Rascal Flatts Concert

You may remember that my lucky hubby won tickets to four separate concerts this summer and fall. The first concert was Tim McGraw. Love and Theft and Lady Antebellum opened for him and all three performances were great. Sunday was the date for the second concert. Chris Young and Kelly Pickler opened for Rascal Flatts 10 year anniversary tour. G loves Rascal Flatts. The concert was amazing other than the fact that we missed Chris Young's performance due to confusion over our ticket exchanges. (Shh, don't tell G we missed it-- he doesn't know.)

My sweet hubby says that he doesn't know why he entered the contest in the first place because it only ended up costing him $82 each concert to buy a third ticket and concessions are outrageous!! The people at Lakewood have been great. He actually won lawn tickets but because of G having a disability and needing a wheelchair accessible seat they have upgraded our lawn tickets for free!!

We ended up buying three extra tickets for this concert and took T and his girlfriend S with us. (They got lawn tickets- sorry.) As we sat in the summer air listening to great music I was inspired. Rascal Flatts sang "Broken Road" of course. While sitting there holding G while a soft summer breeze blew across my face I reflected on the Broken Road that brought Sweet G into our lives. I have never written the entire story and I think it is about time for me to get that done. So, I am going to begin right away. It will require that I tell it in several small stories that collectively tell the whole story of Sweet G. I hope you will enjoy hearing it and will see how God orchestrated the story and worked His grace in our lives.

Rascal Flatts Concert

You may remember that my lucky hubby won tickets to four separate concerts this summer and fall. The first concert was Tim McGraw. Love and Theft and Lady Antebellum opened for him and all three performances were great. Sunday was the date for the second concert. Chris Young and Kelly Pickler opened for Rascal Flatts 10 year anniversary tour. G loves Rascal Flatts. The concert was amazing other than the fact that we missed Chris Young's performance due to confusion over our ticket exchanges. (Shh, don't tell G we missed it-- he doesn't know.)

My sweet hubby says that he doesn't know why he entered the contest in the first place because it only ended up costing him $82 each concert to buy a third ticket and concessions are outrageous!! The people at Lakewood have been great. He actually won lawn tickets but because of G having a disability and needing a wheelchair accessible seat they have upgraded our lawn tickets for free!!

We ended up buying three extra tickets for this concert and took T and his girlfriend S with us. (They got lawn tickets- sorry.) As we sat in the summer air listening to great music I was inspired. Rascal Flatts sang "Broken Road" of course. While sitting there holding G while a soft summer breeze blew across my face I reflected on the Broken Road that brought Sweet G into our lives. I have never written the entire story and I think it is about time for me to get that done. So, I am going to begin right away. It will require that I tell it in several small stories that collectively tell the whole story of Sweet G. I hope you will enjoy hearing it and will see how God orchestrated the story and worked His grace in our lives.

Peggy's of Rome

Tonight my husband was telling me about a joke someone told him at work today. The joke was something this man heard when he was a young boy riding in the car with two older men. As they passed a house located directly across from the Rome Fair Grounds the men began talking about the house and a sign that was once posted on the door to the "establishment". The joke was not what interested me but the history of the house immediately caught my full attention. The house was a bothel run by a woman named Peggy Stone Sneed from what little I was able to find out online. It was well known not only locally but is said to have been known worldwide. Supposedly the house was in business for 40+ years and was very successful.

Peggy was not only a beauty but a shrewd business woman who attained a lot of wealth from her business. It is said that she ran a clean, safe house and guaranteed the health of her girls. Law enforcement supposedly knew all about Peggy's and looked the other way. I even found a copy of an add for Peggy's in an annual from Georgia Tech from the 1960's (i think 1964). I found all of my information at Peggy's House.

I am always curious about old stories from the past and the way things were in a different time than the one we were born into. I would love to see a photo of Peggy and hear more stories about her. If anyone has any information or photos on this subject I would be very interested in hearing them. I am working on a lead to find more information and intend to pursue this matter further.

