the crumptons

spelling

2009-10-27T17:20:00.002-05:00

Deron is quickly learning to spell. He's quite an impressive speller, if I do say so myself. He's definitely surprised Philip and I both several times. What a smart kid we have!

Last week bug was in the bathtub and he shouts, "Mom! Come look! Popsicle!" I came in and saw this attempt. How cute is this?!

pumpkin patch time!

2009-10-10T19:17:00.005-05:00

Here is documentation of our trip to the pumpkin patch! Deron's school got cancelled Friday and Monday because of several cases of swine flu (thankfully only in older grades), and his class was supposed to go on a field trip. I was so sad for him-probably more than he was- that I decided we'd all go that evening. It was a quick trip, but fun anyhow. We got some great pictures!

My favorite!

Not sure what all the hand raising was about.

Pledge to the Christian Flag

2009-10-06T14:02:00.001-05:00

This afternoon Deron and I were playing school. He then recited the Pledge of Allegiance spot-on. He then sang "My Country 'Tis Of Thee" and went on to recite the Pledge to the Christian Flag and to the Bible and then sang "I May Never...(march in the infantry, ride in the calorie, shoot the artillery)".

I thought I'd post his version of the Pledge to the Christian Flag.

I pledge allegience to the Christian flag of the United States of America. One nation, crucified, risen and coming again. Full of life, liberty to all who believe.

hehe

playtime

2009-10-05T15:47:00.002-05:00

from the bellybutton

2009-10-05T15:34:00.002-05:00

This morning as we were getting ready to take bug to school, he says bear is hungry and he needs to feed him when we get in the car. Philip and I look at each other with a mixed look of panic and hilarity not quite knowing what this will entail. We ask him, "Just HOW are you going to feed bear, Deron?" "Oh, just from my bellybutton, just like mommy."

(Philip and I then turn to each other with a new mixed look of relief and more hilarity.)
"Oooooh, ok," we replied.

Then as he sits down in his chair in the car, he pulls up his shirt ALL the way and sticks bear right on his bellybutton. He tells me that bear is very hungry and he has to feed him all the way until we get to his school.

When we get to school, he tells me bear isn't quite full yet and he'll hand him to me once he gets to his class. Because I didn't want to start off on a bad foot and his class is the first inside the building, I said that was fine and we proceeded to walk across the parking lot, with his shirt completely pulled up and held by his chin. The teacher standing at the front door laughed and the principal that we passed laughed and then his teacher laughed as she told him bear needed to stay with mommy.

I'm glad we shared joy around this morning. :)

Dedication Sunday!

2009-09-22T17:57:00.007-05:00

Last Sunday our church held baby dedications. It is such a sweet time for our friends and family to pray over our new little ones and commit to helping us raise them in the Kingdom. Unfortunately, none of our parents could be in town (totally understandably though- Philip's parents were in Germany, mine we had seen almost every weekend for 6 weeks, and we had just driven BACK from Dallas where they live from the conference). We had lots of spiritual family around though to help us celebrate!

Amity and Ella (born 2 weeks before Jude)

Why, oh why must I be so gushy when it comes to certain things? I really wanted all 4 of us to be a part of this, but I should have just left the bug in his class. Philip spent the whole time cajoling him and trying to keep him from squirming and whining over everyone praying. *sigh* Oh well. I'm learning!

Here are a few cute pictures when we got home! Don't you love the bowtie!!?

My cutie!

Marriage Seminar 2009

2009-09-22T16:03:00.004-05:00

This year, again, we traveled to Dallas to gain wisdom and spend a little time devoted to our marriage. I can't stress enough how important it has been for us to invest in one of the most important relationships we have. I hope to someday pass on all of the awesome stuff God has taught us about marriage!

Deron's new favorite game: playing school. These are the centers he's laid out in the hotel room: puzzles, drawaing, books. So cute! Often I play Auston Keith Gray while he plays Ms. Chaconne. Once while I was in a coloring center he said, "Now I'll come over here and sit and watch you." When asked what teachers do, he replied, "Oh teachers? They don't do anything. Except talk. And sit."

