the puppy diaries

2 1/2 weeks PP (Pre-Puppy): Discuss with husband getting a puppy for kids for Christmas. He thinks its a horrible idea. I ask him to pray about it.

2 week PP: Made FINAL decision to get kids a puppy for Christmas. (We wavered back and forth MANY times.)

10 days PP: Don't really want to leave dog naming up to the kids - might end up with "Blacky" or "Ruffy" or "Spot." I decide to name the puppy Hurley. Allen is concerned kids won't be on board. I assure him all we have to do is tell them it is the name he came with and they will be fine.

8 days PP: Abby asks me why we can't get a dog right now. I tell her its just not the right time and give her a big hug. (And smile fiendishly.)

1 week PP: Went to Pet Country to buy Christmas puppy presents for the kids. Looked at collars, leashes, chew toys, and brushes. Did you know that German Shepherds require just about every brush in the pet store?

6 days PP: Feeling very nervous about having a puppy. I don't know what to do. I am told I cannot mess it up. We'll see.

5 days PP: Kids are chanting in the car on the way to school what type of dog they each want. I keep telling them, "Stop please! We are not getting a dog right now!" (Insert grin.)

2 days PP: Crafted a plan to surprise the kids with puppy. Allen will drive to Klamath Falls to pick him up.

1 day PP: Cannot wait to tell the kids. They will be so excited!

Puppy Arrives

Day 1: Puppy is revealed. Hurley is here! I think I am more excited (delusional) than the kids! Kids are having a hard time remembering his name. Harley, Herbie, and Pearly are used often. Put him in his pen to sleep. He whined a little. Abby is prepared to sleep beside him on the tile floor if needed. She is in love.

Day 2: Puppy cried all night. He misses him mom and siblings. He is LOUD. Also, apparently puppies as small as Hurley cannot "hold it" all night. Woke up to a puppy covered from head to tail in poop. Went through 2 rolls of paper towels and a half bottle of bleach. Puppy pads are dumb. They do not work. Hurley goes to them then pees next to them. Abby is grossed out by everything the puppy does. Hurley ate her homework. Literally. The puppy honeymoon is over. Yes, already. 

Day 3: Puppy cried again all night. I think having a baby might have been easier then embarking on raising a puppy. I am so tired. Husband is a walking zombie. Kids are bouncing off the walls, because apparently, they can sleep through anything. Set a timer and took the puppy outside every 30 minutes. Went 10 hours without any pee or poop in the house. Thank you Pup-peroni!

Day 4: Hurley slept in garage. Slept all night. Hallelujah! Walked the puppy to the park. Very awesome. My house is a complete mess. The floors are super dirty and it is giving me anxiety. I prayed for God to give me patience and peace. He reminded me that the dirt will pass away but the love and memories that are in my home will last for this lifetime.

Day 5: Gave puppy his 3rd bath in 5 days. He figured out how to use the cat door. That is funny. He will be too big very soon, and will get stuck like Winnie the Pooh in Rabbit's house. Gage is a superstar dog owner. He has taken ownership of the puppy and takes him on walks and plays tug-o-war with him.

Day 6: Milo and Hurley played in the backyard for a couple hours today. They are getting along very well. The kids took Hurley in the front yard to play. They are frustrated that he won't follow them out of the grass. I tell them he is being a good puppy. Gage played flashlight tag with Hurley tonight.

a hurley christmas

This year for Christmas Abby asked for a puppy, Gage asked for a dog, and Marissa asked for a dog collar. I am assuming she meant for a dog and not for herself. (Rachel asked for a Dora kitchen.)

My friend Kristi just had a litter of puppies. Well, her dog had them. I called her up to discuss this supply and demand situation. I explained to her that we were going to get the kids a dog, but I wasn't sure if NOW was the right time, or if she had the right dog. She assured me that there is NEVER a good time to get a puppy, and that it would be nightmarish and awful. "Hell" is how she described it. By the end of our conversation, it was decided, we were getting the kids a puppy for Christmas. She is a saleswoman. What can I say.

We managed to keep the puppy a secret for 2 weeks. When we brought him home the kids were totally surprised. Mental note to self: Marissa is more interested in putting on lip gloss than a giant wrapped package in the middle of the floor.

christmas letter 2011

Merry Christmas from the Whitts!

What a great and crazy year 2011 has been. Allen has told me if I want anyone to read my Christmas letter this year that I should keep it short - so I will do my best!

In case you don't read all the way to the end: God loves YOU so much that He sent His one and only Son to earth to be the atoning sacrifice for YOUR sins if you BELIEVE in HIM!!

We are happy to be in our new home in Central Point, and it was so great to put up all of our own decorations this year. Allen is enjoying his increasing role at NextJob (they are a reemployment company) and is attending Southern Oregon University part time until he finishes his degree requirements.

Abby loves school and is attending Girl Scouts this year. She is also playing violin, singing in choir, and her French is improving tremendously.

Gage is anxiously waiting for spring soccer to start. He is one of the fastest kids on the field and looks forward to snack after each game!

Marissa is rockin' Kindergarten! She has made many new friends and loves to cook and play all day.

Rachel misses her siblings during the day, but keeps herself busy playing games with our new cat, Milo. She is very funny and likes to tell jokes.

I am busy being a mom and a wife. I love it and am so blessed to get to stay home (though I am hardly ever home) with my kids and husband (he works from home - did I mention that?). I am also excited to be facilitating a Teen Core Group at Community Bible Study this year.

God has blessed us big time this year with answered prayers. Not everything looks the way we thought it would - but in true God fashion - we are amazed and humbled by His gifts and abundance.

As we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray that you are experiencing joy and grace this season! We love you and wish you a very Merry Christmas!!!

