$140

$140 used to go a LONG way. A new outfit, purse, shoes, night out on the town, groceries (do you like how I prioritize??)....well now $140 fills up our beloved Brutis' gas tank. $140!!!! Gas is nearly $4 here. When we got married, just over 8 years ago, gas was still under $2 and people were freaking out that it may reach $2. Who wouldn't kill for $2 gas right about now? We heard on the news that it may go as high as $6 in the next year, or so. I may just have to buy a Prius (hybrid car) and strap the kids to the top....that couldn't be any more wrong than charging people $4-$6 for a gallon of gas.

Mother's Day

I always wondered why my mother spent half of mother's day in tears? Wasn't she happy that she had the 4 GREATEST (ha ha) kids in the world??? Why in the world was she sad when little urchins were bringing her breakfast in bed, giving her macaroni noodle necklaces, and handmade fingerprint cards? I just didn't get it....until this year.

Mother's Day, for me, started like any normal Sunday...in a rush to get kids dressed, food in mouths, stinky teeth brused, Bibles in car, and to church no less than 10 minutes late. As I settled into my seat, late, I began to think about how lonely my life would be without my four little ones. I would be lonely not dressing, feeding, loving, caring for them. Just thinking about them, the tears started welling up....then the preaching began.

"Do you pray for your children, mothers??" That's how the sermon started. Well, of course, I thought. I pray for my children. The preacher continued. "Do you pray for them to find their purpose in life? Do you pray for them to be content...just the way that God made them? Do you pray for them to find the importance of integrity?....to acquire wisdom?...to be protected against the world?".....

My tears of pure shame were falling at this point in time. Yes, I pray for my children, but definitey not nearly as much, and not nearly as fervently as I should. The devil is waiting for our children. Preying upon them. A sense of guilt fell upon me....and it was at that moment that I began to understand why mother's cry on mother's day. We have been given an immense responsibility. To raise Godly children in a society of complete immorality. So if anything, friends, I encourage you to pray diligently for your children, grandchildren, neices, nephews, friend's children. They need to be bathed in prayer every single day....every single day!!

My kids bring great joy to my heart. I received 2 sets of paper flowers this year for mother's day, 4 hand-print cards (priceless) and LOTS and LOTS of hugs and kisses. I hope each of you had a very special mother's day, too.

Who knew?

Silly me. I thought whooping cough was a thing of the past. Apparently not. Hudson, Piper, and Baylor all spent last week dealing with the affects of whooping cough. We were told, for 3 weeks, that it was just allergies. We had to isolate the kids--which meant no school, church, ball practice, swimming, etc. It was fun to have them home for a while. If you can't go to swimming lessons, and you don't have your own swimming pool, turning on the sprinklers works just fine. And, if you have left over "moving" tape, you can make bracelets to sell...as Piper did.