As part of Lent, I left facebook. I thought my withdrawl would suck me back in, but I got to be honest, I have been enjoying not being tied down to the computer, and games. Although I miss the heck out of my FarmVille. I decided to import my blog into facebook before I left. Although I had the link to reach me here on my info page, many weren't sure how to get there. I had thought about resetting my privacy and not allowing notifications be sent to my email, but decided against it.
Fast forward to February 24th and this post. I had been off facebook for one week. At first I received some of the greatest responses. In fact, I wrote about one here. I was feeling good.
A friend from high school, someone I had reconnected with on facebook, left me a comment, innocent enough, and had said, "THIS TOO SHALL PASS!!!" She was someone who had posted a comment a few days before, and obviously had her own story that I REALLY wanted to log into facebook about and ask, but decided against it. I was grateful for her comment, as I always am, and thought nothing more of it. Until...
My Auntie left me a comment. She simply stated HER opinion and said, "some things don't pass." I understood where my Aunt was coming from and why she would feel that way. After all, she is the mother of my cousin who was murdered, and the grandmother to Mandelyn (the little angel who I called my niece). For my Aunt, the senseless murder of her only son will NEVER pass. How could it? For Sara, the death of her only daughter (Mandelyn) will NEVER pass. I get it. I understood my Auntie's response. I broke Lent, signed into facebook, and tried to explain what my Aunt had been through. By then, it was too late. WAR broke out over the next few days on my facebook.
I was SICKENED by the emails coming into my inbox. LITERALLY, sickened. I left it alone, believing, as I do still now, these 2 GROWN women can handle it themselves. I guess I should have logged in and deleted each individual post as it came in, or just deleted the entire thread. I considered it, but I was NOT going to be sucked into moderating my facebook. I thought it would come to "let's agree to disagree". It didn't. I even posted about walking a mile in someone else's shoes, and that was taken completely out of context. I was STUNNED and SADDENED by the turn of events. And then...a threat was made.
My friend told my Aunt that she would be out here in 3 weeks and she could join her son. Well now, that is COMPLETELY different. Let's not go THERE! I was shocked because my friend, up until this point, claimed to be Christian, and I enjoyed her view on life, had been keeping her in prayer (as I finally did get that story I was looking for from her), and wasn't aware of ANY Christian I knew who would make a death threat. As I said, I wasn't going to get in the middle, but someone else didn't feel the same way, and she, though feeling the need to protect my Aunt, took this to a whole new level of low and it spiraled out of control from there.
I logged in late last night, in tears, watching the EVIL spew from mouths. One person even went as far as saying, "There is no f***ing God..." and that was it for me. If you are living like there is no God, you had BETTER be right. Hell is a terrible place. And if you truly believe there is no God, where is my cousin? Where is Mandelyn? No, no, I won't stand for such nonsense vomited onto MY facebook. Did I mention this was ALL being said on MY facebook. Good grief. I would like to know how MY blog about MY son's diabetes and what MY family is going through could turn into this?
When I awoke this morning, my head was clearer. It helped to pray on it last night, and our series at church right now is touching upon the war we are in. A great friend emailed me this morning, supporting everything I had in my head, and it helped tremendously. I left facebook to deepen my commitment to God. Satan wasn't handling it very well, as I had done a great job (even I didn't know I could hang on for as long as I had). My friend reminded me we are at spiritual war, and to put my armor on. I truly believe I've been wearing it, otherwise the "old" Tiffany, Tiffany B.C. (BEFORE CHRIST) would have come to the table to play. I think of that "old" Tiffany, and PRAISE GOD she doesn't rear her ugly head. Instead, she deactivated her facebook until Lent is over, because I refuse to have to log in to moderate the sick, vile things being regurgitated onto MY facebook, or cringe every time I go to check my email.
Are you wearing your armor?
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:10-18
We had a late night last night, Cameron went low, and we were up until 12:30 am. I knew we wouldn't make it up at 6:30 for church at 9, so we slept in, and decided to hit church at 11. This meant eating out for lunch. Still, technically, not breaking Lent, as we did not eat Fast Food (McD's, Baker's, etc) and opted for Red Robin. And, if you need more reassurance, Lent (from all the readings I've done) is not observed on day of worship (as we celebrate our Lord that day anyway). Why do I feel like crap then? Because crap went into my system (and I ate soup & salad combo). UGH.
Dylan, on the other hand, enjoyed lunch immensely and even gave me a lemony smile. :)
Hubby decided to get a little Playstation 2 action in this evening. Peyton wanted to help Daddy.
I LOVE this beautiful smile, on this equally gorgeous face, despite the fact that it's the face I get when she's done something she clearly knows she shouldn't have. Note the water on her shirt. She decided to spit it out.
