For God...for Jesus...and for Joanne...

Sunday service has come to an end, the invitation has come to an end and Preacher is standing up at the front introducing the people who have come forward. "We have Michael who has come to be baptized and Michelle who has also come to be baptized. We are going to postpone the baptism until tonight because we have other people who are going to be baptized. What? Someone is already back there? Ok, well I guess we will have a baptism. Sing a song brother.", as he waves for daddy to lead the congregation in a song.

From the front you see "Michelle" walk across the front of the church all the way around to the back of the church. She stops at the back door and speaks to Billy, the head usher, and then walks out. I turned to Billy and whisper "Does she need help?" Billy then motions me on to the back and whispers "she went to get her stuff from her truck" So, out I jog, on my tippy toes, in my heels, over the rocks to her truck. Have you got everything? Good, ok, we need to kinda hurry. (Preacher is a stickler about time) Michelle, who is just a little odd anyway, turns to me in her country voice and says "I am so happy" I smile and say "That's nice" Michelle then says "I love Jesus" I smile and nod. Michelle says "I am so excited. I just love Jesus so much. I am doing this for Jesus and for God. I smile politely and say "Yes, that's nice, we need to hurry now" So LaRhonda meets us at the corner and says "Are you getting baptized in what you have on?" Michelle says "No, I have some clothes, if that is ok." Yes, that is ok, we just need to be quick. So she ushers her into the restroom to change.

I step up into the back of the baptismal room and whisper to preacher after he finishes baptizing the second guy that there is one more to be baptized. So we wait about 10 seconds and up the stairs comes Michelle in all her glory. Grinning from ear to ear, wearing her Mickey Mouse flannel boxer shorts and gray mens tank top that comes so low on the sides that you can plainly see she is not wearing a bra. Up the stairs she comes and peeps around the corner and sees the water. "Is that where I need to go?" Yes, down into the water. Again, "Is that where I need to go?" Yes, into the water. Go ahead now. A third time, "Is that where I need to go?" YES! GO INTO THE WATER.

Down she goes into the water. Preacher asks her name and tells the audience "This is Michelle and she has assured me that she is saved and wants to be baptized" She then turns to Preacher and says right into his tie microphone "I have a special request"

Preacher: what it is?
Michelle: I want to do this for God and for Jesus and for Joanne.
Preacher(disturbed): You can't do that. Sit down.

Preacher then begins to talk about baptism and salvation and she is sitting there looking at him nodding her head and saying aloud, "Yes, that's what I want." So preacher begins to dunk her but she is holding onto the side rail, which in turn makes preacher almost fall in on top of her. So he pulls her up. She climbs the stairs and get a towel from LaRhonda and preacher(whose microphone is still on) steps out the side, looks at Michelle and barks: "Lady! How do you expect me to baptize you when you are holding onto the rail?!"

Michelle: I'm sorry. I am. I am sorry.

So off trots preacher in a huff and Michells turns to LaRhonda and says "I wanted him to dunk me three times. Once for God, once for Jesus and once for Joanne!"

Church was over and I have never seen it clear out so fast in my life. Talk about Dinner conversations! Oh to be a fly on the wall of our members yesterday!

The perfection of our Creator

How perfect is our God? It amazes me that time and time again I forget how perfect He is. His love is perfect. His timing is perfect. Everything about him is perfect. Just when I think I can't do it and give up, He steps in and whispers YOU can't do it, but I can. He is such a wonderful and loving God. Patient and Kind. How could we ask for anything more from Him? Thank you Jesus for the MANY wonderful and generous gifts you give each day. Forgive me Jesus for being such a ungreatful human being.

When did I blink?

