Milestones and Moments

Thanks to Hot Jeff's case of pneumonia we are spending New Years Eve quietly at home. We brought 2010 in at midnight EST and now the kids are in bed dreaming of a dropping crystal ball, fireworks and cheering revelers.

The unexpected quietness of the night has left me with unplanned time to write and reflect, not just on the last year but the last decade. Has it really been 10 years since Y2K?

This morning I spent some time looking at old photos. I was planning on doing some sort of "Decade in Pictures" for you but as I looked at the photos of a decade gone by I began thinking about how most of my memories are made up of moments, not necessarily milestones and how almost never there is a camera documenting the memorable moment like there is at the milestone. Milestones are almost always planned, hence we can have a camera ready to record and preserve. The moments however, they seem to happen more quietly, with little to no fanfare and typically not documented on film or digitally.

Almost exactly 10 years ago Hot Jeff and I went fishing; we were in search of our first steelheads of the millennium. We caught our beautiful chrome bright pair on January 20, 2000 and our best friend Scott was there to snap the photo of us. Yet later that evening when Jeff asked me to marry him there was no one there to take a photo as we kissed, giggled and planned.

I have a whole album of soft glow wedding pictures taken in 2001 yet not one to capture the unadulterated joy on my face the next morning when it dawned on me that I would wake up to his face for the rest of my life.

Sometimes out of courtesy or appropriateness there is no camera present at our cherished moments. In 2003 as Jeff's beloved Grandpa Ed was dying and his children and grandchildren circled his bed, his daughter whispering him Home to Jesus, no one snapped pictures to put in an album later.

And while I have a whole passel of pictures of the rainy Wednesday evening in 2006 when Samuel made us a family I don't have a single one of me, with outstretched shaking hands, showing an unaware, expectant Daddy a stick with three lines on it.

We have a sweet, treasured picture of Jeff, Samuel and I that we sent as an announcement that we were pregnant with Emily yet no pictures of us, sitting hand and hand with our hearts in our throats hearing the news from our doctor that the ultrasound didn't show any defect in Emily's in utero spine as the blood tests had predicted.

In 2007 milestone and moment quietly intersected as I held a baby boy on the night of his first birthday thinking about how his birthday would furthermore share the anniversary of my adored Uncle Bob's death. It was in that moment that I learned, perhaps, the greatest lesson of this last decade and maybe even of my life: that life really is a circle and when we think we cannot possibly bear anymore pain or loss the Father meets us in our grief and doubt with hope and promise. A birthday party and a final goodbye, a rainbow in a cemetery, a Good Friday and a Resurrection Sunday.

A few days later I would share this epiphany as I gave Uncle Bob's eulogy; I read the timeless Scripture from Ecclesiastes more astounded than ever at their truth and meaning.

Since that time when milestone and moment traversed, I view both with a new pair of eyes; beholding the beauty and fleetingness of both with equality. In view of a birthday milestone that marked birth and renewal and a quiet moment when temporary became eternal, I find myself still photographing the milestones but being careful to chronicle the moments as well.

As a new year dawns I know it will be filled with joy and sorrow, laughter and tears, blessing and loss. I find myself not so much praying to be spared from the heartache but to have an eternal mindset and a Spirit-given understanding that there really is a season for everything under heaven. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what He has done from beginning to end (Ecc 3: 11).

Don't Call It a Purse

My children, the little darlings that they are, got me Tinker Bell and The Lost Treasure for Christmas. I don't know who to be more annoyed with: them because at 1 and 3 don't they know me better than that or Hot Jeff for letting them pull a stunt like that. When they left the house to go shopping for "me" I clearly said, "I like diamonds, red shoes, handbags, and fun socks". I guess they didn't hear me over all dishwashing, clothes folding, meal preparation and vacuuming I was doing.

This brings me to today where Project Make Jen's-Bedroom-Into-A-Loveshack started by Bestie Kara and finished by Bestie Shannon took me to Ross' to find the perfect over-the-bed mirror to add some depth to the room, fill a space on a large wall and to, as Hot Jeff says, bring kinky back. Yep, just went there.