Hubby knows this face too. It's the face I give him when I want something. he he he
Yes she is...I'll have to share the tongue shot I got before this sweet, innocent shot, another time. ;)
I woke up this morning to quite a surprise. Before leaving facebook for Lent, I imported my blog to post there, as some were confused on how to find it. I thought, long and hard, about turning off my notifications for comments posted, decided against it, and toughed it out on a couple I REALLY wanted to respond back to. This morning, however, I knew I was done for. At first, I began writing my response in Word, and I was going to break Lent, log into facebook, copy and paste my response, comment and go back out without looking anywhere else. However, as I drove the boys to school this morning, I decided to blog about it instead. :)
I have never met David in real life. He is married to a REAL life friend from high school, Kelli, and I want to take the time right now to THANK HIM completely for his candor, his opinion, and taking his time out to respond to a very personal, very emotional, very raw blog post I posted yesterday.
David Carroll commented on your note "Wit's End (Project 365/2010)":
"The lying thing I can relate too. But at that age I don't think that any of use can really have a grasp on consequences to our health from our actions. The important thing to remember is that he has a completely different perceptive of everything in his life then you do. I can't begin to imagine what it would be like to be him dealing with what he has to deal with and trying to coupe with the issues he has to deal with. It's great that you look to God's word to help explain things but while in doing so remember to use his whole word and not just on perspective or one side of the word. Without the full context God's word can be used as a tool by the Enemy. Why are we obedient to God? why do we serve him, does he want us to come to him through fear or love ? Our sinful nature , sin in general is a hard concept to grasp for many, not excluding adults. God wants us to approached our children with patience and love(1 Corinthians 13:4-7) as he does with us. Don't get me wrong, obviously we are going to discipline(Proverbs 23:13-14) but remember as God disciplines us it is out of love and a good measure to know when we are losing our focus on God is when we begin stray from his path( I as well as every parent in the world I think has sworn or outed out of line at times) . I think that it is awesome that you are trying to talk to him to and explain to him what loving himself means, but I will say that I personally wouldn't(didn't) have gotten any of that and truly understood those concepts until I was a grown man, in fact I would say in the past 10 years. And I know that it is not just his health that is a concern(at least it wouldn't be for me). And maybe I am making a false assumption, but , I am sure that you are taking his behavior personal, maybe feeling like his actions is a measure of how he feels about you and/or the rest of the family in general. The truth is our children(and I am fixing to steal what I heard someone else say) Our children will never love us as much as we love them. If they did, they would never leave the house and pursue their own path.
As a brother in Christ reminded me, as in anything we need to completely surrender to God.
"(1 Corinthians 10:13) - 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
I will tell you a personal story, I have been dealing with the lying issue myself and was at my last straws. I prayed to God and he spoke to me one night. I had been praying that he open my child's eyes to the truth and I got more then what I expected Back.
He told me that I was to him what my child was to me in relation to obedience. How could I expect obedience when I , myself, was not completely obedient and giving everything to God. Obviously God does not expect me to be perfect, I am a work in progress as are all my brothers and sisters in Christ. I still need to be a parent and teach my children and guide them even if I can't be perfect and even if that makes me a hypocrite sometimes. But what I did get from this is another point of view, another perception.
I love Jesus will all my heart, I want to be everything that God wants me to be. But I am still an adolescent at times, disobedient , doesn't mean that I don't love Him or I don't want to make Him happy.
I was humbled by this answer. I needed to adjust my approach. I needed to work on me just as much as I was working on them. I need to focus on God and focus on
what he wanted me to do instead of letting my anger, hurt , and frustration control the situation. (Like I said, still a work in progress).
As far as a psychologists. I just have to ask, have you sought our counseling from your church or pastor ? To often these days conventional secular mental health professionals want to label children and want to make the issue go away through meds. I think the first answer always is to seek Gods help and to utilize the body.
I had another question, have you tried , instead of taking away from him, substitution. There isn't a young man that I have known who hasn't been a black whole when it comes to food. Maybe instead of just locking the fridge , dish out some cash, buy him is own refrigerator that he is free to go into. Get him involved and allow him to choose from fruit Veggies or whatever he is allowed to eat. Get him to start making his own recipes. Maybe he can take some snacks that he made himself to school. Pre-package snack Packs to the right serving sizes. Come up with a currency system, allow him to earn a reward for his effort, maybe for keeping his log up-to-date.
