Potty Training Blues

I have a couple of stories about Kennedy and potty training! :)

I can laugh now - now that she is accident free and doing AWESOME with no diapers! WHOO HOO!

1) The first story takes place at Dillons Grocery Store in KS. We were in a hurry, trying to get lunch meat for our sub sandwiches. I had a basket full of groceries when Kennedy told me she had to go potty! YAY! we dropped the groceries with mom, and ran for the bathroom! :) No accident! Back in the aisle, finishing up our shopping, I turned around to see Kennedy literally SQUATTING! WHAT? I dropped the groceries, scooped her up and took off running! The whole time I'm saying..."Hold it!", "No accidents!", and then "Squeeze your cheeks together!"....I looked at her face (stricken with fear as I'm running her and shouting orders), and both hands were up on her face squeezing as hard as she could! HAHAHA! Apparently I hadn't shared with her that her behind is also called "cheeks".... :)

2) The second story took place while my sister and I were getting pedicures. We decided to take Kennedy with us for a "girls trip". She got her fingernails painted purple and was having a great time. The manicurist was SO nice and told her that she could sit on my lap, take her shoes off, and stick her toes in the water. How FUN! :)

She was so excited. She took off her shoes and stuck her toes in. It wasn't 2 minutes later when I suddenly felt very warm all over. I looked down to discover that Kennedy had peed ALL OVER me! :) Fun times.

Thankful to report - Kennedy has been accident free since Tuesday! She's doing great!!! :)

Memories

One of my favorite memories of Christmas as a child was meeting up with our church and caroling around Haven. My favorite stop was the house of Mary Bridgeman who always made us popcorn balls. YUMM! I love this time of year...the carols, the smell in the air, the decorations in and out of stores.

We are working hard on starting Christmas traditions with Jaxen and Kennedy. Teaching them first that it's Jesus' Birthday...and because God gave His son Jesus as a gift for US on this day part of the celebration is that we give gifts to them! Kennedy TOTALLY gets it! We are having a party for Jesus complete with hats and cake! :) She might be a TAD bit confused when He doesn't "show up" in the flesh - but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

We're also teaching her about Santa...and what fun that can be....doing Gingerbread houses, looking at Christmas lights, opening Christmas Eve PJ's and leaving Reindeer dust on the sidewalk so that Santa doesn't miss our house! :)

Love my kids, love my family....

Random Ramblings mostly for Grandma! :)

1) Jaxen is walking everywhere...into everything...and thinks he gets to do whatever Kennedy does.  He has a lot to learn.  HA!

2) Sometimes I see my brother Wes in Jaxen.  It's weird...I don't know whether to hug him - or get a curling iron out.  (long story)

3) For my 30th birthday I received 3 little prickly hairs on my chinny chin chin...WHAT THE HECK?  

4) Kennedy held up my bra the other day and said "Mommy wearing boobies today?"...hmmm let me think on that one.

5) My job is going great.  I am learning to lead...it's hard.  It would be EASY if I didn't have people to deal with...oh wait....that's the point! :)

6) Last Sunday we had about 60 kids in Xpressway (Our children's program)....we were missing approx. 18 regulars.  YIKES!  YAAAAY!

7) Working out 6 days a week...feels like another PT job.  I got a trainer - and she likes to see me suffer.  

8) We leave for the beach in just over a week....I can't wait to get away and relax.  

9) God has given me 2 new friends who are AMAZING!!!  It's like He knew EXACTLY what I needed - and brought these 2 women to my life!  Love my "old" friends too!

10) Jaxen is obsessed with pulling Kennedy's hair.  

11) We are BLESSED with a WONDERFUL school for the kids to go to.  They LOVE it - and the teachers are awesome.  I'm excited to see what this year will bring.  They go 2 days a week.  If we stay here - our kids will probably continue their education there through high school.  

12) Not planning on staying here Grandma.  :)  Some exciting things in the works!!!

13) Headed to Vail, CO in 3 weeks with one of my best friends and my 2 sisters!!!!  Can't wait!

14) I no longer drink soda of any kind.  Diet or Regular.  Only Water and Green Tea.  mmm....I feel sooo much better!

15) Jon is and forever will be the love of my life.  He is an amazing creation and gift to me.  (You already know this...but it was worth saying again)  

Step by Step

Well - Jaxen has taken off.  I TOTALLY called it (that it would happen the week after we left Kansas) because that's how these things go! :)

He is toddling around the little play places and from room to room!  Lots of bumps and bruises with all the falls - but he is up to about 15 steps at a time.  Kennedy thinks it's hilarious! She is IN FOR IT when he starts running around.  :)

We are officially home from a great vacation and into our normal routine.  Didn't take too long! We had a great time being away.  It was exactly what we needed...minus the 21 hour drive each way! We are so grateful to everyone who took time out to come and see us - or hang out.  We know everyone is busy and that a lot of trips to Haven - and so forth were made.  THANK YOU for making our trip so WONDERFUL!  

Looking forward...

Next week we are heading to Kansas to see my family.  I can't tell you how excited I am to go home! :)  I always look forward to this time.  It gives me a calming sense of peace as I see the water tower and make the turn onto Haven/Buhler Road.  It's like suddenly - everything is "OK"....life is not hard anymore.  

It's always a hard time for Jon and I.  I go through this incredible roller coaster of emotions.  I always start dreaming of moving back and living near my family.  I start searching for IT jobs - and brainstorming how we can make it work...making contacts with several people who can "hook us up" with work.  Even though I know this is where God has us now - it is still so hard to live far away.  I dream of going on walks with my mom, shopping with my sister, coffee with my brother, and lunches with my grandparents.  I have 2 of the closest friends ever that still live there - and still to this day - no one can make me laugh like those 2! :)  

It has nothing to do with hating where we are at - we love it here....but it has everything to do with the overwhelming sense of sadness as we pull away, knowing we won't see them for many months.  I always tell myself not to cry...and then the lump comes.  It's so big I can't swallow - and tears pour like rain.  I'm already trying to prepare myself for this bitter sweet visit.  (I'm sure Jon is too!)  :)  

Can't wait to see you guys!  

Helping me mother

Kennedy is into helping with EVERYTHING.  She loves to tell Jaxen "no-no" - and to be a Good boy and OBEY...ha!  At least we are getting through to her right?!  

Well - I am constantly saying - "Let me be the mommy"....

so today - Jaxen was hitting his toy on the TV...and Kennedy said "HURRY MOM...Hit his hand!"...

HA!  Perhaps we need to have a clarification between hitting and spanking....  :)

"Ted"

Lately we've been praying that we would have eyes like Jesus. That we would be able to see people for WHO they are...not how they are dressed - or how they act - or what they do....but for the creatures that God created them to be. This has given us an ENTIRE new outlook on people...it's been an insane ride. 
It's so easy as humans to make friends that are so much LIKE us - everyone wants to be a part of the "in" crowd - and be invited to things - and feel accepted....but that doesn't always happen! The problem with this is that Jesus didn't model that for us in any way, shape or form. Instead of staying close to his disciples and being surrounded by them 24/7 - He would break away from them and go out to meet others. The disciples would have never reached out to the ones that Jesus did...and in fact questioned Him on several occasions! THIS is the model that we are supposed to follow! Christ didn't see these people as sinners - or poor - or the ones who weren't dressed properly...he didn't look to be friends with the guy who was the funny one - or the girl who had all the talent. Instead he found the individuals whom no one else would befriend - and loved on them. This is the mindset that Jon and I are TRYING to adopt. In and through that goal - we have been able to find friendships in the strangest places! People who we would have never dreamed we would befriend - or people that are easily over looked. In return - we've been sooo blessed by meeting some of the neatest people and developing relationships that are growing! 

