Thbbppppptttttt....

Anna has begun to interact and experiment with sounds! The first sounds were "goo"s and gurgles. Then she started making "bbb" sounds as though her mouth was full of marshmallows, and now she's progressed from that to shirt-soaking raspberries. She was already a bubbler, but now it's full-scale soakage! It's so fun to see her development!

Bienvenido Muchaco!

I am pleased to announce that we discovered our town's first Taco Bueno today! Move over Bell, we've got something more Bueno. I'm waiting for just the right time to celebrate with my first local Muchaco. Wait...any time's a good time. Gotta go....

A slight resemblance...maybe...

Trying not to Drown

Before you worry, I'm not referring to the new pool we got this summer! (Phhhheeeew.)

I am referring, however, to the concept of keeping a home while nursing and taking care of a 4 month old, training a 3 yr old in godliness and the use of the potty, being my husband's help-meet, and living a busy life of full-time vocational ministry. (I'm not certain it's entirely possible, thus the "drowning" and "trying not to") Unfortunately, it's a matter of debate in our household. So, I've set out to determine if there are any things I can do to avoid the need for ME-CPR (Mental & Emotional CPR). Granted, I have two children and a husband who are to be my number 1 ministry and priority (aside from my spiritual walk). My number 2 priority is to our church family, our college girls, and those around me. My number 3 priority is to have some grown-up friends. Somewhere at the bottom of my list right now is whether there are toys out, dishes cleaned immediately, floors swept/vacuumed, etc. Priorities 1 and 2 get accomplished most certainly (but even then, not always with excellence), and 3 is lucky to happen at all. So, you see why I'm wondering about the house issue!

"Why is she wasting valuable laundry time?" you ask. Well, I'm taking a much needed break during the kids' naps, however short, to regain my sanity and accomplish two things: to share a few things I will try to implement, and to share my plight with the hopes of getting some tips and encouragement.

I've recently discovered a blog site by some ladies in ministry and ministry wives called Girl Talk. While I haven't perused it entirely, and can't guarantee 100% agreement on all they've written, I'm encouraged by what I see and read. Just in the past few minutes I found a post on "to-do lists" that I'm going to try to absorb before the tragic drowning incident finally occurs. You can find it here. There's also one on "Minimal Maintenance" here. I'll try to keep you posted.

If any of you have a life-saving ring to toss out to me, please do! My self-imposed life vest and life raft have holes in them at the moment, and my patch glue is not waterproof. ;)

Back to the laundry. Au Revoir!


Gasp...Gasp... here are a couple more links... Seven Habits of Highly Effective Women and The 5:00 Club (aaack to that last one.)

Caleb's Unabridged Dictionary, entry 2

aborjoo: n. (uh bordj oo) the position of being on the back of, or preparing for a piggyback ride on, one's daddy.
usage: "Daddy, come on, I'm aborjoo."
context: "I'm aborjoo." "You're aboard me?" "Yeah, Daddy, let's go for a piggyback wide."

Caleb's Unabridged Dictionary

Piggy-back ride: n. (pig ee bak' wyd) "That's when someone gets on back of someone and someone walks with someone on top and then you flop me off." usage: "Daddy, give me a piggy-back wide." context:"Daddy, now I'll be the piggy and you be the back."

Why We Do What We Do

Check out this post by our dear college friend, Christine Hoover. Christine serves with her husband, Kyle, who is college minister at Central Baptist in Bryan/College Station. Her account is humorous and germane to our own situation. (like my vocabulary? Thanks, MSWord Thesaurus!) To read her post, either click on the first link above, or click here: The Hoover Household

'PweSchool' and Mrs. 'Wonda'

Caleb now has two days of preschool under his belt! I think I handled this transition pretty well. I was only tempted to have tears as I dropped him off on the first day (Tuesday), but I resisted, even though it was all too easy for him to hop out of the car and walk in with the teacher. He did so with a smile, and he was still grinning ear-to-ear when I picked him up (both days)! He loves Mrs. Rhonda, his teacher, and always talks about the big-kid playground. Caleb's morning (8:45-11:45) consists of songs, books, table time, centers, music (on Thursdays, I think), snacks, and playground time, amongst other things. He's so proud to bring home his work in his big backpack. I took some pictures on the first day; they're on my camera phone, since I was too busy getting other things together to remember my camera... but I do have his first Preschool Art:

