Coming Full Circle

Me, Maggie(the bride-to-be), Brittany, and Holly

Long ago...I really don't know how long. I happened upon a blog of a girl from Mick's school that I vaguely knew from some of the softball girls. Started reading and it literally felt like at times I was reading my own thoughts, emotions, words from ten years ago. Eventually I revealed myself to the girl that I was stalking her blog and we began a friendship miles apart. She had followed Jesus to San Diego to help with a church plant. Millions of miles and about 20 different connections kept bringing her to my mind and I just felt compelled to pray. Would be meeting after would be meeting passed and alas I thought we'd never actually meet this side of heaven. But this girl named Maggie, who followed Jesus to San Diego, followed Jesus back home to Alabama about 6 months ago and we finally got to hang out face to face. Maggie also happens to be Brittany's(Rhett's Mommas) BFF so she helped make it happen. Long story longer, Maggie is engaged! Such an amazing story of God's plans. Lo and behold she is marrying a coach and I couldn't be happier for her. So Friday I packed up at 10 at night to make the trek to Bama Country with Brittany and Holly to go dress shopping the next morning. I did my best to hang with the twentysomethings, but I've always been a Grandma at heart. We had fun talking way too late and I loved hearing about the special people in Maggie's life and getting to know Maggie outside of the blog world. It is crazy how God orchestrates different peoples lives to intertwine at just the right times. I love that God chooses the most unlikely people to come together to teach, refine, challenge and love us.

The First Piece of the Puzzle

The Peppy Penguins! Erin and I.

Micah's photo shoot of us laughing!

As most of you know, whether you care or not is a whole nother story, but after finding out I'd be jobless by Labor Day I set forth on a task to not get a job but to be a stay at home momma. Unfortunately our bank account said that while very profitable for my children, not so much for our needs (and some wants) at the moment. After MANY unpretty arguments with God (and my husband) we came to the conclusion that I would need to work and that I would need to start praying in this fashion. Shortly thereafter I mentioned to the ELC director (Micah's preschool and also where I went to preschool:)) that I would be looking for a position. Lo and behold, they knew what I did not, that God wanted me there. So, I prayed and decided at this time I could only give up two days with my SadieJane without one or both of us losing our mind. So I agreed to teach a 2 year old class two days a week. Then I found out that I would be assisting MRS. MANN! For those that don't remember all the drama with me deciding to even send Micah to preschool, Mrs. Mann was his first teacher and she basically made everything ok for us and is basically the standard upon which everything else lies. While I'd be happy to teach with whoever, finding out that I would be with her was a sweet gift from the Lord saying, as always, I GOT this Stephanie. I am using even this to grow you and mold you into who I want you to be. I am beyond excited about being back in the classroom and having an opportunity to actually have some adult interaction as well. As I mentioned above this is the "first piece of the puzzle". You may be thinking, wow, they must pay exceptionally if now she only has to work two days a week. Well, they pay in love and friendships, with a few dollars on the side. It will help our ends meet but not quite...so I will finish the rest of the puzzle pieces after I finish my job at the chicken house. It looks as though God has presented another opportunity and I will enjoy that work too, but things aren't quite ironed out on that job yet, so I'll stick with describing this one because I am so happy about it:) I also want to state how much God is already using this for His good. Mrs. Mann is so different than me and has so much to teach me. I can't wait til the end of the year and some of her laidbackness and organization has magically rubbed off on me. Lord knows I don't want my analyticalness and worrydom to rub off onto her! Seriously, she is such a godly woman and I am just so thankful for this position at this time. It is a welcome reminder that God (not Stephanie) knows what's best for me. Jeremiah 29:11

Firsts.

I said, show me your teeth...and I got this. Oh. My. Stars. I laughed so hard at this face.

SayJ is checking on her Bubba here who wasn't feeling so good after he can't feel his lip. This is his attempt at a smile.

Bubba found his blankey shortly after we got home and SayJ was quick to give him lots of lovin'.

