Mother Teresa

So I found this framed quote by Mother Teresa and I thought it should be better publicized. I have realized that happiness isn't about circumstance but about living life without regret for my Creator. You will always have regret when you live it for yourself.

People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motions.
Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you.
Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.
It never was between you and them anyway.
~Mother Teresa

Movie from the Campout

Here they are on the field

Dallas campout

This past weekend we had the opportunity through boy scouts to spend the night in the Dallas Cowboy stadium. We went down Friday and came home Sat. For 2 boys who don't know much about football, they had a blast! They loved being on the field and running around! They played flag football (of course), crab soccer, and tug of war. They had fitness lessons and earned 3 beltloops! Ryland did the situp, pushup, 50 yd dash and long jump to earn another one. They watched a movie on the big screen and lights out was at midnight. we slept on the ground in the endzone! Super fun and way softer than I thought it would be. (It is artificial turf but they have little rubber peices mixed in to make it nice and soft) It was really interesting! We got to go through the locker rooms and the interview rooms and all that stuff. We didn't get to meet any players though because of the lockout or something like that. (The players are not allowed to talk to staff right now while salaries are being negotiated. Thats all I know and it could be wrong;) But it was a fabulous time and I am so glad we went! The other kid in the pictures is Rylands friend Arron. It was his birthday that night too!

Dr visit

On Wednesday I went to the Dr. I didn't really think I needed to go but everyone else did. I have had a cough since Great gma and gpa were here and it hasn't gotten better or worse. It is just there. So my friends all thought I needed to be seen..."What if you have walking pnumonia or bronchitis?" What if I just have a cough...really I think they were just tired of me hacking around them wondering if they were going to get it next.
So the visit...for those that don't know, I get along famously with Dr. Mushlin aka Mushie or the crazy Russian (as named by his Tech). It goes way back to when he diagnosed me with Pericarditis and was so helpful about the whole deal (even when I was crying in his office). Visits were very frequent back then. Now the only scary part of the whole visit was when said Tech came near me with the BP machine. It sends me through the roof. BP 114/76! Definitely not bad at all. However, pulse was at 115. Pretty awful for a resting heart rate. What they never seem to remember is I can't have a resting heart rate when the BP machine is around. That's just the way it is. So anyway, Dr Mushlin comes in and asks why I haven't been in to see him in a year! I apologize for being healthy and then we talk for a bit about the weather, his staff (who were all overly perky that day...nice to see) and spin class. I invite him to join me and the girls at 530 am and he declines and asks if I went this morning. I said yes and his response is "You can't be very sick if you were able to get up and make it through the class." I said I know. Everyone just keeps telling me I need to be seen. I think I just have to wait it out.
So he checks my lungs, ears, nose, oxygen level, all of that....and they were all good. He also made me sit there until my HR went down to a reasonable 86. He said I might have a slight secondary bacterial infection (which would explain the green crud) but itdefinitely started off as viral and is just going to have to run its course. Okay I say. I am good with that but then he says I am going to give you a few medicines to see if your symptoms might improve. A few = try 5!! I got antibiotics in the case of the slight bacterial infection, if that doesn't work then try zyrtec and nasonex in case it is allergies, if that doesn't work musinex and tesslon pearls to help with the symptoms until the virus is kicked. And if all else fails come back and see me he says! OKAY! So all in all a very productive doctor visit. It's nice to know that he wants to see me healthy and has no fear of saying that I can't exactly pinpoint why you have this cough. I like doctors who are honest. It is called the practice of medicine for a reason!

San Antonio

On Wed we (me, Ry, Collin, Great Gma and Gpa) started down the road to San Antonio. We were headed down because my brother in law was having eye surgery and my niece and nephew needed to be watched while my sister took him to all his appointments. It was the perfect excuse for a vacation. About an hour into our trip I look in the rear view mirror and see lights. Now if anyone knows my driving, they know I don't speed. (However, both my husband and sister said they thought I was when I asked them why they thought I was pulled over. My dad said for going too slow??!) Well the answer was neither. It was because I didn't have a Texas registration sticker in my window. So the thought did cross my mind that Josh had not put it in the window because he thinks they are ugly and he didn't want to register in Texas for that very reason, but I said none of that and searched the whole vehicle for this elusive paper and sticker. (BTW that was not the truth. We just havent received it) It was not there, but Officer Poole recognized the fact that I had no idea and couldn't fix it then anyway and he let me go with a warning. I told him we were headed on vacation and he said I would be fine until we got home. He even tried to blame it on the dealership where we bought the truck because sometimes they recieve it and do nothing with it. All in all, a very good experience with the Texas Highway Patrol. So we continued on our way and have had a great vacation...Visiting the Natural Bridge caves, swimming, outlets, the riverwalk, a boat ride, to see the Alamo (which fell this very day in history March 6, 1836)...a very good time. We are headed to Sea World today even though the high is going to be around 70 and right now is hovering around 55. But that's okay because we are troopers and we get to see Shamu! And if all else fails, there are always gift shops to buy warmer clothes!!! (which is how I get most of my souvenir clothing)

