sevenansweredprayers

The Many Faces of SJ.

2012-01-23T17:07:00.002-05:00

Oh. my. stars. This girl, she is gonna be the death of me. She is a big curly mess of cuteness and sassiness all rolled in to one. And there are days lately where I am so thankful for those curls and cuteness...were it not for those...well that is enough. This child seriously is unfairly also a strong willed child. I have mentioned I find that a cruel joke from the Lord to bless a family with more than one of those special gifts. I see my need for refinement, really I do. But aside from all that mess she just makes me laugh and laugh.

finally...

2012-01-21T12:03:00.002-05:00

For some reason over the last week my blog wouldn't let me in. So, I had planned to keep up my writing better and I know you are all sick of looking at my way too looooong post. So here are some cute pictures from our Christmas card. Taken by one of my bestest, Brittany. Love them and this family. And just so you know another loooong post about our week is coming soon. If I told you, you wouldn't believe it, and no we aren't pregnant:( Nothing like that.

Getting A Bonus Year

2012-01-11T14:28:00.004-05:00

Well, we have done it. Mick and I have agreed on something. No, seriously, we agree on most things. But, we are indeed two very different people and usually when it comes to the kiddos we are more of the tag-team type. I think this is good and he thinks this is better, so we put those two together and have a pretty good plan. It works like that alot of the time. While that works for us, it does feel at times we usually have to convince one or the other to come over to our side. Whether it be homeschooling, public school, spanking, or sports one of us usually feels stronger than the other and we just defer to the other. Not sure if that makes sense to you all but for the most part it works for us. BUT, there are times where I wish God would just spell it out for both of us, same time, no questions, no disussing, no "coming to Jesus", just BAM. That's it. Lo and behold. God is about that too.

I was having a meeting with my chicken apartment boss and she has some strong views(on family and children, not chicken). Some I agree with, others I do not as much. Either way I really value her opinion and her relationship with the Lord challenges me. Although I might not agree with all her views, her record holds that what she does works, as she has four children, and they are all pretty incredible. Proof is in the pudding type stuff going on for her. So, we are talking chicken, but I can't bare to have a long convo with her without gleaning a little bit from her while also getting paid to do it. (notetoself: God has a plan) Remember I knew He did, but just wasn't quite believing it 6 months ago. I believe now. Anyways, she was giving me free advice and I was soaking. it. up. (actually she was paying me to listen:)) Ok, ok, I just get caught up in how good God is "for such a time as this...". Soooo, she starts asking me why we are sending Micah to school next year?? Ummm, he is going to be five and that is when you go to kindergarten I respond a little perplexed. She goes on to tell me that she held her boys back and it was the best decision of their lives. I hadn't even thought about this option. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach about sending bird to school, but I assumed I would have that everytime I took him to some place new. BUT everything she said made so much SENSE for us. That bad feeling started to go away, but then I told her I would need her to call Mick later because there was no way Mick would let me "hold Micah back". Then I resolved to pray and approach the issue myself first. I mentioned it to Mick and he seemed to brush it off. I didn't want to fight the fight for something if he wasn't for it because it would indeed be a big decision. I kept praying for God's guidance and Mick had scheduled a date later that week. I thought I'd get my proposal ready and present at our date. So, at dinner I get the courage to bring it up, ready to plead my case and Mick simply states "Oh yeah, I've been thinking about what you said, I think that is what we should do." BAM. Just like that God brought us to the same page at the same time. We talked over each other about all the ways we felt like this was God's plan for Micah's life and the ways that it would change it. It felt right and was just so crazy that it happened that way. There are a great number of reasons that we listed but bottom line we think for Micah another year of growth, maturity and a little more time at home will benefit him now and especially in the near and far future. When things come easy I always get nervous. But with this I really felt like God was at the center of our decision and that we had made one the way He wants us to. Ahhh...not a feeling I often get when I have to remember to pray about a decision already made. So, after discussing with a few trusted educators and friends we feel that we will hold Micah back. But, I will say the only problem I have is I don't really like the term...so I am starting a new catch phrase that we are giving Micah a "bonus year"...whatcha think?? About the term, not our decision:)

So, we are going to send Micah back to our beloved ELC next year to go 5 days a week (he's only going 3 this year), and then we will at this point send him to public school. Gasp! (obviously our plans could change so don't hold me to my writing...who knows what God has in store:) We made this decision for a variety of reasons that are so right for us, our family, for Micahbird's personality and makeup. It makes sense for him and will prayerfully benefit him for the better. We could not think of one negative of making this decision for him and it was a special feeling, when so many decisions we do; not knowing if it will really be best, but with this one, God willing it is.

All this to say, our decision is indeed what is best for Micah, I am in no way saying or judging what others do with their children, it is just what works for us. So I am not saying this is a decision for everyone or that I will question others decisions for their children. Had to disclaimer this post in fear of judgement from others misunderstanding what I am saying here. I am partly posting about the decision making process than the decision itself anyways. I wanted to type out my thoughts and the story for myself and to hopefully get our decision out there, like I said I don't feel it is the decision for everyone across the board, but I do know people have been making these decisions for a while and I had no idea. I figured there might be some questions too, when Micah re-enters Pre-K, so this should head those off at the pass:) We haven't told him our decision yet, because we want to be absolutely sure, but barring any major changes it is the route we are taking.

Lastly, the one thing that kept me from sharing this news most was my concern for what others would think...would they assume since Mick is a coach we are just doing it for sports? or would others think that we are sheltering him and literally holding him back? and maybe people would think we think this is right for everyone and by doing it, makes us stand in judgement to others? But again God uses every lesson for a lesson for me too. My security is in Him and so is yours, I hope. So if this is true you and I can make totally different, OR even exactly the same decisions for our children and be confident in ourselves and our relationship with Him. And if we looked at things this way, we would all be a lot more content and less anxious...myself included. Which in turn would free us up to spend a whole lot more time encouraging each other, rather than second guessing ourselves. I speak all this to myself more than anyone else, but it is so therapeutic to type out.

I know this is my first wordy post in a long time. You all thought you were tired of the pictures:) So I apologize but my "writerself" needed to post something substantial. So there.

So I KNOW I Can Dance...

2012-01-10T16:36:00.003-05:00

Mitchell from last season with April and I.

...I didn't say I could dance well, I just said I could dance:) This post will not be interesting to all, or even some probably but it is a post that MUST be written. I love the show "So You Think You Can Dance"! I've watched every season, when possible, and it tends to be a predominately acceptable show for my kiddos to watch (with the exception of some bump and grind, but they'll see that at the prom soon enough). Well, I got word through facebook of course that you could actually watch their auditions, In ATLANTA, at THE FOX!!! I was beyond excited and quickly secured some "tickets". I wasn't so sure it would be legit as it all just seemed so easy and accessible, but they were and we did! April of course was in, but had little knowledge of the show (shhh!), shame shame I know. But Katie, another friend is diehard like me and I just knew she'd be in. She was! We had planned to take another friend who couldn't go at the last minute so Katie's sister Maggie came along.

To say we had a BLAST would be a gross understatement. I seriously could type alot about this day, and I think I will. There are very few days that you just feel God's physical presence and His blessing, but I know you'll think I am crazy but He was so there. I know He shows up when we need Him in crisis and sadness, I feel Him most often in those times. I also know He is always there, but I do think/feel there are days where His presence is just more profound or known. Strange I know that He shows up on SYTYCD but He did. Our day could not have gone smoother and while I know if it hadn't God was still big and on His throne, but since it did it felt like He was saying to us, I love you, even in the little stuff, like the booty shakin'. (maybe He wouldn't/didn't say booty shakin'). But seriously, everyone we encountered was so kind, generous, accomodating...and over and over in the stories of the dancers there were stories of redemption, salvation and beauty. Some of them acknowledged and gave to testimony to the Lord. Others talked in generalizations but it was still a presence that seemed to pervade an unlikely event. Even the judges made spiritual comments. So while we didn't "have church" in the fox, and there were some icky songs, and times where I surely wasn't thinking about the Lord, He still prevailed. So that was our overarching theme of the day...the rest I need to do in bullet points or this could really get out of hand...

~I went with 3 incredibly godly women and was just spurred on to love on people and to worship Him by our conversations. This might seem strange to some of you, but I rarely get more than 5 minutes total in real conversation with friends, in between "Momma!" and "Did you just teetee in your pants??".
~The judges were incredibly kind and spent a ton of time with each dancer. I assumed from the show that they didn't do this with everyone, but they did!
~We sat behind some friends and family of dancers so hopefully we will make it onto tv.
~Katie and I also went on stage AT THE FOX and did some line dance (I'll use that term loosely). I had no idea what I was doing and once on stage I got so excited I am sure I did somethings that indeed did not bring glory to the Lord. Lesson of exactly why God did not make me an exceptional dancer. I couldn't handle it. God should have the spotlight, not me and if I were actually good I might forget that:)
~They really pick great dancers and keep some terrible ones for laughs. That part was sad and made me nervous for them.
~Felt convicted to pray with one of the dancers and April prayed with a belly dancer in between breaks and hopefully both make it through ...and hopefully they give God some credit!
~Mick and Nana kept the kiddos all day so I could stay and watch all day. I didn't worry at all. Definitely a God thing as I hadn't left the kiddos for that long in months.
~ I met Courtney, my absolute favorite dancer from a few season ago. It was so surreal. She was so sweet and tiny!!
~ I attempted to meet Nigel, but was caught about one row from him by one of the producers. Stink!
~I love dance.
Ok, so if you are still reading you must love some SYTYCD. Or you are bored. Either way, this was a day to be remembered for me.

Our Dark Dancin' Rockin' New Years Eve

2012-01-08T14:45:00.002-05:00

Possibly two of my favorite family pics. SayJ's face above makes me laugh hysterically.

We spent our New Year's Eve as a family at our usual Longhorn's dinner and then back to the house for some dancing and partying with SadieJane's new kitchen. Which obviously ended up being the location for our latenight photoshoot. Micah and SadieJane like to turn off all the lights and "dark dance" to our stereo upstairs. It makes me laugh. Micah and Sage also did some table dancing too. Wild night I tell ya. Mick and I both were asleep at 12:05 but were proud we made it til then!

It's gonna be a great and exciting year! There are alot of people I love turning milestone numbers this year!! April and Taron are turning 30! Gasp...I finally wont feel as alone in my thirties when I am out with them:) My Grandmama turns 90!!! Can't wait to throw her a big bash! (Shh...don't tell her) Last but not least, Mick turns the big 4-0!! On, 12-12-12 nonetheless. I know God has big things in store for all of these people and lots of others too. So thankful for all that God did last year and can't wait to see all He has planned for this year too. Happy Terribly Late New Year to Ya'll.

Pink Piggin' It.

2012-01-01T22:16:00.002-05:00

After Christmas we FINALLY made it to the Pink Pig. I have written about it for the last few years (I think we missed a year somewhere in there), but our first trip, since I was a little girl was when Micah was 6 months and Haydee was around 3 or 4. It was a fun trip then and way more fun now. Mick was apparently our personal photographer as he wasn't in any of the actual pictures. We had a fun family day and I am so sad that tomorrow is Mick's last day at home with us...
I will say I would love to see them redo the REAL pink pig and have that ride again. I mean it is cute and fun now, but nothing compares to the real deal. I still have great memories of Rich's and riding that Pig.

ChristmasEveDAy..

2011-12-29T15:42:00.003-05:00

Mick and SadieJane at Christmas Eve

Our fam.

Heather's fam

Captain America, needs no description.

Bay was happy to help SadieJane open gifts, she has been opening gifts for hte little ones for four Christmas' now.

It's a Domestic Christmas for SayJ. She got a kitchen too. Too bad she has never witnessed anyone iron because I haven't since before she was born, maybe even Micah...judge me now people.