Today - Jon came home from work and told me that he took time out today to talk to this guy at work. He's kind of the "dork" of the office - and whenever he talks - people usually snicker and roll their eyes. First of all - that breaks my heart in a million pieces. Jon asked him if he had kids today...and the guy proceeded to tell him that he had 2 boys about 16 months apart. Immediately Jon could relate to him b/c of how close in age our kids are. (You have no idea how many relationships this has helped us find common ground in) Jon was telling him that our kids are at the age where they are so needy and they've started "fighting" (which we won't allow) over toys and things. 
"Ted" told Jon that he didn't have to worry about fighting with his 2 kids. Jon was a little excited by this and was hoping the guy would say that "In a year - they'd be best friends". Instead this guy (who has been ignored by ALL in the office) proceeded to tell Jon that his son had almost drowned a year ago. He went on to say that his son was unable to take care of himself in any way. He's unable to even move his head or raise his eyebrow. This guy - (who has been ignored by ALL in the office) has been carrying around this heavy burden. It has just been a year ago that this happened. See - this guy just moved his family here from Oklahoma, has no friends, just started a new job, and leaves his wife every day with one special needs child and one "normal-functioning" child - to fight traffic and sit behind a desk...only to be laughed at and made fun of. Gosh - I don't know about you - but I can't stand the thought. My eyes fill up with tears and my heart breaks for this man. 
All it took was Jon taking his eyes off of himself and his problems - and his every day stress - and taking time to listen to this guy. Jon was able to stop what He was doing - stop trying to get ahead - and just STOP and listen. He was able to share some scripture with him - and did so without being apologetic. "Ted" was completely moved by these actions...and perhaps - if only for today - he can go home FULL...and be able to serve his wife and kids - even if only for today. 
I hope that we ALL take these precious opportunities....I hope that God puts people in your path that you can just stop and listen too....that you can take time to get to know....that you can GET OUT of your comfort zone and be a little uncomfortable with! It makes me shudder to think about how many opportunities I've missed out on...just because I was too busy and too selfish to notice.

Jaxen's 1!

Looking back a year ago today...was a very different time!  First of all...I had just had a c-section...and was recovering in the Hospital.  Secondly - I had a beautiful baby boy named JAXEN! :)  Crazy!  Also on this day - the CELTICS were winning the championship (GO PAUL PIERCE) .   (Sorry Jon)

I can't believe Jaxen is 1 already.  With your first child - it seems like the longest year of your life!  You are pushing them to hold their bottles - then trying to get them to crawl and then pushing them to walk....but with your second...it's completely different!  Suddenly time can't slow down - and life starts flying by without you feeling it!  

Also this day a year ago...our house had been sitting on the market for 5 months.  We KNEW we were moving - but didn't know when or how...and we were VERY unsettled in our current state of life.  Funny part is - that on this day at about 4pm - we got a call from our realtor that our house had gone under contract!....We KNEW God had just the right timing - and we called for a 45 day closing - which would allow us to move by August 1st.  

We had so many unanswered questions - the hows and why's were HUGE and the not knowing KILLED ME!  I remember calling my mom and Danielle - and crying to them about how this was NOT fair....how could a man (Jon's boss) play with our lives!?  What were we supposed to be doing - and how was it going to happen!?  Where would the money for the move come - and how could we afford our car - etc.  So many questions - no answers.  

I am thankful - looking back - for the time we went through.  It made us stronger - we knew we were on the same team.  Suddenly - we didn't need anyone else - it was just about us and the good of our family.  It was an amazing time of growth.  We are thankful for giving us 2 healthy kids...they bring us so much Joy.  (As I'm writing this - they are BOTH screaming their heads off and crying)...so I keep telling myself that they bring us mostly joy.  :)  

I know we have many more memories to make and fun to have as they grow.  We are also so thankful that God moved us to Charlotte.  What an incredible feeling to be right smack dab in God's will for us!  We feel like we were brought here to be a part of Crosspoint (which I've said over and over) - but each new day and new story and new life changed reminds us of that.  

It's been a great year!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAXEN....and many many more!  

Bout of sickness

Well -this week has been awful. :) I agree with a good friend who said..."I'd like a Do-Over please?" The kids and I have all been sick. Super sick. Horrible viral sinus stuff! Both kids had ear infections as well....that makes for an interesting day. 2 sick toddlers and 1 sick Mommy=no fun! :) All mom's can agree having sick kids is the pits! To top it off - Jon had MAJOR meetings at work this week. He had to leave the house at 6:30am - and didn't get home until 8pm. Whew! There were a couple of days where I didn't know if I was going to make it. Couldn't even climb the stairs b/c of dizziness and fever! :(

We got Kennedy some medicine - and well...found out it didn't quite agree with her body...in the middle of the mall yesterday. :) We were finally feeling better - and so we decided to try to get out of the house. There was a guy who was doing Consumer Report Research which paid you $20 to do a short survey!! (of course I signed Jon and I up!) $40 to do a 10 minute survey each...sweet! That could be a dinner out! First of all - the guy doing the survey was VERY SLOW...and I don't mean - UN-FAST. I mean slow. It was sad. He didn't know how to spell...or read. :( I felt so sorry for him - but it did end up taking longer than 10 minutes. I signed something saying I wouldn't talk about the survey...but let's just say I failed...and it had to do with tasting chocolate. HA! (Maybe I am the slow one?)...so I only got $5...still...that's 5 large Tea's at McDonalds!

When I came back Jon and the kids weren't there. Of course - my nature thought the worst...what if they left me!? HA! I had been SUPER sick and snotty all week.... :) Maybe he thought I could use a good walk home ... by myself!? I waited for a while - walked around...they were nowhere! Finally, I started checking bathrooms...and of course - had to check the mens! Ugh. They were in one of them....and as Jon was coming out, I saw that Kennedy was only in her diaper. :) Ahhh....turns out she exploded in the kids play area. EWWWWWWWW. All over her clothes....dripping down her legs....oh man. What a diaper for Jon to get! HA! (oops) It was ALL over the bathroom floor, all over the garbage can, all over the changing table. We can't even begin to explain the LOOKS we got as we exited the mall with a naked child. haha! It's happened 2 more times since then....but in our house...thankfully!

We are getting our carpets cleaned Monday...and calling the Dr. for a different medicine Monday. :)

On another note...Grandma...my tomatoes are starting to bloom! (Is that what you call it?) they are green - and about the size of a large cherry tomato! ;) can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!! Random...I know this.

A wise man once told me....

Just because you're supposedly "good" at something...doesn't mean it's your time to do it.

I mean...just because you are funny...doesn't mean you are "meant" to be a comedian.

Just because you can speak in front of people - doesn't mean that you are supposed to be an orator.

Just because I can teach my children a lesson about sharing - doesn't mean I'm supposed to be a teacher.

Just because I can carry a tune...doesn't mean I'm supposed to be a singer.

