Things I now understand as an adult that I was oblivious to as a child

I sometimes wish for the innocence of childhood especially when I watch my own children. It made me think about how different life is approached as we get older. It is way less complicated to be a child and it's funny how as a child we can't wait to get older. I have a list of things I now understand about my parents and other adults that I didn't have a clue of as a child.

1. Money really doesn't grow on trees and just because you have checks (or checkcard now) doesn't mean you have any money.
2. Having all the lights on in the house is problematic.
3. Having brand new shoes on doesn't make you run any faster. (but I am so glad mom let me think it did-I've passed that one on)
4. Making good grades is important and will make a difference.
5. Running with scissors or any other sharp object is very dangerous.
6. Playing in the street is actually not a good idea.
7. Being more upset over your child getting hurt than they are makes perfect sense.
8. Hanging out with the right friends is very important and will make a difference in who you become.
9. You really can't fly even with a super cool cape on fashioned from a blanket.
10. Television does fry your brain. (and if you sit too close you might not lose your vision but will have a really bad headache)
11. Your face won't stay that way when making a funny face, but it will annoy if done over and over again.
12. Playing outside is good for you and keeps you from getting fat and lazy.
13. Knowing where your child is every minute is not a form of punishment but is being a good parent.
14. Being one of the "popular"kids in school won't make a bit of difference in the real world.
15. I really don't think I have ever used Algebra.
16. Some "music" really does sound like it comes from the devil.
17. The "oldies" are goodies.
18. It's ok to buy your clothes from Wal-Mart or Target because labels are ridiculous.
19. You can make your parents crazy.
20. Being brought up to know the Lord is a gift.

...and I'm sure there are so many more.

I love knowing now things I didn't know then and isn't it interesting that the same wisdom will be passed on and on from our children to theirs. (let's hope!)

God Bless!

My guilty pleasure - Reality TV

Ok, I have to admit that some reality tv is just too good to miss. I watched the "Bachelor" last night and it was like watching a train wreck... I couldn't look away.
I'm not sure where they pick the girls to be on this show. Maybe they're in bars or on the side of the road waiting to be taken to Hollywood and "discovered".
I know I discovered how embarrased I could get just watching them make fools of themselves and I wasn't even there in person. This poor guy doesn't even know how ridiculous the whole situation was because he was being pulled in 25 different directions and could not possibly have been able to focus on any of them long enough to notice that the majority were certifiable. I did pick 2 out of the 25 loons that were possibly there for the right reason (if that's even plausible).
I still can't help but watch these shinanigans and laugh - but I think it's mostly a nervous laugh because the whole time I feel this knot in the pit of my stomach because of the absurdity of their actions. It amazes me that what seems like a normal looking girl that seems to have it all together with a job and a family could end up on this show, cursing out some other chick because of a GUY. 1st of all - did the producers tell each girl individually that she was going to be the only one on the show? Haven't they seen this program before or have they been raised in a jungle or popped out of a tramp-in-the-box? (too harsh? you didn't see the show) It would seem their families would take them aside and say "Please don't make a complete fool out of yourself, for the sake of our family." But then again, maybe they do and when the cameras go on they just lose their minds. I also hope for the sake of women everywhere that it's editing. Whatever the case may be, it's fascinating! What does that say about me? Hmmmm? Oh well, next Monday you know where I'll be!

Never too late for pictures

Christmas was wonderful! (as you can see) The boys finally got a Wii from Santa and although we didn't have tons of presents for them to open they were thrilled. Santa played a game with them and had a really big box wrapped up with several smaller boxes inside.(which were also wrapped) The smallest and last box contained a note (or clue) to where to find their present. When they figured out the clue they ran to find another wrapped box and another clue would be inside with a small part to the Wii. (this went on for around 3 clues and they finally found the BIG prize)- it was so much fun.
The pictures are some of my favorites. God bless!

1st sight of Christmas morning.

The game begins...

Finally!

my husband Matt

Cousins

silly cousins

my dad, aunt Amy, sister Melinda

Kelly & Cory (sis and bnl)

Sweet Sadie (my niece)

me and my dad

The New Year

I know I'm a little late on posting for New Year's and I still want to get a few of my Christmas pictures on, but I wanted to take my time and figure out what I wanted to write about.

I usually don't make New Year's resolutions because I know that I will intentionally "forget" what it is I said I was going to do. This year though, I feel a little different and maybe that has to do with this blog. I want out of the rut and need accountability through writing on this blog, so I have a top ten list of things I want to do.

1. Run a 5k ( this is funny because I HATE running, but I'm going to do this).

2. Do at least one random act of kindness to someone I don't know everyday this year. (I'm already kind enough to everyone I do know) -giggle.