Anyhow I hope that I didn't get to involved, and God bless you if you read all that. You and your son will be in our prayers." , God Bless you either way :P"
David, I want to thank you so very much for responding to this post. Your response is EXACTLY what I needed to hear from somebody, and didn’t realize it until I opened my email this morning. It was a ray of sunshine in a gloomy moment in my life. And having never met you, I am deeply grateful for you taking your time out, opening yourself up, and giving me your point of view. THANK YOU!
The whole time I was reading your response, I was screaming in my head, “YES!” and “I’ve done that too.” LOL I realize Cameron is 10, and at such a young age, it is hard to grasp the severity of one’s actions. Having said that, Cameron IS an extremely intelligent 10 years old, a point I have come to realize I need to step back from, and let him BE 10 years old. I tend to expect more from him, because of his intelligence, and I admit, it was hard to cut that back where his diabetes is concerned, but I had to. As for reading the Bible, he has daily devotions as well, and we read the ENTIRE verse, and then dissect it. You hit the nail right on the head; anyone can find a verse in the Word and spin it to their advantage. I don’t feel his behavior is personal, but it does hurt me to my core. He is my first born, and the most like me. I will admit, when you wrote that, I had to sit back and consider it, but in my gut, I do not feel it is personal. It IS, however, EXTREMELY personal to him. As he asked me, through tears, last night, “Why do I have to have this disease?” And I believe that question is the basis of all his actions.
Obedience in anyone is hard, ESPECIALLY when it comes to serving our Father in Heaven. We are sinful by nature. I deal with the struggle of obedience and sin EVERY day. I am an adolescent when it comes to my walk with the Lord. I can’t imagine a more loving Father than ours in Heaven, as he deals with all of our adolescent behaviors second by second. LOL I do realize, as I was writing that blog, that people would look at me and say, “How could she possibly be doing him any good as heavy as she is.” And the truth is, I haven’t been as forthcoming about my weight problem, but I have lost almost 40 lbs since August, after structuring my own obedience (and surrendering) to how the Lord wants us to use our bodies. I thought, selfishly I’ll admit, leading by example would help him. If I become healthy, he’ll see how serious it is. I realize now that is not the answer, as he has to WANT to be healthy. And you are correct; his health is not the only concern.
I laughed out loud as I read your “stolen” saying, “Our children will never love us as much as we love them.” Every night, before I kiss Dylan goodnight, he says, “I love you Mama.” And I respond, “I love you more.” He giggles and says, “NO!” And I tell him, “It is IMPOSSIBLE for you to love me more than I love you.” When he tries to say “IMPOSSIBLE” back to me, he squints his eyes because it’s such a big word. I mean it every time I say it and I LOVE how he responds back to me. I also know that truer words have never been spoken. A parent’s love is like none I have ever experienced. And I have only experienced it since having Cameron (a blog for another time).
I realize I made a huge deal of the lying issue with Cameron. My reasoning for that is because I grew up a liar. I was the product of my raising (and the complete and utter disregard for truth in my household). I’m not proud of this fact, but as a Christian woman, I DESPISE liars. I have no tolerance for them, and feel like if you can’t be honest and tell the truth, then don’t talk to me. Because I vowed to do better by my children, Cameron’s lying is an issue of MINE and, this is where I can honestly say, is VERY personal for ME. I do pray about it nightly, and patiently await my answer. I also ask Jesus to touch Cameron’s pancreas and heal it, as well as a cure for Type 1 Diabetes, and again, patiently wait for our Lord’s response. I will continue to do so until I get an answer, or until my dying breath, whichever comes first. :)
As for the psychologist, I believe it is the right thing at this time. I had been praying about it for some time and had gotten my answer last week. I agree with your assessment of Doctor’s labeling and shaking meds at our children as a cure. I am blessed that my Hubby is a Special Education teacher and wouldn’t allow such nonsense. I am doubly blessed by a Pastor at our church. You see, he has 2 Type 1 Diabetic daughters. One is in high school, and the other (was diagnosed a few months after Cameron) is in the same grade, and class, as Cameron. He is the first person I contacted when this took a turn for the worse. I contacted, in order, yesterday, my church, Cameron’s school counselor, Cameron’s primary doctor, Cameron’s endocrinologist, and our insurance. ALL of which suggested a psychologist. The way it was explained to me, was Cameron would be seeking help for coming to term (and dealing) with his illness, which makes complete sense to me. As much as I hoped to find Christian psychologist, finding one licensed to deal with children AND children with illnesses was much more important.
