From the moment I walked in the door with my iphone, my children claimed it.

If Hunter is not playing games, Rachel is snapping pictures
and downloading applications or Sarah is adding and mixing
up the ringtones. And that is where I got into trouble.

On Friday night, Sarah and I went to church for an event called Uprising 3.0

"All rising 7th Graders and family, join us for a time of introduction to the
Student Ministry of FBC. We will have a dinner prepared just for you at
6:00 in the Fellowship Hall. During this time you will be introduced
to many of the ministries, programs and activities you can be
invloved in with Student Ministry."

So... right in the middle of the youth pastor's talk...
my phone goes off. LOUD.
The ringtone... "DA DA DA DUM.... Bad to the Bone."

Yeah. It went off at least twice before I turned it off
and everyone turned to me. Laughing. Hard.

It was quite an uprising.

When we got home, I gathered the children together
and asked for a confession... "Who put "Bad to the Bone"
on my ringtone?"

"It said "Piano Riff," Mama... not "Bad to the Bone," Sarah
confessed. "What is "Bad to the Bone" anyway?"

For those of you too young to know the song..
it's a classic. "Bad To the Bone"

Keep the Faith,
Amy

Workin'

Austin lives for the moment his Daddy
comes home from work. If I ask him,
"Austin, are you a momma's baby?
He will sign "Daddy Tractor."
Every afternoon, Daddy and his
little shadow will find something
to do on the tractor. And who could
blame them? It's air conditioned,
has an XM radio, and it's even
equipped with a Buddy seat.



Austin prefers heavy lifting with the
front end loader. But more than likely,
they are raking, mowing, tettering,
or baling hay. Not too far into work time
I will receive the inevitable phone call,
"Come and get your son." The sound of the mower
and the vibration of the engine puts Austin to sleep.
(Workin' Hard) ;)

Keep the Faith
Amy

The Vet's Daughter

(The Vet's Daughter)

After dental appointments, I decided to take the five youngest

to lunch at a downtown cafe. Rebecca, claiming

"privilege of the oldest child in the car," grabbed the front seat

while the others piled into the back. I was midturn to face the

back of the car to begin backing out of the parking lot when

my attention was caught by a small pink mark on my

daughter's neck.

"What happened?"
"Oh, I burned my neck with a curling iron," Rebecca grimace

and lightly touched the sore spot. Unable to resist taunting

her sister, Rachel hung over the front seat and said. "It looks
like a hickey!" Rebecca blushed and said, "Trust me, I KNOW,

everyone at work and church has been harassing me about the

dang burn for two days."

Rachel giggled and with a wicked glint in her eye began

sing-songing... "Rebecca's got a hickey, Rebecca's got a

love bite, Rebecca's got....."

"Ring Worm," interrupted a very droll voice.

For a single beat there was dead silence before Rachel,

Hunter and I burst out laughing. Sarah crossed her arms

over her chest and pouted at our laughter.

"That's what it looks like to ME!"

Rebecca hung her head and sighed, "Only a vet's daughter

would think of that."

(Rebecca, Sarah and Rachel)

Keep the Faith and keep away from burns

caused by hot hair implements.
~Amy~

Rebellion

(Austin and a sibling trying to 'hold him down' )

It was night time and my husband walked into our bedroom with his little shadow tagging behind him. "Time for bed, Austin," he said standing at the foot of our bed. "Go upstairs and get in your bed."
Giggling furiously, Austin climbed up the foot board and somersaulted into our bed. Rapidly crawling across the mattress, the defiant child tossed pillows out of the way, pulled back the comforter and snuggled down on his Daddy's side of the bed. Rolling on to his belly, he squinted his eyes and then began to 'snore' loudly.

Hands on his hips, Hubby tried to hide his laughter and said, "Austin, that is pure-t-ugly. Get up and go upstairs to your bed. Now."
With louder snores and a few wiggles, Austin continued his disobedient mocking of his Daddy. Finally, a sister came in and rescued the pretender before he got into serious trouble.

Funny. In one of the first serious talks that doctors have with parents who's children are born with an anomaly... "They" said he wouldn't be able to pretend and he wouldn't ever have a sense of humor. "Those are higher functioning abilities...," they sniffed. "Given his extra chromosome, you can't expect him to develop higher cognitive abilities." They didn't mean to be demeaning or discouraging, you understand. Parents need to understand and accept their child's limitations.

Austin's in all out rebellion to do everything they said he "wouldn't be able to do." And like the good parents we are ... we are totally encouraging his rebellious attitude against authority.

Keep the Faith and Resist Conforming to the "Man"
amy

Mars Vs Venus

So. We are in this really serious business meeting discussing our 'investment horizon,,' future educational trusts, special needs trusts... serious. And the gentleman, Marc, leading the discussion decides to tell a tale on a mutual friend of ours. Seems they were out golfing one day when "Dan" swings a bit too hard with his wooden golf club and sends it into a nearby pond. So it's floating in the pond.... and Marc encourages him to go after the club. So, Dan takes off his socks and shoes, rolls up his pants legs and wades into the water. About 5 feet into the pond, Marc whistles. Dan looks back and sees his friend 'relieving' himself into the pond. The other three males in the room think the 'tale' is hilarious and die laughing. I'm looking at him like.. This is funny?

Naw. This is GROSS.

Do you think the 'male' and 'female' sense of humor is the same?

I think not.

Keep the Faith,

amy

Sweet Deal

So I went to the mall today. I need camp clothes. Yes, I've officially lost my mind. Next week I'm headed to SC with a bunch of hoodlums... third to sixth grade boys and girls. 

Since I'll be living in a college dorm room (oh joy) and basically sweating it out with a bunch of youngun's in various camp activities (like chasing each other with water balloons) I decided to update the wardrobe. Thank goodness the sales are outrageous this time of year. I racked up some serious threads with very little cash. It was sweet. Anyway, I found this little green top and decided to wear it this afternoon. 

When I walked up to Rebecca at church, she gave me a blank look. Then she started laughing and said, "I had no idea who you were... you look twenty-ish. I was like... 'who IS THIS chick talking to me.'" 

 

Yeah. I need to consider giving the girl an allowance.

I'm headed back to the store in the morning to buy the same shirt in every color it comes in... 'You Betcha.' 

Keep the Faith,
amy

Eyes of Love

One afternoon in a rare moment of 'aloneness' with my husband, I glanced in the visor mirror to check my makeup. The stark sunlight revealed every bit of my age and then some. I sighed and he asked what was wrong. 

"Getting older.... it's such a mean trick," I replied. "Inside I feel the same way I did when I was just a girl. Then... I look in the mirror and I see an old woman."

Reaching over to grab my hand he said, " And when I look at you, I see the sixteen year old girl I fell in love with." 

As he is not one for giving compliments, it made his words all the more special to me. I don't remember where we were going or why but.... I will never forget what he said. Truth was in his voice. And it occurred to me that he was right. When I looked at him, I saw the seventeen year old boy that I fell in love with nearly three decades ago. Time does change most things, but not the eyes of love. 

Keep the Faith, 

amy