You. Are. Welcome.

When I walked in my eyes beheld the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It was hanging modestly on a rack until it felt the weight of my stare and then it began to wiggle and come alive and I'll be darned if it didn't cry out to me, "Mama. Hold me."

I simply couldn't justify NOT getting the most beautiful handbag I had ever seen, especially after what my CHILDREN GOT ME FOR CHRISTMAS. So it is mine. And it is beautiful. And I shall love it forever. Merry Christmas Hot River Mama.

(I wish I were better at taking pictures because this one doesn't nearly show how marvelous the bag really is. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a photo shoot with it and post the pics. Right now I have to go help Hot Jeff hang our new mirror. Yes, I did find the perfect mirror but it's purchase paled in comparison to the bag.)

The Worst Day of the Year

Certainly the worst day of the year has to be the 3rd day after Christmas. For days and days my children have been living on sugar. Their diet has consisted of that which resembles an elf's: "candy, candy corn, candy canes and syrup". I've gladly been letting them hog it down so that when its gone its gone and I don't have to be bothered with it anymore. For the record, I do this exact same thing after Halloween. For days and days they just bounce off the walls and I hear things like, "Mama is a dooty head, a dooty head, a dooty head. Mama is a dooty head and I like to eat vacuums." Just rude, non-sensical stuff that I chalk up as "the sugar talking". Now don't be too alarmed, I've mixed in an occasional bowl of cereal and macaroni and cheese but for the most part they've stuck to their elf diet and I haven't heard much complaining about it. None in fact. Its been bliss. When I was a little girl I was convinced that heaven was going to be filled with my Gigi's No-Bake cookies and now as a mother I can only hope it is because my kids are never as happy as they are when they are holding a cookie. It would bum me out to have to fight with my kids about eating in heaven. That would be a real drag.

Yesterday evening I heard the dreaded words, "Mama, I'm hungry" and I realized all the moose munch, sugar cookies, Santa shaped chocolate bars and plastic candy canes filled with M&M's must be gone and I was sad. So sad. And hence, the 3rd day after Christmas when all the sugared food is gone and I have to start preparing meals again is the worst day of the year. You see feeding my children is my least favorite thing about my life. If I could change anything it would be my childrens' taste buds. Samuel and Emily wouldn't know a vegetable if it stood up and bit them in the butt. They are convinced that vegetables are those plastic toys that go with the play kitchen. Last week when I was cutting up carrots for my salad Samuel asked me why I was eating reindeer food. See what I mean?

When they were babies and toddlers they ate and ate vegetables. And of course I was the bestest mommy ever and made all my own baby food (mixed with breast milk, of course) so you'd think they would have this wonderful foundation of healthy eating. Apparently not.

They will eat fruit. Of course fruit is just nature's version of candy so of course they like fruit. I'm thinking of starting to roll their vegetables in sugar and see if they'll eat them like that. Or perhaps peanut butter. It will be like giving a dog medicine...you just roll it in peanut butter and shove it in before they know what you're giving them. "Here Samuel and Emily, try this long crunchy piece of peanut butter; you'll LOVE it!"

New Years doesn't offer much in the candy category so it looks like the battle lines have been drawn until at least February when we have Valentines day and I have heart shaped chocolates to look forward to. Hooray!

Praying for Your Kids Monday
Blind Spots

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

This summer I started praying for the Holy Spirit to begin revealing to me my "blind spots", areas in my life that needed an overhaul. God has showed me some interesting things; some big, some little. Some that were an easy fix, some that were not. I am convinced that Christ God is continually working on us to make us more like Him and that process will last until He calls us home and I believe when we willingly ask for His eyes in the areas of our life that need His gentle molding He is more than happy to reveal them to us.

