Face Forward
I have noticed that lately I haven't posted much of anything. It seems like little thoughts, or pictures, end up on facebook, but not on my blog where (when printed) they are recorded forever.
So, I thought I would share some of those things here:
January 8, 2013
Apparently at Upwards tonight they asked members of Lakyn's team to lead a prayer during the devotional period. No one volunteered, so Lakyn thought she might as well do it. So there, in the First Baptist Church, Lakyn lead her team in the 'Hail Mary'. She couldn't figure out why no one joined in and 'followed along'.
(I figure next week she will have them making the sign of the cross.)
And on Christmas Eve, L, despite having immense excitement about the gifts she was going to open the next day, kept things in perspective.....
December 24, 2012: Lakyn just came to me and said, "Tomorrow, if I get too excited while opening presents and I forget, I just want to go ahead and tell you now...'thank you'."
Then, after discovering the movie "Home Alone" for the first time and falling immediately in love with it, the kids embraced their inner independent child.
December 22, 2012
I am beginning to get concerned. After marathon viewing of Home Alone, Blake has been downstairs, going on an hour, designing his 'trap'. After going downstairs to check out the situation, Lakyn has returned with a roll of packing tape with a statement about needing to devise a 'trap' of her own. This could be interesting....
......and it was. The basement had string and boxes, and tape and hot glue was used in places it had never been used before. And the kids, they loved taking turns being the robber and getting "caught".
Of course, there was the Marlin "Redneck" Christmas, on December 15,....where we celebrated our roots...and Duck Dynasty:
We also participated in the 5th annual Tour de Turkey on Thanksgiving:
And even though B crashed and burned on the first hill, he was a trooper and got right back up, and right back on, and finished the entire 11 miles.
November was a month of thankfulness. Everyday, I listed something I was thankful for. Some were big things, some were small things. These are my biggest things....
Day 20: Today (and everyday) I am thankful for Blake. He is a little old man in a 7 year old body. He continually energizes me with his excitement and enthusiasm for small things…which are often old things. He finds value in things discarded and joy in the most unlikely places. He questions things I have always taken for granted and challenges me to reach beyond my comfort zone. I love heari...ng is common usage of big words and laughing with Steven over his adult conversations. He is sensitive, warm, and a definite momma’s boy. (He can be pushing a car through the dirt pile one minute, making explosion noises….and the next minute be found climbing on my lap whispering, “I love you, momma” while squeezing me tight.) Although in no hurry for my kids to grow up, I can’t wait to see the man that my little boy will turn out to be, and am thankful everyday that God allowed us to be the family that gets a front row seat to his life. My hunch, AND MY HOPE, is that the man will be much the same as the boy.....
Day 25: Today, on what happens to be our anniversary, I am thankful for my husband. As I have said before, he is the hardest working man I have ever known. He always, without fail, puts the welfare of his family above himself. He is thoughtful, loving, patient (Lord knows with me he would have to be!), kind, and has the best sense of humor ever! I know many people don’t get to see that side of... Steven, but laughter has gotten us through some pretty tough times…and his humor has prompted some of our friends to beg us to start our own reality TV show. ;) Steven is hands down the best father I have ever been witness to, and no, I am not biased. Seeing him with the kids leaves me both thankful, and striving to be a better parent myself. At the end of a 14+ hour day he immediately immerses himself in whatever the kids ask of him and gives 110% to them. I have often told him that it is alright to tell the kids that he’s tired and worn out and that he doesn’t need to feel like every night needs to be devoted to them…and they will understand. However, he tells me that all too soon they won’t want to spend this time with him. However, I can’t imagine that time ever coming…. 12 years ago I wouldn’t have been able to wrap my head around all the ways that God would bless this marriage and our little family, but I am thankful everyday that He has.
And then, on November 13, 2012 Lakyn showed me, once again, that she is wise beyond her years:
November 1, 2012
And, of course, I am sure my kids aren't thankful that their mom is a dork...but maybe they will be thankful I can at least admit it.....
Nothing like going to the school, talking to several people there, getting gas and seeing people I know, and then going to the grocery store to pick up a few things and ended up talking to someone I know, only to end up at home and realize that my new, comfy jeans still had the size sticker strip still on them. Down my leg. In full view. I am a dork. Look up dork in the dictionary and you will see my picture. (Why, oh why, couldn't I be a size 3? Then I would proudly "accidentally" leave the size sticker on when I went out in public.)
So, I thought I would share some of those things here:
January 8, 2013
Apparently at Upwards tonight they asked members of Lakyn's team to lead a prayer during the devotional period. No one volunteered, so Lakyn thought she might as well do it. So there, in the First Baptist Church, Lakyn lead her team in the 'Hail Mary'. She couldn't figure out why no one joined in and 'followed along'.
(I figure next week she will have them making the sign of the cross.)
And on Christmas Eve, L, despite having immense excitement about the gifts she was going to open the next day, kept things in perspective.....
December 24, 2012: Lakyn just came to me and said, "Tomorrow, if I get too excited while opening presents and I forget, I just want to go ahead and tell you now...'thank you'."
