Jeremy asked me what I wanted for my birthday this year and I said, “Nothing”. He came back with, “No, c’mon, I want to get you something.”

“I want nothing.”

“There has to be something you want.”

“Yes, I’m telling you what I want. I want nothing. Actually a couple of days of nothing would be even better.”

So that’s what I got for my birthday. Two days of nothing at a posh hotel in downtown Atlanta. It was exactly what this 40 year old body needed! Thank you, Honey!!!

“A few scholars have put forward the neat and simple proposition that the Old Testament uses mercy while the New Testament speaks of grace.

The truth is more elusive, like the words themselves. Think of it this way: Mercy is God witholding the punishment we rightfully deserve. Grace is God not only withholding that punishment but offering the most precious gifts instead.

Mercy witholds the knife from the heart of Isaac.
Grace provides a ram in the thicket.

Mercy runs to forgive the Prodigal Son.
Grace throws a party with every extravagance.

Mercy bandages the wounds of the man beaten by the robbers.
Grace covers the cost of his full recovery.

Mercy hears the cry of the thief on the cross.
Grace promises paradise that very day.

Mercy pays the penalty for our sin at the cross.
Grace substitutes the righteousness of Christ for our wickedness.

Mercy converts Paul on the road to Damascus.
Grace calls him to be an apostle.

Mercy saves John Newton from a life of rebellion and sin.
Grace makes him a pastor and author of a timeless hymn (“Amazing Grace”).

Mercy closes the door to hell.
Grace opens the door to heaven.

Mercy withholds what we have earned.
Grace provides blessings we have not earned.”

-David Jeremiah
“Captured by Grace”

The first through fifth grades meet on Wednesday nights as a group and hear a message from the Children’s Pastor. They then play games for 15 or 20 minutes before breaking out into small groups of about 5 or 6 kids. We discuss the message, ask/answer questions, and usually do some sort of project.

The year started a little tough for me, getting to know all the kids by name and figuring out the best way to take a bunch of 6 and 7 year olds and interact with them in a small group setting. But once I gained some confidence, I really looked forward to spending time with them.

One of my favorite weeks the kids in my group were asked this question: “If you could ask Jesus one question, what would it be?”

Here are their answers:

Are all my friends Christians?
How did you die on the cross, like, what day?
How old are you?
What should I see in the world?
How did you make miracles?
(and my personal favorite) Why do you love bad people?

Aren’t those great? I loved that week because it gave me such an insight into their thoughts and I was surprised that the questions they asked didn’t revolve around themselves like I thought they might. But they really desired to know about Him and that, my friends, is so awesome!!!

And here’s another group of awesome kids:

The 3 year old Kids Choir. How sweet are they? I wish you could hear them singing. I have SO enjoyed helping to teach them this year too. Notice I said “help”. Because no parent would want their child to learn singing from someone who can’t carry a tune in a bucket. However, I am spectacular at taking attendance, sending postcards, giving hugs, and passing out cookies. I sure will miss their cute faces this summer!

I’m waiting for a load to get done in the dryer so I thought I’d post of picture of what I saw this morning in yesterday’s coffee cup. Isn’t it just the cutest little french vanilla heart you’ve ever seen???

What? You’re hung up on the fact that I had DAY OLD coffee on my nightstand? I know. Gross, right? I find mugs all over the place. At least this one didn’t have any gnats floating in it.

Just that cute little heart saying “good morning, Love…it’s going to be a great day.”

Well, maybe it didn’t say that exactly, but that’s how I took it.

I remember at one point watching AI last season and thinking instead of Idol, it should be Idle. I mean, there is literally nothing else that wastes my time as much as sitting in front of the television. I looked up the definition of “Idle” before writing this and it says “of no real worth, importance or significance”.

Yep, that pretty much sums up watching the ole boob tube.

