William has been enjoying his horseback lessons so much. He’s talked about wanting a horse when he gets older, and we’ve talked about having to board the horse and the expense of having a horse. William also has a snake that his daddy caught for him. He even has the snake skin that proves to me that that little snake is getting bigger. We have Valentino, our crazy cat, who goes on wild sprints all through the house and lives to terrorize little Kitty.

Usually, when we get on the subject of “pets,” one of the children brings up our Westie, Cricket. When we drove to California from Arkansas, Cricket became very stressed. (Rowland and I were very stressed, too, with four kids and a dog in the car for four days!!) On the way out, her hair started falling out in clumps. Once we reached our new home, Cricket found an escape route from the back yard and would escape frequently. In the middle of unpacking boxes and chasing down four children and making sure no one was falling into the swimming pool in the backyard, I’d have to run down the street to catch Cricket. This added a little more stress to my already stressful life. Then, Cricket fell into the pool twice. She would chase a squirrel on the fence and not watch where she was going, and plop! She’d be in the pool. Carson rescued her, but we did have the concern that she would fall in when we didn’t see her and then she’d drown.

Speaking of the backyard, it was amazing. We had an orange tree, a lemon tree, a grapefruit tree, and countless rose bushes. It was truly a tropical paradise with the beautiful pool lined with rock. Rowland and I loved to sit in the backyard at night. It was a true haven. The only “problem” was that there wasn’t much grass in the yard. In fact, Rowland used an old-fashioned mower with just a roller with blades on the end. It didn’t take 3 minutes to mow all of the grass - except that the dog poop had to be picked up first.

In Little Rock, that was not an issue because we had an enormous backyard, and Cricket was a little dog so her poop was little, too. (TMI, right?) It was an issue in San Jose, though. Still, I was unaffected by that problem so it really wasn’t an issue for me! Cricket’s poop became an issue for em when she started pooping in the living room! So…here we are in a new home with beautiful, clean carpets, a gorgeous backyard with a wonderful pool, and a Houdini-non-swimming-pooping-wherever-she-wanted-to-dog. Oh, yes, and we still had four children, four million boxes, and no friends or family in sight.

Nana to the rescue! Mom and Dad came out after we had been in our house for about ten days. Anyone who knows my mom knows that her favorite activity is taking animals to the shelter. If she didn’t know Jesus, her own personal hell would be to have to live eternity with all of the animals she has dropped off!! In the middle of my daily (or hourly) meltdowns, Mom was there with great advice and structure for our lives. On little Kitty’s birthday (Why? Why? Why do my kids always have to remember the day?) after I had said at least 20 times that I wanted to get rid of Cricket, I lay down to take a nap. Mom and Rowland “took care of the situation.” In other words, Cricket found a new home at the shelter.

I have been reprimanded by my children numerous times for not letting the children say good-bye, for getting rid of her on Kitty’s birthday, for not asking the kids’ permission before I gave her away……. The sad part is that I miss Cricket, too. I wish that I had just given myself a little time to settle in and work with her. I had a kennel I could have put her in to keep her from running away in the midst of all of the craziness. I really loved Cricket. No one in this house misses her more than I do. I’m sorry! I even called the shelter to see if the people who had taken her wanted to let me have her back. I am truly, really, really sorry!

This morning, lying in bed with my two princesses, little Kitty brought up Cricket (AGAIN!!!!!), and the girls teared up as they explained to me all of the things that I had done wrong in getting rid of their dog, which was actually my dog. I once again apologized and told them that as soon as Daddy will let us, I will get another Cricket. I promised and kissed their tears away. In the midst of this agonizing moment, Jia reminded me that she would like to get a horse as well. She, too, has fallen in love with horses. She and Kitty have a couple of stuffed horses that they really like. I asked her where the horse’s house would be. In her most serious voice and looking me straight in the eye, she said that she would get a little horsey and keep it in a box on the dresser!!! Kitty, of course, died laughing. I, being the good mother that I am, bit my tongue and asked her what we would do when the horsey outgrew the box. Well, naturally, we would just open the sides of the box for him!

I guess the only question now is for my precious husband. Would you rather get us another Cricket or a horse that lives in a box on the dresser?

Yesterday at church, Jia colored a hard-boiled egg in her class. After class, she just went on and on about needing to eat the egg. Finally, she said, “Mom-mom, I need to eat it before it hatches!” Makes you wonder what goes through their little minds!!

Our field trip, or journey, today was to Estes Park. After a long, beautiful drive, we ended up in a very busy little town. Of all of our trips, today was definitely the most crowded. We had lunch and then drove around in all of the traffic with all of the other tourists. There were NO VACANCY signs on every lodge we saw. Estes Park is a quaint town with a river flowing through the middle of it. There is a lot of shopping and walking around to do, but it started raining shortly after we arrived so we didn’t get to do a lot of that either. We saved our trip through Rocky Mountain National Forest until next time because of the rain.