Finally, as for the food issue and the bottomless pit that is a man’s stomach. ;) In the beginning, we had to be strict regarding his food. And, for anyone who knows our family, we were already pretty strict. My weight problem has been a life long struggle. I was not about my kids dealing with the same thing. In fact, when Cameron was diagnosed, he told the nutritionist in the hospital, I’ve never even drank a Coke. She, the nurses, and the doctor’s laughed, thought he was full of it. When we got back to the hospital and were talking nutrition, she relayed what Cameron said and winked at me. I was ASTONISHED. I returned the favor by explaining that my child’s mouth had NEVER touched a soda. I went on to explain that they were telling me my child had a food based disease, which made no sense to me, because he was one of the healthiest eaters I knew. Writing that just now brought tears to my eyes, because it wasn’t until he became a Type 1 Diabetic that his eating habits changed. Grrrrr. Cameron knows there are foods he can eat without taking an additional shot, and the fridge is chalked full of them. His refusal comes from taking additional shots for the crap he puts in his mouth. He has been allowed WHATEVER he likes (within reason – he can’t eat chocolate cake or ice cream on a daily basis), but he MUST take the shot to cover it. That fact is what he is rebelling against right now. And at the heart of it, I GET IT! I wouldn’t want to take a shot EVERY time I ate either. His resentment for having this disease is valid. My prayer is that we can help him accept it, embrace it (which is asking a lot), and become the healthy young man I pictured him to be when I held my firstborn son. In the meantime, I have to tighten the reigns a bit, because his continual high blood sugars are damaging his body. He is already having problems with his feet (and that type of damage is irreversible). I hate changing up my fridge and pantry, but it IS a necessity at this time, to save my son.
David, I have to say, your currency idea is FANTASTIC and I am going to delve into that idea more over this weekend. Thank you again for your response. I pray you read my equally long response. he he he
And for everyone else who took the time out to read this long winded blog post, God Bless!
Ever been there? At your wit's end? I currently reside there. Now the question remains, do I call my friends in the white coats and be taken away to a MUCH needed vacay in a padded room, or do I FIGHT until my dying breath?
It's no secret we have been dealing with Cameron and his sneaking food. When it first began, I COMPLETELY and SHAMEFULLY admit, I became a wild woman. I became a mother I did not know, screaming, spanking ... Didn't he understand he was killing himself? I changed courses and we did Bible study. I had him read aloud verses about loving yourself, how we are to treat our bodies, obey our parents, and that Satan is the father of lies (I wish I had someone who had done those things for me when I was 9 and 10 years old). We discussed the verses he read, he asked questions, and it helped...for awhile. His endocrinologist talked to him in December. That seemed to help...for awhile. I took everything away from him (no video games, TV, treats) and it didn't work. Now...well, be sure to check out the picture for 365/2010 further down this post.
Monday Cameron calls me with his 10 am number. The nurse gets on the phone and says, "Cameron's teacher wanted me to inform you she caught Cameron eating Nerds in class this morning." WHAT?!?!?
Oh no, wait, it's not the worst part of it. Last night I get a phone call from Cameron's teacher. She said a VERY reliable source told her that Cameron took a donut from a box of donuts on the teacher's desk. AND, here's where the last shoe dropped, he had been stealing food out of a student's lunch, but instead of calling me, she talked to Cameron and it stopped.
Upon learning all of this, and knowing what has happened (here at home) in the last few weeks, I decided to do a little investigating. I knew things had progressed and gotten much worse (i.e. sneaking food, taking insulin on his own to cover it up, and having extreme lows). In fact, he used up an insulin pen (containing 300 units) in just 2 weeks. TWO...T-W-O...2 weeks! We left Disneyland Friday night because his blood sugar was so out of whack, he was PHYSICALLY ill. I began to go through his blood sugar meter and fill in any blank spots in his log (I knew his endocrinologist would ask for them). Yes, well, not only is he sneaking, stealing, AND lying about it, he's also lying about his blood sugar numbers. I was DUMBFOUNDED when I looked in his log, reading the numbers he had been given me (and thus giving him the CORRECT number of insulin units based on said number and food consumed) and read the ACTUAL blood sugar numbers from his meter. For example, last night at dinner, he told me his number was 162 (GREAT!) and he took 6 units of insulin. His blood sugar number was ACTUALLY 502! 5-0-2! At bedtime he told him number was 182 (GREAT!). I instructed him to take 10 units for bed. His number, according to this meter, was 334.
Who is this kid? He's not mine. I don't recognize him. I have said, time and time again, that he came out from my womb INDEPENDENT. And ... I GET IT! Believe me, I GET IT! Tell me at 9 years old (or 35 years old) that I can't eat what I use to, and in order to eat, I have to take a shot. I would be infuriated. I AM infuriated. These words were told to my son! So, it stands to reason, that if I'm that pissed off, what is he? He is the Hulk!
