Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Camping

The four of us are leaving tomorrow to go camping for a few days. We're going to Jelly Stone Park in Waller. Phillip's parents are taking their camper over there for us tomorrow and then they're going to come back and pick it up. (Thanks, folks!) It looks like a pretty neat little camp ground with lots of stuff for kids to do.

Jackson and I went to the store earlier and got some groceries and took them over the camper. After we got all the groceries in the camper and put away, I realized that I had no idea how to open the front door. And it was hot! I tried every handle combination I could think of and I could not get it open. Jackson didn't know how to open it either. Jackson's solution to the problem: "Oh well, I guess we'll just have to play." I felt like SUCH an idiot...and rightly so. So, we waited around for about 45 minutes or so for Donald and Debbie to get home from work and let us out of the camper. So I'm hoping that the rest of our camping experience is better than it was today.

I would totally make fun of some one if I heard about this happening to them. So I expect no less from all of you. I'm an idiot. It's official.

Monday, July 23, 2007

The Unwelcome Fellow Traveler

I'm reading The Horse and His Boy, book 3 in the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I think this one and The Last Battle are probably my favorites out of the seven books. I just got to the part where Shasta (the boy) is wandering in the mountains at night on a horse he doesn't know how to control. He is lost and hungry and exhausted. He has run away from his abusive "adoptive" father. He has been separated from his traveling companions. He's feeling hopeless and scared. And then he becomes aware of a presence beside him. This is my favorite conversation in this book.

"I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you."
"Then it was you who wounded Aravis?"
"It was I."
"But what for?"
"Child," said the Voice, "I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own."
"Who are you?" asked Shasta.
"Myself," said the Voice, very deep and low so that the earth shook: and again "Myself," loud and clear and gay: and then the third time "Myself," whispered so softy you could hardly hear it, and yet it seemed to come from all round you as if the leaves rustled with it.

This just paints such a cool picture of God. Aslan, the lion is fierce,terrifying, and even violent. Aslan chased the horses and children so they were in fear for their lives. The fear caused them to travel faster than they could have without it. He struck the girl and left ten claw marks on her back. Aslan is dangerous. But he is good.

Tommy spoke at our church yesterday about molding God into a god that is more manageable and convenient for our lives. And how when we do this, we are worshiping an idol. We are not worshiping the true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God is dangerous. He is not convenient or manageable. But He is good.

I like how this chapter is called The Unwelcome Fellow Traveler. I feel like that with God more than I would like to admit. Like he's an unwelcome presence in my life. Like I'm on this journey and if I want to invite him along, then he should come. But otherwise, he should leave me alone and let me do my own thing. I'm really glad he doesn't.

This part in this book is also a good reminder that my story is the one I need to be concerned about. I shouldn't question the spiritual condition of others. That's not my business. That's not for me to know or understand. And I don't need to look at the lives of other people and think I know what God is doing with or in their lives. Other people also don't need to look at my life or circumstances and try to put God in a little box that explains why things happen the way they do.

Anyway, it's a cool book. You should read it sometime.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Fortune?

I got a fortune cookie this evening and this is what the fortune says:

"When the moment comes, take the last one from the left."

What the heck does that mean? Like take the last one on the left? Can't these people be a little more specific about this stuff. I mean, I could very likely miss this moment...whatever it is...just because I can't follow these ridiculous instructions.

Phillip got a fortune years ago that said "You will get some new clothes." Well, duh. That's a given.

I think I would like to be a fortune cookie writer when I grow up. It would be fun to write some wacky stuff just to mess with people. Like....

  • Follow someone else's dreams. Their dreams are probably better than yours.
  • Smile at a stranger. Then when they turn the corner bust out laughing.
  • A surprise awaits you on Tuesday, noon at Wal-Mart.
  • You just ate a cat.

