Rodeo Drive...

....here I come!

Just A Normal Day

With my normal kids....

Thomas in his favorite T-shirt...
'I Do All My Own Stunts'

The picture that Sarah Grace will hate when we pull it out to show suitors...

Just our little ray of sunshine!

Revisiting Christmas

Or the music of Christmas, anyway. Below, you will find the lyrics to the kids version of Feliz Navidad. A song that almost, just almost, drove me over the edge yesterday as we rode in the van for an hour and twenty one minutes. The very edgiest of the edge.

Denise la-le-la
Denise la-le-la
Denise la-le-la
I like to eat Lolly-Pops

Denise la-le-la
Denise la-le-la
Denise la-le-la
I like to eat Lolly-Pops

And on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on. It seems they didn't want to wish anyone a Merry Christmas, after all. But rather that they preferred to wail to Denise about liking Lolly-Pops.

Of course, every once in a while, they would pause and ask me for a Lolly Pop. Just for good measure. In case their little song had somehow become endearing to me, causing me to want to reward them for their lyrical genius.

It didn't work, by the way.

Silence

The older two kids have been in Scottsboro since Sunday visiting with my family. Granny is in Georgia with friends for the week. Without all these early birds here to guilt me into wakefulness, I a happily hugging my pillows until 9 AM these days.

Elizabeth, like me, is not motivated to get up either. I have her sleeping on Thomas' bed downstairs with us, and if she wakes up before 9, she just hums to herself, sucks her little fingers, and is content to be lazy. That one is mine. No doubt about it there.

Yesterday, the only motivating factor that got my tail out of bed was that Joshua is down with his back again. So I chauffeured him to Huntsville to see the chiropractor. That is what will get me going again today. I have an appointment.

And I need to go pick up Sarah Grace and Thomas. The late mornings and television nights are over. It's time to start acting like a Mommy again.

Well, I still have a few hours...

Things My Kids Love

Milkshakes
Thomas - Vanilla
Sarah Grace - Strawberry
Elizabeth - anything anyone will share with her
Playing in the bathtub
Asking questions
Suckers (aka - lollypops)
Going to the bank - because they get suckers!
Word World
Coloring
Singing
Playgrounds
Strawberries
Reading
Musical greeting cards
Flowers
National Geographic magazines - the pictures are great
Shoes (Sarah Grace)
Asking questions
Ducks
Painting
Building castles out of blocks
Cooking
Playing Mommy and Baby or Daddy and Baby
Tents
Camping Out
Asking questions
Helping in the kitchen
Riding their bicycles
Aggravating each other
Playing outside
Apple juice
Boz
Their Blankets (Sarah Grace & Elizabeth)
Cars (Thomas)
Picnics
Asking questions
Watermelon
Aquariums
Playing Piano or Guitar or Drums
Candyland
Bubbles
Spending the night with other people
Homework (school work)
Talking on the phone
Talking in general
Brushing their own teeth
Cheesing for the camera
Going to church
Asking questions
Boat rides
Watering plants with watering cans
Cucumbers
The phrase 'To the rescue'
Dropping coins into the money jug
Finding mail for them in the mailbox
Cutting paper
Playing Hide & Seek
Birthdays
Stalling at bedtime
'Cow' milk
Butterflies
Tractors
Buttons on electronic things
Asking questions
Stickers
Apples
Hugs & kisses & cuddles - which we (their parents) are pretty partial to, as well!
Talking about the angel Gabriel talking to Mary
Butter (as in will dip their fingers into it and eat chunks at a time...ick!)

Visitin'

Our friend Ms Heather invited us out to visit her in her new home yesterday. The kids pretty much adore Ms Heather, and she now ranks even higher on their list. It was the chocolate chip muffins, I think. Or the gigantic box that she had kept for them to play in, complete with windows, doors, and shutters!

The kids colored and stumbled around in the box while Heather and I chatted, me wrapped in a blanket because she is very pregnant and likes to use her air conditioner. After a bit, the kids started getting restless and we opted to go for a walk. We used the secret trail to cut back to the Grandparents house, where the kids discovered swings and a tire swing. They drifted back and forth through the air for quite some time before our outing continued.


