Greatest Show on Earth (I guess that is a matter of opinion!)

 

 

 

Here are a few pictures of the kids at the Circus!

Happy Birthday Julia

 
 
 
 
Julia had a great 6th Birthday!
She had a big road trip to Atlanta with her Gram, with 2 birthday celebrations while she was there.
On her actual birthday we had a day of festivities....Cake and Presents, then the circus.

Where has my baby gone?

My baby girl is turning 6!
I cannot believe how fast time has gone. It seems like just yesterday we were in the delivery room. Every year has been so precious and wonderful.
Julia is turning into a beautiful young lady. She loves to dress up and be the center of attention. Her brother is her very best friend and conveniently the prince to all her role playing. I am so grateful for my precious girl.

Elmo loves you!

You Are Elmo

Sweet and innocent, you expect everyone to adore you. And they usually do! You are usually feeling: Talkative. You've got tons of stories to tell. And when you aren't talking, you're laughing. You are famous for: Being popular, though no one knows why. Middle aged men especially like you. How you live your life: With an open heart. "Elmo loves you!"

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

Hanging in there!

So it has been 11 days since my knee surgery. I think I am doing pretty well. The doctor was pretty impressed last week with where I was.
I am back at the Y walking on the treadmill. (Hard for me to not do my usual amount of cardio) Overall I feel pretty well. The last two days I was super tired and resorted to napping both afternoons. I think that was partly because I am not sleeping well at night. I also woke up Saturday with a horrible fever blister that is driving me crazy.
I start physical therapy tomorrow. Hopefully we can work on getting me back to being able to put pressure on my knee and fully bending it.
I know I am expecting a lot from myself in such a short period of time. I know I need to give myself some slack and let it fully heal. I just hope that the surgery will have fixed the problem. My fear is that I am still going to have the same pain that I was having before.
So that is where I am at the moment.

Update

I finally did have my surgery on Friday afternoon. I ended up having to stay overnight in the hospital. I got really sick from the anesthesia. Man, I have never felt like that before. My dad was super wonderful. Since Paul had to work Friday, my dad spent the whole day from noon to almost 10 pm sitting in the hospital with me. It was nice to have him there. I can't thank him enough. I know it was a really boring day just sitting. I remember those days with Paul. My parents helped out with the kids and left early Sunday morning. Paul took over and has been wonderful taking care of the kids and me. I am up a little bit today. My body is a little achy from laying in bed so long. I need to walk around some more today. I can't remember the last time I have rested this much, probably at least over 6 years ago - before children!
It has been a good break and I think the kids have been great. They needed this bonding time with other people. They were getting way too attached to me.
Hopefully I can get back to my old self soon. I go back to the doctor on Wednesday to see how I am doing. Thank you to everyone who has checked on me. It is nice to have such great friends and family.

The wonderful world of insurance!

Well, after a long day today sitting in the surgery center --- No surgery today.
I had several complicated insurance issues that were very frustrating.
Thankfully I have the most wonderful doctor who was able to work things out and I am now scheduled at the Hospital tomorrow at 3:30 pm (have to be there at 12:30 for some reason!)
So, I will let you know if I actually have the surgery tomorrow. I won't believe it myself until I am in the recovery room.

T minus 19 hours

Tomorrow morning I am having surgery on my left knee. I have been having issues with it for about the last 2 years, but seriously the last 6 months.
I am not real nervous about the actual surgery (at this moment anyway). I am more nervous about the recovery. It is going to be very difficult to slow down and take it easy. It will be hard to not get up and go to the Y in the morning. Hopefully I won't be out too long. Working out has been a great outlet for me. Besides the fact that I am in the best shape of my life (minus my knee and other hormonal issues!), it has been a nice break from kids and also a social outlet.
My parents are coming in today to help take care of the kids for a few days.
I am so blessed to have parents who love me and are willing to help.
So think about me tomorrow at 9 am. I will update after the surgery.

Who am I?

