God is great. God is good...

Today I'm preparing part of the shrimp portion of the Shrimp and Grits that Woodland will serve at the reception tomorrow night for the ordination and installation of our new pastor.

I just had to take a photo of my favorite stage of this recipe. Look at this!

 

Look at the colors. God didn't have to make our food so colorful and appealing to the eye and to the taste, but He did! Amazing grace. Amazing! There is no reason, other than pure goodness and graciousness and love, for God to have given us the ability to see colors and, then having given us that ability, to give us such colorful and beautiful fuel for our bodies!

...Let us thank Him for our food. Amen.

New Year, Old Story...the best story

As it's the beginning of the year, I've re-started reading through the Bible this year, following the plan in Tabletalk. I was thankful that the reading for Monday the 2nd ended with Genesis 2. Why? Well, you see, I know what's going to happen and I know it's not good. Every time I read Genesis, I want it the whole story to be happy...beginning with God amazingly creating "all things," as the catechism says, and ending with God walking with Adam and Eve in Eden. I want to skip over the bad stuff and pretend it didn't happen. I want to rewrite it, like I rewrote Romeo and Juliet in 9th grade, without those fools as the main characters. And I do try not to fall into the useless spiral of abusing Adam and Eve in my mind: "You idiots! What were you thinking? Too bad I wasn't there; no way would I have eaten that fruit."

I cringe in Pride and Prejudice when Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth the first time; I cringe in Right Ho, Jeeves when Bertie bongs the fire alarm bell; and I cringe in The Order of the Phoenix when Harry mistakenly believes Voldemort is torturing Sirius Black. Every story has its moment of conflict and decision, and since He is the source of stories, God's story, of course, is no different. It's just that this story is for real and I am living its sad consequences every minute.

But God is good...a better story-weaver than Shakespeare, better than Jane Austen, better than J.K. Rowling, better, even, than PG Wodehouse. And He can...He has!...redeemed this story. The other section of reading on Monday was from the beginning of Matthew and right there in 1:21, God is so gracious as to let me know that His story is going to have a good ending..."She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

We still must fight the battles, but we can know the war is won!

Told ya'

The cuteness is so epic (as the February Baby would say) that I decided I just couldn't wait another minute. Here are a couple of choice photos that I found in my treasure trove. Both from 2001.

The May Baby.

 

 The February and September Babies.

A Thought...

Here is one of those observations that were the reason I started a blog...things I think and want to say out loud, but that are so narcissistic or Nelson-centric that I know the Facebook world would not appreciate.

Contemplated Facebook Status Update:
"I have been looking through old photos for Ella's school time line project and I have been reminded that my babies were the cutest, best, and most beautiful babies ever, ever, ever in the whole wide world!"

I did not post that. I came here to say it. And as I warned my reader(s) when I started this blog...it's all about us.

If you don't believe me about my babies, stay tuned for photos later.

Maybe after we get back from New York. And after the time line is finished.

Our Trip to St. Thomas, USVI

A Thousand Thanks

My next-to-last post mentioned a Blog-a-Day challenge...thankfully, I didn't take up that challenge because I would already be behind!

But here is my first thankfulness post of 2011, on the last day of the month. Yesterday in church, the September baby pointed out that it was already January 30 and he couldn't believe that we were already that far into 2011. The Good Doctor said yes, the year is 1/12 over and what had we accomplished? I riposted with a smart-alecky comment that I consider it a daily victory that we are all still alive and living together. But, I will admit (just not to TGD) that the question did make me think a bit.

It hasn't been sensationally or tragically bad, but we've had a rocky month...perhaps rocky isn't even really the mot juste..."less easy than I'm comfortable with" is probably about as strong as I can pitch it, if I must tell the absolute truth (and, since this is the Internet and everything you read here is the absolute truth, I suppose I must). Really, not even anything has happened about which I could say, "We'll laugh about this later." Just sort of plodding uncomfortably along.

The September Baby has Osgood-Schlatter Disease, which is not really a disease, but I love to say it because it sounds so exotic and awful. Basically, his knee hurts because his bones are growing faster than his muscles can keep up. It hurts badly and makes soccer less fun for him than I wish it were. We joke that it's because he drinks so incredibly much milk.

The February Baby is having a tough start to the year because we (and when I say "we," I don't mean we...I mean The Good Doctor) have decided that it is time that The FB start to make a concerted effort to get, and keep, his grades up.

