A Little Bit About Lauren

Ahhh, Lauren. She makes my heart smile. She is engaged to my 'Shua and is soon to be my 'daughter in love' ...and I can't wait! When people ask me if I like Lauren and if she's a good match for 'Shua, I always have the same reply, "I adore her and if I could hand pick the wife for Joshua out of a million girls, I'd pick Lauren every time...she's just right for him!" She has a heart not only for people, but for God. After spending a week in Memphis with her as my bunk mate, I really got to see her heart in action. She is tender, compassionate, loving, gentle and kind, but had just a touch of spunk and sass to her, too. ; ) She's a mite stubborn, which will help her in being 'Shua wife, since I have often accused him of being a mule...LOL! She loves children, the elderly and the infirmed and is studying to be a nurse so she can help people all the time. She is a twin and has an older sister and bro in law with a baby so she is an auntie, too. My kids absolutely love her, in fact, Joshua didn't want to bring her over for a while because he didn't want to have to share the attention....Oh my, I had almost forgotten about that!! She tends to break easily so we are all protective of her, which she hates, but we just don't want her to get hurt. She loves to sing and laugh and play, write, study and take pictures. She is a great friend, a trustworthy confidante and a growing Christian. Like I said, she makes my heart smile...that's my Lauren! I love you, sweet girl!

Love,

Mama K

'Shua, my Darlin' Boy

Most of you know that 'Shua is adopted...but adopted or not, he's MINE! I tell him all the time that he may not have come from my body, but he was born to be my son. ; ) We 'found' him when he was 13, lonely and in need of a family. Oh, my heart just went out to him...so much like me, he was. Proud, independent, funny and sweet, all covered up by piles of bravado, rudeness and temper. Ooowhee, it's been a fun ride! We invited him to stay a week with us, and the week turned into a month, the whole summer vacation, and eventually...forever! His bio brothers came sometimes, too and we love them all, but 'Shua is ours. He is bossy and helpful, silly and emotional by turns, moody as the day is long, and has a heart the size of Texas. He can be willful, defiant and downright rude, but if you turn those qualities around, you have determined, independent and truthful without the sugar-coating us mamas put on things sometimes. He is a hard worker, a loving fiancee and a loyal friend. He looks enough like Dan that people don't believe he's adopted, which I always found odd and somewhat comforting at the same time. When we moved here to NM, he stayed in IL to be near his Lauren...and I thought I was going to come unglued...pretty shocking to the mom who always thought that she was holding her boys loosely in her hands. I felt physical, actual pain...but it's been a growing experience for both of us, and it's OK to let go a little, he's a biggie boy these days. I am sooooo proud of him, he is working 2 jobs, staying out of trouble, and staying faithful to Lauren and the Lord...what more could a mama want...except maybe for him to magically decide to move here???? Just kidding, son! I could go on and on about my boy, but he is probably hiding with a beet red face by now and wishing I would HUSH UP...and so I will! Love you, 'Shua!
Mama K

My Best Friend Liz

Oh, this one is gonna be so fun! My best friend is named Elizabeth, and she is the best gal pal a girl could ask for! We met under difficult circumstances for both of us...me from a terrible break up and her going though some serious private issues. How we ever became friends is beyond me, I just call it a God thing! We had so much fun 'growing up' together, even though when we met I was already 18. She introduced me to the concept of sneaking out my bedroom window (relax Mom, I never did!) and I taught her how to drive a stick shift. She taught me how to be less timid and I taught her how to temper her feelings about things with tact. She taught me how to stand up for myself and I reminded her that it's OK to let people walk on you...for the right reasons. We did all sorts of stupid things together, like getting a flat tire on the WRONG side of Chicago, in the pouring rain, with no spare and 3 babies in the car. Like putting 7 large people in a car that should have only really held about 4.27 small ones...LOL! Like road trips with no real planning involved, just get in the car north of Chicago and drive to Mississippi, no big deal right??? Like going camping when we are indoor people. We also have so many shared hobbies...like singing, scrap booking, kids, cooking, music and being voracious readers...although I like historical fiction and she likes mysteries and thrillers. We love to go get a cup of coffee and slice of pie at the Baker's Square and discuss our lives. We have been together through trials, tribulations, joys and sorrows. She held my hand as I had a miscarriage...how many friends will do that?? As we've grown and matured, our relationship has deepened, instead of talking about boys and which one is cuter, we talk about babies, teenagers, health problems, hubbies and bills, etc. But we also discuss what God is doing in our lives, what He is teaching us and what areas He is growing us in...in spite of ourselves. I'm so incredibly blessed to have a best friend that shares my faith and reminds me of it when I forget, or lose my way. Her father once said that the most loving thing a person can do is point someone back to the cross...and that is sooooo true! Oy, this is all over the map, but that is par for the course with us...LOL! She is compassionate, has a deep love of teenagers, FUNNY, practical, moody, makes great spaghetti sauce from scratch, loves her family fiercely, manages the local KFC and wins awards for it, is super creative and LOYAL to the core. I admire her "intestinal fortitude" as I call it...she can give and give and give of herself and just when I think she must have been wrung dry by the constant giving of herself to others, she just keeps on giving. I am one grateful recipient of that giving...my life is richly blessed by her presence in my life. Now that I live here in the wilds of NW, we can't do the grocery shopping in the middle of the night together anymore, but we still find ways to stay close despite the miles. I love you Squeeks! Don't ever change!

