Happy Birthday to my Baby Boy!

There is so much I could say about this sweet child of mine. He makes me laugh everyday. He is kind and caring and observant of those around him. He is left handed and creatively wired. He has the best bed-head I've ever seen, better even than my brother's when we were growing up!

My guy writes like a dyslexic serial killer and smiles like an angel. He is quick to touch everything (can I get some texture, please?), slow to tie his shoes-find his backpack-clean his room. He loves solving video game puzzles, playing ninja with his brother, and spending time with his Purple.

What a special gift God gave our family with Joshua. He reminds us all that life is temporary, people are eternal, and that most of the icky that happens around us isn't really important, just irritating. He has changed the way our family operates and cares for others because he is always there to remind us what Jesus said we should do.

When I think of what God has in store for him, where his life will lead and what he will impact, I am humbled by the mass of gifts given to my youngest son. Watching him grow in knowledge of the Lord from the time of his Salvation has been amazing.

 He internalizes everything and it comes out at the most interesting times. And I am in awe of the responsibility I have toward him.

Happy Birthday, my sweet boy. Daddy and I love you more than you can know. Stay safe, keep loving unashamedly, and continue to grow in the Lord.

Heard Around the House

It's time for some more quotes that really have been uttered lately. My family has really been on a roll!

"How is rust made?"

"What's that slime that comes out of snails?"

"So, Mom, have you talked to Dad about that stuff YET? It's like you guys never speak about what's important to me."

"You found it! You found It!.. In your backpack? Dude that's  just not right, but thanks anyway." (In reference to a DS that has been missing for MONTHS.)

"So I hit you there. Then you hit me here. Then I hit you there.. KILL SHOT!"

"Mom, What half of the world do we live on? Like the top or the bottom?" "Um, the top half, the Northern hemisphere." "OK, so why don't the people who live on the bottom of the world fall off?"

Whew! And that's a wrap!

The horror flick that is our lives seems to be wrapping up. No puke since Thursday. Perhaps we are in the clear? I can hope and dream, right?

Today, we have "normal people" plans to meet some friends and play tennis and have a picnic lunch at the park with the kids. All executed, I might add, by The Husbands. Yes, they actually made plans and remembered to tell the wives and everything. I am awesomely impressed. So, the decontamination of the house is postponed until later tonight, after dinner with some friends-that-are-family.

I can't wait to pause a moment and get back on track with life. Regular Bible study, laundry, dishes, cooking healthy meals, cleaning have all taken to the back seat this week. And it shows. So, time to shake it off and head into the NOW with my head held high and just vague memories of the Puke Bowl, sleeping like we had a newborn in the house, and dinner?who is actually eating tonight?

Haiku - inspired from The Virus

I will hold your bowl
and wipe the slime from your chin
my poor puking child


Who will hold my bowl
and wipe my puke covered chin?
No one in this house

Known as The Virus
It's quick attack stuns the strong
Leaves a wake of EWWWWW!

Nope, not food poison
something more insidious
Churning each stomache

Where's Willingham?

Some days I wonder where I am. I feel like Waldo amidst his world of look alikes and crazy characters. For Waldo, normal is being adrift in a sea of business, but taking the time to wave to those who will look for him. That was today for me.

 It was a normal, regular day. And I wondered what was wrong. No special events, no catastrophe to manage. Just a regular ol day. I'm not sure what to do with those anymore. See, since the last post I've been really busy managing life for our little tribe. Sick Husband came to visit. And sick, he was. Work had a week and a half fundraiser/special event so everyday was energy charged. Needless to say, I was shoved in the direction I would go.. Shoved by forces beyond my control.

So now, I look around for a minute and think "hmmm, is this what normal looks like?" If so, normal is kind of boring. I never really pegged myself as an adrenaline junky, but I think my life has made me one. Just standing here in the middle of life's menagerie and waving to the internet (hi Mom!) doesn't get my juices flowing, but it makes me happy. So, here's my biggest Waldo smile to you!

I pray that I can find contentment and appreciate the joy that is a "normal" stretch of life, however short it may be.

Things are starting to gel... but I am wondering if they will actually set up

It was a long "short" week at school. The kids are not reacting as expected to the start of a new semester. So, being "master teacher" (bwahahahaha!) I will adjust my tactics. Poor, poor little children.

Last night I got to enjoy the Husband's company for a while with no children or work forces present. What a wonderful evening. Our plans to visit a new restaurant were thwarted by an hour and a half wait. Thanks, but we'll wait for things to die down a bit. So we ate at a new place to us. It was ok. Pretty typical food. Nothing I couldn't do better myself.

