Ewwwwwwww........gross!!!!!!!

I decided to clean out my refrigerator the other day. I don't mean going through and throwing out food that's been in there a while and needs to go. I mean taking everything out and wiping down the shelves and drawers and walls, etc.... I could not BELIEVE how dirty it was!!!! Note to self...."decide" to do that more often!!!!!

A Life Well-Lived

I had the privilege of attending the most beautiful funeral service today. I know that sounds strange to call it a privilege, but it really was. We honored the life and legacy of Jay W. Sills, or as I know him, "Papa Jay"...faithful husband, dedicated father, adoring grandfather, loyal friend, Man of God. What an amazing job he and his precious wife, Nana Ruth, did of raising their five children to love the Lord and live life to the fullest. And it doesn't stop there....he also has 13 granddaughters and 3 grandsons who are all following in that path as well. What a testimony of how the choices we make in our life every day can truly impact generations to come.

As I sat and listened to his children and grandchildren and friends talk about how passionately he lived his life, I couldn't help but think about my own. I am afraid I have some adjustments to make, because I want to be the kind of person who will be remembered like that! Someone whom people can depend on, someone who admits when she makes a mistake, someone who is fun to be around and puts a positive spin on any situation, someone who is committed to the Lord and to her family above all else, who truly loves God and lives a life that shows that love to others every day! Thank the Lord for Philippians 1:6..."being confident of this, that he who began a good work in (me) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." I am, most certainly, a work in progress....I can only hope that I am afforded 75 years or better to get my act in gear.

One thing you have to understand is that the Sills are one of those rare families where every person is just such a JOY to be around, and they all make you feel like you are a special part of their family, even if you really aren't. My connection with them began almost 20 years ago when I was in junior high school and their oldest son, Gary, was my youth pastor at the church where I grew up. During those years, I also met some of the sisters, whom I looked up to right from the start. In high school, I ended up working some rodeos and crawfish festivals selling funnel cakes with the family business. What a fun experience! But my "adoption" into their family was really solidified years later when as a college student, I began babysitting their oldest daughter Cheryl's five children on a regular basis.

Anyone who has known me for longer than a week knows how very special Cheryl and her kiddos are to me. I spent countless hours getting "Mommy practice" with Candice, Crysta, Caitlin, Caylee, and Cooper...all the while learning priceless lessons from Cheryl, who makes one heck of an example to follow...a blessing for which I am thankful beyond words. I have literally watched them all grow up and I could not be more proud of each and every one of them. So of course, my heart breaks for them (and their cousins) because I know the sadness of losing your grandpa...and for Cheryl and Gary and Cindy and Callie and Sallie too, although I can't even imagine the sadness of losing your dad. And for Nana Ruth especially, because I don't even want to think about the sadness of losing your husband of 54 years.

BUT the service today, while it was deeply moving, was not at all somber the way that a typical funeral would be. It wasn't SAD...it was more of a celebration of a life well-lived...and the focus was on our eternal home in Heaven where Papa Jay is now, face to face with our Lord Jesus, praising Him with the angels and smiling down upon the friends and family he left behind. The officiating pastor said something that really struck a cord with me....that we mourn not for him, but for ourselves because we miss him. For if we think about where he is now, and how he no longer has to suffer with diabetes, heart disease, cancer, near blindness, and all the pain that came along with those things, but instead he gets to bask in Heaven's glory all the time....we truly cannot be sad but must rejoice for his new found comfort and peace!!

So when I say it was a privilege to have gone to the funeral today, I mean that from the bottom of my heart. It is a privilege to be an "honorary" part of such a special family. It was an honor to celebrate Papa Jay today, it was an honor to have known such a wonderful man, and it will be an honor to remember him fondly always.

What's Up With That?

Lately I keep seeing these "trik'd out" cars that have their license plates not in the normal place or position, but off to the side and diagonally placed on the back of the car. I am puzzled by this phenomenon. The only possible benefit I can think of for having this crooked placement is this...if you are a criminal and planning on fleeing the scene of whatever crime you choose to commit, it might make it more difficult for a witness to catch your license plate number....??? Why then is this not illegal??? Maybe it is, or maybe it soon will be when the legal system catches on to what I have already so keenly observed. I should have gone into law enforcement....

The Importance of Sisters

I just wanted to say thank you to the many sisters and girlfriends I have had throughout the past 10 years who have encouraged me, challenged me, supported me, laughed with me, cried with me, prayed with me, and on and on and on..... Just the other day I heard about a young mom at church who has an absolutely precious 8 month-old little boy and is struggling with some serious post-partum depression. She is under medical care for her condition and has taken the baby and gone to stay with her mom in another state. I pray for her every minute I think of her....I can't even imagine. I am so grateful that before I had kids of my own, I had friends who paved the way...I learned so much from all of you! And once I did start having kids, I had first of all, AMAZING help from the world's best mom (my own!) for as long as I needed, and secondly, I was surrounded by an INCREDIBLE network of sisters and friends who were there to answer ANY of my "new mommy" questions and just to hang out with so I wouldn't feel all alone. I can see how a young girl, new to the daily challenges of motherhood, feeling all alone could end up in an emotional state of ruin fairly quickly. My heart goes out to this sweet girl, and my heart overflows with thanks for the way God has blessed ME (and continues to do so) through all of YOU!!! Call it a sisterhood, call it a circle of friends, put whatever cheesy title you want on it...but I, for one, am immeasurably blessed and grateful to have it!!!!!

Out of the mouths of babes, part 2

This time not my own, but a cute story I heard from a friend about her four-year-old who got into a little trouble at pre-school. The teacher told him she was going to have to send a note home to his mommy about what had happened, to which he very matter-of-factly replied, "Well I'm just gonna lost that note."

Out of the mouths of babes...

Had a funny interchange with Hayden in the bathroom this morning...went a little something like this...
Hayden: (watching me put on makeup) What's that?
Me: Makeup.
Hayden: I don't want makeup because I'm not a girl.
Me: That's exactly right. Makeup isn't for boys.
Hayden: I want to stay a boy forever.
Me: You will....(afterthought...) at least until you grow up to be a man.
Hayden: But Mommy, mans ARE BOYS!!!!

So true in so many ways.... :)

It's About Time...

Man....the pressure was on...I have been contemplating starting a blog for quite some time now, but just have not been able to make myself sit down and do it. By no accident I'm sure, in the last 18 hours both my sister-in-law and my sister just sent me the links to their newly started blogs....I guess I had no other choice but to "join the club" so to speak. I love the world of blogging for the easy opportunity it provides to stay in touch with friends and family and keep up with what's happening in their lives. I also love the world of blogging for the chance I get to read the blogs of innocent strangers whom I don't even know who happen to be hilarious and bring me a great laugh or two. I certainly do not possess the wit or charm or eloquence of some of my fellow-bloggers, but I just wanted to have a place to jot down my thoughts and experiences....life, my precious family, and the world as we know it...those will be my topics...it may not be of interest to another living soul on this planet, but that's ok. Perhaps the grandparents will enjoy seeing regularly posted pics of the kids, or maybe the kids will one day grow up and be glad their mom did SOMETHING to preserve the memories of their childhood (since their baby books are FAR from up-to-date and I simply cannot bring myself to jump into the world of scrapbooking, mostly because my friends are so good at it that I know mine would look like poo compared to theirs...but that's another story...), or maybe I'll just have a chance to "think out loud" every now and then. And what person, especially a woman, in this day and age doesn't need that?? So there you have it....I've done it....I've started my own blog!