Mother's Day 2022

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.  Proverbs 31:30 

With losing Diana in December and my mom's health declining quickly these last few months, I could never have imagined last year at this time how very different this Mother's Day would be. But one thing remains very much the same. I have been so blessed with a mom and mother-in-law who have shown me what it is to be a woman who fears the Lord, and I will continue to greatly praise them for being the kind of women of faith and wonderful mothers that I strive to be.

Father's Day 2023

Four Fun Facts About Allen King- 2023 Edition

* He visits me every day at lunch and gives my dog 37 treats while I tell him not to. Then he tells the dog he's too big. 

*He trusts me to write all checks for his bills, address and stamp them but does not trust that I can actually put them in a mailbox, so he takes them with him and does that himself.

*He continues to ask me almost daily where my brother is working  that week even though I answer daily that I don't know because I've never really liked my brother. 

*He's a great travel buddy but will never actually commit that he's going to go somewhere ahead of time. One just has to get in the car when it's time to leave and see if he's beside them. 

*The Best Facts About Allen King*

*He loves his kids and grandkids wholeheartedly and unconditionally and talking about and seeing pictures of what his crazy gang is doing in life is his favorite pastime. 

*We couldn't find a better dad and grandpa if we tried- even on the days he makes us tired!

Happy Father's Day to the Best. ♥️

My Bella's Bestie

This is Rebecca. Rebecca is my Bella's friend. We literally met in line ordering pizza at Bella's probably 8 or 10 years ago. We talked like we'd known each other for forever, and I instantly loved her. She gushed with joy and Godliness and fun. I left that day with a smile just because I'd been around her. I saw Rebecca on occasion over the next few years- in the cereal aisle at Kroger, the parking lot at Lowe's, Bella's again (um, I used to be at Bella's too much). Every time I'd see Rebecca, we'd stop and talk... for a LONG time. To be perfectly honest, I couldn't remember her name. That's awful but true. I'd get home and tell Kevin I was sorry I'd taken so long, but I saw my Bella's Bestie! I finally decided one day that if I left every encounter with her this happy and blessed, I was going to hunt her down and make her be my official friend. I knew the school where she worked, so I stalked the website, found her whole name and stalked her FB. (Seeing that in writing now makes that seem a bit creepy. Lesson- don't ever try to hide from Kelly!) In October, 2020, I sent her a FB message asking if she'd like to go to lunch sometime. I was afraid we'd eventually get arrested for loitering if we kept meeting up like we had been. She said she'd love to do lunch, so we did.... just this week. I have no idea why it took nearly 2 years, but it was worth the wait. 

Rebecca has WRITTEN A BOOK now, and I'd ordered my copy from Amazon so I could have the author sign it! We met at, you guessed it, Bella's, and we stayed so long, the owner threatened to put us on the payroll. I admittedly have been struggling with some complacency in my walk with the Lord in recent months. After hearing Rebecca's testimony about the last year of her life and this book coming to fruition, I left our lunch renewed and 100% knowing that God sent this book and this lady right when I needed it. The book is about Boy Mommas in the Bible and what we can learn from them- whether we're raising boys or girls. I learned about Rizpah last night- a momma whose story I should've remembered but didn't- a story that both broke and inspired this boy momma's heart. I'm so glad Rebecca followed God's prompting on this project. It is and will continue to be a blessing to many.

And so, 2 lessons here. 1) My husband is very wrong to make fun of me for talking to everyone from random folks in lines at the store to calls from wrong numbers. You never know when you're going to get a fabulous friend in the process. 2) God gives you what you need when you need it - just like I needed lunch with Rebecca more than I could've imagined and just like so many people are going to need this book. 

Blessings. 

Odds and Ends

Tonight I walked in the door from work, and the First Grader walked up to me, never spoke and stuck a sticky note on my shoulder that read, "Pandcake Sat. 24, 2012".  Guess what's for breakfast this weekend?  Subtle hints go a long way with me. 

