A Saturday with Santa

I have been very fortunate in my time as a military spouse to get to see Santa arrive on both an U2 "spy plane" and now on an A10 "Warthog" or "Flying Tiger". I would have to guess that not a whole lot of people get to see either of those things, so to get to see both, well, I feel very special. The U2 was before either of our children were born, but the A10 was just last Saturday. Here are a few pictures.

   
  

 Zion was completely in awe. Santa arriving on "Daddy's warthog" was just absolutely and completely breathtaking. Seriously, I wish you could have see his face. The pictures don't do it justice. Canaan is fairly immune to Santa, since he knows that he is just pretend. But Zion is still so young, he has no idea who Santa Claus is. He just knows that everyone goes crazy over this old guy with the red suit, and so he goes crazy over him too.  It is pretty cute. 

Tears

I would not say that I have been a big crier... but I have always been in touch with my emotions. 

 Hallmark commercials, It's a Wonderful Life,   and the sound track for "Last of the Mohican's" can get me going every single time. Those who love me, know this already, and have learned to live with, and deal with it. 

 However, lately, I find that I have crossed over the line. I cry entirely too easily now. I watched  "The Sound of Music" with the boys (or, "the Nazi movie", as Canaan calls it, since his favorite part was the part with the Nazis and the guns) and I found myself tearing up when they "climb every mountain" at the end... How many times have I seen that movie? Do I really need to get watery eyes, AGAIN? I got teary eyed over White Christmas the other day, and Bing's beautiful crooning voice. But I think the real clincher was when I felt moisture coming to my eyes over a cartoon. 

 Yes, I am serious. When Lightning McQueenpushed "The King" over the finish line the other day, I caught myself sniffling. 

 What is up with that? 

 

 I think I might be getting a little too in touch with my emotions. 

 

 Maybe I just need to get more sleep?

 Just a thought! 

Happy birthday Zion

Zion turned three today. My, how the time does fly. 

Here are just a few pictures of him, through the years.

 I can't seem to get them in any particular order, so please, just imagine them in an orderly fashion. 

 Also, just a few notes. Yes, he is wearing what you think he is around his neck. And yes, he did that all by himself. He was about 15 months old then, and Andy was in Iraq. That was a fun picture to E-mail to Daddy.

 In case you can't tell, he loves costumes. It seems to run in the blood! Mom is the costume mistress for her theatre group, and Canaan and Zion have both inherited a healthy love for dressing up and playing pretend.  
One of my favorites is "naked Christmas" from last year. I don't know why he was naked on Christmas morning, but for some reason, it cracks me up, because he was so proud of himself! The last picture is from today. I just think he looks so grown up. 

 I guess I wasn't quite ready for three. 

A good tax

Each night this month I have been reading this really good book to my boys. 

I think I picked it up at the "after Christmas" sales last year. I can't remember for sure. 

 It doesn't really matter where I got it, or when - but I do recommend it. Every day she gives 1) little "hints for the holidays" - basic stuff like today is the day to mail packages, or why don't you start a family tradition  2) A Christmas activity like making your own ornaments, or going caroling and 3) a devotion. Technically, the devotions are too old my kids (which means they are WAY over Zion's head) but we still read them out loud as a family. Sometimes they speak more to one family member, some nights more to another.  December 10th was my night to listen. She pointed something out, and now that I have thought about it, I really don't know why  I have never thought about it before....

  Mary, (and Joseph) knew the prophecies about the Messiah. They knew that he was supposed to be born in Bethlehem. But here they were, miles and miles from Bethlehem, with a life to live. An angel had already appeared out of the sky, and then in a dream and messed up their entire "plan" for their lives. But they said "okay" to the angel, and thus, to God himself. A simple yes, or in the old King James "I am the Lord's Handmaiden". The Bible doesn't talk much about the months in between the Yes and the birth. Mary went to visit Elizabeth, and John the Baptist danced in her womb- Angels announced the arrival of the Savior of mankind. 

