New Pants!

Yesterday, Elizabeth took me (Mom), Grandma, and Grana (her great grandmother on Dad's side) to The Children's Place at the Outlet Mall. Grana got her these groovy pants. Doesn't Elizabeth look adorable looking at her stripes?!?!?

I thought the pants looked really cute with her kitty cat shirt that Mitchell's parents gave her last Christmas before she was even born!

I think she likes her outfit! Thank you Grana & Mitchell's parents!

People keep asking me if she's crawling yet. No, she's not. But she can get across the room by rolling, scooting & assorted other methods. She can even scoot on her bottom while she's sitting up. She's really got no need to crawl with all that mobility! Today, I put her sitting up on her blanket in the big basket part of a shopping cart while David was sitting in the seat part. Using her arms she pulled herself up on the side of the basket! Who knows what she'll do next!

Today I am thankful that rubbing alcohol removes ball point pen ink from laptop screens! Read yesterday's post if you're wondering what that's all about. I am also thankful for the gift of organization... as in organizing an event. I haven't had an event to organize lately & I miss it. Funny thing about a well planned event - it doesn't always get noticed. Attend an unorganized event, however, and everyone there knows it!

My sister pointed out that there are some more people giving thanks today at There Is No Place Like Home.

Thursday Thanks Tank

I saw this banner on a friend's blog a while back and loved the artwork on it. Reminds me of an abandoned gas station I once photographed south of New Braunfels, Texas. Anyway, since I've been counting down to Thanksgiving with what I'm thankful for, I thought I'd use this banner today and come up with the Top 10 Things for which I Am Thankful.
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1. I can't imagine what my life would be like if I didn't have faith in God. I don't think anything would be the same. I wouldn't have the same friends, I wouldn't be as close to my family (who all have a strong faith), I wouldn't be raising my children the same way. For that matter, I wouldn't even have these children... because I met my husband in a Christian Coffeehouse online!

2. I can hardly believe I have been married to my husband for almost 10 years already, but at the same time it's like we've always been together. I am so thankful that God saw fit to reach down and help us out of the mess that was "us" after the first year of marriage.

3. Even though he scribbled on the screen of my laptop with a ball point pen today, I am thankful for David. He is growing so fast, I am so thankful for the time I have with him.

4. Peek-a-boo, giggles & squeals. That's Elizabeth. I fall more & more in love with her every day. She is so full of personality and I am amazed by her every day, too.

5. My parents have always been supportive of me, but now they've gone beyond what I ever expected by happily welcoming me back home. I brought a husband, 2 kids, 3 cats and too much stuff back into their house & they seem to be enjoying it. I am very thankful for them & for them letting us live here for the time being.

6. For the rest of the family, both mine & Dad's, I am also thankful. Siblings, aunts & uncles, grandparents, cousins, nieces & nephews... it's great (and busy) to be a part of a big family!

7. I got to talk to my best friend on the phone yesterday. Between that and the friends that came to Dad's graduation, I feel so blessed.

8. I am so thankful that I can enjoy God's creation. Whether walking to the mail box or petting a cat, everything that God made makes me thankful.

9. Sleep is often interrupted for this mom, so when I get a good night's sleep, I am very thankful!

10. This may sound strange, but I'm becoming a little crunchy & I love it! Breastfeeding, babywearing, semi-co-sleeping, cloth diapering (and making some of them myself!), and making baby food... and I am thankful for the opportunity to do all those things.

This post has taken all day to write & I think I will not get much of #9 tonight, so I'm going to just cut it off there.

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Thursday Thanks Tank banner courtesy of Pam at Without Fear.

Wordless Wednesday: Old

For more Wordless Wednesday,
visit Wordless Wednesday HQ
or 5 Minutes for Mom

Today I am thankful
that I grew up on a farm
in the country
with chickens and rabbits,
cows and sheep,
even the pigs.
I am thankful that Daddy stopped
when turtles crossed the road,
and we brought them home.

Upcoming Movie: Golden Compass

I have gotten a few emails about a new movie that's coming out, so I thought I'd post my findings here for others to read, too. The movie is The Golden Compass (which I will abbreviate, TGC), releasing on December 7, 2007. Obviously I have not seen the movie, since it hasn't been released yet, nor have I read the books the movie is based upon. The commercials I've seen for the movie piqued my interest, but the emails have been one of warning and concern.

Snopes.com discusses the claim that, "TGC is based on a series of books with anti-religious themes." They found the claim to be true. Their article can be read here.

I found fans of the books on Rotten Tomatoes Forums discussing how disappointing the movie will be after all of the anti-Christian themes have been softened so that the movie will be more appealing to American viewers. Seems that those people that liked the books for it's anti-Christian sentiment are upset that it has been removed.

Some emails from Christians speculate that the movie was softened to be more appealing to children, who would then want to read the books, their parents not realizing the content.