Then we went to see True Grit. This movie is a big deal for Hubby because he is a huge John Wayne fan and loves the original. Of course, by now we knew that this movie was not a remake. It was a completely new script taken more closely from the book. Maddie Ross is a spit fire of a girl that I completely loved.  Rooster Cogburn was a crumudgeon that seemed to channel my grandfather. Seriously, in his first scenes I could hear Granddaddy telling stories out in his shop. That kind of threw me a little.  Hard to watch your grandfather in a picture like this.  Kudos to the Cohen brothers who wrote and produced this film. It was very enjoyable.

 Chris still liked the original better, but said this one was OK. Well, I couldn't have asked for more. But he was gut laughing at all the right parts and had a purely physical reaction to the snakes. It was kind of a "grab my arm and cringe/moan/avert the eyes while still watching" type thing. Cinematic success in my book!

So, when we weren't watching the movie, Hubby and I got to discuss some goals for us and the family. Most pointedly, our health. We made some decisions and some plans. We still need to set some goals, but I think we are actually going to do it this time. Mostly because we have no more excuses. No more Master's classes. No more double jobs. No more tiny children. We are left with peering at our own laziness and sinful nature. God, help us overcome our gluttony.

I'd say that's a date night of which to be proud! So, time to go rake some leaves and get the day into motion. The upkeep never ends.

Whooosh! What was that?

Well it is a Wicked Wednesday for the Willingham's. Mid point in a very busy week. Just taking a moment to say Hey! and let you 3 readers know I haven't relapsed or fallen off the face of the earth. Here's the scoop:

Chris - Week before Big Youth Event, putting in roughly 80 hours this week in preparation since he was a) out last week and b) they are 2 staff people down; will work all weekend with late hours helping coordinate a multichurch youth event with over 200 teenagers. Late nights will ensue. I think 1 am for Fri and Sat nights is being generous.

Me - Monday meet with youth girls went great, battling a head cold with frequent sinus headaches, starting a big people Bible study which is taking over my Wednesday nights, being single Mom, making holes in my schedule when I get a chance to see my husband because that is IMPORTANT. It's the end of the 9 weeks at school, so we have some extra work going on there, too.

Family - boys are unhappy about doing homework and very tired, having trouble getting back into school routine after being sick, Mamaw (Chris grandmother) hospitalized with massive bleeding ulcer yesterday, they thought she might not pull through, but seems to be doing OK last I heard. Faith is doing well and getting used to a new work routine - same job, just with a helper who she gets along with great.

So I am tired and ready for a quiet weekend. It's not going to happen. Sigh, but that's alright. Good things are going on and I can rest when I'm dead.

First week of 2011

It has been quite the first week of a new year. Fun with friends started the year. It was a great visit! Thanks to all who came.

Here are my buds with me! I have truly awesome friends! We danced with the Kinect, played Rock Band, and shared testimonies with each other. Because we aren't just friends, we are siblings in Christ!

This is the Bacon/Willingham Contingency. Great photo shooting Ryan!

Then we started with sick kid.. flu... ick! 2 1/2 hours at the dr office proved it. Quickly followed by another hour at the pharmacy waiting on a very expensive prescription. Who knew Tamiflu was that pricey?? That was followed quickly by another sick kid.. awesome.. love the fevers, sweet boys... then we crescendoed with a sinus infection and some work stress for me. Tack on another hour and half at the doctor's office and trip to the pharmacy for antibiotics. Sigh. "Add the fact that Chris was in class all week, and I was doing this like a single Mom, and it was stellar, " she said sarcastically. Welcome to you, too, 2011!

 Here are some men checking out the new scope for the AR during the New Year's Party. This is what I wanted to use by Wednesday when I was sick and tired and ready to restart 2011!

But the best news is that Chris finished his class and is done with his Master's work! Yep, after quite a long time, he is done. He got his paperwork filed for graduation and will walk in May. That is a true reason for excitement! I am so proud of him! The hard work and perseverance have finally paid off.

So, I am hopeful that the start of 2011 is not a foreshadowing of what is to come. In fact, I will be content in knowing that I serve a God who has His best interests at heart and that I am a part of His plan. There are some perks beyond imagination! And if my year does not improve, here is a cup of coffee with a monkey on it. Because if you put a monkey on it, it's fun! And if it's not fun, at least I get coffee.