152 insights into my soul

So, it has been a weekend. We are tired. Partly from the weekend but also partly just from life. Really, it has been a year. This month last year we found out we would be transitioning from staff at the end of Dec. In Jan we found out we would be moving to AR. In Feb we came and found our apt and in Mar (7 months from today) we pulled out of Baton Rouge. The apt was great. We swam a lot, met some neat people and found a great church. In May, we found a spec house that was only at the stud stage. So for a few months we swam and checked out the progress on our house. In Aug we started homeschooling. In Sept we moved into our house. And now, on the last day of Oct 2010, Chip and I are tired. Emotionally, Physically, Spiritually, and Relationally. I am actually laughing right now because Chip just said the only thing that was keeping him going tonight to our church's Family Fest is that he wants to go. You see, our kids are total crank pots right now. They are tired too--emotionally, physically, spiritually and relationally. To some, we have had a fun weekend. Friday night we took the kids, along with one of our neighbors to a local church's festival complete with fair rides, pony rides, corn dogs and funnel cakes. Saturday morning we layed low until we went to Streed's last baseball game. We went straight from there to watch our old Southeastern Lions play football about 45 minutes from here. While there we saw a few old friends (a couple that used to support us while on staff as well as a football player that Chip discipled). Then we drove tired kids home so they could trick-or-treat with the kids in our neighborhood. When they woke up this morning an old friend was here. He had come in town late and stayed the night. He was just passing through. Then we left for church, ate lunch, and are supposedly napping so we can go to our church's festival tonight. So, even though it has been a busy weekend, it has been really sad. Now, I am about to cry. That is why I posted a picture of me in sunglasses. My sunglasses have saved me a lot of embarrassment on occasion here. Yesterday was one of those days. WARNING: I am feeling that this will be a long post. It's really for me. I need to journal and I just do not feel like picking up a pen and paper.

So, as Streed's game ended and Chip told all the kids how much he enjoyed being their coach and how much they improved over the season...(this was fall instructional league. they did not have real team names, they had 9 games, not a big deal right?) a mom (one of the assitant coaches wife's, who has lived here all her life and has family here and kids in school) comes up to me and asks if Chip and I have any plans for a party for the team. I start smiling and saying that we are really sorry at this coach/coaches wife thing. She cuts me off with a serious face and says, "So, you're not?" in an accusing tone of voice. So now mine turns from light hearted to a shaky almost crying voice. I tell her that we are maxed out with just having moved a few weeks ago and that Chip is out of town a lot. I then say in a calm kind voice, "I am not trying to be rude, but if you want to plan one that would be great but I just cannot." She smiles politely and says that's all she needed to know. AHHH! I am so glad of how I handled the situation. But, it has bothered Chip and I for 24 hours. I do not feel bad in one ounce of my being that we are not having a team party. I do however seriously loath being a disappointment. Chip and I are first born. 9 times out of 10 we are going to do what is expected of us because that is what we do. That is who we are. BUT, when Chip said he would be the coach (because they were short on coaches) there was no handbook saying that the wife is expected to plan a party. In no way were those kids deprived because they did not get pizza and a plastic piece of gold on a fake marble base.

So I leave there upset. I really should take Nate home for a nap. But I really want to go to the football game. You see, at this point I am stewing over the previously mentioned scenerio. So, I go. The kids do really well at the game. As soon as we get to the visiting stands we see our friends. They were so great. They loved seeing the kids. They told me a sad story about some of our old church friends in Hammond. I got to my seat sad. Then I begin looking around--the stands are small (it feels just like Hammond and like Troy when I first got there in '96), there was green and gold all around us, we could see our buddy dressed out on the field in front of us and I just could not hold it in any longer. It's just sad. We did not ask to leave Hammond. We spent 8 1/2 GREAT years there. We know God took us to Baton Rouge, just like brought us to Arkansas. That does not mean it's not hard. All of our kids were born there. We still have dear dear friends there. So the memories were overwhelming: people's faces, ministry, our former life etc. I got it together, with the help of this monkey yelling in GO LIONS!
Afterwards we went to the fence and saw our buddy. A few of the coaches came up and talked to Chip. Another player came over and hugged him. We hugged hi and bye and all (except Nate) walked off really really sad. Again, thank you sunglasses. I think this will do for now. I must take the monkeys to get more candy. If you are still reading you are really really awesome and I love you much.

a few more

breakfast nook
We bought this table and chairs from a neighbor down the street. They just moved in too and had a sign on it saying "for sale". It fits perfectly. It is great for the kids and I for breakfast and lunch.

looking at foyer and chip's office doors from kitchen
foyer, den, kitchen and breakfast are is "Ivoire" by Sherwin Williams.

dining room painted "Anitque White" by Sherwin Williams
I was really feeling the need to go light. I originally wanted this color for the whole house but was vetoed. It is in the dining room, chip's office, and both bathrooms.
We like it.
All of this furniture was in our old house. I am using the "entertainment center" to house all of the homeschool supplies. That is working nicely!!!