I have spent much of the day on the phone, and Internet, seeking help. First, the school would like to put Cameron on independent study for a few weeks. This works for me. Spring Break is coming, and I could, theoretically, have him home for 5 weeks. In that time, I could do some serious damage to his a1c! Secondly, it would help him and I implement the new carbohydrate eating plan, again, taking down his a1c! Finally, it takes away the need for pulling him out of school for therapy. Oh yes, he IS going to a psychologist.
When I called his endocrinologist this morning, bawling my eyes out, she calmed me and said it was very urgent to get him help. Ya think? She got right on it, and a referral was sent to Cameron's primary doctor. In the meantime, I talked to his school counselor, who spoke to him, and she pointed me in a couple of directions. At last, I spoke to our insurance company, who gave me the names of 2 (ONLY TWO) psychologists in our area that specialize in children with medical conditions. Upon talk to the endocrinologist again, she knew of one and had me call. Now I'm waiting for a call back, but the endo said she'd be pulling strings in the background. She also wants to see him sooner than later. We weren't scheduled for another endo appointment until the end of April. Looks like we'll be going in a couple weeks.
I knew Lent was going to an awakening, but I thought I was going to be the one awakened. HA! Man plans, God laughs. Instead of focusing on myself (that padded room vacay is looking pretty sweet right about now), I'll be diving head first in taking care of Cameron (and Hubby, whose Dr. wasn't happy with him either on Monday). A woman's work is never done (or dull).
This is what someone at their wit's end does. I wish this were a joke, but we have seriously locked up the fridge (and I'm waiting for the pantry locks to arrive). I will do ANYTHING to keep my son from killing himself.
Dylan's Preschool class is studying Pets this week. In fact, tomorrow Dylan is to bring in a picture of his pet tomorrow. I printed a great shot of Bella & Jake for him to take to class tomorrow. Today he came home with a mask he made in class. I don't know about you, but I LIKE it! 
My reading habits are a bit crazy as of late! I look at the stack on my nightstand and think, "SERIOUSLY?" I have delved into Faithfully Fit for Lent, coupled that with You: On a Diet, and fallen behind on reading PrayerWalk. I started Dear John, in hopes of having it read before seeing the movie, then seeing the movie fell through, so I put it down. Wouldn't you know it, I ended up seeing the movie opening night, with only 2 chapters read. :( Now I have to finish the book (because I hear the book is WAY better than the movie). I'm finishing up Darkly Dreaming Dexter (LOVING it) and already picked up the second in the series, Dearly Devoted Dexter, from the library. I also picked up the second Sookie Stackhouse book, Living Dead in Dallas. Crazy, right? As if that isn't crazy enough, I began reading The Best Life Guide to Managing Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes (focusing on Cameron and Hubby's diabetes and blood sugar control), while still keeping up with The Busy Mom's Devotional weekly reading. Oy! I need to get a few of these DONE, so during Spring Break I can get at least 1 Classic book read for my Classic Bookclub. I wouldn't be able to get all of this accomplished if I was sitting on facebook playing my games. ;)
FOR TODAY...February 23rd
Outside my window...the sun is beginning to rise high in the sky.
I am thinking...I need to surrender completely.
I am thankful for...Carrie (Hatch) Castro. Despite the flack I am getting for giving up facebook for Lent, she told me Saturday how proud she was of me. Yes, she's a REAL life friend, on my facebook, AND she works at our church. It made me feel good about keeping it up, especially on a day I was questioning it. THANKS CARRIE!
I am wearing...new pair of $40 jeans I picked up for $9.99 (and a size smaller) and a t-shirt with green butterflies.
I am remembering...the beautiful, surprise, rain we experienced yesterday morning. I was in a GREAT mood all day yesterday because of it.
I am creating...a new family schedule.
I am going...to eat breakfast, feed Peyton, and then hit the store.
I am reading...The Best Life Guide to Managing Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes by Bob Greene.
I am hoping PRAYING...Hubby, as well as Dylan's preschool teachers and a few others, don't get pink slipped (as the school district approved the laying off of 117 full-time teachers).
On my mind...Apple Mac (considering ditching the whole PC thing).
Noticing that...Daybook is now a Tuesday, instead of Monday, meme. :)
Pondering these words...The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:22
From the kitchen...Linguine with Shrimp Scampi, salad, and garlic rolls.
Around the house...fresh clean sheets on all beds.
One of my favorite things...Dylan's laugh. He has THE best laugh, and so infectious.
A few plans for the rest of the week: decluttering and organizing pictures on computer, blogging, reading, and playing with kiddos.
From my picture journal...Peyton and I during an impromptu photo shoot before bed last night.
