16 years ago

Broke, as usual. But we didn't care. We loved each other so much that when I found out I was pregnant AGAIN, it was such a celebration of life, love, marriage and family. It was a great pregnancy until the 8 1/2 month. I had a blood vessel burst in the back of my eye that hindered my vision, making it impossible for me to drive, and according to the OB, impossible for me to push during labor. Hmmmmm........so epidural, no pain, hardly any pushing? I'm there!

The little monkey was due on Christmas day, but supposedly because of my complication, the Dr. wanted to induce on the 20th. You see, my other two boys were born on their due dates. I think the OB wanted to be home for Christmas....just sayin'. It was an ice storm that day. My OB stayed on the phone at the nurses' station long enough that my sis in law who was also a labor and delivery nurse (at a different hospital) almost caught him!

Elijah Duncan Price.... and the hair! The combination of gallons of medium Pace salsa and Tums makes for lots of hair on your baby. Just thought I'd throw in that tip. I craved salsa like nobody's business. He, now, eats more salsa than anyone I know. It's true. Pace will never go out of business.

Although he had a rough start as a baby and toddler with colic, ear infections, allergies, tubes in the ears, etc., he has grown up into the most wonderful 16 year old I know. He has eyelashes longer than any superficial ones on the super models today. He has a heart for Christ that is growing and evolving daily. He is a beautiful spirit. He is Elijah. He is 16 today. He is one of the loves of my life. Happy Birthday, Lij!

Poser, that's me!

Here's the thing about Christmas for me, it makes me take inventory every year of what we have and don't have and what we may need and what we don't need. Santa is out. He has been for a long time in our household. As a matter of fact, since my first child was born, I've always been leery of bringing the word "Santa" in the house. Why start something that later will just be so confusing to them when they try to reconcile Jesus, the reason for the season, and Santa. But in doing my annual "Santa bashing" I have come to the realization that I am just a hefty jolly poser myself.

I'll wait........

No, really go ahead......

(At this point you're either laughing at the fact that I'm just now realizing this myself whilst you knew all along, or you are in shock and disbelief because I have succeeded in pulling the wool over your eyes this whole time.)

You see, I have been a bah-humming when it comes to gift giving at Christmas. I just felt like it had taken over my whole spirit of the birth of my savior that I hated to shop and disliked the wrapping of gifts and well basically thought that it was all just a superficial act of commercialism that I had trained my kids to take part in. Some kids, not my own, would pitch a fit and throw a temper tantrum if they didn't get the right gift for Christmas. No really, like, "Ok dear, no we'll go exchange it right now, I promise, I'm so sorry I ruined your Christmas honey." Seriously? Anyway, enough of that.

I have written a script for our Christmas eve drama at church, nothing major, just lots of scripture and exchange of words telling the Christmas story. I did some research on different ways of giving and what they meant and what God asks of us at this time of year, yadda, yadda, yadda. Honestly, it was just to make sure I wasn't messing up the whole thing, 'cause somehow I doubted my interpretation of it all. I have learned a lot through this whole process.

God not only gave the ultimate gift but he did so in order to come down and interact with us humans in a way that we could become closer to him. Understanding him better. We've dissected, argued, written volumes of concordances, churches split, denominations pitted against one another and just down right made fools of ourselves and our God in the process. It's simple really. God gave in order for us to live. He expects us to give likewise. Unselfishly of ourselves in time, talent and gifts. But he expects it to be our best, like he gave his best. Hmm. Well, so no more half way? I can't get away with getting by anymore? Man! It's a scary process for me. I have my hand in every pot I can find. Why? I like to stay busy? No, what I wouldn't do for a month off of life................. I like to see things succeed. I like to see friends and families be productive members of society, but based solely on my opinion of what that might be. You see, I am always volunteering or coming up with new things at church to fill in a gap that "I" feel is lacking in certain areas. This has consumed me physically and spiritually, no, not spiritually, but religiously. It's different. If it was spiritual I wouldn't have gotten myself so deep in "stuff to do". So I have decided to trim off the excess fat and start my spiritual exercise routine. I am a very unhealthy person right now, both spiritually and physically. I need to be feeding on the Word and listening to my God and stop starving myself of him and start doing what is best for me so that I can do what is best for those around me, like my friends and family. Which is a good start for making a difference in the world.

