Memories....of what exactly??

Here are a few highlights of our trip!!

Look..it's a big pink and blue pipe! 

Everyone loves a big pink and blue pipe!

Here is the famous Disney's cracked sidewalk!! 

Cool huh??

We thought so! 

So we commemorated the sight!

We were going to have the boys lay down next to the crack, but decided that would just be silly!

And here is a sprinkler head! 

You can't see those things just anywhere!

No sir, you must jump on a plane with 4 small people and head across the country to warmer climates to see those!!

Aren't you glad we have this?

Think of the trouble I just saved you!!

And those dear friends are just a few of our Disney trip pictures! 

Hope you enjoyed them!!

NO NO NO...............I have more real pictures to show...I just thought those were funny as I was looking thru and saw some crazy things Scout took pictures of!!

I'll show you the real ones soon!!

It appears that it is dinner time and these people around here expect to be fed...what is up with that?? Selfish little buggers!!

Back home

We made it home.

 It was an amazing trip!

 Nobody got lost.

I  took on a TSA guy at the Orlando International Airport who seemed to think I wasn't getting thru the x ray line with 4 children and a husband still in line behind me fast enough!

Dude-I just spent 2 mornings at Disney Parks with 4 small people---BY MYSELF...you really wanna go there with me?!? 

He was big, but I am the mother of 4 boys--he didn't scare me and in fact I think he knows it now!!

I will post pictures soon...but right now I am still fighting the pile of laundry that seemed to follow me all the way back from Disney and 2 sick kiddos!

Disney Bound!!!

Look out Mickey...here we come. 

Tomorrow morning at 8:50 we fly out of XNA and make our way to Orlando.

Scout's business trip worked out and we are packing as we speak. Okay not really. I had to take a break. I am kind of an organization freak, however I prefer the phrase "Organizationally Gifted." 

 I do not take a trip lugging 4 kids 9 and under on a plane halfway across the continental United States lightly. Especially when I have an OCD child who has already started his thing and is going to need a small dose of meds to get him on the plane and keep him settled, and an Apraxic kid who goes 90 to nothin' the vast majority of the time and another child who requires a special diet.

But regardless of all of that, we are going to go and enjoy 4 days together in the Magic Kingdom. We are going to go until we can't go anymore!!

Thank you Rainbird Corporation for doing this for us! It is definitely a bright spot in our rather hectic life.

Thank you to our great therapists who have written letters and written up travel tips for me and help with things like chewy tubes and fidget toys! You all rock!!

Well, I am off to continue to organize and pack and organize and organize some more!!

I will 'tweet' a bit while we are gone and will come back with TONS of pictures to share!!

9 and 5

Look! It's me! I am back..well sorta.

Come to find out...Scout has been holding out on me. His old laptop is apparently hooked up to the internet!! I have been spending all my time trying to peck stuff out on my iphone..which I love..but come on folks. There is only so much of those tiny letters a person can stand!!

My computer is at the Mac place being thoroughly gone through. When I called to check..they told me it was on the diagnostics bench. Sounds serious. They should just call it computer triage!! That means something to me!

Anyway since I do not have my computer and access to my pictures. I will have to do this from here and fill in after my computer comes home.

Tomorrow is a very special day. It is Skipper AND Scrappy's birthdays!! Skipper will be 9 and Scrappy will be 5.

Skipper is a great kid. He is funny and quirky and I love his freckles. He is loyal and creative. He loves Star Wars and Indiana Jones. He loves to wear his shirts buttoned all the way to the top and his shirts tucked in! He has to have long socks and collects all kinds of things. He is sentimental and finds value in everything. He tries hard and wants the world to follow God. I am so proud to be his mommy. 9 years ago I never could have imagined what God had in store for us as took on the role of mom and dad.

Skipper you are a champ and you are one of my heroes! Don't ever let anyone tell you that you are not worthy. You my friend, have more heart and compassion and spunk than most people I know! I know that Tourette's has been an unwelcome part of your life...but make no doubt that God has mighty plans for you dear boy...mighty plans!!


