Satan is a TeleMarketer!

Didn't we really all already know this?
I have just started a new Beth Moore Bible study. This is the first study that I have been hyped about before I actually started it. Wednesday afternoon, I finally got Luke down for a nap that could potentially give me enough time to get through one day of the study.
During my prayer, I asked the Lord to let Luke rest long enough for me to get through this day of my study. I know we are to pray specifically but I forgot to mention something very important. As I was drawing near the end of my study for the day (about 10 minutes left). The phone rings. I jumped and ran to the phone just to try to get to it before Luke awakened. Of course, to no avail!!!!!!!!!
I answered. There was no one there. You know that means they will call again because I have just provided them with a time of day that someone will be home. I was aggravated because I just needed 10 minutes!!!!!!!! Is that too much to ask? I looked down at Luke who was now looking up at me with both precious little hands on my leg and those little tired eyes, smile on his face. I said, "Baby Doll, Momma needs just a few more minutes and I will hold you for the rest of the day."
I had the remote control sitting beside me. And, there is always at least one Baby Einstein ready to go. I chose Baby Mozart because there are no words to the music (so I won't be distracted from my reading) and Luke loves them all. He sat his preciousness at my feet almost as if he understood what I meant. He watched his video and I finished my Bible study with the soothing sounds of Mozart in the back ground.
When I was finished, Luke crawled up in my lap and stayed there for the rest of the afternoon (which wasn't really that long). I praise the Lord for this precious moment!

Can you see me now?

Here are pix of our little man.

Can you hear me now?

John is constantly nagging at me for not carrying my cell phone. I don't keep it charged. Well, excuse me (first of all) for not being at the beckon call of the world. No one ever calls me unless of course it is John. That could be because I never carry the phone.
It turns out that Luke is a real mover and shaker. The particular "moved and shaken" item of the week is my rarely used cell phone. Normally, this would not be a problem. He looks kinda cute walking around the house with a cell phone attached to his ear saying "'lo!" But as afore mentioned, I hardly ever charge my phone!" Somewhere in this house is a nearly new telecommunicator with a dead battery. So, it's not like I can call on the house phone and follow the ring around until I find the phone (yes, this is a practice that we use often at our house!).
Luke knows where it is. I know that he does. This morning as I was playing Crouching Tiger Hidden Cell Phone Luke was following me around the house laughing. I have crawled through the entire house and no cell phone anywhere.
When I do finally locate my phone, there is a treat waiting for me! I have left myself several messages while trying to find it. I will feel important if only for a moment a to my very self.

The Good Ol' Days

Recently, I was communicating via email with a friend from high school. She was talking about when we were in grade school and used to have disco dance-offs. Even though I have forgotten that particular recess activity, how fun!!!!

I do, however, remember other things. I remember playing kickball. I remember being naive. I remember teachers being concerned because the kids (boyand girl couples)were holding hands on the playground. I remember the pain of telling my mother "I am too old to wear ruffles and lace now Mom." I remember being obnoxious to substiute teachers (something I have paid dearly for in recent years). I remember selling fundraiser stuff and thinking that I was the greatest salesperson in the world. I remember the hurt of not making pee wee cheerleader.

Now, we had our fair share of hardships. I remember one boy getting caught with illegal drugs in 4th grade (he got it from his parents stash). But, overall, we can look back and say we were pretty sheltered in our younger days (or at least most of us).

Having said all of that......Almighty God please be with our children! Times have changed. Not all is bad. I like to sit and watch my daughter play on the playground with her little friends. It all seems so innocent much like we were. But, the things that parents (most of them our age and younger) allow their precious young ones to be exposed. Kids have more access to information through the media than we did.

I don't think I want to know exactly what my child knows. We were watching TV together the other day and they were reviewing a book that had the word "Sex" in the title. It was on the evening news so I know it wasn't porn or anything. Moriah says "Gross! Did you hear that word he said?" The news guy repeated the title. "That is so disgusting!" she retorted. I wanted so bad to ask but my heart just ached and what the actual answer would be. I am not sticking my head in the sand. I have asked this question on a different too-young-to-know phrase that came up before and I literally felt my body melt and ooze out of the chair in which I was sitting when I got the answer.