Then, after discovering the movie "Home Alone" for the first time and falling immediately in love with it, the kids embraced their inner independent child.
December 22, 2012
I am beginning to get concerned. After marathon viewing of Home Alone, Blake has been downstairs, going on an hour, designing his 'trap'. After going downstairs to check out the situation, Lakyn has returned with a roll of packing tape with a statement about needing to devise a 'trap' of her own. This could be interesting....
......and it was. The basement had string and boxes, and tape and hot glue was used in places it had never been used before. And the kids, they loved taking turns being the robber and getting "caught".
Of course, there was the Marlin "Redneck" Christmas, on December 15,....where we celebrated our roots...and Duck Dynasty:
We also participated in the 5th annual Tour de Turkey on Thanksgiving:
And even though B crashed and burned on the first hill, he was a trooper and got right back up, and right back on, and finished the entire 11 miles.
November was a month of thankfulness. Everyday, I listed something I was thankful for. Some were big things, some were small things. These are my biggest things....
Day 19: Today (and everyday) I am thankful for Lakyn. This 9 year old child of mine has taught me more about understanding and compassion than I thought possible. Like us all, she has faced ugliness, friends being unkind, and pressure to conform. At times, when even as an adult, I would want to lick my wounds, or hurl words at someone to hurt them as they have hurt me, she chooses, verbally an...d in actions, to "love them anyway"...often times citing reasons why they are feeling the need to do the things they have done and always showing understanding and empathy. She is not perfect (just ask Aunt Sissy), nor would I want her to be. She is, however, perfect for our family. I DO NOT know why God gifted her to us, as I know that I do not deserve her, but I do know that she has been one of the best teachers I have ever had.
Day 20: Today (and everyday) I am thankful for Blake. He is a little old man in a 7 year old body. He continually energizes me with his excitement and enthusiasm for small things…which are often old things. He finds value in things discarded and joy in the most unlikely places. He questions things I have always taken for granted and challenges me to reach beyond my comfort zone. I love heari...ng is common usage of big words and laughing with Steven over his adult conversations. He is sensitive, warm, and a definite momma’s boy. (He can be pushing a car through the dirt pile one minute, making explosion noises….and the next minute be found climbing on my lap whispering, “I love you, momma” while squeezing me tight.) Although in no hurry for my kids to grow up, I can’t wait to see the man that my little boy will turn out to be, and am thankful everyday that God allowed us to be the family that gets a front row seat to his life. My hunch, AND MY HOPE, is that the man will be much the same as the boy.....
Day 25: Today, on what happens to be our anniversary, I am thankful for my husband. As I have said before, he is the hardest working man I have ever known. He always, without fail, puts the welfare of his family above himself. He is thoughtful, loving, patient (Lord knows with me he would have to be!), kind, and has the best sense of humor ever! I know many people don’t get to see that side of... Steven, but laughter has gotten us through some pretty tough times…and his humor has prompted some of our friends to beg us to start our own reality TV show. ;) Steven is hands down the best father I have ever been witness to, and no, I am not biased. Seeing him with the kids leaves me both thankful, and striving to be a better parent myself. At the end of a 14+ hour day he immediately immerses himself in whatever the kids ask of him and gives 110% to them. I have often told him that it is alright to tell the kids that he’s tired and worn out and that he doesn’t need to feel like every night needs to be devoted to them…and they will understand. However, he tells me that all too soon they won’t want to spend this time with him. However, I can’t imagine that time ever coming…. 12 years ago I wouldn’t have been able to wrap my head around all the ways that God would bless this marriage and our little family, but I am thankful everyday that He has.
And then, on November 13, 2012 Lakyn showed me, once again, that she is wise beyond her years:
This morning, while watching the TODAY show and getting ready for school, I made the comment to Lakyn that I didn't realize that the music group One Direction was that big. She replies, in monotone, "they're not". I tell her that based on the record crowd showing up outside the studio they apparently are. She looks at me and says, "It's JUST teenage girls. That's all. They really aren't that big of a deal. Like, really, they only have one good song and only one of them is cute." Then she looks at the tv and exasperatedly says (as if to the girls on the screen), "He's not going to marry you!", and then she looks back at me and says, "they probably think they are going to marry them."
November 1, 2012
Day 1: Today I am thankful for the sound of laughter coming from my children. Especially the hard core giggles that leave them short of breath. The harder they laugh, the harder it is for my mood to be anything but good. What a gift.
And, of course, I am sure my kids aren't thankful that their mom is a dork...but maybe they will be thankful I can at least admit it.....
Nothing like going to the school, talking to several people there, getting gas and seeing people I know, and then going to the grocery store to pick up a few things and ended up talking to someone I know, only to end up at home and realize that my new, comfy jeans still had the size sticker strip still on them. Down my leg. In full view. I am a dork. Look up dork in the dictionary and you will see my picture. (Why, oh why, couldn't I be a size 3? Then I would proudly "accidentally" leave the size sticker on when I went out in public.)
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