Foot massage's by CharleeRay!! Hilarious!

all rolled into one. We had a very busy a smushed Christmas. It was alot of fun and we tried to spread it out a little bit more since we had church on Christmas day so that helped but it ended up with Christmas Eve breakfast and gifts with my family then Christmas eve service then dinner with my family plus the Harper's and then Christmas day church and lunch and presents with the Harper's. It was nice to stretch it out a little bit more this year but it still seemed a little smushed. Thankfully my sister, Heather was apart of Christmas again this year and brought her family. It was nice to have little to no drama and to have all of our family together. The babies definitely make it more fun. The joy and excitement in their eyes makes it more fun for all of us. And SayJ got the real reason for the season when I told her it was time to go to church on Christmas Eve she screamed "SEE baby Jesus??!!??" She doesn't get everything but she at least gets the excitement of baby Jesus being pretty important in the whole Christmas deal. Which is good since by default my children believe in Santa too. Ugh.

Stone/Snow Mountain

2011-12-22T16:52:00.004-05:00

On top of Stone Mountain...

all rock and sand,

Came pictures with Daddy,

and holding Mommy's hand.

Micah's climbing the mountain,

and climbing trees and looking for a water fountain?

SadieJane found the Snow Angel to smile at,

while Santa had quite the chat.

The softball girls gave us a trip to Stone Mountain Christmas,

and tickets to Snow Mountain to go with...

Micah had a blast,

and sledded and threw snowballs FAST!

Not alot of smiles from our SadieJaner,

we had alot of fun, even with our little stinker.

To Grandmama's house we go...sortof.

2011-12-22T16:07:00.004-05:00

Me and my sissy:)

Jessica and SayJ fast friends this year!

Me and Jess, fast friends always:)

The Whole Crew

Grandmama and all her grands, and greats!!

Mohawk Delilah

SayJ with Sissy Doll

We had our annual Watt's family Christmas in LaGrange on Sunday. It was so much fun. My cousins live on so much land and have every redneck toy you could dream of. AND they are much older than my babies and tend to them so well. Meaning, fun for me:) My cousin Sissy made the girls dolls! They both loved loved them and sweet Delilah even fell asleep on hers. We named ours Sissy doll and she is a big hit at our house.

Party Palooza.

2011-12-22T15:17:00.002-05:00

Micah, SadieJane and I all had Christmas parties the last week of school. It was crazy hectic but fun for all of us. SadieJane had a pajama party and she rocked a white tutu because I just couldn't send her to a Christmas party not in a skirt. Micah exchanged gifts with his turtle friends and loved it, Jaxson actually drew his name and got him something he loved. I don't know what it is, but he does. Those parties were fun, but most importantly they marked a two week break for us, and boy could we use it!

The Living Tree Debut

2011-12-21T15:29:00.002-05:00

Micah performed in all three nights of our church's "Living Christmas Tree" Performance. He sang "Away in a Manger" and it was beautiful:) Micah loved being on stage and loved performing. He even wore a TIE for two of the nights. There was a lot of crying, but he arrived on stage with tie withstanding. He had lots of fans come watch him, and the tree. But on Saturday night our whole Disney crew came to watch and to have Christmas dinner with us. It was a blast. SadieJane watched every performance and couldn't wait for Bubba to get on stage. Until she found baby Jesus that is. She screamed when he left the stage on Saturday and then on Sunday she just yelled out "Come back, BABY JESUS!" for all the church to hear. It was a tiring weekend, but Micah has thoroughly enjoyed choir and is thankfully not the least bit stagefright.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Silly Tree...

2011-12-21T15:20:00.002-05:00

Getting a Christmas tree this year fell to the end of our to do list. I had great plans of us going as a family to cut one down but alas, on a few Sunday's ago after church we realized we STILL didn't have one nor did we have time to go get one. We stopped by the tree stand where we have gotten them every year and got one of their last. At least we got the "Coach's" discount since two coach's run this stand. Mick got to talking (surprise surprise) to the two coach's so I had a limited photoshoot. Micah even took the last picture since Mick was too busy to take part. To my Mom's thankfulness the tree is now up and decorated and I love it. Lesson learned...you can't have Christmas without a tree, even though I tried to convince my family otherwise. At least you can't go without a tree if you have the Griswald's front yard:) It just doesn't make sense.

Long overdue...

2011-12-17T10:30:00.004-05:00

Devon, Kyle and Destiny

This isn't just a photodumping post. This one has been in the making since we got back from Disney, I had great plans on writing lengthy thank you notes...but instead I am typing a public one because I think it shows that there are indeed still younger people out their seeking what God wants for their lives and not just thinking about themselves all the time. We went to Disney with one of our old softball girls who has become like family, Dessy! She has an older sister and a younger brother. Devon, her older sister is engaged to Will. Destiny (has been featured on the blog on numerous occassions) has found a "serious" boo (more on that another post), and then Kyle has been dating Heather for a long time as well. These six twentysomethings went on a trip with their parents (Cindy and Doug) and us...the wild foursome. These six young adults have to be the most rarest finds in people of their age. They constantly offered to tote babies, carry bags, fold strollers (even if they had to break it to fold it), and ride rides they wouldn't neccesarily ride for themselves. I told Cindy I don't know what she has done to create such thoughtful and kind children but I am so glad that we get to be around them, and hopefully have it rub off on my children. What is so encouraging and refreshing about them is that it isn't only their children with this incredible love and kindness they have chosen "significant others" that are just as great as they are!! With all the yuck and poor choices that are all over the place I just was so encouraged that they aren't all like that. We of course knew our Dessy was the exception to the rule, but to find FIVE other people that also are just makes my heart happy. It was so fun to watch them try to translate, SayJ's slow talking, to see them get in the pool even though it was freezing, to see the boys push empty strollers and carry pink backpacks, their constant convincing SayJ to be carried by someone other than me and their simple love for our children. They also made it their personal mission to explain every detail of every ride to Micah to ensure he wouldn't be scared or to help him have more fun. It was just amazing to a Momma that they would take the time to do this. They also staked out sidewalks to make sure my kiddos (and they, so it wasn't totally unselfish:)) had the best seats at every parade and show. There were so many little things that they did to help make our trip smoother, that I didn't even realize until we got home. I am sure Kyle, Tyler, Will, Devon, Heather, and Destiny aren't perfect, and they I am sure went back to their rooms and discussed our kiddos and/or our parenting skills...but they showed us and our children Jesus by their sacrificing actions and it was a testimony to me of what kind of parents they will one day be. I can't wait to one day go back to Disney with those six "kids" and their children and show them the same compassion that they showed me:)!

Breakfast with Santa.

2011-12-17T10:10:00.003-05:00

I guess now I understand why some people (wink, wink) have to update lots of stuff at once on their blog. Way back before my two job plus stay at home mom stint, I always found time to update the dear old blog...you know in September, when people were reading this thing. But now I get it. I am about to unload my whole last month and a half, because I have to have it to finish out my blogbook. But as of January, I just don't know what to do. If I should just give it up, resolve to be better about bloggin, or just do a monthly dump of events. Unless I can resolve to do better it will exist as a scrapbook alone since I can't put the time and energy into pouring my thoughts onto the keyboard. This makes me sad. OR if I resolved to not get onto facebook unless my blog was current...that might do the trick. We shall see, I miss being able to not only update our pictures but to pour out what is going on in our lives and to use my blog for therapy. I still need lots of it, just having to pray about it and leave it at that lately. Maybe I'll get to those posts while Mick is home for a bit.

For now, here are my children at Breakfast with Santa, sometime in November:) I am working at the mall chicken apartment and I really do love it. God definitely knew what He was doing in moving me. It is a more challenging position but also more encouraging and fulfilling. I had to work the Breakfast event and had fun. I do still miss out on taking my kiddos to things. But Mick was able to bring them at the end and of course get our token picture with the jolly, or notsojolly ole' St. Nick. Ugh. I wanted their picture with Santa Cow, but he headed to the barn before my two got there. Double Ugh. Micah also helped me work, which was really fun since he has technically been working for the chicken people his whole little life.

What a Character!

2011-11-30T15:41:00.005-05:00

We saw ALOT of characters while in Disney World. The characters were by far SadieJane's favorite part. She loved to talk to them, hug them and kiss them. Since she was too little to ride the "big kid" rides, we would go find characters while Mick, Micah and the rest of the big kid crew went to ride scary things. Which is why SayJ is pretty much the star of our character show. Plus, Micah did not like them at all. He wasn't scared of them, he just really didn't care about having his picture made with them. Jake, was the only one that he was excited about, and he allllmost backed out of that one. Micah did take part in the group shots and at Chef Mickey's he agreed to have pictures taken because he was in turn getting them to sign his baseball. The characters were everywhere and way more accessible than I remember. Most had lines but didn't take more than 10-20 minutes. Except good ole' princesses and tinkerbell. Disney is definitely capitalizing on that market...and SayJ is definitely getting sucked in. BUT, SayJ refused to really talk to the "real" characters that could really speak. She instead chatted it up with anyone whose mouth was cemented into a plastic smile. When it came to the Princesses and tinklebell she froze and would just stare and stare as they tried their darndest to get her to say something. I even jumped in to translate what her stares meant often and to try to get her warmed up, but stare and smile, smile and stare was all the girls were getting out of her. In turn I will have to admit the characters were actually my favorite part too. The way they interacted with us was so special and I just enjoyed watching SayJ experience such joy from their small acts and gestures. Since SadieJane and I were relegated to spending lots of time alone together it was a special treat to be the one to introduce her to all her friends and Mick was so kind most of the time to take the pictures for us if he was around. A small bit of info that Mick and I weren't expecting is that everyone there offers to take a picture with your camera for you. The disney employee will just step right up and snap away so that everyone can get in a picture. With all my picture love this was obviously something I was so thankful for...

These are a few of my favorite things...people...things!!

2011-11-29T14:57:00.004-05:00

These are just a few of the over 200 pictures we took in the happiest place on earth...Disney World! We went for the week of thanksgiving, spent one day as a family of four then tripled our numbers by Tuesday:) We spent the week in a big ole' house with our Destiny's family of 8! Destiny played ball for Mick and quickly became a part of our family. She graduates this year from college, and somehow we have blended into a pretty special extended family with theirs. They (Cindy, Des' mom) had been coming every other year since Des was 2! To say they knew the ropes would be an understatement. There are so many things I want to remember for our trip but no real neat and tidy way to record them...so I will just bullet list them. Beware the next few posts will consist of more pictures, but don't worry, facebook world was subjected to all of them, but my blogbook would not appreciate 200 here.
So here are some things I learned in the place where dreams really do come true:
~Going with 6 twentysomethings and 2 children is a really good idea.
~Doing so inevitably will remind you that you in turn are NOT twentysomething anymore:(
~While it is nice to stay in a nice place, the amount of sleeping and staying put you do, a rat motel would be just fine, you'll be too tired to notice.
~OR you could just go for EIGHT days, then you could enjoy the big house AND Cinderella's Castle.
~Napping at a park in the middle of thousands of people, IS possible, if you have blankie.
~My two year old is not afraid of characters. In fact, she is obsessed. The way she interacted with them was so amazing.
~My four year old could care less about characters. Unless you bribe him with a roller coaster, he ain't even gonna smile.
~If you spike your shorter four year olds hair into a mohawk he is indeed tall enough to ride those coasters you promised him.
~If your child is obsessed with the Mouse and his friends a character breakfast is so worth it. Although, the characters are way more accessible than I expected.
~You can go days without saying anything to your spouse other than "You got that one?"
~You shouldn't go days, but you can.
~Wishes there was a way I could magically guarantee that my kiddos will be as kind and compassionate when they are twentysomething as the ones that we traveled with.
~I am indeed too old to ride Mt. Everest or any other roller coaster. I am unfortunately not too old to puke in the middle of the road as lots of tourists pass by.
~Mick and I enjoyed Disney just as much as the kiddos and they enjoyed it alot.
~Epcot and Animal Kingdom could be combined to one day so as to spend way more time at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. (totally a personal preference but there was just so much more to do for us at those places)
~Disney gets the whole good and evil thing in EVERY ride. And while biblical, my two year old would appreciate a few more bright spots and a few less dark ones.
~To see any parade or event you must get there way ahead of time and then fight for your space until the time of event.
~People from anywhere other than the south do NOT get the personal space thing.
~In my opinion, we will leave disney everytime wanting to go back soon!
~Ok, there are way more pictures and a few more stories to come.

