101 things about me

1. I’m a follower of Christ Jesus and I'm glad He has changed my life.
2. We have 4 little ones ages 9, 8, 7 and 2. Some days I don’t think this is my calling.
3. I love being a wife to my handsome hubby Allen, most days.
4. We homeschool although some days I don’t think it is my calling either.
5. We have been in business for almost 5 years. There is a fine line here between things I love and things I hate about being self employed.
6. We haven’t had health insurance for 5 years.
7. We have had a lot of financial drought over the last couple of years.
8. I want to be wealthy enough to be a blessing to other families in need.
9. Our kids are really funny.
10. The TV character I most closely relate with is Jordan on Scrubs, which my husband and I enjoy after the kids are in bed if I can manage to stay awake.
11. I was told after my last baby that I was born to birth, not neccesarily the most useful talent to have.
12. I am more scared of getting an IV than giving birth and have never had an epidural, the whole needle in the spine thing really bothers me.
13. I have passed a kidney stone and would rather give birth again. I have 4 more stones left in my kidney’s, however, after having to revive me during surgery, the Dr,'s stopped the procedure.
14. We almost lost our 1st born after delivery. She was only 4lbs 3ozs, had the cord wrapped around her neck, the cord was in a knot and pulled from the placenta.
15. The Dr. had to manually retrieve the placenta. Keep in mind #12 and I still hold fast to #13.
16. I met my husband at a bar and we made fun of him the first week calling him “the drunk guy”. Come to find out he doesn’t drink hardly ever he just acts that way all the time.
17. I love my parents, but think they are slightly brainwashed.
18. My mom is the best hostess and loves to take care of us when we go home.
19. My thighs and rear end used to be two different things.
20. I like to start my days early, usually by 6am, with a cup of coffee that is about ½ milk and some brown sugar.
21. I have a scar on my forehead, given to me during a fight in the high school parking lot.
22. I am thankful that my invincible thinking and poor choices when I was young did not land me in jail.
23. I have secretly watched All My Children on and off since I was 6 years old and am going through the AA steps over this.
24. I like to accidently catch an Eminem’s song even just briefly on the car radio. I love KLRC, but sometimes just need something with a little more...groove.
25. The person I am now, dislikes the person I used to be.
26. I love a good long nap.
27. I do not like having to do dishes.
28. I’m not a very good housekeeper. Our home has only looked like Better Homes and Gardens maybe 2 times.
29. I wasted my time in college looking for the next party.
30. I paid to study Floralculture, which is a 2 year degree, at KSU, which is a 4 year college, that I attended for 5 years. Which means that I now know how to arrange flowers. Which is beneficial when my kids bring me flowers they’ve picked from our neighbor’s yard. I know how to put them in a vase. I remind myself of this great talent as I write out my student loan payment each month.
31. Most of my jobs have been in HR. I do consider my career as Beer Tub Girl (the best paying and most fun job I had) to fall in this category.
32. I worked at Dick Clark’s American Bandstand for 1 year and got to meet him once. He's shorter than me and possibly looks younger than me also.
33. I was class president and on the dance team in high school.
34. I went from being thin and thought I was “sex-on-a-stick” before our 1st born to becoming, “a heavy girl”, in the words of my nurse.
35. I have thrown a bag a frozen tator tots and a pot at my husband.
36. Makensie told her teacher the first time they spoke that I had thrown the pot at Allen.
37. I am scared of anything that could collapse…hotels, bridges, I even sweat sometimes when I’m upstairs. Our next house will be on a concrete slap all on one floor.
38. I love going to church and having a church family even though we don’t have one right now.
39. I knew I wanted to marry my husband after our first date and most days I’m glad I got too.
40. Art is therapy for me. I love to color with my kids, paint, and make homemade cards, decorate cakes.
41. I love trying new recipes.
42. I love to watch movies. Especially sappy romances.
43. I love to write. I have kept journals for myself, Allen and each of the kids and have over 15 full.
44. I hate to drive. Although if I had a Ferrari rather than a mini van, could listen to a little hip hop music as loud as I wanted rather than Miss Pattycake, be by myself rather than hearing “Brian touched my seat” 500 times, and drive for 2 hours straight through without stopping to potty at every germ infested bathroom along the way it might not be so bad.
45. I have never seen the ocean.
