Davis Doodles

Mother of the Year

2012-01-26T19:09:00.003-05:00

I keep a very organized dayplanner. I really do. How is it then, after traumatizing my eldest with dental work 2 days before the Christmas program, that I managed to schedule the youngest for shots in the late afternoon on a revival night?

In my defense, this appointment was made months ago--before revival dates had been posted in the bulletin--and rescheduling would have taken that long again. But I feel like an awful mother, as I'm snuggled up with Mr. Grumpy, waiting for the internet to stop its insufferable buffering and let us continue watching the service from home.

Connor would probably say that they'll "be in therapy for years over this", but I'm hoping a good night's sleep and a batch of cookies tomorrow will make it all better. Please excuse me while I polish that Mother-of-the-Year trophy...I think I hear livestreaming internet working again...

Shades of Wednesday Green

2012-01-25T08:06:00.004-05:00

It's a magnificently frosty Wednesday morning and I have high hopes for the day. Although my boys are both still a little pale today, at least they're not green: I'm hoping the semi-annual revivalitis bug has left us, and we can enjoy church in person tonight. (To help things along, a couple boys will be coming home to REST this afternoon after our library trip.)

In happy, greenish news, this blogger is pleased to announce that our family is now recycling more than we throw away! I know some of you couldn't care less about that, but I hate driving past the dump and seeing that mountain of nastiness. Just because Jesus is coming back soon doesn't mean we're supposed to make a big mess!

Considerably LESS green is our compost operation. Yeah, I'm an epic fail in the scraps department during cold weather. The thought of dragging egg shells and orange rinds outside, chipping the frozen lid off the container and then trying to stir the whole icy mess around (before a squirrel jumps in!) just isn't going so great. I need a proper composter. And also a little inspiration.

The work won't do itself, though--so I'm off to devotions and a long to-do list. With all the poise and grace of a pregnant hippopotamus, I shall manage this Wednesday and be parked in the 3rd pew by 7 pm.

Is There Ever A Good Reason?

2012-01-24T08:56:00.007-05:00

Won't someone please enlighten me? Is there ever really a good reason for posting snarky stuff on blogs or Facebook? Is it more acceptable if you make it sound spiritual, or if you leave out the names but still make it clear who you're blasting?

I've gotten caught in this trap before, and I've had to ask forgiveness/delete comments/bang my head upon the wall. If you genuinely desire to serve Jesus--and I want to!--it's NOT something that you want to do. It makes you feel awful, it makes you sound awful, it makes you look a bit awful. Did I mention awful?!

It's bad enough that sometimes we're stupid enough to think less-than-gracious things, or to say them out loud, but seriously...taking the time to type it out, check spelling (well, okay--that doesn't always happen), and putting it in print? That has all the class of a dung beetle.

Roughly 60 people visit my blog on the average day, and there are 3 or 4 who have a standing invite from me to visit me in person if they catch me posting something snide. When they visit, they have permission to remove their shoe and smack me firmly on the nose with it. Repeatedly. Until I delete what I wrote and apologize, or I die and am buried in a flattering blue suit. Better yet: I'll try to have the brains to leave it unsaid in the first place.

A few readers here are also bloggers/avid Facebookers and I enjoy keeping in touch. Type away, friends--I love reading what you write. Just don't forget that our keyboards contain 2 lovely buttons which may be helpful: DELETE and Backspace. :)

Tuesday blessings...

Because God is Big Enough

2012-01-23T16:40:00.003-05:00

In the midst of a busy Monday, I've been thinking and praying (and yes--worrying) about Nicole Cassady. I don't know all the details--just that she's very, very sick--and clearly, she needs a touch from God.

She was a college classmate, and someone I have learned to greatly appreciate in recent years when our paths have crossed. She loves the Lord, she loves her little family, and she's absolutely SWEETLY surrendered to God's work.

Please say a prayer for her tonight.

Nerds, Nyquil, and Nail Polish

2012-01-21T20:15:00.007-05:00

Well, YAY for a quiet Saturday. I have a clean house, 2 days of ironing done and a ringside seat to a lively game being played by my 3 favorite men right now. (I would still like to know how the candy Nerds ended up all over the diningroom, but I'm also kinda afraid to ask...)

I've been in the mood to bake wonderful things this weekend. The chicken tortilla soup and the chocolate chip cheeseball turned out great, but the government still requests that I not make any more piecrust until they have an antidote ready.

Now that my cold has eased, I realize that the cherry-flavored Biggby coffee I bought tastes like a mixture of Nyquil and nail polish. I don't know what's worse--that anyone would make coffee sooo bad, or that I drank it for 3 days before discovering the horror of it! (My trauma over that abominable flavor is somewhat lessened by the chance to see the hilarious expression on Arvel's face when he sampled it.)

In wonderful news, we have our themes for both IHC and summer travels. In less-wonderful news, WOW--I have a lot to do! I read this morning "be still and know that I am God" and remembered that HE has it all under control and HE'll help me get it all done. (But please feel free to pray and throw cookies at me...)

ISMA and the Year with Wings

2012-01-16T19:15:00.002-05:00

It's written each week in my dayplanner. It's on a paper in my Bible. It was even scrawled on my hand in green ink last week while I was helping out at the school. It's a reminder; a promise, and often; a prayer. It stands for "I Surrender My Agenda".

I had the most marvelous schedule mapped out for 2012 and it went south by January 2nd. As it turns out, this year requires a few different things of me than I expected. It requires flexibility, extra effort, and it could probably use more sweetness too. It's a little more than I bargained for, and yet some of the new responsibilities are clearly God's handiwork.

Before this year began, I told God that it belonged to Him. When the schedule went bonkers, it seemed appropriate to remember that, and to lay aside some of my expectations. The best-laid plans of a yellow-headed blogger will never compare to God's timing. I have a feeling that, in His care, this year could turn out to be very special.

And while I scribble those letters all around me, I can't help noticing something: this year is FLYING. 2012 has wings, and there is much to do. We're halfway through another school year, our summer travel dates are all booked and we have 2 definitely in place for 2013. Eek--I should probably lay down the COMPUTER and get to work! That laundry simply refuses to wash and fold itself...

(And if you think of it this week, help me pray about a laptop I priced just today. It's possible I might be able to get a reasonable deal on one very soon and that would bless my heart much...)

It's About Time...

2012-01-07T22:46:00.002-05:00

36 years on this planet, 13.5 years of marriage, 11 years of motherhood, countless games...and I think tonight was my first Monopoly win. :) Maybe I like that game after all...maybe...

I can't say enough good things about Family Game Night. It's a wonderful low-key way to make memories. And if you need a fun new game suitable for kids, please check out Headbandz. We got it for Christmas and have laughed our silly heads off with it.

Silence is Golden

2012-01-06T20:10:00.003-05:00

I talk too much, and I know it. It's one of my least favorite qualities about myself. It's the trait I pray over every day.

Clearly, God has heard my prayers. Life has conspired lately to help me be quiet. Between a busy schedule, and computer issues, my internet and phone chat times have plummeted to a level that should keep even me out of trouble.

By way of updates, we had a magnificent (and fairly restful) Christmas holiday season. We did a whole lot of NOTHING, and we enjoyed it. Our delight was somewhat tempered by issues with the computer (in the shop), the vacuum (ungodly squeal when it's running), Gene's car (new brakes), the microwave (kaput), the diningroom table (also kaput) and the boss' dog (collapsed from old age and had to be put down, while we were babysitting it). None of those things determine our happiness, though. We are much blessed.

I'm spending a few days helping out in Connor's classroom while a regular staffer is out; my dear husband is nearly a week past the date I gave him for choosing a theme for IHC (and about 2 days from meeting his Maker, if he doesn't get it picked). Blogging may be punier than usual. At some point soon, I need to either splurge on a new computer and camera, or hang up my bloghat. The jury's still out on which way that'll go.

Whoever you are, wherever you are--I pray this Christmas season found you close to Jesus and surrounded by loving friends and family.

Happy weekend... (said very quietly...)

That Special Moment...

2011-12-31T13:11:00.002-05:00

...when the dog you're babysitting dies...

(Still mostly netless at our house, but yes--there's a story here...)

Pardon the Quiet Blog...

2011-12-25T12:03:00.000-05:00

...we're experiencing technical difficulties. Merry Christmas!

On the Tenth Day of Christmas...

2011-12-22T21:09:00.004-05:00

...the good Lord gave to me...

10 surprising blessings

9 loads of laundry
8 legs on an ornament
7 brand new friends
6 dozen cookies
FIIIIIIIIIIIVE new white hairs!
(deep breath)
4 big answered prayers
3 summer camps
2 squirrelly boys
And a man who'll be in school until he dies!

(Many thanks to David Fry for the new picture. I suspect it'll be popping up on a few fliers in the very near future. Let me know if you see it...)

On the Ninth Day of Christmas...

2011-12-21T16:10:00.002-05:00

...the good Lord gave to me...

9 loads of laundry

(hey, it's been worse--and at least the washer works!)

8 legs on an ornament

(can you guess what it is?)

7 brand new friends

(I love meeting new people!)

6 dozen cookies

(and I only ate THREE dozen...)

FIIIIIIIIIIIVE new white hairs!

(deep breath)

4 big answered prayers

(yup, God is good)

3 summer camps

(ICHA, Ohio BMC and Great Lakes BMC in 2012)

2 squirrelly boys

(who act just like their FATHER!)

And a man who'll be in school until he dies!

(and I'm very proud of him)

On the Eighth Day of Christmas...

2011-12-20T13:37:00.003-05:00

...the good Lord gave to me:

8 legs on an ornament

(can you guess what it is?)

7 brand new friends

6 dozen cookies

FIIIIIIIIIIIIVE new white hairs!

(deep breath)

4 big answered prayers

3 summer camps

2 squirrelly boys

And a man who'll be in school until he dies!

(Yes, I know--I had skipped a day. There's a lot going on and my ADD/complete exhaustion kicked in last night. My annoying song is up to date.)

Please Join Us For a Moment of Silence...

2011-12-19T10:02:00.003-05:00

...at the loss of a longtime family member. We remember when she joined our family more than 13 years ago, as a brand new baby. She was smallish, and rather pale, but very energetic. Over the years, she has contributed MUCH to our family...until her tragic passing this week.

Yes, friends--Meredith the Microwave has passed away. After many years of faithful service, we noticed her ailing last week. (Specifically, because she spent 10 minutes trying to warm some soup.) She was a wedding gift from my favorite in-laws, and a constant companion in the butter softening of cookie production. We're going to miss her. (Now, who wants to go shopping?!)

On the Sixth Day of Christmas...

2011-12-18T23:07:00.003-05:00

...the good Lord gave to me...

6 dozen cookies,

FIIIIIIIIVE new white hairs!

(deep breath)

4 big answered prayers

3 summer camps

2 squirrelly boys

And a man who'll be in school until he dies!

On the Fifth Day of Christmas...

2011-12-17T21:53:00.003-05:00

...the good Lord gave to me...

FIIIIIIIIIIIIVE new white hairs!
(deep breath)
4 big answered prayers
3 summer camps
2 squirrelly boys
And a man who'll be in school until he dies!

On the Fourth Day of Christmas...

2011-12-16T13:12:00.004-05:00

...the good Lord gave to me...

4 big answered prayers,

3 summer camps,
2 squirrelly boys,
and a man who'll be in school until he dies!

How I WISH This Post Had Pictures...

2011-12-15T21:08:00.003-05:00

We interrupt this broadcast of the 12 Days of Davis Christmas to share a funny tale of my favorite husband. I would give my right arm and both my kidneys to have had photographic evidence of it, but you'll have to settle for a mental picture.

It was another not-so-quiet day around the hospital, and my husband (who weareth many hats) was alerted to a dire need in the Transitions (geriatric psych) department. It seems that baby dolls are very popular among some of the patients in that unit, and the resident baby had come up missing.

