Pray for Stellan

Please remember to pray for the Mck-family. MckMama is struggling! Seriously struggling! You know when you feel like you are completely out of control- like life is spinning out of control around you- like as things are spiraling out of control there you stand in the middle of it all and all you want is one second to feel steady and something to grab on to? I think thats probably how MckMama feels about now.

I can remember the world swirling around me when my Mom called to say that my nephew had been hit by a truck and it didn't look like he would make it. The room started spinning, I started feeling like the walls were closing in on me and kept saying "NO! NO! NO!" My poor brother and sister in law were in my mind, I knew they must be devastated. My nephew had ooodles of extended family who adored him and I could just see them melting into puddles of misery. Spinning, misery, wondering if he would make it, feeling out of control... helpless.

I hate for anyone to feel this way - ANYONE! I have been on my knees praying for baby Stellan. I know God has a plan, I know MckMama knows God has a plan. Even though there is a plan in place by God, her heart must still ache, she must ache to her bones. I keep praying that God will wrap his peace around her and give her moments of true peace.

Please pray for them- whenever you can, wherever you are- in your car, in your bed, on your knees, at your desk, at your computer, in the elevator, JUST PRAY!

a 1950's traditional dinner vs. a 2009 sandwich dinner- who will win?

Fact-
During the 1940’s and 50’s the dinner table always had the same ol’ five things.
Meat
Vegetable
Bread
Another vegetable
Gravy for the meat

While visiting my Grammie when I was young I was witness to this dinner table menu. At Grammies we often had some type of meat, green beans, black eyes peas, corn on the cob, rolls and gravy… and a teeny tiny dish of something that was not finished the day before at dinner or lunch. It was simple, five things and dinner was on the table.

Personally I never understood the “five dinner” menu myself; it seemed like a lot of work. In her defense most of it was right out of her very own garden. My Grammie could have a table set with food on it just as my Granddaddy walked in the door- she just sensed he was coming.

I wasn’t alive in the 40’s or 50’s but I know since I was eating there since 1975 that it must have always been that way. Even when it was just the two of them they ate that way. Call it tradition; call it habit, that’s how it happened. My Grammie was consistent and predictable. I loved that about her. (She was also very neat and clean)

When I go to visit Mt Perfect I always go to Oklahoma to visit with my Granddaddy. I try to take him food, usually a pot of beans that will last him- you probably read the last spill the beans post. The trip was a trying one to Oklahoma, normally I would go during the day- I am seriously scared of the dark and nothing scares me like south eastern Oklahoma in the dark-

SERIOUSLY!

Begin side note.
It’s not that I DON’T believe in big foot- It’s not that I DO believe in big foot- It’s that if the whole Big Foot thing is actually true, I don’t want to see him and I promise if it’s true, he lives on my Granddaddy’s property. I’m not even kidding! So I always say, it’s better to be safe than sorry so I prefer to travel to Hoof-ville during the day.
End side note.

ANYWAY- It had been a long day, I cooked the beans, yada yada yada… we got all packed up to go to Oklahoma we were running later and later with spilling the beans, needing gas, Kid4 having to go Potty. I was a little stressed because I know my Granddaddy was waiting on us to take him to dinner.

SO- I called my mom to ask if he liked Subway, I have never taken him there and she mentioned how it’s my Aunt Fern’s favorite place to eat. (one of the only places in Hoof-ville) I called Aunt Fern, and invited her to join us there. I picked up Granddaddy and headed to meet aunt Fern at Subway.

When I mentioned Subway to one very grouchy, hungry old farmer he did not take it well. He apparently DOES NOT eat sandwiches for dinner. As we pulled in, he let us know that the last time he had eaten there was the first time and he said he’d never go back. Bat Girl and I were a little nervous…

We got in sat down and he wanted to know what they had- I read the menu to him, and after a few sandwiches he would say “DO THEY JUST HAVE A BURGER?”…. I would read a few more and he would say “WHAT ABOUT A BURGER”? I was starting to feel like he wanted a burger! :0)

This is how the conversation (if you can call it that) went:

Me- tuna fish, turkey and bacon, BMT….
Him- BURGER?
Me- any kind of salad he would like, roast beef, maybe crab meat?
Him- B-U-R-G-E-R?
Me- (surely he will be wooed by the red meat selection, after all he is a farmer) Meatball with cheese, Philly cheese steak?
Him- *B*U*R*G*E*R*?

