Family Pictures

While we were on vacation, we had family pictures. My BFF Elizabeth's husband, Johnny, does photography, so they came out to my parents' house and took all the pictures in the back yard. It was totally relaxed and lots of fun. Besides my mom, dad, and brother, and BW and our kids, my nephew got to be there, as well as my brother's girlfriend.

Some of the pics are posted on Johnny's website. If you go to the site, click on "Portraits." Then click on "Magby Family" to see some of the pictures.

I'm totally bragging, but I'm so happy with the pictures and I want all of you to see them!

This Is What A Third-Grader Looks Like:

At least, this is what our third-grader looks like. Only to me, she still doesn't look like a third-grader. For some reason, I'm really feeling like crying this morning! When did she get so big and third-grader-y? I tell her quite often that she used to be a tiny baby. And I'll tell you, it really wasn't that long ago. Eight years may seem like a long time in some respects, but when I look at my little third-grader, it seems like the blink of an eye.

Chicken Nugget appeared in my bedroom doorway this morning and announced: "Get up! It's time to get ready for school!" (Now, I do not expect these early-morning announcements to continue.) She dressed herself and popped out of her room, asking, "Well, how do I look?" with that sweet smile of hers.

I told her that she looked great! But inside my heart was breaking. Just like it is now.

She told me she'd feel a lot better if I walked her over to school and helped her get to her place in the gym. Before third grade, she just went to her classroom. But waiting in the gym is a whole new situation. I was happy to help her out, so we walked over to the school and found her teacher. We scouted out the line in which she was to wait until the bell rang. Chicken Nugget sat down quietly, cross-legged, all third-grader-looking, and she put on that same sweet smile. I could tell she was excited, anxious, a bit uncertain, but also ready. I waved to her, and she waved back, and there wasn't much fanfare; she just sat there, waiting to begin her first day as a third-grader, ready for mom to depart the building.

So I left, and now I'm here at home, working on chores, taking care of the little ones, trying to choke down the fact that the little girl who came into the world, all of 6 pounds and 11 and 3/4 ounces, is now a big ol' third-grader. And I'm afraid time's not going to slow down much from here on out.

Beautiful Bread!

I posted this a long time ago, indicating that I'd like to try baking some bread. Now, almost a year later, I've done it!

I used this recipe from Hey, Mikey Likey! It's very easy, the kids helped (and had a great time!), and the result is delicious!

The girls enjoyed the finished product. Banana wasn't very interested in it. Doesn't the finished product look great? To top it off, I got in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and found a recipe for sourdough bread starter, and I made some! I'm going bread crazy! I was so encouraged by my very first attempt at baking bread. I can't wait to let you all know how the sourdough turns out. You are all invited to come over and try some of my fresh-baked, homemade bread!

A New Addition to the Family

As we have been considering adoption for some time, we finally made the decision to go ahead with it!

Yesterday was the big day. I opted to stay home with the other kids while Buffalo Wings went to the center to pick up our new addition. He considered several from the group, but finally decided on the one pictured above - no, not the guy in the car! The car itself.

Yes, the Nissan Maxima turned out to be the right fit for our family. The sensitive and caring staff at CarMax were instrumental in helping with our decision, and they were helpful in making the paperwork painless and expedient. Having adopted from CarMax in the past (our very stylish 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan, adopted in Aug. of '05), we felt that we should keep it "all in the family," and return to them for a second time. We were sure happy that we did!

The kids were all a-flutter when BW arrived home with the new addition in tow! Chicken Nugget was especially excited to have someone her own age around for once! (It's a '99, just like her!) We already love our golden beauty - I'm sure the love will only increase over the years. We are overjoyed to share this news with you - please rejoice with us as we are now A TWO-CAR FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pictures!

Pictures! Yay! I figured out how to download from the new program! Wish we would have gotten a better pic with our digital of the M&J M family. We didn't take near enough pics with our digital. Oh, well.

The girls, participating in one of their favorite vaycay activities - watching TV in a hotel room.

