Hug Your Kids!

I know that for most of us this is a no-brainer...

I know that for most of us cherishing our children and seeing them as blessings is second nature...

but I also know how easy it is to become busy with the day to day of living and that sometimes...

just sometimes...

we take for granted these little lives that are with us.

It's times like these...when a story like this one hits home especially hard.

This afternoon,

while in our small-town Dollar General, 

I noticed a disheveled-looking Black man, in camo, with red-rimmed eyes, paying an inordinate amount of attention to my two older children.  I moseyed towards the coloring books and toy aisle to overhear this gentlemen telling Benjamin that Matchbox cars were his favorite, too, when he was little.

No harm.  No foul.

Then, at the checkout counter, he was behind me.  

Talking to Luke, trying to get him to smile.  

And although his breath didn't smell like whiskey, I couldn't get over those watery eyes.

And it was then that he said to me...

"Ma'am, your children sure are beautiful.  Make sure you hug them a little bit tighter tonight.  You see, tomorrow, I'm burying my 4-week old grandson.

My heart stopped for just a moment.

Crib death...

3:00 AM...

Every mother's worst nightmare...

And then I felt my cheeks, burning hot with shame.  

For making assumptions...

child-molester, kidnapper, drunk...

...grieving grandparent 

never crossed my mind.

And while it is true that we must be constantly vigilant with regard to our children's safety...we must never let our "fear" of those that are different from us stop us from interacting and forming relationship with others. 

Tonight, I ask that you keep this family, grieving deeply over the loss of their precious grandson, in your thoughts and prayers.  I pray that our Heavenly Father might console them as only He can.

In Christ,

Tooth Fairy and the GPS

Finally.

After YEARS of waiting...

...the Tooth Fairy gets to add our DeSoto address into her GPS system.

Yes, it's true, Mary Catherine FINALLY lost her first tooth!

She's ONLY 7-YEARS OLD for pete's sake! :)

She is beyond excited about tonight...and tooth #2 is about to fall out as well...although she won't let me pull it.

And can I tell you a little secret...I was so happy that it fell out today.at home. The kiddos are off of school for teacher in-service. Yay!

There's something magical about losing that first baby tooth...and can I say she just "looks" so much more grown up!

Happy Monday! 

Just a bit shocked...

Now we're all smiles!

I Should Have Been a Cowboy...

I should have been a cowboy...

It's never a party unless someone's a cryin'...

I should have learned to rode the ride...

Look, I'm all better...my mama gave me chocolate!

Wearin' my six-shooter, ridin' my pony on the cattle drive....

Cutest calf around!

  

About a half-hour into it...my husband and I decided that someone should go back to the house to hand out candy...our neighborhood was inundated with kiddos...obviously more than those that live in the subdivision.

(Can I just say that my parents NEVER took us to a strange neighborhood...besides the safety issues, they raised me to believe it was bad form.  And so today, I just can't do that...we trick or treat to a few of our neighbors' houses and call it a night.  Not to mention, most of us have 1-acre plots...and that's a lot of walking for little ones in costumes.)

Anyway, I volunteered to return to the house, switch on the porch lights, light up the pumpkins and hand out candy with my sidekick, Moo Cow. 

Be prepared for a series of cute photos...  :)

Dig-a-doo (that's my silly nickname for Luke...he tries to talk and I swear he says "dig-a-doo") was all about my the candy basket...boyfriend knows the good stuff, too...he wasn't happy about the left-over pixie-stix...he wanted chocolate!  :)

And so we've turned the calender to a new month...one of my favorites!  My precious Benjamin is soon to turn FIVE...and of course Thanksgiving.  Love it!

Little things I am thankful for...

1.  Benjamin sharing with me at bedtime that he never wants to grow-up...he wants to stay 4...forever!  (Me, too, sweet son!)

2.  Luke's new favorite past time...giving big, fat wet kisses at bedtime.  He smooches up his mouth and makes a cute little noise to go with them.

3.  Baking bread with my little ones...and waiting in anticipation for that first slice.

4.  A Catholic-school community that takes seriously it's job in catechesis.

5.  Neighbors calling to let me know that my garage door was still up (earlier this week) at 11 PM!  YIKES!