So, I guess all things considered, it is still safe to say, "Oh! To be young again!" But, oh to be young again in the 1970s (to steal a quote from my 9 year old). I wouldn't want to be growing up in today's world and dealing with what my daughter does.

Things I've Learned in the Past Year!

*Always place the clean diaper over the cleaned target area before reaching for the ointment.

*You are what you eat explains why little boys are made of snips, snails, and puppy dog tails.

*A Playskool ball fits perfectly in the speaker of a subwoofer.

*Always leave the toilet lid down and the bathroom door shut.

*Nap time doesn't end until you are seated in your nice hot relaxing bath.

*Baby Einstein cures what ails you.

*A crashed computer is not always an indication of a virus.

*A Personal Floatation Device, regardless of what government agency approved it, will not float the way you need it to if your child was born to snorkel.

*Chocolate may be harmful to dogs but is apparently quite tasty to a little boy.

*First steps are used as manipulation and control.

*There is no such thing as a child safety lock.

*The pains of child birth are nothing compared to the lacerations caused by pearlly white little pirahnna teeth.

*Toddlers are little terrorists.

*I have at least 1 and maybe 2 weapons of mass destruction living in my house.

*I have been richly blessed more than I could have ever imagined!!

Hey Baby, You got style!

We were in Waldron driving down West 2nd Street headed to Wal-Mart. There was a middle aged man riding down the side of the street on a bicycle. He was peddling away doing his thing. I said, "That is so uncool!"
Moriah asked what I was talking about. I pointed out to her that the man had on shorts with teenies and black socks. Moriah said, "Ew! That is not stylish!"
I said, "It just isn't right is it?"
She said, "No, it's not. I know this because I have a good Fashion Sense!"
Where does she come up with this stuff?

Grosser than Gross!!!!

Last week we were at the Arkansas Bandmasters Association convention. It is always lots of fun. We have some good friends that we always hang out with at the convention. They have 2 little girls, ages 7 and 2 1/2. Moriah and the 7 year old get along really well.
I'm sure that the baby and Luke will get along well when Luke is a little older. They have some of the same bad habits. For instance, they both put everything they come in contact with in their mouths.
Anna Claire is a beautiful little girl. She looks just like a little doll. Over a period of 3 days these are a few things that she put in her mouth: a cheeto she found under the bed in our room (that belonged to neither family), water from the pool, and beads. Her parents had told us that she likes to chew on baby wipes and they had caught her with as many as 5 totally in her mouth.
On Thursday evening, we went to dinner at Olive Garden. That was a different experience but the grossest thing happened when we got back to the hotel. John was changing Luke's diaper and it required several wipes. Of course, it was chaotic with the 2 other girls running around the room playing. Not to mention, Luke flopping around like a fish out of water and screaming because he can't be still while you are changing him. AnnaClaire reached over and grabbed a wipe from the soiled diaper and stuck it in her mouth. John said in the midst of the madness, "Uh! Anna Claire has a dirty wipe in her mouth!" Her mother began to struggle to get it out. When the mom got it away from the child, Anna Claire stood there with her little blond pigtails, a big ol' grin on her face, and a brown substance in the corner of her mouth. John started whining, "I think she ate a turd!"
I was on the bed laughing so hard I almost wet myself. In fact, I may have just a little. When we were leaving Olive Garden, the waitress gave us some chocolate mints. As Anna Claire was walking into our hotel room I noticed that she had chocolate on her mouth. Apparently, John did not!

Long time no see!

Wow! It's been a long time since I posted. We have been SO busy. Mostly with band director stuff. John had band camp 9-14 and ABA (Arkansas Bandmasters Association).
Moriah has a dark tan. She spends a lot of time in the water and sun. She is ready for school. By that I mean, she has all of her supplies and clothes. Otherwise, probably would rather it stay summer forever.
Luke is walking now. But, he still prefers to crawl, probably because he is really good at it! He gets a little turbo action thing going when he crawls. We just found out that he is going to wear glasses at least for a while. This should be interesting.
John is gearing up for band. Their show this year is 70s Disco. It should be pretty cheesy which usually goes over well. They are playing Disco Inferno, Night Fever, and Play that Funky Music. Tune in later to hear about how it works out.
With me, it is just the same old same old. Fighting off allergens, a messy house, and the teeth of Piranha Baby.