With love and joy,

Allen, Joah, Abby, Gage, Marissa, and Rachel

The Whitts

e-christmas

I was sitting at the table last night, frantically uploading pictures and searching through holiday card designs, so I could order my Christmas cards and take advantage of some killer Cyber Monday deals. (Is Cyber Monday new? I think I just heard of it this year...) As I was sighing and frowning at my computer my husband asked,

"Why are you sending out Christmas cards?"

What?!?! What kind of a question is that? Uh...how about, because it's CHRISTMAS! Or, because I want all of our friends and family to see how cute our family is. And, how will everyone know what has happened with us this year and how can I share the Good News of the birth of Jesus Christ if I don't send out Christmas cards?!?! It was like he asked me to move to Mars with him or something...I was dumbfounded, and he was completely serious.

Facebook. That was his argument. I am constantly posting pictures, updating my status, and proclaiming the Good News via facebook, so why was I agonizing last night at my computer over a tradition that I was observing merely for tradition's sake? Ugh.

I feel conflicted. I like Christmas cards - sending them and receiving them. But, I also like saving money. Is an emailed Christmas letter as meaningful as one received in the mail? Is facebook Christmas cheer as cheery as post office Christmas cheer? Why am I carrying on over this?

So while I am not sure of how I will distribute it, thanks to my husband and his unsolicited advice, I know that my next order of business is to write my Christmas letter. This I look forward to and thoroughly enjoy. Fo' realz. Though, now my husband is telling me,

"Make it short. If you want anyone to read it..."

phew!

Wow! It has been a long time since I have blogged. And, not because there has been nothing going on - but because there has been SO MUCH going on. And well, blogging is like cleaning to me...if I can keep up on it then I am good. But, as soon as I fall behind I get overwhelmed, anxiety erupts, and I put it off for as long as possible until I make a plan, procrastinate a couple days, and then finally tackle the chore. Yeah, as you might guess, when this happens is NOT the time you wan to visit my house for coffee and need to use the restroom.

So, we bought a house. I really wanted to blog about that whole adventure. How God was in total control of the timing, circumstances, and very house we purchased. But, I didn't - and now I have forgotten most of the insight I was blessed with. Though, I can report the greatness of God and His amazing hand in our lives. Which, when it all comes down to it, is the very thing worth remembering. Unrelated to the blessings of our house are some points to mention.

• I think I am actually allergic to cleaning. After days of scrubbing the white grout (Yes, white. Clearly a mom did not pick that out.) in the kitchen/dining/entry my hands broke out in blisters. My husband, who is ever so compassionate, told my to suck it up and take some Benadryl. Awesome.
• Last night I got my key stuck in NOT my mailbox. Thankfully my husband loves me anyway.
• Allen is a super great handy man. Since we have always bought our houses new, his skills have never been put to the test. But to my surprise, he is quite handy. It annoys him that I am so surprised.
• I am not good at caulking things. I have plenty of strengths - hanging curtains, painting, hanging doors - but caulking does not even make the top 50.
• We cleaned out the garage, making piles in the driveway to make sense of the chaos. I don't know how many people stopped by our "garage sale." We made 45 bucks.
• Not having a microwave is interesting. That is about as positive as I can be on the situation.

During the final days of our move from my parents house (yeah, it was a process), Abby had her appendix removed. No big. We weren't busy or anything. She woke me up at 2:30AM on Saturday morning in serious pain. After asking her all the "mom" questions - "Do you need to go potty? Did you eat too much at dinner?..." - a dose of tylenol, and a call to the nurse, we were headed to the emergency room. I don't know how, but I knew it was her appendix (probably all the classic symptoms) and by 9AM she was in surgery. She was scared. So was I. But thankfully God was with us. He never leaves us. I had full confidence in the abilities of the surgeons - but I had even more confidence in the sovereignty of our Lord. By the grace of God her surgery was quick and boring. She felt like a rockstar when people came to visit her - Grammi, Aurora (twice), Ceci, Gabby, Jenn, and even Faith (warrior princess) stopped by. She made out like a bandit collecting flowers and stuffed animals from friends and family. She was excited to order hospital food off the menu (insert shoulder shrug here) and she learned that she does not like the way morphine makes her feel. I told her, "Good. You remember this. This is how you will feel if someone offers you drugs. Just say 'no.'" By 8:00PM Saturday evening we were on our way home from the hospital and she has been getting better every day. Blessed be the name of the Lord!


Three quarters of my kids decided to play baseball this year. Junior Giants is only 6 weeks long, but when you are at the fields 4 nights a week, it seems like the never ending season. Thankfully the weather has been unusually cool this year which has made sitting in the sun and dirt almost enjoyable. Also, many of our friend's kids are playing, so it has been fun to visit with them while we are cheering on our kids. And with Abby's surgery, our Tuesdays and Thursdays opened up and we have used that time to work on the house and it's never ending plumbing issues.


I had an amazing dinner with some of my volleyball friends from high school. I do not know how it is even possible that they all look EXACTLY the same as they did in high school. Unreal. It was fun to sit and talk about "back then" as well as share about our lives now. I am truly blessed to have had them as teammates in high school, and to be able to count them as friends now.


Allen's mom is going to be her in a couple days for a visit. The kids and I have not seen her in 3 years. So, it is an overdue visit and we are looking forward to it. Also, Allen and I are leaving for the weekend to celebrate our 14 year anniversary!! I cannot believe it has been that long. I have almost been a Whitt longer than I was not. Crazy. I also think back to this time last year and am so thankful that God is faithful. This time last year I was really struggling to be a good wife. I started the "Love Dare" in hopes of fixing my bad attitude. And, while it took my much longer than the 40 day challenge, I am clearly in a better place this year than last and have joy in my duties and responsibilities in our marriage. Phew! Only through God is that possible - because I am not strong enough on my own to change my attitude and actions. Praise Jesus!


