We've enjoyed a lot of front porch time this weekend. We've eaten just about every meal out there. The weather has been so nice; we've had cooler temperatures, less humidity, and a nice breeze since Thursday. Hopefully, it will last.
Stephen and I attended the Habitat for Humanity ball last night with a couple of friends. It was a nice night out sans kids and I won some good prizes at the silent auction. One of my wins was a 1-year family membership to our rec department. I got it for a steal! So we'll be able to go workout and the girls will have a place to play while we do. We also will be able to swim all year, since it has a heated pool. I'm really excited about that one. It was an answer to prayer, actually. I had visited there last week and decided not to join because of the price and then there it was at the silent auction for a fifth of what it would have cost!
I also think I won a Lampe Berge (I didn't check to make sure I won this one at the end of the auction but I'm pretty sure I did). Mom, I won't even tell you what I paid for it if I did win it!
This morning, Stephen gave a talk about stewardship at both services. He was the unlucky one who was tasked with introducing the stewardship campaign after the terrible market fluctuations last week. What a weekend to start a campaign about financial giving! He did a great job, though. He used a story that Big Steve had told him several years ago about a young married couple and their tithing. It got a good laugh.
Oh, and little Elsie put together her first sentance today (sort of). I had locked the dogs in the bathroom and was trying to get the door unlocked with a screwdriver this morning. She came over and said "Mama doin'?" It was so cute. She kept saying it over and over!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Flowers
The weather has been so nice here the past couple of days. Last night, we all sat on the front porch after bathtime. It was so nice today that we decided to cook out and eat on the front porch.
Mary Grace and I went to the grocery store to get some meat to cook and to get a prescription filled for her eczema. While we were waiting for her prescription, she wanted to pick out some flowers. She picked out three bunches of pink (of course) flowers: carnations, gerbera daisies, and little roses. As we were walking back to the pharmacy and she was holding her flowers, she told me that she needed flowers because she's getting married tomorrow. Who do you think she's going to marry? Well, her daddy of course! She asked me if I thought he would marry her and then she was worried what I would do if he did!
I guess this whole wedding thing comes from seeing our wedding pictures and seeing me all dressed up in a pretty white gown. But what better compliment to a daddy than to have his little girl want to marry him?!
Mary Grace and I went to the grocery store to get some meat to cook and to get a prescription filled for her eczema. While we were waiting for her prescription, she wanted to pick out some flowers. She picked out three bunches of pink (of course) flowers: carnations, gerbera daisies, and little roses. As we were walking back to the pharmacy and she was holding her flowers, she told me that she needed flowers because she's getting married tomorrow. Who do you think she's going to marry? Well, her daddy of course! She asked me if I thought he would marry her and then she was worried what I would do if he did!
I guess this whole wedding thing comes from seeing our wedding pictures and seeing me all dressed up in a pretty white gown. But what better compliment to a daddy than to have his little girl want to marry him?!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Our Tuesday Night Group
Stephen and I have been meeting with a group on Tuesday nights since the beginning of the year for Bible study. Our group consists of the Nihisers, who happen to be our friend Owen's in-laws, our preacher's wife, Sharon, and another young couple, Stan and Adrienne. Stan and Adrienne have a little boy who is Elsie's age and a little girl who is a year older than Mary Grace. (Mary Grace thinks she's the coolest thing!)
First we did the Crown Financial study. Now we're studying Donald Adams's book, With Hands Outstretched: Actively Seeking the Mind of Christ. Pastor Adams's book is very in depth and really pushes you to think and be honest with yourself and the group your study group. It's not one of those that just gives you a Scripture reading and then asks questions that only have you repeat exactly what the Scripture said. No, no. You're not getting off that easy with Pastor Adams!
Just as an example, the first question of the first chapter of the book is this: "Martin Luther would ask his companions in spirtual formation, 'Where have your temptations lead you?' What have you learned about yourself through your temptations?" And you're supposed to share that with the group?! Definitely not for the faint-hearted!
