Your vote really counts!

If you know me at all, you know that I am absolutely not about to get into anything political here on the blog. I read a few of the forwarded emails that I get and look at our local (yet famous) cartoonist's interpretation of some things and chuckle. I have also done the responsible thing and already voted for our Nov. 4th election. But, for the most part {get ready to cringe, because the most ignorant statement is about to come out}, I DON'T CARE. Of course, I want our country to prosper and I want our small business owners to thrive (we are one). I do not want any tax increases and I want a Christian running this country who will be sure that we stick to the values that we were founded on. But, that's about it. I have voted and I am ready for this to be over. It is now in God's hands.

The IMPORTANT election occurred yesterday at school. E ran for Vice President of the Student Council. I didn't even know that she knew what the Student Council was! She came home one day last week and said she was running. This is not consistent with her personality. She has just started to enjoy dancing on stage in her recitals. It has taken 5 years! E made posters and gave a speech on stage with a podium, while parents, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders watched. She did great! She spoke slowly and clearly and she enjoyed herself! She did not win which upset her, but she did her best and tried hard. We celebrated her accomplishment with a Bruster's visit after dinner. Everyone was so proud of her!

So, don't forget to vote Nov. 4th. If you are still undecided, E is available...you can always write her in!

PS. Please don't comment on my ignorance...in times like these, it IS bliss!

Love and Marriage

So C and I were driving to school this morning and as we were pulling out of the driveway, I thought I would start a potentially funny conversation with my 4 year old....


"Hey C, do you think you will want to get married at our house one day?"


"Huh?" she so eloquently responded.


"Do you think (in 20 years) when you get married, you will want to get married at church and then have a big party at our house?"


Her eyes lit up at "big party..."


"I'm gonna marry Walker. Emma used to say that she would marry Walker, but now she says 'Fine, I will marry Samuel.' So, I'm gonna marry Walker."


"Who's Ella going to marry?"


"I dunno."


"Do you think that you and Walker can live together FOREVER, play together EVERY day, and eat dinner together EVERY night? Would you want to be with him that much, or do you think you might need a break from each other every now and then? (Knowing that M and I still need a break from each other every now and then too, but I was making a point:))"




Blank stare...





"In other words, is Walker your best friend...best boy friend? Because you want to marry your best friend and it has to be a boy." (I am really not excited about having to explain other people in this world that choose to marry their same kind...) Daddy is my best friend and we played together for 4 years before we got married!"


"Maggie's gonna marry Barritt. She loves Barritt."


I could tell that she was processing this "over her head" conversation in her precious little mind, but we were not going to get anywhere else with it. So, I chalked it up as a cute, fun talk about the importance of choosing a life-long partner.



{Insert soap-box}



In this day, we have to be so careful about our kids and their boyfriends and girlfriends. But, I fear we are losing the innocence and purity of elementary love. We are designed to love and we learn God's love through relationships that we have on Earth. Whether it is from our parents, puppy loves, high school "love"/crushes, and/or eventually the love of our soul mate with whom the Lord has paired us.


I have shared with many people that I feel that I really met the Lord when I met M. M will puff-up at that comment to be funny, but he knows what I mean. I never knew how to trust in the Lord. I always knew that the Lord was our Creator and Protector, but I did not ever fully put my life in his hands. When I had hard times, I did not pray to Him for help. I prayed to thank him for everything, but never asked him for anything.



M and I dated for 4 years...long distance. It was the most emotional thing that I have ever done. I knew that the plan for my life included him, but we couldn't be together until I graduated from college. I cried so much because I just wanted to be with him all the time. So, I began to pray for patience, a time-machine, something to make it do"able." And it was. Our wedding was the most exciting day of my life. Finally, we would be together EVERY day, eat EVERY dinner together, and live together FOREVER! (Until we needed a break, of course!)


I desperately want that for my kids. I want them to find the love that we have, take it seriously, and never let it go. I have prayed that for my little sister and brother too. (One of them is on their way-I think-and the other needs to get busy!)


Paul Newman died last weekend, and his wife of over 50 years said that the thing that attracted her to him for so long was his sense of humor. He always made her laugh. (And he was a hottie!) Well, that is M for me...a hottie that always makes me laugh. I will love him until we die, not only because I promised God I would, but because as long as he's cracking jokes...I'm hooked and not going anywhere!


