Mind=Blown

I heard yesterday of a new trend among high school kids.  The girls who are saving themselves for marriage, and their boyfriends who aren't.  You would think that would be a deal breaker?  One wants sex, one refuses. The choices one would assume to be are that either the one who wants to remain pure gives in, or the one who wants the sex does without for the sake of the other, or they decide to breakup over this difference, or one secretly cheats on the other.  That's pretty much your options, right?  Apparently not anymore. According to what I heard yesterday, there is a new "normal" option for this predicament.   The girls who want to save themselves for marriage are openly allowing their boyfriends to fulfill his worldly urges with other girls, while still having the girlfriend.
There is so much wrong with this picture it makes my head spin.  If the guy really truly loved the girl, or shoot, if he even cared about her and her emotional well being, he should not want to be with others no matter how strong his urges may be.  Do these girls really think that once they marry this guy he is going to automatically give up his midnight escapades for his wife who allowed him to roam freely before the marriage? 
What I imagine is the boyfriend girlfriend go on their date, have a good time, maybe end in a few kisses as an appetizer.  She tells him bye and goes to her room to cry alone while the boy is out getting his cake and ice cream and whatever.  How damaging can this be to her self esteem, to her heart, her soul?!
What is this teaching the guy? That he can do what he wants when he wants with who he wants and his girlfriend or wife should be fine with that.  That integrity and honesty and love and faithfulness mean nothing.
What about the side girls? I imagine some are just along for their 15 minutes of fun with no strings, and while some may temporarily walk away not emotionally attached to the boy, some undoubtedly are developing feelings for these boys too.  Then they stand on the sidelines and watch as he and the original girlfriend go to prom?  How her self worth, self esteem, her heart is suffering as well.
Of course this could go the other way too, with the boy choosing to save himself and allowing his girlfriend to have her sides. 
I just want to cry for these kids.  They are playing with fire in so many ways.

Maternal Instincts

I read an article a couple hours ago about a mom who publicly admits she wished her children were never born. When I first read the title, I was afraid to read it (curiosity killed the cat tho, right) thinking it would be filled with this horrible statements of how she was mean to her kids, abused them, all sorts of things.  I was surprised to find quite the opposite. She says while she never felt the maternal instinct, she grew to love her children.  She still says her life would be happier without them, but then gives very practical and realistic advice such as putting the childrens needs above her own, and says every parent should. 
I am confused, honestly, on how I feel about this article and the woman that it is about.  I am sickened and appaulled that she would tell her children, her grandchildren, let alone the world that she regrets having them.  Yet I respect her for the things she did right for them.
I wonder about those children.  How must this reality affect them?  They are adults now, yet they and all the world will forever know that their mother did not and does not want them but she plays an active role in their lives. 
I just dont understand.
I do understand that not everyone wants to be a parent. But I dont understand purposely becoming one when you never wanted to in the first place. 
What are your thoughts on this?




http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2303588/The-mother-says-having-children-biggest-regret-life.html#ixzz2PuPJefdS

Varsity Cheer

See that #17 on that sign?

That means we have a Varsity Cheerleader in the house!

Lacee and many others girls went through a vigorous week of training to prepare for auditions on Saturday March 23.

Lacee was so excited, so nervous, so everything! She put in the work, she proved to herself she was able, and she earned herself a spot on the 2013-2014 HCHS Varsity Cheerleading Squad.

She knows what its like to not make the team.  She did not make the middle school team her 6th grade year, she did not make the team her 7th grade year. She didnt give up, and she accomplished her goal and was awarded that coveted spot her 8th grade year.  She cheered and cheered and loved every minute of it, until her back decided to go crazy and caused her lots of doctor visits, hospital stays, a semester and a half of school at home with a homebound teacher.  This caused her to not be able physically or by policy to try out for her 9th grade year. 

Lots and lots of prayer, determination, exercise, and more prayer.

God saw fit to give her this ability and this honor again, and we are so very excited and thankful!

Devotionals

I dont really think I can add anything to this.  Its pretty self explanitory. 

I'll simply add that I try to end my days by laying in bed, usually cuddling a sleeping Knox, while reading devotional thoughts and bible verses on my phone.  How cool that technology allows us to have the whole bible at our fingertips, along with reading plans, devotionals, and the ease to share them with the world!

