Whatever Wednesday Writings - Family Prank

Pranks are a must to a healthy family. After all laughter is good medicine…especially when that laughter comes at the cost of paying someone back who is usually the one that dishes out the pranks and if you know our family, you know WHO that someone is.

As most of you know we had to put down our 14 year old Chihuahua, Señor Harjo this past month and every day since then the kids have been beggin’, it was a bit depressing because he has not been gone that long. Then it came to pass…I joined in on the beggin’…after all the pitter patter of his paws on the hardwood floors, his fancy dancing in circles when I come home…are no more. It’s quiet here….besides the continual pleading.

The repetitive pleading was beginning to wear on Darryl, so Darryl proclaimed that the ONLY way we were getting another dog was if M.O.M. retired so she can take care of it…thus prank on dad was initiated.

It’s always good to have friends in high places that can make things happen quickly, thus this very official letter of my voluntary retirement of 21 years was born…effective June 1, 2014.

We all sat down at the dinner table and I started the conversation with, “So does anyone else miss Señor?” The kids were like, “Yes!” I said, “Me too.” Darryl said, “Surprisingly yes, I do. I dropped some food on the floor and I was like Señor will clean it up and I catch myself looking out in the back for him.”

I said, “I thought about what you said if we wanted a dog then I would need to retire so I could be home during the day to take care of it, so this is what I did (I handed him the letter).

Darryl begin to read the letter, his chewing slowed down, he begin to get that look in his eyes, the look that moms usually give their kids, then he retorted, “Well I guess our goal of paying off our home in 5 years isn’t going to happen. We are going to have to go back to a 15 year note. We may even have to sell our house.”

To which I said, “Well that is a good thing, we have wanted to downsize. Now we can move to Westmoore and Darya can finish out school there, it really is a win-win situation for all of us.” Darya, was like “Yes!” All of three of us continued with all the benefits of downsizing, living a minimal lifestyle, having a pet and living happily ever after. At this point I thought of this scrapbook page I did of us.

We carried it past dinner and you could see the disappointment growing. I asked Darryl, “Do you still love me?”

No answer, just that look.

So I asked again, “Do you still love me?”

To which he somberly said, “It’s just that I thought something of such great importance you would have talked to me about it.”

I said, “I thought it had already been discussed when you declared the only way we were getting a dog is if I retired to take care of it, so that is what I did. I didn’t realize we needed any further discussions.”

It was time to inform him that he had been pranked by his daughter, son and myself and that the letter was fake. Darya video recorded his response and here it is.

Yes, he still loves me and yes we are getting a new dog!! Now we are working on getting two dogs, you know so they can keep each other company; after all it is scriptural (sort of)…

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NKJV)

The Value of a Friend

Two are better than one,

Because they have a good reward for their labor.

For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.

But woe to him who is alone when he falls,

For he has no one to help him up.

Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;

But how can one be warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.

And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Whatever Wednesday Writings - D Day Month 2014

D Day Month 2014

But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23

Today as a mother of a teenage girl who is obsessed with driving I am thankful for space and grace! Most bloggers, and I am guilty too, choose to only share the icing of their lives to protect a persona of who they want others to believe them to be. The highlight reel of their lives so to say, but the truth is those highlights only promotes us (yuck!) and doesn’t give a complete picture of life. It can also make others feel inadequate and the truth is all of us and our families have hard times, difficult issues, life lessons and/or humble pie, but we hide them, we don’t put them on Facebook or blog about our kids getting into fights at school or about losing jobs. More importantly omitting these bumps and valleys of our lives doesn’t give God glory for the good He does through these refining times.

I love what Oswald Chambers says about these valleys in My Utmost for His Highest, “We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength.”

And I love how my commuter buddy Matt Chandler says it, “When you get that God did it all, he justified you, when you get that - it becomes almost impossible to judge anyone. By judging them you negate the very grace that was given to you, if it wasn’t for that grace that is you.” 

So judge not, I know as we follow all the rules and do everything right we become unsympathetic to those that are failing and the truth is none of it is our ability to do good, we have been saved by grace through faith it was none of our doing – so no boasting in us, only God.

With all these thoughts, I wrestled with sharing this, but with my daughter’s permission and for God’s glory I share D-Month Harjo Home 2014.

Ask any of our children and they know our parenting mantra and prayer is Numbers 32:23 “Your sin will find you out”. Ask our adult children and they will testify to this mantra. We pray this now because we want to know now, so those sins can be lovingly corrected now under parenting – not later as adults.