Some interesting fish that we saw at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

The girls walking to the Metra train station. We rode the Metra into Chicago each day.

At Water Tower Place in Chicago, which is a great shopping mall! I wanted to get a pic of those cool fountains behind us, which shoot droplets of water up every now and then and it looks really neat. But we didn't get a great pic of it. But WE sure look great!

A fuzzy pic of us girls on the bus, riding around Chicago.

Banana, chillin' on the bus!

BW on the bus. Standing up and letting the ladies have the seats. What a gentleman.

View of Chicago from the Art Institute.

MY FAVORITE!!!!!!!!!!!

On Lake Michigan in Algoma, Wisconsin.

Getting used to the chilly water.

Noodle running from the chilly water!

Cute pic of Banana wading in the waves.

Friends on the beach - building the gigantic sand castle.

Hawaii Five-Oh, a bit out of place in Wisconsin.

Look! Lake Michigan!!!!!

Our Vacation

Our pictures from vacation have been downloaded to a new program, and I cannot for the life of me figure out how to download them onto this blog! Until then, I must apologize to those of you reading this blog, but you'll have to endure nothing but words this time as I give my report, sans photos. :o(

We left on July 20 and first stopped off to see dear friends of mine from seminary, Charley and Marianne, and their adorable son, Joshua! Joshua was adopted from China, and it was such a joy to keep up with their "Journey to Joshua," and then it was absolutely wonderful to meet him in person! Seeing Charley and Marianne again felt just like old times. We had lots of fun back in the day, didn't we ya'll??? And it was just the same. To top it off, we had Mexican food - yay!

We got to my parents' house later that day and then had family pictures made on the 21st. That was fun! My BFF Elizabeth's hubby, Johnny, takes pictures. We all color-coordinated our outfits and went out in the back yard and had a blast of a photo shoot. Later that night, My brother, his girlfriend, and I went to the River Market in Little Rock and met up with some other friends from Matt's and my growing-up years. It was fun being back and seeing some home-folks.

We went to church the next morning, and again it was good seeing old friends; after lunch (thanks, Mom and Dad!), we headed up to the Ozarks to visit my Aunt Nancy. It was so nice and relaxing. The kids had fun playing out in the back yard, catching fireflies, and crawling through the doggie door (sorry, Aunt Nancy!). BW and I had fun visiting with N, kicking back for awhile, and enjoying all the yummy stuff N made to eat! Especially the potato salad, some of which magically made it into our cooler for us to enjoy on the way to Iowa! N and I made a post-card run Sunday night, but came back with no post-cards, but had fun driving around together anyway! I love Aunt Nancy!

On Monday morning, we packed up from Nany's and headed to Knoxville, Iowa! Yippee!!!! We arrived at the home of our friends M&J M, their three kids, and their pets (my kids were thrilled! Animals!). We had a fun five days in Knoxville. Highlights were: daily visits with BW's grandparents, a day in Pella with our kids and M&J's two younger kids, visits with other friends that BW grew up with, and taking a ride with J and her daughter, K, and Chicken Nugget and me - in their VW BUG!!!!!! It is fabulous and yellow and we got ice cream at Sonic!!!! Also while in Knoxville, we took a jaunt over to Winterset to visit dear friends J&S S, with whom I stayed during my summer mission work in Winterset, summer of 2002. We also met up with Jenifer B and her parents. It was great to see them all, and praise be to God, Jenifer has experienced healing! After tests at Mayo, there is no indication of any illness whatsoever, so Jenifer is undergoing intense physical therapy and can expect a long, healthy, and happy life!

We left Knoxville on Friday and headed to LeMars, Iowa, ice-cream capitol of the world! Blue Bunny ice cream is made in LeMars. Also, we have wonderful friends that live there! M&J J, to be exact, as well as their two kids, J&M! We had fun visiting with the family, going to the water park, going to the regular park, and attending their church with them on Sunday morning (M is pastor of the Methodist church in LeMars).