Peggy's of Rome

Tonight my husband was telling me about a joke someone told him at work today. The joke was something this man heard when he was a young boy riding in the car with two older men. As they passed a house located directly across from the Rome Fair Grounds the men began talking about the house and a sign that was once posted on the door to the "establishment". The joke was not what interested me but the history of the house immediately caught my full attention. The house was a bothel run by a woman named Peggy Stone Sneed from what little I was able to find out online. It was well known not only locally but is said to have been known worldwide. Supposedly the house was in business for 40+ years and was very successful.

Peggy was not only a beauty but a shrewd business woman who attained a lot of wealth from her business. It is said that she ran a clean, safe house and guaranteed the health of her girls. Law enforcement supposedly knew all about Peggy's and looked the other way. I even found a copy of an add for Peggy's in an annual from Georgia Tech from the 1960's (i think 1964). I found all of my information at Peggy's House.

I am always curious about old stories from the past and the way things were in a different time than the one we were born into. I would love to see a photo of Peggy and hear more stories about her. If anyone has any information or photos on this subject I would be very interested in hearing them. I am working on a lead to find more information and intend to pursue this matter further.

My Second Daddy

While thinking about Father's Day I reflected on how blessed I have been to have had two Dads. My parents divorced when I was just a toddler and my mother remarried a wonderful man when I was three years old. My step dad never tried to take the place of my Dad. He quietly stood in the shadows unless it became necessary for him to step in for my protection. One of my earliest memories was of a time my biological father came to pick me up for his weekly visitation drunk. I was too young to understand what was going on but sensed that something wasn't right. I don't remember being angry at my step-dad for telling my Dad I could not go with him that day. I just remember being scared and confused by the actions of my Dad. My Dad shielded me from his drinking pretty well apart from that day. I was a preteen before I discovered that side of my Dad.

My step dad is a very patient and good man. He never said an unkind word about my father. He was the voice of reason when my mom was at her wits end with me. He often sat quietly and patiently talking to my siblings and myself about the choices we were making. I always hated those long talks but now I am so grateful that my mom married a man who treated her children as if they were his own. Not wanting to interfere in our relationships with our fathers he never let us call him Daddy. I thought then it was because he didn't love us but now know it was because of the wonderful man that he is.

When my relationship with my biological Dad was suffering a few years ago my step dad was very hurt for me. He often told me how sorry he was for the choices my Dad made in the way he treated me. He was very disappointed. It was during this time that my step dad had a heart attack while working on a cabin he and my mom were building. He was alone miles from help when it happened and after hours managed to pull himself onto a bobcat and drive the distance to the nearest house for help. I remember how scared I was that night when we received the call. During that time I suddenly found myself calling him Daddy. At forty years old I realized that I loved him like a Dad. I still find myself perplexed as to what I should call him.

He provided me a home, food, and whatever else I needed without complaint. He took in three children who did not belong to him and became their Dad without the acknowledgement that a Dad receives. He loves me unconditionally. I am sorry that it took me so long to see how much he means to me and how much he sacrificed for me when I was growing up. I wish I had realized it when I was younger and could have had him walk me down the aisle along with my biological Dad when I got married. He is the best Dad and Gramps that there is and I am so thankful that God sent him to be my Daddy.

My Second Daddy

While thinking about Father's Day I reflected on how blessed I have been to have had two Dads. My parents divorced when I was just a toddler and my mother remarried a wonderful man when I was three years old. My step dad never tried to take the place of my Dad. He quietly stood in the shadows unless it became necessary for him to step in for my protection. One of my earliest memories was of a time my biological father came to pick me up for his weekly visitation drunk. I was too young to understand what was going on but sensed that something wasn't right. I don't remember being angry at my step-dad for telling my Dad I could not go with him that day. I just remember being scared and confused by the actions of my Dad. My Dad shielded me from his drinking pretty well apart from that day. I was a preteen before I discovered that side of my Dad.

