Hitting the Links

Visit these links. You will be touched.

The Kiss Challenge
This challenge is simply wonderful. What a practical way to bless my marraige! What a perfectly beautiful way to express my love. It will be fun layin' one on my man every day!

How Baby Jackson Saved A Life
This is a powerful story. You have to read all the way to the end. It is not just a propaganda story against abortion. It is a mom sharing her "mommy moment". It is a story with a lesson about how we affect the people around us.

Pachelbel Bedtime Story
I saw this video for the first time about 10 months ago. I laughed and smiled and then watched it over and over. I rediscovered the video last night. I hope it makes you smile.

Friday Flashback/Past Post Parade

Elaine at Miss Elaine-ous Life is hosting a Past Post Parade. She is hosting a blog meme where bloggers link to a past post from the same month from a year (or more) in the past. It was so fun to look at my old posts from January 2008 and 2007!

Exactly 2 years ago today, On January 30, 2007, I posted pictures of Seth and I at the Military Ball. That was quite a flashback for me! Sometimes military life seems like ages ago. (Also the pictures make me question my current desire to grow my hair long. I liked my hair in those pictures. Hmmm.... something to think about.)

Anyway, for today's flashback, go to Military Ball 2007

Thursday Thanks Tank #72

It is about 9 p.m. Pacific Time. The kids are in bed but not asleep. We got home about 8:40. Thursday nights are late nights for us. We are attending a parenting class. Here's what happens: Every Thursday afternoon I think, "Oh, I don't have the energy for this tonight." And every Thursday night after the class, I think, "This is wonderful! I am learning and growing."

WOW - okay, now it is 11:00 and my husband I just talked for 2 hours about what we are learning. I bought the 5 love languages books about 8 years ago and I think my husband and I just figured out what our respective "love languages" are. I am thankful for the class and for the growth in my marriage - as a couple and as a parenting unit.

I am also thankful that Wednesday night I typed out some thankful thoughts because now I am too tired to think beyond that. I was going to edit them (leave some things out, add other things, edit my thoughts, etc) but now you just it 'as is'.

Here are some things that are filling up my thanks tank:

Praying with my kids: Last night I had a teachable moment with one of my children. He was overtired and being overdramatic. I talked to him and we prayed. I am thankful for praying with my children (especially prayers that are beyond mealtime blessings and bedtime prayers).

Clothes: I am over-run with laundry. It frustrates me to no end that I seem to be unable to stay on top of it. As I was folding and folding and folding the clothes, I decided to thank God for our clothes. I am being purposeful (and dedicated) to thankfulness even when I am doing something that does not thrill me.

Muddy Shoes: My oldest son when out to play one afternoon and came home with muddy shoes. They were so muddy that his socks were soaked and brown inside of his shoes. I had him peel those off and carry his shoes to the laundry room. I told him that he sure was a boy! And he said, “Wow, you didn’t get mad at me.” I am not even sure what the point of this story is except that his response made me smile. I am thankful that I responded the way I did.

Bananas: Last week I made a quick run to the grocery store. I was at a local grocery and I noticed that they had their bananas on sale for 38 cents a pound. I noticed that was a great deal. This- the price of the bananas- was a milestone for me. I am starting to recognize normal prices and real sale prices. That was so encouraging!

My hard working husband: His work is really stressful right now. He has been putting in a lot of crazy hours. He has to work most of the weekend. I am thankful for his job. I am thankful that he cares sincerely for the people that he works with. I appreciate all that he does when he is home after a long day at work.

Thomas’s songs: My 3 year-old likes to come downstairs in the morning singing. It is the cutest thing and I have no idea where he gets it because my hubby and I don’t sing. This morning he came down and then said the he was not awake yet because he forgot to sing. He went back upstairs and came down singing. I am thankful that he wakes up that way. (Oh, and I wish I did!)

My clean kitchen floor (and my little helpers): David and Thomas helped me clean the kitchen floor this week. It was amazing how much fun they had. I am thankful that I gave myself the extra time needed to let them help. I am also VERY thankful for my clean floor. Yep, I have swept it about 6 times sine we moped but the floor is still much, much, much cleaner.



Oh, one more... I am thankful for little girl ponytails:

I need beauty school lessons

I have never been a "girly-girl". I have never been one spend much effort on my hair. I pretty much wash my hair, brush it and let it air dry. (That explains so much, I know.)

Now that I have a little girl, I want her to be as cute as possible. Yesterday I dediced to put her hair up. (Ok, wait, let me back track- in December I was laughed at because I didn't know where my friend got the clear rubber bands. Apparently even my husband new that they were clear ponytail holders!)

I bought some of the clear ponytail holders, which seemed perfect because they said "Ouchless" and because they seemed small enough to hold the tiny bit of hair that Elsie has.

LET ME JUST TELL YOU - they are not ouchless, if your mom pulls your hair when she puts them in.

These were really, really hard for me to get in. (Go head, let me some tips if you have any. Elsie would appreciate it!)

Here she is recovering.

Thankfully, chocolate milk helps make everything better.


Here are some of her brother's comments:

David: "She REALLY looks like a Toddler now!"
Thomas didn't have much to say about it. I did catch him trying to "touch them" (pull on them) a few times.
Jonathan (as he got in the car when I picked him up from school):
"Why did you put her hair like that?"
"No, seriously, why did you put her hair like that??"
"It is going to be really easy for me to pull her hair now."


Here is one of my favorite pictures.