After a little research (which the hat-wearing husband loveth much), it was determined that the baby doll had been loaned to a patient in the CCU and accidentally sent home with that person. Their gain was geri-psych's painful loss, but the staff thought they had tucked away a spare baby. They had, but that baby was COMPLETELY unsuitable to the patients (and let's just leave it at that, shall we?) and so the hat-wearing husband was dispatched to Walmart with the hospital's credit card.

At Walmart, he entered a foreign world; a girly aisle full of pink and ruffles, sparkly tiaras, and yes--baby dolls. It's Christmas and so the selection is pretty large, but Arvel had specific orders: he was NOT to bring back a baby that talked or cried, lest it scare a patient half to death. And that's where it got complicated.

He found a couple babies that looked appropriate, but he HAD to be sure they didn't speak. (And it apparently never crossed his mind to read the packaging...) He did what any normal man (who has no doll experience) would do: he began pinching, squeezing and shaking the babies vigorously to check! A gray-haired man in a business suit--wearing his hospital ID badge--stood beating a baby doll in the toy aisle!

Apparently, he managed to be sure they were SILENT dolls before anyone called the police, and the hat-wearing husband delivered 2 new babies to the unit without being arrested on suspicion of child abuse.

I did my wifely duty: I laughed until I cried, and teased him to no end about behaving like a crazy loon in the girl's aisle at Walmart. Mid-cackle, I spotted a gnat in the kitchen, stalking the Christmas cookies, and I began swatting and yelling at the little beastie--until my husband announced that he could see no gnats anywhere and he was a little worried about me.

And then he offered to get me a baby doll...

On the Third Day of Christmas...

2011-12-15T21:06:00.001-05:00

...the good Lord gave to me...

3 summer camps,

2 squirrelly boys,

and a man who'll be in school until he dies!

On the Second Day of Christmas...

2011-12-14T10:42:00.001-05:00

...the good Lord gave to me...

2 squirrelly boys

and a man who'll be in school until he dies!

On the First Day of Christmas...

2011-12-13T21:52:00.003-05:00

...the good Lord gave to me...

...a man who'll be in school until he dies!!!

(Stay tuned for a heartfelt carol paraphrase from the house of Davis)

A Great Resource for Child Evangelism

2011-12-10T14:19:00.003-05:00

Currently at the very TOP of my Child Evangelism favorites list is this book. It's full of wonderful, worshipful songs--even some seasonal ones--with very singable/playable arrangements.

Sarah Fry loaned it to me, and I've loved it so much that I'm going to need to give her the new copy and keep the loved-on one for me.

If you're tuning in next Sunday, look for the Junior Church to be singing "Bethlehem Lullaby" from this book.

Happy Saturday, friends and blogspooks...

Attack of the Palate Expander

2011-12-07T10:11:00.003-05:00

With Connor eagerly anticipating his coveted role in the school Christmas program this week, I took him to Zionsville yesterday for an orthodontic appointment that I thought (read: stupid, stupid mother) would make him very happy.

It was time for his palate expander to come out. That hubcap sized dental apparatus in the roof of his mouth had widened his palate, and broken his nailbiting habit (because he couldn't bite together properly) and it was finally time to remove it.

Sadly, the occasion was slightly less than festive. In removing the palate expander, they also removed a good sized layer of skin from the roof of the poor kid's mouth, and a barely loose baby molar too. Hearts were not blessed.

The orthodontic replacement was a much smaller retainer while we await the next phase of straight teeth, but it's an awkward and delicate looking replacement and his very raw mouth is not comfortable. He's still drooling blood, it hurts to eat and he didn't sleep well at all last night.

They neglected to warn me that it would be such an ordeal, or I would have refused an appointment 2 days before the Christmas program. Since it's done now, please excuse the crying cast member singing a slurred solo on Thursday. If anyone needs me, I'll be polishing my Mother-of-the-Year trophy and stocking up on ice cream.

And if he accidentally spits his retainer in your direction tomorrow night, please catch it--there's a $60 replacement fee and it doesn't look like it would fly very well...

You Might Be Having a BUSY Christmas If...

2011-12-06T08:08:00.002-05:00

...The phone rings at midnight (the hospital is calling), and you leap from your bed, turn off your alarm and blather incoherently about a short night. (True story--Hubs thinks I'm crazy...)

...You have no idea what anyone is wearing for Christmas this year, and as long as there's not enough flesh to warrant a visit from the police, you aren't sure you care.

...A major coffee spill happened when you tried to fill a mug that was upside down. And it happened last week too.

..."program practice" counts as a bad word.

...Laundry runneth over. Chronically.

...Red and green Oreos have started to look like a perfectly respectable Christmas cookie.

...You're irrationally tired AND sick to death of the construction zone around the school, and you've given your husband instructions that, should you die during this season, you want a HUGE funeral procession to make at least THREE (or five!) sloooow passes through there to bless the hearts of the incredibly rude INDOT and Rieth-Riley personnel. >:D

...The only thing on your Christmas Wishlist is a nap. (Well, okay--also a really nice camera!)

Fa-La-La-La-La!

2011-11-30T11:38:00.002-05:00

I pause amid the busy Christmas preparations to bring you this overcaffeinated announcement:

Tomorrow night, I'm going to talk to big people. Several of them. REAL big people. I'm going to talk to them OUT LOUD too.

Yes, I asked God to find new ways to stretch me and use me this year, and He answered with the unexpected. Funny how that works...

Tomorrow night, I'm going to find something slimming in my closet (it's a MAGIC closet, I hope!), head south to a sweet blogger friend's church and speak for their Christmas Tea.

Please pray that God will help me, and keep me from getting nervous and sounding like Elmer Fudd with a bun. I would certainly hate to have to pray amnesia down on all the tea partiers. ;)

The Evolution of Marital Conversation

2011-11-27T23:34:00.002-05:00

Many years ago:

(About 13 years ago, to be more precise), a certain woman asked her new husband if he had any interest in going on to grad school before they had children.

"Nooooo," said the husband. "I have NO interest in getting a master's degree!"

A few years ago:

A certain husband began grad school, and his wife asked him if there would be any other degrees.

"Nooooo way," said the husband. "There's no way I would ever do my doctorate!"

A few weeks ago:

The wife guessed it. "You're going to do your doctorate, aren't you?"

"Yup."

:) More on that later...

Don't Do It!

2011-11-26T22:21:00.003-05:00

Don't tell God to stretch and grow you

Or ask Him to use you in new and exciting ways

Unless you really, REALLY mean it!

Exciting things happening in the life of this blogger

Yes, details coming soon

(And no...it's not that I'm pregnant...)

An unspoken prayer...

2011-11-14T10:49:00.001-05:00

...months in the praying...

...answered this morning...

Thank you, Jesus!

Still Choosing Joy

2011-11-09T22:22:00.003-05:00

Sometimes it's romance and roses
With the love of your life
And your heart feels like cartwheels
Or kissing in public
Sometimes it's diapers and debt
The calendar is full and the bank is not
The love is a little distracted
And you wish life had a big Pause button
Sometimes it's laughter and laziness
The monopoly marathon on Friday night
Crowded family sleepovers
The funny story you can't wait to tell your better half
Sometimes it's sickness and stress
You've bitten off more work than you can chew
And you know there's not time for a date or a weekend away
But it would be really nice once the flu is gone
Sometimes it's faithfulness and forgiveness
Because real love involves daily choices
And real people aren't perfect
Not even a little
Sometimes it's a blog and a blonde
Who married a wonderful, godly man
And realizes she is blessed in the journey of love
And she wants him to know that she chooses him always.

Happy Wednesday, Favorite Husband!
(From your wife--who did not wreck the car, buy anything too expensive, or say anything she probably shouldn't have today. Just in case you're wondering...)

Blanketing Boys with Prayer

2011-11-07T21:29:00.002-05:00

Monday has come and gone in a blur of cleaning and errands. Evening brought us a crowded basketball practice and a quick trip to Lafayette to pick up the new glasses for Gene and Connor. Unfortunately, evening also brought the flu to Kent.

It's good to have a plastic bag in the car when a small boy announces he's sick. Of course, it's better if that plastic bag does not have a hole in the bottom. It's alright, though--I've added "wash the booster seat cover" to my Tuesday list and all is well. :)

With Barfy and his Big Brother tucked into their beds tonight, we take a moment for the most important thing a parent can do: talking to God with our little people. It's not enough to tell them to pray, or just pray for them in private. They need Dad and Mom to help carve out a habit of honest, obedient conversation with God.

Jesus is a Friend who doesn't require flowery words, so we speak to Him simply and talk about the things our boys care about; we ask his help with school and friends, and we ask Him to keep our family close to Him and to each other. We speak about worrisome and scary things out loud. And before we close, we always find at least one thing for which we're thankful.

Do we do everything right? I wish! No, we're still trying to figure out the best way to raise boys for Jesus--and sometimes I'd like to strangle all the people who said they were sooooo much easier than girls. We often talk about wanting to be examples for the boys, and I find myself on my knees more and more--asking God to make me the mom my boys need.

And while I'm waiting on God to make me sweeter/smarter/stronger/BETTER, I keep doing the one thing that makes sense: I blanket them with prayer.

Someone's Not A Little Boy Anymore

2011-11-01T21:28:00.004-04:00

Connor was promoted to green belt tonight in karate. In spite of his less-than-enthused expression, he was very excited. Green is his favorite color, and a mid-range belt rank. Shihan Harness arranged for him to promote tonight, since he'll miss the big ceremony on Friday night while our family works with the kids at the Faith Investment Dinner.

We love and appreciate Frank Harness, our karate instructor, very much. He's a Christian man who genuinely loves kids. I wish you'd pray for him. After 24 years at a local factory, he was downsized out of a job this morning. He was very positive, and it was business as usual at class tonight, but he's in need of work and that has to be scary.

Yes, our big boy is definitely growing up. Some stylish big-guy glasses are on their way here, with orange piping on the sides and insurance in case he flushes them. ;) He looks a lot like me, but in the realm of spectacles, he takes after his Aunt Valerie. Glasses look good on them! (Probably because their eyebrows are straight...)

We also have a small toothless wonder, who's missing his front teeth and happily learning to read in kindergarten, but I can't find the picture I took of him. Suffice it to say that he's still his chirpy little self, constantly singing and doing his best to carpet his bedroom with Lego.

Did I mention that I am blessed?

A Quick Howdy

2011-10-25T14:02:00.002-04:00

Greetings from a blogless blonde. I'm feeling a little buried right now, and haven't felt inspired to blog or chat on Facebook. I'm sure that's quite a disappointment to the 3 people who still read my blog. (Hi, Mom!)

It's a busy autumn, and life stubbornly refuses to follow the 5 point plan I had for the months leading up to Christmas. Isn't it funny how that works?

As news goes, this is it: my youngest child is missing both his front teeth and loving kindergarten; my eldest child is seeing the eye doctor on Friday, and will probably soon be sporting spectacles; my longsuffering husband is working way too many hours with difficult people (OTHER difficult people) and doing great in another semester of grad school.

Blogger is acting up, and I'm still without a camera. That, coupled with the fact that my favorite husband's laptop is sporting a version of IE that arrived on the Ark, makes computer time waaaaay less fun.

If you're a friend, please pray that God will be close as I wade through some stressful things right now. If you're not a friend, go away and clean your house! ;) If you're one of the 300+ people on my web prayer list, please rest assured that I talked to Jesus about you this morning.

Tuesday blessings...

Do I Smell Lavender?

2011-10-18T08:21:00.003-04:00

Never, ever underestimate the combined forces of a pensive woman and a lavender scented SOS pad. As God and I talked through some serious stuff yesterday, I scrubbed through 3 of them! On the upside, the kitchen looks magnificent. On the not-so-upside, my hands are raw!

As therapies go, I think it's a pretty good one. They don't cost much (unlike retail therapy--which I also like), they don't involve chocolate (but if they ever make 'em in that scent, I am SOOO buying 10 boxes), and they certainly beat griping and whining on Facebook and blogs about your oh-so-rough day/week/life. ;)

I would highly recommend them. Of course, I would also recommend a good pair of cleaning gloves, but most of you are smart enough to figure that out by yourselves. Today I'm going to scrub the bathtub, inside and out. And maybe later, I'll go outside and do the siding on the porch. I wonder if you can use these on kids...