I can't tell you how free that made me feel! I am so thankful for his wise advice! He also told me that God takes where we are weak...and uses it to make us strong - so that when we are done...the only thing people can say is "Look what God has done!" .... That is EXCITING TO ME!!! I am not a Children's ministry expert...or even knowledgeable in any form or fashion! I have no experience (besides the past few months...and no fancy degree to hang in my office...ahem...my living room) ;)

This is all trial and error for me! I pray that God will lead me and give me wisdom in the decisions I make regarding the ministry....and that when all is said and done....people will exclaim..."Come and SEE what the Lord is DOING at Crosspoint!"

Top Ten Updates

1) Kennedy will do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to be like Jon or I - except go potty on the big girl potty.... (PS - Jon goes on the "Big Boy" potty)

2) Yesterday I caught Kennedy with my syringe in the bathroom - trying to squirt water into her mouth. (I've been doing this every time I eat anything since my wisdom teeth came out)

3) Kennedy is starting to talk up a STORM...she's always jabbering - and it actually makes sense! I LOVE talking with my little girl! She is so sweet.

4) Jaxen is too cute to discipline. (Come on...you've all been there)

5) When I DO...force myself....he usually looks at me and laughs...or gets his little heart broken. (Which is also SOO cute b/c his lip comes out so far) HA!

6) I'm having baby fever...but doing nothing about it...just sayin' (We're not done...if God allows)

7) I have the best husband known to man. I'm serious about this...he's too good to be true...still. And he doesn't have to try hard. It comes naturally to him. I appreciate his character - and for being 1 step ahead of just being "good". I can not name even 1 girl he thinks is pretty (even movie stars)...b/c he knows that it's doing nothing to edify me by pointing out pretty girls!!! I love this about him..even though I don't think it would make me jealous - it gives satan NOTHING to play with my mind over...EVER.

8) I love my job...love it. I couldn't ask for a better gig right now...the paycheck is just a bonus used to pay my childcare and cell phone....but I'd do it for free! (if I had free childcare and unlimited cellphone plan) HA!

9) Jaxen is into EVERYTHING...and I mean EVERYTHING. When he starts walking...I am in trouble...seriously getting nervous about this. (Hense #6 and waiting)

10) It's almost officially summer...and we have some pretty exciting stuff coming down the pike...HURRY up and get here!!!!! Most of it consists of seeing YOU! (if you're reading this from out of town!) :)

In case you're wondering....

In case you're wondering WHY I do what I do...why I love talking about my church and why I LOVE my job...

please read the following...
This was written by our Pastor (Jimmy Wade)....

How can you NOT be a part of something like this?!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Burden

I have such a burden for my church and for my community. I want our church to know the joy of following Christ as a way of lfe. I want them to know what it means to radically submit their lives to Him in complete abandon and surrender. I want them to realize that our church is a body that isn't complete unless everyone finds their place of service on Sunday mornings throughout every ministry. I want them to long for Sundays and not dare miss our worship gatherings because they know Christ is there. I want our church to see the vision of filling every seat in Ardrey Kell, not because we want to be big but because we want to make a dent in the vast seventy-five percent of people who don't attend church. I want them to feel the burden that Jesus has for our community and see it through his eyes and sense the lostness and hopelessness that pervades much of our city! I want our church to find ways to tell their friends to "come and see" because they know they won't be ashamed to bring them to Crosspoint! I want them to see themselves as Christ's hands and feet in this community and give of themselves because they have so much to give and they can share of the world's goods because they know they have more than they need. I want our church to love this community, not because it offers them so much but because we can offer it so much! I want our church to love the unloveable, to touch the untouchable, to give to the ungrateful, to forgive the unforgiveable, to do whatever Jesus would do no matter who it is! I dream of this, I long for this, I pray for this, I believe in this. May God make it so!

Wisdom Teeth

Well - this week - we flew my mom out to watch our kids while we did Drive-In, Drive and while I got out my wisdom teeth! Talk about having the BEST BABYSITTER EVER! Kennedy and Jaxen love Mom-mom and they have had a great time. It was so comforting to know they were in good hands! :)

So - yesterday I went in and had 4 teeth pulled...only - 1 was impacted...and that is not fun. Pain pills are good. HAHA - apparently I tried to update my status on facebook - and instead left some nonsense message to a friend instead! HAHA...

I was completely knocked out - and so far I'm doing great! I can tell when my meds start to wear off - but mostly I just feel like I got into a bar fight with Chuck Norris - and lost. :)

So far - no swelling...which is great. The Doctor said that the swelling will come today or tomorrow - if at all....so I'm waiting! :) (Maybe I could blame my double chin on swelling?) hmm... :)

I do have a nasty bruise on my arm from my IV. Yowsers! It is black..and the size of a half dollar! Mom has been a great help...changing out my gauze, making sure I'm eating jello and taking care of the kids... now - if only they would move here.

Anyone reading this can please help us pursuade them that this is God's plan for their lives. Audrey and Chris are moving here once Audrey graduates....so.....they need to come with them! :) We've got it all figured out. Trust me. :) We've got an "in" for dad at Fed Ex...and 20 piano students for mom at $44 an hour! HELLO? That's amazing! :)

Anyway - Day 1 went ok with my wisdom Teeth. I would definiately say the C-section was more pain....definiately....but I got a baby out of that ordeal! :)

Here's all I got out of this ordeal.....a cute headband.

Drive...not to be confused with Drive-In

Well - in the words of our lovely pastors wife and friend...I have been to 2 drive-in's in the past week - but haven't seen a movie at either one! :)

Our church staff and spouses (including Allen - HA) went to a conference at North Point Church in Atlanta, Georgia. It was hosted by Andy Stanley...who basically in the man...
I can't tell you what a life changing experience it was for Jon and I. WOW...Jon had never experienced anything even close to this - and was moved and his heart was tugged and pulled and stretched. It was so neat to watch. I think Jon has always been passionate about our church THROUGH my passion...if that makes sense? Kind of like - I think Elvis is pretty great - but only b/c Jon has fed that to me. ?? So on a much better and bigger scale...Jon saw the Vision for Crosspoint! So that was a huge blessing for me. I hope he doesn't mind me sharing.
The next thing was that I was able to start dreaming. Just dreaming about what could be in the kids ministry, in the worship, in small group life. It made me realize that we need to cast the Vision of our church ministries - not the needs for volunteers. It makes me want to invest in others so that they can be better - and raise up leaders who could take my place at any time. I realized that I am hindering growth in the kids ministry every time I try to do things all by myself. I realized that some of my best ideas are risks and can come from even the smallest volunteer on the "food chain".

I am so excited and completely passionate about this church. I am 100% behind what Jimmy and Patty have given their lives to. Our vision is: Love God. Love Others. Serve the World. I saw so many things that Andy Stanley was telling us to do - that Jimmy and Patty are already DOING! It was so comforting to see that they are living out what they talk about.
I pray that as we come back - we can excite and energize our tired volunteers and raise up new ones. I pray that we come back knowing that God will work in this church - not just hoping.
Here are some pictures. By the way - their kids ministry was off the hook. I can't even describe it. :) Whoo hoo! :) Exciting things to come

Drive -In

Well - last weekend was a huge event for Crosspoint Kids Ministy! We launched the new set and official curriculum for "the Drive-In". The Drive in is the environment for our K-5th graders on Sunday mornings! It is where they experience small group life for the first time - rockin' worship, and a Bible story that comes to life. Gone are the days of sitting around a Sunday School table (these things are fine) but our methods have changed...not the message!!! We want our kids to come away with 3 things by the time they enter middle school:

Wisdom: I need to make the wise choice
Trust: I can trust God no matter what
Friendship: I need to treat others the way I want to be treated!