Ok, it is official! My baby is no longer and infant and is QUICKLY, oh so quickly, heading for toddlerhood. When did this happen? I just gave birth yesterday! I blinked and here we are. My baby is walking, chattering, and has decided that he no longer wants to nurse. I am happy and sad at the same time. What a bittersweet feeling I have. I FINALLY have my body back for myself! But that means my baby isn't a baby anymore! He is exploring and discovering quicker than I can handle. He knows what the nose is! If you say nose, he will touch either your nose or his! I love watching him grow and explore and discover, but at the same time I want to cry. He is just a baby! I am not ready for this! Why does it seem like the girls didn't grow this fast? Is it different because he is a boy? Is it different because I am not alone with him? What has made this dramatic difference? Or am I just making it all up in my head? Someone please console me!

Who knew I married a poet?

My Heart Calls

With all the world to think about,
This thing is strange but TRUE (no lie)...
My thoughts with odd persistency
Turn time and time to you!

With all the beauty in the world,
Rose pedals touched with dew,
Golden sunsets and green shining hills,
I somehow just see you!

With all the people in the world,
Some lovely people, too...
Why, oh why is it that the heart of me
Calls always just for you!

-Marcus Joe Richardson

It ain't just a river in Egypt...

DENIAL!!! That's what I like to live in! Last friday night there was a knock at the door. Marcus answered and there was a young black guy standing there asking if he could clean our carpet. Well, of course if it's free!

He was a KIRBY salesman. Yes, I let this man into my house full well knowing that I was not, I repeat not (and didn't) buying a vacuum cleaner. He proceeded to set up his vacuum while I got out our lovely Rainbow vacuum. Ma'am would you please vacuum your carpet so I can get started? Sure. Said with gritted teeth because I despise the Rainbow and all of the hassle that it represents to me. So, I vacuum with my Rainbow and sit back to watch someone else clean my carpet. So he does and he proceeds to show me his work on his little round filter paper. Oh yes! He liked very much to see my disgust at the dirt that was coming out of my freshly vacuumed carpet.

Mr. salesman turns to me and says "what it the most used piece of furniture that gets cleaned the least?" I say the couch of course. He says no, your bed. Follow me please, I would like to show you how dirty your mattress is. SO HE DOES. Ick! is all I have to say. I am sleeping on that?

Then he finishes his 1 1/2 demonstration in the hopes that my wonderful husband and I are going to purchase a $1,789.00 vacuum. I DON'T THINK SO! Hey, the kid still got paid for the job. He even called his "manager" in to see if he could sweeten the deal. NO GO! I am not paying that much money for a vacuum. So the manager says "How about $1,272.00. That is the manager special. Only the manager can offer that" Ha Ha! Still no!

So, Kirby boy got to leave with his Kirby, I got to have a rough riding head pounding eyeball popping headache for the rest of the night (because he stirred up so much dirt!) and Micah got to wake up with a snotty runny nose and a cough.

Thanks mr. Kirby guy, I would rather live in DENIAL!

Leanne's thought of the day

"You really wanna have a funny time? Go to the gym with momma."

Gracie's thought of the day

"I am glad I live"

70 Degrees and Sunny

How much more can you ask for? The weather was beautiful today! We were able to go to the park for a little while. Spring is my favorite time of year! The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, kids are playing. How wonderful is spring!!!!! God really knew what he was doing when he created Spring. I think he made it just because he knew how much I would love it! Because I am just that special!

You know you are a mother ....

...when half way through the day you realize that you put your panties on inside out...

...then didn't bother to fix them...

...then when you do change...

...you put the new ones on backwards...

Comment of the day

This was a comment made by Gracie after her haircut...

You know what I am thinking? If you get your neck cold, really really cold on both sides, that you can hardly breathe? That is what I am thinking!

Miriam and Baby Moses

Ok, so last Saturday night, we had a costume party at church. It was for the Family Life Class and the Teenager class. You had to come dressed as a Biblical Figure or Historical Figure.
Girls, I already know what you are thinking...TIME WARP! Aargh! Well, I was thinking the same thing.

