Potty Achievement!

I'm so proud that I have to blog! Emily just went to the potty on her own and poo pooed. I hope this does not offend anyone but when you have worked so hard for a year to teach the potty and not the pull up it feels like a huge success story. We just did a happy dance all over the house. Oh my, what joys my life has turned into! Oh well, I'm too happy to care how silly this sounds! She is so proud and for the first time admitted that it felt much better to use to potty! Sing praises. We may make it out of pull-ups.

Something for Me

I don't usually do anything special for myself. I am the kind of gal that will go all out for everyone else but not worry about things for me. This evening I had special time for myself! Granted I had my tot is tow but still it was all for me. We went to one of my favorite stores...just cause...Emily kept asking why are we stopping?...I kept saying...just cause! We went to my favorite restaurant. (Ok so I have to admit I had gift cards but still I spent it on myself). I came home and set down to blog. You know what I discovered. Special time is fun and nice but it is so much more fun when you are doing something for someone else! Makes everything seem better and worthwhile. Oh well, I guess that just me....

Angels Among Us

This evening the song, "I believe there are angel among us, sent down to us from somewhere up above..." has been playing through my mind. My day started out in toddler disaster. I overslept. My daughter on the other hand did not. There was a lovely mess to greet me for which I could not really complain. She had really been good just creative in meeting her own needs so "Mommy could sleep." I most note that I usually do not over sleep but this cold that I have been battling is about to win! Onward went the day...my help for watching Emily cancelled...she refused to stay with her cousins...must drive two hours to the nearest base with a toddler who is also sick. Get to base...toddler has diarrhea...NO WIPES IN CAR...clean with wash cloth and bottle of water...throw everything away! I proceed into the ID office to find they have closed for the day due to computer problems. At this point I am ready to sit down and just cry! Ahead of my, also reading the sign, is a black lady who I would guess to be in her late 50s. As we discuss the situation, she notices that I am near tears. I explained that I had a doctor's appointment tomorrow and had to get a new ID. I was going through my first deployment and was quite lost as what to do after driving this far. "Well,," she exclaims, "we are going to do something about this, we are going to the navy side. I don't know where the office is but we will find out!" After a phone call to the NAS the lady informs me they are closed, that they only stay open till 3:30. Gullible me who did not know the time said ok. When I told this wonderful woman said, "well, it is only 3, so they are not closed yet! Come on, follow me and we will get this fixed." We made it to the ID place before closing! Both of us got our IDs fixed and I learned a surprising fact. This lovely lady was 75 years old. You would have never known. She hugged me bye, and told me to "keep the faith." She told me to be thankful that I had a husband. Hers had worked there for 30 years before he passed away. I only wish I had gotten her name and number! I also wish that I had taken her picture for this post but I guess an angel's picture would never show up. And I suppose that an angel would never reveal heavens address. I truly believe that I met and angel today. She was my 75 year old angel who I will always be thankful for the act of friendship she bestowed upon me!

Wii

Ok so I have serious problems with the whole wii fit thing. I went over to a friends house and had my first experience with a wii. Yes, I am that big of a loser that I had never played wii before! Video games just are not something to attract my interest. If I'm going to go bowling I would rather go and have the experience. I'm just saying. Anyway, I tried out the whole wii fit thing. That thing is just mean! First of all the cute little person blows up to mimic your weight. What kind of horrible joke is that! I know I have some pounds to lose, but they didn't have to make my cute little girl look like budda. Second they said I was 64 years old. Now how did it arrive at that answer with me balancing? In my defence, have you ever tried to balance with a three year old tugging on you and running into you? It should have said I was 14 seeing as I didn't fall flat on my face with all the "MOMMAs" going around. The games were fun so I can see why it was a success. I must say this must have been made by someone who had a little bit a mean bone in them. I'm just saying...