All the way there, Rowland and I listened to Jia name the group or artist who sings the songs on the Satellite Disney channel in the car. I was amazed how many of them she knew. KeKe, of course, sang along with all of the words. The boys talked and played in the backseat. I always love that time with Rowland because he’s “trapped” and has to listen to me and answer all of my questions.

One of the things we talked about was Little Rock. It still seems surreal to me that we don’t live there. The thought of being there even seems surreal. As we talked about visiting again, we really couldn’t come up with a time in the near future when we could all get back there. It’s funny to me. I’ve always wondered how people move away and then just stay away. I’m beginning to realize that it’s not so much a choice to stay away. It’s more a choice to live life in the present, right where God has placed you. I suppose that over the last 1 1/2 years, that is what I’ve learned about myself - that I CAN live in the present, that I CAN live wherever God places me, that I WILL go wherever He leads us….It’s almost like a rite of passage for me. I think that I always wondered if I really could go wherever God asked me to go. I just never really thought that He’d ask me. It’s easy to say you’re willing to follow if He’s not leading you outside of your comfort zone. For me, moving away was WAY outside of my comfort zone. God has brought me here, though, and I can honestly say that I’m not sorry. I miss people, but I wouldn’t say that I ever really get homesick. After all, home is where my husband and my children are. And God has blessed me with friends close as family in Amy and Grant, who live only a mile from us. The kids miss their cousins, but God has blessed them with “cousins” in Cooper, Camber, and Cayden.

I guess, for me, the bottom line is that life is a journey, and I’m fortunate enough to be on this journey with my bestest friend, something Amy reminded me of right after we moved to San Jose. Also, distance doesn’t mean “forgotten,” and memories don’t really fade. The goal is to run this race the way that God wants me to, and sometimes that means that the path goes in a little different direction than I had planned. In the end, though, it really is about hearing, “Good job, Kitty!”

Our field trip today through the beautiful mountains and into the valley of Estes Park might seem a little disappointing when you look at how little we were able to do because of the traffic and the weather. For me, though, it gave me a chance to consider this leg of the journey and thank God for bringing me right where I am.

William and I spent four hours at the dentist today. I had to have a filling to keep a cavity from forming on my back tooth. Dr. Austin also shaved down a spot on another tooth that was raised and irritating. Then, it was William’s turn. He had to have a shot this time because Dr. Austin fixed his tooth a little differently than the other dentists had. Hopefully, we can keep it on for at least a year. He was so brave, though. Even with the shot in the front of the mouth, he didn’t get the gas. I was really proud of him, and his tooth looks great. Dr. Austin even put some grooves in the bottom of it to make it look more real.

After all of that, it was too late to get my hair cut. I’d realized earlier in the day that I was going to miss the appointment so I canceled. William and I went to Burger King, and he “slurped” his food down since his mouth was still numb. Then, we ran a quick errand to Target for a new DS game since he’d had to spend four hours at the dentist for the 8,000th time! Even though it was a rough day, I loved spending the time with my big guy. He is so precious, so sensitive, and just an all-around sweet little boy. Hard to believe that he was the little toot that he was when he was three! He’s turned into a super kid with deep thoughts and an especially deep love for his momma!! Feeling’s mutual, of course!!!

Tonight, it’s girls’ night at home. The boys are at the Rockies baseball game, and the girls and I just finished watching Cheetah Girls. They’re a fun group with lots of energy, and Kitty and Jia definitely have the moves!!! I think I enjoyed watching their dancing more than the actual movie!! Now, it’s “Strawberry Shortcake” while I work out. Then, we’ll all curl up in bed together and snuggle to sleep. I love girl time!!!

Oh, yeah! I almost forgot! I’m going for a hair trim. Is there a girl on this planet who is satisfied with her hair? I need to become best friends with her so she can rub off on me. I’m going to Amy’s girl for the cut. Nothing fancy - just a little more style!!

Yes, William has once again knocked off his front tooth. Tuesday night he came upstairs crying with his broken tooth in hand. He had been gnawing on a big cardboard poster tube as he was watching T.V. Since his tooth doesn’t hurt, I actually considered allowing him to walk around with a half-broken tooth. At least, then, everyone would know that we were from Arkansas!!! Instead, we’re off to the dentist again today. Since 3 wasn’t a charm….maybe 4 will be!!!

I write tonight with a very heavy heart as some friends of ours from California lost their 19 year old son in a tragic car accident last night. He was speeding greatly, lost control of his car, hit a couple who were out for an evening walk, hit a tree, and was killed with his passenger when his car exploded. So many lives have been affected in such a tragic way. I cannot imagine the pain of his parents or of the parents of the passenger. I cannot imagine the pain of the four siblings who lost their parents while they were out for a walk. I cannot imagine how the kids’ friends are feeling, the depth of their pain and wonderment of lives’ being cut too short based on one bad decision, to drive wildly. I cannot imagine how my precious friend Carrie and her wonderful husband feel knowing that their son should have been in the car except for a last minute decision to stay home.

