Day of Rest

A note to parents with toddlers. Before preheating your Easy Bake Oven, be sure and check inside for any plastic plates that may have been inadvertently inserted at a previous time. Otherwise, be prepared to see significant smoke, followed by the malodorous stench of melting pink plastic. As you run outside carrying said oven to keep from setting off the smoke detector, be prepared to calm hysterical daughter and talk her down from expressed desire to murder younger brother in as painful a way as humanly imaginable.

While going through these steps, be sure not to ignore the calls of "Mama" from your gated-in toddler who is supposed to be taking a nap, assuming he is just stalling. Having been just recently potty-trained, it's quite possible that he needs to get to the toilet. Feeling ignored, he may decide to take matters into his own hands, and upon completing the act, might decide to redesign his bedroom glider with equally malodorous brown stripes.

As you climb the stairs to discover why he is calling, the smell may hit you and panic may begin to ensue as you come over the rise to discover this fresh paint job. Wondering who is making that screaming sound, as you release the gate, the toddler may sprint out of the bedroom with a newly acquired ability to leap over Mommy Meltdown and get away as quickly as possible.

On the bright side, you just may discover the $30 extra you spent on Scotchguard for the chair was worth every penny.

It's a good thing our choir sang "When I Don't Know What To Do" this morning. Otherwise, someone may not have survived the afternoon.

No more training wheels for Bailey. We had noticed that she was riding completely unaided by them anyway, so we finally convinced her yesterday to let us take them off. I told her to pretend like they were still there and take off. All she needed was that one burst of confidence and she was riding like a champ.

Bradley is so thrilled to have a riding partner now that he doesn't even mind having his sister tag along. The newness will surely wear off, but for now she's riding every chance she gets.

I think she decided that seven-year-olds don't use training wheels. Count one more milestone marked.

So, apparently Joe Biden made the comment today that Hillary Clinton might have made a better veep choice than him.

Ya think?

I had the chance to spend the day today with my college roomies. We all hooked up in Rome, GA, since it's a fairly central location for us. Jeff and I are staying with our brother and sister-in-law tonight. The kids are so happy to be back with Carrie Beth; they are begging to stay longer. I hate to pull them away so quickly, but I keep trying to convince them that a weekend together is better than nothing at all. So far they don't seem to be buying it.

From left to right in the first picture are Kathryn, Susie, me and Amy. We actually lived together all four years of college, an accomplishment I'm pretty proud of. Susie and I didn't know each other at all before the Lord put us together our freshman year at Samford, and it was a perfect fit. She is wild and crazy and loves Broadway as much as I do. She sings like an angel and is completely unintimidated by what folks might think of her. I love her dearly.

Kathryn married Ray right out of college and moved to England. She lived there for eleven years until moving back Stateside in 2006, where she landed a job doing all of the print advertising for the Biltmore estate in Asheville, NC. I'm so proud of her. This is the first opportunity we've taken to all get together since she's been home. It's been far too long coming.

Amy lives in Rome and has always been a treasure to me. I get to see her more than the other two since we have a reason to come to Rome every now and then, but definitely not as often as I would like. Her little ones are 3 and 5, and as adorable as their momma has always been.

It's hard to believe that between the four of us we have seven sons and two daughters. When we get together, it feels like no time has passed since we were living in Cripple Creek Apartments in Birmingham, AL, and yet the many children tell a different tale. Susie's oldest will be 11 next month, on the downhill slope to adulthood. It's breathtaking.

Moments like these remind me how quickly the time passes. When I realize that Bradley is now closer to his college experience than I am to mine, it is a stark reminder to make the most of each day. Maybe I can apply that to these early days of potty-training and they won't drive me as crazy!

I just had a chance to go back and watch Mike Huckabee's speech from last night. If you didn't get to see it, it is well worth your time. He was on fire. Last night was just spectacular!

My favorite lines:

1) After telling a story about growing up poor, he quipped, "I'm not a Republican because I grew up rich. I'm a Republican because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me." Wow.