The next stop was the Parents house, where they had baby guinea fowl! 50 little chicks, to be exact. Thomas and Sarah Grace and Elizabeth all had great fun poking their heads into the cage and watching as the chicks ran from one end to the other. They laughed when Ms Heather reached in and pulled a couple out, and Thomas decided he was brave enough to hold one!


Not to be outdone, Gracie decided to give it a try, but was quickly deterred by the little birds flapping wings. Good thing for that bird Sarah Grace is so small, or that could have been a long fall.

Elizabeth was quite content to stick her finger out and pet them or poke at their beaks or in their eyes. She laughed and squealed and poked some more.


After we had our fill of playing with the chicks, we started back towards Ms Heather's house, but managed to get sidetracked at the pond. The paddle boat was freshly cleaned (thanks, Ms Heather!) and the kids thought a paddle boat ride sounded good.


Let me just insert that the things mothers do for their children never cease to amaze me. I was the motor. Not, in fact, a life-long aspiration of mine. But my children were looking forward to a boat ride. So I paddled. I couldn't very well ask the very pregnant Ms Heather to do it, now could I?

It was a fun day. The kids enjoyed themselves and are still chattering about the different things that they got to do. And plotting how to get back to Ms Heather's again...today, if possible. They want more chocolate chip muffins. Thanks, friend, for hostessing so graciously! We enjoyed it so much!

Folks I Can't Wait To Talk To

We all, I would think, have that one person we can't wait to interview when we reach the other side of Heaven's Gates. Jonah, Moses, Noah, David to name a few. I often wonder if it will matter once we are there, getting the details on the stories of these men's lives, or if we will be so busy worshiping God in such a new and special way that thoughts of our Bible heroes fall to the wayside.

Given the season of my life I am in, the kids and the business of being a Mom and the seeking to be the best Mom I can be, my thoughts often turn to Mary. I mean seriously, there was a woman with a daunting title. The Savior's Mother. I get normal kids, who are great in their own right, but let's face facts: they are not destined to be the Saving Grace of the world!

I wonder how it was for Mary. What kinds of fears and burdens did she carry? What kind of joys did she experience? And how did she not have a stomach ulcer from knowing that she was mothering Christ?

And then, there is Jesus Himself. I know where He was born. I know who His earthly parents were. I know He was visited at His birth by kings and shepherds. I know at age 12, he 'wandered off from' His parents and went about His Father's work in the temple. But you know what is missing? Those all important toddler years. Those formative years of language, learning, physical development that are such wonderful blogging fodder for so many of us. What kind of baby was He? When did He first sleep through the night? Was He a picky eater? Was teething the kind of trial that leaves so many Mom's yanking at their hair? How old was He when He learned to crawl? Walk? How 'bout that potty training bit? Did He catch on right away, or did He dawdle about it? Did Mary sing Him to sleep at night? Did He have favorite songs? What kind of games did He play? What was His first word? Did He run to His Mommy when He skinned His knee? Did He skin his knee? Did He miss the target when He was learning to wield a hammer and squash His thumb? Did He climb trees and run about and dig for worms and bugs and other yucky stuff?

Yeah, Mary, I have some questions for you. Your Son was perfect, but what does that mean when referring to those early years of His life? I am so curious. I so know that in the big picture, it doesn't matter. But my days are full of these kinds of discoveries and achievements. I just wonder...you know?

Just An FYI

I have considered changing the quote in the Quotable Quotes section for a few months now. But I can't. It is just so true. So I am thinking about adopting a new strategy over there. You probably have no cares about that, but I felt the need to share with you. As for the strategy, well, maybe after the baby comes, I will have a brain to think with. Until then, c'est la vie.

And I also feel you need to know this. It is 8:43 AM on Monday and I would rather be in bed. And with that in mind, I am going to go get everyone ready for a chiropractor visit. Yip-skip!

