Ethan's 10th Birthday!

It's hard for all of us to believe, but Ethan is 10 years old.  He's said several times today, "I can't believe I'm ten now."  Neither can I.
We had a great time celebrating his special day yesterday.  For breakfast I made him his request of pancakes with bacon and ham slices.  We were up early enough for Casey to have breakfast with us before he went off for work and school.  We let him open 2 presents during breakfast.  One was a paperback book and the other was the Star wars lego dictionary.  That kept him busy during the morning while Josiah was doing school.  Ethan chose to do double work on Monday so he wouldn't have to do any on his birthday.  :>)
When Josiah was done with school they played some wii and then had some lunch.  Later that afternoon we headed into Fort Worth for some fun at Chuck E Cheese.  On our way we stopped at a place called Diva bakery.  I didn't bake him a cake so I thought it would be fun for him to pick out his own special cupcakes.  He chose some yummy looking red velvet cupcakes.  They had some fresh baked chocolate chip cookies that looked amazing, so we got three of those as well.  She gave the boys a sample of the cookie (which was huge) so we took the cookies and cupcakes for later.  Then as we were leaving she gave Ethan a giant cookie sandwich (2 BIG cookies with frosting in the middle) because it was his birthday.  So sweet!  (As a side note, they will even bake gluten free cupcakes if I request them...so I may be able to participate in the future...not that I need to, but I may want to.)
So, with our sweets in tow we drove on into Ft. Worth and they had a blast at Chuck E Cheese.  Now, normally this place rates right up there with having a migraine in my estimation of fun, but going on a weekday afternoon was awesome.  There was a very small party with really little ones and mostly adults and one other family there.  So, it was relatively quiet and easy to keep track of the boys.  We got drinks and enough tokens for the time we were there for about $25. Not too bad.
We finished up there about the time that Casey got out of class so we met him at Chili's for dinner.  It's one of Ethan's favorites and they just happened to have a kids eat free coupon for that night too.  Bonus.  They have decent selection of Gluten-Free options too, so that's a double bonus for me.  (Another side note - I hate going to eat places where the only GF option is grilled chicken with salad  - I can make that at home and it doesn't cost me $10+).  We had a great server too...makes a big difference!  At the end they brought out a giant hot lava sundae chocolate fudge mound of deliciousness.  I'm guessing that it was good by the way the boys (all three of them) attacked it...with some moaning and groaning involved.  Ha!  I did manage a bite or two of ice cream out of the middle.  Ethan had some HUGE eyes when they placed it in front of him.  It was awesome.
After dinner we took the boys to Half-priced Books, one of our favorite places.  They, of course, found some treasures there.  We came on home and Ethan opened the rest of his gifts.  Lego, lego, lego, monopoly!  It was great.  He was happy and thrilled with his day.  Before bedtime, my friend Stephanie brought him a little gift and some more cupcakes!  So, glad I didn't make him a cake!  After all the chocolate goodness from Chili's they were pretty stuffed, so we will save cupcakes and cookies for the following days.  It was a good day celebrating my firstborn.  Even Josiah declared it the best day ever. 

Headache

I went to bed with a headache...even worse, I woke up with the same headache, just a little worser.  I know "worser" is not a word, but I have a headache, so I can make up words if I want.  I think it's allergy related...go figure.  North Texas and allergies go together like PB & J.  I'd rather have PB & J. 

Also, my house is a mess.  I know that's not really news worthy...but, it's bugging me, so I'm sharing it.  It's one of those kind of days. 

So, I'm going to post a few photos from the fall that I like, turn up some praise music on pandora radio, finish my Bible study lesson, do some laundry, sweep and mop the kitchen, make lunch, clean kitchen again, do some more laundry, and get dinner going and hopefully get the boys school work done too.  We'll see how it goes. 

While I'm doing that, you can enjoy these pictures. :>)

Josiah in a pile of leaves we raked.

Me and Jo on our date to see "Annie."  My date was supposed to be my husband, but Ethan was sick so Casey stayed home and let me go out. - Dec. 2011

Yay!  A microscope!!!!  Ethan - Christmas 2011

The boys and their new cameras.  I'll post some of their pics soon.  Christmas 2011.

I love my husband!

Disclaimer: it may be mushy, so if you don't want to hear the mushy stuff stop reading now.

I adore my husband.  God truly blessed me and gave me the most incredible man for a husband.  He is SO handsome, too.  Sometimes I wonder how I was so lucky to get this guy...but then I remember that it isn't luck, but God's goodness and gift to me. 

He's not perfect.  I live with him, so I know this very well.  I'm not either and never will be, so we're even.  But he loves me.  He loves his kids.  He loves God.  I'm good with that.