We have been swimming, playing at the park, and eating tons of ice cream trying to make sure we fully enjoy this summer. It is my favorite time of year and it feels like it is almost over. Dislike. I hear Rachel playing in the water in the bathroom right now. I better go check on that situation, then I will continue my search for the plunger, and hopefully we will sneak a swim later. (In a pool - not in the bathroom. Just reread that last sentence and thought it might cause some confusion.)


Embrace chaos. Have fun. Honor God.

new chairs

Turns out, even if you wear the little face mask thingy when you spray polyurethane, you still inhale enough fumes to make your nose hairs stick together. (And that is quite a bit more unpleasant than it may seem.) Just a little tip I learned while refinishing my dining set.

So, this is what my dining room chairs use to look like.

I sanded, primed, painted, distressed the edges, applied polyurethane, and reupholstered all the seats. (Some I even re-sanded, re-primed, re-painted...ugh.) And now, my chairs look like this!

Awwww yeaahhhh!! I am woman! Hear me power staple!! Now to tackle the table...

memorial day weekend

Wow! It has been a busy couple of days. Not only are we planning for our annual family camp trip, but we are making house/moving plans, Allen is working extra hours, and I am preparing for the "Sa-weet Love" debut bake sale. Just now, I am reminded of the significance of Memorial day and my resolution last year to intentionally celebrate it. How lame that I already am slacking. But still, I am at this moment, choosing to remember its significance.


Please click here to read my blog post from last year regarding Memorial Day.

May you choose to remember as well.

life has been busy

Wow. It has been quite a while since I blogged. Not because there hasn't been a lot going on - but because there has been SO much happening.

Let's start back at Easter. It was great! After a 47 day fast, I got to partake of the sweet nectar that is coffee. It was delicious. But to be honest, it paled in comparison to celebrating the resurrection of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. One of my other favorite parts of the holiday was making Resurrection Rolls with the kids. I enjoyed the excitement in their eyes, the process involved, the eating of "Jesus' clothes" (as my kids called them).

During the Easter festivities, Allen and I decided to buy a house. So a lot of time has been taken up with looking at properties, researching, driving, calling, more looking, more driving. We found a house - more on that later...

My friends had a yard sale. I made cupcakes to sell at said yard sale. That event opened up a whole new project I am now a part of. Des and I are starting a non-profit organization. I have been planning with her via text, email, phone, and face-to-faces. I started a blog for it. We are starting a facebook page (be sure to "like" us!). We even have our first "gig" set up. Check it out here.

What else...? Oh yeah, soccer. I am now a soccer mom. The reality hit me a couple weeks ago when I woke up early to drive my mini van to a soccer game on a Saturday morning. Rad. I have tried to keep my kids away from soccer as long as possible. It's an all weather sport, in case you didn't know. Turns out, my kids really like soccer and are pretty good at it - so I am excited for them - even if it means I can't feel my toes and am soaked from intermittent rain. Oh, and Allen is a coach. And that, be default, makes me a coach's wife. I get to call, email, and organize Kindersoccer things. It's all worth it when I see Marissa in her little uniform...she is so cute.

My bible study is coming to an end. Just like every year, it is bittersweet. I love the fellowship and servant hood I find at Community Bible Study, but I am so ready for summer!! We have also been very busy making preparations for a teen core group next year during the day class. That is very exciting and God has been faithful in answering that prayer. We still do not have leadership for an evening TeenCBS class yet, but we continue to pray knowing God will provide in His (not Joah's) good and perfect timing.

Other things that have been happening: school May Faire (great fun), birthday parties (not ours), sick kids (ear infections and such), sick dad (seems to be the new normal), aunt broke her arm (spent some time at the hospital with her), school auction (looking forward to that), wrote another grant for the school, became the grant writing committee chair (yay me), started an evening bible study at church (started attending, not facilitating), park playdates (when the weather has cooperated), game nights (we have nice friends), exercising (yup, got conned into that again), laundry (yeah, I know that is an ongoing chore, but I do laundry for 8, so it takes up a lot of my time), planning for Belknap (only 2 weeks away), swimming (yes, I know that the pool is very cold, but my kids don't seem to care and they swam on May 1...fo realz), Mother's Day (got breakfast in bed - and on bed)...

...wow! I need to catch my breath after typing that (and living it)!

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9)

Don't faint. Have fun. Honor God.

resurrection rolls

A friend of mine posted a link for Resurrection Rolls on facebook this season. Always a sucker for pastry items, I checked it out. What a super find! We made these on Easter morning and it was a great way to start the day of celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior!!

Ingredients:

·  One can of crescent roll dough

·  8 large marshmallows (or one for each roll you’ll be making)

·  Melted butter

·  Cinnamon sugar

·  Bible or Easter storybook 

Assemble rolls and read the story:

1. Read John 19 while the oven is pre-heating according to the package directions. If you’re really on top of things, spend the week before reading John 12-18 with your kids.

2. Unroll the crescent rolls. Explain that this is like the cloth they wrapped Jesus in.

3. Give your child a marshmallow and explain that it represents Jesus… all white and pure because He was without sin.

4. Roll the marshmallows in the melted butter. This symbolizes the embalming oils.

5. Roll the marshmallows in the cinnamon sugar. This is like the spices used to prepare his body for burial.

6. Wrap the marshmallow in the crescent roll cloth, pinching the dough together securely. Don’t worry about the shape so much, they’ll taste the same no matter how you roll or bundle them. This represents how they would have wrapped Jesus’ body. I like to brush them with more melted butter, but it’s not necessary.

