Carson's top 10 for 2011

Wow, this year went by in a flash. Carson had a wonderful year. There were many firsts for him this year which were all taken in stride. Carson continues to be soft-hearted and strong-willed. Yes, there have been a few trials with Carson this year, however nothing we could not handle together. Carson adapted very well to his little sister. He is very caring and loving with her. He continues to keep us laughing throughout the day with his silly personality.
Carson,thank you for teaching me how to love you even more this year than I already do. You make me smile whenever I think of you. You have my heart and I love calling you my son. May the Lord continue to shape and mold you into a handsome young boy. Happy New Year sweet baby boy!

10.went to his first wedding (Uncle Joey's)
9.sleeps with the light off
8.went on 'big kid' roller coasters with Best
7.received his first trophy in soccer
6.went to his first girl birthday party
5.scored his first soccer goal
4.started kindergarten
3.went on Tower of Terror (twice!)
2.stayed healthy all year
1.started reading

Not fair

If you think you have it hard please read below
Justin has had an acute onset of tumor growth that led to sizable formations in his brain and bleeding there as well. The family has chosen not to intervene with medicine, as the doctors have told them there is nothing they can do to help him. He traveled back home tonight to be with his family and friends in his last days.
http://erikandkatekrull.blogspot.com/
Please pray for Justin as he is struggling during his last days on earth. Please be on your knees praying for Justin's parents as they savor the last days with their baby boy.

vegas

My Mom and I are traveling to Vegas the first week of January. I'm looking forward to our trip together.

So, Carson yells from his bedroom tonight:
"Mommy, I am watching a christmas story on my kindle. I have two kindles. Kyndel my favorite dog and kindle my new gift that Santa brought me. I am so lucky Mommy."

Merry Christmas

We had such a blessed day. The kids were wonderful all day. Santa was very good to everyone! ;)

Are you kidding me...

Please stop sending me Christmas cards that read Merry X-Mas. Seriously!
Christmas 101....Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day. BINGO Merry CHRISTmas!

commuting

We transport Carson everyday to school via car. I totally enjoy my morning commute
with him. Some mornings Carson is very talkative and other mornings he is looking out the window not saying a word.
Todays conversation:
M: Omie what are you thinking about?
C: Do not worry about it Mommy.
M: What?
C: It will hurt your feelings.
M: Just tell me what you are thinking about. I can take it.
C: No Mommy.
M: ok, fine
a few minutes later
C: Mommy,I do not want to get married.
M: Get married?
C: yea two girls want to marry me
M: Thats ok Omie.
C: But it hurts your feelings
M: why would it hurt my feelings
C: because they would be my Mommy and I love you.

Someone

Tonight as I was sitting in my warm cozy home looking at the Christmas tree I was reminded- someone out there

lost their job today
does not have enough money to buy food
has a broken heart
lost a love one today
is addicted to drugs and/or alcohol
learned they have a terminal illness
lost their home
is sleeping outside tonight in the cold
is crying out for help

Please lift others up in prayer this holiday season. I challenge you to pray for someone you pass on the street today, pray for the patient you are caring for, pray for the student you just passed in the hallway, pray for the lady at the bank, pray for the people who have hurt you, pray for the homeless, pray for each other.... try to do this until Christmas day. This challenge is free and filled with rewards if its from your heart.

favorite time of the year

One of my favorite times during the Christmas holidays...going shopping with my Dad to the mall. We have such a great time together. We laugh, talk and people watch during our annual mall trip. I sure do enjoy the time I spend with my Dad.
I could write forever about my Dad however I will keep it simple he the BEST!

I am not

in girl love, mommy and I'm not married either. This boy...

Question:
Do you think telling your children about Santa is wrong? I would love to hear your feed back.

This boy...

Carson said...
Mommy if that lady would go to the dentist she would not have black teeth.
Daddy I am not going to bed. I am going to call 911 and tell them I am not going to bed.
Did you know the big kids in school think I am cool?
The dentist said to Carson "how old are you?" he replied, "I think I am still five."
Mommy will Kyndel (our dog) go away to college one day?
Mommy if you do not circle things in the toy r us book you will not get presents.