So, if Walker can keep C laughing, they have our blessing. Plus, we love their family. Visit their blog sometime if you haven't already. It's mostly about his little sister, Ivey, but the boys get some "press" too! Great people...

http://www.iveysirmans.blogspot.com/

So, lets keep instilling the importance of Christian marriages to our kids. The world will try to rip them apart and we have to fight with everything we have from God to keep them together. We have to help each other in this battle because we certainly cannot do it on our own.

Lord, bless our marriages and our children's. Use every opportunity to remind us how lucky we are to have love. Not only the love of our spouse, but your love, God. Thank you for loving us first. In your son's loving name, Amen.

The Greatest Boy in the World...

I am not sure if you know this or not, but the Greatest Boy in the World lives at our house. He happens to be my son. The only reason that I can realistically say this is because I only have one son and, well frankly, this is my blog! If you don't like it or disagree, log off. Just kidding!

M calls G The Greatest Boy in the World quite often. I have to admit, sometimes when he is irritating one of his sisters, I do not think this is a deserved name. But, nights like this remind me that it is very well-earned.

G has his first flag football game tomorrow night. This child is OBSESSED with football right now, but he is too young to play. The closest thing we have for 6 year-olds is flag football. It is really a great sport to watch (and play).
{Side note: M and I played in Atlanta a few years just before and right after marriage for fun. It was REALLY fun until I got paired to defend "Pat," a 6 foot 3 inch, 200+ lb "woman" just because I was the tallest female on our team. I was scared to death. I just let her run on by and do whatever she wanted to do on that field. I do not think we won that game.}
Anyway, the boys have plays that they run. It is adorable. Of course, M and great friend L are the coaches. I am actually not sure who is more excited about the game tomorrow; the boys or their dads.

So, I am laying down, tucking G in tonight and he says, "Hey Momma, which play in my ESPN movie is your favorite?" Ummm...thinking..."The one we bought this summer?" (This was a $5 Wal-Mart purchase to ease the pain of no cable in the apartment during the move.) "Yes" he says. "Honey I don't really remember any of those plays. Which is your favorite?" He goes on to tell me about many of the plays in that movie (it is a highlight show).
Keep in mind that he hasn't watched this thing in months. I am looking at him thinking, "Boys are SO different than girls!" I remember while dating M being amazed at the sports information (stats and whatnot) that he could remember, but how quickly he could forget something that we had just talked about. It is a male quality that is with them at birth. And apparently my son has inherited this.

While watching the trailer for the new Richard Gere movie, my heart skipped at the intense romance...in the commercial! And I thought to myself, "What would M say to me responding like this?" And "Is this the way he feels when he sees a commercial for The Masters or The SEC Championship?" Heart skips a beat, he loses a breath? Probably. And is this how G feels about his game tomorrow and the favorite plays from last weeks game on tv? Probably.

So, not only is G obsessed with flag football, but he loves UGA football. He reenacts Knowshon Mereno and Matthew Stafford at home. It is great. He jumps over chairs, dives onto furniture catching balls, and runs through foam chairs pretending they are people. This is what a boy with only sisters has to do until Daddy gets home!

But one thing that truly surprises me about my boy is how smart he is. When E was born, I did everything with her. I played Baby Mozart, read to her in the womb, followed the book to turn her into a smart over-achieving first born. When G came along, I didn't have as much time to spend on his "early development." I was still busy with his 18 month old sister. (I had a lot of work to do.) And God showed me through all of that, that it didn't matter what I did for her or him (to a certain extent). He had a plan for them both and it did not include flashcards and sign language. G is very smart...on his own. When we sat down for his first Pre-K conference, our friend/his teacher told us that he was exceeding her expectations in her class... I was speechless. Honestly, I thought he was just going to be an athletic boy who did just enough to get by in school. His Kindergarten conferences were the same way...still shocked. Now, next week we have our first First grade conference, and I will let you know...things could be changing, we will see.

