discipline

Mike and I went to our first small group about discipline tonight. It was encouraging for me as a worn-out mom. I never intend to become worn out-it just sorta creeps up on me. The group was a breath of fresh air, though, really. Just knowing that others struggle with the same issues when you get to the heart of the matter helps. And being with friends for a short time also helps. Of course I laugh all the time (especially when it's inappropriate) so a good time was had by all. It's cool to be reminded that the reason for discipline is love. It motivates us as it motivates the Lord to discipline us. I ran across Kevin's blog tonight and thought it was very cool that he had already blogged about discipline and I just now found it again. Keep up the great writing, Kevin!

Here's the pictures that I couldn't resist sharing today. Abigail had her first dance class last night and really enjoyed it "now that she's a big girl". Lilly had her first carrots and enjoyed them, too. A good day, to say the least. carrots and dance, there you have it folks.

Now you all know why I don't enjoy feeding her solids so much.... she is wayyyyyyy messier than Abby ever has been and she's only 8 months old. I was still finding carrot crud in her nostrils this morning. Lord, help us all.

panty head day!

I've been sitting here laughing out loud for five minutes while cropping and de-red-eying this photo. Let me tell you a story.

I was having a horrible morning. I mean, really, my 3 year old was totally disobedient and I was admittedly too lazy to do much at all about it. Yep, it's true. I had gotten up at the crack of dawn trying hard to be the Proverbs 31 lady or something equally ridiculous and by 9 am I was exhausted. Then Brandi and Riley came over and she witnessed it. My laziness. My, gee, do I give a rip that Abby just backtalked me. I do, but I've given up. For the moment. I was truly beginning to think I need counseling for raising a 3 year old for crying out loud. As my headache grew "poundier" by the minute we see Abigail and Riley run by. They usually make Indian warrior sounds and this was no exception. But this time they had Dora panties on their cute little heads. (I'm sure his Dad will be saying, "Atta, boy!") Ah, it was so what my serious self needed. To really laugh with her-and her bestest bud. He's adorable. Really. I mean, I'm not sure why God brought us all together but I think it's very cool that the 2 of them are completely opposite in almost every aspect but they don't know life without each other. Plus, it teaches you a whole heck of a lot about yourself to see you or your child's polar opposite. So thankful for friends like that-for Abby's sake and mine!

I very much wanted to save this photo and scrap it before posting it but couldn't resist. Here's to panty raids, loud noises that wake babies, and moms who think they've had enough...

captivating thoughts

My brain is way over stimulated so maybe getting some thoughts out will help. This weekend's marriage enrichment time has been wonderful but it has produced mega thoughtfulness on my part. That's not uncommon in me with my melancholy personality. I process and process and process any information. I suppose I'm a melancholy personality, someone clarify for me what you think for I can't remember. I know I overthink everything to the point that it's ridiculous and it keeps me from thinking about what I need to think about. In fact, Mike and I were relating with some new old friends at lunch today how I used to ask him, "What are you thinking right now? What's going through your mind, whatever it is tell me." And he would say "Nothing!" I'm like, "Mike, there can't be nothing going through your brain, you're always thinking something, right?" And he's like, "No, you really can NOT be thinking all the time. There really can be no thought at any given moment." I'm still not sure I buy it but right now I wish I could do that. Just being and thinking nothing. All this to say: I often miss the forrest for the tree. Make sense? I guess I began thinking about totally irrelevant things today during the sessions and it has the potential to drive me crazy.

Thankfully,a friend gently reminded me earlier today, when I was having trouble focusing my thoughts, that II Corinthians 10:5 says:

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

When she quoted this to me it was a breath of fresh air and freed me so much to not let my thoughts overtake me.

I've made it a goal over the past few months to meditate on Ephesians 4:29 where Paul writes:

Don't let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, only what is useful for building others up according to their need, so that it may benefit those who listen."

In fact, I blogged about it then I think. At any rate, I can promise you that I've failed so many times while wrestling with this passage; but I can also see some slow progress (some of you might not think so but bear with me please) Over my lifetime I've learned lots of scripture and I'm obsessive about reading but sometimes I choose quantity over quality. This is the first time that I've honed in on one short little thought for so long and it's been incredible. I want to make it a life practice. God has whispered and yelled, if you will, the words of Eph. 4.29 to the point that my thoughts SOMETIMES don't make it out of my mouth. I've very much internalized it.

