Good things come to those who wait....

This is for you, Betsy!

I apologize to my dear friend who has been BEGGING me to get with the program and post some pictures from December! :)

Turns out that when we were in Canton visiting for the holidays, our wonderful friend Betsy was driving to Dallas for the Cotton Bowl. We absolutely had to meet up halfway there. The mexican food might have been only so-so, but the time together was priceless!

Friday Funny

Have you ever seen a sign or billboard that was just a little "off"?

Little(r) did you know....

A little over a week ago, I posted some trivia about my sweet husband. As promised, I'm continuing the post with some trivia about yours truly.

Did you know?

• I was a multi-sport athlete in high school. (my thinner days) I played volleyball, basketball, ran cross-country, and participated in track and field: 100 and 350 m. hurdles (my favorite), 400 and 800m relay, 200m sprint (second favorite).
  
• Basketball was my hands-down favorite sport, and I was a shooting guard/point guard/forward. During my senior year in high school, my schedule of academic classes didn't allow me to take Girls' Athletics. However, I had an opening during 4th period, and after discussing it with the principal and guys' coach, I was allowed to take Guys' Athletics. (Obviously I used the Girls' Locker Room.) That was the best, most challenging sports experience I had.
  
• I love words and word games. In 7th grade, my class would play Boggle using an overhead projector. I didn't win all the time, but my teacher would send me on errands during the games because a couple of students complained if I ever won. :( I also cannot pass up a good pun. Scott would tease and say that only I think they're funny and I shouldn't say them, but he doesn't realize how many I don't voice! ;)
• Somewhere along the way I learned to say the alphabet backwards.
  
• I play piano and took lessons from age 4 till 18, BUT I don't play by ear or by memory very well. Give me some sheet music, however, and I'll be as pleased as punch. (whatever that means)
• I LOVE to be organized. If I ever buy something impulsively for myself, it's usually something for storage or organization. Putting it into practice, however, is not as easy as it would seem. Given the time to focus on it, I'll be organized. Otherwise, know "it's a work in progress."
• Music really affects me. The difference between crying/not crying in a movie with a sentimental scene depends on the music. My mom says simply hearing scary music on tv when I was little would affect me greatly.
• I've never had many really close friends. I'm somewhat introverted that way. In any given situation, I like being around people, but I'm reserved to a good extent. That's something I continue to try to balance out, because I value friendships and the people I've been blessed to know. Ministry life helps me monitor that! Scott pushes me to have that balance too, and I'm grateful.
• I have a peculiar habit when I eat barbecue. Sure, I could eat it normally, but when presented with the opportunity to eat brisket or sausage, etc., I prefer to take one slice of bread, slice a few pieces of meat, add a few pieces of pickle, some sauce, and perhaps some cheese or pinto beans, then fold it over for a sandwich. Mmmmm. I'm mocked by my family for this obsessive ritual, but I'm addicted to it. :)
• I LOVE computers, but technology changes so quickly that once I had kiddos, I couldn't keep track. If I had to pick a job at some point, I'd love to work with computers.
  
• I once had dreams of joining the FBI or CIA. I'd love to be an analyst or work with computers for them. However, relocating myself to Langley for training doesn't gel so well with being a full time mom and supporting my husband in ministry, which is my actual calling and is truly a joy. I wouldn't trade what I do now for anything!
  
• I like to go deer hunting. It's a tradition dating back to my infant days, and it means family time, time in the gorgeous outdoors, and roughing it (a little). I'm not trigger happy, and if we kill a deer, we eat it or give away the meat. The leases that my dad has taken us to have a biologist who manages the population for health and numbers by placing restrictions on what can be hunted. That being said, I have a nice 10 point shoulder-mount hanging in our home office.
  
• Last, but not least, I grew up a farmer's daughter. I drove tractors in the summer and worked the cotton module builders. Scott (the city boy) came to work for Dad one summer, which eventually led to us discussing dating and marriage. We left our wedding in a shiny green John Deere tractor (and drove to the limo that was waiting on the opposite end of the parking lot).
  

And the winner is...

Thanks to all you who contributed to the random poll I held about who would play Scott if a movie were made about the McDonald Family. Drumroll please:

It seems that 90% of respondents feel that Kevin James of King of Queens and Hitch fame would best play the role.

Only one other actor received support, that being Sean Astin of Rudy and Lord of the Rings fame. (10%)

Scott would agree with the results, incidentally! He loves Kevin James!...and Sean Astin.

I think it'd be fun to do a poll about an actress for me, but I have NO ideas for the current me (I might have suggested Helen Hunt for the pre-baby me or a girl from a 90's teen basketball tv show -Danielle Deutscher- for my high-school/college self). Also, Scott won't contribute any ideas, because he's afraid it will turn into the "does this dress make me look fat" argument; suggesting an actress could backfire for him. (Of course I wouldn't be mad, but he still balks.)

