12/30/08

More Miscellaneous

Travis, Wyatt, Chad, Kelli and Juliet



Kinda stoked- xmas am!



Can't-complain-Corbins
Travis



Wyatt



4/5ths of the Corbin Crew

Miscellaneous

Rock n roll - the Chadman! Lettin' loose



Merlins daughter Kelli, with husband Luke and
Davis and Juliet.

12/22/08

Christmas Facts

Toddler Erika above :)

Another post stolen from a friend. Can I just once be original? That would be straining the noggin.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I'm a bi-wrapper. I hate wrapping so I prefer bags but I do both.
2. Real tree or artificial? Fake, but this is the final year for this particular tree. I'm liking the sound of a 5-6 footer rather than a 9 footer.
3. When do you put up the tree? usually the saturday after Thanksgiving.
4 . When do you take the tree down? New Years Day
5. Do you like eggnog? Never really tried it
6. Favorite gift received as a child? A Chrissy doll with red hair that I could make long or short. Also, when I got a doll, my grandma would sew me a dress that matched my doll.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Persons? My parents
8. Easiest person to buy for? my boys
9.Do you have a nativity scene? yes
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? usually mail - this year, NADA
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? that would be so wrong if I could remember
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Elf - hands down! then Christmas Vacation.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I guess I'm one of those day after Thanksgiving shoppers
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think so.
15 .Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? I'm not a big See's candy/fudge/almond rocha person - I guess the ham dinner, taters and the IMO jello
16. Lights on the tree?
Of course. a zillion of them
17. Favorite Christmas song? Almost all of them - if sung correctly, I will actually cry. Miracles do happen.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? WHY would anyone go anywhere for Christmas? It's chaos! Home in jammies
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?
of course!
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? neither - a huge bow
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? It was always 1 gift xmas eve - jammies - but no one wears them anymore so I don't know what now. Other gifts, xmas morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Expectations are too high
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I go with maroon, kind of rustic. No glitter allowed.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? For my kids to have a great Christmas and world peace.
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? rarely does anyone respond - surprise me!
27. Who is least likely to respond to this? same as above
28. Favorite thing about Christmas? Watching my boys smiles! Family!


12/19/08

* The Chad Man *

Chad waiting nervously for his Eagle Board of Review,
December 18, 2008



Chad in the hot seat!



Chad waiting for the thumbs up!



It's official! - Chad is an Eagle Scout!



Happy Parents! Happy Boy!



The Board - Disney, Martin, Bro. Mauss (leader),
Chad, Bro. Taylor (former leader), ???



Whew! It's done. He EARNED it!



Way to go Chad! We're proud of you and love you!!! :D

12/1/08

For Cat Lovers


Job Description for Cats

BATHROOMS - Always accompany guests to the bathroom. It is not
necessary to do anything. Just sit & stare.

DOORS - Do not allow any closed doors...in any room. To get the door opened, stand on hind legs & hammer with forepaws. Once door is opened, it's not necessary to use it.
After you have ordered an outside door opened, stand half-way in & out & think about several things. This is particularly important during very cold weather, rain, snow, or mosquito season.

CHAIRS AND RUGS - If you have to throw up get to a white chair quickly. If you cannot manage in time, get to an Oriental rug. If there is no oriental rug, shag is good. When throwing up on the carpet, make sure you back up
while barfing
so it's as long as a human's bare foot.

HAMPERING - If one of your humans is engaged in any activity, and the other is idle, stay with the busy one. This is called helping, otherwise known as hampering. Following are the rules for hampering: When supervising cooking, sit just behind the left heel of the cook.
You cannot be seen and thereby stand a better chance of being stepped on and then picked up and comforted.
For book readers, get in close under the chin, between eyes and book, unless you can lie across the book itself.
When human is working at computer, jump up on desk, walk across keyboard, bat at mouse pointer on screen, and then lay in human's lap across arms, hampering typing in progress.

WALKING - As often as possible, dart quickly & as close as possible in front of the human, especially on stairs, when they have something in their arms, in the dark & when they first get up in the morning. This will help them practice their co-ordination skills.