My step dad is a very patient and good man. He never said an unkind word about my father. He was the voice of reason when my mom was at her wits end with me. He often sat quietly and patiently talking to my siblings and myself about the choices we were making. I always hated those long talks but now I am so grateful that my mom married a man who treated her children as if they were his own. Not wanting to interfere in our relationships with our fathers he never let us call him Daddy. I thought then it was because he didn't love us but now know it was because of the wonderful man that he is.

When my relationship with my biological Dad was suffering a few years ago my step dad was very hurt for me. He often told me how sorry he was for the choices my Dad made in the way he treated me. He was very disappointed. It was during this time that my step dad had a heart attack while working on a cabin he and my mom were building. He was alone miles from help when it happened and after hours managed to pull himself onto a bobcat and drive the distance to the nearest house for help. I remember how scared I was that night when we received the call. During that time I suddenly found myself calling him Daddy. At forty years old I realized that I loved him like a Dad. I still find myself perplexed as to what I should call him.

He provided me a home, food, and whatever else I needed without complaint. He took in three children who did not belong to him and became their Dad without the acknowledgement that a Dad receives. He loves me unconditionally. I am sorry that it took me so long to see how much he means to me and how much he sacrificed for me when I was growing up. I wish I had realized it when I was younger and could have had him walk me down the aisle along with my biological Dad when I got married. He is the best Dad and Gramps that there is and I am so thankful that God sent him to be my Daddy.

Mini Kitchen Remodel

Five years ago we sold the home we had custom built and moved into an older home in a well established neighborhood 20 + miles away. The neighborhood we live in now was developed at the time when my husband and I were dating and into the first few years of our marriage. We would frequently drive through this neighborhood and dream of our future home and what it might be like never knowing that someday we would reside in one of the very homes we admired. Twenty years after those drives we actually bought one of the houses. The house has everything we were looking for in a home. It is in the right community, it has a wonderful screen porch, it is on one level and is pretty much handicapped accessible (for now). There were some trade offs we had to make when we moved. 

1. We sold a ten year old house and bought a 20+ year old house which is just enough time to begin to need some maintenance.
2. We seriously needed to replace the 80's linoleum in the bathrooms and utility room.
3. This house has less closet space.
4. Our old house had a 16' x 21' utility room and this house has a small 6' x 6' one. No room for crafts. : (
5. This house has less counter space in the kitchen than our old house and doesn't have a pantry.

Before we moved in we repainted everything and replaced the outdated linoleum in the bathrooms and utility room. We did it ourselves and saved tons of money. Not too much of an investment even when you include the emergency room visit for DH's sliced hand. The kitchen. however, we put off for a later date. We have tolerated it the way it was until a couple of weeks ago when I couldn't take it anymore. I had a friend come to give me some decorating advice and help me decide on new countertops and tile backsplash. He doesn't actually give any advice on counters but instead begins to talk about knocking down walls and moving stuff around. My head was swimming and I know DH's blood pressure was soaring by the time DSC left our house. 

One thing the visit did do was get me to thinking about what I really like. Not what other people like or what is the "thing" at the moment but what I like. Another factor we had to take into consideration was the budget. Our heat and air unit has been going nuts for several months now and we have been planning on trading it out before winter. (It, however, decided it won't wait that long. We had someone come out today to give us a quote on a new unit.) I started searching blogs to get ideas on what I liked and designs that wouldn't break the bank. There was one blog in particular that piqued my interest and inspired me with an idea that we could do quick and inexpensively. You can find it here.

The thing I hated about the kitchen was that the countertops have a gap between them and the wall. The previous owners had put trim around the top of the counters which was okay except that the switches and receptacles were low and the trim had to be notched to accommodate them. This drove me crazy!! Another thing that I didn't like about the cabinets was that the openings were too small. Especially on one cabinet. After showing my hubby some photos of open shelving in kitchens and the backsplash in one particular kitchen I convinced him to take his saws-all to the cabinets. He was very reluctant to do so but after firmly informing me that I was stuck with them even if I hated them he put the saws-all to the cabinets and began to cut away. I must admit I was kind of nervous at first but now I absolutely love the open shelves. 

