Summer......

So, it's been quite a busy summer lately. And it's been a hot one. Very hot. The one thing I can say about the heat is that I've been sleeping very well at night- which is quite unusual for me. I can't believe how fast the month of June came and went. At the end of this month, I will be attending my high school reunion. I'm still in shock that I am "that age". I feel like my 20's came and went before I blinked. Although I still have a couple more years before I'm "over the hill" and 30. Okay, so I won't be over the hill, but I'll feel like it.

Brennan starts school in about 6 weeks or so. I'm still in disbelief that I have a child old enough to go to kindergarten. It just occurred to me that Ethan and I will be left alone at home all day after Brennan starts school. I don't want to sound like an awful parent, but I think it will be good to have Brennan gone during the day. He needs structure outside of our home. I'm so nervous because he has never been to a preschool or daycare environment and we've been having serious discipline problems with him at home. And we've tried EVERYTHING. Denying him privileges, taking toys away, naps, timeout, and spankings. I've cried and cried and have been hoping this is just a phase he is going through. He was such a wonderful, laid back baby and toddler. Somewhere between the ages of 2 and 3 is when he really started changing. We go to church several times a week, and there is somewhat of a structured environment there, but it won't be anything like school. Either one of two things will happen: he will make a total 180 and behave better than he has before, or he will freak out about being in school all day and act out worse than he is now. It's been so bad that I've considered calling the doctor to see if he has any recommendations. I'm frustrated and I'm out of discipline options. He doesn't lack any sort of attention from Chad or me, or anyone else. He has a very stable home environment and he is surrounded by more love than any child could ask for. *sigh* I really pray it's just a phase.

Moving on..... I am preparing to go to Nicaragua in a month. I have been blessed by the opportunity to go and I am really trying to prepare my heart and I have been praying that it will be a life- changing, humbling experience that I will bring back with me when I return. God has really opened a door for me to go and I am so thankful because it has always been my desire to do dentistry in a mission field. So far I have not had to pay a dime for my trip (other than my passport) because people from my church have anonymously given me money, and we have been able to raise a good deal of money from our rummage sales and a couple of other things we have done. We are having a bake sale in a few weeks, and hope to earn some money through that. I only lack about $300. It seems as though everything is falling into place for me to go. I feel honored that I was even approached about going. I didn't think the opportunity would come up this year. I thought I missed out on the chance after not being able to go last year because I was pregnant. So, needless to say, I am so excited! And the closer it gets, the more excited I become.

So, it's been quite a busy summer. Vacation Bible School was last week and it went well. My brother got to come home last week and stay the entire week. We had some great family time. When I get a chance I will post some pictures. For some reason it takes me forever to be able to upload pictures to my blog. I'll post some soon though.

Keeping you posted.....

Please keep checking back. I promise I will have a new entry SOON. My life has been crazy and hectic the past few days, so I am having a hard time trying to update my blog appropriately. More SOON. Very soon.

P.S.

P.S. Neighbors:

The punching bag in the front yard is NOT, I repeat, NOT a nice addition to your yard decor......

The subject of RIDICULOUS.....

Dear Neighbors:

Seriously-- it's time to take the stable/manger down now. It's June. Apparently someone in your household thought it would be a good idea to just leave it up for the entire year to save the hassle during the holidays??? Instead of ADDING to the chaos that's in your front yard, how about toning it down a few notches? I know some people who know some people who could bring over a bulldozer. It will take care of the yard in fifteen minutes or less. The "puppies for sale" signs, the picnic table WITH the protective mosquito netting, the endless array of flowers in pots, the grill, the bicycles, the windmills, the wind-socks, the chaos, really-- it's just too much. And that's only the beginning of what you have in your tiny yard. Your yard gives me the urge to pull out my camera-phone and snap a picture as I drive by and enter you in the "Redneck Yard of the Month" contest. Although, you just might win the grand prize and win the "Redneck Yard of the YEAR" award. Does it not bother you that you live on Main Street and all who pass through this town see the filth? Let's clean it up people. Let's clean. It. Up. I'm surprised it's legal in this town to live like that.

Sincerely,

Your- neighbor- across -the- highway -that- is- tired -of- being -distracted- while- driving- down- the- road -because -of- your -yard.