We left LeMars on Sunday afternoon and headed to Britt, Iowa, to the home of our friends M&K S, and their kids, T&S. We had a marvelous dinner of stuffed canaloni (thank you, sweet K!) and then had double-chocolate brownies for dessert! YUM! The kids had a great time playing in the downstairs basement playroom (I miss basements, ya'll!) as well as outside riding backs. We grown-ups enjoyed talking and eating some great Iowa food (like the REAL DEAL sweet corn!!!). K and I had much fun on our Wal-Mart run on Monday!

On Tuesday, we left the S's house and headed to Chicago! But on the way we stopped and had lunch with W&C W and their four cuties - C, A, L, and brand-new baby J! We hadn't yet met L and J, so that was fun. It was also fun to be on a real farm with pigs and cows and a huge garden and a creek and everything! We didn't get to stay long, but still it was great to see the W family!

Chicago was a great time! We had fun swimming in the hotel pool (Chicken Nugget's favorite activity for the whole vacation!), going to Shedd Aquarium, trying to navigate the public transportation system (not easy, or else we are just idiots!), going to the Art Institute (my very favorite!), seeing a friend of BW's from college who works at the Art Institute and got is in free (thanks, A!), eating at California Pizza Kitchen at Water Tower Place, and seeing friends who have a great ministry in Chicago - K&B D, and their eight children! They have a great old house with a huge yard, and the kids played outside for hours.

From Chicago, we journed to Algoma, Wisconsin, with a stop in Sheboygan to see another college friend of BW's. In Algoma, we stayed in an amazing little motel that was right on the beach of Lake Michigan. It was beautiful and the weather was cool. The kids and I walked the beach that Saturday morning - with our jackets on! We spent the day Saturday with friends that Scott knows from college - R&T S, and their three little ones, E, A, and J. There was also another couple, visiting from Iowa with their three kids, also friends of Scott's from college. R&T have planted a church in Algoma, and it's been amazing to see the work that God has done through them. The other couple from Iowa are planting a church, and it was fun to hear the conversations between them and R&T. It was also fun going to the beach so that the kids could play in the lake, and driving around Algoma, which is a quaint and lovely fishing town.

We left Algoma on Sunday and headed down to Nauvoo, Illinois. It was from Nauvoo that the members of the Mormon Church fled to cross the country to Utah, back in the late 1800's. I wish I were more up on my history - anyone wishing to add more information, please do so. On Monday, we walked and drove around the town, saw where Joseph Smith had lived, where he and his brother and wife are buried, saw the beautiful temple (rebuilt to look like the original temple, which had been destroyed), and many other historic sites there. Everyone in the town was wonderful and friendly to us, and besides the historical significance of the town, it is just such a lovely area. It is right on the banks of the Mississippi river, and as we drove down a few roads, we saw creeks and small cliffs and caves and camping areas. We definitely want to go back when we can spend more time.

We left Nauvoo on Monday afternoon and drove all the way down to Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, to my alma mater, Williams Baptist College. We snagged a guest room there for the night for $8.00! Can you believe it???? We enjoyed visiting with many of my old friends there, including the President of the school and the VP for Student affairs, as well as the Dean. It was fun to see them all again, and many others. There have been many changes at WBC, including a new administration building (it is beautiful), a new bookstore and campus post office, and the student center has been remodled. It was impressive.

We left WBC on Tuesday afternoon, after touring and visiting, and drove back down to my folks' house in Benton, AR, for the night. We got to see the proofs of our family pics, visit with CBB (yay! I love you CBB), clean out our car and repack it, and hit the hay for the night. We were beat. We made it home to Texas the next day and really are still recouperating!

Much love to all of you. If we didn't see you on this trip, well, we'll make it on the next one!

Amy Simpson

What do you think?

We're back!

Vacation was fun. We saw many people in many places and covered six states in the course of our journey. So . . . vacation was fun, but we are tired. We got home last night and we've been resting ever since. Pictures to come. Love to all of you.