46. I have seen Albuquerque twice. We visited, left, drove 2 hours at night, pulled over to go potty, got on the wrong road and drove back into Albuquerque.
47. I have won $1000 on the radio, our refrigerator from the grocery store and a T-Shirt at a company picnic.
48. Allen’s dad is the biggest Redneck I know. (See Griffin Redneckism)
49. When we bought our previous house, the owners left their 200+ lb pot bellied pig, never to return for her. We lived in the middle of town with no fence. We renamed her Sweetheart. I still hold fast to #48.
50. I have dozens of trophies from my youth from winning tractor pulls. I still believe #48.
51. I won a speech contest in college and almost failed it in high school.
52. I took 1st place in state competitions for piano in high school.
53. I started accompanying the choir when I was in middle school and now rarely ever play even though we have a beautiful upright grand.
54. After 4 babies I understand the invention of Poise Pads.
55. I’m a terrible sales person, I don’t like to charge more than I paid. Hence the end of my Mary Kay, Arbonne and Stampin UP careers.
56. I once made a comment that made Allen’s dad mad enough to not talk to me for 2 months. It was a really funny comment though and I feel worth the loss.
57. I struggle at being a compliant and submissive wife as I am have a natural born silver tongue.
58. I believe that God’s plans are grander than our own even if we never understand the difficulties we are going through.
59. I love cats and cannot stand most dogs.
60. My brother is one of the funniest people I know.
61. My dad is addicted to estate sales and once bought so much at a hospital sale it took 5 people 3 days to get it all out. I still believe # 48.
62. I was recently informed that my lifelong theory of “I bet everyone will be glad I’m here” is not necessarily true.
63. I tried water skiing once and gave myself an enema.
64. I love Mexican food and coke (the drink).
65. I don’t know what time I was born but I do know that I “should be more grateful since it was the worst 36 hours” of my mom’s life.
66. I lost a brother who was slightly premature at a time that lacked medical advancement and wonder still the man he would have become.
67. My mom wrote in my baby book that I drove her crazy from talking too much.
68. It is easier for me to get angry rather than to cry.
69. I won’t share a drink with others including my husband.
70. However, I love kissing on my hubby especially when he if freshly shaven. He has really big soft lips.
71. I am addicted to numbers and lists, possibly to the point of being OCD.
72. I'm anal when it comes to best prices and coupons.
73. Wal-Mart is the answer to all my shopping.
74. I love to study the Bible daily.
75. My husband’s only chores at home at to fix anything broken and mow the yard. And right now he could be fired without question.
76. When my husband snores at night I tickle him on the back of the neck. He swears there are spiders in the bed and has had the house sprayed numerous times.
77. I once but an entire bottle of blue food coloring in my husband’s Dr. Pepper because he ticked me off.
78. I once threw his boots into front yard with a foot of snow because he ticked me off.
79. My husband has more patience with me than I deserve.
80. I love to play board games.
81. I punish myself by comparing myself to other moms.
82. I have some great workout tapes...somewhere.
83. I have many projects started that are cluttering up our home. My want-to-do list is bigger than my time-to-do list.
84. I love to go camping; it is truly down time for me.
85. My best friend in college was a guy and he is gay. I have a low tolerance for gay bashing.
86. During labor with one of my babies, Allen told me he understood my pain, that he had stepped on a nail once.
87. My husband and oldest daughter are equally clumsie.
88. My husband is the worst dancer I’ve ever seen, but loved me enough to go dance in public with me once.
89. We eloped on New Year’s day.
90. I love to read non fiction.
91. I have dropped my cellphone so many times the antenna is missing and it barely stays together without duct tape.
92. I enjoy doing laundry.
93. I make delicious manicotti.
94. I am overly smell sensitive during pregnancy and my gag reflex is strong.
95. I once had a bloody nose while shopping, I thought I had a runny nose, no one told me.
96. I once forgot to zip my dress and just button it at the top while in Wal-Mart, I thought I was just cold, no one told me.
97. I love the smell of most candles.
98. I went on a date once with a seemingly normal guy, until he told me he believe that government was covering up all the alien activity and he thought being a mortician would be interesting. I took the mother ship home quickly.
99. I look forward to Christ’s return.
100. My mom is a lunch lady and I pray no one ever makes fun of her because she is really a sweet person.
101. I only stopped making prank calls when caller ID came out.