You know what? I have a better idea. I'm pretty sure the rain and all the stuff in my head is causing the cheese to slide right off my cracker. Where's my umbrella? It's time to get OUT of this house!!!

Happy Tuesday from a soggy blonde... :)

Listening to "Give Me Jesus"

2011-10-17T19:25:00.004-04:00

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N3KPA9ltQE&feature=player_detailpage

Hopefully I've managed to properly attach the link. I was feeling burdened tonight and I thought of this song. I love Fernando Ortega, and it was a beautiful reminder to keep my eyes on my Savior.

Life's not fair. People aren't perfect. Bad things happen to those who don't deserve it. Only one thing remains unchanged: Jesus died for us, He loves us and He never, ever fails.

Nope, the link's not working. Well, ugh. Go to Youtube and look up "Give me Jesus" by Fernando Ortega while I throw things at this ornery laptop with a version of IE that may have been used by Methuselah. In his early years.

Funnies From the Church Basement

2011-10-10T14:03:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was a particularly hectic Sunday morning in the church basement. The nursery class was livelier than usual, and as Marc Sankey preached upstairs, we were staging a spirited re-enactment of "Daniel and the Lion's Den".

Daniel was a girl this time, and so were all the lions--and maybe all of the bad guys. I don't remember, exactly--it just seemed that we had an abundance of girls. For some reason, Betty ended up being our king, and that's where it got interesting.

Daniel was caught praying, and dragged to the throne to await judgment. We looked to the king, and what did the sovereign say? "Fire up the furnace--7 times hotter!" (Did I mention that I just LOVE old people...?)

Dear, dear Betty--right book, wrong story. She was royally confused, but that's alright. Daniel survived her night in the lion's den and in the morning, not a hair on her head was singed and she didn't even smell like smoke... :D

Oh, Not Now!

2011-10-08T11:18:00.004-04:00

For a few years, we thought it was just us. Every year, something would go wrong during revival. Granted, no one ever died and the house didn't burn to the ground, but it seemed like stressful things always came along that week, trying to shift our focus during a time that's supposed to be refreshing our faith.

We soon learned that it's not unique to us: other friends know one of their children will get sick, their headache will last for days, or they'll be ordered into mandatory overtime that week, out-of-town relatives will arrive for a monthlong visit; better yet, their van will make a gargling noise and smoke will rise ominously from the steering column.

Satan knows exactly how to leave us flailing in our pew, drained by illness or the thought of a 4 digit bill, when we've set aside this time to listen closely to the voice of Jesus. It's no accident that he does it--he doesn't WANT us to draw closer to God.

This morning, when I heard my favorite husband gallop back into the house and race up the stairs with his coffee sloshing and his eyes saucer-wide, I knew we were in for a little revival excitement. The dear man's car had decided to wheeze instead of roaring to life after a gas station stop, and he was racing back to take mine, leaving me stranded for the day with a zillion errands and 2 ornery children.

I didn't think crying would help much (besides, I already have a headache), so I told Jesus about it, and figured I'll use this time to catch up on housework, and make an extra pot of coffee after church tonight, while I cram bulletin typing, groceries, SS classroom work and dessert making into the remaining hours before midnight. It could be worse! I want very much to hear from Jesus, and to end this week nearer to Him--even if it means compartmentalizing a few "bumps in the road" for a couple more days and focusing on the things that really matter.

I do have to laugh a little, though: some really weird things have happened at our house during revival week. Most notably, I gave birth 11 years ago when Bro. and Sis. Tillis were here! One year, I lost my job and had a hit-and-run driver do $4000 worth of damage to my car overnight. We've had every imaginable illness, Gene has injured his back; other vehicles have gasped and fallen over dead. This year, we also started the week with an infestation of bees--last year, it was flies--one year, there was a large frog in the basement. There have been sewage backups, appliance repairs, and dental surgeries. There are also a couple others--but I can't even tell them here! Sometimes it's as simple as being exhausted for no reason at all.

What about you, blogger friends? What's the craziest thing that has ever happened to your family during revival? And how did you get through it?

Has It Really Been 11 Years?

2011-10-05T22:31:00.003-04:00

Our beloved eldest turned 11 today, and in honor of his birth (and 11 years of celebrating it during fall revival), I thought I'd share a few of the photos I think sum up his personality.

Bless his heart...he brings us so much joy. And laughter. And opportunities to look for a good place to die of mortification...

On the day of his birth, we had no idea there were so many wonderful moments ahead. Or that some of them would involve wearing a plunger on his head.

Connor, I'm so proud of the man you're becoming. I love your laugh, your creativity, your tender heart, and even your stinky lizard. Even if I'm crippled from stepping on lego, I'll still cheer so loudly at basketball practice that you'll try to pretend I belong to someone else. Even when we squabble--because we're quite a lot alike--your momma will always love you and believe God has wonderful things planned for you.

Happy birthday, Mr. C!

A Half Redone Bedroom

2011-10-04T14:08:00.003-04:00

After several years with a dark red bedroom (which I loved...once...)

and in the grip of a powerful urge to redecorate

the barn red became Aleutian blue

and the last round of red bedding

(which I have hated since the day after I brought it home)

was traded for a sumptuous blue paisley duvet

full of wonderful goosedown feathers (yes, the poor goose)

And although we hadn'd finished putting all the pillows on

and I'm not exactly in LOVE with the white bedskirt

(but needed a longer one)

once we trade out the nightstands and lamps, find suitable curtains

and decide on what the walls need

we're pretty much set

(Did I mention I love the blue...and the goosedown feathers?)

So tell me, please...

What on earth should I put on that wall over the bed?!

Bring the chocolate--and a paintbrush!

2011-09-30T16:37:00.003-04:00

This absurdly cute picture is brought to you by a tired, and completely uninspired blogger with a half-painted bedroom and a zillion things to do. I wish I could say there was a magnificent piece of writing lurking inside my head, but there's nothing in the noggin except a small monkey with a kazoo. And he's pretty high on paint fumes...

The bedroom transformation is happening at the pace of an elderly snail. On the upside, a good Sherwin Williams primer makes it possible to switch from barn red to Aleutian blue with only one coat. On the downside, dropping the brush on your own head makes you a clumsy, blue-haired old woman. I am hoping my 3 dear men will buzz off for a while tomorrow and let me finish in peace. (Besides, after the brush incident, I think it's best if there aren't any witnesses...)

On a happy heart note, my slightly scaled back fall schedule is allowing me to get caught up on household projects, and I feel really good about Junior Church and Kids Club progress. Sure, I'm not where I want to be, but I'm not where I was last year either! :)

On a grumpy note, the bedroom is red AND blue right now. And white in some places. All the furniture is in the middle, there's plastic on the floor and painter's tape around every edge. There are not words to express what that does to an OCD housewife.

And on a funny note, the David and Gilbert boys are upstairs with Lego and bottled rootbeer and I'm being serenaded with a funny symphony of boys blowing across the tops of the bottles. Yeah, I love my life...well, except for the bedroom... :)

"Mommy, What Do You Want For Your Birthday?"

2011-09-27T08:09:00.001-04:00

"Hmmmm...I'll take world peace, skinny thighs and a nap."

(thoughtful pause)

"Okay, Mommy. You go take a nap, and I'll exercise you!"

(happy birthday to me)

Amid the Pages of a Good Book

2011-09-20T22:06:00.003-04:00

Another crazy Tuesday has gasped its last wheezy breath. It's a marathon day for us this year, with Gene gone to evening classes, and the rest of us galloping between basketball and karate. Still, we seem to end most Tuesdays with reading and tonight was no exception.

The boys and I curled up on a pile of pillows in my bed and finished the last chapters of a hilarious book by Lee Wardaw. "101 Ways To Bug Your Teacher" made us howl and cackle tonight, and since it's a sequel to "101 Ways to Bug Your Parents", we're going to need to go find the first one and read that too. It's geared for kids aged 8-13, so some of it sailed straight over Kent's little yellow head, but he didn't seem to mind.

I'm always thrilled when I find a wholesome book that captures the attention of my decidedly offbeat kids (and their equally offbeat momma), and this one's certainly a winner. It's not incredibly deep or filled with obscure symbolism; it's clean and funny, and it made my boys want to read more. I know most of my fellow bloggers are also mommas, so please--rush directly to the library and introduce Sneeze--and King Cluck--to your family!

And please--let me know if you enjoy it too! (It's always nice when I know that it's not just us being looney...)

Koh-koh-mah and Pie

2011-09-19T22:02:00.003-04:00

Friday's annual FCA fieldtrip to Koh-koh-mah was definitely a hit with our family. Gene took the day off, and we rode the bus and spent the whole day together.

If you're not from around here, you probably wouldn't have heard of this place. The gentleman pictured above is Bob Auth; he organizes a re-enactment of the French and Indian war on his property every year.

Considering that I have never seen any major re-enactment before--and that I always kinda thought the people who did that were a few fries short of a Happy Meal--I will freely confess to loving it!

The people took great pains to be authentic to the period, and with one exception, they were all very friendly and gracious. (Just ask Ray Garcia about the one who was NOT so friendly...) We got a good laugh over the toddler who was throwing things at us, and an even bigger laugh when the momma tied the little critter to a tent peg with a piece of rope later in the day.
The skirmish was quite exciting, and the obnoxious behavior from the kids sitting behind us made me quite proud of our well-behaved FCA munchkins.

And a certain small boy was in awe...

And then it was Saturday and a random trip across town produced...Janae! Our long lost munchkin watcher was back for the weekend. We miss her so!There was some sort of fundraiser...and there was pie-in-the-face...I'm not really clear on WHAT exactly was happening, but Janae jumped right in and I took pictures. Pretty sure I wanna stay on her good side... ;)

Thoroughly Thursday

2011-09-15T09:31:00.003-04:00

It's official--I'm on a fall deep cleaning bender. I'm joining Sherry Schuler for a yard sale this weekend, and getting ready to start redoing a bunch of our home and no closet, drawer or toybox has remained unmolested.

I'm reminded today of another reason for shopping verrry carefully: do you know how many overly expensive items I once cherished are about to end up with a $1 price sticker on their tailfeathers today? Far too many! More than a decade of marriage has radically changed my tastes and my house is slow in catching up, but I'm getting there--in a meandering, pricey, "why-on-earth-did-I-buy-that?!" kinda way.

The trick, I have discovered, is in making sure that the unsold items do not waddle back into the house to create clutter after the sale is over. No, the Davis clan is hauling the rest to Goodwill in trash bags and not looking back. I have to cringe when I see people hauling the same stuff out year after year--at some point, it's time to face the fact that it's worthless and it needs to go. Now remind me of that on Saturday afternoon, please...

Stay tuned for pics of tomorrow's Kokomo trip, and next week's painting of the bedroom.

God is good!

If You Have Ever Worked in Retail...

2011-09-13T14:29:00.003-04:00

or any place with a cash register, you know why this is funny. Sad and icky too, but yes--funny.

I know--I'm weird. I try so hard to be normal, but then I see things like this and I lose it. I can't help it...

'Tis a Melancholy Monday

2011-09-12T08:22:00.002-04:00

Working my way through a 3rd cup of coffee, I pause to thank Jesus for being my Stronghold and my Refuge. It's one of the yucky days; when the weekend's reliving of the 9/11 horrors is still fresh in my mind, and the cares of life are threatening to squish me into a little yellow-headed pancake.

If you're a natural born worrier (and I am), sometimes it's easy to get overwhelmed by the things you can't control. Common sense says "take it one day at a time", but common sense and I aren't always the best of friends. No, we have a tense relationship--one where she tells me there's no reason to be anxious about EVERYTHING all at once, and I throw things at her.

It's a good day to get far away from Facebook, with its steady trickle of reality--unemployment, dysfunction, sickness and death; the occasional nutcases who seem to mill about and thrive there (like so many slimy bugs under a big rock), and the pitiful Pharisee-types who must certainly be feeling saddle sore from so much time spent atop a very high horse.

