Sunday, November 23, 2008

Thanksgiving and the things kids learn...

Well, it's almost Thanksgiving and I can't believe it!  In just a few short days Andrew, Caroline and I will make our way down to Roanoke for a good ol' family Thanksgiving with tons of fattening food and an amazing time of fellowship with family and friends!  I can't wait!  

So, in honor of Thanksgiving here are a few of the things I am thankful for:  

1. I am thankful for my amazing family!  My husband, daughter, parents, in-laws, and all extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins and best friends are just incredible!  I have been so blessed!  

Here is Caroline last Thanksgiving! She was so little!

2. I am thankful for our home!  In this time of financial crisis for many, I am so thankful for the ability to pay for our home.  Though I complain about it regularly, I know that we are blessed to have a place to live and to be able to pay our mortgage every month.  

3. I am thankful for our country!  Though there is a lot that could be better right now, I am thankful to live in a country that is free!  

4. I am thankful for books! I love to read and I am so glad people write new books every day.  

5. I am thankful for a loving and merciful God!  He loves me no matter how much I mess up and He is always there when I call His name!  

Those are just a few... what are you thankful for?  

*****

Today my mouth taught me a lesson...  

I decided to put up our Christmas tree today, because I wanted to have it up, so that we could easily decorate it when we come back from my parent's house next weekend.  

So, last year, for those who don't remember, our cat Scout was obsessed with getting in our tree.  
I was hoping that this year she would grow out of it.  It was funny the first time and then it just got old.  

So, as I set up the tree today and I had it all in place, Scout climbed in like it was her own personal climbing post.  I pulled her out, only for her to get back in again and again.  On our fifth round or so of my battle with the cat, I yelled at her "I hate you" and Caroline's little listening ears heard those harsh words and immediately repeated them.  "I hate you!" she exclaimed at the cat.  My heart sank.  I told her "no, Caroline please don't say those words."  But she repeated them again, "I hate you."  My stomach churned.  I caused this.  I told her, "Caroline, Mommy was wrong.  Those words are ugly and not nice.  Please don't say them again."  

She didn't say them again this evening, but now she knows them.  They are in her mind and on her tongue.  I pray that she doesn't say those words tomorrow to her friends at daycare or to her babysitter.  The thought makes me want to cry, but it definitely taught me something.  I tell my students every day, "you should not say anything at school that a teacher would not say to the class."  I need to heed my own advice.  I should do the same thing at home.  I know that I can't protect Caroline forever from "ugly" words, but I will do my best while I can.  Nothing bothers me more than children learning negative language long before they should know what it means.  I don't want to be that parent who feeds her daughter those kinds of words.  Hopefully next time I will think before I speak and ask myself if my words are something I would want my daughter to repeat.  

Don't worry Scout... Mommy and Caroline both still love you!

Friday, November 21, 2008

Potty training and other random things

There has really been nothing going on this week of consequence.  It's been fairly dull.  Though, I am pretty excited to inform you all that Caroline is really getting close to being ready for full-blown potty training.  wah hoo!  She has been peeing and pooping on the potty and telling her babysitter when she needs to do so.  wow!  I think we're going to work on a sticker chart for going potty this weekend and go to the store to pick out some candy treats for rewards!  so fun!  She's such a big girl!  :-)  Maybe she'll be potty trained by 2 and she can get some big girl undies for her birthday! haha  

Other things on our weekend list include: Christmas shopping and possibly (if I can talk Andrew into it) putting up our Christmas tree!  YAY!  

I am so thrilled it's Thanksgiving next week!  I am in DESPERATE need of a break!  Can't wait to see all of my Lynchburg gals!  

Thursday, November 13, 2008

"Be Good, Not Godly" - DC's latest message

I've been wanting to post on this all week, but I have yet to find the time until now.  

First, read this...  "Be Good, Not Godly".   

"Why believe in God?  Just be good for goodness sake."   

Can you believe this?  1st amendment rights... blah blah blah.   I know... but it's my blog, so I'll say what I think and practice my right to freedom of speech too!  

Here's my two cents.  (Because I know all five of my readers want to know.) 

I listen to a Christian radio station pretty regularly, but especially in the morning on my way to school, as I need some kind of inspiration to remind me that what I'm doing is for the greater good, lessening the chance that I will run out of school screaming half-way through my day.  :-)  Anyway, this morning the radio hosts were talking about the above article that I had read earlier in the week and they had a question for parents. "How would you respond if your child read this ad on the bus and then asked why do you believe in God and not just being good?" Or something to that effect.  

There were a lot of good answers, but one of those answers struck a cord with me and I believe it's true as well.  A dad called in and said "there is no basis for good without God."  The basic idea is that if we as humans are to determine only what is "good" for us personally, everyone would have a different answer.  The world would be chaotic!  (More so than it is already.)  I could ask my students, for example, and they would give a completely different answer than myself or even my mom or my dad or even other students their age in public school.  

