Mommy according to Sheridan, 8

1. What is something Mom always says to you? How was school today?


2. What makes Mom happy? me!


3. What makes Mom sad? When I'm at school.


4. How does your Mom make you laugh? when she plays Brenner's star war's video game.


5. What was your Mom like as a child? CRAZY!


6. How old is your Mom? 41


7. How tall is your Mom? small


8. What is Mom's favorite thing to do? scrapbook



9. What does your Mom do when you're not around? She wonders where we are



10. If your Mom becomes famous, what will it be for? her hair



11. What is your Mom really good at? Telling me what to do.



12. What is your Mom not very good at? playing in the snow



13. What does your Mom do for her job? You just help daddy do stuff at work.



14. What is your mom's favorite food? Bob Cat Bite (a burger joint in Santa Fe, they serve burgers with grilled onions and pasta salad as a side, whenever that is on our menu at home, I tell the kids we are having "bob cat bite", I guess I make it alot).



15. What makes you proud of your Mom? Driving the car all the way to Wyoming. Didn't you do that once?



16. If your Mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Lucy as in I love Lucy.



17. What do you and your Mom do together? paint our nails



18. How are you and your Mom the same? we are both little ladies



19. How are you and your Mom different? you are a blondie



20. How do you know your Mom loves you? you give me presents at Christmas



21. Where is your Mom's favorite place to go? the movie theater

SPOUSE/HOUSE A RHYMING BETROTHAL

Did I say we were renting, well that was then, this is now and our housing situation changes as much as the West Texas winds. We actually found a house in the final hour before signing lease contracts, they accepted our offer and after a new roof gets put on, she just might be our place to call home, of course it is never really done until you sign that piece of paper now is it...kind of like a marriage license.

Maybe it was learning about a million literary terms in the Esther study this week, but I decided that a house purchase is like an engagement. Everyone behaves and looks good during the dating phase/showings then about 6 months in you realize that not everything is perfect and did you notice that drippy faucet in the bathroom or that your beloved slurps their soup.

I consider the inspector like the premarital counselor. Yes, I know you love this house/spouse, but can you still love them with all of their faults and by the way here is the list.

When you enter into a betrothal - contract on a house/earnest money and an engagement ring for a wedding, you set a close date/wedding date.

I would consider the title company a wedding planner of sorts and one day you meet and sign on the dotted line for a house or a marriage certificate.

Do you think that your new home worries that you'll grow apart, your family will get to big and you'll leave her in the dust for a bigger home with more mature landscaping. Or years down the road does your home squeak with settling at the thought you might leave a younger, trimmer model (downsizing)?

Hey after all, spouse and house do rhyme, don't they. Anyhow, in our case this is an arranged marriage, for I have yet to see our new beloved home, only pics on the internet, but I think she will really love us once she has the chance to meet the rest of the family!

UPDATE, UPDATE, UPDATE

Rather than posting a bunch of posts, I'm going to do one long drawn out update.

MOST IMPORTANT - PRAISE
Many of you have prayed for our daughter who began to experience some health problems this time last year, we had chronic issues for about 8 months and were finally able to make some headway in the last four months. Her checkup was yesterday and for the first time in a long time, she showed no signs of inflammation! She has done so much better, the dr. thought she looked wonderful and we have a clean bill of health. Praise God!

AND THE WINNER IS...
renting!!!!!!!!! We tried to get Geronimo, however, as we climbed the steep mountain of escalating seller's demands, we got to the point where we were no longer able to jump off - but we tried! Poor little Cinderella had more problems than a few cobwebs and a bunch of dust. Some probable structural issues have left a prominent crack in her glass slipper...alas we will not be her prince charming to repair that. And Tinkerbell...well we just decided that someday we might want to grow up and move out of Neverland, so we are opting to rent for the moment until we find the right thing in the right area for the right price. God is faithful and patience will be recognized in this housing endeavor. It is too big of a decision to make too quickly with a lot at stake.

EYELINER FOR LIPSTICK
I've been rather frazzled these days and I got some new eyeliner it is a bronzy color and thought it was real different, so I got it to try. Yesterday, I mistakenly used it as lip liner! YIKES. However, do you know it stayed on so much better all day, and because of the bronze color, it didn't look bad at all. Two for one baby!