The blonde in me wants to eat chocolate and go for a very long run--and pretend that the two naturally belong together. The momma in me wants to clean the house and bake something--as if that will somehow insulate our family from the sharp corners of life. But the daughter of the King prevails--and she's going to curl up with her Bible (and yes, more coffee) and talk to her Father for a while.

"Trust in Him at all times, you people;Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us..."

Psalm 62:8

Pass The Tissues...

2011-09-07T09:25:00.003-04:00

Are mommies allowed to cry on the second morning of kindergarten too? The first day was bad enough--leaving him standing by those pint-sized desks and brand new school supplies...but I think it was almost harder today when he insisted that I let him go inside alone.

It's apparently an important rite of passage to jump out of momma's car and run inside with your blue camouflage backpack bouncing behind you, leaving her sniffling in the driver's seat. Whoda thunk it?

Our Baby Goes to School

2011-09-06T19:38:00.002-04:00

Kent survived his first day of kindergarten! With a ton of energy, and a cheesy smile in every picture, he didn't even blink when we walked out this morning. Of course, it might be because he was there with his friends, he's ready to learn, and he loves his teacher already.

Yes, we have 4 VERY lively little boys with verrrrrry strong personalities. And one sweet little girl. :) I can't wait to see how this year turns out. (I only hope the teacher survives...)

It's hard to believe he's grown up so quickly! It seems like only yesterday that he was crawling around on the floor of a candy store wearing a chicken hat.

Oh wait--that was yesterday.

Stay tuned for more adventures with our favorite kindergartener and his partners in crime...

Resident Reptile Restored to Regularity

2011-09-02T13:35:00.003-04:00

It's a busy, busy Friday and it's HOT! This is a quick update for those who care (all 3 of you): Sheen saw the vet in Lafayette this morning and for about $30, we came away with the news that he's a healthy male.

We also came away with several doses of lizard laxative. The doctor said it would take several days to work. That wasn't entirely accurate. I got halfway back to Frankfort and, while caught in a traffic jam because of the interstate detour, the car filled with an indescribable fragrance and I realized that stuff was a little more powerful than the doctor thought. Kent and I spent about 40 minutes driving 4 miles an hour with all the car windows down, because the Laxatone continued to bless the lizard's...er--heart.

So we owe many thanks to Michelle Krick for the name of an exotic animals vet in Lafayette; to Carrie Carter for helpful suggestions and a few laughs; and to all our friends who prayed that a beloved pet would be okay. Most of all, we thank God for caring about the little things.

Humblest apologies to anyone who was offended because I talked about our little adventure. We weren't attempting to suggest that a constipated lizard was more important than anyone else's problems. Hopefully, you're all bright enough to realize that. :)

Life is good...even if the house does smell like lizard poo. Happy Friday!

No News Is...

2011-09-01T19:59:00.002-04:00

...probably not great news in the lizard raising business. We have bathed him, rubbed his belly, and handfed him bits of watermelon and baby food prunes until I'm ready to scream.

Tomorrow, I'm going to have to call the hebalol--the hepertol--tomorrow, I'm going to call the lizard doctor. Unless there's an overnight miracle (if beardie poo qualifies as a miracle), we'll be spending Friday afternoon finding out how expensive it is to learn the hard way that your critter needs more veggies in his diet.

I know some of you are cackling about this. (Mainly because you've told me so.) To be honest, I would be laughing too--except that this is my son's pet and he loves it dearly. Instead, I've spent the last several days watching my boys pray over the lizard and I'm afraid there will be some tears and some very sad kids if he doesn't live. :(

If you think of it tonight, please pray for Sheen. I'm so glad God cares about the little things too.

If You Give A Lizard a Prunecake... (And Other Unwritable Books...)

2011-08-29T20:56:00.003-04:00

Oh, dear blogger friends--I know this may seem silly, but we'd appreciate it if you'd help us pray for our bearded dragon. Not to be gross, but Sheen is having a little trouble in the realm of...well...regularity.

I've done everything I can think of to help out. I even cleaned out his entire home--he's a man (we think!) and you know how they love to mess up a clean house!

Connor loves that critter dearly and we're worried that something may be wrong with our favorite reptile. If you run out of serious stuff to talk when you're talking to God tonight, please take a moment and ask him to touch our beardie...particularly in the hindquarters. ;)

We'll give God all the glory for an answer to prayer, but we'll probably need to do it rather quietly this time. This isn't exactly the stuff that inspiring testimonies are made of...but we'll be grateful!

A Saturday Thought

2011-08-27T09:41:00.002-04:00

"...Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more..." Romans 5:20 NKJV

Gene will have 8 hour Saturday classes this fall, and while that completely squishes our cherished family day, we're going to smile and deal with it. Today was made a little easier because it began with coffee and sleeping children, and a momma's heart in communion with Jesus.

I have sensed a deep need lately for more quiet time with my Heavenly Father, and I can see in my life many opportunities to grow in grace this year. I want very much to be faithful, so this morning was an excellent chance to read in Romans, and to listen to the voice of my Savior.

And now that I feel immensely refreshed, I guess I'd better get moving! I have a church bulletin to print, and I promised John Huffer cookies if he'd trim the bushes at the school. And before I do that, I need to go adjust the attitude of a crabby 5th grader...

Connor's First Day of 5th Grade

2011-08-26T22:51:00.002-04:00

I've been trying to finish chronicling our magnificent vacation, but I can't forget that this day is a special milestone. Connor started 5th grade today, wearing his supercool Reeboks and his "too-cool-to-smile-for-mom" smile.

This is also Gene's first week of the new semester. I offered to take a picture of him too! He declined...

A Hodgepodge of our Last Happy Days in Chicago

2011-08-26T21:38:00.007-04:00

A glimpse of the Chicago Hilton. Stay there if you get a chance!
Dinosaur Sue at the Field Museum.
(Probably the one thing we liked seeing there.)

Buckingham Fountain (I think...)

And, of course, the BEAN!

Yeah, it's completely funky and I love it.
And one highlight of our last day in Chicago?

A free jazz concert in Millenium Park.

Chicago and Family: Navy Pier by Water Taxi

2011-08-26T11:59:00.002-04:00

Pretty sure nobody but Aunt Judy is still looking at all our vacation pics by now. Can you tell we had a wonderful time? ;)

Our Friday in Chicago was the day set aside for Navy Pier, and water taxi was the coolest way to get there. On this trip, we tried every kind of transportation we encountered--except the 4 person bikes and the Segways. (We'll do those next time!)

Our first stop was in the mall, because (as usual) Little Mr. Raisin Bladder had to go potty again. (He visited every bathroom in Illinois, I think...) We followed the sound of music and stumbled upon a hilarious pirate show. They do it several times a day, with comedy, skits, magicians, etc. The boys LOVED it.

And then we saw the sights. Well, we HEARD some of them too. There was a big airshow in Chicago that weekend and the planes were practicing overhead all day long.

And here is a glimpse from the ferris wheel (which Gene and Kent did not like), and the swings ride is in the right corner. Connor and I rode it twice.

Yup, Chicago is just cool.

Chicago and Family: Legoland and the VERY Long Journey

2011-08-25T08:25:00.005-04:00

One of the main things we planned to do while in Chicago was to visit the Legoland Discovery Center. In case you didn't know, we are bonkers for Lego and we decided it would be a great place to go on Thursday.

Unfortunately, the brochures are a wee bit misleading. Legoland isn't exactly right IN Chicago. A chat with the concierge at our hotel revealed that it's about 2 hours away. Our hearts were not exactly blessed, but we do love our Lego...

So we walked 4-6 blocks to the subway, figured out the Blue Line and rode that to Rosemont Station, where we caught a bus to Legoland. (We had decided to explore ALL the various modes of public transportation in Chicago too, apparently.)

It was well worth the 2 hours, though. We played, we rode rides, we built creations, we watched Lego movies--we loved that place.
The boys' other reason for being so excited was that they each had allowance money saved up for a spending spree. Mercifully, the Lego store there is NOT like the museum stores, where Lego is 3 times its regular price. They chose carefully and got some great deals. And then, with one lick from a Lego Einstein (see below), we were back to the bus and the subway with a couple of gigantic yellow bags.

We spent another 2 hours on the public transportation (where I had a lovely chat with a Chicago pastor who has 9 children--yes, I meet people in strange places), carrying our bright yellow bags and dragging weary children.

And then it was time for another fun adventure. We've been talking about visiting this wacky restaurant for a while now...but we got to this one by cab, because we were kinda all bussed out.

It's a little pricey, but the boys thought it was cool. And it was. :)

Another Glimpse: Trains, Shedd, & Solving a Highland Mystery

2011-08-23T19:42:00.004-04:00

When the fruit of your loins looks like THIS beside the train tracks at 7 AM, a mother gets a little worried. Mercifully, whatever afflicted him passed by the time the locomotive rolled in and he was quite well behaved on the journey to Chicago.

He was well behaved enough that he was awarded this lovely cardboard hat. Well, okay--all the kids on the train got them. But he and his brother were the cutest. :D

The Shedd Aquarium has some lovely purple fish. Just thought you might wanna know. And then they have THIS strange critter featured below. I know it's blurry, but does it remind you of anything?

Yup, I thought so too. Pretty sure this one's great-great grandma is paddling around a pond in Scotland. Her name is Nessie... :)

Chicago and Family: Day One

2011-08-23T11:13:00.005-04:00

And on the first day of a REAL--and long awaited--family vacation, there came a train. Do you have any idea how hard it is to photograph a moving train with a cheesy cell phone camera? Okay, perhaps the picture provides a bit of a clue...

This was the very first actual train ride for the boys and their momma. The Amtrak station is Lafayette is pretty...humble...but the price was right and it was a great experience! Gene, of course, is a veteran. He says he has been riding the one at the zoo for years...God bless him...

The train ride took us through a couple hours of countryside, and helped us meet a couple little friends from Ohio. There was a German family whose children spent the last hour of the train ride in my seat. It made me laugh!

And then, a cabdriver with a death wish delivered us to the Chicago Hilton. Pardon the blurry glimpse of our room, but it was a wonderful place to stay! I've fallen madly in love with Priceline, and we were actually upgraded to a room with 2 bathrooms and a view of Lake Michigan.

Since we left Lafayette so early, we had arrived with a whole Wednesday ahead of us. What better way to spend it than a visit to Shedd Aquarium--within walking distance of our hotel?

Our arrival had us a little worried, though--apparently everyone else in the state of Illinois had decided to visit too. Mercifully, the line moved quickly and the wait was much cooler under the canopy. And yes--that place is really, really cool!

You wouldn't see the awesomeness from the pictures I took, though. It's pretty dark inside and flash photography is often restricted, and did I mention that I'm reduced to using a cheesy cell phone camera right now? I only mention it, because I have a birthday coming up...

Shedd Aquarium is full of fish and frogs, lizards and turtles, sea horses and eels. I even got to see a chambered nautilus--which is one of my most favorite sea creatures. (Yes, I'm strange--since when is that a surprise?)

The boys are still absorbing the idea of the pregnant MALE seahorses. And I tried to photograph them--I really did... sigh...

And somewhere hidden in this photo is the hindquarters of a very large lizard.

Can you find him?

Here Comes Another School Fundraiser...

2011-08-15T10:07:00.002-04:00

...but this one is EASY! It's my job to round up the numbers off the back of everyone's Marsh, Mainstreet Market or O'Malia's keytags and register them for FCA. (Yeah, it's another one of those jobs that could be done by a monkey with a tin whistle, but hey...)

When your card is registered for our school, we get points based on your purchases. We DON'T get any personal info about you or your purchases, and we're registering the number with the corporation that already owns them, so it's not being passed to an outside source.

Right now, we're enrolled for this school year and have a bunch of opportunities to get extra points this year. One way I can do that is by registering about 45 new cards by the end of September. If you registered your Marsh card with us before, and you now have a Mainstreet Market or O'Malia's card, we can register them too!

The FreshIdeasForEducation program gives us points which we can exchange for school supplies. It doesn't require any major work, and the stuff we receive is great quality.

