Happy Anniversary

It's really hard to believe that Chuck and I have been married 7 years today! He whisked me away to the Mansion on Turtle Creek Friday, for a romantic in-town getaway. What a wonderful husband I have! We ate at my favorite restaurant, the French Room, and Chuck had even scheduled in-room massages for us. We spent the good part of yesterday catching up on sleep, lounging around and going antiquing throughout the city. What a great weekend!

6 months old!

Hard to believe that our sweet little Cooper is 6 months old today! It has flown by ...

sick!

Well, the past several days have been very interesting. Poor little Cooper picked up a virus from his big sister and brother, which turned into croup. Then, he ended up in the hospital on Sunday afternoon because of trouble breathing. Unfortunately, the steroids they gave him at Children's didn't work, and we were back in the hospital (this time at Presby) the next evening, with even worse breathing problems. It was pretty scary! They ended up keeping us there through most of the night Monday night.

Of course, this would have to happen with Chuck out of town! He was in St. Louis at our family golf tournament fundraiser, Links for Life--Cure Leukemia. Thankfully, Dad was in town and was able to meet me at the hospital Monday night and stayed with us until Cooper was breathing better, around 3 a.m. Cooper ended up having 3 breathing treatments and two injections of steroids by the end of our stay. Poor little guy!

Thankfully, our sweet little Coop is doing much better today. Chuck came home early from his trip yesterday and we are all recovering well. Just a little sleep-deprived. Cooper is so good-natured that he has barely cried throughout this entire ordeal. Check him out in bed snuggling with his lovie and favorite pillow.

In the midst of all the madness, Mimi had her first soccer game! She is on the Unicorns, and looks mighty cute in her pink jersey, pink socks, pink shinguards and pink cleats. She made us very proud at her first game. She had a rough start (didn't like all the kids fighting over one ball) but by the end of it, was quite the player.

Charlie had to miss his first game last night due to illness, but will be back next week. Chuck is coaching the team again, this time he is on the Warriors.

finally, kindergarten!

Charlie really enjoyed his first day of kindergarten yesterday! Even though he thought the day was "a little long," he loves his teacher and all of his classmates. As far as I can tell, the only thing he was disappointed about was not being able to play on the "big" playground due to the torrential rain.

Chuck surprised Charlie by fixing him a steak sandwich for his lunch ... and then met him for lunch, too! He definitely wins dad of the year honors for being the first daddy to come join his child at lunch (something the school encourages).

it's never boring ...

There is always plenty of excitment around here! From Charlie's new ski hat, to Cooper's budding coolness and Mimi's swimsuit revealing a little too much of her hiney ... we find ourselves laughing a lot!

my 3 favorite guys...

Look at these three amazing male specimans!

Can you believe that Chuck is brave enough to take on the job of coaching Charlie's soccer team, yet again? The Warriors have their first practice tomorrow evening ...

Still many more "firsts" today and tomorrow: Today was the first meeting at our church's new building! After 6 years at Watermark, it was very cool to meet today at someplace other than a high school! Tomorrow is Charlie's first day of Kindergarten and first fall soccer practice, and my first Leader's Council for CBS.

the invisible woman

Rosanne read this to all of the leaders at training last week. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room! But it is so true ... what we do as mothers really DOES have eternal implications! The real reward is one which we will never see here on earth. Keeping the correct perspective on what being a servant of God means is crucial in maintaining the right attitude toward all of the monotony that we mothers face day in, day out.

Am I more interested in my kids' outward appearance, or their hearts? Am I more concerned that they be the popular kids, or that they would have the courage to be unpopular if it means standing up for their faith? Do I praise them for their performance in school and on the sports field, or because of their kindness and servanthood to others that nobody sees?


(reprinted from parenthood.com)
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right.
By Nicole Johnson

It started to happen gradually …

One day I was walking my son Jake to school. I was holding his hand and we were about to cross the street when the crossing guard said to him, "Who is that with you, young fella?"

"Nobody," he shrugged.

Nobody? The crossing guard and I laughed. My son is only 5, but as we crossed the street I thought, "Oh my goodness, nobody?"

