Dear Mr. Reagan ...

You once said ...

How do you tell a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin.

I am sure that if you were able to today, you would weep for your beloved office. The office that you brought so much honor to ... has been disgraced so badly by this wolf in sheeps clothing.

It is time for all American Patriots to find the writing's of Marx and Lenin. Read study and understand what these men wrote. We must arm ourselves with knowledge where we will be able to fight the good fight in the days to come. An American Revolution armed with the knowledge of communist tyrants will take us further than a yelling match at a town hall meeting. While we all know it is frustrating to talk to a liberal, we must prevail through solid reasonable words.

I am a woman ... I am a mother ... and I do not want single payer health care. I would rather pay through the nose for employer based insurance or even be self insured than have some committee decide whether or not I am viable candidate for surgery, or whether it is time for me to end my life. I do not want a committee deciding whether my child needs this, or that my daughter's have enough children and force them to be sterilized or abort. And while this health care bill may not say those exact words today. A government run health care bill will tomorrow be like other government programs. Tomorrow it will be written to reflect that administrations beliefs.

We are quickly becoming a country of no freedoms ... all to often those of us that fight for freedoms, are told we no longer have the freedom of speech, religion, privacy, etc ... because it is infringing on someone elses beliefs ... funny how we patriots don't fight to have THEIR beliefs taken away from them.

Park Ranger WolfMan

WolfMan, you are absolutely amazing to me ... As a child, I couldn't keep my hands off of God's animals ... you really are even more Dr. Doolittle-ish than I was. If you find a hurt animal, you take it to safety ... like you did for "Lucy" the Scissortail Flycatcher today.

You gently checked her wings ...

and then, you

let her quickly know that you were going to take good care of her.

I love you so much, your gently ways with the animals ... you love for all God's creatures ... even that mean old rattler that you tried to gently shoo away,

that you ended up killing because it just wouldn't leave you and your brother alone ... and that is what makes you my official park ranger ... I know now why you weren't upset when you lost your BB Gun ... you take no joy in sport shooting.

Mother's Day 2009

Three years ago, I took this picture of my little lovey's for Mother's Day.

It is hard to believe how much they have grown.

I'm a sick, sick woman ... I think I actually miss changing diapers ... SIGH!

National Day of Prayer

On Thursday, May 7, our nation will observe the fifty-eighth annual National Day of Prayer. This year's theme is Prayer...America's Hope, based on Psalm 33:22, which says, "May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You."

While I find it sad that we have to have a "National Day of Prayer", I do have to say that I appreciate the fact that at least our government will recognize prayer. Everyday that little saying things are going to Hell in a handbasket rings loudly in my ears as I read the news. I'm thinking right now that handbasket is getting a touch full with all of the ensuing insanity. From babies being slung from cars going down the interstate, to public official flagrantly lying about their adulterous behaviors ... what has this country, this country that so many honorable men and women have fought for - fought and died for become.

My prayer for this National Day of Prayer will focus on the hope that the citizen's of America will turn to face God, get down on their knees repent and pray for His forgiveness, grace and blessings. Otherwise what exactly do American's have to look forward to ...

Park Post ... Part Zwie

Once we finished up at UTPB Stonehenge, we moved over to the duck pond area ...

The UTPB Ground Crew does a great job of keeping this lush green park area just gorgeous!

So, while the little girls went to check out the wall paper in the bathroom ... the boys found a tree to climb. And they loved it of course ... they love to get in the tree. And can't wait for Mr. Rooster to build their treehouse. (More later on that project!) And while they were up that tree, they found all kinds of flora and fauna to check out from their perch in this massive Oak tree.

Ring-a-ling-a-ding-ling ...

You know how we all choose that “just” right ring tone to play on our phones when a certain special person in our lives calls us.

I have Darius Rucker’s “It Won’t Be Like This For Long” on mine for when my kids call me, because I realize it won’t be like this for long. So, I better answer them every time they call me. Then, when my Rooster-lovey calls me, well, “our” song plays - George Straits, “I Cross My Heart”. Or when Tatia calls, “Chicken Fry” by Zach Brown plays cause well … that’s my kid’s favorite song.

