I Kid You Not...Here's Your Sign

The other evening we were discussing history while eating dinner. Now this was a rare occasion (lest you think we are stellar parents who discuss lofty and educational subjects during our nightly family meal) because most dinner conversation has to do with flatulence, burping, and other bodily functions or some veterinary or surgical procedure that is equally gross.

Anyhow, our history conversation led to discussing communication and technology during the civil war. Telegraph machines and morse code were mentioned and Blue-eyed Girl asked Buford if he knew morse code. He said he only knew SOS. Then he explained how SOS was the universal code for distress, kind of like Mayday.

Then he said, "I had to call Mayday once."

Blue-Eyed Girl said, "Really?"

I said, "Yes, when he had to land his airplane in a bean field. Isn't that appropriate?!"

Buford explained how he had to make a forced landing in his Cessna when the engine quit over a soybean field.

Blue-Eyed Girl was in awe...and I kid you not...she looked at him and said, "Did you live??"

We just cracked up and then I added, in true Bill Engvall style,
"Nope, he's been dead all these years, couldn't you smell him? Here's your sign!"

Bloggy Name Remorse

BLUE-EYED GIRL

I heard a radio blurb the other day about "baby name remorse". This happens when parents name their baby and then later decide they should have picked a different name. I think it could be just another sign that our society is never satisfied with anything...but that's another soapbox entirely.

I am writing this post because I have "bloggy name remorse" over my precious middle child, Med.

Max and Min's bloggy names are well-suited since one is 3 foot something and the other 6 foot something. Their fake names are also easy to pronounce. But Med?? Yes, it indicates that she is in the middle and she is the medium to their large and small. But how do you say it? Med like "red" or Med like "mead" (chunky beer?). Just too confusing.

Another thing is that, I actually call Max, "Max", outside of this blog. Our phone calls sound like this: "Max!" "Madre!" "How ju do-ink, Max?" "Muy Bien, Madre!"(We are not ethnic but we like to talk to each other in funny accents. That's just how we roll.)

And Min - I usually call him "Minimus" or "Mouse" indicating his babyhood and position as the small one in the family.

Although she has a thousand silly nicknames, I never call my girl child "Med". It just doesn't fit. So we listed out all her nicknames and decided that henceforth she shall no longer be known as "Med" on this blog but as "Blue-eyed Girl". Which is short for "Blue-eyed, Blonde-haired girl who plays with cats and thinks that Kansas is not in the United States..."

She Has Made Me Blonde!

My dear, sweet Grace decided to conquer her roots yesterday. She is fully licensed and qualified to do so, but, as all of us gals know, there are just some places on your own head that are nearly impossible to reach...let alone weave and foil. So she called upon me for help. I put down my pattern and scissors, donned latex gloves and her cute little beauty shop apron, and set to work. I've watched her foil my hair a zillion times so I kind of, sort of, knew what to do.
I told Grace that just yesterday on Beth Moore's blog she had given her gray-haired friends permission to "color those stankin' thangs!"

As I was trying to weave, Grace asked me if I'd played golf or ridden a horse before. What?
"Yes," I replied.
She said, "You kind of have to be loose and go with the flow..."
In other words, "Stop pulling my hair so dang tight, you are going to make me bald!"

So I tried to loosen up by breaking into song, it sounded something like this:
"She has made me blonde,
She has made me blonde,
I will rejoice for she has made me blon-on-onde!"

Then Grace told me not to worry about making a mistake because she could just put some toner on to correct it.
That made me sing:
"There's Toner in the Blood - wonder working toner in the blood!"

Yes, we are absolutely CRAZY but we love Jesus and isn't it the truth that His wonder working power covers over all our mistakes just like the toner! When the roots of our flesh nature begin showing, we need to make an appointment with Jesus. He can bleach those "stankin' thangs" as white as snow.

Held (updated 1-14-08)

I was going to blog tonight about my trying to foil (ie: highlight) Grace's hair today but my mom called with a desperate prayer request so I will postpone the hair story til tomorrow.

A family, who lives near my parents in rural Colorado, has a baby boy, Jesse, who underwent open heart surgery yesterday. Things seemed to be fine following the surgery but then something went terribly wrong and now the baby is on complete life support. I'm not sure he will make it without a huge intervention from our miracle working God. This same family lost another child in an accident a few years ago. It makes all of us stop and ask, "God, how could this happen to them again?" Simply unfathomable.

If you read this and are a believer, please pray for this family and baby Jesse. It is hard to find the right words. I am just asking the Lord to pour out bucketfuls of grace and mercy upon them. And I offer this song as a dedication to them tonight...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOufqWodFNo

Update 1-14-08: God has answered the prayers of many and baby Jesse was weaned off life support yesterday. He is doing much better but still has a way to go. You can read more about it here:
http://ourblessingnamedjesse.blogspot.com/

Resolutions?

New Year's Resolutions...I used to make them and break them before month's end! Follow the Zone diet, do my pilates, pray more diligently, have a more consistent quiet time. This year, I'm no longer seeing these things as "wants" but as "needs". If I am to function at all, these disciplines are musts - habits that I have to weave into the very fabric of my daily living.

I have to remember that weaving is a gradual process. One thread is added at a time - in and out - the weft becomes entwined with the warp. Each day - day in and day out- that I practice the disciplines I know the Lord has for me, I become more entwined with Him. He, the lengthwise fibers that give the fabric strength. Me, the crosswise ones that add the color and texture...the uniqueness. In most projects involving fibers, there are times when you have to rip it all out and start over. Remove the flaw and try again. Just like in our Christian walk, our repentance and Christ's forgiveness remove the mess ups and give us glorious do-overs. Thank you Father that you are Jehovah Raphah: He who mends by stitching!

So I guess I don't really have any new resolutions this year. Just to keep cooperating with the Master Weaver and allow myself to become the tapestry He desires to create.

Happy Birthday Buford!

I Love Ya!

Holiday Recap 2007

Today is officially the last day of winter break. Tomorrow the kids will be heading back to school and Buford back to work. The holidays are a strange mix of busy insanity and vegetative hang-out time for us. Because I had some big sewing projects to finish in the weeks leading up to Christmas, I chose to not completely stress myself out by writing, printing, addressing, stamping and mailing the annual excessive-repulsive Christmas letter. Instead, I hope to direct the loved ones who usually receive said letter to this blog where they can keep up with us on a year round basis.

Here are some photographic highlights of the season:

Med and Min with Santa. The local fire department accompanies Santa as he walks through the neighborhoods with all manner of firetrucks, rescue equipment, flashing lights, and sirens.

Med, how many times did you have to put ornaments back on the tree because your stinky cat, Elvis, knocked them off?

The Saturday Before Christmas Baking Extravaganza!

We had great fun and, along with not sending Christmas cards, I also used ready made sugar cookie dough...I know, Martha is hanging her head in shame.

This one I like to call, "The Cats are Meowing, The Poor Baby Wakes."

While in the midst of the baking extravaganza, our cat, Angie, decided we needed some supervision. She took her place on top of the fridge next to a little nativity set that I had put in a wire basket. Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, an angel, and a giant cat. Every family needs a creche scene like this one!

And now for all the loot...

This one is just Max being Max. He got a new guitar...thus the "Pick Jesus" shirt.

When all is said and done, everybody's just plumb tuckered out. Jingles (calico) and Sleepy (orange & white) snuggle in with Min for a long winter's nap.