 What did Mary think, feel, worry about, pray for, stress over during that time? Did she worry if he was growing the right way? Was she afraid she would eat the wrong thing and make him sick? Did her feet swell, and her back ache and did she have to pee every 5 minutes? Did she wonder how in the world she could have the Messiah in her belly, and how he could fulfill prophecy, when she didn't even live in the right town? What about the prophets? Didn't they count for anything? Did she wonder, and fret and try to work it out on her own?

 Because I probably would have. I would have started looking for a way to get to Bethlehem by myself. "Joseph, honey, don't you think we should move? I heard they need good carpenters in Bethlehem." I might have whined. I certainly would have pleaded with God on a regular basis for intervention. 

 I can almost promise that I would not have sat back calmly and waited for God to sent a world wide TAX in order to get me where I needed to be, at the exact moment I needed to be there. Even after God has fixed it all, I sometimes have a hard time seeing the positive He brings. There is no way I could have imagined it before it happened! I am not that creative. 

 Luckily, I know someone who is. HE is so creative, that he used a tax to fulfill prophecy, and a star to guide educated men, and a young, uneducated girl to birth the greatest life ever. And that is just from one story, about one life, in one book.  

 There is so much to be learned from Mary, and she is just one of the side stories.  

 That is my goal this Christmas. To learn from Mary.
  I want to seek with eagerness and anticipation the "tax" in my life. It may come from a worldly "king", and it may seem an inconvenience, but it will get me where I need to be in order to fulfill what I need to fulfill. So I know that when it all boils down, it comes from God. I am sure that some days, after riding on a donkey for miles on end, then eating over an open fire, and sleeping in the open air - with a belly full of the Savior of the world to boot- Mary might have had a hard time seeing the good in the tax. But it was always God's plan, and He used it.
 I, like Mary, need to remember that tax equals good, no matter what it feels like at the moment.  

Runaway words

 I would just like to say that I wish my brain could type while my hands were busy. Oh, the things that would get blogged about... 

 Say, for example, who knows what interesting things might get written while my body was stuck, sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor, surrounded by half-shelled pecans, spilled flour, a crying five year old (because he spilled the flour everywhere, and he was trying so hard to be a helper) in such desperate need of the vacuum cleaner to just magically appear and do it's thing. 

 Why is it that my brain is so creative at that moment, so full of words, and descriptions, and emotions? And now, when the pecans are shelled, and chopped and safely baking in a cake, and the flour is vacuumed, and put away, and my fabulous five year old is waiting (not very patiently) for me to play a board game with him... now I have no words. 

 Oh well. 

 Someday I am going to become a genius, and invent a machine that can read my mind, and type what I am thinking. When I invent that, I'll let you know! Until then,  you'll just have to trust me - I do have interesting thoughts sometimes, really! 

Number 200

I have reached post number 200. In honor of that illustrious event, I have chosen to blog about the past, the present and future, all in one.

 I know, awe inspiring, isn't it?! (insert sarcasm) 

 I am very tired, and my mood is slightly, well, sarcastic, so I probably shouldn't undertake anything life-changing tonight, but I can't skip to post number 201... 

 I guess we will start with the past, since it is already over, and is easiest - at least in theory. What is past? For me - birth, and rebirth- 

the addition of several sisters (and now several brothers too). 

Lots and lots of school.

The first seven (and a half) years of marriage,
 and the two beautiful boys we have been gifted with in that time.



 The past has held a lot, and I have enjoyed it. 

But now, it is NOW. And today I need to focus on today. December 12, 2008... beginning exactly this minute, actually. (I think that means I should go to bed...)

 First, a quick look at the future. I will be 30 in a little more than five months. That seems like such a big deal right this minute. For some reason, 30 seems so huge. And because it seems so huge, I am trying to prepare myself for it. Another blog I read, Everyone has a story to tell, is planning for it this year too. I liked her idea. It is called Project 365. The goal is to take a photo every day - kind of like a journal of life. To make yourself think outside your normal "box". Look around and see things differently. 

 I am going to add to the project a little. I am going to try to upload a picture onto here every week. I would say every day - but I know that is an unrealistic goal. So, I am going to try to set a goal that is attainable. 

