A Funny Birthday to Me!

Yes, I am a year older today. The wiser part should be setting in anytime soon.

It was an unusual day, though it started out mild enough. After work, my friend Roberta took me out to lunch. During our lunch Matt called to ask me to race home to get his track shoes.(Matt calling to ask me to bring him misc parts of his sports uniforms isn't unusual at all.) I did, and got them to him just in time for the meet to be cancelled. Which was really good, because as soon as Jack left for work today I realized that McClacken was nowhere to be found. Our neighbor's hand let me know he was in one of their pastures agitating their geldings. Oh my.

I went to town to get Matt and a new halter, and then he and I had to chase the horse down. As I was wondering how in the world I was supposed to get McClacken to agree to let me get the halter on him, I realized I didn't even know HOW to get it on. Then Jack called to tell me he had heard I was having horse issues. One of the neighbors (or 2 or 3) who were driving by found him at work to let him know the horse had made a break for it. He let me know that the roping rope was in the back of the truck if I wanted to try to lasso McClacken. I have lots of skills, but roping doesn't even come close to being in the range of "things I know how to do." Jack just laughed and told me he was on his way to help bring McClacken home.

Matt actually got the rope around McClacken, so when Jack got there I let the two of them work out getting the horse home and making sure he stayed put. Matt went and asked Ron how to get the halter on, and he came over to show us how. I finally took my drenched and muddy self into the house and desperately tried to get warm. When I woke up this morning, I really wasn't planning on chasing a horse through the mud and rain. Some people just go out to dinner for their birthday.

Jesse and Sam sent me a funny birthday card which arrived today.


When you open it up the musical chip plays the sound of somebody calling for security over the intercom. I "think" I was only giggling hysterically because the card was funny, and because I have been in "that" line before. I don't "think" I was giggling that hard because of leftover runaway-horse-induced exhaustion. Who knows, though!

There were some really sweet greetings in my card. Mom signed it too. I miss and love you guys also!

This was my favorite part of the card, though. This is the "postage due" notice that was delivered with it. I am still giggling over it. (Sam did put postage on the envelope... those little sound cards apparently require some extra change, though.)

Thanks Sam and Jesse! And thank you to everyone who called, emailed, and sent messages on my facebook and myspace. Yes, it was an unusual day, but in my world that isn't necessarily bad. I do like things to be kept interesting!

Matt's Birthday

Matt wanted to be able to eat sushi for his birthday. He also wanted to go to Game Stop to get some xbox 360 headphones. He wanted to get his driver's permit. And he wanted to be able to spend the day with me. We did the best wecould to make it all happen.

To be able to get his permit, the state of Arkansas requires a document from the school stating he has a C average. The grade average isn't a problem. He makes A's and B's. However, the school won't have the papers until next week. We will have to try then for the permit.

But he did get to spend the morning at work with me anyway, and then Jack and I, and Beth and Faith (who had stayed home because of a headache that began the night before) took him to a Chinese restaraunt in Harrison that also happens to serve sushi. In a couple of weeks when we make a run to Branson I will take him with me to eat at Wasabi.

Sushi is one of his favorite foods.
We took him to the Game Stop in Harrison, which had about 15 game items and shelves and shelves of discount make-up, scrapbook stickers from 12years ago (no kidding), old lotions, etc. It looks like they are opening a discount bent and dent type of place. He left disappointed, so we took him to Walmart to try to find theheadphones. No luck there either. However, after we dropped Chet off at pottery that evening, I ran him over to the Berryville Walmart where he found the headphones. Whew.

After we got home again he disappeared into his room with his headphones, and wasn't heard from again until this morning. Apparently he really liked his gift!

He wants a homemade pumpkin cake, which we will bake tomorrow - after I go back to the store and buy cream cheese for the frosting.

Seventeen.....

I can't believe that Matt is 17 today. He is growing up in so many ways. This year has seen him mature in several areas. I am so proud of this kid. He has goals that he is working towards. Good goals. He has values he lives by. He has a huge heart is very empathetic to kids who are struggling. He deals with his share of teen angst issues, but overall he is a great person. We love you, Matt! Happy birthday! I know you want me to get your sushi pics up, and I will do it tomorrow when I get home!

Happy Birthday, Happy Boy!

Today Kyle reached the halfway mark to adulthood. Nine is always a slightly sad birthday for me since it is the last single digit birthday, and I never want to leave the childhood stage with my kids. Leaving behind babyhood has always been hard enough.

Yet, birthdays are cause for celebration, so Kyle invited some friends over and we set them all up with pizza, cake, and icecream. I don't know why he looks like a chipmunk in this picture. It must be a recessive gene from Jack's side of the family.
He loved opening presents. The kid is pretty rich now!
Here he is with two of his best friends who came over today.

It was a beautiful day today, so we have spent the afternoon outside. I am posting this from my front porch. The pastor and his sons and grandsons came over for target shooting, and right now all of the kids are running around the house shooting each other with their nerf guns as the adults are shooting off a really loud gun (527??)

It's been a fun day. Happy birthday,Kyle! We love you!

Eleven! Already?

Happy birthday, dear Faith! Happy birthday, dear Faith! Happy birthdaaaaaayyyyy...darling, dramatic, smart, beautiful daughhhhhhh-------terrrrr... Happy birthday to you!! We luv ya!!!

Faith got home from school today and we sang to her, ate cupcakes, and gave her her gifts. Faith wants to thank Papa and Leigh for the card and money, which arrived here right before she did, and she wants to thank Miss Nina for the jigsaw puzzles, and she would like to thank Hollywood for releasing the Twilight movie today. That was a really nice thing to do for her birthday! (I wanted to take her to the Third Day concert instead, but us all not feeling well made sitting in a theater vs standing at a concert a better idea.)

When the little party was over, Chet and Faith and I bundled up and headed to Harrison to catch the 5:25 viewing. I was right in guessing there might be seats available before everyone was off work. We got there at 5:20, there were about ten seats left, and the next two showings were already sold out.

We all enjoyed the movie. It is rare that I like a movie better than the book, but this is one of those rare moments. While I found the written humor in book form to be corny, it was brought out well in the movie and we all laughed a lot. There are details lost in the movie, of course, but in some ways it is a good thing simply because I don't like the underlying theme of the books. (A young girl who has never experienced any kind of adult life giving up her entire human future for her boyfriend.... uggghhhhh.....I just don't find it romantic at all.) It has been a good opportunity to have some really good conversations with both Chet and Faith as we have read the books, though, and they both really liked the movie. I had a great night with them....

and Faith said it was "the best birthday ever." Not bad for a birthday night out where all three of us were not feeling up to speed at all! Happy Birthday, Faithers! Feel better soon. To make up for missing Third Day, we are going to go see Casting Crowns and Natalie Grant in a couple of weeks. Woohoo!