The Case of the Bird

I've said over the past ten or so years that weather in the south can be described as the following: where one can experience all four seasons in one week. When my children wake up, the first words are either "Can I have dessert after breakfast?" or "When can we go outside and play?" T-Pup is old enough to know the differences in the weather. When he woke Monday and looked out of the blinds, he said "is it going to rain? is it cold? will there be inclement weather?" (not really, but I just thought I'd add a big word for dramatic effect). I answered "no" to all of his questions, so he began to put on his camo crocs and head for the door. Normally I wouldn't mind, but this day was different.

A little bit earlier I scurried down our driveway in my pajamas to put a bill in the mail box. When I noticed our neighbor's deserted tricycle at the edge of our drive, I became slightly concerned. As I walked a few more steps, I noticed it. Ohh, ew. Hard crash landing...

Mr. Bird.

Apparently sometime in the wee hours of the morning Mr. Bird made his final descent into our driveway. The poor guy (or gal, didn't take time to look...not that I could identify it either way...) was apparently sitting on the power line that crosses over our driveway. The details after that are fuzzy, but I can tell you the end result... Mr. Bird is now the former Mr. Bird.

As standing there in my pajamas I'm trying to figure out if W is at school or work today; thankfully, work won out. I ran inside and called him. There's been a tragedy. Not really, but goodness I was on a roll. I told him of the situation and that we couldn't go play outside until it was cleaned up. Thankfully he graciously accepted the call of duty and said he would stop by the house after he went to lunch with some friends.

So, back to T-Pup. "But momma, if it is so nice outside why can't we go play?" I then explained the little blob at the end of our driveway and that it was messy and gross and also that Daddy would be home at lunch to take care of it for us. He then asked if Mr. Bird was stinky and I told him that yes, with the sun beating down on Mr. Bird like it was and would be for the next 3 hours, I suspected that Mr. Bird would be stinky.

He agreed it would be much better for us to stay inside.

W comes home and scoops up the bird with the shovel and tosses it into our back pasture disposes of it properly. He comes back in saying "I got it. There is a little juice left on the drive so you may want to clean that up before taking the kids out."

Ahem.

I go out with the hose and a large container of clorox and get to work. As I was hosing the driveway down, the water pushed something into the street. I went over to look, and it was one of Mr. Bird's organs. My guess from this is that it was the stomach. I blasted that thing clear across the street with my water hose and used enough clorox to make Cher's hair blonde.

Rest in peace, Mr. Bird.

I have recently returned to Facebook, only after a beautiful 40 days without it. It frustrated and overwhelmed me all at the same time, because who are these people and why are they my "friends?" Sure, I have crossed paths at some point in my life with each and every one of them, but that crossing may have only merited a class together or a meeting through a friend of a friend.

So, I've been thinking, not only who are they, but who am I to them? Many of them know me from high school or college, a handful of them know me from junior high, and the rest fall into the friends of friends category where we met once or twice, then the family category.

So, I thought I would give a small peek into who I am/why I am that way. The main parts of my life are God and family, so I will expound most on those areas.

I am the oldest of 3; I have a brother and sister. We have better relationships now than ever before in our lives. My father was abusive to my mother, also a drug addict and alcoholic. They divorced when I was 7; he came back/left again when I was 14; he came back again when I was 17, then died 7 months later of metastatic lung cancer that spread to his brain. My mom injured her back in 1994 and as the oldest, I assumed much of the responsibility.

Because of my unconventional family history, I am a huge advocate for my family now. More on them to come.

I was raised in Southern Baptists churches. I was always extremely judgmental and quick to point out other people's flaws. I was confident in my relationship with the Lord, and was confident that it [my salvation] was superior to my classmates [salvation] who struggled in areas that I did not.

I flew the coop I left home halfway through my sophomore year in college to transfer to a school 4 hours away. For once, I just wanted to take care of myself. It was amazing, and instantly my world was rocked. I decided rather than going home the next summer I would go on summer missions. I worked with a Baptist association that had over 90 churches in it. The Lord really started working in my heart that summer. I would lay in the floor of my room each night and marvel at things in the Bible I had never seen before. I think for the first time in my life, my eyes were truly fixed on Him. I became an advocate for the statement "relationship, not religion."

