The Odyssey

Kid Stuff

2009-09-03T11:08:00.003-05:00

Dwayne bought the game Punch Out for our Wii. One of the characters is named Piston Honda. Danae said his name sounds like when daddy says "Brayden just pissed on himself". Get it? Piston = Pissed on. It was one of those funny moments that you can't necessarily laugh about in front on them. Can't encourage that behavior.

Anyway, school is back in session and that holds true for school at our house. Brayden's handwriting is greatly improving. Danae is spelling new words every day and is finally getting the concept of phonics. She had the hardest time understanding how to sound out words. She would simply memorize how they looked and were spelled. Obviously, we still have hard words and lazy days but it's getting better. They're both doing well with addition too. I'm so proud of my kids. Can you tell?

Danica is doing what she's supposed to I guess. She sits up, rolls around, and babbles constantly. The older two love seeing her progress and get excited every time she utters a new sound. It's rather cute watching them with her, until they get too rough of course.

Okay, gotta go. They just finished their handwriting assignment. Just wanted to post something since I said I'm back now.

I'm back

2009-08-31T11:12:00.004-05:00

I know it's been a very long time since I've written on this here blog. I've had a million things to write about but just haven't had the time or energy to collect my thoughts and post something. Now, my life is settled again so I'm back.

The summer has been great. We've traveled quite a bit. We've spent time with family and friends. We've done some other cool things in our fair city.

Now, school is back in session. Homeschool, that is. The kids are growing and enjoying life. I'm going to try to post something daily but we'll see how that goes.

Until later,

My take on MJ...

2009-07-06T07:39:00.003-05:00

Since I was a child, I have always been fascinated by people's worship and admiration for Michael Jackson. Back in the 1980's, he used to rent out the Civic Center in Pensacola to practice and prepare for his upcoming tours. People would camp out nearby just to get a Michael Jackson sighting. Just to see his limo going by. Just for him to wave at them. All this, for a man who wouldn't even do a concert in Pensacola because we didn't have a large enough venue for him. Anywhere he went across the world, hordes of people would faint or become hysterical just because of his presence. Now, don't get me wrong. I had his pictures hanging on the walls in my room. I owned the red leather jacket with 5000 zippers everywhere. I had the white socks and penny loafers too. Shoot, I even had a MJ purse with his picture on the side. (I could probably make a pretty penny if I still had them.)

He was, and still is, a god to a lot of people. The true American idol. Even in the more recent years when he was but a caricature of his former self and hadn't put out new music, people still would sit in awe of him.

Yes, he was a talented man. Yes, he seemed to be a philanthropist. Yes, he had a troubled life. But, he was still a man. A man who was destined to crumble under the pressure that comes with knowing that millions of people expect greatness. A man who searched for perfection so much that he marred his previously beautiful face.

So, what's the point of this rant? Glad you asked. Seeing the world's fascination with his life and now his death and seeing the reports of the server crashing because of people trying to get tickets to his funeral makes me contemplative. What if we were as interested in seeing Jesus? What if we loved Him so much that we knew all of His word like we know MJ's songs? What if we took such an interest in His death and resurrection that we wanted to make sure everyone knew when it happened and what it means for us today? Writing this made me think about the hymn that says "Turn your eyes upon Jesus...so the things of this world will grow faintly dim." Satan uses any and every thing to turn us away from what should be our true focus. While we mourn the death of the greatest entertainer, while we learn lessons from his life, while we grieve for his family and kids, let even this bring us closer to Jesus and more ready for life eternal.

I'm busy y'all...

2009-06-25T10:22:00.003-05:00

I've been meaning to post something lately but just don't have the time. Let's see what I've been up to, if I can even remember. I have a horrible memory lately.

Our 12 year old niece is here for a large part of the summer. That is...interesting. And it confirms my decision to not have more children. I am not ready for my children to hit that adolescence stage. My kids and their cousin have been arguing, fussing, fighting like crazy. Then they have a few moments of kindness and get along. Talk about annoying. Still, we're glad she's here and hope she has a good time out here.