Yes, I'm begging--please send FCA your number, or go online to the Marsh website and register your number with our school code 28459.

Monday blessings...

Free Scoop for Fellow Bloggers

2011-08-13T09:28:00.004-04:00

Recently, I got a message on hearing stating that I had exceeded my blog's bandwidth and needed to upgrade to "Pro". Guessing that "Pro" meant paying to keep my blog, I was not thrilled. I recalled hearing that other blogger friends had gotten similar messages of doom.

I declined the upgrade and quickly found that, while I could still post articles and pictures here, I could not edit anything--including the template--and several of the widgets were not functioning properly. I figured I'd have to quit blogging--this little hobby isn't supposed to nibble on my budget.

A few days ago, I decided to find out about this "upgrade" and how much it would cost. A little research happened, and I learned an interesting little fact that made me both happy AND crabby. Most importantly: the message about "exceeded bandwidth" is NOT from blogger. (This is the part that made me happy...)

Maybe everyone else already knew this, but it seems that some of the "free blogger background" sites we've all been using are not so free after all. Yes, there's a lovely honeymoon phase of free usage, and then you'll get those messages insisting that you upgrade your account. If you don't, your blog is practically crippled. (This is the part that made me crabby...in case you hadn't guessed...)

Now, maybe I'm a dork for not figuring it out sooner. And it's not that I don't understand a designer's desire to make money off creating beautiful backgrounds for the decorationally-impaired like myself--that makes perfect sense. But if it's clearly, visibly identified as a FREE blogger background, discovering that there are sneaky little strings attached--some of which are deliberately misleading--that's a little...well...we'll just go with the word "tacky" and leave it at that.

I switched to a different background designer and all my blogger malfunctions disappeared. I won't name the site I had problems with, but I did recommend it here a while ago, and if you're using it, I'd suggest a speedy change. Their designs are cute--but not worth the trouble.

Mondays Around the House: A Glimpse of the Bedroom Redo

2011-08-08T09:54:00.004-04:00

I've resigned myself to the truth: the bedroom facelift will not happen until after Labor Day. Still, I'm very excited about it and thought some of my uber creative friends might like a glimpse of the new stuff.

Keeping in mind that the room had been deep red for several years, and that, after a HORRIBLE flu bug in Kent's world, the lovely dry-clean tapestry bedding went to fabric heaven (and I have hated the replacement stuff with a passion), I'm looking forward to a totally different color palette.

The new bedding is Italian Cypress Paisley in Azure, and the walls will be Aleutian Blue. I'm still working out the rest of the redo. Stay tuned for more--I may need help!

Not So Fast

2011-08-02T11:01:00.002-04:00

With a busy summer, drawing quickly to a close, I'm down to just a couple big things: helping with our church VBS (magnificently orchestrated by Sarah Fry), and planning our impending vacation to Chicago. I even have most of the uniforms and school supplies bought, and everyone is up to date on shots too.

More importantly, I think I've made the smartest choice in my recent years and I'm paring down the fall commitments. REALLY paring them down. After much prayer, and chatting with my favorite husband and a few friends (who are smarter than me), this blonde blogger is saying a foreign word this year: "No". It's a hard word, and I don't have much practice with it.

The years are passing too quickly to keep pretending that there's plenty of time later to slow down, and devote more time to my precious family, and to the children's ministry--and let's be frank: those are my most important tasks. The time is now, and with Gene's busy school/work schedule this year, my kids need me to keep my priorities in order.

I hope it won't make too many people crabby--it's not like any of the other hats I wear couldn't also be filled by a monkey with a tin whistle anyway. And even if it does, I have decided that I can handle the disapproval. This is the right thing for us.

With God's help, I'm choosing to do a few things well this year, rather than do a zillion things badly. Pray for me, though--I need to keep saying "no" to the peripheral stuff until everyone catches on, or it gets easier for me. This may take a while...

Can You Hear Me Now?

2011-07-29T09:42:00.002-04:00

We were halfway through Rock Lake camp,

And as he began his experiment with the flaming hankie,

Gene joked that he prefers to use a CLEAN hankie.

It took less than an hour for one of the kids to visit the snack stand

And share what he had learned in Children's Service:

"Boogers don't burn."

And then there was this week's example of selective hearing...

What Gene said:

"God has no limits!"

What they heard:

"God has no LEMONS!"

Yup, I love my life...

A Few Things S.S. Kids Probably Wish We Realized About Them

2011-07-27T08:21:00.003-04:00

I'm not an expert, but it's a Wednesday halfway through VBS, and I work in Child Evangelism. I have a few things rolling around in my brain and if I don't let them fall out here, they'll keep rattling all day. Sometimes I think about kids and I watch things happening in CE, and my heart just hurts when I realize how often children's ministry forgets about the needs of the CHILDREN.

A Few Things S.S. Kids Probably Wish We Realized About Them

1. They love variety. Color, movement, surprises, etc.

2. They also love structure, and boundaries that make them feel secure. Even kids appreciate knowing what's expected of them.

3. They need songs set in a key that they can sing without straining. (And it's good to remember that many bus kids lack the musical exposure of our church kids and may not be ready for elaborate melodies.)

4. Stories are more appealing when the visuals are not horribly dated. (And it helps if all the little people in the pictures aren't white...)

5. There's no point in teaching a scripture unless you remember to carefully explain what it means. Do they understand?

6. Some of them have no clue what this "offering" business is all about.

7. They may need a decent snack before they'll be able to concentrate. Hunger is real, and it's distracting.

8. They're not show dogs. Yes, it's fun to watch kids, but they don't deserve to be used as "entertainment" for adult classes on a regular basis. If there's a problem in the adult class attendance, it will still never be right to fix it by sacrificing the children's activities.

9. Devoting looooooong hours of children's worship services to practicing for elaborate programs? Seriously? Are we actually going to pretend that we believe they're enjoying that? And for whom are those elaborate programs designed? (Okay, see #8 and I'll be quiet...)

10. They really, really want to be loved. And they know if you don't love them. They'll never believe Jesus loves them if they can tell that you don't...

Faces of Our Future: A Glimpse of Camp Kids

2011-07-25T12:40:00.004-04:00

A little disclaimer: sadly, most of the pics that turned out are from Rock Lake. Nearly everything I took at Pell City turned out dark and blurry. (Yeah, I'm not exactly a genius with a camera.) My apologies to our Alabama friends...

I'd Better Tell This Story Before My Husband Does

2011-07-21T08:46:00.003-04:00

It was a lovely Lilly Pulitzer sundress--bright yellow, with lemons and limes and pink grapefruits all over it. Very colorful; and a bargain at $8 from a local consignment store, considering that it was new with tags.

My heart was happy when a local dressmaker added straps and filled in an opening at the back (where it used to tie together--NOT my style), and I packed the cheery dress for camp travels. The alterations had made it a little snug around the ribs, but I could still zip it with Gene's help. Did I mention my heart was happy?

I don't remember if I wore it at Pell City camp, but I unpacked it on Friday at Rock Lake and grabbed my little white cardigan. Arvel zipped me into it, and the absurdly colorful print made me smile all day. Did I mention that my heart was happy?

6 o'clock arrived and I decided that I should probably wear something dressier for the evening camp service. There was only one teensy problem: my dear husband could not unzip it now. He tugged. He pulled. He strained and made faces. The zipper was stuck and I was trapped in my happy dress.

Gene and the boys found this completely hilarious, but I was not shouting "Hallelujah". The cheery sundress had me in its grasp and it seemed determined not to let go. I turned it all the way around on myself, and wrestled with the zipper. I threatened them with certain death if they took pictures and I flailed around the room in desperation. My heart was not so happy...

Finally, with 15 minutes 'til church started, I grabbed the scissors and cut along the zipper, freeing myself from my lemony prison and possibly ruining the dress. I packed it back in the suitcase, hoping the dressmaker can save it, and vowing to steer clear of the dinner rolls for the rest of the year.

I hadn't really intended to share the story, but my husband is DYING to tell all of you. (He even considered resurrecting his blog to do it!) And knowing Gene, his version of it would be WAY worse than the truth. So I beat him to it. :o) And now my heart is happy again...

Home SWEET Home, and the 2012 Ministry Schedule

2011-07-18T15:50:00.004-04:00

Two crazy, WONDERFUL weeks of campmeeting are behind us, and if we look a little weary, so be it. We loved our time in Pell City, Alabama, and in Rock Lake, Michigan, but at 1 am, the big blue van stopped pulled up to the house on the hill and the occupants staggered out to kiss the ground.

I have a ton of pictures to post, and some hilarious stories from the journey, but my poor husband had to be at the hospital at 8 this morning, so I would like to have him come home to a clean house with the suitcases ALL unpacked.

Our boys did really well with such a long stretch away from home, and we're looking forward to a small family vacation before school starts. If all goes well, we'll visit Chicago by train in a few weeks.

Mercifully, we don't appear to have brought any of the Alabama wildlife home with us. Connor loved exploring all the various types of lizards and had hoped to bring his bearded dragon some friends. He changed his mind when we explained what a 20 inch beardie would do to the tiny, blue-tailed lizards of Pell City.

And if you get bored in the summer of 2012, you can look us up at any/all of the following places:

ICHA Family Camp (Greenfield, Indiana)

Heartland Conference BMC Camp (Beulah Grove)

Great Lakes Conference BMC Camp (Rock Lake, Michigan)

It's That Time Again!

2011-07-01T17:50:00.003-04:00

July is our busiest month for VBS this year, and between local dates and camp travels, we'll be bouncing around like peas in a frying pan! In spite of some stressful setbacks/hilarious complications, I think we're ready to face it with a smile.

I am kinda sad that I can't post our itinerary here, but it simply isn't safe. Instead, we'll say this: we'd appreciate your prayers whether we're home OR away, and we're hoping to visit with old friends and make new friends during the course of this summer.

I am especially grateful to the people who have lightened my load. I appreciate the encouragers, the lizard babysitters, the house watchers, the flower waterers, the prayer warriors and those who helped arrange for us to use a van that won't cost us each a kidney! God is good.

I'm not sure I'll have much time to blog, or that I'll always have access to the internet, so July may be a quiet month. Besides, I think I need a little break. Don't pronounce this a dead blog just yet, though: I shall return for sure in August, and with pictures!

Many blessings to our friends, family and blogspooks...

Honey, Does This Lab Coat Make Me Look Fat...?

2011-06-30T09:09:00.005-04:00

Never mind...don't answer that...

Like father, like son...
(But hey--it's good to know we have a spare)

And it's always nice to see Connor helping out...

Today's Venture: Turtle Fudge Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-06-29T08:21:00.005-04:00

Here's the scoop: I found this recipe in an old issue of Midwest Living a few weeks ago and I've been dying to try it. It kinda sounds like chocolate overload, and that--of course--makes it perfect. It also starts with some sort of mix, and I might as well confess now to a lifelong love affair with easy recipes.

Martha White Turtle Fudge Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1 (14 oz.) canEagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 (7.4 oz.) packages Martha White® Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix
2/3 cup chopped pecans
48 foil-wrapped chocolate covered caramel candies, unwrapped

Directions:
1. HEAT oven to 350º F. Coat large cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray. Microwave chocolate and butter in uncovered large microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Stir in sweetened condensed milk. Stir in muffin mix until completely blended.
2. ROLL tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Dip bottoms into pecans. Place on cookie sheet with nut side up, 2 inches apart. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or just until cookies look slightly crackled and centers are still soft. Immediately press a caramel candy into center of each cookie. Place on a wire rack. Swirl chocolate gently with knife while candy is warm, if desired. Cool.

"Confidence is...

2011-06-25T09:20:00.003-04:00

...that feeling you sometimes get before you fully understand the situation." :)

Yes, there were a few blissfully confident moments as I anticipated this summer schedule. And then reality arrived. Since then, reality has remained a delightful, constant companion; thwacking me in the head on a daily basis.

I am quite grateful that the flu bug has finally departed. I felt so icky this week that I haven't even taken time to run over to the campground and wring the rainwater out of the soggy Pilgrims. I even went looking for Tums, and those things are awful!

