High Tea

One day last week, my "sick" child chose to host a tea party.

I was handed a handwritten invitation.

My clothes were laid out for me.

I was encouraged to arrive on time.

The table was set.

My companions dressed themselves for the occasion.

A fun time was had by all! Enjoy!

An Affair to Remember....

Hopefully those words remind you of a beautiful movie. I am barely in here in time to mark the date, but I am. Nineteen years. I got all kinds of sweet notes around the house today. What touched me even more, was his explaination to the younger children the significance of this day, to them personally. And we all went out for dinner to celebrate. (since we had time to ourselves over the weekend) I asked Brian what it felt like to have lived with me longer than he had lived with anyone else in his life. (smile) Yep, we're there. Already.

Looking forward to nineteen more!

The Training Wheels are off.....!

After patiently waiting for his father to assist him, my son finally got the training wheels off his bike last week. Someone suggested that he was a little old for them anyway, but I remind you of these points. Imagine learning to ride a bike without the aid of flat pavement or sidewalks. It's kinda like learning to mountain bike first, and then learning to street ride. Also remember that this child is the youngest of four, and NO ONE wants him to grow up too fast! I am somewhat ambivalent about blogging at times, as it feels narcissistic, but it has helped me to think about what is going on in my life from a different perspective. So, as I realized that this was my last set of training wheels, ever. I ran for the camera as these men were heading for the workshop. I arrived just in time. This is my favorite photo of the series. I don't know why, maybe Lisa or Polly can tell me.


But this much is true. My family is changing whether I agree to it or not. The training wheels are off ...for the child as well as the parents...there is nothing left to do now but pedal!


...with my mom-training wheels off....

I dunno if I kin do this ...but

My DEAR DEAR Friend Crystal has tagged me. Now this is not like the email one that I politely ignored last week.
(sorry dear...but I really don't know what is interesting about me.) But since this was done publicly, I'll try. Everyone's watching, y'know. (smile)

The rules are as follows...

1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Seven Random Facts about Julie: (borrowing some ideas from a friend)

1. I wanted no children. In fact, I wasn't interested in marriage. As in "what did you dream you would look like on your wedding day"-- I didn't! (drove the saleslady at the bridal shop nuts!) God has truly changed my life around! and I'm glad. Boy, what would I have missed!
2. Hey, I used cloth diapers for the first several years...hung them on the clothesline too! (beat that!)Shoulda seen the ladies in the church nursery...I eventually learned to put them in Pampers for Sunday mornings. I began to give up as more children were birthed--though.
3. I never went camping as a child with my family. We didn't. My motto was "Camping out is when room service is late" BUT I have camped at the Grand Canyon in a T*E*N*T (are you sure, honey, that the snakes can't get in here?) AND (drumroll please) We purchased a used camper on eBay last night! Oh boy! (I'm so glad it's not a tent!)
4. I collect shot glasses ;) (although I gave it up for lent a few years ago and didn't pick it back up for awhile...most of the collection is still in the attic from the last move!)
5. I love words. I bought books of quotations when I was a teenager. I read poetry in competition. I love how the choice of words can be succinct and yet say so much.
6. I love old cars. Really old ones. Anything before 1960 I can usually find something I appreciate. Before 1950 is the best though. Which was why I had a physical pain in my chest when we visited the AACA Museum last week in Hershey Pa, and I DIDN'T HAVE MY DIGITAL CAMERA...and I found out just how S+T+I+N+K+Y box cameras can be. I don't know if I can ever fix them!
7. I MUST take Dramamine before any trip to an amusement park. ( I know a bit of a denouement after all that, but it does make 7!)

Ok, so that's it. And I could have made it look so much better if the editing properties of this program were better. What I hate about HTML is there's no "undo" button when you accidentally delete 6 lines of code!

Did I get anything weird in there?

Now what seven can I do? I think Crystal tagged all that I know...hmmm

I apologize in advance if your name appears below...know that I love you. (smile)

1. Lisa
2. Cheryl
3. Brittany
4. Beth
5. Sissy
6. April
7. Wormie

READ ACTS 2:38

Saturday morning we were driving down the interstate when a car zoomed past us. Flagrantly speeding. Slapped to its rear quarter panel was a bumper sticker that simply stated READ ACTS 2:38. Tickled by the irony, I asked S to pull out the Bible we keep in the glove box and look it up.
Yup, it states... "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (NIV) (I can break the law, but you need to repent)

I felt, at that moment, a kinship with those who consider Christians to be hypocrites. Because we all are. (myself included) It is a true sign that the only reason anyone is drawn to Him is through the Holy Spirit. Because we're not there yet.