To me, this ad begs the question of "why be good?"  If you are not breaking the law, but you are an awful, hateful, selfish person, what difference does it make?  Why would you care?  If you have no reason to believe that helping others and being grateful for life is exemplified first by Jesus, what is the point?  

Now, this is not to say that people who do not believe in God can not be good.  They can.  I've seen it.  I know these people.  Maybe I need to ask them their opinion on this ad.  But, honestly, my main point is that when 92 percent of the American population claim to hold a belief in God, why must we have ads that cater to the other 8 percent on a holiday that's soul purpose is to celebrate the birth of Jesus? Why?  What is the point?  

So, what would I tell my daughter?  Why believe in God and not just being good? 

We believe in God because he gave us the ultimate gift of eternal life through the death, burial and resurrection of His one and only son Jesus Christ!  

We try our best to be good, not to show others our list of accomplishments or to feel that we may boast of our success, but because of the example that was given to us through Jesus that we should have a servant's heart. 

Can I get an Amen?    

or at least your two cents?  

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Ugly Betty...

...is by far my favorite show on TV!  If you don't watch it, you should rent all of the DVD's immediately and start watching the season NOW!  Thursday's and Ugly Betty just make me happy!  

I root for Betty and all that she stands for!  You go girl!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Rock Omama

I did not stay up last night to watch the elections unfold.  I watched until maybe 9:30, by which time Obama had taken Pennsylvania and Ohio.  I knew, as most of the news reporters told us, that those results predicted Obama to be the next President of the United States.  

I stayed up long enough to make sure that my husband still had a job (and he does, Go Enzi!) and to see that Dole's campaign did not get her very far.  But ultimately, sleep  came and for that rest and comfort, I am grateful.  (Trust me, I needed it today!) 

I went to sleep last night mainly because I was sleepy.  It wasn't that I didn't want to watch this historical election process take place before my eyes, but because I knew deep down that I trust the Lord and with that assurance, my mind was at ease.  

Today, after a crazy day at school (i.e. - a runner, a conversation with a police officer, an attempted fight, supposed blackmail and the regular sleepy, whiney, name-calling junk I deal with on a regular basis) I came home to what was truly important...my daughter, the light of my life.  She has no concept of this historical time she is living in, but I made sure to tell her about it.  I found Obama's victory speech on youtube and today, instead of watching Barney or Little Bear, Caroline sat and watched Obama's speech with me the entire time.  She asked "Who's that?" pointing to the screen of my computer and I told her "Caroline, that's your new president.  His name is Barack Obama. Can you say that?"  And my sweet girl said "Rock Omama."  As I listened to his speech with my daughter, I felt truly inspired.  Inspired that our country will be okay.  Inspired that our country has evolved in such a way to accept this kind of change.  Inspired that I was able to see this part of history, where, for the the first time in the United States a black man will be president.  

Now, I know there are plenty of family and friends who will read this and be angry, but let me just say this... Regardless of who you voted for yesterday, regardless of whether your beliefs are the same or completely different than Obama's, just remember that our country is strong.  We've been through so much and we have always come out on the other side stronger and more united.  Let this be a time to inspire change in us all.  To hold fast to our beliefs and trust the Lord with all our hearts.  And above all to put our differences aside and pray for our new president... that he will lead our country in the right direction.  

Let us trust in the Lord... "blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him."  Jeremiah 17:7  

Be confident, my friends!  :-)  

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Did you vote?

Caroline did... 
Twice, actually... 

Hope you had a happy day at the polls and didn't have to wait too long.  

If you haven't seen this yet... you must!  

And now... we wait.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Day after photo shoot!

So, I realized when I was going through our Halloween pictures from last night that I didn't have a single one of just Caroline that was good.  (Side note... I just typed Carl when I was trying to type Caroline and it made me laugh out loud because that was Andrew's long standing joke that if we had a boy instead of a girl we could still use the letters for the nursery wall and call the baby "Carl".  hehe)  ANYWAY... as I was saying, we needed a photo shoot with my girl in her costume, so that those who were unable to be with us on that frightfulisous (umm..what?) candy-eating night, could really get the full effect of Caroline's buzzy bumble-bee cuteness!  :-)  
So... here you go!  Enjoy!  She's definitely the cutest bee I've ever seen.  



Oh... one more thing... Speaking of bees...  Have you seen "The Secret Life of Bees"?

No?  Oh my gosh!  YOU HAVE TO SEE IT!  I went last weekend. (a two hour movie by myself, first of all... Heaven!) But seriously when it's a good movie, it makes it even better!  I laughed, I cried and I felt completely satisfied at the end of the movie.  It was awesome!  I highly recommend it! But just so you know, it's a total chick flick.  Go with your mom or your sister or your girlfriends.  I have a feeling seeing it with a guy might ruin it.  :-) Just a heads up!  

Today... I think we're going to start our Christmas shopping!  Have a great weekend!