Only at Papa Ken's House

Is this normal?

Only my dad would use industrial clamps at a toddler's feeding station.

Blah and Blog

Hilltoppers

I feel really awkward when I haven't blogged in awhile. Kind of like the awkwardness of when you've waited to long to return a phone call. And you secretly hope that when you call that person that you'll get a voicemail, answering machine, or best yet, it just rings (but you know they have caller-id and so you're off the hook) Ha ha. Off the hook.

Interesting info:
Whoo-hoo our home showed twice this week so far! That's an answer to prayer because I prayed that the Lord would just bring someone to see it, to give me hope! It's been officially on the MLS for almost two weeks now.

My Little Heartbreaker

Watch out girls!

No Mullets, Please

No Mullets Allowed

This mid-haircut picture fools the viewer into believing that we allowed Simon to have a mullet. By no means! This boy is mullet-free!

In my relatively small world, I am planning a random act of kindness, Simon's birthday, and Simon's one year pictures!
I am thinking of having him pose in a swimsuit (He is getting a new Old Navy Swimsuit for his birthday; he outgrew his other one this summer!) and having him pose in some extra lovable pajamas with his special green blanket and lamb.

I always forget the personal 'props' when it's picture time, so they always use their stash of sentimental look alikes. Not this time; I will be the prepared mommy with all the right materials!

It's my Birthday, and I'll cry if I want to!

First Haircut

Well, first haircut, and NO tears or fussiness. Whoo-hoo!
Of course the cool race car and veggie tales movie helped!
(Way to go, Cool Cuts for Kids!)

Simon LOVES wheels and tires; it's his little obsession.

So, do I officially have a toddler on my hands now?
(I'm not sure what age is considered toddler...)

Georgians

Cousin SAYRAH

A little known fact, Matt, Sarah, and I were all born at Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Georgia. 1976, 1988, and 1979, respectively. Sarah and I are cousins. Matt just married into the coolness.

Sarah has brown hair now. (Why would anyone color their hair brown???) SAYRAH! Just kidding. It's not brown, it's chestnut. (How cosmetologically correct.) Sarah's one of my few chat anytime over the phone people regardless and that is her best attribute. That and that she is mailing me some sort of something this week! I LOVE MAIL!

Is it just a coincidence that male and lame use the same letters???

I need to add links to everyone's xangas. Sarah's is: www.xanga.com/s_kelly.... If you have a xanga (Katie, Jamie, etc...) please leave a comment with your info so I can link it and stay intouch. I guess we might include the lame 'my space' users, too.

Update

Saturday

Saturday was a full day! Gospel for Asia work in the early morning, Matt getting a new tire for Camry in the mid-morning, going to Carrollton to look at houses all afternoon, worship practice at church, and more GFA and home searches that night.

Please pray that our home sells fast and that we have a quick transition to Carrollton. And pray for patience and faith in the inbetween time.

Simon was such a trooper on Saturday. We were in the van for over 4 hours with no break, and nary a whimper from him. The strap on his car seat keeps him occupied. Really.

Poor Simon, he's been on a BRAT diet for a week: bananas, rice cereal, applesauce, and toast.

Life Lessons

Priority

I love that goofy guy.

5 years of marriage, 2 ish years of dating. Seems like the latest statistic I heard on the divorce rate was that 50% of marriages end in divorce--HALF of all marriages. I was really sad a couple of years ago when two of our really good friends (couple friends good for double dating) got a divorce. This was a couple that seemed to be so happy, and they could make you laugh and laugh and laugh. And they went to church and he played the guitar and .... Well, too close to home.

Tonight Matt was hanging out with a friend of his that is about to be going thru a divorce.

So, of course, this makes me think. I think people in marriages have to be on the offensive, expecting attacks and heading them off beforehand.

I've been changing a lot in my mind. Really realizing that my family is my number one priority. Even if it's a little family of three. I heard once that whatever job you have, someone else could do the same job, probably better. But you are the only one who can be the wife or mother or husband or father that you are designed to be.

So, as I continue my struggle to live for the audience of One (this is really hard for me because I used to live for approval), I am realizing that it is okay to change priorities and to make sacrifices for the sake of cultivating a healthy family.

So, while other relationships and committments will occur as I try and live how Christ would, I will not feel guilty for choosing family over busyness or business or both!

Cartersville Family

The Fam

My Grandma, Papa, my cousin Mason (one of Sarah's brothers), me, my mom, my son. Oh, that was fun to write "son."

