I hope this video makes you smile like it makes me!  I just love how kids have no reservation at all in showing emotion!  Enjoy!

Ken went away on business recently. I sent him an “I miss you, sweety” email and I got an immediate response.

It was an “I am out of the office” automatic response message, which apparently gives him a free pass to not respond to anything work related while he is gone.

I have decided that I would like to make a t-shirt or a sign that has an automatic response on it. I would like for it to say something like this:

“Thank you for making your request (and thank you for not using whiney words). Momma is out of the office right now. She will get back to you as soon as she returns. Please walk away. This is an automated response so repeating your request louder will not help.”

I think I could sell them and make lots.

Tonight, while playing with bubbles in the shower, Sydney said something so funny. She didn’t think it was funny, but I did. I believe you will, too.

“Momma, look! I’m making shampoo!” (as she makes a ball of bubbles)

“Wow! That’s fun, sister!”

She replies, “Yep. Its made with cow poop.”

My sweet baby. Can you tell she has been in West Texas for most of her life?

I walked outside the other day and look what the kids were doing.  It made my heart feel good.  Enjoy!

So, I am feeling confident this morning and have decided to make an attempt at blogging on the new Mac.  We’ll see how it goes.  The following events have happened since my last post…I mean the one before the aliens took me.  Enjoy!

2009 has kept us busy! Ken started classes towards a PhD.  He’s having fun with them so far.  We are all adjusting to the new schedule that 9 hrs of class this semester brings, but it has been a bit easier than anticipated.  We are still loving working with the college ministry at church.  We are sure someone will figure out that we are for too inferior for the job, but until then we’ll keep loving on the students!  They bless us in so many ways!

OK, I  want to over do it and cause folks to have too high an expectation for this blog, so I had better stop!

Thanks for checking back with me!

Hi.  My name is Kim.  I used to blog here.

 I was abducted by aliens. 

They gave me a new computer for my troubles though.  Its a MAC, so at least they were hip aliens.

Bigger and better posts to come?  Don’t hold your breath…

Hopefully more will be in the future though (it might be wise to not hold your breath on this one, but I promise I will try to be better. Wow.  November was my last post.  Wow.).

Today after preschool the 3 kids and I headed to the pediatrician’s office for Ian’s well check.  I had failed to mention to the big kids the reason they were coming along… to get the flu shot.  It was intentional.  I knew Jonah would quietly be stressed out about the thought of a shot if I told him earlier, and well, I just couldn’t handle the drama I knew that would accompany telling sister.  So, the plan was to wait until we got into the room and then I would let them know.  

Something happened to Ian as soon as we walked into the elevator to go up to the office.  He was invaded by this other being.  This loud, red-faced, screaming little being.  I was totally the mom being looked at and probably talked about in the waiting room.  It was 1pm.  He is usually drifting away to a sweet sleep at that time, which I am sure was the cause for the craziness.  We finally get called back, he nearly jumps off the scale in protest, I suppose and would have nothing to do with being still to get his length checked.  We did eventually get to the room and it was time for me to tell the big kids their plight.  I kept it light, no big deal.

“Yes, Jonah, I know it will hurt, but only for a little bit.”

“Yes, Sydney, I know you will be sad.”

Tears (from the dramatic one, shocking) begin to fall.  Jonah gets very quiet, but his eyes are red, too.  Ian is tearing the paper off of the patient table.  THe room is loud, its getting hot.  Ian is flailing about like a fish as the doctor comes in.  Thankfully he is awesome and has his own kids and understands.  Ian never once calmed down through the entire exam.  The doctor leaves and in comes the nurse (who is my favorite!!! we love her!).  Sydney cries really really loud this time, Jonah is covering his ears now and is fully crying now too.  Ian looks up and figures if they are doing it he should too, so  he joins in the screamfest.  Syd is first.  I have to hold her down, which leaves the 15 month old crying and crawling around the gross floor.  Jonah is still crying as he watches.  She finishes, but the crying does not.  Then it was Jonah’s turn.  He is trying so hard to be brave, but the tears are coming.  Ian is still on the ground.  I really don’t know what he was doing while I was  handling the big kids…nice.  So, the big kids are done.  They are still crying.  Now it is Ian’s turn.  He had to get his well-check shots and the flu shots.  Sorry, baby boy.  But you have to stay healthy.  I hand Sydney the cell phone and tell her that we can call daddy when we are done (I am PRAYING it will distract her and keep her from sobbing).  Ian has once again taken on the fish attribute of flailing about.  I am halding him down, he is screaming, Jonah and Sydney are too still.  It is hot. I am tired.  I want to just walk out and leave them there while I grab a mgazine and hot chocolate from I-don’t-care-where.  I don’t think that would go over well, so I decide against it.  It is all over.  Ian has snot everywhere, is crazy screaming and then the swet nurse hands me 4 papers I need to fill out and sign.  Seriously?   I just decide that the screaming is just going to have to happen.  I complete them. We gather our things and then the nurse comes back and hands each child something and says,

“Here, kids.  You were each so brave.  Here is a coupon for some free ice cream at Cold STone Creamery.”

Ummm… really?  The KIDS are the ones getting the reward in all of this?  Wow.

ps.  I am not taking the time to edit this.  Please don’t judge.

October presented ‘my Kenny’ and  I with a pretty difficult road, a path I know the Lord placed us on for a reason, but it still sucks stinks none-the-less.

I have been so blessed in more ways than I can even begin to describe.  The prayers have been received and so appreciated.  I have the greatest friends/family in the world. 

Here are just a few things that came at the exact, most perfect time and I have become so thankful for each of them:   *chocolate-dipped marshmallows  *big beautiful potted fall flowers  *notes of encouragement in the mail  *cute flannel jammies & starbucks cards  *meals, meals, meals  *giftcards to restaraunts  *prayers by my kiddos  *phone calls from dear dear friends that fed my soul in the most encouraging ways by just being on the phone with me  *offers of dropping the “f-bomb” is necessary (inappropriate, yes.  appreciated, also yes)  *thoughts of all of the sweet and most perfect things my Mom would have said  *Damini, my new friend  *Ken’s hand  *bebrightpink.com  *Psalm 56:3  *Psalm 34:18-19  *the sisterhood of the traveling tiara

Here are a few pics to show some really great bright spots the Lord blessed us with.  We will be good.  God told me so in Jeremiah 29:11.  I was reminded that “He will hold me close during these anxious days.  He’s good for it.  Lean deep into him.”  (thanks ‘Mr. Keith’).

i know this post is about 2 weeks overdue.  my fault.  getting this schedule thing down has been harder than anticipated! 

school has started for us and here are some pics to prove it.  jonah is 4 and i have the pleasure of teaching him this year… something i probably would not be as successful at with his little sister, but he and i are loving it so far.  sydney is almost 3 and is still in the parents’ day out program and baby ian just turned 1, also in the pdo program.  i love knowing they are having fun and making friends and learning how to ‘do school’ before they actually have to start ‘big kid school.’   they are getting so big.