Bubba's Poinsettias

Sometimes I worry about Bubba because he is an aggressive, tough, opinionated boy.  Then other times, I choke back tears about something he says or does.   I don’t want to raise a “momma’s boy” or a wimp but I do want my sons to be compassionate. It always does my heart good to know that there is still a tender heart in there!  We went to get our Christmas tree and the store had little poinsettias for sale.  Last year, Bubba bought his teacher, Mrs. Millen a poinsettia and it turned into a hilarious ordeal.  His second grade teacher would swipe it and this went on for days.  Bubba’s teacher would sneak in and swipe it back.  It was great fun! 

Bubba asked me if he could get a poinsettia for his teacher this year and I said yes.  Then he asked if he could also get one for his three previous teachers.  He reminded me about the chaos surrounding last year’s poinsettia.  I quickly said yes and was touched.  Dan was like what the heck? Four poinsettias?? I told him YES, we were getting these poinsettias and he was like OK, not quite understanding the moment I was having with my boy!   He made each teacher a card and taped them on each Poinsettia.  Bubba truly has an affection for all the teachers he has had through the years and they have a connection with Bubba.  They will never see orange and green together and not think of him!  I am so grateful for the incredibly dedicated, loving and patient teachers that Bubba has been blessed with.  They are helping me grow him into a polite, Godly, studious, young man.  He even loves the Gator teachers too!

Kid's Stepping Up!

My kids have blessed me the past couple of days.  Lately, I haven’t been feeling that great.  I have had this horrific, debilitating headache.  Yesterday, I was still in my jammies at dinnertime and weakly asked the kids what we should have for dinner, dreading the thought of pumping out food for seven people.  Bonnie and Maggie suggested Brinner (Breakfast for Dinner!) and declared that they were going to make it!  I have never seen anyone crack a dozen eggs so fast with no shell pieces at all!   They put in some ham and cheese in the eggs and scrambled them to perfection. Maggie made toast too with butter and jelly!  Annie pitched in and poured the milk, laid out the plates and distributed the fruit evenly on all the plates.  It was awesome and I can see my dream of not having to cook one day, may be materializing.

Tonight, Dan left with the four older kids for Basketball/Dance practice and I started cleaning up after dinner.  Ed walked over to the sink and got the scrubber and started scrubbing a pan in the sink.  I was stoked!  He loved it and went on to do a big bowl and some cups too.  He was bugging, needing more and more soap but whatever.  I will waste a little soap if he keeps washing up!  Now if I could only get KC to stop working against us and to pitch in.... :)

Happy Birthday Sherry

Yes life goes on when someone dies but it’s just not fair.  Today is Sherry Robbins’s birthday and oh how sad it is that she is not with us!  I really love when I see her  beautiful smile still on Facebook as I did today, when it reminded me it was her birthday.  Some people die with little disruption in other’s lives while others depart and leave an inconceivable void that seems impossible to ever fill.  That is the case with Sherry.  I am very sure that Sherry had no idea how she impacted countless lives with her kindness, pure heart and enthusiasm.  She took time for everyone.  You never felt like a bother to her or that you were irritating her.  She had the gift of complimenting you about something, every time you saw her.  I really miss her encouragement.

I took time alone today, to celebrate her birth, to miss her, and to cry.  Death is something we will never quite understand.  Yes, we have hope in heaven but the void in our hearts is so painful and draining.  Several friends of mine, have recently lost loved ones.  I have been reflecting about when my Dad died suddenly. I thought I would never have real joy again.  Day after day, I would drag through, still in shock and in survival mode.  Every first time occasion, was like another unwanted milestone.  Slowly and surprisingly, you adjust to your “new” life but it’s never the same.  Thankfully, their presence is always with you and you never really feel apart.   Sherry’s mark on my life will always be with me.  I truly will strive to have a legacy like Sherry, one of love, worship, joy and excellence.  Happy Birthday Sherry!  We sure love and miss you today!