Of course the kid’s chose Alan Jackson’s “Small Town Southern Man” for their Poppa. And for their mother – they chose “Redneck Woman” by Gretchen Wilson … okay so I don’t like champagne or beer … but I know what they are saying – Momma keeps it real! That’s what happens when you raise your kids barefoot … hahahaha

And then there are those songs that come on and remind you of what you wished someone felt about you …

And then there are those songs that come on and reminds you of what you know someone truly feels about you each and every time you look into his eyes. So, my sweet Rooster-lovey, here is the song I hear, every time I look into your gorgeous hazel bedroom eyes…

Just One Woman … by Tracy Byrd

When Roy was a young man his friends used to tell all about
The girls they ran with and he’d just shake his head
And they’d get to laughing and asking
Well, Roy just how many girls you loving on these days
And he’d turn three shakes of red
But if you ask him now he’ll tell you
Boy, this old man’s been around
And I ain’t one to brag but you’d be hard pressed
To find too many other men around this here town
That’s loved the way I have

Just one woman
One amazing, worth the waiting
Angel from above
Just one woman is all I’ve ever loved

Well, I asked him once, Roy, don’t you think by now
She’d have wanted you to move on
He said, no, not yet
Cause once a man’s stared into the eyes
Of the most beautiful woman God ever made
Well, that’s something an old man don’t forget
But boy, don’t you worry about me none
My time here’s nearly done and I know when I’m gone
These old bones are gonna fly and I’ll be reaching for the sky
And I’ll be holding on

Just one woman
One amazing, worth the waiting
Angel from above
Just one woman
Is all I’ve ever loved

Just one woman
One amazing, worth the waiting
Angel from above
Just one woman
It’s all I’ve ever loved
She’s all I’ll ever love.

Yep, … that’s what you make my heart feel like … and while I KNOW your time isn’t anywhere near come, I understand … I really and truly understand what you told me this weekend … and I love you … just one man … you’re all I’ve ever loved … you’re all I ever will love!

Park Day ... Part Eins

While Mr. Rooster was in Evanston Wy- Oh My Goodness IT IS GORGEOUS -ming, I took the Wild Bunch-Zoo Crew on the requisite trip to park for pictures and for fun. I mean gee this trip that Mr. Rooster took was so hard on the kidlets that Savannah literally made herself sick.

So here they are ... The morning of April 22nd ... all smiling and having fun at the UTPB Stonehenge replica. We love to take photos out there ... it is really just uber cool to have a bit of British history, replicated here in Texas, especially here in town.

My girls are so darn cute in pigtails!

LOL, See how sweet they all look here .... look at the first pose though ...

Sarah ... don't choke Jon~~~

Tune in tomorrow at the same bat place, at the same bat time ...

for the further park adventures of the Zoo Crew - Wild Bunch ...

I'm BAD ..

Last week was ... well, YUCK ... nothing went right ... blogging was a go, no go situation ... LOL, can you tell I have been doing a K.T. Analysis ... well, probably not, but hey ya' learned something new today. Roo does K.T. Analysis at work and for his master's program. I do K.T. Analysis while consulting and while trying to maintain a normal level of life around this crazy house.

So, let's see ... to tantilize my edge of the seat readers, I have PICTURES of the zoo crew. AND, soon I will have an AWESOME giftie picture to share with you that Roo let me buy for myself. I was reading another homeschool mom's blog. She lost one of her precious little boys this last year, and her simply awesome siblings bought a locket for her birthday with his picture in it. So, I went on a major internet surfing expedition to find said locket where I could show Rooster. Hehehe ... the man so has my heart ... he loved it as much as I did and told me to order me one!

Hmmm ... well, let's see what can I plop in here to make ya' happy ...

Oh, I know ... how about some smiling faces ....

Here are my Easter Sunday smilling faces ... the Wild Bunch went out and chased down the Easter bunny, beat him up, and forced him to hand over his eggs.

"Lucy, You got some 'splainin' to do ..."

Okay, so my name is not Lucy ... but well, I have some explaining to do. I've been VERY bad this week. I have been in a serious FUNK! I mean from Sunday evening on ... I have been just BLAH, BLECK, BLUB ... and several other horrid funky sounds.

