Because my husband is awesome...

he is continuing to put in the flooring. Well ok I am typing, the kids are sleeping and T is putting in the floor. That would be more accurate. Now I dusted a small area and took a pic because I am so proud of my husband! Plus this toile chair rocks because it hides all the ballpoint pen markings Jonathan added to the chair. And as a side note, Peyton just got up and observed the greatness of wood laminate and then commented that our blue chair has "seen better days". I agreed but Dave Ramsey has taught me to embrace my long-ago-paid-for blue chair that one day I will recover in a fabulous red and white buffalo check. But that would require the toile chair to also be recovered and the couch. So I think Dave's voice is shouting loudly "enough with home improvement ADD. Flee from large purchases!" Maybe that is actually my husband's voice? And while we are on the subject, my sofa has a lifesize ballpoint pen drawing of a dinosaur on the back -- also creation by Jonathan. Sigh...Which is a crack-up because he says coloring is "girly". But apparently this is not the case when ballpoint pens (both blue and red) are involved. Someday I will find the picture of him completely painted blue, which was a trick he pulled one day while I kid you not I left him for less than a minute.

I feel I must draw attention to the fact that I figured out how to put a picture on my blog, but cannot figure out how to put more than one where they don't just all line up at the top of the blog. It must be some HTML thing I will figure out later, provided I get a full nights sleep and all children remain in their own beds tonight.

Tomorrow's blog ... volleyball.

Debbie Downer

Ok by that being my title if you don't know who Debbie Downer is, find her on youtube because it's a fab SNL skit. We all know someone like her. My husband and I like to make the sound SNL makes after Debbie has some massively downer statement--I would type it but somehow it loses the affect. Ok and if the skit you pick is foul, don't call me a pagan. I'm just sayin' the stereotype is funny. Again, I'm just sayin'...

Now that we've worn that out...I just would like to go on record that I can only be around a person like this for about 2 seconds before I am drained. So I feel I must clarify that even though I've got some current circumstances going on that are stressful, slap me if I am a Debbie Downer. It would do me good.

Tomorrow is the vball championship tournament of the free world...or Colleyville Rec League, whatever you decide. For those of competitive nature it is the championship of the free world. lol. And my 11 YO thinks so, which makes her my clone. So at 9 a.m. tomorrow it's ON at Heritage Middle. Seriously it has been an awesome season. Tomorrow I have decided to tone it down a notch since I think my blood pressure might have me livin' on the edge these days. I will report in on the greatness of volleyball when it's all over. Then it's off-season until Spring (I hear a hallelujah somewhere).

I had intended to discuss the Chick-Fil-A playground earlier so here's the short version, which I am certain you will be grateful for. The worst ever are indoor Chick-Fil-A playgrounds. First of all, no one measures their children and sometimes giants appear in the indoor play area. And their mommies are always the ones on their cell phone. I like the lady who's son was a giant in there once with my children, and he was harrassing all the children. I admit I scanned until I found the appropriate mom to go with. Once I mentally confirmed who the scoundrel belonged to, I noticed she was doing her Bible study as he terrorized the other kids. Probably not the best idea on her part, but really don't you also like the quality time mom who brings her kids there and stays on her cell phone the whole time and tries to discipline from behind the glass, tapping on it from time to time and scowling. That is a trip. So friends, see it is not always about the germs. That is a whole other book I could publish. Sometimes it's just cause there are giants and checked-out mommies doing long-distance discipline. It should be played at a parenting seminar under the heading, "Seriously?"

But then I might be called a Debbie Downer for that sarcasm.

Painful News

This past couple of weeks I was a part of a LifeAction Summit (www.lifeaction.org) at our church. My soul was awakened as the Holy Spirit called me to step up in some areas of my life, where the world had lulled me to sleep in apathy.

Before the Summit, we had experienced a great deal of pain with regard to my mother's failing health. Even in the midst of the Summit, we were making some hard decisions with that situation. Stunned and grieving, I hung on every word knowing I needed to meditate on His word for daily wisdom and comfort.

I wrote this profound quote from Watchman Nee -- "We never learn anything new about God except by adversity." I began to understand this perspective because it is how He shows himself faithful, being good to us in a specific way that ministers to the very heart He made in us.

And this weekend I applied it again. And it is painful.

My precious brother-in-law Matt has been diagnosed this weekend with Stage 4 Cancer. It is in his colon and his liver. He is 39. A godly man with a beautiful wife and 3 young children that we adore. He starts chemotherapy the week of Thanksgiving.

Defying circumstance, 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 says "Pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." And so I will pray. without ceasing. with expectancy. Not because I want a magic trick from God. But because I believe that with Him anything is possible. I wrote recently in my Bible that I don't worship my faith, I worship the One in whom I have great faith.

And I believe it still without apology. And I know He is good despite the prognosis and method of treatment.

No idea what I'm doing

So I decided to start a blog because everyone else's looked cute and I love reading theirs. And I am driving people crazy trying to figure out how this is done. So try not to pick it apart as I am clearly a novice. I am WHIPPED from almost having a coronary watching my 11YO play volleyball this morning (which they won and it rocked), taking my 4YO to a Chick-Fil-A party, shopping with my 9YO and 11YO for a friend's slumber party (which I will do when I am done here) and then we'll be hanging out with great friends. And T is my hero because he is putting in the laminate wood floor; one day soon I might post a picture if my house looks respectable when the furniture is back in place and the dust ever clears.

btw my 9YO had to purchase a "friendaversary" (sp?) gift for her bff. This is my child whose love language is gifts--any child could argue they like gifts, but for all who know M, it is an art form--buying gifts for others is just dreamy to her.

Now I need to go save our beloved fish Glitter who has been seriously overfed by SB. Did you know that about a month ago we had 4 fish--now we have one. Secretly this mommy hopes that by next month we have none. I don't do fish or birds. Can I get an amen?

Let's discuss Chick-Fil-A's indoor playground another time. I have issues with that on so many levels.