And while we are on the subject of ridiculous things: I am so concerned that P.E.T.A. is outraged over the killing of a fly by President Obama. I mean, they are really outraged. I have a hard time believing that it even made the news and became an issue. It is a fly. One lone fly out of the BILLIONS that exist on this planet, whose only purpose in life is to annoy the (expletive) out of people trying to have a nice dinner or picnic or barbecue--or apparently a news conference. I have a lot of issues with Mr. Obama, but fly killing is NOT one of them.

It's a classic....

To make our bedtime routine a little more easy with Brennan, we have incorporated reading into the whole process. For the first night it was a couple of toddler-type books. Then, I discovered that I had forgotten about one of the classics I had bought about 4 years ago: "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe". Always a favorite of mine, and I loved the movie. Surprisingly, Brennan has really taken a liking to it. Of course, it has very little pictures, and the pictures that it does have, they are black and white and grainy. We have only just finished Chapter 2, but he has soaked it up like a little sponge. He remembered every detail we read the night before and he remembered everything we read tonight. I told him we will watch the movie after we read the book and he can see how the story is really brought to life. I just love C.S Lewis and all of his work. I hope Brennan continues to stay interested in this book. For a five year old, I am amazed at his ability to stay focused and listen with no pictures to go with the words.

The top 10 things I LOVE about summer....

Although fall and the Christmas season are my two most loved times of the year, I do like summer to a certain degree. It is definitely NOT my favorite season, but it has it's perks.

#1) Sno-Biz - From spring to fall it melts my heart to see the "Open" sign lit up at all the Sno-Biz stands across the city. Although, I have not had a Sno-Biz since last year, it definitely brings back memories from my teenage years. If I had $5 a week to spend on Sno-Biz snow cones back then, all my needs were met. Too bad life isn't always that simple these days.

#2) Tomatoes - (and should I also add, other homegrown vegetables straight from the garden). There is nothing like a good tomato sandwich on white bread with gobs of mayonnaise spread across the bread. My stomach is growling just thinking about it right now-- and I just had lunch. I must admit one of the (many) perks to working where I work, is that my boss brings buckets of vegetables for us to take home throughout the summer. Everything from squash to cucumbers to tomatoes. I could live off the food that comes from his garden alone, it is so good and fresh. One day I hope to have a garden just like that. I will have to grow a couple of green thumbs, though. However, I have tried my hand in growing some cherry tomatoes. So far the sprouts are coming up nicely, and I hope to have some tomatoes by summer's end. I am starting out small, yes, but who knows? Maybe next year I will be a little more brave.

#3) Vacation Bible School - Raised as a Southern Baptist, VBS was always a big part of our summers growing up. The month of June always revolves around VBS and planning VBS and of course, going to VBS. Now as one of my children are old enough to go, and I work part-time, I have been able to help the past couple of summers. I just love it and I am looking forward to helping again this year.

#4) Summer storms - I just love, love, love the evening storms that roll in after a long, hot day. There is nothing like it.

#5) Reading books - Not that I have much time to watch television- especially when it comes to trying to follow a show- but since there is usually nothing but reruns on television, it gives me the perfect opportunity to curl up with a good book. After the kids go to bed and I have had my nice, hot bath, I bypass turning on the television- because I know nothing new is on- and I pick up a good book. However, before children I used to be able to finish a book in a week or less. Now by the time I crawl into bed I only read a chapter or two. I think I have been reading the same book for a month now and I'm only halfway through it. I still love it nonetheless.

#6) The smell of the grill - Summer always gives my husband the opportunity to take dinner off my hands and into his. That's always a good thing.

#7) The beach - I am sad to say that this will be the first summer in four years that we will not be making it to the beach. But, I always live vicariously through the bottles of suntan lotion on display at Wal-Mart. I just pick up a bottle and close my eyes and SNIFF.

#8) My birthday - However, the older I get, the less I like that part about summer. I'm knocking on 30's door.

#9) Two words: Flip-flops - So convenient and oh, so stylish. I wish I could wear them 365 days a year.

#10) No school traffic - Since we live behind the high school and off Highway 49 traffic is usually a nightmare. From mid-May until mid-August I can be at work in 30 minutes or less. NICE.

Brennan made a microphone out of Tinkertoys-- all by himself. And he came up with the idea on his own. This is a video of Brennan preaching. Yes, preaching. You can't understand all of what he says, but there is a lot of "praising the Lamb of God". He does this sort of thing quite often. I think we have a future Southern Baptist preacher on our hands. That's good, because he DEFINITELY needs Jesus.....

There is a part on the video when I question him about Heaven. I was hoping he would give me a response that he had given me earlier, but he didn't...