The Final Feast for Micahbird

2011-11-18T15:47:00.004-05:00

Micah and our favorite Mrs. Giles! Love, love, her.

Jaxson and Micah

Sophia, Micah and Alexa singing Five Fat Turkeys are We.

Praying.

Me and My boy.

SayJ and her Bubba.

Today we celebrated Micah's Thanksgiving feast at the ELC for the last time. Next year he will have to leave the bubble of his last three years and enter the real world of school. Oh, don't make me think about it any longer! Today he did a great job singing and eating. Just like the last two years we love his teachers and everything about school. We are surely blessed. Micah also happens to really like two of the girls in his class and always wants to sit beside them, they happen to be bff and don't want to be separated, even by my sweet boy. BUT lo and behold the boy got his dream come true, because for the performance he was in the middle! Such sweet girls he loves too. Hope he always makes such good choices. But like always I know it wont always be sunshine and roses.

SayJ, Workin' It. (ad nauseum)

2011-11-15T16:54:00.005-05:00

This child is the squirreliest, unpredictable, doesnotperformondemand, will only laugh if something is truly funny, loves her Momma, independent yet codependent, sweetest little thing that God could have ever entrusted to me. Which is why she can rock the pink hello kitty jacket with black cuffs along with blue pants with stars, busted up lip, pigpen like hair with the bow falling out, and I still thinks she is cute as pie...well maybe not pie, but cute she is to me. Don't miss the heart panties creepin' out the top and the ever full belly of jelly.
I have been working with her to put her hands on her hips and smile and we have had some pretend photo shoots. So while watching the CMA's the other night, she traipses in with high heels on and wants me to take her picture. The pictures above are what ensued. Micah and Mick wanted in on the action too. For those who know me and my love for the camera it made my heart SO happy. Had she been sporting a somewhat matching outfit or had brushed hair, it might have been brought to tears.

cleaning up.

2011-11-11T16:54:00.002-05:00

In true softball fashion the girls got us good this year. Not before Mick and I scared the living daylights out of them...because thank you facebook newsfeed for alerting me some softball players were headed out to a "secret mission" on Monday night. Right now I feel that facebook is the devil most of the time for so many reasons but for that time it was a real blessing. Sprinklers, scary lights, music and Mick screaming met the girls in the front yard. But then, they came back and got us relatively good, considering our sad trees to roll. Micah was a little upset that they messed up our driveway but SadieJane thought it was awesome. She kept saying "Girls...toilet paper...yard!". Still no article adjectives for our girl.
Speaking of cleaning up, I should be doing that right now. The blog has taken a backseat because I have found out that I actually CAN'T do it all. Sad. I know. Seriously it has been a really hard October in that I thought I would have finally gotten a groove and balance doing both preschool work and chicken apartment work. But to no avail. I have less time with my babies and am working hard at both my jobs but feel like I am barely keeping my head above water in those things and then with relationships I feel like that I am almost under the water since I rarely have time to maintain those. Ugh. The bright side is that I can continue to see that God is at work and teaching me things. My relationship with Him is growing and changing because clinging to Him to get it all done is my only choice. Hmmm...I guess He knew that and wanted to have me get there. In all this I have had to "clean up" my timesucking activities and unfortunately the computer tends to be one of them. I do miss it though. But not near as much as I miss my family, friends and general downtime.

backseat blogposting.

2011-11-08T22:13:00.004-05:00

So the blog has taken a backseat. I just can't seem to get my laundry done, to wipe all the noses, get to all of my jobs, or spend time as much time as I want with my family these days, so to say I don't have time to blog would be an understatement. Unfortunately I still find time to waste time on facebook, but that is a whole nother blogpost in itself, one that I don't have time for right now...so just fill in about that however you wish. But life has been happening all around me and I have yet to document it. This makes. me. twitch. So here is our weekend. After almost two weeks of sickness, things are looking up, and people in this house might can breathe!! Hallelujah! We spent Saturday night celebrating Devon and Will's engagement and then spent time watching football (was there a game on? I was to busy TALKING TO FRIENDS...that were GIRLS...it was amazing!!!) Anyways, we headed over to Aunt April's and had dinner with good friends. It was beautiful. The pictures might not look that way but all four of us needed a night out and we loved it. Micah and SadieJane might have also needed a nap...but they didn't get that:) Until next time my friends...know that the blog can't stay in the backseat forever. Can it??

Happy Harvest All the day long.

2011-11-01T16:02:00.003-04:00

SayJ with her class, minus a few boys.

Micah with his class, minus all the girls:)

Our Hamburger...

and slightly blurry watermelon.

Most of the crew! I think this was our biggest group ever!

SayJ so tired, with Sunny and Aunt April

One of our better pics, Pirate Princess Aunt Amy:)

How big is that cookie??

We had a busy day yesterday. Since I teach now, I had THREE parties to attend yesterday at school and Micah and SadieJane's happened at the same time. Boo hiss. But after running around I got some documented photos that proved I was indeed in two places at once. Then we came home to clean and decorate for the 5th Annual Harvest Party. We had about 40 or 50 people over to our small little get together. Our neighborhood may need to buy more candy next year if our party gets any bigger. It was a great time. Mick even did a bonfire with smores and all. So thankful for our friends and now our kiddos friends that made this years party so much fun.

Brr...Boo at the Zoo!

2011-10-30T21:52:00.002-04:00

Our chicken riding a duck??

Our Monkey playing golf:)...and going through the haymaze.

Looking for a Panda...

and getting pretty excited about seeing CURIOUS GEORGE!

Chicken loves Monkey

We had a wonderful family day yesterday. Our local Atlanta Zoo has a Halloween trick or treating every year so we decided to go. It was well worth it. The kiddos wore old costumes from the dress up trunk because it was FREEZING! We picked the two costumes that had hoods! Love that trunk. Micah did not want to be a monkey. Frankly he refuses to wear both long sleeves and long pants on any given day. It has just finally gotten cold enough here that he really can't get away with that. So for the first day we went ahead and sent him straight over the edge by putting him in a monkey suit. By the end of our time...he finally adjusted. It was a packed house at the zoo but we got there early and made our rounds before it was too bad. I was curious as to how well it would be done, but the Boo at the Zoo did not disappoint. I recommend it and hope we can find a way to go next year too.

Play Hard. Fight Hard. Love Hard.

2011-10-20T08:44:00.002-04:00

These two babies are the best of friends and the worst of enemies. I can't believe how hard they can love one another yet at the same moment they can be so ugly. (mainly Micah, but I know SayJ's time is comin') SadieJane still adores her Bubba and thinks that everything he does is hilarious, amazing and right. He can talk her into doing anything, which at times is helpful to me, but most of the time gets them both in trouble. Yesterday Micah wanted to rock SayJ, then he insisted I get the camera. It reminded me of when he would do that when she was a little baby. Time just goes to fast. But their love for one another makes me cry happy tears lately. Micah sings to SadieJane almost every nap and bedtime and she always makes him come back for a big kiss! Yesterday he sang her a song to the tune of "You are my sunshine" which is his standard daily song. This time it went like this...
You are my sister, my only sister,
I love my SayJ, I'll give her candy,
Because I love her, I'll give her cookies.
It went on a while longer...but that is all I can remember. I was trying to keep from both cracking up and shedding a silly little tear. I am so thankful that these two have each other and I pray that they continue to stay close to one another and help keep each other in check as they grow. Goodness knows, with their personalities they are gonna need more than just Mick and I keeping them straight.

Only a day away....

2011-10-11T15:51:00.004-04:00

4 thumbs up for Rome Beauty's!

Micah and SayJ with "Cookie", my nickname for her since high school because she ALWAYS had cookie's when we got there! She still does!!

Lift!

We headed out Sunday morning after church for a fun family trip to Elijay and Blue Ridge. We went last year for the day and just didn't have enough time to do all we wanted, so we decided to try to stay the night this year. We spent the night with my bff from high school, Angela's parents who pastor a church in Blue Ridge. It was a wonderful 24 hours! We accomplished so much and had so much fun doing it. I am so thankful for our little family. We went straight to apple pickin' as soon as we got there. We went to BJ Reece Orchard's like last year, but it was WAY crowded on the weekends, as was everything else. Monday was so much better and had we not thought it was going to rain we would have waited to pick then. The kiddos had a great time pickin' and seeing the animals and running and playing. After that we headed to Reverend and Cookie's house for some wonderful southern hospitality. We ate and went to church, spent good time with them, then back up in the morning for more good food! After we left there we headed to Mercier's orchard to see all their goodies. We got our pumpkins there, then went to get pictures at Burt's Pumpkin Patch:) We did let the kiddos pick out little ones there. After that we were gonna head home but instead decided to go see the waterfalls at Amicalola falls. While Mick is still hurting from some "hiking" he did, it was an awesome site to behold and was well worth the 475 steps to see it. (Mick did it times two because being father of the year, he went and got the car from the top:)) Lesson learned for next year there. It was so awesome to spend a weekend enjoying all of God's creation. While we know every thing we have comes from the Lord, being able to remind Micah and SadieJane that God made the mountains, the apples, the pumpkins, and the waterfall was just an easy way to give Him praise. It is so clear and pure up there in the mountains. All things seem to point towards the Lord there. I didn't want our time there to end. But it did. I can not wait til next year!

Our Surprise 5K Runner...

2011-10-04T15:57:00.003-04:00

Who is that you ask??

Wait for it...wait for it....

number 126~it isn't the Diabetes man...

It's my Dad...aka Budda!!!

So again another post for a select few. My Dad ran the 5K!!! For those that don't know my Dad this might seem not so monumental. But for those that do...I hear you laughing and can see the shock in your eyes:) What happened was...Mom had planned to walk the 1 Mile fun run with Hayden, then she wasn't feeling great so she said Dad could do it. Then they found out to get the shirt Dad had to be registered for the 5K. So instead of just going to get his goody bag while I ran...Dad showed up at the START line, next to me! He starts putting on his MP3 player and pretending he has a clue. I told him I was a little concerned and that he better walk the 3 miles. I mean, my mom has been walking it like crazy lately but Budda, he has been using the golf cart for long distances at the lake. So, 49 minutes later, there came Budda jogging out of the woods! All those in attendance could not believe their eyes! Hee hee. Seriously, I was so impressed and proud. Maybe by next year he'll run it WITH me and cut his time in half:) Way to go Daddy!!

Oh My Bird!

2011-10-04T15:43:00.002-04:00

Ms. Jill giving the peptalk!

Micah and Pax showing their muscles.

and they were off!

And someone won first place!!

Paxton who is a whole year younger than Micah got third!! Pretty awesome!

Winning the 50 yard dash will really wear you out.

I figured this needed a full post. I apologize ahead of time for being that Momma, this is for Nana and Pops who weren't at the race...and the two other people who will suffer through it:) But this is my scrapbook as well as my blog so it must be done. Micah competed in his first ever competitive event. We didn't realize it but we really had no idea how Micah would do in a situation like this...I had already prepped him that unlike at home when he races SadieJane, he MIGHT not win. He said he was ok with that. But in those few moments where Micah ran that little dash I felt what I see in all those Momma's of kids Mick coaches and I was frightened and excited all at the same time. I was so happy for him to be competing but also wanting him to do his best. Wanting him to win, but not neccesarily wanting others to lose. It was just a weird first experience for me. Alas, he did win and he did show that he is definitely waaay more like his Daddy than his Momma in the competitive sense. I could see the relief on Mick's face:) Don't go thinking we would love him any less, we wouldn't. But it was neat seeing him do something, enjoy it, and be good at it. I'm not foreseeing a running future, I'm just excited he had such a fun first experience. To make it even better Paxton raced too and they both ended up with trophy's!!

J-Day a Family Race Event!!

2011-10-04T15:33:00.002-04:00

SadieJane, Micah and I with JILL Bryson, she put the J in J-Day!

The race was in her honor!!

Megan and Aunt Amy came for support! (and maybe to watch Paxton:) hee hee)

Micahbird was ever patient waiting on his race!!

