My Sweet Boy

David has always been such a sweet boy. He's one to tell you, out of the blue that he loves you and then go right back to playing trucks. He certainly has his moments, as any mother of a boy can probably agree. He can be a down-right booger at times, but the good, far outweigh the bad in my eyes.
I was putting him to bed a couple of nights ago and he asked me to sing "my song". Since I was preganat with Lexi, I've sang and read to my babies. One song I sing to them the most is "Before I Knew Your Name" by Bob Carlisle (sp?) great song/lullaby. So anyway, I started to sing it to him and he laid down and closed his eyes and started to move his hand back and forth, (like someone listening to soft music might, in a figure 8). He contimued doing this for a few moments and then opened up his eyes and interrupting my song said, (in a soft, quiet voice), "Mom, this song just makes me feel like a ballerina." How cute is that?!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh my, there is so much to be thankful for. I am thankful for my home that we are able to pay for and heat with my husbands good job. I am thankful that he provides all we need, so that I may stay at home and raise our precious children. I am thankful for the many wonderful friends I am so blessed to have. I am thankful for our pets, who love us unconditionally. I am so thankful for my family, each one of them near and far that make up the funny, happy, loving, supportive family I am so blessed to be a part of. I am thankful for my health and the health of my family.
Thank You Lord, for all I have been blessed with, material and otherwise. Thank You for loving me and continuing to provide me with Your wisdom in my everyday life. Thank You for entrusting to me these two precious children and for blessing me with such a wonderful husband. I am thankful that You are my Savior.

November 17, 2005

I need to do something about my weight problem. I weigh far too much and eat too much of the wrong things. My exercise routine is of little effort. I would like to start by loosing 50 pounds by June 2006. I can do this - achieve this goal - by: exercising, at least 1 hour, 4 times a week, I will eat healthy portions and remember to include a salad with my meal 5 days a week. I will not eat past 8pm and I will limit desserts and sweets to 2 items per week. Water will be my primary drink. I know that I CAN do this. I need to for my health and to heal the injury to my knee from this summer. I do not want diabetes, heart disease or any other ailment that can accompany obesity. I want energy, strength, health and a long, full life. I cannot have this weighing two hundred and eighty-five pounds. I will need encouragement and accountability - that is why you are reading this. Help me Lord.

Chasing My Goal...

Thank God I have SEVERAL more years to accomplish it...it's a doozy! I can say that since once you are a mother, you are always a mother. I honestly want to be a Proverbs 31 wife. (If you don't know what that is, read Proverbs 31.) I have been going to a Bible Study that a lady within my MOMS Club decided to start. It is really opening my eyes in wisdom, (thank God). It's been a very rough couple of months for the Brown family. We've delt with injury, illness and being emotionally crippled by the sexual abuse of a child, all within just 3 months. Let me tell ya, I've NEEDED peace. Quite honestly I think it is the peace that only God can give. Since starting this Bible study I have gained a new respect for myself, my beautiful children and my adoring, patient husband. I never realized that you really can find all the answers that you need to be a wonderful (anything) mother within the pages of a Bible. The book that we are studying is called "Wisdom for Mothers" by DeniseGlenn. I completly fell in love with the title even before cracking it open! As I was reading through yesterday's study I learned about Suzanna Wesley, (17th century mother of John and Charles Wesley). She was a truly extraordinary woman. I wanted to share with you a little bit about her.
She gave birth to 19 children, in as many years. She herself was the youngest of 25! Only 10 of her children grew to adulthood. She prayed every day for 1 hour and had an unusual way of finding "time to herself" to do so. She would sit down and flip her apron up over her head, her children knew not to disturb her because she was praying. She home schooled all her children. She also made a personal appointment with each child every week to encourage, instruct and get to know them on a more personal level. Listed in my book were a list of her "house rules"...oh my!
1. Eating between meals is not allowed.
2. Children are to be in bed by 8pm.
3. They are required to take medicine without complaining.
4. They are to subdue to self-will so that they might be open to God's salvation.
5. Teach a child to pray as soon as they can speak.
6. All will be still during family worship.
7. Give them nothing they cry for, and only that for which they ask politely.
8. To prevent lying, punish no fault which is first confessed and repented.
9. Never allow a sinful act to go unpunished.
10. Never punish a child twice for a single offense.
11. Commend and reward good behavior.
12. Any attempt to please, even if poorly performed should be commended.
13. Preserve property rights, even in smallest matters.
She died at the age of 78 in 1742. If anyone knows anything more about her, I would be very happy if you'd share. I got some of my information for the web and the rest from my workbook.
I am thankful for the ladies that make up my Bible/prayer group, without them and the things I am learning it would've taken a much longer time to find this much-needed, restful peace.

