Archive for November, 2007
…some people started blogging, just not knowing what it was; and they’ll continue blogging it forever just because…
So when I started NaBloPoMo-ing, I thought it would be a great idea. We hadn’t posted in awhile or updated the world on how we were doing lately, so I made a valiant effort to blog every day this month. Well, HALLELUJAH! The game is now over.
College football teams talk about how the media will “remember November” because each game played in November is just a step closer to a bowl game. I will remember November 2007 because in my life I have never felt so much like this:
(Thanks to Fussypants for the button.) 
I am not sure if I’ll do this again next year. It was fun to update every day, but it was incredibly time-consuming too. I am glad it IS only once a year. I hope all of you enjoyed our posts, and I think we’ll be taking a break on posting for a little while. We have several things going on right now with Christmas programs and such. We will announce when we have our next set of pictures updated in the gallery too. We’re going to have a December to Remember.
November 30th, 2007
This is an actual conversation/monologue I had with Colby the other day. Or rather, Mommy had….
Me: Okay, Mommy, Kennedy, and Colby will go into Colby’s house and Mommy will get Colby’s lunch so Colby can eat it.
Colby: Yay! Eat munch. (lunch)
Me: What does Colby want Mommy to fix Colby for lunch today? Would Colby like some chicken? Or some noodles? Colby likes soup, how about Mommy fix Colby some soup? Does Colby want Mommy to fix Colby some soup?
Colby: Colby eat soup. Colby do it. Colby blow it, it’s hot soup.
…..
I suddenly realize that I never, not once, used any personal pronouns. Why? I know he knows who he is and who I am… how did I get into this? I told Kevin about my revelation when I said, “I probably should use ‘I’ and ‘you’ instead of ‘Mommy’ and ‘Colby’ all the time.” Kevin said, “Otherwise he’ll go to kindergarten and say, ‘Colby needs to tie Colby’s shoes.’”
Do you catch yourself saying funny things to your kids?
November 29th, 2007
Work is not always required of a man. There is such a thing as sacred idleness, the cultivation of which is now fearfully neglected.
–George MacDonald 1824-1905
I am almost giddy to write this post. In the past few weeks I have been evaluating my current leadership roles and commitments. I have come to one very definite conclusion: I CANNOT DO EVERYTHING.
What’s that you say? Yes, I tried to do everything. This is not news to many of you, but I had to find out for myself, evidently. Time is something that is very precious to me, and I really had a good balance of all things I committed to. But, the balance is changing as my family’s needs are changing, so I am bowing out (or bailing out, in some cases) with hopefully some grace and dignity.
This week our MOPS Leaders’ Devotional was fabulous and spoke on this very topic. It was authored by Bethany Wingo, a MOPS Leadership Development Project Manager. She spoke on our culture’s use of technology and then compared it to our purse size (both of which I can relate):
Our latest fixation is using technology to save time. Consumers are encouraged to pay with credit cards rather than cash so as to save milliseconds in the checkout line. I don’t know about you, but I am feeling overloaded by the use of technology trying to save more of my time. Because as we know, more technology does not create more time, we just find a way to fill our schedules with more on the to-do list. It’s like the “purse size syndrome.” The larger the purse, the more junk that goes in it. The more gadgets to help us save time, the more we end up adding to our over-full lives.
It’s important that as leaders we recognize the “purse size syndrome” in our schedules. The less we do, the better we do it. Leaders have a responsibility to those they lead, and the focus is on quality, not quantity. There is no quick fix technology tool to help us get there. It’s about realizing our limitations and setting boundaries that honor our calling and commitments.
Wow. And, I’m also guilty of not observing that “sacred idleness” I mentioned earlier. I crave busy-ness. I thrive on chaos and schedules and planning out each moment as I want it to happen. As a mom, I’m finding out (slower and slowly-er) that things don’t happen exactly the way they used to, the way I want them to. I am taking on less and giving away more jobs so that I can focus on exactly what I need to. I’m realizing if I fill a role I’m not supposed to fill, it’s not answering the call for leadership, it’s disobedience; I’m keeping someone else from filling the role they should.