For SadieJane, her first trip to the dentist. For Micah, his first cavity. What is crazy is that in all that, it has been a pretty great day. We are all exhausted, but, for the first time when we got home from what could have been a stressful day, I actually felt like we had accomplished alot without having any major breakdowns or catastrophes. I mean, I know we've got plenty of transition coming to break up my game, but the days where I feel like we are running smoothly and without chaos are few and far between. So I'll give Him the glory for making it happen in our small window of the world. Both kiddos were superstars at the dentist. We go to Dr. Turner, a high school friend of Mick's and I would venture to wager that he is one of, if not THE best, practices around. They make everything run so smoothly and I am so thankful. (notsomuch for the hefty pricetag), but we are staying on the positive. They happened to have moved farther away but since it is worth it we make it an all day event. It is also close to where I lived and taught before I became a wife and mother so it was funny showing the kids (who could have cared less) all of the places I used to go, live, work, etc. SadieJane did great and cooperated, like I said, rockstars, but I was completely shocked, then I pretended like I wasn't surprised and that my children ALWAYS act like that. Hahaha. Micah has a fused tooth that we found out about long ago and we knew eventually we'd have to deal with a cavity there and alas today was the day. Again, because they are the greatest dentist practice they let us go eat lunch and come back to get it filled the same day. Yippee! Micah did great, they said, and I again pretended to be unphased and didn't mention my visions of restraints I had foreseen in my head. I am so thankful for days like this where I can step back enough to see that "I'm gonna miss this..." and take it in and praise God that He has given me something to be treasured. Even in the dentist's office, I can see how God works together things for the good. Thank you Lord for your personal love for each of us and the way you love us and show up in both tangible and intangible ways.

PBD times 2!

Yesterday I helped give Aunt Amy a shower for her second baby boy. It was a drop in and so much fun hanging out with great hostesses and just getting to visit with friends. Kristen, the house hostess has also started her own business monogramming and I think I might have to have a third child since she hadn't started the business with my first two:) The clothesline was all made by her. Her website is www.sbbowtique.com. Love it and thought I'd give her a plug. So thankful to celebrate another baby with Aim, can't believe we will get to meet Parker Brentley in a few short weeks. And as you can see Amy looks fabulous!

The Modge

Uh. Have I mentioned I need a new camera. Anyway, I've been getting crafty in my spare time::) Hahaha. Or in my time when I should be doing something more constructive. Ok, so I have always read crafty blogs and it seems like anybody who is anybody...always has mod podge in their instructions. It would appear that anything half way cute must include some of the stuff. So after getting a coupon for Hobby Lobby I went to purchase some and then come home and create something. For those that don't know (I didn't) Mod Podge is really just glue. I mean it is cooler than glue but after only one day of marraige to the stuff I am not sure of its difference. I am sure seasoned users reading my blog are scoffing at me but those that haven't used The Modge(my term of endearment for it), will want to know this, dontcha? At our ever exciting trips to the Alabama flea market, Santuck, where we purchase inordinate amounts of bows and boiled peanuts I had seen cute little bow holders and always thought to myself, I could do that. Shortly thereafter I'd think I bet they used "The Modge" on that. Not really, but they had definitely used paint and paint I can for sure do. I had planned to paint the plaque and then glue SayJ's initials on but then I got this idea to put pictures on it and then when I got the pictures out I realized none were going to fit on there. So I saw the cute little shutterfly card (which I am sure has a name) with all the thumbprints of the photos I ordered and alas, what you see above. A little modpodge and some long lost scrapbook letters with some minnie mouse ribbon and we have ourselves a bow holder. Yippee! Be impressed. I know you aren't, but I thought if I bossed you, you might be. Did it work?

It's the Great Harvest...

Some of our harvest...some weren't so good:(

We have had a garden for the last few years. Every year we have the standard tons of tomatoes, squash, zuchinni, okra, peppers and a few others. This year the zuchinni was insanely plentiful. We have fried it, baked it, grilled it, broiled it...you name it. Micahbird and I wanted to add something different this year so he and I bought watermelon seeds! Mick laughed when he saw them and neither of us really thought we would see anything come of it. Well, they grew and grew and one day we looked and they were about to go bad. So yesterday we picked most of them and Mick cut them and I could hardly believe our harvest. Mick hadn't been home in days and it was nice to have a night at home as a family.

The Beast

Yesterday my favorite movie came on Disney. Beauty and the Beast is my all time favorite and I had been wanting Micah and SayJ to see it. Micah watched completely entranced while SadieJane popped in every now and then to scream "Priiiiin-sin!!" (Princess:)). I watched too while I worked out and then up stairs while I got ready to go to work. I would occasionally shout downstairs to Micah about a favorite part or if something was scary I would check in. When the ending was happening I walked half way down the stairs to see if Micah was loving it. Well, he turned and looked at me with a face that I am beginning to recognize as the "I-am-about-to-fall-apart-unless-you-can-distract-me-big-time-face", so far I haven't succeeded with the distracting enough to stop the breakdown. I tried to explain to Micah that it was happy and Belle and the Prince could now be together. I showed him how everyone had changed back to who they were...and they were living happily ever after. Micah just kept saying "But I'm so sad!". His biggest upset I finally got out of him was about the Beast, he didn't want him to change. He was afraid that now if he was just the prince he couldn't protect Belle anymore. I just laughed to myself at how silly it was. But then I cried with him because I felt how real and sad he really was about the movie. Micah has the tenderest heart of anyone I know, I don't know where he learned to be so sensitive...or maybe I do.