The May Baby is, as usual, completely fine. Harassed by her brothers and missing her best friend, who has been absent from school because of mono, she keeps reminding me of the things on her list that she didn't get for Christmas, i.e. a horse and a violin. She gets blisters on her feet from wearing the high heels that her aunt (The Cool One) gave her for Christmas.

We've been busy and stressed with away soccer games and too many tests and too many days off (you know, having a short school week isn't fun at all any more...the teachers simply have to cram a week's worth of work into four, or even three, days) and too much stuff and too much laundry and cataract video-making and disappointments about land we can't buy and reports of my children being ugly to others on the playground at Wednesday night church.

So, where does the thankfulness come in?

Well, I am thankful, damn it. For...

139. Shampoo and conditioner that does what it says.
140. Dave Bruno and his book The 100 Thing Challenge.
141. Some cold weather...real winter in South Mississippi.
142. A date with The Good Doctor to see The King's Speech.
143. My iPad
144. Tuesday mornings
145. Three applications to take to PCS.
146. Jack Kennedy and United Christian Ministries.
147. Reminders that all the complaining I did in the first of this post is merely petulance and that, as I tell my children, if that's the worst thing you can come up with, you've got an extremely cushy life.
148. The boys getting to duck hunt with Grandaddy.
149. The years of farming my Daddy had, and this email he sent to me last week, after the auction of his equipment:

Subj: End of Quofaloma Partners

In March of 1977 Dixon C. Peaster, first cousin of my father James R. Peaster Jr., died of a sudden heart attack. Uncle Sonny and I rented Quofaloma Plantation from Stacia Peaster. I was the active manager and Partner until about 1996. Then I formed Quofaloma Partners with y'all until 2009. In early 2009 your mother and I formed Roseneath Partners and farmed until Dec. 2010. We rented the equipment from Quofaloma partners. TodayJan. 20th 2011 it all ended. I loved farming and I am very thankful to our loving heavenly father for allowing me to farm Quofaloma and Eden for 35 crops. Our God blessed and prospered us through this time. Today Dewitt auction company sold all of our equipment. It took about two and one half hours to sell the results of 35 years of farming. Jeff Dewitt and I have been loyal friends for 40 years. The auction was a success. It pays to have late model John Deere equipment. Y'all will be getting a nice check in about two weeks. This has been a very emotional time for me. I dearly loved farming.  Laura Lee thank you for your sweet note today and for your prayers. I did not go to the sale today. Too many memories. I love you both so very much. Good night from your your earthly father. Remember to fear God and love the Lord Jesus Christ all of your days.

(A Few) Favorite Christmas Memories 2010

Our weekend at Windsor Court in New Orleans in December.

The children discovered (or rediscovered) beignets.

I have tried to make them at home (with the souvenir mix), but they were not as good.

They also had their first visit to Brennan's for breakfast.

The May Baby's "Best Christmas Pageant Ever" at her school.

(Look at this photo and then try to tell me she looks just like me.)

My beautiful sister, The Cool One, with her beautiful nephews and niece,

sporting crowns from our Christmas crackers.

My family came to us for Christmas, since The Good Doctor was on call.

It was very good.

A Blog-a-Day?

I was just reading my new favorite blog (that I just discovered this morning) called The Grouchy Ladybug and the author mentioned that she had started a "blog-a-day" challenge. When I read that, it occurred to me to wonder just how long it had been since I posted here. It's been a long time.

And I don't have much time now to catch up because I've just had a call from Vincent, the Invisible Fence guy, who I've been waiting to hear from for...mmmmm...three hours. But I am happy he's coming. Frank and Chester have gotten in a very bad and scary habit of wandering way too far from home. Yesterday someone picked them up on Elk's Lake Road and was kind enough to bring them home to me. So we've got to take some drastic measures...and I think when we hear how much it's going to cost, it is going to feel very, very drastic.

Ugh.

But, at least, maybe it will help preserve the lives of the dogs for a little longer.

Until they chew up something else.

A Thousand Thanks

Ironically, just like the last time I posted, yesterday was yet another Monday off from school. Just for the boys; the May Baby had to go to school...but she didn't go until 9:00, and she had a yummy pit stop at Hardee's on the way for a chicken biscuit.

So, Number 119: A three-day weekend...another Monday off.