So, I'm stalling/shelving the poll. If you think of someone good for me, you can post a comment without risk of backlash. ;)
Otherwise, we'll skip the poll.

He definitely has a sense of humor...

Check out the guest commentator on this week's episode of Saturday Night Live.



He may not have much of a chance, but at least he knows how to laugh at himself! (and when to bow out?)

Anna's Unabridged Dictionary, entry 3

Fasss: (fas) To do something speedily. As in "Fasss fasss fasss fasss"

Happee: (hap ee) To be cheerful: usage-- "Happy, (pause) ha ha!"

Kakh: (kak hh) The sound a duck makes

Kakhoo: (kak hoo) Any crunchy bread product, especially Ritz.

We've mastered the /k/ sound, almost.
Also, the "happy" ha-ha's sound just like the deep voice "ha's" she says at the end of her turn to slide.

Heard near the McDonaldspot: Demanding Wildlife

We've developed a game to keep Caleb involved during meal time. It's similar to 20 questions, and the guessers try to figure out what animal someone is thinking of.

Here is an excerpt from tonight's game.

Pawpaw: Yes, my animal lives in the ocean.

(more questions)
Pawpaw: No, it's not a shark or a whale.

(more questions)
Pawpaw: No, it's not a crab or a starfish.

Caleb: Can it disappear?
Pawpaw: Yes, sometimes.

Caleb: Is it a sea urgent?

Silly Systematic Saturday

I apologize ahead of time to those of you who haven't dealt with Bible classes or Seminary, or such things. You still may find this mildly entertaining, but those of you who have may think this hilarious.

(for the former group, the man whom they sing about is a professor/writer who has compiled a very well-communicated book of theology-- commonly held, Biblically supported beliefs about who God is and Christianity in general)



If you need lyrics, please visit The Blue Fish post from which I discovered this gem.
Thanks to thebluefish.blogspot.com via titus2talk.blogspot.com via my Google Reader's recommended links.

Friday Footloose Funny

President Bush has been touring nations in Africa, offering assistance and mosquito nets to help combat Malaria. Watch as he follows the lead of Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (dressed in maroon robe) at a celebration.




Whatever your politics, you have to admit that's cute! Reminds me a little of my dad doing the "Chapman Ranch Shuffle." I love it!

Blechhhhh!

(sounds like "bleck-hhhhh")
I seem to remember that is the sound Oscar the grouch would make when he was disgusted with something.

Well, I'm not a grouch, per se, but I AM disgusted.

I thought I'd do something good for myself. I know I've been sleeping less and staying busy more as of late. I glanced at the bottle of children's chewable vitamins I have for Caleb. These aren't Flintstones, mind you, but they're close. I noticed that the adult dose is the same as the child's dose. I decided to take one and figured my body would thank me.

In my haste to finish other tasks, I chewed it up quickly and moved on. BIG mistake. Have you ever swallowed a big vitamin that just tasted horrible? My prenatal vitamins for Caleb and Anna were that way. Surely the fruit flavors in these kiddo versions would be fine.

Vitamins themselves NEVER taste fine. In fact, because I didn't chase it with water, I'm suffering through the aftertaste, which is strangely similar to the way a wet dog smells.

Blechhh and double blechhhh.

Little Did You Know...

With a tip of my hat to Christine, I'd like to start a two-part post to see just how well you know us. Here are some perhaps little-known facts about Scott.

• Scott is a movie buff. He can quote one-liners from just about any movie he has seen.
• Scott played "center" in football while in high school. He also played trumpet in band. He had to choose between football and band. Football won, then he shattered his ankle when a teammate fell on it in a game. So much for football.
• Scott has nearly the entire Bible Trivia game memorized. Bible Trivia was an event for youth camp in Falls Creek, Oklahoma. His youth group often won.
• He rarely misses a rerun of Seinfeld. He can quote those episodes like he does movies.
• Scott sometimes holds up one hand at shoulder level when he is really intent on eating. Palm perpendicular to the table, facing in, fingers up, but curled. No one knows why.
• Scott reads just about any chance he gets, and can rattle off a whole list of excellent Christian authors.
• The Lord has gifted Scott in discipling and asking hard questions. In a moment's time, he can discern what direction to take in a conversation, and he figures out (with the Spirit's guidance) just what to say to get at the heart of the matter. (stinks when I want my way for no logical reason!) ;)
• Scott is the dramatic one of the two of us. When we're together, he's the talker and the most expressive, but he doesn't get sentimental as much. I'm the listener, the calm one, though we're both pretty easy-going. He's good at games like charades, pictionary, etc. (Blue and Green in Cranium).
• He loves the taste of fruit, but not the texture. Therefore, no fresh fruit, no bananas in banana pudding (but banana flavored pudding is fine), etc.
• Scott's favorite current tv show is LOST. Now that some questions are being answered, he's addicted.
• His favorite meal involves some kind of steak and some kind of potato.
• Scott loves to keep in touch with some of his closest high-school friends. One is a lawyer, one is in the Secret Service, another in the ministry, and another is an overseas executive for JP Morgan. Talk about diverse career paths!
• Working at the church is not just a career for him; he has a passion for seeing others experience God the way he has, and he lives and breathes what he believes. He's a great daddy and husband, and I'm so grateful for him!

