Back in Perspective

I just finished checking one of my favorite blogs, wearethatfamily and it hit me.

I have been complaining way too much about the Wook being sick with a cold,ear infection, teething. I have been back in my little woe is me bubble.

Kristen asked for prayer for some blogland babies and I started exploring. I read about these families who are going through heartbreak over the serious illnesses their children battle. One little girl is going home only to get ready to go home to be with the Lord. Thank God these families have Him. They all praise Him through these times.

I felt small. I felt self centered. I felt sick. Sick for all the times I whine and complain about missing sleep when Wook has had a cold. Guilty for all the complaints about doctor visits and waiting. Sick that I take so much for granted. I have been so self centered.

I bowed my head and thanked God for our health. For the health of my child. I asked that these families would feel His loving arms around them. I don't know them but I cried for them. Each one. I thanked God for giving me perspective this morning.

I have had that perspective before. That October I prayed more in those 3 weeks than I ever have. I grew in my relationship with Him like I never have. I got angry and asked why her. I tried to make deals. And then I felt His arms. For the first time I didn't pray for what I wanted. I prayed for whatever would save her. He did. She pulled through it. One "robot leg" later. She is tough and my "favorite girlfriend".

Sometimes I forget what that kind of closeness to Him feels like. I said I would never let it go. I take that for granted too. That is the only way these people can be getting through this.

I want to go in Wookie's room and pick him up from his peaceful nap and hold him close to me. Feel his breath on my neck. Rub his back and look at his beautiful long eyelashes. Honestly, even though it is so hard sometimes I too believe God. He will take care of these babies. And mine too.

Room of Doom

So momstheword asked What's Your Room of Doom? Go check it out and tell me what room in your home is the worst to get motivated to clean.

I would die if anyone who did not know me well saw my master bedroom. It is where everything gets thrown. DH's business is all in order in there but mine is HORRID!!!!

There are my clothes everywhere, shoes too. My dresser is covered with tons of random stuff. We have our coffee table in there to protect Wook's head, and it is the "catch all" space. Our bed is rarely made :( sorry mom!

It is embarrassing. I am going to go pick it now. Embarrassment is a good motivator! And no I am not going to share photos...its that bad! Thanks momstheword!

This Close to Homeless

Look at this face! Isn't it sweet? Well this cat can be yours. She is one meow away from homeless!

Mosey Jo here loves to meow at the top of her itty bitty kitty lungs. But only while my son takes his naps. What gives?

This is the 15th time I have spent my only time to do anything, chasing her around the hose with a water bottle. I SOAK her!!!!!! She persists. I lock her in the bathroom. She warms up her vocal chords. I even got after her with the fly swatter yesterday. (do not contact family and kitty services). She stops momentarily to lick herself dry and then continues.

At first I thought it was cute. At first, like until the first time she woke up Wook. I thought that maybe she missed him, since she is so protective and follows him everywhere. Then we assumed she wanted to lay in her favorite spot...his changing table.

Now it just drives me insane. She has always been a wicked one, so maybe she wants to make me pull all my eyelashes out. I don't care why she does it anymore. If someone doesn't shoot me some advice, this cat is going to be homeless. Too bad its not chilly today.

Jess and Mrs. T's Weight Loss Challenge

After reading about my FF Pumpkin Brownies and how my husband is trying to sabotage me...you know that I am getting things in order to lose weight. My best bud and I have decided that for once in our lives we will forget about how we look and do this to be healthy. Having a son has really put things in perspective, and I want to be able to chase him when he runs from me! We both want to look our best from a healthy prospective. This is the first time I have decided to lose weight for reasons other than looking good in a bathing suit or being able to wear a size ___. I want to reach and maintain a healthy weight for my body. I want to feel better about myself. I want to be proud of me. For the first time this is not about anyone else but me.

I know this is going to work this time because I have an accountability partner in Mrs. T.
1. I wasn't embarrassed for her to see how much I weigh.
2. We have about the same amount of weight to lose.
3. She is a Christian friend and we will pray for each other.
4. She will kick my butt if I eat bad things and encourage me tons!

We....
worked up a chart to show the week, our weight, and + / - for that week.

worked out a plan for exercise that worked for both our schedules and me having the Wookster with us

vowed to watch what and how much we put in our mouths and WRITE IT DOWN (very important for me)

got serious about this but will not stress too much over pounds each week but healthy living

set a 10% goal and are thinking of a big reward for this!

I am really excited and will keep you updated on our progress. Please pray for us!

To All You Angels....

My Mama sent me this, this morning and it was too cute not to post.
A baby asked God, 'They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?' God said, 'Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you.'

The child further inquired, 'But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy.' God said, 'Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy.'

Again the child asked, 'And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?' God said, 'Your angel will tell yo u the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.'

'And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?' and God replied, 'Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.'

'Who will protect me?'
God said, 'Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life.'

'But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.' God said, 'Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you.'


At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, 'God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name.'

And God said, 'You will simply call her, 'Mom.'

Lift a mother's spirit, send this to every mother you know (no matter how old her child is)

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Honeybuns

So those of you who read FF Pumpkin Brownies know that I am trying!!!!

I am eating brownies made with VEGETABLES people... to overcome my late night sweet snacking.

So you can understand my frustration when 2 nights ago hubby says
"I am craving some chocolate chip cookies."

Really??????? Isn't that nice. I almost told him where he and his chocolate chip cookies could go!

Last night he brings home a JUMBO Honeybun.

He knows that Honeybuns and I have a past. My Granddaddy used to buy these for me at the day old bread store and then freeze them until I came for a visit. He sent me home with a grocery sack full of them one time. It started early for me. He is also he cause for my love of real butter (nothing else will do).

