What's in a name?

When Hubby and I found out that we were having our first baby, I immediately began doing what every other woman does --- I bought every "baby name" book there is out there and the search was on -- for the cutest, most unique baby name. A name with meaning. What about a family name? A name that's not too hard to spell or pronounce. Would children find the name funny and tease our child? And Hubby's two name conditions: 1) No names on the top ten list; 2) No names more than 2 syllables. He said that the name would ultimately be shorten by those people (which is himself)who don't want to take the time to say a 3 or 4 syllable name. Well, in the end, I broke both his rules and (ssshhhhh - don't tell him I said so) he was right. Our little girl is nick named Maddy.

Speaking of names, Megan, over at Fried Okra, is having a little fun today. Here's the game:

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
2. You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
3. When you are tagged, you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts.
4. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Sounds fun!

L is for Lazy: Yes people, I admit I can be. Not all of the time. I know, some of you may question me because I run around and talk like 90 miles per hour. But for instance, like now, I'm posting on my blog, while ignoring the pile of laundry that is staring at me . . . yep, lazy!

E is for Emotional: This one you'll definitely believe, right babe? I've been known to be a tinsie bit dramatic. Hey! It's a dirty job but somebody has got to do it! Although, Maddy1 seems to take the cake in that area! I just don't know where she gets it! (hehehe)

I is for Intelligent: Hey, don't laugh. You try to find a descriptive word that begins with an "I". Pretty tough, huh? That's why I'm the in*tell*i*gent* one! Not really, but I try!

G is for Grateful: And I sure am. Especially to my Hubby, who works his rear end off to ensure that I can be at home with our two precious little girls. And to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for loving me . . . and so much more.

H is for Hard Headed: Those of you from the south know exactly what I'm talkin about! For all you northerners, it means stubborn . . . but to the highest degree. I like things my way, no doubt about it.

So, there you have it, my middle name . . . which I am happy to share with my sis in law and my daughter.

So tag, At A Hen's Pace, you're it. And Drama Ditz, you get your turn too! I'll be looking for your responses.

Happy Birthday Babe!

In honor of my Hubby's birthday, I've made a list of "41 Things I Like About My Hubby":

1. He's soooooo handsome
2. He likes motorcycles
3. He's an awesome pilot
4. He has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
5. He's very hard working
6. He's the efficiency manager of our home - he knows the best, most energy efficient, quickest way to do everything!
7. He has a military background which totally explains #6
8. He's way intelligent
9. He keeps himself in tip top shape
10. He's a great father
11. A great balance of discipline and fun
12. He thinks a map is a necessity on road trips. If we don't have one, we'll hear about not having one for the entire trip!
13. He loves his morning coffee
14. He would love to live on a farm
15. But we don't
16. We actually only have about 1/4 of acre, if that, at our current residence!
17. He's well traveled -- (cue song) "I've been everywhere man, I've been everywhere!"
18. He's a great friend.
19. He still keeps in touch with most of his high school friends
20. He is smart with our finances
21. He loves to crank up his old tapes and dance with Maddy1
22. Not sure if he just likes the music loud or if all those years of flying have deafened him
23. He's obsessed with his hair or lack thereof (sorry babe, but it's true!)
24. I tell him I can't see it disappearing
25. He thinks I'm lying
26. But I'm not --- I think he's HOT!
27. And I think he'd still look hot without any hair
28. He's just that good looking!
29. I love his wit
30. But I'd never tell him that
31. Well, I guess I just did
32. He's a control freak married to a control freak
33. Makes for an interesting household!
34. He really wants to be more romantic
35. He says he's just not made to think that way
36. I think he is romantic . . . sometimes
37. He really is a wonderful husband
38. Loving and caring and thoughtful
39. He does laundry and household chores!
40. He's quite meticulous. A place for everything, everything in it's place!
41. He's mine!

I love you, Hubby! Thank you for all that you do for me and for our family! I hope that you enjoy this day!
XXXXX OOOOOOOO!

Wordless Wednesday

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Words of Encouragement

Good Monday morning to you all! We had a guest speaker at our church yesterday. He shared these wonderful words of encouragement -- something I really needed to hear. I hope it blesses you too!

THE RACE

"QUIT! GIVE UP! YOU'RE BEATEN!" They shout and plead,
There's just too much against you now, this time you can't succeed.
And as I start to hang my head in front of failure's face,
My downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.

And hope refills my weakened will as I recall that scene.
For just the thought of that short race rejuvenates my being.
A children's race, young boys, young men; now I remember well.
Excitement, sure, but also fear; it wasn't hard to tell.