 Starting in 2009, I am going to make a goal to take a picture every day. Sometimes, it will just be my kids. Sometimes it will just be my house. But I am going to try to take pictures of the sunset, and caterpillars, art, things that I am learning.

(This is a picture of art I took last month. Isn't everyone proud of me!) 

I don't want to be stagnant. I want to grow. 

  My future holds a lot...

I am ready. One day at a time.

My early Christmas present

 A few months ago, Andy and I bought ourselves a new table and chairs at Sam's club. It was the last one in stock, so it was marked down drastically. (We love a good deal)
 

 But when we got home, we found that two of the six stools had cracked legs. Because they were the "bottom of the stack", they had obviously been mishandled in shipment. We had gotten such a good deal, we decided it was still worth it, even with just four chairs. 

 However, after putting everything together, we found "The Phone Number". Service and Repair. So, I called the company. I told them we had bought it from Sam's, and that two of the chair's were broken, and was there anything they could suggest. 

 They told me they were currently out of stock in that model, but took my name, address and item number down. 

 Weeks and weeks went by. I E-mailed the company once, and they said they were still out of stock. More weeks went by. I completely and utterly forgot about the very idea of more chairs. Then, last week, the door bell rang....

and these were waiting for me at the door. There is just something about a big brown box - it simply feels like Christmas! It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon. Canaan, Zion and I sat in the front yard, got out Daddy's tools and went to work. 

 Here is a picture of our completed handiwork.

 And here is a picture of my proud little helpers, trying out the finished product. 

They arrived just in time, and are just the right height, for our homeschool co-op to make Gingerbread houses around our kitchen island.

 Here are their finished results...

 

Jessica's                                 Samantha's                                Canaan's

Marcus'                                   Zion's

 Don't drool too much, okay?!

P.S. I sent the company a thank-you E-mail, to let them know I appreciated them following through, even though it had been so long. I had forgotten about the chairs, so I know that they could have forgotten about them too. I wished them a Merry Christmas. They wrote me back a nice little note, and wished me a "Happy Holidays". We'll have to pray that they get some Jesus in their Holiday time - but even without, I was impressed with their follow through. 

 Be blessed! Bethany

More spider!!!!

I know you guys are probably tired of hearing about this, but since I nearly had a heart attack, you get to hear it anyway, so deal.

 My spider is STILL ALIVE!!!

 I was showing her to my friend Christy on Monday, when she was over here for Gingerbread house decorating (homeschool co-op project, more on that later!) and Christy said, "I think it just moved". I didn't believe her, so I got really close to the jar, and that thing absolutely, without a doubt moved. As in, crawled all around, waved it's legs in anger at us, and freaked me out nicely. 

 So, here I am, back at square one. Still in possession of a very angry, very hungry, and NOT DEAD black widow spider. For now, it stays in a jar on my shelf. And yes, this is Wednesday, and I just checked again, and it is still alive. 

 It would be funny, if it wasn't so very NOT funny. 

A Christmas questionnaire

My friend Carrie posted this a few days ago, and I have wanted to do it ever since. So, here it is...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?  Some of both. I am very much a dork at my own house - I like the bags and paper to match the tree decor, so I try to have as much as possible be blue and silver! 

2. Real tree or Artificial? Fake! As much as a real tree sounds quaint and traditional, I just don't think the sensitive allergies in this house could stand it. Plus, I LOVE pre-lit! 

(This was Carrie's answer, but it works for me too, so I am leaving it exactly the same. However, isn't the picture of the real one pretty?) 

3. When do you put up the tree? When I was growing up, we always did it the weekend of my Mom's birthday. (Which is Dec 9th - Happy Birthday Mom!!) Now that I am grown, I just do it whenever I get a chance. I has been up for a whole week already this year. 

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually about two or three days after Christmas. Always by New Years day. 

5. Do you like eggnog? I have no interest in it. I don't hate it or anything, but it certainly isn't worth the sugar, and my diabetic self has to choose carefully where I spend my sugar calories! 