This is not to say I will sit at home like a bum and do nothing with the kids all day. I’m cutting back on my responsibilities, not eliminating them. But, before you ask me to serve in any capacity, please know the answer might be NO.
November 28th, 2007
…there were never such devoted sisters… Can someone (besides my sisters) name the movie this song was in?
I am so lucky to have grown up with sisters. Alicia and I are only 19 months apart and Katrina and I are 8 1/2 years apart in age, but I feel closer to them than to most of the people I went to high school or college with. Living with people definitely makes you closer to them, like it or not.
Alicia and I were involved in the same activities in high school - cheerleading, band, boys, er… friends. (No, we don’t have the same interests in boys, but we did like to talk about them a lot.) I think Alicia even accompanied me on my first date.. I can’t remember because we were still doing the whole “group dating” thing. She and I learned how to fight. Not physically, but with words and tempers and hormones and emotions. 5 minutes after fighting, we would hug and say we were sorry. But we needed to get things out of our systems, or whatever. I have called Alicia my Best Friend since high school. (Before then we were so stubborn because Mom always told us that our sisters would be our best friends.. we didn’t want to think that Mom might actually be right.) Alicia has stuck “closer than a [sister]” (Proverbs 18:24) through thick and thin… we have been through a lot together and I am a better person because of her.
Katrina and I are really just now getting to be “friends”. For a long time I felt like she was the little sister I needed to take care of, watch out for, and guard. But now that she will be 18 soon, I can’t do that forever. And I think she’s getting a little tired of me doing so. Alicia and I have many hilarious stories of things Katrina did when she was little… One day we’ll write a book and make millions. When Katrina was younger, I used to be annoyed by her, mainly because of our age difference and my inability to laugh at her humor. Now I can see that she’s probably the smartest and wittiest person I know. Her sense of humor is much more mature than her 17-18 years shows. Katrina loves to laugh and it’s so much fun to be in a room with her. She’s also very talented, especially with her voice. I have no doubts that she could be a performer on Broadway if she has the desire. I think right now she’s searching for what God wants her to do, and I have the utmost respect for her.
We took the above picture on Thanksgiving day because I realized that I don’t have many pictures of just the 3 of us. (We can make it if we try, just the.. ) I also am realizing that Alicia, being a senior at A&M this year, and Katrina, being a senior at Bryan High this year, will both graduate in May and be leaving town for a few years. I know I’ll see them occasionally, but this will be the last full year I’ll get to just drop by and see them whenever I want. Mom and I are going to be basket cases come next fall.
I could spend hours writing out funny stories about my sisters and me. They’re all hilarious stories, and some of them you probably just wouldn’t get unless you were there.. or unless you were a part of the “sister-hood”. I’ve been in a sorority. I lived in girls’ dorms. I’m a part of Moms’ groups. I study the Bible with other women. But none of these can compare to my relationship with my sisters. To Lee-cha & Treen-o, I love you!
November 27th, 2007
Not as many pictures for this round; Colby was running fever so we were more occupied with taking care of him.
However, this is a pretty grand picture of the table & food. Before we ate, as is our tradition, we each shared one thing we are thankful for. I found it wonderful that so many of us are thankful for family and for being together. We are, indeed, very blessed.
20 people ate at this table!
Colby eating carrots & ranch dressing.
Katrina, Grandfather, & my Dad
Grandmother & Kevin’s mom
Kennedy sees something…
Oh, it’s a lamp! Can I keep it? (And yes, she really did pull the strings to turn the lamp on & off…)
Kennedy is pictured with Kevin’s dad. Kevin’s parents have made the trip to Bryan for the past few years, so it has become a tradition! Usually they stay over a night, but with the Texas game the next day, they opted to come here and back in the same day. It’s not too bad of a trip (about 3 hours each way) when you don’t have kids.
Today, while teaching my exercise class, I had everyone call out the name of a food we ate this weekend while we did crunches. “1-sweet potatoes!” “2-dressing!” “3-pie!” “4-cranberry sauce!”