Those are our 3 bottom lines - but encaptured in that are 36 virtues and 150 Bible Stories!!!

I am so excited that we have pulled this off in 2 months of working on it! WOW! What great volunteers I have! So blessed! There is soo much farther I want to go - but all in good time! :)
We celebrated by having a drive-in movie and lesson as well as concession stand style food such as
hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, twizzlers and sodas. It was a fun day had by all! We had a great turnout of parents and potential volunteers and we're praying that they catch the vision of children's ministry and the impact they can have in a child's life.

Here are some pictures to highlight the event! :)

Thinking of having kids?

Thinking of Having Kids?

Do this 11-step program first!

Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the newspaper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who.already
are parents and berate them about their
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breast
feeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall
behavior. Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you
will have all the answers.

Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living
room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12
pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound)
Playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go
to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag,
until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and
watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard
and be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful
and together.

Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all
summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How
does that look?

Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang
out. Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it
out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like
that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the
back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with
your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can
find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice).
If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more
than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out
of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you
can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 8
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side..
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the
swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.

You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 9
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street, Barney, Disney,
the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney
channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking
What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 10
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly.(Important:
no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional
crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape
in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready
to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually
tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy'
tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation
with an adult while there is a child in the room.

New words

Jaxen can say 2 words REALLY well. They are
Ball and Uh-Oh.
It is HILARIOUS....he gets the funniest expression and gravels his voice and says
"Uh-oh"...lips pursed as much as possible.
We will try to get it on video soon! :)

On another note. Kennedy is a PEEING machine! I want her to toilet train SOO bad! She has NO INTEREST whatsoever! She is leaking out of diapers left and right - and I am constantly cleaning up PEE! ICK.... Can I force this? No juice unless you pee in the big girl potty? No Dora unless you pee in the big girl potty? HELP!

It's been a while!

I'll do a quick re-cap of the last 2 weeks! :)

We painted....the downstairs bathroom - as well as a little table and chairs we got for Jaxen and Kennedy. :)

We celebrated Jon turning 32!!!

Kennedy

Today as we were getting ready for school/work - Kennedy brought me over my belt and said "Mommy seat belt On". :)

This week is "yellow week" at school...the children are encouraged to wear the color yellow - they learn about yellow - they color pictures of yellow things and eat yellow snacks. It was a little tricky finding something yellow for her to wear - but we managed. I kept saying - This doesn't match....that doesn't match....
about 1/2 hour later - Kennedy brought me her yellow glasses and said - THIS MATCH! :) YAY!

Fun time!

I LOVE seeing my kids play together! We ask Kennedy every day who her best friend is - and she says JAXEN! Jon and I want to teach them that they are best friends and that they need to be there for each other at all times. Lately we have had so much fun laying in our bed and laughing with each other. Kennedy LOVES to make Jaxen laugh...she tickles his toes or plays peek-a-boo. He always WAITS with anticipation to see what she will do next. I love it! This is the part about being a mom that I LOVE!!!!!!!

Isle of Palms

We had a great trip to the beach....I can't even tell you how wonderful it was. Jon and I hadn't had a vacation since our honeymoon - and it was MUCH needed! :) The kids had a wonderful time playing in the sand, pools and ocean. It was a dream come true for Jon and I to watch our kids having so much fun! We stayed at a SUPER fancy place that our friends GRACIOUSLY let us bunk up in! We assumed that since we were staying so cheap...that we would be camping out on the floor or pull out couches. Well - our friends (Mandy and Don) gave us this HUGE room with a King Sized bed and huge bathroom and private deck. It was the most SACRIFICIAL thing ANYONE has EVER done for our family! It's hard to describe without going into major detail on here...but we were MOVED by the servant hearts of our friends this past weekend. Sometimes you forget that being a true friend and truly loving someone means serving. We experienced that over and over this weekend. Sometimes you feel like you are the only one giving and giving...and you start to feel empty and taken advantage of....and then you realize that you aren't doing it for earthly gain - but eternal rewards! The feeling we felt this past weekend was so amazing that Jon and I would be HONORED to bless others in the same way....over and over with nothing in return but a "Thank You". Anyway - this probably makes NO sense to some - and SOME sense to others - but we had a GREAT trip! :) Here are a few photos....

HEH-WOAH?

Kennedy's favorite new game is to ring our doorbell. I don't really mind - she's not hurting anyone...and it's pretty cute. She runs from the back yard - into the front yard and rings the doorbell...then with her teeny little girl hand - she knocks. It's the cutest most gentle sound. Then she says...."HEH-WOAH!!!"....hahahahaha until I come answer the door.

I LOVE this game. I think it's just too cute - and I will play it as long as she wants me too! I know that time of NOT wanting me to play is not too far away....I'm trying to soak it all up!!!

BEACH!!!

We are headed to the beach this weekend. Some dear friends of ours have rented us a SUPER fancy resort...and we get to share it with them!! SOOO FUN!

We have been buying toys to play in the sand with and kites to fly etc. We keep telling Kennedy that it's "For the Beach".

The best part is...she has NO IDEA what the beach is...yet is SOOOO EXCITED!!!

I love toddlers!!! :)

Locked out....again

Yeah - most of you know that Jon and I have a "knack" for getting locked out of our house. Perhaps it is the array of sippy cups, diapers, wipes, snacks, juice, bottles, formula, sleepies, pacifiers and kids?! Or - just that we forget to grab keys when getting into a vehicle to go someplace!?
ANYWAY...we have many stories...and STILL no Spare KEY! What the heck!?
Tonight was no exception. We got the kids loaded...bags in place (containing the above mentioned items) and sat down in the van - ready to take off. Jon says to me (I am sitting in the passenger seat)..."KEYS?"....
RIGHT...hello - you are the driver. Your responsibility is the keys! ;) We had a mild discussion about it - but decided that it was NOT going to unlock our house! Next thing I know - Jack Bauer...ahem...I mean JON - was on our roof - breaking into our upstairs bathroom window. (Which is really high I might add). He went in...hands first and as un-gracefully as possible - managed to get in - and unlock our door.
Sigh...still need to get that spare key made.....

Some "ahhh"

Totally funny story....
I had the refrigerator open and was putting things away when Kennedy comes up and points and says "Some Ahh". I was trying to hard to think what that could be...we're learning to decipher her language as she seems to have her own words for EVERYTHING in sight! :)
I pointed to a few things in the fridge only to hear "NO MOMMY....AHHH"...
I FINALLY put 2 and 2 together and realized what she wanted.

We have a spray can of Fat free cool whip and I have to say that sometimes Jon and I will spray it directly from the can into our mouths. :) Well a couple of cans ago, Kennedy caught us....so we let her try. We told her to say "AHH" - and open her mouth and we squirted it into her mouth....
HAHA....
so...she thought it was called "AHH".....

I love having a 2 year old...laughs every day!

Questions....

