Chefs in the making

Melia and Payton decided to cook today...aren't they cute!

National Cheesecake Day

I will take any "National Day" if it allows me to go to the Cheesecake Factory and get 1/2 price cheesecake.  So yummy.  Kerry and Kristin went with us.  It was crazy busy, but didn't take too long to get a table.  There were lots of people eating cheesecake.

Share a Coke with a friend

Coke has a new advertising scheme and I fell right into it.  Found a Diet Coke bottle with my name on it...literally.

Need to get my crap together

I really need to get my but together again and start making my own mixes and menus again.  I'm not sure that I will do it, but at least I know that I have the book when I want/ need it.

Heaven is for Real

We took GB and Jay to see the movie Heaven is For Real.  Jay was excited about the popcorn...not sure GB enjoyed that....if I remember, she doesn't like popcorn.  The move was fun and Braeden loved taking them to the movies!

GB and Jay

GB and Jay are spending a couple of days here in Texas with us.  We got to see Corin today, so he has officially met the Great Grandma's.  It was nice to play with him at McDonalds and get some family pictures.  We also went to Kerry's and saw them for a little bit.  Kerry had to work, but was up for a little bit...as Tatum slept on his floor.

And she's home

She is home and I hear my times at camp all over again.  She has a much better attitude than I ever did...proud of her for loving God and focusing on him, not on herself.  She is so much wiser than I was.

My insecurities...her insecurities?

Why is it when I send my kid off to somewhere; camp, a movie, youth group, school...why do my insecurities as a child sneak up?  I didn't have a lot of friends growing up. I had the neighborhood kids I played with, but looking back, not sure they wanted to play with me, or if I just was "in the neighborhood" so we played. Grade School was a nightmare. I was always made fun of and never had "bffs" as they say now.  I remember going to swimming lessons and I had so many friends that I showed up for the wrong lessons and no one noticed until the lessons were nearly over...not the leaders, not the kids, no one. So as I sent my daughter off to camp this week, I had high hopes she would be accepted, have a group of friends that loved  her and just generally have a wonderful time. I had full expectations of that and I was really standing on that, until I saw a photo posted today on FaceBook of the girls from our youth group.  Melia is standing off by her self, leaning on the wall, looking lost.  My heart is breaking right now and I can't do anything for her.  Not that she would want me to. I some time wonder if I am the reason my kids never seem to fit in...if My insecurities have been so deeply embedded into their personalities that they are doomed to a life of mine.  Even as an adult, I find myself becoming more of an introvert, not because I want to be, but it is a way to protect myself from hurts and lack of "bffs".  What have I done to these 5 wonderful kids?  Why would the Heavenly Father hand these capable, amazing humans to me...so I can mess them up?!

I know that when I accepted Jesus as my Savior and made him the Lord of my life, I was instantly accepted and loved in more ways that I could possibly understand. I know that I have the mind of Christ and that I am still growing in Favor with God and man.  How do I convey that to my sweet 13 year old daughter?  The one who is awkward, has acne and is "over the top" to cover up her insecurities. (I was like that growing up...you either are over the top, or fade into the background. It seems I've switched as an adult)

What can I do about this today?  I can pray and trust that God doesn't make mistakes. He handed these children into my care and I'm sure he knows that I can do it...whatever "it" is.  I will pray for her that she is having an awesome time and that the camera just caught her thinking about other things.  That she has great friends and they are forming bonds and "bff" status among the group and she will walk away with more love for the Father and her fellow race than she had before she left. I will pray God will guard her heart and not let it get bruised during this week...and I will cry myself to sleep as I do.

July 21, 2014...off to camp

And she's off

Today she heads to camp....I pray it all that she wants it to be.

Happy Birthday

Today I turned 48.  Had lunch with Kerry's, Todd made cinnamon rolls and we picked the cantaloupe that came up on it's own.

Tie Dye...meh

Tried to tie dye a shirt for camp for "Merica Monday...not sure it worked, but she'll wear it anyway.

shopping family day

Had to pick up some things for camp...went shopping.  Tatum came and spent the afternoon with us.

Pray for the Peace of Israel

7-11, what does that mean?

Today is the gas station 7-11 day.  That means free slurpies!  This is the first year we've ever even tried to get one.  It was fairly simple and didn't take very long. We then went to Rachel Ballinger's and Melia stayed to babysit and Rachel and I went to shop at Town Talk.  We were really quite late, but it was fun for the 15 minutes we were there, just the same. I then took her to Trader Joes and we went out for dinner at Panera Bread.  It was nice to have some grown up conversation, although I don't think I do that well any more.  I struggle to find big words and talk as an adult. I'm so use to just speaking to kids...oh well.  She has 5 of her own, so maybe she understood me!

Sharing a room

Being the youngest of 5 girls, I don't ever remember sharing a room.  I'm sure I did when I was really little and is probably one of the reasons Cyndi didn't like me so much when I was growing up. However, we are now sharing a room as a family.  Melia and Braeden are sleeping on the blow up mattress and enjoying sleeping in the cool.  They actually snuggle deep in their covers, because we keep it really cold at night. Praising God for a working A/C and for the window unit in our room!