done in the yard and such, but we spent much of the day at the ball park instead. Perry's team played the only undefeated team left in his league, and guess what? They're not undefeated anymore! It was a great game, and the kids had a lot of fun, despite a rain delay, which was the 1st reason we were there longer than we'd planned...

After his game, the coach of another team asked if he could stay and play for them since they were short. And since Perry would love to play baseball at least 20 hours out of the day, he jumped at the chance. Strangely enough, even after almost 4 hours on the field, he was begging us to play with him before dinner!

Well, we did buy a weed whacker yesterday. One of these days we'll find the time to use it!

Today was an awesome day at church. I have some deep thoughts about some of the things we've been learning at church and discussing in our life group. That will have to wait for another day, though. I'm coming down with some sort of sinus infection or some such nastiness, so I'm headed for the elliptical and then to bed!

Welcome!

2008-04-27T16:19:00.000-04:00

So...I've done it! I've created a blog. Now hopefully I can find the time to post regularly. I thought this would be a great way to keep in the loop with all of our widespread friends and family. I've always wanted to become a journaler, but that whole pencil and paper thing tires me out just thinking about it. Since Perry was born, I've wanted to do this even more, because my kid says and does some pretty funny stuff, y'all! I plan to use this to relate events in our family's lives and to express my thoughts.

I'll update as often as I can and let you know what's going on with us. Right now I'm off to host our Life Group.