Three Links Left on the Birthday Chain

I can not believe that in three days, my baby girl is going to be three.
I'm excited that with time, we get to explore new places, see her do new things.... but why does that mean my baby has to grow up?

Time Grabs You By The Wrist & Tells You Where To Go

Is that not profound?
Wish I could claim the quote as my own but it actually belongs to the song made popular in the 90's, "Time of Your Life".

I am not the world's best mom. I'm not the worst. But I'm trying. And next to living my life for Christ, it's the thing I think about most in my life. And I try all the time.

Yesterday at MOPS, the guest speaker said, "children are like wet cement." Yipes. Could I feel more guilty?
At the times I have yelled.
At the times I have spanked.
At the times I've said, "I'll read to you in just a minute. let me finish my work."

And this is not just a relationship. Not a friendship, in which you have a certain amount of time in which to perfect your interractions.
Flynn will only be 35.57 months today.
And Gabe is only 14.45 months today.

I only have one chance to mother. And they only have one mother. Time is fleeting. Like I said before , I want to freeze time. When I hold Gabe's long body & his legs hang off my lap, seemingly further than they did the day before, I remember.
It's going by so fast.
I don't want to have any regrets.
I want to be a good mommy today.
Or as Flynn says, "Momma."

I'm going to go.... Flynn wants me to read to her.

J & Christine's Wedding

Wow, am I behind or what??! Their wedding was 2 weeks ago. Remember, back in the day (like 6 mos ago!), when I updated my blog almost daily. Ahh....sigh....

Anywho, this was one of the most beautiful weddings I've been to. And flawless by the way. Christine was beautiful & her flower girl wasn't too shabby either ;)

Enjoy these photos.

Happy Fall

It's going by so quickly.

Thank God I have photos to savor those moments.

Time to Pray

My Aunt Alice (my mom's sister) was diagnosed last month with Multiple Myeloma (Bone Cancer). She began treatment on that day at the Bone Marrow Division at Siteman Cancer Center. And had her first chemo treatment the other day.

She withheld this for a month....My cousin was getting married (Sat.) & she didn't want to spoil his big day.
I am asking for each of you to pray for her that the chemo and meds will drive all the bad cells into remission forever. God healed my aunt from this same type of cancer in 1991.
We believe that He will heal her (Psalm 30:2: O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me) & that we will have her for many many more years. We also pray that she will not be sick with these treatments and that she will have a peace (Philippians 4:12: And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.)

Please add my aunt to your daily prayer, to your church's prayer list, to anything you can...
My family thanks for your prayers.

Growing Up Together

Everytime we finally make time to get together with the Frosts', I feel bad.

Because it's been so long.

Seriously, why do we let the things to do in life, keep us from doing the really important things?

Our kids are growing up & they should be growing up together.

They love each other so much.

And who knew a cone could be so much fun?

A Frost-Perry pile up.

Delaney's hug turns into a lift.

Awww..the boys are SO cute together.

"Six Fags"

Is what Flynn calls it. Her Miss Heather took us a few weeks ago.

I can remember growing up, getting to go each summer. I could never sleep the night before and would anticipate that smell of blacktop.

It still smells that way even though so much of it has changed.

New rides.
The Time Tunnel, aka Makeout Tunnel is now the new Scooby Doo Ride.
Still smells moldy.

The fact that it had a carousel made it a big hit! And so much to do...it ALMOST wore her out.

Now it's a favorite place of Flynn's.

Oh Fall, How I Love Thee....

Let me count the ways...

Flynn-tionary

"yerget" = yogurt
"ball-catch" (sounds much like pole cats) = catch (w/ the ball)
"punkin catch" = pumpkin patch
"Bubbo", "Bubs", "Bubby", "Mister" (sounds much like Mitter), "Son", "Boy", "Gabers" = Gabe
"Cation" = vacation (wish we were on one)
"Woocy" = Gammy's dog Lucy

Go Cards!

Albert Pujols broke a scoreless deadlock with a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and Chris Carpenter rocked in the Cardinals' 5-1 victory over the Padres on Tuesday in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
High Five!

My Before Picture

My sister, mom & I are starting a weight loss contest.

I'm the biggest I've ever been.

My goal is 25 lbs.

This should be easy, as I'm at least 30 lbs overweight, by my standards.