We went on a scout field trip tonight to make little wooden, hammer-it-yourself crafts.  Lots of tongue-biting (a bizarre family trait shared by me, my dad and my brother which mildly stresses my hubby)and left-handed hammering from the First Grader.  The Sixth Grader also made two of them and said they'd be good to go home and burn.  He's not a pyromaniac, I promise.  He's weird but not a pyromaniac. 

I completely and totally came unglued at work today.  It is not uncommon for me to get somewhat annoyed on a somewhat regular basis, however so furious that my ears turn red- well, not such a regular occurrence.  I left a shaky-voiced message on a ladies machine.  Not my finest moment but one I still feel was necessary... unless I lose my job tomorrow.  Then I might rethink that.   I knew I scared the lady because she called back and offered to send me some Starbucks.  Not too bad for a girl who doesn't lose it very often. I must throw an impressive fit.  I may look into doing that a little more often.  I like the little danish things from that place.

So there are your odds and ends.  You are welcome.

Girl Power

I'm in a book club.  I just love saying that.  It makes me feel smart.  A big part of our book club is about getting together to eat and gab, but we do read a book and discuss it at the gathering, so it is a book club.  I get to say that.  I had book club at my house tonight and a big time.  We're reading Lineage of Grace about women in the Bible that were in Jesus's lineage.  They were some amazing women, that's for sure, and they were all in His family.  It got me to thinking, I've got some mighty fine women in my family too. 

My mom is a recurring theme in my blogs, so you know that I really like her.  She's way up there on my amazing woman list.  My mom was faithful to take all three of us to church and make sure we were raised in a Christian home.  She was fair and balanced long before Fox News was.  For example, Mom recognized that on occasion, very rare occasion, I just needed a day off from school.  She would allow it and even write a note the next day for the school to please excuse the absence, but she never, ever would lie and say I was sick.  She didn't put anything about why.  She left that for me to do because no way, no how would my mom ever lie.  Ever.  Honesty is her thang.  Unfortunately, when I would hand my note in at the office the next day, and they asked why I was out, I'm not so sure I was always quite so honest.  "Were you sick?" they would ask.  "Um, OK." would be my reply.  My brother was always very bitter that she would let me "lay-out" and literally, this maybe happened twice while I was in high school.  One of them was on "Senior Layout Day", you know, where  the whole idea was to be sneaky and layout.  I just explained to Mom about the day and told her I was going to layout if it was OK.  She said OK, I was allowed to layout, so I did.  I'm such a rebel.  Anyway, back to the brother griping thing.  I'll never forget Mom's reply when he said she was easier on me than him. "Oh just hush, at least she tells me she's laying out like you never did!"  You get him, Mom!

