Connor is seven and keeps reminding us he's almost 8 (In October).
"Morgan was really sick when she was little. She's good at taking butt shots."
Connor went down to his bedroom and stayed longer than usual. He said Luke (our dog) was laying on his bed.
Connor: "I was talking to Luke."
Me: "What were you talking about?"
Connor, shrugging his shoulders: "I was just telling him about my life."
In Wal-mart doing grocery shopping:
Connor, singing: "Hot Pockets....I can't get that commercial song out of my head."
Me: "Well maybe you should sing something else to try to get it out."
Connor, singing: "Red Robin....Hey, that's the same tune!"
After watching us deposit checks at the ATM:
"That machine must be broken. It didn't give us any money!"
Me, after talking to my mom on the phone: "Your grandma just asked me if I was tired."
Connor: "Yeah, I think I wear Grandma out."
Monday, June 27, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
The Fine Line
Troy and I are thrilled...beyond thrilled, ecstatic.....to have a little-more-than-a-month long visit with Morgan and Connor. They are here now and will stay until the end of July/first of August.
The "love-them-to-pieces" side of me wants to spoil them with whatever they want since they will only be here for about a month. The "love-them-but-don't-want-to-establish-a-warped-since-of-Troy-and-Steph's-house-is-Disneyland" side of me wants to establish a routine and foster healthy habits that would be more in keeping with our house if they were to stay longer.
This struggle to walk that fine line clouded my mind all morning until I sat down for a quiet talk with my Savior. He formed my heart and knows it intimately. This morning, He sowed the seeds of peace in my brain. I know I will need the Living Water to douse these seeds on a daily basis, and He's promised to have the watering can handy. :)
I honestly don't know how those who don't know Jesus as their personal Savior do it!
The "love-them-to-pieces" side of me wants to spoil them with whatever they want since they will only be here for about a month. The "love-them-but-don't-want-to-establish-a-warped-since-of-Troy-and-Steph's-house-is-Disneyland" side of me wants to establish a routine and foster healthy habits that would be more in keeping with our house if they were to stay longer.
This struggle to walk that fine line clouded my mind all morning until I sat down for a quiet talk with my Savior. He formed my heart and knows it intimately. This morning, He sowed the seeds of peace in my brain. I know I will need the Living Water to douse these seeds on a daily basis, and He's promised to have the watering can handy. :)
I honestly don't know how those who don't know Jesus as their personal Savior do it!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Can't See the Bottom
It's very dark down there. I don't think the echo of a dropped rock could reach my expectant ear.
She's leaving today and the sadness in my core is too deep to explore.
Every fiber of my body wants to hold her hostage. At the very least, I want to tie an invisible cord around her waist that I can hold in my hand (and reel in when my concern for her gets too great).
She's always welcome in our house and holds permanent residence in my heart.
I love you, Cherokee. I hope to see you again VERY SOON!
She's leaving today and the sadness in my core is too deep to explore.
Every fiber of my body wants to hold her hostage. At the very least, I want to tie an invisible cord around her waist that I can hold in my hand (and reel in when my concern for her gets too great).
She's always welcome in our house and holds permanent residence in my heart.
I love you, Cherokee. I hope to see you again VERY SOON!
Friday, June 17, 2011
God and the Go-Go Girl
My quiet time with God usually involves reading His word, praying, journaling, and reading other inspirational books. The only difference this week is that the prayer and journal time have been saturated with thoughts and petitions about my time with Cherokee.
I prayed at the beginning of the week that she would feel comfortable enough with me to share her feelings, fears, and dreams. God answered, "No problem". I prayed in the middle of the week that God would allow us to have shared moments that neither of us would forget for the rest of our lives. God must have chuckled and answered, "I can't wait to see your reaction!"
Wednesday night, Troy took Cherokee and me out to dinner. As we were finishing our dinner, Cherokee received a text from her sister, Morgan. (Morgan and Connor, Cherokee's siblings, were with my sister and her family in Branson, Missouri for a vacation while Cherokee was here with me.) Morgan said she was going to a Beatles cover band concert. Cherokee was a little envious because she really enjoys the Beatles and was actually the one who introduced Morgan to their music. When we returned home, I did research and found that a Beatles cover band named the Fab 4 was performing a free concert in the park the next night in Highlands Ranch, only about 25 minutes away!
Yesterday, Cherokee and I packed our lawn chairs, blanket, jackets, and snacks into the car and set out for a fun concert in the park. We had NO idea what was in store. We found a great spot and settled in for a night of "She Loves You" and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand".
That's when we spotted her.
She had to be at least fifty years old. She was wearing a white beret, white go-go boots, a blue open-weave fringed vest over a MUCH TOO SHORT white dress with a ruffle barely covering her backside. The outfit alone was an eye-catcher. She caught our attention immediately. Well, to be honest, she was hard to miss since she insisted on dancing (yes dancing) right in front of the speakers. Several people were nervously looking around at the crowd for confirmation that we were all witnessing the same sight.
