'07-'08 School year comes to an end!

I spent several hours sitting at the computer on Saturday morning. Bud had been after me to upload the numerous photos I had stored on our camera. It was a tedious, time-consuming project since I made the extra effort to properly name each photo (using the system my Prince Charming had created) and to touch up the photos to eliminate red eye, shadows, etc. It was fun to relive the many events that occurred over the course of this school year.

This is the last week of school for Burrito and Kat. The ending to many firsts. Burrito is finishing his freshman year of high school. Finals and all. Kat is finishing her first year of junior high. No finals this year. They have planned a party together at our house on Friday evening with approximately thirty of their closest friends and I'm sure this will provide for many more photo opportunities.

Here's the year in review - one full year condensed to five minutes.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Remember

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."

(Information from http://www.usmemorialday.org/)

MARIA SUE CHAPMAN, DAUGHTER OF STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN, DIES IN ACCIDENT AT FAMILY HOME

From his official website:

NASHVILLE, TN...5/21/08... At approximately 5pm on the afternoon of Wednesday May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, 5 years old and the youngest daughter to Steven and Mary Beth Chapman was struck in the driveway of the Chapman home in Franklin, TN. Maria was rushed to Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital in Nashville, transported by LifeFlight, but died of her injuries there. Maria is one of the close knit family’s six children and one of their three adopted daughters.

(Note: One of the Chapman's sons was the driver of the vehicle that struck Maria Sue. Please, please keep this young man in your prayers!)

More than five years ago, Chapman and his wife MaryBeth founded The Shaohannah’s Hope Ministry after bringing their first adopted daughter, Shaohannah, home from China. The ministry’s goal is to help families reduce the financial barrier of adoption, and has provided grants to over 1700 families wishing to adopt orphans from around the world. Chapman is a five-time GRAMMY ® winner and 54-time Dove Award winning artist who has sold over 10 million albums and garnered 44 No. 1 singles.

The Chapman family is so grateful for the incredible outpouring of love and support at this difficult time.

If you’d like to meet Maria and express your condolences click here
By mail, send to PO Box 150156 Nashville, TN 37215.
In lieu of flowers, the Chapmans request any gifts be directed to Shaohannah’s Hope.

Mama Bear

A quick search on the internet revealed several sites that describe the qualities of mama bears. They all had a common theme.

• Mother bears will not leave their cubs. They are fiercely protective. She will hide her cubs nearby (to keep them safe) while she hunts or fishes. She will put them in a place where they are still nearby, but where other animals are not likely to notice the cubs. If a mother bear feels that her cubs are in danger, she will fight to the death to protect them.
• Mother bears are fiercely protective and extremely devoted, attentive, sensitive and affectionate with their young cubs.
• The mother will fiercely protect her cubs from any perceived danger.
• Mother bears are fiercely protective of their young.
• You especially don't want to get between a mother bear and a cub. A mother bear with cubs will be fiercely protective.

Fiercely protective. Sound familiar? Are you a mama bear? I am.

My kiddos can vouch for this. They say they can see the transformation begin in my eyes. Then it moves to my jaws. The clinching begins. The timbre of my voice drops and sharpens as the volume slightly rises. Sometimes more than slightly. Push me beyond this stage and you’re likely to see the claws, snarling teeth and flying fur appear.

It doesn’t have to be a life or death situation to bring about these protective instincts. And, it doesn’t matter the age of your child. I’m certain that my parents still feel the mama bear tendencies arise when they believe my sister or I have been wronged.

Wronged. Aggrieved. Mistreated. Persecuted. Maltreated. Victimized. Offended. Ill-treated. Injured. Harmed. (I have a great thesaurus. Let me know if you need more words.)

The dilemma in these situations, I’ve discovered, is finding the discernment to know when to unleash the mama bear. Or, when to take a deep, cleansing breath, step aside and let my cubs fight their own battle. Especially as my kiddos are getting older.