And since my search for Tums turned up a bottle that's older than me, it turned into an opportunity to review any and all medicine cabinets/cupboards in this house. (Yup, I love organizing stuff!) If there was one bottle of antacids that dates back to the time when the pilgrims finished their first Thanksgiving dinner...after they landed at Plymouth Rock...having fled Egypt and crossed the Red Sea, it was time for a summer cleaning. I'm pleased to report that the local stash is confined to goods that are not expired now. Still no word on why my husband has 17 pairs of dusty old eyeglasses in his drawer, though...

Serving Up a Father's Day Surprise

2011-06-21T17:59:00.002-04:00

I have a husband, and that husband wanted a grill. I know this because he said so. And being the intuitive wife that I am, I suspected that if he mentioned a desire for a grill, and a fondness for grilled meat, a grill would make an excellent gift for Father's Day.

The decision was easy; the actual grillification threatened to pose a bit more of a problem. First of all, I drive a small car. Have you ever tried to transport a large gas grill home in a Ford Focus? IF you can actually manage the feat, you're going to wind up on a website somewhere. Guaranteed. Secondly, I have children and they come equipped with mouths.

Keeping gifts secret has been a problem since children first blessed our home. In the early days, they just rushed home to blurt out the surprise with an adorable lisp. I tried to combat this by cooking up strange alternate names to the gifts, but they soon developed enough language skills to accurately describe the item and that was ruled out. After a while, I realized my only option was to shop without them and wrap the gifts while they were asleep. That worked for a few years, but summer vacation vacation means that time alone for me is, well--rare.

But I had grilled up a plan: I was going to deliver the perfect Father's Day entree and I was going to make it a surprise. First, I enlisted the help of Leah Fulton (also known as the wife of a handyman with a large truck and tools) to arrange for the transport and assembly of the grill while we were away helping with a cousin's wedding. And then, I sat the children down for a loooooooong chat and told them that, under NO circumstances, were they--even under threat of death--to tell their father that he was getting a gas grill.

The newly matured children took their responsibility quite seriously, but I should have smelled a freshly-grilled problem. Small boys seem to think they're both hilarious AND subtle. And while they might be hilarious, they are anything but subtle.

And so the hints began.

First, it was Connor on our trip to Sam's Club: "Look at that, Dad. That's a grill. Don't you wish you had a grill? Grilled meat is really good. Do you love grilled meat, Dad? I love grilled meat."

I tried poking him. I even kicked him. He winked and gave me a thumbs up. He had cooked up all sorts of subtle comments and he just didn't quit.

And then it was MY turn, I guess. (Well, the kids had to inherit it from somewhere...) I went meat shopping, and I guess my husband noticed the large influx of chicken...and steak...and pork chops...BBQ sauce...A1...etc...

And then it was my mother-in-law's turn. She bought Gene a Father's Day gift he could NOT open during our weekend visit to Columbus. Yup, she bought him a package that was shaped suspiciously like grill tools. Verrrrry subtle...

But the best of all was Kent's moment of oversharing when we got within an hour of home and the moment of presentation: "Daddy, we got you a present, and I can't tell you what it is. But it cooks meat outside."

God bless my children. I have a husband, and he now has a grill.

13 Reasons Why I'd Marry Him All Over Again

2011-06-20T10:40:00.003-04:00

1. He's a man of God.

In family, in ministry, in work and play; Gene Davis has a Christ-like spirit. It shines through in everything about him.

2. He's not afraid of hard work.

I have never known Gene to do any less than his best, and he's not the type to seek handouts or look for some get-rich-quick scheme that requires no effort on his part. He goes without sleep, and fulfills his obligations even when he's sick. You can count on Gene to give 110%.

3. He has a Daddy's heart.

He loves his boys. He loves the neighbor kids. He loves the lively crew in our Sunday School, and at every camp or VBS we attend.

4. He's still good-lookin'.

He's mostly clad in business suits these days and he has more ties than Macy's. The look fits him, as does the classy gray hair. Yup, he still makes my heart flutter.

5. He's discerning.

I can count on his intuition--about people, about situations, about choices. His judgment is solid and he's not easily manipulated. (I know--I've tried, and so have others!)

6. He's funny.

He's got a wicked sense of humor and most of you don't realize it because he looks sooooo dignified. Yeah, that's an illusion! :)

7. He values education.

The man's a smartie and he thinks learning is important. He's wading through a master's degree while working full-time and teaching his boys that being disciplined enough to go to college is something they'll never regret.

8. He loves to shop.

Seriously, how many men love shopping?! Mine does. 'Nuff said.

9. He's very close to his parents.

He cherishes his family and that's part of what makes him such a good husband and daddy.

10. He's not perfect.

He drives too fast, spells rather hilariously, and his idea of exercise is watching me on the treadmill and making comments. He's not very tech savvy and he gets mixed up on the character names in children's stories pretty often. But if he was perfect, he probably wouldn't have picked me.

11. He's quirky.

He's a picky eater, neurotic about choosing his ties and hasn't worn jeans since Kent was a newborn. He loves his Sunday nap, and isn't afraid to don a crazy Einstein wig, or something equally goofy for VBS. He makes my oddball heart happy.

12. He's honest.

I can count on Gene to tell me the truth.

13. He married me. And he hasn't killed me yet.

He deserves a trophy wife, but he's stuck with a tacky knick knack. He's smart enough to have figured out a way to make my death look like an accident long ago, but he didn't do it.

Happy anniversary to my favorite husband!

It's been an incredible 13 years and I still choose you.

Another Tender Moment with Connor

2011-06-16T14:55:00.002-04:00

"You know, Mom...you looked a lot better...when I was 8..."

Summer VBS #1

2011-06-15T22:28:00.003-04:00

The VBS summer schedule for this year started off at a wonderfully mellow pace, with a week in Illinois with the Durst family and the people of Decatur's Crusaders Church. We've been doing this for about a decade now, and I don't think we've ever had an awful VBS experience; all of them have turned out relatively well.

Decatur will go on record, though, for spoiling us beyond our wildest expectations. They certainly know how to make workers feel welcome! I don't really know how to describe it, except to say that they found the perfect balance between worship, rest and social activities, fed us waaay too much and laughed with us all week.

We met the lively group of kids to whom they minister, and made some new friends among their church family, visited the mall and the park (where I gracelessly fell off a swing in front of a group of construction workers repairing something!), spent a fun day with Meg, Charlie and Landon at the Illinois Children's Museum (where a cicada got up close and personal and made me flail around!) and enjoyed a Friday at the Lincoln Museum with the whole family--even the hilarious Miss Ada! I can't even begin to describe the moments of funny fellowship with the Ipad...but maybe this picture will help...
There's just something about fellowship with Christians who know how to have fun. (Yes, clearly Andrew Durst knows fun too!) And there's a special place in my heart for people who love my boys, and understand that summer evangelism isn't always easy for the workers' kids. Connor and Kent may be spending a lot of their summer in the car, and attending the exact same Science VBS four times, but they won't soon forget Decatur and the Durst clan.

Next up: cousin Robin's wedding is this weekend and Gene will be preaching while I bumble on the piano. (PRAY I don't bumble!) After that, we're planning to surprise Daddy with a special Father's Day gift. We told him it was a tattoo of our initials: "ACK." :o)

A Glimpse of the VBS Lab

2011-06-09T16:41:00.005-04:00

I married this man nearly 13 years ago.

Yeah, he just keeps getting cooler and better looking...

Notice the painting handiwork

of Janae Waggoner in the background.
Yup, it's magnificent!

And clearly, Gene's not the only cool person in the vicinity of this VBS...
And Connor has been his usual self...
And we apparently fit right in with the wildlife... :)

More pictures to come soon.

Pray for us!

Well, It's ALMOST a proper blog update...

2011-06-06T00:50:00.002-04:00

(Almost) 1 am and all is well. Today begins our first day of our first VBS of the summer and although I'm pretty much ready, I can't seem to turn off my brain.

The Davis Family summer ministry for 2011 will feature a science lab VBS, focusing on the attributes of God, and on how science proves God is real. I'm not sure how some of my husband's elaborate themework will come together exactly, because it's just my job to create kid-proof copies of the songs and scriptures, order a bunch of stuff, make it purty and cram all the stuff into the vehicle. Knowing the Creative Genius, though, it will be magnificent.

As yet, this VBS lacks a proper name. I'd think up something myself, but I'm too tired. If you have a creative suggestion, please post it in the "comments" section below. I'd love to hear your suggestions.

And while the Creative Genius is organizing his thoughts at the 11th hour (which drives my OCD brain absolutely crazy), our Artistic Genius (aka Janae Waggoner) is putting the finishing touches on our wacky science lab backdrop. It is going to be a thing of beauty. We may have to hang it out the window of the SUV to airdry it a bit, but it is going to be a thing of beauty. :)

I'm praying God will make us a blessing this week. We want to do a good job of making Jesus real to little people, and enjoy some fellowship with wonderful Christian friends too. And now, I believe a little sleep is in order.

God Understands about "Wants" too!

2011-06-01T16:31:00.002-04:00

God understands that some things aren't neccessities. But on many occasions, HE has graciously provided a few things we really, really wanted. HE doesn't have to--we could have lived without them--but HE pays attention to the desires of our hearts!

Connor was very upset that our first scheduled VBS meant that we would miss his promotion to the next belt rank in karate. Mercifully, the magnificent Mr. Harness surprised Connor with a special promotion last night during class. He has been SO excited about becoming an orange belt, and it made his week!

And because God sees the hearts of dingbat blond mommas too, HE sent me a little something too. This boring blogger has longed for a bike--just an ordinary el-cheapo bike--but didn't want to spend much money on it. There were other, greater priorities in this summer of craziness. In fact, I didn't even pray about it, because it seemed silly. But...

...a random chat with a friend/yard sale queen (God bless Melanie Sullivan!) sent her off scouring yard sales for something I could ride. Nothing turned up at yard sales, but then she happened to discover her daughter was preparing to sell a perfectly wonderful, practically new bike online.

For a few bucks (and a graceless happy dance), I am now the proud owner of a bike much nicer than I dared to desire. And it's even PINK. I can't even begin to explain how much the lone female in this male-dominated household loves that the bike is pink. :)

And now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm gonna hot-glue a daisy to the handlebars and wobble off on a ride before church...

And Our Baby Turns 6... Part 2 (Random Pics)

2011-05-28T00:02:00.004-04:00

Since the actual birthday was yesterday, Kent chose dinner at Chili's before our bike shopping trip. There were a couple of other handsome men there too. :)

Caiden Fry had something very important to share during the birthday dinner tonight. (Sadly, I'm too tired to remember what exactly it was...) There is no picture of Justin Huffer, who was sitting beside him, because he disappeared under the table every time the camera turned toward him.

One of the guests was a teensy bit abnormal. He's also a bit old for the FCA kindergarten class of 2010-2011. God bless him...I wondered who he's married to...

Some of the guests were verrrry serious about their candy. Of course, it would be the offspring of Travis Johnson. :)

And sweet Jillian Waggoner saved me from being the only female in the house on the hill. She was sporting a lovely shade of lip color that I like to call "Big Red and Little Caesar's". Hilariously, she can outeat any of the boys.

And that was our party. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to drag my weary carcass to bed; we need to look lively for FCA graduation tomorrow.

And Our Baby Turns 6... Part One (Mostly for the Benefit of Faraway Family)

2011-05-27T23:22:00.004-04:00

And it came to pass that our smallest blessing turned 6. He wanted a simple party; with his soon-to-be kindergarten class, his best buddy from next door, some pizza and a cookie cake. He fell in love with the Phineas and Ferb decorations at Walmart, and insisted upon a perennial party favorite.

Yup, there was a pinata. Just in case you're curious, it's nearly impossible to break a Walmart pinata. (I think they made it with bricks or something...) After everyone had thumped it a few dozen times, the father got tired of dodging the plastic baseball bat and broke it open. Kent loved it in spite of the hassle!
The little people wore liberal quantities of pizza sauce, icing and various candies. Thankfully, they also wore cheery little smiles. (For the curious among you, this cutie is Conner, our little neighbor--Kent's partner in crime for the ice cream truck expedition and the visiting officers...)

