Thursday, June 30, 2011

End of the Month Review: June

The update on my Areas of Balance - my 2011 theme. In no particular order.

Tis the 6 month marker on goals set for the year.  Many are slowly beginning to bomb, but there is no quitting entirely because the goals are still laid out.  And there's always next month I can gain a win where there's a loss this month.

Spiritual: Reading the Bible in a year
Nixed it. Now planning ahead for the fall, deciding what I'll teach at church. Leaning towards Old Testament goodness so that's where I'm hanging out.

Physical: at least 3 days exercise
Eeeeeeek.  I may have reached this one on some weeks with walking but there was definitely at least a week if not 2 that I bombed this one.  But dadgum, I'm tired people!!!

Work: Grace Graffiti schedule
Had one of our most fun and productive staff meetings to date and our "little company that could" is achieving success.

Family: date day
Beach days.  Ahhhhhh, summertime I love you and the tan skin you bring.

Marriage: date
One set of grandparents babysat so we could hang out with my bro and sis-in-law as adults {so rare!}, while the other set of grandparents gave us an afternoon off so we could hit the big city for some much needed shopping sans kids.

Money: budget
I think all our money went to gas this month with as much as we've been tearing up the Georgia roads. We managed to have enough left over to feed the kids every now and again.

Home: order
Did a complete overhaul of our chaotic sweet little playroom, with labels and paint jobs and drilling holes in the wall and it's my fave room now.  Of course, I don't really want anyone to play in it now, just stare at it's orderliness.  That lasted about 3 seconds.  But it sure was purty while it lasted!

Off off and away to July...

Monday, June 27, 2011

Worker bee.

{Prepping for a photo shoot for grace graffiti}

"Sister, stand over there so I can check the lighting and background."
Thrilled to be my intern.  ish.

Monday, June 20, 2011

All American Boy.

We hit big this year with Father's Day weekend. Our little Brian McCann (aka Buster Boy) has been dying to go to a real life Atlanta Braves baseball game since he could speak the words.

The boys planned a trip while we were in the ATL so Buster loaded up with Daddy, D-Daddy and Uncle Stevie for his first trip to Braves country.
Oh, this picture kills me. It screams of the greatest American pastime.
A 4:10 start, a 2 1/2 hour rain delay midway through and a tie ballgame that went into extra innings didn't tire out this boy.  And the fact that he drank his first Coke probably helped do the trick!
He ended the night with a shout out from the ball boy asking if he wanted his very own Major League baseball.  Um, yes please!  Who knew ball boys were such rock stars.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

She maketh me proud.

Our nightly prayers are fairly similar and include thanks for each family member, prayers for things to come, for healing for sick ones we may know, with the occasional childlike request thrown in.

One night both Big Sis and Buster asked specifically for God to bring back two lost items: a Bible for Sis that had been lost for months and Buster's dentist book. We had looked high and low that day for both items and came up empty. We thought these were sweet requests and smiled nicely the 3 nights they were presented.

On the 4th day, I found a basket of toys in the nursery dumped out all over the floor. In frustration I began flinging items back into the basket when LO AND BEHOLD look what 2 things are sitting in the bottom of that basket: the Bible and the dentist book. I gave Tiny Miss the 2 items, the directions on who to give them to, and sent her off. Seconds later I hear screaming and happy dances taking place upon delivery.

"God answered our prayers, Mommy!!!!"

Yes He did.

The next morning Big Sis is the first one ready for the day and comes in my room, Bible in hand.

"Mommy, I think I'm going to start reading the Bible everyday. Can you show me where Ruth is?"

I show her where Ruth is and ask her if she knows anything about it.

"No, but I'll let you know in a little while."

She takes her Bible, heads outside and reads the entire book of Ruth in one sitting.
She summed it up in one sentence and I don't think I could have summed it up better myself.

"She was a good daughter-in-law."

Ruth would be proud, too.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

I am old. So very very old.

The party preparations began on Friday with a trip to the grocery store, list in hand, and 4 young helpers giddy at the foody possibilities. We came home and my sous chefs uniformed up and we began the cookapalooza.

Saturday morning we awoke to all of the little people asking, "Pawty? Pawty time?" Not yet, little people. The big people won't be here until tonight.

And the race was on. Clean house. Feed kids. Sweep up all their crumbs. Clean house again. Feed kids. Sweep up all their crumbs. Discuss utilization of an off-site babysitter for the next party. Clean the house again.

And then they came. About 15 of them. Big kids. BIG BIG kids to my little people.

They filled up my whole house. We ate a huge dinner with plates in hand, seats on the floor, piled up on couches, all within earshot.

I had an experience 6 years ago that gave me the feeling of being a parent. It's called BIRTHING A BABY. However, 6 years before that, my pre-parental instincts kicked in on a much different scale.

I became a camp director for a gaggle of college students that for a short 2 1/2 months each year, became my "kids". Ultimately, I was the one responsible for them and that weighed heavily. I prayed for them fiercely. I trained them as best I knew how. I laughed hysterically at their antics. I disciplined poorly. I cried weekly. And I loved them all.

I had been one of those "kids" for a couple of summers myself. I knew the life-changing impact one summer could have and I wanted to bear witness to that change in the lives of college kids.

As my official role as PARENT WHO HAS BIRTHED AN ACTUAL BABY came about, I knew it was time to swap roles and take on parenting the bloodline full-time. And so I did.

But I could not leave the gaggle behind. Whenever I hear of their arrival to the camp each year, the same feelings creep up as they used to 6, 7, 8 years ago. The anticipation. The nervousness. The knowledge of what's to come. The excitement of knowing these kids would drive back over the causeway at the end of July changed forever.

I know I did.

And so, as the mom who can never leave the "kids" alone, I had them over for dinner just 2 days after they arrived. They needed some basic food groups outside of the cafeteria, and I felt it my job to provide.

What I didn't expect was that in the short time they were here, I learned some important lessons from them.

1. These are the quality, integrity-filled people I want my kids to be around. All the time.
2. I want my BIRTHED kids to have the deep spiritual experiences these college kids have had and will have as they serve this summer.
3. Camp Counselor feet are still just as nasty as they were back in '98.
4. Their average age was 20. Some younger. I could officially be their legitimate parent.
5. In conclusion, I am old. So very very old.

But I am proud. Proud of a lineage, per say, that I was a part of and that continues today. New leadership. New kids. Same location. Same God.