2) "I'm so tired of hearing of hearing about [Governor Palin's] lack of experience. I want to tell you folks something. She got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska than Joe Biden got running for President of the United States." Yikes.

3) "Most of us can lift our arms high in the air to signify when we want something. He can't even lift his arms to his shoulder, which is a constant reminder that his life is marked not by what he's wanting to receive, but rather by what he has already given." Outstanding.

Sheer eloquent, magnificent brilliance. I am so in love with this woman that I can't stop smiling. She has done more to make this election cycle new and exciting than anyone else could have ever dreamed of doing.

It's just pathetic to watch the pundits and anchors go at it. No matter what they say, it just comes out sounding lame. She is about as close to perfect as a Republican candidate could ever be and I am THRILLED that she is mine!

I had a friend comment a couple of days ago that, "Of course you love her... she's you!" And while I would never have the audacity to put myself up against the many, many achievements of Governor Sarah Palin, I think he hit it on the head. But it's not just me. Sarah Palin is every woman. (Can you hear Whitney singing in the background? :))

The precise reason that people are so fired up over Governor Palin is because she is one of us. She is a mom who entered politics to try and make her kids' education the best it could be. What an amazing story that is. I personally love the fact that she is not a life-long politician. I love that she didn't tell her kindergarten teacher that she was going to be President. I love that she isn't Al Gore, hopelessly wandering in a sea of supposedly warmer-than-what's-natural water because she had no other plans but to be in the White House.

The very idea that Sarah is an underqualified woman who was simply chosen for her gender is just not going to fly. Anyone who saw her last night can not possibly say with a straight face that she doesn't have what it takes to lead this country. She is exactly who we need running this country!! She is intelligence, grace, beauty, confidence, authenticity and bravery. She is unafraid to face challenges, but seems rather to enjoy them. She knows who she is and is secure in that, precisely what one needs to be able to face life in the Beltway without caving to the pressure to be liked by Sally Quinn and the rest of the Washington elite.

I love, love, love her. I loved everything about her speech last night. I love that she can do things no man could ever pull off, like winking at the hockey moms as if she was personal friends with each and every one of them. It looked so natural and so authentic, because it was. I love that she blew a kiss to McCain's fellow former POW. I love that she introduced her family for the beautiful bunch that they are, completely rubbing her love for and pride in them in the face of all the media who have been opining that she can't possibly be a good mother if she spends so much time away from them.

For much of this year I was pretty convinced that we would be saying "President Obama" for the next four years. I no longer see that as inevitable. Watching the Republicans come to life in this convention, I believe we have an excellent chance of taking the White House in 2008. And what I love the most about it is the idea of saying "President Palin" in four more years.

BRING IT!!!

It's getting pretty ugly out there, isn't it?

I'm remembering now why I quit politics for most of this year. I really don't think my blood pressure can take it. Watching the news since Governor Palin was selected has been a true test of my capacity for Christian love.

I'm not going to waste time talking about the unfairness of all these attacks on the governor and her family. Media bias is basically a cliche term these days. It's just a given.

What I think bothers me the most about the treatment of Bristol Palin is the nerve of fear that it touches in me. I think that's why this story is going to backfire on the media and their Party. Could there be a greater example of one's sins catching up with them than this poor teenage girl?

Clearly there was a moment in time where she knew the right thing to do and chose the opposite road. We know that all sin is created equal. There are just some things with greater consequences. But there is not a day that goes by that each and every one of us doesn't choose to do something that we know is wrong. Whether it be yelling at my children, telling a lie, gossiping or entertaining a thought that I should have dismissed, sin is a part of my daily existence.

Just imagine the shame this child has already faced, probably the worst of which came from herself. But she had to confront her parents and her boyfriend's parents and let them know that they had been having sex and that it had gotten the best of them. Apparently it is widely known in her town that she was pregnant, so she has surely been the subject of criticism and at the very least a few stares. Added to that is the burden of knowing that she has put her mother in an awkward position as the governor of the state.