Fast forward to last night after a long day with a few sparks of beauty in it. But for the most part just a hard day. I am still trying to gain perspective on God deciding I need a new job and aligning my heart with what He wants as I am having a serious struggle coping. While during the day I just battled with the Lord on why I have to work and stressed over how I am going to keep it together because it looks like now I will need to work two smaller jobs along with my responsibilities now. I also had to face to face tell people I work with that I wont be at my chicken house any longer. Made reality set in a little for me. Ugh. (I know, bear with me here through my grumbling...I have a point I promise) Nevermind I was blessed to have Nana watch the kiddos so I at least could talk to adults without Micah shouting "Why did you get fired?" and I had lunch aka therapy session that was like a breath of fresh air. I still let satan run his agenda all over my day. But then I took Micah to choir, something he has been dying to do for YEARS and what did he do? Cry like a baby, I mean serious wailing and gnashing of teeth. He has never acted like that about school or sunday school or anything. I was so shocked I probably overreacted and we ended up sitting on the church steps trying to talk it out. SayJ was dying to go to class so I ended up taking the girl who used to always cry and let her go in and Micah and I hung out on the steps a while longer. Ugh. (almost there...) Did I mention softball started and I am a single mom? Finally, I just decide to pack it up and go home. I had to make the walk of shame past all the workers and then past Aunt Wendy...we finally arrived at the car and I put the kiddos in and considered just camping out in the parking lot but then afraid of on lookers I reluctantly got in the car. As I drove home I cranked the music up for Micah and SadieJane and I just began to cry. (Don't worry I only let loose at red lights, poor car next to me) As tears ran down my face I thought to myself I am just so sad, but what for? And then it hit me, change. We all know I despise change and there is just alot involved in our lives lately. It was at that moment I thought of Micah and the beast and how silly I thought it for him to be so sad and crying over something that was actually a good change. That no one would want the beast to stay the beast. But here I am crying in my car, grumbling about my day because of CHANGE. All of which happens to be good change if I really believe Romans 8 and all. As I've thought more about the similarities of Micah and I's attitude I've thought of how God knows exactly what He is doing and how silly I must look to Him with all my worry and anxiety. But then I thought of how I felt crying with Micah because I saw his pain and felt his hurt. How much more must God be seeing me and loving me through all this yuck. Ahhhh...and of course I had to also think to myself, who wants "the beast to stay the beast". With all my grumbling and denying what God so obviously is doing in my life is like wanting to stay where I am and refusing to change which is also obviously for my good and for my growth. Got it. Thanks Disney, I knew you had to have some intrinsic value with all the love we have for you.

Hopefully we can get back to some normalcy now that I've hashed this all out. Pa-sha we all know this probably wont be the last you (or my husband) hears of my grumbling, but I promise to at least be better:)

Nasties...

It's not what you think. Nasties is what SadieJane calls gymnastics. Over the summer SayJ really took to the Mommy(or Daddy) and me Gymnastics. She did really well and after much agony we found a way for her to continue through the school year. I talked with the staff and since she will be two in September they said she could go on in the big girl class. You know, the one where your mommy waits OUTSIDE the room. Eeck. I got my first taste of trying to access my child's performance without the bias of being her mom. I was literally nervous about her entering the class because I didn't want her to get demoted but I also didn't want her to be in a class she wasn't ready for...and we all know I've seen completely reasonable parents decide their child was waaay better than he/she actually is... Phew. She finished and her teachers said she did fine. She was no shining star (well, except to me). But she didn't meltdown and she obeyed. For the first time I saw SayJ be nervous too, as she waited at each station for a teacher to tell her to go. It was hilarious to watch. Micah couldn't stop watching either (through the lovely mirrored glass:) He just kept saying, "I think I should probably go help her", "Ok, I definitely need to help her now!", "Mom, look at her, what is she doing?". Love the age and stage Micah is at right now, I could sit and listen to him talk forever. Except when he so loudly mentioned to me while the five other Mommas are also crammed against the glass say "I just pooted, you smell that?" I sure did and so did all those other Mommas of cute little girls that had apparently never said anything like that, but hey we were at Nasties, for goodness sakes!