We put bead board on the backsplash, raised the receptacles and switches, added under counter lights, and put new molding around the counters. I love, love, love my kitchen now and it seems so much bigger.

Hubby cutting the oak cabinets!!

One down and two to go!!

All painted and complete!!

And look at all the counter space I found DSC!

I even got rid of the rolling cabinet with G's wheat-free stash of food!! I now have so much more space. I also  cheered up my cold and impersonal living room a little.

Not much, but hey, it is a start.

Mini Kitchen Remodel

Five years ago we sold the home we had custom built and moved into an older home in a well established neighborhood 20 + miles away. The neighborhood we live in now was developed at the time when my husband and I were dating and into the first few years of our marriage. We would frequently drive through this neighborhood and dream of our future home and what it might be like never knowing that someday we would reside in one of the very homes we admired. Twenty years after those drives we actually bought one of the houses. The house has everything we were looking for in a home. It is in the right community, it has a wonderful screen porch, it is on one level and is pretty much handicapped accessible (for now). There were some trade offs we had to make when we moved. 

1. We sold a ten year old house and bought a 20+ year old house which is just enough time to begin to need some maintenance.
2. We seriously needed to replace the 80's linoleum in the bathrooms and utility room.
3. This house has less closet space.
4. Our old house had a 16' x 21' utility room and this house has a small 6' x 6' one. No room for crafts. : (
5. This house has less counter space in the kitchen than our old house and doesn't have a pantry.

Before we moved in we repainted everything and replaced the outdated linoleum in the bathrooms and utility room. We did it ourselves and saved tons of money. Not too much of an investment even when you include the emergency room visit for DH's sliced hand. The kitchen. however, we put off for a later date. We have tolerated it the way it was until a couple of weeks ago when I couldn't take it anymore. I had a friend come to give me some decorating advice and help me decide on new countertops and tile backsplash. He doesn't actually give any advice on counters but instead begins to talk about knocking down walls and moving stuff around. My head was swimming and I know DH's blood pressure was soaring by the time DSC left our house. 

One thing the visit did do was get me to thinking about what I really like. Not what other people like or what is the "thing" at the moment but what I like. Another factor we had to take into consideration was the budget. Our heat and air unit has been going nuts for several months now and we have been planning on trading it out before winter. (It, however, decided it won't wait that long. We had someone come out today to give us a quote on a new unit.) I started searching blogs to get ideas on what I liked and designs that wouldn't break the bank. There was one blog in particular that piqued my interest and inspired me with an idea that we could do quick and inexpensively. You can find it here.

The thing I hated about the kitchen was that the countertops have a gap between them and the wall. The previous owners had put trim around the top of the counters which was okay except that the switches and receptacles were low and the trim had to be notched to accommodate them. This drove me crazy!! Another thing that I didn't like about the cabinets was that the openings were too small. Especially on one cabinet. After showing my hubby some photos of open shelving in kitchens and the backsplash in one particular kitchen I convinced him to take his saws-all to the cabinets. He was very reluctant to do so but after firmly informing me that I was stuck with them even if I hated them he put the saws-all to the cabinets and began to cut away. I must admit I was kind of nervous at first but now I absolutely love the open shelves. 

We put bead board on the backsplash, raised the receptacles and switches, added under counter lights, and put new molding around the counters. I love, love, love my kitchen now and it seems so much bigger.

Hubby cutting the oak cabinets!!

One down and two to go!!

All painted and complete!!

And look at all the counter space I found DSC!

I even got rid of the rolling cabinet with G's wheat-free stash of food!! I now have so much more space. I also  cheered up my cold and impersonal living room a little.

Not much, but hey, it is a start.

Memories

I have recently seen big changes in my Sweet G. He and I are really enjoying our time at home and are hinting to J that we would love to stay at home on a permanent basis and begin homeschooling again. There are definately benefits to G being in traditional school setting but there are also great benefits to him being at home. At home we can arrange our instructional time around bathroom breaks, can fit in some much needed time in the stander, and he gets one on one instruction for everything.

