Suzanne Griffin

The Bible tells us that one of the best lessons we can learn is to control our tongue and it also teaches us that is is uncontrollable by our own strenghth. This has been the hardest lesson for me to learn and am still working on this area of my life. I was born with a silver tongue I guess to make up for the fact I didn't have a silver spoon. At times it comes in handy for quick witted comebacks, but most of the time I want to have my mouth ducktaped shut. I'm sure there have been many occasions when my husband would have gladly helped me with this task. There are times when words are coming out of my mouth before I ever knew I was thinking them, times I was thinking them and knew I shouldn't say them and yet this uncontrollable force releases them anyway. What is the worst, is that I don't aim my venomous spray toward complete strangers that tell me I'm number one when I'm driving, or who criticize my kids in public. It is the people I love the most. My precio...

I felt especially convicted this morning as I was reading through His Word. He says that we are to work together as a family for profit and not as individuals. I have gotten really mobby the last couple of weeks feeling sorry for myself that I don't have something to call my own like my husband has his own business. He is out everyday. Not that his job is easy or even safe, but at least he gets to socialize with people over 4 foot tall that can carry on a conversation about more than what they want to eat, who's picking on them or asking for their bottom, face or nose to be wiped. I love my children dearly and have to remind myself often in the midst of the 3rd load of laundry that day that I am living my dream. Well, at least my dream of getting to stay home. I pictured it a little differently than what it actually is, but I'm thankful for the opportunity all the same. I sometimes find myself feeling alone on my own little island of dishes and housework and it is drained. ...

The sticker chart for charts had started to lose it's luster. There are plenty of little things on the chart to earn stickers daily. Once they earn 15 stickers they could choose something out of the prize box. I also noticed lately that I am not spending one on one time with them like I want. So I told them yesterday morning when I posted the new colorful chart that once they earned their 15 stickers on top of the prize box, that I would also put aside 30 minutes to spend time with just them. Wow. You would have thought I was a celebrity. Chores were done quicker with much better attitudes. I even had to put the stickers up high as I caught Brian sneaking in a couple extra to get to his goal. Last night Makensie and I got out her Easy Bake Oven and made a little cake with chocolate frosting. There really isn't much in those little packets. The cake was enough for her. But it was sweet and fun and she enjoyed it. And this morning Gabby and I had private art lessons. With her ...

I went to bed at 9 last night....wow! Hubby was home by 8:30, I got his supper, he tucked in the kids and I was out. Then at 11:30 I woke up choking and threw up. I told Allen after I had calmed down that it felt like someone was choking me, that I couldn't breathe. I'm guessing I just quit breathing for a little bit and paniced. And what did Allen say? He raises both hands in the air and looked startled and says, "I swear, it wasn't me, I was watching TV." I think he was feeling a little defensive.

As I was getting ready this afternoon...yes this afternoon and if I didn't have to take Makensie to Girl Scouts and also to get another gallon of paint, it wouldn't have happened at all...so as I was putting on my clothes, Brian came in to chat. I had my lovely maternity panties on, the ones that come to just under your bra and he patted my tummy and said, "fat!". I told him let's just call it baby. Well, he wanted to make sure I heard him so he continued to pat and continued to tell me I was getting fat, fat, fat from the baby. Makensie once again to the rescue tells him, "get out of mamma's room if you are just going to be mean. How would you like it if you were big and fat and someone was calling you fat?!" When I picked Makensie up from Girl Scouts tonight she had made a drawing of our family. I was the size of all three of the kids combined. So now thanks to my little angel I now know that not only do I have long boobs, but I'm also hug...