The kids were very excited about it. So, it was of course a crazy week, and Saturday comes and I don't have a costume. Marcus was a Basketball player, imagine that. Ryane (and her friend Chelsea were ballerinas. Gracie was an Indian Girl. and Devin was a Pirate. I, again, was nothing. So I spent all of Saturday baking for the party and running all over town trying to find a costume. TO NO AVAIL! At the last minute, I went to Walmart and bought a couple yards of $1.00 fabric, wrapped it around my body and my head. Wrapped some around Micah, threw him in his wooden clothes basket and Voila! Miriam and Baby Moses.

The funny thing is, we won 1st place in the costume contest. Ok, technically without Micah, we wouldn't have won. But we won none the less. Woo-hoo! We had fun.

Ryane later told me that she voted for herself to win! Isn't that funny. She REALLY wanted to win.

What does it take for you to realize what is going on in your head? For me it took one phrase from Brett. "These are good tears." I have been so extremely emotional lately and I just couldn't place my finger on why. Well, I finally got it. It's Kelly's situation. I know it sounds silly but I mourn for her. I feel her loss. I feel her pain. I want to hug her and tell her that it was just a dream. But I can't. Because it is real. All too real. Amazingly real.

The hurt, the pain, the loss, the emotional roller coaster, the unsurity, the fear, the unknown, the uncontrolable, the inconsolable. I know all of this!

It's not that I have any feelings for Rick. I haven't for a long time. But it just dredges up such ugly memories for me. And I am just SO unbelievably sad for Kelly that she has to go through this. I love her so much and I would take all of the pain over again if I could take it from her.

Even more so, I feel for those kids. No, those babies. See, in my eyes, Savannah is still a little girl. She is not getting ready to turn 12. Absolutely not! All of her kids are little babies. So, all of those little babies have to go through this too. I wish to the high heavens that they were still little babies. I know it would be much easier if they were. It is so easy to tell a baby or toddler "because". You can't tell a 12 year old and a 7 year old "because". They have to hear the truth. Or at least a portion of it. I hate that. A hate that comes from deep within.

So, now I know where all of this emotion is coming from. Now I just have to figure out how to deal with all of this within myself. I too, have been going to that house for YEARS. I don't know how to feel. I am not sure how to deal. All I know is that MY GOD IS BIGGER THAN THIS!

MY GOD CAN HANDLE THIS. my God can handle this. my God can handle this. my God can handle this.

Proverbs 31:10-31 A virtuous woman

Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.

Got me to thinking...what is my price? Am I far above rubies? I would like to be. I know that I don't always do what I should, but how far off am I? I was reading my Bible this morning while Micah slept, and that is the passage that I read. Proverbs 31:10-31. I really like that passage.

There are many times when I want to grumble and groan for all of the things that I have to do. I never have any time to myself, I am always doing for other people. Even during the night (thanks Micah) I have really let my "position" slip since Micah was born. I have really been wanting to get back on track for a little while now, but Satan has been two steps ahead of me blocking my path. Well, I decided that it is time to plow him down and just get my poop in a group. It is time for things to change in my household, but FIRST they have to change in me.

My attitude stinks sometimes, ok a lot of times but none the less, it stinks. I realized that all of the things that I want to change in the house have to start in me. I am the one who runs the house on a daily basis, so if I don't change, they won't change. Reading my bible is the first step. I enjoy reading and learning so I don't know why it has to be such a struggle for me to sit down and read. Pray for me there.

vs.26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Wow, did that one ever hit home. My tongue is not full of kindness like it should be. Pray for me there. I really want to strive to be a virtuous woman. You may laugh and think that it sounds silly but it is something that I really want and need to be. So I just ask you to pray for me.

Lord help me to be a virtuous woman.

Ryane's Great Gift

The following are pictures that Ryane took on christmas eve and on their recent snowday with her new camera. Is this my photographer in the making???


I am not sure what happened to this picture but this is one that Ryane took of herself on Christmas day.