7. Put the rolls in the oven (symbolizing the tomb) and bake for the amount of time specified on the package.

8. While the rolls are baking, read John 20:1-18.

9. Open the tomb and remove the rolls. When they’re cool enough to handle, break one open and discover what happened to the marshmallow. Jesus is risen! At this point, I also read 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. Jesus is coming again!

This picture was attached to the recipe. I guess this is what they are suppose to look like??

 

This is what ours looked like. A little less aesthetically pleasing, but delicious!!

Celebrate Jesus. Have fun. Honor God.

lent update

It has been 28 days since I gave up coffee - well, temporarily gave it up. Not that I'm counting or anything. Many people have asked how it's going...people who are morbidly intrigued with my self imposed coffee abstinence.

I am pleased to say it is going quite well!! The first few days were hard. Very hard. I was grumpy, I whined, I craved coffee. I even tried bargaining with God about the whole deal...that is when He spoke to me in a very real and personal way.

I heard Him speak to my heart, "Then drink coffee."

God of the universe say what?!?

"Drink coffee if you want to. I never asked you to give it up. You made that decision. You wanted to do this for Me. I never called you to do it."

Basically He was saying to me, you made this choice, Joah. So drink coffee if you want to - or don't. But if you choose not to then suck it up, quit whining, stop being grumpy, and focus on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. (Which was my whole purpose for observing Lent in the first place. But sometimes I am kinda slow. Okay, okay...real slow.)

With my new found perspective I am cruising through the days. Ironically though, today was tough. I was very tired this morning, it was raining, and I was cold. This is the "perfect storm" for coffee consumption. But, as I resisted and turned my java craving into Christ worship, I was encouraged. Jesus Christ was crucified. He endured pain and torture that I cannot fathom. He did that for me. He did that for you.

So, I continue on in self denial until Easter. Yes, I know that Lent ends the week before Easter - on Palm Sunday...well, I know that now. (Thanks S.G.) Not being of a religion that traditionally celebrates this event, I had no idea that 40 days did not extend until Easter, nor did I look at a calendar. But that is what my heart is prepared to do - and I am an overachiever - so, there you go.

I am so looking forward to Easter...not so I can drink delicious brown gold - though I will, and it will be great - but so I can celebrate the resurrection of the perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)

lent

Today, I am giving up coffee until Easter. If you need to contact me I will likely be in the corner curled up in the fetal position.

Why am I observing Lent? Because I want to.

I love Easter. Celebrating it is what makes me a Christian. Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins, was buried in a tomb, and rose from the dead. Because I believe this I am saved. Spending 40 days in sacrifice for Jesus - preparing my heart for the culminating celebration of my faith - just seems like a good fit for me.

Why am I giving up coffee? Because I don't want to.

I really, really like coffee. (I want to say I love coffee - but since I don't love it the way I love Easter and Jesus, I am refraining from overuse of the word "love.") Giving it up is going to be hard. Real hard. But, it wouldn't be much of a sacrifice if I gave up something that wasn't special to me. And coffee is so special.

When I consider what Jesus gave up for me...coffee is no comparison. So, I eagerly look forward to this Lent season as I deny myself the worldly pleasure that is coffee and focus my thoughts on Jesus and His mighty sacrifice. May God be glorified. May I not drive my family crazy.

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. (Luke 9:23-24)

 Drink water? Have fun. Honor God.

is it june yet?

It has been a rough go at the Whitt house the past month or so. It started out with Rachel having croup. Horrible, horrible virus. Then Marissa got sick. I knew something was off when she started yelling at her little sister, "Get out of my room! I just need some quiet time! Leave me alone!" She then plopped herself on her bed and covered her head with her pillow. When I asked her if she was feeling okay she yelled at me, "No! I feel HORRIBLE! This is the worstest day EVER!" Turns out she had double ear infections. Upon telling my husband her replied, "Atta girl. Go big or go home." Nice.

After a 3 day reprieve, the Bigs got sick. Abby had a 103° fever for over a week, along with chills, headache, loss of appetite, lethargy, sore throat, and earaches. Gage said he was feeling sick too. But every time I tried to ask him about it, he got a huge smile and tried to hide it under his hand. Weird. I totally couldn't tell if if was faking or not. According to the doctor he did have reason to be complaining, since his throat and ears were both red and inflamed. He only stayed home from school for one day though - after I explained to him that if he was too sick to go to school then he would not be allowed to have his friend over after school for a much anticipated playdate. That seemed to clear up his symptoms straight away.

Now for round two. Marissa and Rachel both contracted pink eye. Such a lovely ailment. They each woke up the first night screaming that they eyes were broke since they could not open them due to the "gunk" gluing them shut. Oh, and  Marissa walked into a wall. Funny and sad at the same time. And, why is it when you tell your kids to keep their hands away from their face, they immediately suck they fingers then rub their eyes then poke their siblings??

Rachel has also been battling a 102+° fever since her birthday. No other symptoms really - well, except for extreme crankiness, staying awake all night and sleeping during the day, and utter disdain for her sisters. Gage doesn't seem to bother her. Lucky him. She has also started picking her nose. Gross, I know. But, when I tell her not to pick her nose I think she hears, "Stick your finger as far up your nose as possible, then wipe whatever you fish out on to your nearest sibling." And I wonder why our family cannot get well.

So that is what has been happening around our house lately. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that through all of that Allen and I have each had sinus infections. It's so nice to take care of sick kids when you yourself cannot stand to be out of bed and have patience the size of a pea. But, you do what you have to do, and I have managed to hang on with Lysol in hand and a healthy diet of coffee and Red Bull. I am so ready for June.