Calgon take me away.

During the day it is often hard for me to hear God's voice, after all there are three little ones 6 and under competing for my attention, competing for a toy, competing for the first snack. There is the washer and dryer that run almost constantly, the dishwasher which requires at least one cycle a day, the ringing phone, the fax, the doorbell, the stomping of little feet...Even when the kids are quiet to watch a movie, the TV is on. The thoughts in my head are quick and short lived. "Did I cut up the fruit for snack time? Is the dryer done yet? Did everyone brush their teeth? Where are we at on chores? Who threw the 100 piece puzzle all over the school room?! Who put the dixie cups in the toilet?!" As wonderful as the old Calgon commercials are if I were to lock the door and slip into the tub the peace would only be for about 2 minutes before the knocking would begin and inquiries to how much longer I would be, if I could get someone a drink, if they could take a bath with me. I adore my kids and my heart almost aches with pride and laughter daily at the silly things they do, but as mom's it really does require a lot from us. Our time, our attention, our energy and sometimes a delay on our dreams. I get up early in the morning, usually 4:30am. And this is the most peaceful quiet part of my day. The time when I can make lunch for my hubby, put in the first load of laundry, start supper, do some invoices, journal, study the word and listen to my Lord. Now I'm not a "Superwoman", far from it. After I'm up for about 2 hours, I usually slip back into bed for an hour nap or until the first patter of little feet starts it's way down the stairways. For me, that time with the Lord has been so vital in keeping my heart, attitude and life in check. There has been so many struggles over the years that had I not had the friendship and trust in my Lord, I don't know what my outcome would have been. I have never audibly heard His voice. But there are many times when an answer has came either from a friend, a dream, the Word itself, or scripture that I had read and studied a year ago. If we don't know Him, we don't know His voice, direction or way. So rather than a bubblebath that gives peace for a minute, I encourage you to soak yourself in Him daily which will give peace for life. (Anxiety in the hear of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad. Prov 12:25)

Over the River and Through the woods

Yesterday my dear husband took the two youngest little Griffins to find our 2006 Christmas Tree. I didn't go as strolling through the woods 7 months pregnant just didn't seem wise or fun for that matter. My oldest was still a little traumatized from last year so she wanted to stay home with me. How can someone have bad memories of finding a Christmas tree? Let me just say there are many parts of the movie Christmas Vacation that I can truly relate to.