BEDTIME - Always sleep on the human at night so he/she cannot move around.

LITTER BOX - When using the litter box, be sure to ! kick as much litter out of the box as possible. Humans love the feel of kitty litter between their toes.

HIDING - Every now and then, hide in a place where the humans cannot find you and do NOT come out for three to four hours under any circumstances. This will cause the humans to panic (which they love) thinking that you have run away or are lost. Once you do come out, the humans will cover you with love & kisses, and you will probably get a treat.

ONE LAST THOUGHT - Whenever possible, get close to a human, especially their face, then turn around and present your butt to them. . . . H
umans love this, so do it often!

11/28/08

I found this last year and it was very enlightening...

Is anything beyond scripture known about the Christmas traditions of the wise men and star?

John A. Tvedtnes, “I Have a Question,” Ensign, Oct. 1981, 25–26

John A. Tvedtnes, specialist in ancient Near Eastern studies and instructor at the Brigham Young University–Salt Lake Center. Many are the myths surrounding the first Christmas. Most of them are designed to explain details lacking in the biblical account, but many are certainly incorrect or unsubstantiated.

We know, for example, that the wise men didn’t go to a stable but to a house (see Matt. 2:11), but we are not so sure when they arrived. It probably was close to two years after the birth of Christ. Based on their information, Herod ordered the destruction of all children two years old and under in Bethlehem, the implication being that the child he was seeking was near two years old. On the other hand, Herod could have sought a margin of security and added a year or so in his death request. (See Matt. 2:7, 16.)

We don’t know if the wise men rode camels. We don’t even know for sure how many there were. While some traditions indicate there were twelve of them, three is the most popular number because of the three expensive gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (See Matt. 2:11.)

We are also uncertain about what they were and where they were from. It is possible that they were Jewish, for at that time there still lived in Babylonia and Persia a very large Jewish community—perhaps more numerous than the Jews under Herod’s rule. Some traditions use Old Testament passages to support the idea that they were kings. (See Isa. 49:7; Isa. 60:3–7.) Others cite Psalm 72:10, 15, [Ps. 72:10, 15] as evidence that the alleged three kings were from Tarshish, Sheba, and Seba, identified in medieval times with Spain, Ethopia, and Arabia.

Other scholars believe the wise men were from Persia because the Greek word behind the King James Version translation of wise men (in Matt. 2:1, 7, 16) is Magoi, a Persian word sometimes rendered in English texts as Magi. This word, the origin of our English word magic, refers to priests in the Zoroastrian religion of ancient Persia. Early Christian tradition associates the coming of the Magi with a prophecy attributed to Zoroaster, whom ancient Persians accepted as a prophet. (See I Infancy Gospel 3:1, in The Lost Books of the Bible, New York: The World Publishing Co., 1926, p. 40.)

Marco Polo’s account supports the Persia theory. He reported that three Magi had set out from Saba in Persia, where their tombs were still shown in his day. Local tradition named three kings: Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. (See The Travels of Marco Polo, New York: Grosset and Dunlap, n.d., p. 33.) The same names are used in Christian tradition today for non-Persian wise men. The Armenian Gospel of the Infancy, chapter eleven, names the Magi as Melkon, King of Persia; Gaspar of India; and Balthazar of Arabia. (See The Apocryphal New Testament, trans. Montague Rhodes James, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924, p. 83.) The names appear to be Akkadian, however, common at Babylon from whence they spread through other parts of the Persian Empire from the fifth century b.c.

Marco Polo also reported that the three Persians who went away to worship the newborn prophet took gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Marco Polo, p. 34.) Christian tradition refers to these gifts as symbolic, respectively, of Jesus’ kingship, divinity, and passion (myrrh being used for perfuming the dead before burial, as seen in John 19:39–40).

The star is perhaps the most puzzling aspect of the story, because the wise men are generally depicted as following the moving celestial body from their homeland (or a central meeting point) to Jerusalem, and then to Bethlehem. Our modern knowledge of astronomy makes it difficult to accept such a view. And since the new star was also seen by inhabitants of the American continent (see Hel. 14:5; 3 Ne. 1:21), it obviously couldn’t have hovered over the wise men. Their report to Herod that they had “seen his star in the east” (Matt. 2:2) may have meant that they themselves were in the east at the time, not that the star was in the east and moved westward. An alternate translation sometimes given to the Greek text is not “in the east” but “at its rising.”

