I'm Not "Grown" Up... Are You?

I've been thinking about time lately and how it changes everything. Well, almost everything. Time just marches on. We grow older and wiser. But not too much more mature. These pictures prove it. The first is from June 2006. The group of us had gone out to celebrate Elisabeth's (the dark one on the far right) 20th birthday. The second and third photo is from a couple weeks ago when we went out to celebrate the end of Elisabeth's single life. For the most part, the only things that look different is our purses and clothing and maybe hairstyles. But in reality, much has changed. Going from left to right in the second photo: Jane got engaged was about to be hitched, Wilson graduated from college and is teaching Third Grade Special Ed., I had a baby, Carissa has fallen in looove and gotten engaged, and Roxanne (who was pregnant in the first photo) had her second baby. But as you can tell in the last photo, we haven't quite grown up yet. Deep inside (or maybe not that deep), we are still goofy girls who laugh loudly and tell silly stories just like we did when we were 10 or 12 or 17... Catch us when we don't have our "grown-up" faces on and you might be surprised! But then, I bet you're not all that grown up either.

Mr. Cute

To Forgive? Or Not to Forgive? That is the Question.

There is nothing terribly interesting going on these days. Well, nothing really worth blogging about. Except for Josh. He's been crawling about like crazy and pulling himself up. It inspires me to keep my floors swept, mopped and/or vacuumed. Which is good, since I would rarely mop my floor beforehand.

Hmm. I decided that forgiveness is one of, or rather is, God's greatest blessing. Yesterday I had a very yucky day and Adam and I treated each other pretty much like garbage all day long. It wasn't any fun and neither one of us can blame the other entirely. Fighting always make me feel very poorly and I am so glad that, at the end of the day, we can both say, "I'm sorry." God made marriage to be a blessing. He intended for two people to come together and be servants to one another. Helping, lifting up and caring for the other above themselves. And when one is being selfish and or lazy (I'm talking about myself here) things can get messy. Without God's example of forgiveness, how are we to know how to forgive anyone? I am so grateful for the unending love of Christ and how it is demonstrated. If we didn't have His example, how would we know how to forgive those who have hurt or offended us? Faithful to God's example, Adam forgave me for being a yucky jerk and I forgave him for being a yucky jerk. We can now put our yucky ways behind us because we've forgiven each other and Christ has forgiven us. We can have a fresh start. The love and forgiveness of Christ is what hold the two of us together. Of course we love each other, but what I am saying is that the love of Christ binds us together. He doesn't leave us to fend for ourselves. Adam and I are weak and without having Jesus' love in our hearts, we would be unable to forgive each other and where would that put us? So, you see why I am so thankful for the gift of God's forgiveness. It really is great.

Upsi-daisy... Josh is awake and because I love him, I leave you to fend for yourselves, so that I may fend for him.

Fleas and Other Disgusting Crawling Creatures

I admit it. We have an infestation. And it's gross and embarrassing. So why admit it publicly? Because the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem. The second step is asking for help. We have washed, applied, squished and rewashed. And there is still no relief. I believe the next step is bombing, but I have reservations about using this type of treatment. Aren't there other safer solutions? There must be. We've been trying to rid ourselves of these creatures for seven months now and I am at my wits end. I hate hearing my friends shriek in disgust. And it would be too entirely humiliating to have someone else pick one off my child's head, as I have done several times. I am ready to be bug free.


We also have an issue with another familiar six-legged insect. They love our sandy soil. They build their houses 10 to every square foot (no exaggeration). They live in swarms. They love spilled dog food and forgotten crumbs. They come into my house and march right into places where they do not belong. I have set out traps, which deter them momentarily, but I know they will be back. There is a never ending supply right outside my door. How does one rid herself of so many? How do I let my child play in the yard when, no matter where I set him, he will be playing right on top of them? Cures! I need cures!!!


I know that you've heard enough. Your stomach probably cannot handle anymore grossities. But I'm already on a roll and must unleash it all. My next issue can be found in the garden eating all my bean sprouts. I've dealt with this before and, much to my chagrin, I am dealing with it again. Picking these nasty little things off my plants and drowning them in any chemical mixture works but isn't necessarily a very effective treatment. There must be a better way. There are better ways to spend my time. Hoards and hoards fly about every June and I know next year will be the same.

Yuck. It's all I can say. I've had enough of infesting, creepy, crawling, annoying, biting, chewing, making off with my goods little bugs. I am ready for a cure. Are you with me?

This weekend I am going to be in the wedding of one of my very best friends. Elisabeth and I have been friends since we were ten years old and have gone through thick and thin together. Typically we get pretty goofy, but that's what friends are for. For your viewing pleasure I have attached some goofy pictures taken on "Beach Day" from a few years back. Anyhow, it didn't seem like we were really grown up yet when I got married, but now that she is getting hitched and my other friends are getting married or are engaged, it hits me kinda differently. Maybe we really are growing up now... I mean, Liz will have to live at her own house with her own... dare I say it? ...her own husband. *sigh* Sometimes I long for the days when we were still kids and had no real cares. We would spend our summer afternoons exploring the creek bottoms and rollerskating in the parking lot next door. We'd invent silly games and push each other into snowbanks. We'd "rescue" stray neighborhood cats and dream of our future lives. Now, in just a few short days, Liz will venture off into a brand new adventure. One that will take her from now until she is old and gray. And with the Lord's never ending help, she and her husband will fall more in love and know more about each other than anyone else. They will have good days and bad days, very good days and very bad days. But as Ecclesiates 4:12 says "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Five Minutes in the Life of Josh

So, he's a pretty busy boy.