I came back to school that fall, having released all preconceived notions of what my life was to hold. I changed my major in school and said "take my life and let it be, consecrated only Lord to thee." I started a new job and moved into a new house with new roommates. In walks W into my life. I had met him the semester before, but it stopped at that. Suddenly we were talking to each other and I found myself giddy. I freaked out. But, Lord? I just want to be yours. I told W, and we both concurred it would be only a friendship until further noted. 2 months later it was further noted, and then we knew that the God of heaven and earth had created us for each other.

In the midst of our blooming relationship, I had an encounter with God that I am not vulnerable enough to blog about. I left the Baptist church and began going to a non-denominational church with W. I miss that year of my life; I was so eager to learn of the things of God.

The next summer we marry. We immediately go into full time ministry, even raising our own support for our first year of marriage. Three weeks after we were married we went on a mission trip to Portland, OR and it has not slowed down since then.

Nearly two months after we celebrated our first anniversary, T-Pup was born. We had moved two weeks prior to him being born so W could take the job of a Director of Christian Education at a United Methodist Church. 26 months later, Sam was born.

Letmetellyousomething, I love our church. It makes me love THE CHURCH more! The people there love me, challenge me, make me laugh and make me cry all in the same week. I have learned this: one cannot put God in a box. Whether worshiping in a contemporary or traditional service, or worshiping with chains binding you to a prison cell, God is still the same. Who knew in my ripe old age this once radical gal would love liturgy and singing "O for a thousand tongues to sing" and "Come, thou long expected Jesus."

I willingly and gladly serve my husband, because it does my heart joy. I weep at the fact my children have a father like I never did. I love staying home with our children, pouring into them the Word of God and crazy, silly fun. Who cares that I don't have some fancy corporate job? There are days when I wish I did, but at the end of each day, I rejoice at what the Lord has put on my plate.

Now, I will eagerly tell you my flaws before I even guess at yours. I will tell you no matter what has happened in life, God still so tenderly loves us. Not for what we do, but for who we are; as I don't love Him for what He does, but for who He is. I will be the first to tell you I am not perfect. I love to be sarcastic and often have an off-colored since of humor. I sometimes laugh really hard and snort, then glace embarrassingly around to see if anyone heard. I would love to one day be a midwife, live in Israel and India. I want my children to walk in truth. I want my husband to be proud of me. And I want my dear Lord to delight in me and dance over me. That's me.

Facebook won't allow this many words in the "tell me something about yourself" box.

So, takemeorleaveme there ya go. Now, if you read this (haha, watch my counter say 0 for the next 7 days) I would love to know a little bit more about you.

Of Polar bears and donkeys.

This past weekend we were graced by the presence of Mr. Marine. It was the first time he had visited since his homecoming last October. We had a great time. I paraded him around like the big proud sister should parade little brother around. He said at one point "I'm getting the idea you're proud of what I do" and I responded "not of what you do, but of who you are." Ok, I wasn't even looking for a revelation Lord, but wow, that's good. He loves us for who we are. I know this, but in that moment and even now it seems so much more real.

Mr. Marine is 6'3" and weighs somehwhere over 200lbs. Not an ounce of fat on his body, but all muscle. He was like T-Pup and Sam's own personal playground. They climbed and jumped and hooped and hollered. T-Pup rode his leg like a bull, but somewhere in the weekend the bull became a donkey. It was really funny, and I added the video of it on FB. Honestly though I don't think I've ever seen anyone bucked off a donkey.

Someone sent me a recipe for cookies to go along with the Easter story. You make the cookies Saturday night, and each step chornicles an event that Jesus went through. For example, you let the child crush the pecans then talk about how Jesus was beaten and bruised. You let the child smell the vinegar, then share how Jesus drank some on the cross. You allow them to taste the sugar, and then tell how sweet it was of Jesus to die for us. When it came time to put the cookies in the oven, you talk about the tomb. Well T-Pup asked what a tomb was, and for whatever reason the word "cave" escaped me, so I told him it was a big hole in the side of a mountain. After a few minutes, T-Pup says "momma, were there polar bears in Jesus' tomb?" and I look at W like "what in the world?!" (said it with my eyes, not my mouth :) ) and said "T-Pup why would you think that bud?" and he replied "you know, because polar bears live by holes in big snowy mountains!" Touche my son, touche. I see why you could think there were polar bears in Jesus' tomb.

Easter was wonderful and busy and full of great memories.

