Lessons in Life

Pictures

2011-01-30T13:30:00.007-06:00

Warning: lots of pictures.

I am aware that using a slideshow would probably be better, but I'm just not that savvy and this seemed quicker to me. Reid had his 1-year pictures, and the session DID NOT go well! The photographer was wonderful, but Reid was not himself. Turns out he was getting a tooth, and this one was hardest on him yet.

This is how Reid was for about 55% of the pictures. For 40%, he was crawling away from the photographer and banging on the backdrop. She had to be thinking, "if he breaks that, you are going to pay for it..." I was at a loss as to what to do.

Turns out a little Mommy-love went a long way. I know it looks like we're Frenching, but I assure you he is the only one using tongue. Very slobbery, but it's such a sweet phase!

Somehow, Kim Maye was able to get some great pictures out of a horrible photo session, so here are the rest (the other 5% for you math geeks):

#1

2011-01-14T20:42:00.005-06:00

Happy First Birthday, Reid!

It's hard to believe he's a year old already. He's such a comedian, always smiling and trying to make you laugh. He's so sweet, even though he's such a mess. Just today, he broke a vase, spilled a drink, emptied my pots/pans drawer, threw his food all over the floor twice (after saying "Uh-oh!"), dumped brother's toy basket out, got in the garbage, emptied an almost-full box of Kleenex, and I can't remember what else... I guess he's just really curious!

Last year at 7:20 in the morning, he wasn't very happy. I thought I was going to have a really serious/whiny baby on my hands. Turns out he's extremely happy, just has a "bit" of a temper!

After he finally settled down, he showed his true nature: content.

Big brother has loved him from the beginning, and Reid has completely returned that love. They are so sweet together--except when John hits him in the head with a wooden spoon, or Reid whacks John across the back and yells, "Noo--ooooo!" (Um, yes, we are from the south, and No is a 2-syllable word)

Right now, I am wondering how in the world I will get this bottle away from him. But, of course, I know I will in time--just 3 months ago I was wondering how on earth I was going to wean him to the bottle because I was running out of milk. (Poor little guy is already getting the middle-kid treatment because baby sister took his milk away!) At least he has his trusty blanket--no beddy-by without that!

I was wondering when he would walk, because he has been standing on his own for weeks now. John walked at 10 months, and I just knew Reid would too, if for no other reason than to keep up with big brother. And a week and a half ago, he took his first steps!

I had to put this pic in here, because I want to remember that Reid was Chicken Little. No, I don't make his hair do that. There's no goop in his hair, and it's not cut that way. It's not static. I really don't know why it does this, but I have very recently come up with a theory. When Rob bathes him, he poors the water right over his head, many times from front to back. Since it grows toward the front, and he has a double-crown, I think that's what makes it stand up. But hey--no complaints, because John didn't have much hair at all on his first birthday! And only a little more--mostly in the back--on his second!

Sweet little smiley-boy! I love you so much and can't imagine life without you!!!

It's a...

2011-01-05T19:55:00.003-06:00

GIRL!!! Haha! Who would have guessed? Apparently not very many readers of this blog. I sort of had an inkling (I promise--ask Rob). But I refused to tell anyone, because so many people had said things like, "Awww..maybe it's a girl this time" or "I hope it's a girl...for your sake." And I was so afraid that if I shared my gut-feeling, and then it turned out to be a boy, I would have a whole load of sympathizers who would think I was in mourning.

I wouldn't have mourned, but Rob and I are both excited that we have a new challenge. And John is beside himself--ready to buy pink. Poor child wants someone in this house to be girly. Know what he wanted Reid to wear for Halloween? A flower costume. Next October, I won't have to say no to him. Yay!

Just in case anyone is wondering, my friend Amber was totally right about how to conceive a girl. I looked for her post, but it is apparently so old that it is archived away. It's called the Shettles method--the further before ovulation, the greater chance it is a girl. I tried that method with Reid, and never could get pregnant. So, I quit the planning and scheming--and got pregnant the first month. At the time, I just figured God didn't want me to have a girl. Now, I know He just wanted me to have Reid first, and then a girl! If anyone is wondering how far before ovulation you need to do the deed, try my way--so far away that you actually shouldn't get pregnant. That's right. We weren't trying. There was a 0% chance. Oh, I'm sure it's 0.000_something, but it's a really low chance. We were trying NOT to, but I wasn't on the pill because I had such a problem keeping my milk. Yeah, so there's another thing--I was nursing. SOOoooooo. My suggestion is to try NOT to conceive, and nurse a baby, and then you'll get a girl! It's called the God-method.

What's behind Door #3?

2010-12-29T17:30:00.006-06:00

Turns out that we find out the sex of baby #3 this Monday morning. It was a last-minute appointment, because I really didn't want to go in 2 days shy of 18 weeks, and then go back 2 weeks later. It's hard to find a sitter AND a time that Rob doesn't have a meeting, so we went with first-thing after the holiday.

SO-oooo.... here's where I ask all of you what you think this next baby is? I thought about doing a game, like my friend Allison. But, it's late notice on my part, and I really only care who's right about the sex of the baby.

Who thinks I will forever be the only girl in my fam, doomed to go crazy from the wildness?

Who thinks Rob will have to learn to be tender, and I will go insane trying to accessorize a little princess when I can't accessorize myself?

Here's some helpful hints:
-I've had food aversions to everything I usually eat (which is similar to my pregnancy with John)
-I was sick until 15 weeks (worse than with John, but still similar)
-my feet are freezing (which "they" say means boy)
-My ideal meal is: brownies for appetizer, lemon pie for entree, and black-tie-mousse-cake for dessert. If it gets too sweet, I'll clear my palate with some milk between entree and dessert :)
-my belly is nice and round like a basketball... boy???

Leave a comment and we'll see who's right in just a few days!

Third time's the charm

2010-11-09T13:53:00.005-06:00

I've had trouble blogging. Ever since Reid was born, really, but it's gotten even harder lately. Two is definitely double the work of one--no matter what anybody says. And this house... it needs work anyway, but an organizational overhaul could really come in handy. Should I turn myself in to one of those shows on HGTV? I mean, I have an excuse--we moved 2 weeks before Reid came, and everyone knows how hard it is to do stuff when you have a newborn. But, even since Reid has been on a better schedule, it's been slow.

Now on top of everything else, we have received a crazy surprise from God. Here's the big reveal:

TA-DA!!! Baby #3 is 10 weeks along, and the doctor seemed confident today, so I am sharing with all of you. Still be in prayer, because I've had issues in the past. But this baby has already made it through a placental-bleed, and that is all-healed, so I have high hopes! Reid and #3 will be 16 months apart--so if I thought it was busy before, it will be crazy-busy by June! Doc guesses my due-date to be June 2-4, but I'm rooting for a May baby.

All Ears

2010-07-21T16:21:00.010-05:00

Ok, this is way overdue...um, 2 months overdue, to be exact. Here's Day 1 of Disney:

This is actually the night before. We stayed at Fort Wilderness, where they have a free campfire activity. Dede is helping John roast some not-so-free marshmallows for some $mores. (Next time we'll be prepared with ingredients of our own.)

John taste-tests his culinary skills.

And of course, Pop ends up with the Smore. John likes graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows, but not all-together. So picky!

John meets Dale--his first Disney character! See how in-love he is?

Day 1: we start at Epcot. Here's the fam in front of one of Disney's famous topiaries. Reid's first nap of the day (there were many each day, due to the heat).

John and Jasmine had a conversation about what they enjoy doing (John likes to play outside; Jasmine likes magic-carpet rides). I think he's smitten. But notice that Reid is angling for his brother's woman. He's got her finger and he ain't lettin' go.

John investigates exactly how big Bruce's mouth is.

Next we went to Hollywood Studios, where we saw... Buzz!!!! One of John's favorites. He stood in line for a long time. I have no clue whether he was patient--Reid needed a snack. (Little chunk ate a TON--I guess because of the heat?) John also enjoyed the Toy Story ride there.

I love this pic. John's face is priceless. This was his first parade--the Block Party at Hollywood Studios.

Ah--the beginning of it all. Mickey the Mouse! This was at Chef Mickey's. Spectacular buffet, and lots of time with the core characters.

John's first favorite: Goofy.

Here's John swinging his napkin and dancing in his chair, as all the characters would do at regular intervals. Where else can you do that but Mickey's place? (Certainly not at home!)

Update

2010-05-25T17:49:00.002-05:00

I'm going to post a link here to the baby blog because I didn't get a lot of comments, and so I think some of you may have missed it. I posted it about 10 minutes before posting my husband's birthday blog, so I think it got buried. I'm not fishing for comments (I promise!), but want to make sure you all see pics of Reid.

Also, we just got back from the Mouse House yesterday, and as soon as I can go through pics, I'll post some. John absolutely LOVED it! (FYI: it's no vacation--you come home to get some rest :)

Happy Birthday to...

2010-05-01T00:36:00.002-05:00

my snowman-building

nap-mat

flight-assistant

substitute milk-machine

playful

baby-carrying

HUSBAND! Happy 31st birthday, Rob!!!!!

Introducing...

2010-04-30T23:43:00.009-05:00

Reid Channing DeArman

Born January 14, 2010 at 7:20 a.m., 7 lbs. 7 oz., 21 in. long.