So, I tell you this, not to brag (only!), but to let you know what God has done so far in G's life. He has instilled in him a love for sports, school, his family, and for Him. G knows when he has gone against the Lord, and he has a truly repentant heart. He wants to be a good leader and make good choices. He obviously has a long way to go, but I know that G is going to continue to make us all proud. After all...he is The Greatest Boy in the World.

She's pretty "fly" for a...

I hate flies. They really, really annoy me. If there is one in the room, especially the kitchen, I cannot concentrate on anything else except killing it.

My family loves to leave the doors open. I am guilty of it too. It feels so good when the slight breeze comes in the house...the smell of outdoors...the sounds of laughing kids playing...it is all exciting.

But, with one...you get the other. (At least at my house this time of year.)

Today, was a day like many others where a tiny, virtually weightless creature (God's creature, I might add) was driving me crazy. I tried all day to kill that thing. I missed every time. While I was cooking dinner, E-straight from dance-was in the kitchen with me. I told her that the thing had been there all day and I could not catch it. She said, "OK, I'll get it!" I told her to "go for it" knowing that the fly would still be flying around well after bedtime.

In one swat, she nailed it! I was so happy, I gave her a dollar! (I do not normally hand out money for silly things like this, but it has been a running game this summer-you get a dollar if you kill the fly. They really tried hard, but I had never actually given any money away!) Anyway, 30 minutes and many door openings later, there was another fly on the window that we noticed during dinner. E got up, walked over to the window, took one swat and GOT ANOTHER ONE! We couldn't believe it! (The gross part was what was left on the window-he never even saw it coming.) But, the FUNNY part was how she calmly said, "Got it" and walked to the sink to wash her (gutsy) hand. I laughed for 5 minutes...it was too funny!

I did not give her another dollar...she knew better than to even ask...I think all E needed to know was that out of everyone, SHE got the flies! Those are a few things I love about her: she is not afraid to get her hands dirty and she thrives on making people happy. She will hold you in her arms forever at night just because she wants to be with you. E was like that when she was born...never an independent one, always a social one. Her teachers always say "E is a friend to everyone, and everyone wants to be her friend." Not because she is the most popular girl, but because she is a sweet girl who adapts to many circles and is nice to them all.

We are very proud of E. Not because she is the "Fly Girl" (although she is one "fly" girl!), but because she is God's girl. She truly understands His love, compassion, grace and mercy. She probably couldn't define those words if you asked her, but she lives them everyday and I personally grow because I am her mom. I have learned so much from her and thank God that she is in our family (and can kill flies!)

He has returned!

The Prodigal Son came home...this morning. I looked again last night, and nothing. But this morning (about 6:45am) he came walking up. Head down, not looking me in the eyes, but awaiting an applause or something. I still have loved on him. I am letting him know my disappointment. So, his homecoming was not like the one in the Bible. (Sorry, God.) My arms were not outstretched, although my heart was elated.

Georgiamom is right when she says that he is a "playboy." As M says, Buddy is "still in the game," if you know what I mean. If I made him an appointment to "remove" his manhood, he may stick a little closer to home. Come to think of it...I know a few men who may need that same kind of treatment. (That was low, sorry,)

So, if someone in our area has some beautiful chocolate lab puppies for sale in the next few months...get one. They may be just as beautiful (though wandering) as their father!

He's run away, again.

And at this moment I do not even care. That sounds terrible, I know. Who is she talking about? And more importantly, why doesn't she care? It's not my son. It's not my husband. It is my (sorry for the bad word, kids) STUPID DOG!!!

We have a gorgeous, chocolate Lab named (how original is this?), Buddy. He loves everyone. Kids can lay all over him, you can step on him, and he is perfectly potty trained. But, one thing that he likes to do is run away. He does this about once a month. He is very quiet and sneaky. Tonight, he pushed the iron gate open with his nose (I'm sure). It wasn't all the way closed because it is coming loose...long story...but I didn't think it was a problem because the thing weighs about 230lbs. Buddy found a way past that.

So, I get in my car...fuming...and go look for this dog...that I love. He likes to cross the interstate that we live on (some call it a 2 lane road, but I have watched cars FLY down it like they are about to take off) and visit the neighborhood across the street. It makes me very nervous with him crossing the road.

