Sweet Innocence

Philip has recently gotten really into Transformers. He plays with a friend's toys and I watch the cartoon on CartoonNetwork.com with him. He has asked to watch the DVD of the live action movie, but we tell him that it's for when he is older. He complied wonderfully as he hears that answer often about a lot of the "superhero" movies. However, he does like to look at the DVD cover. Philip's imagination is wildly active these days and he loves to assign us to characters in whatever fantasy world currently holds his attention.

So looking at the Transformers DVD cover, Philip decides that Daddy will be Optimus Prime and he will be Bumblebee.

Philip: Who should Mommy be?

Matthew: Mommy can be the hot chick. (Meaning the teenage girl in the movie; thanks, sweetie, although I hope Philip doesn't start calling anyone "hot chick"!!)

Philip: (after a few seconds pass and he has looked at all the other Transformers on the cover) Mommy's not a chicken, she's a Transformer.

Matthew and I actually had tears come to our eyes for the fact of trying so hard to keep from laughing!!

Our Romantic Getaway

After hinting at the idea and often quite bluntly asking, I decided that for my 33rd birthday I would kidnap my husband for a romantic overnight retreat. Yes, I added another year to my life this past Friday, Nov. 14 and so Matthew did agree a few weeks ago to going away for the night as my present. I was happy to plan the outing as I'm always checking vacation websites in my spare time anyhow. The hitch, which I proposed, was that the getaway would be $100 or less.

I love the fall colors in the mountains so I knew that would be our destination. We dropped the kids off with Matthew's Mom at her school around 5:45pm and then headed up the highway to North Carolina. We arrived at Ridgecrest Conference Center at 7:30pm, checked in at registration and headed up to our room in the Rhododendron Building . Matthew turned the heat on (literally, not figuratively), we dropped our bags, and walked back down to our car to go find dinner.

We drove back two exits to arrive in the picturesque town of Black Mountain, literally cradled in between the mountains. We found the Coach House, a seafood and steak restaurant. Very yummy food and nice, quiet atmosphere! Afterwards, back to our room at the Rhododendron!

Matthew graciously shared some quality time talking with me about our roles as husband and wife, parents and our individual spiritual lives and that as a couple. I know bearing their hearts is often not top on a lot of guys' lists as to how to spend a Friday night, but I tell you, it was definitely worth it. Matthew knew ahead of time that I really wanted part of the trip devoted to strengthening our marriage by means of refreshing our communication skills. I highly recommend to couples reading this (or one spouse who wants to report back to the other) to try and set aside a time to just talk through things which you know you need to but never make time for.

Anyhow, sleep Friday night was restful but not as sound as I had hoped. I suppose waking periodically throughout the night for four years doesn't just go away all of a sudden (guess we should have brought some Benadryl along!!).

Saturday morning came and the dining hall was closed before we expected (I guess everyone else there was attending a conference which started by 9:00am and us sleepy heads met a mopping employee who told us they were closed). Looking back it was just one of the many special gifts from God this weekend because we just hopped in the car, headed back to Black Mountain and ate at the Huddle House which has a breath-taking view! Again great food and nice, peaceful atmosphere.

After showering and packing up all of our belongings, we checked out at registration and inquired about Ridgecrest's hiking trails. I was given a map of the "Ridgecrest Tranquility Trail System". This was what Matthew and I were really looking forward to as we both love being outside and feeling like adventurers. Another blessing of the day, picture-perfect weather!!! Windy and chilly at first (added to the fall feeling) but the most gorgeous blue sky with just the right amount of puffy white clouds. This picture doesn't even do it just, but here's the view from the Royal Gorge lookout.



This is the sign posted beside the Royal Gorge lookout and its words are SO TRUE!!!



Blessing number three was spending almost three hours hiking these beautiful trails and not seeing one other person besides each other. I was a little nervous at first, but as the hike became more strenuous, I was only thinking about making it out without passing out. We had packed Gatorade and some snacks which made it easier. There was one point at which we came to a trail heading back down to the car or another heading higher up the mountain to another overlook. My adrenaline was kicking so I said, "Let's go up!" Matthew said he was fine either way, but that I was the one huffing and puffing on the trail marked Moderate when we were heading to one marked Strenuous. We started toward the upper trail, but after a few minutes I began thinking how far we would have to go back the more we hiked up. We went back and forth as to go back or not. God spoke CLEARLY as we came around a curve and there was a tree laying across the trail. Matthew and I said together, "Thank you, God, we'll go back now."

