Does walking around the mall for two hours count? It wasn’t speed walking, but I was dealing with Hannah and Reagan while shopping for back to school clothes for Anthony. Pushing a tandem stroller the whole time….I can count it, right? 
Monthly Archives: July 2008
Amazing Grace
This weekend was the last of the At the Movies series at church. The movie was Amazing Grace. I don’t think I had heard about it before or even seen a preview, but from the clips they showed at church I’m sure it’s a very powerful movie.
Even better than the movie though, was that my close friend and three of her kids (she has four) came to church with us. It was great to spend that time with her and the kids had a great time. I hope they will come again and again!!
The song Amazing Grace has special meaning for me. When I was at the roughest part of my journey I sang this song over and over and over. It helped make things real. It helped remind me of God’s Grace and Mercy. I continue to be amazed that He loves me no matter what.
For more on the song and the author, click here.
“Amazing Grace“
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!
Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.
John Newton, Olney Hymns (London: W. Oliver, 1779)
It’s almost that time again….
Time for what?? FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only football, but Fantasy football!!!! I didn’t have any interest in Football until my mid 20s when I had an opportunity to go see the Titans and Giants play from a luxury suite. That’s the way to see a football game!!! Especially for the first time! I was working for an auto finance company and didn’t want to be embarrassed by not knowing anything about the game. So I sat next to a co worker who quietly let me in on how the game was played. Once I knew what I was watching it was easy to get into. I’ve loved it ever since.
Year before last was my first to play fantasy football. I didn’t play last year because I had a newborn and just didn’t have the time. But I’ve already joined my husband’s league this year and can’t wait to start! It’s pretty amazing that I would even want to play again since my team did so horribly last time. I think I only won three games. I had Peyton Manning as my QB (#1 draft pick in fantasy football that year) and the Bears as my defense (they were the number 1 defensive team that year). You would think I would have been unstoppable. Oh well, it was still fun.
I’m looking forward to football parties with family and friends and watching Hannah run around the house with her arms over her head yelling “TOUCHDOWN!!!”. I’m betting she’ll have Reagan doing it too before the season is over! Maybe it will be her first real word. You know, other than Mama, Dada & Hi.
Fun at the Salon
Last Thursday I got an appointment for Anthony’s girlfriend at the salon I go to. She was getting quite a bit done to her hair so we were there for awhile. When I’m in a situation like that with the girls it can be a bit stressful. Hair Salon’s aren’t exactly childproof so I’m always on guard and keep Hannah and Reagan as close to me as possible.
Keeping them entertained so we don’t have meltdowns is a whole other story all together. I can’t tell you how many times we played with “the little piggies” or “the Itsy Bitsy spider” went up the water spout. We looked at the hair magazines and played peek a boo. About an hour into it I realized that this was valuable face time with the girls. If we had been at home chances are pretty good the girls would have been off playing (and by playing I mean destroying their room) while I was doing laundry or cleaning the kitchen. So instead of stressing and worrying about getting them home as quickly as possible, I began to treasure the time I had with them. Time that I had absolutely nothing else to do but to play with them. I was completely wiped out when we did get home, but it was a good tired.
Poor Anthony, he was stuck with me and the girls. His girlfriend wouldn’t let him see her until her hair was all done. He had gone with us to spend time with her, and it didn’t quite work out that way for him. He was a great help to me though, and I was glad to spend time with him too. Of course he entertained himself listening to an I Pod, but that’s okay. I’ll take whatever I can get!!
Doggies, Doggies, Everywhere….
