Thursday, December 28, 2006

Chicken for Christmas

Christmas, for us, lasted many days...at least three to be closer to exact. Maybe four. We did pre-Christmas at the Young's homestead. It was a very fun visit though we saw entirely too little of John, Connie, and Brooke. Hopefully, we'll make it down for Brooke's dedication at the end of January. Spending the night made the most of our time spent on such a short visit.


Mercy thoroughly enjoyed herself! She definitely came away with the most presents! We decided that since there is no way around "Santa", Mercy would understand that Santa was a servant of God's delivering gifts for Jesus' birthday. It's worked out pretty well. Jesus gives presents instead of gets presents for His birthday...of course we all know that Jesus, himself, was the best gift of all!


Christmas day was celebrated at our own house by our own little family! Mercy and I wore our pajamas almost all day! Fabulous! Except for the back pain I had all day, it was extremely relaxing. Mercy's "big" gift was a kitchen! We had to hide her Dora car she got at the Young Christmas extravaganza, so she would open her other gifts.

Her kitchen is the same as the one I had when I was a kid. I got it and all its accessories at garage sales this summer and spent about $30. I had to touch up the burner stickers with sharpies. She loves it though! Now every morning she spies it and wants to play with her "chicken"...sometimes it's kitchen and other times it's chicken. So Mercy got a "chicken" for Christmas! We all got a lot of movies and TV shows series. It was fantastic, but family and remembering and celebrating the gift of Jesus was the best of all.


Mercy says it's time to go home and go night night...so...more later.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Tinkle Tinkle Star and Jingle Ba

Mercy is going at this talking thing with tenacity! Today she said 5 new words...lets see if I can remember them all. The first one was "Penny," then she said that my hair was "wet," she identified the "Nutcracker" in her new baby einstein video...oh well, I wracked my brain for the other two, but can't identify them precisely at this time. She made a sentence at the table, "More. More bean beans!" Green beans...she loves them. Oh! She said, "Corn" while trying her first corn dog. She kinda liked it, but preferred the hot dog portion. She's also been singing and asking mommy to sing lately. She recognizes "Jingle Ba"--jingle bells--almost immediately even without the words. That's exciting to me a musician. That means she's got the whole tonal recognition thing working for her. She also likes "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." She knows many of the words and kinda understands that they come in a certain order. She'll say, "Tinkle Tinkle Star...Howawa...Up abub...Tinkle Tinkle Star." All while dancing. We have got to get all this on video, but it's often so spontaneous. Man I love having a little one around!

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Mountain House




Jason and I just got back today from our Mountain escape to "The Solitary Place." We needed to get away and just "be" and to celebrate our 5 year anniversary...so we did. It was a mere 40 minute drive from our house, and cost us next to nothing! We enjoyed the most amazing scenery of mountains and lakes and waterfalls. We saw deer tracks and raccoon tracks. Jason tried to fish, but with no luck. We made a fire every night and vegged out, watching dvd's and reading. We drove into Hendersonville, NC and walked around and enjoyed that a bit, but we will have to go again seeing as I got the stomach flu in the middle of that exploration. It came and went quickly though, so all is well. I slaved over a dinner the first night and was disappointed! Ha! That's the last time I spend more than 2 hours cooking anything other than something in a crock pot!



We didn't do a whole lot of "celebrating" if you will. We forgot to bring our wedding video. We were going to watch it. I was going to make us a cake and then realized that there was no mixer, so I couldn't do the icing. Still we celebrated in our own ways...



Talk about solitude...there is no cell service there, no cable outside of one channel, no computer access...just you and the fire, nature, and quietness. It was great! we didn't want to leave. Truly! we wanted to stay and somehow make it our own. And maybe one day that dream can come true. I just appreciated the opportunity to be reminded of the awesomeness of my God and Creator! I didn't think I could be quite so moved by nature, but I've been missing it in my spirit somehow. And how I appreciate it more these days!



