Natalie!

All I have to say here is that she is TWO!
I would say she is in the terrible two's but I promised myself I would never ever say that! So she is in the - never get sleepy, run circles around momma, doesn't want to eat her vegetables, and wants to get her way two's - !
I could also call it the "thankful two's" - This little girl is soooo polite! She always say's "Thank You" to everybody for anything - She always say's Excuse me when she burps and when she .....er well...you know! She tells everyone "Bless you" if they sneeze or cough or even grunt.
She is an amazing little girl and she teaches me something new everyday!
She can say her ABC's (and even identify most of those letters) She can count to ten!
She knows that dishes belong in the sink - she often picks mine up for me and say's "Sink O.K." and I tell her "O.K" and she packs all the dishes to the sink!
Yesterday she packed her brothers humidifier to the sink also!
She really enjoys playing outside - to the point to where we have to spell the word! She also knows the way to the park - so when we get in the car she say's "This way" "Park" - and if you don't turn that way she will try and convince you that you are going the wrong way, by saying, No, NO , NO....This way!
The other day I had her and her brother down for a nap and I thought I could get a good shower before they woke up -
Well, as soon as I stepped into the shower I hear a thud at the door - I open it and Natalie looks up at me and says, "My Hungry" - It was so cute! frustrating but cute!
Natalie loves to puddle jump - when we go outside she always has to wear her rain boots - because if there is mud or water she will be in it no matter the temperature!
We finally told Natalie about Santa! I was really apprehensive about it, because I don't like the idea of lying to my child and I still feel guilty, but she did have fun with it. I do remember when I found out Santa wasn't real - and I wasn't hurt too bad and I lived. So maybe I will keep it up, but I may change my mind next year....not sure.
Natalie really likes animals and bugs and lizards. Whew, I have to get my wits about me with this girl!
Natalie loves to read and play pretend. She likes to build with blocks with her daddy.
She also likes to watch T.V. Not something that I'm real proud of, but it's working for us at the moment. Right now her favorite show is Kung Fu Panda - of all things! But soon it will have to go back to Netflix.
Natalie plays well with other children, but other kids can be mean. We have taught her not to push, but other parents seem to think that pushing is a major milestone or something. So when a child pushes her down, she say's, "No, Stop it, I don't like it" I'm so proud of her, but boy do I just want to take those kids by the ear and march them over to the parents or better yet just spank them myself! It's really hard watching my sweet girl get pushed.
Natalie also likes to jump on my bed (it's big enough for her not to hit the wall).
If you close your eyes for just a few seconds she will shout, "Wake UP" Wake UP" until you open your eyes. It's a game her daddy started one Saturday morning, so he can stay in bed a little longer.
So this is what I have about Natalie! Hope you enjoyed it. Yes, I will be posting some pictures, maybe even a video if I can get it on here....
Now I'm off to start on Elijah's Update!

Melissa!

Yeah, Yeah I know you want to hear about the children - but I figured I could make you wait!
Well, Me...Lets see.
I stay at home, change diapers, feed babies, pay bills, clean house, play with babies, watch Kung Fu Panda OVER and OVER!, and that is about it!
Okay - on to someone else!
Just kidding!
I have found that I'm not much of a creator - but a re-creator! I really like to do crafty things and such but I don't have very many original ideas! So, I used to be pretty fussy about that - feeling like I was cheating or something - but then - I realized that there really aren't many new ideas out there - and it's ok to copy cat as long as I'm not taking something away from someone else - and of course, if it has a copyright! So I'm settled now with the fact that I'm a re-creator!

I have a gazillion things that I love to do, but sadly it usually only gets half way done. I like to sew - I have made Natalie two dresses - one I didn't finish until she was too big! LOL
The other looked pretty good (yes there will be a picture) It is brown with pink polka dots!
I like to make those really pretty chunky beady bracelets (are there enough adjectives there!)
I have a TON of scrapbooking stuff -and I have had it for a long time - and I only have about three pages done - I even have a table for all of it - but - sigh- It's like blogging - I just don't want to do it unless I can make it look awesome - maybe I will have to just start doing it - and be happy with what I can do! Just like my blog!