If the wise men weren’t following the star from their homeland, how were they able to pinpoint the country where the new king would be born? We must attribute their knowledge to some tradition or prophecy in their homeland. They knew enough to come to Judea, but did not go directly to Bethlehem. Instead, they went to the palace in Jerusalem—a place where one would expect the birth of a king. When they appeared in Herod’s court, they asked, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” (Matt. 2:2.) Quite obviously, they knew they were looking for a Jew.

While there is no hint in the Matthew account that the star “led” the wise men to the west from their homeland, there was some sort of directional indication when they went from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. (See Matt. 2:9–10.) Since Herod’s people had instructed them that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem (see Matt. 2:4–6), there was no need for the star to show the way there. But it would have been helpful in pinpointing the spot where they could find Jesus. (See Matt. 2:9.) We do not know exactly how it did this. It may have been a phenomenon other than the star seen two years previous, since the Nephite record makes no mention of a second appearance of the star. Interestingly, one source indicates that it was an angel in the guise of a star. (See 1 Infancy Gospel 3:3.)

The Book of Mormon indicates that the new star was accompanied by a tremendous brightness in the heavens which made the night appear as day. (See Hel. 14:2–6; 3 Ne. 1:15–21.) This phenomenon is not mentioned in the New Testament account. However, it is confirmed in early Christian tradition. In a letter from Ignatius to the Ephesians, written about a.d. 100, we read:

“How then was our Saviour manifested to the world? A star shone in heaven beyond all the other stars, and its light was inexpressible, and its novelty struck terror into men’s minds. All the rest of the stars, together with the sun and moon, were the chorus to this star; but that sent out its light exceedingly above them all.

“And men began to be troubled to think whence this new star came so unlike to all the others.” (Ignatius to the Ephesians 4:11–12, The Lost Books of the Bible.)

But why did God send the wise men to Bethlehem? It is true that Herod began his search for the young Messiah as a result of their visit. But news from the tale of the shepherds was bound to find its way to the court ultimately anyway. (See Luke 2:17–18.) Sooner or later, he would come searching for the child to destroy him. Joseph and Mary were poor and would not have had the means to travel out of Herod’s reach. Their poverty may, in fact, have been the reason they remained in Bethlehem rather than returning to Nazareth. But with the precious gifts brought by the wise men, they could escape into Egypt. Thus, it is likely that the arrival of the wise men was part of God’s plan for fulfilling prophecy and for preserving the family from danger.

Another purpose may have been served by the wise men. We cannot know with whom they shared their experiences, but it is possible that they spread the knowledge of the Messiah’s birth to the Jewish community throughout Babylonia and Persia.

Christmas Facts

You might not know.....

– Each year, 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States alone. There are 21,000 Christmas tree growers in the United States, and trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.

– Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.

– In the Middle Ages, Christmas celebrations were rowdy and raucous—a lot like today's Mardi Gras parties.

– From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in Boston, and law-breakers were fined five shillings.

– Christmas wasn't a holiday in early America—in fact Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the country's first Christmas under the new constitution.

– Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.

– The first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in Captain John Smith's 1607 Jamestown settlement.

– Poinsettia plants are named after Joel R. Poinsett, an American minister to Mexico, who brought the red-and-green plant from Mexico to America in 1828.

The Salvation Army has been sending Santa Claus-clad donation collectors into the streets since the 1890s.

– Rudolph, "the most famous reindeer of all," was the product of Robert L. May's imagination in 1939. The copywriter wrote a poem about the reindeer to help lure customers into the Montgomery Ward department store.

– Construction workers started the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition in 1931.


11/20/08

How Boring is My Life

Copy the list and highlight the ones (mine are green) that are true about you :)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (Who is really going to answer this truthfully???)
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
(twice)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Talked your way out of a ticket

I've got some livin' to do!

