The decision to go to church has its rewards :)

Its the south. Its hot. My van sits under a carport or I'd never leave the house.

Yesterday I sat for a bit arguing with myself over whether or not I would go to church. The car gets murderously hot in the parking lot there. It was a tough decision for me.

BUT my dad was spending his last sunday there for a while. And I really wanted out of the house. So despite hating the heat, we went.

I have never been so happy with my choice.

My dad picked up the toddler and held him for the 15 minutes before childrens sermon (toddler goes to the nursery after that) and the toddler didn't fight it, didn't squirm, didn't complain one bit, just sat there holding him. I KNOW that meant something to my dad, how often does a 2 year old let you just hold him, and it meant a lot to me to not have to fight with the toddler while listening to the lessons and psalmody.

Then we sang hymns. And the boy (who is too old for the nursery) sang them with me! read them and sang them along in time. It was fabulous.

The Pastors sermon was about giving to God, and it was something I had been thinking about. And I appreciated it. Not his best. But good.

And then we had a reception for New Members and it was a good time, good food, etc.

I was well rewarded for braving the heat of the day to attend church :)

Facebook and 'friendships'

So. I like facebook, love it sometimes. I'm a fan of simple games and that they have. I like seeing the status update 'checks' on people. So thats nice.

But I don't view it as a place for real discussion. Its not a blog or a conversation in real life or even a message board community. Its something different, something shallower.

That doesn't help much when my 'liberal uppitiness' is offended. Its not 'normally' by my friends. More often its from THEIR friends and the responses they make to more thoughtful/normal comments that they start out with.

At times it makes me want to defriend the original friend! Just so I don't have to see their 'friends' comments.

That is how much I hate ignorance.

Michael Jackson

So the news is that Michael Jackson has died. I'm sad. I didn't think I would be. Not that I had given it serious consideration, but I am.

He was one of the movers of modern art. He pioneered the music videos, the songs, celebrity charity. He was so much to the world. He made fans faint and cry just watching him. He shared his voice, his songs, his words with the world.

He was Legendary in every sense of the word and I mourn his passing.

Do I volunteer? Don't I?

I don't do a 'bunch'

I volunteer with my MOPS group, its the easiest job too, Assistant Discussion Group Leader. No big. I kinda wanted to do just the "Group Leader" bit this coming year.

I also teach Sunday School. the 2-4 year class. Again, no biggie, we team teach so there is someone there to cover for me.

BUT. Is it fair to volunteer my time when I will perhaps not be available? I mean...baby is due on the 20th of October. Say I take minimum time and return the following weekend to regular routine. Possible, entirely possible.

Its also entirely possible that I will be overwhelmed with 4 kids, a busy husband, nursing on demand for a month or two till little girl gets a schedule of sorts going, and the approaching holidays and such, plus homeschooling.

Will I be capable of supermomdom? Why don't I know anyone who is exactly like me a couple years down the road? Totally unfair.

Happy Birthday The Boy!

I keep waiting for the kids to hit an age that I don't like. I'm sure it will happen someday, or at least I'm told it will.

But The Boy at 7 is still awesome!

A little...how do you say...unusual from what I've seen of other 7 year olds, but I'm sure most Mom's feel that way.

But I have to tell him to put down books to eat, clean, or sleep. He was opening a gift, a lego set, and it rattled. He said 'hmmm, sounds like some assembly required' Just as cool as you could be, it just tumbled from his mouth like he had never NOT known the words.

He is currently putting together a Bionicle set thats meant for 9-16 year olds. I'm not sure if it will take him 1 or 2 days, but that will be it. And to do it he will follow the instructions step by step.

He's very serious. Very, very serious. He likes physical comedy, but thats about it for the jokes. So when I tease him he can get quite incensed. "Mommy I don't like those jokes"

He's also very literal. So when I tell him we're eating rainbow pie for dinner he'll say "no, you can't make pie out of rainbows, thats just fractured light, unless you mean its called that because it has bunches of different colored fruit, you might be able to do that."

He is obsessed with learning. He reads his encyclopedias ALL THE TIME. And then discusses them with me, and expects me to have answers for his questions (what does a black hole really look like, why is a super nova so dangerous, do you think we could see one someday, etc. etc)

He is also a fantastic brother. He's gentle with the Baby, plays with the Girl, and never balks when I tell him to hold someones hand. He loves his siblings and is so excited for another one. I couldn't ask for it to be better.

I'm sure he will eventually grow his hair long, stop washing, and start yelling things like "i hate you, i hate you" but for now he's still a great little guy and I'm just amazed at that!

The Beach and Lovin it and hopeful for tomorrow

Summer has started and we went to the beach for the first time last week and loved it. It was the kids first time and hubby had forgotten how much he loved it. We also went to the aquarium and had so much fun checking out the fish and turtles an dalbino alligator/crocodile (i can't remember which)

NOW we are hoping to go again. This time with my Dad who is back from Afghanistan. The ONLY problem is that it might be some rain. I really hope there's not. I would be so sad if we drove 2 hours and didn't get to go play on the beach and make our castles and swim in the ocean.

Fingers crossed.