Granted, sometimes it’s nice to sit and veg out in front of the TV. But my problem with American Idol is that it sucked up too much time, even if I recorded it and could watch it commercial free. I mean, it starts out 2 nights a week for an hour, then 2 nights a week for 2 hours, then 1 night a week for 2 hours, and by then they are really grasping trying to make the show long enough. And what’s even more aggravating, is that so much of the show is repetitive. Which seems to be the case on a lot of reality type shows.

So I decided to just skip it all together this year. And actually I haven’t missed it until my Facebook friends kept commenting about “Pants on ‘da Ground”. Thank goodness for Youtube!

I forgot how much Simon makes me laugh before seeing that, but I don’t know…Simon without Paula? Eh. Not missing much. Listening to the two of them bicker was half the reason I ever watched it in the first place!

Schmap is an online map where you can go and find out about places you might want to visit in cities across the world. There are pictures and reviews for over 200 destinations. It’s pretty cool. Mine can be found here.

My name may not be in lights. But now it’s in print! :)

To recap yesterday, it began a little earlier than normal. We have trash pick up on Monday and I swear we must be the first stop because the truck comes so stinkin’ early! I took the trash can down Sunday afternoon, but not the recycle bin. So off I went, in robe and jammies, at 7 am.

After that I laid back down until I heard the laundry piles calling my name. I had about an hour to get the clothes started, wash the dishes (by hand…long story), and send the kids upstairs for their morning chores. Then it was time for school.

Somewhere between 9 and 10:00 this pink school box comes out and the next few hours are dictated by my lesson plan. Today was a fun school day because making the Good Samaritan boxes was part of the agenda.

We put all the toys from a years’ worth of “happy meals” and “value packs” into the boxes and realized I totally forgot to get other misc items like pencils, stickers, toothbrushes, and candies. The shoeboxes are due to be turned in tomorrow so now I need to make an unplanned trip to Wally World. But first, some lunch and reading. Oh and don’t forget Monday’s Memory Review.

The kids love to review because they get an M&M for each question they answer correctly. At this point school was over for the day and I needed to get out of my pajama’s before heading out the door. (Is it just me or does anyone else have the feeling they forgot to change clothes before leaving the house and have to actually look down while driving to make sure???)

Walmart didn’t have the craft items I needed for an upcoming project we are doing with another homeschool family so I ran into Michael’s real quick too. Then it was time to head home. We all grabbed the empty trash containers and mail from the bottom of the driveway, added the additional items to the shoeboxes before loading them in the car, and then sat down to dinner.

I realize that oatmeal and apples isn’t the most nutritious meal in the world. Especially taking into consideration that we had ravioli from a can at lunchtime. But in my defense, I had a wonderful meal planned that included fish and veggies, but Jeremy was running later than expected and I decided to save the nice meal for tonight instead.

After KP duty I sent the youngsters upstairs for baths and/or showers. I don’t really care as long as they come out clean. It was then, FINALLY, that I had a chance for some quiet time. I read my Daily Bible then headed upstairs for the nightly ritual of reading a smorgasboard of books.

I mean could you really refuse that face in those footie pj’s? After Emery was Savannah. And after Savannah, Jeremy came home. And not long after that, Mommy fell exhausted into bed.

The End

I hate when that happens.

Remember banana clips? The only hair accessory that could be used to tame the over-permed manes of the 80′s?

My idea.

Oh yes it was! Who knew what a hit they would become? Kinda like the lady who created Jibbitz. Do you know her story? If not, read it here. I love that story!!!

Okay, so on to my latest million dollar idea, which I’m only printing here so that when someone else DOES invent it, you’ll know I thought of it first and maybe I’ll have some kind of loyalty rights or something.

Lately we’ve been doing a lot of traveling. Most of it pertaining to Jeremy’s new job. (More of that when the time is right, until then trust me…lot’s of traveling!) And we can always count on our trusty GPS girl to get us to where we’re going.

You know the chick I’m talking about. Her calm, monotone voice comes over the speakers, telling you exactly how many miles until your next turn.