I drive around the neighborhood with my brights on, hoping nobody thinks I am looking for houses to break into, looking for his eyes to reflect back into mine. Most of the time I find him. Tonight, I have not. Sometimes he "spends the night out." Either way, when he gets home, he is exhausted. I don't do a good job of exercising Buddy, so when he returns from being out on the town, he gets very tired. He gets so tired that he cannot sleep. We say he gets "Jimmy legs." He cannot sit still, let alone sleep. This lasts for about 24 hours. I feel like I have a newborn when Buddy does this. He keeps me awake therefore, I am a grump.

So back to why I am so mad about this child of mine running away. What is he running from? What is he running to? Is it so bad here that he has to leave us once a month just to get a taste of what a good life is? He eats yummy food. He has a nice bed. We pet him everyday. I just gave him a bath! What more does a dog need? What more does a dog want?

I am off to look one more time tonight. He may have to spend the night with a friend. But, if he comes back tonight...I am on the lookout for doggy Benedryl.

It has been a crazy summer...

And I'm glad its almost over! I know that I may be the only person that feels this way, but it is the truth. Do not get me wrong...I have enjoyed no schedule, sun, pool, beach, blah, blah, blah. But I am glad this little "moving" thing is over (at least most of it).

Here is what The Brewtsers have been up to since I last blogged. We packed up the house (most of it at the last minute), moved across town into our garage apartment, enjoyed no cable, no internet, no dishwasher, one bedroom, one bathroom, at times no air conditioning, and 3 cats and a dog with us as we watched our house being finished up. I say all that with a smile because it was wonderful. A few of the things that were missing did get to me a little, but for the most part I had this sense of peace about the whole thing. No question where that came from...

After 4 weeks, we moved into the house. I have appreciated it from day 1. I am not sure if I would have felt this way or that I deserved it if we hadn't "roughed it" the weeks before. I do have my moments of not feeling worthy, but all in all, God reassures me that if I constantly give it back to Him, that its all good. I am not sure that I have ever worked so hard on something and at the end looked back on it less proud. That doesn't sound very positive, I know, but let me explain myself.

For over a year, we have put so much time, prayer, money and energy into this project. It has been handed to us from God, and we have known this from the beginning. Nonetheless, we had to actually do the work (Mark did much more than I did, but for the most part we worked together.). So, now that it is over, you would think that we would just stand back and admire the thing and remember each decision, problem, heartache, joy, etc. about this journey. But, honestly, I think that God had a much more meaningful plan for us. We look at this house and see exactly what it is. It is a house. It is where we live. We are much more concerned about what happens behind these walls than what they look like. I love our home and we will live here forever, God willing. But, God has shown us this summer that a house is not our forever home, it is only where we dwell during our time on Earth. I have learned to appreciate children running in the halls, squeals in the house, marker on the couch (already), food cooked on the stove and served at the table (a dishwasher to turn on), and peaceful children sleeping in their own beds (and a peaceful Mommy in hers!).

So, as I reflect on these past few months...I remember fatigue, joy, frustration, laughter, relief, love, and thankfully...PEACE. He is the Prince who shares his peace with us when we most need it. And for that, I am grateful.

PS. A few more things we did this summer...E turned 8, C turned 4, we had our 10th wedding anniversary, renewed our vows, lost a cat:(, had 2 fun beach trips, watched some redneck fireworks in friends' front yard (Alabama fireworks vs. Georgia fireworks-Alabama won everytime) on the 4th of July, G went to football camp for the first time-he loves that sport, E had her first orthodontist appt, C got 4 shots at one time and didn't even cry, and everyone is a better swimmer!

Come on everybody...

Ok, so the title is what has been going through my head for the last week. VBS songs..."Come on everybody, it's an awesome day...," "Choose Jesus," "I believe in ever after...," blah, blah , blah. Which is actually another song, "Blah, blah, blab, blab, people got the gift of gab..." It is VBS week at our church, a very fun time for our family. My friend S, is an amazing VBS director. We worked together last year, but I bailed on her this year because of the move. I also missed working with the kids. When you direct, you don't get to teach and you feel a little distant from the action during the week. So, this year I am back on music, and I have been learning the songs and hand motions this week. Talk about looking silly...riding down the road in your car practicing the hand motions at red lights and in between...hysterical. People think I am crazy! E, G and even C know most of the moves already, so they will be big helps this week!