Well, it's way past time for me to nod off. The whisling of the train as it passes not far from here is reminding me that it's time to climb in bed and get comfortable. Don't ask why. those of you who really know me have heard that for reasons that I don't know or maybe can't remember, the sound of trains is deeply comforting to me. Thank you, Lord, that you didn't leave that out when you relocated us here to Greenville. There are trains everywhere! Goodnight to all!

Monday, December 11, 2006

Did you think I died?!

So, I haven't blogged in a REALLY long time! There are reasons. We moved! I know...I gave no real warning, but Jason wanted it that way because of his work situation. We moved to Greer (a suburb of Greenville) South Carolina on Nov. 21st. It's been an adjustment and no we are not technically settled, but already we have made friends, been to a sunday school Christmas party, sang in a Christmas Choir performance...


Life here is different! I'm not really sure how Jason is adjusting. He's actually only been here for about 5 days. I love the atmosphere. It seems small, but it really isn't. We can see Paris Mountain from our oversized living room window. And the sunset everyday is immaculate! We are renting a 2 bedroom, 1 bath home with a huge back yard, a screened in side porch, and a circular driveway that wraps around the back of the house. It is probably more than 60 years old and was built by our landlord's parents. Believe me when I say they don't build things the way they used to. This place is solid through and through. They have done such an exceptional job at keeping this place up. It is truly a blessing!


Our landlord goes to Taylor's First Baptist also and she is truly a lovely woman! The square footage is just right. About 1150 sq. ft. plus the side and front porches. There's also a shed out back for extra storage. The attic seems to be enormous because it has at least 3 windows, but the hole getting up there is so small and is without a ladder that it discourages us from trying to use it at this point. Mercy's room is great!!! It was literally very cathartic to finally put her pre-Katrina nursery back together, only this room has more than twice the space and all her grown up girl furniture is in there too! I even left room for her soon to be acquired Christmas present. A kitchen! I can't wait to show pics, but still...no mac. Waiting till Jason has a salaried job and until the new models come out in January and the old models go on sale.


While Jason was finishing up his job in B'ham, my mom and I were working feverishly on putting this little house together! We've got curtains up everywhere but the kitchen. We put together furniture and hung pictures. Mercy's room is the only one just completely done, but everything else is close (except the decoration or the kitchen).


Our Christmas tree is up and honestly looks magical. It is a bright green tinsel tree, and when we took it out of the package, we thought it might look a bit like a tree out of a Dr. Seuss book, but after decorated and lit, it is fantastic! Seriously, none of our trees have ever seemed this pretty! Of course Mercy prefers undecorating it rather than decorating!


On the mood homefront, I'm positive. That's something if you ask me. Through this enormous process I've had some moments when I felt overwhelmed and little weepy, but they came and went swiftly! All in all, the medicine helps, the family helps, the newness helps, the house space helps, the church family helps. I feel safe here, more secure than before.


Me and God are still working things out. I mean, well I'm not sure exactly what I mean, but I know that we are communicating again. I'm in His word more than before, but not like I ought to be. I have a lot of excuses--legitimate ones--but that's all they are is excuses. I will get there. If I've learned anything in my short life thus far, it's that all of this is a process. My end is already secure, so the journey is what matters most at this point.


Am I tired? Oh Yeah Baby! But what mother of a rambunctious 17 month old isn't tired?! She is a handful! Her favorite word right now is No. She tests and defies us constantly and we are trying to stay in charge equally as constantly. It's tough parenting. But I know that consistency pays off. Mercy is so tall and sooo smart! She's an extremely verbal girl. She said "you" today and "diaper" and something else that I don't remember and these are just the new words. She uses her signs all the time--we need to learn more! It's amazing! I think she'll be ready to potty train for sure by 2 years! Won't that be fantastic!


She's been cutting a new molar. This is the first in her second set. It's been miserable! Mostly teething has been no big deal, but not in this case! She's been ornary and she points to it and says ouch! She will hardly eat anything! The not eating thing bugs me the most. But I know it will pass.


Sorry for such a long update, but it's been long overdue. Without our computer, I'm guessing I won't be able to be as consistent as I was in the past, but I will definatley try! Much love to you all. More later!