Concerts....

I love them. Ok I am definately going to see Switchfoot again, cause Connie is now an official fan like myself so we are gonna do it. Although.......David Crowder Band is going to be at BOGARTS......I've been wanting to see David Crowder in concert for years. Problem is I know NO ONE who would appreciate him the way he should be appreciated. There are a few friends a I could persuade to go with me out of pitty, but I want to enjoy it with someone who'd actually like it. And at Bogarts, man that's perfection, my old stomping grounds. So if you are reading this and wanna go, and would be willing to absorb all that is David Crowder before then (unless you are all ready into him), and could help me convince my husband to let me go to a concert 2 weekends in a row. E-mail me....or leave me some love here. If you do this you would rank as a BFF for sure! Oh the date of the concert is Nov. 7th. I tried to put a picture of him up, thinking it'd help my cause, but Bloggers not cooperating.

Is it Autumn??

Nothing says fall like red heads and pumpkins. Seriously, it's as though their hair was meant to go with pumpkins....Oh and I didn't plan Perry's shirt but it totally works. Hit the Barn and Bunk today to snag us some pumpkins, run through a corn maze and get lost in the hay barn. Did I mention it was like 95 degrees. Yeah funny thing someone said once if you don't like the weather in Cincinnati, wait about 10 min. and it'll change. I'd say 10 min is a bit of an exageration, how about a week. Since next weekend we'll have fall like tempuratures. Just in time for us to freeze our tails off while camping. Nice!

Funny thing Joe said while speaking at church (the new teaching pastor at my church)....funny and very true. Not sure you'll get it unless you hear his talk....he said "Get out of your Heaven Huddle and Go to Hell....!" Nice, but oh how flippin true. If I might get on my soapbox for one moment. Christians (I am one of those if you didn't know) like to surround themselves with other christians, and many rarely leave that circle. Cause it's safe. And then will talk trash about those who are not yet Christians as though that's going to help christians not look like hypocrits. What better way to share the love of God than to leave your "Heaven Huddle" and join folks in Hell. Reach out to people. Even if it's just to smile at someone at the grocery store. Or let them get in front of you even if they have $200 dollars worth of groceries in their cart. Or how about not walking around all self absorbed for a day, and notice those who may just need someone to listen. It's hard living in this "me" world and not be self absorbed, but if just a few folks did, well it'd be a step in the right direction. Check out Joe's talk (I know I know....I am always saying that and no one ever does, but I'm still gonna say it.) It was good stuff they even had the gates of hell as a visual and everything.

Here's all 3 of them looking cute. It's hard to get a good picture of the 3 of them in a corn maze standing still.

Heres the same three 2 years ago. My how they've changed.

Popcorn Anyone?

Ok it's Cub Scout Popcorn time. And oddly enough we got our tin of chocolate popcorn on Tuesday and it's almost already gone, IT WASN'T ME.....just saying. Perry won't eat it either. Hummmm.....it's weight watcher friendly if you only eat a handful a day. Ok so hook yourself up. If you go online to http://www.orderpopcorn.com/ yeah I know catchy.....once you go there the code you need to put in for Perry to get credit is TEEBYMQ (you'll want to highlight that and right click and click copy, then go to orderpopcorn.com), and order away. If I could give you some advice, get the 30 pack if you like microwave popcorn, it's deal online not to mention free shipping. If you want Chocolatey Carmel Crunch e-mail me, if you are local, I know someone. If you not local may I suggest ordering a case. You won't be sorry!

Nothing to See Here.....

Oddly it was kind of hard to hunt down a decent picture of my dad. Decent is the operative word there, he's usually making a goofy face. And this one was him at the Pinewood Derby last year and I had to Zoom in to crop out other people looking crazy. Notice no socks....it's January, this is a common trait for him. He's been known to mow the grass in flip flops, heck he's shoveled snow in flip flops before. I think he has issues with footwear.

Anyways I know more about the prostate than I'd care to have inside my head. I do not have one, guess that's good news since it's prone to the "C" word. Doesn't seem to have much use really why not get rid of it? Although I think it controls peeing or something and that's a good thing to be able to control when you are a grown man. They examine it through......I can't even say it....it starts with an "R"......UGH......ouch, glad I don't have one.