Nude Painting.

Hello from the Harper's!

While painting for his handprint Micah also painted his fingernails. Mick will be so proud.

When I told SadieJane we were going to paint she immediately thought I meant her nails.

Yogurt...

...it does a booty, I mean, body good!

Ok, so it wasn't what you were thinking. I just stripped Micahbird and SayJ down to paint today so it was technically naked painting:) Although we are working on potty training SadieJane so it is just about nude everything, nude eating, nude tv watching and nude playing...until she goes on the floor. Nana mentioned today that my posts have been lacking and she is right. I just don't have alot of fun posts swirling around and I think I've done my share of pity posts for the year so I have instead remained silent. Ick. Silence, not a gift of mine. But something that the Lord is definitely teaching me about. There is alot of change coming our way and it takes me a loooong time to transition into things. I'll post once I have gained all the appropriate perspective that I can stand. Back to the two nakey's above. They are really growing up. Ugh. More ch-ch-change. I can't take it. Oh yeah, no pity post. So anyways, I mentioned potty training and usually I wait til the standard two week mark before I mention anything on here but I've got nothing else to post about that as exciting as pee and poopy. Nice. Seriously though, before our trip to Florida SadieJane was begging to go on the potty. I would allow it but refused to start training so that we could get to Florida without nineteen stops for SayJ's fun potty trips. Micah on the other hand has and has always had the bladder of steel so we usually have to stop for Mick waaay before we have to stop for the bird. I promised her the week we got back we'd start. So I kept my word and went about it thinking that I'd try for a week and after that failure we would get serious after her second birthday. Positive Polly is here to stay:) Well, after a trip to the zoo in panties and peeing where every animal in the park had teeteed I bought the beautiful pullups and we are having a great time being potty trained. I say we, because with a girl I feel like I am being trained too. With Micah having external plumbing some things just "flowed" better and he seemed to get the tee tee issue faster. We all remember that he did NOT get the #2 issue at all and I worried we'd be in pullups in high school. But I was wrong, thank the Lord. Again with my positivity. We have alternated between panties, nakedness and pullups and they seem to all be helpful for different occasions. I know there are lots of schools of thought that say no to the pullups but so far they seem to our advantage not our detriment, and I'll be the first to tell you when they aren't:) Today, SadieJane has had victory all. day. long. even at nap. Now, I am sure as I am typing they'll be something wet on my couch but until then I'm excited! So, if we don't regress too much for any reason I will affirm that girls are indeed easier...except that they can't teetee on the wheel of our car, or on the ball field or through the fence. I also thought a child couldn't be trained til they could fully communicate with you their need...and while that would make things much easier, SadieJane has some major communication issues but somehow we are making the potty thing work. Who knew! It's been about a week and a half and we are averaging about one accident per day...usually provoked by me taking a shower and forgetting to take her before I get in or from the garage...something about that place makes people under four have to GO. I kid you not. Thank goodness for wipeable floor!
Poor second child hasn't had many milestone posts so I will update on a few things about her for my records and your amusement since I've already started with all the potty talk(or lackthereof). SayJ loves to shout! She can say just about anything (that I can then translate to those who aren't fluent in SJese) but she refuses to put two words together. It is the strangest thing. We still have our signature "getit" and "doit" but those are more like contractions than two separate words. She loves her Bubba and spends alot of time annoying the snot out of him. Bubba definitely reciprocates on both accounts. She has started saying that her name is either "Jane" or "SayJ", but it comes out sounding like "JJ". I actually came into the chicken house playground a few days ago and some older boys were calling her JJ. I couldn't figure it out at first but then realized she had told them her name!! This really tickles me because if you know her alot of her talking sounds alot like grunting and the fact the boys even got JJ out of her talk was exciting to me! She is so cuddley and lovable and I can't get enough of her hugs. She is becoming quite the stinker with discipline though and I seriously thought two strongwilled weren't allowed in one family, apparently they come in twos. While she is very strong willed she does respond well to discipline...or maybe I am a little better at it than I was with the bird? Either way we are getting to that place that I got with Micah that no matter what the discipline things were barely bearable with all the correction that needed to take place on a day to day basis. Not fun, but at least I know with this one there is light at the end of the tunnel. Otherwise SadieJane makes me laugh and makes life more fun. Can't believe she will be two in September. At least I updated on her before then...