THIS

is my before picture.

Happy B'day Dad

My dad's b'day was yesterday. For a 60-"something" year old, he sure does a lot for us. Helped Jeff finish our basement a few years ago, showed Jeff how to put our fence in. When he's here, he gets on the floor & plays with the kids. Takes them on walks. And bales me out on a regular basis.
Kinda like tomorrow, how he's going to watch the kids for me while I'm in a staff meeting. The kids. The kids. Three kids. Three kids under three.
Yipes.
Good luck Dad.

Carbaholics UNITE

A few weeks ago, I decided enough was enough, it's time to lose some weight.

I decided to watch my carb & sugar intake (a modified version of the diabetic diet I followed while pregnant).

I've done fair with it. Not as strict as when I was pregnant & a baby's health was dependent upon me but definitely changed my habits.

I weighed myself several times....

I've gained 3 lbs.

Blessed

I've heard from several different people, different things, describing how God doesn't exactly take care of them... 'He doesn't drop a bag of money in my lap' 'He doesn't pay my house payment', etc.
But He does our's.
Well, kinda.

We're strapped. Well, we're more than just broke, our finances are a bit inside out right now. Due to my tough year last year with hospital stays, emergency room visits, Flynn's medical expenses, etc. We regularly sit down & see "what else can we cut?" and "how do we pay our mortgage this month?"
It can't be a surprise to anyone who knows a teacher's salary that we don't have money. Us four living on that. With me being home, only to babysit & work for church...and Jeff teaching and coaching on the side, it doesn't leave time for any other jobs, let alone extra stuff.

I said all that, to say this: We get blessed. It might not be obvious (well, sometimes it really is)...but the provision of God comes often in subtle ways.
I'll get a large bag of hand me downs for the kids.
My mom will bring a few packages of meat over.
My MIL will pick up Flynn's prescription.
Although those aren't small. They make up a huge part of how we're cared for.

We stress about, 'How are we going to pay for this or that?' But it happens. Somedays I'm all, "Jeff...Jeff....God will provide, He will!" The other days I'm squeezing my migraine & saying, "Jeff...Jeff...How are we going to make it?"

One of my fav chapters in the bible Matthew 6, addresses worry. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE the "NIRV" (new international readers version)... Here's what it says (it's lengthy, but really read it to the end, you won't be sorry)...

25 "I tell you, do not worry. Don't worry about your life and what you will eat or drink. And don't worry about your body and what you will wear. Isn't there more to life than eating? Aren't there more important things for the body than clothes?
26 "Look at the birds of the air. They don't plant or gather crops. They don't put away crops in storerooms. But your Father who is in heaven feeds them. Aren't you worth much more than they are?
27 "Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the wild flowers grow. They don't work or make clothing. 29 But here is what I tell you. Not even Solomon in all of his glory was dressed like one of those flowers.
30 "If that is how God dresses the wild grass, won't he dress you even better? After all, the grass is here only today. Tomorrow it is thrown into the fire. Your faith is so small!
31 "So don't worry. Don't say, 'What will we eat?' Or, 'What will we drink?' Or, 'What will we wear?' 32 People who are ungodly run after all of those things. Your Father who is in heaven knows that you need them.
33 "But put God's kingdom first. Do what he wants you to do. Then all of those things will also be given to you.
34 "So don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

There -- aren't you glad you read 'til the end?

I had a thought when I read that just now. I thought about how sometimes Flynn frets. She worries, even at her young age. My immediate response to her in those moments? "Don't you worry...Mommy will take care of it...Daddy will take care of it."

Ever think that's what God says?

I guess it is.

Bragging Part 1

Okay, so I felt a little guilty after that last post. Sheesh, you'd think it wasn't a Friday!!
Anywho, I've decided to do some bragging...

First of all, look at this hotshot, who thinks that everything is to either climb, sit on, or stand on. How could I get crabby with this stinker around?

And then there's my little challenger. She challenges everything. But I'm experiencing the coolest thing with her & that's this: A child who blows your mind because she keeps doing crazy, intelligent things that have me going, "What?, You did that?" Then I look around for anyone who will share the marvel with me (that would be little G). And then when Daddy gets home he says, "She did NOT do that." And I'm all like, "Yep, shore did."
