Last week we went to the beach. We vacation at Fripp Island, SC. We love it there. At the house where we stay, the wonderful thing is: when it is high tide, you have no beach. Literally, the water comes up to the steps of the dock, which is always a good time to go to the pool! When it is low tide, you have a mile of beach. It feels like no one else is there. It is fabulous. The kids had a wonderful time looking for crabs, jumping waves with Daddy, riding bikes, swimming at the pool, watching the sun set everyday and actually making it an event!!! Each afternoon they would ask if we could drive the golf cart down to the "Point" to watch the sun go down. It is truly a beautiful experience. The sun disappears behind the horizon and you can count it down. Simply gorgeous.

My best friend who lives in Savannah came over with her husband and hilarious son,M, and spent the night with us. M, is 3 and we were trying to take family pictures at the infamous "Point" and we said, "Come on M, let's get your picture!" To which he responded, "No, I don't think so, I don't have enough time!" It was so funny! It was great to see him (and them). Such great people, miss them a lot. Wish we could be closer. But, you know, she is one of those rare people that you know, no matter what happens in your life...she will ALWAYS be there. And she ALWAYS knows how to listen and carry a conversation in the direction that I need it to go. We talked a few days after I got home, and started packing again and making new house decisions...which all broke me down by 9:30am. M was out of town, I had the kids to try to entertain and I had a few things (not very fun errands for the kids) that I HAD to do for the house, and I lost it. By 9:30am I had already cried once. When I get overwhelmed, I cry. Usually just once. I get it out and then move on. Anyway, we talked that afternoon and she made it all better! She had just the right amount of sympathy and encouragement. I needed that badly. Thank you, S. I love you!

All in all, our beach vacation was great! We had no business being at the beach for 7 days while we are trying to put the finishing touches on the house, but that is how the calendar read this year. And we did get to celebrate E's 8th B-Day there. It was super fun. We had some great family friends (that happened to be down there too) over with their extended family for a shrimp fry on the beach. Wow, the shrimp were good! It was definitely a birthday to remember! They are also great friends whom we cherish. E got a digital camera, and I think she has a future in photography! She loves it. And she takes great pictures.

Today was Father's Day also! I am sorry to break this to all of you, but I actually have The World's Best Dad living in my house. He has so much fun with our kids and he loves being a Daddy. It is funny because I helped raise (practically) my little brother and sister, I babysat all the time, and I was an Early Childhood Education major who taught school for a few years before having E. So, I knew a little bit about kids. M did not. He has one older brother and one younger. No sisters. When we had E, he didn't know what to do. I got to teach him some things. It was a really good feeling, you know. I wasn't working outside the home, and so I felt like could contribute at least knowledge on how to raise a child! I would give him tidbits of info on discipline, basic care, and how to show affection to a baby/toddler/child. But, let me say he quickly caught on, and I can't improve anything in the parenting department anymore! He is great at it. Better than I am most times. He is patient, loving, fun, compassionate, and equally tough when he needs to be. I am very lucky to have this man who loves me and our kids enough to come home everyday with a smile, ready to have a great time with us! The next time you are here, ask if you can actually meet The World's Best Dad. He is probably shooting hoops, playing a game, or doing something else really fun with his kids! Happy Father's Day, M. I love you.

Well, I must go off to dreamland now...there are other VBS songs that must play through my head all night long!

The countdown is on...

In less than 14 hours, all of my kids will be out for Summer Break. (Pause...blank stare...no words...) No, just kidding. But I have noticed the conversations between moms right now can go anywhere from, "Yeah Summer! I cannot WAIT for pj days, no schedule, pool time, beach trips..."to "Oh no! I am scared to death! Its going to be ALL ME 24/7!" I have to say honestly, I am right in the middle of excited and scared at the moment.

I am very excited for the kids. They have been working hard and playing hard at the same time lately. They are worn out. I can see it in their eyes. They really do need a break. They need to sleep a little later, relax a little more, and play on their own terms for a while. But, this summer is presenting another challenge for our whole family. We are moving. Go ahead, cry for me.

