Shout it out.

Contrary to what you might think...this is a happy scream. Nothing like a little ear-piercing, throat clearing shriek to let the world know it. Hope your day is so good you wanna scream, too.

This weeks theme at YouCapture was "one shot". I think this about covers it. Check out the site for more shots and blogs!

Jungle

When they aren't antagonizing each other, or plotting to dismantle the house when I'm not looking...the kids have been getting caught actually playing together in a manner than could be called civil. ;)

Merrick usually doesn't let it last but so long. He tends to go all UFC on Tirzah, and she lets out a few of her opera quality notes to let him know that is a game girlfriend doesn't wanna play. She prefers things like eating random items off the floor and turning over my trashcans so that my house looks like a dump.

After a few peaceful minutes...enough to lure my attention to other places...Merrick usually waits until I'm not looking to practice his wrestling moves on Tirzah, but she's pretty good about letting me know what he's up to, even without speaking any English. She's already tattling...that will drive him crazy later. ;)

Now that she's moving around...he is also using it as an opportunity to encourage her to get into a bit of trouble. Like a little splash in the toilet, or sitting by her and laughing while she dumps out all the diapers in the basket, or, ahem, helping her when she pulls all the cd's off of the shelf. He's seemingly enjoying not being the only person who gets mommy flustered with a hand-crafted mess.

All kidding aside, it's great to see the two of them playing together and laughing at each other. Sometimes they are in their own little world and totally cracking themselves up. I hope they get to be great friends as they grow...and I hope that I survive the current jungle to see it. ;)

See more shots over at Household 6 Diva's blog!

While you were not sleeping...

I blogged recently about how well Merrick has been doing in his big bed. People warned me that there was some kind of honeymoon phase with moving your kids to a big bed. They were right.

Honeymoon's over. I think Merrick is becoming an insomniac. He likes to spend his time-formerly-known-as-naptime dismantling furniture and ridding the toy box of its clutter.

It doesn't seem to matter what I say or do, (or lets just be honest, threaten), he still treats nap time, and occasionally bedtime, as optional. I cannot comprehend this, since I would kiss the person who stuck me in a room, alone, and told me to sleep until I woke up. I would kiss them and nominate them for the Nobel Peace Prize or something.

I know that naps are wasted on the young and destructive, however. What I would kill for makes Merrick cry and whine. I have resigned myself to letting him stay up, wandering and playing, as long as he is IN his room with the door closed so I can put back what he has put asunder in the rest of the house, and wash all the dishes and clothes that he has covered in food. Oh, and take a shower if I happen to have a second. ;)

That's another thing...I would love someone to force me to take baths before bed every night also, but I guess when you are 2 it's much cooler to wear your dirt like war paint.

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. ;)