Kent's gift from us was a new big boy bike, and all his buddies made his day with gifts of his favorite things: there were Lego sets, spy gear, water guns, and a small burping thingie. (I'll get you for the burping thingie, Sarah Fry...)

Kent's other request for his party was that his Daddy tell us a story. Gene's an amazing storyteller, and he granted Kent's request to tell us "Stevie the Snake" tonight. It looked to me like everyone enjoyed that part too.

There are a few more pictures to follow, but for the moment, everyone here is T.I.R.E.D. Happy Friday, friends and blogspooks. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Kent!

One Big Hallelujah!

2011-05-20T08:24:00.003-04:00

I make it a point to praise God regularly. That, combined with the fact that our VBS theme this year focuses on the awesomeness of God, and His attributes, sent me off on a hunt for appropriate songs of praise to sing with the kids.

In this, I am blessed to have Sarah Fry nearby. She loaned me a book containing a host of great songs for little people! (I love that musical woman...) One of my favorites so far is a Joseph Linn arrangement: "One Big Hallelujah". When I read the first few lines, I knew it was perfect: "From the bottom of my feet, to the top of my head--let my life be one big hallelujah!" and I've been anxious to get a giant kid-proof copy ready for VBS.

I was visualizing the song yesterday, knee deep in sticky letters and cringing at the cost of the impending visit to the lamination shop, when my "Hallelujahs" were interrupted by the sight of 2 police cars parked out front. I choked on my cheery little song like it was a sample of my own pie crust, and took off running!

As I soon learned, a small blue-eyed boy--and his next door neighbor/cohort/partner-in-crime--had decided to leave the yard, explore a bit, and find the ice cream truck. (I pause here to shudder at all the ways this could have been sooo much worse...) They didn't wander too far, and soon returned quite safe, but not before being spotted by a stranger and reported to the police.

Having the big guys in uniforms here scared them quite a lot, and for that, this momma is VERY grateful. I did have to snicker just a little bit, though. When questioned about what they were doing, Kent's response was lovely: "It's not my fault! He picked to do it!" Yes, nothing makes a Christian mother as proud as realizing you're raising little Mr. Pass-the-Buck. Even better was his friend's commentary: after a little spluttering, he said (with his adorable lisp), "well, I can't weally expwain it vewy well to a COP, ya know..."

In the end, God is good and we have 2 safe preschoolers who understand that any more expeditions outside the yard will result in them not enjoying the frosty produce of an ice cream truck again until they're in their 30's. And by dinnertime last night, we had a yard full of kids enjoying popsicles from our freezer because that stupid truck never did visit the neighborhood, and I was reminded of some of my prayers this spring.

I had asked God to open doors for us to reach kids in our area of town, and we had specifically prayed for neighbors with kids. Our crazy Thursday adventure resulted in getting better acquainted with a few neighbors (and yes, uniformed officers...) and was a chance to practice a gracious attitude under stress. (Yes, I've prayed about that too!)

Too often, we talk about how anxious we are to witness to people about Jesus, and we forget that we're already doing it every day, in the way we live, love, and react to adversity. People are watching the little things, and if we're constantly whining and complaining, our Jesus probably doesn't look very attractive, does He?

If our conversation is peppered with the modern equivalent of "WOE IS ME!", and our internet chatter makes us sound like Chicken Little, we probably shouldn't wonder why our friends and family aren't rushing to meet our Savior. Yes, all the morose sighing and wondering aloud "why does EVERYTHING happen to me?" is really adorable--if your name is Eeyore and you live in the 100 Acre Woods!

And this blog post was NOT supposed to wind up being this long--it's the last day of school and I have a house to clean! But I'm going to do my best to complete it with a smile that lets others know it's a joy to serve Jesus. I'll try to let my life be "One Big Hallelujah".

Restocking the popsicles and choosing joy,

Angie D.

A Few Pictures and a Tale of the Invisible Sim Man...

2011-05-15T23:14:00.004-04:00

This weekend, my favorite in-laws drove up to join us for the FCA Awards Banquet. (Judging by my FIL's expression here, we can guess where his son gets some of the silliness!) We love them so much!

Herein lies a story: Gene had planned to attend the banquet with us, but found out he would need to attend the hospital's gala fundraiser event that night. They're in the process of purchasing a VERY expensive Sim Man (training simulator) that he's been wanting for years, and he was going to need to spend the evening showing off Mr. Sim to the guests and donors.

He wore a tuxedo (of which I have no picture...grrr...), which makes him look a great deal like George Clooney (but with morals), and headed out to the big event while the in-laws and I drove north to the banquet. Since he was seriously early (as usual!), he stopped by the hospital and checked his email. He was a little shocked to find a message from the rep bringing the Sim Man saying back trouble would prevent him from attending. No phone calls to Gene or the event coordinator--just an email sent late that might not have even been found 'til the next day. Mr. Sim was to be quite an important part of the evening. Hearts were not blessed...

They tried repeatedly to reach the man and see if they could pick up the simulator, but he was apparently not taking their calls, so the Sim Man was shown off by powerpoint (yeah...) and Gene kinda missed the school banquet for nothing. Apparently, the gigantic commission that man stands to gain from the sale of such an expensive robot doesn't mean much to him. (And I think there's a handsome gray haired George Clooney lookalike who would like to wring his neck...)

And here is a glimpse of our toothless soon-to-be-kindergartener. He has a couple more days of preschool and is quite excited about the school year ahead. He's also about to turn 6 before the end of the month. Our baby...sniff...maybe we should have another...nah...

The boy with braces is adjusting quite nicely to his metal gear. I think he looks pretty cute! He brought home awards for "A" Honor Roll and Scripture Memorization and we're very proud of him. He's grown up so much this year, and I told him tonight that I believe God has great things for him.
And since I'm a little goofy, and tomorrow is Beach Day at Kent's preschool, I spent Sunday afternoon making up "Teddy Takes a Swim" cookies for his class. I had to eat one of them, because I kinda messed it up and Teddy went headfirst into the icing on that one. (I figured I could either eat him, or send him along as some sort of warning of the dangers of careless swimming...which may have been rather morbid...)

Next up: French class field trip tomorrow to "Three Days in Paris" at the City Market in Indy. This shall be fun...

Naturally...

2011-05-14T00:35:00.004-04:00

Naturally, with a busy Saturday looming on the horizon, this blogger cannot sleep. Why? Because, naturally, with company, SS prep and the school awards banquet ahead (did we mention the busy Saturday?), a large army of Goliath-sized ants has invaded this house--and the fact that one just attempted to invite himself for a sleepover does NOT lend itself toward restfulness.

Naturally, a late night run to Walmart yielded up supplies with which to combat the invasion, but, at present, the blog brain can't stop imagining that another of the beastly giants is attempting to snuggle close. (And naturally, having 3 feet of loose hair to tickle you does not help the galloping imagination.)

And so, NATURALLY, while the family sleeps, the blogcastle is guarded by a paranoid blonde. She has created a fortress out of ant bait traps, and clutches a can of Raid in each hand; she keeps slapping her own arm every time a loose strand of yellow hair brushes skin. Naturally...

Questions of Carefulness

2011-05-05T23:02:00.003-04:00

(I wrote this recently; I was thinking about it today, and decided to read it again. It's a checklist of questions for a Christian blogger/facebooker who wants very much to honor God with her writing, and part of a promise to my Heavenly Father that I would endeavor to be more careful of my words. I didn't write it for anyone but myself, and I don't know exactly why it feels important to share it tonight, but anyway...here's a glimpse inside my head...)

Does it honor God?
More than anything, I want my love of Jesus to be seen in my writing. I hope that my words always reflect my desire to be like Him; I pray that someone may read them and recognize that serving God is not a hardship.

Is it true?
“Truth” can sometimes be a tricky thing. It’s important that the words I write are factually accurate—and not just my own perspective—and that the story is mine to tell.

Does it set a good example?
Younger people may be reading my words. Hurting people who don’t know Jesus may be reading my words. The words I share need to reflect godly principles, solid work ethic, a desire to serve, and a willingness to go back and ask forgiveness when I’m wrong.

Is it kind?
Sometimes things I see or hear are just plain funny (okay, pretty often!), but I want to be careful that I’m not building myself up at the expense of someone else. The best kind of “funny” is the kind that blesses hearts, and doesn’t squish anyone.

Is it a weapon?
I’ll admit to having been guilty of this on more than one occasion, but I’ve asked God to help me be conscientious; I don’t want to “aim” self-righteous words at others because I think they need them, use the blog or Facebook to “vent” inappropriately, or air all my grievances.

Does it cast a negative light upon my church, my family or God’s people?
I am one half of a hilariously good marriage, a teeny half-baked cog in the wheel of a magnificent church, a contented CHM Christian, and the daughter of the risen King. I don’t want to get careless about the image of them that I portray to the world.

Yeowch! I think I'll just walk...

2011-05-05T08:22:00.002-04:00

When your car's gas light comes on at 7:30 in the morning, while you're taking your munchkin to school, you don't pay much attention to the current price of the fuel. You just pull up, swipe the card and hope you can hustle fast enough to prevent the kid from being counted tardy.

But when you look away from the pump for a second to make a face at the kids in the back seat and the price tags jumps to nearly $30, suddenly you're taking notice! Nearly fifty buckaroos later, when you're ready to move, the car belches quietly and you lose about $13.

And so you race to the school, deposit the child in a timely manner, and head home. You just do it with one leg out the car door, pedalling as it rolls along in neutral with the engine turned off. You also contemplate getting an animal print dress and tying a bone up in your hair--after all, if you're going to look like Fred Flintstone's wife, you might as well have the outfit.

Funnies From The Church Basement

2011-04-28T07:52:00.002-04:00

It was Easter Sunday morning, and I was feeling a bit silly. It might have been the lack of sleep, or the completely absurd choice of a Reese Egg dipped in coffee as breakfast, but I made a mostly innocent suggestion to the kids in Junior Church that day.

Now listen: I didn't tell them to set the house on fire, or drive the car to McDonalds--I simply said that they should wait until their fathers were asleep that afternoon, and then sneak up and loudly quote the resurrection Scripture that we had learned. (And I may have mentioned that hearts would be blessed...)

I could have named 10 kids in that room weaselly enough to try it, but they didn't do it. No, two completely beautiful and cherubic little blond girls followed my instructions quite well. After dinner that day, they waited until their weary church bus driver daddy, and their VERY pregnant momma were almost asleep, snuck into the room and shared the good news: "HE is not here, for HE is RISEN!!!"

I love those girls...

I have a few Easter photos...

2011-04-25T08:20:00.003-04:00

...but I'm too tired to upload them today. I'm scrambling to finish some work for French class, make more cookies and complete the last details for the Easter Celebration tonight.

If you're in the area, bring your munchkins to the Pitts building at 5 pm tonight, for pizza, crafts and games. We'd love to see you!

And 45 days without Facebook? A very, very good thing. More about that later. (But I'm kinda glad I can request Kids Club food on there again--I was getting sick of making it all myself!) :o)

Happy Monday!

Easter Thoughts

2011-04-23T09:46:00.004-04:00

He bridged the gap between Almighty God & undeserving man

A willing sacrifice the grave couldn't bind

A cleansing flood that still changes lives today

Blessed be the name of JESUS

Crucified, Risen and Coming Again

The Davis Family wishes you a Happy Easter

Brace Yourself, and a Glimpse of Easter

2011-04-22T14:02:00.007-04:00

In the midst of our not-so-quiet Holy Week, Connor got braces and a Hamilton expander. If you're not familiar with the Hamilton expander, it's the dental equivalent of a schoolbus stuck to the roof of your mouth. He's being very brave, because his mouth is quite sore and he can't close his jaws together. And all his favorite candies are off-limits for at least a year. (That's mostly what he cares about!)
And because Easter is special--and we need pictures again soon--the familial sea of navy and green are ironed and hanging in readiness for Resurrection Sunday. I'm still a little sad to find that I have a tween who objects violently to matching his little brother. *sigh* Hopefully, it'll still look okay when we get around to throwing ourselves on Sarah Fry's mercy and begging for photos outside a local church. :)

In happy homefront news, Kent is thrilled to find that a good friend from preschool has moved in behind us. We've been enjoying lots of playtime with little Conner (yes, that's his name!) and his older sister, and I think our prayers for kids in the neighborhood have been answered. Please help us pray that we'll be good examples for Jesus!

