Fun Stuff!

I'm getting my stretchy pants out and ready for some GREAT fun this week/weekend! Thursday night I have organized a "Fondue fun night" for the women at our church. We have about 20 women coming and will have all the fondue goodness a woman could ever want. While we have only been attending Grace Commerce for just about a year, we have already made some great friendships, and I'm looking forward to deepening those friendships around a pot of warm chocolaty heaven!
And, as if one night isn't enough...Saturday night we will be having dinner at my own personal version of heaven on earth, THE MELTING POT! with our friends Kevin and Allison, to celebrate Allison's birthday.
One might wonder if this is too much fondue for one person...umm...there is no such thing as too much fondue, not in my book anyway.

A missed opportunity

Yesterday at the post office something powerful was taking place right before my eyes. Something I've blogged about doing but instead I did the opposite and ran from an opportunity that God might have placed right in my lap. (GRRR-I hate it when I do that, yet I do it so often!)
Anyway, I had a package to mail so I had the boys in the double stroller knowing that I would be in there for a while trying to put the package together. When we walked through the door these two young boys, probably 6 & 8 - ish, ran in front of us, yelling and chasing each other through the post office. The line for the counter was about 5 people deep and the mother of these two boys was at the counter talking to an employee while simultaneously yelling at her children who were on the other side of the building banging into mailboxes. Everyone in the line was giving the lady dirty looks, rolling their eyes at the children and making comments to each other about how terrible they were. I was thinking how great my boys were and what the heck is this ladies problem letting her kids be banshees in the post office.
Fast-forward 15 minutes (full of chaotic boys running back and forth (NOT MINE, they were sitting happily in the stroller)), I am now at the front of the line and the mother is talking to a manager of the post-office. I start eavesdropping on the conversation and hear that she is going through a divorce, her husband is stealing her mail, she has to go into hiding because he is abusive to her...and then I don't hear anymore because I'm finally at the counter. She was still at the counter when I went out to the van, and as I was driving away she was in the doorway of the post-office yelling, no screaming at her boys to get out before she "beats their asses". I contemplated the entire time I was witnessing this unfold, asking her how I could help her.
My heart was breaking for these boys, who are most likely acting out due to their family falling apart, and it was breaking for this mom, who was obviously at her limit. I said a quick prayer for her and left the post office. It's almost like it's haunting me now. I can't forget the scene, the embarrassment on the woman's face, the look of the angry customers at her obnoxious children, the boys. I should have done something. I should have offered something to her. I don't know what, but I really feel like I've missed an opportunity that was right before me.
Now, go back to my blog about the hurt in this world...At the end I said "Lord, help me to see these people and help"...and I didn't! I hate when I do this, but I have story after story of times where I KNOW God is at work doing something and I let fear of rejection or looking stupid take over me.
Pray for me, that I will be not only aware of the hurt surrounding me but that I would TAKE ACTION! And mostly pray for this poor family. I don't know what or how you should pray for them, but God knows, listen to his prompting.

Mason Crawls, Swear Police and Potty Success

Here is a video of Mason crawling, in case you'd like to see my prodigy at work :D (I am SO becoming one of THOSE parents)
We have been in the process of teaching Levi that there are words that he can't say. We reached this phase one night when at dinner he said "Darn it", followed by "Crap", followed by "Shut Up". All my words...lovely. Of all the profound things that come out of my mouth on a daily basis, Levi picks up those words. Nice. Anyway, we went through the spiel, you don't say those words, only happy words, blah blah blah. Since then he is quick to let you know if you say one of those words, "Mommy (or whomever else is talking) don't say that word, only happy words." Yesterday, King of Queens was on the TV and Carrie used the word "crap". Levi stopped doodling on his magna-doodle, looked up and said, "TV don't say that word, only happy words, TV". Off went the TV. It was so funny!
Today we took a trip to Target and bought Levi a Potty Chair (which he calls a "potty train" and big boy underwear). Oh, and a big bag of M&M's for reward. He's never sat on the toilet or anything before, and so far today he's gone pooped twice...*OH, I just cringed...I AM one of THOSE PARENTS, blogging about my child's bowel movements* (Oddly enough, I'm not deleting)!

Pictures!

Levi's first fishing trip

The Gray family

I love this picture!

Feeding the goats at Grant's Farms.

In Missouri

Today's blog is brought to you from Farmington, MO. We're really enjoying our vacation and time with "papa mike and jo-nanna". (Jo-nanna is my dad's wife, Joanna) As you can see from the pictures, we've been enjoying the swimming pool a lot! Levi even did some "swimming" on his own. He had two of the swim noodles propped under his arms like skis and floated around on his tummy. I'm really surprised that he wears the Superman floaty thing.
Yesterday we went to Grant's Farms. It's a small zoo with a train that you ride around and see deer, elk, etc...wondering around. Then there's a small area with a few animals. We saw an elephant, camels, and Levi spent some time in the petting zoo feeding the goats from a bottle (I'll post pictures of that later).
We're really having a great time and aren't sure if my dad is going to let us leave or not! He's really enjoying Levi and Mason and getting to see their personalities and interaction.
Oh! And Chris and I got to get away and go to a par3 golf course. I have only real golfed one time and that was over 5 years ago. I actually got PAR on one of the holes. We had a lot of fun doing that together!!