What I really am is overwhelmed. I imagine what those two days that the movers will be transporting our things will be like everyday. Where will we sleep? What will I unpack first? When can I realistically get things back to normal? Maybe you cannot understand, but I REALLY want this to go smoothly. I want the kids to have a great experience and love their new home quickly. They have all been very involved in the building process and are super excited about being closer to lots of their friends and school. They picked out their room colors and decor. (Bright aqua, pink, green and brown for E...Go Dawgs for G-UGA quilt, and Purple with white polka dots for C) They all look great.

So, it is not the house I am worried about...it is me. Can I stay calm and not freak out on everyone because I cannot be at two houses at once...cleaning for the buyers and making sure furniture gets where it is supposed to be in the new house? I also have this weird thing where I don't like to go back into my old house after all of my stuff is gone because it makes me too sad. Even when I am happy to move, it is hard to leave. So, it would be easy to say get the furniture placed and then go back and clean, but that sounds like torture to me.

Did I mention that M has a 2 three-day golf tournaments, we are going to the beach for a week, E has a B-day and a party, I have a b-day, we are giving my brother-in-law a 40th b-day party, VBS, and Father's day all happen before we move in exactly 4 weeks? And the day after we move, M and I celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary! Anybody else need us to do anything? If you see me before June 25th and I seem to be staring into space...check my pulse and check on my kids...there is a good chance I have lost my mind.

In all seriousness...these are true raw feelings, but I know we will all be fine and it will go smoothly. My prayers are for quiet time during the chaos, laughter, love and faith through it all. Everything we will be doing in June is a BLESSING in my life and I thank God for all of it!!! I just ask for a few prayers for us this month, we need all the help we can get!

Happy Summer!!!!

Back in the saddle again...

It has been too long. Many things have happened since my last blog. The first thing is my computer crashed. I am sure it had a little something to do with the bobby pin that was closed up in the disc drive and the dirty fingers that bang on it almost daily. (C thinks that the man that fixed it must have gotten a stick from outside and fished the bobby pin out! I won't let her know just yet that $360 has been deducted from her college fund.) Whatever the problem was, it was a big one because now I have a completely new "operating system" (I think it is called) and some other new parts. It is definitely improved, but I lost a bunch of stuff. My Favorites, some pictures, whatever is needed to get pictures off my cameras, etc. The software that I need to reinstall for the camera is packed in a box, so I will have it in about a month. (Which means it will be 2 months before I actually do it.) But...Get excited...when I do, I will go back and add some pictures of my precious monkeys to go along with their posts.

Something else that happened that I could not WAIT to blog about was my girls' dance recital. This was C's very first recital and E's 5th. I haven't really gotten into their personalities too much yet, but here is a glimpse. E and C are 4 years apart. When E was born, I was almost 24 years old and had NO CLUE what I was doing. I have to say that I was more prepared than many others because I practically helped raise my little sister and brother. I am 9 years older than my sister and 11 years older than my little brother. I babysat A LOT. I was also an Early Childhood Education major at UGA, and a teacher for a few years before having children. All this adds up to a girl who couldn't wait to get married and have children. Children have always been my passion.

But, when E was born, I somewhat "freaked out" a little. I battled "Baby Blues" and breastfeeding difficulties. These were God's way of pointing out to me that no matter how much "training" I had...He was in charge. It took a while for me to get that, but now I am much more relaxed about behaviors, habits, schedules, etc. All that being said, our first born is an amazing girl. She is smart, beautiful, and well-mannered. She loves the Lord and finds joy in doing the right thing. E is just a good person...despite my failures along the way. This is how I know that God blesses those who praise his name. He gives you a daily reminder of His grace and mercy in the form of a child. Now E certainly messes up sometimes (usually in the form of disrespect toward me or her siblings), but everyone has to break down sometime and as long as she saves it for us, I am OK with it and actually love her for it.