My flesh and blood, my first born with driving permit only; which if you don’t know what that means in the 21^st century and the graduated licensing system, it means she is only permitted to drive while another licensed driver over the age of 21 is in the front seat of the vehicle with her.

Well one evening while I was at women’s retreat an hour away and my dear husband and son were at baseball games…she decides to take herself and a friend for a spin in my car. Oh. Yes. She. Did. 

Again, I am thankful for grace and space otherwise, I may be blogging from prison, which I am not sure how that would work.

At the retreat phone services are spotty because of its “retreat” location, well after the Friday night session; I ended up on the cabin porch sharing life with a sister-in-Christ. She was sharing about her children, family and some of the pitfalls they encountered during their children’s teenage years. Only God knew what was going to happen that night and He placed me at that retreat an hour away and Pat in my life at that moment to spare my child and to spare me from prison.

After our real life talk, I notice I had received a few texts from my husband. The first one said, “Our daughter took your car out while I was gone.” The next text said, “And………”

I am screaming (in my head) at my phone “AND?.....AND….WHAT?” As a mother my thoughts went to the extreme..…and..…she wrecked the car…..and…...she is dead…...and…..she killed someone….and she got picked up by the cops….and she ran over a neighbor’s pet……and….and….and…..I know overkill, but that is this momma’s mind.

On top of a hill, holding one leg up I found a place with reception and called Darryl (I thought), but Darya answered; that is what we get for naming her so close to her dad’s name. So I had to go with it, I asked, “So tell me what happened tonight.” She said, “I kind of drove your car.”

I said, “Explain to me “kind of” driving my car? You backed it half way out and then back in?”

She replied, “No, I took it out and drove it in the neighborhood.” I asked, “Why did you do that?” 

She replied with the most common teenage response, “I don’t know.”

I won’t bore you with the entire conversation; but two weeks of grounding from driving and her phone ensued, plus countless conversations about why and how it was wrong, despite being a good driver (her reasoning)…and she is a good driver, but it was still wrong on so many levels.

I even shared with her, what I thought was a jewel of wisdom when she is conflicted about what the right thing to do is and that is “When in doubt, don’t.” Just don’t, I thought it is short and simple and will pop into her head when she is conflicted to make a choice.

Fast forward two weeks, phone back in hand, permit in back pocket, little bro and mom are at the movies and dad is working and mom’s car is sitting in the garage with a full tank of gas calling her name.

Now one would think I drove some exotic sports car, but no, I drive an injury causing VW bug. Again, she decides two weeks of grounding wasn’t long enough. Oh. Yes. She. Did. It. Again.

However, this time it was not the CSI Parenting that led to the discovery, but dad arriving home to all vehicles gone.

So again, why? Again. “I don’t know.” To which I said, “So my four little words did not help at all?” Obviously not, because her reply was, “What words? “ I chanted them again in my duh tone, “When in doubt…don’t?” The memory resurfaced, “Oh yeah, I thought about that but I think I am obsessed with driving.” Really? Obsessed?  That was a good one and I don’t think you can take a pill for that.

So I asked how did it make you feel when you drove up and saw Dad was home? She said “I felt disgusted and mad at myself. I don’t know why I did it, I knew it was wrong. I know this sounds crazy, but I wanted you to take my phone away because I think I am a better person without it.” Really? A better person? Dad and I agree and did you know you could have just said you need help monitoring your time on your phone? Of course, she didn’t think of that.

Next, I asked, “Did you forget whose dad and my daddy is? Let me remind you G. O. D. and He is EVER present and all-knowing and I will NOT let your disobedience win, I love you too much.”

Thus D-Day Month operation begins. I love my kids too much to let the enemy have them. I like what a godly woman and friend told me once, “I will go through hell with a water pistol if I have to!” Friends, we have an enemy and he wants our children; but I won’t let him have mine! I am relying on the true, faithful Word of God, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." Acts 16:31

Finally, out comes our parenting mantra again, “You know we’ve told you ‘your sin will find you out’”. To which, she said, “I know, but I thought it was just a saying, now I know it is true.” To which I declared, “Honey, it is not just a saying it is God’s word and His word is always true and does not come back void.”