November 26th, 2007
This is the first Thanksgiving of 2007, which happened last weekend. Notice the warm weather clothes.
Our Christmas pictures will be so much fun… kids not looking at the camera.
Kevin’s parents got a new dog, Berkley, who loves Kennedy.
The boys watch tv (and jump on the couch) while we put things on the table.
The bird.
Kevin’s dad carving the bird, a great pic of Kris & Mark’s new kitchen!
The other half of the kitchen (it’s too big to fit in one shot), I’m putting pickles on a plate.
And a nice bath to end the day. Rub-a-dub, dub. Three dudes in the tub.
We took out all the naked photos so as to not embarrass The Three Amigos when they’re older.
Colby’s shampoo mohawk. McKay makes a funny face while looking at Ryan’s mohawk.
November 25th, 2007
So I have been holding off on posting about this until I saw my Dad last weekend. You see, when he got a new car, he refused to tell me what kind it was. Apparently this was some sort of payback to us for not sharing the names of our babies with them before they were born. Oh well… I decided to hold off what kind of car I bought until I could show it to him in person. I have always loved the Lexus IS 300, which is now the IS 250 and IS 350. I guess my Dad decided he liked them too, because that is what he bought. So, I certainly couldn’t get one of those now… because that would just be weird.
So, if you haven’t guessed it already, I did get a new car. Its not “new new”, just new to me. It’s a 2003 BMW 330i with the Performance Package. I don’t have a fancy picture of it yet, here’s one of it in my sister’s driveway last weekend when we were celebrating Thanksgiving. Just ignore the boxes in the back:
It is in really great shape as the former owner took really good care of it. I look forward to driving it for a while. So can we please all have a moment of silence for the old ‘95 Civic? (Silence). It served me quite well since I obtained it in 1998. I drove it for nine and a half years and it is still kicking quite well. If you or someone you know is looking for a car with great gas mileage, good condition, and an excellent stereo with integrated iPod hookup, send them my way.
And finally, you may be wondering why I titled this post this way. Well, “Daddy’s Siber Car” is what Colby calls it… I’m not even sure I got the spelling right, but he is obviously saying “Silver”, but it really kind of sounds like “Super”. I tend to agree. I’ll leave you with a video:
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
November 24th, 2007
Today some team showed up and played in Texas A&M’s jerseys. I mean, they sure did look like the players’ faces we’ve seen all year, but they did NOT play like they’ve played all year… they played so much better. I knew today I wanted to blog about this, win or lose, but I am pleasantly surprised AND thrilled.
In case you haven’t heard, Texas A&M beat Texas University, 38-30. The Aggies led the entire game. This is our first time to win against Texas back-to-back since ‘93-’94. I actually went to the 1994 game in Austin, when we beat Texas 34-10. We sat in the end zone. It was wonderful. But today’s win was heroic… I started to wonder if we should have played Texas earlier in the season? My dad thinks maybe we should have played Texas every week in conference play!
Did anyone watch this game on ABC? I was so annoyed by the commentators. They were all singing the praises of the Texas team and the Texas coaches and the Texas quarterback and the Texas receivers. GO AWAY! Who’s winning the football game? They all said how Texas was a 4th quarter team and how Texas could easily come back and win the football game. WE KNOW WHO YOU’RE ROOTING FOR! You now have to eat your words.
If you go to aggieathletics.com, you’ll see the front page headline is of Coach Fran and his resignation. I wish more people would look at how positive this win is for our program, rather than finding a new head coach and ousting the old one. Even ABC’s Jack Arute, who interviewed Fran on tv was pretty rude; even before his resignation was official, Jack said, “Coach, was that your last game on this sideline?” I liked Fran’s response, “Let’s just focus on this game and enjoy it.” So Jack pushes, “What do these players mean to you?” Fran: “A lot.” Then Fran walked away.
Our record stinks and so did our coaching staff, but who cares? WE BEAT TEXAS! Go and brand Bevo, 38-30!
November 23rd, 2007
So you are in for a double blog today, folks! It is my turn to tell you all what I am thankful for not only this day, but every day. I probably won’t say it very eloquently as Jenna did, but nonetheless it is true from my heart.