I also praise the Lord. Even through the sick and tired days, God is good. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

croup is in da house

So as it turns out - all the hype about croup (there is no hype - I made that up) is false. It is no fun at all. In fact, it is down right scary. How I have managed to raise 4 little kids to this point and never faced this virus before is beyond me - a pure blessing from the Lord - but now that we have finally met, I am so thankful for the years of its absence from my life.

The labored breathing and "wheezing" took me by surprise yesterday and I forgoed foregew didn't do my normal response of waiting it out - and I took Rachel to the doctor. He gave me a crash course in "croup" and told me that the night time would be much worse than the day. Turns out, that doctor is pretty smart - the night was way worse than the day. I spent most of the night standing outside, holding Rachel and about 56 blankets, in the cool (aka freezing) air. I think tonight I will set up a lawn chair in preparation...and maybe go buy a Snuggie.

Of course, now that it is the daytime, Rachel is feeling a little better. She still has no voice (which is kind of sweet) and sounds like a puppy when she coughs - but I don't feel the need to watch her breathe or keep the nurse on hold "just in case." And interestingly, after her initial fear and disdain, Rachel has become quite protective of her humidifier and growls at Marissa anytime she stands too close to it.

Neither of us got much sleep last night - so I don't understand why Rachel is wide awake, yelling at Dora, while simultaneously asking me to read her a book and jump on my bed. Seriously. So today, I am relying on the strength of the Lord and coffee to sustain me...and praying that she crashes soon so I can take a nap.

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

i didn't have to cry over spilled milk

Just dropped a full gallon of milk in the kitchen. Amazingly the lid did not come off.

Dropped a can of mocha mix right after that. The lid flew off and chocolate powder plumed around me.

So very thankful the Lord knew what I could handle today. God is great!

here we go...again

The time has come...it always does...for my husband to shake things up a bit. He has a very entrepreneurial spirit and has always preferred working for himself. Turns out he "does not work well for others." So, while he will remain at his day job and continue to grow his client list, he is using his evenings and weekends to start a commercial cleaning business.

I use to freak out every time he started something new. My heart would race, I would point out the all the risks, and I was far less enthusiastic than I care to admit. But over the years I have come to accept that this is who my husband is and this is part of what I signed up for when I said "I do."

Though we were all created in HIS image, we were all created very, very different. Sometimes that is hard for me to grasp since I think my spouse should be and think just like me. Just kidding, of course. Mostly. But that doesn't mean that I don't struggle with letting Allen be who God destined him to be - even if that means that I don't know what we will be doing in a year, a month, or even tomorrow.

What is interesting to me - and can only be attributed to God doing a might work in my heart - is that I am excited for this new journey. I have actually spent the last two years wondering what was taking him so long to "get back on the horse." In his defense, I think he was trying to make a go at the whole 9 to 5 thing, for my sake. But as it turns out, I have discovered that stability, benefits, and regular paychecks aren't all they're cracked up to be; having a happy husband who is following a God given desire is far more important and beneficial to me and the future of our family. So here we go...again.

Will it be easy? Probably not. Will we succeed? We will certainly fail if we do not try. Will it be fun? Absolutely - we're the Whitt's. We do fun.

Is it time to shake things up in your life? Are you letting your spouse be who God created them to be? Are you committed to helping them achieve their goals - for better or worse? Are you having fun??

Live life. Have fun. Honor God.

ugly truth

I didn't really want to admit this to anyone, let alone write it down. But, I think that by getting it out in the open, maybe I'll get over it. Maybe. I don't like to read other people's blogs...not because they are bad, but because they are so good. There are some amazing writers out there- truly talented and inspired. And well, it makes me jealous to see all their giftedness (yes, I made that word up) before me in black and white.

I now refer you to the title of this post...I know, this is ugly. I know, I am lame. But, I am just being honest.

So what's up with my jealousy? Did I really think I was the only woman with funny kids, the only person who wanted to point people to Jesus, the only writer who typed out the exact words she was thinking in her head - sighs, eye rolls, and all? (Insert HUGE eye roll here.)

As an act of therapy - possibly humility - I am posting the links to a few of the new blogs I have found that are challenging my psyche right now. They are clever, funny, real, and inspiring. They are a compilation of what I aspire to be and a standard that I strive to achieve. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. (After all, I do enjoy them through my "green with envy" eyes.)

http://www.earthmonkeymoms.com/

http://www.taminprogress.com/

http://www.gritandglory.com/

Blog on. Have fun. Honor God.

stove top stuffing

Four kids. Seriously. What was I thinking? Being a mom is not coming easy to me today. Either the kids are extra crazy today, or my patience are extra short. Either way, I am resorting to typing away on my computer so I can pretend the slamming doors, screaming tirades, bloody noses (uh-huh), and flying Sorry pieces are not part of my life right now.

I am making a turkey roast for dinner tonight. I hate when I go to the pantry to get some Stove Top stuffing (don't judge me - it's easy, cheap, my kids love it, and I am having a hard day) and can only find dried bread crumbs. Then I have to choose; stuffing from scratch or Mac N Cheese? Ahhhhhh...now I am just typing to amuse myself. I can almost feel my paleo and no-carb friends groaning and yelling, "NOOOOOOO!" at me right now. Thanks guys, totally brought a smile back to my face.

Alright, I guess I better get back to parenting - at least the "bad day" version of parenting...grunting, pointing, ignoring, separating, refereeing, locking myself in the bathroom...

...oh man, the fire alarm is going off. I think my raspberry muffins are done.

derby car

This is what Gage's Cub Scout Derby Car looked like when I took it out of the box. It's all right to gasp. I did. I know it looks like just a block of wood. It is.

