I almost hit a squirrel today. I almost hit squirrel's alot. They seem to dart around our neighborhood like remote control cars. Seemingly out of control. I've only hit one once. It's not pretty.

I'm glad I'm not a squirrel. I imagine that squirrel's live their tiny little lives in complete and constant fear. Fear that they may not have enough food to last the winter. Fear that the food they find and hide is found by another larger creature, i.e. our dog. Fear that our dog will eat them - while he has not eaten a squirrel, he has swallowed a chipmunk whole. I know this because it came right back up. Still whole, but slimy and quite dead. He's also eaten a Shrew. He tried to tame it first. But it wasn't cooperating, so he just ate it. - Fear that they do not know who their little heart belongs to.

Squirrel's. They are funny creatures. For some odd reason I started pondering the life of the little squirrel I almost flattened today, and decided that I'm glad I'm not a squirrel.

There is nothing in this life that I fear. Truly nothing. I know where I will lay my head at night. And I know where my food will come from - and I know at all times where the larger creature in my house is that might eat it before I can. But most importantly, I know who my heart belongs to.

0 comments  

Labels: God is in Control

0 comments  

Labels: Dogs

Well, it seems that Christmas has left the building, just as quickly as it arrived. Somehow this year seemed a bit crazier than year's past. Like the season just snuck up on us. Or perhaps it's because it's currently 70 degrees outside and I'm sitting at the kitchen table with the door open listening to the peaceful chirping of the crickets. Oh...that reminds me of a funny story about crickets that I must tell. Probably going to make for a long post - sorry!

When we were on our honeymoon, we met this awesome couple from Waymouth, England, named Mark and Sarah. Mark was quite a character and gave O a run for his money in the humor department. One night we were having dinner with them, and it was a night much like tonight. Warm, humid and lots of crickets - except I wasn't at the kitchen table, and the cars I hear now sounded more like the Caribbean ocean - anywho... We're sitting there - very quietly I might add, so as not to disturb the other couples making googly eyes at each other across their watermelon soup - looking at the ever-changing menu trying to decide whether to have duck or lamb (I chose the duck), and Mark (of Mark and Sarah), looked up from his menu and proclaimed loudly..."What in the heavens is that noise?" {You must say that in a British accent in your head...I'll wait while you go back and read it in a British accent.}

Ok...let's try again ~ ~

Mark - "What in the heavens is that noise?"

Owen - "What noise?"

Mark - "That chirping sound. What IS that?"

Sarah - "Oh yeah, I hear that too. Kept me up all night last night"

Jess - "I don't hear a noise"

Owen - "You mean the crickets?"

Mark - "Crickets? Crickets? What in the world is a cricket? Sounds like a game."

Owen then tried to explain what a cricket is, telling him how peaceful they are, and that we love to listen to their music. It's much harder than you might imagine to describe a cricket to someone who thinks Cricket is nothing more than a game. To which Mark said...(remember your accent)

"Well can you make it stop?"

Owen - "They stop when it rains, but once the rain stops they get louder"

Mark - "Well I say...I wish it would rain every night so I could get some sleep. That's ridiculous to have crickets at a place like this"

I'm sorry about that. You probably didn't think that whole episode was funny at all. Probably felt like watching an inappropriate episode of Friend's with your grandmother. I hate that feeling. So sorry I subjected you to that. But it's one of the funny stories about our honeymoon that we love to retell to each other. We should probably keep it to ourselves. If you knew Mark and Sarah you would get it. Maybe one day they will come visit and we can act out that story for you. Trust me. It's funny.

So...Christmas....

We had a wonderful Christmas. We were very blessed to be able to host a big gathering of the in-laws and out-laws at our house this year. Many members from each of our families came over for some heavy hors d'oeuvres (I have to look that up every time I use that word. Who spells a word like that?...crazy French people). We had wonderful food and even more wonderful guests. It was so fun to have everyone in one place again. The last time everyone was together was our wedding, and we had so much fun, we decided we'll subject everyone to a gathering as often as possible so we can pseudo-re-live our wedding.

We received many wonderful gifts, and once again feel very blessed to have the family that we have. A few gifts of note that I wanted to share (not to take away from any other gift that I don't mention)...

We received "a major award" to put in the window... And yes, it's in the window in all it's glory. And I went outside to make sure it was in the right spot.

