Inauguration Day Present

I am soooo excited about our new president!!!!! Izaih kept telling everyone that we have a new "present":) Well in a way, Obama IS a present - a really great one for our country!! Izaih also kept asking when "The Rock Obama" was coming over...he's picking up on our excitement and is really excited himself:)

On Monday, Izaih and I watched some old MLK videos and talked about who he was and what he tried to teach people. When asked about MLK today he said, "He teaches everyone to love each other." I am so unbelievably proud of this child - he grows and changes everday! It was a year ago yesterday that we first laid eyes on him. How far we have all come!

On a side note, 90% off at Bath and Body Works...Go getcha' some!!!!!

I still havent learned my lesson...

When we first got Izaih, my wonderful supervisors from work let me bring home some toys for Izaih to play with. I didn't want his first visit with us to be toyless. And as I'm sure most of you parents could guess, he didnt play with a single toy that I brought home for him to play with. Since then, I have spent who knows how much money on toys because I just 'knew that he would play with this one', or 'how could he not love this one?' I have still not learned my lesson. The first day he was with us he danced to music for the whole two hours that he was at our apartment. And as you can see from the video, he has more fun jumping on pillows than anything else. If it wasnt bedtime I'm sure he could of kept jumping for at least another 20 minutes (which is how long he had been jumping before I took the video). At Christmas, Emma and I both were like "were not spening a lot of money on him because he wont play with any of the toys that we get him." Of course we spent more on him than anyone else. To give you an example of how little he plays with his toys, we used to take some of his toys and wrap them in a box and give them to him as a "special treat" when he had really good days. He loved it. So if anyone is ever wondering what they could get him as a present, pillows will suffice.

Calm Down - It's Cool

I committed to this research study a few months back, but haven't officially started it. I've just been doing all the preliminary stuff. Anyways, got a call today that they messed up and I don't actually qualify for it. HOWEVER, because it was their mistake, they're paying me the full amount anyways - WOOHOO!!!! God works:)

I was at the bank drive-through and heard this woman screaming in the car next to me. I looked over to see what was going on, and she starts screaming and cursing at me, asking what I was looking at. She was obviously angry and irrational, so I didn't provoke her by answering her. I just looked away. A few minutes later, the driver gets out of the car, pops the hood, and it looked like something was wrong with their car. I rolled the windows down, and the woman starts screaming and calling me names again. I said, "Well I was just wondering if your car is okay and if you guys need some help. Do you need a jump or anything?" The guy says "no" and the woman immediately calms down, looks at me very apologetically, and quietly says, "Thank you, thank you".

Kill with kindness, y'all. You never know what kind of battle people are battling on the inside.

Something to Think About

I'm off from work today, alone with my thoughts. I'm supposed to be looking for a job:P There is a little boy in Arkansas who is very, very sick. His name is Robbie, and he was diagnosed with a horrible disease that causes his body to contort and be thrown into intensely painful spasms. A group devoted to updating his condition and begging for prayers was started on facebook, so I get to see daily updates his dad writes. It is gutwrenching everytime I read about the agonizing writhing and screaming that family has to watch their sweet 11-year old go through every moment. Even worse is the pain that child has to endure, as pain meds have not helped. This has persisted for 14 days now. So first of all, I beg you all to cry out to God for Robbie and the Shackelford family right now.

More than 1,100 people have joined the facebook group, and daily there are floods of comments from people. Prayer vigils are being set up, as well as fervent prayer groups all over the place. The family is flooded with support, and rightfully so! That is awesome, I mean, it really is. But something keeps gnawing at me, and I feel as if I have to say something.

There are people everyday who experience that same amount of pain, but inwardly. People who go on for YEARS with such excruciating inner pain that it's a miracle they are able to cope at all. Whether it's grief over the loss of someone, fear, anxiety, depression, compulsion, etc. etc. or all of the above. Many times it is all of those at one time because of some horror they experienced. Maybe you think it's quite bold for me to assert that emotional pain could be anywhere near the amount of pain little Robbie or anyone else experiences outwardly, but I will assert it anyways. There are people all over the place living daily with this kind of torturous pain, yet when do you ever hear people starting prayer vigils, support groups, or any kind of ANYTHING to help them? You don't. It's as if pain in only valid if it is something we can see with our eyes, something that is inflicted upon the body. What about the gutwrenching pain of the soul? What about those whose emotional pain is so real and constant that they spend every waking moment combating the idea of suicide and the relief they know it would bring.

So while I ask for prayers for Robbie and his family, I also challenge you to seek out that person each week whose pain is not as visible. Dare to get to know people on an intimate level and actually take seriously what they are going through. Don't leave them forgotten in the silence, or shunned because of their "indiscretions" or "bad behavior". Just saying, but I would much rather take the physical pain anyday.

Happy Birthday Mark!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK!

Mark turns 25 today, whoo!!! I am sooo unbelievably blessed to have him as my life partner. He is a man of such humility, character, gentleness, and self-sacrifice. He makes me aspire to be a better person every day, and he leads our family with amazing strength and love. Anyone who knows him loves him and looks up to him. He ceaselessly does the right thing even when it is unbelievably hard. He is the best father to Izaih and I know our children will be amazing because of having him in their lives!

He has started training for the half marathon that's coming up, and he is so excited. I know he will do great! We started the weekend off with dinner downtown and barhopping with friends. Unfortunately we then awoke to his car broken into :( At this point (#5) you just sigh and get it fixed. With all the good of living in the city, it's only fair that there be some sucky parts as well, right? I hope they got at least a little chunk of money from the stuff they stole out of it. We just need to start leaving the cars unlocked!