As I've been thinking about praying for Samuel and Emily in this coming new year and wondering/praying what that will look like I have felt the Spirit telling me that I need to listen first and develop a plan later. The listening begins with asking God to reveal their blind spots as well as my own. My kids are too little for God to show them but as He reveals to me their troubled areas I can explain it to them and then pray for it. I think the areas our children struggle with now are probably a part of their make up and most likely areas they will struggle with as they get older. Perhaps by praying for these areas now we can get a head start helping God to iron out tendencies and attitudes that will cause them pain in later years.

Perhaps your children are older...then as you pray for God to reveal their blind spots to you ask Him to also show them to your children. Your kids are fully capable of being spoken to by the Spirit and may have a better ear for listening than even you or I.

God, this coming year I pray that You will create a clean heart in __________. I pray that You will reveal to me areas in her life and attitudes of her heart that need You. I pray I would have clear focus to love her unconditionally while You show me the dark corners where sin hides. Help me to speak to her without condemnation and in a way that she understands, help her to fully realize Your unfailing love and goodness. Thank You for being faithful to complete the good work you started in me and ____________. Amen.

And People Say My Kids Don't Look Alike...

Christmas ~ 2007

Samuel ~ 20 months old

Christmas ~ 2009
Emily ~ 22 months old

We promised Emily that it gets better...

Christmas ~ 2009
Samuel ~ 3 years old

Yesterday’s post is the perfect segue for the reply to one of the suggestions of what I should write about when I have a blog clog. Hot Jeff’s former flame and our family photog, the fabulous Leah, posed the prompt of what do I want “non-Christians” to get as followers of a Christian blog. This is a pretty loaded question and although I’ve thought about it for days and days I don’t know that I have a fully formed answer yet.

I’m going to write about it today but be warned that these are really discombobulated thoughts and most likely incomplete. I’m shooting from the hip which is indeed, my most favorite place to shoot from but I imagine that in a few days from today I will wake up in the middle of the night and wish I would have said this, this and this. Be prepared for Part Two.

First and foremost I would want non-believers to know that I love and serve a living God. He has saved me from the pit of hell and redeemed my life for His glory and His purposes. Above that, He offers eternal life to anyone and everyone who believes in His name and confesses of her sin.

I suppose another thing I would want non-believers to take away from this blog is that God has a sense of humor. The Bible (which incidentally I believe to be true and authoritative) says we are made in God’s likeness. Well…I have a sense of humor. You have a sense of humor. So that leads me to believe God has a sense of humor. With that said, I think God likes it when we don’t take ourselves too seriously and have fun in our lives. Fun with our family, fun with our friends, fun with our circumstances and fun with some of the pure CRAP that life hands us.

I want readers, Christ followers or not, to know that I am passionate about praying for kids. My kids, your kids, kids in your class, kids you see in a store or in a restaurant, kids in your Sunday school class, kids in your youth group, the kids who live across the street. I believe we are all called to pray for our kids; while some of us have different gifts and talents and are called to use them in different ways I believe God calls ALL of us to pray for our kids.

It is important to me that my non-Christian readers know that there is a difference between being religious and being a Christ-follower. While I don’t think there is anything wrong with religion at the core I do think that being more religious than being in love with Jesus can lead to legalism and um, well…piety. There’s that word again. Not being religious, but still being madly in love with Jesus has been incredibly freeing to me. For example, I love margaritas, I watch Grey’s Anatomy and I vote Democrat. I don’t think these are areas of sin in my life. The Holy Spirit, who dwells in me, may reveal those to be sin someday but I think what God is really concerned about is the condition of my heart and that I’m short-tempered, have a tendency to be judgmental and don’t love people the way He calls me to (and that’s the short list). I think it matters to God how I act and what I say not because of how I act and what I say but because how I act and what I say are reflections of what’s going on in my heart. Make sense? Like I said, discombobulated thoughts at best…

Finally, to all my readers, I feel so honored that you take time out of your busy day to read my thoughts. I promise I will never take that for granted and in doing that I’ll try to give you quality stuff to read. I hope that even if you don’t agree with me that at least you will feel it was well written and worth your time.