Here I am finishing my race.

SadieJane just wanted me to be DONE!

Hayden raced too...

and I ran with him to keep him moving!!

Last Sunday was a J-Day Family Fun Race. A dear friend of our families, who taught in our school system for 36 years has a race to raise funds for a scholarship in her name. I usually play tennis so I have to miss it, but since I've been running so much I really wanted to do the 5 K. So I did. Hayden raced in the 1 mile fun run and I thought it would be fun to warm up for my 5K by jogging with him...notsomuch. Hayden is apparently a sprinter and would run hard for about 30 seconds and then walk the majority! But he finished and I chased his booty to the finish line so I was proud of him for that! After that I ran my race and finished somewhere around 28 minutes. That isn't great for real people runners, but for me that was huge. We had a great time as a family and as you read above Budda and Micah also competed well!! We can't wait til next year!

THE Bitty Baby

2011-10-04T07:53:00.003-04:00

Well, as always I continue with my never say never stance. I had said that SadieJane would probably never have an American Girl doll. Then Taron had a great idea to make a special girls day out of getting her one. I also had stepped on about the millionth trinket that week so to get one thing that would be played with and be something SayJ loved started sounding more reasonable. Then Aunt Dot wanted to help and Nana and Pops sent money too and instead of getting ten things we would probably lose we made the trek and got SayJ a Bitty Baby. She loves it. Unfortunately Taron and I didn't get to take her since there is just too much going on right now, but Mick took us all on Saturday and the boys were quite sports while SayJ and I picked out our, I mean, her doll. She played with it the whole way home, feeding it and changing it. She either wants to name her Baby or Minnie. So creative my little one. So thankful for friends and family who continue to bless us. I will say this birthday for SadieJane was more fun than my own. She got the cutest clothes and things for her special day that were just so thoughtful and exciting to her. I still can't get over how quickly they change. Thanks so much to Taron, Aunt Dot, and Nana and Pops for making SayJ's day and helping us create a really sweet memory. And here's to hoping we get to go back someday...

Mouse in the House

2011-10-01T09:33:00.005-04:00

It's my party!

Love from her boo, Rhetty!

Pin the bow on Minnie!

Most of the kiddos.

Mickey Mouse cupcakes...homemade...they turned out ok. Much cheaper than that big cake I wanted to buy:)

Grandmama LOVED the Minnie ears.

Pinata time!

If you stay long enough at the Harper house, every party is a costume party:)

Paxton and SayJ

MINNIE EAR BARRETTES! Oh my word, I loved these.

Minnie Mouse that is! We had SadieJane's Minnie Mouse Party last night at our house. Phew, house parties are supposed to be cheaper and easier but the immediately after I always have a Bday Hangover. Ugh. I have trouble remembering details and I feel a little icky. But then I get my pictures out and it all comes back and I feel better:) We had a great time at SayJ's party. We had so much fun with new and old friends. This year SayJ got to even invite a few friends from her class at school too, so that was fun for her to actually have her friends here not just ours.

I will say SadieJane is still such a blessing. She is so much fun and so smart (in her own way:)). She has finally started putting two words together but no more than that. She can count and sing and girl can laugh. When she was first born I loved her so much but again it is crazy how your love for your babies just grow and grow. Thankful that Jesus gives us this picture of who He is through our children. SadieJane is still my little sidekick and a Momma's girl to the core. I still don't mind it. It can get out of hand but school has definitely helped us keep it in check. At this age Micah started identifying more with Mick and separating from me, which was good for him. But I'll admit it is fun to have a girl that we get to continue to build that Momma-daughter bond that is so special, the way the Daddy-son one is. SadieJane is all girl with pink and dolls, but she is also tough as nails when she gets hurt or if she sets her sights on something challenging you don't tell her she "can't" because she'll prove you wrong. Hope these traits continue. Now, all that is good but she also has quite the fitpitching ability that I hope does not continue. She loves Minnie Mouse and all things Mickey. She loves rocking her baby dolls and playing with her Bubba (if he'll let her). She loves making crafts and coloring. Best of all she loves her family and I couldn't be more thankful!

Day O' SayJ!

2011-09-29T23:14:00.002-04:00

Yesterday our sweet little girl turned TWO! I can not believe it. We had a great day! She has school and while she thought it was a cruel joke that I send her to school on her birthday (lots of tears)...she got to have cupcakes with her friends and I got to see her in her little classroom. After school we went to buildabear. Thank you coupons! SadieJane made a bear and a bunny. We had lunch and then naps. While Bubba was at choir SayJ and I went to ChuckECheese by ourselves. It was awesome. We finished up with dinner at Longhorns! It was a great day for her and I am so proud. And on a day when I am not sleep deprived I will hopefully go over a little more about her at this age. Love my sweet SadieJaner and can't wait to celebrate with her at her party!!

The First of Many??

2011-09-26T22:35:00.002-04:00

Micah has been loving some school, church, choir, teamkid, and Momma working time. All of these just so happen to be held at our very own "six flags over Jesus" aka 1st Baptist church. We are starting to be those "everytime the door is open people". All this to say, Micah sometimes isn't sure which class he should go in, but he doesn't really care. He likes them ALL. Crazy to think you go to a place because your four year old loves it, I mean we like it, but he loves it. Ok, yeah, back to where I was. You can see why I haven't posted lately, TOO TOO much on the brain. Ugh. So in the last two weeks I've had the following stories told to me about my sweet bird:

~ While Micah does choir and church on Wednesday nights SayJ and I work in the penguin class. While I was in there another Mom comes in and says your son is quite the stud. He was just walking around the playground holding hands with a blonde and a brunette.

~ A mom from Micah's class says that her daughter is praying for Micah at night. That she "wont give up on him, and will keep praying he stops being so rough and boyish". I said, me too, girlfriend, me too! Love that!

~ While at a party another mom informs me that her daughter thinks Micah is so cute "with his glasses" and since they both were recently upset in choir, she said he came and checked on her the next week in class.

~ Another little girl from his turtle class saw me at the mall. She wanted to come tell Micah hello and again made mention of how cute he was "with the glasses".

~Lastly, the pictures you see above were made in teamkid at church. Each child made his/her own, but one girl insisted on giving Micah HER picture. Her mom tried to take it home and she insisted it go home with him. He made little mention of what I thought was a pretty big deal. I will also make mention this same sweet girl saw us coming into Sunday School on sunday and came to the door to make sure she said hey to my bird. By the way, I could do a whole post on the differences of those two pictures. I mean Tyla's is so detailed and pretty and then there is Micah's...slap some stuff on here so I can go play.

Now while I hope you know this isn't a aww, my son is so great post or a I'm trying to push the boy girl thing. I know it is all very innocent and that he has very little idea about the differences with girls, I just think that it is funny how much girl interest we are getting. But possibly because Micah has a very sensitive Momma so he picks up on that with the ladies....hahaha.

Oh, and last thing to note, the ladies LOVE the glasses.

Ok, ok, all of this is totally in fun. So that one day I can read this to Micah and embarrass him. Who knows, maybe he and Tyla will work things out in the Waaaaay future! I know he is not a complete stud. I know he isn't the handsomest thing in the world. Frankly I don't even want him to be:) If you ask him, he isn't getting married and he is living with his Momma til he is 35. Now, that my friend is every girls dream.

Party of EIGHT!

2011-09-23T15:56:00.002-04:00

My best friend from birth delivered her second baby boy on Wednesday, Sept. 21st. Parker Brentley weighed in at 7lbs 3ounces and was such the sweet boy. Amy sported a double doozy by going into labor and THEN having a planned c-section. She knows how to have fun! We have gone from being a party of eight back in the day when both our families would go somewhere when we were children, to the two of us, then came marriage and there were four, then we had our firsts and there were six and on and on til now we are back to that party of EIGHT in another generation!!(we can't even get both generations at one table now:) hee hee.) Love it!

It All Comes Down to This.

2011-09-19T16:44:00.002-04:00

Things lately have been crazy. But I'm sure you are sitting there thinking "I got your crazy over here". I mean don't we all? We all seem to be running around this time of year (ok, all year)...and with me starting my life over with new jobs and growing babies, I could get close to loosing my mind, or a child at least. But God has been so good. I have my days where I wanna get frustrated and I know there are days where that frustration (ie satan's) gonna get his. BUT, so far God has been gracious to constantly remind me "what it all comes down to" and that is loving Jesus, and loving people. Allowing myself to live and enjoy what He is doing, no matter what I "feel". It goes without saying that I have less time with friends, with my babies and definitely with Mick, but I am trying to focus on what is good about our current circumstance...instead of my usual pity party blog post about what isn't. I am sure I'll have one of those soon. (I hope not, but let's not get carried away with my positivity) I absolutely LOVE teaching again and I LOVE the little ones in my class. I also started my working at the "chicken apartment" at the CFA at the mall and I really like the people there and just pray I can accomplish all I need to in that job as well. Although typing some of this out I get a little anxious I know that even though I am tempted to feel that way the truth and key is to rest in Him. Every time I go into these situations God gives me peace and contentment helping me to know, He has me where He wants me. All the while all this transition is going on, Mick is busy working away at everything he can. Most time consuming right now is softball. But again the kiddos are loving being apart of the game and I am finally able to again be apart of things without a baby in my belly or on my boob. It is so much easier when we all get to be apart of Mick's ministry together and really gives us a sense of unified purpose. Even though Mick has all the pressure of actually winning the games. The pictures above are from the last weekends tournaments. We've been hanging out in dugouts alot lately and like every year Micah and now SadieJane's favorite part of the game is when they get to go on the field to pray with Daddy. Now, Micah doesn't even stand with Mick, he goes to find one of his "girlfriends". And even though they are winning (yippee) it doesn't come down to winning...it all comes down to this...praying and making a difference in our little ones lives as well as the people Mick coaches. I am grateful for the opportunities and the memories we are making right now.

Phew!

2011-09-07T16:13:00.004-04:00

Where it all began...here is me heading off to my first day at the Early Learning Center at the Baptist Church in Dville.

...and here I am with my two on the FIRST day of all of us being at the ELC Preschool!

Micah with Mrs. Giles!

Our flashdance photo shoot!! Micah and SJ matched.

Take me with you Bubba!

The signature pose started by Jenny. Why outside of the car? Why holding folders? I don't know, but the tradition continues:)

We all survived for the three people with true concern. Haha. I mean I know you were all sitting by your computers wondering when I'd get the kids by the car photos posted. Hee hee. Today was a whirlwind. Although I did my best to plan ahead I forgot that I would need to be both a momma and a teacher at the same time. Too much for this Momma to be on time and get everything done. But we all had a great day. SadieJane did not cry the whole day! Hallelujah. Her teacher's are awesome!! So I am so thankful she sees that. I LOVE my class and am excited about all that we are going to do this year. Well Micah as we know just loves school and his teachers. Ahhh...so thankful for this time in our little bubble. Next year will be a rude awakening for Micah and I both. But for now, we will enjoy our time with our friends that are like family!!

Water Logged.

2011-09-06T15:44:00.003-04:00

Sneaky, sneaky faces.

That jacket fits just right SayJ.

What a fabulous picture of all three of us. You know when Jenny is looking the best in a picture things are bad. Haha. Sorry, Jenny but you know you are the worst at taking pictures.

Handsome Haydee!

