Well, it was an eventful, non-eventful weekend. Rita changed her course and spared my area her wrath. We got a little wind and that was about it. We did, however, get the rare opportunity to spend several days with just my dad. Many times we've had Mom here, but other than fire school (when he stays at a hotel and pretty much just drops by once or twice a day for 30 minutes) we've never had just my dad with us. It took him 19 hours to get here from Baytown (that's normally a 2 hour trip). Needless to say he was passed exhausted when he got here. It was kind of nice to be able to pamper him a bit. Not that mighty Skip takes to pampering, but he did listen the next morning when I handed him some motrin and said, "Here take this and eat this toast, your body will thank me later." Indeed he did thank me and we then had several days of relaxation as we watched the storm move further away from us.
I think mostly it was good for Tripp. He usually just stares at my dad, and sometimes cries. By the time Dad left to go home yesterday they had bonded and I even saw Tripp give him a grin once or twice. I hate that it took a hurricane to make that happen, but I'll take it. I'm not sure when else those two would have had that kind of time without the distractions of the dogs and Graggie (who were in New Braunfels with Nana). So, we got some wind and some serious quality time with Dad/Dadoo.
So, now all of my family is home where the belong. No one had any serious damage to their homes, so all is "back to normal." Easy got up at the crack of dawn and headed off on his commute to Houston for work. The kids got up way earlier than I wanted to and both had lots of snot. I had the pleasure of taking them both with me to a follow-up appointment with my foot doctor, then we met friends for lunch. We were supposed to have playgroup at a local park with "squirty water" (a fountain for the kids to play in). Unfortunately when we got there the water was turned off and the park was covered with school kids. Since the thermometer was reading 101 degrees we decided to come home. Paris cried all the way. She did not nap and Tripp only slept for about 45 minutes. So, I'm sitting here thinking about how frustrated I could be at this moment with two cranky snotty kids, a queasy tummy and tired body, and I can't seem to get frustrated. Sure, I've sent Paris to the cornera few time this afternoon, but the nagging knot in the chest that happens when I'm at my wits' end with the kids isn't there today. Today I am thankful we have a park to go to even if the water doesn't work. I'm thankful I have two children that are full of energy. I'm thankful to have friends to eat lunch with. Indeed I am thankful for my sometimes frustrating, but always wonderful NORMAL life! God is so good.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Random Tidbits
We were in Long Beach, CA over the weekend. This was my first time to Southern California since I went to Disney as a VERY small child. That was the wonderful trip many of you have heard about where my dad fashioned a child restraint our of a dog leash. I guess those nifty little harnesses we have now didn't exist, so he just used what he had. I've always given him a hard time about that, but now that I'm a parent and have actually spent money on a little blue harness for Paris (which was utterly pointless by the way) I have much more respect for his methods.
Anyway, the trip was great. We were there for a conference, but it really felt more like a vacation. I'm not sure I've ever experienced weather quite like that. It was amazing. It made me think, "wow, I could live here!" Then I remembered....this was California. It's going to fall off one day. I guess I'll stick to Texas and just vacation to nicer climates when I can. Have you noticed that most places with "nicer climates" have some sort of serious draw back? Earthquakes, Floods, Hurricanes, Liberals etc........ just a thought. And no, I don't really lump Liberals in with "natural disasters", I just thought they should make the list of drawbacks for this southern conservative.
On another topic....my most all time favorite rock start is going to be on Oprah tomorrow!!! A whole entire hour of Job Bon Jovi!!!!! I can not wait! If I had DVR I would record it. As it is, I've got a timer set on my cable box to automatically tune in. Did you know that Bon Jovi has been married for 16 years and has four kids? He's a total rarity in the Hollywood/Music industry. Not to mention he makes great music and is TOTALLY hot.
Yes, I know. I'm a married woman. Fortunately for me my husband knows of my "little crush" and has no problem. Something about the "unattainable" I think makes it OK. Besides, Easy has a thing for Molly Shannon. That's right folks, the arm pit sniffing comic from SNL. Personally, I think I have better taste when it comes to unrealistic famous people crushes.
Anyway, the trip was great. We were there for a conference, but it really felt more like a vacation. I'm not sure I've ever experienced weather quite like that. It was amazing. It made me think, "wow, I could live here!" Then I remembered....this was California. It's going to fall off one day. I guess I'll stick to Texas and just vacation to nicer climates when I can. Have you noticed that most places with "nicer climates" have some sort of serious draw back? Earthquakes, Floods, Hurricanes, Liberals etc........ just a thought. And no, I don't really lump Liberals in with "natural disasters", I just thought they should make the list of drawbacks for this southern conservative.
On another topic....my most all time favorite rock start is going to be on Oprah tomorrow!!! A whole entire hour of Job Bon Jovi!!!!! I can not wait! If I had DVR I would record it. As it is, I've got a timer set on my cable box to automatically tune in. Did you know that Bon Jovi has been married for 16 years and has four kids? He's a total rarity in the Hollywood/Music industry. Not to mention he makes great music and is TOTALLY hot.