Safari Park

Last week was Spring Break here in Hardin County.  Mark was scheduled to work all week.  Lacee was gone to Memphis to spend the week with her father.  The boys and I played and worked around the house.  Tuesday and Thursday I actually sent them to sitters or to friends for play dates so that I could have the whole day to myself to clean.  And clean I did.  Not quite perfection cleaned, but oh how much better my house looks and feels, and how much happier this mommy is about that! 
Mark took off work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for family time and home project time.  On Friday he and Jimmy worked on our "new room".  It has been our "new room" for over a year now, what once was a carport will soon become our new living room.  We started the enclosure Feb 2012, came to a halt, and have now picked it back up.  We hope to be complete by the end of this month.
On Saturday we went to Safari Park in Alamo, TN.  We had never been, but will surely go back!  Its a drive through zoo, where you can feed animals from your vehicle.  What a neat experience!  Also a small petting and walk thru zoo.  We had a great time. 
Lacee came home Saturday night after being gone 7 days.  Only 2  hours away, it sure felt super far and super long for the rest of us to be without her!
Sunday brought church and more yardwork.

Mark feeding and ostrich

Tommy is holding the bowl feeding the ostrich, Knox isnt too sure about this up close-ness just yet.

This was the car in front of us, just so you can see how the animals just come right up to you.  Then they just stand there (sometimes they actually walk beside you as you drive off if they arent done) as if to say "next" for the next car!

Knox got comfy enough for one to eat from his lap!

At the walk through area, they have a zebra you could feed carrots to! I even got to sneak in a pet or two as he was distracted by the carrots!

Knox LOVED the goats! We spent alot of time petting and watching them!

This was my favorite spotting of the day!  This guy came walking out of the gift shop with this baby monkey on top of his head.  My immediate words were "OMG you have to stop!".  He did and took the monkey, he actually had to unhook his little paws one by one, from his hair and held him so we could get a better look. We werent allowed to hold or pet him. =( but the guy explained that the little monkey was born a twin.  The mother had dropped him twice, and the second time it was very cold, like 20 degrees, and the little monkey was laying on the cold concrete.  So now this guy raises him.  He works there for the park, the monkey goes home with him and comes to work with him.  He feeds him every hour!  I didnt even think to ask what his name was, how old he was, what kind of monkey he was, how big he will get, or if he is even a he. Whatever the details are....how adorable!!

There were many peacocks roaming around, even a solid white one, but never before have I seen one like this before!

Posing by (or on) the statues at the entrance/exit to the walk in part!

so much to blog, so little time

yet again, i find myself behind, WAY behind, on my blogging. i really do enjoy the writing, the remembering, the sharing.  its finding, or making, the time to actually do so that i struggle with.
we have been on a vacation that wasnt and a vacation that was, we have lost teeth and made cheer and gained a dog and had spring break.  all of these i want to blog about, as well as the most exciting news yet, that happens tomorrow.
so here goes...my plans to start keeping up with the blog, yet again.
but tell me, when do you blog? do you set aside a certain time a day or week? do you just blog whenever the urge hits? 
i have the majority of my pictures on my phone, but blogging with a full keyboard is way easier than the phone. have you found it best to blog first, then add the pic from your phone to the already published post? or to start a post from your phone, adding the picture then, and then completing the story from the computer?

Getting better

This pic was taken Dec 1, 2012.  Lacee's first High School Dance.  Its called "Santa Switch"

Lacee was not yet back to school full time when this picture was made.  She completed the second quarter of her first semester of ninth grade at home, with a homebound teacher coming to the house twice a week for an hour. 

At our last visit with her new doctor, a cat scan was performed.  Dr Talac told us that Lacee either had a compression fracture or a blood vessel wrapped around her back.  I asked him how we would find out which one, he said it did not matter, we would treat it as a compression fracture. 

He wanted her to take aqua therapy, but we cannot find a place around here or a therapist trained to give her that.  The closest is an hour away.  I know that isn't far, and I am the first to say that no place is too far to go for our children.  However, with me not working, we simply cannot afford the gas to drive that far even once a week, never mind more.

I am thankful to report, tho, that Lacee is doing so much better.  She has returned to school (its been back in for one week) and has done amazing so far.  She is allowed to sit or stand in her classes depending on what she needs at any particular time. I am so proud for her to be able to attend school without being miserable. I continue to pray for her continued healing. 

I am certain that having our preacher and his wife pray over Lacee last month, and asking many others to pray for her, has played a huge role in her progress.