Yes, God will use this in the lives of many people because I know that He does not allow tragedies to be wasted. Erik is in Heaven now. He is in no pain and is complete now. As I talked to my children today about the accident, I just reminded them again that as they make decisions, they will make some that are just downright stupid. In doing so, though, I asked them again to weigh the consequences. Some bad decisions are redeemable; many are not. I can’t walk through this world holding their hands and warning them of oncoming cars or evil people or all of the other threats to their precious lives. I can only teach them the best that I can, then pray for them, and release them back to the Lord as they’re not really mine anyway.

Holy Father, only Your comfort can make a difference in any of these families. Please bring Your people to be Your hands and Your feet in San Jose. And, Heavenly Father, thank you for the lives of my four angels for this day. In Your Son’s own words, “Blessed is he who mourns for he will be comforted.” Thank you, Jesus.

Carrie and I set out today with a specific task assigned to us by Rowland. Give the entry way of the church, the gateway to the worship center, “curb appeal.” We went to Ross, two secondhand stores, Hobby Lobby, Michaels (twice), Big Lots, Bed Bath & Beyond, and a few little “errand” stops. Finally, at 7:00 p.m., we headed to the church with all of our treasures.

While Carrie was outside staining and wiping down an old table from my garage and spray-painting three metal candleholders that hang on the wall, I was inside wrapping children’s sign-in pens with floral tape and attaching flowers to the tops. We had bought a cool-looking bench that almost looked as if it came from an old church, and we put a couple of new pillows and a throw on it. Carrie made a plant arrangement in an old container from my garage, and we put an “on-sale” small rug in front of the bench for a cool little seating area. We had also bought several table cloths to tie in the colors a little better as well as a couple of brightly colored boxes for the children’s sign-in area. After Carrie did a “little” re-arranging, we re-claimed a few plants, re-hung a few crosses and a picture, and voila!!! We were done! Not to pat ourselves on the back too much, but we were both pretty proud of the end result and had a great time doing it. We’re looking for a TV show to sponsor us now.

Once all was said and done, it was 9:30 so we headed to Chili’s for crap food and margaritas!!! A great end to a great day!!! Needless to say, though, neither of us is heading out shopping today! Instead, we’re lying on the couch watching HGTV and trying to figure out exactly which time slot will fit our new show best!!

Carrie and I started the day at the dentist with William and Jia. Jia had happy gas and a tooth filled, while William just had a protective coating put on four teeth. Two hours later, as I came back into the waiting room, Carrie was leaving me a note that she and William were going to Target. What an incredibly patient friend I have! My poor four year old is in terror, and all Carrie can think about is shopping! (That in itself is a joke because she HATES shopping.)

We left the dentist office and went to Target where we swiftly completed our shopping list. Actually, Carrie told me that I was very inefficient because I dilly-dallied in the store and did not have a specific list. Never mind the fact that I did get William and Kitty’s school supplies as well as a couple of additional needed items. While we were checking out, the lady at the counter told us that we should try to get along. Apparently, she didn’t appreciate our bantering back and forth. We had fun, though.

Actually, we had fun until Carrie realized that we would have to stop in Wal-Mart for a couple of additional things. Toothpicks are not carried at Target and were on the supply list for third grade - go figure! I guess they’re going to use them for measuring since rulers are no longer allowed and are considered weapons!

After such an exciting morning, we came home and laid on the couches and napped and visited the rest of the afternoon. I made dinner, which is still cooking, and then we’re headed to worship practice. Carrie fielded phone calls from her incredibly high maintenance daughters (whom I love!!!) and explained to me how to be more efficient! I have some ideas for her regarding her daughters as well!!

Later, we’ll head to the Englishes for good (or bad) wine and cards!! We’ll try to play nice!!!

Amy and I rode a 14er this past Saturday. And we did it with three girls in tow. We also did it in a car, not on a bike. We also didn’t run it, but just driving it was quite a feat. Our field trip this weekend was to Mount Evans, one of the tallest peaks in the Rockies. We went with the Englishes, girls in one car, boys in the other. From the bottom of the park to the top is a 14 mile drive. At times, one wrong turn, and we would’ve come face to face with Jesus a little sooner than we’d planned. It was amazing and terrifying at the same time.

Once we reached the top, we climbed a switchback rock trail to reach the peak. Incredible! The view was unbelievable, and the kids did a great job of climbing the rocks and were completely oblivious to what they were really seeing. Then, God showed His hand, and while we were at the top, thunder rolled in. We spent the next few minutes RUNNING down the rocks to beat the lightning. There’s always a little more excitement than we expect.

I took an extra Klonipan and drove our car down so that Rowland could take a little nap. Poor boys - I told them that no one could speak the whole way down. I was a little nervous that one question or laugh might send me over the edge of the mountain - literally!!! We made it down safely and went to Evergreen to BeauJos for that wonderful pizza for dinner. What a great field trip! And now Amy and I can tell everyone (like anyone cares) that we rode a 14er!!!!

My Honey and Me at the Lake at the Bottom

The Best Kids in the World

SuperGrant and Sweet Camber

The Incredible View

Carsonator Hanging Out and Making His Momma Nervous