Yes, I know. I'm a married woman. Fortunately for me my husband knows of my "little crush" and has no problem. Something about the "unattainable" I think makes it OK. Besides, Easy has a thing for Molly Shannon. That's right folks, the arm pit sniffing comic from SNL. Personally, I think I have better taste when it comes to unrealistic famous people crushes.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Emily Rose
Warning: this one may be long!
Easy and I had date night on Saturday and we went to see the Exorcism of Emily Rose. For those of you who know me well at this stage of my life, you know this is a bit out of character for me. Once a spooky movie fanatic, I have become a strong opponent of horror movies. Something about Emily Rose kept tugging at me though.
I'm currently going to a Bible study on spiritual warfare. It' also really just been in the last few years that I realized how very active Satan is in our daily lives. Maybe that's why this movie appealed to me. I eventually just prayed about it and then decided it was going to be ok to see.
As we settled into the theatre seats I said a prayer that God allow me to see Him in this film and to not feel the evil that was surely to be dealt with. You see my friends, that's why I refuse to watch horror movies anymore. I can FEEL the evil behind them. It's like I just spent money to invite Satan and his demons into my house, worse yet, into my mind. So I prayed and braced myself still unsure if I had made the right decision.
God is good. I think this movie was well done. Whether you beleive in demonic possession or not really doesn't matter. I felt like in the end this movie did a good job of making people think. I don't want to give any key pieces away for those of you who have not yet seen the film, but it causes everyone to stop and really think about what they believe and where they put their faith. I left feeling not unnerved, but glad that God is on my side and reminded that my battles are not with flesh & blood. Make no mistake, spiritual warfare rages around us at all times. We are served well to remember that.
Unfortunately, this movie only received a PG-13 rating. There is no nudity, no language, and no real violence between people. It is, however, a film about a subject matter that is way to serious for children. So, here's my main concern....PG-13 ratings do not actually restrict anyone from seeing a film. There was an 11 year old girl in line right in front of us to buy tickets. Not a parent in sight anywhere. She asked for a ticket to Emily Rose, the cashier asked her age...11..and then sold the ticket. Concerned about it, I asked the cashier why she did that. The answer is simple....the PG in PG-13 makes it the parent's job, not the theater's to restrict who sees the film. Makes sense. Bad parents. I won't even address the fact that this child was there unsupervised. It left me wondering if her parents had seen the film. Did they watch it and then think, "yeah, my 11 year old daughter needs to watch this?" I doubt it.
So I guess my complaint is with the rating. This film should have been rated R for the simple fact that children have no business seeing it! Easy and I walked away and had an in depth conversation about Satan and God and how spiritual warfare effects our daily walks. Children, however, walk away from this film with a series of disturbing images burned into their brains. I'm sure there are some who are mature and were able to see the message of hope and perserverence visible in this film. Most, I fear, simply saw some frightening things that either served to make them beleive that evil is a joke, or that will be a tool for Satan later in their lives. When those kids close their eyes to sleep at night, Satan will not think twice about replaying those images for them.
So, who wins this battle? I think Satan won a big one with the films rating. I take comfort in knowing that God has already won the war. When Christ rose, death was defeated. Satan can not win the war. Let's all make an effort to be aware of his activity in our lives so he doesn't win many battles either.
Easy and I had date night on Saturday and we went to see the Exorcism of Emily Rose. For those of you who know me well at this stage of my life, you know this is a bit out of character for me. Once a spooky movie fanatic, I have become a strong opponent of horror movies. Something about Emily Rose kept tugging at me though.
I'm currently going to a Bible study on spiritual warfare. It' also really just been in the last few years that I realized how very active Satan is in our daily lives. Maybe that's why this movie appealed to me. I eventually just prayed about it and then decided it was going to be ok to see.
As we settled into the theatre seats I said a prayer that God allow me to see Him in this film and to not feel the evil that was surely to be dealt with. You see my friends, that's why I refuse to watch horror movies anymore. I can FEEL the evil behind them. It's like I just spent money to invite Satan and his demons into my house, worse yet, into my mind. So I prayed and braced myself still unsure if I had made the right decision.
God is good. I think this movie was well done. Whether you beleive in demonic possession or not really doesn't matter. I felt like in the end this movie did a good job of making people think. I don't want to give any key pieces away for those of you who have not yet seen the film, but it causes everyone to stop and really think about what they believe and where they put their faith. I left feeling not unnerved, but glad that God is on my side and reminded that my battles are not with flesh & blood. Make no mistake, spiritual warfare rages around us at all times. We are served well to remember that.
