July 9, 2008 @ 11:57 am | Filed under: Jorge, Motherhood
Jorge came home from Victoria a few days ago with the biggest box of all kinds of wonderfully delicious cookies. All especially packaged by Elizabeth.
Nestled among the chocolate-chip cookies, the lemon cookies, the oatmeal cookies - was this beautifully decorated strawberry one. With an equally beautiful note attached to it.
I had to stare at the card for a few seconds before I realized that the “Mrs. Wilder” on the front of the card was…ME!
Thank you, Elizabeth, for the beautiful words, the beautiful gift, and for always being so thoughtful!
July 6, 2008 @ 10:49 am | Filed under: he said she said
Independence Day may very well be one of my favorite holidays, second only to Thanksgiving.
There is just something about our country’s colors - red, white, & blue - flying with pride and joy everywhere you look that fills me with excitement.
Our church hosts an annual Celebrate Freedom day that is always a great time for families.
Mike and I spent a good part of the afternoon in lawn chairs next to one another, watching a half-dozen teams battle it out for first place on the sand volleyball courts.
Poor Mike.
I think it may have been the heat that somehow tricked his tongue into saying the. most. WRONG. thing. EVER!
MIKE: “Hey, you want to trade chairs?”
ME: “That’s okay. I’m good.”
MIKE: “Really? ‘Cause this one’s bigger. And sturdier.”
I pushed my sunglasses to the top of my head and turned to him, slowly and deliberately. I promise, folks, you could literally see the inner conversation going on inside of him. I watched it play out in his brown eyes, doing my best to keep my smile hidden, and to put on the most hurt face I could muster up.
I’m pretty sure he was doing some fast praying and I think it may have gone something like this:
Dear GOD! What have I done? Rescue me now from the wrath that is my wife who is sitting a mere six inches from me and from the look on her face she could very well inflict considerable damage to this shell of a man. (Me. I’m talking about me, God.) If you see fit, Lord, please just open up this here ground beneath me and swallow me up, offensive bigger, sturdier lawn chair and all.
And then I had to spoil this reverent moment between him and God by busting out in laughter. Ladies, we know that no husband in their right mind would dare to even think these words, let alone voice them out loud!
Plus, it helped a lot knowing that I’m a tiny woman up next to my husband and - at twelve inches shorter and a good 130 pounds lighter - I’m fairly confident his mouth somehow mixed up what his brain meant to say.
At least that’s his story and he’s sticking to it.
July 5, 2008 @ 1:25 pm | Filed under: It's funny!, The Writing Life
I LOVE writing. And there’s really nothing I’d like to do with my life more than hone this skill and keep writing for as long as God sees fit.
But for all the folks out there who think this life is one of ease and tranquility, let me give you more correct information.
Many days it can be torture. Sweet torture, but torture nonetheless. Even as I struggle to tap into the right vein, to prayerfully and carefully endeavor to write my heart, I’m sometimes distracted by all the stuff going on outside my upstairs office window.
Who’d have ever thought that mowing a lawn or observing trash retrieval would ever sound so appealing to me?
This is just one of the many hazards of the writing life…
authors, cartoons, writing life
July 4, 2008 @ 11:13 am | Filed under: Friends, Summer at the ballpark
We met Mandy and David at the game tonight. Since it was the July 4th game, the entire ballpark was a sea of red, white, and blue. It was absolutely breathtaking.
Each of the armed forces was recognized and properly commended. It was touching to see the amount of game attendees that had either served our country in the past, or are serving now.
Hearing the national anthem always gets to me, but on this night - as thousands of fellow Americans joined in together - it was a moment I’ll remember for quite a while.
This is a photo of the guys posing with The New Andrews Sisters. They were the night’s entertainment. An acapella group, they were AMAZING! They were dressed in wartime 1940s dress and were absolutely beautiful. It was a great night!
Andrew Sisters, ballpark, July 4th
June 27, 2008 @ 4:53 pm | Filed under: Family, Pure Sunshine
A smile is worth a million dreams,
And laughter a thousand heartbeats
Lifting the spirits and chasing the blues away
With every smile a chance to open doors to laughter
An elevator ride up through the clouds
Where dreams can come true
and heartbeats erase the blues.
–JoJo Bean
aunts, Family, laughter, nieces
June 26, 2008 @ 2:45 pm | Filed under: Uniquely Me
How many zeros in a billion ?
The next time you hear a politician use the word ‘billion’ in a casual manner, think about whether you want the politicians spending YOUR tax money.
A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of it’s releases.
A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth.
E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.
While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let’s take a look at New Orleans . It’s amazing what you can learn with some simple division.
Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D) is presently asking Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number… what does it mean?
A. Well… if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, and child) you each get $516,528.
B. Or… if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.
C. Or… if you are a family of four, your family gets $2,066,012.
In the meantime, this is our reality:
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing Lic ense T ax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Tax
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Fe dermal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Tax
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt…
We had the largest middle class in the world…
and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
June 22, 2008 @ 12:55 pm | Filed under: 5 Minutes for Mom, Motherhood, Uniquely Me
I posted over at Faith Lifts today…
devotions, Motherhood, parenting
June 21, 2008 @ 5:39 pm | Filed under: Family, Pure Sunshine
The kids at Carter’s Kindergarten graduation. Notice who scored the cap afterwards…!
Congratulations, Carter! Pops and Nana are so proud of you!
Family, grandchildren, kindergarten graduation
June 20, 2008 @ 10:08 am | Filed under: 5 Minutes for Mom, Motherhood, The Writing Life
I am very excited and honored to be working with the wonderful women and moms at 5 Minutes for Mom. It’s phenomenal to have a place where we women can come together in our faith and in our calling as moms - both in the home and in the workplace - and know that we have a sisterhood that ‘has our back.’
I’m posting today over at The Sampler, which is a weekly column of 5 Minutes for Mom that brings you exclusive samplings from the some of the best mom blogs. For weekly encouragement, please check them out regularly. I promise you’ll be blessed!
5 Minutes for Mom, Add new tag, encouragement, mom blogs
June 19, 2008 @ 2:15 pm | Filed under: Soul Food
WHEN I SAY I AM A CHRISTIAN
“A woman’s heart should be so hidden in Christ
that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.”
When I say… “I am a Christian” I’m not shouting “I’m clean living.’”
I’m whispering “I was lost, Now I’m found and forgiven.”
When I say… “I am a Christian” I don’t speak of this with pride.
I’m confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say… “I am a Christian” I’m not trying to be strong.
I’m professing that I’m weak and need His strength to carry on.
When I say… “I am a Christian” I’m not bragging of success.
I’m admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.
When I say… “I am a Christian” I’m not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.
When I say… “I am a Christian” I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.
When I say… “I am a Christian” I’m not holier than thou.
I’m just a simple sinner Who received God’s good grace, somehow!
- Maya Angelou
