Doing "The Best"

I know... again, the blog is being neglected! Unfortunately, so have a few other things these days, but I'm trying to do better! I have many things to "blog" about, but just haven't gotten to it... next month will be better.

I cannot believe this is the last week of April... and in just over a month summertime will have officially arrived. I'm looking forward to the summer - I usually do. But this one is going to be quite the new challenge, working with my kiddos literally underfoot.

My job is going well... it's gonna work - I'm grateful. But as I'm sure any mom who works knows, it can be pretty tricky some days... and emotionally and physically exhausting. As soon as I get up in the morning, I can literally hear the clock ticking in my head and feel myself running out of time. I've only got so many hours to get it all in... and as we all know, there is just never enough time.

Of course, on the bright side.... thank the Lord I work from home because if I had to add "look presentable and be on time daily" to my list... I'm thinking I'd be fired already. HA!

As I've gone about these last few weeks, I was glad to have checked in at an old friend's blog a while back (Janna) where while writing about being a mom in a portion of her post, she had written about "doing her best" and that ultimately, that's all we can do. She writes how "no one can do better than his/her best". I loved what she wrote, and decided to adopt her words and thoughts as my motto these days - and especially as I head into the summer.

As I go about my day and those inevitable moments of frustration arise when the laundry is piled high, everything in the house needs cleaned, dinner is probably going to be hot dogs or PB&J (again), Tanner is making the sad face (the one with the lip), Tessa needs me to help her find her pink high-heeled dress up shoes and listen to her sing, and Gracie wants help reading a book or writing a letter, and everybody needs more juice.... and all I can think about is how I've got to get at least four more hours in at that computer or I won't hit my quota and then the world, as we now know it, might absolutely fall apart...

It is then that I am going to stop and ask myself... "Am I doing my best?" And if the answer is yes... well then, so be it. That is all I can do.

Of course... the difficult and scary part of my saying, "yes, this is my best, and it is all I can do," is when it isn't enough. And let's face it - so often it isn't. And I worry that while I'm trying so hard some days to do everything... my three most important things may end up feeling lost in the shuffle.

Janna closed her post with these words:

For God is the only One capable of perfect love. May His perfect love drive out our fears of failing as a mother and free us all up to do the very best we can.

And that is most certainly my prayer these days... more to come. :-)

Bawk, Bawk!!

Growing up I have many an Easter memory... things the Easter Bunny brought, a new dress (of course), attending "Sunrise Service," and being annoyed that my new (always new) shoes would get wet from the grass, and of course, that M&M commercial... You know, the one from WAY back, with all the kids saying "Thank you, Easter Bunny," and the kid in the duck suit at the end going, "Bawk, Bawk". So funny...

And along with all of that, we went to church! You know, the common practice (especially on Easter) for those of us who call ourselves Christians/Believers/Followers of Christ, etc., etc.

I grew up Methodist... and attended the same Methodist church my entire childhood with the exception of the two years we lived in Georgia... and for those two years, we were Baptist (which is what my mother truly is at heart). HA! I remember several bits and pieces of the traditional Easter services I knew growing up, but one thing that particularly stands out in my memory was this song being sung.... every year (the first, second, and last stanza, of course).

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia

Raise your joys and triumphs high; Alleluia

Sing, ye heavens, and, earth, reply, Alleluia

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia

Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia

Lo, our Sun's eclipse is o'er; Alleluia

Lo, He sets in blood no more, Alleluia

Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia

Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia

Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia

Hail, the Resurrection Thou, Alleluia!

We didn't make it to church today, but I hummed the song this morning while I fixed our chicken salad for lunch, and we ate some candy, and I reminded my children dozens of times what Easter is really all about, and prayed that by next Easter we would have a church to call home and that the idea of not being there on Easter morning would be unthinkable...

If you know us, then you know we have been "church homeless" for a while now. In our logistical defense, Trav has run a paper route for a few years on Saturday/Sunday that has hindered the "moving on" process, but I know in reality I cannot blame it all on that. But some of you will be pleased (Trav is especially thrilled) to hear that the paper route is ending soon... and I will officially be out of feasible excuses....

But anyway... so for now, we were up early diving into Easter baskets and spent the day hunting eggs, having lunch, watching my Dad watch the Masters (and annoying him with my questions and comments in the process), and eating entirely too much chocolate and sugar altogether...

Tanner who has skipped nap now two days in a row... looked like this on the way home before we even got to the interstate. I'm hoping he feels like catching up on some of that nap time tomorrow.

Happy Easter!!

Spoiled...

Here is what Tanner does sometimes while I'm trying to work....




I know the baby gate seems harsh, but it is the ONLY way sometimes to keep him from trying to drag me out of my chair, or keep him from crawling under my chair to sit and then messing with my foot pedal. Bless....

But, then this is him later... when I'm done. Do you think I felt bad? HA! So spoiled...

Seasons Change

My poor neglected blog! It has been a while since I have had things together - and well, shockingly, I still don't.

Here are some pictures from the Easter Egg Hunt we visited at the Clinton Library (complete with pony ride) this past weekend for you to see.