Road Trip to the U

Every year, Dan and Bubs travel to see one Miami home game.  This is their 3^rd year.  The day before, I asked Bubba what he wanted to wear because he is usually real specific.  I needed to do laundry and wanted to make sure I washed what he wanted to wear.  He cracked me up.  He said he wanted to dress like the new Miami coach, Al Golden, who always wears khaki’s, a white dress shirt and a Miami tie.  I thought it was a fabulous idea.  Dan was skeptical because he didn’t think he could make his tie fit on Bubba.  He tied it perfect and Bubba looked so sharp!  

 

The boys took off early Friday morning, stopped at the store for tailgating food and hit the road!  They drove straight to the stadium, tailgated and then went inside to watch Miami’s last game of the year.  Unfortunately, with all the NCAA violations that Miami has been charged with, they would not be playing in a Bowl game this year.  It honestly doesn’t even feel like we had much of a season with all the controversy.  Some older Miami fans commended Bubba on how nicely dressed he was and mentioned maybe he should be the coach!

Miami played pitiful and had a really bad last game for all the seniors including the Quarterback, Jacory Harris.  The only good thing about the game is Miami was smart enough to offer Al Golden a 4-year extension on his contract, which he signed during the game, and stopped all the rumors that he was going to take the coaching job at Penn State. 

The boys went and walked all around the Miami campus and of course went shopping!! Bubs got a new basketball jersey which he as been wanting!  They also came home with a 30% off coupon to shop online and Bubba is just sure we should get Dan a matching jersey! :)

Bubba said last night, which TOTALLY freaked me out, that he would be playing football for Al Golden when Bubba goes to the U, because of the new 2020 contract extension.  Then Bubba said after he is finished playing football, he wants to coach and hopefully at the U.  I sure love my boy’s dreams and pray they all come true for such a dedicated little fan that he has been pretty much since he was born!!  

Thanksgiving Day

What a fun day of family and food!  It started off with a bang!  I woke up hearing dogs barking before 8.  KC got out of the back gate and the neighbor grabbed her and then KC’s BFF Ellie came in the open back gate and jumped into the pool and swam and swam. LOL! Then the smell of cookies baking started drifting through the house!   Dan is obsessed with the Pampered Chef stone and loves making cookies on it.  It drives me crazy because it is heavy and hard to handle!  It is most definitely true that the cookies cook to perfection on that stone!   I was happy to let him cook away!

Dan was on the way to his parents in the morning to visit and Eddie left the door open on the way out and KC escaped and frolicked all over the neighborhood and drove Dan crazy!  They finally got her and brought her home.  The kids visited their grandparents and then we went to Maw Maw’s for an awesome spread of food and desserts.  It was insane.  The kids had a wonderful time playing with their cousins.  Ed was in heaven being free to come in and out and even played football with all the boys!  The girls were in Shelby’s hair salon and looked beautiful with their hair all braided and perfect :) 

This is the one of the two or three times a year we are  all together and we can get caught up on all the current events in each other’s lives, birthdays, weddings, boyfriends/girlfriends, funerals :/, funny Ed stories and more!  We have so much fun cutting up and joking with each other! Of course, there are the plethora of naps always by Jaime and Zach!  I know my kids will cherish these rare times together with the whole family.

I am so thankful my mom is still with us.  She got sick last year at this time and was in the hospital through Christmas.  It has made our time together since, even more valuable because we know we could have lost her.  She has been such an incredible example to follow.  She has always been completely dedicated to her family and none of us have every doubted her devotion to us or to my dad.  Her house is so beautiful and she goes to such effort to make everything perfect using her beautiful serving pieces.  It’s so much work but such a blessing to us all!  I am very thankful today for such a hardworking, overcoming, positive mom who has laid down her life for her family!  I pray we have many more Thanksgiving together!

A Thankful Heart

In my prayer time today, I felt like God was convicting me for not being thankful enough.  I feel like I am very thankful but as I started assessing my life, I saw areas where I have envy and jealousy. I quickly repented and started running through my enormous “What I am thankful for” list.  I realized that the cares of this life really do bog us down and burden us whether we see it or not.  It’s very hard when you see hateful people prosper or when people who live very selfish lives keep being blessed.  It’s especially hard when you live a life of sacrifice and serving and you are mistreated, exhausted and behind.  You see people with maids, manicures, new cars and bling and it’s so easy to let the green monster of envy slip up on you and not even realize it.