The group. We all just met up at the church.

Our great friends, The Blaines!

The Pizookie from BJs. Yummm.

My parents watched the kids in the hotel while we were gone. Their house is being remodeled and this particular weekend they were ousted from their bedroom (and the rest of the bedrooms!)
Smiles for grandma!
Caught a smile!
The two boys. Quiet. Asleep. Ahhhhh...

just for fun. 6 weeks

2009-09-22T15:56:00.003-05:00

A jude-tastic photo shoot. He just learned to smile! You'll be seeing more smiles from now on. :)

Labor day at the zoo

2009-09-09T17:22:00.007-05:00

I got to take the boys to the zoo Monday for Labor Day. Here are some fun pictures of our adventure...

Check out this guy's tongue!

And... a gratuitous Deron picture.

"Yes, Sir!"

2009-09-09T16:30:00.003-05:00

Deron's been in school for 2 1/2 weeks now. He's learned 2 Bible verses, discipline, and a multitude of songs. I'm having so much fun seeing his pictures everyday displaying his skill of coloring in the lines and cutting in a straight line! I wish I was in his class! How much fun to do crafts all day and get stickers and stamps just for coloring and learning to glue bits of construction paper on to bigger pieces of construction paper! Not to mention all the fun songs! Yesterday bug was sitting at the table with Philip and I at lunch and he just started singing, "I wanna see, I wanna see, I wanna see Jesus lifted high!". Oh, to make a mommy and daddy proud!

We had a few incidences of hitting/pushing the first week of school. When discipline really started to be implemented, he came home with green dots!! Yay!! This was daddy's reaction. So sweet!

39 things Every Mom Should Know

2009-09-09T15:15:00.003-05:00

I have seen across the cyber-world varying opinions on this article. I, for one, enjoyed it and actually felt a bit better about mommyhood after reading. Those who know me know I don't believe in karma and I hugely dislike halloween, but some of the other points I've learned on my own and wish someone had told me! :)

39 Things Every Mom Should Know
from Parents Magazine...written by Kacy Faulconer

1. You never have to go to obnoxious kid-themed restaurants. Ever. I wish someone had told me that.

2. Don't make birthday parties a huge deal.

3. Do your chores while kids are awake. Using up naptime to wash dishes or clean the bathroom is truly soul-crushing.

4. Put Band-Aids on everything your kids want you to. Why not?

5. If the kids are awake, bite the bullet and be awake yourself. You'll waste so many hours trying futilely to extend early-morning snoozes that it's not worth it. If you are sick, pregnant, or it's the middle of the night, ignore this advice.

6. Just throw away the poopy underwear.

7. Don't beat yourself up if you have to use a bribe.

8. Teach your kids not to pee outside unless you're camping-- you'll be glad you did. But if other people's kids do it, don't judge teh parents too harshly-- it's all about karma. (If you're in the midst of potty training, all bets are off. You've gotta do what you've gotta do.)

9. Buy cheap shoes when kids are little. Feet grow faster than you think.

10. Don't forget about board games. You'll suffer through way too much Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders, but Connect Four and Battleship aren't half bad. And Clue rocks.

11. Embrace their quirks.

12. Know this: That stain won't come out. And it's okay. (The sooner you accept this, the better.)

13. At some point it will be February. Things will seem bleak. You will think about vitamins, glasses, more exercise, more sleep, more chores, less TV, more rules, fewer rules, and organic food. Just wait. Things will get better when the snow melts. Know that it will happen again at the end of summer, right before school starts. It's the circle of life, baby.

14. Always get boys' haircuts at barber shops instead of hair salons.

15. Answer this question: What is the worst thing that can happen if your kids sleep in their clothes?

16. Never stifle a generous inclination.

17. Try to like what they like. It kind of sucks when it's Bob the Builder, but the payoff will come when they discover Lemony Snicket.

18. Teach them to pump on the swings ASAP.

19. If your child falls asleep occasionally without brushing her teeth, don't wake her; baby teeth do eventually fall out.

