A Fruitful Weekend

We went to the in-laws this weekend out in the boonies to what we fondly call "Dalecatraz." My father-in-law, Farmer Dale, has a farm with a 10 foot high fence, topped with barbed wire "to keep the deer out." I think it's to keep us out, but we keep finding out way back out there. I guess they shouldn't have given us a key. Anyway, I was "off the grid" as they say. While we were there, we had the 2nd Annual Family Kid Olympics. Papa and Granny had lots of fun games set up for the kids. It was a great day to be outside, the weather was beautiful and there was a hint of a breeze. When the kids got to hot, Papa took them through the sprinklers.


This is the Princess and her cousin, Sweet Thang in the race to drive the Gator through an obstacle course. I think the battery was getting low and the ground was a little wet from the sprinklers. Poor little Sweet Thang had to get out and push. How wrong is that?

After the Kid Olympics, we went out to the orchard. This is Papa, aka Farmer Dale, driving the kids out to pick some fruit.


Farmer Dale can grow anything he tries, he has such a green thumb.



Princess enjoyed picking and eating the blackberries.



Prince liked picking the apples, but he really loved eating the plums. Look at that face! He's an eater and I know this will only get worse as he gets older. He's already eating me out of house and home. Although, I think he is going through a growth spurt right now. Did I mention he's grown like 3 1/2 inches and gained 16 pounds since last August?!

I enjoy going out to the orchard and picking the fruit and veggies. Hubby thinks I'm crazy to like it so much but I didn't grow up having to farm like he did. There's something relaxing about being out in the quiet, admiring the landscape.


It's amazing, the way God made plants to flower and then produce fruit.

Yesterday morning as I was looking at all of the apples on the trees, I thought about how much care these trees need in order to produce good fruit. They need water, rich soil, time, care...the same things we need to provide in our own lives if we are to bear fruit. Time in the orchard this weekend provided such inspiration and time to reflect. I have been focusing my own studies on the Fruits of the Spirit and contemplating a blogging series around these themes. This was my confirmation. So stay tuned, we're going to look at these fruits in more detail...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Today we spent the afternoon with my parents and Mema. My dad smoked some awesome barbeque. We swam in the pool and had such a great time. I love seeing my parents and my Mema with Prince and Princess. All of these things are possible because of the men and women who have served their country and sacrificed to keep my family safe and allow us the freedoms we enjoy. My dad is a veteran and I'm thankful to him, my grandfathers, and all of the other dads and grandaddies that have served our country. My prayer is that our country will realize that we do need God's protection and mercy and that doesn't come unless we invite Him to be a part of everything we do. God Bless America.

A Servant's Heart

The other night when I called the kids inside to wash hands for supper, I overheard an interesting conversation between the Princess and the Prince. They were down the hall in their bathroom when I heard Princess say to Prince, “Let me wash your feet for you.” Then as she turned on the faucet in the tub she said, “Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. Isn’t this cool?”

As the Prince came to the dining room with clean feet, I thought about what the Princess had just done. She didn’t think there was anything to washing young Prince’s feet, she just did it, she wanted to do it. She had a servant’s heart. Jesus calls us to have a servant’s heart, to do things for others because it is helpful to them and makes them feel good, not for anything we get in return. Jesus calls us to love our neighbors…to love everyone and to serve them with a happy heart. Jesus said, “Whatever you have done to the least of these my brothers, you have done unto me.”

I have a confession to make: I have not had a servant’s heart lately. I have been tired and cranky, and have not felt like serving others. I have had a stinky attitude and I have done things more out of a feeling of obligation than because I want to serve Christ. This is a hard truth for me to face. I have allowed myself to get so run down that I haven’t stopped to consider what God would have me do. It’s been about how I felt, rather than what I’m called to do. I haven’t had my batteries recharged in quite a while. When I get so busy that I don’t take time to touch base with God and allow His Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts and actions, I am not able to see through His eyes. My vision becomes blurred and I see what my flawed eyes and heart see. God wants so much more for me. He wants to live and breathe and move through me. When I am in tune with His will for my life, my heart yearns to love and serve others and my motives are pure.

I am an empty vessel, Lord. Please fill me up with your Holy Spirit so that my heart may never be out of line with Your will for my life. Create in me a clean heart, Oh God and renew a right spirit within me. Give me a servant’s heart and allow me to serve Your people with a spirit of unconditional love.

There's No Crying in Baseball...or Is There?