One thing that could have proven problematic about Preschool was potty training. So far, we're doing fine. The first day, Caleb told me that his teacher said it was time for a Bathroom Break, and that he told her he didn't need to go. We've been chanting the mantra "I don't think I need to, but I'll try." for some time now, hoping that it will be absorbed by his gray matter. Today, he gleefully announced to me that he had gone to the bathroom all by himself during Bathroom Break time! He also loves the little sink mounted in the corner of the classroom's bathroom. He thinks it is "cute." I'll take all the little victories I can get at this point. ;)

If you get to talk to Caleb, be sure to ask what they're learning about (space), what he's made (moon, shooting star, astronaut puppet), and the names of his classmates (there are 7 or 8 others, and he already knows their names !?!).

It appears that he may be very much like his Daddy was at a young age. Each day as I pick him up, the first thing he tells me is what "bad choices" he made at preschool. They're never extreme, but be assured, I know every time that he doesn't share (even if the teacher never noticed) or used his scissors instead of coloring:

"Mrs. Wonda said not to use my scissors."

"Did you put them away after she said that, or did you use the scissors anyway?"

"I used them first, but I obeyed her a little and put them away."

!!! :) Thank you Lord for a tender-hearted boy who is willing to tattle on himself (thus-far) and not others (yet).

Birthdays Galore!

Before this month is over and the next one starts, may I make note of some of this and next month's special days? If I've skipped anyone, please forgive me!

• 5 - Nanny!
• 17 - Mimi!
• 21- Mandi!
• 31- Licia!
• 2- Ashley!
• 11- Dandy!
• 27- Bryan!

Happy Birthdays to all of you, most of whom I've caught on your special day, and the rest I plan to catch! :) Love you all!

Oh, Look! My toes!

Anna is growing so fast! She has now discovered the delight of waving her hands and legs and also occasionally grabs her toes. She loves to play with her gym and bouncy seat, cooing to herself and anyone within her line of sight.

Recently, we watched her play on her play gym mat (first picture at top). She can turn onto her left side, and by moving her legs and craning her neck, she's able to do a 360 degree turn on the mat! (slowly, but surely, of course)

Balancing Act

Caleb is proud of his balancing ability. Today he wanted me to take pictures of himself balancing on one foot, then the other.

Then I asked with much curiosity, "Can you balance on NO feet?" Here's his answer:

Those Brilliant Marketing Ploys

You know the ad agencies are smart. They recognize that kids will beg their parents for the toys they see on TV. They also know that children begin recognizing symbols around the age of 2. (Caleb knew what Dr. Pepper was in our household long ago, and he'll tell you that when he's tall, he can drink some.) So here's how I know that they've really gotten to us:

Caleb doesn't watch much TV, but when he does, it's Blue's Clues, Little Einsteins, WonderPets, Dora the Explorer (the little kids stuff), or what he catches in passing from Fox News. Music in almost any form puts him in a trance, so we've noticed that even while in another room, if a familiar underscore on a familiar commercial comes on, he zips into the living room to watch. Particular favorites have been DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket (2005) and this year's Suave shampoo (the invisible mom) and the HondaOdyssey(?) commercial (The Magic Bus song). Those ad agencies have gotten clever, and in between the kids shows, they'll advertise household/family products rather than toys.

They've gotten to us. Caleb, Anna, and I are perusing the aisles of Wal-Mart, and we stop at the household cleaners aisle for some Clorox something. I'm pretty product-loyal, so I get the same things almost every time. However, as we pass the dish detergents, Caleb squeals, "Look mom! It's the 2-in-1 Action Paks!" (Cascade). Then, next to the laundry detergents, much to the delight of the lady next to us, he says "Let's get some Downy Simple Pleasures."

Maybe I'll turn off the tv now for good. Hmmmm, or insert Scripture commercials concerning appropriate behavior! {*conniving grin*}

What I Cling To...

Here are some verses I am currently clinging to and learning from...

