Midnight Madness

After the events of last night, I have added something to my already full to-do list for today:

*purchase and install a child safety lock on the back door

(If you know my children, you already know which child this story involves.)
Last night, at about 12:30am, Seth and I were sound asleep in bed when I heard a noise. From our open bedroom door, you can see straight down the hallway to the back door, and as I opened my eyes to the sound, my heart stopped as I saw the back door standing open. I was about to wake up my oblivious snoring husband when I heard water running.

I sat up in bed and peered down the dark hallway. I couldn't see anything but the open door and the little light it was letting in. I got out of bed walked to our bedroom doorway. I looked down and saw Mann's blanket puppy on the floor. My stomach flipped. I raced to the open door. There he was, standing outside the door. And the running water that I had heard? Mann was peeing.

"What are you doing?!" He looked at me like that was the stupidest question he had ever heard. "I had to pee," he said calmly, as he pulled back up his pajama bottoms, took his puppy from my hands, and headed back inside.

Nevermind that he had to walk past two perfectly good bathrooms from his bedroom to the back door!

I tucked Mann back in his bed and locked the back door, but didn't sleep much the rest of the night. My eyes were fixed on that door, waiting for Mann to take his next restroom break.

This morning, I asked Mann if he remembered going out the back door to pee last night. He said he did and when I asked him why he felt he needed to go outside in the middle of the night to pee, he said, "To grow the plants." You have to love a 3 year old's reasoning!

Comments

Hey everyone. I have opened up my comments section to make it easier for people to leave comments. You no longer have to belong to Google or anything. Anyone can leave a comment. Sorry I am just now figuring out how to do this. I am still learning! :)

Mary versus the milkshake

It's always easy to say you are going to eat right when you stomach is full of food. I always thought that when I turned 30, an alarm would go off in my brain, automatically causing me to eat better. Well, my 30th birthday came and went in April and I heard no alarm. Therefore, I still stuff my face with the same food I always have.

The thing is, I know how to eat well, I just refuse to. I know what foods are good for me and what's bad for me. I'm sure you are like, "Well, who doesn't?" Ummmmm...Seth, for example, doesn't. His idea of eating healthy is a salad....with fried chicken strips, cheese, bacon bits and croutons, swimming in ranch dressing. Or he might eat a chicken fried steak, smothered in cream gravy, but have no mashed potatoes and skip the ice cream afterwards. Even more depressing is that when Seth goes on one of his "diets" he loses 10 to 15 pounds!

So, it looks like I am going to have to sound off my own alarm. I have 10 pounds to lose. I am vowing to eat less and eat better and exercise more. No fad diets, no speed diet pills. Just me, making wiser choices about what foods I put in my body. Which is easy to say because I am not hungry yet. Wish me luck!

A so-called "Christian"

I saw a preview for a movie that looked really interesting. First, let it be said, that I am a fan of teen movies and TV shows. While the rest of my friends are watching more "grown-up" shows like Grey's Anatomy and Army Wives, I am watching The Secret Life of the American Teenager. I don't know why...I like to think it's because I am a teacher and can relate to teenagers and their way of thinking, but it's probably just because I am still a kid at heart!

Anyway, the movie is called Easy A. Cut to the chase, the part of the movie trailer that drew me in was Amanda Bynes character, who is supposed to be a "Christian." Here's the trailer, if you would like to see.



Now Amanda's character acts in the way I feel like many Christians are perceived by non-believers. Obviously, she goes about dealing with Olive the wrong way, but I think we all do this at some time or another. Talking badly about others, judging others, thinking you are better than someone else....we are all guilty of it and if you claim not to be, I think you are lying to yourself. I'm not too proud to say that I am a sinner. I ask for God's forgiveness during my quiet time in the morning, but know that, although I will try hard not to, I will sin again.

I don't want to be one of these types of Christians who are seen like the character in the movie. I read recently about a group of Christians in Waco who are ministering to strippers. Here's the story, if you care to read it:
http://www.wacotrib.com/news/Waco-ministry-reaches-out-to-exotic-dancers.html

How neat is that? (Seth also thought this a very exciting ministry as well, until I explained to him that he would not get to participate by going into the clubs:) My point is that we need to reach out to those who need us. We shouldn't just be cooped up in a room with other Christians talking about how bad the world is around us. Let's do something!

Don't speak evil against each other. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God's law. Your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. -James 4:11-12

The Boys of Fall

It's already that time of year again. Let's get ready to play some football!!!

I love everything about football. I don't go see those Bears play to socialize! I love watching the game. I love the school spirit, the banners and bumper stickers. I love the pep rallys and the excitement of game days. I love the half-time shows and I love it when our team wins.

