Been awhile...I know. Forgive me. And that's all I have to say about that.
2012 was a good year. We all learned some things...got a little bumped and bruised along the way. Some lessons are a little more painful than others. All in all, it was a good year.
Y1: Survived his Freshman year of football with only one concussion and as those go, it wasn't too bad. In the midst of recovering from said knot on his head, he landed a date to Homecoming (he's a Stinnett...that's all I can tell you), who a few days later, became his first girlfriend. Sweet thing. We only had her in the picture for about three weeks and then she moved to Kansas. It was the dream situation for the first girlfriend. I wish they could ALL be that easy, but I know "love" at this age is rarely served up without a side of drama. UGH! He's decided not to play next year. Don't exactly know why. Breaks my heart, but it's his decision. I'll miss hanging out at pregame meals and at the game with the other football mamas. Those girls are some kind of fun!!! Maybe he just needs a year off to decide where his heart is. He's wanting to return to KY this summer. He went on a mission trip, last summer, to this place and it changed his life. For WEEKS...kid you not...WEEKS after the trip, all he could talk about was Kentucky. Maybe that's where his heart is. He's eligible to apply for a Learner's Permit, according to the State of Alabama. The State of Mama and Daddy has other ideas. Things need to tighten up in the grade department before he even thinks about getting behind the wheel. He's promised to stun me with his academic brilliance....he's got it in him....I hope he does.
Y2: On the morning of December 21, (the day the world was supposed to end), he walked into the kitchen with THE sweetest smile and said, "Happy End of the World Day!" That's our beautiful weirdo. He's navigating his last year of elementary school with good stride. Some hiccups along the way, but we've seen him grow and mature. A couple of his teacher's at church have told me how much they enjoy having him in their class and how much they love him. Makes a mama proud, I tell ya! He's still attached to his collection of stuffed animals; Georgia the C*ca Cola polar bear is his favorite. We're wondering if we need to encourage and step up the separation. To his credit, he only takes her along on longer road trips. He doesn't need her when he goes to the grossery with me, so there is that. He's still so very much little...on the brink of being anything but little. It's a weird state of being. In the fall, he starts middle school and will be in the youth group at church. He's excited about that...Y1, well, maybe not so much. He did inform me that girls, by and large, are no longer gross. Don't say you haven't been warned. Another Stinnett boy is ready to charm and disarm.
Mr. Snark: Grew a beard to look more "kingly" for the Christmas play and has decided to keep it. He trimmed it down and it looks much better! As much as I think a certain clan of hairy men in West Monroe, LA are charming and oh, so funny....I am not into that level of facial hair. Lawd, no! When it looks like some animal has wrapped itself around your chinny-chin-chin, it's time to get it under control! His job is his job. He works, faithfully, to provide for us and I am grateful. I wish it were something that he found to be more satisfying; more challenging. He wonders if we were doing the right thing coming here...don't we always second guess ourselves? It seemed to be a no brainer, at the time and maybe the move had less to do with the job than the people we would encounter once we got here. I don't know. I don't have the answers for him. I wish I did. I wish I had the words for the pep talk that would light him up and chase away the "Charlie Browns." He's a good son to his sweet mama. He would like to be so much nearer to her...so we can be a help to her on a more regular basis. He's enjoyed his time as one of the high school boys' small group leaders at church. I think they've enjoyed having him around. He's got an eye on the world political and financial. It concerns him...as the head of this household, the leader of this family, how he will provide for us and protect us when/if it all comes tumbling down. I don't understand it and when I do try to look into the various matters, it confuses me and scares me. I trust him and I know he trusts God and those things make me very glad.
Yours truly: Well...I'm still struggling with the notion of what comes next...for me. What am I supposed to do? The writing opportunity that came my may hasn't really panned out like I thought it would but since I tend to romanticize things, I probably blew it way out of proportion. I maintain, however, that dreams are free and there's nothing wrong with dreaming BIG! I enjoy helping Youth Pastor two days/week. There are days that I leave the office wondering if I've actually been of any true help to him. Still holding the position of church wedding coordinator. Been a slow year...one in March and one in December. There's at least one on the books for May...haven't heard of any Christmas ringings that will require my assistance. Came to the startling realization the my mama is getting older. I mean, obviously, I know she is. I am. The boyos are...she must be. She had a not so insignificant TIA in October that shook me in my boots. She's fifteen hours from here....that's a long, dadgum way away when all a body wants to do is get there NOW! To be able to travel by map like the Muppets do! I used to tease her about her drive by phone calls that she made every morning. I don't, now. Before the TIA, it didn't worry me if I didn't hear from her for a couple of days. Now it does. She has my step-dad and my sister is about three hours away...but it's not the same. Being the oldest, I feel a very heavy burden to be there...and I can't be there. Needless to say, I've been learning A LOT about trust and faith in God's sovereignty.
2012 was a fairly good year for our family. As a nation, well...like I said, I don't delve too deeply into things political, but it doesn't look good. My hope is in Christ and not in any man that walks this earth. I look at the boyos and consider the state of this world and sometimes I wonder what I was thinking by bringing children into such madness. BUT...if we stop injecting little points of light into the darkness, the darkness wins. 2013...I have no sweet clue about the adventures and challenges that await us. I am thankful that God Almighty has my story in his great, big hands and no matter how I might try to alter the details, he's going to work it all out for my good.
2012 was a good year. We all learned some things...got a little bumped and bruised along the way. Some lessons are a little more painful than others. All in all, it was a good year.