I was overwhelmed today with the fact that the marriage, children and family that I have is more precious than any material possession and there is nothing I would trade it for.  I feel like I need to start making Thanksgiving crafts like my kids do to always keep it before me!  (Well, I won’t go that far…)  My kid’s lists are always so funny.  Eddie was thankful for Eddie LOL!  Annie was thankful for the couch, TV and the U (I wonder who has influenced her.)  

Here is my short list:   I am thankful for a faithful husband, healthy kids, my mom, my crazy dog, house near church/school, my truck, my fenced in backyard, true friends who love me despite myself, my church, kid’s school and dedicated teachers, my extended family, my health (which was sketchy last year), and to live in America which is still the most blessed nation on earth!  I am most thankful that I have a relationship with a God who loves me, forgives me and gives me endless chances to fulfill His will for my life.   I pray that this Thanksgiving we will all open our eyes and truly appreciate how blessed we are. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Annie's Turkey Feather

Wild at Heart

A couple years ago, my friend Sean Yost, told me to read the book, Wild at Heart.  He said it would give me an insight to raising my boys.  I took the book on vacation with me, to the mountains and spent many nights reading segments out loud to Dan.  What a tremendous book, shedding the light on how our society is emasculating young men.  Single moms raise so many boys now.  As a result, they are loosing the ability to learn the basics that all men knew, in times past.  It really educated me to embrace my boy’s aggressive side and not try to beat it out of them. 

The revelation that I received from that book was that I married a true wild at heart man!  I never really appreciated all of Dan’s capabilities until I read that book and saw how deficient some young men grow up to be.  I married Dan when he was only 22 years old.  He never lived out on his own but has always been so capable and confident.  Through the last almost 17 years of marriage, there has been nothing Dan hasn’t accomplished, if he desired to do it.  I remember one of the first things we did when we were dating.  We went to the gun range and shot all kinds of guns. We would also go out in his boat and go to dinner different places.  When he was still in college, he worked at a marina, on the weekends and would drive these million dollar boats around on a forklift and totally freak me out!

I have a strong, opinionated personality but what I respect about Dan is he sticks to his guns (literally, LOL)  He isn’t bullied or pushed around by me or anyone else and stands firm on his opinion.  He deals with issues and conflicts so much better than I do.  I don’t always like that he doesn’t listen to me but I do love that I am married to a real leader and the true head of our household.  It bothers me greatly when he gets attacked but he takes it in stride and keeps going. 

I am grateful that my boys have a father who will teach them how to shoot a gun, hammer a nail, fix a toilet, change a tire, chop wood, drive a boat, how to grill and who has loved their mother with his whole heart and made me feel like a true princess our whole marriage!  I have always felt very loved and very safe with Dan because I know he will do anything for his family.   I am blessed to have a wild at heart man, who leads his family with integrity and strength!

Our Straight "A" Night Out

Well finally, we paid our kids off!!  We told them we would have a night out at the Town Center for all the kids making Straight A’s on all four of their report cards.  It’s such a total miracle and we were so proud of them.  We have been so busy every weekend, we haven’t been able to celebrate.  Annie was somewhat harassing me like I was being a slacker or trying to shaft them. I kept trying to make her understand it was their schedule that was keeping us so busy! Tonight was the night.  I was looking forward with just being together with my family!  On the way there, we all said what we were thankful for.  Bonnie said Chick-fil-A Peppermint milkshakes, Bubba said waffle fries, Mags and Annie said their family and then Eddie pipes in that he is thankful for his mommy and daddy because they are nice.  The whole car went, “AWWWWW!!!” It was really precious and surprising!