As I told them both today, I am thankful for both sets of our parents. I am not ashamed to say that they provided for Jenna and me as we went through college. I am thankful that they gave us just enough, but not too much. Many of our friends will have student loans to pay off for years because either their parents didn’t or couldn’t afford to put them through school. I do not say this in a proud or conceited way; I am truly thankful because without this debt hanging over us we are able to begin saving for the kids’ college and our retirement. We are able to own our house and buy things without creating more debt. I hope to be able to pass on this blessing to my children and hopefully someday payback our parents in some way.
Recently in our small group we were asked, “What one thing/activity/place stirs your affections for Jesus/God?” It is the thought of my children. Never in my life have I understood more clearly the depth of the sacrifice that God made when he gave Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. The thought of giving Colby or Kennedy to die for someone else is completely beyond comprehension. If ever I need a reality check of the depth of God’s love for me (and you), this is all I need to think about. So with all that being said, I am thankful that God is not selfish. God is not proud. God is faithful to me even when I am not faithful to Him. God can forgive. God can forget. God loves me, and He loves you, too.
9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
– 1 John 4:9-11
What are some of the things you are thankful for?
November 22nd, 2007
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against these things, there is no law.” - Galatians 5:23-24
Why am I blogging about the Fruit of the Spirit today? Because I think in order to be thankful, you must possess the fruit. Have you ever noticed that the fruit are listed in the order of their acceptance? It’s much easier to possess love than self-control. I can be joyous rather easily but I have to work on being gentle, etc.
Today I want to tell you what we are truly thankful for. This probably isn’t a shocker to you. Most people say what they are thankful for on Thanksgiving day. But I want to tell you that we are thankful every day. Each day Colby tells me who he is thankful for. And each day I pray for something I’m thankful for. So, my list is rather long… here’s a few highlights.
I am truly thankful for the health of my family. This comes at an odd time, I know, because Colby has been running fever for the past few days. But, I know very many people who have cancer or whose kids are constantly sick. I am thankful for the hope that Colby WILL get better… when I think things are tough, I think about those parents that admit their kids into the ER because their symptoms are far worse than my kids’. I’m thankful that I have never had to do so, and I pray I will never have to do so.
I am thankful for running water. (The last time I said this was 10 years ago, when my family was out of town and the hot water heater exploded above my bed, dripped down to the first floor, and did a total of $20,000 worth of damage to my parents’ house. Then, I was thankful that I got to pick new wallpaper and drapes.) In talking with some missionary friends, I really am glad to have a dishwasher, a clothes washer, and hot water to take showers. And with the cold weather coming in last night, I am looking forward to having a hot shower here soon.
I cannot be thankful enough for the freedom to worship God the way I do. I don’t take full advantage of this like I should, and right now I own more Bibles than some people ever will in their lifetime. Many people gave their lives so that I could be devoted to the church’s service and its ministry. I don’t have to be penalized for or hide my beliefs, because I can exercise them the way I want! Again, I am truly thankful for the liberty that is in Christ Jesus.
If asked, a number of people might tell you they are thankful for their family members. This is also true for us. I know Kevin would say that I am a blessing to him, as he is to me. Our children are also huge blessings. We truly understand the agony that God went through when he sacrificed his only Son for us, and we are thankful we never have to endure what He did. We don’t need to observe Christmas or Easter to remember this… it is an everyday remembrance.
So, do we possess the Fruit of the Spirit by being thankful? I know there are many more Fruit I am aspiring to possess. And, there’s other Scriptures I’m aspiring to be like.
“Be joyful always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s Will for you in Christ Jesus.” -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
November 22nd, 2007
This is part 3 of a three-part series: TV - The Good, The Bad, & The Entertaining.
I know all of you have been waiting with bait on your breath to hear the answer to my question: Am I against the majority of tv viewing? I think the answer might surprise you - Yes.
