Labels: pity party, randomness, shameless plea

Shannon's at it again. She's got the whole world giving things away, and it's incredible as usual. I'd recommend heading over there as soon as you're done reading the mundane I've shared here.

I haven't been tagged in forever, so I thought I'd play along with Kate today. Here goes:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages.)
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

Well, guess what just happened to be the closest book today? Stepping Up . . . by Beth Moore, of course!

Satan is the author of isolation. The more our enemy takes us captive, the further we distance ourselves from healthy people. If we remain in captivity long enough, our circle will get smaller and smaller.

I almost never ever tag anyone, so I think I'll just let you tag yourself if you'd like to join in on this simple meme.

I, however, plan to head on over here to increase my chances of winning something free!

Join in if you would like. I haven't decided if I will give away anything yet or not . . . Have fun!

Labels: fun, meme, randomness

Found this at Antique Mommy awhile back, and it fits the bill for today . . .

Still amazed: that Jesus would die for a wretch like me.

Still getting used to: the new freedom of being in my 40's. That used to sound so old! Now it sounds like just gettin' started.

Still loving: my DP after 14 short years together.

Still proud of: having three children sans epidurals and pain meds. No need to share the details of hating needles more than pain itself, now do I? (Oh, guess I just did!)

Still not proud of: lies I've told to somehow make my life less complicated. Never really worked anyway, and I've spent many years confessing and asking forgiveness.

Still hoping: to be involved in the cause of adoption, either personally or helping others to adopt.

Still worried: about way too much of everything.

Still never going to: wear a tube top or eat anchovies on purpose.

Still pretending: that I'll get "discovered" someday.

Still reading: just about anything I can get into my hands. Must have bathroom reading! Currently reading this.

Still wanting to read: more than this list can contain.

Still interested in: blogging, (though I've not given it much time lately) floral arranging, painting, scrapbooking, singing, and shelling (Sanibel is definitely calling my name.)

Still not interested in: celebrities in general and all their sad escapades that make the news.

Still looking forward to: riding horses with my husband someday while wearing my favorite red boots.

Still not looking forward to: putting my feet in "those kind" of stirrups. (a yearly event, unfortunately)

Still failing: to leave it all in God's very capable hands.

Still grateful for: every single day of life and those who share it with me.

Still praying: for a little dark-eyed girl who may someday join our family.

Still not believing in: the image our media wants us to believe women should carry.

Still believing in: Jesus and being created in His image alone.

What are YOU still doing?

* * *

Be still and know that I am God ~ Psalm 46:10

Labels: meme, mind dribbles, randomness

Y'all were so great in sharing my woes regarding my missing flatware. As soon as it warms up I may take Barb's suggestion and look in the back yard, or on "Camp Kid" (the name my children call the hill behind our house).

Until then, I have some other questions I need to ask . . .

• Is it unrealistic to expect that my daughters, who have been back from their Thanksgiving vacation for, oh . . . NINE weeks, should have completely unpacked their luggage?
• Is it unrealistic for me to expect for a book on hamsters that I've been finding all over my house to make its way to a bookshelf or be sold, considering we took all hamsters back to PetSmart several days BEFORE Christmas? (Yes, this is where the "PetSmart" of our story began! We'll not be doing rodents around here again any time soon, ha ha!! Cue the maniacal laughter here)
  
• Is it unrealistic for me to expect that DP will get his clothes into the hamper or his kleenex into the trash can after wearing and using said items? It has been 14 years, y'all!
• Is it unrealistic for me to expect that when it is winter my children will gravitate toward wearing long sleeves and long pants rather than running around in short sleeves and shorts, complaining about how cold it is in our house all the time?
• Is it unrealistic to expect that after 41 years of knowing myself that I still get surprised at the way I react to all the unmet expectations that come my way?

These are my top five. I guess maybe if I run out of questions to ask I'll open up myself for you to ask questions of me. I just keep thinking no one would have any questions of me anyway, so why bother . . . you know how that goes.