Wikipedia has a very good synopsis of all three books. If you read the entire page on His Dark Materials, the trilogy (the movie is based on book one), you will see the anti-Christian themes that are found in the books. It is more than enough evidence for me not to see the movie.

Here are a couple more articles on the film from Focus on the Family sources:
Golden Compass Reveals a World Where There is No God, CitizenLink
Red flags waved over seemingly family-friendly film, Family News in Focus

You may be wondering if this should matter to you. I'd recommend you read the synopsis from Wikipedia and tell me if it matters.

Tiny Talk Tuesday

Another phrase David must have heard somewhere:
I know exactly what you're thinking, Mom!

Looking at our blog, David recognized some friends:
David: I see Mack!
Mom: You sure do!
David: I see Mack and Casey!

David was getting very loud one night after going to bed (in the same room with sleeping Elizabeth). I went in without turning any lights on & said...
Mom: David, I have something in my hand. Feel this. (and I ran his hands over the object)
David: It's a spankin' spoon!
I didn't have to go in again to tell him to be quiet! (Nor did I have to use the spoon!)

I've been waiting days to post this one! Sunday morning, Elizabeth sat in the exersaucer while I made breakfast. David was sitting on the stool at the counter.
Elizabeth: Ba ba ba ba ba....
David: That's not a bubble, Liz-a-beth!

I love that they're starting to interact!!!

In the bathroom yesterday morning...

Mom: David, please shut the door.

David: Hello, Mama!

Mom: David, shut the door; I like to have the door shut when I use the bathroom.

David, after shutting the door: Open thou door!

Makes me wonder if his Sunday School lesson was in King James!

Grandma brought home Ratatouille (the movie, not the food). David examined the box and said, "The mouse is holding a spankin' spoon!" Sure enough, the rat is holding a wooden spoon on the cover! So I asked if the mouse was going to spank him & he quickly said no!

Today, I am thankful for the words, babbles, and sound effects that come from my children!

Read more Tiny Talk Tuesday at Not Before 7. I wonder how her "not before 7" rule is working since time change...

Grana's Birthday

Today was Grana's actual birthday, so David helped me make a Birthday Heart for her. Click on the picture for an enlarged view. Then we went up to Quilt Club to deliver it. The quilt in the frame was not hers, but she was helping quilt it.

I have said lots how thankful I am for family - this extends to my husband's family, too. We are fortunate to all get along. Dropping in on Quilt Club today also reminded me that I am thankful for the ability to create. I am thankful that we have a creative God and that we were created in His image - creative, created beings!

More FWFD Graduation

Grandpa posted some videos from Dad's graduation HERE. In the first video, you can hear David start crying when the bagpipes came by us. We tried to prepare him for it, but they still scared him! At the end of that video, you can see MawMaw & David outside the door watching. The second video is Dad's award presentation.

Eleven Days 'Til Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful that my parents raised me in church. We were there all the time... they even left me there once! (Churches sure do get dark when everybody but the janitor leaves!)

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I don't know what makes some people like going to church and some people not like going (other than God), but I am also thankful that I enjoy going to church.

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And finally, I am thankful that David is enjoying going to church. He loves Cubbies and his Sunday School class.

Gobble, Gobble

These old Thanksgiving postcards where they're riding turkeys crack me up!

Today we went to Grana's birthday party and I forgot my camera.

Once again, I am thankful for family, and seeing my children interact with cousins, aunts & uncles, and grandparents.

An Official Member of the Fort Worth Fire Department

Today was a big day in the Fort Worth Fire Department... and in our family! Dad's graduation & swearing in ceremony for the Fort Worth Fire Department! The class president closed his speech with an emotional, "The best --- fire department in the world just got a little better!"


Some special awards were given out during the program. This first picture is Dad getting the award for highest EMS score. He got a plaque and $100 cash!

Next, Dad is going across the stage, shaking hands and receiving his badge, and his plaque for completing the program. Their brand new, shiny helmets are lined up across the front of the stage.

Here is the actual swearing in (below).

Click on the photo to enlarge & see if you can spot Dad!

A few of the firefighters from San Angelo drove in for the occasion!

(L-R) Casey, Mack, Dad, Chatta

After the ceremony, we went to the Railhead BBQ joint for lunch.

There's MawMaw & David...

Uncle Phil...

Grandpa H, Norma,

Papa, Grana holding Elizabeth,

Grandma, Grandpa P...

And the firefighters' table: Chatta, Casey, Dad, Mack, Delanie

Everyone in that photo is a certified firefighter!

And our happy family...

Obviously, I have much to be thankful for today! Just for starters: a wonderful husband who loves his job, dear friends who also love my husband, supportive extended family, and a beautiful family of my own. I am very blessed!

AND... today was Elizabeth's 10-month birthday!