11/14/08

Orangutan Island



A desperate struggle for survival is raging deep in the heart of Borneo's forests. Illegal logging is rapidly destroying the Bornean orangutans' last stronghold in the wild — leaving hundreds of orangutan babies orphaned and homeless. Their future seems bleak but a ground-breaking project provides real hope for ensuring the survival of the species. Meet the 35 classmates of Forest School 103 at the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. These precocious red-haired "children of the forest" will get the opportunity, through this innovative project led by Lone Droscher-Nielsen and her team, to live wild on a protected island. Orangutan Island is the foundation for the largest primate rescue project in the world.


For the first time on television, watch these orangutan children as they form their own society. Unlike wild orangutans, who live mostly solitary lives traveling across endless territory every day, this group will be confined to an island where they will need to learn to live together in a community, something that's not natural for them. Confinement issues lead to battles for dominance. Learning to bond with other orangutans, forming friendships and sharing knowledge are all issues they will face here but would not normally experience in the wild.

Join the orangutans as they enter a whole new realm of real life education. Watch as Lone and her team transfer Cha Cha, Saturnus, Daisy, Chen Chen and all their classmates to the island. Experience the emotional roller-coaster as they each struggle to adjust to the transition from the Center. Find out if they will remember the skills they were taught to survive, whether foraging for food or avoiding dangerous predators. Just as important, will the bonds they formed while at Nyaru Menteng survive and serve as a basis for creating a society or will issues of dominance prove too destructive?

The social and lovable Cha Cha goes into a crisis on her first day away from the Center. Hamlet tries to exert his dominance over Jasmine, but feisty Daisy and the mischievous "Bandit Boys" come to her rescue. These highly intelligent, gentle apes share 97 percent of our DNA making them some of our closest relatives. Yet they are as different in personality and needs as we are. Can they overcome their traumatized childhoods and cope without constant human support?

Go with them on their journey to adulthood as they struggle to form their own society and learn how to live free on Orangutan Island.

*****

On Animal Planet. Season 2 just started. Check your listings. This woman is one of my heroes! I wish I could be there to help!

11/10/08

Brain Typing

I've always been interested in this and I found this article and it makes it easy to understand. There is also a test that you can take. Follow the links at the end and you should be able to find it there. Put your letters together and you can find a more detailed explanation of who you are at the links or by Googling. I, for instance, am an ISFJ the definition is too long to include here, so Google away. It sure helps to understand other people and what makes them tick and how not to get too ticked off at people. :) Some people are just made annoying.

Myers-Briggs Teaches Typing


By Melinda Lavorante

No, not keyboard typing; brain typing! We are all created wonderfully unique by the hand of the God of this universe. He put His loving touch into every hair and every pore on our bodies, and He also blessed us each with a personality. No two personalities are exactly alike, yet there are obvious similarities among people's personalities. Man has tried to define these types in many ways. The type that Gretchen asked me to write about for you is the Myers-Briggs typing (also developed by Keirsey-Bates).

Do you like to take time to think things through before responding? Do you enjoy metaphors and analogies, and often find yourself being general and figurative? Do you trust facts rather than your own feelings on a subject? Do you like adapting to new situations and challenges? If all of these apply to you, then you may be an INTP like me! An INTP is one of the 16 personality combinations of the Myers-Briggs typing method.

There are four categories in this kind of typing. In each category there are two options. A person can be labeled either option, so they come up with a four-letter brain type. Let's examine each of these areas. Keep in mind that you don't have to totally subscribe to either of the options. You can easily have characteristics of both. However, the one that you most are like is the one that you name in your brain type.

Extroverted (E) and Introverted (I)

A lot of people (including myself, initially) think that extroverted are people-lovers and introverts are nothing short of hermits. Of course, that is quite a generalization. By definition, extroverts tend to be energized by other people, and introverts are more energized by spending time alone. Both groups can enjoy being with people, yet while extroverts don't easily tire from being with others, introverts hit their limit and need time alone to "recharge." Extroverts are concerned with what other people think of them, while introverts often are not as worried about public opinions. This is sometimes why introverts make better public speakers.

