A Man's Best Friend......NOT

My oldest daughter, Catherine, is going to rule the world someday. She has shown from the beginning that she is not to be messed with. When something isn't right, she wants it changed. We had a problem with our children's program at church about 2 years ago. The youth leader and pastor decided to change days that it met on and it was the same day of Catherine's dance classes. She was not happy. In tears she kept asking us to do something. We had. We argued and tried but it didn't work. She couldn't write at the time but still demanded to know who was in charge and proceeded to dictate a letter that said it all. It was a page long and delivered to our Pastor at the time. Nothing changed about the date but I caught of glimpse of what to expect for the future. She will be my mover and shaker. Maybe we will have to call her Madame President.

She came into my computer room last night all huffy. She told me that she did NOT like what she just heard on TV. I was thinking, Crap, what the heck is she watching. Usually it is only Cartoonnetwork or Nick or Animal Planet (she is not determined to save all animals and I get regular updates an the happenings to all animals shown on that channel). She goes "There was this commercial that called DOGS a MAN'S best friend! That just isn't RIGHT! Women are important too and can be best friends!" and strode from the room leaving me looking after her wondering....Maybe God is giving me 4 girls for a reason. Go Catherine! Go Catherine! Rock this world.

Saw The Cutest Baby On TV....

Ok, this is really Charlotte when she was a couple of weeks old, but when I saw the infant on tv I finally got that "Awwww...." Feeling. I haven't had that "Awwwww...." Feeling this pregnancy. That "I can't wait to hold her" or "I can't wait to kiss those chubby cheeks" feeling that I get when wanting a baby or pregnant with said baby. It's not that I haven't been happy about having #5 (still in shock, just a little! ~grins~), I just haven't had that massive excitement. I know part of it is running after 4 other kids (after school activities, school activities, church), teaching, running the house.... I don't have time to think about having an infant again. I caught a little of (ok, don't laugh but I didn't know it was this show) Dr. 90210. It features plastic surgeons and their patients. Anyway, one of the surgeons this time was a female that just had her baby. She was talking about juggling work and baby and wanting another baby (Her baby was only 6 weeks at best) because her clock was ticking. Her baby boy stretched when she picked him up and I remembered. I got hit with that "Awwww.... " Feeling. I'm ready.

I remember being overwhelmed with Andrew, my first. He loved to stretch everytime I picked him up. I remember Catherine loved to snuggle under my chin and sleep. I remember Georgia screaming (she was my screamer) but she LOVED to be held tight and butt in air. I remember kissing Charlotte's little cheeks and thinking I had never felt skin so soft before. I love that perfect kissing place right under their ear. Feeling that fine baby hair (before it all falls out, my poor bald girl babies, Andrew was the only one that kept his hair). Watching them look at everything. I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready.

Except that I need to rearrange the bedrooms for the girls, paint, get a place for the baby to sleep, survive the summer, find childcare for the fall and find someone to teach my classes for a few weeks.... Ok, I'm not REALLY ready but I will be. Come on October!

And They Dance......

God has seen fit to give me 3 girls with one on the way. 4 GIRLS! I'm not a girly girl at all. When I was growing up you could find me on my bike (the coolest transportation EVER built!), in a tree, climbing my house, jumping from rickety sheds (Mrs. Bells called and told on me for that one!), exploring water ways (ie creeks), building hay forts.... Well you get the picture. My hair wouldn't curl, I hated dresses (with a passion! My poor mom), high heels about kill me (I'll have to tell you how the Registrar of the University now calls me Grace after 17 years from a fall I took in his office where I worked, sigh).... I just didn't get that cutesy girly gene. Now my Sister got them. She loved to dress up, fix hair, date, prance and priss (sorry Tammy, but it is true). Me? Nada. So God in that wonderful way has give me ... Soon to be.... 4 girls.

My girls love to dance. They love to dress up, get their hair done, put makeup one and shake their groove thang. Who knew. I don't have a groove thang to shake unless you really want to laugh. Charlotte already prances around in Georgia's (or whoevers she can find) clip-clops (ie tap shoes). So they dance. And I am amazed. And I love to dress them up, fix their hair (thanks Tammy... I learned just for you all those years ago and I can still do it), put their makeup on and watch them shake their groove thang. They are beautiful. Graceful. Amazing.

Dear Andrew, I Am So Proud Of You.....