They all lined up so full of hope. Each thought to win that race.
Or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place.
And fathers watched from off the side, each cheering for his son.
And each boy hoped to show his dad that he would be the one.

The whistle blew and off they went, young hearts and hopes of fire.
To win, to be the hero there, was each young boy's desire.
And one boy in particular, his dad was in the crowd,
Was running near the lead and thought, "My dad will be so proud."

But as he sped down the field across a shallow dip,
The little boy who thought to win, lost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself, his hands flew out to brace,
And mid the laughter of the crowd, he fell flat on his face.

So down he fell and with him hope. He couldn't win it now.
Embarrassed, sad, he only wished to disappear somehow.
But as he fell, his dad stood up and showed his anxious face,
Which to the boy so clearly said, "Get up and win that race!"

He quickly rose, no damage done - behind a bit, that's all,
And ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall.
So anxious to restore himself to catch up and to win,
His mind went faster than his legs. He slipped and fell again.

He wished that he had quite before with only one disgrace.
I'm hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn't try to race.
But, in the laughing crowd he searched and found his father's face
That steady look that said again, "Get up and win the race."

So, he jumped up to try again. Ten yards behind the last.
If I'm to gain those yards, he thought, I've got to run real fast.
Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight or ten,
But trying so hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again.

Defeat! He lay there silently, a tear dropped from his eye.
There's no sense running anymore - three strikes and I'm out - why try?
The will to rise had disappeared, all hope had flew away.
So far behind, so error prone, closer all the way.

I've lost, so what's the use, he thought, I'll live with my disgrace.
But then he thought about his dad, who soon he'd have to face.
"Get up," an echo sounded low. "Get up and take your place.
You were not meant for failure here, get up and win the race."

With borrowed will, "Get up," it said, "You haven't lost at all,
For winning is not more than this, to rise each time you fall."
So up he rose to win once more. And with a new commit,
He resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn't quit.

So far behind the others now, the most he'd ever been.
Still he gave it all he had and ran as though to win.
Three times he'd fallen stumbling, three times he'd rose again.
Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.

They cheered the winning runner as he crossed first place.
Head high and proud and happy; no falling, no disgrace.
But when the fallen youngster crossed the line, last place,
The crowd gave him the greater cheer for finishing the race.

And even though he came in last, with head bowed low, unproud;
You would have thought he'd won the race, to listen to the crowd.
And to his Dad he sadly said, "I didn't do so well."
"To me you won," his father said, "You rose each time you fell."

And when things seemed dark and hard and difficult to face,
The memory of that little boy - helps me in my race.
For all of life is like that race, with ups and down and all,
And all you have to do to win - is rise each time you fall.
"Quit!" "GIVE UP, YOU'RE BEATEN." They still shout in my face.
But another voice within me says, "GET UP AND WIN THE RACE!"


Author according to the internet is Dee Groberg.

Catching up!

Well, I think it's a fine time to mention that we spent a week or so in Ohio visiting family. We had such a great time. Hubby was able to spend some much needed "man time" completing projects/repairs on the family farm. The 'ole corn crib has been out of commission for many years, but it's a structure that is held close to my hubby's heart. He just can't bare to see it falling down. So, he, his Dad and his brother spent two days making some necessary restructuring so that hopefully, it will continue to stand. Girls, you should have seen/heard the three of them.

"Well, if we bang at this board, it will shift the whole thing this way."
"Ok, try banging on this board. Ok, did anything move?"
"I think we're gonna need ten inch bolts so that this board will hold this board to this board."
"Do you think ten inch bolts will do it?"

Wish I had thought to take some pictures!

I have to give gold stars, where gold stars are deserved, though. The three of them spent hours in 90+ degree heat. And my father-in-law says the corn crib has not looked this good in years!

Other happenings:

*I was able to have a girls night out with a friend who I rarely get to see. We visited this wonderful little restaurant in a nearby town. We ordered a tray of unique cheeses. So good! I love just about any kind of cheese so this was a real treat for me!

*My hubby took me out to the lunch at the local cafe. So delicious!! And it was nice to spend time with my hubby and eat without two active children in the background, throwing food and whining. A hot meal is rare for me.

*Spent Sunday morning at the local Baptist church. This is the same church that my Hubby attended growing up. Such a sweet little church family. I've come to know so many of them, so it's always nice to catch up.

*Visited the local coffee bar with sis-in-law. We were supposed to be blogging -- but we actually spent most of time catching up. It's so nice to have a great sis-in-law that you can do that with, you know!