My Sweet Bat Girl grabbed the keys to the batmobile and drove down the street to The burger barn (yes, thats the real name)and got a burger for the two of them. She is so nice! I was relieved that he was now looking down the barrel of a hamburger and fries.

That was my night, a 2009 dinner at Subway, apparently NOT comparable to a 1950’s dinner that one very stubborn old farmer was use to.

He ate and was full.
We ate and were full.
I didn’t see Big Foot.
The end!

should we suggest that subway start carrying burgers? I mean the whole eat fresh thing... they won't mind... right?

go ahead! spill those beans!

I started the morning off by putting a pot of beans on for my Granddaddy, I was so pleased. I was going to take him enough beans to make a few good hot meals for him; he loves a big pot of beans to heat up for himself. I put ham hocks in it, tenderly seasoned it with salt, pepper, cumin and love.

We visited with friends during the afternoon and I rushed home to stir them. They cooked all day and they were perfect. I gave them one more good boil before I packed them up so they would be thick and wonderful and stick to the ribs of an old farmer.

Stir, boil, watch, love, season, warm, comfort.

Bat Girl and I packed them into a container WITH a lid that fit perfectly. We put them in a cake pan so incase there was any sloshing on the long ride to Oklahoma they would slosh into the pan. Perfect plan, perfect beans, wonderful night.

The warm wonderful beans were placed gingerly into the truck into a spot where they would be safe for the drive. We had to stop for gas and then were on our way to Hoofville for some huggin on my Granddaddy.

Kid4 was saying how wonderful the truck smelled and I had to agree. It smelled of a warm home cooked meal, made with love. I was proud. I stopped for gas, changed the movie for Kid4 and soon realized why the truck smelled so wonderful.

The picture finishes my thoughts, there is no reason for me to tell you what happened. So if you saw the spill at the Wal-Mart gas station, I apologize, it was my fault….

Visiting with old friends is heavenly! We have been able to see lots of old friends, familiar faces and ones we love! Spending the week with BatGirl by my side, catching up with the friends I have missed and being in Mt. Perfect is the best way to spend a week!

We're off to Oklahoma this evening to hug my Grandaddy's neck and take in his rugged wisdom for an hour or two.

I think I'll make him some warm hearty stick to his ribs food for him to remember me by for a few days at least.

good food, warm friends, beautiful weather, familiar family faces... good times!

please bear with me as I forgot my USB for my camera. I will post pictures soon.

Please pray for Baby Stellan today. He is McMamma's baby miracle. He is a son, brother and a miracle. His friends, family and even strangers have prayed for the Lord to heal him before and he needs prayers again now. He is very ill at their local Childrens Hospital. Please pray for Stellans healing, and the family's peace no matter what happens.

Thanks friends!

co-pilots, road warriors, crazy girls....

Bat Girl and I have taken many long trip together. We use to drive between Colorado Springs and Mt. Perfect every other weekend, a short 16 hour drive. We have spent many hours in the car laughing, talking, listening and reading. One of my favorite memories of her and me on a long drive is the time we missed our turn by about two hours!

Our kids were little and we had found this steamy romance novel that we wanted to read, but I don’t read much and we couldn’t possibly let the kids see us reading such smut. So we smartly waited until they were fast asleep and as leaned towards each other, my driving and her reading we read and drove for hours like this. We were so into the book that her gas warning light gave us a warning, scared us to death, snapped us back to reality and we realized then that we had missed our turn by two hours. We had just been cruising down the road reading and lost all contact with reality. We have always laughed so hard about that!

One of my other favorite memories was when we were taking the kids to California for vacation. I had to take my dogs and turtle-long story. We packed up the kids, my dogs and turtle all into a van and off we went. This is the second time I realized how HUGE the state of Texas is! She was driving late that night, we were all snoozing and she got pulled over by the nicest cop. I woke up to her saying “sure, officer I CAN get my license but your going to have to wait a minute – it’s in the back, wherever my purse is stuffed, under my friend, our 4 kids, two dogs and a turtle…” He politely told her to slow down and that was that.