What do you find unrealistic expectations in your life?

What happens at your house that causes you to say, "I just can't believe they did /didn't do that?"

Let me know.

Until we figure it all out . . . here is truth to fill in that void of unmet expectations:

Labels: childhood, family, randomness

When I got married I registered for flatware. DP and I were in agreement on the pattern, so we chose this.

Though it was interesting/odd to me that people would actually buy one piece of the flatware as a gift, I was thrilled that once it was all said and done we had a full service for eight, including the iced tea spoons (a must if you are going to live in the South). I even bought an extra four spoons at the Oneida outlet.

In addition to the Louisiana, we also received another boxed set of flatware. It had four place settings + an extra eight spoons.

Now, I am not good at math, but I can do simple addition. I started out with 24, count them, 24 teaspoons.

Today as I was about to sit down to my bowl of Fruity Cheerios with vanilla soy milk, I almost had to eat with one of these, because I could not find one clean teaspoon . . . and that would never do, not at all!

So, I'm wondering, am I the only woman around who has disappearing items from her home? Where do the spoons go? Or the socks? Or the mittens? Or . . . You fill in the blank.

I'm going to look under JD's bed. Last time I checked under there, I found an empty jar of strawberry jam . . . and . . . you guessed it, one of my teaspoons.

Have a great weekend, y'all!

Labels: fun, mind dribbles, randomness

Don't tell DP, but I have a date this morning.

We've not gotten together in a long time. Until now I've not really missed him, but Tony's voice has been echoing in my head lately.

I guess it's the whole "new year, new you" thing that permeates every advertisement and blog post you browse lately.

So, in a very few short minutes, after donning my extra supportive sports bra and other sweat-worthy exercise togs, I will be increasing my heart rate and facing the challenge that is Tony . . . including the bonus AB RIPPER 2oo . . .

If you hear my groaning from the comfort of your own home, please call 911 and send them to my neighborhood.

Before I head off into the land of the physically challenged, I thought I'd do a quick update of:

Labels: exercise, freedom, happies, randomness

I'm still trying to catch up from the weekend, and it's Tuesday already.

I promised y'all pictures from our trip, and I haven't forgotten. I'll try to do that later today when I have extricated myself from the garland and Christmas lights that will be surrounding me today.

Having been out of town for Thanksgiving has put me days behind on my decorating. I've still got scarecrows sitting around my house, for goodness' sakes.

Having no real coherent thoughts to share, I figured it was time for a list of random things about me. Here are seven:

1. I cannot go to bed the night I return from a trip unless my entire toiletry bag is unpacked and my vanity is restored to its pre-trip order. I left the rest of the BIG suitcase until yesterday, but all my personal stuff must be in its rightful place before I can rest my head.

2. Once Friday after Thanksgiving hits, it must be Christmas music all the time for me. I adore Christmas music and must be playing it from the moment I wake until my iPod lulls me to sleep at night. I play Christmas music all year long, but non stop throughout the holidays. The soundtrack from Polar Express accompanies me this morning.

3. My heart has been filled almost painfully full with thoughts of adoption again. God has used numerous ways over the past three weeks to assure me that the longing He has put in my heart for another child is not in vain. His timing is perfect, and He will fulfill that longing when He chooses.

4. I adore Lindt chocolate truffles, but I rarely bite into them. I usually put them in my mouth and let them melt there. My favorites are the dark chocolate and the mint.

5. My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is the cranberry orange salad I always had growing up. I must have it at Thanksgiving or Christmas, or my holiday is not complete. I made some Saturday night for a potluck Sunday so I wouldn't miss out on the experience this year.

6. Ragg socks make me itch, even if they are made out of cotton. I love how they feel as slippers in the winter, so I put smooth cotton socks on inside of them and scuff away in my cool ragg socks from here.

7. I always sing "egg shell sees" when singing Angels We Have Heard on High. I learned it in second grade and have never been able to change it.