BOXES
And if you happen to have boxes you want to get rid of let me know or you can drop them off on our porch. Thanks!

HOUSE HUNTERS

HAVE YOU EVER WATCHED THE SHOW HOUSE HUNTERS ON HGTV? THE FAMILIES NARROW IT DOWN TO THREE HOUSES AND THEN THEY SAY, CHOICE NUMBER 1 HAS A GREAT LOCATION, CHOICE NUMBER 2 HAS MORE ROOM AND CHOICE NUMBER 3 HAS A NEW KITCHEN. THAT WAS OUR LIFE THIS WEEKEND AS WE HUNTED AND HUNTED FOR HOUSES, OF COURSE THE PROCESS STARTS BEFORE THE ACTUAL LOOKING, WHAT DO YOU LIKE, WHAT PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET, WHAT IS THE AREA LIKE, IS IT IN OUR PRICE RANGE?


NOW, CHOICE 1, 2 AND 3 ARE WAY TO NORMAL - SO I'VE DECIDED TO NAME OUR THREE FINALISTS: GERONIMO, CINDERELLA AND TINKERBELL. WHY YOU MAY ASK?


GERONIMO, BECAUSE THERE WAS A PILE OF DIRT IN THE BACKYARD AND MISTER B KEPT JUMPING OFF OF IT AND YELLING GERONIMO - ALSO WE WOULD BE JUMPING INTO GALLONS OF PRIMER TO COVER UP SOME WILD PAINT COLORS - AND THIS IS COMING FROM THE GIRL THAT HAS 11 GALLONS OF DIFFERENT COLORED PAINT IN HER CURRENT ABODE!


CINDERELLA - SHE LIVES NEXT DOOR TO GERONIMO! THIS LITTLE HOUSE COULD BE A JEWEL, BUT BECAUSE OF BEING EMPTY AND A LITTLE NEGLECTED - SHE NEEDS A GOOD CLEANING AND A NEW DRESS! AFTER THAT SHE MIGHT BE ONE OF THE BELLES OF THE BLOCK!


TINKERBELL - THIS HOME IS THE SMALLEST OF THE THREE AND SPARKLES AND SHINES LIKE TINKERBELL - NOT MUCH TO DO BUT JUST MOVE IN AND LIVE - NO PAINTING TO DO, NO DEEP CLEANING WITH A TOOTHBRUSH, JUST WAVE THE MAGIC WAND AND YOU ARE THERE.


THEN OF COURSE - IF NONE OF THESE WORK WE WILL BE BACK TO SQUARE ONE AND HOUSE HUNTING ALL OVER AGAIN. JOIN US NEXT TIME ON HOUSE HUNTERS!

UNDER CONTRACT!!!

WE HAVE A CONTRACT ON OUR BELOVED ELM STREET HOME! WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT GETTING TO BE IN THE SAME TOWN ALL WEEK, EVERY WEEK! WE HAVE A VERY QUICK DEADLINE TO MOVE (24 DAYS)! WE ARE OFF TO LUBBOCK FOR THE WEEKEND TO FIND HOUSING, PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WILL FIND SOMETHING AND THEY WILL BE READY TO MOVE QUICKLY. THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS, THANKS TO KITTY FOR BRINGING US THIS BUYER AND TO COBY FOR WORKING OUT DIFFICULT LOGISTICS!

SHORT BUT SWEET VISIT

THIS ABOVE PIC IS FROM B'S BIRTHDAY IN 2007, WHEN HE WAS TURNING FOUR. HIS GOOD BUDDY IKE IS NEXT TO HIM, IS ANYONE SURPRISED THEY ARE EATING? WE HAD THE TREAT OF GETTING TO SEE THE WRIGHT FAMILY TODAY, ALBEIT A VERY BRIEF TIME. THE BOYS DID PRETTY WELL SITTING TOGETHER IN CHURCH. IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THEIR WHOLE FAMILY, EVERYONE MISSES THEM SO MUCH. BABY O IS AS BEAUTIFUL AS HER SWEET MOTHER (SORRY, JAY, BUT I'LL CONCEDE THAT ISAAC DOES HAVE YOUR HAIR). JOSIAH HAS GROWN UP A LOT, BUT NOT TOO MUCH THAT YOU JUST WANT TO KISS HIS CHERUB CHEEKS! ISAAC HAS REALLY GROWN UP A LOT AND LOOKS SO MATURE. THANKS FOR THE VISIT - WE LOVE YOU ALL!