The only thing that is not so fun about football season is missing my husband. As a varsity coach for the Brownsboro Bears, Seth started back to work yesterday and we can expect to see very little of him until December when the season ends. Brownsboro coaches work 7 days a week during football season. Seth even will have to miss lunch with the family after church on Sundays to go to work.



But I think it's worth it. I love seeing the positive influence he has on his players and watching him out their coaching on Friday nights. And his little boys love rooting for "Daddy's team, the Bears!" Someday too soon, they will be out on that field!

Welcome football season! Go Bears! (Go Aggies and Go Cowboys, too!)

I'm a Circle!

A couple years ago, my friends Holly, Amy and I saw Vicki Sanderson speak at one of our teacher trainings. Vicki asked us to think in our mind of four different shapes:

a circle

a square

a triangle

or a squiggly line


She told us to draw on our papers which one just felt right to us.

Holly and I both drew circles and we have since said to each other many times, "But you know me, I'm a circle!" Everyone else might look at us like we have lost our minds, but we know what being a circle means.
(If you want to see what your shape means go to: http://www.psychometricshapes.co.uk/circle.php and click on the left side tabs)

Circles love people and are very social. They get along well with others. They like to wear comfortable clothes and would be the ones to bring a cushion to sit on at their desk at work. Vicki said that circles would be on time to the faculty meeting, not because they like to be on time, but because there might be food involved!

Circles have a hard time saying no. My friend Amy is a squiggly line. She floors me how easily she just says no. Someone asked her to participate in something a while back and she just looked her in the eye and said, "No, and you don't need to ask me in the future, because I am never going to do that." WOW!!!! How did she have the guts to say that?! But she didn't even think twice. I wished I could have that courage.

Circles tend to care about what others think about them. They hate conflict and will usually back down in an argument. This means that if the boss wants someone to volunteer for a task and there are no volunteers, a circle is the one who is asked to do it.

This would explain why last year I was in charge of the Flower Fund at school and why this year I am assisting with Student Council and agreed to take over Student Council duties the next year.

But being a circle, one of the things that I have trouble with is not being able to stand up for myself, my opinions and my beliefs. Circles don't like to say "No, I disagree with that," or start any sort of conflict. And if someone knows that you will not stand up to them, they can use it against you.

Recently, I was upset when another person was doing just that. I prayed to God to take the person's tacky comments away, but I still was just letting them eat at me. Then I noticed that Seth doesn't seem to let anything get to him. When I asked him how he did it, he explained that my problem was that I was a "Yes" person. Huh?

A "Yes" person (and a Circle person) tends to just agree with whoever is talking. When someone says something, we nod along even if we don't really agree. He said that it's alright to just say "Okay." Saying "Okay" means, "I hear you, I do not fully agree with you, but I am not starting a fight with you either. I am just acknowledging your opinion."

I was pleased with his advice and thought it was funny that God had led me to talk to Seth. Who knew he could be so wise? ;)

So, now I am working on being an "Okay" person. I am going to work at standing up for myself and I might even learn to say "No, but thanks for asking me!" (Being a circle, I just have to put that thank you part in there!)

On a completely different note, please say prayers for my husband and all of the coaches and football players that started two-a-days this week. It is supposed to be above 100 degrees everyday this week! I pray that everyone stays healthy and hydrated! Go Bears!

Three Different Blessings

Each child is unique. It's funny to see this in your own children. We have three children and although Seth and I made all three together, they could not be more different from each other!

Daniel is sensitive. He doesn't like loud noises or music. Last night as we ate with my dad, Trish and Mackenzie at the Jalapeno Tree, the waitstaff did a VERY loud "Happy Birthday" song at the table next to us. Daniel crawled under our table until it was over. He is quiet and could watch television from morning until night if you let him. Daniel can also play by himself for hours, just talking to himself and making up stories.

Mann is on the far other end of the spectrum. One word to describe Mann....UnPrEdIcTaBlE! One minute he is cuddling in your lap, the next he is throwing a tantrum at your feet and you have no idea what happened! He cannot sit still long enough to watch a single television show, much less a movie. When Seth took him to see Toy Story 3, Seth said there was running commentary from Mann throughout the entire film. He is very articulate and to say he is talkative would be an understatement. Mann loves sports and playing ball with his daddy best of all. If you ask him his name, you would hear, "Daddy's Mann!"

And sweet little Emma Jo. Although she's only 15 months old, you can already see her cute personality coming out. She likes attention and can be LOUD to get it. She loves to cuddle. Stuffed animals are her favorite toys, especially the ones that make noise! She has a little bit of sensitivity like Daniel, but can be bold and stubborn like Mann. She loves being outside and trying to keep up with her big brothers.

We are so blessed to have these three very different blessings!

Children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. - Psalm 127:3