I love the memories we have had; I love the road trip we have taken. I told her last night that if I had realized how many trips we would take together through the years I would have logged all the miles. We have been coast to coast together and loved almost every minute of it. We would have rather skipped the icy spinning in circles on the highway, the throwing up at the Steak and Shake drive thru, the very small innocent turtle who never had a chance in the middle of the road, the many accidents we have seen but not been involved in and the hundreds of dirty bathrooms!

We take the good with the bad and I truly wouldn’t change a second of the sights we’ve seen, miles we’ve covered laughs and scares we have had. I covet the memories- I love them. Those hours together have glued us together like brick and mortar. We know how the other travels, when one is thirsty, hungry, we are truly companions who know each other inside and out. I’m glad to travel with her by my side and proud to call her my co-pilot! Thanks for all the good trips Bat Girl and heres to many many more!

who's the bigger baby?

My Mom sent me this video! I love dogs and babies, I thought this was priceless!

Enjoy!

jerry riggin' palooza

Have ya heard of jerry riggin' somethin'?

Have ya ever jerry rigged somethin'?

Have ya ever wished you were a good jerry rigger?

Has there been a time in your life when say your visitin' a friends house you excuse yourself to the bathroom for a moment and the toilet wasn't workin' just right and you wished you could just jerry rig it real quick like?

I think some CAN jerry rig and some CAN'T jerry rig.

I am a jerry rigger. I can jerry rig anything and do it with much pride.

Aparently it runs in the family, because this is a picture of my Grandaddys toilet and it is DEFINITELY jerry rigged. He is a jerry rigger for sure!

my trip

my trip was many things but restful it was NOT.

It was 13 hours one way, freezing rain, silly kiddlings, the best sweet tea (Herschels)in the world accompanied by the best burger ever (Randy's) with a little side of the best friend in the universe (BatGirl). There was alot of brick morter stuck on my hands, unwashable, patching a popcorn ceiling and a little transplanting of the popcorn pieces. There was a whole lotta laughing, very little sleep and my birthday.

My birthday was full of a two hour drive to see my Grandaddy and my parents who happened to be in hoofville for a few days. It was full of hugging the men I love, enjoying the scent of my mother, watching my girl love her Gran, a flat tire, a tight lugnut, four adults not able to change a single tire themselves, a bathroom with dirty rags to dry my clean hands a rip in the crotch of my jeans, a birthday lunch followed by another two hour drive back to Mt. Perfect.

The end of my trip pretty much consisted of very little sleep, a lot of rain, more rain, kids stuffed into a truck, realizing my bladder isn't what she use to be, lots of dirty bathrooms, more rain, some slippery roads and a 15 hour drive due to weather.

Im home, Im tired and no matter what it sounds like written down, I wouldn't change a minute of it. I love my life!

*plus I have Bat Girl and Dusty the WHOLE week- does it get better than that?*

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Biiiiiirthday dear youuuuu,

Happy Birthday to you!

::ahem::

sorry the rest of you had to hear that ... i apologize now for the above off-key, out-of-tune, white-girl-has-no-rhythm birthday rendition.

obviously this is not Ashley with you today, singing so poorly to herself.

it is I, BatGirl, up in the wee hours of the morning, hacking into other people's emails and blogs to steal borrow passwords. bet you can't wait to have me as an internet friend now, huh?

anyway, on to the fun stuff.

where are you going?

tsk.

okay, you move on along and i'll keep talking for awhile. or until i fall asleep on the keyboard - either way i'll eventually stop.

probably.

i know you are waiting with bated breath to hear all about how we re-mortared the fireplace, pretend popcorned the ceiling, and forgot to pick up a kid ... AGAIN, but this

entry is not about you. those tales will have to wait.

today is Ashley's birthday - a day i especially love as it means she is now only one year younger than myself, instead of the two she likes to gloat about the other six months of the year!

also, no matter what she tells you ... i am taller.

immeasurable

There is no
expression,
no label
substantial
enough to
encompass
you
and
me

what
ordinary word
will depict
adequately the
sum
of who
you
are

~friend~
~family~
~sister~

not one
can possibly
illustrate
the
intangible
threads
that have
woven
us
together

~batgirl

momentary lapse of blogging, but I'm...