How am I doing with this dilemma? Well, it’s a day-to-day process. Some days I get it right. Some days I don’t. My prayer, though, is that my kiddos will know that whether I jump into the fray in their behalf or step aside and allow the battle and its outcome to be theirs, Mama Bear is there. Praying for guidance and protection from the One who loves them even more than I ever could.

And then I return to our family verse:

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. " (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NLT)

IT

We took the boat out on the lake this past Saturday for the first time this season. Bud and Kat were on the water early to do some fishing. Burrito and I got to sleep in ‘til a little later. (An early Mother’s Day gift!) We packed a picnic lunch and met them around 11 AM at the dock where we exchanged fishing gear for the picnic lunch and tube.

You wouldn’t know it by the pictures, but the water is still hovering around 70 degrees. That’s a “come up screaming” temperature! But, we hit a record-breaking 98-degrees on Saturday here in central Texas so, after the initial shock, the water felt really good. We spent the day alternating between pulling the kiddos on the tube and finding little coves to float around in whenever we needed a rest.

We also made a “drive by” of one of our favorite spots, The Oasis. This restaurant is perched on one of the cliffs overlooking the lake and boasts the best views. It’s hard to see in the picture, but most of the restaurant is outdoor seating on decks that line the side of the cliff.

The Oasis is called the “Sunset Capital of Texas” because it is perfectly situated facing west to capture the sun as it sets over the lake and the hill country beyond. It’s one of those places where the sun visibly “drops” into the horizon each night. A dinner guest is selected each evening to help the dinner crowd count down the descent (think of the ball dropping in Time Square on New Year’s Eve!) and then ring a giant bell when the last sliver of the orange ball disappears. This was one of the places Jim, our realtor, took us to when we were here for our house hunting trip a little more than five years ago. It’s one of those must-see places we’re compelled to take out-of-towners who visit us.

In 2005, The Oasis was struck by lightening and most of the decking was burned. As you can imagine, all that wood made great kindling for the fire! Most of the restaurant’s outdoor dining area was closed while the owners rebuilt all of the decking. The old decking had been added onto numerous times over the years – decks staggered here and there as needed to accommodate the ever-increasing number of guests. That was part of the charm. It’s since been reopened and is all shiny and new. Almost too perfect. But, it’s still the best place to watch the sunset in Texas!

The kids would swim and tube until they were exhausted. Getting back on the tube is no easy feat in the water!

“Hold it, Kat! I think I can get on!”

"Almost there…"

Nope.

We anchored in a cove at one point to let the kids float and rest. As a matter of safety, we always have one person remain in the boat, even when anchored. Bud was just about to jump into the water with the kids when I noticed something very strange beside the kids on the tube. Air bubbles. Lots of bubbles. I stopped Bud from jumping in and made him take a look. He offered several explanations including disturbed vegetation from dropping the anchor. An underwater pipe for run-off water. An underground spring. The spring theory was Bud's favored explanation. The bubbling continued. Then, the bubbles began to increase. The kiddos had now noticed the boiling water beside them and they weren’t too happy to be hanging out in the water like live bait. We quickly pulled the kids into the boat and continued to watch. My Prince Charming even suggested at one point that I get the camera ready as we might be about to get some pictures that we could sell to one of those tabloids you see in the checkout line of the grocery store.

Suddenly, the boiling bubbles began to move. (The last time I checked, springs don’t move.) Bud decided it would be the appropriate time to pull the anchor… and follow IT. While he was pulling the anchor, Kat and I saw something. What was IT? IT was big and just a few feet under the surface of the water. The bubbling water moved right. Then left. Bud cranked the motor and followed a few feet behind while IT almost made a complete circle then headed toward the rocky cliff that lined the cove. We had IT cornered now! The water really began to boil.

Camera was ready… Turned on… Lens cap removed... In focus…

And then IT surfaced!
I screamed and sank into my seat. (Because I’m always calm in situations like that!) Kat screamed. Burrito was dazed. I could see the “fight or flight” decision process taking place in Bud’s muscles.

IT casually waved and yelled “Sorry!” across the water to us. Then slipped under the surface of the water again and disappeared.