With the purchase of tobyMac's new CD "Tonight" on iTunes, our music library is now 19 songs away from hitting 5000. We could listen to music for 46 days and 12 hours without listening to the same song twice!!! I'm not surprised in the least. Hubby and I are both music lovers. When the first iPod's were bought, we spent hours upon hours, importing our CD collection into iTunes. Seriously, we were stupid about it too, seeing as we only grabbed songs off each CD that we liked, rather than importing them in their entirety. We would have been over 5000 songs a long time ago had we done that. I think our Spring Break chore will be to go back and do just that.
If you think our iTunes library is bad, you should see our CD collection. We have over 350 CD's, easy. Is that bad? ;)
I adore my husband's ability to take on both Peyton and Dylan at the same time. This started out as a demonstration to show Cameron a correct push up, then the plank, but Peyton couldn't resist jumping on for a "Horsie" ride. Dylan jumped on shortly after, not listening to me as I told him to wait his turn. Hubby just went with the flow and took them both on. :)
Yes, I realize Dylan's banner from his birthday party LAST Saturday is still up. We have a habit of letting them stay up for a couple of weeks after the birthday, giving the kids extra time to realize just how much fun was had. he he he And if you believe that, I have some swamp land in Hawaii to sell ya. ;)
We took a little trip to Disneyland this evening with some family, celebrating a little guy's 1st birthday. We weren't in the car very long before all kids were passed out. Yes, they are in pj's. Hello? We know this routine like the back of our hand. he he he
Pics were taken (by Hubby) at 11:49 pm, which technically makes them my Project 365/2010 for the day. :)
Ordinarily I would be sitting here, harvesting, plowing, seeding, and clicking the pink triangle above my animals on FarmVille. I would be playing that bonus round on Farkle. I would then read up the latest news, clicking any links to get a bonus from a friend who finished a ribbon, or lend a hand raising a barn. Oh ... how I miss my farm. I am having serious withdrawals this morning. I got on here this morning and almost clicked facebook...ALMOST! I am bound to prove to myself that I don't need facebook. Hubby made the comment the other night that he wouldn't know if I logged in or not, if I kept my chat off. But I would know! More importantly, so would God. After all, it's LENT I'm doing this for. ;)
As if my facebook withdrawals weren't enough. I passed Del Taco Wednesday, only to see the Crispy Shrimp Taco sign in the window. DOH! Del Taco brought them back, you guessed it, starting Wednesday, February 17 (beginning of Lent)...the horror! I can almost taste one, with the fried shrimp that had been dipped in lime chile batter and finished off with cabbage, salsa, and a lime wedge. DELISH! Can someone go eat a couple for me please? :)
Does anybody remember Snausages from the 80's? They were doggie treats, with a cute little commercial. My BFF had an annoying little brother (let's face it Pete, you were annoying). After seeing the commercial, he called my toes Snausages (even to this day). In fact, when each of my children were born, he checked their toes. SERIOUSLY, no joke. LMBO Anyhow, today, I had my Snausages pampered. Oh how they are thanking me right now. :)
BTW, the Carpenter side of my family (where I get the DNA of these cute little feet) prefer to refer to our toes and feet as Flinstone feet. he he he
Peyton is obsessed with a new show on Nickelodeon. She tunes me out when the show comes on. You can't get her attention. She talks to the TV, and if you are making too much noise, she stands smack dab in front of it to hear. Maybe she should have given up Team Umi Zoomi for Lent. ;)
I LMBO when I saw this today. I wasn't aware Vampires chose their eternal soulmate based on cell service. he he he FYI, NOT endorsing Verizon, as my iPhone is AT&T! ;)
I have decided to participate in Lent for the first time since becoming a Christian. I am looking forward to this time, deepening my relationship with Christ.
What is Lent?
Wikipedia has a page dedicated to it.
Answers.com had several responses to the question here.
I found this site to be very insightful.
As my Pastor pointed out this last weekend, we are at War. Satan is attacking from every direction. We must remain steadfast. I am putting my armor on, and for the next technically 46, but Sunday's are a day of celebration and Lent is not observed 40 days will fight the fight.
I will reflect upon my sinful nature, and strive to change my ways (including a few of the seven deadly sins). I will pray (and Satan will not step in my way and put his sleeping potion on me). I will pay the price of my sin by giving up my addictions during the ENTIRE 46 days of Lent, not allowing the celebration of Sunday to interfere with what I am trying to accomplish.