• "O love the Lord, all you His godly ones! The Lord preserves the faithful and fully recompenses the proud doer. Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord." [Psalm 31:23,24] Lord, may I be found faithful and not prideful in the midst of affliction and trials. I trust in You.
• "'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you...'" [Jeremiah 29:11-14(a)] I will be content with the purpose you have for me, Lord. Thank You for the promise that You listen to our prayers.
• "The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him." [2 Chron. 16:9] Thank You, Lord, that when we struggle, You will strengthen us if we are fully committed to You.
• "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." [1 Cor. 15:58] "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one received the prize? Run in such a way that you may win." [1 Cor. 9:24] "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. ...But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." [Gal. 6:9,10,14] Lord, whatever your plan may entail for us, may we serve You steadfastly, may we serve humbly without losing heart, and may we finish strong so that You may get the glory for whatever good may happen in and through us.

all quotes NASB (c) 1995 The Lockman Foundation

It was only just yesterday...

How many times could I start a post with that title? I'm discovering that the world is moving so much faster than it used to. I always heard grown-ups saying that it would, but I never fully believed it until recently. Maybe it's because I'm busier, or maybe it's because I'm waiting for something in particular to happen (or not happen), for some stage to pass, or for the next chance I have to sleep. :)

I received some valuable wisdom from Carla MacLachlan at our church in her study for young (or not) parents. She encouraged us to stop living for the moment...when potty training is achieved, or the 2s are over, or the 3s are over, or the teens are over (see, it never stops)... but instead to live in the moment: to make sure I'm in step with the Lord's will for my life so that I can treasure every moment and fulfill His purpose for me in that moment. Perhaps it is to influence someone else. Perhaps it is to be a blessing to my husband or my kids in the way I handle a situation. Perhaps it is to use what I'm going through to encourage others.

I may not even know that answer in the moment, but I do know that if I'm following the Lord and if I seek to give Him glory and credit in everything, that the reason why will be clear eventually...and I'll know that I responded accordingly instead of wishing for another moment in the future to be here quickly!

There are so many ways that I can apply that to my life right now, but today was yet another reminder of the importance of living in the moment and not for it as we attended PreSchool Orientation for Caleb. It was only just yesterday that he was Anna's size, and at the end of the month, he'll be attending preschool at our church two mornings a week. I'm excited for him, and I don't think I'll struggle with being sentimental when he goes, but I certainly don't want to dismiss moments like this as I have in the past in favor of looking toward what comes next. What a sweet boy he's become, and I'm proud of him!

Post on the Road

I can't believe I'm actually posting from a hotel room! What a blogger I've become! We're resting for the night in OKC on our journey back from our wonderful week in Glorieta, NM. Collegiate Week in Glorieta is always a welcomed retreat for us as we (1)learn from fellow college ministers about what God is doing in collegiate ministry around the nation, (2)invest in the lives of students who have come for the week, and (3) enjoy a vacation with our family and some friends we haven't seen in some time! Kevin, Lynlee, Phillip, Cami, Tim, Kyle, Christine, Edward, and Jennifer, we treasured the moments we got to spend with you! (Can I use enough exclamation marks in this paragraph?(!)) We enjoyed the game nights, meals in Santa Fe, the date evening (thanks to Jen, Lisa, Jonathan, and Travis!), and the gorgeous scenery (though I skipped out on climbing Glorieta Baldy this year)

Here are the top four things Caleb enjoyed about this past week in random order:
* I loved playing with Will and his marble game!
* I loved sleeping in my VERY OWN BIG BED.
* I loved playing on the playground; it was ALL SANDY!
* I loved playing with Maelyn, Caden, and Weston! (Scooters, Buffaloes, and Spiffy, Oh my!)

He didn't want to leave today when it was all over, and neither did we. We thank God for the wonderful friends He's placed in our lives, and the influence(s) that they've had on us for so many years. What a blessing!

OUR OOL

Have you ever seen the sign that reads as follows:

WELCOME TO OUR OOL

Notice there is no "P" in our pool.
Let's keep it that way!