An Unfortunate, Silly, Sad, Never-to-be-Repeated Oversight

We have some dear friends, the Corn-on-the-Cob Family. Mr. Corn-on-the-Cob is Buffalo Wing's best friend. I have enjoyed getting to know Mr. and Mrs. Corn-on-the-Cob since the beginning of mine and BW's relationship. Mr. Corn-on-the-Cob was the first friend of BW's that I met, and he and his family welcomed me, then a stranger, with open arms. Below is a picture of Mr. Corn-on-the-Cob, giving the Best Man's toast at our wedding:
Somehow, I forgot to mention that during our vacation, we will be spending time with the Corn-on-the-Cobs and their (adorable) children. It was an oversight that simply shouldn't have happened. We love the Corn-on-the-Cobs! How could I have been so forgetful? I don't know. So when I found out that I had overlooked including in my previous post that we'd be visiting the COTC family, I felt like this:

At any rate, the mistake has been duly noted and corrected.

Vacation Schedule

It's going to be an exciting and very LONG road trip! We can't wait. We just bought a portable DVD player for the car. We had borrowed one previously, and it was wonderful. If you have children of tv-watching age and are doing a long car trip anytime soon, I highly reccomend one of these gadgets!

Anyway, here goes:

Friday, the 20th - leave our home, visit Charley and Marianne and Joshua in Texarkana (Charley and Marianne, if you are reading this, call us! We can't WAIT!!!); arrive in Benton later that evening.

Saturday, the 21st - time with family and friends in Benton; family picture out in the yard.

Sunday, the 22nd - leave for Bella Vista, AR, for a visit with Aunt Nancy!

Monday, the 23rd - leave Bella Vista for Knoxville, Iowa! Grandma and Grandpa! Yay!

Tuesday, the 24th - a day in Knoxville. I hope we'll go to that incredible Chinese buffet. Truly, that place rivals anything in San Francisco's Bay Area. I know. In Iowa. Who would have thought?

Wednesday, the 25th - a day in the place where it all went down - Pella! That's where I first met Scott at youth camp, July 2002. That's also where we got married, June 2003. It is a beautiful town. I can't wait to go back.

Thursday, the 26th - a day in Winterset, Iowa, another wonderful town. We'll catch up with old friends and see some covered bridges!

Friday, the 27th and Saturday the 28th - We'll end our stay in Knoxville and our daytrips to the surround areas. We'll head for LeMars, Iowa, to see dear friends the Janes's and their adorable kids.

Sunday, the 29th - Church with the Janes's (Mr. Janes is a pastor); leave LeMars after church and catch up with our peeps on the Stevens' ranch in Britt, Iowa. Mr. Stevens and Buffalo Wings will prepare plenty of brats for everyone. Yuck for me, yummy for them. And I get to see my sweet KS!!!! I love her and I miss her and we need some good huggin'. Oh, and we get to play with their adorable kids! (This trip is full of time with all kinds of adorable kids!)

Monday, the 30th - a day in Britt with the Stevens.

Tuesday, the 31st - Leave Britt; arrive in Chicago!

Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 1st and 2nd - play in Chicago. This will include the aquarium, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Children's Museum, the Michigan Mile, the Sears Tower, and other things that strike our fancy. It will also include time spent with an old family friend, Keith, and his wife and seven children!

Friday, Aug. 3rd - Leave Chicago and travel to Algoma, Wisconsin, to see more dear friends, the Shearers. They have three (adorable, of course) children!

Saturday, Aug. 4th - time with the Shearers in Algoma. Hopefully will see some of Scott's other college friends while we are there.

Sunday, Aug. 5th - church with the Shearers (Mr. Shearer is pastor of a church that he and Mrs. Shearer helped to plant! Very exciting!), then on to Nauvoo, Illinios.

Monday, Aug. 6th - time spent seeing the sights in Nauvoo that morning, then we will leave for my alma mater, Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, AR.

Tuesday, Aug. 7th - after staying in one of the fine guest rooms on the WBC campus, we will wake early (not really) and have an exquisite breadfast in the dining hall, after which we will putter around the campus for a few hours (Buffalo Wings has never seen my old college, and I'm excited to see all the changes that have been made since I left - like the STARBUCK'S!!!!!), and then we'll head back down to Benton.