We have taken every opportunity up until the monsoon of the last few days to enjoy the last few days of summer for us. Goodness knows Mick's summer ended a long time ago but we have still been hitting up the pool, tub, or lake! All the business starts tomorrow. Ugh, I am both excited and moreso extremely nervous/anxious. I wish I weren't this way, and I am working on scripture memory to ease all this "stress" but it is definitely a work in progress, and of course I'm gonna be brutally honest in my realness, I can not even put on a mask and pretend that isn't who I am, it just is, for now. Hopefully not forever. Anyways, SadieJane, Micah and I will head off to school in the morning. Micah is so excited and I have not a fear or concern for him. He loves his teachers, loves school and loves seeing his friends. I am excited about having a class of my own (or sharing it with Mrs. Mann) and being around fellow Christians. It is my little mini-me, my shadow, my prinsin(princess), my tee-teeing machine, my sweet SadieJane that I am way concerned about. ..and therefore myself in the process, because if she isn't ok, then neither. am. I. Again, I am not sure if it should be that way, but that is the way it is. My sweet girl is chatting it up lately, one word style. So today we had some uninterrupted time just us before Micah got up and since I am not working elsewhere for today I didn't have to sit her in front of the tv while I worked on the computer. (Ahh, if only it could stay like that. I know, I know, get over it.) SayJ and I talked and talked about her class, which I thought would be a great idea. Until she started crying anytime I mentioned it and begging me to hold her. Of course stating, one word style..."leaving"...."Momma"..."NO!!!" A mild case of what I usually see when I drop her off. I have been praying, praying, praying for this sweet girl. I truly feel that this time away will be good for both of us. IF she isn't screaming the whole stinkin' day. If she does, it will make it very hard fro me to feel like this is the right thing to do. Micah started a year later than SayJ is and you might remember that we both completely lost it on our second day. Since I'll be teaching a class full of kiddos who might be having the same separation anxiety I can't very well go in there in tears. So please pray that we all hold it together and that God grants us peace that passes all understanding. I know, it isn't a huge issue in the grand scheme of things, but in the Harper House it will be huge these next few hours. I already can't wait til the lazy days of summer again!

it's the end of an era

2011-09-02T08:02:00.002-04:00

I knew this day was coming. But still didn't think I'd be quite as sad or sentimental. I know none of you are surprised. This week ends my short career at the local chicken house. I have worked for a friend of the family doing marketing for I think almost 7 years. I went into the job while having fertility problems and am leaving the job after having two babies while working there. I loved my job. I worked from home after I had babies and with Micah he has basically grown up there. He doesn't know that people wait at the counter to get food or that you can't just walk in to the kitchen and tell someone you want some stick chicken(the grilled kind for salad). I haven't paid for my Large Coca Cola Classic in a looong time. I am sad that my time at the chicken house is over but I am so thankful that I had the time there that I did. I was given a great opportunity to do something I liked to do while never having to leave my children for very long. Even moreso they were part of working as well. They got to know the people there and loved them like I did. I am praying that I can move on gracefully and not hold onto the past. I tend to do that. Bad. But there is so much going on that it will be hard to keep thinking about what might have been, for too too long. I will miss the sweet people and the great chicken most I do believe. BUT, it doesn't seem that I can completely separate from the chicken house, because along with my teaching position I have an opportunity to work at the chicken apartment (the mall Chick-fil-a) in our town. It will be a totally different type of experience but I am hopeful and trusting God that we can make it work in our lives. More on that as I figure it out...

Coming Full Circle

2011-08-28T16:23:00.002-04:00

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

2011-08-24T16:22:00.003-04:00

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.

2011-08-23T15:34:00.002-04:00

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!

2011-08-21T08:55:00.002-04:00

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

2011-08-19T16:21:00.002-04:00

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...

2011-08-14T15:43:00.003-04:00

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

2011-08-11T08:14:00.002-04:00

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...

2011-08-09T16:14:00.002-04:00

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.

2011-08-04T16:42:00.002-04:00

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...

My Sweet Little Namesake!

2011-07-29T22:41:00.003-04:00

Sisters!!

Checking out little girls face...boy did she come out hun-ga-rrryyy.

Can't you see our bond already...

She's got my toes and my big eyes...

and my loud mouth too!

My sister, Heather gave birth today to a very sweet and beautiful baby girl. They named her Delilah Dianne. Dianne happens to be my middle name so I kind of think we are going to be tight. Heather did great as usual birthing a baby. Her body was obviously made better for it than mine. I got to witness the beauty of birth again and loved it. It is such a joy when you aren't the one in pain:) Sorry, Heather. Delilah was born today at 2:50, weighed 7 pounds and 8 ounces and was 21 inches long! Baby girl and Momma are both doing really well and getting to know one another...it took all I had to leave her at the hospital, but they frown on stealing babies there.

Oh How I love My Bird!

2011-07-29T08:08:00.003-04:00

This is a sappy Momma post so you've been warned.

Dear Micahbird,
Since you've turned four you have turned in to quite the "gentleman and a scholar". You love when I call you this! I was just thinking last night that I didn't want this time to pass without acknowledging what a fun age it is and what a special boy we have. We used to spend all kinds of time just me and you, but no more. Last night we somehow ended up just us going to get ice cream at MickeyD's. We had a date!! You talked and talked and I got to actually hear you and listen. I loved it. You were so excited about your ice cream with fudge brownie. I got extra for both of us and you couldn't have been more thankful. I remember a time where we went to MCD's and got ice creams almost a year ago, how you've changed. I hope we make this a tradition for me and you. I really need to get that time with just my bird. Another favorite are our snuggles and when you tell me "I love you more than anything in this world" I know you tell other people this to, but I don't care. You are all about your Daddy now and sports and boy things, you love him and think he is a rockstar whenever he walks in the door. I am so thankful that you love him and want to be like him. You aren't the Momma's boy you once were and while this makes me sad I know that you are turning into the young man God wants you to be. You aren't all roses now and you have your moments but your heart and spirit are starting to show through all that toddler/fit pitching mess and I love what I see. Although your first few years were beyond challenging I think they make it easier to be appreciative of how you are changing and growing. There are rarely days when I have to deal with you in the ways that I used to and I look forward to you getting up and miss you when I am not with you. Before I "needed" a break and sometimes wished you'd sleep a little bit longer. Sorry, but you were quite the little monster. Even with all that each day I didn't think I could love you any more but each day my heart gets bigger and bigger! I pray I take more time to focus on those things. It isn't your birthday or anything special while I am writing I just want you to know you were loved every step of the way in your life. Especially this grown up four year old year.
Love always,
Momma

Ugh, I know, I am having a moment here. It'll pass soon...like when the bird wakes up:)

Welcome Sawyer!!

2011-07-25T17:40:00.002-04:00

My dear friend Brittany had a sweet baby boy with NO drugs last week while we were on vacation. Actually two of my friends had babies while we were in Florida! How rude for them not to wait in the 100 degree heat til I got back. Suzie, the other new momma, had a much harder road at the delivery so I haven't overwhelmed her just quite yet with a visit but I hope to very soon:)
Brittany and I have become close friends over the last few years and you have seen pictures of her other son Rhett, since we've betrothed he and SadieJane, even though she could squash him sizewise. We are close friends for so many reasons but I find it the funniest that neither of us can remember how we became friends in the first place. We've known "of" each other for a long time but somehow became fast friends...but aren't sure how:) I love her so much and while a little (ok, a good bit) younger than me the Lord has used her mightily in my life and I am so thankful. We have tons of similarities but our differences are what makes us friends I think. (it seems that way with most of my friends) Her sincerity, go with the flow, trusttheLordness, makes her just what this girl needed in a friend. She is so go with the flow that she allowed me to bring my kiddos and me to see her two day old baby....a way that we are soooo different. She definitely brings balance to me. Here are a few pictures from our first meeting. Here comes the baby fever...
Congrats to the Hanes' family!!

Family Beach Trip 2011

2011-07-24T17:35:00.005-04:00

These are just some of my favorites from our annual beach trip with Mick's family. We had an overall great time...but I'll tell ya, sleepin' in twin beds with one baby in the closet and one in your bed will inevitably put a hurtin' on the healthiest of marriages. (No, not yours, I am sure you would've been fine, but some people...) I am so thankful that we got to go and that we ate well, played well and most importantly our kiddos got great time with their cousins and the in laws. I took a trip to target alone, ran a six miler, had ice cream almost every night (hence the 6 miles:)), watched both kiddos swim like fish, and loved seeing so much delight on my kiddos faces. We went back to the good ole Panty - maw City...as Mick got Micah to refer to it. While there was much fun in the sun going on I don't want you to be TOO envious, it wasn't all sunshine and roses, celebrating your 7th anniversary "I Love Lucy style" in twin beds will do that to ya. But the inlaws(Love you nana!) that graciously took us on the trip read my blog so I'll just leave it at that (10 people- 3 bedrooms, strong personalities, screaming children(children being SadieJane), you can use your imagination:)). I guess I didn't completely leave it at that...nevertheless so thankful that we even had a vacation!

The Ever Elusive Family Photo.

2011-07-23T16:28:00.003-04:00

Micah is still looking at the big bull at Angelo's...I mean who wouldn't with the balls on that thing.

Now we are all looking but SadieJane's gone hoochiemomma with her shirt. And I feel the need to restrain Micah's foot.

Again with Micah needing restraint and SayJ lookin' squeezy peezy!

I guess the best one, but I've still got the death grip on the bird?

Micah with the belly showing and we all can see what SayJ is saying:)

And this my friends is the best of the best. I am not even putting up the worst ones. Oh to have a good family picture of the four of us, they are so hard to come by. It didn't help that my sweet nieces saddled up and posed with my sisterinlaw and brotherinlaw for some of the cutest family photo ops ever. Next year, I say, next year.

Harry Potter's Got Nothing on Micah Harper

2011-07-22T14:17:00.002-04:00

Well, we've been on vacation in the good ole' redneck riveria. Great times but before we left we found out Micah needed glasses. After his 4 year old check up the Dr. said he was borderline and we could take him to an eye dr if we wanted. Hmmm...as you can see from the pictures above, he wasn't borderline at all. He. could. not. see. Sad Momma of the Year for me after our visit with the eye dr. Dr. S said that all children should have their eyes checked at age 1!! No one had told me that and obviously my pediatrician missed that memo because for 2 years in a row he didn't seem concerned at all. Boy am I glad we went. Micahbird has an astigmatism in both eyes. Which means he sees blurry out of both. (As a side note, I didn't know but this is how a child develops lazy eye, when they only have one astigmatism, the other eye does all the work and one eye becomes lazy, if not treated with glasses, etc.) Both of Micah's eyes are affected so he didn't have that option, but hopefully by wearing glasses he will strengthen those muscles and possibly one day not need them?? I know, sounds weird but I will spare you the even longer synopsis:) So far, Micah has been a champ about wearing them. Although I am not so sure how much they are helping. He often wants to take them off while watching tv, etc. which doesn't make sense because he should be able to see better with them. Ahh....I hope to goodness he doesn't inherit my vision too, as I am almost legally blind. Either way he sports his Harley Davidson's nicely, at least in his Momma's eyes. He is turned to the side above because they have flames on the side. The main selling point to a four year old.

Cows and Cake, Playdates and Potty's!!

2011-07-15T08:50:00.003-04:00

We have been having so much fun in the sun! We celebrated Cow Appreciation Day by going to see my Grandmama, Sissy and cousins. I wish I had gotten more pictures but the LaGrange chicken house had a real. live. cow. Love it. We then rushed back for Jaxson Oakley's Birthday Party. It was so much fun and I love that Micah has a friend so close in age with such an awesome family. Then over the weekend Aunt April agreed to let me housesit so we could enjoy her amenities and let me tell you we loved it. It is great inviting friends to something that isn't yours:) We took the Hanes', the Keatons' and the Dobbs'. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures til our last hooray there, but Amy and I took the most kiddos in our trip (including the one in her belly). Thanks to the Richs' for being so generous!! Lastly I need to write a whole post on sweet SayJ but bless her second childness heart. She is loving the potty and is in no way being trained but she will go anytime and loves to spend time there. She refuses to sit on any kind of kiddie potty so she is spreading her self pretty thin. Haha. All in all with all the joblessness my children remind me how fun life is job or no job!

lessons in life.

