So far this May...

What I find so funny right now is that here I am, blogging about my sweet child and all of her fun activities, whilst she is crying in her room, saying, "Miss banana," over and over.  Why, you ask?

She was put in timeout for not eating and pitching a fit and now she misses her dinner.  Drama queen.  Now she is saying, "Cold in here," over and over.  Bless her poor little mistreated heart...she was hot and took off all her clothes.  I love honesty...our life in pictures is SO incongruous with our reality!

**Added in August:  I left out so much of our life this spring...blogging has really taken a backseat for some reason.  We started May with the AU Club annual meeting, the third annual Three Notch Market (and likely my last...sheesh, was that an epic cluster.  That day could have its own post entirely but I think I'll just keep those memories hidden deep in the part of my brain that rarely gets reference, for sanity sake).  We held a Teacher Appreciation Day at church and started dreaming about our dream house, complete with meeting contractors and sub-contractors.  I think we're going to keep on dreaming, since our house STILL hasn't sold.  Blech, worst news ever, I know, right?

Mother's Day spent in Orange Beach.  We went to a movie, arts and crafts fair and found a great home store in Foley.

Beautiful bun for ballet, courtesy of a little donut sponge.

"A you're Adorable," for Andalusia Ballet recital.

Rosie loves the water!

Our sweet niece, Baylin, was born on Sunday, May 19.  What a gift!  Her mom Anna's birthday is May 20, so it was extra special.  Here's Sylvie's take on it.

And here's a snippet from her Mother's Day Out program.  Gotta love those militant Baptists.

Haircut and style with Connie.  Such a priss.

News of the day...putting our house up for sale to see if we can get a bite...I've found my dream home but can't have it until this one sells.  Waiting on the Lord is hard!

God Bless,

Katie

First beach trip of the year...

I am so excited we got to host our good friends the Kelley's at the cottage in April.  It was such a relaxing and fun trip.  It is so nice to pick up where you left off with some friends, isn't it?  Shelley is such a down to earth mom, which I find so refreshing, and Drew can call a turkey like nobody's business, which makes my not-able-to-ever-find-time-to-hunt husband get to kill a turkey.  And then show its dead carcass to my three-year-old.  Yum.  Actually, it was really good after a nice brining and grilling.

These three girls played so well together for not knowing each other very well.  We ate and ate and ate (they love a good snack) and played on the "beach" all weekend.  I mainly sat in a beach chair and was still.  A very nice change from my normal pace.  Love them and hope we get to see them sooner than later...maybe when Kelley #3 joins the ranks later this year!

God Bless,

Katie

Death and taxes...

...the only two things that are certain in life.  This cliche strikes me today because of the devastation in Oklahoma, and because my little town is once again embattled due to an imminent increase in our sales tax.  What strikes me is that both issues are matters of control, a concept that most people struggle with on a daily basis.  I've always had control issues...most women/mommies do.  But what has really come relevant to me this week is that there's only one thing I can control:  my salvation.  That's the only thing God has granted me complete and utter control over.  I can't control the weather and how it might affect my life, I can't control how my government decides to govern, I can't control if our house sells, I can't control my child's eye-rolling!  But what a gift I've been given by God, to be in control of my life, albeit AFTER death.  So I'm choosing to focus on that today, instead of if my city council is going to charge me more to shop for things I don't really need with money that will cease to exist after I go to heaven.  I can guarantee you that the folks in OK would gladly be miffed about a possible tax hike today, instead of scooping rubble off their house, trying to find anything that's a semblance of the life they had just last week.  I can guarantee you that my sweet SIL would be happy to pay a little more on her groceries if only her momma could be with her this week as she brings her first child home from the hospital, instead of mourning that loss each and every day.  And I can guarantee you that God is teaching me big lessons through the events that swirl around me today.  I am so grateful I am not in control...it's exhausting even trying and I know God wants me to REST.

Funny...not so funny...

The munchkin has to put in her "eye tacks" so she can see.

She asked Daddy for a seed off his hamburger so she could plant it and grow more hamburgers.

We are having major issues with eye-rolling.  This is simply unacceptable.  Most of the time she says she was getting ready to close them and they had to roll shut.  Uh-uh, sister.  Not gonna fly in this house.  Oh Lord, help me raise a girl!!

God Bless,
Katie