Mommy's Heart

I just got back from a trip visiting my parents for a week and a half, while John adjusted to his new work schedule.  Since I was going back just in time to move into our new house, mom and dad offered to keep Eric for a couple of weeks to help ease the stress of the move.  This seemed like a good idea to me and to Eric.  Until I came home, of course.  2 and a half weeks was a LONG time to be without my baby!  Icalled to talk to him the next day.  I found out that whenever he wasn't happy about something he would tell mom and dad that he needed to go home.  :(  *pull my heartstrings!*  But overall, he was doing well and not really upset about being away  from me.  He understood that he would be there for a couple of weeks (even if he doesn't understand how long that is) and that he would be riding back home with Amber and Chris.

But the most heart warming/wrenching thing was when he got on the phone with me and asked his first question.  You see, Eric is JUST now getting to the point where he can hold a conversation and express how he feels, so I felt a flood of emotion when the conversation went like this:

Eric:  Hello?

Me:  Hi, baby!

Eric.  Hi!  How's Matthew?

*tears*  *smiles* I don't know!  He wanted to know how his brother was!  He was missing Matthew!  That was the single sweetest thing I have seen/heard in a long time.  It just blows my mind that he was thinking about Matthew and thought to ask about him.  The only thing that kept me from completely bawling at this precious moment, was laughing at the fact that Matthew is THRILLED to be an "only child" for a while.  He's not missing Eric AT ALL!  Beyond not missing Eric, Matthew has used all his tiny might to push John away when John has hugged me or held me.  The boy is slightly possessive of his mommy.  It's highly amusing to watch.  :) 

I sure am missing my baby boy already!  I'll be so glad to see him again soon.  But for now, I'm enjoying letting Matthew have a chance to get the one on one time that he desires so much too.  That little pistol!

Day 17

A picture of something that has had a huge impact on your life recently.

This is the most "recent" thing that has had what I consider to be a HUGE impact on my life.  For the good and the bad.  I believe it's impossible for anyone to join the army and come out unchanged and I know our lives are different because of it.

Day 16

 A picture of someone who inspires you

This is Papa Bill and Nana K.  I love them.  If you ever want to know how to be more like Jesus, you should hang out with them a while.  You can't help but become a better person when you are around them.  They fully embody love, joy, peace, patience,  goodness, gentleness, and kindness.  I hope to be just like them when I grow up!  :)

Listia

You know I love to share FREE stuff with you all, so I thought I would share this link to Listia.  Listia is a place where you use credits to bid on auctions and receive things for free.  Like Ebay without the money!  Nice!  And all you really have to do to get credits is to list stuff yourself, so it's a great way to get rid of that extra stuff in your house as well.  If you sign in using this link, you'll automatically get 100 credits, simply because I referred you.  Go check it out!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO LISTIA

Day 15

 A picture of something (else) you want to do before you die

What?  My answer wasn't good enough the FIRST time?!  Fine.  This is something I think would be fun to do.

I want to hold a baby tiger.  Or a lion.  I don't know why.  There's just something about being able to safely (and yes, I know there are still risks) hold and interact with a cute and cuddly wild animal that excites me!

Day 14

 A picture of someone(s) you could never imagine your life without
(someones..hehehehe)

Day 13

A picture of your favorite band or artist (or several)

.....because it's too hard to narrow down

 

Jars Of Clay

Matthew West

Sugarland

Reba

 

Dave Matthews Band

Goo-Goo Dolls

Rob Thomas

Celine Dion

 

Iron & Wine

Dispatch

Brett Dennen



Day 12

 A picture of something you love

A little too obvious?

Best and Worst Commercials Ever

A random blog for you today.  These 2 commercials cause such a fierce reaction in me, I feel like blogging about them every time I see them.

Best commercial goes to Disney Theme Parks.  Kudos to you commercial-maker man.  You must be a parent.  If the purpose of commericals is to get you to buy a product, I imagine you have sold to quite a few people.  There is no commercial I have ever seen that makes me want to get up and go spend some money like this one.






Worst Commercial goes to Toyota Highlander.  I *hate* this commerical with a passion.  Really, Toyota-commercial-man?  You're going to try to get me to buy your car by getting an 8 year old to make me feel lame about the car I am driving?  The kid is a total brat, unfortunately an accurate picture of today's youth who have been given every luxury.    Shame on you.    Your commercial disgusts me and I will never buy a Toyota.