But suddenly, in the course of a few days, her once-believed private sin has become an international news story. Isn't this our biggest fear, that we will one day be exposed for who we think we really are inside? This is one of Satan's biggest and most successful weapons against Christians, to get us to believe that we are what we do. We take on the name of our sin. I am deceit. I am greed. I am lust.

One of the hardest but most important things I learned as an adult was that I'm not who I believe I am. I am who God says I am. I am chosen by Him, loved by Him. My sins have already been paid for and He doesn't see me through the lens of my faults and failures. He sees me through the redemptive blood of His precious Son. There is such great freedom in that, and such great responsibility.

The other thing about this story is the fear it brings out in me as a mother. I've been thinking today how hard it must be for Governor Palin to watch her family dragged through the mud as a result of her decision to accept the nomination. Piled on top of her own self-inflicted guilt is the media saying that she shouldn't have accepted it and that it's basically her fault that her family's name is being shoved into the gutter. How much pain must it cause to watch your child suffer the humiliation of an international scandal and know that it wouldn't have happened if you weren't pursuing something you wanted? It just makes me sick at my stomach for her.

I, for one, am going to be praying for this family. I'm going to be praying that they will have the mental fortitude and family strength to pull together and see this through. Because I can only imagine that it will get worse before it gets better.

Mall Madness

This morning we celebrated Bailey's 7th birthday with a Mall Madness party. Since Bailey's idea to take all of her friends shopping and buy something in every store didn't quite match our party budget, we compromised with a scavenger hunt through the mall.

Just before the carousel and towards the end of our journey, I was approached by Barney Fife and asked if we were doing a scavenger hunt. When I said yes, he informed me that we should cease and desist. Even though 98% of my questions were answered without entering a store, apparently we were still breaking mall rules. Whatever. Fortunately the girls' mood was undampered by the abrupt end to our quest. After all, it was almost time for pizza.

Did you see the adorable cake? Peggy outdid herself again. I love that I can just tell her what we're doing and she works magic each and every time.

f

Mall security aside, I think the party was a success. What bunch of six and seven-year-old girls wouldn't want to traipse through the mall on any given Saturday?

Oh, and by the way, ROLL TIDE!! :)

(Alabama 34 - Clemson 10)

Politics and Potty Training

Although I'm afraid this may be as premature as President Bush dressed in flight gear standing on the deck of an Aircraft Carrier, after five days I feel like we are super close to being able to say Mission Accomplished!

We started on Monday, and by yesterday morning I was just about ready to give up. But ever since then we've had no accidents, 2 self-initiated trips to the potty, and a dry nap and nighttime (don't know about nap yet today, but I'm really hopeful!) This is half of what has contributed to my fantastic mood today...
Last diaper on Monday.
First time in training underwear on Monday.
Big Boy Underwear! (Yes, when I gave him the reward of the big boy underwear, he wasn't interested in putting them on his bottom. He's convinced that the head is where you put these things. Hopefully this will resolve itself.)

f

The other reason for my jubilant mood is McCain's veep pick. I am STOKED about this woman, Governor Palin. I truly can't think of a better choice for this race (well, maybe Condi, but she was never interested.) I LOVE that there is indeed a woman on the ticket this time around and that she is on my side. At first blush she seems absolutely perfect.

f

I've been listening to talk radio all day to see if my reaction was shared by the masses, and I can tell you that the base is absolutely on fire about this choice. For the first time since McCain was chosen, people are actually excited about this race. I know that's true for me. I'm going to start paying attention, but not because I have to like I thought it was going to be. I can't wait to see Governor Palin in action against Senator Biden.

f

Their reaction to her today was perfect. Guys, you may want to be careful with the whole "lack of experience" argument. That's going to be a hard sell for "I voted present."

f

Now I'm totally looking forward to next week, and maybe even the next few months. I'll echo McCain's own words to Senator Obama... "Senator, job well done!"

Have you seen McCain's ad for Obama's big day? Absolutely brilliant. I must admit, so far I'm pretty impressed with how he's run his campaign.