Jaelyn had a successful heart surgery. We are so extremely happy about that. We have been praying and asking so many other people to pray for her. God is good!

Our other niece was born on Monday. Can't wait to see little Denise.

I totally missed my friend Red's birthday. I reminded myself until the day of and then forgot to call her. Sorry girl! I still love you!

I'm basically a single mom during the week right now because Dwayne has a huge audit coming up at work. As soon as I can, I'm taking a me day and enjoying it to the fullest.

Danae is now taking ballet, tap, and gymnastics class. So cute! I'll have to upload pictures when I get a minute. Brayden is in gymnastics class and he absolutely loves it.

Oh, and I'm almost 32. Where has the time gone?

Baby Body

2009-06-02T11:10:00.002-05:00

I don't embarrass easily nor am I very self-conscious. But, I am really bothered by my body since Danica has been born...specifically, my stomach area. I know that I have birthed 3 babies. Because I didn't spread or gain weight anywhere else, my stomach was stretched to its limit. But, now, post baby it is NOT CUTE. I look like I'm still 5 months pregnant!

So, I have been working on it for a few weeks now. I know it hasn't been long at all but I am seeing no results yet. I'm still working though. I was hoping to comfortable enough for a bathing suit this summer but that may have to wait a year. Ugh!

I still can't wear quite a bit of my pre-pregnancy clothes. But I refuse to buy more. Why? Because I WILL get back into them. I have been fortunate most of my life to not really have to worry much about weight gain. So, this is bothering me big time.

I will track my progress and if I ever get a post-baby body where people don't say "you look good to have 3 kids" but instead just say "you look good" I will be so very happy.

With a daughter like mine, you have to have a very good self-esteem. She has asked me a few times if I'm pregnant with a baby brother. She's laughed at my stomach. I can't wait until she's in the same predicament in 20+ years because payback is a mutha.

Being Busy

2009-06-01T07:31:00.002-05:00

I know I have been having big breaks in between posts lately. I just can't seem to find time to get to this thing, although I have so much to write about. Before Danica, I would wake up earlier than the children to have a little quiet time, have my morning devotion, write in this blog, and take care of things around the house. After Danica, I just tried to sleep as long as possible. However, that affected my efficiency around here, and my sanity, since I had no 'me' time. .

So, today I have gone back to the way things were. I woke up early, ate breakfast, studied my sabbath school lesson, and am now writing this post.

I had a nice weekend. Church was good, we had company for lunch, and then watched a movie (well Dwayne watched the movie while I slept on his shoulder). Yesterday, we went to a park for a child's birthday party and then came home and worked in our garden. We were supposed to go to a graduation party Saturday night but didn't make it back out of the house.

The garden is doing wonderfully well. We now have tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, carrots, collard greens, spinach, strawberries, thyme, basil, oregano, cilantro, scallions, and lavender growing out there. I may have left something out. It's rather nice not having to buy those things. The tomatoes, eggplants, and bell peppers are growing like crazy. Our neighbors have been helping us eat the tomatoes and peppers. Some of the neighborhood kids like to come to look at our garden. It's crazy because the garden itself is quite small but producing a lot. Can't tell you how the strawberries taste because every time one grows the squirrels come and eat it. We covered the plants with a mesh/net covering to keep them away. We'll see how that works out.

The kids are great. Danae is on a spelling kick and wants to know how every word imaginable is spelled. Makes for a lengthy conversation sometimes because if I use a word she finds interesting she will stop mid-conversation to ask how it's spelled. Brayden is writing now and doing very well. There are a couple of letters he can't quite get but I'm proud of him anyway. He's doing quite well for a 2 year old. Danica busies herself blowing bubbles and cooing and screaming at her annoying older siblings. Life is good.

Later.

CBS is not smart!

2009-05-20T14:25:00.001-05:00

That title is only because I can't say stupid...because it's a bad word.

