Is it really a new week?!

Days are flying by with so much packed in.....Sunday afternoon Scott took Carlton back to the ranch. Spring break over and time to settle back in. Carlton did fine while at home. I have unpublished blogs about the reality of Carlton, but I saved them and after looking back decided to simply leave them saved. The words are there should I ever need to read them, but they do not need to really be blogged. It is simply best to say that he is right where he needs to be. The ranch offers him structure and boundaries we cannot. We are thankful!

Today has been such a dreary day. Puddles, mud and cold keeping my crew inside. Ryan and Daniel spent hours building this afternoon. I really don't need to tell you how loud domino's are on tile. whew!

Due to rain I stood in the long hall of the addition throwing a nerf football with Seth. I know one of my house rules is "No throwing balls in the house!" but on days like this rules have to be lifted. Boys very much need to let go of some energy! I smiled and laughed listening to Seth talk. Boy is he a talker! He told me "When I have a wife we are gonna get 3 boys and 3 girls." I asked him where he was going to "get" these children? He said matter of factly, pointing for emphasis "From the belly button made by God!" :) Priceless. He went on to name them. I was not at all surprised to hear that 2 out of 3 of the girls would be named after Lita. Lita is a sweet sister, very cool, very fun, and not at all whiny....a guys girl. He finished naming them and said, "If we only get 3 boys and ONE girl? That's just the way it will be!" lol:) I LOVE the simplicity of children.

Tonight Mercedez led the devotional at the girls devo. I was very proud of her. We found a neat idea online and she(we) made it her own. She then made bookmarks for everyone that said "I'm God's Mii". Her Scripture was Genesis 1:26 and her lesson was this:

I have a new friend. We haven’t been friends long and we are still getting to know one another, but she seems pretty cool so far. She’s easy-going and fun to be around. She listens to everything I say. She always wants to do whatever I want to do. She even looks a little like me.

But that’s probably because she’s my mii. (A mii is an avatar for Nintendo Wii, in case you were wondering.)

I bonded with my mii as soon as I began creating her. I chose her hair, her eyes, her nose. I made her exactly as I wanted, and then I released her into the Wii world to hang out with all the other miis.

Every time I play the Wii, I am always surprised that my mii does exactly what I tell her to do. She swings and throws based solely on my movements.
She’s a compliant little mii, my ambassador to the Wii world. And she’s always smiling, even when she dives on her face to hit a tennis ball. She always tries her hardest, that mii. Sometimes her dedication inspires me.
One day as I was pondering my mii and our special relationship, a surprising thought struck me: We are God’s miis.

He created us. He chose our hair, our eyes, our noses. He made us exactly as He wanted, and then He released us into this world to be His representatives.
But, unlike the Wii miis, we have a choice. What we do in this world is entirely up to us.

Some earthly miis don’t listen to God’s directions and swing at the wrong time or bowl a gutterball. Some are so in tune with Him that they quickly respond to the slightest move of His hand.

So what about you?

Are you going to keep swinging and missing or will you dive on your face for God, smiling all the while?

It’s not easy, being a mii. But I do know that if we follow God’s direction, if we are the best mii’s we can be…..we will win the most important victory we can imagine!! Heaven!

Cheerleading Tryouts:)

My two 8th grade girls, Mercedez and Rosie, have been in cheer camp all week. This morning was tryouts.....

They did great:) I picked them up, we got lunch in town and came home to wait until noon when they posted the numbers at the school...

Rosie was extremely graceful and sweet in her disappointment. She hugged Mercedez and the other girls and was not at all unkind about waiting through all the excitement.

Mercedez was so excited to be one of the chosen:) Ten girls all together, although only 8 are pictured above. Three little girls we go to church with are also on the next year squad which is really neat too! Hugs and squealing was definitely part of the excitement....such is life with girls!

Caleb

I am not suppose to be blogging much about Caleb, at his request for security reasons, but he will very soon be in a new place with a new goal and moving further from home rather than closer. This blog is for me and for Caleb!

God had plans for Caleb from the moment this world was created. God knew the path this world would take. God knew the how much time would stretch between creation of Adam and creation of Caleb. When God did create Caleb, He poured gifts into him that He knew would enrich not only Caleb’s life, but those around him. The slowest , sweetest, fattest, easy-going, best baby ever; not at all an indication of the man you would be. I sometimes wonder if you were storing up time for your busy future. You toddled and walked and talked with big words. Balls always in hand and a story on your lips, so many adults laughed at your great tales of your imaginary Grandpa. You were so headstrong, so opinionated, so strong willed. You refused to even write your name until you had perfectly perfected each letter. You sure did throw away a lot of paper. Your handwriting has always been impeccable. I still see it in you today. You work and work until you have each art, each challenge perfected. It is one of the most frustrating things about you and at the same time of of the greatest strengths you possess.

Now, you’re far from me. A man of his word, a man who is off perfecting a life I am simply a watcher in. No more fussing from me, no more prodding, no more redirection. You are in your place, you are in your time, you are in control of your choices, your impact. I am so thankful, so grateful, so eternally joyful to be your mom. I am so proud of you, of your choices, of your faith, of your place in this world. Of course there are times I want you here, beside me, with me, under my care and direction….then I remember who you are. You are a Christian, a brother to 20, a son, you are a musician, you are an artist, you are a reader, you are a gamer, you are an athlete and you are so much more……. you are a man who has given his life to a cause bigger than I can fathom, you are happy in your choices, strong in your commitment, proud of your country and you are the keeper of freedom….you are a soldier.

