Present And Accounted For

We are here, somewhere in the deepest recesses of outer cyberspace...we are a-lurking. It's not that I forgot about my blog, or that I necessarily meant to neglect it for so long....it's just that I've been pretty busy. No, really....I have! It's been a really busy year and while it's been fun, it's been challenging. But some really great things have happened so I thought I'd check in and share them with you!

First and foremost, Daniel started Kindergarten this year....this is a HUGE milestone, and I'm so proud of him I could just burst. He's so smart, sweet, and kind. He is loving his teacher, he adores his friends, and he is soaking up the knowledge like a little sponge!! He's been bringing home special projects to do because he's been finished learning to read the word cards for a few weeks now!! So smart! I'm proud of him!

Second, Michael started the Dallas Fire Rescue Academy in November, and he's doing so well! He is learning so much so quickly, it's amazing. It's been so long since I've been in a trade school type environment that I'd forgotten how much information you learn in so short a time frame! I'm so proud of him.

Zoe turned 4. This means she is a big girl, in her book. This girl has always been so advanced in everything she does, and now she thinks she's in Kindergarten with her bubba!! She's even sort of learning to read!! I love it, I love the little girl she's becoming (for the most part!) and she is such a joy to be around.

We have a HUGE dog named "Bolt." He's sweet, precious, and ginormous. He's a good dog....he's loving, kind, and so clumsy!! And even when he's so hungry he could eat a whole hippo, he takes the time to greet and love on everyone in the house first and THEN he eats. What a good boy!!

Christmas is upon us, and is just under 2 weeks away. And I just can't see the point of buying a whole bunch of presents when we buy presents all year long. I don't know, maybe I just like the decorating the house, cooking, baking, getting together with family, and celebrating the gift of Jesus. Presents are nice, but we don't really go overboard with going to visit Santa, or Christmas rush shopping, or any of that....I don't know, we just never really have. Hm...maybe as the kids get older? I doubt it though, we pretty much just decorate our tree/house and do a lot of baking. I love Christmas, and I love spending the time with family, but I think too often we get caught up in the stuff/stuff/stuff of the season, and we try not to in our house...

Merry Christmas to everyone who reads this blog, which is probably NOBODY since we've been away so long ;( But nonetheless, have a great Christmas!!

God's Presence

I had a wonderful moment earlier this week....I was privilged to teach a Group X Fitness class! It was truly humbling. And I am thankful for the experience.

In other news, I am thinking about making this blog private....and starting a "public" blog with my random thoughts that don't include updates or pictures of my children...there are evil people in cyberspace and I don't want them having access to my blog. Unfortunately I don't know who they all are, so I can't block their IP addresses, and besides that they have their ways...I'm perhaps just overly cyber-paranoid maybe? I'll put that feeler out there and if you think you might be interested in reading my blog email me and let me know your address, and if I go private I will add you.

Priorities

As I sit here pondering what the future may or may not hold, I wonder about where my priorities lie. I like to think that I've got a pretty good handle on what's important, and what is not important. And I like to pretend to myself that I have it all together...but the sad truth is that I don't think I do.

I have a career I adore, a job that I actually look forward to going to, and a family who is extremely supportive of me (to the point of self sacrifice on their part). I have a new Church home that makes me happier Spiritually than I've been in a very long time. And I've lost so much weight that I am almost back to my pre-pregnancy weight (I am back to pre-pregnancy SIZE which is tremendous in and of itself). But in the mix of all this stands the dark cloud over my life : time. I do not have enough time. I do not have enough hours in a day to work, work out, eat, and spend quality time with my children. So here is where I have my question of priorities comes in :

1. How do I fit in my extra-curricular activities (i.e. the gym) and not make my children feel neglected? How can I possibly hope to make fitness important in their lives if I do not set time aside each day to work on my own fitness? But how do I do it in such a way that they are not neglected?

It's also an issue that the things I enjoy most at the gym are (in the following order) : 1. working out with my husband, 2. Group X classes. Michael and I can't work out together after I get off work because the gym is ridiculously busy. And Group X classes are only offered at certain times of the day. I can go to the gym late at night and do elliptical and weights, but then I miss out on time with Michael. This may seem an odd quandary, but it is really important to me nonetheless, and ANY input would be welcome!

I'm BAAAAAACK

After a year hiatus from internets, I am back in business y'all! I must say I have missed blogging. Even if nobody reads, I've missed the catharsis of writing. So I must say that I am excited to be able to sit down and write, even if it's only for myself.

With that said, here is my first post....something I've been thinking on for awhile :

Growing

Each day I look at you and I see :
A growing intelligence.
A growing understanding of the world around you.
A growing ability to bend situations to your will.
A growing sense of confidence.
A growing vocabulary.
A growing sense of humor.
A growing love of life.
A growing appreciation for living creatures great and small.
A growing Spirituality.
A growing little boy and a growing little girl.
And I feel inside of me :
A growing sense of pride for who you are becoming.
A growing feeling of love that I didn't know could get any bigger.
A growing appreciation of the sacrifice God made for me.
A growing sense of dread that this world I want to shelter you from is becoming more unpredictable.
A growing feeling of sadness that you are growing up so very very quickly.
A growing feeling of happiness that you are on the road to accomplishing all of your goals.

I love you, my beautiful sweet children.

1st Rangers game this year. yay!

Stormy Times

We all have them, we all go through stormy and rocky times. I'm smack in the midst of one of those. Again. I'm looking for a new job, and praying for strength through the search. I feel God leading me several places, so if He'll just whisper at them...to HIRE ME :) we'll all be on the same page, right?

I could use prayers that this job search is quick, fruitful, and lucrative. I could use prayers that God gets me right where He wants me, and that this happens *quickly* on our human timeline :)

Thanks faithful readers.

Let me tell you how upset I am with Albertson's and their current "Monopoly" game. Their rules are so stinkin arbitrary. I don't think they know half the time what they're supposed to do. Ugh. I hate gimmicks.

me : zoe why is there pee on the toilet seat? zoe : because i retended i had a penis but then i didn't and i makeded a mess

Daniel turned five today. This is him at school, Valentine's party! I love this little boy. He entered the world at 6:56 pm Feb 12, 2004. Emergency c-section following a failed induction, and 3 straight days of labor. Worth every minute of it. I love you Daniel. You're amazing!!

I Am Still Here

Somewhere, lurking in the dark and deep recesses of cyberspace, I still exist. And I promise to figure out the internet thing at our house and start blogging again. I know, I know, you're all of you (well, the one of you out there that reads) excited.

Stay Tuned.....

Zoe's 1st haircut!!!! Today!!!

1st field trip.... Mainstay Christmas Tree Farm. We had the greatest day!!

I turned 29 yesterday.... i'm in a bit of shock... But hey, it's only a number right???

You know what I'm dreading? Rota virus season. Our kids have never been in school during that season. And goodness knows that if my son can leave home with a dry nose and return with green runny stuff EVERY DAY, that does not bode well for those tuff bugs like Rota. Lots of prophylactic prayers going up now...

This creamer is good. It's not fat free but there's only 1.5 gm fat per tbl so it's comparable to 2% milk. A hint : if your kids are squeamish about milk add a tbl of this or another flavored creamer. Snap, instant milk they'll ask for more of!