Some Good Football!

OMG! That was one of the best Super Bowls ever!

I was feeling a bit down because we hadn't made plans to watch it with anyone. But now I am glad that I got to see every little delicious bit without having to refill the snack tray or make pleasant conversation. I'm sorry, I'm just serious about good football. And that my folks was some good football. When Eli escaped the sack and threw to David Tyree - all I could say was "That Was Awesome!" A play for the history books.

I've never paid much attention to the Giants other than the fact that their quarterback was Peyton's little brother. But with Peyton not playing in The Big Game, baby brother had to take over and take over he did.

As for the Patriots - don't like 'em. They needed cut down a few notches - kind of like the sleeves on Belichick's sweatshirts (what is up with that?)

So kudos to you Giants for a great game - had my heart pounding and I even screamed a few times. Football just how I like it!

Now Buford and I will go into deep depression until hints of pre-season begin in August. Go Vols! and that team from Denver - who are they again?...some kind of horse I think.

4 Random Things

1. We bought this at the school book fair:

(If I knew how to do a link you could click on the picture and it would take you straight to Amazon so you could purchase this book. However - that obviously way too fancy for this blog! If you know how or if there is a Blogging for Idiots book available just leave me a comment.)

My kids love Skippyjon Jones books. He is a Siamese Cat who imagines himself to be a chihuahua, El Skippito, the great sword fighter. In the first book he saves his doggie friends (the Los Chimichangos) from Alfredo Bumblebeeto, a giant bumblebee who is stealing all their beans - even their coffee beans and that my friends is a travesty!

In this new book, "In the Dog House", El Skippito is called upon to extricate the Bobble-ito from la casa perrito. (A bobbleheaded cat in the attic of the dog house.) The most fun is had by the reader, who gets to switch back and forth between English and Spanish and say things like "Let's get down to serious beez-ness", "Stop eet! You are keel-ing me dudes", and "Muchos poochos, licky-sticky mango." I read to my kids nearly every night and have to say, of all the bazillions of books, Skippyjon Jones, is our all time favorite!

2. And, while we are speaking of dogs... Miss Grace and I had pedicures today. She is going to Mexico next week and I'm not. She'll have pretty sandaled feet on the beach and I'll have two pairs of socks on and snowboots. But I'm not bitter cuz I love her so. The nail polish she chose had the most hilarious name: "My Chihuahua Bites!" Wouldn't you like to have job naming nail polish colors? Obviously anything goes!

3. Blue-Eyed Girl bought this book at the book fair:

It is a book of questions you can ask to get to know your friends better. Questions like: Coke or Pepsi? Coffee or Tea? Do you believe in Big Foot? Who is your oldest friend? (Once again no picture link but there is a website http://www.coke-or-pepsi.com/)

We have had the most fun with this book. It is a great conversation starter at the dinner table and would be lots of fun at a sleepover or to use as an icebreaker in a group setting.

One question was: Neat Freak or Slob? I said, "Min and I are neat freaks - Buford and Blue-Eyed Girl are slobs." There was a short pause and then Min piped up, "No, mama, I'm with them!" Alas, my heart was broken.

4. And finally, I figured out tonight that I can watch all the Wednesday's with Beth episodes from the James and Betty Robison show online. Just go to http://www.wednesdayswithbeth.com/. Sweet!

Minimuth ith Mith-thing Thumthing

Min pulled out both of his front teeth last night!
Double whammy for the Tooth Fairy!

Let Us Eat Cake...or Not

Yesterday, Buford and I celebrated our 11th Anniversary.

Wait, let me rephrase...

Yesterday, was the 11th Anniversary of our wedding. There was no celebrating to be found - not a kiss, not a card...just my sweet mom calling early to wish us a happy one.

No, we are not fighting - we are sick and vomiting.

Wait, let me rephrase...

Buford has a horrible head cold and caught the kid's stomach flu. He was physically sick and vomiting. He was one miserable dude yesterday. (My tendency, when caring for the sick, is to hover around, wait on them hand and foot, and ask them every 5 minutes, "Are you okay?" Buford's preference is to be left alone - way alone. So I did.)

I was emotionally sick because of a recent turn of events and emotionally vomiting (see previous post) because things are changing and I don't like change. Don't like roller coasters, don't like to not be in control - hate, hate, hate, double hate, LOATHE ENTIRELY!

Thus, neither one of us was in any shape to do any celebrating. Maybe next week when Buford's tummy and my craziness have had a chance to calm down.

In the meantime, I am cheering us up with this thought: As long as I keep posting old photos, our interweb friends and those old friends who haven't seen us in awhile will think that I'm still skinny and that Buford still has brown hair...ha, ha, ha!