Another view of the dining room. Looking in from the kitchen.
Same china cabinet I have had for a few years, just painted.
Below is a pic of it before. boo hoo. It is just paint.
I can return it to its original glory one day I guess. The blue just did not work here. I could not go out and buy all new stuff just to match this. And my breakfast nook was too small to fit it there. Oh, well. Black is classy.


more pics to come later. right now i am swapping summer and winter clothes and potty training nate. so far, so good i guess. a lot of poo in the toilet and a little on the floor. baby steps.

the house

the house is great. we are really starting to enjoy it. we are still figuring out which light switches go to which lights etc. i have been pretty busy trying to get it all organized in the midst of life. chip left town today for a short trip so i tackled his office for a bit. tonight we made a quick trip to lowes to get something to hang my mops and brooms in the garage. it is the little things getting done that are making it feel more homey! i have posted some pics on facebook. i do not have pictures yet of all the rooms. i am trying to get them picture ready before i snap a shot. not totally decorated or anything, just straight.

we are enjoying our neighborhood and our neighbors. i am not missing little rock like i thought i would. it is not like i shop often so i really do not need all it has to offer. i am there Sundays for church and sometimes Mondays when I drop streed at his co-op and then again on Tuesdays for a Moms group at church. So, the other days we are pretty much hanging at the house or running errands around here. i like to tell people that i can be at Target in 5 minutes or watching a mommy deer and two babies cross the road in two! that really has happened to me twice. craziness!!! i love it!

here is me enjoying a book (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes) the night Chip and Streed camped. you can get a sense of my room. i had a blog post in my head as i was for some reason using my timer to take this picture. i cannot recall it at the moment. but here is my room nonetheless.

my friend jenny

My friend Jenny is a photographer. She started her business recently and is really doing well. She and I love talking about pictures, cameras, lighting and other nerdy stuff. She was coming out to visit us at the new house and turned down a wrong street. She called me saying she was lost and I was of no help. I did not know where the street was that she was on. Turns out it was one street up from our neighborhood that I pass everday. Also turns out to have a really cool barn and some horses. Since she had her camera handy we all headed over for in impromptu photo shoot. I love love love some of these shots.

canvas please!

I took this of Ella the other day at our house and I cannot stop staring at it. I absolutely ADORE it.

ummm! a wood burning fire

I took this on September 25th. The reason I know that is because I was sitting on the back porch, it was the first night the weather turned towards Fall and I told Chip that I have never, never, never, never, never been cold on Sept 25th.

Since then we have had some cooler days and some warmer days, but Fall is definitely HERE!

exact representations

gonna be sweet and cooperative

gonna do my own thing
gonna make you laugh

a six year old

Really? Am I that old? Has it been that long since my little 7lb-er came into this world? The calendar says it is so and so does Streed. He is so happy to be SIX! With moving and Chip being out of town the whole week before Streed's birthday we did not have an actual party. That turned out to be a good thing because on Oct 1 Ella and Nate woke up at 4am with a stomach virus. It has since lingered. That is why I am sitting in my bed with hours upon hours with not much to do but blog. I woke up this morning feeling not quite right. Too much movement and the stomach starts to cramp so I figure I will just stay put.

Back to Streed. He got some neat toys from his friends up here. He also had some money sent to him and enjoyed getting to pick out 2 presents. He bought one the day before his birthday and played with it all day on his actual birthday (since we could not go and infect the nursery at church). The weather was fabulous. We spent a lot of the day on the back porch in the fresh air. Look at his little mind working on his Iron Man lego set.



That night we had cupcakes and sang to our little man. He loved it. And then to top it off, he and Chip camped in the back yard. It got down to 41 that night but they borrowed some real deal camping equipment from a neighbor and went out for a little adventure. They made it all night. I am pretty sure Streed slept better than Chip did.


Besides the stomach bug, we had another surprise visitor that weekend too--Clara Mae was feeling the need for some good country comfort and headed our way.

math time is fun time

The kids absolutely love doing Math during homeschool. I went with Saxon after much debate. I am happy with it because it tells me exactly what to say and do. However, we are trucking right through the Kindergarten level and will probably buy the 1st grade book next semester. Ella loves school time. She is quick to tell Nate he has to go take his nap so they can "do school". She is working on her letters using a dry erase workbook most days. She is kind of in and out a lot of the time but when it is time for Math, she is all in there.

may have a cowboy on my hands

Nate is a funny little boy. He is all boy, despite occasionally having a nail or two painted and/or wearing pink boots. He just goes with the flow. I tell people that he really and truly may grow up to be a cowboy. He loves all things relating to horses. He has had limited exposure to those types of things, that is until his daddy moved us to the country! Now he is obsessed. I was amazed by him at the petting zoo portion of the pumpkin patch. He was all into the animals, talking to the helpers about the hay, asking to feed the animals etc. As we were trying to leave he has to say one last goodbye. I look over and cannot believe how he and this goat are entranced. He's my little animal whisperer I guess.

visitors welcome

Our first weekend in the house we had visitors. Chip had to go out of town and so did Casey. Casey had to come in our direction so Jill made the trip with him and then an extra 2+ hour trip to see us for a short overnight visit. We packed the time full with playing, eating at Moe's, chatting till late at night, decorating my den and hitting a pumpkin patch. Here are some fun shots of our weekend.

Is baby Jonathan not a doll!!!

on the hay ride

new porch, new photo ops

The afternoon sun off the back porch is just lovely. There is still major construction going on all around us so I was not sure I could get any really good shots. So, in testing out the lighting etc this is what I got.

Then I got the little "Ham-bone" joining in. His 2 main goals in life are: 1)to get his way and 2)to make people laugh.

boyhood dream

Chip recently aquired his CDL (commercial drivers license). One day this was the view coming down our street. He was using a truck for an aerial training class for a few days and had to wash it. Which obviously meant he had to bring it by the house.

no words

When we were moving in the house I had to make due with what i had. Therefore, in an attempt to entertain the troops I brought my lap top and a few movies. I remember watching Bambi as a child, possibly at the theater, and CRYING! I still don't particularly care to watch it. Bambi 2 makes it a little bit easier because the daddy steps in and takes on the role of parenting. Apparently all children do not have a problem with a little fawn losing his mother. Some may even want to be in on the action.

unplugged

i have literally been offline for a brief moment on monday for about 2 weeks. it has really not been bad. the worst part was checking my email today and not being able to upload pictures. but we are back in action as of this afternoon.