Through it all I have been thanking God for these difficult times of our daughter’s disobedience. I actually rejoice in them. One, nobody was hurt. Two, my teenage daughter learned a valuable lesson about God’s Word and His character and this will hopefully keep her from further harm. Three, I am thankful that both times there was space between her and I so God could get me in the place of grace.

I told my husband, “What I wanted to do was cut up her permit and throw her phone in the trash” to which he said, he had the same thoughts! Gotta love one flesh. J But God extends His grace to me time and time again, every time I fail, actually every day.

While Oswald Chambers says we have to prove our stamina and strength during the valleys and ordinary life, I would say it isn’t my stamina and strength but God’s strength made perfect in my weaknesses.

“For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.” 2 Corin. 4:15

Forever changed on May 20, 2013

Just wanted to share with y’ all our personal story from May 20, 2013. It’s not a story of human loss or property, but of a mother trying to learn to trust God above all and in all circumstances, through PCS (Permanent Change of Station) orders and in fatal F5 tornadoes. From Newcastle, to South Oklahoma City, to Moore, we all have a story of Monday, May 20, 2013, this is ours.

In Oklahoma, we know about God, college football, severe weather and tornadoes. My husband and I are Okies, born and raised on red dirt, raised wearing crimson and cream and raised to know about severe spring time weather…including when to stand outside and watch or when to take shelter. Monday, May 20, 2013 was a day to take shelter. In fact, we knew days ahead of time that it could be a potentially deadly day thanks to the many superb meteorologist we have in our state.

If you are not from around here, a few words that should catch your ears are “supercell tornadic activity” or “large, long tracking tornadoes” the combination of those words should make you pay close attention and have a plan. Tornadoes are not like earthquakes, which hit with no warning. The beauty, if there is any beauty in a tornado, is that we are warned days in advance, with technology combined with experience, our meteorologists are almost always accurate when it comes to predicting large, long tracking tornadoes.  Then we have experienced storm chasers who give play by play, street by street, breakdown of the path which gives people time to take shelter if they are “weather aware” which includes having a plan and paying attention to the weather reports on the local news stations. Unfortunately, eleven days after May 20^th, some of the best storm chasers lost their lives in another F5 out in El Reno, Oklahoma; which says that even with the expertise and technology, tornadoes can do some strange things and should not be played around with.

Another phrase you should pay attention to is “you have to be below ground to survive this, act now”, that means get to a storm shelter, yours, ours or mine…it doesn’t matter. Amazingly, people survived above ground in the direct path, there were many injuries and the ones I know that survived above ground have horrific stories and are even experiencing nightmares and posttraumatic stress disorder and rightfully so.

Finally, outside of keeping together a “go bag” with you of your important papers and medicines, another important piece of information to know is what county you are in and/or live in because this is one way the local meteorologist call out warnings by. Another tip, is wear boots or tennis shoes; and if you can’t get below ground put on a football, bicycle, or motorcycle helmet on, goggles, and if you have a thick wool coat put that on too. You might look crazy but if you can’t get below ground these things may save your life.

Back to Monday, May 20^th , we knew a couple of days before there was a high probability that we were going to see long tracking tornadoes. We even knew about what time they would hit, close to the hour of day that schools would be letting out. I was at work huddled in the stairwell with my co-workers as the sirens were going off in our area, we were listening to the meteorologist describe the path this monster tornado was taking. He said, “This is heading into Moore, extremely dangerous if it doesn’t lift, it is red line, center line for Moore if it stays on track it is heading towards Westmoore and it is on the May 3, 1999 track.” Then we were dismissed out of the stairwells back to our offices only to be turned around to go back and take cover yet again. Then I heard, “It’s not letting up and folks need to be below ground to survive. If you can’t get below ground, get out of the path of the storm.”

Once again, we were dismissed back to our offices, where I heard the next update, “if it doesn’t change paths it is now heading towards Moore High School. Tracking on SW 134 continuing to track east mile wide wedge into housing additions – east side of MHS, S. 4^th Street, crossing Bryant and  just north of 12^th St.” It was time to get home those are all streets surrounding our neighborhood and at a mile wide, it would hit my daughter’s school and our home! Our home is in that mile section just left of Mike Morgan's hand, to the right of MHS, right above the word Moore; and where the M of Moore is, is Darya's school.