My dad has a catscan, and a bonescan on Monday. It'd be a good idea for my peace of mind that they find nothing there. That'd be great. Other than my brother dying of Leukemia 37 years ago, I've not had to deal with cancer this close. I was only 11 months old back then so I obviously don't remember. I'm dealing with it the best I know how I suppose researching. Dad is fine, he's a bit of a minimalist, any sort of ailment is nothing really, his philosophy is suck it up and move on. This one seems like a little more than that, considering radiation may be involved. Praying for God to help him deal properly and for him to not worry about other people and worry about taking care of himself. It'd be great if those of you in blogland would do the same. Nothing amusing to see here really I'd say go check out Layni's blog she's talking about Boobs and Poo.....2 of my most favorite topics........

I got Nothing....

Well except my dad has prostate cancer. Had a moment of freakoutedness and then remembered who I was. So rather than assume my father has just recieved a death sentence cause anytime you hear the word CANCER....you assume that person will be dead in a week. And I knew there was some form of cancer that you could pretty much just have for the rest of your life and not die from it. I was desperately hoping that sort of cancer would be the one in the prostate. So my brother tells me, and I'm like ahhh dag that's kind of crappy, wasn't exactly trying to hear that. So got off the phone with him before he did some sort of freak out, he tends to get very serious and dramatic about pretty much anything. We are polar opposites about life that's for sure. He gets all serious and dramatic and I use humor and make a joke so it doesn't seem as bad as it could be. So then I jumped on Webmd....dang that is your best friend for all things health related. And come to find out I was right....go me. No reason to freak the heck out, eat some brocolli, drink some pomogranite juice and you have a 80-90% chance you won't even know you got the cancer. He has to hear from the doctor before he knows what the next steps are, gotta check out to see if it spread to any other area, that's where the concern comes in. We'll freak out then, for now the old geezer has a good 20 years or more so relax people. Oh and my laidbackedness.....from my dad.....he called and was happy I wasn't freaking the heck out because he sure wasn't. Although I hear he'll be having a healthy diet of brocolli, pom juice, grapes and red wine. STAY AWAY FROM THE RED MEAT, that shit will kill ya! According to Webmd anyways.

Time to Gimme Some Love

You know there are tons of you who read everyday. I've respected your annonymity for long enough. You've got 2 days to come up with some love and leave me a comment. Or say quiet, and I'll continue to respect you privacy, but secretly think you are a little wierd!

Just Cook This....

I'm using his Bruschetta Pasta recipe tonight. I love this guy, he's more amazing than Rachel Ray......did I just say that? Yes I did. He did in pretty much 1 min. not including the cooking time, what takes her 30 min. Ha! Love him....and he's cool!

Weight Watchers...and FPU??

Ok so I'm suppose to keep a log and count points. Not to mention put money in envelopes and anytime I want to pay for something I'm suppose to use the money in those envelopes. Which means losing weight and living on a budget. Seriously does anyone honestly live like this all at once?? Today is the first day attempting to live like this. We went shopping and I couldn't get the kid sweatpants at Old Navy because they were half my clothing budget. We ate out and the money came out of the grocery money so there goes milk for the week. I've gotta calculate the points for the Panera I consumed. Thankfully Panera is usually all organic, at least I got that part right. Is anyone else completely exhausted just thinking about being organized??? Off to make a point/budget/organic friendly dinner, and hope that theres enough for leftovers.

4th Grade Fun

So now that Perry is in a regular 4th Grade class for Language and Reading, theres all sorts of fun going on. He read Annie Sullivan, and I had just watched The Miracle Worker last week. So now tomorrow he's doing a fun "How to" project. He gets to stand in front of the class and explain how to do something. He chose how to make Kool-aid, which quite a few probably picked, except how many do you think chose the Kool-aid singles way? Hopefully none. We went with a visual, incase Mr. Chatty (not so much) decides to clam up, he's got a little something to point to. Not to mention he's Mr. Creative for sure, and I got fancy equiptment so we got super creative with the visual. It was all him, I just provided the supplies. He even typed his own letters on the Cricut! Wish you could see the "Shake it!" picture, he's got shadow's drawn to present the illusions of shaking....."he saw it in a book once..." He's brilliant!