Wednesday, Aug. 8th - leave Benton; arrive back home. Vacation over. :o(

I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!
And I can't wait to bring back the report and pictures to share with all of you!
Much love to you all -

Busy, Busy

Last week was Vacation Bible School and the week before we had all kinds of preparations, namely decorating our classrooms. The theme was sports this year. I'll have some pictures pretty soon. It was a fun, although exhausting week.

Highlights:
*While trying to get the kids to guess the country Germany, one of the clues given was "Home of Beethoven." AN, a second-grader, recounted when Beethoven wrote his first symphony and at what age, as well as what symphony he wrote before his death and when he died. After spouting these facts, he quickly covered his mouth with his hand and then said, "Oops. Was that too much information?"

*We watched several videos about missions, and after one video, I asked the 1st grade class what had happened in the video. AN said, "I don't know, because I was playing invisible basketball."

My brother, Crab Cakes, my nephew, French Fry, and Crab Cakes' girlfriend, Sugar Cookie, are here for a visit. Yesterday we went to Galveston. We ate at my favorite, The Spot, then went to Murdoch's gift shop / Mermaid Pier (the best one in Galveston - so much fun), then crossed the ferry on the east side of the island and spent about three hours at the beach on Bolivar Peninsula. It was a wonderful, amazing day.

Noodle wasn't sure of the water at first. She would go out with me as long as I was holding her hand, then when the waves hit her, she'd run back to shore for a drink.

"Come with me, Mommy," she said, "Hold my hand. Don't let go of my hand."

We found many hermit crabs in the water, and the kids had fun collecting them and putting them in their buckets. By the time we left, we had found about 20 of them. It was neat to watch them digging around in the sand in the buckets. Sugar Cookie gets the award for Most Hermit Crabs Found. Every time that girl put her foot in the water, she'd come out with a hermit crab.

I'll be working quite a bit up until time for our vacation. I can not WAIT for vacation!!!!! We leave on the 20th. It is going to be out of control. Too much fun. Can't wait. CAN NOT WAIT!

Happy 4th everyone! Sending much love to all of you.

Fun Times in Crockett, 6-16-07

My dear friend Marita is moving to Peru and getting married. So myself and my fam, as well as our dear friends J&T (who work at the BSM at the U of H), also friends from seminary, traveled to Crockett, Texas for a day of fun with Marita! Here, Marita and I brave the elements while getting the bbq all ready for some burgers and brats.

Although very cute, Banana got impatient. "Where's my burgers? Where's my brats?"

J&T. Fun times.

It was time for some adventures on the open seas (aka - the pond at Marita's parents' place).

J and Marita bring in the boats.

"Safety first, kids!" After the kids and I were seated in the boats, Marita said, "Lifejackets!" I wish I were a better parent!

I love this pic of Marita. It is as if she is holding us up with her hand out on the pond. It also looks kind of like a brochure picture, advertising the beauty and serenity of the area. "Come visit us," it is as if Marita says here.

Ya'll, for real, this is the first time I have EVER manned a canoe all by myself! Paddle boats, yes. Canoes, no. Never.

But I look like a natural, don't I?

Bringing it in. Our adventure on the open seas comes to an end.

AAARRRRGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Queen of the Open Seas!

Cute kids on the porch swing.

Noodle! Noodle Crockett! Queen of the wild frontier!

OK - when we got to the farm (Marita's parents' place), the kids immediately ran for the open out-of-doors. There is so much to do there, with ducks, ponds, and free reign of the water hose. Noodle made haste in stripping off her clothes. Marita's mom and stepdad were outside with the kids, and when I went to check on them, there was Noodle in most of her glory. Not a few minutes later, Noodle walked through the front door of the house - my peeps and I were playing a fast-paced round of Apples to Apples - in ALL her glory, holding her underpants. It seemed to bother her to run around in wet clothes (they were playing in the water hose), and when her undies got wet, they had to go, too. So I found a pull-up and that was her attire for the rest of the day. That and the coon-skin cap, which she found right away upon entering the home of Marita and her parents. That's the ONLY thing she didn't take off for the ENTIRE DAY!

