Thursday, July 16

MY SISTER JEN


One of my favorite parts about my vacation was getting to see my sister and her and her family being a part of our adventure in Oklahoma. We drove up from Branson, which all in all was a pleasant drive. My dad and I chatted most of the way, and listened to more than one Banana's (http://www.bananascomedyclub.com/) dvd.


My sister and I don't get to see each other too often. We don't really keep in touch through email. Just the occasional phone call, and lately it's been fun to communicate with her through facebook. Jen and I are about 3 years apart in age. I was out of the house as she barely started high school. She has been through a lot in her 30+ years. Lots of good times though, and has remained faithful to her passions in life. She has always been one I have looked to for inner strength, yet not so sure where I stood in her life. Right now she is busy making lots of decisions, and working hard for her family. She has always been good at looking inward. Figuring out what is best for her and the direction she wants to take her life. Much better, I think, than I. I admire her for this. For always challenging herself. For just being her. Love that we are sisters-and that we are now staying more connected.


I found this quote some time ago, and it made such an impression on me:


The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.


It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company ...a church ... a home.


The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people act a certain way.


We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes.


Charles Swindoll (AE)

Tuesday, July 14

Oklahoma Trip To Jen's

Yes, these crazy kids are cousins. They had such a fun playing together, and getting to know each other all over again. This tends to happen when you live so far away from each other. My boys keep talking about their fun cousins and how much they miss them.

Our original purpose for the trip was because my sister Jen's two oldest children were graduating from HS. It doesn't seem possible, that they could be that old already. Just a few short years before my oldest graduates. Time goes by too quickly. BTW... I don't know why my dad is making a fist over my niece. Something funny was obviously taking place, I just can't remember what it was, just now. Can't believe she will be going to college this Fall.
These two boys. Cousins. Aren't they adorable? I don't think there were two happier boys to be together than these two. I hope they get the chance to do lots of fun things together over the years. I hope they are very close growing up.

Here are my nephews. My oldest nephew who was graduating, and is going to college this Fall, and my youngest nephew, who I got to see and hold for the first time.


Here is my oldest son, who has this laptop his great grandma gave him attached to his hip. He takes it wherever he goes, and is at this very minute probably on it playing Ruin Scape, or WOW, his two favorite on-line games. He knows so much more about computers than I do, or ever will know. He is so technically minded. I am not, and I don't have a lot of patience of technical things either. He can sit for hours dealing with computer stuff, where I would get frustrated and shut it down. I am so proud of this boy!

ON THE HOME FRONT
Life has been busy lately. Skaterboy finished driver's ed last week, and has his permit to drive. He now has to do behind the wheel training, which starts in a couple weeks. He isn't really interested in practicing much, so I'm not pushing him. He's doing very well, when he has driven though, and is very cautious. I'm really glad he's taking the whole thing so seriously. Forgive me if I already put this in a post. I know I posted this somewhere, but don't remember if it was in an email or on facebook, or here. That's the problem with posting so many places, you forget where you last posted.
This week has started out slow, but starting tomorrow, we have a full week ahead of us. Tomorrow is another homeschool picnic at the park, if it doesn't rain, which it's supposed to. Tomorrow night is church, Thursday we are to meet friends at the splash pad in the morning, and Friday morning Skaterboy and I have a date to meet my best girlfriend and her son, for a day of scrapbooking (for my friend and I), while Skaterboy and his friend spend the day at State Farm Park swimming. Then that night, Skaterboy and I are going to see the new Harry Potter movie. Matt is super psyched. He has read all the books more than once. I haven't read any of them, but I always go see the movies with them. The last one was pretty dark, and I really didn't like the ending too much. I'm not crazy about scary films, and it got pretty scary (even for me) at the end. Hoping this one isn't like that.
Well, it's late, and I better get to bed. Goodnight to all my friends and relatives who read. I miss you all!



Saturday, July 4

Palin's Resignation...Goodbye Old Friend.

It came with a sort of melancholy sadness, when I heard that Sarah Palin had resigned her post as governor of Alaska yesterday. Sadness, because my hopes of her becoming the first female president or vice-president someday are now a bit a wash. It's okay though, as a mother, I completely understand. She is not only talking the talk, but walking the walk. Sarah Palin has been a great mentor for me. A mother, first, and a working mom, second. She has supported many things that I also support. Things maybe other women have lost sight of, or disagree with. Biblical principles, and standing our ground for those principles.

I have never really done a political post before, and to be honest have never really considered myself a political person. Yes, I vote, even on the local front, but have never really supported or apposed a candidate, other than when voting. I was a Bush supporter, and have always felt that he was treated unfairly due to the circumstances at hand. I have mixed emotions regarding our current president, but I won't get into that here. Sarah was the one person that I (personally) could relate to. She made it okay for women to slow down. She made it okay for women to want to stay home and raise their children. She made it okay to let God plan the size of our families. She made it okay for mothers to choose their families first. This is big! In the past, Conservative men have made these claims, and it was all fine and good, but when she was saying it, she meant it, because she has lived it.

I love the fact that she shops second hand. Don't all women? I love the fact that she looks like a mom. I love the fact that she personifies motherhood. I love the fact that she is choosing her family ahead of her career. It says volumes.

Will I continue to follow Sarah's example? Yes, indeed. I truly hope that she will continue to teach mothers how to continue on the path to excellence in motherhood, hopefully through a book series. I am signing up for an advanced copy right now.

So Sarah, goodbye old friend. I know that you won't be truly gone, but no longer in the limelight for others to judge or see. You will be doing what you do best; mothering. I will be doing the same.

Have a great 4th!