Archives for April 2010

Anna is 11 years old. She is crazy obsessed with Kingdom Hearts, Warriors, Kingdom Hearts, watching sad youtube videos, did I mention Kingdom Hearts?

She’s silly and funny and smart and has a fantastic singing voice. She’s headed to middle school in a few months along with Kaylee.

Happy Birthdy Anna! Onward to Puberty!

“I am responsible to God for your protection. This really isn’t about you or being your friend or what you think. This is about me, answering to God for how I have protected you. I don’t care if it makes you mad or sad or glad. I’m the mom. I will stand in front of God one day, and I’m taking that seriously.”

– Angela Thomas

Everything I believe about being a mom and a step-mom is encompassed in this quote. I may get a tattoo just to emphasize it’s importance. Or possibly a cross stitched pillow. I don’t expect any of the kids to understand this now. In fact, I imagine at least half of them will have some kind of snarky response. This statement doesn’t mean I won’t fail often. It doesn’t mean I won’t make a colossal mess every now and again. It only means that, very simply, I do not answer to you.

Kaylee is 11. She is ridiculously mature for 11. That’s a blessing and a curse. She’s smart. She’s funny. She is a lil bit boy crazy. She is obsessed with her cell phone. And she can mispronounce almost any word with hilarious consequences.

She’s headed to middle school next year. May the Lord have mercy on us all.

Happy Birthday Kaylee!

I had no good reason to read this book. Although I feel I am always in a pit of some kind (usually of my own making)there was no big spiritual crisis in my life that drove me into the library looking for a self help book. Basically, I love Beth Moore (Savannah and I are gonna see her again in December. WOOT!!!) and I had never read this particular book before.

Moore describes a variety of different ‘pits’ we end up in. Some we create (that’s me)and jump in, some we fall in by accident, and some we get pushed or thrown into. When I look back on my life, I can see all of these scenarios represented. She gives some useful advice on staying out of the ‘pit’ but even she would admit that it’s easier said than done.

Savannah turns 12 today. I’ve been joking that she only has one more year before she starts hating my guts. I hope that’s not true. She’s such a good kid. I am so proud of her grades and talents but more than anything, I am so humbled by her love of God. Here’s a perfect example from the past year. One day I was in a bad mood. I was upset by jealousy. I was seething with envy over something ridiculously stupid. I even recognized how stupid it was which was the cause of my bad mood. Savannah was going through some papers and she found our donation envelope for the Nashville Rescue Mission. She looked up at me and asked if she could donate her allowance. At that moment, I realized that somebody should be jealous of me.

I love you so much lamma dicky! Please don’t turn into a mean teen next year, ok?