Friday, July 20, 2007

CPS Clothing Voucher

A couple of times per year, foster families receive clothing vouchers from the state to purchase clothes for their foster kids. We've only been foster parents for 6 months, so I'm not sure, but I think you get two per year per kid. Anyway, we got our voucher today for Mikey. The vouchers that we have received have to be used at JCPenney. And JCPenney is having a huge sale right now....I think they have huge sales every other day. So, I just came home with a boatload of clothes for that little kid. I added up the retail price of the clothes and it came to a whopping $223.00. But after all the discounts, it came to $91.00. That's 1 buck over what the state paid for. So, for $1, we now have little boy clothes size 12-24 months coming out of our ears. Just because I know you're dying to know what all I bought, here's a list:
  • 4 onesies
  • 3 t-shirts
  • 4 pairs of shorts
  • 2 pairs of pants
  • 4 polo style shirts
  • 3 creepers
  • 1 jacket
  • 1 pair of pajamas
It is so much more fun to buy lots of stuff if you don't have to pay for it. Once he's adopted all that will end so I better enjoy it now. At least that's one good thing about him being a foster child. But I think knowing he's mine forever will be much sweeter than all these free clothes.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Just a little horse

Jackson told me an interesting bed time story tonight. Now, keep in mind that he is five and still quite innocent. I really don't think he meant the name of his main character to be as "offensive" as some may find it. I just thought it was really funny and worth sharing in spite of the language. So, here is tonight's bed time story as told by Jackson:

"Once upon a time there was a little horse named Hell Hogg Willie. And Hell Hogg Willlie went walking in the forest and he peeked through the grass and he heard a noise
CRASH, CRASH….SNORT, SNORT,….

And he saw a bird. (Horse noise) (Bird noise)

And then he walked some more and looked behind more grass. And he saw another horse and then he gave up. The End."

So, that's it. That's the story. I hope you enjoyed it. I think maybe there's some deeper meaning behind all of it, but I haven't really had the time to think on it yet.


Circus

We went to the Ringling Brothers Circus last night at Reliant Stadium. Phillip, his mom, the boys, and myself witnessed "The Greatest Show on Earth." The show itself was good, but we didn't all have seats together so that was kind of stinky.

The Arrow Project (the fostering agency we're with) offered passes to their foster families. So we were supposed to go to the ticket thing and pay $5 per ticket because of these discount voucher things we had. We got to the show an hour and a half early and they still only had single seats left. It worked out fine, though. Debbie took Jackson to just sit on her lap and the seat they had was very close to the front. And it turned out the seat next to them stayed empty so Jack was able to have his own seat. Phillip and I sat near each other and traded the baby back and forth. The experience was great for Jack but we really shouldn't have brought the baby. It was 11:00 before we got home.

Overall it was a pretty good show. But if a foster family had shown up with more than one kid per adult, they would not have been able to use those things at all. They would have had to pay about $40 per person. And once you get in there to find that out, you've already paid 8 bucks for parking. I know I shouldn't complain. We were all able to see the circus for $20 but I just don't think they should give those vouchers to foster families if the kids are not going to be able to sit with their parents.

The stuff they were selling was ridiculously expensive. They had these little stuffed white tigers for $14. And of course the food and drinks are outrageous. It's like you see these people carrying two hot dogs, nachos, some drinks and you know that just paid like $50 for all that stuff.

I guess we're just really cheap or something....which is why we ended up with single seats.

Saturday, July 07, 2007

Fountain pictures

We went to the Civic Center fountain last week and I got a few pictures of Jackson. He brought along some "noodle" thing to play with. Looks like he's got a pretty good golf stance in the last picture. Not quite sure what he's doing in the first one. That poor boy needs a tan.



Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Party in My Tummy

There's this new kids' show called Yo Gabba Gabba that is going to be coming to Nick Jr. in the Fall. From what I've seen, it's pretty odd.


Anyway, they've been playing one of their song clips on Noggin the last few days. It's called "Party in My Tummy" and Mikey hates it. It's so hilarious to watch him watch this video. The first time he saw it, he started crying a little the fist time the green monster came on the screen. And each time he saw the monster, he started crying more and more. He is terrified of this monster. I think he's afraid he's going to have to join the party in the monster's tummy. And I know it's really mean to laugh at a scared baby, but we just can't help it. It's just so funny. Anyway, here's a You Tube clip of it. It was recorded off of their t.v. so it looks pretty junky. Enjoy!