Go to Girl.....

A few things are not my thing. We have established that. Hugs for one, although admittedly I am doing better. Teenagers, scare me. I tried the youthleader thing years ago (10) and well they're too moody for me.

So Layni had to break the news to Ashton when she picked her up from KY yesterday. I thought about how it would go down all day, and prayed for her, and cried for her during the worship service at church. Not even knowing that I would be part of her grieving process. She was suppose to go to youth group, but was way too sad for that to happen, so she ended up at my house. I was laying on the bed with Perry reading "Pigeon finds a Hot Dog" (fun voices we love fun voice books), when all the sudden theres a 14 year old girl at my bedroom door sobbing.....so the 10 year old boy was replaced by a 14 year old girl. Layni left her with me so she could take Maddie to church, and Ashton could decompress before going to a house who no longer has the "best dog in the world"......so she cried for about 10 min. and then we made BLT's......bacon is always good for the grieving process. I took her home, and she sat in the car for a minute just looking at the house. I said "just run upstairs and put your face in a pillow and scream...." These kind of moments of "being there" are priceless, hard but priceless. Teenagers may not be my thing but loving on one I can handle. God knows my limits.

Rest in Peace Sweet Poochie

This is Kalabou. She is my BFF Layni's dog. She passed away last night. I can't even remember when they obtained Kalabou, aka Ewjew....not sure how one would spell that but that's how it sounds when we say it. I'm pretty sure they had Ewjew before they had Harold in a Hurry (again another nickname, I get it from my dad). Ok I am disguising my grief with humor. Ewjew is primarily the reason I allowed my husband to get the big doofus of a dog we call Kipper. He's an Austrailian Shepherd, Ewjew was a Austrailian Shepherd mix. She was an amazingly great dog. Kipper will be someday when he's like 10 or something.

Why is it we sometimes feel sadder about the death of a pet than we do a human being? Cause they are so dang loyal. Humans are notorious at letting you down, a dog never will. You could be falling the heck appart about some stupid crisis in your life and your dog just wants to lick your face and snuggle. Humans aren't always in the mood. Give your poochie and extra squeeze tonight. Send up some words for Ashton, Layni's teenage daughter who doesn't know yet, but will find out tomorrow.

The Sexton's will miss you Ewjew.............

Coney Island

 

This picture cracks me up! That's Matthew my friend Weezer's little boy he's 4. They are in the barn in the little town at Coney Island. Perry loves small buildings, he could stay there all day.

Celebrate with Me!

I feel like I've just finished a super hard class on being assertive. I certainly passed with flying colors. If it wasn't for God having my back and about a bajillion people praying, I feel that it's very possible the whole situation would have consumed me. Now lets just hope my child won't need counseling when it's all said and done. And here is my song of celebration. I think Rob might be hotter than John......shhhhhhhhh......



When I was in the midst of the hardest part of the crisis...man the lyrics of this song are perfect.

Street Cred.....

Ok so I have this super important meeting at P's school on Friday with the Principle, Assistant Principle, and a women from special services (person from the district offices who is in charge of all things special education). So we have this super important meeting that requires us to do things that haven't ever been done, or if they are done it's quite rare. I'm all about stirring up some trouble....NOT......anyways it's all fine, at least it will be by the end of next week. But we went over it, and it's all good now. So after we are done doing official school business and we are just chatting. The special services women says, "I've been slightly distracted because your hair...is the same color as his shirt." She's now pointing to the principles LIME GREEN shirt. I slowly glace over take note of said shirt, and smile, thinking to myself....how does one get out of this one. I could run out of the room to check myself in a mirror and scream...."what the heck happened." Ignore her as though I do not speak her language. Look at her puzzled and not say a word., Possibly say " did you say GREEN HAIR, cause that's crazy talk I do not have green hair." Pretend I am color blind and mention that saying...."I see a brown shirt, not sure what color you see, can you tell me cause I don't see color." Nope not me none of those were possibilities, cause clearly I do indeed still have green hair. So I owned up to it and tell the story of me having my BFF do that to my hair on purpose. And they too could obtain green hair for approximately $2 for the packs of Kool-Aid, and a bottle of cheap conditioner. I also suggested coloring any grey hair cause if they did so it'd stay green for a very long time, even through a hair cut. I totally gained street cred right there in that super important meeting with official school administration.