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I have several. We got a dollhouse one year, and that provided YEARS worth of entertainment. It is still in Mom's basement. 

We also got a telescope one year, which I found out years later had been my Dad's when he was a teenager, and was just a hand-me-down. But, I remember enjoying looking at the stars, and being in awe. 

 I think I am going to ask where that telescope has gone to. Maybe it is time for it to get re-gifted down to the next generation now! 

 I also got lots of books, year after year, and those are always my favorite things! 

7. Hardest person to buy for? Kelsey and Travis, because it has to go all the way to Uganda.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Our kids, because they love everything.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? The question here should be, how many do I have. Probably 10! Willow Tree (which is my favorite), Veggie Tales, and everything in between

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I have always sent "real" cards, but I think I am taking a break this year. I will just be sending an E-mail greeting this year. So, if you usually get a card from me, don't hold your breath. Especially if you are younger then 70 years old. (I am still going to send a real card to the grandparents, but that is about it) Don't take it personally - it isn't just you, it is everyone. 

 

12. Favorite Christmas Movies? I love White Christmas, Miracle on 34th St. (both the old, and the new one) The Little Match Girl (side story - we watched that movie for the first time the night that Mary Faith was born. I remember all of us watching it on TV. Mom was "uncomfortable", but I was young enough (8 1/2) that I didn't realize that she was in labor the whole time. They put us kids to bed, and the next morning we woke up, and Grandma told us we had a new little sister!)  Scrooge, (which is the musical version), Holiday Inn, 

13. When do you start shopping? I shop all year. I can't help it. When I see something that shouts someone's name, I have to buy it, even if it is July! 

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Probably. Isn't that what "White Elephant Gift" parties are for?

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? That question is just way too hard to answer.... Pumpkin cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, homemade rolls, monkey bread, 

16. Lights on the tree? Is this a yes or no question? Or a what kind of lights question? Hmmmm? Yes, White. There, I answered both! 

17. Favorite Christmas song? There is no way I can pick a favorite. I love it all. I love old classics from Bing Crosby, the Carols I can sing myself, Rocking to Third Day and Jennifer Knapp, Countrified classics... I love it all. If you are listening to my page, you are getting a sampling! 

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We usually travel, but I don't think Andy is going to be talked into it again after this year! He is tired of being the one of the road, and since I don't drive one the interstate, he bears the bulk of the load. We will enjoy the busy-ness this year, but probably plan for it to be the last year of driving around. 

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer’s?  Probably, but I'm not going to push myself this late at night! 

20. Angel on the tree top or star? We have a beautiful blue and silver star. 

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We always open special pajamas on Christmas Eve, then usually do stockings first thing in the morning, and just see how it goes from there. We like to take it slow! I think that this year we will be doing Christmas in increments. Maybe early Christmas at our house, Stocking at the Binkley Grandparents, Christmas Lunch at the Freeman Grandparents, and Dinner at Auntie Em's. (See why Andy is ready to boycott! I think it will be fun, but I can see why he is a tiny bit stressed!) 

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? When people forget about the whole reason we are celebrating. 

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Blue and Silver - simple and elegant 

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? I'm voting for a great big spinach salad! 
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I really don't know. I am really hard to buy for, because I can't ever come up with ideas! I always love books and music, so I could come up with a list of that at a moments notice! 

Okay, TAG, you're it! If you want to do this, go for it. I would love to know if you do it though, so please just leave me a comment letting me know to come look at it, okay! 

 Merry Christmas! 

Late pics of an early birthday

I realized that I never posted the pictures from Zion's birthday party. (Years later, that app is no longer available-no pictures)

 His real birthday isn't for another week still, but while we were "home" for Thanksgiving, and the family was (almost) all available, we decided to go ahead and throw him a party with the N. GA crew. 

 And, just in case any of you ever need to know, the Sat. after Thanksgiving at 10am is not a bad time to go to Chuck E Cheese. I think that a large part of the sane world is still sleeping, so if you ever have to go on a Sat, (which I normally do not recommend) do it at 10am the Sat. after Thanksgiving. 