We'll see how things go after tonight's coronation on Mt. Olympus. Now I understand that the reason they had to change the venue was because Invesco Field is the only place in Denver big enough to hold the great Senator's enormous ego.

Last week at the beach I read "To Kill a Mockingbird," by Harper Lee. I had never read this before, nor seen the movie, but had a vague idea of what it was about. I figured there was a reason it is one of the most famous novels in American Lit and a Pulitzer Prize winner, and it seemed like a good thing to do. For some reason I had never been assigned this book in school, perhaps because of the "n" word sprinkled throughout.

When I mentioned to a friend that I was going to read it for the first time, she exclaimed, "Oh, you are so lucky!" It seemed like a funny comment at the time, but now I know what she meant.

If you have never read this book, it is so worth your time to do so. The writing is exquisitely elegant, and to be savored like a delicious desert. The story is heart-wrenching and yet there are moments where you will laugh out loud. The spotlight on the racism of the post-Civil War south is brutal, and yet points to the greater evil of ignoring human suffering all around the world, which we still do today.

My three favorite quotes from the book:

When Atticus' son Jem asks through his sobs how the jury could have convicted a man so obviously innocent, he says, "They’ve done it before and they did it tonight and they’ll do it again and when they do it—it seems that only children weep."

Jem says to Miss Maudie, "I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that's what they seemed like." She answers, "We're the safest folks in the world. We're so rarely called on to be Christians, but when we are, we've got men like Atticus to go for us."

A conversation between Dill and Aunt Alexandra:
"I ain't cynical, Miss Alexandra. Tellin' the truth's not cynical, is it?"
"The way you tell it, it is."

I don't know why exactly, but those last two quotes really jumped off the page at me. This was truly a literary experience, much more so than just reading a book. If you haven't had it yet, find the time. It is so worth it.

Fay's Arrival

Why I'm Not Blogging

Hands down, my favorite week of homeschooling ever...

When we were at the fair the other night my parents took Bryant and my nephew Cooper to the "Little Farmers" area. I hate that I missed this...
Not quite sure where he learned that.

Last night Jeff surprised me with a birthday celebration at Bosco's with some of my most favorite people in the world. There was a book I loved in my teen years called "The Luckiest Girl." That's how I've felt over the past couple of days. I am overwhelmingly blessed.


This is what I ate, a black bean and goat cheese tamale. It was DE-LISH! I'm so glad this place didn't have chicken fingers so I was forced to branch out and order something crazy.

f

Afterwards, the few and the brave went to see Mamma Mia! I think they are still my friends...

f

Love you all! Hope the weather wherever you are is as amazing as it is here today. Who knew it could be 79 degrees at lunchtime on August 9? Dang that global warming!

In case you haven't seen the news, this is Raymond Geisel. He's the first public arrest for threatening to assassinate Barack Obama. Apparently he was running his mouth enough to warrant an arrest, which uncovered a bunch of nasty weapons. He came off a tiny bit crazy in his interview as well.

Up until now I've really tried to ignore all of the talk about Obama being assassinated, mainly because I just didn't want to deal with it. When I hear that there are people in this country who will never allow a black President, I bristle, because I always take it as an assault on white southerners, even if it's not specifically intended that way. I hate the idea of the rest of this nation thinking that everyone who lives in my demographic area is hell-bent on killing the man rather than having a black man for President.

The fact is there are plenty of crazy people out there - and not just in the South, and not just racists. Who knows how many attempts on George W. Bush's life have been thwarted by hard-working Secret Service who don't play around with threats? We just don't hear about them. There are people out there who I'm sure would like to assassinate any President, just because there always have been.