February has been a rough month (not in our marriage, but in life).  Mostly because I started the month off with a cold, which turned into a sinus infection, not too mention hormones and the lot.  So, last week Casey came home from work with the cutest little stuffed animal puppy dog for me AND, a couple of little lego sets for the boys.  I just cried (hormones).  I was so touched because he knew I was having a rough time (with life + my issues).  Now, the man is at a disadvantage because he can't bring home flowers, even though I love them, they don't love me.  Thanks to my allergies, flowers are a no.  And, goodness knows I don't need a box of chocolates. 

So, Valentine's day has always been a little tricky.  Not too mention that we are usually financially challenged.  I was really not expecting anything, but he surprised me again by bringing me home a mocha from starbucks.  It doesn't count as chocolate, because it's coffee.  Coffee is always good.  And, he brought the boys a Muppets movie.   We were all happy.  Especially after the boys presented him with his gift...a box of chocolates!  His metabolism can handle it...and he shares. :>) 

A little while later Casey brings me another gift.  Seasons 1 and 2 of Psych!!!!!  I really love that show, it's hilarious.  AND, he has some sort of surprise planned for me (us) on Friday night.  I have no idea what it is, but I don't care.  I'm just so thrilled with my husband for going out of his way to show me love.  He is truly the greatest gift. 

Tooth Fairy vs. God

Josiah had a loose tooth that I pulled out tonight.  It's only his second, but I've had to pull them both out because he refuses to do it himself AND it makes him eat his food weird AND it hurts when he eats.  So, really, I'm doing him a favor.  So tonight, I pulled it out.  He wasn't happy about it until it was out.  Then he was so excited.  "Yay, my tooth fell out!"  Um, hello, I had to PULL it out...  Anyway, he said, "Just in time for bed."  I said, "So you think the tooth fairy will bring you some money?"  He looks at me and rolls his eyes and with a sigh, "Mom, you know the tooth fairy isn't real."  Now, I'm not going to lie to my children and insist they believe something that is not true.  So, I asked him what happens since there is not a Tooth Fairy.  He looks at me with all seriousness and says, "That's just how God made teeth."  I needed to clarify with him that he thinks it's God who turns the tooth that is put under the pillow into money.  Yep, that's what he's thinking.  So, know what?  I giggled a little about that and we told Casey about Josiah's thoughts on the matter.  Casey said something like, "Well, dentists think teeth turn to money too."  Or something along those lines.  That's all Josiah needed to hear.  "Yep, it's 2 to 1, Mom," which obviously means the discussion is closed. 

I guess I'll have to come clean.  I hope he's not disappointed when he finds out that it's not God who turns teeth into money, but just Mom.  He's such a sweet kid and he's always doing something to crack us up!

Forever Families - Adoption

Here is a new picture of Rose Myrtha!  She is at God's Littlest Angels in Haiti.  You can read more about GLA by clicking on their tab under the "Blogs I follow" section. 


We received the terrific news that she and her older sister have been matched with a family for adoption!  Praise the Lord!  Of course, it will still be several months before the family is united so we will continue to pray for her and her new family.  I'm not sure why such "happy" news always makes me cry...but it does!  



And, our good friends just got back from Ethiopia where they met their daughter face to face for the first time.  You can check out their story under the "By Our Love" title listed under the "Blogs I follow" section of my blog.  Hopefully she will be able to come home soon.

adjustment

You know when there are things going on and you can't really change them?  Maybe it's that really annoying person that is always nit-picking everything and always seems to think the worst of you.  Of course, I'm being hypothetical, because really, who would have anything bad to say about me, my children or my husband?  Well, I'll be honest that there's been a recurring "grrrr" in my life and I'm starting to find myself wanting to hold onto it and rehash it.  It's really not doing me any good...at all! 

So, that being said, I'm really excited about starting the "Living Beyond Yourself" study by Beth Moore.  Tonight was the first night.  I've missed my bff  Beth...it's been awhile since I've done one of her studies.  Since the circumstances don't look like they will change any time soon, I think it is really important that I have an attitude adjustment.  What, me an attitude?  Well, maybe just a little one.  So, tonight was refreshing.  Heard a word from the Lord regarding the "attitude."  Guess, we'll be working on that for a bit.  So thankful that Christ is in me, not just with me.

It's a GO!

So, excited!  Casey was given the green light from the church to go on a mission trip with the school's Chamber choir!!!!  They will be going to Malaysia and South Korea - 3 weeks total.  Yikes!  I'm so excited for him. 

With that being said, it is going to be a crazy busy semester for him.  He is taking a full load of classes, plus now the 2 choirs (to be in the Chamber choir he has to be in another choir too).  Working part-time (that sometimes seems like full-time).  And, he has a vocal competition that he is singing in March.  So, we will appreciate all prayers for my sanity...and his too.