Here is Gracie with the snowman they made the other day. She had a great time running around in the yard and throwing snowballs at her daddy.






Here is the snowman that Marcus and the kids made the other day. By the time they got all finished with it, all the snow had melted.




I was so very sick this Christmas, as most of you know who read my blog. This is me, on Christmas Eve when we opened our gifts. Here, on the couch, I stayed the whole day. Poor me.

Here is our Micah, who is now crawling all over the house and getting into absolutely everything that he possibly can find.

Here is Devin onChristmas Eve. He had more fun just opening gifts than finding out what they were.

Here is Marcus and Micah on Christmas Day. Micah loves his daddy very very much.

Who would have thunk it?????

Guess what? I have lost a few pounds! Yeah! Just a few, but a few none the less. You know how your mom is required to say nice things? Well, my mom has always been great about it, so when she says "you look like you are slimming down.", I just assume that it is one of those nice things. But when a person who you don't see very often says "Wow! How much weight have you lost?", it makes you feel a little better. Good enough to go stand on a scale. Yeah! I have lost a few pounds.

Where do I start???????

Oh wow! What a day it has been! I have been very very sick the past few days (as has Micah) so my day started off with a bang! A banging headache that is. After choppy sleep for 3 or 4 nights, a headache is all I wanted. Marcus had to work today so I thought I would have to fight with the kids all day alone because it was cold out yesterday so no one played outside. BUT...at 4 am while I was tending to a sleep deprived Micah, I looked out and saw it...SNOW. I knew the kids would be thrilled! Which meant I was thrilled because they would play outside (I know it sounds bad, but come on, I'm sick) So...at 9am Marcus called and said "don't let the kids outside until I come home" Darn. Day shot...so I thought. I laid in bed until Micah woke up at 9:30. I rolled over to see his big brown eyes gazing into mine. Let me stray from the present conversation for a moment...

I NEVER knew how much I could love a baby boy! I knew I would love him, don't get me wrong. I just never had a clue as to how much. In all honesty, I had my doubts that I could love him as much as I loved the girls. How dumb was I? He holds my heart in his little mulatto hands. I hated the fact the Ryan (brother) could get out of any trouble with momma by making her smile or laugh (girls, you know what I am talking about). Oh! it drove me absolutely nuts. I forsee this problem in my future. Anyway, I love him so very much. I cherish every gleam I see in his eyes. I understand the baby's breath ma!

Ok, back to the conversation. We, Micah and I, laid in bed for a few minutes then I nursed him and we moved from the bed to the couch. That is pretty much where I stayed until Marcus came home at one. Well, while I was laying on the couch, Micah was sitting on the floor beside me chewing on a rubber ring he has. I looked down and there was blood all over his hands and mouth. Oh crap! So I get to looking in his mouth, and he has been cutting his two front teeth for several days now. Well, yesterday I checked them and he had a little blister pocket on one, today after the blood, the blister pocket was gone and there sat his little white tooth, staring at me.

So, Marcus called close to one and said "tell the kids to get their hat and gloves on" So, within 10 minutes, the kids are dressing for snow and Marcus is walking in the door. He gets them all bundled up and they head out the front door. Within seconds, I hear screams of laughter eminating from the front yard. Curiousity got to me so I went to the love seat and opened the blinds to see what was the cause of this riot outside. Micah went with me of course. We sat down and peeked outside only to see a daddy and 3 kids outside rolling snowballs and throwing them at each other. They laughed and played like I haven't heard in such a long time. I sat there with Micah watching my family enjoy each other! How great is that. Of course they came to the window and playing with Micah, throwing snow at the window. He just smiled, it was so cute. This snow play goes on for a while and then they set to work! They were building a snowman! Marcus did most of the work, mind you, but they all had a role in it. After a while I got word the hot chocolate was needed. I fixed it, they drank it. After a temporary break, the work crew headed back out the door, to finish that snowman. After more laughing, screaming, snowball throwing and freezing, a snowman was born.