Did I mention it was very windy?
Cherokee and I were giggling about the woman and the reaction she was receiving from the audience when "The Moment Only God Could Have Created" happened.
A huge gust of wind blew through at the same moment Go-Go Girl decided to twist. The ruffle covering her backside flipped up and exposed her white thong wedged between her sagging butt cheeks. The mooned audience in unison said, "Whoa!"
Both Cherokee and I immediately broke into the "ugly" laugh. You know the one. Your face is paralyzed into this open-mouthed smile as tears are spilling from your eyes and you can't catch your breath or make a sound. The kind of laugh that is medicine for the soul. The kind that makes you feel giddy and exhausted the rest of the night.
The kind you never forget.
The kind God planned for us to share.
Cherokee and I will still be talking about this moment for years to come. It's our exclusive shared memory.
GOD IS AWESOME!
I prayed at the beginning of the week that she would feel comfortable enough with me to share her feelings, fears, and dreams. God answered, "No problem". I prayed in the middle of the week that God would allow us to have shared moments that neither of us would forget for the rest of our lives. God must have chuckled and answered, "I can't wait to see your reaction!"
Wednesday night, Troy took Cherokee and me out to dinner. As we were finishing our dinner, Cherokee received a text from her sister, Morgan. (Morgan and Connor, Cherokee's siblings, were with my sister and her family in Branson, Missouri for a vacation while Cherokee was here with me.) Morgan said she was going to a Beatles cover band concert. Cherokee was a little envious because she really enjoys the Beatles and was actually the one who introduced Morgan to their music. When we returned home, I did research and found that a Beatles cover band named the Fab 4 was performing a free concert in the park the next night in Highlands Ranch, only about 25 minutes away!
Yesterday, Cherokee and I packed our lawn chairs, blanket, jackets, and snacks into the car and set out for a fun concert in the park. We had NO idea what was in store. We found a great spot and settled in for a night of "She Loves You" and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand".
That's when we spotted her.
She had to be at least fifty years old. She was wearing a white beret, white go-go boots, a blue open-weave fringed vest over a MUCH TOO SHORT white dress with a ruffle barely covering her backside. The outfit alone was an eye-catcher. She caught our attention immediately. Well, to be honest, she was hard to miss since she insisted on dancing (yes dancing) right in front of the speakers. Several people were nervously looking around at the crowd for confirmation that we were all witnessing the same sight.
Did I mention it was very windy?
Cherokee and I were giggling about the woman and the reaction she was receiving from the audience when "The Moment Only God Could Have Created" happened.
A huge gust of wind blew through at the same moment Go-Go Girl decided to twist. The ruffle covering her backside flipped up and exposed her white thong wedged between her sagging butt cheeks. The mooned audience in unison said, "Whoa!"
Both Cherokee and I immediately broke into the "ugly" laugh. You know the one. Your face is paralyzed into this open-mouthed smile as tears are spilling from your eyes and you can't catch your breath or make a sound. The kind of laugh that is medicine for the soul. The kind that makes you feel giddy and exhausted the rest of the night.
The kind you never forget.
The kind God planned for us to share.
Cherokee and I will still be talking about this moment for years to come. It's our exclusive shared memory.
GOD IS AWESOME!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Reconnection
Eighteen and a half years ago, I held a baby girl to my chest, smelled her newborn smell, and whispered, "I don't think I could ever love a child more than I do this one." I was fairly sure that even if I had my own children, this tiny baby girl would continue to hold a special, special place.
So many changes have happened since 1992. Another niece and two nephews were born. I married and moved away. Families formed. Others split. And some things have remained the same. I still have no children of my own. And Cherokee continues to hold a special, special place.
Make no mistake. I truly, deeply love my other niece and nephews. I just haven't spent as much time with them. Didn't hold them when they were only days old.
This special girl is visiting me in Colorado for the week. We haven't seen each other in years and are awkwardly making steps to transition our relationship from distant Adult/Child mutual admiration to Adult/Adult friendship. It hasn't been as hard as an adjustment as I thought it might.
I hope this is the last "reconnection" we have to make and can just continue to be "connected".
So many changes have happened since 1992. Another niece and two nephews were born. I married and moved away. Families formed. Others split. And some things have remained the same. I still have no children of my own. And Cherokee continues to hold a special, special place.
Make no mistake. I truly, deeply love my other niece and nephews. I just haven't spent as much time with them. Didn't hold them when they were only days old.
This special girl is visiting me in Colorado for the week. We haven't seen each other in years and are awkwardly making steps to transition our relationship from distant Adult/Child mutual admiration to Adult/Adult friendship. It hasn't been as hard as an adjustment as I thought it might.