Wondering

When I look into Carson's big brown chocolate eyes sometimes I wonder:
Would he be going to bed hungry tonight?
Would he be working in the fields or shining shoes at 5 yrs old?
Would his shoes be to small and falling apart?
Would he have shoes?
Would his clothes be to small?
Would his face be dirty?
Would he be running around with the other boys playing football(soccer)?
Would his hand be out asking for money or food from the tourist who walk is through central park?
Would he have a sponsor so he could attend school?
Would he be cold?
Would he want to drink a clean glass of water?
Would he be living in a 10 by 10 with his family?
What would his teeth look like?
Would he sleep on the ground or a hard piece of wood?

In a nutshell

Here is a list of things that sum me up fairly well:

I am passionate about many things…my husband, my God, my family, my friends, my horses
I love my family.
If I tell you I love you its because I do…I don’t give lip service to anyone
I’m not afraid of confrontation…I think people avoid it way too much
I love having REAL conversations…however I have learned not to wear my heart on my sleeve.
I’m not dramatic.
I do not forgive easily ( I'm still working on this)
I’m not afraid of much…
I think nice things about people more than bad things…and I wish more people were like that.
People either hate me or love me…and I’m OK with that. Actually I like it this way.
I hate when people act like they are all that…yeah
I’m always the one to give…not the one to receive. Sometimes that gets old
If I ask you how you are doing, I really want to know. I don't like it when people say I'm fine and they are obviously lying.
I can be your best friend or your worst enemy.
I am not much for small talk.
I watch people very closely.
I am usually right about people.
It does not take me long to figure people out.
I do not want anymore regrets in my life.
I am a strong believer in... what comes around goes around!

fun times

eyes and smile

Deep stuff

A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.
Proverbs 18.2

Take your time and think about the above.... It's so true!

National Adoption Month

“And whoever welcomes a little child like this, receives me.” - Matthew 18:5
“In you alone, the orphans find compassion.” - Hosea 14:4



Carson brought a whole new meaning to my life when we became a family through adoption.

To move or not to move

Yes, our home is still for sale. I know, I know, I know.... the market stinks!
Do we rent our home and move?
Do we stay put for another year and ride out the market?
Do we lower the price and take a hit?
Do just move and say, heck with it?
Do we add onto our home?

The bigger issue is... do we build the new home or move to Guatemala?
Well, Jonathan and I are both praying about the above-
Time will tell :)

To all

the veterans (my Dad being one of them), Thank You!

wordless wednesday

Who are you talking to?

I heard Carson talking in bed tonight. I asked him "who are you talking to"? He quickly replied "Jesus"! I stood at his door for a minute and he said, "Mommy, I am asking Jesus why the whale ate Johnny"?

An hour later, Carson is still talking. Once again, I asked him "who are you talking to now"? He replied "still Jesus,Mommy. I want to know how he got his powers".

asking, it's a banana

-Have you ever asked someone to do something for you and right away they go into what they have to do? It gets on my nerves! However, when they need me to do something, I have to be willing and able- really?!

-Why are people so self-centered and self-absorbed but claim to be a christian?

-Why are people willing to travel thousands of millions to help others but do not help their own family unless asked?


conversation tonight:

Carson: I have to go to the bathroom.
Me: Ok, the light is on.
Carson: Mommy can you come here?
Me: ok, in a minute
Carson: Mommy hurry a brown banana came out of my body
Me: No, I do not think so
Carson: Well it sure does look like it.

Carson's first trophy

A 5 year-old conviction

Lately we've been teaching Carson why stealing is wrong. He was involved in an incident at school recently where some matchbox cars that didn't belong to him ended up in his pocket. Normally, Carson says that "school is stupid" so we tried to reverse his thinking and explain that school is cool that stealing is stupid and "not cool". Well, today on the way home from school, Carson noticed some bags of toys in the back seat. He recognized that the toys were ones from his toybox and his room. He asked Jonathan why his toys were in the bags so Jonathan explained that these were toys he didn't really play with anymore and there were many children who didn't have any toys. Carson thought about it for a few minutes then said to Jonathan, "But Dad, that's stealing". Jonathan had to hold back the laughter and explain that it wasn't stealing. When Jonathan told me about it, I had to laugh because I never did ask Carson if I could take his toys so I suppose in some sense he was right.