Today after a conversation with a good friend I have begin to ponder the question "Who am I?"
I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, neighbor, acquaintance.
I could go on and list all the things those positions do, but I won't.
I find myself in an identity crisis. What do I like to do? What are my passions? What are the things in life that give me the desire to get up in the morning?
I realized today that I miss my social worker role. Why?
I miss really helping people. Being in their lives and making a difference.
I miss getting kudos on a job well done. I miss having a reason to get dressed and having people complement your hair, outfit, a job well done.
Being a mom is pretty thankless. There are moments when the kids say thank you, but it is usually prompted by "what do we say..."
I don't have an overwhelming desire to go back to work. I know that is not where I am suppose to be right now. I think I have just lost some of my identity as Amy. I have become Mommy and have let all the things that Amy was passionate about go.
I do have a strong desire to do women's ministry. I enjoy being with other women and battling through struggles such as these. I know God placed desires in women's hearts. We long to be desired and loved, noticed and lavished with attention. I see how strong that is by watching my daughter prance around the room dressed up and practically screaming "look at me." Or asking her brother "how do I look, am I pretty?" Then he answers, "you are fretty." Very cute!
Anyway, that longing never goes away. Even an 80 year old woman wants to know that she is beautiful and longed for.
"Captivating" by Stacy Eldridge was such a great book that every woman, husband and father needs to read.
So, Who am I?
I am not just a mommy, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, neighbor, acquaintance.
I am who God created me to be. I have a heart that longs to be beautiful.
I have a heart that desires to be intimate with Christ. I have a heart that is full of love and compassion for people. I think I have just in the midst of being all of these other things, forgotten my heart.
"In the end, it doesn't matter how well we have performed or what we have accomplished-a life without heart is not worth living. For out of this wellspring of our soul flow all true caring and all meaningful work, all real worship and all sacrifice." ~Brent Curtis and John Eldridge

Shaggy Boy is Gone

After hiding in his room, then much kicking and screaming the boys shaggy hair is gone!
He looks so handsome. His reward was an ice cream sandwich (tofu) which he insisted on eating in the bathtub immediately after his haircut.
(if it is not real even that is because it is really hard to cut a moving target!)

Happy NEW YEAR!!!

We had a great party last night with our friends. It was fun to hang out and play a great game of Cranium and Guitar Hero. I pray that 2008 will be a better year for us!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday to the Greatest Mom Ever!
I was able to spend the weekend with my parents and grandfather. It was good to be with them. I hate that we don't live closer. I am fortunate to have wonderful parents. I am so glad that we have always had a close relationship. I couldn't have been blessed any more than being born into my family!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!
The kids are having a great day. They slept in the living room last night just in case Santa was real and not pretend like we have told them. They were very excited and enjoyed opening their presents. I have spent the day opening boxes, trying to actually get toys out of the packages and putting them together.
Julia got a digital camera. Not sure if that was a great idea after all. She has managed to take at least ten shots of my rear end. Those will not be posted on my blog. Perhaps she will have to start a blog of her own.
Hope everyone has a great holiday. I miss everyone and hope to see you soon!

Happy Birthday Paul!

Happy Birthday to my husband and best friend.
I am so glad he was born.

Miss Suzie Homemaker I am not!

If you want to know what I have been doing the past two days....
I have been making Truffles for the first and last time. Everyone online talked about how easy these were to make. I don't know where they got their definition of easy! I also made Chocolate Cherry Cookies, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup cookies, and Ginger Cookies.
I think I have had my fill of baking for awhile. Fortunately, I don't even feel like eating any of them. Hope everyone else enjoys them!!!

Harrison's first program

Harrison had his first program at school this week. He did a great job with all the hand motions and dancing, but forgot to sing!
He is in a very rotten stage. He is in destruction mode. He writes "H" on anything he can. Refuses to potty train. But he flashes that smile and says "I love you!" He is an Eddie Haskell in the making for sure. The last photo is of him taking a bow at the end of the show.

You are Mine

I am completely obsessed with this song, well Mute Math in general.
Their lyrics are amazing.
It makes me really think about what my "prized possession" is.
I don't think I have been this moved by an album since U2 Joshua Tree.

You Are Mine Lyrics
Artist(Band):Mute Math

Everyone has their obsession
Consuming thoughts, consuming time
They hold high their prized possession
That defines the meaning of their lives

You are mine
You are mine
You are mine, all mine
You are mine

There are objects of affection
That can mesmerize the soul
There is always one addiction
That just cannot be controlled

You are mine
You are mine
You are mine, all mine
You are mine

Everyone has their obsession
Consuming thoughts, consuming time
They hold high their prized possession
They hold high their prized possession

"You say it's your Birthday...."

Yes, it is my Birthday!
Sometimes I get nervous that I am going to be disappointed with my birthday. It is funny how I still look forward to them (even though the candles are multiplying). I think it starts as a child making such a big deal out of the day. It makes you feel like it is the one day that you are special. You get to set the rules for the day and according to Julia "get the first piece of cake."
It has been a really nice day. I was able to get up and go the the Y to workout while Paul took the kids out.
Lorie and I went and had coffee, and a stroll around Target. (thanks for the pants!)
When I got home Paul and the kids brought me cards, gifts and a cake!
Harrison actually took a nap, (so Paul and I did too!)
Tonight we are planning on going out for Mexican with some friends.
So, I would call that a successful birthday! (and I am not disappointed!)