Unfortunately, this movie only received a PG-13 rating. There is no nudity, no language, and no real violence between people. It is, however, a film about a subject matter that is way to serious for children. So, here's my main concern....PG-13 ratings do not actually restrict anyone from seeing a film. There was an 11 year old girl in line right in front of us to buy tickets. Not a parent in sight anywhere. She asked for a ticket to Emily Rose, the cashier asked her age...11..and then sold the ticket. Concerned about it, I asked the cashier why she did that. The answer is simple....the PG in PG-13 makes it the parent's job, not the theater's to restrict who sees the film. Makes sense. Bad parents. I won't even address the fact that this child was there unsupervised. It left me wondering if her parents had seen the film. Did they watch it and then think, "yeah, my 11 year old daughter needs to watch this?" I doubt it.
So I guess my complaint is with the rating. This film should have been rated R for the simple fact that children have no business seeing it! Easy and I walked away and had an in depth conversation about Satan and God and how spiritual warfare effects our daily walks. Children, however, walk away from this film with a series of disturbing images burned into their brains. I'm sure there are some who are mature and were able to see the message of hope and perserverence visible in this film. Most, I fear, simply saw some frightening things that either served to make them beleive that evil is a joke, or that will be a tool for Satan later in their lives. When those kids close their eyes to sleep at night, Satan will not think twice about replaying those images for them.
So, who wins this battle? I think Satan won a big one with the films rating. I take comfort in knowing that God has already won the war. When Christ rose, death was defeated. Satan can not win the war. Let's all make an effort to be aware of his activity in our lives so he doesn't win many battles either.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Food Aversion
Well, I guess I should first say that we received a surprise a few weeks ago. It seems that God thinks we are such amazing parents that we should have another baby. That's right folks, I'm pregnant...about 8 weeks or so. It came as a total shock to us, but now that we are over the inital terror we are getting quite excited. I believe all the family has been told, so it should be safe to blog about. If any of you reading are family and didn't already know....sorry!
So, that being said...I hit my first food aversion a few minutes ago. Easy and I, in an effort to be more health consious, have stopped buying white bread and instead keep whole grain and wheat product in the house. I got hungry for lunch and made a beautiful turkey sandwich with my favorite olives and a nice soft wheat kaiser roll. Unfortunately, when I put it in my mouth and chewed....well, let's just say it didn't work. I managed to swallow the first bite, but number two didn't have a chance. It's amazing how the body can reject something so completely!
The truth is that I wanted a sandwich on a white kaiser roll, but since we don't keep such things in the house I went with my healithier alternative. I wish I could say it was the turkey, or olives, or chees, or mayo, but it wasn't. It the taste of that wonderful healthy WHEAT!! I'm literally sitting here looking at this great sandwich that I can't eat. Ah, the joys of pregnancy. My plate now looks like that of my 3-year-old....every Cheetoe gone and a healthy sandwich just sitting there.
I guess the good news is for those who make the wonderful starchy white bread products. Looks like they'll be getting a few of my dollars over the coming months......Anyone want my sandwich?
So, that being said...I hit my first food aversion a few minutes ago. Easy and I, in an effort to be more health consious, have stopped buying white bread and instead keep whole grain and wheat product in the house. I got hungry for lunch and made a beautiful turkey sandwich with my favorite olives and a nice soft wheat kaiser roll. Unfortunately, when I put it in my mouth and chewed....well, let's just say it didn't work. I managed to swallow the first bite, but number two didn't have a chance. It's amazing how the body can reject something so completely!
The truth is that I wanted a sandwich on a white kaiser roll, but since we don't keep such things in the house I went with my healithier alternative. I wish I could say it was the turkey, or olives, or chees, or mayo, but it wasn't. It the taste of that wonderful healthy WHEAT!! I'm literally sitting here looking at this great sandwich that I can't eat. Ah, the joys of pregnancy. My plate now looks like that of my 3-year-old....every Cheetoe gone and a healthy sandwich just sitting there.
I guess the good news is for those who make the wonderful starchy white bread products. Looks like they'll be getting a few of my dollars over the coming months......Anyone want my sandwich?
Thursday, September 01, 2005
What a Morning!
Let me just say that I am about to totally brag on myself. It is not yet 10:00 am and I've already done 3 loads of laundry, boiled, chopped, and frozen several pounds of chicken for future use, made cookies from scratch, reviewed and submitted changes on our houseplan, and facilitated some product delivery for our business. And I'm dressed. And the kids have had breakfast - Tripp's already down for morning nap. And I had breakfast.
I guess the fact that I felt compelled to tell you about this lets you know that this is not my normal productivity level. Judging by the looks of my house, however, it is something to shoot for daily.
So, I hope you are all having productive mornings, and say a little prayer that I can have more of these....or even that I just keep this pace for one whole day. :-)
I guess the fact that I felt compelled to tell you about this lets you know that this is not my normal productivity level. Judging by the looks of my house, however, it is something to shoot for daily.
So, I hope you are all having productive mornings, and say a little prayer that I can have more of these....or even that I just keep this pace for one whole day. :-)
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