When you become a mother...or I'll say a parent....
There are some MAJOR new questions and unanswered things that come into your life.
Besides all the OBVIOUS things such as:

1) How to effectively change a diaper without getting sprinkled on?
2) How hot should the bath water be?
3) Is my baby getting enough food?

There are some questions better left unsaid. NO one gives you advice on THESE topics like they do on EVERYTHING else (even when you don't want it)....but these are the questions you'd almost welcome the answers too! I think I have it figured out though...after 2 1/2 years of being a mom...and the reason they don't advise you ... is because they don't know themselves! ha!

Here are some examples:

1) When a child comes running up to you at the park and asks you to push her in the swing...what do you do?
a: Pick her up and put her in the swing and start pushing...we're all here to have fun!
b: Quickly Scan the park for her mom to smile and nod.
c: Ignore her and hope she'll go away!


2) When a child is doing something that you don't allow your kids to do...such as go UP the slide - instead of down but the other mom that you're with is letting her child do it. Do you:
a: Call your child out telling them you don't allow that - and make the other mom feel like a schmuck and putting yourself in an awkward position?
b: Try to get them to play on something else - vowing to tell your child LATER that this is unacceptable behavior
c: Let them play on the slide going UP...what's it REALLY going to hurt...you're the ONLY 2 people on the playground!


3) When a friend offers to watch your children - but doesn't have any of her own that you can "swap out" with....do you:
a: Pay them...they are giving up their time and driving to your house..you owe them and everyone is looking for extra cash these days!
b: Thank them for their generosity over and over...afterall - you've been waiting a LONG time to be able to have a date with your significant other...but risk them being mad and expecting payment.
c: Flip them a gift card...$15 will do - it's the thought that counts.

4) You have someone you know who does a service such as party planning, massaging or pet grooming. He/She wants to do a party, give you a massage or groom your pet for you. You have NO IDEA how much this person charges - and they are kind of weird about people asking. Do you:

a: Risk it! Get the service done and pay for it later! After all- you are supporting your friends business!
b: Don't ask - don't tell! He/she will never know you got massaged somewhere else...and maybe they won't notice your pet with their shiny new well groomed coat!
c: Grin and bear it....ask them how much they charge! - after all - you're getting a service done - you're entitled to know!


5) Someone invites your child over to play or sleep over by themselves. Are you:
a: OBLIGATED to invite their child over for a play date or sleepover...after all - you don't want to be THAT parent who is ALWAYS dropping their kids off
b: Thank them so much for inviting he/she over, but decline knowing you can't possibly return the favor
c: Let them go - and thank the parent - and walk away - nothing owed.

Those are just 5 I can think of off the top of my head! I'm SUPER curious! Hopefully some of you "More seasoned" parents can answer some of these for me!!!! HAHA! Every day is a new time for learning!!!

Thankful

I am so thankful for Jon in my life. I just had to write about it! :) He is a gift from God. Every hole in my life or place I am lacking...he fills in personality, help, and talent. I am so blessed that he is such a wonderful husband and father. Most times - he is a slob....I have to say...
but this past week...he could tell I had HAD it with the house being a mess...and cleaning up the same stuff over and over. Some of the household projects had gone unfinished...and were causing a big nuisance and some danger. After his hard days at work...he came home and silently finished them. He didn't draw attention to the fact that he was doing all of these things...he just did them. To me - this is a HUGE gift. More precious than jewelry or gadgets. He let me find the things that he had done - instead of drawing attention to them. One of them was our bathtub. We would stand in 6 inches (deep) of water every time we took a shower. It was gross! This left a VERY messy tub when it all finally drained. He took the whole thing apart - and had to buy all this stuff - and had it cleaned. Not ONLY did he unclog it - but he scrubbed it with bleach to clean the tub! I would NEVER have expected that! When he was done - he drew me a hot bath in my clean tub...complete with candles and wine and bubbles. It was sooo nice! Last night, he sat on the floor and sang ABBA songs at the top of his lungs with me. I'm SURE he would have rather turned on the games...but he knew that he would lose me if he did. (As in - I would zone out)... :) We had sooo much fun together - and I am SOOO thankful that he is "uncool" enough to be doing that with me!!! (We're both huge dorks secretly...and I LOVE that about us!) Anyway - just wanted to share with the world....(Who already KNOW what a great guy I have) ...how thankful I am!!!

Jaxen is sick

Poor little guy. He has croup and a double ear infection....again! Also - he is just getting over conjunctivitis! EW! He's a trooper...and rarely fusses or cries. His ear infections have been pretty severe each time - so the Dr. told us that if he gets another one between now and September....(which is highly likely due to his track record)...that he will have tubes put in before the Fall.
Through it all - he is a smiley baby - who is into EVERYTHING and sooo much fun! Kennedy - (Thankfully) has remained healthy this go 'round.

Looking forward to our weekend!

BUSY WEEK

We had a great week last week! Kennedy's friend Kelsey was here! She was a big help with Jaxen! We did a ton of fun stuff while she was here. On Monday, I
took the kids to Sports Connection and we played in the arcade. All the machines take these cards that you swipe - instead of tokens. Well - we are fortunate because I was able to give Kennedy an old "Kroger" (grocery store in WV) card - and she swiped away - and didn't cost me a dime! ;) Wonder how much longer I can pull this on her before she realizes my trick?!? :)

Tuesday Jon worked from home and we all went to the park. It was a beautiful day! My friend Tracey happened to be there with her 2 kids - so it was a great time to catch up with her! :) It was also St. Patricks day - so we made green mashed potatoes and green frosted cookies. Also - my sister flew in! We had a great time!!! I am so honored that she would want to spend her week of Spring Break with her big sister!!! :) I am realizing how important family is the older I get. Friendships come and go - while a very select few are there forever - some are just put there for a certain season in your life. There is nothing like the relationship you have with your siblings!!! I am so blessed!!! I'm thankful we are close at heart - even though we are far in distance!!!

Wednesday - Jaxen woke up with Conjuctivitis. EW! We took him to the Dr. and got him some drops - and then washed our hands every 2 minutes!! :) No one else got it - thankfully! I took the kids to Ray's Splash Planet which is a giant indoor waterpark. VERY fun!!!

Thursday was spent in the car...which was all good until we hit rush hour coming back to Charlotte! :(

Friday we all went out with friends. We had a babysitter for the kids - and went to watch the games at Cans. It was fun - but we were so exhausted both mentally and physically - that it ended up being a pretty chill night. It was nice to get out of the house - but I think I would have enjoyed taking a big nap instead! ha! Still - the company was most excellent!!!

Saturday was spent rounding up things for Sunday - and taking my sister to IKEA. It was a fun! The kids got a new table - which they LOVE! We're trying to decide what color to paint it!! :)



Sunday was a GREAT day! We were able to celebrate our churches 2nd birthday!!! It was SUCH a great service. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for God leading us to this ministry! Watching videos of how God has changed some of our people from the inside out was incredible! Story after story of life transformations! Then a slide show of what our church has been a part of in the community serving others! SOO neat! We had a great meal catered by Moes (similar to Chipotle) complete with trivia, raffles and a fiesta theme! After the meal - we were able to be a part of the Baptism service. Since we don't have a building - we went to a complex center in South Carolina. My heart was COMPLETELY full as I watched these individuals share their life stories! I was completely blessed to be a part of it!! After the baptisms - the kids were able to play in the pool....I told Kennedy she could put her toes in...but then another one of her parents (who shall remain nameless) let her get all the way in...(ha) Good thing God made DADDY's!
Next time we will know to bring a suit! :)

We have 2 dogs!!!!!

haha...now I know what you are thinking....and let me just say (before my brother goes crazy on me) that they are NOT ours. :) We are dog sitting for our friends while they are in Disney.

