Okay Shawna has passed on this particular blog game from Tina.
I did not enter a couple of them because they were too XRATED for me....LOL.
Here is what you do: and then my entries:
Into the Google search bar you type your name and the word 'needs'. Then share the first 5 entries in your own blog:
Thelma Needs:
Time, where does it go?
Wasn't it yesterday I brought my firstborn son home?
Wasn't it yesterday I counted 10 tiny fingers and 10 tiny toes?
Wasn't it yesterday I realized my life had changed forever?
Wasn't it yesterday I held a baby to my breast and nursed for the first time?
Wasn't it yesterday I called the doctor in panic on our first night home with a baby because he would NOT stop crying?
Wasn't it yesterday I sang a lullaby to my own child for the first time?
Wasn't it yesterday as I watched my baby in the nursery window go through a heart ultrasound I knew a deeper pain than I had ever known because something might be wrong with my newborn baby's heart?(it was fine)
Wasn't it yesterday I discovered that your heart truly can be outside of your body?
Wasn't it yesterday that I truly discovered what love is?
Where does the time go?
Today I watched my son walk the steps of the stage as his teacher called his name. He walked with his head held high and confidence exuding from his being and shook his teacher's hand as he received his kindergarden diploma. Everyone in the audince giggled and said AWWWWW because he looks to tiny to be graduationg from kindergarden. I watched as he beamed with pride because his teacher said "good job, congratulations". I watched my son walk down those steps and take his place back in line and stand with respect and order as his other classmates received their diplomas. He searched the crowd and found my face and beamed. His eyes aglow with joy and pride. When he found mine and his father's faces in the crowd he knew he had found the people who loved him and were most proud of him and he glowed with joy. My son, my first born, my only son, how is it he can be going to first grade so soon. Seems like he just took his first steps. Here he is on the brink of another place in childhood. He stands at the door and will walk through with confidence and no fear. My son has perseverence and confidence and amazes me each day. Hannah watched with pride, calling out "that's my BRO BRO". (thankfully softly....LOL). His baby sister was pitching a tantrum in the lobby with daddy cause he would not let her crawl down the middle aisle, LOL. I never knew pride, true pride until I had children. This is not the type of pride that is bad, but a pride in what your child has done. A pride in what God has blessed you with. A pride that knows no bounds and is tempered with a love that is indescribable.
Yes, where does it go, time, it goes so fast, so very fast.
Sigh........yes, my mama always said there would be days like this.
LOL LOL LOL
As I sit here drinking my coffee, I thought I would take a few minutes to jot down some thoughts. The children's clothes are laid out waiting for them to dress. However, if I dress them this early dirt, juice, or some such foreign matter will find its way onto their clothes just before we walk out the door for church. If I wait until just before we leave, generally, but not always I can get to church and put them in their respective classes actually clean. Christopher is getting ready to take a shower. The girls had baths last night. Hannah is watching the Little Einstien's on Disney. I keep telling myself, "it is not annoying, it is not annoying, it is not annoying. It has classical music, it is not annoying". Hopefully, I will convince myself of that, eventually. Saturday and Sunday mornings are usually the time we let them watch cartoons. Jennifer is busy trying to get past the baby gate sytem, which she did once this morning before I secured it a bit better. She is not happy that we have blocked her from that wonderful and excting place, the KITCHEN. There must be awesome things in there because we keep her out. She has such wonderful problem solving skills for a 10 month old. Actually, it is astounding how well she can figure out things in seconds. She seems to have a gift in this area. Of course, I am a proud mom and every mom thinks her children are gifted. But, I truly feel my kids are smart and great thinkers. I am proud of them.
My husband is also getting ready. Now, tell me, why is it he takes an hour to get ready and I can get ready in 15 minutes tops PLUS get the kids ready. That never ceases to amaze me.
This time slot on Sunday mornings is one of my favorites. I can sit in front of the computer while Christopher and Mike get washed, Hannah watches cartoons, and Jennifer explores. Most times she does not get into trouble and she is where I can see her. It gives me some stolen free moments.