We also received these beautiful "12 Days of Christmas" ornaments from Papa and Marcia...

They were a surprise. One day was got a box in the mail, and I put it under the tree, not knowing who it was from. I love presents like that!

Then there was this beautiful angel with the three Wisemen carved in her dress...

We got our first and only "P" ornament from Chris, Chaney & Tyler. It's hanging front and center on our tree...next to Tas' paw print ornament that he and I made...

Owen's sister made this beautiful shadow box of flowers from our wedding, and our program.

Overall it was a wonderful Christmas. The time spent with our family and friend's far outweighs any gift we could ever receive.

We hope you had a very Merry Christmas, and we look forward to the New Year and pray for blessings to everyone!!

0 comments  

Labels: Merry Christmas

0 comments  

This particular Christmas season has provided for many fun 'run-ins' with those of short stature. Muchkins. Little Ones. Boogers. I have multiple nicknames for the tiny people in our lives.



The first of late was at the Ornament and Cookie Swap last Friday night. Little Miss Lilianna and I played Stack the Wisemen on the Camel with her "Little People Nativity Set." It was the most fun! To do this is quite simple. First, you carefully stack the wisemen on top of the camel. Then, you wait cautiously for them to stay up, and WHAM....Miss Lilianna comes and knocks them all down! Then you repeat step 1. We had a blast! I've determined the Little People Nativity Set is a must have with little ones around. It's a great way to teach them the story of baby Jesus, with toys just their size.

My next munchkin run in was in Sunday School last Sunday. It was my turn to teach, this semester I'm with the 1 year olds. Which really isn't teaching so much as playing. Recently little "C" as I'll call him, moved from the 6-12months room to the 12-18months room. He was a little too old for the 6-12month room, and still a little young for the 12-18month room. But he seems to like his new room better. More big boy toys to keep him occupied. He's just learning words, and is just the cutest! We have this little bee toy that rolls - I'm sure it once played music, but the batteries are long gone (& that's a good thing!). So I was rolling the bee back and forth at him saying "What does the bee say?...BZZZZZ" It took a few repetitions, but he eventually started answering "What does the bee say?" with "ZZZZZZZ" and laughing hysterically. Like a baby great big belly laugh. It was so stinking cute! After a while, we weren't even playing with the bee toy anymore, and I asked him again, and he'd say "ZZZZZZZ" followed by a big belly laugh. I just love watching children learn new things and seeing the amazement in their faces. Puts everything into perspective.


The most recent short person run in was Tuesday night. Our niece Aeryn had her pre-school Christmas musical at Helena Baptist. We all had a video camera with dead batteries, so the video, which would've been priceless is non-existent. There were a lot of kids - probably 40-50. They all stood so sweetly on the stage and first sang "Silent Night" - it was more of "Silent Night...Holy Nigh...la la la...la la la....da da da da da da da (turn and look at my neighbor) da da da (wave at someone I think is my parents, but really it's not because they're on the other side of the room and I can't find them)...Silent Night....Holy Niiiii......



They then sang a few other songs, but the highlight of the night was when they sang "Gloria" - you know (In excelsies deo or however you spell it)...At the beginning of the song, they babbled along with the cd, all sweetly holding hands. (And this is where the video cameras went dead)...as soon as it gets to the Gloria part, they all shot their hands high in the air and screamed GLOO-OOOOO-OOOOO-OOOOO-RIA at the top of their lungs. Followed by a softer "In Ex Shell See Deo" - then GLOO-OOOOO-OOOOO-OOOOO-RIA even louder than the first time.


Gloria was followed by Joy to the World in much the same fashion - hands in the air and screaming JOY TO THE WORLD and mumbling the rest.


It was by far the cutest children's Christmas presentation I have ever seen. Granted I've only seen about 2, but this was the cutest!


Really that's all I have to share at the moment. We'll have many other moments with little ones next week as we hold Christmas at our house on Christmas night!

1 comments  

Labels: Munchkins

For 9 years in a row, my friend Christy has held an Annual Ornament and Cookie Swap Party at Christmas. It is the most fun, and I really look forward to it every year. Each year around Thanksgiving, I start scoping out cookie magazines for the perfect recipe. I've made a variety of different cookies over the years, but I love to make at least one batch that I decorate.

0 comments  

Labels: Cookie Monster