Daddy Date Day

One of the things I love about having a little girl is seeing her with her Daddy. Today Eric took Morgan out on a date. I meant to take a pic of them before they left but I forgot! :( At any rate, Eric took Morgan to the movies at Opry Mills to see Happy Feet. She LOVED it.

Now I just need to take my little man, Drew, out on a date sometime soon.

As far as my goals for the week, well, we don't need to talk about those. I did get the laundry put away (sort of) only to walk into our closet and see a TON more to do. I swear, we could outfit 10 families with the amount of laundry we do in a week. It is PATHETIC. So, that goal was sort-of met. My craft room hasn't progressed much this week as I just don't feel like working in it at night. I hope I can get to it tomorrow afternoon but I'm not sure that's going to happen. I did get to spend time with each kid individually and I did mail my package although I haven't mailed out the cards yet as I need to find my address book and finish addressing them. Have I had the time to do it, sure, I'm just lazy.

Drew + Chick-Fil-A = Poop

What is it about Chick-Fil-A (CFA) and my son Drew? Seriously, can't we go there just once without a big, nasty poop accident? PLEASE?????

Warning - this is a way too much information post so read at your own risk.

Got out of the Mom's bible study at almost noon this morning and I knew that Owen was pretty tired and would probably fall asleep on the way home so I decided to stop at CFA as it was close and I could get him lunch b/f he fell asleep. Get there and the kids eat and I let Drew & Morgan go play. Drew comes to me and says that he pooped and needs changed. I get his shoes on and take him to the restroom (I was with someone who was able to watch Owen & Morgan) and get ready to change him only to find out that the poop leaked through his pull-up and is all down his leg. NICE.

Let me rewind a bit though. On Monday we went to underwear only for Drew during the day and continued with that all day yesterday, even when we were out. I had to wash all his underwear and all his pants after yesterday. Well, I was running late this morning and didn't have time to put together a bag with changes of clothes and what not so I just put him in a pull-up and that's it. I had NO change of clothes in my bag for him - NOTHING.

Back to the story. So, I cleaned him up and out of the bathroom my child walks in a shirt, pull-up, shoes and NO PANTS. I got lots of looks and lots of chuckles from other mothers there.

I guess I should be thankful, the last time I took Drew to CFA and he pooped, I ended up with it all over my sweater, all over my coat, and once again my child walked out of CFA with just a shirt, pull-up and shoes on.

If he didn't like CFA he could have just told me so.

Morgan's 1st day of school (again)

Today was Morgan's 1st day of school at First Presbyterian Church here in Smyrna. She was SO excited about going, it was so fun to watch.

When Morgan started school at Will Rogers Elementary before moving to TN, we would pray for her day on our way to school each day. I don't think I realized how that impacted her until we were getting ready for her first day of school here. She reminded me yesterday about how we prayed and wanted to make sure we did it again. She reminded me again before we got in the car and once we were in the car. So - we prayed for her day, her teacher, etc. It was so sweet.

Here are some pics of Morgan as she entered the school and then sitting at the table where her name card was. She wasn't nervous (so she said) and she seemed to fit right in. The teacher had told everyone that there was a new student and her name so they were excited to meet her. Morgan's friend, Chloe, was at the school (in a different class) and another little girl that she met at the library storytime several months ago was there as well. According to the director they were attached each time the classes got together. I'm glad that she's making friends.








I think that Drew had the hardest time with Morgan going to school today. At first he wanted to stay but I told him that he couldn't go to school until he learned to use the potty all the time. He immediately wanted to go home and get on underwear and come back to school. After explaining that it wasn't going to happen he was just upset that Morgan wasn't going to be with him today. Once we got back from the YMCA he asked repeatedly if it was time to go pick up Morgan. It does a mom's heart good to see her children loving each other so much.

Because He is My Creator

Before I get to the part of the post that deals with the title, let me give a brief update on the goings on in my world - exciting, I know. :)

First, Morgan is going to school tomorrow!!!! We have enrolled Morgan in a local preschool that meets twice a week. She is SO excited. The move has been hardest on her as she had such a great group of friends back in Bartlesville and also has been in a school of some sort since she was three. She has missed going to school and can't wait to get there tomorrow with an anticipation that rivals most kids on Christmas morning. Look for an update tomorrow on how her first day went.