20. I know you are supposed to use natural consequences to punish bad behavior, but sometimes it's hard to think of natural consequences. In these cases try threatening your kids with clipping their toenails or some other activity they dread. I've had great success with this one, but you must find your own.

21. Get used to the word zerrissenheit. It means a state of disjointedness, and it's the new normal for most of us. At least you can feel fancy because it's German.

22. Buy kids deodorant before they need it.

23. Teach your children to make their own breakfast-- and allow enough time so they can do it without pressure.

24. I can't stress this enough: Use duvet covers on your comforters and forget about the top sheet. Not only will you thank me for this advice, but your kids will thank me as well when they are learning to make their bed.

25. Remember clogging lessons are not in the best interest of the child.

26. Don't administer a punishment that hurts you more than it does them.

27. Always pack wipes. If your kids go somewhere without you, send along wipes. It's like having a mom with them.

28. Do not allow the word wienies in your home.

29. Dress your little girls like, well, little girls.

30. Make sure your kids know how they like their eggs and burgers cooked. You don't want them to feel stress when ordering at the diner.

31. It's fine to brag about yourself to your kids.

32. Buy quaint wooden toys and hand-knit stuffed animals, but don't expect your kids to play with them.

33. Just say "No" to any toy or doll that comes with packets that have to be mixed with water.

34. Teach them to like cool music. Why suffer through The Wiggles when you could be enjoying Wilco or counting along with Feist?

35. Don't buy the most expensive school-picture package. It's a waste of money.

36. Give out awards for actual achievements.

37. You're never too old to dress up and decorate your house for Halloween. And it's more fun for everyone if you are into it. It also entitles you to more candy.

38. If the school year, new babysitter, or karate class gets off to a rocky start, don't totally stress out about it. Instead, think of the improvement that can be made by the end of the year.

39. Independence is a wonderful thing. For everyone. So is together time. Make sure you have a healthy dose of both.

1 month old

2009-09-08T22:19:00.006-05:00

We've hit the 1-month milestone! (Actually, tomorrow will be 5 weeks, but hey). Our littlest man has grown quite a bit, now really fitting into those 0-3 month clothes, and even some 3-6 mo. This makes me happy, since Deron had some awfully cute clothes, but since their birthdays are on opposite sides of the summer, a lot of his old stuff will be out of season.

Anyway, he's begun one of my favorite things: cooing. And we're also getting into somewhat of a schedule. This also makes me happy. Schedules are this mommy's best friend. When things are out of whack, it seems to make everything and everyone, well, out of whack.

Enjoy some new pictures!

disclaimer: ok, for those of you who clicked on this picture to get a close-up of our cute feet, let me assure you that I KNOW it is time to get a pedi. Sue me for being on my feet a lot and not adequately preparing the bottoms of my feet for this picture. The opportunity arose, and I had to take it.

rachael ray

2009-09-08T22:18:00.002-05:00

The past week and a half I have made 5 Rachael Ray recipes and have 1 more on the schedule for this week. I've also printed out 2 more to try maybe next week.

I have this newfound joy for Rachael Ray's stuff. We used to be die-hard Alton Brown fans (and still are), but I found that more often than not he liked including either hard-to-find ingredients or there was a lot to buy for one recipe. With needing to shop on a budget, but still wanting to cook good food for my boys, and ENJOY what I make (since I do really love to cook), I turned again to Rachael. I don't mind "slaving away" for up to an hour making something delish, so it's not that her recipes are often pretty easy to whip up. I've just found that they are quite yummy and don't cost a lot at the grocery.

Since I've had so much fun trying out some of her recipes, I thought I'd share them with you as well.

Mexican Lasagna - this was really easy and really tasty! Philip especially enjoyed it. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small pieces instead of ground chicken and omitted the corn for my love. I also just used the flour tortillas I had in the fridge and all worked out very yummily!

Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Basil-Parsley Sauce - very good. Definitely on the to-make-again stack. To me it is basically a chicken parm recipe (which is a staple at our house) without the tomato sauce. On the link it includes a recipe for Cheesy Risi e Bisi, which I kinda flubbed on and made white rice with parmesan.