The amazing woman I've known second longest is my sister.  Mom beat her out by a few days- that whole hospital thing.  I think my sister and I would both probably tell you that we've always loved each other bunches but started liking each other lots when we didn't have to live together anymore.  I think a whole lot of sisters might tell you that.  I would like to list what my sister is.  I'm listing it because I'm afraid anything else would just seem like a mention.  You cannot just mention these things because she's not just a little or sort of any of them.  I cannot emphasize enough the she is 110% of the following things:
She is a prayer warrior- You hear that about a lot of folks, and it is probably true.  My sister is the prayer warrior poster child.  The verse says, "Pray without ceasing".  She's on it.  She prays over meals she fixes for people, that God would let them turn out well.  She prays before she goes shopping that God will let her find the best deals.  I've heard one of our friends say before, "It was a big thing, so we got her to pray about it."  This girl is at the foot of the cross.  When we've talked prayer in Sunday School before, she was my example of how it's done.  Because of her, I don't think of anything as too small to pray about.  If it's important to me, it's important to Him.  She knows her Bible inside and out too.  Just a little side note there.  Makes me feel like a dork because I really, really need to study it more.
She is generous- You never see my sister and leave empty handed.  If she finds a smokin' deal at CVS for a gallon of liquid hand soap for a quarter, she stocks us all up.  My hands were the cleanest they've ever been on that one.  I currently have slivered almonds on my salads because they were on clearance somewhere, so she got us all some.  I dipped everything not nailed down in almond bark this Christmas because Walgreen had tons of it for less than a dollar, so she hooked us all up.  She shows up with clothes for my kids and even me when she's found a deal and thinks it looks like something we'd like.  Someday, my sister will be the executor of Mom and Dad's will   She loves to give stuff away, and she likes me better than my brother. Score!  (OK, she's never said she likes me better, one would just assume.) 
She is frugal- Did you notice a common theme in the "She is generous" section.  Do the words clearance, deal, and sale stick out to you at all?  If not, they should.  I'm gonna go ahead and say this one twice.  It really needs to be emphasized.  She is frugal.  She is frugal.  The words "retail price" are not in her vocabulary.  My sister and her coupons are not soon parted.  She's not a crazy extreme couponer.  She just has coupon for about anything at about any given time.  My hubby and I had a romantic anniversary dinner at the Vineyard for half price one time thanks to her coupons.  It was so cheap it tasted better- seriously.  I've said she'll bury Mom and Dad buy one get one free someday.  More power to her.
She is a planner- If there is going to be conflict between sisters these days, it will fall under this section.  She is a planner- a way, way planner.  I won't say I'm not a planner because I do tend to organize family functions for our entire gang, but not everything I do is planned.  It is the "not everythings" that tend to drive us a little crazy with each other on occasion.  I must admit though, her planning usually really works out to our benefit.  If you go to visit her for the weekend, there will be a menu written out listing everything in her fridge that might interest your taste buds.  While there for a visit, a plan will be in place of what might be fun for the weekend while you're there.  You don't necessarily have to do it, it's just always good to have a plan.  Her father-in-law is a big fan of hers in this area.  He's bragged to me on more than one occasion, "She makes sure you're taken care of when you visit, doesn't she?"  He is impressed.  My cousin found out that her son would be going to a doctor in my sister's town for some health issues.  My aunt let my sister know and make no mistake, she was on it.  I told my friends that my cousin sure picked the right town because my sister would have it under control.  I was not mistaken.  You got a crisis and need a plan?  She is your girl- no job too big or too small.
There is a print on my wall that my sister gave me for Christmas in 1993.  It says, "Dear Sister, through the years of joy and tears, God provides and sees us through.  What a special gift He gave, when He gave me you."  I realize more and more each year the special gift I have in my sister.

Next on my list are the in-laws.  With a whole lot of people in this world, the word "in-laws" instantly stirs up eye rolls or hateful tones or some kind of mean joke.  You better sit down when I tell you this one.  I like mine.  There are three women in my life that have "in-law" attached to their title.  I almost don't like saying that part when I talk about them because of the negativity that can come with that title to some people.  I've always qualified the statement  "my sister-in-law" when referencing my brother's wife with "but she's really just more like my sister".  And she was.  She was part of my life from the time I was nine years old, and she definitely would fall under the amazing category, especially how she handled what all the last few years of her life brought with it.  My hubby's mom and sister are the other two with that "in-law" stuck to their title, although I sort of just prefer saying my hubby's mom and sister.  Not only have they been my family for the last fourteen years of my marriage, but I would say a even a few years before that.   I hang out a lot with these folks- on their deck, at the beach, at Watauga, all holidays, and lots of dinners out.  We usually spend a whole lot of that time laughing and laughing lots- sometimes to the point where we almost pee in our chair, but I'll not mention any names, Iana Day.  I love how these two women love my kids, and they've been a huge help to us with them especially the years before they started school.  I call them lots to tell them funny things one of the kids has said or done because I know they'll be as tickled with him as I am. In a world where not everybody thinks your kids are as great as you think they are, I'm always so excited that I've got some ladies who do.  So yeah, I like my in-laws.  How weird is that?