Kennedy is LOVING them here. She calls the bigger one "Mommie"...and the little one "Baby puppy"....their real names are Rosie and Cash. :)

On Monday - we were contemplating getting a rescue dog...because even Jon was falling in love...and with them being housebroken...it just seemed so much easier!!! BUT...then I went to start cleaning my house...and I have HAIR everywhere....ewwwwwwwww!!!

So - no dogs for THIS Sawhook family! :)

In case you were wondering...

Jon and I are total opposites. Good thing opposites attract! :) We had fun taking this and reading about each other! Hopefully this will help us understand where we each come from!
We took a Meyers Briggs personality test and scored EXACT opposite sides of each scale! Here's what we found out! Guess which one is which! ;)

About the ENFP

"They can't bear to miss out on what is going on around them; they must experience, first hand, all the significant social events that affect our lives." "ENFPs are warm, enthusiastic people, typically very bright and full of potential. They live in the world of possibilities, and can become very passionate and excited about things. Their enthusiasm lends them the ability to inspire and motivate others, more so than we see in other types. They can talk their way in or out of anything. They love life, seeing it as a special gift, and strive to make the most out of it." "Friends are what life is about to ENFPs. They hold up their end of the relationship, sometimes being victimized by less caring individuals. ENFPs are energized by being around people. Some have real difficulty being alone, especially on a regular basis."

"outgoing, social, disorganized, easily talked into doing silly things, spontaneous, wild and crazy, acts without thinking..." "ENFPs are energetic and enthusiastic leaders who are likely to take charge when a new endeavor needs a visionary spokesperson. ENFPs are values-oriented people who become champions of causes and services relating to human needs and dreams. Their leadership style is one of soliciting and recognizing others' contributions and of evaluating the personal needs of their followers. ENFPs are often charismatic leaders who are able to help people see the possibilities beyond themselves and their current realities. They function as catalysts." "Ranked 1st of all 16 types in using social and emotional coping resources and 2nd in using cognitive resources. "

GOOD JOBS FOR ENFP:
ACTOR
BANKER
CONFERENCE PLANNER
COUNSELOR
CHURCH WORKER
DESIGNER
HOMEMAKER
MARKETER
MUSICIAN
PUBLIC RELATIONS
SOCIAL WORKER
WRITER

About the ISTJ

"ISTJs are often called inspectors. They have a keen sense of right and wrong, especially in their area of interest and/or responsibility. They are noted for devotion to duty. Punctuality is a watchword of the ISTJ. The secretary, clerk, or business(wo)man by whom others set their clocks is likely to be an ISTJ." "ISTJs are very loyal, faithful, and dependable. They place great importance on honesty and integrity. They are "good citizens" who can be depended on to do the right thing for their families and communities. While they generally take things very seriously, they also usually have an offbeat sense of humor and can be a lot of fun - especially at family or work-related gatherings." "...characterized by decisiveness in practical affairs, are the guardians of institutions, and if only one adjective could be selected, "super dependable" would best describe them."

"...private, does not appreciate strangeness, not adventurous, not spontaneous, follows the rules..." "At work, ISTJs get things done on a timely basis. They honor deadlines, and they believe in thoroughness. A half-finished job is not a job well done. They established procedures and schedules, and are uncomfortable with those who do not do the same. ISTJs put duty before pleasure. As long as they can fulfill their responsibilities, they feel useful and thereby satisfied. Their work does not have to be fun, but it has to count toward something productive. ISTJs believe that vacations are something that one takes only when work has been accomplished; thus, at times they do not take vacations even when they could and should."

GOOD JOBS FOR ISTJ:
ACCOUNTANT
COMPUTER PROGRAMMER
COMPUTER SPECIALIST
DOCTOR
ELECTRICIAN
FINANCIAL OFFICER
MECHANICAL ENGINEER
MILITARY LEADER (yikes!)
SYSTEMS ANALYST
TECHNICAL SPECIALIST

Crazy Story

To me - the following is a CRAZY story about how God really does direct our paths. We still have free-will and choice in matters - but ULTIMATELY His hand guides our steps.

We helped our friend Miranda move this weekend...and when she gave us the address to her "old" house - it was Slate Ridge Road. Hmmm...that sure sounded familiar. I asked her if there had been a house for sale on that road a while back and she had said there was....
Well - when we got there...we figured out that it was one of the two houses we wanted to buy in August when we moved here.

Jon and I had debated over this house and the one we have now - for 2 weeks! We couldn't decide because of the commute...but this house was PERFECT...it had a brand new kitchen and it was white with black shutters....super cute. ANYWAY...when we went to put an offer on the house - it was approx. 11am...and someone had beaten us to it by 2 hours. (The house was on the market forever). We took it as a "sign" and bought the house we have now.

To me - this was God's hand directing us to Crosspoint...
Our neighborhood is literally right in front of where we meet...and I felt that we wouldn't have found it had we not gone to see where Kennedy's school would be - and not attended the garage sales in our neighborhood. We would have never met the Alteri's who steered us to Crosspoint - etc. etc. So - I was just praising God in my mind - over shutting that door - so that we could be a part of a great ministry.

Miranda THEN pointed out - that how SHE interpreted the story was that no matter where we would have bought...God would have led us to Crosspoint. She was right across the street - the house she lived in was full of kids ... we were bound to meet her and she would have definiately told us of Crosspoint.

Either way - I think it's an AWESOME story - and confirmation that we are where we are supposed to be....
our prayer was that we would be placed in a neighborhood where we could most effectively be used....and so far - that has come to fruition.

Weekend Update

This was possibly the busiest weekend we've had in a long time!
Friday night was ladies night out for Crosspoint girls at On the Border. We had a really good time and got to know some people on a different level than just saying "Hi" - as we pass in the hall at church. It was lots of fun!
After that - Stef and Miranda and I went back to Miranda's new house and painted her room. The color is beautiful and the house is SOO cute! I invision some evenings this summer on the front porch sipping on something and having a nice chat! :)
Saturday we woke up and took family pictures.
They turned out very nice in spite of a certain 2 year old who was determined not to smile. UGH!
You can't MAKE someone smile! I can make my children do a lot of things - but smiling is NOT one of them! :) So - we resorted to bribery...that didn't get us too far either. BUT...there were some diamonds in the rough...here's a small sample...