Y1: Survived his Freshman year of football with only one concussion and as those go, it wasn't too bad. In the midst of recovering from said knot on his head, he landed a date to Homecoming (he's a Stinnett...that's all I can tell you), who a few days later, became his first girlfriend. Sweet thing. We only had her in the picture for about three weeks and then she moved to Kansas. It was the dream situation for the first girlfriend. I wish they could ALL be that easy, but I know "love" at this age is rarely served up without a side of drama. UGH! He's decided not to play next year. Don't exactly know why. Breaks my heart, but it's his decision. I'll miss hanging out at pregame meals and at the game with the other football mamas. Those girls are some kind of fun!!! Maybe he just needs a year off to decide where his heart is. He's wanting to return to KY this summer. He went on a mission trip, last summer, to this place and it changed his life. For WEEKS...kid you not...WEEKS after the trip, all he could talk about was Kentucky. Maybe that's where his heart is. He's eligible to apply for a Learner's Permit, according to the State of Alabama. The State of Mama and Daddy has other ideas. Things need to tighten up in the grade department before he even thinks about getting behind the wheel. He's promised to stun me with his academic brilliance....he's got it in him....I hope he does.
Y2: On the morning of December 21, (the day the world was supposed to end), he walked into the kitchen with THE sweetest smile and said, "Happy End of the World Day!" That's our beautiful weirdo. He's navigating his last year of elementary school with good stride. Some hiccups along the way, but we've seen him grow and mature. A couple of his teacher's at church have told me how much they enjoy having him in their class and how much they love him. Makes a mama proud, I tell ya! He's still attached to his collection of stuffed animals; Georgia the C*ca Cola polar bear is his favorite. We're wondering if we need to encourage and step up the separation. To his credit, he only takes her along on longer road trips. He doesn't need her when he goes to the grossery with me, so there is that. He's still so very much little...on the brink of being anything but little. It's a weird state of being. In the fall, he starts middle school and will be in the youth group at church. He's excited about that...Y1, well, maybe not so much. He did inform me that girls, by and large, are no longer gross. Don't say you haven't been warned. Another Stinnett boy is ready to charm and disarm.
Mr. Snark: Grew a beard to look more "kingly" for the Christmas play and has decided to keep it. He trimmed it down and it looks much better! As much as I think a certain clan of hairy men in West Monroe, LA are charming and oh, so funny....I am not into that level of facial hair. Lawd, no! When it looks like some animal has wrapped itself around your chinny-chin-chin, it's time to get it under control! His job is his job. He works, faithfully, to provide for us and I am grateful. I wish it were something that he found to be more satisfying; more challenging. He wonders if we were doing the right thing coming here...don't we always second guess ourselves? It seemed to be a no brainer, at the time and maybe the move had less to do with the job than the people we would encounter once we got here. I don't know. I don't have the answers for him. I wish I did. I wish I had the words for the pep talk that would light him up and chase away the "Charlie Browns." He's a good son to his sweet mama. He would like to be so much nearer to her...so we can be a help to her on a more regular basis. He's enjoyed his time as one of the high school boys' small group leaders at church. I think they've enjoyed having him around. He's got an eye on the world political and financial. It concerns him...as the head of this household, the leader of this family, how he will provide for us and protect us when/if it all comes tumbling down. I don't understand it and when I do try to look into the various matters, it confuses me and scares me. I trust him and I know he trusts God and those things make me very glad.
Yours truly: Well...I'm still struggling with the notion of what comes next...for me. What am I supposed to do? The writing opportunity that came my may hasn't really panned out like I thought it would but since I tend to romanticize things, I probably blew it way out of proportion. I maintain, however, that dreams are free and there's nothing wrong with dreaming BIG! I enjoy helping Youth Pastor two days/week. There are days that I leave the office wondering if I've actually been of any true help to him. Still holding the position of church wedding coordinator. Been a slow year...one in March and one in December. There's at least one on the books for May...haven't heard of any Christmas ringings that will require my assistance. Came to the startling realization the my mama is getting older. I mean, obviously, I know she is. I am. The boyos are...she must be. She had a not so insignificant TIA in October that shook me in my boots. She's fifteen hours from here....that's a long, dadgum way away when all a body wants to do is get there NOW! To be able to travel by map like the Muppets do! I used to tease her about her drive by phone calls that she made every morning. I don't, now. Before the TIA, it didn't worry me if I didn't hear from her for a couple of days. Now it does. She has my step-dad and my sister is about three hours away...but it's not the same. Being the oldest, I feel a very heavy burden to be there...and I can't be there. Needless to say, I've been learning A LOT about trust and faith in God's sovereignty.
2012 was a fairly good year for our family. As a nation, well...like I said, I don't delve too deeply into things political, but it doesn't look good. My hope is in Christ and not in any man that walks this earth. I look at the boyos and consider the state of this world and sometimes I wonder what I was thinking by bringing children into such madness. BUT...if we stop injecting little points of light into the darkness, the darkness wins. 2013...I have no sweet clue about the adventures and challenges that await us. I am thankful that God Almighty has my story in his great, big hands and no matter how I might try to alter the details, he's going to work it all out for my good.
Aren't you glad to be a wife, rather than the hubby, with so much on their shoulders? Thank God for them! Oh, and as for the stuffed animal friends, I happen to know an almost 13 year old with a bed full of them...and a garbage bag full that can NOT be thrown away. I love the innocence of it all! Happy New Year!
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