We meet at the Nihiser's lovely home on Tuesday nights for our study. We take turns brining supper and facilitating the night's discussion. This week was Chapter 4: Remaining in His Affection (Seeking to Share God's Singlemindedness), which features such questions as: "Lies are spiritual red flags, simple though they seem. Where are you dishonest or in denial in some way?" and "Why do we resist the compassion of Jesus?" Ha! So I read my chapter, write some notes, and pray for the best. We arrive at the Nihisers for supper and Adrienne asks me, "Did you get my e-mail?" No, I didn't get Adrienne's e-mail, which by the way, she sent at 3 o'clock to my home address! Well, the e-mail was entitled "Father Cometh". Oh, I forgot to tell you, Adrienne's dad WROTE OUR BOOK! Yes, the author is coming to sit in on our discussion, which I"M SUPPOSED TO LEAD!
Talk about pressure! I'm actually glad I didn't get the e-mail! I was more than a little nervous but it all turned out alright. Pastor Adams is so knowledgeable and so nice! It was truly a treat to have him drive all the way from Vidalia just to meet our little group! He gave us a lot of insights where we needed them but also just sat back and listened as we went through our study. He's a precious person and we were truly blessed by his presence.
He spent a total of about six or seven years, he said, over the course of 20 years working on the book. Talk about dedication!
First we did the Crown Financial study. Now we're studying Donald Adams's book, With Hands Outstretched: Actively Seeking the Mind of Christ. Pastor Adams's book is very in depth and really pushes you to think and be honest with yourself and the group your study group. It's not one of those that just gives you a Scripture reading and then asks questions that only have you repeat exactly what the Scripture said. No, no. You're not getting off that easy with Pastor Adams!
Just as an example, the first question of the first chapter of the book is this: "Martin Luther would ask his companions in spirtual formation, 'Where have your temptations lead you?' What have you learned about yourself through your temptations?" And you're supposed to share that with the group?! Definitely not for the faint-hearted!
We meet at the Nihiser's lovely home on Tuesday nights for our study. We take turns brining supper and facilitating the night's discussion. This week was Chapter 4: Remaining in His Affection (Seeking to Share God's Singlemindedness), which features such questions as: "Lies are spiritual red flags, simple though they seem. Where are you dishonest or in denial in some way?" and "Why do we resist the compassion of Jesus?" Ha! So I read my chapter, write some notes, and pray for the best. We arrive at the Nihisers for supper and Adrienne asks me, "Did you get my e-mail?" No, I didn't get Adrienne's e-mail, which by the way, she sent at 3 o'clock to my home address! Well, the e-mail was entitled "Father Cometh". Oh, I forgot to tell you, Adrienne's dad WROTE OUR BOOK! Yes, the author is coming to sit in on our discussion, which I"M SUPPOSED TO LEAD!
Talk about pressure! I'm actually glad I didn't get the e-mail! I was more than a little nervous but it all turned out alright. Pastor Adams is so knowledgeable and so nice! It was truly a treat to have him drive all the way from Vidalia just to meet our little group! He gave us a lot of insights where we needed them but also just sat back and listened as we went through our study. He's a precious person and we were truly blessed by his presence.
He spent a total of about six or seven years, he said, over the course of 20 years working on the book. Talk about dedication!
Long Day
Wednesdays are long days for us. Mary Grace has preschool from 9 to noon. I pick the girls up from Ms. Julie's around 5 then we head straight to church for supper (chicken and dumplings tonight, yum!). Usually, we go home right after supper but tonight was the start of our Fall Bible studies. Stephen is taking a course on the Old Testament. One of our members who is in seminary is teaching it. I'm taking yet another Beth Moore study. This one is on the book of Daniel. Her studies are always interesting, entertaining, and convicting and this one is shaping up to be all those things, too.
One sad thing to report today is that our dear daycare teacher, Ms. Britney, lost her father this morning. He went in for a routine hernia surgery and somehow developed a blood clot that traveled to his heart. She was on the playground with the kids when she got the call informing her that he had died. This is, obviously, a terrible tragedy for Britney and her family. If you could send up a little prayer for her; I'm sure she needs it.
Aside from that, we're all fine and glad to be moving on to the end of this week. I'm thinking of knocking off on Friday afternoon and taking the girls for a surprise trip to the beach.
I'm also thinking of adding a beach day into our stay at home calendar once per week. I think that will be fun for the girls, even when it gets cold. It's hard to beat an endless sandbox! We'll also start going to storytime at the library on Thursdays. The girls love the library!