 Second side note. It is really, really NOT a good idea to schedule your family Christmas photo for 12:30 on the same day as your 10am birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Tired, sugar fed, flashy light crazed kids aren't the best for taking photo's of. Especially if they just happen to be sneezing and have a runny nose too. 

 Just FYI! 

 Seriously though, it wasn't that bad. We got a decent family picture, and a few cute shots of Zion, since it was his birthday. I suppose not getting too many good shots is actually better, because then I am not tempted to spend too much money! 

Updates all around

 First of all, a Gifty update. According to Liberian paperwork, Gifty now belong to her new family!!!  Praise God! However, there are some technical difficulties on the American Embassy side. Since no relatives were ever found, they are not wanting to declare her an orphan, and are not letting her be legally adopted quite yet. So, she and her new family need a ton of prayers right now while they wait for paperwork to work it's way through the system, so they can bring her home. Please, please keep them in your prayers. You can always check either Love in Liberia or Deb in Liberia for updates. I am just linking to their main page, so if they post anything new, you can see it. 

 

 Pierre, who is our contact in Holland, is currently in Benin. So, we are very hopeful that we will have more information about Glwadys soon. All official paperwork there is in French, but I can have things interpreted if needed. I just want to know more. 

 I actually checked out some French on CD lessons for little kids from the library. I haven't taken French since my sophmore year of highschool. That is a long time ago! I figured baby French would at least teach me a few phrases I can use with my daughter when I first meet her. "Hello" "I love you" "Are you hungry" "Are you sleepy" "Do you need to potty" Things a mommy needs to say. I have had to interpret what Zion is saying for years now. He speaks "Zionese". Now I just have to learn French for Glwadys.  Hopefully she will learn English faster then Zion! Even if she doesn't, a mommy figures it out, right? We will communicate, one way or another.   

 Hugs are the same in any language!  

 Lastly, I would like to give a small update on my spider story.  (See pictures and video if you like) It seems that Andy's idea of "taking care of it" was to put the mason jar with the spider in it on a shelf in the garage and forget about it. So, here we are, more than two weeks since we originally caught the thing, and it is still in a jar, in my garage. In fact, until two days ago, it was still alive. So, in case you ever need to know, black widows can live two whole weeks without food. Or water. 

 Now the question is, what do I do with a huge, dead black widow? Throw away the whole jar? I don't think the "hippie" in me can do that, (it is not only reusable, but recyclable too!) but the squeamish girl in me certainly doesn't want to clean it out. I am thinking this is still an Andy job...

 Now I just have to convince him of that.  

The Christmas Spirit

I saw a random act of kindness today, and it made me happy. 

First, let me back up a little. 

 I ran errands a lot today.  I went by Andy's school (to drop off his paperwork for his "Who's Who" nomination - just a little happy dance there, being proud of my man and his 3.5 GPA) The post office, a quick run to the commissary, because we needed some lunch, and the boys wanted to eat Lunchables because they have really cool Starwars games printed on the back of them right now. The Dry cleaners. The Barber shop to get haircuts for both boys. Target to return some things, and finally, Publix, because I wanted several of their BOGO deals. It was a fairly cold (at least for S. GA) and rainy afternoon, and my kids were grumpy and tired. I really need to pee. I grabbed my coupons, my grocery bags, my purse, the hands of my children, and wound my way through the crowded parking lot all the way to the door before I realized that I had left my phone in the car. ARGHH!!! I had to have it... Andy was supposed to call any minute and meet up with us - I wound my way back to the car, nearly dropping my precariously balanced grocery bags and coupons along the way, dug my keys out of my purse, found my phone, reloaded everything back into my arms, grabbed my kids hands again and headed back across the parking lot. 

 And then, I saw it. The random act of kindness. And my trip out of the way was no longer wasted. In fact, it was totally worth it. It was a blessing. 