Day 11

A picture of something you hate

As if you didn't know.

Day 10

 A picture of the person you do the most crazy things with

'Nuff said.

Day 9

A picture of the (people) who (have) gotten you through the most

Thanks Mom and Dad!  Love you!

Day 8

A picture that makes you laugh

Actually, I find THIS ENTIRE BLOG hilarious.  She's definitely got a way with words and pictures!

(this particular picture comes from this entry.)

Gotta Keep It H.A. Ya'll

I'm behind on my Harding blog.  I am working on it, but I had to show all my Harding peeps this video.  The Abigails is a group at Harding that has become pretty popular on campus, and after hearing this song I can see why.  One of the guys in the group was a teen at the church where my father preaches, so there is a special connection there.  I so hope they performed this in chapel. 

"Please don't clap.  If you feel me, just say so!  Gotta keep it H.A." 

Day 7

 A picture of (one of) your most treasured item(s)

(hey..it's my blog..I can do what I want)

This was particularly hard for me.  I interpret "most treasured" as something that I would be devastated if I lost in some form or fashion, and I don't have that attachment to things.  My "most treasured items" are my box of handwritten letters (which I have collected since middle school - and no, I don't have a picture) and my pictures (but who wants to see a picture of a picture?)  And of course, I treasure my wedding ring set.  Those 3 things are irreplaceable.  But they seem a little obvious for this post.  I mean, everybody cherishes those things.  There was only ONE other thing that I could think of to post a picture of.  It doesn't top the first 3 as most treasured, but it comes in at a strong 4.  It makes me smile every time I see it and touch it.

This was Eric's FAVORITE book when he was a baby.  Once again, I'm cheating..this is not HIS book.  HIS book completely fell apart years ago from being read over and over again.  I had to get another one to replace it, but I saved the first one.  One day I will give it to him when he has his own baby.  This little treasured item keeps me connected to Eric's baby days.  Seeing it brings back those memories of his little eyes lighting up and touching the worn pages where his chubby little fingers were makes me smile. 

Conversations With Eric

(while trying to learn "he" from "she")

Eric:  (regarding Matthew) She's over there!

Papa:  Matthew is a he.

Eric:  She's a boy!

Papa:  HE'S a boy

Eric:  I'm a he! And you're a he!

Papa:  That's right!  And what is Mommy?

Eric:  A she!

Papa: Right!  And Nana is...?

Eric:  A she!

Papa:  Good.  So what is Matthew?

Eric:  She's a he!

Eric:  (distraught)  I can't find my brown numbers.  They're black.

Mom:  I can see why you're having difficulty locating them.

Eric:  Where did Papa go?

Nana:  I don't know

*Eric runs to the back of the house and comes back*

Eric:  I can't find Papa.

*toilet flushes*

Nana:  I think he went to the bathroom

Eric:  OH!  I can go watch that I think!

Day 6

 A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day

Well, it depends on what you mean.  If you mean, "Who would you like to trade roles with for a day?"  It's this guy right here:

But not because I think his life is so great.  I would only want to trade places with him so he could have a better understanding of what my day is like.

However, if you mean "Who would you want to trade places with in a Freaky Friday kinda way, where you assume the person's body as well as their life for a day?" I have a different answer.  And it's not one you would expect.  But I thought a really long time about it because I couldn't think of anyone I wanted to be.  And as I was sitting here talking to my parents about American Idol, I remembered there is always something I've wanted to know.  You see, there is a guy that tried out for American Idol who has a fiancee who was in a car accident and suffered a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury).  TBI's have always intrigued me because I wonder how much the person who has suffered one REALLY knows and understands.  The most awful thing I can think of, is to have lost all physical ability (even to the point of being able to swallow!) and yet be aware of EVERY thing going on around you.  Knowing who you are, knowing what has happened, and yet not being able to do anything about it - not being able to communicate what you think and feel. 

So, if I could trade places with someone for a day, it would be with someone with a TBI, because I really want to know.  And, that could change the way these people are treated and dealt with.  Imagine all the possibilities of fully being able to understand what an injured brain is capable of!  It would definitely be a life-changing experience (no pun intended!) that would be worth the sacrifice for a day!