He really has become enthusiastic about learning this week. He has insisted that we do our schoolwork every day this week. We have spent time on the internet and found some cool sites for guided reading. He is a sight reader and his teachers have been very concerned about his progress. I can't say that I haven't been also. He has been able to read individual words when presented to him but when they are used in a sentence he has trouble distinguishing the individual words. This week he has really blown me away. We have been visiting one website in particular and he has been reading a story with many chapters. There are words he doesn't know but when I tell him once or twice what the word is he usually remembers it. He reads at a good even rate and reads with expression. I have been very impressed by his progress and his desire.

He was sitting in my lap reading from the computer one morning and I had an opportunity to really look at him. He has lost almost all of the little boy look. He is a big, grown up, 7 year old. We have let his "Who Hair" grow until it is no longer Who Hair. It is the most beautiful shade of brown and is so soft and silky. He has all four of his front permanent teeth which really give him the big boy look. His nose is sprinkled with wonderful little freckles of all sizes and shapes and he has beautiful eyes that to my complete satisfaction once again dance at the sight of me. I love being that little boy's MommaWife. There is nothing like the love of a mother and her son. Having them look into my eyes with total adoration, trust, and contentment has been the most wonderful thing I will ever experience in life. It is at those times that I have felt the most loved, needed, and accepted.

How much I long to be able to recapture just one day from the past with each of my boys. Would I choose a day when as a baby T would slip his tiny hand into my shirt and hold onto my bra strap to ensure he would wake up when I tried to lay him in his bed? Or would I choose a spring day when T was two or three and saying and doing so many funny things? A day of leisurely reading and spending time in the swing or a night laying on the deck watching a meteor shower? The day of their first smiles, first belly laughs, first steps?Honestly I would not be able to choose which day to relive and one day would never be enough. That is why God gives us memories and why I choose to write this blog. I can't go back to relive one moment of the past but I have all these stories to read and remember my boys and the times when I was the center of their world.

Memories

I have recently seen big changes in my Sweet G. He and I are really enjoying our time at home and are hinting to J that we would love to stay at home on a permanent basis and begin homeschooling again. There are definately benefits to G being in traditional school setting but there are also great benefits to him being at home. At home we can arrange our instructional time around bathroom breaks, can fit in some much needed time in the stander, and he gets one on one instruction for everything.

He really has become enthusiastic about learning this week. He has insisted that we do our schoolwork every day this week. We have spent time on the internet and found some cool sites for guided reading. He is a sight reader and his teachers have been very concerned about his progress. I can't say that I haven't been also. He has been able to read individual words when presented to him but when they are used in a sentence he has trouble distinguishing the individual words. This week he has really blown me away. We have been visiting one website in particular and he has been reading a story with many chapters. There are words he doesn't know but when I tell him once or twice what the word is he usually remembers it. He reads at a good even rate and reads with expression. I have been very impressed by his progress and his desire.

He was sitting in my lap reading from the computer one morning and I had an opportunity to really look at him. He has lost almost all of the little boy look. He is a big, grown up, 7 year old. We have let his "Who Hair" grow until it is no longer Who Hair. It is the most beautiful shade of brown and is so soft and silky. He has all four of his front permanent teeth which really give him the big boy look. His nose is sprinkled with wonderful little freckles of all sizes and shapes and he has beautiful eyes that to my complete satisfaction once again dance at the sight of me. I love being that little boy's MommaWife. There is nothing like the love of a mother and her son. Having them look into my eyes with total adoration, trust, and contentment has been the most wonderful thing I will ever experience in life. It is at those times that I have felt the most loved, needed, and accepted.

How much I long to be able to recapture just one day from the past with each of my boys. Would I choose a day when as a baby T would slip his tiny hand into my shirt and hold onto my bra strap to ensure he would wake up when I tried to lay him in his bed? Or would I choose a spring day when T was two or three and saying and doing so many funny things? A day of leisurely reading and spending time in the swing or a night laying on the deck watching a meteor shower? The day of their first smiles, first belly laughs, first steps?Honestly I would not be able to choose which day to relive and one day would never be enough. That is why God gives us memories and why I choose to write this blog. I can't go back to relive one moment of the past but I have all these stories to read and remember my boys and the times when I was the center of their world.