I hope this is the last "reconnection" we have to make and can just continue to be "connected".
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Good Day, Bad Day
It was/is a good day.
I woke up with the birds chirping outside. I spent some time outside enjoying the beautiful morning with the dogs. I took a walk through the canyon near my house. Just me and the ipod. I made my to do list and was able to check most everything off. I hung out at the pool listening to the giggling, squealing kids and talking to my friend, Jenni. I came home and took a nice cool shower. Troy was home early so we had dinner early (meaning the kitchen is clean before 7:00pm!) And now I'm sitting here at my computer, enjoying the cool breeze through my office window while Luke lays on the bed snoozing away. Good day.
It was a good day because I chose to enjoy this day God authored. Truth be told, I could have had a really bad day with the same circumstances. For example...
We don't have air conditioning so we leave our bedroom windows open and the stupid birds outside start making noise at 5:00am! I can't sleep with their incessant chirping. Troy left for work early, which meant I had to get his breakfast ready earlier than normal, which made the dogs go CRAZY thinking it was time for the 7:15 walk when in truth it was only 6:15. Why can't they just wait calmly? Finally, they wore me down at 7:00. We took our mandatory walk. Then I exercised. I hate exercising. But I have to at least make this mile trek 5 days a week to keep me from being a lazy, pitiful, blob. Now the to-do list. I really get tired of laundry and dishes, and vacuuming, and laundry and dishes, and dusting, and laundry and dishes. I don't want to do anything! Maybe I can muddle through a few things before I go to the pool. Bright spot in the day. Wow, these kids are noisy! I can't even hear what Jenni is saying! As I step into the shower, I notice my skin is burnt. Great, another night with "sand paper" sheets. Why can't I just tan without the hassle and pain of a burn? Darn this fair skin and blond hair. Troy's home. You want dinner when? Like in 30 minutes? Well, okay. Wasn't planning on eating that early. I'll be hungry again and eat something I shouldn't, but that's fine. The wind is coming through my window making me cold because of this darn burn. I really wish my dogs were better behaved and didn't lay on my furniture. What a horrible day!
Wow, just writing that made me realize how self serving and angry a negative attitude can be. So, the next time I choose to have such a self-serving, negative mindset, I think I'll mentally rewrite it so that this day that the Lord has made is full of rejoicing and gladness.
I woke up with the birds chirping outside. I spent some time outside enjoying the beautiful morning with the dogs. I took a walk through the canyon near my house. Just me and the ipod. I made my to do list and was able to check most everything off. I hung out at the pool listening to the giggling, squealing kids and talking to my friend, Jenni. I came home and took a nice cool shower. Troy was home early so we had dinner early (meaning the kitchen is clean before 7:00pm!) And now I'm sitting here at my computer, enjoying the cool breeze through my office window while Luke lays on the bed snoozing away. Good day.
It was a good day because I chose to enjoy this day God authored. Truth be told, I could have had a really bad day with the same circumstances. For example...
We don't have air conditioning so we leave our bedroom windows open and the stupid birds outside start making noise at 5:00am! I can't sleep with their incessant chirping. Troy left for work early, which meant I had to get his breakfast ready earlier than normal, which made the dogs go CRAZY thinking it was time for the 7:15 walk when in truth it was only 6:15. Why can't they just wait calmly? Finally, they wore me down at 7:00. We took our mandatory walk. Then I exercised. I hate exercising. But I have to at least make this mile trek 5 days a week to keep me from being a lazy, pitiful, blob. Now the to-do list. I really get tired of laundry and dishes, and vacuuming, and laundry and dishes, and dusting, and laundry and dishes. I don't want to do anything! Maybe I can muddle through a few things before I go to the pool. Bright spot in the day. Wow, these kids are noisy! I can't even hear what Jenni is saying! As I step into the shower, I notice my skin is burnt. Great, another night with "sand paper" sheets. Why can't I just tan without the hassle and pain of a burn? Darn this fair skin and blond hair. Troy's home. You want dinner when? Like in 30 minutes? Well, okay. Wasn't planning on eating that early. I'll be hungry again and eat something I shouldn't, but that's fine. The wind is coming through my window making me cold because of this darn burn. I really wish my dogs were better behaved and didn't lay on my furniture. What a horrible day!
Wow, just writing that made me realize how self serving and angry a negative attitude can be. So, the next time I choose to have such a self-serving, negative mindset, I think I'll mentally rewrite it so that this day that the Lord has made is full of rejoicing and gladness.
Friday, June 3, 2011
But You Will Tomorrow
[God] sends help at the hour we need it.
You don't have wisdom for tomorrow's problems. But you will tomorrow. You don't have resources for tomorrow's needs. But you will tomorrow. You don't have courage for tomorrow's challenges. But you will when tomorrow comes.
Max Lucado, Every Day Deserves a Chance
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