Somewhat Controversial Post...
You've Been Warned

I have already mentioned that my family does the Santa Claus thing and I also said that if you don’t do the Santa Claus thing I totally respect that…and I do. As long as you aren’t being arrogant about it.

So last week I heard from a friend about some acquaintances of hers who don’t do Santa Claus. Their reason: they don’t want “lie” to their kids. I have a little bit of a problem with this, not because they aren’t doing it but because of their reasoning. I think it is so incredibly sanctimonious. Yes, I said SANCTIMONIOUS. How about you come down from your holier than thou parenting high horse and spend a little time in reality? The best part: they do the tooth fairy. Yes, that other fictitious character who apparently IS ok to “lie” about because she doesn’t live in the North Pole. Or MAYBE its because she doesn’t share a holiday with the celebration of the birth of Christ so THAT makes it ok to lie to their kids about.

If you’re going to be a pompous Christian then please, be forthcoming about it.

I know quite a few families who don’t do the Santa thing but their reasoning is they want the full focus to be on the birth of Jesus. Now that I can respect because it is a statement that isn’t filled with the implication that everyone else who is doing the Santa thing is going to hell or is a bad parent who is a lying sack of crap. Also, it isn’t a lie wrapped in self-righteous BS disguised as good parenting.

Santa Claus isn’t a lie; he’s a child’s developmentally appropriate suspension of disbelief and amazing, short-lived ability to make-believe. Children NEED fantasy. The American Psychological Association’s most recent findings on the topic show that children who are encouraged to play make-believe and indulge in fantasy actually have greater academic success in later years. A 2008 USAToday article actually claimed that make-believe and fantasy play were VITAL in a child’s development of empathy, learning, creativity and problem-solving allowing them to conquer their fears and explore their hopes and dreams.

And just in case those 2 sources are too pagan, then how about what Dr. James Dobson (whom I rarely agree with) wrote in a 2008 edition of his magazine Focus on the Family, “I understand the concerns expressed by many Christian parents about the pagan celebration of Christmas. They don’t want to link Santa Claus, a mythical figure, with the reality of the baby Jesus who was born in Bethlehem of Judea. They have good reason to fear that they might weaken the validity of the Christmas story by mixing it with fantasy.

“So this is the dilemma – Santa is fun, but Santa could be confusing...Shirley and I chose to play the “Santa game” with our kids, and we had no difficulties teaching them who Jesus was and is.

“What is best? I don’t know. But if I had to do it over, I would still let my children thrill to the excitement of Santa’s arrival down the chimney on Christmas Eve.”

I’m not trying to persuade anybody to do or not to do the Santa thing. I’m only saying that whatever reasoning you have please don’t be pious about it. You’re not impressing anyone and in fact you may be turning people off to your faith. And if you use the “not going to lie to my children” excuse then, for crying out loud, stick to it for everything. That includes the tooth fairy. And the next time your child wants to play doctor and asks you if you’re sick, I would really like it if you told him “no, and by the way you are not a doctor”. And when your daughter takes a Burger King straw and tries to use it as a magic wand I’d like you to interject a little reality in to her world and tell her there is no such thing as magic and please take that scarf off, it isn’t a pair of wings.

Praying for Your Kids Monday
A Culture of Prayer

If you have ever heard me speak publicly on the topic of Praying for Your Kids or have been reading this blog for very long you know I often say that praying for your kids helps to make your home have a culture of prayer. I was never more convinced of this than on Friday when after hearing that my Gigi had been hospitalized for chest pains I overheard Samuel saying as he colored, "Lord please help my Gigi feel better". I was moved to tears at hearing my little boy praying.

I truly believe that when our children hear us praying for them they begin to understand the power and importance of prayer and God will use them for powerful intercessory prayer.

This week's post is a short one as I have one sick husband on my hands but I just wanted to encourage you to keep up the good work--your kids are watching and God is going to use your prayers to release His power from heaven.

Father, thank You for hearing every prayer I mutter, cry, whisper and think over ___________. I pray that You will take these prayers and not only use them to see Your will be done but to increase a heart for prayer in ____________. I pray that as he grows he will long to be in an ongoing, intimate conversation with You. Amen.