Our plans today are nothing special. We have church, lunch and then need to go to the store for some minor shopping. Nothing major but those things you run out of and need desperately, like Mommy's shower soap. We are also going to exchange my printshop program I bought that refuses to load. I think we will get paint shop pro instead. I will pay the difference out of my babysitting money. After all, I earned it. Then we will come home and get ready for church again.
This morning our church is having a Christian comedian, singer, speaker come in. I was impressed our Senior Pastor did that. Most Senior Pastor's do not like to give up the pulpit on a Sunday morning. I am looking forward to it. As an associate pastor's wife, I am finding a whole new perspective on people, how they can judge others and what they think if you miss ONE Sunday. Amazing how they think that the pastor or associate pastor's family should forget their kids have the flu or some other ailment and come to church anyway. When they themselves would stay home if they had a hang nail.(LOL). I don't mind, used to it by now, but it never ceases to amaze me. For example, I was out some recently because the children were sick. Then after that I had to teach toddler's church and on another day I had to do the nursery, and on another day talk about missionaries in the big kids children's church. So I go into the sanctuary the following Sunday and start greeting people. One older lady says "Well, I haven't seen you in a LONG time". I nicely explained that the kids had been ill and that I had been there but "behind the scenes" working in the nursery or children's church. All she said was "oh". I guess she wanted to have something else to say but to that answer there was nothing she could say. So I just hugged her and said "but the kids are better now and I am so blessed. God is so good". She smiled and said nothing more.
Being a pastor's wife is a work in progress. I feel inadequate sometimes, but I put that on myself. I think I am going to schedule a lunch date with the senior pastor's wife one day soon and try and grow that relationship. I stay so busy with the kids we rarely get to visit. I want to correct that. She has so much wisdom and experience.
I think I have rambled long enough. I did not know this was going to turn into a novel. However, I love writing stuff out here. I hope I can figure out a way to get on daily.
My childhood dream was to: Were you able to fulfill this?
It truly was to be a a pastor's wife and a mother. Yes, I have fulfilled this. It truly shows me that the promise God gave us to fulfill the desires of your heart comes true. As hard as it gets sometimes, being a mommy, I never regret it. Yes, somedays I wish I could have a break but it usually doesnt last long. I would play dolls incessantly as a child. Of course, I was a tomboy mommy, LOL. I would help my dolls win the the olympics, the world little league series and much more. I played like I was the preacher any time my sister and I made Barbie get married to my brother's gi joe. (he was as big as barbie then and we were always swiping him for weddings, LOL). So, yes, my dreams came true.
When I am waking up each morning
I look forward to having fun with the kids. I look foward to Christopher getting home from school, discovering what he did during the day and watching Hannah and Jennifer learn new things. I look forward to Mike coming home from work.
The person I most admire is: Why?
This is not the easiest answer because I have so many people I admire. However, right now I would have to say my son. He faces so many challenges but has a cheerful heart. He works so hard in school and does so well despite the many times he has been sick and gone to school anyway. His size puts him at a disadvantage to the other kids. However, when he plays or runs in a race, he gives it his all. He doesn't stop just because someone else won. He finishes the race. I watched him in T-ball this year and he cheered for all his team mates and encouraged them. If he was tagged "out"; he kept a cheerful attitude he never cried. Other kids threw a fit! His faith is beyond his years. He believes he WILL be healed despite the fact we are still waiting for his healing to be complete. He has no doubt. He does try to eat new foods even when tears stream down his face; he tries. So I admire him. Yes, I admire my girls too each for their own talents and struggles. But he was the first one that came to mind. That being said, I wouldn't want anyone think I favor him over my girls. They each have something the other doesn't that makes me admire them personally.
If I could travel anywhere in the entire world I'd go to: What would you do there?
I want to go to Israel, Jerusalem and Bethelhem. I would love to walk where my Savior walked. See the tomb from which He arose. See the place He laid down His life for all mankind. I would love to see the garden where He prayed. I do not think I could go there without crying in thankfulness. I think I would have to bow in praise and honor to my King for the gift He gave.
The best book I ever read was: Why did it hold your attention?