Playing in the water.

Soaked!

Watching the kids; visiting on the porch.

The Farm is one of the most wonderful places I know. I love it there. It's a perfect place to pass the day with good friends.

All of us! Marita, T, J holding Banana, Buffalo Wings holding Noodle; Front row: Chicken Nugget and me.

Fun times. Good times.

Achluophobia

I am afraid of the dark. My dad used to sing a hymn to me when I was a little girl, and my mom said that every time I heard it, I would cry:

"When you walk through the storm / hold your head up high / and don't be afraid of the dark"

I can't remember the origin of this fear, but since older siblings are always the best direction for which to point fingers, I'll blame them. Surely it has something to do with scary stories they told me, or scary movies they watched while I was growing up.

It could not possibly have anything to do with my over-active imagination.

I have carried this fear with me all my life. Even at age thirty, as I sooth and ease the fears of my three little ones, I sometimes lay terrified at night. Even with my husband beside me. I feel terror. Even though there are small lights throughout the house, so that there's never utter darkness. I'm even afraid of the semi-dark.

Yesterday, while on my lunch break at work, the store lost power. I was in the break room, which has no windows. Just off the break room is the hallway, where the bathrooms are located. Again, there are no windows. There's no opportunity for light to break through.

I was writing something down in the break room when I heard a loud crash, a beep, and then was suddenly all alone in darkness and silence. I was terrified to the point of tears. All I could think about was steering myself toward the direction of the door, finding my way down the hallway, and entering some kind of light as soon as I could.

I knew that Beth was the nearest co-worker I'd be able to locate, so I started screaming for her like a little girl.

"Beth! Beth! Beth!"

I yelled it several times until a customer heard me.

"What do you want?" yelled the customer.

"I want to find somebody!" I answered, by that time having made it from the depths of the break room and into the pitch-black hallway.

"Are you scared?" called the customer.

"A little," I said. (A lot - I thought!)

Had I known what was in front of me, I would have run.

I made it into the store area, where light came in from the glass front doors and windows, and I felt instant relief. Before long, I recovered. But I wouldn't so much as venture into the restroom, not even with a flashlight, not even if my life had depended upon it.

However, I knew that if I had not been in the break room alone when the lights went out, or if I had someone else to go with me back into the dark, my fear would have lessened quite a bit.

My experience sent my mind here:

"You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light." 2 Samuel 22:29

"If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." Psalm 139: 11-12

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." Isaiah 9:2

"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5

"There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light." Revelation 22: 5

It's silly, my achluophobia. It's a silly little earthly fear. And I understand the spiritual, not the physical, aspect of the above verses. In my (many) times of spiritual darkness, God has been my light and I have not been afraid. But I have to say that I am looking forward to entering my eternal Home, never experiencing night or fear again, walking and living in the Light of my God forever.

Much to Muse

Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. We'll be married four years. Those years have gone by in a snap. Truly, I can hardly recall where they've gone. From shivering and fighting blizzard after blizzard in a very deep Northern part of Iowa, to welcoming two babies, one right after the other, to wiping sweat from our brows on our first day in Texas . . . it's been a fast, fast four years.

This night four years ago, I was relaxing with my girls in the hotel. We swam, sat in the sauna, had all manner of silliness in our room. It was a wonderful, wonderful time.

Our wedding was absolutely beautiful. It was so simple, so home-made, yet still beautiful. We tried very hard to glorify the Father who had given us to one another. We had songs of grace and of the Father's love; we shared communion with our guests. We made sure that there was a full gospel message presented, as marriage is an earthly reflection of our relationship with Christ. It was beautiful. Simple, home-made, and beautiful.

And it wouldn't have been all that it was without all the friends and family who lended hands and hearts to make it so. Whether it was coordinating who would stand where, playing piano and singing, ushering, decorating the cake, placing greenery on tables at the reception, or just offering a steady hand . . . thank you all, all of you who we love so much, who helped make our wedding the beautiful day that it was.