FPU, GOD HELP ME!

Ok for the record. Dave Ramsey's principles are very very good, and he will help us I have no doubt. I just hate admitting my husband is right, and I hate agreeing with him because well he gloats, and that's annoying. So we all know I think Dave Ramsey knows what the heck he's talking about, I'm just going to be real sarcastic about it. Seems fair really, school stuff, IEP's, meetings, homework, and making sure the kids education is on track, that's my gig, I'll take it cause I've done well so far. Finances, and all things number related is his gig. Don't mess with my stuff and I won't mess with his stuff.....at least I'll try not to. We just have to encourage each other from time to time, letting each other know we're heading in the right direction.

So FPU.....Financial Peace University. Seems we signed 13 Wednesdays of our life away this evening, just like that gone. And at the end of those 13 weeks just in time for Christmas, we should be millionaires. SWEET.....I'll let you know how that goes....oh trust me you'll be hearing about it. Don't ask me to go out to lunch or dinner for the next 13 weeks unless you are buying. Just saying!

And so It Goes

Being able to see God work, in obvious ways this week is nothing short of amazing. So many folks have seen Gods work in my life this week I feel amazingly honored and unworthy to be called his servant. My prayer is always God you have to be obvious, cause I'm kind of dense then it comes to hearing you, and he always is!! I heard Gods voice often this week, which may seem weird to some folks but when you know that you know that you know....well you just know. One time it sounded a little something like this.

"There is much that the artist must trust. He must trust himself. He must trust his work. He must open himself to revelation, and that is an act of trust. The artist must never lose the trust of the child for the parent, not that of the father who knew only the "heights of disillusionment," but the trustworthiness of most of us flawed and fallen parents who nevertheless try to do the best we can for our children.

Jesus told us to call the Lord and Creator of us all Abba. Not only father or Sir or Lord, but Abba-Daddy- the small child's name for Father. Not Dad, the way Daddy becomes Dad when the children reach adolescence, but Daddy, the name of trust.

But how can we trust Abba who has let the world come to all the grief of the past centuries? Who has given us the terrible gift of free will with which we seem to be determined to destroy ourselves? We trust the one we call Abba as a child does, knowing what seems unreasonable now will be seen to have reason later."

~Madeleine L'Engle- Walking on Water

Sorry if that was really long or you didn't get it, but it spoke volumes to me.

I leave you with a picture of the P-man, it's actually for the lovely Mrs. Copeland...he's wearing her favorite shirt.

Stress.....Stress....Stress....

I'm stressed. I'm more stressed than I've ever been in my entire life. I don't think I was this stressed when I got married. Too much to do and not enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done doesn't help the stress level. If I might give a word of advice do not try to numb your stress with alcohol, it doesn't work. Well it does but you only forget about your problems for temporary. Maybe I didn't do it right, I didn't drink much, but I rarely drink so what I did drink was enough to make me loopy for a few hours and able to forget I had problems for a few hours but they didn't go away. God's a little better at helping with the stress. I was reminded I am doing the right thing in church today over and over and over again. The new teaching pastor is really great, his message was amazing this morning. Thanks God! To see said message go here, click on the message that says Joe Boyd, I think I may go view it again, it was that good.