An amazing women, also named Melissa, sent me a personalized prayer book for each of my children...it adds your childs name into scripture - So you can pray the scriptures for your little ones! - And I have started making those....I figured that I live far enough away from the lady that made them that it would be ok - and there isn't a copyright anywhere on it. My friend from Abilene is also picking that up - Go Kirsten! ( I think I spelled that right - some friend I am.)
OH! I LOVE taking pictures! I don't do it as often as I like or should because....you guessed it...I want it to be perfect! - I really have to get over all that!
Photography has been in my mind for awhile and I really want to learn all about my camera and about the photoshoping techniques - It just takes time - something I don't seem to have a lot of during the day.....ha!....or night! This is the place where I find that I'm the creator - although I do like to try and get the same shots of other pictures that I have seen - I find that I can really let loose and just have fun!
I also like to play the piano - I FINALLY have a piano - I have wanted one my whole life! Way to go hubby! He bought me an anitque grand cabinet piano - it is 108 years old! It needs some tuning and some more cleaning - but it sounds SOOO beautiful - especially since we have hard wood floors! I took piano lessons when I was younger but, I didn't get very far. So I try and teach myself! I have learned to play: Jesus loves me (with both hands!) - I can play a full chord down the piano - and I'm currently learning "Bella's Lullaby"! (it's easy and hard at the same time!)
Which brings me to TWILIGHT! I absolutely love the Twilight saga! I have read all the books and I'm anticipating the next one. I know that these books are a bit teenage - ish - but I really do not like romance novels (gross!) And I really don't like reading horror either - So this is just a clean book that has romance, action, suspense - it has it all! I have seen the movie twice! I can't say that I would have liked it so much if I hadn't read the books. They left out soooo much detail. - Okay I'm going somewhere else.
I haven't made many friends here is Warren. Kirsten, I read your blog the other day about being proactive - and I felt sorry for myself. I have phone numbers for two other ladies with a child the same age as mine - but I feel soooo awkward! (mainly because I met them in Wal- mart or at the park, so there is no other connection!) HA! Steven even asked a lady for her phone number once and gave it to me.
Also what I find hard is that I'm attracted to couples that seem to be a lot youger than us - and the ones that are our age - I think that they are older. I just need to let go and just do it. I miss my Monroe friends ALOT! I miss the church and the stores! I miss my babysitters - KELSIE - I need you to move up here!
The congregation here is - hmmm - stuck. It is a traditional church _which I don't mind. But it is a "family" church. Everyone has grown up in that church and they don't need anymore friends. We have tried SOOOO hard to get the couples to come over and visit with us - but they are just - not available.
There is one familyl that has really taken us in, they generally have us over for Sunday lunch- and they have brought us goodies and things when we were sick - they are a very sweet, funny family.
Well -OH yeah...something else I do. Last week we were stepping out into the cold wintery night to go to worhip....and this poor little puppy greated Steven at the doorstep. This is a 6 week old lab/chow puppy that someone just dropped off. Now, Steven and I both like dogs....but niether of us want one! We were going to get one ...L-A-T-E-R ! But there it was - a sweet little cute PUPPY that someone left out in the cold. (this is the week that it was 19 degrees at night) SO Steven scoops him up and puts him in our guest bathroom. SIGH. I took the poor pup to the vet the next day - he has sarcoptic mange - ewe! - (also known as scabies!) So we had to get him treated for that and get his shots and get him dewormed - Okay this free puppy just turned into a $100 dog. Not to mention that if we keep it, we have to bould a $2000 fence. I DON'T WANT A DOG! Oh and did I mention that it's a male! I don't like male dogs (you can use your own imagination to guess why)
Plus side - this dog is very quiet - he only whines to go outside - and he is house trained. (I didn't do it) -So he is a good dog. I don't know what we are going to do with him. By the way - His name is Huggie. (he sleeps in an empty box of huggies diapers)

Overall, I feel as if I have become a better person here in Warren. No friends leads to a lot of self- examination. So I have looked at what I considered my weaknesses and either I'm working on fixing it - or I'm learning to embrace it.
I know I didn't talk a lot before - but I really talk a lot less (can you tell by this super long post!)
The reason for that is that I'm trying to "respect" others more. I don't always have to give my opinion. I have mainly started trying to learn to respect men more. I used to would talk to them like they were inferior sometimes, but now (after some Bible study) I know it's not my place.
I also don't try so hard to please the world. That one is hard to explain - maybe another post for another day.

I love all ya'll and Miss ya'll!

Steven!

Time to update the going on's with my wonderful hubby!
Steven is busy, busy, busy.
He works for Millcreek of Arkansas, an in patient facility for boys and girls ages 6-17.
Steven is a therapist for the older boys. The boys are either placed by: DHS (Department of Human Services), parents, Juvenile court or they just don't have anywhere else to go. These boys mainly consist of trouble makers.
With each client Steven does individual therapy and family therapy sessions. He also has to do three group therapy sessions a week. He often tells me about his group ideas and I have to tell you, they are really good.
He generally has around 14 kids to see a week.
These kids are generally really rough around the edges and they need a lot of help. Steven does have a few scary stories that makes me wish he was working in a better environment, but he has proved that he can handle himself.
He has applied for the clinical director position, which we think will be a great oppurtunity to get some knowledge and experience.
Steven is an awesome dad and husband. He comes home from work and helps me until we go to sleep. He is no where near one of those men that just sit on the couch. Soemtimes he will even take over cooking dinner and watching the kids at the same time so I can have some alone time. He was shown his carpentry skills in many ways: he was replaced some wood siding on our house (he had to make the siding because they don't sell it in the stores anymore) And it turned out great! The only way you can tell is because the paint isn't layered on (they didn't scrape the house before painting it so it has a cool texture!) , He has built two very sturdy window seats for our house. And he has built a very pretty dollhouse for Natalie's Christmas!
Of course I will upload pics of everything!
Steven is leading singing during worship some Sunday's and he is teaching the young adults class.
His dissertation is well - a work in progress- he is mainly waiting on the research period to be over. Then he will have to really buckle down if he wants to graduate in August 2009.
I will get Steven to update a little in this space too!
Pictures are on the way!

A Maybe Promise!

I'm making a promise to myself and to my family and friends right her and now!
I promise to keep up with my blog better!
Hmmm...I'll try!
You see, I don't have that much time and I want to do a really good job, so since I know I don't have time to do a good job - I just don't do it at all!
But I have to get rid of that trait and just forget about it.
Too many amazing things happen that I want to remember and share with others for me to just sit and whine about not getting to blog about it.
So - forgive the mess that I may make on here - including grammar! and lopsided pictures (for some reason I can't get blogger to upload the "touched up" picture)

So I'm going to do a BIG update! I will start with Steven -
Soon.