There are three more amazing ladies in my family who I've had the privilege of loving since the day they were born.  My nieces.  Oh, how I love my nieces.  My oldest niece made my parents grandparents and my sister and I aunts, and facts are facts, we didn't think there had ever been a baby born before her.  Looking back, I can now see that my mom, dad, sister and I were probably a pretty obnoxious bunch, sticking my niece's baby picture or my actual niece in peoples' faces every chance we got.  I think we might have lost some friends during those years.  We bought more clothes, toys, books and just stuff her first few years than all of our other years combined.  "Package" was one of her first words because she got so many in her mailbox in Arizona.  She's gotten to do all the firsts in our family, from screaming on Santa's lap (Grandpa had to rescue her) to homecoming court, proms, and graduation. Celebrating these milestones has been big times for us all.  Things haven't been easy the last year, but that baby we thought hung the moon has turned into a young lady of substance who stayed where she was needed when times were tough.  I don't think I just speak for myself here but for our whole family when I say it was during that time that she made us most proud.

I was visiting my brother and his wife in Arizona when she found out she was pregnant with my second niece.  I didn't officially meet my second niece until she was two months old, but my, how taken I was with her.  I hate to brag (not really) but seriously, this kid was one of the most beautiful preschoolers I've ever seen.  And contrary to what my sister-in-law might have said, I don't just say that because she looked like our side of the family.  Besides, we can't help it if we've got really good genes.  When the sixth grader and my nephew were little, we called them her disciples.  They went where she went and did what she did and generally just worshipped the ground she walked on.  I love, love, love when she comes to visit us these days.  You know the line, "You make me happy when skies are gray"?  Yep, that's her.  She's just so much fun to have around.  We talk and laugh and play games, she just makes me smile.  She's still very pretty and just so happens, she still looks like our bunch.  What can we say?

Then there was surprise niece number three arriving 9 and 6 years after the first two.  When my sister-in-law was pregnant with her, we all went to the ultrasound to find out what she was having.  By all, I mean, my brother, my two nieces, me, my oldest, my dad and my mom.  Was my sister-in-law a good sport or what?  This niece was round, blond and smiley.  As she grew, she was yet another repeat of her mom just like her oldest sister.  Now-a-days,  she is usually the one I see my sister-in-law in most.  She has given everybody a run for their money since about the time she learned to talk.  Unpredictable would be a good description I'd say.  She keeps my brother on his toes with him encouraging her often to "use her powers for good".  Since there is a little payback in order for all the bugging he did to me when we were little, I think this girl has got me covered.  Hands down, her best attribute has to be her squeezability- ohhh, she's fun to just get a hold of and hug on.  Makes me bite my tongue just thinking about it.

So there you have it.  A line-up of ladies that I love to spend time with and that I think the world of.  A group of girls that have been through it all with me and that I love so much.  Amazing women that I'm proud to call my family.

If this isn't a bunch of girl power all huddled together, I don't know what is.

I'm Leavin' On a Jet Plane

I had to go on a little business trip this weekend to Dallas.  I didn't see JR, and Lucy didn't come to lunch.  Sorry Karen and Travis.  My sister and her husband got a little too hooked on Dallas reruns when they were dating and first married.  The night they were watching and my sister exclaimed in a shocked tone, "Well, what's Lucy doing at lunch?", the hubby and I started having concern that they actually thought they were Ewings.  It was when they started humming the show's theme song when they pulled into their driveway that we really got concerned.  OK, that part was maybe an exaggeration. 

I used to get a little uptight when I had to travel, but I guess as my kids have gotten older, I've gotten over that some. Once I got on a plane, I was fine.  It was just the thought of leaving and some "what ifs".   It's weird, but I think my sister-in-law dying has had something to do with my change of attitude as well.  One of the worst possible things I can imagine actually happened to my family.  Somehow it takes some of the pressure off of the "what ifs" because one of the "what ifs" happened.  I'm sure that sounds completely insane to normal people, but if you've read this blog more than three minutes, you know by now that I may not fall into that "normal people" category.