I’m not a fan of tv watching. I think there are far greater uses of my time and energy than to sit and be entertained by a talking box. So why do I watch tv? For one reason, it provides conversation pieces. I am able to see how non-Christians view the world through these programs because we talk about them. A friend asked me the other day, “How did you like Dancing with the Stars?” She doesn’t get much time to herself, with 2 kids and studying to take licensing exams, so she was able to have an hour to be entertained. Do I condone her for this? No!
It also provides conversation pieces for our family. Colby and I talk about the things he sees on tv… places, things, emotions, etc. And, Kevin and I are able to track the plot and wonder what exactly is happening in the situation. Also, there are sensory inputs given off by tv (the lights, colors, sounds, etc.) that no other vehicle can replicate. So it really is an educational tool, if used correctly, not to mention the use of channels like Discovery, Animal Planet, History Channel, and the like, for educational purposes.
Another friend told me she only uses her tv for watching movies. I can’t tell you the last time I went to the movie theater. I am so against watching the majority of movies, primarily because of the use of swear/cuss words. I like the movies that appear on tv because all of that “junk” has been edited out, or at least a majority of it. The DVDs we do watch have been carefully screened before Colby can watch them - for example, even “Finding Nemo” has to start after the scary shark part, and “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” is still a little too scary for him, in my opinion.
Why else do I watch tv? Probably for the reason that most Americans watch tv - for entertainment value. It is nice to “take a break” from it all. There are many people I know that look forward to their tv watching with the same excitement they would look forward to their spouse coming home at the end of the day. I have problems with people that have this mindset.
I’ll let you come up with your own views on tv, because it took me awhile to come up with mine. But once you decide, be sure and make it known to your family. Make your decisions constant, just like anything else in your household.
“But choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” -Joshua 24:15
November 21st, 2007
Part 2 of a three-part series: TV - The Good, The Bad, & The Entertaining. Today’s installment: The Bad.
Around our neighborhood, people have already started putting up their Christmas lights. It’s only November 20th. I saw Christmas commercials on tv at the beginning of November. And, I’m noticing that these commercials are so very… subliminal. Maybe I’m just naive enough to think that stores and marketing reps aren’t really trying to lure me in with their commercials. (And if I have the “gimmes”, I can’t imagine what children viewing commercials might think.)
Kevin and I have recently made an effort to watch much less tv. We don’t keep it on during the day, and it is not just background noise for our conversations. We tape the few shows we want to watch and are very conscious of the shows Colby and Kennedy see. This is mainly because of the commercials.
Colby’s favorite (and only) movie to watch is “The Sound of Music”. We found it on ABC Family one night and it has always been one of my favorites too. So, we’ve kept it on our PVR and he watches it every once in awhile; we fast-forward through the commercials. One day I noticed that this particular channel was advertising another show that was NOT family friendly. (I actually don’t know how it got on ABC family’s programming list.) I was outraged that this network would show such a commercial during “The Sound of Music”.
Many people, when they get angry about an issue, will write their Congressman. They’ll pick up the phone and let their voice be heard. Me, I pray. A few years ago, Kevin attended a Church Media Leaders’ conference (I’ve forgotten their official organization name but it’s international.) He got to rub elbows with some of the big names in tv broadcasting and journalism, at least some of those that are Christians. He met some men that were writers for the tv show “Charmed”. (I think the show is about 4 witches? I think the girl from “Who’s the Boss?” was on the previews; I never watched the show.) Some people at the conference were confused that these Christians could support and endorse a show that would be about something so opposite our beliefs. These writers shot back at them, “Imagine what the script would be without us.”
I am tired of those that loudly say, “WE WILL NOT WATCH TELEVISION! IT IS THE DEVIL’S UGLY FINGERS!”. Doing so only makes a statement for legalism’s sake. I am also tired of those that only sit idly by and let tv consume their lives. Read a book! So, while I do think it is good to let tv networks know when I am unhappy with their programming choices, I should be equally eager to let them know when I am happy with their choice. And, if I’m not happy, then I don’t watch. When I don’t watch, their ratings drop and they don’t get paid. Can you say “writer’s strike, continued”?
But, am I against the majority of tv viewing? Stay tuned for tomorrow’s installment.