Respect

I was recently listening to Christian radio while driving around town. This is an unusual occurrence because G prefers and demands Country music to be playing most of the time we are in the car. On this particular day I had dropped G off for therapy and was milling around town wasting time, gas, and a little money (I love thrift store finds). I am in a great mood listening to great music when the radio personality begins a debate on whether or not one of the other men at the station should get a new iphone for himself and give his old one to his wife or give his wife the new one and keep the old one himself.

I know that this guy is targeting a much younger audience than me and that he discusses these issues and takes the stand he does to appeal to the younger crowd. That I get. He is trying to reach his audience. At least I hope that is his intent. My position is that his opinions are not biblical in the least way. The only difference between his in your face humor and that you might see on Comedy Central is that he doesn't use profanity to deliver his abusive jokes. His target audience are people the age of my oldest son.  He is broadcasting his opinions whether real or exaggerated to young people whose attitudes are being shaped and formed more now than at any other time in their lives.

Some of his comments made me think that I had crossed into some sort of time warp until I realized that radio and automobiles were not invented in the 18th century. One of his statements was, "women are like children, they need boundaries." He repeated over and over how this man's wife didn't deserve or need the phone and that he should give his old phone to her and keep the new phone for himself.

Respect, or a lack of respect, is a huge issue facing our society. We live in a "me" focused world. Our young people need Godly influences that model love and respect for others--especially their mates. Jesus spent His entire life focused on giving to and serving others. He willingly laid down His life so that we might be reconciled to God. He ministered to the outcasts in society with love and grace. He always showed total respect to those around Him.

In the book of Ephesians, Paul lays out the Biblical roles of a husband and wife. If couples love each other and live out these guidelines they will have a perfect marriage, a marriage based on love and respect. So, to this radio personality I say humor at the expense of someone else is not humor at all. It is abuse. And to answer the question of what the man should do about the iphone I will let you read what Paul had to say about the marriage relationship and decide for yourself.

Ephesians  21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.[b] 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body.

31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”[c] 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Respect

I was recently listening to Christian radio while driving around town. This is an unusual occurrence because G prefers and demands Country music to be playing most of the time we are in the car. On this particular day I had dropped G off for therapy and was milling around town wasting time, gas, and a little money (I love thrift store finds). I am in a great mood listening to great music when the radio personality begins a debate on whether or not one of the other men at the station should get a new iphone for himself and give his old one to his wife or give his wife the new one and keep the old one himself.

I know that this guy is targeting a much younger audience than me and that he discusses these issues and takes the stand he does to appeal to the younger crowd. That I get. He is trying to reach his audience. At least I hope that is his intent. My position is that his opinions are not biblical in the least way. The only difference between his in your face humor and that you might see on Comedy Central is that he doesn't use profanity to deliver his abusive jokes. His target audience are people the age of my oldest son.  He is broadcasting his opinions whether real or exaggerated to young people whose attitudes are being shaped and formed more now than at any other time in their lives.

Some of his comments made me think that I had crossed into some sort of time warp until I realized that radio and automobiles were not invented in the 18th century. One of his statements was, "women are like children, they need boundaries." He repeated over and over how this man's wife didn't deserve or need the phone and that he should give his old phone to her and keep the new phone for himself.

Respect, or a lack of respect, is a huge issue facing our society. We live in a "me" focused world. Our young people need Godly influences that model love and respect for others--especially their mates. Jesus spent His entire life focused on giving to and serving others. He willingly laid down His life so that we might be reconciled to God. He ministered to the outcasts in society with love and grace. He always showed total respect to those around Him.

In the book of Ephesians, Paul lays out the Biblical roles of a husband and wife. If couples love each other and live out these guidelines they will have a perfect marriage, a marriage based on love and respect. So, to this radio personality I say humor at the expense of someone else is not humor at all. It is abuse. And to answer the question of what the man should do about the iphone I will let you read what Paul had to say about the marriage relationship and decide for yourself.

