Pumpkin Butter

Whew! I have had such a long day! I decided to paint my diningroom. I am going to spare you the "before" pics, only because I forgot to take them. *grin* Aren't you glad?

Clearly, I wasn't thinking "clearly" when I made this decision. I stopped by the Home Depot Friday night and picked up the paint. Isn't it amazing how you can have the exact color you want in your mind, but when you get the wall of color, all of them make the one you want fuzzy? I stood there at all the samples and got aggravated. How can there be so many shades of paint? Why are they doing this to me? I know I am burning more brain cells than necessary by having to choose a color. Finally, I narrow it down to two different colors. I mean they are different. One is a Light Cocoa the other is called pumpkin butter. Pumpkin Butter? The Pumpkin Butter was not in the running before I ventured out to make a purchase. I did find out that it is one of the best sellers, according to the young man at the counter. I guess I do have good taste. *blushing* I wanted to start painting as soon as I got home, but I knew I should wait until morning.


Morning came and so did a lot of reasons not to get started painting. I had so much to do, along with "fighting off" the "lazys." It was such a beautiful day, I took Nathan outside to play. That little booger ran away from me and into the neighbor's yard. He thought it was hilarious. Soon after, I tried to take him inside. Needless to say, he pitched a fit!

The paint in the can was still and silent waiting to be stirred. I was afraid to lift the lid and spread such a bold color on my walls. I had put it off long enough. I plunged the roller in the pool of liquid and started rolling. Upon the first stroke, I was not certain this was a color I could eat with. After a few more, there was no turning back. After all, I paid $21 and something for this can of paint and it was going to be used for something! After completing one section I decided I like it.....for now.

I am far from finished, but it's a start. I hope to be engulfed in color by Monday evening. I am not looking forward to the trim work, but it comes with the territory. Pictures may come soon, depending on my skills!

Formative Years

I read the ages we learn the most are between 4 and 7, I think. These are called the formative years. With this in mind, I tried to recall my earliest memories of church. My mom, who was a single mother of three, made sure we attended regularly.

I can remember my sunday school teacher. Her name was Miss Daisey. Every Sunday she would lead her little troop of learners through the doors in the back, through a cold hallway and into the classroom. I don't know why I remember the hall as being cold, but the small room was warm. The little gas heater would hiss as it warmed our little bodies.

I can still smell the crayons and see the lesson leaflets. The pictures on those had so much color. The windows appeared to be saphire blue with cut glass. I just know that if I ran my fingers over them, they would feel like ice cubes. Wood floors. The floors were wood, but I think there was a small red carpet in the center of the room.

My formative years. Hmmm. I don't remember too much about the lessons, other than coloring the leaflet, but I do remember JESUS! There is an image of Him in my mind each time I remember that little classroom. I can't say that I have this image because of a hung portrait of him or if I "saw" him. I prefer the latter.


The bell would ring to signal time over and we would line up to march out, literally. Miss Daisey, on the other hand, would take her seat at the piano and play the appropriate "marching" music. We had a "penny march." This is where all the children would bring their pennies to the front of the church and drop them into a basket. This was so exciting to me! We were allowed to be part of the service with our offerings.

Now this is where my age is really telling on me, we returned to wooden pews! Yes, you read that right. Wooden pews. This is where I would be for the remainder of the service. I had fallen asleep many times on those pews. Not because of the preaching, remember I'm from the south. It was loud and hot and full of truth. It was not watered down or sugared up. It was the un-editied gospel, if you will. The Spirit of God dictated how long the service lasted, not the bulletin. And of course, there was LOVE. It permeated the atmoshphere as soon as you entered the doors. Love. Can't have "church" without it!

Phone Talk

Yesterday evening in our house:

Phone rings:

Caleb: Oh hey grandma. (my MIL)

Silence.......... (this is where grandma is talking, only we can't hear her)

Caleb: Except on the weekends.

Silence......

Caleb: He's asleep.

Silence.....

Caleb: She just got off her laptop.

Silence

Caleb: Her laptop.

Silence

Caleb: She just got off her laptop. ( A little louder) Errrr..... you want to speak to her?

Grandma has no idea what a laptop is!
If I were a liar, and thank God I'm not, this is where I would have said to him "Tell her it's new exercise equipment" this would have made her very happy!