November 20th, 2007
This is part 1 of a three-part series: TV - The Good, The Bad, and The Entertaining. Today’s Topic: The Entertaining.
I just noticed that the DVDs for the final season of Gilmore Girls are going on sale in a few minutes. Am I going to be one of the first to buy it? No. But, I am a big fan of the show; I just wish they hadn’t lost their producer for the final season and I think maybe that’s why they’re not on the air anymore. The best part about GG was their “rapid-fire” script and their innovative banter. The show was labeled a Drama, but it easily could have passed as a Comedy in my book. Minus the laugh track.
I am very sad that there are not anymore “good”, wholesome shows on the air. Every drama involves shady topics, every action has too much gore, and every reality show… ugh, don’t get me started on the junk that is reality shows. Where have all the sitcoms gone? I miss “Everybody Loves Raymond” and shows like it.
Here are the shows Kevin and I watch on a semi-regular basis.
- Heroes
- Dancing with the Stars
- Journeyman (We promised ourselves we wouldn’t start watching a new series but it sucked us in.)
- Grey’s Anatomy (although, I’m getting tired of it.)
And, occasionally I’ll catch “Ellen” if the kids are still napping, and “Rachael Ray” because Colby likes to watch her cook. Kevin and I also like “Little People, Big World” if we’re not too busy. (Read = almost never.)
These are the tv shows Colby is allowed to watch.
- Sesame Street
- Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood
- Caillou
All of these are on PBS, and he doesn’t watch them every single day. Sometimes he watches no tv at all. He loves Veggie Tales, as I mentioned previously, and Cars, but again, he doesn’t even ask to watch them unless he sees the DVD covers.
I definitely will be watching the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving tomorrow night on ABC! I am also excited for Colby to see the Thanksgiving Day parade on tv. He might not even pay attention to it, unless there’s a character he likes floating high above New York City.
What are the shows you like to watch, and why? Any you wish you could get rid of?
November 19th, 2007
Our church just finished the 40 Days of Community campaign. Tonight we had our Celebration Service. Kevin and I were part of a (not-so) small group that had 17 members, and we met weekly to discuss the readings of the accompanying book, Better Together.
If I had a nickel for every time our pastor said “small group”, I could put both Colby and Kennedy through college and grad school. It is important to him and to our church body to be involved. We have been part of small groups before, and I’m a part of several small groups right now - CBS, MOPS, handbells, choir, mentoring/discipling, etc…. I think, though, that it is “easy” for me to be involved in that because I stay at home. I have heard before that it’s hard for men to get to know other men and be involved in any group, but I don’t think that’s because of a lack of effort. (At least on Kevin’s part, and he’s the only man I talk to.) I think it’s because of a lack of time. If men are supposed to work 40+ hours per week (and it’s always more), and THEN come home to be husband and father to preschoolers, where’s the time to spend? And, when you add on Kevin’s responsibilities at church, he’s completely strapped for time. How could he possibly have the energy to go and bare his soul?
I say all this because we are truly praying about our involvement in small groups. We love the idea of doing one together, but maybe we should do separate ones? We’re also struggling with the time commitment. We liked our 40 Days small group because they were incredibly respectful of our time, but that particular day of the week is not too conducive to our other ministries.
Right now I’m writing this and I’m about to fall asleep. We have had an incredibly busy early Thanksgiving weekend with Kevin’s folks (and we’ll post pictures at a later date), AND we just got home from church and got the kids to bed. Yes, it’s almost 10:30 pm. I’m not sure how much more we can bend our time before we break it.
November 18th, 2007
I have been meaning to post this for awhile, so thanks to NaBloPoMo, I have something random to post about!
Our church’s late service is broadcast on KBTX channel 3 on tape delay. This makes for some complications in my brain, in case I have to miss a Sunday. So, I like to listen to Brother Tim’s podcasts, so I at least can hear the sermon. Go to http://podcast.fbcbryan.org and a very handsome man 
has written instructions for you to follow - you don’t have to have an iPod to listen.
November 17th, 2007
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