Last year after church and getting our tummies full, we headed out to a friend's pasture to pick out the perfect tree. I was really excited as we have 10 foot ceilings in our front room with 3 large windows that face the street and I wanted a tall, fat tree. On there way there, we listened it Christmas music and the kids were all chatting, loudly, non stop with excitement. I was giddy with the thought of how much fun this was going to be. Since we were driving and had little ones of the age of 5, 4 and 2 I honestly thought we would drive around the outskirts of the pasture until we spotted the perfect tree and dear hubby could just jump out, cut it down and we'd be on our way. But then we parked. The girls still had their dresses and pantyhose on from church. Allen convinced us that there were better trees in the forest a little ways. So we started our little afternoon hike. We crawled between some barb wire and headed in. I was thankful that I had changed into some jeans and boots. Well, not hiking boots, they were my cool looking "biker" boots as they are referred to, with about a 3" heel. It had been a crisp cool winter so far, but not a lot of precipitation so there were about a 12 inches of dead leaves covering the ground. At first it was like walking in an Autumn story, it was beautiful and fresh and "Oh, help me I'm going down!" Without being about to see the ground it was a little difficult to step around tree roots and boulders on the ground. As I stumbled to the bottom of our first little ravine, I was unscathed. We started up the other side, which was must steeped than the one we just quickly came down. While the outdoor exercise was nice, for heavy girls it is a little hard. Allen stopped at several trees and asked if I liked them, however at this point since we're already in and I'm not the one that has to drag the tree all the way back to the truck, so I decided we weren't going to take just any ol "this will do" tree we were going to leave with the perfect tree. We continued on past probably hundreds of trees. Allen carrying the chainsaw and a 5 gallon bucket to trim some pine branches and gather cones for decorating. After about 30 minutes the kids were getting a little cranky and loosing site of the goal. We had several run ins with thorn bushes and the girls' tights were all snagged. So now I'm carrying our 2 year old, praying that I don't fall with him, the girls are starting to whine and dad is losing patience quickly. Then there is was. The perfect tree. Allen thought it was too big, but come on...Is there really such a thing? He cut it down and said he would head on back to the truck that was no longer in sight. He gave us the bucket and told us to stay on the trail. What trail? Did we come in on a trail? Do I look like a nature gal? "no problem, we'll meet you back at the truck." We were all renewed once again by the excitement of having a Christmas tree. We were walking along and came to a picturesque grove of pine trees. It was breathtaking. We all started gathering cones and the branches were just laying there on the moss and pine needle covered ground for our taking. Oh how I wished Allen could see this. I wish we would have brought hot chocolate and sat and just enjoyed God's amazing creation and the smells of winter and the quiet breath of His air. As we were finished gathering cones and started to head back to the truck, it dawned on me that we had probably gotten off "the path" otherwise we would have enjoyed this little patch when we were coming in. It reminded me of the Garden of Eden, every direction we took trying to get out was surrounded by thorn bushes. Gabby had a direct attack and was now bleeding, Makenise was crying as her tights were now torn to shred's, we were all covered in cockaburrs and Brian was about an hour past the need for a nap time. So once again I'm carrying a 2 year old, this time dead weight as he's asleep, the full 5 gallon bucket of cones and branches and the tree trimmers. I was getting a little frustrated trying to console the girls and explain to them why I couldn't carry them too while trying to convince them, who were both crying and scared at this point, to follow me. I start crying as I realize that we are lost. I kept walking in what I was sure was the direction of the truck. A couple of minutes later, our wonderful hero daddy showed up and asked why we hadn't stayed on "the path". While I was relieved that he found us, which he said wasn't hard to do with 2 crying kids and us tromping through all the leaves, I was still a little irritated with his expectation to believe me that I knew what I was doing in the woods. He led us back to our vehicle and we all headed home, in silence. We did have to cut about 2 feet off the tree when we got home, but it was beautiful. It filled all three windows with it's branches and our entire home with the scent of fresh cedar. As we stood and admired this incredible tree, all the pain of the day melted away. And while it wasn't one of the funnest days for the kids, they still talk about it and I hope it is a memory that we will never forget.