Maybe I got the cart before the horse, though, maybe I need to focus my attention for a while on taking each thought captive. Then I wouldn't have to worry so much about what comes out of my foot-shaped mouth being offensive, negative, argumentative, complaining, sarcastic, etc. To sum it up, I would have less trouble with the unwholesome talk. Or maybe I should just not talk so much! My wheels are turning on this. Taking thoughts captive so that they're obedient to Christ would totally solve the unwholesome talk issue for me. Any helpful comments about how to take thoughts captive and make them obedient are welcome. Tell me your thoughts. I remember a Bible study I did one time where this was one of the lessons or chapters or something. Man, I wish it weren't packed up somewhere in a box. I miss my books!

Maybe I can unpack this verse some more later after I've had some time to think, since that's what I like to do so much!

cravin' a list

Here's what Lilly does with my lists while I'm bloggin'. And to think, I just fed her!

reasons

I've been up since 6 am. I think I'm a morning person at heart. Already I've worked at the clinic (filing and laundry) for almost an hour, read some awesome blog entries, talked to 2 friends, and given Lilly a bottle. Waking early makes me feel so productive and I've still got the rest of my day. On the agenda for the day:work at Journey on kid stuff, organize files on computer, burn iPhoto pictures to CD's, label CD's that already are full, clean house, scrapbook at least one layout. Okay, I'll stop now. We'll see how accomplished I am by this afternoon!

Since I woke up early this morning I've been pondering and praying a little. There's so much I'm thankful for so I thought I'd share some of it with you.

Reasons I love being mom to a 7.5 month old:

1. listening to her coo and babble for 15 minutes after she wakes up

2. being able to still hold her whole little body so tight

3. seeing incredible firsts, like getting on all fours ready to begin crawling

4. she still stays where I put her (for now) (physically)

5. watching her face light up when mom or dad comes into the room

Reasons I love being mom to a 3.9 year old:

1. hearing spontaneous "I Love you, Mommy"s throughout the random day

2. getting incredible hugs and kisses

3. seeing pride in firsts, like big girl haircuts and getting ready for preschool

4. she's always physically right beside me, by choice

5. watching her face light up when mom or dad comes into the room

This is truly the short list. I know the best is yet to come, although the best is here now and was here "then". Make your own lists of reasons and enjoy today!

annoyingly awake

Newsflash....Kristy is NOT getting enough sleep lately. Again! And now it's not the baby's fault. I'm not sure whose fault or what's fault it is, but definitely not the baby. I guess except for the cheapo diapers I did try and they have leaked like 5 out of 7 nights and my little sweetie woke up all wet. At first I didn't realize and just kept trying to stuff the pacifier back in her mouth. It didn't last, not to worry! At any rate, changing crib sheets is no fun anytime of day, but especially not fun at 3 am.

Tonight we had Praise Band practice til' 11:30 pm. All to get ready for the Southeast Arkansas Marriage and Parenting Retreat this weekend. I'm not on the right browser to link up within my post so go to Journey Church in my link list over here and check it out. (right after you finish reading all this). It's going to be awesome and the place where we're playing rules!!!!! Now if I could just learn what notes are in a C# minor chord we'd all be doing great :) Oh, and when to play and when to clap. It's a wonder the band allows me. Really. By the grace of God I'm in with this incredible group of musicians. I truly enjoy it! In case you come and begin to wonder to yourself, "HMMM, Why does Kristy not have a microphone and everyone else does?" There is a reason - I can't sing and play at the same time and I've never bothered trying now that I think of it. Maybe it'll become a future goal. Right after learning c# minor and when to quit playing and start clapping. Anyway, come listen, come learn, come be with all of us praise banders and have a great weekend. You're all invited!

I can think of nothing else to say and I'm not sleepy yet. This is insane. I'm wide awake but not so wide awake that I want to do anything productive like clean house or wash clothes or read. Just wide awake in a very annoying sort of way. So, goodnight. Maybe. Maybe not ;)