A step out

It is tough when the Lord wants us to step out of our comfort zones in order to serve him. I have been struggling for weeks with the fact that I knew God wanted me to take a step of faith and try present an opportunity for the young women of our church to grown closer in fellowship. How would I do this? I am a friendly enough person but I am not that outgoing in a crowd. I don't like to speak in front of people and by no means am I someone with great spiritual leadership. Being new to the area (in this town if you haven't lived here for 30 years your new) and church, was I really the right person for this job? I wanted to tell the Lord, "uhm...I think you have the wrong person...I'm the one that does the dishes on Wednesday nights remember!" Through various ways, the Lord lead me to the idea of a book club. A chance to read christian literature and then get together and discuss the book. This felt a little bit safer because I'm an avid reader. I finally became brave enough to send an email. Now I would be safe, I would feel free of the burden and no one would even respond. Wrong! So far I have had three women email me to say they are all for the idea. An additional two other women, who I had already talked over the idea before sending the email, had already given the thumbs up for their attendance. Now I'm really stepping way out of my comfort zone! I've got to actually lead this thing! I'm the person who sits in the back corner and hurries out afterwards. Now I have 5 interested women and, oh boy, I had better sit down. I beginning to think I should have entitled this a leap of faith. Now what book do I go with to interest so far 5 different women......

Chicken!

I am a official chicken. I couldn't do it. I tried but failed. The baby curls are here for at least one more haircut. They are just way too cute! She is just so pretty with little baby curls. If only the terrific threes had left the sweet attitude to go with the sweet curls. Maybe I should have cut the curls and a better behavior would have blossomed.

I did finally decide on a color for my hair! Now we will see if I will be just as big as a chicken with my own hair as I am with Emily's!

More SNOW!

Ok, could someone please tell mother nature that we have had enough snow and rain here in the south! My yard is either one big mud puddle or a frozen block of ice. Though I have to admit, Emily was right that skating on the icy driveway was alot of fun! I am ready to begin my project of building a garden bed but it won't dry out long enough to even go outside.

Today is going to be a big day in the life of this mother. Emily is getting her FIRST haircut! (I think) Yes, this is a oh my goodness moment. She is three and has only had dead ends snipped off. It has gotten so long that I am afraid we are getting close to the potty! Also, she complains of the tangles. The question is...will I be able to go through with it and get her hair trimmed? I'm not even sure what the outcome will be tomorrow. We will just have to wait and see. On another note...should I go red? Hum....

George Beaverly Shea

If I were to make an educated guess, it would be that very few people know the name George Beverly Shea. I must admit that until I met my husband I was unaware of the music written and sung by this great Christian man. He is a man who belongs to the era of our grandparents and parents but his voice has a timeless quality. My spouse and I are quite perfect for each other for very are strange birds that love hymns. They speak to my soul and help me heal. They help me sing praises to the Lord. My husband has a very nice voice and can be heard singing many hymns during the day and at night it has always been apart of bedtime routine to sing our daughter to sleep. Some of the songs include his favorite hymns. Today I had on some of George Beverly Shea's music. Not only did I want to praise to Lord but it helps me feel close to Lyle from some strange reason. My daughter was playing and not really paying any attention to what was going on. All the sudden she stopped and exclaimed, "Momma, that man sings like my Daddy!" Laughingly, I agreed with her. She then asked me, "Momma, why is that man trying to sound like my Daddy?" I guess these songs will help us both feel close to Daddy for the next year!

Ups and Down

Today has been a day of ups and downs. This morning we played in the snow! We went sledding down the hill (I must admit that Em was on the lid of a garbage can, but hey it was sledding, right?). A snow man was almost created but alas I am not a good sculpture of snow and em did not like her hands getting cold. lol. I heard someone on the news saying the south did not know what to do with snow. I think we are making do, even if it is on garbage can lids. Emily found out the snow taste great! It is great to experience the joy of something old all over again with someone who is seeing it afresh and anew.

I still missing my Lt. but I did get to talk to him today. I just wish we could have a private conversation. It's hard to talk with six other guys are all talking to others. Maybe their is still hope! He said he would call later so I've got my fingers crossed.