Out of the Comfort Zone and Into the Fire

I sing it:

"I'll praise you in this storm,
And I will lift my hands..."

"You give and take away, You give and take away,
My heart will choose to say: Lord, Blessed be Your Name."

I quote it:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I blog it:

Lord, I confess that I don't want to lose a leg or all my teeth, heck I don't even want to have a hair out of place. But I do want what he has: joy; peace; boldness; and blessedness...so whatever it takes Lord, whatever it takes.

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.

Talkin' the talk while I'm cruising along down an easy road. Minor bumps in the pavement, nothing major. Wind at my back, sun on my face, ipod playing a worshipful tune. Life is good, I've got a few plans, some minor goals, good friends, good Bible Study, sweet family. Talkin' the talk - ministering to others who've got it worse. Praying for friends through crisis - thinking "Yes, I've been there Lord. Praise You that I'm not there now..."

Suddenly the road I'm on takes a sharp left turn. Nothing looks familar - like being in a white-out blizzard, I can no longer see 3 feet in front of me. Am I even on the road?

"Lord, are You there because I can no longer see where I'm going? I thought we were going down that other road over there...you know the safe road, the familar road, the comfortable, sunshiny road, the road where I could SEE WHERE I WAS GOING!"

He says, "Trust Me."

I say, "Yes, I trust You Lord but, um, I can't see the road."

He says, "Hold my hand."

I say, "I'll grip it tightly but, um, I can't see where You are leading me."

He says, "Do you believe all that stuff you've been singing, quoting, and blogging about?"

"Yes, Lord, but it's much more comfortable to have it in my head to share with others when they are hurting than to have to put it into practice for myself."

He says, "In order to go where I am taking you, you have to put it into practice. You have to trust Me, believe Me, and cling to My Word when you can't see the road ahead."

"This is scary, Lord, but I see how You've led me through uncharted territory before. I'm ashamed at how freaked out I was most of the time. I'll try to handle this like a big girl."

He asks, "What's that song you've been singing lately?"

"How Firm a Foundation."

"Am I your foundation?"

"Yes, Lord, you are."

"Sing it..."

"Okay...

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said—
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not harm thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake."

(John Keith, 1787; Public Domain)

Another One (or Two) Bite the Dust...

My poor fam is in the midst of disease central. Min has mostly recovered from his stomach flu trauma but he wasn't quite up to going to school today. Not sure how bad his tummy really hurt or if the thought of drinking Sprite on crushed ice and watching cartoons all day just sounded better than school.

Blue-Eyed Girl began the flu-fest this morning and she is not slowing down. I'm hoping she will be able to sleep through the night but the nausea has been getting the best of her. I alternated between sewing and emptying the barf-bucket all day. (I know that just gets to some of you but it doesn't really bother me if it's my own kid. Someone else's kid - now that's another story!)

Poor Buford came home from work tonight sneezing and sniffing and snorting and dripping. Yikes! He may be kept home tomorrow too.

Me, I have doubled up on vitamins, added some immune boosters, drank lots of water, took a short nap and am hoping like heck to dodge this viral bullet. I am praying for a day with temps above the 30's so I can open all the windows and air out this petri dish that we call home!

(On a happy note: Max won the calf-roping at his rodeo on Sunday! His BB team won their game Friday night and he loves his Spanish class this semester. Muy Bueno, Maximo!)

Darn Bugs

I just carried my poor little Minimus from the bathroom floor to the couch. He is "sicker'n a dawg!" We've known that he was fighting something off for the last few days. He's just been tired and pale - not his usual self. I figured something was up when halfway through his Aunt Jo's BB game last night he said he wanted to go home and watch a movie. What? She is tearing up the floor and we are winning!! Are ya crazy?

So we knew there was some evil bug waging war in little Min, we just weren't sure what it was until about 5:00 this morning when he started throwing up. Nothing is staying down and his color is somewhere in the range of Casper (the friendly ghost).

As a Mom, you think about stuff like: what was the last thing your child ate before they got sick? Well, Mother of the Year Award folks, listen up. Last evening Min had a small amount of chicken penne pasta (emphasis on the small), a large chocolate brownie (on the way to the BB game), a bag of Sour Skittles (at the BB game), a hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate chip pancakes at Village Inn (post BB game celebratory breakfast). Sugar and Basketball they do seem to go together!

I figure there are two possibilities here: 1. Germs really like sugar and were fruitful and multiplied to the point of winning the war, or 2. They really hate sugar and are getting out of Dodge, ASAP.

Either way, I doubt that it was as sweet coming back up as it was going down. :-(