Would you believe there is a 4 yo wrapped up in that blanket? I went to put Stacia in bed and stepped on the blanket…which had a boy….and that woke Stacia up. The blanket didn’t move. The blanket was snoring. Since I knew Josiah would be home from work soon, and Stacia was awake, I left him for Josiah to carry to bed. This is just the sort of day I’ve had.

I did get some miles in today. I did pay the bills. I did go out shopping for staff gifts with Mike. We did have a nice visit with some friends who are preparing to move. Two kids were complaining of ear aches today. I suspect swimmer's ear; no fevers so I'm treating with ear drops for pain. I suppose I did get a few things done…it felt like slogging through mud.

I’m going to try to get Stacia in bed.

Duct Tape – a Handyman’s Secret Weapon

Jared volunteered to put Stacia’s new high chair together for me. It looked good. He said, “The legs automatically come off for when you need to store it!” I said, “What?” He showed me……I told him that I didn’t think it was made to have the legs fall off when you picked it up – that I’d never seen one of that design…but there are a TON of new baby things these days. I suggested he look for directions (or destructions as our friends call them). A few seconds later he exclaimed, “I found some screws!” We laughed and I told him I almost suggested duct tape – the handyman’s secret weapon.

He did a great job!

MONDAY – TUESDAY

WHEW. Making a list of goals has a way of making life get very busy. {G}

I’ve been working away on things….Yesterday; I finally got the call that the car dealer had a car big enough for us to borrow while they worked on the van. That took a couple of hours out of my day to drive out and drop the van off. We are now driving an Expedition. Yes, I like it. BUT I think the van has way more power and just about the same gas mileage. This thing SUCKS the gas. Zander calls it the “beautiful car”. I think he’ll be sad when we take it back.

Yesterday I also finished the 28 day program of *8 Minutes in the Morning*. I lost 8.5 inches in that time. I didn’t loose the “guaranteed weight loss” but I DIDN’T follow his food plan either. {g} I began at the beginning again and TODAY I actually managed the crunches!!!! I did 4 or 5 REAL ONES…..so there’s a goal from earlier to mark off. I did a total of 48 but 44 of them were “De’Etta style”……in other words I’m quite sure I led with my neck….and my arms….and my back and anything else that could wiggle and give me momentum….BUT I got my chin up to my knees!!!! I think there is something to this 8 minute thing because I’ve not done any extra work on them since I began this.

We need to work on some of our summer school goals tomorrow. It will be mid-week and we’ve still not accomplished much. WELL – the older boys have…it’s the younger ones who have to wait for ME that haven’t done what they’d like to get done. I am working on the other goals and seeing some progress. Yesterday, I got my produce order in to Heather before LUNCH – yippee! I’m a responsible co-op member. :::snort::: I got the SAGE (co-op I run) email about this month’s splits out and I got the newsletter out. I can’t remember what else we did.

TUESDAY – The day began with a trip to base. I needed to get a pass for the loaner car. I discovered they’d not given me proof of insurance. ARGH. Mike called and had them fax the proof to his office and came and rescued us at the Visitor Center. I picked up my thyroid meds. We went to the BX where I bought a high chair for Stacia and Josiah cashed checks. We met Mike for lunch. When we got home there was a call from Tricia and so we all piled back into the car and drove to the pool. That was one of my goals (go to the pool 3x this week). WELL since it WAS a “play date” with friends that met two goals. We had fun sitting and playing. We came home, took Cy to work and then headed BACK to the pool because Adrienne called and she was going to be there. Heather and Tricia and there families were also there. I THINK THAT MEANS THAT I WENT TO THE POOL 2X TODAY!!!! I only need to go one more time this week. LOL We got home shortly after 8:00 p.m. and had dinner (I’ll have to work on this dinner/pool thing). We all had our variation of pasta. I am reading *the Lazarus Trap* in my free time.

Tomorrow – I must work on some of those other goals…..Now it is time to go pick Josiah up at work – he should be off by 10:30.

I realized we've not had many pictures the last couple of weeks. Of course, LAST week everyone was sick and you wouldn't have wanted a glimpse into our home. {G} The week before we were mostly at the pool and I worry about taking Mike's fancy Nikon to the pool....but I need some pool pictures here..... Here's a couple of pictures Mike snapped.

