I love dreams. I love talking about them. I love listening to other people relate their dreams to me, and analyzing what they might mean. So naturally I encourage my kids to tell me their dreams if they remember them.
Today, David came to me and said he dreamed something a long time ago, which in a 4-year-old's chronology, could mean last night. In his dream, he said he was hungry, so he ate it. Here is the conversation after that point.
Me: "What is it you ate?"
David: "My dream."
Me: "You ate your dream?"
David: "Yep!"
Me: "What does a dream taste like?"
David: "Like chicken!" Of course it does. I should've known.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
SMCS Homecoming
Last night my boys and I went to SMCS' Homecoming. I am an alumni, and Harris is now a student. I have been wanting to go for a few years now, but something always came up to prevent me from going. So I was really excited to be able to go this year. I was planning on going by myself, but the boys really wanted to go, and I'm glad they came with me, even though it kept me from getting up and mingling as much as I would have liked.
A lot of things have changed since my Homecoming days as a student there. Not the least of which is the fact that we now have a football team - AND a marching band! We've had a football team for 2 years now (or is it 3?), but this was the first year we had a marching band! When I was a student/band member, Homecoming occurred in February during basketball. The band would sit in the bleachers and deafen everyone in that small gym we played in. So it was a treat to see the band playing some songs on the field. I was expecting them to do a half-time show, but for some reason they didn't, which was a little bit of a bummer.
When we first got there, we were directed to the alumni tent. If you are reading this and are an SMCS alum, you should try and go to Homecoming next year. They treat you pretty good - free brownies, chips, drinks, and a gift. Then you all stand on the track and get introduced and welcomed back by Mr. Crump, the current headmaster.
Harris immediately found some class mates of his. It was funny but surreal to watch him hang out with his friends like some big kid. David, of course, wanted to do everything Harris was doing. I was afraid they would get bored during the game and Homecoming court. However, there were plenty of people and things to keep them occupied. For the first little while, they watched the game. Then Pastor Jeff (the member care pastor at our church) came along and they had fun playing with him. After that, Bob and Greta showed up with Sam. The boys enjoyed entertaining Sam - especially David. They also occupied themselves chasing each other up and down the stadium steps, making me a little nervous although they were good about holding on to the railing at all times.
As I got into the game and started cheering, Harris caught on. So everytime the players started a play, Harris started clapping, jumping, and cheering them on. Things like, "Go Eagles! Good job!" "Go Eagles! Get 'em!" and at one point I heard, "Good job Eagles! You're gettin' the hang of it!" David would holler whenever he heard Harris holler, but I'm not sure he knew why we were all hollering. David's main interest was the band. Whenever they started playing, David would stop wherever he was and start dancing. Harris didn't like the music as much. He thought it was too loud and would run and bury his head in my lap - until about the 4th quarter when he finally got used to it and started dancing with David.
I also saw JC and Lindsay show up with Eli. I never got a chance to get close enough to say hi - or more importantly, to hold Eli, but I watched him get passed around. At one point, Beverly and Phillip W. were holding him. They took a SMCS baseball cap and put it on him. It was so cute! That was the only time that night I regretted not having a camera with me. Fortunately, Rachel Jones was sitting nearby and had her camera - of course. So look for it on Facebook or her blog.
It was a great night. Topped off by the fact that the Eagles won!! Go Eagles!! This was their first win of the season. Maybe I'm a good luck charm and should go to all of their games - or mabye it's the boys. As we were leaving, both Harris and David asked when we could come to another game. Soon, I hope. And next time, I hope Preston and Amy Beth can come with us.
A lot of things have changed since my Homecoming days as a student there. Not the least of which is the fact that we now have a football team - AND a marching band! We've had a football team for 2 years now (or is it 3?), but this was the first year we had a marching band! When I was a student/band member, Homecoming occurred in February during basketball. The band would sit in the bleachers and deafen everyone in that small gym we played in. So it was a treat to see the band playing some songs on the field. I was expecting them to do a half-time show, but for some reason they didn't, which was a little bit of a bummer.
When we first got there, we were directed to the alumni tent. If you are reading this and are an SMCS alum, you should try and go to Homecoming next year. They treat you pretty good - free brownies, chips, drinks, and a gift. Then you all stand on the track and get introduced and welcomed back by Mr. Crump, the current headmaster.
Harris immediately found some class mates of his. It was funny but surreal to watch him hang out with his friends like some big kid. David, of course, wanted to do everything Harris was doing. I was afraid they would get bored during the game and Homecoming court. However, there were plenty of people and things to keep them occupied. For the first little while, they watched the game. Then Pastor Jeff (the member care pastor at our church) came along and they had fun playing with him. After that, Bob and Greta showed up with Sam. The boys enjoyed entertaining Sam - especially David. They also occupied themselves chasing each other up and down the stadium steps, making me a little nervous although they were good about holding on to the railing at all times.