Reality Check

Sometimes I forget that I am a SaHM. That's my job: being a Stay at Home Mom. Being Samuel and Emily's Mommy is my job. My job is not to keep the house clean at all times. My job is not to blog. My job is not to talk to Besties on the phone. My job is not ministry. My job is being Samuel and Emily's Mommy. Period.

Sometimes I forget that. In fact, most of the time I forget that.

So I bought a book (because I LOVE books) to help me remember. It is called "365 Games Toddlers Love to Play" and I went through page by page last night and bent the tops of corners on the pages I liked. And this morning I took it downstairs and we went to work on playing. Because Mommy doesn't do nearly enough playing. Mommy does a lot of laundry. Mommy does a lot of farting around. Mommy does a lot of wasting time on Facebook but Mommy doesn't spend a lot of time playing with her kiddos.

It was my night to put Samuel down tonight and as I prayed over him I realized I only have approximately 2 years left until he spends the majority of days with someone else. I will never, ever, ever get this time back. So I need to make the most of it.

When my kids grow up and think of their early childhood I want them to remember us playing games on the floor, painting, making obstacle courses with couch cushions and tickling. Lots of tickling. Chances are they will have few memories of these early years but the ones they do I want to be of me playing with them, not loading the dishwasher.

No worries, I'm not boycotting housework, Facebook or meal preparation. I'm simply going to try and be a little more accountable with my time, particularly my time with the midgets. This is my New Years Resolution. Starting 2.5 weeks early.

Because really, who wants to miss out on this?

Or this?

And especially not this.

Have a Little Say In It...

Okey dokey, I've chosen some of my favorite title suggestions and made a poll on the right hand side. So get your vote on!

Thank you for all of the suggestions! I would have never come up with these wonderfully, creative and funny titles. I particularly liked Rachel's ideas of using lines I had written. Shout out to Rachel who tediously poured through old posts to get ideas! Wahoo.

As you're voting, think of the title as it encompasses the whole crazy gamut of stuff I write about and have fun voting. You can vote more than once and voting is open until 11:00 on 12.22.09 when, I'll either pick a winner or or make another poll with narrowed down choices.

You're the best!

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire

I chose this picture not only because they are both not wearing pants (because they were on fire) but look how adorable and innocent they look. You'd never know they were both filthy liars, would you?

Up until today, Samuel has been a little George Washington and couldn't tell a lie. Even if he knew it would get him in trouble, he would tell the truth. His sister on the other hand...well like in most cases, she's a different story.

The story goes like this: last Saturday night I was at a Christmas party and Hot Jeff stayed home with the kids. He made them their favorite dinner of macaroni and cheese and about half way through excused himself to use the bathroom. When he returned, a bowl had been knocked over and cheesy noodles strewn about the floor. The conversation, as it was told to me, went like this:

HJ: How did these noodles get spread all over the floor?

S: Daddy, I didn't do it.

HJ: Emily, did you spread noodles all over the floor?

E: Nnnnnnno. (Emily never just says 'no'. She draws the n out for.ever.)

HJ: Samuel and Emily...who spread the noodles all over the floor?

S: It wasn't me Daddy.

E: No me Daddy.

HJ: (Knowing Samuel doesn't lie) Emily, who spread the noodles all over the floor?

E: Mama did it.

HJ: Mama did it?

E: Uh-huh.

HJ: Emily, you need to tell Daddy the truth. Who spread the noodles all over the floor?

E: Mama did it.

HJ: Emily, I'm going to give you one more chance to tell the truth before you get a consequence for not telling Daddy the truth. Who spread the noodles all over the floor?

E: Mama did it.

Well needless to say, Daddy's little Roo got a Hot Jeff sized lecture and a spank. Sucked to be Roo.