I was scheduled to be induced on the 14th, so we checked into the hospital the night before. Turns out, no prepping was needed! Then, I was given an Ambien at midnight, to get a good night's sleep, and contractions started 5 minutes later! So much for sleep... Then, Reid came into the world seven hours later. Check out our family of four:

John absolutely adores his baby brother. He's such a big help--playing with him, getting a toy for him when he cries, telling me when to change his diaper and feed him, and letting me know when he has spit up in the car (who needs one of those baby mirrors when you have a helpful 3-year-old?).

Reid smiled at 3 weeks, although I think he was mostly responding to the tone of my voice. Still, it was a totally responsive smile, not just an occasional thing.

Such an angel, he sleeps really well. I finally let him sleep through the night at 7 weeks old. Up to that point I would wake him for feedings. He has always been a good napper also--until he started teething, that is. Yes, he has teeth at 3 months old!

Reid slept like this a lot his first month of life--it took him a while to straighten out. I honestly think this is how he was in the womb, squished up and with his head to the side. Whenever we would set him down, he would begin grunting, and after about ten minutes of working, we would find him like this (when he would settle in for a deep sleep):

Big brother showed Reid what to do in the snow in February. As usual, John insisted on holding him. I confess, I'm scared to leave John alone with Reid even for a moment, because I have caught him pulling Reid's head to get him into his lap. However, when supervised, John is really sweet. No jealousy whatsoever!

Easter weekend, Reid "met" his cousin Bryant. Last time they were together, Reid was 2 days old, so he really didn't know what was going on. I'm not sure, but it looks like Reid may be pushing B in this picture. But that's ok, because B whopped him on the head a few minutes prior. Note that Reid is almost as long as Bryant, and yet they are 2 1/2 months apart! Still, Reid looks up to Bryant as the older cousin; after all, B showed him how to suck his thumb. (Yes, Reid started doing it the next day, and I'm sure he learned this from his cousin. Well, that's where I'm placing the blame, anyways.)

Here's all of the monsters--big and little--except for Uncle Mitch. Nick, Bryant, Reid, Rob, and John up top.

And our most updated family picture--in front of the cross on Easter.

6 months... where have I been?

2010-04-16T10:38:00.003-05:00

Well, um, in the way of excuses, in the past 6 months I:

had to give up keeping Tricia because my big ol' belly got in the way when I carried her seat, or tried to feed her, or burp her, or carry her around the house while I got some things done... you get the idea.
began house-hunting. Vigorously. I spent every day searching for houses, comparing prices and amenities to others on the market. (I think the housing market made this more difficult because prices were all over the board--some people couldn't afford to drop their prices, and others wanted out quickly). We went to see houses 2-3 days a week, so that really took up a lot of time.
found a house, but had a lot of problems with the sellers, so the paperwork took FOREVER.
moved into the house just before New Years. Took a week after owning before we could move in because there was so much to do. It was in bad shape because no maintenance had been done in years, and it desperately needed cleaning. The only thing the sellers did was sweep, because we wrote into the contract to leave it in "broom-swept condition." If we had not written that, I'm sure they wouldn't have swept. We painted 3 bedrooms, did TONS of small repairs, had the carpets and vents cleaned--I can't even remember what all we did.
had a baby. Yes, two weeks after moving, Reid Channing made his appearance.
struggled to get acclimated to life with 2 boys, while also continuing to fix up this mess of a house, and unpack boxes.

Is that enough excuses? Well, at least I'm back. Pictures of the new little man and the house to come soon. Check back later.

Kids are so funny

2009-09-29T20:26:00.003-05:00

Ok, I know I owe you some pictures, but that's going to take a while. In the meantime, I'm going to give you a sample conversation with John, so you can see what every day is like for me. I have enjoyed every age with John, but as he grows, I swear each new stage is my favorite. But I promise you, the stories and conversations and imagination HAVE to make this my favorite. Here's how the convo went down...

A: Did you play outside today at school? (Note: it has rained every school day for the past 2 weeks, it seems.)

J: mm-hmm

A: Who did you play with?

J: Trace

A: What did y'all do? (Expecting to hear "swing... slide... play chase")

J: Hunt for food.

A: (thinking this is strange) What food did you hunt for?

J: Aspen and Alyssa

A: (nearly chokes on Kool-aid) Do what?

J: (in a "duh, mom!" sort of tone) We were T-Rexes!

Later, Rob replayed this same conversation, but took it further.

R: So, which food did you eat? Aspen or Alyssa?

J: Alyssa

R: What did you do when you caught her?

J: (grins sheepishly) Hug her.

So the girl-crazy twitterpating has begun. The thing is, Alyssa is the same girl-obsession from last year. At least he doesn't have commitment issues!

Going... going...

2009-09-18T18:05:00.003-05:00

GONE!

We are finally free of a house that has been weighing us down for 20 months now. Praise the Lord! Truly, it was a miracle that we got to closing.

And after giving credit to God, I have to also mention Jeff. See Rob's brother does this type of stuff for a living--never on your run-of-the-mill house, but on big stuff. And it just so happens that his firm has an office in Nashville. Not only has Jeff done a little business in Nashville, but he had actually done business with the title company that insured us. To top it all off, work was a bit slow for Jeff on Wednesday; and being the sort of person who can't just do nothing, he started chatting it up with the people who mattered and handed all the paperwork over to our agent and closing gal.

I find it hard to believe that all these events were just coincidence. So that brings us full circle back to God.

I'm going to stop there, to keep from rambling.

Just one more little tidbit.

Have you ever seen a pregnant woman dance like there's no tomorrow?

Is this punishment?

2009-09-15T14:07:00.003-05:00

So, we finally got another contract on the house (the third, but who's counting?), and we made it to T-2 days until closing. We thought everything was in the bag--we moved out all the junk last Saturday. And today, we hear that it might not be happening. Why? Not because of the buyer's financing, or because the buyer's house didn't close or appraise. Not because of our inspection, or because our house didn't appraise. Why? Because, almost 4 years ago, we closed this house WITH A LIEN ON IT (from the previous owner). Were we aware of the lien? NO. Did we accept title with a lien? NO. In fact, the HUD came back clear--everything paid.

So, we have no more information than that--just speculation. I'm speculating that either someone made a mistake in the paperwork (and everything is ok), or someone made a mistake in the paperwork (and everything is not ok--which would seriously irritate me), or the previous title company didn't pay off the lien after receiving payment from the previous owner (which also would irritate me).

I suppose I am just venting, and it's helping momentarily, but I know that I am going to be anxious until we hear something. What to do now? Pray. That's all I know to do. Will you pray with me?

It's a...

2009-08-22T09:51:00.002-05:00

...BOY! Here's our sweet baby boy, who doesn't have a name just yet. He seemed to be sleeping or moving around very little, even though I'd given him a rush of caffeine before the ultrasound! I wonder if he'll be as wild as John?

Here's proof that he's a boy. (Oh no, she di'in't!--Oh yes, I did). This is just the start of all the embarrassment he'll suffer at the hands of his parents. Anyways, I didn't want anyone asking if we were sure. You just judge for yourself; I don't know how anyone could mistake that :) And if you're not good at "reading" ultrasounds, the tech was nice enough to include an arrow for you.

We'll keep you posted on the name. I had to wait until this morning to blog because all afternoon and evening were spent poring over the names in a baby name site. I went through every one, and I made a list for Rob to go back over. There's 35 names, and hopefully Rob will like 2 of them, so we can have a first name and middle name. I'm not promising anything, because he's extremely picky!

Update on John's school and my new job

2009-08-12T15:03:00.005-05:00

Apparently all went well in the adjustment area. John did have a potty accident, but they think he just got caught up in the kitchen area. That's my cook! Sometimes when the timer goes off, you gotta get everything out of the oven before you can take a potty break :) His teachers weren't too worried about it. He seemed happy to see me--and I was SO happy to see him. To top off the good part of this day, John actually fell asleep without my laying down with him. Tricia (the baby I'm keeping) was fussing, and so I had to tend to her and not lay down with John. When I came back to check on him, he was out. Yay! I'm feeling as pumped as an exhausted preggo can feel ;)

So, now onto the update about my job... My long-time friend Katy had a precious baby girl on May 6. When she went back to work, she asked me to keep her. Meet Patricia Eloise Holley:

This job (if you can call it that), is going to be quite humorous as I grow, because there is no way Tricia could be mine--she's 14 weeks old, and I'm over 17 weeks pregnant. John has really gotten attached to Tricia--he's called her his girlfriend and said "I love you, Tricia!" on many occasions. (Sorry about that Rusty--no need to point a shotgun at my little boy.) Check out the love going on here:

Yeah, it looks a little one-sided in this picture. But I promise, she lights up when John talks to her and plays with her. Here's just a pic of what she does in the gym (which is how I'm blogging to you as we speak).

First Day of School

2009-08-12T09:58:00.005-05:00

Summer break is already over, and I thought I was more than ready for John to go back to school--he's been really hyper and wild lately--but, this morning I find myself only now recovering from a complete breakdown. I was fine on the way to school. Fine when I dropped him off at carpool (although this is what the breakdown results from). I was fine when I had to go in to get a carpool sign that I did not receive at orientation. And I was fine when I walked back out to the car. It probably didn't help that Dr. Steve said, "No tears here--that's good!" as I walked out to the parking lot.