Anyway, I was all ready to post something new and exciting and then I read that CBS has cancelled The Unit. That is my show! It's the only show in the whole week that I absolutely HAD to watch. I'm actually angry about this. I love Jonas Blaine and the rest of the unit.

Stomping off...

Motherhood

2009-05-12T10:54:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I had something to do so the kids went to their old sitter's house for a few hours. We got home later than intended so I knew I would be rushing to prepare dinner, get them bathed, and settled for the night. Here's what really happened.

As soon as we entered the house, Brayden started running around saying "Mommy, I have to pee". So we rush into the bathroom and as soon as his pants are unbuttoned, he starts peeing on himself. I clean him up and decide they can play in the tub while I start preparing dinner. As soon as we get to the kitchen, Danica throws up all over me, herself, and the floor. So, I take her to our bathroom and bathe her. Before I can get her pj's buttoned up, Brayden starts screaming "I have to pee!" Because he just went all over the bathroom floor, I'm a little perplexed. I run to their bathroom anyway only to find out he didn't have to pee, he had to poop and had already dropped two bombs in the bathtub where his sister and a ton of toys are. So, I grab him and put his wet butt on the toilet (because he wasn't finished). Danae is already out of the tub and I'm cleaning the tub, putting all the toys in a bucket to be cleaned (more likely thrown out). Meanwhile, Danica is on my bed waiting to be completely dressed but being really patient and quiet. I clean the tub, bathe Danae first, then bathe Brayden. They're dressed and ready for bed. I take them to the kitchen and find leftovers in the fridge to feed them. They're happy. I get Danica dressed and in the swing. I still have to clean the bathroom and kitchen floors, wash pissy clothes, and whatever else that needs to be done.

Where is Dwayne? At a charity golf tournament enjoying himself.

Unnecessary Comment

2009-04-28T13:34:00.002-05:00

If you know me, you know I am not easily offended. But this comment...it kinda got to me a little bit. Luckily, it happened over the phone.

Other Person: Your baby is so pretty.
Me: Thank you.
Other Person: She really is beautiful. The other two just weren't as pretty as she is.
Me: (Long silence) I can't believe you just said that.

I won't bore you with the details of the rest of the conversation. But, is it just me, or was the last part of that statement just really not necessary. I would've had absolutely no problem with just the first part but don't compare my kids and, in essence, put down my other two. Thank you if you think my baby is pretty. I do too. Now, let's just leave it at that.

Ugh...

My next post will be much happier and filled with pictures and commentary on my wonderful, although way too short, trip to Florida.

Pray for us

2009-04-23T08:52:00.002-05:00

We're leaving today to go on a road trip to Tallahassee. We're going for our godson's baby dedication and to actually meet him for the first time. As a bonus, we get to meet our newest niece too.

Because we waited too long to buy airline tickets, we're driving...with our 3 kids. That's why I need you all to pray for us.

Follow up on my daddy

2009-04-22T17:05:00.002-05:00

Yes, I have told him how I feel. Obviously, nothing has changed. He doesn't think it's that bad really. Of course he has been this way his whole life so I don't expect anything to change. It's just extremely frustrating at times. When my mother died, I thought it was so unfair that she was the one to die. This doesn't mean I wanted my dad to die instead. But, she was the one who was very involved in my life. When she left, I was very lost.

By the way, when I write a post I don't check it. I like to write things just the way they pop up in my head. So please forgive me for any typos or grammatical errors you may see. Oh, and those pesky posts where I'm all over the place with my randomness. That's just a reflection of my brain at that time.

Danica and My Dad

2009-04-21T09:02:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, Danica had to go to the doctor for her shots. She now weighs 11 lbs, 5 oz and is 22 inches long. We won't discuss her head measurements because my children are always ahead of their peers on that one. The best thing about her right now is that she is sleeping for 6 hours straight at night, waking up to eat, and going right back down for 3-4 hours. Is that great or what?

Now, on to the real post.