Okay, so my explanation is this ... the Rooster is not in the nest ...

Today, we are cleaning like mad ... trying desperately to get some symbolance of order going in our lives. We did do school, and we did go to church last night. YESTERDAY, I drug children to the park with weiners in tow ... but it was like we really didn't want to do anything. We really need the Rooster home, or well, we just aren't a complete circle. I don't know how women raise their kids alone, I know I was a single mom for 6 years. I hated every stinkin' minute of it. AND I sure don't wan't to find out how to do it again.

So tomorrow when my nest is feathered again with my Rooster, I will get myself together, download the camera and post like a nut. But until then, well ... just know that his plane lands in 5 hours and all will be right with my world again then!!!

Catching up ..

Okay ... last week the farm girl, put on her city duds and stayed the week at the Hilton working a training class ... way cool.

However by day three of said training class the farm girl was quite ready to ditch the city duds and run around barefoot in her Aggie shirt and shorts. Can I just say I'm glad last week is now over.

Now, this week the farm girl is home, and the Rooster has flown the coop. WYOMING ... I'm hearing that Wyoming is an awfully pretty place to be right now. LOL, hubby has fallen in love with another state.

This week the farm girl is trying to catch up laundry, cook for her kids, and just enjoy life at home. However since the Rooster is gone, his little Princess Peach is NOT doing well. She has run a low grade temperature all day ... been a lousy conversationalist ... can I say GROUCHY PANTS ... slept nearly all afternoon ... and well, has been VERY clingy!

Oh, and I am desperately trying to catch up on my grading/grade book ... sad state of affairs!!

Pondering something ...

Sometimes, I get something stuck in my head ... and I can't get it out. I can't leave it alone. And usually it is one of those questions that there is no answer to. This week ... the question on my mind is ...

"What happened to Barabbas?"

Oh, I know ... we have Mel's Passion that shows him "realizing" what he has done. Hmmm, I think I need to drag that one out and watch it again. And I know there has been speculation, and Hollywood inference. But I want to know. That is one of those questions that will plague me until the end.

I realize the "story" isn't that Barabbas was set free. I realize that the story is that Jesus was crucified instead, and that the Jews chose to set Barabbas free. I realize that ... I just have this burning desire to know if Barabbas changed his ways, did he become a Christian, or did he turn back to his life of crime?

Beef ... it's what's for dinner ...

Ode to Bubba T-Bone

Oh, dear cow friend

we have so loved you...

we have given you plenty of fresh grass

and freshly ground feed

cool fresh water

You have mooooooo-ed

your perfectly pitiful moo

when we pull in the drive

with groceries

whether they were for you

or us

You have looked at us

with your soft loving eyes

somehow I think

knowing what was on

our minds ....

Thank you Bubba T-Bone ...

Your 800 lb sacrifice has already been appreciated by the hands that fed you.

We have all thoroughly enjoyed your delicious ground beef, and

Last night we all noshed on Club Steaks that you have so generously provided!

You, my dear steer, will forever be remembered as our first freezer full of home grown beef!

Maine-Anjou's everywhere .... I salute you!!!

Okay ... enough silliness! The beef is the BOMB. Last nights steaks had NOTHING on them except for salt and pepper. That was to date the MOST flavorful steak I have EVER put in my mouth. And all I did was throw them in the broiler and cook them ... nothing fancy. No grilling ... no barbque-ing ... nothing except salt, pepper, and the broiler of my propane stove. It isn't the method ... it is the meat!

Fast Trip ...

No real blog post today ....

I had laid aside time this afternoon to post ...

But alas instead of being at home blogging ... I'm defrosting the freezer, and getting ready to go to Wolfforth where I can pick up meat from the butcher shop!

I'll have pictures to show tomorrow ...

Bible Bowl-ing

At first I thought this was some weird church sport. Okay, I'll admit, I didn't have a CLUE!!!! I'll be the first to admit it ... I'm not ashamed. Not at all ... well, of not knowing. But I am ashamed of me because ... I'm NOT smarter than a Bible Bowler ... MAN, these kids are awesome!!!