After the pictures, we drove back home and I started cooking lunch for 17 young men! Our old pastor at River Ridge also teaches Tennis at UC in Charleston. They had a match at Queens college and stopped here for lunch. I made 5 boxes of pasta with pesto sauce, alfredo sauce and marinara sauce. We also had huge pieces of cheese bread, 4 bags of ceasar salad, a garden salad, chocolate chip cookies and tons of sweet tea. Let me just tell you - they ate it ALL! HAHA! I forgot how much 'boys' can eat! WOW! They were all super polite and gracious - but by the end...we were EXHAUSTED! Oh...and here's a "Matt" for you...(Love you Matt). When he shows up at my door - he says "Oh by the way...the boys are going to want to shower!"....
UM...do I even have 17 towels!? haha....
Once the tennis team took off for Hilton Head, we packed up the family and headed over to Miranda's to help her start moving....I finished painting - while my strapping young man of a husband helped with the heavy stuff. We got a ton done - and Logan's room painted as well! It was lots of fun - and we were so glad to be able to help!
Sundays are always busy in this house. I, of course, work...and Jon was serving in the kids area as well this week. We were busy with set up and tear down and all that happens between...and then went back to Miranda's late afternoon to finish up. Fun times were had by all...Stef and Scott were there and Alan and Jamie...we barely did ANYTHING...but we had fun hanging out in Mir's new place! Our night cap was none other than Donato's pizza...can't go wrong there! :) We had a great weekend of being with friends and helping others. It felt GREAT!

Ministry and stuff

I am about to give up every hope and dream I have ever had regarding music. I just don't think it's the path I'm supposed to take. I have never desired to be a huge recording artist - or be famous or anything of that nature, but I feel like doors have been slammed in my face for about 9 years now - and I honestly can't take it any longer.

Of course college was great. My entire 2nd year was spent touring the country and Kenya singing and working with teens. It was AMAZING and so much fun!!!

I went through a very unique situation in DC. One where EVERYTHING was starting to happen for me. I was working on 7-8 CD projects - leading worship - and doing background vocals for a really neat guy in the area. It was an amazing time. I was able to open for Mark Shultz and Shane and Shane. I've sang with many "greats" like Marty McCall, Alicia Williamson Garcia, and Larnell Harris. I've been on stage with people like Kay Arthur, and James Dobson. It was an amazing sweet time in my life. Being a part of ministries like those was a once in a lifetime chance for me. Unfortunately I witnessed pride getting in the way of people's hearts. I started to see how many musicians in general lost sight of who they were singing too and what they were "performing" for...and that is to give God glory and to lead OTHERS to Christ! It started becoming who they knew in town and what they could accomplish. Unfortunately, it is a sick industry. Right then and there - I vowed never to let my pride get ahold of me. I would rather be singing in a church choir with a "right" heart and attitude, then to be big and famous and have a heart full of selfish ambition. I prayed this to God every day. Every time I got on stage - I would beg God to prepare my heart in this way...I still do.

Well - next comes West Virginia...no secret to all...this was a dark time in my life. First of all, I was put into a church whose worship leader publically humiliated me by asking me to "prove" that I was really a Christian. UM...what do you say to that? It was the worst worship attempt I have ever been a part of. We soon left that church and found another one. It was a LOT better! It was a neat time where I started learning to play and experiment with keys. However, week after week I left disappointed and empty. I had gone from being SUPER involved - to being allowed to do nothing. My entire spiritual growth was stunted for 3 years and constantly felt ashamed that I was a woman and therefore unable to do anything but sing back up. I prayed and prayed that my heart would stop longing for more and that I could be satisfied in what I thought God had obviously called me to do...stand to the side and make whoever was leading look good and sound good!!! I learned to be OK with that! That's what it seems my role in being a woman is all about! RIGHT? WRONG! I have scars that run very deep from that State...I could write a book - and maybe someday I will. Jon and I have never experienced treatment like we did there....and I hope we never have to again. Good news is that it made us stronger.

We have come here and felt love like NO other. Even though we are "churched" individals, we were in desperate need of love and attention. Jon and I were on the verge of calling it quits with any kind of ministry b/c we felt like we had nothing left to give. We were only in survival mode. When you are completly empty how can you turn around and serve? Within the first few months, the amazing people at Crosspoint have loved on us and accepted us. We have found out that we aren't weird (ha - it's all relative) and that serving others and loving on others is the way to be filled!! Jon and I have had more opportunity here in 6 months to talk to others about our faith and why we live the way we do - then in the rest of our lives combined. We prayed that God would give us a big house that we could use for reaching others and ministering to others. Many people did not understand why we "needed" such a big house. We have heard so many backhanded slams on why we would be "frivolous" in spendng...even though no one knows our situation and how we got this house! It wasn't a need - but a desire to be used. We had a great example of this in our friends Chad and Sarah in WV. We wanted that! God gave it to us - and now our house is always full of people! Tonight we have 15 adults and 9 kids coming over for small group! This BLESSES my heart! I also have 5 friends total coming in and out of here today...that is more than I could ask for!!
I have recently started on staff as the Children's Ministry Director. I didn't have a love and passion for this when I first sought it out. But - I knew my personality - and I KNEW I could develop it FAST! It has been 5 weeks - and I'm wondering how I ever lived without this before?! I absolutely love it. I ALREADY love those kids - and desire not only to minister to them, but to their parents and families. It has made me a better mom and wife. You can agree to disagree - but I am made and created like this...and when I am using the gifts and abilities God has given me - why wouldn't I flourish in that?
All this to say - that I don't think I am wired to be a musician. It hurts my heart too much. I constantly feel inadequate and unusable. I forever feel that I'm not good enough - no matter how prepared my heart and voice are. Perhaps these other things have come into my life so that I will close that door behind me - and move on through another walk-way!? I asked God to keep me humble and to keep me as a "choir" singer if that's what it took to keep my heart in check...and He has granted me that and given me a ton in return!! How can I not be thankful?

My Dance

Most of you know that my husband is a WONDERFUL dancer! He is Mr. Rhythm and can move like anybody's business. Yesterday was a horrible day for me. I was suffering from a crushed spirit - and because of it - I couldn't stop crying!! My poor contacts were so salty - they had to be thrown out. :) HA!

When Jon came home, he picked me up in his arms and put on Michael Buble'. He danced me around and let me cry on his shoulder. I seriously had butterflies again...just like the first night we met. I was completely lost in the moment until...

Our 2 year old daughter came up and said "DADDY...MY DANCE"....(ahh!) She grabbed onto his leg and started trying to move...she looked like a freako - but it was SOOO funny and so cute! Jon and I's hearts MELTED right there...and the tears came back! That is a sweet moment that I never want to forget. I hope Kennedy grows up always wanting to dance with her Daddy.

F3

Yesterday was a WONDERFUL day for us!!! Kennedy was back to herself for the most part - and just happy to be up and playing! We did puzzles, colored, took a walk, and cleaned the house up. I had plans to go shopping for Kids' Ministry Stuff that night - so I wanted to be sure to give Kennedy and Jaxen their baths before Jon got home so he wasn't stuck doing it. I did Kennedy first. I usually let Jaxen sit on the bathroom floor and Kennedy will interact with him while I put laundry away or make beds. Well - next thing I know, Kennedy is crying..."MOMMY ALL DONE"..."ALL DONE MOMMY!" Confused (because she LOVES the bath), I ran in there...and saw why. We had a little bit of what I like to call "F3". Final Faeces Farewell. Yes...Kennedy had pooped in the tub. Now I'm sure most of you can relate at some time or another - one of your children' probably did this...however...Please keep in mind that Kennedy had been sick. I will stop there and say it was a mess. :) Poor thing was humiliated.