And then I fell to pieces. I didn't get to say goodbye--they had instructions when I dropped him off at carpool, and I had some questions about those instructions. I didn't even get to see him walk off, to make sure he was ok. All I remember was John's confused face when they opened the door. Oh how I wish I had gone inside to drop him off! But I thought I was making it easier on both of us. Apparently not (at least on my end).

So, now I am home, and sad. I look at his Bebe (his lovey) and worry that he doesn't have it and might need it. I'm worried because he told me he had a tummy ache this morning, and I attributed it to all the black beans and blueberries he's been eating lately. I gave him gas drops and went on without thinking. Now, I think, oh my goodness, he was nervous! And I didn't kiss him and make him better!

Alright, someone put me out of my misery. Tell me it's just pregnancy hormones, knock me out, and wake me up when you have a feast ready for me to eat :) Oh, and some chocolate, please.

To make me feel better, here is John with his teachers, Mrs. Kerri and Mrs. Linda. This was at orientation Monday night (where I took a pic so that I could do carpool this morning, and make a clean break--which didn't turn out so clean after all).

See how happy he looks? He didn't want to leave. When Rob and I came back to get him after our meeting, he instructed me to leave. "I at school, you s'posed to go home. Come back later." Surely he adjusted quickly this morning and went to his room happy.

Here he is on our front stoop this morning.

He seems a head taller this year, and a lot more grown up. Check out last year's photo:

I'm going to make it--I promise. I just can't believe how time flies!

John is 3!!!

2009-07-31T07:43:00.006-05:00

We had John's party last Saturday at the Clubhouse and pool here at the condo. Yes, this is his second pool party in a row, but pool parties are perfect for the heat of July, and I'm being financially wise since the location is free! Besides, last year, the party was in Nashville, so the location was a bit different--that counts for variety, right?

After last year's Monkey party, we moved on to Firetrucks this year. John is obsessed with Firetrucks, emergencies, and sirens, so it just fit :) Plus, since he has firetrucks and firehats and even a family of Schleich Dalmation dogs, it was easy to decorate.

Here is John telling me how old he is. The real way to show "3" is too hard for him, so he uses the "Ok" sign.

Here are some of the party-goers, hanging out pool-side. No, John is not in the pic, because he is probably swimming all around the pool in his swimmies.

Here's the awesome b'day cake. Thanks to my precious sis-in-law, Julie, who stayed up half the night to make this cake (after caring for her 7-month-old twins, no less)!!!

We had to blow out the candles sooner than I was planning, because John kept putting his finger in the cake! Look how excited he was to blow out the candles :)

John was a pro at opening presents this year. My job has been reduced to grabbing the card, to see who it's from before he finishes and moves on to the next one! Oh, and picking up the pile of paper and bows, before everything gets too chaotic. You can also see John's friend, Ella, in the pic. She was very excited about the presents, because she turns 4 in a few weeks. I'm sure John will return the favor and monitor her opening presents! I overheard John explain to her at one point, "Today is my birt-day. Yours is next week." Even though Ella's isn't a week after John's, I thought it was funny that he felt he needed not just one day, but a whole week to celebrate.

Saturday night, after we had all had a much-needed nap, we took John to the drive-in with DeDe and Pop to see G-force. Of course, to get a decent spot, you have to arrive early. So, John likes to while away the hour by getting as dirty as possible. I have to admit, the gravel is a great place to play with cars, esp. those of the hauling and bull-dozing types.

When the movie started, John decided to join Pop and Daddy in the back of the truck with juice and popcorn, sitting in his Little Tot chair (a hand-me-down from Mommy's cousins Scott and Matthew).

Here are some of the toys John got for his birthday. He has thoroughly enjoyed every single one!

And finally, even though John's birthday was Sunday, we waited to take him out to eat at his favorite restaurant on Tuesday, when "the bird" would be there. John loves Red Robin milkshakes, the balloons, the arcades up front, but mostly the Robin himself.

He really enjoyed all the attention when the staff came to sing--even though he didn't want the ice cream after the Shake he had with dinner.

I'd say John had a great birthday! He took a "break" for about one day, and then wanted to know when his next birthday would be :) Boy, does he have a long time to wait!

For me to remember

2009-07-13T09:56:00.002-05:00

Sidenote: still working on Tampa pics

This post is mostly because I want to remember how expressive John is and the funny things he says. My brother stopped by this morning before work, because he had left his sunglasses here last night.

John: Where your car, Uncle Mitch?

Mitch: It's broken.

J: (Very dramatic) Oh no! Whatcha gonna do?

M: I gotta get it fixed.

J: Oh no (less dramatic). Gotta get it fixed.

Conversation then continued about Mitch taking John's cereal, and where Mitch was going (to work).

The conversations these days are killing me. I mean, John's been speaking full sentences for a while. But, when did the fully-interactive conversation start? It seems that suddenly, I don't have to explain what someone says to John and I don't have to translate him to everyone else. I'm no longer needed when conversing--it's a little sad, but mostly funny.

Elephant found

2009-07-10T17:35:00.003-05:00

Elephant was on the kitchen table when we got home from vacation. (Yes, I had blogged about the missing E near midnight the night before we left for Tampa.) No, it's not the same one, but to John it is. Thanks Mema for purchasing one while we were gone! Daddy Elephant has gone everywhere with us since we've been home--I don't think John will let him out of his sight now.

On another note, I'll post pics from Tampa soon. John had a blast visiting and playing with cousin Emma. But the person he asked for most was his Son-Son. Thanks Chris and Sonya for letting us visit! It was a really nice vacation for almost-free. And you know I love free!!!

Missing Elephant

2009-06-30T22:48:00.002-05:00

Missing Elephant. Approx. 3 in. x 6 in. Missing since 3 p.m. 6/30/09. Last seen tangled in the strings of Goofy's parachute. Note the tusks and happy smile. The lost one is scratched and missing a good bit of paint. Let's just say he has been well-loved. Call if found. (You may also call if a Target near you has one in stock. I can always throw it around to scrape off the appropriate amount of paint.)

What we've been up to

2009-06-29T20:05:00.006-05:00

My mom has been taking vacation days here and there, so she doesn't lose them at the end of the year, so we've been doing a lot lately:

We went to Noccalula Falls. At the petting zoo, this is the only picture I have where John actually held something for the goats to eat. He was scared they would take his fingers too, and I can understand because they were especially eager!

A girl working at the PZ held a bunny for John to pet. He loved it! Kept saying over and over, "So soft!"

Fat Man's Squeeze. Clearly, John is nowhere near fat. I just thought it looked funny that he had so much space on either side of him :)

This pic is on the way to the Falls, before we walked down a gazillion steps. John handled the steps and rocks much better than I did. Of course, I was dizzy by this point, so that shouldn't be a surprise. But I really do think he has a lot better balance and a ton more energy than I do.

And here we are under the falls. Sorry the picture is dark, but I couldn't lighten it and keep it looking natural.

We all went out to eat at Outback for my grandmother's 75th birthday. Woohoo! 3/4 of a century, Mema, and you still got it :)

Kacky has been house-sitting, and the house is near a great lake/pond that is full of ducks, turtles, and fish. John especially liked to feed the baby ducks--one Mommy had 20 babies. (I didn't know ducks laid so many eggs! Maybe they have a Duck-Nanny-program?)

This is a random pic of everything that lives in that tiny lake. Crazy that so much could survive in a small bit of water!

Finally, John has been learning to swim. We've had him in a life-jacket, until this past weekend. We put swimmies on him for the first time this year, and it was amazing how quickly John adjusted!

These are the kind of faces he makes when he jumps in the pool. It's hilarious! Hard not to laugh, no matter how bad you feel :)

Please ignore my very southern comments, but I thought John was so big that I couldn't NOT post this. This is just proof that I don't have an issue with pride, and I am fully ready for your ridicule.

This is our life

2009-06-25T11:02:00.002-05:00

Where we stand right now:

1. I am 10 weeks pregnant and baby is still sticking with me! I just about beat an Ultrasound tech yesterday because she didn't measure baby or the heartbeats (which was unusual), but at least baby was kicking. I previously had a bleed in my uterus that appears to be gone now, so that's even better news. And the best (or worst) news is that I am sick as a dog. Anyone else ever been happy while hugging the toilet? I am, because it means baby is ok!

2. John is mostly potty-trained! We've been at it for months now, but accidents are finally down to a few a week. The whole time, I put him in underwear, but he just didn't care that he went all over himself and the floor. He just took off his pants (to get more comfortable), pointed out the mess to me, and continued to play. He didn't like it when I made him clean the mess, but he was always happy by the time I let him mop--so, that didn't help matters. And he has always screamed when we tried to put him on the toilet to "try." He still does that, but at least he usually points out when he has to go. Right when he started progressing at training, he began saying, "I do it by myself! You go 'way!!" So, maybe modesty was the issue all along! John has even put #2 in the potty! Maybe this is TMI, but we've given him poo-poo presents--a Lightning watch and the original Ice Age movie. But, I think what he likes most of all is when we say, "I'm so proud of you!" Whew! This is such a relief :) He can now start 3K in the fall without a problem.

3. We have a house in TN that needs to sell. We cannot move back because Rob's job is in Alabama and he would be gone Sunday night-Friday every week and living with his parents if we still lived in that house. So, keep praying for a miracle, people!