So today, I go upstairs to put Emily down for a nap and when I come downstairs Samuel is sitting on the couch reading a book. He looks at me and smiles and I ask, "Samuel, did you get into the icing in the cupboard?" "No Mama" he says. "Are you sure Samuel? Let me ask you again: did you get into the icing in the cupboard?" "No Mama, I've been reading" he continues. And as my heart breaks inside my chest, I say slowly, "Samuel, it makes God sad when we don't tell the truth; did you get into the icing in the cupboard?" He lowered his eyes and said yes. His eyes darted back up to mine, "How did you know" he questioned. "You have blue frosting on your lips".

Samuel and I had a good talk about how people will know we love Jesus if they can trust what we say and how God tells us in His word to be honest. I'm not sure how much he took away from it (probably more than I give him credit for) but tonight as I write about it I realize the stories themselves are funny but the larger truth is so sad: our children have an inherent sin nature. Almost every day I pray for God to call my kids to Him at early ages. I pray that as they grow they will know Jesus intimately and live lives that glorify God and build His Kingdom yet I've never been so aware of their need for a Redeemer, for a Savior, as I am at this very moment. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God... Even little Samuel and Emily.

My heart's sadness turns in to joy as I read the rest of that passage and as I imagine someday sharing this Truth with them, This righteousness from God comes through Jesus Christ for all who believe...and [they] are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ (Romans 3: 22-24).

God's Word never gives bad news without following up with the good. Amazing grace.

I'm curious, how do you talk to your kids about lying? Are there any good children's story books (which my kids respond wonderfully to) on the topic? Let's talk it up!

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Friends, you have outdone yourself with the title suggestions. I am LOVING them. Keep them coming. In a few days I'll pick my favorites and put them in a poll for everyone to vote on. As for your writing prompts...you rock. I definitely have stuff to go off on now when the blog clog hits. You are the best readers EVER!

Praying for Your Kids Monday
Times of Struggle

We all experience times of trial, suffering, loss and doubt in our lives; what makes each person different is how they react to the situation and how they look on the other side of their struggle. Are they bitter or are they wiser? Are they stuck in the past or are they soaring with new perspective? Are they angry at God or do they have a new appreciation for His sovereignty?

Despite how much we pray for our children, they will face difficult times. Even if they come to know Jesus at an early age you can be assured they will face a crisis of faith, temptation, pain and times of unspeakable sadness. Try as we may, we can't protect our children from the sin in this world and the consequences that sometimes come from it.

What we can do, besides to continue to pray God's protection over them is to also pray that during these times of trouble they will lean in to God, that they will seek His face and voice and that on the other side they will glorify God and shine for Him.

Job is one of the Bible's ultimate examples of unimaginable grief, yet in chapter 23, verse 10 Job was able to exclaim, "But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold". God uses our suffering to shape us and He will use our children's suffering to shape them as well. God never wastes our pain.

Lord, You know the pain _________ will face in his life; there is not a day of his in which You haven't seen nor sifted through Your loving Hands. So while I can hardly bear the thought of him suffering or experiencing loss I trust that You love him more than I and that You will carry him through his times of darkness. I pray in Your power and in Your Spirit that _________ will come through trials with his faith intact and with a better understanding of who You are and how You love him. You are sovereign and I trust You, even with my most precious child. Amen.

Selling My Soul

So you may have noticed something new... and I hope you know I say that nearly choking on the tongue in my cheek because yeah, hello, you'd have to be blind not to notice. I know its a little much but you'll get used to it and like I said before, the content of this blog won't change and there's no way I will start pandering to big corporations (Pixar: my son's room is an homage to your movies. We heart you. Send us to Disneyland.).

So while the content of this blog will not change; I will continue to be irreverent, shocking, honest and true to my beliefs...I think the title of the blog needs to change. You see, when I started this blog it was pretty much for my Mom. And Bug. And my in laws (you have only visited this site ONE time and don't even care one red cent that I'm a famous blogger) and so "All Things Henderson" was an appropriate title but now I really don't post for them (this will devastate my mother) and I'm not so sure that title fits anymore.

So that's where you come in. After all, it is YOU o' gracious readers who I do write for and so I'm opening it up for suggestions and ideas. And again, if I go with your title I'm giving away a $5 gift card to Starbucks. In case you're wondering, I will keep the http address the same so you won't have to change anything--only the title will change.