Im in Mt Perfect! I love it here, I can't help it.

working on Bat Girls lair

visiting all my little kid friends

visiting my Grandpa

getting to see my parents on Friday (the 13th- is that a bad idea?)

being able to have a road trip to Georgia with BatGirl

eating good "home food"

missing some of the kids (some stayed, some came)

missing Mr. B for sure!

loving Mt. perfect

hating the weather

"truth is stranger than fiction"

I had a strange day. It’s way too much to write about. Bat Girl said it when she said “Truth is stranger than fiction” she’s right.

I saw a legless boy, a crying woman, a man telling his life story to a woman who didn’t care to hear it, a Grandma telling all about how her granddaughter just landed in Beijing for a mission trip, a man walking through a waiting room with a huge arm full of collard greens (I’m serious) a bearded woman and a woman slapping her poor bored and apparently thirsty child. It all happened in a waiting room and I would rather forget it.

By mid-day I was exhausted but it was the first day of tumbling for Kid4 and the first day for Kid2 to volunteer at the local dance studio. The girls loved it, Kid4 did really well and Kid2 was in hog heaven being back in a dance studio. Other than the moldy ceiling tile that I could barely take my eyes off in the waiting room it was nice to know the girls were having a good time.

The evening ended with Mr. B. taking me to a nice dinner at a new pizza place and it was nice to catch my breath and talk to him. It’s always nice to catch up and actually have time to talk without interruption.

No pictures- I forgot….

**Saturday night fever**

Usually our Saturday nights include a whole lotta….

NOTHIN’

We may run a kid here or there but usually we don’t do much at all. We sit, we rest from the day, we hang out together but this Saturday night we did something we HAVE NEVER done before. We did something that I would have said we would NEVER do. We did something monumental … (maybe just mental)… something crazy….

We sang Karaoke!

Truth be told THEY sang Karaoke, I watched. It was fun, it was family friendly and we would do it again in a heartbeat. TRY IT, try it, try it!

check out the dress up shoes above!

snazzin' up the cleaning around here!

Don't you love it when 4 year olds pick out their own clothes? Aren't they the fanciest? Don't you love it when they want to help? Kid4 is in love with vacuuming right now, and dressing up. We love to watch her do both.

magical mixing

Yesterday was spent running errands and making cakes for a special Daddy. I found this great cake idea from this website and vowed to make it with Kid4 weeks ago, but never have. As Mr. B.’s birthday drew near I decided that his birthday was the perfect occasion for this special cake and I was right.

The cake of many colors, rainbow cake, psychedelic cake, whatever you want to call it cake turned out perfectly and I urge you to make it with your young. I put the colors in the bottom of separate bowls and then white cake mix on top and as she mixed the colors came alive and she was hooked. She stirred each one like it was magic and each time was thrilled at a new color- it was entrancing to watch her feel like she had the power of color right at her finger tips.

The mess was minimal, the result was magical, and the taste was delectable! Try it, I dare you.

Happy happy birthday baby

THEN

NOW

I met this young man 18 years ago today on a Sunday and he changed my life forever. When I met him, I had no idea the profound affect he would have on my life.

Eighteen years ago a young man, the ripe age of a very new twenty walked into the building of my church, I was the greeter and was happy to greet him- he was cute! This young man came to church that day because it was his birthday and he was feeling a little guilty for his swanky Navy ways and thought he would come to church and seek a little forgiveness from his Lord. Little did this young man know, he would end up getting more than just forgiveness and a little sermon.

Eighteen years ago today I asked this young man if he was “taken” and he said “yes, I am engaged” and eighteen years ago today I became more determined than one very young girl should have been.

Eighteen years ago today I looked into that young man’s eyes and saw stars, I saw my forever and I hooked him- not right then, not even that week, but he was mine soon enough.

When you get married young, you kind of watch each other grow up and I have had the profound privilege and sometimes daunting task of watching that man grow up into a respectful, successful and amazing grown up man.

What a ride it’s been, how that young man changed, I can’t even tell you- there aren’t enough words. When I met him that March day, I never imagined him as a full grown up and he is. I never imagined us old, responsible, regular adults and here we are together 18 years later doing life together.