So there you have it. Seven oddities that make me who I am. If you just have nothing better to do, go here for 200 more : )

Labels: meme, randomness

I saw this music meme a LONG time ago at someone's site . . . don't even remember now whose. It just fit with my lack of great content this morning. So enjoy!

Favorite Song From Childhood: "Pop Goes the Weasel" or "All Around the Mulberry Bush"

Favorite High School Dance Song: "We are Family" by the Pointer Sisters

Senior Class Song: "Friends" by Michael W. Smith

Song That Makes You Think of College: "Power of Love" by Huey Lewis

Favorite Rock & Roll Song: “Jack and Diane” by J.C. Mellencamp or John Cougar, or Mellencamp -- he's gone by all of them in my lifetime.

Favorite Disco Song: Not much of a Disco chick . at. all.

Favorite Country Western Song: "My Town" by Montgomery Gentry, "Would You Go With Me" by Josh Turner and many others I won't take time to list.

Favorite Pop Song: This hit the pop charts, and I love it . . . "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me

Favorite All Time Love Song: "Now That I've Found You" by Michael Bolton (That man's songs can make me turn into a puddle in a heart beat) Favorite for now . . . "Un Dia Llegara" by Josh Groban

Favorite Break Up Song: “Hard Habit to Break” by Chicago.

Favorite Slow Dance Song: Anything by Josh Groban

Song That Always Makes You Cry: "Silent Night", because I sang it to my sweeties every night in the rocker of our nursery.

Songs About Your Kid/s: We have special songs that we made up for each of our children that mean a ton to us but wouldn't probably sound all that great to anyone else.

Song That Reminds You Of Your Husband: I have a whole mental library, but the one that stands out more than any other is "Man You Would Write About" by 4Him.

Favorite Christmas Song: Not room enough for all of them here, but I do love "Merry Christmas" by Third Day and "Christmas Lullaby" by Mannheim Steamroller

Favorite Gospel/Praise Song: "God is Here" by Karen Clark Sheard

Favorite Ringtone on Cellphone: "How Can I Keep From Singing" by Chris Tomlin

I'm not tagging anyone, but if you've not done it and want to . . . let me know in the comments!

Labels: meme, music, randomness

I thought in honor of my second birthday out here in bloggityville I would share the very beginning of this here journey, way back when things were called "Homeschooling in the Peach State":

August 15, 2005
My very first post ever!

Introduction to "ME"

I am not new to reading blogs, but this is my first attempt at putting my thoughts out there for public consumption. I have been a SAHM for 9 years, ever since we brought our beautiful Libbyline home from the hospital. Sweetcheeks followed after almost three years, and John Deere Green speedily followed 16 months later.

I've done a few part-time freelancing jobs over the years, in addition to a stint recently at a local novelties shop where my kids referred to me as the "Candy Lady". Now, I am certifiably taking the plunge into "at-homeness" as my husband and I have chosen to bring our children home to school.

We are both college graduates, one of us with multiple degrees, and we have researched the topic of homeschooling exhaustively. Little did I know when this whole idea began to germinate in my head months ago that the world of homeschooling was so extensive. I have been pleasantly surprised as well as completely overwhelmed at all that is available for homeschoolers.

That touches on another topic (information/choice-overloaded Americans), but I'll save that for another blog. Goodness knows I can't touch on everything today. (Still haven't gotten back to this two years later!)

I am hoping this will be a place for me to spill my thoughts, musings, and experiences on a variety of subjects. Yet, because it is what drives me primarily, this space will be overflowing with my faith, my journey of homeschooling, and my family.

I love being a mom, and I am privileged to live in a country and a state that gives me the freedom of teaching my own children in my own home in my own way. A way that will take into account their interests, their learning styles, and their natural bent that God uniquely gave to each of them.

Hope to hear from other homeschoolers, as I know I am not a lone ranger out here on my own. I need and welcome support and encouragement from those who have walked this path ahead of me.

Labels: archives, homeschooling, randomness