One sad thing to report today is that our dear daycare teacher, Ms. Britney, lost her father this morning. He went in for a routine hernia surgery and somehow developed a blood clot that traveled to his heart. She was on the playground with the kids when she got the call informing her that he had died. This is, obviously, a terrible tragedy for Britney and her family. If you could send up a little prayer for her; I'm sure she needs it.
Aside from that, we're all fine and glad to be moving on to the end of this week. I'm thinking of knocking off on Friday afternoon and taking the girls for a surprise trip to the beach.
I'm also thinking of adding a beach day into our stay at home calendar once per week. I think that will be fun for the girls, even when it gets cold. It's hard to beat an endless sandbox! We'll also start going to storytime at the library on Thursdays. The girls love the library!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Glory Glory Halleluja!
As you know, the house in Douglasville has been on the market for more than 18 months. We've been paying the mortgage and the utility bills and someone to cut the grass. Needless to say, this has been a strain on our budget, one that only became more scary with the loss of my job. On top of that, we were starting to get some pressure from our homeowners insurance company because the house was vacant. Apparently, insurance companies don't like to insure vacant houses. This whole situation has been very stressful for both of us but especially for Stephen (you know how he worries).
When we learned that I was getting RIF'd (reduction in force) from SunTrust, we did a lot of praying and talking about what God was leading us to do. It just seemed like the last straw in what had been a very difficult 18 months. But we truly believed that God must have had a purpose in all this struggle. I don't think it was a coincidence that we learned about the changes at SunTrust the very same day we moved into our new house. Surely, if we had learned of those changes even a month before, we would have thrown in the towel and headed back to Douglasville. The timing being what it was, we tried to dig deep and figure out where God was leading us. We both really felt like I should stay home with the girls and not try to find another job after SunTrust. Stephen ran the numbers (you know he did to the penny!) and we learned that I was basically working to pay childcare and the cost of the Douglasville house. I mean, I made more than that but if we didn't have those expenses, we wouldn't need my income. (Mom, I can hear you saying, "That's not the only reason to work!" I appreciate that but this is where we are right now.)
So we decided that that's what we would do and then started praying (even harder) that "something would give" (as Stephen puts it). We were both really starting to get discouraged around the end of August when nothing had happened with the house. Well, we've stuck it out and finally just last week had FOUR families express interest in the house! All at once after the fist weekend in September! Our renters moved in on Saturday and we took the utilities out of our name today. They've signed a 12-month lease and also have expressed interest in buying the house!
You just can't imagine what a relief this has been! Stephen's like a new man!
I'm not sure what else God has in store for us but we believe He has us down here for a reason (or for many reasons!). Maybe the first reason is so that it's easier for me to stay home with the girls. So that's the plan for now. If you've been praying for us, thank you. If not, we can always use more!
When we learned that I was getting RIF'd (reduction in force) from SunTrust, we did a lot of praying and talking about what God was leading us to do. It just seemed like the last straw in what had been a very difficult 18 months. But we truly believed that God must have had a purpose in all this struggle. I don't think it was a coincidence that we learned about the changes at SunTrust the very same day we moved into our new house. Surely, if we had learned of those changes even a month before, we would have thrown in the towel and headed back to Douglasville. The timing being what it was, we tried to dig deep and figure out where God was leading us. We both really felt like I should stay home with the girls and not try to find another job after SunTrust. Stephen ran the numbers (you know he did to the penny!) and we learned that I was basically working to pay childcare and the cost of the Douglasville house. I mean, I made more than that but if we didn't have those expenses, we wouldn't need my income. (Mom, I can hear you saying, "That's not the only reason to work!" I appreciate that but this is where we are right now.)
So we decided that that's what we would do and then started praying (even harder) that "something would give" (as Stephen puts it). We were both really starting to get discouraged around the end of August when nothing had happened with the house. Well, we've stuck it out and finally just last week had FOUR families express interest in the house! All at once after the fist weekend in September! Our renters moved in on Saturday and we took the utilities out of our name today. They've signed a 12-month lease and also have expressed interest in buying the house!