However, this morning I'm feeling especially compelled to pray for Obama, and to continue to do so. I pray for his safety, because I'm not wishing any physical harm on the guy, no matter how much his plans for this country terrify me. But if someone were to even publicly attempt an assassination on him, even if it were unsuccessful, can you imagine the backlash it would bring? People who don't even like the guy would suddenly be compelled to campaign for him. It's just the way we are. And if the attack were successful, then whoever stepped into his shoes (Hillary, anyone?) would practically be a shoo-in. Race relations in this country would be set back 40 years and our country would begin to tear itself up from the inside out. We are far too stretched internationally to have to deal with a civil war at home. And a distracted nation makes an easy target that our enemies would be more than happy to capitalize on.

So please join me in praying for both of our candidates and the men and women protecting them. Senator Obama being elected President is not the worst thing that could happen to us.

My sweet husband made my annual birthday breakfast this morning before he left for work, buttered biscuits and chocolate gravy!

This is what it looks like on your plate...
This is what it looks like when you eat it...


Right now I am having an enormously fun time listening to my children watch the entire laundry cycle and marvel over each new phase. I wish I'd had the video running when the spin cycle started - it was like seeing fireworks on the fourth of July. "Whoa - that's AMAZING!"

Truly, everything takes on a new light when seen through the eyes of a child. Hope your day is filled with child-like wonder!

I'm feeling reflective tonight, and figured the blog would be a good place to get out some of what's rumbling around in my head. Tomorrow I'll turn 35 years old. I'm officially old enough to run for the Presidency. I'm at least 10 years older than most college football players. I'm equally as close to 50 as I am to 20. My oldest son will be in double digits on his next birthday and is six years away from getting behind the wheel of a car. My parents are retired and my grandparents are in their 90s. I'm officially middle-aged. Yikes.

The thing is, I wouldn't go back a single minute. I feel better physically, mentally, emotionally and, above all, spiritually than I have ever felt. God has done more in my life over the past year than all the previous ones combined. I finally feel free.

Yes, each day brings dozens of mundane tasks that have to be accomplished, like laundry and diapers and dishes. But I'm learning what it means to find God's mercies new every morning. Each day brings a new laugh from one of my children, a new reason to love my husband and another chance to dig into the treasures of the Word and find something precious to behold.

I don't think anyone who knows me well would disagree that post-India LA is a totally different person than I was before I went. It wasn't so much geography that changed me, as how God used that trip to open my eyes to things that I was either oblivious to or in full knowledge of, yet had no understanding of how to deal with.

In India I encountered many people for whom Christianity was not just a part of who they were; it was their total identity. In a land full of opposition, there is no way to half-follow Christ. When you make that choice, it permeates everything about you. While it was a tremendous joy to be around such sold-out believers, I was suddenly confronted with my own spiritual mediocrity in a way that I hadn't expected.

In many ways, I feel like I had a Damascus Road experience with the Lord this year. I feel like he temporarily blinded me with the magnitude of my own depravity so that for a time I could do nothing but cry out to Him for mercy and protection. And now that I'm on the other side, my sole purpose for living is to know Him more and share His love with a lost and dying world, some of whom don't even know they're lost.

Does that mean I've reached some sort of spiritual plateau now and God is free to move on and do something else? Far from it! There are still so many things that need to change in my heart and my flesh. Every day of life on this earth will bring further sanctification. God will always have plenty of material to choose from when it comes to helping me become more holy. I've asked Him to burn everything off of me that doesn't bring Him glory or make me more like Him. Trust me when I tell you I've got enough fuel to burn to last many lifetimes.

What has changed the most is the way I view my relationship with Him. It is more intimate than it has ever been. This year I feel like I've actually begun to know Him, rather than ever learning more about Him. He is so close, and wants desperately for me to pursue Him the way that He is in constant pursuit of me (and each one of you.) He is desperate for me to love Him more than anything else. His desire is for my worship, far more than my service. It is a beautiful thing. I love Him so.

All this to say, I wouldn't trade this birthday for a single one in my past. It is a mile marker, not only in my life on this planet, but in my walk with God. He's blessed me with an amazing support team of family and friends, and I hope you'll keep walking with me for many years to come. I can't wait to see what lies on the road ahead.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Hebrews 12:1

Images from the Fair

And that's about all the fun we could stand...