Spicy Pork Roast with Rosemary Potatoes - I just realized this isn't RRay, but it was good anyhow. I had a pork roast, which I've never cooked before, and found this recipe. The sweet and sour sauce was a little strange, and we liked the taste of the pork without it better than with. Good to know.

Barbecued Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps - I made these for lunch yesterday. I don't often cook Asian, so it was a stretch, but I thought it sounded interesting. I left out the water chestnuts for Philip again, and used powdered ginger (since I already had it) instead of grating ginger root myself. All in all, it was really great. I haven't done lettuce wraps ever, so it was fun! Philip's first comment when he saw it on the table was, "Aww! It's so cute!" haha.. made me smile.

Fennel-Pepper Spaghetti - I saw her make this on her show last week and it completely intrigued me. The fennel seeds are supposed to give the illusion of sausage (smells like it!), and the heartiness of the peppers and onions gives a good texture with the noodles. We had this last night and I did again for lunch today. Fantastic! Philip thought it better as a side dish, but I thought it was a great change to your typical meat and tomato sauce. I will definitely be making this again.

On the to-make list:
The Only Pizza You'll Ever Want Again: Chicken, Sun Dried Tomato, Broccoli, Ricotta, Mozzarella and Basil - on the docket for this week! The broccoli is an interesting touch, but we'll see how it really tastes! I'll let you know.

Chicken Cacciatore Subs - anything on bread is yum

Mini Chicken Sausage Meatballs with Gnocchi and Tomato Sauce - my love has a love for gnocchi, so he's pumped about this one. I've never cooked gnocchi before (and I don't even know where to find it at the grocery!), so it'll be a fun one to try!

30-love

2009-08-31T21:06:00.004-05:00

Saturday we took the boys out for a little tennis. Deron's doing well! (He just needs a racket that's not bigger than he is.) It was such a beautiful morning and I can't wait to be able to REALLY play once I'm all healed up! And Philip's even taking tennis as a P.E. this semester, so he's brushing up on his game too! Sweet!

Aunt D came to town (and first day of pre-k!)

2009-08-30T22:36:00.004-05:00

Last week Aunt D came to town! She was a HUGE help and we just plain had fun, too! While she was here, Deron started Pre-K, and Philip started his first day of his LAST SEMESTER!!!! (Please rise for the Hallelujah Chorus...) I actually woke up feeling quite pitiful, so my wonderful hubby urged me to stay home. So sad! He took some sweet pictures of their trip up to school though. He's done well academically (I had NO doubts)... the things they're learning he already knows, but it's good for him to review. One fun thing he is learning is Bible verses! Last week he just spouted off Genesis 1:1 to me at lunch. Let me tell you what a proud mama I was when I heard the Word coming out of my babe's mouth! Yes! It's Monday and he's already learned this week's verse- John 1:3. By the end of the year they will have learned around 26 verses! Unfortunately, I think that might be more than what I can quote- I'm excited to learn along with him.

Diane's visit was mostly just filled with normal stuff we do around here. We went to church together, hung out on Monday while I didn't feel well, Tuesday we ran errands and stopped at Starbucks for a nice sisterly chat with the baby (who got lots of ooh's and ahh's, I might add), and went to the pool later that day. 2 nights in a row she also took the 2am feeding!!! I felt like a new woman getting to sleep 6 to 7 hours straight with no baby in the room! Thanks, D.

It was great spending time with you, sis. I love you!

the early weeks

2009-08-30T22:13:00.005-05:00

Sorry it's been so long. Life has been a bit different, needless to say, in the past 3 1/2 weeks! (Truthfully though, I've been trying my darndest to upload some fantastic videos of Deron playing his new favorite game, "America's Got Talent", but our uploading speed is painfully slow, and I think our computer gets so tired with such a huge file that it just throws in the towel and quits.) So, I have tried, but you'll just have to let your minds go wild about the cute game he's made up. Sorry. :)

The first week home was, well, boring. Don't get me wrong, it was great to have my love around most of the day to help out and have yummy meals brought to our home by caring friends for a few nights. And Deron got to spend every morning with his grandmama, including his first fishing trip, which helped tremendously! But I'm not much of a homebody and since I was taking exciting medicine, I couldn't drive myself anywhere. I got so bored seeing the one living space in our house and only being able to stand for 5 minutes at a time.

