Yes, I know . . .

I am very behind in my blogging, but it is too late tonight to get into it . . . Ball games have been crazy (future blog about that), I started paper journaling again (future blog about that), and mom and I have been putting puzzles together like crazy (future blog about that too!) Right now I am really looking forward to my trip to Detroit on the 17th! Can't wait to see and catch up with old friends!

Wacky Wednesday

Today I am going to entertain you with a story about how I met a certain "Goonie" buddy. . .

Rewind . . . let me think how far . . . about 6 years ago for me and about 3 kids ago for her . . . lol.

I was Managing the local aquatic park (PGAP), and this beautiful red-headed pregnant woman was having trouble with her young son because he was upset that they were leaving. I stepped in and knelt down in front of him saying "Did you have fun today?" He nodded yes as he wiped his nose. I replied "I can't let you come back if you throw a fit for your mom when you leave ... it is a rule here, you have to be nice to your mom if you want to come back." He looked at me wide eyed, and I smiled at him saying "We would love to have you back soon, so put a smile on!". I looked up at his mom (not sure how she was taking this) only to have her smile down at me over her belly and mouth the words "thank you" to me. . .

Now, fast forward about 4 hours . . .I had been at the pool all day and I was exhausted. Dealing with teenagers for employees as well as patrons is enough to suck the life out of anyone! (p.s. I loved my job and the kids that worked for me.) There was a man that was swimming laps, so a lifeguard and I had to stay until he was done. . . As he finished up and walked out the gate, I locked it behind us and then I noticed that there was a little boy sitting outside the gate on the steps. I asked him if he was waiting for a ride and he said "yes". The man said that he would wait for him, but I wasn't really comfortable with that so I said "Let's go back in and call your parents." I asked the lifeguard to stay with me (the man didn't leave and was starting to make me nervous. . .) I walked to the gate, unlocked it and the man kept chatting with me. I don't even remember what he was saying, I was nervous and couldn't get the key in the door to the office. . . I remember him saying "Are you sure that you work here?" We called the kids parents and they arrived very shortly to pick him up. The man and I were walking to our cars (the lifeguard had left after the child got picked up) and we started talking about who knows what . . .I was still doing the nervous chatter and mentioned that I was the coordinator for the local MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers) group and did he have a wife and kids? LOL I was searching for ANY reason not to panic . . .He replied that he did and that he thought I might have helped her that afternoon with a little red headed boy. . .I was relieved at that point . . .I knew if that was his family that I had nothing to worry about! I ended up giving him my phone number and email address so that she could contact me, and she did!!!

Just a few funnies about her/the family/us:

• She joined the MOPS group and we became pretty great friends.
• I found out her husband actually worked for the government in one of those "I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you" jobs . . .(so my uneasiness wasn't uncalled for! LOL)
• We found out we both loved the movie "The Goonies" and could quote all of it . . .we have only watched it together once, but we will consider each other a "Goonie buddy" for life!
• I was able to be with them through the birth of one beautiful child, as well as the loss of another beautiful child.
• She has ministered to me in several ways, she is such a servant and wonderful mother . . .

Anyway, I am seriously thinking I need to call her up and make a date for me, her, "The Goonies" and 2 Route 44 Vanilla Dr. Peppers!! ;-)

Tid Bit Tuesday . . .

Baseball . . .Won

Softball . . . Lost

Teeball . . .Not Sure . . . LOL

And so goes the rest of my life . . .

Sunday

Well, yesterday my intentions were to run a 5K (or walk rather since I had done NO prep AT ALL), and then hit the library to get a few books recommended by a friend . . .This did not happen.

I ended up doing the 'yard sale' thing with my mom, sister and Kel. . .Now, let me just give you an idea of what that means for US:

• You get up and leave the house by 6 AM (it doesn't matter if the sale doesn't start until 7 AM or later) . . . you don't want to miss the good stuff!
• No time for doughnuts or coffee shops . . . you don't want to miss the good stuff!
• If the driver doesn't think the sale is worthy of our viewing, she will slow down long enough to give someone else the chance to yell out "yeah stop", but if you aren't quick enough, we are off to the next one . . .you don't want to miss the good stuff!
• If it happens to be a neighborhood sale, my sister can navigate the Tahoe through traffic better than you could a scooter (I guar-an-tee!) We don't want to miss the good stuff!
• Also, if it is a neighborhood sale, the chances of me getting left behind are greater because I am the ONLY one that looks at EVERY book in the box (I got left behind quite a bit so I am guessing that I almost ran a 5K by myself) . . .I don't want to miss the good stuff!
• My BIL is better at this than any of us, but still we try to make an offer on what we want . . .don't want to pay 'too much' for the good stuff!
• By 7:30 AM (when most people get around to the yard sales) we already have our vehicle loaded down with . . . you guessed it . . .

THE GOOD STUFF!!

No one laughs/makes fun of each other/laughs/cracks up/runs/hits the gas station to pee/laughs/eats nasty CORN NUTS/laughs/parks jacked up, or laughs as much as we do when we go to yard sales. It is so much fun and chaos crammed into 2-3 hours, and you couldn't even begin to afford that quality entertainment!!

Now on a more serious note . . .Did YOU get any good stuff???? Hee hee . . .

P.S. I am hitting the library today! Can't wait!

Truthful Thursday . .

. . has come and gone, so I am not able to share what I planned this week! ;-)

So, that brings us to Faithful Friday!
The verses that have been coming to mind and giving me peace this week are:

II Corinthians 10:5B . . ."Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ"

and

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind . . ."

This world (as well as other people) make it so difficult to keep your focus on what is " . . .his good, pleasing and perfect will." My life choices are mine, and I live with those (as do my children when those choices affect them). The only thing you can truly do for someone else is to pray for them and trust that God will take care of the rest!

HOWEVER . . .I must admit that a few of my pet peeves are:

• Those people that casually say "Oh, I will pray for you." and don't follow through (I am guilty of this on more than one occasion unfortunately, but have resolved NOT to allow this to happen anymore, Lord willing.)

• Those people that say "I am praying for you" but include the tone and voice inflection that REALLY says "This is NOT the right thing in my opinion for you to do, so I am going to manipulate you by saying this and making you feel like there is NO possible way for you to call yourself a Christian and follow through with this choice!"

The most effective way to allow someone to make good choices is to actually pray for them (and not necessarily tell them that is what you are doing) and say "I support you even if I don't always agree with you, and I am here if you need anything" To emulate God's unconditional love is one of the most difficult things to do, but so necessary to allowing others to see what our God is capable of!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

Missed . .

a few more days . . .but my laptop is up and running again!

Monday was definately MANIC! Madison and Ethan both had games (so did Garrett, but he went to a fishing "Meet the Pro's" thing with my dad!

Tid Bit Tuesday is like . . .we went to the library . .

Today things are a little more settled down, but still crazy . . .give me about a week to really figure out what is going on and I will share!

Sunday

Well, Happy Mother's Day to all of you out there!

LeAnn, I am so sorry that I haven't blogged in 3 days! It has been a crazy few days and I will be back on Monday in full force!

Looking forward to getting you caught up! ;-)