The addictions I am giving up:
1. facebook
2. ebay
3. fast food
4. (Detox) Coke/Caffeine*
Number 3 is THE most important addiction for myself, and my family, to conquer. Having said that, we are also making a change in our church schedule to do so. Since I began going to church, I have gone Saturday nights. Now, with a family of 5, getting naps, dinner and out of the house by 5:20 pm is EXTREMELY difficult! After Hubby and I discussed it, we decided attending church on Sunday mornings would allow us the control we need over fast food indiscretions. And wouldn't you know it, the first Sunday we implemented it (last Sunday), Satan was right there, whispering in my husband's ear, you know you want to go back to sleep. It wasn't until I was in the shower that Hubby rolled himself out of bed. I am also a realist. We have a couple of trips planned during Lent and on those days we may have to eat out. If we do, we will do our best to handle the situation properly and not just go straight to the burger and fries.
Finally, today I begin Faithfully Fit. It is NOT a diet or exercise program. Faithfully Fit is a day to day spiritual support system.
*I am making a conscious effort to rid my body of Coke. Having said that, I am NOT stupid. I am completely and utterly addicted to the soft drink, and having tried many times in the past to kick the habit, I was debilitated with severe migraines. Therefore, Coke is a process. Cutting down each week, with the finality of the last week before Easter having absolutely NO soda in my system. Amen!
Lent (post to follow later) begins tomorrow. We decided to eat out at Olive Garden before we begin Lent. My favorite dish is the Five Cheese Ziti al Forno. I'm a cheese-aholic, something that seriously needs to change. I can still taste the ooey gooey goodness. :P
FOR TODAY...February 15th
Outside my window...another GORGEOUS day.
I am thinking...not a lot of relaxing got done on this 4 day weekend. UGH!
I am thankful for...the world's best Hubby and amazing children.
I am wearing...black capri sweats and pink t-shirt.
I am remembering...how much food was wasted from Dylan's party Saturday. :O
I am creating...a new me.
I am going...to participate in Lent for the first time this year.
I am (STILL) reading...Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay.
I am hoping...the tough love act with Cameron is FINALLY sinking in.
On my mind...Barnes and Noble nook. ;)
Noticing that...I am down another 2 pounds. WOOT!
Pondering these words...
You are Love, you are Life
You’re the air that I breathe, you’re my day and my night
You’re my Joy, you’re my Peace
You’re the wings for my flight and vision to my sight
You are Truth, you are Power
Gave me faith to believe, brought me straight to my knees
Now I’m standing here in this moment with you
There’s nowhere I’d rather be
Beckah Shae ... Here In This Moment
From the kitchen...spaghetti.
Around the house...laundry.
One of my favorite things...the way Peyton says, "MaMom."
A few plans for the rest of the week: Lent, reading, walking, and maybe Disneyland for a few hours Friday evening.
From my picture journal...my baby Handsome is growing up
What a wonderful morning we had today. I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast, we made it to church (with time to spare), Pastor Tom's sermon was FANTASTIC, and then we took advantage of the beautiful weather and played at the park. All of this before noon. :) Peyton Mrs. Daredevil decided to try EVERYTHING she could, a few things we told her, "WHOA! NO!" I LOVE this picture I shot with my iPhone.
Finding the perfect cake is rare. Can I just say, this cake was PERFECT! Everyone was amazed at the detail, and it almost hurt to cut into it...ALMOST! ;)
I LOVE the way this boy sleeps! He seriously looks like a sleeping angel!
We were getting ready for dinner and the next thing I know, Hubby and Peyton were busting a move in the kitchen! I ADORE watching these 2 play together. I am truly blessed.
This is Dylan's first year making out Valentine errr...FRIENDSHIP cards. Politically correct in state preschool is FRIENDSHIP day. Hello? Can't buy FRIENDSHIP cards, therefore he's making out VALENTINE cards. Good grief. He sat up at the table, and filled his name in each and every one of those 24 cards (plus 3 for each teacher). He was so proud, and couldn't wait to hand them out to his friends tomorrow.
I had been wanting to make chicken and dumplings again for a couple of weeks. Tonight seemed to be the perfect night to do just that. Rain outside. Possible snow. :) When Cameron smelled the aroma filling the house, he got very excited. After his first bite, he was kind enough to give me a thumbs up.
I spent 5, FIVE, hours at the hair salon yesterday. I went in for a color change. I colored it for the first time last June, and although I liked it, I wanted the blond highlights taken out. The lady that had been doing my hair, had been fired. :O Therefore, I trusted my hair to someone new. He was FABULOUS! We had to pick out new colors, because the previous lady did not log my colors into the computer. Grrrrrr! I went for a lighter brown, and darker red. And, I must say, it worked out FABULOUSLY! Why the 5 hours then? Because the first time around, the red didn't hold. OMGosh! Are you kidding? I know, right? Totally sucked. The guy doing my hair, Jermaine, was shocked. He looked at me, and asked, "You got time to try it again?" Uh, YEA! I'm not leaving with red highlights. LOL In the end, I enjoyed his cut better than my previous lady, and he was kind enough to get the dye off my head before I left the salon. And for those of you thinking it, NO, he's straight! ;)
FOR TODAY...February 8th
Outside my window...the sun is going down.
