Tails from the Backseat (part II)

This exchange was between E1 and E2. Now every parents struggles with teaching sharing. Its a tough less to learn. I'd love to take credit for this one, but I think you just had to be there to understand that full humor of the situation.

Background: At daycare the kids can grab a small treat or snack on the way out. usually saltine crackers, or individual goldfish packets. Keep in mind, both E1 an E2 have their own bags of goldfish.

E1: E2. Do you want one of my goldfish.
E2: Yeah.
E1: You're welcome
E2: tank you (yes "tank" since E2 doesn't really say "thank" yet)
E2: E1 you want fish?
E1: Sure. Thank you
E2: welcome.
E1: E2. Do you want another goldfish.
E2: Yes peas
E1: Here you go
E2: Tank you
E1: You're welcome.
..
..

This went on for close to five minutes. the sharing back an forth. Do you want two?
Yes peas. Tank You. Welcome. it had me in stitches. If only they could do that when is comes to who gets to place with the cars or the transformers. At least it was progress right!!!

Tails from the Backseat (part I)

A bit of time has passed, but its still pretty funny. As the family was heading north to go camping last week, we stopped at Sonic to get the kids some chow for the road. Some time later, pretty much out of the blue, E1 exclaims...

E1: Mama. I ate the mustard (on his cheeseburger). I like it.
Mama: Really?
E1: Yeah. Its really tasty. I like it.

Now anyone with toddlers know how picky they can be with certain things, especially
those that might look strange (like Mustard). God Bless that little man. His comments
totally cracked up Mama and me...

Today's Reading of the day... (daily double)

Some days you get a reading that just hits home. Today, on the Feast of the birth of St. John the Baptizer.. it was such a day.

Reading of the day...

Isaiah 49:4
Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God.

And for the Daily Double.. the next verse

Isaiah 49:5
For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength!

Peace (and Strength) to you all today

Crash and Rebound

There has been a lot going on in the last few weeks as you can probably tell from the posts that are there and the lack of posts that aren't there. Through it all, I feel like I am getting to a point where my cup is full...all the time... and that any added stress to that cup flows out and over like a raging river of negative emotions screaming in the direction of the offender.

I am not sure of even the word I would use to describe it, but just plain rude and judgemental probably bests describes some of the thoughts that I have had. I am working on coming to an understanding:

1. Not everyone is called to help orphans in the DRC. God calls people to service based upon the cross He feels they can handle not on a worst case basis. To serve others doesn't necessarily mean everyone is served in the order of their needs either. At the end of the day, it is the service to others that God asks of us. You don't get more "points" for one over the other. And you very well may lose "points" for being judgmental of others service (note to self)

2. People just want to be helpful. It is best just to thank them for thinking of you than to ponder how on earth they arrived at a point that is so.....uniquely creative???

3. People are set in their ways. If that is the way it has always been done, they have always been doing it that way for a reason that is important to them. Trying to change that routine will probably upset the apple cart. Decide how important making that change is to you. As Dr. Phil says, if it is only a 5 out of 10, but you feel the importance of the matter to them is a 9 out of 10, it is probably best to back off and change your routine instead of asking them to change theirs.

Deja Vu... Love thy enemy?

It was just yesterday that a certain bible passage came to mind as a part of a conversation that I was having. I'm not one to quote scripture from the air as if there fruit hanging from a tree. But I do tend to remember the gist of the reading, enough to convey my point.

Oddly enough, as I read today's reading, there is it, in the Gospel of Matthew.

Reading of the Day...

Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples:

“You have heard that it was said,

You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, love your enemies

and pray for those who persecute you,

that you may be children of your heavenly Father,

for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,

and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?

Do not the tax collectors do the same?

And if you greet your brothers only,

what is unusual about that?

Do not the pagans do the same?

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Peace

Its came and went.. like a 9 miler on a warm muggy Saturday

7576, that's what my running log is showing. By my count that a full 13 miles of the completion marker for Destination Addis Ababa. We made it. Finally! Heck E2 has only been home with us for close to two years now!

So its time to ramp immediately into... Destination Kinshasa. 7080 miles from one page I found during a google search. Its as good of a number as any I supposed. I think its gonna take quite awhile to knock off this next 7080 miles. But each journey starts with one first step.

Onward!!!

Serenity Now. Serenity Now.

God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

And while we're at it. I pray...
Today, Bless me with your Grace so that I only see your plan for our family, and not the frustration and anger in my heart.

Trust in God, trust in God

My heart is breaking for a family that is returning from Ghana this week without their 2 little girls. I can not even imagine how difficult that must be, I almost broke down crying just reading their words. Today, I am praying for faith that God has his hand in all of this and his will will prevail. I know I sometimes see our little bumps in our adoption journey as mountains, then like a cold slap of water across the face, you find yourself grieving with a family whose child has past away or after spending 3 months in Ghana, is forced to return home without their little ones. It does really make my worries seem petty as I stew in the "what if" they live every day as "it is". God's will will be done, even in light of the rocky journey we might have ahead. For today, I will focus on the mulch, the tennis and getting us to our fundraising goal!

Great Googly Mooglies!

So wrapped up in other things, that the beginning of the 18 week marathon training schedule came an went. And I'm not talking about just yesterday or the day before. By most account I'm already into week 3. WEEK 3!!!!

Fortunately. Week three is a cut back week, and most training plans have that being in the 6-8 mile range. So I'm good there. But I need to pick a plan pronto as next week will be 9-11 or so.

Giddy up!!

I'm blogging, and blogging and blogging blogging blogging

Did you know that it only costs $19.95 to re-string a tennis racket, and that cost is the cost string which comes in "here I am" yellow or clear? So why wait 20 years? I don't know

Did you know that K is getting an uber cute dress next week that she will look so fly in that you will want to puke?

Did you know that hubby T has a patch of hair growing on his face that he is so intrigued with that he is taking a poll to figure out what shape to shave it into? I think he should color it black and red and make a Chicago Blackhawks symbol in it.

Did you know that E1 has a habit of inviting everyone he meets to come over to our house and play and stay for a couple of days? It has yet to result in a sleep over of any sort though

Did you know that a little girl at the boys day care had a giant blood filled tick in her head yesterday which made me think there was something crawling around in my hair the rest of the day

Did you know I just got 8" cut off my hair that they are going to send down to Louisiana to be woven into a rug and soak up at least 2-3 barrels of oil!

Did you know I had a staring contest with a deer yesterday just before almost slipping down an embankment into the river?

Did you know I am trying to figure out how to fit a family of 5 into a minicooper?

Did you know that in just over a month we hope to be hearing the giggling of our little girl as she torments her brothers echoing around our house!

Prayers are needed for our friends in Guatemala and Central America

I have heard about a Tropical Storm Agatha. But shame on me I've been to busy to pay closer attention. Its wreaking havoc on Guatemala, which of course is a country J and I hold very dear to our hearts.

The size of this sink hole. Its seems unreal. How can it be real, but it is. Please prayer for four Central American Brothers and Sisters.

Massive sinkhole swallows building in Guatemala City in wake of Tropical Storm Agatha