A 4x9 Meme

"What's a meme?" you may ask? I hope someone else has to ask that question because I did. So, I looked it up on m-w.com - Webster's online dictionary. Meme: an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture. Well, I've seen all sorts of these little things all over the blogosphere and I have hence been tagged by Natalie (Yes, Jenny, you also tagged me and I promise I'll post on your meme as well! Sorry!)

Here goes...

4 jobs I've had in my life:
McDonald's cashier
county tag office clerk
apartment leasing agent
business analyst
(and my favorites - Wife & Mommy!! ok - so that's five and six but who's counting?!)

4 movies I'd watch over and over:
(I'm going to change this one to movies I HAVE watched over and over and expose my cheesiness):
The Sound of Music
Pretty Woman
Out of Sight (Jennifer Lopez/George Clooney)
Ronin (Robert De Niro/Jean Reno)

4 places I have lived:
Georgia
Georgia
Georgia
Georgia

4 TV shows I watch:
Heros
Grays Anatomy
Little Einsteins
Backyardigans

4 Places I've Been:
Cozumel
Cancun
Grand Canyon
Washington DC
(all pre-kids)

4 websites I visit daily:
my email account (several times daily)
my friends' blogs
my credit card company (to keep dibs on my monthly spending - trying to keep in budget)

4 of my favorite foods:
my mom's BBQ chicken
chocolate cake with chocolate icing (Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker)
milk
french toast with peanut butter and lots of syrup

4 places I'd rather be right now:
in bed sleeping but I can't seem to tear myself away from the brain suction of the computer
on a beach in Cancun (with my husband)
on a cruise ship (with my husband)
hiking / camping on the A.T. (with my husband)
(can you tell we could use some adult-only vacation time?)

4 bloggers I now tag for this:
Jenny
all of my other friends who have blogs have already been tagged so anyone else who wants to leave me a comment and link to their meme on their site

Jared's got a girlfriend! Jared's got a girlfriend!

Is this the cutest thing or what?! Jared has been coming home from school for weeks now talking about this little girl, Jordan. I worried that it may be a one-way thing but then he got an invitation to her birthday party. I email her mom asking for gift ideas and through our discussions I learned that his infatuation was most certainly a two-way thing. Her mom said that if nothing else, him showing up would be birthday gift enough! Jared has been looking forward to her party all week, asking daily, "When can we go to Jordan's house?" This morning, as we drove up to her house, we saw Jordan standing, looking out her front door (glass storm door). As soon as Jared saw her he said, "There's my girlfriend!" As soon as Jordan saw him (his mom later told me) she said, "I think I see him! He's here!" As we walked up to the house Jordan hopped and skipped down the front steps to greet him. They were so cute all morning at the party! They hugged good-bye at the end. And, of course, John and I made certain to get a photo of them together. She's looking at him in the photo but oh, you should have seen the love in his eyes as they looked at each other after the photo was taken!!

Can't you just see the little cartoon hearts pip-popping overhead?!

Thankful Thursday Thirteen

Rather than sitting quietly and having disciplined daily prayer time, I'm more of a scattered pattern pray-er. I'll shoot up a prayer here and in an hour I'll shoot up another prayer there. I shoot a few more up later in the day here, there and yonder. My prayers are probably about 50/50 - "Thank you God" and "Please Gimme Gimme." I don't think my Gimme's are too bad - not like I'm asking for riches or fame, just continued health and safety for my husband, my kids, and myself and of course a quick sale of this house because I dislike being in limbo. Today I thought I'd join so many other bloggers and start my own Thankful Thursday list because I really do have so much that I am thankful to God for.

I thank God for:

1. healthy, happy, strong, loving children
2. a husband who loves me, supports me, shows me daily how much I mean to him and how much he needs me, who is smart, loving, funny, sexy, and my best friend - I thank God for crossing our paths and leading me to him
3. parents who have always been loving, encouraging and supportive, who have been a wonderful example for me to watch and learn from (as parents, as husband/wife)
4. a wonderful sister who I'm so grateful to also call my friend, always there for me, understanding, loving, encouraging, supportive
5. wonderful in-laws - my mother-in-law who is so loving, giving, and always so happy to see you; my father-in-law and step-mother-in-law who are the most wonderful spiritual examples and teachers (I want to have their faith and love for God), and they're so much fun to be around
6. my grandparents who are so sweet and loving, full of stories and memories, never a cross word, always so thoughtful, a wonderful example of a long-lasting, loving marriage of 60-some-odd years, still so sweet sitting together on the couch side-by-side (close together too, not far apart), taking care of each other in love
7. my health and the health of my family (physically, mentally, spiritually)
8. my God, who, as hard as it is to imagine, loves me even more than I love my own children (and I could just eat them up!), who has blessed me over and over and over again
9. my faith in God, which as much as it needs to grow, has helped me through tough times - thankfully my faith turned me toward God when we lost our daughter Jessica, rather than allowing me to turn away in pain
10. our financial position - God has blessed us financially and is allowing us the freedom to try to sell our house for a larger one closer to John's work, to make the necessary repairs and upgrades to this one, to replace the broken digital camera without hesitation when it breaks so that we don't have to miss any priceless moments, to feel free from stress, strain, worry over bills or debts
11. the extra $10 that I found in my pocket today after praying that God would send me some extra cash, to send one of those little paychecks from the church or something since I used all my cash yard saling last weekend and can't dip into my checking account right now
12. I'm thankful for how much Jared and Abigail LOVE Rachel. It totally stresses me out when all three are trying to play in the same room because Jared and Abigail are constantly smothering Rachel and fighting with each other over who gets to play with her. I usually have to pick Rachel up to "save" her from her brother and sister. But it's just so wonderful that the stress is because they ADORE her so much. They want to play with her, make her smile and laugh, feed her, "help" her (more like drag her).
13. those sweet times when I can just sit back and watch the "show" and listen as the imagination flows from Jared and Abigail as they play together.

I could go on all night but I'll leave it at thirteen (only because it starts with 'th') :)

When Can We Go To The Hospital Again?

Yesterday morning, Jared and Abigail were sitting at the table happily devouring their morning waffles as I stood at the kitchen sink. Jared says (out of the blue), "When can we go to the hospital again?" I asked the obvious question, "Why do you want to go the hospital again?" He lifts the fork to his mouth for his next bite as he says, "I want to have another baby if God will let us." I just smiled and said "Well, honey I don't know... Why do you want to have another baby?" "Because they're cute." I said, "Hmm, well, I'll let your daddy know." "Okay."

I'm a Christian

I love this poem I found on another blog. I've pasted it below to make sure all will see. It's wonderful! May you all be blessed!



When I say…”I’m a Christian”
I’m not shouting “I’m clean living’.”
I’m whispering “I was lost,
Now I’m found and forgiven.”

When I say… “I am a Christian”
I don’t speak of this with pride.
I’m confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say… “I am a Christian”
I’m not trying to be strong.
I’m professing that I’m weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say…” I am a Christian”
I’m not bragging of success.
I’m admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say…” I am a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are far too visible–
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say… “I am a Christian”
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches,
So I call upon His name.

When I say… “I am a Christian”
I’m not holier than thou,
I’m just a simple sinner
Who received God’s good grace, somehow!

Birds and the Bees

I was crying I was laughing so hard the other night when I found this post. Please click here and see how this mom's birds and bees discussion went with her son.

Then click here for Part II of that discussion.

Thank God I don't have to have this discussion with my kids for another 6-8 years. But when I do I hope that I can be so frank with my kids. Way to Go Anne!