Small Victory

Each night, I wait until my husband is home so I can go for my jog.  Well, the other night he had a softball game to play.  I could either skip my run or do it with BubbaJ in the jogging stroller.  Because I'm pretty stubborn, I opted to go and push the extra weight.  I actually made it all three miles!  Yes, I'm pretty pumped:)

Running with God

I love running!!!  And I hate running!  There are days when I can't wait for my husband to get home so I can lace up my shoes and hit the pavement.  Then, there are days when it's all I can do to peel myself off the couch to go out.  Either way, I can't do it without God by my side.

I don't know about all those people who have always loved to run, but for me there is a moment in every run where I begin rethinking why I went.  The thing that gets me through that is God.  Because I know that alone I am powerless, but with God I can do anything.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:13

I don't listen to music when I run.  There is so much going on in my life every day.  If the kids aren't attacking me with questions or needs, then my husband can't find something or supper needs made.  When I started running, I decided that I wanted it to be about me and God.  No music, no kids, no distractions.  Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10.  My runs are spent pondering the days activities, wondering what tomorrow will bring, and allowing God to pull it all together for me.  He reminds me that His glory, His agenda, and His will in my life are that really matters. 

When I get home, I feel so good!  I feel better about my health and my weight.  And everything has been put into perspective.  I can come home and love my kids and husband because God has filled me up with His love while I was gone.

Father, Thank you for being so faithful.  For always being there.  I know there has never been a moment in my life when you weren't there.  I'm so grateful for the love that you so freely give.  Without it, I would not be able to be the mother and wife that I am.  May all the glory be yours.  In Jesus Name, amen.

Mothers of Boys

I have recently developed a new respect for the mothers of boys.  I always knew that boys have lots of energy and run around way more than girls do, but learning that through experience has given me a whole new perspective.  It's like BubbaJ is just a ball full of energy just bursting to get out. 

The other day I put him on the trampoline and he just ran around and threw his arms in the air and jumped like a crazy person.  When I take him to the back yard, he runs around in circles like he has been cooped up all day(which he has not).  You would think at the end of the day he would be completely exhausted and ready to sleep, but nope.  He does not like to be in his crib where he is not free to let loose of his seemingly unending energy. 

I always respected my mother-in-law, but having a son has opened my eyes to some of what she went through raising three boys.  I just know that BubbaJ is exactly what my husband was like when he was a kid.  He still has oodles of energy and always smiles.  He half-runs everywhere he goes.  I'm not sure he even knows how to walk.  BubbaJ has also inherited his dad's stubbornness, um, I mean, dedication to his own opinion. 

To me, all of this means that God is going to refine me in so many ways through BubbaJ.  I'm sure I will question everything I have ever done as a parent.  BubbaJ has already reminded me that God is my source of strength.  I'm scared and excited to see all the things God has in store.  I pray that in the end I help BubbaJ as much as he helped me.

Customer Loyalty Anyone?

Whatever happened to companies that cherish their loyal customers?  Today, it pays to hop around from company to company.  It does not make sense to me.  Companies are willing to work so hard to get your business, but then they penalize you for being a long-time customer.  We recently received a bill from XM radio which we have on Bubba's vehicle.  For a year it was going to be approximately $190.  He decided to cancel because he didn't want to pay that much, so he called them up.  Immediately the guy on the phone offered to give him the year for around $80.  That is less than half what the original bill was!!!  Simply on principle he turned them down.  We went through this not long ago with Terminex.  If our business is so precious to you, shouldn't you be giving us the best deal possible instead of encouraging us to leave?  Could someone please explain this to me? 

Pinocchio

Sissy came home from school with an old 35 mm film canister to fill up with coins and send back to school.  They are having their annual Mini Relay for Life.  She was so excited about it that the first thing she did when we got home from school was fill it up with her money.  Fast forward to the next morning.  The canister was MIA.  I helped her look for it because I knew she would never find it on her own.  She is just like my husband.  If it is not slapping her in the face, she can't find it.  She informed me that BubbaJ had probably gotten it, so I searched all of his frequent hiding spots, but came up empty-handed. Sissy said, "I wish BubbaJ was a real boy, so he could tell me where he put it." 

I finally told her that she would just have to take it to school the next day, so I would have time to find it.  She sadly obeyed.  I am not kidding you, not two minutes after BubbaJ and I got home from dropping the girls off, he was walking around shaking that canister to hear the sound it made.  I have no idea where it was, but he obviously remembered exactly where he had put it the night before.  I'm pretty sure he's a "real boy" and a pretty smart boy at that.

Geocaching

First, I want to say that I got absolutely nothing accomplished today.  I spent the entire day playing with my kids.  I don't do that very often because the OCD side of me can't let my housework go for a day.  So, please no visitors tonight because my house is a mess.

I heard about geocaching from Erin, but she didn't have very good luck.  It is like a scavenger hunt.  Here is a link that will explain it all www.geocaching.com.  So I decided to start with the really easy ones.  The first one, Sissy found by herself.  She was so proud.  Then we couldn't find the next one.  It was a nano which are apparently about the size of a quarter=very hard to find.  Sissy ended up finding the next one too, so then we went for one Precious could find.  In the end Sissy found two and Precious found one and we couldn't find two.  The day was a huge success.  Even BubbaJ had fun running around while the girls hunted.

We will be doing this again.  Hopefully as a family outing sometime.

Adjustment

Last year was an amazing year for us.  The biggest blessing by far was the addition of BubbaJ to our family.  It took a lot of adjusting, but he has added so much joy to our family.  Now we are faced with another event that will hopefully bring us lots of joy too.  My parents have gotten a permanent residence in our state. 

Ever since, well, really the summer before my senior year in high school my parents have moved a lot.  My dad moved to Virginia and my mom stayed with me so I could finish high school.  Then she moved to be with Dad.  After that they lived in Texas, Oklahoma, back to Texas, and Florida.  For the last several years they have lived in their fifth wheel or motor home, so they have been in Florida some of the time and with us some of the time. 

My parents' decision to move away was one of the best they ever made.  That, along with my maturing into an adult, have made our relationship so much stronger.  Also, they found joy that I'm convinced they could never have found any other way.  But it came with it's down sides.  While other college kids were going back home on the weekend, I didn't have a home to go to.  While other families gathered at their childhood homes for holidays, allowing them to reminisce about Christmas's and Thanksgiving's past.  We didn't have a childhood home to go back to.  When we tell our kids we are going to see Grammy and Papa, they aren't sure where we are going.  They have missed basketball games, soccer games, music concerts, and birthday parties.  But we have enjoyed some amazing family vacations that our kids will remember forever.

While they will still be gone some, I look forward to the benefits of my parents living close by.  They will be able to have us all over for supper, babysit the kids if we need them to, come to some of the kids activities.  I'm sure there will be lots of adjusting.  How often will we see them, where will we see them, what will we do when we're with them?  How to balance letting them have their own lives with our desire to have them around for everything.  But as BubbaJ has showed us, adjusting can be very difficult and sometimes painful, but the blessing that remains is well worth it.

Father, Be with our family as we make this adjustment.  Guide us through our decisions and our reactions to others decisions.  Help us to think of others first and to use kind words as we communicate as a family.  Mold our desires into your will and use this opportunity to show each of us your glory, grace, and wisdom.  I pray that this change will bring comfort and joy to our entire family.  Thank you for giving me parents who have put you at the center of their lives and given me a legacy of faith to follow.  In Jesus Name, Amen.