My grandparents are wonderful. You should meet them. Who? Anyone. And they would probably invite you to stay for a meal and the night. A nonprofit bed and breakfast.

Dayleah and Simon

Cutie Patooties

We had fun with our beach buddies and friends in Christ--Jimmy, Julia, Auburn, and Dayleah. Dayleah is just a month older than Simon. They are really good friends. Probably best friends. They'll probably keep in touch and one day go steady.

Simon and Dayleah 

Mount Pisgah, North Carolina

Beautiful view. I kept thinking of how great our God is when we were up there.

Sorry Simon's face isn't visible.

It's almost time for Simon's 1st BIRTHDAY! I don't know what to do for a party. He really hasn't made many local friends his age. He needs to join a club or something. Maybe I can sign him up for a sports team and then commit to practices and games FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!

The Beginning and The End

Floral Backdrop in Cartersville

I'm so glad to be home! I was also content in our absence.

No comparison, but Paul writes in Philippians that he has learned the secret to having joy in all things, whether he has nothing or much, whether in suffering or not, he learned that he could do all things through Christ who gave him strength.

I love the Lord! He is so good to us. In good times and seemingly bad times, there is no one like our God! That sounds like a David Crowder song!

If you've read this far, please say a prayer for Matt's back.
Too much skateboarding and snowboarding back in the day.

Bloggers Unite

I feel so distant from my blogger friends. I am at a pseudo cyber-cafe in the marshes of eastern Carolina. Just finish sending an e-mail to Tami at church with the article for the CONTACT. Nothing like the thrill of the last minute.

It's raining. I'm stranded. But being stranded in a place with books, internet, and coffee is a blessing.

Hey, I miss everyone! Pray for us! Please!

Living It Up

This is my first pictureless post in awhile. I'm living it up here in Cartersville at the Q.I. I am by myself in the "Business Center" which is a little closet with a computer. But, hey, there is high-speed internet access and that is a blessing!

Papa's Surprise 70th birthday party was fun! He didn't expect a thing. Mom said the secret to a great surprise party is to have it 2 months after the birthday. (Papa's birthday was April 28th!)

We left Sunday after church for Ringgold, Jawjuh. We had planned on trekking in one day, but then we decided to stay for church and hear the kids share their testimonies and to see Scotty BAPTISED! New Creations are exciting.

Good news--We were able to stay with the Humbles in Brinkley! We had two missionary meeting last week and one impromptu one tonight.

WEll, I must go. Matt and I are going to live it up here in Cartersville, Jawjuh. The nightlife here is something to blog about for sure.

Posers

Another Posed Pix

I think Matt looks really handsome in this pix.

We heard back from our graphic design artist at 'Missionarycards.com' and, unfortunately, none of our pix will work. Something about pixels... so, Matt has to reprogram our digital camera. So, the next time that we are together and presentable, we shall pose again.

I have many goals this week since Matt and Sarah have left me. One is to organize Simon's things for our June outings. I realize this sounds boring.

I was invited out to Shay and Kezia's new apartment to give decorating ideas. Yay! Also, Lisa said she was going to Gospel for Asia with me on Tuesday night. Also, I'm thinking about 'moving in' with my parents for some help with Simon, as well as people to ride bikes with or to see a movie! And Wed. or Thurs. I plan to go to Hilltop for a day and to stay in a hotel that night. So, really, my abandonment is limited and with a light in sight.

Daddy

Daddy and The Boy

I am so excited--I think Simon might have said 'momma' this afternoon when I gave him a bottle. But no one was here to verify. Very gray area. Like crawling. So it is not official.

And, if he didn't, would it be his first word? Because he has made monosyllabic sounds that resemble 'Hi' and has even uttered the syllable at appropriate times. Also, he has made a strand of syllables sounding like dadadadadadadada before.

Give Me Five, Please

Give Me Five Please

Well, I'll have lots more than 5 minutes to myself this week! I'm going to miss Matt this week. It's so sad that this might be his last year at Hilltop. Being a teacher has great benefits--June, July, and some of August.

I'm hoping my mom and I can take a day trip one day up to Hilltop Camp-- to see our wonderful campers (15!) And, I'll admit, to show off Simon. The year went by fast since the last Hilltop. I remember being SO pregnant then.

I'm glad SAYRAH got to come, even though I just saw her last night. And I think she's ditching us after camp for Brinkley. That's okay, we have her dvds, and that is enough.