blog mysteries

hmmmmm. My plan was to see if I could do a whole post using correct capitalization. Good thing I'm not a secretary as my typing has gotten horrendous with the recent technology boom. So far I'm doing better. Okay! My great blog mystery began yesterday afternoon. Here's the story. I got home from running errands (something I do way too much now that I have a vehicle) to find that my website was just a black screen. No picture of half-tied ribbons, no text, no links, no nothing. Just darkness. My first thought was, "AAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH! I've wasted 6 months of journaling, just like when I've been known to burn diaries, only that was on purpose and this wasn't. What in the H-E-double-hockey-sticks has happened, oh my cow. YIKES!!!!!" Really that was more like my first five thoughts but you get the picture. . Then I did what I always do in a crisis like this. I emailed Jeff asking for an explanation and hoping he'd burst into giddy laughter meaning that it was a well-intentioned prank or something. But, he had no such response. So he happily went in and changed my template. Lots! First it was some top-secret file looking thing. Then it was something else, then magic paper that I couldn't bear. So I went with the girlie tropical flower looking theme. Still couldn't like it...so then I had to email Jeff begging for him to fix it to my old trusty black and white with the half-tied ribbons picture because he had copied and pasted my blog template, not me. Crazy, I know. But the title wouldn't be so great without the great picture. Now I'm thinking that I need to go and change my password because this might just become an entertaining game for Jeff when he has any spare time on his hands. I could see him thinking, "HMMMMMM, wonder if Kristy will laugh at the Desperate Housewives" template. Scary, scary, scary. All this to tell you that I am such a complicated person. I love and hate change at the same time. I like my traditional ribbon photo and the black and white crisp look. It's a classic, if I do say so myself. And to all you folks who think I have a clue about blog templates and downloading photos and such as this....I don't. I've always made it my job to know the right folks:) So, no more asking help. I don't know how to help you. Heck, I just figured out how to place the photos in the text where I want them instead of all in a random blob together. Thanks Jeff!

Speaking of photos, here's some cards I created for a card swap and a workshop last week.




And here's the girls. Abby put Lilly in one of her toy baskets because according to her "that's what sisters do, Mom!". I think she thinks that if she says anything with confidence and that cute little smile I'll go for it and laugh. And usually, she's right!



My 2 babies are still up and it's almost 10 pm. I dread the day we go to school and have to have a bedtime because we say all the time, "Next week it's 8 o'clock bedtime." Yeah, right! It's yet to happen!

pangs

I'm not sure when my blog became so random but I've been trying to think of something to write about all day. I don't like this new phase of blogdom where it's not coming so easily.

I am missing some things (and people) latley. The beginning of the school year always brings back the tiniest, short-lived pangs of missing teaching. Mike and I are totallly committed and feel very strongly about my being home with the girls as much as possible-but STILL after 4 years out of the classroom, I miss the first weeks of school. Every year about this time while students are getting ready to go back and teachers are working long, hard hours preparing themselves and their classrooms I breathe a sigh of relief that it's not me - and wish it were at the same time. I wonder if I'll ever go back and wonder if it will be too late and I will feel like an ailien in a foreign land by the time I do. I have loved the beginning of the school year all my life. It signals growth, new beginnings, change. Plus fall is my favorite season and I know it's just around the corner. I mean, summer is great in it's own relaxed way, but I'm such a creature of habit, I thrive on a routine, and who doesn't love new supplies! I will just keep wondering for a while and enjoy my time and this season of my life!

I'm also missing Susanne. It's hitting me hard that she's moving/moved. She and I connected so quickly when they first moved here. Abby and the boys played many, many hours together and we had so much in common. It was an instant close friendship (very rare for me)! Suzi, I know we can keep in touch, we'll be friends in spite of the miles, blah, blah, cliche, blah... but it doesn't help at the moment. I miss you...you are so incredibly unique. You've taught me so much and helped me so much with my walk with the Lord. I'm glad to have shared part of the journey with you. Thanks for always being you and sharing your life with me! I should stop now and go write a card instead of airing this on the blog...I hope you all have friends like Susanne!

Now that I've probably gotten everybody down I'm off to bed. Tomorrow is a new day!

noteworthy blogs

There's a new trend sweeping the nation. Well, maybe not the nation, but at least my immediate circle of friends and family. I think I've already started a previous post with this but who cares. DE JA VU!!!! Mega! Back on track: I lose internet connection for 2 weeks and the blogosphere explodes! I have found lots of interesting new blogs to read and I'm still catching up. Here's a few of them. Sorry I haven't taken the time to link you guys up and update my links stuff. Maybe tomorrow! It's not that I don't love you, it's, it's, well, I'm lazy and really don't have a good reason :)

Stephanie's blog "The Clayton Clan". Mommy stuff and family updates-love to keep up with those 2 cute cousins.

Brad's Razorback Blog.Already making his 2006-07 predictions. You're brave, Brad.

Jenny's Blog "Small Town Mom"- good quotes and scripture as well as the daily mom stuff :) We go way back!

Brandy's "Sugar and Spice". More Mom stuff and good sewing machine story. Knowing Brandy and having watched her sew makes it all the more funny to me!

