New Title

So I'm sure you are wondering why in the world I changed my title to Plum Puffs...For A mind disease.  Well, as some of you know, Anne of Green Gables is one of my favorites and she displays a measure of drama and emotion that I not only connect with but also am amused by.  When she was dramatically sharing her struggles with Marilla, Marilla offered to serve her plum puffs in hopes to reassure Anne and get her out of her "pits of despair."  Anne replied with, "Plum puffs won't minister to a mind disease...in a world...that's crumbling into pieces."  I loved this so much that I have decided that it will be my new dramatic title, for now:)

Currently Listening Life Is a Church By David Phelps see related

Visions of God

I wanted to create an introduction to my post below this one.  This song has created an excitement and a deeper appreciation of these little "visions of God."

David Phelps - "Visions of God"

She gently falls asleep
Her head is laid upon my lap.
The highway sings a soothing lullaby.
My daughter here beside me
My little boy is in the backseat
Outlined by the headlights from behind.
I ask the Lord to freeze us here in time
As my son reaches out his hand to mine.

Chorus

Silhouettes sent from Heaven
Paint a portrait of eternal things.
A fleeting glimpse like a vapor
Brings remembrance of what is holy.
Clean and pure, unblemished and unflawed
Oh, come to me sweet visions of God.

I hear her whisper sweetly
"I made this for you, Daddy."
Her crayon masterpiece says, “I love you”.
At last a bedtime story
They rush to get beneath the sheets (They gather underneath the sheets)
For Peter Pan, Pinocchio, and Pooh.
They cling to every word until the end
Then they close their eyes and drift to Neverland.

Chorus

So often I have missed Him
Like a shadow in the night
A familiar face I fail to recognize
But He is there in pigtails,
Peek-a-boo and piggyback rides
A kiss, a gentle touch, a baby’s cry.

Chorus

Heart

I had the tremendous opportunity to babysit two small children Friday night.  I haven't had much contact with children being here at Liberty University, along with my crazy schedule.  So it was really special for me to watch these little ones for a few hours.  I really hope to have children of my own one day...in fact, I pray for specific needs as a future mother.  I want to soak up all I can and learn from other mothers.  I have also been testing my theories on child development and learning development...I really got to test it friday night.  The boys, Zachary who is 3, and Levi who is 13 months, have just been placed in daycare - almost full time.  Their mother has just taken on a full time shift from 2 different jobs and the father is working part time.  It's amazing to me how roles have shifted in this generation.  Zachary loves to test you in how serious you are about rules and will drive a parent to anger, if needed.  He wanted to manipulate me into watching an adult movie (for which he was unaware of).  I proceeded to calmly say no to him while presenting other options to thwart his attentions.  He began to throw a tantrum.  I put him (rather calmly, not raising my voice at all) in the corner and he cried and screamed for 30 minutes.  It is so funny to me how a child thinks he can manipulate adults into his own ways.  This can break a parent's patience, system, and heart so that they just want to stop the crying because they are so tired.  But it is vitally important for the parents to continue their routine so it doesn't confuse the child (by no means am I an expert, I've studied a lot and have tested them a lot but it's also very different for every child).  Anyway, so every so often I would say, "Zach, if you are ready to obey and play nicely, you can come out."  He would look at me with this despicable look of pity.  After he stopped throwing his tantrum, I went over to him and knelt down so that we were at eye level (very important), and began asking him a few questions about the morality of his behavior.  He answered all of my questions with an obvious break of the will.  I hugged him and we began reading some books.  I asked him a lot of questions and appealed to his mind in order to enhance his thinking and learning.  We were looking through a few books, so I tested some learning based on the senses.  I believe that a child is stimulated through the 5 senses but so often preschools/daycares appeal to 1 or 2 of the five senses.  We looked at a book of numbers and I got him to trace his finger over some of the numbers, sound out the differences of numbers, observe the colors/shapes, and then we began some other activities that appealed to the smell and taste.  It was so interesting to see that his strengths in learning were geared more in touch and taste.  Zachary would do just fine in the daycare system but he would be greatly stimulated if activities dealt more with touch and taste.  Anyway, the reason I put heart as the title because it has been so long since I've had contact with children.  As we were reading some books, Zachary began twiddling his fingers in my hair, while paying attention to the reading.  It was so cute and I just about cried.  Then little Levi just loves to cuddle!  Levi would get up onto my lap and just cuddle in my arms...then he fell asleep.  His head rested in the curve of my neck and his hand clenched the end of my shirt.  Then I cried:)  Anyway, children are an amazing treasure from the Lord and I love to learn from them...and love them.  This is a shout out to the mothers and fathers, you are blessed!