Back to Hubby and the Honeybun.

Now you may be thinking that well if I love them so much I should have been thankful. Well I am "trying" remember....eating brownies with veggies (stay with me here folks). So I asked him what in the world he was trying to do to me and he, being his frugal (cheap) self, said "They took them out of the vending machine because they expire today baby!". Now that's love.

He told me that he would split it with me (not love)

and then I giggled

cause I split Honeybuns with no one.

Fat Free Pumpkin Brownies

Ok, before you move on to the next blog...this has nothing to do with Thanksgiving leftovers. These are part of the weening process for me.

You see the hubby and I become addicted to late night snacking between November and January every year. We both plow into all the leftover Thanksgiving goodies, goodies his vendors bribe him with at work that he brings home, goodies I make around Christmas, and then the post Christmas buffet. Cookies, bars, cakes, pies, chocolate covered popcorn, candy, Lindt chocolates to be exact. Come January, he hits the gym and I hit a closet full of clothes that are a bit too tight.

Anyways I ate these brownies when I did WW and they helped satisfy my late night cravings. I'm not giving up my glass of milk though. Don't get me wrong they are not regular brownies but with a few nuts, a little fat free cool whip and taking small bites, they come close.

What you will need:
1 box of "No Pudge" fat free brownie mix (I can only find it at Kroger here...see pic below)
( The box will tell you to use yogurt.... forget the directions on the box)
1 can of pure pumpkin puree


Stir together the 2 above ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
Pour into a greased 8x8 pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 34 minutes. The texture will still be little soft.
We top ours with finely chopped nuts and ff cool whip and we keep them in the fridge.

I hope this helps any of you who are still fighting the post Christms sweets war!

I Need My Sunshine!!!

I am so very tired of all this rain. I am pretty sure it has been doing this for 2 weeks now. I have always NEEDED sunshine. Seriously. This slight depression comes over me this time every year when it is so gray and drab. Looking back, I think I was my happiest my first few years of college because I was laying in a tanning bed all winter. Scary I know! Plus, I really had gotten serious about taking Wook for a walk everyday, cold or not. I know what you are thinking, but it was really in the plans. Come on sun!

Curly Sue...or Jess

Ok, so I mentioned earlier about my new do! I go through this thing that I assume most women do. I have straight hair I want curly hair. I let my hair grow out so I can have a pony tail, I cut it so it will have some style. The cycle goes on and on and on.

In high school I permed my hair.

It was a really big step seeing that the last perm I had gotten was in 5th grade. That was when you left it all one length (Rosanna, Rosanna, Dana style!), permed it and then picked it out poofy!

Back to high school. My Mama talked me into perming it and I had flashbacks of all the times she lived vicariously through my hair. (perming my bangs only, side ponytails too tight to mention, "trimming" my bangs. Sponge rollers! Nightmares!!!!!!!!!!!)

So I ended up loving it!!!!! Everyone thought I had naturally curly hair because it looked so, well, natural. I always hated the first few days of that rotten egg perm smell. I strategically permed it on certain days as to avoid going to school smelly. After giving it a week to "loosen up". I was in hair heaven. Easy peasy get up, wash it and go. That's always been my kind of morning.

Flash forward to 28 and Mommy! I could care less about the stink, just give me the easy peasy. I was so ready for something that did not require a blow dry, flat iron, and too many products to mention. My mother in law was in town and I was looking for a perm. Talented that woman is. She permed me and left me with only a 2 day stink. Again, not going so much for looks, but convenience. I was happy with it and DH even gave me the "I love your hair no matter what you do to it". That sounds like permission to me! Here it is folks....

Happy 2009!

Has it been this long since I posted?

Our Christmas was tons of fun but busy as always. DH's family was in town up until Christmas Eve day. My lovely Mother in Law permed and cut my hair while she was here! I used to do this in high school and loved it because my hair permed really well, and it looked like I had naturally curly hair. I did it this time because it takes mere minutes to fix every morning.


We visited my family Christmas Eve night, and Pop and G-Mommy gave Wook this...


You don't mess with this cowboy!

If you are wondering what this is, its the safer version of the springy horse we had as kids. Ours had the giant springs that you could get your fingers, hair, or clothes caught in. Even still, it was tons of fun and you only half pinched your fingers off once. How are today's kids gonna learn anything about cause and effect? (kidding)

Christmas morning we hung out at home and watched Wook open presents. He was totally in love with the bows and tissue paper even though Santa dropped off this...



Which he later managed to get lodged and stuck in! Note to Santa: next time do not order Christmas toys that must me assembled via Walmart.com, since they ship toys like these in their original packaging and nothing else. Only to be found at your door pulverized and broken. Thank you though, Santa for reordering from Amazon.com who shipped in a discrete brown box with padding around Wook's new toy.

We then headed to DH's Grandma's for lunch and then to Macon for visits with my grandparents. It was A LOT to do in one day and next year we will probably stay closer to home.

A few days after Christmas, DH's brother came by for a quick visit.

We wrapped up the festivities on New Year's Eve with a nice evening at home with one of our couple friends. Robin is like the sister God didn't give me. I used to teach with her and saw her every day. She was my next door classroom neighbor and I never really realized how much I depended on her until I didn't get to see her everyday. We played games and stuffed our faces and it was fun. Wook even slept and let us hang out. It was a fun ending to a very special year. When midnight struck, I thought about how the year of my first child's birth is over. I thought about how much he has grown, but more about how much I have grown. I thanked God for my family, friends, and all the blessings I forget to thank Him for everyday. And I asked him to bless our new year. If 2009 is anything like 2008....I'm diving in!