Ephesians  21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.[b] 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body.

31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”[c] 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

A Perfect Afternoon

It amazes me how very little it takes for G to be thrilled beyond words. Today I was busy painting the cabinets I convinced my husband to take a sawsall to last week. (By the way I love them.) By 4:00 I was feeling like the worst Momma ever in the history of Mommas. I had told myself before summer started that I was going to devote this summer to enjoying time with my sweet little boy. I have been enjoying him thoroughly but have been letting things interfere with my plans to play outside. We recently bought G a swimming pool and filled it with water on Saturday but I have been too busy to take the time to play in it with him. Well this afternoon I thought that instead of telling myself that I would play with him tomorrow I would just drop everything and surprise him with some fun in the pool.

When I came into the living room with my swimsuit on and a towel around my neck G said, "Did you take a bath Mommy?" I told him I didn't and his next question was, "Well, why do you have a towel around your neck?" When he discovered my intentions of taking some time to play in the pool he was ecstatic. Its just a $20 blow up pool with a few inches of water in it but to G it is perfect. We giggled and played for an hour and a half. I have a feeling I am going to spend lots of time out there from now on. Pray that my old back will hold out to carry that lug-a-bug to and from the pool and get him in and out of it without killing one or both of us. He is getting to be quite heavy and my technique from last year didn't work quite as well for me today. I am going to have to search my brain for a better way of getting him out of the pool that won't end up with me in traction. But even if I do kill myself it will have been worth it for just one of those sweet smiles and precious giggles along with some great pick-up lines complements of Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Every woman wants to be told that she looks so good that someone would like to plant you and grow a whole field of you. It is even better when your little boy tells you that.

A Perfect Afternoon

It amazes me how very little it takes for G to be thrilled beyond words. Today I was busy painting the cabinets I convinced my husband to take a sawsall to last week. (By the way I love them.) By 4:00 I was feeling like the worst Momma ever in the history of Mommas. I had told myself before summer started that I was going to devote this summer to enjoying time with my sweet little boy. I have been enjoying him thoroughly but have been letting things interfere with my plans to play outside. We recently bought G a swimming pool and filled it with water on Saturday but I have been too busy to take the time to play in it with him. Well this afternoon I thought that instead of telling myself that I would play with him tomorrow I would just drop everything and surprise him with some fun in the pool.

When I came into the living room with my swimsuit on and a towel around my neck G said, "Did you take a bath Mommy?" I told him I didn't and his next question was, "Well, why do you have a towel around your neck?" When he discovered my intentions of taking some time to play in the pool he was ecstatic. Its just a $20 blow up pool with a few inches of water in it but to G it is perfect. We giggled and played for an hour and a half. I have a feeling I am going to spend lots of time out there from now on. Pray that my old back will hold out to carry that lug-a-bug to and from the pool and get him in and out of it without killing one or both of us. He is getting to be quite heavy and my technique from last year didn't work quite as well for me today. I am going to have to search my brain for a better way of getting him out of the pool that won't end up with me in traction. But even if I do kill myself it will have been worth it for just one of those sweet smiles and precious giggles along with some great pick-up lines complements of Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Every woman wants to be told that she looks so good that someone would like to plant you and grow a whole field of you. It is even better when your little boy tells you that.

The Queen of Hearts

I will be the first to admit that G's sudden and overwhelming affection for his teacher over the past few months hurt my feelings and quite frankly broke my heart. I was overjoyed when the last day of school came and went so that I could get started having fun with my little boy without having to share him with anyone else. (I know, I am a jealous woman when it comes to the men I love.) I have really been quite busy and have not been giving my total attention to G this last week. I honestly have been trying to get  my house in some sort of order and have been preoccupied with a mini kitchen remodel.

Tonight I gave G his bath (which is rare). Bathtime is one thing I usually relinquish to the Daddy but a couple of nights ago we went to bed with a leak in our ceiling that was coming from the air conditioner return. Poor J has been in the attic off and on all day trying to find and fix the problem on top of trying to finish my cabinet makeover and the necessary repairs in the kitchen.