Dear young man who grew into a remarkable grown up man.
I can’t believe we’re here, almost grown children, half lived lives, bills, cars, full grown adults, still together and happy. I won’t lie to you, there were times I wondered if we would make it through to the next day much less a whole new year and were here- 18 years together, 17 years married. Does that seem like a miracle to you too? Do you ever look back on the obstacles we had and marvel at us and how we have done this life, this marriage, and these kids? I do.

Today I thought about you and how I always bite off more than I can chew and you- you’re there to chew it up with me, you take over, you can handle anything. Today I thought about how many years I wondered if you would ever be right and if I would ever be wrong and all along you knew you were right but let me think it was me about too many things I care to fess up too. You’re more patient than I realized, you’ve been so patient with me over the years. You’ve turned into this fantastic father, more of a father than I could have dreamed of and more than I thought you would be. I can’t tell you how valuable the gift of loving our children like you do is to me. You have turned out to be more than I could have ever asked for in a man, father and friend.

Happy Birthday to you “old man” I can’t believe were looking down the barrel of 40- time is rushing by us. I am so honored to be doing life with you by my side; I wouldn’t have it any other way!

I love you

Kids 4's new favorite thing

tiny little rolling pin for a tiny little person

the proud roll maker herself, holding her prize rolls

Just look at these babies!! Are they the cutest little rolls you've ever seen?

Kid4's new favorite thing is to make rolls for dinner. I give her a quarter of the dough and she kneads it, rolls it out, cuts them and rolls them up. She is in hog heaven making dinner rolls.

Is there anything better than little kid hands rolling and pushing on bread dough? Is there anything better than the proud face of a little girl who made her own rolls? Is there anything better than this little proud girl serving HER very own homemade rolls to her siblings and parents? There IS nothing better- trust me!

*And it keeps her really busy for quite a while=good for me too*

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

This is what we woke up to Sunday morning in Georgia. Kid4 quickly

dressed herself

and went out to play in the snow.

I put on hot chocolate, started pancakes and they played out on the porch. What a little slice of heaven in the south! We LOVE snow around these parts, it's so rare.

Happy Birthday Dusty

There’s a certain little boy who turns 12 today. He is one of those little kids that I was talking about loving, he was not born to me. He is Bat Girls kid and he’s a great one!

We met Dusty when he was a little cowboy, way back when he still loved metal guns and Blue’s clues. He was a little whipper-snapper and didn’t sleep much. He and my Kid3 were instantly bonded for life when Kid4 popped his blue’s clues chair, probably on purpose.

He and Kid3 have been running together for ten years now, they think they are brothers, they are the kind of brothers that stick, the kind of brothers who choose each other and aren’t just born that way. They are the kind of brothers who understand each other inside and out and they will be joined for life, I guarantee you. I’m sure that Kid4 will have a son named Dusty and Dusty and son named Kid4…. Errrr…. Something like that!

Dear Dusty,
It seems like just yesterday that you were laughing with those big ol’ chubby cheeks bouncing around. It seems like just yesterday that we couldn’t keep you in the house because you always took off running down the street… yesterday day that I held you in my arms while you cried over a football, yesterday that I yanked out your first tooth. Big ol’ boy I can’t believe that the good ol’ days of your giant blue eyes peering through your circle glasses are gone and you are half grown already. What happened to your circle face, what happened to your wranglers, button down shirts and little cowboy boots?

I’m so thankful for the time we had when you were just a little guy strapped into your car seat, everyone sleeping but you and I, you talking… and talking…. And talking…. I’m so thankful that we had all those talks, I can still hear your little voice and the cute way you said Texas (Sexas). I laugh when I remember how I would get a candy bar in the gas station, open it outside of the car so I wouldn’t wake anyone and how you could always smell it- so I would surprise you with M & M’s and you would be quiet while sucking them in. I’m thankful for you and the memories you gave me and how you love me and how honored I am to have the opportunity to love you and how I will love you forever.

Little boy you’ve grown so big before my eyes and although I’ll miss all those little boy things about you, I’ll keep them close to my heart and never forget and watch you grow into a young man. I can’t wait to make so many more memories and to see you and Kid3 play and grow together as chosen brothers for many many MANY more years.

I love you more than you’ll ever know. Happy Birthday big OLD boy!