Some of you may think, well, duh...... And it should be easy to do that. I am not a homebody, it actually pains me to think of being here day in and day out cleaning and cooking and being Mrs. Omartian. Don't like it. Don't feel it. So this transformation and this revelation in my life, albeit life changing, is not something I am doing out of excitement or elation or "oh, goody a new mop", it's out of survival. Not my survival, but out of the survival of my relationship with the outside world. I don't like being around lazy people, basically it ticks me off, causing me to not love those that God created and not fulfilling the ultimate gift of what God has asked which is loving all of those he created in order to give my best.

Yea, I'm weird, I know that. I've known for a long time. It all sounds so conceptual that it's frankly hard to follow.

David, the dude in the bible who became king at one point, was one messed up dude. But he knew that he must always give his best when it came to God. Esther was the same way. She gave what took a long time to make. I do convenience. Oil that takes months to make? No way. WalMart. And the widow that gave the most by giving her all. These are examples from which I should glean and learn.

Consider praying for me please. Whatever it may be...."please make her stop blogging randomly" or "Lord, help her find herself in you" or just "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus." He'll get the message. He already knows the answer and the path I will take.

Dear Lord, I pray for my friends and family during this season. Help them to know how much I love them by my giving of my best. Lord help me to give unselfishly of myself not just now, but all through the year. Lord, help me on my quest to downsize, simplify, quit, say no, say yes, etc. Lord, I am your servant. AMEN!

Some more favs....

Sunrise at the beach. With coffee. And the Good Book.

The fall where orange fills the air

and becomes a feast for the eyes.

Good books that keep you oblivious

to your surroundings. She doesn't give a "Hoot".

Friends who love you because they do.

Friends you love because you do.

The biggest piece of chocolate cake ever!

Celebrating Beth's bday with girls night out

and PF Chang's vegetarian lettuce wraps and

this beauty! Yumm-O!

God has heaped blessings on my life daily. Thank you God for all you do for me. Thank you for my family and friends and my surroundings. Thank you.

And These Are A Few of My Favorite Things...

David, Eli, Sarah and I off to Bellingham for a little frisbee toss.

Ya'll just wish you had that right there!

That's my man! And yes, he rang the bell.

Not many could actually ring the bell. Hoo Ah!

Sarah's find on our hike at Moses Cone.

She's beautiful don't ya think?

Hmmm...I just love 'em that's all. I mean who else is gonna?

My baby boy. Not so baby anymore. Phooey!

Dang it! That face and those eyelashes

and that smile will get you every time.

No, really, every time! Just try to look away.

Oh, how she loves her brother. Oh, how he loves his Sarah! Priceless.

And then there is my daughter from another mother! Actually she belongs to my brother, but she and I have very similar twisted personalities! Check out her photos here. You'll be dazed and amazed. She's crazy and beautiful and just crazy beautiful! She makes us laugh..... alot. As if we don't get enough of that!

There are so many more of my favorite things that I will be posting between now and Christmas.....

May God bless you this season and always! Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus!

Now I know!

I know now why I have been so skeptical of telling others from the mountain top that I am a homeschool mom. Almost like a 12 step program, I have been in denial. But, there may be something to my denial.

This is the first year of my involvement in a homeschool group. I have needed it for a long time. Some sort of support to say, "Yes, I am crazy and so are the rest of you. Don't we all feel better now that we've admitted that?" Just some sort of proof that there are other not-so-stable parents out there trying to give their kids an opportunity to be educated at home.

You know for the most part this works out pretty well. I have rarely ever seen the species of children most outsiders talk about and fear the most in a restaurant.

Until ... tonight.

Yes, there I was at the craft table admiring the artwork of my friends beautifully behaved daughter of 5, when out of the corner of my eye I spotted the rare creature. Her eyes filled with the burnt red hue of rage and anger, her mouth filled with putrid back talk and her limbs forked at her sides hands tightly attached to her hips as if to say, "Hold up!"

sidenote: I always take pleasure in how our kids display behavior of us,

the parents, in a large audience. But this time, thank you Jesus, it wasn't my own offspring. This time.

Quite humbling.

Anyway, apparently I was trespassing within the boundaries of the "paint your own Christmas decoration" bubble. As I slowly turned trying to avert my eyes to the live nativity scene, I realized my movements were not quick enough and the creature had me frozen like stone.

"THAT'S MINE!

YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT!

I WAS PAINTING THAT!"

I had not realized that my stance in observing one of God's graceful creatures had put me too close to the ornament belonging to this little darling. "Oops! Sorry, I swear I wasn't going to touch it. Please have mercy on my soul! Don't eat me!" Ok, I didn't say that, but I did apologize and move with the agility of a gazelle for fear of the creatures parental unit might make a move on me. All eyes had turned my direction in the room, but I quickly turned as though I was looking at someone else who must have done it, not me.