I would walk into a room and no one would notice. I would say something to my family - like "Turn the TV down, please" - and nothing would happen. Nobody would get up, or even make a move for the remote. I would stand there for a minute, and then I would say again, a little louder, "Would someone turn the TV down?" Nothing.

Just the other night my husband and I were out at a party. We'd been there for about three hours and I was ready to leave. I noticed he was talking to a friend from work. So I walked over, and when there was a break in the conversation, I whispered, "I'm ready to go when you are." He just kept right on talking.

That's when I started to put all the pieces together. I don't think he can see me. I don't think anyone can see me.

I'm invisible.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.

She's going … she's going … she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."

And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

organized chaos

Gini (Weir) Florer --a college sorority sister of mine who lives here in Dallas and has a son, Will, who will be in Charlie's class -- somehow coerced me to throw a back-to-school swim party at our house on Friday. All of the Providence EIII M/W and M/W/F kids were invited, and most came. It was good for the kids to get to meet each other before school starts tomorrow, but even better for the moms to meet a lot of new faces. I think we had around 25 kids!

Chuck was sweet enough to come home from work in the middle of the day to help out with the madness. He gave a brief lecture to the kids on all of our 'pool rules' and for the most part, the kids obeyed well. I'm still not sure if we were crazy to host the party, but it ended up being fantastic! It took the place of our annual "Chillin' and Grillin' Memorial Day Blast", since we took a year off due to Cooper's birth.

A proud moment...

Here are some photos of Mimi's first day of preschool. Check out her new (hot pink) princess backpack! And sweet big brother Charlie holding her hand to walk her into school . . . Mimi is in his old classroom from 2 years ago.

As proud as I was of her that morning, I had an even prouder moment later on that day. During the first-day-of-school luncheon with her new teacher, Mrs. McKee told us that the kids will have a "class verse" this year, which is "We will listen and obey" (Deut. 5:27) When she went over the verse with the class for the first time, Mimi raised her hand, told everyone that she already knew that verse, and also knew a song to go along with it! She got up in front of her class -- this is on the first day, mind you! -- and sang, "We will listen and obey, and obey, and obey. We will listen and obey. Deuteronomy 5:27" (to the tune of London Bridge) !

She had learned the scripture and song last year at CBS, and I am so proud she remembered it! And it is such a blessing to see her 'hiding God's word in her heart' even at a very young age! Now if she would just remember to follow that verse's advice ...

a week of firsts

Yesterday was Mimi's first day of ballet class, and today will be her first day of preschool! I can't believe how quickly she is growing up! she was so excited to get back to ballet, and as far as preschool is concerned, well...she has been telling everyone for weeks now that she is "going to be in preschool at the Learning Center soon".

Yesterday, I also had a meeting with all of the moms in Charlie's class and his kindergarten teacher. Mrs. McWhorter is wonderful! As excited as I am that he is entering kindergarten, i'm a little bit overwhelmed with our present schedule. There is so much to do...so many activites to remember to be at ... so many meetings for various activities and obligations to remember to take care of, not to mention just keeping up with our friends and church and family ... I really feel like our plate is very full right now! I'm sure we will settle into a routine here shortly, but right now, it is a lot going on.

It is so nice, however, to meet with the teachers and all of the other moms of the kids in Charlie's class at Providence. What a blessing that we have such a wonderful school here in town! At its essence, what Providence does is extremely counter-cultural. To actually teach virtue, modesty, and respect at a school with a curriculum that is both classical AND Christ-centered ... wow! His class has a "theme verse" which is "Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another." (Romans 14:19)

In addition, the school recommends that we use the following verse as a sieve with which to determine what influences to allow in our children's lives: "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." (Phil. 4:8) I wonder what we would cut out of our lives if we took this scripture to heart in all areas ... ? It is a good standard to attain to, that is for sure!

yet another reason why TX is the best of the 50 states ...

The lead article in today's Metro section covers the 2007 Texas State Fair "fried food finalists." Among the finalists on this illustrious list:
--"Zesty Fried Guacamole Bites." (As if avocados don't already have enough fat.)
--"B.W.'s Original Fried Banana Pudding"
--"Fernie's Fried Chili Frito Burrito"
--"Mama's Fried Sweet Potato Pie"
--"Country Fried Peach Cobbler-on-a-Stick." Why on a stick? Is normal Peach Cobbler so difficult to eat?
--"Deep Fried Latte." I wonder if it comes in decaf.
And the winner ...
"Texas Fried Cookie Dough" As it is described, "Cookie dough, made with pecans, chocolate chips and coconut, is lightly battered and deep fried, then topped with chocolate syrup or whipped cream."