I'm so glad Spring has finally arrived... of course, not that you'd know it today. Shorts on Saturday, winter coats two days later. Typical Arkansas weather. I have a love/hate relationship with it.

Our household is going through some adjustments these days. Last month I was offered a full-time spot at my new job, and all things considered, I decided to take it. Nursing school plans not abandoned though... just on hold for now.

This is my second week, and so far all is well. On the down side, full time status comes with a schedule, and a "quota" to be met each day. But the upside is that it also comes with a full time salary, benefits (like afforadable health insurance), and paid days off. Woo Hoo!


Because of various factors, like the timing for one, of how this has worked out, I'm going to have to manage on limited childcare until the fall. By limited, I mean that my children are home close to half of my schedule now, and I'm still trying to figure out what this summer will look like.


So, it gets interesting... Tanner gets frustrated sometimes, but overall has been a huge trooper about it. Tessa (usually my more complicated child) has actually done the best, and Gracie has been downright bitter about it, with multiple complaints. Bless her!


We have discussed at length why Mommie needs to work more, and the importance of families working together to get things done, and not to mention that she should be extra grateful because most mommies have to leave the house to get their work done and I don't! But you know, 6 year olds don't always see the "big picture". HA! But, she's coming around.




So... good news for us. And here I am, grateful and excited... yet still completely nervous and "worried". I'm praying that the Spring brings peace. I don't know what it is about me that sometimes I just can't live in "peace" instead of constantly seeing the "other shoe" dangling over my head - ready to drop at any second, fearful of what I'll do when it does.

The last year has proven over and over that as I continue to wait for and assume the worst - God continues to show up. Peace to you and yours this Holy Week.

Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.

1 Peter 5:7 (The Message)

Celebrating Tanner

Here are some pictures from our celebratory park outing for Tanner's 2nd birthday! He got a cool new big wheel to ride on... and his buddy, Drake, came to play too.

He must have known he was getting older, b/c while usually disinterested in them, he wanted to take a crack at the big kid swings, and was not happy about having to get off!

Then we moved the party to Chick-Fil-A (of course) for dinner and cake! Tanner loves Diego... especially the "Rescue Pack" song.

And his other favorite is Max and Ruby... so he got a "Max" to hang out with too (courtsey of Aunt Mandy, of course).

And finally, he got to dive into his birthday cake - literally.

Two has brought on some new things for Tanner... his climbing (though I didn't think it was possible) has improved, he talks all the time, and has suddenly decided that what he wants is every bit as important as what Gracie and Tessa want too and is unafraid to mix it up with the girls to make his feelings known!!

But.... my favorite thing he does these days is his absolute insistance to give everyone a hug before they leave the house, or he heads off to nap or bed time. It's soooo sweet!

So Happy Birthday to our sweet little surprise! I think it's going to be a fun... and crazy year.

Happy Birthday To Tanner...

Our baby turns 2 today! We celebrated yesterday with some fun time at the park, and dinner at Chick-Fil-A, of course...

Here he is enjoying his gift from Nana and Papa this morning before heading off to school. He was loving getting to ride on it while watching Deigo and singing "Happy Birthday" to himself.

Happy Birthday today to our sweet little surprise!

More to come...

Just Older...

So here is a big Birthday Shout Out..... to me and Trav.



I was 35 on February 21st, and he turned 36 on March 5th. Neither of us is thrilled about it...

Why does 35 seem so much older than 34 to me? And Trav being 36... I mean, that's practically almost 40! HA!

But oh well.... as they say, it beats the alternative.

We celebrated a few times and got some great gift cards and two very nice dinners out of it... but most importantly (and my favorite) my sweet sister did the coolest thing and had the first year of my blog "published" for me.

I had been thinking I should print out some of my posts (you know, for my kids - especically since I can't seem to get it together to scrapbook), but I hadn't done it yet. And now I have this great book with all of it, the pictures and everything. I love it. Aunt Mandy is THE BEST! She did it over at http://www.blurb.com/, if you're interested in doing your blog for yourself.

Somewhere around 27 or 28 I started a list of things (you know, stuff I wanted to do, try, accomplish, etc., etc. ) I was planning to get "done" by the time I was 30.... and let's just say, there isn't much crossed off of it. But... you know, these days I find that more often I want to just relish in every second of the "now" God has given me, and focus on being grateful for what I have, but yet hopeful for what might be in store.

So at 35... while I'm not excited about the idea of turning 35, I'm really just thrilled to be happier and healthier than I was at 34... I still have my list, and while I may not get around to all of it, maybe even before 40, I'm going to keep it, and maybe even add some to it... but more importantly, I'm going to be grateful for all that is in my life that hinders me getting things crossed off of it!

So to close my birthday blog shout out to me and Trav... and sum up my thoughts on turning 35 and beyond, I must leave you with the words of the great poet, Jon Bon Jovi. HA!

I like the bed I'm sleeping in

Just like me, it's broken in

It's not old... just older....

Like a favorite pair of torn blue jeans

The skin I'm in, it's all right with me

It's not old... just older....