I have been busy with other projects. I made a cotton shower curtain for our bathroom this past week and gave our bathroom a thourough cleaning tonight so that I could enjoy the new look even better with everything all neat and tidy. I cleaned the shower and tub and called G to come in and take his bath. After about 15 minutes he finally made it into the master bedroom. By that time I had his tub filled and waiting on him. We had some sweet bath time complete with shaving our beards. (Daddy doesn't usually let G play in the bathtub.) After drying G off he asked me to rub lotion on him. This is something we used to do to warm and stretch his muscles but have honestly been neglecting. He asked for me to massage his back first. He then flipped over for me to rub his chest and I added in those tight arms and gave them good stretches. We eventually covered his entire body ending with his feet. He really loves to be massaged but hey, who doesn't? After all my love and attention he looked up at me with his angelic face and said, "Mommy aren't you glad you won your heart back?" My heart melted at those words. I had said that I was going to win his heart back this summer when I had him all to myself. I am not sure that I even said it to him but anyway he heard me. He really meant that I had won his heart back but said it in that sweet innocent little boy language. Oh, how I love my boys.

T left yesterday for a trip to Puerto Rico with his girlfriend's family. I cried of course because I feel like he is all grown up and I have lost his heart. But isn't God so good. He knew exactly how I felt and gave me the gift of hearing G proclaim his love for me tonight right when I needed it the most. His timing is not my timing but His timing is perfect. To top it all off my sweet T also has sent several texts and made one phone call home today. I am truly a blessed mother, wife, and child of God. = )

The Queen of Hearts

I will be the first to admit that G's sudden and overwhelming affection for his teacher over the past few months hurt my feelings and quite frankly broke my heart. I was overjoyed when the last day of school came and went so that I could get started having fun with my little boy without having to share him with anyone else. (I know, I am a jealous woman when it comes to the men I love.) I have really been quite busy and have not been giving my total attention to G this last week. I honestly have been trying to get  my house in some sort of order and have been preoccupied with a mini kitchen remodel.

Tonight I gave G his bath (which is rare). Bathtime is one thing I usually relinquish to the Daddy but a couple of nights ago we went to bed with a leak in our ceiling that was coming from the air conditioner return. Poor J has been in the attic off and on all day trying to find and fix the problem on top of trying to finish my cabinet makeover and the necessary repairs in the kitchen.

I have been busy with other projects. I made a cotton shower curtain for our bathroom this past week and gave our bathroom a thourough cleaning tonight so that I could enjoy the new look even better with everything all neat and tidy. I cleaned the shower and tub and called G to come in and take his bath. After about 15 minutes he finally made it into the master bedroom. By that time I had his tub filled and waiting on him. We had some sweet bath time complete with shaving our beards. (Daddy doesn't usually let G play in the bathtub.) After drying G off he asked me to rub lotion on him. This is something we used to do to warm and stretch his muscles but have honestly been neglecting. He asked for me to massage his back first. He then flipped over for me to rub his chest and I added in those tight arms and gave them good stretches. We eventually covered his entire body ending with his feet. He really loves to be massaged but hey, who doesn't? After all my love and attention he looked up at me with his angelic face and said, "Mommy aren't you glad you won your heart back?" My heart melted at those words. I had said that I was going to win his heart back this summer when I had him all to myself. I am not sure that I even said it to him but anyway he heard me. He really meant that I had won his heart back but said it in that sweet innocent little boy language. Oh, how I love my boys.

T left yesterday for a trip to Puerto Rico with his girlfriend's family. I cried of course because I feel like he is all grown up and I have lost his heart. But isn't God so good. He knew exactly how I felt and gave me the gift of hearing G proclaim his love for me tonight right when I needed it the most. His timing is not my timing but His timing is perfect. To top it all off my sweet T also has sent several texts and made one phone call home today. I am truly a blessed mother, wife, and child of God. = )