An interesting week

"Look at me Mom"

















It is much more fun to play the drum from the inside.











I didn't realize how urgent it was to keep up with the blog, but my mom claims she's addicted. Anyhow, I'm proud of myself...I've stayed sane all week with Ray being gone until 8 to 11 o'clock every night. Not only that, but I've learned to do all kinds of useful things. I've successfully learned how to start and use a push mower on my own and how to jump the battery on the car. I also had to use the electric hedge trimmer. When I did that last weekend, Julie was looking out the window yelling, "Are you crazy, Mom, are you crazy?!" She also cheered on Poppy fixing the deck, "Good job, Poppy!"

Julie also got a boo-boo that she is very proud of. Donna pushed her down her driveway on a skateboard and she skinned her elbow. She has been showing everyone. Since washing it made it feel better, I think she thought it would make her diaper rash better too and when she had a bath yesterday, she was sticking her butt out saying, "Wash butt please Mom." and trying to look over her shoulder to make sure I did a good job (I guess).

We went to some furniture stores Wednesday while Gideon was with the babysitter. Julie had to tuck Elmo into the beds. I'm glad nobody minded. We had a fun girl's day out. Julie really enjoys looking at shoes too. She tries them on and is very particular. Then she says, "No, this one's too big, this one's too little..."

Then Friday, we had three moms and 8 kids over to play. It was a very noisy day.

Gideon has been talking a lot more. He says, "Pees Mom" all the time, sometimes he points or says eat and yesterday it sounded like he said movie. I don't know if it would sound like he's talking to anyone else, but it sounds like it to me.

Poppy the Hero Part 2

Hole-y kids having fun thanks to Poppy


Gideon, offering a peace offering to Frizzy for taking his deck. The blanket is his favorite possession in the world. Karen, it's the one your mother-in-law made.

I got a comment from Lisa! Ash, thanks so much for forwarding the site. Does anyone have Shelley, Cat and Jeri's address?

By the way, it's 10:45 and Ray isn't home from work yet. The next two weeks are going to be interesting. Internal Medicine stinks.

Poppy the Hero

Nonny and Poppy came to visit this weekend! Juliette got lots of fun birthday presents and best of all, Poppy enclosed our deck, so now the kids can play safely without the dogs bothering them. Izzy and Frizzy are very disturbed by their relocation but the kids are having lots of fun! I've been wanting to do that for two years now! Juliette and Gideon have been outside almost all day for the last two days. They are loving it.

We had a really good weekend overall! Saturday Mom and Dad watched the kids while Ray and I went to a neighborhood outreach the church did. They had free games and food and then had a really great drama and a brief testimony. We have a college group that just got back from Juarez where they did the same thing with street evangelism and had a huge response. Tons of people came to the Lord. Anyhow, I got to lead a girl to Christ! Miss Cathy led her cousin Faith to Christ and then I got to talk to her about the Lord. Her name is Charisma, be praying for her. I really hope she understood her decision, if not her grandfather is a pastor and can hopefully help her to understand more. That was a huge answer to prayer. I haven't actually gotten to pray with anyone to receive Christ since my days at ABC.

Then Sunday we had church in the park and had a big picnic afterwards. It was nice, even though Ray got my kite I've had since I was a kid stuck in the tree. :) It really wasn't a big deal, I just have to give him a hard time, especially since he had to rescue a kite that I almost lost last weekend.

You know...(completely off the subject) growing up I always thought of what I would do different from my Mom when I was a mother. Now, I keep thinking, "What would Mom do?"

I'm going to try to add some pictures now. Let's hope the old dial up can handle it.