As I got into the game and started cheering, Harris caught on. So everytime the players started a play, Harris started clapping, jumping, and cheering them on. Things like, "Go Eagles! Good job!" "Go Eagles! Get 'em!" and at one point I heard, "Good job Eagles! You're gettin' the hang of it!" David would holler whenever he heard Harris holler, but I'm not sure he knew why we were all hollering. David's main interest was the band. Whenever they started playing, David would stop wherever he was and start dancing. Harris didn't like the music as much. He thought it was too loud and would run and bury his head in my lap - until about the 4th quarter when he finally got used to it and started dancing with David.
I also saw JC and Lindsay show up with Eli. I never got a chance to get close enough to say hi - or more importantly, to hold Eli, but I watched him get passed around. At one point, Beverly and Phillip W. were holding him. They took a SMCS baseball cap and put it on him. It was so cute! That was the only time that night I regretted not having a camera with me. Fortunately, Rachel Jones was sitting nearby and had her camera - of course. So look for it on Facebook or her blog.
It was a great night. Topped off by the fact that the Eagles won!! Go Eagles!! This was their first win of the season. Maybe I'm a good luck charm and should go to all of their games - or mabye it's the boys. As we were leaving, both Harris and David asked when we could come to another game. Soon, I hope. And next time, I hope Preston and Amy Beth can come with us.
Friday, September 26, 2008
The Wedding
My dad, brothers Rusty and Darrell, Cindy, me, Harris and David Okay, sorry I've made you wait almost a week for a post about the wedding. I am usually just too brain-dead to blog at night anymore, and that's really the only time I have these days to do this.
The wedding was beautiful! Cindy, my sister-in-law :D, had no wedding planner, and yet what she pulled off on her own looked like something that could be featured in a Southern Bride magazine! Darrell and Cindy were married at a place called Capps Cove, in a little country church that looks like something you would see in Cades Cove up in the Smoky Mountains. It was a gorgeous location with woods all around - perfect for a Fall-themed wedding. Cindy was a gorgeous bride, too. She is naturally a pretty woman, and her sweet spirit makes her beautiful, but when I saw her just before the wedding, it literally took my breath away.
The boys did very well. They were excited to wear their suits once they saw Uncle Darrell was wearing one. They did get a little tired of all the pictures they had to pose for. They were getting pretty hyper with all the excitement and commotion going on, so just before the wedding started, I reminded them of what they were supposed to do and went and sat down. They did the walk down the aisle perfectly!!! I was SO proud of them! They went and stood exactly where they were supposed to as well. David got tired pretty quickly and decided to cop a squat right there on his spot. At one point he fell over backwards while squatting and hit his head on the floor. It made a loud thud on the wooden floor, and he would have started crying except that everyone giggled when it happened, and David LOVES to make people laugh, so he was quite pleased with himself over it. He did finally melt down and start to cry, so my mom just took him and held him on her lap and that made him happy.
Harris did great the whole time! He stood and held the ring box (David had the ring pillow) the whole time. He did keep turning around at me every few minutes to make sure he was doing the right thing. I made the mistake of giving him a thumbs-up one time, so then he would turn around and give me a thumbs-up every few minutes. When it came time for them to exchange rings, the preacher came and took the box from Harris, instead of just taking the rings like they had rehearsed the night before. Harris put his hands on his hips and was quite indignant for a minute, but he got over it and stood there tall and still until Darrell and Cindy were pronounced husband and wife, at which point Harris runs to me and says, "Mommy, I did it! I did it!"
Amy Beth sat in my lap the whole time. She was trying to get fussy a couple of times, but nothing too disturbing or distracting. She was very good considering she missed her afternoon nap all-together. She did spit up all over her pretty dress, but fortunately it was after everything was over and we were about to change the kids anyway for the trip home.
It was as perfect a wedding as you can hope to have, I think. God had His hands all over it. Everything came together like it was supposed to, the boys did great, as did the flower-girl (Cindy's neice). God even let the rain cooperate. Just as we were finished with the combined family pictures after the wedding and heading in to the reception area (up the hill a little bit from the church), it started to sprinkle. It apparently rained pretty good while everyone was inside eating at the reception It ended in time for Darrell and Cindy to get in their going-away clothes and have those pictures done and to drive away.
A couple of funnies from the weekend:
1) At the rehearsal, Darrell was standing at the front, along with the pastor who was walking them through the process, and Cindy and her dad came up to the front. As they were all standing there listening to the pastor's instructions, Harris turned to me and said, "Mommy, which one is she gonna marry?"