And here I am, a married lady of (almost) four years, and I have a vibrant and growing family. I have hopes and dreams and gifts. I have a man who encourages me. I feel so often that I am not what I'm supposed to be. I didn't finish seminary (yet). I haven't finished any of the books I've been writing for years. I haven't read those intellectual books that have been sitting on my shelf. I'm not as good , as pretty , as talented , had as great adventures, as well-versed, as articulate as (there are several I could name) - - - on and on and on, and every one of those "not as" statements, nothing more than a lie whispered into my ear by the enemy. Something to distract me from all the gifts that surround me. Even more dangerous, that I might be distracted from the opportunities to minister to the hearts of those nearest me. Or to miss opportunities in my neighborhood or greater community. It is difficult to see anything but my own failures, if I listen to those well-worded lies.

Thank you, Scott. You are my darling. You help me ward off those lies. You tell me they are not true. I pray that I may be a helpmeet to you. I pray that I might not fail you, as I so often have. I am glad that four years ago tomorrow, we became each other's.

My beloved is mine, and I am his . . . Song of Solomon 2:16

10-to-10 Donuts

I'm on my way, ya'll! Before you know it, there will be a 10-to-10 Donut Shop in your very own neighborhood! The above was my (our) first attempt at home-made donuts. These are cake donuts, not yeast. We made the dough last night, since it had to chill, and rolled it out, cut out the donuts, fried them up, and glazed them this morning. One thing I need to get is a real donut cutter instead of using just a cup. I also need to thicken the glaze by adding more powdered sugar (which will also improve the taste!). The girls had fun cutting the donuts, and even though some of them took on more of a blob shape than a donut one, they still tasted great! Especially after the girls added sprinkles. See photos below, which attest to yumminess of taste regardless of donut-like shape:

She's Coming Home!

Chicken Nugget comes home from camp today! Yay! I'm excited. I think Noodle is, too, but she expresses it a bit differently than I do.

I said, "I can't wait to see Chicken Nugget today!"

Noodle said, "I can't wait to buy my gum today!"

Lots to Talk About

Yesterday, we went here. It was so much fun. There's some great play areas for the kids, and I love being by the water. The trees are full of beautiful Spanish moss, too. I love that Spanish moss. There is sometimes something . . . I can't think of a word for it . . . but just something about living in Coastal Texas.

Chicken Nugget left for camp yesterday. :o(

It is happy for her, sad for me. I can't believe she is big enough to do things like that. This is not the first time she's been away for a period of time, but it is the first time she's been away with someone other than family. On Sunday night, she and Noodle asked to have a "slumber party" with me, which means that poor Dad gets to ride the couch while the girls pile in bed with me. We spent lots of time cuddling and saying how much we'll miss each other and how much we love each other and talking about what camp is going to be like, before finally drifting off to sleep.

Noodle has asked when we're going to get Chicken Nugget about 50 times already. I know it will be a fast week, but still. She's not a baby anymore, my little Chicken Nugget. She called last night and said, "I just wanted to tell you that I'm doing great and I'm having a great time at camp!"

Buffalo Wings started teaching summer school yesterday. It was registration, so he didn't do any teaching (he's teaching Geometry). Today is a work day and he'll get his room assignment. Tomorrow he'll have students. He's excited about teaching Geometry, since it is something he has not taught.

We're still working on getting me into Region IV. I sent in my application, but it turns out that I am six credits short on English requirements. So it looks like I'll be taking some English classes, mid-summer or maybe starting in the fall. It depends on when I find out what courses I need to take to qualify for the program.

Here's what I'm thinking at the moment:

1. Complete Region IV - become a teacher.

2. As I am teaching, finish seminary.

3. After seminary, pursue my goal of becoming a chiropractor.

BW said, "Wow. That's a lot."

But I'm not really on a strict schedule, so I have plenty of time to do all of these things.

In the meantime, I am looking at a job change. But I'll say some more about that later.

Life is good!

Love to all of you -