Blue and Gold

We had Rylands blue and gold ceremony for cub scouts on Saturday. He has been working hard all year to prove he can be a TIGER! They had a ceremony for them and his den leader made an awesome way to show them they were ready. He had each of them hold a jar of the "sweat" they had put into becoming a tiger. Then he had his own jar of "tiger tears" that he wrestled from a tiger. He mixed them together for each boy and if it glowed they were "worthy" of becoming a TIGER! It was great! Rylands jar glowed for quite a few days so he was pretty excited! Due to a mixup, he gets his actually tiger patch on Tuesday, but it works out because then Great Grandma and Grandpa will be here to see it! Then we are off to San Antonio on Wed for an unexpected "vacation" because Richard is having eye surgery so why not all go visit! It is going to be a good time for the cousins! They havent seen each other since the beginning of January and that has been quite a long time!

Marriage Lessons

We skipped our regular Sunday school class to hear a talk about marriage. It was fantastic! I think hearing a couple laugh and joke and teach about their mistakes is a great way to learn how to improve ours. One of the things they talked about was that every couple had to get to a point of discontentment/hate/who is this person (everybody has a different level) before they are really willing to work at marriage. When we first get married we think "Oh my spouse will never annoy me! I love him!" or "Oh we won't be like that. We are just so in love we will never fight about that!" or .....I know, we all said them and then later ate our words. We will be married for 10 years in Sept and I am so glad I am not that same person I was when I first got married! Sometimes I remember it being easier, but usually that is because I was so self involved that I don't remember things correctly. I shudder when I think of some of the things I used to say to my husband. And some of the things that I wasn't willing to let go...like dishes in the sink! What a stupid thing to fight about! SO...the biggest lesson that I took away was that marriages are not marked by the "big" things that happen, but by the little day to day things. Waking up happy, saying thanks, using a nice tone of voice when we talk to each other, doing the little things without expecting it to be reciprocated...Then if we have laid the foundation and we do make a mistake, it is easier to forgive/be forgiven because the mistake is not what we are known by. Even a child is known by his actions...Now, I know this is not rocket science, but it is harder to start than you would think. It is so easy to be lazy and not want to work at marriage, but it is worth it! One day I hope it will become second nature and I won't have to think about being nice, but for now, I want to try to get over myself and work on the fruit of the Spirit...and not just do them, but to BE Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness....

No good deed goes unpunished

I caught puke in my hands today...it really started my morning off on the right foot, you know?! Ryland came into our room early this morning and was just really restless. Then he stood up quickly and I said "You are going to puke" and he said "Yes but I don't want to!" and then threw up. Poor guy.
Now I know you are wondering how we could have the flu in the house when we havent been out of the house for 4 days. Well like I said that no good deed goes unpunished, I have had 2 other boys at my house Thursday and Friday because their little sister was in the hospital for dehydration from puking. One of the boys also had a few issues while he was here and Voila! now we have it. Thankfully I know it is a virus and I know we are probably all going to get it. So we are prepared...bowls everywhere, blankets covering the floor, you know all the good stuff. I am going to set a record on the longest time cooped up in a house without go crazy...I hope.

Snow Day

We have snow! Not as much snow as last Christmas, but there is alot and more to come! I think we have 6 inches and the boys played outside for exactly 1.2 minutes! Collin lasted a little longer than Ryland because he left his toys in the sand table and wanted them to come back inside with him. So once again we are sorely underprepared for this and the boys were out in their footed pjs with socks topped with swishy pants and sweatshirts and coats with their rain boots. We also have 1 pair of the little gloves each that offer no protection against anything. But its good! I know they will want to go back out when they warm up...and when the wind stops blowing. That is what makes it the coldest. So we are inside watching Popular Mechanics for Kids and having a "Day off." I told Ryland that co-op was cancelled for today and he said "Oh good, I love days off!" You know, because his days are so full and this is going to be so much different than any other day! We are still going to do school today and get ahead a little bit so maybe when it is nice we can have a real day off! Pictures and movies to come. The only ones I took were with my phone.

mommyhood guilt--it's back!