4. Rob is working like crazy--all day and night--in an attempt to get customers to buy in this terrible economy. Our consolation is that no one else is hitting their numbers. But we sure are longing for those better days where he didn't have to work as much and got paid more. Still, we thank the Lord for this job!!!

5. John is as crazy as always. He ate field peas for breakfast--and that was only because we didn't have black beans. He apparently has no clue that cereal or fruit and yogurt is a more typical breakfast choice. I apparently am used to having an atypical kid, so I didn't ask questions. He does crazy things like this everyday, and I never remember them. So, I will probably start posting random things that John says or does! Speaking of the devil, he is climbing on my back right now, leaning around to kiss my cheek, and he happens to be totally naked. So, I gotta go find his clothes!

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

2009-06-10T18:52:00.007-05:00

After another loss last fall, and trying ever since, we finally have good news! Baby is 8 weeks and has a high heart rate at 179!

I am supposed to go to the doc every 2 weeks until I am out of the "danger zone," and we will wait to tell John until I am 14 weeks, when we will feel more secure. Doc feels we are doing everything we possibly can to keep this one--including baby aspirins and progesterone supplements. Hopefully it will work! Please be praying with us for a healthy baby and good pregnancy. Thank you, God, for answering our prayers!!

Bad news... again

2009-05-21T17:47:00.003-05:00

Once again, we've had a contract fall apart on our house. We were in the middle of negotiations, and the buyer walked. Rather than come back with a counter, or insist on her original request, she just walked. The inspection turned up nothing, except that our hot water heater and AC/furnace were near their life. She asked that we replace them, and we countered with a 1-year warranty. We didn't hear anything for days, until our agent received a fax for the disbursement of the earnest money. Apparently, nothing she said changed their minds to come back to the table.

I can't imagine how someone from out-of-state (as far as Cali) could just stop negotiations and start searching for another house. Once we knew how insistent she was, we were willing to replace the AC and water heater. But, that didn't even bring her back. I know it's a buyer's market, but are you just supposed to hand over your right arm without negotiating at all?

So, now we're 0-2, which looks really bad. And yet, neither were really our fault (the first buyer's house didn't appraise for what she needed, so she couldn't get financing to buy our house). I have no nice comments or deep thoughts, because my stomach is still on the floor, flipped over, and I haven't screwed my jaw back in yet.

Mother's Day

2009-05-13T09:44:00.004-05:00

I'm just going to list my Mother's Day gifts:

Spa Pedicure and lunch at The Chocolate Biscuit tearoom. (It was actually my Mom's Birthday and Mother's Day present, but I definitely benefited--don'tcha love giving those sorts of presents?) I failed to get a picture, but we ate with my sis-in-law, Mandy, and her Mama, JoAnn.
Three roses from my hubby for the three years I have been a mother. (I'm waiting to see what happens as we have more children--will there be one rose per year that I have mothered each child?)
A very special necklace and card from my son.

The card has John's handprint, in which he lists the 5 reasons he loves his Mommy (and these are his words, when Rob asked him why he loves me):

Snuggles
Hugs
Takes care of me
Takes me bye-bye
Makes my snack

Ain't it nice to know you are appreciated and precisely why? I love my John!

We have a contract!

2009-05-12T16:57:00.003-05:00

Here's a short, picture-less post, brought on by Erin's comment on the previous post. We currently have a contract on our house. Woo-hoo! That's a little eruption of joy, because we know how the last contract ended--with us still paying the mortgage. We're afraid of counting our chickens before they hatch :)

But, we praise God for an offer that was more sensible in price than the last two, that allows us time to get everything together (closing is 6 weeks from when we got the offer), and that gives us security (the contract is NOT contingent on the sale of her house AND we get 2 days after closing to move our stuff out). Please join us in asking Him to give us peace about this whole situation and guidance in looking for houses in Bham. Pray that everything will go smoothly so we can finally close this chapter of our lives (even though we really miss our friends and our church in TN).

Catching up again

2009-05-12T10:10:00.004-05:00

So, there seems to be a pattern here. Whenever I don't get a chance to upload pictures and go through them, I continue to put it off because I know the job will be overwhelming the longer it's been. And I refuse to blog without finishing the pictures. And then a month passes, and I have failed to blog! (Except for the "bug" post because I could find a picture of that on the internet.) So, here's the low-down:

I took John to a local Tax Day TEA Party, and he thoroughly enjoyed himself--he blew bubbles, waved the flag, played in the sandbox, tossed around a beach ball, and played on the playground. Other than having fun, he has no clue why we were there :) Here are a few funny pics, including my favorite sign there:

One of John's favorite places is "The Moo Place" (a.k.a. Chick-Fil-A). On Family night, kids dressed as superheroes or Princesses got a free kids meal. Since John is "in love" with Karson, the girl next-door, we took her with us. In the first pic, they are posing with the Cow. While there, they got their faces painted and signed up for the raffle. And... (drum roll please)... John won a super-big cow! That's him sitting by the cow in the second shot. Why did John have to win it??! We are living in an 800 sq. ft. apartment! So, cow sleeps in John's bed when John isn't in it :)

Finally, we have begun potty-training. I say "we" because I think I am being trained more than John--it's really time-consuming! The only pics I have are when we first started. Since John refused to sit on the big potty, or to even try the little potty for more than 5 seconds (and never going), we took some suggestions and sat him in front of a movie (so he would actually sit). Notice, he has a drink in hand, to help speed up the process. It didn't work--notice the second pic where he has closed the potty and used it as a stool to get a close-up of the TV, which is more than big enough for our small living room! Yes, that is Goofy Sports in the background, for those of you who are wondering. Potty-going has gotten a little better now. John likes to race to the potty and see who can go faster. But, he still refuses to go a lot of times (screaming, hitting, and kicking to keep from going). We're working on it! I'll keep y'all posted...

Have you seen this before?

2009-05-08T10:28:00.004-05:00

I have been absent from the Blogosphere lately, and I promise to post some pictures soon to play catch-up and let you know what we've been doing. But for now, I will just give you this picture of a lovely bug that my son insists on keeping--in a Mason jar because his bug-box is in Daddy's truck, out of town.

I'm not really sure what it is, although some people seem to think it is a dung-beetle. I haven't exactly explained this to John because "poo" is a potty-mouth word at our house, unless you have to go... So, this nasty, black bug is living in a Mason jar (with no lid because I can't find one to poke holes in!) until I can convince John that he needs to go outside. ICK! Why couldn't we have kept the lady bug and roly poly we saw yesterday?!?

Easter weekend

2009-04-16T09:12:00.005-05:00

Sorry for a late post on this one... blogger wouldn't let me post pictures yesterday, and I didn't get around to blogging before that. Better late than never.

Saturday night, we dyed the eggs. Yes, I stripped my child down so he wouldn't ruin his outift (does dye come out in the wash? I have no clue). There doesn't seem to be any way to dye eggs without a mess, especially when Mr. Independent decides he can do it himself. Smart folks that we are, we invited ourselves to DeDe's house to make a mess.

In case anyone else couldn't get the egg-catcher that comes in the package to work, just take John's advice and use your hands.

Then, late Saturday night, after we had procrastinated long enough, we began to prepare for the next day. And as usual with procrastination, there was a problem! I bought John's button-down shirt and linen pants at The Children's Place months ago, when they put out the Easter line. (I'd had the vest from a prior year sale--because that's how I do it). When Rob started ironing the shirt, he noticed several stains on it, some yellow and some blue. So, we gave up on that and prayed that John's previous white button-down still fit. It did--barely. Then, the pants were supposed to be adjustable-waist; however, the tabs don't work when sewn down! All of John's other pants look like he's preparing for a flood, so we had to rip out the inside seam. From now on, I will thoroughly inpect all clothes I buy, especially from The Place! Despite the drama, we still cleaned up pretty nice, if I do say so myself.

John slept in Sunday morning, and we actually had to wake him to come see what the Easter Bunny brought, so we could get to church on time. When we mentioned Bunny, he snapped his head up, jumped out of bed, and ran down the hallway still half-asleep. I have video, but it's really long (and a lot of my sluggish-southern talk), so I'll spare you. But, John noticed the chocolate bunny first, and then Wall-E, and then Dinosaur. Check out the goodies below:

After church, we went to Mema's house and quickly changed clothes and hunted for eggs while the less fortunate (i.e. Mema and Big Daddy) were stuck inside preparing lunch. This was John's first hunt this year with HIDDEN eggs. Of course, I use the term hidden lightly, but his hunt at school and the last one I blogged about were both on open fields. Not much to the "hunt" in an open field. At least he had to look up and down and all around the yard to find them this time.

After the hunt, Rob counted out the change (Mema stuffs her eggs with change) and got the candy out of the sun. Then, the boys took a ride in Uncle Steve's Miata. It was John's idea. As soon as Steve and Michelle drove up, John said, "Ooooo! Shiny, red car! I drive! I drive!" Of course, Steve didn't let John drive, but he was crazy enough to let Rob drive.

After lunch, we made a Bunny House, which is similar to a Gingerbread house, except with Jelly Beans and pastel colors. Notice how things normally work in our family: there is a worker (Rob), and a supervisor (Matthew), and an eater (John). I know, I know, you want to know where the extra supervisors and eaters are? Well, I was behind the camera, and I classify as both eater and supervisor--never worker.

