Whatnot Black Friday

This is my version of "Whatnot Wednesday" except that it is occuring on Friday.  Is that allowed? 

*Yesterday we spent Thanksgiving afternoon at Aunt Pat's and dinner at my  mom's.  Evangeline's favorite part was seeing all of Uncle Mike's cows.  Speaking of cows, she has discovered that our manger scene has a cow in it.  I caught her "feeding" the cow earlier with a spoon.

*She also liked playing with my parent's new cat, Denny.  Denny is super sweet and very tolerant of her, until she tried to turn his head all the way around.

*While I was taking a bath, I had Evangeline watching Sesame Street in her highchair and coloring in her coloring book.  When I returned to the kitchen to check on her, she'd broken a small piece of crayon off and shoved it up her nose.  Oops.  She kept saying "nose, nose."  Thankfully she was able to blow (not suck!) it out. 

*I really didn't want to have to wake up Drew to tell him we needed to go to the Emergency Room.  He is still tired from waiting 3 hours at Best Buy last night so that we could NOT buy a small TV and Blu-Ray player.  It's okay, we didn't need either.  They were purchases we considered when moving and decided we'd wait til Black Friday to buy. 

*Drew's also still a little ill at me b/c I have lost my house keys.  Or Evangeline lost them.  Either way they're lost.  I had to call him last night when he was almost at Best Buy to come home and let us in.  Then, he hid a hide-a-key for me but didn't tell me where he hid it!  We came home from shopping today and spent 15 minutes hunting it!  (It was in my van, which is really smart!)

*Trey is running a fever that I REALLY hope is teething related. Poor baby! It was 100.5 earlier. 

*I made asparagus casserole, a turkey cheese ball, and sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving.  The sweet potatoes finally finished cooking today.  They were very soupy and no one ate them last night.  Everyone in my family said they didn't like sweet potatoes.  I asked my mom why we made them then and she said for Sammy and Katie (neither of whom were there last night!).  I had some not-as-soupy sweet potatoes for lunch today and they were really good! 

*Evangeline just yelled STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!! at a chair.

*Tonight we are going to the Meridian Wildcats game!  I am excited!  Also excited to hear about the PRC/Picayune game tonight!

*Evangeline doesn't understand the concept of "fake fruit."  She climbed on my mom's Thanksgiving table last night to get some plastic grapes and ran behind the counter at Yoo Yoo's today for some plastic oranges. 

*I asked Drew earlier, "Do you remember when it was just us?  Wasn't that kinda nice?"  He said, "I remember when it was just me."  Sweet, huh?

It has been a long day already!

Busy But Happy

              Before I quit working to stay at home, I had this vision of what being a stay at home mom would be like.  No, I didn't picture a perfectly clean home with children sitting quietly entertaining themselves.  But, I did think, even worry, that I would be bored.  What would I do all day?  Well, I have NOT had to worry about that.  It seems like since we moved to Meridian it has been one thing after another.
             First, I had knee surgery (literally the day after we moved up here), then we were unpacking.  We had just gotten settled in good when Jane Darby was born suddenly and prematurely, so I spent quite a few weeks going back and forth to Birmingham.  Then Fall Fest, MS Baptist Convention, the election, Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays.  Life is just busy! 
             I have felt so blessed to find some fun activities too.  I love my Tuesday morning Bible Study group, and Evangeline and Trey enjoying getting to play with friends in a different environment.  We have also been regulars at MOPS, where Evangeline gets to play with "Be Be" among other friends. 
             Reflecting over my "busy-ness" I have decided that it's a good "busy-ness."  We're not too busy.  We have days with nothing to do but play in the backyard and read books.  We're getting to spend a lot of time as a family at dinner and during the evening.  I am 95% finished reading the Bible (I started the end of August) and am on track to finish on Saturday.  There's been more time for prayer.
              I knew that my staying home was the right thing for my kids, but I had my worries if it was the right thing for me.  I LOVED being a teacher and miss all my friends at PRC.  But, I also LOVE being home.  This Thanksgiving, that's what I'm thankful for the most: that I'm able to stay at home with my babies and that I am very happy doing so!