I'm a little mad/disappointed with my dad. He has made no plans to come see his newest granddaughter and doesn't seem in much of a hurry. Why? Softball. You see, my dad is a sports junkie. Always has been and I guess he always will. Nothing comes before sports for him. Because of this, he's been inducted in the black softball hall of fame and the black high schoolers hall of fame. Those names may not be totally accurate but it's something like that.

Even when I was growing up, it was understood that sports was first. I'm not talking about watching it (unless it's the playoffs/championship game). He likes to play sports. He's now 68 and still plays softball on a team. So, if he had to choose between coming to my christmas play and playing basketball, basketball won. Taking me to the park vs. playing baseball. I better hope there's a slide and some swings at the baseball field. Church vs the game. Well, you see where I'm going with this.

When Danae was born, he was here the day we got home from the hospital. He was excited because it was his 1st grandchild and it was between softball seasons.

I am so tired of sports being his first love. I can't imagine being married to him. As you can imagine, there aren't a ton of old men's softball teams so he travels almost every weekend to play.

I realize he's not about to change any time soon but today this little situation is really bothering me. He's my only parent and he's getting older. And, I'm still playing second fiddle to his love of sports.

Friends - How many of us have them?

2009-04-20T13:48:00.002-05:00

Do y'all remember that song?

I was talking to Brayden's friend last week about friends. I thought Brayden's friend was actually mine but it seem he has claimed her for himself.

Anyway, I've been told by someone else that I'm too liberal with that 'friend' title. I don't know if I'm too liberal or that I'm guilted into calling people my friend. (Is guilted even a word? Hopefully, you know what I mean by that.) Here's the thing. There are some folks who introduce me as their friend when in my mind we're simply associates or people with common interests such as church or kids of the same age. Or, our husbands are friends which means we have to hang out sometimes.

If I really think about it, I have a short friend list. I'm very cool with this, by the way. There aren't a whole lot of people that I willingly let in and share my thoughts with. If you're reading this because I sent the link to you, I probably think of you as a friend. You will notice some people you may know are conspicuously absent. And, there are a few, who refuse to comment but rather send an email in response to my posts. It's because they're crazy. Because they're my friends I can say that.

Yes, I realize I keep going off on mini tangents.

So, the point is that I have been blessed to meet some lovely ladies and upstanding gentleman who I truly care about and consider a blessing in my life. People that I would keep in touch with (even if only by email) even if we didn't go to the same church or have kids of the same age. Don't feel bad if I don't call you; I barely call my own daddy and I love him for sure. I would ride or die for my friends. I would eat beans and rice or pb&j sandwiches if my friends needed financial help. We prosper together; we struggle together.

Now, what about you? Do you have a lot of friends? Are you liberal with that title or do you reserve it for those you really care about?

Oh yeah, I don't have a BFF although I have a friend from home who refers to me as her BFF. Um, we ain't got nothing in common besides our childhood. We are like night and day right now. She's still my girl but BFF is taking it a little too far. Every time I type BFF, I feel like I'm a kid again.

Alright, I'm out now.

I'm a bit scatterbrained in this post...

2009-04-07T11:40:00.004-05:00

15 years ago, today, my mom died. I almost never remember on this actual day so I thought I would blog about it. Sometimes, it seems like it was last month. Sometimes, it seems like it was 30 years ago.

Dwayne's cousin had a baby girl on February 18th. That's the same day Danica was born. They were both born with a heart murmur and at almost the same time. And, our baby is Danica Aliyah. Her baby's first name is Aliyah. Isn't that cool? None of this was discussed before the births.

I just found out my husband had absolutely no plans to get a vasectomy. We had discussed it before and he said he was going to do it. Because he didn't seem to be in a rush, I went ahead and scheduled my procedure. The other day, during a conversation, he told me he was never going to get fixed anyway. Sucka!

I have some really good friends who don't live in Houston. I miss them!

