NFL Day at New Union Elementary

Franklyn has been so excited about going to school today!  It's NFL Day at New Union Elementary!  I spent my entire lunch hour yesterday running to Old Navy for Atlanta Falcons gear for Franklyn only to find out that Scott needed a shirt as well.  He's helping out at the school today.  I stuck around the house for a while this morning before leaving for work to get a picture of my boys in their Falcons shirts. 

Scott looks half awake and Franklyn looks like he's been crying.  Boy, we are NOT the most photogenic family!!!!!

TOOFLESS!

Franklyn had a front tooth that was loose for over a month.  Dr. Taylor had to pull his last loose tooth back in March because it simply did not want to come out and the permanent one REALLY wanted to come in.  Same situation this time.....  So, Scott picked him up from school today and I met them over at Dr. Taylor's office so he could work his magic.  Franklyn was a little nervous at first so I knelt down and prayed with him before Dr. Taylor came in the room.  Once Doc Taylor gave him laughing gas, the nerves were gone, gone, gone!  Out came the tooth!  Of course, being the awesome Mom that I am (wink wink), I took him directly to Baskin Robbins for a cool treat to soothe the gums.  He was all smiles. 

 

Better Focus

It's been a realllllly long time since I've posted anything to this blog.  I apologize.  Life has been busy, and too many things have taken precedence.  Some good things.  Some bad things.  Overall, the last year has been a mixture of joy, sorrow, pain and struggle.  I haven't blogged because my life has been so full of so many insignificant things and so much of the unknown that I was kind of afraid some of that would leak out!  Oh well.  I guess I'll just leak!  God has done some unbelievable work in my life in the last nine months.  It's been painful and I have to admit that I was fighting Him with all that was in me for a long time.  But, He saw fit to show me mercy and to continue to draw me to Him and draw me back to the close relationship that I missed and desired deep down for so long.  I can remember, over the last five years or so, thinking "When's it gonna happen?  When is God gonna say He's had enough of my selfishness and pride and just let the hammer fall?"  I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when it finally happened.  A series of events last winter literally brought me crashing to my knees.  God is so good.  He allows things in our lives that are painful only to bring us to His feet where we find ultimate peace and unbelievable joy, even in the midst of the pain.  At one point during all that I was going through, I told someone I was thankful for my thorn.  I said that I was glad God had allowed me to go through the things that I had been going through.  The person pretty much thought I was nuts to say that.  She said that I should be glad for where it brought me, but not be thankful for the pain.  Well, I know that the ONLY way God ever brings me back and humbles me the way I need to be humbled is through the kind of pain He has carried me through over the last nine months.  I HAVE to be thankful for that pain.  And, I am.  My relationship with Christ is so much richer and so much deeper.  I go to Him with each fear as it comes and each insecurity.  I trust Him and rest in Him.  I fill my mind with His Word and His promises, guarding my heart at every turn.  I can honestly say that I would rather lose this life than lose the intimacy and the passion that I have for Him right now.  He is my closest friend and my only hope.  He is good.
The other night Scott and I were watching an episode of The Love Boat on dvd.  Franklyn wasn't too excited about the show, so he decided to sit and draw and color at the pub table in our den.  When the show was over, he came over to me with his writing tablet.  He held up a page and asked, "How's this, Mama?"  I glanced his way thinking it would be another picture of SpongeBob or something similar.  That's when I realized he'd written out some of the words to a song he sings in children's choir at church.  So precious.  Franklyn became a Christian on Mother's Day of this year.  Since then he has honestly had such a heart for God's Word.  I do a devotion with him every night and his insight sometimes amazes me.  All I could think while I stared at this page of verse written by my six-year old son was, "That's what he's had on his mind this whole time?  We've been sitting here immersed in a flighty seventies tv show, and he's been sitting thinking about God....?"  The words to the song, shown above, are:

He is my rock
He is my shield
He is the hub in the middle of the wheel

Franklyn spoke my heart with those words.  All that I've been through in the last year brought me back to where I could truly say those words and mean it.  He is my Rock.  He is my Shield.  He is most certainly the hub in the middle of the wheel.  Without Him, my wheel would be extremely off balance.  I thank Him for securing me, defending me and drawing me back to the center of His will.  God is good.

Aaaargh! A Pirate!

Franklyn was a pirate for Halloween this year! He really got in to the whole idea of it and I thought he made quite a handsome Asian pirate... Ahoy!

CRUISIN' AGAIN

Yay me! I'm finally getting around to updating the blog! It's only been a year and a half!!! I think I devoted a little TOO much time to facebook for that period of time!

Well, it's about time I fill in friends and family on cruise #6! We set sail on October 9th out of Mobile, Alabama. The Elation wasn't the nicest ship we've been on, but it was still enjoyable. At least we didn't end up like the poor folks on the Splendor this past week!

We really had a good time all the way around. Scott and I enjoyed some quiet time together and Franklyn soaked up every second of Camp Carnival he could! It's crazy how that kid loves what equates to day care... They really do some fun activities and he loves the interaction with the other children as well as the games and crafts.

We visited two ports of call this time around. We went to Progresso and Cozumel. The only port really worth mentioning was Cozumel - 5th time there! Franklyn got to go swimming with the dolphins! We purchased a video of him interacting with them and I'm sure the whole experience is something he will never forget.

We ended up having to leave Cozumel early due to the threat of Hurricane Paula. That was fine with me. It meant more time on the ship to EAT! We ate some great food.... Unlimited ice cream, yummy french toast, cheeseburgers, pizza... you name it, we ate it!

It always seems like the cruises come and go so fast! Gotta wait until June for the next one!

Cruise Pictures - Enjoy!

Pinky Jiggy

We stayed at my Mom and Dad's house while we were in Jefferson City for Scott's 20th high school reunion. As usual, Mimi gave Franklyn a little cash before we left to go home. We stopped at Target on the way through Knoxville to let him spend his money. Never the one to choose the cheap toy, Franklyn used the money to buy a $60 riding toy that was obviously made for a girl... He rode the thing all through Target on the way to the register to check out.

We bought monster truck stickers for Franklyn to apply to the pink sections of the toy just to make it a little more masculine. All the way home from Knoxville he kept saying, "When will we be home so I can ride my pinky jiggy?" No idea where he came up with that name!

I can't say we were excited about Franklyn having a pink and yellow riding toy, but it sure makes him SMILE!