There he sits in our front yard...a bowling snowman...complete with hat, coat, gloves, shoes, and of course a snow bowling ball.

Now, as I type this, the rest of the snow has melted from out yard, but not the bowling snowman! He has attracted rubber neckers and walkers alike. Ryane took pictures with the camera that she got for Christmas! After all that hard work, everyone was freezing. They all slowly dredged in the front door, leaving a pile of wet stuff. It was worth it though to see them play. I like that kind of laundry. Everyone settles down and dries off, and sits down to another cup of hot chocolate. After drinking his cup, Marcus decided he wanted to go bowl for an hour. I didn't complain, even though the devil was on my shoulder pushing me to.

So, off Marcus goes to bowl. After about 15 minutes, I had Micah in the middle of the floor with his toys and I was sitting on the couch talking to the girls, when I look up and Micah is on his hands and feet with his butt up in the air, Gracie laughed and said "that's how he was the other day" I sat watching him for just another moment and he put one knee down, and pushed forward. Then again, and again until he had crawled his way over to the tv stand. Right there with me watching. Micah crawled! Of course his daddy was the first one I called, then his grandma, then his grandmama, then his papaw. It wasn't too long and Marcus came home and he crawled over to him too. Yeah, my baby is crawling. What a milestone! I am so happy that I was here to see it happen.

After a little play time, everyone got baths and we sat down to play bingo, I won of course. Then we ate dinner (a hodge podge of food, if you will...I am still sick, don't feel like cooking) So, here I am at 8:45 pm blogging, looking over my shoulder at the dishes that I know I am not going to do tonight, and I actually can taste a little bit more tonight.

Even sick, this has been such a wonderfully terrific day! Thank you God for this day! Thank you God for this family!

Ode to the Christmas Virus

Silently sneaking up you come,
Old or young, age matters none.

You mercilously pick your prey,
as silently in bed I lay.

Awakening with a start,
I am beating fast at heart!

Alas it is not to see,
The presents underneath the tree!

It is to visit a porcelain throne,
Which end is up is still unknown.

After an early morning "delight",
I wish it were still only night.

For my head is beating like a drum,
As it will remain until this day is done.

You clutch my eyeballs from behind,
And squeeze and squeeze until I am blind!

You are such a cruel fate,
For added too, I stayed up late.

Even those who got in bed,
still may have an aching head!

Those Christmas cookies, punch and cake!
Oooohmb! Will most assuredly have to wait!

The various aromas and the odd little sounds
within my aching belly do surely abound!

Rumbles and roars galore,
My body is making as never before!

Up and down I lay my head,
wanting only to stay in bed!

Each second ticks by, each hour so slow,
Will this day ever end, this feeling ever GO?

Finally relief comes at the break of dawn,
I look at the clock and only can yawn!

Christmas day has come and gone,
But the nausious memories will ever live on!

Next year at this time as your new prey you pick,
Remember that in 2005 I was the lonely soul sick!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

It is officially Christmas in our house. Yesterday my husband and I went to Kroger and bought a 14.99 Christmas tree. Yes folks thats right I said 14.99. It is so close to Christmas that all of the trees THAT ARE LEFT are marked down to 14.99. So now I have a tree up in my house and it is almost standing up straight! As soon as my daddy brings some kind of wood blocks to prop it up, it will be straight.

So, as my husband was bowling last night, I proceeded to decorate our gimpy little tree. I placed each ornament on with loving care, then I picked them up off of the floor where they fell to and placed them on the tree again. Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree your leaning to far left! So as I continue to decorate my tree, I find myself leaning to the left to get some ornaments on. By the time it is all decorated, my tree is almost laying on the couch. Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree you're really on my nerves! Phone call..."Mom, gimpy leaning tree. Any ideas?" "Try cardboard" Ok, thanks for the idea BUT cardboard wont hold up in water. So papaw to the rescue he says use wood blocks. Haven't tried it yet but plan on it tonight.