(Thanks Hannah for taking some really cute photos!)

Good Stuff

For some good family photos, click here.

Go Josh, Go! The light is green now...

This is pretty self-explanatory. See Josh crawl. See Josh crawl fast. (No I don't like your hat.)

A Budget Busting Morning

Today was a garage
selling adventure (since saling is not a word). My Mom, Mother-in-Law and sister went out and roamed the streets this morning looking for deals. I found quite a few. In fact we loaded the stroller full of our "deals" and had to go back for what we couldn't carry. The best deal was probably the set of six glasses for a quarter and seeing as I had broken another one just this morning, I knew that these glasses were for me. I bought 12 items of clothing for Joshua at 50 cents a piece and some puzzles, to enhance his learning skills :) I found a very pretty bracelet, which I love and a high chair, which I really needed. My most unique and random, budget busting find has to be the unicycle. How could I pass it up? It was only $5 and think of all the fun we could have with it!! I mean, I cannot ride it, yet... But I will someday soon and so will all the neighborhood kids. After all, my Mother-in-Law is going to teach me to ride, right Joanne? She laughed at me and told me how she used to ride as a kid. She didn't need too much convincing to try it out then and there, but it turned out that the seat needed raising so we had to postpone our lesson. I never imagined that Joanne was a unicycle rider... I guess Mother's-in-Law can be cool after all! ;) I'm looking forward to our lesson Joanne! My Mom took a great photo of me trying to ride that one-wheeled wonder, but it didn't turn out when she sent it to me. You'll have to see it on her blog here. Anyhow, what a great morning we had together. It was lots and lots of fun.

300

This is my 300th post. Wow. I've been blogging for two and a half years now and so much has happened and has been documented in these pages. It all started so simply and with so few blog friends. Now, two and a half years later, it is not quite so simple and there are a few more blog friends that I can claim. Most are fellow family bloggers- my Mother, brothers, aunts and cousins. A few are friends that I have known through the years. And some are only blog friends who I have never met before. But I still look forward to reading their blogs and getting to know them even if we may never really meet face to face. I am anticipating even more adventures over the next 300 posts and hope that you'll all still be following along the daily doldrums and exciting things that happen over here.

Say CHEESE!

Wouldn't that face make anybody smile?

Five Busters of the Budget Game

I was tagged by my blog friend Jessica to do the 5 Budget Buster Meme. The rules are simple:

"The rules of the challenge are that you have to tag 3 people to carry it on and link back to the person who tagged you. Please also use the graphic at the top of this post. You can link to it or copy and paste it."

You are supposed to list five different things that challenge or bust your budget. We don't really have a set budget (shame, shame), but there are a few things that I know I spend too much on! My Five Budget Busters are:

1. Internet/Cable TV. I know, cable is really Adam's budget buster, but I really love having the Internet! Not only does it cost SOO much, but it also eats up so much of my valuable time.

2. Kohl's. I love Kohl's and every time I go there, I seem to spend too much money. And they always have sales, which inspire even more spontaneous spending.

3. CVS. I was recently encouraged (ahem) to get a CVS card and start saving! Well, I can't seem to get the good deals quite right and I think I've actually spent more money than I have saved. So this budget buster is working the opposite of that which it is supposed to.

4. Clearance racks. Keep me away from those! One good way to spend money that I shouldn't be spending is to find a really good deal on something that I really don't need!

5. Baby food. Okay, I was having a hard time thinking of five and my Mom suggested this one. After all, if one has a baby food mill and tasty things to eat, why should she need to buy jarred baby food and special baby juice and snacks? Shouldn't I be saving many $$$ by making my own baby food? Josh would be just as pleased with eating home-made food as he is the jarred stuff. So therefore baby food is a budget buster.

There must be other things that should be on this list. After all, we had a special guest at our church on Sunday from Gospel for Asia (GFA) who said that $1 could pay to have 200 tracts printed. The average tract in India is read ten times, meaning that $1's worth of tracts could reach 2,000 people with the gospel. Got me thinking about the worthless things that I have spent $1 on. I wonder how many people could've heard about the love of Christ with the money I have needlessly spent this past week?

The three people I will tag are:

Hmmm. I think I may pass on tagging. I'm just horrible at the game of tag and besides I'm too hot and sweaty to play. (Yea! That means it is finally summer! Woo-Hoot!!)

Baby Babble

Josh has discovered a new sound and demonstrates it very nicely in this video. The video is filled with an abundance of babble, but I was thinking of those of you who haven't been able to hear baby talk in a long while. It really is a wonderful sound.

Hop on Grand-Pop

When I was a kid I always loved playing with Grandpa. We had a special kind of relationship. I could crawl into his lap anytime I pleased and he was (and is) always willing to share a big hug. I think that Josh already has a special relationship with both of his Grandpas. Only a Grandpa would be willing to let a small boy bounce on his belly or drool in his whiskers. I think Grandpa Bob is really enjoying his first grandson. After all, it's been almost 26 years since Adam was small enough to bounce on his belly like Josh can. I can envision many happy years and fond memories to be made between the two of them in the years to come. Look, Josh is already making memories!

Post Bath Time

My little cutie have some fun towel time after a bath.