Tomorrow is the Lord's Day. He has been carrying me through this even though I'm sure he wonders why I am acting like Emily. When I try to carry her and help sometimes she starts to kick and scream not knowing that I am taking care of her. I think the Lord is probably wondering why I have been kicking and screaming while he has been trying to carry me these past few weeks! I am so thankful he is such a merciful, caring, and forgiving God. I know I need to learn to be still in his arms and things will get to be so much easier.

I'll end with this, Emily has been learning her bible verse of the week. This week it is "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord." PS 122:1. Early in the week, before she has memorized the verse, I asked her if she remembered her bible verse. Her answer was very appropriate. "I was glad to go to Sunday school." She has gotten the meaning of the verse. I think the most important part for a three year old and maybe for all of us. So tomorrow, we will be glad to go to church and Sunday school!

Love Languages

My husband is one of the sweetest men on the planet. Our first year of marriage he went to a marriage conference with Dr. Gary Chapman. He has read books about marriage. Worked with me to implement changes where we can have a successful and happy life together. Even with resistance from childhood home he understands and knows what it means to leave and cleave and has done this with God's grace and love. We have a wonderful life together. Now here is my deep question for the night. How do you met and take care of each other's love languages when you are miles apart? His acts of service, mine quality time. How do you demonstrate love when a sea separates you? As I say this, ideas come to mind. They hardly scratch the surface of how he should be shown love. If I'm honest, I wonder if I will been "running on empty" for an entire year. There has got to be a better way. I guess now is the time to pray for answers and try new ways and be glad it is only one year out of many many more together.

Let it Snow

I guess that I should be happy that there is a literal winter wonderland right outside my doorstep. It has been snowing for hours now and God has painted the world with beautiful lacy white silk. A sight to behold and remember who is still in control of the world in which we dwell.

One the other hand, the little bad girl in me wants to yell....SPRING, WHERE ARE YOU! I want to bask in the warmth of a spring day to see the tiny buds coming out on the trees and feel the suns rays soft upon my face. I guess God thinks, boy I can't ever satisfy you. I am surprised he doesn't just let me have it with how discontent I can be. In the summer time all we talk about is the thought of being cold and now that we have the cold weather all I want is warmth. I guess the lesson that could be derived from this is to be content with what God gives us. Yuck, I'm not up to this lesson tonight. I'll just have to deal with snow and wait for springs warmth. Maybe that is how it felt to wonder the desert all of those years.

A Child's Mind

Emily has been getting up in the middle of the night and making rounds around the house ending up in my bed. During her bath tonight, I ask her if she knew what was making her wake up in the night time? She promptly replied, the elephant! Well, I guess I have been told. What do you say to that three year old reasoning. Makes perfect sense to me, elephants would wake me if they came to my room in the middle of the night!

Hetic Weeks

I haven't blogged in forever from everything from the flu to daddy leaving! Feels good to get back to writing.

We saw off daddy (once again) and have almost made it through the first week. It was a hard last night together but we made it. As sad as this sounds it is a relief to have it over with. I feel as if I can now be done with the dread of waiting for him to leave and start waiting for a return.

Em has been my shinning star through all of this. She gives me laughter and joy when I want to give in to the feelings of discouragement. We have been making Valentines for Daddy and coloring about a million pieces of paper. I'll have to spend a fortune to overnight it since, as usual, I'm late with everything. I have the best job in the whole world to be able to care for my child! I wouldn't trade it for the highest paid executive job because they couldn't be half as happy in their work as I am. We watched our first Disney Movie together. Lady and the Tramp. What joys and she narrated the whole movie with "oh, bless her" and "bless her heart." I have a true southern bell!

Now if only I can get all this tricare stuff taken care of and completed. Paper work, paper work I'm so tired of paper work. Why does all of this have to be so complex. I think a man must have created the system. lol.

I have got to figure out how to upload pictures to this thing! That is my next task. Watch out this could get ugly. We are talking about me.