We don’t know where IT came from. There weren’t any other boats in the area. There were no dive flags floating anywhere. There were no homes at the top of the shear cliff surrounding the cove.

Later that night in the safety of our own home, it occurred to us that we could have killed IT. Props on boats can certainly maim and kill. Not to mention the twenty-pound anchor we dropped.

The excitement just never ceases around here. So, how was your Mother’s Day weekend?

P.S. – The photo of IT? I found it on Yahoo images. I didn’t take any pictures of IT. During my intense assessment of the situation (panic), I forgot to press the shutter button.

Happy Mother's Day!

Kristen over at We Are THAT Family challenged everyone to try to describe our mother in one word. Hey, I can hardly say “hello” with one word so this is truly a challenge for me. Here’s my best attempt for the three moms in my life.

This photo is of me, my mom (a.k.a. “The Queen Mum”) and my sister. It was made two summers ago when we all vacationed together at the coast. We had so much fun!

One word: Faithful. (Oh, my – it’s so tempting to tell you all the reasons which make that one word true!)

I’m going to do a word for my sister, too, because she happens to be one of the best moms I know. Again, it will be hard to resist the temptation to choose more than one word or to give a lengthy explanation.

One word: Dedicated.

This is my mom-in-law with Bud at the beach house last summer. She’s coming along with us again this year and we can hardly wait to see her! (So is my favorite sixteen-year-old Nephew, but that’s another story!)

One word: Sensitive. (And, I bet she’d agree if you could ask her!)

Happy Mother’s Day! I love you!

P.S. - Can you do it? Describe your mother in ONE word??

Some days I just can't accomplish anything.

Maybe it's his purr.
Could be that cute pink nose and long whiskers.

Might be the eyes.
This is Max.
He's mine. Or, maybe I'm his.

Take me out to the ball park... and cheerleading!

This is Kiddo Numero Dos. She's my favorite daughter! Yes, I only have one daughter but she's still my favorite one.

This is Kat with her best friend, M.

When Kat was small, we tried to find a hobby that she liked. After several unsuccessful and painful attempts (for Kat and for me!), we found the one that was perfectly suited for Kat's personality and physical skills. Gymnastics. She loved it and was quite good at it! The sport often made me a nervous wreck. Have you ever watched your five-year-old, favorite daughter cartwheel, flip and roll across a beam several feet off the ground? That will pretty much guarantee nerve problems. Let's not even talk about the uneven bars.

After we moved to Texas five years ago, we immediately went about finding a new gymnastics school for her. We found one we liked and all was well for the first year. Until she spotted them.

The Cheerleaders.

I'd heard the stories about Texas cheerleaders. And their moms. I'd even seen a television movie about them. I wasn't sure I was prepared to be one. I'm pretty much against murder-for-hire to advance your daughter's cheerleading prospects.

But, Kat insisted that cheerleading was what she really, really wanted to do! They were using a lot of the skills Kat already possessed. But cheerleading offered more. Stunts. Cool uniforms. Pretty ribbons tied around their ponytails. And pompoms. Thus began our cheerleading career.

Kat has been performing with a non-competitive show team for the last few years. The team is made up of girls who started out taking classes with the school. The girls are invited to join the show team if they are able to perform at an advanced skill level. Throughout the year, the show team performs at events in our community and during half-time shows for some of the semi-pro and college teams around us.

This past Sunday, the cheer team and some of the school's gymnasts were invited to perform prior to the start of our AAA farm team's baseball game. The girls were very disappointed when their performance time was reduced to only three minutes. Then, the park's facility manager went back on his previous agreement and told them they could not use their mats. And, the groundskeepers watered the grass - while the girls were warming up. Big deal? Well, it was to them. No mats and a wet, slippery ground meant that they were unable to do any stunts. Their routine had to be modified in an instant. Even the gymnasts were limited to simple, slow tumble passes.

Why tell you all of this? Well, because Kat would only allow me to post the video of them performing with the above disclaimers. Otherwise, you might think they stink. (Her words.)

I did (give the disclaimer), they didn't (stink) so here's the video. Kat is in the front most of the time - point position. She is also the one who starts and leads the yells.