 A little old lady was loading her groceries into her trunk, slowly and carefully, one bag at a time. Now, Publix is usually really good about helping you to your car, and I give them Kudos for that, but they must have been busy today, because this little old lady was out there all by herself, loading up. And this parking lot is slanted funny, and hard to keep a cart still, and she had 4 or 5 gallons of bottled water in her cart, so I know it was a heavy load. 

 A young girl, probably mid 20's just walked up and asked if she wanted any help unloading her groceries. The older woman replied, "Well, I'm almost done, but if you can push my cart back for me, I would really appreciate it." and the younger woman said, "Why don't I get those waters out for you first, then I would be happy to push it back for you." (or something along those lines).

 I don't know why this made my day, but it did. The young girl didn't have to offer. The old lady could have been grumpy and rude. I could have remembered my phone the first time, and missed the whole thing. 

 I guess that is the point of this story. Things happen for a reason - even if just for me to see something I wouldn't have seen. So, next time you have to turn around and go back for something, keep your eyes open for the hidden treasure God has waiting around the corner for you. You never know... it just might make your day. 

 

Two in one night!!

I already posted tonight, but I wanted to share another quick story. 

When I was cooking dinner last night, I heard the front door open. Biscuits were in the oven, bacon was frying (and had already set off the smoke alarm, and brought my wonderful neighbor running to check on me) and an omelet was just about perfectly browned in the skillet. 

 I knew that Andy was at class until late, and Zion was still in my line of vision, so it had to be Canaan going out the front door. Since he is currently 5 (and a half! as he proudly announces as often as he gets a chance), and I didn't want to burn the eggs, I gave him a few minutes. Less then three minutes later, the door opened again, and he came bouncing back through. 

 I asked him what he had been doing out there, and he replied, "I went outside so I could have a special prayer time with God." 

 

 I was pleased by that idea, since praying is never a bad thing, but reminded him that he needed to ask mommy before he went outside next time. Almost as an after thought, I asked what he had been praying about. I think, since it is nearing Christmas, and he is only 5, I was expecting something self-centered, and childish, like "I was praying for Star War's Legos" or "I was praying it would snow for Christmas". 

 

 No - not my Canaan. He said, "I was praying that God would keep all the people from dying, all over the world, and that He would not let them fight anymore." 

 I just nodded, and agreed with him. And my heart broke just a little. 

 

 People are going to die, all over the world, right this minute, and forever. And people are going to fight, all over the world, right this minute and forever. But I like to think that in the innocence of a child's request, somewhere, a miracle occurred. Someone lived, when they weren't expected to. A fight was stopped, when in human terms, it seemed the only solution. Our God is a miracle working God. Often, when we pray the answer is no. I accept that- even relish that, because of the growth that I know it brings - but I so want a small yes, just for a milisecond of time for my baby. 

 So now I pray for his faith. I want my Canaan to continue to seek God. To continue to find quiet moments, to desire conversation with his Savior, to want those "three minutes outside". Even when the answer is no. Especially when the answer is no. 

 

 

A link...

...or two! 

 

 Carrie sent me to Stuff Christians Like today, and I really enjoyed it. I haven't visited his blog in awhile, so I got lost in the archives for awhile. If you are bored, go exploring - it will be worth your time. If you don't want to go too far, just read "Breaking the Chains", and "Dear Crock Pot, A love letter". The comments are hilarious too. Seriously - if you need a laugh, read the post, then read the comments; they are half the fun, especially for the crock pot post. 

 My friend Karen linked to "Let's say Thanks" on her blog today, and reminded me that even though my sweet hubby is home and safe, there are still lots of military husbands and wives, sons and daughters, etc... that are not home. And it is always harder this time of year. So, if you have 30 seconds, (and who doesn't?) click the link, and send a card to a military member. A word of encouragement is always appreciated. Just trust me on this one, okay?!

Where do we dwell?

Anyone who has been reading my blog, has by now figured out that I love "Streams in the Desert". It has been awhile, so I thought it was time for an excerpt again. 