Granny's Shiner

Sarah Grace and Elizabeth sleep in the room just across the hall from Granny. Often times, Sarah Grace will wake up and skip over and crawl up in bed with Granny and read her books. I hear that sometimes Granny reads books, too. One particular morning, however, reading was apparently to tame a sport for these two. The story is foggy, but the end result was this:

I heard something about tickling and giggling, I think. And I know I heard something about Sarah Grace's hard head banging into Granny's eye. Much to Granny's credit, she is still smiling. See? =)

Schooling The Boys

The highlight of our day was late this afternoon when the doorbell rang. Granny and the kids went to answer it and were greeted by three or four high school football players wearing their jerseys. They were peddling some discount card as a fund raiser. Granny decided to purchase one (it had a buy one get one free on ice cream cones that could be used once per day for the next year!) and stepped away to go find her purse. Sarah Grace had heard Thomas' slightly awed announcement that these were ball players, so she seized the opportunity.

'Dis is my Cwifford ball,' she called to them as she grabbed up her ball and ran towards the door with it.

To their credit, the boys were sufficiently impressed. 'Wow,' said one. 'A Clifford ball. Cool. Clifford is the man!'

'No he's not,' declared Thomas. 'He's a dog!'

Heartwarmer

Did I mention that Elizabeth is walking? She gets better and better every day. I don't remember being able to so easily see the improvement in the other two. It's been that way. I am relatively comfortable with the whole Mothering thing now. At least, anyway, I am not scared of breaking the kid or doing something horrendously wrong. I have been able to sit back and enjoy Elizabeth's accomplishments more. Perhaps not a literal 'sit back', but you know what I mean.

So, Elizabeth, in all her gusto to be a better walker, spends much of her time getting back up from the adorable bottom falls that new walkers do and persevering at this two legged moving thing. And she is proud of herself. Her little legs unsteadily stomp from one step to the next, her arms all Frankenstein-like to help her maintain balance. Crawling is relegated only for just before nap, when she crawls around after me as I get her bottle ready and she cries tiredly.

My favorite, though, is between lunch and nap time. She will toddle around, bringing me things that she can carry now that her hands are freed up for such things. I get used tissues from the office trash can, magnets from the fridge, pieces of string that were caught up in the carpet, odds and ends toys that she deems Mommy worthy. And smiles. Oh, at the wonderfully sweet smiles. And the jabbering. And as she tires out, she walks over to me, lays her head on my leg, looks big eyed at me, and says 'Mamma, Mamma, Mommeeeee'. Then she sticks her left ring and middle fingers in her mouth and just rests on my leg until I pick her up. Then she rests her head against my chest and snuggles.

Sweetness defined, that is what that is.

Lasterday

Las.ter.day - noun - the day preceding this day

Of course, that would be a Freeman child phrase. Sarah Grace, to be exact. And let me tell you about our Lasterday. It was Mother's Day! My boys presented me with flowers and cards and chocolates Saturday evening, so I was set for the day.

However, we didn't count on the storms that kept Joshua up late monitoring the weather so that his family could sleep. I vaguely remember waking at some odd hour of the wee morning and realizing that a) there was a storm that was shaking the house nearly, and b) Joshua wasn't in bed yet. But I rolled back over and went back to sleep, knowing that he was on top of things and that if we needed to do something, he would make sure we woke up to do it.

That being said, we got a bit of a late start Sunday morning. In fact, we left the house half an hour late, and were equally as late for Sunday School. But alls well that ends well, yes? Our service was great. We studied these three little verses that I have skimmed over several times and thought, so? How did that get mentioned? But with our Associate Pastor's insight and studying, he brought to life the lady named Anna that was mentioned ever so briefly in that passage. Suffice it to say, Anna has been on my mind the past 24 hours. I am not done with her yet.

After church, my family took me to eat at O'Charleys, from where I was craving a particular dish. After a twenty minute wait with sleepy children, we were seated, and in relatively short order, our food brought out to us. Three bites into my beloved dish, and my belly told me I was done. DUN. No more. Stop now. Or else.

So, I did. And I asked for a to go box.

Then, we did what any self-respecting family does on a Sunday afternoon...we napped. All of us, for two solid hours. Mmmmm....sleep....