3. Each month, do something new as a family.

4. Do a better job of keeping in touch with people I love.

5. Do things I really like to do and not feel guilty about it.

6. Care less about what others think of me.

7. Organize my house so that I am happy to live in it.

8. Eat better and take better care of my body.

9. Not feeling guilty if I don't eat better. - giggle, giggle.

10. Lean on God way more often.

I'll be posting my Christmas pictures soon. Love to everyone and

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Train

It was FREEZING, and it was also a warm experience that I shared with my sisters and I'm so thankful I was able to go.
I'm refering to a special place right here in Oklahoma called "The Christmas Train" in a little "town" outside of Pryor called "Dry Gulch". It was started by a pastor by the name of Willie George who leads a pretty popular church here called Church on the Move. He wanted to spread the true story of Christmas so that people from all walks of life could know Jesus.

When the idea was 1st presented to me, my first thought was I really didn't want to freeze and I also had visions of the boys walking around with red cheeks and their noses running all over the place, shouting every 10 minutes or so that they had to go to the bathroom (which, in my opinion should be added as an Olympic event in the wintertime).
But something told me that I don't get to have these opportunites with my sisters all that often and that I should seize this one. I'm glad I did.

It was a true Christmas fairytale. As you enter this little "town", you are greeted by smiling townsfolk dressed in attire that was reminicent of Little House on the Prarie. They open all the doors for you everywhere you go and say with a smile,"Merry Christmas" or "God bless".
The town was lit up with bright white Christmas lights on every building and it was beautiful. The shops and attractions were also from another time and reminded me a little of a smaller version of Silver Dollar City.
But the train was the highlight. It only lasts for about 5 minutes but as you ride they light up huge story boards complete with artistic representations of the birth of Christ and it goes through his life until His death on the cross. I was sitting in the middle of my 4 yr old and my niece (who, when we came upon the scene of Jesus hanging on the cross, said "Why are they torturing Jesus?" - out of the mouths of babes). Like I said, it was a very warm experience and by the end of our short trip through Jesus's life I was tearing up.
We finished our time there with a wagon ride, eating food that cost too much, stuffing ourselves into the shops with people needing their souvenir Christmas ornaments and letting the kids ride the merry-go-round. It was a blast. I think the warmth inside from sharing time with my family outweighed the cold outside. Hope we can do it again next year!

Feelin' the Love

Wow, all I had to do was ask. I asked God to just embrace me in His love and I received it through everyone with kind words from friends, family and the message in church today was especially uplifting. Thank you to everyone. I know that pothole days will come and go and what seems so difficult at certain times will get much easier to deal with later on.

And this too shall pass...

We all have those days when we need to be quiet, remember to focus on the most important things and try to SLOW down. It will probably be after the holidays before I'm completely back to a semblance of my normal self. -whatever that is ;)

But that's ok with me, I know this is a rough patch of road and I'm going to embrace it. I'll enjoy spending time with all of my family for Christmas, after all we only have this time once a year.

I really felt the love today and just wanted you to know!

Potholes

It has been a pothole day. My definition of a pothole day is a day that feels very similar to hitting a huge pothole. That feeling of driving along not worried about what lies ahead and just when your attention is focused on something else for a brief moment, WHAM, KERCHUNK, a pothole. It throws you off, it messes with the alignment on your car... See where I'm going?
I have really been doing ok lately, feeling strong, praying a lot and focusing on all our blessings, (having said that makes me feel guilty about how I'm feeling, did that make sense?) anyway, I've been motoring along ok. Today has just been hard. I've been so emotional about everything, wondering why it has to be so difficult everyday. With our finances the way they are everything becomes a major decision. There isn't freedom when there isn't money. One of the things that has been particularly hard on me is the fact that I've lost friends.(I know it's said that your true friends will be there no matter what, but they were good friends to me) and I probably haven't lost then in the truer sense of that word but it's difficult when it takes money just to leave your house. People like getting together for coffee or lunch, sometimes a movie or a girl's night. I can't participate in any of these things and if I do the other person ends up paying for me and that just really gets old. I feel pathetic when this happens because I know I can't reciprocate the favor. I am thankful for friends that will take care of me like that but I can just imagine that they're sitting there thinking to themselves "I'm not asking her to do anything again, I'll probably have to pay her way." Don't get me wrong, I won't even go out unless I have a little money to at least pay my way, but much of the time I won't have to pay because they know my money situation and offer. This is a lovely gesture that again, I'm grateful for but I just wish I had money to spend once in a while so I can pay their way for a change.
I really miss my friends.
Christamstime is just a ridiculous time for us. I try and tell myself that Christmas isn't really about all the presents, la la la, etc... But let's be honest, having presents under that tree from Santa is a pretty big deal to a 9 and 4 yr old. They don't realize that Santa's budget has become infinitely smaller than ever. I tried telling my 4 yr old that Santa gets presents for so many girls and boys that he can't get everything he wants. He says, "Yeah he can, he makes the toys"
Who came up with that lovely portion of the story? Why can't they rewrite it so that Santa has to shop at Wal-mart with all the people and sometimes they run out of toys. - Yes, I like that better.
Needless to say, I'm still grateful for everything we have. We are very blessed. It has just been a pothole kind of day. I lost my focus and now my alignment is off, time to take myself to the repair shop, the one that's owned and operated by Jesus.