The week of May 20th has been the most physically and emotionally draining week of my entire life; watching lives and homes ripped apart…hurts. The fact that we did not lose any family or our home, I feel is a miracle, the tornado missed our home by less than ½ a mile; but it hit Darya’s school, Highland East Jr. High. For days, most people probably didn’t even know a third school, a junior high, in our school district was hit. That is okay with me, because that means…thankfully there were no deaths, only a few injuries.  I am amazed when I look at this map to see how wide the tornado was and how it shrunk down to almost nothing right before hitting Highland East Jr. High. I hope you can see it. The red square next to the red path is Highland East.

When Darryl learned that Darya was being detained at school and the buses were not leaving, he drove up there to pick her up. He arrived 35 minutes before it hit, but the Moore Public Schools (MPS) had already put the schools on lockdown and would not let him check her out. Darya told her teacher my dad is here to get me; she said you will be safer here. Darya told her no she wouldn’t because she has a storm cellar at home. Many people said, “I would have just went and got her and left, nobody can keep me from my kids.”  Needless to say, Darryl did not know exactly which classroom she was in or he would have went and claimed and taken his daughter. I understand not releasing students to walk home and/or out on the buses; but not releasing them to parents?

While at our friends school, Briarwood Elementary (same school district), one of the schools that was demolished, allowed my friend to take as many kids as she could. Obviously the school district needs to reconsider their policies. Another metro school district, the Mid-Del school district sent out a message to parents that because of the impending weather, they could pick up kids early beginning at 1 pm without any penalty; Mid-Del made a good call. Since we live in tornado alley, I am an advocate for school districts to have "tornado days" just like we have "snow days", make sense - since we have the technology and expertise to predict severe weather.

Once my co-workers and I were released back to our desks, a co-worker of mine who has children in the Moore school district was leaving to go home and I was not far behind her; not that we could stop an F-5 tornado, but we needed to be near. As you can see from the text messages below, I left at 3:08 p.m. with a promise of coming and I love yous. I drove south on I-35 in driving rain looking at the blackness in the sky as it roll over the area where my family and home are, listening to the meteorologist call out familiar landmarks and neighborhoods of family and friends.  The tornado was traveling on fourth street and they were reporting on the radio at that time that it was 2 miles wide! My heart sunk to the very pit of my being as I called out to God and begged him to take our home but not my family.

My heart was being squeezed inside my chest as I realized the life and property that was being destroyed of my family, friends, and my community. Then the meteorologist said what I did not want to hear, it just hit the Junior High. The Junior High is where my daughter and husband were. I did not know what I was going to find once I arrived in the blackness I seen off in the distance. I continued to drive through rain, fighting back tears and holding on to hope. My sons were at home in the storm cellar, I knew they would be safe so I traveled to the Junior High, but could not get through fourth street because of all the downed power lines and destruction. I decided to go through my neighborhood to get to the school the back way. I picked up my sons on the way thankful our house was standing; although, I didn’t care about that. I just need to know my husband and daughter were okay, as the last text I received from her was at 3:08 p.m. saying “We are taking shelter, I love you too!” Every attempt of a text/call after that was incomplete and it was now after 4:19 p.m..

Somehow I made it to the school through the tears and shaking, jumped over the electrical poles/wires to cross the street and get to the school. As you can imagine, parents and kids were everywhere, then in the distance I saw my daughter and husband standing. As you can imagine my heart jumped out of my chest as we ran to embrace each other. It was approximately an hour and 10 minutes since her last text until I found them, not knowing was the worst experience, I never want to relive. I ache for the parents that didn’t find their children living, how horribly heart wrenching.

Once we were reunited I learned, since the school officials would not allow Darryl to have Darya he was going to stay with her, he told me, “I wasn’t going to let her die alone.” That was so hard to hear. Darya said, “Dad came in my room and got on his knees and started praying.” The rest of the class was watching the coverage on a TV, then they lost the feed and the Principal came over the intercom and said "I need you to take cover immediately. We are out of time." Darryl said as the rumble drew louder, the building begins to shake and he was waiting for the roof to lift off. Darya said it was very loud and scary, her ears were popping and she came home with a horrible headache, but she came home. Darryl said she never cried until she walked outside and saw all the devastation.

Our pastor’s daughter, Katelyn, was substitute teaching that day and her class was in the gym, the part of the school that took a direct hit and they had to dig and climb out of the destroyed building. I struggle with why they didn’t bring them in to the main building instead of leaving them out in the gym, but they all survived only a few injuries, which is simply amazing. She, too, has her own story. She quickly changed shoes and ran to her home to check on family. Their home was still standing, but a block over was nothing but homes of rubble.