Sure Thing

Caleb has a definite affinity for music and sound. He loves to learn things through song (bible verses, anyone?), and can recognize familiar tunes quickly. Here's an example:

Last night, Caleb was (supposed to be) getting dressed for bed in his room. The tv in the living room was on, and it was on commercial. I noticed, as we were trying to motivate Caleb to hurry, that a common infomercial about a really sticky putty had just come on. Before I could complete a sentence tell Scott to change it, a sweet little face was peering around the corner. He was fixed on the tv with a trance-like gaze, and he immediately said in a trance-like voice, "I LOVE Mighty Putty."

Coughs, Sneezes, and Sniffles, Oh my!

We haven't escaped the cold season even for a single month this winter. Poor Anna has what started as a cold and has progressed to an ear infection, according to our pediatrician. We had a little alarm when, out of the blue last night, she ran a 104 fever. Not to worry though, doctors will tell you now that the number itself isn't dangerous; it is "call the doctor" serious, but not "go to the ER" serious, and that several viruses and the flu have been causing this high of a fever. We were able to get it to break in a reasonable amount of time last night, and now she's just dealing with the runny nose and congestion.

On a lighter note, though, she makes the cutest sound when she sneezes! No achoo around here... She adds the -m sound at the end, which comes out like "Chumm" every time!

First Sentence

"Want some Juice."

Our sweet girl is putting words together! It's so fun to see her satisfaction when she realizes that she has communicated in a way we understand. I can relate! Have you ever tried to get a point or idea across, and you feel like others are just looking at you blankly?

Way to go, Anna!

Super Tuesday? I'm glad I have till March.

For those of you who know me well, it's no surprise that I like to stay informed in areas of politics. Fox News is a channel I couldn't do without (though I fast from it occasionally). I actually scored 100% on the political awareness quiz on www.dontvote.org. (read the site's mission stmt)

So, as the coverage of Super Tuesday is unavoidable, I find myself considering for whom I will vote. No, I will not tell you straight up, because I have not decided for certain, and today's results may help me decide. On the one hand, there is one candidate who embraces my social conservative stances. Then there's another who is pretty conservative socially, but matches my fiscal conservative views better. Then there's another who claims to do both, yet in reality is fairly liberal, and could potentially be the nominee... (not to mention he flirted quite a bit with my sister at an event she was working at). Voting for one could take needed votes from another, and is there a third that I'd rather not see in office?

I heard some wise advice (second-hand) from presidential biographer Michael Beshloss (thanks, Dad, for passing it on!) . He said that regardless of who was elected, 8 to 11 of the past several presidents have, at some point in their terms, had to make some very difficult decisions that have ensured the survival of the US. Those decisions, however, have cost them their public image and their reputations/legacies as Presidents. He encouraged the crowd on hand to vote for someone who would be able to make those tough decisions and have the experience and humility to do so without considering how they would look afterward. Excellent advice, but that doesn't make my choice entirely clear....

Hence the conundrum. I'm glad that I have until the first week of March, now that I'm residing in a different state. I will pray through my decision for the primary election, and likely support whoever wins the nomination regardless. Will I stress over it or feel dejected like I did in 1992 when I thought the world as we knew it would end? No.

Here's why: It's not because politics don't matter (though they are not of ultimate importance either). It's because I know that ultimately whoever runs this great country is not in absolute control, nor is the congress.

For by him [Christ] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. Col. 1:16

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Rom. 13:1

So, while I know that God's not out there "rooting" for one candidate's views, I do know that whoever eventually wins, He has in there for a reason. That may bring about good, or that may bring about hard times, but either one will result in God getting the glory. And, since that matches the purpose for why we're here in the first place, I'm good with that, and I'll continue on no matter what.

Anna's Unabridged Dictionary, entry 2

1. wehwee - one of the vegetable variety often seen on video or saturday t.v. acting out stories with a moral message. A cohort of Bob the tomato and Junior Asparagus. Especially used when hugging the plush likeness of that cucumber character.

2. vetaws (veh' tows) - the name of the vegetable series in which wehwee (Larry) and the others sing and act out stories.

3. Veeyo (vee' yoh) - command, meaning "Please turn on this DVD player with something interesting to watch inside. Don't you know that I want to watch now?" Command is often repeated, especially in the car on trips longer than 15 minutes.