You just can't imagine what a relief this has been! Stephen's like a new man!
I'm not sure what else God has in store for us but we believe He has us down here for a reason (or for many reasons!). Maybe the first reason is so that it's easier for me to stay home with the girls. So that's the plan for now. If you've been praying for us, thank you. If not, we can always use more!
Who's the Boss?
Kids are so funny. You never know what's going to come out of their mouths at any given moment. That is one reason I'm thankful that our church has done away with the children's sermon and is now just having a completely separate service for the children. I mean, who wants to run the risk that their precious little one will air their dirty laundry, or swear, or scratch inappropriately right in front of the entire congregation? Children just don't seem to have a filter. Sometimes that's scary, sometimes it's just plain cute. Like last night at the dinner table when Mary Grace informed us that she was going to eat so that she can grow big and "be in charge". Well, what a great goal for a little girl! Although, I think she'll have some competition around here!
So, that got me thinking. What would the world be like if Mary Grace Kinney were in charge?
1) First of all, there would be no green peas on the menu. As a matter of fact, the only vegetable available would be green beans. You could have that with anything covered in cheese or chocolate or ketchup. Ever noticed how kids will eat anything as long as you serve it with a side of ketchup or applesauce or, better yet, both?
2) The sky would be purple, and not in weird Prince/Purple Rain kind of way. No, this would be a nice lavendar with lots of sparkly stars at all times of the day and night.
3) The Little Mermaid would be on a continuous run. And we would have an 18-inch deep pool, complete with a slide, in our den in front of the TV so that she could practice her Ariel moves.
5) Happy Apple Academy would be all day, everyday, except for breaks for Ballet/Tap class and Playhouse Kids (the children's Sunday night program at church - I don't know what they do there but it sure must be fun).
6) Speaking of tap, you would be allowed to wear your tap shoes everywhere, even in the pool. You never know when you'll be called upon to belt out a tune and doesn't an accompanying dance always make a song that much better?
7) McKenna (our 14-year-old next door neighbor, babysitter, and most importantly, Blake's sister) would come over everyday to paint Mary Grace and Elsie's toenails with sparkly pink polish.
8) Elsie Mac would be vice president.
9) Fancy Nancy would have a Cabinet position.
10) Nana would give her that green and white purse. (Okay, maybe that one's for me.)
So, that got me thinking. What would the world be like if Mary Grace Kinney were in charge?
1) First of all, there would be no green peas on the menu. As a matter of fact, the only vegetable available would be green beans. You could have that with anything covered in cheese or chocolate or ketchup. Ever noticed how kids will eat anything as long as you serve it with a side of ketchup or applesauce or, better yet, both?
2) The sky would be purple, and not in weird Prince/Purple Rain kind of way. No, this would be a nice lavendar with lots of sparkly stars at all times of the day and night.
3) The Little Mermaid would be on a continuous run. And we would have an 18-inch deep pool, complete with a slide, in our den in front of the TV so that she could practice her Ariel moves.
5) Happy Apple Academy would be all day, everyday, except for breaks for Ballet/Tap class and Playhouse Kids (the children's Sunday night program at church - I don't know what they do there but it sure must be fun).
6) Speaking of tap, you would be allowed to wear your tap shoes everywhere, even in the pool. You never know when you'll be called upon to belt out a tune and doesn't an accompanying dance always make a song that much better?
7) McKenna (our 14-year-old next door neighbor, babysitter, and most importantly, Blake's sister) would come over everyday to paint Mary Grace and Elsie's toenails with sparkly pink polish.
8) Elsie Mac would be vice president.
9) Fancy Nancy would have a Cabinet position.
10) Nana would give her that green and white purse. (Okay, maybe that one's for me.)
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Annie
I almost forgot, we also bought Annie today. It was my favorite movie when I was a little girl and I knew Mary Grace would love it, too. Sure enough, she sang and danced to "Tomorrow" all afternoon while the rest of us, including Elsie, watched the Dawgs on the playroom TV.
I don't think I'll get her a perm, though, Mom. I still can't believe you did that to my hair!
I don't think I'll get her a perm, though, Mom. I still can't believe you did that to my hair!