I'm looking for more and more posts from all of you! Everyone check them out and give them some feedback!

update at 12:44 am on Friday... couldn't sleep til' the short list was revamped. check them all out. I forgot to mention several friends and family above in my haste. Hopefully everyone is covered on the short list. Give me a shout out if you're not on there and your "peelings" (Abbyish for feelings) are hurt!!!!

houston

we have contact! yeah for mike, we now have everything hooked up. internet, camera, dock for camera, usb cord to dock. it's all in place. so as promised: me in the minivan. I'm loving all the funny comments this is producing. I promise to drive to the best of my ability. It's already got a small dent over the drivers tire so it's all broken in for me. That's the spot I've always dented on every car I've driven and it came ready to go. No need for another fender bender now! Mike was actually glad about that one. We also realized that the hub caps don't match. The 2 front ones are alike and the 2 back ones are alike but the sets aren't the same. GROOVY! I just keep reminding myself that it's paid for!

Pictures of my baby with her 2 front teeth and eating cereal.She is so messy that I've almost given up. We really need to hose her off with the water faucet when she's done. Maybe she'll get the hang of it soon but I'm about to give up on cereal and go straight for the good stuff-FRUIT! Maybe she'll keep it in her mouth if it tastes decent, huh? What a doll!!!!

pictures

Okay, I couldn't stand how there were no new pictures going on here for now. Here's some more of our trip to CT. This is my favorite beach picture, the feet of some of my friends. "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news." Can't remember the address for that verse but it's always stuck with me because of a song.

Also, one of us and our little trooper on our trip to NYC. I think it's in Grand Central but can't remember.


Oh, and one that Mike took while running to get out of the street before getting plowed down by a taxi. And some of you were worried about the flight?!?!?!? Just kidding! Great shot, Mike. Looks like an ad or something:) For running shoes! Glad you had yours on!

withdrawls

I'm having blog withdrawls. There's so many that I read (or used to read) on a normal basis-truthfully a DAILY basis. It's been 2 weeks since I read some of your blogs. Where does the time go? All I have time to do is turn around...barely!

Our small town is hosting the Babe Ruth World Series beginning today and so we've been happily involved in that. Journey folks have had a sweat shop in the back of the church and sewn these cool little neck cooler things to hand out for free. Actually they're kinda dorky but when it's hotter than blue blazes does it really matter what you look like? We are trying to do things to show others God's love in practical ways. Anyway, for 3 weeks we've been working round the clock (slight exaggeration, but at least nightly) sewing these little things and today we began to see the fruit of our labor. It was COOL! No pun intended!

I think both girls are actually in bed and asleep. Listen carefully and you can hear my fingers pounding out the keys. I learned a new trick for Abby that's mostly reverse psychology. I tell her to lay there and try to stay awake because I'm going to do such and such. Then I will be back to check on her and see if she's still awake. Why didn't I think of this before last week. The bedtime battle remains our biggest!

I can't find my camera plug ins to download pictures yet. Maybe while I'm on a steroid high (tooth troubles) I might go try to finish up the last of the moving stuff and find them! Heck, I might just catch up on my blog reading since I see no signs of being sleepy anytime soon... oh yeah, the pictures, I will post a picture of me in the minivan soon, of Lilly's two front teeth, and of Abby's earrings. Yep, she got them pierced yesterday!

Oh, and annonymous, I think I know who you are. Watch out for me in the minivan sometime soon I hope. I might even buy a big tumor for the top to stick stuff in! Then I'd really be groovy :)

ya' never know!

This is my favorite story right now and I've already told some of my blog readers but it's too good to not share. Yesterday Abby went to Riley's for the afternoon (thanks Jordyn) to play while Brandi, Lilly, and I went on a little road trip. When we got home we were in a hurry to get to a meeting so I didn't even look at the mess in his room. In the car, I said, "Abby, is Riley's room a mess?" Her reply, "Ya never know, Mom!" I had to get her to repeat herself twice before I understood and burst into laughter. Where does she come up with these things?

Other noteworthy news...I am the proud drive of a mini-van (GASP)! How did I get here? It's like I was just 16 saying "I'll never drive a mini-van!" Then I woke up and I'm 29 driving a mini-van with 2 little girls in tow. time warp. Anyway, Mike and I just read this incredible book called the Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. It's awesome. It's perfect for us and we paid cash for my wheels. It's the only way to go in our book! I still can't believe I have a car after 2 years of being a one-vehicle family. Watch out mini-van driving moms and dads. I'm in your ranks now!

ahhhhhh!

just a quick note to let you all know we're finally settled in (i think). moving is such a pain but now that it's over we can breathe a sigh of relief. there's still little things left to do like recaulk the girl's tub, clean up the outside junk like the grill and other things that just got piled up, and organize a little more.

my to do list is growing for this week fast. i've got to get piano students registered after 8 months off and several other important things this week.

glad our internet is now up and running and that i'm back to the blog. thanks for still checking in though i've been taking a mandatory break :)

ps-Lilly got her first tooth and second tooth since i've been MIA...it's too cute. i need to take a picture if i can find the camera!