Hubby and I signed Prince and Princess up for summer Little League. We thought that at age 5 they would be playing tee-ball. They've never played any kind of softball, tee-ball or anything before and we thought this would be a great beginning. Who would have known that they have already outgrown tee-ball?! They are in the next division up because they will be 6 before Sept. 1st. So we've been outside a little each day trying to teach them to bat and catch and throw. Tonight was the first practice with their team. They are by far the youngest on their team, but the coaches really spent time with them, trying to help them understand the basics and work to help them feel success. All went extremely well until...Prince tried to catch a ball and caught it with his nose. Yes, it was swollen, bleeding and he was crying. The mommy in me wanted to immediately run onto the field, but I held back a little because the mom that didn't want him to be a mama's boy wanted to use the old "shake it off, there's no crying in baseball" line. Ultimately I mommy did bring him off the field and I got the blood mostly to stop. After some water and a little TLC, I sent him back onto the field to finish practice. His nose is pretty swollen and is getting a little black but I think he is going to make it. Anyone have any experience in knowing how to tell if a kid has a broken nose? And what would they do for him anyway? The Princess did well tonight. She did not get hurt, and she was doing well with her batting and catching. I have to say though, that she runs like a girl. You just can't take the priss out of a prissy little girl, no matter what she's doing.

In other news, tomorrow is my dear sister's birthday. Happy Birthday Angie! My life totally changed the day you were born. I was an only child up to that point and I didn't have to share with anyone. Then you came into my life and everything that was once mine, was now yours too. Seriously, I'm so glad I have a sister. She keeps things exciting and she's the life of the party. Besides, who would do my nails for free? Love you Ang! I'm sorry I vaccuumed over your hair all those years ago. Hope you have an awesome birthday and a great cruise!

I Heart My Hubby

Today was an interesting day. For one thing, my dear sister put acrylic fingernails on me and I am struggling to type because I haven't had nails like this since my wedding 8 years ago. I thought I would give them a go. I think I'm going to like them (at least for a while) but it is a bit to get used to when trying to type or do anything really that involves using my fingers. Holla, sis! I'm trying to use a new word. The Lumberjack's Wife uses the word Holla a lot and while I understand its meaning, I'm not very good at using it in context. So I thought I would give it a try. Everyone go say, "Holla!" to The Lumberjack's Wife here. She is one of my favorite bloggers and she provides me with a daily dose of laughter. I heart The Lumberjack's Wife. Her blog makes my day.

So this afternoon I was logging onto my facebook page to send a message when I notice my status says, "I love my husband sooooo much! He's the BEST," and people are starting to comment on it. Interesting...I don't remember posting that as my status. Wait a minute, I didn't post that as my status. Not that it isn't true, because I do love my hubby very much and I do think he's pretty much all that and a bowl of grits, but I didn't write that. Then I notice that my dear hubby "likes" this status and has begun to comment along with my friend. I could not stop laughing. I was the last one logged into facebook on Hubby's i-phone so when he went onto facebook this morning he was logged in as me and decided I needed a new status.

How could I not love this handsome man?

Tonight as I was writing this blog, I got an instant message across on my computer from...hubby. He was sitting across the room from me and decided to send me a message. He's so goofy...but he makes me laugh. He was making fun of all of the clicking from my new fingernails typing on the computer. He was also trying to give me blogging ideas, one of which I'll probably work on for tomorrow. One of my favorite things about my hubby is that he is fun to be with and he makes me laugh. Laughter is great medicine and I have needed a giant dose of it lately. Sometimes I think I take life too seriously and I need to stop and loosen up a bit. I'm reminded of that old Gaither song, "Kids under construction, maybe the paint is still wet. Kids under construction, the Lord's just not through with me yet." Thank goodness God isn't through with me yet. Life's too short to be so uptight and such a control freak all the time. This is why I am so thankful that God sent me a partner with the gift of humor. He knows how to make me laugh. I would like to end tonight's blog by saying on my own, "I love my husband soooo much! He's the BEST."

Summer Reading

Summer vacation is officially here. While I will still be working part-time, it's nice to have some down time. One of my favorite things about summer is that I have more time to read. I enjoy reading, I just don't always have the time to read a lot during the school year. A couple of weeks ago I picked up "Firefly Lane" at our local wholesale club and once I started it, I couldn't put it down. Having finished that one, I was looking for another good read, when I happened upon "The Wednesday Sisters." So far it's really good as well. A few of my other favorites have been the Robin Jones Gunn "Sisterchicks" series as well as The Yada Yada Prayer Group Series, The Potluck Club series, Francine Rivers books...Most of what I read is Christian Fiction, although the last two books happen not to be Christian. I enjoy reading things other than Green Eggs and Ham and Is Your Mama a Llama?. So after "The Wednesday Sisters" I'll be looking for something else to read.