The Turf at Dicks

We planned on meeting Dan at the Chick-fil-A at the town center.  Our little trick is to go through the drive through and then after we pay, tell them just to keep the food in there because we are coming in.  They always look at me strange but those teenagers have probably never tried to order and pay with 5 kids loose!  At least in the drive through, they are all buckled down.  Annie was crazy. She hurt her finger a couple months ago and the old fingernail fell off in the middle of dinner.  She was so proud and keeps showing everyone her middle finger and also the old nasty fingernail.  It was so gross!  Then the girls went up to order something else and Annie comes back with gift cards.  I was freaking out.  I tried to get Bonnie to take it back but she was like heck NO! Talk about a reality show.  Annie finally put them back but I didn’t look where.  Then Eddie starts spitting out the chocolate chips from his peppermint milkshake onto the table!  My cup got a hole in it, and water was like a fountain going all over me, the table and the floor!   You know you are a spectacle when other tables are kicked back, facing you and laughing long after they have finished their food.  We finally got out of there and went to Bubba’s Mecca….Dick’s Sporting Goods!  The kids acted like crazy psychopaths running and rolling around on the turf area in front of Dicks.  Annie had her shoes off, Maggie was doing cartwheels and Eddie was squealing and rolling.  It was insane. Then we move the chaos inside.  The girls start running up the escalators and Eddie lost Bonnie and kept asking strangers, “Have you seen Sissy?” They would crack up!  Then he keeps giving all the mannequins big hugs and Dan was freaking out!  We had to get out of there before something destructive happened.  Bubba wanted to spend the night there.  We went to the pond to see the fishes and Eddie asked if he could pet them. Lord help me!!  Thankfully, we made it back to the car and home safe (the fish made it too!!!) Shewww, I am kind of hoping they don’t get such great grades this quarter! LOL

Afters Concert with Bonnie

Wow what a great night!  Bonnie and I went to the Come to the Well Tour that the Afters are playing on.  We have been so excited to see Jordan play!!! (My niece Alexandra and Jordan are getting married in December! All 5 Wogs are in the wedding! Jordan is the drummer for the band) It was sold out and we were lucky and squeezed in up front in the VIP section!!  Jordan came out and played the drums with the opening act and it was so great to see him.  We also got to see Sean Yost, Theresa from the Promise and Bonnie's school teacher, Mike and his wife Christy.

I met Jordan when he came to Beaches Chapel School when he was in middle school.  I was the youth pastor at the time and led the daily chapels. Jordan was always a stand out kid.  Not because he was boisterous and loud but because he was always focused and mature.  He had a quiet strength about him. He never acted up or was disrespectful like so many Jr. high boys are.  Jordan had recently got a guitar and I gave him his first guitar lesson and got him up on stage playing during chapels.  It’s a joke we talk about all the time because I am no musician and Jordan is a genius.  He has a God given talent that has impressed me so much through the years. He not only plays every instrument but is a very gifted producer. He joined YouthQuake Live and played on the first album we ever did.  That is when he got to know Alexandra and they began dating.

What I love so much about Jordan is the fact that he pursued his dream to work in the music business with his whole heart and achieved his dream.  It’s a rare thing for a child to do!  We all have dreams and most of them stay just that, a dream that never comes true.   I plan on supporting my kids in their quest pursuing their dreams.  I know Jordan’s mom Angie, must sit in that crowd and be overflowing with joy and pride in her son!

We had a very special moment last Christmas with Jordan.   He surprised Bubba and gave him one of his first guitars.  Bubba had been begging for an electric guitar for years.  It was the most kind, generous things and I promised we would protect it so it can go in Jordan’s hall of fame museum one day!

Bonnie and I cheered, sang and worshipped and even held a cell phone up during light up the sky.  I leaned over and told her that when I used to go to concerts we would stop and buy lighters and all light them up.  She looked shocked and possibly afraid at the thought!  I realized how dangerous that might be, LOL!  My brother gave me a big hug during the concert and we laughed about the countless concerts we went to together back in the day!  Some of our favorites were Tom Petty, David Bowie, and we can’t forget the Rolling Stones.  We sure have come along way and I love that my brother, who is an incredible musician himself, will have a new son who can share the love of music with him and William.  God is good!

Lighting up the sky!