I do feel special and loved today. I am blessed to have wonderful people in my life.

Relationships

I just got off the phone with a good friend and realized how blessed I am. I have so many wonderful relationships in my life. I know I am not the easiest person to deal with these days. I am thankful for each person in my life that loves me despite all my craziness!

Happy Birthday Lor-Lee

Happy Birthday to my sweet Lorie!
Thanks for letting us celebrate your special day together.
I love you!

Halloween a little late

I know I am only a little over a month late posting these, but they just got off my camera today!
We had a great Halloween party with our friends from church.
Steve was the winner of the pumpkin carving contest! (I won the costume contest, but no picture of me!)

Freedom

I cannot even begin to describe what God is doing in my life. It is huge!
I have found myself being stripped of every ounce of control I have in my life.
This is a very tough thing for me being the control freak that I am.
I have allowed my heart over the last oh almost 33 years to be hardened. I realized in telling my "story" in small group that God has always been a big part of my life, but I have been legalistic and self-righteous. I have followed all the "rules" in life not out of my love for Christ, but out of rule following to be the perfect person so that others would be impressed by my perfection. Ouch!
God has found me lying in the mud eating dirt. He has through some tough stuff that is going on showed me that I am not perfect. He showed me the dirt that I am settling for. He found me at the well and he has given me water to drink.
My heart feels a freedom that I have never felt before. It is good and it is scary at the same time. I am afraid of feeling prideful and falling in the dirt again.
I know that temptation will come my way and I will snack on a morsel of dirt every now and again. But I feel like I now know how to get to the water again.
I feel this love from Christ that I have not had before. I knew he loved me, but I had never felt this intimacy before.

Guilt and other little nuggets of my brain

It has been a rough two weeks for me. I don't know what on earth is going on. Hormonal perhaps, but I think there may be more. Possibly God is trying to get my attention. Thankfully I have been trying to listen in the midst of several emotional melt downs. (I am not the easiest person to live with at the moment I am sure!)
Anyway, I just finished a great book by Dr. Leslie Parrott "You matter more than you think." It is a wonderful book about making a difference. It helped me to see that even though I am not professionally our helping people and making a difference, I do make a difference to the people around me. I am making a difference in my kids lives (hopefully!)my husband (hopefully again!) and the people around me. I don't have to go to India or China or wherever to impact the world. I can do it right in my home.
The other thing that I feel God revealed to me last night (again in a sobbing melt down) is that I live in a sea of guilt. Guilt over everything and nothing. I realized that I apologize for everything. Things that don't need apologized for. I feel guilt pretty much all the time and it is not healthy. I think a lot of that is
in that need to feel perfect. I feel guilt for not being perfect. When you say it out loud it sounds ridiculous and I would counsel someone about how crazy that is...yet, that is where I am. I think being aware of it today has helped. I have tried to battle it and not give into the feelings. It will probably be a life long battle, but one I feel like God is trying to work on with me.

There were lots of quotes from this book I wanted to share, but this one has really stuck with me the most...a bit silly, but very true.

"There is an eagle in me that wants to soar, and there is a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud." Carl Sandburg

Grandma and G-Pops house

The kids and I went to my parent's house a few weeks ago. This was in the car when we were leaving and one of Harrison when we got home. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the kids with their grandparents.

Hat Swapping

Papa (age 99) and Harrison swapped hats. Surprisingly their hats fit each other!
I am so glad my kids are able to have time with their great-grandfather.

Happy Birthday Harrison! (25 days late!)

My baby boy turned 3! We had a great swimming party after church. He had a wonderful time and got some great gifts. Here is his "bat-o-wheel."

First day of school (2 months late)

Here are the kids on their first day of school. They are both doing great in school. Julia is starting to read and Harrison actually took a nap today at school - the teacher sent home a certificate she was so excited!

100th Post

This is my 100th post on my blog...wish it were more exciting!
I have many things I have been planning to post, but no time.
Many things have happened since my last post almost 2 months ago - UGH!
School has started! Julia and I are on our adventure of homeschooling. I have coined our name St.Arbucks Academy since we spend our Tuesday sitting in Starbucks reading all her books. School has been positive for the most part and I think she is learning a few things. Harrison also started school (parent's day out) and turned 3 and got rid of his 'pappy.' Big mile stones, if we could only get him potty trained he would be good to go!
My active life of working out 6 days a week has come to a screeching halt. I have injured my back, knee and ankle. This has been very difficult for me to deal with. I am finding myself more and more depressed due to the lack of activity and frustration with not knowing how to make this thing better.
Other than those few things not much else going on. I have lots of pictures I want to get posted if I ever get them off my camera.
Hopefully post 200 will be more exciting.