Just when I was beginning to feel comfortable in this role as a cheer mom, I learned this past week that we are about to enter a whole new dimension beginning this fall.

Competition. Pray for us.

Sshh... Don't let him know I told you!

See this cute little guy? This is Burrito - also known as Kiddo Numero Uno. This is what he looked like when we moved to Texas five years ago.

He shaved for the first time today.

In my garden grows...

My flowers and plants are really doing well this year and not due in any way to my care. Rather, despite my lack of care so far. My time has been consumed with the kiddos (cheerleading, drumline, etc.), church events, "The Project," and a very fun visit from my BFA&F. However, we've had a mild spring this year. And, this is the forth or fifth spring for most of our plants so they have really matured. Lots of them are already in bloom with more to come.

My carpet roses are already well into their first blooming. I love these roses because no "dead heading" is required and they'll bloom right up until the first few frosts. Actually, they'll grow so prolifically throughout the summer that I'll have to really whack them back (that's a technical gardening term for those of you new to gardening) at least three times to keep them from getting all "leggy" before the end of the season. ("Leggy" is not a good thing in the world of carpet roses.)

Look closely. Do you see my little friend?

He's my friend as long as he stays right where he is. Yes, I know "they" say he's more afraid of me than I am of him. Right. Let's not test that theory, okay? (And, just who would "they" be anyway??)

I wish you could smell my Star Jasmine vine. This is growing on a trellis right outside one of the family room windows. It has completely covered the trellis, though. So much for picking out a really pretty trellis rather than one of the ugly, utilitarian (cheaper!) ones. It's location is nice because I can open the window and the lovely fragrance floats right into the room.

The Stella D'Oro lilies have almost doubled in size this year. Look at all the buds on this one! I have these plants in all of my front and back flowerbeds. I love them because they are so easy and they will provide color right up through the first frost, too. Are you seeing a trend in my choice of plants?

I do have some in pots, too. Bright red geraniums. So bright I couldn't get my (cheap) digital camera to focus properly. (Psst... Bud! Hint, hint. May 11th is next weekend.) By the way, notice the thick carpet of grass. That would be entirely my Prince Charming's efforts. Thanks, Bud!

Purple petunias hanging from the patio roof.

This pot sits by my front door.

Soon, spring will be gone and the scorching Texas heat will make it difficult to keep these plants so lush. Spring in Texas. It's a good thing!

It's all history now.

It seems like we plan and plan for special events and then the next thing you know... they're history. Memories.

What a fabulous visit I had with my BFA&F, Stephanie! We packed a lot into the visit but, as usual, the time went by much too fast.

Wednesday… After school, Kat and I dashed to the airport to meet Steph. I’m certain the other folks in the baggage claim that day had to wonder about us – we couldn’t stop hugging each other! From there, it was off to a Tex-Mex dinner at Ninfa’s, one of our favorite Tex-Mex restaurants. Ninfa’s is credited with being the restaurant that brought fajitas to the US. What else would be more appropriate for her first night in Texas?!

My discoveries/rediscoveries for the day:

• Our tastes are so similar. After more than two years of not seeing each other in person, we both showed up at the airport with the exact same nail polish on our toes and very similar flower designs painted on our big toes!
• We can both talk at the same time and still completely understand each other.
• We can finish each other’s sentences with astonishing precision.

Thursday… We skipped the original plan of attending my Bible study group (sorry, ladies!) and opted to stay in our jammies ‘til noon, drinking way too much coffee and catching up on things. Leftover Tex-Mex for lunch and then off for some shopping at the nearby outlets. Steph said she didn’t really need anything. Funny though, she found several “perfect” things that just had to be bought! Afterward, we picked up Burrito from his drum lesson and then headed over to watch the end of Kat’s cheerleading practice. Dinner was barbeque at home. That evening, Steph, Kat and I had a “girl’s night out” at a local ceramic shop. Steph and I both made a set of coasters and Kat made a light switch cover for her room. Very fun!