2) At the reception, the boys found some other kids to play with and took off. I wasn't too concerned because it was a small place. However, we couldn't find David. Someone said he was with Uncle Darrell who was changing clothes getting ready to leave. Preston and I went to the van to start putting things away and get ready to leave ourselves. Suddenly David comes running up as fast as he can go and said, "Mommy, Daddy! I knew where our car was! I found it, 'cause I was lost, you know." He said it so calmly that I thought he was just pretending or that someone had told him to find us before he got lost. However, the more he talked about it, the more I realized he really had been lost. After telling us all about it he said, "Being lost is no fun. I don't think I'll do that ever again."
Harris and David hanging out at the rehearsal
Cindy's neice, Annaka, who was the flower girl.
Annaka loved my boys. Harris was very sweet to her right away. It took David a little bit to warm up to her. Here they are all holding hands at the prayer bench.
Harris sitting in Aunt Cindy's lap. He LOVES her, so much so that he chose to sit by her instead of beside Grandma at the rehearsal dinner. That has never happened before.
My mom with my 3 children. They were just hanging out, but the colors were so pretty that I had to take a picture. Amy Beth thought the bow on her dress was very tasty.
Darrell, Harris and David are waiting for Cindy. Darrell is such a good uncle, I can't wait to see the kind of father he will be one day.
This is just one of the times that Harris looked back at me to make sure he was doing the right thing - and that I was paying attention to him. He was so proud of himself.
I love this picture of David. All dressed up in his little man suit, but just a-swinging those legs like the little boy that he is. At this point he was getting tired of having his picture taken.
Mother and daughter. Before I know it, it will be her wedding I am attending. **tear**
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Day Over
So today was Darrell and Cindy's wedding. It was the sweetest, most beautiful wedding I have ever seen. Knowing all that my brother has been through, and how long Cindy has waited and prayed for God's choice to be her husband made it all the more special. Prayers were answered, and God was glorified. I think every family member - from both sides - got teary-eyed at least once. For Darrell, it was when he danced with our mom at the reception to the song, "Hello Mama" by the Kingdom Heirs. It's sung from the perspective of a man who is thanking his mom for all her prayers, and telling her that she doesn't have to worry any more because he has found Jesus and all her prayers were answered. Mom and Darrell both cried through the whole thing. (Now I'm crying.) How good God is to have answered all those prayers in such generous ways. As dark and hopeless as things looked sometimes in Darrell's life, God used ALL of it for Darrell's good, and for His glory. Mom, if you read this, thank you for praying and never giving up on him. Darrell, I am so proud of you and love you so very much. Cindy, thank you for being the answer to a lot of those prayers, and for making my brother the happiest man alive. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
I will post pics and funny moments later. But it has been a long day, and church is tomorrow, so I need to go to bed. My sweet David said it best as I was getting him ready for bed (and he couldn't hardly hold his eyes open), "Day Over."
I will post pics and funny moments later. But it has been a long day, and church is tomorrow, so I need to go to bed. My sweet David said it best as I was getting him ready for bed (and he couldn't hardly hold his eyes open), "Day Over."
Thursday, September 18, 2008
No Cups for Kids????
So today the kids and I had lunch with my father-in-law at one of those restaurants that's not exactly fast food, but it's not a nice, sit-down kind of place, either. I guess one could describe it as a type of small diner. I ordered our food, and then ordered 2 kids drinks. The lady taking our order apologetically told me that they don't really have kid-sized drinks, just the regular adult-size, but that it came with a lid. When she showed me the cups, I couldn't help but notice small, kid-sized cups next to the ones she was showing me. I asked her about them, and this is how the conversation went:
Lady: "We don't really have kid drinks here, just these regular-sized cups with lids. (holds one up)
Me: "Well, what about those little ones right beside the regular ones?"
Lady: "Those are for coffee"
Me: "Could you not let me have those for the kid drinks and charge the coffee or half the drink price?"
Lady: "No ma'am. But I can charge you for a regular size and just let you use these little ones!"
Me: "No thanks. If you're going to charge me full price, then I want the full-sized cups." (even though the boys will just waste half of what is put in there, I thought)
She then turns to my father-in-law after he orders a drink and says, "Sir, do you want a regular drink, or would you like our special senior-size. AND HOLDS UP THE SAME LITTLE CUP!!!! I'm very confused, why would they have a special size and price for seniors, but not for kids? Do they think that seniors suddenly lose the ability to handle a full-size drink? Personally, if I was a senior, I would be insulted. If you're trying to do the senior citizens a favor, then offer a special seniors' discount on the regular-sized drink!