What does this have to do with the recital? This was the first year that I watched E dance and saw that joy played out on stage. She has never wanted the "spotlight" before and it has been hard as her mom to see all of her talent, intelligence, and contagious smile saved for her family and close friends. But this year, as an almost 8 year old, she not only danced beautifully but she also had a ton of fun doing it. She would cut her eyes and her best friends CC, AS, and AKR, and giggle while dancing. That is what life is all about...doing what you've got to do...with a smile. I cried like a baby watching her at the rehearsal and then the grandparents got to see that at the performance. I loved sharing E with everyone there. I felt like so many people got to see what w joyful girl she really is. I am very proud of her.

Now C is a completely different child. She came into this world with a voice...a loud one. By the time C was born, I was much more relaxed. And that in itself was a blessing. I had to be with her. She was absolutely gorgeous when she was born and still is. She was the one who finally had her father's dimples. (You know, the ones that caught my eye the first time I saw him.) She also had the really blond hair, bright blue eyes, and very kissable lips. These physical qualities just fit her. This past year and a half have been, at times, trying with C. Friends and family have seen me break down trying to deal with her sometimes. She is very headstrong, confident, and well...princess-like. She loves make-up and jewelry and anything else "pretty." But, she is also funny, sweet, and very shy (kinda sound oxymoronic until you meet her).

So, when the dance recital came around, I just KNEW she wouldn't do it. After all, this was the girl who held up the line at the Pow Wow at school because she did not want to march out in a grocery bag Native American painted vest. Literally, she stopped in her tracks. I was around the corner waiting with the video camera and when the line stopped coming, I knew it was her holding everyone up. It is really funny...now. We have learned to accept this behavior and pray she grows out of it.

C looked beautiful in her first costume and of course, she loved it. Big puffy Tu-Tu, make-up on, hair sprayed in a bun, flowers in her hair. Gorgeous. I knew I wouldn't see her on stage in it, so I soaked it up while she stood in front of me at home. We planned for one of her BFF's mom to take her backstage, because I didn't want her to attach to me and not let go right before. We call the mom "Mother Goose" because all the kids love her! Anyway, she went back with no problem, and the music started. Edelweiss. Are you kidding? I had actually seen the dance at ballet once before, but when the music started, so did the tears. Each ballerina tip-toed out with hands above their heads in perfect ballerina form -one by one. It was precious. I was envisioning another Pow Wow situation, when you won't believe it. She came out on stage with those little fingers and toes exactly where they were supposed to be! I was kneeling in the aisle crying my eyes out taking pictures and thanking God for this confusing child that He has blessed me with as another reminder that He is sovereign. I was so proud that C did that. Not that she performed or conformed, but that she did just like her sister and branched out of her comfort zone and had fun doing it. And do you know what? She was SO proud of herself! (She actually asked if she could have a present for doing such a good job-isn't that just like a princess!)

That is a small glimpse of my girls. I love both of them so much and look forward to everyday with them. They are such a blessing in our lives and in G's! They love him so much too and I enjoy watching their relationship grow all the time.

A swing - and a miss...

Something happened the other night that I thought I would share. My son, G, is 6 years old and he is currently playing Little League Baseball. In our small town, this league is pretty serious about this sport. It isn't as bad as some of the news stories where parents and umpires are fighting on the field, but a MOM did get ejected from the ball field the other day for screaming at the official! Her son's team was getting beat...pretty badly at the time. It was not even a close call, but she felt the need to embarrass her entire team and their fans by asking the umpire how much money we were paying him. Something you should know is that the school that my children attend is the same private school that I graduated from. I love our school, but many of the public schools in our area do not. Every opposing team we ever played used the "How much did you pay the refs?" joke. They think that because we pay money for our school, we must pay the refs/umpires too. It has actually become pretty funny over the years. However, this was the first time that my children have had to hear this kind of heckling. The kids on the field just froze and stared at this woman as she stood up against the fence and yelled. The umpire handled the situation very calmly and asked her to leave the area. It was a shocking situation to say the least. It did however, give me an opportunity to talk to G about that kind of behavior and why we should not act this way. I also have to say that this is the only team that we have played where we have had a problem like this. The others, whether they have beat us or have been beaten, have been very respectful and enjoyable to play.

