David Vs. David

Only two words about American Idols's finale: David Cooks (get it?)

See you when we get back from the beach ...

Meme

Ok, I have apparently been "tagged" by my good friend, Julie, so that means I fill out the following lists, then tag 4 other lucky souls:

4 things I was doing 10 years ago: (1998)
1. Planning my fall wedding!
2. Working as a therapist for families, children and individuals.
3. Living with my parents until I got married and having the time of my life, a time I will always treasure.
4. Not even considering having children yet!

4 things I was doing 5 years ago: (2003)
1. Going through infertility treatment.
2. Not technically working because the infertility treatments were in Mobile, Alabama, and we were living in Gulfport, Mississippi, at the time.
3. Enjoying a koi pond in our backyard until frogs started mating in it, and snakes started to live there.
4. Thanking God because Annie was conceived through IVF while we lived there ... if you've been through infertility treatments, then you know getting pregnant is indescribably amazing.

4 things I did yesterday:
1. Made a list of stuff to do for the vacation we're about to go on.
2. Taught Annie how to jump-rope. Ok, more like I jump-roped, and she just jumped but fun nonetheless.
3. Took a nap when Annie did because jump-roping is strangely tiring.
4. Watched "American Idol" with Anthony after Annie went to bed.

4 shows I love to watch:
1. American Idol
2. Lost
3. Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? (my personal answer: NO)
4. Designing Women

4 things I love to do:
1. Listen to Annie laugh.
2. Read -- yes, if it's for her, anything even if we've read it a gazillion times that day. If it's for me (HA!) pretty much anything.
3. Write - it is probably my passion.
4. iPod, baby.

Now, see, how it works is I am supposed to tag four other people, who will then link their lists back to me. So, beloved and much loved people, I will choose Kelly, Kate, Mandi and Jill.

And by the way - this is called a meme! So says google. Learn something new every day.

To Be or Not To Be

Sorry to disappoint, fair readers, but there will be no pictures today. As we are leaving for a week-long beach vacation tomorrow, I have been charging the camera batteries.

Anywho, as this is a big day for our family (ok, for me,) what with the "American Idol" finale being tonight, I feel I must share my thoughts. First, I know it may seem sad to be so excited about a TV show, but we only watch about three shows on account of our beautiful two-year-old. We DVR them, watch them after she's asleep, and then crawl into bed. So perhaps you can better understand the sheer joy of this evening's festivities.

Now, who will win? First, I wish the finale had been between David Cook and Carly Smithson but alas, twas not meant to be. Instead, we are left with the two Davids. I predict it will be an incredibly close vote and that little Archie will win. Personally, I like David Cook so much better (my iPod is filled with his songs,) but only time will tell. And only time will tell if we are still awake for the whole 17-hour show ...

The Two Davids

Ah, Annie's new bike seat, her new helmet, and the two Davids left standing in American Idol. (for me, there's only one but try to figure out which one. Hint: he's older than 12.)

Now Annie's fancy bike seat ... frightening that it looks nothing like the bucket-like device I used to ride behind my mom or dad on their bikes when I was a mere child. No, what I had was a safe-as-they-came soft plastic thing that barely came up to the small of my back. Ah, the times they are a changing ...

Blessings

very, very happy to report that my grandfather came through his triple-bypass surgery with flying colors ... even though he still has a long recovery, getting through the surgery successfully was a huge hurdle ... thank you all for your prayers!

Gratitude Never Fails

By the time you read this (most of you,) my grandfather will be having triple-bypass surgery, which is scheduled for early on May 19. I only have one request:

" Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God ... "

- 2 Thessalonians, vs. 17 & 18

No More Noise

Conversation of the weekend because our neighbor was using some sort of cherry picker to trim trees over his pool:

"Mom, noise gone?"

"Yes, Annie, I think he's through."

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Noise gone?"

"I think so."

"Mom?"

"Yep?"

"Mom?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Noise gone?"

"Pretty sure."

"Mom? Mom? MOM?"

"Yes, Annie?"

"No noise?"

"Nope."

"Mom?"

Mom is not here anymore ...

Chow Time

and so it goes at mealtimes at our house ... we sit at the infamous sticker table, and Annie tries various foods ... of course it didn't take her long at all (sorry, Mom!) to figure out that what she doesn't like her sisters are more than happy to finish off! Yes, I know there are a gazillion reasons why this is not a good habit for her to get into, but it's Friday, and everyone knows anything goes on Friday, at least in our house ...

off to do only the necessary errands ... might as well just be throwing cash onto the highway since the price of gas makes me cry ...

Priorities

ok, the date for the surgery has been finalized ... June 16, so everyone put that on your calendars! most important thing about this date is that I can still make my June 7 haircut appt... so grateful!!

Will That Be With Ovaries or Without?

a



Yep, so many things to discuss today ... first and foremost we did decide to put Spidey to work so that is a photo of him doing some gardening for us ... you gotta make those inflatable superheroes earn their keep ...

And yes, that is Annie's new "big girl" bed complete with bright blue "Cars" bedding ... and yes, I realize that it looks weird in her girly room but whatever. At least she loves the new bed and her Mater pillow I bribed her with in Target. Anyone remember that fateful trip?