Do you know ... what book the Ethiopian was reading when Philip caught up to him? Or how about ... who spoke after Paul and Barnabas at the Jerusalem Conference? Or maybe ... before dawn, on the 14th day of the storm, what did Paul encourage everyone to do?




If those aren't enough ... I have more ... I have FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX more facts that these AWESOME kids learned.

Our church, Sherwood, sponsors our 4th, 5th, and 6th grade children. These kiddoes study for about four months in preparation for this one day awesome event. We traveled to San Angelo this weekend, and met other children from not only another local church, but also kids from around West Texas such as Bronte, Robert Lee, San Angelo, etc. I think all total there were 8 different churches participating with about twenty six - three or four "bowler" teams. Then, these kiddoes were divided up between experienced (the ones that had been there at least one time) and inexperienced (obviously the ones that had not ever been before).

Enter Smiley

and Ranger ...

Well, my little darlin's were on the inexperienced teams ... the Ranger and Miss Smiley had not had the opportunity at our last church to participate. The church didn't do Bible Bowl ... wow ...what a missed opportunity!!! I know every church can't afford this, but WOW ... what a ministry for the "FUTURE" of the church!!! These guys were well, can I just say "AWESOME" one more time ... and I'm not braggin' about my kids ... I'm talking all of these kids were just well ... OUTSTANDING. Everyone of our kids missed less than 20% of the questions.

Okay, okay ... on with the 'splainin' Lucy ...

Six rounds of thirty questions each ... One Hundred Eighty Multiple-Choice Questions!

With all the kids missing less than 20% of the questions that means they got at least 144 right ... well, our lowest score out of our 18 children was 159!! That's right ... the most missed was 21 questions ... and that means that child only missed 11%. And to add to that outstanding accomplishment ... our kids had at the top end of the spectrum a 179/180, a 178/180, a 176/180 (the Ranger), and a 172/180 (Smiley) ... now isn't that just incredible!!!

One book of the Bible ... Acts!

Each kiddie has their own cubbie with "A,B,C" flip cards. They must listen to each question being read nice and slowly by a very well eunuciated voice, with their three choices, THEN they can flip their card. And I'm not talking about three choices that you or I could go oh yeah that was this one ... we are talking about three choices with just MINUTE differences in the answers.

Anyway ... we went ... we saw ... and we had a BLAST. And we've got the t-shirts to prove it!

Let's see ... you say you want pictures of this fun time ... well let's see ... let's start with my guy ... hehehe ... he took a day of vacation to get us (our family, not the church) ready. But hmmm, guess he will be taking a day of vacation next year since he committed to helping with Bible Bowl next year as in he wants to be a team leader. He is such a good earthly Father ... a whole lot too hard on himself, but such a good example for his children. Okay, now I'm gonna get all weepy if I don't move on ... but hey it is POWERFUL when you see God move! We just have seven more years of Bible Bowl ... maybe in seven years I'll be smarter than a Bible Bowler ... hehehehe!

Also, in this picture you can see my grinning Wolfman, and the back of the Georgia Peach Princess' head ... she had a one-sided-over-the-head-catch-all-the-bangs-you-can-braided-do that day. Sir Hiss-a-Lot was also running around there ... he just moves too fast for the camera. These three guys were just AWESOME too ... they stayed out of the way, out of trouble, and were EXTREMELY supportive of their older brother and sister, and their teammates, too.

You will also notice lots and lots and lots of uhm, yellow in these shots ... man, I'm telling you if I never see yellow again it will be TOO SOON!!! YELLOW - ouch - my eyeballs hurt from all the yellow ... And it wasn't a bad yellow ... it was a rather mellow-yellow ... it was just well ... I really don't like yellow! Hahahahahahaaaaaa !!!! But the design on those yellow shirts was rather awesome ... their theme was "where the Kingdom began" .... and boy howdy ... what a Kingdom it shall be with these awesome kiddoes there!!! Every "kingdom" should be so lucky to have subjects such as these learning it's history.

Enough for this morning ... I gotta catch my breath, beat the washer into submission, coax the drier, and get my little dwelling back to "un-packed" status!

Teaching the little ones ...

Lately, I have been wondering ... what am I supposed to be doing?!?!

I know some of the things I "WANT" to be doing, but I wonder if they are truly what I am supposed to be doing.