I am thinking...I need to keep up with Project 365/2010 better.
I am thankful for...the boy's dentist, Dr. Bell. He is AMAZING!
I am wearing...jeans, New Moon t-shirt, and slippers.
I am remembering...the to-do list Hubby sent me.
I am creating...digital scrapbook pages.
I am going...try to clear some shows off of the DVR.
I am reading...Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay.
I am hoping...everything gets accomplished by Saturday, Dylan's birthday party.
On my mind...Dylan's birthday party and the lack of attendance. I don't know why it happens to Dylan EVERY year, but his parties are usually VERY low in attendance. :(
Noticing that...I am way behind on editing and uploading pictures.
Pondering these words...But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
From the kitchen...quick and easy dinners for the week.
Around the house...cleaning, cleaning, and, uh, you guessed it, cleaning.
One of my favorite things...Dylan closing his eyes when he says the word "IMPOSSIBLE". LMBO
A few plans for the rest of the week: dentist appointment for the boys, 45,000 service and tires for van, cleaning, and Dylan's birthday party...OH, and a 4 day weekend! WOO-HOO!
From my picture journal...Peyton with her new purse from Disneyland. :)
We put Peyton down in her crib, and finished getting the Dylan ready for bed. When we went back in to kiss her goodnight, there she lay, eyes squinted closed, fake snoring and asleep. Where do they come up with this stuff? :)
I realize I already have a ton of pics of Peyton with her 'gwasses' but Dylan got in on the act tonight. However, he's wearing his sister's glasses and not his own. I just love how they leaned into each other for this picture!
Tonight was my monthly Stampin' Up club. It was my night to hostess, and I made my DELISH Roasted Vegetables w/ Penne Pasta (oops, just realized I have to email the recipe to a couple of girls). Pamm, my Stampin' Up Demonstrator, outdid herself tonight with projects. I LOVE the matchbox Valentine, holding goodies for a friend. :)
Can you tell that this precious girl is sleeping? I couldn't either. he he he I had been talking to her, and she wasn't responding. It wasn't until I lifted her 'gwasses' that I realized she was catching some much needed beauty sleep. I love how she's holding her purse too. 
My baby Handsome is 5 years old today. I can't help but think how completely unfair it is to watch our children grow up so fast. I took cupcakes to his class today, as his birthday party isn't until the 13th. I enjoyed watching his class sing Happy Birthday to him, and the mess that was made from the cupcakes. And, God Bless his teachers for having the patience to handle the preschoolers after consuming the cupcakes. ;)
When Hubby asked me what I wanted to do for my 35th birthday, I instantly said, "Disneyland!" This morning we headed down, and decided to hit California Adventure first. I wanted to take Peyton and Dylan to see the Playhouse Disney show. OMG! What fun we had. Peyton's eyes dazzled the ENTIRE time. Her smile brighter than ever. Her little voice, squealing, "Oh TOODLES!" The greatest birthday present of all.
I never want to forget how Peyton says "gwasses" instead of glasses. As we left the house today, she paused and picked up her gwasses. When we got to Dylan's class, she sat down at the table. Dylan's teacher's sure do enjoy her company. Ms. Morales even gave her a snack and napkin, training her early. :)
FOR TODAY...February 1st
Outside my window...complete stillness, blue skies, and massive yardwork to be done.
I am thinking...I have a TON of blogging makeup to do from being sick last week.
I am thankful for...Hubby's ability to put up with my whining while I'm sick. I HATE being sick.
I am wearing...jeans, t-shirt, and shoes.
I am remembering...the delicious BLT from Farmer Boys on Saturday night.
I am creating...nothing, absolutely nothing.
I am going...to take 2 Excedrine Migraine and chase it with a Cherry Coke. The sinus headaches have finally set in.
I am reading...Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay.
I am hoping...the rain stays away, so I can go to Disneyland tomorrow for my 35th birthday.
On my mind...I am going to be 35! Ahhhhhh...
Noticing that...Peyton is definitely growing up, as much as I try to stop her.
Pondering these words...I am going to be 35! LMBO Do I have issues with my age? ;)
From the kitchen...good old fashioned comfort food.
Around the house...lysol needs to be sprayed.
One of my favorite things...Dylan's preschool teacher's kindness to Peyton.
A few plans for the rest of the week: cupcakes to Dylan's class for his (5th) birthday Wed, cleaning, reading, and maybe Disneyland for my (35th) birthday.
From my picture journal...a baby picture of yours truly...
