Mediocre

You ever had feelings of being "just average"? You ever been so high on yourself(but not in a snoody, condescending kinda way) that in an instant you were brought back down to other's perceptions of you?

So, I am taking some online courses. Let me just say if you have never taken an online course before, here are the pros and cons you need to understand.

Pros:

1. Allows you to work on your own time, in between work and home.
2. You can be "in class" in your PJs, no make-up on, looking a hot mess, and no one knows.
3. It's all computer work.

Cons:
1. Allows you to work on your own time, which is never since you work and have a home.
2. There is no classroom setting. You know, the one where you walk in and within the first five minutes, you realize it is going to be a long semester. Nope, none of that.
3. It's all computer work. A. lot. of. computer. work.

Now, back to the meat of it.

So, I'm taking some online courses. I will admit that I make really good grades.

That is, until now.

I have this instructor who is eating my grits. Burns me up every chance he gets.

Got a "C" at midterm. Made a 78 on a book report. (Has anyone done a book report since Where the Red Fern Grows? Just sayin.)

Just submitted another paper for him. I put, no lie, probably 10 times more effort into it.

If you hear reports of spontaneous combustion, then you will know how I fared.

Standby......

Requests

Apparently some of you have been missing me. I have had several requests for an update.

To be honest, I found it extremely flattering that some of you are sitting on the edge of your seat to know life as I live it, especially since I blog stalk so many. So thank you, thank you for sharing this journey with me.

The delay in me posting anything is that we went on "cation." And you mothers know that vacation is a three-week process.
Week 1- packing. (It may snow at the beach, and therefore, I need to be prepared.)
Week 2- vacation. (Well, it's only somewhat of a vacation for mommy. With a full kitchen and laundry room, I still believe I need to be doing something.)
Week 3- recovery. (If you have a toddler that is routine and sleeps by themselves in their own bed, then I need not explain this one.)

So here are some pictures that may tide you over until my next post (which may be at the end of semester, yuck!).




At the zoo



While she was supposed to be sitting down eating



She shoveled so much sand



This was taken right before the tantrum when we had to leave and take a nap.



Now, this was taken at home, but isn't it adorable??



On the way home, talking to everyone who had missed her.




Our first Build-A-Bear experience. We made a dog named Curly.



Oreos! Yummy!!



Eating "munch" at Lambert's



Too worn out to even set her balloon down. Needless to say, when she did let it go, Mommy let it escape the vehicle, and the rest of the trip was a covert operation to cover up the balloon escape.

Football

"Lets go Bulldogs!"




Nothing like watching the game from on top of my coffee table!!!




First pig tails. She said, "Pwetty."
Please note all of the neccessities: Lovie, blankie, sippy, and Mommy's phone. Goodness!

On the floor

So, the last post may have been a little heavy, but when God lays something on my heart, I cannot ignore it.

Husband, who is a behind-the-scenes blog follower, was a little worried. He came home and asked me two questions:

1. Is everything okay?

2. Did he do something?

I am thinking that he missed the buck, so Honey, if you are reading, the last post was about me, not you.

He apparently thought he would come home to find his clothes on the floor.



No, Honey, not clothes.....................










Everyone in the house had to be on the floor, playing with "bocks."





Everyone smile and say "I need help getting up."

Target

I snapped a really cute picture last night that I thought would be perfect to blog about, but God had a different plan.

I left my camera in Meredith's room, and since I was running behind this morning, I did not have time to retrieve it. Don't worry. I'll blog about it soon.

Apparently I am walking around with a target on my back, because God sent me two very direct messages this morning: first, the information, and second, to share it in my blog. (Apparently, I am not alone.)

K-Love (cue the music....."Positive, encouraging, more music, K-Love") played clips of an interview with the Christian group Tenth Avenue North.

Tenth Avenue North based their entire first album around James 5:16.

"Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."

In the interview there was a reminder of something so familiar: He loves us not because of who we are, but in spite of who we are.

So, I began to think about things that need to be confessed. Things I would say to you in this moment. Things you may or may not know.

Are you ready? Warning: You are about to witness the train wreck that I truly am.

1. I am a perfectionist.
2. Because of number 1, I am extremely critical of others.
3. Even more, I am extremely critical of myself.
4. As a mother, I make mistakes.
5. I try to be a people-pleaser, even at the expense of others.

(There are others, but the list would get to 100, and the post would be even longer than it already is.)

Now in the car, as I thought of these things. God was peering into my heart, pointing in a particular direction. Whether intentional or unintentional, I was ignoring His request.

And then, there was mention of a comic, Anita Renfroe, who has written several books. I believe the terms Lisa used were "racy, Christian books." She mentioned Adam and Eve being in the garden, naked and unashamed, and how we struggle to get back to that. She continued by saying love is spiritual, emotional, and physical.

Awww, snap. Busted!

If I have slipped in my walk, than how can I expect my relationship to be right with Husband. If I am not being emotionally supported, is it that I am not emotionally supportive? And even though it's taboo, the physical is just as important as the rest.

6. I am not the best wife.
7. Worse, I do not try to be.

City Girl

My mother-in-law calls me "City Girl." She's called me that for years. Though I have been a country girl for a while and I think I am getting the hang of it, I still am a city girl at heart.

I love neighbors being spread out, the wildlife, and the dusty dirt road.

But not for forever. Just for right now.

The city is where I like to roam.

I like just hopping in my car and being somewhere in just a few minutes.

I like to hear horns blowing.

I like being seconds from a park.

I like boneless meat.

Got your attention? That's one of the reasons why Mother-in-law calls me "City Girl." I don't eat meat on the bone. The thought of it makes me nauseous. I really cannot handle it. It just seems very barbaric. So, if someone can, answer me this.





Who does this child belong to???!!!

Help!

As if our life was not productive enough, we have had more going on in the last few days.

I'm beginning to think Husband is Noah. Remember, several weeks ago when I mentioned the pipe that burst (Did we ever establish what was correct?) in our attic. Well, Sunday, a pipe coming into the house, decided he was jealous of all the attention the other pipe was getting. So while husband was cutting through the jungle that we like to call our yard, he discovered a stream of water flowing into a large resovoir. The dog believed it was his oasis. Lucky us!

Husband just jumped in there, literally, and after much work and papertowels, he got the leak stopped.

So, we kind of need to talk serious. We need to talk "Pappie."

Pappie is a very dear companion of Little Foot. Oh, they just love one another. Little refuses to even entertain the thought of a nap or bedtime without Pappie in her mouth. But here recently, the need for Pappie has gotten worse. I mean, she's ...................................... addicted! Is there some form of rehab available? She needs an intervention! Any suggestions????