My Beautiful Friend is Coming Soon!

My sister-in-law, Anne Marie, is coming to see us a week from tomorrow! We're so excited to see her again. I've missed having her around to talk with, laugh with, and just go get a coffee with (Starbucks of course!). She'll be here for a little over a week, which is awesome! I hate short visits from family because you never feel like you have enough time to catch up. She called me the other day and informed me that even though she will no longer be working at Starbucks, she can still get her discount! Bonus :) Anybody want to go for a coffee? When Anne leaves Farmland she will be going to Branson for her new job working with college age kids, which is a job she has already done but now they can pay her full-time. I'm really excited for her because this is what she has wanted to do forever! Now we can visit her in Branson which is not too far away and that's where my dad is too. Small world!

This is a Sushi Maker

For all of you who were curious

Sushi Night!

Tonight Sidney and I had fun making sushi rolls. I love that Sidney loves to try new foods, she got that from me you know! I have a sushi maker that makes it easy or I would never have tried to make these. As you can see Lucas wanted nothing to do with it! If you are a sushi lover, let me know and we can have a sushi party. Yeah!

Learning about Ruby Bridges

We took the family to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis last Friday. We went to our usual place first, the Dinosphere, Lucas' absolute favorite. After that we went over to show Lucas and James the Science level, where the water and tunnels are. I forgot to tell you EVERYONE was at the Children's Museum. It was people elbow to elbow, we could hardly get to the area we wanted to. On the way to the Science level, Sidney and I saw a new part of the museum about children in history who led inspirational lives and stood up for what they believed in. Sidney loves history and so we left James and Lucas with ALL those people and went down to look around. We saw all kinds of displays, memorabilia, and pictures of Anne Frank, Ryan White (the boy who had contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion), and Ruby Bridges. We decided to sit in on the play about Ruby Bridges. They had it in a room that had been converted to look just like the classroom Ruby had 55 years ago. She was one of the first black girls to attend an all white school and she did it alone without any other black children. An actor who played one of Ruby's bodygaurds did a one man performance of his view of that day Ruby walked into the school for the first time. He was really believable and it was so enjoyable to watch. The part of the story that almost made me cry was when he was talking about being one of the four guards who walked Ruby into school. People were lined up and down the street and on the school grounds yelling hateful insults at Ruby and holding crosses to say that it was God's will that blacks and whites should be seperated. At one point a woman held a homemade coffin with a black baby doll in it. Very horrible. Remember that Ruby was only in Grade School, so she wasn't very old. Anyway, the gaurd said he heard Ruby mumbling so he got closer and realized she was praying. She was praying for God to help the people outside yelling at her. Wow! What a great example of being Christ-like. I was so impressed that the actor added this to his presentation. If you are ever at the children's museum, you have to see this. It reminded me of how hate can get into your heart and make you do some unbelievable things. I'm sure they were just like the people chanting and yelling at Jesus on his way to the cross. Ruby's faith is such an awesome testimony. She must have been scared to death, but she was still concerned for the hearts of the people who hated her. I can't wait to go back and see the other presentations on Anne Frank and Ryan White.

Someone tell me why

We were driving in Muncie today and I was reminded that every time I start to like something it either gets canceled or discontinued. So I wanted you to see my list of these things.

1. 1. One of my favorite new shows, Journeyman, canceled after only 9 or 10 episodes! I didn't even find out why he was traveling through time. It was a great show! Come on!

2. Yoplait Lemon yogurt! This was my absolute favorite flavor. Now all they have is lemon cream pie flavor. No, I want lemon, just lemon!

3. Asiago cheese dip at Rock Bottom Brewery! This dip was sooooooo good and they served it with sweet bread. We first started to go to this restaurant in San Diego and then we found one in Indianapolis, but no dip. AHHHHHHH!

4. Peanut Butter Twix! They have Java Twix now, but noooooo peanut butter. Why?

5. Rack Room Shoes in the Muncie Mall! Our family has been there several times and have purchased many pairs of good shoes. They had shoes for everyone and a great selection. Whatever!

