Wonderfully Complex

Chocolate shortage causing prices to rise.
"If you have a sweet tooth, this won't be sweet news to you. Chocolate is getting more expensive.

There's a shortage building for the past six years. The main reason - farmers in West Africa have little incentive to plant cocoa trees. They take three years to mature and growers earn less than a $1 a day selling to big corporations.

One expert says in 20 years, the average Joe won't be able to afford chocolate unless new research into growing higher-yielding trees prove fruitful. "



WHAT??? You can imagine my dismay when I heard bout this today.  It makes me want to go out and stock up on a lifetime supply of chocolate!  Willy Wonka, I want your golden ticket and I want it NOW! 

Dear Lord, please have mercy on every man, woman, and child if we ever run out of chocolate.

Do you see the heart?

Do you see the star?

We get so busy in the daily grind that most of us miss the little things.  I hope you take time to stop and smell the roses today.  Stop long enough to change your perspective and look at something in a fresh new way. 

A person's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.- Oliver Wendell Holmes

It’s funny to think of how people view my baby girl. “Poor things can’t talk. Awww…”
Ba hahahahaha!! Baaa Hahahahaha!!

Every so often I update a list of words my sweet one has in her vocabulary. In January she was up to 108 words! Wait… but she can’t talk!?!?!?!? Odd, I know.  I have been pushing at school to add Sign Language to her educational program because… THAT is how she speaks. Unfortunately, if her aide does not sign then whatever Faith is trying to tell THEM falls to deaf ears. Figure that one out! Irony at it’s finest!!

Large marshmallows cut in half
Peanut Butter
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Spread peanut butter on crackers. Top with chocolate chips and 1/2 a marshmallow. Brown in oven @ 350 for approx. 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Yet another delightful day at the theater with my mother.

Not often does a book grab me and say keep me forever!


Well, I got home and opened it up and was pulled into the story immediately. You see, within the first chapter, Sara, was in a tragic car accident and lost her sister. My heart crumbled because I can not fathom loosing either of my sisters. I held on to every word in hopes to find out how Sara walked through this tragedy as a non-believer.

I was soon introduced to a sweet young boy with Down Syndrome, Keith. Keith had all the faith in the world and knew his angels by name. The journey for Sara was just beginning to unfold and I was gripped by her questions and the answers that were given.

In everyday life I truly believe we entertain angels unaware. The difference for me is that Faith (like Keith) entertains them fully aware. I marvel at her ability to be so uninhibited in the presence of the Lord. I loved the way Sara boldly asked her questions like “Why would God allow such tragedy?” I loved the journey of this book. It is without question one of my new favorites!!! You should check it out!

Stupid fly ruined my coffee

Addicted (adjective)
1. Dependent: physiologically or psychologically dependent on a potentially harmful drug.
2. Very enthusiastic: very interested in a particular thing and devoting a lot of time to it.

I’m not addicted. I’m not! I’m not! I’m not!  Just because I had some down time while the kids were doing homework and I did some homework of my own does not mean I’m addicted. Right? Oh boy…

It has been so long since my eyes fell upon some good smutty TV. This summer is nearly over and although the sun is about to set on such a beautiful season a new one is closely approaching. Yes, Fall is a wonderful season for sure! It brings new shows on the boob tube and encourages the couch potato to kick up their feet to comfortably view some new scandals.

Although I do not condone smutty behavior it sure is a sinful pleasure to watch with a bowl of ice cream. I can see it now: the kids tucked safely in bed, lights are low, a sweet morsel of heaven in hand, and a good ol’ smutty TV show on the tube. I can almost hear heavens angels singing.

Let me take a moment to present you my days homework:

Fall Season Premiers to put on the calendar:
ABC
Sept. 22nd - Cougar Town & Modern Family
Sept. 23rd – Grey’s Anatomy & Private Practice

Sept. 26th - Brothers & Sisters
NBC
Sept, 14th – Parenthood
Sept, 21st – Biggest Looser
Sept. 23rd – The Office

CBS
Sept. 23rd - $#*! My Dad Says (this is a new show I’m curious about. It has actor William Shatner in it.)

CW
Sept 14th- Life Unexpected

I really wish I could set aside this check in my spirit. I want to be like the cool kids on the play ground and play the cool new game, but there is something in me screaming “No!” There is a piece of me that says I want to and I’m gonna, so there! I am my own person, right? I can make my own choices, right?