Gage decided on a truck body for his derby car. I know that sounds like a contradiction in terms, but I am told a truck body is a respectable design for this event. Allen cut it out for him and Gage went to work sanding it. After two minutes with the sand paper, Gage was ready to be done. He was a trooper though and worked on it for a few hours - albeit while watching cartoons. Gage primered it and painted it orange. I would have chose yellow, but I also would have chose a stock car design, so whatever. It's his "car."

Then Gage spoke words that made this mama's heart melt...

"Can we put flames on it!?!"

Man, I love that kid! Because it is true - race cars are better with flames...just like food is better with bacon. Here is the derby "car" taped off and in the body shop for some air brushing. And by "body shop" I mean the garage and by "air brush" I mean spray can. Same-y same.

Here is Gage's derby car all finished - check out those flames. Nice.

Oh, and today was race day - sorry, I got so wrapped up in admiring the paint job, I forgot all about the actual event. So, Allen and Gage went to the race this morning with the intent to have fun...and show off their awesome truck...

...but then they started winning! And well, let's be honest, racing is more fun when you win. I attribute the fastness of his truck to the flames, though the extra weight Allen added to the undercarriage probably helped too. Whatever. Flames make race cars go fast - just ask me...or my dad...or Jeff Gordon.

Here is one of the three rounds Gage won to advance to the quarterfinals.



Unfortunately, the quarterfinals is where it ended for Gage and his fast truck today. But what a ride it was! And now, he is already thinking about his design for next year and what he can do to make it faster. Though, if you ask me (which he is not, by the way) - the flames are where its at.

Race hard. Have fun. Honor God.

back update

So, after 5 weeks of seeing my chiropractor 2-3 times per week, my back/neck pain is subsiding. However - oh yeah, there is a "however" - he made reference to being tense and feeling like a turtle trying to get into his shell. I said "Yes! That is exactly how I have felt for the last 2 years." I was actually pretty excited that someone actually could put into words how I felt. Well, the knowledge of that led him to a whole slew of sessions and exercises to deal with my subconscious anxiety and a procedure called N.E.T. Basically it is designed to stir up the stress points so they can release...yeah, yeah, yeah. It got worse (granted I quit going - I may not have given it enough time) and I feel like I am walking around now with 20 pounds of pressure on my shoulders and neck.

So, I talked to my family doctor about this and he said that this is very common for moms and my back will quit hurting when my kids grow up a little. Nice. In the meantime should I just wear a turtleneck and embrace the whole tense/turtle feeling I have going on? No, I guess not. He gave me a prescription for some muscle relaxers and told me to take them with some Aleve. So far it is not working - but we'll see what happens. I also have an appointment for a deep tissue massage and plan to use my chiropractic money to make massages a more regular occurrence in my life - at least until the knots are worked out or until my kids grow up.

So this whole thing got me thinking about doctors; How two doctors gave me two very different treatments as well as reasons for my discomfort. Yes, I am responsible for choosing the treatment that is best for me - but how am I suppose to know what is best? Supposedly, I trust the opinion of both of these doctors - that is why I am seeing them after all - yet they are at opposite ends of the treatment spectrum. Why am I paying them for their professional opinion and advice when ultimately I have will have to make the choice all on my own with absolutely no medical knowledge or training?Very frustrating.

So, anyway that is what is up with my back/neck. The pain is definitely subsiding, though this whole stress/tense thing that has arose is equally discomforting and frustrating. I am very much looking forward to my massage next week and I hope that the massage therapist does not offer up yet another reason for my issues and suffering...though if her advice is more massages - well, she is the professional and I will probably have to take her advice.

Hmmmm....in other, non back related news - I started every paragraph of this blog with the word "so." Weird - and poor sentence structure.

Live well. Have fun. Honor God.

love dare finished...finally

I did it. I finished. Yes I did. The Love Dare kicked my butt, but now it is behind me...yeah right. Now I feel compelled to put all those ideas, all those attributes of Godly love, in to practice. And practice could not be a more fitting word. There are days I will do well, there will be days I will fail miserably...but if I just keep trying, just keep practicing being a better wife - maybe one day I will be the wife God has called me to be for my husband. Granted, that might not be this side of heaven, but I must make a valiant effort and try.

Now, I will confront my husband and tell him what I did - though if he was reading my blog he would already know - and I fear his reaction might be something like, "Really? Are you sure you did it right? Maybe you should try it again." I hope that is not his response. Oh, I really, really hope not. But I know that just because I read a book and did some dares does not mean that I have arrived.

I really liked how Christ -centered The Love Dare was. I realize that in and of myself I cannot love Allen all the way, all the time. But, I know that if I lean on God and draw from His amazing love, that I will do alright. I am ready to be more purposeful in loving my husband. I am better equipped to handle challenges that are inevitable when two people spend life together. I am married to my best friend, and I count it a blessing that our marriage is as good and strong as it is. However, it can always be better. I can be better. And so, with the 40 day Love Dare challenge behind me (finally), I rejoice that God is good and Allen is my husband.

Love well. Have fun. Honor God.

i love my ducks

Auburn won. Why do they have to be praising God for their victory? It makes it a little hard to hate them when they're giving Him all the glory. Seriously.

Before the game I prayed...for the players to be safe, for a great and exciting game, for a fun time with friends, and for God to be glorified...kinda wish I wasn't such an effective pray-er right about now. Just joking. Mostly.

It was a great game and I had fun watching the game with friends. Shannon and Jason are such gracious hosts and Neil is always fun to have around at game time. My kids even got into the spirit of this game - each wearing one of my Oregon shirts. Though, my bribing them with ice cream might have had something to do with it.

It was a great year for the ducks and for the fans. It was a ride - fo sho - one that most of us aren't ready to get off any time soon. I thank God for the ducks. Yeah, you can do that. And, I pray that they know they are more than great football players. They are more than the culmination of this year. And even though they lost, they have the choice to be praising God too.