OUR GREAT EIGHT!

ISN'T SHE A PRINCESS. SHE IS PICTURE PERFECT, SWEET UPON SWEET, A SUGAR PLUM IF YOU EVER KNEW ONE AND HER FATHER AND I BOTH COULD EAT HER UP WITH A SPOON! THIS LITTLE GAL'S BIRTHDAY WAS ON THE 19TH AND DUE TO COMPUTER ISSUES AND A MORE THAN FULL PLATE THESE DAYS, I DIDN'T GET TO WRITE MY ODE TO SHERIDAN ON HER BIRTHDAY.

I HAVE TO SAY, I KNOW ALL KIDS ARE SPECIAL, BUT I'M TELLING YOU THIS GIRL IS TRULY AMAZING. SHE IS PRECIOUS AND SWEET, SHE HAS GREAT FRIENDS BECAUSE SHE IS A GOOD FRIEND. WE ARE CONTINUALLY AMAZED BY HER MATURITY IN ONE SENSE AND HER SWEET SPIRIT IN THE NEXT BREATH.

WHEN WE TOLD THE KIDS WE WERE MOVING, THE FIRST THING SHE SAID, "WELL, I NEED TO CALL BRAILEY AND ANGELICA AND ASK THEM ABOUT HOW IT IS GOING TO A NEW SCHOOL." I THINK THAT IS A LITTLE SOMETHING WE CALL, GETTING WISE COUNSEL!

SHE HAS MANY WONDERFUL TRAITS OF HER FATHER; BEING A MATH WIZ, BEING A SAVER AND NOT A SPENDER, HAVING GREAT CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, SELF MOTIVATION/SELF-DISCIPLINE (WHAT DOES THAT EVEN FEEL LIKE?) AND SHE LOOKS JUST LIKE HIM! JUST WHEN I THINK THERE ISN'T ANYTHING OF ME IN THAT LITTLE PERSON, SHE SHOWS OFF HER CREATIVE SIDE...AND I THINK I KNOW WHERE THAT COMES FROM!

I REMEMBER ONE INSTANCE WHEN SHE PLANNED A BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR ONE OF HER BABY DOLLS, COMPLETE WITH GIFTS, GAMES SHE MADE UP AND GOODY BAGS TO GO. SHE TOOK PICTURES OF BABY ELIZABETH AND STILL ASKS ME WHEN I'M GOING TO PRINT THEM FOR THIS BABY'S SCRAPBOOK! OK, SO SHE HAS SOME TRAITS LIKE ME.

SHE IS AN OLD FASHIONED GIRL OF SORTS, LOVING TO LEARN THINKS LIKE COOKING AND SEWING. SHE LOVES TO READ AND IS SUPER MOM TO HER 26 WEBKINZ, ONE AMERICAN GIRL, TWO FAITH AND FRIENDS AND BABY DOLLS - MILLIE, ELIZABETH AND MELANIE.

I LOVE TO SEE HER WITH HER GRANDPARENTS, DRAWING WITH HER PAPA, CRAFTING WITH HER GIGI, PLAYING WITH MIMI OR DAZZLING HER POPPY!

CAN IT REALLY BE THAT SHE IS EIGHT YEARS OLD ALREADY! OUR RECENT RELOCATION TRIP TOOK US VISITING SCHOOLS. AFTER LEAVING ONE, SHE ANNOUNCES IN THE CAR, "WELL, I CAN NOT GO TO THAT ONE 2ND GRADE CLASS, THERE IS ALREADY A BOY THERE THAT LIKES ME!" I GASPED, WHAT, I ASK. "DIDN'T YOU SEE THAT BOY WAVING A HUGE WAVE WITH THAT GREAT BIG MOUTH OPEN SMILING, I CAN NOT GO TO THAT CLASS, BECAUSE HE WILL WANT TO BE ALL OVER ME!"

UHHHH. HELLO, MY NAME IS MOM, I AM YOUR MOTHER, I THINK, AND YOU ARE MY SHY AND SWEET DAUGHTER WHO WOULD NEVER NOTICE SUCH THINGS, WHERE IS SHE AND WHO IS THIS VIRTUAL PRE-TEEN GROWING UP IN FRONT OF ME?