Kid pics

Another busy day

Hello! We've had another busy day today. Juliette and I went to Bible Study Fellowship this morning and I helped out in her classroom. Two hours with twelve 2 and 3-year olds is tiring! Gideon stayed with our faithful babysitter (and neighbor) Ms. Tina. He starts crying when I bring him over, but as soon as I'm out the door, he's happy as a lark and playing with the other kids. It's all for effect, "I can't live without you Mom!" He doesn't realize I get the real story. We went to Wal-Mart this afternoon and much to my husband's delight I got the oil changed. This has been an item of contention in our house. The guys at the car dealership say it's OK for 5000 miles, it's cheaper (an argument that almost always wins Ray over) and it's less work for me. Oh well, I will submit to my husbands mighty authority! :) I love you Ray. ;) Anyhow, slight catastrophe when we were there...got some apple dippers at McD's and Gideon choked on one. He was crying and gagging, but not choking choking. For quite a while I didn't know what was going on. Thought maybe he bit his tongue, but the gagging continued! Got scared and tried to call Dr. Ray who is never ever in his office. We got home and he urped up this big hunk of apple and smiled real big. I guess all's well that ends well. He's back to his own laughy smily self. Got some cute pictures of the kids playing outside tonight. Hopefully Ray will remember to bring back the magic computer cord and I can finally post the pictures. Ms. Cathy called after supper, one of JuJu's favorite people in the world. We are so blessed with so many wonderful friends, and a great church that many of those friends come from! God sure must love us a bunch to give us such good friends (and family...we love you all.) I know you were about to comment Granny....wonderful, wonderful family!

Last, but infinitely not least...really got blessed by 2 Corinthians 4 yesterday morning. Sometimes, when you love and love on someone and don't see any change it is incredibly discouraging. Completely covered what I've been feeling lately and really comforted even as it stings a little...like that IcyHot stuff I used to rub on Mom's back. It's humbling to be reminded that it is by his mercy that we have this or any ministry (v.1). Even as I write this, Ray's got his praise music running on the computer and it's saying, "You are worth it, you are worth it all." I wish I could say more, but feel like it would do an injustice. You can look it up on www.biblegateway.com. If anyone's never seen that before, you are really missing out on a blessing! You can find everything on there!

Anyhow, got to go defunk myself. I ran(off and on) a mile on the treadmill tonight. Haven't done that in like 3 years probably. Very proud of myself, but I keep thinking what's that smell?

Love y'all

Just ran the spell check, it got all kinds of funny things like urped and smily. I'll just have to be grammatically incorrect.

First blog ever!

Ray and I have been so blessed with good friends, great family and wonderful kids and I thought blogging would be a great way to keep everyone connected! So here we go a-blogging! I've been meaning to record all of the very interesting happenings of our happy household, so this will be great. In case anyone is wondering, the name is from Juliette (lover) and Gideon (warrior). It also seems appropriate for day to day happenings in the adventure of raising kid. I guess it could also apply because of Ray being in the Army.

I'll start with kid stats:

Juliette

• Favorite Song: He Reigns (And all God's children singing glory, glory, hallelujah, He reigns)
• Favorite Movie: Lady and the Tramp
• Communication style: Jeopardy--every statement as a question, i.e. "Did you have fun at church?" "Do you want some to drink?" Then we have to ask the question to find out "Yes, I had fun at church."
• Alter ego: Elmo--if Juliette is scared, she asks if Elmo is scared and comforts him
• Best friend: Elmo--loved into a floppy mass of balding red fur
• 2nd Best friend: Donna the neighbor (age 10)
• Favorite saying: "It's going to be OK"
• Favorite Pastime: Drawing and making beds to take care of Elmo and his 10-12 clones

Gideon

• Communication style: Point and grunt
• Newest trick: Standing up on his own
• Favorite food: Yogurt or anything spicy
• Most loved item: Yellow blanket
• Favorite toy: Playstation controller
• Most known for: Big smiles and laughs
• Favorite place to be: Anywhere within two feet of mom (same for Julie, which makes crowded living conditions)
• Recent achievement: Pooping on the potty (more advanced than sister)

Highlights of Today:

Juliette and I colored (within the lines for the most part) a very attractive picture of Strawberry Shortcake. We then went to Wal-Mart and bought Lady and the Tramp for Julie's birthday, came home and made several beds for Elmo. Elmo beds have included a stainless steel bowl, laundry basket, and Princess sleeping bag today. Right now baby Elmo is sleeping on the kitchen floor in a bowl and holding Julie's helium balloons from her recent birthday party. Supper was tacos and chocolate dipped strawberries for dessert. Obviously, supper was immediately followed by a bath, complete with bubble bath finger paint.

As for Ray and Les:

Ray is doing his Internal Medicine rotation which is the hardest one in the residency, but is going well. We aren't seeing much of him though. Leslie is trying to rest this week after the whirlwind of activity last week with Easter egg hunts, hosting an Easter egg dying, and having a birthday party for Juliette.

I'm going to try to post some picures soon, but need to find the little cord that connects the camera to the computer first.