Then there is my little Scrappy. He was suppose to be born on the 19 of April. We were going to induce that day. But that little guy had plans of his own. My water broke at about 5:00 am, Sunday, April 18 and Scrappy made his grand entrance into this world by 8:30 am. By the way..for those who don't know..this child broke my tailbone during delivery. I should have known that we were in for a real treat with this one!!

Scrappy is full of vim and vigor! He is a whirlwind. He is my butterfly. He goes quickly from one thing to the next, staying just long enough and then he is on to the next thing. He is silly and sweet and cares deeply. He talks to God often and loudly! He has come a very very long way in his 5 years. A year ago he couldn't even say his name. He talks ALL THE TIME now! He has coordination issues, but he never lets that stop him. He loves with his whole body and assumes everyone appreciate that.

Scrappy, you my friend are my other hero. You never give up and I am in awe of you. Most kids with Apraxia never get to where you are. Most can't ride a bike without training wheels and you my friend just accomplished that goal. You are learning to hold your pencil correctly and have a lot of dedication for a 5 year old. You are funny and I love that you have a true friend in Jesus. I love to hear you talk to him. It does my heart good. Keep up the hard work! God isn't finished with you yet!

Boys, I know that God looked the WHOLE world over and chose me to be your mommy. I am thankful that he thought we would be perfect together! It is a tough job and there are days when I want to say that you need a break. Enough is enough. It isn't fair that you both have so much extra "stuff" to deal with. But I am confident of this...He loves you way more than me or daddy ever could. He chose you. He chose you. Get that. He looked all over heaven and said...him. Give him to that mommy and daddy. He is perfect for them!

I love you both...forever. God bless you my little men!!

That's what ya get for jumping on the bed...

except it was a trampoline and no one fell off. Praise the Lord!

Skeeter's eye.....met Skipper's knee. 

This is what it looked like yesterday....

Which wasn't pretty, but overnight it kept swelling and bruising. He woke up with lots of green goo. We are hoping it is becauseof the swelling. Now he will have a very nice shiner for Easter 2009. 

Here is his eye today. I don't think the pictures really to this thing justice!!

My computer also crashed last night. We lost everything...everything. However, ALL of the pictures are on my iPhone. Now if we can figure out how to get it all back-we will be set.

We had to re-install the OS for the computer and after about 5 hours of work this morning, I have it running again. So instead of doing school the more traditional way...we studied computers and following directions. By the way if any of you are computer literate and know how to fix our situation...we are all ears!

Things are going well around here. We are in the process of getting some major decisions made, finalized, etc. God has been so faithful. We are very excited about the plans that have been made.

Next Saturday is a very special day around here! You'll have to come back later and see what is going on!!!

I hope that you have a very blessed Good  Friday and a beautiful Easter!!

Parting is such sweet sorrow!

I am a devoted fan of Sonic Vanilla Cokes.

Okay, make that I was a devoted fan of Sonic Vanilla Cokes.

I drink WAY to many of those things-in a day! (Don't judge me.) 

And even though some of you are going to roll you eyes and make ugly comments about me for saying this...I am almost positive that these luscious beverages are to blame for the almost 10 pounds that I have put on recently! Yes, I know what you girls are going to say and you can save it! ;O) 10 pounds on me is just as uncomfortable as 10 would be on you. However, maybe you are perfectly at ease with your body-and if you are then, God bless you my friend!!! I though, I have a few things that I would like to change, or at least relocate.

So I am saying goodbye to them. Or at least "see ya a lot less often."

It is tearing my heart out...and giving me a major headache! 

I think one coke a week is fair. So, I will save up and I will completely enjoy my coke this weekend!

Actually I will always be a fan of Sonic Vanilla Cokes.

The headache though, I think that is unfair and uncalled for!

What if...

What if I make a conscious, purposeful effort to speak kindness over and to all I come in contact with.

What if I choose to speak love over and to all those I come in contact with.

What if I take Ephesians 4:29 seriously:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up others according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (emphasis mine)

What if.....well, I think it's time to see what would happen. 

Hey you!!! Yeah you..right there...

Thanks for stopping by!

I hope you are having a great day! 

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Pr. 4:23

Scout and I have has about 2 days of serious talks about our situation.