I had some revelations on this trip.  First of all, and there is a chance that this one may make me a bit of a bad mother, but lying in a hotel bed watching any stupid show on TV that I want with no laundry to go throw in the dryer during commercials or dishwashers to load isn't such a bad gig on occasion.  I love my family dearly, but I figure they can survive fine without me for a couple of nights. 

And about those TV shows.  I have also found that cable TV has a reality show/documentary type show for about any topic you could imagine.  I just have basic cable at home so staying in a hotel lets me find out what all I'm missing out on with Extended cable.  I started watching Discovery Health when I got in from dinner one night and decided I might be a doula- you know, be the cheering section for women giving birth.  Then I watched a little longer and decided I might be a doula in prison (not me actually be a doula prisoner- just a doula that visits the prisoners)- there's even shows about that.  I contacted my friend SUMMER (she wants a mention in this blog apparently) to see if she'd go ahead and have another baby so I could try out this doula thing before I move on to the prison system.  Since I have lots of stipulations on what I find creepy during childbirth, ie any position besides lying on one's back, the birthing mommy not maintaining a certain dress code during the birth, any birthing in water ( I can barely pull the plug out of my kitchen sink without gagging at the weird floating things in the water, I can only imagine having a baby in water- um, yuck), and since Summer thinks ropes are somehow involved in the birthing process, I've about decided I might give up my doula-ing plans.  Also there's the part where I've had two C-sections and really don't know what all goes on with that whole birthing thing might also set me back.  I know she'll be disappointed, but maybe Summer will still be my friend.  I did mention her in this blog after all. 

On TV, I also found out that Guy what's-his-name eats a lot of ribs/BBQ on that Drive-In/Dives show, and they're always the best he's ever had.  Just once, I'd love for the local chef people to go through showing him all their big secrets, fix him up a big plate of their specialty, the camera zoom in on him taking one of his huge bites and for him to yell, "Oh my gosh, this is horrible!  I wouldn't feed this junk to my dog!"  Admit it.  It would tickle you too.  Or send him to Ridgewood Barbecue where they wouldn't care who he was, he'd wait outside with everybody else, and they'd be doing him the favor if they did let him in to eat their food.

When traveling, I also find I'm not near businessy enough, but lucky for me, I have a travel buddy with me sometimes, and she's not either.  It's my friend Jen-nae, and we're just like peas and carrots.  Now we do a good job for our company, we just can't help it if we happen to have lots of fun doing it. We can't help it if our offices sometimes have lots of pictures of squirrels in them.  Or if they have "Most Wanted" posters around with Jen-nae's face on them.  We can't help it if we might roll Oregano joints.  We can't help it if we research things like what the sign means in front of the dirty store (it only took one phone call to the Intimate Treasures worker, and she told just what we needed to know....and maybe a little more.)  We can't help it, and we just keep hoping our boss understands that.  It's just a problem we have.

We've also gone on several "business" trips together that go about like our office time.  We got stuck at a mall in Dallas and the hotel driver refused to come get us during a snowstorm one time.  Did you know it never snows in Dallas...until we get there?  We've gone to eat in Nashville while on one of our trips to find ourselves at a restaurant with the biggest bunch of crazies dancing that we've ever seen.  I'm pretty sure one guy was Rumpelstiltskin, and he kept trying to get my pal to dance with him and his cane.  I did get video of him with my phone until he started toward me, and I got scared he was going to beat me with that cane.  We quickly retreated to the bathroom where Bon Qui Qui and her sidekick were the bathroom hostesses.  We don't actually think anyone asked them to be, they just decided to set up their Tussy deodorant, 30 year old, crusty bottles of half used Avon lotion and AquaNet to try and make a buck or two on tips.  We certainly didn't partake in any of their toiletries/ beauty aids but were scared, so we tipped them anyway- "Here ya go, Mam.  We don't care for any of your moldy roll-on, but we would like to leave with our lives.  Thanks so much and have a great night."  So after relaying just a very, very few, tip of the iceberg stories of our business, I guess I'll just leave the guys on the airplane alone, but if you ask me, they need to buy an exercise ball and lighten up a little.