You have been in Cub Scouts for a long time. You started as a Tiger and made it though to the end. It is a bitter sweet time for us. We loved doing Cub Scouts but keeping up with 10 boys made for a very busy time. I wouldn't trade that for the world. You have to stop growing up so fast. It is making my head spin. You are amazing and I love you so much.

They Look Cute and Cuddly But.....

If you add them in your bed with this.....

Then you get a momma that hasn't slept since 3:00 am. We do have a huge bed (think extra mattress beside our bed) but Andrew "had to go to the bathroom and just ended up" in my bed at some point. Catherine is terrified of lightning. Georgia hates loud noises. Charlotte could care less but had to join in on the fun. LOL. Me? I LOVE thunder storms. The sounds, lights... to me it is calming. I usually enjoy them. But NOT at 3:00 to 6:30 am on a school morning!!!! Just pray I stay awake while I give my finals today. Ah, it is raining and storming again. At least they are all at school. If you could hear me laugh right now.

Observations From The Last Few Days.....

Mailperson (to be politically correct) -- You would think that all people who deliver mail would be in wonderful physical condition. I mean, with all that walking who wouldn't have wonderful looking legs and calories to burn. Saying that, one of the delivery persons (who was a wonderful and hilarious guy) was so overweight and had leg and knee problems out the ying-yang. Another does have nice looking legs but then a keg around the middle. Makes you think...

pedestrians -- Was there ever a time when pedestrians had the right of way? I will promise you that even when I look like I'm about to give birth and am taking 8 kids to the park across the street that not a single car will stop for me. HELLO! I've even had people honk at me for stopping and letting someone cross.

Interstate drivers -- You might be one of these. I call them clumpers. They will attach to you and pace themselves with you. You can not escape them unless you drive upon another car and they attach themselves and mooch off of them. I can live with them during the day. It is during the night time and their lights shine in my mirrors that I think how much fun it would be to run them off the road.

Bachelorette Parties held at Chuck E. Cheeses -- Oh. My. Goodness. Who thought that would be a fun idea? Maybe they did have fun but for those of us that had kids and tried to redeem tickets for crap prizes that our kids were whining for and thought they would die if they didn't get, you were not fun. You kept the ONLY person working there checking prices of all the toys that you could buy BUT had to see what the price would be WITH your discount... NOT FUN AT ALL!

You Know It's Been a Good Birthday When.....

Your loving husband is showing off to a friend the present he got you and says to friend....

Jeff: "I bought me a DVR"....
Kim: "Um, hello honey... ME???"
Jeff: "Me as in the plural ME. Like in the plural YOU. We became one ME!"
Kim: "Sure. Sure."

Ok, so I'll tease him about that forever but am really happy to have the DVR. No more missing Survivor (crap, almost over), or Amazing Race (crap, almost over too) or whatever show I miss. I really do love it. I just love having something to hang over his head for the next 50+ years too. It's priceless.

Welcome to the World Little Man!

My younger brother and his wife welcomed their 3rd boy to the family. Justin David was born a few weeks early. He was 4 lbs 5 ozs. Those cheeks are just made for kissing! I can't wait to meet him and see his brothers this summer (You too, Russ and Martha but get used to it.... kids take over once they are born, ~grins~). Just makes me sappy looking at how cute he is all bundled up.

End Of The School Year.....

I know. I should have 5 or 6 more posts by now. But I do have a good excuse. It is the End of the Semester! It is during this time that students hang around my office trying to see if there is any way they can pull an A (Um... NO! That would mean you have to pass a few tests). I have stacks to grade. I've even given extra credit. Do you know who uses the extra credit? The students that already have an A. Sigh. I usually don't even grade the extra credit until I have everything else graded because it never fails. A student will have a 98% and have turned in extra credit.

My other favorite student response is those that have a nice strong B wanting to know what they need on their final to get an A. I say close to 100%. Then they e-mail me after grades are posted and wonder why they didn't get that A. Um, I don't like you??? Maybe, just maybe it is because you didn't make a 100% on the final?

This semester has been rather trying and I feel for all the kids' family. So many family members and friends died this semester. How many people die in a 5 mth period. I could name 8 people I've known that has died in the last 10 years that I had to go to their funeral. I just don't get it. I get so frustrated at the end that I tell students I would need photo history of their dead grandpa (who seems to be the one to bite the dust most often) before I accept their excuse on the upcoming test. My apologies to all grandparents and friends out there that might get killed off in the Fall.

I'm sure I'll have some fun stories after finals next week. Keep tuned in. I'll bring the latest.... Hopefully in a couple of days and not weeks.