On that note, I am pleased to announce that the McDonald Family is now the proud owner of a gargantuan above-ground, soft-sided pool. It measures a whopping 8 ft. in diameter and 2.5 ft. in depth. Caleb absolutely loves it, and Mama and Daddy can sit down in it without the water coming above our shoulders. Yesterday evening we took Anna swimming for the first time. She was decked out in a swim diaper and UV blocking sun hat. We had a "floatie" of sorts complete with sun shade ready and waiting.

Then we put her in the pool.......
and Ahhhhhh. It was as though the water environment was so much more comforting and natural to her than anywhere else. (go figure) She kicked back, sucked on her fist, and grinned to herself for quite a while. Then before she got all pruny, she zonked out on her "cabana-mat" in the grass while Caleb enjoyed some splash time (which was outlawed with Anna in the pool).

So much fun! Here are some pictures...

More Adventures of Mr. Caleb McDonald

Creating Ancient Rock Formations out of Spools of Thread
(don't know how it happened or where he got the idea!)



Doing "Backbends" with Cousin Mandi

Performing Somersaults for
Nanny, Dandy, Mandi, Mama, Daddy, and Anna

The Many Adventures of Mr. Caleb McDonald

Driving Combines with PawPaw

Running Circles around Aunt Licia

Having a Picnic with Mimi

Watching TV with Gma (Great-Grandma) Coleman

Marching in Parades

Great Trip and Good Eats

We are back from our two weeks of travel... youth camp the second week of July, and this past week in Corpus Christi visiting my family. I must say, the trips were pretty easy, thanks to Southwest Airlines and their peanuts and new plane crackers, Crayola Color Wonder Markers, juice boxes, Laurie Berkner and her Band, and a two month old who loves to sleep on trips.

We had lots of great moments on our trip, but I must thank Cami for inspiring me to write about some key experiences that are not available in good ol' MO. Can you say Whataburger? For those of you who may have had the misfortune to have never eaten there, let me just tell you that no other burger joint cuts the mustard. (ha) Sure, we've got Steak n Shake, Wendys, Hardees, McDonalds (no we don't own stock-can't tell you how many times people ask that and it's never been funny), and Sonic, but my yearning for those yummy burgers, fries, and especially their special recipe Ketchup only grows with time. I missed the orange and white striped roofs and actually got to have a WhataReunion with them this past week. I love how their workers (at least in Corpus) visit the tables with the oh-so-neatly organized trays of napkins, salt, pepper, condiments (Ketchup Ketchup!) and mints. Their peppermints are even orange and white!

Ok, no one who lives inland gets to experience the best seafood without shelling out a lot of clams for the experience (I'm on a roll) I NEVER eat seafood up here unless it's the easily accessible variety...salmon, tuna, tilapia. Boy, I miss the good stuff. We went to a local restaurant called Catfish Charlie's in Corpus. Some places attempt to serve good fried catfish, but none do it like this. We didn't get to make it to King's Inn this time (amazing fresh fried shrimp and drum, with the best onion rings and avocado salad), but if you're ever in the Corpus area, don't miss the chance to go!

Another memorable moment: Mexican Food! I don't care how many times you go to El Chico, or even to a madre&padre mexican food restaurant here in Missouri, you'll go away from the visit wishing you'd had real mexican food. There's a little place in Corpus called P.O.E.T.S. (name is a long story) that has the best chicken fajitas, salsa, flour tortillas and flour tortilla chips! Mmmm. Delicioso.

Kudos go to my mom, though, because although we long to visit Whataburger, Taco Bueno, PF Changs, Pei Wei, POETS, Kings Inn, Catfish Charlie's, or Freebirds, the best food of all comes from her own kitchen. Roast with potatoes and carrots...Blueberry Scones...Pico de Gallo...Snicker Cake...and homemade rolls. Mmmm. It's a wonder they didn't have to roll us onto the plane to come back.

Caleb-isms

1. "When Anna touches me, (reverts to high pitched voice) it's SO NICE!"
2. "Uh-oh! One of my shoes is unfixed!"
3. "I'm all tangled up in you!" when wrestling
4. "This night after I sleep today will be Sunday!" on Saturday, looking forward to the next day's trip to Texas
5. "I like my new shoes. They're called 'Cwocs.'"
6. "You're the man!"
7. "One diaper, coming up!"