I really need to find a book about children's artwork, like what's appropriate & what's not. Should she really be drawing faces with all these features? (eyebrows????!!!!) And what's particularly amusing about this drawing is -- notice that everyone but Bubby has hair!


Then there's this guy (the big guy). Who is not only super studly, but has GOT to be the best husband & father there is (no offense Dad). He basically works two jobs (becuz of coaching) and is gone very very long days. Actually, his shortest days are 11 hrs & half his days are 14+ hr days. He could come home understandably exhausted but he doesn't. Well, like last night... he came home after a 14 hour day. He helped me tuck kids in, then did dishes. Yes, I said DID DISHES. What a guy. On my best day I don't deserve him on his worst.





Okay, have I redeemed myself? I hope so... I certainly have no cause to complain. Life is good. I am blessed.

Crabbing part 1

Well, since this blog is my chance to brag & crab (& we all know I do enough bragging), allow me to crab...

The phone rings at 6:30 a.m. today. And it's the beep....beep...beep (fax machine).
Then, just now it rings. I pick it up. Beep....beep...beep. So I check caller ID, it's Wiegmann, Gerald, PE - Wiegmann & Associates
750 Fountain Lakes Blvd St Charles, MO 63301-9840 (636) 940-1056.
So I think, I will just call there.... they'll probably feel so bad that they called here in the 6 a.m. hour (I know I would).

The receptionist (or whomever answers their phone) answers. I say, "Hi, I believe your fax is accidentally dialing our number. It called just now and it also called here at 6:30 this morning."
She just sat there, no apology, no surprise just, "What's the number?"
Me, "OUR number is ###-####. I don't know what number YOU'RE trying to dial."
Her, "Well, YOUR number is the one I need... to go clear it."
Silence.
Her, "Okay, I'll go try to fix it."
Silence.
Me waiting on her to apologize or SOMETHING.
Silence.
awkward silence.
Her, "Alright, goodbye."
Me, "Hm." Click.

What is wrong with businesses anymore??? I have worked in a number of environments serving individuals and NEVER EVER NEVER EVER treated anyone on the phone this way. Especially in this scenario. First of all, when I regularly used a fax, I NEVER misdialed. But things happen, I understand. Just apologize when you call someone's home, potentially wake their sleeping children and rudely alert the person who answers, with, BEEP - BEEP - BEEP...

I was nice when I called her. I was all like, 'this happened, thought you should know, your fax isn't going through...'
She was rude.
Rude.
Rude.

I immediately wanted to call back & ask her why she thought it was okay to be rude to ME, the victim of the violent beeping at 6 am. Why when I did NOTHING to her, nothing but heard the phone ring from my BED (becuz I happen to have the day off which is a MAJOR rarity). And how does their practice run successfully, when her face is the first that's seen & when she handles minor situations like that one, without the slightest bit of etiquette.
But I didn't.

Know why? (besides the fact that I have high blood pressure & don't need to enter into a conflict with a rude person who's not likely to see it the correct way anyway)...

Because she'll go on about her day. Actually, she probably isn't even thinking about me right now (the way I am using my time thinking of her). She's moved on. She's probably being rude to someone different right now.
But to keep dwelling on it, will only use more of my precious and very limited time.

God has other thoughts for me to think. Scripture to meditate.

Okay, I'm going to stop thinking about it. Ready, GO! RIGHT NOW.

Aha Use #1

Breast Pump Shield. Original use: To aid the breast in milk pumping for breast milk storage.

Aha use: Funnel for husband's milk jug kool aid consumption.

You RealSimple readers will appreciate this. And any fellow hoosiers who also use empty milk jugs in leau of a pitcher. Yep, we're that country.

Another use: Can be explained in a quote from one of my all time favorite movies, "Oil Me."

Prayer

DADDY I think Flynn's fish is stuck to the filter, I hope it doesn't die.

FLYNN Mommy my fish is stuck.

MOMMY Maybe we should pray for the fish.

FLYNN Okay.

Head bowed, hand clasped.

FLYNN Now I lay me, down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep.....
etc.

The fish lived.

I Hate You Asthma

If Flynn were a Boy

She would look like this.

For some reason, her 2" eyelashes don't show up in this photo, which adds to the dudeness. She would've made a cute boy--But makes an even cuter girl!!