I SO love being at home with my children teaching and training them ... but I so love training others where they are aware and thus, they are safe / safer from harm, they are healthier, and our environment is protected.

I am torn between two hearts ... and I do not feel led to quit either path.



Mr. "D" asked me Wednesday why in the world I would want to teach, after I had him in the sixth grade. HAHAHA ... little does he know but that one class a day, with him was probably what spurred me more into being a teacher of my children. I remember the care that he took teaching us, making sure that even though we were the cream of the crop readers, we never stood still, we never sat back and just coasted. He challenged us ... he dangled the carrots, and he made sure we were stretching just as far as our little minds could possibly stretch. Thanks Mr. "D" ... you are one of the very best that OUR education system has to offer.

So, really why do I want to teach my children ... well, beyond the obvious reason of I want them to have a well-rounded academic base when they go to college that has been well nurtured in all areas, not just football ...

• I also LOVE being the one that is there with them when they learn these new things. I love being the one that sees that "I GOT IT!!" moment.
• I want to be there first hand to hear those cuties - Momma, I want to study about the pyramids where all the mommies live. Hehehe ...
• I want to be the one that holds their little hands and explains the wonders of God's world while we sit outside at night gazing at the stars, walk through the zoos marvelling at all the animals or through the aquarium watching all the fish swim by, or when we watch a rain storm and they realize the water cycle that we have been discussing.

Now, I have added to my plate VBS for our church this summer. I get to teach 4 and 5 year olds ... I AM SOOOO EXCITED! I can't wait for VBS to get here. LOL, you'd think that I would get tired of teaching ... but I love it. It is a way of life for me ...

Wind ...

Wind ... wind ... wind ....

Whatever happened to "in like a lion, and out like a lamb" ... I would love to know.

The wind has blown today at around 900 mph ... maybe more ... my head is just SWIRLING!



At church tonight we played "Are You Smarter Than a Bible Bowler?" WOW, our two Bible Bowlers might just be tough to beat. I can just imagine what the Wolf-man will be like for the next four years ... San Angelo watch out here comes the Wolf-man! Right now they better be careful because the sweet innocent smile of Miss Smiley is lethal when it comes to answering those multiple choice questions. She would reach over real stealthy like and press the buzzer - and then in her soft sweet voice just whip out that little answer with her award winning (not really but golly gee whizzy, Ms. Julia Roberts doesn't have a smile that pretty!) smile and just barely whisper her answer. LOL, she could charm the scales off a rattler with that smile. And then, there is the Ranger ... once he was able to take a breath ... well, let's just say there was no stopping him ringing that buzzer and answering those questions! He didn't need he multiple choice for most of his ... he just answered the quesiton flat out. AMAZING!!! My children amaze me daily!!!

I would like to say I have more to post about tonight ... but my allergies are KILLING me ... I have a horrid headache and I'm going to go find a quiet spot to lay down and crash for a few hours. I didn't get much sleep last night ... I snored all night. Needless to say, my poor Rooster finally got up and went to work at 3am ... just to be rid of me.

Nighty night ... dear friends ....

Ramblings ...

Today was a really weird ... off kind of day for me ...

I am very unsettled in what I need to be doing.

However ... the Ranger read our history lesson about Jamestown to us all today saving my voice. I am VERY thankful for him. Today wasn't all roses between me and him, but it seems once lunch rolled around he was in a better mood. I know he and Sarah are very nervous. They are participating in our church's Bible Bowl competition this weekend.

Rooster finally tonight set them both down and explained to them that it was HIS job to get them to the church, fed breakfast, and dress appropriately. It is THEIR job to know the book of Acts inside and out ... I think the Ranger has that one covered. ((SHEW)) He is simply amazing how he can skim through something and commit it to memory. Sarah on the other hand is like her mom ... she has to STUDY for hours before she gets it right.

hahah ... Uncle Magic ... I consistantly posted everyday all last week ... hmmm, and I started this week ... don't get your hopes up, but I bet I even have something to say tomorrow after I get my self sorted out ... maybe I'll just post for you my GROCERY list ... not the bill, but the list ... geesh don't want anyone to die from shock ... even though I may ...