*Oh and I guess the big news is that I got a new car. Well, not actually brand new, but new to me. It's a 2004 Honda Pilot EX. I've been flip flopping between taking the plunge and getting a minivan. Or savoring my last years in a small SUV, knowing full well that the minivan is inevitable. So, thank you so much to Hubby for allowing me to get the car that I really wanted. I know it wasn't the most economical decision, but you wrapped your arms around the idea and supported me. I really do love it!

*I enjoyed two games of volleyball with my nieces, nephews and my mother in law. And I'll have to say,mom, you really held your own on the volleyball court. Way to go mom! It was girls against boys. And although us girls were out numbered, we beat 'em bad. Not that I'm bragging or anything! (he!he!he!)

*Go here and here to my sis in law's blog and you can see some pics of the cousins. I had never noticed how much Maddy1 and Bantam 2 favor. Check it out!

Here are some pics of my own:


This is Maddy1 with her cousins from Kansas.


This is Grandma reading to the girls.


This is a picture of all of the cousins. The three girls in the matching blue dresses are the cousins from Kansas. My two are there out front. Maddy1 is in the yellow dress and Baby Lulu is in the green dress. The other six are the cousins from Illinois.

To my sis in law in Kansas, I didn't forget about you. I promise to scoot over your way soon. We really enjoyed seeing you all too and can't wait til we can do it again.

Our very own waterpark back in the good 'ole days!

Ok - I'm going to take you back. Think summer, at least 20 years or more ago. My two cousins and me and my two brothers gathered at my grandparent's home every Saturday. We were bored with the same 'ole cops and robber gig. Boys against girls. We wanted to shop, they wanted to arrest us. Uuugghhh! (Don't laugh, you know you did the same thing!) And then, one amazing Saturday, it was different. Out of the corner of my eye, I see my Dad approach us with a box in his hand. No it can't be! Is it really? Did my Dad just show up with the Original Slip and Slide 1000? (Ok, there really is no Slip and Slide 1000 - but doesn't that sound way cooler than Original Slip and Slide?)

Open it! Open it! Can we set it up now? It was chaos. Five kids ripping at the box. I can still picture the bright yellow slide. We unrolled it and it stretched for what seemed like miles (ok, maybe not -- but it was long enough!) Down each side of the slide was a tunnel with holes -- sorta like a sprinkler and it kept a continuous stream of water on the slide - hence making the yellow plastic slide slippery. And remember the metal stakes that were used to hold down the corners? Oh, those totally wouldn't fly in today's world. Oh, no. Definite cause for a recall. I mean, it's all fun and games until someone puts an eye out, right?

We left the water running onto the slide (so it could do it's thang--I'm talking about making it slippery -- I don't know where your mind is) and we went and changed into our swim suits.

So, bathing suits on, check. Hair pulled back, check. Boys go first, check. Hey, I'm not breaking a nail or something. Somebody needs to test this thing out first.

So, one by one, the boys lined up. They'd each get a running start and then fling their body onto the yellow slide (all the while squealing like a girl! ha! ha!) When I deemed it to be safe, I decided try it out. I ran . . . and ran and stopped. Oh yes, I'm supposed to slide. Ok, ok . . . do over! So, I ran . . . and ran . . . and then, oh my gosh, I forgot to slide . . . my feet hit the slippery slide. I started doing some sort of ice skating acrobatic move, arms flailing in the air, gasps from bystanders and finally, (plop!) I landed smack dab at the end of the slide on my back side. Completely and utterly humiliated, I checked to see if anything was hanging out of my suit before I stood up to take my bow. By this time, there are no longer gasps, but loud laughing and chuckling taking place. Oh which reminds me, don't let me forget to tell you about the time we decided to add Dawn dish detergent to the slide (he!he!he!)

Anyway, I tell you this silly story only because (to make a long story even longer) I happened to be shopping the other day and to my amazement, saw a box that said Slip and Slide. Oh my goodness, they still have those things? But as I examined the box more closely, I couldn't believe my eyes. Y'all! Do you know that Slip and Slides now have wade pools and floats attached to them. I mean, it's like a miny water park or somethin'. And they even have this one called a Speed racer (I think?). It's two slides in one so that you can race someone to the end. Well I never!

Just goes to show ya how much things have really changed. We were happy with a yellow piece of plastic, stretched out on the lawn, with the water hose running water over it. Nope, no moving parts. No computer attached. Nothing. Just good clean fun!

Oh, those were the good 'ole days!

Wordless Wednesday

My wedding cake! Just about sums it up, huh!

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