The main portion of the school was still standing and that is where most of the students, teachers and parents took cover. The back side of the school and the gym were demolished. Our SUV that was at the school was totaled, but no significant losses in our family. It missed all 26 of my family dispersed throughout SW OKC and Moore, we feel so blessed.

But then we begin to hear, one by one, over the next seven days, the sixteen different families we knew who lost homes and family. Darya has many friends who lost their homes; and two of her friends had family members who died (a mother, and a child) – I can’t even imagine! Heartbreaking.

We had one of our friends (a family of five) staying with us because they totally lost their home. They were still displaced a month later, but they are alive. An F5 tornado sure can put what is important in life in perspective and it’s not things.

Rebekah showing me the storm cellar that held her friend, her and 12 kids.

What they saw across the street from their house. Where a neighborhood of homes once stood, all was rubble.

Another one of my friends survived above ground, right in the path of the F5, his home is behind Darya’s school. He posted a picture of where he and his wife took cover and the only thing left standing of his home was the hallway where they were with a mattress over them, at the end of the hall was a cross.

Matt and his beautiful wife who survived the F5 above ground. What a story they have!

The family that stayed with us was fortunate enough to shelter in a neighbor’s storm cellar right before it barreled through their neighborhood. Everyone has a story and this is ours. It still feels like we live in a war zone as there are miles upon miles of destruction that we see daily. It feels like we’ve been given a sand bucket and told to empty the ocean. The time it takes to get around town is getting easier, most of the “tourists” have left, and our hearts still ache for the families who lost loved ones and for our community. We still need prayer. We still need help. While most Oklahomans do not have to travel SW 148th or SE 4th Street in Moore, we travel them daily. The endless destruction is a constant reminder of all that people have lost. It’s painful. It’s daily. I heard a reporter on the national news a couple of weeks after the F5 question an Oklahoman why they would rebuild here, he said, “There have been four major tornadoes in Moore in the past 15 years, why would you want to rebuild here?” Their reply was, “It’s home.” Then she went on to describe the heart of the people who unite together to give, to share, to help. Well, it’s not just Moore, it is just as I have heard “the Oklahoma standard”. We have big hearts.

This before and after picture is what was left of our first home after May 20, 2013, 309 SW 148th Street. This was the first home Darryl and I shared. We don’t live there anymore, but it is where we spent the first seven years of our marriage together, although seven years isn't really that long, we created many memories and celebrated many life events there. While in that home we celebrated the birth of Darya and Jayden, we witnessed 9-11 unfold before our eyes, celebrated many birthdays and anniversaries, it was also Senor Harjo's first home, many Barney songs were sung, many games of basketball played and our first tree planted. I wonder how our story would have played out differently if we did still live there.

This is where my parents lived; again I wonder, if we would have remained on SW 148^th Street, would they have remained by us too?

My parents former home

Backside of my parent's former home.

Looking from the backyard of my parents former home down to where our home use to be.

So sad to see it…all gone. Every time I was over in that area, I'd drive by just to check it out, to reflect and remember. Now it is no more. Please remember Moore in your thoughts and prayers, especially those that lost loved ones and all the others who lost property, we’ve got a long road ahead of us, but we will be OK.

As Blake Shelton said on Healing in the Heartland, ”This one knocked us down to our knees and this is a tough one, but we will be back up running again.

As I said in the beginning, I am trying to learn to trust God above all and in all circumstances. I want to figure out how to do that without fail. Without wavering. Without fear. As Paul said in

in Philippians, "I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him" (Phil 3:8). He has been well fed and he has been starving. He has lived in abundance and he has lived with nothing. His conclusion? That it is all rubbish; the only thing that matters is Christ, that he be found in Him, that he would know the power of His resurrection and the fellowships of His sufferings. (Phil 3:9-11). Everything else is rubbish.

Thanks for listening, forever changed,

On FOX tonight…Master Parent!

I discovered two things about pounding my Pampered Chef Food Chopper 1) I can see why it has a lifetime guarantee, it can sure take a beatin’; and 2) it is actually pretty good therapy after a long day at work then coming home to a hormonal preteen. After coming home from work I begin to think about playing chef and preparing a new meal, “Turkey Sausage Gumbo” that excitement quickly faded as I realized it was “Junior High Orientation” night.