Rooster did point out to me a PERFECT spot for the raised beds. I am not fighting my ground anylonger ... I am installing raised beds to grow my produce in. Oh oh oh ... do you know what tomorrow is ... tomorrow is the day that Mr. Bubba T-Bone comes off the HOOK and starts the cutting up process! YEAH ... home grown grass and corn fed beef !!!! I may write an ode to the Maine-Anjou after that first steak!

Picturing Texas ...

I love Texas ...
I love just nearly all things Texas ...
and old buildings in quaint little towns or metropolisis for that matter really trip this girls trigger!


This is the Santa Fe Railstation in Gainesville ...
I took these pictures when we were there last year in February. My mother-in-law lived there, we went to visit her in the last moments of her life. She lived in this neat little retirement apartment building. And right next door was the train station. It is an Amtrak station, but was orginally built as an Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Depot, and has a museum located on the first floor. Upstairs are city offices and a replica of a Harvey House overnight stay quarters. This beauty was built in 1901 and designed by C.W. Felt, the chief engineer of the Sante Fe Railroad (Henry, J. C., Architecture in Texas, 1895 - 1945). By the way if you are at all interested in Texas Architecture, I really enjoyed reading this book. I don't have a clue about architecture, I am not an architect by any means, so I have no opinion on the book. I like, no strike that, I love old buildings ... but I know what makes me feel at home, and comfortable when I am traveling ... and this by far and way was a place that washed me in emotion.

Hidden back from view on one side by beautiful oak trees ...


With the most quaint little "lamps" I have EVER seen ...

Truly a charming little place to visit and walk around with the Wild Bunch.

The America I Remember ...

Telephones ...

Rooster remembers crank handle telephones. Where you called the operator and she connected you to the party you were trying to call.

Rooster remembers party lines. His family's phone ring was two longs and a short. Of course the phone numbers were also something along the lines of SHerwood - 54499. You had to search out the "S", the "H" and then the numbers.


We both remember rotary dial phones.
We both remember push button phones.

We both remember our first "hand held" phone.

We remember "mobile" phones that were wired into your vehicle and would honk like crazy when the phone rang.

We remember "affordable" mobile phones that came in a bag.

We now, no longer have a land line. We only have our cellular phones.

Do you remember any of these things ....

Of course these were simpler times, times where you were polite and did not listen in on the party line. If you had to break in you only did it in an emergency, and you apologized for interrupting your neighbors phone call.

Neighbor, now that in itself is a word that is lost on todays society. Do you know your neighbors? Neighbors were those people you used to sit on the front porch with in the evening while the kids played hide-n-seek, kick the can, or even tag football if you were from my neighborhood. We girls practiced the latest "cheer" on the sidewalks while the boys played ball in the street. Our dad's didn't have to referee, because the older brothers made sure that the game was fair, even for the littlest of players.

I miss this America ... the land of the free, the home of the brave ... the one that still trusts in God.

Tapestry of Grace

Well, it is official ...we have become lovers of Tapestry of Grace. And while I will admit it did cost me quite a bit at first ... a new laser printer (BEG), a case of paper, a couple of toner cartridges, and a WHOLE STACK of 20% off books from Barnes and Nobles .... I LOVE IT!!! And what is even better than me loving it ... my kids LOVE it.

Okay, here it is ... we started with Year 2, Unit 3 - Of Crowns and Colonies. I'll admit again, I went a little over the top with the first purchase of books ... but I didn't buy everything they had listed on their website. Which was a good thing, because not only do the children have to be educated but they also have to be fed FOOD!

And we all know that the grocery store is the well, TAKER OF ALL PAYCHECKS!!! However, I am trying the Grocery Game out for four weeks to see how that is going to work out for us, but more on that later because I am really trying to become the un-Disorganized Woman. And not to mention either, since I am trying to post about homeschooling today that I am also crocheting a baby blanket, sadly not for one of my own, but for my neighbor's new little baby girl. I am using a pattern from Mary Maxim, Heart of My Heart pattern

.
Okay, so back to the ToG stuff. I have realized that a lot of the really good OOP books that I so love will work just fine and dandy for this program. So, what am I doing - I am substituting books I want my children to read in for some of the selections in the literature sections. And I am using a ton of books that I have found at The Baldwin Online Children's Book Project, American Colonists' Library, Annie Fellows Johnston, and many, many others ... oh, one more great resource for online children's books of yesteryear quality ... The World Public Library. Of course there are some really great books in print, I'm not knocking some of today's classics in anyway ... I just find that some of yesteryears books are too quaint, and charming not to mention history filled to pass up! We always have our Kingfisher History Encyclopedia to keep us straight if we find ourselves "wondering" (no, not "wandering because we always wander away from the specific topic, to hop down the bunny trails of things that interest us greatly).