First Santa Sighting

             While we were shopping in Gymboree, Santa Claus came in and paid us a visit.  I have been nervous about how Evangeline would act towards Santa since her mega-meltdown with the Easter Bunny.  But, she was SO happy to see him.  And, he was the sweetest Santa ever!  He was apparently bored  because for some reason no one was there to visit him on a Monday morning in mid-November.  So, he spent a lot of time talking to her and asking her if she was being good, etc.  (Thankfully he didn't see her later pull off her shirt and stroll around topless all through JcPenney).  Then, he gave her a sticker (which Evangeline later ate) and she said, "Bye Bye Santa."  Keeping my fingers crossed for a good picture when she goes for an "official" visit closer to Christmas.

P.S.  Trey slept through the entire Santa visit, but I'm sure he'll enjoy a visit with Santa soon enough. 

Good Memory

              I am so impressed with how good Evangeline's memory is.  Especially when it involves something fun!  She still asks if we're going to see cows everytime I put her in the boots she wore to the petting zoo at the fair six weeks ago! 
            She kept pointing at one of my cabinets the other day and saying "Fru Ruh Ruh!" again and again.  I had no clue what she wanted until I remembered that we had some fruit roll-ups in that cabinet from an activity from church and I had given her one once.   
             My dad and I took her to the Meridian High game Friday night and she went CRAZY walking in when she remembered this was the place that we saw cheerleaders.  She loves her some cheerleaders and is so fascinated by them.  We spent a whopping five minutes at the last football game we went to, so I was impressed that she even remembered the cheerleaders.
             Yesterday we went to Oak Grove to eat with Drew's family.  We were still in the parking lot and Evangeline noticed where we were at started saying, "Cah cah!  Be Be!  Ride!  Mouse!" over and over again.  She loves playing with Micah and Elizabeth and remembers that Poppy always takes them for a ride in a wheelchair.  She also remembers playing with a mouse in a box in Poppy's office.  She was so excited about going for a ride that she wouldn't even eat (not that she eats much anyway). 
              Today we went to Belk's to return something and before we even got close to where the play area was she started saying "slide? slide? slide?"  No memories of the little boy who had pushed her off the slide, thankfully.  I am glad that she is still at an age where I can say, "Yes, that's the slide that we played on Saturday.  Say 'bye bye' slide" without a complete meltdown. 
            
              

Cracking the Evangeline Code

That last blog post wore me out.  So, here's for something a little less serious...  This post is dedicated to anyone who sees my daughter on a regular basis and has to "crack the Evangeline code."

           Evangeline's language development has really been fascinating to experience.  When she first started talking she would emphasize one predominant sound in a word.  For example, "Daddy" was "Dada."  Edy- "E", Blue Bell- "Buh Buh."  Now that her language development has progressed, she can say some pretty big words, such as "cheerleader" and "noodle."  The fascinating thing is that the words she learned earliest, she still can't or won't say correctly.  Blue Bell is STILL Buh Buh, yet she can say cheerleader?  Here are some of Evangeline's words in case you should ever have a conversation with her.

Wub Wub- "Love Cub" or pacifier
Mok Mok- milk
Shh- Fish
Nak- Snack, or feed me please
Ih-ur- It hurts
Skuk- stuck, or "get me out!"
Choc Choc- chocolate, or "put some chocolate in my milk"
Be Be- Elizabeth
Cah Cah- Micah
Pay Pay- Wonder Pets, "or turn on the TV"
Ba- Bath
Ski Ski- Stinky
Can can- candy
Shin Shin- lotion
Cutter- Color, or "I really want to use this pen to write on something"
Ta Tide- Roll Tide
Da-shur- Yes Sir
Kay Kay- Aunt Katie
Keh Keh- Aunt Kelly
Mer Mer- Mrs. Mary
Bo Be- Brown Bear
Moon!- Goodnight Moon
Kinku- Thank You
Smore- Some more
Mou- mouse
Bybull- Bible

I know there are tons more that I just can't think of.  It is so fun watching her grow and develop into a person who is almost capable of carrying on a conversation with me!