Another Busy Week.

I work 2 nights a week, M and Tu at our YMCA. 1, 3 hour shift to get my membership free and the other just to help out. 6 hours a week, not too bad. The kids can go with me because I work in the kids room. It does make the week long though, mostly because I leave home at 8:30 am and get home about 8pm. I bring Tiger to school and then just hang out in town so I don't waste so much gas, (we live about 20 minutes outside of town). Wednesday morning on our way into Preschool David asks me, "Mom will it be dark when we get home from the YNCA tonight?". I explained that I was done working for the week and we would go home at noon when he was done with school. "Yea mom! Cuz' when we get home and it's dark, that's not fair!" Wasted time to play outside I suppose is his thinking in that. My kids are so active, outdoors no matter if it is rain or shine, 90 degrees or 9. They love it outside.
It's been pretty cold here in Montana. 3 degrees last night...makes me shiver just thinking about it! I called my best friend yesterday morning to tell her how cold it was here, back home. She said that it was supposed to get up to 80 there that day...ugh...she gets to live in Texas. Love ya Jode!

Is life supposed to make sense?

It's been a very long couple of months. Since Labor Day weekend my life is forever changed. Tonight I went out after my sister's housewarming party with 2, wonderful friends who I really love dearly. It was wierd though, I haven't been out in quite a while with someone besides hubby watching the kiddos. It's like I can't get in the 'party mode' when I'm out. Like somehow I don't deserve to be happy or have a fun time with all that has happened over the past 2 months. Now I'm sleepless, trying to resist the urge to sit beside my baby girls bed and cry. What a sweet, sweet girl I am so blessed to have. God give me the strength and grace to exsist in these strange days. Bless my friends and family for their consistent love, support and encouragement during this most difficult time within my family. Help me to be a better mom, wife, daughter, sister and friend. Please restore the joy I have always held for life. Please Lord, give me peace...

Winter Wonderland

Wow! Woke up this morning to about 5 inches of heavy, wet snow. Tiger is so excited...he loves the snow!!! It was snowing a little when I went to bed, it really must've kept it up all night. I've lived in Montana my entire life and I'm still, at 33, not in love with winter. We seriously have cooler weather about 8 months of the year and snow on the ground for at least 1/2 of those. Don't get me wrong, I do love Montana, the scenery is hard to beat. The weather...*sigh*...the weather stinks! It does look pretty out this morning though. The chain-link fences are laced and the trees' limbs are all heavy with the white stuff. Give me snow in December and rain the other months, I could handle that. My perfect weather? It rains lightly each night and hits 75 each day. What's yours?

Happy Halloween

Last night, actually ALL DAY, we were out getting treats. Lexi was a "scary, boy vampire" and David was Jeff Gordon. If you asked him who he was he'd say, "Jeff Gordon baby! NASCAR Champion!", (most of the time anyway). They had a great day. He must've gotten worn out, he's STILL IN BED!!! That's always so exciting for me.
An update for you. I spoke with the owner of the dog who killed Linsee Priddy Zoe, (our bunny) the day after the incident. He was very apologetic and said he would take the dog to the pound right away. Well, he did. Haven't seen hide nor' hair of Gunner since. I'm thankful he took it so well and acted in a responsible manner.
I don't know what's going on in our little town lately. Some boys destroyed a few swings at the park, we had our pumpkins thrown into the street and broken apart last night...it's crazy. Things like that never happened here, it's changing and I don't like it. I've told Aaron I want to move, he's not all for that.
Well, better get going. My little ones will be up soon and I have to get them ready for school.
Have a great one!