And last, when all the other Easter activities have been done, there's always bug-hunting. I was inside when John ran by, grabbed the magnifying glass, and ran outside. What? He wanted to find bugs. The idea struck him on the fly, as he noticed the magnifying glass. This is how things usually happen with John--he never sits around and thinks. He just does. Deep-thinking and conniving are done on-the-go. You can't really tell in this pic, but the bug is actually dead. That's because Kacky or Aunt Michelle pointed out that it was a stinging type of bug, and Aunt Jan and I both said, "Well, let's not play with it!" as Uncle Steve and John were investigating. And then Mema took action and squashed it. (Squash, -ed, v. stepped and twisted in the same motion.) But that didn't stop Steve and John from studying the remains of the "deadly" bug.

Jam-packed Weekend

2009-04-10T20:28:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was jam-packed fun for John--just the way he likes it. Rob likes to go-go-go too, but I'm a homebody, so it's taken me a while to recover!

Friday we went to visit the Easter Bunny, for the sole purpose of telling him that John NEEDS a chocolate bunny for Easter. We had written a letter to the Easter Bunny, asking for the Wall-E movie, after John saw clips of it on Oscar-night and insisted on having that movie. He wanted that movie. Needed it. Now. And Daddy-genius halted the tears with a letter-writing project. (Yay, Daddy--Mommy had no idea how to stop the sudden tear-fest!)

But, I could not convince John to ask for that. He must have figured the letter had done its job, and now was the time to express his need for a chocolate bunny. I promise, folks, that was not my idea. (Really, it wasn't... I know some of you don't believe me, but the sweet-tooth is hereditary.) John discovered chocolate bunnies on one of our many trips to Wal-mart. It was sort of a choir-singing-Hallelujah moment--think Confessions of a Shopaholic, Rebecca Bloomwood/Isla Fisher breaking into her iced-over credit cards. Yeah, John was totally in awe of the row of chocolate bunnies. Anyhoo, here he is with his lollipop from the Easter Bunny, finally soothed into liking our giant, floppy-eared friend (all prior pictures were of John sitting in Bunny's lap while holding Mema's hand, which is exactly why Mema came with us!):

Saturday morning, we woke up bright and early for a 45 minute drive to Calera, AL and the Heart of Dixie Railroad to see... well, just see for yourself:

John had tons of fun climbing on and around the old trains, investigating their hugeness.

Of course, there were more than just trains there. My previous putt-putt post was actually a piece of the Thomas Adventure. There were also inflatables (which John surprisingly ignored), a tent full of train tables (where we spent the bulk of our time), a Thomas Temp-Tattoo stand, a balloon animal stand, a story-time area (puh-leeze, did you think I could get him to sit down with everything else going on?), and a gift shop. Oh, and did I mention the petting zoo? John enjoyed feeding the goats.

When our time came to board Thomas, John was very enthusiastic. He immediately poked his head out the window, which I later found out was a no-no. At least I got a pic first! When our journey was almost over, John said, "I not want to get off; I want to ride again." But, he went willingly enough--at least he wasn't kicking and screaming like some kiddos whose parents were dragging them off!

Thank you DeDe and Pop for a fun time at Thomas the Train! We left there and grabbed a quick picnic lunch before heading home for a nap. The nap was very important, because we had an Easter Egg Hunt that night. The City of Trussville has a Flashlight Egg Hunt where the kids come out and bring their flashlight to hunt eggs after dark. We had a while to wait, and the face-painting and pictures with Bunny only lasted so long, so John whiled away the minutes by...

Climbing a 6-foot fence. He was already several feet up by the time we realized it, so Rob rushed over to make sure he didn't fall as he finished his climb. John has turned into a real monkey lately--everything is his jungle gym.

I didn't get a pic of the egg hunt, because I was too busy trying to make sure the other parents were not snatching eggs out from under my child. Oh, yes!!! Other parents of 2-, 3-, and 4-year-olds were snatching up the eggs and putting them in their children's baskets. It's not like they were competing with 8-year-olds! So, John walked away with 5 eggs, while other kiddos had 20. At least I know my child did it on his own. John was a bit upset that he only had 5 eggs while other baskets were overflowing, so we treated him to a cone at The Moo Place (a.k.a. Chick-Fil-A).

I know that this is only my first run-in with overprotective parents... In a few years, it will be the Biochemist completing his son's science project or the Court-lawyer preparing her daughter's speech. But it's really frustrating! So, tell me, has anyone else had a run-in with helicopter parents (who hover over everything their children do and don't let the kids figure it out themselves)? Please vent, so I don't feel so alone in my exasperation.

Hangin' out at Fairhaven

2009-04-08T15:41:00.003-05:00

Nursing Home, that is. The DeArman family celebrated Grandpa's birthday on Sunday, even though his birthday is actually today...

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

FYI: I was at a baby shower for a good friend of mine, so I missed all of this and cannot be held responsible for John's behavior, nor am I responsible for accurately retelling the story--I am merely "reading" the pictures.

When one reaches a certain age, it appears that one can no longer read one's own birthday cards. Not because one's eyes have failed, but because the youngest "reader" in the family snatches the card away to read it out loud. (Man, I sure hope John didn't say anything embarrassing! If he isn't "reading" A Fish Out of Water word for word, he tends to make up going-to-the-potty stories. Sheesh!)

Once one reaches the age of 50, the eyes don't work like they used to. (Sorry to reveal your ages, Granny and Grandpa!) It is polite for the younger folk to hold the cards just right for the 50-year-olds to be able to read. Perhaps John was struggling with a word and needed Granny's help sounding it out?

Finally, you know the party's over when the party animals start playing with the Birthday Boy's ride. Thank goodness the nursing home doesn't keep bouncers on payroll to throw out the wild visitors!

Goofy Sports: An In-depth How-to Demonstration

2009-04-06T12:28:00.003-05:00

I know that "they" say TV really affects kids, but I have never noticed a negative effect on John. More than anything, it spurs his imagination with his animals and Disney characters. If I had ever expected any effect from his love of Disney, I certainly didn't see this one coming. I will now narrate the following pictures with the same sort of helpful insights as provided in the Goofy "How-to" sports shorts on one of John's favorite DVDs.

When attempting golf for the first time, as with any new sport, one must learn from an expert the proper posture and position required to excel. (For the purposes of this program, the term "expert" may be used loosely. The advice offered in this program may not be applicable to all interested golfers, particularly avid golfers who shoot more than 9 holes a week.)

Once one has become acclimated to the world of golf (note: such acclimation implies more experience than just one or two holes but may be denoted by as little as three holes), one may make subtle changes in the expert's suggested positioning. Note the subject's backward handling of the golf club. It may be assumed that the subject has reached a level of professionalism wherein he successfully breaks the rules and paves the way for a new method by which all future golfers may succeed.

The following technique is called a block. Once the putt-putt limit of 6 strokes is reached, and the ball has still failed to enter the hole, it may be assumed that the ball is flawed. At this point, it is perfectly acceptable for the golfer to "block" in the hole so that the disfunctional ball has no other option but to enter the hole.

Finally, if the above block technique fails to work, and the ball is deemed defective (i.e. beyond flawed and lacking any hope at ever succeeding as a superstitiously "good" ball), the golfer may resort to the pick-and-drop technique in which he picks up the pitiful excuse for a ball and drops it into the hole. Note: Rule no.173 in the Golfer's Handbook states that in such extreme cases, points may be taken off the total to account for the extra strokes required because of the ball's defects. The number of strokes taken off is ALWAYS decided by the golfer's mother.

According to Rule no.173, John came in under par, which is excellent for his first time.

Science Lesson

2009-03-26T20:17:00.004-05:00

Here's today's science lesson:

Kacky found a turtle while working in the yard today, so John got a live science lesson. Rest assured, I did not touch the slimy, germy little thing. He was really cute, though! Thank heavens for adults who were willing to touch the baby turtle, and for lots and lots of soap. (Did I mention I was thankful for lots of soap? I was, and still am.)

For the record, this was a night for science. On our way to see the turtle, we saw an owl on the power line, and a group of geese crossing the road--very slowly, and causing a traffic jam in the process.

I think I've had enough for one day... we've had to hide the turtle from what he must think is a really terrible child-giant who won't let him move more than 2 steps in any direction. Poor turtle! We'll put him back in the bushes tomorrow.

Singing praises

2009-03-06T14:34:00.002-06:00

We are all singing His praises in the DeArman household. I'm singing a little more quietly, just for God, because I wouldn't want to hurt anyone's ears. But we're all singing, because...

Rob got a job! Praise the Lord, He is so good! Three in-person interviews and one phone interview later, after 3 weeks of waiting, Rob got the good news. He will be working with Milwaukee Electric Tools, the entire state of Alabama and Florida panhandle as his territory. The job is so similar to what he had before, Rob even knows some of his customers already. Alas, I can't get rid of the Blackberry!

We have been holding tight to God's promises of provision, trusting in His timing, so things weren't as depressing as you'd imagine around here. But, the air is so much lighter, now. A man fulfilling his purpose in the Lord is a happy man indeed. I'm amazed at what God has done. Every other door was closed. Rob would send his resume places, based on job-postings, and suddenly they weren't hiring anymore. One specific position he was interested in, the company decided to hire for the lesser positions before filling the one Rob was qualified for. As each door closed (even temporarily), and the Milwaukee process dragged on, we started to wonder if anything would ever happen. But, it did! God's timing is perfect, as is His plan.

