She said "Yes!"

On a beautiful Saturday night in December, Ian Bryan asked Lauren to marry him at the Lake Dardanelle State Park. Our immediate family and Ian's parents were watching from the pier, a friend was taking pictures, and the moment was caught on tape by a drone. God created the most beautiful backdrop for this life-changing moment. We are thankful and excited for this couple and their future!

Catching Up At the Gym

Last week the Russellville 7th grade girls hosted Clarksville. For the first 5 minutes of the game Sheridan guarded one of her best friends, and the rest of the game she tried to shut down one of old neighborhood girls from scoring on us! Clarksville won the games, but for our family, it was a sweet night. It was the first game all year that someone actually made a beeline to sit by me. Our friends, (who know our big kids, our history and our stories) hugged us, asked us questions about everyone, told us they missed us, and made the game a friendly match up.

I know we're supposed to be here. My kids are blooming in school and being prepared well for the future. Our church is stretching us and encouraging us. We're making new friends, I'm back in BSF, and our house is underway. However, some days are super lonely, and getting a hug from an old friend was good for my soul.

Fifth Grade Field Trip

I survived a field trip! Woo hoo! I went with Jordan's class to the Capitol in Little Rock last week! We took a walking tour around the capitol and also got to see many different rooms inside. It was decorated for Christmas and it was fun to see Jordan interacting with her fun friends!

"The Heart of TV"

I'll admit it, I love watching Hallmark movies. They are without bad language, sex and skin. There are a lot of families in the movies, the holidays are celebrated, and there is always a happy ending. I can watch them while doing other things. I watch them more during the holidays, but I also watch them on YouTube the rest of the year too. I let my girls watch some of them, especially if baking cookies and the North Pole are key players. As I think about these movies, I've made some conclusions about the things they might be misrepresenting to my kiddos. I'm thankful we do more talking than watching and that we can enjoy the entertainment and still keep our values in tact.

BEWARE: Things you might believe if you watch a lot of Hallmark movies:
1. To fall in love you must have long hair. (Only one Hallmark movie has a main actress with short hair, Window Wonderland)
2. To have that special moment of a handsome man touching your face you only have to get mustard, cookie icing or marshmallow topping on your lip. He will not be able to resist wiping it off with his finger and the music will build, everytime.
3. Sleeveless dresses are perfectly acceptable at Christmas dinners, even though everyone else is wearing layers, long sleeves and Christmas sweaters. Bare shoulders are especially appropriate if you are in front of a window, under mistletoe, and it starts snowing outside.
4. There is a big possibility that Santa really exists and that his manufacturing plant is disguised in a small northern town.
5. The Christmas Spirit comes when you believe in Santa and romance in December.

Quote of the Day

Scene: in the car brainstorming what I can make for dinner. 

Jordan: Pizza!

Sheridan: We just had that!

Jordan: Cheese dip!

Sheridan: You always say that! No, no, how about some kind of pasta and chicken?

Cam: "I don't want that, my tastebads just can't handle it." 

LONGGGG WEEKEND

Last weekend I was sick. On the third day I thought maybe it was the flu, but I made a quick recovery when I got extra sleep, so I don't know what I had. There's never a good time to be sick, but I grieve that it should've been a fun weekend for the kids (they were out of school on Friday!) and yet, they took care of themselves for most of two days and ate quite a bit of frozen food. They were great, used their imagination (set up a doll hospital downstairs), and took the initiative to help with a few meals when I really just couldn't get up.

It always catches me off guard when my kids step up and do more than I expect. It shouldn't, but it does. I mean, the whole idea of parenting is to parent for the future, for the long haul. Parenting isn't a sprint, it's a marathon, and I've been running it for over 21 years. When my kids show what they've learned, whether it be an attitude or an action, it's like a little pat on the back from God for me to just keep going.

Of course, I felt sorry for myself first. Of course, I doubted God's timing on the weekend to be sick. But of course, He is God, and He is able. And we all survived!

A Day in the Life

4:00am Heard shuffling feet above my bed
4:02am Confirm with Richard that he can hear sounds too
4:10am Richard goes out and shines light above our room, and a raccoon sticks his head out then returns. Richard notices the flashing is torn up at the corner of the roof where the raccoon has gotten in.
4:30am All is quiet and we fall back asleep
4:45am We hear trash truck and realize we forgot to put out cans
4:48am Richard puts out trash as first truck got recyclables
5:00am All is quiet and we go back to sleep.
5:01am Feet start dancing over our head.
5:15am Richard and I start discussing how to get a raccoon out from the attic without scaring him into the rest of the attic. All this we are not willing to do before the children awake.
6:45am Richard texts landlord, tells him he is going out of town for the weekend and I'm a little uptight about a raccoon being in the attic. Also mentions that it's supposed to storm all day and the roof is open.
8:00am Landlord says someone will come and fix roof around lunchtime.
9:00am Jordan's award assembly
1:30pm Cameron's first choir musical. He's a tomato.
2:20pm No show from anyone to fix house. Location of raccoon, unknown. Rain falling since 8am.
2:50pm Richard climbs in attic, bangs pans to run out raccoon if he's still in there. Then climbs on roof and covers hole and torn flashing with cinder blocks.
3:00pm Landlord says someone will come fix hole tomorrow.
5:00pm Richard headed to Oxford to call the Hogs!
6:10pm Call time for Cameron's musical at the elementary school.
6:30pm Cameron, as Tony the Tomato.
8:00pm Dinner, comfy clothes and a movie. Tornado watch until 9:30pm.