The paycut is a drastic one for us. We have to cut--big time. 

And yes, rest assured, we are indeed very thankful that he still has a job.

After looking things over and over and shuffling the papers and turning them upside down and looking at then again...we have an idea of where we need to go. Tomorrow, Scout will go to the bank and see what kind of options we have. 

We are giving it to God and have asked Him to open this door for us. We have asked for Him to direct our steps and show us the path He wants for us to take.

As soon as we have our path, I will let you in on it...right now we are leaving that between us and God.

------------------

I love how God choses to show himself.

Throughout this whole layoff process, the song Blessed Be Your Name has spoken to me and I have listened to it over and over and over-and now it plays here on my blog. 

It was the first song we sang this morning at church..coincidence? I think not.

I think it is God reminding me that no matter what-good or bad, plenty or want, it is my calling to bless His name. 

He gives, he sustains...he holds me in his hand and if he is for me then nothing can get to me with out first coming thru Him. 

Is isn't always easy, it isn't always fun-but I will choose to bless his name.

I can wallow in self pity or I can choose to give Him the glory for what I do have.

I can be selfish and hold on to my possessions or I can let go and lay them at his feet and walk away. He gives and he takes away. Which will I chose to do? 

We will lay it down. We will lay it down and walk away and find happiness in Him. We will find joy in Him. We will find peace in Him. 

It is stuff- just a house, just furniture, just clothes, just a desk-whatever-and it is all His.

Right now for us is where the rubber meets the road. 

Are we willing to walk the walk and not just talk the talk? 

You bet! 

It is a sacrifice? 

Indeed it is.

But we choose to bless His name....we choose freedom from material possessions and choose a life filled with the abundance of God. 

He will take care of our needs. 

He will provide better for us than a life lived to keep up with the so and so's. 

That is what we are seeking. A simpler, God filled life of love and happiness!

Do you have any idea how freeing that is? Man, it is amazing how different my heart feels to say it and really mean it!!

Proverbs 4:26  "Make level paths for your feet and take only the ways that are firm."

Love to all...

Living with Less---15% less

Well, evidently today was the day for the layoffs at Scout's office.

 They let 2  go locally and shut down a few of the other offices nationwide. 

Everyone left gets a 15% paycut.

15%---that is a large chunk of money for us.

So now we have the hard part of looking at what we can cut. 

What goes and what stays.

It is going to be tough...but it will be doable-somehow.

Somethings are a little more obvious than others. 

We will pray that the Lord will show us what needs to go. 

I can think of a few right off the top of my head. 

But there will be sacrifice on everyones part.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. Job 1:21b

Dear Lady in the white SUV next to us at the stoplight,

Hi....um you may not remember me, but I am sure you remember my kid. Earlier tonight we pulled up next to you at the light at Walton and Central. There in my middle seat was my third son. Yes, you remember the one. He had on the sleeveless red sweater vest with no shirt and the really large Goofy hat with the long ears.

Yeah, I just wanted to take a few minutes of your time and tell you that I did not make him wear that. No, he chose that all on his own. Actually, he was very adamant that that was what he wanted to wear to McDonald's. I really try to dress them in weather appropriate clothing. No, really I do. You should have seen how normal and well dressed my other 3 boys were. But see, he is almost 5 and he seems to have this thing we like to call, a stubborn personality. I am not sure where he gets it from. 

I know that he was probably not what you were expecting to see when we pulled up there...and please know that I take no offense to the giddiness which you displayed. If you think he is funny in a car....try having his perform in person some time. Yes, he's quite the little hoot alright! I do want you to know though, that I am afraid we kind of freaked out that "tween" daughter of  yours. I am hoping that she is okay and that Scrappy did no lasting damage. 

Please know that we are a work in progress and sometimes you have paint a little and then let the canvas sit and then come back and see what else it needs. Hopefully we will get this masterpiece done...but I fear it will take some time. 

Thank  you for your understanding.

Yours truly,

Dallas

Mom to the sleeveless red sweater vest and large Goofy hat wearing kid.

P.S. He is really more of a Pluto than a Goofy. His father on the other hand...well, I think you see where my child gets his taste in apparel from...