Wednesday of the Word

2009-02-18T15:48:00.005-06:00

I started to title this one Wordless Wednesday, because Rob was supposed to have heard something from a guy he interviewed with last week. And he did hear from him, but there was no real news. Basically, the company is at a stand-still because of the economy, and nothing can be done for a few weeks. Not what we were hoping to hear!

But, when I started to type the title, I immediately deleted it. I realized that was what Satan wanted me to think. This entire situation has been a faith-building test. I have never seen God more vividly than I see Him right now. And trust me, I am usually the type to give up on God when things get rough. But there have been so many signs along the way, that I know He is holding on tight to us, and there are greater things in store for us.

I am taking this opportunity to share with you some bits from the Word that some of our friends have emailed. If you haven't checked the comments in my previous blog, there are some really good verses there too. Erin, Amber, Shelley, Robyn, and Allison--I have been meaning to email you and thank you for your encouragement. I hope you accept this public shout-out in place of a personalized thank-you!

Here are more treasures from God's word:
Beth Chaney wrote:
"'Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.' ~ James 1:2-4"

June Akers wrote:
"Someone might have already sent you this scripture, but Jer. 29:11 is one of my favorites when we are facing uncertain times. God is in control!!! Isn't that wonderful to know?!!!"

Cindy DeArman wrote:
"'He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.' ~Job 5:19
'Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.' ~James 1:12 NIV"

Christi Key wrote (After admitting that she is technologically challenged, I might add. Shout out to you Christi--trust me, you are not the only one!):
"Romans 8:28- 'And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.' This is my favorite verse in the Bible, and I lean heavily upon it."

Sumer Yates wrote:
"'I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.' ~Phillipians 4:11-13.
"I am doing a Beth Moore Bible study and she talked about this verse... 'Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.' ~Isaiah 40:30-31. And [Beth M.] said that at first she did not fully understand because there is nothing more exhausting than waiting on something. No strength is renewed in waiting on an event. But God revealed to her if we wait upon Him and not upon an event our strength will be renewed."

After these responses, I have to admit that I am very happy I asked for your favorite verses. When going through a tough spot, it's easy to find only one or two verses, and only hold on to those verses during the trial. Perhaps that is my simple mind that has a hard time comprehending too many of God's unfathomable, never-ending promises.

Since I am simple-minded, I will sum these up for myself:
God will be with us, He won't leave us, and we should not be afraid or discouraged. He has plans to prosper us--when we pray, He will listen, and when we seek Him with all our hearts, we will find Him. We will neither be forsaken nor left begging bread. We should not be anxious, but petition God with Thanksgiving. God will meet our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ. We should not worry about what we will eat or wear--God takes care of the birds and we are worth more than them to Him! If we seek Him, He will provide for us. Don't worry about everything, but pray about it instead. Tell God what we need, and thank Him for all He has done, and then we will experience a peace that surpasses understanding--a peace which will guard our hearts and minds [from the world and from anything the Evil One can throw our way (my addition)] as we live in Christ. We should be joyful as we go through this trial, for tests of faith build preseverence, so that we may be mature and complete. God will deliver us from many troubles [in His time], and no evil will touch us during those troubles. If we persevere while in this trial, then we will be blessed and will receive the crown of life He has promised to those of us who love Him. All things will work together for our good--why? Because we love Him and we are called according to His purpose. We should take advice from Paul and be content while in this situation, just as we would be content if we had a job and our TN home had sold--our strength comes from Christ [not from ourselves]. If we wait for the Lord, we will gain new strength, e.g. we will run and not get tired [that means a lot to me because... I. Don't. Run.]. And I'll give credit to Beth Moore here: If we wait on God and not for our house to sell; if we wait on our precious Lord and not on a job--then our strength will be renewed!

WOW! You would think I would be mentally tired from all that application, that my fingers would quit working after typing all that, that my Spirit would be overwhelmed by the wide spectrum of hope and peace and call to trust and call to continue to live in Him. But, I'm not. I'm excited. I am PUMPED! It doesn't get any better than this, people. Praise God we are unemployed! Praise God we are tired of waiting on our house to sell! If not for these trials, I wouldn't know how close I could get to God while still being on this earth and in this human body. Oh, I'm close, and in case you want to know--He is beautiful!

Invitation to Bible scholars

2009-02-11T13:02:00.002-06:00

Here's the drill: In January, Makita USA put up a contraption that hasn't been seen for at least half a century anywhere in the world--a guillotine. Well, their contraption was more abstract than concrete, but it sure worked just as well on Rob's job. And they pretty much lined up a bunch of people, just like during the Reign of Terror.

Yes, that's right, we are now a part of the unemployed group. Although I was not working outside the home, I was working inside the home (saving money on childcare and eating out), so Rob's income was "our" income. And besides that, the fact that we are both actively looking for jobs at the moment would mean that both of us are technically unemployed.

This is week 3 of Rob being home. He had several interests at one point, and our hopes were high. But, we have recently found out that one interest has declined (the company is on a hiring freeze), and the company Rob interviewed with Monday has gone with a prospect who has more industry experience. So, we have two interests left: one which Rob will interview for on Thursday, and another which is moving very slowly.

I know that our hope rests in our Omniscient God, and not in these earthly opportunities. And I can feel that we are in God's hands, because He has provided so many signs along the way. But every now and then, Satan gets in a little attack of panic.

Still, I see this as an opportunity for God to reveal who He is and how mighty He is. One of the ways God communicates to us is through His Word, and another way is through our fellow believers. So, I want to open the floor to Bible scholars, fellow Christians, and anyone who feels they have a word of encouragement from our Father for us. I'm posting this here, and not sending out an email, because I want to have this forever--to remember what we felt like in this moment, to see how our friends encouraged us, and to look back after we are in a better place to see exactly what our awesome God did for us.

Please share with us your favorite promises in the Word or any verses God lays on your heart. Thanks in advance for praying and for sharing. We love and treasure you all!

Catching Up (first with my addictions)

2009-02-04T14:30:00.003-06:00

Ok, so I have some blog-catchin-up to do. I just saw Erin's Bad-list, and think that would be something good to blog, but first I've got to do my "Five Addictions" list that Allison tagged me to do. I also have some others up my sleeve, but that requires downloading pictures, which I have not done in 6 weeks. Ahem! Ok, ok, let me give credit where credit is due--Rob has not downloaded pictures in 6 weeks. We currently have 376 pictures sitting on our camera. Sheesh! That will take a while to go through and edit.

Anyway, so here's the list of addictions:

1. Reese's Cups
2. Reese's Peanut Butter Trees (a.k.a. hearts, eggs... the "alias" depends on the season)
3. Breyer's chocolate chip ice cream (yes, I have expensive taste in ice cream).
4. Godiva chocolates (Oh yes, very expensive taste in chocolates--but they are SOOOooooo good--and I really, really want some for Valentine's. That might not happen,but that is yet another blog. I'm SO behind!)
5. Sweet tea.

Yeah, so my addictions are all edible. That is my struggle right now--so much so that I don't dare do WW or some other diet plan. The sweet tea has been a life-long addiction. I was raised on it. But, it's not hard to throw some sugar (ok, a LOT of sugar) into a pitcher and boil some water on the stove and put tea bags in. So, so easy. And a lot cheaper than buying a gallon at the store. Oh, and the chocolate? That has ALWAYS been an addiction for me. And peanut butter and chocolate together? Pure bliss. This Reese's commercial was made for me.

If I get inspired, maybe I'll try this list again first thing in the morning, when I'm not craving. The cravings usually hit about 10:00 a.m. and don't go away the rest of the day. And watching Reese's commercials doesn't help at all! I'm going to get one now--see ya later, people! Pure bliss awaits.

Following a friend's soapbox

2009-02-01T12:15:00.002-06:00

Ok, so I am borrowing this from Amber's soapbox, but I just saw an article on it that fired me up even more.

The mother of octuplets has 6 more kids at home, taken care of by her mother while she is in the hospital. Some things I didn't know:

The grandmother of the babies says she will be gone when the mother gets home from the hospital. (I'm betting the mother was counting on her mother staying to help. 8 babies plus 6 other kids won't be easy!)
The mother apparently has some sort of OCD that centers around having babies. (Haven't heard of that one.)
This woman is a single mother who IS IN SCHOOL. Her friend said that she was having more babies because the WAS PAID TO DO SO. Um, that is so sick. No one should have babies for that reason--it's so unfair for those precious babies, who deserved to be loved as people and not material possessions or a means to an end.
Who is this fertility doctor that he would allow this to happen? This article doesn't say (I don't think it's public knowledge) whether she was actually implanted with 8 embryos. Some experts are concerned about what that would do to someone, and what sort of issues those babies might have, even later in life. When the grandmother clarified that she was implanted with far fewer embryos, experts agreed that splitting could have happened after her body had been jacked up on fertility drugs for so long. SCARY!
As one of the experts says, "After Pampers stops delivering the free diapers, then what?" Yeah, Ms. Obsessed-with-having-more-kiddos, then what?!?

I have more use for my money than to pay for the consequences of that woman's disorder. And those babies (and other children) need to go to someone else who can not only take care of them, but also love them for who they are and not the $$ or phenomena that they represent.

If you want to read the article for yourself, click Here.