Whew! Crisis averted....

Off to the next craft table where the mothers are fighting over who gets the glue gun next..... Because crafts and homeschooling our little angels are fun!

Bless 'em Lord, bless 'em.

No really, bless 'em Lord! AMEN!

Time to be the "older women"

"I don't want to grow up I'm a toys r us kid". How many of you remember that slogan for the toys r us commercial? I sing it like a mantra most of my adult life. Growing up has always been scary and daunting and, well, just seemed down right boring, like you just gave up and now.....you're old.

However, I have realized more of late that I have enough gray hair oozing out of my follicles to justify me being in the old club. Don't get you're granny panties in a wad, I'm not saying you're old if you have gray hair. What I am saying is that my maturity (or lack there of) is staring back at me in the mirror, or being pointed out by my closest family and friends.

My bestest girlfriends that I love dearly are a living example of the following verse in Titus:

Titus 2: 3 - 5

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

You see, there are 18 years between the youngest and oldest of our threesome and the one in the middle is ten years older than the younger and, well, if you can do math, 8 years younger than the oldest. Anyway, sometimes in the group we change roles. Like the younger one acts and is more mature than the other two, and vice versa at other times.

I have been convicted in reading this passage because I have always considered myself to be the "younger women" in this verse. Like I would never grow up and have to take on the responsibility, God given as it may be, to be the "older women". But now, I think I must face the fact that even if I remain young at heart and bubbly and lively and outgoing that I must also incorporate "reverence, self-control, purity, busy at home, etc." to my grown up repertoire. Although, I don't ever think I will lose my sense of humor or tone down my personality, I can certainly be more aware of the "younger women" in the room and still live a very Christian life within the boundaries of the "older women" example set forth in the Word.

Our group of three has friends on either side of our age that we converse with and glean from and pray, worship, love with, so there are plenty of opportunities for the body of Christ to be always teaching and learning and growing and moving from one generation to the other in our spiritual growth.

Dear God, I pray that I will be a living example of the "older women" and an anxious learning spirit of the "younger women" and continue to grow in love with you. Please continue to remain patient with me and show mercy and grace when I slip up and act like a child or when I give up and act as though its my last days and I'm just too tired. Lord, be with my friends wherever they are in my chronological line of comrades and help us to grow together in love for you and your glory. Jesus, I love ya! Happy Birthday this Christmas season! Amen!!!

Ewwww....not really.

So, I love this blog. Go there and see her beautiful pictures and her inspiring words. I have been following this one for a while. She's a smart beautiful southern lady that has great taste. so when she decided to stop washing her face, I was there. I thought, well if she's gonna jump over that cliff, then it must be a wonderful idea. Let me tell ya....it was!

I have been using this OCM for cleaning my face since Nov. 20 and I absolutely love it! Not only that, but as I was researching her blog links on the how-to's of the OCM I discovered the no shampoo method for my hair. This one was like, "Hmmm, ewww. Well, why not?!" I'm into doing it just because I want to see if it really works. It works, it's cheap and really great for my hair. I'm a stickler about my hair. I don't like to do anything with it, so if it is time intensive or do intensive then I'll pass. This actually makes it so much easier to mess with my hair and takes it less time to actually dry as well. I got my sister hooked and my friend Liz. It really is a great way to treat your hair. It's amazing how much more body and how less oily it was. I have been using 1Tbs. of baking soda and a cup of water and using just a little for each wash. It lasts about 4 days for me and my long curly hair.

My hair is so thick and curly that I was a skeptic on whether this would work or not. Since Nov. 20.....no shampoo, no conditioner. You don't have to wash it every day either. Same with the OCM, as a matter of fact I only use it 2 or 3 times a week depending on my make up usage.

I like it. Back to simple, natural goodness.

May your day be blessed with simple goodness and blessings abounding! Merry Christmas!

Cloning?

OK, so my sister spent some time here staying at my house before Thanksgiving. Here is what I learned:

1. My house is a disaster most of the time.

2. My sister doesn't care, she knows we live here. I love her.

3. I am not as against cloning as I once thought. She and I were a force to be reckoned with when it came to getting ALL of the laundry done AND put away and getting the kitchen done and the floors and etc. I think I want her to live with me now. I love her.

4. I love my big sister, but I didn't learn that just now, I already knew.

5. She is the strongest woman alive! Not physically, although I think I could take her, but mentally. I love her.