120. Spaghetti
121. Starting to feel a little like fall...sometimes.

 122. Silvery lavender and neon orange soccer cleats
in a (gulp!) size 10.5

123. The Stayers' hospitality
124. Candy!
125. Fifth Sunday night with all the local PCA churches
126. Tuesday mornings at Starbucks
127. Texts from Laura Young
128. Ponytail holders
129. School uniforms
130. Comfortable shoes
131. The Jones County Fair
132. Funnel cakes
133. Taffy (yes, I know I already listed candy...and a few weeks ago, I listed chocolate.)
134. Cataracts
135. Cold Diet Coke
136. Backpacks
137. Paying bills by phone
138. The smell of pipe tobacco smoke

The February Baby was the inspiration for number 138. On Friday I gave each of the children $40 to spend at Party Universe on a Halloween costume. He bought, among other things, a pipe. And he walked around all weekend with it in his mouth and it was so funny. I wish I had a photo of him. He didn't smoke it, of course, but it reminded me of my Uncle Sonny and the smell of his pipe when we would visit him and Aunt Patsy. What a cozy, wintry smell it is.

A Thousand Thanks

Number 118: Today is a day off from school! Hurray! "Fall Break," but since it's only one day, I think it should go by it's real name...Columbus Day.

The Roosevelt

 

This is an iPhone photo of the Presidential Suite at The Roosevelt in New Orleans where The Good Doctor and I got to stay for our anniversary weekend in June. Insane! This is the view from the door of the bedroom, which was huge, and you can't see it but on the left just past that bench is the foyer (with powder room and a table for a flower arrangement) and past that is the doorway that goes to the wet bar (filled with goodies for us). It was a fun, fun weekend. Next time, we're going to have a party here and invite Harry Connick, Jr. to come play the piano for us.

Sated on Saturday

I know I should give up on the alliterative post titles, but I can't do it yet. It has been a long time since you've heard from me..."you" being me, actually, or one of my ones of followers.

And just a note on my promise to keep you updated on the progress of the fort: I haven't broken it. There hasn't been any progress.

We have been really busy since school started on August 10 for The May Baby and the 11th for the boys. (One month ago!) Seventh grade homework is no joke. Also, lots of football games and horseback riding lessons, meetings for The Good Doctor, and pulpit committee meetings for me. And a whole lot of frantic errands to replace contacts (no glasses under helmets) and get football pads, mouth guards, chin straps, practice pants...

I enjoy watching the boys play, though, and they both seem to be liking it. Both boys sustained their first losses this week, however. The February Baby, whose team was undefeated last year, did not take that very well; he'd been blocking a monster from Poplarville (I think the kid's own child was cheering him from the sidelines). The September Baby was beaming when he came out of the locker room after his game...at least the Jackson Prep offense hadn't gotten around his end, during his six plays.

Anyway, losses have to happen, and it's said that they help build character.

So, I am going to go ahead and continue my thankful list with number 106. Losses
107. Football
108. Coaches
109. Safety, so far, from injuries...physical ones, at least.

And I'm feeling in a bookish mood tonight, so

110. Lord Peter Wimsey and Dorothy L. Sayers
111. C.S. Lewis
112. Jane Austen
113. P.G. Woodhouse and Bertie Wooster
114. Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes
115. Harry Potter
116. Ngaio Marsh
117. My bookclub

Under construction

On what may be the hottest day of the year so far, The Three have decided to build a fort. (I think it may end up looking more like a homeless person's shanty.) We spent the morning deciding where it should go...they wanted to do it in the field across the street, near the creek, but I feared that the Providence Architectural Compliance Committee might not approve of its visibility from the street. So we decided on the back yard, utilizing our old swing set that my parents gave the boys for Christmas 2000. I remember swinging the boys on it the morning of May 5, 2001, killing time until it was time to go to the hospital to have Ella. If I were sentimental, I might make some reference here to The Giving Tree. But since I do not fall victim to those types of nostalgic, emotional references, I won't. (No, no. I'm fine...I just have something in my eye.)

When we talked to the Good Doctor at lunch time, he suggested sites in the yard that would lower the eyesore factor. But here it is; smack-dab in the middle of the back yard, visible from every angle.

Enjoy the slanted view here.

 They worked hard all afternoon. You can see the blood (September Baby's thumb), 

and the sweat (February Baby's face),

And this...this is just before the tears.

 I'll keep you posted on the progress.

The Reading Hour

Twenty minutes into our "reading hour" today...

Cokes consumed: 3

Nutella toasts made: 4

Arguments begun: 6

Belches heard: 3

Books lost: 4

Accusations flung: 2

Bags of popcorn popped and eaten: 1

Pets played with: 2

Words read: ZERO.

 Painting by Julian Merrow Smith, www.shiftinglight.com

The Trifecta

Around our house during football season, The Trifecta is when Ole Miss wins and State and Southern lose. But here...here is the true trifecta of my dreams.