Krissie

PS. I heard "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights" the other day...I miss you!! LOL!

My Mom, she ROCKS!

Today's post is about my mom. LaVonda Ann McCracken Smith...She rocks! She is a great example of a Godly woman, Elizabeth George would be proud of her...LOL~ Gosh, I don't even know where to start...hmmm.... She has been married to my dad for just over 40 years now and they are happy as two peas in a pod! My mom is one of the most helpful people you'll ever meet...she can whip up a meal for the family that just had a baby, run the church office and keep the house presentable all at once. Just don't look in her bedroom...hee hee! She is a GREAT grandma and they kids LOVE spending time with her...she always has some small activity or craft planned to make the visit special. Like when she was here for the holidays, she taught David and Patrick how to crochet. They loved it! She grew up on a dairy farm on the NW side of Ohio and knows the value of a hard earned dollar and can stretch her grocery dollars until they beg for mercy (where do you think I learned it??) She has a lovely voice and we used to wake each Sunday morning to the sounds of her practicing the organ and singing...ahhh, sweet melodies! She gardens, she cans and freezes, she bakes awesome caramel rolls and makes a mean lasagna. She isn't afraid of hard work, difficult people or Depressing economic times because her trust is in the Lord God Almighty. She is a big, brave, dog...LOL! She is compassionate, loving, honest, dependable, a cheer-er of underdogs, tender without being a sissy and once in a great while she makes a snarky comment that is soooo unexpected and funny that she only has to do it about once a year...LOL! Have I mentioned that I love my mom?She is a great friend, always ready to run to the rescue of whoever is in need at the time. If there was a way to save the whole world from itself without messing up free will, she would have figured it out long ago! She is the proud mother of us 3 (Kelly, Kristy and Jodi) the "fairy step mother" of 2 (Karen and Debbie) Grandmother to many (Dolli, Tammi, Leesa, Christopher, Tyler, Jayson, David, Ellyn, Patrick, Mady, Opal, James, Mikey, Derek and Titus)...and Great Grandma to 2 (Alexis and Ryan)...phew! Not bad for only being 60. She has been a member of the same church for almost 40 years and plans on continuing...talk about a charter member! She's played the organ, worked in VBS, led Sunday school adventures, taught our GA class, been on the hostess committee, put in MANY years behind the nursery door with my dad, and run the church office. Besides preaching, I'm not sure there isn't much she HASN'T done at the church, since now she helps my Dad as custodian. Alright, I better quit as I'm sure she is mortified that I'm braggin' on her so much already...LOL! Anywho, suffice it to say that my mom ROCKS!! Thanks Mom!!

~Kristy~

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY ... February 2, 2009

Outside my window...it is warm and sunny and as Karen loves to say, "We live in GOD's Country!' So warm and sunny all the time, hurray for warm weather in February!

I am thinking...that life is good! The boys are playing nicely, school is going well, Dan is working, Jodi is settling in as director of the center, Titus is napping, bread is on it's second rising already and I have worked out...phew!

I am thankful for...Dan. He is so wonderful...if you don't believe me, see my previous post...LOL!From the learning rooms...we will be working on our inventors lapbook again, reading more of Masterpiece, working independently on a few things and enjoying more! Who knew school could be enjoyable??