Jordan invited us to their tour bus and we got to see where they live on the road.  It was super nice and we had a great time visiting with the band!  I am very excited to have Jordan as an official family member even though I have loved him for many years.  (No, it’s not just because of the red hair!) It’s been a wonderful thing to watch him grow into such a successful, but still sweet young man who is sold out to God and making a difference in people’s lives all around the world.  I know he and Alexandra are going to do great things for God, more than they could ever ask or think and I am so happy I get to be their cheerleader!! 

We ended our girl’s night out with a Peppermint milkshake from Chick-fil-A.  It really doesn’t get better than that! :)

Senior Day

Last night, Bubba asks me if we are going to honor all the “seniors” at their last STARS Basketball game, which was today.  He was talking about the 5^th graders on his elementary basketball team.   It will be their last year playing on this team.  I had a very stressful, long day and even though I thought it was a brilliant idea, my heart sank because I knew today was even more packed.  I wracked my tired brain about what I could do on the fly.  NOTHING came to me and I am rarely short on ideas.  I have a dear parent on the team who has always pitched in when needed so I asked her opinion and she had a great idea to hold up signs and talk about qualities of seniors that would spell seniors by the end.  I loved it and thought it would be so perfect.  

I was so conflicted because I’m pretty sure it was yesterday when I was watching my 6-year-old boy playing on his first basketball team.  Now he is getting ready to leave elementary school and I’m not ready!!  I love more than anything watching him play ball, whether it’s soccer, football or basketball.  He has an internal drive and is so aggressive. He never seems afraid (even though I am sometimes) I love seeing the “eye of the tiger” come on him during a game.  (He has that song on his iPod and has worn it out for sure!  That would have developed during our Rocky movie fest we had! :) 

I was running at full speed from the moment I got out of bed at 6:30. I started out at the Indian Parade at Eddie’s school and I have never seen such an adorable, serious little Indian who kept his hand in the “How” position like a pro!  I was very proud of Ed!!   Ed has been pulling on his ears for a couple days so I had to run him to the doctor to get it checked. (yes, he had an ear infection even though he keeps denying it!)  I ran real fast and got the “seniors” bouquets of suckers versus flowers!!  I was checking out and saw frames with a big mat and had the idea to get a team picture together.  I called my brilliant niece to see if she could help me get the picture off Facebook since I wasn't going to be at my computer but she was driving but told me how to do it on my phone.  While I waited at the doctor’s office, I downloaded the Walgreen app on my phone, swiped the picture off of Facebook and sent it to get printed at Walgreens.  I was feeling pretty hip and smart (briefly!)

  

I picked up the generator for the game from an awesome friend who has let me borrow it for all our games, so we could play music and have a scoreboard.  I went to store and bought cupcakes for the game, picked up the pictures, ran home put them in frames and was almost late for the game!   The moment came and we honored our 4 seniors and the smile on Bub’s face was worth the beyond insane hustling that I went through!  Dan was asking me why I do that to myself and was it worth all the effort. I really don’t care if anyone appreciates it but my boy!  I will be packing him up tomorrow to go to school at the U and YES, I believe moments like this are worth my time and energy!! I sure love my kids and as my mom says, I am desperately trying to hold back the hands of time that seem to be going at record speed. And yes I am crying if you are wondering!!! So congratulations "seniors!"  You will be missed next year!

Hedge Jumper

Tree Walker Coon Hound she is!

WOW, today I had a new experience with KC.  We were on our morning walk and she was doing her usual ADD routine, sniff, jog, stop.  I was messing with my phone trying to get some music going and she takes off at a full sprint after a squirrel right through a hedge and low and behold I jumped the hedge like a professional hurdler.  Pretty sure I missed my calling when I was on the track team.  I long jumped but clearly, after today,  I so should have tried the hurdles.  I always wonder what people driving by must think with the dog walking/dragging me around the neighborhood.  I hope they get a good laugh for the day!

Missed that one!

After that experience, I started hunting squirrels too!  I would see one and try my best to distract KC on the other side of the rode.  Sometimes she would take off for no reason and force me to run faster than I knew I could.  A policeman, who lives at the end of Forest and a lady were in the front yard when we streaked by and I could see them, staring in utter amazement.  One guy who watched KC drag me into the ditch, asked who was walking whom?  I said there is no confusion with that question…its KC.  It’s been so much harder to train a dog than my kids.  My kids have never blatantly disobeyed me like this dog does.  She is stronger and more stubborn than all my kids!

