Thoughts

I just read a very thoughtful, insightful post on an old friend's blog - one that really bares her soul... and I wonder why I can't bring myself to write like that. To just write and not worry about if I sound stupid, or if I'm going to inadvertently hurt someones feelings or offend or tell too much.

I actually have a couple of drafts of "real" thoughts posts that I do want to finish writing and set free to the world wide web. But I haven't. Because I'm worried that someone might take my words the wrong way, and the last thing I'd ever want is to hurt feelings. And even though I'd like to consider myself to be an open book, having no problem talking about myself - even regarding my struggles and vulnerability, I realize I am not. And then there's my ultra-private husband...

But even so, I think I'm ready to be more open. I'm reading a book about Ruth and Naomi, and in the forward it talks about how women essentially live in two worlds - one public and one private. Things that we often know to be true in our private worlds are not always so accepted and acceptable in public society. But I know that my private world is not so different from the private worlds of many other women. And one of the things I'm tired of is having my private world so private. I need to learn to communicate my joys and even my heartaches without fear.

More on this later, but I feel God is calling me in a direction that would require embracing and expressing my vulnerabilities... so I guess I better practice. And what better place than the blogosphere. To quote a sweet friend-of-a-friend that I hope to meet soon, I may sometimes be "splattered. So bring a raincoat. You've been duly warned."

Tater Funnies

Tater fell on the playground at school Thursday and got a skinned knee. Being the drama king he is, he's been milking it ever since... yesterday he told me he needed an ice cream pack for his owie.

He found a calculator, and I was showing him how to make numbers come on the screen. He punched a few numbers and matter-of-factly said, "I talkin' on my email."


He has 2 new favorite songs. Here's how they go:

"Jesus loves me, I know!" (repeat this line over and over)

"Row, row your boat go down across the street!"

OK, be honest...

Do you like this layout? Is it hard to read? I really liked it at first, but now the blue on blue is starting to wear me out...

Even sillier...

Tater has a new game. I'm not sure of its origin or its logic, but it goes a little like this:

Tater: " I want a snack."
Mama: "Ok, what do you want for snack?"
"Um, I want a... um... bubby."
"You want a bubby? What's a bubby?"
"I want a moomah."
(Mama catches on)" We don't have any moomahs"
"I want a pppbbbttt (blows raspberry at me)."
"You want a pppbbbttt?"
"Yeah, I want a pppbbbttt."
"OK, you can have a pppbbbttt when you get up from your nap."
"OK."

And off he goes to play. Weird kid. :)

Silly boy

I'm trying to get out of the habit of holding and carrying Tater so much. He's too big, and I have to let him grow up sooner or later. :)
So this morning he's desperately attempting to get me to carry him to the pantry to find a snack, but I resisted. I told him he could walk and I'd go with him. He looked up pleadingly into my eyes and sighed, "But you love me!"
Manipulative little devil. It didn't work of course, but still...

I wouldn't have survived the 1800s

I know this because as I sit here in my 83 degree house wearing as little as possible, I am thinking of those poor pioneer women who crossed the plains in the heat of the summer wearing ridiculously long dresses with *ugh* tight bodices. I am so spoiled by air conditioning.

Except right now, I mean. Ours broke yesterday.

And considering the fact that it in now 3 pm on the Thursday before a holiday weekend, the prospects for being cool this weekend are getting slimmer by the second.


UPDATE: we are now the proud owners of a brand-new outside unit for the cooling and conditioning of air. They came to put it in at 6 pm on the 3rd. We were without air for less than 36 hours. Hallelujah! And with our home warranty, we paid very little towards the cost of the air conditioner. Now if I can just figure out how to "break" the inside unit too... :)

And the blessings just keep rolling in...

Oh my gosh...
Did I not just post this very morning that I found some sweaters on sale at Old Navy? And do you remember my post not too long ago about wanting to go shopping at Old Navy? Well, my sweet Daddy remembered... and sent me an "unbirthday" card with a gift card to - you guessed it - Old Navy. In the mailbox this afternoon. How cool is that? Included with the shopping spree are Tater-sitting services and ice cream, as stated in Dad's own voice on one of those recordable cards followed by the song, "You'll be in my heart." Tears. Thank you Daddy!

Of course, that's not all. I mentioned we paid off one credit card - well, we managed to get the remainder of the credit card debt transferred to that card at 2.9%. What a lot of interest money that will save!

And... this morning my step-dad called to see if I could fill in while his office manager is on vacation for a week. More money earned there! Thank you Kerry!

God is so good. And I am so blessed to have people who love me and take care of me - even spoil me!