Danica smiles a lot now. I love it! She gives the best smiles to Danae though. She's scared of Brayden. If he gets too close, she will cry or turn her head away. I don't blame her one bit. He's dangerous! He has already hit her twice trying to play with her.

Please continue to pray for my niece's health. The doctors confirmed that she has Down Syndrome. She also has two holes in her heart that will need to be surgically repaired when she's a little older.

Boredom

2009-04-01T16:11:00.001-05:00

I'm so tired of being in this house now. First, I tried to limit my wanderings because of the newborn. Now, I have to stay in a couple of days because of my procedure. I'm bored though. I think I'll be going to church this weekend. YAY!

Getting Fixed!

2009-03-31T14:06:00.002-05:00

So, today I'm recovering from getting fixed...also known as a tubal ligation. It's not so bad except I've created children who love to run up and hug me and well, that's not the best thing when your tummy is hurting.

Right before the anesthesiologist did his magic, my doctor asked if I was absolutely sure I wanted this. Of course I was and still am. It's so freeing for me to know that I never have to worry about getting pregnant again or using any contraceptive. Go us!

Brayden saw my hairline incision and asked if the doctor stabbed me. I have no idea how he knows what stabbing is but I told him no. Brayden then said he's going to spank the doctor for hurting me. Aw, my baby boy wants to defend his mommy. How sweet!

***

In other news, please pray for my niece, Jaelyn. She's sick and in Shands Hospital in Gainesville. Also pray for her mom and dad. This is their first child and they've been thrown a serious curve ball. But, "all things work together for good to them that love God". We were never promised that only good things work together but all things. We just have to trust God even when we can't trace him.

I'm an Auntie!

2009-03-26T12:19:00.001-05:00

I was all set to post something witty and informational. You know I'm just kidding.

But, now I just want you to know that I'm an auntie again. My brother-in-law and his wife just gave birth to a beautiful 6 lb 1 oz little girl named Jaelyn Antoinette. Aww! I can't wait to meet her.

Do You Hear That?

2009-03-22T12:22:00.003-05:00

It's called silence, and it is indeed golden. Dwayne, his father, and our oldest two children are gone so the kids can pick strawberries at the strawberry patch. Danica is sleeping peacefully in my bed. The only thing I hear is the sound of the washing machine. This is so very nice.

One of my favorite pair of sandals broke yesterday. As soon as I stepped into the garage, the strap popped. Looks like I need to go look for a replacement pair.

I've realized facebook has made me more of a recluse. I already rarely call people. It's gotten worse since I know I can look at people's status or message and get a general idea of how they're doing.

I'm reading two really good books. One is called "Home Sweet Home School" and the other is "His Robe is Mine". They both have messages I really need to hear right now.

That's all I have for now. Talk to you guys later.

Birthdays

2009-03-16T23:24:00.002-05:00

Today would have been my mother's 61st birthday...if she were still alive. Unfortunately, I know quite a few people who lost a parent early in life. Most of them feel sad on that parent's birthday or other holidays like Mother's Day or Father's Day. I don't.

There have been many times that I wished my mother were still alive. Some days have been harder than others. I really wish she could've met my husband and children. I wish she could've been there for my prom, graduation, debutante ball.

But today, instead of grieving over something that I have no control over, I spent the day at the zoo. I celebrated the 2nd birthday of a beautiful little boy named Boston. My children spent time with their friends learning about animals. The weather was perfect. And so was seeing the smiles on my children's faces.

There's really no point lamenting over what could have been when you can enjoy what's right in front of you.

What Do You Think?

2009-03-12T11:33:00.003-05:00

I have a friend who is married with children. They were trying to think of vacation ideas for spring break. She wanted to go somewhere tropical or at least a beach spot in the states. He said they couldn't afford it right now. Would be understandable except...

He went to the inauguration by himself and was gone for several days.
He went on a trip in February with the boys once again leaving his family behind.

So, he could afford to take two solo trips but can't afford to go on a vacation with his family. She even suggested that they just go for a weekend but he said they don't need to be spending money on frivolous things right now. They're now going to visit family for spring break.