Next up: (I'm sorry if this is starting to sound a lot like homework) my "contract" (doesn't that sound awesome) states I need to be posting at least twice a week. Normally that isn't a problem but occasionally I hit a week like this week where my ideas all sound stupid and everything I write sounds boring and un-funny and I can't come up with a blog topic to save my life. So while you're throwing out title ideas why don't you throw out some writing prompts too. If you don't know what a writing prompt is, the following examples are for you: "My favorite room in the house is..." or "Here's how I spent my time in college..." or "I bribe my kids with...". You get it. Just some little prompt to get my brain and fingers working and to make "the man" happy with fresh posts. Make them funny, sentimental, spiritual, whatever...I'll use them when I need some unclogging and I'll give you a shout out when I do.

If you don't have a commenting profile yet (which is so lame, why don't you just get on board and become a follower of this blog and get a profile) you can leave a comment under "Anonymous" but be sure and write your name so you get credit and possibly a coffee card! You can also email or facebook your ideas to me. See, don't I make it easy for you?

Big Girl Bed = 15 Cents Less on the Dollar?

Hot Jeff decided Baby Roo needed a big girl bed. And remember that "baby" in my world means 2 in February. Anyway, she hadn't been sleeping well and Jeff was all well-she-needs-a-big-girl-bed and I was all you-must-be-drunk-she's-not-even-two and then Bestie Kim was all he-must-be-drunk-she's-not-even-two and I was all I-know but Jeff won and Emily is sleeping like an angel in her big girl bed and I had to admit I was wrong (which is something I DON'T like). One night of big girl bed madness with her crying and trying to get out and then she's ok, I think I dig this and she's sleeping way better than her brother has ever dreamed of sleeping in his bed.

So we headed out to Toys R Us in the heart of Christmas season which was much like going to Les Schwab the night before freezing rain has been predicted. It was madness and Samuel was pointing to every Lightning McQueen and Buzz Lightyear thing he saw which was EVERY OTHER FRIGGIN' ITEM and screeching that he wanted Santa to bring it to him at this VERY MOMENT or he would DIE and my head was spinning and I just wanted to go home and hide... but a bed girl bed mission we were on.

And you do think in my moment of misery I could just find a sweet little bed? No. Every toddler bed for a girl is pink Disney princess. Every one of them. I hate Disney princesses. Why can't Disney come up with some princess alternative? I just don't understand why every female heroine is unhappy, unsatisfied, and unfulfilled until she lands a man. Why don't I buy Emily the princess bed AND a copy Breaking the Chains of Low Self-Esteem while I'm at it.

I know what you're going to say so go ahead and say it. I'm out of line and I've taken the princess thing too far but let me ask you this: how many "boys" movies end with the male hero being married? Um, let me help you out: ZERO. I've watched a lot of Toy Story, Cars and Peter Pan and the happy ending has nothing to do with kissing or happily ever after.

I LOVE marriage. And I think God designed many of us to be in union with another person, however, I think there is a real danger in teaching our daughters at such early ages (or ANY age) that their self-worth and happiness is wrapped up in finding a mate. I want Emily to grow up finding her value and significance in Jesus and I just don't think Cinderella and the Little Mermaid and all those other princess movies send a very good message to our daughters. Never mind the fact that all those movies end immediately after the "I do's" are said.

So with that said, I was pretty annoyed when the only alternative to a princess bed was a Tinkerbell bed. And while I'm annoyed with the body image issues I think Tinkerbell (along with the others) possibly present I'm a little better with her because she isn't all hell bent on finding a man but is instead a little feisty and the movie's theme is being true to one's self.

So there you have it: my rant on princesses. And someday when Emily comes trick or treating at your door dressed as Snow White you can pull this out of the archive, wave it in my face and tell me how I've gone all soft and that Helene Cixous is going to stop following my blog.