A Lesson in Art Appreciation

2009-01-04T20:55:00.006-06:00

I've never had a course in art appreciation. But even if I had, I don't think anything could have prepared me for appreciating my son's art. A lot of the stuff from school is really cute, but I can't help thinking that the teachers are actually doing most of it. John has gotten a lot better about coloring in the lines, though, and I definitely credit the teachers for that.

All that aside, I have attached a particular piece of art that I'm not so sure I can appreciate. See, here's the thing:

I bought a "leaf decorating kit" as a craft for John's class Halloween party.
There were a lot of leaves and the accompanying decorations left in the package.
Rob has been home for 2 weeks on vacation.
Rob does not "sit" at home very well.
John has been home from school for 2 weeks.
John does not "sit" at home very well.
So, to occupy at least 5 minutes of every day, Rob has helped John decorate a leaf a day (each one different, of course).

Here is one leaf:

Does anyone see the resemblance? I do not, but then I've never been one to constantly gaze at myself in the mirror. Let me spell this out for you (not because I think you are dumb, but because I had to have it spelled out for myself):

Yes, this is supposed to be me.
Yes, Rob helped John stick the pieces where John wanted them (because John gets the sticky part stuck to himself and not the art).
Rob was faithful in putting each particular piece where John said they belong.
Yes, I take Rob's word for it when he says it was not his idea,
because he knows me after 6.5 years of marriage,
and he values his life.
Did he laugh at the end result? And when John declared "Dat's Mama!"?
Most definitely. Although, I am sure what I heard was a very suppressed version of the laughter in his mind.

How nice. Should I consider laser hair removal to thin out the bushy brows? Ouch! Are they that bad? On second thought, don't comment on that. Polite comments are welcome, of course.

The Gift

2008-12-21T22:32:00.004-06:00

Although this post sounds like a family-only one, if you relish my embarrassment, then read on. You will enjoy it, I promise.

Last Thursday, we celebrated Christmas with Rob's parents. It was early this year because Chris and Sonya came in from Tampa and have to return before Christmas.

After all the presents had been opened, Cindy announced that she had one special gift left. She said it was something of Big Mama's, and there was only one, so we had to draw for the gift. However, it wasn't a one-time thing. The girls were supposed to regift to one another during the year, or at the very least by next Christmas. Since Julie was at home trying not to go into labor with the twins, it was just between Sonya and me.

I'm thinking a purse or some other personal item.

Maybe a beautiful piece of jewelry.

Perhaps a special photo album with lots of memories throughout Big Mama's life.

And I'm thinking... I want this gift. I looked at Sonya and sized her up. I could tell she wanted it too. Did she know what it was? I couldn't tell. But I knew by looking at her face that she would be willing to fight for the gift. Sure, she looked innocent--but that was the game plan. Then I thought, well thank goodness Julie is on bedrest, so I don't have to fight with both sisters-in-law. One relationship might make it through this "special" gift. Did Cindy really think about this before she decided to pit us against one another? Don't think so...

Then, I decided that if I were lucky enough to win, I was keeping this thing--whatever it was--all the way until next Christmas. And if Sonya was gracious when I won it, I might give it to her first. Sounded fair to me.

And the winner is....

Oh yes, I am the owner of a pair of red and black-lace panties and some sort of a bonnet. No, they are not super-sized boy shorts--these are granny panties. Where does one find red and black panties this size? I don't want to know. Apparently, Cindy found them in Big Mama's drawer. And apparently, Cindy thought they would be a very sentimental gift. What?!

I do like to win competitions, but I'm not really sure if I am the winner here.

Since opening the gift, I have adjusted my plans to keep this special gift for an entire year until next Christmas. If they are around this house another week, I'll be surprised. Heads-up Julie and Sonya!

Gingerbread House

2008-12-12T11:46:00.005-06:00

I don't really remember making a Gingerbread house as a kid. (If we did--sorry Mom, my memory fails.) But, I thought it would be fun this Christmas. Maybe we could start a new tradition. Well, I think we did a pretty good job. Check out the pics below, and keep in mind that a 2-year-old decorated.

The beginning--note the concentration. John was very serious about this project.

As we went along, we stopped every 5 minutes or so to clean up. John didn't want the icing on his hands or his clothes. Building houses is a messy job, but someone has to do it.

I would say he definitely got the hang of lining up the gum drops along the edge. Yes, that would be my anal tendencies coming through in the next generation. Poor John. Poor John's-future-wife.

The finished project. No, it's not perfect, but close enough.

As soon as he finished, John didn't hesitate to begin eating. I don't think I've ever seen him on a sugar rush like that. Whew! We now limit him to a few pieces at a time.

And finally, the end. This is the part that my entire family gets backward (both Mom's and Dad's sides). You read the directions after you are done to see if what you did comes close. I can't vouch for Rob's entire family, but he apparently gets this gene from somewhere on his side too, because he only looks at directions after there is a problem. John has no hope. In the end, I think he concluded that winging it was better--he clearly liked his version better than the one on the box. Me too, buddy.

Behind the Times

2008-12-04T13:58:00.003-06:00

Well, only in the area of Christmas cards. I've gotten at least 5 requests for our new address. And I expected this, since we have moved since last Christmas. My problem is that we haven't even taken our Christmas picture yet, much less put it on a jump drive and take it to the store. And then addressing all of them... Geez! Y'all will be lucky to get them by Valentines.

This is a short FYI post. Seriously, it will be a while before you get your cards. I'll try not to hold a grudge against all of you "on the ball" people.

Anyone else behind? (I don't want to hear from you if you've already sent them out. That would definitely turn me into Scrooge.)

Have you ever forgotten...?

2008-12-02T20:11:00.000-06:00

Diapers.

See I was caught off-guard today. I had a hair appt scheduled while John was at school. About an hour before the appt, they called and asked if I could move it to 2. Um, no--that's nap time. How about 1:15? Suuuuurrre.

So I...
1. called Mema to have her meet me at school to pick John up (so he wouldn't flip when I wasn't there).
2. Prayed he would go happily with her. Yeah, I'm sure prayers weren't needed--he hopped in the car and said "Bye, Mommy!"
3. Realized when I put him in her car that he only had the diapers in his backpack. That should be 2, if he didn't have a surprise #2 while at school. Luckily, he hadn't and there were 2 diapers.
4. Vowed to run back home after the appt to get diapers.

Then...
5. After appt, I completely forgot the necessity for diapers in my rush to get to Mema's to put John down for a nap (it was 2:10).
6. After changing John's diaper, I put him down at the GP's house because we were going to eat with them. Note: this means 1 diaper left.
7. After dinner, John got a bath and I used the last diaper.
8. No prob, or so I thought--we were going home shortly.

Remember the #2 he didn't have at school? Yeah, it happened. No diaper. It was glue-poo, the kind you can't not clean up because it will leave a hefty rash (especially after the fruit he devoured at lunch).

So, clever Mema and Kacky decided we would use pins and a dish towel (no one seemed to have cloth diapers laying around, but somehow found 2 diaper pins). I left the mess of toys, got everything together, and got home as quickly as possible.

Just in time, because he was in the process of drenching the make-shift diaper. I so wanted a picture, but he was about to drench his pants as well, so I had to quickly change him.

Anybody else ever forgotten something and brought about a similar, panicky situation? The last time I felt so Mommy-incompetent was when we went to the Vandy/Bama B-ball game in 2007, and I brought a bottle, pumped in the car, and noticed I had forgotten a bottle-nipple.

Today's grade in Mommyology: F

Roll Tide!

2008-12-01T14:55:00.000-06:00

After the domination at Bryant-Denny Stadium this past Saturday, I just have to tell you all how close we are to one of the greatest Bama traditions... Big Al. He and John party all the time. See the picture below-this is after they got "high" on Dippin Dots.

Yes, this is from a game we went to in September, BB or Before Blog--I would not let my child wear shorts in this freezing cold weather! And yes, I am excited about being able to hold up 7 fingers instead of Auburn (this is their 7th loss of the season instead of them beating us for the 7th year). And yes, that is the lame excuse I'm using to post one of my favorite pictures.

Shout out to my boys.

'Tis the Season

2008-11-29T11:15:00.000-06:00

Seeing Santa is a wonderful tradition, and everyone seems to do that--as evidenced by the lines at every mall and store that Santa frequents. But it's kinda like a bowl-game. It takes a lot of building up.

Check out the following vocabulary to help explain the rules of visiting Santa:

Football = child who must visit Santa*

End Zone = Santa's lap

Runningbacks = parental units who overcome great adversity while attempting to carry and deposit the ball into the End Zone

TouchDown = a successful visit with the man in the red suit

Coach = the photographer, who consistently yells commands, demanding the football's attention, while simultaneously yelling commands to the Tackles

Tackle = photographer's assistant, whose job it is to get the football's attention, and also tackle said child before he runs into the crowded mall, screaming and crying better than a victim in a horror flick

Do you need a quiz? Or are you comfortable enough with the terminology to proceed with the full explanation? If needed, consult the above glossary at any time during the explanation.

*Note: many Runningbacks play with multiple Footballs; however, the below demonstration only includes one football. Be creative in adjusting the following prep-steps for your personal needs.

STEPS FOR SANTA SUCCESS

Preparation includes a lot of talking and analyzing (well, a 2-year-old doesn't really understand X's and O's on the blackboard, but he can read stories to help him better understand).

Watching videos of successful games is very helpful.