That was one facet. Emotions were the next train that hit me. I don't know if this was really the case, but I don't remember the rollercoaster after Deron was born. I was not prepared! Crying for no reason, disheartened at anything difficult, frustrated and glee-filled all at the same time... yikes. Thank goodness my husband is as awesome as he is. I really think he knows me better than myself sometimes. He would just hug me and make me realize that my hormones have just taken a huge hit, and I'm normal. Thanks, honey. I love you.

Here are some pictures!

first bath (bug sorta thought it was cool... not really)

pre-work lovin'
I love how tiny Jude looks in his arms!

first family photo
(can you believe it took me 2 weeks to get one with all 4 of us in it!?)

first Sunday at church together!

The arrival: Jude Owen Crumpton

2009-08-09T11:32:00.014-05:00

So here's the story, I know I love hearing the details, so here it goes!

Wednesday night we took Philip to my mother-in-laws house as usual so we could have our usual weekly date night (no sense in not having one the day before such a BIG day!). We had a nice light dinner together dreaming of what our new little one would look like, sound like, act like, etc, and came home. My parents shortly thereafter came into town and stayed with us overnight. 3:30 am came quite early the next morning, and Philip and I got up, dressed, and headed to the hospital. We were checked in and I was prepped in a storage closet of a room (seriously). It was rather humorous, gray paint stripped off the metal door of the bathroom, an old extra laptop on a cart in the corner of the room, big plastic storage bins mounted to the wall, gray linoleum instead of hardwood floors like the rest of the wing. I was surprised I had a clean bed. But they apologized and said they were completely full- only having one birthing room open, reserved for someone that might come in in labor. We understood, knowing we wouldn't be there for long.

I got wheeled into the OR a couple hours later, making the comment, "how can you not get nervous coming in to a room like this?" with all the white, sterile machines, two giant chrome lights above a single tiny table in the middle, doctors and nurses buzzing around with masks already on their faces... I leaned over for my spinal which didn't go in properly, was quite painful and got Philip queezy. He had to sit down and be brought juice to regain his stomach. The anesthesiologist took over (for the nurse anesthetist) and succeeded without much pain on my end (thankfully). Then began the strangest procedure I've ever experienced in my life. If you have never had surgery while awake before- there's nothing like it. I knew what was going on down below the curtain, but could not feel a thing! I kept telling Philip (who was fine now, and holding my hand), "This is so weird! So weird!" I was talking to the doctor and nurses the whole time, asking them what was this sound and that, etc.

Then it came. The most wonderful, heart-capturing sound God created: my baby's cry. I hadn't heard it with Deron because I was under general anesthesia for the c-section. There is no way to explain the joy I felt hearing Jude's cry: absolutely amazing. Instant tears flooded my eyes. They held him over the curtain so I could see him and he immediately stopped crying. We looked at each other for an hour-long instant. A beautiful moment. Then they cleaned him up, weighed him (7 lbs, 9oz), and gave him to Philip to show me again. Then Philip left with Jude and the nurses to the nursery for more cleaning as they finished sewing me up. I continued to make small talk with the staff as I laid there on the table. We talked about how we hated Walmart and loved Target and wished there was a Super Target in town. The nurses all commented on my tan and how cute my toes were, also. YES! That's what a woman wants to hear when she's naked, cut open, and just had a baby. Thank you pedicure!! haha...

Recovery was, recovery. Then off to the nursery to see my newborn Jude. They wouldn't let me have him in the room yet because he was breathing fast (normal, but watched in c-section babies). Philip was filling me in on how calm he was during the first exams, laying there interested and peaceful. His countenance we knew before we had ever seen him. They finally brought him in my room around 1pm. Everyone had gone to eat lunch or let me rest, so I got some time to spend with Jude all alone. This was so special! I fell in love all over again!