 "We often pray to be delivered from calamities; we even trust that we shall be; but we do not pray to be made what we should be, in the very presence of the calamities; to live amid them, as long as they last, in the consciousness that we are held and sheltered by the Lord, and can therefore remain in the midst of them, so long as they continue, without any hurt. For forty days and nights, the Savior was kept in the presence of satan in the wilderness, and that, under circumstances of special trial, His human nature being weakened by want of food and rest. The furnace was heated seven times more than it was wont to be heated, but the three Hebrew children were kept a season amid its flames as calm and composed in the presence of the tyrant's last appliances of torture, as they were in the presence of himself before their time of deliverance came. And the livelong night did Daniel sit among the lions, and when he was taken up out of the den, "no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God." They dwelt in the presence of the enemy, because they dwelt in the presence of God. 

 The question is, where do I dwell? Am I content even in the presence of the enemy, because I KNOW that I am in the presence of my Savior? 

 Where do you dwell? It is your choice - choose wisely, and with faith. 

More spider

I had no idea my spider was going to be such a big hit.

 Yes, she was a black widow. Yes, she was the biggest one I have ever seen. We have caught at least three since we have lived here. 

 When I was first trying to take her picture, I accidently had the camera on the video setting. Since she has been so popular, I decided to post my short little foray into "The life (and death) of Mrs. Black Widow". Luckily, it cuts off before you can hear me "cuss". (I was about to say crud, not the other word... )

 And Carrie, I feel the need to apologize. I gave you grief about the untimely death of your fish- then, when this spider was in my life, I was completely and utterly without any sympathy or grace. We left her in a Mason jar, without food, or possibility of escape, and went out of town. 

 Strangely enough, when we got back, a full week later, she was still alive. At least, Andy said she was. I didn't bother to get close to enough to check. I just told him to take care of it. 

 After all, husbands are good for those sorts of things, aren't they?!

 Anyway... I just wanted to apologize for giving you grief. I will promise not to judge your fish raising skills ever again, as long as you promise to give me any fish you wish to dispose of, okay?

 And spiders... well, spiders better just stay out of my line of sight!!

Post holiday catch-up

Anyone looking at my blog lately would think that I have nothing to say. 

 Let me assure you that is not the case. However, I have had absolutely no time to blog lately! It is very frustrating! I told Andy the other day that I was going to do a Lent type of idea for the Christmas season. Rather then give up meat, or chocolate, or caffeine, I think I will give up sleep. That may be the only way for me to get everything done! Since that is not a very realistic possibility, I am just going to have to cut some things off of my to do list. Since many things are "need" to do, and some of them are "want" to do, the needs have to come first~ who came up with that brilliant idea? I sometimes really dislike responsibility! 

 It is currently Tuesday evening - we got home from our Thanksgiving trip on Sunday evening (the normally 4 hour drive took 7, with the holiday traffic, rain and multiple wrecks). As of right now, two of our four suitcases are still packed. Does that give you an idea of what my last two days have been like? However, on a cheerier note, the Christmas tree is up, and decorated, and my boys had a blast doing it, so who cares if their clothes are still in suitcases?! 

 And, we spent two hours at the grocery this afternoon, and are now fully stocked with yummies. For you non-military people who don't know, the commissary is closed on Monday - since we got in late on Sunday, we have had to just make do with what was left in the fridge and freezer from last week for the last two days. It wouldn't have been a tragedy to go to Publix or anything, but I wanted to wait for my cheaper food - thus, we have been scrounging a little! 

 Here are, finally, the pictures from Thanksgiving. The spider is from the day we left - she was on the tarp with I grabbed to cover the back of the truck. Luckily, Andy saw her, and not me. I might have passed out, had I realized that I was holding her!! 

 I have several really bad pictures of Andy, but he was deliberately being non-cooperative, so I posted the pictures anyway. Laugh at him, then next time you see him, tell him to smile for the camera and stop being so difficult! 

 Doesn't that "roller coaster" ride look great? The boys were having such a great time, it almost made me wish we had some hills around here - almost. 

 I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful. Enjoy your blessings every day, not just on one Thursday of the year.