The truth is I believe that that little voice inside is the spirit of God. I believe that His wisdom surpasses mine. (shocking, I know!) It reminds me of a child that sees their ball roll out into the street and the parent says stop. The child doesn’t grasp anything other than what it desires- the ball. The parent, on the other hand, sees cars coming in both directions and wants to protect the child from being squished like a bug.

Parental wisdom does not always make a whole lot of sense to the child until they grow up. So until then, we hope and pray that our children trust us and follow our wisdom. This wisdom is not a stack of rules that keeps them from having fun with their friends. It is a tablet of insight that is set in place to guard them from getting hurt both spiritually and physically. I believe that it is up to each of us to decide whether we want to be reckless or vigilant.

Today I choose to listen to that voice. I’m not even sure why it is telling me no, but I have learned to trust it. There may be a car that I don’t see coming to squish me like a bug. So I choose to listen and stop. I’m trusting that little voice in my head that says no even though the other kids are off playing the game I thought I wanted to play. There is no judgment from me; God didn’t tell them no. He told me no and I trust Him with my whole heart to know what’s best for my life.

It’s funny when you are dating how everyone asks, “When are you going to get married??????” Then you get married and everyone asks, “When are you going to have a baby??” Both kids started school this month for me and now everyone is asking me, “What are you going to do with yourself??” I am not sure WHAT I am going to do with myself.

I started reading Eat, Pray, Love. By page 12 I have stopped to consider my thoughts on whether I would like to continue. Red flag #1- the author discusses her Guru and the importance of their wisdom in her life. (In the religious sense the term is commonly used in Hinduism and Sikhism, as well as in other Indian religions and new religious movements.) This makes me stop and wonder about the foundation of the book. Hmmm… Red flag #2- The author writes on page 12 “there are always two figures in a marriage, after all – two votes, two opinions, two conflicting sets of decisions, desires and limitations.” Wow! This is not a belief I hold to. Not even a little bit. So much so that it stopped me in my tracks and I thought… be careful little eyes what you read… be careful little eyes what you read… Are these the seeds I want planted in my mind?

As I raise my children I teach them to guard what they surround themselves with. I don’t want my kiddos watching a television show with words that tear down and destroy or are vulgar so that they themselves don’t speak that way. I try to teach them that if you surround yourself with positive, happy people you will become a positive happy person. If you surround yourself with grumpy, trouble makers you will become a grumpy trouble maker. It’s the same theory as you are what you eat.

Hmmmm....

There is something sweet and simple about balloons. We were at the store the other day and this balloon somehow floated across the scanner at checkout. A certain big brother must have been hooking his little sister up with some happiness later. I protested with little strength to put up a fight and the little people won. Little man got the hero award from little miss and little miss has been happy for DAYS playing with her new friend. It’s simple. It’s sweet. It’s love between siblings.

This is a picture of my little man with his first beloved pet, Blue.  Oh, the tales he and Blue continue to have today are a whole story in its self.  We are blessed that Daddy is recording some of Blue's adventures these days.

The other day I went to turn on our computer and I have to say... it didn't go so well.  There were pop-ups and anti virus issues and I was officially down.  Thankfully, I know enough to do a little trouble shooting.  I knew the problem was with the computer talking to the Internet.  The problem lies with the fact that I know enough to be dangerous and not enough to fix it.

I rarely call on friends for help, but this was a time I needed to stop banging my head against the wall and pick up the phone.  I am so blessed to have friends in my life that are willing to help me out.  Seriously, I just wanted to cry.  You see, my little sister was planning on having a video chat with family after her baby was born.  Since my computer was down... I was going to miss it. :0( 

Mama said there would be days like this!

After church I took the kids for a picnic.  I love being able to chat with Dylan.  As he gets older he really reveals his perspective on life so much more.  It's sweet.  It's innocent.  It's refreshing.  On this day he was telling me how he wanted more out of church.  He wanted more time learning about Christ and less time playing games.  Umm... what?  We discussed our options and I was floored by his thirst for more.  My little man is growing up. 

We continued our afternoon over at one of our favorite places- White Lime!  YUM!  (If you're local, go try the chocolate covered strawberry yogurt!  It's crazy good!)  Dylan asked to sit outside on this July afternoon.  Nothing wrong with that.... but by the time we were finishing up our yogurt it was raining!  What an quizzical summer day!

There is a childlike moment when chasing butterflies. I watched as Dylan chased this butterfly not to catch it for a bug collection but to capture it in a photograph. I love butterflies. Butterflies are quiet, elegant, swift and breathtaking. If you don’t slow down you might not see them. Dylan followed this butterfly wherever it went without standing in its way. I wonder if that is similar to how the Lord wants us to follow Him.