I think that's everything on my list. I just wanted everyone to know. Please let me know if this happens to you too! Thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

Go MC Bears!

Sidney's last cheer clinic was today. She had to learn two cheers and a new dance in only two hours! I don't think I could do that. She did a great job keeping up. Oh by the way Lucas had a blast watching the guys play basketball. He turned around to James and I and said, "I'm having a great time!" That's my boy!

A Weird Week

We've had a lot of interesting things happen this week. Sidney caught strep throat AGAIN! The doctor informed us that there are 33 strands of strep, so I was grateful that Sidney has had only two. LOL! (lol means Laugh Out Loud for those who aren't computer savvy) On Thursday James went to Muncie for an appointment with a Honda dealership. He came home without our Big Brutus (the Element) and was driving a new Honda Civic Coupe! We have been talking about trading in the Element for a more effecient vehicle with better gas mileage. Kudos to James, he did it! Our monthly payment is lower, we will get better gas mileage, and it is going to help our credit in the future. Then to top of the end of the week, Lucas threw up all over MY bed on Friday night. He was jumping on the bed just minutes before as happy as could be. Then, chunks all over my pillow. Poor guy was shaking afterward because so much came out. I couldn't believe that much could come out of his little stomach. I was up until 1:00 am cleaning puke off my bed. Fun times! Needless to say, I'm a little exhausted but grateful that my kids are getting better and are back to normal. God definetly had a hand in that. So there's my weird week. I'm praying that this next week will be a little less weird and a lot more normal. Let me just say, I'm counting down the days until Spring Break! Woohoo!

Lucas Lost a Tooth!

Lucas lost his first tooth the other night and the funny thing is he didn't even know it was loose! He was biting a stuffed bear and Sidney ripped it out of his mouth. Out flew the bear along with a tooth. He was so proud, he came and announced it to James and I in the living room!

A Habit of Praise

I've been reading Praise Habit: Finding God is Sunsets and Sushi by David Crowder. I really like the way he writes. It's crazy random thoughts with deep insights into what Praise means to him. Today was a chapter on becoming who we are in Christ and he talked about Nuns. Whenever I see a Nun, I find myself feeling sorry for them because they have chosen a life of solitude and they have to wear that horrible black and white dress! But, if you research the meaning of the dress and head wear, it's quite interesting. David Crowder explaines the ceremony where a nun recieves her new clothes and new life: "During the ceremony, the sister would receive her consectrated garb and new religious name. She could then lie flat on the ground before the altar as a black funeral pall was placed over her and candles burned at each corner of her body. . . Her old life was gone. What was before this moment had vanished. A new name, a new set of clothes, and a new way of living had begun." I think I have a whole new idea about the clothes nuns wear. They are laying down their old self and becoming God's completely and wholly. What a nun wears identifies her and defines who she is. David Crowder says that's the kind of life he wants to live; where Christ covers him and defines who he is and what else can he do but PRAISE the one who has changed him. Am I living a life that identifies me as Christ's child? Am I giving him PRAISE for my new life? I've been a Christian for so long and I sometimes get into the habit of just going throught the motions without any real meaning; reading the Bible, praying before each meal, going to church, singing worship songs. I want Christ to cover me so completely that I have no other response than to live a life of constant PRAISE! Lately God has shown me little ways to awaken my relationship with Him. I now start each prayer saying, "God, I love you" or "God, you are awesome!" instead of "Dear Heavenly Father" like I'm writing a letter to God. Even this little change has helped me feel so much closer to God and has made my prayer life mean so much more than it was before. I don't want to become a casual christian, I want to be a radical child of God!

"Our habit is the Christ. He is what covers us. He is what identifies us. We wear Him into every moment, and when we live with this awareness, we PRAISE CHRIST."

David Crowder

Next time you see a nun, remember that Christ is covering you and PRAISE HIM!

SUPERSTAR in the making!

I love that I caught her without her knowing! Did I hear a niner in there?