2011-07-12T10:39:00.006-04:00

Disclaimer: This is a free therapy session for myself. Feel free to skip and come back on another day with pictures:)

So I am learning more about myself than I'd care to know lately. I found out a bit ago that I am losing my job at the chicken house. I knew that it was a possibility with the economy and a couple of other factors but after working there so long I just never thought about what came next. But God (and my boss) had other plans. You see I've had my job since before I got pregnant with Micah. I worked at the chicken house full time until I gave birth and then cut back a little and then a little after each child til now I am working just enough to make ends meet. I have taken Micah and then SadieJane in a sling and stapled bulletin boards, delivered chicken, put flowers out and counted coupons all with my babies in tow. It has been the best job to have if you want to stay at home with your children but have to make money. Of course, it has had more than its share of stressors and trying to balance both lives has often gotten me down; you've all heard my pity party before on here. Nonetheless, I am so thankful for the time I got to spend both contributing to our income as well as getting to be with my babies. No matter what happens now, I was given such a gift in being able to do both and I don't want to lose sight of that in all the stress. I am now looking high and low for something to do that would afford me the same luxury(I'll use that term loosely here:)) of working without having to leave my babies somewhere. So far my options are very limited and with that I am learning...

When I found out I was getting canned I didn't cry or beg for my job like I thought that I would(looking back, maybe I should have:)). I was surprisingly calm and felt God's hand in it. I knew at that moment it would be a lesson in trusting God. One that I needed to learn. But not five minutes after I had that peace, satan popped in to remind me of all the ways I am failing and all of the ways this could be just plain BAD news. But I know that is not the case. God is FOR me. He loves me and promises to "give me a hope and future". He does not promise me everything I want in just the way I want it. Nor does He promise me that I am going to have to do the very thing I don't want to do. You see my crazy brain is like a playground for satan's icky thoughts and anxiety. But in all that I can see God refining what is important. Like my trips to target...notsomuch top priority. Then reading to my babies or playing little people or saying good night prayers...pretty earthshattering.

Shortly after finding out I was getting the boot, I hurt my achilles so I couldn't run off the stress that was starting to mount up. Mick's truck broke. I'm having some minor health issues. Micah needs glasses. You know, life just kept on happening even after some bad news hit. Praise the Lord it was minor things and don't I know it could be MUCH worse. God answered in all of those things too. My ankle healed in a weeks time, but long enough for God to keep me from "running" away from Him. We thought we were going to have to tow Mick's truck in, but Destiny's friend came over and magically found the problem and FIXED it.(unfortunately it broke again before I posted:(, but we know it'll be ok:)) I feel better and Micah is I am sure going to look too cute in his new glasses. (cute picture post coming soon:))So even in the details God is there...telling us, I got this, Stephanie. Stop it.

I know that losing my job is one of the only ways God could teach me the things that He wanted. I HAVE to rely on Him. There is just no way around it. I do not know how I will find another job that will work with our family and what we feel is right for us, but I know that God is in control of finding it. (Small disclaimer: I know what we feel is right for our family is not the same as everyone else, I am in no way knocking those who work outside the home, I know you do what is right for your family and I am just trying to do the same for mine) Not that I'm sitting back and doing nothing, in fact, just the contrary, I had been running around searching for any little position. But even in that God is reminding me to both look and search but to trust Him for the outcome and NOT try to do it myself.

Even in my personal time with the Lord He is so kind to speak directly to me. Here are some of the verses that I have been encouraged by...

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

"With everlasting kindness, I will have compassion on you, says the Lord your Redeemer." Isaiah 54:8

and of course...

"God works together for the good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

Amen.

Baseball Birthday!

2011-07-08T09:47:00.002-04:00

Hayden's 7th birthday was yesterday. As usual he spent the whole day with us and we did all the things he wanted to do. Chuck e Cheese. Pool. NO nap. Setting up for the party. Mick did another lawn ornamentation and I'll have to say it was pretty impressive. It looks like we've started a new tradition. It'll be hard to do My Little Pony, or Princesses though so he better keep practicing. We had a hitting contest, pitching contest, and a pie eating contest upon Haydee's request. It was a great day and he is growing up far too fast. He is with my parents now on his way to Orlando for some vacation. We will miss him alot. SadieJane woke up this morning asking for him! We had a lot of friends and family come out for the party but since I was overseeing the competitions I got very few pictures until everyone had already gone! Phooey! Nonetheless we are so thankful for those that came and made Hayden feel so special. Happy Day to my oldest nephew and almost baby!

Lit up like the 4th of July!

2011-07-05T22:53:00.002-04:00

My kiddos literally loved everything about the fourth! The parade, the fireworks, the family, the good food and remembering to be patriotic. We are so blessed to live in America and thankful that we have the freedom to worship God. It is especially a sweet 4th knowing that one very important soldier(my cousin, Clinton) fighting for our freedom and one dear friend from college overseas as a physical therapist with the army are both on their way HOME very soon! So thankful that we can celebrate because of the sacrifice that those and so many others make. I pray my children learn more every year of how blessed they are to be Americans.

The Great Pie Race

2011-07-05T22:35:00.004-04:00

On your mark, get set...

GO!

I couldn't get that stuff down so I tried to disperse and distract my opponents.

CharleeRay was not to be distracted.

But Micah was an easy smooch.

The winner came down to experience and perseverance...Bay!

somehow she ended up with the cleanest plate and the cleanest face!!

Charlee Ray still working...don't tell her it is over.

We had the Eidson's, Harper's and Rutland's over for a cookout on the 4th. We had so. much. fun. with our family? Crazy, I know. We waited and waited to try to shoot fireworks. And yes, my husband was the one that people were cursing on facebook. During our timewasting we watched Bay and Charlee Ray do a pie eating contest at their house on Wendy's phone. It just so happened that I had some cool whip I needed to get rid of:) So I coordinated one with the kiddos. It was too funny. Wendy did a great job capturing the fun!! Bay and Charlee Ray are so good with our kiddos and we are so thankful to have family so close so that they can be close with their cousins.

Backin' it up a bit.

2011-07-05T22:30:00.002-04:00

Somehow I forgot to post these fun pictures from one of our trips to the zoo. Hayden stayed with us last weekend and we had a blast. I LOVE that kid. He makes my kiddos happier too. He loved the zoo and Micah and SadieJane were happy to show him around. It is so hot lately that we got there first thing and were home by lunchtime. We didn't break a sweat til we headed to the car. Ahh that dreaded hill. Hayden cracked me up with his gorilla impression and getting all three in a picture was near impossible. Just another fun summer day!

My fish and their friends

2011-07-03T22:54:00.004-04:00

Lots going on at our homefront right now. Predominately of the character-building, lesson-learning, patience-giving, prayer-driving, a little bit on the challenging area of the Harper household. But God still is who He says He is...no matter our circumstance. While things here are kind of stinkin' it up I thought I'd post some of the pictures of brighter days...literally to help me feel better. We've been having a great summer and enjoying so much time at our pool, with either the kiddos and I, every now and then Mick or Hayden, sometimes Taron, Jaxson and Maxsim and even Bay and Charlee Ray stopped by for a dip! It is awesome to watch SayJ this summer. Literally every time we go to the pool (and this is alot) she gains a new tool and gets braver and braver. It is awesome and scary at the same time. Today since Mick and I went together at the end I took her swimmies off (which she wouldn't even wear the first day we hit the pool this summer, now she wears them and swims) and let her swim under water. It was so much fun. We couldn't do anything like that with Micah because he had tubes so SadieJane will hopefully get a jumpstart on the swimming. All in all the pool is a sanctuary in the summer for us. There is no tv, there is exercise involved and they get along relatively well when water is involved.
If you think about it send a prayer up for us as little thing after little thing is mounting up...like I am sure it is for some of you as well. I'll save the Debbie Downer post for a cloudier day!

Surprise!

2011-06-29T08:26:00.002-04:00

Sisters.

So proud to have this picture that we took two:)

The girls...Wendy, Taron, Heather, Me, Amy, and Kristie

Heather's childhood friends and such blessings to me! Kristie and Amy

Blurry but it says I love my Auntie!

Nana the baby charmer with SadieJane and Maxsim

The crew...look how grown up Bay looks!

SadieJane and Chase played outside and had nothing to do with the shower

There is a group of girls that try to go to the mall on Friday's together. My mom and Heather also come. I decided since Heather likes to "surprise" us with things that we would surprise her with an impromptu small baby shower for little Delilah Dianne. Since my mom couldn't tell us what Heather said when they pulled up to the house in the presence of small children we know that she was indeed surprised. Heather isn't big on large groups or surprises really so we just included a few of her close friends and family. It really was a sweet time of being able to love her and encourage her. Since it was Heather, we knew it would be fine to have all the kiddos there. Micah was sooo into the baby shower and actually helped decorate, anticipated the surprise and sat quietly on the sofa while Heather opened every present! It was too cute. He does love his Aunt Heather and is always looking out for her.
Even though there is always much changing and going on in our family I always have to step back and note how far the Lord has brought us. That Heather would even come to a surprise baby shower is a miracle in itself. Only a few short years ago we would have done this as an intervention and she'd have been hurling herself out of the car. What a change God can do when you trust Him (or even when you doubt). Praise the Lord for a special day!

Can of Worms.

2011-06-27T08:07:00.001-04:00

I know that I am opening up a can of worms but I really am curious as to what others think about this. It didn't take us long on our girls trip to get started on our children (poor Katie) and where they would go to school, etc. Well we are all pretty like minded girls...but on this issue we were all over the place. I pretty much have strong opinions on everything, but this one has me confused. I know where my heart lies...but my friend Brittany brought up a school of thought that I had not heard before and hit me hard. So here are the two views I most relate/lean towards. And they are pretty much completely opposing one another! All views expressed are gross generalities for the sake of argument...please read knowing that.

Option 1: Send your child to a Christian School or homeschool-God has given us responsibility as parents to raise our children and to protect them and to teach them about Him. Therefore putting them in either a Christian school or homeschooling would be the most practical option to do these things I've mentioned. With all the things that I hear that go on in 1st grade there are just so many things that at that age my children do NOT need to know. They are also so formative in their early years and can so easily be molded. Their biblical worldview is being shaped and why wouldn't you want it to be holistic...church, home and school all teaching the SAME thing. This (would appear to) sets them up for the best possible future of following Jesus and knowing Him more. I taught at a Christian school for three years and I loved the dynamics of it. I also loved the childrens childlike faith and the way that they expressed it in the classroom. Something a public school would not foster or even sometime allow. The knowledge that they receive about our Jesus is setting them up to one day go out and share Him with others.

BUT, on the flip side, these children can often be too sheltered, or not prepared academically. They also are demographically set up with a certain group of people. Diversity isn't on alot of Christian school radars.

AND, my favorite rebuttal to this choice, "I've met kids that went to Christian school, they are the worst ones!" In other words Christian school can't change their heart. Neither school can.

Option 2 - Send your child to public school- We are Christians, our calling is to be light in the world, state, our neighborhood and our school. There is a huge impact that your family can make in a public school and if your children are taken out of said school they will lose a ministry opportunity and so will you as a parent. You can teach your child a biblical worldview at home and train them there to go out into their school to be a light and influential child. The kids will actually go to school with those that live around them and increase their opportunity or give them opportunity that they wouldn't have when surrounded by likeminded kiddos in a Christian school. They will have a grasp on temptations and not be overwhelmed by them when they are eventually shoved into the world at a later date if they are in a Christian school. As a parent we have the opportunity to be as involved as the school will allow, sharing Jesus with whoever will listen.

BUT, we all know my issue with drugs and addiction and the sheer amount of those are just way greater in the public school system. Not to mention profanity and sexual information.

AND, the biggest rebuttal to public school education from the Christian/homeschool crowd that I've heard is"Why shouldn't we take the opportunity to shelter our children from these things while we have the chance?". I get that, but can we truly shelter them anywhere.

Lastly, I know families who have made HUGE impacts for Jesus in their public schools and grown as stronger Christians because of it. I also know Christians who have homeschooled, productive, well rounded, adults who are amazing and influential in their colleges. I also know students who are in Christian schools and they are buck wild(and not for the Lord). I also know some public school kids that faced so much peer pressure that they made poor choice after poor choice and now have sunk so low.

Bottom line we can not control our children's hearts. Only the Lord can...we can lead them and teach them. We are called to "raise a child in the way he/she should go..." we are called to mold and shape our children. Biblically speaking the responsibilty lies solely on parents to educate and train their child. So wherever we choose to send them, we need to know what and who is being taught. BUT, as we pray about it obviously no choice is an automatic "most spiritual" choice. I can see even more now how it is based on so many different factors and on each child. There will be no perfect option...only what is perfect for our family. One more year to bathe my bird in prayer and do whatever God calls us to do... which way are you leaning?