But maybe, just maybe, someday when Emily DOESN'T make only 84% of what her male counterpart makes she will call me up and thank me for never letting her sleep in a princess bed.

Praying for Your Kids Monday
Praying Scripture

I love the idea of praying God's Holy Word over my kids. One, I know it is Truth. Two, I know it is God's will for their life. As my Me n' Jesus time is becoming more regular and fruitful I'm seeing how easy it is to pray Scripture over my kids.

For example: 2 Peter 3:18 says, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen!" What a simple, short but awesome prayer for my kids! Who doesn't want their kids to grow in grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior?

What are some practical ways you would like to see your kids grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus? I'd love to open the comment section up for this discussion? How are some practical ways you are praying for your kids?

Lord, I pray for ____________ to grow in the grace and knowledge of You. I pray that I will be a living example for her and that You will put people in her life to show her practical ways to grow in grace and knowledge of her Savior. Thank You for Your Holy Word that is alive and working in my family's life. Amen.

No worries dear readers...Hot Jeff is still with us. He's not on suicide watch but I am keeping a close eye on him. He's taking the day off today so I think the midgets and I will take him to the zoo to cheer him up. There's nothing like seeing animals in captivity to lift your spirits.

Today has the potential to kill my husband. I have called my State Farm agent and made sure his life insurance is up to date and paid because, today has the potential to kill my husband.

I married in to a long line of Beaver believing crazies. And to you non-Oregonians the Beaver is the Oregon State University mascot and the animal to which we have placed all our hopes and dreams on today.

Today is the 113th Civil War; the rival game between the Beavers (good guys) and the Ducks (bad guys). Any Civil War game gets Hot Jeff's blood pumping but this one is special. This one is for roses. Yep, the winner of this game goes to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. No BCS baloney, no selection Sunday, no waiting...the winner just goes to the Rose Bowl and plays on New Years Day. Giddyup.

We've been season ticket holders for umpteen years and we love going to the games and cheering on our boys in black and orange but this year the game is being played at the University of Oregon and Hot Jeff has vowed to never step foot on their campus (he plugs his nose when he drives through the town) so alas we are watching the game on TV. And since we've gone all Little House on the Prairie we are going to watch it with the other Henderson crazies up at Jeff's sister's house.

So yes, today has the potential to kill my husband. He may either die of joy or die of disappointment. If he keeps up the pace he's gone all week leading up to the game he may die before it even gets started out of sheer giddiness. I made a conscious decision to stop praying for football 4 years ago; not because I thought it was wrong but because I thought it was pointless since God is a Beaver fan. Anyway, I digress, I don't pray for football but I will be praying for Hot Jeff because seriously that man is just one field goal attempt away from a heart attack.

Go Beavs.

Changes

As you probably guessed, public recognition is really not my thing. I cringe at the thought of being the center of attention and I would never dream of self-promoting myself so you can imagine my horror when I was contacted by a certain blogging network (yes, contacted BY THEM) to begin advertising on my blog. And for the record, it is pronounced hy-per-bull-y not hyper-bowl.

So yes, changes will be a comin' soon as you begin to see ads from Lord-knows-who all over this blog. Now don't worry, I'm not going to go pandering to just anyone (I love you,Target). I have dignity (Pick me, Walmart) and pride (We eat a lot of you, Kraft Foods) and if you think I'm going to just sell my soul (sure I'll drive a Buick) to big name corporations (my kids love cereal, Kelloggs) for a few bucks then you are wrong. I will not sell my soul. Well at least not right away. I don't want to look desperate. And Mama Della always told me I should say "no" the first time so I don't come across pathetic. Ok, so she never said that to me but she's been DYING for a shout out and I was beginning to feel bad for her.

Blogging Sensei Amber advertises for this certain blogging network and says the money isn't that great but I'm not sure how low Amber is willing to stoop in order to make a buck so I don't know how accurate she is or how much I can trust her assessment on the cash flow. As we know from The Shrink, my self-esteem is in the toilet and comedic self-loathing and self-deprecating is my expertise so I may be able to make a fortune.