The strange draw of the storage closet

At the top of the stairway, there is a storage closet to your right. Our home is 102 years old so there are a lot of fun little spaces and quirks about it. However, this one room just has always given me the willy's. I know, it's rather silly, but I still don't go in there after dark unless there is someone else with me, even the 3 year old counts. It's dark and the light switch is behind the door which means I have to shut myself in and frantically feel the wall for the switch before the safety of light is restored. If I go in the day time it isn't quite so bad because there is another door with a window in it that goes out to another room that is even creepier, however there are windows in that room so during the day there is at least some light in the closet. Twice now I have about given myself a heart attack. Once as I shut the door behind me I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye, and I did. There at the end of what used to be an old hallway stood a man hiding behind some hanging clothes. I didn't even try to get to the light switch just turned around and about ripped the door off the hinges trying to get out. Once I could breathe again and turned on all the other upstairs lights and peeked backed in, I realized that the man was actually my husbands hunting waders. The closet is the perfect place to store them as that way they are with the 2 deer head trophy's staring me down everytime I enter "the closet". The 2nd heartattack came when I once dared to enter after dark. I shut the door behind me and just knew someone was in there with me. It was pitch black. My fingers finally found my familiar friend of the light switch, which happens to be behind one of the deer heads, (convenient, I know), I flipped the switch and turned around only to be 5 feet away from the vision of a woman. I was unable to move or even breathe. I realized it was just me in the reflection of the window of the door. The kids have also had there run in with it, they were all upstairs playing one day when I heard muffled yelling which quickly turned into muffled screaming and crying. Allen ran up the stairway taking 3 steps at a time. They were all three in "The Closet", door shut, unable to reach the light switch. The door also does not have a handle on the inside, however can be pulled open by tugging on the wire rack on the back of the door. But in the dark, and with 3 little ones just trying to push their way out, it was just trapping them in. For months this was the safest place to hide anything as not one of them was willing to venture in. One of my sisters even told me that she wouldn't recommend watching "The Grudge" while we lived in this house. Thanks. I couldn't watch the movie anyway as I had nightmares just from catching some commercials for it. While this closet is home to all kinds of items that we are thankful for and give us joy such as seasonal decoration, all the kids clothes (it's just easier to have 1 big closet for them), hunting gear, crafts, gifts, junk etc. It is also home to a slice of fear in our home. I hope to say day say I'm a recovered fearaholic but for now, I am a scaried cat.

I just love that discipline

As I was spending time in Proverbs 12 this morning, the 1st verse is "He who loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." That's kinda harsh I thought. Who loves to be disciplined? Not me. But as I mauled it over, after each incident or period of time that God has brought me to my knees in the event of discipline, only then have I grown closer and more thankful for His power in my life. Most of the discipline I face is because I end up worshipping and relying on another god...myself. I start trying to handle problems myself rather than laying them at His feet. So while in the midst of the trials, it is hard to say that I love what we are facing, I can look forward to the outcome with confidence that God is molding me and pruning me to be more like Him and less like the sinner I am.

attitude problems

I just got off the phone with a dear friend. We hadn't touched base for a while and it was so nice to hear her voice. She said I had been on her mind and wondered if I was fulfilled just staying home to be a mom. The first couple of minutes my children were quiet and entertained, then the alarm must have sounded that announced I was on the phone. Brian came in mad at who knows what. He was throwing a fit then went out side mad. I followed him out to make sure he was ok and was sure it would be quieter on the phone if I were outside. He walked around the front of the house, I followed but didn't see him. I started to return to the back door and then heard it shut. I figured it was him going back inside since he only had on a tshirt and would be cold. I was right. As I looked through the french doors into the kitchen there stood my little 3 year old, arms crossed glaring me down. He had locked me out. Even the dead bolt was locked. I kept my cool, afterall I was still on the phone and since this isn't the first time to be locked out I simply got out the hidden key. After returning inside he had another melt down just trying to get his belt off so he could go potty. He let me know that he "hated this stupid belt!" and then threw it on the floor several times to teach it a lesson. That was when I said my goodbye's to my fellow mom. It has been a rough day in our house. And a day that has certainly challanged my ability to be happy eating the grass on my side of the fence.

30 hour days?

It has been almost a year since I have updated anything on this site and thought about it this morning. It has been a busy year. Started public school with our 2 oldest this fall then pulled them out to homeschool again. We are expecting baby number 4 in just a couple of months. Allen's business has picked up requiring more paperwork help. We are still struggling along trying to remodel the house. There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day. If only I could sleep less, however this little one growing in me is zapping me of my usual ability to survive on 5-6 hours of sleep. My precious husband was out of long sleeve work shirts this morning and I convinced him it was the newest trend to wear his short sleeve shirt and let his long johns show. He asked if it was also the newest trend to go without boxers? I will be working on the laundry pile today.