At the end of 6^th grade we enrolled Darya for Junior High and the school nurses wanted to give her shots, but she was up to date with all her shots. I just need to get her shot record from Tinker Air Force Base. So the school nurse casually said, “no problem, just bring a copy of her shot records up before schools starts”.

So off we trekked with hundreds of other work wearied parents and hormonal preteens to discover what supplies were needed, what schedules were, to meet teachers and to see if they could open a combination lock. I could write an entire blog on the combination lock experience! After standing in a long line to get the schedule, I was told that because I still needed to turn in her shot record we would have to go to the office first. I am just wondering why didn’t they have a sign or at least someone informing us of this little fact before standing in a long line? So off to another line which wouldn’t have been so bad if there had been a ride at the end or better yet a buffet! Did I tell you I have started back to WeightWatchers? Well I have and I am only on day three and the first week is usually marked by hunger pains that could convert a person suffering from anorexia. So hunger pains plus inadequate preparation and planning on the school’s part didn’t help the fact that I was about to have a showdown with my preteen daughter over her writing off band with a negative attitude. We all know outlook determines outcome. So with my new found motivational interviewing skills I had just learned and practiced at work that day, I begin to dig in to her and give her reasons why she needs to give band a chance! So much for asking open-ended questions, affirming her, reflective listening and letting her come up with her own reasons to give band a chance! I was determined to convince her that band is what she needs since she physically can’t play sports without getting very sick. Side request; please remember us and the doctors in prayer as we go, yet, to another doctor to seek a solution or even a reason.

So it probably wasn’t hormones, but that sounded like a good thing to blame at the moment. The truth of the matter is that she is hard-headed just like me. If she wants to do something, she will set her mind on it and accomplish it and if she doesn’t want to do it, then you might as well write it off because it will not happen. That personality trait that can be either good or bad.

After orientation and the Big Band Showdown, I came home and chopped onions, bell peppers, okra and turkey sausage like I was Hong Kong Phooey, quicker than the human eye. Okay, well maybe I wasn’t that quick, leading to the reason I turned on the TV in the kitchen. There on Fox was a show called “Master Chef”, which is a show I have never watched but I was so lost in my thoughts about my lack of parenting and motivational interviewing skills that I found odd comfort from the Master Chef on the show saying, “there you go…excellent…you are doing a great job “. Yes, I got reeled in! Darn reality shows.

I realized just like the Master Chef participants, I too, was facing my own pressure test, but instead of putting nutmeg in the flour, it was fighting with my daughter over extra-curricular activities. Band or Block that was the question, her way or my way, die on the hill and crush a spirit..…4.…3….2….1….and stop! I could hear the Master Chef saying, “There is no WOW factor, it is destroyed, I think you may have blown it!” True. I did blow it all my motivational and coaching skills for change out the window, or should I say down the disposal? If I was out to convince her to give band a chance, I failed miserably. I did exactly what I was not supposed to do and that was increasing her reluctance and resistance. Can I get a WOW factor rating on that?

Can I just sit in the gallery? Without being evaluated? Without being judged and scrutinized for my decisions? Quite frankly, I know, very well how some of my FB friends feel about public school and raising teenage girls and that I don’t measure up. I never will claim to be a perfect , but I am a parent that loves and isn’t afraid to correct mistakes and ask for forgiveness. Plus I know the Master Parent! Although I make mistakes, He is gracious and faithful to work all things to my good, I do love Him so!

If I can’t sit in the gallery, will you at least stand around watching intently, holding your breath, with intense faces of hope as I face the unknown of parenting a strong-willed teenage girl?

After I had Hong Kong chopped dinner and faced a truthful realization, I went back in the “pressure zone” apologized, asked for forgiveness and used those motivational and coaching skills to come to an agreement of giving it an honest try for at least week.

See how far she has grown? It has gone so fast.

Yes, I will make more mistakes, but I have been given the privilege to mother. I am proud of all my children, regardless of the mistakes we’ve made and they’ve made, but more than anything I am overwhelmed by the Lord’s goodness to us through the mistakes. His grace covers all our mistakes and that certainly humbles me. It is my prayer and hope that as I pass through these tough pressure tests of life that my Master Parent will grace me with, “well done, good and faithful servant”.  The Lord has been good to us, bless His Holy Name. I want to grab the Judge’s attention for all the right reasons. Instead of “Yes, Chef”.…it is Yes, Lord, Yes Lord, YES!!