*Ammendment: I did leave out a very influential factor. The teacher. That part will really be the kicker and big deciding factor. I know some great ones at each of the schools...well except the homeschool that we are districted for:)

worry is of the devil...

2011-06-26T08:12:00.005-04:00

I sat down and wrote a long post about schooling options the other day then read and reread it four times in hopes of not offending anyone. After much angst I finally got ready to post and half of it was deleted. I decided at that point it wasn't going to be a post...

Why is it that once you have a great experience with the Lord and begin to feel secure things start to crumble? Why is it that the biggest lessons seemed to be learned in trials? Why is it that sin is easily revealed in hard times? I think God answers all of these with each of us in our own way...and for the one's He doesn't I am sure He has a purpose and a reason for not doing so...

After a great girl's trip I came back ready to minister to family and friends and get all my stuff in check. But in the midst of doing that the old worry wart nature started welling up within me. Worrying about what others think and what others think about what I say and what I do. I can remember coming back from church camp and seeing satan get on it to keep me from sharing the joy of Jesus...after a couple of years I started preparing for battle after those trips because I knew it would be a challenge. Hadn't had a trip like that in so long that when I got this girl's trip that turned into a mini "women's retreat:)" that I forgot to prepare myself for the challenge that would inevitably come after being refreshed and ready to be used by the Lord. Instead of ministering and loving people I've found myself getting immobilized by worry or my own thinking. I analyze everything. This isn't something new that has just happened recently. It's just that after the trip I kicked it into high gear... it has gotten worse, I didn't think that was possible. Wouldn't you know a year after doing the "So Long, Insecurity" thing I am now seeming to greet it again with open arms. I feel like writing about this in hopes that I will gain some new perspective and hopefully allow God to show me more of how I can change this area of sin in my life. My brain is seriously on overdrive all the time. I am now applying so much energy figuring out and then assuming what other people think. Then driving myself crazy with what I've decided they think. It happens with friends, family and strangers alike. Ugh. It is exhausting and so hard to stop. I also have a hard time with the balance of caring about someones feeling and worrying about what people think. I know we should have sympathy and care about others, but then where do you draw the line to stop yourself from being consumed by that? I know there are many of you reading this wondering what in the world I am talking about because Mick has no idea how I let this happen. He tries to understand but his brain just doesn't work the way that mine does, and I'm sure most of yours don't either. But I am again trying to "take every thought captive" and make an impact for the Lord. To not let satan run my thoughts and to surrender all of my anxiety to the Lord. I am typing this out in hopes that it somehow helps me to actually do what I say and pray. Unfortunately many of you have experienced my overanxious side by the dreaded "Are you mad at me?" that I feel the need to incessantly ask those that I love. Yet another product of anxiety that I am hoping to allow Jesus to free me from. In college I was a worrier...I guess I've always been one. We would constantly say "worry is of the devil" because for some reason worrying can start to feel profitable. Like I am actually doing something by worrying. But that is just satan wanting me to think that so that I get consumed like I mentioned above. Eventually paralyzed. No. Thanks.

Even as I type this and get ready to share I am proofing trying to make sure no one takes this post personally or thinks I am crazy. And that my friends, is why I feel the need to post it. To put a part of myself out there and to let it go. I want to type posts other than superficial picture posts. If I don't get some security in the Lord and find my identity in Him they'll be nothing left to write about. And I hope not, but if some of you struggle with this...obviously you are not alone, and hopefully sharing the fact that the one other person that feels this way and I can conquer this in His strength. And it will make the devil so sad, because he wont get a foothold on us.

So as soon as this "new me" gets under way I'll be finishing up that schooling post and posting right away.

Beautiful Babies...

2011-06-21T18:26:00.002-04:00

Since I was the only one with my camera at the beach I convinced Jessica to let me take some pictures of her with baby Lyla in her belly. Brittany tried to refuse but finally peer pressure won out so I got some picture of her and Sawyer too...but not without some grumbling. This post is my petition for a better camera. I LOVE taking pictures. Shocker. Obviously if you read my blog this is a gross understatement. But seriously I would probably be out of control if I got a nice camera. But still, think of all the neat pictures I could take. If I had cute subjects like these two all the time! Seeing their pregnant bellies really was beautiful and I just couldn't resist taking pictures of two of God's amazing creations...the vast ocean and the way He knits together little ones in a Momma's belly. Both incredible mysteries that only a powerful, awesome God could create.

Just Jump!

2011-06-21T18:11:00.005-04:00

Our closest final product...nevermind that only two of us are in the air.

Let's think about this...

OH, my.

Maybe if we let the biggest pregnant girl lift us all up?

Maybe I'll just jump by myself.

Or we could all jump, but we should have waited for Brit to finish going to the bathroom.

Bottom line...it is really hard to get FIVE girls off the ground at the same time with a sad camera on a tripod. Especially if two of those girls are with child:) As you can see...two is much easier:) BUT it was worth the fun we had trying to get it right. And by next year we'll have it perfected.

1st Race = 1st Place

2011-06-18T22:13:00.004-04:00

The best fans in the world!!

Micah trying to figure out if I won???

This guy didn't run the race, but he has helped so much to make it possible for me to do it that he might as well have!

Micah was just so happy that I got a medal!!

My tough first place face.

Oh wait, I failed to mention that I might have been the only one in my age category! So I technically won 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Toot toot! So technically I didn't win...but you know, you take what you get:) While I am a little behind (gasp!) on my blog I wanted to go ahead and post about my first race, because by tomorrow I'll forget most of it. I ran a 10.5K today in honor of a fallen officer and a classmate of Mick's, Blake Gammill. It was a trail run and I had so much fun! My cousins Jane and Paul told me if I ran a race I'd be hooked and they were right. It was a really small, hometown race with not alot of participants in the 10.5K...hence why I won!! But it was perfect for my first race. Here are my observations from a new racers perspective...

~People really jump the gun at the beginning. I started off at the back because I knew I would be slow, but man some of those people acted like it was a 1 mile fun run. Some of those people kept up that sprinting pace...the whole stinkin' time. Man, impressive. Some of those people ended up walking.

~My cousins also told me to just focus on passing the person in front of you. Starting at the back makes this fun and easy...since you've only got one way to go...up! And...technically there is no one to pass you which helps with your confidence I think.

~Trail runs are muddy and have lots of roots, etc. It is not at all like culdesac running that I do.

~Everybody assumes you know what to do...I had no clue that you had to fill out a card at the end or keep up with your own time of when you finished. I just happened to be paying attention. I thought they did that for you...maybe at the bigger races they do?

~I didn't know where to pin my number but I see now why they put them up higher or on your shorts, mine was in an awkward position and drove me crazy...but who can pull over and move those pins when you are trying to win your age division?

~I could see how one might get lost on those trails.

~ People are really weird about passing. I don't know what the ettiquette is but it seems like you should move to the side if I come huffing behind you...so many just stayed in the middle. Weird?

~Men are super competitive about women passing. Ugh. This one guy just wouldn't give up and just kept breathing down my neck. Eventually I left him in the dust. Or so I thought...

At the end of the race I was just so happy to finish, I didn't really feel like sprinting it out since I couldn't get under my time. I did my usual 10 minute miles and finished at 1:05. I was surprised because I thought I would have run faster with competition, but the roots and hills kicked my booty. Anyways, at the end of the race I didn't think there was anyone close to behind me, when all of a sudden the random group of people start cheering for me. I'm all smiling and running then I realize there is a guy(the one that didn't want me passin')....right behind me...he was sprinting it out trying to beat me. Stinker. I still beat him by one second:) (But speaking of etiquitte since I didn't know he was behind me I was totally boxing out, oops!)So when Micah asked if I won, I told him, yep I beat that man over there...the one with the fanny pack on.

Lastly it seemed like races would be much more fun to do with friends...I was the sad and lonely girl til my fans arrived...Anybody wanna run with me next race??

Never Say Never

2011-06-13T14:54:00.005-04:00

The girls: Brittany, April, Jessica, Katie and me

Brittany...and her 8 month pregnant self! Best trooper award for sure.

Jessica is 6 and half months pregnant, with Katie.

All of us on the beach...

we brought a tripod and set up shop. 2 hours and 100 pictures later we were exhausted.

In a pyramid you should not put two tall people on one side and two short people on the other:) Lesson learned from my lopsided pose.

The jumping picture...there's a whole post coming on this one:)

Baywatch

Charlie's Angel's??

The Mama's to be together...more on them later too.

I never thought I'd be able to truly enjoy a trip without my family. But I sure did. I never thought you could go on a trip with an odd number and somebody not feel left out. But no one did. (that I know of:)). I never thought you could go on a trip with all girls and have NO drama. But we did. I never thought I would get less sleep than when I am at home with two children. Oh unfortunately you can. I never thought I could laugh and cry so much in four days. But I did. I never thought I could leave my babies and that things would be completely fine with no real problems at all. But there weren't any. I never thought I could learn so much from a few in such little time but I did. I never thought I could love both girls I've known for what seems like forever and girls I might not think I have anything in common with...but I did. I never thought I'd find one person, let alone four others that liked to take pictures so much! But you can see above it was found. I never thought I'd have as much fun as I have when I rock out to Biebster with my babies, but it came close. Never say Never:)
As you can tell my girl's trip this past weekend was a success. For so many reasons. We cried and laughed and talked til my voice was hoarse. We sang Justin Beiber at the loudest volume possible (ok, maybe that was just me) We ate great food and got alot of quality time. My complaint always when spending time with women is that we spend far too much time on the superficial or the surface. With each person being scared to say anything real. I can't stand it. It makes me crazy. So with the fear of being completely annoying I insisted throughout the trip that we talk about things that were important to us by asking questions that each person had to answer. At first this too feels superficial but eventually you get in far enough and everybody feels liscense to let it all hang out. Something I probably do far too much of...you all know that from reading this blog of sometimes too much depth. Anyways I was afraid the trip itself would be fun and I'd get a break but there wouldn't be alot of realness...and I needed that more than any of the other. But there was realness and love and grace and laughter. I am so thankful that I went and can see how going makes me a better wife, friend and mother. I learned things from each girl and God used the trip to renew my love for Him through being able to see others through His eyes. I felt renewed to come home and continue the ministry to my family as well as convicted to continue to get outside of it and minister there too. It was truly beautiful. God reminded me that He gives us friends to sharpen us and at the end of the trip we took time to encourage one another. As each girl encouraged me I thought of the ways that I see Jesus in them and hope that I can be more like them in those ways, and in turn more like our Jesus.

Anxiety...Excitement...Anxiety....Excitement.

