Wednesday, February 27, 2008

The problem with the second child....

As many of you know my sister and Clint are both "second children" and I hear from both of them on a regular basis that there aren't any pictures of them like there were of the first child. They were so neglected and mistreated, etc. etc. etc. However, I now know why there are fewer pictures of that second child. They do not like pictures. Isabelle will pose for my camera any day, but put her in front of a photographer that she does not know and she will cry and scream every time. I can not count the times that she has had picture day and they do not take her picture because of her breakdown. Yesterday was one of those days. They were taking pictures at preschool. They were the cute pictures where they dress them up in old fashioned clothes and take the sephia color antique looking pictures. I thought this would be a good thing. Isabelle loves to get dressed up. Obviously not when a strange camera man is involved. So, yet another picture was not taken of my darling princess. Of course her daddy told her, "That is okay it saves me money, but your mom is going to be upset." Anyway, PRINCESS when you are a teenageer and you are complaining about being neglected because mom has more pictures of Camon, I will pull out this blog to remind you - I tried.

The most joyous thing to a Mother's heart.

Camon has really started asking questions about salvation this week. He seems so young to me, but also seems to really understand more than I expect him to. Sunday night he talked to Clint and then brought it up again yesterday when I got him from school. When he got in my car, he said, "Mom, I have really been thinking about Jesus alot." I asked him what about, and he said,"about asking him in my heart and getting bafitized". (translated - baptized) We talked a while and I asked him several questions. Then he said, "Trae told me that there is a school where all they learn about is Jesus - nothing else. They don't have to read, or color, or learn math, just learn about Jesus." I am sure that something was lost in this story somewhere, but he was convinced that such a place exists. He talked about how cool it would be (anything to get him out of "school" as he knows it). Anyway, I knew that this Trae was somewhat of a troublemaker, so I asked Camon - "Does Trae go to church?" He said, "Yes, but he sure doesn't act like it at school." That made me laugh. Even in kindergarten kids notice things. Anyway, I am really excited about his interest lately and would love it if you would join with Clint and I in praying for him. Nothing will give me more pleasure in raising my kids, than to see them come to the saving knowledge of Christ Jesus.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Growing up before my eyes!!!

For some reason, I have not been very observant when I pick the kids up at church on Wednesday nights. Last night I went over to get them out of their class (which I have always assumed was pre-K and K, because I THOUGHT that they were both in the same class) Camon was across the hall in another class. So, when we got in the car I told him that I did not know that he was not in Mrs. Shea's class anymore. To which he boldly replied, "MOOOOOOMMMMM - I am 6 years old!!! I am not in the baby class." I do not know where I have been (and probably should't admit that I did not know this, since he has been in there since August). Just more proof that our babies grow up too fast and we do not take time to enjoy them near enough. And, after talking to some friends about their teenagers and even their "grown" kids, I do not think that I will EVER say again that I wish they would "grow-out" of a stage. (except maybe the diaper stage) I can handle their problems/fits right now!!!!

Monday, February 18, 2008

My Daughter - The Modest One !!

Well, I knew that it had been way too long since Isabelle had pulled one of her famous stunts. This one ranks right up there with throwing her tennis shoes away because she did not like them...

Yesterday we were getting ready for church and Isabelle saw that I had put on a slip, so she wanted one too. My mom had made her one for her birthday last year, out of my grandmothers old slip. Now, she has grown quite a bit, so the slip is very short on her, but I was not putting it on her to serve any other purpose but to pacify her desire to wear one. So, we put it on. Camon came in the room and told her that she looked beautiful - he is a boy they do not know that a slip is "underwear", he just assumed that the pretty dress-like thing that she had on was in fact a dress. So, then she wanted to wear just it, so I agreed to let her continue getting ready and told her that we would put her dress on last. That satisfied her - for that moment!!

So, as we are pulling in the church parking lot she asks me, "Momma, when we get home can I take off my dress and just wear my slip?" To which I said sure! I mean why not?!?!?!

Then, as church is about to start, my friend Megan who was working in Children's Church came to get me. She said that she thought Isabelle was hot and that I might want to come check her for a fever. I explained that she had Fifth's Disease last week and her cheeks were still a little rosy but that she was not contageous. She then said that she thought I still should come check on her. So, I did - the whole time hoping that it was not the Flu (since everyone I know has had it). I walk into the Children's building and there on the front row was my little darling almost 4 year old. Dressed just as pretty as can be in, you guessed it, just her slip. I quickly grabbed her dress (which was hanging neatly on her chair - like a jacket), wrapped her in it, and took her to the bathroom to re-dress her. I then tried my best to explain to her that she could not take her dress off. She said, "But, Why? This is so pretty!!!" Oh my!!! I could not stop laughing after that incident. I kept seeing the scene over and over, Isabelle sitting on the front row, dress off, legs crossed, like there was nothing wrong with having a slip on in church!!! The workers were laughing and said that they assumed that she was running fever because when they told her to put her dress on (after they realized that I did not SEND her in just that) she said that she was too hot. No, she just wanted EVERYONE to see her pretty slip.

What can you say - it is a memory that I will NEVER forget! I just wish that I would have taken a picture before I jerked her up and put her clothes back on. I would have definitely had blackmail for the future!!!

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Happy Valentines Day!!!