Classes of Spring 2007:

Principles of Biology

Daycare Administration (very excited about this one)

History of Western Civilization

English Composition and Literature

Theology

Introduction to Family and Consumer Sciences

Methods of Teaching Bible/Women's Ministry

This adds up to 19 hours of classes.  I work 12-15 hours a week.  I'm a Spiritual Life Director...once again, another crazy semester.  Bring it on.

Christmas Anyone?

I’m sitting here at Panera Bread, listening to Christmas Music and drinking coffee.  How I wish it were snowing outside this glass window…I just love Christmas, snow, carols, the lights, the atmosphere…everything.  I’m not completely sure why I’m so fond of it.  Maybe it’s a time when all my family comes together to my house and we begin our treasured traditions.  Wanna hear some?  Oh, I’m so excited – you’re gonna hear it anywayJ. There’s never enough room for everyone to have their own bed, so I end up giving my bed for one of the couple’s.  I don’t know what’s going to happen when my brother, my sister and myself get married because we’re running out of room – but I know it will always be a fun adventure!  When Danny comes home, he and I are always at the piano singing at the top of our lungs and last minute putting a song together that we can sing for the Christmas Eve service.  I adore this!  I think that is one of my favorite parts of Christmas is when I’m singing with my brother at the piano – no joke, probably 60% of the time.  We always have these movies we watch together as a family – White Christmas, Snowball Express, Grinch (animated and new), Christmas Story, and I know there’s others but when we do get to movies, the first three are guaranteed!  We always make our own hard candy, which results in many powder fights – mainly between Danny and myself.  We have crocinole tournaments for an extremity of the time…I’ve gotten kind of sick of that game but I play when I want to spend time with the wonderful men of my family.  There is always food around but the kind of food you don’t see unless it’s Christmas time.  My brothers are always eating.  I find myself on the floor with the grandchildren having a blast!  I always decorate the tree with my mother while Christmas music is blasting, the fire is on and we are drinking hot chocolate!  The room where Christmas tree is placed along with all the presents, is our sunroom…you can never step foot into that room because it’s piled with presents…you end up enjoying the tree from the living roomJ.  Ok, now the actual day of Christmas:  We have a short brunch where you can come and go to get food if you want it.  My mother has been up since early morning preparing for the turkey meal…hmmm…so good!  We end up in the living room where we pray together and Danny pulls out the book we read religiously every year…The Christmas Story.  If any of you know Danny at all, you know that he will spice up the story filled with voices, noises, and ridiculous humor.  It’s a pop-up book and seems forever long as a child to read but I’ve come to really appreciate it now that I’m savedJ.  Anyway, after he finishes we pray again and Jessica, my little sister starts her way over to the tree to give one present to everyone in the room.  We each take turns to open the presents so that we have the wonderful pressure of responding to every gift: “Oh my goodness, thank you, I love it, you are so wonderful!”  LOL, ok I really do appreciate my presents, I just hate the pressure of responding to every one of them.  Meanwhile the grandchildren are ripping open every gift whether it’s theirs or not.  Oh, and having Christmas wrapping paper fights – everyone is involved in this fight and so much fun.  After that, we eat the wonderfully prepared meal and have a time of fellowship.  At the end of the meal, we have these twisty-pop favors that we all open at the same time.  There is a paper crown and a fun toy inside in which we all brag whether ours is cooler than the other and then proceed to place the paper crowns on our heads.  We sing carols at the piano and have a time of thanksgiving.  At night, we open stockings, which I think is so much more fun than opening gifts.  There’s always prank gifts inside the gifts and it’s always so funny…especially Danny’s stocking in which we all contribute to.  You know, I could go on and on with all these traditions but I’ll stop because this is getting too long already.  When Christmas actually comes around, I’ll write more.  I’m probably killing my friend Jessica with all my horrible grammar here because I’m just writing thoughts down…I don’t normally write like this!  Ok, anyway, it’s fun to just reminisce over the memories and take appreciation of them when you aren’t actually doing them.  Try it, you’ll love it and then see how quirky your family is!  Happy-early Merry Christmas!  (tell me you aren’t listening to Christmas music yet!)