I don't know...this man of mine loves to take pictures of me sleeping...evidently THIS is how I view a move AND how I read a book....I think this is the Davis Bunn one I'm reading....

Bat viewing - no bats but a photo op

QUAIL EGGS

Rascalina continues to lay an egg a day. Jamin and others continue to take the egg every day. Anyone have some good recipes for quail eggs? I guess I'm going to have to do a google search on this because our collection is growing.

THERE IS NO SACRED MUSIC ONLY SACRED LYRICS.

I’ve been thinking about this quote that a fellow Chaplain’s wife shared with me. I grew up knowing that there was a LOT of sacred music…..but honestly….when you begin to study hymns you get some really cool info. Like the fact Luther’s Hymn, * A Mighty Fortress is our God* is set to the tune of a popular bar tune. The LYRICS are godly and sacred; at the point when it was written the tune itself was very secular.

Why do we get so wrapped up around these issues? Is someone worshipping? Are they touching the face of God? Is their heart proclaiming his goodness and worth? Are they living a life of obedience? If so, I doubt whether God cares if the style is “authorized”.

I’ve been thinking about this. I know folks who think that all contemporary Christian music is compromise with the world and of the devil. I’ve had someone from a more traditional leaning tell me recently that “screaming into a microphone isn’t worship”. She cracked me up. I would agree that screaming in a microphone isn’t worship. I don’t think she meant this in a bad way – she was expressing her thoughts on worship – her preferences and that is certainly o.k. As I’ve laughed about the comment I realized - maybe it depends on what you are screaming??? :::snort::::

I’ve been pondering the issue….the first time we hit a Gen X service at Lackland I did NOT like it. I thought it was too far over the top. I thought there were songs sung that simply weren’t “worship”…..but now I see that these kids love the Lord – they are searching for REALITY….they don’t want to PLAY CHURCH…..and music connects with them. When they flash the lyrics on the screen – I see that they lyrics are sacred…and I adjust to the beat. I love to see my boys entering into worship – and for that I can put up with a bit of rowdiness. LOL

I had to laugh because I thought I was pretty hip. I mean we love KLove…we listen to contemporary music, what’s all the fuss about? Then I realized that we were singing songs I’d not heard before at chapel mixed with the ones I know. My sons found a “positive alternative” music station and I recognized the songs from chapel. So we are a contemporary/alternative service….and you know…..we are touching the face of God – it’s real to these kids. For another to be plopped in that setting it would not be real…they touch the face of God with hymns….but both express the heart of God. I think He is formal and wild….both. I think we should reverence Him and I think there is a time to worship Him with abandon as well (the case can be made that this is also reverence).

This was brought home this Sunday when the worship band launched into a very upbeat song and I thought I’m going to have to learn the words to THIS one…only to realize when they began singing and the lyrics popped up that it was Amazing Grace….the lyrics are sacred. I can worship with Amazing Grace at 10:30 a.m.in 4/4 time and I can worship with all the bells and whistles with Amazing Grace at 6:00 p.m. either way – His grace is still amazing!

Some thoughts I’ve had….what do you think about the quote? I’ve enjoyed contemplating it for the last few weeks.

Mike sent this home.....obviously it doesn't all fit...but it is cool. I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child,
but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way.
It's nice.

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 to be $160,140 for a middle income family.

Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.
But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down.
It translates into: * $8,896.66 a year, or
* $741.38 a month, or
* $171.08 a week.
* That's a mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is "if you want to be 'rich', don't have children.

Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or
how your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140, you never have to grow up.
You get to: * finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs, and
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:
* keep reading "The Adventures of Piglet and Pooh" ,
* watch Saturday morning cartoons,
* go to Disney movies, and
* wish upon a star.

You also get to:
* frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets,
and collect:
* spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas,
* hand prints set in clay or Mother's Day, and
* cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For $160,140, there is no bigger bang for your buck.

You get to be a hero just for:
* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and
* coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat to history to witness history:
* her first step,
* his first word,
* her first bra,
* his first date, and
* their first time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal.
You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky,
a long list of limbs called grandchildren and great grandchildrenin your obituary .

You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and
human sexuality that no college can match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God.

You have the power to:
* heal a boo-boo,
* scare away the monsters under the bed,
* patch a broken heart,
* police a slumber party,
* ground them forever, and
* love them without limits...

so that one day they, like you, will love without counting the cost.

That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!
Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren!!!!!!!