So the oblivious child who is unaware that there is a problem with anything. Heck according to him there are "no bullies in his school, and no burgerlers in this town, everyones nice...." .....right....nice everyone, I'll get back to you on that one after another week of Grand Jury duty. So back to the kid antics during me freaking out cause I'm so damn stressed, he is playing the Sponge Bob theme song off the DVD so damn loud the entire house is shaking. Why me? I hate Sponge Bob (sorry Stacie)!!! Well it's bedtime so that's the end of that party. So then he's jumping on his bed while trying to straighten a SPONGE BOB poster on his magnetic strips behind his bed....JUMPING....again Why me? So I yell "for God sake lay down before I lose my dang mind!!!" To which he swiftly lays down gets under the covers, and yells...."Mommy don't lose your mind, I don't want to see you lose your mind!!" I seriously think it's too late!

Does he Even Know???

Does my child have any clue whatsoever, how much he is loved? How many lives he's touched in his short 10 years, so much so they'll go for bat for him no matter what? How much his educational future has occupied my every thought this week so much so that I was unable to concentrate to get my work done at work. I am sure they understand. This is why I am not in a position of any significant responsibility because um....my kid is more important. And kid responsibility is more fun than life insurance. Heck a trip to the gynecologist is more exciting than life insurance. Just saying....sorry I'm sure none of you needed that visual.
It would be very wrong of me to not mention a famous authors death today. Madeline L'Engle today at the age of 88. A Wrinkle in Time was a book that molded my childhood and made me an adventurous reader. And as an adult Walk on Water more rescently gave me an entirely new perspective on my creative life and how so closely related it is to my spiritual life. Heck I now think of them as one in the same. What an amazing author!
So I guess I owe my husband big time. 2 weekends in a row where he was forced to mingle among strangers, and put on a happy face and act like he was into the social scene. The reunion wasn't so bad since he could drink several beers to loosen up, and was able to socialize with strangers, and laugh at the folks from Mt. Healthy attempt to dance like they still got it. I honestly don't think I ever lost it, I just look way funny attempting to get my dance on like I did back in the day. Much fatter and older.....
Then there was the alumni picnic, where less booze was consumed....actually none by the respectable law abiding classmates. Of which I am one....hello park ranger.....things started getting a little tense at that point for Mr. Anti-social. He did know a few people who have been my friends before I knew him so he tolerated that with little to know complaining. Well then we hit the big time uncomfortable in you face social situation. Dinner at the senior pastors house. Hello Nigeria team. Now keep in mind I attend a church of several thousand, Ron knows maybe 2 people well enough to carry on a conversation of which he'd probably not start. I now have thrown him into a house full of people whom I barely know but have been praying for since the beginning of the Nigeria project. Not just that but they are church folks who are trained in the art of getting to know strangers. He was ready to go the minute he walked in the door and had to put on a nametag. Once he had some food and got to sit in his own space for a while without speaking to anyone he relaxed. And then when he saw what an intricate part of the team I was, and the thanks from many on the team for the praying I do......I think secretly he was impressed and proud of me.
For those of you praying in regards to the IEP meeting from HELL.....and I mean HELL......keep praying it ain't over yet, I'm afraid it'll be worse before it gets better. Most importantly I am doing this for what I feel is best for the P-man. And someday when he's an Artist/Missionary/hair dresser/president, he'll thank me!

I created....

And it felt so good, after the enormous amounts of stress I had today. And I didn't even go to work. Don't even ask.....not exactly the outcome I desired....will require for me to do a whole lot of grown up crap. So in order to get my mind off being a grown up, I played with Cloisonne.....that's right.....that ain't your mama's embossing enamel....do not be jealous that I have some, considering I don't think they make it anymore. I covered some chipboard with it and it was way way cool. If I get enough requests I'll post a picture. Continued prayers are much needed....they are working keep it up!

I might Barf....

Or cry. IEP meeting tomorrow. They never get any easier. They always seem to get harder. Doesn't matter I know what to expect. It's crazy. A whole new set of teacher I have to instruct on how to treat my child. Lets hope they are as accomidating as last year bunch or I might have to bust some ass!!!!! JUST SAYING!

Send up some words I don't barf, or cry, and I maintain my damn dignity! God uses Perry in special ways to touch people all the time let this school year be no different. Thanks God for a great kid!