After just a few minutes, I was so glad we had stopped when we did. Getting back to the trail which went down to the car, we found it to be a tight, one-person-wide trail under a "rhododendron canopy" which also meant LOTS of slippery leaves on the ground (it had rained on Friday). This trail seems to go straight down and we both lost our footing a few times. I would not have wanted to try this later in the afternoon when the sun was setting. Here I am under that canopy.



Yeah, we could finally see our car!! Such a wonderful, romantic, exhausting, quiet, tranquil time we had on those trails, but it is nice to see civilization again.

This is what we saw just steps before we got back to our car.



As it was only 2:10pm when we left the Ridgecrest property, Matthew suggested we see a movie at a theater we passed on the highway. Walking inside, we knew something special was going on... the place had just opened that week! If you've ever been in a movie theater opening week, there are special lobby entertainers, employees EVERYWHERE and people seem exceptionally HAPPY!! We were mainly because blessing number four of the day was a coupon for free popcorn and drinks with our movie tickets!! Yeah, popcorn for lunch. A great ending to a great getaway!!

Philip Speak

I'm sure there are many things Philip has already stopped saying as his grammer skills increase, but here's one that is just so cute I don't want to forget it.

I'll say something like, "You're my cute little Batman."

He'll say, "No, I amn't. I'm a boy."

He connects the words "am" and "not" together instead of saying "I'm not". Makes sense because other times you connect the verb and "not", i.e. didn't, couldn't, etc. Kids are great in the way they are so literal. Reminds me that English must really be one of the hardest languages to master as people say. We have to help him on past tense verbs too because you would think swim = swimmed, ride=rided, speak=speaked, etc.!!!

My new workout buddies!

Well, it's still my goal to head to Charleston, SC in April and run the Cooper River Bridge Run which is a 10K (6.2 mile) race. The walks with the kids and runs by myself are infrequent to say the least. However, I have found a new avenue which just might work.

I've joined our church youth girls' basketball team!

Well, technically I'm not on the team seeing that I'm not a teenage girl, but I did go to practice this afternoon and ran around as if I were still a teenage girl! Hey, I can still give a mean chest or bounce pass! It was really a lot of fun and a great way to develop friendships with these girls. "We" have practice every Sunday afternoon from 2:00-4:00pm which works great. Matthew, the kids and I had lunch after returning home from church, I got Braewyn settled down in her crib, told Philip I would see him later and left for practice after which Matthew put Philip down for his nap shortly after. When I got home at 4:15pm, all three were still asleep!!!

Too many kids!

Matthew and I were watching tv last night and he flipped over to TLC. "17 and Counting" was starting. It's a show about a man and woman who have 17 biological children (I'm not sure if there are any twins) and another on the way. Well, in this episode another large family was coming to visit them.

Meanwhile, Braewyn was pushing a toy lawnmower around the livingroom making a fake engine sound and Philip was banging Tinker Toys together. In the commotion, I couldn't hear how many children the visiting family had.

I began to ask Matthew if he heard how many they said, and then the moment just hit me as HILARIOUS!! You know one of those moments when a thought just causes you to laugh to the point of crying and you can't catch your breath.

Here we were watching a show about one family with 16 KIDS visiting their friends who have 17 KIDS, and I just blurted out in my humor, "Matthew, We have TOO MANY KIDS! I can't hear the tv!" Maybe it is one of those you-had-to-be there moments or maybe it's a you-just-have-to-have-my-sense-of-humor moments as Matthew really didn't know why I was laughing so hard himself. It cracked me up but again definitely reminded me that I really deal better with children in small quantities rather than large!

And the activites begin!

Tonight, we took Philip to our church gym for his Upward Basketball assessment. My firstborn baby is signed up to play on a basketball team!!! It will be a team of 4- and 5-year-olds. Wait, you're thinking, Philip is only 3? Yes, he turns 4 on January 22, a week or two after the first game. We were told that he would be fine and we thought so too until tonight.

After waiting in line for almost 40 minutes (it was more grueling that voting this morning!), Philip was given the basketball (full-sized) and asked to make as many baskets as he could in an allotted timeslot. He threw with all his might but the ball was about 5 feet short of the basket. Next came dribbling the ball down a line, around an orange cone and back up the line. He looked poised and knew which hand to dribble with. Oh, if that ball didn't just keep rolling away from him.

When he finished, Matthew whispered to me, "I'm wondering if he's still just too young." We voiced our concern to Sean, the assessment "judge" and a friend of our's, but he reassured us that he had seen ALL skill levels tonight and that Philip's coaches would work with him.