So, I'm glad to be home.  Extended Cable would be fun, but all those career changes I would have would just be exhausting, and some of those prisoners are down right scary.  I like traveling, but I like coming home.  I know I could have chosen a few things differently and really climbed career ladders that would have made me much more businessy like those other folks on the plane, but I like being home to raise my kids and frankly, I like working hard at my job but having some fun while I do it.  My sidekick/partner in crime has a birthday this week.  I'm lucky to call her coworker and very blessed to call her friend.  Happy Birthday, Jenay-nay.  We're like peas and carrots.  But now it's time to head, I've got clothes to put in the dryer.

I will give one more shout out to my namesake nephew who turns 13 today.  He's a great kid, and I love him much.  I'm glad we share a name whether he is or not.

You Make Me Happy When Skies are Gray

2012

My mom has stated on many occasions that she always feels sorry for the big brother/big sister when a new baby comes.  They have to share the attention, etc.  Mom and I have differing opinions on occasion, and this happens to be one of those occasions.  In most cases, it is the second baby I feel bad for because in most cases, that first one is a tough act to follow.  This was the case in our house.

Number One had been around for five years when Number Two was born.  His spot was well established.  He was our first child, the hubby's parents' first grandchild, his sister's first niece/nephew and was center of attention with my parents a lot of the time.  Number One was not an easily entertained baby that grinned at the drop of a hat at anyone passing.  He was a tough sell.  One of my favorite lines from the movie Tombstone was said about Wyatt Earp by his brother, Virgil, "Mama always doted on the frowner."  I've said that about Number One on many occasions.  Oddly, this feature made him very endearing and a very popular member of our church.  And he was adorable.  That's just how it was.  It was agreed upon by many, and not just his biased family, that he was an absolutely beautiful baby.  Announcement of our pregnancy with him was celebrated and rejoiced over and huge, huge news.  All this to say, Number One was something, and all of us thought it.

It was tough to get pregnant with Number Two and required the help of some fertility drugs.  When it was confirmed I was pregnant, I was cautiously happy but scared to be thrilled.  I didn't tell the hubby within ten minutes like I did the first time.  I waited a few days until I had further blood tests to make sure all my hormone levels were rising like they were supposed to.  I waited even longer to tell our families until I had an ultrasound and could see his little spine and a flicker of heartbeat.  With Number One, we told the same night I did the pregnancy test.  It was just an entirely different situation.

When we told that I was expecting again, everyone was happy, of course.  My family is just not normal over babies.  We love them...all of them, ours, yours, theirs.  We are not normal over babies, so they were tickled but a little surprised.  They weren't so sure if we were having more or not.  The hubby's family was happy too.  It was just different from the first time.  I've talked to friends.  It's just how it is, and they've felt the same way about their not first pregnancies.  But it worried me a little for the little one inside me.  I was worried he/she was getting gypped.

He was born and didn't have quite the crowd at the hospital that Number One did, mainly because Number Two was a scheduled C-section and was born at the crack of dawn.  Of course, Number One had an insane amount of people there, so it really wasn't fair to compare.  He didn't look like his brother and ended up have really bad jaundice and had to be in the bili blanket.  He just had a whole different start. 

I say all this to say, at the beginning of his little life, I kind of thought that Number Two got a little gypped, and it made me feel bad.  But I quickly learned something about number two kids, at least my Number Two.  Well, to be honest, I've seen it in a lot of number two kids.  God makes them a lot different from number one and from what I've seen, usually a little crazy.  I think He does that so they establish their own spot in our families. 

I found out in a hurry that our Number Two was God's gift TO ME.  My hubby, the Original Frowner, and his identical twin firstborn, Frowner Junior, spent a lot of their days frowning at me.  I do some weird stuff, talk to random people and can have some off the wall ideas of what I think would constitute some fun.  Not only did they usually not buy in, they usually stood side by side and frowned, and they frowned at me.  But Number Two came into this world gung-ho.  He was a ball of fun just looking for a good time.  He had his Grandma's name, and he looked bizarrely like my dad.  Grandpa was A-OK with that.