And lastly, a key prep for the big game is getting into the other team's head. You have to think like they think. What will their reactions be? What is their default move? And so we practiced with John, encouraging him not only to say what Santa says, but also to assume the jolly, low tone of voice.

All of this to prevent a screaming child running away from the camera, the parents, and most especially the man in the red suit. It helps if Santa is enticing the child with said child's most precious lovey (a.k.a. BeBe). Hey, it's not a foul, or even a recruiting violation. The MSVA (Mall Santa Visitation Association) has no rules against such behavior.

Finally, a win. The end result is worth all of the preparation.

Note: prior wins, especially a single win, do not guarantee future wins. It is essential to continue training and preparation for the full football season (mid-November through Christmas).

I hope the above ideas help all of you other Runningbacks in your quest for a Touchdown. Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!

Sucked in

2008-11-26T11:15:00.001-06:00

Any one else struggle with addiction? And I'm not necessarily talking about drugs and alcohol. Addictions can range from buying a new pair of shoes every other week to eating chocolate everyday to... a good book. Oh yes, I am here to stand up and say, "My name is Alli, and I'm addicted to the Twilight series."

But, I can't go any further in the "steps." Call it denial, call it whatever you want, but I completely blame my friend Meredith for my problems. If not for her, I would not have been up past midnight last night. And I would not have stayed in bed until (gasp) 10:45 this morning. If you don't want to be temporarily stricken with laziness, then DO NOT READ START THIS SERIES. I'm not sure if it's the fun of going back to the high school days, or if it's related to my fear/fascination with vampire stories, but this read is gooooooooood. Now, how am I gonna convince Rob to take me to the movie? Meredith, want to go again?

PS- In honor of President Bush's recent pardons, I am going to pardon Meredith for any part she had in my addiction. I will also place part of the blame on my friend, Katelyn, who had told me how good the series was long ago. And lastly, Sam's deserves to be blamed for having the first book on sale for $4.88. Thank you Meredith, Katelyn, and Sam's for a nice diversion.

Dear Jesus....

2008-11-19T23:12:00.001-06:00

Rob usually says prayers with John when he's home. But when he's out of town, it's my job. So, after reading The Little Red Caboose (twice), this is how it went down:
A: So, who do you want to pray for tonight?
J: Daddy
A: Who else?
J: Mommy
A: Ok, let's pray. Clasp your hands... Dear Jesus
J: Dear Jsss
A: Thank you for Daddy
J: Danke Daddy
A: Keep him safe.
J: Safe
A: Thank you for Mommy
J: Danke Mommy

And here is where I paused, to see what would happen. I've never done this before, but maybe I should have because John continued on his own!

J: Danke Mema
Danke Biddy
Danke Kacky
and...
Danke hut-two-tree!

Haha! I just about rolled in the floor. But instead, I prompted our ending "I love you Jesus, Amen." And he copied me.

I know this requires an explanation. See, we ate dinner at my grandparents' tonight. At one point, John marched around the house, after recruiting Mema and Kacky to join his ranks. This is a scene from Jungle Book that we replay all the time--at home, in Wal-mart, and even in the library. John becomes Colonel Hathi, who yells "Hup-Two-Three-Four" and then later "Haaaaaalt!!!" And the recruits are always expected to march along, singing "hup-2-3-4" until... John yells "Halt" and everyone crashes into one another.

We should all be thankful for the little things, for the fun times. So, tonight, thank you Jesus for "hup-two-three," thank you for little ones' imaginations, and thank you for endless entertainment. Amen.

Caught in the Act

2008-11-07T20:57:00.000-06:00

Have you ever gone to the fridge to get the quintessential ingredient for a cheeseburger (that would be cheese, for those who may not be fans...) to find that there is none? But you knew there should be some there. You just bought some recently. But... none.

Crime: Cheese theft

Alleged criminal: John Robert DeArman

Evidence (as entered to the Family Court):

Ruling of the Jury: Not guilty (gasp) since criminal intended to cook for the rest of the family.

Halloween all summed up

2008-11-03T16:06:00.001-06:00

This is going to be a long one. I'm including everything we've done all week, from the Pumpkin Patch to fall festivals (we visited 3) to Halloween night, so there will be lots of pics.

Sunday night (26th), we went to the Crosspoint fall festival. This is the church we've visited for 2 weeks now. They put on a fabulous show, complete with praise band, lots of food, lots of games, and 4 or 5 inflatable for ages 5 and under (there were more for the bigger kids in a different location). Here's a shot of my big kid and little kid going through one of the bouncies:

Monday, Rob took off so we could take a trip to the Pumpkin Patch. Time ran away from us, and the month was almost over, but I refused to miss this tradition that we started last year. Rob was overloaded with vacation anyway, and I love to force relaxation on him :) We went to Hayden, and it turns out that almost everything is free for 2 and under. So, we did it all. First, we visited the petting zoo and then let John ride a pony (because he wouldn't let us do anything else). Then, we took a hayride out to the patch, where John picked out his own personal pumpkin in addition to our big one. Then, John got to bounce in the inflatables for a while (yes, he loves to bounce). Then, the ponies again, and finally a choo-choo ride. Whew! we were all tired after that busy day.

John loves horses, and I wish we had a ranch so he could ride and be around them more often! Maybe lessons are in his future :)

John loves bouncies. He also loves for his parents to enjoy the bouncies. He'll do it alone, but it's much more fun when we slide too. (Obviously, we don't enjoy it at all.)

Wednesday night, we were heading out to get a treat, and we spotted another festival. It was cold, and I felt under the weather, so the camera and I stayed home while Rob took John. I did get 1 snap of John's Roll Tide face-paint. Not sure whether this was Rob's idea or John's. Probably a bit of both.

Just in case anyone thinks it's mooching to hit up a random festival... in our defense, we did try out this church one Sunday. And it's a block from our condo. Yeah, I know those are weak excuses.

Thursday, John had a "Book Character Dress-up" party at his school, Noah's Park. In this pic, John is pretending to enjoy the party food with his fellow "book characters," while they are really waiting for the cupcakes. He had a special "first"-experience while at the party, but that is for another blog, since this one is getting rather long.

Friday night, I took John next door for Trick-or-Treating, and then he went to DeDe's neighborhood with his Daddy (while Mommy got a night out--heehee!). From what I've heard, my child welcomed himself into every house he stopped at. I guess I need to work on manners!

Superman (a.k.a. John) and Batman (a.k.a. Matthew) sized one another up. Superman accepted Batman as a fellow superhero, but Batman wasn't so sure the duo could ever fight crime together. Yes, I know there is a snake in the picture (it went Trick-or-Treating with John). I'm not really sure why John is obsessed with snakes. Here, he seems to like them. But, we actually have to skip the Creation story in his Bible because he flips out over the snake, afraid he will bite Adam and Eve. I want to explain that the damage the snake did is worse than a snake-bite, but I think that's a bit over his head.

Here he is peeking in one of the doors. Those manners! Where is his Mama and what is she teaching him? I'm sure he was thinking, "If no one is home, then let's get on to the next candy-giver!" Not that he really cares about it, because he's only eaten a couple of nerds and half of a Reese's cup. So... Rob and I are getting fat!

Finally, Saturday, I took John to yet another festival at Springville Road Church (DeDe's and Pop's church). Here, he enjoyed more popcorn, and more bouncies. We didn't find out until almost the end that there was a little toddler room inside the church for little-people games.

John didn't stick around long, but he took time to share some Smarties with Aiden Johnson. By this, I mean he "took" the Smarties from Aiden, who was nice enough to share. Again, MANNERS! At least Heather taught her son to share.

Before we left the little room, he took a few seconds to milk a cow. Where did my child learn that?!?

Even though there was a lot of other entertainment at the festival, John's favorite thing was the jungle gym that is there year-round. Who says it's expensive to entertain a child? Give him something to climb and hang from, and he's happy.

Whew! Thanks for hanging in there for the super-long post. But, hey, this was more efficient than 4 different posts!

So, you've heard of the Naked Cowboy...

2008-10-25T21:04:00.000-05:00

...But you didn't know he was so young.

John will kill me for this post one day, but I couldn't resist. Not many guys would consider horseback-riding naked.

In an effort to redeem myself in the eyes of my son, I will now show you what I came home to today. Upon entering the condo, I could hear Rob and John but could not find them. I came into our bedroom, and this is what I saw:

My boys have always built forts, but they are usually in the living room on the couch. Now, it looks like I will have to straighten the bed as well as the sofa cushions. Oh well, I guess it's worth building John's imagination. The things we sacrifice for our children :)

Applause, please!!!!!

2008-10-16T10:30:00.000-05:00

I have finally stepped into the 21st century and joined all you bloggers out there. So add me to your blog list and check back for updates. I can't promise that I will be a pro--like some of you who post every other day. And I can't promise extreme sarcasm, bouts of humor, or a suspenseful plot loaded with twists--if that's what you need, check out your local TV listing for some shows suited to you. This is just the DeArman updates--probably lots of stuff about John, and a little about Rob and me.

FYI: my tech skills are so bad that I can't even list them on a resume (e.g. when I complain of computer glitches to Rob or my brother, the first thing they say is "have you restarted the thing?" Yeah, it's bad). So bear with me as I embark on this journey into cyberspace. I'm just about as scared as if I were walking across a rickety bridge suspended 500 feet in the air above a boiling lake of lava. So... as this is titled, how about some confidence-boosting applause, people?