As Christian girls trying to live for the Lord, those of us who are extroverted needs to be cautious to listen to people better and not do all the talking, while the introverted need to know when to open up and share their thoughts, feelings, and struggles with others.

Sensing (S) and Intuitive (N)

Sensors are the concrete, down-to-earth, practical, and literal people in this world. Intuitives are the dreamers, and the ones with imaginations. They can be a bit scatter-brained at times. Sensors are set on doing things in a step-by-step matter, consistently working towards a set goal, while Intuitives will achieve their goals by leaps in a roundabout manner.

Sensors can often be too practical, without consideration for human personalities and errors in mind, while Intuitives may have their "head in the clouds" and forget the necessities and implications of everyday life.

Thinking (T) and Feeling (F)

A person strong in the Thinking characteristic, when faced with a problem, will most likely step back to assess the situation, not letting emotions or personal subjection get in the way. They may seem heartless and uncaring, yet they realize that logic is more important to base their foundation on than ever-changing emotions.

Feelers are the more emotional type (often viewed as overemotional or weak--which is not always true), who considers the affects on other people of the outcome of their decision. They see exceptions to set rules, when human feelings are involved, and feel it is important to not only be truthful, but tactful also.

While Thinkers are motivated by the desire for achievements and accomplishments, Feelers are driven by the desire to be appreciated.

Thinkers should be cautious about being too judgmental, while Feelers may need to put more of a foundation on their decision-making than personal feeling.

Judging (J) and Perceiving (P)

If you've ever known a nit picking, exacting person, then you've probably met a Judger! Judgers are known for not resting until their work is done, for setting goals and working towards them (and getting them done in time!), and having the emphasis of their work be getting the job completed.

Perceivers, on the other hand, are much more flexible. They enjoy starting projects and working on them, but are less concerned about completing them. They like adapting to new situations and will change goals as new information comes available. While Judgers work now and play later, Perceivers tend to play first, and then work later if there is time.

Judgers need to be careful not to neglect family members and people's feelings when trying to get jobs completed. Perceivers need to keep away from laziness and being disorganized to the extent that it hinders their work.

What usefulness is there in knowing your brain type? Firstly, it can help you to understand yourself and others. If your half of the room that you share with your sister is always tidy, and your sister's half is always messy, it doesn't mean your sister just messes up her room on purpose. It can just mean she is a Perceiver and needs to work harder to keep things cleaner, while your Judging personality automatically demands cleanliness for your comfort.

Knowing your brain type can also help you cultivate your interests. I have always been interested in designing things. Finding out that I am an INTP, I realize that that is one of the strong characteristics in my type! Now I know that it isn't just a whim or passing thing, but rather something rooted in my personality. I can now better use this talent to serve the Lord.

Of course, there is always the temptation to think that because you're a certain brain type you must act that certain way, or that you'll always act in the manners set forth. You have to remember that nobody fits into a personality mold perfectly! You will be constantly borrowing characteristics from other brain types, and your preferences and talents on things will depend a lot of the circumstances and situations you are in. Having a brain type label is only a guide to your behavior. It isn't a limit, and it isn't an excuse. We should all try to improve our faults and become better people for our Savior, always bringing honor and glory to Him, no matter what brain type He has blessed us with!

This has only been a brief analysis on this kind of brain typing. For more information on brain typing, visit http://www.braintypes.com/ and http://www.keirsey.com/. Some Christian friends of ours do the first one, and the second is a secular site. Always be careful about secular thoughts and contents, especially when it comes to psychology.

11/3/08

Football Frenzy


Travis Wyatt




Travis and Wyatt's SM Blue Mustangs have been on a winning streak this season. Their record speaks for itself at 11-1. They have the next two weeks off and then will play in the Orange Bowl and then the Turkey Bowl. Their team has also won the Sportmanship award which is based on comments made by the referring staff for each game. Only 6 awards were given out to teams and SM earned 3 of those awards. Way to go!

Grandma and Grandpa were able to come watch a game in Norwalk that fortunately the team won at the last minute. Yeah!

Everybody Somebody Anybody Nobody


There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized the Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when actually Nobody asked Anybody.

Author Unknown



Does this ring a bell?