Second, we have started to more actively potty train Drew. I have to be honest, part of the reason he's not trained yet is just my laziness. While it would be nice to have a potty trained child, it is sometimes just easier to change a diaper, especially while out & about. Those first few months of taking a newly potty trained child out can make you crazy as they always have to go at the most inconvenient times and don't know how to hold it very long. At any rate, he was in underwear almost all day yesterday and did okay. With Morgan we made her a sticker chart and she earned stickers for going on the potty - Drew, well, he is a boy after his Daddy's heart - he wants MONEY as incentive. :)

Third (notice how they go in order of first, second & third child), Owen is a crazy walking kid that know ONE word really well - Momma! Not sure if I posted this but Owen started to walk right before Christmas and there is no slowing this kid down. It has to be the funniest thing to watch him walk, like a little Weeble Wobble! And while he is starting to learn other words, like bye-bye, thank you & dada, the one word he knows very well and uses repeatedly is Momma. I love that he knows my name but hearing it about 20 times as we drive between home & Wal-Mart can be a bit trying. At least he hasn't learned the word "no" yet - right?

Okay, on to other things.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I was going to attend a small group for mom's this morning with my new friend, Annette (Hi Annette!). It was wonderful. I really enjoyed the group and I my kids enjoyed being in the kid's area. I think this is going to be a great thing for us all. What a blessing and very specific answer to prayer.

We covered many chapters from "The Prayer That Changes Everything: The Hidden Power of Praising God" today but I thought I'd post some thoughts from the first chapter - Because He is My Creator." We also talked some about God being our Creator in church tonight.

"Not only can God create something from nothing, but everything He creates is good." We are all part of that everything and we are good. While sin changes many things, we serve a God who is about redeeming us.

God created us in HIS image. Genesis 1:27 says this, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male & female he created them." Isn't that crazy to think about? Seriously - look at people throughout the day - they are created in God's image. You know those pictures that take a bunch of little pictures to create a bigger picture? I often think of that when I think about this subject - take a picture of every person that God created, put them together and you have the image of God. The next time you go to the mirror and degrade yourself because you don't think you're pretty enough, handsome enough, etc., remember, YOU are created in God's image.

Not only are we created in God's image, God loves ALL that He created. I thought this was a powerful paragraph in the book (pp. 37-38) :

"God loves His creation just as a mother loves the child that is growing in her womb - sight unseen. She is already completely in love with that tiny person before he or she is every born.

Your Creator loved you before you were born too. You were wanted. You were not an accident. You didn't evolve from a monkey. You weren't accidentally born to someone who could not raise you, and so you were later adopted. God gave you life, and you are a part of His plan. He created you and you are valued, precious, and priceless to Him. He loves you because He made you and He knows who He made you to be.

You are unique. There is no one like you. There never was and never will be. And God has a purpose for you that is unique as well. He has big plans for your life. Remember, God never makes mistakes. Therefore you are not one."

I can't say it any clearer than that. How awesome it is to know that we are wanted, valued, and priceless to our God.

Lord, help me to walk in that today and everyday. Please help me to teach my children that as well.

Owen's 15-month check-up

So, I get a message yesterday reminding me of Owen's 15-month check up. Good thing they called because I'm not used to having a 15-month check-up. Dr. Paul always did 12 month and then 18 month check-ups.

So - here are Owen's stats:

Weight: 26 lbs (75%)
Height: 31 inches (75%)

He got two shots (MMR and 2nd flu shot). He's in bed with a low-grade temp b/c of the shots.

Other than that I just have to say that I'm feeling much better than I was yesterday. I guess we all have those moments when we are just a little down. DINA, NANCE, & DEBRA - you guys have fun tomorrow night scrapping (if the yucky weather heading your way doesn't end things). WISH I COULD BE THERE!!!!!!! I'm having scrapbook night withdrawals!!!!!!