Anyways, I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have the man that I respect and adore! (And he's hott!!!!!) Cheers to Mark!

While we were in Nashville, I made friends with this girl staying in our hotel. She was there recording an album, and is the lead singer for a band called The Mercies. They're based out of Dallas. Very Melissa Etheridge-y. If you live in Dallas, check them out!

Izaih is like a teenager already. He is so sassy and has such a little attitude. He reminds me of myself at 13. I want to pull my hair out.

"Mommy, quit talking. You're making me angry."
"Mommy, leave me alone."
"Mommy, I don't want to."
"Mommy, you're annoying me."
"Mommy, go away!"

Most 4-year-olds have a hard time obeying. But he NEVER obeys. Not even the simplist requests. Come here, put your shoes on, stop, eat, look at me, hold on, pick it up, etc. etc. etc. are all met with, "I - don't - WANT - to!!!!!!!" For the love of Pete!!! We're even super strict with him, too. He never gets away with disobeying or being rude. That doesn't cut it with us. We're meeting with the preschool director tomorrow to discuss options because not much is working with him there, either. He receives all these services and therapists that come in to help him, yet he still has such a hard time. Our therapists in the past have said that they've never seen a child like him, and that he breaks the mold. He needs to be put in a lab and studied or something, because therapies that work with every other traumatized child don't work on him. Kidding about the lab part. But it is very frustrating.

I have to keep reminding myself of where he was when we got him and how far he has come. It's insane how much he has progressed. From a child so "bad" not a foster home in the state would take him, to almost your average kid (minus a few things). I should be thankful: the cussing, hitting, smearing feces, running away, breaking everything in sight, horribly-acting-out-ridden child has almost vanished. But God, why did You pick US to parent him? Thank you wonderful friends and family who have stood by us, supported us, and helped us through the tougher-than-tough days with him. Thank you for helping us to raise our beautiful son and for loving on him and being angels in his life. We seriously could not do it without you!!!!!!!!!!

Hold the Phone!!!!!

My sister just caught the bouquet at her friend's wedding. Shocker. But then her boyfriend caught the garter! Needless to say, Dad's not happy.

Oh you crazy kids




Dad's unhappy face - RUN CARLOS!

Why, Hello 2009 - Please Be Good to Us

Since our evening was so boring, I am posting pics from last NYE and our shenanigans with Zac and Jess - BOY those were good times :)

Our New Year's Eve was dull. We let Izaih stay up til 9, then did a toast, and off to bed we all went! New Year's Eve is my FAVORITE holiday, so I was bummed to have to stay in, but I took it well:) Apparently around here, everyone shoots their guns off. What the heck?! Are you stupid?!?! Geeeez....:(

I think I did pretty well at keeping my resolutions from last year. This year my first resolution is to lose more weight and get healthy. So far, off to a good start. My doctor has even threatened to put me on a special diet if I don't quit losing weight so quickly. Oh, come ON!!! Second, NO MORE freaking out about my illness. Any one of us could die tomorrow. I am blessed to be getting wonderful treatment.

Third, I am going to try to acquire some tact. Not a LOT of tact, but a smidge probably wouldn't hurt. My honesty and advocacy ain't goin NOWHERE, though!!!!!!!!

I would add 'Stop spending so much money at Bath and Body' but that will never happen unless I quit:) Maybe I should add 'Finding a full-time job' ...

Reading my Bible more??? Calling my mother more often, pestering my siblings less....:)

OH - and being a good wifey and mommy goes without saying!

YOU CAN DO IT!!!

The holidays have been such a whirlwind, and more so than usual this year. My family was here of course, and Christmas was absolutely magical. We all LOVED having Izaih here on Christmas morning. We were sad Rosa-Mae wasn't here:( One of my dearest friends, Meheriet, was in town, so we got to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas together - WOOHOO!!! I miss her terribly:( The day after, we went and saw our neices. We have missed them terribly. We are thankful for restoration. Izaih met them for the first time and was soooo excited to have cousins! He kept telling everyone all about it! He and Bailey kind of clashed, which Mark totally suspected, but they'll be best friends eventually, no doubt:)

The day after THAT we left Izaih with another foster family so we could head to Nashville for our friends' wedding. We pulled away from their house after dropping him off and I become a blubbering baby!! Being a mom has turned me into an emotional sap!!! We did get out with some friends for the night, though, and went to the Funny Bone in Westport. H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!!!! We saw Buzz Sutherland, and if you ever get the chance to go to one of his shows, GO!!!

She wore this '30's style veil which was
GORGEOUS - wish I had a picture of
her in it
Nashville was nice. We both really like it there. Jessica was the most stunning bride you could ever imagine - she looked like a model out of the '30's!! Let's see...some memorable moments from the weekend...oh! I got introduced to many a family member as "the girl who used to have a crush on Bryan". Uhhh, well, if that's the version of the story we're going with, whatev. I politely went along with it...and added my own little flair (muwahahahaHA!!!) :) A friend breaking out with "Like a Virgin" right in front of Jessica's dad as Bryan and Jess drove away was pretty stinkin funny. As was her grandmother, in her sweet southern voice calling, "You - Can - Do - It!!!!" AHAHHAHAHHA!!!!! Gotta love it:)