Daddy's Muse

You caught me!

It was bound to happen.... again. It has happened before. Daddy came home and Miss Cuteness smiled and off he went to grab his camera! Enjoy their "playdate" results!

Oh! Yes! Daddy's playing with me!

Gotcha!

Mmmmmmm, yummy, and mine, all mine. 

Oh, Hi Daddy! Play with me , please.

This looks new......

Now, that's what I'm talkin' about!!!! A new chew toy!!!!

Built in toys are a good thing. 

She also enjoys golf cart rides with Daddy, anything and everything with Glitter, talking at a rapid clip with Electron, Ondepenya's finger (still, and still with an iron grip), and she's trying really hard to figure out Warrior. He makes a fun play toy just like Daddy! Surprisingly enough, she seems to be the first genuine Momma's baby! I returned to work last weekend and she made it clear when enough was enough and Mommy was needed..... that's how we discovered her love of the golf cart. Good thing I'm a stone's throw away! It is nice to be needed!

Day of Hope

Throughout these past 2 years I have been blessed to come across so many amazing and Godly women who have walked- are walking- this path. Some began the journey before me, some after me but in their stories I find comfort, encouragement, and companionship.

Many women who lose babies do not feel as I do, but many do. Here is the story of a woman who has been such a blessing to me. I do not actually know her of course but I read her blog frequently. She shares the love and laughter of her living children but does not shy away from the stories of her children in heaven. She has 3 there. I have found great comfort in knowing that others find ways to "remember" and celebrate all of their children. This post was such a neat idea., a way to celebrate all of the children who share space in her heart.

Happy Birthday!

Today our Sweet Pea would be 2 yrs old. My head said this day would come, my heart never believed it. I imagine her to be a bubbly, giggly, wiggly, bouncing, little, priss pot dancing around in heaven and running through fields of wild flowers and singing at the top of her lungs! She had the most beautiful rosebud lips and I imagine that she now has Shirley Temple blonde curls ......

A friend gave me this song shortly after she passed:

One of my favorite funnies!

No. This is not Snowflake. This is Ondepenya after Glitter decorated him! Ya see, at 18 months when he was born, she knew where I kept the baby powder. One particular brand was her favorite. She would sneak it out and "mark her territory"(her favorite things). I always knew what she liked because I would find it dusted with powder.

Hehehehe, she used almost an entire bottle on this particular dusting. He was cleaned up quite a bit in this picture..... after we laughed our heads off and called the ER to make sure he wasn't in any danger, we remembered to snap this. Guess she had no issues with not being the baby anymore! He was a good sport about it too.

Stealing from Tara.....again.

I always seem to "cotton" (as Granny would say) to the posts my friend Tara does! This post and the next one and the one coming up probably too..... says my heart so much better than I ever could.

Obviously, my/our story is different from hers but my heart for saving is the same. My irritation at the level of "entitlement thinking" in our household is right there too!

Though I haven't posted about our school year yet (coming with pictures.... one day I'll make good on these promises!), one of the things I started got very quickly yanked today! Distinct possibility/probability of not restarting too.

Back in May when I went to tutor training and had to leave the younguns' home alone to do their school, I left treats for them as they finished each assignment. As a, well, treat. (Bribe. Yes, I bribe my chittlin's too frequently.) It worked well. Everything got done in record time and they liked it and so I thought... well, why not? The treats were trifles: popcorn, dollar candy to share, 30 minutes of Webkinz time.... you get the idea. No harm, right?

Fast forward to today. An un-named youngun retrieved said treat and immediately remarked, "Is that ALLLL?" insert rolling of eyes. The "ALLLLLL" was a bag of pop-its. Ya know, those things you throw on the ground that make the firecracker sound? They were cool I thought. Good go outside and torture each other stuff!

Yeah, privilege yanked without further negotiation. No treat bags tomorrow either. Maybe not again.

The attitude of INgratitude is getting to me. I look at myself and wonder....... how has this seeped into my own behavior? They get it from somewhere. The classical model of teaching is thick with the notion of modeling behavior..... what am I modeling?

It makes me wonder, even if I am truly grateful on the inside.... is it showing on the outside?

Ok, I'm off on a soapbox. :) Sorry. Her post about saving and how it translates into the American attitude of "I deserve it" just chewed my heart up and I just had to share it! School will be fun tomorrow, today we started to design our family crest/code/motto/scriptures to live by. :D Thoughts to ponder, thoughts to ponder.