So, here we are ... Thursday ... where did this week go ... I am absolutely befuzzled as I am sure, yesterday was just MONDAY!!!

Yesterday ...

Wednesday in a Word ...

I love you more today, than yesterday, but not nearly as much as I will tomorrow ....

Finally ...

you get to see that handsome Rooster guy ... as he walked across the stage. I am so far behind it is pitiful. I know I should do this blog thing more often ... as a dear family member told me over Thanksgiving ... I'm VERY inconsistent. LOL, maybe I'll get on a roll here before long. I heard a really good piece of advice this weekend ... I need to quit letting life get in the way of the things I WANT to do!

So, without any further ramblings or ado from me ... I present to you ... Rooster!! In his graduate cap and gown glory ...

Birthday Wishes ...

Today ... is the 12th year that we have been blessed with ...

The Big Bubba ... he is the one that started our story ... and he is usually the one that instigates moments like these .... where all of my children are strangling a poor komodo dragon statue in the Fort Worth Zoo ...

or ....

all of my children perched on the ledge in the water park ribbiting like frogs ... because well they were near the water ...

Then, there are the moments when God's tiniest and very beautiful creatures catch his attention, and just don't let go. He was simply entranced by these beautiful little birds in the zoo. They bought little sticks with bird seed stuck to them to feed to the birds. He ended up with birds all over him ... trying to not only eat the food he had for them, but also nibble at his ears. Funny how their touch never concerned him in the least bit.

Of course of late, you will find him pestering his father with relentless questions about how this works, why this is the way it is, or what does this do, where is this or that, when does this occur, and on and on and on the questions roll ... And his questions are never annoying, they are thoughtful and though provoking. Of course those questions that come at 11:00 at night when we are trying to fall asleep are a bit frustrating. And no matter how many times we show him how to Google an answer to his more technical questions, he still comes to both Rooster and I first. Don't get me wrong, I love it! I love the fact that he thinks we are a fount of knowledge~~~

These boys have seen their share of rattlers since we live in the country, but alas they never seem to tire of any display of one especially one that is this long!!

Happiest of birthday wishes to my dear Big Bubba ... you are my tenderheart ... and I love you tenderly with all my Momma heart!

Edit ... sorry ... I have referred to the above mentioned child in this post as Big Bubba, and have been informed that he prefers the online moniker of Ranger ... ah, I love my children soooo much!

Tenderly my heart aches ...

Another year has passed ... our precious little boy would have been seven this year. Years ago, I had a professor tell me that I should have more than one child. So, if something happened to that child, the other child would fill its void. For all his education, that PhD knew absolutely nothing about this mother's heart.

Dear sweet Austyn Wyatt Jordan, today you would have turned seven. Miss Baby-Girl never knew you, but she is so very sure that your sweet spirits were best friends up in heaven. I don't know if that is possible ... but I do know this ... it is a very comforting thought that my baby boy, and my baby girl knew each other long before she came to be with us on this earth. Maybe baby spirits do come straight from heaven ... I would like to think that God has a hand in which children we each are blessed with.

Smiley-girl and Big Bubba of course have the fondest and strongest memories besides Rooster and I. They miss you so much ... just as much I think as Roo and I do.

On your birthday, we laid in bed together looking up at your portrait ... so peaceful. Just as peaceful as when you laid in your carseat in front of the kitchen window snoozing ... your little heart so content.

Thank you God for the ten beautiful days you gave us ... with the most peaceful baby in the world. While we would have loved 10 years, times 10 ... we will take the ten days gratefully, knowing that it could have only been 10 hours or worse yet 10 minutes.