In exciting news, we're busy planning the Easter Celebration. It's the annual party, held on Monday evening, for our children's ministry and teens. If you're within driving distance, please join us at the Pitts Building on the old Wesleyan campground. (In odd news, my dear husband has promised Junior Church that if we get 50 kids aged 6-9 on Easter Sunday, they can make ME into a sundae on Monday. Yeah...God bless him...) The kids' activities are from 5-7, and then the teens will enjoy some time from 7-9.

In less-than exciting news, we're going to miss IHC again. (insert weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth here) I have been asked to help with the antique store's anniversary preparations, and Arvel has been selected for jury duty next week. I helpfully suggested that he could get out of his job if he walked in dragging one leg behind him, drooling and shouting, "Fry them--fry them ALL!", but he didn't seem blessed by my helpfulness; anyway, it wouldn't change my responsibilities. Sooooooo, we're going to bless the Lord at all times, and I'm going to quit sniffling and find my big girl panties...

And now, since there are no less than 4 billion things still to accomplish before the most precious day on the Christian calendar, and because I really don't feel well, I'm gonna call this done for now. Good Friday blessings to our friends, family and blogspooks...

Have We Outgrown the Baby Swings?!

2011-04-18T11:29:00.002-04:00

Yes, I think maybe we have... This is a lot like stuffing a baby giraffe into a Smart car...

One more glimpse...just to be sure...

Yup, we've grown this winter... ;o)

Once Upon a Busy Week

2011-04-15T13:22:00.003-04:00

Once upon a busy week

there was an overcaffeinated French class

and a small boy whose momma's students fed him chocolate

which kicked in at the orthodontist

and he danced the cha-cha using a water bottle as a maracas

while his mother discussed payment options

Once upon a busy week

there were trips to the park

the truth that no Davis fits in the baby swings any more

and enough sunshine to coax a bunch of teenagers

into raking up 5 bags of sweet gum balls from the yard

to raise money for the trip to ACE Internationals

Once upon a busy week

there were 4 dozen cookies baked

one severely clogged sink drain (fixed by Dave Fulton)

32 funny text messages

several young friends visiting

and a spa day for the momma with a friend

Once upon a busy week

there were several laughs and one good cry

a clean house and a checkbook balanced

the chance to ride a swing and even sleep in once or twice

an authentic Mexican dinner to enjoy tonight

and a woman whose heart can't help but be happy

Making Easter Real for Little People

2011-04-10T15:25:00.002-04:00

Junior Church is officially ready for our Easter Celebration! In setting up our decorations yesterday, we fulfilled Gene's dream of roughly 15 years--to have the room fully decked for Resurrection Sunday, with real, three dimensional crosses and tomb. It was a long time coming.

A little disclaimer is in order, though: Gene and I aren't very creative, but we're getting smarter every year. We discovered a wonderful secret: find crafty people and throw money at them. Yes, the loveliness you see here is largely the work of others. Janae Waggoner was responsible for the magnificent tomb, and Mike Peck made the crosses for us a couple years ago. (We also threw some money at Oriental Trading Company, for the two scene murals making up the backdrop, but I figured you had guessed that already...)

Are we starting Easter early? Yes, but on purpose. We want to make it a special, exciting time that reflects its place as the most important day in the Christian calendar. That takes time, and it takes work!

If you're in the Frankfort area between now and Easter, please stop by and I'll give you a tour of the classroom. Besides, I need some help scraping gum off the floor... ;o)

A New Place to Find Free Blog Facelifts

2011-04-08T08:43:00.001-04:00

Just found a great new site containing free blogger templates that won't eat your links! Check out the link in the top left corner of my blog for Aqua Poppy Designs. The stuff is adorable!

One Footstep After Another

2011-04-04T08:45:00.002-04:00

Remember all the peaceful moments of Lent I was looking forward to? Yeah, that hasn't worked out quite as I had hoped. I should have known--this isn't exactly the year of blessed quietness. ;o)

Still, the year is speeding past quite productively and I'm grateful for God's help. I don't say that out loud nearly often enough, but since I told the Sunday School kids yesterday that the Bible says "Let every thing that hath breath, praise the Lord", and I'm pretty sure I have breath (coffee breath, to be honest), I want to thank Him for His many blessings on a yellowheaded blogger who doesn't deserve His grace. It's been a good year serving Jesus.

The weekends have been kinda full lately too. This past Friday night, the entire family worked to move our favorite lizard into a larger habitat. The poor critter--his old home was 16 inches long and he's now 13 inches! He must have felt like a pretzel!

On Saturday, we took some family time and went to JumpIt in Lafayette. If you're curious, it's pretty much a redo of Monkey Joe's, but our kids loved it. There's a great section full of comfy chairs for the adults, and for the first time EVER, we stopped being parental helicopters and sat down while the kids played. It was magnificent!

Today marks the beginning of my last month of French class and an adjusted schedule. I decided that finish up the first week of May, so that French isn't complicating their last few weeks of schoolwork and Internationals, but this means we'll be having longer classes every Monday in April, and more homework every Wednesday. It means a little more work now, but I think we're all looking forward to one more test on May 4th and waving "Au Revoir" to class.

And if you're in the Frankfort area tomorrow morning, and feeling bored, the Ladies Bible Study is meeting at my house and we'd love to have you. Kids are welcome and Kent is planning to entertain them upstairs. Jody Johnson and Tracie Peck are in charge; I'm just providing the house and the coffee. :o)

Pursemaking 101

2011-04-01T09:47:00.004-04:00

I'm not very creative:

That's why my blog doesn't contain many pictures

of my house and of my wardrobe.

Unless I have made it myself,

like some of my freakishly gifted fellow bloggers,

it seems kinda kooky/shallow/icky to show it off here.

But this week, I actually made something.

Yes, I did!

I made a purse.

Granted, it's not much of a purse,

but it's my purse

and it makes me smile.

Please hold your applause until the end...

You see, I was on a mission to Hobby Lobby last week...

(Okay, I wasn't really on a mission--

the boys were at Grandma's

and Gene was at work,

and I was enjoying the combined blessings

of a soy mocha

with a double shot of espresso

and my usual ADD.

Do not judge me.)

...and I had a semi-creative idea.

With a $7 burlap sack--

polka dotted, of course--

and a giant pink daisy

(Which I decapitated),

I now have a springy purse for roughly $10.

It was fun.

Yes, it really was!

So, if you're not chortling hysterically,

or throwing up in your coffee,

feel free to applaud now.

Consider me curtsied... ;)

Kid Sick

2011-03-30T07:59:00.003-04:00

It's official: we miss the kids, and they miss us. None of us is going to make it 'til Thursday for a family reunion. I'm going to have to go get them in the next few hours, kiss the wonderful grandma who made this all possible, and bring my babies home.

And in other happy news, the spring cleaning list is greatly diminished, the boys' closets are alphabetized, and our bedroom is rearranged and ready for repainted/redone/miraclized. Yup, it was a MOST productive week.

Sadly, moving so much furniture by myself has left me ridiculously sore. Once I get the boys home, I intend to talk them into a nap so that I can lay down and just not move...

We're Kid-Free!

2011-03-25T23:24:00.002-04:00

My favorite mother-in-law invited my sons to spend Spring Break with her in Columbus. As of mid-afternoon, Arvel and I have an empty nest. Aside from the nagging sense that I should be making sure someone washed their hands/made their bed/fed their lizard/untied their brother, it's been kinda fun. :)

With all the extra free time, I think I'm going to do all my spring cleaning. Yup, carpet shampooing, draperies, etc. If I get really ambitious, I may get my bedroom repainted. And when the fun of that wears off, I'm going to work on VBS. If it gets warm, I'm going to do flowerbeds too.

Okay, we'll see how much we get done. Frankly, I give Kent 3 days to call insisting I retrieve him. (I'm inclined to give Gene 2.5 days to insist I retrieve them...)

RIP, Hermie

2011-03-23T08:04:00.003-04:00

Cue the funeral dirge and pass the tissues: Hermie has officially croaked. I got the sad news yesterday afternoon, and had a good cry for my trusty computer. I cried about all my precious bookmarks too--unlike the pictures and documents, they can't be saved. No clue what this means for my iPod. *sigh*

Until I find a new one, I'm stuck borrowing Gene's horrid old cyber-dinosaur. It has an ancient IE browser and it's slower than an 80 year old snail. I can't even open AT&T on it to pay the phone bill. Did I mention I don't like it very much?

But if I'm going to have to use his machine, I think I'd better give it a nice name that has rich meaning, and perhaps expresses how I feel about it. Gene never does that...silly man... I'm trying to decide between Teddy (as in Kennedy) and Nancy (as in Pelosi)...

Songs for Little People

2011-03-22T14:42:00.003-04:00

I know what a couple of my blogspooks are thinking, but this post has NOTHING to do with a song about a pea. Or any other vegetable. ;o) No, I have been working on a visual for "Change My Heart, O God" today, after hearing Sherilyn Stroud mention it at Bus Convention.

Just wondered if any of you have other choruses you'd like to suggest: I'm looking for the kind of stuff not typically geared toward kids, but that they would enjoy. The next one I'd like to do is "Lord, Prepare Me To Be a Sanctuary".

Any ideas?

Well, YIKES...

2011-03-21T10:23:00.002-04:00

It's definitely a Monday. I just finished a good cry over the latest test grades of my French class. Apparently, I'm a dreadful conveyer of basic verb conjugation. Never mind that it's basic memorization of word endings... :s

It appears that some crazy hackers have been quite busy this weekend. Several friends currently have email accounts spewing out spam. I contacted a few of them already , but if you're reading this and you are friends with Martha Castle on FB, please send her a note. I don't know what I did with her phone number, and her Yahoo account has been quite busy.

I also need to make sure I wish my mother a HAPPY BIRTHDAY on here. It was yesterday, and she's now somewhere in the neighborhood of 39. ;o)

And on that note, I dust off my pointy witch hat and head out to parlez-vous francais with a class that is probably NOT receiving cookies today. I don't want their mouths full when they recite verb endings 'til their noggins ache.

Before I do that, though, I'm going to reread my husband's favorite passage: Psalm 46. He read it to me recently, and the psalmist surely wrote it for this point in history.

Blessings to both of my 2 remaining blogreaders...

Straight Teeth, Skewered Perspective

2011-03-17T21:59:00.002-04:00

The quest for orthodontia continues. After a visit earlier this week that was supposed to end with Connor decked out in spacers, we now have three more appointments between now and Easter and the dim hope that he'll be fitted for all his gear by then. He's getting a palate expander, among other things, and apparently that takes longer. (It probably costs more too, but here I digress...)

And in funny news, it appears that the FCA field trip to an old fashioned school re-enactment at Old Stoney was quite a hit today. I was quite blessed to hear my son exclaim proudly: "I was chosen to wear the DUNK hat!" His only problem was that he had spotted a taller, pointier DUNK hat and he would rather have worn that one. (Hey, if you're going to be a DUNK, might as well be the best DUNK you possibly can be!) Yes, in the time I have left before I begin selling off body parts on Ebay to pay for his orthodontics, we'll be working on the soft "c" sound in words like DUNCE.

Also funny was Connor's tales from the group's lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. It appears that a few ornery 4th grade boys convinced my gullible DUNK that they were eating "rat on a stick" from the buffet. He was horrified. Being the nice mother that I am, I've decided to tell him that the orthodontist says that's one of the few foods they allow you to eat when you have braces... :o)

Not so funny is the ominous silence from the computer repair shop. I fear it spells doom for my beloved laptop, Hermie. Please stay tuned for weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth in the very near future...