I'm no fool.

I kind of have this love/hate relationship with Carrie Underwood. I think it's just one-sided, however, because I'm pretty sure she has no idea who I am. I am a bit jealous of her, since she is gorgeous and talented and all that, but love her music and her voice and would, just for one day, like to have all that blond hair.
The point of that little confession is because I was driving down the road today with my kiddos and crying. For anyone who has children you understand that crying and riding in the car are like peanut butter and jelly. I wasn't crying, though, because of all that. I was listening to my arch-enemy, Carrie's, song "Change". I am such a cry-baby...and this song does it to me every time. If you've never listened to it...you should.

She says in the chorus "don't listen to 'em when they say, you're just a fool to believe you can change the world." While the lyrics may sound a little cliche, I think that today it was just what I needed to be reminded about what matters. It's not that Tirzah threw a fit in CFA, or Merrick just finished accidentally vandalizing our local library...it's about a whole lot more.

It's about investing in my kids, and other people as well, like my life and theirs depend on it. It's about taking advantage of every second that I'm given, and using all my resources, to make a ripple in my surroundings. You never know who that ripple is going to get to.

It also reminded me that life is good. Rich and full and loaded with opportunities. Opportunities to grow, share, give, love. We've been trying to take advantage of those opportunities lately. My man is tired, stressed from working two jobs and lots of weekly job-related travel. There was a job opportunity that would have taken us far, far away and seemingly made things simpler in a way. As much as we are looking for just that something, we are going to have to say no, and wait for what's right for us.

So this song, playing in my little "bubble" of the world, reminded me that as tired and ready for something fresh and new as we may be...we are handed that very thing each morning by our Savior. Each minute, even. Love, grace, opportunities right where we are. God may have closed that door, but we've got a great view from our window.

This week's theme at YouCapture was "sky". Check out the link for more shots!

Reliable

I can always count on my kids to do this...

...as soon as we get home and pull into the driveway. ;)

Good to the last...slurp.

"Nothing is particularly hard if you break it down into small jobs"

- Henry Ford

I think that Merrick has the right idea. Little man can drag out a popsicle for what seems like hours, enjoying every drip and slurp. I think if I learned from his great, ahem, wisdom, and took this approach with my week, I might enjoy the week a little more since I'm not rushing right past all the good stuff that's included. Hope everyone takes the time to enjoy this week! The whole drippy, slurpy mess. :)

This week at i♥faces the theme was "yellow". Check out their site for more shots!

My Inner Oscar

So usually, I think I do a pretty good job of finding the humor in things. I think it keeps me sane. There are days, however, when I really think my sense of humor says..."Lady, it ain't funny anymore." Like today, for example. It was one of those days where I had finally...had it...up to...HERE. And back again. Ya wanna know what made me so mad? Well, let me tell you...;)

Exhibit A: THIS STUFF makes me mad: Let me rephrase that...the NEED for that stuff makes me mad. Germs are really getting on my nerves. If one more person pukes in their bed I'm gonna...what AM I going to do? Nothing! I think that's what makes me so mad. What do you do? You clean it up and breathe through your mouth. Germs don't fight fair.

Exhibit B: Things that are supposed to be working...NOT working. My sun roof for example. I got in my car the other day and the screen on the sun roof decided NOT to open, while the actual sun roof did. Lovely. So I rode down the road with the sun roof open, the shade closed over it, wondering just how cool I would feel riding around with a trash bag taped on my roof until we could get it fixed. On a positive note *are those allowed in this post?* it was a gorgeous day with no rain. And I have a hubby with bigger muscles than my scrawny guns who pretty much just punched it I think and fixed it. No trash bag. I am still cool...sort of.

Exhibit C: Cutting Merrick's hair. I really don't know what is wrong with me. The child can't see where he is going. But I get SO tired of cutting his hair. It's so blond and precious and shaggy and I want to let it grow, but alas I succumb to peer pressure and cut it...again. Or maybe I'm just mad because I'm still itching from his hair being all over me because I have to practice my steer wrestling skills to keep him from losing an ear while he gets it cut.

I do realize, in the grand scheme of things, that a broken sun roof, a haircut, and a puddle of puke are not the end of the world. Sometimes, though, I forget this and my inner Oscar the Grouch seems to get the better of me. But I sprayed him with the Lysol that has taken up permanent residence on my nightstand.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
- Psalm 51:12 -

Why, yes...I do.

But leave me a little love,

A voice to speak to me in the day end,

A hand to touch me in the dark room

Breaking the long loneliness.

In the dusk of day-shapes

Blurring the sunset,

One little wandering, western star

Thrust out from the changing shores of shadow.

Let me go to the window,

Watch there the day-shapes of dusk

And wait and know the coming

Of a little love.

// At a Window, Carl Sandburg

Congratulations to my cousin Brad, and new cousin in law Rachel...who tied the knot this weekend. :)

This week at YouCapture the theme was Depth of Field...check out the link for more shots and blogs!