From the kitchen...Bread is rising, tea is brewing and dishes are soaking! BLTs for dinner tonight, one of my faves..can't wait to eat it on that yummy whole wheat bread...YUM~O!!

I am wearing...workout clothes since Billy Blanks was on the ticket this morning...he is soooo mean! (But my body will appreciate my efforts soon, I hope)

I am creating...more pages for my homemakers binder, letters for my pen pals, encouraging words for my friends that read my blog and a happy home for my family!

I am going...to work 3 nights this week, and to the Dr. tomorrow. I intend to go a few places in my reading and that's enough adventure for me, but maybe Dan and I will sneak in a short date somewhere. ::here's hopin::

I am reading...the Bible (all of the NT in 90 days) Educational Travelling on a Shoestring and The Love Dare

I am hoping...to get everything done today, I could use the encouragement!

I am hearing...boys playing and heading outside, the dryer and my brain rattling around in there...LOL!

Around the house...I'm working on the room of the week challenge for CEOs at cafemom, enjoying my super clean bedroom from last week's challenge, trying a new recipe this week, making sure the backyard gets put back together after the boys get done playing.

One of my favorite things...Dan...have I mentioned that I really like him...*sigh* I'm really reminded in these hectic past few days of how helpful he is and how blessed I am to have him. He's always helping out, suggesting a new way to do something more efficiently or folding up some laundry while I'm busy doing something else...he ROCKS!!

A few plans for the rest of the week...Making Valentine cards with the kids, planning our trip to see EK and Linda, pondering what to get Dan for his b-day and getting excited about Alec coming to visit..which means I need to practice up on Guitar Hero. ; )

Here is picture thought I am sharing...Hmm, what to share this time... ah yes, my cozy, super clean bedroom...last night I slept sooooo soundly, no mental clutter to keep me awake! *Sigh*

My Main Man, Dan!

Dan is the first on my list of favorite people (after this they will be in NO particular order, no fighting!!) So, what can I say about my Dan? Ya wanna know my favorite quality about Dan is?? He loves me. It sounds simple and should be self evident, but that right there is HUGE to me. I KNOW that I'm not always the easiest gal to live with and I'm certainly wacky enough to send most men heading for the hills, but Dan knows me, loves me and most days, I think he even likes me!! He is kind, compassionate, FUNNY, smart, helpful, loving, and it doesn't hurt that he is handsome, either! He is astute in ways that continues to amaze me, even after being married to him for 12 years. He can see through what people are saying to hear what they mean...especially with teenagers! The kids all love to hang with him since he is soooo much fun, always thinking up some new way to play a game, ride a bike, trike, skateboard or scooter. He builds ramps for them to fly off of, has become the go-to guy when the neighborhood kids' bikes break and is the first one to suggest a rousing game of hide and seek tag at the park...plus he does the BEST underdog pushes on the swings!! He is a 'green' fellow too, and has been since before being green was 'IN'...Dan is the best re-user of materials that I have ever met...he can take things that people are tossing and look useless to me and in no time at all, it's a new cabinet, ramp, fence, car part, weight bench, doodad or whatchamacallit that you've ever seen! He helps me make my homemade detergent, admires my bread baking skills (I've got MAD bread skillz) and gives other people 'green' tips from what we've learned together about being healthier, greener and more cost efficient. He has been such a good sport about practically having 3 wives...LOL! He just grins and helps whoever needs him and keeps on going! When I'm at the END of my homeschooling rope with the boys, having trouble getting the 'light' to come on, he is there to explain it in a way I never thought of so that they get it. He knows when I'm having an off day to send me to my room to call a buddy or tells me to go get a coffee and take a break...*sigh* He's practically McDreamy...LOL! Don't get me wrong, I know that he has flaws, faults and difficulties, but it sure is nice to be able to go on and on about how wonderful he is....2 years ago, I probably couldn't have come up with 2 things...that is sooo embarrassing! The Lord has been so much better to me than I really deserve, and I'm grateful! I'm gonna go hug my special hubby right now! Who should go next?? This is fun...see you tomorrow!!

~K~

Fun February Challenge

OK, here's the plan...each day in February, I pick someone and list some of my favorite things about them. The plan is to remind me of all the wonderful people God has surrounded me with and to remind them of how much I appreciate them. If you have suggestions as to who shuld be next, a quality that I overlooked or anything else...drop me a line. I think it's only fair that Dan should be first. OK, here we gooooo!!