That is a hard one. I love to read. There is a book, can't recall the name or author at the moment, but it is a Christian novel. It is about a woman who is a prostitue. She is rescued out of the lifestyle by a man who marries her. She ends up running away because she cant believe the love he is giving her. She is pregnant at the time. He comes after her and rescues her again. It is based on the book of Hosea, I think. I think it is called Redemption by Francine Rivers, but I am not sure. It is a good book.
What is one way you'd like to grow spiritually in the following year?
Read my Bible more and pray more. Like Brenda, I find I don't get it done because of the sheer business of motherhood. I love the Lord and I know I do NOT spend enough time in His presence. I want this to improve. Because when I do, my day goes so much better.
My closest friend would describe me as most like:
a.Oscar the grouch (majorly melancholy)
b. Big Bird (naive but extremely friendly)
c. Grover (well intended but not very tactful)
d. Cookie Monster ( fixated on the good stuff)
e. Elmo (curious beyond compare)
I would definitely have to say b. I can be naive and for the most part I am friendly.
If I had one day without responsibilities or interruptions, I'd:
I would get my scrapbooks done. I have so many pictures that are either in a box(all in the same picture safe box) or on cd. I would print out pictures and make my scrapbooks be up to date. I dont even have much of Christopher's done. I need to so work on my scrapbooks.
How old are you?
Is the question the nice lady asked my dd Hannah in the checkout line at office max.Now Hannah who desperately needed to go potty had a very serious look on her face as I told wait a minute honey, let me finish checking out and you can go. So the lady asks again:
How old are you?
Hannah with long suffering patience and huge sighs in her voice says and I quote: "OLD"!
Hannah comes running in the living room saying...to little A......here "A" I'll will get the wipies...grabs the wipies and runs to her room. Well this spells trouble. Any time my dd comes out grabbing wipies and running to her room with them means trouble. I go in and they had taken the diaper cream and the medicated diaper cream and proceeded to spread two baby dolls with it. It was all over their hands and the doll butts.....GRRRRRRRR.........I put them in time out while I cleaned up......as they have been told a MILLION times NOT to touch the cream. At least no one got it in their eyes or mouth and I am sure this would be a LOT funnier if I weren't so darn tired.....LOL. Perhaps I will laugh later about it....but first I gotta get the squeezed in the middle tube fixed and clean two dollies....one is vinyl but one is cloth.....sigh.......the joys of motherhood. But I keep telling myself at least they are well enough to get into mischief.....and having little A is a delight because Hannah has a "bwest fwiend".......so hopefully later I will be laughing about their little cream the dolly butt party.....LOL
that sometimes things are not as bad in your corner of the world as it seems. I stumbled across the following website through a baby center post. It made me realize thought my children have their issues and Christopher has his problems.......I have so much to be thankful for.
Go to
www.ethanpowell.com
He is just a baby, he was born in Dec 06 and diagnosed with Lukemia in Feb 07. He needs a miracle.
So I realize........what do I really have to complain about? Puts things so in perspective!
Why is it we only get ONE day? LOL. I love mother's day don't get me wrong. The one day my husband does the cooking and most of the child care with lots of help.......LOL. But I often wonder why it is as a world we only celebrate mother's day 1 day a year. Just thinking about the sacrifices my mother made, astounds me. There are times when we had no money and the cupboards were bare, she would make a meal with what meager staples she had and she would say "No baby you eat the 2nd piece, Mommy is not hungry". Was she hungry......of course she was but she new I was still hungry and did not want me to go to bed without having my hunger satisfied. I remember her pretending to discipline me in the back room when my father had ordered her to go back their and give me a "whipping" or he would, with the yard stick. She hit the bed and I hollered like I was being killed. Perhaps this was dishonest, but the punishment most definitely did not fit the crime I had "committed" as a 10 year old child. So I a great drama queen put on an oscar winning performance and my mother saved me from being beaten by my father. She put up with so much from my father THINKING because of the way she was raised that it was best for us to be a family then to break up. She suffered things at the hands of my father we never witnessed or understood until we were adults. So why is it......why do we celebrate motherhood, 1 day a year.