I heard Anita Renfroe do a comedy bit about her GPS, saying she wished hers had a man’s voice, and after properly executing a right turn, he might pay her a compliment. In a deep voice, “Turn right at the next intersection. Have you lost weight?”

But I say we take it one step further. How cool would it be if the GPS girl changed dialects as we drove across the country? You know, like when going from Georgia to Illinois, she would start out saying “Y’all need ta driiive fiftane miles, than exit fi-ty sev’n north”, and by the time you arrive at your destination she’d say, “You’s guys made it!”

Or what if you miss your turn? We laugh at our GPS girl as she flatly repeats the phrase, “please proceed to the highlighted route”. B-O-R-I-N-G!

Our localist GPS would be so much more fun!!! Imagine being in southern Texas as you mistakenly drive past your exit. You’d hear “Awwww…bless yer heart, Darlin’. It’ll be awright. Jest git to the next Waffle House and turn yerself ’round.” But beware if you screw up around New York somewhere. Your GPS will cuss you out and make you feel like dirt!

When I explained my idea to Jeremy he thought I was crazy. Delirious from too many hours sitting in the truck. But I know I can count on my blogging buddies. You’d buy it, right???

My training started out well, then pooped out. Each time I’d get on the treadmill, Savannah excitedly asked to try it too. At one point, she was on it more frequently than I was!

She started begging me to let her run too. And as September 19th got closer, it was obvious that I wasn’t going to be ready to run 3.2 miles, but she and I could run the 1 mile Fun Run together.

She had some hesitation leading up to race day, but by the time 7 a.m. rolled around this morning, she was up and dressed in no time. We headed to the church wondering what the weather was going to do, since it’s been raining here for 3 straight days!

In case you can’t tell from the picture, that’s NOT sweat! It started raining just as the runner’s took their mark and settled into a steady down pour for the entire 15 minutes and 14 seconds that we ran.

Savannah didn’t hide her feelings about how much she hated that rain, but she never gave up. We’d run together at times, holding hands, and then she’d see a friend of hers and dart on ahead of me.

And isn’t that just like a daughter? Needing her mom’s support one minute and taking off independently the next? Only to come back around to the one who will always be there for her?

My prayer is that she knows life is no different than this race was today. I will always, ALWAYS be there for her. Encouarging her, supporting her efforts, and gently pushing her when she’s ready to give up. She set today’s pace and all I did was guide. I wonder if I did that more in motherhood, if I’d enjoy it as much as I did running with her?

You know, stop trying to control everything and lead the way. Just be her guide to life.

Usually Wednesday night is for church. The kids have choir followed by Bible Buddies or Mission Friends, which ever it is this year. (Nice that I can’t remember, huh?)

But this is Spring Break for our county, so no church activities this week. Jeremy was working tonight so we had a “whatever,whenever” dinner night with Aladin on the big screen. I plopped down with my laptop and googled away.

Around 7:30 the kiddos wanted a few more minutes to play outside, so I granted them another 30 before baths and bed.

Not quite ready to give up the laptop, but knowing I needed to get them bathed, I opted to fill my jacuzzi tub and let them play together a while longer. Yep, I was buying time. And sometimes that comes with a hefty pricetag.

Just about the time I was ordering The 30 Day Shred DVD from Amazon (I got motivated by the 30 day challenge at Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. Go check it out, Girl! I’m in.)…. I heard my son yell, “CANON BALLLLLLLLLLL!” ***SPLASH***

Well, that got me off the couch for sure! I turned the corner of my bathroom to find water everywhere. Savannah had already gotten out, wrapped a towel around herself, and was laughing at the antics of her little brother who was floating face down in my bathtub, wearing swimming trunks.

When he finally came up for air he got a lecture of sorts and sent off to bed without ice cream. I, on the other hand, can’t wait to finish typing this because I did not do a canon ball in my bathtub and I will be indulging in a BIG bowl of Breyers cookies and cream as soon as I hit “publish”. (I only have 4 more days before The Shredding begins, so I don’t want to hear anything about my indulgences until after April 6th, m’kay?)