All three of my children reading. That's good...that's very good. (And tragically rare.)

But, even better, they're reading in Oxford. Which is, well, no matter how you feel about Ole Miss...Oxford is a great place. I'm not saying it's actually Heaven, but I have heard it called "heavenly."

And then, to make it perfect...they are reading at Square Books Jr.

We went to Oxford while we were in Thaxton visiting Goober the day after Father's Day. He may be having aneurysm repair surgery soon and we wanted to get to see him before all of that. Since I was late mailing his gift, we got to be there when it arrived. Old Guys Rule, with a quote from John Wayne on the back, "You never see a cowboy on a psychiatrist's couch." It was a very fast, but good trip.

If I put a picture on my blog, maybe I won't have to buy them for myself...

How cute are these? I've never seen anything like this in my life, but suddenly I really don't know how I've lived without them until now. Cupcake stands from Olive & Cocoa, my newest favorite catalog full of all kinds of stuff.

Mulling over Multitude Monday

Well, I said that I was no longer going to comment on how quickly Mondays come around or on the fact that I am so late posting, so I won't. (See how I did that...mentioning it by saying I wasn't going to mention it? There must be a literary term for that.) I will count this, however...Number 82. I do not blog for a living.

This past month has been full of excitement. School is out (Number 83). We went to Dollywood. We came home from Dollywood (Number 84). We got a new kitten, Lucy, who is such a joy (Number 85). We went to a couple of soccer tournaments. Soccer ended for us (Number 86). The boys went to Twin Lakes (87). We had Ella's birthday/slumber/swimming party at Mom L's. We went to Flora to celebrate Mama's birthday (88). Kiper and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary (89) and got to go to New Orleans for the weekend (90), because Haley and Will (91 and 92) came to keep the children (94, 95, 96) for us. We got upgraded (97) to the Teddy Roosevelt Suite at The Roosevelt, which was Amazing. A piano in our suite! All we needed was to have a party and invite Harry Connick, Jr. to play it for us. Kiper is determined to learn to play so we can go back next year.

I want to make it to One Hundred this week so I'm going to also mention, specifically...

98. Clancy's Restaurant
99. New Orleans French Bread
100. Beignets (Yay! One-tenth of the way to A Thousand Thanks!)
101. Jazz music
102. Doctors
103. The ability to go see Goober last week on the spur of the moment.
104. An important negotiation that has worked out for Kiper's business.
105. Getting to spend time with Heather and the Starnses today.

My camera has been lost for a couple of weeks. It needs to turn up before we go to the beach on Saturday. I wish I had some photos to liven up this post.

Fullness Friday

Yeah, I was trying to think of something like "Multitude Monday" for my Thousand Thanks entry that happens on a Friday. "Fullness Friday" actually works on several levels...I am full of thanks, today was full of blessings, and I am completely full of Number 71. Fox's pizza and chocolate chip cookies...and rice krispies treats...and such.

72. Post-storm raindrops sparkling on green grass in the morning sun.

73. Children saving turtles from certain death in the middle of the road.

74. MIT, Moms in Touch, our Thursday morning mothers' prayer group at which we pray for PCS and our children.

75. Unexpected time for a pedicure with Heather on the last Friday before school gets out.

76. Words with Friends on my iPhone, and Renee' who plays with me, but almost always beats me.  

77. Our book club, flaws and all, and the fact that, despite being perhaps the least diverse group in existence, and no matter what we've read, I always hear something I hadn't thought of myself and learn something encouraging (or, at the very least, interesting) during our discussions.

78. Arthur Woods, professional car detailer, who cleans my Suburban so thoroughly and beautifully.

79. Looking forward to not having to get out of bed one morning in this busy, fun month. (I am SO staying in bed as long as possible tomorrow!)

80. Blue skies and fluffy white clouds. I can see them as I sit outside on the porch of the "Lil Tire Shoppe" and wait for my car. (Along with enjoying the sky, remembering #74 and playing #75 made the wait bearable.)

81. People who can get a nail out of a tire and plug the hole to stop that slooooow leak.

I like this

This little vase that my mother brought me the last time she came down to see us. It's called, she said, a "mommy vase," especially for those precious, tiny flowers that your children bring you when they're little. I love it so much! And what a perfect, fun gift for a baby shower.

Old Times

This old photo is from, I think, 2001. Our K-group's Christmas bonfire at the Speeds' house...that's a little Speed there on the far left. The May Baby...and the Bentons' May Baby...were too little even to be in the photo.