Then today while Jonathan was working Carson came into the room and picked up my bible and starting pretending to read from it. Jonathan said all of a sudden Carson made the statement, "slow obedience is no obedience". Jonathan had to do a double-take and then asked Carson where he heard that. Carson said his teacher at school told it to him. Jonathan and I were both impressed with what the teacher is teaching as well as the fact that he remembered what the teacher said. We were also both convicted by what the statement means for each of us.

Trying to keep the home clean?!

October 26, 2011, 8:23 pm
Neglected Children, Messy Houses and Guilt
By JENNY ANDERSON

In case you missed it, the Working Mother Research Institute surveyed 3,781 women and issued a report called “What Moms Choose.” It quantifies a lot of things we know, and a few that we don’t. Here are a few statistics to throw out over dinner, if you belong to one of those families who have civilized, discussion-based dinners (I tell myself that will happen when the children are older):

•55 percent of career-oriented stay-at-home mothers would prefer to be working
•71 percent of mothers equate work with something done only to pick up a paycheck

•51 percent of working mothers feel guilty about not spending enough time with their children
•55 percent of working mothers feel guilt about the untidiness of their house

•55 percent of stay-at-home-mothers feel guilty for not contributing to family income
•44 percent of stay-at-home moms feel guilt about the untidiness of their house

Guilt and tidiness seem to be pretty powerful themes here. And there’s more on both:
•49 percent of working mothers and 47 percent of stay-at-home-mothers agreed with the statement, “I am my worst critic”

And finally,

Working mothers feel most judged about
1) How clean my house is
2) Not taking care of myself
3) The amount of time I spend with my children

Stay-at-home mothers feel most judged about
1) My contribution to family income
2) How clean my house is
3) Not using my education

It’s kind of impossible not to notice the weird emphasis on cleaning here. Why do both sets of mothers feel so much guilt about the house? Is it because they want a clean house or because they think they should have a clean house? My house is clean-ish, but cluttered, which drives me crazy, but doesn’t make me feel guilty (perhaps because I blame it on my husband, whose reluctance to throw away anything should be studied by anthropologists).

Is this a vestige of the 1950s, where women greeted men with cocktails, a warm meal and a meticulous home (oh, if my husband could only go back. In lieu of a highball he gets: “Bathe a kid! Cook some beans! Read ‘Ladybug Girl’ 22 times, and then once more!”).

On the guilt theme, I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. It is the working mother report from the Working Mother Research Institute. But I can’t help but wonder, would the working dad institute ask whether fathers feel guilty about the cleanliness of their homes?

Random photos of our vacation

Is your water clean?

Today, nearly one billion people (about 1in 8) lack access to clean water. More than 3.5 million die each year from water-related disease; 84% are children. Lack of access to clean water and sanitation kills at a rate equal to a jumbo jet full of kids every 4 hours. $25 can supply a person with clean water for life. The more people know the more we can make a difference. If you see this, and like it please copy and paste to another vid and give any amount you can.
Water.org


check out the link below. The water bottle would make a great christmas gift as well as helping others.
http://www.waterdropsofhope.com/

These two...

Nada

I have so much to write about however I am not in the mood. In a nutshell without all the details:

My sister and I took my parents out to dinner for their anniversary.

Carson did very well on his progress report.

Shauna is rehearsing for the school play. She has one of the lead roles.

We are flying to Florida this week.

We had a really great time at the fall party this weekend (thanks mom and dad).

Why do people love drama? It makes me ill-

We leased out one of our horses. The barn seems different without her.

I only have a two more gifts to buy for Christmas.

Have you ever listened to the way some people talk to others? Holy Cow! People can be rude and nasty.

I work with someone who always looks for the negative in others. what did they do wrong? what did they miss? What didn't they do? get the point. YUCK!

Cinderella is great! We are so in love with her :)

I'm scheduled for a second phone interview tomorrow night however I think I am going to decline the position.

I have to remember our wedding anniversary is next week('something' is this Friday but I am not sure what). I am awful with dates.

I dislike Halloween! Thank God for Best. She loves taking Carson out for Halloween.

Fiesta

Last weekend Jonathan and I visited New Mexico. We went to the fiesta for hot air balloons. Wow, was that pretty neat! Hundreds of balloons flying in the sky at one time- If you wanted to pay $400.00 pp you could take a hour ride in a balloon. No, Thanks!
Can you believe some of the balloons cost over $150,000.00?