We are always trying to put a little weight on Charlie, so we will definitely high-tail it over to the fried-food corner of the good ol' TX State Fair next month. Its a good thing that Cooper is still too young for this stuff, or we might go broke!

PS -- I added a photo of Mimi in her new favorite hat. Even though it is knit of wool, she wears it in 100+ degree weather because she thinks it makes her look like Sharpay from "High School Musical." I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree when it comes to having a daughter who loves fashion. But perhaps all of this HSM stuff is getting out of hand?

back to school thought ...

I'm up way too late preparing for the first day of CBS tomorrow. But I was just reading through my devotional and came across this and it seemed very appropriate as we gear up for another school year, etc.:
"We want our children to be known for their goodness. We want our children to be attractive to others because of their purity. This doesn't just happen. It must be taught. And although we can do much to teach our children, the real teacher is the Holy Spirit...Let us pray for our children to be attracted to holiness and purity like a magnet, so that when anything entices them that isn't holy or pure, they detect the pull immediately and are made uncomfortable to thoroughly reject it. "For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness." (I Thessalonians 4:7)"

I am so grateful to Providence and CBS (and a wonderful, godly husband!) for coming alongside me to help me teach my children in His ways!

On another note, I got an email from Gini that John Lawson was back in the hospital today. Our prayers are with her family and we pray for a speedy diagnosis and complete healing for John Lawson. And I'm not just saying that because I want her here to help me host the party we are throwing on Friday for Charlie and Will's class! :)

labor day fun with the cousins

Yesterday was another great day of swimming! First, the Linders came over to swim at our house and cookout for lunch. Stephanie had baby Margo with her, who is just beautiful. I'm sure Cooper will set his sights on her in the not-so-distant future! Charlie and Amelia had great fun with Michael and Maddox, especially playing on the rafts in the pool. It is fun to see how Mimi and Charlie interact with Cooper. Noone can get him to belly-laugh the way his big brother and sister can! Cooper just lights up whenever they are around. He enjoyed getting in the pool again -- this time with a suit on!

Later on, we met up with Mark and Peggy at Bent Tree. Charlie and Mimi were so happy to see their cousins and had a blast in the pool with them! Mimi impressed all of us with her cannonballs off of the diving board, but was outdone by Ryan's double flips! We will be sad to see the Bent Tree pool close this weekend ... but if the weather stays warm, I'm sure we will keep on swimming in our pool for a few months.

Today we were able to visit the Wilburns in the hospital to see sweet little Avalon. Yet another precious baby girl for Cooper to woo!

LABOR DAY:
We spent the day at the Bent Tree pool party ... lots of fun. Facepainting, dunk booth, balloon animals, and one VERY loud DJ. Mimi and Parker had fun dancing, at least.

bee-utiful day

The Bozmans came over today to swim, which was a blast. So much fun to hang out with sweet little Cannon--2 weeks old. Charlie and Mimi were ecstatic to have Ryan and Landrie over to swim. It was a gorgeous day...not too hot for a change.

Chuck had recently discovered that the play set was infested with bees. Since we are hosting a swim party for Charlie's kindergarten class this Friday, we figured we'd better get rid of the bees before a lot of 5-year-olds visit our yard! We called a local 'bee removal service', and they showed up in the middle of our swim date with the Bozmans. You can see from the photo that it was an interesting visit! Turns out we have a large hive of yellowjackets under the floor of the play set! The beekeeper was able to get rid of it, but not without first being stung by one of the bees -- through leather gloves and 4 layers of clothing! Its a good thing they will be gone by the swim party!

We topped off the evening by going to the Porch for dinner with the Bozmans and all of the kiddos. Its amazing how our 2 families means we now need a table for 10! The Porch is our new favorite spot for dinner -- great food and fun atmosphere; Chuck and I even went there on our date night last night!