A few days later and earlier this week, G had another game. This game was much different. We were winning and G was getting up to bat. He has turned into a pretty good baseball player this year. He has made some great plays in the field and he has hit the ball fairly well. His strength is his speed. He is a fast kid. He can hit the ball OK, but then make it to second or third only because he can outrun most of the players. One funny story (from a previous game) is when he hit the ball, the other team scooped it up and threw it to first. The first baseman missed it, but picked it up just in time to see G pass first base. He begins to chase G to second, third, and then all the way to home plate. He didn't want to throw it because they are still not great at catching, but he thought he could just catch G with the ball in his hand. The best visual image I have of this is G running as fast as he could turning to see if they were catching up to him. The coaches were yelling for him to stop the whole time, it was hilarious. But, he made it...and G called it a home run!

Anyway, back to this week's game. G struck out every time he got up to bat. I don't know what he was doing wrong. He would have a great practice swing, but when it came time to hit the ball, he missed. It was heart wrenching to watch. He would hang his head a have to run back to the dugout feeling completely defeated. I hated watching this. M (my husband) is a coach and he did a great job keeping his spirits up and encouraging him for the next time. I cannot help but make the connection back to the way that the Lord looks at us. We practice, we do a good job, swinging confidently and swinging straight, but when it is game time how do we perform? Do we miss the ball? No matter how hard we try, do we actually succeed? It is a lot easier to communicate the love of Christ to someone than hit a baseball (at least for me-I am terrible at baseball). But, it is still a difficult task. And, guess what...I still love Griffin. Actually, I love him more than I did the day before. He tried. And that is the point. I know that God loves us no matter what, but I think he loves us a little more each time he sees us TRY to glorify him. And I know it grieves him when we grieve. Just like I did when G hung his head and teared up after striking out a third time.

I had a great conversation when G was going to bed that night. We prayed and I told him that the day was over, and the next day was a whole new one. Forget about it and move on. We are studying Philippians in my Bible study and Paul writes, "No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven." Phil 3:13-14 So, let's pray the G knows this when he gets up to bat tomorrow night. Look ahead to the future...no worries about yesterday.

It is so amazing to me that I am blessed to have these children. God has given me a glimpse of what it looks like to look at us. You are on their team and you want them to succeed. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. But still, the love grows daily.

Thank you for sweet G, Lord. He is a wonderful boy who loves you. Please help him to always keep his eyes on the prize and to not look to the past, but look forward to what lies ahead. I pray that I can be the best mommy that I can to G. Help me to know when to be tough and when to be soft on him...I can only do this with your help, Lord. Thank you for this privilege. Amen.

A Whole New World...

OK, well I have really done it now. I have fallen into a trap that I hope I can survive. It is the World of Blog. This world is full of information, documentation, inspiration, desperation, emotion, and a lot of other 'tions. Why have I added myself to this population? For one reason and one reason only: So I do not feel like a complete failure when my children look at their less- than-half-done scrapbooks and ask, "Mom how DID you keep up with the wonderful things we did daily (or weekly)?"

As you will come to find out, if you do not already know, I am a "wannabe perfectionist." I desire to be organized, neat, clean, stacked perfectly, pressed, and brushed at all times. But the reality is that I am very far from that always. I often sport around town in sweaty workout clothes, hair coming down with no makeup. If I have showered before I start the errands, I am only wearing something like "knit separates" that my sister and I used to make fun of. My kids, however, are usually dressed pretty well. I think when I became a mother, I told myself that it didn't matter what I looked like if my kids looked cute. And if the kids looked cute, nobody would pay attention to me anyway. As wrong as that is, it keeps me unfocused on myself a lot of the time, which I think is a good move.

Back to my unorganized life...my house is always a wreck. But in the past few years, I have realized that I am absolutely no fun when I try to keep the house spotless. The balance now is trying to teach the kids how to pick up after themselves without being a "nag."

So, in my "perfect world" the house would be clean, I would always look fabulous, and my kids would think that I was more fun than Disney World. But, we all know this world is not perfect and neither are we. And actually, I am glad. I would not see the necessity of Jesus if I was surrounded by perfection everyday. My shortcomings show off his grace in a beautiful way.

Anyway, here I am World of Blog. I am here to help me document struggles, successes, and our wonderful life as the "Brew Crew Five." Hopefully our journey together will be beautifully imperfect and graceful!