Why I'm Voting Yes on Amendment 26

             "I am a Christian, I am pro-life, but after doing a lot of reasearch, I've decided to vote no."  I've heard this statement from a number of people (largely on Facebook) and it breaks my heart.  I have to wonder where all of their research is coming from.
             It is no longer a secret that "Mississippians for Healthy Families" is Planned Parenthood and the ACLU in disguise and that the two agencies have pumped millions into trying to get this amendment stopped.  They have a lot to lose if this thing passes, and not just in the state of Mississippi, as other states have this amendment coming up on their ballot as well.
            The opposition to the Personhood Amendment is smart.  They have pushed their "scare tactics" through social media and other channels by persuading people to think that "If you're really smart, if you educate yourself on this issue, you will see that Personhood is a bad amendment.  It's vague.  It may have good intentions, but needs to be re-done."  See how smart that is?  Convince people who are pro-life that while this amendment  would end abortion  (something they want), it's "poorly written" and "there's a better way to stop abortion" when really the people behind these tactics don't want to stop abortion at all!   The argument that really got under my skin was the whole "don't just listen to what your pastor says or what the sign in his yard says.  Educate yourself.  Be smart.  Don't be like your dumb pastor."  Okay, that last little bit might be pushing it a little far, but you get the point: "Your dumb pastor just doesn't get it.  Research! Then you'll see how bad Personhood is."  And what should we be "researching?"  Why all of the liberal propaganda they have put out, of course!
            Now, I am not an idiot and neither is my pastor.  :)  I have "researched" Amendment 26.  A lot.  I have considered all of the implications of this Amendment.  Do I believe it will affect birth control?  Yes.  An IUD?  Yes.  Do I believe it will have consequences for IVF?  Yes, though it won't be banned.  Do I think that a woman who miscarries will be investigated for murder?  No, that's stupid.  Do I understand that it makes no exceptions for rape victims or victims of incest?  Yes.  Am I just so insensitive that I don't care about any of these issues?  No.  I deeply care.  I allowed myself to get caught up in all of the "research" for a few weeks and I was troubled.  What do I do?  What about all of these consequences?  What about the fact that if this amendment does pass it will likely be held up in courts for so long that it will never amount to anything and end up costing the state millions? 
             There are many reasons why I could easily vote no.  There was a point where I honestly didn't know what to do.  So, I turned to God.  In agony and near tears for several nights I just prayed and prayed and prayed.  The first thing I heard from God was "trust me."  Trust me that it will be okay for the women of Mississippi, those who suffer rape or an ectopic pregnancy or other illness while pregnant.  Trust me that if this passes it will all be okay. 
            I started to think about the "what if's?"  "What if" this limits IVF?  Well, should we really be freezing embryos anyway to one day be used for scientific experiments if unused?  "What if" this puts great limits on birth control and we have more and more unplanned pregnancies from unwed mothers who can't afford them?  I know of a pretty good way not to end up pregnant, what's so wrong with abstinence anyway?  It's how I kept from having any unplanned pregnancies before I was married.  "What if" this prevents a rape victim from getting access to a morning after pill?  "What if" I was that rape victims baby?  What would I want? "What if" we've really been allowing the murder of human beings through these methods all of these years without even realizing it? 
           A lot of pro-life Christians have gotten caught up in the difference between fertilization and implantation and when a person is really a person and it seems like we've forgotten the fact that pro-lifers can all agree that once a woman is pregnant she is pregnant with a person and an abortion ends that person's life.  Planned Parenthood and the ACLU's research has done a great job of turning our attention away from what Amendment 26 is at its core:  ending abortion.  Don't believe the lies that say "this isn't about abortion."  The people behind Personhood have nothing to gain if this amendment passes, while Planned Parenthood has everything to lose.
          "I'm a Christian, I'm pro-life, and I've researched and decided to vote no."  If you fall into this category, I have to ask, "where is this research coming from?"   Have you bathed this issue in prayer and study of the scripture?  After having felt God say, "Trust me" Bible Verses just started coming at me everytime I opened my Bible (or, in my case, Bible App).  Proverbs 24:11-12 hit me hard,
"¹¹ Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;
      save them as they stagger to their death.
 ¹² Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”      For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.   He who guards your soul knows you knew.
      He will repay all people as their actions deserve."
         
           I added the underlying for emphasis.  I want to replace "Look, we didn't know" with "Look, we were fooled!"  Fooled by an organization that has aborted millions of babies.
           Abortion is one of the issues that I am most passionate about.  What have I done to stop it thus far?  Nothing.  Not one single thing.  I imagined standing before God on judgment day and being asked, "what did you do to save these lives?"  What would I say? "Well, God, I strongly was against abortion in my lifetime and never would have considered one myself."  God, "Yes, but what did you DO?"  Me, "Well, there was this one time that an amendment came forward that could have ended abortion, but I voted against it because it was 'poorly written.'"  What would God say then? 
          This is my chance!  This is the first chance I have ever had to speak up for all of those innocent lives who are lost everyday!   How could I vote no?  I am voting YES, and trusting God that it really will be okay.  If this Amendment doesn't pass, then I will know that I have done what I could and can say to God that I did something, as small as it was.