Ok, now for the inevitable news: I will be having a hysterectomy within the next few weeks. The date is not quite firmed up, but it will be sometime in the month of June. The entire situation has taken me more than awhile to accept, but knowing that God blessed us with Annie certainly makes it a bit easier. The support of family and friends has also made it easier. A hysterectomy has always been in the cards for me, but having it actually be about to happen is a little overwhelming. I ask only for your prayers ...

Australia the Great

" I thought Europe was a country ... Is France a country?"

- American Idol season seven's Kellie Pickler on "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader"




yes, dear readers, you are seeing correctly ... that is a map at the top of this blog ... now we'll be covering geography today, and those of you who know me, are related to me or have just brushed up against me at Publix know that I am NOT a geography whiz ... however ...

Anthony and I were watching an episode of "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader" the other day, and the contestant chose a geography question ... now this is normally my cue to file my fingernails, dust the house, sweep the floor, do any necessary darning, etc. Anything to appear disinterested. But this day, well, this day was extra special.

The question was "what continent is smallest in area?" I pretty much immediately said Australia, Anthony thought for a bit and said Europe, and the contestant thought for a long, long time and finally came up with Antarctica. Anthony, who is wonderful and very smart, kicked back in his chair and said, "he is wroooong." I can still hear it reverberating in my head ...

And then the most amazing thing happened. I mean, truly amazing. Jeff Foxworthy, the host and king of dragging out giving the correct answer until everyone is about to vomit from sheer nerves, said, "the right answer is Australia." I just sat there in awe ... I, who thought Paris was a country and Omaha and New England were states, had gotten a geography question right. Truly a miracle.

Of course it was a short-lived victory as I got a little cocky this morning with my new-found geographical knowledge and told Anthony that Central America was part of South America.

Oh, well, it was nice while it lasted.

Happy Mother's Day

Dedicated to all mothers everywhere and most especially to my mom, the most beautiful and most generous woman I have ever been so blessed to know ...







"... Motherhood is the highest calling; moms are my heroes."
- Diane Sawyer

Oh, Spidey, Where Art Thou?

Gotta love Friday nights ... we spent ours outside with Anthony's parents, who are in town for the weekend. And, yes, that is an inflatable Spiderman sitting in one of our deck chairs. It went with some pool we had last chair, and now Anthony has taken to moving Spidey around so he can "get out." As long as he doesn't "get out" in the house ...

TGIF

So for me Fridays are always sort of special days, days to reflect on the prior week, on how I did as a mother, how special my child is, how much I love my husband, and time to let Annie do anything and everything she wants. Annie, like to have an entire box of kleenex to play with and throw all over the floor? Sure. No problem. Want to have Mommy read the same circular 7,000 times? Absolutely. Want to kiss your precious sister on the mouth? My father, the retired veterinarian, always says a dog's mouth is cleaner than ours, so have at it. Want to stand in a chair and laugh like a hyena? Why not? Love to watch the Doodlebops, even though we're still not quite sure what they are? Can't wait. Special times ...

Starting Over

Proof that despite a slightly rocky start to yesterday it is NEVER too late to start a day over ...

Mommy Muffin Day

And so today was Mommy Muffin Day at Annie's Moms Day Out program, which meant that all the mommies went with the kids to eat various and sundry muffins at the church. (ok, maybe that didn't need an explanation, but I wanted to share.) It was such a nice gesture, and everything was so pretty.

Too bad I was toting Sybil. Within the first two seconds, clingy Annie had fallen out of her chair (after being told 7,000 times to sit down,) started crying, flung herself at me, and in the process spilled a cup of apple juice, and then stolen some other child's napkin to clean up the mess. Oh, Mommy Muffin Day indeed.

Luckily at that point all the teachers arrived to take the kids to their respective "classes," and then the mommies really enjoyed visiting, drinking coffee, slugging back shots of vodka, etc. Was a lovely morning ...

Then I got home and opened the craft the kids had made and remembered why we had Annie in the first place.

We're insane.

Sybil Sighting

(Disclaimer: Julie, I believe Sybil may have found her way back to Spring Hill.)

Ok, already today is a hit-the-ground sprinting kind of day, and it's only 10:30. My precious child, whose entirely unpredictable behavior I will continue to blame on rupturing molars until she is at least 30, is giving me gray hair. (Incidentally, in one of the pictures you can very plainly see the drool which backs up my molar theory.)

Today has been a very, very clingy sort of day ... Annie is good at helping with things like unloading the dishwasher (not knives, of course) or at least playing while I do little chores like that. NOT today, though. She was happily playing, so I went to do the dishwasher, and she immediately came to me to cling to my leg as if the world were on the verge of ending.

I decided to just go play with whatever she was playing with because I could see this was not going to be one of her better mornings. Turns out it was Noah's Ark. Lovely -- a chance for a tiny Bible lesson. I explained about Noah and the flood and the animals and how some animals could even be on top of the ark. Well, this was her cue to sit on the ark herself. Thank God it didn't break ...

One of the other pictures is of her putting on her "toes," which is how she refers to her socks. And of course I can't leave out sweet and ever-tolerant Mary because Annie loves her so much ...

At the moment, Annie is napping, which is a good thing. I have unwrapped myself from the fetal position to write this, but I am going to return there now.