Moving

Moving

The crawling champion is on the move! Simon turned 10 months yesterday! Yesterday was a full day. Matt drove around town collecting last minute camp applications, collecting an all church check for camp, and turning in forms. All this so that our campers could get a free t-shirt! Yay! (Otherwise, he could have turned them in Sunday, but no free t-shirt.)

Sarah flew in yesterday just to turn in her forms for the free t-shirt. I think she'll go to camp, too. I am so thankful for NO traffic on the way to get her--only 35 minutes--record trip for me to DFW!

I embarrassed her by calling her back-twice-on the DFW payphone that she called me on. Let's all pray that Sarah gets a better cell phone battery or remembers to charge her handicapped battery!

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary!

Today is our 5 year anniversary. Odd years always seem more momentous than even years.

Well, Simon will spend his first night away from home tonight. He'll be staying with my parents tonight as a trial run for tomorrow night when Matt and I go out of town for the night. Going out of town is a bit of a stretch...we're not going very far.

I wanted to stay close--just in case. Well, so we thought Austin would be fun. We've eaten at a great restaurant there before and they have lots of live bands and such.

Well, then, I got homesick even before we left. So, we're staying in Fort Worth! We're excited that it's less of a drive, closer to Simon, and we have a great hotel right downtown.

Yay! Oh, I'll post some of Simon's pix of our trip to Philadelphia and New York when we recruit someone to scan some for us!

(Matt has donated our scanner to the school. I don't know if he meant to do that, but he was letting the Yearbook staff use it, and he said the other day he went in there and happened to see it practically demolished.) One less thing to worry about!

Choice A--Please Give Opinion

Choice A

Hello. Does anyone have time to tell us if they like this pix (Choice A) better than Choice B--two posts later? We could call this one the 'Flailing Arms Pix' and the other one 'Simon's Big Grin'.

So, which will look better on your refrigerator--'Flailing Arms' or 'Simon's Big Grin.'

I think Simon is adorable in both--which is or muchos importanos.

Flower Girl Grows Up

5 Years Later to the Date!

Yay! We saw our friends on our anniversary!
(Previously we were semi-bummed about having to attend the graduation.)

So, Chloe is doing well. Very Pretty. Very Smart. But I know no one is surprised by that.

Choice B

Sample Pix

At graduation today, we planned to take our 'missionary pictures'--you know, the ones that will be put on prayer cards. We weren't sure who would hang around to take them, but we thought we should take advantage of the fact that we were all together and not wearing too much spit up!

Anyway, as I was walking to my seat, I happened to see Tamitha and Chloe who were there for David's graduation. (ActuallyI saw C.J. in the hall for a heads up). Tamitha offered to take our pictures for us. And God is good, because we were lucky to find not just someone, but people close to us to hang out with us.

Also, it was interesting because today is our 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, so Chloe and I took an old times snapshot that I will post next.

Oh, so this is Choice B for the photo--if anyone has hung around long enough to read this, let us know if you like choice A or B please.

Our Little Explorer

New Doors Are Opening

Simon is so proud of himself when he opens a door or a drawer! He gets so excited!

Simon turned 9 months old last Wednesday.

Oddly enough, I was at Baylor Hospital with a friend that day, so Simon and I were able to take a visit to see the little babies and to remember when he was there, just 9 months ago!

And there was a post office in the parking garage, so I was finally able to take care of my post office errand!

Cutie Patootie 

So Sweet 

Mother of Eighteen 

Momma's Day

Simon and Mommy


Mother's Day--We had a lovely Sunday afternoon.

Lunch at Spring Creek Barbecue, I finished a book I had been reading and we all took a nap--A walk at White Rock Lake and Starbucks iced cafe mocha afterwards.

I think I want Simon to call me 'mama'. I can't decide how to write it, though: 'mama' or 'momma'. Any suggestions?

Not Winning Any Mothering Awards

Not Mother of the Year

Yesterday was Mother's Day. No one was knocking down my door to deliver any awards. I think I know why.

Last week, on Tuesday night, I accidentally spilled a big drop of hand sanitizer on Simon's right eye. I had just changed his diaper and was acting goofy, trying to make him smile, when I, in a maladroit moment, spilled 97% alcohol on his eye.

So sad. Matt came running when he heard me and Simon crying. Simon was also screaming.

So Matt started to flush Simon's eye with water, like the bottle said to do. Unknowingly, as he was flushing it out, the water became scalding hot at some point and Matt continued to douse Simon. (Until we realized.)

So, this is Simon after the handsanitizer and hot water eye treatment. We don't know why his bottle was leaking so badly.