Tonight I had to run the kids to practice and put a big chair in front of the garbage just in case she decided to rummage through it for the kid’s leftovers from dinner.  I came home to the biggest mess.  She MOVED the chair, opened the cabinet, pulled the garbage out and disheveled it for every last crumb.  I couldn’t even deal with it.  I left it and went to bath two kids and put them to bed.  Luckily, by the time I finished all that, Bonnie came home, and cleaned it all up for me, Praise Jesus for lots of kids to help me take care of our one dog!!

Our Favorite Veteran

Our Happy Birthday Edwards Party!

Today is Veteran’s Day and we had a fabulous day together as a family.  Dan took the day off from work and we headed to the River.  My desire was to go all weekend but I have entered that dreaded stage when my kids have their own life and schedule and our family time is quickly slipping away.  I am happy for my kids and excited when they get to do special things with their friends but I sure miss the days when I controlled our schedule completely.  I was really trying to be grateful we had one beautiful day together and it surely was.  Bubba was so funny.  He wanted us to celebrate with hot chocolate and all drink it at 11:11 AM on 11/11/11, LOL…..so we did and it was great! (Except when Ed dumped his cup in his lap!)

11:11 AM on 11/11/11 at the River

I thought about our favorite veteran all day, Edward Sanderson, Dan’s grandfather.  He was a war hero and fought in the South Pacific.  He rarely talked about it but he served his country well based on all the amount of medals that he received.  We sure miss him and were so honored that we were able to name our son after him, his true namesake because he did not have a son.  Dan’s fondest memories, which he shares with us, are the summers he spent with his grandparent’s at the Jersey shore.  His grandfather taught him to play golf and it’s been a passion in Dan’s life.  (He wanted to be a Golf Pro growing up and spent everyday, after school, at the golf course)  The best story that I have heard through the years is when Dan swung the golf club and wacked Pop Pop in the head and knocked him out.  When Dan was visiting with him in the hospital right before Pop Pop died, Dan and Pop Pop laughed when Dan was running his fingers over the divot in Pop Pop’s head that is still there from over 30 years ago!

The Edwards

The first time I met Mom Mom and Pop Pop, almost 20 years ago, they extended unconditional love to me from the second we met.  We bonded and I immediately had the grandparent’s that I never had before.  It probably helped that I had red hair, which they loved because they were Scottish too.  I remember how fun it was showing them my photo album from my Scotland trip.  They have always bragged on us, encouraged us and have given my family pure love.   They were an extra blessing for me when I married Dan.

We laugh at our Edward because he is as boisterous, musical and precocious as his great grandfather.  We definitely named him right!  On Pop Pop’s last birthday, we had a big party for the “Edwards”  Eddie was turning 2 and Pop Pop was turning 92.  It was so fun and special even though Eddie mutilated the beautiful cake before the party!

Edward Sanderson (bottom right) during the War

I know Pop Pop suffered tremendously by serving our country, being away from his family and seeing the horrible things of war.  He has left a legacy of love for our family and I am forever grateful!! Pop Pop, we salute you today on Veteran’s Day!  We sure love and miss you but Eddie is filling in quite nicely! 

Proud Momma

We had a STARS Basketball game today and the speaker I wanted fell through. Bubba asked me if he could speak and I said pretty negatively, “What are you going to say?”  He FREAKED me out. He just reeled out his talk and sounded so professional and well spoken.  I was stunned.  We got to half time and I talked briefly about how much our BCS gym meant to me as a child growing up and shared about how Bubba has designed countless gyms with Lego’s, drawn plans and had me submit them to our principal, Mr. Walls. (Who always loved them, by the way! :) He has planned how he wants a big Lion, which is our mascot, on the center of the court and a really big student section.  Bless his heart, he even sat through a 3 hour, nightmare city council meeting when he was 8 years old and was appalled when they unanimously denied us in our request to build a gym.  He begged me to talk at the city council meeting that night.  In retrospect, maybe I should have let him talk.  It certainly couldn’t have hurt the outcome we received.