 I made this cookie. Yes I did.

Me and the party mascot.

oranges

I don't like to shake orange juice. So I don't drink it and I don't buy it for my kids. I also don't like being a part of the whole "pulp v. no pulp" discussion. I find apple juice to be a much less complicated beverage that demands far less attention. Cranberry juice. Now that's a juice I can get on board with. It plays well with others and has pizazz! Prune juice. Functional. Tomato juice. No thank you. Grape juice. Why can't wine taste more like it?

In other orange related news...have you ever wondered how to pick ripe oranges at the store?? Well, I have, and as it turns out, if you wonder out loud, often times complete strangers will answer you. Recent advice from a fellow shopper produced this tid-bit of orange selecting insight...

"...select oranges that have thin skins (may be shinier and smoother) and are heavy for their size."

Per the mystery produce-angel's advice, we were graced with delicious oranges and a renewed faith in taking random recommendations from complete strangers.

potty training

I don't want to jinx it or anything...but I haven't changed a diaper in five days...

Allen and I have been changing diapers for over nine years now - sometimes two children at a time. This is a HUGE deal. My purse is going to be lighter, the cupboards are going to be emptier, and our pockets are going to be richer. I remember when Abby was potty trained. I had an unopened box of diapers from Costco, and I took them back. Yeah, you can do that - and I did. While the checker lady did not share my enthusiasm, her sour attitude could not thwart my elation. Abby was a hard one to train on the potty though - and two days later I was at Costco with my tail between my legs - buying diapers.

When Gage was almost three, Curious George was all the rage. He decided he would be willing to use the potty if I got him some Curious George underwear. Done deal, right? Not so much - all that I could find in the stores were girls panties. While I thought Gage probably wouldn't mind, I knew Allen would not allow his son to wear girl panties, even if it meant less diaper duty for him. I searched online and was able to find some Curious George boy underwear. $4.95 shipping and handling, and 5-7 days later we got Gage's underwear - though he wore them backwards to see the monkey...and...well, girl panties might not have been so bad in comparison.

Marissa wanted Go, Diego Go panties. This is a "boy" show, so there were only boy underwear in the stores. Remembering the luck I had with Gage's underwear, I went to the web to shop online. Here's a tip: DO NOT do a google search for "Go, Diego Go panties" - I repeat, do not! In hindsight, "panties" is probably not a good idea to ever put into a web browser...and "Diego" turns up all things San Diego. One minute I was doing a search for a cartoon character and the next... You get the picture. So, boy underwear from Target for Marissa it was! She was elated...and then there was one...

I am of the "wait until they are old enough to do it themselves" mentality when it comes to potty training. I have found that if you ignore your kids long enough they CAN parent themselves. Neat. So potty training Rachel sort of snuck up on me.One day she was in diapers, the next day my mom took her to the store to pick out some underwear and "potty candy." She chose Dora panties and Jelly Belly jellybeans. We bribe our kids to use the toilet. You might too if you had been changing diapers for nine years straight. Our efforts were almost thwarted though, upon Rachel's first bite into her first bean after her first successful attempt on the toilet. She picked a cinnamon one and I could smell it burning her mouth. Fortunately we had chocolate on hand and she was easily persuaded to make the switch. Abby was kind enough to go through the jellybeans and take out all the cinnamon ones. Rachel was apprehensive to try them again, but I assured her that all the hot ones were gone... Yup, you probably guessed it. She got another hot one. How? I don't know.

But, that was 5 days ago now, and she is still using the potty...my, how we have come a long way from the "sleep suit."

one word

In the past I have "resolute"d a few times...though at the moment, I cannot think of what any of my New Year's resolutions have been. This year I was perfectly content making no resolutions at all. I wasn't even inspired to set some goals for myself. Lame. I am sure. But to be honest, at every season in my life things come up that I need to work on, or I set goals that need accomplishing - doesn't just happen in January folks.

It was my plan to make no bold 2011 declarations. God had other plans and made it known to me by way of a blog post. After reading about the "one word" challenge I felt compelled to claim one word for my own. For a few days now, I have been praying for God to reveal one word to me that I can focus on for the whole year. One word I will remember and act on. One word for 2011.

Pray.

Yes, I pray now. But not as faithfully, not as automatically, not as effectually as I would like - that God would like.

Pray for God's revelations. Pray for my family. Pray for my attitude. Pray for my circumstances. Pray for those around me. Pray for souls. Pray.

I wanted a different word. I asked God for another word. Pray seems like something I should be doing without having to be reminded. Maybe too many people already chose REJOICE or INSPIRE; maybe I procrastinated too long and PRAY was all that was left...but it is mine and I claim it boldly...finally.

Pray.

In all that I do, with all that I am, I will pray...for direction, conviction, peace, discernment, healing...for the little things in day to day life, for the big circumstances of consequential importance. Pray.

One word to focus on. One word to remember. I am excited for 2011 because I know that my "one word" will change my year. It will change my life.

Pray.

farts are funny?

Farts are funny. At least, that's what I am told - by my brother, my husband, my kids...even some of my friends have joined the "flatulence is laughable" bandwagon. Personally, I don't quite get the hilarity of it all...but since my kids think its comical, I, of course, have blogging material about it...though at our house we call them "toots."

My kids made up a game and are currently playing "Who Tooted?" Seriously, who's kids are these?

Rachel burped at the table last night and said, "My mouth tooted!"

When Abby was 4, we were driving in the car, listening to the radio. A Sylvan commercial came on, "...to contact a tutor in your area, call..." Abby lost it. From the backseat, through her hysterics, she managed to cry out, "MOM! They just said "tooter" on the RADIO!!"