The rest of the day was spent, on my end, trying to stay awake and somewhat coherent (the morphine was doing a doozy on me!) while we had many visitors and family come meet Baby Jude and congratulate us. The first night was actually great! We decided to have Jude stay in the nursery and come in for feedings. This allowed Philip and I to get some MUCH needed rest during the night. Day #2 was great as well, getting a shower, eating real food, and getting more rest. We got to come home yesterday (Day #3), and are enjoying our new family of 4. It's so much fun!

Here are pictures of our week. Enjoy!

Pre-surgery (we were excited!)

The first time I got to see him.

Philip showing him off to big brother!

Showing Jude to the grandparents and brother.

Getting to hold him for the first time!

Footprints

Hey Jude!

Holding my two sons

Brotherly love. He seriously has been this affectionate since he came!

Ok, this is a funny one. I was really excited to have real food again and have taken a shower. I was "woohoo-ing". It was a great chicken salad sandwich!

Daddy and his new love.

See his shirt? It reads "I have arrived"....home, that is. :) I thought it was appropriate and cute!

Welcoming Baby Jude to his new room.

39 weeks!

2009-08-05T20:53:00.001-05:00

See you tomorrow, Sweet Baby Jude!

tomorrow!!

2009-08-05T15:27:00.004-05:00

floors swept and mopped : check
dishes done : check
laundry done : check
dusting done : check
bathrooms cleaned : check
ceiling fans washed and dusted : check (happened weeks ago, but still a part of the nesting process)
baseboards cleaned : check (another "had to get done" chore... haha)
yard mowed and edged, flowers watered, birdbath filled : check
garage cleaned and organized : check
trash taken out : check
everyone's bags packed : check
pedicure : check
carseat in van : check
van vacuumed and washed : check
date tonight : 6pm

It feels a little strange. Almost like leaving for vacation. Is everything really ready? I think it is. I feel like I'm forgetting things, but really, who cares? I have 16 hours until I am holding my new bundle in my arms! I am so terribly excited I just can't stand it! I see Deron getting excited too. He's been counting down the days on the calendar since last week. And Philip- oh, his heart is jumping for another little boy to hold!

So, tomorrow, while you are sleeping soundly probably, we will be getting ready and heading up to the hospital to begin yet another new chapter in our lives. Yay!!!

If you are wanting to visit us, please do! (Philip has announced that we will be having various themed parties in our room every 2 hours. Silly hubby...) Feel free to call his cell or mine to make sure I'm not zonked out. (Being ANYWHERE at 5am can take it out of ya.) Watch facebook for updates, or if you are lucky enough, you might even receive a text when little Mr. Crumpton makes his arrival!!

told you

2009-08-03T15:07:00.001-05:00

told you he wasn't sleeping.
yes, that's Thomas underwear on his head.

but it sure made me smile. :)

my last Monday with only 1

2009-08-03T14:31:00.003-05:00

3 days left... if I make it.

Today I'm incredibly tired. Went to the grocery store this morning and it completely depleted my energy! After lunch I started feeling contractions again (but this is the only time Philip has said that this is what he remembers right before Deron was born... the face, the "sick" feeling, just general discomfort). With all of the "this is it" moments I've had, I'm just finally waiting it out. Thursday is the day at the latest, and that's just fine with me. :)

But with the wondering today, I had to get a few things done! Laundry got started again, dishes got cleaned, floors need to be swept and mopped still, bathrooms cleaned, important calls made, shower taken.

But I'm just too tired now. Must relish the time the bug is "napping". He's not actually sleeping, since every 10 minutes I hear, "Can I get up now?!" But having the only sound in the house be the AC is definitely welcome.

And here I blog...

8 days and counting!