Mama Proud

Alright, just a quick moment of "mama proud" time that I wanted to share.

Caleb came in from school and excitedly asked me "Mom, how much is tithes on $20?" "2$" I replied, "why?"
"Because my teacher said she was gonna give $20 to the student with the most improvement on benchmarks." This is a testing program at his school. And you thought I looked large in my profile picture, you should have seen me at that moment!

Mystery

Something has happened in the past few days that I can't explain. Nathan has become afraid of normal sounds in the house. I noticed a few months ago how he ran into my arms during a thunderstorm, but that seemed to be the only time He had been frightened. Whenever the washer starts up, he stops, looks both ways, and runs. The same response when the furnace cycles on or the vaccum cleaner.

I had his hearing tested when he was around 5 months old. I did this because he slept through everything! I know, I know. I should have accepted it as a blessing and went on with it, but neither of my other two slept through ringing phones, doorbells, and vaccuum cleaners like this so, I wanted to make sure there were no hearing problems. And of course, with all the ear infections, he was tested again. The tests concluded his hearing was fine and I was just a worry wart. Thus eradicating the theory of "hearing for the first time."

This is so strange. Now that I have began to think about it, I may have figured it out!
One of Caleb's Christmas presents was a robot. Nathan is not fond of him at all, in fact, if robot man ever comes up missing a head or missing, period, I don't think we'll be calling in Scotland yard.

Bible Reading

Lisa has been doing so well on her bible reading, but I am behind. I thought if I started being accountable, it would help. I read 3 chapters in John last night and I read the book of Jonah again, thanks to Sara. I want to get the desire I once had to read God's word. On the days I had to wait in line to pick my son up from school, I use to sit there and read it. I don't pick him up anymore so that time is lost. I use to take it with me to dr. visits and various other places that kept me waiting, but I slowly got out of that habit too. I am really sad about this. God's word is more important than the newspaper, but I have caught myself reading it over anything else.

I have read through the New Testament several times, but I have never quite finished the Old. Not in order, anyway. But I have always loved the Old Testament writings. To see God in the scriptures and the intensity of His presence is indescribable.

Lisa stated that "It's supposed to take 21 days to make a habit" this doesn't seem too much to ask. There is all types of habits that we need to break, but bible reading isn't one of them.

I haven't forgotten to post about Christmas with my sister and brother-in-law. It has just been postponed until now. One of the reasons I wanted to post about them is he will soon be returning to Iraq and I wanted to make sure I had a few more people praying for his safe return. He was allowed to come home for a couple of weeks on leave. My sister told me that when he goes back, it will be to a more dangerous area than before, thus causing her stress.

They are now gone to Brooklyn, New York to visit his parents. I have met them and love his mother. She is such a sweet and wonderful mother-in-law to my sister. I met her for the first time after she came to visit them a couple of years ago. I had the pleasure of driving her to the airport the day she was scheduled to leave. The others had gone back to work and I was the only one available to take her the hour and half journey. (Yes, we have an airport that is closer, but she got a better rate further away. LOL)

Getting back to my BIL, he is one of the greatest guys you could ever meet. He takes care of his family and his country. I am proud of him. He believes in getting the job done. He has a lot more strength than most and I admire him for the way he carries himself. I am thankful he married my sister. She loves him so much.

Anyway, I wanted to post a picture of my BIL and Sis. and ask for prayer for the both of them. These are two beautiful people that I love very much! I know they would appreciate it.
I don't know if he will ever see this, but I hope he knows how much I care.

I haven't been able to do much of anything this weekend blogwise. I decided to make some changes (what 'cha think?) and because blogger wouldn't let me, it became more of a challenge. I am stubborn like that sometimes. I finally downloaded firefox and that didn't seem to help until the very end.

I think I have gotten around some of the glitches I have been having. Although I am not sure if it is my pc or blogger. Hmmm. I am still spam to wordpress pages. :( and that hurts. I don't know what to do about that.

I spent more time on the pc not getting anything done than being productive in another area. That means I will have to make it up tomorrow. It will be after all housework, napping, and feeding is finished before I can get online. I have to discipline myself as not to let it get the best of me. Well I am off to bed at last.