I am so proud of my little guy, but this evening's event just opened a whole new world of emotions in my heart. Will he be ok? Will other kids laugh? Will he get discouraged and feel bad about himself? Should I protect his naive spirit from "the real world" for a little while longer?

There are days when I feel like an old pro at being Mom. But then come days like today. It reminds me just how young my little ones are, and how even though I know Philip is the coolest preschooler I know, he's only been on this earth for 3 1/2 years. Sometimes I think I've overinflated his ego (he is often the strongest, coolest superhero there ever way) because what I really hope to instill in him (and Braewyn) is a love for Jesus and a desire to help other people. When I think about it that way, it becomes very overwhelming. Teaching him means I must model it myself. Going to bed, needing sleep, parenting two wonderful blessings tomorrow.

As the poll results roll in...

I could say a lot of things and quite honestly this is my third attempt to begin typing this post (highlighted and deleted two other opening sentences). As I stated in an earlier post, politics interests me and tonight is very exciting. Of course, everyone starts feeling a little down when you see your chosen candidate's percentage slipping, but I'm trying not to get angry with the media (yes, way back when, I received my Mass Communication degree and aspired to be a reporter). Matthew has been trying to tell me for years that the mainstream media are nothing but a bunch of commie-liberals! CBS reporters are interviewing people jumping for joy over our new president, President Obama! Wait just a second, only 19% of the precincts in New Mexico has reported their votes and yet, that state has been declared for Obama. Do they have a crystal ball for the other 81% of the votes?! I know, I know. An Obama supporter could say the same thing about Kansas being declared for McCain with only 28% of the precincts reporting. Luckily, I do understand the electoral college vote system and how a candidate can win the popular vote but still not be declared the president. That being said, I'm hanging on to my candidate until the last vote is counted. It could be all night or longer (Pregnant chad! Who's with me?!). A few weeks ago, I was deadset on staying up all night if need me. Now after listening to the commentary (yes, Matthew, you right about Katie Couric too), I don't think I can stomach much more.

To change the tone of this post, I do know and have complete confidence in the fact that my God knows who will be the next President of the United States of America, and He has in fact appointed him to be just that.

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)

This country's future really doesn't hang in the balance due to who becomes president. Our future lies in whether we choose to follow God's ways or turn away. Often when times in our country are tough, the following verse is spoken...

... if my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

However, there is one big problem with saying that. America is not God's people. Yes, there are are Bible-believing, God-fearing people who live in America, but on the whole, this is not a "Christian" nation.

Well, it's late and I must kick myself off this soapbox again. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

I Have A New Cousin!!

My Aunt Debbie (Mom's youngest sister) and her husband Curt welcomed their baby boy, Thomas Blake, to the world early yesterday morning (we're not sure if he was born before or after midnight so he might be a Halloween baby!). Some of you know that Aunt Debbie had been in the hospital for about 2 weeks due to high blood pressure and concerns over the baby's oxygen levels. Sometime Friday evening, his heartbeat became irregular so her doctor decided that it was time to let little Thomas out. Aunt Debbie did have a c-section so as to prevent any further strain on Thomas. He weighed 3 lbs., 14 oz. Tiny, but not as small as other babies who have grown up big and strong. He wasn't due until Christmas Eve, but Aunt Debbie had been given the steriod shots to develop Thomas' lungs as the doctors knew he would come early, just not sure how early. My mom told me that he was on a respirator early Saturday morning, but as of lunchtime yesterday, he no longer needed it.

Thank you for praying for Debbie to recover from the c-section and the stress of the pregnancy, for Curt to provide emotional support for Debbie, and for baby Thomas to continue growing stronger each day. Also, if you would remember my Mom. She will be driving to Aunt Debbie's house (30 minutes away) for a while to drive Debbie to the hospital to visit Thomas (I'm not sure how long he will stay there). Mom doesn't like driving on the highway too much but that's the way to Debbie's house.

On top of the exciting stress surrounding Thomas' arrival (including a mural Mom has been working on at Aunt Debbie's house), Mom's good friend Cindy passed away yesterday. Mom was introduced to Cindy by a mutual friend. Mom and Cindy had the same type of cancer (Cindy diagnosed just 6 months after Mom) and so they traveled that horrific road together. Unfortunately, Cindy's cancer returned and spread from her liver to her bones and we think most recently to her brain. Today, Cindy is without pain and has been given her new, perfect, eternal body. She has met JESUS!!! Obviously, Mom is heartsick missing her friend, but I know despite her own grief, she feels relief for Cindy who struggled for so long.

We appreciate so much your prayers for this joyful yet painful time.