I mentioned to W a few weeks ago that I wanted us to get T-Pup this Bible. He ordered it for us and we've been reading in it since. Each day this week at either lunch or breakfast we've sat down and read it while we've been eating. Each day we have read the Easter story over and over again. Part of me is like "Hey bud, let's read another story" but then I think if he wants to read a story over and over again, this IS the one to read. He said yesterday "Momma, why is Pilate wearing a towel?" and so I explained it was a tunic, which is like a shirt, which looks like a towel. He then asked me if Pilate had a helicopter or airplane. We then broke down the difference betweeen Pilate and a pilot.

No one ever told me my children would be so literal! I love it though.

It is a beautiful spring day outside so we are going to go enjoy it now. Hope y'all have a blessed weekend!

Keep praying!

Stellan is going to Boston so the electrophysiologist can care for him there. Please be in prayer for his mom, Jennifer, and the rest of the McKinney family. Pray they can somehow control his intractable SVT without having to do the ablation. He is still so young for that surgery. Please lift this sweet family up in prayer.

Happy Resurrection Day

From our family to yours, Happy Ressurection Day! He arose, He arose! Hallelujah Christ arose!

New Love

I have new found love. And it's not even expensive! I started glancing around Etsy a few months ago, but only glancing. I would search for a particular item and see all the lovely handmade, homemade things that would pop up. We all know I love MckMama. Many of the Etsy sellers are donating proceeds to the Mck family fund in order to support Stellan's medical situation. I thought this would be a great way to help. I placed two orders; one for a little blue and brown hairbow and the other for a flip-flop t-shirt/hairbow combo. The second order came today (from seller Simply Chic Bebe) and it is so adorable. I placed the order on Monday - today is Thursday! I will be shopping Etsy plenty to come in the future! And of course here is a picture of little Sam modeling her new simply chic couture!

Much Ado About Nothing

T-Pup: I need to poop
Me: Ok, go take care of your business.

(20 minutes pass)

Me: Hey bud, did ya poop?
T-Pup: No ma'am, I decided I'll just wait till tomorrow.

Let's say a prayer that he does not inherit my procrastination. Sometimes there is no use in prolonging the inevitable. My brother is coming to stay with us for Easter this weekend and I have a mile long list of things I need to do before then. I am fighting exhaustion and also have some heavy things on my heart, so scrubbing bathrooms and dusting aren't really on my "excited to do list" but they are on the "to do list" so I might as well get 'em done (wow, I was just tempted to write get 'er done. And I just did, parenthetically speaking.).

So why am I still sitting here? And why am I singing the old Garth Brooks song about tomorrow never coming? Geeze Louise... I need sleep.

Family.

Or Fami-LEE. Just wanted to type it out since we're closely nearing 10 years since the good 'ole days.

We spent the day yesterday with my sister and her family, including her precious new son. He is one month old but still so wee little and snuggly. He already loves his dear aunt (in the spirit of Fami-Lee, say it with me: un-tee for aunt; thank you). This is a glimpse of our time together.

PS: W and D are hiding behind the camera.

PPS: Are you surprised?

Seasons

It's my favorite time of the year.

For several reasons.

Spring, you say? No. I love the flowers and new life but dislike my allergies to them.

Basketball? Gracious no. I played only a handfull of games for our church basketball team in high school before they kicked me off the team. I don't get basketball. Thank God I understand and have a passionate love for football, lest I be banned from my southern roots.

Chronologically speaking, the first love is because of amnesty week. It only comes around twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. You can put whatever you want out with your trash and the nice trash people will carry it away. This day came last fall, but my sweet W forgot to take the stuff around to the front. So, along with the blue plastic pool from last summer and bouncy seat frame that have been on the back porch all winter, I've discovered a host of other things that will be leaving our property. There's nothing to make a gal feel better than to do a bit of throwing junk away decluttering.

The second love is because it's April. My birthday month. I always look forward to it with great anticipation. Last year I was training for the half marathon and getting ready for the big 25. The HM was the day before my birthday, and guess what... I hurt on my birthday. My feet were blistered and I was sore (Malerie has no sympathy for me reading this because she knows how much running I did/did not do!). So, I go to church the next day (my birthday) and all of two people tell me happy birthday and we come home and eat leftover pizza. All of this to say it can only be better this year, right? Maybe someone other than my husband and mother/father-in-law will send me a card or give me a call. I love to be celebrated... I mean c'mon, who doesn't?

There ya go. I love this time of year to throw some trash out and be loved by all. It really is the most wonderful time of the year.