2009-07-29T09:41:00.002-05:00

Went to the doctor yesterday. Not really any new news, still at 3cm, everything looks great. He did wonder out loud whether I would actually make it to next Thursday, but we will just have to see! I have had several "is this it?!" moments, usually at night, but then we go to bed and nothing ever progresses. Maybe it's time to finally pack the inevitable hospital bag. It's strange though, I feel like since there's this preset date, I can put everything off until the day before. Not smart. I do though plan on getting a pedicure Monday or Tuesday of next week, just to be early. :) I have a whole bunch of stuff coming in, probably today, of the remaining "needed" stuff off my registry. This is extremely exciting!!! Not many things better than getting packages in the mail! And once they come, I will feel very ready for the new Mr. Crumpton.

Deron continually warms my heart how he talks about babies. He met our friend's new little Ella Claire last week in the hospital and was enamored at her. He held her (with daddy's help) so still and gently. How do kids know when something is so fragile? I can't wait for him to see his own little brother and see them look at each other and eventually play together! Only a few more days....

life with a 4-year old

2009-07-27T15:22:00.012-05:00

Oh, life is interesting with a 4-year old in the house. I thought I'd dedicate this one to him. The video of the little girl is stolen from Eric Whitacre's blog where he mentions that this is what it feels like to live with a 4-year old. I had to laugh and agree. Those of you who have one (or have had) will totally understand.

Everything is "Why" or "When" or "How". And every sentence begins and ends with Mommy or Daddy. (Example: "Daddy, why are you drinking coffee, Daddy?")

Last night conversation as I was putting him to bed:

Mommy: ooh!

Deron: Mommy, why'd you say "ooh!"?

Mommy: (In an effort to sound smart to a 4-year old) Because I'm having a contraction.

Deron: What does contraction mean?

Mommy: It means Baby Jude wants to come out.

Deron: Oh dear.

But amidst all the questions and head-strong discussions (that really just remind me of... me), he's such a sweet kid. I love this bug.

What?

2009-07-20T21:52:00.003-05:00

Philip is posting. Weird.

I love my wife. Katy is the most beautiful, captivating, graceful and compassionate companion I could hope for.

27 and 37

2009-07-20T21:39:00.006-05:00

Sunday I turned 27! It was a fun weekend. My parents drove out from Irving to celebrate (and bring a twin bed). We filled our time Saturday feeding ducks, playing at the park and the mall, buying some new books, going to a birthday party, and eating. I had planned on enjoying my birthday dinner at Perini Ranch: the best steak Philip and I have ever eaten (also I've read has catered at places like President Bush's ranch in Crawford several times). But, unfortunately, we didn't think about making reservations and didn't have time to wait for a possible outside table in an hour or more. Oh well. Next time maybe. I did get a pretty cool new digital camera that I'm excited about! Oh, and thank you sweet sis, for your blog post dedicated to me! It was super sweet!!

Sunday was a busy day! There was a guest speaker in town this weekend from California speaking at our church, at the prison here and other various places around the area. His name is "Big Al" Aceves. He is the co-founder of the Mongol Nation (or Mongol Motorcycle Club) in Southern CA. Talk about hard-core guy. Addicted to heroin for 35 years, killed people for a living, etc, etc. I've hardly heard a testimony as extreme as his. Yet now, he's one of the most tender people I've ever met. Truly a witness to God's mercy and encompassing forgiveness. I love it!

Sunday night I went to the Bible Study our women's ministry is doing. We are reading Supernatural Ways of Royalty by Kris Vallotton and Bill Johnson. This book is amazing! It is one of those that really will change the way you think, act, treat people, treat yourself, hold yourself, and relate to God. Seriously. It's about changing mindsets and ways of thinking to bring you to a place where you know you are part of the royal inheritance that is part of the Kingdom. Read it. And read it over again. We're only about halfway through the book study, but it has enlightened me in so many amazing ways- I can't wait to read more!!
In baby news, this week I'll be 37 weeks along! Only 2 1/2 more weeks left. Whew! We're almost there! I've been having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, some quite painful, but nothing extreme I guess. The cycle has begun though of everyone finally delivering their little bundles of joy! Missie had her son last week, and Amity is scheduled for Friday, another friend at our church next week, Valerie sometime very soon, etc, etc. It's all very exciting! And we are ready.