I am so blessed to have the perfect Valentine. I know that I give Clint a hard time, but days like this cause me to think about what he really means to me. I am so thankful that I have a person to share this undying love with. There is no one else like him and I am so thankful that God joined us together over 9 years ago. He has made me laugh, made me proud, made me happy, and yes at times made me mad and made me cry, but most of all "made" me love him unconditionally. And I know that it can only get better in the years to come. I love you Clint!!!!!

Monday, February 11, 2008

Catching up !!!

Okay, so I told a little story, I have not gotten back in the swing of things with my blog. I have really missed it. I am done traveling (for this month anyway) and so hopefully I will be back at it daily. I have been writing a few things down that the kids have said lately (they all seem to deal with death and Heaven????). So, to catch up let me list them for you:

You know how sometimes you think that your kids never listen, especially in church. Well, we were in church several weeks ago and the preacher was talking about a man who called him to tell him his son died in a car wreck. He told about a 5 minute story, the entire time Camon was drawing on a maze book that he got for Christmas. I figured that he was totally not paying attention. Then came time for the Invitation and we stood up, when from behind me, I heard Camon crying. I sat down and asked him what was wrong. He said, "I am just sad about that little boy who died." Now, the "little" boy was 30 years old, but all he heard was a "son" and so it made him a little boy. He then started talking about Heaven (which has been a common topic since they lost two great-grandmothers and a great-uncle last year). He then began asking all sorts of questions and sobbing. He is sooooo sensitive. It is sweet in a sort of sad way!!!! I am sure that he will grow out of it (if he is anything like his daddy)!

Then about a week later I picked him up from school and down the road about a mile, I heard him crying in the backseat. I said, "Camon what is the matter?" He said, "I am the only person in my class without a grandma." Now, he has 2 grandmas and a great-grandma still alive, but we do not call any of them "grandma". He said, "But my grandma died and is in Heaven. Everyone else in the class still has a grandma that is alive, but me." He was devastated and could not be convinced that Mimi, MawMaw, and Mammy were his grandma's, too. I felt so sorry for him.

Then, as we were driving down the road a couple of days later, Camon asked me if his family that is in Heaven would be there to see him when he gets there. I told him that I believed that they would. So, he said "Well, my Sunday school teacher said that we will have a new body and that we won't hurt or be sad anymore." "Yes", I replied. "Then how will we recognize each other?" Boy, his little mind sure does work hard. I sort of answered him (enough that he quit questioning anyway). And then, he said "Will they still have old bodies with wrinkles or will they look like they did when they were a kid?" I told him, "I just don't know" Gosh, sometimes I wish that I had all the answers, because he is so full of questions. Then he ended the conversation with, "Well, it doesn't matter because they are in a cooler place."

Another day, Isabelle brought up my Uncle Dennis who died from heart trouble. And then started talking about her friend, Nala, who had open heart surgery. Camon said, "When doctors work on your heart, do they have to actually go in your chest and see your heart and see the blood?" I told him that most times they do. To which he responded, "Well, I don't imagine that I will ever be a heart doctor, then."

And lastly, yesterday we were on the way to church. We stopped at the Donut shop in town and Clint went in. The kids and I were in the truck, with the windows up, THANKFULLY. This truck parked beside us and a little elderly lady got out with a walking cane. Isabelle said, " Momma she sure is old. I think she needs to go ahead and go to Heaven." Kids will say whatever is on their minds.

I love talking about Heaven and am anticipating getting there one day and hopefully learning some answers to my children's questions. But, boy do I wish my kids would find a new topic. I am beginning to worry about them becoming disturbed by death. I guess I should just chalk it up to them being curious and maybe one day their questions leading them to Salvation through Jesus. So, bring on the hard questions kids. I love the way your little minds work!!!

Monday, February 4, 2008

Our Ski Trip !!!

Yes, Clint and I made it back safely from our spur-of-the-moment ski trip. We had a good time (most of the time). We went with three other couples. Clint skiied everyday, but I passed on the skiing this year. I think that I would have enjoyed it more if I had at least one day on the slopes. (and if my babies had been there with me) I spent one day doing nothing but reading, watching it snow and just being plain lazy! Then I went shopping and had a manicure/pedicure one day. That afternoon, after Clint got in from skiing we were sitting at the dining room table and I all of a sudden had a terrible pain in my tooth. I took some Tylenol and waited for the pain to go away - and it never did. So, here we were 14 hours from home, me trying to be tough and saying that I did not need anyone to get me anything, and pregnant so I could not take anything else for pain. I finally gave in at 9:30 and sent poor Clint and our friend Chris into town for ANYTHING to ease the pain. Of course we are in a little town, with no dentist, no hospital, and no pharmasist on the weekends. They were able to find something to help with the pain for a while. Clint was a little agitated with me, considering he had been asking if I needed him to go get me something since about 3:00 that afternoon, and I kept saying, "No." He told me he wished I would be more of a baby when I hurt instead of trying to be tough and then giving in hours later when I can hardly take it. I hought that I had had a toothache before, but I am now convinced that I NEVER have had one. It was one of the most painful things that I can recall. I was miserable. I finally got home and went to the Dentist 3 days later, only to find out that I need a root canal. Yea!!!! He put a "temporary" fix on it and so I am not hurting right now, but for a while I thought that I was not going to make it through it. It did not help that I was missing my kids terribly. They were so excited to see us. It always sounds good to get away from it all for a while, but once you are there you just want it all back. I do not like to be away from them. (And I am heading out tomorrow for the rest of the week for work) I need to find a job where I can stay home more - or I just need to learn to say NO!!!!! Anyway, the trip was great, the weather beautiful, I just could have done without the pain!!!