As a baby, not even a year old, he was a performer.  If it would make people laugh, he'd do it gladly again and again then laugh with them.  We spent lots of time in the middle of our Fellowship Hall at church doing the routine.  "Are you scared?"  "Are you excited?"  Multiple acts for an admiring crowd.  He'd do the faces and motions that went with the questions.  He got a little older and some of the youth would have him saying all kinds of crazy stuff.  He was the baby of my family.  His cousins loved him and squeezed on him, and he and his brother were each others biggest fans.  He was something else.

As he got older, he got crazier and funnier.  His Mimama has stated on many occasions that "he is crazy" while laughing her head off and looking at me.  I'm not sure where she thinks he gets it.  His granddaddy just sits and looks at him a little perplexed on a regular basis but very, very amused. 

He  tended to and still tends to make a scene unintentionally a lot of the time, namely whenever there is a crowd pointed his direction for any reason.  He has announced during the children's message that he, "Wikes his shoes" to Brother Bob while he was trying to tell them the plan of salvation.  He's announced that to be free means to "Not be in jail" during the children's message on Memorial Day.  To yell, "This show stinks, I wanna go to my class" during the very reverent Christmas Eve service when he was 3 didn't bother him at all.    Posing like a statue from Night At the Museum on the front row of a program for VBS instead of doing the actual motions that went with the little songs seems like a good idea to him.  Well, to him and apparently our friend, Ben. 

This Number Two kid is creative too- not only in his crazy ideas but artistically as well.  His ability to draw and love of it has amazed us all for years now.  He spent his fourth year of life literally drawing almost everything that happened to him and drawing it well.  When the hubby's Montero wouldn't go up the hill to my mom's in the snow one morning, Number Two drew it.  The list goes on and on.  I've saved the drawings because it honestly sort of journals his  life.  Sometimes, the drawings are inventions he's thought up.  Truly, he has some talent.  He can also make almost anything out of a Trio block which is sort of like a Lego.  Rockets, boats, cannons, guns, guns, guns of all sorts.  Even his brother who is five years older will say, "Mom, did you see what he made?"  He can't even believe it sometimes.  One of the biggest fits he's ever thrown was when I picked him up early from school one day last year to take them to Dollywood.  He was ticked because he had just gotten into art class, and now he had to miss it.  Evil Mommy- taking him to Dollywood.

He knows some Bible stories too- lots of them.  Sometimes we're not so sure he's listening, but then he'll tell us something out of the blue that makes us know differently.  One morning, he sat up in bed and said, "I had the weirdest dream last night.  There were 7 fat cows and 7 skinny cows and the skinny cows started eating the fat cows..."  Um, either he listened well in Sunday School or he is a Pharaoh.  We're not sure.  My sister swears he'll be a crazy youth director some day because he has wild ideas and knows a lot of Bible.  That is the ultimate youth director combination.

So do I think number two kids get gypped when they're born?  Maybe a little.  I think it's just how things are.  It may just take a little longer to establish their spot with that first one always flipping and flopping around.  But here's one thing for sure, once that number two kid gets going, there is no stopping them, at least at my house.  Our first grader makes us laugh every single day.  He's the first to jump at any suggestion of anything that might be remotely fun or usually even if it might not.  He still wants to love on his mama lots and likes to be laid down with at night to snuggle.  He can certainly battle with his brother now but spends a whole lot of the time belly laughing at all their crazy antics.  We're not sure he's ever going to get top teeth back in which we notice lots since he's grinning about half the time.  Both of my kids are the light of my life, but I guess if I had to sum it up, it would go like this.  Number One came into this world and brought pride and jubilation.  Number Two came into this world and brought love and laughter and fun.  And nothing makes me happier than getting to be their mom.

DISCLAIMER: I think the term "gypped" is politically incorrect referring to gypsies.  There are two things here.  I never claimed to be politically correct and I know no gypsies, so I decided I would leave it in.  If I ever run for president, you may use it against me at that time.