As I was cleaning up and hosing her down...a distant memory popped in my head. I had obviously pushed this FAR back - b/c I haven't thought about it in years. But I have a feeling my Aunt Linda (whose reading this) will remember VERY clearly when her favorite niece (Ok favorite one in NC)...may have had an accident in their pool!!! (A large horse tank we used to swim in) HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! I think I will push that memory right back where it came from!! :)

Day 4

Well - we are officially on DAY 4 of The stomach flu. I seriously don't understand this whole illness...or the point of it. It might actually be my VERY first question to God when I get to Heaven! Kennedy had a spurt of energy yesterday (Sunday) morning...but quickly returned to her lethargic state. She has been sitting and laying ALL day (Sunday and Monday). Sunday night we tried to get her out for some fresh air...we took her to Toys R Us. Who wouldn't be excited? She tried to enjoy - but after about 20 minutes - had to be carried b/c she was too weak...
Today she has eaten the following:
- 2 tortilla chips (with a tiny bit of Guacamole on them)
- 2 noodles
- 1 bite of Fruit Loops.

Then the diarrhea set in. NICE right? Come on!!!!

Poor Baby

This is about the extent of our weekend...since Thursday....
NO FUN! Kennedy has been switching from my lap to Jon's - and back
100 times. Poor baby still has a fever and no appetite. Jon and I are holding on for dear life and begging God to spare us from getting this...please join us!
Poor Jaxen has been on the floor playing by himself the majority of the time.
Good thing he's such a trooper!

Top Ten List....things to report

1) Jaxen has 2 teeth on the bottom and is working on his 3rd
2) Jaxen is crawling now...he will definitely army crawl - but he also does some scoots on his knees
3) Kennedy has the stomach flu - and is miserable...which makes me miserable! :(
4) Kennedy cheers whenever we pull into her "school" parking lot.
5) Jon is an amazing husband...he helped clean up the debris from #3...
6) This is not how we wanted to spend our weekend! ha-ha!
7) I am LOVING my new job!!!
8) I get the best of both worlds (in my opinion) by working 15 hours a week and being home the rest of the time
9) We miss our families and friends (which includes you!)
10) I heart North Carolina

Valentines Day

So - I've been really bad at blogging. I seem to go in spurts! Life has been a little bit of an adjustment. I started my new job and seem to be running from place to place for meetings and dropping off kids...Dr's appointments and play dates! It's been a GREAT couple of weeks!!

I may have to go back and write some more about this - but for tonight- I will just do Valentines Day. :)

We woke up this morning and opened our Valentines. Momom and Papap sent presents for Kennedy and Jaxen - so they opened those and money from Aunt Lisa....then Valentines from us. It was fun. When I told Kennedy she had presents to open - she looked in our living room where our Christmas Tree used to be...and said - "Pesents go Bye bye"...I thought it was funny that she associated the two together.

We spent the entire day in our PJ's - ate pink cupcakes for breakfast and then all took a nap together this afternoon. When we woke up - Jon and I went out for dinner. We found the GREATEST little Mexican restaurant! It's a new favorite!!
We came home in time to put the kids to bed. It was a great day.

Life Lessons

Last week, Jon had a business trip in NYC...so the kids and I took out for Charleston, WV. It's about a 4 1/2 hour drive, which isn't bad. :) I had plans to meet with my friend Laura, who is the Family Ministry Director at our old church, River Ridge. She graciously invited me to come and sit at her feet as she showered me with knowledge of what is now my new job at Crosspoint! The trip was a little insane...have to say. First of all...I decided to take off after Kennedy's preschool...which ends at 1. Logically, I was thinking that it would be a perfect time since she usually naps at 1 anyway. I thought for sure I would have a good 2 hours of silence as her and Jax slept.

Lesson #1: Never trust in Logic with a 2 year old. She cried and screamed for 2 hours...straight. She wanted to go home to her bed and go night night. She wanted Daddy. She wanted me to "Hold You". She wanted Juice and snacks - and threw everything down - and wanted it again. NO FUN!!! I was just about to run off the road to relieve myself of the anxiety of shrills coming from the back seat - when I remembered I had some M&M's in my purse!!!

Lesson #2: Bribery is sometimes your only option for survival. After the 2 hour mark, with Kennedy dripping milk chocolate from her mouth...I learned

Lesson #3: M&M's not ONLY melt in your mouth..but ALSO in your hands. :) I debated stopping - but the thought of pulling 2 kids out - unpacking the double stroller and taking turns on the nasty bathroom changing table...I decided against it. Both of my kids are in diapers at this point...

Lesson #4: NO STOPPING...diapers can hold an EXCESSIVE amount of liquid when put to the test! By the way...I have one child in Pampers and one in Huggies...both stood up to the test. By about 3 1/2 hours into the trip - I was starting to see signs for Charleston. We had rolled through Beckley - and were less than 60 miles away from the promised land. About that time - Jaxen starts crying. There is no way I'm stopping at this point. Now - all of you judging types may want to skip the next few lines. I knew Jax needed a bottle - but there was no way I was pulling over to get warm water. Jaxen is pretty laid back...so I decided that he would be ok with the following...

Lesson #5: Leftover Diet Dr. Pepper melted Ice and leftover Apple juice mixed with formula - make for a convenient bottle in desperate times.
After finally arriving in Charleston - I was set to meet my friend Ivy for dinner. We went to our usual spot - Rio - best Mexican restaurant hands down. Let me just say that my kids are now - 4 1/2 hours in the car - no stops - no diaper changes - no nap for Kennedy - and here we are arriving at a restaurant. Anyone else smell trouble?
It has started to sprinkle - so I was rushing to get my kids in the door. I didn't take the stroller b/c I knew there wouldn't be a place to park it.

Lesson #6: Do NOT attempt to take a 2 year old and an 8 month old into any public place by yourself without your double stroller. We sat down in our booth - I changed both of their diapers - and we ordered our food. About that time - the giddiness set in. Kennedy was ROTTEN. She was completely OUT OF CONTROL. She and another little girl behind us in the booth were playing and screaming and laughing SOO loud. I tried to get her to sit down - but I really needed the other mom to call her daughter down as well. The little girl started hitting Kennedy...playfully...so Kennedy started hitting back...playfully...meanwhile - I'm trying to feed my starving baby with one hand and wrestle my daughter with the other...forget eating my food. It was completely out of control. I could honestly take 2 more paragraphs to tell you how bad each little situation was - but lets just end the madness by saying I had to eventually take Jaxen out of the restaurant and buckle him in the car....then go BACK into the restaurant where my 2 year old was underneath the booth hiding while they were trying to seat another customer. I had to take her over my shoulder and carry her out kicking and screaming. Once into the car - they both started wailing. It was awful. I was bawling too.

Lesson #7: If you can't "beat 'em...Join 'em". I called my friend Tina and she insisted that we come over immediately. I walked into her house and TJ took Kennedy and Tina grabbed Jaxen. I couldn't have been happier to see them. We all had a pretty sleepless night...complete with Kennedy falling out of bed 2 times...and Jaxen snoring like a crazy old man....but it was as close to being home as we could have gotten!!! ;)
The next day was GREAT!!!! Laura had arranged the entire day with babysitters and lunch plans - and everything. It was a nice time to catch up on life and learn about Children's ministry! I left with TONS of information swimming around in my head....tons of ideas that I can't wait to implement...and visions for a bright future at Crosspoint. It was also so fun to see our kids playing together. Laura took some great shots....



Lesson #8: Seeing friends makes even the worst of situations seem ok!