Merry Christmas gimpy tree, Merry Christmas!

God's Timing is Better than Mine...

Ok, so it is now almost 1 week exactly since my surgery. Things are well, swollen, but well. Last night after I botched my solo in the christmas cantata, my mommy took me out for a banana split (boy did I need mine laced with rum!), then I came home and my husband gave me "permission" to lay aside my crutches if I promised not to cry anymore about my solo. Well, I didn't promise (although I didn't cry anymore) but he let me put them down anyway.

Hooray! I am finally off of them! I can tend to my house again! I can tend to my sick baby again! Yes, my very sick baby. Two ear infections, cold in his eyes and a general cold (so I thought) Hooray! Just as soon as I sleep in this morning, ok?! :)

Oh wait! What's this??? It's 6:50 am and my husband has collapsed on the bed and is mumbling something about calling in sick to work! How's that??? Come again??? I was sleeping in, remember? "You need to call work for me, I can't move" Up and out of bed I hop. "Do you need to go to the hospital?" "No, I am hurting all over" Doing the whole forearm to the forehead bit, "You are running a fever", I will call the doctor as soon as they open. Back in bed I lay down thinking I can still catch a few zzz's. Uh-uh, ain't gonna happen. After about 15 minutes of "I'm cold, I'm hot, I hurt, I'm gonna be sick" I realized that sleep was no longer an option, so out of bed again, ready to start my day of taking care of my two sick men (notice I didn't say babies...)

Off to the doctor, upper respitory infection not the flu like I thought (same symptoms). Three days home from work. Does anyone realize what this means? Ok wives, I know what you are thinking, does anyone else know what this means? This means that I am going to have one H of a time getting his christmas present together. I was counting on this week, Arg! What is a girl to do?

I don't know, I just have to remind myself that God's timing is better than mine. Pray for me. Oops I mean, my sick men. :)

A Family Worth Anything is A Family Worth Everything

Let me begin by saying how much I love each and every member of our family (and one person who isn't a member...YET...no pressure). Each one of you holds a special place in my heart. I had so much fun on our Christmas weekend. I didn't want it to end, but I did, but I didn't, but I did.....

It was so nice to sit around and watch all of the kids open their christmas gifts. It seems like an eternity since we have all been together like that. I REALLY miss those times. I hearby swear to work harder to get together with my family. People have no idea what they are missing when they don't have a loving family to get together with. Even if there are eye rolls and grunts and people having a tiff, it is all worth it just to have a few moments together.

It was just as nice to sit around and watch the adults open their gifts. Shout out to Bretterbie, who succeeded in making Daddy cry. Good job man, Good Job! It was so nice to sit around with each other and talk about everything and nothing at the same time. I love you all so much. Good times people! Good Times!

Now, as we all know, I had my knee surgery yesterday. My momma is so great that she took me because my husband, God love him, had to work. What a wonderful surprise to wake up and see Marcus sitting in the recovery room looking at me! Yeah! He got off work early and came to sit with me! He doted on me all day yesterday and all night too. Then like a wonderful mommy, momma came over and sat with Micah and I today while everyone was gone. I like having days with my momma(girls-I know you are jealous). My daddy came to see me (although...I think there is a little boy who he wanted to see more. My mother-in-law sat with Micah while I had my surgery. She is just so great. I don't think that I tell her often enough how much she means to me. My father-in-law stopped by to see me, I swear I love that man more every day! Even the girls are helping me out as much as they can. They are so sweet to me..."do you want some water?"..."do you need anything?"...

I think, no, I KNOW that I have the most wonderful family possible! I love you all so much...
and NO, that's not any pain medicine talking...God blessed me with a 99 o/o painfree surgery. (Am I sacreligious if I say "shout out to the Big Man upstairs!)?