I try hard to curb the potty talk around our house. While flatulence in and of itself is not a taboo topic, my friend Crazy Megan and I agree it is a "gateway joke." One day your kids are talking about toots, then they are talking about their underwear, next thing you know they are showing their underwear...and well, you get the picture. Nonetheless, funny is funny. And to a kid - farts are the funniest.


Break wind. Have fun. Honor God.

it was a good day

Today was a good day. Upon arriving at CBS this morning everyone asked me how I was doing, then looked at me in that sad, "it will all be okay" kinda way. Only, I am not really sure why they were doing that...

Maybe they were feeling for me because Allen is out of town and I am "single-parenting" it. While I miss him greatly, we are getting along okay. The kids are doing awesome and my mom is helping me out with babysitting while I attend all the scheduled events that are inevitable with 4 kids. I have time for my bible studies, I am reading two books, and at the end of the day, my prayers go a lot quicker. I think I actually sin less when Allen isn't around. I don't have to repent and ask forgiveness for rolling my eyes at my husband, or for speaking harshly to him, or for being annoyed that he can't read my mind and get off the couch to get me a blanket.

Possibly they were empathizing with me and showing concern for my neck health. Though, I have not seen any of them since the yawn injury happened, and I doubt they would be caught up on my wellness level by reading my blog.

Perhaps they were concerned for my sanity in potty training Rachel. Yup. I said it. We are this close (holding up my fingers in a pinching sort of pose) to being a diaper free house!!! After 9+ years there is light at the end of the wet, stinky tunnel. The truth is, she is doing great and has probably been ready for this long before I finally committed to the task. My sanity is completely in check - at least with regards to the toilet.

But, probably there were giving me looks of concern because they have been praying for my mother-in-law. However, if they checked their facebook or emails they would know she is doing awesome! Her tumor was smaller and easier to remove than expected, she came home two days earlier than scheduled, and has returned to the stubborn redhead that we all know and love. All praise be to God!

...so while some were feeling concern for me and others with similar Christmas Break stories, I felt fine. As our morning hymn we sang, "It Is Well" - and I smiled the whole way through. Partly because I couldn't help but sing, in my head, the rock version I adore by Kutless. But also because it is well with my soul. Perhaps I should feel stressed or worried or frazzled right now, but I don't. My heart is full, my thoughts are held captive, and IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL!! Oh, how I love that I can say that. At least today. It was a good day.

she can do anything...well, maybe except that

A few months ago while driving in the van, Marissa declared to the family that surrounded her, "I can do ANYTHING."

 

"Yes," I confirmed. "You can do anything you set your mind to. I am very proud of you."

 

Emphatically she kept proclaiming, "I can do ANYTHING!"

 

Looking in my rear view mirror, I could see that the other kids were pondering this statement and processing its validity. Clearly annoyed with her proclamation, Gage decided to qualify her statement by asking her one question. "Can you put a new roll of toilet paper on the toilet paper holder thing?"

 

He was dead serious. I can't believe this is the first question that popped in his head to test her theory! Even funnier was her reaction to his quandary - frustrated, she folded her arms, stared out the window, and let out a disgusted, "Hmmph!"

love dare - journal entry day 27

Oh, Day 27, how you mock me. I think this chapter was written just for me. It certainly hit hard in all the wrong (right) places. 

• I have unrealistic expectations that breed disappointment.
• I raise my expectations (yes, past the unrealistic ones), and when Allen fails I am frustrated.
• I criticize and condemn about all the specks in Allen's eyes (and there are many, just ask me (eye roll)), and I look right past the big ol' honkin' log(s) in my own.
• I impose my personal goal-oriented, high demands on Allen, and instead of "fixing" himself, he rebels.
• I am not a great encourager. (And while Allen has told me that numerous times, I'm just now getting it.)

Ugh. I do not like this at all. I don't like being vulnerable and putting all my flaws here in black and white. I don't like being so "messed" up. I don't like being slapped in the face by a book. But, more importantly, I don't like the way I must make Allen feel at times (okay, a lot of the time).

So, today's dare is to "eliminate unrealistic expectations from our home." How do I do that? Yes, I have expectations, but I guess I never considered that they were unrealistic. The ending reflection paragraph states,

"When you place high expectations on your spouse that they don't feel internally motivated to attain, what does that tell you about yourself?"

What does that tell me about myself? Naturally, I think it tells me that I have a goal-oriented mindset that holds people to a high level of accountability that does not consider mediocrity acceptable. But, clearly that is wrong - as Day 27 of The Love Dare so painfully pointed out.

I am off now to ponder Day 27, and read Day 28. Yes, I am doubling up - I am already behind...again.

new blog buttons

So, I have always wished (well, ever since a couple years ago when I entered the blog world) that blogging was as easy as facebooking. I often comment "Like" on other people's posts, so that they know I read it and liked it - after all, that's what we do on facebook and it is EASY!

Well, imagine my surprise and delight when I started updating my blog design yesterday...and I found...wait for it...a brand new "reaction" section! You might not think that is super exciting, but, I can hardly control my enthusiasm! (Seriously, I am writing a whole post about it!) I was able to adjust the settings and now I have a like button! A like button! Yea-ah boy!

So, I hope that after you read this post you will share in my hysteria and kindly click the "like" button - just so I know you were here. You can also click "funny" or "interesting" - though I doubt either of those would apply well to this blog.

In other interesting blog design news...I have also been able to add some share buttons. (I know they have been around for a while - but I am just now finding them for myself and my blog.) So, if you feel so inspired to email a post to a friend, or share my blog on your facebook page, it's super easy and all you have to do is a little clickity-click action.

Wow. Just re-read this post. I am a dork. Oh well...at least I am in good company...if you are still reading this!