We went back to church after our lovely nap and sampled the fruits of the men's labors and they competed in the Men's Bake Off. I thought it was lovely. Tables full of desserts for me to eat from, what could be better?

I had been asked to sit on a panel of Mom's from different stages of life, and while I was very nervous about it, I think it went well. Thanks to the cherry cream pie that was in my belly! It was an interesting evening, and it was so good to hear what the older Mom's had to share about their experiences and current trials. (In case you are wondering, I represented the Mommy of young families. Ha! Imagine!)

Truthfully, I wished there had been more time and that I could have heard more of what the other ladies had to say. It is always so good to hear from faith-strong women and what is on their hearts. I am very thankful for all the Mom's that have been put in my life. I rarely feel suitable for the challenge of being a Mother, but through the Lord's grace, I am making it one day at a time.

Music

I often wake with some song running through my head. Recently, I have had a fix on Bonnie Raitt. But I got over that. She lasted for several days, but yesterday I finally woke with a different song buzzing around. It is an old one that our praise team used to sing when I was involved with the Baptist Student Union, and it has been marinating in my head and my heart for a couple of days now. I though I would share with you, as it is very encouraging to me.

From depths of woe I raise to Thee
The voice of lamentation;
Lord, turn a gracious ear to me
And hear my supplication;
If Thou iniquities dost mark,
Our secret sins and misdeeds dark,
O who shall stand before Thee?

To wash away the crimson stain,
Grace, grace alone availeth;
Our works, alas! are all in vain;
In much the best life faileth:
No man can glory in Thy sight,
All must alike confess Thy might,
And live alone by mercy.

Therefore my trust is in the Lord,
And not in mine own merit;
On Him my soul shall rest, His Word
Upholds my fainting spirit:
His promised mercy is my fort,
My comfort, and my sweet support;
I wait for it with patience.

What though I wait the livelong night,
And till the dawn appeareth,
My heart still trusteth in His might;
It doubteth not nor feareth:
Do thus, O ye of Israel’s seed,
Ye of the Spirit born indeed;
And wait till God appeareth.

Though great our sins and sore our woes,
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our utmost need it soundeth.
Our Shepherd good and true is He,
Who will at last His Israel free.
From all their sin and sorrow.

author - Martin Luther

Reviewing

When looking through some pictures today, I ran across this one and wondered if I ever posted it. It is so rare that we get everyone looking in the general direction of the camera at the same time. And no one in tears. So, despite the cheesy look on Thomas' face and the sleepy expressions the girls are wearing, here we are. About as good as it gets!

And So I Laughed...

...albeit quietly.

Thomas is taking slightly shorter naps these days than the girls are. Oh, who am I kidding... plenty shorter. He is still awake half an hour after they all go down and up about half an hour before the girls are even considering consciousness. He is, however, easily entertained. I just remind him that it is still rest time and he will play quietly in his room until he is released.

Today when I checked on him, though, he insisted that he was 'grubby and need a baff. Yeah, grubby.' Hmmm...okay. My son is still young enough to request a bath. Let him have at it! I feel certain the days are soon coming when a little water splashed on his face will be his definition of a bath.

He went into the bathroom and shucked his clothing , turned on the bath water, plugged the drain, and only asked for assistance in reaching a towel so he could dry off when he was all done. I happily helped and then I trotted off to do laundry.

I came back down the stairs several minutes later, smiling because I could hear the little man belting out a brand new song that he was making up on the fly. It became giggles when I peeked around the corner and saw him laying down in the bath tub, floating a bit. Then as I stood there, listening and trying not to be seen, he started talking to himself.

'Imahero.' *pause* 'I'm a hero.' *slightly longer pause* 'I AM A HERO!!' *pause* 'I'm a hero!...I'm a hero!...I'm a hero!'

I stepped back and laughed very hard. And very quiet. Tears, people, real tears of repressed mirth were streaming down my cheeks.

Seriously, you think I could make this stuff up? And where does a not quite four year old get that kind of ego, anyway?

Watch Out World...

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