Whatcha Been Doin'?...Aw, Not Much

I'm doing good...It's Election Day Eve, and I'm already getting a post in. Okay, so there's this event taking place, I'm not sure if you've heard about it, it Election Day. If I'm not already doing it, remind me to crawl under a rock for the whole day and maybe 1/2 of Wednesday. I so don't want to hear one thing about the election tomorrow or I will have a mental break down. (Reminder, get meds) The big one of course being Prop. 8. The boys have gotten involved in holding signs and had a few fingers thrown their way as well as some choice words but they also got support to help balance things out. Travis and Wyatt are fasting today (news they got via a text message) and after school they want to hold signs again. I like their enthusiasm. Of course, news is out about Steve Young and his wife with their sizable donation to No on 8. Can you say "Deep Doo Doo"? Merlin assures me its the wifes stance, not Steves, which could only mean either trouble with the church and its members or trouble at home. I must say I think he needs to come out and do and say a little more than he has in his own defense. It's quite the pickle, Dick!

CTW went to the Youth Fall Festival on Thursday night and had a blast! They said it was so fun! I have zero pictures of my kids in costumes...TW went straight from football practice in the football stuff, so duh, they went as football players. Chad stopped at Target to pick up some gold leggings....I have no idea. I hope there are pictures somewhere of whatever he was. He did the same thing on Halloween night only that time he borrowed angel wings to go with the gold leggings. Whatever! Wyatt played a game at the Festival called Fear Factor and came home with a sticker saying he survived Fear Factor. He had to: 1. eat dried squid 2. eat rawfish 3. drink a cup of vinegar 4. swallow wasabi and 5. eat a slice of jalapeno pepper. Just like eating moms home cooking....no problem! I'm so glad there weren't any bugs harmed in the process of the game. Friday night, all 3 were off with friends and seemed to have had a great time. I was home waiting for the parade of trick or treaters and the parade never arrived. So much candy, so much free time - what to do?

Wednesday afternoon/evening, I met Kelli at the freeway where she handed off Davis and Juliet to me to watch for one night and all day Thursday. After unloading the Uhaul with their belongings for the NIGHT, we headed home. Juliet was all smiles and it took Davis just a little while to warm up but he did and it was fun. I had to run off to do board of reviews at the church, so Merlin was in charge. Only problem was, his granddaughter didn't want to go to him. She eventually calmed and I was able to go. She was down for the night when I got home and Davis went to bed with zero problems. They both slept til 7:30 the next am. I like that program. I entered Juliets room to release her from the cage and BAMMMM! What.a.stench.! When you're away from that for years and years and get a whiff later.....woozy! Not good! I cleaned her up and then proceeded to watch 5 hours of cartoons. Those were the days! I then took them to RSM lake, we fed the geese and ducks, got lunch at Mickey D's and headed home instead of watching Chad at his XC meet. No problem. It was alot of fun but also kind of tiring - always on guard. Kelli had fun at Lukes State Farm graduation and seeing her friend at the hospital delivering her baby, the kids survived Grandma Riki, so everyones a winner!


10/21/08

Invisible Moms

I love this one.....

Moms, this so worth reading...

Invisible Mother.....if your not a mom pass on to your friends who are!

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack
of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while
I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm
thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or
cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the
corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The
invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can
you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a
human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?'
I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a
car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held
books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated
summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut
butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going,
she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating
the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back
from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she
stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put
together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I
was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a
beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a
book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why
she'd given it tome until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte, with
admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book.
And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing
truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built
the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These
builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see
finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of
their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw
everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came
to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman
carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and
asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird
into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it. And
the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into
place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you,
Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No
act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on,
no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You
are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it
will become.

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it
is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of
my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn
pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great
builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will
never see finished, to work on something that their name will never
be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no
cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people
willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to
tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom
gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand
bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the
table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I
just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say
to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be
seen if we're doing it r ight. And one day, it is very
possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the
beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible
women.

Great Job, MOM!

The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God
will not protect you.

This is beautiful and makes a ton of sense. To all the
wonderful mothers and fathers out there.