Schedule

I guess our busy schedule is even starting to exhaust the dog...he fell asleep on my planner! :)

Should we charge her rent or help her file bankruptcy?

So Emily, my mom and I are sitting in the local pizza place yesterday finishing up lunch when Em turns to Nana covers her mouth with her hand and starts making a funny noise...we've been there way too long for the pizza to have burned her so I'm thinking she's either bit her tongue or she's just being silly. Nope...neither! Another tooth fell out. Missing tooth #5!!! Just a week and a half after the last lost tooth and ONE day ofter she showed me it was wiggly.

So, I've been wondering whether we should charge the tooth fairy rent for all the time she's been spending here lately or if we should help her to file for bankruptcy because she's going broke paying for my child's teeth. We keep joking that one of these times the tooth fairy is going to leave a bill instead of money!

So now that the tooth fairy has come again and we've celebrated the dog's birthday we are anxiously awaiting the Easter bunny's arrival tonight while we're sleeping. Hopefully whatever candy he leaves can be easily eaten with 4 1/2 missing teeth!

Happy 5th Birthday, Mojo!

Since rescuing our beloved companion, Mojo, from the shelter Memorial Day weekend 2003, he has brought so much love and laughter to our family. Because he's a shelter dog, we don't have an exact birthdate for him, but based on our calculations his birthday is somewhere right around March 20th. So we held a somewhat impromptu celebration today complete with gifts of basted rawhide bones and a fuzzy squeaky bone toy and a "birthday cake"...which was actually a chocolate chip cookie smothered in peanut butter with a peanut butter biscuit to top it off. Yummy!

To kick off the celebration, his pre-party apetizer was some starburst fruity jelly beans. I think lemon was his favorite flavor.

Party pics of the birthday beagle...

Flying Free

This morning I arose to honking...no, not a car horn. It was the wonderful sound of the geese returning. There was so much significance for me this morrning as I listened to their noisy flight overhead. Their return means that springtime is fast approaching. Their ability to freely fly got me to thinking about Emily. Today she went on her first ever "play date"...an hour away from home to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate a friend's birthday. As a mom, tons of thoughts raced through my mind and a wave of mixed emotions came over me. So excited yet so sad that she's growing up and doing things on her own. Perhaps I'm a control freak, or just too overprotective, but there I was this morning standing in the driveway letting my "baby" go and entrusting her care to another and it was really hard. My saying for today..."I have to let her grow up...but I don't have to like it." As I thought back to the geese and the other birds who have been chirping and singing in our backyard the last couple of days, I think of the tendency I have to want to "clip her wings" much like a caged bird, yet deep in my heart I know the right thing to do is help her develop and strengthen her wings so when the time comes to fly from the nest, she'll be ready and equipped to soar freely! I'm surviving the day with her gone and my anxiety level is surprisingly low. Besides, some time alone now and then will allow a little freedom to be me and do some "flying" of my own.

Here's a great song from Mark Harris...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knm492yxMfo

Another visit...

We had another visit from the tooth fairy last night. Em lost her other upper front tooth at school yesterday. She looks so cute with both top teeth missing...and it's just in time for spring school pictures next Tuesday. Currently she's missing 3 teeth and the 4th tooth (first to come out) is now about 3/4 grown in. It's almost as exciting as when she first got her baby teeth!

Here's a pic of her 1st tooth ever...look closely and you'll see it!

A couple of pretty views...

I keep remembering this...


To help me survive this...

Both beautiful scenes...yet there's just something about the nice warm beach in Puerto Rico that I enjoy so much more than icy winter in upstate New York. Hmmm...

Rescue

A couple of songs that pretty much sum it up...listen and ponder...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=p4C_ejJklow

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GRsUGccqFVA

Breaking Free

Ok...so I have had about enough of winter! I so long for some warmth and sunshine and some dry ground. This morning I took Em to school, returned home for a few and then went out to leave for work. I got in the car, started it up, put it in reverse and along came the spinning tires... I was going nowhere. The combination of mud, ice and ruts in the driveway had my car trapped. So after a few unsuccesful attempts to break free (including cat litter under the tires) I ended up having to call my prince charming and wait for him to ride in on his white horse to my rescue. Ok! Ok! So it was a silver car...but he still came to my rescue. After a little assistance, I was finally free from the driveway and on my way to work.

As I reflect on the morning events being stuck in a rut (literally), unable to break free and having to call for help, I can't help but think of the bigger picture which I have been reminded of a lot lately and the "ruts" of our lives that we so often find ourselves in, unable to break loose from the hold they have on us until we are willing to admit that we can't do it alone, surrender control and "call" for help. The best part of it all is that when we call upon the Lord we won't get his voice-mail...he's always there to answer and come to our rescue if we'll let him.

When is Spring coming?

Oh how we wish Spring would arrive SOON! We are so anxious to be through with sweaters, coats, mittens, hats and all the other items that come along with the cold miserable weather. This winter has seemed exceptionally long as we have had mostly ice and slop rather than nice snow to build snowmen, do snowangels and play in. I long bring my flip-flops out of storage and take Em out to play. Of course, I'm sure when Spring does arrive I will have a new complaint... MUD!

As much as I gripe about the weather, each season has it's own beauty...the ice that has been coating the trees the last couple of days is actually quite pretty and it is fun to listen to the "crinkling" sound of the iced trees as the wind blows.

Here are some photos that Ben and I took from the backyard after church today...

De-Clutter Update

Well, one more room is about to be crossed of the de-clutter list. Our bedroom is nearing completion. It is looking good. The closet still needs some work and to have some outdated and unworn clothing removed. I'll post before & after pics soon.