Today, he blew my mind.  My boy got up there and talked about his years playing basketball and how he dreams of playing in a home gym when he gets to middle and high school and then he led all of us in a prayer asking God to provide the money for the gym.  I was beyond proud and just envisioned him as a grown man going to schools and talking to kids, encouraging them to be a good student, teammate and athlete.

It blessed me so because I remember the days of speech class, wondering if anyone would ever be able to understand him besides me. I worried so much about him.  I guess all that speech practice paid off! God is faithful.

Be Quiet and Listen

I had someone recently tell me to spend time listening to God and to not focus on being productive doing Bible studies, reading and such.  It kind of shocked me because I love to be productive and feel good when I finish my devotionals and studies.  I decided to give it a try about a month ago.  I always pray and hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to me and helping me throughout each day, so I thought it would be like that.  It has really blown my mind what God has been speaking to me.  I sit with my computer, I pray, repent and get quiet in my mind and listen.  You have no idea how difficult this is for me.  I think because for years now, I am always behind and never catch up.  Having so many kids has caused me to forget how to sit still, to not to be making lists in my head and racking my brain on what I need to be doing.  I put my fingers on the keyboard and just type whatever I hear.  It’s crazy what comes out.  I know it’s not anything I would be telling myself.  It’s the kind of things that your best friend would like to say to you but is afraid you would be offended.  I have cried some days at what God tells me.  He speaks to the issues of my heart, ever so sweetly bringing correction and direction together.  He straightens my thinking out about people or situations that only He could do.  It’s been very important information that has caused me to feel invigorated and like a true friend of God.  I can’t believe I am over 40 years old before I started doing this.  

 

I often carry a very heavy burden about how to guide and direct my kids into their future.  I want them to find their passion and get the training they need to accomplish what God has called them to do. I feel completely inadequate and clueless.  I lie in bed awake many nights just wondering if I have made the right decisions.  I am often overwhelmed with how I am going to raise these five precious children that I have been entrusted with.  I fight worry and fear about how we are parenting them.  Today, this is what God spoke to me that touched my heart and brought me peace about my kids.

“Take a deep breath and find rest in me.  You will get more done in a day when you stay calm and trust me.  Don’t fear and fret.  I am watching over all your flock always.  I am all they need.  I will fill in the gaps.  I guard my sheep and fight on their behalf.  No lion will devour them.  You dedicated each one to me and they are mine.  I have great plans for each of them.  Don’t strive and struggle as you guide them.  Release the worry and fear to me and I will walk you through every step.  I do have a plan and provision.  It’s not up to you to figure it out.  It’s up to you to pray and trust me on their behalf.  I am a good father who only gives good gifts and I love to bless my children so be at peace.”  Thank God, He is in charge!  Takes all the pressure off me!

Ed's 1st Parade

Ed had quite a day today!  He had his first parade experience.  His cousin Jesse was nominated for Homecoming by the Boy’s Lacrosse Team and rode in the parade.  At first, Eddie didn’t know what the heck was going on and sat very reserved in Maw Maw’s lap.  Aunt Shar and Aunt Vick were sitting on the curb and invited the apprehensive boy to come sit with them.  

Then the candy started getting thrown and the lights went on for Ed and he became the Candy Scavenger!  He had hand deliveries by most passer-bys but when candy would be misfired and land on the ground, Ed was quick to scoop it up.  He amazed me at one point and started sharing??  I was pretty shocked.  He handed a few of his acquisitions to strangers on the curb!!

 

Jesse came by and Aunt Shar led us in screaming his name in unison and we waved and hollered with all our hearts and were very impressed that his candy had labels asking people for their votes!!  Then a Po-Po car came by and life really couldn’t get much better for Ed!  He entertained us all and the best part is when he would bend over, he was having some plumber action working too with his Buzz Lightyear underwear peeking out! :)  I am pretty sure Ed will not be missing a parade in the near future!!  His candy loot was right up there with his Halloween candy!  So, if you are voting, cast your vote for Jesse Godard!!  Ed will totally hook you up with some candy if you do!! :)