Night Night
Just wanted to share some pictures of our nighttime ritual. After a bath, we have storytime and prayer. Elsie has just started joining Mary Grace for storytime with Mommy and Daddy. After I read a story to them tonight in Mary Grace's bed, they both wanted to "read" their own book. It was too cute so I took pictures:
Tooter Cookies
Our wonderful neighbors had a homemade blueberry buckle waiting on our kitchen counter for us when we got home late last Saturday night from St. Maarten. It was time to return the favor so today Mary Grace and I made Tooter Cookies -- really just chocolate chip from the recipe on the back of the Nestle chip bag with a little twist to make them soft and not crunchy.
She helped measure the ingredients and helped hold the mixer. Then she carried a place over to our wonderful neighbors. She was so proud.
Here's her handiwork:
Isn't she a big girl?!
She helped measure the ingredients and helped hold the mixer. Then she carried a place over to our wonderful neighbors. She was so proud.
Here's her handiwork:
Isn't she a big girl?!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Elsieisms
Life with a 19-month-old is so much fun! Here is a list of words that she knows:
Mama
Daddy
Gace (for Mary Grace)
Roo
Daisey
(pretty much all the names of her friends and family)
dog
bankie (blankie)
pah-pee or pah-pwee (paci)
tank doo (thank you)
pease (please)
uh-huh
nigh nigh (night night)
NO!
ball
soo (shoe)
car
coffee (this apparently means anything in a cup or even just the cup itself)
go (the dogs hear this one a lot)
na na (banana)
biper (diaper)
wipe
bow (of course!)
nose
eye
cookie (this works for either cookies or crackers)
up
airplane
mine
book
down (she uses this when her pappy falls under her bed)
pizza
bye bye
hey
bandaid
I'll add more as I think of them.
Mama
Daddy
Gace (for Mary Grace)
Roo
Daisey
(pretty much all the names of her friends and family)
dog
bankie (blankie)
pah-pee or pah-pwee (paci)
tank doo (thank you)
pease (please)
uh-huh
nigh nigh (night night)
NO!
ball
soo (shoe)
car
coffee (this apparently means anything in a cup or even just the cup itself)
go (the dogs hear this one a lot)
na na (banana)
biper (diaper)
wipe
bow (of course!)
nose
eye
cookie (this works for either cookies or crackers)
up
airplane
mine
book
down (she uses this when her pappy falls under her bed)
pizza
bye bye
hey
bandaid
I'll add more as I think of them.
Too Much Love
So I'm standing at the stove this afternoon checking the broccoli that I have steaming in the pot and I hear, "No, Elsie!" Even though this is a phrase that I hear almost hourly, I turn around to check on the situation. There's Elsie climbing on Mary Grace's back, squeezing her neck and trying to kiss her. Mary Grace says, "Mommy, she's squeezing me!" Being the good mother that I am, I try to foster sisterly affection by telling Mary Grace, "She's just trying to give you love! She loves you so much!" To which Mary Grace replies: "But that's too much love!"
Since I ddn't know there was such a thing, I decide to ignore the situation and turn back to my steaming pot of broccoli. THUD! Oooh, that's Elsie's head hitting the tile floor. I turn around to see a tangle of chubby arms and legs wrestling on the floor. Apparently, Mary Grace was not up for too much love tonight.
After a paci and a blankie and a little motherly love, Elsie was fine.
Since I ddn't know there was such a thing, I decide to ignore the situation and turn back to my steaming pot of broccoli. THUD! Oooh, that's Elsie's head hitting the tile floor. I turn around to see a tangle of chubby arms and legs wrestling on the floor. Apparently, Mary Grace was not up for too much love tonight.
After a paci and a blankie and a little motherly love, Elsie was fine.
Bonjour (that's fancy for "Hello")
With moving and new jobs, we've been so busy over the last year and a half that I feel like we've missed out on so much with the girls. They are so precious and I don't want to forget even one second of their little lives. Being that I'm not very crafty and, thus, much of a scrapbooker, I'm hoping that this will be a way to catalogue our lives. I also hope that our extended family will check in occasionally to see what we're up to.
So without further adieu, here I go into the blogging universe; please join me for the ride..........
So without further adieu, here I go into the blogging universe; please join me for the ride..........
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