After ordering, I noticed there was only one high chair, and it was being used. So I asked the same lady if they had any more high chairs somewhere. She said they didn't but they did have a booster seat that I could use. I thanked her, but explained that a baby is too small to use a booster seat. She said, "Oh, but you can turn it over, and it has a deeper seat on the other side!" Like that was the solution to keep a baby from falling out onto the floor. This woman obviously did not have kids.
I tell ya, it was a very good thing I remembered just in time that I was wearing a shirt advertising my church, or I would have probably become at least a little un-Christ-like.
Lady: "We don't really have kid drinks here, just these regular-sized cups with lids. (holds one up)
Me: "Well, what about those little ones right beside the regular ones?"
Lady: "Those are for coffee"
Me: "Could you not let me have those for the kid drinks and charge the coffee or half the drink price?"
Lady: "No ma'am. But I can charge you for a regular size and just let you use these little ones!"
Me: "No thanks. If you're going to charge me full price, then I want the full-sized cups." (even though the boys will just waste half of what is put in there, I thought)
She then turns to my father-in-law after he orders a drink and says, "Sir, do you want a regular drink, or would you like our special senior-size. AND HOLDS UP THE SAME LITTLE CUP!!!! I'm very confused, why would they have a special size and price for seniors, but not for kids? Do they think that seniors suddenly lose the ability to handle a full-size drink? Personally, if I was a senior, I would be insulted. If you're trying to do the senior citizens a favor, then offer a special seniors' discount on the regular-sized drink!
After ordering, I noticed there was only one high chair, and it was being used. So I asked the same lady if they had any more high chairs somewhere. She said they didn't but they did have a booster seat that I could use. I thanked her, but explained that a baby is too small to use a booster seat. She said, "Oh, but you can turn it over, and it has a deeper seat on the other side!" Like that was the solution to keep a baby from falling out onto the floor. This woman obviously did not have kids.
I tell ya, it was a very good thing I remembered just in time that I was wearing a shirt advertising my church, or I would have probably become at least a little un-Christ-like.
Another Thankful Thursday
I have 3 things to be thankful for today. Well, actually I have TONS to be thankful for, but I will only blog about 3 of them today.
1) I am thankful for the VERY short line (only 2 people) when I went to get my driver's license renewed this afternoon. I had been procrastinating getting it done because I hate standing in the long lines, so it was a pleasant surprise when I walked in and saw just 2 people in line ahead of me! In related gratitude, I am also thankful for the sweet, smiling lady who was doing the renewals. I think it was the first time I have ever seen someone at that job who looked like they enjoyed it.
2) I am thankful that Rachel had an easy surgery today, and that her sweet husband posted a note on her blog to let her readers know as soon as he had talked to the doctor.
3) Last but definitely not least, I am SO thankful that my brother, Darrell, is getting married to Cindy this Saturday!!!! Darrell was actually married a couple of years ago, but his wife walked out after only a couple of months. He was so hurt and devastated, but he kept his eyes on God and trusted in Him no matter how dark things looked. God has rewarded Darrell's faithfulness by giving him the desires of his heart in Cindy. She is one of the sweetest, most thoughtful, and godliest women I know. She and I have so much in common, so it will be a lot of fun to have her for a sister-in-law. ---Wait, I don't mean we have all those superlative adjectives in common, I mean other things, like our love for "Anne of Green Gables" and for Japanese steakhouses.
Both of my boys are going to be in the wedding. We tried on their suits today and they looked SO cute! I will post pics as soon as I can.
1) I am thankful for the VERY short line (only 2 people) when I went to get my driver's license renewed this afternoon. I had been procrastinating getting it done because I hate standing in the long lines, so it was a pleasant surprise when I walked in and saw just 2 people in line ahead of me! In related gratitude, I am also thankful for the sweet, smiling lady who was doing the renewals. I think it was the first time I have ever seen someone at that job who looked like they enjoyed it.
2) I am thankful that Rachel had an easy surgery today, and that her sweet husband posted a note on her blog to let her readers know as soon as he had talked to the doctor.
3) Last but definitely not least, I am SO thankful that my brother, Darrell, is getting married to Cindy this Saturday!!!! Darrell was actually married a couple of years ago, but his wife walked out after only a couple of months. He was so hurt and devastated, but he kept his eyes on God and trusted in Him no matter how dark things looked. God has rewarded Darrell's faithfulness by giving him the desires of his heart in Cindy. She is one of the sweetest, most thoughtful, and godliest women I know. She and I have so much in common, so it will be a lot of fun to have her for a sister-in-law. ---Wait, I don't mean we have all those superlative adjectives in common, I mean other things, like our love for "Anne of Green Gables" and for Japanese steakhouses.
Both of my boys are going to be in the wedding. We tried on their suits today and they looked SO cute! I will post pics as soon as I can.
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