I am thankful that when I turned on the TV it was “Hell’s Kitchen or Kitchen Nightmares” (which I have never watched), but let’s just say the outcome could have been different!

Worst Mother Award ~ Mother's Day 2011

Mother's Day weekend started off a bit rocky with Jayden telling me that I am the WORST mother ever because I am making him eat ONE serving of a fruit and veggie a day, making him wear shoes when he goes outside and then Darya called me "RUDE" because I left her behind when I told her "let's go" and she decided to leisurely hang out on the trampoline for another 10 minutes. Then I got the cold shoulder from her after grounding her for lying to me about where to pick her up at. Wow this mothering thing is fun!

Well it seemed only fitting that if I was going to get a mother's day gift I was going to have to go purchase it myself! So with a deep sigh off to Mardel's I went. Don't feel bad, my love language is not gifts anyway. Here is what I purchased, two things I needed a new coffee travel mug, a cute spring journal to do my Partnering to Remember plus the Francesca Battistelli "Hundred More Years" CD. The cute little egg looking thing is eos (evolution of smooth) lip balm that my big sister Gaye gave me for Mother's Day. It is 95% Organic, 100% Natural and gluten-free? Makes me wonder what is in that other 5%?

A good night's sleep and/or a lunch out after church can do alot for my children's attitudes. I would like to credit it to Pastor's sermon on "Honoring Your Mother", but I think it was really lunch out because my kids are all about the food. I wonder what that says about my cooking? Which ever the reason my offspring has forgiven me. Instead of going to an overcrowded restaurant and spending the majority of our afternoon waiting and enduring bad service we opted for some fresh City Bites. Have you tried their Razmatazz? It is their heart healthy special and it is dee-lish. It is a sandwich with Hickory smoked turkey breast, fat free cream cheese, cucumbers, alfalfa sprouts, lettuce, tomatoes, fat free raspberry vinaigrette, salt & pepper. O' my I am hooked! I need to try and recreate this at home. My kids like the decor of City Bites and one has a man eating plant that reminded us of the play "Little Shop of Horrors" that we saw at the Ford Theater in Washington, DC. Which was about a nerdish florist who finds his chance for success and romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant who demands to be fed.

Then after I feed my little chick-a-dee's, we went home to discover our Resident Tree Momma Bird feeding her babies in the nice, secure nest she had built. It was really hard to get a picture, because Momma Bird did not like us getting to close. If you look closely you may see one of the babies with it's mouth open. It was a sweet, tender moment and a reminder of that special bond between a mother and a child no matter the species.

This is my card from Darya. I thought maybe the I L Y was a confession of sorts, but no it doesn't mean I lie - it is short for I Love You. Thankful she has a sense of humor, praying that she learns from this stunt that it is always better to tell the truth. She may still get in trouble, when telling the truth but the punishment won't be as bad as if she lies too.

With her note on the back side that says: "I love you Thanks for being there and you make me food! (Smiling Face) Happy Mother's Day!" See I told you, with my kids it's all about the food.

Then on to my son Jayden's note to me that he sat down and wrote on instruction from Pastor during church Sunday morning. It reads, "Dear Mom, I love your always was there when I was sad you always love me and thank you for working so hard so we can eat and drink and get a lot of money to pay off the taxes and we can live in the house we live in    love Jayden" See more about the food! However, you can see he is highly educated, he is already aware that it takes "a lot of money to pay off the taxes".

On the way home from the evening service we had a storm roll by which left for a really cool photo op. Narration provided by Jayden, "We're not supposed to be going into the darkness, we're supposed to go into the light! Well, unless you are the Storm Chasers then you would want to go into the darkness!" He is a source of entertainment and joy for me.

For the final meal of the day, Darryl prepared a yummy taco salad for me on our finest dinnerware. Now it is back to the other 364 days of me preparing meals for my family. It was an awesome Mother's Day for someone who thought they would never be a mom! But God...two of my most favorite words...brought two loving young children, Megan and Brandon, in my life via my husband and at age 32 He blessed me with my first born Darya and then again at age 36, I was privileged to become a mother to Jayden. I am blessed to have each of these four blessings in my life but even more blessed that the God of the Universe fills in on my lack as a mother, with much, much grace....unending grace. I am so undeserving, but thankful, grateful to the One and Only Jesus who gave all...freely...for us. My heart is full of His love.