2011-06-08T16:21:00.003-04:00

Look at those precious babies, how could anyone want to leave them? Below you will find my justification to do just that, to help myself feel better and to hopefully convince myself that doing so wont harm anyone for years to come.
Even when we went out for my birthday dinner I had a hard time picking where to eat or even what to eat without thinking what they would want or how I wished they were there, or that I could entertain them somehow. I find myself always saying..."oh Micah would love that, or I wish Sadie Jane were here" even when we do get to get away. In some ways I love this because it means I am a Momma 24/7 and I know not how to turn it off. But in some ways this is a bad thing because I am a Momma 24/7 and I know not how to turn it OFF. Sometimes I fear that while I love being a Momma I am loosing part of who I am by not tending to other relationships or tending to my own heart and being still and listening to the Lord even. I have mentioned ad nauseum the balancing act of enjoying being a stay at home Momma and still being who I am. It is a constant battle. Which leads me to the title of the post...
For months I've been planning to go on a Girl's Trip with some of my best friends. And as my title states...since the moment of inception I have see-sawed from anxiety to excitement more times than I could count. The time is finally hear and we set off tomorrow and will return home Sunday night. Three. Whole. Days. I have not been away from Mick, Micah and SadieJane all at once in the almost seven years we've been married. I've been away from one of them at a time...(ie. Mick and I went on an anniversary trip before SayJ came, and Mick has left the kids and I at home to go coach) but never me without ALL of them. Oh, and SadieJane, well we've never been apart other than the brief stint when they stayed at Nana's, but I still saw them every day. With all this explaining you can see why this is a source of both excitement and anxiety. While I'm sure they will be fine, it is just something that hasn't happened before so the fear of the unknown and more importantly the fear that I can't be in control of every moment makes me twitch. So, in true Stephanie fashion I've compiled a list in my head to calm my thoughts...and then the other list fights back with Satan telling me all the things that could go wrong. I'll list them here for you. I know you can't wait!
Here are some good reasons for me going:
~Uhhh, sanity.
~Both kiddos get good time with Daddy, something they don't get alot of...and something I tend to take control of...without me here they have no choice:)
~Time with girlfriends.
~Time with Jesus.
~Time with my pillow.
~I'm going to LAY on the beach. (still can't believe this one will happen.)
~I'm going to get to eat a meal...no wait...SEVEN meals without feeling like I have an octopus crawling all over me.
~I'm going to read bookS. Yes, it is 3 days so I am definitely going to push myself to get it in while I can fit it in. Got me some Francine Rivers and the Heaven is for Real book. Can't wait to enjoy reading again.
~I'm going to get to swim without that same octopus.
~I'm going to put sunscreen on ME. I'll be able to remember if I just have to put it on one person surely.
~I'm going to run without arranging a conference call to make it happen. (unless time with my pillow, girlfriends or Jesus interferes:))
~My babies will probably have so much fun with their Daddy and family that they'll hardly notice I'm gone.
~I think that is enough...I'm feeling ready to go after typing all those...maybe I should skip my worrying list. Oh, but you know me I can't. Must. Type.

WorryWart
~ My children wont love me when I return. (I've left them gifts for everyday I am gone so that they wont forget me:) (My mom did this for me and my sister and it is a favorite of my childhood memories) (We wont mention my resentment for how often we got said gifts)
~Someone wont get fed.
~Someone wont get their nap on time.
~Someone wont get a nap.
~SayJ will go bonkers and I will feel like scum of the earth.
~I will owe Mick for weeks:) (I know I will...and I am really not THAT worried about it)
~Something big will happen like, SadieJane will start speaking in sentences or Micah will decide to get baptized.
~The transition when I do come home will be a big pain in the booty. Positive Polly, that's me!
~Something big and bad will happen...like a scraped knee or a bumped head and I wont be here to panic and kiss it.
~My family will have so much fun without me that they wont miss me! Gasp!

Phew, now I feel better. So I'm ready, let's do this. I am prepared to cry a few times because I miss them but I hope to be able to enjoy, rest and fellowship with some really awesome women. You all know I'll let you know how it turns out, along with a myriad of pictures.

More importantly you can pray for Mick as he embarks on his first annual Daddy Day Camp after a long week of teaching summer school and baseball camp. I know, I am such a such a good wife to punch him while he's down. But Father's Day is coming soon...and I promise to make it worth his while.

Just Another (fun-friend-filled) Day!

2011-06-06T15:48:00.005-04:00

Maddox, Micah, Bailey, Bryce and SadieJane

Bryce smiling for SadieJane

SadieJane can't decide if she likes younger or older men:)

more flirting...

long time family friend and newfound momma friend:) love those!

Krissy brought us all mardi gras beads! They live in the 9th ward in New Orleans so they have PLENTY!

Micah and his backup drummers!

SayJ, Micah, Camden, and Ellis

Once you have children your birthday becomes just another day. Although my day happened to fall on a day when we had plans with friends and had another friend come to spend the night. I definitely made the most of that and it made my birthday so much fun!
We headed out to the beach with my friend, Amy, her son Maddox, Kristie and her kiddos, Bailey and Bryce. We had a BLAST, even though it was the hottest day of the year so far. 96 degrees of sweatness it was! Micah and Bailey made me numerous sand castle cakes and Kristie and Amy had everyone sing to me with brownies Kristie made:) Yummo! I also got a little birthday wish from a nice state patrol on the way home from the beach with friends. Fortunately he had pity on me and said I should never "Follow too closely" again. For those that know me, know that me following to closely is a joke! I drive like a grandma, but I happened to be on the phone and trying to fix a DVD, the officer did not care for that excuse. I promised Micah I will drive better, and he promised me he would be more patient about when I press play!
After that my roomie from college Kristen (I lovingly call her Krissy) was passing through with her two boys. They stayed for dinner with my family and then spent the night. So good to spend my birthday with some of my favorite people. I pretty much threw my own party but I'm ok with that at this point. I have no shame. Just ask my husband:)

21 vs. 31

2011-06-01T08:29:00.004-04:00

Amy, Me, April, Brittany and behind the camera Suzie:)

There is a world apart between turning 21 and turning 31. I have been contemplating the differences and just wanted to document them here. It just makes me laugh and stand in awe of just how different your life can be in 10 years...and some ways that it just stays the same too.

When I was turning 21 I picked where to eat by who had the best steak, my parents were paying so I had no clue how much it cost. Turning 31 I will most likely pick the place you can go to get your birthday meal for free. Budget, budget, budget. (I don't think I even knew what that word meant at 21)
When I turned 21 I had no set apart "girl's night out", etc. Every night was just that. At 31, I plan for weeks to go out with the few that can get away from their children and if it actually happens I am in shock.
When I turned 21 I thought I looked great. I ate terribly and if I ran a mile I thought I was a real athelete. At 31, I worry about what nursing did to certain body parts and how what I eat could affect my children, and I run alot.
When I turned 21 I woke up around 10 and lazily dressed myself in a cute outfit. At 31, I lay on my pillow with the cutest blue eyes staring me down saying "Mommy, get up" at 7:30 and another sweet girl calling my name from her crib; neither of which have any clue that I have a birthday nor do they care:) And my outfit, tanktop and undies til I can get them dressed, hopefully I'll remember to put on pants before we leave the house.
When I turned 21 I'm pretty sure I spent hours watching daytime tv. At 31 I spend hours alright, watching disney channel and the mouse.
When I was 21 I wondered and worried if I'd die an old maid with lots of cats. At 31, I have a husband who I love and two babies that are more than I could have ever asked or imagined.
When I turned 21 I made sure everyone new it and waited for the phone calls. At 31, I am good with my husband telling me happy day and a few texts from my best friends. (Although facebook does make it fun:))
When I turned 21 I didn't worry about picking up my clothes or any housework whatsoever. At 31, I contemplate where I should vacuum first and which load of laundry to start first.
When I turned 21 I spent leisurely time with Jesus never knowing what a luxury it was. At 31, I pray I get to squeeze in a little time with my Savior.

I am sure I'll have more to add to this post as the day goes on. As I think "Happy Birthday to me" as I do things that just make me laugh. Like laughing that Micah just killed me a "crotchroach":) As I thought these things out I really thought this would be a "Man, 31 stinks, post" but turns out even compared to the glorious 21 it isn't so bad. God apparently has me right where He wants me and I am so grateful for this birthday.

Little Gymnast.

2011-05-31T15:57:00.002-04:00

It's been a rough couple of days for SadieJaner. She got her second fever of her life on Saturday. After a long day of deciding what to do...we went to the immediate care and found out that again the fever meant strep. Urgh. I hate that stuff. She was so pitiful and is doing much better now. Today was her first day of gymnastics. Mommy and me gymnastics. I do NOT remember it being that difficult with Micah:) Perhaps it was because both Mick and I were almost always available to man either side and round him up. SadieJane did not like being told what to do and she most definitely didn't like someone other than me telling her. Trouble. Micah decided to go try a different class while SayJ had hers and that backfired bigtime. He got upset during the class and came to me in tears when I got done with SadieJane. Ugh. A big cryfest from SadieJane during class and a big one from Micah afterwards. So what I got all excited about turned out not to be so exciting afterall. Better luck next week when Mick gets to partake in the wonderful "nastics".

Making Memories...

2011-05-29T23:06:00.002-04:00

too hopefully last a lifetime.
One of my favorite childhood memories is one Sunday morning my parents got us up for what we thought was church, then they told us instead we were going to go downtown, ride marta, go to the world of coke and a few other fun things. I still remember what I wore that day. I was just so excited to be doing something different, and probably excited not to sit through church quite honestly. But that is a memory that I love and am so thankful for...that my parents loved us and wanted to make fun memories with us.
I often wander will Micah and SadieJane remember the fun things we've done? I also sometimes hope they forget the ugly things that happen too, so it might be a trade off. Anyways, Thursday we woke up and it was supposed to be cloudy and cooler (in the upper 70's) so I quickly packed lunches and we headed to the zoo to make sure we got our money out of our family passes and to make a memory. It really was a fun day and I feel like it'll at least be a memory I can tell them about, even if they don't fully remember. The two funniest parts of the whole day really had nothing to do with the zoo. Although it was great and almost all of the animals were being fed!! Which means they were all out for us to see. But the two things that happened that I'll remember are that towards the end of our time there we were nearing exhaustion and Micah's little feet were growing weary, when we realized we had lost a croc. Those things are hard to come by so I decided we just had to retrace our steps no matter the cost. Well, Micah thought that was a fun game and he got a little renewed energy. Thank Jesus, (and we did) it wasn't too far back on our trek so we scooped it up and headed out. Micah got more excited about finding that shoe than he did about most of the animals. Lastly, we park waaaaay up a hill at the zoo because it is so much easier. Coming to the zoo is a breeze, but leaving and facing that what seemed to be small but is now gargantuous hill is quite daunting. Micah decided he could.not.walk.anymore. right before we left the gate and embarked on our climb. So I agreed to put him on my shoulders. It also turned out not to be cloudy and was in the lower 90's by this time. So I schlupped him onto my shoulders and pushed SadieJane and her two crocs up that hill to our car. It was a real moment of success for me when we truly made it. Micah was SO impressed and apparently expected me to drop him before we reached the car. He couldn't believe I was "so strong!". We headed home after that with sleepy bodies and good memories!

Last "Prepormance"

2011-05-27T22:12:00.003-04:00

Token Me and My Babies Picture. One of our better ones.

Getting his long awaited "medal and trophy"

Tada!

It's a blurry picture but Micah keeps his tongue like that anytime he concentrates...I used to do that while I danced.

Hayden and Jaxson came to cheer Micah on! What good buddies!

Micah next to his sweet friend Sophia. He loved to tickle her. She once told her momma she was going to marry Micah. But then changed her mind by the next class:)

Dancing!

With his favorite teacher Ms. Erica.

Pops!

Jenny and Budda! Oh so happy to be there~

Last Wednesday was Micah's performance for gymnastics. He was soooo excited because Ms. Erica had told him he would be receiving a trophy and a medal. He thought that he would be getting one of those huge cheering trophy's because they are on display in the entrance. He was not dissapointed though and was so proud of his. He has taken it every where with him since then. It was last found in the bathroom! One of the few boys at gymnastics, (Mick claims it is good for agility in the future if you are wondering how he stands it:)) he has loved every minute and we have had a great year watching through the mirrored glass each week.

Flea Market Finds

2011-05-26T14:46:00.002-04:00

I forgot about these silly pictures and saw them when looking through and had to post. I love hairbows for my curly headed crazy hair girl, but they are expensive and they tend to get lost. But without a strategically placed bow SayJ is hair gone wild. So after so much kid2kidding I decided it'd be cheaper to find bows at the flea market in Alabama. Santuck. Ahhhh...I love that place. We went last month and got all that you see above for $10.00, I think that is pretty good! I can't wait to go back next month and get more. There were lots of bow vendors but I shopped around til I was sure we had the best quality at the cheapest price...and we did! We'll just have to find a spot on her head for the others:) Hahaha. SadieJane usually doesn't like one bow on her head but she did think it was funny after a minute to have 15 on there. Lastly, if you see SayJ with a cute bow in her hair, do NOT comment on it. Most of the time she doesn't know it is there, and as soon as she hears the word it's hand to the head, bow to the floor. But it keeps me going back to Santuck so I'm good...