What I've learned since my last blog!

I thought it would be fun to reflect on some of the things I've learned since my last blog...Some of this will be funny some not so much. I realize the older I get the more I learn about life and being a mother.

1. I've learned driving around Mississippi there is no "scenic route"

2. I've learned one of my boys doesn't use soap and he feels pretty good about that. But, he does wash his hair with shampoo and I should be proud of that. (this threw me) If you know my boys you can probably figure out which one I'm talking about.

3. I've learned no matter where I go I always run into someone from Paragould...and that is strange to me.

4.I've learned I need a break from my kids at the expense of missing one of their games.

5. I've learned I can't do everything...and some days I can't do anything...right.

6. I've learned for some things 4 years can change a lot and for others it changes nothing.

7. When my kids talk about Amelia it reminds me how much they miss her and it hurts me so deep down I almost can't stand it.

8. I've learned that some people may never change.

9. I've learned living for God is not the popular choice like I once thought and there are many sacrifices for that. .....All worth it I might add.

10. I've learned girls dont not have the same standards as we did as teens and I didn't think I had many!

11. I've realized that lately God as painted some of the most beautiful sunsets...and I should really enjoy them.

12. I've learned that if you don't like the weather in Northeast Arkansas don't worry it will change.

13. I've learned my son is a pretty good basketball player.

14. I've also learned Boy's Club basketball is very very time consuming.

15. I've learned that somedays I'm just hard to get along with...

16. I've learned that you cannot make up for that hour of sleep and it stinks really bad.

17. I've learned I did not miss my calling by not being a painter.

18. I've learned I have so much to learn about being a Godly friend, wife, and mother.

Last but not least...I've learned my kids are so precious and they grow up soo fast ...also they clean up well and look so cute at weddings! :D

Big God answers very small prayers

Ya know from my blog I have some strange thing happen with 3 teens and a 6 year old in the house. Well that is an understatement for what I'm about to tell you. Please note I'm only blogging this so I can remember it years from now. Well my son, Brendan has a stuffed animal named Super Boo Jr he rarely leaves home without him. So we had a busy night planned and Dana (friend) and I decided we would take our kids to eat between cell groups(older kids) and basketball practices (younger kids) We decided on Taco Bell and so far everything was going smoothly. We left Taco Bell and rushed off to basketball practice...so far so good. We leave basketball practice and run jumps out of the truck and immediately says open it back I left Super Boo Jr in there....you see where the ugly turn comes in? Super Boo Jr was not in the truck he wasn't anywhere to be found. Well I told the big kids to watch Bren while I ran back to Taco Bell to pick up Super Boo Jr...(Oh yea Super Boo Jr is a green dinosaur and he just so happened to be dressed in a tuxedo...yep I said a tuxedo) I ask the people in Taco Bell if they have seen it and they said I don't think so...as if they wouldn't have remembered seeing a green dinosaur...WEARING A TUXEDO! I looked around the place even in the men's bathroom I mean I had to I had a 6 year old at home crying. The dinosaur was nowhere to be found. So I'm off to the gym where I knew he didn't have it just to make sure for the sake of argument. Nope it wasn't there either. I stop at this point and think..."Seriously?" Well I decide I will just go back to Taco Bell b/c I know he left it there and give them my phone number so if they "find" it they can contact me. This is where the story gets really interesting. The manager at Taco Bell ask one of the employees if he has told me? So I'm like "Told me what?" So she starts to tell me this story about one of the employees taking this dinosaur and playing with and then selling it to a customer. Ok so I'm running around like a crazy person looking for a stuffed green dinosaur wearing a tuxedo and they are telling me an employee of Taco Bell sold my kids Super Boo Jr?????? Have I dropped into the Twilight Zone? I proceeded to ask this manager what their policy was on lost items in the store of course to find out...that was not their policy...(Good to know) The manager calls the employee and he denies everything. I also realize this employee waited on us and even watched Bren play with Super Boo Jr. This employee even suggested no lettuce on Bren's taco b/c I had forgotten to say that. I was irate! I go home still wondering if there was a full moon or maybe April Fool's Day had come early. Why would someone do this? Well Bren was full blown balling when I got home. I felt like there had been a death in our family. The big kids were even upset and very angry at Taco Bell even Adrienne and trust me that's a big deal. My friend Marsha called because she was picking up something from Wal Mart for me and I told her what was going on. Her husband told her it was a theft and I should report it to the police. At first I honestly laughed thinking seriously? I did reconsider and thought what will it hurt. I call the police station and talk to the investigator on duty and turns out he's someone I know. I told him it was going to be a strange conversation and he agreed it was a first for him. He never made light of it though because he realized my son was very upset. He called Taco Bell and took a report. He called me back and assured me he would work on the case...(it sounds really funny just putting it like that) Once the officer called me back Bren ran in there with tears still in his eyes and asked if they found him? At this point it was 11:15 and he was still awake. I told we would have to pray that the person that had him would do the right thing. The next morning my husband had to get up with us because he was leaving for his Pastor's Retreat and he prayed with Bren before we left for school. I took Rick up to the church and was telling the story to a few of the ladies up there and one of them said she had just found a smaller version of a green dinosaur and put it in the nursery. This was Duece Super Boo Jrs Mini Me. Bren knew he lost it at church but had decided someone had thrown it away or picked it up. He was very happy to know he at least had Duece back but said I still am praying that Super Boo Jr gets found too. We go through the whole weekend with Bren still saying I'm still praying and I believe he's going to be found. Rick asked me Monday morning what I was going to do about this guy because I hadn't actually "pressed charges" yet. I really considered what that meant and told Rick if Bren still has faith I'm going to just have faith too. Well we start off on our normal Monday night routine running Justin to his cell group and getting Bren to his basketball practice when my phone rings. It's the Paragould Police Dept and its the officer who is handling this situation. He says I'm looking at one green dinosaur! I was shocked he said someone had a "change of heart" and he "knew someone that knew someone" I didn't really care I was just happy he found my baby boy's best friend. We get up to the police station and walk in and the woman at the desk is holding him. Bren's face was priceless and to see that look it was almost worth it. ALMOST! I think those looks are God's gifts to the parents for never giving up. So lessons learned?
1. Double check and make sure your kid picked up everything they walked in with better yet make sure they leave it in the car!
2. Slow down because if your in a hurry you will forget something it's a wonder I haven't left a kid somewhere as busy as I've been lately.
3. Have the faith of a child and never give up because our BIG BIG God answers very small prayers.
4. Trust Him! I am learning alot from my kids and they trust God with EVERYTHING from the smallest to the biggest if they pray about it they believe it will happen. Imagine if we prayed about little things and believed and trusted God with it.
5. Somethings can't be replaced it's not always about money.
6. Just for fun I'm going to throw this in there for my friends that know Super Boo Jr. We are going to a wedding this weekend and I got an "I told you so" from my Brendan...He did not buy that dinosaur a tuxedo in vain! Now Super Boo Jr will be dressed appropriately for the wedding and noone will look at him strange...(that's yet to be determined) Did I mention Super Boo Jr wears "converse" sneakers with his tuxedo? Oh yea that's "Pimp" that's a quote from my 14 year old son. :D
7. This smile is worth however ridiculous I looked or sounded while trying to figure out what happened.