Last night was movie night so we drug the mattress out of Collin's room (because the floor just isn't as comfy as it used to be) and when Josh went to work the boys and I started our fun night. Two games of chutes and ladders later, Collin won both and was super excited to tell only me, not Ryland that "haha U LOSED!", (so glad my kids arent competitive) it was time to watch Larry Boy and Harold and the purple crayon. The movies were great and Collin was sleeping by 8. Ryland didn't think he was very tired yet and this was "Movie Night" so we put in Gideon the Tuba Player while he did some of the extra credit pages in his AWANA book. Then he asked me to color with him and I fell asleep mid coloring with the lid off my marker. Good parenting right there. I woke up when Ryland crawled into bed (Around 845).
Off in dreamland a text woke me up at 1011. It was from a friend who asked if I ever had trouble keeping it together. I quickly texted Josh and asked it I was that good of a hider and he said..."You don't lose it in front of people very often." Great. Just him. The texter then went on to say that her house was a mess and the kids were acting up and she was exhausted but she was going to stay up late to clean so she would have Sat to play with the kids. My reply was that kids don't care if the house is clean, they just want to play. But I care if the house is clean SO I then propelled myself out of bed because I had just said to another friend that my house had imploaded (her reply--I have never seen your house bad Where do these people come from! Have I not met both of them at the front door in my footed pjs at 2 in the afternoon when they have dropped by?) and cleaned and cleaned until 115am so I could play with my kids too and not just clean like I do on Sat mornings. So now the house is good and the kids didn't notice and for now the mommy guilt is gone...well, as long as I get off this computer and go and do something with them. But it is only to be replaced by WIFE guilt because it is Josh's 32nd birthday today and I have nothing for him yet. Good thing he works nights and sleeps til noon. The boys and I are OFF to the stores and DQ for a cake! How's that for quality time with the kids!

Is it really over?

So it is Tuesday...I think. Already the 10th of January. How is that even possible? Christmas everything flew by! We went to OKC to see John and Leah on the 23rd. Went to my sister's th 24th. We didn't make it for the Christmas Eve service, so that is 2 year in a row without my favorite part of Christmas (snow storm cancelled it last year). Parents flew in on the 25th and got to Darrah's on the 26th! Josh went back to work for the 28, 29 and 30. Then he drove back and we spent the rest of the weekend still in San Angelo. We went to Fort Concho, Ryland and Kyra went to a day camp at the Gymnastics center, DQ was a favorite hangout, Christmas lights tours, the movies...the time flew there.
Christmas Presents Highlights from Everyone:
Josh (into quality not quantity) XBOX 360 with the most memory...can't remember how much, but lots
Delee (likes stuff that lasts for a few years then ready for a relacement) a new patio set, front door (installed) and clothing/undergarments (always necessary)
Ryland (a few things on his list) boy scout wood projects, remote control Buzz (he had been saving his money for it), legos and a Batman leapster, a guitar, a Lego watch
Collin (only had 1 thing on his list) Toy story matchbox cars! (No idea why he wanted them but he loves them) He also got a guitar and watch, duplos and his personal water cooler! Loved everything!
The boys got a few gift cards too and they went to Toys R Us and combined them to buy one HUGE Thomas Duplo set. It was so sweet to see them work it out and carry it together and pay for it. They have done awesome sharing it and setting it up together.
On the 2nd we all came to my house except for Richard (his turn to work). We stayed for 4 days and then we went to Dallas for the weekend. We went swimming (4 times-my kids personal favorite) went to the Dallas Aquarium, Medieval Times (so much more fun than I remember. I always thought it was good, but this was AWESOME!) Our knight was the champion and that was even better! The kids came away with wooden swords and shields and have loved having 1 more reason to get to play fight with each other.
We went to Dinosaurs Unleashed on Sunday and the kids museum was there too. Very entertaining! I tend to forget how much my view of creation is not the world's view. But it was a good reminder for me to be well versed in my views so I can be knowledgable and not just another person who has no idea why I believe what I believe. FYI, they are now leaning towards most dinos being covered with feathers at least until adulthood. They also think that most are not cold blooded like we had originally been taught and there is no such thing as a Brontosaurus. It was the wrong skull attached to the body. They were not able to lift their necks up like a giraffe, but there bodies were more horizontal. Neck out (not up), tail out (not dragging). Now none of this has anything to do with creation vs. evolution. I just found it all very interesting. It was well worth the time and money to go to it.
So from there mom and dad left to go to the airport and we went to go find a Taco Cabana. Then we went home and our Christmas holiday was over. It was so fun and it was hard to see it end. Oh I forgot to mention the card playing. I love playing cards (except when my sister wants me to cheat. It is never as good when you win by cheating!) and we played many many games of Pinnocle and Sequence. So FUN! I love games!