My discovery/rediscovery for the day:

• We already knew our daughters had similar looks. We discovered they also have almost identical personalities and habits. The next generation of BFA&F in the making!!!
  Friday/Saturday… We got the kiddos off to school then jumped in the car to head to Galveston. It was a nice day for driving and it gave us lots of time to catch up on things with no interrupted conversations. We arrived in Galveston in the afternoon and checked into our hotel. We decided to beat the dinner crowd and had an early dinner at Gaido’s, our favorite seafood restaurant.

Afterward, we drove to the west end so that she could see where we stay in the summer, the house we tried to buy (the deal fell through), and the beach we call “ours.” We walked off our dinner on “our” beach, collected seashells and snapped a few pictures along the way. Of course, we had to stop at some of the touristy souvenir shops on the way back to the hotel. The long drive, heavy dinner and walk on the beach meant an early bedtime and a good night’s sleep. I didn’t even hear the thunderstorm that Steph says rolled through in the early morning hours!

Saturday, we checked out of the hotel and headed to a quaint soda fountain for an early/light lunch. The hotel clerk recommended The Star Drug Store (billed as the oldest, continuously-operated drug store in Texas) near The Strand. From there, we spent the afternoon shopping at the various stores on The Strand. After a fun-filled day shopping, we headed to Casey’s for one last seafood meal before heading home.

My discoveries/rediscoveries for the day:

• We can sit in silence and enjoy it.
• We still laugh at the same jokes and laugh harder at the new ones we create.

Sunday… up early for church. It was nice to worship with Stephanie again. She knows my passion for women’s ministries and it was good for her to see where that happens for me now. We had planned to take the boat out in the afternoon but the weather didn’t cooperate with us. So, we headed for a nice lunch at Cheddars after church and then home to relax. Stephanie took her turn at jumping on Kat’s new trampoline. She’s still got the moves and I’ve got the pictures to prove it!

That evening, Steph and Kat worked on a new manicure. Steph had found a really neat nail art kit that she brought for Kat and she spent a good amount of time giving Kat a manicure and showing her how to use the kit. While they sat at the kitchen table doing nails, I prepared some of the food for the next morning.

My discoveries/rediscoveries for the day:

• It’s good to worship with people we love.
• Our daughters’ similarities were reinforced!
• Steph is a great mom/aunt!!!

Monday… I planned a brunch in Steph’s honor and invited all of my closest Texas friends. It was an opportunity for all of them to meet this woman they had heard so much about and had prayed for so many times. It was a time for Steph to put faces to the names she had heard about and to meet people she had also prayed for. What a fun morning it was! All but one neighbor and friend were able to attend. Nine ladies and three little kiddos spent the morning at my home enjoying food and fellowship. Thank you to all who attended and helped make Steph feel even more a part of my life here in Texas!

After the brunch, Steph and I headed to the craft store. We purchased cork to glue to the back of our new pottery coasters and beads to make earrings to match a necklace Steph had purchased in Galveston. Later, we headed out to watch another cheerleading practice and then home for a pasta dinner.

It was hard to go to bed that evening knowing that the next morning would be the end of her visit.

My discoveries/rediscoveries for the day:

• One glance between the two of us can equal a complete conversation.
• You can mix old and new friends with great success!

Tuesday… This day arrived all too quickly! Burrito didn’t have to be at school until noon, so he was able to join us for breakfast and was around to help load the heavy suitcases. We added a few pounds to her luggage with all the shopping we’d done! It was “that time” all too soon. We dropped Burrito off at the high school and headed to the airport. We sat in a coffee shop inside the terminal until the very last possible minute, getting in that last minute, oh-so-important conversation. It was hard to choke back the tears as I watched her go through the airport security checkpoint. Steph, thank you for coming here to visit me. I do love you so much and you are truly my best friend – always and forever!!!

My discoveries/rediscoveries for the day:

• When someone asks you if you’re decent and you're not, you better make sure your “no” sounds forceful enough or they’ll assume you’re fooling around and enter the room anyway. Seriously.
• We won’t let two years pass before doing this again! (We’re thinking about a fall trip to Virginia and want to include the daughters!)