I'M TOTALLY AGHAST AT ALL THIS GROWING UP STUFF, I'VE READ ALL THE AGE APPROPRIATE GARY EZZO BOOKS -- BABY WISE, TODDLER WISE, PRE-SCHOOL WISE, CHILD WISE, AND SO I WENT TO THE LIBRARY TO CHECK OUT THE NEXT ONE FOR OUR NEW AGE GROUP, I PICKED IT UP AND THEN QUICKLY DROPPED IT LIKE A HOT POTATO, "PRE-TEEN WISE, PARENTING YOUR 8 TO 12 YEAR OLD". AGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!

I HAVE TO TELL YOU SHE IS A LOT OF FUN, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE HEADED DOWN 'THAT' ROAD. SHE MAKES US LAUGH CONSTANTLY AND IT HAS BEEN SO FUN TO SEE THE EMERGENCE OF A MORE CONFIDENT PERSONALITY, STATING, "IF SOMEONE ASKS ME TO MARRY THEM WHEN I'M IN COLLEGE, I'LL SAY, 'UH, NO, I'M STILL IN COLLEGE. IF THEY ASK ME TO MARRY THEM WHEN I'M OUT OF COLLEGE, I'LL SAY, "UH...I DON'T THINK SO!" I THINK HER DADDY ESPECIALLY LOVES THAT!

HER NEW THING IS TO SLEEP IN WET BRAIDS TO DELIVER A FABULOUS CRIMPED DO' COME MORNING, WHICH IS SO FUNNY THAT SHE EVEN MINDS, NORMALLY SHE WOULD BE FINE TO SLICK HER HAIR BACK INTO A PONYTAIL AND NOT EVEN BOTHER TO TRY TO BRUSH OUT THAT PESKY RAT'S NEST, WHOM SHE AND I HAVE AFFECTIONATELY NAMED, GLADYS.

SHE IS GREAT TO PLAY ALL KINDS OF GAMES WITH HER BROTHER, AND SHE GETS ANNOYED BY HIM, PLENTY ALSO. SHE SHARES HIS LOVE OF HISTORY, IT IS HER FAVORITE SUBJECT AND AS SHE CONSTANTLY READS, SHE JOURNALS AND WRITES, BOOKS, LISTS AND SETS OUT TO ACCOMPLISH ALL TASKS.

SHE IS A DREAMER, AND HAS BIG GOALS AND LOFTY ASPIRATIONS, WHICH WE ENCOURAGE COMPLETELY...AT LEAST UNTIL WE GOT TO HER CHRISTMAS LIST. SHE PUT DOWN EVERY ACCESSORY FOR HER AMERICAN GIRL DOLL, WELL, THE DOLL WAS ENOUGH TO BREAK SANTA'S BANK. I FELL INTO THE WHOLE PARENTAL GUILT THING, WISHING THAT WE COULD GET THE BED, THE ICE SKATING RINK, THE PERFORMANCE OUTFIT, ETC. BUT WE DIDN'T, WHO CAN AFFORD ALL THAT.

ONE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS, SHE WAS PUTTERING AROUND IN THE KITCHEN WITH LOTS OF NOISE, FOLLOWED BY HER IN HER ROOM FOR A WHILE. SHE PROUDLY EMERGED WITH A HOME MADE ICE SKATING POND MADE OUT OF CARDBOARD COVERED IN TIN FOIL AND WENT A STEP FURTHER, COPYING THE SILVER PERFOMANCE SKATE OUTFIT AND FASHIONED IT OUT OF FOIL ALSO, COMPLETE WITH MATCHING HAIR ACCESSORIES. I WAS AMAZED. THE LITTLE FOIL OUTFIT, HAD ONE SHOULDER AND AN ASYMETRICAL HEM LINE, JUST LIKE THE PICTURE! WOW, FORGET GUILT, KIDS DO HAVE CREATIVITY GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.

I REMEMBER HOW TAKEN WE WERE WITH HER THE DAY SHE WAS BORN, AND WE STILL ARE COMPLETELY CAPTIVATED BY HER BEAUTIFUL SPIRIT, LOVELY DISPOSITION AND WHAT A GREAT SMILE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!