I am reminded of John 15:13 ……I have NO desire for you to lay down your life ( I have every hope and plan that you are home soon), but the very place you are, the very fight you fight, the very life you live….it is exactly as God intends! You make me proud every day! I love you!

Whose's most important?

Scott and I have been talking about our schedule. This week is his big show week, which puts him out of town for a whole lot of days(and nights). Saturdays are visiting days for Sam and tomorrow is a tough day for me. I have two girls trying out for high school cheerleaders, two girls (well, three if you count the friend spending the night so she can go too) going on a youth group trip, on son going fishing and has big plans, three boys and two girls just “here” doing a wide range of “nothing” and Carlton (who just has to have a more serious “eye” watching). Sarah is going to Florida, so no help there. John and Jacob are both working. Scott is wrapping up at the plant so he can be ready to leave for the show. College guys are on Spring Break and headed in different directions.

As I talked with Scott I finally just said, “It's not as if Sam has cancer. He is not suffering from an emergency that trumps all other issues we are dealing with." That might sound harsh, yet the truth is fairly plain to me. For seven years life has been an emergency with my trio of toughies. I have allowed, due to the nature of the problems, them to trump all else. I am not saying I regret that, I am not saying I intend to allow it anymore either. My children are getting older but that does not make their need for me any smaller.

Last night at the baseball field I stood listening to the coach’s parent/player meeting. The coach asked the boys “which is the most important position on the field?” Guessing went on for a few minutes and he said, “They ALL are! None are better than the other.” He then asked, “Which is the most important batting position? 1, 2, 4, 7?” The boys caught on (they are good guys!) and replied "none…they ALL are!" I feel that way with my children. Which is most important? None, barring emergency. I just cannot drive to Kentucky tomorrow and leave my girls to have no mom to pick them up, to take them to lunch, to drive them back to school to read the selected names, to talk, to be happy or sad with them, they just need me. Sadly I could drive to Kentucky and it would not affect Sam’s disposition or attitude either way. It will seriously affect my girls.

After many years of juggling I am just giving myself permission to not feel bad. I certainly did not choose the placement of the boys. My choice would always be well-behaved and home…but it isn’t mine to choose this time.

As to Sam, I am extremely grateful his worker has managed to find a few options. I spent several hours yesterday filling out applications and was super blessed that my John took them and faxed them for me! Sam is no longer doing well at the hospital. He got into a fight on Wednesday night and was placed in a hold….which in Sam-vision means he is tired of trying to be good so he can get out. The real Sam is showing and I hope that vision might make finding a placement easier! Certainly would be best if it just prolonged his stay until Scott gets home from his show!

My Neat Son!!!

My son John has had a super great week! John left Monday for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Associate Leadership Summit. This summit was comprised of the 22 cooperatives in the state. Each of those cooperatives brought 2 representatives, from two different schools. The representatives are chosen based on counselor and teachers recommendations, John was chosen to represent our high school and county. John spent three days in Nashville visiting elected officials and even Miss Tennessee! It was an extremely neat honor for my really neat son!!

BTW..he did not wear this shirt...lol...it was all business wear:) But this picture? This is all "John wear"!

My special visitor:)

I am not sure my mother-in-law counts as a visitor, she is truly extra special family! Much like your "good china" she is the best of the best:) Nancy came on Tuesday and has been here all week with us. She will be headed back to Murfreesboro tomorrow.

One of the most wonderful blessings God bestowed to me was and is an incredible woman I love, admire and cherish. It's a blessing because truthfully as a young person, well, young people are clueless....they(me, myself and I) know not what they want and especially what they need. So a gift like Nancy can only be from God. I'm sure as a young wife, at that youthful time I never considered the time, the love, the influence, the support, the laughter, the sorrow, the true friendship that was in store for my life. He chose the best (I know it and God does too!). I sometimes wonder in my youthful bliss if God did not just peep into my future and think to Himself....Amanda is REEAALLLY gonna need Nancy....and He blessed my unknowing soul with her:) Nancy is my most favorite example of "Christ-like". Just today, as she washed, capped and put up strawberries for me, she mussed, "how can people say "___" is my favorite grandchild?" Then she talked so lovingly about how God created each grandchild and how special they all are. See?! A blessing! And I am and will eternally be grateful to call her mine. Even if I have to share! lol..and I will:)

Jumping for Joy:)

Tonight Nancy, Sarah and I (well, actually us and the rest of the gang) watched as Mercedez showed us her cheers and jumps she has been working on at cheer camp this week. Mercedez and Rosie have been going, but Rosie refused to honor us with her abilities. After Mercedez it quickly became a "Toe Touch" show down. The trio (Michael, Ryan and Daniel) all returned from baseball practice to join in too! Super funny, and lots of laughs!! These are a few of my jumpers:








I am not sure this last jumping guy is mine. Tonight he asked me to sign a release so he could give blood. He actually made the decision and filled out the whole form except for my signature. Give blood? Haha...he sure is mine but that part is all "Dad"!