When I became a mother, suddenly the sacrifices made....were all too clear. As I looked into my newborn son's face, the earth moved. My world changed forever. I was now a mother with more responsibility than I had ever known. I was now responsible for the beautiful little being who looked at me with such clear eyes of trust and love that my heart felt it. My heart leapt within me and it has never been the same. Oh I had felt him move with in me, but when I beheld that tiny face for the first time......there are no words to describe it. Then as each of my daughters were born it happened again. Each time I looked into a newborn face.....something changed.......the earth moved and I was different. My girls opened open another part of my heart. As I think about mothers throughout the world and the sacrifices they make; I am awed. Moms who have to go to work by choice or by neccesity, and leave the care and responsiblity of their children in someone else hands for a while. That is a sacrifice. Moms who stay at home and sometimes see the same 4 walls for days on end, drowning in chores, crying, tantrums and so much more. The mother in Africa who has no food to feed her child but will walk miles and miles to find it. The mother in Iraq who holds her bleeding, wounded child dying in her arms and refuses to leave the child though she is still in danger. The mother who sends her child to war to fight in a battle that he or she may not come home from. The mother that leaves her child to fight that same war....that is sacrifice. The mother who gives her child to a couple who can not have one of their own. The mother who loses child after child from her womb and aches to hold a living breathing child in her arms. ALL of them are mothers, from different walks of life, different roads traveled yet all effected by the role of motherhood. Motherhood is the greatest gift to me but with that awesome gift comes great responsibility, sacrifice and a love undescribable
Happy Mother's Day......today and everyday.
Are You a Spiritual Person? I guess I would have to say yes, if you count faith as spiritual. I don't believe in religiosity. That is people who are so busy being religious that they can't see that real people have real pain that does not necessarily have a cliche or easy answer. Our just telling someone to have faith and pray about it, does not solve their problems. To me my faith goes deeper than that. My faith is like the breath I breathe. I can't survive without it. My faith in my Lord nourishes my soul, my heart, my mind and my body. Faith is believing in what I can't see and it gives me hope beyond description. I often wonder what life would be without faith and I don't want to try it. Faith helps me find sunshine on a cloudy day. Faith helps me see that God has touched my children when their laugh rings out pure and true. Faith is spiritual to me. It connects me to my Lord and draws me closer. Yet my spiritual walk is not perfect. I make mistakes; I stumble, I have regrets, BUT....my Lord is always there for me helping me throught that. My children are spiritual too. I believe part of our spiritual being is born into us. What we choose to do with it, either helps it to grow or starves it. My son is so spiritual, so faith filled, so close to God in his sweet innocent way that it awes me. He can talk to God for hours just like having a converstation with his best friend. He talks to God about everything from his hotwheels cars to his Mommy's headache. When he really deeply prays, it will take your breath away. His faith is pure, innocent and beyond his years. From him I have learned to persevere even when you can't feel or see the answer. Even when you feel like your faith is gone......I have learned to hang on. Spiritual to me is something beyond religion.....it is a connection with the Lord who builds you up in faith and grace.
What Makes Your Blog Unique? I am not sure actually. I try to use humor and sometimes add something from my children's point of view. Looking through their eyes opens up a whole new world of possiblities and creativity. They see the world in rainbows and butterflies and if I can add a few rainbows and butterflies to someone else's day I would love that.
What Are Your Feelings on the “Blog Popularity” Issue? I truly did not know there was an issue. I don't get to get on as much as I like but now I may be addicted again since I started writing this meme, suddenly my creative mode has kicked in and ideas are popping in my brain like microwave popcorn. Better not leave them too long or they will burn. (lol) Mine is not a popular blob as it only gets traffic from those I know and I dont have a whole lot of people on my blog as of yet. But maybe it will grow. I have this blog and the one on myspace so I guess I will have to generate some traffic.
When Did You Start Blogging?Last summer thanks to my Shawna and a few others. I don't blog much but love it as a hobby. It really helps me put my thoughts down, so maybe I should get my sister hooked up. She has the gift for "gab" but she is a busy pediatric nurse, so she may not. But I can try as she is on myspace.
I am tagging: *TINA* .......*THERESA* and.........hmmmmmm not sure will have to get back on that........LOL