I was annoyed for her because if we're broke then nobody should be going on trips. But, maybe that's just me.

What do you think?

Just Stuff

2009-03-11T14:47:00.003-05:00

So, Danica was crying and I couldn't get to her right away. By the time I did (maybe 5-10 minutes) she was very upset with me. Danae and Brayden tried to calm her but it didn't work. So, I picked her up and started singing "Jesus Loves Me" to her. It's something I have done with all of my children because it tends to calm them and keeps me calm as well. Brayden came to me and said "Stop Mommy." When I asked why, he said "that's my song so you can't sing that to her. You need to choose a different song."

I'm supposed to get serious about getting my body in shape. So, why did I just polish off half a box of Thin Mints. Girl scout cookies are the devil! I'm so glad they're not available all year long. I'm not going to mention the other junk I've eaten in the last couple of days. I really need to get on the ball, especially since my Trini friend and I say we're going to train for a 5k.

I Made It!

2009-03-10T12:02:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was my first day flying solo with all three children. It wasn't so bad. We still had school time although we adjusted the schedule a bit. By the time Dwayne came home though, I was very tired and so happy I didn't have to cook dinner. I have awesome friends!

All of the children are doing very well. The older two are a bit overwhelming with showering their sister with their love. But, at least they're not trying to hurt her or anything. We just have to make them give her a break sometimes. Danica is doing well at night. She wakes up to eat and goes back to sleep. I moved the rocking chair in my room so I can nurse her and put her back in her own bed. When I bring her to my bed, I end up falling asleep and she just stays in there with us. Even though I did the same thing with the other two, this time I want as much uninterrupted sleep as possible. With a newborn in the bed, the sleep just isn't as good.

Every time I have a child, I'm so amazed by the love I have for them. It's my only experience with love at first sight. And, it's so different than what Dwayne and I share. Please note I said different not better.

The only thing that can make my life better now is for her to sleep through the night. That would be great!

Okay, that's all I got for now. We're still not venturing out much although we will hit up the library tomorrow so maybe that will provide good material for this old blog.

I just stopped by to say

2009-03-05T10:28:00.002-06:00

I'm so ready for my aunt to go home. I know someone will think it's crazy of me but I am so serious. She leaves on Monday and I am literally doing a countdown. Maybe next week I'll be singing another tune.

Crazy Conversations

2009-02-26T14:34:00.002-06:00

Since I like to post crazy conversations with my kids, I thought I should let you know where they get it from. The apple really doesn't fall far from the tree. Both of these happened while I was in labor with Danica.

First Example:
I was in pain but hadn't dilated enough to do anything. I was moaning and complaining.
Dwayne: You should try to think of other things to help take your mind off the pain.
Me: Like what? This hurts.
Dwayne: Think about cleaning the house or laundry or something.
Me: Fool, I'm in pain. Do you really think I want to start thinking about household chores?
Dwayne: That's the first thing that came to mind.
Me: (All I could do was roll my eyes)
Dwayne: Okay, think about Boracay beach in the Philippines. Remember the powdery sand. Blah, blah, blah.
Me: That's better but you're still stupid.

Second Example:
At this time, my contractions were less than a minute apart. I had to stay on my right side because the baby's heart rate kept decelerating during each contraction. I was in so much pain and uncomfortable. Tears started rolling down my face.
Dwayne: You didn't cry with the other two. Are you getting softer as you age?
Me: Why don't you get in this bed and have some contractions so you'll know how I feel.
Dwayne: All I know is you didn't cry before.
Me: Are you calling me a punk. I ain't no punk.
Dwayne: (laughs uncontrollably while the nurse tells us we're her favorite couple in labor and delivery).

Love at First Sight

2009-02-23T16:26:00.004-06:00

I am absolutely in love with this little girl.

Danica was born with a heart murmur but we found out today it's no longer there. We are so happy with this little perfect being and can't wait to get to know her more.