What are some of your favorite summer reads? What do you like to read and why? Give me some ideas!

Kids Say the Darndest Things

It's time for another installment of...

Kids Say the Darndest Things.

Last week the prince asked one of his teachers, "Why do our eyes only see outside? Why can't they turn around and look inside of our bodies?" His teacher was pretty smart about this one. She told him that God made us that way and that He looks on the inside and we're just supposed to look outside. I thought that was pretty smart of her. By the way, I've never wondered that and now I wonder why I never thought of it.

This morning I was having a conversation with the princess and she was talking about wild animals. She started talking about snakes and what types of things they eat. She said that snakes sometimes eat eggs from other animals "and sometimes they eat their own little baby snakes. I think they must eat their kids because they can't afford to have that many kids." Hmmmm....

And then when we pulled up to Sunday School this morning, Princess said, "Mom, I see Grandma's Catholic over there."
Me: Grandma's what?
Princess: Grandma's Catholic
Me: Do you mean Grandma's Cadillac?
Princess: Yes, Grandma's Cadillac. So then what's a Catholic?
Me: That's a kind of church...like we're Methodist and there's Baptist, then there's also Catholic like Dawn and Tony.
Princess: Oh.

Yes, they've been keeping me on my toes lately. Have a good week, everyone!

Closing the Preschool Chapter ~ Bittersweet Endings

Tonight my sweet twins will graduate from preschool. This is a bittersweet occasion for me. I know they are ready to go to kindergarten, but I am not ready for them to grow up and be in the world of "big school." I have had the best of situations, as I am the director at their preschool. I began work when they started school, so we've always just gone together and then we come home together and have the afternoons to play and spend time together. I know that most people don't have the opportunity to be so involved with their children's school experience. They aren't able to be there for every first their child has, but I have had that and now the chapter is coming to an end. I won't be able just to peek in, or grab a hug when they are in the hall going to the playground, not to mention that kindergarten will be a full day. The prince and princess have come so far since they first began school. *Sigh*

The prince was an escape artist and would take every opportunity to escape from his class and run down the hall to my office. During the first couple of weeks of school he fell out of his chair and busted his head open, needing stitches. His poor teacher had to come tell me what had happened and that he needed to go to the hospital. I also thought he'd never potty train, and then one day he just did. Just as of this year, his teacher took measurements from August to May. The kid has grown 4 1/2 inches and gained 16 pounds! 16 pounds, people! He eats me out of house and home.

The princess has grown in other ways. She has finally realized that there is more to life than being super cute (which she still is) but that there is value in being smart as well. She finally discovered that she can be smart, social, and beautiful all at the same time. She has made some great friends and one of her little friends will be at the same school next year so I'm hoping maybe they'll be in the same class. The princess' favorite phrases for her teachers and really anyone else who will listen are "Can I tell you something?" and "Ya know what?" She must ask her teacher those questions 20 times a day and she's only there for 3 hours. It's become a joke between us now. The princess has truly matured since she first started school. She is full of information that she's learned about history, animals, rhyming words, etc. and because she is so verbal, she shares with everyone. I remember when they learned about Abraham Lincoln's assasination, you would have thought it just happened.

The great thing about tonight is that I am the director and I get to graduate my own kids. The hard thing about tonight is that I am the director and I have to graduate my own kids. While all the other moms can have their own little moment of tears out in the congregation, I will be in front of everyone running the show so it's a luxury I don't have. I just hope I can hold it all together. For those of you reading this and thinking, what's the big deal it's only preschool? I know, I know. It's only preschool. It's just that it is a milestone that means that I no longer have preschoolers and I now have kids. It also means that this control freak will lose a little more of that control over who my kids are around, what they hear, what they are exposed to, etc. It means that I am going to have to give all of this up to God and trust that He will protect my children physically, as well as their little hearts and minds from things they shouldn't hear and know. It's a part of life and I know that there will be many more milestones that I have to look forward to. When one chapter ends, another begins and I am looking forward to the days ahead and all they hold: raising and growing strong,healthy, godly kids.