My Dad had to suddenly go out of town so we get to keep his two German Shepard dogs, Oz & Lilly. The cats have been moved to safety so they don’t become snacks and an extra careful eye is kept on the little girls. Gracie (our boxer) isn’t too happy that they are invading her home, but after a couple of hours everyone has settled down. Gracie is laying on the couch next to Zale, Lilly is laying at my feet, and Oz is laying in the most strategic spot in the house. It’s where he always ends up, laying in a spot in the living room where he can see the back door, the front door, and the door that goes to the garage. Just in case Dad comes to pick him up. Oz is the best dog of them all!! Reagan tried to ride him earlier today, he just calmly got up and walked away. Didn’t snap or growl or anything. He’s such a good boy!!!
Work out diary
Yea!!! I can finally post on this again. Tonight after dinner while the kids were playing and Zale and I were on our laptops, I realized that I feel well enough to go walking again. So Zale helped me load up the girls in the tandem stroller and went for a walk around the neighborhood. We made it around 4 times and I think walked almost an hour. That’s the longest yet. It felt good to be out there again!
Over 3000, thanks (in part) to MySpace Mobster
It’s hard for me to believe, but I’ve had over 3000 hits on my blog since March of this year. I owe most of it to the MySpace Mobster game. Since I’ve blogged on the game a couple of times, my blog comes up on the first page when you Google MySpace Mobster. I’m loving the traffic and I hope those that find this blog are enjoying it too! Thanks everyone!
Miss Destructo & The Reaganator
I started referring to Hannah as Miss Destructo long ago. Usually if she’s quiet, she’s destroying something. And now she has a side kick. It’s amazing how quickly a perfectly clean house can become a complete disaster. When I went to sleep last night, okay, early this morning, all was clean and picked up. Every toy was in it’s proper place.
First thing this morning Hannah, Miss Destructo, shows Reagan (now also known as The Reaganator) how to dump out the small basket of toys we keep for them in the living room. Not only how to dump it out, but also how to spread/throw everything out over every square inch of the living room floor. When that task was complete they moved to their bedroom.
It has been a challenge in itself for Hannah to accept sharing her room with Reagan, but we’re getting there. I guess Hannah wanted to show Reagan her acceptance by giving her a lesson in room destruction. Within a matter of seconds every book that could be reached was no longer in the bookshelves. Every toy that could be thrown or dumped out made its way to their floor. Never mind that I just cleaned that room yesterday!! I continue to be amazed with the speed that they can dismantle a house. You can always tell where they’ve been or where they are going by the trail of toys they leave in their wake.
I’m not complaining though, at least they are playing together! They can learn to clean up together too! I was successful in getting Hannah to clean up the mess in the living room, we’re still working on their bedroom.
Pop Tarts
A typical conversation with Hannah:
Hannah – “Mommmmmyyyyyyyyyyy, I need a choclit Pop Tart.”
Me – “No, Hannah, you need to eat something else.”
Hannah – “But wwwhhhhhyyyyyy?????” “I want one!!!”
Me – “Because you’ve already had a chocolate Pop Tart today.
Hannah – “Oh, ok, then I want chips.”
Apparently when I was little I would only eat green beans out of a can and cold hot dogs. Wouldn’t touch either now. For Hannah, we have to keep chocolate chip cookie dough Pop Tarts on hand at all times. On the chance we are out she is always quick to remind me that we need more!
Yes, she does eat healthier foods than that, you know, like hot pockets, among other things. But Pop Tarts are her thing. For now anyway.
Do you ever feel like you’re being attacked?
Verses in this post are copied from Bible Gateway:
Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
If you do feel like you’re under attack, you probably are. Ever have those days where nothing goes right, where relationships fail or have tension that isn’t usually there? Days when things have been going so well with your kids and then in a matter of a minute or two it all falls apart?
I firmly believe there is always a spiritual struggle going on for our lives, our souls. Even after we are saved in Christ, the enemy isn’t going to give up. If anything he is going to come after us even harder than ever before. We’re more of a challenge now. The good news is that as long as we stay strong in Christ, the enemy can’t ever defeat us. He may win a few small battles, but he won’t win us.
3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
And finally, two of my favorite verses:
Mark 10:27 (New International Version)
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
